RTHK: 'Last Picture Show' director Bogdanovich dies at 82

Peter Bogdanovich, the acclaimed New Hollywood director of "The Last Picture Show," has died at the age of 82, his agent said on Thursday.

Starting out as an influential film critic, Bogdanovich began directing with 1968's "Targets," before co-writing his ode to 1950s America "The Last Picture Show."

The coming-of-age film set in a small Texas town that has fallen on hard times earned eight Oscar nominations, winning two, and drew comparisons to "Citizen Kane."

"I am devastated. He was a wonderful and great artist. I'll never forgot attending a premiere for 'The Last Picture Show,'" his contemporary, director Francis Ford Coppola, said.

"I remember at its end, the audience leaped up all around me bursting into applause lasting easily 15 minutes... May he sleep in bliss for eternity, enjoying the thrill of our applause forever."

After further successes in the early 1970s such as the Barbra Streisand screwball comedy "What's Up, Doc?" and "Paper Moon"  which won actress Tatum O'Neal the youngest-ever competitive Oscar at just 10  Bogdanovich's own career went into sharp decline.

He released a series of flops, including "Daisy Miller" and "At Long Last Love."

Bogdanovich had an affair with Playboy model Dorothy Stratten, who was murdered by her husband prior to the release of Bogdanovich's "They All Laughed"  her first starring role, alongside Audrey Hepburn.

He married her younger half-sister, but fell into bankruptcy and moved back from Los Angeles to New York, where he returned to writing film criticism.

In his later years, Bogdanovich became known to younger movie and TV buffs as he took on acting roles, including the psychiatrist to Tony Soprano's own shrink in "The Sopranos," and a DJ in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill."

Bogdanovich was born in Kingston, New York in 1939. No cause of death was given. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-01-06. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Kenyan president meets with Chinese state councilor

Xinhua) 09:00, January 07, 2022

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (R) meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (3rd R) in Mombasa, Kenya, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday met here with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was invited to visit the African country.

Kenyatta asked Wang to convey his cordial greetings to President Xi Jinping. Kenyatta said that the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Kenya at the beginning of the year fully demonstrates the strong relationship between Kenya and China.

He said China is not only a sincere friend of Kenya, but also a development partner of close cooperation, adding that the deepening pragmatic cooperation in various fields and cultural exchanges between Kenya and China have created a large number of jobs in Kenya, improved people's lives, and brought notable benefits to the people.

Kenyatta said Kenya's development achievements would not have been possible without China's strong support, which is imprinted on the mind of the Kenyan government and people.

Every country has the right to independently choose a development path suited to its own national conditions, and bring health, prosperity and dignity to its people, Kenyatta said, adding there are always some people who like to point fingers at the country, saying that it has various problems, but China has sincerely helped Kenya solve problems and meet its needs with actions.

Kenyatta said the cooperation between Kenya and China is about timely support between true partners. He said he is often asked why Kenya and China cooperate so closely, and he told them, because China and Kenya respect each other and treat each other as equals.

Kenyatta expressed Kenya's willingness to continue deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with China to achieve common development, saying the country is full of expectations for the future of Kenya-China relations.

Wang first conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings and best wishes to President Kenyatta, and congratulated Kenya on its continuous rapid development under the leadership of President Kenyatta.

Wang said that the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Africa at the beginning of the year is to demonstrate the solidarity and mutual trust between China and Africa and China's firm determination to promote China-Africa friendship.

According to Wang, the visit will send three clear signals. First, China will stand firmly with Africa to fight COVID-19 pandemic with solidarity until the virus is completely defeated.

Second, China is willing to strengthen all-round cooperation with Kenya to help Kenya enhance its self-development capabilities and accelerate industrialization.

Third, China is willing to strengthen solidarity and coordination with Kenya in international and multilateral affairs, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights of the two countries and the common interests of developing countries, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

Wang said China is willing to work with Kenya to implement the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, and to be partners that firmly support each other, accelerate development and revitalization, promote China-Africa solidarity, and safeguard regional peace.

Kenyatta said Kenya and China share common or similar positions on international and regional issues, and Kenya is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in multilateral settings, especially at the United Nations Security Council, to jointly promote a more just and reasonable international order.

Wang also introduced the "Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa" proposed by China upon request. Describing this initiative as meeting the urgent needs of countries in the Horn of Africa, Kenyatta said Kenya agrees completely and is willing to play a role in this regard.

After the talks, Wang was invited to attend the completion ceremony of the Chinese-built oil terminal at the port of Mombasa with Kenyatta.

Wang also held talks with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo on Thursday. They witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents and met journalists.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (L) and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attend the completion ceremony of the Chinese-built oil terminal at the port of Mombasa in Mombasa, Kenya, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Long Lei)

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
After making a few tweaks, state lawmakers are pushing forward a new map of districts for the 188 members of the Maryland General Assembly.

On a party-line vote Friday, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed, a panel of lawmakers approved a map that shifts seats out of Baltimore City and into growing exurbs, while also creating a new district in northwest Baltimore County with hopes of electing a nonwhite lawmaker.

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The proposed map will be introduced to the full General Assembly for consideration Wednesday, the first day of the legislatures annual 90-day session.

No map is perfect, but this is a very, very good map based on what Ive seen over the last four decades, said Karl Aro, a retired top adviser to lawmakers who chaired the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Committee.

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The new map was required following the 2020 census, shifting districts around to accommodate demographic shifts and ensure fair representation. The General Assembly is split into 47 districts, each with one state senator and three state delegates. In some districts, all three delegates are elected at large, while others have one-member and two-member subdistricts.

The Maryland Constitution requires the districts to be compact and take into consideration geographic boundaries and existing political boundaries.

Maryland Policy & Politics Weekdays Keep up to date with Maryland politics, elections and important decisions made by federal, state and local government officials. >

An initial version of the map was proposed in December, with revisions made following a public hearing. The revised map was not posted online before Fridays vote, and the revisions were discussed only briefly during the committees video meeting.

Aro said one change creates a single-delegate subdistrict in District 11 in the Owings Mills area of northwest Baltimore County that would have a majority of residents who are not white. During a public hearing last month, an Owings Mills resident pushed for such a district, saying that African American residents in the community dont feel that they are represented well enough.

Aro also said there were slight adjustments made in Harford, Anne Arundel and Prince Georges counties in response to public feedback, though they were not explained further.

The two Republican leaders on the committee voted against the map. Anne Arundel County Sen. Bryan Simonaire said he felt that the map still had too many examples of gerrymandering, while Allegany County Del. Jason Buckel said he believes all of the districts should be single-member districts.

The four Democrats on the committee voted for the maps, including Senate President Bill Ferguson of Baltimore, who said he is incredibly proud of the map.

Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, will put forward his own proposed map, drawn by a committee that he appointed composed of three Democrats, three Republicans and three unaffiliated voters. Hogan has long decried gerrymandering, which is the practice of drawing districts to favor one political party over another.

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The legislature, which is dominated by Democrats, is expected to pass over Hogans proposal in favor of their own map.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the state government is investing significantly in improving power infrastructure to provide 24x7 quality power to all. The Chief Minister said this at an orientation programme organized at the Convention Centre in Lok Seva Bhawan for the new recruits of Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) on virtual mode, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) release said. According to the press release, as many as 60 Management Trainees and 175 Junior Technicians joined OPTCL. Patnaik said that electricity being the prime mover of the economy, the state government has given utmost thrust to building quality power infrastructure. For ensuring 24-7 quality and stable electricity supply to all, the government has been investing significantly in the power sector to enhance the generation capacity, strengthen the transmission and distribution infrastructure, and provide electricity to all. The government's advance planning has brought the state from a power deficit to a surplus situation, he added. He further said, Rs 1800 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of 99 numbers of 33 KV primary substations to strengthen the distribution network of the State. Appreciating the role of new entrants in OPTCL, he said, "All of you will be playing a critical role in this crucial sector to ensure that our farmers, entrepreneurs and small scale industries get quality and reliable power uninterruptedly." Stating that the government is committed to creating employment opportunities for the youth, Patnaik said that since 2010, Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Ltd has recruited more than 2000 young men and women. Joining the programme from Kalahandi, Minister for Energy, Industry and MSME Dibya Sankar Mishra advised the new recruits to work hard for realizing the Chief Minister's dream of providing electricity to all including the people of the remotest part of the State. Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said that OPTCL has provided a robust transmission infrastructure in the state. He called upon the youngsters to remain committed, extremely vigilant while working in this excellent state PSU. (ANI)
West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by party state chief Sukanta Majumdar called on Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday and submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind regarding the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Punjab visit. Speaking to ANI, Majumdar said, "We gave a memorandum to the President of India through Governor Jagdeep Dhankar against the manner in which the Prime Minister's security was compromised by the Congress-led Punjab government. It is not good for the country. There should be strict action against the mastermind behind this. This is a condemnable act especially when two former Prime Ministers of the country were killed due to security lapses in the past." "This is an exhibition of the anti-Modi narrative of Congress. It shows the mentality of those who could not go beyond their family's interest and accept Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister," the BJP leader said. He said Punjab Police violated the "Blue Book" of VVIP security. He said PM's convoy was struck for 15-20 minutes at a sensitive place that is also close to the Pakistan border. "There has been negligence on the part of the Punjab Government but they are trying to put the blame on others. A thorough investigation of the incident should be done and all the people associated with it should be punished severely," added the BJP MP. The Prime Minister was stuck atop a flyover for 15-20 minutes while on his way to Ferozepur, Punjab on Wednesday due to the road being blocked by some protesters. The Ministry of Home Affairs termed it as a "major lapse" in his security. (ANI)
Union Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister, G. Kishan Reddy on Thursday sought a task force be formed with representatives from Agriculture Ministry, DoNER and state governments from all eight NE states to ensure that the schemes of Agriculture Ministry are saturated for the region. "The schemes (of the Agriculture Ministry) can also be customised to address the unique nature and the nuances encountered in the northeast region. There is a huge scope for employment generation in agriculture and tourism industries," Reddy said and reminded that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underscored the vision to develop the northeast as a hub of organic farming. Reddy, along with Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar co-chaired a meeting to review the progress of various schemes of the Centre in the agriculture sector in the northeastern states. The hybrid meeting, attended by the duo from Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, was also attended by Union Minister of State for DoNER, B.L. Verma, Agriculture Ministers for of all the eight northeastern State, the DoNER Secretary, the Union Agriculture Secretary, the state Agriculture Secretaries along with senior officials of both the Ministries and their organisations. Tomar assured that the Centre will do everything in its capacity to ensure that the income of the farmers of the region is doubled. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put special emphasis on the development of the region. ICAR has suggested that nine lakh hectare land in the northeast is suitable for oil palm production. Due to the oil palm production, farmers of the northeast region will be hugely benefited, employment will be generated and import of oil palm can be reduced. North-East has a major role to play to make India self-reliant in edible oil," he said. He also requested the state governments to focus on natural farming, and also congratulated Sikkim and the other states for their achievements in organic farming. Reddy reminded that there is tremendous potential for the development of horticulture as a major contributor to the region's economic prosperity. "Be it pineapples, oranges, kiwis, or spices such as turmeric, ginger, cardamom etc. the northeastern states are gaining popularity in the market which needs to be taken to a global level now," he said, adding, there is a need to focus on strengthening the agricultural and horticultural produce value chains. He said that post-harvest management also needs to be improved "by involving FPOs, SHGs and the private sector. This is a crucial step in doubling our farmers' income." --IANS niv/vd ( 435 Words) 2022-01-07-00:06:01 (IANS)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot claimed on Thursday Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is being targeted for the Prime Minister Narendra Modis security breach because Channi is a Dalit Chief Minister. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister's rally in Ferozepur had to be cancelled due to a security lapse after some protesters blocked a route and forced his convoy to spend about 20 minutes on a flyover. The Prime Minister was enroute the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala when the incident happened. "For the first time in the history of Punjab in Independent India, a Dalit candidate has been appointed as the Chief Minister and he has been welcomed by the entire nation. However, the Prime Minister is giving the message that he managed to exit safely from that state. The PM should not make such a comment," Gehlot said while addressing a press conference Congress headquarters here. Some people are defaming the Congress for political gains by levelling charges of breach of PM's security, he said. "Congress leaders and Prime Ministers have sacrificed their lives for this nation. The party follows non-violence as its ideology, while BJP and RSS have violence in their minds. How can they teach us non-violence," Gehlot asked. --IANS arc/arm ( 218 Words) 2022-01-07-00:06:03 (IANS)
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday said that the Congress government in Punjab has totally failed to provide security to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to media persons, the former Punjab Chief Minister said, "At first, the road should not have been blocked but on the other hand, there was no crowd in his (PM) programme. It is the responsibility of the state government to provide protection to Prime Minister. But the Congress government has totally failed." The SAD patriarch's remarks came against the backdrop of a breach of security during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab leading to the cancellation of his event at Ferozpur on Wednesday. Meanwhile, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday said that a major security breach had occurred during the Prime Minister's visit to the state and that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was squarely responsible for this. He said it was condemnable that the security lapses had not been enough identified yet and due action had not been taken. "The State government should have given utmost importance to the security of the Prime Minister. This matter is beyond politics and should not be politicized," added Sukhbir Singh Badal. The Prime Minister was stuck atop a flyover for 15-20 minutes while on his way to Ferozpur, Punjab on Wednesday due to the road being blocked by some protesters. The Ministry of Home Affairs termed it as a "major lapse" in his security. Assembly polls in Punjab are scheduled to be held this year. (ANI)
In view of the rising cases of COVID, the Delhi government made operational once again the Shehnai Banquet Hall as COVID care centre opposite the LNJP Hospital. The government is making the COVID care centres operational in the national capital one by one as the number of cases are rising every day. The organization "Doctors for You" is running several COVID care centres in the national capital on behalf of the Delhi government. Dr Shubhangi, associated with Doctors for You, told ANI, "This is a 100 bedded COVID care centre. All the beds here are oxygen beds. Double arrangements are being made for oxygen as compared to beds. There are 100 concentrators and 100 oxygen cylinders at the centre." "Since there is no oxygen plant here, we will admit only patients with mild symptoms as there is no facility of high flow oxygen. Our Covid care centre is attached with LNJP hospital. If there is a demand for ICU or ventilator for anyone, then they will be referred to LNJP. We will admit patients with oxygen saturation level 92 to 95," added Dr Shubhangi. Delhi continues to witness a surge in the COVID-19 cases as the national capital reported 15,097 fresh cases of the infection in the last 24 hours pushing the positivity rate to 15.34 per cent. According to the bulletin issued by the state health department on Thursday, the number of active cases in the city stands at 31,498. The total count of cases has now gone up to 14,89,463. With six COVID-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the death tally has gone up to 25,127. Meanwhile, 6,900 people recovered from the infection. With this, the recovery tally in the capital city now stands at 14,32,838. As many as 1,091 people who have been tested positive for COVID-19 are hospitalized. In the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive, 1,41,498 eligible beneficiaries were vaccinated in the last 24 hours. Of these, 36,559 were beneficiaries of the age group 15-17 years. Delhi has been witnessing a rise in infections following the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron. In view of the rising cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has decided to impose a weekend curfew in the national capital. (ANI)
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the government of Karnataka on Thursday informed that offices of advocates, lawyers, law firms are permitted to function with 50 per cent of their staff strength during weekends, strictly adhering to Covid appropriate behaviour. "It is clarified that Offices of Advocates, Lawyers, law firms are permitted to function with 50 per cent of their staff strength during weekends, strictly adhering to COVID appropriate behaviour. The movement of Advocates, lawyers and their staff is permitted on producing valid ID cards issued by their respective offices," a circular released by the state government stated. It further informed: "In Bengaluru urban district, Institutes, colleges affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) permitted to function strictly adhering to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour." Meanwhile, India reported 90,928 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday. The daily positivity rate stands at 6.43 per cent while the weekly positivity rate stands at 3.47 per cent. (ANI)
With over 90,000 COVID-19 cases reported in the country, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has written to the director of AIIMS, Delhi PGIMER, Chandigarh, JIPMER, Puducherry and other AIIMS institutes asking them to utilise funds made available to the institutes under ECRP-II. The ministry also said that the grants in aid are to be used to maintain the supply of testing reagents and kits to avoid shortages in case of a "sudden increase in the number of cases". "In wake of rising cases of COVID, it is expected that Institutes would have started the requisite exercise of repurposing the hospital beds for managing COVID cases to ensure maximum preparedness against any potential surge in cases," read the letter dated January 6. The letter further stated that the institutes must make their own arrangements for a "secure source of supply" to meet the requirements in case of a surge in the number of cases. "It is also imperative that logistical supplies like testing reagents and kits (both for RTPCR and Rapid Antigen Testing) are procured and maintained In ample supply to avoid any stock shortages, in case of a sudden increase in the number of cases. Accordingly, all the Institutes must make their own arrangements for a secure source of supply to meet its requirements in a timely manner," read the letter. "Funds made available to Institutes under ECRP-II and Grants-In-Aid (General) may be used for meeting expenditure on the above. Further requirement of funds under ECRP, if any, may be intimated to the Ministry, along with Utilisation Certificate for funds already released," the letter further added. India has reported 2,630 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 so far, said the Health Ministry on Thursday. (ANI)
The roads have been kept open by the Border Roads Organisation in Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, said the BRO.

BRO is responsible for building and maintaining roads in the border areas. It has been building an extensive road network in areas such as Eastern Ladakh to help faster movement of troops to border areas.

New roads are also being constructed by it to provide alternative routes to the military which has now taken heavy weaponry such as tanks and artillery guns to border areas in high altitude locations. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Friday granted bail to Rajeev Sharma, a freelance journalist, arrested by ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 on the charges of supplying confidential and sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers, in exchange for remuneration. The bench of Justice Mukta Gupta on Thursday ordered to grant bail to freelance Journalist Rajeev Sharma, who was arrested on July 1, 2021, by the ED. He was earlier arrested by the special cell of Delhi Police. Earlier the trial court had dismissed his bail stated "the allegations against the accused are serious in nature. The investigation is at a crucial juncture as the complete money trail is yet to be traced and releasing the accused on bail at this stage would not be salubrious to the cause of justice, as the accused would definitely attempt to wipe off the footprints and cover up the traces." "Considering the totality of circumstances, I do not find any merits in the application at hand and the same is accordingly dismissed." said trial Court. The chargesheet in the matter stated that the ED initiated an investigation on the basis of the FIR and charge sheet filed by Delhi Police against Sharma under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Official Secrets Act, 1923. Earlier, ED stated that, during the investigation, it was revealed that Sharma had supplied confidential and sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers, in exchange for remuneration thereby compromising the security and national interests of India. ED also stated that it was further revealed that cash for remuneration of Sharma and other unidentified persons was being generated through hawala means by Mahipalpur-based shell companies that were run by Chinese nationals namely Zhang Cheng alias Suraj, Zhang Lixia alias Usha, and Quing Shi along with a Nepali national Sher Singh alias Raj Bohara. (ANI)
As many as 11 terrorists have been gunned down in Jammu and Kashmir in the new year so far, and most of them were top commanders of JeM and LeT, said IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar on Friday. Earlier this morning, three terrorists were neutralized by security forces in the encounter that broke out late Thursday evening in Jammu and Kashmir's Zolwa Kralpora Chadoora area of Budgam. Speaking to ANI, IGP Kashmir said, "We had got the intel that three terrorists of the JeM are hiding. The Indian Army and the J&K police held the joint operation. The firing started. After that, the CRPF also joined the operation. The encounter went on for the whole night and three terrorists were neutralized in the morning today." "One of them has been identified as Waseem belonging to Srinagar City. He was involved in numerous civilians' killings. The identification process of the remaining two terrorists is underway. Three AK 57 rifles have been recovered from them along with eight magazines and numerous documents which we are investigating," he added. Kumar informed that 11 terrorists have been killed so far this new year, most of them being the top commanders of terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. "11 terrorists have been killed so far in this new year including the ones killed today. Most of them were the top commanders of JeM and LeT," he said. Asked about the "hit list" of the city terrorists that the security forces had prepared, the IGP informed that all of the terrorists on the list have been killed. "All the terrorists who were mentioned in the list of city have been killed. A new terrorist has joined recently, we will soon neutralize him as well," he said. (ANI)
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla emphasised on the need to have a "unified strategy" in Delhi-NCR region to tackle COVID-19 pandemic, especially for the Omicron variant, while chairing a meeting on Thursday. Union Home Secretary's concern came during nearly two hours virtual meeting he chaired to review the COVID-19 situation and preparedness in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR), which includes Delhi and nine bordering districts in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Keeping in view the close knit urban structure of the NCR region, the Home Secretary emphasized that it is necessary for all concerned authorities in Delhi and the NCR region to come together to tackle the virus". Bhalla reiterated on the need to have a "unified strategy in the Delhi-NCR region to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic". During the meeting, the Home Secretary conveyed that the "Omicron variant being highly transmissible, hence, no stone is to be left unturned to deal with any surge in cases and immediate steps should be taken to further strengthen the monitoring and containment mechanism". He stressed that the "state and the local administration should strictly enforce the norms of COVID-19 appropriate behaviour; that is wearing of face masks and maintaining safe social distance in all public areas and public gatherings". The Home Secretary also stressed that the health infrastructure in all the districts of Delhi-NCR should be immediately strengthened to deal with any enhanced requirement. "Further, it should be ensured that oxygen supply equipment is fully functional and buffer stocks of essential drugs are maintained," the Home Secretary directed. The Union Home Secretary also stressed on ramping up of testing in all the districts of Delhi-NCR, where testing appears to be less. All measures and mechanisms to contain and curb the spread of the virus must be reinvigorated. The meeting was attended by Dr V K Paul, Member (Health) Niti Aayog, and other senior officers of the Central government and Chief Secretaries and Assistant Chief Secretaries of the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, along with officials from the district administration of Delhi and the neighbouring districts. The meeting was called when India on Thursday reported a single-day spike of 90,928 fresh COVID-19 cases and 325 deaths. The daily positivity rate stood at 6.43 per cent. The active caseload in the country reached 2,85,401, while 19,206 recoveries were recorded in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile on Thursday, the Omicron tally in the country had reached 2,630, with Maharashtra (797) topping the count, followed by Delhi (465), Rajasthan (236) and Kerala (234). On Wednesday, the Centre confirmed the first Omicron-related death in the country -- a 74-year-old man with comorbidities, who succumbed to the virus last week in Rajasthan's Udaipur. India is witnessing an exponential rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, which is believed to be driven by the Omicron variant, the Centre had said on Wednesday. (ANI)
Further investigation is underway, added the police.

Earlier today, jammu and Kashmir police informed that the three terrorists who were neutralised by security forces in Thursday evening encounter in Zolwa Kralpora Chadoora area of Budgam, had been identified to be affiliated with the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed

IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar had said that three AK 56 rifles were recovered from the terrorists.

One of the three killed terrorists had been identified as Waseem hailing from Srinagar City, said the IGP. (ANI)
In the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections this year, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday hit out at the political parties in the state and said that none of them has worked for the upliftment of Muslims. Addressing a press conference during the presentation of "Muslims in Uttar Pradesh: Development, Security & Inclusion", Owaisi alleged, "There has been injustice with the Muslims of Uttar Pradesh. No government in the state worked for the upliftment of the Muslims of the state." Owaisi further said that the political parties kept gaining Muslim votes by appeasement. "The political parties kept gaining their votes by appeasement. The change has to come. We will present this report to the people of the state, then they can decide who is using them," he said. Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to the Assembly polls this year. (ANI)
"We (a delegation of BJP leaders including State Minister) met Governor and submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind regarding the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Punjab visit," said Dhankar.

"After such a major lapse no government deserves to remain in power," Dhankar added.

The Prime Minister was stuck atop a flyover for 15-20 minutes while on his way to Ferozpur, Punjab on Wednesday due to the road being blocked by some protesters. The Ministry of Home Affairs termed it as a "major lapse" in his security.

After which, BJP has alleged Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's government has joined hands with anti-national elements to sabotage Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab.

BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh said on Thursday that the Congress government engineered a grave threat to the life of the PM and shattered constitutional norms to insult the office of the prime minister. (ANI)
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Friday informed that the Union Territory is expected to add 17,000 cases to its COVID-19 tally with a daily positivity rate of 17 per cent to 18 per cent. He informed that on Thursday, Delhi reported 15,000 COVID-9 cases. The positive rate reported on Thursday was 15.34 per cent. The total number of active cases reported on Thursday in Delhi were 31, 498. "There were 15,000 cases yesterday. According to me, there is a possibility of 17,000 new cases coming today. Possibility rate likely to be 1-2 per cent higher than yesterday. Yesterday the positivity rate was around 15 per cent, today it is likely to be 17-18 per cent," Jain said addressing a press conference here. He further stated, "We have brought a major change in home isolation. Now we have reduced home isolation from 10 days to 7 days. If a person do not get any symptoms for three days after his or her seven day home isolation gets over, then he or she can go to work. There is no need to get youself tested for COVID-19 after home isolation provided you do not get any symptoms for three days after observing 7 days home isolation". "Peak of fifth wave in Delhi is expected soon," he added. "There are more than 30,000 active cases in Delhi while there are 24 people on ventilator support. While last time, there were 1000 people on ventilator when there were more than 30,000 active cases. The data suggest the severity has become less," he added. Earlier on Thursday, the national capital reported 15,097 fresh cases of the infection pushing the positivity rate to 15.34 per cent. According to the bulletin issued by the state health department on Thursday, the number of active cases in the city stands at 31,498. The total count of cases has now gone up to 14,89,463. With six COVID-related deaths on Thursday, the death tally has gone up to 25,127.Meanwhile, 6,900 people recovered from the infection yesterday. With this, the recovery tally in the capital city now stands at 14,32,838. As many as 1,091 people who have been tested positive for COVID-19 were hospitalized on Thursday In the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive, 1,41,498 eligible beneficiaries were vaccinated on Thursday. Of these, 36,559 were beneficiaries of the age group 15-17 years. Delhi has been witnessing a rise in infections following the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron. In view of the rising cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) decided to impose a weekend curfew in the national capital. (ANI)
The Central Government has so far given 11 crore free COVID-19 vaccine doses to West Bengal for its fight against Coronavirus, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday while inaugurating the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) in West Bengal's Kolkata. "West Bengal has received 11 crore free doses by the Central Govt. Over 1,500 ventilators and 9,000 oxygen cylinders have also been provided. 49 PSA Oxygen Plants are also functional. All of these would help the people of WB in the fight against COVID," said Prime Minister Modi. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also present at the inauguration ceremony. Prime Minister also shared that in just 5 days, over 1.5 crore kids aged between 15-18 have been given the first dose of vaccination. "Out of the entire eligible population, over 90% of India's population has at least got one dose. In just 5 days, over 1.5 crore kids aged between 15-18 have been given a dose," said PM Modi. According to Prime Minister's Office, the second campus of CNCI, which PM Modi inaugurated today via video conferencing, has been built at a cost of over Rs 530 crore, out of which around Rs 400 crores have been provided by the Union Government and the rest by the West Bengal Government, in the ratio of 75:25. The campus is a 460-bedded comprehensive cancer centre unit with cutting-edge infrastructure for cancer diagnosis, staging, treatment, and care. The campus is equipped with modern facilities like Nuclear Medicine (PET), 3.0 Tesla MRI, 128 slice CT scanner, Radionuclide therapy unit, endoscopy suite, modern brachytherapy units, etc. The campus will also work as an advanced cancer research facility and will provide comprehensive care to cancer patients especially those from Eastern and North-Eastern parts of the country. (ANI)
According to a new study, countries, where people have more trust in each other, have been more successful in bringing down waves of coronavirus cases and deaths. The research has been published in the 'Scientific Reports Journal'. Researchers found there is a "threshold effect" in nations where at least 40 per cent of people agree "most people can be trusted". This supported an effective reduction of cases and deaths during 2020. Previous studies showed levels of trust in the UK are at the critical 40 per cent compared to more than 60 per cent in Scandinavian countries. China also has high levels of trust within society. Analysing coronavirus data during 2020 the researchers found more trusting societies tended to achieve a faster decline in infections and deaths from peak levels. This is likely because behaviours vital to stopping the spread of COVID-19, such as mask-wearing and social distancing depend on mutual trust to be effective. The study was conducted by Professor Tim Lenton and Dr Chris Boulton from the University of Exeter, and Professor Marten Scheffer from Wageningen University. Professor Lenton said, "Our results add to evidence that trust within society benefits resilience to epidemics. Building trust within communities should be a long-term project for all nations because this will help them cope with future pandemics and other challenges such as extreme events caused by climate change." The study showed the effect of stringent government interventions on coronavirus spread is not straightforward. Most governments applied similarly stringent restrictions but had hugely varying success in bringing down case numbers and deaths. This is partly because more stringent governments tended to be associated with less trusting societies. The researchers measured more than 150 countries' resilience to COVID-19 as the nationwide decay rate of daily cases or deaths from peak levels, using information from the Our World in Data COVID-19 dataset up to 1 December 2020 - before vaccines were available. Resilience to COVID-19 varied by a factor of 40 between countries for cases/capita and by a factor of 25 for deaths/capita. All countries where more than 40 per cent of respondents agreed "most people can be trusted" achieved a near-complete reduction of new cases and deaths. So did some less-trusting societies - indicating that trust in each other is only one of several factors at play. Looking across countries, the researchers found no significant correlation between trust in government and success at bringing down cases and deaths. Wealth and associated healthcare helped, but it was less important than trust in each other. (ANI)
Even as the Congress seems to be a divided house on the issue of Prime Minister's security breach, party MP from Punjab Manish Tewari on Friday termed the two different probes by the Centre and state as a case of polarising. He demanded that there should be one probe committee. "Speaks of Polarising times we live in-Even on a sensitive issue concerning security of @PMOIndia, @PunjabGovtIndia & GOIA have ordered 02 separate probes.Both probes should be merged by SC today & 01 Inquiry by sitting HC/SC judge should be conducted," Tewari tweeted. Tewari on Thursday had demanded probe by a sitting HC Judge. The Centre has constituted a committee to probe the serious lapse in the security arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ferozepur, Punjab on Wednesday. In a social media post, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs said, "The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted a committee to enquire into the serious lapses in the security arrangements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ferozepur, Punjab, on January 5, which led to the exposure of the VVIP to grave security risk." The Punjab government on Thursday announced to constitute a high-level committee for a thorough probe into the lapses. An official spokesperson said the committee would comprise Justice (retd) Mehtab Singh Gill and Principal Secretary (Home Affairs) Anurag Verma. The committee will submit its report within three days. "We were told that the Prime Minister would fly by helicopter from Bathinda to Ferozepur. But all of a sudden, he decided to move by road. If there were any security lapses during PM Modi's visit, we are ready to probe the matter," Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had earlier told the media . --IANS miz/dpb ( 304 Words) 2022-01-07-09:38:06 (IANS)
In view of rising COVID-19 cases, Chhattisgarh's Surajpur district health department has been upgraded for the incoming third wave. While speaking to ANI, Gaurav Singh, District Collector, said, " In view of rising COVID-19 cases, Surajpur district health department has made functional about 600 oxygen beds, 60 ventilator beds. There are also 20,000 medical kits for adults and 5,000 for kids in stock. These are ready to be used when required." "We have also upgraded the district hospital. We have 100 seater and 300 seater hostels in the range of 100 meters in different blocks of primary health centres. In the case of emergency, we will use them too with the medical professionals," he added. Meena Soni, in charge of Medical Officer, PSC Basdei, Surajpur, said, "We are making a ward of 50 beds which will be used as COVID-19 extension. We are fully prepared to tackle it." Meanwhile, India reported 1,17,100 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the daily positivity rate in the country to 7.74 per cent, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. With this, the country's COVID-19 case tally has gone up to 3,52,26,386. According to Health Ministry, the country has so far reported 3,007 cases of Omicron of which 1,199 have been recovered. (ANI).
A state government spokesman said: "Hindus, who were living in Meerut for decades after facing expulsion from Pakistan and Bangladesh, could not afford to build their own houses or buy lands. We have given 63 such Bengali Hindu families two acres of land and 200 square yards for housing per family in Kanpur Dehat. These lands were freed from land grabbers."

Each of the 63 families has also been given Rs 1.20 lakh under the 'Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana'.

The Chief Minister ensured that the land freed from 'encroachers' was brought under a land bank and these pieces of land will be used for setting up schools, industries and other businesses in future.

"Many facilities of the Defence Industrial Corridor have also been built on these recovered lands," the spokesman said.

The state government currently has 64,366 hectares of the recovered land and it is being allotted for the poor to build houses.

Yogi Adityanath had earlier said in the Legislative Council that the anti-land mafia task force had freed 67,000 acres of land belonging to the revenue department.

--IANS amita/ksk/

( 218 Words)

2022-01-07-10:16:05 (IANS)
A three-member committee, constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to probe security lapse in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security during his visit to Punjab, on Friday, summoned Punjab Director General of Police Siddharth Chattopadhyaya and nearly a dozen top state police officials in its day-one visit to the state, said sources. In its day one enquiry into the serious lapses in the security arrangements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab on Wednesday, the MHA team started detailed questioning with these police officers after visiting the spot where PM Modi's convoy was stuck for nearly 20 minutes and the place where he was going to attend an event. The three-member committee led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat and comprising of Balbir Singh, Joint Director, IB and S. Suresh, IG, SPG enquired about many unanswered questions with these Punjab Police officers. Among the officers were Ferozepur's Director General of Police and Senior Superintendent of Police who had key responsibility for the clearance of PM Modi's route. Punjab's Additional Director General and Patiala Inspector General were also among other over a dozen top officers of Punjab Police whom the MHA committee summoned to fix the responsibility of those guilty as it was the key responsibility of the State police to assist Special Protection Group in managing a hurdle free route for PM Modi's convoy. As per sources, all the Punjab Police officers were asked about their roles and responsibilities and fix the faults that resulted in PM's security breach. The Centre is considering action under the Special Protection Group (SPG) Act against Punjab Police officers following the breach in the security of Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Punjab on Wednesday. Section 14 of the SPG Act makes the state government responsible for providing all assistance to the SPG during the PM's movement. The provision, titled 'Assistance to Group', states: "It shall be the duty of every Ministry and Department of the Central Government or the State Government or the Union Territory Administration, every Indian Mission, every local or other authority or every civil or military authority to act in aid of the Director or any member of the Group whenever called upon to do so in furtherance of the duties and responsibilities assigned to such Director or member." The MHA team, which learnt to have reached Ferozepur late on Thursday night, started its probe from its visit at the flyover where Prime Minister's convoy was stuck for over 15-20 minutes due to a road blockade by protesters during his visit. The MHA team reached the flyover around 10 am and enquired about the lapses in PM's security with some senior Punjab Police officers visiting there with them, said sources. The team walked almost one km at the flyover, checked things in a detailed way. They also showed to Punjab Police officers some specific pictures and videos available on social media regarding PM's cavalcade stuck on the flyover and asked questions related to it. However, the videos and pictures being enquired by the MHA team are not known as it is part of the probe. The MHA team spends nearly one hour at the flyover and then left for Border Security Force's office in Ferozepur where there was some communication among senior BSF officers and the team members over the issue. The team also visited National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala in Ferozepur where the Prime Minister was slated to visit but the programme was cancelled as his convoy was stuck on the flyover that was around 300 km far from there. The committee will also meet concerned authorities in the Punjab government who were also responsible to arrange security management for the Prime Minister in coordination with the SPG. With protesters blocking the road, the PM's cavalcade was stranded on a flyover 30 km from the National Martyrs Memorial in Punjab's Hussainiwala on Wednesday where the Prime Minister was going to attend an event organised for the inauguration of several projects of crores of rupees. Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday constituted the three-member committee to enquire into the serious lapses in the security arrangements during PM's visit to Punjab's Ferozepur on Wednesday, which led to the exposure of the VVIP to grave security risk. Home Ministry Spokesperson in a Tweet on Thursday had informed about the formation of the three-member committee which is advised to submit the report at the earliest. The move comes after the Home Ministry on Wednesday also sought a detailed report from the Punjab government over the security lapse and asked it "to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action". The Home Ministry in a statement had then informed that it asked the state government to "fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action". The action was taken after the Prime Minister's convoy during its visit to National Martyrs Memorial in Punjab via road reached a flyover where the road was blocked by some protestors. The Prime Minister was stuck on the flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of the Prime Minister. The Punjab government has also constituted a high-level committee to probe the incident. Prime Minister Modi landed at Bathinda on January 5 morning from where he was to go to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala by helicopter. Due to rain and poor visibility, the Prime Minister waited for about 20 minutes for the weather to clear out, said a Home Ministry statement issued then. "When the weather did not improve, it was decided that he would visit the National Martyrs Memorial via road, which would take more than two hours," the statement said. PM then proceeded to travel by road after necessary confirmation of necessary security arrangements by the DGP Punjab Police, mentions the statement. "Around 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, when the Prime Minister's convoy reached a flyover, it was found that the road was blocked by some protestors. "The Prime Minister was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes. This was a major lapse in the security of the Prime Minister," reads the statement. The Home Ministry then said that the Prime Minister's schedule and travel plan was communicated well in advance to the Punjab government. As per procedure, the Home Ministry said, they have to make necessary arrangements for logistics, security as well as keep a contingency plan ready. "Also in view of the contingency plan, the Punjab Government has to deploy additional security to secure any movement by road, which were clearly not deployed. After this security lapse, it was decided to head back to Bathinda Airport." (ANI)
Doctors of Resident Doctor Association (RDA) of RML hospital thanked the Supreme Court, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for showing sensitivity towards the issue of overburdened and exhausted resident doctors due to delayed NEET-PG counselling and helped the justice to be served on time. In a letter, the RDA said, "It gives us immense pleasure and satisfaction to thank wholeheartedly the Supreme Court, Union Minister for Health Mansukh Mandaviya and DGHS ADG who helped the resident doctors and showed sensitivity towards the issue of overburdened and exhausted resident doctors due to delayed neet-PG counselling and helped justice to be served on time." The doctors also thanked the RML administration, Delhi Police for full support. (ANI)
According to Mico Layout police, the school authorities have lodged a miscellaneous complaint which is non-cognisable and requested to call upon the parents and counsel them.

The school has told the police that the parents had uploaded a video on social media accusing the teacher of forcing a religious custom on students.

In the video, the girl claims that her teacher asked her to pray to Allah.

The girl says the class could not memorise the things in money chapter. So, next day, the teacher made them pray to Allah. When they told their teacher that they are Hindus, the teacher told them Allah was a better god.

The school management conducted an inquiry and spoke to the student as well as the teacher.

CCTV footage of the class was also checked. After the inquiry, the allegations of the parents were found to be untrue.

--IANS mka/svn/ksk/

( 197 Words)

2022-01-07-10:40:05 (IANS)
Amid a surge in the COVID-19 cases, the Central government on Friday announced a seven-day mandatory home quarantine for all international arrivals in the country. All the international arrivals in the country will have to observe a seven-day mandatory home quarantine with effect from January 11 till further orders. As per the order issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday, travellers from specified countries at risk will at first, submit a sample for the post-arrival COVID-19 test at the point of arrival (self-paid). Such travellers will be required to wait for their test results at the arrival airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight. "If tested negative they will follow, home quarantine for seven days and shall undertake RT-PCR test on the eighth day of arrival in India. Travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 done on eighth day on Air Suvidha portal. If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next seven days. However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network," read the order copy. "They shall be managed at isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol including contact tracing mentioned. The contacts of such positive case should be kept under home quarantine monitored strictly by the concerned State Government as per laid down protocol," it added. Travellers from countries excluding those from at-risk countries will follow the ministry's guidelines as well. At first, a sub-section (two per cent of the total flight passengers) shall undergo post-arrival testing at random at the airport on arrival. These two per cent of such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). Further, laboratories shall prioritize testing of samples from such travellers. "All travellers (including those two per cent who were selected for random testing on arrival and were found negative) will undergo home quarantine for seven days and shall undertake RT-PCR test on the eighth day of arrival in India. Travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 done on eighth day on Air Suvidha portal (to be monitored by the respective States/UTs). If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next seven days. However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. They shall be managed at isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol including contact tracing," the Health Ministry said. International travellers arriving through seaports/land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently. Such travellers shall submit the self-declaration form to the concerned authorities of the Government of India at seaports/land ports on arrival. Children under five years of age are exempted from both pre and post-arrival testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol. As per the Health ministry, the global trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to decline with certain regional variations. The need to monitor the continuously changing nature of the virus and the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) must still remain in focus. The existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been formulated taking a risk-based approach. The existing guidelines have been revised in view of reporting of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.529; named Omicron) which has been classified as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization. Meanwhile, India reported 1,17,100 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the daily positivity rate in the country to 7.74 per cent, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. With this, the country's COVID-19 case tally has gone up to 3,52,26,386 including 3,71,363 active cases. According to the ministry, the country has so far reported 3,007 cases of Omicron of which 1,199 have been recovered. (ANI)
The Centre on Wednesday clarified that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in its meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI) yesterday, presented the status of COVID spread and of vaccination coverage in the country, with special focus on the five poll-bound states. The Union Health Ministry, in a press release, while refuting media reports, said, "Union Health Secretary in his meeting with ECI presented the overall global and domestic status of the spread of COVID, as well as Omicron, in the country. Details were also presented on the status of preparedness of the public health response within the States for control and management of the increasing numbers of COVID cases." "The focus of the presentation was on the five poll-bound states and their neighbouring states," it added. The Ministry also called the reports suggesting that, in the meeting, they suggested that the COVID situation in the country is nothing to be worried about and there is no cause of alarm or concern in the view of very few cases of Omicron in the poll-bound states, as "highly ill-informed", "misleading" and "far from the truth". "These reports have a very high tendency to start a misinformation campaign in the midst of a pandemic," the Ministry said. (ANI)
A local court has sent engineering student and 'Bulli Bai' app creator Neeraj Bishnoi, who was arrested by the Delhi Police from Assam for creating a platform for defaming women of a particular community, to seven-day police custody. Bishnoi, who is said to be the main conspirator and creator of the 'Bulli Bai' on GitHub and the main Twitter account holder of the app has been arrested by IFSO (Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit) of the Special Cell of Delhi Police. The Delhi police had demanded seven days' custody of Bishnoi, who was produced before the deputy magistrate's house on Thursday. Accordingly, the magistrate allowed the police for his custody for a week. The accused was held from Assam by a team of IFSO led by DCP K.P.S. Malhotra. He is a resident of the Jorhat village of Assam and was studying second-year B.Tech, computer science from Vellore Institute of Technology, Bhopal. According to police, Bishnoi had, in October, had created a list of women whom he wanted to defame online on his digital devices, a laptop, and cell phones. He was tracing women activists all over social media and downloading their photos. On January 1, this app, which was performing on Github's space, posted photos of a number of women of a particular religion. These included journalists, social workers, students, and famous personalities. It happened six months after the controversy of Sulli Deals. Vishal Kumar Jha, the engineering student, was one of the followers of 'Bulli Bai', which led the police to him. Hosting platform Github provided space to 'Sulli Deals', and the 'Bulli Bai too was created on it. Later, after the controversy erupted, Github removed the user 'Bulli Bai' from its hosting platform. But by then it had sparked a nationwide controversy. The app was also being promoted by a Twitter handle with the name @bullibai, with the display picture of a Khalistani supporter. "The Twitter account was created on December 31. He further disclosed that he had also created one more Twitter account @Sage0x1 for tweeting about the app. He was continuously monitoring the news on social media. He had created yet another Twitter account with the name of @giyu44," said Malhotra. Bishnoi had also mocked the Mumbai Police, which had begun investigations and made a couple of arrests, to not "arrest innocent people", through these Twitter accounts. --IANS jw/shb/ ( 410 Words) 2022-01-07-11:28:02 (IANS)
Amid Chinese media claims that robotic soldiers have been deployed by their Army, top sources in security forces on Friday said that even though no such soldiers have yet been sighted on the borders but it would be helpful for the People's Liberation Army to do so as their troops are finding it very difficult to cope up with the bone-chilling winters there. This is the second consecutive year when the Chinese soldiers have been forced by their superiors to stay put on the Indian borders where temperatures range between minus 20 to 40 degrees Celsius. We are yet to come across any of these robotic soldiers armed with guns. But if the Chinese Army is doing so, it would help their soldiers who are finding it difficult to survive there, sources in security forces told ANI. The Chinese soldiers are finding it difficult to come out of their barracks as at many locations, they venture outside only for very short periods and get inside quickly, they said. Last year also, they faced similar issues and had to bring in 90 per cent of fresh troops last summer to replace the older ones who had suffered severe cold-related injuries and trauma. Even during the deployment in friction points in the Pangong lake area, Chinese troops were getting rotated on an almost daily basis at high altitude posts and their movement had become very restricted. The Indian forces are physiologically acclimatized to high altitudes and mountain warfare and can tackle adverse weather conditions and rough terrain. The Indian Army deploys its troops in high altitude areas for a period of two years and around 40-50 per cent of troops get rotated every year. The tenures of Chinese robotic soldier (ITBP) soldiers in these conditions are sometimes much longer than two years. (ANI)
From 2016 to 2020, Jacob Helberg led Google's global internal product policy efforts to combat disinformation and foreign interference. During this time, he found himself in the midst of what can only be described as a quickly escalating two-front technology cold war between democracy and autocracy. The outcome is 'Wires of War - Technology And The Global Struggle For Power' (Simon & Schuster). On the front-end, we're fighting to control the software - applications, news information, social media platforms, and more - of what we see on the screens of our computers, tablets, and phones, a clash which started out primarily with Russia but now increasingly includes China and Iran. Even more ominously, we're also engaged in a hidden back-end battle - largely with China - to control the Internet's hardware, which includes devices like cellular phones, satellites, fibre-optic cables, and 5G networks. This tech-fuelled war will shape the world's balance of power for the coming century as autocracies exploit 21st-century methods to re-divide the world into 20th century-style spheres of influence. Helberg cautions that the spoils of this fight are power over every meaningful aspect of our lives, including our economy, our infrastructure, our national security, and ultimately, our national sovereignty. Without a firm partnership with the government, Silicon Valley is unable to protect democracy from the autocrats looking to sabotage it from Beijing to Moscow and Tehran. The stakes of the ongoing cyberwar are no less than the capacity of individual nations to chart their own future - and even the ability of each of us to control our own fates, Helberg says. And time is quickly running out. Jacob Helberg is currently a senior adviser at the Stanford University Center on Geopolitics and Technology and an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He is also the co chair of the Brookings Institution China Strategy Initiative. Helberg studied international affairs at The George Washington University and received his master of science in cybersecurity risk and strategy from New York University. --IANS vm/dpb ( 345 Words) 2022-01-07-12:10:02 (IANS)
With this, 9,657 policemen have tested positive so far in the city.

Meanwhile, Mumbai reported 20,181 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the positivity rate to 29.90 per cent, informed Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday.

Maharashtra reported 36,265 new cases, 13 deaths and, 8,907 discharges on Thursday.

The State reported 79 Omicron cases today, taking the tally to 876 including 381 recoveries. (ANI)
Two terrorists convicted in the Malvani ISIS case on charges of trying to radicalise Muslim youths to join the Islamic State have been sentenced to imprisonment for eight years under section 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act by a Mumbai Court on Friday. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on them. "If the fine is not paid, their punishment will be extended by 3 months," the court said. The terrorists, identified as Rizwan Ahmed and Mohsin Ibrahim Sayyed, were convicted during the hearing of the case on Wednesday. The case was registered against the two accused for trying to radicalise Muslim youth to join the Islamic State (IS), said the NIA. "The two terrorists had further instigated the Muslim youth to travel abroad to become members of IS/ISIL/ISIS in order to wage war against allied nations of India," said the NIA. The case was originally registered by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Mumbai Police at Kalachowki Police Station on December 30, 2015 and NIA had re-registered the case on March 18, 2016. After completing the investigation, NIA had filed a chargesheet on July 18, 2016. NIA investigation revealed that Rizwan Ahmed and Mohsin Ibrahim Sayyed had instigated, intimidated and influenced vulnerable Muslim youth from the Malwani area in Mumbai's Malad (West) and compelled them to become fidayeen fighters for the cause of Islam, and were instrumental in sending them for hijarat for joining ISIS. (ANI)
According to party sources, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) planned to hold prayers and perform Mahamrityunjay Jaap at different temples across India.

Earlier today, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar visited Mansa Devi temple in Panchkula to offer prayers for the long life of PM Modi.

On Thursday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Assam Chief Minister also performed similar prayers in temples of their respective states.

The Prime Minister was stuck atop a flyover for 15-20 minutes while on his way to Ferozpur, Punjab on Wednesday due to the road being blocked by some protesters. The Ministry of Home Affairs termed it as a "major lapse" in his security. (ANI)
As per the COVID-19 guidelines issued by the temple management, the devotees can register by visiting "https://darshan.yatradham.org".

The management also appealed to people to follow COVID-19 guidelines including maintaining social distancing, wearing masks, sanitization, etc.

"Devotees will not be allowed to stand for a long time in the temple. Devotees coming from other states will be required to carry RT-PCR reports for entering the temple premises," the guidelines read. (ANI)
The next hearing will be on January 11 on the subject.

Earlier on December 23, the State Election Commission informed the Calcutta High Court that it is ready to hold polls in the remaining municipal corporations.

There are seven municipal corporations in West Bengal namely Asansol Municipal Corporation, Bidhan Nagar Municipal Corporation, Chandernagore Municipal Corporation, Durgapur Municipal Corporation, Howrah Municipal Corporation, Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Siliguri Municipal Corporation.

Officials, on the condition of anonymity, said, "The State Election Commission informed Calcutta High Court today that it is ready to hold the polls in remaining municipal corporations. The proposed dates for the next phase is on January 22 in Asansol, Howrah, Bidhannagar, Siliguri and others. The other phase will be held on February 27 for the remaining municipalities."

In December 2021, voting for 144 wards of Kolkata Municipal polls was held on December 19 and the results were declared on December 21. (ANI)
Welcoming the Supreme Court's decision of allowing NEET-PG counselling 2021 and the admission process, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) on Friday thanked all Resident Doctors Associations (RDAs), Resident Doctors, media personnel, various associations and termed it as a historic day for the medical fraternity of the country. In a conversation with ANI virtually, Dr Manish, FORDA president said, "Supreme Court's order is a relief for us. When the country is suffering from the third wave of Covid, such a decision is extremely valuable for all the doctors. We hope the NEET-PG counselling schedule to be released soon." FORDA, in its official statement, said that today is a historic day for the medical fraternity of the nation. "Today, 7th January, 2022, is a historic day for the Medical fraternity of the nation. The agitation called by FORDA to expedite NEET-PG Counselling 2021 commenced on 27 November 2021 following multiple delays and postponement of the counselling. There were many highs and lows over the next 34 days. Resident Doctors across the nation came forward and joined this agitation spanning over more than a month," the press release said. FORDA further said that after submission of the Committee Report by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), hearing in the concerned matter in Supreme Court commenced on January 5, 2022, before the scheduled date. "Meanwhile, the brutal incident of violence against peacefully protesting Resident Doctors by Police officials took place on 27th December, 2021 in Delhi. Following several meetings with Union Health Minister and Delhi Police officials and after multiple assurances, though the agitation was called off on 31 December, 2021, the ultimate goal of expediting the Counselling was yet to be achieved. After submission of Committee Report by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, hearing in the concerned matter in Supreme Court commenced on 5 January, 2022 before the scheduled date," the press release added. FORDA decided to be a part of the Court proceedings to highlight the grievance of Resident Doctors across the nation and filed an Impleadment Application. "After listening to all the Petitioners, Respondent and FORDA over 2 days, Supreme Court concluded the hearing on 6 January, 2022 and the final judgement on commencement of NEET-PG Counselling 2021 was pronounced on 7 January, 2022," FORDA said. FORDA is thankful to all RDAs as well as every Resident Doctor, IMA, DMA, Media personnel, political party and citizen of the nation who came forward, supported and joined this agitation for rejuvenating the healthcare sector with an adequate workforce of Resident Doctors amidst the third wave of COVID-19 Pandemic. "We are also thankful to the Supreme Court and MoHFW for taking note of the grievance of Resident Doctors. As earlier, as an association of Resident Doctors who are working at ground level, FORDA will keep on raising the issues faced by Resident Doctors and will strive to improve the healthcare sector of the nation," it said. The Supreme Court on Friday allowed NEET-PG Counselling for 2021-2022 based on existing EWS/OBC reservation criteria. The apex court has given a green signal to 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) and 10 per cent for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in the All-India Quota (AIQ) seats for the admission process in the NEET as existing criteria this year. A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna said that it has upheld the constitutional validity of 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) for admission in the NEET-PG. However, for the EWS category, the Supreme Court said that the 10 per cent criteria, which was notified earlier shall continue to operate for this year so that the admissions process shall not be dislocated for the current academic year. The Court said that it will hear the matter relating to EWS later and listed it for March 3, 2022, for further hearing. The Court noted that there is an urgent need to commence the process of counselling and therefore it issued some interim direction. (ANI)
Amid the row over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday questioned that if the same thing happens with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi, will it be acceptable to them? Addressing the media here, Sarma said Congress high command should have sacked Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi after this security lapse. "They will not get anything by making the life of PM vulnerable. Congress is going to suffer politically. But beyond politics in India, we should not have allowed this kind of partisan politics. We have a vibrant democracy and the congress high command should have sacked Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi after this security lapse," he said. He further said that the political parties should not set bad examples. "By not taking action, they want to institutionalize this case. If tomorrow Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi came to Assam and I did the same drama, will it be acceptable and the Congress will not criticize me? So now if as a BJP CM I take an opposition that I will enact the same drama and will keep them in the streets for hours, then the same people will start criticizing me. I think we should not set a bad example in our politics irrespective of party politics," he further said. "Today I am surprised that knowing the vulnerability of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, they should be one the first to criticize or sack the Punjab Chief Minister and they have not done that," he added. "Most of the time even when Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi come to various states then they will be dependent for their own security. I don't know why they are playing such a dangerous game. I am not giving them a warning. If they come to Assam we will ensure full security. I won't do tit for tat," Sarma said. The Chief Minister further said that Congress should sack Channi and they should distance themselves from what happened in Punjab. "So by not distancing themselves, they are trying to institutionalize this kind of activity. If those kinds of things are institutionalized, their politics will be finished, democracy will be finished in the country," Sarma added. On Wednesday, the PM's convoy was stuck for 15-20 minutes due to a road blockade in Punjab. The Prime Minister, who was travelling by road, had to call off his event in Ferozepur. PM Modi, who had to return to Bathinda airport on Wednesday due to a security breach during his visit is learnt to have told state government officials at the airport, "Apne CM ko thanks kehna, ki mein Bhatinda airport tak zinda laut paaya". (ANI)
In a bid to resolve the ongoing stand-off on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India and China are likely to hold the 14th round of corps commander talks on January 12. This would be the first time that the Indian Army's new 14 'Fire and Fury' Corps Commander Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta would be representing the country in talks with the Chinese side. He took over formally on Tuesday. The 14th round of India-China talks are likely to be held on January 12 to mainly resolve the Hot Springs area which is the only new friction point left to be resolved between the two countries, government sources told ANI. India and China have been holding talks on the Line of Actual Control in the Eastern Ladakh area to resolve the standoff and 13 rounds have been held so far. The two sides are looking at the resolution of the Hot Springs friction point which emerged after the Chinese aggression last year. The friction points on the banks of the Pangong lake and Gogra heights have been resolved but Hot Springs remains to be addressed, the sources said. India has also been demanding the resolution of the DBO area and CNN junction area which have been there before the April-May timeframe last year and are considered to be legacy issues. India responded very aggressively to Chinese aggression and checked their actions at multiple locations. The 2020 Galwan clash also took place in June there in which both sides suffered casualties. India has been working towards establishing peace in the area but has also maintained a high level of preparedness to thwart any misadventure by the enemy troops. India has also made rapid developments in terms of roads and habitats for troops and sources estimated that India can easily manage over 2 lakh soldiers in the area in extreme winters in case such a large number of troops are required to be there. (ANI)
In view of the rising COVID-19 cases in the state, the Karnataka government on Friday made COVID vaccine certificate mandatory for entry in public places such as malls, markets and restaurants. Addressing mediapersons here, state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said, "There will be strict enforcement of presenting vaccination certificates, as a universal pass, before entering any public place, including markets, malls, pubs, bars, restaurants, etc." Sudhakar further said that the travellers from other states will be tested for the presence of the virus and COVID-care centres will be set up in the state. "Travellers from other states will be tested and COVID-care centres are to be set up. We are collaborating with all hotels and educational institutions for institutional quarantine; monitoring of a uniform, transparent hospital bed management system is underway," he added. He further said that the complete lockdown is not a matter of consideration for the government. "Lockdown is not a remedy. It is now a policy of the past. It was imposed when we did not have a remedy. Now, we know how to treat a person with an infection. Complete lockdown is not a matter of consideration for the government. That much clarity the government has because it is working to protect the lives and interests of people," said Sudhakar. He added that the government will ensure strict compliance with COVID-19 norms. Further speaking on the Omicron variant of COVID-19, he said that the infections are spreading rapidly in six districts-- Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Mandya, Mysuru, Udupi and Kolar. These districts have a high positivity rate. "We are in touch with the district administrations. We will make every effort to bring it down. Though Omicron is not severe, those who have not taken both the jabs of coronavirus vaccine would suffer. In some cases, deaths may also occur," he warned. Earlier today, Sudhakar informed that Karnataka reported 107 cases Omicron variant of COVID-19 cases on Thursday taking the tally in the state to 333. Meanwhile, Karnataka reported 8,449 new COVID-19 cases, 505 recoveries and four deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the state health ministry on Friday. With this, the active cases tally in the state mounted to 30,113. (ANI)
The duo was brought to Mumbai through transit remand from Uttarakhand. Currently, they are lodged in Bandra police lockup.

The main conspirator and creator of 'Bulli Bai' on GitHub and the main Twitter account holder of the app is Neeraj Bishnoi. He was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell's Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit (IFSO) team from Assam for the alleged involvement in the Bulli Bai case.

Several complaints were received by police stations in the country regarding the listing of Muslim women for "auction" on the 'Bulli Bai' mobile application with photographs sourced without permission and doctored. It has happened for the second time in less than a year. The app appeared to be a clone of 'Sulli Deals' which triggered a similar row last year.

An engineering student from Bengaluru, a young girl from Uttarakhand, and one of her friends have also been arrested by Mumbai Police in connection with the 'Bulli Bai' app case, informed police on Wednesday.

"Three people have been arrested in the 'Bulli Bai' app case, including Vishal Kumar Jha and Shweta Singh. The third accused is Shweta's friend," said Hemant Nagrale, Mumbai Police Commissioner.

Vishal Kumar has been sent to police custody till January 10 by a Bandra court and Shweta Singh is on a transit remand. (ANI)
Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday termed PM Narendra Modi's security breach as a 'conspiracy' to assassinate him in Punjab. "The incident that happened with the Prime Minister is not a coincidence. It was a conspiracy to kill him. The whole world knows about Prime Minister's popularity. When people are asked to encircle the PM and the same is announced on the mike as well, then what is it if not a conspiracy to assassinate the Prime Minister", alleged Singh. "They had drones as weapons among others. Somewhere it was a big conspiracy. Mahadev saved Narendra Modi and brought him back safely", he added. "The strings of this conspiracy are connected to Delhi, not just limited only to the Chief Minister of Punjab", alleged Singh while speaking to ANI. "The conspiracy is slowly coming to light into the public domain and in the notice of the Supreme Court." "The Congress themselves have seen conspiracy and assassinations-Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. PM Beant Singh was also murdered in Punjab", he added. On Punjab forming committee to investigate the security breach incident, Singh said, "How will one investigate if the conspiracy is done by them?" When asked about Rahul Gandhi's Tweet on national security, Singh said, " I don't want to comment on their (Congress) immense intelligence." Meanwhile, Supreme Court directed the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve the travel records of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Punjab forthwith. It also directed Punjab and police authorities, SPG, and other Central and State agencies to cooperate and provide necessary assistance to seal the entire record. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that this matter cannot be left to just anyone and it's a matter of cross-border terrorism. Therefore, NIA officials may assist the probe. (ANI)
National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday asked hairstylist Jawed Habib to appear before it on January 11 in connection with a viral video showing him allegedly spitting on a woman's hair. In a tweet today by the Commission, it said, "Taking note of the incident, @NCWIndia has also sent a notice to Jawed Habib to appear before the Commission in person on January 11 at 12:30 pm for deposition of his statement. @sharmarekha" In a viral video, hairstylist Jawed Habib was seen using his spit to style a woman's hair during a workshop. In the video, a woman is seen sitting on the stage on a salon chair while Habib prepares to cut her hair while giving hair care tips. "Hair is dirty. Why are they dirty? Because shampoo has not been used," he says. "Listen carefully... If there is a scarcity of water," Habib continues as he spits on the woman's head while parting her hair. He can be heard saying " this spit has life" before the video ends. Meanwhile, people present there could be heard laughing and clapping. However, the woman seemed disturbed by what had happened. After the video gained virality, the woman in the video came forward to recount the bad experience. She said, "My name is Pooja Gupta. I run a parlour named Vanshika beauty parlour and am a resident of Baraut. Yesterday I attended a workshop of Jawed Habib sir. There he invited me on the stage to give me a haircut and he misbehaved. He said if there is no water, you can spit. It would be better if I had gone to my streetside barber and get a haircut, rather than going to Habib." The video, which is doing the rounds on various social media platforms, is reportedly from a training seminar in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar. It is not clear when the video was filmed. After facing huge backlash over this, issuing an apology in a video message, Habib said, "I just want to say one thing...these are professional workshops, as in, they are attended by people from within our profession. When these sessions get very long, we have to make them humorous. If you are hurt are, I apologise from the bottom of my heart." Meanwhile, NCW on Thursday wrote to Delhi Commissioner of Police Rakesh Asthana urging him to take action in the matter. The NCW also sent a notice to the hairstylist in the matter. (ANI)
"16 inmates in Tihar jail, 5 in Mandoli jail and 21 staff in Tihar jail, 5 in Rohini jail and 2 in Mandoli jail found COVID19 positive in Delhi prisons," said Goel.

Meanwhile, Delhi continues to witness a surge in the COVID-19 cases as the national capital reported 15,097 fresh cases of the infection in the last 24 hours pushing the positivity rate to 15.34 per cent.

According to the bulletin issued by the state health department on Thursday, the number of active cases in the city stands at 31,498. The total count of cases has now gone up to 14,89,463. (ANI)
The police have also seized a truck, a car, cash and mobile phones from the accused.

Lauding the team for the operation, Sarma, in a tweet, said, "Continuing its ops, Guwahati Pol Special Squad led by JCP Partha Mahanta nabs 3 more interstate drugs dealers; one truck, one i20, cash, mobile phones seized. Total 5 interstate drugs dealers arrested. Drugs worth several crores seized in last 8 hrs. Well done." (ANI)
The Delhi Government on Friday told the Delhi High Court that marital rape has already been covered as a crime of cruelty under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Appearing for Delhi Government, advocate Nandita Rao said that marital rape is a crime of cruelty in India and married and unmarried women are kept differently under every single law. She also apprised the Court that an FIR had been registered under Section 498A IPC on the complaint of one of the petitioners, who claimed a victim of repeated marital rape. Section 498A of IPC says that a husband or a relative of the husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty whereas cruelty means any wilful conduct which is of such a nature as is likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health (whether mental or physical) of the woman. The submission of the state government came while hearing a batch of petitions relating to the criminalisation of marital rape. The petitioners include NGOs RIT Foundation and All India Democratic Women's Association among others. The advocate, representing one of the petitioner women, told the Court that figure of marital rape is never reported or analysed. "How many times does rape take place in the institution of marriage and is never reported, " the lawyer submitted. The lawyer also cited various judgements passed by Courts in the US, UK, European Union and Nepal. A Bench of Justices Rajiv Shakdher and C Hari Shankar listed the matter for further hearing on January 10. (ANI)
Banerjee, who attended the event virtually from her office, informed that the state government contributed 25 per cent of the expense needed to build the cancer institute. "The recurring cost of 71 crores was paid by the state government", she stated.

"The West Bengal government has also donated 11 acres of land to build the cancer institute. This is why the Centre and the state should work together for public benefit," she added.

The chief minister informed that the state government was using the cancer institute as a COVID-19 centre during the pandemic.

Further enumerating the other medical facilities in the state, Banerjee said, "the state government has constructed 43 new multi-super speciality hospitals, 16 mother and child centres in West Bengal. We have administered vaccine doses with record zero wastage, but we need more vaccines as 40 per population still remains unvaccinated."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata virtually on Friday while Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya attended the event in Kolkata. (ANI)
Amid a surge in the COVID-19 cases, the West Bengal government is reaching out to the infected patients in Kolkata with a fruit basket having a "Get Well Soon" message from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "The West Bengal government is standing by the COVID-19 infected patients in their difficult times. We are sending a fruits basket to the COVID-19 patients with a message of 'Get well soon' from CM to their residences", said local Councillor Md Jasimuddin. "As many as 3,000 baskets of fruits have been delivered to the COVID-19 patients who are in home isolation. The state government has ordered 10,000 such baskets," he added. Jasimuddin further informed that a total of six types of fruits are packed in a basket with two units of each fruit. "The fruits are selected particularly for building immunity in COVID-19 patients. We are giving oranges, kiwi, pomegranate, mausambi, apples and guava," he said. The process of packing fruit baskets starts at 4 am and goes on till 5 pm. "After the fruits are packed, the baskets are loaded in the vans of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and then it gets offloaded to the respective wards, further gets dropped at the patients' doorsteps," said Jasimuddin. Md Mumtaz, a fruit seller who provides fruits for the baskets, said, "The fruit selection is done by expert workers keeping in mind the COVID-19 patients." He added that the fruit sellers are not making any profit out of these baskets. "For the time being, we are with the COVID-19 fighters", he stated. Meanwhile, West Bengal logged 18,213 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total active cases to 51,384, as per the state health bulletin on Friday. The positivity rate in the state is 26.34 per cent. (ANI)
Facing flak over his 'which bomb would've exploded due to 30 minute delay' remark about security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab earlier this week, Congress leader Harish Rawat on Friday said that his comments had been twisted. "My statement ('had there been a 30 minutes delay, which bomb would have exploded?') was twisted. I said that after Prime Minister's plan changed, the central and state agencies should have sanitized the route and if the programme had gotten late by 30 minutes, 'kaunsa aasman toot padta?" Rawat, a former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, told ANI. "It was a figure of speech. I said this considering the Prime Minister's safety. Such things can be said in matters like these," he added. Rawat, who has been AICC-incharge of Punjab, had commented on the security lapse on Thursday. "If there was change in travel plan, why did the SPG and other central agencies senitise the route along with state agencies. If there was delay of 30 minutes, which bomb would have exploded, what wonder would have happened," he had told reporters. Uttarakhand BJP leaders have slammed Rawat for his remarks. Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the Punjab Government on the security breach during the Prime Minister's visit to Punjab on Tuesday. The Prime Minister's convoy was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes due to road blockage by some protestors about 30 km away from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala. The Prime Minister was to visit Ferozepur and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore. Congress leaders continue to speak in different voices on the security breach. Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jhakhar has said that a secure passage for the Prime Minister of India to address BJP's political rally in Ferozpur should have been ensured. "What has happened today is just not acceptable. It's against Panjabiyat," he had said in tweet hours after the security breach. (ANI)
DDMA in its last meeting had decided to impose a weekend lockdown in Delhi.

A meeting was of DDMA was held today under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.

At the meeting, the current COVID-19 situation and the increasing Omicron cases were discussed in detail.

DDMA last week ordered the closure of schools, colleges, cinemas and gyms with immediate effect and put various restrictions on the functioning of shops and public transport as a yellow alert was sounded under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The night curfew has also been imposed from 10 pm (earlier 11 pm) to 5 am in the national capital.

Meanwhile, Delhi on Friday logged 17,335 fresh cases in the last 24 hours, taking the positivity rate in the national capital to 17.73 per cent. This is the highest number of cases reported here Since May 2021. (ANI)
Expressing his gratitude to the Union Minister, Stalin said that the Central government has secured the release of 12 fishermen from Tamil Nadu.

"There are 56 more fishermen from state languishing in Sri Lankan prisons since December 19 and 20, 2021", stated Stalin requesting the Ministry of External Affairs to expedite their release and work through the diplomatic channel for their safe passage to India so that they can reunite with their families during the Pongal festival beginning on January 13.

The chief minister further said that 75 boats belonging to the Tamil Nadu fishermen are still in Sri Lankan custody and requested the ministry to urgently retrieve the boats, considering the livelihood of the fishermen in the state. (ANI)
Taking to Twitter, Mandviya shared a picture with the healthcare workers there and said, "Congratulated and thanked the healthcare workers at AIIMS Kalyani, West Bengal today on the achievement of 150 crore vaccine milestone."

India achieved another milestone in its COVID-19 vaccination drive as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 150 crore mark on Friday.

Mandaviya also thanked the citizens of the country and said that India continues to be a world leader in driving the largest vaccination drive with over 150 crore COVID-19 vaccinations.

He further mentioned that over 1.5 crore teens between the age of 15-18 years have been vaccinated against COVID-19 since January 3.

"India continues to be a world leader in driving the largest vaccination drive with over 150 crore COVID-19 vaccinations. 90 per cent of our adult population was vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine dose. Over 1.5 crore children vaccinated against COVID-19 since 3rd January: PM @NarendraModi Ji," the office of Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted today. (ANI)
Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls the political parties have now shifted to the virtual mode but missing in action is Mayawati. The BSP supremo has not started her campaign but all the other political parties are active including the BJP with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing several rallies. Mayawati's inaction has led to some serious contenders throwing their hat into the ring for the Dalit votes, especially the Jatavs who have been with the Bahujan Samaj Party and did not desert during the bad times. But the silence of the BSP on core issues has led to suspicions in the minds of its leaders and almost all the big leaders including the legislative party leader have left the party and joined the Samajwadi Party. But the BSP seems unfazed with the exit of its leaders and except for Satish Chandra Mishra no other leader is seen at its forefront. The Congress has termed it as the "B team" of the Bharatiya Janata Party while SP leader Akhilesh Yadav has refrained from attacking the BSP leader but has inducted all the BSP turncoats into his party. The four time Chief Minister of UP has been active only on Twitter. She sometimes issues a press note. A day before she tweeted about the PM's security breach and criticized the Punjab government where her party is contesting elections in alliance with the Akali Dal. In her absence most of the BSP leaders are joining the SP and mostly Brahmins are choosing it over the BJP. Former Bahujan Samaj Party MP Rakesh Pandey -- father of BSP leader in the Lok Sabha, Ritesh Pandey -- joined the Samajwadi Party on Monday along with his supporters. Earlier, Kushal Tiwari, a former BSP MP and son of Harishankar Tiwari, joined the SP with his whole clan. Bahujan Samaj Party leaders say that the party has finalized candidates for a majority of the seats and the names of the selected candidates are being announced in meetings organised by the party leaders in various districts. The BSP president has been accused of staying away from the political arena and has been limiting her activities to press statements and tweets. Party national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra has refuted this and said, "The BJP, SP and Congress are luring leaders with tickets for the assembly elections." Mishra said that the BSP was working on the social engineering formula of 'sarvajan hitaye - sarvajan sukhaye' to win the elections. Members of all communities were being given adequate representation in the distribution of tickets. The BSP had managed to win only 19 seats in the 2017 assembly polls and is now left with merely six legislators since the others have either left or have been expelled. --IANS miz/bg ( 469 Words) 2022-01-07-19:18:03 (IANS)
Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer Bharat Biotech on Friday said that it has received reports of COVID-19 vaccines other than Covaxin are being administered in children of age group 15-18 years in the country and urged healthcare workers to ensure administration of Covaxin as it is the only approved COVID vaccine for this particular population category. "We have received several reports of other COVID-19 vaccines being administered to individuals in the 15-18 years age group. We humbly request healthcare workers to be highly vigilant and ensure that only Covaxin is administered to individuals in the 15-18 years age group," read a Bharat Biotech release. "Covaxin received approval based on a thorough clinical trial evaluation for safety and immunogenicity in the 2-18 years age group. Currently, it is the only COVID-19 vaccine in India approved for children," it added. COVID vaccination program for children aged between 15 and 18 years has been started from January 3, 2022. The Union Health Ministry has informed the States and UTs that only 'Covaxin' is to be administered in this population category and additional doses of 'Covaxin' will be sent to all states and UTs. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh secured the first position among the States in the 3rd National Water Awards-2020, informed the Ministry of Jal Shakti on Friday. Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced the 3rd National Water Awards-2020 on Friday. In the Best State category, Uttar Pradesh has been awarded first prize, followed by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Speaking on the occasion, Shekhawat said, "India's current water requirement is estimated to be around 1,100 billion cubic meters per year, projected to go up to 1,447 billion cubic meters by 2050. While India has more than 18 per cent of the world's population, it has only 4 per cent of the world's renewable water resources." "It is in this backdrop that the National Water Awards (NWA) were instituted to recognize and encourage exemplary work and efforts made by States, districts, individuals, organizations, etc across the country in attaining the government's vision of a 'Jal Samridh Bharat'," he stated. The Union Minister said that considering the fact that surface water and groundwater are an integral part of the water cycle, it was felt necessary to institute a unified National Water Award with the objectives of encouraging the stakeholders to adopt a holistic approach towards water resources management in the country. Also, it strives to create awareness among the people about the importance of water and attempts to motivate them to adopt best water usage practices, added the minister. The first National Water Award was launched by the Jal Shakti Ministry in 2018. National Water Awards have provided a good opportunity to start-ups as well as leading organizations to engage and deliberate with senior policymakers on how to adopt the best water resources management practices in India. To encourage and recognize individuals and organizations doing exemplary work in the field of water resources management, the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti is giving 57 awards to States, Organizations, Individuals etc in 11 different categories - Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best Media (Print & Electronic), Best School, Best Institution/RWA/Religious organization for Campus usage, Best Industry, Best NGO, Best Water User Association and Best Industry for CSR Activity. Some of these categories have sub-categories for different zones of the country. The award winners in different categories will be given a citation, trophy and cash prize. Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh has been awarded as the "Best District" followed by Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar, Punjab in the Nort Zone. Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, East Champaran in Bihar and Indore in Madhya Pradesh were awarded as the "Best District" in the South, East and West zones respectively. Goalpara in Assam has been awarded as the "Best District" in the North-East zone. (ANI)
Su Venkatesan, DMK leader and Lok Sabha MP from Madurai, has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to take action against the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) officials, who had allegedly discriminated against non-Hindi medium candidates who had appeared for the CA inter-examinations on January 4 and 5. The DMK leader in the letter has said that Hindi medium aspirants had the option to answer questions in sections B, C and D in the physical answer sheet by writing. He, however, added that the non-Hindi medium students had to type the answers as mentioned in point number 13 as per the official instructions for the examination. He said that this was more time-consuming for English medium students, adding that he had taken up the matter with the ICAI officials but to no avail. Venkatesan said, "The ICAI President Raju Iyer had replied to me that both the Hindi and non-Hindi medium students have the option to write and type the answers and that there was no discrimination. But his reply was far from truth and not in consonance with the reality, and physical answer sheets were not provided to non-Hindi medium students in examinations held on January 4 and 5." He added that when students expressed their anguish over social media, the ICAI threatened them with punitive action, including debarring them from writing the CA examination for five years for bringing the matter in the public domain. Su Venkatesan said, "Even after an MP had taken up the matter, if there is no solution then what is the option for the students other than to take it up on social media platforms. Instead of taking up the issue of the students, ICAI has chosen to threaten them with punitive measures." He said that the writing option must be made available for students who were taking the examination in the non-Hindi medium and requested for action against those officials who had not carried out the clarification of the ICAI President. He urged the ICAI to withdraw the circular threatening the students with punitive action for voicing their grievances on social media platforms and demanded an inquiry into all issues raised by the students related to the ICAI inter-examination. --IANS aal/khz/bg ( 384 Words) 2022-01-07-20:44:01 (IANS)
Necessary allocations would be made for the purpose in the budget, Chief Minister said.

Bommai interacted with NITI Aayog (SGD) consultant Sanmukta Samaddar and said that funds would be provided in the next budget for Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB) to improve the education, health and standard of living in the region.

Poverty should not be defined just on the basis of income. It is decided on multiple facts like health, education and living standards, consultant NITI Aayog explained.

Karnataka's Sustainable Development Index which was at 66 in 2019 has risen to 72.

Karnataka needs to improve in health insurance, malnutrition among teenage girls and pregnant women, rural drinking water supply, hygiene, cooking gas supply.

Multiple Poverty Index is useful in taking up focussed work on these aspects at district and taluk levels, the consultant said.

Bommai stated that initiative would be taken to accomplish it by utilising the human resources and organisations of Kalyana Karnataka. (ANI)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said the state will provide investors with facilities that are comparable to the best available in the country. While addressing the business leaders from Telangana at an Investment Road Show, the Chief Minister said, "The state is looking for strategic partnerships and we can assure that the state's facilities are comparable to the best in the country." The state is gifted with strengths that are better than what is found in other regions in the country, the chief minister said that "we are blessed with an abundance of water, a clean and hygienic environment. We can offer the most literate workforce in the country which is even comparable with several regions in developed nations." He welcomed business leaders to share in the development aspirations of the state and become a partner for our genuine and sincere quest to achieve inclusive socio-economic development. "Kerala aims to become the best investment-friendly state in the country by attracting more investors for industries that do not harm environmental sustainability. The government would achieve this goal with determination and care," Chief Minister said. John Brittas, MP said that many people are spreading disinformation about Kerala but the fact is that there is a good investment-friendly environment in the state. Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, MP praised the development works in Kerala and its great achievements under the leadership of the Chief Minister. Investment opportunities in Kerala were presented at the meeting. The state's investment opportunities in the fields of Bio-Technology, Information Technology, Pharma and other emerging sectors were presented to the entrepreneurs. Legislative reforms are undertaken by the state, digital transformation, simplification of procedures and industrial infrastructure were also explained. The industrialists welcomed the investor-friendly atmosphere of Kerala. (ANI)
The emissions of just five economies -- India, China, the US, the EU and Russia -- over the period 1991-2030 will double the number of countries experiencing extreme hot years every second year by 2030, according to a new scientific paper published in Communications Earth and Environment. The results highlight the outsized role these emitters play in driving warming and temperature extremes around the world. The study led by scientists at ETH Zurich and Climate Analytics looks at the impacts of these top five emitters over two periods: 1991-2030, and 2016-2030, over which they will contribute 52 per cent and 53 per cent of global emissions respectively. Under current emissions reductions targets, 92 per cent of all countries are expected to experience extreme hot years every second year by 2030, twice as many countries as without the 1991-2030 emissions from the top five polluters (46 per cent). Notably, 15 per cent of this increase would be attributable to the emissions of these five economies between 2016 and 2030, after the Paris Agreement was signed. "Our work shows that over a relatively short-time period, the emissions of these five economies will have a strong impact on extreme heat experienced around the globe by 2030. We're talking about annual mean temperatures that would only be experienced once every 100 years in preindustrial times happening every second year", said ETH Zurich researcher Lea Beusch, lead author of the study. The paper also looked at the per capita emissions of these major emitters. It found that if all countries had the same projected per capita emissions as the US -- the highest per capita emitter in the group -- in the period after the Paris Agreement was signed (2016-2030), global mean warming in 2030 would be 0.4 degree Celsius higher than under current pledged emission reductions. This is a full 0.5 degree higher than if all countries followed the same per capita emissions trajectory of India, which has the lowest emissions per capita in the high emitters group. The study comes in the wake of the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact that requests countries to revisit their 2030 climate targets to align them with the 2015 Paris Agreement temperature goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius. "Our results underscore that the actions of the world's top emitters will have a huge impact on our global temperature trajectory in this decade. How they respond to the COP26 outcome will be fundamental to whether 1.5 degrees Celsius stays within reach -- none of their targets are currently sufficient", said Alexander Nauels of Climate Analytics, who co-authored the study. --IANS vg/dpb ( 441 Words) 2022-01-07-09:20:02 (IANS)
Washington [US], January 7 (ANI/Sputnik): The United States and Japan will soon sign an agreement that will enable bilateral cooperation on developing defenses against hypersonic missiles and on new space-based capabilities, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. "We're launching a new research and development agreement that will make it easier for our scientists, for our engineers and program managers to collaborate on emerging defense related issues from countering hypersonic threats to advancing space-based capabilities," Blinken said during a virtual meeting with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and their Japanese counterparts on Thursday. Blinken also said that in the coming days the United States and Japan will sign a new five-year host nation agreement that will support framework which will invest greater resources to deepen military readiness and interoperability. Austin in his remarks underscored the significance of the US-Japan alliance to confront challenges from North Korea and China in the Pacific. Austin, Blinken, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel are meeting virtually with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo to discuss a range of issues that are of mutual concern. Hayashi said the United States and Japan must be prepared to respond effectively to challenges of the present and future in the region, especially to have a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said earlier in the day that Japan filed a protest against North Korea through diplomatic channels in Beijing over Pyongyang's latest missile launch which it claims was a hypersonic missile. On Wednesday, the Japanese Coast Guard and the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said they had observed an unknown projectile, presumed to be a ballistic missile, fired by North Korea in the direction of the Sea of Japan. This was the first test of North Korean weapons this year. The last one took place on October 19, 2021, when North Korea tested a new submarine ballistic missile. (ANI/Sputnik)
Sixty suspects were arrested during the protests and legal measures were taken against them, police said in a statement, which blamed the protesters of committing violence against the security forces.

New demonstrations were staged on Thursday in the capital city to demand that the authority be handed over to a civilian government.

The protesters attempted to reach the presidential palace, but the security forces used tear gas to disperse them, eyewitnesses said.

Earlier in the day, communications and internet services on mobile phones were disrupted in Khartoum ahead of the planned protests.

The security authorities closed major roads in central Khartoum and deployed military forces around the army's general command headquarters and the presidential palace.

They also announced the closure of bridges linking the three major cities of Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri ahead of the demonstrations, but Al-Halfaya and Suba bridges were open to traffic.

On January 2, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced his resignation amid waves of protests in recent weeks in the country.

Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after the general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on October 25, 2021 and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the government.

On November 21, 2021, Al-Burhan and then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as prime minister, but the deal failed to calm the streets. (ANI/Xinhua)
Mass protests in Kazakhstan began earlier in the week as residents of Zhanaozen and Aktau opposed a two-fold increase in prices for liquefied petroleum gas. The protests then spread to other cities, resulting in violent clashes with the police, looting and vandalism.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency until January 19 and invited the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping forces to help bring the situation under control.

Peacekeeping contingents from Russia and Belarus have arrived in Kazakhstan to protect strategic infrastructure facilities, including the Baikonur cosmodrome. According to CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas, the peacekeeping force is comprised of 2,500 troops on the ground and this number may increase if necessary. (ANI/Sputnik)
A Chinese national pleaded guilty in a US court to stealing trade secrets from Monsanto agribusiness corporation to benefit Beijing, the Justice Department said in a statement on Thursday (local time). "Xiang Haitao, 44, a Chinese national formerly residing in Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit economic espionage," the Justice Department said. "According to court documents, Xiang conspired to steal a trade secret from Monsanto, an international company based in St. Louis, for the purpose of benefitting a foreign government, namely the People's Republic of China," it added. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division said: "Despite Xiang's agreements to protect Monsanto's intellectual property and repeated training on his obligations to do so, Xiang has now admitted that he stole a trade secret from Monsanto, transferred it to a memory card and attempted to take it to the People's Republic of China for the benefit of Chinese government." While US Attorney Sayler Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri said: "Mr Xiang used his insider status at a major international company to steal valuable trade secrets for use in his native China." Xiang, who was then living in the US state of Missouri, was employed by Monsanto and its subsidiary, The Climate Corporation, from 2008 to 2017 as an imaging scientist before quitting his job and buying a one-way ticket to China. Federal officials searched the Chinese national at a US airport in June 2017 and discovered copies of a Monsanto proprietary algorithm, which is considered a trade secret and intellectual property, in an electronic device as he was waiting to board a flight to China, the release said. Xiang continued his trip to China where he worked for the Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Soil Science, but he was arrested when he returned to the United States, the release said. Xiang will be sentenced on April 7. He faces up to 15 years in prison and a potential 5 million US dollars fine. (ANI)
"The US government is persisting in its bad manner to impose its will on other governments via unilateral measures," Rodriguez wrote on his Twitter page late Thursday.

He added that Cuba would continue to protect its sovereignty.

On Thursday, the US administration of President Joe Biden imposed visa restrictions on eight officials from Cuba who are believed to be linked to the detention, sentencing, and imprisonment of peaceful July 11 protesters. (ANI/Sputnik)
Pakistan is systematically targeting the Sikh minorities to hurt their sentiments. As per Al Arabiya Post, irregularities in the audit of Kartarpur Corridor (KC), Gulab Devi Lahore underpass name changed to Abdul Sattar Edhi and prohibition on Sikhs to carry sword inside government offices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are cases in point. Nabeela Irfan, Deputy Commissioner, Narowal in a letter addressed in December last year to Maj Gen Kamal Azfar, DG, Frontier Works Organization (FWO) has alleged that the organization has misappropriated funds of KC and is refusing to provide account documents to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Auditor General of Pakistan responsible for the audit of KC. Nabeel has also alleged that irregularities have come to notice in a report submitted by Dr Shoaib Salim ADC, Narowal. The report contains the following irregularities amounting to approximately 165 crore PKR (Pakistan Rupee). A bill of 7 lakh cement bags has been deposited while actual usage was of around 4.29 lakh cement bags, reported Al Arabiya Post. The base of the buildings has been kept 11.5 feet deep instead of 18 feet and the bricks bought from Chaudhary Mukhtar, Brick Kiln owner, Shakargarh were of low quality while the bill was submitted of good quality bricks. Moreover, Global Nobel Company which was given major work of KC is owned by one Brig (Retd) Yousuf Mirza which was constituted just three days prior to awarding of KC Project contract, reported Al Arabiya Post. Another glowing example of the plight of Sikhs in Pakistan is changing the name of Gulab Devi underpass situated opposite Gulab Devi Chest Hospital to Abdul Sattar Edhi underpass by the Punjab government on December 21. This was announced by Usman Buzdar, CM Punjab while inaugurating the renovated underpass. (Gulab Devi was the mother of Lala Lajpat Rai. Lajpat Rai had established the trust to build and run a TB hospital in memory of his mother in 1927), reported Al Arabiya Post. Meanwhile, Peshawar High Court in its December 23 order prohibited Sikhs from carrying the 'Kirpan' while entering Government offices including Judicial courts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. High Court has further asked Sikhs to apply for arms license to carry the sword in person. Peshawar based Sikhs had filed a case in court (July 2020) for allowing them to carry the sword in public places citing that it was part of their Sikh religion and Amritdhari Sikhs have to wear the sword under Sikh tenets (Part of 5 Kakars), reported Al Arabiya Post. In a letter addressed on December 21 to Gurpal Singh, Peshawar based Sikh leader, the Additional Registrar of Peshawar High court directed that the sword has been declared a licensed weapon and thus Sikhs have to secure a license for the same. (ANI)
Congressional leaders and lawmakers on Thursday (local time) marked the one-year anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol with a vigil on the steps of the Capitol. The prayer vigil was just one part of a ceremonious and solemn day on Capitol Hill. Several events were held to mark the January 6 anniversary. Around hundreds of members of Congress wearing masks stood outside holding candles at the vigil. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi paid respect to those who died in last year's Capitol riot. "On behalf of the distinguished Democratic leader of the Senate, all of our colleagues from the House and Senate, we prayerfully mark one year since the insurrection, and patriotically honour the heroes who defended the Capitol and our democracy that day," Pelosi said in her remarks. "Let us all here join in a moment of silence in memory of those who lost their lives and sacrificed so much for our democracy that day," added the House Speaker. Alongside Pelosi, top Democrats like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Majority Whip Sen. Richard Durbin and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer were also in attendance. Speaking at the event Reverend Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Ethical Church said, "Let us pray. We need your help, Lord, now, to be the democracy you would have us to become, to be the nation you would have us to be. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. So, we ask you now to help us, to help all those who are traumatized. Help all of those who have lost loved ones. Help those who are struggling. Help us to be instruments of your peace, instruments of your love and instruments of your healing for this land, for this Congress, for this government, for we the people, for this country and this world." On January 6 last year, a mob of Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol as lawmakers met to certify President Biden's electoral win. (ANI)
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari arrived at the port of Moroni, Comoros on Friday to extend technical assistance to the Comorian Coast Guard. "Indian Naval Ship Kesari arrives in Moroni #Comoros today to extend technical assistance to the Comorian Coast Guard (CCG) in repairing a grounded patrol vessel P002-M' kombozi on request made by the CCG to @indiannavy during the recently concluded Goa Maritime Conclave," tweeted Embassy of India in Antananarivo, Madagascar & Comoros. The visit comes as a response to the request made by the Comorian Coast Guard (CCG) to the Indian Navy during the recently conducted Goa Maritime Conclave for providing technical assistance in repairing a grounded patrol vessel of CCG: P002-M' kombozi, said a press release of Embassy of India, Antananarivo. Earlier, the Chief of Comorian Coast Guard Commander Moudjib Rahmane Adane travelled to India to attend the Goa Maritime Conclave from 7-9 November 2021. India has always been a reliable responder to the requests made by Comoros. The External Affairs Minister of India Dr S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of Comoros had a telephonic conversation on 25 April 2020 leading to the deployment of a 14-member Indian Medical Assistant Team to Comoros. In June 2020, Indian Naval Ship Kesari supplied a consignment of COVID-19 related essential medicines from India and a 14-member Indian Medical Assistance Team arrived on-board INS Kesari to work with the Comorian health authorities in dealing with the COVID-19 situation and dengue fever, added the release. Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu had also visited Comoros from October 10-12, 2019. Six MoUs were signed during the visit including MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Defence. In March 2021, Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa delivered 1000 metric tonnes of rice to Comoros as a fulfilment of the grant announcement made during the visit, the release added. The visit of INS Kesari reflects India's commitment to work together with Comoros, its maritime neighbour and partner in the Indian Ocean Region. The Foreign Minister of Union of Comoros Dhoihir Dhoulkamal visited India from 3rd-5th February 2021 to participate in the Aero India 2021 and IOR Defence Ministers Conclave at Bengaluru. Recently, 12 diplomats from Comoros participated in the 1st Special Course for diplomats from the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) organized by Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), Delhi from 20 September-01 October 2021, said the release. India is committed to further strengthening its development partnership with Comoros that aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of SAGAR that stands for Security And Growth for All in the Indian Ocean Region. (ANI)
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Great to talk to APM and FM Yair Lapid of Israel in the New Year. Discussed our bilateral and plurilateral cooperation. Looking forward to marking the 30th anniversary of our diplomatic ties."

Notably, Regular Embassies were opened in 1992 when full diplomatic relations were established between the two countries. India and Israel will celebrate 30 years of up-gradation of diplomatic relations in 2022.

The political ties between India and Israel are very warm and forward-looking. On June 14, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on assuming office.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a historic first-ever visit to Israel by an Indian Prime Minister on July 4-6, 2017 during which the relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership.

The then Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu made a return visit to India on January 14-19, 2018. Joint statements were issued during both visits, said MEA in a statement. (ANI)
Nur-Sultan [Kazakhstan], January 7 (ANI/Sputnik): Hundreds of citizens and military personnel were injured and killed in Kazakh city of Almaty during the recent riots, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday expressing his condolences to the families of those killed during the protests. "Not only administrative buildings, but also the personal property of civilians, not to mention the health and lives of hundreds of civilians and servicemen, suffered from the actions of the bandits. I express my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims," Tokayev said in his address. Tokayev also noted that hundreds of Kazakh servicemen and citizens were either killed or injured as the result of recent protests in the city of Almaty. (ANI/Sputnik)
Several officials of Taiwan and members of the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan (HRNTT) protested here in front of the Bank of China, the only Chinese government entity in Taiwan, on January 5, calling for a boycott of the Winter Olympics due to Chinese atrocities against religious and ethnic minorities. This was the fourth weekly demonstration since December 10, World Human Rights Day. Taipei City Councilor Froggy Chiu joined the demonstration on Wednesday, as did the Secretary-General of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Shih Yi-Hsiang, and other representatives from Hong Kong and Uyghur dissident groups, said Taipei in a press release. Tashi Tsering, the head of the HRNTT, announced that the organisation plans to encircle the Legislative Yuan, Taiwanese Parliament, on January 19, to put pressure on Taiwanese lawmakers to pass an All-Party Resolution calling for a boycott of the Winter Olympics due to human rights violations in China. He also stated that, in light of the Covid issue, protesters are exercising extreme prudence and caution, but that they would not back down from their demands, stated the press release. On December 8, 2021, a news conference was held at the Taiwanese parliament, attended by a number of Taiwanese MPs from various political parties. 26 Taiwanese human rights organisations have joined forces to organise the boycott protest. Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan is a coalition comprising Taiwan-based NGOs. Individual members include Tibetan and Taiwanese social activists, college professors, writers, students and legislators, amongst people of many other professions, reported International Tibet Network. (ANI)
"As part of our ongoing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, India supplied the third batch of medical assistance consisting of two tons of essential lifesaving medicines to Afghanistan today," said the Ministry of External Affairs press release.

The medical assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul.

"In this endeavour, we had recently supplied 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine and 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through World Health Organization (WHO)," added the MEA release.

India stands committed to continuing a special relationship with the people of Afghanistan and providing them humanitarian assistance.

India also promised to supply more batches of humanitarian assistance consisting of medicines and food grains to Afghanistan. (ANI)
India on Friday welcomed the Joint Statement on preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms race which was given by the leaders of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States on Monday. "We welcome the Joint Statement this week, which reaffirms the importance of addressing nuclear threats, and underscores the desire to work towards creating a security environment more conducive to progress on disarmament with the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons with undiminished security for all.", said Bagchi in a statement. Bagchi cleared India's stance on the No First Use posture and the non-use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states. "As a responsible nuclear weapon state, India has a doctrine of maintaining a credible minimum deterrence based on a No First Use posture and non-use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states. India remains committed to the goal of universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament", he said in a statement. He added that India's resolution at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) stands for steps to reduce the risk of unintentional or accidental use of nuclear weapons and India will continue to contribute to global nuclear disarmament. "India will continue to contribute further to the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation agenda.", said the statement.", said the statement. Earlier, the leaders of China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States on Monday (local time) reiterated their commitment to de-targeting and reaffirmed that none of their nuclear weapons was targeted at each other or at any other State. In a joint statement, the leaders of the five countries said "we affirm that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought." "We affirm that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. As nuclear use would have far-reaching consequences, we also affirm that nuclear weapons--for as long as they continue to exist--should serve defensive purposes, deter aggression, and prevent war. We believe strongly that the further spread of such weapons must be prevented," the statement read. The five permanent member states of the UN Security Council also reaffirmed the importance of addressing nuclear threats and emphasised the importance of preserving and complying with their bilateral and multilateral non-proliferation, disarmament, and arms control agreements and commitments. The five countries also underlined their desire to work with all states to create a security environment more conducive to progress on disarmament with the ultimate goal of a world without nuclear weapons with undiminished security for all. They intend to continue seeking bilateral and multilateral diplomatic approaches to avoid military confrontations, strengthen stability and predictability, increase mutual understanding and confidence, and prevent an arms race that would benefit none and endanger all. "We are resolved to pursue a constructive dialogue with mutual respect and acknowledgement of each other's security interests and concerns," the statement read. It was the first time for leaders of the five Nuclear-Weapon States to issue such a joint statement, which has demonstrated the political will of the five states to prevent nuclear wars, and given their common voice of maintaining global strategic stability and reducing the risk of nuclear conflicts, Chinese vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu said. (ANI)
"Pashinyan and Putin discussed the situation in Kazakhstan, as well as the progress in implementing joint steps within the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]," Sputnik quoted, according to the Armenian Cabinet of Minister's statement on Friday.

Pashinyan, as the current rotating chair of the CSTO, officially gave the order to begin the peacekeeping mission in protest-hit Kazakhstan. In the same light, Armenia's permanent representative to the United Nations informed the organization of the CSTO mission in the Central Asian country.

Hundreds of citizens and military personnel were injured and killed in Kazakh city of Almaty during the recent riots, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday expressing his condolences to the families of those killed during the protests, Sputnik reported.

Kazakhstan is witnessing a massive protest over soaring fuel prices across the country.

The protest took place in the western town of Zhanaozen against the doubling of the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which most Kazakhs use as car fuel, Al Jazeera reported.

Amid nationwide agitation in Kazakhstan, protesters earlier pulled down the statue of the country's first President Nursultan Nazarbayev. A state of emergency has been declared in the country in the light of the eruption of this violent protest. (ANI)
China's multifaceted interests in Ukraine which include its strategic geographic location, inheritance of high-end Soviet defence systems and technology have led to the increased influence of Beijing in Kyiv. Di Valerio Fabbri, writing in Geopolitica.info said that Beijing views Ukraine as an important logistic transit hub in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to link China with EU markets. Ukraine-China relations have gone through a roller-coaster ride in the recent past, ranging from appeasing statements of political leaders to vexing China by sanctions against Chinese individuals and entities, aided by anti-China protests staged by the Ukrainian public. It all started when China's Skyrizon Aircraft Holdings surreptitiously tried to acquire a majority stake in the Ukrainian aviation firm Motor Sich in 2016 through a number of offshore companies that were later quashed by Ukrainian authorities in 2017. The matter escalated to such an extent that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed in late January 2021 a decree to impose sanctions for three years on several Chinese companies and their associates for adopting illegal acts to acquire controlling stake/shares of Motor Sich, reported Geopolitica.info. Moreover, Beijing's vaccine diplomacy in Ukraine was a lacklustre affair despite the supply of medical equipment and medicines. Protestors in the Ukrainian town of Novi Sanzhary staged on February 19, 2020, a protest against the quarantine of Chinese nationals evacuated from Wuhan in city hospitals. A general distrust of China within a section of Ukrainian society over China's dubious intentions and expansionist mindset is also a major concern for the Chinese policymakers as anti-China sentiments are prevalent on Ukrainian territory, said Fabbri. The latest example of rising distrust towards China is the protest held on December 3, 2021, by a group of around 50 individuals belonging to various patriotic organisations outside the Chinese Embassy in Kyiv against China's economic expansion efforts in Ukraine as well as against China's oppressive policy against Taiwan. The protestors also demanded the opening of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Ukraine. It may be recalled that the involvement of Ukrainian nationals in the Hong Kong protests and support from Ukrainian NGOs to the Taiwanese cause had become a headache for the Chinese government. Meanwhile, China has adopted the policy of "carrot and stick" with Ukraine by showering the latter with the promises worth billions of dollars of investment in infrastructure projects on one side and threatening to withhold the same on the other, said Fabbri. China is also trying to arm-twist Ukraine, to toe the Chinese line. The testimony of China's "pressure tactic" and "blackmailing" against Ukraine came to light when Ukraine withdrew (June 24, 2021) from a statement on the human rights situation in Xinjiang at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Though the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry did not clarify the backtracking, it transpired that Ukraine had done so at China's behest, which had threatened to stop the supply of COVID-19 vaccines, already ordered by Ukraine, reported Geopolitica.info. China continues to take steps that directly or indirectly threaten Ukraine's interests. Some of the examples are as follows -Holding of the exhibition "Crimea-China: let's get acquainted" by Russia in China in December 2021; China's condemnation (November 24, 2021) of US sanctions against Nord Stream 2 pipeline project despite Ukraine's opposition to the Nord Stream 2 project. The rhetoric of the Chinese state media towards small countries, whose stand contradicts Beijing's position is quite revealing. In particular, after the recent opening of Taiwan's Representative Office in Lithuania, the Chinese state-run English-language media Global Times published articles warning that Lithuania would pay a price for its actions that challenge China's sovereignty, said Fabbri. (ANI)
Japanese and US Foreign and Defence Ministers, in a joint statement issued after their virtual "two-plus-two" talks, highlighted the "importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait" while opposing any unilateral actions threatening Japan's administration of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, controlled by Japan but claimed by China, reported Kyodo News.

The ministers vowed to cooperate in deterring and responding to "destabilising activities".

Japan's Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and their U.S. counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also expressed "serious and ongoing concerns" about human rights issues in China's far-western Xinjiang autonomous region and Hong Kong, said Kyodo News.

After the talks with the US, Hayashi told that key discussions took place during the 2+2 over further strengthening Washington-US relations and how to tackle the challenges effectively. Hayashi also said that he found the joint statement very ambitious.

The teleconference among the ministers took place amid an escalation of Beijing's maritime assertiveness in the East and South China seas and stepped-up military pressure on Taiwan. (ANI)
The aid, which consisted of life-saving medicines was sent on Friday from New Delhi to Kabul.

"Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said the Islamic Emirate welcomes the six tons of humanitarian aid from India that arrived today in Kabul," Tolo News tweeted.

The medical assistance was handed over to the Indira Gandhi Hospital, Kabul.

India stands committed to continuing our special relationship with the people of Afghanistan and providing them humanitarian assistance.

"In this endeavor, we had recently supplied 500,000 doses of COVID vaccine and 1.6 tons of medical assistance to Afghanistan through World Health Organization (WHO)," said the Ministry of External Affairs press release.

"In coming weeks, we would be supplying more batches of humanitarian assistance consisting of medicines and foodgrains to Afghanistan," the release added. (ANI)
Some Chinese companies are involved in printing and supplying counterfeit documents in Bangladesh, causing huge losses to the government exchequer. Although the Bangladeshi port authorities suspect the involvement of other Chinese companies in such illegal activities, they were apparently reluctant to take action due to 'pressure' from senior officials, reported Bangladesh Live News. Trade in counterfeit and pirated goods has risen in recent years and it is estimated at about 3.5% of global trade by OECD. The World Customs Organization estimates that 65 % of all counterfeit shipments globally originate from mainland China. According to OECD, trade-in fake goods which infringe on trademarks and copyrights, creates profits for organized gangs at the expense of companies and governments. Chinese companies are notorious for faking branded products. Global Alliance for Tax Justice says, Bangladesh loses USD 143.96 million in tax income each year, or BD Taka 1235 crore, due to global tax evasion by multinational firms and rich people, reported Bangladesh Live News. Despite the fact that the Chinese business had reported the cargo to the Bangladeshi company to include Art/A4 size sheets, it was discovered that they were selling counterfeit band rolls/ stamps. This resulted in fraudulent tax avoidance of over BD Taka 250 crore. Bandrolls are produced by the Bangladeshi government's Security Printing Corporation, and cigarette/bidi firms are required to purchase them by paying tax/VAT, also known as cigarette tax. The National Board of Money (NBR) generates revenue by selling these stamps / bandrolls, and no one else is permitted to purchase them other than from NBR. A bandroll is a narrow, thin ribbon that is wound around a packet of Bidi and Cigarettes. Certain corporate firms appear to have been obtaining the same from China. According to reports, the Chittagong Customs House Port Control Unit (PCU) recently revealed that a Chinese business located in Shenzhen, 'Digit Anti Fake Company Ltd' (DAFC), had sold counterfeit band rolls/stamps to Chittagong-based Arafat Enterprise, said the news portal. DAFC is also accused of printing various fake documents like passports, voting papers, national identity cards, birth registration certificates, and so on. Bangladeshi officials discovered a DAFC-run website that mentioned bandroll and said, "Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue, Customs Paid." Significantly, following the consignment's capture in Chittagong, the Chinese business has taken down its website, which featured a variety of fraudulent papers. Counterfeit and pirated products commerce has increased in recent years, with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimating that it accounts for around 3.5 per cent of global trade. Counterfeit goods, which infringe on trademarks and copyrights, generates revenues for organised gangs at the expense of businesses and governments, according to the OECD. Chinese firms are well-known for imitating trademark goods. (ANI)
The financial resources of Afghanistan are being protected and economic fall is also being prevented, Khaama Press quoted the Taliban's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Motaqi as saying.

The Taliban said they have prevented the economic collapse of Afghanistan.

"Pressures on Afghanistan's banks are decreasing day by day," said Motaqi.

He also said that the Taliban's interim government has so far paid the bill of employees' salaries for three months and is preparing for paying the fourth month's salary.

However, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan is worsening day by day due to the lack of concrete assistance and the United Nations has said that they have so far collected USD 1.5 billion to address the Afghan situation.

Stressing that the ongoing freezing winter in Afghanistan will make people's life more challenging in the Asian nation, spokesperson of UN Secretary-General Stephen Dujarric has said that the UN Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has so far collected USD 1.5 billion. (ANI)
Since the start of the turmoil, which grew particularly violent on Wednesday, 26 people have been killed and an equivalent number have been injured, as per government figures acquired by Tengrinews.kz, reported Sputnik.

Another 56 people were brought to hospitals, with 25 of them in intensive care, reported Sputnik. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday expressing his condolences to the families of those killed during the protests.

Violent protests in the Kyzylorda region on the border with Uzbekistan left 182 people injured, according to the Khabar 24 news station, reported the global news agency.

"Not only administrative buildings but also the personal property of civilians, not to mention the health and lives of hundreds of civilians and servicemen, suffered from the actions of the bandits. I express my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims," Tokayev said in his address.

Tokayev also noted that hundreds of Kazakh servicemen and citizens were either killed or injured as the result of recent protests in the city of Almaty. (ANI)
"China strongly opposes external forces that deliberately trigger unrest and incite to a 'colour revolution' in Kazakhstan," Sputnik quoted Xi as saying in his message to Kazakh President Kassyn-Jomart Tokayev.

Xi also appreciated Tokayev for taking affirmative and effective measures at a crucial time that quickly quelled the situation, and showed a statesman's responsibility to the country and people, reported Global Times.

Beijing is willing to offer help that Kazakhstan needs to overcome the current difficulties, said Xi, adding that the communist regime is always the trustworthy friend and partner of Kazakhstan no matter meeting what challenges and risks.

It came as Kazakhstan witnessed large-scale protests these days as thousands of people flooded streets against soaring liquefied petroleum gas prices, forcing the Central Asian country's cabinet to resign.

Kazakhstan's police detained 3,811 individuals during several days of riots across the country, according to Interior Ministry numbers reported by Kazakh media.

Since the start of the turmoil, which grew particularly violent on Wednesday, 26 people have been killed and an equivalent number have been injured, reported Sputnik.

Another 56 people were brought to hospitals, with 25 of them in intensive care. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday expressed his condolences to the families of those killed during the protests. (ANI)
Pakistan's National Security Advisor, Moeed Yusuf, will visit Kabul, as tensions along the Durand Line, the de facto boundary between the two nations, have intensified. The decision was made during a meeting of the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC), which was presided over by Pakistani National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser in Islamabad on Thursday, reported TOLOnews. "A senior delegation of Pakistani officials, headed by the NSA, is scheduled to visit Afghanistan soon for further engagement with the Afghan government on all assistance-related prospects," the official statement said. During the meeting, no date for the NSA's visit was disclosed. However, a Pakistani source informed the media that the visit will most likely take place between January 17 and 18. "We will finalize the delegation in a couple of days and then decide the date," the official said. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, has stated that the world must not desert the Afghan people in their hour of need, reported the news channel. He stated that peace and security in Afghanistan provide significant prospects for not only the Afghan people but also Pakistan in terms of increased commerce and connection to Central Asian nations. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have asked for both parties to engage in dialogue on the matter. Earlier, Pakistani Inter-Services Public Relations chief Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar on Wednesday confirmed that the fencing of the 2,600km-long border with Afghanistan will be completed despite the Taliban's statement that they will not allow fencing by Pakistan on the Durand Line. (ANI)
The city has registered 1,913 local cases since December 9, 2021, amid the latest virus resurgence, Xinhua reported.

It further reported that of the new cases, 52 were detected in quarantine, while five were detected during routine screening of key groups.

Of the total 1,913 cases, 112 have recovered and 20 are in a severe condition. The rest are moderate and mild cases, as per Xinhua.

Meanwhile, China on Wednesday suspended international passenger flights for the city of Xi'an due to the latest COVID-19 resurgence.

Xi'an located in northwest China's Shaanxi has been under strict lockdown since December. Earlier, the city had suspended domestic flights, according to the Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, reported Xinhua.

The airport is an important air transportation hub in western China, with international routes connecting 74 major destinations in 36 countries around the world. (ANI)
The residents also called for a transparent and fair distribution of aid, Tolo News reported.

"Let the aid be continued. But it should be given to people who deserve it," said Ghulam Nabi, a resident of Kabul.

"No one has given us anything," said Abdul Muttalib, another resident of Kabul.

"When we ask for aid--they tell us to wait, but I haven't received anything yet," said Rahim, another resident.

The World Food Program (WFP) said that it has provided food, clothing and cash aid to 15 million people in 2021 in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported.

The WFP expects to reach over 23 million vulnerable people next year in Afghanistan.

"There should be a home-to-home survey so we can address the problem of those who are in grave need," Tolo News quoted Wahidullah Amani, a spokesman for the WFP as saying.

Meanwhile, expressing concerns over the starvation level in Afghanistan, the WFP has said the organisation needs up to USD 2.6 billion to provide food to Afghan people.

Poverty and starvation have arrived in Afghan cities this time which is concerning, said WFP spokesperson for Afghanistan Shelley Thakral, reported Khaama Press.

Thakral also emphasised that Afghan people have survived acute hunger worse than the ongoing ones.

Nearly 23 million people in Afghanistan are starving due to the worst drought in decades, a surge in food prices and the political condition of the country, Thakral added. (ANI)
"We decided today to introduce tougher anti-coronavirus measures in Hiroshima, Yamaguchi and Okinawa from January 9-31," he told a COVID-19 response meeting.

The three prefectures saw a record number of cases of infection on Thursday, with the country confirming over 4,000 daily for the first time since mid-September.

American military bases have been widely blamed for viral spillover after it was revealed that US personnel deployed to Japan had not been tested for coronavirus since fall. (ANI/Sputnik)
China is testing anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) in the desert in its western Xinjiang's Taklamakan desert but with the complete focus on the Pacific, said a report. China has built an accurate mock-up of the deck of a Ford-class aircraft carrier at a missile test range in the Taklamakan desert in western Xinjiang Province, according to photos taken by satellite imagery company Maxar on behalf of the US Naval Institute on November 7, 2021, reported The National Interest. A seventy-five-meter-long ship-like target put on six-meter-wide rails, as well as extremely detailed copies of two US Arleigh-Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and at least two additional carrier-shaped targets, were also sighted. An anti-ship ballistic missile is a military ballistic missile system designed to hit a warship at sea These efforts are also definitely aimed at improving the test range's ability to provide more realistic practice targets for China's developing anti-ship ballistic missile arsenal (ASBMs). The mockups at the Taklamakan location are not China's first carrier-like practise targets; since 2003, a crude concrete pad has been used as a practice target at Shuangchengzi, and a mockup near the present site has been targeted in missile tests in 2013. The latest mockups, on the other hand, are significantly more detailed depictions of US Navy ships. The present equipment was installed and then destroyed in 2019, according to United States Naval Institute (USNI), before being reassembled in September 2021 based on previous satellite photos. The new site contains a lot of instrumentation to collect data on missile hits, but no impact craters, implying that the location hasn't been used for missile tests yet. Despite their incredible speed and range, ASBMs have never been employed in combat, and there is some question over how reliable their terminal infrared- or radar-guidance seekers would be in hitting moving targets. China is expected to deploy ASBMs on its H-6 strategic bombers and Type 055 missile cruisers, according to reports. Since Beijing first showed its DF-21D "carrier killer" missile in 2009, these weapons, which, unlike the more regularly deployed naval cruise missile, lift far into space before diving down at extraordinary speeds. The DF-21D, which is mounted on a mobile truck launcher to make pre-emptive killing more difficult, has a maximum range of almost 900 miles. That implies it could threaten to destroy or severely damage massive US Navy supercarriers from far beyond the strike range of its onboard warplanes, reports the think tank. Since then, China has displayed numerous additional ASBM-type missiles, including the DF-26B, which has a range of up to 2,500 miles and could sink ships at the US naval station in Guam, as well as other shorter-range ASBM missiles. (ANI)
"2 PLA J-16 entered Taiwan's southwest ADIZ on the night of January 7, 2022," Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense tweeted.

Earlier, on Wednesday, two Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's ADIZ. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, seven Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan's ADIZ.

According to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, five People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, one Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare plane, and one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare airplane flew into the southwest corner of Taiwan's ADIZ.

Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.

Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing. China has threatened that "Taiwan's independence" means war. (ANI)
The broadcaster added that four police officers were hospitalized and one of them was in critical condition.

The channel added that the city's public transport and markets were working in the routine mode. Checkpoints were installed and protection of strategic objects was strengthened in the Atyrau region.

People have been protesting in Kazakhstan since a twofold increase in gas prices on January 1.

Despite the government's attempts to manage the situation and promises to decrease prices, peaceful protests turned into clashes with law enforcement officers in several regions of the republic, including the largest city of Almaty. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev asked for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) assistance in resolving the issue. The first contingent of the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces arrived to Kazakhstan on Thursday. (ANI/Sputnik)
Goals envisaged under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) inevitably hinged upon the security of the mega project to boost the confidence of businesses and attract massive investments in Pakistan, observed Pakistan's parliamentary committee on Thursday, reported local media. "Ensuring robust security of CPEC is of vital importance. All the quarters concerned need to eliminate bottlenecks pertaining to the project's security and ensure that CPEC culminates in the attainment of the desired results," Dawn quoted the chair of the committee Sher Ali Arbab as saying. Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was briefed by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on CPEC Affairs Khalid Mansoor besides senior officials. The committee received briefings from military and civilian officials on security arrangements for CPEC projects. Arbab also emphasised the importance of economic stability as Pakistan had to pursue the policy of geo-economics from now onwards. He said that Pakistan, in this day and age, direly needs investments and businesses to flourish under CPEC. The committee found that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for security personnel at various checkpoints, especially in Balochistan, could be re-evaluated. It comes China has expressed anger as Chinese citizens were killed last year during attacks near the CPEC projects. (ANI)
According to The News International, the tribes will continue to protest till the release of the tribesmen who were earlier arrested by the police.

The tribesmen continued the protest on the third consecutive day on Wednesday and stopped the National Logistics Cell (NLC) from undertaking the construction work, underway at Torkham border, The News International further reported.

According to the Pakistani newspaper, an angry mob of Khugakhel tribesmen gathered at the Bacha Khan Chowk in Landikotal bazaar and chanted slogans. They later marched towards the Torkham border while holding black flags in their hands.

The protesters led by Mufti Muhammad Ejaz and Mirajuddin Shinwari, marched towards Torkham located at a distance of seven kilometers from Landikotal bazaar.

The police at various spots tried to stop them from entering the Torkham border locality but failed to do so.

The police arrested 14 protesters at Michni checkpost to disperse the mob while the rest of protesters crossed it and entered Torkham. The Khugakhel tribesmen claimed to have stopped the NCL from the construction work on their land in Torkham. However, no untoward incident happened on the third day, The News International reported.

Meanwhile, a few rounds of talks were also held between the Khugakhel elders and NLC assigned jirga members but it could not end the protest.

Meanwhile, Naujawanan-e-Qabail president Israr Shinwari told The News International that the protest sit-in would continue till the release of the tribesmen. (ANI)
Moscow [Russia], January 7 (ANI/Sputnik): NATO is committed to a fruitful dialogue with Russia, but will not compromise on key security issues, including the countries' right to join the alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday. "It was a very strong and unified message from all allies today. We need to engage in dialogue in a good faith and actually do whatever we can, make every effort to ensure a political path forward, but at the same time, all our allies also sent a very clear message that we will not compromise on core principles, including the right for every nation to decide its own path," Stoltenberg said at a briefing following a virtual meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers. On December 17, Russia released proposals for security guarantees to NATO and the US which seek to prevent the alliance from expanding eastward and to ban the deployment of American and Russian intermediate and short-range missiles within reach of each other's territory, among other items. Negotiations on security guarantees between Moscow and Washington are scheduled for January 10, followed by a Russia-NATO Council meeting to discuss the issue on January 12, and the summit of Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe the following day. (ANI/Sputnik)
Despite the Taliban's objection over border fencing, Pakistan has claimed that the fencing work alongside Durand Line has been completed by 94 per cent, Afghanistan media has reported citing Pakistani military official. Quoting a spokesman for Pakistan's armed forces, Tolo News reported that Pakistan has termed it a good decision for the security of the people on both sides. "The fencing alongside the (Durand Line) is continuing and work is completed 94 per cent. Pakistan will finish it. This is good for the security of the people on both sides," said Babar Iftikhar, spokesman for Pakistan's armed forces. Earlier, Babar Iftikhar has confirmed that the fencing of the 2,600 km-long border with Afghanistan will be completed despite the Taliban's statement that they will not allow fencing by Pakistan on the Durand Line. This is not the first time that this verbal clash has surfaced as the two neighbouring countries have been in a state of tension on the border fencing issue. Addressing a media conference at the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) office on Wednesday, Iftikhar had said: "There is no problem, the fencing is continuing and will continue,", reported Dawn News. However, Taliban has said that Afghanistan will not allow fencing by Pakistan on the Durand Line. "We (Taliban) will not allow the fencing anytime, in any form. Whatever they (Pakistan) did before, they did, but we will not allow it anymore. There will be no fencing anymore," Mawllawi Sanaullah Sangin, commander of the Taliban group said on Wednesday, according to Tolo News. Pakistan has been fencing the 2600 kilometre long border with Afghanistan since 2017 to end terrorist infiltration and smuggling. Afghanistan has strongly opposed the move. Fencing has been a contentious issue in Pakistan-Afghanistan ties because the Afghans dispute the border demarcation done during the colonial period. Pakistan, however, insists that the line separating the two countries, also called Durand Line, is the valid international border. A large part of the fence has been constructed in inhospitable terrain and in some places at very high altitudes. The fencing is expected to be completed at a cost of about USD 500 million. (ANI)
According to Afghan Aamaj News sources, the Taliban attacked the NRF in Anaba district of Panjshir, Sputnik News Agency reported.

In November 2021, the Afghan National Resistance Front said that more and more people were joining the organization to fight the Taliban rule, with members of the NRF gathering in Panjshir, Kapisa, Parwan, Badakhshan, Balkh, and Baghlan provinces, as per the media outlet.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan after entering Kabul in August 2021, leading to the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani led government and mass evacuations. (ANI)
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who saves Liz from humiliation during the pep rally dance?

(a) Mack.

(b) Quinn.

(c) Jordan.

(d) Gabi.

2. Why did Robbie end up in the hospital?

(a) He got the flu.

(b) He stopped taking his meds.

(c) He got a concussion playing football.

(d) He broke his ankle.

3. What does Gabi say is "some of [her] best work" (200) as she and Liz arrive at Jordan's party?

(a) The outfit she designed for Liz.

(b) The shoes she designed for herself.

(c) Her own make-up.

(d) The hairstyle she gave Liz.

4. What does a cheerleader say was "so romantic" (204) when Liz sits with a group of popular kids at Jordan's party?

(a) When Derek "promposed" to Rachel.

(b) When Mack and Liz walked down the hallway together.

(c) When Jordan cried over Emme.

(d) When Jordan carried Liz off the field.

5. Who does Gabi say should "go back to wherever [they] came from" (191) in the cafeteria in Chapter 24?

(a) Mack.

(b) Liz.

(c) Rachel.

(d) Jordan.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do Liz, Mack, and Liz's friends do before prom?

2. Who does Liz think must be behind the #ReplacementEmme hash tag?

3. Who does Gabi tell Principal Wilson would like to hear about the hate crime against Liz?

4. Why was Granny so strict about making sure they always had dinner together?

5. What does Principal Wilson threaten to do to Liz, but she knows the rules so well she knows he cannot?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mack react when Liz goes to her house to apologize in Chapter 25?

2. Who wins prom king and queen? What does Madame Simone say to the queen?

3. How does Granny know Liz is running for prom queen? What does she say about her mother's desire to run for prom queen?

4. Why does Jordan give Liz a bottle of water when she arrives at his party in Chapter 25?

5. Why does Jordan know Liz went to see Kittredge with Mack? What does he say after she tells him everything?

6. What does Teela Conrad do during the concert?

7. Why does Principal Wilson ask Liz if she kisses her mother with that mouth in Chapter 28?

8. How does Jordan help Liz after she vomits at his party?

9. What does Liz wear to the prom? Who helps her?

10. What is Gabi's excuse for not giving Liz Jordan's apology letter?

(see the answer keys)
This story is part of The Capital-Journals ongoing package previewing the 2022 Kansas legislative session. Follow reporters Andrew Bahl, @AndrewBahl, and Jason Tidd, @Jason_Tidd, on Twitter or go to cjonline.com for more state government and politics coverage.

Flush with cash, Kansas lawmakers are set to debate how to spend  or whether to spend  a windfall of taxpayer money.

The 2022 legislative session starts Monday, and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is expected to unveil a budget proposal later in the week.

"My top priority," Kelly told The Capital-Journal last month, "is always presenting a balanced budget that fully funds our public schools, that will close the bank of KDOT, that will take care of our kids in our child welfare system, that will allow us to continue to invest in economic development  you're reaping incredible returns on investment there."

The governor is also prioritizing axing the food sales tax  an idea that has bipartisan support.

"It's an aggressive program, but it is one that we can sustain," Kelly said. "I want to get that done. I want to get it done quickly and cleanly, at the beginning of the legislative session."

Economists in November projected a $2.9 billion surplus, and that number could grow as tax revenues continue to outpace expectations. Last week, Kelly announced that total tax collections in December beat the month's estimate by $64.5 million.

Axing the food sales tax would cost about $450 million. The proposal has bipartisan support, though it is unclear whether Republicans would support a standalone bill without other tax cuts that have doomed prior attempts.

A separate Kelly proposal to give Kansas residents a one-time $250 rebate comes with a $445 million price tag.

Republicans have said that temporary relief is not good enough.

"I appreciate Governor Kelly's election-year revelation that Kansans are taxed too much," Senate President Ty Masterson said in a statement on the rebate. "While I am open to all ideas to help reduce the tax burden on Kansas families, permanent solutions will be our priority."

Story continues

Limiting government spending

But some lawmakers are exploring options to legally bind the government's hands. Last month, the Special Committee on Taxation heard details of tax and expenditure limitations in other states.

Such fiscal mechanisms are designed to restrain the growth of government budgets by limiting tax revenue, spending or both. They can be tied to various indicators, such as inflation or personal income growth.

"These efforts to rein in government ... I have hope and I am optimistic we can get this done," said committee chair Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, who is running for state treasurer.

Tyson, who is chair of the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee, has also called for 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.

More: Kansas lawmakers eye legal limit on government spending growth with bumper year of tax surplus

Wielding an ax, Gov. Laura Kelly announces her "Axe the Food Tax" campaign at Dillons grocery store, 800 N.W. 25th St., on Nov. 8. Kelly plans to introduce a bill into the coming legislative session that would eliminate the state sales tax on food.

Resisting a 'spending spree'

Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is the frontrunner to challenge Kelly in the November election, urged fiscal caution in a Dec. 28 Facebook post.

"Kansas should proceed cautiously and budget conservatively, resisting calls for a spending spree," he said.

He said lawmakers and the governor should pass food sales tax relief, pay for core obligations  including schools, highways and public safety  save some of the surplus for a rainy day and pay off state debt, especially in the public employee retirement system.

Schmidt said the surplus comes with a context of similar situations elsewhere, as well as the boom "will inevitably come down."

"States all around the country have record amounts of money," he said, "because (1) Bidenflation is driving up state tax collections, (2) the record-high stock market is driving up state tax collections, and (3) the federal government continues to flood states, local governments, and individuals with newly printed money under the labels of 'COVID relief' and 'infrastructure,' which, when spent, further drives up state tax collections."

Kansas Chamber calls for tax relief

Business lobbyists with the Kansas Chamber called for tax relief during a Tuesday news conference on the results of a November and December survey of 300 business owners and executives.

Chamber officials pointed to recommendations made in a 2019 tax modernization study conducted through a chamber partnership with the right-leaning Tax Foundation. Many of the issues have already been addressed.

"But there's still quite a bit of good recommendations that are in that proposal that can still be accomplished on all front:, sales tax, income tax, corporate income tax and property taxes," said chamber lobbyist Eric Stafford. "So the work's not done, even though there was a lot of positive changes that took place last year."

The Legislature passed a slate of controversial tax cuts last session when Republican lawmakers overrode a Kelly veto. Democrats argued the legislation would be fiscally destructive, likening it to the tax experiment under former Gov. Sam Brownback.

The bill had an estimated price tag of $284 million over three years and included some measures that had bipartisan support.

The chamber poll found that while taxes were the top concern of businesses in 2018 and 2019, COVID-19 became the most important issue in 2020. In 2021, it was the quality of the workforce, followed by taxes.

More: 'Business is booming in Kansas,' Gov. Laura Kelly says, as economist remains optimistic despite concerns

Business leaders have consistently said taxes are the top concern affecting profitability, even during the years of the Brownback tax cuts. Additionally, while 62% of business leaders currently believe state and local taxes are too much, that has consistently been the survey's majority position.

A plurality of business leaders support decreasing the state sales tax, half want to cut the personal income tax and two-thirds want property taxes reduced.

A majority of business leaders have consistently said they believe lowering taxes would help the economy, though the percentage has grown in recent years to 73%.

Chamber president and CEO Alan Cobb said their legislative agenda is to lower rates.

"I think lowering marginal rates and lowering the corporate income tax rate would be good, good policy," he said. "And, of course, we have an election year and you can't dismiss the politics of an election year about getting things done or not."

The chamber is not directly backing Kelly's proposal to eliminate the food sales tax.

"We're all for tax reductions," Cobb said, "I think we'd prefer an overall reduction in the sales tax rate ... and maybe they can do both."

Budgeting process takes time

While government agencies, politicians, lobbyists and activists could find numerous ways to spend extra cash, it is unclear what may make it into or be left out of the budget. Proposals are not yet public, and high-profile budget issues are typically resolved late in the legislative session.

An economist on the governor's tax reform council has said the surplus could pay for Medicaid expansion. Democrats have long pushed for expansion, which would primarily be funded through federal money.

School choice issues could complicate education funding debates, and it is unclear how far the governor is willing to compromise.

"It depends upon what you mean by school choice," Kelly said. "If you mean diverting taxpayer dollars to private schools, yeah, I'm not and never have been interested in doing that.

"I think one of the reasons that Kansas has had as good a school system as we have had is because we've devoted our taxpayer dollars to that and not let them be distracted or pushed over to other entities, but rather keep the focus on our K-12 classrooms."

The chamber survey asked business leaders what they consider to be more important for improving education, pitting "more funding" against "improving performance." Business leaders have consistently sided with performance over funding.

"They don't want more funding for more funding's sake, it's got to be geared toward improving the performance," said Pat McFerron, who conducted the survey.

Jason Tidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jtidd@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason_Tidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: How will Kansas Legislature spend budget surplus of taxpayer money?
The U.S. Supreme Court building is seen at sunset in Washington on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Two lawyers arguing against the Biden administration's vaccine mandate will have to do so remotely.

Solicitors general for Ohio and Louisiana have both contracted COVID-19.

The Supreme Court is set to review challenges to the administration's mandates announced last year.

Two lawyers arguing against the Biden administration's vaccine mandate before the Supreme Court on Friday will have to do it remotely after testing positive for COVID-19, according to a Reuters report.

Louisiana's Solicitor General Liz Murrill will make her case by phone "in accordance with the COVID protocols of the Court," a Louisiana Department of Justice spokesperson confirmed to Insider, but did not offer additional details.

Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers will also be making his case remotely. Flowers' office told Reuters the state lawyer, who was vaccinated and boosted, is experiencing "exceptionally mild" symptoms and has since recovered, but tested positive for COVID-19 on a PCR test as part of the Supreme Court's COVID-19 guidelines.

The Supreme Court is reviewing challenges to Biden administration's federal vaccine mandates announced last fall.

One mandate, from the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), targets private companies with over 100 workers and requires them to be vaccinated or tested weekly for COVID-19.

The other mandate, from the Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), requires that all healthcare workers employed by operations that get certain federal funding are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Biden rolled out the two mandates in November, and has since faced pushback from Republicans, who accuse the federal government of overreaching its authority.

One justice, Sonia Sotomayor, was also participating remotely for Friday's arguments, but the court did not elaborate why. And only one justice, Neil Gorsuch, did not wear a mask in the courtroom.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The New York Times

Oleg Y. Tinkov was worth more than $9 billion in November, renowned as one of Russias few self-made business tycoons after building his fortune outside the energy and minerals industries that were the playgrounds of Russian kleptocracy. Then, last month, Tinkov, the founder of one of Russias biggest banks, criticized the war in Ukraine in a post on Instagram. The next day, he said, President Vladimir Putins administration contacted his executives and threatened to nationalize his bank if it d




Three former Minneapolis police officers will go on trial on Jan. 20 after they were charged with federal civil rights violations in connection to the murder of George Floyd.

The date was previously noted in court records in November, but it was confirmed for the first time on Thursday in a docket filing, according to The Associated Press.

The ex-officers - Tou Thao, J. Kueng and Thomas Lane - will stand trial in St. Paul later this month before facing separate state charges for aiding and abetting in Floyd's death, the AP reported.

The three are charged in the federal case with using their government authority to deprive Floyd of his rights.

The trial comes about nine months after Derek Chauvin was convicted for second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter and third-degree murder. In May 2020, Chauvin, who is white, knelt on Floyd's neck for nearly ten minutes as the 46-year-old Black man said he could not breathe.

During the trial against Chauvin, evidence showed that the other three officers helped restrain Floyd in the moments preceding his death. Specifically, Kueng knelt on Floyd's back, and Lane held down his legs while Thao held back bystanders to prevent them from intervening, the AP noted.

Last month, Chauvin pleaded guilty to the federal charges against him for kneeling on Floyd's neck when he was handcuffed and not resisting. Chauvin, who initially pleaded not guilty to violating the 46-year-old's constitutional rights, also failed to provide him with medical care.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at her weekly news conference at the Capitol on December 15, 2021. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A conservative group's poll found that the vast majority of Americans oppose congresional stock-trading.

76% of Americans believe members of Congress have an "unfair advantage" when it comes to stocks.

Pelosi recently defended the practice, saying that "we are a free-market economy."

An overwhelming majority of Americans believe that members of Congress shouldn't be allowed to trade stocks while in office, according to a new poll first reported by The Hill.

According to the poll, conducted by the conservative group Convention of States Action, 76% of voters believe that lawmakers and their spouses should not be allowed to trade stocks while serving in Congress, and that they have an "unfair advantage" in the stock market.

Just 5% of voters approved of the practice, while another 19% offered no opinion.

The poll also found that disapproval of congressional stock-trading is overwhelmingly bipartisan; 70% of Democrats, 78% of Republicans, and nearly 80% of independents said members of Congress shouldn't be able to trade stocks.

"In an era of hyper-partisanship, voters in all parties agree that members of Congress should not be enriching themselves using 'insider information' while serving the people," said the group's president, Mark Meckler, in a statement. "This issue has received a lot of attention, and this data verifies the American people want this practice to end once and for all."

The poll, conducted by the Trafalgar Group, included 1076 respondents and was conducted from December 17 through 21 and had a margin of error of roughly 3%.

Other polls have also found high levels of disapproval for congressional stock-trading. The Campaign Legal Center commissioned a poll in November finding that 67% of respondents favored banning members of Congress from owning stock in specific companies. And a Data for Progress poll from March 2021 found 67% of voters at least somewhat supportive of banning members of congress and their senior congressional staff from buying and selling individual stocks.

Story continues

Those poll results put voters at odds with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who recently rejected a stock-trading ban for members of Congress when asked about the idea by Insider.

"We are a free-market economy. They should be able to participate in that," Pelosi said.

Insider recently published the Conflicted Congress series, a five-month investigation that found 52 members of Congress and 182 senior congressional staffers in violation of a federal insider-trading-prevention law called the STOCK Act that requires timely disclosures of stock sales and purchases. Insider has also produced an exclusive database of every lawmaker's personal finances.

And other members of Congress  including firebrand progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez  have pushed back on Pelosi.

"There is no reason members of Congress should hold and trade individual stock when we write major policy and have access to sensitive information," she said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Tears streak down the cheek of Ahmaud Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, after a Georgia jury convicted three men of murder in her son's killing. AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, Pool

Ahmaud Arbery's mother asked a judge to impose the maximum sentence for the three men convicted of killing her son.

Greg McMichael, his son Travis, and William Bryan were all convicted of murder in November for the shooting death of Arbery.

Arbery's mother told the court she thinks the three men have "no remorse."

Ahmaud Arbery's mother asked a Georgia court to impose a maximum sentence to the killers of her 25-year-old son, who was fatally shot while jogging in February 2020.

"Please give all three defendants who are responsible for the death of my son the maximum punishment in this court, which I do believe is behind bars without the possible chance for parole," Wanda Cooper-Jones said on Friday at the sentencing of the three men who shot dead her son.

Arbery was jogging through the Georgia neighborhood of Satilla Shores on February 23, 2020, when he was confronted and fatally shot by Travis McMichael.

Travis McMichael, his father, Greg, and their neighbor, William Bryan, were found guilty in late November of murdering Arbery.

The state of Georgia gives a minimum sentence of life imprisonment to those convicted on murder charges, with judges left to determine the possibility of parole. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty for any defendant in the Arbery case.

Cooper-Jones started her victim impact statement at the Glynn County Courthouse in Brunwick, Georgia, by speaking "directly" to her son. She told the court that she "promised" Arbery on the day she laid him to rest that "someday, somehow I would get you justice."

Cooper-Jones told the court she thinks the three defendants have "no remorse" for their actions, and that they "chose to lie" about their reasons for attacking Arbery.

"This wasn't a case of mistaken identity or mistaken fact, they chose to target my son because they didn't want him in their community," Cooper-Jones said.

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"When they couldn't sufficiently scare him or intimidate him, they killed him," she added.

Arbery's father, Marcus Arbery, and Cooper-Jones said in their statements that they wanted the world to know who their son was. Cooper-Jones said Ahmaud Arbery loved his family members, had a "smile so bright he would light up a room," and was "messy," sometimes refusing to wear socks.

"I wish he would have cut and cleaned his toenails before he went out for that jog that day," Cooper-Jones said. "I guess he would have if he knew he would be murdered."

Read the original article on Insider
Amazon, the second-largest employer in the US, announced today that it would be slashing its paid leave policies for workers forced to quarantine in half. The policy, instituted in March of 2020, previously provided for up to 14 days of paid leave; the new policy covers one week, or up to 40 hours.

"Throughout the past two years we have consistently based our response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the advice of our own medical experts," the notice to workers reads. It goes on to state that the 40-hour or one week paid leave policy goes into effect "immediately" and "applies to all employees in the United States, regardless of vaccination status."

The shift mirrors the CDC's updated  and broadly unpopular  isolation guidance, which it published on December 27, as well as the decision by Walmart, the largest US employer, to reduce its own paid pandemic sick leave policies this past Wednesday. It stands to reason that other companies are likely to follow suit.

Amazon recently reinstated its mask policy for on-site workers. That requirement, along with mandatory temperature checks, were put in place around the same time as the original two-week leave policy last year, and was subsequently rolled back for fully vaccinated workers in May.

While Amazon has often been criticized for its uniquely poor treatment of its staff, in this case it's merely following federal guidance and looking out for its own financial interests above all other priorities. Instead, what the erosion of the paid leave policies for the country's two largest employers represents is the rolling back of the benefits and protections many of us have come to rely on to persevere through this ongoing pandemic.

Earlier this week, the expiration of a White House deal with retailers mandating at-home COVID tests be sold for an affordable $14 led, predictably, to those same tests nearly doubling in price at Walmart and Kroger. Some policies, like pandemic unemployment benefits, have already ended, while key safeguards, like New York's eviction moratorium, are slated to expire soon. Meanwhile, the US is still experiencing record-setting numbers of positive cases.

Amazon is correct that the CDC altered what it believes to be the necessary length of isolation for positive-testing individuals. But that elides the fact that Amazon and Walmart were, not long ago, offering hazard pay to workers for facing the exact same risks that currently exist in their workplaces. Incidentally, those policies were rolled back quickly as well.
College of the Desert is a public community college in Palm Desert, Calif.

The College of the Desert's Board of Trustees scrapped plans Friday to hear presentations on the school's strategic and educational master plans and the status of major construction projects after board members and others raised concerns that the public did not have adequate notice of the meeting's agenda.

The special Board of Trustees meeting was called Thursday on 24 hours' notice to announce a Friday board workshop as well as the presentations on the strategic plans and nearly $1 billion in capital projects financed by bond measures, including a stalled new campus slated for Palm Springs.

Trustees said they had been notified weeks in advance about the board workshop, which typically occurs annually, but some were surprised by the late addition of the presentations to the agenda.

The meetings agenda was not published online until Thursday morning, and did not include supporting documents. Some trustees said they were unaware until Thursday that presentations would be made outside the Friday workshop.

Trustees Fred Jandt and Bonnie Stefan raised concerns about giving the community enough time for input.

My concern is transparency. ... our community is asking for us to be transparent, and I'm just concerned that how this developed seems to fly against that, Jandt said. I have no objection to these items being considered. It's just the last-minute notice.

Local governments are required to post agendas 72 hours before regularly scheduled board meetings; however, meetings outside of the regular schedule require only 24 hours' notice, according to the Brown Act, California's sunshine law for local government.

COD attorneys said Thursday that Friday's meeting "is outside of the regular schedule, and therefore the requirement is to post the agenda at least 24 hours in advance."

Stefan, who attended the meeting via Zoom, said she received a message about the special meeting on Thursday night, and until then, I thought it was just a board retreat, and I looked at the agenda and then found out there were other items on it, she said.

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However, Trustee Aurora Wilson, attending the meeting in person with Board Chair Ruben Perez as well as Superintendent/President Martha Garcia, and said she had seen the agenda well in advance.

Wilson told other trustees: I would also recommend that you know I saw this agenda well in advance. And if you had any questions about any of the items on the agenda, you pick up the phone and call the President.

Trustee Bea Gonzalez was absent due to a family emergency.

After Jandt proposed removing the presentations from the meeting's agenda, Perez, Wilson and Stefan agreed.

Wilson did not immediately respond to a phone call and email after the meeting to clarify what she had seen on the agenda and when.

Perez: Presentations intended to improve transparency

Desert Community College District Board of Trustee member Ruben Perez, right, attends the College of the Desert State of the College address at the campus in Palm Desert, Calf., on Wednesday, January 22, 2020.

After weeks of confusion and concern among community members, the colleges bond oversight committee and trustees about the status of various bond projects, including the Roadrunners Motors automotive repair facility, Perez said he had asked Garcia to add the informational presentations on the colleges plans to Fridays agenda.

During Friday's meeting, Perez said that the board was never intending to vote on action items on Friday based on the reports.

In an effort to be more transparent, I asked Dr. Garcia to put these items on the agenda in order for us to inform the community what's going on with these projects at the college. It was never our intention to not be transparent. These items are informational," he said.

"And to be honest  we did not need to go over them today. But because of the demands of the community, I thought it would be important for us to go over these items in a timely manner because of everything that's going on," Perez added. "However, if the public does feel like we're not being transparent, then we can always go over these items again at the next meeting.

After Friday's meeting, Perez explained in an email to The Desert Sun that the board retreat was previously planned in November when Wilson was board chair. Then, the meeting was postponed until January to accommodate a trustee's schedule, and he, having become board chair in December, and Garcia finalized the agenda late Wednesday evening.

Perez said it is the board chair's responsibility to finalize meeting agendas with Garcia, and the two of them agreed late Wednesday evening to add the informational presentations to Friday's agenda.

"The latter part of the agenda were strictly information and an effort to be more transparent and give information to the public that they have been asking for, as quickly as possible. The informational presentations were an effort to have (the) public as informed as possible before our regular meeting on January 21st, where actions do get taken."

He added: "We acknowledge due to the current climate some more time to process the information would have been helpful for the public, which is why we voted 4-0 on Trustee Jandt's recommended motion. That was not a problem, we want our community to be informed. I encourage the public to tune in and participate at our January 21st meeting."

Palm Springs leaders have asked COD to provide information about the scope and timeline of the long-planned $350 million college expansion at the site of the old mall at East Tahquitz Canyon Way and Farrell Drive.

In addition, there is ongoing tension between the city and the college about a plot of land near Tramview Road in north Palm Springs. The city acquired the land and gave it to COD for a new campus before the college acquired the mall site and shifted its plans there. The property remains zoned for educational purposes. However, the college now wants to sell the property to a home developer who wants to buy it for $5.7 million  assuming it can be rezoned for housing.

Meanwhile, Palm Springs is continuing to use an outside legal firm to represent it on issues regarding the college as the city has yet to come to an understanding with COD and the law firm Best, Best & Krieger over a possible conflict of interest. Both the city and the school typically use the same law firm.

On Thursday evening, Palm Springs Councilmember Geoff Kors expressed disappointment that the agenda for Friday's COD trustees meeting had been posted on short notice  even if that was technically legal.

Geoff Kors

"It's my understanding that this meeting was scheduled weeks ago. To wait to the very last moment to put it on the website, which you have to go search for to find, and not to give any heads up to the public, the media, the city councils, the school district partners seems to be, incredibly, the antithesis of transparency."

During Fridays meeting, Andrew Jared, an attorney for the city of Palm Springs, called in during the public comment section to say that the city and the college have appeared to have different definitions of transparency, and he was glad to see the trustees' motion to postpone hearing the presentations to give the community more time for input.

Palm Springs resident Sydney Weisman also called in to say she thought Garcia's decision to blame staff for a months-long failure to find a document available on the college's own website  a document Garcia said was needed to advance construction on the Palm Springs campus  was "the height of hubris."

"I would like to see a more mature inclusive and expansive view of the College of the Desert system throughout this region," Weisman added. "The entire region needs education for all of the children, and I think the failure of leadership on the part of the board and Dr. Garcia is a terrible example for the students you claim you want to educate."

Garcia: 'I assure you we're doing the right thing'

Martha Garcia, incoming College of the Desert president and superintendent, poses for a photo on the school's campus, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in Palm Desert.

Garcia was appointed last summer in a split 3-2 vote by trustees. Since then, she has called for bond projects to be reviewed in light of more recent data on demographics and workforce needs.

"Data-driven decisions are vital," she said Friday.

Garcia has asserted multiple times in recent weeks that she is committed to transparency. City officials in both Cathedral City and Palm Springs say questions linger about what data Garcia still needs to see and how and where her administration would spend bond money if it proceeds to reallocate funds approved by taxpayers and already budgeted for the Roadrunner Motors facility and the Palm Springs campus.

Some of those questions might have been addressed during the informational presentations pulled from the agenda.

Recently, some members of the public have called for the college to end backroom politics and for Garcia to resign.

After hearing public comments Friday, Garcia said: "I assure you we are doing the right thing and that I'm providing proper recommendations in spite of the fact that it is publicized that I'm doing the opposite."

Workshop on good governance

Stan Carrizosa, a retired superintendent/president of College of the Sequoias, a community college in Visalia, presented a workshop to Garcia and the board on communications and governance best practices.

Carrizosa said that effective boards have clear communications protocols between the college superintendent/president, board members, faculty and the community.

He added that all board members have an obligation to the entire community college district, not just their constituents. "It means sometimes you have to sit down and discuss with your constituents why you're not going to do what they want you to do because 'I'm part of a team.'"

Carrizosa also advised the board not to micro-manage and to work together to set priorities that help the college achieve goals related to its mission and its master plan.

Acknowledging that the board is having communications issues, Carrizosa said, "These are the kinds of protocols and operating procedures that will help you navigate those tough waters."

Jonathan Horwitz covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach him at jonathan.horwitz@desertsun.com or @Writes_Jonathan.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: College of the Desert trustees meeting criticized on transparency
Over the past few decades, a bunch of smart guys built artificial intelligence systems that have had deep impact on our everyday lives. But do they  and their billion-dollar companies  have the human intelligence to keep artificial intelligence safe and ethical?

Questions like this are part of the history and overview of artificial intelligence in Cade Metzs book Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Google, Facebook, and the World.

On Monday, Jan. 17, Metz, a technology correspondent for The New York Times and former senior writer for Wired magazine, is the first speaker in the 2022 Nonfiction Author Series, sponsored by the nonprofit Friends of the Library of Collier County, which raises money for public library programs and resources.

More about the series: Collier County Nonfiction Author Series set for early 2022, will be in-person

AND: Florida-based authors headline Friends of the Bonita Springs Library luncheon

The lecture series includes breakfast and is being held this year at a new venue, the Kensington Country Club in Naples. The series is sold out, but you can contact the Friends to be put on a waiting list. (See info box for details.)

Metz grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, where his parents met while both working for IBM, so computing is in his blood. His father helped develop the Universal Product Code (UPC)  that ubiquitous bar code that now is on absolutely everything. Metz attended Duke University as an IBM scholarship student, majoring in English and planning to be a writer, while also working at IBM as a programmer.

Genius Makers, his first book, centers on advances in technology, but his real impetus was to write about the fascinating characters who were developing these ideas and visions. The book focuses on two unusual men whose research in artificial intelligence has driven a technology arms race. And it raises intriguing questions, such as: What does it mean to be human?

Cade Metz, author of The Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Facebook, Google, and the World, will speak Jan. 17 in the 2022 Nonfiction Author Series, sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Collier County.

Metz answered some questions ahead of his talk in Naples.

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Naples Daily News: What are the most common, everyday example of how AI (artificial intelligence) has affected the world in the past 20 years?

Cade Metz: The best examples are talking digital assistants like Siri and Alexa, which have improved significantly over the past decade. They can recognize spoken words with the accuracy of a human. Their synthetic voices are increasingly lifelike. And though they have not yet reached the point where they can actually carry on a conversation  really understand the meaning of what they are hearing and properly respond to it  their language skills continue to improve.

Meanwhile, the fundamental concepts that underpin these digital assistants are driving a wide range of other technologies, including online services like Google Translate that instantly translate between languages and warehouse robots that sort through giant bins of random stuff.

The Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Facebook, Google, and the World, written by Cade Metz, who will speak Jan. 17 in the 2022 Nonfiction Author Series, sponsored by the Friends of the Library of Collier County.

NDN: The dream of self-driving cars is, for most people, the face of how AI could change our lives. How realistic do you think a true, safe self-driving car is in, say, the next decade?

CM: This technology continues to improve. But it is still a long way from everyday life. Only one company  a Google spinoff called Waymo  is actually offering a self-driving car service, and that is in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, where the roads are wide, pedestrians are few and the weather is good. When it rains, the company halts the service, and at times, when the cars are unable to navigate on their own, the company uses remote control software to get them going again. What this means is that it will likely be a decade or more before these vehicles are commonplace.

NDN: This was such a wonderful sentence early on in your book: As an undergraduate at Harvard (in the 1940s), using over three thousand vacuum tubes and a few parts from an old B-52 bomber, (Marvin) Minsky built what may have been the first neural network. Is that kind of amateur, garage-built science still possible, given the speed of innovation now and the billions of dollars that are thrown at development?

CM: It certainly is. It happens all the time, inside universities and out. But in the AI field, this has been eclipsed by the work at giant companies like Google and Facebook. That is one of the major threads in my book: academia struggling to keep up with the rapid rate of progress in the tech industry. It is a real problem. So much of the talent is moving into industry, leaving the cupboard bare at universities. Who will teach the next generation? Who will keep the big tech companies in check?

NDN: I was amused to see that Google and DeepMind built a team dedicated to what they called AI safety, an effort to ensure that the labs technologies did no harm. My question is, who defines harm within this race to monetize new technologies? Isnt, for example, the staggering amount of electrical power used to run these systems harmful to the globe?

CM: I am glad you were amused. These companies say we should trust them to ensure AI "safety" and "ethics," but the reality is that safety and ethics are in the eye of the beholder. They can shape these terms to mean whatever they like. Many of the AI researchers at the heart of my book are genuinely concerned about how AI will be misused  how it will cause harm  but when they get inside these large companies, they find that their views clash with the economic aims of these tech giants.

NDN: Along the same lines, you address how the neural networks learn by hoovering up data from the web. Since much of whats on the web is false or misleading  sometimes inadvertently, sometimes on purpose  whats the gatekeeper to ensure that whats learned is accurate? Even the word accurate is often subjective now.

CM: A neural network  the idea at the heart of modern AI  is a mathematical system that learns tasks by analyzing data. By pinpointing patterns in thousands of cat photos, for instance, a neural network can learn to identify a cat. This is the technology that allows Siri to recognize spoken words. It lets Google Translate and Skype translate from one language to another. Trouble is that this technology learns from such enormous amounts of data, we humans can't wrap our head around it all. The designers of these systems can't always see the false, misleading or biased information that ends up defining the technology's behavior.

This is a huge issue for a new kind of system that learns language skills from all sorts of text posted to the internet. The internet, of course, is filled with false and biased information  not to mention hate speech and so many other things we don't want our machines learning from. What is and what is not biased is subjective. In today's world, what is and what is not fake news is subjective. So, yes, who will be the gatekeeper? Google? Facebook? Government regulators? We don't know.

NDN: Could you talk about gender and racial biases? That section of the book was fascinating, such as AIs inability to differentiate Black faces because the network hadnt seen enough Black people to learn.

CM: This is a very real problem. Researchers have shown that face recognition systems, speech recognition systems and the latest conversational systems can be biased against women and people of color. This is often because the technology is built by white men who don't realize they are training these systems with data that reflects only part of our society. The good news is that tech companies are waking up to the issue, and many activists and researchers are pushing for change. But it is sometimes a hard problem to solve. And, yes, the companies often have their own view of what is and what is not biased.

The Nonfiction Author Series also has announced its 2022 sponsors. Platinum sponsors are Bigham Jewelers, John R. Wood Properties, Stock Development and The Club at Olde Cypress; Gold sponsors are Books-a-Million, Gulf Coast International Properties, Naples MacFriends User Group and The Capital Grille; Silver sponsors are Tradewind Pools and Wynns Market.

Before each author's presentation, a drawing will be held among ticket holders for a $250 gift certificate from Bigham Jewelers and $100 gift card from The Capital Grille.

What: Author lectures and breakfasts that are a major fundraiser for the Collier County Public Library system

Where: Kensington Country Club, 2700 Pine Ridge Road, Naples

When: Breakfast is served at 8:30 a.m.; authors speak at 9:15 a.m., followed by a book signing

Author lineup: Cade Metz, Monday, Jan. 17; Catherine Grace Katz, Monday, Feb. 14; Jared Diamond, Monday, March 7; and Jonathan Kaufman, Monday, March 28

COVID precautions: Kensington Country Club has a protocol based on CDC guidelines. On an honor basis, people who are sick or who have symptoms should not attend; people who are vaccinated need not wear a mask; people who are not vaccinated should wear a mask until seated at their table; and people who have been sick can attend after five days isolation if they are asymptomatic and wear a mask until seated at their table.

Cost: $250 for all four events for members of the Friends of the Library of Collier County, and $295 for nonmembers. Friends memberships begin at $30/year and provide access and discounts to other programs; sign up at collier-friends.org.

Tickets: The series is sold out but there is a waiting list. Email Marlene Haywood at mhaywood@collier-friends.org or call 239-262-8135.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Author Cade Metz talks artificial intelligence January 17 in Naples
Kyrgyzstan-China friendly relations model for other countries: Kyrgyz president

Xinhua) 09:22, January 07, 2022

BISHKEK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan-China friendly relations have been upgraded and become a role model of interstate relations, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov said here Wednesday.

Zhaparov made the remarks at a commemorative party marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kyrgyzstan and China.

Zhaparov in his speech spoke highly of the economic and social development of China and the traditional friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

"Over the past 30 years, significant progress has been achieved in strengthening bilateral cooperation and developing multifaceted interaction," he said.

Zhaparov also thanked China for its support and assistance to Kyrgyzstan in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and developing the country's economy.

He said that Kyrgyzstan attaches great importance to Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation with China and considers the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as a new starting point for further strengthening cooperation with China in various fields, as well as in international organizations and regional affairs.

Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Du Dewen in her speech stressed that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Kyrgyzstan relations have developed by leaps and bounds, reached a new level of comprehensive strategic partnership.

Du praised the fruitful results achieved by China and Kyrgyzstan over the past 30 years in political, economic and trade, security, people-to-people areas, BRI cooperation and in the fight against the pandemic.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
Campus News

Aspiring diplomat named UB's first Rangel fellow

By CHARLES ANZALONE

I have dreamt of a career in diplomacy ever since I started interning at the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training in Arlington, Va., in summer 2020. 

A UB senior who aims to be an American diplomat has been named UB's first recipient of the far-reaching and lucrative Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship.

Sophie May, who expects to graduate from UB with degrees in French and political science and a minor in history, will receive the full array of benefits from the Rangel fellowship. These include up to $24,000 annually to fund tuition and fees toward a masters degree in international affairs, and an $18,000 stipend per year for living expenses, as well as assistance preparing for a Foreign Service career with the Department of State.

The award also includes a 10-week internship on Capitol Hill and a 10-week overseas internship at a U.S. embassy or consulate during the summer between Mays first and second years of graduate school.

She was one of 45 students selected this academic year to receive the fellowship.

I have dreamt of a career in diplomacy ever since I started interning at the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training in Arlington, Va., in summer 2020, says May, a graduate of St. Marys High School in Lancaster.

During this internship, she interviewed foreign service officers and learned firsthand about careers in the American Foreign Service.

This led me to desire a career as a foreign service official myself, she says. The Rangel fellowship has made this possible.

After two years of graduate school, as well as internships and professional development opportunities, May plans to become a foreign service officer in 2024.

The fellowship bears the name of Charles Rangel, the second-longest serving member of the House of Representatives at the time of his retirement, serving continuously from 1971 to 2017.

This fellowship has allowed me to fulfill my greatest professional goals while simultaneously pursuing other incredible opportunities along the way, says May. I am extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to utilize my unique skills and talents in service of the nation.

Im sending out a big thanks to family, friends, professors and the UB scholarship office.

May is the latest success story from UBs Office of Fellowships and Scholarships, which has mentored, encouraged and assisted scores of promising UB students who have earned national and international scholarships and fellowships.

The Rangel fellowship will be life-changing for Sophie and is a perfect fit for her academic and career goals, says Megan Stewart, director of the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships. She is committed to serving our country and diversifying the Foreign Service.

May, who says she admires the career of Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. secretary of state who served from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton, says she will pursue a degree specializing in U.S. national security pertaining to Eastern Europe, Russia and Eurasia. In summer 2023, she will intern at an embassy abroad.

An important part of my application that I believe persuaded them to select me was my ability to apply my unique experiences to a career in the Foreign Service, says May.

In particular, she says, she was able to demonstrate on a written application each of the 13 dimensions explained in the Foreign Service Officer Qualifications on the U.S. Department of State website.

I also believe that my language skills (advanced knowledge of French, intermediate knowledge of Russian and beginner knowledge of German and Spanish) helped me stand out, says May, an avid reader who loves learning languages, yoga and traveling.

My passion for reading made me curious to learn more about the world around me, and this led to my love of traveling, which ultimately drove my desire to become an FSO (foreign service officer), says May. I love learning languages, but I also adore sharing this passion with others.

She says her absolute favorite thing in the world is her current job teaching children French at Alliance Francaise.
Happy Friday! If you are new to this newsletter, welcome!

I hope today's edition of the Coronavirus Watch newsletter finds you happy, healthy and ready for the weekend.

And a Happy New Year! We are off to an interesting year with how this virus has affected all of us. I hope everyone was able to have a relaxing and pleasant holiday with time spent with loved ones in person, through a phone call or a Zoom.

The Sunday Asbury Park Press is now loaded with more sports, local news, and puzzles. It is such a great deal that it is worth picking up a copy! All the additional pages are marked in the corners with Sunday Plus. And, of course, our great digital-only sale is ongoing with attractive pricing that deserves a once-over. Time is ticking on this great digital-only offer, $29 for 1 year, so subscribe here today!

And as always, a friendly reminder: We will no longer be sending you the Coronavirus Watch newsletter unless you have signed up for it. If you like hearing from us, please check your newsletter settings here. As always, thank you for reading.

Now, let's get into it:

The city of Asbury Park has implemented an indoor mask mandate. With the sudden rise of COVID cases, the city has imposed a mask mandate that takes effect today.

Masks will be required in all indoor public settings such as:

government facilities

restaurants

supermarkets

gyms

barbershops

banks

hotels

places of worship

Children under 3 will be exempt. All areas of "indoor public accommodation" must post signs notifying customers of the mandate.

COVID hospitalizations are still rising but are now seeing a small daily increase since the Christmas Eve surge. Hospitals in New Jersey treated 5,621 patients suffering from COVID-19 as of Thursday. The hospitals are still seeing significant new COVID-19 infections among staff too. On Thursday, 684 new staff members tested positive.

Currently, 503 long term care facilities in the state have active COVID outbreaks:

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with 5,034 residents infected

with 8,073 staff having tested positive

Among the hospitalized:

781 needed intensive care treatment

373 were on ventilators

All increases from the prior day. The state has asked for medical strike teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help aid hospital staff. The National Guard will be deploying 150 personnel to nursing homes starting Monday to help with basic tasks.

NJ COVID VACCINE SITES

Here's the updated list of sites in Monmouth and Ocean counties offering COVID-19 vaccines, according to the state Department of Health.

VaccineFinder.gov is a free online website that will help you find and secure a local appointment with simple instructions.

Monmouth County

Bayshore Medical Center , Holmdel: Registrations online only at hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19

CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township: Registrations online only at www.centrastate.com/vaccine

Community Health Center of Asbury Park: 1301 Main St.; 732-774-6333; vnachc.org/

CVS Pharmacy: 3391 Route 35, Hazlet, 470 Route 36, Highlands, 71 South Broadway, Long Branch; 800-746-7287; cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine.

Freehold Family Health Center: 579 Park Ave.; 732-294-2540; vnachc.org/

Jersey Shore University Medical Center , Neptune: Registrations online only at hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19

Keyport Community Health Center: 35 Broad St.; 732-888-4149; https://vnachc.org/

Monmouth County Health Department: 50 East Main St.; 732-431-7456; visitmonmouth.com/health

Monmouth Medical Center , Long Branch: Registrations online only at www.rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine.

Ocean Health Initiatives: 3600 Route 66; Neptune; 732-363-6655; ohinj.org

Red Bank Primary Care Center : 188 East Bergen Pl.; 732-219-6620; vnachc.org/

Rite Aid: 1360 Route 36, Hazlet; 596 Shrewsbury Ave., Tinton Falls; 4057 Asbury Ave., Suite 8, Tinton Falls; 75 South Main St., Neptune; 200 Wilson Ave., Middletown; 149 Main St., Manasquan; riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier

Riverview Medical Center : 1 Riverview Plaza, Red Bank; 732-741-2700.

Sam's Club: 320 W. Main St., Freehold, 732-780-0734

ShopRite: 280 Route 9; Marlboro; or 3120 Route 35; Hazlet; vaccines.shoprite.com

Walmart: 4900 Route 9, Howell, 732-886-9111; 326 W. Main, Freehold, 732-780-3484; 3575 Route 66, Neptune, 732-918-0441.

Ocean County

CHEMED: 1771 Madison Ave., Lakewood; 732-364-6666; chemedhealth.org

Community Medical Center , Toms River: Registrations online only at www.rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine.

CVS Pharmacy: 1600 Route 35, Seaside Heights; 421 Lacey Rd., Manchester; 800-746-7287; cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine

Long Beach Island Health Department : 609-492-1212; lbihealth.com

Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus , Lakewood: Registrations online only at www.rwjbh.org/covid19vaccine.

Ocean County Health Department : Multiple locations: 800-342 9738; www.ochd.org/covid19-vaccine-update/

Ocean Health Initiatives: 10 Stockton Drive, Toms River; 101 2nd St., Lakewood; 798 Route 539, Little Egg Harbor; 732-363-6655; ohinj.org.

Ocean Medical Center , Brick: 732-836-4144; hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19

Rite Aid: 3258 Bridge Ave., Point Pleasant; 159 East Kennedy Blvd., Lakewood; 1041 Burnt Tavern Rd., Brick; 1 North New Prospect Rd., Jackson; riteaid.com/pharmacy/covid-qualifier

Southern Ocean Medical Center: 1173 Beacon Ave., Stafford; 609-597-6011; hackensackmeridianhealth.org/covid19

ShopRite: 297 Route 72, Stafford; and 860 Fischer Blvd., Toms River; vaccines.shoprite.com

Local case numbers

We have the town-by-town breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Please have a safe enjoyable weekend. I'll be back in your inbox next week.

Best,

~Tamara Walker, Lead News Assistant ~

I can be reached at twalker@gannettnj.com or Twitter @twilderapp

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Asbury Park indoor mask mandate, COVID hospitalizations numbers
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., leaves his office after speaking with President Joe Biden on December 13, 2021. Scott J. Applewhite/AP

Democrats are turning up the star power as they vie for Sen. Joe Manchin's support for Senate filibuster reforms.

Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have called Manchin as has Oprah, Politico reports.

But the West Virginia Democrat still isn't on board with reforming the Senate rules along party lines.

Democrats are pulling out all the stops to get Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin on board with an effort to reform the Senate filibuster rules in order to pass voting rights legislation.

They've turned up the star power with former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and talk show host Oprah calling Manchin and urging him to support reforms to Senate filibuster, Politico reports.

But three of Manchin's colleagues, fellow moderates who were also once skeptical of filibuster reform, are doing the bulk of the lobbying, according to Politico. Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Angus King of Maine, and Jon Tester of Montana are in close talks with Manchin trying to coax him to support Senate rules changes.

Related video: This animation shows how divided Congress has become since 1949

After Manchin put the kibosh on passing President Joe Biden's economic spending package in December, Senate Democrats are turning to their long-stalled push to pass voting rights and democracy reform legislation.

Democrats are now specifically focusing on reforming the procedural rules governing the Senate in response to Republicans filibustering three major voting rights and democracy reform bills in 2021. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has pledged to hold a vote on yet-to-be-determined rules changes on or before Martin Luther King Jr. Day on January 17.

The vast majority of legislation in the Senate requires a 60-vote majority to advance to debate under the current filibuster rules.

The filibuster reforms being discussed include creating a carve out to allow voting rights legislation to pass with a simple majority, returning to the talking filibuster, and lowering the threshold on motions to proceed to debate legislation, according to Schumer.

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But the odds of all 50 Senate Democrats agreeing on changes to the filibuster rules by MLK Day are low, as Manchin continues to oppose creating a voting rights carveout or making changes to Senate rules along party lines. Another key swing Democrat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, similarly opposes lowering the 60-vote threshold to advance to debate on most bills.

"It's very difficult, it's a heavy lift," Manchin told reporters outside his office on Tuesday. "Once you change rules or have a carve out  and I've always said this: Anytime there's a carve out, you eat the whole turkey, there's nothing left, because it comes back."

Meanwhile, Manchin and Sinema appear to be moving on. A bipartisan group of senators is holding preliminary discussions about a bill to reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887, the law governing how Congress counts Electoral College votes that came into focus during the January 6, 2021 siege on the Capitol.

Read the original article on Business Insider
West Palm Beach police investigate a fatal shooting Dec. 8 in the Dunbar Village community.

In 2021, the nation struggled to come to terms with the complexities of policing. Minneapolis was ground zero, where the tragedy of George Floyds murder enabled divisive figures to declare policing fundamentally racist and deadly to people of color. The result has been significantly reduced interaction between officers and residents, and a murder rate that jumped to new heights in 2021.

While that was happening, the city council ignored reality and pushed forward a resolution to get rid of the police department and facilitate reduced staffing. Much of what happened in Minneapolis was mirrored across the country as police presence in communities declined, and America experienced the largest increase in homicides since the FBI began collecting such data in 1960.

The good news is we have learned our lesson. In Minneapolis, voters not only rejected the resolution but replaced city council members who had called for it. In San Francisco, where homicides increased by 25% since 2019, the mayor has advocated an increase in policing interactions and spending. In Philadelphia, where homicides are exceeding record levels from the height of the crack epidemic, the progressive district attorney was forced to walk back remarks that the city was not experiencing a crisis of violence.

Still, none of this awakening to reality means that we should go back to business as usual. Americans must have difficult conversations about policing. Only 28% of Black Americans believe the police treat all races equally and only 40% have a favorable view of law enforcement. The cost of this discord between residents, particularly Black men, and police are feelings of alienation, oppression, and an unwillingness to report crimes.

If we are to create a safe and inclusive nation, all Americans must lean into our shared humanity by creating platforms for meaningful engagements that reduce our shared biases. This means dialogues and forums, social opportunities, outreach, and conversations. The key is not to pull back but to reach out.

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Community-police engagement works and is based on contact theory that has been shown to change minds and build empathy from issues of immigration to same-sex marriage. A National Academy of Sciences study found non-enforcement interaction created a substantial improvement in resident perceptions of police performance and legitimacy, along with a willingness to cooperate with police. Furthermore, Black respondents registered twice the improvement as White respondents.

Unfortunately, the funding dedicated to the broader field of police-community engagement is almost infinitesimal. Despite the fact that 62% of Americans favor community policing as an increased part of police budgets, only 4% of the law enforcement budget of the U. S. Department of Justice goes to community-oriented policing and just 0.2% to developing community policing strategies. This must change on the federal, state, and local level  community-police engagement needs to be resourced at the same level, if not more, as other components of policing.

We know in our day-to-day interactions that we act with more humility, compassion, and understanding when we see the humanity in one another. May 2022 be the year we finally lean into law enforcement as a collaborative and complex undertaking that requires an investment in meaningful engagement.

Rev. Markel Hutchins is president and CEO of MovementForward, Inc. and the One Congregation One Precinct (OneCOP) initiative. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Community policing key to better police relations with their citizens
Betty White wouldve loved the Betty White Challenge.

Thats what Liz McCauley thinks about the viral social-media campaign, launched soon after the TV stars death. The hashtag #BettyWhiteChallenge asks people to donate to their favorite animal shelters and animal-welfare groups, and thats exactly what people are doing  including right here in Southwest Florida.

I think she would be thrilled that, even after her passing, shes helping so many, says McCauley, executive director of the Cape Coral Animal Shelter. I dont think anything would make her happier.

By the way: Betty White donated to this animal sanctuary for years, has baby donkey named after her

Betty White was a longtime animal lover and activist. Here she is in a 1986 portrait.

White  who died Dec. 31 at age 99, just three weeks shy of her 100th birthday  adored animals and used her star power to help as many as she could.

She just helped so many animal causes in her life, and so many animals, McCauley says. It was her passion in life.

It would make her so proud, I believe, just knowing how many animals are going to benefit from this initiative thats basically gone global now. Its pretty cool.

What is the #BettyWhiteChallenge?: Fans honor the legendary actress and her animal advocacy

Betty White dies at 99: Here are some of her greatest career moments

Southwest Florida animal shelters and groups are already benefiting from the Betty White Challenge

Even cooler: Many Southwest Florida animal shelters and groups are already benefiting from the Betty White Challenge. Some have raised as much as $1,500 in just the last week.

Its a wonderful way to honor her memory and her compassion for animals, says Carolina Diaz, marketing director for Humane Society Naples. And I think its a really great way, also, to inspire a new generation of people to become interested in animal welfare.

Luna is one of several elderly dogs up for adoption at Gulf Coast Humane Society, which is raising money for its older animals during the Betty White Challenge.

The hashtag #BettyWhiteChallenge started trending on social media soon after Whites death. The challenge: Donate to any animal shelter, rescue or other animal-welfare organization Monday, Jan. 17 (Whites birthday) or in the days leading up to that.

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Many posts specify donating just $5, but others don't give an amount.

Some local shelters had never even heard of the Betty White Challenge  until the checks and donations started arriving, that is.

I started seeing donations coming in that were signed, In honor of Betty White, says Betty Hughes, treasurer for the Animal Refuge Center (ARC) in North Fort Myers. And I was so confused!

ARC shelter dog Oreo just had knee surgery. The no-kill shelter is raising money to pay for the $3,000 bill through the Betty White Challenge.

Now Hughes knows all about the Betty White Challenge, of course. ARC has even launched a Facebook fundraising page for the $3,000 knee surgery needed last month by the shelters elderly black lab, Oreo. They've raised more than $1,100 so far.

Thats a great start, Hughes says. And its not even her birthday! I miss that woman. She indeed was a national treasure.

ARC and several other local animal groups are playing off Whites most famous role  the ditzy Rose Nylund on the hit TV comedy The Golden Girls  with fundraisers to help their own golden girls (and boys). Those older dogs and cats often get overlooked for adoption, McCauley says.

The Cape Coral Animal Shelter has about 10 older dogs and five older cats at the moment.

We help a lot of senior dogs here, McCauley says. If they were puppies, they wouldve been out of here a long time ago, but theyre 8 years old and people shy away from that sometimes.

"And its not fair, because theyre great dogs.

So far, theyve raised about $1,200 in the shelters Golden Girls (and Guys) fundraiser, and that's expected to pick up more during Whites birthday week (Jan. 17-21), McCauley says. Thats when the shelter will start promoting the fundraiser more on social media and its website.

Fluffy is one of several elderly cats at Cape Coral Animal Shelter. The shelter is raising money for its older "golden girls" (and boys) for the Betty White Challenge.

Donations are crucial for all of these animal shelters and animal-welfare groups.

The nonprofit Gulf Coast Humane Society survives entirely on donations and grants, says spokesman Brian Wierima. Thats especially important for no-kill shelters where the animals stay until they get adopted  or even if they never do.

We do not practice euthanization to clear kennel space, Wierima says. We will care for a shelter animal for as long as we have to, before finding a forever home for them. Donations are vital.

Both Humane Society Naples and Gulf Coast Humane Society plan to launch #BettyWhiteChallenge fundraising campaigns Jan. 17. Gulf Coast's fundraiser will raise money specifically for its older dogs and cats.

We want to transfer Betty White's outlook on life and her marvelous positive attitude onto peoples' and potential adopters' attitudes towards our long-term shelter animals," Wierima says. "Not only do we want to raise important donations for the GCHS shelter animals, but also shed light on (the fact) that our long-term shelter animals are very worthy of a forever home!

Roseanne is one of several elderly dogs at Cape Coral Animal Shelter. The shelter is raising money for its older "golden girls" (and boys) for the Betty White Challenge.

McCauley  a longtime Golden Girls fan  loves the idea of raising money for animals in the name of Betty White. And she's loved it from the moment she first heard about the Betty White Challenge.

My first thought was: Thats amazing, McCauley says. Its neat that they want to help local shelters. And everybody benefits.

Learn more about these local animal groups and how to donate:

ARC: facebook.com/AnimalRefugeCenter or (for the Betty White Challenge) bit.ly/3F3svUS

Humane Society Naples: facebook.com/HSNaples or hsnaples.org/donate

Cape Coral Animal Shelter: facebook.com/CapeCoralAnimalShelter or (for the Betty White Challenge) bit.ly/3G2yPxr

Gulf Coast Humane Society: facebook.com/GulfCoastHumaneSociety or twitter.com/gchs_florida

SNIP Collier: facebook.com/SNIPcollier

Lee County Domestic Animal Services: leegov.com/animalservices/trustfund

Collier County Domestic Animal Services: facebook.com/CollierCountyDAS

Rescue Cats Rock: facebook.com/RescueCatsRock.org

Naples Cat Alliance: facebook.com/Naples.Cat.Alliance

Spay-Lee: facebook.com/spaylee

Mr. Lucky Dogs Sanctuary: facebook.com/Mr-Lucky-Dogs-Sanctuary-Inc-728637664189559

Rescue Animals in Need (RAIN): facebook.com/rescueanimalsinneed

Connect with this reporter: Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. Email him at crunnells@gannett.com or connect on Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), Twitter (@charlesrunnells) and Instagram (@crunnells1).

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Betty White Challenge raises money for animals in Fort Myers, Naples
The city of Bexley implemented a series of criminal-justice reforms throughout 2021, including reducing speeding from a third-degree misdemeanor to a minor misdemeanor; adopting legislation that allows defendants to pay fines for traffic violations and other minor misdemeanors based on their income; and codifying a Citizen Review Advisory Board that examines residents complaints about police officers and other city employees.

However, Bexley Residents Against Institutional Racism (BRAIR), a local social-justice organization, released an analysis in 2021 that members say found that Bexley police issue more traffic citations to African Americans than any other group.

Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler

When the Bexley Police Department issued its community report in 2020, members of BRAIR conducted their own analysis of the accuracy of the equity goal included in it, said Peter White, a North Cassingham Road resident who spoke on behalf of the organization when the group presented its findings at Bexley City Council meeting in October.

The equity goal in the police departments report states, The Bexley Police Departments mission is to serve the community and enforce the law while treating all citizens with fairness, integrity, respect and empathy. Fairness demands that no individual demographic be disproportionately impacted by policing.

What BRAIR set out to do was to test whether our police department is meeting this goal, White said during his presentation.

BRAIR acquired traffic-citation data through a public-records request issued to the city, White said. BRAIRs analysis is based on 3,399 Bexley police records regarding traffic stops from Jan. 1, 2019, through Jan. 1, 2020.

The data include 2,662 warnings, 693 tickets issued and 44 arrests by Bexley police.

White said BRAIR used geographic-mapping strategies to determine the addresses of drivers who were cited. BRAIRs study found 60% of drivers who received citations lived outside of a three-mile radius and 69% of those cited were Black, White said.

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Only 40% of citizens (who received citations) live within three miles of Bexley, White said.

Mayor Ben Kessler said he has evaluated BRAIRs study and believes the methodology used to compile the data may have resulted in inaccuracies.

They had a map, for example, of citations, of addresses where people resided. It was lacking a lot of information, and I think it was being pulled from the county court records, which isn't most of our traffic info, Kessler told ThisWeek.

Kessler said he communicated with BRAIR representatives throughout the year before the release of the traffic study.

I think its important for us to dialogue with any group that is invested in the community and wants to see change, and I think its important for us to be self-examining constantly, Kessler said. I believe firmly that we have a moral duty to be doing that, and I think that we have demonstrated a willingness to do that.

Kessler said the city previously implemented some of the changes in police procedures that BRAIR has called for, such as a program that offers motorists financial assistance with repairing broken taillights so they can avoid being cited for such equipment malfunctions.

Kessler said the police department also has implemented implicit bias, de-escalation and other best-practice training for police officers through the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board.

There are projects that are either happening, have happened or are underway that are mentioned in that document, Kessler said, referring to BRAIRs traffic-data analysis.

In addition, Kessler said community input will be a key component of the citys search for a new police chief. In mid-December, police Chief Larry Rinehart announced he will retire in January.

Kessler said he continues to communicate with BRAIR representatives about the issues raised in the traffic study.

Anyone works best when everybody comes to the table with an open mind to really learn about whats happening, to understand where the motivation is that other people are coming from and from a common understanding, form a productive or forward-moving relationship to help come up with solutions, Kessler said.

The police departments 2020 community report can be accessed at bexley.org/police.

BRAIRs study can be accessed at tinyurl.com/9tmev3yp

editorial@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekNews

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler responds to resident group's traffic study
Illinois state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, holds up his fist while wearing a black glove after the criminal justice reform bill passes the House of Representatives during its lame-duck session at the Bank of Springfield Center on Jan. 13, 2021.

Illinois House members on Wednesday approved and sent to the governors desk follow-up legislation to make it easier for police to carry out the controversial criminal-justice reform bill passed and signed into law one year ago.

House Bill 3512 was approved on a 67-42 vote in the House, with no Republican votes. The bill passed the Senate in October on a 40-17 vote.

If signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker, it would be the second bill tweaking the original legislation spearheaded in January 2020 by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.

HB 3512 wouldnt alter plans for Illinois to eliminate cash bail on Jan. 1, 2023.

More: Illinois House, Senate send proposal for new judicial 'subcircuits' to governor's desk

It does include details to help police know when people in custody are entitled to up to three phone calls no later than three hours after they reach a place of detention, according to Ed Wojcicki, director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.

The bills language, which was negotiated with the chiefs group and other law-enforcement organizations, also would delay until July 1 the effective date of new police training requirements and a new police officer decertification process.

The original bill, signed into law by the Democratic governor, put the training and decertification provisions into effect Jan. 1, 2022.

If signed, the bill would take effect immediately.

Wojcicki said he supports the delays because personnel need more time to be trained to carry out the law.

But House Republicans, in contentious debate on the bill, said they werent included in the negotiations, and they pointed out that law-enforcement groups opposed the original legislation and still have major concerns.

Republicans have called for the original legislation to be repealed and said the latest changes wouldn't go far enough to promote public safety and prevent what they described as a wave of police officers leaving the field or retiring early because of a climate unfriendly to law enforcement.

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State Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, the bills sponsor, said the measure reflects strong collaboration with law-enforcement groups.

More: Proposed criminal-justice reforms debated during General Assembly's 'lame-duck' session

Compromise, agreement and implementation are the themes of this bill, he said.

But Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis, a former Massac County states attorney, encouraged a no vote because the bill didn't address concerns that the end of cash bail will result in violent people being released from jail while criminal cases against them are pending.

The new system calls for prosecutors, judges and defense attorneys in 2023 to hold swift hearings to determine which people arrested should be held and which should be released pending trial.

Windhorst asked Slaughter whether future changes to the criminal-justice law could add offenses for which people must be held in jail and not released. Slaughter wouldnt commit to proposing such changes in future legislation.

I intend to be collaborative, and yes, I intend to work with you on concerns, Slaughter said.

The new law says that beginning in 2023, people arrested for crimes such as burglary, robbery without a weapon and aggravated DUI that leads to a death would have to be released pending trial. Windhorst wants those offenses to allow someone to be held in jail and not released.

My concern is if we do not have another trailer bill to address those issues, come Jan. 1 of next year, people will be committing those serious felonies and essentially be released, either immediately after arrest or soon thereafter when they appear before a judge, he said.

Related story: Minimum-wage increase, drug price notice among new Illinois laws taking effect Jan. 1

House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, noted that the three-phone-call provision could result in many more than three calls, because three calls must be offered to suspects each time they are brought to a place of detention. There could be several places of detention before a suspect is brought to a county jail, he said.

That situation would create administrative and other burdens for police, Durkin said.

The bill also would offer people arrested for domestic violence or sexual abuse the chance to phone their victims to harass them or interfere with their testimony to police, Durkin said.

Slaughter said such activity, an attempt to intimidate a witness to a crime, would be considered a felony by itself.

But Durkin, a lawyer and former Cook County assistant states attorney, responded: It doesnt make a difference.  Sure, they can be charged down the line, but the fact is, the call is going to be made, and theyre going to scare the hell out of that victim, who has been subject to abuse by that family member.

Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, who voted for the bill, defended Slaughter amid criticism from Republicans. As the sponsor stated, this is not the end of the discussion, she said.

But Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, R-Elmhurst, referred to the original bill and the follow-up legislation when she said, Were still talking about bad legislation and keeping it unworkable.

Mazzochi noted that the original law is called the SAFE-T Act, which stands for Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today. She called the title a lie.

This bill isnt making more people safe, she said. It was a bad bill when it was first passed. Its a bad bill today, and the Democrats are once again privileging criminals over people who want to abide by the law.

Slaughter said the bill helps establish a collaborative spirit thats definitely needed to push forward with sensible reforms.

When you look at what were doing on pretrial fairness and detainee rights, he said, it signifies to communities all across the state, especially communities of color, that were serious about addressing the many disparities that we see in our criminal-justice system.

Contact Dean Olsen: dolsen@gannett.com; (217) 836-1068; twitter.com/DeanOlsenSJR.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Illinois House passes bill to help implement criminal-justice reforms
The price of bitcoin has been trading sideways since early December 2021 (Getty Images)

The crypto market has been rocked by dramatic falls after a relatively steady start to the year.

The poor performance across bitcoin and other digital currencies means that 2022 has turned out to be tough for prices, with many down more than 10 per cent over the last week.

Bitcoin is now almost 40 per cent down from its peak in November, when it hit an all-time high of almost $69,000.

Several high-profile figures within the cryptocurrency space have predicted big things for bitcoin this year, with the illusive six-figure price target still seen as a realistic outcome for many analysts and traders.

Part of the reason for this is the huge momentum carried over from 2021, which saw massive institutional and retail interest  exemplified on Monday by former First Lady Melania Trump celebrating the anniversary of bitcoin.

You can follow all the latest news, analysis and expert price predictions right here.

Quiet few days brought to dramatic end

13:03 , Andrew Griffin

After a fairly steady first few days in the crypto markets, everything has gone a lot more shaky.

Read the full story here.

Renewed predictions for bitcoin price to hit $100,000 in 2022

Tuesday 4 January 2022 14:22 , Anthony Cuthbertson

The founder of crypto platform Nexo is the latest industry figure to predict bitcoin will reach six figures this year.

Antoni Trenchev said told CNBC that the $100,000 price target for bitcoin, which many analysts believed it would hit in late 2021, remains in play for 2022.

Every time that investors and the broader community write off bitcoin, it outperforms significantly, he said. This has been the case in 2020 when it rallied close to 1,000 per cent and in 2021 where it rallied 63 per cent. Im quite bullish on bitcoin.

Matt Damon mocked over crypto ad

Tuesday 4 January 2022 12:30 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Matt Damon is facing the mirth of Twitter after he compared trading cryptocurrency to humanitys greatest achievements in his latest plug for crypto.com.

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The US actor has become the face of the cryptocurrency platform, fronting ads that have even featured in the prestigious slots of the Superbowl. In the latest effort he is seen striding past images of explorers and astronauts, treating bitcoin with the utmost gravity.

History is filled with almosts, he says. With those who almost adventured, who almost achieved, but ultimately for them it proved to be too much. Then, there are others  the ones who embrace the moment and commit.

One Twitter user retorted: There isnt enough yuck in the world.

You can read the full story, and watch the ad, here.

(crypto.com)

Bitcoin to hit $100,000 in 2022, bets El Salvador president

Tuesday 4 January 2022 10:38 , Anthony Cuthbertson

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has made his predictions for bitcoin in 2022, claiming there will be a huge surprise in April at a crypto conference hes attending in Miami.

Bitcoin 2022 is the successor to the event that Bukele announced his intention to push through legislation that would make BTC legal tender in the central American country. The self-styled CEO of El Salvador also bet that bitcoin would hit six figures at some point this year, while also speculating that two more countries will follow his countrys lead by adopting bitcoin as an official currency.

You can read the full story here:

Bitcoin set for huge surprise in 2022, El Salvador president predicts

Melania Trump celebrates bitcoin anniversary

Tuesday 4 January 2022 09:36 , Anthony Cuthbertson

Among those celebrating the 13th anniversary of bitcoins genesis block yesterday was the unlikely figure of Melania Trump.

The former First Lady noted that bitcoins market cap is over $1 trillion, and took the opportunity to plug her own recently-launched NFT endeavour with the hashtag #MelaniaNFT. Her first offering on the NFT platform was a digital watercolour painting of her own eyes called Melanias Vision.

Her husband Donald is not such a fan of cryptocurrency it seems, after claiming in an interview last month that crypto is very dangerous and a threat to the US dollar.

It is widely reported that Bitcoin's market cap exceeds USD$1 Trillion. Today marks the 13th anniversary of the Bitcoin Genesis Block. Happy Anniversary, #SatoshiNakamoto #MelaniaNFT pic.twitter.com/aZqNJFcZmd  MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) January 3, 2022

Hello and welcome...

Tuesday 4 January 2022 09:29 , Anthony Cuthbertson

to The Independents live coverage of the crypto market. Well be bringing you all the latest developments from bitcoin, ethereum and other leading cryptocurrencies, alongside expert analysis and predictions for what 2022 might hold for the space.
Johnson County Public Health officials have suspended contact tracing and investigations tracking the spread of COVID-19 because of the sheer level of cases in the county.

Sam Jarvis, the Johnson County community health division manager, informed the Board of Supervisors on Wednesday about the rate at which the virus is spreading and its affect on his department. This comes as COVID-19 cases spike across Iowa after the holidays. The omicron variant has become the predominant form of the virus in the state this week, according to the CDC.

"We are at an unsustainable amount of contact tracing and disease investigations, so at this point we aren't really able to keep up with that," Jarvis said.

Sam Jarvis, Johnson County Public Health community health division manager, poses for a photo, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, in his office at the Johnson County Public Health building in Iowa City, Iowa.

Jarvis and JCPH Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski both became emotional as they spoke to the Supervisors. Jarvis took a pause while explaining the decision he had to make, despite his desire to continue the effort to track the disease's spread.

"We know that we bought everybody time to get the best protection possible," he said.

Jarvis said last week the county had roughly 1,400 reported cases, which he called an extremely dramatic increase. He said on Wednesday alone the county reported 354 cases.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health's COVID-19 dashboard, Johnson County is experiencing a record-breaking number of positive cases, averaging more than 1,700 over the last seven days. The previous high was just under 1,400 a week in September 2020.

JCPH is still providing COVID-19 testing and still has i Test Iowa pick up and drop off sit available.

Jarvis described contact tracing as "playing phone tag" because, as the case numbers get higher, it gets exponentially harder to complete the task.

More: Johnson County Public Health Department recognized as Press-Citizen's 'People of the Year'

Danielle Pettit-Majewski, Johnson County Public Health Director, poses for a photo, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, at the Johnson County Public Health building in Iowa City, Iowa.

Pettit-Majewski said it was a "heartbreaking" decision to suspend contact tracing given the increase in cases.

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"We spent so long just trying to save lives, and we've still seen just a waste. When we see those folks come in and not make it and they have been misinformed and just lied to," Pettit-Majewski said.

She said JCPH is trying to find the best ways to get the message about COVID-19 to people from all populations.

Two of the five Supervisors were out sick Wednesday with their own COVID-19 infections. Rod Sullivan and Jon Green both attended virtually via Zoom.

Sullivan said he wasn't feeling too bad with his infection and called Jarvis a hero for the work he has done during the pandemic. Jarvis regularly gives pandemic updates to the Board of Supervisors and occasionally visits other government meetings to do the same, outside of his other duties.

"You've undoubtedly saved lives," Sullivan told him.

Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass said she is concerned about the lack of people wearing masks, especially as she visits grocery stores in the county. She said she thinks some people have a "cavalier attitude" that the pandemic is over and that it is not as dangerous anymore.

"This is still a thing. It is still serious and it is not getting better right now," she said. "We need masks."

More: As another COVID-19 winter break looms, Iowa schools differ on when it's 'safe' to unmask

Green also thanked JCPH for its work and said he understands that people are getting exhausted with the pandemic, even as he sat at home with a mild form of the illness.

Green said he caught the illness at a wedding despite taking precautions like wearing quality masks, being vaccinated and getting booster doses.

"It's tricky and hold on. Godspeed," Green said.

Jon Green arrives before his swearing-in ceremony for the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at the Johnson County Administration Building in Iowa City, Iowa.

Jarvis said it has always been an uphill battle to get information out and get people to act on it.

He said that JCPH will shift to an educational approach to help combat the spread of COVID-19, using social media, online, print and other ways it can inform the public.

Jarvis expressed optimism about the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, especially since boosters are eligible for people aged 12 and older, and that Pfizer is reducing the amount of time to get a booster, or third dose, to five months after the second dose.

"The silver lining to our vaccination campaign is that we are over 50% of our 5-to-11-year-olds being vaccinated or starting off," he said.

Johnson County leads the state with 72% of residents fully vaccinated as of Thursday.

More: 'Just keep fighting': How COVID-19 tore through one Iowa family

George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen's local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Johnson County Public Health warns of COVID-19 spike, record cases
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Ministry of Defence on Friday said that it had begun the deployment of the military to support hospitals experiencing staff shortages and extreme pressures due to record COVID-19 cases in the country.

The government said that 200 Armed Forces personnel had been made available to support the National Health Service (NHS) in London for the next three weeks.

Britain has seen a surge in coronavirus cases due to the Omicron variant, and has reported over 150,000 new cases each day over the last week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that England can withstand the surge without new restrictions thanks to vaccination and the lower severity of the variant, but has warned of a challenging few weeks, as staffing is disrupted as people self-isolate.

The government has also deployed armed forces to assist with COVID-19 testing and vaccination programmes.

"Once again they are stepping up to assist NHS workers who are working round the clock across the capital, helping the health service through this difficult winter period where the need is greatest," health minister Sajid Javid said.

Britain has reported nearly 150,000 deaths from COVID-19, and, two years into a pandemic, its state-run health service was already facing a morale and staffing crisis even before the recent surge in Omicron, a lawmaker report published on Thursday said.

The report said that the staffing crisis could derail efforts to catch-up with record waiting lists for elective treatment caused by COVID-19 disruption.

Chaand Nagpaul, Chair of the Council of the British Medical Association, said that there were unprecedented levels of staff absence in the NHS.

"Although the government has resorted to the army helping out in London, let's not forget we actually have a national problem at the moment," Nagpaul told Sky News.

"This is a national problem and we've never known this level of staff absence before."

(Reporting by Alistair Smout. Editing by Andrew MacAskill)
Today

A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. High 58F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph.

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 39F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph.

Tomorrow

Windy early with showers becoming likely later in the day. High 57F. SSE winds shifting to N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Higher wind gusts possible.
It is impossible to overestimate Sidney Poitiers Hollywood legacy. The elegance of his path-breaking example on screen opened the hearts, minds and wallets of the moviegoing public and tugged at the reluctant, mercantile conscience of the film industry.

Poitier, whose death at 94 was announced Friday, will always be remembered for being the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for lead actor. But his imprint on theater history, while closely associated with one play, should not go unrecognized.

Poitiers stage start wasnt auspicious. His inexperience and "very thick West Indian accent," as Poitier put it, got him thrown out of his audition for the American Negro Theatre in Harlem. But he wound up graduating from the community theater groups acting school, where Ruby Dee and Harry Belafonte, colleagues whose careers would intersect with his own, also received training.

Poitier's Broadway break came in 1946 with an all-Black production of Aristophanes Lysistrata, which closed shortly after it opened. The following year he landed a role in Anna Lucasta, a play by Philip Yordan (based on Eugene ONeills Anna Christie) that fared a little better, lasting almost a month. The show was American Negro Theatre's first Broadway success, but opportunities in the theater were few and far between.





The road to movie stardom wasnt easy, but talent (sustained by scrappiness) won out. When he returned to Broadway in 1959 for the premiere of Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun, he was already famous. The cast, which included fellow American Negro Theatre alum Dee, was directed by Lloyd Richards. This trailblazing play, about a Black Chicago family struggling for a piece of the American dream, has become a canonical work of 20th century drama.

Brooks Atkinson notes in Broadway, a chronicle of his years as drama critic, that Sidney Poitier, who had become a Hollywood star, played the leading part in his effortless style with personal magnetism and professional deftness. Hansberry, Poitier and Richards were nominated for Tony Awards, but William Gibsons The Miracle Worker dominated that year.

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Atkinsons comments on Hansberrys play in The Lively Years, another of his histories, are perfunctory: 'A Raisin in the Sun' is not a revolutionary play on a revolutionary subject but a passionate statement of home truths about representative people. So much for the historical insight of critic who has a Broadway theater named after him.

To understand the significance of A Raisin in the Sun we must turn to James Baldwin, who, in a 1968 essay on Poitier published in Look magazine, writes expansively about the experience of being in the audience for this watershed production.

I will always remember seeing Sidney in "A Raisin in the Sun." It says a great deal about Sidney, and it also says, negatively, a great deal about the regime under which American artists work, that that play would almost certainly never have been done if Sidney had not agreed to appear in it. Sidney has a fantastic presence on the stage, a dangerous electricity that is rare indeed and lights up everything for miles around. It was a tremendous thing to watch and to be made a part of. And one of the things that made it so tremendous was the audience. Not since I was a kid in Harlem, in the days of the Lafayette Theatre, had I seen so many black people in the theater. And they were there because the life on that stage said something to them concerning their own lives. The communion between the actors and the audience was a real thing; they nourished and recreated each other. This hardly ever happens in the American theater. And this is a much more sinister fact than we would like to think. For one thing, the reaction of that audience to Sidney and to that play says a great deal about the continuing and accumulating despair of the black people in this country, who find nowhere any faint reflection of the lives they actually lead. And it is for this reason that every Negro celebrity is regarded with some distrust by black people, who have every reason in the world to feel themselves abandoned.

The marquee of the Belasco Theatre in New York advertises Lorraine Hansberry's play "A Raisin in the Sun" in late 1959. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

I have my own personal history with a A Raisin in the Sun. Like many people, I first encountered the play through the 1961 film, in which Poitier reprised his performance as Walter Lee Younger, the son who would rather invest the insurance money from his father's death in a liquor store than go along with his mother's plan of buying a home on the white side of town.

I remember watching the movie with my father in our first home, so I was still in elementary school. The moment is vivid in my memory because at the end of the film I saw my gruff old man wipe tears from his eyes. I had never seen him cry before, so I asked what was going on. Choked up, he explained that he felt bad for a family that was just trying to have a better life. I dont remember ever having an exchange like this with my dad again.

In his article on Poitier, Baldwin expresses the wish that Poitier and Marlon Brando would reignite Broadway with the luminosity of their acting. But he understood why they were gone: Broadway is almost as expensive as Hollywood, is even more hazardous, is at least as incompetent, and the scripts, God knows, arent any better. Yet I cant but feel that this is a great loss, both for the actor and the audience.

Poitier returned to Broadway in 1968 as a director for the short-lived production of Robert Alan Aurthur's Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights, but his Broadway credits end there. I regret never having the opportunity to see him onstage, but my gratitude for what he accomplished in the theater through "A Raisin in the Sun" is immense.

Broadway ought to say thank you by dimming its lights in honor of an actor who, beyond the miracle of making my father cry, opened the door to dramas about Black humanity. He was a beacon, and his presence on stage and screen lifted us all.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP)  Bulgarias population has declined by 11.5% in the past decade, according to first results from the 2021 census.

The National Statistical Institute said that the nation has shrunk by 844,000 people, from some 7.3 million in 2011 to 6.5 million today.

Experts attribute the decline to low birth rates, high mortality, and a steady migration flow that has seen working-age people leaving to look for better jobs and education prospects in Western Europe and beyond.

This is the most drastic decrease registered so far, Magdalena Kostova from the statistical institute told reporters. The aging of the population is another lasting trend.

Bulgaria has for years been on the radars of the U.N. as one of the nations with the fastest shrinking population in the world.

Since the Balkan nation moved from a totalitarian system to a free-market economy three decades ago, its population has decreased by nearly a quarter, from almost 9 million to 6.5 million today.

U.N. experts estimate that if these trends continue, Bulgaria will contract further to about 5.4 million people by 2050.
A search is underway for a missing California college student who disappeared after canoeing in the Pacific Ocean, last known to be setting up clues for a treasure hunt he was organizing.

Hunter Nathaniel Lewis, 21, failed to return home Dec. 30. The California State University Long Beach student was last believed to have canoed near the Trinidad Harbor between 10 a.m. and noon, the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office said.

Hunter Nathaniel Lewis. (Humboldt County Sheriffs Office)

According to Lewis family he left his Blue Lake residence at 8:30 a.m. to hide objects as a part of a treasure hunt he was organizing for friends, the sheriff's office said.

That evening, deputies began a ground search, and the U.S. Coast Guard deployed a helicopter and boat to search the water, but there were no signs of Lewis.

Several agencies including the Humboldt County Sheriffs Search and Rescue Posse, the U.S. Coast Guard and California State Parks are searching the surrounding beaches and ocean for Lewis, with help from a Coast Guard helicopter, boats and foot searches.

A broken piece of Lewis' 15-foot green fiberglass canoe washed ashore north of Elk Head on Saturday. An additional search of that area by deputies and the Coast Guard didn't yield any leads on Lewis' whereabouts.

An underwater search was launched Thursday morning by the Humboldt Bay Fire Dive Rescue and Recovery Team, along with other agencies, in the Flatiron Rock area, northwest of Trinidad Head. Teams had determined it necessary to conduct an underwater search there based on information gathered and items found during searches of the Trinidad area, officials said.

The search included multiple boats, a deep-water sonar, lifeguards and divers.

However, that Thursday search didnt yield any signs of Hunter or his belongings.

Hunter ran an Instagram page called Lostlewistreasure where he posted about the treasure hunt he organized in Humboldt, California, offering a $100+ cash prize.

Corey Lewis, Hunter's father, said the family is coordinating with independent search-and-rescue teams, divers and boats with sonar, calling the mission "a recovery operation. It is no longer a rescue operation."

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Corey said that his son loved to surf, rock climb and play guitar and that he had already received his pilot and scuba diving licenses.

He was studying aerospace engineering, dreamed of becoming an astronaut and had been accepted to a training academy at NASA.

About two years, ago he decided he would start working on this epic treasure hunt for all his friends and family to participate in someday, his father said.

He was busy setting out clues and we would go out and find a clue and bring it back home and be around the kitchen table at night researching things to try to solve these riddles. It was extremely fun. It brought us all together," he added.

Corey said one of the clues was on a key Hunter printed on a 3D printer that had teeth matching the outline of two islands nearby, and the heart on the key matched Flatiron Rock.

Hunter canoed into the ocean to deposit a treasure chest on Flatiron Rock, Corey said, but there is a shallow, rocky reef just on the inland side of Flatiron that he did not know about."

"Were fairly certain that he overturned and wrecked on that reef," he said.

Lewis said searchers have found debris of the treasure chest on Trinidad State Beach. Among the debris was something precious to the Lewis family: a wooden box Corey's father gave to him.

He always had a smile on his face. He had such a zest for life," Corey said. "One of his friends from college that I've never met sent me a message saying, 'Hunter taught me more than anyone I've ever known. He taught me how to smile and how to like myself.' And that was Hunter."

Anyone with information regarding Hunters current or possible whereabouts is urged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251.
Canada's Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, provided an update on the maskless influencers who were partying, drinking and vaping on a chartered Sunwing Airlines flight from Montreal to Cancun.

"We know that this issue of Sunwing travellers having behaved irresponsibly, inexcusably, and unacceptably on a flight to Mexico [has] raised a lot of anger and frustration," Duclos said.

He said that recent information received by the federal government indicates that 27 of the more than 100 passengers have returned to Canada, where they were "stopped and interrogated" at the airport.

"They were then all tested, they were checked with regards to whether they had obeyed and followed all of the health regulations that they were supposed to follow throughout their trip, in particular regarding the proof of vaccination,...the integrity of their PCR test. Their quarantine plans were also inspected," Duclos said.

He added that Quebec's police department sought information from the Public Health Agency of Canada about the travellers.

"Thats in addition to the ongoing investigation and possible prosecution that Transport Canada and other agencies will continue to pursue," the health minister said.

Canada's Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole responds to the governments economic update in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada December 14, 2021. REUTERS/Blair Gable

COVID-19 vaccination could be mandatory in Canada

Duclos commented that, from his perspective, based on "what we see internationally and domestically," he believes Canada will likely see COVID-19 vaccination made mandatory, put in place by provinces and territories.

"Its a decision that will be made by province and territories, at some point," the health minister said. "But what we see now is that our healthcare system in Canada is fragile, our people are tired and the only way that we know to [get through] COVID-19, this variant and any future variant, is through vaccination."

Duclos also responded on Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole pushing for accommodations to mandatory vaccination rules, like using rapid tests as an alternative.

"Rapid tests are not going to end the crisis, rapid tests are not going to solve COVID-19," Duclos said. "The only thing that will solve COVID-19 is vaccination."

"Thats why, again, so many people, including myself, are disturbed by the fact that Mr. OToole is not even asking his own members of parliament to be vaccinated. That, I dont understand and I think no health expert understands, and most Canadians dont understand.... Mr. OToole should ask his members of parliament, his caucus members, to be vaccinated. That would be a sign of leadership on his part."
By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on Friday warned some of the country's 10 provinces that they needed to do more to fight the Omicron coronavirus variant and prevent healthcare systems from being swamped.

New daily cases of COVID-19 soared by 65% in the last week across Canada, and hospitals say it is becoming increasingly hard to maintain staffing levels.

Duclos said provinces should pay attention to Ontario and Quebec, which together account for around 61% of Canada's population of 38.4 million. Both have reimposed severe restrictions on businesses and gatherings.

"Those two provinces are going through a very difficult time. That, however, is a signal to other provinces ... that they may be just a week, perhaps two weeks behind," he said.

This was important because the federal government did not have sufficient resources to give the provinces all the help they wanted, he told a briefing.

"(That) is a kind warning - but a clear warning - to some provinces ... that they need to act now," he said. Provinces are responsible for administering healthcare and receive around a quarter of their funding from Ottawa.

Chief medical officer Theresa Tam said that while the risk of hospitalization was lower for Omicron compared to the Delta variant, "the sudden acceleration of Omicron and enormous volume of cases is driving severe illness trends".

Tam and Duclos reiterated that Canadians should get inoculated against COVID-19. Official data show that as of Dec 18, 87.3% of Canadians aged 12 and older had received two shots while the figure for children aged 5 to 12 was just 1.3%

Duclos said 8.6 million booster shots had been administered. The federal health ministry would have more to say in coming weeks about its review of oral anti-viral drug candidates made by Pfizer Inc and Merck & Co Inc, he added.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa and Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Frances Kerry)
Former Ald. Ricardo Munoz was supposed to have an in-person sentencing hearing Wednesday at Chicagos federal courthouse, but instead the parties found themselves back on the telephone discussing what to do in light of the resurging COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. District Judge John Kness said during the brief hearing that due to the very fluid public health circumstances surrounding the omicron variant, he didnt think it would be prudent to go forward with a hearing at the courthouse.

Munozs lawyer, law professor Richard Kling, agreed, saying his office at the Chicago-Kent College of Law has been on strict pandemic-related lockdown for several weeks, leaving him without access to information and computer equipment he needs to go forward.

Im sure you all know its going to be very hard to predict when circumstances are going to be such that well all be comfortable having an in-person hearing, Kness said, setting a status date for mid-February.

It was a flashback to earlier stages of the pandemic, when both the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse and Leighton Criminal Court Building endured closures and months of hearings conducted by phone and videoconferencing.

The sentencing for Munoz, who pleaded guilty to spending campaign cash on personal items, was the highest-profile cancellation so far due to the latest COVID-19 wave at either Chicago courthouse. Both, like many other government buildings, remain open for business despite seeing a rash of visitors and employees test positive for the virus in recent weeks.

Many judges in Cook County have been attempting to transition away from video conferenced court hearings; some at the Leighton Criminal Court Building have been operating exclusively in-person for months. But most are operating in a hybrid fashion, with some hearings conducted on Zoom and others in the courtroom.

According to a spokeswoman for Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans office, 45 judges have tested positive for COVID-19 throughout the pandemic  nine of them this week.

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At the Dirksen courthouse, meanwhile, at least 44 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 after being in the courthouse since mid-December, according to letters sent to courthouse employees by U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer.

Someday I will have no positive test results to report, Pallmeyer wrote in a recent letter Tuesday, which reported four new cases. Today is not that day.

In a statement to the Tribune, Thomas Bruton, the clerk for the Northern District of Illinois, said that while federal court work continues, officials are closely monitoring public health information and adhering firmly to safety protocols.

Although we report regularly on persons who have tested positive in the building, so far we are aware of no instances of transmission of the virus within the courthouse, Bruton wrote. We will, however, continue to monitor the situation, and take steps necessary to protect our staff and the public.

Impact on jails

The virus is also on the rise at Metropolitan Correctional Center on West Van Buren Street, where many federal pretrial detainees are held. Earlier this week, 109 prisoners  about 18% of the total population  were currently testing positive, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons website. That number had dropped to 73 prisoners as the week drew to a close. No deaths had been reported.

Meanwhile, at the Cook County Jail on the Southwest Side, 404 people in custody were positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday, according to Sheriff Tom Darts office. That accounts for about 7 percent of detainees. In addition, 478 sheriffs office employees, a category that includes correctional officers, courthouse security deputies and more, were positive as of Wednesday.

The federal jail outbreak was already having an impact on court calls. On Thursday, for example, a hearing for Adel Daoud, the Hillside man convicted of trying to blow up a Loop bar, was canceled after U.S. Judge John Lee wrote in a minute order hed been informed that the MCC has imposed additional restrictions due to the recent surge in COVID infections.

The numbers reflect the overall situation with the omicron surge across the state, with single-day positive tests and hospitalizations reaching the highest levels since the pandemic began nearly two years ago.

Chicagos chief medical officer, Dr. Allison Arwady, has said she hopes the omicron surge will peak in Chicago by the end of January, but added that its impossible to tell for sure at this point.

Big trials looming

The latest pandemic surge comes as several high-profile, in-person jury trials are set to begin at the Dirksen courthouse, including the trials of sitting Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson on Feb. 1, and state Sen. Thomas Cullerton on Feb. 22.

Cullerton, a Democrat from Villa Park, faces indictment on embezzlement charges alleging he pocketed almost $275,000 in salary and benefits from the Teamsters union despite doing little or no work.

Thompson, nephew and grandson to two mayors, is charged with tax offenses stemming from the collapse of a bank in the Daleys Bridgeport neighborhood.

So far, the courthouse is still continuing to host jury trials, operating under the same protocols set in place in April when trials resumed after a six-month hiatus.

The precautions include a testing program that requires jurors, lawyers and other trial participants to take a saliva-based COVID-19 test up to two times a week for the duration of any trial. Others expected to participate in a trial or other in-person hearing for more than two days are also required to submit to testing.

Social distancing and mask-wearing has been constant at the courthouse. To help alleviate overcrowding, only one trial can start on any given day, and only one trial per floor of the high-rise building can proceed at a time.

Also, reporters and spectators are not allowed into the trial courtrooms themselves, watching instead from an overflow room with a live video feed.

Bruton said the Northern District of Illinois has been one of the most successful in the country in safely holding jury trials amid the ongoing health crisis.

With those protocols in place, we have been able to select more than 62 juries since the beginning of the pandemic, Bruton said. Since April 2021, there have been only five jurors who have tested positive out of 53 juries, and we have not had to declare any mistrials. "

He said the districts 2,197 trial hours in 2021 were second only to the Southern District of New York, which logged 3,205.

The courthouse also hosted a free COVID-19 booster clinic in the lobby before Christmas that was open to the public and administered 200 to 400 shots a day, Bruton said.

Cook County criminal jury trials started back up in March after a yearlong pause, and Leighton saw about one per week throughout May and June, according to Chief Judge Evans office. While mask-wearing is strictly enforced in the courthouses, jurors are not tested for COVID-19 at Leighton like their counterparts in federal court.

Reduced social-distancing requirements expanded capacity for jury trials significantly over the summer, and dozens of jury trials were held at Leighton last year. Dozens of others were slated for jury trials that were postponed, ended in pleas, or went to a bench trial instead, according to Evans office.

But Leighton was host to a number of high-profile jury trials  like those of actor Jussie Smollett on charges of falsely reporting a hate crime attack and the murder trial of Wyndham Lathem  as well as complex trials like a double homicide in Edgewater linked to a prolifically violent drug and robbery crew.

Case backlog remains

The extensive courthouse slowdowns created a heavy backlog of felony cases last year  one that has shrunk significantly, but not disappeared, according to numbers from Cook County States Attorneys Office.

Prosecutors began 2022 with roughly 25,900 to 32,200 felony cases pending, according to the office. That number is much smaller compared to what the office characterizes as the backlogs peak, March 2021, when there were between 30,000 and 36,000 felonies pending, officials said.

In February 2020, the last full month of regular court operations, there were about 21,000 pending cases, the office said. That means prosecutors are still facing a caseload 23 to 53 percent higher than the prepandemic status quo.

States Attorney Kim Foxx said last year that the office might have to drop cases en masse to clear out the backlog. That wave of dismissals never materialized, according to the offices data.

In fact, prosecutors dropped fewer cases in 2021 than they did in 2019. Of all the felony cases that concluded last year, about 33 percent ended in a dismissal, compared to 39 percent in 2019. Last years share of dismissals is closer to 2018, when 30 percent of resolved cases ended in dropped charges.

And an anticipated flood of trial demands once the speedy-trial clock started ticking again did not materialize either, according to a statement from the prosecutors office.

Currently, the (Cook County States Attorneys Office) is resolving cases at pre-COVID levels, the statement read. Although it did not come to fruition, in anticipation of a rush of trial demands upon the lifting of the Speedy Trial toll on October 1st, our (assistant states attorneys) worked diligently to resolve cases. We are back to pre-COVID levels due to the ASAs who worked through these difficult circumstances to resolve cases and work towards justice.

At the federal courthouse, a standing order updated by Pallmeyer in December allows for most criminal proceedings other than jury trials  including initial appearances and bond hearings, arraignments, guilty pleas and sentencings  to proceed by video or teleconference as long as the parties agree.

That order is set to expire April 4.

Meanwhile, those who demand an in-person hearing, such as ex-alderman Munoz, could be forced to wait it out.

I hope you all stay safe and healthy, Judge Kness told the parties on Wednesday before signing off. We will all get through these challenges ... and get to a hearing in due course.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
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Chicago public school students will miss out on a third day of instruction on Friday after the district again canceled school as negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union over Covid-19 safety protocols dragged on.

Schools in the district closed on Wednesday and Thursday after the Chicago Teachers Union voted Tuesday to strike against in-person schooling and conduct remote instruction until extra Covid-19 safety measures are in place, including a requirement that all students present a negative Covid test before returning to in-person learning.

Seventy-three percent of the Chicago Teacher Unions 22,000 members voted to take a remote work action beginning Wednesday. The suspension of in-person teaching could continue until January 18 or until the virus-infection rate in the district hits below the threshold set last year.

The union instructed teachers to stay home while it conducted negotiations with district officials beginning on Wednesday. The district responded by canceling classes. CTU claimed on Wednesday morning that Mayor Lori Lightfoot locked instructors out of remote-learning platforms.

In a message to parents on Thursday, district officials said classes would be canceled on Friday but in-person learning and activities may be available at a small number of schools based on how many staff members show up, according to the Associated Press.

Roughly 10 percent of the districts 21,620 teachers showed up for work on Wednesday. Nearly 13 percent went to work on Thursday.

Enough is enough, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said during a Thursday morning interview on MSNBC. Im tired of the Groundhog Day appearance of everything that goes on with the Chicago Teachers Union leadership. We need partnership; we dont need conflict.

Students in the district have been affected by conflicts between the district and the union for years; the teachers union last walked off the job in 2012 and 2019 when talks with the city broke down, according to the Associated Press. The outlet notes that there was also a one-day work stoppage in 2016 over claimed unfair labor practices.

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The district filed a complaint with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board earlier this week, arguing that the unions actions are an illegal work stoppage. District leaders requested a cease-and-desist order and a ban on future illegal strikes.

Meanwhile, the union also filed a complaint. The CTU argues that members have a right to refuse hazardous work assignments and accused the district of causing an illegal lockout by canceling classes and prohibiting teachers from accessing remote-teaching platforms.

Despite the unions concerns, Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady has reassured schools that the virus poses minimal risk to children and that school closures are unreasonable, especially as the district undertakes plans to expand its Covid-testing program.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday said schools can remain open safely during the latest surge of Covid-19 cases, saying children need not endure the mental-health impact of not being in school.

We know they can be open safely, and were here to help make that happen, and he agrees with medical, scientific, and education experts that because of the historic work weve done, we are more than equipped to ensure schools are open, and were going to keep our children and educators who selflessly serve their community safe but ensure that children are not enduring the mental-health impact of not being in school, Psaki said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

More from National Review
Students are back in class amid the coronavirus pandemic, and to keep you posted on whats unfolding throughout U.S. schools  K-12 as well as colleges  Yahoo Life is running a weekly wrap-up featuring news bites, interviews and updates on the ever-unfolding situation.

Chicago Public Schools close as teachers union deadlocks with city over COVID restrictions

Chicago Public Schools, the country's third-largest school district, remained closed on Friday because of clashes with the district's teachers union about COVID-19 safety protocols.

Earlier this week, members of the Chicago Teachers Union voted to have all members work remotely, starting on Wednesday. However, teachers were locked out of their remote classrooms by school officials, something that the union documented on Twitter.

Mrs. B. looking like all of her CTU sisters and brothers impacted by the mayors lockout today. Her maternity leave sub has never taught remotely, so she volunteered to lead her through the day, even though shes on pre-leave. #LoriLockout pic.twitter.com/MFAM6pjHmR  ChicagoTeachersUnion (@CTULocal1) January 5, 2022

Educators: Continue working remotely, and safely. Our solidarity is our strength. #LoriLockout pic.twitter.com/AdfFhaagZd  ChicagoTeachersUnion (@CTULocal1) January 6, 2022

Chicago Public Schools have seen a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases this week. According to the district's COVID-19 dashboard, 653 staff members and 847 students have tested positive for COVID-19 since Jan. 2. The union said that, as of Wednesday night, about 9,000 students and "a record" 2,300 staffers were isolating after testing positive for COVID or in quarantine due to having close contact with someone who tested positive.

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has made it clear that she wants students to return to in-person learning. "In a time of crisis related to this pandemic, the worst possible thing we can do is abandon the science and data," she wrote on Twitter. "If you care about our students and families as we do, we will not relent. We are standing firm and fighting to get our kids back to in-person learning."

In a time of crisis related to this pandemic, the worst possible thing we can do is abandon the science and data.



If you care about our students and families as we do, we will not relent. We are standing firm and fighting to get our kids back to in-person learning.   Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) January 6, 2022

Chicago isn't the only school district in the country to go remote or to try to go remote. More than 80 Philadelphia-area school districts went remote this week due to COVID-19 concerns, and several school districts in Illinois have also switched to remote learning due to the pandemic.

The Chicago Teachers Union is requesting that the district allow for remote learning until the current surge in COVID-19 cases subsides or until the union and city officials can agree on terms for the safe return to in-person learning. "To be clear: Educators of this city want to be in buildings with their students," the union said on Twitter. "We believe that classrooms are where our children should be. But as the results tonight show, Mayor Lightfoot and her CPS team have yet to provide safety for the overwhelming majority of schools."

Representatives from Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union did not respond to Yahoo Life's requests for comment.

Infectious disease experts said that in-person learning can be safe for students if the right precautions are taken. "In-person learning is critical for our students for many reasons and can be safe if a high-quality mitigation plan is designed and executed," Dr. Thomas Russo, professor and chief of infectious disease at the State University of New York at Buffalo, told Yahoo Life. "The most important interventions include maximizing vaccination of students, staff and teachers, mandatory use of high-quality, well-fitting masks, and optimizing ventilation."

But Dr. Lawrence Kleinman, professor and vice-chair of pediatrics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey, told Yahoo Life that it's "hard to give a definitive answer" on whether in-person learning is safe right now, given the newness of the Omicron variant. "The virus is running rampant," he said. "We do not know a lot about its impact on kids, particularly unvaccinated kids. ... The teachers have an important point."

More than 700 teachers called out sick in Florida school district on 1st day back to class

Florida's Orange County Public Schools district faced a serious staffing challenge on Tuesday when 703 teachers took sick days on the first day back to school after the holiday break.

District spokesperson Michael Ollendorff told Yahoo Life that about 5 percent of the district's teachers were out sick. Luckily, help was available. "Support staff and our substitute providers covered those vacancies," he said.

The district requires that all adults in school buildings wear face masks. Students are not required to wear masks "but are strongly encouraged to do so," the district said online. The district has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases since classes resumed, with 2,483 new COVID-19 cases diagnosed in students alone between Jan. 3 and 6. (The district has more than 206,000 students enrolled.)

Dr. Richard Watkins, an infectious disease physician and professor of internal medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University, told Yahoo Life that large numbers of staff and students will likely be out of school in the coming weeks due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. "Omicron is highly contagious," he said. "Once it peaks  which will likely occur later this month, hopefully  we will then start to see a decline in cases."

Kleinman said that "there are going to be a lot of people who test positive" for COVID-19 this week and next week. And, as a result, he said, a lot of teachers and students will be out sick. "A lot of people got together over the holidays, and that's how the virus spreads," he explained.

Many big-name colleges and universities announce COVID booster mandate for students and staff

A slew of colleges and universities have added COVID-19 booster vaccine mandates as the Omicron variant of the virus spreads across the country.

Rutgers University required that all faculty and staff upload proof of vaccination into a school portal by Tuesday. Those who are eligible to receive a booster shot need to share their documentation with school officials by the end of the month. "The data and the science surrounding the surge in COVID-19 cases, and the dramatic spread of the Omicron variant, require that we adapt to the evolving situation without sacrificing our goal of returning to a campus experience that is robust, rewarding and safe," wrote Antonio M. Calcado, Rutgers executive vice president and chief operating officer, in a letter to the school community earlier this week. "To do so, we are implementing appropriate contingency plans that rely on todays best available information and expertise so that we may continue to manage the impact of this virus at the university."

Rutgers joins other colleges and universities that are requiring booster shots for students and staff.

"It is clear that a booster shot is needed for the highest degree of protection against Omicron," Russo said. "The majority of eligible Americans have not yet received this additional shot. Mandates will both expedite and maximize uptake of this important public health measure. Optimal vaccination is the most important tool for keeping our students, staff and faculty safe."

Kleinman agreed. "We've learned that full vaccination, coupled with a booster, provides much better protection than the two shots in the past without a booster," he said. "Booster mandates make sense, especially since college campuses are places where diseases can spread and where super-spreading is possible. Doing what we can to mitigate the likelihood of such spread and the impact of spread that occurs is important."

Watkins added, "What we are currently doing isn't working. For everyone opposed to mandates, I would like to know what their plan is instead."

Maryland's Montgomery County Public Schools face a bus driver shortage

Families with students enrolled in Maryland's Montgomery County Public Schools were left scrambling to try to get their kids to class on Wednesday after 90 bus routes were not serviced due to driver absences.

"Due to a higher-than-expected number of bus drivers calling out this morning, multiple routes are affected today, Wed. Jan. 5. Out of our 1,228 bus routes we are unable to service 90 bus routes," the district wrote on Twitter at 9 a.m. that day. "Families are encouraged to organize carpools or to walk in groups if possible," the district wrote online. "We apologize for this inconvenience and understand the difficulty this causes for families. Given these circumstances today we are working to better understand the problem and will provide further communication to let families know how we will solve this issue."

Families flooded the comments of the Twitter post, with many pointing out that this was predictable given the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state. Nearly 12,000 new COVID-19 cases were detected in the state, according to state data from Friday, and Maryland currently has a 28.3% percent positivity rate for COVID-19 tests. Maryland is currently under a 30-day state of emergency due to a rapid spike in hospitalizations from COVID cases.

"Higher than expected? Do better, @mcps," one person wrote. "Grossly irresponsible and dangerous to send kids out in the cold, at an unfamiliar time, to wait for a bus that may or may not come," another said. "As a parent, Im outraged that you didnt cancel today - and honestly that you didnt plan for a two week virtual period after winter break."

District officials did not respond to Yahoo Life's request for comment.

Russo said these kinds of staffing shortages are expected to continue as COVID-19 cases surge. "The large number of COVID cases due to Omicron is creating staffing shortages in all lines of work and will continue to do so during this wave," he said. "The best means to protect our workforce during the Omicron wave, which will hopefully be short-lived, is to ensure optimal vaccination for all employees, including a booster if eligible, the use of high-quality well-fitting masks and the avoidance of high-risk behaviors both in and outside of the workplace."

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Investigators are looking into whether a child playing with a lighter near a Christmas tree ignited the inferno in a Philadelphia row house that left a dozen people dead.

The revelation that "a child age 5 or under" may have been involved in one of the city's deadliest fires in decades was included in a search warrant application filed in Common Pleas Court after the blaze Wednesday morning.

Details of the warrant were first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

I can confirm that this detail was included in the warrant that was submitted, Jane Roh, a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, told NBC News.

"But this is not a criminal investigation. All we did was submit paperwork that would allow investigators access to the scene. This is an investigation that is being led by the Philadelphia Fire Department and the ATF," Roh said, referring to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The row house in the city's Fairmount section, which is owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, was divided into two apartments, the agency said.

Nichole Tillman, a spokeswoman for the Housing Authority, referred all questions to the Philadelphia fire marshal's office, which is leading the investigation and has not yet officially determined the cause of the blaze, which killed eight children.

Special Agent Matthew Varisco, who heads the ATFs office in Philadelphia, said at a news conference earlier Thursday that investigators "haven't ruled anything out."

Investigators said they are also looking into why none of the battery-powered smoke alarms in the row house were working.

A search of available property records turned up no reports of code violations at the building, which was built in 1920.

Eight people lived in one unit that spanned the first and second floors of the row house, while 18 lived in another unit that took up the second and third floors, the fire department said.

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That is a tremendous amount of people to be living in a duplex, First Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy said Wednesday after the last flames were doused.

The Housing Authority has not commented on the number of people living in the row house.

Fast-moving flames were devouring a second-floor kitchen and climbing a stairway connecting the second and the third floors when firefighters, alerted by a 911 call, arrived at the three-story building at 869 N. 23rd St. around 6:40 a.m. Wednesday.

It took about 50 minutes to get the blaze under control, and firefighters were able to rescue a child, authorities said. But the child did not survive.

Two people remained in critical condition Thursday, authorities said. One was taken to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and the other to Temple University Hospital, officials said.

We are devastated by the tragic loss of life  several of whom are children  and my thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims. I cannot express how unimaginable this is for loved ones, Mayor Jim Kenney said Wednesday.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's auditing regulator said officials should "keep their eyes open" when conducting audits, after recovering more than 300 billion yuan ($47.04 billion) in government funds, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The task of auditing this year will focus on fiscal expenditure, including implementing tax cuts and reductions, Xinhua quoted Hou Kai, auditor general of the National Audit Office, as saying at its annual meeting on Thursday.

The National Audit Office recovered 304 billion yuan - some of which were used for major projects - in the first 11 months of 2021 after an audit, up from 220 billion yuan recovered a year earlier, Xinhua reported.

The report on Thursday did not say where the funds had gone to, but added that about 23,000 cadres were reviewed as part of an audit.

"Keep your eyes open and discern even the tiniest of problems," Hou said of auditing officials.

The audit office will investigate and deal with problems that seriously disrupt financial order in 2022, Hou said.

The world's second-largest economy faces multiple challenges heading into 2022 amid a property downturn and strict COVID-19 restrictions that have hit consumer spending.

China will extend some favourable income tax policies to ease the burden for middle- and low-income groups, state media quoted the cabinet in a meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang as saying in December.

The measure is expected to cut taxes by 110 billion yuan a year, the cabinet was quoted as saying.

($1 = 6.3783 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Liangping Gao and Ryan Woo; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China reported fewer COVID cases on Friday as several cities have curbed movements, while a top official warned hospitals not to turn away patients after a woman's miscarriage during a lockdown in the city of Xian sparked outrage.

China reported 116 domestically transmitted infections with confirmed clinical symptoms for Thursday, mostly in Xian and the province of Henan, down from 132 a day earlier, official data showed on Friday.

Xian, a city of 13 million in northwest China, entered its 16th day of lockdown, although officials said the outbreak there had been brought under control. Xian is in the Shaanxi province that borders Henan.

"The risk of a large-scale rebound of the (Xian) outbreak has been largely contained," the official Xinhua news service quoted Li Qun, a disease control and prevention official, as saying in a story published late on Thursday.

During Xian's lockdown, residents have complained about curtailed access to food and medical care, and the story of a pregnant woman who lost her unborn baby after waiting outside a local hospital for two hours provoked anger on Chinese social media and led to punishment of city officials.

Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan said she was "pained and deeply ashamed" about people's difficulties in securing hospital services in Xian, Xinhua news agency said.

"Medical institutions ... must not simply turn away patients on any excuse during COVID control," Sun was quoted as saying.

On Friday, the city government said that people without proof of a negative test result within 48 hours should not be blocked from leaving their residential compounds to go to hospital, overturning a previous requirement.

The outbreaks in China remain tiny compared with many overseas, and the highly transmissible Omicron variant has yet to be announced among local infections in Henan or Xian, but local governments have maintained high vigilance.

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China's policy of blocking any cluster from spreading further has taken on extra urgency in the run-up to the Winter Olympics, to be staged in Beijing and neighbouring Hebei province starting Feb. 4, and with the Lunar New Year holiday travel season beginning in less than two weeks.

There were no new fatalities on Thursday, leaving the death toll unchanged at 4,636. Mainland China had 103,295 confirmed symptomatic cases as of Jan 6, including both local and imported ones.

(Reporting by Tony Munroe, Roxanne Liu, Gabriel Crossley and Ella Cao; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
ST. LOUIS (AP)  A Chinese national admitted in federal court Thursday that he stole a trade secret when he worked for Monsanto and one of its subsidiaries in Missouri, federal prosecutors said.

Haitao Xiang, 44, formerly of Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit economic espionage. He was indicted by a grand jury on eight charges in 2019.

Prosecutors said in a news release that Xiang transferred a trade secret to a memory card and then attempted to take it to China for the benefit of the Chinese government.

Xiang worked as an imaging scientist for Monsanto and one of its subsidiaries, The Climate Corporation, from 2008 to 2017.

Court records say Monsanto and The Climate Corporation developed a digital online farming software platform to help farmers collect field data to increase productivity.

Part of the platform was an algorithm called the Nutrient Optimizer, which the companies considered a trade secret and their intellectual property, prosecutors said.

In June 2017, the day after leaving employment with the companies, Xiang tried to fly to China. During a search, investigators found one of Xiangs electronic devices contained copies of the Nutrient Optimizer, prosecutors said.

Xiang flew to China, where he worked for the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Soil Science. He was arrested when he returned to the United States.

He will be sentenced April 7.
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities rapped Walmart for allegedly violating cybersecurity laws, local media reported, the latest trouble for the U.S. retailer that is already a target of accusations in the country for supposedly stopping sales of products from Xinjiang.

Police in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen discovered 19 "vulnerabilities" in Walmart's network system in late November and accused it of being slow to fix the loopholes, the China Quality News, backed by the country's market regulator, reported on Wednesday.

Walmart was ordered to make rectifications, the report said, without mentioning any fines or details of the vulnerabilities.

The retail giant and the Shenzhen police did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday.

This marks a fresh set of in China for Walmart, which in the past month has faced criticism for what local media has said was its deliberate removal of products sourced from Xinjiang from its apps and stores.

Xinjiang is a growing point of conflict between the Western governments and China, as U.N. experts and rights groups estimate more than a million people, mainly Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities, have been detained in camps there.

China has rejected accusations of forced labour or any other abuses in the far western region.

Walmart has seen a wave of membership cancellations at its arm Sam's Club in China since the Xinjiang issue. China's anti-graft agency also accused the retailer and Sam's Club of "stupidity and short-sightedness".

While Walmart has not publicly commented on this, Reuters reported that a Sam's Club executive told analysts on a call that the matter was a "misunderstanding" and that there was no deliberate removal of Xinjiang-sourced products.

In December, Sam's Club was fined 10,000 yuan ($1,568) in Shanghai by the city's market regulator for violating food safety laws after they found that a frozen vegetable product carried no production or expiry date, according to a separate local media report.

($1 = 6.3763 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Sophie Yu and Brenda Goh; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
Supply chain is one of those terms we didnt realize wed be using with such frequency these days.

Whether its a true supply chain issue, or just a lack of products where and when we want them, were experiencing it more and more.

Lets be clear: in the grand scheme of what weve been through in the last few years, not being able to find our favorite brand of green chilies is not even in the top 100 of problems. But all those little issues seem to be nicking away at our collective sanity.

Welcome to the great Medicine Ball shortage of 2022.

If you havent been introduced to Starbucks Medicine Ball, let me make the connection.

Its technically called Honey Citrus Mint Tea. But the cool kids call it a Medicine Ball.

The drink uses two specific flavors of tea, steamed lemonade and some sort of proprietary honey blend. And all for a pretty decent price by Starbucks standards. Its so good it even converted this tried and true coffee addict  in afternoons only, mind you. Coffee is a requirement before 10 a.m. Ive been inhaling Medicine Balls for years  that is, until recently.

Thats because nearly every Starbucks location Ive tried is always out of something required to make them. Sometimes its the honey blend. Sometimes its one  or both teas.

And thats just the beginning.

In my non-scientific poll of things that are  or have been  nearly impossible to find thanks to supply chain issues, heres what Ive come up with:

It started with PPE, toilet paper and cars and now it includes chicken wings, turkey breasts, cat food, non-carbonated fruit punch, bagged salads and cereal.

So  why is it happening? Increased costs of transportation, a driver shortage, the whole debacle involving ports out west  and yes, actual material scarcity.

The next question  what do we do? Well, be patient. Thats not our strong suit, is it? Plus, plan for substitutions and hope for the best.

Oh, and start making those Medicine Balls at home.

Things you may have missed this week:

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- Ohio rejected these license plates for obvious, and sometimes some not-so-obvious reasons. See how many you can decipher.

- Several local arts organizations and attractions are seeing shutdowns again. But here are some you can still enjoy.

- The tiniest Queen Elizabeth you ever did see. Plus some pretty cute corgis.

- 2022 has a whole bunch of milestone anniversaries: from 100 years of Cincinnati chili, 50 years of Kings Island and next week: the 40th anniversary of the Freezer Bowl.

May your supply chain issues be minimal and your Medicine Ball be hot.

 Kathrine

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Coffee Break with Kathrine: Supply chain issues hit home
A Columbus police officer shot at a fleeing suspects car Wednesday night, the department said Thursday in a news release.

The release said officers were called at 9:57 p.m. to the dead end of Fall Drive to investigate suspicious activity that had been observed by residents nearby.

Officers found a parked vehicle facing south, near woods on the drive, with someone inside, police said, and the car came toward them as they approached the driver.

Verbal commands were given to the driver of the vehicle at which time the vehicle accelerated towards the officers placing their lives in jeopardy, police reported.

One officer fired at the driver as the automobile sped away, striking a parked car, they said. An officer had minor injuries afterward.

The departments Office of Professional Standards and its detective bureau is investigating. The officer who shot at the car is on administrative leave.

Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 706-653-3400.
I have a map imprinted into my mind that depicts Plan A, Alternate Toll Road/ North Turnpike Extension Corridor." The red line that traces the route is a snake whose tail begins in Wildwood and whose jaws wrap around Chiefland.

The snake writhes its way north from Wildwood through acres and acres of farmsteads, historic ranch lands, pine and hardwood forests, wetlands, crosses the Marjorie Carr Harris Cross Florida Greenways corridor and trails, the drainage basins of the Withlacoochee River and the Florida Aquatic Preserve known as the Rainbow River.

That is very bad news for our treasured Rainbow River and all of this spring fed rivers associated wildlife, birds and aquatic plants. Nothing will be unharmed by the toxic silt laden construction water runoff, noise, air, light and water pollution of a turnpike corridor as its projected path winds thru the Dunnellon region of southwest Marion County two miles northeast of the headsprings of the Rainbow River

Pruitt Trailhead are of Halpata Tastanaki Preserve

The proposed six- lane turnpike I refer to as the asphalt snake is also mapped to transect the Halpata Tastanaki Preserve located a few miles east of Dunnellon, on the south side of CR 484. This Southwest Florida Water Management District preserves southern long border is the mighty Withlacoochee River.

Halpata Tastanaki is a vast drainage basin, 6,000 acres of public- owned land harboring multiple unique ecosystems. This preserve represents the last holdout in Marion County that will hopefully never be a target to be disturbed by development and you the taxpayer, own it. Go visit what you own some day and view the real Florida: wonderland of native grasslands prairie, ponds, river side wetlands, and higher ground Sand Hill and Scrub Pine ecosystems. Wildlife galore reside here; turkeys, deer, fox and otters. Waterfowl such as ibis, egrets, herons and sand hill cranes depend on the clean water of the wetlands and ponds for their food. Halpati Tastanaki Preserve extends east to SR 200 from the Dunnellon City Limits sign posted on the Withlacoochee River. Halpati Tastanaki may be accessed by the Greenways Pruit Trail Head parking lot, just a few miles east of Dunnellons city limits.

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Florida scrub jay

The scrub jay lives only in Florida and is officially labeled an endangered species. Take notice, the Marion Countys flock of scrub jays resides directly in the path of the proposed turnpike according to the experts at Florida Audubon. The scrub jays of Halpata Tastanaki Preserve are certain to have their unique sand hill habitat gobbled up by the proposed Plan A Turnpike Corridor. The scrub jays cannot be relocated for they are attached to their home territory of sand hill ecosystem of scrub oaks and ancient sand dunes for life.

Perhaps the scrub jay is not important to you, but this rare bird is important to the hundreds of birdwatchers from all over the country who flock to Marion County to observe and photograph this rare fine- feathered friend of theirs. There exists this highly important contributing base of Marion Countys economy called ecotourism.

Ecotourism contributes millions of dollars to Marion Countys economy every year and offers hundreds of employment connections to our area residents. Our Marion County outdoor visitor experiences are not all connected to horses. RV campers, trail bikers, hikers, paddlers, tubers, fishing enthusiasts, bird watchers and wildlife photographers know the Dunnellon region of southwest Marion County has plenty to offer in year round unique outdoor experiences. Bring a turnpike into this region and scratch off a few of those activities. There is nothing like the roar of turnpike traffic to ruin the peace and quiet that both wildlife and people seek out.

Two conjoined state agencies, Floridas Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Transportation are well aware of the detrimental effects of construction of major roadways upon the Dunnellon regions environment. There were several stipulations of the M-CORE turnpike pathway proposals that explicitly addressed environmental issues such as the protection of our vulnerable fresh water springs and their associated drainage basins. (M-Cores news release of February 2020). Why are the managers of the current North Turnpike Extension Project ignoring those stipulations?

DEP established the Basin Management Action Plan in 2015. The Basin Management Action Plan states, Storm water runoff from roadway construction sites as well as from impervious surfaces (asphalt) are major pathways for toxic compounds to enter a regions aquifers and major basin systems (from Rainbow Springs Park Management Plan 2021-2022, F-DEP Report). So how can the path of Plan A even be considered by FDOT? Who turned this snake loose in the first place?

Here in Marion County there are several very active residential and commercial property developers licking their lips at the prospects of turning their investments in the rural acreage of the southwestern region of Marion into gold- filled jackpots. Commercial and residential real estate investors, brokers and bankers sit as board members on the Industrial Development Authority, a sidearm of the Marion County Commission.

Who is the registered agent for Marion County IDA? None other than Kevin Sheilley, the executive director of the Ocala Metro Chamber & Economic Partnership. Sheilley has stated that he is quite pleased that the Marion County commissioners voted three to two to not send a letter to FDOT calling for a no-build of the proposed Northern Route turnpike extension through southwest Marion County.

Sheilley knows well the intense desires of Marion County residents to preserve what is left of rural Marion and has stated that consensus repeatedly in public forums only to just recently make a 180-degree spin like a champion reining horse. Now Sheilleys position can be summarized as lets just make the dense development core boundary of Ocala metro stretch on out like a big rubber band to the southwest Dunnellon region for the good of the county and its residents.

Do the current priorities of our county commissioners reflect the interests of rural land preservation? Well, yes you would answer if you are a multi-millionaire or a billionaire the likes of John Malone, net worth $7 billion, owner of Bridlewood Farm, or Charlotte Weber, net worth $1.4 billion, owner of the 4,500 acre Live Oak horse and cattle ranch, or multi-millionaire Larry Roberts, the builder of the World Equestrian Center, Roberts Quarter Horses, Roberts Investments. The Roberts dynasty holdings presently total more than 5,500 acres in Marion prime real estate holdings.

A plethora of magnificent horse farm estates and Marions upscale equestrian communities lie within the Farmland Preservation Zone, the absolutely No-Build Toll Roads Region of Marion County established by our Marion County Commission members just a few years ago. This action was very necessary for preserving Marion Countys Horse Capital of the World image, conservation of rural farm area and associated economy.

But south of the border of the protected lands of the Farm Preservation Zone, the answer currently is a resounding no to the pressing question so the Marion County commissioners reflect the interests of rural land preservation?

South and southwest of the Farmland Preservation Area lie hundreds of acres in agricultural utilized land in the form of small farms and public owned, outdoor recreation acreage of undeveloped lands purchased years ago to protect our local watershed basins.

With the exception of District 2 Commissioner Kathy Bryant and Board Chair Carl Zalak, it appears that the other commissioners are willing to tread lightly around the snake in the grass. They advocate that simply standing by and letting FDOT do its thing will play out just fine.

Those three commissioners who will not stand behind a no-build resolution by Marion County do not understand that the slate has been erased and FDOT has a brand new game plan with a team of new managers in charge. The former M-CORES stipulations that encompassed springs protection and protection of state-owned environmental conservation areas are history. This new team of FDOT turnpike corridor planners has not been user-friendly to the public and has proven to be hesitant to address the colossal, wide spread public protest backing no-build of the North Florida Turnpike Extension project.

The rural residential properties beyond the southern border of the protected Farm Preservation Zone invariably range in size from 5 to 50 acres. This area of southwest Marion, west of SR 200, is where the toll road will plow through. According to the map of the Marion County Average Median Income Census Group Block the incomes of these families caught in the path of the snake I label Corridor A /Proposed Toll Road earn an average $38,000 to $47,500 per year.

These are the median income people of Marion County. Many are retired persons, living their dream out in the country. But most of this areas residents with Dunnellon addresses go to a job five or six days a week to provide medical services, work as store clerks, truck drivers, local law enforcement officers. These are the worthy property tax paying people that service our vehicles, are school system employees, county government employees and so on.

These working class people live in the subdivisions, neighborhoods and mobile home communities that are situated within and nearby the corridor of the proposed north turnpike extension, Plan A. To have the proposed turnpike project wreck havoc upon these communities of SW Marion Countys middle-income, property-tax-paying, rural residents would be a travesty of huge proportions at the personal level.

If we do not take a loud and clear stand now against the FDOT red-line route through southwest Marion County, the repercussions are going to devour our treasured rural way of life, and cause irreparable damage to our priceless natural terrestrial and aquatic resources of the region.

Say "no build" and say it loud to our Marion County Commissioners and state representatives and FDOT.

The Marion County commissioners could and should re-write the letter they crafted to FDOT on Dec. 21 to represent what is really in the minds and hearts of the majority of Marion County residents. That mind set, with out doubt is "no build." Stop the proposed roads of ruin.

Jan Cubbage is a member of the Dunnellon City Council.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Toll road in southwest Marion County? 'No build' is a no brainer
Maryland surpassed 800,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout 22 months of the coronavirus pandemic Friday, while the virus death toll in the state continued to mount, according to the health department.

The state reported 11,778 new infections Friday, along with 59 fatalities. Since the pandemic reached Maryland in March 2020, 11,868 people have died of COVID-19, health department data shows.

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Marylands daily metrics werent all bad  the average testing positivity decreased from Thursdays record high  but they continued to reflect the impacts of the highly contagious omicron variant.

A health official tests an individual at Howard Countys seventh mobile COVID-19 testing at the Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department, 5700 Rowanberry Drive. The site will offer tests 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Baltimore Sun Media)

Since it was identified around Thanksgiving, omicron has contributed to an influx of pediatric hospitalizations nationwide, and there were 60 pediatric patients with COVID-19 in hospitals Friday, 15 more than the day before, according to the health department.

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All told, the data shows 3,208 Maryland hospital beds were filled by coronavirus patients, 36 more than the day before.

Patients in Maryland hospitals for COVID-19

Any increase is cause for concern because several hospitals in the state have adopted crisis standards of care as patients  mostly with the coronavirus but also influenza  exceed capacities and staffs are hamstrung a pandemic-related exodus of medical professionals as well as those quarantining.

Of those hospitalized, 520 required intensive care, according to the health department. Thats seven more ICU patients than Thursday, though there were not more pediatric patients requiring intensive care.

The statewide surge of hospitalizations has heightened the urgency for residents to complete their COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots, as a large majority of coronavirus patients are unvaccinated, Maryland health officials have said. A full vaccine course and a booster shot provide the best protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death.

The state is approaching 71% of its population having completed Pfizer/BioNTechs or Modernas two-dose vaccines or received the single-shot inoculation made by Johnson & Johnson, according to the health department. Approximately 28% of the states population has received a booster shot.

Breaking News Alerts As it happens When big news breaks in our area, be the first to know. >

Vaccinations aside, Gov. Larry Hogan also acknowledged the need Thursday to meet an overwhelming demand for COVID-19 tests. The Republican said the state is launching 10 testing sites on hospital campuses across the state, which is expected to ameliorate some of the burden on overflowing emergency departments.

Those new sites, which are to operate seven days a week, will be up and running by the end of next week, Hogan said.

In the meantime, just shy of 59,000 test results were returned over the last 24 hours, according to the health department.

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Those results corresponded with a decrease of 1.68 percentage points in the states seven-day average testing positivity rate, health department data shows. The rate, which measures the rate of swabs returned positive over the last week was 28.3%, down from 29.98% the day before.

Despite the decline, the rate remains higher than it was during the first month of the pandemic in Maryland, when tests were extraordinarily scarce.

St. Marys, Charles and Prince Georges counties have the states highest daily testing positivity rates.

Montgomery County, Marylands most populous jurisdiction, has the highest case rate per capita, with an average of 260 cases per 100,000 residents over the last week. Baltimore City has the second highest, with 227.7 cases per 100,000 residents over the last seven days. Prince Georges County, the states second most populated, has the third with an average of 227.6 cases per 100,000 over the past week.
A health worker collects a swab sample from a child at a coronavirus testing center in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Oded Balilty / Associated Press)

In the days before a vaccine for chicken pox became widely available, some parents would host "chicken pox parties" amidst an outbreak to try to ensure that their kids wouldn't be left out of the wave of infections. The thinking was that chicken pox was a mild disease for kids but worse for adults, and catching it early would provide a lifetime of natural immunity.

Now the idea of "chicken pox parties" is back  but this time, it's for COVID-19. The Omicron variant seems less dangerous than earlier versions of the coronavirus and harder for kids to avoid now that they're back in school, so why not get it out of the way?

The Times posed this question to four COVID-19 experts, three of whom are also pediatricians who specialize in infectious diseases.

While they expressed sympathy for parents frazzled by the seemingly endless pandemic, they all said there's no real upside to exposing your child to the Omicron variant  and plenty of potential downsides.

The notion of deliberately trying to catch an infectious disease "is not 21st century thinking, it's not 20th century thinking, it's 19th century thinking," said Dr. James T. McDeavitt, dean of clinical affairs at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

There was some wisdom in the strategy of yore, and that helps explain why people might want to go that route again with the coronavirus (especially parents who remember attending chicken pox parties as children). But the parallels between then and now are weak, as are the possible rationales for seeking out the Omicron variant.

Is the Omicron variant mild?

McDeavitt said Omicron tends to be mild in children, "but sometimes it's not."

Dr. Dean A. Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Childrens Hospital, said that of the more than 7 million pediatric cases of COVID-19 in the United States since the start of the pandemic, more than 29,000 have resulted in hospitalizations and more than 1,000 were fatal. So while damaging complications aren't common, he said, "youre basically rolling the dice and hoping your child doesnt have one of these severe outcomes."

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Dr. Aaron M. Milstone, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Johns Hopkins Childrens Center, noted that infections are especially risky for children who haven't gotten their COVID-19 shots.

"We are seeing kids who are getting admitted to intensive care with acute COVID," Milstone said, "and its happening more frequently to unvaccinated kids than vaccinated kids."

One thing we don't yet know about Omicron, he added, is whether it will be associated with multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a condition that showed up in some children (and adults) four to six weeks after they had COVID-19. MIS-C is a potentially fatal disease that may cause lingering heart damage.

"We saw our first cases of Omicron after Thanksgiving," he said. "Were right at that place where we dont know whether were going to have a huge surge of MIS-C as a result of Omicron. We didnt see that with Delta; we dont know with Omicron."

Virologist Paula Cannon, an associate professor of microbiology at USC's Keck School of Medicine, said Omicron may turn out to be milder overall, but we don't know whether it will be milder for children. It's easy to imagine a variant that has different effects on patients in different age groups, she said.

And even if an infection doesn't have much effect on an individual child, Cannon said, the child may spread the coronavirus to parents, grandparents, friends and "the whole universe the child will interact with." And you can't know if the result will be as benign for everyone "in the ripple of people who could be infected as a consequence of your child being infected," she said.

As McDeavitt put it, chances are that if you catch the Omicron variant, your symptoms won't be severe, but "if you dont get it, you wont get sick at all."

Is infection inevitable?

Part of the appeal of a COVID-19 party is the idea of getting some relief from the relentless anxiety about staying one step ahead of the virus, Cannon said. It's a "let's just rip off the Band-Aid" approach, fed by the belief that the coronavirus is ultimately inescapable.

But McDeavitt argued that getting infected isn't inevitable, especially if people wear masks, maintain social distance and get vaccinated and boosted.

Although coronavirus vaccines aren't as effective against Omicron as they are against earlier variants, they are "cheap, effective and widely available," he said. There's no reason to deliberately take on the risk of an infection "when there are better alternatives."

Granted, there's no vaccine available yet for children under age 5. But Cannon said those kids will qualify soon enough. "There is definitely a reason to keep your child not infected until theyre eligible for vaccination," she said.

Milstone said Omicron may seem omnipresent in places where 30% to 40% of the COVID-19 tests are coming back positive. But that doesn't mean 30% to 40% of the general population is infected. And besides, this wave will fade, just as the previous ones have, and the risk of exposure will shrink.

"Not everyone gets flu every year," Milstone said. "Not everyone gets a cold every year."

Will natural immunity protect me longer than a vaccination?

Cannon said it's hard to tease out the immunity differences between people who've been infected but not vaccinated, people who've been vaccinated but not infected, and people who've been both infected and vaccinated.

Nevertheless, Blumberg said, if you look at all the research, the vast majority of studies show that people have higher, more consistent and longer-lasting immunity as a result of vaccination than from an infection. And even if your child catches COVID-19, he said, you'd still want them to be vaccinated to reduce the risk of reinfection.

"We know that people can get reinfected with COVID," Blumberg said.

Because Omicron is so infectious, Cannon said, the hope is that we'll end up with a population that is largely immune to the variant. But we don't know whether that immunity would be enough to stop another wave, or whether a new variant will come along that can get past the defenses built up in response to Omicron, she said.

One reason some parents don't want to vaccinate their children, Blumberg said, is their concern about rare yet potentially serious side effects such as myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart. But federal health officials found that the rate of myocarditis was 100 times higher for children who had COVID-19 than for children who were vaccinated, he said. And the risk of myocarditis combined with MIS-C was 1,000 times higher.

Can I isolate Omicron once my child has it?

This is perhaps the biggest problem with a COVID-19 party, experts said.

"Clearly, if kids get sick, theyre going to spread it to people around them," Milstone said. Even if the parents are vaccinated, if their kids bring the Omicron variant home, "it just flies through the house."

Added McDeavitt: "Its a bad idea in the absence of vaccines. I think its a stupid idea in the presence of vaccines. ... It will cause people to get sick unnecessarily, and some people will get very sick unnecessarily."

Parents have to think about the disruption and risk this would pose not only to their lives, but to the lives of everyone else their kids may come in contact with, Milstone said. "People have to decide whether theyre going to just think about their own well-being or think about their community well-being," he said.

That includes the effect all these extra cases will have on the local healthcare system. If hospitals become overwhelmed with COVID patients, Milstone said, they won't be able to care for other seriously ill and dying people.

"A lot of us in medicine and public health are kind of pleading with people to think about the community perspective," he said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Morning, neighbors! It's me again, Jeffrey Perkins, your host of the Houston Daily.

First, today's weather:

Sun mixing with clouds; cooler. High: 58. Low: 53.

Here are the top stories today in Houston:

A former Harris County Precinct 1 deputy pled guilty to conspiracy to possess and intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. He was accused of escorting a shipment of cocaine using his patrol vehicle. (Houston Patch) Summer Moon Coffee will open a new Richmond location. (Community Impact Newspaper) C.E. King High School went into a secure protocol Thursday morning after two bullets were found in a hallway. The source of the bullets was found, and authorities determined there was no weapon and no threat. (Houston Patch) Great Wolf Lodge is set to open a new location in Greater Houston. (KHOU.com) Houston pastor Conrad Valdez gets 14 years in prison for sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl. (KTRK-TV)

From our sponsor:

Today's Houston Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community  and to get access to this amazing technology  click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Houston!

Today in Houston:

Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center. (7 p.m.)

Houston Symphony - Pops Concert at Jones Hall. (8 p.m.)

Mavis Staples in Concert at Galveston's Grand Opera House. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

Visit Houston: "Have you checked out The Dirty South exhibit at Contemporary Arts Museum Houston? This installation explores Southern culture, visual art, and music. The free exhibit runs through Feb. 6!" (Facebook)

Houston Health Department: "With five mega sites and dozens of smaller sites across #Houston, getting tested for #Covid19 has never been easier. Find nearby free testing sites at houstonhealth.org or by calling 832-393-4220." (Facebook)

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More from our sponsors  thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

Toy Train Show & Swap Meet (January 8)

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Send me a news tip or suggestion at jeffrey.perkins@patch.com

You're all caught up for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with your next update.

 Jeffrey Perkins

About me: Born in San Antonio, I was raised in Arkansas but got back to Texas as soon as I could to attend Texas A&M University, where I earned a bachelor's degree in Telecommunication Media Studies. I started my journalism career as a copy editor at The Eagle in Bryan, Texas, in 2014 and later became the high school sports beat writer for the paper.My seven years at The Eagle strengthened my passion for journalism, and I love getting to know people and telling their stories, both on the field and off. I've seen firsthand the importance of hyper-local journalism in a community, especially in an eventful 2020, when I helped with news coverage and design in addition to my high school athletics beat responsibilities.I joined Patch in 2021 as Texas Field Editor for the Conroe-Montgomery County area.I welcome your questions, comments and story ideas! Please contact me at jeffrey.perkins@patch.com or (479) 264-5801.

This article originally appeared on the Houston Patch
New research from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland affirms what some other international studies have shown: the COVID-19 omicron variant is milder than the delta variant, resulting in significantly less severe illness.

The new study is the first completed in the U.S. on the omicron variant, according to Case. It is also the first to control for pre-existing medical conditions and demographics and also includes data from pediatric patients, the university said.

A COVID-19 particle is pictured in this image provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers analyzed data from those who contracted COVID between September and December 2021, including more than 14,000 people who were infected with the omicron variant at the end of December. This data was compared to those who were infected with the delta variant in the fall.

Findings show that first-time COVID-19 infections from the omicron variant are associated with significantly less severe outcomes in comparison to first-time infections from the delta variant.

The risk of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and emergency room visits is significantly lower in those infected with the omicron variant of the coronavirus, the study concluded.

The study, titled "Comparison of outcomes from COVID infection in pediatric and adult patients before and after the emergence of Omicron" has not yet been published in a medical journal or peer-reviewed. It can be seen at https://tinyurl.com/yy5nw65m.

Beacon Journal staff reporter Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ. To see her most recent stories and columns, go to www.tinyurl.com/bettylinfisher.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Case Western study affirms omicron COVID variant is milder than delta
The Minnesota Department of Health recorded 7,833 new cases of COVID-19, 33 deaths, 112 additional hospitalizations and 15 additional Minnesotans in the intensive care unit Friday, Commissioner Jan Malcolm said in a press conference.

Malcolm said although the department is still tracking and publishing case numbers, these case numbers are only part of the picture because many Minnesotans are using rapid over the counter and at-home tests in the omicron surge, and those results are not reported to public health authorities.

This means the case numbers in the state are likely much higher than MDH reports.

Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm speaks during a news conference on COVID-19 alongside state health officials, Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP)

More: More than 220 employees on leave of absence at CentraCare after refusing COVID-19 vaccine

"The [number of] cases that are coming through our public testing locations and our information systems and our human systems [every day] are so large  that at times we simply can't keep up with the volume in terms of some of those technical aspects of processing and documenting results," Malcolm said. "We're literally being flooded with these incoming lab reports and we are seeing very, very high numbers of cases."

Malcolm said Minnesotans need to know that the omicron variant "has most definitely reached Minnesota and is frankly, circulating like wildfire" throughout the state and the country. According to the latest data, she said omicron accounts for about 90% or more of all COVID cases in the state.

More COVID-19 cases means more hospitalizations, workplace disruptions

Although the omicron variant seems to cause less severe illness on average than previous strains, especially for vaccinated and boosted people, those who are unvaccinated, older or have underlying health conditions still have a significant risk of severe illness.

Malcolm said omicron's contagiousness also means there will be more cases of COVID-19 overall, "and we will see a lot more people needing treatment at the same time."

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More: Children ages 12-15 now eligible for COVID-19 booster shot at CentraCare

"It's not a good thing. What that means is that our already very strained hospitals, long-term care and health care systems are going to be having yet another significant challenge over the next few weeks while omicron cases surge," she said. "And having a lot of people sick at the same time is also likely to create disruptions in other services.  We really want the public and the customers of these businesses to recognize the strain that these workforce challenges are going to pose."

Rather than sit as "helpless victims of this omicron tsunami," Malcolm said Minnesotans can and should be taking action to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect the capacity of hospitals, businesses, schools, their neighbors and families.

Minnesotans can do this by getting vaccinated and boosted, wearing high quality masks, staying home when you're sick (even if you think it's a cold), washing hands frequently and taking serious steps to mitigate the risk of transmission.

Worried about the omicron variant? Here's where you can get a COVID-19 test in Minnesota

Because the omicron variant is still relatively new in Minnesota since it was recorded in the state last month, "frankly, we don't know exactly how all this will play out in Minnesota in the next few weeks," Malcolm said.

"We are watching with concern and alarm what is happening around the United States. And certainly we'll keep track of any any patterns that might help us predict what what the likely shape of the curve might be here," she said.

Malcolm said the state is expanding testing sites and will be distributing 1.8 million rapid COVID-19 tests around Minnesota, including to community partners, food banks and health agencies.

More: Worried about the omicron variant? Here's where you can get a COVID-19 test in Minnesota

Follow CDC guidance, don't go to ER for a COVID-19 test

After Christmas, the Centers for Disease Control cut the isolation time for Americans who test positive from 10 days to five. CDC officials say the new guidance is keeping with the growing evidence that people with COVID-19 are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.

At the press conference Friday, MDH Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann said the department supports the updated CDC guidelines and encourages Minnesotans to follow them. The state will be providing more materials and updating information on its website soon.

"These updated recommendations reflect the societal impact that is the potential critical infrastructure and staffing shortages that we expect to see in the coming days, as well as some growing science on disease severity for when and how long a person is maximally infectious," Ehresmann said. "What's really important is that this new isolation and quarantine guidance emphasizes the continued need to wear masks to prevent COVID-19 transmission."

RN Kristi Bryant administers the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during a CentraCare mobile strike team clinic Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, at the Salvation Army center in St. Cloud.

More: See how the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in Minnesota in 2021

On Friday, the Minnesota Hospital Association released a statement urging Minnesotans to seek COVID-19 testing at sites other than hospital emergency departments after a high volume of patients drove up wait times for medical emergencies at several hospitals around the state.

"We have run out of words to describe what we are undergoing  a crisis does not even come close; hospitals are literally full," the statement said. "To continue to serve the high volume of patients that need care for strokes, heart attacks, emergency surgeries, motor vehicle accidents and COVID-19, we need your help now."

In the media call, Malcolm addressed the statement and said hospitals are very full right now, not just with COVID-19 patients but with patients with other critical care needs unrelated to COVID-19.

"We've talked a lot about the fact that the staff, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, everybody have been running flat out for two years now. And they're exhausted. And some that have moved on, moved to different specialties, left altogether or gone to part-time just as a way to continue to take care of their own selves," she said. "So we have less staffing than we had during the biggest peak. So it's not an issue of how many beds we have, it's an issue of how many skilled staff we have to care for people."

Becca Most is a cities reporter with the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at 320-241-8213 or bmost@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter at @becca_most.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to sctimes.com today.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: COVID-19 omicron spread causing full hospitals, workforce issues in MN
In front of the Ohio Statehouse, Rev. Susan Smith of Crazy Faith Ministries makes a point at a Thursday night vigil marking the one-year anniversary of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Standing in the blustery cold, they held aloft flameless candles and sang "this little light of mine" in unison  in one verse even replacing the word "light" with "vote."

The crowd of about 50 people gathered Thursday night outside the Ohio Statehouse to advocate for voting rights and extol the virtues of democracy on the one-year anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in which both were threatened.

A year earlier and more than 300 miles away, a mob of outgoing President Donald Trump's supporters who believed false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election had invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 in an attempt to stop lawmakers from certifying the results of the election that Democrat Joe Biden won. The deadly attack and its devastating aftermath sent a ripple effect across a polarized nation that can still be felt today.

For subscribers: 'A stain on our nation's history.' One year later, January 6 attack reverberates in Ohio politics and 2022 elections

Yet those who gathered Thursday night on the anniversary of the attack did so with the intention of ensuring that voting rights are upheld and that the gravity of the assault is not dismissed by Republican lawmakers who are allies of Trump.

I think that the vision for American democracy is that everyones voices are heard and that the integrity of our elections is valued," Pastor Hank Osmundson, executive director of the Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio, said before the vigil began.

"Not undermined by rhetoric and fear.

Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio hosted and planned the vigil along with Our Revolution Ohio, an advocacy group named for the presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders. Organizers said the vigil was one of seven in Ohio and more than 300 planned across the nation dubbed "Day of Remembrance and Action."

Under the pall of the first significant snow of the winter season, the crowd gathered to hear from a slate of Greater Columbus speakers who encouraged guests to reach out to lawmakers and urge them to pass voting rights legislation and to fight against the spread of misinformation.

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From USA Today: This is insane. Lawmakers relive Jan. 6 horror alongside fresh trauma of effort to rewrite history

"We're all cold and yet we're here because we believe in the power and promise of democracy," Catherine Turcer, executive director of good government nonprofit Common Cause Ohio, told the crowd.

Speakers advocated for the passage of several pieces of legislation, including the Freedom to Vote Act, which aims to protect voting rights in states by instituting certain federally-mandated election rules, and the Protect Our Democracy Act, which addresses presidential abuses of power and reinforces checks and balances.

They also urged passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would replace part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in 2013 and would aim to restore Justice Department review of changes in election law in states with a history of discrimination.

"We have people out there who want to change our government through violent means, and then you have people like us who want to change it through peace," said Gary Cox, who heads Our Revolution in Central Ohio.

Theodore Decker: Backgrounds of Ohio suspects in riot at U.S. Capitol worth scrutiny

In Washington, D.C., President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke Thursday morning as part of a slate of events to mark the anniversary of the attack. Those events, which were noticeably not attended by many Republicans, included a candlelight prayer vigil Thursday night outside the Capitol.

As federal authorities investigate criminal acts committed during the 2021 attack, 38 Ohioans have so far been charged criminally for their actions in the insurrection, including several Greater Columbus residents. The charges against them range from disorderly conduct, to assaulting an officer, to entering a restricted building without permission.

Capitol attack arrests: Here are the 38 Ohioans charged so far in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday pledged to pursue the perpetrators of the Jan. 6 assault at "any level."

Capitol attack arrests: 'We're done with that lifestyle': Ohio woman charged in Capitol riot to cancel Oath Keepers membership

Columbus speakers implored those gathered Thursday not to forget the horror that unfolded that day a year ago, nor the lasting trauma it inflicted upon the nation.

The attack, which played out on national television, resulted in rampant destruction and sent lawmakers fleeing for cover, concerned for their lives. Several people died that day, including a U.S. Capitol police officer. Four Capitol Police officers died by suicide in the months after the assault.

"This is a solemn occasion," said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters Ohio. "It's a moment in time where we mourn what we saw a year ago."

Eric Lagatta is a reporter at the Columbus Dispatch covering public safety, breaking news and social justice issues. Reach him at elagatta@dispatch.com. Follow him on Twitter @EricLagatta

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Vigil at Ohio Statehouse marks anniversary of Jan. 6 Capitol attack
Presenters of the report on the election audit, from left, Ben Cotton, the founder of CyFIR, Doug Logan, the CEO of Cyber Ninjas and Randy Pullen, the audit spokesman, look on before the start of the presentation to the Arizona lawmakers in the Senate chambers of the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix on Sept. 24, 2021.

The CEO of the Florida cybersecurity company that conducted a highly contested election review in Arizona confirmed Friday that his company has closed and laid off its employees.

News of the closure had reached Arizona on Thursday shortly before a judge issued an order finding the company in contempt of court and imposing a fine of $50,000 a day for its failure to produce records requested by The Arizona Republic.

Company founder Doug Logan on Friday confirmed the shutdown to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, but said it wasn't because of the fines, pointing instead to cash flow issues.

He notified the remaining four employees  down from eight when the audit started last year in Maricopa County  of the decision to close the business the first week of December.

Arizona election review: Maricopa County says Cyber Ninjas election audit report was misleading, inaccurate and false

"Yes, we closed our doors and laid off our employees," he said. "No. It did not have anything to do with what happened yesterday."

The employees were laid off Jan. 1 and will have health insurance through the month, he said.

Part of Cyber Ninjas' cash flow problems, Logan said, stemmed from the Arizona Senate not adhering to the contract signed when it hired the company to conduct the audit. Logan said the company was never fully paid for the audit, nor did the Senate indemnify the company as was required by the company's contract.

Logan, who has said he moved the company from Bloomington, Indiana, to Sarasota in 2014, said the audit produced a $2.1 million loss on Cyber Ninjas' books and that the company still owes $1.9 million to subcontractors.

Logan declined to say whether Cyber Ninjas would file for bankruptcy. He also noted his company does not have the capability to pay such a large fine nor to comply with a public records request he said would require hundreds of hours to produce.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah ordered the company to pay $50,000 per day until it turns over public records from an elections audit to The Republic.

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How we got here: An Arizona election audit timeline

The Senate has "failed and refused to pay" the $100,000 balance on the contract it signed with Cyber Ninjas, the company's attorney Jack Wilenchik wrote in a December letter to the Senate's attorney.

Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, said at the time Cyber Ninjas would be paid in full when the audit was completed.

Although Logan delivered a report Sept. 24 to the Senate, Fann said still pending is an examination of the county's routers and internet-activity logs, to answer senators' questions about whether the vote-tabulation machines were connected to the internet.

Until that review, which has yet to happen, is concluded, Fann said the Senate won't cut any checks.

"I need to make sure they've paid their contractors," she said of Cyber Ninjas. One of those contractors, Ben Cotton of the digital forensic firm CyFir, will analyze the router review and provide a report to the company, she said.

Records show the Senate paid the initial $50,000 in mid-April when the ballot review started.

In addition, the Senate has made it clear it won't pick up the tab for any costs outside of the $150,000 contract it signed last spring to conduct a review of the Maricopa County election results, Wilenchik wrote.

Cyber Ninjas has incurred attorney fees and document-production costs stemming from public-records lawsuits filed by The Republic and the nonprofit organization American Oversight.

American Oversight, which was formed to investigate fraud in the Trump administration, is seeking documents related to the firm's work on the Senate audit and, like The Republic, has prevailed in the courts.

Includes information from Arizona Republic reporters Mary Jo Pitzl and Ryan Randazzo.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Cyber Ninjas, firm that led Arizona ballot review, is closed
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Three suspected pirates who were detained on a Danish military vessel after a fatal gunfight with the Danish navy off West Africa have been released after the government decided it did not want to bring them to Denmark to face preliminary charges of attempted murder.

We have no interest in getting the persons in question to Denmark," Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup said Thursday, adding there was a "risk that they would not subsequently be deported.

A fourth suspected pirate who was injured during a gunbattle with the Danish army, is already in Denmark receiving medical care and will continue to face charges, he said.

Foreign citizens found guilty of crimes in Denmark are often deported after having served their time. But some fight to stay, while others cannot be extradited because Denmark may not have extradition agreements with their countries. The nationalities of the suspected pirates are not known.

Haekkerup said he had quite exceptionally ordered the prosecution to notify three of the four suspected pirates that charges against them would be dropped. He said it was a very unusual case, adding they simply do not belong here. And thats why I think its the right thing to do.

Danish media said the men were put on a dinghy in international waters with enough fuel, water and food to reach land.

The fourth suspected pirate was flown to Denmark on Jan. 6 where he will face a custody hearing and further prosecution against him continues.

He was first admitted to a hospital in Ghana during a port call in December. However, as it was not possible to leave him there or in the area, and because it was not justifiable to release him at sea for health and safety reasons, the government said it has been necessary to bring the person to Denmark.

The Nov. 24. incident involved the Danish frigate HDMS Esbern Snare, which was on an anti-piracy operation off West Africa.

It engaged in an exchange of fire with a vessel that was reported to have been approaching several commercial ships in the Gulf of Guinea off oil-rich Nigeria. It had first dispatched a Seahawk helicopter which reported seeing men on the vessel with equipment connected to piracy, including ladders.

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Following the gun battle, the vessel sank. Four of the suspected pirates were killed and one is missing, presumed drowned. The other four were taken aboard the Danish ship.

Later, because the ship is considered Danish territory, a Copenhagen court ordered the four held in custody while authorities investigate the case. In Denmark, preliminary charges are one step short of formal charges.

The Gulf of Guinea is one of the worlds most dangerous waterways with regular kidnappings. In 2019, the region accounted for more than 90% of global crew member abductions.
ST. CLOUD  Dangerously cold wind chills are causing Central Minnesota schools to delay the start of their school days, close or move classes online. According to the National Weather Service, wind chills as low as 45 below zero could happen across Central Minnesota Friday.

St. Cloud schools move online

St. Cloud Area School District 742 has designated Friday a flexible learning day. All students will be learning at home per the flexible learning plan.

All Community Education, Adult Basic Education, Early Childhood Education classes and Kids Connection are canceled for tomorrow.

Some Catholic Community Schools closed

Cathedral Middle and High Schools will have a flex day, but the school buildings will be closed, according to Catholic Community Schools.

As of Friday morning, information about after-school activities had yet to be announced.

All Saints Academy, St. Katharine Drexel School and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School, all in St. Cloud, are closed; St. Wendelin School in St. Augusta/St. Cloud is closed; St. Mary Help of Christians School in St. Augusta is closed; St. Francis Xavier School in Sartell is closed; and St. Joseph Catholic School in St. Joseph is closed.

These closures include morning care, after-school care and after-school activities.

Sartell schools closed Friday

Sartell-St. Stephen Schools will be closed Friday. No meals will be provided. Before and after school activities and Community Education classes are cancelled.

Registered ISD 748 KIDSTART/KIDSTOP students can attend at Oak Ridge Early Learning Center, which will be the only open site in the district.

Previously: Wind chill advisory in effect until Sunday mid-morning

Sauk Rapids schools closed Friday

Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools will be closed Friday. There will be no before or after school programing. All activities are cancelled, including practices and games. District buildings are closed and Community Education classes are canceled.

Childcare is available for previously registered K-8 students. Registered KIDSTOP students from Sauk Rapids can attend the Mississippi Heights Elementary Kidstop location from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Pleasantview site will not be open.

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Registered Rice Kids Club students can attend Rice Kids Club from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Registered Storm After School students can attend Eastside Boys and Girls Club from noon to 6 p.m.

SCSU delays campus opening to 10 a.m.

St. Cloud State University will have a delayed opening of 10 a.m. Normal campus operations will resume at 10 a.m. The Plymouth campus is closed/remote on Fridays.

The university said "supervisors should be flexible as they work with employees to ensure that offices are open and services are available for students who are returning to campus today."

All buildings will be unlocked at 9 a.m. and offices will commence operations at 10 a.m. Atwood Memorial Center offices and the Information Desk will open at 10 a.m. with limited dining/retail options.

Anna Haecherl is the content coach for the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at ahaecherl@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter @AnnaHaecherl.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to sctimes.com today.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Minnesota schools delay, close for Friday, Jan. 7 due to wind chills
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -A suspected Nigerian pirate captured by the Danish navy in the Gulf of Guinea in November and brought to Denmark for prosecution appeared in court in Copenhagen on Friday charged with the attempted manslaughter of Danish soldiers.

Three other suspected Nigerian pirates picked up by a Danish frigate at the same time and who faced the same charges were freed on Thursday after Denmark failed to find a country in the region to take them, the Danish Armed Forces said.

The three, who had been detained aboard the frigate Esbern Snare in the Gulf of Guinea, were put to sea in a small dinghy with enough food and fuel for them to reach safely to shore, after the charges against them were withdrawn.

"They have no relation to Denmark, and the crime they have been charged with was committed far from Denmark. They simply do not belong here, and that's why I think it's the right thing to do," Danish Justice Minister Nick Haekkerup said in a statement.

The frigate, which deployed off West Africa in October, intervened in an alleged attack on a commercial vessel the following month, killing four pirates and taking another four suspects on board the frigate. Denmark has since failed to find a country in the region to agree to take the four.

The fourth suspect, who was taken to a hospital in Ghana with injuries and later had one leg amputated, was brought to Denmark for prosecution because he could not safely be released at sea due to his medical condition.

The suspect pleaded not guilty to attempted manslaughter of Danish soldiers. His lawyer Birgitte Skjodt told broadcaster TV2 that she asked for the charges against her client to be withdrawn, as was done for the other three suspects.

Prosecutor Karen Moestrup Jensen for Denmark's Special Crime Unit said the investigation into the incident would continue.

Denmark deployed the frigate to the Gulf of Guinea to protect shipping amid heightened security risks from pirates. The waters have been a piracy hot spot for years, but incidents have decreased since national authorities stepped up security efforts aided by foreign naval ships.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Stine Jacobsen; Editing by Angus MacSwan, William Maclean)
Jan. 6There were so many distressing aspects to the New London City Council's approval this week, without discussion, of a no-bid contract to buy cameras for blanket video surveillance of much of the city with secretly located cameras, that it is hard to know where to begin to express my alarm.

I guess I might start with the actual vote, which, incredibly, occurred without a single public comment from a single city councilor. The public was certainly never invited to come and comment before the shocking proposal was sealed with a vote.

This is the new look of single-party rule in New London, where all decision-making occurs behind closed doors and the public gets to see only the recording of the final outcome.

The previous most recent example of this most undemocratic process was the last one-party-ruled council granting exclusive development rights to the city waterfront, after a closed-door session, without competitive bidding or any notice at all that the rights were even up for grabs.

Even uglier, the exclusive waterfront rights were granted to someone without relevant experience who had been referred to Mayor Michael Passero by a city developer facing myriad corruption charges, including bribery.

Besides the lack of discussion, the most disturbing part of the new surveillance plan is that it allows for dozens of cameras all over the city, with all kinds of modern tilt and zoom and taping capability, to watch and record comings and goings from almost any residence or business that police choose to secretly spy on.

It's an easy shortcut around the protection of civil liberties.

Why go for a wiretapping warrant on a suspected drug dealer when you can just secretly record video of all the comings and goings into that person's home or business, even zoom in to see what the visitors are wearing and carrying.

The American Civil Liberties Union warns of new camera technology that would allow police to look under clothes, into packages and follow in the dark.

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Why stop with criminal investigations?

Some out-of-wedlock assignations of one city official are known in some quarters of the city. What if police decided to record them, creating an embarrassing close-up video record of the comings and goings?

If you are a prominent person and you take your mistress to a Bank Street bar, police may be able to produce a recording of it.

Is New London going to become the fictional, camera-filled Oceania of George Orwell's "1984," a prophetic book that warned against an inevitable creep, with new technology, toward authoritarianism.

Surely becoming the city of surveillance is not going to help New London attract people to come and work and invest, or even stop for dinner, if they know they are being secretly watched and recorded.

The deal the City Council approved proposed 34 cameras in possible locations spelled out in the contract. Many of them are in residential neighborhoods, like the corner of Ann and Shaw streets, and the vast majority in places where low-income city residents live.

But police Chief Brian Wright, in a memo shared with city councilors before the vote, said he believes the final location of the cameras should remain secret, for security purposes.

Not only is that almost certainly illegal, in violation of public disclosure laws, but it is ethically shameful.

The mayor, when I asked him, signed off on the idea of secret camera locations, what I would call a horrible affront to freedom and civil liberty.

"I would defer to the police professionals and subject matter experts for the technology on a decision like that, as long as the cameras are only covering public spaces," the mayor wrote back.

Wow. The city has a mayor who wants to defer to police and technocrats on an issue of civil rights.

Count me in as the first person who will file a complaint with the state Freedom of Information Commission about keeping the location of government cameras spying on the public secret.

I hope lawmakers are paying attention, too, to this egregious affront to transparency.

One of the few other Connecticut cities that has embraced the new technology of camera surveillance is New Haven. But officials there did it on a much smaller scale, by divided vote, and after a wide-ranging public discussion.

Opponents there made the important point in the debate that there is absolutely no evidence that camera surveillance reduces crime.

And I don't believe any public officials in New Haven made the audacious suggestion that the spying be done secretly.

This week's vote in New London, without public comment or even discussion by decision-makers, to secretly watch and record residents, businesspeople and visitors, will go down as a low point in the city's history.

I suspect it will have a chilling effect on the city's future prospects, as people decide to stay out of camera range and live, work and invest elsewhere.

This is the opinion of David Collins.

d.collins@theday.com
The Carroll County Sheriffs Office has charged Steven David Gary, 55 with multiple criminal offenses and traffic violations related to the theft of an ambulance from Carroll Hospital on Thursday afternoon.

Police and emergency personnel work at the scene of a crash Thursday involving a stolen Baltimore County ambulance, a Carroll County Sheriff's Office cruiser and a Maryland State Police vehicle in front of the Gamber fire company at the intersection of Niner Road and Route 32 in Finksburg. (Dylan Slagle)

Criminal charges against Gary include theft over $100,000, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of second degree assault on a law enforcement officer, two counts of malicious destruction of property and two counts of intoxicated endangerment.

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Gary, who had no fixed address in electronic court records, was also charged with traffic violations including driving a vehicle while impaired by alcohol, attempting to elude police and reckless and negligent driving.

Police said Gary was not the original patient being transported in the Baltimore County ambulance before it was stolen from the emergency department at Carroll Hospital on Thursday afternoon.

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Officers from the Maryland State Police and Carroll County Sheriffs Office searched Thursday for the ambulance after it was reported stolen at 12:14 p.m., ultimately finding it on Route 32 in the area of Knox Court in Finksburg. The ambulance continued south on Route 32, eventually striking a Maryland State Police vehicle and a Carroll County Sheriffs Office vehicle, according to police.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

The ambulance was eventually stopped near the Gamber & Community Fire Company at about 12:30 p.m., Thursday, according to Jon Light, public information officer for the sheriffs office.

No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, Light said.

The ambulance ended up striking a Maryland State Police vehicle and then also struck a Carroll Sheriffs Office vehicle which was pushed into a third parked car, Light said.

Clay Myers, a spokesman for Gamber & Community Fire Company, called the crash a crazy situation.

The police were chasing it and they disabled it in front of our firehouse, Myers said.

Gary was taken to Carroll Hospital to be evaluated before being taken to Carroll County Central Booking.

This story may be updated as new information becomes available.
Rebekah Jones. Twitter/Rebekah Jones

Democratic congressional candidate Rebekah Jones wants to unseat Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.

The worst part about it? It requires keeping up with Gaetz, she said.

Insider spoke with Jones ahead of Gaetz's news conference with Georgia's Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

For Democratic congressional candidate Rebekah Jones, campaigning against Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida requires following his every move. That includes his federal sex-trafficking investigation, MAGA press conferences and "every horrible, weird and creepy thing that he does."

"The major drawback is that running against Matt Gaetz means keeping up with Matt Gaetz," Jones said.

Insider spoke with Jones ahead of a news conference that Gaetz and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia held and billed as a "Republican response on the anniversary of the January 6th protests." Jones said she checked and the press conference wasn't promoted by the Republican Party.

The former Florida state data scientist, who said she was fired in 2020 for refusing to manipulate COVID-19 data, hopes to unseat Gaetz in one of the most Republican districts in Florida after receiving national attention as a whistleblower.

Video: Insurrection at the Capitol - where are they now?

Her home was raided in December 2020 and she was later charged with using an official messaging system telling other state Department of Health employees to speak out. She denies sending the message, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' office denies her allegations.

Gaetz, during a Thursday appearance on Trump ally Steve Bannon's podcast, said he was "proud" of the work Republicans did on January 6, 2021, the day of the deadly US Capitol insurrection, "to make legitimate arguments about election integrity."

He and Greene said at their news conference that they wished former President Donald Trump hadn't canceled his press conference that had been planned for the one-year anniversary of the insurrection.

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Jones posted her response to the press conference on Instagram, saying that Capitol police, elected representatives and former Vice President Mike Pence were "the real heroes" of that day.

"They are the ones who stood in the way of the fall of our democracy," she said. "They deserve a voice today. They are the only voice that I am interested in hearing."

Reps. Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene speak outside the US Capitol on January 6, 2022. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Jones, who launched her campaign in June to unseat Gaetz, told Insider that he got on her radar "as a deplorable" when he was "prancing around Congress" wearing a gas mask as a stunt at the beginning of the pandemic, "making a mockery of the dead people in his district."

"He was out there pushing misinformation while I was spending days at a time away from my kids to combat the very misinformation he was spreading," she said.

She cited his vote to not certify the 2020 presidential election as another problem, though she said it was funny when Trump couldn't remember his name at a rally in Florida in 2020.

She said Gaetz is "not worthy of holding any office" now that he's under federal investigation for alleged child sex-trafficking. He has denied wrongdoing.

"Sex trafficking?" she said. "Anyone who hurts children deserves to be in jail, not Congress."







Read the original article on Business Insider
Republicans now outnumber registered Democrats in Florida.

A recent Associated Press article, which explained that registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats in Florida, reveals Democrats utter paucity of ideas and foreshadows even greater diminishment of the party in coming elections.

Democratic leaders claimed they need only to create the coalition of voters needed to win and they just need more coordination with the national party. Additionally, voters were assured that Florida is a competitive battleground in 2022 and Democrats have what it takes to take on" Gov. Ron DeSantis next fall. Rarely is such pablum seen in print.

Floridas Democratic Party is not competitive because they lack ideas. No Democrat in the article proposed anything that would improve Floridians material condition. Our lives are increasingly immiserated by the crush of student debt, poor wages, climate anxiety and a lingering sense of doom that never really vanished after the 2008 financial crash. Frankly, this malaise stretches back even further, linked to the general collapse of faith in American institutions.

Barack Obama was elected by promising hope, a promise never really delivered outside Wall Street. Unsurprisingly, mired in hopelessness, many people turned to Donald Trump, rejecting more-of-the-same with Hillary Clinton. Floridians similarly elected Ron DeSantis in 2018. In both cases, their politics and popularity are rooted in their ability to direct peoples frustration and anger towards some imagined enemy: immigrants, critical race theory, mask and vaccine mandates, whatever.

The depressing reality is that people have become so atomized that many of us are recruited into group projects because they offer a scapegoat for our existential suffering. Too many of us live on the razors edge of precarity and, in the absence of solutions, the constant drumbeat of enemies at the gate becomes a rallying cry and Lets Go Brandon a cultural touchstone. Unfortunately, due to a woefully inadequate two-party system, and in the absence of any class consciousness or cultural cohesion, the only counter to this dystopian reality is an inept and visionless Democratic Party.

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If the Democratic Party of Florida wants to be competitive again, voting against the most harmful GOP policies is not enough. They need to earn votes and voter trust. To look beyond the urban centers and university towns for votes. They need to talk to people throughout this state and offer real, meaningful solutions to the problems Floridians face.

For starters, they must stop letting the GOP frame every debate and news cycle. When DeSantis teased reinstating the Florida Guard, mealy-mouthed Democrats rushed to condemn this in the least charitable terms. Maybe the Florida Guard is cause for concern, but outside of elite circles and the news-obsessed, no one cares. This is an easy win for DeSantis: His base loves him for making pearl-clutching liberals tut-tut and finger-wag while losing another news cycle. If Democrats want voters, they need to fire people up and cease with the boring moral scolding.

Instead, Democrats must fully embrace the great moral failings in this state and fight to improve peoples lives. They must get angry at the injustices we see and experience in our communities every day. Scrap the virtue signals, dull focus-group language and workshopped talking points and actually give a damn for once.

Start with outspoken solidarity with United Faculty of Florida and the fight for free speech. Demand an apology from the University of Florida administration. Turn free speech into a material policy issue and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the union.

If Democrats want Floridians votes, they must reveal bold ideas worthy of our support. They should focus less on corporate donors and look to galvanize the public. Given the right cause, we will fight, volunteer and donate en masse, if meaningful change seems possible.

There are morally imperative issues that can drive Floridians to the polls, here are but a few. Commit to ending Florida Man stereotypes by expanding access for mental health services, implementation of housing first policies and applying an innocent until proven guilty policy for mugshots. Create annually elected citizen review boards to provide democratic oversight of police budgets, policies and personnel. Commit to ending policies that effectively criminalize poverty. Fight to achieve equitable funding for our public schools.

If Democrats want to compete in Florida elections, propose plans to improve peoples material reality. If Democrats offer more than just slowing the immiseration, they would earn back at least one ally, though I suspect I am not alone.

Brian Bredehoeft lives in High Springs.

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This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Brian Bredehoeft Floridas Democratic Party must propose bold ideas
Denzel Washington, Halle Berry and Leonardo DiCaprio are just some of the stars who have regretted turning down roles (Getty Images)

Brad Pitt as Neo? Josh Hartnett as Batman? Halle Berry as the lady that drives the bus in Speed? Believe it or not, all of the above would have happened if those actors had said yes. Dive into the history of Hollywood and most incredibly famous characters were nearly played by someone else. Those early and ultimately aborted casting decisions just dont tend to get talked about.

Sometimes, though, actors are very open about the high-profile parts they turned down, and the pangs of regret left behind once those films are actually made.

Imagine a world in which Leonardo DiCaprio was the star of a beloved drama about the porn industry and not Titanic, or Reese Witherspoon didnt play Legally Blondes Elle Woods. Shudder. Here are 13 actors who turned their nose up at iconic movies, only to feel very silly about it later on.

Denzel Washington in Se7en

Asked in 2012 if there were roles he turned down that he should have taken, Washington answered quickly: Se7en and Michael Clayton. The Oscar winner said that Tony Gilroys corporate thriller Michael Clayton was the best material I had read in a long time  I was nervous about a first-time director, and I was wrong. George Clooney ended up playing the role instead.

While Washington didnt offer an explanation as to why he turned down Se7en (it is unclear if he would have played the veteran detective or the cocky rookie, embodied in the end by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, respectively), it may have been for a similar reason: director David Fincher had only directed one film before Se7en, and that was the disastrous Alien 3.

Oddly, Washington ended up starring in a number of Se7en-esque serial killer thrillers made in the aftermath, including 1999s The Bone Collector and 2021s The Little Things.

Leonardo DiCaprio in Boogie Nights

Leonardo DiCaprio as prolific porn star Dirk Diggler? It could have happened. In 2008, DiCaprio confirmed that he turned down the starring role in Paul Thomas Andersons Boogie Nights  which ultimately made Mark Wahlberg a star  in order to do Titanic instead. He had a meeting with Anderson about the role, but got spooked by the filmmakers relative lack of experience at the time. Boogie Nights was Andersons second film after 1996s little-seen Hard Eight.

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Boogie Nights is a movie I loved and I wish I wouldve done, DiCaprio told GQ. Asked whether hed reject Titanic instead if he could go back in time, DiCaprio was stumped. Im not saying I would have. But it would have been a different direction, career wise. I think theyre both great and wish I could have done them both  The truth is, if Id not done Titanic, I wouldnt be able to do the types of movies or have the career I have now, for sure. But it would have been interesting to see if I had gone the other way.

Madonna in The Matrix

Madonna has never been one for regrets, instead admirably sticking by creative decisions even if they get her jeered at, laughed at or criticised. But she did fess up to one movie role she shouldnt have been so quick to dismiss. I turned down the role in The Matrix, she told Jimmy Fallon during a TV appearance this year. Can you believe that? I wanna kill myself. Thats, like, one of the best movies ever made. A teeny-tiny part of me regrets just that one moment in my life.

Madonna didnt confirm which role she turned down in the 1999 film, but presumably it was the female lead Trinity, who was ultimately played by Carrie-Anne Moss. During the same interview, Madonna also confirmed rumours that she turned down the role of Catwoman in Batman Returns, and Nomi Malone in the notorious Showgirls. I saw them both, and I regret that I turned down Catwoman, that was pretty fierce. Showgirls? No.

Brad Pitt in The Matrix

Speaking of The Matrix, Brad Pitt has also expressed regret about turning down the role of Neo. I took the red pill, he joked in 2020, referencing the choice in the film between having total clarity or remaining in blissful ignorance. I come from a place, maybe its my upbringing, [where] if I didnt get it, then it wasnt mine. I really believe [the role] was never mine. It was someone elses.

Keanu Reeves ended up playing Neo, of course, while Pitt suggested during the same interview that The Matrix is just one of the massive movies he said no to. If we were doing a show on the great movies Ive passed on, we would need two nights, he joked.

Will Smith and Brad Pitt both waved goodbye to the role of Neo in The Matrix' (Philippe Desmazes/Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Will Smith in The Matrix

And just to drive home the fact that very few actors seemed to any faith in The Matrix, Will Smith also turned down the starring role. In 2019, Smith confirmed a long-standing rumour that he rejected the Neo part in favour of a far less adored movie.

On his YouTube channel, Smith recalled meeting directors Lana and Lily Wachowski but struggling to understand their ideas for bullet-time, or the slow-motion effect that Neo masters in the movie.

So I made Wild Wild West [instead], Smith confessed, referencing the notorious 1999 flop that he has spent more than 20 years regretting. Im not proud of it.

He did, however, argue that he wouldnt have been as good in the role as Reeves. Keanu was perfect, Laurence Fishburne was perfect, so I probably would have messed The Matrix up. I would have ruined it, so I did yall a favour.

Matt Damon in Avatar

I still cant watch Thelma & Louise it still kills me

Michelle Pfeiffer

While Damon hasnt explicitly said that he regrets turning down James Camerons Avatar, he references the decision enough to suggest it still stings. In 2007, Damon was wooed by Cameron with the promise of not only starring in the film but also pocketing 10 per cent of the films gross. Avatar, which eventually starred Sam Worthington, ended up becoming the highest-grossing film in history. Meaning  drumroll, please  Damon lost out on an estimated $200m (148m).

Ive left more money on the table than any actor, he told GQ in 2019. He added that his biggest regret is that it may have been his only opportunity to work with Cameron. He works so infrequently  I realised in having to say no that I was probably passing on the chance to ever work with him. So that sucked and thats still brutal. But my kids are all eating. Im doing OK.

Christina Applegate in Legally Blonde

Its hard to imagine Legally Blondes Elle Woods as anyone other than Reese Witherspoon, but it was actually Christina Applegate who was first approached to play her. Applegate revealed in 2015 that she turned down the part as she thought it was too similar to the character she played on the long-running sitcom Married with Children.

I got scared of repeating myself, she said. What a stupid move that was, right? [But] Reese deserved that. She did a much better job than I ever could, and so thats her life, thats her path.

In a strange twist of fate, both Witherspoon and Applegate ended up playing sisters to Jennifer Anistons Rachel on Friends.

Michael Keaton in Groundhog Day

Like a Legally Blonde without Reese Witherspoon, its also difficult to imagine Groundhog Day without Bill Murray. But he wasnt the studios first choice for the part of an acerbic weatherman stuck in a time loop. Rather, Michael Keaton was approached.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2014, Keaton admitted that he had read the script in the early Nineties but didnt get it. Of the character, Keaton said: This guy sounds like the kind of wry, sardonic, glib young man Ive played  and it ended up being so great. But you cant do it better than Bill Murray did it.

Josh Hartnett in Batman Begins

Josh Hartnett has been open about turning down a role that would have transformed his life and career. In 2015, he admitted that Christopher Nolan had sought him out to play Batman, but that fear got the better of him. I was so focused on not being pigeonholed and so scared of being considered only one thing as an actor, he told Playboy Magazine.

He realised hed made a mistake when Nolan cast his eventual Batman, Christian Bale, in his Batman Begins follow-up The Prestige. I decided [Batman] wasnt for me. Then he didnt want to put me in The Prestige. They not only hired their Batman for it, they also hired my girlfriend [Scarlett Johansson] at the time. Thats when I realised relationships were formed in the fire of that first Batman film, and I should have been part of the relationship with this guy Nolan, who I felt was incredibly cool and very talented.

Josh Hartnett in 2006, not at the premiere of The Prestige' (David Livingston/Getty Images)

Michelle Pfeiffer in The Silence of the Lambs

In the early Nineties, Michelle Pfeiffer reportedly turned down a long list of massive roles, from Thelma & Louise and Pretty Woman to Basic Instinct and Sleepless in Seattle. While she said in 2017 that she had to turn down Thelma & Louise due to a scheduling conflict (I still cant watch it  it still kills me), shes admitted to regretting turning down The Silence of the Lambs, as it meant she didnt get to work with the late filmmaker Jonathan Demme more than once.

Demme directed Pfeiffer in 1988s Married to the Mob, and always envisioned her for the role of rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling. But Pfeiffer got cold feet. I was trepidatious, she told The New Yorker earlier this year. There was such evil in that film. It was that evil won in the end, that at the end of that film evil ruled out. I was uncomfortable with that ending. I didnt want to put that out into the world.

Jodie Foster ended up winning an Oscar for the role.

Halle Berry in Speed

Sandra Bullock has Halle Berry to thank for inadvertently making her a star. While promoting the 2019 sequel John Wick: Chapter 3  Parabellum, Berry admitted that she could have starred alongside Keanu Reeves decades earlier, as she was nearly cast in the runaway bus thriller Speed.

I was offered Speed before Sandra Bullock, Berry told Entertainment Tonight. I stupidly said no. But in my defence, when I read the script the bus didnt leave the parking lot.

Bullock ended up playing Annie, who is tasked with driving a bus rigged with explosives. Berry said that she came to regret turning down the part. I see the movie and Im like, arrrghhh.

Bruce Willis in Ghost

Willis and Demi Moore were a couple at the time they were both sent the script for the romantic drama Ghost in 1989  but only one of them ended up doing it. While Moore starred alongside Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg in the film, which became the highest-grossing film of 1990, Willis found the whole concept confusing. A dead man attempting to help his grieving girlfriend move on while simultaneously solving his own murder? Pfft.

I just didnt get it, Willis told The New York Times in 1996. I said, Hey, the guys dead. How are you gonna have a romance? Famous last words. Just to punctuate his regrets, the Die Hard star dubbed himself a knucklehead for passing up the role.

Eddie Murphy in Who Framed Roger Rabbit

The number of famous roles Eddie Murphy has played is almost as long as the number he turned down. He thought Ghostbusters sounded like a crock when he was offered it in the early Eighties, rejected Rush Hour in favour of the forgotten comedy Holy Man, and  probably wisely  said no to Driving Miss Daisy.

One film that he had second thoughts about, though, was Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which originally wanted him for the role eventually played by Bob Hoskins. The film  a high-concept detective comedy that fused together live-action and animation  was a bold risk for 1987, and Murphy wasnt convinced by it.

I was like, What?, he said in 2003. Animation and people sounded like bulls*** to me. Now every time I see it, I feel like an idiot.
Jan. 7In late December, an Air Force judge granted in part a motion by the attorney for Maj. Gen. William Cooley ordering the federal government to provide "all relevant text messages and emails" from a woman who alleges that the two-star general and former Air Force Research Laboratory commander committed abusive sexual contact against her.

"The narrow search conducted by AFOSI (Air Force Office of Special Investigations) and relied upon by the government was deficient. Trial counsel has failed to uncover all relevant text messages, emails, and documentation about the alleged offenses regardless of who (the complainant against Cooley) communicated with or who communicated with her between on or about 12 August 2018 and on or about 8 January 2020," Judge Col. Christina Jimenez wrote in a Dec. 23 Air Force trial judiciary ruling.

The judge ruled that the information should have been provided to Cooley's defense team by Dec. 28. Daniel Conway, attorney for Cooley, told the Dayton Daily News Friday the information was provided and is being analyzed by defense experts now.

"We were provided a digital copy of the complainant's laptop that is still being analyzed, but is missing information that would be expected to be present," Conway said.

"There are items of interest that should be there but are not  everything from emails to drafts of letters," he said.

More time is needed to assess the data, he added.

A sexual assault charge, with three specifications under Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, was referred against Cooley  a former commander of Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base  as result of an alleged Aug. 12, 2018 off-duty incident with an adult civilian woman in Albuquerque, N.M. The woman does not work for the Air Force or the Department of Defense, the Air Force has said.

The Dayton Daily News typically does not identify those who say they have been victims of sexual assault.

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Gen. Arnold Bunch removed Cooley from command of AFRL in January 2020 and decided in April last year to allow a court-martial against Cooley to proceed.

Late Thursday, however, Air Force Materiel Command said the court-martial, which had been scheduled to begin Monday at Wright-Patterson, will be continued until April 18. "The shift occurred, in part, due to COVID concerns among the trial participants," AFMC said in a statement Thursday evening.

Questions were sent to a command spokesman Friday about the court-martial continuance.

"Beyond COVID concerns, the military judge determined a continuance was warranted and appropriate after considering the factors required by law," AFMC spokesman Derek Kaufman said Friday. He said he could not elaborate.

If a trial proceeds, it will be historic, observers have said. Cooley is the first Air Force general officer to be court-martialed for sexual assault.

In her Dec. 23 ruling, Judge Jimenez wrote that the complainant against Cooley "provided written consent for search and seizure of her MacBook Pro."

"She authorized AFOSI (the Air Force Office of Special Investigation) to search and seize her MacBook Pro 'for the purpose of forensic analysis,'" the judge wrote. "The authorization included copying."

Jimenez wrote that there is evidence before the court that the complainant "communicated information pertaining to the charged offenses via text message and email, and that she draft(ed) documentation of her account of the same."

Jimenez wrote that "there is evidence (the complainant) drafted an initial statement" about her allegations against Cooley "and at some point thereafter revised the statement."

"There is some evidence those two documents and emails have not been provided to defense nor that they were included in the narrow search conducted by" Air Force investigators.
Drought conditions improved two levels in Tulare County, though the region remains in "severe drought," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Tulare County registered significant drought relief for the first time in more than a year, scientists said in a weekly federal report.

Drought conditions improved two levels over two weeks, from "exceptional drought" to "severe drought," according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Tulare County hasn't exited "extreme drought," the third-highest level of drought, since Jan. 5, 2021.

The monitor attributed the improvement to recent winter storms that blanketed the Sierra Nevada in several feet of heavy snow. Portions of the San Joaquin Valley saw more rain in the past three months than in the prior year combined.

"Heavy precipitation and a generous snowpack in mountainous areas led to more improvement here, based in part on monthly statistics for December," the report stated.

The cascade of snow and rain has had trickle-down effects across the entire state.

The UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab near Lake Tahoe busted a 50-year snowfall record for December. The lab recorded 214 inches of snowfall, toppling the previous 170-inch record set in 1970.

The hydroelectric powerplant at Oroville Dam restarted this week after shutting down five months ago when the lake reached its lowest water level ever.

Several roads across the High Sierra closed during the holiday as the mountains saw up to 5 feet of snow at higher elevations. The storm has left thousands of homes in the Sierra and foothills without power.

Locally, Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park remains closed as crews work to clear roads after the recent storms. The Southern Sierra's snowpack is surging at 147% of its average level for this time of year, the state's water resources department reported.

While the Valley's drought picture improved somewhat, the region isn't out of drought danger yet. California's water year begins in October and runs through April. Historically, wetter-than-average winters have given way to drier springs.

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Furthermore, Central California's water deficit is so high after experiencing two of its driest consecutive years on record that it will take several more storms to recharge groundwater aquifers.

Crop and pasture losses are still possible under current drought conditions, though not as severe as previously projected.

It remains to be seen whether California's wet streak will continue. In the short term, forecasters with the National Weather Service predict a return to drier, foggier conditions in the Visalia area.

"A ridge of high pressure will build inland from the Pacific this weekend," the NWS Hanford office stated. "This will provide dry weather and light winds but could also result in more Tule Fog development across the San Joaquin Valley."

Local forecast

Saturday : Patchy dense fog before 9 a.m. Otherwise, cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 54 degrees. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.

Saturday Night : Partly cloudy, with a low around 37 degrees. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.

Sunday : Partly sunny, with a high near 57 degrees. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.

Sunday Night : Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40 degrees. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Monday : Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56 degrees. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph.

Monday Night : Partly cloudy, with a low around 37 degrees. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 56 degrees. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Tuesday Night : Partly cloudy, with a low around 37 degrees. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.

Wednesday : Mostly sunny, with a high near 59 degrees. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night : Partly cloudy, with a low around 40 degrees. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 56 degrees. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Joshua Yeager is a reporter with the Visalia Times-Delta and a Report for America corps member. He covers Tulare County news deserts with a focus on the environment and local governments.

Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Drought conditions improve in Tulare County. Fog returns to Visalia area
Hamilton County Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas photographed in 2019. She announced she's running for reeelection.

In 2018, Stephanie Summerow Dumas surprised the political establishment.

She upset veteran incumbent Republican Chris Monzel to become the first Black woman to serve as Hamilton County commissioner.

Dumas hopes to remain. She told The Enquirer on Friday she's running for reelection.

"We need to continue working together as a team," Dumas said of her two fellow Democratic commissioners, Alicia Reece and Denise Driehaus.

Dumas up until Friday had remained silent on her plans for 2022.

She picked up petitions on Friday at the Hamilton County Board of Elections to get on the ballot this year.

She said she knew she wanted to run again but didn't want to distract from the county's budget process. On Thursday, the county commissioners chose the board's organizational structure, including naming her the president of the board for the second year in a row.

She felt now is the right time to launch her reeelection campaign.

"It's time to move forward and let people know," Dumas said. "People have been asking."

Hers is the only Hamilton County commission seat up for reelection this year.

No other Democrats have announced they plan to challenge Dumas in a primary.

Democrats have held all three county commissioner seats since 2018. Former Cincinnati City Councilman Chris Smitherman could change that. He's running as an independent.

He's the only other candidate to announce publicly for the seat.

She's not worried about a primary challenge. She's not heard any names come forward. But, in any event, she doesn't see herself as the underdog anymore.

"People know what Ive done. Either they like it, or maybe they want a change," Dumas said. "I'm the best candidate."

Prior to her 2018 victory, Dumas had served as mayor of Forest Park and village administrator of Lincoln Heights.

Her tenure as Hamilton County commissioner got off to a tense start. Within the first two months, her then-chief of staff Paul Sohi filed a discrimination complaint against the other two commissioners at the time, alleging a hostile work environment. The state dismissed the claim and Sohi resigned in January 2020.

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Dumas then named civil rights leader Bishop Bobby Hilton as her chief of staff. Hilton remains in that position.

Dumas said she plans on touting the successes of the county commissioners in her state of the county address in the next month; a date has not been set.

At Thursday's commission meeting she mentioned some of the last year's highlights, including opening a state-of-the-art crime lab in Blue Ash for the coroner's office, a mobile bus for vaccines, and the first paid Juneteenth holiday for county employees.

"We have been working, working as a team to unify, to reach out to our residents in the community," Dumas said. "Weve listened. Weve heard you."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Stephanie Summerow Dumas to run for Hamilton County commissioner
Cory Jones

PORTLAND, Ind.  A Dunkirk man has been sentenced to 47 years and six months in prison for fatally shooting a woman he shared a home with.

Cory Michael Jones, 45, had pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the August 2020 slaying of 47-year-old Shanna M. Jones.

The victim's body had been found outside her home in the 10400 block of West Jay County Road 400-S.

Cory Jones was arrested three days after the homicide in West Virginia, about 90 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. He at first maintained he had been in Florida for the past three weeks.

Witnesses, however, said Jones had confessed to the fatal shooting, which he maintained had been accidental.

MORE NEWS:

Muncie man sentenced for sexually abusing child, released

Muncie man arrested in Blackford teen's overdose death

A plea agreement called for dismissal of a murder charge, which carried up to 65 years in prison. Voluntary manslaughter is a Level 2 felony with a maximum 30-year sentence.

Jones  who also admitted to being a habitual offender  was sentenced Friday by Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison.

Court documents indicated 20 years of Jones' sentence was the penalty for his habitual offender status.

According to court records, the Dunkirk man's record includes convictions for auto theft, battery resulting in bodily injury, burglary, driving while intoxicated and strangulation.

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Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Dunkirk man sentenced to more than 47 years in fatal shooting
Fans play "Fortnite" at the 2018 Electronic Entertainment Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center. ( Frederic J. Brown / AFP / Getty Images)

The video game extravaganza that is the Electronic Entertainment Expo, colloquially known as E3, will for the third summer in a row forgo an in-person event at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The trade group that represents major players in the video game industry cited the threat poised by the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

But the news, first reported on GamesBeat, also comes as the week-long gala, held in June, is at something of a crossroads.

"Due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19 and its potential impact on the safety of exhibitors and attendees, E3 will not be held in person in 2022," read a statement from an E3 spokesperson. "We remain incredibly excited about the future of E3 and look forward to announcing more details soon."

E3 typically brings more than 65,000 fans and industry professionals to the Los Angeles Convention Center and surrounding events every summer.

While the merits of E3 have become a subject of media debate in recent years  especially with some top game companies, including Sony Interactive Entertainment, opting to no longer participate in the event  the loss of the convention this year is a blow to Los Angeles. Sony this past week unveiled a look at its new virtual reality headset, the PSVR 2, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, held in person despite the Omicron surge.

While E3 has struggled in recent years to attract some of the industry's biggest players  Electronic Arts, for instance, has staged its own festival in Hollywood the same week as the Expo  the loss of E3 leaves a large gap in the summer convention calendar for Los Angeles. The trade group has in the past stated that it generates upward of $88 million in revenue for the city, and its opening day in 2019, the last time it was held, was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Eric Garcetti.

During the pandemic, the online-focused Summer Game Fest, spearheaded by the Game Awards founder Geoff Keighley, has largely supplanted the E3 spotlight. E3's four-day, online-only gala in 2021 was low on video game razzmatazz and buzz was split among the two, trailer preview-focused events.

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At the time, I wished for neither event to return in an online-only form, writing, "six hours of daily YouTube watching is far more exhausting than 18-hour days spent running around downtown Los Angeles at a convention. Combine a lack of face-to-face, in-person conversation, as well as the inability to play a game, and the message is one of bland promotion."

What form E3 would have taken in 2022 is unknown, however, as it joins this month's postponed Grammy Awards and the now-virtual-only Sundance Film Festival, along with many other Omicron-affected events.

The games industry may not be without in-person events in 2022, however. At the time of this writing, the Game Developers Conference was still slated to return to San Francisco for a week-long gathering at the end of March.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A lawsuit alleging sexual abuse at a Henderson County camp in 1991 is one of dozens filed under the state's SAFE Child Act, which expired at the end of 2021.

A North Carolina woman who spent time in 1991 at a camp for at-risk youth is suing Henderson County, a state agency and operators of the camp, saying a counselor sexually assaulted her multiple times.

The suit says the plaintiff, then a minor, was living at Eckerd Camp in 1991 when she was sexually assaulted by a woman known to her as "Sue," a counselor and group leader at the camp who was in her late 30s.

The first occasion happened with the plaintiff was about 15 years old, when "Sue woke her up in the middle of the night and brought her to a private area away from the other people at Eckerd Camp, where Sue fondled Plaintiff's breasts and genitals, and sucked Plaintiff's nipples."

Sue then sexually assaulted the plaintiff a total of four times during her stay at the camp, both in the cottage where she slept at night, and in the dining hall, the suit alleges.

As a direct result of that assault, it says, the plaintiff "has suffered from severe mental and emotional impairments, for which she has required medical treatment."

Alleged abuse: Former WNC Boy Scouts allege child sexual abuse against Daniel Boone Council

The lawsuit was filed in Buncombe County Dec. 28 under the N.C. SAFE Child Act, which provided a two-year "lookback window" that expired at the end of 2021.

The suit is one of many filed in Western North Carolina as the lookback window closed, including dozens of former Boy Scouts who filed more than 20 civil lawsuits against the Daniel Boone Council Inc., Boy Scouts of America and recent lawsuits against Asheville School and Ben Lippen School.

The plaintiff is represented by Lisa Lanier of Lanier Law Group of Greensboro, which has filed hundreds of similar cases in recent weeks.

Lanier said her firm filed 249 cases under the SAFE Child Act in just the last month, including against churches, Boy Scout Troops and camps like the one in this case.

"That gives you an idea of the gravity of the situation, how common it was," she said. "I think it's important to keep this out there so when people see things that don't look right they speak up."

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The lawsuit filed Dec. 28 in Buncombe names Henderson County, the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Safety, specifically the Eckerd Wilderness Educational System Camping Program of Western North Carolina.

"Defendants, by and through their employees, agents and/or representatives, owed Plaintiff a duty to properly care for and supervise Plaintiff while she was under their legal custody," it says.

It seeks more than $25,000 in damages, the final total to be determined by a jury, as well as court costs and any other relief the court deems proper, due to alleged negligence on behalf of the defendants that led to the plaintiff's being harassed.

Those defendants were negligent in their custody, supervision and protection of the plaintiff, it says, because they failed to properly monitor her, supervise or protect her, monitor the camp and the adults responsible for the plaintiff, failed to properly train employees and failed to ensure employees were properly supervised.

"Plaintiff was sexually assaulted and suffered physical, mental and emotional injuries while in the custody, care and control of the Defendants," the suit charges. "As a direct and proximate result of this negligence, Plaintiff is entitled to recover of Defendants compensatory damages in an amount to be determined by a jury but, in any event, an amount in excess of $25,000."

Previous reporting: Deadline nears for child sexual assault survivors in North Carolina to sue their abusers

According to the lawsuit, Eckerd contracted with Henderson County and the Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Safety "to use the Eckerd Camp as a facility for the housing, correction, and education of minors who were in the custody of the Government Defendants, and did so under Government Defendants' direction and supervision."

In 2009, directors of the camp were pleading with the community for funds, as budget cuts in Raleigh eventually forced the 500-acre camp to close.

The camp served at-risk or troubled children between ages 10-17, employing 42 people with 411 admissions and an average stay of about 10-and-a-half months, with 10 visits home every year.

The camp, on Sky Valley Camp Road near DuPont State Recreational Forest, accepted children through referral from church youth directors, school guidance counselors, family and more, including judges who sometimes use the camp as a sentencing option for those who may face jail time otherwise.

According to Eckerd Connects, the Hendersonville camp opened in 1977, the first for Eckerd in North Carolina, and was one of five that were closed in 2009-11.

After merging with Caring for Children in 2014, Eckerd Connects now serve 400 youths and families every year in 19 counties around Asheville, its website says, part of programs that serve more than 40,000 adults, families and children across 20 states every year.

Not a Citizen-Times.com subscriber? You missed these stories in 2021 (and many more)

Lanier said the case is still in the service phase, and will then likely move to a motion for an extension of time from the defendants, though recently the cases have been taking a different turn, with a constitutional challenge against the SAFE Child Act working its way through the state appellate court.

Cases have been entering voluntary stays as that process works out, she said, and others have settled already.

Asheville School: Lawsuits claiming sexual abuse are 'unconstitutional'

After a three-judge panel ruled 2-1 against the constitutionality of the act, Lanier said she's confident that the law will stand, noting that the judges were hung up on language about the legislature's authority to revive statutes of limitations that had expired.

Lanier's firm filed an appeal of the three-judge panel ruling Dec. 28. It was supported by a notice of appeal by Attorney General Josh Stein.

"I don't think the legislature was acting at all outside of (its) authority," she said, noting that the Republican-sponsored legislation passed the state House and Senate with 100% support in a time of intense division in politics.

Derek Lacey covers environment, growth and development for the Asheville Citizen Times. Reach him at DLacey@gannett.com or 828-417-4842 and find him on Twitter @DerekAVL.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Eckerd camps, Henderson County named in sexual assault case
Plans are underway for The Shops at Harford, a shopping center that will be built on the site of the vacant Sears building next to Harford Mall, according to Jeff Garrison, principal of SJC Ventures, the firm that owns and is developing the property.

A demolition permit has not yet been issued by the Town of Bel Air, according to Patti Parker, the community and public relations manager for the town. A permit will be issued once utilities are disconnected appropriately to ensure a safe demo of the building, Parker said.

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SJC estimates it will receive a permit in time to begin demolition by February.

The Town of Bel Air is very excited about the project and the movement thats happening with the project, Parker said. We understand that projects of this scope tend to take a little bit of time, and were patiently working with the organization to make sure that they can see their vision through.

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The final product will be a 59,609-square-foot shopping center, anchored by a grocery store that SJC would not identify. Garrison said there will be five to eight tenants; three leases have been signed. Two are for fast-casual restaurants, and one is for a spa.

Demolition will be followed by about six months of site work, which will include improving the water lines and installing gas meters, Garrison said. Construction of the buildings will begin after that.

Garrison estimated that the shopping center will likely open between June and September 2023.

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

We would not be there without the strong support of this community, Garrison said.

SJC Ventures bought the property from CBL Properties, owner of the Harford Mall, in October 2021, after nine months of negotiations.

Were obviously very excited to see the activity starting on the site, and were thrilled with the development overall, said Stacey Keating, CBLs vice president of corporate communications. The mall itself is well located, has excellent infrastructure, and the surrounding area has wonderful demographics. And we really think that this project could be a catalyst for future redevelopment of the entire campus.

Garrison said the company is investing $20 million in the projects construction. He also concurred with Keatings sentiments on how this project could spur further development.

I think that all these investments will lead to a revitalization of the whole mall, Garrison said. I think its something that everybodys going to be proud of and will go a long way to be a good community steward.

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The firm is bringing a similar mixed-use center, Beacon Square, to Annapolis. It purchased the land in December, and the center is projected to open in 2023, according to the companys website.

SJC has built similar shopping centers. Anchors at these projects have included Whole Foods, Target, Wegmans and The Fresh Market.
Saturday marks what would have been Elvis Presley's 87th birthday.

Before his untimely death in 1977, The King played in Columbus on at least two occasions, according to Dispatch archives.

One came about two months after the release of his first album, Elvis Presley," which stayed atop Billboard's pop album chart for 10 weeks and generated more than $1 million in sales, earning Presley his first gold album award.

Just after 7 p.m. on May 26, 1956, Presley appeared onstage at the former Veterans Memorial Auditorium wearing a Kelly green coat and navy blue trousers, according to a Dispatch article from the next day. He played a second show later that night.

"Long hair flying, he bumped and rolled through half a dozen numbers amidst piercing screams from a house three quarters full," the article reads. "The audience was teenagers with a heavy sprinkling of adults."

Presley was just 21 and already being treated by fans as a sensation.

"The 160-pound six-footer from Tupelo, Miss. drew screams each time he gesticulated or contorted his lanky body," the Dispatch article reads. "His mouth was moving but you couldn't prove he was singing above the near-hysterical din."

Columbus Mileposts: May 26, 1956 | When Elvis played Veterans Memorial

Besides the green coat and blue trousers, Presley reportedly wore a dark blue shirt, red socks and blue suede shoes that Saturday night.

"It is alleged he mouthed one ditty urging people to not step on the latter," the Dispatch said in its coverage. "A light wood guitar dangled from the loose-jointed 21-year-old's neck. He picked at it now and then, but relied largely on a raucous three-man combo to provide the beat."

Also appearing onstage that night were The Flaims, the Jordanaires, Phil Maraquin, Jackie Little and Frankie Connors.

13-year-old defends Presley in letter to the editor

About one week after Presley charmed the crowd at Veterans Memorial, the Dispatch published an op-ed written ostensibly by a 13-year-old girl.

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Roberta Spires wrote back then that Presley had been "thrashed over and talked about so much" that it was high time someone came to his defense.

"Elvis Presley has been subjected to ridicule and unkind talk from leading papers and magazines, most disc jockeys, all the male sex, and most females," Spires wrote. "However, the few who don't despise him go to the other extreme and faint, holler, or simply expire at the very sight of him. A frequently heard argument is that he is ugly."

Spires said that claim couldn't be further from the truth.

"Now look at his hair. It's fair and naturally curly, unless he slicks it down. His eyes are a beautiful and moody blue and he has long enchanting eyelashes. His lips are neither too large nor too small and his complexion is perfect. His muscular frame, due to a love for outdoor sports, along with his handsome face would put a Greek god to shame."

In her letter, Spires singled the Dispatch and other newspapers out for criticism, saying writers "brought out the fact that he was dressed in poor taste at the 7 o'clock show."

"But you failed to mention at the second show his clothes were not only sharp but the colors matched perfectly," Spires wrote. "He was neatly attired in matching jacket and sox of bright pink."

Spires went on to say that the Dispatch wasn't as hard on Presley as other local papers.

"I would like to commend the Dispatch on the fact that you were brief in your criticism and not as sarcastic as another paper was," Spires wrote. "I do hope you'll publish this because I'm defending him against all attacks and not just yours."

Read more: 40 years after his death, Elvis' influence on rock unparalleled

Bar fight in Toledo

Sidenote: Later that year, Presley, joined by his manager and group of musicians, was sitting at a table in a Toledo bar when Louis John Balint approached.

"This guy walks up to me," Presley was quoted as saying in an article that ran in the Dispatch in November, "and says 'you ***, my wife carries a picture of you in her wallet, but doesn't carry one of me. Let's step outside.'"

A fight ensued, and Balint was later arrested and charged with disturbing the peace. He pleaded guilty and was fined $10, plus costs of $9.60. When he couldn't produce the money, Balint was sentenced to serve out the penalty by serving seven days in a workhouse.

Elvis Presley poses for a portrait at Graceland in March of 1960.

Patrolmen told an Associated Press reporter that when they arrived at the bar, Balint was throwing musician Scotty Moore over a railing to the floor about four feet below and that Presley was "pounding" Balint.

"Presley's no slouch," patrolman William Kina told the reporter. "He was really working over that guy. He knows how to handle himself real fine. He threw several good punches."

As police arrested Balint, six teenage girls who had been watching the commotion from the lobby doorway reportedly rushed in and volunteered to give their names as witnesses. There were about 35 people in the bar when the fight started. Presley said at the time he wasn't going to press charges.

The '50s give way to the '70s

The King played another show in Columbus nearly 20 years later. By then, Presley had become a household name and an international sensation.

Tickets for a Tuesday night show at St. John Arena on June 25, 1974, went for $10 and were scalped for $75 or higher, about $423 in today's dollars. Nearly 15,000 in total were sold.

Elvis Presley during a March 20, 1974 concert at Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis. Elvis ended a 15-city tour with three performances in his hometown. That same year, he performed in Columbus at St. John Arena on June 25, 1974.

Eddie Fisher, then-executive entertainment editor of the Dispatch, claimed in a column published two days before the show that he had received constant queries as to why Presley wasn't booked to perform at Ohio Stadium, "where the crowd doubtlessly would match any Michigan-OSU football turnout."

"The answer is twofold: 1, Elvis refuses to perform outdoors; 2, the more people he plays to means that much less take-home pay (Uncle Sam's cut, you know)," Fisher wrote.

Jack Willey, covering the St. John Arena show for the Dispatch, spent little time on The King himself, instead fixating on the women who attended, including how they dressed and acted at the show.

"But while Elvis gleamed and glittered on stage, the audience was nonetheless spectacular and entertaining to anyone who took the time or trouble to divert eyes away from the stage. A melting pot of mostly female flesh turned out in everything from bluejeans and halter tops to rhinestones and furs. The average age of the ladies in waiting was clearly over 25, but both ends of Father Time were represented. From the six-year-old tomhead to a 58-year-old grandmother, the distaff side was out, en masse," Willey wrote in his article, referring to the female side of a family.

Presley and company stayed overnight in Columbus at the Hilton (Smuggler's) Inn on Olentangy River Road, where a post-concert party reportedly lasted into the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

mtrombly@dispatch.com

@monroetrombly

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: For Elvis Presley's birthday, a look back at his visits to Columbus
By Dawit Endeshaw

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia has freed several opposition leaders from prison, the state broadcaster reported on Friday, as the government said it would begin dialogue with political opponents after 14 months of war when thousands of people have been arrested.

The move to free leaders from several ethnic groups is the most significant breakthrough since war broke out in the northern Tigray region, threatening the unity of Africa's second-most populous state.

Some leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the party fighting Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's central government, are among those freed.

"The key to lasting peace is dialogue," a statement from the government communications office said. "One of the moral obligations of a victor is mercy."

The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation's list of those being freed included two senior political leaders from Oromiya: Bekele Gerba, a senior leader of the Oromo Federalist Congress party, and Jawar Mohammed, founder of the Oromiya Media Network. Bekele Gerba's son Samuel Bekele later tweeted the two men were freed. The two men were charged in September 2020 with terrorism offences.

Oromiya is home to Ethiopia's biggest ethnic group and is Abiy's political heartland. Oromiya has a long-running insurgency rooted in grievances about perceived political marginalisation and rights abuses by the security services.

The leader of the Balderas for Genuine Democracy opposition party, Eskinder Nega, has been released, his party announced on Twitter. Eskinder, an ethnic Amhara journalist and blogger, was charged alongside Jawar, Bekele and more than a dozen other political activists.

SOME TPLF FREED

Among those freed are Abay Weldu, a former president of Tigray, and Sebhat Nega, the founder of the TPLF.

Getachew Reda, spokesman for the TPLF, could not be reached immediately for comment.

Will Davison, senior Ethiopia analyst at the Brussels-based thinktank International Crisis Group, said the announcement was "the first signs in some time that the federal government is looking to take serious actions towards political reconciliation."

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But he warned that the release of a few prisoners did not mean the resolution of the war.

14 MONTHS OF WAR

After war broke out in November 2020, Abiys forces  supported by the Eritrean military - quickly captured the main cities. The government declared victory three weeks later.

Months of fighting and reports of grave rights abuses followed. The Ethiopian and Eritrean militaries withdrew from most of Tigray at the end of June, but the U.N. said a "de facto government blockade" prevented aid from entering. The government has denied blocking aid.

Saying they wanted to reopen supply lines for humanitarian aid, Tigrayan forces then pushed south and east into the neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara in July, leaving reports of rights abuses in their wake.

They announced an alliance with the insurgent Oromo Liberation Army in August, threatened the capital and tried to cut a key transport corridor. But the military  with support from newly bought drones https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/exclusive-us-concerned-over-turkeys-drone-sales-conflict-hit-ethiopia-2021-12-22  pushed Tigrayan forces back https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ethiopia-conflict-idAFKBN2IP1GR into Tigray in December.

Some sporadic fighting and airstrikes https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/un-ethiopian-air-strike-kills-three-camp-eritrean-refugees-2022-01-07 in parts of Tigray continue. No humanitarian aid has entered since Dec. 15; doctors in the regions main hospital say it is a week from collapse https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/doctors-say-lives-are-lost-hospitals-ethiopias-tigray-due-dwindling-supplies-2022-01-05.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that he looks forward to improvement in humanitarian access to all areas affected by the conflict as he welcomed the release of opposition leaders. He called for parties to the conflict to build on what he said was a "significant confidence-building step."

(Additional reporting by Duncan Miriri in Nairobi and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Writing by Duncan Miriri and Katharine Houreld; Editing by Timothy Heritage, Andrew Cawthorne and Cynthia Osterman)
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  State police in northern Michigan were investigating Thursday after a woman accused former state House Speaker Lee Chatfield of sexually assaulting her multiple times, beginning when she was 14 or 15 years old.

The accuser, now 26, filed a criminal complaint with the Lansing Police Department, which referred it to state police earlier this week. Her lawyer, Jamie White, confirmed the nature of the allegations first reported by Lansing City Pulse, including that Chatfield began molesting her more than a decade ago and the sexual contact continued until last year.

State police spokesperson Shanon Banner declined to provide additional information.

The alleged assaults began when the then-14 or 15-year-old girl attended Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church and Northern Michigan Christian Academy near Burt Lake, about 60 miles (96.56 kilometers) northeast of Traverse City, White said. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they choose to come forward publicly.

Chatfield taught and coached at the school and was the athletic director between 2010 and 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile. His father is pastor of the church, the school superintendent and a teacher.

Phone and text messages seeking comment were left by the AP Thursday night for Chatfield, 33, who left the House in 2020 due to term limits.

She did what she's supposed to do. She went to the immediate jurisdiction that she thought was appropriate, White said. Her and her family, they're working through it. They're looking forward to working with law enforcement to bring this allegation to conclusion and (bring) accountability for others that have been harmed.

Chatfield, the youngest House speaker in more than a century, was the Republican leader for two years and was among seven Michigan GOP lawmakers who met with then-President Donald Trump at the White House as Trump tried to overturn Democrat Joe Biden's win in the state.

___

Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
It's been three years since police officers showed up at Melanie Addie's front door and dropped two bombshells on her at once: Not only did her now ex-husband of 23 years have a fiancee he was planning to marry, but that the woman had just been murdered.

"It was just mind-boggling. It made no sense at all," Melanie Addie told "20/20." "It didn't seem right. This was not my life."

PHOTO: Melanie Addie was married to James Addie while he was having an affair with Molly Watson in 2018. (ABC)

James Addie, 56, was convicted in 2021 of first-degree murder and armed criminal action for the death of 35-year-old Molly Watson. He was sentenced in July to life in prison without parole plus 10 years.

Investigators said James Addie was in a seven-year relationship with Watson and was engaged to marry her two days after he killed her. Her body was found outside of her car on a rural road in Monroe County, Missouri, with a single gunshot wound to the back of her head, according to authorities.

PHOTO: James Addie pictured at a Father-Daughter Dance in 2009. (Ben Addie)

James Addie has long maintained his innocence, but his ex-wife said she believes he is capable of murder.

"He was a pretty selfish person  He could be controlling and intimidating  it could be challenging," Melanie Addie said. "It just seemed like something he would do to fix a problem."

Watch the full story on "20/20" FRIDAY, Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC

Melanie Addie said she never suspected her husband was having an affair, and thought her ex-husband was dedicated to his family. The couple has two kids, a daughter Emma and a son Ben. Melanie Addie worked as a teachers assistant while James Addie worked as a corrections officer.

"He seemed the same all the time," Melanie Addie said. "He would get off work at 3 [p.m.]  and usually he would get home at 5 and I would say, 'Why are you always so late?' and that would be an argument. He didn't want to tell me anything."

PHOTO: James Addie pictured with Molly Watson in Mexico. (Ben Addie)

At one point, Melanie Addie said her ex-husband went off on trips. One was to Florida that she said James Addie told her was for work, and one was a trip to Mexico that she said he told her was a getaway with friends.

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"I never really knew his work friends [so it] seems plausible," she said.

On April 27, 2018, everything seemed normal, Melanie Addie said, and her husband "seemed like he always did."

"About seven o'clock, he came into the living room where I was and said he was going to a friend's house," she said.

MORE: Killer clown suspect's husband insists she's 'falsely accused' of shooting his 1st wife

Melanie Addie said she went to bed, and woke up at 2 a.m. to the sound of James Addie snoring next to her. She said she did what she always does, which is get up and move to the couch. About 30 minutes later, Melanie Addie said she saw police lights outside.

A few weeks after his arrest, Melanie Addie filed for divorce.

"He had always been very hard on me about how a wife should act and how life should be, and then he did this. He had an affair, and that's OK? No. We were done," she said.

PHOTO: James Addie Pictured in 2013. (Dana Billings)

Melanie Addie decided to search the house for any evidence of her husband's affair. She said she found photos of James Addie and Watson together at Disney World in Florida in a lofted storage area of their garage.

She said she asked herself over and over how she could have missed the affair.

"I guess because I wasn't supposed to see it," Melanie Addie said.

Melanie Addie said she visited him in jail about a week after his arrest.

"[He said] he's very sorry for the affair, but he insists that he was not the killer," she said. "I looked at him as someone I didn't want back."

At trial, prosecutors presented a theory for James Addie's motive for killing Watson. They argued he had told her Melanie Addie was his ex-wife and had died in a car accident and she had discovered that wasn't true.

PHOTO: Molly Watson was found dead in Monroe County, Missouri, in April of 2018. (Amber Brady)

"Forensic searches of Molly's phones indicated that the day before she was murdered, she was looking for Melanie Addie's obituary," prosecutor Talley Smith said.

Melanie Addie was called to testify against Addie at his trial, which she said was "just horrible."

"You don't want to be there. I don't want to be in a position where I'm hurting him," she said.

MORE: FBI dive team ends search for 3-year-old Lina Sardar Khil 'without conclusive findings'

James Addie did not take the stand at his trial, but read a statement in court at his sentencing, in which he read a love letter to the woman he had been convicted of killing. He also asked for a new trial, claiming his defense attorney was ineffective and didn't present all of the evidence in support of his case.

"There is no way that I could have done this crime," he told the court. "The only one I hold at fault in this entire process is my attorney because he had the means and he had the ability to present my case and he failed to do it whenever I asked him."

He is currently working to appeal his conviction.

Ex-wife found out husband had secret life when he was arrested for fiancee's murder originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
(Reuters) - Americans will be able to order free COVID-19 tests online beginning Jan. 19, part of a plan by President Joe Biden to distribute 1 billion at-home rapid kits to fight the spread of the Omicron variant.

Here's how the rollout will work.

HOW TO ORDER

Starting Jan. 19, U.S. households can initially order up to four free COVID tests online at www.COVIDTests.gov. The four-test limit was set to "ensure broad access" amid a testing shortage across the United States, the White House says.

It didn't elaborate when U.S. households can order more tests.

The Biden administration will also launch a call line to help Americans unable to access the website to place orders, and will work with community-based groups to support hard-hit areas in requesting tests.

HOW AND WHEN TESTS WILL BE DELIVERED

The administration will work with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to package and deliver tests, which it says will usually ship seven to 12 days after being ordered.

All orders in the continental United States will be sent through USPS' first-class package service, and shipments to Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories will be sent by priority mail.

The administration says it will prioritize processing orders "to households experiencing the highest social vulnerability and in communities that have experienced a disproportionate share of COVID-19 cases and deaths, particularly during this Omicron surge."

HOW MANY TESTS HAS BIDEN ORDERED?

Biden has pledged to purchase 1 billion at-home tests for Americans, and an administration official said on Friday that he may order even more.

The U.S. government has awarded contracts already for more than 420 million tests, and additional contracts will be awarded over the coming weeks, the White House said.

WHAT ABOUT INSURANCE COMPANY REIMBURSEMENT?

In addition to launching the free test drive, the Biden administration is requiring health insurers to cover the cost of at-home testing kits for Americans, beginning Jan. 15.

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Insurance companies and health plans will be required to cover eight tests per covered individual per month, the White House said.

Tests have been difficult enowpopup for many Americans to find, driven in part by rapid test supply shortages as well as staffing shortages at the urgent care centers, pop-up sites and pharmacies that administer the tests.

Staffing at the laboratories that process the more complex PCR tests has also become a factor, frustrating many seeking to know quickly whether they are infected with COVID-19.

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper and Rami Ayyub, Editing by Heather Timmons, Grant McCool and Jonathan Oatis)
(Reuters) - AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Regeneron and GlaxoSmithKline are among the biggest pharmaceutical companies to have developed COVID-19 treatments using a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies, but the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant has put the therapies' effectiveness into question.

Laboratory-made monoclonal antibodies mimic natural antibodies in fighting off infections. Unlike vaccines, they do not rely on the body to create an immune response, and can therefore help individuals with weak or compromised immune systems.

Below is an outline of where the major drugmakers are in the development and regulatory process:

ASTRAZENECA

* AstraZeneca's antibody cocktail, Evusheld, is delivered by intramuscular shot.

* On Dec. 8, the U.S. regulator FDA authorised use of Evusheld to prevent COVID-19 infections in people with weak immune systems or a history of severe side effects from coronavirus vaccines.

* The EU drug regulator is reviewing the treatment.

TRIALS:

* In June, AstraZeneca said a trial had not shown the therapy could stop individuals exposed to coronavirus from contracting it.

* Later trials showed Evusheld reduced the risk of people developing COVID-19 symptoms by 77% and that it lessened the risk of severe illness or death by 50% in non-hospitalised patients who have had symptoms for seven days or less.

* Evusheld is effective against the Omicron coronavirus variant, AstraZeneca said.

SUPPLY DEALS:

* AstraZeneca said in March it would supply up to 500,000 more doses to the United States, extending a prior agreement.

* Britain also has an in-principle agreement for over a million doses.

ELI LILLY & CO

* The U.S. pharmaceutical group's treatment, a combination of the antibodies bamlanivimab and etesevimab, is meant for patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

* It so far given by infusion, or drip, only.

* In February last year it was granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the FDA for treatment of high-risk patients, but the U.S. paused distribution in December, saying the therapy was unlikely to be effective against the Omicron coronavirus variant.

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* In late October, Eli Lilly withdrew its request for EU authorisation, saying lack of demand in the bloc did not justify submitting further data.

TRIALS:

* The combination helped cut risk of hospitalisation and death in patients by 70%, early data from a late-stage trial showed in January last year.

* German researchers found it loses most of its effectiveness when exposed to the Omicron variant in lab tests.

SUPPLY DEALS:

* Eli Lilly announced in September an agreement to supply up to 220,000 doses to the European Union.

* The United States bought 100,000 doses of the antibody cocktail in February, followed by 388,000 doses of etesevimab in September. The country had already committed to buying a total of 1,450,000 doses of bamlanivimab alone.

GLAXOSMITHKLINE

* GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology partnered to develop the COVID-19 antibody drug Xevudy, chemically called sotrovimab.

* It was shown to work as well as a shot in the arm as when administered as an infusion.

* In May, the FDA granted sotrovimab an EUA for treating mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in people aged 12 years and older.

* It received approval as a COVID-19 treatment in Japan in September and in Britain and the EU in December.

TRIALS:

* Analysis shows the drug is effective against the new Omicron variant.

* It is being studied as a possible treatment for hospitalised patients in a British study.

* In a late-stage study, it resulted in a 79% reduction in risk of hospitalisation for more than 24 hours or death due to any cause.

SUPPLY DEALS:

* The United States has signed contracts worth about $1 billion to secure the treatment, with supply expected by Dec. 17.

* The EU signed in July a contract with GSK for the supply of up to 220,000 doses of sotrovimab.

* It signed a deal to supply 20,000 more doses to Canada after an initial agreement for 10,000.

REGENERON

* The single-dose antibody cocktail Ronapreve, known as REGEN-COV in the U.S. and developed by Regeneron and Roche, is a combination of two antibodies (casirivimab and imdevimab) and can be taken via injection or infusion.

* In mid-July, Japan became the first country to authorise the treatment, swiftly followed by the United States and Britain.

* The U.S. paused distribution in December, saying the therapy was unlikely to be effective against the Omicron coronavirus variant.

* REGEN-COV has received emergency approval from more than 20 countries for both the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

* The EU drug regulator recommended Ronapreve for treatment in patients over 12 who do not require oxygen support and are at high risk of severe disease, and for prevention in people over 12 weighing at least 40 kilograms (88 lb).

TRIALS:

* Data from a late-stage trial shows a single dose reduced the risk of contracting COVID-19 by 81.6% in the following two to eight months while a separate study showed the treatment reduced by 20% the risk of death for hospitalised patients whose immune systems had not produced a response.

* Earlier, it was announced REGEN-COV helped cut the risk of symptomatic infections by 81% among people in households where another member was ill.

* German researchers found it loses most of its effectiveness when exposed to the Omicron variant in lab tests.

SUPPLY DEALS:

* As of September, the U.S. government had purchased nearly 3 million doses.

* In June, the EU secured 55,000 doses for 37 countries, including Britain and other non-EU nations.

(Compiled by Lucinda Langlands-Perry and Valentine Baldassari in Gdansk; Editing by Milla Nissi and Kirsten Donovan)
A fire destroyed a home at 319 Friar Tuck Drive in Exeter Friday, Jan. 7, 2022.

EXETER  A fire destroyed a home and sent one person to the hospital early Friday morning.

Deputy Chief Donald Matheson said the town's Fire Department was called to 319 Friar Tuck Drive shortly before 5 a.m. after receiving a report of a fire on the porch.

When crews arrived, heavy fire was showing from the single-story, wood-framed manufactured home.

The sole occupant of the home, he said, was injured and was transported by a mutual aid ambulance.

Exeter to decide: Should Swasey Parkway be closed to traffic? Voters to weigh in at Town Meeting

Matheson said he could not comment on the injuries sustained by the homeowner.

The state fire marshal is investigating a fire that destroyed a home at 319 Friar Tuck Drive in Exeter Friday, Jan. 7, 2022.

Matheson said the location of the fire was outside the hydrant district, requiring the use of numerous mutual aid tankers to supply water. Firefighters, he said, made an aggressive exterior attack and then transitioned to an interior attack to douse the fire.

A fire destroyed a home at 319 Friar Tuck Drive in Exeter Friday, Jan. 7, 2022.

The fire was brought under control at about 6:12 a.m., he said.

Matheson said the fire is under investigation by the department and the state fire marshal.

Dining Out: Seacoast restaurants that closed and opened in 2021: Here's our list.

Mutual aid was provided by firefighters from North Hampton, Newmarket, Durham, Kingston, Hampton, Epping, East Kingston, Hampton Falls, Seabrook, Newfields, Newton and Stratham.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Fire at Exeter NH Friar Tuck Drive: Home destroyed, 1 sent to hospital
FLORIDA  With COVID-19 cases surging throughout Florida, flurona has found its way to the Sunshine State.

A Cape Coral man has been diagnosed with one of the first cases of flurona  a term referring to people who are simultaneously infected with both the flu and coronavirus  in Florida, as well as the United States.

Erick Salazar told NBC 2 that he hadnt even heard of flurona before testing positive for both viruses.

Not until Monday when I got the results, he said. When (the doctor) came back she was like Sorry buddy, you actually have both.

The flu and the coronavirus have similar symptoms, including fever, cough, fatigue, runny nose, sore throat, and muscle and body aches, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Salazar said his worst symptoms were fatigue and lack of energy.



South Florida hospitals have also seen some of these so-called cases of flurona in children, reports said.

Dr. Larry Bush, an infectious disease specialist in Wellington, told WPTV, "We're seeing it more in children because, A, children are less vaccinated against COVID, particularly younger children. B, children are less vaccinated against flu.

Flurona can be dangerous for children, especially those under 2 years old, Dr. Juan Dumois, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, told ABC Action News.

He urges parents to get their children, especially younger children, vaccinated against the flu. The COVID-19 vaccine is only available to kids 5 and older.

Related Stories:

While much of the U.S., including Florida, is dealing with a surge in coronavirus cases, driven by the omicron variants rapid spread, flu is also on the rise.

About 400,000 COVID-19 cases were reported in Florida from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, including 67,000 for Wednesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Coronavirus-related hospitalizations have also more than doubled over the past week, the Florida Hospital Association said. There were 8,062 hospitalizations confirmed in the state Thursday compared to 4,001 one week earlier.

At the same time, influenza activity is low in Florida, but increasing for the first time since March 2020, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Florida Department of Healths latest Flu Review for Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Most of the state saw mild flu activity that week, while DeSoto, Polk, Putnam and Suwanee counties saw moderate activity.

Experts say that people could be more susceptible to the flu this year as they move away from strict COVID-19 protocols, including wearing face masks and social distancing, that also protected them from other viruses last year.

"It's interesting that after you have a year with a very, very low or not at all influenza activity, the next year  because people were less exposed  it makes them more vulnerable," Nadav Davidovitch, director of the School of Public Health at Ben-Gurion University in Israel.

Cases of a double flu and COVID-19 diagnosis have been reported in the U.S., Israel, Brazil, the Philippines and Hungary so far, the Washington Post reported.

The term flurona has been used in global media reports recently after two young pregnant Israeli woman tested positive for both viruses at the end of December.

A flurona case was detected at a COVID-19 testing site in Los Angeles County, California, on Wednesday. Before that, a Houston teenager was also sick with both the flu and coronavirus on Christmas Day.

A combo of the flu and COVID-19 could be catastrophic to your immune system, Dr. Adrian Burrowes, a family medicine physician and assistant professor of family medicine at the University of Central Florida, told CNN.

Since the start of the pandemic, he has been concerned about what will happen during flu season.

"I'm definitely more concerned this year than I was a year ago," Burrowes said. "And the reason why is because now we have pretty significant COVID fatigue amongst the American population."

The Florida Department of Health encourages residents get vaccinated against both viruses.

Annual vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from influenza and its potentially severe complications. Now is the perfect time to get vaccinated, FDOH said, adding that the flu vaccine may be given at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine.

This article originally appeared on the Sarasota Patch
Howard Countys seventh mobile COVID-19 testing site opened Thursday at the Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department, 5700 Rowanberry Drive.

Operated by Centennial Medical Group, the site will offer a drive-thru option off Bauman Drive and a walk-up bus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.

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The omicron variant is highly transmissible, which is why testing is still a key factor in beating this pandemic, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said during a news conference at the site. These mobile test sites are especially valuable because it allows our partners to adapt to the changing landscape of this pandemic and to deploy where we need them the most.

Since November, Ball said, the county has seen a 300% increase in testing demand at its mobile testing sites, and additional testing sites are vital to slow the spread of this latest surge.

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The Elkridge fire station was previously a drive-thru testing site in July 2020.

An individual should seek out COVID-19 testing if they have coronavirus symptoms, such as fever or chills, cough, fatigue, body aches loss of taste or smell or difficulty breathing; if they have had a known or suspected COVID-19 exposure; or if they must be screened for school or work, before travel or at the request of a health care provider, according to Howard County Health Officer Dr. Maura Rossman.

Timely testing is important, Rossman said, in order for contact tracers to track virus spread, to identify those at risk and to inform them to take proper precautions.

Those interested in more information about COVID-19 testing should not call the fire department, according to volunteer Chief Russell Pryor. Instead, call the mobile COVID testing site directly at 443-351-7301.

The fire department has nothing to do with it, Pryor said. I cant stress that enough.

He also assured the surrounding community that steps were in place to keep traffic at a minimum.

Rossman reminded Howard County residents to wear masks, wash hands, disinfect high-touch surfaces, avoid large crowds, stay home if not feeling well and to get vaccinated.

According to the Maryland Department of Health, 14% of Howard County residents, including those 4 years and younger, still remain unvaccinated. Ball said approximately 42% of residents have not yet received boosters.

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The single most effective action that you can take to protect yourselves and your loved ones to stop this pandemic is to be fully vaccinated and boosted, Ball said. In this race of vaccine versus variants, we can win and we must win.

First Call Urgent Care and Centennial Medical Group currently operate mobile testing at the following locations in Howard County:

Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. >

 Long Reach Village Center, 8775 Cloudleap Court, Columbia; noon-7 p.m., Mondays.

 North Laurel Community Center, 9411 Whiskey Bottom Rd, Laurel; noon-7 p.m., Tuesdays.

 The Elkridge 50+ Center/Elkridge Library 6540 Washington Blvd, Elkridge; noon-7 p.m., Fridays.

 Blandair Bus Loop, 5750 Oakland Mills Road Columbia; 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday and Sundays.

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 Route 40, 10236 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City; noon-7 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

 St. Johns Church, 9055 Tamar Drive, Columbia; 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 9 a.m.4 p.m., Saturdays.

To find other testing locations in Howard County, go to howardcountymd.gov/covid-19-testing.
Residents with flu-like symptoms should get tested to be sure they don't have COVID-19, Cumberland County's health director said this week.

COVID-19 symptoms and flu symptoms make it difficult for a person to tell which illness they may have, according to Jennifer Green, health director.

We have this perfect storm of omicron  a much more contagious variant  it was the holiday season  (and) its also flu season, she said. We are continuing to see an increase in (COVID-19) cases.

Green said that to know for sure whether a resident has COVID-19 or the flu, its strongly recommended that they get tested.

Its a different virus than what causes the flu, Green said. Theres a lot of symptom overlap between the flu and COVID.

Pandemic updates: COVID-19 outbreak temporarily closes Cumberland County animal shelter

The Health Department provides free COVID-19 testing, vaccines and booster shots.

The loss of taste and smell is fairly unique to COVID-19 but for the symptoms that overlap, like if you have some congestion or a runny nose, the only way for you to tell the difference is for you to get a COVID-19 test and sometimes providers will test for the flu and for COVID-19 at the same time, Green said.

New Years gatherings increased COVID-19 cases in the county, she said.

Its safe to say that  omicron is here in Cumberland County because a majority of our cases statewide are omicron, Green said.

The COVID-19 death total in Cumberland County is more than 500, according to the North Carolina Health and Human Services.

We are still learning about how omicron is working and spreading but the early data suggests  its maybe three times as transmissible than even Delta, Green said.

Related: Could COVID-19 become endemic? And what would that mean for us?

About 53,900 residents in Cumberland County have contracted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to NCHHS. In the last seven days, there have been 24,000 cases.

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Green noted that the county's public health mandate for mask wearing in public settings is still in effect.

Thats really right now the big piece to help protect our community, she said.

Exceptions to mask wearing in Cumberland County is if a person is under the age of 5, has a medical condition, or is giving a speech or broadcast, she said.

She also urged people who have been vaccinated get a booster shot.

That is critical for preventing (the spread of) omicron," she said.

Health and education writer Ariana-Jasmine Castrellon can be reached at acastrellon@gannett.com or 910-486-3561.

Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer. Click the "subscribe" link at the top of this article.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Cumberland County faces joint season of flu, COVID-19 omicron variant
Loveday Brooke is the first female detective created by a female author (Public Domain)

In December 1893, just six years after his first appearance and at the height of his popularity with the late-Victorian reading public, Sherlock Holmes, the worlds most famous fictional detective, was killed off by his creator Arthur Conan Doyle. In The Final Problem, published in The Strand magazine, Sherlock plunged over the Reichenbach Falls in a struggle with master criminal Professor Moriarty and both were swallowed by a cauldron of swirling water and seething foam. His body was not recovered.

At the time of the storys publication, Doyle firmly believed that this would be the last of Holmes. He considered his detective fiction a lower stratum of literary achievement and felt that with Holmes out of the way, he could capitalise on his celebrity and attract an audience for his long historical novels. Authors are not always the best judges of their own work.

Ive never found any evidence to support apocryphal stories of city clerks wearing black armbands after Sherlocks death, but the public were unhappy with Holmess early departure. Some 20,000 Strand readers are reported to have cancelled their subscriptions to the magazine. Meanwhile, the editors of The Strand and its rival magazines clamoured to crown a fitting heir to Holmes.

For fans of Doyles detective stories, the good news is that they found dozens of detectives to take his place. A vast (and largely uncharted) treasure trove of detective stories was published in periodicals, newspapers and magazines between 1893 and 1900, as Holmes rivals, clones and parodies emerged to fill the great detectives deerstalker hat and cape. Here are five of the best:

1. The Experiences of Loveday Brooke, Lady Detective (1894)

Loveday Brooke is the first female detective created by a female author (Catherine Louisa Pirkis). Appearing more than 25 years before female detectives were officially employed by the Metropolitan Police, private investigator Brooke is frequently asked by the police to assist with cases where a feminine perspective is required. Pirkiss gendered twist on the Victorian detective genre sees Brookes female methods  such as gossip and gaining the trust of servants  trouncing those of her male contemporaries and exonerating wrongly-suspected women.

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2. The Dorrington Deed-Box (1897)

Sherlock Holmes often asserted that he would have made a highly efficient criminal. In this collection of short stories, Arthur Morrisons Horace Dorrington takes this notion to its furthest extreme.

Dorrington is a charming East End criminal with a very successful private detective business in the prosperous West End of the Victorian metropolis. Throughout his adventures, he lies to, steals from, poisons, blackmails and attempts to kill various clients and criminals. This is a thrillingly chaotic and unsettling portrait of a late-Victorian London pervaded by greed and crime.

(Handout)

3. A Prince of Swindlers (1897)

Guy Boothbys collection of six short crime stories follows the adventures of Detective Klimo, the most talked-about detective in London. Working from his Park Lane mansion, his clients include the cream of London society who consult him when their jewels or paintings are stolen. The twist is that Klimos alter-ego is gentleman burglar Simon Carne, a master of disguise who has travelled to England from India to profit from the wealth collected in the imperial metropolis for the Queens jubilee celebrations.

4. Ghosts: Being the Experiences of Flaxman Low (1899)

As E and H Heron, mother and son team Kate OBrien Prichard and Hesketh Prichard co-authored 12 stories featuring Flaxman Low, the Sherlock Holmes of the ghost world. They were first published as Real Ghost Stories in Pearsons Magazine from 1898 to 1899. While Sherlock Holmes emphatically disavowed the supernatural  the world is big enough for us, no ghosts need apply  Low is open to its place in the world of modern crime fighting. By the series close, Low has seen off an array of ghosts, mummies, occult societies, killer plants and diabolical master criminals.

Low is not the first occult detective in the detective genre  that accolade belongs to LT Meade and John Eustaces John Bell, who appeared in 1896  he is the first investigator whose work accepts or proves, rather than disavows, the existence of the ghostly and occult forces behind the crimes he investigates.

5. The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings (1898)

While The Strand had many regular contributors who stepped in to supply detective fiction after Holmess death (notably all men), Irish writer Elizabeth Thomasina (LT) Meade went on to become the magazines most prolific contributor of crime stories in the late-Victorian and early Edwardian period, with six series published between 1893 and 1903.

In this series of stories, Meade adds a gendered twist to the master criminal narrative, with the creation and portrayal of a powerful female antihero, Madame Koluchy. Much like Doyles Moriarty, Koluchy is a scientist and a doctor, as well as the chief and queen of the Brotherhood of the Seven Kings, a nebulous Italian political organisation responsible for terrible crimes on English soil. She harnesses her scientific skills to carry out a series of deadly crimes utilising, among other things, X-rays, untraceable poisons and a virus carried by the tsetse fly, challenging the skills and authority of the very best British detectives.

Clare Clarke is an assistant professor of 19th century literature at Trinity College Dublin. This article first appeared on The Conversation.
BURNSVILLE, MN  Long lines at coronavirus testing facilities are pushing Minnesota officials to open several new sites to increase the state's capacity, but Burnsville residents can also get free, at-home coronavirus tests delivered to their doors.

Saliva-based tests can be ordered by any resident, regardless of whether they have symptoms or insurance, through the Minnesota Department of Health's partnership with Vault Medical Services.

The test kits include polymerase chain reaction tests, which are the most accurate for detecting the coronavirus, according to Minnesota health officials.

Completed tests can be mailed to testing labs in Minnesota and New Jersey, with results typically ready 24-48 hours after reaching the lab.

Vault's test kits are approved for use by adults and children, though they may not work well for children under 4, officials said.

Tests must be ordered by an adult, with each person who needs a test required to provide a unique email address and account. Parents may have to create a new email and account for children and other family members before they can order a test.

There is no limit to how many at-home tests a resident can order over time, but a new order cannot be placed until results are available from the previous test, officials said.

All costs for the test kits are covered by insurance or the government. Residents with insurance will be asked to provide their information so the insurance company can cover the test, but the state will cover costs for those who do not have insurance, officials said.

"Getting tested is a critical tool in our fight against COVID-19," Gov. Tim Walz said in a news release. "To protect yourself and others, get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask  and if you feel sick, please get tested."

Click here to order a free, at-home coronavirus test from Vault Health Services and the Minnesota Department of Health.

The Minnesota Department of Health opened a COVID-19 community testing site Friday in Anoka that can test up to 800 people a day.

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A community testing site is due to launch Jan. 13 in Cottage Grove for up to 1,000 people a day. Testing capacity at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul is expected to increase from 2,000 to 3,000 people per day after Walz deployed National Guard members to support operations at the site.



Click here to search for in-person testing sites near you. Appointments are recommended at all community testing sites throughout the state, but walk-ins are accepted.

This article originally appeared on the Burnsville Patch
MINNETONKA, MN  Long lines at coronavirus testing facilities are pushing Minnesota officials to open several new sites to increase the state's capacity, but Minnetonka residents can also get free, at-home coronavirus tests delivered to their doors.

Saliva-based tests can be ordered by any resident, regardless of whether they have symptoms or insurance, through the Minnesota Department of Health's partnership with Vault Medical Services.

The test kits include polymerase chain reaction tests, which are the most accurate for detecting the coronavirus, according to Minnesota health officials.

Completed tests can be mailed to testing labs in Minnesota and New Jersey, with results typically ready 24-48 hours after reaching the lab.

Vault's test kits are approved for use by adults and children, though they may not work well for children under 4, officials said.

Tests must be ordered by an adult, with each person who needs a test required to provide a unique email address and account. Parents may have to create a new email and account for children and other family members before they can order a test.

There is no limit to how many at-home tests a resident can order over time, but a new order cannot be placed until results are available from the previous test, officials said.

All costs for the test kits are covered by insurance or the government. Residents with insurance will be asked to provide their information so the insurance company can cover the test, but the state will cover costs for those who do not have insurance, officials said.

"Getting tested is a critical tool in our fight against COVID-19," Gov. Tim Walz said in a news release. "To protect yourself and others, get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask  and if you feel sick, please get tested."

Click here to order a free, at-home coronavirus test from Vault Health Services and the Minnesota Department of Health.

The Minnesota Department of Health opened a COVID-19 community testing site Friday in Anoka that can test up to 800 people a day.

Story continues

A community testing site is due to launch Jan. 13 in Cottage Grove for up to 1,000 people a day. Testing capacity at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul is expected to increase from 2,000 to 3,000 people per day after Walz deployed National Guard members to support operations at the site.

Click here to search for in-person testing sites near you. Appointments are recommended at all community testing sites throughout the state, but walk-ins are accepted.

This article originally appeared on the Minnetonka Patch
FREMONT  A proposed 0.5% income tax levy rejected by city voters in November is going back on the ballot in May.

City Council approved a resolution Thursday directing the county's board of elections to place the proposed five-year levy, which will help fund Fremont's road remediation program, on the ballot for the May 3 primary election.

"I would like to see a more coordinated campaign to get it passed," said council member John Elder.

Building on 2021's success: City, county look to build on 2021 economic development successes

Funding would be used for five-year repair effort

West State Street is one of several Fremont streets included in the city's proposed five-year road remediation program, which is projected to cost $12-$14 million. To help finance that program, Fremont City Council approved Thursday putting a 0.5% income tax levy on the May 2022 ballot. Voters rejected that levy in November.

City voters rejected the proposed income tax levy in November that would have helped fund an ambitious five-year road program to repair Fremont's streets.

Unofficial results from the Sandusky County Board of Elections showed 1,024 voters, or 54.82%, voted against the income tax levy, with 848 voters in favor.

The city's ambitions to spruce up major thoroughfares such as State Street banked on whether voters would approve the income tax levy.

The full scope of the city's proposed five-year road remediation program was projected to cost $12-$14 million, Auditor Paul Grahl told the council June 3.

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West State Street is one of several Fremont streets included in the city's proposed five-year road remediation program, which is projected to cost $12-$14 million. To help finance that program, Fremont City Council approved Thursday putting a 0.5% income tax levy on the May 2022 ballot. Voters rejected that levy in November.

Grahl said the engineer's office looked at streets in all four quadrants and evaluated road conditions, traffic counts and other factors for recommended remediation and treatment.

Some major thoroughfares within the road program would be West and East State streets and Oak Harbor Road.

Oak Harbor Road is one of several Fremont streets included in the city's proposed five-year road remediation program, which is projected to cost $12-$14 million. To help finance that program, Fremont City Council approved putting a 0.5% income tax levy on the May 2022 ballot. Voters rejected that levy in November.

Mayor: Educating voters on road issue is key to passing the levy

Mayor Danny Sanchez said he felt one of the main reasons the levy failed in November is a lack of information about the city's road program and why it was needed.

"Most of the people I spoke to after the election were surprised it didn't pass," Sanchez said.

Sanchez asked council members for a bipartisan effort to reach voters and inform them about the levy and the road program.

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He said he thought it would take a city-wide door-to-door campaign to educate voters and businesses about the need for extensive repairs to Fremont's streets.

dacarson@gannett.com

419-334-1046

Twitter: @DanielCarson7

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Funding for road work being put to voters again in May
Coca-Cola will start spiking Fresca in 2022.

That Fresca will soon pack a punch.

Coca-Cola announced a partnership with Constellation Brands to launch an alcoholic version of the beverage called Fresca Mixed.

The boozy beverage is described as a "distinctive and intriguing brand that delivers consumers fuller-flavored, convenient, ready-to-drink cocktails using real spirits that are great tasting and high quality," said Constellation Brands in a statement.

The company said flavors will be inspired by fan recipes when it is expected to launch later this year.

The Coca-Cola Companys Fresca brand is not only trusted by consumers, but also directly delivers on consumer preferences for refreshment, flavor, and convenience  attributes that also play well within beverage alcohol and where we can leverage our expertise, said Constellation president and CEO Bill Newlands in a statement.

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Retirement: How much money should you contribute to your Roth IRA in 2022?

Hard soft drinks are nothing new. Several beverage makers have released various brands of hard root beer, ginger ale and other drinks.

Last August, Pepsi and Boston Beer Co. the parent of Samuel Adams, announced the upcoming launch of a hard Mountain Dew seltzer, which is slated to release in early 2022.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fresca Mixed: Boozy version of soft drink launching soon
Jan. 7U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, says her refusal to wear masks in Congress has led to nearly $90,000 in fines.

In an interview with Newsmax on Wednesday, the first-term representative said she is against vaccine and mask mandates, particularly for children, and that she takes the fines on the floor of the House of Representatives because she believes doing so accurately reflects the feelings and beliefs of the constituents she represents.

"I believe as a representative that in order to represent the people, I have to be willing to do it myself," Greene said. "So, that's why I don't wear a mask, and you know, I'm just trying to fight the fight for people who are against it."

House rules dictate that members are fined $500 the first time they do not wear a mask, with that fine increasing to $2,500 for every subsequent offense.

The fines are deducted directly from the paychecks of House members, meaning Greene could see more than half of her annual $174,000 salary disappear as a result.

Even so, she stood firm in her claims that masks are ineffective at limiting the spread of COVID-19.

"I think it's obvious by the high amount of cases and how COVID has continued in very shutdown areas that masking doesn't work. There's studies that show that as well as vaccinated people continuing to catch COVID, and that's greatly concerning to me. I'm a big believer in lifesaving treatments and I would love to see that to be the track that we pursue instead of mandating masks and vaccines," Greene said. "I'm very much against masks, especially for children. I think that it's awful to mask children when they virtually have no threat from COVID. Kids need to be free to speak, smile and learn, and the best way they can do that is without a mask on their face."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as health experts at the Georgia Department of Public Health, still say masking provides the best protection against getting or spreading COVID-19 because masks protect both the individual wearing the mask and others around them.

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Additionally, the CDC recommends every person over the age of 2 who is not fully vaccinated wear a mask indoors and suggests masking in crowded outdoor settings or during activities that require close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated. Children can get COVID-19, and, according to data provided by the CDC, children ages 5 through 11 years experienced more than 8,300 COVID-19 related hospitalizations and nearly 100 deaths from COVID-19 through mid-October 2021.

Health leaders continue to push vaccination as an important step toward limiting the risk of hospitalization and deaths caused by COVID-19 across virtually every age group.

All Georgia residents over the age of 5 are eligible for vaccination. Georgians older than 16 are eligible for boosters six months after completing their primary vaccine series of either Moderna or Pfizer, or two months after their Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Only the Pfizer vaccine is authorized for booster doses in 16- and 17-year-olds.

To find a COVID-19 vaccination location, visit dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.

Contact Kelcey Caulder at kcaulder@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327. Follow her on Twitter @kelceycaulder.
Good morning, Chelmsford! Let's get you all caught up to start this day off on an informed note. Here's everything you need to know today in Chelmsford.

First, today's weather:

Sunny. High: 27 Low: 12.

Here are the top stories today in Chelmsford:

Today in Chelmsford:

Maxwell's Winter Farmers Market (9:00 AM)

Winter Farmers Market (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

Chelmsford Police Department: " DO YOU KNOW THIS WOMAN? Today, 1/6 at 9:40am, Chelmsford Police responded to Walmart at Drum Hill for the report of a purse snatching. The female suspect left Walmart in 4 door black sedan. The suspect used the victims credit card a..." (Facebook)

Chelmsford Public Library: "With snow in the forecast for Friday, we've decided now that the MacKay branch will be CLOSED. We'll have an update about the main library in the morning, but make sure to check here on Facebook, our website, or call before coming in! (g..." (Facebook)

Chelmsford Public Schools: "A handful of CHS Girls Track & Field athletes on the latest @MVConference top 10 list with Naomi D'Souza and Amelia Kelly leading the way. Huge thanks to Nathaniel Kraft for compiling: https://www.mvctrackstats.com/indoor/2021-22/2021-22..." (Facebook)

Chelmsford Public Schools: "Chelmsford Public Schools are closed Friday, Jan. 7 due to the impending inclement weather." (Facebook)

Chelmsford Public Library: "Deanna introduces our Winter Reading Challenge! Download a sheet from our website or pick one up in the library building! Earn tickets towards a raffle for great prizes. Contest ends March 4, so get reading! Link in bio>>> #readingchalle..." (Instagram)

Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce: "   Sanalife      !   : - PrideSTAR EMS, Inc. and Trinity EMS Inc. - 980 WCAP - ATA Outdoor Media - WOOD Broth..." (Facebook)

Chelmsford Public Schools: "Likewise for CHS Boys Track and Field athletes in the MVC with Brad Glasfurd and Sankalp Bhoyar leading the way. Kudos once again Nathaniel Kraft: https://www.mvctrackstats.com/... Chelmsford Booster Club" (Facebook)

Chelmsford Public Library: "Due to the ongoing snow storm, the library will open at 1 pm on Friday, January 7. The MacKay branch will be closed today. Stay safe and remember that you can download books, movies, music, magazines, and more using Hoopla or Overdrive! ..." (Facebook)

Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce: " :    Tuesday, January 11th from 8:30-9:30am via Zoom Register here: https://conta.cc/3HHjxP6 We have all heard how using video for your business can lead to increased engagement with you..." (Facebook)

Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce: "'    Project LEARN, Inc.        ! You can see them and all of our other amazing 2022 Partners by clicking here: https://greaterlowellcc.o..." (Facebook)

Chelmsford Public Library: "TONIGHT! Don't miss this unique and entertaining event! Click here to register and receive a link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oZq10pnKTQ6PEor33ZoxnQ" (Facebook)

Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce: "   #978 : Live4 Physical Therapy is offering 10% off a LIVE4 Physical Therapy Membership when you mention Shop978. Support physical health and wellness before injury occurs, ensure ..." (Facebook)

Public Information Officer Chris Besse, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency: "Winter Storm on Friday - Quick-hitting winter storm with 2-3 hour window of 1-2/hour snowfall rate across Eastern MA that coincides with Friday morning commute between 6-9 AM.Portions of eastern MA will see 6-8" of snow. Isolated accu..." (Nextdoor)

Nextdoor Neighbor, Route 110: "Hello. - We are looking for full time nanny to take care of our 5 month old baby girl. Please let me know if someone is interested or knows someone who might. E interested.Thanks" (Nextdoor)

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 Annie Sandoli

About me: Annie has been a Boston-based writer since 2018, after graduating with her BA in Social Thought and Political Economy from UMass Amherst and ALM in journalism from Harvard University. She has worked as a freelancer throughout Massachusetts and as part of an editorial team in London, UK. Her interests include music and the arts, creative writing and literature, and topics of social and political justice. Annie covers Brookline, Newton, Waltham, Chelmsford and Westford. Email news tips to annie.sandoli@patch.com.

This article originally appeared on the Chelmsford Patch
The Hartford Financial Services Group, which employs thousands at its corporate headquarters in Hartfords Asylum Hill, said Friday that it was delaying a broad-based return of its workforce to the office, the latest major employer in the city raising concerns about the recent surge in the coronavirus.

The insurance giant had expected to start bringing employees back to the office on Jan. 18, but now says it will put that off indefinitely and reassess the situation in February.

Spokesman Matthew Sturdevant said the decision came after The Hartford had analyzed spiking COVID-19 infections and the fast-spreading omicron variant.

Employee health and safety continues to guide our decisions as we work through this dynamic situation, Sturdevant said, in a statement. While there is no perfect time to activate our new work model, our intention is to do it as soon as health trends support larger numbers of employees coming together safely for meaningful interaction.

The insurers new work model has two components. Employees who worked remotely before the pandemic will continue that arrangement. Those who worked in the office full-time will move to a hybrid model, splitting time between home and office.

The Hartford joins a growing list of big employers in and around Hartford who have pushed back employee return dates, a blow to shops and restaurants that count on the business from those employees.

Two weeks ago, Travelers Cos., which employs thousands downtown, told employees that it was delaying indefinitely its broad-based return to the office. The insurer also had targeted Jan. 18.

Travelers had pushed back its return to office date a couple of times times through late summer and into the fall amid infection surges from the delta and omicron variants.

CVS Health Corp., which owns Hartford-based health insurer Aetna, has made a similar decision to push back a wholesale return of office workers in a hybrid model of two or three days a week originally set for Jan. 10. CVS said it is monitoring the situation but has not set a new date.

The pandemic already is dramatically reshaping the workplace at employers such as jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney. Pratt says it plans to make working from home permanent for thousands of salaried workers at its East Hartford headquarters, with access to meeting space when needed.

Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com.
Listening to recent media reports about COVID-19, you would think it was 2020. Predictably, some have returned to useless, failed, or harmful 2020 remedies.

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman reinstated a mask mandate and wants the County Council to extend it. Others call for a return to remote learning. Theyre using an old COVID-19 playbook that reads like nothing has changed.

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Fortunately, much has changed. Now is not the time to panic and return to pre-vaccine lockdowns and methodologies that treat everyone like theyre equally at risk from COVID-19. They are not. Lets take a deep breath and look at the facts.

First, with respect to mask mandates: Prince Georges and Montgomery counties reinstituted indoor mask mandates on Aug. 8, and, as of Dec. 29, their seven-day case rates per 100,000 were 198 and 142 respectively. Anne Arundel County, with no mask mandate, was significantly lower at 124. The numbers speak for themselves.

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Second, although the U.S. seven-day average of COVID-19 cases has climbed 300%, from 107,435 on Dec. 3 to 316,277 on Dec. 29, seven-day average deaths declined, from 1,118 to 1,110, and are 66% lower than Dec. 29, 2020. Thats good news.

COVID-19 vaccines, natural immunity, and improved treatments are working. The direct relationship between case counts, hospitalizations, and deaths has been broken. Because so many people test positive with few or no symptoms, the number of infections in a community no longer predicts the number of hospitalizations or deaths. We should no longer focus on the number of COVID-19 infections as predictive of the need for lockdowns, physical distancing, or mask use. Hospitalizations and deaths are the most relevant decision points.

Which brings us to hospitalizations. On Dec. 30, despite a 300% increase in cases from last year, COVID-19 patients occupied 191 hospital beds in Anne Arundel County out of 634 acute care beds. Thats about 30%.

Statewide, COVID-19 patients occupied 2,454 of 7,123 beds, about 35%. In other words, 65-70% of hospitalizations are non-Covid. Additional beds can be made available to COVID-19 patients if necessary. Yes, hospitals are crowded, and staff are working hard. This happens during winter. A 2018 Time Magazine headline reads, " Hospitals Overwhelmed by Flu Patients are Treating Them in Tents. We didnt panic about winter capacity surges pre-COVID, nor should we now.

Also, lets be accurate and transparent. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president, has noted a distinction between patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and because of COVID-19. The state and county should be transparent, and report this too. Everyone hospitalized is tested for COVID-19, and admission may be with, not because of. Theres a difference, and it matters.

So, why is anyone even thinking about reinstituting school closures, lockdowns, or mask mandates? Parochial schools returned to classrooms, pre-vaccine, without any hospitalizations or deaths for students or teachers. Children are at extremely minimal risk from COVID-19, even without vaccination; and teachers have had access to vaccines for a year. Currently there are 43 children hospitalized with COVID-19 in Maryland out of a K-12 population of 882,538. The harm caused to our children by keeping them out of class is far greater than the threat posed to them by COVID-19.

We do not minimize the toll COVID-19 has taken on us. We have all been touched. We have seen COVID-19s direct effects of sickness and death, as well as the indirect disastrous impact of educational and economic disruption, depression, drug abuse, and suicide. Now, more than ever, we must weigh all these factors, and make decisions based on current facts, not fear.

We must move beyond case counts and community-based restrictions like school closures, lockdowns, and mandatory masking. Individuals, not government, can decide for themselves whether they need to mask or stay home. Our policy should be focused protection for those most vulnerable, rather than treating everyone as if they are equally at risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19. They are not. We must also keep our children in class, unless theyre sick.

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Our greater good is best served by taking advantage of medical advances, leaving harmful, failed, and outdated policies behind, and getting back to normal.

Herb McMillan served in the Maryland House of Delegates for 12 years and is a Republican candidate for Anne Arundel county executive. He may be reached at www.herbmcmillan.com
SEAFORD, NY  Several state lawmakers have weighed in about Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's controversial decision allowing the mask mandate in schools to end. He is giving school districts the power to reverse the mandate.

However, the state Department of Education said the new county executive does not have the authority to override the mask mandate in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ten lawmakers made a joint statement on Friday criticizing Blakeman.

"At this point in the pandemic, when pediatric hospitalizations are spiking at dangerous levels, it would be the height of irresponsibility to ignore Governor Hochul's vital efforts to protect public health."

Senator John Brooks, Senator Todd Kaminsky, Senator Anna Kaplan, Senator Kevin Thomas, Senator Jim Gaughran, Assemblyman Michaelle Solages, Assemblymember Chuck Lavine, Assemblymember Judy Griffin, Assemblymember Taylor Darling and Assemblymember Gina Sillitti penned the statement.

"We are confident the school districts of Nassau County will continue acting responsibly in the coming days, as they had no input in the County Executive's actions. For the sake of our children, teachers, and school personnel, County Executive Blakeman must immediately rescind his irresponsible and clearly unlawful executive order."



Gov. Kathy Hochul said at her COVID-19 briefing on Friday, "I have the law of the state of New York behind me and I will always exercise my authority to protect the health of the people of this state."

Regarding Blakeman's choice to put the mask mandate in the school districts' hands, Hochul said, "Municipalities are creatures of the state, have to follow state law."





This article originally appeared on the Wantagh-Seaford Patch
TAUNTON  A limited supply of at-home COVID tests remain available for Taunton residents who meet certain qualifications.

The state gave Taunton 15,570 of the kits, which contain two tests each. It's not enough for each of Taunton's nearly 60,000 residents to get one, so they are being handed out to the neediest.

At one of the seven distribution sites, there were few takers as of Wednesday morning. Five, to be exact.

"We expected today to be another big day," said Tom Mello, campus pastor at Christ Community Church's newish North Campus.

Tom Mello, campus pastor of Christ Community Church's north campus in Taunton, pauses for a photo on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 in the parking of of the church, which is one of the city's distribution sites for free COVID tests.

Last Thursday, Mello and other volunteers gave out 80 of the tests, and 50 on last Friday. A total of 360 tests were given to the church for distribution to Taunton residents.

To be eligible for a free test kit, you need to be a Taunton resident and either have COVID symptoms or have been exposed to someone with the virus.

Mello said the timing of the Christ Church distributions might have limited traffic. They are giving out kits at 265 West Brittania St. from 9-11 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays while supplies last.

COVID surge: Taunton's total COVID cases surpass 10,000 as winter surge continues

The state gave Taunton fewer free tests per capita than several other cities, pointed out Karen Grossi-Pemberton, the city's point-person for COVID response. According to the state's website, 16 cities and towns received more test kits than Taunton. Of those, the state gave 12 of them more tests per capita than Taunton. Holyoke was given more than one test per resident, for instance. That's by design.

"The 102 municipalities in the Commonwealth with the highest proportion of families living below the Federal Poverty Level are receiving iHealth Labs OTC at-home rapid antigen test kits," according to an explanation from the state's Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

Test pick-up sites

Certain restrictions apply, including Taunton residency. Call the site for additional information and pickup times. Only while supplies last.

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Department of Human Services/Council of Aging: 508-821-1420

Taunton Housing Authority: 508-823-6308

Manet Community Health Center: 508-822-5500

Boys and Girls Club: 508-824-4341

Our Daily Bread: 508-824-1788

Christ Community Church, North Campus: 265 West Brittania St. (no phone number). Wednesdays-Fridays 9-11 a.m.

Citizens For Citizens: 508-823-6346

Source: City of Taunton

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

People have reported a range of mild to severe symptoms, which may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control, symptoms include: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, and/or a sudden loss of taste or smell. Other less common symptoms have been reported, including nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

One should seek emergency care if they have trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, bluish lips or face, or inability to wake or stay awake.

Should I get tested for COVID-19?

If you develop symptoms, even mild, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommends scheduling a test. They also recommend getting tested if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Asymptomatic individuals are eligible for testing.

According to the department, testing for symptomatic people and close contacts is free and covered by insurance and there should be no out-of-pocket costs for testing if you are a member of a fully-insured health benefit plan regulated by the states Division of Insurance.

What should I do if I test positive or have been exposed?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shortened the length of time it recommends people should isolate after testing positive for the coronavirus, reducing the number of days from 10 to five.

Health officials similarly reduced the amount of time a person should quarantine to five days after coming into contact with someone who tests positive.

Read the CDC statement: CDC shortens quarantine time to 5 days

The changes come amid a surge in cases spurred by the omicron variant and concerns about staffing shortages at hospitals, airlines and businesses across the country. Research has suggested omicron, while more infectious, causes milder illness. CDC officials say the new guidance is in keeping with growing evidence that people with the coronavirus are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.

More: CDC cuts isolation time for Americans who test positive from 10 days to 5. Latest COVID-19 updates

The CDC is now recommending those who are vaccinated and received a booster shot can skip quarantining if they wear a face mask for at least 10 days. If a person is vaccinated and has not gotten a booster, or if they are partly vaccinated or not vaccinated at all, the CDC recommends a five-day quarantine, then wear a mask in public for an additional five days.

Where to get tested

Below is a list of everywhere to get tested in the Gazette's coverage area: Taunton, Berkley, Dighton and Raynham, as of Jan. 5, 2022. Please email updates or missing sites to reporter Chris Helms at chelms@tauntongazette.com.

Walgreens offers free testing, as do other test sites in Greater Taunton, for everyone. Insurance should cover the cost of testing for anyone with symptoms.

Many pharmacies that offer testing are booked out weeks in advance.

Raynham

CVS on Broadway

Date and time: By appointment only

Appointment: Yes, at MinuteClinic.com

Location: 252 Broadway

Cost: Unlisted

Eligibility: None

Contact: Website

CVS on Route 44

Date and time: By appointment only

Appointment: Yes, at MinuteClinic.com

Location: 26 US-44

Cost: Unlisted

Eligibility: None

Contact: Website

Raynham-Taunton Pediatrics

Date and time: By appointment only

Appointment: Yes, visit website

Location: 876 Broadway

Cost: Unlisted

Eligibility: None

Contact: Website

Taunton

CVS on Winthrop Street

Date and time: By appointment only

Appointment: Yes, at MinuteClinic.com

Location: 284 Winthrop St.

Cost: Unlisted

Eligibility: None

Contact: Website

CVS on Washington Street

Date and time: By appointment only

Appointment: Yes, at MinuteClinic.com

Location: 7 Washington St.

Cost: Unlisted

Eligibility: None

Contact: Website

Walgreens on Winthrop Street

Date and time: By appointment only

Appointment: Yes, at walgreens.com

Location: 57 Winthrop St.

Cost: Unlisted

Eligibility: None

Contact: Website

Walgreens on Broadway

Date and time: By appointment only

Appointment: Yes, at walgreens.com

Location: 226 Broadway

Cost: Unlisted

Eligibility: None

Contact: Website

Walgreens on Dean Street

Date and time: By appointment only

Appointment: Yes, at walgreens.com

Location: 175 Dean St.

Cost: Unlisted

Eligibility: None

Contact: Website

Is there a site or community missing, or has a testing site stopped operation? Email updates and requests to reporter Chris Helms at chelms@tauntongazette.com.

Material from reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite of the Quincy Patriot Ledger, State House News Service and USA Today was used in this report.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton at-home COVID tests available free for residents who qualify
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  As districts across Kentucky announced Wednesday night they would be closed Thursday because of expected snow, Jefferson County did not.

Soon after thousands of kids made their way to school Thursday morning, though, JCPS announced it would dismiss early.

Snow started falling soon after, coating roads by the time middle and high schools released at 11 a.m. Fifteen school buses had minor crashes, and it took hours to get everyone home.

Why did JCPS wait to call off?

"We wanted to see the latest, updated forecast and where the line of snow and predicted snowfall amounts were before making a final decision," district spokesman Mark Hebert said Thursday morning.

More: What to know about Kentucky's snowstorm, road conditions and Kentucky school closings

Students were also able to eat since they had gone to school, Hebert added. About two-thirds of JCPS students qualify for free or reduced price lunch, a common indicator of poverty.

JCPS called off school for Friday around 7:30 p.m. Thursday night.

School districts get five hours each year to use for weather-related delays and early dismissals, so JCPS will get credit for a full day Thursday and won't need to make it up.

JCPS has four more days than what is required under state law baked into its school calendar. Friday's cancellation would use one of those days, leaving JCPS with three extra days for traditional snow days and 10 nontraditional instruction days to close schools but have remote lessons.

Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky snowstorm: JCPS called off school Friday, waited Thursday
A 400-unit apartment complex approved for Poole Road in Belville has adjacent Waterford residents concerned about traffic and property values.

Residents of the Waterford community in Leland will soon have new neighbors, despite their opposition.

The Belville Board of Commissioners Thursday approved a special use permit allowing developers to move forward on a three-story, 408-unit apartment development slated for 198 Poole Road. The project lies just south of the Waterford community and adjacent to some property owners.

Nearby residents are worried the development would bring more traffic, noise, light pollution, would affect their property values and could decrease their privacy.

During the hearing, the applicant presented experts who found property values and traffic would not be significantly impacted by the development.

More: What's coming to Brunswick County? Developments to keep an eye on in 2022

About a dozen residents walked out of the meeting feeling their voices weren't being heard in the process. When residents complained about the applicant's lawyer objecting to their questions, which were found to not have relevance, Mayor Mike Allen suggested hiring a lawyer next time.

"I think it was window dressing," said Fran Smolak, a Waterford resident who left the meeting early. "It's just difficult to digest when you hear a 400-plus unit apartment complex going up will have minimal impact to traffic. That's just very hard to digest."

Smolak said she moved to Waterford four years, avoiding other nearby communities because she believed there wouldn't be the same build up there that caused her to leave Austin, Texas.

"It's just become apartment central," she said. "Its going to be another Myrtle Beach."

A 400-unit apartment complex approved for Poole Road in Belville has adjacent Waterford residents concerned about traffic and property values.

Though the commissioners and applicant followed the appropriate process, Smolak said she believes the process favors more development and deters projects that won't generate revenue.

The board approved the permit with the conditions previously recommended by the planning board, including limiting the light that comes into Waterford, moving amenities away from their neighbors, and creating a vegetation buffer for additional privacy and security.

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Last month, the Waterford Master Residential Association sent a letter to the board, explaining their concerns. Association Vice President Jerry Pierce, who spoke in opposition at the meeting, said he was disappointed by the outcome but not surprised.

STAY CONNECTED: Like the Brunswick Today Facebook page for all of the latest Brunswick County news.

Pierce said it's too early to say what the next steps will be in trying to stop the development, but residents will likely bring the issue before the association board.

More: Boiling Spring Lakes could soon be filled with goats: Here's why

Reporter John Orona can be reached at 910-343-2327 or jorona@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Belville approves 400-unit apartment complex near Waterford
It's only natural that many investors, especially those who are new to the game, prefer to buy shares in 'sexy' stocks with a good story, even if those businesses lose money. And in their study titled Who Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?' Leuz et. al. found that it is 'quite common' for investors to lose money by buying into 'pump and dump' schemes.

In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Clipper Logistics (LON:CLG), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. Conversely, a loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the sweet milk of external capital may run sour.

See our latest analysis for Clipper Logistics

Clipper Logistics's Earnings Per Share Are Growing.

If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS). It's no surprise, then, that I like to invest in companies with EPS growth. Over the last three years, Clipper Logistics has grown EPS by 14% per year. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.

I like to take a look at earnings before interest and (EBIT) tax margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. Clipper Logistics maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 45% to UK797m. That's progress.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

In investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Clipper Logistics's forecast profits?

Are Clipper Logistics Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

It makes me feel more secure owning shares in a company if insiders also own shares, thusly more closely aligning our interests. As a result, I'm encouraged by the fact that insiders own Clipper Logistics shares worth a considerable sum. Notably, they have an enormous stake in the company, worth UK145m. Coming in at 20% of the business, that holding gives insiders a lot of influence, and plenty of reason to generate value for shareholders. Very encouraging.

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It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but I find myself wondering if remuneration policies are shareholder friendly. Well, based on the CEO pay, I'd say they are indeed. For companies with market capitalizations between UK295m and UK1.2b, like Clipper Logistics, the median CEO pay is around UK790k.

The Clipper Logistics CEO received total compensation of just UK338k in the year to . That looks like modest pay to me, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.

Does Clipper Logistics Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

As I already mentioned, Clipper Logistics is a growing business, which is what I like to see. The fact that EPS is growing is a genuine positive for Clipper Logistics, but the pretty picture gets better than that. Boasting both modest CEO pay and considerable insider ownership, I'd argue this one is worthy of the watchlist, at least. Don't forget that there may still be risks. For instance, we've identified 1 warning sign for Clipper Logistics that you should be aware of.

Although Clipper Logistics certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Kaohsiung Pride Parade

Taiwan LGBTQ+ activists have called a court decision to allow a gay man to adopt his husbands non-biological child a sign of hope, while also calling on the countrys government to allow all same-sex couples adoption equality.

In the ruling, a family court in the city of Kaohsiung allowed a man to become the legal guardian of his husbands daughter. The daughter was adopted by the husband before the two were married, according to Agence France-Presse.

The country is considered progressive in the region when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. In 2019, it became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.

Same-sex couples, however, still face restrictions. For instance, they can only adopt a spouses biological child and can only wed foreign citizens that are from countries where marriage equality exists.

This ruling only applies to this one couple.

I am happy that my spouse is also legally recognized as the father of our child... but I can't feel all that happy without amending the law, Wang Chen-wei, one of the claimants in the case, told AFP. It's really absurd that same-sex people can adopt a child when they are single but they can't after they get married.

Wang added that he and his partner Chen Jun-ru are wanting to adopt a second child. He said that will force them to go through the same court process again.

After the ruling was made public on Tuesday, activists groups said they will now pursue full equality in the adoption laws.

"We hope the rulings serve as a reminder to government officials and lawmakers that the current unfair legal conditions need to be changed," said Jennifer Lu, executive director for the LGBTQ+ rights group the Taiwan Equality Campaign.

Her organization has gotten more than 500 requests from same-sex families wanting to adopt non-biological children, Lu told AFP.

Lu said that while the ruling is a ray of hope, other similar cases have been rejected by the court, making the Taiwanese courts inconsistent on the subject.
Morning, neighbors! Welcome back to the Gig Harbor Daily.

The big story Thursday was heavy rain, which caused minor flooding across Pierce County but while Orting and Sumner had to manage flooded roads and parking lots, it looks like Gig Harbor escaped mostly unscathed. Fortunately, the flood watch has since expired, so there's very little to concern yourself with on the weather front.

That's good, because there are plenty of other things to worry about right now, especially COVID-19. Included in today's digest is a story I wrote earlier, in which one of the state's top medical associations calls on Gov. Inslee to declare a state of crisis as hospitals fill up across the Evergreen State. Rising COVID-19 case counts have also pushed Pierce County to cancel jury trials for the time being, I've also included a statement from the county on that below. Meanwhile, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department says it is seeing a spike in COVID-19 outbreaks at schools and workplaces. I hope to hear more from the health department soon and share more specifics on the issue later today.

In the meantime, here's today's digest:

First, today's weather:

Windy with a few showers. High: 46 Low: 36.

Here are the top stories in Gig Harbor today:

WA Medical Association Calls On Inslee To Declare State Of Crisis (Seattle Patch) Suspension Of Jury Trials In Pierce County (Press Release Desk) City Of Gig Harbor: City Of Gig Harbor Accepting Applications To Fill A Vacancy On The City Council (Press Release Desk ) Gig Harbor Weekend Weather Forecast (Gig Harbor Patch) Multiple western Washington neighborhoods experience mail delivery delays (KING5.com) Washington Expands COVID Booster Eligibility To Ages 12+ (Seattle Patch)





Today's Gig Harbor Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community  and to get access to this amazing technology  click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Gig Harbor!

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Today in Gig Harbor:

Coffee and Connection - Tom Taylor Family YMCA (11:30 AM)

From my notebook:

Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One - Official Site: "Our crews have responded to a motor vehicle crash on State Route 16 E between Burnham and Rosedale. Two cars are blocking the roadway. With potential injuries, expect roadway delays." (Facebook)

Gig Harbor Living: "After seven years of planning, fundraising, design and study, The Mustard Seed Project is breaking ground for its first assisted living and memory care homes in the Key Peninsula.Find out more here! https://www.gigharborlivinglocal.com..." (Instagram)

Gig Harbor Living: "Three ... Two ... One! The winners have been determined for Gig Habor Living Local's Finest from 2021! Thank you to all that participated in voting and a HUGE congratulations to all of this year's winners View the full list of winners..." (Instagram)

Tom Taylor Family YMCA: "At the Y, youll find more than just a place to work out. With opportunities to connect with neighbors and give back to your community, youll discover a greater sense of purpose, too. Find Your Meaning, Find Your Y. https://www.ymcapkc...." (Facebook)

Tom Taylor Family YMCA: "Kick off the New Year with personal training!  By learning your goals, challenges, and aspirations, our certified personal trainers will tailor fitness programs that meet you where you are, to take you where you aim to be. bit.ly/3GxwDxB" (Facebook)

Nextdoor Neighbor, Maplewood/Sunrise Beach/Crescent Valley Dr NW: "ALL ANIMALS NEED US AS SHELTERS ARE FILLING UP - Creating no-kill communities, across the U.S.Best Friends Animal Societys lifesaving work began with the opening of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah in 1984. From there, t..." (Nextdoor)

Public Information Officer, Washington Emergency Management Division: "Governor announces additional resources for Omicron variant - As Washington state is experiencing a dramatic rise in COVID cases due to the Omicron variant, Gov. Jay Inslee announced steps today to contain the spread. Inslee did not anno..." (Nextdoor)

Nextdoor Neighbor, South Artondale: "Life hack: If you eat cookies fast enough, Fitbit will think youre running! - " (Nextdoor)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday! See you all tomorrow morning for your next update.

 Charles Woodman

About me: Charles started as Field Editor for Patch in May 2020, covering western Washington. He is based in Seattle. In the past, he has written for various TV news stations in Seattle, Reno, Nevada and Fairbanks, Alaska. He has also worked as a music critic, weatherman, and soccer referee.

This article originally appeared on the Gig Harbor Patch
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian police fired shots at a truck carrying around 30 people presumed to be illegal migrants on Thursday after it drove through a checkpoint at the border with Austria without stopping, police said.

The Gyor-Moson-Sopron county police said police patrols at the border village of Harka spotted the truck driving at speed towards the crossing.

An officer stepped in front of the truck signalling it had to stop for checks. But it accelerated instead, forcing him to jump out of its path while a colleague fired shots trying to force the vehicle to change direction, police said in a statement on their website late on Thursday.

The truck, which had a Hungarian number plate, drove across the border and then broke down. Austrian police detained its Egyptian driver and some 30 passengers of unknown nationalities in the back of the truck, Hungarian police said.

According to police data, Hungarian authorities turned back around 2,000-2,500 migrants at the country's southern border with Serbia and Romania per week in the last weeks of 2021. Hungary built a fence along the Serbian border to stop migrants from entering in 2015.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than; editing by John Stonestreet)
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary has received a shipment of Russia's Sputnik Light COVID-19 vaccine for assessment by the Hungarian health authorities, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a statement on Friday.

Szijjarto said that, depending on the examination, Hungary could start commercial talks with Russia on purchasing Sputnik Light to use as a booster shot. Hungary has used Sputnik V along with Western-made vaccines in its coronavirus vaccination campaign.

(Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Gov. Greg Gianforte establishes the month of January as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Montana alongside Attorney General Austin Knudsen (seated left), Lowell Hochhalter of the LifeGuard Group (standing left), Sammy Higgs of the HER Campaign (standing middle), and Colonel Steve Lavin of the Montana Highway Patrol (standing right).
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's competition watchdog on Friday ordered an investigation into Alphabet Inc's Google following allegations from news publishers, saying its initial view was that the tech giant had broken some antitrust laws.

In its order, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) said Google dominates certain online search services in the country and may have imposed unfair conditions on news publishers.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The complainant, Digital News Publishers Association, which comprises the digital arms of some of India's biggest media companies, said Google denied fair advertising revenue to its members.

"In a well-functioning democracy, the critical role played by news media cannot be undermined," the CCI order said. "It appears that Google is using its dominant position in the relevant markets to enter/protect its position in the market for news aggregation service."

News organisations, which have been losing advertising revenue to online aggregators such as Google, have complained for years about tech companies using stories in search results or other features without payment.

The CCI order also mentioned new rules in France and Australia - fuelled by media lobbying and public pressure - that have led to licensing deals around the world collectively worth billions of dollars.

(Reporting by Devjyot Ghoshal; editing by Barbara Lewis)
ASBURY PARK, NJ - Due to the high rate of transmission of the COVID-19 omicron variant, Asbury Park residents ages 3 and older are required to use masks in all indoor public spaces, according to a new city mandate.

The requirement goes into effect on Friday, Jan. 7 at 12 p.m. until further notice. Children under the age of 3 will be exempt from the mandate.

Per the order declared by Asbury Parks Emergency Management Coordinator, face masks are required in all indoor public settings including:

Government facilities

Restaurants

Bars

Gyms

Dance studios

Recreation facilities

Retail stores

Cafes

Supermarkets

Convenience stores

Places of worship

Commercial establishments

Salons

Barbershops

Banks

Healthcare facilities

Hotels

Employees and customers in these public spaces are required to wear face masks at all times except when:

Actively eating or drinking or when socially distanced at least six feet apart from all others for an extended period of time (such as in an office setting when seated at desks)

Performing for an audience

Conducting worship services

As Mayor & Council, our number one priority is the health and safety of our community, said Asbury Park Mayor John Moor in a statement. By having more people wear masks indoors, we hope to reduce the spread and keep people out of hospitals to minimize the strain on our healthcare system and potentially save lives. Our goal is to shorten the time it will take to get back to some kind of normalcy without negatively impacting our local businesses and residents in their daily lives.

You can view the full executive order here: https://www.cityofasburypark.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1650

The city isn't the first to reinstate a mask requirement. East Orange, Hoboken, Maplewood, Montclair, Morristown, Newark and others are all enforcing similar indoor masking policies amid this new variant. Read more: Mask Mandates Return To New Jersey As COVID Spreads



Asbury Park's announcement comes as New Jersey reports 33,459 new cases on Friday, the highest daily number of new cases since the pandemic began in 2020.

NEW JERSEY #COVID19 UPDATE:

33,459 new positive PCR tests

1,535,503 total positive PCR tests

5,930 new positive antigen tests

246,960 total positive antigen tests

63 new confirmed deaths

26,519 total confirmed deaths

2,855 probable deaths

https://t.co/JW1q8awGh7 pic.twitter.com/VYwSRow1xy

 Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) January 7, 2022

This article originally appeared on the Asbury Park Patch
Reuters/Eloisa Lopez

A cruise ship that played host to a devastating COVID outbreak in 2020 that resulted in more than 900 infections and 28 deaths is has reportedly allowed a dozen infected passengers to disembark at San Francisco.

The Ruby Princess became notorious at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 when it docked in Sydney, Australia, and all of its passengers were allowed to disembark despite the disease being rife on board, which led to a criminal inquiry of the plague ship.

The same ship docked in San Francisco on Thursday after a 10-day New Years party voyageto Mexico and backended in a dozen passengers testing positive on board. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the citys port confirmed that a total of 724 passengers have left the ship, including the 12 passengers who returned positive test results.

All individuals are either asymptomatic or experiencing mild symptoms. No passenger has required medical attention and no hospitalization is needed, the port said in a statement. Princess Cruises said guests who tested positive will either return home via their personal vehicles or be taken to hotels coordinated in advance for quarantine.

The positive cases came to light after, under a local health mandate, the cruise line randomly tested 25 percent of all passengers who planned to leave the ship at San Francisco, returning a dozen positive results. Negin Kamali, a spokesperson for Princess Cruises, said vaccination rates among guests on the Ruby Princess were approaching 100 percent.

But a woman on board claimed the outbreak was identified earlier among the performers on the cruise, leading to canceled shows and in-cabin quarantines. It was kind of disturbing that there wasnt more widespread announcements about that I think the only reason they announced that is because the shows were canceled, Diane Castillo told NBC News.

KTVU reported late Thursday that the ship has already left San Francisco on its latest voyage to Mexico. One passenger who spoke to the network said: My name is Sharon Get Me On a Ship Pettis... I feel very safe on a ship because everybody is very responsible. The food situation is handled beautifully. They follow all the rules really stringently.

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Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that all 92 cruise ships with passengers in U.S. waters had confirmed positive COVID-19 cases on board. The CDC recommends that all cruise travel should be avoided regardless of vaccine status.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Iowa lawmakers and Gov. Kim Reynolds have taken multiple actions affecting affordable housing over the past year, and they have hinted that more could be on the horizon in the 2022 legislative session.

For example, those advocating for stronger tenant protections for Iowans living in mobile home parks are hoping 2022 will be the year that legislation could move through. Legislation on that topic has had bipartisan support but failed to advance each of the past three years. The legislation has faced robust lobbying opposition from mobile home park owners and drawn concern from Republican leadership over its potential effect on private property rights.

The fight for mobile home owner rights: Iowa mobile home park residents are fighting for expanded rights. Will state lawmakers provide them relief?

Lawmakers, mobile home park owners and other stakeholders have continued to meet in advance of the session to see if they can reach a compromise. And their push comes as affordable housing initiatives have seen increased attention at the legislative level.

Reynolds made housing a major part of her push at the beginning of 2021. By the end of the session, she signed multiple laws that affected Iowans' access to affordable housing, and the laws drew mixed reaction from advocates. She has also used federal American Rescue Plan funding to pay for her housing priorities.

Reynolds told reporters Tuesday that she is preparing to introduce a "comprehensive bill" addressing workforce issues in Iowa at the beginning of this year's legislative session. She didn't go into details but did say one of the pieces to the workforce solution continues to be affordable housing.

"It's not just people. It's housing, it's child care, it's all of the above, and we've said that over and over," she said.

Democrats have also said they would like to see more legislation on housing to address Iowa's workforce issues.

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As lawmakers prepare for another session, here's a look at some key housing moves that have occurred at the state level over the past year.

New law boosts affordable housing programs

The Iowa Legislature in 2021 passed a sweeping tax cut package that included expanded funding for several affordable housing programs.

The law boosted housing tax credit programs, increased funding to local housing trust funds and created a disaster recovery housing assistance fund.

The Legislature's action came after Reynolds had called for a more expansive affordable housing plan earlier in the session. The new law includes a scaled-back version of her proposal.

Reynolds allocates COVID-19 relief to address state housing shortage

In addition to the portions of her housing proposal that passed, Reynolds has used federal pandemic money to bolster affordable housing in the state

In September, Reynolds announced she would allocate $100 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to several existing housing programs, plus some new housing pilot programs.

Reynolds, a Republican, initially criticized the $1.9 trillion rescue plan when it was passed by the Democratic-controlled Congress. She is now allocating the states portion of $1.4 billion to a variety of programs.

MORE: Iowa targets $100 million in COVID-19 relief funding to address state housing shortage

Iowa has also been administering federal coronavirus relief money for rent and utility assistance.

Law limits cities' powers with Section 8 vouchers

Reynolds also signed a law last year affecting the use of federal housing choice vouchers, drawing criticism from housing advocates who worry it will hurt some Iowans' ability to find housing.

In April of 2021, she signed a law ensuring that landlords can turn away renters who receive assistance through the federal housing choice voucher program, or Section 8. The law specifically bans cities and counties from passing ordinances that prohibit landlords from discriminating against renters that use the vouchers to pay rent.

Cities like Des Moines, Iowa City and Marion had put such ordinances in place as they tried to expand opportunities for affordable housing. But landlords and Republicans said the ordinances are a violation of private property rights and that participation in the Section 8 program should be optional.

Opponents of the law pointed to the disparate impact it will likely have on people of color and those with disabilities.

The law immediately banned cities from putting new ordinances in place. The law will not void the existing ordinances in those three cities until Jan. 1, 2023, in order to give them an adjustment period.

Ian Richardson covers the Iowa Statehouse for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at irichardson@registermedia.com, at 515-284-8254, or on Twitter at @DMRIanR.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa took these actions on affordable housing in 2021
Amari Gabriel Christiansen, 6, went missing in the Grace Street area of Holiday City Mobile Park on Thursday.

MISSING BOY FOUND: Missing Jacksonville 6-year-old Amari Christiansen has been found

The search is on for a boy who went missing in Jacksonville Thursday evening.

Jacksonville police issued a Missing Child Alert Thursday night on Facebook announcing a six-year-old boy named Amari went missing in the Grace Street area of Holiday City Mobile Home Park at approximately 7 p.m.

He is described as an African American boy, black hair, brown eyes, the alert said. He is said to be wearing a dark navy coat, long sleeve black shirt with the words 'Game On,' blue sweat pants with sharks and black sneakers. He may also be carrying a Power ranger backpack and lunch box with Minecraft or Paw Patrol.

Police officers have been stopping cars going in and out of Holiday City Mobile Home Park on Friday as the search for a six-year-old boy continues.

Officers and detectives are in the area of Holiday City MHP and Northeast Creek Park actively searching for Amari at this time, said Captain Mike Capps, Investigative Services Supervisor, in the alert. If anyone has seen Amari this evening, or knows his whereabouts, please contact the Jacksonville Police Department.

At 1:27 a.m. Friday, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety issued an Amber Alert news release for a child abduction identifying the missing child as Amari Gabriel Christiansen. Officials say the boy is approximately 4 feet tall, weighing 80 pounds.

In a press briefing Friday morning, Jacksonville Police Chief Mike Yaniero said Christiansen went to school on Thursday, got off the bus around 4 p.m. and was last seen around 5:45 p.m. Christensen resided at Holiday City with his parents, Yaniero said.

Jacksonville police chief Mike Yaniero, and FBI special agent in charge Bobby Wells, address members of the media at Northeast Creek Playground, Jan. 7.

Weve been interviewing witnesses all night, so we have several witnesses that saw him later, after he got off the bus, Yaniero said, who noted Christiansen goes by both Amari and Gabriel.

Methods of search have included helicopter, drone and door to door canvassing of area neighborhoods, Yaniero said. Officers are also stopping cars entering and exiting Holiday City to make them aware of the search.

Its important that if anybody in the community has seen or heard anything about Gabriel that they give us a call as soon as possible, Yaniero said. Somebody in this community has seen something that is very important to us, and we need to know that.

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Law enforcement is urging all residents in the areas of Northeast Creek Park, Brynn Marr and Midway Park to check their properties and any surveillance footage they may have for potential clues.

Search crews gather at Northeast Creek Park in Jacksonville on Friday in an effort to locate a missing six-year-old.

We will continue to treat it as a suspicious incident, Yaniero said. We have no evidence at this time, but we are going to treat it as a possible abduction just because we dont know what happened.

NCIS and the FBI are among the many agencies involved in the search.

We have agents, analysts who specialize in missing children cases, that are working on this, said Bobby Wells, FBI specific agent in charge out of the Charlotte office. We are going to continue to help with searches, conducting interviews and work with all the agencies  federal, state and local partners  with a common goal of bringing Gabriel home as soon as we possibly can.

People with information about the missing child are asked to contact Detective Kymberly Schott at 910-938-6414 or kschott@jacksonvillenc.gov or Crime Stoppers at 910-938-3273. People wishing to assist in the search should register with Volunteer Onslow at www.uwonslow.galaxydigital.com.

Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards up to $2,500 for info deemed valuable to law enforcement. Callers to Crime Stoppers may remain anonymous. Tips can also be anonymously texted via Text-A-Tip by typing TIP4CSJAX and your message to 274637 (CRIMES).

Reporter Calvin Shomaker can be reached at cshomaker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Jacksonville police on the search for missing boy, Amber Alert issued
As we await findings and conclusions of the House Select Committee on the Jan. 6 attack, let's take a moment and do our own soul-searching about what is going on.

The House Select Committee is engaged in Washington's favorite pastime -- looking for whom to blame. The sidelight of this pastime is the pretense that things that are very complicated can be made clear and simple.

And the other side of the coin of the search for whom to blame is the refusal to step up and take personal responsibility.

The latter, unfortunately, is increasingly becoming a hallmark of today's culture and is exactly the opposite of the personal characteristic that built America.

Star Parker

As I wrote in a recent column, one of the great errors of today's culture is equating the political process we call democracy to a culture that embodies the principles of a free society.

The triumvirate of protection of life, liberty and property -- the pillars of a free society -- all are under siege today. Unfortunately, the democratic process is, with alarming frequency, now used to undermine these pillars of liberty.

The vast expansion of government power through debt, taxation and regulation amounts to a direct assault on the private property of American citizens.

The storming of the Capitol building Jan. 6, 2021, regardless of if and how it was planned, regardless of the motivations of those involved, put on display disregard for the principles of law and protection of property that are more fundamental than the democratic and political processes.

Unfortunately, the pathology producing this disregard for the fundamental institution of protecting property, for respect and regard for what is not yours, has become widespread. What we learned Jan. 6 is that this pathology is nationwide, in all political streams, and not limited to the left.

The incident Jan. 6 was just the latest in many such incidents.

I am not the first to point out that exactly the same behavior was rampant across the country in years prior to 2021 perpetuated by Black Lives Matter and other progressive groups and justified by the same leaders of the Democratic Party that are now driving the Jan. 6 witch hunt.

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In July 2020, a mob toppled a statue of Christopher Columbus in Baltimore and threw it into Baltimore's Inner Harbor.

When asked about this, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is from Baltimore, responded, "People do what they will do."

The reporters prodded Pelosi to condemn the mob action, but she refused.

The mob behavior and mentality on display Jan. 6 already was getting rooted in our country and justified and encouraged by political leaders in the Democratic Party.

Suspicions about improprieties in the electoral process in 2020, which led up to the Jan. 6 incident, were and are quite justified given the closeness of the election coupled with the track record of dishonest behavior in the Democratic Party.

Behind the first impeachment of President Donald Trump was grossly improper and illegal behavior in which the so-called Steele dossier, fabricating evidence of the Trump campaign conspiring with Russia, amounted to the FBI working with the Democratic Party to undermine a Republican president. Where is the investigation of this grotesque incident? All is quiet.

As the core values that were the basis of the founding of the USA are undermined and purged, as eternal truths are displaced by politics, all sense of truth and meaning is being lost. The result is a dangerous tendency to anarchy.

I call on Republicans to take on responsibility for leading the nation back to its core values.

And to advance these truths in our minority communities, where for years the left has co-opted the message of freedom and personal responsibility with a message of blame and victimhood. Releasing these communities from the left will also release us from such close elections.

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show "Cure America with Star Parker."

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: What was Jan. 6 really all about?
Anthony Williams was denied permission to travel to Jamaica as he awaits charges tied to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. US attorney's office in Washington, DC

A judge had harsh words Thursday for a January 6 defendant who asked permission to go to Jamaica.

The judge said she would not "commemorate" the January 6 anniversary by greenlighting the request.

The defendant, Anthony Williams, called January 6 the "proudest day" of his life.

Anthony Williams has had an eventful year.

In the waning days of 2020, he declared his plans to "Storm the Swamp" and, a week later, did just that by joining the pro-Trump mob that ransacked the Capitol on January 6  a day he called the "proudest of his life," federal prosecutors alleged in court records. For more than a year, he has also been in a "committed romantic relationship," his defense lawyer said, in a recent brief requesting permission to him to travel to Jamaica to visit his girlfriend's family.

On Thursday, as Congress and President Joe Biden commemorated the one-year anniversary of the January 6 attack, the chief federal judge in Washington, DC, handed down an emphatic  and, by judicial standards, colorful  kibosh on Williams' proposed Jamaican vacation.

"This court will not commemorate the one-year anniversary of this attack on the Capitol by granting defendant's request for non-essential foreign travel when he is awaiting judgment for his actions on that day," wrote Chief Judge Beryl Howell, an 2010 appointee to the federal trial court in Washington, DC.

Chief Judge Beryl Howell has been outspoken in court about the conduct of January 6 defendants. Alex Wong/Getty Images

No 'warmer climes' for an accused Capitol rioter

Williams' defense lawyer had argued that, under the conditions of his client's release, Howell "must approve any travel outside of the continental United States."

Howell, however, took a different view.

In an order Thursday, Howell noted that Williams "wishes to leave the Michigan winter to spend ten days in the warmer climes of Jamaica to meet the family of a woman with whom defendant has been in a committed relationship for 'more than a year.'"

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"Although such a meeting may be an important step in defendant's personal relationship, defendant surrendered his entitlement to unfettered international travel when, also 'more than a year" ago,'" he declared his intent to come to Washington and later breached the Capitol.

A federal grand jury indicted Williams in May on charges stemming from the January 6 attack. He pleaded not guilty in early June and was released on several conditions, including that he receive court approval for any international travel.

Williams is among more than 700 accused participants in the Capitol attack who have been arrested in the aftermath of January 6. Federal authorities have described the investigation as unprecedented, and on Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to "holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law  whether they were present that day or were otherwise criminally responsible for the assault on our democracy."

On Thursday, Garland and other Justice Department leaders met with many officials assigned to the investigation to thank them for their work.

Read the original article on Business Insider
TOKYO  Japan is to step up coronavirus restrictions in three regions that host United States military bases to stem a Covid-19 surge that some officials have said the bases have helped fuel.

The restrictions, which authorities call priority measures, are being brought back for the first time since September, when Japan lifted emergency controls that had prevailed across the country for most of last year.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a meeting the measures, which will allow steps such as limiting the operating hours of restaurants and bars, were needed to rein in surging cases.

The infectious omicron variant has been found in about 80 percent of Japanese prefectures. Total new infections will exceed 5,000 on Friday, the Yomiuri newspaper reported, compared with an average of about 200 a day last month.

We must be prepared for the rapid spread of infection, Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto told reporters.

There are cases where there is no history of overseas travel and the route of infection is unknown, while the delta strain also continues to spread.

The new measures in the southern prefecture of Okinawa and the western prefectures of Hiroshima and Yamaguchi, will last from Sunday to the end of the month.

All three regions host bases for the U.S. military, which on Thursday announced stricter infection controls at Japans urging after outbreaks at bases appeared to have spilled into communities.

Governors of the prefectures had requested the tougher measures after seeing a surge in cases driven by the omicron variant.

The southern island chain of Okinawa, host to 70 percent of U.S. military facilities in Japan, has been the hardest hit, in what appears to be the countrys sixth wave of the pandemic.

The prefecture reported 1,414 new cases on Friday, a record and up from 981 on Thursday.

This number will likely stay high and steadily increase, said Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, who has harshly criticized infection controls at U.S. bases.

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Image: Hiroshima City Covid (Takuya Yoshino / The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images)

Infections have also been on the rise in major metropolitan areas. Tokyo said it found 922 new cases on Friday, the most since Sept. 15.

Tokyos government is planning to strengthen countermeasures by directing restaurants to limit diners to groups of four, down from eight, the Kyodo news agency reported.

Amid ongoing frustration with the U.S. bases in Japan, the two countries have also to work together on another issue dominating officials: Chinas growing might.

The comments from the two allies, in a joint statement that followed a virtual meeting of their foreign and defense ministers, highlight how deepening alarm about China  and growing tension over Taiwan  have put Japans security role in focus.

The ministers expressed concerns that Chinas efforts to undermine the rules-based order presented political, economic, military and technological challenges to the region and the world, according to their statement.

They resolved to work together to deter and, if necessary, respond to destabilizing activities in the region, it said.

The ministers also said they had serious and ongoing concerns about human rights in Chinas Xinjiang and Hong Kong regions and stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

In a separate virtual summit on Thursday, Japan and Australia signed a defense cooperation agreement.

China lodged stern representations with all three countries.

We deplore and firmly oppose the gross interference in Chinas internal affairs by the U.S., Japan and Australia and the fabrication of false information to smear China and undermine the solidarity and mutual trust of countries in the region, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing in Beijing.

Pacifist Japan has close economic ties to China but is increasingly concerned that it could move against democratic Taiwan, which it claims as part of China.

This is clearly a combined message reflecting a common concern, not a case of U.S. arm-twisting to get Japan to sign onto vague euphemisms, said Daniel Russel, who served as the top U.S. diplomat for Asia under president Barack Obama and is now with the Asia Society Policy Institute.

In particular, the expression of joint resolve to respond if necessary to destabilizing activities comes across as a powerful expression of alliance solidarity and determination.
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's biggest power generator JERA said it would spend 69.2 billion yen ($597 million) on the development of ammonia-related technology, with nearly 70% covered by the government's green innovation fund.

Ammonia is used as a fertiliser and in industrial materials, but is also seen as a future energy source, along with hydrogen. It does not emit carbon dioxide when burned although its production produces emissions if it is made with fossil fuel.

JERA said on Friday it plans three new demonstration projects, two aimed at using at least 50% of ammonia along with coal at its power plants by March 2029 and another to develop new ammonia synthesis catalysts by March 2031.

Last year, JERA and IHI Corp have begun to use small volumes of ammonia along with coal at JERA's Hekinan power station in central Japan as part of an effort to reduce the facility's emissions of carbon dioxide.

The current project runs for about four years through March 2025 with a target of achieving a co-firing rate of 20% at a 1 gigawatt (GW) coal power plant at Hekinan.

Under the new 8-year-long demonstration project, JERA and IHA aim to raise the co-firing rate to at least 50% at an actual power plant by March 2029.

JERA, a joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) and Chubu Electric Power, will also conduct a similar project with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI), developing a new burner and verifying co-firing of at least 50% of ammonia at two power plants with different boiler types made by MHI by March 2029.

The two projects will cost 45.2 billion yen, 27.9 billion yen of which will be subsidised by the government fund, a JERA spokesperson said.

JERA, along with Chiyoda Corp and TEPCO, will also invest 24 billion yen in another 10-year-long project to develop ammonia synthesis catalysts, with 20 billion yen to be aided by the state fund.

($1 = 115.8200 yen)

(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Alexander Smith)
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Real Housewives of Salt Lake star Jennie Nguyen recently called out co-star Meredith Marks online as the racial drama between Nguyen and co-star Mary Cosby continues.



Nguyen confronted Marks in a now-deleted tweet that Instagram page @QueensofBravo shared a screenshot of on Monday, calling the latter out for being complicit in the racial drama, according to RealityBlurb.



Racism, in any form, is RACISM! This is what my husband [Duy Nguyen] I grew up with daily. To be silent, or to laugh while someone is being racist, is to be complicit, Nguyen wrote in the tweet embedded with a picture of Marks.



The racial drama began on Sundays episode of the Real Housewives of Salt Lake when Nguyen confronted Cosby for her comment about how the latter loved the Vietnamese housewifes slanted eyes at a previous pho luncheon, People reported.































View this post on Instagram















































A post shared by OMFGRealityTV (@omfgrealitytv)











Nguyen said Cosbys comment left her frustrated and very mad. While speaking to her husband, the reality TV star said the incident was insulting to our Asian culture and how it comes across as racist.



Cosby was also accused of trying to imitate Nguyens accent. However, in a tweet on Monday, the reality TV actress dragged co-star Lisa Barlow into the drama by saying she also tried to mimic the Asian actress accent the entire season.





Lisa B. Did it throughout the entire season.. mine is the only one that was aired! They can pick .. all day.. I Always know what my intentions are! I will never be who people will try to make me It was ok for Jenny to bring back a gift to me because Lisa told her it was for Jen

 Mary Cosby (@Mary_M_Cosby) January 3, 2022







After being tagged into the conversation, Barlow quickly denied Cosbys statement with a one-word reply: Never.



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Never.

 Lisa Barlow (@LisaBarlow7) January 4, 2022







Incidentally, Marks also took to her Twitter to criticize Cosby for the accent imitation issue, saying, It is not okay to imitate someones accent. Cosby mentioned Barlow again in her reply to the tweet, in which she brought up the same point she made in the other post.





Meredith so your not going to bring up Lisa Barlow doing Jennies accent.. Throughout the season? Thats all Im saying? Wheres the Realness among these women?? At least Im Real! I dont care what people think of me! I have 1 Judge its none of these people judging!

 Mary Cosby (@Mary_M_Cosby) January 3, 2022







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Vanessa Bryant attends the Universal Pictures F9" World Premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on June 18, 2021.

Vanessa Bryants lawsuit against Los Angeles County first responders for allegedly taking photos of the crash site where her husband, daughter, and seven others passed away in a tragic helicopter accident will be going to trial.

U.S. District Judge John F. Walter has denied a request by the lawyers of Los Angeles County to dismiss the case in a ruling Wednesday stating that there are genuine issues of material facts for trial.

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According to CNN, the lawyers from LA County gave various arguments, including that the photos were deleted:



The countys lawyers argued Bryants fear of the crash site photos surfacing is a hypothetical harm. Plaintiffs fear is also not reasonable, said the county, pointing to results from a neutral forensic examination by an independent examiner that confirmed that there are no photos containing victims remains and no evidence of public dissemination. There is therefore nothing for Plaintiff to fear. They say the photos are gone and cannot be recovered.

Bryant filed the lawsuit back in September 2020, and it claims photos taken at the scene were shared by county fire and sheriffs department employees in settings irrelevant to the investigation. The widow of Kobe Bryant had further to say about the matter from Rolling Stone:

The gratuitous images soon became talked about within the department, as deputies displayed them to colleagues in settings that had nothing to do with investigating the accident. One deputy even used his photos of the victims to try to impress a woman at a bar, bragging about how he had been at the crash site, her filings allege.

The lawsuit seeks undisclosed damages, claiming civil rights violations, negligence, emotional distress, and violation of privacy.

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In a statement to Rolling Stone, Bryants lawyer Luis Li said, This has always been about accountability. We look forward to presenting the facts to a jury.

Skip Miller, the attorney for LA County, expressed his disappointment with how things went down.




A judge dismissed a groping charge filed against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) that was among the sexual misconduct allegations that drove him from office.

The charge was filed against Cuomo over accusations that he groped an aide in the executive mansion in 2020. It was the only criminal charge filed against the former governor in connection with multiple allegations of sexual harassment made against him, according to The Associated Press.

Cuomo and his lawyers joined prosecutors before an Albany City Court judge virtually Friday.

"We have reviewed all of the available evidence and concluded we cannot successfully secure a conviction in this case," Assistant District Attorney Jennifer McCanney said, according to the AP.

Last year, Brittany Commisso, a former executive assistant for Cuomo, alleged that the then-governor "reached under her blouse and grabbed her breast" while they were alone in an office at the mansion, according to a report released in August by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D).

In the report, James said that Cuomo had sexually harassed 11 women.

Cuomo has denied the allegations, claiming that he did not touch anyone inappropriately, according to the AP. He dismissed the August report as "unfair." Cuomo did not speak during the hearing Friday.

The groping misdemeanor complaint was filed by the local sheriff in October, two months after Cuomo left office, according to the wire service.

Albany County District Attorney David Soares announced earlier this week that he would not be pursuing criminal charges against Cuomo in the case despite "credible evidence" that supported the allegations against him.

"This court is acutely aware of the fact that the district attorney's office has unfettered discretion to determine whether to prosecute a particular person or case," said Judge Holly Trexler on Friday, according to the AP.
Leaders at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka devoted a significant chunk of their meetings Friday to the impact of a piece of paper.

That document, a declaration of emergency issued by Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday, comes about because of a spike in COVID-19 that has overwhelmed the state's hospitals in a way they hadn't yet been tested.

While hospitals pushed Kelly earlier this week to issue the declaration, a piece of paper can't stop the effects of the virus in their tracks, although, like Stormont Vail, they are exploring how it can make the lives of staff and patients easier.

Salah Najm, Stormont Vail's vice president of acute care services, said the trend lines remain poor, with the hospital still "in the uptick of the surge right now."

"It's been busy, day by day, every day, almost," Najm said.

A COVID-19 patient on a ventinator is checked by Megan Lee, a resident nurse at Stormont Vail Health, on Friday afternoon inside the COVID-19 ICU unit.

Hospital leaders across Kansas on Friday praised Kelly for her action but cautioned more work is needed to help them maintain normal operations, as the regulatory and licensing flexibilities associated with the order only go so far.

More: Shawnee County's new COVID cases nearly double. Commission to hear from health officer.

"When you don't have the workforce to fill in these gaps there might not be a huge benefit from that executive order," Najm said. "But we think we might be able to use it in certain ways to help our staff."

Kelly said the emergency declaration was in the works for weeks but came just a day after hospital leaders held a news conference Wednesday where they pleaded for help from government officials and the public at large.

Still, Kimberly Megow, chief medical officer for HCA Midwest Health, said at a news conference Friday that her system projected current hospitalization figures could double by the end of February.

"Hope is not a strategy," Megow said. "So were all here together to come up with a different strategy than hope."

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Hospitals to use staff flexibility from order

Stormont Vail Health doctor Salah Najm applies his personal protective equipment alongside Paige Shumaker, resident nurse, before entering COVID-19 patient rooms Friday in the COVID-19 ICU unit.

The new emergency order, which will last for 15 days, won't be accompanied any new mandates. Instead, Kelly issued two executive orders that are more limited in nature.

One relaxes licensing requirements for nurses and other staff members, as well as allowing National Guard and military personnel to volunteer in hospitals. The second is aimed at helping the 500 or so state-licensed adult care homes adequately staff up.

"This is an emergency that is important and that is why we are issuing these directives," Kelly said in a Statehouse news conference.

Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, said the facility would attempt to use retired personnel and students to help out at the hospital's testing and vaccine clinics, as well as support roles like stocking shelves.

The system has nearly 1,000 staff members out with confirmed or possible COVID-19 infections.

More: COVID disaster spurs Gov. Laura Kelly to declare emergency as Kansas hospitals struggle

Stites said the state was "at the doorstep" of requiring federal aid to combat the staffing problems, though there has not yet been any indication that Kansas has explored this option.

President Joe Biden in December announced plans to send upward of 1,000 military personnel to shore up hospitals nationally. Meanwhile, federal emergency response teams were deployed to over a half-dozen states for assistance.

Widespread staffing shortages will soon spread to the rest of the community without further mitigation steps, including masking requirements, Stites cautioned.

"We are going to see our ability to staff things drop like a rock," he said. "It wont just be hospitals, it will be restaurants, it will be schools, it will be police forces, it will be fire. When you step back and look at it, the way to keep ourselves safe  and keep our society open is to put a mask on."

Few local governments have weighed a return to mask mandates. Douglas County announced earlier this week they would re-implement their masking requirements in public buildings and Johnson County elected to keep face covering requirements in place for K-6 students in the area.

More: Kansas hospital officials warn they're rationing care due to COVID surge, worst to come

Legislative leaders comfortable with hospital support, but not with mandates

Republican legislative leaders have said they will push back against any attempts to re-implement statewide mandates, though they appeared comfortable with the focus on hospitals.

The Legislative Coordinating Council, a panel of top legislative leaders, elected Friday to leave Kelly's two executive orders in place rather than use their powers to revoke them.

"It seems like these provisions will help our hospitals in their temporary time of need," House Speaker Ron Ryckman, R-Olathe, said during the meeting.

The plan is for legislators to codify the flexibilities granted to hospitals on a longer term basis  Kelly said she would like to see them run through March  and let the emergency order expire.

But House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, said he believed there was merit in loosening the regulations permanently, though Kelly said Thursday the flexibilities were not ideal long-term and were designed as a temporary stopgap.

"I would say most of us, many of us feel this should be made permanent instead of just a disaster declaration," Hawkins said.

More: COVID variant has Kansas doctors afraid, hospitals full: 'My crystal ball is ugly'

We are not out of the woods with omicron

Kelly said there was reason for optimism long term, noting data from other countries showing omicron is more contagious but also tends to cause less severe disease.

But hospital leaders said this was missing the bigger picture.

Stites said even if hospitalizations fall by half, a four-fold increase in infections, for instance, will still mean more patients for doctors to cope with.

"Thats what we are seeing in other parts of the country, where hospital numbers are still rising," he said. "And because so many of the staff are sick with omicron, they cant come into care for patients, it is a double whammy. So we are not out of the woods with omicron."

Najm said almost two years into the pandemic, hospitals were still having to learn and adapt to the virus on a near-constant basis.

The arrival of omicron suggest that will continue for the foreseeable future.

"A lot of what's happening now is there's a lot of learning  we're learning how to manage and how to deal with this pandemic," he said. "And how do we handle different parts of the medical system, including surgeries, and patients and clinics and all of this. A lot of it is learning along the way and getting to a more stable normal in the future."

The Capital-Journal's Evert Nelson contributed reporting

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 hospital leaders fighting omicron surge say more needed
Actor Julia Fox has written a blog post about her date with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, after they were spotted attending a theatre performance together this week.

Fox, who received acclaim from her debut performance in Adam Sandlers 2019 film Uncut Gems, was seen with the artist leaving a production of Slave Play in New York City on Wednesday 5 January.

In a piece for Interview Magazine, the 31-year-old said she had an instant connection after meeting Ye in Miami on New Years Eve, and described him as so fun to be around.

He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night. We decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see Slave Play, she said.

Yes flight landed at six and the play was at seven and he was there ON TIME. I was impressed. After the play we chose to do dinner at Carbone which is one of my favourite restaurants. Obviously.

Fox said that Ye directed a photoshoot for her in the restaurant while other guests dined, before surprising her with an entire hotel suite full of clothes.

It was every girls dream come true, she wrote. It felt like a real Cinderella moment. I dont know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time. But I was so surprised. Like, who does things like this on a second date? Or any date! Everything with us has been so organic. I dont know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future Im loving the ride.

The article was accompanied by several photos of the date, including Fox and Ye embracing in the hotel suite where she tried on several outfits.

(Getty Images)

On social media, some fans have accused Ye of staging the date as an attempt to make his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, jealous.

Last month, he appeared to make a plea for a reunion with the reality TV star at a concert with Drake.

During a performance of Runaway from his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Ye repeated the refrain I need you to run right back to me before adding: More specifically, Kimberly.

The Independent has contacted Ye and Foxs representatives for comment.
ALMATY (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday he had given shoot-to-kill orders to deal with further disturbances from those he called bandits and terrorists, adding that those who failed to surrender would be "destroyed."

Up to 20,000 "bandits" had attacked the biggest city Almaty and had been destroying state property, Tokayev said in a televised address after a week when protests over fuel prices exploded into a countrywide wave of unrest.

He said as part of the "counter-terrorist" operation, he had ordered law enforcement agencies and the army "to shoot to kill without warning."

"The militants have not laid down their arms, they continue to commit crimes or are preparing for them. The fight against them must be pursued to the end. Whoever does not surrender will be destroyed," Tokayev said on state television.

He dismissed calls to hold talks with protesters.

"What stupidity. What kind of talks can we hold with criminal and murderers?" he said.

"We had to deal with armed and well-prepared bandits, local as well as foreign. More precisely, with terrorists. So we have to destroy them, this will be done soon".

Tokayev thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of China, Uzbekistan and Turkey for their assistance.

He said peacekeeping forces sent from Russia and neighbouring states had arrived on Kazakhstan's request and were in the country on a temporary basis to ensure security.

It was critically important to understand why the state had "slept through the underground preparation of terrorist attacks, of militant sleeper cells", Tokayev added.

(Reporting by Anastasia Lyrchikova, Mark Trevelyan and Alex Marrow; Writing by Sujata Rao)
A 42-year-old Leeville man was arrested after police said he gave what they suspect were hallucinogenic drugs to an 8-year-old girl.

The man is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and cruelty to juveniles, police said.

He was taken into custody Dec. 29 after Port Fourchon Harbor Police began investigating a complaint that an 8-year-old had ingested the drugs at a home on Floatation Canal Road, according to Harbor Police Chief Mike Kinler said.

MORE: 11-year-old found home alone with drugs and guns, authorities say

Kinler said independent lab tests are underway, at the mother's request and expense, to determine the exact type of drug involved.

The child told school officials in West Baton Rouge about the lingering effects of the drug, Kinler said.

They contacted (the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office), he said. Once they discovered that the incident occurred in Port Fourchon, WBR notified (the Lafourche Parish Sheriffs Office) who in turn notified us about the allegation. We then worked with the Child Advocacy Center in Baton Rouge to obtain further information, which led to the issuing of the arrest warrant.

Kinler commended Officer Brandon France and Sgt. Josh Collins who investigated the case.

Officer France did an exceptional job here of working with the West Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office and other supporting agencies to bring about this apprehension, he said. His efforts were a culmination of taking training hes acquired over the years and putting it to good use.

'IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT': Port Fourchon rushes to recover after Hurricane Ida

Greater Lafourche Port Commission Executive Director Chett Chiasson praised Harbor Police for their services.

The work put in by our Harbor Police Department never ceases to amaze me, Chiasson said. Although small in size, our department consistently delivers on behalf of the community they have been sworn to protect and serve.

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The child remains in the custody of her mother in Baton Rouge and is in good physical condition, Kinler said.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services are actively working their own investigation and will report their findings to the courts upon completion, he said.

 Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp.

This article originally appeared on The Courier: Lafourche man accused of giving hallucinogen to 8-year-old
200 families receive China-aided relief items in northern Afghanistan

Xinhua) 09:32, January 07, 2022

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- About 200 destitute families on Thursday received China-donated relief aid in Afghanistan's northern province of Kunduz, a provincial official confirmed.

"The families were surveyed and registered by officials of provincial directorate for disaster management and humanitarian affairs. More registered families will receive donation within days in Kunduz," Matihullah Rohani, director of provincial directorate for culture and information, told reporters.

The distributed packages included biscuits, powder milk, blankets and clothes, according to the official.

Since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in mid-August 2021, and the formation of the Taliban-led caretaker government on Sept. 7 last year, the impoverished country has faced economic woes.

China has recently sent batches of humanitarian assistance including foodstuff, COVID-19 vaccines and winter clothes to Afghanistan.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
A proposed railroad merger would mean more freight trains in the Chicago area, and Metra and some communities say residents could feel the effects.

Metra is concerned the merger could mean more delays on some of its lines. Elgin is concerned about more noise and a potential uptick in trains carrying contaminants running alongside the Fox River. And communities up and down the affected train line worry more, longer trains could mean delays at road crossings for drivers and first responders trying to reach emergencies.

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The $31 billion merger would combine the Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads. It is still pending approval by the federal Surface Transportation Board.

A freight train travels down the tracks and crosses over Highland Avenue on Jan. 6, 2022, in Elgin. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

If approved, the merger would create the only railroad linking Canada, Mexico and the United States. It would be the first major railroad merger since the 1990s.

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In the Chicago area, where train traffic is already dense, Canadian Pacific shares tracks with Metras Milwaukee District West and North trains. The railroad also shares tracks with Amtrak trains, including the Hiawatha service to Milwaukee and parts of the long-distance Empire Builder service out of Chicago.

Kansas City Southern doesnt operate in the Chicago region, though it does cross paths with Amtrak downstate, near East St. Louis.

The merger would likely bring an uptick in freight trains to parts of the Milwaukee District West Line, which runs to Schaumburg and Elgin. Canadian Pacific is projecting the merger could boost the number of trains to an average of 11.41 per day by 2027, compared with 3.41 trains per day without the merger.

Canadian Pacific is not projecting an increase in freight traffic along the Milwaukee District North line, which runs to Glenview, Deerfield and Lake Forest.

The company said in its federal merger application it did not expect the uptick would affect Metra or Amtrak service, because in the places where freight traffic is expected to increase there is capacity for additional trains, and the company would schedule freight trains around passenger trains.

A Metra train travels down the tracks and crosses over Highland Avenue in Elgin on Jan. 6, 2022. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Amtrak threw its support behind the merger Thursday, saying Canadian Pacific has consistently earned top marks for causing the least delay to Amtrak passengers. Canadian Pacific has also committed to working with Amtrak to expand and extend service, Amtrak said, including more service between Chicago and Milwaukee and extending additional service to St. Paul, Minnesota.

(Canadian Pacific) has been an excellent host of Amtrak intercity passenger service year after year and has established itself as a leader in the railroad industry, Amtrak President Stephen Gardner said in a statement. We welcome CPs commitment to our efforts with states and others to expand Amtrak service and are pleased to have reached an agreement formalizing CPs support of Amtrak expansion in the Midwest and the South.

But Metra remains concerned the merger could seriously impact our service by increasing delays due to freight interference on the Milwaukee lines, and it will evaluate Canadian Pacifics statements that service would not be interrupted, Metra officials said in a statement.

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Communities along the Milwaukee District West Line are also concerned about more frequent and longer freight trains, and in some cases are looking for help from Canadian Pacific to offset the effects of increased freight traffic. That could include funding work to create quiet zones, where trains are not required to blow their horns at crossings, or for trains to take the tracks over or under roads.

Communities concerns about the length and frequency of trains are valid, but the key is to find a balance between alleviating their concerns and letting the railroads operate efficiently, bringing needed goods from one place to another, said Karen Darch, village president of Barrington and a board member of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning who has worked on railroad issues.

We need transportation, this is a big industry for us, for the country, she said. And yet we want our communities to be safe and livable.

And there is good news about the merger, she said: A failed bid by rival Canadian National to take over Kansas City Southern would have meant even more freight trains running through a wide swath of Chicago suburbs. Canadian National has more track in the region than Canadian Pacific.

Canadian National offered more money for Kansas City Southern, but lost a bidding war with Canadian Pacific because the Surface Transportation Board rejected part of its acquisition plan.

But for cities like Elgin, even the Canadian Pacific deal is likely to bring repercussions. The tracks that carry Metra and Canadian Pacific trains run along the Fox River through the citys downtown, and City Manager Rick Kozal fears Canadian Pacifics estimate of 11 freight trains after the merger could be an undercount because of the significance of creating a rail line extending from Canada to Mexico.

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A school bus crosses over the tracks used by freight and passenger trains along East Chicago Street on Jan. 6 in Elgin. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

The trains could cause problems for commuters, firetrucks and police squads trying to cross the river from the east side to the west side of town, Kozal said. Long trains have the potential to block four major bridges across the river at once.

The number of homes in the citys downtown is also increasing, and more freight trains could mean more noise for those residents as trains blow their horns at road crossings, he said. More trains carrying potential contaminants along the river, which is the citys drinking water source, is another concern.

Its hard to argue against the commercial benefits that will occur from unifying these lines, and so the citys trying to be realistic in terms of balancing its own interests with the greater benefit that can come for the U.S. economy, he said. Were just asking, with the recognition that the railroads are going to benefit from this merger, we need some help.

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Farther east along the line, Itasca is spearheading a coalition of several communities raising concerns about the merger, Mayor Jeff Pruyn said. He was particularly concerned about the prospect of a train blocking all of Itascas rail crossings at once and slowing response to an emergency, citing an instance nearly 60 years ago when a country club burned down because fire response was delayed by a freight train.

Blocked roads could also impede school buses and traffic, he said. And increased vibrations from more, longer trains could wreak havoc on the homes alongside the tracks in town.

He, like leaders in other communities, is seeking more information about the effects of the merger.

Canadian Pacific said it had met with suburban city leaders, and was working with the Surface Transportation Board to analyze their concerns.

While the overall impact of the CP-KCS transaction is unambiguously pro-environment and pro-economic growth, we recognize that we will be increasing the number of trains that operate through some communities, Canadian Pacific said in a statement. We will work hard to be a good neighbor.

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The Associated Press contributed.

sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com
The former couple met in Chicago in1995, five years after the NBA icon divorced his first wife.

Larsa Pippen and Scottie Pippen are officially divorced, five years after the NBA icon first filed to end their marriage after more than 20 years together.

Their divorce was finalized on Wednesday, Jan. 5, according to court documents obtained by E! News. The agreement was signed on Dec. 15, 2021, and no details about it have been publicly provided. Scottie and Larsa met in 1995, five years after he divorced his first wife, Karen McCollum.

Scottie Pippen and Larsa Pippen (Photo by Sergi Alexander/Getty Images for Haute Living)

They worked together amicably, with the help of a retired judge-mediator and their respective attorneys, to come to agreement on all of the issues, Larsas attorney, David Glass, told E! News in a statement. The case was actually resolved back in August, but it took the court some time to approve of the stipulated judgment. The parties continue to work cooperatively to co-parent their remaining minor children.

Larsa and Scottie tied the knot in 1997, two years after meeting in Chicago. The former Chicago Bulls star filed for divorce from Larsa in 2016, citing irreconcilable differences. The former couple had an unsuccessful attempt at reconciliation and in November 2018, Larsa re-filed for divorce and requested joint legal and physical custody of four children, as well as spousal support.

At the time, she shared in a statement to TMZ, It is with deep sadness that Scottie and I announce that we are legally separating. We have both tried very hard for a long time to make our marriage work and have ultimately come to the conclusion that it is best that we live separate lives.

She continued, We have so many amazing memories together, remain best of friends and love each other very much. Our four children have always been our priority and for their sake we ask for as much privacy as possible for our family during this sensitive time.

Scottie and Larsa share kids Scotty Pippen Jr., 21; Preston Pippen, 19; Justin Pippen, 17; and 13-year-old Sophia Pippen.

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It was rumored that Larsa had an affair with rapper Future during her marriage, theGrio reported. Adding fuel to fire, the hip-hop hitmaker seemed to take aim at Scottie in a song called Rent Money.

I make blogs with ya b cause Im ruthless, he raps. I just slam dunked ya b hall of fame.

Larsa and Future both denied having an affair.

Following her separation from Scottie, Larsa has been romantically linked to Khloe Kardashians baby daddy, baller Tristan Thompson and Malik Beasley of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Larsa, 47, was spotted holding hands with Beasley, 25, in Miami in November 2020. They looked very much like a couple  much to the surprise of his wife, Montana Yao. At the time, Yao said she was blindsided after photos surfaced of Pippen and Beasley.

Ive been separated going thru a divorce for over 2 years and Ive been linked to a few guys my entire life so dont sit here and paint a picture of me that isnt true, Larsa tweeted in December 2020, amid backlash over her affair with Beasley. Malik and his ex were separated before I ever met him thats a fact.

Yao filed for divorce in December 2020 and as of last September, though she and her estranged husband are co-parenting their infant son, Makai, they have not reconciled.

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The post Larsa Pippen, Scottie Pippen finalize divorce three years after separation appeared first on TheGrio.
Sidney Poitier, the legendary star who was the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Actor, has died at 94, Bahamas Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell confirmed to CBS News Friday. Mitchell was told of Poitier's death by the family but had no other details.

Poitier, who held dual U.S. and Bahamian nationality, was "an icon, a hero, a mentor, a fighter, a national treasure," Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said on his official Facebook page.

Poitier's life was a series of "firsts." In 1958, he was the first Black actor nominated for an Oscar as Best Actor for his role as an escaped convict chained to Tony Curtis in "The Defiant Ones."

When he was nominated again in 1964, for "Lilies of the Field," he took home the Academy Award. He was not only the first Black actor to do so, he remained the only one until 2002.

He was also the first Black man to kiss a White woman in a movie, 1965's "A Patch of Blue."

He delivered memorable performances in films including "In the Heat of the Night," which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, "To Sir, with Love," and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."

Poitier was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom  the nation's highest civilian honor  by Barack Obama in 2009.

Actor Sidney Poitier receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Aug. 12, 2009. / Credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

"Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace," Obama tweeted Friday, "revealing the power of movies to bring us closer together. He also opened doors for a generation of actors."

Poitier told CBS News his career choices were less about being "first" and more about the image of his characters. He would not, he told Lesley Stahl in 2013, play someone who was immoral or cruel. "If you go through my career, you'll find that I didn't. I didn't ever."

"I did not go into the film business to be symbolized as someone else's vision of me," Poitier told Stahl. He said he would not take any part "that reflects negatively on my father, my mother and my values.

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"My father was a tomato farmer. There is the phrase that says he or she worked their fingers to the bone, well, that's my dad. And he was a very good man."

The youngest of seven children, Sidney Poitier was born three months premature while his Bahamian parents were in Miami to sell tomatoes.

Uncertain whether he would survive, his dad purchased a tiny casket, while his mother consulted a palm reader.

"The lady took her hand and started speaking to my mother: 'Don't worry about your son. He will survive,'" Poitier recalled. "And these were her words, she said: 'He will walk with kings.'"

And it came true: "Everything she said, including walking with kings, yeah."

President Joe Biden was among those paying tribute to Poitier after news of his death. In a statement, he said:

"Sidney was more than just one of the finest actors in our history. His iconic performances in films like The Defiant Ones, A Raisin in the Sun, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and In the Heat of the Night held a mirror up to America's racial attitudes in the 1950s and 1960s. With unflinching grandeur and poise  his singular warmth, depth, and stature on-screen  Sidney helped open the hearts of millions and changed the way America saw itself."

Poitier's close friend Harry Belafonte issued a statement Friday, calling the iconic actor his "partner in trying to make this world a little better."

"For over 80 years, Sidney and I laughed, cried and made as much mischief as we could," he wrote. "He was truly my brother and partner in trying to make this world a little better. He certainly made mine a whole lot better."

Messages honoring Poitier flooded social media, with Oscar winner Morgan Freeman calling him "my inspiration, my guiding light, my friend" and Oprah Winfrey praising him as a "Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher."

"No words can describe how your work radically shifted my life," wrote fellow Oscar winner Viola Davis. "The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!!"

This is a big one. No words can describe how your work radically shifted my life. The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!! It was an honor... https://t.co/xaPAjAlRtR pic.twitter.com/aqOmRqq7SN

 Viola Davis (@violadavis) January 7, 2022

Actor Jeffrey Wright called him "a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man."

Sidney Poitier. What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. With love.(Sam Falk/NYT) pic.twitter.com/5ZaKxxPdxw

 Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) January 7, 2022

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Column about Jan. 6 just perpetuated the 'Big Lie'

Jan. 5  To The Editor:

I was very upset by and respectfully disagree with Alan Forbes guest column on Jan. 4: "Those Who Went to DC on Jan. 6 Wanted Fair Elections." His column just further perpetuates the Big Lie."

All voters  Republicans, Democrats, & Independents  want fair and transparent elections." Regarding the 2020 election, Chris Krebs, who was Trumps director of the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, stated after the election that the 2020 election was the safest and most secure election in our nations history. Also William Barr Trumps attorney general  stated in December 2020 that there was no evidence of widespread fraud that would change the results of the election.

Over 60 legal challenges regarding the results of the 2020 election  including at least 8 involving Trump appointed judges  unanimously found no evidence of fraud. Recounts in multiple states did not lead to any changes in the results including 3 counts in Georgia with 1 of those recounts being manual. The Cyber Ninjas grandstanding recount in Arizona just reconfirmed that President Joe Biden had won Arizonas electoral votes.

More: 'Will we embrace the lies and enable the liar?' Rep. Liz Cheney blasts Trump in NH visit

An alleged case of voter fraud linked to the Big Lie was the case of a vote cast by the deceased spouse of a Republican widower in Arizona. That widower recently pleaded guilty for fraudulently casting his deceased wifes vote! Also, despite the Trump campaigns denigrating of mail-in voting, the Trump campaign sent my son a postcard urging him to apply for an absentee NH ballot even though he has not resided in NH for several years. In addition, of the few cases of fraud that have been discovered, most have been on the Republican side. Finally, if there had been widespread fraud, why are Republicans only questioning the returns in 6-8 key states and why did Republicans do so well in so many other races other than the Presidential race? While 32% of voters had concerns regarding fraud in the 2020 elections, that breaks down to 68% of Republicans but only 6% of Democrats (not 51% as Mr. Forbes stated).

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More: Commentary: Those who went to D.C. on Jan. 6 wanted fair and transparent elections

We must all be vigilant of and oppose any measures that will make voting more restrictive and any efforts to gerrymander districts in a partisan manner. Our democracy is truly hanging in the balance.

H. Dixon Turner, MD

Portsmouth

Republican chairman makes wild claims without a shred of proof

Jan. 4  To the Editor:

Alan Forbes is correct in saying that people have lost faith in our elections. What he fails to acknowledge, however, is that it is because of people like him  someone of some standing in the community as local chair of a political party  that we have the problem. This is because, over a year after the election, he continues to support claims for which there is absolutely no proof: "many states changed election rules just prior to the election without legislative approval."

Which states? Name them. What rules were changed? Describe them. Who changed them? Identify those involved.

"those claims remain undecided because no court was willing to take up the issue."

Which courts refused? Tell us.

The truth is this: lawsuits, in both state and federal courts, in some states more than one, were filed in Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, and the United States Supreme Court. Most, if not all of these suits, made the same kind of baseless accusations we find in Mr. Forbes's letter. All of them  every single one of them  have either been dismissed as unproven or withdrawn (several of the judges involved were Trump appointees, by the way). More than one decision remarked on the frivolous nature of the filings, and more than one lawyer has been sanctioned for bringing false claims.

If you are truly interested in fair elections you don't dress up in battle gear, carry weapons, and try to physically attack the U.S. Capitol and members of Congress. You find party leaders and candidates who will tell the truth, regardless of the circumstances or the outcome. In his role as Republican City chair I would suggest that Mr. Forbes has the opportunity and an obligation to restore "faith in our elections" by acknowledging that there is not one shred of credible evidence to support any further claims of a "stolen" election.

Absent a willingness to do this and accept the facts, then Mr. Forbes is right again. We have a real problem.

Anthony McManus

Dover

People begin to believe the big lie because it's been told so many times

Jan. 4  To the Editor:

Recent letters have repeated how our country is beset by claims of election fraud and this has led to an undermining of our faith in the democratic process of electing people  I guess only at the federal level. I have not seen complaints at the state and local levels  yet.

Looking into this claim, we all know when it started. It was when the November 2020 results were made public and Joe Biden won the presidency. The occupant of the White House said: "The only way we're going to lose this election is if the election is rigged." (This can be fact checked.) What followed was a stream of yes men in both the administration and Congress who went along with this claim and began a series of court cases and recounts and audits. These were mostly aimed at states that Trump thought he could win. It also led directly to the Jan. 6 attack on Congress as a last ditch attempt to overthrow the election by decertifying the Electoral College process.

Months later, not a single recount, audit or court case has uncovered fraud in this election. (That can also be fact checked.) The data coming out of the current commission investigating Jan. 6 has also made very clear what that attack was supposed to achieve. And it was NOT a peaceful protest  check the footage. It was a direct and violent attempt to overthrow the legal election of the president of the United States.

The election angst created and continually reinforced by Republicans is based on a lie created by Trump. This lie has now been told so many times by so many people that it has become truth for many. This is a tactic well used by authoritarians  repeat something often enough and it will be believed no matter how far fetched.

So the worry about our election fairness is a Republican construct used by certain states to change voting requirements and gerrymandering districts to prevent Democrats from voting or being able to elect their chosen leaders. (Also factual  check the laws and the gerrymandering including here in NH).

Now heres another scenario: President George Bush has just lost the election to Joe Biden. He picks up the phone and calls Joe to congratulate him and offers every assistance in making the transition of power as smooth as possible.

This scenario would happen because President Bush is a statesman  as have been former Republican and Democratic presidents. This very scenario has been the norm for almost all our presidential elections. So why not this time?

What happened in November 2020 and the months that have followed is because the current anointed leader of the Republican Party is not a statesman nor will he ever be. He did not support the constitution his oath required and indeed, continues to tell us he is above the law. His admiration and support of dictators should be a concern for Republicans. Once we lose the freedoms enshrined in our constitution, none of us is safe.

My prayers are for the Grand Old Party to restore statesmanship to their requirements for leadership of the party. We need to have a two party system that is working for the good of the country, strengthening our democracy and preserving truth and integrity at all levels of government. We can only do this together.

Linda Cunningham

Portsmouth

If columnist is Republican chairman, I can see why Jan. 6 happened

Jan. 5  To the Editor:

Gosh Mr. Forbes, you are the head of Portsmouth Republicans? It is becoming ever more clear why January 6th happened. The people in charge are not paying attention. You want fair elections? We have them! Not one of the false charges have been proven. In fact, every investigation have mostly shown false votes from dead Republicans! All the voting machines were working and the lawsuits against Giuliani and the ridiculous pillow guy go on as their lies are proven to be just that!

Maybe you should join the Democratic Party if you want to see fair. We know what it is.

Georgia Bennett

York, Maine

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Letters rip column arguing Jan. 6 attack was about 'fair elections'
Canton Police Department, Ohio

CANTON  Police have arrested a suspect they say shot a woman during an argument a week ago in a dollar store parking lot.

The 40-year-old man, listed in Stark County Jail records as homeless, was arrested at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday in the 2300 block of 11th Street NW on a felonious assault warrant and a parole violation, jail records show.

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records show he is on parole after serving time for felony escape.

Police believe that on Dec. 30, he shot a 44-year-old woman at the Family Dollar store at 1272 Harrison Ave. SW during an argument, according to Stark County court records and Canton Police reports. The woman told police that she and the man were involved in an altercation.

According to a news release from Chief Jack Angelo the next day, the man reportedly fled in a gray vehicle.

Police arrived to find the victim in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to her left buttock, court records show. She was taken to Aultman Hospital.

The man remained behind bars Friday, held in lieu of $400,000 bond pending court hearings.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Suspect arrested, accused of shooting in Canton store parking lot




A Chinese national has pleaded guilty to stealing a trade secret from the company Monsanto to give to the Chinese government.

The Department of Justice announced that on Thursday, Xiang Haitao pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit economic espionage.

According to court documents, Xiang worked as an imaging scientist for Monsanto and its subsidiary, The Climate Corporation, from 2008 to 2017.

The companies "developed a digital, online farming software platform that was used by farmers to collect, store and visualize critical agricultural field data and increase and improve agricultural productivity for farmers," according to the Justice Department.

A major component of the platform, court documents said, was an algorithm called Nutrient Optimizer that the companies said was their intellectual property and a valuable trade secret.

Xiang downloaded copies of the algorithm and in June 2017 attempted to go to China a day after his employment with the companies ended to give Nutrient Optimizer to the Chinese government, according to court documents.

He was caught by federal officials, who searched his bags before he boarded the plane and found the electronic devices with the information.

"Mr. Xiang used his insider status at a major international company to steal valuable trade secrets for use in his native China," U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri said in a statement.

"We cannot allow U.S. citizens or foreign nationals to hand sensitive business information over to competitors in other countries, and we will continue our vigorous criminal enforcement of economic espionage and trade secret laws. These crimes present a danger to the U.S. economy and jeopardize our nation's leadership in innovation and our national security," Fleming continued.

Xiang will be sentenced on April 7 and could face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a possible fine of $5 million and a term of supervised release for a maximum of three years.




Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) will award citations to a couple that distributed almost 600 loaves of bread to drivers stranded on the gridlocked I-95 earlier this week after a major winter storm hit the East Coast.

Hogan will honor Casey Holihan and John Noe, as well as H&S Bakery, a small business that provided the couple with the bread.

The governor announced the news on Twitter Thursday, tagging a story about the couple from local news outlet CBS Baltimore and calling out the pair's "incredible selflessness."

I will be awarding governor's citations to Casey Holihan and John Noe, as well as H&S Bakery, for their incredible selflessness in helping people stranded on I-95 in Virginia earlier this week. https://t.co/DCzSWzLmQ5 - Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) January 6, 2022

The couple, from Ellicott City, Md., were traveling to North Carolina when the snowstorm hit on Monday morning and froze up a roughly 50-mile stretch of I-95, trapping hundreds of motorists on the highway for hours on end.

The couple spotted a truck from Schmidt Baking Company, part of H&S Family of Bakeries, on the road and joked about getting bread.

"We kind of made a joke about how nice it would be to just even have a loaf of bread right then because we haven't eaten in about 37 hours," Holihan told CBS Baltimore.

It was going to be the roadtrip from hell but Casey Holihan and her husband, John Noe, didn't know that when they left their home in Ellicott City, Md., around 11 a.m. Monday morning. The couple leaves for Germany next week for Noe's job in the Air Force.https://t.co/udiq6SW6z9 - Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) January 6, 2022

On a "whim," Holihan called up the company and was put in touch with owner Chuck Paterakis, who instructed the driver to give two to three loaves of bread to each person who asked.

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"One of our mission statements is to create a meaningful change in our community and I think this was an example of how we live by that," Paterakis told CBS Baltimore.

Noe said on NBC that he "personally got a loaf of potato rolls."

"I couldn't have asked for anything better," he said.

The couple, along with the driver, ended up passing out as many loaves of bread as possible to travelers stuck on a two-mile stretch of I-95.

"It was the best loaf of bread I have ever eaten in my entire life," Holihan said.
St. Landry Parish public school officials have adopted a temporary universal masking policy for students and employees to avoid a possible retransition to remote classroom learning as parish-wide COVID-19 positivity rates continue to climb.

Board members in their first substantive action of 2022 voted 10-2 Thursday night to proceed with the comprehensive masking procedure that requires individuals wear protective face coverings inside all school buildings and during bus transportation to campuses until St. Landry positivity numbers decline to 5%.

More: Louisiana COVID cases hit a record high; governor resists mitigation mandates like masking

The boards decision also approved having students and workers follow the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines regarding quarantine and isolation when exposure to COVID-19 is detected.

District-employed health officials and parish physicians spoke to board members and emphasized an immediate need to upgrade COVID prevention policies after examining a spike in the rate of COVID-positive cases in St. Landry during the first week of January.

Head school nurse Sylvia Brown said since Jan. 3 there were 78 positive COVID cases diagnosed during testing among school employees and students.

Brown said the rising rate of positive cases among the students and employees indicates a need to increase the need for protection.

This week, Brown and Dr. Carmen Johnson told the board the schools rate of current positive cases mirrors the climb to the weeks 10.17% rate of positivity parish-wide.

More: Masks to be required at St. Landry Parish schools when students, staff return in January

Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said the momentary action for a more strident masking policy is in his opinion necessary and could potentially be lifted if the parish-wide positivity numbers decrease.

The 10.1 percent (parish-wide) exceeds the 5 percent number that we want to have, Jenkins said. We can perhaps lift the universal masking if we can stay locally at that five percent or lower with testing within the schools as well as local testing.

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Jenkins said a study of the current parish-wide COVID data seems to indicate St. Landry might significantly exceed the 10% for a short period of time.

Since August when the current school session began, school officials have offered free testing and vaccinations in addition for bonuses and cash awards for those wishing to participate in the program.

Board members Josh Boudreaux and Kyle Boss voted against the upgraded masking policy.

Boss said some teachers in the district have been ready to walk out if school officials continue requiring them to wear masks.

Optional wearing of masks is one thing, Boss said. Making it mandatory is another thing.

Boudreaux added that school employees have reached a point where they want to make their own decisions about masking.

Board member Donnie Perron said he wasnt entirely for implementing a mask mandate, but he voted for it because it might help deter the district from going back to virtual learning which occurred for much of the 2020 school year.

The public schools in St. Landry however are apparently experiencing a dramatic effect of renewed COVID outbreak, said board member Hazel Sias.

I visited several schools this week and some of them had to combine their classrooms because there was not enough faculty there, said Sias. We had so many of them out. We need to do something to keep our faculty and our children in school.

Sias, Perron, Anthony Standberry, Bianca Vedell, Myron Guillory, Mary Ellen Donatto, Milton Ambres, Raymond Cassimere, Vice-president Joyce Haynes and President Albert Hayes voted to adopt temporarily universal masking.

This article originally appeared on Opelousas Daily World: Opelousas, St. Landry schools require masks as omicron, COVID spike
Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, facing a potential criminal charge for defying a Jan. 6 select committee subpoena, is pleading with the Supreme Court to expedite its consideration of a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump  a decision he notes could get him, and other former Trump aides, off the hook.

In a 34-page brief on Friday, Meadows said he and other Trump aides subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 committee are caught between a former president  who claims he can still assert executive privilege  and President Joe Biden, who has rejected Trumps assertions and ordered the release of key documents to congressional investigators.

[Meadows] and others like him therefore face the difficult choice between volunteering potentially privileged information in defiance of the President under whom they served or to resist a congressional subpoena at great personal expense and with the threat of potential prosecution, Meadows lawyer George Terwilliger III wrote in the brief.

Meadows filed his friend-of-the-court brief in the ongoing lawsuit filed by Trump against the select committee in October. The federal district and appeals courts in Washington, D.C., have forcefully rejected Trumps effort to overrule Biden, but the matter is now awaiting action at the Supreme Court. The justices are meeting for a conference on Friday, and the House has urged them to reject Trumps effort to stay the lower-court rulings  and to do so by mid-January.

For Meadows, a decision by the justices to hear the case could spare him potential criminal contempt charges. The House asked the Justice Department last month to charge Meadows for refusing to appear for a deposition, and DOJ has been reviewing the referral for more than three weeks. The department has already charged another Trump ally, Steve Bannon, for refusing to cooperate with the committee. Bannon is slated to go to trial in July.

More than a dozen other Trump aides and associates have filed suit against the committee in recent weeks, trying to block subpoenas for their testimony or phone and banking records. Among them: Former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich, pro-Trump radio host Alex Jones, attorney John Eastman and attorney Cleta Mitchell. A slew of operatives who helped organize the pro-Trump Jan. 6 rallly that preceded the attack on the Capitol are also fighting subpoenas for their records.

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Meadows appears to believe that Supreme Court consideration of Trumps case could stave off legal consequences for him and others facing committee subpoenas, since the justices ultimate decision would bear on their refusal to testify.

If the Court were to hold that President Trump has a valid claim of privilege which President Biden cannot waive, or that the Select Committee is not pursuing a valid legislative purpose, then the Select Committee would need to narrow its investigation (or at least go back to the drawing board) in a way that might moot much of the pending litigation, Terwilliger writes.

Notably, Meadows appears to agree with the Houses sense of urgency. His attorney repeatedly urges the court to make a timely decision.

A prompt answer is important because, however the Court rules, its ruling will guide the parties in all of the related disputes, Terwillinger writes, noting that even if Trump loses, [Meadows] and other former officials would be guided by the Courts decision both in their own litigation and in their broader dealings with the Select Committee.

Meadows has also filed his own lawsuit seeking to prevent the committee from enforcing its subpoena for his documents and testimony. In that suit, he echoes Trumps claims about executive privilege and also argues that even former senior White House advisers cannot be forced to testify to Congress. Like Trump, Meadows also alleges that the Jan. 6 committee is conducting an invalid investigation, focused on improper law enforcement purposes rather than developing legislation.
Shelly Rice remembers when the weekly Frayser Exchange Club meetings only had a handful of attendees back in the early- to mid-2000s. He thought the longtime civic organization felt closer to disappearing rather than turning around its fortunes.

A strong believer in what civic organizations can do for a neighborhood, Rice had seen several groups such as the Kiwanis Club and Lions Club leave the community. He didn't want the Exchange Club to leave too.

Rice became Frayser Exchange Club president  almost by default he jokingly admits  in 2006. In the past 16 years, the Exchange Club has reemerged as a critical community asset under Rices leadership. Its now a space where those in Frayser can share successes and hear from others trying to improve the Memphis neighborhood.

Frayser Exchange Club President Shelly Rice at the Frayser Connect building on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Rice, who was born and raised in the Frayser neighborhood, has been president of the civic club for more than a decade.

I grew up in an era where civic organizations were important to the community, he said. I just felt it had a lot of potential because there are so many good people and so many people wanted to see Frayser successful.

More on Frayser: Memphis real estate: Here are the neighborhoods with largest home price increases in 2021

Frayser Exchange Club: Frayser Exchange Club celebrates 50 years of fellowship and service in Memphis

Growing Frayser Exchange Club's reach

The Frayser Exchange Club, a local branch of the national community service organization, started in 1969.

Each Thursday at noon, Frayser community leaders and other civic leaders gather  virtually these days  to hear the latest announcements in the neighborhood and a notable keynote speaker. Speakers often range from political leaders like Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland or Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris to Frayser leaders like Lifeline to Success founder DeAndre Brown.

Rice, 71, credits attracting those speakers as part of the Exchange Clubs renaissance.

Frayser Exchange Club President Shelly Rice at the Frayser Connect building on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Rice, who was born and raised in the Frayser neighborhood, has been president of the civic club for more than a decade.

Thats the way to me you get people involved, he said. You build off of that. Then people in other parts of the community hear about the good things about your community and then they want to see how you are doing it. Whats making yall successful that weve not been able to tap into. Thats kind of how it started and to me kind of flourished. I truly believe its flourishing right now.

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Even though the Exchange Club hasnt met in-person since March 2020 due to COVID-19, the weekly meetings are attended by more people than ever before. A decision by Rice early in the pandemic to hold the meetings virtually on Zoom has enhanced the organizations momentum he built in the preceding years.

Rice, a retired broker, begins and ends each meeting. Before the pandemic, about 20 to 40 people attended the meetings on a given week. Now that the meetings are on Zoom, as many as 70 or 80 people attend. The Dec. 9 meeting received at least 52 additional views on Facebook as the organization's footprint continues to expand.

There is no fee or official way to join the organization beyond attending meetings. Before the pandemic, there was a lunch offering at in-person meetings that cost $5, but apart from that others could attend meetings for free.

A personal investment in Frayser

Rice's love and desire to see Frayser thrive stemmed from an early age  well before his involvement with the Exchange Club.

He lives in Hardeman County now, but he and his family grew up in Frayser. Rice's commitment to the neighborhood has not wavered through his ongoing work, even beyond the Exchange Club.

Part of that desire is continuing a legacy established by his father, Ed Rice. The neighborhoods community center, an important Frayser space, is named after his father, in recognition of his work as a longtime neighborhood advocate.

I took so much away from him, I hope I have at least, Rice said of his father.

Rice also serves on the board of directors of the Frayser Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit agency dedicated to addressing housing in the neighborhood.

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Frayser Exchange Club President Shelly Rice at the Frayser Connect building on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Rice, who was born and raised in the Frayser neighborhood, has been president of the civic club for more than a decade.

Steve Lockwood served as Frayser CDC executive director from 2002 to 2020, and said his good friend is one of the most generous people he has ever met.

Hes remarkably humble, Lockwood said. For a guy to be such a leader and be so quiet about it is a pretty remarkable and fairly unusual but wonderful combination.

Rices relationships with many key Frayser leaders have also contributed to the Exchange Clubs success. Legacy of Legends Community Development Corporation Executive Director Charlie Caswell credits the Exchange Club in strengthening the neighborhood.

It gives people hope and encouragement to know that you have so many engaged stakeholders and people that are fighting for the community, Caswell said. Frayser gives us that encouragement despite the news we see many nights when you see the murders and other things happening. You can always look to turn and hear at the Exchange Club weekly the good things that are happening.

Rice has no immediate plans to step down from his role, but everyone is aware that the day will eventually come  though his legacy in revitalizing the Exchange Club is already secured.

The Exchange Club needs to continue in Frayser and needs to be a vocal and active part (of the community), Rice said. Doesnt need to be a partisan organization and does not need to be so one person or one group dictate who is speaker  As long as they have Frayser kind of as their key point of what theyre interested in. There are a lot of things in Frayser. Great land. Great people. Weve had our ups and downs, but everybody does.

Omer Yusuf covers the Ford project in Haywood County, residential real estate and tourism for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached via email Omer.Yusuf@commercialappeal.com or followed on Twitter @OmerAYusuf.

Frayser Exchange Club

The Frayser Exchange Club meets at noon each Thursday. For Zoom info or to learn more about the organization, email Shelly Rice at srice@saundersgroupinc.com. The Frayser Focus sponsored by The Frayser Exchange Club Facebook page also offers livestreaming of all the meetings.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Frayser Exchange Club: How Shelly Rice turned around Memphis organization
BRAINTREE  A public meeting on the upcoming construction of the new South Middle School will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the auditorium of the East Middle School, 305 River St.

The school building committee will introduce the project's construction team, provide an overview of the project and the construction schedule and review the logistics plan for the work site.

A rendering of the new South Middle School in Braintree.

There will be an opportunity for residents to review the design plans and ask any questions they may have about the project.

The construction contract for the school has been awarded to Bacon Construction of East Providence, Rhode Island for $66.7 million. The work is scheduled to begin this month and the building should be completed for the start of the 2023-24 school year. The new building will be built behind the current school.

An interior space of the new South Middle School in Braintree as shown in an architect's drawing.

Part of the cost is being paid by the state and the rest will come from a debt exclusion, or temporary tax increase, approved by the voters in September of 2020.

The town's first all-new school in a half-century, the new South Middle School and the renovated and expanded East Middle School are part of a plan to relocate grade 5 classes to the middle schools, freeing up classrooms in the elementary schools.

'Steve is the G.O.A.T.': Braintree neighborhood honors mail carrier ahead of retirement

Fireplaced tavern, pool, tennis court: 13,000 square foot Marshfield home sells for $2.5M - plus all the sales from the South Shore - commercial and residential

The meeting will be broadcast live by BCAM and can be viewed on their YouTube channel.

More information on the project is available at projects.braintreeschools.org/south.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Informational meeting Monday on Braintree's new South Middle School
Illinois hospitals running short on inpatient beds are increasingly housing patients in their emergency rooms, creating a situation some doctors say threatens the quality of care.

As of Sunday night, the most recent state data available, Chicago hospitals had 239 people waiting in beds in ERs for space elsewhere in the hospital to open up  the highest level ever measured during the pandemic. An additional 220 people were waiting in ERs in hospitals in suburban Cook County, and with more still in the regions covering DuPage and Kane counties (50), Lake and McHenry counties (39) and Will and Kankakee (27).

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The situation is one more sign of the unprecedented strain placed on the Chicago areas health care system by a COVID-19 case surge that public health officials hope peaks this month. But at the moment, theres no indication in state data that the curve is about to bend.

We have not seen a reprieve, said Yolanda Penny, director of nursing services at St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center on the citys South Side. Patients and ambulances continue to stream into the ER at St. Bernard, which like many hospitals in the area is short on staff and bursting with patients.

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Yolanda Penny, director of nursing, and Dr. George Dengler talk to a patient in a hallway where multiple patients sit in beds awaiting available rooms on Jan. 5, 2022, in the emergency department at St. Bernard Hospital in Englewood. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

The Tribune has previously reported how this fifth pandemic surge came at a perilous time for Illinois hospitals, as they struggled with fewer workers trying to care for more people. The vast majority of those patients werent seeking treatment for COVID-19 and were often sicker from delaying needed care earlier in the pandemic.

In mid-December, an already strong surge fueled by the viruss delta variant became supercharged with the arrival of the more infectious omicron. Although the new variant is considered milder, the sheer number of infections has sent COVID-19 hospitalizations to record levels, most of them involving unvaccinated residents.

The growth in COVID-19 patients can have a cascading effect: Emergency rooms keep getting new patients, but no beds are available in the other hospital wings for those who need to be admitted. So admitted patients are boarded in ERs, waiting for space to open. That can mean longer waits and less room for others arriving at ERs.

Though boarded patients still receive care from doctors and nurses while waiting in the ER, it might not be exactly the same type or level of care theyd receive elsewhere in the hospital. The practice of boarding also took place before the pandemic, but not nearly to the same extent, doctors say.

Some doctors say boarding, while not ideal, does not harm patients. But others, including the American College of Emergency Physicians, point to research that suggests the opposite.

Taking care of a patient for a few hours in a critical situation is just so different than taking care of a patient for three days whos admitted to the hospital, said Dr. Joshua Miksanek, a fellow with the group and medical director of the emergency department at SIH Herrin Hospital in southern Illinois. Its a different type of medicine.

Boarding patients in ERs is a quality of care concern and a safety concern, said Dr. Russell Fiorella, system chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs for Sinai Chicago. ERs can be hectic places where patients with behavioral health problems often first land  not the type of environment a sick patient wants to stay in for an extended period of time.

Sinai Chicago, which runs Mount Sinai and Holy Cross hospitals, lately has been seeing, at times, about 10 to 20 boarders at once across its system. That level triggers an alert prompting doctors and nurses to try to make more room in the hospitals, such as by more swiftly discharging patients who are ready to go home or grouping other patients together.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health doesnt publish boarder data online, unlike other hospital metrics. But IDPH did provide the Tribune data it had collected through Sunday night, and that data shows the number of boarders had grown across the state to a high of 719. The weekly average, which adjusts for the ups and downs of each days figures, also had reached a new high at 630.

IDPHs data did not provide numbers for individual hospitals, in keeping with the agencys long-standing practice during the pandemic.

Federal officials do publish data on hospitals, but the latest data is from the week ending Dec. 30. Of 24 Chicago hospitals reporting data on their intensive care units, which treat the sickest patients, five said they were nearly or completely full: Roseland, Mount Sinai, Holy Cross, St. Bernard and South Shore. Several others reported less than 20% of ICU beds available, a state metric signaling a stressed facility. Its unclear how well the data is vetted, with some busy hospitals showing zero ICU patients, a near impossibility.

Its not unusual, even in non-pandemic times, for some hospital ERs to fill sooner than others, with hospitals in low-income neighborhoods trying to provide care with fewer resources.

When a hospital decides its ER is too crowded, it can ask the state to go on bypass, which causes ambulances to be diverted to other hospitals until the space crunch eases. This bypass system was controversial before the pandemic  with some hospitals declaring a bypass so often IDPH investigated  and now the system has become even more stressed.

IDPH, which regulates hospitals, has not provided recent bypass data sought by the Tribune. But an IDPH spokesperson said that, with so many hospitals overwhelmed, the agency has limited when hospitals can go on bypass to extreme situations.

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St. Bernard, for example, asked to go on bypass multiple times earlier this week, Penny said. But it wasnt allowed.

It is devastating because we do need that reprieve sometimes just for the staff and safety of the patients; however, we understand whats going on in the city, Penny said. We can appreciate whats going on with our neighbors, and our neighboring hospitals.

Yolanda Penny, right, director of nursing at St. Bernard Hospital, and Dr. George Dengler work at the nursing station in the emergency department on Jan. 5, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Penny said she didnt have information on the number of boarders in the Englewood hospitals ER this week but said theres been an increase during the latest COVID-19 surge.

Like many hospitals, St. Bernard is facing a staffing shortage, partly because staff members are sick with COVID-19 and partly because its lost nurses to staffing agencies that can offer higher-paying work. St. Bernard has asked the state for assistance and said it expected to receive additional staff Friday.

Chicago paramedics are hearing of wait times in Chicago ERs that stretch to 15 hours, said paramedic Anthony Snyder, who also directs EMS issues for Chicago Fire Fighters Union Local 2. St. Bernards ER wait times now exceed four hours, Penny said.

Snyder said hospitals struggles affect paramedics too. In normal times, they can wheel a gurney into an ER and quickly get direction from a nurse on where to put the patient, allowing them to move on to another ambulance run.

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Now it can take 20 minutes until a nurse has time to talk with paramedics, Snyder said. Often, he added, the nurse directs them to move the patient into a wheelchair to wait for care. If the patient is too sick for that, paramedics must keep him or her on the gurney. In those situations, he said, its common to wait an hour, sometimes two, before paramedics can transfer the patient and respond to another call.

Those delays add stress to an already overwhelmed EMS system, he said, with most paramedics now working three 24-hour shifts a week.

I think everybodys struggling, Snyder said of his peers. It feels like everybodys right at the limit.

In southern Illinois last weekend, one patient with COVID-19 symptoms who arrived in a hospital ER had to be taken to a hospital in Champaign because no closer hospital could admit the patient, said Brad Robinson, EMS system coordinator for SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. That three-hour drive meant an ambulance was unavailable for 911 calls or other transfers for six to seven hours.

When hospitals have boarders and no available beds, that then affects the resources of the community with emergency services because theyre driving much longer distances to get people to tertiary care to where they can become an inpatient and actually be treated, Robinson said.

So far, IDPH said, no Illinois hospital has begun to ration care, as has been seen in places ranging from New York City to Alaska during the worst surges. But where the latest surge first took hold in Illinois  the northwest corner  hospitals told the state even before Thanksgiving that they had started to ration supplies, from blood collection tubes to certain medicines.

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In a Nov. 19 report to IDPH, the Rockford regions liaison said some hospitals were reporting up to 10% more patients than available beds, with a severe shortage of staffers, even after the state temporarily sent supplemental workers to some places.

Across the state, data shows that hospitals were able to open up more beds just before Christmas. But since then, the number of available beds has begun shrinking again. As of Wednesday night, the most recent data available, the state was averaging less than 300 ICU beds available, the lowest average on record and about half of what was available during the height of the fall 2020 surge.

Hospitals are trying to make more room by suspending or slowing elective surgeries. Theyre also redeploying workers, such as moving those who normally help with elective procedures to critical care.

Still, extended ER waits and boarders have become a fact of life during this latest surge.

Boarding in the ERs is more or less a regular part of the process now, said Dr. Laura Concannon, chief medical officer at Amita Health Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center Chicago.

Yet Concannon has an even bigger concern: that patients who are truly in need of emergency care, hearing about boarding and long ER wait times, will start avoiding hospitals again, as they did at the start of the pandemic. She and other doctors worry that patients will grow sicker at home and only arrive at the hospital when their situations have become dire.

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Thats going to be worse for the community, Concannon said. If they feel like they need the care, theyre safer boarding here than being at home.

jmahr@chicagotribune.com

lschencker@chicagotribune.com
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexico said Thursday it will begin requiring travel visas for Venezuelans starting Jan. 21, after a surge in the number of migrants trying to reach the U.S. border.

In publishing the new rules, the Interior Department said the decision was based on a tenfold increase in the number of Venezuelan citizens arriving in Mexico in recent years seeking to travel in an irregular manner to a third country, a clear reference to the United States.

Last year, U.S. President Joe Bidens administration offered temporary legal residency to several hundred thousand Venezuelans who have fled their countrys economic and political crisis.

On Dec. 11, Mexico suspended a 17-year-old program that had allowed Brazilian citizens to enter without a visa. The move came after Mexico detected an uptick in Brazilian migrants traveling to Mexico with the intention of reaching the United States.

Migrants, mainly from Central America, Haiti and Cuba, often cross Mexico in hopes of reaching the U.S. border. Mexico has largely been aiding the U.S. government in trying to reduce the flow.
County hospitals don't have to disclose how much federal nursing home money they divert from their homes for other purposes, according to a new public access counselor opinion.

The decision could leave the public in the dark about how Indiana's county hospitals are spending a huge sum of federal Medicaid money  more than $825 million last year alone. Advocates for nursing home residents and a government transparency group are expressing concerns.

"It is absurd and against public policy to allow taxpayer-funded hospitals to hide from the public where it spends tax dollars," said Jeff Powless, an Indianapolis attorney who represents nursing home residents and their families in neglect and wrongful death cases.

Money meant to benefit the vulnerable

The money is intended to benefit vulnerable nursing home residents, but much of it never reaches them. Instead, county hospitals across the state exploit loose state and federal rules that allow them to divert the funds to pad the bottom lines of the hospitals and pay for hospital construction projects.

The controversial practice was the focus of an IndyStar investigation in 2020 titled "Careless," which found that Indiana's nursing homes were among the most poorly staffed in America when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Careless: Nursing home residents suffer as county hospitals rake in millions

The low staffing levels made testing and quarantining protocols more difficult, leaving Hoosier nursing home residents more vulnerable to the virus. About 6,900 long-term care residents in Indiana have died from COVID-19 during the pandemic. That's more than a third of the state's total COVID-19 death toll, as of Thursday. Data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shows the rate of coronavirus nursing home deaths in Indiana exceeds the national average.

Poor staffing, missed reforms: How Indiana failed nursing home residents

Critics of Indiana's funding scheme say that's a tragedy. Nursing homes here should have been among the most prepared and best staffed in the nation given the amount of extra federal funds that pour into the state, they say.

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A two-year public records fight

Indiana receives more of that money, known as supplemental nursing home Medicaid funds, than any other state in the country. The money is intended to bolster care at nursing homes owned by local government entities.

In an effort to chase those funds, more than 20 county hospitals in Indiana have snatched up virtually every nursing home in the state, at least on paper. State officials enabled them by allowing the public hospitals to acquire homes far outside their own counties.

IndyStar has spent two years fighting to learn exactly how much of the extra Medicaid money actually reaches nursing home residents. In 2020, reporters found that at least $1 billion had been diverted since the mid-2000s.

But that was based on information from just a handful of public hospitals that responded to public records requests from IndyStar. Most hospitals denied those requests, claiming that information pertaining to how much of the Medicaid funds they spent on the nursing homes was a confidential trade secret.

Major Health Partners Medical Center, 2451 Intelliplex Dr., Shelbyville Ind., Friday, Feb. 28, 2020.

The denials prompted IndyStar to file a formal complaint with the Indiana Public Access Counselor. The public access counselor initially found that the hospitals had failed to show that the spending amounted to a trade secret. That decision resulted in several other hospitals providing the information to IndyStar.

Still, eight hospitals denied IndyStar's records request: Hancock Regional Hospital, Hendricks Regional Health, Henry Community Health, Johnson Memorial Health, Major Health Partners, Riverview Health, Rush Memorial Hospital and Witham Health Services.

Those hospitals are some of the state's largest nursing homeowners. Nearly all of them are based in counties surrounding Indianapolis, where there is stiff competition with private hospital chains such as IU Health, Community Health Network, Ascension and Franciscan Health. Amid those turf battles, many county hospitals have launched ambitious  and pricey  expansion projects.

The eight hospitals argued that disclosing the amount of money they spend on their nursing homes could allow other county hospitals to lure away the private management companies they use to operate the facilities.

'Broad ability to claim trade secrets'

The continued record denials led IndyStar to file yet another complaint with the public access counselor. This time, however, Public Access Counselor Luke Britt sided with the hospitals.

In a Dec. 29 opinion, Britt wrote that "the Indiana Code grants county hospitals the broad ability to claim trade secrets."

Specifically, he cited a portion of Indiana code that allows county hospitals to keep confidential "records of a proprietary nature that if revealed would place the hospital at a competitive disadvantage." Such records include preferred provider arrangements, provider recruitment plans and competitive marketing strategies, the code says.

Britt said he reached his decision after reviewing confidential records provided during a private meeting with Hancock Regional Hospital CEO Steve Long and Indianapolis attorney Tim Kennedy of Hall Render, who also represents the Indiana Hospital Association.

"To this office, it is generally not enough to merely invoke an exception, but to justify it as well," Britt wrote. "This is why I entertained an in camera review of materials and specific arguments tailored to this request. The hospitals positions are consistent with this statute and this office would be limited to state otherwise, even as compelling as your public policy arguments may be."

IndyStar is now considering next steps.

A matrix of secrecy

The decision is the latest blow to advocates of financial transparency at county hospitals.

They were already the most secretive government agencies in the state. As part of its investigation in 2020, IndyStar detailed how county hospitals have used a matrix of state laws to hide information that nearly every other public entity in the state must disclose to the public.

For example, a 2016 law signed by then-Gov. Mike Pence allowed county hospitals to withhold how much they pay their employees  including top executives. County hospitals are the only public entity in Indiana granted that exemption. Even private nonprofit hospitals must disclose their CEO's compensation in publicly available tax filings.

Despite the exemption, IndyStar was able to obtain compensation information for some county hospital executives. The information showed significant increases to the executive's compensation as they acquired additional nursing homes. Ray Ingham, the chief executive of Witham Health in Boone County, received $8 million in compensation one year.

Ray Ingham, President and CEO of Witham Health Services, at Witham Memorial Hospital in 2002.

Many county hospitals have also withheld their contracts with the private companies they pay to run the nursing homes, citing a 2006 law that deems "all proprietary and competitive information concerning a county hospital" confidential.

It's not clear that lawmakers intended to provide county hospitals with such broad discretion. Legislative debate during passage of the 2006 law, for example, revolved around issues such as identity theft and data breaches.

Careless: Indiana public hospital CEOs can keep their multi-million dollar compensation a secret

Government transparency group calls law 'absurdly broad'

The latest opinion from the public access counselor reinforces the need for lawmakers to put limits on county hospital secrecy, said Zachary Baiel, president of the Indiana Coalition for Open Government.

"The current confidential information exemption in Indiana Code is absurdly broad," he said, "making it easily deployed as a mechanism to obfuscate the very real positive and negative impact county hospital finances have on our health outcomes in our Hoosier communities."

Taxpayers should have a right to know how their tax money is being spent by the hospitals they own, he said.

"Currently, the public is supposed to not ask questions and blindly trust that each hospital is making sound decisions in their negotiation of contracts, allocation of (supplemental Medicaid) funds, and other operating areas," he said in an email. "This is unacceptable, undemocratic, and further erodes any remaining confidence the public may have on these matters."

IndyStar sought comment for this story from legislative leaders, including House Speaker Todd Huston, Senate leader Rodric Bray, and the chairmen of the health committees in the House and Senate. None of them responded.

Nursing home advocates say residents have a right to know

Advocates for nursing home residents have long claimed that the diverted money plays a role in staffing shortages and other problems that can lead to poor care, neglect and death.

"Indiana nursing home residents have a right to benefit from their own healthcare dollars," Ashley Hadler, an attorney who represents nursing home residents and their families, said in an email. "The funds should be used to provide staff, equipment, and resources at the nursing home. If these healthcare dollars are being used to fund non-nursing home projects, sometimes in a different part of the state, that is not a benefit to the nursing home resident."

Miller's Merry Manor Senior Living Community on North Campbell Avenue in Indianapolis, Wednesday, September 16, 2020.

For that reason, she said, residents and their families should be allowed to know how much of the money is being used for nursing home care.

"Transparency will allow Indiana Medicaid recipients to choose a nursing home with full knowledge of whether their dollars will be used for their own care and treatment, or not," she said.

The new opinion from the public access counselor, however, will make that virtually impossible.

Powless in an email to IndyStar called it a "public safety issue" for residents of the hospitals' nursing homes.

"They are responsible for using public tax dollars to best keep the public safe, and to allow them to hide this information means they are accountable to no one," he said. "Keeping the public safe is not a proprietary undertaking."

Contact IndyStar reporter Tony Cook at 317-444-6081 or tony.cook@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @IndyStarTony.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Nursing home spending can be kept secret by county hospitals, opinion says
This story was republished on Jan. 7, 2022 to make it free for all readers

MADISON  The top election officials in Milwaukee and Brown counties refused Friday to turn over ballots, voting machines and other material to a Republican state lawmaker because subpoenas she issued last month have been deemed invalid by nonpartisan legislative attorneys.

"Milwaukee Countys elections are transparent and fair. We have proven this fact on numerous occasions," said a statement from George Christenson, a Democrat serving in his second term as Milwaukee County clerk.

Hours after Christenson issued his statement, an attorney for Brown County Clerk Patrick Moynihan released a letter saying he was taking the same stance. Moynihan is a Republican who was elected to his first term less than a year ago.

While officials from the two counties said they would not comply with Rep. Janel Brandtjens subpoenas, they could soon face new demands for documents  ones with far more legitimacy. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos of Rochester last week said he will sign subpoenas as part of an investigation of the 2020 election if the attorney overseeing the probe believes they are necessary.

Subpoenas signed by Vos could lead to a legal standoff. Some Democrats and election officials have said clerks should not turn over their material as part of an investigation into an election that multiple courts have found to be valid. Further, the U.S. Department of Justice has warned officials they could violate federal laws if they dont maintain custody of their election records.

Brandtjen, the chairwoman of the Assembly Elections Committee, in August issued 47-point subpoenas to Milwaukee and Brown counties that were nearly verbatim to a request made by a Republican lawmaker in Pennsylvania.

Nonpartisan attorneys for the Wisconsin Legislature deemed Brandtjens subpoenas invalid because they were not signed by Vos and Assembly Chief Clerk Ted Blazel.

Among the items Brandtjen sought was signature-matching software, something clerks in Wisconsin dont use because state law doesnt require them to check voters signatures.

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Brandtjen last month told WKOW-TV in Madison she put the flawed subpoenas together.

"Ill take responsibility for it, said Brandtjen, of Menomonee Falls. Im not an attorney. I never claimed to be one.

In her subpoenas, Brandtjen told Christenson and Moynihan to appear before her committee at noon Tuesday "at a county facility of your choosing." The two clerks indicated they would not show up.

In response, Brandtjen issued a statement arguing a review of the election was essential, but she did not press further for making them come before her committee.

"With the overwhelming amount of questionable election activity in Green Bay and Milwaukee, it is clear that a thorough investigation of the physical ballots, equipment and other election materials is warranted," she said in her statement.

In a letter to Brandtjen, Milwaukee Countys top lawyer argued her subpoena had no legal effect and had not been properly served.

"Because your subpoena was not cosigned by both the presiding officer and the chief clerk of the Assembly, we respectfully submit that it is legally invalid and void," Corporation Counsel Margaret Daun wrote.

She noted that courts had repeatedly found the election was conducted properly and that Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson this week said "theres nothing obviously skewed about the results" in Wisconsin.

According to Daun, Milwaukee County has been the subject of seven reviews, including routine post-election activities, a recount, court challenges and ongoing reviews by legislators.

Brown County Corporation Counsel David Hemery told Brandtjen in his own letter that Moynihan wasn't turning over ballots and voting machines because her subpoena is "invalid and unenforceable."

"In addition," Hemery wrote, "Brown County has received no contact whatsoever from your office regarding how you propose that Clerk Moynihan pay for the significant unbudgeted costs that would be incurred if he were to comply with your Subpoena as written, nor has any procedure been put forth by your office that would allow Clerk Moynihan to comply with said Subpoena, while at the same time complying with his duty to preserve the integrity of the election by retaining custody and control over ballots, machines and other election related original documents and materials located in Brown County that you have requested."

Multiple rulings uphold Biden victory

Joe Biden won Wisconsin by about 21,000 votes, or 0.6 percentage points. Recounts in Dane and Milwaukee counties upheld that victory, and state and federal courts handed down a string of rulings against Donald Trump and his allies over how the election was conducted. Among those ruling against Trumps side were the U.S. Supreme Court, the state Supreme Court and two federal judges, including one nominated by Trump.

Vos has hired former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to oversee a review of the election and has given him a taxpayer-funded budget of $676,000. Gableman, who claimed last year without evidence that the election was stolen, is supposed to complete his work by October.

Vos declined to sign Brandtjens subpoenas but said last week he would sign ones Gableman might seek without hesitation. Wisconsin lawmakers have not issued valid subpoenas in decades. Researchers for the Legislature have found the last time they used their subpoena power was in the 1960s or possibly the 1970s.

Gableman has said he wants to look into voting machines, guidance the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission gave to clerks around the state, and private donations municipalities received last year to help run their elections.

Christenson said he would respond to any "lawful requests" Gableman makes of him.

"If former Justice Gableman would like us to participate in his investigation, my office is happy to sit down with him to educate him on how elections work," he said in his statement.

Republican lawmakers have also launched a separate review of the election that is being conducted by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau. Christenson said the county has participated in that review, which is ongoing.

Contact Patrick Marley at patrick.marley@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @patrickdmarley.

Make your voice heard. Find and contact your representatives.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee, Brown counties refuse to turn over ballots to GOP lawmaker
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD  Montgomery County residents will be able to pick up two iHealth COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test kits per visit on a first come, first served basis beginning next week at the public libraries.

The county is asking that anyone who is symptomatic not go to the library, but instead call their health care provider or make an appointment at one of the PCR testing locations.

Securing these tests, that are currently in great demand, will help our County mitigate community transmission from the Omicron variant surge, said County Executive Marc Elrich in a news release. We appreciate the District of Columbia assisting us and thank our procurement team for their diligence to track down and acquire these tests. We are going to make sure these tests will be given out equitably and fairly throughout the community.

These library branches will distribute kits from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday:

These library branches will distribute kits from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday :

Rapid home tests for COVID-19 are important public health tools to help control the transmission of the virus and are more important than ever given the current spike in cases we are experiencing in our community, said Council President Gabe Albornoz in the news release. We encourage our residents to get tested and get boosted, while Councilmembers continue working with County Executive Elrich and our public health and emergency management teams to provide the resources needed to get our community through this latest phase of the pandemic.

The county said it purchased these kits directly, and will continue to receive more.

This article originally appeared on the Rockville Patch
ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge across Michigan, Monroe County is seeing a high transmission rate while the hospital is at near capacity.

The number of local cases being reported seems deceptively low with only 17 confirmed cases Wednesday after a five-day peak of 122 on Monday.

But Chris Westover, environmental health director at the Monroe County Health Department (MCHD), said the numbers reflect only the data that's being entered into the system and home testing results are not included.

"It is what we have to go by," he said. "I am quite sure that some could be missed."

Meanwhile, ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital is almost full of patients as it has been for a while.

Overall, the ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital census remains the same as it has been for the past weeks and months, ranging from 90-100% capacity," said Darrin Arquette, hospital president. "Most of our elective surgeries are occurring as initially scheduled, with a handful of elective inpatient cases being rescheduled when necessary to ensure bed availability and appropriate staffing levels."

The health department confirmed that the omicron variant has been detected in Monroe County. Michigan health officials reported earlier this week that four cases had been confirmed. Monroe Public Schools, citing high absentee numbers among staff, returned to remote learning through Jan. 14.

MCHD is working with state and local public health officials to carefully monitor the spread of omicron. The variant is spreading more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and experts caution that anyone with an omicron infection can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or dont have symptoms.

Vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths due to infection with the omicron variant. However, breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are likely to occur. With other variants, like delta, vaccines have remained effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations and death. The recent emergence of omicron further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters, health officials said.

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Currently, Monroe County stands at about 50% of its population being fully vaccinated. Booster shots are recommended for everyone 16 years and older.

The MCHD reports that community transmission in Monroe County remains high with a positivity rate of 32.2% as of Wednesday. The largest demographic population of cases continues to be in the 20 to 29 age group.

To schedule a vaccination appointment at the health department, call 734-240-7830. The department is offering Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster doses by appointment. Bring your COVID-19 vaccine card with you to your scheduled appointment, along with proof of identification.

The health department is not conducting tests. For Monroe County locations where testing can be completed, go to the following website: tinyurl.com/MCCOVIDtests.

Westover said the health department has a staff member who works diligently to keep the testing sites updated, but things can change quickly.

ProMedica's Arquette said the staff members at the hospital remain dedicated.

"Despite enduring nearly two years of sustained pandemic activity, our staff members continue to demonstrate unwavering dedication to the health and well-being of our community," he said. "Please remember to thank a health care worker when you see them.

For more information

www.healthymonroecounty.com

www.co.monroe.mi.us or tinyurl.com/MCCOVIDdashboard

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus

www.michigan.gov/coronavirus

ivaccinate.org

For additional questions regarding COVID-19, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Hotline: 888-535-6136

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe County COVID transmission rate high; hospital near capacity
Watch: Teenage mum gives birth to newborn believed to be the UK's smallest premature baby

A teenage mum has given birth to a girl believed to be the UK's smallest premature baby to survive in 19 years.

Ellie Paton, 17, from Newmilns, Ayrshire, delivered her baby by emergency caesarean on December 30 when she was 25 weeks pregnant and was warned her daughter might not survive.

Baby Hannah, who weighed just 325g (11oz) at birth, less than a can of Campbell's tomato soup, is thought to be the smallest baby to survive in the UK in the past 19 years, having only been given a 20% chance of pulling through by doctors.

Doctors were concerned her tiny size could mean she wouldn't survive, but the newborn was strong enough to breath by herself.

Read more: Meet the 'Bubble Wrap Baby' who weighed less than a pound

Hannah, who weighed just 11oz at birth, is thought to be the smallest baby to survive in the UK in the past 19 years. (SWNS)

At her 22 week scan Paton and her partner Brandon Stibbles, 21, were warned that their baby was only measuring the size of a 16-week foetus, and the mum-to-be was also diagnosed with pre-eclampsia.

"It was just scary all the time," Paton explains.

"I had gone in just for a scan and ended up with high blood pressure, they sent me to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow and I was there for two days while my blood pressure sorted itself out."

Stibbles explains that the 22 week scan was the first time the couple had any idea that anything might be wrong.

"The lady said to us 'you've got quite a small baby'," he explains.

"At 22 weeks she was the size of 16 weeks.

"It was quite terrifying."

Hannah was born on December 30 by emergency C-section, after her parents were warned she may not survive. (SWNS)

On December 29, at 25 weeks pregnant, Paton woke up with excruciating stomach and chest pains and was rushed to Crosshouse Hospital.

She was later sent to QEUH where Hannah was born by emergency C-section just after 1am on December 30.

"We were told she had a 20% chance of survival, that she could need resuscitating, or be stillborn but when she came out she was breathing, she's practically breathing on her own," Stibbles explains.

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"The doctors were coming into the neonatal unit and saying 'babies this size just don't survive'," he continues.

"Not at 25 weeks into pregnancy - babies should be 500g or more, Hannah was 325g."

After her birth Hannah was given bubble wrap to keep her warm as it is lighter than a blanket but is always kicking it off in her incubator.

Read more: Baby born smaller than dad's hand and given 10% chance of survival, finally makes it home

Baby Hannah's tiny nappy and footprint. (SWNS)

Since welcoming their baby daughter Paton has got to hold Hannah briefly once, while Stibbles got to change the newborn's nappy.

"We are allowed to put our hands in the incubator," Paton explains.

"I have held her once. She sleeps on a thing called 'the nest' and when the nurse changed it I got to hold her up.

"It will be pretty soon we're able to hold her."

Watch: Alabama boy born at 21 weeks is worlds most premature baby to survive

For the time being the couple are staying at a Travelodge near the hospital Hannah remains, but the couple are hoping she might be moved to Crosshouse Hospital nearer their home when she reaches a weight of 500g.

Though she has gained 25g since her birth, baby Hannah may not be able to come home until her due date on April 13.

Read more: Premature twins born with coronavirus are allowed home

Hannah's parents say she is the best thing that has ever happened to them. (SWNS)

In the meantime the couple, who have been together for 18 months, are relishing spending every moment they can with their new daughter.

"We are loving it," Stibbles says.

"It's the best thing that's ever happened to us."

Despite doctors warning baby Hannah might not survive, the couple are thrilled their daughter is defying the odds.

"If anything she has excelled on the outside," Stibbles adds.

"We are hoping she stays the way she is, putting on weight and feeding well.

"It's not been easy but we've got a really strong support system, Ellie's family have been an amazing support.

"We are both just really eager to be back in our own environment."

Hannah Stibbles was born at 25 weeks weighing 325g (11oz). (SWNS)

The couple are also full of praise for staff at the maternity unit in the QEUH.

"All the people who we have dealt with since Ellie went into the maternity ward have been absolutely brilliant," Stibbles says.

"Our whole life has just changed."

The UK's smallest baby before Hannah is believed to be Aaliyah Hart who was born weighing 12oz in 2003.

Bliss estimates that around 60,000 babies are born prematurely in the UK every year (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)," Caroline Lee-Davey, chief executive of charity Bliss.

"Most of these babies are born later preterm, however in 2016, 1,189 babies were born before 25 weeks. Neonatal mortality rates for babies born premature have declined since the 1980s, however around 1,500 babies born early still die each year.

Its important to remember that every baby is different and will develop differently after their birth - were so thrilled to hear that Hannah is doing well and thriving.

For more information and support for parents of babies born premature and sick visit https://www.bliss.org.uk/

Additional reporting SWNS.
ADRIAN  Two candidates remain in the running to be the next superintendent of Adrian Public Schools after the board of education narrowed its list of candidates in a special meeting Thursday.

Nate Parker, principal at Springbrook Middle School in Adrian since 2010, and James Anderson, principal since 2019 at Wayne Memorial High School in the Wayne-Westland Community Schools, are the two finalists. Anderson was one of two interviewees Monday, and Parker was one of two interviewees Tuesday.

Nate Parker, the principal at Springbrook Middle School in Adrian since August 2010, was chosen by the Adrian Board of Education Thursday as one of two finalists to be the district's superintendent. Parker will interview for the position once again at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11.

Both of the candidates will engage with the public and the board of education once again next week. Second round interviews are to begin Tuesday with Parker and resume Wednesday with Anderson. Interviews are scheduled from 7 to 9 p.m. both days, consisting of the finalists presenting in front of the public in the Adrian High School cafeteria and then responding to additional questions from the board.

James Anderson, the principal at Wayne Memorial High School in the Wayne-Westland Community Schools since July 2019, was chosen as a finalist to be the district's next superintendent Thursday during a special meeting of the Adrian Board of Education. Anderson will interview a second time for the position at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12.

Board members said it is certain Parker or Anderson will be a solid superintendent.

Were going to have an excellent superintendent when this is done, said trustee Mike Buku during Thursdays special meeting.

Feedback from the public, which is encouraged to participate and attend the meetings next week, will also be taken into consideration when the board makes its final decision.

As a board, we want to hear your voices and we want your voices to be heard in return, said trustee Tamaris Henagan.

Feedback forms, which were made available to the public during the five candidate interviews this week, were helpful in assisting the board as it selected its finalists, said board President Beth Ferguson. Feedback forms will be available during next weeks second round of interviews and during focus group meetings Tuesday and Wednesday when the candidates are to meet with prearranged Adrian constituents from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

These specific groups (of constituents) will meet with and talk to the candidate finalists for about 30 minutes each, Ferguson said. Any feedback from the public will be given back to the board, from what they learned about the candidate to how they feel this candidate may or may not lead the district.

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Board members overwhelmingly showed their support for Parker, with all seven members selecting Parker as a finalist. Vice president Jon Baucher, Henagan, Buku and Ferguson voiced their support for Anderson as a finalist, while secretary Michael Ballard and trustees Jay Marks and Rudy Flores selected William Patterson, the assistant superintendent of secondary curriculum at Jackson Public Schools, as their second finalist. Patterson interviewed on Monday.

For some members, selecting a second finalist came down to the slimmest of margins.

I had a difficult time settling on one candidate for my second finalist, Marks said. They were all so close, and it really came down to splitting hairs at some points.

With direction provided from the Michigan Leadership Institute and John Silveri, MLIs regional president for southeast Michigan, the board was recommended to narrow its finalists field to two as the ideal number of candidates at this stage.

The board voted 7-0 to welcome Parker and Anderson as finalists.

We are exactly where we want to be in this process, Baucher said. We brought in five very solid candidates and we ended the night with two solid candidates.

After the focus group meetings, presentations and interviews next week, board committee members and certain Adrian schools central office staff will engage in site visits to see the candidates in action on their turf, Ferguson said. Site visits are scheduled for Jan. 18 and 19. If all scheduling goes according to plan, the board should make the decision on its next superintendent at its Jan. 24 regular meeting.

Current Adrian schools Superintendent Bob Behnke plans to retire March 31.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian Board of Education selects superintendent finalists
Newlyweds Nicolas Cage and Riko Shibata will soon welcome a new addition to their family.

Cage, 57, and Shibata, 27, are expecting their first child together, a representative confirmed to TODAY.

The parents-to-be are elated! their spokesperson told People in a separate statement.

This will be Cages third child. He shares son Kal-El, 16, with ex-wife Alice Kim and Wester, 31, with former partner Christina Fulton.

Cage and Shibata have been married since Feb. 16, 2021 when they tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.

The actor confirmed the news in an email to TODAY at the time, writing, Its true, and we are very happy.

Shibata, who is also an actor, met the Con Air star in Shiga, Japan.

Although the pair rarely make public appearances, they posed for pictures together at GQs Men of the Year Party in November. They also graced the cover of Flaunt magazine in October, but they did not discuss their relationship in the issue.

This is Cages fifth marriage. He was previously married to fellow actor Patricia Arquette for six years until they divorced in 2001. He then walked down the aisle with Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley, in 2002 and the couple stayed together for two years.

Kim and Cage wed in 2004 and welcomed Kal-El the following year. They later split after 12 years of marriage.

In 2019, Cage was briefly married to Erika Koike who he also wed in Las Vegas. Four days after the ceremony, the actor filed for an annulment and two months later he was granted a divorce.

CORRECTION (March 22, 2022, 4:19 p.m.): An earlier version of this article misstated the name of Nicolas Cage's oldest son. The son's name is Weston, not Wester.
A 1998 Chicago Tribune portrait of then-film critic Michael Wilmington. He died Jan. 6, 2022, in Los Angeles, at the age of 75. (Charles Osgood/Chicago Tribune)

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune film critic for 15 years and a singular, ardent lover of cinema, died Thursday in hospice care at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 2013, according to his longtime friend Jackie Fitzgerald.

He was 75.

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We stayed really good friends, said Fitzgerald, who met Wilmington when she was a fellow Tribune staffer and who confirmed the death. In addition to his generosity of spirit, he was so passionate and knowledgable about movies. And he wanted to share that.

News of his death began circulating on social media Thursday. On Friday, critic and author Joseph McBride, Wilmingtons fellow University of Wisconsin-Madison film society programmer and, later, collaborator on the 1974 book John Ford, told the Tribune of Wilmingtons fierce devotion to the medium he cherished.

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Amid an often fractious multi-year collaboration on their Ford book, McBride recalled that we once got into a fistfight, in the student union, because Id loaned him the novelization of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. And he wouldnt return it. So we had a fistfight over it. But we sort of patched it up and got back to work.

This was at a time (the late 1960s) and in a place (the UW Madison campus) when film culture had expanded its boundaries and built significant audiences. No fewer than three dozen separate film societies sparked countless arguments and imaginations on campus.

McBride recalled the time one left-wing Maoist group, besotted with the brazen, often contradictory politics and equally brazen cinematic techniques of Jean-Luc Godard, met their Waterloo in Wilmington. The cinephile and budding critic agitated for the film society to screen what was then a wildly unfashionable title: the Howard Hawks/John Wayne Western El Dorado.

Mike gave a 15-minute speech in support of that film, McBride said. And I mean a full 15 minutes. He was weeping, literally weeping, by the end of it. And the left-wing Maoist kids were so stunned, they voted the film in for a screening.

Wilmington was born Nov. 23, 1946, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, the son of Edna and Martin Wilmington. After a divorce, Edna raised Michael in Arlington, Virginia; Chicago; and Williams Bay, Wisconsin.

During his 15-year Tribune tenure as film critic, Wilmington was often seen at screenings and festival events accompanied by his mother. She was enough of a fixture to be made an honorary member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. She died in 2009.

At UW Madison, as an eager student of international cinema as well as the work of Hollywood masters such as Ford, Hawks, Orson Welles and countless others, Wilmington found his calling. Two, in fact: as a cinephile, and as a student actor.

Among other plays, McBride directed Wilmington in Edward Albees The Zoo Story. During the run of that show, McBride recalled, Mikes death scene was so vividly acted that twice I feared he had really died. Wilmington also appeared in a controversial staging of Peter Pan, staged by future Organic Theatre Company and Hollywood director Stuart Gordon, in which Captain Hook and his fellow pirates were depicted as Chicago police, and young John and Wendy Darling (Wilmington played John) were, in McBrides words, squares radicalized by hippiedom.

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Word got out in previews that the production featured 10 nude female performers. The Madison police padlocked the student union door on opening night. McBride then offered to host the production at a lecture hall in another campus building, initially scheduled for an evening of Buster Keaton films. Only two of the original 10 girls appeared naked, McBride recalled Friday. But it was a wonderful evening.

Wilmington wrote extensively on film for Madisons alternative weekly, Isthmus, among other publications. Moving to LA, he wrote steadily for the Los Angeles Times from 1984 to 1993. He moved to Chicago in 1993 to take the full-time staff film critic job at the Tribune, writing after his Tribune tenure for the Movie City News website. His final review for that LA-based website, a piece on Jim Jarmuschs Paterson, appeared in late 2016.

He was interested in such a wide variety of things, Fitzgerald said Friday. Politics, sports, music. He was a pack rat; so many books. He had two storage units, one in LA, one in Chicago. He couldve opened up a bookstore. And a vinyl store.

On Facebook and Twitter, colleagues around the country paid tribute to Wilmington, who lived in LA in his final years.

He was a friend, a mentor and professional advocate. I will miss his passionate intensity, tweeted Chicago journalist, critic and sportswriter Patrick McGavin. Los Angeles-based Ken Mate,one of Wilmingtons oldest friends from UW Madison and from his LA years, posted on Facebook Thursday: He was a film scholar and a fine human being.

On Jan. 4, two days before Wilmingtons death, Mate relayed in a Facebook post that earlier this year Wilmington was dealing with a broken hip and other setbacks, and his final months were not easy ones. As a result of complications from that fall and as a result of the progression of Parkinsons, he is now going into hospice care, Mate wrote.

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He added: I dont know if there is anyone who knew more about movies than Michael Wilmington and anyone who loved them more.

On Jan. 8 the National Society of Film Critics, of which he was a member, will dedicate its annual awards voting to Wilmingtons memory.

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

mjphillips@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @phillipstribune

Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here.
A lunar eclipse a year ago shows the moon turning a blood-red color, as it will for Sundays Super Blood Wolf Moon.

When the night sky puts on a rare show, it's a treat to watch it unfold.

But urban lights in the South Bend area often dim those events.

Melinda O'Malley, director of the Penn-Harris-Madison planetarium and digital video theater, gives her best bets for catching some of the night sky's best action this year.

More: Star gaze, kayak in a pool, race fat bikes and feed birds to charge up winter in Michiana

Where to go

 T.K. Lawless County Park, at 15122 Monkey Run St., Vandalia  The park has gained both state and national status as a dark-sky park, meaning it has controlled light pollution enough to observe the night stars. O'Malley said this is a dark enough place to see the sky.

 Take a short trip outside the city  "Look for farmland," she said. "It's not that far away, and it's gorgeous." A drive to a place as close as Kern Road to the south of South Bend, or a drive north into Michigan over the state line can be a good place. She suggests being near trees to help block lights from nearby towns but not too close as to block the sky.

 Local shorelines  Go to the beach. The Lake Michigan shore can be a good place to see the night sky.

 As part of its educational mission, the PHM Full Dome shows kick off the 2022 season of events with a documentary film "The Winter Night Sky" broadcast on the full dome of the planetarium at 6:30 p.m. Thursday inside Bittersweet Elementary School at 55860 Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka.

But the skies outside in 2022 will have a series of celestial events that can be seen by anyone who knows what to look for:

What to look for

March 24-April 5: Venus, Mars, and Saturn come together

In the early morning hour, about an hour before local sunrise, you might catch Venus, Mars, and Saturn grouped together in a tight triangular cluster.

April 30-May 1: Venus-Jupiter conjunction

Jupiter will slowly rise higher and higher in the southeastern sky each day in April and will steadily approach the brilliantly bright planet Venus. The two planets on April 30 will be so close that they will be visible with binoculars and some backyard telescopes. To see it, go to an unobstructed line of sight toward the southeast horizon about 30 minutes before sunrise.

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May 5-6: Eta Aquarids meteor shower

Meteor watchers in early May will be treated to the peak of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower. The best views for this shower are expected in the predawn hours of May 5. The waxing crescent moon will set early in the evening the night before, leaving skies dark enough for watchers to glimpse even the faintest shooting stars.

May 15-16: Flower Moon Total lunar eclipse

The first of two total lunar eclipses of 2022 will take place on May 15-16, depending on where you are. Lunar eclipses occur when the sun, Earth, and moon align such that the moon crosses through Earths shadow, darkening and reddening its silvery disk in our skies. This particular lunar eclipse will be visible throughout North America. The full moon of May is known as the Flower Moon, named for the blooming flowers this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere.

June 18 to 27: Five (or six) planets align

Sky-watchers in the early morning hours in June will be able to catch a rare lineup of all the major planets visible to the naked eye: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and possibly Uranus. Seeing the final planet, however, requires pristine sky conditions.

On June 24 and 25, the crescent moon will glide past the ice giant Uranus and make it easier to hunt down, especially using binoculars. Look for a distinctly green-colored dot. And eager stargazers wont want to miss the moons close encounter with super-bright Venus on June 26. Then on June 27, the elusively faint Mercury gets its turn with the moon, when both will appear embedded in the morning twilight.

Nov. 7 and 8: Total lunar eclipse  again

North America will have the opportunity to watch a total lunar eclipse for a second time this year during the overnight hours of Nov. 7 and 8. In the western United States and Canada, people will get to see the entire eclipse, while eastern North America and most of South America will see partial phases of the eclipse.

For more information about the programs at the PHM Planetarium-Digital Video Theater, check out https://www.phmschools.org/planetarium-digital-video-theater

NASA social media information: https://www.nasa.gov/socialmedia

Email South Bend Tribune reporter Greg Swiercz at gswiercz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: sky events astronomy Michiana South Bend area
Boaters on a Nocatee kayak trip get an up-close-and-personal look at the Intracoastal Waterway.

The largest residential development in St. Johns County was also one of the top-selling master-planned communities in the country in 2021, according to a report from real-estate consulting firm RCLCO.

The firm released a report that lists Nocatee as 12th among the "Top-Selling Master Planned Communities of 2021."

"Every year since 1994, RCLCO has conducted a national survey identifying the top-selling MPCs through a rigorous search of high-performing communities," according to a press release from the business. "The ranking is based on total new home sales as reported by each individual community."

Year in review: St. Johns County marks 'astounding growth,' sees new commercial development

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Nocatee reported 738 new home sales in 2021 and 925 sales in 2020.

The top-selling community overall was The Villages, a 55-and-older community in Central Florida. The Villages reported 4,004 sales in 2021 and 2,452 in 2020.

The second on the list, and the top-selling all-ages master-planned community, is Lakewood Ranch in Florida with 2,574 home sales in 2021 and 2,149 sales in 2020.

Nocatee is a development by the PARC Group that is mostly in northeast St. Johns County, with part of the property in Duval County.

Another PARC Group development, eTown Jacksonville, is 36th on the 2021 list. The development saw 548 sales in 2021 and 417 in 2020.

RCLCO Managing Director Gregg Logan said in the release, The results of this years Top-Selling MPC Report confirm that demand for new single-family homes within MPCs remains high, with favorable demographic tailwinds suggesting this strong demand will continue in 2022.

"However, supply chain disruptions and the lingering impacts of COVID-19 have prevented many MPCs from fully capitalizing on the growth in demand seen over the past year. As these challenges are resolved in the coming months, we are optimistic for the success of master-planned communities in 2022.

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The future of Nocatee

The PARC Group starting planning for Nocatee in the late 1990s, according to information provided by Kelly Owen, Parc Group director of marketing, in an email to The Record.

Nocatee has been one of the best-selling communities in the country for years and has been in the top 15 since 2012, according to Owen. About 70% of people who move to Nocatee come from outside of the Jacksonville metropolitan area.

"In the year 2011, only 62 new homes were sold in Nocatee," according to Owen. "Today, 62 new homes are sold in less than four weeks."

The community has six neighborhoods that are selling homes. Since Nocatee was created, more than 9,400 new homes have sold, according to Owen.

The community also includes the Nocatee Town Center, and more business are expected to open soon.

"Anejo Mexicana, Premier Martial Arts, Safari Toy and Toytopia are all under construction, and will be owned and operated by Nocatee Residents," according to Owen. "In addition, we recently announced that a highly anticipated Italian restaurant, Catullo's, will be joining the Nocatee Town Center."

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Report: Nocatee 12th top-selling master-planned community in U.S.
Heavy snow, bitterly cold wind and freezing rain is forecast to hit parts of the South and Northeast overnight in what could be the region's first bomb cyclone of the 2022 winter season. The severe weather is expected to start Thursday night through Friday morning and hit some of the same areas that were slammed with a large winter storm only days ago.

"It's becoming a stronger storm very quickly," AccuWeather's chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter told CBS News Thursday. "The pressure of the storm is reducing very quickly and that means that you can end up with heavier amounts of rain or snow."

A fast-moving system will bring the chance for accumulating snow to northern portions of the area Thursday night, in many of the same areas that were hit hard earlier this week. Winter WX Advisories have been issued from Fluvanna eastward to the MD Eastern Shore #vawx #mdwx pic.twitter.com/QJS7A3Fo4h

 NWS Wakefield (@NWSWakefieldVA) January 5, 2022

The National Weather Service has issued winter weather advisories for multiple cities across several different states, including West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New York and New Jersey, with many taking effect Thursday night. The agency warns of mixed precipitation, sleet and sizable snow and ice accumulations for certain areas.

Residents in parts of Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts could see up to a foot of snow, while snow accumulation in portions of Virginia and Maryland are forecast to reach up to 6 inches, Porter said.

Cities in Kentucky and Tennessee have already seen up to 6 inches of snow on Thursday with more forecast to come overnight. On Thursday, 20 to 30 cars piled up in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, amidst snowy conditions, according to CBS affiliate WLKY. No injuries have been reported.

The National Weather Service says the heaviest snow in the D.C., Virginia and Maryland area is expected overnight, when snowfall rates could reach 1 inch per hour. All public schools in Washington, D.C., will be closed on Friday.

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Porter warned Friday morning commuters could see "major disruptions to travel caused by low visibility."

"It's going to be a mess," he said. "When it's snowing that fast despite the best efforts of road crews, it's hard to keep up with that accumulation to keep roads clear of snow."

The incoming bomb cyclone, which developed in the Rocky Mountains, comes on the heels of a winter storm that left hundreds of drivers in Virginia stranded in below-freezing conditions for more than 24 hours on a stretch of Interstate 95 on Monday and Tuesday. Up to 11 inches of snow fell in the area during the winter storm and thousands of Virginia residents are still without power, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks national outages.

James Penn, of Annapolis, Maryland, cross country skis in Annapolis on Monday, January 3, 2022. A winter storm packing heavy snow rolled into the District of Columbia, northern Virginia and central Maryland overnight, bringing at least 3 to 7 inches of snow to the area through Monday afternoon. / Credit: Susan Walsh / AP

Porter warned that the incoming severe weather is forecast to be less localized than the storm seen earlier this week, and that it could have a "broader impact" as it moves along the coast. He encouraged residents in the storm's track to avoid all travel if possible on Thursday and Friday.

"We saw the kind of impact that can happen as a result of snow," he said. "Let's encourage everyone to be as proactive as possible."

Multiple major airlines including Delta, Southwest, Frontier and Spirit have offered flight waivers and accommodations for the storm. Southwest told CBS News that it canceled roughly 540 flights Thursday. Meanwhile, New York City's LaGuardia Airport tweeted Thursday night it had canceled 143 flights due to the incoming weather.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the severe storm, which he said "is expected to continue to exacerbate damage from the first one."

"Having two bouts of snow and icy weather back to back makes it more likely communities will need additional help as they continue to recover from the first round of tree-snapping wet snow and ice that we saw Monday," Northam said in a statement Wednesday.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear also issued state of emergencies ahead of the storm. And Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said the state has prepared to address the incoming system by pre-treating roads.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday directed state agencies to start preparing for the heavy snow and winds as well by assembling snow plows and additional troopers. The New York City Emergency Management Department issued a travel advisory Thursday night urging pedestrians and travelers to exercise caution on roads and sidewalks on Friday.

"Now is the time for people to begin preparing, and I encourage everyone to closely monitor their local forecasts, use caution while traveling and take the steps necessary for keeping their households safe," Hochul said in a statement.

Biden and Congress mark one year since deadly January 6 attack on U.S. Capitol

Representative Adam Schiff reflects on the Capitol insurrection

U.S. hospitals facing worst staff shortages due to COVID-19
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at the National Rifle Association convention in May 2018. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo

Texas' governor filed a lawsuit this week over the federal government's National Guard vaccine mandate.

The suit names President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and the military service secretaries.

Gov. Greg Abbott is among six GOP governors who have asked for a vaccine exemption for their guardsmen.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is reigniting the battle against the Pentagon's vaccine mandate, telling National Guardsmen in his state that they will not face punishment for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine.

"Unless President Biden federalizes the Texas National Guard in accordance with Title 10 of the U.S. Code, he is not your commander-in-chief under our federal or state Constitutions," Abbott said in a letter to Texas Adjutant General Tracy Norris. "And as long as I am your commander-in-chief, I will not tolerate efforts to compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine."

On Tuesday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Abbott's behalf against President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and the military service secretaries saying the federal government is overstepping its bounds by requiring the vaccine when guardsmen are not on active federal duty.

The lawsuit sets up another power struggle between the Pentagon and state leaders over who has control over the guard. Guardsmen have obligations to both their home state and the federal government.

Despite spending the bulk of their service under state active duty, known as Title 32 status, guardsmen can be activated under Title 10 orders, which could be issued for domestic operations or overseas missions. Last year, about 1,000 Texas guardsmen were activated on Title 10 orders and sent to Washington DC after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Abbott joins Republican governors of five other states  Oklahoma, Wyoming, Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi, and Nebraska  in asking the federal government to exempt their guardsmen from the Pentagons' vaccine mandate. Last week, a federal judge in Oklahoma threw out a lawsuit filed by the state's governor challenging the vaccine mandate.

Read the original article on Business Insider
NEW YORK CITY  A sudden and swift snow storm blanketed New York with about a half foot of snow early Friday morning, prompting forecasters to warn of treacherous morning commutes ahead.

The National Weather Service reported Friday about 8 a.m. that areas in outer Queens  Elmhurst and Bayside  were dumped with as much as 7 inches of snow while Manhattan averaged at 5.5, an online map shows.

La Guardia Airport got the most with 8.5 inches of snow by 7 a.m., forecasters said.

Forecasters warned New Yorkers to take extreme caution during their commutes as the snow could prove dangerous on untreated roads.

NWS radar capturing bands of heavy snow-some with reports of 1-3" per hour rates. Travel has become very treacherous with snow cover on all untreated roads. pic.twitter.com/Y0MRib3owy

 NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) January 7, 2022

The MTA also urged extreme caution and reported delays on the 2, 5, A, N, Brooklyn shuttle, as well canceled service  which has been linked to COVID 19 staff shortages  on the B, Z and W lines about 8:20 a.m.

PATH Trains  which connect the city and New Jersey  were suspended system-wide after the third rail lost power, the city's Emergency Management department announced about 8:30 a.m.

Keep posted on subway delays here.

If forecasters had bad news for city commuters, the Department of Education had worse for city kids: Friday is not a snow day. Although lateness will be excused.

The Sanitation Department sent out Thursday night more than 700 salt spreaders to pretreat roads and planned to deploy 1,600 Friday, according to a press release.

The city also suspended alternate side parking through Saturday, officials said.



The FDNY urged homeowners to shovel paths to fire hydrants in case of an emergency.

With potential snow arriving in New York City Friday morning, New Yorkers should prepare for slippery road conditions, said NYC Emergency Management First Deputy Commissioner Christina Farrell.

We urge New Yorkers to exercise caution. If you must travel, we encourage the use of mass transit and please allow for extra travel time.

This article originally appeared on the New York City Patch
One of the first health care workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine shot in the Mohawk Valley.

Oneida County has seen a dramatic increase in new COVID-19 cases as it enters into the new year.

From Thursday, Dec. 30, through Wednesday, Jan. 5, Oneida County reported 3,621 new COVID-19 cases, along with six deaths.

A new county record, 888 new cases on Thursday, Dec. 30, is among the main reasons why the county is currently experiencing such an increase in cases.

The previous high number of new cases, 753, was reported Wednesday, Dec. 29.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. held a news conference Thursday, Dec. 30, to talk about the high number of new cases, stating the county had expected the numbers as testing also had reached historic levels in the county.

There were 726 new cases reported Tuesday, Jan. 4, and 647 cases on Wednesday, Jan. 5. There were 487 cases reported Friday, Dec. 31.

There were 257 cases reported Saturday, Jan. 1, and 237 on Sunday, Jan. 2.

As of Wednesday, Jan. 5, Oneida County reported 43,296 COVID-19 cases.

Though the countys case numbers have risen dramatically, the death toll has remained low.

The highest number of deaths, three, occurred Sunday, Jan. 2. There were two deaths on Tuesday, Jan. 4, and a single death each day on Thursday, Dec. 30 and Monday, Jan. 3.

As of Wednesday, Jan. 5, Oneida County reported 600 COVID-19 deaths.

Oneida County reported 4,850 active cases as of Wednesday, Jan. 5, with a 15.5% positivity rate.

As of Wednesday, Jan. 5, there were 6,706 residents in mandatory isolation and quarantine in Oneida County.

Hospitalization statistics

There were 62 Oneida County residents hospitalized due to COVID-19 as of Wednesday, Jan. 5. Thirty-seven of those hospitalized were unvaccinated.

Forty-seven of those hospitalized were in the Mohawk Valley Health System, with nine in Rome Health. Six were hospitalized outside the county.

Ten of those hospitalized were in the intensive care unit. Eight of those residents were unvaccinated.

Four of those hospitalized were on ventilators. All were unvaccinated.

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Four of those hospitalized  all unvaccinated  were from long-term care facilities.

The following is hospitalization numbers are by age and vaccination status:

13-19 years-old: 1 unvaccinated/0 vaccinated

20-29 years-old: 3 unvaccinated/1 vaccinated

30-39 years-old: 4 unvaccinated/0 vaccinated

40-49 years-old: 4 unvaccinated/3 vaccinated

50-59 years-old: 8 unvaccinated/2 vaccinated

60-69 years-old: 6 unvaccinated/5 vaccinated

70-79 years-old: 7 unvaccinated/6 vaccinated

80-89 years-old: 3 unvaccinated/7 vaccinated

90-99 years-old: 1 unvaccinated/1 vaccinated

According to the county, 60% of those hospitalized were unvaccinated.

The average age of the unvaccinated hospital patients is 57 and vaccinated is 70, the county said.

The county further stated that 84% of those hospitalized were at least six months pas full vaccination.

County to hire help for vaccination PODs

Oneida County is looking to hire more part-time employees to help work its vaccination PODs (point of distribution), Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. announced Friday in a statement.

Picente said the county is looking to hire vaccinators, physicians, nurses, laborers and administrative assistants.

As the Omicron variant rages through our county, and positive cases continue to skyrocket, vaccinations and booster shots are crucial to reducing the spread of COVID-19 and limiting severe illness and death, Picente said in a statement. We need people to help us get as many shots in arms as possible. There are several employment opportunities at our county-operated PODs available right now. Please consider joining us in the fight to keep our residents healthy and safe.

Oneida County has been continually hiring part-time workers to assist with several aspects of the pandemic. The following vaccination POD positions are needed currently:

Administrative assistant

COVID-19 vaccinator

Laborer

Nurse practitioner

Physician

Physician assistant

Public health nurse

Registered professional nurse

Positions range from $13 to $80 per hour. For more details on pay, qualifications and job duties, and to apply for a position visit: https://www.ocgov.net/oneida/personnel/immedopen.

Ed Harris is the Oneida County reporter for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Ed Harris at EHarris1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Oneida County COVID-19 cases rise dramatically
Chance the Rapper, left, and Chief Keef, right, represents two different sides to rap music coming out of Chicago. (Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)

With Chicago's national reputation ranging from tourist heaven to gang war zone, it seems appropriate that two of its brightest stars are rap golden boy Chance the Rapper and rap bad boy Chief Keef.

Beyond their divergent musical styles, the artists exemplify the dueling personalities within black communities on the South and West sides fighting for the souls of men and boys.

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Chance and Chief Keef "are two opposite ends of the spectrum. They're definitely the yin and yang and they always have been," said Andrew Barber, whose Fake Shore Drive hip-hop blog was one of the first media outlets casting attention on both rappers. They "come from totally different backgrounds. Telling two totally different stories. They're seeing things a different way. That's why they're both so important."

Since they emerged as teenage rap prodigies in the early 2010s, each has carved out his own identity and fan base.

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Chance, who won three Grammy awards this year and is headlining Lollapalooza, has become the city's odds-on favorite. A product of a stable, two-parent household who graduated from the prestigious Jones College Prep, the rapper born Chancelor Bennett, 24, has parlayed his gospel- and poetry-inspired mixtapes into a successful music career. His aspirational raps have earned him a host of friends and admirers, from President Obama and Beyonce to rocker Eddie Vedder.

He has won over parents and teachers with the millions he donated and helped raise for Chicago Public Schools. And his stock as an activist has risen, following disagreements with Gov. Bruce Rauner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his recent call for HBO to end comedian Bill Maher's series after the host uttered a racial slur. Ebony magazine recently put the rapper on its front cover asking "Chance For President?"

Then there's Chief Keef, 21, the dread-headed stepchild of Chicago rap, remembered as much for problems with the law and his halted concerts as his music. Before Chance became prince of the city it was Chief Keef who helped introduce rap lovers to the city's pervasive gang culture and violence.

Born Keith Cozart, the Black Disciples-linked youth who was mostly raised by his grandmother, was busted for selling heroin at 15 and pointing a gun at a Chicago police officer at 16, according to court records.

Chief Keef burst onto the national rap scene in 2012, when fellow South Side native Kanye West's musical reworking of his local hit "I Don't Like" became an international platinum-selling smash.

Soon record executives were eager to take advantage of the teenager's rough sound. "When people first heard (Chief Keef's) name, I was getting phone calls immediately," Barber recalled. "Then we started posting (stories) about him and for the next six months I think everybody in the music business came to Chicago trying to find Keef."

I learned just how influential Chief Keef is recently over burgers and fries with my nephews, 16 and 19. Discussing Chance, they said glowing things about his music, adding that they supported him because of his positive message and local connection.

Then I mentioned Chief Keef's name and it was like a light came on. The 16-year-old looked up from his iPhone and made eye contact. "He's a legend," he said. "A pioneer," the 19-year-old added.

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 22 Keith Cozart, right, also knows as the rapper Chief Keef, exits the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan with friends Friday after being arraigned for a DUI arrest. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

Chief Keef's use of social media to generate buzz for his music has made him a role model for young artists. Young listeners are also attracted to his gang ties  a sign of authenticity in the perception-conscious rap world. They aren't put off by the fact that Chief Keef has been criticized by law enforcement, elected officials and even some veteran hip-hop artists who accuse him of dumbing down rap.

Even in neighborhoods where teens are recruited as gang assassins, Chief Keef gave hope to gangsters that their rhymes could be a means for escape as it had been for Chief Keef himself.

His violent and crude tales portraying hard-knock young men in search of money and good times has fascinated city and suburban kids alike. "I'm Southside, I'll pop out/ OBlock bring them Glocks out/ 300 bring them chops out/ We shoot up your block now," Chief Keef rapped in "Citgo."

"People just saw it as a raw different sound. They bought into the back story of Chief Keef, which I think a lot of people found just as intriguing as the music," Barber said.

The Chicago of Chance's and Chief Keef's disparate rap tales is the ongoing story of communities at the tail end of a silent and slow four-decade erosion of resources.

Chance represents the multitude of socially conscious and social-climbing youth who, through talent or ambition, have a legitimate shot of success despite living in crumbling communities. Chief Keef symbolizes the untold numbers of dispirited young men who are surrounded by tragedy, poverty and criminality with few prospects for escaping.

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An exodus of residents, the Great Recession and the ravages of drug and gang wars have left deserted blocks and broken families in an already-debt ridden city and state. With few jobs or opportunities in their neighborhoods, nearly half of the city's black men between 20 and 24 (Chance and Chief Keef's age group) don't have jobs and aren't in college, according to a report from the University of Illinois at Chicago's Great Cities Institute.

It is to this Chicago that Chance and Chief Keef came of age, the sons of a dying black community that 180,000 Africans-Americans have left since the early 2000s.

Chance's music and philanthropy has captured the city's attention, but Chicago's problems with violence in the most-distressed neighborhoods is being perpetrated by a number of men and boys who see Chief Keef's version of city life as their own.

If Chicago is to solve the cipher of gangs, street violence and abandonment, it first needs to figure out how to turn its disadvantaged, desperate young men into productive citizens.

Learning to understand Chief Keef's Chicago and key sources of desperation within it could give social service agencies, city officials and community leaders clues as how to best neutralize the hopelessness that leads to crime. It also wouldn't hurt them to study Chance's Chicago and its dwindling resources if they hope to retain capable homegrown talent before it flees Illinois.

And while we're busy patting ourselves on the back for producing a talent like Chance, we should remember that the neighborhoods helped create Chief Keef too, for better or for worse.

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wlee@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @MidNoirCowboy

RELATED STORIES:

Chance the Rapper is a man with a plan in a 'dead industry'

Timeline: Chief Keef's milestones and missteps (graphic content)

Chance reminds us: Black boys are worth fighting for

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Watch the latest movie trailers.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
An emergency bill before to the Navajo Nation Council proposes additional payments to recipients of the Navajo Nation CARES Fund Hardship Assistance Program.

FARMINGTON  The Navajo Nation president's office has scheduled an information session for 5 p.m. on Jan. 10 to talk about the hardship assistance rollout to eligible tribal members.

The session will livestream on the Nez-Lizer Facebook page and on YouTube under the Navajo Nation OPVP Communications name.

Tribal leaders approved using $557 million in funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, a federal coronavirus relief package, to provide $2,000 to adults and $600 to minors who are enrolled members of the tribe and already received help from the Navajo Nation CARES Fund Hardship Assistance Program.

In response to questions from tribal members, the president's office compiled FAQs about the assistance, which has been dubbed the ARPA Hardship Assistance. Here's some of that information:

Payments are automatic to those who previously received hardship assistance. These individuals do not need to reapply.

If you need to update your mailing address, the Navajo Nation Office of the Controller has a change of address form on its website, www.nnooc.org. The form is also available on the Navajo Nation American Rescue Plan website, www.navajonationarpa.org. Both websites have details about submitting the form to the controller's office.

The application period for first-time applicants is Jan. 10 through Dec. 30. The application form will be available on Jan. 10 at www.nnooc.org and www.navajonationarpa.org.

Contact the Navajo Nation Office of Vital Records and Identification for questions about the Certificate of Indian Blood or to learn about the enrollment process.

If you applied for the Navajo Nation CARES Fund Hardship Assistance Program and did not receive a check, it is possible that your application was not approved or that the controller's office issued payment but there was a problem with mail delivery. Contact the controller's office to find out the status of your eligibility for the ARPA Hardship Assistance or you may apply after Jan. 10.

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The entire FAQ is posted on the Nez-Lizer Facebook page.

Here's contact information for the controller's office:

By email: ARPAHardship@nnooc.org

By telephone: 928-871-6106, 928-871-6315, 928-223-3525, 928-224-8148, 928-224-8187, 928-224-8212, 928-371-9226, 928-223-3709 or 928-223-3712

As for when checks will be available to recipients, the FAQ states that "the Office of the Controller will issue the direct relief as soon as possible and a public announcement is forthcoming via social media, press release, radio, newspaper, etc."

In a separate action, tribal leaders approved providing about $300 to each tribal member aged 60 and over who received help from the CARES Act hardship assistance program.

The FAQ states that these older adults will receive two payments from the controller's office.

However, if they were not approved for CARES Act hardship assistance or did not apply, they have to apply for the ARPA Hardship Assistance.

Noel Lyn Smith covers the Navajo Nation for The Daily Times. Support local journalism with a digital subscription to The Daily Times.

This article originally appeared on Farmington Daily Times: Online session will center on Navajo Nation ARPA Hardship Assistance
OnlyFans content creator Titus Low Kaide was arrested in Singapore on Dec. 30 for transmitting obscene materials, causing fear among other creators based in the Southeast Asian country.



Low, 22, was charged on two counts after Singaporean police received reports that he transmitted images and videos of his private parts.































View this post on Instagram















































A post shared by TITUS LOW (@titusslow)











He was also charged under the Criminal Procedure Code after reportedly resisting a police order not to log on to his OnlyFans page, according to the Straits Times.



Although consuming porn in Singapore is not an offense, it is illegal to possess or download pornographic material, even for personal use. Gay sex is also outlawed in the country.



Low posted a video on YouTube to recount the events leading up to his arrest.







We only create content for people who are our age and wish to have content they want to see, he explained. And all this is on the basis of everything is consensual.



So we dont force you to watch our content, we dont force you to pay, its not open for public consumption, and if I dont impede on your life and your lifestyle, to the person who reported me, why are you impeding in mine? Low continued.



Til today, I dont know who made the report, and I dont know why, he went on. I mean, its OnlyFans. I have to create specific content for specific adults. We are both willing like buyer and seller.































View this post on Instagram















































A post shared by TITUS LOW (@titusslow)











Low told Mothership in October that there are risks of creating an OnlyFans page.



I dont know how to tackle [the legal] situation, [and Im] not even sure if its [legal] to do OnlyFans, he said.































View this post on Instagram















































A post shared by TITUS LOW (@titusslow)











Lows OnlyFans account, which he claims has made him a five-figure salary as an income per month, is currently not taking any further subscriptions.



He is set to go to court on Jan. 20 and could face up a three-month jail sentence and a fine for the two counts of transmitting obscene materials by electronic means. Low could also face up to six months and a $5,000 fine under the Criminal Procedure Code.



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To provide our community with important public safety information, the Statesman Journal is making this daily update related to the coronavirus free to read.

We'll update this story with the latest news about coronavirus and its effects in Oregon on Thursday, Jan. 6.

Boosters approved for age 12-15

Eligible 12- to-15-year-olds in Oregon can begin receiving COVID-19 vaccine booster shots after the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup followed the federal government's lead and approved the booster expansion.

The Oregon Health Authority began informing health care providers that booster shots are now available for the younger population.

"Vaccines and boosters are critical tools in our fight against COVID-19, omicron and future variants" Gov. Kate Brown said in a statement. "With today's review by leading doctors, pediatricians and health experts, Oregon youth, parents and families can be confident in the safety and effectiveness of Pfizer-BioNTech booster doses."

The FDA authorized the expanded use on Monday, and the Centers for Disease Control affirmed it Wednesday.

The recommendations also include shortening the waiting period for receiving a booster shot after a second main dose from six months to five months and adding a third primary series dose for certain immunocompromised children ages 5 to 11.

The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup is comprised of scientists with expertise in immunization and public health which has routinely reviewed decisions by the federal government for Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California.

7,615 new cases sets new daily record

For the third consecutive day, Oregon set a record for new daily cases of COVID-19 on Thursday with 7,615 cases reported by the Oregon Health Authority. The state public health agency also announced nine coronavirus-related deaths.

Cases are spiking in Oregon and around the world as the highly infectious omicron variant continues to spread.

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Marion County accounted for 501 cases, while Polk County had 275.

Of those whose deaths were reported, three were from Marion County:

A 78-year-old woman who died Dec. 30 at her residence.

A 52-year-old man who died Dec. 31 at Salem Hospital.

A 78-year-old woman who died Jan. 2 at Salem Hospital.

On Thursday, hospitals statewide were treating 588 patients with COVID-19, including 110 in intensive care unit beds.

Hospitalizations often lag new cases by a couple weeks, so those numbers are expected to rise.

The state's adult ICU bed capacity is at 93% and non-ICU bed capacity is at 95%.

OHA's newest vaccine breakthrough report released Thursday indicated that while omicron is more likely to infect vaccinated people, 69% of new cases reported between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 were still among the unvaccinated.

The average age of an individual with a breakthrough case was 39. To date, 4% of all vaccine breakthrough cases have resulted in hospitalization.

Pediatric cases are also on the rise, OHA announced, particularly within communities of color. Compared to white people, pediatric cases among Black children were 3.3 times higher, 2.4 times higher among Asian children and 1.7 times higher among Native children.

COVID-19 by the numbers statewide

Here's the most recent data from the Oregon Health Authority, as of Thursday, Jan. 6:

5,728: People who have died from COVID-19.

449,267: Total cases of COVID-19.

588: COVID-19 patients in hospitals.

Oregon COVID-19 cases by county

Here are the number of cases, both tested positive and presumptive, and deaths as of Thursday, Jan. 6.

Baker: 2,368 cases, 37 deaths.

Benton: 7,671 cases, 43 deaths.

Clackamas: 38,534 cases, 434 deaths.

Clatsop: 3,007 cases, 36 deaths.

Columbia: 4,939 cases, 62 deaths.

Coos: 6,797 cases, 123 deaths.

Crook: 3,808 cases, 60 deaths.

Curry: 2,083 cases, 40 deaths.

Deschutes: 28,114 cases, 215 deaths.

Douglas: 14,626 cases, 317 deaths.

Gilliam: 211 cases, 4 deaths.

Grant: 1,223 cases, 17 deaths.

Harney: 1,265 cases, 34 deaths.

Hood River: 2,375 cases, 38 deaths.

Jackson: 28,050 cases, 399 deaths.

Jefferson: 4,664 cases, 69 deaths.

Josephine: 11,402 cases, 272 deaths.

Klamath: 9,603 cases, 170 deaths.

Lake: 1,091 cases, 22 deaths.

Lane: 34,537 cases, 388 deaths.

Lincoln: 4,147 cases, 58 deaths.

Linn: 16,724 cases, 209 deaths.

Malheur: 6,136 cases, 94 deaths.

Marion: 43,717 cases, 553 deaths.

Morrow: 2,134 cases, 26 deaths.

Multnomah: 72,032 cases, 914 deaths.

Polk: 9,416 cases, 112 deaths.

Sherman: 210 cases, 3 deaths.

Tillamook: 2,516 cases, 51 deaths.

Umatilla: 16,357 cases, 187 deaths.

Union: 3,635 cases, 64 deaths.

Wallowa: 814 cases, 13 deaths.

Wasco: 3,417 cases, 48 deaths.

Washington: 50,563 cases, 451 deaths.

Wheeler: 146 cases, 2 death.

Yamhill: 10,935 cases, 163 deaths.

Source: Oregon Health Authority

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon COVID-19: Another case record, boosters approved for age 12-15
Nearly four out of five Oregonians don't have the help of an attorney when navigating family law or landlord/tenant legal case, according to the Oregon State Bar.

The bar is trying to address this with a proposal to license paraprofessionals to provide some legal services currently only provided by lawyers.

"It's a program that augments the tools available to people who can't afford the full cost of a lawyer," Eugene-based attorney Bryan Cox said. "But it's limited by what's appropriate."

Cox, whose legal expertise is in the area of housing law and landlord-tenant law, serves on the Paraprofessional Licensure Implementation Committee, which brought the proposal forward. He said the proposal for licensing these paraprofessionals was designed by practicing lawyers who understand what kind of legal help could be provided by licensed paraprofessionals and when they would have to defer to a lawyer.

The court is asking for public comment on the proposal now until Feb. 11. Comment online at https://www.osbar.org/lp.

Licensed paralegals would be allowed to provide limited legal services only in family law cases such as divorces, custody and parenting time as well as landlord/tenant cases. These are two of the areas of law with the greatest need for legal assistance in the state, according to the Oregon State Bar. The scope of the licensure could grow in the future, Cox said.

This isn't the only profession making adjustments to make up for shortages. The bar believes this would look similar to the introduction of nurse practitioners to the medical field. Also facing a qualified worker shortages, the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission made a temporary rule in October loosening the requirements for people to be a substitute teacher in the state.

Lane County Circuit Court building in Eugene.

More:Shortage of substitute teachers statewide prompts Oregon to change licensing requirement

The Paraprofessional Licensure Implementation Committee hopes this proposal will provide legal services to traditionally underserved communities.

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"It's just going to be one more layer of people within Oregon who are going to get help at a price point they can meet," Cox said.

The licensed paralegals would have specific education and experience requirements and would have to adhere to many of the rules and requirements that already exist for lawyers. The court will make a decision on this proposal next year and the change would be permeant.

Creating a new professional path

Oregon wouldn't be the first state to implement a proposal like this. Arizona, California, Minnesota, Utah, Washington, British Columbia and Ontario are among the states and Canadian provinces that have implemented or are considering implementation of licensed paralegal programs, according to the committee workgroups progress report.

The hope is that this licensure would create a new professional route for people who want to help people navigate the court system but don't want to go to law school.

"You won't be their lawyer in court but you will be able to be their support person, their information source and their resource," Cox said. "I think you'll find that it's a need that will be met that won't displace lawyers, it will augment and compliment lawyers. It won't displace paralegals, it will give them another career avenue."

Cases proposal allows licensed paraprofessionals to assist with

Family law

Dissolution of marriage

Separation or annulment

Custody and parenting time

Child support and spousal support

Remedial contempt (excluding confinement)

Landlord/tenant

Oregon Residential Landlord/Tenant Act

Forcible entry and wrongful detainer

Duties for licensed paraprofessionals under proposal

Enter into a contractual relationship to represent a client. For family law cases, this would be limited to representing individuals, not businesses.

Meet with potential clients to evaluate and determine needs and goals as well as advise.

Assist clients in choosing drafting and filing forms on domestic relations and landlord/tenant cases.

Assist clients in drafting and servicing of pleadings and documents including orders and judgments.

File documents and pleadings with the court.

Assist, draft, serve and complete written discovery.

Attend depositions, but not take or defend. May assist with scheduling and compelling deposition appearances and preparing clients for being deposed and for taking a deposition.

Prepare for, participate in and represent a party in settlement discussions, including mediation.

Assist in preparing for hearings, trials and arbitrations.

Prepare clients for court appearances and for judicial settlement conferences

Attend court appearances and depositions with clients to provide support and assistance in procedural matters.

Respond to the court on behalf of clients to inquiries when requested.

Review opinion letters, court orders and notices with a client and explain how they affect the client including the right to appeal.

Earning the licensure requires hundreds of hours of experience and specific qualifications. It does not require the bar exam. More details on the proposal are available on the Oregon State Bar's website.

Contact reporter Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick at Tatiana@registerguard.com or 541-521-7512, and follow her on Twitter @TatianaSophiaPT.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon State Bar proposing licensing non-lawyers for some services
WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN  Washington County Attorney Pete Orput will not seek a fourth term during the 2022 election and will retire at the end of the year, his office announced Friday.

Orput was first elected in 2010 and plans to finish out his third term before leaving office Dec. 31.

He has 40 years of experience in public service, including stints as assistant Hennepin County attorney, general counsel for the Minnesota Department of Corrections and deputy attorney general in charge of the Minnesota Attorney Generals public prosecution section, according to a news release.

Orput served on the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission from 2016-2020 and is the vice president of the National District Attorneys Association, the release states. He also serves as legal counsel to the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association.

The 66-year-old served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as a high school history teacher before his career in law, the release states.

Orput said serving Washington County residents has been the highlight of my career, adding hes incredibly proud of his work as county attorney.

Weve markedly improved the operations of the county attorneys office. Weve established a veterans court. Weve addressed the scourge of opioid addictions. And weve locked up sex traffickers and murderers, Orput said in a statement. Most importantly, weve helped victims of crime.

Orput revealed in 2020 that he was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease.

REGIONAL NEWS:

This article originally appeared on the Stillwater Patch
By Ahmed Aboulenein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hospitals across the United States are postponing elective surgeries to free up staff and beds due to a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Administrators say hospital staff shortages have been compounded in the last month by medical practitioners isolating or quarantining as they themselves are infected or exposed to the virus.

Hospital systems in nearly half of U.S. states including Maryland, Virginia and Ohio have announced they would postpone elective surgeries, a Reuters review of public statements and local media reports found, and at least three state governments; New York, Illinois, and Massachusetts, have implemented or recommended state-wide delays.

Most of the areas where hospitals are suspending surgeries have seen either a peak or surge in daily COVID-19 hospitalization rates during December or January, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show.

The Omicron surge has also forced the National Institutes of Health to postpone elective surgeries at the largest hospital in the United States devoted to clinical research, Reuters reported.

Suspending elective surgeries can create a backlog of cases, cause millions of dollars in lost revenue for hospitals, and in some cases lead to serious illness or deaths.

Care that is deemed elective can still be crucial, said Cynthia Cox, vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation. Tens of thousands more people than is typical died from non-COVID causes during the pandemic and some of those deaths are believed to be related to delayed care, she said.

"It's often cancer surgeries or other kinds of care that still needs to happen in a very timely manner for people's safety and health," said Cox.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, a Columbus-based center with over 2,200 beds across multiple hospitals, is tabling some non-urgent, elective surgeries requiring an overnight stay after a spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations, said Dr. Timothy Pawlik, chair of the Department of Surgery and surgeon in chief.

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The seven-day average of daily new hospital admissions in Ohio is at an all-time high, the most recent CDC data shows.

Johns Hopkins had to move one of its hospitals, the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, into crisis protocols; delaying elective surgeries and redirecting staff, spokesperson Danny Jacobs said.

The Baltimore hospital saw a 360% increase in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in December, the highest it has experienced since the start of the pandemic, he said.

The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, which suspended elective surgeries in its downtown Richmond, Virginia hospital, said it did so due to unprecedented demand for inpatient care driven by the Omicron variant.

SHY RECOVERY, THEN OMICRON HIT

The seven-day average of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals was up 60% from last week to 16,458 per day, CDC data shows, just 0.2% shy from the national peak in hospital admissions exactly a year ago.

Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows that over 82% of ICU beds nationwide are currently in use as of Thursday with over 27% in use for COVID-19 cases.

Elective surgeries had just begun to rebound this fall from the delays and cancellations that began when the pandemic hit in March of 2020.

U.S. hospitals lost an estimated $22.3 billion between March and May of 2020 as a result of those cancellations, according to a January 2021 study published in the Annals of Surgery.

And now there are even fewer staff to handle both COVID patients and those needing elective surgery.

Around 450,000 healthcare workers, or 3% of the industry's workforce, quit between February 2020 and November 2021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show.

Many hospitals are only suspending specific procedures and for shorter periods than during the early pandemic, said Akin Demehin, director of policy at the American Hospital Association.

"Hospitals have learned from that experience to identify those procedures that really do need to be done as quickly as possible and that allows them to be a bit more nuanced and how they might implement deferral or delays," said Demehin.

(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Caroline Humer and Lisa Shumaker)
Peter Bogdanovich, longtime director and Hollywood fixture, in 2004. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

From his first feature film, 1968s Targets, to his last, 2014s Shes Funny That Way, Peter Bogdanovich was always slightly out of step with his times. Given to a nostalgists over-indexing of the past, he nevertheless pressed on into the future, beginning his career with a then-unfashionable sympathy to those who came before and ending up with a whimsical air of delight to still be at it.

His complicated career is often depicted as cautionary tale of ego and success destroying ones artistic integrity, and it is undeniable he made massive mistakes in his life and work. Frequently his own biggest obstacle, he also had a singular vision to fuse what once was with what could be.

Before he ever made a movie of his own, Bogdanovich had already made his mark on movie culture. A theater actor and director in New York, where he was born, he was involved in organizing landmark retrospectives of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles and Howard Hawks at the Museum of Modern Art, helping to reshape their legacies. He wrote monographs on his favorite directors and worked as a journalist, with many of his articles later compiled into the book Pieces of Time, before setting out to Hollywood with his wife and collaborator Polly Platt to break into the movie business himself.

In Targets, he not only cast himself in a role as a young film director, giving himself the line All the good movies have been made, but at a moment of generation-gap tensions he clearly sided with the aging movie star played by Boris Karloff while looking with horror at a troubled young man who lashes out in violence.

His second film, The Last Picture Show, adapted from the novel by Larry McMurtry, would expand on these themes, depicting one small Texas town as it slowly shuts down. Despite a cast full of young talent including Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepherd, the director's sympathies for older characters, including those played by Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson, gave the film its elegiac power. The film would be nominated for eight Oscars, with Leachman and Johnson both winning for their performances.

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Bogdanovich followed that up with two more smash successes, 1972s screwball throwback Whats Up Doc? starring Ryan ONeal and Barbra Streisand, and 1973s Depression-era-set Paper Moon starring ONeal and his daughter Tatum. (Tatum ONeal would also win an Oscar for her performance.) Yet Bogdanovich had already sown the seeds for his own downfall, having left Platt for Shepherd and moving into a Bel-Air mansion.

As Bogdanovich said to The Times in 2004, I handled success poorly. When youre hot, its a heady atmosphere  everybody kowtows to you. After all, youre a director, creating illusions in your films, but it becomes hard to tell whats an illusion and whats reality.

His 1974 adaptation of Henry James Daisy Miller starring Shepherd would be a notorious flop. He made a glorious mess of a movie with 1975s At Long Last Love, a musical of Cole Porter songs with Shepherd, Burt Reynolds and Madeline Kahn doing their own singing and dancing, and the effort nevertheless has a charm and awkward grace all its own.

The marriage between Bogdanovich and Platt would be satirized in 1984's Irreconcilable Differences, starring Ryan O'Neal and Shelley Long and written by Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer. Platts life and career would be masterfully depicted in a 2020 season of the podcast You Must Remember This, unsparingly examining how badly Bogdanovich treated her in work and marriage, long denying her the credit she rightfully deserved for her role in his early, transformational successes.

Peter Bogdanovich, longtime director and Hollywood fixture, in 2004. (Myung J. Chun)

1979s Saint Jack, starring Ben Gazarra as a pimp in Singapore, got him back to work. In the comedic roundelay of They All Laughed, Bogdanovich found a way to tenderly depict Audrey Hepburn near the end of her career while also capturing the bloom of Dorothy Stratten at the beginning of hers. The film also featured John Ritter in a hilarious sendup of Bogdanovich himself.

Bogdanovich had begun an affair with Stratten, and in the devastating aftermath of her brutal murder  later depicted in Bob Fosses despairing Star 80  both the release of the film and Bogdanovichs career would be derailed. (Bogdanovich would eventually marry Strattens younger half-sister Louise, and they divorced in 2001. The two co-wrote Shes Funny that Way.)

The filmmaker recovered with the heartfelt family melodrama of Mask, with a fine performance by Cher. Texasville, the ill-fated sequel to The Last Picture Show, seemed to find him giving in to his worst impulses of nostalgia and taking it easy on himself. 1993s The Thing Called Love, a modest story of young strivers set amid the movie industry in Nashville that was River Phoenixs final completed role, would be Bogdanovichs last movie until 2001s The Cats Meow. Based on the real-life mystery around the 1924 death of Thomas Ince, the film featured Kirsten Dunst as actress Marion Davies and utilized the tart melancholy underneath Dunsts bubbly cuteness.

It makes sense that Bogdanovich would eventually strike up a mentor friendship with Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach. Similar to those younger filmmakers' work, Bogdanovichs films often contained an exterior artifice that could be pierced to reveal raw emotions and a deep humanity.

With his affectation for a kerchief tied around his neck and popped-collar jacket, Bogdanovich cut a singular figure as he often made public appearances to speak about his films or those of his filmmaking heroes. (His impressions of Old Hollywood figures scaled quickly from charming to insufferable.) It became perhaps too easy to take him for granted, an assumption that he would somehow always be around.

He participated in the effort to complete Welles unfinished magnum opus The Other Side of the Wind in 2018. In the film, shot in the early '70s, Bogdanovich played a young film director paying respect to an old master, played by John Huston.

Having also found a sidebar as an actor  most notably on HBO's The Sopranos  Bogdanovich, who had sensitively been making movies about older people from the very start of his career, may have found his greatest role as simply himself as eminence grise, a standard-bearer for days gone by that maybe never quite were.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
PHOENIX, AZ  Phoenix City Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release from her office.

Current COVID-19 case numbers show that the omicron variant is running rampant  even among vaccinated residents," Ansari said in the release. "I am luckily fully vaccinated, boosted and only experiencing mild symptoms at this time."

In the statement Ansari asked locals to get tested regularly, to get vaccinated if they haven't already and to use KN95 masks, as scientists have suggested cloth masks aren't as effective at preventing the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Ansari added that the city is working to put together what it's calling "Combating COVID Kits" to provide to city residents, which will include things like rapid at-home tests and information on accessing local resources.

"These are efforts Im proud to champion and will continue to do so in our collective fight against COVID-19, Ansari said in the statement.

This article originally appeared on the Phoenix Patch
A police investigation shut down an area near Seventh Avenue and Culver Street in downtown Phoenix on Thursday night.

Multiple law enforcement vehicles were at the scene about 8 p.m. near the Interstate 10 west on-ramp at Seventh Avenue.

The investigation involved at least three different law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Phoenix Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force.

The intersection was closed off for several hours during the investigation, according to Phoenix police.

Police did not provide further details about the incident.

Republic photographer Antranik Tavitian contributed to this article.

Reach breaking news reporter Julie Luchetta at jluchetta@arizonarepublic.com.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Investigation closes area near 7th Avenue, Culver Street in Phoenix
A group of ORW participants in Maryland pose for a group picture by a lake

A group of ORW participants pose at the retreat center in Colorado.

RUSHVILLE  A Christian faith-based initiative, Operation Restored Warrior, seeks to prevent suicide among those suffering from PTSD.

Paul Lavelle, a retired Air Force veteran who had worked in the medical field and understood the psychological aspects of PTSD, started Operation Restored Warrior (ORW), a non-profit faith based organization, in 2008.

Lavelle recognized there was a growing trend of veteran suicide, and wanted to create a program addressing faith issues to help prevent veteran suicide.

The U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs' (VA) 2021 National Suicide Prevention Annual Report includes suicide data from 2001-2019. In 2019, the average number of suicides per day for veterans was approximately 20.

Timm Harting, Director of Drop Zone at ORW says the number could be as high as 40 per day.

The number of suicides in this report are the ones that are reportable, which does not include high risk behavior and instances where the deaths are not classified as suicide, even though they may be, said Harting.

The VA's report lists firearms as the main method for both men and women veterans.

The risk of suicide extends beyond the vet world, so participants who are in law enforcement, first responders and active duty military are also welcome to take part in the program, said Harting.

ORW is funded by donations. It is free for someone to attend, but they will need to pay for the travel to and from the site. ORW's headquarters are in Colorado Springs, CO, where they also hold Drop Zones. Maryland and Rushville, IL are the other two locations for Drop Zone events.

The ORW experience consists of five days with a 'drop zone' focus on the issue of the heart and how is it we can lead these warriors to experience Jesus in a life changing way,said Harting. The event is centered on the Gospel of Jesus; it's the main part of what we do. We focus on Biblical applications and teaching. For some guys this is not military experiences, but life experiences. Wounds can happen at a young age. It is important to encounter, believe, feel, experience these things. The goal is to teach them how to legitimately release these things and not carry them into life.

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Timm Harting speaks from experience, as he attended the program in 2017. He says he was raised in a church, and was a pastor in a church at one point.

But at the end of the day, I could never find peace. I always felt like I was in a pit and couldn't get out of it. I thought, 'maybe this is my badge of honor, being in the military and leaving with an injury.' 

I was in a place of desperation, where if you told me to do it [suicide], I would have. This has been significantly hands down the most important experience I've had in life, he said.

I think understanding and learning that my experiences and past didn't define me. That how to fight spiritually for life, happiness, family and for me. I've been completely changed by the encounter and experience.

About a year later Harting said he was able to volunteer and a shortly after was able to work full time with the organization.

I've seen every (military) branch, rank and job in the service. I tell them if they trust us and connect their heart to Jesus they would be in a different place than when they arrived. Everyone that comes through leaves in a different place. It's great to have a first hand perspective to see that take place.

Harting says ORW is one of the longer vet run organizations. In the past they've been invited to speak with Congress and share how to combat the suicide epidemic.

The ORW team is spread across the United States and travels to locations. They have five full time employees and eight facilitators who support the mission throughout the year. Around 2,500 veterans have participated in the events.

For more information, go to https://operationrestoredwarrior.org.

Email editor@mcdonoughvoice.com with comments or questions on this story.

This article originally appeared on The McDonough County Voice: Veteran and first responder suicide prevention
A cannabis company has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to let the state name the winners of new craft grower licenses, citing the mounting costs applicants are paying while judges decide lawsuits over the issue.

1837 Craft Grow LLC filed its motion Wednesday to modify a court order that prevents the state from naming the license winners until the litigation is decided.

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At issue is a case involving 13 companies whose craft license applications were disqualified by the state (along with one transporter license applicant). They sued challenging the licensing process.

Despite a state law requiring that 60 new craft licenses be issued Dec. 21, 2021, Cook County Judge Neil Cohen and Sangamon County Judge Gail Noll ordered that those licenses be held up while the lawsuits grind through the legal process. A hearing in the case is set for March 10, but the proceedings could take months or years.

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In the meantime, many of the other applicants such as 1837 Craft Grow say they have been burning through money, trying to keep rights to property they plan to use if they get licenses. They say they desperately need help.

For the first time, the motion reveals in depth the costs to the applicants while the licenses have been delayed, initially due to problems with scoring the applications. The applicants have lost not only money spent on property, but people they had hired or planed to employ, and investor funding needed to get started.

1837, for example, said it submitted a 728-page license application in April 2020, which typically costs tens of thousands of dollars or more in legal and consulting fees. As part of its application, 1837 secured land for a marijuana growing warehouse in northwest suburban Wheeling. Under its purchase and sale agreement, 1837 paid $20,000 in earnest money.

Based on the initial July 1, 2020, deadline by which state law required the first 40 licenses to be issued, 1837 originally planned to close the deal in September 2020. When the Illinois Department of Agriculture missed that licensing deadline, 1837 paid $30,000 more in earnest money to hold the property, according to the motion.

The state ended up delaying issuing the first 40 licenses until July 2021, a year late. Only veteran-led companies got those first licenses, and 1837 was not among them.

State officials announced that the next 60 license winners would come from the same pool of applicants, so 1837 worked to keep the rights to its property based on the new deadline. It negotiated numerous extensions of the closing date to buy the site, and paid another $25,000 in earnest money to reserve it, the motion says.

The Illinois attorney generals office had asked Noll to allow the state to announce the 60 winners, without actually issuing the licenses, to allow the winners to proceed with their business plans. Noll denied the request, without expressly explaining why a stay on all 60 licenses was appropriate when only 13 craft applicants were suing.

On behalf of 1837, attorney Ryan Holz called the ruling clearly overbroad and beyond the scope of the judges authority, saying it would cause serious and irreparable harm.

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This is a unique situation whereby this court, in compliance with Illinois law, can provide a substantial, tangible benefit to dozens of Illinois craft grow applicants, Holz wrote, without creating any corresponding harm to any other parties.

Applicants such as 1837 will either have to spend more money to keep their properties without knowing if theyll get licenses, or lose properties they have spent up to two years preserving.

1837 is in no position to close on its $2.5 million property without knowing if it will get a license, Holz argued. If it walks away from the deal, it will lose the $75,000 in earnest money. If it tries to find a new property, that would cost duplicative time and expenses.

Attorneys for the Illinois attorney general and for ia GP LLC, one of the initial disqualified plaintiffs in the case, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

But other applicants also detailed their expenses due to the delays, according to sworn affidavits filed with the motion.

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L-evation Botanicals LLC spent more than $100,000 in rent, only to lose its property due to the current delay, and is in danger of losing a $40,000 equipment deposit.

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Shermer Farms LLC lost its property and a special-use permit in Fox Lake. It lost a second property for which it had been negotiating in Richmond, and critically, stands to lose $10 million in investor funding commitments, which would be crucial to starting the business.

EJs Dream LLC paid $25,000 for rights to its property, and $13,000 in real estate taxes, and will have to pay both again this year if it wants to keep the site. Green Aero LLC, spent $10,000 in rent, but lost its property after the Dec. 21 licensing deadline passed.

Kind Craft Grow and Transporter LLC had to pay an extra $10,000 in nonrefundable earnest money to keep its property in 2022. Mother Marys Meds LLC already lost a 32-acre property in Woodstock, along with another 42-acre property and now may lose its head grower.

Tierra Industries LLC lost properties, first in Batavia, then Belvidere. GCF Industries Inc. spent $100,000 in rent in Chicago, where real estate is much more expensive, only to lose the site due to the delays.

1837 recognizes that the announcement of the 47 winners will not be a panacea, Holz wrote, but it will provide valuable and much needed clarity. If applicants know they will get a license eventually, they can proceed with plans to get up and running.

rmccoppin@chicagotribune.com
The prosecution on Friday convinced a judge to keep the parents of the Oxford school shooting suspect locked up on $500,000 bond, saying the couple can't be trusted not to flee given their actions following the November massacre.

According to the prosecution, in the two days after the shooting, James and Jennifer Crumbley left their home in Oakland County, bought four burner cell phones, drained their son's bank account, spent the night in a hotel and then hid out in an abandoned building in Detroit where police found them crouched on a mattress with $6,600 in cash.

Jennifer Crumbley appears to wave to her husband James Crumbley, as the prosecuting attorneys and their defense attorneys went to a private video chat with Judge Nicholson as they challenged their bond. Jennifer Crumbley and James Crumbley are the parents of Ethan Crumbley, the teen accused of the fatal Oxford School Shooting. The couple is asking for a lower bond on Jan. 7, 2022, in the 52-3 courtroom but Judge Nicholson in Rochester Hills denied their request.

Almost half of the money was their son's, prosecutors said, alleging the Crumbleys took $3,000 out of the teenager's account and left him with 99 cents.

While in hiding, the Crumbleys also asked a friend to bring them vodka and orange juice, the prosecution said, noting the couple only left the building for a smoke and to hide their car.

Ethan Crumbley, the teen accused of the Oxford School Shooting has waived his right to a probable cause hearing Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in the 52-3 courtroom of Judge Carniak in Rochester Hills. Crumbley's case will now be bound over to circuit court.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald disclosed these details in an effort to block the Crumbleys from having their bond lowered to $100,000 cash.

The Crumbleys are facing involuntary manslaughter charges in the shooting that left four students dead and seven others injured, including a teacher. Prosecutors said the couple bought their son the gun that he used to shoot up his school. It was an early Christmas present for the teen, they said, purchased four days before the Nov. 30 shooting.

The Crumbleys' lawyers argued that the reason their clients took refuge in Detroit after the shooting was because they had gotten death threats in Oakland County, their home address was on the Internet, and that they were planning on turning themselves in. A friend of the Crumbleys also has said that the couple bought burner phones because the police had taken their cell phones after the shooting.

More: Oxford school shooting suspect Ethan Crumbley heading to trial, bond to be revisited

More: Replay: Parents of Oxford shooting suspect in court

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McDonald disagreed, arguing the couple showed no signs of surrendering given they were found with $6,600 cash, four burner phones, 10 credit cards and four gift cards when they were arrested in Detroit. They also didn't return their lawyers' calls, she said.

Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of Ethan Crumbley, the teen accused in the fatal Oxford School shooting was isolated on a video screen as she and her husband were asking for a lower bond on Jan. 7, 2022, in the 52-3 courtroom of Judge Nicholson in Rochester Hills. Their request was denied.

"These are not the actions of individuals who wanted to turn themselves in," McDonald said. "There was a police station across the street from their hotel ... they didnt turn themselves in. They fled to another town, and nothing prevented them from staying in Oakland County."

McDonald also argued that the Crumbleys have no ties to Michigan -- James and Jennifer Crumbleys' families are in Florida -- alleging that makes them an even greater flight risk. She said the Crumbleys have been communicating with their families in Florida since the shooting and are in the process of selling their home and horses.

The defense said the Crumbleys have to sell their home because it's not safe for them to live in Oakland County.

At the bond hearing, defense attorney Mariell Lehman also lambasted the prosecution for disclosing personal information about the mom, specifically, that she was having an affair while her son allegedly was spiraling out of control.

Lehman called the affair allegation "misleading" and "irrelevant," and accused the prosecution of using the claim in an effort to create conflict between the spouses.

"There is no conflict," Lehman said. "We have explained and discussed the matter of extramarital relationships with our clients, and there are no issues."

Lehman also disputed claims by the prosecution that the Crumbleys did not properly secure the gun, alleging that Ethan Crumbley discussed in his journal not being able to find the gun.

"In Ethans journal, he explicitly states that he has to find where his dad hid the firearm," Lehman said.

Ethan Crumbley, the teen accused of the Oxford School Shooting has waived his right to a probable cause hearing on Jan. 7, 2022, in the 52-3 courtroom of Judge Carniak in Rochester Hills. Crumbley's case will now be bound over to circuit court.

Lehman also argued that the parents had no idea their son was torturing animals, as prosecutors have alleged, nor did they know that he kept a bird's head under his bed for six months.

"His parents were completely unaware that Ethan had engaged in any torturous behavior," Lehman said, adding, "they had no idea of any bird head."

Prosecutors have argued that the parents could have prevented the massacre had they paid closer attention to their son, gotten him mental health treatment and informed school officials that they had bought him a gun when they called the parents to the school to report the boy's troubling behavior. On the day of the shooting, Ethan Crumbley had drawn a picture of a gun on a math paper and the words: "The thoughts won't stop. Help me."

This drawing is an exhibit from a filing by the Oakland County Prosecutors Office in the case of James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of Oxford High School shooting suspect Ethan Crumbley. Prosecutors say Ethan made the drawing prior to the shooting.

Ethan Crumbley is facing terrorism and first-degree murder charges that could send him to prison for life if convicted.

Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Prosecutor: Oxford school shooter's parents asked for vodka while in hiding
PROVIDENCE  City Council President John Igliozzi kicked off the bodys first meeting of 2022 on Thursday, outlining his priorities for the new year.

At the top of his agenda: pandemic recovery, housing, public safety and oversight of the citys spending of American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

Igliozzi opened the meeting with a reflection on COVID-19s toll, citing approximately 600 deaths in Providence from the virus and pausing for a moment of silence. Igliozzi also stressed the strain on the citys tourism and hospitality industry  a major focus of Mayor Jorge Elorzas recent spending proposal for the remainder of the citys ARPA funds.

Providence: Elorza proposes millions for housing, reparations in new COVID-relief fund spending plan

Were not out of the woods yet folks, Igliozzi said. Some [businesses] have closed. Some are trying to keep it together. We look at our restaurants, one of the most vibrant aspects of the city of Providence ... its been a toll on [them]. Our hotels, our small, locally owned businesses  theyve been the hardest hit.

Affordable housing crisis on the agenda

The ongoing housing crisis, which has plagued the state, is another focus for Igliozzi and the council. On Thursday, members passed two resolutions on the matter  one calling on the Providence Housing Authority to kickstart affordable housing development and another requesting an assessment of all city-owned real estate with the aim of finding areas for affordable housing or other public services.

The simple truth: we can do better, said Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan. We need to build more homes and maximize all the tools that we have in our tool belt. We cannot use the same hammer that weve used for the past 20 years and expect a different result.

Affordable housing: Could building homes in a school parking lot ease Providence's housing crisis?

How to spend COVID relief funds

Going even further than his colleague, Councilman Nicholas Narducci suggested housing be the sole focus of the spending of the city's remaining ARPA funds, stating, "I'd say forget arts, culture, tourism, forget all the other ones the mayor wants to give to. We got $123 million. Let's develop housing for our homeless."

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The council will eventually need to decide whether to approve Elorza's newly released budget ordinance for those federal funds.

Igliozzi vowed strong oversight of every penny, noting that the council would hire an independent external audit company to ensure the money is spent directly, wisely and honestly.

Igliozzi also promised a bi-weekly report detailing who receives the money, why they receive the money, how they use the money, and making sure they used it like they said they would.

Aside from ARPA funds, Igliozzi made public safety a key focus of his address. The council president raised alarm over what he described as a disturbing trend of violence in our neighborhoods that played out over the past year, pointing to gun violence, assaults, dangerous ATVs taking control and ownership of our neighborhoods and our streets, making our neighbors feel uncomfortable in their homes.

Police: Providence could lose 80 officers over vaccine mandate. What city leaders are doing

Igliozzi has made clear that he believes more police are part of the solution, hopeful that the council will allocate funds for another police academy to add more officers to the department.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence City Council raises alarm over housing crisis, COVID-19
Since its inception in 2016, The Ralph Fingerle Trust has awarded more than $700,000 to graduating seniors.

The Ralph Fingerle Educational Award Trust provides college scholarship support for graduating high school students of all backgrounds in the Palm Springs Unified School District.

In 2021, the program granted $10,000 each to 19 students from Palm Springs High School and Cathedral City High School.

Since its inception in 2016 after the passing of founder Ralph Fingerle, the current trust, which includes Jack Blackburn, Richard Clapp and James Macomber, have awarded more than $700,000 to graduating seniors who have shown academic excellence and who will make beneficial contributions to their communities.

High school seniors are invited to apply for the awards. "My philosophy about it is that we give as much money each year as we think will help the students, theres no limit," Blackburn said. "Not just a few dollars; we give as much as we feel they deserve from what were able to get.

According to a statement released by Blackburn, founder Ralph Fingerle, a veteran of the Korean conflict, began his career as a pharmacist in Florida and later relocated to New York where he continued his career and earned a masters degree in hospital administration from Columbia University.

It was through Fingerles work and residency in the hospitals of New York that he first observed the needs of patients from low-income backgrounds. Most noticeable to Fingerle was the need to support young people who would make a difference in society.

In 2002, after Fingerle retired to Palm Springs, he introduced a scholarship concept to the Palm Springs Unified School District, which  upon approval and based on available funds  would award Hispanic males scholarships to further their education in college. Upon his death in 2016, Fingerle left the scholarship program to two trustees who two years later would re-create it into the Ralph Fingerle Educational Award Program and add an additional trustee along with new implementations to the scholarship. These changes expanded opportunities to students of all cultural groups and all high schools in the PSUSD as well as adding new and renewal scholarships to be given at the discretion of the trustees.

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Scholarship recipient and Ralph Fingerle Educational Scholar Johnny Mendez, who graduated from Palm Springs High School in 2017, said if it had not been for the scholarship award provided by the RF awards program he would have resorted to student loans to finish his education.

College was mandatory for me," Mendez said. "I wanted to pursue engineering, and if it wasnt for the scholarship it would have been loans. Mendez majored in mechanical engineering and graduated from California State University, Fullerton and earned engineering employment offers after graduation.

"Mechanical engineering was the best option for me because during college I loved it. I joined the Formula racing club and the Baja club, where we built race cars, and it was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me.

All high school seniors in the Palm Springs Unified School District are eligible to apply for The Ralph Fingerle Educational Award Program.

Mendez said on the support he received from the trustees was extraordinary. "The amount of effort the scholarship puts in, the amount of effort Mr. Blackburn actually puts in to get to know the students, is amazing. He pushes the younger generation to pursue their careers, and he supports them. He always opens his arms for anyone to reach out and call when scholarships gets stressful. There are moments we can get overwhelmed. This is something that Im thankful for.

Blackburn looks to continue expanding the scholarship program by developing a follow-up program for students after scholarships are given. For reasons unknown to him, although the organization offers support for up to four years, not many re-apply to continue with their education.

"The trustees involved in this program, were the ones who have learned so much about the students who apply," Blackburn said. "We ask what funds their parents have received each year and how many people in the family live off those funds, what theyre parents do, and we find students with extremely little funds are interestingly enough those students with the highest grades in high school. Were glad to support them, its a real learning experience."

Students in the Palm Springs Unified School District who are interested in applying for The Ralph Fingerle Educational Award Program should contact their high school for more information.

Desert Sun intern Marion Rodriguez is a freelance journalist and student based in Southern California. She currently writes about philanthropy and nonprofit charities. This is her fourth season writing for The Desert Sun.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Ralph Fingerle Trust has been helping high school seniors since 2016
Jan. 7OXFORD  Coming off a tight overtime loss at No. 18 Tennessee on Wednesday night, the Ole Miss men's basketball team will look to right the ship on Saturday against archrival Mississippi State in the friendly confines of SJB Pavilion.

Without leading scorer Jarkel Joiner (back injury) and with just nine scholarship players available in Knoxville, the Rebels (8-5, 0-1 SEC) led the Volunteers the majority of the game but fell 66-60 in overtime. Ole Miss led for nearly 35 minutes of game action, and Tennessee's only lead came in overtime.

The Rebels committed 27 turnovers against Tennessee; they came in averaging just 11 per game. Ole Miss has lost two games in a row, with the first coming against Samford right before the holidays.

"It was strictly just a turnover game, that we couldn't get shots off," coach Kermit Davis said. "And that's how they came back."

Despite the turnovers and having not played in two weeks due to a COVID issue that postponed the original SEC opener against Florida, the Rebels were in the game until the very end.

"Our team just competed their tail off, had a great opportunity to win the game," Davis said. "Just turnovers that everybody saw down the stretch."

If there was good news to be had from the loss, it came in the form of graduate transfer guard Tye Fagan. The Georgia transfer scored 23 points and made 5 of 6 from 3-point range. With Joiner's availability for Saturday's game against the Bulldogs (10-3, 1-0) still in question, Fagan might have to pick up the scoring load once again.

"This game was definitely good for me, but personally I don't think that it's a confidence booster for the simple fact (that) even when I play good, play bad, I'm always at the gym getting shots up," Fagan said. "Every day I come into the gym, I get reps, whether my body hurts, I'm tired, no matter what. ... I know I put the work in, so mentally, I just trust myself. So, (Wednesday) was one of those nights where shots fell."

Mississippi State has won four games in a row but had its Jan. 5 matchup at Missouri postponed. The Bulldogs have five players averaging at least 10 points per game, led by preseason All-SEC guard Iverson Molinar's 16.8.

MICHAEL KATZ is the Ole Miss athletics reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at michael.katz@djournal.com.
With the new year officially upon us, this is a time of year to reflect on how we give back to our community. 2021 was a busy year for our office. It was my first year as your State Senator, and we faced many unprecedented challenges going into the 87th legislative session. We needed to pass legislation to support COVID-19 recovery in our state, get Texans back to work, and increase access to health care. We had to ensure our kids had the resources needed to succeed, such as access to school supplies. Reflecting on this past year, we successfully solved problems for our constituents and uplifted our neighbors through the services we offered and the legislation we passed.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted countless Texans' health and finances. Many lost their jobs, needed unemployment insurance, or had questions about their health insurance. Our office understood that cutting through the red tape of a government agency can be a challenge, so we prioritized providing useful and meaningful services to members of our community. If you need help, we can assist with a range of matters, including food stamps (SNAP), Medicaid, unemployment insurance, children's health insurance, driver's license and identification, elderly and aging services, and child and adult protective services. This year, we successfully assisted over 300 constituents by cutting through state bureaucracy and helping our constituents get the resources and benefits they needed from state agencies.

El Paso Sheriff Richard Wiles and State Sen. Cesar J. Blanco attend the Del Valle Middle School library dedication ceremony for deputy Peter John Herrera, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. Herrera was killed in the line of duty. He died on March 24, 2019, two days after he was shot.

Our office is also committed to delivering appropriate community service events to bring essential support to residents in need. Since I took office on Jan. 12, 2021, we have directly hosted 29 community-based service events and 31 town halls and presentations. We hand-delivered close to 500 turkeys across Senate District 29 for our 7th Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway. We provided back-to-school supplies for children attending elementary schools in the district, including El Paso County. We hosted virtual workshops for mental health providers dealing with military personnel and families and put on several COVID-19 vaccination drives through which over 2,500 constituents were vaccinated. We also gave away box fans for seniors to help them beat the heat and hosted a Citizenship Workshop to assist members with the naturalization process. In total, our office directly served over 6,000 constituents through our events in the past year.

More: US Rep. Veronica Escobar reflects on Jan. 6 insurrection at US Capitol one year later

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We also helped uplift El Paso through the legislation we passed this year. With four sessions, we were able to accomplish a lot. During the third special session, I co-authored Senate Bill 8 to allocate over $13 billion designated to Texas in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for COVID-19 recovery, including $7 billion to the Unemployment Compensation Fund, $180 million for tourism and travel, and $35 million for our veteran homes. I also secured over $112 million for infrastructure improvements for UTEP and TTUHSCEP to help accommodate growing enrollment and allow for continuous innovations.

During the 87th Legislature, I worked hard to improve the economy and increase access to health care in El Paso. I authored bills to address gun violence and hate and passed legislation to crack down on criminals who try to buy or possess firearms. I co-authored and co-sponsored bills to enhance bilingual education and address the shortage of bilingual educators in our state. The pandemic impacted our local businesses, so I sponsored and passed a bill to create jobs and provide small businesses a lifeline to jump-start their recovery with access to capital.

State Sen. Cesar Blanco speaks at the celebration of life for President Emerita Diana Natalicio on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, at Centennial Plaza on the UTEP campus.

We had a lot of work to do for our community this year, and I am proud of what we accomplished. It has been a privilege to serve you as your state Senator. While the work we do at the capitol is important, you can count on me to continue putting our constituents first with service events we host in the district. If you need help cutting the red tape of a state agency or have ideas to improve our community, please don't hesitate to contact me. It is, after all, YOUR Senate office. To contact me or make a request, email us at district29.Blanco@senate.texas.gov or call 915-595-5955.

I look forward to continuing to work for you this year and beyond.

State Sen. Cesar J. Blanco, D-El Paso, represents District 29.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Reflecting on serving El Paso in Texas Senate: Sen. Cesar J. Blanco
Arizona businesswoman and former regent Karrin Taylor Robson formally kicks off her campaign to run as a Republican for Arizona governor at the Eastmark community center in Mesa on Sept. 20, 2021.

Karrin Taylor Robson, the developer and former member of the Arizona Board of Regents, announced Thursday she raised $3.7 million in 2021 for her campaign to be Arizona's next Republican governor.

Roughly half of the total is Taylor Robson's own money, which doubled what nearly 16,000 individual donors kicked into her campaign. The campaign said it has $3 million cash on hand and about 87% of contributions were made by Arizonans.

"What this report demonstrates is we will have the resources necessary to reach every Arizona household and compete for every vote," Taylor Robson said in a statement. "I look forward to bringing our conservative, Arizona First message to all corners of our state in the weeks and months ahead.

The campaign said Taylor Robson's haul was record-breaking for a gubernatorial candidate at this stage of the race, and that 86% of donors contributed $25 or less.

Taylor Robson is the first leading GOP candidate for governor to provide a glimpse into her finances. All statewide candidates must file their first donor and expenditure reports by Jan. 15, disclosing their financial standing that can be one measure of their viability as a candidate.

Early signals are that the race to replace Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who is term limited and cannot run again, could be one of the most expensive gubernatorial races in Arizona history when it comes to candidate fundraising. Taylor Robson is expected to put more money into her campaign, which she launched in May by attacking the Biden administration and is expected to ramp up early this year.

Taylor Robson has raised more money than Ducey did at this point in either of his election bids. Ducey raised just over $1 million in 2013, the year before he won election to the then-vacant Governor's Office. In 2017, Ducey raised just under $2.5 million for his re-election, according to records on file with the Secretary of State's office.

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Two Democratic contenders  Marco Lopez and Aaron Lieberman  announced earlier this week they had each raised over $1 million, through combinations of donations and self-funding, outpacing Democratic hauls to date.

The unprecedented fundraising shows that candidates for statewide office, even in crowded primaries, are able to reach voters, said Paul Bentz, a pollster at Republican-leaning Phoenix firm HighGround. Voters will see the impact of that fundraising soon, in the form of advertisements as candidates seek to distinguish themselves ahead of the August primary election.

"We're seeing people able to get their message out there to raise money and while we maybe have not seen as much of them on the airwaves to this point, there's been a lot of activity going on when it comes to people raising money, meeting individuals and clearly trying to build up and get ready for 2022," Bentz said.

Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669. Follow her on Twitter @sbarchenger.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona GOP candidate Karrin Taylor Robson claims record-breaking haul
Two Lower Shore universities will require KN95 masks as coronavirus cases rise nationwide.

Beginning this week, Salisbury University requires all students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear KN95 masks in classrooms and instructional settings.

The university will provide free KN95 masks in the Great Hall of Holloway Hall from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Each person is limited to one box with 10 masks.

In an email sent to faculty and staff, the university said it "strongly encourages" that the masks are worn at all times.

Holloway Hall of Salisbury University, in Salisbury, Maryland, pictured on April 24, 2020.

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore will also require KN95 masks, according to university spokesman Bill Robinson.

UMES plans to order KN95 masks and distribute them to those who need them.

Both universities' winter sessions are currently underway and will end on Jan. 21. SU and UMES's spring semesters will commence on Jan. 31.

KN95 masks are three-ply surgical masks that offer more protection against the virus compared to cloth or paper options.

On Jan. 6, Wicomico County reported 171 new coronavirus cases. Last week, the county reported 1,932 new cases and 14 deaths.

Somerset County reported 34 new cases on Jan. 6. The county reported 307 cases and three deaths last week.

Maddie Aiken covers education for Delmarva Now/The Daily Times. Have a story tip or idea? Send it her way at maiken@delmarvanow.com or on Twitter @madsaiken.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: COVID: Salisbury University, UMES require KN95 masks amid surge
I'm USA TODAY editor-in-chief Nicole Carroll, and this is The Backstory, insights into our biggest stories of the week. If you'd like to get The Backstory in your inbox every week, sign up here.

A year ago this week, the world watched as hundreds of protesters, angry about the presidential election results, broke through barriers and police lines to force their way into the U.S. Capitol. They beat officers with the officers' own shields, turned flag poles into clubs and spears, smashed windows and doused police with chemical sprays.

Some rioters ransacked offices and rifled through lawmakers' desks. Others chanted "Hang Mike Pence" and shouted for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. More than 700 have since been charged with crimes.

An estimated 140 police officers were injured. Four died by suicide in the days and weeks after. Five people died during or soon after the event, although not all their deaths have been directly linked to the riot. One woman, Ashli Babbitt, was shot and killed by Capitol police as she tried to enter the House chamber.

"Nothing in my experience in the Army or as a law enforcement officer prepared me for what we confronted on Jan. 6," Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, an Army veteran, told a House panel. He said hand-to-hand combat with the rioters was like a "medieval" battle.

These facts can't be disputed. But how we remember or interpret that day is. A slew of recent polls show just how divided we are.

A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll found more than 8 in 10 Republicans, Democrats and independents say they are worried about the future of America's democracy. But, our story said, they disagree on whether the Jan. 6 mob represented an effort to undermine democracy or to fix it. Eighty-five percent of Democrats call the rioters "criminals." Two-thirds of Republicans say, "They went too far, but they had a point."

An ABC/Ipsos poll showed that 96% of Democrats believe those involved in the attacks were threatening democracy. Among Republicans, 45% say the event was a threat to democracy; 52% say those involved were "protecting democracy."

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An AP/NORC poll showed that 29% of Republicans say the Capitol riot was "not very or not at all violent." That's compared to 1% of Democrats and 14% of independents.

And in a NPR/Ispos poll, 30% of Republicans agree with the statement, "The Jan. 6th events were actually carried out by opponents of Donald Trump, including antifa and government agents," compared to 8% of Democrats and 12% of independents.

"What I think is chilling is not just that we're divided in partisan ways, because that's something that's been very familiar, it is that we're divided on something where there is a story that is true and a story that is false," said USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page.

"You can be divided on what the right kind of health care policy is. We should not be divided on what happened on January 6th, because we can see what happened. We have pictures and video of what happened and the testimony of people who were there. And that is what makes this of such concern because it's people basically denying the truth that is in front of their face."

Violent insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

Congress is divided as well. USA TODAY interviewed more than 120 lawmakers who were in the Capitol that day.

"While the mayhem unfolded, lawmakers searched for escape routes and makeshift weapons to arm themselves against the rioters," our story said. "They retrieved gas masks in the House chamber they didn't know were there.

"Some thought they might die, others considered the details of their funerals."

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers said they are bewildered and angry that the attack is being minimized and even questioned as a real event.

Many Republicans denounced the attack. Others accused Democrats of using Jan. 6 for political purposes.

Our Democratic colleagues are trying to make (the 2022 midterm elections) about January the sixth and most people are more worried about inflation and crime, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told USA TODAY.

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul called Jan. 6 a fixation of the left-wing media."

"There are really deep, interpersonal conflicts that could gum up the works (of Congress)," said Sean Rossman, a USA TODAY assistant political editor. "People won't ride the elevator together. People won't co-sponsor legislation, no matter how uncontroversial. Democrats will not invite Republicans on trips. Meanwhile, there's part of the Republican Party that is further casting doubt on the seriousness and explaining it away as a benign dispute of a contested election."

And, our reporters found, the rift is not merely a dispute among conservatives and liberals. Republicans who supported Trump's second impeachment have been ostracized within their own party.

Of course, the point of the Jan. 6 protest was to contest the 2020 presidential election results. I was there at the "Save America Rally."

I was watching the speakers from the middle of Constitution Avenue, between the stage on the Ellipse and the Washington Monument. Packed crowds stretched between the two. Protesters dangled in the trees above.

Later that day, Congress would meet to certify the election results. Those around me fully expected that Vice President Mike Pence would somehow stop the certification and let the states further investigate already debunked election fraud claims in key states such as Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada and Arizona.

Rudy Giuliani took the stage demanding 10 more days to investigate voting machines and ballots, even suggesting "trial by combat."

The crowd was restless.

"We've got enough evidence," yelled a woman in front of me.

"We are DONE talking," came a gravelly voice behind me.

Lowering his tone, he said, "Talking's over."

Next, President Donald Trump took the stage.

"States want to revote. The states got defrauded," Trump said. "They were given false information. They voted on it. Now they want to recertify. They want it back. All Vice President Pence has to do is send it back to the states to recertify, and we become president, and you are the happiest people."

He then urged the whipped up crowd to march to the Capitol and give Republicans certifying the lawful election "some boldness."

Trump's team lost 61 of 62 election lawsuits, some for lack of standing and others based on the merits of the voter fraud allegations. The decisions have came from both Democratic-appointed and Republican-appointed judges  including federal judges appointed by Trump.

Georgia counted its ballots three times. Arizona's audit even showed the margin for Biden was actually greater than in the official results.

Still, the election is not fully accepted.

Our recent poll found a majority of Republicans, 58%, say Joe Biden wasn't legitimately elected to the White House.

Page said she's concerned how acceptance of the Capitol attack and belief in "the big lie" could affect future elections.

In our poll, "more than 80% thought democracy is in peril and that was true of Democrats and Republicans and independents, but Democrats saw the January 6th rioters as an assault on democracy. And a lot of Republicans saw them as protecting democracy, bringing back democracy," Page said.

"I'm not sure what they think democracy is, but they saw (Jan. 6) as something that was justified to do. So does that mean it would be justified to do in 2024? Yeah."

Nicole Carroll is the editor-in-chief of USA TODAY. Reach her at EIC@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter here. Support journalism like this  subscribe to USA TODAY here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Capitol attack: We all saw Jan. 6. We cannot downplay its horrors.
Nicholas Kristof, Democratic candidate for Oregon governor

Former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof cannot run for Oregon governor because he does not meet the residency requirements to hold office, the Secretary of State's Office announced Thursday.

The Oregon Constitution requires a candidate for governor to have been a "resident within this state" for three years prior to the general election.

Evidence reviewed by elections officials showed Kristof was instead a resident of New York until late 2020 or early 2021, having lived in New York for 20 years, maintained a New York driver's license, received mail at his New York address, filed income taxes in New York and, as recently as November 2020, voted in New York.

When all the evidence was considered, the decision by Oregon Elections Division officials "wasn't even a close call," Secretary of State Shemia Fagan said.

Previously: Former NYT columnist Kristof makes case for Oregon residency

I stand by their decision, I agree with their decision and I will defend their decision, Fagan said.

While no official opinion from the Department of Justice has been released on the matter, Fagan said conversations between the agencies have occurred and she is confident they will defend the decision as well.

Kristof said his campaign will challenge the ruling in court and they are "fully confident" he will be allowed on the ballot.

Kristof has been widely considered one of the frontrunners in a crowded Democratic primary, in part because of his early fundraising success. Gov. Kate Brown, also a Democrat, is not running for re-election due to term limits.

Kristof accused state officials of denying his candidacy because they feel threatened by "my willingness to challenge the status quo."

The legal case for including me on this ballot is clear. If this decision were based on the law and not on politics, and not on protecting a narrow political class, then Id be on that ballot," he said.

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Fagan, also a Democrat, said the rules that disqualified Kristof apply to all candidates equally.

The letter of the law

Kristof said he has always considered Oregon his home after growing up on a sheep and cherry farm in Yamhill County. He embarked on a journalism career that took him to The New York Times and around the world, though he often returned to the farm and said he always intended to return to Oregon permanently.

In support of Kristof's case, three former Democratic secretaries of state wrote an op-ed saying the focus of the residency standard should be on inclusion first, not exclusionary based on narrow definitions of "resident" and "home."

Kristof cited them Thursday and echoed their sentiment, saying his supporters from around the state want an opportunity to vote for a candidate from outside the state's political establishment, and they should be given that chance.

When asked to provide documentation supporting his Oregon residency to the Secretary of State's Office, documents show, Kristof made similar arguments as he did during his Thursday news conference: His intent to return to Oregon permanently and perspective of Oregon as his home should carry weight.

However, Fagan said that while Kristof provided a history of statements about Oregon being his home, there was little in the way of documentation. While not determinative on its own, she said the most important piece of evidence against his Oregon residency was his decision to vote as a resident of New York in November 2020.

Related: Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek to resign from Legislature

"While I have no doubt that Mr. Kristof's sentiments and feelings toward Oregon are genuine and sincere, they are simply dwarfed by the mountains of objective evidence that until recently he considered himself a New York resident," Fagan said.

Ultimately, the residency ruling was one elections officials have made time and again for political offices large and small, she said.

In the past year alone, the agency has disqualified 10 other prospective candidates, including six who filed to run for governor in 2022.

Seeking the state's top office

The two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist launched his campaign for Oregon's top elected office in October and raised millions of dollars toward the effort, making him one of the leading candidates in the crowded Democratic primary.

He officially filed to join the race Dec. 20, which kicked off the Secretary of State's Office review of his residency. The Elections Division asked his campaign for more information about his residency shortly thereafter, which it provided Monday.

The decision to reject his filing for governor was made Wednesday.

Kristof has out-fundraised his top competitors by a wide margin. As of Thursday, Kristof had nearly $1.9 million in his campaign account, while House Speaker Tina Kotek had about $780,000 and Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read had $460,000.

On the Republican side, Rep. Christine Drazan of Canby and Salem dentist Bud Pierce officially launched their campaigns this week and are the expected frontrunners.

Former Sen. Betsy Johnson has announced her intention to run in the general election as an unaffiliated candidate. She will not need to run in a primary election, but will need to gather nearly 25,000 valid signatures from Oregon voters to make it onto the November ballot.

Reporter Connor Radnovich covers the Oregon Legislature and state government. Contact him at cradnovich@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6864, or follow him on Twitter at @CDRadnovich.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Secretary of State rules Kristof ineligible to run for Oregon governor
Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said Friday that classes are canceled Monday until we get to some breakthrough in the negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union over COVID-19 safety protocols, though some individual schools may offer services and programs.

Martinez also said the district explored temporarily transitioning to remote learning amid the standoff with the union, but he worried the programs would not be of high quality.

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This is already so incredibly difficult for our families, Martinez said Friday in an online discussion with community leaders. For me to just increase the pressure on both the staff and our families to try to put up a program that we know the quality wont be what our children deserve, I just couldnt do it.

CPS CEO Pedro Martinez addresses the press about COVID-19 and CPS during a news conference at City Hall on Wednesday. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Martinez said Friday he is cautiously optimistic that were making ground on the big issues with the union  including devising a metric that would shift a school to virtual learning and increasing COVID-19 testing in schools  and promised to negotiate through the weekend if necessary. Classes were canceled Friday across the district for the third day in a row, but CPS officials said individual schools could reopen for in-person activities if enough staff members were present.

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Some principals said they planned to offer activities Monday. Coonley Elementary School in the North Center neighborhood said it would host reading and math enrichment, basketball and yoga sessions. Attendance will be taken Monday only for COVID-19 contact tracing purposes, Principal Brennen Humphrey said in a note to parents.

Bronzeville Classical Elementary School Principal Nicole Spicer looked beyond Monday in a letter to families. CPS schools are closed until Friday, January 14, 2022. We will update BCS families if this date changes, Spicer wrote Friday afternoon, adding that the school will not distribute devices during this eight-day work stoppage. Independent work packets will be available.

South Loop Elementary School and Whitney M. Young Magnet High School said they will not be open for instruction or activities Monday, with Whitney Young Principal Joyce Kenner encouraging parents not to contact faculty or staff because they do not have access to their emails or virtual classrooms.

Steinmetz College Prep in the Belmont Central neighborhood canceled Monday classes as well based on the expected staffing levels. Lane Tech College Prep told parents it is planning to welcome students Monday, Wednesday and Friday for in-person winter enrichment activities such as basketball and college admission planning, if the district does not reach a deal with the union.

The principal of Kate Starr Kellogg Elementary School alerted families early Friday afternoon the Beverly school would not offer in-person or remote instruction Monday. Parents should not plan to send their children to school.

Adan Meza, right, a first-year social studies teacher at Juarez High School in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, hands information to resident Fan Wang, left, on Friday as Chicago Teachers Union members go door to door to make the public aware of their demands, including temporary remote learning or proper testing, safe staffing levels, high quality masks for students and staff members, vaccinations and clean schools. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

I do not anticipate that we will have sufficient staffing for in person instruction until an agreement is made between CPS and CTU. I will send notification should anything change, Principal Cory Overstreet wrote in a note to parents.

All after-school programs, athletic practices, and other school events are also canceled. We hope to be able to welcome our students back to our school as soon as possible and will provide an update on our schools plan for next week shortly.

In his Friday remarks, Martinez said principals have wanted flexibility during the standoff. Yet more than 100 school administrators signed a letter Thursday saying they do not want to take on the demoralizing task of determining if their school has enough staff members to teach students in person amid the ongoing omicron surge.

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This is a districtwide crisis and we need a districtwide strategy. It should not be an ad hoc reactionary response that creates inequities that are predictable among social and economic lines, read a statement issued Thursday by the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association, which said it had been signed by more than 100 principals and assistant principals as the in-person learning dispute continued.

CTU President Jesse Sharkey said in a statement that the union saw movement in negotiations Thursday, more than weve seen in the last few months.

But Sharkey said the union is sticking to its demands of a negative COVID-19 test result to return to buildings; a massive increase in the districts in-school weekly testing program; and a shift to remote learning at any school where 20% or more of the staff is in isolation or quarantine, or when the schools safety committee decides a transition is necessary.

Chicago Teachers Union members, some of them teachers at Juarez High School in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, stand outside the school Friday before going door to door to make the public aware of their demands. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

Martinez said Friday the district is exploring being able to test at least 10% of unvaccinated people in schools per week in addition to the students and staff members who signed up for the districts weekly nasal swab program that has been voluntary for students and mandatory for unvaccinated staff members.

We would still get permission from parents. So what we would want is just to get enough consent so that at a minimum, were doing 10% of unvaccinated individuals. It would always be with consent, Martinez said. Wed still be doing testing of vaccinated individuals as well, because we know we have breakthrough cases. Theres still anxiety.

CPS says about 91% of its staff is fully vaccinated. Just over half of CPS students aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated, according to the district, with about a quarter of the students 5 to 11 years old having received at least one dose.

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As of late last month, 41,690 students and 24,933 staff members were registered for the weekly testing program, according to the district.

The problem is capacity. For months, the district has promised it could test 40,000 people a week, but the closest it has reached is nearly 34,000 tests the week before winter break. Martinez said the district is committed to building capacity, and it is in discussions with the state and federal government to acquire more tests.

Gov. J.B. Pritzkers office said Friday he has asked President Joe Bidens administration for more COVID-19 testing kits for CPS. The district had a program that allowed 150,000 students to take test kits home over the holidays and mail them back, but it was a bust. More than 330,000 students are enrolled in CPS, the nations third-largest school district.

Martinez said Friday the union and the district are also making progress on a bench mark that would let a school move to remote learning.

Students attended school Monday and Tuesday before the union voted to refuse in-person work from Wednesday until Jan. 18 unless CPS stepped up its approach to COVID-19. CPS and city health officials have repeatedly said the protocols in place, such as indoor masking, weekly testing and prompt contact tracing, are sufficient.

All the evidence that we have is that cases start in the neighborhood and they come into the schools, Martinez said Friday.

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He said Friday the district has been burning through emergency days built into the calendar since classes were canceled Wednesday.

The days dont have to be made up, but, sadly, were going to run out of those days by a little bit past mid-next week, and then we wont have any more days to burn, he said.

CPS, meanwhile, continues to report record numbers of cases. CPS disclosed 862 new student COVID-19 cases and 651 new adult infections from Monday through Wednesday. That represents an increase from the nearly 1,000 new cases  the districts largest weekly total of 2021  it reported as students and staff members headed into their two-week winter break last month.

English teacher Fannetta Jones, who teaches at Prosser Career Academy, grades her students' papers at home on Jan. 6, 2022, in Chicago. On Wednesday, Jones tried to log into her work email and realized that she'd been locked out of the Chicago Public Schools system. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

CPS on Friday reported nearly 10,000 students and about 2,500 adults were in isolation because they tested positive for the virus or in quarantine because they came in contact with an infected person.

The district said about 13% of CTU teachers and around 16% of substitute teachers showed up for work Thursday. A little bit more reported to work Friday, Martinez said. Staff members who dont come to buildings dont get paid, unless they were authorized by the district to work remotely, Martinez said.

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I dont know of any society (or) any circumstance where somebody can say, Hey, Im not going to come into work. Im going to work the way I want to work, and from where I want to work, and how I want to work, and I still expect to be compensated, Martinez said.

Some teachers reported being locked out of their virtual classrooms after Tuesdays union vote. English teacher Fannetta Jones said she tried to log into the district system early Wednesday but was unsuccessful. The lack of access creates a barrier between her and her students, she said.

When we voted, we voted to teach remotely, not to stop working completely, Jones said. We want to teach and not lose any more time than weve lost within the space of this pandemic.

Tribune reporter Jeremy Gorner contributed.

tswartz@tribpub.com

tatturner@chicagotribune.com
Sen. Jon Ossoff listens to US. Fish & Wildlife officials on a tour of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Photo courtesy Jon Ossoff

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, has called on the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to halt a proposed titanium mine from operating near the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge in Southeast Georgia.

"The Twin Pines proposed mine threatens the environmental, cultural, and economic integrity of the Okefenokee," Ossoff's Dec. 20 letter to the Corps reads. "Independent experts have expressed concerns that the mining process and accompanying groundwater withdrawals could substantially alter the swamps hydrology and release toxic contaminants into the swamp and nearby rivers."

The Okefenokee Swamp is 438,000 acres of wetlands and peat-filled swamps that serves as an economic and environmental hub for the state, drawing about 700,000 visitors a year and acting as natural storage for carbon and water.

Ossoff asked the Corps to reconsider a 2020 jurisdictional ruling that removed certain protections on about 400 acres of land next to the swamp, clearing the way for Twin Pines, LLC, to pursue a titanium mine operation. Titanium strips the land of its resources and would remove the naturally occurring peat in the land, which helps absorb carbon in the air, naturally counteracting pollution and global warming.

Chase Praire, Okefenokee Swamp, beginning of two miles of lily pads.

Twin Pines CEO Steve Ingle told the Savannah Morning News his company would pursue the permits, and continue to operate and plan under what regulations and laws allow.

"It would be speculation on my part to comment on what might or might not happen with regard to the permitting process," his prepared statement reads. "From day one, we have been, and remain, committed to doing whatever we are instructed to do by the regulators and will move forward with our plans within the applicable parameters under which we are governed."

The freshman senator also called on the EPA to use its Congress-entrusted powers to preserve wetlands  as decided in the Clean Water Act  to reserve the Oct. 2020 ruling.

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More: Advocates call on Chemours to vow never to operate titanium mine near Okefenokee Swamp

More: Sen. Ossoff visits mining-imperiled Okefenokee Swamp

"The Army Corps originally found the wetlands to be under federal jurisdiction, no groundbreaking mining activities have occurred at the proposed mine site, the Okefenokee wetlands are among the countrys most valuable ecosystems and deserve special consideration and protection, your agency has acknowledged the irreparable damage the proposed mine will likely have on the Refuge by the destruction of its wetlands, and recent federal court rulings have invalidated the Navigable Waters Protection Rule," Ossoff's near-identical letter to the EPA, also sent Dec. 20, reads.

21.12.20 Letter to EPA Re Okefenokee by Zoe Nicholson on Scribd

The senator toured the wildlife refuge in May 2021 and has long called for protections that would bar the mine, which would be three miles from the National Fish and Wildlife Service property. His visit came on the heels of relaxed federal regulations that made it easier for Twin Pines, the Alabama-based company pursuing the mine, to apply for the needed permits to mine for titanium and to begin the process.

The Okefenokee is a sacred natural resource, Ossoff told media during his springtime visit. I am grateful to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their diligent protection of this precious wildlife refuge, and last weeks briefings affirmed my conviction they must participate intensively in the ongoing effort to assess damage that could result from proposed mining activity around the edge of the swamp.

A few months ago, a green-minded investment company called on Chemours, a spin-off of Dupont that's one of the only titanium mine operators in the U.S., to promise never to purchase Twin Pines. The ask comes after Dupont executives promised never to mine near the swamp, before Chemours spun off from the company.

Sen. Jon Ossoff bumps elbows with US FWS employee Sara Aicher at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

And in November, a group of 43 scientists across Georgia wrote an open letter stating several environmental, economic and recreational impacts the mine could have on the land in and around the swamp, including using enough water per day to hydrate a town of 19,000 people.

"Importantly, a majority of the established research supports the claims that mining close to the swamp has a high likelihood of causing permanent damage to the swamp and surrounding areas," the Nov. 30 letter reads.

OKE-Science Letter - 30.Nov.2021 by Zoe Nicholson on Scribd

Hundreds of thousands of people across the state and country have signed petitions to halt the mine and several elected officials and faith leaders have made public, joint statements calling on the area to remain as it is, undeveloped and protected.

In his letter, Ossoff mentioned the swamp's cultural significance. It's thought to be a former site of the Creek Indians, who are pursuing heritage distinctions for the swamp to add additional layers of protection.

"Due to the unique and irreplaceable nature of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, its significance to Georgia and the Nation, and recent federal court rulings invalidating the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, I urge your agency to reconsider the October 2020 jurisdictional determination," Ossoff said in his letter to the Army Corps. "By bringing this project back within federal review, the Corps will ensure that the Okefenokee Refuge receives the protection it deserves."

21.12.20 Letter to Army Corps Re Okefenokee by Zoe Nicholson on Scribd

Zoe covers growth and how it impacts communities in the Savannah area. Find her at znicholson@gannett.com, @zoenicholson_ on Twitter, and @zoenicholsonreporter on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Ossoff calls on EPA, Army Corps to halt titanium mine near Okefenokee
Sidney Poitier. Pascal Guyot/AFP/Getty

Sidney Poitier, the first Black actor to win the Best Actor Oscar, has died.

His landmark career included his support of the civil-rights movement in the 1960s.

Later in his life, Poitier dedicated his time to humanitarian work.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Legendary actor Sidney Poitier, the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, has died, the Bahamian Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed to Insider.

He was 94.

Poitier was a trailblazing Bahamian American actor who  along with a career filled with landmark acting, directing, and producing roles  was also a voice for civil rights in the 1960s and an ambassador for his beloved home country of the Bahamas.

Sidney Poitier. Universal/Getty

Poitier broke through in Hollywood, getting acclaim that Black actors rarely received before

Poitier's work in Hollywood may have led to groundbreaking and iconic performances, but it didn't start out easy for him.

At 16, he moved to New York City and mostly found work as a dishwasher. In November 1943, he lied about his age and enlisted in the Army to fight in World War II. After leaving the Army a year later, he landed a spot at the American Negro Theatre. There he would meet a lifelong friend, fellow upcoming actor Harry Belafonte.

Struggling to connect with audiences because of his Bahamian accent, Poitier dedicated himself to the acting craft. For six months he refined his skills, which led to roles on Broadway.

Hollywood soon came calling, and he landed the role of a doctor treating a bigot in the 1950 movie "No Way Out." In 1955, Poitier gave a breakout performance as one of the unruly kids in "Blackboard Jungle."

Three years later, he starred opposite Tony Curtis in "The Defiant Ones." The pair played escaped prisoners who are chained together. The movie was a commercial and critical success, showcasing Poitier's raw talent. The movie earned both Poitier and Curtis Oscar nominations and a Best Picture nod for the movie.

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Poitier's nomination marked the first time that a Black man was nominated in the Best Actor category.

He made even more history when he became the first Black actor to win in the category for his performance in 1963's "Lilies of the Field." He played a handyman who encounters a group of nuns who believe he was sent to them by God to build them a new chapel.

Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte (right) at a civil-rights rally. Al Fenn/Life Picture Collection/Getty

He and Harry Belafonte were major fixtures during the civil-rights movement

As the most prominent Black actor in Hollywood at the time, Poitier used his fame to fight for change.

He became a voice for the civil-rights movement alongside Belafonte.

In the early 1960s, Belafonte persuaded Poitier to drive to the South with $70,000 to give to the Freedom Summer volunteers. The experience changed Poitier's life as the two actors were chased by Klansmen who fired guns at them, The New York Times reported.

The two also helped organize the landmark March on Washington in 1963, which featured Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

A year before King's assassination, the civil-rights icon said of Poitier: "He is a man of great depth, a man of great social concern, a man who is dedicated to human rights and freedom. Here is a man who, in the words we so often hear now, is a soul brother."

Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger in "In the Heat of the Night." United Artists/Getty

Poitier became a huge star in the 1970s and an accomplished director

Poitier's stardom grew in the late 1960s.

In 1967, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" found him playing a Black man who meets his white girlfriend's parents (played by Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn). He also starred in the crime thriller "In the Heat of the Night," in which he played Virgil Tibbs, a Philadelphia detective who investigates a murder in a Southern town.

Poitier went on to play Tibbs in two sequels: "They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!" (1970) and "The Organization" (1971).

Into the 1970s, Poitier turned to directing, producing hits such as "Uptown Saturday Night" (1974) and "A Piece of the Action" (1977), both starring Bill Cosby. In 1980, he directed "Stir Crazy," starring Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder.

Sidney Poitier being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by President Barack Obama. Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty

Poitier turned to humanitarian work later in his life

Later in his life, Poitier turned to humanitarian efforts, specifically in the Bahamas, where he grew up before moving to Miami at 15.

He was the Bahamian ambassador to Japan from 1997 to 2007. And from 2002 to 2007, he was the ambassador of the Bahamas to UNESCO.

President Barack Obama presented Poitier with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009, the US's highest civilian honor.

Poitier was married twice. In 1950 he married Juanita Hardy; they divorced in 1965. He married Joanna Shimkus in 1976.

He is survived by six children, including actress Sydney Tamiia Poitier.

Tributes have poured in for the acting legend

Celebrities and public figures mourned the iconic actor in the wake of his passing.

"I will always treasure watching @BarackObama give one of my heroes, #SydneyPoitier, the Medal of Freedom in 2009," tweeted Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to Barack Obama.

Comedian Sarah Cooper called Poitier "a brilliant actor, director, and activist."

"What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. With love," actor Jeffrey Wright tweeted.

Vincent D'Onofrio recalled seeing Poitier in "A Raisin in the Sun" when he was a child.

"I sat and watched it then stayed & watched it a second time that day. It was one of the most enlightening experiences a young man who had dreams of be'n an actor could have," he said.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt called Poitier an "absolute legend" and "one of the greats."

Ben Mankiewicz, the host of Turner Classic Movies and grandson of Hollywood screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, said Poitier "bore a responsibility no other actor of his era had to carry."

Mankiewicz tweeted: "He didn't choose to represent all Black men, but as the sole Black leading man in a business uncomfortable with more than one, such was his lot. Still, he delivered nuance, charm, & honesty to each role."

Singer Dionne Warwick shared a fond memory of the late actor from when she was a child.

She said he caught her following him one time. He asked her what she wanted and she asked for his autograph.

Warwick said, "From that day he always called me little girl and asked if I wanted his autograph. It was something we laughed about. He was my hero & great friend. May he RIP."

Read the original article on Insider
Sidney Poitier was a light in Hollywood and in life, illuminating the path for Black actors who came after him and providing the framework for creating a meaningful and remarkable career.

The trailblazing actor died Thursday in the Bahamas at 94, acting director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Bahamas Eugene Torchon-Newry confirmed to the Associated Press.

Poitier broke barriers throughout his five-decade career with roles that addressed race in film before mainstream Hollywood did the same. He became the first African American actor to be nominated for an Academy Award for best actor in 1958, and six years later he became the first Black man to win an Academy Award for "Lilies of the Field."

Denzel Washington presented Sidney Poitier with his honorary Oscar at the 74th annual Academy Awards on March 24, 2002.

"Before Sidney, African American actors had to take supporting roles in major studio films that were easy to cut out in certain parts of the country. But you couldn't cut Sidney Poitier out of a Sidney Poitier picture," Denzel Washington said at the 2002 Academy Awards, presenting Poitier with an honorary Oscar. "He was the reason a movie got made: the first solo, above-the-title African American movie star."

Poitier's legacy in film history, too, is that of an icon. In honor of Poitier's life and career, we're looking back at some of his quintessential movies.

Obituary: Trailblazing star Sidney Poitier, first Black man to win best actor Oscar, dies at 94

'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner'

Poitier starred as the love interest opposite Katharine Houghton in this 1967 film, which offered a positive depiction of interracial couples during a time when more than a handful of states still had laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

Sidney Poitier, Kathryn Houghton, and Katharine Hepburn star in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner."

A milestone in its day, this earnest and well-acted  if rather tame  drama with comic moments was the first mainstream film to explore the complexities of an interracial relationship. An insightful tale, it tackles subtler forms of racism among educated people who view themselves as tolerant.

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In 2017, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" was inducted into the Library of Congress.

'Lilies of the Field'

This 1963 film won Poitier his first Academy Award, making him the first Black man to win an Oscar for best actor.

He plays Homer Smith, a handyman who on his travels encounters German nuns who believe he's sent from God to help build a church.

Actor Sidney Poitier is photographed with his Oscar statuette at the 36th annual Academy Awards in Santa Monica, California, on April 13, 1964. He won best actor for his role in "Lillies of the Field."

In 2020, the film became another of Poitier's works selected by the National Film Registry to be immortalized in the Library of Congress.

"Lilies of the Field stirs up such great remembrances in our family, from the littlest Poitiers watching a young and agile Papa to the oldest  Papa Sidney himself!" Poitier said in a statement to the Library of Congress.

'The Defiant Ones'

Poitier became the first African American actor to be nominated for an Academy Award for best actor for "The Defiant Ones" in 1958.

In the film, Tony Curtis and Poitier play escaped prisoners, one white and one Black, who are chained together. At a time when racial tensions are high and the two seemingly have nothing in common, Curtis and Poitier's characters must play nice to survive. Initially their cooperation is a means of survival, but the two grow to form a deep bond and love for each other.

'To Sir, with Love'

In this 1967 film, Poitier plays an American engineer-turned-teacher at a London high school school with rowdy teens who've run off about every other teacher they've had. His character Mark Thackeray slowly wins them over by adopting a new method of teaching centered around respect.

Poitier reprised the role in 1996's "To Sir, with Love II." Peter Bogdanovich, who died days before Poitier, directed the film.

'In the Heat of the Night'

One of Poitier's most legendary films, the actor stars as Black detective Virgil Tibbs from Philadelphia who is forced to solve a murder in a racist town in Mississippi alongside an equally racist police chief.

"In the Heat of the Night" is also the film where Poitier uttered his famous line: "They call me Mr. Tibbs." He says it after the police chief insults Poitier's character by asking him what they call him in Philadelphia, because "Virgil is a funny name."

The 1967 film won five Academy Awards, including best picture and best actor for Rod Steiger, who played Chief of Police Bill Gillespie.

'He showed us how to reach for the stars': Oprah, Tyler Perry, Viola Davis, more honor Sidney Poitier

'Shoot to Kill'

This 1988 movie marked Poitier's return to the big screen after being absent from films for 11 years.

Poitier plays FBI agent Warren Stantin and stars alongside Tom Berenger and Kirstie Alley in this thriller, where Poitier's character is hunting down a thief who's taken Alley's character hostage.

The film holds a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a rarity.

Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff and Claudia Puig

'An icon': Sidney Poitier hits a new milestone by becoming the namesake of a new film school

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sidney Poitier movies: 'To Sir, with Love,' 'Lilies of the Field'
BEIJING (Reuters) - A protein-based COVID-19 vaccine made by Sinopharm, when given as a booster after two doses of an earlier shot from the Chinese firm, elicited a stronger antibody response against the Omicron variant than a third dose of the original, a study showed.

The study, which was published on Tuesday and had not been peer reviewed, came amid concerns over the effectiveness of Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV shot, one of the two leading COVID-19 vaccines exported by China, against the Omicron variant.

An earlier study showed a BBIBP-CorV booster had weaker neutralisation against Omicron than against an older coronavirus strain from the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Sinopharm's NVSI-06-07 protein-based vaccine, approved for emergency use as a booster in the United Arab Emirates in December, adopts a different technology than the BBIBP-CorV shot that contains an inactivated form of the coronavirus.

Among 192 healthy adults vaccinated with two BBIBP-CorV doses for six months or longer, the neutralising antibody level against Omicron in those later given a NVSI-06-07 booster was "significantly higher" than that in those who received a BBIBP-CorV third dose, researchers said in a paper.

The antibody-based results are different from the efficacy readings about how well the NVSI-06-07 booster after BBIBP-CorV vaccination would protect people from Omicron-caused disease.

The authors of the paper, including researchers from Sinopharm's units and Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi, cautioned that it remained unclear for how long the NVSI-06-07 booster's effect would last.

(Reporting by Roxanne Liu and Ryan Woo; Editing by Alexander Smith)
A near-lifeless deer was recently found in Mississippi and tested positive for chronic wasting disease. Now, Warren County will likely be added to the CWD-positive list and a quiet CWD management zone that hasn't seen a case since 2018 has received a wake-up call.

"It was near the Kings Point Ferry Landing right on the Yazoo River," said Russ Walsh, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks' wildlife chief of staff. "A hunter had seen it actually a couple of times that day.

"It was very emaciated; very lethargic. It was incoherent. He was a real nice buck, but he had wasted away to nothing. He was skin and bones."

An emaciated and lethargic buck found in Warren County has tested positive for CWD marking the county's first known case of the disease.

The deer was found Dec. 17 about four miles north of Vicksburg, and tissue samples were collected from the buck. Initial test results came back positive twice. Tissue will now be tested at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa for final confirmation.

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CWD IN MISSISSIPPI: Here's where to take your deer for chronic wasting disease testing

A slow death with CWD

Chronic wasting disease is a neurological disease and is said to be 100% fatal for members of the Cervidae family such as white-tailed deer and elk. It is thought the disease is spread through direct deer-to-deer contact and indirectly through body fluids such as urine.

Once a deer contracts the disease, months or years may pass before symptoms are exhibited. According to Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, infected animals lose weight, lose their appetite, and develop an insatiable thirst. They tend to stay away from herds, walk in patterns, carry their head low, salivate, and grind their teeth.

Warren County is in the Issaquena CWD Management Zone which includes parts of Issaquena and Sharkey counties along with all of Warren County. The zone was formed after the first known case of chronic wasting disease in Mississippi was detected in Issaquena County in 2018.

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MISSISSIPPI DEAR HUNTING: Patience and perseverance pay off with Coahoma County giant

More CWD on the landscape

Until now, only one other case of chronic wasting disease was found in the zone and it was also detected in 2018. With more than three years passing without an additional positive being found in the zone, it was left much out of the public eye as case numbers continued to rise in the North Mississippi CWD Management Zone.

However, while nothing changes for hunters in Warren County because they were already under chronic wasting disease management regulations, the most recent case points out it is still on the landscape in the Issaquena CWD Management Zone.

"It's been four years since the last CWD-positive was found and this deer likely contracted it in the last year or two," Walsh said. "That means there are positive deer still present in the South Delta.

"We can't let our guard down. CWD continues to spread and we need to be vigilant and continue to monitor the disease and be proactive in management. As we've said for years now, we need hunters to submit samples."

Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com. Follow Clarion Ledger Outdoors on Facebook and @BrianBroom on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi deer found emaciated and lethargic tests positive for CWD
From electric cars, trucks and boats to autonomous cargo trains and self-driving race cars, the innovative technology showcased at CES this year indicated a growing shift in the way people and goods move.

Some of the products unveiled this week could power a future full of smart cities where buses and cars communicate seamlessly to plot safe and efficient routes, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Thursday in a virtual speech at the CES 2022.

However, he also emphasized the responsibility policymakers have to consider the potential challenges and safety concerns of new technology.

"We are witnessing the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles, the widespread adoption of recreational and commercial drones, renewed attention to cybersecurity vulnerabilities in our infrastructure, increasingly routine commercial space travel, and perhaps most urgently, the high-stakes race to dramatically reduce transportation's impact on our climate before it's too late," he said.

Buttigieg said the public sector needs to be intentional about the role it plays and announced that his department is establishing a set of six principles, the first of its kind, to support and regulate innovation in the transportation sector.

"These principles will ensure that the enormous potential of U.S. transportation innovation benefits our nation and its people," Buttigieg said.

Pete Buttigieg speaks during a Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2021. / Credit: Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Electric cars and autonomous vehicles were a big trend at CES this year, but they have garnered criticism in the past for malfunctioning and crashing. One of Buttigieg's principles addresses safety issues such as these. Specifically, the DOT will create new testing standards and a national incident database for crashes involving self-driving cars.

The principles also ensure equitable access to transportation and support communities and workers impacted by the technological shift in the industry. In the case of electric and autonomous vehicles, the DOT is working with organized labor groups to evaluate and address the consequences such vehicles might have on the workforce.

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Under the new principles, public, private and academic sectors will collaborate with one another, Buttigieg said, noting that policies should have the flexibility to change as technology continues to advance.

Although some critics say that innovation and government do not always go together, Buttigieg pointed to companies like Tesla, Apple and Google  all of which used government subsidies and loans to prosper in their early days  to show that the public sector "has always played a vital part in unlocking the innovative capacity" of American entrepreneurs.

He also called on the industry to use technology to confront the climate crisis, saying the goal of innovation in the transportation sector should be to "help America win the 21st century with transportation systems and infrastructure that make communities more competitive, adaptable, and resilient."

Buttigieg said President Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill will help fund some of these endeavors. The bill will provide $550 billion to invest in overall infrastructure projects, including $110 billion for roads and bridges. The package also includes $11 billion for transportation safety and $7.5 billion for zero emission buses, ferries and trains. An additional $7.5 billion is allocated for federal investments in electric vehicle charging stations across the country.

"The investments in that law will help more Americans purchase affordable EVs and save money on gas. They will help more children take the bus to school without being exposed to toxic fumes. And they will put more people to work creating the infrastructure of the future," Buttigieg said.

He added that innovation isn't just about the technologies but how the federal government can help make available the resources needed to deliver useful products.

"It's a huge opportunity, and a big challenge, because alongside that funding, it will be vitally important for us to improve our country's track record in delivering big infrastructure projects on time, on task, and on budget."

Biden and Congress mark one year since deadly January 6 attack on U.S. Capitol

Representative Adam Schiff reflects on the Capitol insurrection

U.S. hospitals facing worst staff shortages due to COVID-19
The following events have been canceled or delayed due to inclement weather:

Maryland

Washington County Public Schools are closed today. No online learning. Code orange for employees.

Hagerstown Community College will open at 10:30 a.m. today.

Washington County government has a liberal leave policy in effect today for all nonessential employees. Essential employees are expected to perform duties as normal. Those who can telework, should report at their usual time.

Washington County Museum of Fine Arts will open at 10:30 a.m. today.

West Virginia

Berkeley County Schools, prekindergarten through 12th grade, are closed today. Friday evening activities are canceled. The Berkeley County Science Fair has been postponed to Saturday, Jan. 15 with setup on Jan. 14.

Jefferson County Schools are closed today.

All schools in Morgan County will be remote learning on Friday, Jan. 7, due to inclement weather. This will be Non-Traditional Instructional Day No. 1. Students should follow instructions as given by their teachers. Employees will follow reporting code AD.

Pennsylvania

Today is a virtual learning day for Greencastle-Antrim schools with schools closed today. Students can log onto Seesaw and/or Schoology for directions.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: School closings and delays today for Washington County, Tri-State area
The second snowstorm of 2022 has hit South Jersey, but Mother Nature showed a little mercy this time.

Snowfall totals on Friday topped out at 6.5 inches in Williamstown and six inches in Berlin, Franklin and Shamong, according to the National Weather Service.

In contrast, the year's first winter storm on Monday buried towns near the Jersey Shore under a foot or more of snow

Despite that relative improvement, Friday's storm still prompted widespread school cancellations in the region.

BC Lawns workers spread salt and remove snow from a business on Main Street in Hammonton early Friday. A storm brought icy conditions to the South Jersey area. Jan. 7, 2022.

Even the U.S. military took notice.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst said "non-weather essential personnel should not arrive" at the Burlington County facility until noon Friday "to allow for snow cleanup."

Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday night imposed a state of emergency for New Jersey's 21 counties, including restrictions on commercial vehicle on multiple interstate highways.

The road restrictions, which took effect at 10 p.m. Thursday, were lifted at 8:30 a.m. Friday after the storm had largely passed through the area.

Friday's storm dropped 3.3 inches of snow on Ocean City, which was blanketed with 14 inches on Monday, the Weather Service said. It similarly reported 4.2 inches of snow at Atlantic City International Airport, compared to more than nine inches on Monday.

The weather agency reported snowfall of four inches in Burlington, Cherry Hill, Marlton and Delran.

Cumberland County totals ranged from three inches in the Millville-Vineland area to five inches in Upper Deerfield.

Jim Walsh covers public safety, economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.

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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Winter storm drops up to 6.5 inches of snow on some South Jersey towns
Motorists drive along South College Avenue in Fort Collins, Colo. on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

Efforts that will eventually lead to a makeover of Fort Collins' South College Avenue took a major step forward this week with a $200,000 commitment from the Midtown Business Improvement District.

The 4-year-old district, which receives a portion of property taxes from business owners within the district, will use the funds to begin drawing up construction documents for improvements along South College between Drake Road and Boardwalk Drive.

The district has big plans to make Midtown a destination that's as distinct as Old Town. It is starting with improvements to South College Avenue, also known as U.S. Highway 287.

Fort Collins development in 2022:: Montava starts up, Kmart might be razed, mall changes ahead

Preliminary ideas, identified in the city's earlier Midtown in Motion and Midtown Corridor plans, include:

Converting frontage roads along South College to one-way where practical;

Widening sidewalks and paths on both sides of the street for pedestrians and cyclists;

Upgrading and landscaping medians, improving intersections at Thunderbird Drive, Harvard Street, Swallow Road, Foothills Parkway, Monroe, Bockman Drive and Boardwalk;

Improving the trail underpass connecting both sides of South College;

Improving placemaking areas including branded Midtown signage and wayfinding, creating urban parks and plazas, adding public art, plantings, lighting, streetscaping and street furniture.

"For the BID, this is a monumental moment," said Jamie Giellis, executive director of the Midtown Business Improvement District.

With annual revenue of about $150,000, the improvement district doesn't have the funds to do much on its own, but a partnership with the city and possible funding from outside sources, including COVID-19 federal grants, could help.

The $200,000 committed this week takes the preferred corridor design and turns it into preliminary construction documents, which is the next step toward formally asking the city for additional funding, Giellis said.

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A group of city departments is partnering with the BID to advance the preliminary design for corridor improvements, said Brad Buckman, director of the city's engineering department.

The group is seeking federal and state grants to complete the preliminary design process and identify a list of projects and costs for the corridor, he said.

The list would be part of the city's overall 10-year Capital Improvement Plan and would compete for construction funding through the city's budgeting for outcomes process as well as other grant opportunities in the future, he said.

Growing up: Loveland, Windsor, Timnath will lead Northern Colorado's development boom in 2022

The Midtown BID "was established to serve as a catalyst to make significant projects like this a reality," Midtown BID Board President Luke McFetridge said in a news release. "The intent of our investment is that our contribution will be multiplied, leveraging the resources needed to complete the construction documents and  eventually  yielding millions in capital dollars to truly transform this important corridor."

In the next couple of months, the district will begin a public process to get ideas for the corridor and "get in the weeds to help design the street," Giellis said.

If all goes well and the district is able to secure funding from city, state and federal sources, Giellis expects construction could begin in two to three years.

When the South Fort Collins Business Association (now known as the Midtown Fort Collins Business Association) decided in 2014 that the area should have a business improvement district, it needed signatures from owners of 51% of the assessed property value and 51% of the acreage in the affected district as well as support from City Council to create the BID and an election to assess fees.

The median near the intersection of East Foothills Parkway and South College Avenue is seen covered in wood chips in Fort Collins, Colo. on Friday, June 11, 2021.

The BID was enacted by City Council in December 2017 and an election was held in November 2018, generating the first invoices in January 2019.

McWhinney, the new owner of Foothills mall, has reached out to the business improvement district as it begins its redesign of the shopping center.

"They see an opportunity to work on this project to ensure all of it is integrated together," Giellis said.

The BID boundaries include all commercial properties fronting College Avenue from Drake to Boardwalk.

The corridor includes about 170 businesses, 73 individual parcels and 49 property owners with roughly 16,000 linear feet of commercial frontage on College Avenue. It includes Foothills shopping center and The Square, chain restaurants, car dealerships, big-box stores and lots of small family-owned businesses.

Businesses within the district pay an additional $10 per linear foot of frontage to the BID each year for 10 years. After a decade, City Council could extend or disband the district. The assessment, which generates $160,000, could potentially increase 3% per year.

The average business pays about $940 per year, but large property owners such as Foothills mall, Dellenbach Motors, Markley Motors and the Safeway plaza owned by NewMark Merrill Mountain States pay substantially more.

Pat Ferrier is a senior reporter covering business, health care and growth issues in Northern Colorado. Contact her at patferrier@coloradoan.com. Please support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Midtown Fort Collins group pushes South College Avenue makeover plan
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly attributed a quotation to Sen. Wayne Steinhauer and misspelled Dr. Glenn Ridder's last name. The story has been updated to reflect the change.

Pregnant people in South Dakota seeking medical abortions will no longer be able to take the abortion pill at home.

On Thursday, six lawmakers on the legislature's interim rules review committee approved rules, brought forth by the Department of Health, to restrict the prescription of abortion-inducing chemicals to occur only at a licensed abortion facility.

The change is meant to "protect the women of South Dakota by maintaining the requirement that women receive these drugs in person by a licensed physician for the purpose of medical abortion," said the attorney representing the health department at the meeting.

The amendment comes three months after Gov. Kristi Noem issued an executive order on telemedicine abortions, which was finalized with a 4-2 vote at the committee meeting. The order was issued only a week after the Supreme Court refused to block Texas' 6-week abortion ban.

More: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem files appeal brief in Planned Parenthood v. Noem

The new abortion rule effectively bans other means of obtaining prescribed medications to terminate a pregnancy (i.e. courier, telemedicine or mail service, in schools or on state grounds). The two commonly used abortion medications are mifepristone, the first dose, and misoprostol, the second dose.

On Thursday, six lawmakers on the legislature's interim rules review committee approved rules, brought forth by the Department of Health, to restrict the prescription of abortion-inducing chemicals to occur only at a licensed abortion facility.

A pregnant person in South Dakota, prior to the change, had to make two visits to complete an abortion and wait 72 hours between both visits: an "informed consent visit" at a pregnancy consultation center and the abortion procedure itself.

With the new change, a pregnant person is required to wait an additional 72 hours before making a third visit to take the second dose in-person.

More: South Dakota has led the fight against abortion for years. It's about to take its next steps.

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Dr. Sarah Traxler, Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States (IA, NE, SD, ND, MN), argued misoprostol, a progesterone blocker, is widely available for other medical uses and can be safely dispensed in combination with mifepristone, a drug that expels pregnancy tissue.

"The rule would pile on one more medically unjustified restriction," Traxler said in her testimony against the change.

Proponents of the rule, like family physician Dr. Glenn Ridder, said the extra visit will allow medical professionals to account for unintended consequences or complications with a medical abortion.

"We want to know what's going on, so ethics would say that yes, we need to know where this woman's at and if she's undergoing something that she doesn't have control over," Ridder said.

The majority of the meeting was spent debating the nuances of state abortion laws.

"We shouldn't start going down that path of putting executive orders or language in executive orders into rules," said Senate Minority Leader Troy Heinert, D-Mission, one of two who voted against the ban. "We are giving up our legislative authority when we do that."

Noem plans to work with the South Dakota legislature to pass legislation that makes these and other protocols permanent in the 2022 legislative session as way to protect the lives of women going forward and keep them out of emergency rooms, according to a press release from her office Thursday.

I look forward to the day when the life of every unborn child is protected in South Dakota," Noem stated in her release. "Until then, South Dakotans will know that if a mother uses abortion pills to end her unborn childs life, she will not get those pills from a stranger over the internet.

Email human rights reporter Nicole Ki at nki@argusleader.com or follow on Twitter at @_nicoleki.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Lawmakers set rules for Gov. Kristi Noem's telemedicine abortion ban
Carl and Ruth Wanderer in an undated photo. Wanderer set his wife up to be murdered during a fake robbery attempt on June 21, 1920. She was pregnant at the time. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)

On June 21, 1920, a neighbor who heard gunshots found Ruth Wanderer and a shabbily dressed stranger mortally wounded in the foyer of a two-flat at 4732 N. Campbell Ave. Ruths husband, Carl, explained that the couple were returning from a movie theater and had paused to turn on the foyer light.

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The man called out: Dont do that, and then he fired, the Tribune reported Carl Wanderer saying. He killed her. I had my own automatic with me, and I fired.

Lt. John Loftus, the police commander on the scene, later recalled: I thought he was entitled to a medal for bravery after I listened to his version.

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After the slaying of his wife, Ruth, and their unborn child, Carl Wanderer was initial lauded as a hero for returning fire and killing the "ragged stranger" on June 21, 1920, in the vestibule of their home. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)

Other cops had their suspicions, but Wanderer was a decorated veteran of World War I, and they cut him some slack.

I cannot believe there is anything sinister in the case beyond what has already been learned, Ruth Wanderers father told the Tribune. My daughter was killed by a highway man; her husband killed her slayer. That is all.

In fact, there was more to the story. It was like an eerie prequel to the case of Jussie Smollett, recently convicted of lying to the Chicago police about being mugged. In similar fashion, the more cops dug into the details of Wanderers story, the less it made sense.

It began to look like Wanderer had paid someone to stage an armed robbery, and then killed him. As no one claimed the body of the alleged robber, reporters dubbed him the ragged stranger.

Therein lay a clue.

The man was clad in rags, the Tribune noted. He had not bathed in some time, but his head was clean and had been barbered frequently and recently, and his hands were immaculate, the nails manicured.

The rags matched Wanderers description of the assailant as a bum. But the haircut and manicure suggested the rags were intended to make Ruth Wanderers slaying look like a random street crime rather than a targeted killing.

The possible "ragged stranger" who Carl Wanderer hired to rob his wife, Ruth, and him on June 21, 1920. (Chicago Tribune archive)

Other evidence supported that theory. On the day of the killings, Ruth Wanderer had taken $1,500 out of a bank account where the couple had been saving for a home. Could she have unwittingly paid for her own assassination? Or did Wanderer intend it to finance his post-married life?

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Confronted with the contradictions between his story and the evidence, Wanderer confessed to the double murder.

Ruth was pregnant, and Wanderer felt hemmed in. He acknowledged that when a friend visited him in a holding cell on July 17, a day after he was indicted on a charge of murder. The friend reminded Wanderer of his frustration at working in his fathers butcher shop.

Yes, thats so, Wanderer said. The whole thing popped into my head in a minute when I saw the bum that day.

But he then claimed hed been coerced into confessing that he killed his wife and her supposed assassin. Wanderer demanded a trial, which lived up to its advanced billing.

The state intended to call as a witness Julia Schmitt, a 17-year-old typist. He had written her a love letter shortly before being arrested.

Im very lonesome tonight, it began and concluded: Good night little lover & happy dreams to you.

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Deciding not to mail it, Wanderer had torn it up and put the pieces in a bureau drawer. But fearing his mother-in-law might find it, he asked a reporter to retrieve it. The reporter pasted it together, and it was printed on the front page of the Herald-Examiner under the headline: Wanderers Other Woman.

Carl Wanderer signs a confession that led to him being hanged in 1921. "Then he read the confession over meticulously, corrected it and signed each page without a tremor," the Tribune reported in July 1920. (International News Photo)

That made a courtroom seat the hottest ticket in town. Hundreds lined up in front of the Criminal Court and County Jail at 54 W. Hubbard St.

The majority of the court fans are women, the Tribune observed. Many of them brought their lunches that they might keep their seats during the noon recess.

Judge Hugo Pam was furious at the sight of his court being turned into a lunchroom. He also ruled that Schmitt couldnt be asked about Wanderers letter unless the original was produced. As the prosecution couldnt, Schmitt was excused from testifying.

But the jury did get an explanation of why a second gun found at the crime scene was the same expensive model as Wanderers revolver. The police traced it to the man who bought it at a Chicago sporting goods store, then sold it to Wanderers cousin, from whom Wanderer borrowed it.

The judge also had Wanderers confession read to the jury. I wanted to get back to the Army, hed said in his confession. I thought it would be better to have her dead.

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He also explained in his confession that he forgot to bring the money hed promised the stranger for making her look like a casualty of an armed robbery. Fearing he might squeal, Wanderer shot the man as well as his wife.

As the jury began its deliberations, the Tribune reported: Assistant States Attorney James C. OBrien, Red Necktie Jimmy, who has sent a dozen men to the gallows, believes Wanderer will hang.

Ruth Johnson Wanderer in an undated photo before her shooting death during a faked robbery attempt on June 21, 1920. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)

Though found guilty, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The Tribune expressed a widely felt outrage, saying the jury enabled Wanderer to cry gleefully to his jail mates: Ive beaten the rope. 

Ruth Wanderers mother pleaded with the police that she hadnt been able to sleep since her son-in-law was allowed to live, and the states attorneys office announced: Public sentiment demands Wanderer be tried again.

And so he was. It wasnt double jeopardy because in the first trial he was charged with killing is wife and unborn child. The new charge was for the fatal shooting of the shabbily dressed stranger.

When the trial began, Judge Joseph David ruled that the prosecution couldnt argue that Wanderers romantic relationship with Schmitt amounted to a motive to kill his wife

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It does not follow that if a man seeks the society of other women he must necessarily have tired of his wife, the judge said.

When prosecutor Milton Smith objected, the judge retorted by telling Smith he was unmarried and not qualified to argue on love.

Still, the prosecution found a way to use Schmitts testimony during a war of words between the defenses psychiatrists and the prosecutions psychiatrists.

Carl Wanderer, right, in the courtroom the day before he was condemned to be hanged for the murder of the "ragged stranger." In front of him is Irene Lefkow, one of his attorneys. (Chicago Tribune historical photo)

The defense strategy was to convince the jury that Wanderer was insane, thus not legally accountable for his actions. Its psychiatrists explained that the insane lack feelings for other people, whereupon a prosecutor asked Schmitt: Did he ever kiss you?

She answered: Yes, almost every time I was with him.

The prosecutor hoped the jury would think necking in a cab meant Wanderer had feelings for others and thus was sane.

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Asked about Wanderers courtroom demeanor, a prosecution psychiatrist said: I have observed him yawn several times.

If yawning betrays boredom, Wanderer was in contact with his environment and not insane, the prosecution argued. The Tribunes headline: Yawns in Court May Cost Life of Wanderer.

When the defense offered as proof of Wanderers insanity that he had a vision of his wifes spirit, the judge said: You dont mean to argue that because Wanderer says he saw spirits he is insane. He cited Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the Sherlock Homes stories, as a sane believer in spirits.

Ultimately, the jury favored the prosecution. Wanderer was quickly found guilty and sentenced to die. On Sept. 30, 1921, a noose was put around his neck in the Hubbard Street jail. When the sheriff asked if he had any last words, Wanderer sang:

Old gal, old pal, you left me all alone

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Old gal, old pal, Im just a rolling stone.

rgrossman@chicagotribune.com
A poster is displayed in Milwaukee City Hall Rotunda commemorates those who died on the Jan. 6 insurrection and in the weeks and months after at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. This is the first anniversary of the insurrection.

The official reason for gathering in Milwaukee's City Hall rotunda on Thursday was to mark the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

But for the community and faith leaders, election administration officials, and members of the public who came together, it was more about looking ahead.

"January 6th was a disaster against everything that America is supposed to represent," said Rev. Greg Lewis, executive director of Souls to the Polls. "We cannot stand by and continue to let these things happen. And it is continuing to happen all over the country."

A brief moment of silence was held at the moment when President Donald Trump took the podium in Washington, D.C., last year. The president's speech preceded the violent protests at the Capitol.

One speaker after another, from Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley to state Rep. Christine Sinicki to former Wisconsin Elections Commission chair Mark Thomsen, voiced concerns about continuing efforts to undermine Wisconsins elections.

Executive Director of Souls to the Polls Rev. Greg Lewis discusses ongoing election concerns on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Lewis listed a roll call of issues that concern him: voter access and suppression, including voter intimidation; gerrymandering; strict voter ID laws; limited drop boxes; complex registration rules; excessive voter purging; language barriers; limited or no disability accessibility; and long lines.

"Most of these laws are targeting people like me, here in Milwaukee  Black folks, brown folks, poor folks, who don't have a voice," said Lewis. "We should make it easy for folks to vote, not make it hard.... I should be able to go to McDonalds, get me a Big Mac, get me a ballot, drop it in the box and somebody pick it up later  that's how easy it should be," he added.

Sinicki and others mentioned the work of former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who is reviewing the 2020 Wisconsin presidential election for Assembly Republicans. Gableman's review is focused on an election that recounts, court rulings and independent reviews already have determined was properly called for Joe Biden.

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County Executive David Crowley says a few words to commemorate victims killed at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. during the Jan. 6 insurrection last year. This is the first anniversary of the insurrection.

Thomsen decried the attempt by Wisconsin Republicans to overhaul the Elections Commission  a bipartisan agency it created just five years ago.

"Everybody really, truly wants to honor these folks had died protecting our democracy. This battle is raging in our state," Thomsen said, referring to people trying to protect the U.S. Capitol a year ago. "You can't stop a bully until everybody stands up, right? Robin Vos and his cohorts are bullies."

Thomsen called on residents to contact the State Assembly Speaker and ask him to call off his attack on the Elections Commission.

Sinicki said she is concerned Republicans are pursuing changes to how elections are administered in Wisconsin in order to have more control over their outcome. She cited legislation that would require the elected office of Secretary of State oversee elections instead of the Elections Commission.

"That would be the nail in the coffin of our democracy," she said.

"This is no longer about 2020. This is about controlling who wins this November and beyond," said Sinicki. "Regardless of our political beliefs or ideology, I think, the one thing we can all agree on that our votes and democracy are worth fighting for."

Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Vanessa_Swales.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee gathering to mark Jan. 6 anniversary focuses on future
Athens-Clarke police announced Friday the 19th arrest in an initiative targeting street gangs.

Besides numerous suspects landing in jail, police have seized 12 firearms along with illegal drugs and stolen property.

"Much like the rest of the country, we are experiencing an increase in aggravated assaults, particularly aggravated assaults involving firearms," police Lt. Shaun Barnett said.

As investigators looked into those crimes, they found that many of the offenders were known gang members and repeat offenders "so that got this gang initiative turning," Barnett said.

Crime news: Athens-Clarke police nab another suspect, continue to crack down on street gangs

Related: More suspected gang members arrested as Athens-Clarke police crackdown continues

In almost all of the arrests reported by police, the suspects were either out of jail on bond for other crimes or police said they had repeatedly violated terms of probation for previous convictions.

The man arrested Thursday was served with a burglary warrant, but he was already bonded out of jail on another burglary charge from December, according to police.

In May 2021, a 20-year-old Athens man was shot and killed near Winder in what investigators believe was a crime linked to gang activity in Athens. No suspects have been identified in that slaying.

The death of the Athens man was soon followed by a series of violent acts in Athens, where homes were targeted by gunfire on at least five occasions in less than two weeks. Police again were investigating if that violence was linked to the murder and gang activity.

Barnett said officers working with the department's gang unit have also encouraged residents to provide information on gang activity through a confidential tip line.

"A reasoning behind it, is at times there is this negative connotation of reporting things to the police, so the the tip line was created for citizens to have a way to anonymously report activity to us," Barnett said.

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The information has to be vetted by an investigator, "but you never know what seemingly is a insignificant detail could turn out to be something pivotal," he said.

Police have declined to say which particular street gangs the suspects rounded up recently are associated with.

However, several gangs are known to operate in Athens, including the Bloods, Gangster Disciples, Piru, Crips, Red Tape Gang and the NBA or Never Broke Again gang.

Arrests: Probe targeting Piru gang in Athens area nets 13 arrests, 60 guns, $1M in cash, drugs

Gang members were linked to the slaying in 2019 of two Athens men whose bullet-riddled bodies were found in a rental storage unit in Gwinnett County. The murder suspects, all from the metro Atlanta area, were members of the Gangster Disciples, police said at the time.

Police are still looking for other suspects, according to Barnett.

"The gang initiative is still ongoing and active. I anticipate there will be more arrests forthcoming," he said.

Anyone with information about gang activity may call the tip line at (706) 705-4775 or e-mail the unit at gangunit@accgov.com.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: 19th suspect arrested in ongoing crackdown on street gangs in Athens
Ben Stokes survived a remarkable slice of luck as he and Jonny Bairstow led Englands fightback following their latest top-order surrender in the fourth Ashes Test (Jason OBrien/PA) (PA Wire)

Ben Stokes survived a remarkable slice of luck as he and Jonny Bairstow led Englands fightback following their latest top-order surrender in the fourth Ashes Test.

The tourists appeared to be hurtling towards yet another batting debacle when the pair came together at 36 for four  Australias seamers dismantling their opponents with ruthless efficiency  but a wicketless second session allowed to reach 135 without further loss.

Stokes, popping painkillers as he battled a side injury sustained while bowling, should have been the fifth man down for just 16 when he offered no shot to Cameron Green and saw his off stump clipped at more than 83mph.

Ben Stokes had to laugh at his luck when his bail failed to fall after his stump was glanced (Jason OBrien/PA) (PA Wire)

But, to Australias amazement and Stokes amusement, the bail stubbornly refused to move despite the ball visibly deflecting off the timber. Buoyed by his outrageous fortune, Stokes let loose with his natural attacking instincts and reached 52 not out alongside the increasingly fluent Bairstow, who moved through the gears to an unbeaten 45.

Between them they began erasing the memories of dire start to the innings, but with England still trailing by 281 runs there is plenty of hard work ahead.

Earlier, Australia had stitched together a mesmeric sequence of 70 consecutive dot balls either side of lunch, a dominant spell of precise seam bowling led by Scott Boland and containing the wickets of Zak Crawley, Joe Root for a duck and Dawid Malan.

Opener Haseeb Hameed had been the first to fall as he continued a desperate tour that could send his international career back into hibernation. He nicked his third ball of the day from Mitchell Starc only for wicketkeeper Alex Carey to dive in front first slip and spill the chance.

Haseeb Hameed has had a torrid time opening Down Under (Jason OBrien/PA) (PA Wire)

Two balls later he punched a boundary through point but it was a momentary respite as Starc went back to business at his next visit, smashing Hameeds stumps for six as he aimed a ragged drive down the ground.

Crawley, who had been caught off a no-ball on the first evening, was also worked over. He offered a tough chance at short-leg on seven and dropped the bat in pain when Starc crushed his fingers against the handle.

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He got in a couple of blows to reach 18 but echoed Hameeds dismissal when he was cleaned up between bat and pad by the relentless Starc.

The change of bowling offered England no joy whatsoever, with Boland and Cameron Green only cranking up the pressure even further as they failed to concede a single run in 7.5 overs before lunch.

Boland got the prize scalp of Root, who threw his hands at one that was too tight to attack and sent a fizzing catch to the alert Steve Smith at second slip. Malan spent more than an hour at the crease but never mastered the unpredictable bounce, wearing two heavy blows on the hands before flicking Green to the waiting catcher at leg slip.

A little luck and plenty of determination were proving key in Ben Stokess innings (Jason OBrien/PA) (PA Wire)

The long scoreless streak had occupied 53 balls before the interval and 17 after it, ending only when Stokess thick edge off Boland squirmed away for a single.

Stokess misjudged leave should have ended his innings but from the moment he bellowed with laughter at the replays, things took on a different tone. The ball was still doing all sorts, hitting both men on the body and gloves, but Stokes threw caution to the wind with a series of strikes over the infield.

Three boundaries in as many balls from Starc brought up the fifty stand  unimagined riches at the start of the session  but a hearty pull shot left him clasping his ribs in pain.

Bairstow warmed up to pull his share of the load, playing spinner Nathan Lyon with real confidence as he drove, cut and swept him off his length.

By the time play broke up again, they had added 99 to total and lifted the palour of gloom.
Jan. 7An Indiana man facing multiple charges for allegedly raping a Miami University student in January 2006 was in court Thursday for a pre-trial hearing where bond was lowered to $500,000.

Lloyd Wendell Ailes, 58, was taken into custody Dec. 9, 2021 in Connersville, Ind., by Ohio law enforcement and arraigned the next day by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth, who set bond at $775,000.

Ailes, who was a construction worker in Oxford in 2006, was indicted Butler County grand jury for rape, aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery. All charges carry a gun specification alleging gun was used in the crimes.

The indictment came after a lengthy investigation by the Butler County Prosecutor's Office using DNA genealogy tracing.

The assault occurred on Jan. 9, 2006, at an off campus house, according to the indictment and Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser.

The suspect wore a mask, but his face was visible to the woman for a brief time and a sketch of the suspect was developed. His DNA also was found.

After forcing the woman to commit several sex acts, Ailes took $60 from her purse, Gmoser said during the arraignment.

In March 2006, a similar attack happened in Fayette County, Ind. DNA collected there matched the DNA in the Oxford case, but there was no match to DNA entered in any law enforcement data base.

Gmoser said Ailes wore a mask in the Indiana assault, but "didn't speak a word" because the victim was known to him and his voice would have been recognizable.

The case went cold until following the DNA through genealogy pointed to the accused.

Gmoser said his office had been working for years with experts from Parabon NanoLabs to track down the suspect using genealogy DNA databases to piece together a family tree of the suspect.

Ailes former attorney Lawrence Hawkins III filed a motion last week to modify Ailes' bond requesting he be release on his own recognizance or the bond be reduced. Hawkins said Ailes has "several medical conditions that are significant in nature, including cancer."

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Gmoser said the prosecution opposed any modification of bond due to the serious and violent offenses

After a brief hearing, Spaeth reduced Ailes' bond to $500,000. Spaeth set trial for May 23.

Ailes also now has a new attorney, David Washington, who has been retained.

Investigators were able to find the suspect's father and then through unraveling a web of genealogy eventually found the mother. But the man did not know he had fathered the son and the mother didn't know her husband was not the father, Gmoser said.

"As it turns out, the mother of this defendant was not aware that the father was someone other than her husband. She had a relationship outside of her marriage with father of this defendant, later she have birth to the defendant and thought her then husband was the father," Gmoser said. That is what made it so complicated."
A Columbus officer is on leave after a police shooting.

The shooting Thursday followed a car chase after police were called at 1 a.m. to Habitat Drive and Annette Avenue, the department said Friday in a news release.

Officers saw a vehicle leaving the area and pursued it to Buena Vista Road and Chesterfield Avenue, where a suspect got out and shot at police, authorities said. An officer shot back, wounding the gunman, police said.

No police officers were injured, they said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the police departments Office of Professional Standards will investigate. Anyone with information is asked to contact police detectives at 706-653-3400.

Its the second Columbus police shooting this week.

An officer shot at a fleeing suspects car Wednesday night, after police were called at 9:57 p.m. to the dead end of Fall Drive to investigate suspicious activity that had been observed by residents nearby.

They found a parked vehicle facing south, with someone inside, and the car sped toward them, placing their lives in jeopardy, police reported.

One officer fired at the driver as the automobile sped away, the fleeing vehicle striking a parked car, they said. An officer had minor injuries afterward.
Though Gov. Ron DeSantis has urged Floridians without COVID-19 symptoms to avoid screening, test sites in Southwest Florida continue to have long lines and retail pharmacies have few available appointments.

Demand for drive-up and in-person testing has shot up as the omicron variant continues to spread. At Hammond Field in Fort Myers, one of the site line directors told a reporter Thursday, appointments dont matter.

Unlike in some counties, officials in Lee and Collier governments have no test kits to distribute. The Lee Health hospital system is also urging people to stop coming to the emergency departments seeking tests.

"Emergency departments are not designated testing locations," Lee Health spokesman Jonathon Little said Thursday in a news release. "Please seek community sites for COVID-19 testing and go to the emergency department only if you are experiencing a medical emergency."

At commercial pharmacies like CVS, appointments for rapid tests are generally booked out for the next two weeks with sporadic openings in Southwest Florida, according to website checks.

DeSantis announced Thursday that the state will begin distributing around 1 million at-home COVID-19 tests this weekend, starting with nursing homes.

The announcement, made during a news conference in West Palm Beach, also comes with an admission from the governor that the state had a just-expired stockpile of another 800,000 to 1 million testing kits at a time when many of the state's residents were having difficulty getting screened for the novel coronavirus.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis holds a press conference in West Palm Beach Thursday, January 6, 2022.

DeSantis said the distribution will focus exclusively on the state's elderly, who are generally at higher risk of COVID-19 complications.

"If you're young and healthy, you don't need to be running out and getting tested every day," DeSantis said. "When you're talking about long-term care facilities, you're talking about senior communities. Those are the demographics that are most likely to take a positive test (result) and parlay that into treatment, which we support and want to get very quickly."

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Health experts note that people can spread COVID-19 even if they're young and have no symptoms. In fact, the asymptomatic may be the biggest spreaders.

COVID-19s toll on Lee County in 2021: More than 91,000 cases and nearly 1,200 deaths reported

COVID hospitalizations increasing again: COVID-19 hospitalizations at Lee Health jump 66% over the weekend to most since September

Inside the COVID units: Full ICUs, daily death watch: A look at COVID-19, unvaccinated patients in Southwest Florida hospitals

The number of tests any given facility will receive will be based on how many licensed beds they have. They will also only be given to residents who have symptoms of COVID-19. Facilities needing refills will be able to order them online, according to the governor's office.

Officials in Collier County have not been told how many of the in-home tests will be shipped to local nursing home residents.

Thats something that will be coordinated between Tallahassee and the state Department of Health, said Bill McDaniel, a Collier County commissioner.

Its also not clear to the local health department how many of the in-home tests will be sent to Collier, according to Kristine Hollingsworth, the agency spokeswoman.

No, we have not been informed, she said in an email Thursday.

In the meantime, Collier County officials are looking for space to open a monoclonal antibody clinic, possibly in central Naples, said Dan Summers, Collier Countys director of emergency services.

DeSantis also took aim at the Biden administration for its still-unfulfilled promise to distribute tests directly to the American people and for not increasing the state's allotment of high-demand monoclonal antibody treatments.

President Joe Biden said on Dec. 21 that the federal government would make 500 million at-home tests available in January.

As for Florida's own supply of tests, the Department of Emergency Management had between 800,000 and a million test kits that expired in September, according to that department's head, Kevin Guthrie.

The state received a three-month extension on those test kits from the manufacturer and federal regulators, which expired between Dec. 26 and Dec. 30, Guthrie said.

Agriculture Secretary and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nikki Fried has accused DeSantis of withholding the testing. In a Jan. 5 tweet she said:

"DeSantis says his office doesn't have the COVID tests. We know. They are at the Department of Health  an agency he controls. He's blaming Biden because he doesn't want you to find out those miles-long lines and traffic jams are his fault."

At Ron DeSantis' press conference, he just admitted that they have a stockpile of "800,000 to a million" expired COVID-19 tests they never sent out. They expired (after being extended) between 12/26-30/21).



Just like I told you.  Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) January 6, 2022

In response, Department of Health press secretary Jeremy Redfern tweeted: "Its come to my attention that @NikkiFried needs to turn on that blinker and get back in her lane."

Guthrie and DeSantis said Thursday that demand for testing plummeted after the delta wave ended in late summer and early fall. Tests were sent out as entities asked for them, but there was a low demand until the last few weeks, they said.

"Right before the last few weeks, there were plenty of tests out there," DeSantis said.

Demand for testing increased sharply in mid-December, leading to long lines at state testing sites, sold-out test kits and few available appointments at retail pharmacies.

McDaniel said his office gets calls from residents asking where they can get tested, and the number of calls picked up around the holidays when the health department was closed. But he said he has not gotten complaints that people are not able to get tested. People have learned that appointments are available at the health department or elsewhere, he said.

During Thursday's 49-minute news conference, DeSantis did not mention vaccines or boosters, which have been shown to be effective against the highly contagious omicron variant of the airborne pathogen.

The governor's administration has largely not promoted vaccine use, other than pushing it for seniors in the early months of the vaccine.

Instead, DeSantis has heavily promoted the use of monoclonal antibodies to treat those already infected. Studies show that the treatments are very effective, but not as much as vaccines.

Florida's Department of Health ended 2021 touting its success in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly by creating a network of sites providing monoclonal antibody treatments to fight to novel coronavirus.

Unmentioned in its year-end message to the public: vaccinations, booster shots and masks  measures disease experts say offer the best chance of containing a pandemic now entering its fourth deadly wave in the state.

Also Thursday, the state's Department of Health formally released its new guidelines for COVID-19 testing that essentially advise against testing for people who have no symptoms: "COVID-19 testing is unlikely to have any clinical benefits."

A number of Florida counties have moved to provide tests to the public. Palm Beach County commissioners recently agreed to spend up to $500,000 on at-home test kits to distribute to residents. Manatee County also just announced that it would provide 7,500 at-home test kits to the public.

Lee and Collier counties do not have test kits, officials said.

For the week ending Jan. 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 30,000 COVID-19 tests were sent to labs from sites in Lee and Collier counties.

Meanwhile, COVID-related hospitalizations continue to increase quickly. On Monday, 5,299 Floridians in hospitals had COVID-19, according to the Florida Hospital Association. Two days later, that number was 7,305. During the peak of the delta wave, the state counted 17,121 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

The Lee Health hospital system, the largest health care provider in Southwest Florida, reported Friday that 220 of its patients have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, six of them children. In the days before Christmas, its hospitals were treating roughly 35 at any given time.

That was about a 50% increase when compared to two weeks prior. Its peak this summer was nearly 700. The CDC notes these testing numbers may be impacted by delayed reporting. They also do not include at-home or rapid COVID-19 tests.

More than 4.4 million Floridians have been infected with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, more than 387,000 of whom tested positive in the last seven days, according to the CDC. Of those, at least 62,542 have died as a result of the virus.

USA TODAY Network reporters Hannah Morse, Chris Persaud and Katherine Kokal contributed to this report.

Frank Gluck is a watchdog reporter with The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. Connect with him at fgluck@news-press.com or on Twitter: @FrankGluck.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Southwest Florida clamoring for COVID tests as omicron continues to spread
Texas Tech guard Davion Warren (2) fights for a loose ball with Iowa State forward Aljaz Kunc (5) and guard Tyrese Hunter (11) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) ORG XMIT: IACN121

Just who will be available for the Texas Tech men's basketball team on Saturday when the sixth-ranked Kansas Jayhawks come to town?

Even Mark Adams is in the dark on that one.

Forced to play Wednesday's game against Iowa State with just seven players, Adams said that, as of Friday afternoon, those same seven players are good to go for the 3 p.m. Saturday Big 12 Conference tilt in the United Supermarkets Arena.

As for everyone else? That's still up in the air.

Texas Tech roundup: Jace Jung named Perfect Game Preseason Player of the Year

"I'm curious as well," Adams said Friday afternoon.

The 25th-ranked Red Raiders (10-3 overall, 0-1 in Big 12 play) went toe-to-toe with 11th-ranked Iowa State on Wednesday night with just three guards and seven players available overall. Seeing the floor for Texas Tech was Kevin Obanor, Bryson Williams, Davion Warren, Clarence Nadolny, Adonis Arms, Marcus Santos-Silva and KJ Allen.

Kevin McCullar made the trip to Ames, Iowa, but suffered an injury in Tuesday's practice that forced him to miss Texas Tech's 51-47 loss.

McCullar joined Mylik Wilson and Terrence Shannon, Jr. on the injury report. The rest of the team missed the game due to health and safety protocols.

Adams said those players will be game-time decisions for Saturday's game. He put McCullar's odds at 50-50 to play. Wilson, said Adams, could see a few minutes against the Jayhawks (12-1, 1-0) as well.

Despite the key absences, those that played on Wednesday helped Texas Tech hold Iowa State to 20 points below its season scoring average. Their offense wasn't there, but the Red Raider defense showed up.

"We're excited about where we are," Adams said. "Our mentality's good. Momentum's good. We just need all of our healthy guys back. Need our team back. I think we're going to be a very tough, physical team with depth that can beat anybody, but we may be two or three weeks away before we see that."

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It's unlikely the Red Raiders will get everybody back for Saturday's game, an unfortunate reality considering the caliber of the opponent coming to Lubbock.

Kansas is coming off a 74-63 win at Oklahoma State to open its conference slate. The Jayhawks boast one of the nation's best offenses, ranking seventh in field goal percentage, eighth in points per game and 15th in scoring margin.

"When you start scouting a team, you try to look at their strengths, weaknesses, discover some of those weaknesses," Adams said. "They just don't have many."

However, the same areas Kansas excels offensively is where Texas Tech excels defensively. The Red Raiders are eighth nationally in field-goal percentage defense, ninth in scoring defense and 13th in scoring margin.

Texas Tech basketball: Mark Adams feels Red Raiders, Iowa State share similar traits

Kansas' Ochai Agbaji (30) shoots the game-winning shot around Texas Tech's Marcus Santos-Silva (14) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas, Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.

Kansas  which has won the last four meetings in the series  has the luxury of having its full roster available. This includes Ochai Agbaji, who ranks 17th in the country in scoring (20.2 points per game) and 22nd in 3-point shooting (45.1%). Agbaji hit the game-winning shot in the final seconds when Kansas visited Texas Tech last season.

The Jayhawks have hit 37% of their 3-pointer so far this season despite being in the bottom half of the country in attempts. Adams credited this with the shot quality in those attempts and the presence of the 6-foot-10 David McCormack in the post.

"You've got to have guys that can do both," Adams said of defending both the 3 and McCormack. "Guys that can help off of him and at the same time get to that backside and guard those 3-point shots."

No. 25 Texas Tech vs. No. 6 Kansas

When: 3 p.m. Saturday

Where: United Supermarkets Arena

Records: Texas Tech 10-3, 0-1; Kansas 12-1, 1-0

TV: ESPN2

Radio: FM 97.3

Game coverage: Follow @NathanGiese on Twitter for live updates, with postgame recap and interviews to follow on www.lubbockonline.com.

BIG 12 CONFERENCE STANDINGS

Team Big 12 record Overall record

Baylor 2-0 14-0

Texas 2-0 12-2

Kansas 1-0 12-1

Iowa State 1-1 13-1

Oklahoma 1-1 11-3

TCU 0-0 10-1

West Virginia 0-1 11-2

Texas Tech 0-1 10-3

Oklahoma State 0-1 10-3

Kansas State 0-1 7-5

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech basketball: Roster status in the air as Red Raiders host Jayhawks
At least three other participants in the Australian Open with the same medical exemption as Novak Djokovic are already in the country with more potentially arriving over the next week.

Djokovic was spending the Orthodox Christmas in detention on Friday having had his visa cancelled on arrival in Australia when officials ruled his documentation was insufficient to allow him entry to the country while unvaccinated.

The political fallout, both domestically and abroad, intensified overnight as Djokovics legal team prepared documents aimed at extending his stay after a Federal court hearing in Melbourne on Monday.

The 20-times Grand Slam winner might not be the only person hoping to take part in the Australian Open to face removal from the country, however.

Home affairs minister Karen Andrews has confirmed the Australian Border Force is assessing the credentials of two others who entered the country under the same exemption granted to Djokovic.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that a third participant in the Grand Slam also entered Australia on the same framework, which had been put in place by Tennis Australia and the Victoria State government.

Exemptions may also have been granted to players or officials who are yet to arrive in Australia, the source added.

While the tournament proper begins on 17 January, ITF Junior events and wheelchair tournaments are set to begin next week, so too the qualifying events for the Australian Open.

TA has not commented on the matter since Djokovic was initially detained at Melbourne Airport shortly after 11pm on Wednesday.

Tournament director Craig Tiley, who is also the TA chief executive, defended the medical exemption granted to Djokovic prior to his detention.

Srdjan Djokovic, the detained players father, has claimed more than 20 exemptions were handed out to tennis participants prior to the Australian Border Forces intervention.

Tiley said this week 26 claims for exemptions had been lodged, but only a handful had been approved.

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Djokovics legal team is expected to file further documents on Saturday supporting the nine-times Australian Open champions bid for an injunction to delay his departure.

Djokovic is currently being detained in Melbourne (EPA)

Justin Quill, a partner with Thomson Geer who specialises in media law, said Djokovic might be able to play the Australian Open even while his challenge to the deportation decision proceeds.

He said if Djokovics interim injunction was successful, the hearing into the matter proper was likely to be listed for a date falling well after the completion of the tournament on Jan. 30.

When you look at interlocutory injunctions, you have to clear two things, Quill told Reuters. You have to demonstrate there is an arguable case with reasonable grounds. If Djokovic gets over that first hurdle, the next thing is Balance of Convenience.

This is where you balance the scales in regards to the imposition on each party and who will be hindered more if their rights are wrongly denied.

Quill said he believed the Balance of Convenience could favour Djokovic.

If it turns out the Home Affairs Minister is right and he ultimately wins the case, they can deport Djokovic then. It doesnt really impact the minister too much,aAA Quill said.

If it turns out Novak is right and that they never had the right to deport him, he canaAAt get back the chance at the 2022 Australian Open. He canaAAt get back his attempt to go down as the greatest ever grand slam winner in history.
SPRINGFIELD  Days after announcing he will step down from his congressional seat, veteran U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush announced Friday he will endorse Alexi Giannoulias for the Democratic nomination for Illinois secretary of state.

Giannoulias also picked up backing from many big-name supporters of Ald. Pat Dowell, a former opponent who dropped out of the secretary of states race to run for Rushs congressional seat.

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Dowell, however, has not said who she will endorse.

Secretary of state candidate Alexi Giannoulias speaks during the Cook County Democratic Committee slating meeting on Dec. 14, 2021, at IBEW Local 134. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Support from Rush and the Black politicos who had been with Dowell comes as some Democratic Party officials have made clear they want a person of color to replace longtime Secretary of State Jesse White, who is Black.

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Giannoulias is white and his main rival for the nomination, Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia, is Latino. The other Democrat vying for the partys nomination is South Side Ald. David Moore, who is Black and whose 17th Ward includes Chicagos Auburn Gresham community.

In a 1 1/2 -minute video released Friday by Giannoulias campaign, Rush praised the former state treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate as the right person to lead the secretary of states office during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hes always been there for our community. He knows our community. He understands our community. He knows what we need, said Rush, a Chicago Democrat whose 1st Congressional District runs from the South Side into the south and southwest suburbs to nearly Kankakee. He will be with us and for us. I know that.

The support for Giannoulias from backers of Dowells secretary of state bid comes despite the stinging rhetoric she directed toward him at the Cook County Democratic Partys slating session just last month.

Dowell and Valencia have questioned Giannoulias loyalty to the Democratic Party, criticizing him for his support of former Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross in his 2014 bid for state treasurer against Democrat Michael Frerichs, who won and is now seeking his third term.

Dowell, whose 3rd aldermanic ward covers Chicagos South Loop and Bronzeville neighborhoods, urged the party at the Dec. 14 slating session to support someone loyal to the organization who is a dedicated public servant rather than an opportunist looking to further their stalled political career.

To succeed we must have a Democrat, a nominee, who appeals to the people who vote Democratic  mainly women, and precisely, African Americans, Dowell said. Lets be practical. The path to victory is not paved with gold. Money can buy endorsements and influence, but it cannot buy votes.

Giannoulias narrowly cleared the bar to win county slating over a vote of no endorsement.

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Despite that close vote, hes vastly outpacing his opponents, and one former opponent, in fundraising By the end of 2021, his campaign had over $4 million in cash on hand, more than Dowell, Valencia and Moore combined.

On Friday, several Black politicians who previously backed Dowells secretary of state bid said they were now with Giannoulias.

Alexi is committed to protecting voter rights, enhancing the public library system, increasing diversity within the office, and helping minority-owned businesses get started and hiring. We trust Alexi, and we need his leadership in Springfield, Democratic state Sen. Mattie Hunter of Chicago said in a statement shared by the Giannoulias campaign.

Other endorsements came from Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, Chicago Alds. Howard Brookins and Christopher Taliaferro, Kimberly Neely Du Buclet, a Metropolitan Water Reclamation District commissioner, and former state Senate President Emil Jones Jr.

An alderman since 2007, Dowell has name recognition in the citys portion of Rushs newly redrawn congressional district, something she lacked in a statewide race.

But the field of candidates for Rushs seat is expected to grow with South Side and south suburban elected officials and activists considering the rare opportunity to run for an open congressional seat in a Democratic stronghold that virtually ensures reelection for many terms.

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Ive done a lot of work in my ward related to small business development, education, health care and I thought that the congressional seat offers me an opportunity to best serve my community, Dowell said in an interview.

I decided that I would seek the seat because its in my wheelhouse of concerns that I care about. In some ways, its a better fit than secretary of state, she also said.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com
This photo combo shows, from left, Travis McMichael, William "Roddie" Bryan, and Gregory McMichael during their trial at at the Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick, Ga. Associated Press

A judge sentenced the three men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery to life in prison, two of them without parole.

A jury previously found Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William Bryan guilty of murder.

Arbery's family members also gave emotional victim impact statements.

A Georgia judge on Friday sentenced Ahmaud Arbery's three killers to life in prison, two of them without the possibility of parole.

Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan, who are all white, were each found guilty of murder in November for the shooting death of Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man.

Glynn County Judge Timothy Walmsley sentenced father and son Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael to life in prison plus twenty years, without the possibility of parole. Walmsley sentenced Bryan, who he said had shown some remose for the crime, to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

The judge called Arbery's murder "a tragedy on many many levels," saying that Arbery left his home "to go for a run and he ended up running for his life." Walmsley asked the court to sit in silence for one minute to demonstrate "a fraction of the time" that the McMichaels and Bryan chased Arbery down the street  in reality, more than five minutes  before Travis McMichael shot him.

The McMichaels had trailed Arbery in a pickup truck as he jogged through their Satilla Shores neighborhood on February 23, 2020, later saying they believed he was responsible for a recent surge in burglaries in the area. Travis McMichael eventually confronted Arbery in the street and shot him at point-blank range with a shotgun. Bryan followed behind the McMichaels in a different vehicle, and filmed the chase and the shooting with his cellphone.

The three men faced nine individual charges for the killing, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment. A jury found Travis McMichael guilty on all counts, while his father was convicted on all counts except malice murder. Bryan was acquitted of one count of malice murder, one count of felony murder, and one count of aggravated assault.

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Walmsley said the defendants' own words guided his sentencing. Travis McMichael grabbed his shotgun because "he assumes it's the right thing to do" after his father told him that he "had no choice," the judge said.

The judge also thought Gregory McMichael tried to "establish a narrative early on" by making several comments about Arbery going into a house in the neighborhood. Walmsley said McMichael "effectively admitted" that he didn't know if Arbery had done anything wrong when he told police that he didn't think Arbery had stolen anything, but "keeps going back over and over again into this damn house."

"It's interesting, because he talks about his concern for his child and his own well-being, and part of this was while the victim was actually laying there in the street," the judge said.

Walmsley also noted that video of the shooting shows the McMichaels turn their backs after Arbery falls to the ground.

"It's a disturbing image and they walked away," the judge said. "This was a killing. It was callous."

Bryan "stands in very different shoes" in terms of showing remorse for the crime, according to the judge. Police body camera footage showed what Walmsley thought was Bryan showing "concerns that what occurred shouldn't have occurred."

Arbery's family members also gave victim impact statements before Walmsley sentenced the defendants. His father, Marcus Arbery, said he sees what he described as his son's "execution" over and over in his mind when he closes his eyes.

"Not only did they lynch my son, they killed him while he was doing what he loved the most, running," Arbery said.

Arbery's mother, Wanda-Cooper Jones, started her impact statement by speaking "directly" to her son. She told the court that she "promised" Ahmaud when she buried him that "some day, somehow I would get you justice."

Attorneys for Arbery's killers have said they plan to appeal their convictions. All three men also face trial on federal hate crimes.

Earlier Friday, Cooper-Jones told "CBS This Morning" that she rejected a plea deal for the McMichaels and Bryan on federal hate crimes charges when approached by prosectors.

Read the original article on Insider
A mural of Ahmaud Arbery who was shot and killed in Brunswick, Georgia, in February 2020 (AP)

The three white men who murdered Black 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery are facing life in prison at their sentencing, scheduled for Friday.

Travis McMichael, his father Gregory McMichael and their neighbour William Roddie Bryan Jr were found guilty of murder at their trial in Brunswick, Georgia, in November.

The three men chased Mr Arbery, who was unarmed, through the Satilla Shores neighbourhood in their pickup trucks before shooting him dead in the road back on 23 February 2020.

Footage of the attack, filmed by Mr Bryan on his smartphone, sent shockwaves around the world and reignited calls for racial justice following the murder of George Floyd.

All three men were charged with nine counts, including one count of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

Travis McMichael, 35, who pulled the trigger and shot Mr Arbery twice at point blank range, was convicted of all nine charges.

Gregory McMichael, 65, was convicted of eight charges, excluding the count of malice murder.

Bryan, 52, was convicted of six charges  three counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of false imprisonment and one count of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.

Judge Timothy Walmsley, who presided over their high-profile trial, will sentence the three men at 10am on 7 January at Glynn County Courthouse.

In Georgia, both malice and felony murder charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison, so all three men are facing life behind bars.

However, the judge will decide whether or not they must die in prison when he grants them either life with or without the possibility of parole.

A life sentence with the possibility of parole makes a prisoner eligible for release only after they have served a minimum of 30 years. Each murder charge will be served concurrently.

The charges the three men were found guilty of at their state trial (AP)

Murder is also punishable by the death penalty in Georgia, but prosecutors chose not to seek the death penalty in this case.

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Each count of aggravated assault carries a sentence of between one and 20 years in prison.

False imprisonment is punishable by one to 10 years in prison and criminal attempt to commit a felony by one to five years in prison.

Judge Walmsley will decide the three mens fate after hearing from prosecutors and the defence teams. Prosecutors have already said they intend to seek life without parole for all three men.

Mr Arberys relatives may also deliver victim impact statements to the court.

The three convicted killers are also facing charges at a separate federal hate crimes trial which is scheduled to begin in February.

They have pleaded not guilty to those charges which also carry punishments of life in prison.
Travis McMichael, left, speaks with his attorney during sentencing. (Stephen B. Morton / Associated Press)

A Georgia judge Friday sentenced two white men to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man whose 2020 killing helped push a national debate on racial profiling and vigilantism. A third man also convicted of murdering Arbery was sentenced to life, but with the possibility of parole.

Gregory McMichael, 66, and son Travis McMichael, 35, were sentenced for their role in chasing Arbery with their pickups in a suburban community near Brunswick, Ga., and killing him. Travis McMichael fatally shot Arbery, who was unarmed. Their neighbor, William Roddie Bryan, 52, was sentenced to life in prison but will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years.

Judge Timothy R. Walmsley at the Glynn County, Ga., Courthouse on Friday. (Stephen B. Morton / Associated Press)

Speaking to the court before sentencing, Superior Court Judge Timothy R. Walmsley said Arbery was "hunted down and shot" in a callous killing that occurred because the defendants sought confrontation.

After holding one minute of silence in the courtroom  a minute that the judge said represented a fraction of the time Arbery ran through the Satilla Shores community near Brunswick  Walmsley said he kept coming back to the terror that must have been in the mind of the young man."

While Arberys family, the community of Brunswick and people across the nation sought closure, Walmsley said his role in sentencing was to provide accountability.

We are all accountable for our own actions, Walmsley said. Sometimes, in today's day and age, that statement is lost upon many.... Today demonstrates that everybody is accountable to the rule of law. Taking the law into your own hands is a dangerous endeavor."

The three men were found guilty the day before Thanksgiving by a mostly white jury, prompting family and friends to claim that justice had, finally, been served. The case, many civil rights activists said, represented a landmark victory against racism in the criminal justice system.

On Friday morning, before the judge set punishments for the three defendants, Arberys family spoke inside the Glynn County Courthouse of their loss and urged the judge to impose maximum sentences.

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These men have chose to lie and attack my son and his surviving family. They each have no remorse and do not deserve any leniency," Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arberys mother, said in her victim impact statement. "They chose to treat him differently than other people who frequently visited their community, and when they couldn't sufficiently scare him or intimidate him, they killed him.

Ahmaud Arbery's sister, Jasmine Arbery, wipes away a tear while listening to her mother speak in court. (Stephen B. Morton / Associated Press)

The McMichaels and Bryan chased down Arbery in pickups on Feb. 23, 2020  a quiet Sunday afternoon  as he ran through the Satilla Shores subdivision near the coastal city of Brunswick.

The men later said they were attempting to make a citizens arrest when they pursued Arbery. Travis McMichael testified that he was acting in self-defense because he fired only after Arbery, in his final moments, had lunged for him and his gun.

Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty against the three defendants. Under Georgia law, murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison. In addition to the murder convictions, the men were also found guilty of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment, counts with maximum prison terms from five to 20 years.

During the trial, defense attorneys argued that Arbery was killed as he resisted a justified legal citizen's arrest attempt and that the three defendants sought to stop and detain him after he was seen running from a home under construction.

Before the men were sentenced, defense lawyers sought leniency.

Robert Rubin, an attorney for Travis McMichael, argued that his client was a devoted father and a former member of the Coast Guard whose actions might have been reckless, but was "not evidence of a soul so blackened as to deserve to spend the rest of his life in prison.

Judge, you can send a message that four minutes of conduct does not erase a life well-lived and that after punishment, there is opportunity for redemption, he said.

Laura Hogue said her client, Gregory McMichael, was a man of goodness who had no criminal record.

Kevin Gough, a lawyer for Bryan, emphasized that his client was unarmed and did not know the McMichaels had guns until moments before the shooting. His client also expressed remorse immediately after the shooting and offered law enforcement key evidence, including cellphone video of the fateful encounter.

Lead prosecutor Linda Dunikoski allowed for leniency for Bryan but urged the judge to impose harsher sentences on the McMichaels because they had showed "no remorse and certainly no empathy." The McMichaels, Dunikoski said, should be judged on their conduct during the four minutes that culminated in Arberys death.

"That four minutes of conduct wasn't just four minutes of conduct. It was a culmination of vigilantism  without any real understanding or consideration of the consequences," she said.

Before sentencing, Walmsley ran through the actions and apparent level of remorse of each defendant. Gregory McMichael tried early on after the shooting to establish a narrative, he said, referring to Arbery as trapped like a rat" and saying he told Arbery, "Stop or I'll blow your ... head off."

Travis McMichael claimed to be in shock after the shooting, but the judge said he seemed more concerned for his own well-being. As Arbery lay dead on the street, he noted, McMichael commented, "This is the worst day of my life."

Walmsley singled out Bryan as different from the McMichaels, noting that right after the shooting, Bryan demonstrated that he had grave concerns that what had occurred should not have occurred.

Still, the judge said, Bryan joined the McMichaels in chasing down Arbery, calling out "you all got him," and a jury ultimately convicted Bryan of felony murder.

Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump represents Arbery's family.

What weve called for from the outset is that Ahmauds killers be treated as a Black man would be  no more, no less. And today tells us, there is progress, Crump said in a statement.

Defense attorneys have said they plan to appeal the convictions.

In February, the three men face a separate federal trial on hate crimes and kidnapping charges  one count of interference with Arberys right to use a public street because of his race and one count of attempted kidnapping. The McMichaels are also charged with one count each of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Joe Manchin. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Rather than "liberal activists or die-hard filibuster opponents," a small trio of Sen. Joe Manchin's (D-W.Va.) Senate pals are leading the effort to sway the lawmaker on filibuster reform  a move to which he has long objected, particularly if done on a partisan basis.

Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Angus King (I-Maine)  three friends of Manchin's "who once shared his reluctance" when it came to altering Senate rules  have recently become the "vanguard of a delicate effort to chip away at Manchin's steadfast opposition," Politico reports.

The three centrists have reportedly met at least a dozen times with Manchin to discuss changing the filibuster so as to pass elections reform, Politico reports. "I can't say we have a solution or a resolution or a decision. But we're continuing to talk. That's the good news," said King.

The talks between the four lawmakers represent "the best chance Democrats have" to convince Manchin to change Senate rules before Majority Leader Chuck Schumer possibly holds a vote on the matter on Jan. 17. Though Manchin has insisted he won't alter the 60-vote threshold required to pass most bills, he has "entertained modest adjustments," giving his party just the "tiniest glimmer of hope" they can get him onboard.

Such alterations include eliminating a filibuster vote for simply debating bills, and altering the 60-vote threshold to a three-fifths requirement. Notably, neither of those options would "create a clear path" for the Senate to handle voting rights, the current issue of importance, per Politico.

"It's very informative," Manchin said of his meetings with the centrist trio. "They're all my friends ... they know where I'm at."

Still, Kaine, noted, "We're just not there." Read more at Politico.

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Jingle the reindeer enjoys a bit of food at Kleerview Farms in this News Journal file photo.

Tourism in Richland County in 2021 was better than 2020, which the head of Destination Mansfield said was "lousy" due to COVID-19 restrictions.

"Hotels took the brunt in 2020 (losing income due to pandemic) but forced spending elsewhere," Lee Tasseff, president of Destination Mansfield-Richland County, told Richland County commissioners Thursday morning.

More: Police seek suspects in shooting that wounded teen

Tasseff said he expects things to bounce back in 2022.

There were lots of lessons learned in COVID, "lots of them bad."

A walker enjoys the solitude and beauty of a hike on the Richland B&O Bike Trail in this News Journal file photo.

Tasseff said tourism in 2021 led people to local attractions for outdoor activities including the Gorman Nature Center, Ohio Bird Sanctuary, Malabar Farm and the Richland B & O Trail.

"The tourism economy was more resilient than we even thought," he said.

Tasseff said tourism brings money into the area but also brings a positive image.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to the News Journal today and get a special offer of 3 months for just $3 at offers.mansfieldnewsjournal.com.

He said the Kingwood Pumpkin Glow, the sunflower field on Ohio 97 in Bellville and Kleerview Farms that featured reindeers and a Christmas tree farm, reached 100,000 people on social media all its activities were outdoors.

"When those things got posted out of everything that got posted, those things were at the top," he said. "Christmas, fall and summer."

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic hurt tourism everywhere in 2020, but Tasseff said Richland County dropped by only 15.3%, compared to 24.5% for the state and 24.9% for the region.

"All the plans that we made to survive 2020 worked," he told Mansfield City Council two weeks ago in his report.

Tasseff added 2021 "was a whole lot better" than 2020, highlighted by the return of INKcarceration, the music and tattoo festival that attracted 75,000 fans to the Ohio State Reformatory in early September.

"It really blew the doors off a lot of things," Tasseff said. "It worked exceedingly well."

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Tourism is Richland County's fourth-largest employer.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Tourism update: Richland County will bounce back in 2022
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish court ruled on Friday to release two students from jail in the first hearing of a broader case over campus protests against the government's appointment of a rector at Istanbul's Bogazici University.

The protests at the prestigious Bogazici began one year ago after President Tayyip Erdogan appointed as rector Melih Bulu, an academic and former political candidate. He was later replaced by Naci Inci, one of his deputies, in August.

The protests briefly spread elsewhere in Istanbul and to other cities, and led to the brief detention of hundreds of people.

Fourteen students were detained in October for participating in the protests and two of them, Berke Gok and Perit Ozen, were jailed pending trial while the rest were released.

The students were charged with violating the law regarding demonstrations, preventing public officials from doing their duty and intercepting a vehicle among other crimes.

Ahead of the hearing students gathered in support of the defendants near Istanbul's main courthouse holding signs demanding their freedom.

Burcin Sahan, a lawyer for the pair, said after the hearing that "judicial harrassment" against the students needed to end.

Sergey Lagodinksy, a member of the European Parliament, said before the ruling that the charges against the students should be dropped and called their detention "absolutely unjustified".

"Expressing your opinion publically and peacefully is a fundamental right," he said on Twitter.

Students and teachers at Bogazici protested regularly over the past year against what they say is government interference in academia. They clashed with police at times, prompting Erdogan to describe them as terrorists.

Faculty members, some of whom have gathered daily with their backs turned on the rector's building, say the protests will continue until a rector is chosen by university members and academic freedoms were secured.

In a separate case, seven students are charged with inciting hatred for displaying an image that combined Islamic imagery with LGBT flags during the protests last year, which led Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu to label the students "LGBT deviants."

(Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Angus MacSwan)
In a UK government-sponsored trial of Neurons Drone Radar technology, the Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) partnered tech firm demonstrated the potential of the Hedera Consensus Service (HCS) for tracking unmanned drones.

A real time radar system for drones has only become possible by leveraging the Hedera Consensus Service that follows movements of drones across long distances, recorded by logging and timestamping the data from each drone flight onto HBARs public ledger.

Niall Greenwood, the CCO at Neuron, explained in comments to Coin Rivet the significance of the trial.

Within five years, we expect to see over 2.7 billion drone flights a year globally, with each flight generating thousands of GPS data points, explained Greenwood.

The vast amount of data points needing to be processed at high speeds, the cost, latency and integrity of each data transaction was of huge importance to Neuron when selecting a layer 1 protocol  Hedera have already demonstrated that they are miles ahead of the competition when you consider these three qualities.

The successful demonstration, having impressed British government officials, bodes well for the future according to the CCO.

Neurons tracking technology is directly transferrable to autonomous vehicles, electric bikes and ground robots, and so the opportunity is vast, added Greenwood.

Hedera Hashgraph targets government solutions

Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) has a strategic focus on government adoptions, and it forms a big part of Hederas future plans as shown by the inclusion of EMTECHs Ethereum-based CBDC Core Solution into the HCS.

Coin Rivet spoke to Hederas CMO Christian Hasker about this strategy. He highlighted the work Hedera has been undertaking recently in the public sector.

Government is a vertical that is ripe for disruption by DLT, precisely because it allows for a level of transparency that has never before been possible, agreed Hasker.

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Another example of this is a proof of concept that Hedera and Hyland presented to the Texas Secretary of State to evaluate DLT for the purpose of securing and verifying government-issued records.

By leveraging a public DLT as a digital notary, it can be used to validate official records, including identity documents and credentials, increasing transparency and also preventing fraud, mitigating risk, and lowering costs.

Everyware (a Hedera partner) has deployed the HCS to track equipment within the National Health Service too, and Technical Director Tom Screen says this is just the beginning of HCS in the public sphere.

We continue to forge ahead in the medical asset management space and are looking more at tokenisation of assets across the NHS, he explained.

Its a longer roadmap due to the speed at which the public sector moves.

Read More: Hedera Hashgraph connects with Ethereum and Polygon
WASHINGTON  The U.S. and Japan are close to signing a new five-year pact for Japan to support U.S. military forces in the country and a new agreement to research and develop new defense technologies, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.

Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met virtually with their Japanese counterparts  Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo  on Thursday amid rising tensions between the allies and China. Austin participated from home as he recovers from COVID-19.

Were launching a new research and development agreement that will make it easier for our scientists, for engineers and program managers, to collaborate on emerging defense-related issues: countering hypersonic threats, advancing space capabilities, Blinken said ahead of the meeting. When Japanese and American researchers bring their complementary strengths to bear, we can out-compete and out-innovate anyone.

Austin reaffirmed the importance of the alliance and said the two countries are taking bold steps to strengthen its readiness and deterrent power. Thursdays meeting was to set a framework for future action, he added.

This framework will include: enhancing alliance capabilities across all domains; evolving our roles and missions to reflect Japans growing ability to contribute to regional peace and stability; and optimizing our alliance force posture to strengthen deterrence, Austin said.

US Indo-Pacific commander reaffirms alliance with Japan amid China territorial claims

Under the terms of the hosting deal reached in principle two weeks ago, Japan will spend approximately $1.82 billion annually to support the U.S. military presence. The United States has about 55,000 troops in Japan, including a naval contingent, which makes it the largest forward-deployed U.S. force in the world.

That emerging agreement ends a Trump-era row over the the costs of deployments of U.S. forces abroad by agreeing in principle to a new formula for paying for the American military presence in Japan. Blinken said the alliance will invest greater resources to deepen our military readiness and interoperability.

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Though it went unmentioned publicly on Thursday, the two sides have reportedly drafted plans for a joint operation amid fears China is gaining the ability to invade and hold Taiwan. At the initial stage of a Taiwan emergency, the U.S. Marine Corps would set up temporary bases on the Nansei (or Ryukyu) island chain, which stretches southwest toward Taiwan.

Japans armed forces would reportedly provide logistical support in areas such as fuel and ammunition, according to the Kyodo news agency.

Japan is also reportedly deploying more than 500 Self-Defense Force personnel, as well as surface-to-ship and ground-to-air missile batteries, on one island in the Nansei chain, Ishigaki. The westernmost island, Yonaguni, hosts a radar and surveillance station, and is reportedly adding an electronic warfare unit by 2023.

The operational plans were expected to draw a backlash from China, which considers democratically-governed Taiwan part of Chinese territory.

No one should underestimate the strong resolution, determination and capability of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a Dec. 24 news conference.

Japanese civilian officials have been issuing public warnings about Chinas pressure on Taiwan and the need to protect the island as a democratic country, marking a major political shift from just a few years ago, said Eric Sayers, an Asia-Pacific defense expert at the American Enterprise Institute.

Since weve seen Japanese civilian military leaders talking about this, that really opened up possibilities for thinking about the problem and more joint planning, Sayers said, adding: Japans recognition of the importance of Taiwan is also recognition that their geography just doesnt allow them to avoid this problem.

Japan asks US forces to stay on base as COVID-19 cases jump

Blinken also said the two countries militaries are improving their capacity to conduct complex joint operations, as evidenced by a Novembers naval exercise in the Philippine Sea, which saw forces from Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan and the U.S. conduct complex exercises with multiple aircraft carriers.

The pact comes less than a year after Blinken and Austin visited Tokyo, and the countries joined forces to criticize Chinas coercion and destabilizing behavior. in Asia. The leaders, at that time, also stressed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

On Wednesday, Japans new Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison signed a reciprocal access agreement to make it easier for their respective militaries to visit each others countries for exercises.

Amid stepped up tensions with China, Japans parliament has approved a record extra budget of nearly 36 trillion yen (U.S. $317 billion), with additional military spending to speed up deployment of missile defense systems and other military preparedness measures. Kishida said in November he was open to acquiring enemy-base strike capabilities.

With reporting by the Associated Press.
The US International Trade Commission has agreed with Sonos' claims that Google had infringed on its speaker and cast patents. It issued its initial decision back in August, and this finalizes its ruling, which prohibits Google from importing products found to have violated Sonos' intellectual properties. Since Google manufactures its products in China, that means it won't be able to gets them shipped to the US when the import ban takes effect in 60 days.

Sonos sued Google in 2020 over five patents, which include one that details a technology allowing wireless speakers to sync with one another. As The New York Times notes, the products affected include Google's Home smart speakers, Pixel phones and computers, as well as Chromecast devices. While Google is facing an import ban, a spokesperson said that the tech giant doesn't expect the ruling to interrupt its ability to import and sell devices.

"While we disagree with today's decision, we appreciate that the International Trade Commission has approved our modified designs," the spokesperson told Protocol. "We will seek further review and continue to defend ourselves against Sonos' frivolous claims about our partnership and intellectual property." The commission didn't challenge those alternative designs in its final decision, which means Google can implement them.

In fact, the Nest team has recently announced some changes to speaker groups, which it says is "due to a recent legal ruling." The most notable change is that, going forward, users will no longer be able to adjust the volume of all speakers in a group all at once. They'd have to adjust each speaker individually instead.

In a statement, Sonos Chief Legal Officer Eddie Lazarus admitted that there's a possibility that "Google will be able to degrade or eliminate product features in a way that circumvents the importation ban that the ITC has imposed." However, he said the tech giant's products will still "infringe many dozens of Sonos patents"  that is, unless Google pays Sonos royalties for its technologies.

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His whole statement reads:

"We appreciate that the ITC has definitively validated the five Sonos patents at issue in this case and ruled unequivocally that Google infringes all five. That is an across the board win that is surpassingly rare in patent cases and underscores the strength of Sonoss extensive patent portfolio and the hollowness of Googles denials of copying. These Sonos patents cover Sonos' groundbreaking invention of extremely popular home audio features, including the set up for controlling home audio systems, the synchronization of multiple speakers, the independent volume control of different speakers, and the stereo pairing of speakers.
Waypoint SleepOut 2022: Registration open now

MANCHESTER  Registration is now open for the 8th annual Waypoint SleepOut, happening on Friday, March 25. The SleepOut is a night spent out in the cold to raise community consciousness about youth homelessness and to raise funds for services that fulfill critical needs and help to transform lives. To register, go to www.waypointnh.org.

This years event will be held remotely, with registered sleepers spending the night of March 25 outdoors, in a socially distanced way, at a place of their choosing, such as a back yard, and coming together for a shared virtual experience online.

Currently, 1 in 10 young adults ages 18 to 25, and 1 in 30 adolescents, ages 13 to 17, endures some form of homelessness in America within a 12-month period, according to the latest report by Chapin Hall - University of Chicago. Estimates show approximately 15,000 youth are likely to experience some form of homelessness in New Hampshire this year. Last year, Waypoint had nearly 1,500 contacts with youth who were experiencing homelessness in the Granite State.

In New Hampshire, Waypoint is the sole provider of comprehensive services for youth experiencing homelessness. The agency provides survival aid / basic needs relief and contributes to long-term stability and self-sufficiency through educational advocacy, job and life skills training, housing, access to mental health and addiction treatment services, and more.

Through the past seven years of the SleepOut event, the agency has raised enough to bridge federal funding gaps and maintain services, as well as to lay the groundwork for expansion.

Plans are underway for Waypoint to open a youth drop-in center in Concord and in Rochester, and an overnight shelter for youth in Manchester, which would be the only one of this kind in the State. Waypoint hopes that through community collaborations, public awareness and advocacy, the expansion will create a greater social safety net for more youth, and effectively get another step closer to ending youth homelessness in New Hampshire.

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To register, donate, or get further information about SleepOut 2022, visit www.waypointnh.org/sleepout2022.

Keep your Lights Up For Healthcare Heroes through Jan. 31

ROCHESTER AND PORTSMOUTH  HCA New Hampshire hospitals Frisbie Memorial Hospital and Portsmouth Regional Hospital are asking for the communitys help to show their support for all frontline healthcare workers this holiday season.

This January, we are asking businesses, communities, and homeowners to Keep Your Lights Up For Healthcare Heroes through Jan. 31, 2022 to thank a health care hero for helping defeat this virus and end this pandemic.

Getting involved is easy: Take a picture of your holiday lights display and post it on social media with the hashtag #LightsUp4Heroes. Post signs in your yard showing your support for the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and other health care professionals. Download our printable flyer and place it in your window or on your door to show your support for the campaign. And, if you know a healthcare worker personally, be sure you take the time to recognize them for their work.

Visit keepyourlightsup.com to learn more.

Dover400 is fundraising

DOVER  Dover400 is currently underway with two fundraising campaigns, $400 for 400, an effort to solicit 400 donors at $400 to celebrate Dovers 400th Anniversary; and also The 1623 Society with membership available for a donation of $1623. All proceeds will support the activities planned throughout 2023. Donations may be sent to Dover400, 24 Chestnut St., Dover, NH 03820. For more information, please visit www.Dover400.org.

Strafford County Warming Center accepting donations and volunteers

DOVER  The Strafford County Extreme Weather Warming Center (Warming Center) at 30 Willand Drive in Somersworth is now open daily through April 1, 2022.

The Warming Center is a partnership of the cities of Dover, Somersworth and Rochester and the Community Action Partnership of Strafford County. CAPSC will provide staffing and oversight at the Warming Center through the winter season. CAPSC also seeks community help, including meal donations and volunteering at the Warming Center. CAPSC has created sign-up links for interested community members.

To donate meals, sign-up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4aa5a728a2fec70-meals1. To volunteer at the Warming Center, sign-up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4aa5a728a2fec70-novdec. Email Dan Clark at dclark@straffordcap.org for more information. For donated staple items for the Warming Center, sign-up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4aa5a728a2fec70-warming.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Waypoint Sleep-Out 2022, Keep Your Lights Up for Healthcare Workers
Illinois legislators left Springfield late Wednesday without naming a new inspector general amid partisan squabbling over a replacement, leaving a key watchdog office vacant even as federal prosecutors continue their probe of corruption at the statehouse.

Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope was set to leave office at the close of business Thursday after announcing in July that she was stepping down. Pope resigned in protest over a government ethics overhaul lawmakers approved last spring that she said demonstrated true ethics reform is not a priority.

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Lawmakers were slated to be at the Capitol for three days this week to kick off their spring session, but the schedule was cut to just one day  with next weeks scheduled days canceled as well  amid the worst surge in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began nearly two years ago.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is applauded after calling for corruption reform during his first State of the State speech before a joint session of the Illinois House and Senate, Jan. 29, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)

Pope originally intended to depart in mid-December, but she extended her tenure after a bipartisan panel appointed by the Democratic and Republican leaders of the state House and Senate deadlocked on nominating her replacement.

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Republicans on the eight-member Legislative Ethics Commission say Democrats, who control both chambers of the legislature, have derailed the process by pushing for a candidate who wasnt recommended by an outside search committee.

In the past six months, Democrat lawmakers have done what they can to stymie the process and our progress, Republican state Sen. Jil Tracy of Quincy, who chairs the ethics commission, said during a news conference Thursday.

The panels four Republican members are backing Joseph Hartzler, a former assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and was recommended by the search committee.

Democrats favor another former federal prosecutor, David Risley, who also was director of public safety policy for former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Risley, who has worked as an investigator under Pope, was not one of two candidate recommended by the search committee, but the ethics commission agreed to interview him after Hartzler and another recommended candidate failed to win the support of a majority of members, said state Rep. Maurice West, a Rockford Democrat who sits on the panel.

Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, on the floor as the Illinois House of Representatives convenes at the Bank of Springfield Center, January 8, 2021. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Another Democratic commission member, state Sen. Cristina Castro of Elgin, issued a statement accusing Tracy of politicizing a process that was intentionally set up to try to keep politics out.

The fact is the ethics commission has been prepared to send names to the General Assembly, but Senator Tracy and other Republicans blocked those votes, Castro said in a statement. If not for those actions, we could have had a new inspector general in place.

Illinois state Senator Cristina Castro on March 30, 2021. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

Republicans on the panel also have refused to do a second round of interviews with the two candidates, West said.

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I dont know if we can resolve this collectively because its already been politicized by our chairwoman, he said.

Advancing an inspector general candidate to the full legislature for approval would require a majority vote by the commission, meaning at least one member would have to vote with members of the other party.

Once a nomination is made to the House and Senate, a three-fifths majority vote is required for the candidate to be appointed. That means the supermajority Democrats could approve their preferred inspector general without any GOP votes.

Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons.

If the office becomes vacant, the commission is supposed to appoint an acting inspector general within 45 days. But that also would require bipartisan agreement. If the office is left unfilled for six months, the inspector general for the state auditor generals office would take on the responsibility of investigating alleged misconduct by lawmakers and legislative staff.

In her final quarterly report for 2021, Pope said her office had received one complaint that it had not begun investigating due to her impending departure.

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This wont be the first time the legislature has gone without a watchdog.

After the states first legislative inspector general resigned in 2014, the position went unfilled until the vacancy was thrust into the spotlight when a victims rights advocate testified at a legislative hearing in October 2017 that her complaint alleging shed been sexually harassed by a state senator went unanswered for more than a year.

The blowback led to the temporary appointment of former federal prosecutor Julie Porter, who held the position until Pope, a former state prosecutor and appellate judge, took over in March 2019.

All three people whove held the office have called for greater independence. In response, the ethics overhaul approved last year allows the inspector general to launch investigations without first getting approval from the ethics commission.

But the inspector general still has to get the commissions permission to issue subpoenas or publicly release reports on lawmakers who are found to have engaged in misconduct. One of Popes major objections was that the new law also limits the scope of the offices investigations to complaints that relate directly to lawmakers public duties.

dpetrella@chicagotribune.com
Americans are less likely to reply to a emailed request for help from a Black person than they are to a white person, a new study shows. (Photo: izusek via Getty Images)

Racial biases seep into countless areas of our daily lives  even, it seems, how we respond to email.

According to a new study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Americans are less likely to respond to an emailed request for help from a Black person than they are to a white person. That tendency shows up regardless of geographic region and political party.

Discrimination appears to be the norm, rather than the exception, the researchers write in the study, which was published late last month and is said to be one of the largest studies to date on racial bias in the U.S.

To conduct the study, researchers at Pennsylvania State University, Dartmouth College and Brigham Young University contacted 250,000 email addresses pulled from nationwide voter registration databases and a commercial email list.

The participants came from a range of backgrounds  Asian American/Pacific Islander, white, Black, Hispanic/Latino  and the percentage breakdowns for each group reflected the current racial and ethnic demographics of the United States.

The email itself was relatively straightforward: It asked the recipients if theyd be willing to volunteer to take a survey about political issues by clicking a link.

But there was one key difference. Half of the emails appeared to come from a sender with an ostensibly white-sounding name, and the other half from a sender with an ostensibly Black-sounding name. (A press release from Pennsylvania State University notes that names were selected based on being considered predominantly Black or white in government records and by whether they were generally perceived as Black or white by the public in previous research.)

All recipients received two emails eventually  one from a Black sender and one from a white sender, with the same language and survey link in the body of both emails. (The researchers were careful to space out the delivery of the emails a few weeks apart.)

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The outcome was what the researchers expected. Neither the white senders nor the Black senders got a very high response rate, simply because most people dont reply to the kind of emails the researchers were sending. But in terms of odds, researchers found that Black senders were 15.5% less likely to receive an email response than white senders.

This held true across all racial groups the researchers reached out to  except for Black Americans, who were just as likely to respond to a Black person as they were to a white person.

As a person who studies race in the USA, the results did not surprise me, Ray Block Jr., an associate professor of political science and African-American studies at Penn State University and the lead author of the study, told HuffPost. Our work adds to a large body of research demonstrating racial bias.

For senders presented as white, the odds of an email getting a response were 15.5% higher than they were for senders presented as Black. (Photo: Epoxydude via Getty Images)

The researchers found that the racial bias existed regardless of geographic region: A person from the South had the same likelihood of not responding to an email from a Black sender as did a coastal elite.

Block said this finding surprised some of the studys reviewers.

I hate to be crass about it, but people assume that the South does racism better than everyone else, he said in an interview with Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. [But] because this type of discrimination is quotidian, its a little easier to do. Its probably more prevalent because [its a] digital interaction.

Block told HuffPost that his study is notable because it gauges peoples real-world behavior. Prior research on racial beliefs has generally been attitudinal, meaning that researchers asked people to share their views on race and took them at their word.

With this research, Block and his team were essentially asking: Do actions speak louder than words when it comes to how we interact with different racial groups?

While ample research exists on more overt forms of racism, like racial violence and verbal abuse against minority groups, Block said there have been considerably fewer studies on smaller, more common forms of racial discrimination.

We acknowledge that overt and more extreme forms of racial bias deserve attention but we think more work should be done on everyday forms of discrimination, too, he said. The microaggressions that add up over the course of a persons life.

Racial microaggressions are the everyday insults, indignities and demeaning messages sent to people of color by individuals who are often oblivious to the offensive nature of their words or actions, according to Columbia University Professor Derald Wing Sue, who studies the psychology of racism and anti-racism. (In the case of this study, the microaggression is the inaction of not responding to an email.)

Researchers use the term papercut discrimination to describe the everyday instances of bias -- seemingly small, but injurious -- that people of color face. (Photo: Maskot via Getty Images)

Block also uses the phrase papercut discrimination to describe the seemingly small (but cutting) everyday instances of bias that people of color face. (Having a co-worker who ignores your emails is one thing, but what if the same co-worker had made remarks about how articulate you are during a work meeting?)

Microaggressions like this matter, Block said. They can add up. They harm. Thats why my co-authors and I work so hard to study them.

Block and his team were also interested to see whether the political leanings of the email recipients in their study made a difference in how they behaved.

They found that most of the discrimination came from independents and Republicans. Still, any liberal-vs-conservative comparisons are hard to draw because of the relatively high percentage of Black Democrats who didnt discriminate  though the researchers found that white Democrats discriminated at roughly the same rate as independents and Republicans.

The researchers also sent the emails to a pool of U.S. elected officials, including mayors, city councilors and state legislators, and found that politicians discriminated at roughly the same rate as the general public, though slightly less so. (Thats in keeping with prior research that showed elected officials are less likely to respond to requests from Black constituents.)

I did not expect the patterns of discrimination to be as consistent as they were, Block told HuffPost. The results hold regardless of geographic region, whether we reached out to political elites or regular citizens and across party lines.

The discrimination we discovered might stem from racial anxieties. Or out-group prejudice or in-group favoritism.Ray Block Jr., the study's lead author

Since the study was focused on discriminatory behavior, its hard to gauge the reasoning behind why recipients discriminated. One possibility is that racial anxiety was at play, according to John Dovidio, a professor emeritus of psychology at Yale University and a leading researcher on aversive racism.

If you believe youre liberal and good, theres a cost to actually interacting with a person of color because it may threaten your self-image, Dovidio told Diverse .

[Theres] anxiety that white people have that they may do something wrong, say something wrong, he said. So, what often happens is white Americans wont turn [an email] down because of the race of the person, at least consciously, but theyll weigh more heavily all the other things they have to do that day. I cant do this because I have to go to the store. I cant do this because what are the questions theyre going to ask me?

Block thinks Dovidio makes an excellent point.

The discrimination we discovered might stem from racial anxieties, he told HuffPost. Or out-group prejudice or in-group favoritism.

Regardless of the causes, though, the fact remains that Block and his co-researchers found evidence of racial bias in a very common activity.

We found bias in a particular context of digital communication, one that many people take part in multiple times each day, he said. In this sense, we uncovered another [area] that is a potential breeding ground for racial discrimination.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican of California, speaks during a weekly news conference at the US Capitol on July 1, 2021 in Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Disaffected colleagues could sideline the front-runner for speaker should the GOP retake the House.

Trump adviser Steve Bannon is the latest to join in the Kevin McCarthy bashing.

"There's too much curtain measuring happening 10 months out," a GOP operative told Insider.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy played it safe on Thursday and stayed far from the public spotlight as the country marked the first anniversary since a pro-Trump mob violently stormed the US Capitol.

His notable absence helped him avoid tough questions about a day that Vice President Kamala Harris connected back to the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But it also may have further cost him politically with a group of GOP hardliners who are close to former President Donald Trump and who could ultimately help spoil McCarthy's bid to become the next House speaker should Republicans win back the majority in 2022.

Trumpworld fixture Steve Bannon this week joined the chorus of GOP detractors who seem to have no use for McCarthy, telling his podcast listeners that the current crop of House GOP leaders are "just sitting there as controlled opposition."

Though Bannon didn't specifically namecheck the eight-term California Republican, he did pine for "leadership that is prepared to make sure our country is not stolen."

Bannon isn't an elected official and he doesn't have a vote in the House. But his voice is a potent one among the MAGA faithful. He also joins a growing clique of incredibly strange bedfellows that includes Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, and Matt Gaetz of Florida who all are showing burgeoning contempt for McCarthy.

Greene and Gaetz have both been taunting McCarthy for months about the obstacles they can present to his potential promotion to be the next House speaker. On the January 6 anniversary, they continued to deliver MAGA applause lines while criticizing their own party leadership.

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"I wish that there was more of our conference with us," Greene said during a webcast with Gaetz from inside the Capitol complex.

Complaints from McCarthy's right aren't the only ones he's dealing with. On Thursday, Rep. Liz Cheney brought her father to the Capitol to mark the January 6 riot, and the former vice president took the opportunity to take his own backhanded swipe at McCarthy.

"It's not a leadership that resembles any of the folks I knew when I was here for 10 years," Dick Cheney, a former six-term Wyoming congressman who served as the GOP minority whip, told reporters.

Rep. Liz Cheney and former Vice President Dick Cheney walk through the Capitol Rotunda on the first anniversary of the January 6 insurrection Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

McCarthy's balancing act

McCarthy's standing with Trump is anything but certain.

The two men sniped at each other as rioters swarmed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, with McCarthy stating on the floor a week later that the former president bore some responsibility for the unprecedented attack.

In between Trump rewarded ardent supporter Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio with a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Within weeks McCarthy raced down to Palm Beach, Florida, to bend the knee at Mar-a-Lago, a reunion Trump happily exploited as a photo-op.

To kick off 2022, McCarthy published an open letter to colleagues wherein he trashed the Biden administration and urged everyone to help him flip the chamber this fall. "If we are fortunate enough to earn the majority, it will take everyone rowing in the same direction from Day 1 to begin delivering on the priorities of the American people," he wrote.

A day later he was railing against social media companies for continuing to boot disinformation spreaders like Greene and Trump. McCarthy also has vowed to hold tech firms accountable once Republicans regain power.

But it's unclear if his attempts at appeasement are too little, too late for the grudge-holding provocateurs.

There is of course still lots of time to shore up support. Winning the House back in November would go a long way toward that goal, and Republicans have a pretty good shot at winning less than the dozen seats necessary during this fall's midterm elections.

From there, McCarthy would need to convince a majority of the House to back him. That's no guarantee given the current political environment that has splintered the GOP and where some Trump-aligned House members are suggesting they want someone else.

Last fall, Greene, who was stripped of all her committee assignments a month after being sworn in, suggested McCarthy hasn't clinched the speaker race, yet. "He doesn't have the full support to be Speaker," the freshman lawmaker turned armchair vote-counter said on Gaetz's podcast.

For his part, Gaetz has repeatedly floated nominating Trump for speaker if the midterms go Republicans' way. It's definitely a longshot. But members are free to vote for anyone of their choosing, from either party, including themselves when it comes time to vote for a new speaker at the start of the new session of Congress. Legally, they can even nominate someone not currently serving in Congress.

One former GOP leadership aide declined to lay odds on McCarthy's bid for a promotion, noting that some establishment Republicans may not be over his 2015 vanishing act when the speaker position also was open.

"It's going to really depend on how many Republicans remember that McCarthy once pulled himself out of the running at the last minute when he had a real chance to be speaker," the aide said of McCarthy's abrupt exit from the race to replace retiring House Speaker John Boehner.

McCarthy was politically radioactive back then six years ago amid rumors of extramarital affairs with then-Rep. Renee Elmers of North Carolina and anger that he had said the quiet part out loud by bragging that the GOP-led Benghazi investigation had torpedoed then-presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's poll numbers. His departure from that internal election effectively cleared the path for Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin to reluctantly succeed Boehner.

Doug Heye, a former House leadership aide turned GOP strategist, said McCarthy should be able to shrug off attacks from haters. Except one.

"The biggest wildcard isn't a few members who are critical of Kevin, but Trump," Heye wrote in an email, adding that the revenge-seeking former president's "threats of retribution hang like a sword of Damocles over any Republican he deems as insufficiently loyal."

Besides, Heye said, it's much too early to predict how the 2022 midterms and 2023 speaker's race will unfold. "There's too much curtain measuring happening 10 months out," he told Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Winter Blast took place in downtown Detroit from 2005 to 2020, and is moving to Royal Oak in 2022.

Winter Blast officials have faced a new challenge as they work to move the longtime Detroit event to Royal Oak: staffing availability and supply issues provoked by the COVID-19 surge.

So they've chosen to move the festival to the weekend of Feb. 18-20, two weeks after the originally scheduled date.

"This festival date adjustment will afford additional time to gather the resources necessary to optimally support Winter Blast's key activations," read a Friday statement. "It also will provide organizers the opportunity to explore alternative open-air heated areas and other activities within the festival footprint."

The Winter Blast delay comes amid a host of event and venue closures, cancellations and rescheduling as the latest COVID-19 wave hits Michigan.

More: Winter Blast festival moving to Royal Oak in February after approval from city authorities

Winter Blast Royal Oak was confirmed in December following approval and some funding from city authorities. The festival was staged annually in downtown Detroit from 2005 to 2020, having been created during the city's run-up to Super Bowl XL.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Winter Blast Royal Oak sets new dates amid COVID-19 challenges
A 21-year-old woman riding in a car on Elmwood Avenue Thursday night was apparently struck in the forehead when somebody fired several gunshots at the car, according to the Providence police.

The woman was in stable condition Friday morning at Rhode Island Hospital, and nobody has been apprehended, according to Providence Police Commander Thomas Verdi.

Last week: Man says another driver shot out his pickup's windows in Providence

At about 10:52 p.m., the police were called to a Shell gas station at 5 Elmwood Ave., where officers found the woman in the passenger seat of the car with "an apparent gunshot wound to the forehead," the police said in a report.

Despite the injury, the woman was "alert and conversing with driver," the police said.

The driver told the police that she was driving on Elmwood Avenue when "an unknown party discharged a firearm multiple times at her vehicle," the police said.

How it works: A multi-jurisdictional task force aims to stop gun violence in RI

The police counted about five gunshot holes in the car's doors a windshield, according to the report. Blood was also spotted on the inside of the front passenger door and a jacket in the back seat. The driver was not injured.

The police were later able to determine the shooting happened near 773 Elmwood Avenue.

jperry@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7614

On Twitter: @jgregoryperry

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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Woman, 21, injured when 'multiple' shots fired into car in Providence
The week before Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin claimed victory for the Republican Party in the Nov. 2 election, a large crowd gathered in the parking lot of Vitos Restaurant in Amherst to cheer the businessman in his first bid for public office and hear him discuss policy and goals.

However, a few who attended the event held signs opposing Youngkin and had a different topic on their minds, saying amongst themselves January 6 as he spoke of his vision for Virginia. The two words, perhaps more than any other, capture the deep divide in America on full display during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

On the one-year anniversary Thursday, the event continued to bring out differing views and reflections among Central Virginians, Republicans and Democrats alike.

Vance Wilkins, chair of the Amherst County Republican Committee, said he doesnt view the event as a true coup attempt and referred to it as a mob that got loose.

If you want to talk about an insurrection, talk about about what happened to Donald Trump before he left office, said Wilkins, an ardent supporter of the former president.

When asked if he felt the attack is reflective of the GOP, Wilkins said: Hell no.

That was the most unorganized insurrection I ever heard of, if it was one, said Wilkins, a former Virginia Speaker of the House.

Gloria Witt, who leads the Amherst County branch of the NAACP, has a much different view.

There is no justification and no rationalization, Witt said of all who breached the Capitol. It was an insurrection, no doubt about it. People died that day.

Witt recalled the extreme shock she felt watching images and video that day and trying to come to grips with a large swath of our nation who actually believe the [2020] election was stolen. She still is figuring out how to attempt to connect to those who so passionately hold those views.

And one year later, they still stand behind that falsehood, Witt said.

Democracy is fragile, she said, and the tenets of the NAACP  voters rights, voter engagement and getting people to the polls  are important as ever in such divisive times.

It also sends a signal the work is not done and the people who believe in democracy need to get off their sofas and run for office, Witt said.

In December, at his first in-person town hall in Amherst County since the pandemic, U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-6th, did not directly mention the Jan. 6 attack or Congresss ongoing investigation of the incident. He was asked by a county resident what he is doing to help the political prisoners charged in the event and ensuring they have rights to speedy trial.

The speaker also asked Cline what he is doing to investigate the FBIs role in orchestrating the Jan. 6 disturbance, which was planned by the FBI and the Democrat Party as a way to demonize Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. The resident referred to the FBI as a totalitarian, Gestapo wing of the illegitimately installed Biden regime whose goal is to intimidate and arrest innocent citizens who dare to speak out about what he called the stolen election of 2020.

I do defend the right of Americans, not only for speedy trial but to due process, Cline said, further telling the resident: Your concerns are being heard and appropriate questions are being asked.

Last year, Cline voted against legislation to create an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack. All 217 Democrats in the House backed the measure and 35 Republicans joined in supporting the bill. Cline said in a May interview he supports a commission that is fair, balanced and nonpartisan and he does not trust legislation House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats pushed through in regards to probing the events of Jan. 6.

Larry Stopper, chair of the Nelson County Democratic Committee, said he doesnt think true unity can happen as long as Trump and his allies continue spreading misinformation and lies about the 2020 election being stolen.

I think its very sad that our political opponents view us as cheaters and the enemy. We are not their enemy. We are fellow Americans, Stopper said. We love our country. We love our democracy. We are not cheaters.

He said of the electoral process, You win some; you lose some, and noted the absence of rage among Democrats alleging election fraud after Youngkins recent win.

We dont believe our Republican opponents are cheaters, Stopper said. We are believers in democracy. We would like to believe we compete on a level playing field.

Stopper said of Trumps continued claims the election was stolen: Its not true. We know its not true  we worked hard and we won.

He added he doesnt believe the insurrection represents the Republican Party.

I believe the insurrection represented a small but vocal and potentially violent, obviously, wing of the right wing and they are dangerous to the country and dangerous to all of us individually, Stopper said.

He said he wishes they would put down their guns and violent rhetoric.

Witt said social media is a powerful tool in perpetrating lies and spoke of the importance of facts driving decisions rather than emotions.

We have good people who have been hijacked by [the Trump movement], Witt said. We have to get back to some level of compromise and collaboration. Civil discourse is important.

She said while little people are getting penalized for their roles, she believes the planners and instigators should be prosecuted as well.

They need to be held accountable or whats the point of democracy? Witt said.

Wilkins said he doesnt believe Trump was involved in organizing an attack and those rioting that day should be charged, as with anyone partaking in a riot.

I dont like rioters, Wilkins said. The Democrats are going to hang on it as long as they can. They will have an anniversary every year to bash Trump because they are afraid of him.

Amherst County Board of Supervisors member Claudia Tucker said she strongly believes America is the greatest country in the world with a resilient democracy that has weathered many challenges and assaults.

To me, the actions on January 6 were reflective of the deep divide that we see relative to respect, civility, anger and a total lack of personal responsibility, Tucker said. If I could wish for anything, it would be what my daddy taught me: Use your ears more than your mouth. Thats a rare quality these days.

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Underwood Lutheran Church

Underwood Lutheran Church, at 10 Third Ave., will hold Sunday activities. Education begins at 9 a.m. and in-person worship begins at 10:15 a.m. with online video available later in the day. Rev. Scott Dalen will deliver a sermon based on Luke 3:15-17, 21-22.

St. Pauls Evangelical

Country Church St. Pauls Evangelical Country Church, 11055 Dumfries Ave., rings the church bell at 10:30 a.m. to welcome people to worship each Sunday morning. There are directional signs from Wabash Avenue and Pioneer Trail leading to the church. We are a friendly, growing Bible teaching church led by Rev. Jason Kinney. Sunday school for all ages including adults begins at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday night activities include adult small group Bible study and youth groups. The Youth Christian Education Committee meets on Monday at 6 p.m. and the Church Council Meeting is Thursday at 7 p.m. This Sundays scripture is Numbers 16: 36-50 with the sermon title Life in the Wilderness. Visit our website stpaulsecc.org for more information. We are handicapped accessible.

Community of Christ Church Community of Christ Church, 140 W. Kanesville Blvd, holds Sunday worship at 10:15 a.m. Our theme this week is Called by Name. Our scripture for this week is Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22; Acts 8:14-17. Come join us as John Edwards will be speaking the message. Please call our office at 712-323-4498 for any questions. There are virtual ministries out on our World Church Website just access ongoing ministries cofchrist.org.

Compass Christian Church Compass Christian Church, 2007 S. Seventh St., welcomes you to worship with us Sundays at 10:30 a.m. We are located just west of the South Expressway. A cry room and childrens classes are available. You may also worship with us online at compasscb.online.church. Weekly schedules include mens Bible study from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday; childrens group kindergarten through fifth grade, student group sixth through 12th grade and adult prayer group are on Wednesday from 6:30-7:30 p.m.; and mens and womens groups are held at various times throughout the year. Complete information can be found on Facebook at Compass Christian Church CB compasscb.org or call the church office at 712-366-9112.

Fifth Avenue United

Methodist Church Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church, 1800 Fifth Ave., invites the public to participate in our live worship service at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Face masks are optional and the Sunday worship service will continue to be recorded live and can be viewed on our Facebook page: Fifth Avenue UMC, Council Bluffs. The church office can be reached Monday or Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for prayer or other requests at 712-323-7374 or through our email fifthaveumchurch@gmail.com. Upcoming events include Soup and Game night on Saturday at 6 p.m. January 8 6 pm Soup and Game night and Meal & Message on Wednesday at Jan. 26 at 6 p.m.

Epworth United

Methodist Church Epworth United Methodist Church, 2447 Ave. B, worships on Sundays at 9:25 a.m. The people are friendly, the worship is meaningful and the building is handicap accessible. Masks are not required but are available for those who need/want one. We invite you also to our Bible study on Thursday at 9 a.m. We are in prayer for all those affected by this virus. If you want us to pray for you, let us know your prayer requests by phone or online at epworthumccb.org/about-us/our-values/. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and our phone number is 712 323-3124.

Gethsemane

Presbyterian Church Gethsemane Presbyterian Church, 224 Wallace Ave, invites you to worship with us. Our service runs from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and children are invited to participate in Sunday school. Rev. Dr. Edwin G. Steinmetz will be delivering the sermon The Bread of Life and Holy Communion will be served. Refreshments will be served following service. Adult Bible study meets on Mondays and Thursdays from 9-10 a.m. Our food pantry is open on Mondays and Thursdays until 10:30 a.m. For more information contact the church office at 712-366-2513 or visit us on Facebook at gethsemanepresbyterianchurch.org.

Mt. Hope United

Methodist

Church Mt. Hope United Methodist Church, 290th and Highway 6, would like to invite all to join us on Sunday mornings for our worship service at 9:30 a.m. Children are welcome for the regular worship service and children sermon during the worship service. Upcoming events include a council meeting a 8:30 a.m. on Sunday followed be breakfast and worship at 9:30 a.m. in the fellowship room. You do not have to be a member to participate in our church activities, everyone is welcome.

Bethany Presbyterian Church, 1900 S. Seventh St., begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. Rev. Nancy Ross Hullingers message will be Redeemed and Called by Name and the scripture is Isaiah 43:1-7. Liturgist is Shari Dillehay and greeters are Micala Dillehay and Linda Cody. There will be a Deacons meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. We will undecorate the church after the worship service. There will be a Session meeting on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Linda Codys home. Bethany women will meet on Thursday at 11 a.m. Masks are recommended and we are a handicap accessible facility.

Faith Lutheran Church

Faith Lutheran Church, 2100 S. 11th Street, will have contemporary praise worship at the 9 a.m. Sunday worship service and the Faith Praise Team will lead the congregation in uplifting praise music. Tuesday there is a 9:30 a.m. adult Bible study that is open to everyone in the church fellowship hall and there is an elders meeting at 2:30 p.m. The LWML will meet Thursday at 1 p.m. in the fellowship hall for a contemporary Bible study with Rev. Ron followed by a brief business meeting  please enter by the rear door. Faith is observing social distancing but masks are optional. Services are also available on Faiths Face Book page and on YouTube by searching to Ron Rosenkaimer. For more information about worship opportunities at Faith contact the church office at 712-323-6445.

New Horizon Presbyterian Church

New Horizon Presbyterian Church, will return to our regular schedule of traditional services at 8 and 11 and the praise service at 9 a.m. Sunday school is from 10 to 10:45 a.m. The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet on Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. On Wednesday the Building and Grounds Committee will meet at 4 p.m. followed by the Administration Committee at 5 p.m. Wednesdays the Dulcimer Group practices at 4:30-5:30 p.m., the Praise Team at 5:45-6:30 p.m., the Chancel Bell Choir at 6:30-7:30 p.m. and the Chancel Choir at 7:30-8:30 p.m. On Thursday the Good Grief Group will meet at 1 p.m. The CDC advises everyone, vaccinated or not, to wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of high transmission such as Pottawattamie County. Please consider wearing a mask (regardless of your vaccination status), remember to use hand sanitizer frequently and maintain your social distance. Food and coffee will remain unavailable. Children are welcome to attend but the nursery will not be available. If you are ill, please worship from home by watching our Facebook page: facebook.com/NewHorizonPC.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Westminster Presbyterian Church, 517 S. 32nd St., welcomes everyone to join us for worship on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Rev. Deena Candler will be our guest speaker and her sermon is entitled Not Just Another Face in the Crowd. The scripture for Sunday is Isaiah 43:1-4and 1 John 3:1-3. We are handicap accessible through the northeast door of church.
CHI Health said Friday that all of its employees who work directly with patients will be required to wear two masks or an N95-rated mask starting Monday.

The health system, which owns the St. Elizabeth and Nebraska Heart hospitals as well as numerous other health care facilities in Lincoln, said the move was recommended by its infectious disease specialists in an attempt to protect its workforce from the fast-spreading COVID-19 omicron variant.

We know that the omicron variant of COVID-19 is the dominant variant in Nebraska and Iowa and is much more transmissible than previous variants, Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan, chief of infectious disease at CHI Health-Creighton University, said in a news release.

The health system said wearing a cloth mask over a medical-grade surgical mask will be sufficient to meet the requirement.

Double masking will help us all to stay healthier at work and better able to serve our patients," Dr. David Quimby, infectious disease expert with CHI Health-Creighton University, said in the release.

CHI Health did not say if it has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases among staff, and officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

The omicron variant has sent cases soaring in Nebraska over the past few days. Through the first six days of the year, the state has already seen nearly 11,000 cases, and that includes only partial results from Thursday.

Lancaster County set back-to-back single-day case records Wednesday and Thursday, recording nearly 1,200 cases on those two days combined. For the first five days this week, the county has already seen more than 1,800 cases and seems sure to break its weekly pandemic record for cases, which is 2,100, set the first week of December 2020.

Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.
A Washington man who in September pleaded guilty to a federal sex crime for masturbating on an airplane next to an 18-year-old woman after rubbing her thigh as she slept learned his fate in a Lincoln courtroom on Thursday.

Ian Wagner, 39, was sentenced to 18 months in a federal prison and ordered to pay $500 in restitution to the woman who had been seated next to him.

United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard issued the sentence on Thursday, less than four months after Wagner pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact of an incapacitated person.

As a part of the plea deal, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tessi Smith moved to drop two other federal sex crime charges.

Wagner will be under supervised release for six years after he gets out of prison and will be required to attend, complete and pay for any counseling services recommended by his probation officer in that time. He will report to a federal correctional facility near Seattle on March 9.

The sentencing comes more than four years after the 18-year-old awoke to Wagner rubbing his hand on her thigh on a Frontier Airlines flight between Indianapolis and Denver in October 2017. Wagner, at the time, was a resident of New Haven, Indiana.

After pulling her leg away, discreetly taking a photo of Wagner and using the airplane's restroom, the woman returned to her seat, under the impression it was the only available one on the plane, according to prosecutors.

When the 18-year-old returned, she found Wagner with a jacket over his lap. He later exposed his penis to her and proceeded to masturbate while staring at the woman for more than five minutes, Smith said.

The woman, who addressed the court by Zoom on Thursday, said the incident had negatively impacted her life for the last four years. She said she would never feel safe or comfortable around strangers again and hasn't sat in a window or middle seat on a plane since then, now aware of the possibility that she may have to escape.

Wagner and the state had agreed to a pre-sentencing recommendation of a 12-month prison sentence, but Gerrard opted for a longer term, noting the habitual nature of what he described as Wagner's "stunts."

Smith detailed Wagner's previous exploits at Thursday's hearing, noting he had publicly masturbated at a gas station, a Target store and in a parking lot on separate occasions in Indiana.

And in a fourth incident in 2014, Smith said, Wagner masturbated in his vehicle in the parking lot of a dance studio while his 3-year-old child sat in the back seat.

Addressing Gerrard, defense attorney Justin Kalemkiarian said his client had shown a "tremendous amount of remorse" in the years since the incident. He said Wagner had opted not to go to trial so the 18-year-old woman wouldn't be forced to relive the events of that flight.

Wagner, who appeared in court in person, was apologetic in his statement, asking for the 18-year-old's forgiveness. He was charged in Nebraska because authorities said the jet was over the state at the time of the sexual assault.

"In the end, it was my own actions  and no one else  that put me here," Wagner said.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley
An expected decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 to restrict abortion rights or overturn Roe v. Wade has set off a renewed round of abortion battles in state legislatures.

Leaders of Iowa's Republican-led legislature, however, say they're waiting to see how state and federal court cases play out.

"I don't see us passing a bill," Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said in an interview previewing the upcoming legislative session.

The Iowa Legislature convenes Jan. 10.

"I would like to see us wait to see how these court cases play out, and then we react," Grassley said. "I think right now, there's a lot of 'ifs' surrounding the life issue, to be honest with you."

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, echoed Grassley.

"From my perspective, we really need to see what's going to happen at the federal level in the Supreme Court, but also the state Supreme Court," Whitver said. "I think waiting to see what happens at both of those, both the federal and the state level is something we need to do."

Iowa Democrats, however, argue the Republican-led legislature is likely to press an all-out abortion ban that would take effect if Roe is reversed. The 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision affirmed a woman's right to an abortion before a fetus is viable outside the womb, usually about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

"Republicans just can't help themselves when it comes to attacking women's right to make their own healthcare decisions," Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said. "And so I can't fathom a legislative session in which nothing comes up.  We've seen some pretty harsh attacks on women in this arena, and I can't fathom they'll just let it go. That's just not who they are, especially in an election year."

Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville, however, said he did not foresee more legislative action on abortion this year.

"But in terms of whether or not Iowans are paying attention, I think if we see a Supreme Court decision that overturns either Roe or Casey, you're gonna see a whole heck of a lot of folks really wake up and realize the stakes of what we're dealing with right here," Wahls said, including the prospect of young families and professionals leaving the state and exacerbating a state "workforce crisis." "Young Iowans are overwhelmingly supportive of a woman's right to choose."

A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll conducted in September found a majority of Iowans  57%  believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases.

Court rulings

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in December in a case concerning a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and challenges the landmark abortion-rights ruling, which overturned would leave states with more freedom to restrict procedures terminating a pregnancy.

A majority of the Supreme Court during debate last month signaled it is open to upholding Mississippis abortion ban, but left unclear how far it may go to curtail or overturn the constitutional right to an abortion.

Several states have already passed so-called "trigger laws" that would automatically outlaw abortions upon a court decision overturning Roe.

A 2018 Iowa Supreme Court decision ruling the state's constitution protects a right to an abortion, however, provides a major legal hurdle and would remain in place should Roe be overturned. Meaning nothing would happen immediately in Iowa.

Iowa Republicans, though, got the ball rolling earlier this year on an effort to pass an amendment to the Iowa Constitution to undo the Iowa Supreme Court decision.

The Iowa House and Senate passed a resolution during the 2021 legislative session proposing an amendment that explicitly states the Iowa Constitution "does not recognize, grant, or secure a right to abortion or require the public funding of abortion." State lawmakers would need to approve the resolution again in the next General Assembly, beginning in 2023, to place the amendment on the ballot.

Iowa voters would still have to approve the change to the state's constitution in a general election. Meaning the soonest the issue would appear before voters would be in 2024.

Republicans, too, are waiting to see how the Iowa Supreme Court rules in coming months in the state's appeal of an Iowa District decision that permanently blocked a 2020 law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before receiving an abortion.

Anti-abortion activists have said they're hopeful a more conservative court will reverse the 2018 ruling, which struck down a prior 72-hour waiting period.

Since the 2018 decision, Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed four of Iowa's seven Supreme Court justices, and has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Sixty Iowa Republican legislators this fall asked the Iowa Supreme Court to overturn the 2018 ruling declaring women have a fundamental right to an abortion and any restrictions subject to strict judicial scrutiny.

"I think they created out of thin air a fundamental right to an abortion," said Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, who led passage of the constitutional amendment during the 2021 session. "I think we certainly have appointed judges that are more constructionist in nature. That doesn't necessarily mean rulings will go the way I think they should go. Am I cautiously optimistic? Yes. But ... I don't think there's anything certain as to how the court might rule."

'Extreme attack on women and girls'

Iowa Democrats and abortion-rights supporters worry that if a new Supreme Court ruling or constitutional amendment passes, state lawmakers will be granted the unchecked ability to regulate and restrict access to abortion services, which will disproportionately harm low-income Iowans who cannot afford to travel out of state to receive the procedure.

"The constitution is meant to give rights and not take them away," said state Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, the ranking Democrat on the House Human Resources Committee which considers abortion legislation.

"If theres a focus this session it should be maternal health care  and making sure its safe to have a baby in Iowa and were not doing that," Wessel-Kroeschell said. "Were making it more and more difficult and taking options away from Iowa families. The focus needs to change to supporting Iowans instead of taking away their rights."

Iowa hospitals have closed 18 labor and delivery departments, including in Muscatine, since fiscal year 2017, when the state hired private national firms to manage its Medicaid program.

Hospitals in the state lost a combined more than $38 million in calendar year 2020 between the amount billed by each provider and the amount paid for delivery claims under Iowas privatized Medicaid system, according to figures provided by State Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines.

"As hospitals are dumping labor & delivery services at record speed, our state is becoming a more dangerous place for birthing parents and their babies," Petersen wrote in a June 15 letter to Iowa Department of Human Services Director Kelly Garcia. "Even worse, privatized Medicaid isnt required to cover the transportation costs of getting birthing parents or their babies to hospitals equipped to care for them."

Garcia responded arguing Iowa Department of Public Health data "shows that access and quality do not appear to be declining, even when accounting for the decline in labor and delivery units." Gracia, too, pointed to the declining number of women giving birth in the state and nationwide.

Iowa does not regularly review Medicaid labor and delivery reimbursement rates to providers; however, "moving forward, the Department will work to undertake targeted rate reviews to help inform lawmakers, stakeholders and the public," Garcia wrote.

"In addition, Iowa Medicaid has committed to developing necessary maternal health coordination and reimbursement strategies that lead to appropriate risk identification and referrals to promote positive health outcomes for moms and babies on Medicaid," she wrote. "We have also identified a growing need to consider additional provider models, such as Certified Nurse Midwives, as we must augment our reliance on Family Medicine physicians to provide obstetrical services. Additional provider models are showing promise across the country in increasing maternal health access and quality, particularly for women in rural areas and for women of color."

Holt contends the constitutional amendment, if passed by Iowa voters, would return the Iowa Constitution "to a position of neutrality on the issue of abortion."

"It doesn't outlaw abortion in the state of Iowa," Holt said. "It would remove the fundamental right, subject to strict scrutiny.  There would have to be a ruling on the federal level before anything on abortion in Iowa would change, if the life amendment was to be passed."

Holt said he does not consider abortion health care, and worried if the 2018 ruling is allowed to stand it could open the door to taxpayer-funded and late-term abortions. Iowa law currently bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

"(The constitutional amendment) does not do anything besides possibly protect the restrictions we already have had in place," Holt argued.

Representatives from Planned Parenthood North Central States and Iowa Right to Life did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Petersen called the constitutional Amendment an "extreme attack on women and girls" as part of a Republican agenda "obsessed with banning access to legal, safe abortion care."

Iowa women and girls, Petersen said, need more access to safe health care close to home, not less.

"This constitutional amendment takes away personal decision-making power from women  taking away our freedom to make personal decisions about what is best for our bodies, our future, our families and our pregnancies," Petersen said.

 The Gazette Des Moines Bureau and Associated Press contributed reporting to this article
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Taryn Turner, left, stands with behavior therapist Zipporah Leach at iCan Dream Center in Tinley Park. Turner recently graduated from the CNA program at the alternative school, where she has studied for four years. ( iCan Dream Center)

An alternative school in Tinley Park recently graduated its first group of certified nursing assistants through a program created especially for the schools population and supported by funding from state cannabis taxes.

Students accepted into the CNA program at iCan Dream Center receive free tuition, materials, uniforms, transportation, and a stipend to complete clinical hours. Upon graduation theyre certified and ready to enter the workforce.

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This is our goal  to get our students finished with school and prepared for a vocation with real skills they can mobilize into competitive employment. This is at the crux of my heart for starting the center, said Evisha Ford, founder of iCan Dream Center.

Ford started the alternative school about nine years ago to serve students with minor disabilities or adjustment issues that made it difficult for them to be successful in classic school environments.

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This includes students with intellectual disabilities, mild autism, learning difficulties, emotional regulation issues and social anxiety  young people who lack tools to manage traditional education, while not qualifying for more extensive help usually reserved for those with more profound symptoms.

The iCan Dream Center relies on small class sizes and a personalized approach, where instructors learn about their students as they teach, Ford said.

If a students medication makes them especially sleepy in the morning, their teacher might shift tests to the afternoon. For students who have an outburst of anger during class, conversation comes before discipline.

Rather than a public school that has one or two specialists for everyone, Ford said all teachers at iCan Dream Center are knowledgeable in helping students with learning difficulties.

Instead of being specialized, theyre just part of our environment, Ford said. We dont need to build in a time to see where youre at and what your mood zone is for the day. Thats something we check in with every morning and throughout the day.

Choosing a second chance

Now a state-accredited institution, Ford started the iCan Dream Center as an after-school program for young people with learning delays. The school spent seven years in Hazel Crest before moving to Tinley Park. Its service area includes South Cook County and portions of Will County, and it now offers programs for children as young as 3.

The iCan Dream Center also incorporates an accelerated high school completion program for teens and a transition program for young adults who arent quite ready to adult, designed to ease them into the workforce or help them adapt to higher education.

Ford said students are often referred to the center by educators when the young persons high school situation is breaking down. Students must voluntarily enroll, she said; no one is forced to be there.

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The student has to express the interest to want to be here, and a lot of times they really want to. Its a second chance for them, Ford said.

These are students who are really vulnerable, especially to be taken advantage of by life. They just need a little support to be successful, but unfortunately society wont see them that way. With a little work, these students can make some real progress.

The CNA program is the schools newest offering, created and supported by a subgrant from Metropolitan Family Services, which received funds from the states Restore, Reinvest, and Renew program.

Created as part of the legislation that legalized marijuana for recreational use, the program directs 25% of cannabis tax revenue to programs that benefit youth development, among other social initiatives.

Instead of a typical six- to eight-week CNA program, the course at iCan Dream Center is paced over 12 weeks. Students receive extra guidance in working through their clinical hours, along with additional aids such as audio textbooks.

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Weve added all these supports for students who just need that little bit more, Ford said. They can access these services to enhance their success.

With her new CNA certification, Calumet City resident Taryn Turner, 19, is hoping to follow in her grandmothers footsteps. She came to the iCan Dream Center four years ago from Thornwood High School and finished high school through a credit recovery program.

Once I learned about the CNA program  I knew I wanted to complete it to make my family proud, to be able to help others and myself, Turner said.

As she continues to develop professional skills in the transition program at iCan Dream Center, the Calumet City resident said she hopes to become a nurse someday and work in a hospital setting.

All of my teachers have been extremely nice to me, and have been like parents also, Turner said. Everyone has been supportive to me while achieving my goals for the future.

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Carole Sharwarko is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Morocco has become a key country for China in its new silk roads project, thanks to the Kingdoms attractiveness and geostrategic location, French Magazine Le Point underlines in an article published on Thursday.

Morocco has strengthened its position as a gateway to Europe and Africa in recent years. This has not escaped the attention of China, which is showing an increasing economic interest in the Kingdom, writes the author of the article entitled: Morocco, key player for China in the Maghreb.

Due to its geostrategic location, the Kingdom has positioned itself as the entry point for European investments in Africa Its port, Tanger Med, has entered the top 25 global port hubs and is third in terms of connectivity behind Shanghai and Panama City.

This has not escaped China, the magazine writes one day after Morocco and China signed the agreement on the Joint Implementation Plan of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Since King Mohammed VIs visit to China in 2016, the two countries have strengthened their partnership at all diplomatic, cultural and especially economic levels, increasing the volume of their trade, notes the magazine.

Morocco even became the first country in the Maghreb to join, in November 2017, the great project of new silk roads that aims to improve trade links between Asia, Europe, Africa and even beyond through the construction of ports, railroads, airports or industrial parks, stresses the French magazine.

According to the French magazine, which cites the School of Economic Warfare (EGE), Moroccos geographical location, between Africa and Europe, its ability to provide a skilled workforce, its infrastructure and logistics and its unparalleled stability in the region may explain the interest of the Peoples Republic of China for the Kingdom.

The publication underlines that this interest is also reflected in figures. Thus, bilateral trade has grown by 50% in the last five years, from 4 billion dollars in 2016 to 6 billion dollars in 2021, while more than 80 Chinese investment projects are underway in Morocco.

The magazine also recalls that last July, Rabat and Beijing took a new step by signing agreements in the field of health, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic with the manufacture of the COVID-19 vaccine Sinopharm in the Kingdom.

Sinopharm company and the Moroccan government are currently working closely to promote the phase III trial, procurement and production of the COVID-19 Vaccine.

This was only a step before the signing of new agreements to achieve a greater involvement of the Kingdom of Morocco in the Belt and Road Initiative, says the publication.

The agreement on the joint Belt and Road Implementation Plan between Morocco and China was hailed by the two sides as a tool opening a new era in bilateral cooperation, and adding momentum to a deeper cooperation in matters of infrastructure.

The agreement aims to promote access to Chinese funding provided by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for the realization of large-scale projects in Morocco or for the facilitation of trade, the establishment of joint ventures in various fields, including industrial parks, energy, renewable energy
The Filali couple, Dounia and her husband Adnane, active on social networks serving the interests of some countries, advocates anti-Semitism & apology of terrorist groups, seeks political asylum in France, while their trade is based solely on white slavery and accessories.

In a story published by Liberation daily, anti-semitic, anti-France and racist messages, which were posted several years ago by the Filali couple, were used again by the couple who surprisingly benefits from the complacency of French authorities.

The French government, which outlined in October 2021 in the Senate the vision that France will carry during its presidency of the European Union in order to build a consensus on asylum and migration pact, has not hesitated in wanting to offer refugee status to Dounia and Adnane Filali, known for their hate speech.

In a very biased story, the French newspaper turned Dounia Filali into a youtuber who supposedly investigates corruption and repression in Morocco, without any prior verification worthy of a major newspaper.

This daily, known for its racist and manipulative tendencies, persists in denigrating the reforms and modernization engaged in Morocco. The political and economic rapprochement between Morocco and Israel makes several European countries and entities nervous.

Moreover, the National Bureau of Vigilance Against Antisemitism has officially asked the French authorities and particularly the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) to refuse asylum in France to Filali Dounia and Adnane, who are neither refugees nor stateless persons.

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.
As his predecessors, the new UN envoy for the Sahara, Staffan De Mistura, is expected to head shortly to the North African region for consultations with the parties to the Sahara conflict: Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania and the Polisario.

The UN envoy is actively preparing his first regional tour, has said lately Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General during his daily press briefing.

Mr. De Mistura is in contact with all the relevant parties and their neighbors. He is looking forward to the visit as an opportunity to meet relevant partners and hold discussions in the region.

But, at this point, there is no other details to confirm, no dates to confirm, underlined the spokesperson for the UN Chief.

Staffan de Mistura is an experienced Italian-Swedish diplomat in conflicts management and resolution. He has replaced German Host Kohler who resigned in May 2019 for health reasons.

Mr.Staffan had served as UN special envoy for Syria (2014 to 2019), special representative of UN Secretary General for Iraq (2007-2009), Afghanistan (2010-2011) and South Lebanon (2001-2004).
A 40-year-old Washington woman, charged with stabbing a man at a North Platte hotel Dec. 27, waived a preliminary hearing Thursday morning.

The motion was made during an appearance in Lincoln County Court, and the case was bound over to district court.

Nichole E. Wright is charged with second-degree domestic assault, use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and two misdemeanor charges of negligent child abuse with no injury.

She remains at the Lincoln County Detention Center. Her bail was reduced by half during the court appearance and is now set at 10% of $37,500.

According to court documents, North Platte police officers responded to Great Plains Health, where a man had a stabbing wound to his right calf, and the investigation led back to a hotel on South Dewey Street.

Wright admitted that she was responsible for the injury and led the officers to a sink in her room where an 8-inch foldable lock blade knife was located submerged in water.

Wright was interviewed at the police station, where she said she had stabbed the man because he had assaulted her.

Two young children were taken into protective custody and turned over to Health and Human Services for placement as it was determined both Wright and the victim had been drinking.

More by Tim Johnson

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PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP)  As a raging band of his supporters scaled walls, smashed windows, used flagpoles to beat police and breached the U.S. Capitol in a bid to overturn a free and fair election, Donald Trump's excommunication from the Republican Party seemed a near certainty, his name tarnished beyond repair.

Some of his closest allies, including Fox News Channel hosts like Laura Ingraham, warned that day that Trump was "destroying" his legacy. "All I can say is count me out. Enough is enough," said his friend and confidant Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader who worked closely with Trump to dramatically reshape the judiciary, later denounced him as "morally responsible" for the attack.

But one year later, Trump is hardly a leader in exile. Instead, he is the undisputed leader of the Republican Party and a leading contender for the 2024 presidential nomination.

Trump is positioning himself as a powerful force in the primary campaigns that will determine who gets the party's backing heading into the fall midterms, when control of Congress, governor's offices and state election posts are at stake. At least for now, there's little stopping Trump as he makes unbending fealty to his vision of the GOP a litmus test for success in primary races, giving ambitious Republicans little incentive to cross him.

"Let's just say I'm horrendously disappointed," said former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a longtime Republican who now serves on the advisory committee of the Renew America Movement, a group trying to wrest the party away from Trump's control.

"His ego was never going to let him accept defeat and go quietly into the night," she added. "But what I am surprised by is how deferential so many of the Republican elected officials" have been.

Rather than expressing any contrition for the events of Jan. 6, Trump often seems emboldened and has continued to lie about his 2020 election loss. He frequently  and falsely  says the "real" insurrection was on Nov. 3, the date of the 2020 election when Democrat Joe Biden won in a 306-232 Electoral College victory and by a 7 million popular vote margin.

Federal and state election officials and Trump's own attorney general have said there is no credible evidence the election was tainted. The former president's allegations of fraud were also roundly rejected by courts, including by judges Trump appointed.

Undaunted, Trump is preparing for another run for the White House in 2024, and polls suggest that, at the moment, he would easily walk away with the GOP nomination.

For Trump, the extraordinary outcome is the product of sheer will and a misinformation campaign that began long before the election, when he insisted the only way he could lose was if the election was "rigged" and wouldn't commit to accepting defeat. His refusal to accept reality has flourished with the acquiescence of most Republican leaders, who tend to overlook the gravity of the insurrection for fear of fracturing a party whose base remains tightly aligned with Trump and his effort to minimize the severity of what happened on Jan. 6.

While five people died during the rioting or its immediate aftermath, less than half of Republicans recall the attack as violent or extremely violent, according to a poll released this week by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs. About 3 in 10 Republicans said the attack was not violent.

The situation has stunned and depressed critics in both political parties who were convinced the insurrection would force Republicans to abandon the Trump era once and for all. He became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice. The second impeachment centered on his role in sparking the insurrection, but Trump was acquitted in a Senate trial, a clear indication that he would face few consequences for his actions.

"There was this hope when we were in the safe room that we would go back and the Republicans would see how crazy this was, how fragile our democracy was, what President Trump had done, and that they would renounce that and we would all come together," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., describing the events that day. Instead, she said, "there were people defending the insurrectionists and defending Trump and continuing with the challenge and the Big Lie."

Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a Republican who, with Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, has emerged as one of the few GOP anti-Trump critics in Congress, had predicted Trump's hold on the party would "be gone" by the summer. But Kinzinger, who recently announced his decision not to run for reelection, blamed House Republican leader and Trump ally Kevin McCarthy for proving him wrong.

"What I underestimated was the impact that one person would have on that, and that is Kevin McCarthy and his visit to Mar-a-Lago," Kinzinger said, referring to a trip McCarthy took to Florida in late January 2020 as the party was on the verge of disarray. With their eyes on retaking the House in 2022, Trump and McCarthy agreed to work together and released a photograph showing them smiling side by side.

"Kevin McCarthy is legitimately, singlehandedly the reason that Donald Trump is still a force in the party," Kinzinger said. "That full-hearted embrace, I saw firsthand in members, made them not just scared to take on Trump but in some cases also full-heartedly embrace him."

Aides to McCarthy didn't respond to a request for comment on Kinzinger's characterization.

Others, however, point to fractures that suggest Trump's power is waning.

Banned from Twitter and denied his other social media megaphones, Trump no longer controls the news cycle like he did in office. He canceled a news conference that was scheduled for Thursday following pressure from some Republican allies, who warned that such an event was ill-advised.

During last year's most prominent elections, Republicans like Virginia gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin strategically kept Trump at arm's length. Youngkin's victory created a possible model for candidates running in battleground states where suburban voters uncomfortable with the former president are a key bloc.

While Trump's endorsement remains coveted in many midterm primary races, it has also failed to clear the field in some key races. Trump has similarly struggled to prevent other Republicans from eyeing the 2024 presidential nomination. His former vice president, secretary of state and a handful of Senate allies have made frequent trips to early voting states, preparing for potential campaigns and refusing to rule out running against Trump.

"When somebody walks out of the most powerful office in the world, the Oval Office, to sit by the swimming pool at Mar-a-Lago, his influence declines," said John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser. Bolton has funded extensive national and state-level polling on the subject over the last year that has found Trump's sway and the power of his endorsement waning considerably since he left office.

"I really think that the evidence is clear that the people are done with Trump," Bolton said. "He still has support, but it is declining. Honestly, it's not declining as fast as I would like to see and it's not down to zero. But among real people, it is declining."

Trump is also facing a flurry of investigations, including in New York, where prosecutors are investigating whether his real estate company misled banks and tax officials about the value of his assets, inflating them to gain favorable loan terms or minimizing them to reap tax savings. New York Attorney General Letitia James' office confirmed this week that it has subpoenaed Trump and his two eldest children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., as part of an investigation into the family's business practices. Both children have been prominent political surrogates for Trump.

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, the Jan. 6 committee continues to investigate the Trump White House's involvement in the deadly insurrection.

Trump still has his eyes on 2024, even as he continues to obsess over the 2020 election. After spending 2021 raising money and announcing his endorsements of candidates who have parroted his election lies up and down the ballot, Trump's team is preparing to pivot to helping those candidates win with a stepped-up rally schedule and financial support, including transfers to candidate accounts and targeted advertising.

Trump, according to allies, sees the midterms as a foundation for his next campaign, and intends to use the cycle to position himself for his party's nomination.

Voting rights advocates, meanwhile, are increasingly worried as states with Republican legislatures push legislation that would allow them to influence or overrule the vote in future elections. They fear what might happen if Trump-endorsed candidates for secretary of state and attorney general who say the election was stolen find themselves in positions that could sway the outcome in 2024.

"It's a concerted effort to undermine our public's confidence in the electoral system, so in 2022 and 2024, if they don't like the elections  and this is Republicans  they can overturn it," said Whitman, who also serves as co-chair of States United Action, a nonpartisan nonprofit that aims to protect the integrity of future elections. "We are in a very, very fragile place."

***

Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.
Writer Beer & Society

There is nothing that cannot be discussed and worked out over a beer. Join me as I explore local beer, breweries and how they can civilize us.
Confederate president Jefferson Davis lives on in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

When President Joe Biden spoke on the morning of January 6 from Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol, he remarked at the profane presence of rioters who had carried Confederate flags into this sacred space a year ago: the Confederate flag that symbolized the cause to destroy America, to rip us apart. Even during the Civil War, that never, ever happened. But it happened here in 2021.

The president is certainly right that anyone carrying a rebel banner into the Capitol during the Civil War would have been arrested, removed, and probably charged with treason. But unfortunately, the powers that be in the post-Reconstruction era valued reconciliation with ex-Confederates at the expense of the rights and interests of the former slaves they were in the process of subjugating all over again, and they continued to do so for at least a century. As it happens, the proof of this tolerance for the Lost Cause and its evil tenets surrounded Biden as he spoke on January 6, with the statues of five former Confederate officials or military officers among the 35 that give Statuary Hall its name. They include the arch-traitor and Confederate president Jefferson Davis (representing Mississippi) and his vice-president, Alexander Stephens (representing Georgia). Three other statues of ex-Confederates are in different parts of the Capitol, all part of a collection of 100, with two representatives designated by each state.

Ex-Confederate states have been gradually replacing their famous insurrectionists in the Capitol collection. Alabama replaced Confederate politician and officer Jabez Lamar Monroe Curry with Helen Keller in 2009. Virginia gave Robert E. Lee the heave-ho in 2020 (his image will be replaced by that of civil-rights activist Barbara Johns). And soon, Florida Confederate general Edmund Kirby Smith will give way to educator Mary McLeod Bethune.

In 2020, Nancy Pelosi made an effort via the joint congressional Committee on the Library (which governs Statuary Hall) to remove the remaining Confederate statues from the Capitol (separately, she removed several portraits of former Confederates that were in areas of the Capitol she controlled). But her Senate counterpart, Republican Roy Blunt, refused to go along and objected to a unanimous consent motion by Cory Booker to force the issue, citing (without irony, I believe) states-rights concerns.

So statues of the men who worked and fought to destroy the United States of America in defense of slavery and white supremacy linger on in the Capitol, all but mocking Biden by their silent but impudent presence. No wonder the latter-day insurrectionists were emboldened to carry the battle flag of the Confederacy into the sacred space long profaned by accommodation to the ex-rebels in this and many other ways.
East Alabama Health officials continue to plead with the public not to use any of its three emergency departments for routine COVID-19 testing, which includes those at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika and EAMC-Lanier in Valley, as well as the Freestanding Emergency Department at the Auburn Medical Pavilion.

A message being posted by the health care provider and marked Urgent specifically asks people not to visit the emergency departments for routine COVID tests needed to travel or to return to work.

If you suspect you may have COVID and have minor symptoms, the message reads, please stay home and contact your primary care provider or an urgent care facility for a COVID test.

John Atkinson, spokesman for East Alabama Health, said that these three departments administered COVID tests to 196 patients on Wednesday, with only nine of them requiring hospitalization.

One hundred of those 196 tests came back positive for a positivity rate of 51%, which exceeds the states current positivity rate of about 42%, a pandemic high.

Atkinson said that those with severe COVID symptoms that may require hospitalization should certainly come to the emergency room.

But we ask that people whose symptoms are mild to please seek testing at alternate locations so that patients in need of emergent care are seen without delay, he said. When the emergency departments get clogged with non-emergent needs, it creates longer than necessary wait times for everyone.

With the holidays over, more locations in Lee County are offering COVID testing.

Atkinson said that East Alabama Healths drive-through testing, a collaboration with the Alabama Department of Health and Lee County Emergency Agency, administered about 250 tests on Wednesday and will be providing several mid-week testing days for the remainder of January.

He said that East Alabama Health will also be providing testing on Saturdays and Sundays beginning this weekend and continuing through January, and that this testing requires the patient to have symptoms. For these tests, patients should contact the East Alabama Health Call Center at 334-528-4YOU (4968) from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on weekends from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday and Sunday.

The Auburn University Medical Clinic is also testing 150-160 patients a day Monday through Friday. Appointments are made no more than one day in advance, and are available by calling 334-844-9825.

Clinics in Lee County that are accepting walk-ins include American Family Care in Tiger Town in Opelika (334-528-9050), Well Springs Urgent Care in Auburn (334-329-6268) and Auburn Urgent Care (334-821-3221).
Former vice governor of Shanxi stands trial for bribery, power abuse

Xinhua) 09:33, January 07, 2022

SHIJIAZHUANG, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Liu Xinyun, former vice governor of north China's Shanxi Province, on Thursday stood trial at the Langfang Intermediate People's Court in north China's Hebei Province, on charges of bribery and power abuse.

Liu, who also served as former head of the Shanxi provincial public security department, was charged by Langfang municipal prosecutors with taking advantage of his various posts to assist companies and individuals with business operations, case handling and other matters and in return accepting cash and gifts worth over 13.3 million yuan (2.09 million U.S. dollars) between 1998 and 2021.

Liu was also accused of abuse of power which caused heavy losses to public property and the interest of the state and the people.

The prosecutors, the defendant and his lawyers cross-examined the evidence and gave their respective accounts, said a court statement.

In his final statement, Liu pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.

The trial was attended by more than 30 people, including lawmakers, political advisors and members of the public.

The verdict will be announced in due course.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez was indicted Thursday and accused of resisting law enforcement and reckless driving, charges the sheriff denies and said are the result of a political witch hunt.

Martinez denied the charges in a written statement. He noted that an indictment is only an accusation, said his political opponents brought the charges against him and emphasized that he was not accused of public corruption.

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The allegations were initiated by a rival politician who has publicly demonstrated his disdain for me and the work that I do for the people of Lake County. As this matter unfolds, it will come to light that this is nothing more than a political witch hunt, Martinez, 51, said in the statement.

In October, the Lake County Commissioners sent a letter to Prosecutor Bernard Carter seeking an investigation into the alleged misuse of some of the countys new police vehicles. On Thursday, Commissioner Michael Repay, D-3rd, said the investigation into this incident was thorough and occurred fairly.

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The most important part is that the indictment is not the sad day. The sad day occurred when the sheriff thought he was above the law, Repay said.

As previously reported by the Post-Tribune, the state charges stem from a Sept. 18 incident in which Crown Point Police officers conducting a traffic stop at about 11:30 p.m. in the 9000 block of Taft Street saw a black SUV traveling northbound on Main Street at what appeared to be at a speed well above the 45 mph posted limit.

The SUV continued at this speed onto Taft Street in Merrillville, passing the stopped officers. In seeing the speeding violation, officers attempted to catch up to curb the vehicle, according to a police report.

The report continues, saying the SUV was seen making a right-hand turn onto eastbound U.S. 30 in Merrillville. As officers were catching up to the vehicle, the driver activated emergency red and blue police lights, giving notice that it was an unmarked police car. In seeing the lights, officers disregarded their actions any further.

The indictment states that Martinez did knowingly or intentionally flee from Crown Point police and that he did recklessly operate a motor vehicle by driving at such an unreasonably high rate of speed as to endanger the safety or property of others.

A grand jury met Wednesday and Thursday morning before reaching its verdict, said special prosecutor Stanley Levco. The jury heard from about 10 witnesses, he said.

They based the verdict on the evidence, Levco said.

For nearly 30 years, Martinez has been a police officer and for the last four years hes had the privilege to serve as the elected sheriff, he said.

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Those who have followed my tenure as sheriff know that I have defended this office from wanna-be political power brokers and have remained steadfast in my commitment to maintain the integrity of the sheriffs office, Martinez said.

Martinez, who filed for reelection Wednesday in the May Democratic primary, said he will not be deterred or intimidated by this blatant attempt to undermine his reelection.

I will continue to focus on ensuring the safety and security of the people of Lake County and those that visit here. When all of the facts are revealed, it will be apparent that this is nothing more than a smear campaign and an attempt to manipulate the legal system by unscrupulous and shameless politicians, Martinez said in the statement.

Council President Ted Bilski-D-Hobart, said Martinez is a great law enforcement professional.

Its unfortunate that it happened, Bilski said.

Councilman Charlie Brown, D-Gary, said the situation is unfortunate, especially because Lake County has a very, very negative reputation across the state for the way public officials behave.

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The sheriff and I have not been the closest of comrades, but I wish him the best, Brown said. This is certainly not anticipated by anyone here that a law enforcement official would be himself charged with breaking the law.

Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. said hed heard about the indictment earlier in the afternoon.

I think hes a great sheriff and I hope this issue works itself out, McDermott said.

Martinez won a Democratic caucus in September 2017 to replace Sheriff John Buncich, 76, who was convicted on federal public corruption charges and resigned. Buncich is currently serving a more than 14-year sentence at a federal prison in Springfield, Missouri.

In the 2018 general election, Martinez defeated Republican Dan Bursac with 66% of the vote.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address on March 1, the White House confirmed Friday, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the president a formal invitation to speak to Congress and the American public one year into his term.

It will mark the latest any president has delivered a State of the Union address. The speech is normally timed for January, and occasionally for February. The delay is driven in part by a busy legislative calendar, a winter spike in COVID-19 cases from the more transmissible omicron variant and the upcoming Winter Olympics, which ties up broadcast network time.

The last State of the Union address was delivered by then-President Donald Trump on the eve of his acquittal by the Senate in his first impeachment trial.

Biden first addressed a joint session of Congress in April 2021, about 100 days into his time in the White House, which he used to promote twin infrastructure and domestic spending bills. Biden signed a slimmed-down and bipartisan version of the infrastructure proposal into law last year in crowning first-year legislative achievements. The larger expansion of the social safety net passed the House, but Biden has struggled to secure enough Democratic support in the Senate for passage.

An address to Congress in the president's first year is not an official State of the Union address, and Biden's April speech bore little resemblance to one because of strict COVID-19 protocols. It was marked by limitations on attendance, with no guests allowed, and lawmakers seated on both the floor of the House chamber and the galleries above. Officials said pandemic precautions for this year's speech were still being worked out, though they expect it to look more like a traditional State of the Union address than last year's remarks.

"Thank you for your bold vision and patriotic leadership which have guided America out of crisis and into an era of great progress, as we not only recover from the pandemic but Build Back Better!," Pelosi wrote in her letter to Biden. "In that spirit, I am writing to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 1, to share your vision of the State of the Union."
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Very shrewd move... capitalizing on West Side Story's massive success.

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And none for Ansel Elgort

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He is insufferable. I hope he's miserable watching his costar's fame rise while his plummets.

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My favorite part! Still giving her a chance for exposure w/o helping him

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That's nine days from now, meaning they'll all have to start work on it on Monday. What are they going to do? Not have any skits done in person until they're on stage at 11:35 Saturday night??? And none of these skits are going to require sets? Ffs, Lorne...

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It's wild they're going through with it.

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From what I hear she's the front runner for BSA so far.

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i'd say kirsten dunst is still the frontrunner but ariana has gained a lot of ground



Edited at 2022-01-06 11:11 pm (UTC)

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I'm rooting for Kiki!

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I dont think Dunst was ever the frontrunner. Shes not dominating even the critics awards, which is that movies strongest constituency, and shes got multiple co-stars getting more buzz than her.

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BSA not BA

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she's been picking up a lot of critics awards, i'd say it's between her and kirsten with aunjanue ellis from king richard as the spoiler (but that's because i liked her performance so much). other people think caitriona balfe will be the spoiler.

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I hope she wins, she gave a supernova performance in WSS.



I loooved Aunjanue's performance too and I thought she was just as good as Will. I didn't love Belfast but of all the potential nominees from that movie I think Caitriona is the most deserving. And I liked Kiki in TPOTD and I love her in general but I hope she doesn't win this year  it wasn't her best work.



I'm also hoping Ruth sneaks in because I loved her performance in Passing. And because I just love looking at her face tbh.

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her, aunjanue and kiki are my favs so far from that race. i'd be thrilled if any of the three of them won.

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i forgot to bring up that she was on Schmigadoon with Cecily Strong and that the show was produced by Lorne, so it makes sense that she booked it as part of her Oscars campaign. that was a good show that by all accounts does not exist.

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I keep on forgetting about Schmigadoon even though I enjoyed it at the time. It really didnt seem to get much buzz which is a shame.

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DEBOSE AND FAIST SUPREMANCY '22 

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i haven't been in any posts but i LOVED them in WSS

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mike faist was so fucking good i'm still thinking about his performance



honestly ansel is the biggest, most glaring fuckup in terms of casting. he was a blackhole of charisma and idk, it was pretty obvious to me (but maybe i'm letting the allegations against him cloud my opinion)

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Get rid of Che, Fineman, and Mooney tbh. I still can't believe Cecily and Kate are still there. They deserve better.

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When will WSS leak 

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Good luck booking that covid-free cast, crew, and studio you speak of.

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Big get for DeBose during the award campaign.



Its always interesting to see what they do with hosts who arent really famous in terms of having a star persona or blockbuster role that the writers can easily fall back on. Either it forces the writers to be creative or they just flounder.

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Thats a big get for Ariana!

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Godriana

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Im so excited for her, rise my queen! Rise

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are they struggling to find hosts?

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1. Our students can tell Dylan McDermott and Dermott Mulroney apart.

2. Our students are so good at lawyering that they've mastered the Annalise Keating walk.

3. Our students are so prepared for the future that they can rank all kinds of Chrises.

4. Our students EXCEL at equistry.

5. Our students KNOW Orlando Bloom likes brocoli.

6. Our students have an incredible literature depart-- .

6. Our students are inclusive and definitely not racist.

7...8? I don't know, i can't count. but our students know by memory every single cast member of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise.

You can play this while reading this post, you uncultured beast.Only one of them has cried masturbating in American Horror Story and the other one had a recurring role on New Girl. And our students know which one is which. Advanced students can also identify Murray Barlett.A regular student from any Ivy league cant even remember their names.Scandal who? TGIT what? Our students are so good at lawyering that they'll get away with murder and get an spinoff out of Shonda Rhimes, all while finding dick pics in a dead girl's phone.They can rank them by talent, handsomeness, dick size, oscars, etc. And Chris Pratt is the worst every single time.We're the only university in DA WORLDDDD that gives their student two, not one, not three, but TWO obligatory courses in Equistry. One with professor Trace Cyrus, and another one with professor Adam Driver aka Beta Ray Bill.Our extensive analysis and years of research led us to find out that Orlando Bloom's favorite vegetable is brocoli, so Jessica can remain eating shit and dying.OK, ONTD Doesnt read, i'll give you that one.They may simp for white guys, but they call it "a preference". Also, they've been trained to identify if a Wild Rihanna appears. How do they fit all this information in their small brains? We don't know. They still have trouble processing how much is 7x6.
EOG Resources, one of the largest operators in the U.S. shale patch, has signaled it would be willing to boost oil production if there is demand for it.

In a video conference hosted by Goldman Sachs, chief executive Ezra Yacob said EOG could return to pre-pandemic production levels this year as long as it makes economic sense.

EOG would be in a position to return to pre-Covid levels of production, Yacob said, as quoted by Bloomberg. If the world has a call on oil and theres room to grow our low-cost, lower- emissions barrels into the market, we can certainly deliver on that.

U.S. oil producers, especially those in the shale patch, have been focusing on shareholder returns amid the pandemic, after years of plowing billions into higher production only to see it slump as the lockdowns began last year.

Facing disgruntled shareholders, shale producers chose to keep production lower and boost dividends and other payouts instead.

Investor attitude has been one of the reasons the shale industry did not respond to calls from the White House for higher oil production as the administration struggled to put a lid on prices at the pump. The other reason has been the White Houses choice to turn to OPEC for this kind of help first, overlooking the domestic oil industry.

The outlook for oil demand remains bullish for now, not least because there are doubts that OPEC and its partners in OPEC+ have the spare capacity they need to continue adding 400,000 bpd to it. Recent production outages in Libya and Kazakhstan have also cast a shadow over the groups plans for a return to pre-pandemic production levels.

With demand seen strong, this has opened up opportunities for non-OPEC producers such as U.S. shale drillers to step in and fill the potential gap in supply that some analysts warn may appear later this year.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
- The export ban might be lifted soon as other (albeit smaller) buyers of

- Routinely, half of Indonesias coal exports are supplied to China but Chinese prices saw very little change this week.

- ICE Newcastle coal prices have gained almost $50 per metric ton this week, trading only marginally below the $200 per metric ton mark.

- Only a week has passed since the worlds largest exporter of thermal coal, Indonesia, announced it would halt coal exports to keep its production at home as coal markets experience a period of unprecedented turmoil.

- Partially, the drive to buy more cargoes on the spot market also comes from the increasing likelihood of seeing a nuclear deal coming to fruition in 2022.

- The steep Dubai backwardation curve that persisted throughout 2021 compelled Middle Eastern producers to keep on ramping up official selling prices, effectively penalizing buyers in times of sudden forward structure changes.

- Currently, some 12 million b/d of crude is moving every month from Middle Eastern producers to the Asia Pacific and roughly two-thirds of it takes place under OSP-priced term contracts.

- Several Asian refineries surveyed by S&P Platts admitted they would try to tap into the spot market more extensively in 2022 as termed Middle Eastern OSPs remain too expensive.

1. Asian Buyers Seeking Spot Options Amidst Expensive OSPs

- Several Asian refineries surveyed by S&P Platts admitted they would try to tap into the spot market more extensively in 2022 as termed Middle Eastern OSPs remain too expensive.

- Currently, some 12 million b/d of crude is moving every month from Middle Eastern producers to the Asia Pacific and roughly two-thirds of it takes place under OSP-priced term contracts.

- The steep Dubai backwardation curve that persisted throughout 2021 compelled Middle Eastern producers to keep on ramping up official selling prices, effectively penalizing buyers in times of sudden forward structure changes.

- Partially, the drive to buy more cargoes on the spot market also comes from the increasing likelihood of seeing a nuclear deal coming to fruition in 2022.

2. Indonesia Coal Export Ban Sends Ripples Across Asia

- Only a week has passed since the worlds largest exporter of thermal coal, Indonesia, announced it would halt coal exports to keep its production at home as coal markets experience a period of unprecedented turmoil.

- ICE Newcastle coal prices have gained almost $50 per metric ton this week, trading only marginally below the $200 per metric ton mark.

- Routinely, half of Indonesias coal exports are supplied to China but Chinese prices saw very little change this week.

- The export ban might be lifted soon as other (albeit smaller) buyers of Indonesian coal, amongst them India and Japan, have informally asked Jakarta to reconsider its ban.

3. Brazil Continues to Lead Global FPSO Capacity

- The FPSO construction market has largely shrugged off the consequences of the COVID-induced slowdown, with 10 floating production and storage units coming onstream in 2022, Rystad Energy reports.

- Consolidating its status as the worlds leading FPSO play, Brazil will add three additional units this year as Buzios production continues to increase, half of what the Latin American country added last year.

- In terms of production capabilities, the P-80 unit in Brazil and the Yellowtail FSPO destined for Guyana will lead the global pack, both wielding a 225,000 b/d capacity.

- Following a still elevated tanker delivery rate in 2021, with more than 80 oil tankers floating off largely on the back of pre-pandemic orders, this year will see a slowdown in total delivery, so far only totaling some 30 tankers.

4. South Korea Labels LNG Green to Bridge Transition Goals



- The government of South Korea has classified LNG as a green fuel in its sustainable fuel taxonomy, relying on gas as a bridging fuel as it seeks to phase out coal completely by 2050.

- South Korea still relies on coal for 40% of its electricity generation, whilst natural gas only accounts for 25%, with the rest taken up by nuclear (30%) and increasingly renewables.

- LNG deliveries to South Korea hit their highest-ever level in 2021, totaling 47 million tons of LNG, with Australia remaining the largest supplier.

- Interestingly, this years LNG inflows showed very little seasonality in contrast to previous years, with summertime buying roughly in line with the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 winter seasons.

5. China's Carbon Market Fails To Impress





- Despite China launching its very own carbon exchange market in July 2021, there has been very little progress in implementing it, with only 40% of the countrys emitters currently covered.

- Going beyond the power sector (the only sector fully covered as of today), Chinas Environment Ministry is seeking to add the refining, chemicals, aviation, and the steel industry by the end of 2025.

- The refining and petrochemicals sector accounts for 8.2% of Chinas vast 14 gigatons of CO2eq. emissions and its inclusion into the carbon market is expected to take place in 2022-2023.

- Whilst the 2021 contract expired whilst trading around 50 per mtCO2eq. ($8/mt), the 2022 contract did see a marginal spike to $9/mt over the past two weeks, though it is still a fraction of the EUA/UK carbon prices.

6. Rising Coal Inventories Ease Indias Supply Concerns

- Going contrary to Indias proclaimed goal of decreasing energy imports, Indian companies are ratcheting up coal imports as still-low inventories require restocking.

- Adani, Indias largest trader of imported coal, has won the nations first coal tender in two years, organized by NTPC for the supply of 1 million tons, with Kolkata-based Damodar Valley reported seeking a similar deal.

- With annual coal demand expected to top 1 billion tons this year, with 70% of power generation being coal-reliant, New Delhi is struggling to meet rising needs from domestic sources exclusively.

- Domestic coal production rose to 75 million tons in December 2021, up 3.8% compared to the pre-pandemic level of December 2019, with Coal India accounting for 80% of total output.

7. Doubling Earthquake Rate Puts Shale Water Usage under Microscope

- According to a recent study carried out by Rystad Energy, the pressure on shale companies to optimize their oilfield water utilization will increase amidst intensifying seismic activity.

- Earthquakes in West Texas with a magnitude of more than 2.0 have almost doubled over the course of 2021, spiking year-on-year from 1,110 to 1,929.

- Treating the water that was used for hydraulic fracturing does help decrease seismic risks by avoiding underground injection, with treated water volumes assessed to be around 9% currently.

- Even though the Texas Railroad Commission has enforced stringent saltwater disposal restrictions in most-impacted counties (Culberson, Midland, Martin), the overall increase in shale drilling will most probably increase seismic risks over the coming years.
Funds have purchased a total of 70 million barrels over the two most recent weeks, after selling

Hedge funds and other money managers purchased the equivalent of 54 million barrels in the six most important petroleum futures and options contracts in the week to December 28.

The new year began with a report from Reuters indicating that portfolio investors had started to rebuild bullish positions in the oil market, reassessing earlier fears about the likely impact of the Omicron variant of coronavirus on major economies and passenger aviation in 2022.

Midweek, prices rose further after a drawdown in U.S. inventories confirmed the tightening supply situation. Finally, supply worries replaced demand concerns late in the week as unrest in Kazakhstan and outages in Libya spurred new concerns over global stockpiles. This development drove prices to within striking distance of the contract high.

The week started with the news that bullish hedge funds had returned to the market as the threat from the Omicron coronavirus variant receded. The early rally gained momentum after OPEC+ agreed to lift output in February in a move that suggested strong confidence in future demand.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are putting in a mixed performance on Friday, but still headed to their biggest weekly gain since mid-December as a slew of positive developments encouraged traders to add to their bullish positions.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are putting in a mixed performance on Friday, but still headed to their biggest weekly gain since mid-December as a slew of positive developments encouraged traders to add to their bullish positions.

The week started with the news that bullish hedge funds had returned to the market as the threat from the Omicron coronavirus variant receded. The early rally gained momentum after OPEC+ agreed to lift output in February in a move that suggested strong confidence in future demand.

Midweek, prices rose further after a drawdown in U.S. inventories confirmed the tightening supply situation. Finally, supply worries replaced demand concerns late in the week as unrest in Kazakhstan and outages in Libya spurred new concerns over global stockpiles. This development drove prices to within striking distance of the contract high.

Hedge Funds Rebuild Bullish Positions

The new year began with a report from Reuters indicating that portfolio investors had started to rebuild bullish positions in the oil market, reassessing earlier fears about the likely impact of the Omicron variant of coronavirus on major economies and passenger aviation in 2022.

Hedge funds and other money managers purchased the equivalent of 54 million barrels in the six most important petroleum futures and options contracts in the week to December 28.

Funds have purchased a total of 70 million barrels over the two most recent weeks, after selling 327 million over the previous 10 weeks, according to records published by regulators and exchanges.

Last weeks buying was the fastest since August, and among the most rapid rates for more than a year, signaling a sharp turnaround from previously bearish investor sentiment.

OPEC+ Sticks with Planned Output Increase

OPEC and its allies agreed on Tuesday to stick to its planned increase in oil output for February because it expects the Omicron coronavirus variant to have a short-lived impact on global energy demand.

The group of producers compromising the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies including Russia has raised its output target each month since August by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd).

Current plans would see OPEC+ again raise the target by 400,000 bpd for February, leaving about 3 million bpd in cuts to unwind by September, in line with an agreement last July.

OPEC+ Downplays Omicrons Impact on Demand

In a technical report seen by Reuters on Sunday, OPEC+ played down the impact on demand of the Omicron variant, saying it would be mild and short-lived and was upbeat about economic prospects.

The impact of the new Omicron variant is expected to be mild and short-lived, as the world becomes better equipped to manage COVID-19 and its related challenges, the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) report said.

This is in addition to a steady economic outlook in both the advanced and emerging economies, it added.

EIA: US Crude Stockpiles Decline, Fuel Inventories Rise

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in a report released Wednesday morning, U.S. crude stocks dropped by 2.1 million barrels. This was less than the 3.5 million draw estimate. Traders blamed part of the selling on tax incentives for producers to reduce inventories before year-end.

However, gasoline inventories jumped by more than 10 million barrels, and stocks of distillates rose by 4.4 million barrels. Analysts cited soft demand during the last week of 2021 as people hunkered down due to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Crude Oil Extends Rally on Supply Concerns Over Kazakhstan Unrest, Libyan Outages

WTI and Brent crude oil futures jumped on Thursday, extending yesterdays rally, on escalating unrest in OPEC+ oil producer Kazakhstan and supply outages in Libya.

According to CNBC, Russia sent paratroopers into OPEC+ oil producer Kazakhstan on Thursday to help quell a countrywide uprising after deadly violence spread across the tightly controlled former Soviet state.

The political situation in Kazakhstan is becoming increasingly tense, Commerzbank said. And this is a country that is currently producing 1.6 million barrels of oil per day.

There were no indications that oil production has been affected so far, but the price action suggests speculative buyers are taking no chances.

In other news, Libyan oil output is down by over 500,000 barrels per day due to pipeline maintenance and oil field shutdowns.

Weekly Technical Analysis

Weekly March WTI Crude Oil

Trend Indicator Analysis

The main trend is up according to the weekly swing chart. A move through $62.05 will change the main trend to down. A trade through $80.72 will negate the closing price reversal top and signal a resumption of the uptrend.

The minor trend is up. It changed to up the week-ending December 24 when buyers took out the minor top at $72.82. This shifted momentum to the upside. A trade through $65.93 will change the minor trend to down.

Retracement Level Analysis

The market is currently trading on the strong side of a short-term retracement zone at $73.59 to $71.38, making it support. This is followed by additional support levels at $70.47 and $67.68.

The two zones combine to form a potentially strong support cluster at $71.38 to $70.47.

Weekly Technical Forecast

The direction of the March WTI crude oil market the week-ending January 14 will be determined by trader reaction to the contract high at $80.72.

Bullish Scenario

A sustained move over $80.72 will indicate the presence of buyers. If this move is able to generate enough upside momentum then look for a possible surge into $85.00 over the near-term.

Bearish Scenario

The inability to overcome $80.72 will indicate the presence of sellers. It wont be a particularly bearish signal, but it may mean that buyers see the market as overvalued at current price levels. This would encourage longs to take profits. This could drive the market into a value zone where new buyers would come in to provide support.

Short-Term Outlook

The sharp rise in prices is being well supported by the big money hedge funds and money managers. Crude oil prices are also being underpinned by OPEC+. Although supply will rise in January and February, the group feels there will be enough demand to offset the increase. This is helping to give buyers the confidence to add to their long positions. Furthermore, OPEC and its allies will be ready to make adjustments to output if necessary.

The situations in Kazakhstan and Libya are the wildcards this week. With prices hovering just below the contract high, any supply disruptions could trigger a spike to a new multi-year high.

Even if the situation eases, the rally should remain intact. We could see a pullback in prices as speculative buyers liquidate positions, but the selling shouldnt be strong enough to change the trend to down.
On January 6, 2022 local time, Comorian President Azali Assoumani met in Moroni with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was visiting Comoros upon invitation.

Azali asked Wang Yi to convey his sincere greetings and heartfelt wishes to President Xi Jinping. Azali said that the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Comoros under the pandemic situation demonstrates the importance China attaches to the Comoros-China strategic partnership and the cordial friendship to the Comorian people. China holds a special place in the hearts of the Comorian people. We are delighted by China's development achievements and feel happy that China is speeding up its national rejuvenation. China's development provides Comoros with opportunities and China's success means Africa's success. On behalf of the Comorian government and people, I would like to reiterate that Comoros will always stand on the side of China and uphold that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and China will surely be reunified.

Azali thanks China for its help in the economic and social development of Comoros. He speaks highly of China's assistance in the Comorian fight against the pandemic and malaria, appreciates the important role played by Chinese enterprises in the construction of infrastructure and improvement of people's livelihood in Comoros, and expects more support from China in promoting the "Emerging Comoros Plan 2030" strategy.

Wang Yi first conveyed cordial greetings from President Xi Jinping. He appreciated Comorian support for China's legitimate positions, and China will also stand firmly with Comoros on issues related to Comorian sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity. Wang Yi said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Comoros have always understood, trusted and supported each other, creating a model of equal exchanges between countries of different sizes and different stages of development. China is willing to deepen political mutual trust with Comoros, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and stand as the most reliable and long-lasting partner of Comoros.

Wang Yi said that China is willing to help Comoros achieve three goals. First, help Comoros realize universal immunization within this year. China will firmly support Comoros in fighting against the pandemic and provide as many vaccines as Comoros needed until the country completely defeats the pandemic. Second, help Comoros to completely eliminate malaria by 2025. The anti-malaria cooperation between China and Comoros has been effective, and China is ready to start a new phase of cooperation and continue to provide special drugs to Comoros. Third, support Comoros in the "Emerging Comoros Plan 2030" development strategy. China is willing to work together with Comoros to promote the effectiveness of the established projects. On the basis of full scientific demonstration and feasibility studies, China will provide assistance within the capacity for Comoros in promoting its new projects.

Wang Yi said, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) is the most important platform for China and Africa to strengthen solidarity and cooperation. Not long ago, Your Excellency President attended the opening ceremony of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC and spoke on behalf of East Africa, making a positive contribution to the success of the conference. China supports Comoros in making good use of its advantages as a member of the African Union and League of Arab States, giving full play to the three driving engines of the China-Comoros friendship, China-Arab States Cooperation Forum and FOCAC, so as to inject more impetus into the development and revitalization of Comoros.

Azali highly appreciates the major initiatives announced by President Xi Jinping on cooperation with Africa, and thanks China for supporting African countries in safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests at the United Nations. Comoros is willing to continue to strengthen communication and coordination with China on multilateral affairs and regional cooperation.

On the same day, Wang Yi also held talks with Comorian Foreign Minister Dhoihir Dhoulkamal.
The week started out with mass protests (almost unheard of in this country) over a 100% hike in gas prices that prompted security forces to use stun guns and tear gas, which only served to exacerbate tensions. By Wednesday, protesters had stormed the presidential residence, setting fire to it, and the government was forced to resign. By Friday morning, the president had ordered security forces to shoot to kill protesters,

While the fuss over Ukraine is only partially contributing to Europes record-high gas prices (there are many other factors contributing), the violent unrest in Kazakhstan, which has now seen Russian military intervention, is having an immediate impact on uranium prices. Until now, and for the 29 years that Nazarbayev ruled Kazakhstan in an authoritarian style, Western investors have of course viewed the largest uranium producer (and major oil producer) as a very stable place to park their money. Protests, the security forces response, the governments resignation, and now Russian military intervention destroys that stability overnight.

In the aftermath of the holiday season, its the former Soviet Union in the spotlight, with verbal tensions risingat least on this side of the Atlanticover Ukraines border and Kazakhstan imploding with gas price hikes managing to take down an entire government, putting the worlds largest uranium supply in a state of dangerous uncertainty.

In the aftermath of the holiday season, its the former Soviet Union in the spotlight, with verbal tensions risingat least on this side of the Atlanticover Ukraines border and Kazakhstan imploding with gas price hikes managing to take down an entire government, putting the worlds largest uranium supply in a state of dangerous uncertainty.

While the fuss over Ukraine is only partially contributing to Europes record-high gas prices (there are many other factors contributing), the violent unrest in Kazakhstan, which has now seen Russian military intervention, is having an immediate impact on uranium prices. Until now, and for the 29 years that Nazarbayev ruled Kazakhstan in an authoritarian style, Western investors have of course viewed the largest uranium producer (and major oil producer) as a very stable place to park their money. Protests, the security forces response, the governments resignation, and now Russian military intervention destroys that stability overnight.

The week started out with mass protests (almost unheard of in this country) over a 100% hike in gas prices that prompted security forces to use stun guns and tear gas, which only served to exacerbate tensions. By Wednesday, protesters had stormed the presidential residence, setting fire to it, and the government was forced to resign. By Friday morning, the president had ordered security forces to shoot to kill protesters, branding them criminals and murderers with whom there would be no negotiation. This has empowered the opposition in Kazakhstan, which is now calling on countrymen to resist the Russians, who will be seen as attempting to recreate a Soviet Union-style structure.

Protests rarely happen in countries where a president manages to stay in dictatorial power for 29 years. Until 2019, that was Nursultan Nazarbayev, who finally stepped down and was succeeded by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Tokayev is not Nazarbayev, and the fact that on Tuesday he felt it necessary to say the government would not fall as a result of the protests was indicative of what was to come.

On Thursday, boots started landing on the ground from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a situation that opens up more avenues for Russia to subtly challenge Kazakhstans sovereignty. Realistically, Kazakhstan under Tokayev has been a powder keg just waiting for something like this to happen. It would have happened sooner had the pandemic not distracted protesters from key issues.

On the uranium scene, Kazakhstans Kazatomprom (KZAP.KZ), the world's biggest producer, says operations have not been affected, including exports; however, there is concern that operations will be impacted ultimately, driving spot prices up to $46 per pound Thursday, from the $42 mark where it was trading at the first of the New Year. While Kazatomprom claims no impact as of yet, we expect there to be disruptions in uranium operations, with initial disruptions already priced in.

On the oil scene, Kazakhstan produces about 1.6 billion bpd. As of Thursday, Chevron, a 50% JV owner in the Tengiz oilfield, said it had cut production due to protests at the facility. By Thursday, the unrest in Kazakhstan had helped lift crude oil prices somewhat (in proportion with Kazakhstans approximately 2% contribution to global oil supply). All of this, of course, diverts some of Russias (and the worlds) attention from the troop buildup on Russias western border with Ukraine. This is a cat-and-mouse game that is less about Ukraine and more about NATOs eastward expansion as the frozen conflict takes on a Cold War-style deterrent element.

This time, Ukrainians arent protesting their government, and Kyiv isnt imploding, leaving a vacuum for Russia to step in and occupy at will. The panic is largely confined to the US media, while Kyiv is far more relaxed, it is business as usual (occasional skirmishes) on the front lines in Ukraines eastern Donbas region.

Next week will see a meeting between NATO officials and Russia, and we do not expect any major developments prior to that. Red lines in this situation could be Ukrainian preemptive attacks on the Donbas region to challenge Russian and pro-Russian separatist positions (beyond what is already a bit of a back-and-forth at the front line); and a clear signal from NATO that not only will it not back down in the east, but it will strengthen its position in Europe and continue to fund the Ukrainian military, even if it will not allow Ukraine to become a member.
Residents in the Groningen area in the Netherlands have voiced their anger at a plan by the Dutch government to potentially double this year production from the Groningen gas field, which has been hit by earthquakes in the past.

The Dutch government said on Thursday that it might need more gas to be pumped at Groningen, once Europes biggest gas field, which the Netherlands has pledged to phase out this decade after frequent earthquakes in the past damaged homes in the area.

After years of debates and measures to curb production at the field, the Dutch government decided in 2018 that output at Groningen would be terminated by 2030, with a reduction by two-thirds until 2021-2022 and another cut after that. The authorities had already limited production from the field because of the earthquakes, but they decided in 2018 that the risks and costs were no longer acceptable.

Now the government says that more gas needs to be extracted from the Groningen gas field in 2022 to ensure supply because of long-term export contracts with Germany and a delay in the commissioning of a facility in the Netherlands to treat imported gas for use for Dutch households.

The government is expected to make a final decision by April 1 on how much gas will be extracted from Groningen this year.

I realize it really is a disappointment for people in the quake region that it has indeed proved necessary to extract more gas, Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Stef Blok said on Friday, as carried by Associated Press.

The Groningen Earth Movement, a group of residents who have suffered damages from earthquakes, slammed the plan for more gas extraction at the field.

The Ministry of economic affairs and climate policy is playing with the safety of people in Groningen, the movement said, adding that a government should not and cannot treat the safety of its citizens so lightly.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Month-ahead power prices in Europe fell this week after weather forecasts signaled that warmer than usual and windier weather conditions would prevail in northwest Europe in the coming weeks.

The power price for February in Germany, which serves as a benchmark for Europe, has dropped by nearly 10 percent this week, according to estimates from Bloomberg.

However, year-ahead power prices in Germany have jumped by the same percentage this week, suggesting that electricity prices in Europe will continue to be high even a year from now.

The near-term prices have fallen because the latest weather models show warmer temperatures and more wind for wind power generation.

Nevertheless, the European natural gas and power prices picked up in 2022 where they left off in 2021amid a rollercoaster volatility.

On Friday, European and UK gas prices eased as arrivals of LNG cargoes mostly offset continued low gas supply from Russia.

Following a decline in Europes benchmark gas prices after Christmas due to the high number of LNG cargoes headed its way, the new year began with prices soaring again as gas deliveries from Russia via Ukraine and Poland continue to be low while another cold snap made its way to Europe.

On Wednesday, natural gas prices at the Dutch TTF hub, the benchmark for European gas, rose by 6 percent by mid-day, following a 30-percent jump on Tuesday. Early on Thursday, European and UK gas prices continued to rise on cold weather and low Russian supply.

The European energy crisis shows no sign of finding a solution with the direction of gas and with that power prices remaining at the mercy of weather developments, the level of Russian supplies as well as the pace of LNG shipments reaching Europe, Ole Hansen, Head of Commodity Strategy at Saxo Bank, said on Friday in a weekly commodity overview.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
You wont be ridiculed if you wear a robe and curlers to dine at Clancys Pub on Sunday.

In fact, its encouraged as part of an event that will celebrate the life and legacy of actress Betty White while raising money for what literally was her pet cause.

The Clancys Betty White Brunch, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., grew out of the Betty White Challenge, a social media campaign encouraging people to donate $5 to animal welfare groups on Jan. 17, which would have been Whites 100th birthday. The beloved Golden Girls actress, who died on New Years Eve, was a lifelong champion of creatures large and small.

Omahan Brad Allgood, who works on weekends at Clancys, knows a good cause when he sees one. His weekend job at Clancys, he said, is just for kicks, so he donates his tips to charity.

He earns most of his money as a senior vice president for a software sales company.

I bartend on Sundays, and I dont need to, he said. I like to, because I love this place.

After his shifts, the contents of his tip jar go to various charities or nonprofit organizations.

He knew the Betty White Challenge had to be his next project. He decided to give this Sundays gratuities to the Nebraska Humane Society. And the whole thing blew up from there.

Posts about the brunch got enough traction that Clancys is bracing for bigger crowds. The brunch is usually busy, but promos on the pubs Facebook page and other sites are likely to bump it up, Allgood said.

The menu will be limited to keep up, he said, featuring the traditional basket of bacon, a breakfast burrito and some kind of scramble.

More people bring the potential for more donations to the Humane Society. Allgood said he usually gets between $300 and $400 in tips from a typical brunch shift, but thinks there may be a bit more this week.

And, he said, Clancys owners have pledged to match whatever is donated.

Clancys staff is excited about the project.

There are a ton of dog lovers here, Allgood said, and they plan to take a group picture and post it on social media.

The day may also include some visual Betty White surprises, and customers are encouraged to make it fun with costumes (hence the curlers and robes) and other touches.

In addition to her Golden Girls role as the ditzy Rose Nyland, White also was a hit as the slightly naughty and bawdy Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and a sassy elderly landlady on Hot in Cleveland, so that might inspire some outfits.

Allgood, who also handles Clancys social media accounts, said he has been inspired by White herself and a heartwarming meme thats circulating on the internet.

Betty was always such an advocate for animals, he said. Theres a great post on Facebook showing pictures of her with different pets from (early adulthood) until she died.

The caption: There is a large ruckus on the Rainbow Bridge.

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An Omaha man pleaded no contest Thursday to four felony counts that could send him to prison for the rest of his life for a Sept. 11, 2018, shooting that wounded Omaha Police Officer Ken Fortune.

But in a rare twist, gunman John Ezell Jr.s attorney went on to contest what seemed apparent on the body cameras of the gang unit officers Ezell opened fire upon: that Ezell knew that he was shooting at Omaha police officers that afternoon.

Attorney Peder Bartling said body cameras showed that the officers  wearing plain clothes, a handgun in a holster and bulletproof vests that typically say police and/or gang unit  didnt call out police when they approached the vehicle carrying Ezell in the passenger seat. Bartling contended that the only way to know that they were officers was by the 2-by-4-inch patch that said police on the front of their bulletproof vests.

The bodycams of Fortune and fellow Officers Christopher Brown and Jeffrey Wasmund revealed that Fortune first approached the car at 26th Street and Laurel Avenue, just south of Miller Park, to try to put down tire-deflation devices known as stop sticks. The sticks didnt pierce a tire, and the car drove west at a low speed.

That caused one of the officers to mutter to another.

They didnt see us, he said, according to Bartlings summary of bodycam footage. His fellow officer responded, I dont think they knew we were cops.

Authorities took issue with the portrayal that Ezell, a gang member who served a federal prison stint on a weapons count and two prison stints on convictions of possessing cocaine and a deadly weapon, had no idea that plain-clothes officers were approaching the car. For one, prosecutors noted, it was daylight.

For another, Omaha police have said that officers activated the red and blue light bar attached to the unmarked car the gang unit was in. And while Bartling said one bystander had no idea that they were police, a law enforcement official said two lay witnesses knew right away.

Those witnesses referred to the gang unit officers as jumpout boys because theyre known to jump out of unmarked vehicles to try to nab suspects. Theyre so obviously cops, the law enforcement official said.

That wasnt obvious to Ezell, according to Bartling.

Bartling said investigative reports and interviews with witnesses showed that the original gang suppression probe was focused on the driver of the vehicle, Brandon Richey, not Ezell.

Richey, convicted in 2013 for felony criminal impersonation, was under surveillance after police received a report that he had a firearm. It is illegal for convicted felons to possess firearms.

According to Bartling: Gang unit officers had spent about a week surveilling Richey and had grown weary of it. On Sept. 11, they saw Richey in his car in the area of Miller Park, which is known in gang circles as Killer Park. Laurel Avenue is just two blocks south of the park.

They did not have John Ezell on their radar, Bartling said.

Richey  who eventually received 120 days in jail for misdemeanor operating a vehicle to avoid arrest  was parked in front of a fire hydrant in a car with dark-tinted windows. Fortune, Brown and Wasmund decided to approach the vehicle.

Officers did not say anything to anyone in the vehicle, Bartling said. They specifically did not announce that they were police officers or otherwise identify themselves as police officers. Furthermore, officers did not issue any commands.

Officers did not see Ezell with a firearm at that time. The vehicle drove away at a normal speed.

The officers followed it. This time, when Richeys car stopped at a stop sign at 30th Street, Fortune succeeded in placing the stop stick in front of a tire.

Richey took a right onto 30th Street but stopped shortly after the turn. Bartling said Fortune did not call out police but approached the passenger side and blocked the door, his gun drawn.

Thats when Ezell called out Whats going on? through the window, pointed a revolver at Fortune and fired. One bullet went through the microphone mounted on Fortunes shirt and struck his shoulder.

Ezell also fired at Wasmund, missing him. Ezell ran east, along a building. Brown fired five shots, and Wasmund fired two  hitting Ezell several times. Ezell collapsed and was arrested, his revolver ending up a few yards away.

As opposed to Ezell mistaking police for gunmen, prosecutors Amy Jacobsen and Jameson Cantwell have suggested that he fired because he didnt want to go back to prison. Being a felon with a firearm carries a mandatory minimum of three years in prison.

That clearly was on Ezells mind Thursday. The only comment he made  other than his no-contest pleas  is that he didnt understand why his gun charges had to be stacked on top of his sentences for attempted first-degree assault of Fortune and Wasmund. (Judge Kim Pankonin explained that state law requires gun terms to be served consecutively.)

It should be all ran together, like everybody else, Ezell said. This is one day, one event.

It was almost a dark day, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer has said.

Schmaderer has noted that the shooting occurred on Sept. 11, a grim day for the U.S. and also for Omaha police. Omaha Police Officer Jason Tye Pratt was fatally shot on Sept. 11, 2003, less than a mile from where Ezell shot Fortune.

We are fortunate, Schmaderer said of Fortunes survival. It could have been much worse.

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Nebraska doctors are warning that treatments effective against the omicron variant of COVID-19 are in such short supply that not all of the high-risk patients who qualify for them are getting them.

The upshot: The treatments, some of which are new and promising, wont be an option in the near future for the vast majority of Nebraskans.

That means vaccination and boosting remain the best way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death.

While efforts are underway to bolster production of the treatments, ramping up to the point where they will make a difference during the omicron wave is logistically just not going to be possible, said Dr. Mark Rupp, chief of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers infectious diseases division.

I dont want folks to have the wrong idea that, Oh, theyve got all these medicines that they can now treat people and either prevent them from getting more seriously ill, or if they are seriously ill we can rescue them in the hospital, Rupp said. Thats just not reality, unfortunately.

The warning comes as cases of COVID-19 in Nebraska jumped to 14,799 for the week ending Wednesday, more than double the 7,176 cases recorded during the previous seven-day stretch. The tally was the second-highest weekly total of the entire pandemic, just below the 15,348 cases recorded during the second week of October 2020.

Hospitalizations for COVID, which lag infections by about two weeks, continued to tick up after a brief dip over the Christmas holiday, reaching 568 statewide on Thursday. That included 352 in metro Omaha hospitals.

The state recorded 78 additional deaths during the past seven days, the highest weekly figure in almost a year. Its not clear, however, whether those deaths, which also lag infections by weeks, are attributable to the delta variant or to omicron.

Dr. Barbie Young Gutshall, a physician in ONeill, Nebraska, and a former Husker volleyball player, wrote in a social media post that the hospital there now has an entire wing of COVID patients and that its family room had been turned into an infusion center.

She, too, stressed that health care providers soon would have next to nothing to offer patients because of the limited supply of therapies that can target omicron.

Rupp said some of the monoclonal antibodies that providers used successfully during prior waves to keep people with COVID from becoming seriously ill are not effective against the omicron variant. That includes the infusion that became commonly known as the BAM drug.

The monoclonal therapy that is effective against omicron, called sotrovimab, is in short supply across the country. The state receives an allotment and parcels it out to providers across the state.

Nebraska Medicine, UNMCs clinical partner, posted Friday on Facebook that the health system currently receives enough of the therapy for about five people a day. But the hospital has 75 to 100 outpatients a day who meet federal criteria to receive intravenous infusions of the drug.

We way outstrip the number of people who would meet the criteria for use, Rupp said.

CHI Health officials said their hospitals, too, have limited supplies of the therapy. The health system randomizes who will receive the infusions based on extensive criteria and a review by a multidisciplinary team.

The best current treatment we have to recommend is that patients get vaccinated, and get a booster if previously vaccinated, CHI Health officials said in a statement.

Rupp said Nebraska Medicine also has enough of another long-acting therapy called evusheld to infuse between 50 and 100 high-risk people a week. That drug, a preventative, gives people about six months of antibody protection. The health system has about 10,000 patients who would qualify, with 1,000 in the highest-risk group. That group includes people who probably havent mounted an immune response despite vaccination, a group that typically consists of transplant and high-risk cancer patients.

The health system also is starting to administer three days of intravenous remdesivir to outpatients. A recent study showing that the drug, which previously has been used in seriously ill patients who require oxygen support, could substantially decrease the risk of progression in high-risk patients. Its best used within five to seven days of infection.

But administering it is not easy. We will be maxing out the number of infusion chairs in our infusion centers to give that, Rupp said.

Two new oral treatments also are available. The first, molnupiravir, prevents progression in about 30% of patients. Nebraska Medicine currently gets about 40 courses a week. But by no means is it a game-changer, Rupp said.

Data suggests that the more promising of the two, paxlovid, is up to 90% effective in keeping people from becoming seriously ill and requiring hospitalization. Rupp said the hospital, to the best of his knowledge, has not received any doses of the drug.

The first doses of the drug apparently have been directed to clinics that serve those with limited access to health care, such as Omahas OneWorld Community Health Centers and Charles Drew Health Center.

Andrea Skolkin, OneWorlds CEO, said the health center has received enough for four patients a day. The health center will be getting about 100 doses of molnupiravir and 40 of paxlovid, according to a list found online. But she doesnt know when it will arrive or whether the health center can order more.

President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he had doubled the nations order of the drug to at least 20 million courses and is accelerating delivery. The first 10 million courses are to be available by June and the rest by the end of September.

Meanwhile, health systems are bracing for more patients and urging Nebraskans to help head them off a surge, namely by getting vaccinated and boosted, wearing quality, well-fitting masks in public and avoiding large crowds.

Jeremy Nordquist, president of the Nebraska Hospital Association, tweeted Tuesday that hospitalizations due to COVID-19 may double in Nebraska over the next two or three weeks.

At the same time, hospital staffs will be limited due to COVID spread, wrote Nordquist, a former state senator. This very well may be the worst of the pandemic. Nebraskans, you know how to help our hospitals & #HealthcareHeroes. Please do!

Said Rupp, Theres a popular belief out there that omicron is very mild and that people dont have to worry about it. But the issue is theres just such a vast wave of folks who are sick that even if a much lower proportion of them get seriously ill and require hospitalization, its going to still result in a very high crest of hospitalizations and a high stress level on the medical system.

World-Herald Staff Writer Henry J. Cordes contributed to this report.

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"This Week from China's National Centre for the Performing Arts," a multiple program series and a cultural collaboration product between Chicago's WFMT Radio Network (WFMT) and China's National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), will debut on WFMT radio Thursday night.

"This Week from China's National Centre for the Performing Arts" consists of 13 two-hour programs. Starting from Thursday, WFMT will broadcast a new program each Thursday until March 31.

The first program features composer Tan Dun's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" from the Oscar-winning film of the same title. Instead of the familiar cello performance, the version in this program is performed with an erhu, which is referred to as the "Chinese Violin."

Also featured in the first program are Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23, a folk-inspired Chinese composition by Liu Tianhua and Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 Pastoral.

For the series as a whole, besides works by Mozart and Beethoven, the product also offers works of Ravel, Schubert, Wagner, Verdi from the West, as well as works of Xian Xinghai, Zhao Jiping, Chen Qigang and Guo Wenjing from China.

"We hope to share these music treasures from China and the world with American listeners through the radio waves," said Gong Jicheng, vice president of NCPA. "We also hope that the American listeners can have a better understanding of and love for Chinese music and culture through this series."

Gong said art has no borders. "We expect the broadcast of the series will further accelerate the exchange and collaboration of performing arts between China and the United States."

George Preston, general manager of WFMT and executive producer of the series, expressed the same sentiment. "Since its founding in 2010, NCPA Orchestra has established itself as one of the most adventurous and dynamic orchestras in China and earned an international reputation through performances abroad."

"NCPA in Beijing is quickly gaining an international reputation for artistic excellence in its programming," said Preston. "We at the WFMT Radio Network are privileged to share its rich diversity of performances."

"It's especially important in turbulent times that we focus on the power of music and art to serve as a bridge to bring people together in celebration of the wonder of human creativity," Preston continued.

Many famous artists have collaborated with the NCPA Orchestra, including Zubin Mehta, Fabio Luisi, Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, Alison Balsom, Sabine Meyer, and Renee Fleming.

Lorin Maazel used to work closely with the NCPA Orchestra and praised its musicians for their "amazing professionalism and great passion in music."

Lyu Jia, NCPA's artistic director of the music and principal conductor who has conducted at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, the Deutsche Oper Berlin and La Scala in Milan, was also the first Chinese conductor to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

"Music is a passion, a beauty," said Lyu. "It's a connection to people without any problem."

WFMT will also offer the series to radio stations around the United States through its WFMT Radio Network starting in January, and radio stations across the United States will have the opportunity to air the series throughout 2022.
After 17 years as the senior pastor at Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Omaha, the Rev. Ralph Lassiter is retiring, and the historic church is entering a new era.

Lassiter, 71, had been senior pastor at the church at 24th and Ohio Streets since 2005. He handed over the role to the Rev. T. Michael Williams on Jan. 1. Lassiters service to the church, and that of his wife, Doris, will be celebrated Sunday.

Lassiter said he helped lead Mount Moriah through a period of growth, both in the size of the congregation and in the ways in which the church serves the community. That includes its annual Thanksgiving meal, which he said usually serves at least 1,500 people.

It has been a season of really exciting work for the congregation and for the community, Lassiter said.

In early 2021, Lassiter received both doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. He has been vocal about encouraging people to get vaccinated since then.

People in leadership positions have to let people know the truth, he said in February. And personal example is really powerful. We have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.

As the oldest predominantly African American Baptist church in Omaha, Mount Moriah, which was founded in 1887, has a rich history and a close-knit congregation, Lassiter said.

The living spirit of the congregation has always been a hallmark of this congregation, he said. Its just a very loving church.

Lassiter said he felt called to retire and knew the church would continue to thrive under Williams. Churches often go through periods of decline after losing a pastor, but Lassiter wanted to make sure that didnt happen at Mount Moriah, which has 105 members.

Im a firm believer in intentional transitions for the benefit of the congregation, he said.

Williams was the senior pastor at Risen Son Baptist Church until the church merged with Mount Moriah in 2019.

Williams described Lassiter as a strong and compassionate leader.

He is just an excellent, awesome person when it comes to leading people, he said.

Lassiter will continue to serve as pastor emeritus and an elder in the Mount Moriah community. He plans to continue working on the Moriah Manor, a low-income housing project on property owned by the church, and on the Moriah Heritage Center, which documents the history of churches of North Omaha.

Lassiter said he also plans to continue his involvement in the community through groups such as the North 24th Street Business Improvement District board.

In retirement, Lassiter said he also hopes to get back to writing and continue to serve as an educator, as well as some other things he hasnt had enough time for.

My wife says we need to travel a little bit more and visit some of our grandkids, he said.

Sundays regular church service at 10:30 a.m. will include a presentation by the congregation honoring Lassiter and his wife, followed by a ceremony at 3 p.m. celebrating Lassiters service to the church over the years, with presentations from other area church leaders.

The church typically would invite other congregations to the events but is limiting attendees due to the pandemic, Williams said. Both the 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. services will be streamed on the Mount Moriah Facebook page.

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Six sites in Douglas, Lancaster and Dodge Counties are being looked at for the possible location of a new Nebraska state prison, the head of the states prison system announced Friday afternoon.

The announcement came on the third day of a legislative session in which state lawmakers are grappling with how best to address the most overcrowded prisons in the country.

Theyll consider the pitch for a new 1,512-bed prison alongside legislative criminal justice reform. The nonprofit Crime and Justice Institute has facilitated a months-long dive into state data with public officials from across the criminal justice system and government, and thats expected to result in concrete policy proposals soon.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services did not disclose the exact locations for a potential prison Friday because it has started negotiations with property owners, according to a press release. Other property owners could initiate offers.

The top criteria in evaluating all available sites has been proximity to a population center to support staffing. The ones selected so far fit that bill, Scott Frakes, director of the states prison system, said in the release.

Additional criteria included distance to utility systems, hospital and emergency services, community services, road access and terrain, according to the release.

The site would be approximately 160 acres.

We have looked at parcels smaller than that, but ultimately, it cannot be less than 100 acres. The land would need to include a buffer zone separating it from surrounding developed or undeveloped property, Frakes said.

Nebraskas prison system has been plagued with overcrowding and staffing shortages in recent years.

Frakes formally proposed building a new prison late in 2020. It was most recently projected to cost $236 million.

He has argued that the states prison system has been underbuilt for decades, and said his intent has never been to grow the Nebraska prison system so we can put more people in prison. A new facility would improve safety for staff and inmates, Frakes has said.

Initially, part of Frakes proposal for a new prison included repurposing the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln as a minimum-security facility. But he has shifted to talking about the new prison as a replacement. A key driver, he has said, is the data-driven initiative, which could result in legislation that curbs population growth.

An engineering study, also released Friday, found that the penitentiary would need $220 million in repairs and replacements to match a new, modern version of the same quantity and/or size of what exists.

The penitentiary first opened in 1869, according to the Corrections website. It has undergone multiple updates over the years.

The condition of the aging facility came under the spotlight in October when leaking pipes forced officials to shut off running water to the penitentiary for nearly two days.

Lawmakers in 2021 approved a budget compromise that put nearly $15 million toward design and planning for a new facility. The compromise required the engineering study of the penitentiary to assess its useful life.

Numerous consultants had a hand in evaluating the various components of NSP. They looked at when things were built and upgraded, if they were ADA-compliant, the age and status of the utilities, technology and security systems, Frakes said.

State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, who chairs the Appropriations Committee, hadnt yet seen the engineering study as of Friday afternoon. But, he said lawmakers were hoping for an updated estimate for the useful life of the facility.

That would provide a time frame for decision-making, he said. Back in 1980, Stinner said, the penitentiarys useful life was estimated at 50 years  so, through about 2030.

He said the study will also help gauge what should be done in terms of repurposing the facility versus demolishing it.

The report does not appear to include an updated time frame for the facilitys useful life. The useful life study terminology came from the Legislature, Corrections spokesperson Laura Strimple said in an email.

It is an assessment of the physical plant and its components and recommendations for repairing and replacing those items, she wrote.

Lawmakers last year also allocated money to update the departments 2014 master facilities plan, a comprehensive document assessing the integrity of current facilities and the need for expansion. Frakes has said he expects that update to wrap up by late summer 2022.

Even without the update complete, he hopes to get full agreement from the Legislature this session on moving forward with a new prison.

However, some have voiced forceful opposition to the plans for a new prison.

Leading up to the start of the legislative session, Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, who does not support building new prison space, said he at least wants to see meaningful improvements to the states criminal justice system if the state ultimately decides to build.

The ACLU of Nebraska, which has opposed the plans for a new prison, on Friday renewed its objections to the plan, stating in a press release that the state cannot morally or fiscally afford an attempt to build its way out of those challenges.

Unlike Nebraskas newest state prison, which opened in the rural community of Tecumseh in 2011, Frakes has said a new facility would need to be in an area with a large enough population to staff it, which seemed to point to Omaha and Lincoln as potential locations.

It also opened the door to communities between the two cities. Local officials in Waverly, Ashland and Wahoo told The World-Herald in October 2020 that Corrections staff had contacted them to gauge interest in hosting a new prison.

Responses were tepid.

Waverlys then-mayor, Mike Werner, expressed some doubt that his community, which sits just outside Lincoln in Lancaster County, would support the facility.

Douglas County is home to Omaha. Fremont is the most populous town in Dodge County.

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LINCOLN  Legislative debate wont start until next week over whether Nebraska should join a call for a convention of states aimed at reining in the federal government.

But opponents started making their case Thursday during a webinar featuring a Georgetown University constitutional law expert and the Article 5 issues director for the conservative Eagle Forum of California. The day also featured the second day of bill introductions in the 2022 legislative session.

Both warned that such a convention could not be controlled once set in motion. They also said that, under Article 5 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress, not the states, would be in charge of launching the convention.

Things could be worse, believe it or not, said Judi Caler with the Eagle Forum. This would make it worse. We could have a tyrannical constitution with new ratification process imposed on us.

David Super of Georgetown said that, contrary to supporters claims, there is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that would limit the topics addressed by such a convention and nothing that would allow states to control the outcome. He said the only limit would be what convention delegates set for themselves.

We do not live in times when people in political power show self-restraint, he said.

The two spoke in advance of Mondays scheduled debate about Legislative Resolution 14, introduced by State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings. Halloran named the resolution as his priority for this year, earning it a spot at the top of the debate agenda.

The measure squeaked out of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee at the end of last year, thanks to a vote-trading agreement. The resolution earlier failed to receive the 25 votes needed to be pulled out of committee for debate.

If it passes three rounds of consideration, the resolution would add Nebraska to a list of 16 states asking for what is sometimes called a convention of states as described in Article 5.

Article 5 provides for such conventions as one way to propose amendments. The article requires that at least two-thirds of the states, or 34, apply to Congress for such a convention to be called.

The other method, and the only one to be used so far, is for Congress to put forth proposed amendments. Either way, the Constitution currently requires 38 states to ratify an amendment before it can take effect.

The Nebraska resolution, like those from 16 other states, seeks a convention limited to proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress.

Halloran said he had been invited to join the webinar but had declined, not wanting to provide a preview of his arguments. He said Article 5 provided the convention option to states as a way to check the power of the federal government, power that he argued has been growing at the expense of the state.

He expressed optimism about the level of support for LR 14 in the Legislature this year. The measure likely would need to get 33 votes to overcome a filibuster and advance.

Its looking very good, but you never know until the votes are counted, he said.

Among the bills introduced Thursday:

State official recall. Legislative Resolution 268CA, introduced by Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, would allow Nebraska voters to recall the governor and state senators. Voters currently can recall local government officials but have no means to do the same with state elected officials. The proposed constitutional amendment, if passed by lawmakers, would go on the November ballot.

Child sexual assault. Sen. Rich Pahls of Omaha introduced LB 833, which would eliminate the statute of limitations for lawsuits against churches, schools and other third parties that enable perpetrators of child sexual assault. Current law requires such suits to be brought within 12 years after a victims 21st birthday. The issue came to light when Attorney General Doug Peterson released a report on child sexual abuse by Catholic priests in Nebraska. The statute of limitations has passed in most of the 258 cases.

Diaper-changing accommodation. Buildings with public restrooms that are built or substantially renovated would have to provide diaper changing stations for use by both women and men under LB 815, introduced by Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha. Buildings could meet the requirement by putting a changing station in at least one womens and one mens bathroom or at least one gender-neutral or family bathroom.

Redistricting commission. An independent citizens commission would draw future political district maps under LR 269CA, introduced by Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha. The commission would draw maps following the every-10-year census; the maps would go to the Legislature for approval. A petition drive seeking such a commission failed after the pandemic shut down signature-gathering efforts in 2020. Hunts proposed constitutional amendment, if passed by lawmakers, would go on the November ballot.

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The release of recommendations for improving Nebraskas criminal justice system was delayed Thursday amid objections from at least one state senator.

Senators gathered to hear from the nonprofit Crime and Justice Institute, which has facilitated a months-long dive into Nebraska data with a group of officials from across the criminal justice system and government.

The effort will yield recommendations that are expected to inform policy proposals during the legislative session, which kicked off Wednesday. Senators will consider any criminal justice reform proposals alongside a pitch to build a new 1,512-bed state prison.

I think its been an informative and engaging process, and the final report provides a path for change, said Len Engel, director of policy and campaigns for CJI.

Officials had anticipated releasing recommendations. But they werent shared Thursday afternoon because of a fly in the ointment, said Sen. Steve Lathrop, who chairs the Judiciary Committee and was among the officials who initiated the process in Nebraska.

The final report is expected soon, Lathrop said. The group agrees on many recommendations, he said, such as expanding problem-solving courts. The disagreements center on recommendations related to sentencing, he said.

Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln, who was part of the working group, voiced her frustration Thursday, saying she felt that she hadnt been heard.

She told The World-Herald that shes asked for edits to the report that havent been adopted. That motivated her to speak, she said, and hold up the release of the recommendations.

I think that theres just not agreement among the group, she told senators. You guys might as well know that.

She said its a philosophical difference and mentioned some areas where she has concerns.

I just contend were doing a lot right in our state, she said.

There will be a debate about solutions to the problems, Lathrop responded, but the data is not controversial, he said.

Dont confuse the debate that well have in this room, when we present bills and go through the legislative process, with whether the data that you just saw is accurate or not, he said. Because I dont think anybody disagrees that the data is accurate. Its just about: What are the solutions that were willing to accept?

Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, whos also on the working group, took issue with Geists comments.

McKinney, who represents a district in North Omaha, noted that a disproportionate part of the prison population is Black. The analysis found that one out of five people admitted to prison is Black, while only one in 25 Nebraskans is Black.

He doesnt think that the recommendations go far enough, but he said that there were things he could live with and that the group had agreed to put some options in the report for the Legislature to consider.

Now, I just feel like its an attempt by ... individuals trying to sabotage the process, he said, with the end goal to force a new prison without passing reforms. He predicted a long session if thats attempted.

Among the other findings discussed Thursday: While crime rates have decreased in Nebraska and across the country, the imprisonment rate in Nebraska has steadily grown. The states prison population has grown 21% over the last decade.

A recent World-Herald analysis of national corrections data showed that Nebraska has now surpassed Alabama as the state with the most overcrowded prison system.

Engel said the states corrections budget has increased by more than 50% since 2011. The rates of people returning to prison within three years have increased, too.

In dissecting the factors that contribute to the trends, Engel said the prison population growth seems largely due to increases in how long inmates are staying, caused by longer sentences and a decreasing percentage of parole grants.

Before the pandemic hit, admissions were outpacing releases, Engel said. This means that there are more people coming into prison than are getting out. And unless something interrupts this trend, the population will continue to increase.

The prison population is expected to grow by about 1,200 people by 2031, he said.

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All we really need to know we learned in kindergarten, right?

Robert Fulghums oft-cited essay is on point as schools once again struggle with the right steps to keep children, teachers and other workers safe while the omicron variant of the coronavirus makes its big run through the population.

Excerpts:

Play fair.

Dont hit people.

Say youre sorry when you hurt someone.

A whole lot of adults have forgotten these and other basics of polite human behavior. The world has always had its jerks, but its clear that crass, threatening behavior among Americans is growing in recent years.

Locally, thats most recently evidenced once again by threats, hateful messages, anonymous letters, obscene texts  or even promises of physical altercations after the Westside schools announced that staff and students must wear masks Jan. 5-21.

Folks, whats wrong with us?

Educators are caring professionals who spend hours a day with our children working to teach them and keep them safe. They are our neighbors. Lets treat them decently  like we should have learned in kindergarten. Stop being babies insisting on getting your way or thinking that everyone else should believe what you believe. The world has never worked that way.

Everyone wants kids to be in school rather than trying to learn remotely. Weve seen the consequences of remote learning in lower test scores and mental health issues.

School districts leaders are struggling to find the best options amid waves of a grinding pandemic that leaves us only unpleasant choices. More districts are likely to adopt mask rules again  Ralston followed Westside by requiring masks.

They are making judgments, as we all must do in many areas of life.

How about if we grow the heck up and live with those decisions  even if we disagree  for the simple sake of human decency and civility?

You dont even have to believe that the omicron variant is a big deal to be nice  or at least not rude. You dont have to believe Dr. James Lawler, a co-executive director of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Global Center for Health Security, who said the more transmissible omicron variant can make up for its reduced severity through sheer volume.

Allowing omicron to run its course unchecked will wreck our health system and critical infrastructure, he said, as positive test results hit a pandemic record last week in Nebraska.

Everyone is tired of masks. Everyone is tired of COVID. Everyone is tired of arguing about it.

So heres a modest proposal: Lets stop fighting and learn to live with the virus and each other.

Lets recognize that we are all fallible human beings who want to do our jobs, who generally want to help others, who at our core believe the Golden Rule even if some of us are having a heck of a time living it.

If you threaten a teacher, a principal, a restaurant worker, a flight attendant, the person next to you in line, what are you showing children?

Lets not fight our political battles in kindergartens. Lets be grown-ups.
District 2

Douglas County voters have chosen the Democratic candidate over the Republican in every District 2 congressional race since 2012 following the gerrymandering of district boundaries 10 years ago.

By an average of 3.4 percentage points, Douglas County voters chose Ewing over Terry in 2012, Ashford over Terry in 2014, Ashford over Bacon in 2016 and Eastman over Bacon in both 2018 and 2020.

Despite this clear expressed preference on the part of Douglas County voters for Democratic congressional representation, only in 2014 was the Democratic candidate elected to Congress. In every election year since 2010, western Sarpy County voters swung the district as a whole into the Republican column by an average 2.6 percentage points, overturning a Democratic victory and replacing it with a Republican one.

District 2 congressional election results do not reflect the will of the majority of voters in Douglas County, the most populous county in the state that accounts for almost one out of every three Nebraskans. One of these things is not like the other. It is time to remove western Sarpy County from District 2.

Peter Gadzinski, Omaha

Library location

I have been reading with real irritation the plans to demolish and replace a perfectly good library by rehabbing an old warehouse supposedly safely away from the awareness of the current homeless population (its not) and converting an old Shopko into administrative offices.

I drove downtown Sunday night to see whether plans similarly touted about demolishing an old building and replacing it with a grand development had ever matured, a location one block from the library, 1416 Dodge St. Nope. Its still a vacant lot.

Why not save the cost of demolition of a much better looking building than 1416 Dodge ever was, plus relocation costs of staff and books, plus the continuing costs of renting the old Shopko (Im not sure who owns the old warehouse downtown) by encouraging whoever lusts after the librarys location that a location just as good is open only a block away?

Michael Osborn, La Vista

Thank you

Thanks to our World-Herald carriers, Marc and Jill. Great service every day without fail. Also thanks to the OWH want ads. Everything we advertised, dozens of items, sold in record time.

Jeffry A. Simet, Elkhorn

Avoiding extremism

I agree with Rick Galushas column (OWH, Dec. 12) on finding good people and avoiding extremism. I wonder if he will follow up with a column denouncing the zaniness and the lies of the radical left. If not, then I think he must be teaching political bias instead of political science.

Rod Freburg, Fort Calhoun, Neb.

COVID vaccinations

Why is it that the media gives The Jet a pass?

He spent almost a month in the hospital after catching COVID-19. Said he would get vaccinated when the doctors said it was OK. It has been OK since last winter! He is in a demographic where he should have been first in line. Who knows how many people he has been in contact with this winter? He has stated he made a mistake, but who are the people more affected by his ignorance? Wake up, get your vaccinations!

Edward Taylor, Omaha

Political issues

Its all political to a politician. Reference to two letters in the Dec. 28 Public Pulse regarding efforts to discourage vaccinations. The letters correctly state this critical issue is a national health issue, not a political issue. The problem is, all issues are political to a politician and re-election is the only thing that matters.

Larry Johnson, Omaha

Christmas gift

On Christmas Eve day, I was grocery shopping at Bakers on 170th and Center, the store was very busy. The man in front of me put his items on the counter, and I put the bar down for mine. The next thing I knew, my things were gone. I said wait, those are mine. The clerk said he paid for yours. I was absolutely stunned, no one in my life had ever done something so kind for me. I sat in my car for an hour before I could drive home. His name is Doug. I told him my son is named Doug also and I will never forget him or his face.

God bless you Doug and thank you!

Karen Richardson, Omaha

Nice article

A nice article on James Earl Williams (Dec. 29); thanks for sharing his story. I also liked Rick Galushas editorial. More, please.

Gary Choquette, Omaha
The Grammy Awards has been postponed for the second year in a row due to a surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant in the United States, organizers announced Wednesday.



The Recording Academy and the CBS Television Network said in a joint statement that they had to postpone the 2022 show "after careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners."

"The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority," added the statement.

The music industry's biggest night was originally scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 31 this year and would have been streamed live on CBS.

The organizers said the event would be held at a soon-to-be-announced future date.

The announcement came days after single-day COVID-19 cases surpassed 1 million in the U.S. on Monday. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported 26,754 new infections on Wednesday.

Last year's Grammy Awards had been pushed back from January to March also due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19.
A farmer supplier describes Market Wagon as DoorDash for farm products. The companys CEO and co-founder explains his idea as an online farmers market that delivers to shoppers homes. From both farmers and consumers perspectives, Market Wagon fills pandemic-driven needs, supports the popularity of online shopping and offers one answer to supply chain problems.

Based in Indianapolis, Market Wagon offers consumers an online market of local farm products delivered to their homes and offers farmers an online wholesale market for and delivery service of their products. Currently in Illinois, Market Wagon distributes in three locations  the Chicago area, metro St. Louis and 16 central Illinois counties.

Central Illinois farm supplier Ropp Jersey Cheese of McLean County has sold products through Market Wagon for about a year. Its like another wholesale account for me, dairyman Ken Ropp said. They handle all the deliveries and everything. Market Wagon is great to track all the business; everything is customized up to the minute. It (Market Wagon) enters a customer base that I might not otherwise.

Ropp explained he delivers dairy products from his Normal farm to the companys Bloomington-Normal hub. He knows of another farm source that delivers to two hubs.

Market Wagons CEO and co-founder, Nick Carter, who grew up on an Indiana farm, explained local farm vendors bring their products to company fulfillment centers in their respective delivery area.

Asked what is important to the company, Carter said, No. 1 is local (farm) transparency. Shoppers know what theyre getting and who raised it. They can chat and ask questions with farmers on the (company online) platform.

Shoppers order items a la carte and pay no subscription fee. You can buy what you want, when you want it, he noted. Customers are charged a flat delivery fee to homes located within the hub delivery area.

Market Wagon does not restrict farm vendors from using any specific production methods. Its not all organic or grass-fed, Carter said. The company requires vendors to be inspected and legally licensed for their respective production, such as a Grade A dairy permit or a state egg license.

Ropp explained Market Wagon takes a percentage off the top of a vendors sale. In his dairyman view, Market Wagon featured a lot of seasonal fresh produce, and his sales declined when the produce sales decreased.

Lately, weve seen the (sales) numbers tick back up. That means to me more families [were] getting back together for the holidays, Ropp said.

Farmers and families drove Market Wagons growth explosion. When the pandemic started, the company was in six markets. Only 18 months later, Market Wagon was selling and delivering in 15 Midwestern and Eastern states after opening 27 new centers in a year.

The pandemic made online food ordering and delivery normal, according to Carter. While consumers had limited access to food sources, farmers who sold directly lost their markets when restaurants, farmers markets and other direct outlets closed. Market Wagon provided farmers an outlet to sell their production, Carter continued.

We grew by leaps and bounds. It was overwhelming at first, Carter said. We realized this was why were here. Its been incredible.

After massive growth, Market Wagons geographic expansion will be slow, according to Carter. The companys plan is to be nationwide by 2025.

The CEO projected local food sources offer one solution to the breakdown of supply chains.

All those supply chain issues dont impact us, Carter said. Buying local is the solution to supply chain issues. The most stable and secure supplies are right in our local communities.

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CHICAGO  Chicago Public Schools has canceled Friday classes as an ongoing standoff with the teachers union spills into a third day of educational disruption.

CPS Chief Executive Pedro Martinez announced late Thursday that buildings will remain closed Friday, except for an unspecified small number of schools that will welcome students for activities but not classroom learning.

That came as CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union filed unfair labor charges against one another, with each side asking state officials to end the current dispute over in-person learning in their favor.

The latest escalation in the conflict over adequate COVID-19 safety measures in schools comes as CPS saw a new record number of coronavirus cases Tuesday  the last day of classes before the lack of agreement with the CTU again shut down schools districtwide.

While some CPS buildings  including Pulaski International School in Bucktown, Davis Dual Language Academy in Brighton Park and Oriole Park Elementary in Norwood Park  had already announced earlier Thursday that Friday classes were canceled, district officials had said they believed some schools would have adequate staffing to conduct in-person learning. That apparently has turned out not to be the case.

Nearly 13% of the 21,600 CTU teachers and 15% of the 4,200 substitute teachers showed up for work Thursday, an increase from Wednesdays staffing levels, according to district data.

CPS said in its statement that those who reported to buildings got paid, and the district encouraged CTU to end this illegal work stoppage.

CPS staff who do not show up to work will not be paid until they honor their commitment to the District and our students and report for work in-person at our schools, the statement read.

A later statement from CPS said its schools are the best, safest place for students to be during this pandemic, and we are working tirelessly to get everyone back in class every day. We will continue working with CTU to resolve this situation and will provide you with ongoing updates as the week continues.

As CPS and the union continued their fight Thursday, Illinois reported another record-shattering day for new COVID-19 infections, with 44,089 new confirmed and probable cases reported statewide, with a record 7,098 people hospitalized with the virus overnight Wednesday.

In the battle over reopening CPS, lawyers for CPS are asking the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board to issue a cease-and-desist order against CTU and hear the case on an expedited basis.

On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, the CTU illegally directed its members ... not to report to work as directed but to work remotely instead from January 5 until the earlier of January 18 or when CPS meets certain health metrics, CPS lawyers said in the filing.

CTU lawyers separately filed charges alleging CPS violated the law by not negotiating an agreement with CPS about school reopenings after the one they signed in February 2021 expired. Theyre asking the state to to order CPS to honor the statutory right of employees to refrain from working in dangerous conditions and to allow employees to work remotely.

District officials had canceled Wednesday classes after the union endorsed the work action Tuesday to refuse to work in person and instead teach remotely during a city spike in infections.

The union, using the hashtag #LoriLockout, tweeted Wednesday that its been inundated with calls and emails this morning from educators who say theyve been unable to log into their CPS accounts to teach remotely, as was the CTUs stated intention.

CPS has not confirmed the lockouts but many teachers and other school employees have taken to social media to report theyve been denied access to the CPS computer networks.

The CTU resolution, endorsed by 73% of voting members, seeks to have classes remain remote until Jan. 18 unless a safety agreement with CPS is reached or the omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge subsides. Lightfoot has denounced the unions actions as an unlawful, unilateral strike. The union has countered that their actions dont amount to a work stoppage because they are willing to teach remotely.

CPS reported record new daily case numbers Tuesday  422 students and 274 adults. That was part of the first data to emerge from the two days of school that took place after the two-week winter break and before the cancellations.

Those figures are double the number of cases CPS was reporting when students and staff members started their holiday vacation last month. About 330,000 students are enrolled in CPS, the nations third-largest school district. CPS doesnt report case numbers associated with its charter schools on its online COVID-19 tracker.

As of Wednesday evening, about 9,000 students and a record 2,300 staff members were in isolation because they tested positive for COVID-19 or quarantine because they had come in close contact with an infected person. With so many students and staff out because they have COVID-19 or are a close contact, absenteeism  more than the teachers union action  could be the main reason many classes arent meeting.

Some schools that individually announced the cancellation of Friday classes cited a lack of staffing.

While we do have a limited number of teachers and staff who have been coming to work, at this time we do not meet the staffing threshold provided by CPS to safely offer in-person instruction or programming tomorrow, January 7, the memo from Oriole Park School read. ... If the closure continues, and we do not have adequate staff to offer in-person programming on Monday, we will have packets of asynchronous activities available for pick up. There is no plan for remote instruction at this time in any CPS school.

Pulaski Principal Diana Racasi wrote to parents Thursday that in lieu of in-person classes Friday, digital resources will be shared on Pulaskis webpage with multiple projects that students can work on at home independently or with family members or other adults. ... Each project can be completed over multiple days, and the projects can be completed in any order. Please email admin if you would like copies to be made for pick up.

Racasi also wrote: I want to acknowledge the extremely challenging predicament we all are having to deal with on some level. I know this is difficult for everyone. This remains to be a deeply complicated issue with valid concerns on both sides.

Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady has repeatedly said schools are not dangerous settings for transmission and infection in kids rarely leads to hospitalization. She expressed hope Thursday that students would use the days off to get vaccinated if they have not done so already.

More than half of district students 12 to 17 years old and nearly 12% of students 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated, according to the district. CPS says about 91% of its staff is fully vaccinated.

Across Illinois on Thursday, 44,089 new confirmed and probable cases were reported.

While the holidays likely resulted in some distortions in the recent daily counts, cases have exploded in the past two weeks. During the week ending Dec. 23, the state was averaging 12,573 new cases per day, compared with an average of 27,141 per day during the past week.

The number of people with COVID-19 in Illinois hospitals also continues to set records on a daily basis, pushing the average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital beds per day to 6,419 over the past week, up from an average of 3,987 per day two weeks earlier.

Thanks in large part to vaccines, a smaller percentage of those who are getting infected are ending up in the hospital or dying compared with the fall 2020 surge, but deaths are on the rise.

Health officials on Thursday reported 104 coronavirus-related deaths, the most in a day in nearly a year. Over the past week, the state has averaged 63 deaths per day, up from 53 per day two weeks earlier.

The state has recorded 28,260 deaths since the pandemic began.

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NORMAL  The first three recipients of a statewide Illinois Manufacturers' Association scholarship are all students at Heartland Community College from the Bloomington-Normal area.

This is the first year the Lynne Mohr Scholarship for Skilled Trade Students is being given. Lynne Mohr was president of the Brite-O-Matic Manufacturing, which was founded by her father. She was also on the IMA Board of Directors.

The recipients are:

Industrial Technology student David Mufata Ikeise, who is focusing on electric vehicles

Industrial Technology student Brenda Lang, who plans to go into tool and die maintenance

Thomas Miller, who is studying welding, renewable energy, facility maintenance and robotics

The students could receive up to $1,000 each, a press release from IMA said. The endowment for the scholarship comes from the IMA's education fund and cross-country fundraising bike ride by George Mauer, Mohr's cousin.

The scholarship is open to students studying skilled trades at higher education institutions across Illinois. It was awarded to three students due to the quality of applicants, the release said.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood

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BLOOMINGTON  District 87 teachers on Thursday joined a growing list of educators across the U.S. who have had classes canceled or shifted online due to a wave of new COVID infections.

Citing an inability to fully staff because of a surge in new cases, the district announced buildings will be closed Friday.

Two other area school systems  McLean County Unit 5 and Olympia Community Unit School District 16  also said no classes will be held Friday because of extreme cold temperatures expected. A low of 5 degrees below zero is expected.

The McLean County Health Department on Thursday reported 584 new COVID infections. There also were 104 deaths statewide, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the first time the mortality rate has reached triple digits since February.

The surge is being felt across the nation, as the omicron variant driving a new surge of cases.

School districts nationwide have confronted the same pandemic issues, with most opting to stay open while ramping up virus testing, tweaking protocols and other adjustments in response to the shifting pandemic.

The Peoria school district extended winter break by a week. At least six school districts in the Metro East have switched to virtual learning after the break, including Belleville Township, Brooklyn, Cahokia, Edwardsville, East St. Louis and Granite City. Mascoutah schools will close entirely Thursday and Friday, with the days made up at the end of the year.

Chicago schools on Friday will enter a third day without classes. The teachers' union and school leadership have clashed over COVID protocols.

District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly said that positive cases and quarantines among staff and the shortage of substitute teachers contributed to the staffing problems.

The shift caused parents and teachers to adjust.

Tom Hopper, a second-grade teacher at Irving Elementary School in Bloomington, said he supports the decisions District 87 has made so far.

The father of three said that whether its inconvenient for his family, the decisions the district has made are in the best interests of the students. And they keep the kids and school staff healthy and safe.

Thats what its all about, Hopper said. It has to come down to whether the students are in the safest learning environment possible.

Hopper also shared his appreciation for how the district keeps following health department guidelines.

Ive known from beginning thats where the decisions come from, he said. I know theyre going to continue to follow the guidance and recommendations from the people who know best.

You could sense that it was coming

Rich Baldwin, a Bloomington High School social studies teacher, said the announcement was not much of a surprise, given the number of staff and students who were absent each day.

"You could sense that it was coming," he said.

With McLean County Unit 5 going to e-learning Friday because of the weather, Reilly anticipated some District 87 teachers with children in Unit 5 would also have to be home on Friday.

"When you put it all together, it just makes sense to use tomorrow as an emergency day," he said.

The number of substitute requests has been going up, Baldwin said. He does wish that the district had gone to remote learning for the day instead, saying he felt the staff and students could have made it work.

"For us to go back to remote would not have been a hardship," he said.

The announcement made Baldwin think back to the spring of 2020 when schools started cancelling classes and going to remote learning as the pandemic spread in the U.S.

"I almost feel like it's March of 2020 again," he said.

Using the emergency day pushes back the end of classes one day. Students' last day will now be May 26.

Reilly expects the district will return to in-person classes on Monday, with the weekend resolving some of the quarantine periods preventing adequate staffing.

The weather is also sending schools to remote learning, including Unit 5 and Olympia, based in Stanford. Wind chills are expected to be below zero from Thursday night into Friday morning.

Mollie Emery, a Unit 5 parent and school nurse who spoke up throughout the pandemic urging the school board and administration to keep students learning in-person, said for one day, she thinks they can work with e-learning.

While we are definitely sad to miss school at any time, we are optimistic that we can handle the one day and thankful that Unit 5 has pushed forward with in-person learning this semester, she said.

With a first-grader learning at home and one parent working from home as well as having a 4-year-old and being nine-months pregnant, Emery said we aren't the only family with balancing acts going on.

Her first-grader Aedan uses an individual education plan, which makes e-learning more complicated, Emery has said, noting he has made phenomenal progress being able to learn in-person this school year.

I have already been in touch with his teacher regarding tomorrow. She knows that remote is not a functional or realistic option for Aedan, she said Thursday afternoon. But for one day, I can definitely work on things like asynchronous work, or his spelling words, for example. When we have a solid foundation of in-person learning, it is far more practical to cover school for a day.

What comes next

Josh Mlot, parent of two Unit 5 students, said since he was already planning to work from home Friday, his family wont have to make too many adjustments for the e-learning day.

Having the kids at home makes it a little bit harder to get some work done, but at least I didnt have to rearrange my whole schedule to do it, he said.

The e-learning day lines up well for his oldest Hudson, a fourth grader at Prairieland Elementary, who was sick Wednesday and is waiting for a COVID-19 test result before he can return to school.

This actually makes it easier for him because were picking up his Chromebook from the school today and hes going to be able to learn remotely tomorrow as opposed to having to miss school entirely, Mlot said Thursday afternoon.

Having both Hudson and his sister Brooklyn, a second grader at Prairieland, at home can be a little bit more complicated and distractions are more likely, he added.

Its not the ideal learning environment obviously but  I think now, I mean, were two years into the pandemic at this point, so were all kind of used to having to be able to do these things at home sometimes and having to be efficient and get stuff done in a different environment, Mlot said.

The Unit 5 school board approved an e-learning program in December 2020, expanding the program to traditional emergency days instead of COVID-related days away.

The Associated Press and St. Louis Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood

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BLOOMINGTON  Bloomington is moving all city meetings virtual for the month of January as coronavirus cases surge in McLean County and Illinois.

Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe and Mayor Pro Tempore Jamie Mathy signed a written order determining that it is "not practical or prudent to hold in-person meetings at this time," Bloomington spokeswoman Katherine Murphy said in a Thursday news release.

The order is in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act and applies to all city meetings through Jan. 31, unless revoked by Mwilambwe. It is also contingent on the renewal of Gov. J.B. Pritzker's coronavirus disaster proclamation.

City staff and council members will meet in-person with up to 10 members of the public for all meetings.

It is the second time Bloomington has moved city meetings virtual since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The city held its first in-person meeting 16 months later in July 2021.

People can provide emailed public comment for city council meetings by emailing publiccomment@cityblm.org at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting. Those wanting to speak in-person or remotely must register at cityblm.org/register at least 5 minutes before the start of the meeting for in-person comments, and 15 minutes prior for virtual.

Participation information for all city meetings is listed on each meeting agenda, which are posted 48-hours prior to meetings. Agendas are available on the city's website. All meetings are live streamed through the city's YouTube channel.

Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry.

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BLOOMINGTON  The Miller Park Zoo snow leopard that played a major role in the North American Species Survival plan has died of COVID-induced pneumonia.

Rilu, who has been with the zoo since 2011, died Wednesday after struggling for weeks after contracting COVID-19, Superintendent Jay Tetzloff told The Pantagraph on Thursday. The 11-year-old fathered seven cubs as part of a plan to repopulate the species.

I really want to focus on his legacy, Tetzloff said, adding that Rilu was captured on film in Joel Sartores project The Photo Ark. The snow leopards photo has also appeared on the side of the Empire State Building in New York. Hell be teaching and showing people the beauty that is a snow leopard forever.

The death came shortly after the zoo announced it would close the Katthoefer Animal Building for a second time since five big cats, including Rilu, tested positive for COVID-19 in late November. The decision to close the building again was made after Rilu began struggling with COVID-induced pneumonia last week and amid a surge in coronavirus cases in McLean County.

As symptoms worsened, Rilu was treated with numerous types of medications including steroids. A blood transfusion was overnight shipped earlier this week from a snow leopard at another facility.

Tetzloff said he is aware of only five big cats that have died from COVID-19, all of which have been snow leopards. Species susceptible to the virus include all big cats, otters and primates, which have tested positive at other zoos.

If snow leopards are a species that struggle with certain diseases, thats definitely a concern, he said.

Rilu was sent to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine for necropsy as part of the snow leopard Species Survival Plan protocol, Tetzloff said. A necropsy is an autopsy for animals. Other measures are being taken with the Omaha Zoo to preserve reproductive organs for potential future artificial insemination.

On Wednesday, Tetzloff said, the zoo will begin vaccinating susceptible species once shots are available through the manufacturer Zoetis. Vaccines became difficult to obtain after the zoo approved them for their animals.

Rilu was brought to Miller Park Zoo in 2011 from Oklahoma City Zoo as part of the snow leopard Species Survival Plan, which Tetzloff manages for North America. The plan sustains the snow leopard population in North America, which was taken off the endangered species list in 2017. They are now considered vulnerable species, said Tetzloff.

As of July there were 138 snow leopards in North America in the breeding program Tetzloff said. There are between 4,000 and 7,000 snow leopards living in the wild in Central Asia.

Rilu and his mate, Hima, had two cubs at the zoo in 2020 named Sage and Shree. Hima and the two cubs remain housed at the zoo and are still under veterinary treatment after contracting the virus along with the zoos Sumatran tiger.

The Katthoefer Animal Building is closed to visitors indefinitely to limit potential spread of COVID-19 from humans to animals.

Visitors are required to wear masks while inside zoo buildings.

Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry.

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BLOOMINGTON  Kimberly Jones was eating dinner at her Bloomington home with family and friends last fall when they suddenly heard a terrible boom followed by a couple more.

Jones asked her guests What is that? and her sons girlfriend, Brianna Wright, 17, who was pregnant at the time, said it was gunfire. Several bullets flew into her Hershey Road apartment as everyone dropped to the floor.

So, I was just like, Down, down, down, down, and we had to crawl to the basement, Jones said.

Wright was wounded in the hip by a bullet. A cousin was skimmed. All told, six bullets entered the apartment.

The dramatic scene, which remains under investigation, marked one of 40 shots-fired calls to Bloomington-Normal police in 2021, a year that saw a spike in gun violence across the state and the Midwest.

Minneapolis recorded the highest number of homicides in over 20 years. Chicago also had one of the most violent years on record. Shooting deaths have also been an ongoing issue in Peoria, Decatur and Champaign-Urbana.

But an analysis by The Pantagraph shows that sharp increase has not extended locally. There were nine shots-fired calls in Normal last year, the same as in 2020. Bloomington had 31, compared to an average of 26 over the past five years.

Other findings:

Of those shootings, seven people died from gunfire, including one suspect who had killed two in an August shooting in Normal.

November was the most violent month of 2021, with seven shootings and one homicide.

Another violent string came at the end of August when there were four shootings in five days. One of those included three deaths when a gunman opened fire in the Landing Estates Mobile Home Park about 3:44 p.m. Aug. 30, killing two people and wounding three others. The suspect, Ronald J. Reiner, 66, was killed by police in the shootout.

Overall, the Twin Cities remain well behind the amount of gun violence seen in other similar-sized cities in Central Illinois such as Peoria or Champaign-Urbana.

That's despite Bloomington-Normal having the largest population among the three areas, according to the 2020 census. Bloomington-Normal's combined population was about 131,000, while Champaign-Urbana's combined population was close to 127,000, and Peoria's census count was about 113,000 in 2020.

And the number of homicides in Bloomington-Normal last year was much lower than some recent years.

According to news reports, Urbana had 107 confirmed shootings in 2021, with 10 of those being fatal. Meanwhile, Champaign experienced more than 250 shootings and 17 shooting deaths last year. Peoria set a city record for 34 homicides in 2021.

Chicago had one of its deadliest years in nearly 25 years in 2021, reaching at least 800 homicides, according to a combination of reports by the Chicago Police Department, the Cook County medical examiner's office and The Chicago Tribune. More than 90% of those deaths were a result of gun violence, according to those reports.

The factors at play

Similar trends are seen in other large cities across the country. Criminologists attribute the recent nationwide violent crime to a confluence of factors, including the coronavirus pandemic as well as conflicts over politics and race.

Normal police Chief Rick Bleichner said that while the police department has always had a focus on violent crime, it's become even more crucial as gun violence has risen across the U.S. in the past decade.

Six or seven years ago if we were looking at like our narcotics investigations, we were looking at narcotics," Bleichner said. "And we certainly are looking at that now, however, if weve got a case where we can work it and its narcotics, and weve got another one thats narcotics involving firearms and weve only got the resources to do one, were going to always pick the one that has firearms because thats a critical focus for us in taking those off the street.

In Bloomington, Officer John Fermon, a department spokesman, credited the lower numbers to a series of overlapping factors.

Our city has very low shootings numbers (compared to other similar sized cities in Central Illinois) because of several reasons: Strong community support and partnerships, pro-active police work, specialized divisions, great investigation work into every single shooting in our city, cybercrimes unit and crime scene unity who collect evidence that can be used in the investigation," Fermon said.

He also credited support from the McLean County States Attorneys Office, quick responses from patrol officers when incidents occur, a systemwide focus on habitually violent offenders, and the Bloomington Police Department's Crime and Intelligence Analysis Unit that collects data and looks at violent crime trends.

Bleichner also pointed to the state's attorney's office in its focus on filing gun charges efficiently.

"I know they have a focus on removing those guns and charging those people appropriately because if you remove them from the street and they don't have a gun, they can't shoot and kill somebody," Bleichner said.

Fermon added that the police departments work with community partners to help reduce at-risk youth getting into the gun violence culture, and with the McLean County juvenile justice system in helping to steer teens off of violent pathways. The new five-year average of 26 per year is down from 28 shootings per year, he said.

YouthBuild, the Boys and Girls Club, schools and other community organizations are partners that Bleichner pointed to.

"There's a lot of opportunities there where I think we have resources in the community and if we have individuals that are maybe going down the wrong path, we have an opportunity to try and do some intervention ahead of time," Bleichner said.

They dont know the impact

Despite the data, officials say, each shooting has a wide-ranging impact on those involved.

Jones, the Bloomington resident, said the Sept. 27 shooting at her apartment changed her life. She would like to see stricter gun laws because it just seems like guns can get in so many little kids hands now.

Its so many shootings, so many senseless deaths all the time, Jones said.

When the first gunshots pierced Jones' apartment, she was immediately worried about her 7-year-old grandson who was upstairs at the time. She quickly dialed 911 around 7:30 p.m. because Wright was shot in her right hip, and Wrights cousin was hurt.

Wright spent four days in the hospital and could not walk. She underwent a two-month process of surgery and rehabilitation to learn to walk.

She has one more surgery left to go, as the bullet is still lodged in her right pelvic bone. Doctors wanted to wait to remove the bullet because she was pregnant, she said. Her baby girl was born Oct. 18 and they have been well since.

Jones said health officials told them that Wright could have been killed instantly if the bullet had traveled a bit farther.

I hate to relive that day over and over again, all that kept playing in my head over and over again when Im just hearing her say, Im shot, Im shot, Jones said.

After living in Bloomington for about 21 years, Jones, 54, decided to relocate a few states over following the shooting. It was the third reported shooting of the year in her block. She said a rise in crime and gun violence on the east side of Bloomington over the past few years already had her contemplating the move.

Crime happens everywhere, but its just totally different when it hits your house. It brings it to reality, Jones said. I should never be in the process of having dinner and my house ends up getting shot up.

No arrests have been made. Fermon added that police cannot and will not release more information about the active investigation, unless it helps us in the investigation.

Jones hopes to see justice one day for the shooting and tougher gun laws aimed at taking the deadly weapons away from people.

They dont know the impact that it leaves on a person, Jones said. Now, Im so leery about everything since this shooting. When I go out the door Im looking around making sure, you know, you just dont know the impact.

Contact Kade Heather at 309-820-3256. Follow him on Twitter: @kadeheather

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BLOOMINGTON  The U.S. Postal Service said in a statement Thursday it's taking steps to address delivery issues in Bloomington-Normal .

Tim Norman with USPS Strategic Communications, Chicago/Illinois 1 District, said their workforce isn't immune to the human impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. He added they will continue flexing available resources to meet workloads, and they're proud of the efforts of postal employees that serve the Twin Cities and surrounding communities.

"We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees during challenging times," Norman said.

He advised customers to contact their local postal station or visit the 'Contact us' section of the USPS website to report any issues: usps.force.com/emailus/s/.

Norman stated all emails will be carefully documented and the right steps will be taken to strengthen service.

"The Postal Service will diligently continue to investigate customer's concerns and correct deficiencies to improve service to our communities," he said.

Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison

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For the second consecutive year, low-income Illinois taxpayers who have outstanding fines from the city of Chicago and other municipalities across the state wont have money taken from their state income tax returns, officials said.

Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced the extension of the deferral program on Thursday as an acknowledgment that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated financial hardships for the working poor.

People who qualify for the program will still have to pay those fines and fees when the program ends.

People still have a legal obligation to pay traffic and parking tickets and other fines. Cities can hire private collectors to collect these unpaid obligations, Mendozas office said in a statement. At this point, the Comptrollers Office does not expect to extend the suspension beyond this year.

Before the pandemic, the office would automatically take fines or fees out of residents tax refunds or other state-provided funding. The deferral program includes a moratorium on parking and traffic fines and court dues.

Illinois legislators gather, slowly, in Springfield for third session marked by COVID-19 pandemic The Illinois General Assemblys 2022 session, the third to be held under the cloud of the pandemic, got off to a slow start Wednesday.

The moratorium affected about 50,000 taxpayers last year, and about $18 million in overdue fees and fines that would have otherwise been collected was not taken out of tax refunds, Mendozas office said.

A year ago, we had hoped the world would be further along in the fight against COVID-19. Unfortunately, we all know that is not the case, Mendoza said in a statement. Again this year, families on the financial edge are counting on their state income tax refunds to pay bills they have been putting off as COVID causes hardships.

She also said the program has been championed by public interest groups who advocate for families considered low or moderate income by the federal earned income tax credit program.

This year, a family of four earning $57,414 a year or less would qualify for the credit, the comptrollers office said. Also qualifying would be a single person earning $21,430 a year or less, the office said.

The state legislature more than a decade ago gave Illinois municipalities the right to contract with the comptrollers office to withhold unpaid traffic and parking ticket fines, as well as court judgments, from state income tax returns.

The comptrollers office then sends those collections to municipalities, a function that the office already had performed for various state agencies.

Two years ago, Mendoza announced her office would no longer withhold unpaid red-light camera ticket fines from taxpayers income tax refunds. That decision was made due to corruption that was uncovered in the right-light camera industry resulting in indictments and other nefarious disclosures.

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Illinois lawmakers continue to let our state down by not taking ethics reforms and accountability seriously.

The latest example: The embarrassing handling of Legislative Inspector General Carol Popes departure.

The inspector general is a kind of clearinghouse for misconduct complaints against lawmakers. The job is given authority to investigate allegations that a law, rule or regulation has been violated by lawmakers or people who work for the legislative branch.

A Republican, Pope was appointed in 2019 after the job was dark for four years. But she grew frustrated that the position didnt have more power and with the ethics reform legislation that lawmakers passed last year, saying legislators demonstrated true ethics reform is not a priority.

Pope told lawmakers in July that she would be stepping down in mid-December. Then she extended it after a bipartisan panel appointed by party leaders couldnt agree on a replacement.

Republicans say Democrats, who control both chambers, wanted someone who wasnt recommended by the panel. Both sides said there were partisan factors at play. There were allegations of political maneuvering.

Cut short by an abridged session because of COVID, lawmakers left Springfield last week without coming to an agreement on this crucial position.

The irony of that is not lost, but not all that surprising. The words ethics reforms and Springfield dont exactly match.

Illinois has a long history of wildly corrupt politicians, from notorious Chicago city council members like "Hinky Dink" Kenna to a string of governors who spent time behind bars. (See Blagojevich.)

In recent years, two members of the General Assembly  Martin Sandoval and Luis Arroyo  have been charged with bribery.

And then theres Michael Madigan, the once-powerful House Speaker whose incredible fall coincided with the ComEd investigation into corruption and bribery.

That inquiry by federal prosecutors continues.

And yet Illinois has no internal watchdog to safeguard the citizenry from corrupt politicians.

Thats a failure of those sent to Springfield.

Thats a failure of the system.

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The Chinese land port of Manzhouli on the China-Russia border handled 4,235 China-Europe freight trains in 2021, up 18 percent year on year, said the local railway authorities.



Last year, the port in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region logged 2,235 inbound China-Europe freight trains, a 25.6 percent increase compared with the same period in 2020, and 2,000 outbound China-Europe freight trains, up 10.7 percent year on year.

It was the port's first time to see more inbound than outbound China-Europe freight trains.

Manzhouli, China's largest land port, has launched a series of measures including strict COVID-19 prevention and control requirements and improved local clearance efficiency so as to guarantee the smooth operation of the freight trains.

China put into operation the China-Europe freight train service in 2011, which has since served as a crucial link for trade and economic cooperation across the Eurasian continent.
President Joe Biden's efforts to halt the spread of COVID-19 through vaccine mandates will get the ultimate test on Friday  a hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court. At the heart of this debate is just how much authority federal agencies have to apply such sweeping orders.

Federal courts have rightly called into question this apparent overreach by the Biden administration, with judges around the country halting all iterations of the mandates, whether for certain health care workers, federal contractors or private employers.

It's the mandate impacting private businesses with 100 or more employees that is especially egregious, however. The 500 pages of rules issued in early November by the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration require employees at these companies get vaccinated or agree to regular testing. If employers don't comply, they face hefty fines.

The "emergency temporary standard" rules, which bypassed the typical notice and comment period for rulemaking, as well as Congress, were almost immediately put on hold by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on constitutional grounds.

Then last month, 6th Circuit in a 2-1 ruling allowed the rules to proceed. In her strongly worded dissent, Judge Joan Larsen wrote: "This emergency rule remains a massive expansion of the scope of (the administration's) authority."

She also compared OSHA's far-reaching rules to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's eviction ban, which the Supreme Court overturned last year.

Challengers, including business groups, appealed to the Supreme Court. Attorneys general in more than half the states have fought against the mandates.

Given the Supreme Court's decision to hear the case, the Biden administration has slightly delayed enforcement to Jan. 10 from Jan. 4, but this still puts employers in a bind in trying to figure out how to proceed.

The nation is already facing a shortage of COVID tests, despite Biden's assurances he'd fix the problem. It's unclear where businesses would acquire the necessary tests to comply with OSHA's rules.

In a call with governors late last month, Biden said "there is no federal solution" to COVID. The president should take his own words to heart.

Breakthrough cases are becoming more common, and vaccines alone will not stop the spread. A better approach would be to focus on ensuring states have adequate access to testing and the early virus treatments that are coming online.

Such expansive federal mandates go against our system of federalism and our constitutional rights, and are unlikely to significantly slow the virus.

The Detroit News

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Zimbabwes President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared that 28 parliamentary by-elections postponed in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic will now be held on 26 March.



The state electoral body told the BBC that local government by-elections would also be held on the same day as numerous seats have become vacant.



Most had belonged to the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, led by Nelson Chamisa.



But dozens of his allies have been expelled from parliament, and more than 100 MDC councilors were recalled in 2020 after the Supreme Court declared that Mr Chamisa was not the partys legitimate leader following a legal wrangle with a splinter group.



These by-elections are seen as an early test for general elections scheduled for mid-2023.



Previous national elections have been marred by allegations of violence and electoral fraud.



Critics had accused the government of using the Covid pandemic to thwart democracy.



Opposition parties have long alleged that the ruling Zanu-PF party rigs elections - which it denies.



They have called for various reforms, including an overhaul of the electoral body, equitable access to the media and for Zimbabweans living abroad to be allowed to vote.

Source: BBC









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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has said severe lockdowns are no longer the best way to deal with coronavirus waves.



Governments are now being urged to use public health and social measures to reduce the number of virus infections.



There should also be an emphasis on vaccinations, the Africa CDC briefing said.



Several countries experienced new waves of infection towards the end of last year.



South Africa attributed the recent surge in cases to the new variant Omicron.

Source: BBC









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Former US President, Donald Trump has responded to his successor, Joe Biden after he was heavily criticized in a speech on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.



Biden ripped into Trump on Thursday, the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack, when Trump supporters stormed the capitol building in order to overturn the 2020 election results. Biden called Trump a 'failed president', saying his 'bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our Constitution, he can't accept he lost".



Responding to Biden's speech, Trump who is planning a 2024 presidential comeback accused Biden of invoking his name in his speech even though Biden referred to him only as the former president.

The Democrats want to own this day of January 6th so they can stoke fears and divide America, Trump said in an email statement. I say, let them have it because America sees through their lies and polarizations.



(Biden) used my name today to try to further divide America. This political theater is all just a distraction. Trump added.

Trump did not discuss the riot itself at all in his statement but repeated attacks on Biden policies on the economy, immigration and even the COVID-19 pandemic.



This political theater is all just a distraction for the fact Biden has completely and totally failed, Trump said.

Trump also repeated that the election was stolen from him.



They want all conversation concerning the Election Canceled. In actuality, the Big Lie was the Election itself. he said.



In a second message, Trump said Democrats are the ones who tried to stop the peaceful transfer with a rigged election.



Never forget the crime of the 2020 Presidential Election, he wrote. Never give up!









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The Heliodorus Stele, loaned by American billionaire Michael Steinhardt, is displayed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Last month, Steinhardt surrendered the artifact, along with 179 others valued at roughly $70 million, as part of a landmark deal with the Manhattan District Attorney's office to avoid prosecution. Eight Neolithic masks loaned by Steinhardt to the Israel Museum for a major exhibition in 2014 were also seized as part of the billionaire's deal with New York authorities. Credit: AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo

One of the Israel Museum's biggest patrons, American billionaire Michael Steinhardt, approached the flagship Israeli art institution in 2007 with an artifact he had recently bought: a 2,200-year-old Greek text carved into limestone.

But shortly after it went on display, an expert noticed something oddtwo chunks of text found a year earlier during a dig near Jerusalem fit the limestone slab like a jigsaw puzzle. It soon became clear that Steinhardt's tablet came from the same cave where the other fragments were excavated.

Last month, Steinhardt surrendered the piece, known as the Heliodorus Stele, and 179 other artifacts valued at roughly $70 million as part of a landmark deal with the Manhattan District Attorney's office to avoid prosecution. Eight Neolithic masks loaned by Steinhardt to the Israel Museum for a major exhibition in 2014 were also seized under the deal, including two that remain exhibited at the museum.

Museums worldwide are facing greater scrutiny over the provenanceor chain of ownershipof their art, particularly those looted from conflict zones or illegally plundered from archaeological sites. There are growing calls for such items to be returned to their countries of origin.

Donna Yates, a criminologist specializing in artifact smuggling at Maastricht University, said that several recent scandals involving looted artifactssuch as the Denver Art Museum's return of Cambodian antiquitiesare "causing museums to reconsider the ownership history of some of the objects that they have."

"They can't really afford the public embarrassment of constantly being linked to this kind of thing, because museums aren't wealthy and many of them hold a place of public trust," she said.

In addition to the Heliodorus Stele and two of the ancient masks, at least one other Steinhardt-owned artifact in the Israel Museum is of uncertain provenance: a 2,800-year-old inscription on black volcanic stone. The museum's display states the origin as Moab, an ancient kingdom in modern-day Jordan.

How it got to Jerusalem remains unclear.

A Neolithic mask loaned by American billionaire Michael Steinhardt, center, is displayed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Last month, Steinhardt surrendered the artifact, along with 179 others valued at roughly $70 million, as part of a landmark deal with the Manhattan District Attorney's office to avoid prosecution. Eight Neolithic masks loaned by Steinhardt to the Israel Museum for a major exhibition in 2014 were also seized as part of the billionaire's deal with New York authorities. Credit: AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo

Steinhardt gave the Royal Moabite Inscription to the museum on extended loan in 2002, shortly after buying it from a licensed Israel dealer in Jerusalem, said Amir Ganor, who heads the Israel Antiquities Authority's theft prevention unit.

That dealer, who confirmed the deal but spoke on condition of anonymity because of the legal questions surrounding the item, told The Associated Press that he obtained the inscription from a Palestinian colleague in Bethlehem, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, who didn't specify its provenance.

"I don't know how it got to the dealer in Jerusalem," Ganor said. He said it could have come from the West Bank, neighboring Jordan or through Dubai, a longtime antiquities hub.

The Israel Museum declined interview requests and refused to show the artifact's documentation.

But in a statement, it denied wrongdoing, saying it "consistently follows the applicable regulations at the time the works are loaned." It said all displays are "in full cooperation" with the antiquities authority.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office said the Moabite Inscription wasn't part of the Steinhardt investigation and declined to discuss the item.

James Snyder, who was the Israel Museum's director from 1997 to 2016, said all artifacts coming to the museum have their provenance checked by the IAA before they're exhibited, and that Steinhardt's other looted artworks "came with documentation of legal ownership."

"We were given documentation of legal purchase, it was approved to come in on loan and it was approved to be returned" by the authority, Snyder said.

A Neolithic mask loaned by American billionaire Michael Steinhardt, is displayed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Last month, Steinhardt surrendered the artifact, along with 179 others valued at roughly $70 million, as part of a landmark deal with the Manhattan District Attorney's office to avoid prosecution. Eight Neolithic masks loaned by Steinhardt to the Israel Museum for a major exhibition in 2014 were also seized as part of the billionaire's deal with New York authorities. Credit: AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo

Israel has a legal antiquities market run by some 55 licensed dealers. They are allowed to sell items discovered before 1978, when a law took effect making all newfound artifacts state property.

This market has provided an outlet for the laundering of smuggled and plundered antiquities from around the Middle East that are given fabricated documentation by dealers in Israel. Israel began closing that loophole in 2016, when it mandated a digital database of dealers' artifacts.

Israel recently returned smuggled antiquities found in dealers' stores to Egypt and Libya. Other antiquities stolen from Iraq and Syriaincluding thousands of cuneiform tablets purchased by Hobby Lobby owner Steve Green in 2010were smuggled to Israeli dealers before being sold to collectors with fraudulent documentation.

Morag Kersel, archaeology professor at DePaul University in Illinois, said the wanton plunder of archaeological sites across the Middle East ultimately "is all demand driven."

"Looters do this because there's someone like Steinhardt who's willing to pay money and buy things that come straight out of the ground," she said.

Under the deal, the Manhattan District Attorney seized 180 of Steinhardt's artifacts and will repatriate them to their respective countries. Steinhardt also agreed to a lifetime ban from acquiring antiquitiesthough it is unclear how that ban will be enforced.

Steinhardt, 81, is a longtime patron of the Israel Museum and many other Israeli institutions, including a natural history museum at Tel Aviv University bearing his name. Since 2001, his family foundation has donated over $6.6 million to the Israel Museum, according to partial U.S. tax filings.

Steinhardt was not accused of plundering any items himself and has said he did not commit any crimes. But the DA's office said he "knew, or should have ascertained by reasonable inquiry" that the antiquities were stolen.

The Heliodorus Stele, center, loaned by American billionaire Michael Steinhardt, is displayed at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. Last month, Steinhardt surrendered the artifact, along with 179 others valued at roughly $70 million, as part of a landmark deal with the Manhattan District Attorney's office to avoid prosecution. Eight Neolithic masks loaned by Steinhardt to the Israel Museum for a major exhibition in 2014 were also seized as part of the billionaire's deal with New York authorities. Credit: AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo

Steinhardt declined an interview request. His office issued a brief statement saying the Manhattan DA "did not challenge Mr. Steinhardt's right, title, or interest to any of the artifacts" other than those in the settlement.

The DA began investigating Steinhardt's massive antiquities collection in 2017 after he loaned a Bull's Head sculpture to the Metropolitan Museum of Art that had been plundered from a site in Lebanon.

The DA says the three items at the Israel Museum are "effectively seized in place," and has opened talks with Israel to coordinate the return of 28 additional items. It said Steinhardt "has been unable to locate" the final nine items traced to Israel.

Of those 40 artifacts, more than half are believed to have been plundered from West Bank sites, according to court documents. An additional nine artifacts from Jordan, many sold to Steinhardt through Israel's licensed antiquities market, are also being repatriated.

Neither the Jordanian government nor the Palestinian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry responded to requests for comment. Under interim peace deals in the mid-1990s, the fate of items taken from the occupied West Bank is to be part of a still elusive peace deal.

The Israel Museum said it had only recently learned about the settlement and is currently examining the matter.

For now, the plundered artifacts in the museum still bear Steinhardt's name.

Explore further Iraq gets back looted ancient artifacts from US, others

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A case of African swine fever has been detected in a wild boar in Italy, the region of Piedmont said Friday, in a potential blow to the country's meat industry.

It is the first reported case on Italy's mainland since the virus arrived in Western Europe in 2018.

Highly transmissible and fatal for pig populations, African swine fever (ASF) does not present a risk for human health, but risks serious repercussions for pork producers.

Italy, with about 8.9 million pigs, is the seventh biggest pork producer in the European Union, representing an 8 billion euro ($9.1 billion) industry, according to the agricultural association Confagricoltura.

Piedmont's regional health department confirmed the case following tests on a wild boar which was found dead in Ovada in the northern region.

Italy's national reference centre for swine fever "confirmed the suspicion of infection with African swine fever" said the department in a statement.

As per protocol, crisis units were being set up at the local, regional and national level, while meetings were being held with authorities in veterinary services, forest management and wildlife and hunting, it said.

"We are acting with the utmost timeliness, the immediate and coordinated implementation of control measures in wild suids (pigs) is essential in an attempt to confine and eradicate the disease as much as possible," said Piedmont's health deputy, Luigi Icardi.

'Extremely damaging'

In Italy, African swine fever has been endemic on the island of Sardinia since first appearing in 1978.

Having existed in Africa for decades, the disease spread to Chinathe world's largest pork producerin 2018, causing millions of pigs to be slaughtered to prevent an epidemic.

In western Europe, the virus was reported in Belgium in 2018, prompting China to ban Belgian pork imports.

After Germany confirmed its first case in a dead wild boar in 2020, China, Japan and South Korea, alongside Brazil and Argentina, also suspended German pork imports.

Italy's health ministry will notify the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE) and the European Commission about the case, reported news agency ANSA.

In a December 3 situation report on the virus, the OIE said ASF has been reported in 32 countries in five different world regions since January 2020, affecting more than one million pigs and more than 28,000 wild boar.

"The events observed in the last six months confirm the global threat of ASF, which continues to spread with serious impacts on pig production systems, animal health and welfare, as well as the socio-economic impacts on livelihoods, national food security and international trade," the report said.

After Germany's first case, Confagricoltura said Italy had activated a EU-approved surveillance and prevention plan since early 2020.

On Friday, the Piedmont branch of Confagricoltura said Italy must do all it can to prevent the virus from spreading and called for redoubled efforts for a wild boar culling programme.

Explore further German farm to cull 4,000 pigs after swine fever detected

 2022 AFP
Credit: Simon Collins/Shutterstock

A farmer's lot is not an easy one. A difficult and demanding way of life, farming involves a huge range of challenges and stressesamong them isolation, climate change, and disease outbreaks in crops and livestock.

A recent survey of 15,296 farmers across England and Wales by the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (Rabi) found that 36% of the farming community across England and Wales were probably or possibly depressed.

The pandemic has struck during an uncertain post-Brexit agricultural transition which will see a radical shift in how farmers are paid to manage land and produce food. It has also brought into sharp focus the role of farmers as essential workers.

We began a research project in March 2021 to explore how the pandemic has affected the mental health of farming families in the UK, focusing particularly on the organizations and people who support them.

Pastoral support for farmers is provided by agricultural organizations, mental health charities, agricultural chaplains, and advisers in rural communities. Some of it is focused on mental health and wellbeing, but much of it is not. Rather, it is the support provided by friends and neighbors in rural pubs, auction markets and agricultural shows that improves mental health through mixing socially and fostering a sense of community.

The 'Landscapes of Support' project

Though more research is starting to highlight what drives poor mental health in farming, there is little exploration of the support networks providing help to struggling farmers in the UK, or how that support works.

Credit: David Rose/University of Reading, Author provided

We interviewed 22 people who provide mental health support to farmers in the UK, followed by a survey of 93 support providers and 207 farmers. Our results showed that 67% of farmers surveyed reported feeling more stressed during the pandemic than before it, 63% felt more anxious and 38% felt more depressed.

While a lower, but still worrying, number (12%) felt more suicidal, there is a spectrum of mental ill-health, from initial feelings of stress and anxiety, to clinical depression up to thoughts or acts of suicide. We believe the pandemic is storing up problems that will manifest themselves more seriously later.

We found that the primary reasons for worsening mental health ranged from having less social contact as a result of lockdowns and social distancing, to issues with the public on private land, and social events moving onlinewhich was a particular challenge for families with poor internet connections.

According to those who provide help and support, the five main reasons farmers contacted them during the pandemic were loneliness, family or relationship issues, financial problems, illness, and pressure of regulations and inspections from the government. Barriers to support included the perceived stigma of asking for help, lack of knowledge about available support, the traveling distance involved and lack of time to attend sessions.

Besides the pandemic's effect on their business, lockdown and social distancing have clearly contributed to worsening mental health in some farming families. But the story for farmers has not been entirely negative.

Participants in our study spoke about feeling more valued knowing they were doing important work keeping people fed. The comfort and support of having family members at home was also reportedalthough for some this was regarded as stressful. Quieter rural roads during periods of lockdown were also seen as an upside. Some farmers were also encouraged to try communicating online, which improved the skills of those who had good internet connectivity.

Those providing support themselves have struggled to offer the same service during the pandemic. They spoke about the importance of face-to-face interaction and how it is key for effective mental-health support. Farmers have always tended to be more geographically isolated from services such as healthcare, but this was exacerbated during the pandemic.

While supporters adapted by providing advice by phone or video call, this was not accessible to all and not always felt to be as effective. The pandemic also challenged the ability of some local-level farming organizations to raise funds and provide enough staff. For example, Young Farmers clubsfarming community groups that support young people working in the countrysidereported a 1m funding shortfall in 2020.

Our study, alongside Rabi's Big Farming Survey and other studies showing the value of rural auction markets, makes several recommendations on how to address both the causes of, and support for poor mental health among farmers. Improving support without addressing the underlying reasons for this poor mental health is unlikely to be effective.

What needs to happen

First, given that a huge range of people come into regular contact with farmersfrom vets, inspectors and bank managers to other people living in rural communitiesbasic mental health first-aid training could be provided more widely. This could include improving community knowledge about available support for farmers, which would help to normalize conversations about mental health and encourage people to get help.

Second, more work is needed to understand how to connect the support services used by farming communities. Services such as healthcare, mental health charities and social groups are not always coordinated; it can be difficult for people to know the best way to get support.

Lastly, the benefit of strong links to the community cannot be underestimated when it comes to mental health and wellbeing. The importance of the meeting places that farmers enjoy is key to this community. These are the vital and life-affirming agricultural events and places that COVID denied farmers over the last two years, some of which now face an uncertain future, such as rural pubs. The government needs long-term policies that will help maintain the thriving rural communities that enhance farming life.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Small molecule drugs (outlined in green) nestle in a cavity in the protein that malfunctions in cystic fibrosis, stabilizing the protein and correcting its flaws. Credit: K. Fiedorczuk et al, Cell 2022

A mutated protein causes the genetic disease cystic fibrosis. Now, researchers have solved the structure of the protein and how certain drugs bind to it, unveiling their mode of action.

Just over a decade ago, in one of the great advances in modern medicine, researchers at Aurora Biosciences and then Vertex Pharmaceuticals found what they described at the time as needles in a haystacksmall molecule drugs that can treat cystic fibrosis, the lung-damaging genetic disease.

Vertex's first drug, ivacaftor, was approved in 2012, and others followed, dramatically increasing survival age and quality of life for cystic fibrosis patients. The drugs improve lung function, allowing patients to breath better. Scientists knew that the drugs somehow adjusted or corrected the faulty protein responsible for the disease, but how they work has remained unknown.

Now, in new work that reveals the structure of the mutated protein and how so-called corrector drugs interact with it, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator Jue Chen's team at the Rockefeller University has discovered how the molecules operate. They bind to and stabilize the defective protein during its biogenesis, giving it a better chance to successfully reach the cell surface, her team reports January 6, 2022, in the journal Cell.

While many scientists have made strides toward understanding these drugs' mechanism, Chen's new work "is a substantial contributionit is groundbreaking for the field," says Garry Cutting, a medical geneticist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who was not involved with the work.

"It is satisfying to see that although these drugs were discovered empirically, they act through basic thermodynamic principles that underlie protein stability," Chen says. "I am also hoping that these data will guide new therapy development to help people who do not respond to current treatments."

Black sheep

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that leads to lung damage, digestive problems, and infections, among other medical problems. It is caused by mutations in a protein called the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Normally, this protein acts as a channel that allows vital ions like chloride to pass through cell membranes. When mutated, CFTR malfunctions or is almost completely absent, leading to an average life expectancy for cystic fibrosis patients of only 30 years or less. Two types of drugs, called potentiators and correctors, have almost doubled that. "The fact that the drugs can tackle the root cause of the disease in 90 percent of patients worldwide is pretty spectacularlife-changing for many patients," Cutting says.

But the scientific puzzle of how a small molecule could correct the defects caused by the mutated protein remained. Chen decided to take on the challenge. She'd already built a successful career illuminating the molecular machinery of so-called ABC transportersthe proteins that pump substances, such as sugars, across cell membranes. But she also had kept her eye on one especially unusual transporter, CFTR. "It's the black sheep in the family because it's the only one that is a channel rather than a pump," she explains. In other words, instead of actively transporting substances from areas of low concentrations to those of higher concentrations, CFTR simply allows molecules to flow down the concentration gradient, like water running downhill. "That made me very interested in this protein," Chen says.

At first, figuring out the structure of the proteinand where the drugs might bindwas virtually impossible. The reason: CFTR is unstable even when not mutated, with parts that flop around. The standard technique, X-ray crystallography, wasn't up to the task. X-ray crystallography relies on proteins that can form a stable crystal structuresomething that's not easy with floppy proteins. "You can't get a crystal because parts of the protein move a lot," Chen explains.

That barrier, however, was swept away by a technical breakthrough in 2014, cryogenic electron microscopy. By freezing samples of proteins under study, cryo-EM allowed detailed electron microscope pictures of protein structure and started what has been dubbed the "resolution revolution." Chen first used the technique to study the structures of CFTR in its channel-closed and channel-open forms, published in Cell in 2016 and 2017. Then her team discovered that potentiator cystic fibrosis drugs, which improve the function of mutated CFTR proteins, bind to the protein in a way that keeps the channel open, as reported in Science in 2019.

Unexpected hole

Chen and a postdoctoral associate, Karol Fiedorczuk, then turned to the other type of drugthose that improve the folding of mutated CFTR protein. By taking thousands of electron microscope pictures, the scientists showed that CFTR has an unexpected cavity in its 3D structure. These corrector drugs nestle precisely in that hole, stabilizing the protein and ensuring that it folds into the right shape. "It is surprising until you actually see it, because there are no other examples in the literature of how small molecules can help protein folding," says Chen.

Fiedorczuk and Chen used the 3D structure to propose how molecular glitches lead to cystic fibrosis, and how the drugs come to the rescue. Their idea centers on CFTR's stabilityor lack of it.

CFTR is a large complex protein, with five distinct domains. It takes up to two hours for the cell to make and properly fold the protein. That's a lot of time for things to go awry, Chen says. And the cavity her team discovered doesn't help. It occurs even in normal CFTR proteins, making them unstable and prone to degradation. Even under the best of circumstances, 80 percent or more of the typical CFTR protein that cells produce never makes it to the membranes where it's needed.

Cystic fibrosis mutations make the problem even worse. The genetic glitches increase the protein's instability, so virtually none of it ends up where it needs to be, causing the disease. But by binding in the cavity, the drug stabilizes the first part of the protein made by the cell, keeping it from being degraded. That buys the cell enough time to finish making the rest of the protein and fold it into the right shape.

The findings validate an idea, first proposed 30 years ago, that holes in proteins make them unstable, with instability increasing as the holes get bigger, says Chen. "Intellectually, that is very satisfying," she says. More practically, it explains why a single drug can help cystic fibrosis patients with different mutations.

There are still more details to be uncovered, such as where the drugs linger in cells before binding to the protein, says Stephen White, a physiologist and biophysicist at the University of California, Irvine, but he calls Chen's new work "an important starting point."

Explore further Appearance of cystic fibrosis at the molecular scale

More information: Karol Fiedorczuk et al, Mechanism of CFTR correction by type I folding correctors, Cell (2022). Journal information: Cell , Science Karol Fiedorczuk et al, Mechanism of CFTR correction by type I folding correctors,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.009
TESS target pixel files of Sectors 14, 20, 21, and 26 that observed TOI-2257, generated by means of tpfplotter (Aller et al. 2020). The apertures used to extract the photometry by the SPOC pipeline are shown as red shaded regions. The Gaia DR2 catalog (Gaia Collaboration 2018) is over-plotted, with all sources of up to 6 magnitudes in contrast with TOI-2257 shown as red circles. We note that the symbol size scales with the magnitude contrast. While the star is relatively isolated, there is a small amount of contamination from outside sources, ranging from 25% of the total flux. Credit: DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202142280

Led by the University of Bern, an international research team has discovered a sub-Neptune exoplanet orbiting a red dwarf star. The discovery was also made thanks to observations performed by the SAINT-EX observatory in Mexico. SAINT-EX is run by a consortium including the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) at the University of Bern and the National Center of Competence in Research NCCR PlanetS.

"Red dwarfs" are small stars and thus much cooler than our Sun. Around stars like these, liquid water is possible on planets much closer to the star than in our solar system. The distance between an exoplanet and its star is a crucial factor in its detection: the closer a planet is to its host star, the higher the probability that it can be detected.

In a study recently published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, researchers led by Dr. Nicole Schanche of the Center for Space and Habitability CSH of the University of Bern report the discovery of the exoplanet TOI-2257 b orbiting a nearby red dwarf. Nicole Schanche is also a member of the National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS, which the University of Bern runs together with the University of Geneva.

A special telescope is part of the solution

Exoplanets that are very far from our solar system cannot be observed directly with a telescopethey are too small and reflect too little light. However, one way to detect such planets is the transit method. This involves using telescopes to look for dips in the star's brightness that occur when planets pass in front of the star. Repeated observations of the dips in the star's brightness give precise measurements of the planet's orbital period around the star, and the depth of the transit allows researchers to determine the planet's diameter. When combined with planet mass estimates from other methods, such as using radial velocity measurements, the planet density can be calculated.

Planet TOI-2257 b was initially identified by data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite TESS space telescope. The small star was observed for a total of four months, but the gaps between observations meant that it was not clear whether the decrease in brightness could be explained by the transit of a planet with an orbit of 176, 88, 59, 44 or 35 days.

Observation of the star with the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope subsequently ruled out the possibility that a planet with a 59-day orbital period was causing the drop in brightness. "Next, we wanted to find out if the 35-day orbital period could be possible," explains Nicole Schanche.

The Mexico-based SAINT-EX telescope, co-operated by the CSH and the NCCR PlanetS, is purpose-built to study red dwarfs and their planets in more detail. SAINT-EX is an acronym that stands for Search And characterIsatioN of Transiting EXoplanets. The project was named in honor of Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Saint-Ex), the famous writer, poet and aviator. SAINT-EX observed a partial transit of TOI-2257 b and was able to confirm the exoplanet's exact orbital period around its star, 35 days. "Another 35 days later, SAINT-EX was able to observe the entire transit, which gave us even more information about the properties of the system," says co-author Robert Wells from the CSH, who was involved in the data processing.

A temperate planet with an irregular orbit

With its 35-day orbital period, TOI-2257 b orbits the host star at a distance where liquid water is possible on the planet, and therefore conditions favorable for the emergence of life could exist. Planets in this so-called "habitable zone" near a small red dwarf star are easier to study because they have shorter orbital periods and can therefore be observed more often. The radius of TOI-2257 b (2.2 times larger than Earth's) suggests that the planet is rather gaseous, with high atmospheric pressure not conducive to life.

"We found that TOI-2257 b does not have a circular, concentric orbit," explains Nicole Schanche. In fact, it is the most eccentric planet orbiting a cool star ever discovered. "In terms of potential habitability, this is bad news," Nicole Schanche continues. "While the planet's average temperature is comfortable, it varies from -80C to about 100C depending on where in its orbit the planet is, far from or close to the star." A possible explanation for this surprising orbit is that further out in the system a giant planet is lurking and disturbing the orbit of TOI 2257 b. Further observations measuring the radial velocity of the star will help confirm the eccentricity and search for possible additional planets that could not be observed in transit.

Candidate for observation with JWST

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which successfully launched on December 25, will revolutionize research into exoplanet atmospheres. In order to prioritize good candidates for observations with the JWST, a transmission spectroscopy metric (TSM) was developed that rates different system properties. TOI-2257 b is well positioned with respect to TSM and is one of the most attractive sub-Neptune targets for further observations. "In particular, the planet could be studied for signs of features such as water vapor in the atmosphere," Nicole Schanche concludes.

Explore further Astronomers discover a sub-Neptune exoplanet orbiting nearby star

More information: N. Schanche et al, TOI-2257 b: A highly eccentric long-period sub-Neptune transiting a nearby M dwarf, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2021). Journal information: Astronomy & Astrophysics N. Schanche et al, TOI-2257 b: A highly eccentric long-period sub-Neptune transiting a nearby M dwarf,(2021). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202142280
You are here: Business

Attracted by a huge Chinese market, about 70 percent of Japanese companies plan to continue their businesses in China, according to a poll released by Japan's Sankei News.

The questionnaire conducted by Sankei surveyed 118 Japanese companies between late November and the middle of December.

It found five companies plan to more actively do business in China, and 78 companies or 66.1 percent said they will continue their businesses in China as usual, accounting for 70.3 percent of the total.

Results from the survey found no company plans to quit the Chinese market, and only one plans to downsize its business gradually.

China's huge market is a main attraction, Sankei News said, adding most Japanese companies are willing to expand their Chinese presence.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between China and Japan. Additionally, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, the world's largest trade deal, entered into force on Jan 1.

As two member states of RCEP, economic partnership between China and Japan is expected to strengthen each year, the newspaper added.
The CAMELS project (Cosmology and Astrophysics with MachinE Learning Simulations) combines over 4,000 cosmological simulations, millions of galaxies, and 350 terabytes of data to decipher secrets of the universe. Credit: University of Connecticut

Totaling 4,233 universe simulations, millions of galaxies and 350 terabytes of data, a new release from the CAMELS project is a treasure trove for cosmologists. CAMELSwhich stands for Cosmology and Astrophysics with MachinE Learning Simulationsaims to use those simulations to train artificial intelligence models to decipher the universe's properties.

Scientists are already using the data, which is free to download, to power new research, says project co-leader Francisco Villaescusa-Navarro, a research scientist with the Simons Foundation's CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background) Analysis and Simulation group.

Villaescusa-Navarro leads the project with associate research scientists at the Flatiron Institute's Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA) Shy Genel and Daniel Angles-Alcazar, who is also a UConn Associate Professor of Physics.

"Machine learning is revolutionizing many areas of science, but it requires a huge amount of data to exploit," says Angles-Alcazar. "The CAMELS public data release, with thousands of simulated universes covering a broad range of plausible physics, will provide the galaxy formation and cosmology communities with a unique opportunity to explore the potential of new machine-learning algorithms to solve a variety of problems."

The CAMELS team generated the simulations using code taken from the IllustrisTNG and Simba projects. The CAMELS team includes members of both projects, with Genel a part of the core team of IllustrisTNG and Angles-Alcazar on the team that developed Simba.

About half of the simulations combine the physics of the cosmos with the smaller-scale physics essential for galaxy formation. Each simulation is run with slightly different assumptions about the universefor instance, regarding how much of the universe is invisible dark matter versus the dark energy pulling the cosmos apart, or how much energy supermassive black holes inject into the space between galaxies.

The researchers designed the simulations to feed machine-learning models, which will then be able to extract information from observations of the real, observable universe. With 4,233 universe simulations, CAMELS is the largest ever suite of detailed cosmological simulations designed to train machine-learning algorithms.

"The data will enable new discoveries and connect cosmology with astrophysics through machine learning," says Villaescusa-Navarro. "There has never been anything similar to this, with this many universe simulations."

The CAMELS dataset is already powering research projects, with a wide range of papers utilizing the data in the works.

Pablo Villanueva-Domingo of the University of Valencia in Spain led one such paper. He and his colleagues leveraged the CAMELS simulations to train an artificial intelligence model to measure the mass of our Milky Way galaxy plus its surrounding dark matter halo, and the nearby Andromeda galaxy and its halo. The measurementsthe first ever done using AIput our galaxy's heft at 1 trillion to 2.6 trillion times the sun's mass. Those estimates are roughly in line with those made by other methods, demonstrating the AI approach's accuracy.

Meanwhile, Villaescusa-Navarro headed an effort to use the CAMELS data to estimate the value of two parameters that govern the fundamental properties of the universe: what fraction of the universe is matter, and how evenly mass is distributed throughout the cosmos. First, he and his colleagues used CAMELS to generate maps such as the distribution of dark matter, gas and different properties of stars. Then, using the maps, they trained a machine-learning tool called a neural network to predict the values of the two parameters.

"This is the same kind of algorithm used to tell the difference between a cat and a dog from the pixels of an image," says Genel, who co-authored the paper. "The human eye can't determine how much dark matter there is in a simulation, but a neural network can do that."

The results showed the promise of leveraging CAMELS to precisely estimate such parameters in the future based on new observations of the universe, says Villaescusa-Navarro.

"It's exciting to see what other new discoveries this will enable," he says.

Explore further Machine learning accelerates cosmological simulations
Gregg Fields, Ph.D., executive director of FAUs I-HEALTH and a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

The Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover is collecting samples in search of signs of ancient microbial life, which would advance NASA's quest to explore the past habitability of Mars. The samples are set to return to Earth no earlier than 2031, as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign being planned by NASA and the European Space Agency. Before the rover went to space, NASA and its engineers worked hard to prevent Earth's microbes from contaminating Mars. Now, before the samples collected by the rover return to Earth, Florida Atlantic University is helping NASA design protocols for sterilizing Mars material and protecting our biosphere.

Gregg Fields, Ph.D., executive director of FAU's Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention (I-HEALTH) and a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, is working in collaboration with a team of scientists to ensure a "microbe-free" return of Mars samples in a vessel with multiple layers of protection. The sample container would be launched into Mars orbit, collected by a spacecraft that would package it inside a sealed container, sterilize the seal, and then package that container inside another sealed vessel.

Fields, a leading expert in chemistry and biochemistry, was invited to work on the heat sterilization step with researchers from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory based out of California, Nelson Laboratories headquartered in Utah, and Johnson & Johnson based in New Jersey. The research group has been addressing not only heat-resistant bacteria, but individual proteins that, on Earth, can act as infectious agents (e.g. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or Mad Cow Disease). These biomolecules were chosen for testing as representatives of the simplest, hardiest infectious agents known. Fields is providing complimentary technologies for assessing degradation of the protein-based targets from his laboratory on FAU's John D. MacArthur Campus at Jupiter.

"Our plan is to ensure that when the samples return to Earth, potentially hazardous material from the Mars rover is either fully contained or sterilized," said Fields. "In addition, it's imperative for the samples obtained by the rover to be contained within an ultra-clean environment when it returns to Earth. That way, scientists will know that any potential discovery of ancient life did in fact originate on the red planet."

The car-sized rover landed in the Jerezo Crater, a 28-mile-wide basin located on the planet's northern hemisphere. Experts believe that around 3.5 billion years ago, a river flowed into a body of water about the size of Lake Tahoe, which straddles the border of California and Nevada. According to NASA, this is one of the best places to search for signs of microbial life, as the ancient river could have collected and preserved organic molecules.

While the rover explores, it will be collecting samples of rocky materialup to 30 of which may be returned. The M2020 rover is equipped with seven instruments, 25 camerasthe most ever in deep-space explorationand even a helicopter the size of a tissue box to take aerial images. The rover uses a rotary-percussive drill and hollow coring bit to drill into rocks and collect samples just a little thicker than a pencil. This sampling system is located on the end of the rover's 7-foot-long robotic arm. These state-of-the-art tools are collecting information about Martian geology, environmental conditions, atmosphere and possible biosignatures that can be used as evidence for past or present life.

"Most proteins we think about are obviously very helpful in our bodies. However, there are very specific proteins that have been noted to behave in a pathological fashion that contribute to disease, for example, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases," said Fields.

The overarching plan would be to inactivate or encapsulate any potentially hazardous bioactive particles by heating and sealing the sample tubes inside multilayered vessel that will return to Earth. However, the ideal temperature and duration to get the job done is still being determined. To figure this out, the partner laboratories send Fields heat-treated samples of a common protein called bovine serum albumin as well as model prion protein.

The team is targeting near-total disassembly of the proteinmore than enough to render it inactive. Fields' laboratory uses a combination of analytical techniques, such as mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography, to look at how much of the protein sample has broken down. So far, he has tested the protein treated at 350- and 450-degrees Celsius (662- and 842-degrees Fahrenheit).

"We tested the bovine serum albumin at 350 degrees, which does a pretty good job of breaking down the protein, but it doesn't break it up all the way," said Fields. "Higher temperatures of 400 or 500 degrees are likely better to break the proteins down into the amino acid components, which are the building blocks of proteins."

Because the samples will not return to Earth no earlier than 2031, Fields has time to continue experimenting in his laboratory.

"I don't think that there are any dangerous microorganisms and proteins on Mars, but we still have to prepare and protect against it," said Fields.

Explore further NASA Mars rover begins collecting rock in search of alien life
Credit: Leiden University

Self-employed workers' hours have significantly decreased during the coronavirus crisis. Their average hours worked decreased most at the start of the crisis, by more than five hours per week. And it was difficult to return to their pre-crisis hours in the quarters that followed. This is the conclusion of research published by economists Ron Diris, Egbert Jongen and Olaf van Vliet from Leiden University in the journal Economisch Statistische Berichten.

The figures for the self-employed are in stark contrast to the figures for the employed, for whom the effect of the coronavirus crisis has been limited and short-lived since the start of the crisis. Even in periods in which the measures were relatively limited and there was no lockdown, self-employed workers' hours did not return to the pre-crisis level.

Self-employed workers in the culture and recreation sector hit hard and for the longer term

The research has also shown that self-employed workers in the cultural and recreational sector were hit hard and for the longer term. They worked 10 fewer hours per week in comparison with 29.9 hours per week in 2019.

The hours worked by the self-employed in business services decreased sharply at the start of the crisis but soon recovered in the subsequent months, possibly because it was easier for these workers to switch to remote working by working online. For semi-skilled and unskilled self-employed workers, however, it proved difficult to return to the number of hours they used to work.

In their analysis the researchers looked at figures until the end of June 2021. Figures for the present lockdown are not yet available. In contrast to earlier lockdowns during the crisis, self-employed workers are no longer eligible for Tozo (temporary support for the self-employed) to supplement their income.

Historically hard hit

Diris, Jongen and Van Vliet researched the actual hours worked using data from the Labour Force Survey by Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The drop in hours worked by the self-employed is greater than during the financial crisis (2008) and the subsequent euro crisis, say the researchers. Self-employed workers have been historically hard hit by the coronavirus crisis.

Explore further COVID cuts billions of dollars and work hours
Concordia base with the 40cm diameter ASTEP telescope in the foreground. Above the skies are lit by the Southern Lights, delicately drawing the type of the data the telescope obtains when a planet passes in front of its host star, producing a transit. Credit: Amanda Smith, University of Birmingham

A mission to one of the coldest and most remote places on earth will enable a new phase in the search for distant planetary systems.

University of Birmingham Ph.D. researcher Georgina Dransfield has traveled to the Franco-Italian Concordia Research Station in Antarctica, to oversee the installation of a new state-of-the-art camera at the ASTEP (Antarctic Search for Transiting ExoPlanets) telescope.

The new instrument will enable scientists to see a much wider range of planets orbiting suns outside the Solar system, broadening our search for planets capable of hosting life.

The ASTEP telescope detects signals from distant planetary systems using the 'transit' method, measuring the slight dips in brightness that occur when a planet passes between Earth and its host star.

Purchased with support from the Science and Technology Facilities Council and from the European Research Council, the telescope's new camera is sensitive to the reddest wavelengths in the spectrum. This means it can spot the smallest stars in our galaxy, which are colder, fainter and therefore redder.

"It is easier to detect smaller planets orbiting these small stars, so we have a good chance of being able to detect planets of a similar size and temperature to the Earth, thanks to this new camera," explained Georgina.

The camera also has a 'blue' channel, so can see in two colors at once. This will enable astronomers to distinguish planetary signals from parasitic signals produced by other astrophysical phenomena, enabling new planets to be confirmed more rapidly and efficiently.

The University of Birmingham is the only university in the UK with access to an optical telescope in Antarctica. In winter, temperatures at Concordia regularly reach down to -80 degrees Celsius. This extreme cold strips the atmosphere of all moisture and reduces the ambient pressure, making Concordia 10 times drier than the driest desert, the Atacama desert in Chile, and the pressure is equivalent to being at altitudes above 4,000 m. All these conditions are important for getting the best performance from the telescope.

In addition, the total absence of light pollution and the near permanent winter night between mid-May and mid-July enable the team to carry out observations almost continually, capturing rare planetary signals that would otherwise be extremely difficult to collect data on. This makes the site one of the most interesting and productive places in the world to conduct astronomical observations.

Amaury Triaud, Professor of Exoplanetology at the University of Birmingham, said: "Antarctica is a remarkable place from which to explore space. We have already collected a rich seam of data from observations made throughout the 2020 and 2021 season, which have included a number of important detections, including a temperate Neptune-sized planet, and a planetary system still in its adolescence. With this new camera in place in time for the 2022 observing season we are excited by the discoveries yet to be made."

Explore further Investigating the potential for life around the galaxy's smallest stars

More information: Jennifer A. Burt et al, TOI-1231 b: A Temperate, Neptune-sized Planet Transiting the Nearby M3 Dwarf NLTT 24399, The Astronomical Journal (2021). Jennifer A. Burt et al, TOI-1231 b: A Temperate, Neptune-sized Planet Transiting the Nearby M3 Dwarf NLTT 24399,(2021). DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/ac0432 L. G. Bouma et al, Cluster Difference Imaging Photometric Survey. II. TOI 837: A Young Validated Planet in IC 2602, The Astronomical Journal (2020). DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/abb9ab Journal information: Astronomical Journal
GLENS FALLS  A year ago, Matt Castellis sister and niece were watching as the assault on Capitol Hill took place on TV in their living room. They watched as people scaled the walls of the Capitol, beat police officers and shattered windows.

Castellis sister began to cry, and his seven-year-old niece asked her what was wrong, trying to understand what was happening. Castelli recalled what she said in response.

Some bad people are hurting good people in D.C., Castelli recalled her sister saying.

It was then Castellis niece, named Hannah, called him to make sure he was all right.

While I reassured her that I was in fact OK, I couldnt reassure her of much else, he said. Because good people did get hurt that day. Some died, including police officers.

Castelli, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, stood in front of the Global War on Terror monument at Crandall Park on Thursday to deliver remarks on the anniversary of the insurrection at the Capitol.

He said that what took place on that day is not OK.

Our kids were watching. We cannot heal from the horror of Jan. 6 without consequences for those who conspired to overthrow our government without answers for our children when they ask us what happened that day, why it happened and who was responsible, he said.

Castelli called for legislation to bar from office any person who participates in insurrection against the countrys democracy after taking an oath to the Constitution. He made his intentions clear that, if elected, he would co-sponsor bill H.R. 1405.

This legislation would create a civil procedure allowing the removal and disqualification of anyone who violates their constitutional oath, including sitting members of Congress, according to Castelli.

Critically, this bill will answer many of the questions Americans have about Jan. 6 to this day, Castelli said.

The legislation would define what constitutes an insurrection or rebellion under Section 3 of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It also establishes that the attorney general and Department of Justice are responsible for enforcing this, instead of relying on hyper-partisan Congress to police itself, according to Castelli.

It will also call for a three-judge panel from the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C., to judge whether an individual engaged in insurrection or rebellion, using a clear and convincing standard of evidence. The legislation would empower that panel to issue penalties that include removing individuals from office, disqualifying them from future office and stripping them of government benefits.

This legislation reaffirms that eligibility for federal office depends on an allegiance to the United States, and that those who abandon their oath to the Constitution should be removed from and disqualified from office, Castelli said.

He said that he takes this personally.

Castelli said he understands the oath people in office take because it was the oath he took 16 years ago when he first joined the Central Intelligence Agency.

That oath calls for those who take it to support and protect the Constitution against all enemies.

That oath binds our allegiance to the United States  not to a political party, not to a president, but to the constitution that establishes our government of, by and for the people, he said.

As he stood in front of the Global War on Terror monument, he recalled those who served and died during the War on Terror. He said that on Jan. 6, a new front of that war opened on home soil.

For their sacrifice to mean something we must take action to defend that same democracy here at home, because Jan. 6 wasnt just an attack on the Capitol, it was an attack on our democracy. It was an attack on all of us, he said.

Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at (518) 742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com.

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GLENS FALLS  A group of over 100 people stood in solidarity Thursday to remember the events that took place on Jan. 6 of last year.

The vigil was put on by the Saratoga-Warren-Washington Progressive Action group.

The crowd braced the cold and stood at Centennial Circle to remember those who lost their lives due to the insurrection and to call for action.

Larry Fine, co-chair of the Progressive Action group, asked the crowd to hold up their candles and lights for those who sacrificed their lives. The crowd of over 100 then sang the chorus of This Little Light of Mine.

The horror of those who died cannot be imagined. The horror of those who lived through it and still live with it, we must empathize, sympathize and somehow compensate, Fine said.

Fine called what took place on Jan. 6 a terrorist attack on the United States. He said that because the attack was conducted by citizens of this country, it was treason.

He asked the crowd if U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, was a leader of the election lie, which the crowd agreed. He then asked what they were going to do during the next election.

The crowd chanted: Vote her out.

Democrats Matt Castelli and Matt Putorti, who are running for the Democratic nomination to run against Stefanik, spoke at the vigil. Castelli said Stefanik took an oath to support and protect the Constitution against all enemies.

He said that she violated that oath on Jan. 6.

Many are still healing from the trauma of Jan. 6. Police officers, the families who lost loved ones, Castelli said.

He said it is vital to hold people accountable for their actions that led to the events of Jan. 6. He called for transparency from Stefanik. Castelli stated that she broke her oath to the Constitution, and has continued to do so, going so far as to call her a traitor like Benedict Arnold.

We deserve to know what Elise Stefanik knew and what role she played in the insurrection. I have a direct message for Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. Its time you were forthcoming with all correspondence you had, your office had with the Trump White House between November of 2020 and the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Its time to release your emails, release your phone logs, release your text messages, he said. If we cant trust her to be transparent about her actions on Jan. 6, what can we trust her with?

Alex deGrasse, senior adviser for Stefanik, said in an email that there was no communication with the White House.

He added that he was sorry to disappoint the congresswomans desperate Democrat opponents.

Shame on the media and desperate North Country Anti-Trump Democrat candidates for pushing this Pelosi propaganda, deGrasse said.

The Stefanik campaign in response is calling on Castelli to release all communications and documents from when he worked on President Barack Obamas staff.

Stefanik could not be reached directly for comment.

DeGrasse referred to the congresswomans statement that was released on Wednesday, where she stated that on the day of the insurrection, she condemned the violence and destruction that occurred.

It is unacceptable that one year later the American people still do not have answers as to why the Capitol was left so vulnerable and how to ensure it never happens again, Stefanik said in the statement.

She also stated that she stood by her objection to the certification of certain states electors after the attack took place.

Her reasons were based on overreach by unelected state officials and judges who ignored state election laws.

She said that it was unconstitutional.

I am committed to working to strengthen our elections and rebuild that faith, so that our elections are free, fair, secure, safe, and most importantly, that they are according to the United States Constitution, Stefanik said in the statement.

Putorti, who grew up in Whitehall, cited the 21st Congressional District as the home of the largest percentage of veterans in the state, thanks to Fort Drum. He said he knows the true love for this country that the residents of the district have.

It is disrespectful to this deep patriotism that anyone would go along with the big lie, especially after this kind of attack, simply to gain personal and political power, he said.

Putorti said that his mother, who was a lifelong registered Republican, changed her party registration on Jan. 6 last year.

But he said that more has to be done.

We must pass the Freedom to Vote act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, Putorti said, referring to bills that Democrats have put forth in Congress to reform elections.

We have to stand up and point out every single time politicians are willing to sell out our democracy for their own ambition.

He said that it is unacceptable for Stefanik to use what happened on Jan. 6 in a strategy to gain more power for herself.

Christine Nichols, co-chairwoman of the Progressive Action group, was pleased with the turnout, and said that the event didnt see any counterprotesters.

There were a few people driving through Centennial Circle yelling at the crowd.

She said the vigil was to remember the five police officers who lost their lives because of the riot, but it was also to remind those who were involved that they will be held accountable.

She said Stefanik is one of those people.

Whether thats in the courts or in the polling booth. We are going to get accountability. She is culpable and we will get change, she said.

Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at (518) 742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com.

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Warren County Health Services staff reported 320 additional COVID-19 cases on Friday, nearly doubling the previous one-day high set a day earlier.

"In light of the dramatic increase in infections in recent days, those who test positive should understand that COVID-19 case investigations may be delayed," the county said in a Friday afternoon news release. "Those who do not hear from Warren County Health Services or New York state contact tracers promptly should self-isolate for five days upon testing positive, and notify those they had contact with two days prior to testing positive or onset of symptoms, whichever occurs first."

Warren County Health Services Director Ginelle Jones stated: We are asking our residents to be patient as we deal with this drastic increase in cases. Please help us by taking precautions when going into public. Understand that there is a very good chance you will be exposed to this new, highly transmissible variant of COVID-19, and protect yourself with a mask that fits well. We are hopeful that data will continue to show that this variant is causing less severe illness than prior variants, but we are still early in this surge of cases.

In addition to 320 new cases, Health Services reported 212 recoveries Friday, and is monitoring 1,301 active COVID cases, 1,276 of them involving mild illness.

Fifteen Warren County residents were hospitalized as of Friday, unchanged from Thursday. Two patients are critically ill and the remainder have moderate illness. Ten are moderately ill outside of a hospital.

One of the two critically ill patients is unvaccinated. Overall, seven of the 15 who are hospitalized are unvaccinated.

Warren County Health Services stated that it continues to see the majority of new COVID-19 cases stemming from household/family exposures, exposures from gatherings and contact at workplaces.

The highly transmissible omicron variant has been confirmed as responsible for over 97% of cases in New York in recent days. This variant spreads much more easily, and incubation periods after exposure are shorter than previous variants.

Warren County's rolling seven-day average of new cases was 159.4 as of Friday, and the rolling seven-day average for test positivity stood at 17.7%, compared to the Capital Regions rate 18.7%, as of Friday morning.

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BUENA  More than seven months after a former councilman announced he was stepping down from borough government, his resignation has been made official.

The Borough Council voted unanimously to accept the resignation of former Councilman Aldo Palmieri Thursday night at the 2022 borough reorganization meeting, which was held remotely via conference call.

The resignation will be retroactive to May 10, 2021, when Palmieri first publicly announced his intention to leave office.

The delay in accepting Palmieris resignation has fueled months of controversy in the borough, leading to prolonged disputes over when the former councilman resigned and how the borough ought to fill the vacancy.

Borough Solicitor Angela Costigan said during the Nov. 22 council meeting there had been a number of inconsistencies and irregularities regarding how the vacancy on the council had been handled. She asked that the council wait while she analyzes the relevant statutory and case law before it moves forward with a decision on how to proceed to fill the seat.

She had previously maintained that Palmieri had not technically resigned after submitting his letter of resignation in April and announcing his resignation in May.

Buena Council ends year without filling vacant seat BUENA  A vacant Borough Council seat has stoked controversy in town for the past seven months.

Opponents of the current borough government maintain that any appointment to replace Palmieri would be illegal because Palmieri resigned in May and the period for council to appoint a replacement has expired. They hold that if the seat is filled on an interim basis, it must be done via special election.

Palmieri himself appeared at the Dec. 20 council meeting, where he insisted his former colleagues vote to accept his resignation and put the matter to rest.

Some residents say the boroughs reluctance to accept Palmieris resignation impacted the outcome of the November election. Breaking with a statewide shift rightward, Buena saw a mother-daughter pair of Democratic candidates, Patricia and Gina Andaloro, defeat then Council President Rosalie Baker and then Councilman Joseph Mancuso Jr., both Republicans.

Baker had served on the governing body for almost 30 years before losing her reelection bid this past November. Patricia Andaloro told The Press after the meeting that she had about 21 years of experience in public office, having spent nine as a borough clerk and 12 more on council before temporarily retiring and running for office again.

The other factor residents tended to cite when explaining the loss of the two Republican incumbents was the councils July dissolution of a borough fire district that had been serviced by the Landisville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company for 99 years. The dissolution occurred after a series of investigations led by the New Jersey Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health unearthed more than two dozen code violations at the fire company.

Supporters of the Landisville company note it did eventually pass inspection in June, and they maintain losing a fire district could compromise resident safety. The Minotola Volunteer Fire Company now covers the entire borough.

Buena vote reflects discontent with council vacancy, fire company dissolution The 2021 New Jersey county and local elections saw Republicans dominate Democrats at the pol

Landisville supporters started an online crowdfunding campaign Thursday to pay for legal fees as the fire company is being sued by the borough and the fire district that oversees Minotola as those entities seek the forfeiture of Landisvilles equipment. The GoFundMe page had raised $45 as of Friday afternoon.

The consequences of the November election were evident Thursday.

Patricia and Gina Andaloro, newly sworn into office, made and seconded the motion to accept Palmieris resignation. They also cast votes against several motions proposed by the councils Republicans, who still hold a 3-2 majority on the five-person governing body. Notably, the Andaloros voted against the reappointment of Costigan, whom some residents said mishandled Palmieris resignation.

Despite lingering disagreements on the council, Patricia Andaloro urged her colleagues to try to come together for the sake of the borough.

We have a long way to mend our community, she said.

Contact Chris Doyle cdoyle@pressofac.com

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ATLANTIC CITY  City Council will hold a special meeting Friday to consider the possible removal of Municipal Utilities Authority Chairman John Devlin over misconduct allegations.

If passed, a resolution on the agenda would authorize a hearing be held on the allegations and Devlin would be notified 10 days ahead of the hearing date.

This is a far-fetched plan to unseat a political rival, Devlin said Wednesday.

Devlin is also a longtime school board member and an admitted foe of Mayor Marty Small Sr.

I dont agree with his (Smalls) government, and I dont support him, said Devlin, who is about halfway through a five-year appointment to the ACMUA board.

Small declined comment Wednesday.

ACMUA board members are paid, not volunteers.

According to a resolution posted on the citys website, misconduct allegations have been made to the state Department of Community Affairs, claiming Devlin has interfered with ACMUA employees and contractors.

A spokesperson from the DCA could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Devlin said he has heard nothing about any misconduct allegations from the city or state, and he will retain counsel and fight if the resolution passes.

This to me is retaliation. The mayor does not like me. Im not a rubber stamp, said Devlin, who said he has been on the school board for about 17 years. They didnt like what I did at the school board level.

Devlin, a retired Atlantic City police officer, has been critical of the school districts handling of the child pornography case involving substitute teacher Kayan Frazier, who is a cousin of Smalls wife, LaQuetta.

LaQuetta Small, formerly a principal at district schools, began her new job as the Atlantic City schools superintendent Jan. 1.

They couldnt vote me out from the school board, now they come up with this, Devlin said.

Sixth ward Councilman Jesse Kurtz, who appointed Devlin to the ACMUA, also declined comment Wednesday. Kurtz said he is still gathering information.

Devlin is not the first official to claim retaliation.

Last week, Councilwoman LaToya Dunston filed a $1 million tort claim against the state, claiming Small and other council members conspired against her in an illegal meeting unknown to the public and have harassed her in various ways.

Dunston, who represents the 2nd Ward, seeks general, compensatory and punitive damages over deprivation of my constitutional due process rights under the 14th Amendment and the rights afforded me under the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act.

In the claim, Dunston alleges that on Nov. 23, Small and other members of the council met at Mortons The Steakhouse at Caesars Atlantic City to discuss how to remove Dunston from council without providing legally required notice either to the public or to her.

It was no meeting. I held a holiday party for supporters, Small said Sunday in a text answer to questions.

REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-272-7219 mpost@pressofac.com

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Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency starting Thursday night as a second winter storm in a week threatened the state.

The state of emergency started at 10 p.m. Thursday.

Murphy immediately acknowledged South Jersey getting hit hard with snow Monday. His administration plans to closely monitor the upcoming storm, which was set to begin late Thursday in some parts of the state and just after midnight in parts of Atlantic County.

Obviously, this is mother nature, and were doing our best to get our arms around it, he said.

Murphy said there would be at least a delayed opening of state offices Friday. He didnt know the exact time or whether there would be any closings as of Thursday afternoon.

He said there were two main safety issues that could arise Friday morning  visibility and potential blackouts.

Murphy advised people to stay home, working from home or reporting to work later in the day if those options are available. He also advised people to be aware of plowing and salt trucks to allow those workers to maintain roads.

Blackouts are always a potential when there is high wind and freezing temperatures. People are advised to report outages and to be patient while workers navigate unsafe weather conditions.

To everybody, please be safe and be smart, Murphy said.

Atlantic City prepares

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. held two briefings on the storm Thursday, one in the early afternoon and another in the evening.

The city is expecting 2 to 5 inches of snow Friday, which is about half of Mondays total. The storm was expected to begin just after midnight and last until about mid-morning Friday. Temperatures were expected to drop into the teens Friday night.

Fire Chief Scott Evans said the city has been planning for Fridays storm since Monday, when it was known there would be a follow-up storm. A code blue was called until Sunday, making shelters available to the citys homeless or those without heat, he said.

We are going to ask our residents not to park on the main arteries. Park on side streets, and the Wave Parking Garage is offering parking for free, Evans said.

The free parking on the fourth floor of the Wave will be available until 10 a.m. Friday. Standard parking personnel will be on duty, and parking will be validated at the exit gate upon departure.

The garage is on Baltic Avenue between Mississippi and Fairmount avenues, near Tanger Outlets The Walk.

We want to remind people as these storms approach, prepare yourself, Evans said. Winds wont be as severe, but there is a chance for power outages.

Assistant Director of Public Works Crystal Lewis said crews were working Thursday to prepare the streets for the storm. Director of Public Works Paul Jerkins said the brining process on all major roads was completed by the evening.

Acting Police Officer-in-Charge James Sarkos said police will be fully staffed and asked the public to refrain from driving if they can.

Press Meteorologist Joe Martucci and Staff Writer Eric Conklin contributed to this report.

Contact John Russo: 609-272-7184 jrusso@pressofac.com Twitter: @ACPress_Russo

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Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's Tiangong space station conducted a test using its robotic arm to reposition the Tianzhou 2 cargo spaceship on Thursday morning, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

In a statement, the agency said that the arm secured the robotic cargo craft early on Thursday morning and began to move it to a new position at 6:12 am. Tianzhou 2 had been connected to the station's Tianhe core module and was undocked before the test started.

After moving the ship to a predetermined position, the arm reversed the maneuvers to bring it back to its original position. Tianzhou 2 re-docked with Tianhe, finishing the 47-minute test at 6:59 am.

According to the agency, the test achieved its goal of verifying the repositioning procedure and the devices designed for arm-enabled operations, and provided additional experience that will be used in the next steps of Tiangong's construction in orbit.

Upon its completion at the end of this year, Tiangong will consist of three main componentsa core module attached to two space labsand will have a combined weight of nearly 70 metric tons. The station is scheduled to operate for 15 years in a low-Earth orbit about 400 kilometers above the planet.

Six launches will be made this year to deploy the Shenzhou XIV and XV mission crews to the Tiangong station, to transport Tianzhou 4 and 5 robotic cargo spaceships to the station for refueling and resupply operations, and to send two large space labs to dock with the station.

The first of the six to be launched will be Tianzhou 4, which will be followed by the Shenzhou XIV manned spacecraft. Then the two space labsWentian, or Quest for the Heavens, and Mengtian, or Dreaming of the Heavenswill be launched into space to complete the station. The fifth to be launched will be Tianzhou 5, and the final one will be Shenzhou XV.

Pang Zhihao, a spaceflight researcher in Beijing who worked at the China Academy of Space Technology for decades, said the test was mainly intended to make technical preparations for the in-orbital docking between the Tianhe module and the two space labs.

"The test has been the first time for China to use a mechanical arm to reposition a spacecraft. It would serve as a trial run of related technologies, equipment and processes that will be involved in the space labs' docking operations, which will be sophisticated and demanding," he said.

According to the researcher, who has abundant knowledge of the Chinese space station program, the robotic arm on Tianhe is 10 meters when fully extended. It has several motorized joints, which allows it to act like a human arm to the maximum possible extent.

He said the apparatus can reach many parts of the Tianhe module, and it is able to handle payloads with a combined weight of 25 tons.
On Jan. 6, 2021, elected Democrats and Republicans condemned the deadly attack at the U.S. Capitol. A year later, the events appear to be increasingly viewed through a partisan lens.

Take two of New Jerseys congressmen as examples.

U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, a former Democrat whose high-profile defection to Donald Trump and the Republican Party made national headlines, remembers being told to return to his office on the date in question as rioters forced their way into the U.S. Capitol.

Even before that, he could hear noises in the distance and knew something was going on. He collected his staff and made his way to his congressional office, hunkered down until the building was cleared, and returned to session with the House of Representatives later that day.

Believe it or not, we watched it on television and we got a lot of work done, Van Drew said Thursday, the anniversary of a day that has been described as the most significant breach of the Capitol since the War of 1812. As unremarkable as it sounds, we got caught up on a lot of constituent service things.

He does not see Trump as culpable for the violence, saying the former president used the word peaceful multiple times as he spoke that day.

He obviously did not want this to happen, he said.

Van Drew, up for reelection in November, said he had two points to make about the events that day.

Nobody should agree with what happened. Thats number one, Van Drew said. Point two is that this thing is now being politicized, and thats disappointing.

Democrats are using the attack, which left several people dead, 140 officers injured and extensive damage to the Capitol, to paint all Republicans and Trump supporters as terrorists, he alleged in a phone interview. He described it as deeply unfair.

U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st, said he used to sit next to Van Drew. In a separate interview Thursday, he also said politics should have no place in discussions of the Jan. 6 riots.

This is not a Democratic issue. This is not a Republican issue. This is an American issue, Norcross said. We as a nation cant be divided on this issue.

But that was about the only area of agreement. Rather than a chance to hole up in an office and handle some delayed tasks, Norcross described the day in visceral terms, describing watching Capitol Police officers barricade the doors of the Rotunda with antique furniture and seeing blood on broken window glass.

This was no protest. Blood was being shed. A woman was killed right outside our door, Norcross said.

The difference in accounts, and in the two mens views on what happened in the year since, illustrates a fundamental divide even as both men spoke of the need to rebuild bridges and find common ground.

Van Drew won his seat as a Democrat in a swing district that supported Republican Frank LoBiondo for 24 years. In deep-blue New Jersey, Norcross outlook appears to be the more common.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., described Jan. 6 as an attack on Americans most sacred civic space in a video posted to Facebook.

There was unfettered bigotry and relentless hate expressed. Anger and violence and loss of life, Booker said.

One year ago today, the world watched in horror as our sacred temple of democracy, the U.S. Capitol building, was besieged by fellow Americans, wrote U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. This was the culmination of a months-long, coordinated campaign by former President Trump to sow deep distrust in the integrity of our elections because he refused to accept defeat in a free and fair election.

Van Drew, who famously met Trump in the White House after changing parties in late 2019, made several similar points Thursday, saying the Democratic majority in Congress and Biden are failing miserably on multiple fronts. He called Bidens administration the worst in American history.

Van Drew said he accepts the results of the 2020 election but still cast doubts on the fairness of the vote.

Ive accepted it, obviously, he said. Whether people believe it or not, every individual can make their own decision.

Van Drew argued there were irregularities in the vote, held largely through mail-in ballots because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Allegations included ballots being sent to wrong addresses, people receiving more than one ballot or receiving ballots in the names of peoples long-dead parents.

But he declined to provide specific examples, saying those who reported issues to his office would be afraid of repercussions if they spoke publicly.

From the Capitol to South Jersey, extremist groups remain threat When Harry Furman began his teaching career at Vineland High School in 1972, a student in hi

Im not going to get into that. Its over. Its passed and done, he said.

Courts in other states have rejected multiple challenges to the 2020 vote that alleged fraud. An Associated Press investigation found hundreds of accusations of voter fraud in six battleground states, far too few to impact the results of the election, in which 25.5 million voters participated.

Van Drew does not believe the House committee investigating Jan. 6 is nonpartisan, saying the two participating Republicans want to do as much harm to the Republican Party as possible. He further maintains that no fair exploration of the issue could leave out the violence of the summer of 2020, which saw national unrest in response to the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers and other incidents.

The summer saw peaceful protests as well as violence and looting. Atlantic City saw both a massive protest and smashed windows and other damage that resulted in 95 arrests.

What happened with Antifa? Why does that not matter? Van Drew said. A real, true commission would look at whats happening in America and ask why is that happening.

Norcross had little patience with that approach, saying Van Drew is out of his (expletive) mind.

Tanger Outlets makes progress in the year after looting, vandalism ATLANTIC CITY  A little more than a year after becoming the backdrop of looting and vandali

We are talking about an attack on our Capitol and our democracy.

Norcross said the unrest of 2020 should be investigated and understood, but said it would be a mistake to conflate the issues.

We have to be able to do two things at once, he said.

Norcross described himself as an old labor guy whos seen plenty of demonstrations, picket lines and protests. None of it prepared him for that day last year, he said, when Americans fought Americans in an attempt to disrupt a peaceful transfer of power that has taken place since George Washington finished his second term.

I get very emotional when I hear people deny the actual facts, Norcross said.

Another South Jersey congressman, U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, D-3rd, who was photographed on his knees helping clean up the aftermath, was not available for an interview Thursday. His staff said there would be no official statement about the anniversary.

On Kims Twitter account, he emphasized unity.

Its not too late to unite this country. I was wrong to think unity needed a shock to the system to catalyze. We dont need a shock. We need service, Kim wrote as part of a lengthy thread Thursday. Today we remember a year ago, but I propose that going forward we make Jan. 6 a day of common good. A day of e pluribus unum.

Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill

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TRENTON  Gov. Phil Murphy late Thursday afternoon said hes deploying members of the New Jersey National Guard to long-term care facilities as they continue being plagued with an increase in coronavirus infections.

The decision is an extension of the Joint Task Force COVID Guardian that was first initiated as a response at the beginning of the pandemic, according to a news release.

Time and time again, the New Jersey National Guard has stepped up to the plate throughout this pandemic, Murphy said in a statement.

The National Guard beginning Monday will help bolster staff levels at long-term care facilities experiencing diminishing staff due to confirmed infections among workers as the omicron variant continues to overrun business and reduce hopes of the pandemics end in the near future.

The governor will send 150 troops from the National Guard to more than a dozen facilities. Theyll perform various tasks from serving as personal aides to preparing meals. Theyll also be asked to perform coronavirus testing for staff, residents and visitors, according to the release.

COVID-19 is still a threat to our New Jersey communities, Military and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Brig. Gen. Lisa Hou said. The soldiers and airmen of the New Jersey National Guard are working hard every day to protect public health.

New Jersey isnt the only state calling National Guard troops for help as the world continues to see a higher demand for testing and hospitalizations not seen since the pandemics infancy, with the omicron variant spoiling efforts to overcome the disease.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine directed more than 2,000 National Guard troops to hospitals overrun with COVID patients and staffing woes. The troops are assigned several duties similar to those in New Jersey.

DeWine and his wife, Fran DeWine, Thursday met with National Guard members erecting mobile clinics in efforts to relieve hospitals.

Ohio officials said Thursday several counties elected to postpone elective surgeries requiring an overnight stay through Jan. 21.

Closer to New Jersey, Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan earlier this week mobilized 1,000 members of the National Guard while declaring a 30-day state of emergency because of a swarm of coronavirus infections.

Hogan announced the deployment on a day when Maryland hit 3,057 hospitalizations for COVID-19  a record high in the state  an increase of more than 500% in the last seven weeks. The governor said projections show hospitalizations for virus cases could reach more than 5,000 as of his statements Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Eric Conklin: 609-272-7261 econklin@pressofac.com Twitter @ACPressConklin

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The following events, meetings, school districts and more announced postponements, cancellations or closures for Friday, Jan. 7, 2022 due to the pending snowstorm. Check back frequently for more updates.

School district closings

Atlantic City Public Schools: All schools will be closed Friday.

Atlantic County Special Services School District: ACSSD will be closed. Students and staff will have the day off, and virtual instruction will not be provided. School is scheduled to resume Monday.

Atlantic County Institute of Technology: School will be closed Friday.

Barnegat Township School District: All classes will be closed Friday.

Buena Regional School District: All schools and offices will be closed Friday. No remote learning will occur.

Cumberland Regional High School District: Will transition to virtual learning beginning Friday and anticipate a return to in-person learning Monday.

Dennis Township School District: All schools will be virtual Friday. All extra-curricular activities will be canceled. A return to in-person learning is expected for Monday.

Egg Harbor Township school district: All schools will be closed Friday.

Galloway Township Public Schools: All schools will be closed Friday.

Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District: Absegami, Cedar Creek and Oakcrest high schools will be closed Friday and return Monday morning for a "B" day.

Hamilton Township School District: All schools will be closed Friday.

Hammonton School District: All schools will be closed Friday and reopen Monday.

Lacey Township School District: All schools will have a 2-hour delayed opening. All morning Preschool sessions and Vocational School are canceled. Afternoon Preschool sessions will have their normal scheduled pick-up time. All Before School Childcare programs will open at 8:45 a.m.

Mainland Regional School District: All schools will be closed Friday.

Margate City School District: All schools will have a delayed open and begin at 10 a.m.

Middle Township School District: All schools will be closed Friday.

Northfield City School District: All schools will be closed Friday.

Ocean City School District: All schools will open 2 hours later.

Pinelands Regional School District: All schools will move to virtual learning Friday due to COVID-19 and return to in-person learning Monday.

Pleasantville Public Schools: All schools will transition to virtual learning Friday and return to in-person instruction tentatively Monday, Jan. 24.

Somers Point School District: All schools will be closed Friday.

Southern Regional School District: All schools will have a 2-hour delayed opening. Jan. 17 (Martin Luther King Day) and Feb. 21 (Presidents Day) have been recalled as instructional days in response to the inclement weather closings from Jan. 3-4.

Vineland Public Schools: All schools will move to virtual learning Friday, mirroring the in-person schedule.

Services

AtlantiCare: Some sites, programs and services will have adjusted hours Friday throughout the five counties it services.

AMI at AtlantiCare  offices in the AtlantiCare Health parks in Hammonton and Manahawkin will open at 10 a.m.

AtlantiCare Clinical Labs  locations in the William L. Gormley AtlantiCare HealthPlex in Atlantic City; Hammonton; the AtlantiCare Health Park in Manahawkin, and Ventnor will open at 10 a.m.

AtlantiCare Physician Group (APG) Primary Care  All offices will open at 10 a.m. with exception of Brigantine, which will open at normal time.

APG Cardiology  all offices opening at 10 a.m.

APG OB/GYN  all offices opening at 10 a.m.

APG Endocrinology  all offices opening at 10 a.m.

APG Maternal Fetal Medicine Outpatient Office at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Mainland Campus  will open at 10 a.m.

APG Neurosurgery  all offices will open at 10 a.m.

APG Neurology  all offices will open at 10 a.m.

APG Pediatric Care  Manahawkin office will open at 10 a.m.

APG Rheumatology  all offices will open at 10 a.m.

AtlantiCares LifeCenter  will open at 8 a.m.

AtlantiCares LIFE Connection program of all-inclusive care will provide community-based care only.

AtlantiCare Urgent Cares Berlin, Manahawkin and Marlton sites will open at a.m. For telemedicine appointments please call 1-833-692-7436

Rothman at AtlantiCare in the AtlantiCare Health Park, Manahawkin  will open at 10 a.m.

AtllantiCares retail pharmacy located in the AtlantiCare Health Park, Manahawkin  will open at 10 a.m.

Atlantic City Free Library: Will be closed Friday.

Atlantic City Government: Mayor Marty Small Sr. announced that all city government offices will open at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Essential personnel assigned to public works, 911 communications, police and fire will continue at normal hours. Non-essential personnel will report at 10:30 a.m.

Atlantic County Government: All offices will open at 10 a.m. Friday.

Atlantic County: Senior centers and nutrition sites will be closed Friday.

Cape May County: Fare Free Transportation has canceled all services, with the exception of Meals on Wheels and Dialysis clients.

All countywide senior centers will be closed Friday as a safety precaution.

Events

Cape May County Zoo: Open Thursday until 3:30 p.m. Check facebook.com/capemaycountyparkzoo on Friday morning for opening info.

Meetings

Cape May County Reorganization: Will take place Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 3 p.m. in the Public Safety Training Gymnasium, Crest Haven Complex, in Cape May Court House.

Contact John Russo: 609-272-7184 jrusso@pressofac.com Twitter: @ACPress_Russo

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MOUNT LAUREL  Mount Laurel kicked off the new year with the historic swearing in of the townships first Black mayor.

On Jan. 1, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., administered the oath of office to Mayor Kareem Pritchett.

It is a great honor and privilege to serve as mayor, and I humbly embrace the immense responsibility ahead. Having served four years on the Township Council, Im ready for this opportunity to be a powerful voice for all residents, especially the many that never thought a day like this would be possible in Mount Laurel, said Pritchett, who was elected to council in 2018.

Pritchett, a Newark native, said having gone through a childhood of fighting to beat the odds, he was inspired to advocate for communities facing adversity.

I grew up in Newark and I never knew my father, so I grew up in a broken home in the inner city so a lot of kids that grew up in my area the same way I did, of course sometimes, dont make it out, said Pritchett. Coming up the way I came up, I didnt have that male role model, so I made some mistakes in the past, but to be able to pull through that, I was always big on giving back and Im like that protector. So when you talk about being a protector, you look at like fighting for people who cant fight for themselves, speaking up for people who are either afraid to speak for themselves or cant speak for themselves.

During the ceremony, Pritchett also talked about his plans to advocate for infrastructure improvements for residents.

Pleasantville meeting features conversations about expanding opportunity, stopping violence PLEASANTVILLE  People from across the city came together Tuesday night to put students on t

During the next year, I will work to ensure our growing township pushes forward smart policies to help our local economy, ensure our residents feel safe and fight for critical infrastructure improvements we need to improve our roads, water quality and improve our quality of life. And, most importantly, we will continue to build upon a responsive, open and transparent government that will work hard for all residents, Pritchett said.

Last summer brought racial tensions to a boil when a Black resident found himself on the receiving end of a racist rant by 45-year-old Edward Cagney Mathews, who has since been charged with harassment and bias intimidation after the incident was caught on camera. The incident, which attracted national media attention, also uncovered a history of complaints against the man, prompting questions about law enforcement bias and inaction.

Pritchett said he looks forward to keeping an open dialogue between residents, council and law enforcement.

After the incident the police chief, the deputy chief, our community outreach officer and myself sat down with community leaders and the Ethel Lawrence area of Mount Laurel and spoke to them and educated them on the process that the police have to go through to obtain warrants and also educate them on how police officers operate so that they have an understanding about the difficult things the police officers have to go through, said Pritchett. Also we wanted them to give us some feedback on what they expect from the Police Department so that they can feel safe in their communities. That was a great conversation that happened in August 2021, and these are conversations that are going to continue.

The council consists of five members elected at large with staggered terms. The council selects one of its members to serve as mayor for a term of one year, and another is named deputy mayor.

Pritchett said the honor is just now setting in.

Cape May mayor helps dig out neighbors after snowstorm CAPE MAY  When the largest snowstorm in four years bared down on the seaside city, Mayor Za

I know my son asked me over the weekend, you know dad did it hit you yet, how do you feel? And I said I dont think it hit me exactly yet, but actually when I woke up on Monday morning it was like, wow, Im the first Black mayor, you know? Its a great feeling and a humbling feeling, its an accomplishment, a legacy, something that my kids, their grandkids can talk about and Im so honored. Sometimes you get speechless, Pritchett said.

Booker added the moment sets the tone for optimism in the new year.

It is also a historic day that touches close to my heart. Kareem Pritchett, a son of Newark, is the first Black mayor in the townships 150-year history. Kareems love for his neighbors led him to the path of public service, and today that journey continues with extraordinary promise and opportunity for his community, Booker said.

Mount Laurel previously made history in 2021 with Stephen Steglik becoming the youngest mayor in history. Steglik was selected to fill the deputy mayor role this year.
Companies that get tax breaks from New Jersey are subject to better oversight and job verification requirements than they were three years ago, when a scathing audit found significant problems at the Economic Development Authority, the New Jersey comptrollers office said in a report issued Wednesday.

Still, the comptrollers latest review of the agency that oversees billions in tax credit awards found the EDA hasnt done enough to recover improper awards identified in the 2019 audit, worth more than $200 million.

The comptrollers office also said the EDA needs to improve transparency in the agencys annual reports about whether companies are meeting requirements for their tax credits. Businesses can use the credits to offset their tax bills, or sell them for cash to other companies. In exchange for the credits, the award recipients typically promise the state theyll build or rent offices in New Jersey, while retaining a certain number of employees and creating new jobs.

All in all, of 21 recommendations issued in the 2019 audit, the EDA has implemented 11, partially implemented seven and hasnt implemented three, the comptroller said.

New Jerseyans are entitled to a return on their investment with these tax incentive programs, said acting state Comptroller Kevin D. Walsh, who was nominated by the governor. We are encouraged to see that positive reforms have taken place since OSCs original audit and that EDA is verifying that employees whose positions were incentivized were actually employed by those businesses.

The original audit led Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy to appoint an investigative task force, which dove deeper into the workings of tax break programs that were expanded during the administration of former Gov. Chris Christie. Investigators held a series of public hearings and released three reports that roiled Trenton politics, as the task force alleged oversight failures and behind-the-scenes provisions benefiting special interests.

The task force ultimately recommended that the EDA review awards issued to a dozen firms  including a $260 million award, payable over 10 years, to energy technology firm Holtec International, which did not disclose a past debarment by a federal entity on its tax break application. The EDA withheld a $26 million annual installment to the company while it reviewed the matter, prompting Camden-based Holtec to sue the agency last year.

A New Jersey Superior Court judge ruled in Holtecs favor Dec. 30. Judge Robert Lougy determined the debarment section on the application was ambiguous and ordered the EDA to give Holtec the tax credits owed for 2018. A company spokesperson said Holtec was pleased by the judges decision. The EDA is considering an appeal, a spokesperson said.

Holtec purchased the Oyster Creek nuclear generating station in Lacey Township in 2019 with the goal of decommissioning the site.

In response to the comptrollers review Wednesday, the EDA said it now conducts a rigorous, annual review of more than 400,000 jobs associated with various programs and has developed data-sharing practices with other state agencies to ensure that tax credits are only disbursed to companies to the extent they meet their commitments for job creation and retention.

The agency also highlighted its appointment of a chief compliance officer, and said it has given staff tools and training to ask questions and employ reasonable skepticism on the job.

While we continue to make improvements and adapt to the changing economic environment, we are proud of what we have accomplished during Gov. Murphys administration, said EDA CEO Tim Sullivan. We also appreciate the (comptrollers) recognition that the NJEDA has addressed the most significant issues raised in its prior report.
MOSCOW (AP)  Kazakhstan is experiencing the worst street protests the country has seen since gaining independence three decades ago.

The outburst of instability is causing significant concern in Kazakhstan's two powerful neighbors: Russia and China. The country sells most of its oil exports to China and is a key strategic ally of Moscow.

A sudden spike in the price of car fuel at the start of the year triggered the first protests in a remote oil town in the west. But the tens of thousands who have since surged onto the streets across more than a dozen cities and towns now have the entire authoritarian government in their sights.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has cut an increasingly desperate figure. He first sought to mollify the crowds by dismissing the entire government early Wednesday. But by the end of the day he had changed tack. First, he described demonstrators as terrorists. Then he appealed to a Russian-led military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, for help in crushing the uprising and the CSTO agreed to send an unspecified number of peacekeepers.

Why are people angry?

Of the five Central Asian republics that gained independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan is by far the largest and the wealthiest. It spans a territory the size of Western Europe and sits atop colossal reserves of oil, natural gas, uranium and precious metals.

But while Kazakhstan's natural riches have helped it cultivate a solid middle class, as well as a substantial cohort of ultrarich tycoons, financial hardship is widespread. The average national monthly salary is just under $600. The banking system has fallen prey to deep crises precipitated by non-performing loans. As in much of the rest of the region, petty corruption is rampant.

The rally that set off the latest crisis took place in the dusty western oil town of Zhanaozen. Resentments have long festered in the area over a sense that the region's energy riches haven't been fairly spread among the local population. In 2011, police shot dead at least 15 people in the city who were protesting in support of oil workers dismissed after a strike.

When prices for the liquified petroleum gas most people in the area use to power their cars doubled overnight Saturday, patience snapped. Residents in nearby cities quickly joined in and within days large protests had spread to the rest of the country.

Who is leading the protests?

The suppression of critical voices in Kazakhstan has long been the norm. Any figures aspiring to oppose the government have either been repressed, sidelined, or co-opted. So although these demonstrations have been unusually large  some drawing more than 10,000 people, a large number for Kazakhstan  no protest movement leaders have emerged.

For most of Kazakhstan's recent history power was held in the hands of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev. That changed in 2019 when Nazarbayev, now 81, stepped aside and anointed his long-time ally Tokayev as his successor. In his capacity as head of the security council that oversees the military and security services, Nazarbayev continued to retain considerable sway over the country. Tokayev announced Wednesday that he was taking over from Nazarbayev as security council head.

Much of the anger displayed on the streets in recent days was directed not at Tokayev, but at Nazarbayev, who is still widely deemed the country's ultimate ruler. The slogan "Shal ket!" ("Old man go") has become a main slogan.

How are the authorities responding?

A police official in Almaty said Thursday that dozens of protesters were killed in attacks on government buildings. At least a dozen police officers were also killed, including one who got beheaded.

There were attempts to storm buildings in Almaty during the night and "dozens of attackers were liquidated," police spokeswoman Saltanat Azirbek said. She spoke on state news channel Khabar-24. The reported attempts to storm the buildings came after widespread unrest in the city on Wednesday, including seizure of the mayor's building, which was set on fire.

The initial reaction was in keeping with usual policy in the face of public discontent. Police and the National Guard were deployed in large numbers. The crowd that made its way to City Hall in the commercial capital, Almaty, early Wednesday was met by large phalanxes of riot police and armored personnel carriers. While gatherings are normally dispersed with ease, the number of people on the street this time was too large.

With government buildings coming under assault in several large cities, Tokayev appealed for help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, a Moscow-led military alliance. He justified the appeal for external intervention by claiming the protesters were operating at the behest of international terrorist groups. He offered no details on what he meant by that.

Is the government likely to be toppled?

This is uncharted territory for Kazakhstan. The country has seen major demonstrations before: In 2016, after the passage of a contentious land law. And again in 2019, after the contentious election that secured Tokayev's hold on power. But never anything on this scale.

In one of his appeals to the public Wednesday, Tokayev pledged to pursue reforms and hinted that political liberalization might be possible. His darker remarks toward the end of the day, however, suggested he would instead go down a more repressive road.

Still, because the street protests are so lacking in focus, at least for now, it's difficult to see how they might end. But even if they fail to topple the government, it looks possible they might lead to deep transformation. What is not clear is what that might mean.
The population of endangered Asian elephants in Yunnan province of southwest China has grown steadily over the past 30 years from 150 to more than 300, thanks to conservation measures.

Months ago, a herd of wandering wild Asian elephants in the province caught global attention on a 17-month journey from their forest home in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, which ended on August 8, 2021, when they finally returned to the nature reserve where they first set out.

The Asian elephant is listed as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is under first-class state protection in China.

Now the Asian elephant population in Yunnan is growing continuously under the protection of local authorities and people.
Most local government consolidation focuses on the municipal level. New Jersey has too many towns and cities, each needing its own costly and inherently inefficient government. The result has been state residents paying the highest property taxes in the nation.

Counties, too, could benefit from regionalizing some functions. Recently, we suggested working toward a shared pool of heavy equipment that counties use only occasionally, so that each doesnt need to buy the whole high-priced assortment of road and construction equipment.

A more obvious opportunity for years has been the expensive jails that each county builds and operates. Larger institutions with more residents are by their nature more efficient and cost-effective, so having them serve multiple counties would yield significant savings. Many costs are fixed, so when other jurisdictions send more inmates and pay for them, most of that increase in revenue can be used instead of money from taxpayers.

Eight years ago, Cumberland County gave this form of shared service a try, accepting inmates from Gloucester County into unfilled beds in its own jail. That allowed Gloucester to become the first county in the state to have no jail of its own.

Soon afterward Atlantic County, a leader in savings through consolidation, agreed to take about 70 female inmates from Burlington County to help utilize the available capacity of its jail. The agreement called for up to 150 Burlington inmates to be housed at the Mays Landing facility. An average of 65 Burlington inmates was expected to result in payments of about $2 million a year from Burlington County, which expected to save a similar amount in annual corrections costs by shutting its old and costly Corrections and Work Release Center in Pemberton Township.

Jail consolidation at local, state and federal levels was an emerging national trend at the time, and the Atlantic County freeholders also joined other counties in funding a study to determine the feasibility of consolidating the correctional housing requirements of five counties into a regional jail facility or system. That didnt more forward, but in the following years individual counties sought to reduce or close their jails and pay to house their inmates elsewhere, or accept the inmates of others to more fully use their facilities.

Additional pressure to consolidate has come from bail reform in New Jersey, which has significantly reduced inmate populations.

Now Atlantic County is considering whether to expand its jail by about 256 beds to accommodate inmates from Cumberland County, which is closing its jail. Atlantic already has a contract for up to 200 inmates from its neighbor, but doesnt have room for them all.

The possibility has some advantages besides the savings from efficiency for both counties. Part of the finished but unused plans for a new jail that Cumberland previously intended to build but then abandoned could be used to construct four pods with about 64 beds per pod. Income from hosting Cumberland inmates would cover Atlantics building and staffing costs. And Atlantic could hire some corrections officers from the closing Cumberland jail.

Atlantic County, though, would need to be certain that it will continue to get inmates from other counties to fill the expanded jail, preferably with long-term contracts. And even though state law was changed to ensure inmates when released are returned to where they resided prior to incarceration, officials should make sure that is actually happening as expected.

Absent a stronger state-led effort at local jail consolidation, efforts by counties to continue in that direction are welcome and should remain beneficial. The due diligence of careful review, discussion by individuals and input from the public are essential to ensure the desired outcome.
Central municipal court accountable, unbiased

One of the untold and potentially great benefits of the change to a consolidated court system is the effect that it will have on the affirmation of social parity. Understanding that defendants and families from all neighborhoods and local economies will be heard and tried in the same place, by the same authorities and, hopefully, to very similar outcomes should go a long way in healing perceptions about privilege and bias within our justice system. The accountability that it affords is just one more step in the right direction.

Nelson Dilg

Estell Manor

Explicit sex instruction not job of NJ schools

The N.J. Sex Education Learning Standards for 2021-2022 include direct, explicit instruction on masturbation to 5th graders using materials that some could consider to be and could be defined as pornographic.

Prepubescence is a time of physical, social and emotional changes and government schools should not be allowed to use highly controversial material from organizations like the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) to teach sensitive sexual content.

This is the exclusive right and responsibility of parents only. Minor children must be protected from sexualization, graphic materials and messages that have an adverse effect on the physical, social, emotional and spiritual development of the child.

I vehemently oppose this and other related teaching of a sexual nature, which is not the educational mandate of government schools.

Kurt Hartwell

Monroeville

Enjoy left-leaning media; dont suppress alternatives

Regarding the recent letter, Fox is maddening:

The writer must have one of those old TVs with only one channel and no on-off switch.

Perhaps for his health, he should consider purchasing a new TV and take lessons in its operation, channel changing capability, on and off switch, etc. He would then be a happier person listening to only main stream media with their slanted and left leaning outlook.

Harry Schmidt

West Cape May
A Geneseo man faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in federal prison, and maximum term of 150 years, after pleading guilty to five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor during a hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court, Rock Island.

Tristan Scott Blank, 24, admitted to U.S. District Chief Judge Sara Darrow that he pretended to be a woman to entice minors to send him sexually explicit photos and videos online.

Blank was arrested by Geneseo Police in November 2018.

During the investigation it was learned that Blank used the female persona to entice more than 20 victims to send him nude photographs and videos. Blank then threatened to distribute the images if the victims did not continue sending images or perform sexual acts with him.

When arrested, Blank initially was charged in Henry County Circuit Court with four counts of child pornography-soliciting a photo, two counts of child pornography-producing or selling, two counts of child pornography-possession of film or photos, two counts of grooming, two counts of traveling to meet a minor, one count of indecent solicitation of a child and one count of criminal sexual abuse, and one count of distributing explicit matter to a minor.

Federal authorities took over the case July 22, 2019, charging Blank with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Blank is scheduled to be sentenced May 12 in U.S. District Court, Rock Island.

Blank remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

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A 32-year-old registered sex offender from Muscatine caught in a federal online sting in November 2020 trying to meet someone he thought was an underage boy for sex was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison during a hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court, Rock Island.

During the hearing U.S. District Chief Judge Sara Darrow sentenced Nicholas Bryan Swank to 210 months in prison on each of the three counts to which he had pleaded guilty on July 8: attempted enticement of a minor, travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity and soliciting an obscene visual depiction of a minor. The sentences will run concurrently, or be served at the same time.

Darrow also sentenced Swank to serve the rest of his life on supervised release once his prison sentence is completed.

Swank was one of nine men caught in the sting. He is the fifth person to be sentenced to federal prison.

Swank was arrested by federal agents Nov. 13, 2020, shortly after 8:15 p.m. according to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Rock Island. Swank had driven to the target residence in Rock Island after chatting with an undercover agent over the dating app Grindr. According to the criminal complaint, Swank thought the undercover agent was a 15-year-old boy.

Swank offered to pick the boy up and drive him back to Swanks home in Muscatine to engage in sex. Swank was COVID positive at the time, according to the criminal complaint.

The United States Attorneys Office is committed to prosecuting those who seek to sexually exploit children, said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris said in a news release Friday. These are serious crimes that inflict great harm on some of the most vulnerable members of our community, and they merit serious sentences. We also urge parents and guardians to remain vigilant and monitor their childrens online activities.

Swank is on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. He was arrested by Muscatine Police on Feb. 27, 2013, after an investigation into the Aug. 30, 2012, sexual abuse of a boy under the age of 14. He was initially charged sexual abuse third-degree, a Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of 10 years.

On April 29, 2013, during a hearing in Muscatine County District Court, Swank pleaded guilty to a charge of assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse, an aggravated misdemeanor that carries a prison sentence of two years. Swank was sentenced to serve two years on supervised probation.

To read the status of the other eight cases, go to the Quad-City Times website for the online version of this story.

Charles Walter Christopher, 43, of West Liberty, Iowa, sentenced Dec. 15 to 22 years in federal prison.

Douglas L. Christensen, 56, of East Moline, sentenced Nov. 3 to 10 years in federal prison.

Michael Robert McKinney, of Silvis, sentenced July 20 to 12 years in federal prison.

Douglas Michael Speer, 31, of Johnston, Iowa, sentenced Oct. 20 to 11 years in federal prison.

Joseph Allen Wilcher, 40, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was found guilty by a federal jury Oct. 6 after a trial in U.S. District Court, Peoria. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 3 in U.S. District Court, Peoria.

Auston M. McLain, 36, of Davenport, was found competent to stand trial during a hearing Nov. 18 in U.S. District Court, Rock Island. U.S. District Chief Judge Sara Darrow set McLains jury trial for Feb. 14.

Jeffrey Alan Bosaw, who was 52 at the time of his arrest in November 2020, is awaiting a competency hearing.

Damien Pernell Shepherd of Moline, who was 35 at the time of his arrest, is charged with attempted enticement of a minor. His trial had been scheduled for Oct. 4 in U.S. District Court, Rock Island. His attorney, Federal Public Defender Thomas Patton, has filed a motion to suppress the statements that Shepherd made to agents in the case. Patton argues that Shepherd told authorities he wished to invoke his right to remain silent at the time he was arrested. However, authorities kept up a dialogue with Shepherd on other topics. Patton argues that Shepherd is intellectually disabled and was manipulated into using one of the officers' phones to call his mother, which the agents allegedly overheard and recorded to obtain evidence. Patton argues that the agents continued dialogue with Shepherd and alleged sardonic remarks about his refusing to speak with agents eventually broke the mans will and he spoke with agents without an attorney present. U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow ordered federal prosecutors to respond to Pattons motion by Oct. 25. In his response, Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas Quivey said that the government concedes that it cannot carry its burden of proving that defendants (Shepherds) express waiver of Miranda rights in the third recording was made voluntarily, and thus, the government will not admit such statements in its case-in-chief. However, Quivey did argue that the statements Shepherd made to his mother that were overheard and recorded are not protected by the Fifth Amendment because they were not made in response to any interrogation. Quivey argues that officers gave Shepherd the opportunity to make a call to his mother, but warned him that he would not have privacy. Shepherd told his mother that he was arrested because he was talking with a young guy online. Quivey argues that Shepherd was not coerced into making comments since his answers to his mothers questions remained evasive. According to Quiveys response, Shepherd actively sought to avoid making incriminating statements when he responded to his mothers questions about the boys age and the boys advertised profile information rather than what the boy told him. A hearing on the motion to suppress is scheduled for Jan. 20 in U.S. District Court, Rock Island. A jury trial is scheduled for Feb. 28.

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Two workers will return to work at Walcott-based Needham Excavating almost two years after being illegally fired for supporting a union, according to a news release from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150.

An administrative judge from the National Labor Relations Board ordered Needham Excavating on Dec. 20 to reinstate the two employees. They will return to work on Jan. 11, and they will be escorted by a representative from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, the release states.

Needham fired Brett Gripp on June 10, 2019, and Adam VanOpDorp on July 8, 2019. The union filed federal labor charges against Needham on behalf of both employees in 2019.

Judge Sharon Levinson found that Needham violated the National Labor Relations Act by firing the two employees, and also by creating an impression of surveillance of employees' union activities, interrogating employees about union activities and other forms of union-based discrimination.

The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 is a labor union representing 23,000 working men and women in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. Local 150 represents workers in construction and related industries, including material production, concrete pumping, steel mill service, slag production, public works and others.

"Needham ignored these workers rights and stripped their livelihoods away from them. This happens around the country every day, and workers need to know that they have protection," Local 150 President James M. Sweeney said in the release. "We were proud to represent these two men, and we will be proud to walk them back into work on January 11th."

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Ann Kandis never thought she would see her cat again.

When Kandis' then 1-year-old male cat, Noodles, went missing from the family's farm in Geneseo three years ago, they were heartbroken.

But thanks to a chance encounter on social media on Christmas Eve, the Kandis family was reunited with Noodles.

"It's a Christmas miracle," Kandis said. "It was Christmas Eve of all days that we found him. That was kind of a cool thing."

Noodles' adventure began in November 2018 when he jumped into the open car trunk of Kandis' father, who was doing some work on the farm. Unaware the curious cat was in the trunk, the man closed it and went on his way.

"He was going down the road and heard a noise. He stopped, opened up the trunk and the cat jumped out," Kandis said. "That's how the cat went missing."

Kandis and her family launched an exhaustive search for Noodles. They posted "lost cat" notices on numerous websites, reported his chip number to the microchip company and searched in person along the stretch of Highway 6 in rural Henry County where he had jumped out of the trunk.

"But we did not find him," Kandis said. "We've had a lot of cats because we have a farm, but we get attached to them. We provide them veterinary care, and they've all got names; we feed them, and they've got heated spots in the barn. We were all really sad, and my kids were super sad because this cat was gone. He's got a lot of personality, let's put it that way.

"We didn't see this cat for three years. I did everything I could do."

Noodles first was rescued as a kitten with two siblings along the Hennepin Canal, where they had been abandoned. Kandis brought all three home to the farm, had them microchipped, vaccinated, neutered and spayed. The kittens quickly blended in with the other four farm cats and became part of the family.

Kandis said they had several horses on the farm who also developed a special bond with the cats and allowed the cats to sit atop them for hours. Kandis said she would always see Noodles sitting on one of the horses.

Months turned into years and there was no news and no sign of Noodles. Until Christmas Eve.

Two weeks ago, Kandis was with her family when her brother-in-law told her about a woman who shared the same love for horses and owned a horse trailer similar to hers. It turned out that Kandis' daughter and the woman's daughter had shown horses together. When Kandis looked up the woman on Facebook, she found more than a just a new friend. She found Noodles.

"A (Facebook) post came up from November of 2018 and it said, 'Does anybody know this cat?' And it's a picture of a cat sitting on a horse  her horse. That was a clue when I found him. She said he's very friendly, he's fixed and they were looking for his home.

"So I messaged her on Christmas Eve and said, 'Hey, do you still have that cat? That's got to be Noodles.' And she still had him; she kept him this whole time. She said he bonded with her and her family because he's so friendly."

Kandis and her son went over to the woman's house, and when they arrived, Noodles ran right up to them. The woman told Kandis she was surprised because the cat did not like strangers or cars.

"The cat came right up to us, and I said, that's the cat. That is our cat."

Kandis, who works full time as an emergency room physician for Genesis Medical Center, said finding Noodles brought her emotional relief during a stressful time in the pandemic.

"With this omicron (variant), the way the ER has been, it was a good thing for my mental health to find that cat," she said.

But now Kandis had a difficult choice to make. In the three years since he was gone, Noodles had settled in with his new family and was renamed Max. He also had new horse friends who allowed him to sit on them whenever he pleased.

"Where they live is less than 5 miles from our house," Kandis said. "He's the only barn cat there, and I thought it would be too traumatic. I love that cat too much. Cats are hard to reintroduce into a group, and I didn't want him running off. He's got a good gig, and she is taking good care of him. I have visitation rights. I didn't bring him home because I know he's being well cared for and they're very good people.

"He's so settled. It's hard because I love this cat, but I can't put him through that stress again. But it answered the question: What happened to Noodles? Where did he go?

"It was best for the cat; he's got new horses he can sit on."

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Time for you to ask these questions with a truthful answer! Do you believe everything Biden and his administration tell you? Is it time for Biden to resign? Is the border safe or we in danger of more crime? Why should student loan debt be cancelled; is it fair for those who paid for their children's education? Have we ventured extremely into climate control without proper knowledge of the consequences? Do you believe in the extreme left Democrat party and their beliefs? Is Biden capable to turn around inflation? Should the oil pipelines be turned-on and America becomes energy independent? Will you buy an electric car in the next 2 years at a cost of over $50,000? Do you want term limits in all government? Do you like WOKE? Can you vote for what is good for America rather than be a party junkie? Should the crazy state of California leave the union? Would we be better off if it did leave the union? Do you want definition of sex to be male or female, not some made-up definition? Do you want parents to voice their opinion to schools, colleges, on what is appropriate subjects? You need to count the positives and the negatives within yourself with truth and integrity. There are many philosophies, but what is of basic importance is compassion for others, concern for others suffering, and reduction of selfishness! Vote your conscience for the good of all that is true and safe for all Americans!
Illinois legislators left Springfield late Wednesday without naming a new inspector general amid partisan squabbling over a replacement, leaving a key watchdog office vacant even as federal prosecutors continue their probe of corruption at the statehouse.

Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope was set to leave office at the close of business Thursday after announcing in July that she was stepping down. Pope resigned in protest over a government ethics overhaul lawmakers approved last spring that she said demonstrated true ethics reform is not a priority.

Lawmakers were slated to be at the Capitol for three days this week to kick off their spring session, but the schedule was cut to just one day  with next weeks scheduled days canceled as well  amid the worst surge in COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began nearly two years ago.

Pope originally intended to depart in mid-December, but she extended her tenure after a bipartisan panel appointed by the Democratic and Republican leaders of the state House and Senate deadlocked on nominating her replacement.

Republicans on the eight-member Legislative Ethics Commission say Democrats, who control both chambers of the legislature, have derailed the process by pushing for a candidate who wasnt recommended by an outside search committee.

In the past six months, Democrat lawmakers have done what they can to stymie the process and our progress, Republican state Sen. Jil Tracy of Quincy, who chairs the ethics commission, said during a news conference Thursday.

The panels four Republican members are backing Joseph Hartzler, a former assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and was recommended by the search committee.

Democrats favor another former federal prosecutor, David Risley, who also was director of public safety policy for former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Risley, who has worked as an investigator under Pope, was not one of two candidate recommended by the search committee, but the ethics commission agreed to interview him after Hartzler and another recommended candidate failed to win the support of a majority of members, said state Rep. Maurice West, a Rockford Democrat who sits on the panel.

Another Democratic commission member, state Sen. Cristina Castro of Elgin, issued a statement accusing Tracy of politicizing a process that was intentionally set up to try to keep politics out.

The fact is the ethics commission has been prepared to send names to the General Assembly, but Senator Tracy and other Republicans blocked those votes, Castro said in a statement. If not for those actions, we could have had a new inspector general in place.

Republicans on the panel also have refused to do a second round of interviews with the two candidates, West said.

I dont know if we can resolve this collectively because its already been politicized by our chairwoman, he said.

Advancing an inspector general candidate to the full legislature for approval would require a majority vote by the commission, meaning at least one member would have to vote with members of the other party.

Once a nomination is made to the House and Senate, a three-fifths majority vote is required for the candidate to be appointed. That means the supermajority Democrats could approve their preferred inspector general without any GOP votes.

If the office becomes vacant, the commission is supposed to appoint an acting inspector general within 45 days. But that also would require bipartisan agreement. If the office is left unfilled for six months, the inspector general for the state auditor generals office would take on the responsibility of investigating alleged misconduct by lawmakers and legislative staff.

In her final quarterly report for 2021, Pope said her office had received one complaint that it had not begun investigating due to her impending departure.

This wont be the first time the legislature has gone without a watchdog.

After the states first legislative inspector general resigned in 2014, the position went unfilled until the vacancy was thrust into the spotlight when a victims rights advocate testified at a legislative hearing in October 2017 that her complaint alleging shed been sexually harassed by a state senator went unanswered for more than a year.

The blowback led to the temporary appointment of former federal prosecutor Julie Porter, who held the position until Pope, a former state prosecutor and appellate judge, took over in March 2019.

All three people whove held the office have called for greater independence. In response, the ethics overhaul approved last year allows the inspector general to launch investigations without first getting approval from the ethics commission.

But the inspector general still has to get the commissions permission to issue subpoenas or publicly release reports on lawmakers who are found to have engaged in misconduct. One of Popes major objections was that the new law also limits the scope of the offices investigations to complaints that relate directly to lawmakers public duties.

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Davenport Community School District school board members expressed their desire for the district to be fully accredited again during a Thursday visit by state education officials.

The district has been working for several years to address issues that led to it being cited by the state, including needing to provide more equitable education for Black students. Since October 2020, the district has been under the direct oversight of the Iowa State Board of Education after the Iowa Department of Education argued the district was not making enough progress on the citations. The district has been only conditionally accredited by the state for some time while it works on the citations.

In November, the state relaxed some of that control, and the relationship is expected to again be reviewed by the state board in March.

The state delegation, which included Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo and several members of the state board of education, toured district schools, observed programs and had a conversation with the school board members in the early afternoon.

The school board members talked about the progress the district has made and its readiness to be fully accredited again.

We have worked very hard, and I hope you remember that in March and return our control, Karen Kline-Jerome, of the school board, said.

The districts efforts to address the problems underlying the citations have included the ongoing development of uniform standards for students learning environments and staff response to crises and violence. The district is also working on improving its early literacy scores, and the school board has been undergoing professional development.

Board member Bruce Potts said he was glad the state officials visited and saw some of the districts efforts in person because it is hard to assess and supervise from a distance.

I think that will enrich your ability to make judgments in March, Potts said. And also have conversations with your colleagues about not just what it looks like on paper but what it looks like in reality in the classroom, in the buildings and the district at large.

Linda Hayes, school board vice president, said was thankful the district came under state scrutiny. Since the citation efforts began, things have been corrected, the school board has become more unified and the district has developed new strengths.

Had you not stepped in, I dont know where we would be today, Hayes said. Its not that youre not appreciated, but I do feel for the time that Ive been on the board, theres been tremendous strides made.

Hayes said the school board wanted to thank the state for its efforts but was looking forward to the end of the current dynamic between the two entities.

When children are starting to walk, there is a time when parents let their hands go and let them fall, Hayes said.

And they get up and they take off running, Hayes said. I think were at the point now where were coming to our feet and were ready to go.

In November, the education department commended the school board and TJ Schneckloth, district superintendent, on their efforts, saying that, though the work is not done, a substantial amount has been completed.

The work to date has been on the upper levels of the districts system, the department said then. The impacts the citation work is having on the students was only just starting to become apparent.

The scaled-back relationship adopted by the state board in November was based on an approach of gradually returning the districts responsibilities to it, according to the education department. The idea was not to just stop the assistance abruptly but return the authority in increments and support the district as it started to exercise that authority again.

The delegation that visited Thursday similarly complimented the district on the progress it has made. Members also commended the district on the programs they observed firsthand on Thursday in its buildings but said they want to be sure the districts progress is sustainable before further relaxing state control.

Bettie Bolar, the state boards vice president, said the school visit, where she observed a phonics lesson, was awesome.

The kids seemed engaged; the teachers were just amazing, Bolar said.

Brooke Axiotis, the state board president, said she hoped something similar would be implemented in her childs district.

I thought it was absolutely incredible to see that, Axiotis said.

The state officials got to interact with one of the districts recently formed Youth Leadership Teams, Axiotis said.

Its nice to hear how empowering it is to be part of that, Axiotis said.

On the districts progress, Axiotis said after the meeting that ultimately, the state wanted the district to be successful but did not want to pull the rug out from under it.

The state is looking for sustainability, Axiotis said. Is the district at a place yet where these things can be done sustainably?

You gotta peel back those layers and just make sure, so you take away one thing at a time, Axiotis said.

The full meeting between the state officials and the district lasted about an hour. It was recorded and is available on the district's YouTube page.

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Plans to build a new, larger juvenile detention in Scott County have grown more complicated in the wake of new federal guidance on how state and local governments may use COVID-19 recovery dollars.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Thursday issued its final rules on the use of $350 billion provided to state, local and tribal governments across the country as part of the American Rescue Plan to support their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior federal guidance stated the money could broadly be used to: Provide assistance aid to households, small businesses, nonprofits and industries hard hit by the pandemic; provide premium pay for essential government workers; support public health response; replace lost tax and fee revenue caused by the pandemic; and invest in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure.

The interim guidance issued in May stated recovery dollars could be used to "support for prevention, mitigation and other services in congregate living facilities and schools," including incarceration settings, County Budget Director David Farmer told supervisors this fall.

However, Thursday's final rule states that "Treasury presumes that the following capital projects are generally ineligible: Construction of new correctional facilities as a response to an increase in rate of crime; construction of new congregate facilities to decrease spread of COVID-19 in the facility."

Scott County supervisors have said they intend to use more than $7 million in federal COVID-19 recovery dollars to help pay for the estimated $21.75 million building.

County officials have said a larger detention facility providing more physical separation of personnel and juveniles would aid detention staff in meeting pandemic operational needs and implementing COVID-19 mitigation tactics. That would include space for a medical suite and to isolate COVID-positive juveniles from others to prevent possible outbreaks, as well as eliminate the use of double-bunking and provide improved air handling and ventilation.

What the new rule will mean for the county's plans to build more juvenile detention beds, though, is unclear.

"The rule was only released yesterday and Scott County Administration and related departments are still learning and evaluating the rule changes," Farmer responded in an email.

Supervisors on Thursday  the same day the Treasury issued its final ruling  approved a $997,070 contract with Wold Architects and Engineers for architectural, engineering and construction administration services to design the 40-bed Youth Justice & Rehabilitation Center and attached Youth Assessment Center.

Farmer wrote he would provide an update to the Board of Supervisors at a future date, but added the rule "has no foreseeable impact to the contract that was approved last night by the Board of Supervisors."

The contract was not funded out of the county's allotment of ARPA dollars, Farmer wrote.

The final rule takes effect on April 1. Until then, the interim final rule remains in effect.

"Funds used consistently with the (interim final rule) while it is in effect are in compliance with the (Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds) program," according to the Treasury Department. "However, recipients can choose to take advantage of the final rules flexibilities and simplifications now, even ahead of the effective date."

County staff anticipates it would take Wold about eight months to finalize construction documents and the county soliciting construction bids sometime in August.

Scott County Board of Supervisors Chairman Ken Beck responded in a text message Friday that county officials had not had time to thoroughly review the new ruling and could not comment.

Supervisor Ken Croken, a chief critic and the lone dissenting vote among supervisors over the county's juvenile detention plans, said Friday the county's "misguided approach to juvenile justice is only underscored" by the final rule.

"The American Rescue Plan Act is a noble attempt on the part of the federal government to restore some measure of economic stability to the businesses and families adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic," Croken said. "The proposed use of these funds to build a correctional facility was and remains inappropriate and ill-conceived."

Thursday's updated guidance on eligible and ineligible uses of COVID-19 recovery funds comes after the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama called for a probe and halt to Alabama's plans to spend $400 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to build new state prisons, which would consume about 20% of Alabamas total COVID-19 relief funds.

The ALCU said building new correctional facilities was an inappropriate use of the money, arguing prison construction does nothing to help the state be more responsive during the pandemic and does not address ongoing civil rights violations within the state's prison systems. Additionally, the ACLU argued Alabama was only using the funds to offset interest costs for issuing bonds to fund the rest of the construction.

The Davenport NAACP, local pastors and juvenile justice advocates have made similar arguments in opposition to Scott County's plans to use rescue funds to help pay for the 40-bed facility  which would more than double existing capacity.

Scott County officials had initially discussed whether a bond referendum would be needed to pay to build a larger youth detention center but anticipated being able to pay as they go, thanks in part to the influx of federal dollars.

Supervisors last month dismissed calls, including from Croken, to delay plans in the wake of the creation of a statewide task force to improve Iowa's juvenile justice system.

State and local NAACP officials have also called for a state audit and "full examination" of Scott County's juvenile justice system, including a review of judicial practices, deferment programs, police referrals, racial disparities and the use of waivers to adult court.

Critics argue a 40-bed facility is over-sized and unneeded, and that it will only fuel the existing disproportionate incarceration of young people of color and high number of Scott County youth waived to adult court.

County officials contend the larger facility is needed to address overcrowding and long-term capacity needs.

"The county needs to reconsider its approach to juvenile justice and the role of detention in the juvenile justice system," Croken said.

Croken on Thursday voted against awarding the contract to Wold absent a competitive bidding process.

"This is not responsible government, and it is a disservice to our taxpayers," Croken said during Thursday's meeting.

To date, the county has awarded Wold contracts totaling more than $1.2 million since 2019 to conduct a needs assessment of the Scott County Juvenile Detention Center and Scott County Jail; to convene and facilitate a community task force to assess juvenile detention capacity needs; and to develop a schematic design based on the recommendations.

Tammy Speidel, director of facility and support services for Scott County, said hiring a different firm would likely cost the county months' worth of work and preparation.

Supervisor Tony Knobbe argued Wold is already intimately familiar with the county's needs and priorities related to juvenile detention and rehabilitation.

"This (is) a company weve worked with before," Knobbe said. "We stay on this horse and ride it across the stream."

Supervisors on Thursday also approved a resolution revoking a $1.75 million purchase agreement for Burke Dry Cleaners property at 936 W. 4th St., with tentative plans to use the site to build the 40-bed juvenile detention facility.

The purchase agreement was contingent on the results of an environmental site assessment of the property.

Recent findings of environmental testing indicated a reportable level of tetrachloroethene (dry cleaner solvent) in groundwater and a visible presence of petroleum product.

"The site can be remediated. The question is how long and to what extent," Speidel said.

Not knowing that answer, county officials said they were not willing to accept that risk on behalf of the county or taxpayers.

Rather, supervisors and county officials seemed to agree the best fit would be to tear down the county's warehouse at 4715 Tremont Ave. and either build a new, smaller county warehouse elsewhere or rent warehouse space.

Supervisors had previously discussed early last year the possibility of tearing down the Tremont Avenue building to accommodate a new, expanded juvenile detention center.

The warehouse previously housed a county jail annex, but because of its age would require $2 million to $3 million worth of repairs and renovations, Speidel said.

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Rivermont Collegiate Headmaster Max Roach heard important news as he sat in the shafts of Friday afternoon's still-bright sunlight streaming through the large windows of what was once the billiards room of the Bettendorf mansion.

Just one of the students at the school tested positive for COVID-19. All told, it was the sixth member of Rivermont's faculty, staff and student body to test positive for the virus since Roach implemented community-wide testing on Tuesday.

Rivermont is the educational home of roughly 200 students and 60 faculty and staff  and as omicron spreads throughout the Quad-Cities, Rivermont is the only area school with a test-to-stay policy. Roach said community-wide testing was a practice that's not workable at larger schools.

"I think testing-to-stay was a good decision for this school," Roach said. "It's not good news to hear about someone here testing positive, but these tests allow us to do the best we can to protect students and the staff from further spread.

"Some of those who tested positive board at the school. We have quarantined them in their rooms, or the student can go home. We can follow the recommendations for quarantine. I can't lose teachers, and testing shows parents we are doing our best to keep students safe."

According to Roach, Rivermont was proactive and has had an all-mask, all-the-time policy for students, faculty and staff since the start of the pandemic. The school made a large purchase of BinaxNow test kits in August and made the decision to test all students and staff when school started back up after the holidays.

Roach said roughly 85% of students and 85% of staff were fully vaccinated. He said the school decided against a mandatory vaccination policy.

"It is not unreasonable to ask people to wear masks, and it's not unreasonable to require testing  these are the inside-the-nose tests, not the deep tests," Roach said. "I do not feel the same way about the vaccines. I'm vaccinated. My children are vaccinated. But I don't want to try and force what is a very personal decision."

Roach said he thought the decision to mask had helped keep Rivermont's community safe.

"Is (masking) perfect? Of course not," Roach said. "But it helps. And it's something we can do to protect each other."

COVID-19 in the Q-C, by the numbers

The week-ending COVID-19 news from around the Q-C remained grim.

In Rock Island County, public health officials confirmed the COVID-19 death of a woman in her 50s who died at a hospital. The total number of deaths in Rock Island County linked to the virus is 426.

Fueled by the omicron variant, case counts are soaring on both sides of the Q-C. The Iowa Department of Public Health will not update county-wide COVID-19 statistics until next Wednesday, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Scott County added 1,635 new cases in the seven-day period ending Friday.

The Rock Island County Health Department reported 674 new cases of COVID-19 since its last update on Wednesday. The two-day total is the highest since the start of the pandemic, beating the combined total from Monday and Tuesday by 73 cases.

The Rock Island County Health Department's update from Friday also noted 85 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county.

Those numbers spurred more pleas from public health officials.

"In the last two days, the number of cases jumped by 674, but we are more worried that 80 to 90 people each day this week have needed in-patient hospital resources," Rock Island County Health Department Administrator Nita Ludwig said. "The test positivity rate in Rock Island County is 28.07%, which is almost a point higher than just two days ago. Please make a plan to get vaccinated or boosted as soon as possible."

Scott County's positivity rate was 24.34% for the seven-day period ending Friday.

Who can vaccinate, and where

This week, the CDC updated much of its COVID-19 booster guidance:

Everyone 12 and older who received the Pfizer series should get boosted after five months;

Moderately or severely immunocompromised 5 to 11-year-olds should receive an additional primary dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine 28 days after their second shot;

Everyone 18 and older who received the two-dose Moderna series should get boosted after five months;

Everyone 18 and older who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago should get boosted immediately. CDC recommends a Pfizer or Moderna booster, but Johnson & Johnson remains available.

The Rock Island County Health Department offers twice-a-week walk-in vaccination clinics for those 12 and older: Tuesdays (Moderna and Johnson & Johnson for 18 and older) and Fridays (Pfizer for 12 and older). The hours for both days are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Boosters or third doses for immunocompromised people are available on the same day as first and second doses.

Appointments for the Rock Island Health Department's Jan. 14s pediatric Pfizer clinic for children ages 5 to 11 will be available Jan. 12 through a link on the health departments Facebook page.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address on March 1, the White House confirmed Friday, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the president a formal invitation to speak to Congress and the American public one year into his term.

It will mark the latest any president has delivered a State of the Union address. The speech is normally timed for January, and occasionally for February. The delay is driven in part by a busy legislative calendar, a winter spike in COVID-19 cases from the more transmissible omicron variant and the upcoming Winter Olympics, which ties up broadcast network time.

The last State of the Union address was delivered by then-President Donald Trump on the eve of his acquittal by the Senate in his first impeachment trial.

Biden first addressed a joint session of Congress in April 2021, about 100 days into his time in the White House, which he used to promote twin infrastructure and domestic spending bills. Biden signed a slimmed-down and bipartisan version of the infrastructure proposal into law last year in crowning first-year legislative achievements. The larger expansion of the social safety net passed the House, but Biden has struggled to secure enough Democratic support in the Senate for passage.

An address to Congress in the president's first year is not an official State of the Union address, and Biden's April speech bore little resemblance to one because of strict COVID-19 protocols. It was marked by limitations on attendance, with no guests allowed, and lawmakers seated on both the floor of the House chamber and the galleries above. Officials said pandemic precautions for this year's speech were still being worked out, though they expect it to look more like a traditional State of the Union address than last year's remarks.

"Thank you for your bold vision and patriotic leadership which have guided America out of crisis and into an era of great progress, as we not only recover from the pandemic but Build Back Better!," Pelosi wrote in her letter to Biden. "In that spirit, I am writing to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 1, to share your vision of the State of the Union."

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BELLEVILLE  With coronavirus cases surging to record rates across the metro east this week, Belleville aldermen voted 14-1 to require all city employees to get a COVID vaccine unless they have a qualified medical or religious exemption.

The mandate went into effect immediately with the council's vote on Wednesday night, giving employees until Feb. 8 to comply.

If employees are exempted from the mandatory vaccination, they must be tested for COVID-19 at least once every seven days if they are reporting to their workplace in person.

The coronavirus positivity rate in St. Clair County was at a record high of 25.9% this week, up from the previous record of 15.8% set in December 2020. And public health officials have urged everyone to get vaccinated as a way to slow down the omicron variant spreading around the world.

In St. Clair County, about 53% of the residents have been fully vaccinated, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Most of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients were not vaccinated before being admitted, public health officials said.

Belleville Ward 3 Alderman Kent Randle cast the lone "no" vote against the city's shot mandate.

Randle said he has been fully vaccinated against the virus but doesn't believe the government should force someone to get a vaccination.

"I think everybody's immune system is different and I just think that it's a choice that people have to make with guidance from their health care provider," he said in an interview after the council meeting.

"That's for me to make that choice, I can't make that choice for other people," he said.

Randle noted that he understands what the city is trying to do and he respects the council's vote. The council has 16 members and Ward 3 Alderman Scott Ferguson was absent.

Caller interrupts meeting

The council's meeting on Wednesday night was conducted via teleconference that was open to the public. Just before the vote on the shot mandate, someone who called in to listen used expletives in referencing the mandate requiring "me to put something in my body."

Mayor Patty Gregory told the person, "It's disrespectful sir, would you please mute your phone."

The commentor's identity was not certain, though the mayor offered speculation. Gregory said she hoped that it was not a city employee who interrupted the meeting.

The person then stopped making comments that everyone could hear.

The public was given time at the beginning of the meeting to make comments but no one did at that time.

The City Council meeting had originally been scheduled to be in-person on Monday night but was changed to a Wednesday teleconference as the number of COVID cases spiked. Aldermen had been meeting in person at City Hall since June.

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A birthday celebration fit for a queen has pivoted to a memorial for the last of Americas treasured Golden Girls.

On what wouldve been her 100th birthday, Betty Whites hometown is set to pay a fitting tribute to the late television icon.

The star of landmark sitcoms such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls, and Hot in Cleveland  who died Dec. 31 just three weeks shy of her Jan. 17th centennial  will have a day named after her in Oak Park, Illinois.

Due to the nationally Martin Luther King Jr. holiday observance on Jan. 17, event organizer Lourdes Nicholls told The Daily News on Thursday that official festivities will commence Jan. 15, with festivities kicking off at 10 a.m.

The Saturday event will include a giant birthday cake made by Turano Baking Company, a Betty White mural contest, a pet adoption event (with The Animal Care League) and the lighting of the local Lake Theatres marquee. Local businesses will feature specials of Whites favorite foods  which she said in 2012 were hot dogs and Red Vines and potato chips and French fries.

A performance by Cindy Fee, the fellow Oak Parker who sang the iconic Golden Girls theme song, Thank You for Being a Friend is also scheduled.

Oak Park is not quite St. Olaf but we are proud to be Betty Whites real hometown, Nicholls shared, referencing the Minnesota birthplace of Whites Golden Girls character Rose Nylund. We look forward to celebrating her on January 15th.

Though raised in Los Angeles since early childhood, White was born at West Suburban Hospital in 1922 and lived with her parents in an apartment on Pleasant Street and a house on North Taylor Avenue.

Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman is scheduled to give a proclamation for Betty White Day and a representative from the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest will give a speech on what Oak Park looked like 100 years ago.

Betty White, as a true optimist, made the choice every day to be happy, Scanlan told The Daily News. Embracing the memory of her amazing life and taking the time to honor her feels like a symbol of hope. She has given us so much to smile and laugh to. We are proud to know and celebrate her connection to the Village of Oak Park.

Whites 100th birthday is also being celebrated on social media with the Twitter hashtag #BettyWhiteChallenge, encouraging fans to donate $5 (or more) to local animal shelters or rescue organizations in her name, or if possible to adopt a shelter pet.

The five-time Emmy Award winner and Television Hall of Famer famously championed care and love for all animals.

Both my mother and father were tremendous animal lovers, she told Smithsonian Magazine in 2012. They imbued in me the fact that, to me, there isnt an animal on the planet that I dont find fascinating and want to learn more about.

That year, she authored the book, Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo.

Just last month, Ray Richmonds biographical celebration Betty White: 100 Remarkable Moments in an Extraordinary Life was published.

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A cannabis company has asked the Illinois Supreme Court to let the state name the winners of new craft grower licenses, citing the mounting costs applicants are paying while judges decide lawsuits over the issue.

1837 Craft Grow LLC filed its motion Wednesday to modify a court order that prevents the state from naming the license winners until the litigation is decided.

At issue is a case involving 13 companies whose craft license applications were disqualified by the state (along with one transporter license applicant). They sued challenging the licensing process.

Despite a state law requiring that 60 new craft licenses be issued Dec. 21, 2021, Cook County Judge Neil Cohen and Sangamon County Judge Gail Noll ordered that those licenses be held up while the lawsuits grind through the legal process. A hearing in the case is set for March 10, but the proceedings could take months or years.

In the meantime, many of the other applicants such as 1837 Craft Grow say they have been burning through money, trying to keep rights to property they plan to use if they get licenses. They say they desperately need help.

For the first time, the motion reveals in depth the costs to the applicants while the licenses have been delayed, initially due to problems with scoring the applications. The applicants have lost not only money spent on property, but people they had hired or planed to employ, and investor funding needed to get started.

1837, for example, said it submitted a 728-page license application in April 2020, which typically costs tens of thousands of dollars or more in legal and consulting fees. As part of its application, 1837 secured land for a marijuana growing warehouse in northwest suburban Wheeling. Under its purchase and sale agreement, 1837 paid $20,000 in earnest money.

Based on the initial July 1, 2020, deadline by which state law required the first 40 licenses to be issued, 1837 originally planned to close the deal in September 2020. When the Illinois Department of Agriculture missed that licensing deadline, 1837 paid $30,000 more in earnest money to hold the property, according to the motion.

The state ended up delaying issuing the first 40 licenses until July 2021, a year late. Only veteran-led companies got those first licenses, and 1837 was not among them.

State officials announced that the next 60 license winners would come from the same pool of applicants, so 1837 worked to keep the rights to its property based on the new deadline. It negotiated numerous extensions of the closing date to buy the site, and paid another $25,000 in earnest money to reserve it, the motion says.

The Illinois attorney generals office had asked Noll to allow the state to announce the 60 winners, without actually issuing the licenses, to allow the winners to proceed with their business plans. Noll denied the request, without expressly explaining why a stay on all 60 licenses was appropriate when only 13 craft applicants were suing.

On behalf of 1837, attorney Ryan Holz called the ruling clearly overbroad and beyond the scope of the judges authority, saying it would cause serious and irreparable harm.

This is a unique situation whereby this court, in compliance with Illinois law, can provide a substantial, tangible benefit to dozens of Illinois craft grow applicants, Holz wrote, without creating any corresponding harm to any other parties.

Applicants such as 1837 will either have to spend more money to keep their properties without knowing if theyll get licenses, or lose properties they have spent up to two years preserving.

1837 is in no position to close on its $2.5 million property without knowing if it will get a license, Holz argued. If it walks away from the deal, it will lose the $75,000 in earnest money. If it tries to find a new property, that would cost duplicative time and expenses.

Attorneys for the Illinois attorney general and for ia GP LLC, one of the initial disqualified plaintiffs in the case, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

But other applicants also detailed their expenses due to the delays, according to sworn affidavits filed with the motion.

L-evation Botanicals LLC spent more than $100,000 in rent, only to lose its property due to the current delay, and is in danger of losing a $40,000 equipment deposit.

Shermer Farms LLC lost its property and a special-use permit in Fox Lake. It lost a second property for which it had been negotiating in Richmond, and critically, stands to lose $10 million in investor funding commitments, which would be crucial to starting the business.

EJs Dream LLC paid $25,000 for rights to its property, and $13,000 in real estate taxes, and will have to pay both again this year if it wants to keep the site. Green Aero LLC, spent $10,000 in rent, but lost its property after the Dec. 21 licensing deadline passed.

Kind Craft Grow and Transporter LLC had to pay an extra $10,000 in nonrefundable earnest money to keep its property in 2022. Mother Marys Meds LLC already lost a 32-acre property in Woodstock, along with another 42-acre property and now may lose its head grower.

Tierra Industries LLC lost properties, first in Batavia, then Belvidere. GCF Industries Inc. spent $100,000 in rent in Chicago, where real estate is much more expensive, only to lose the site due to the delays.

1837 recognizes that the announcement of the 47 winners will not be a panacea, Holz wrote, but it will provide valuable and much needed clarity. If applicants know they will get a license eventually, they can proceed with plans to get up and running.

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Chicago Public Schools and the teachers union have filed unfair labor charges against one another, with each side asking state officials to end the current dispute over in-person learning in their favor.

The latest escalation in the conflict over adequate COVID-19 safety measures in schools comes as CPS saw a new record number of coronavirus cases Tuesday  the last day of classes before the lack of agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union shut down schools districtwide for two days.

In a statement Thursday afternoon, CPS officials said students will be notified later in the day by their principal about the status of school Friday.

While some CPS buildings  including Pulaski International School in Bucktown, Davis Dual Language Academy in Brighton Park and Oriole Park Elementary in Norwood Park  have already canceled Friday classes, districts officials said they believe some schools will have adequate staffing to conduct in-person learning. Nearly 13% of the 21,600 CTU teachers and 15% of the 4,200 substitute teachers showed up for work Thursday, an increase from Wednesdays staffing levels, according to district data.

CPS said in its statement that those who reported to buildings got paid, and the district encouraged CTU to end this illegal work stoppage.

CPS staff who do not show up to work will not be paid until they honor their commitment to the District and our students and report for work in-person at our schools, the statement read.

As CPS and the union continued their fight Thursday, Illinois reported another record-shattering day for new COVID-19 infections, with 44,089 new confirmed and probable cases reported statewide, with a record 7,098 people hospitalized with the virus overnight Wednesday.

In the battle over reopening CPS, lawyers for CPS are asking the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board to issue a cease-and-desire order against CTU and hear the case on an expedited basis.

On Tuesday, January 4, 2022, the CTU illegally directed its members ... not to report to work as directed but to work remotely instead from January 5 until the earlier of January 18 or when CPS meets certain health metrics, CPS lawyers said in the filing.

CTU lawyers separately filed charges alleging CPS violated the law by not negotiating an agreement with CPS about school reopenings after the one they signed in February 2021 expired. Theyre asking the state to to order CPS to honor the statutory right of employees to refrain from working in dangerous conditions and to allow employees to work remotely.

District officials had canceled Wednesday classes after the union endorsed the work action Tuesday to refuse to work in person and instead teach remotely during a city spike in infections.

The union, using the hashtag #LoriLockout, tweeted Wednesday that its been inundated with calls and emails this morning from educators who say theyve been unable to log into their CPS accounts to teach remotely, as was the CTUs stated intention.

CPS has not confirmed the lockouts but many teachers and other school employees have taken to social media to report theyve been denied access to the CPS computer networks.

The CTU resolution, endorsed by 73% of voting members, seeks to have classes remain remote until Jan. 18 unless a safety agreement with CPS is reached or the omicron-fueled COVID-19 surge subsides. Lightfoot has denounced the unions actions as an unlawful, unilateral strike. The union has countered that their actions dont amount to a work stoppage because they are willing to teach remotely.

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CPS reported record new daily case numbers on Tuesday  422 students and 274 adults. That was part of the first data to emerge from the two days of school that took place after the two-week winter break and before the cancellations.

Those figures are double the number of cases CPS was reporting when students and staff members started their holiday vacation last month. About 330,000 students are enrolled in CPS, the nations third-largest school district. CPS doesnt report case numbers associated with its charter schools on its online COVID-19 tracker.

As of Wednesday evening, about 9,000 students and a record 2,300 staff members were in isolation because they tested positive for COVID-19 or quarantine because they had come in close contact with an infected person. With so many students and staff out because they have COVID-19 or are a close contact, absenteeism  more than the teachers union action  could be the main reason many classes arent meeting.

Schools that already announced the cancellation of Friday classes cited a lack of staffing.

While we do have a limited number of teachers and staff who have been coming to work, at this time we do not meet the staffing threshold provided by CPS to safely offer in-person instruction or programming tomorrow, January 7, the memo from Oriole Park School read. ... If the closure continues, and we do not have adequate staff to offer in-person programming on Monday, we will have packets of asynchronous activities available for pick up. There is no plan for remote instruction at this time in any CPS school.

Pulaski Principal Diana Racasi wrote to parents Thursday that in lieu of in-person classes Friday, digital resources will be shared on Pulaskis webpage with multiple projects that students can work on at home independently or with family members or other adults. ... Each project can be completed over multiple days, and the projects can be completed in any order. Please email admin if you would like copies to be made for pick up.

Racasi also wrote: I want to acknowledge the extremely challenging predicament we all are having to deal with on some level. I know this is difficult for everyone. This remains to be a deeply complicated issue with valid concerns on both sides.

Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady has repeatedly said schools are not dangerous settings for transmission and infection in kids rarely leads to hospitalization. She expressed hope Thursday that students will use the days off to get vaccinated if they have not done so already.

More than half of district students 12 to 17 years old and nearly 12% of students 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated, according to the district. CPS says about 91% of its staff is fully vaccinated.

Across Illinois on Thursday, 44,089 new confirmed and probable cases were reported.

While the holidays likely resulted in some distortions in the recent daily counts, cases have exploded in the past two weeks. During the week ending Dec. 23, the state was averaging 12,573 new cases per day, compared with an average of 27,141 per day during the past week.

The number of people with COVID-19 in Illinois hospitals also continues to set records on a daily basis, pushing the average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital beds per day to 6,419 over the past week, up from an average of 3,987 per day two weeks earlier.

Thanks in large part to vaccines, a smaller percentage of those who are getting infected are ending up in the hospital or dying compared with the fall 2020 surge, but deaths are on the rise.

Health officials on Thursday reported 104 coronavirus-related deaths, the most in a day in nearly a year. Over the past week, the state has averaged 63 deaths per day, up from 53 per day two weeks earlier.

The state has recorded 28,260 deaths since the pandemic began.

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CHICAGO  Leaders of the nations third-largest school district canceled classes for a third consecutive day amid increasingly tense negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union over remote learning and other COVID-19 safety protocols.

The union, which voted this week to revert to online instruction, told teachers to stay home starting Wednesday during the latest COVID-19 surge while both sides negotiate. The move just two days after students returned from winter break prompted district officials to cancel classes each day for students in the roughly 350,000-student district during negotiations, saying there's no plan to return to districtwide remote instruction.

In a Thursday message to parents, district officials said classes would be canceled Friday but "in-person learning and activities may be available at a small number of schools based on how many staff show up; a small percentage of teachers have continued to come to schools during what the district has labeled an illegal work stoppage.

However, the offerings would vary from school to school, and some alerted parents earlier in the day that they wouldnt have enough staff to have children and preemptively canceled.

Chicago Public Schools, like most other districts, has rejected a districtwide return to remote learning, saying it worsens racial inequities and is detrimental to academic performance, mental health and attendance. District officials insist schools can safely remain open with protocols in place.

There was little sign Thursday that either side was softening  the district and union both filed labor complaints with the state this week. Issues on the table including more testing and metrics to trigger school closures.

School districts nationwide have confronted the same pandemic issues, with most opting to stay open while ramping up virus testing, tweaking protocols and other adjustments in response to the shifting pandemic.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot accused the union of politicizing a pandemic, while the union's president, Jesse Sharkey, dubbed her Lockout Lori," because teachers haven't been able to log into remote-learning systems since early Wednesday.

The pattern is familiar for Chicago parents in the largely Black and Latino district serving about 350,000 kids. The teachers union has threatened to strike during contentious bargaining over school conditions for decades, and last walked off the job in 2012 and 2019, when talks with the city broke down. There was also a one-day work stoppage in 2016 over unfair labor practices.

Many families were frustrated by having to again make last-minute arrangements and wondered whether being out of school might contribute to the spread.

Its almost contradictory because like now these kids and their parents have to find some activities for the children when theyre not in school and theyre with other kids en masse now," said parent Mary Bluma, who has three children in Chicago schools. "So its almost like, oh, theres probably a better chance theyre going to spread COVID or, you know, get sick from other kids because now were not in a structured environment like a classroom where there are rules in place.

The district said roughly 10% of about 21,620 teachers came to work Wednesday and by Thursday it was nearly 13%. By Thursday afternoon, some city schools had already started notifying parents that they didnt have enough employees to open to students Friday.

Lightfoot's first term as mayor has been marred by three high-stakes clashes with the teachers' union, including the 2019 strike that lasted for 11 school days and disagreement over COVID-19 safety protocols to begin the 2020 school year.

"Enough is enough," Lightfoot said during a Thursday morning interview on MSNBC. "Im tired of the Groundhog Day appearance of everything that goes on with the Chicago Teachers Union leadership. We need partnership, we dont need conflict. 

Sharkey said Lightfoot is wrong to blame teachers.

We have rights to safety and weve been at the bargaining table for 20 months to secure those rights, he wrote in an email to members. We havent shifted the goal posts one bit; in fact, weve been saying the same thing for months: Please, work WITH us to set up comprehensive testing, work with us to vaccinate students, and work with us to establish basic guard rails.

The district argued in a complaint to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board that the union's actions are an illegal work stoppage, and sought a cease and desist order and a ban on future illegal strikes.

The union's complaint argued members have a right to refuse hazardous work assignments" and accused the district of an illegal lockout by canceling classes and barring access to remote-teaching tools. It asked the board to order Chicago schools to allow remote instruction until a new safety agreement is reached.

It was unclear Thursday when the board may act, but the process could take weeks to play out.

In December 2020, the board rejected the unions request to block the district from resuming in-person instruction in January 2021.

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For the second consecutive year, low-income Illinois taxpayers who have outstanding fines from the city of Chicago and other municipalities across the state wont have money taken from their state income tax returns, officials said.

Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced the extension of the deferral program on Thursday as an acknowledgment that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated financial hardships for the working poor.

People who qualify for the program will still have to pay those fines and fees when the program ends.

People still have a legal obligation to pay traffic and parking tickets and other fines. Cities can hire private collectors to collect these unpaid obligations, Mendozas office said in a statement. At this point, the Comptrollers Office does not expect to extend the suspension beyond this year.

Before the pandemic, the office would automatically take fines or fees out of residents tax refunds or other state-provided funding. The deferral program includes a moratorium on parking and traffic fines and court dues.

The moratorium affected about 50,000 taxpayers last year, and about $18 million in overdue fees and fines that would have otherwise been collected was not taken out of tax refunds, Mendozas office said.

A year ago, we had hoped the world would be further along in the fight against COVID-19. Unfortunately, we all know that is not the case, Mendoza said in a statement. Again this year, families on the financial edge are counting on their state income tax refunds to pay bills they have been putting off as COVID causes hardships.

She also said the program has been championed by public interest groups who advocate for families considered low or moderate income by the federal earned income tax credit program.

This year, a family of four earning $57,414 a year or less would qualify for the credit, the comptrollers office said. Also qualifying would be a single person earning $21,430 a year or less, the office said.

The state legislature more than a decade ago gave Illinois municipalities the right to contract with the comptrollers office to withhold unpaid traffic and parking ticket fines, as well as court judgments, from state income tax returns.

The comptrollers office then sends those collections to municipalities, a function that the office already had performed for various state agencies.

Two years ago, Mendoza announced her office would no longer withhold unpaid red-light camera ticket fines from taxpayers income tax refunds. That decision was made due to corruption that was uncovered in the right-light camera industry resulting in indictments and other nefarious disclosures.

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An expected decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 to restrict abortion rights or overturn Roe v. Wade has set off a renewed round of abortion battles in state legislatures.

Leaders of Iowa's Republican-led legislature, however, say they're waiting to see how state and federal court cases play out.

"I don't see us passing a bill," Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said in an interview previewing the upcoming legislative session.

The Iowa Legislature convenes Jan. 10.

"I would like to see us wait to see how these court cases play out, and then we react," Grassley said. "I think right now, there's a lot of 'ifs' surrounding the life issue, to be honest with you."

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, echoed Grassley.

"From my perspective, we really need to see what's going to happen at the federal level in the Supreme Court, but also the state Supreme Court," Whitver said. "I think waiting to see what happens at both of those, both the federal and the state level is something we need to do."

Iowa Democrats, however, argue the Republican-led legislature is likely to press an all-out abortion ban that would take effect if Roe is reversed. The 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision affirmed a woman's right to an abortion before a fetus is viable outside the womb, usually about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

"Republicans just can't help themselves when it comes to attacking women's right to make their own healthcare decisions," Iowa House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said. "And so I can't fathom a legislative session in which nothing comes up.  We've seen some pretty harsh attacks on women in this arena, and I can't fathom they'll just let it go. That's just not who they are, especially in an election year."

Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville, however, said he did not foresee more legislative action on abortion this year.

"But in terms of whether or not Iowans are paying attention, I think if we see a Supreme Court decision that overturns either Roe or Casey, you're gonna see a whole heck of a lot of folks really wake up and realize the stakes of what we're dealing with right here," Wahls said, including the prospect of young families and professionals leaving the state and exacerbating a state "workforce crisis." "Young Iowans are overwhelmingly supportive of a woman's right to choose."

A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll conducted in September found a majority of Iowans  57%  believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases.

Court rulings

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in December in a case concerning a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and challenges the landmark abortion-rights ruling, which overturned would leave states with more freedom to restrict procedures terminating a pregnancy.

A majority of the Supreme Court during debate last month signaled it is open to upholding Mississippis abortion ban, but left unclear how far it may go to curtail or overturn the constitutional right to an abortion.

Several states have already passed so-called "trigger laws" that would automatically outlaw abortions upon a court decision overturning Roe.

A 2018 Iowa Supreme Court decision ruling the state's constitution protects a right to an abortion, however, provides a major legal hurdle and would remain in place should Roe be overturned. Meaning nothing would happen immediately in Iowa.

Iowa Republicans, though, got the ball rolling earlier this year on an effort to pass an amendment to the Iowa Constitution to undo the Iowa Supreme Court decision.

The Iowa House and Senate passed a resolution during the 2021 legislative session proposing an amendment that explicitly states the Iowa Constitution "does not recognize, grant, or secure a right to abortion or require the public funding of abortion." State lawmakers would need to approve the resolution again in the next General Assembly, beginning in 2023, to place the amendment on the ballot.

Iowa voters would still have to approve the change to the state's constitution in a general election. Meaning the soonest the issue would appear before voters would be in 2024.

Republicans, too, are waiting to see how the Iowa Supreme Court rules in coming months in the state's appeal of an Iowa District decision that permanently blocked a 2020 law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before receiving an abortion.

Anti-abortion activists have said they're hopeful a more conservative court will reverse the 2018 ruling, which struck down a prior 72-hour waiting period.

Since the 2018 decision, Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed four of Iowa's seven Supreme Court justices, and has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Sixty Iowa Republican legislators this fall asked the Iowa Supreme Court to overturn the 2018 ruling declaring women have a fundamental right to an abortion and any restrictions subject to strict judicial scrutiny.

"I think they created out of thin air a fundamental right to an abortion," said Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, who led passage of the constitutional amendment during the 2021 session. "I think we certainly have appointed judges that are more constructionist in nature. That doesn't necessarily mean rulings will go the way I think they should go. Am I cautiously optimistic? Yes. But ... I don't think there's anything certain as to how the court might rule."

'Extreme attack on women and girls'

Iowa Democrats and abortion-rights supporters worry that if a new Supreme Court ruling or constitutional amendment passes, state lawmakers will be granted the unchecked ability to regulate and restrict access to abortion services, which will disproportionately harm low-income Iowans who cannot afford to travel out of state to receive the procedure.

"The constitution is meant to give rights and not take them away," said state Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, the ranking Democrat on the House Human Resources Committee which considers abortion legislation.

"If theres a focus this session it should be maternal health care  and making sure its safe to have a baby in Iowa and were not doing that," Wessel-Kroeschell said. "Were making it more and more difficult and taking options away from Iowa families. The focus needs to change to supporting Iowans instead of taking away their rights."

Iowa hospitals have closed 18 labor and delivery departments, including in Muscatine, since fiscal year 2017, when the state hired private national firms to manage its Medicaid program.

Hospitals in the state lost a combined more than $38 million in calendar year 2020 between the amount billed by each provider and the amount paid for delivery claims under Iowas privatized Medicaid system, according to figures provided by State Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines.

"As hospitals are dumping labor & delivery services at record speed, our state is becoming a more dangerous place for birthing parents and their babies," Petersen wrote in a June 15 letter to Iowa Department of Human Services Director Kelly Garcia. "Even worse, privatized Medicaid isnt required to cover the transportation costs of getting birthing parents or their babies to hospitals equipped to care for them."

Garcia responded arguing Iowa Department of Public Health data "shows that access and quality do not appear to be declining, even when accounting for the decline in labor and delivery units." Gracia, too, pointed to the declining number of women giving birth in the state and nationwide.

Iowa does not regularly review Medicaid labor and delivery reimbursement rates to providers; however, "moving forward, the Department will work to undertake targeted rate reviews to help inform lawmakers, stakeholders and the public," Garcia wrote.

"In addition, Iowa Medicaid has committed to developing necessary maternal health coordination and reimbursement strategies that lead to appropriate risk identification and referrals to promote positive health outcomes for moms and babies on Medicaid," she wrote. "We have also identified a growing need to consider additional provider models, such as Certified Nurse Midwives, as we must augment our reliance on Family Medicine physicians to provide obstetrical services. Additional provider models are showing promise across the country in increasing maternal health access and quality, particularly for women in rural areas and for women of color."

Holt contends the constitutional amendment, if passed by Iowa voters, would return the Iowa Constitution "to a position of neutrality on the issue of abortion."

"It doesn't outlaw abortion in the state of Iowa," Holt said. "It would remove the fundamental right, subject to strict scrutiny.  There would have to be a ruling on the federal level before anything on abortion in Iowa would change, if the life amendment was to be passed."

Holt said he does not consider abortion health care, and worried if the 2018 ruling is allowed to stand it could open the door to taxpayer-funded and late-term abortions. Iowa law currently bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

"(The constitutional amendment) does not do anything besides possibly protect the restrictions we already have had in place," Holt argued.

Representatives from Planned Parenthood North Central States and Iowa Right to Life did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Petersen called the constitutional Amendment an "extreme attack on women and girls" as part of a Republican agenda "obsessed with banning access to legal, safe abortion care."

Iowa women and girls, Petersen said, need more access to safe health care close to home, not less.

"This constitutional amendment takes away personal decision-making power from women  taking away our freedom to make personal decisions about what is best for our bodies, our future, our families and our pregnancies," Petersen said.

 The Gazette Des Moines Bureau and Associated Press contributed reporting to this article

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A recent letter to the editor stated that U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is a disgrace. Manchin is one of the best senators this country has. Partisan politics is a disgrace. Manchin puts his constituents and his country ahead of his party. If a bill does not have bipartisan support in Congress, then it is not in the public interest for that bill to be even voted on.

President Joe Biden should be working with Republicans to see what parts of the bill they will support instead of pressuring Manchin to support the bill, which many of Manchin's constituents oppose.

Both the Democrat and Republican parties need to use wrecking balls to tear apart their party platforms.

Manchin wants to find common ground on issues that have support from both Democrats and Republicans.

I am a registered Democrat, but I have voted for some Republicans, too. I vote about two-thirds Democrat and one-third Republican in the general elections.

I fully support Manchin's opposition to a bill that has no support from a single Republican.

The sooner we get rid of partisan politics, the better. When I go to a demonstration, one sign that I am going to show is one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Paul Adams

Manchester, Iowa

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China hopes the United States will earnestly diminish the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies and adopt the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on reports that some U.S. scholars have suggested the U.S. government should commit to no-first-use of nuclear weapons, as the five Nuclear-Weapon States have agreed that "a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought."

Wang said China is the only country among the five Nuclear-Weapon States that has promised not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. This policy plays an important role in reducing nuclear risks and preventing nuclear wars, and is widely recognized and welcomed by non-nuclear-weapon states.

China hopes the five states can proceed from the leaders' joint statement on preventing nuclear war, give up nuclear deterrence policies based on the first use of nuclear weapons, and pledge never to use nuclear weapons first against each other and conclude international legal instruments after negotiation, Wang said.

The international community looks forward to positive impacts this joint statement could bring to the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, he said.

"We hope the U.S. government can heed the call at home and abroad, earnestly diminish the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies, exercise restraint on the building and deployment of strategic capabilities, and adopt the policy of no first use of nuclear weapons," said Wang.

In the meantime, China hopes certain U.S. allies can follow the expectation of the international community, and actively support rather than vehemently obstruct the U.S. adoption of the policy, he added.
Abortion is likely to be a major topic during the 2022 South Dakota legislative session that begins on Jan. 11, as opponents of the medical procedure see an opportunity to capitalize on recent legal cases across the country that further restricted access to abortion.

The anticipated legislation seeking to restrict abortion rights will come as the future of legal abortion in the U.S. is suddenly uncertain, and as a recent poll by South Dakota News Watch shows that three-quarters of registered voters in the state want abortion to remain legal, and that a solid majority of voters do not support increasing restrictions on the procedure.

For several years, Republican-dominated legislatures in South Dakota have considered and sometimes passed laws that make abortions harder to get, often by requiring more steps to be taken by pregnant women who want to terminate a pregnancy. Many of those laws were incremental in nature and were designed to restrict access to abortion without directly violating the 1973 Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal across the country.

But the anti-abortion movement in the U.S. saw renewed momentum on several fronts in 2021 that have set the stage for pro-life lawmakers in states like South Dakota to potentially push more aggressive legal steps to restrict access to abortion or even, as pro-choice advocates worry, make abortions essentially impossible to obtain.

As of Thursday, no bills related to abortion had been filed prior to the upcoming legislative session, according to the state Legislative Research Council. However, Gov. Kristi Noem has strongly signaled that she is likely to put forward measures to further restrict access to abortion, and a leading pro-life advocate in South Dakota told News Watch that anti-abortion legislation is almost certain to be considered in 2022.

Its a very exciting time to be part of the pro-life movement in America and especially right here in South Dakota, said Dale Bartscher of Rapid City, executive director of South Dakota Right to Life.

Bartscher would not reveal specifics of bills he expects will be filed this session, but he said Right to Life is working with the governors office and pro-life lawmakers to take advantage of the apparent legal momentum against abortion rights in the U.S.

Its our goal to make abortion in the state of South Dakota both illegal and unthinkable, Bartscher said.

Meanwhile, pro-choice advocates in South Dakota are aware that they may have to fight even harder than usual in 2022 to protect a womans right to choose whether to end a pregnancy.

We know that were gearing up for a tough session in terms of reproductive health and reproductive rights, said Kristin Hayward, manager of advocacy and development at Planned Parenthood in South Dakota. We know that the overwhelmingly conservative legislators are in a space to make legislation on the rights of reproductive health."

Bartscher said possible legislation in 2022 could be modeled after highly restrictive laws passed in 2021 in Texas and Mississippi, which some pro-choice advocates worry may essentially make abortions impossible to get.

In September 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a Texas law to stand that bans abortion after a doctor can detect a heartbeat in an unborn child, possibly as early as six weeks into pregnancy and before a woman may know she is pregnant. A new Texas law also enables a private citizen to sue abortion providers or anyone involved in helping a woman get an abortion, even someone who drives her to the procedure.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 16 weeks, and has yet to rule on the matter. But some legal experts saw the courts questioning as favorable to upholding the Mississippi law, and pro-choice advocates fear the conservative-led court could eventually overturn Roe v. Wade.

During the 2021 session, the South Dakota Legislature passed five measures restricting access to abortion, including one prohibiting a Down Syndrome diagnosis as justification for ending a pregnancy.

Noem recently used an executive order to limit womens ability to get abortion medication through the mail.

In response to questions from News Watch, Noem spokesman Ian Fury did not provide specifics on whether the governor would propose legislation this session or what bills, if any, she may offer.

Every life deserves protection, and I am committed to taking action to do so, Noem said in an email to News Watch.

Abortions are performed only two or three days a month at one location in South Dakota  the Planned Parenthood clinic in Sioux Falls, which also provides a wide range of other reproductive-related services, according to Hayward.

Hayward said that outside the state Legislature, support is strong for keeping abortion legal in South Dakota and that a majority of the state does not want access to abortion further restricted. She noted that statewide referenda in 2006 and 2008 to ban abortions in most instances were both defeated by South Dakota voters.

As the legislative session approaches, Planned Parenthood is mobilizing members of the medical community who support a womans right to choose and will seek to bring forward the voices of those in the state who dont want government to intrude in the lives and medical decisions of pregnant women.

This goes down to the rights of people at their core, to be able to have privacy and to have rights to their own self, she said. The state of South Dakota needs to trust the women who reside in the state, trust them 100 percent to make decisions for themselves.

The current national legal environment regarding abortion could lead to introduction and consideration of more aggressive legislation on abortion in South Dakota this session, according to Republican state Sen. Lee Schoenbeck, a Watertown attorney.

Schoenbeck, a pro-life lawmaker who is president pro tempore in the Senate, said changes in the legal landscape surrounding abortion in America may make some lawmakers likelier to vote for more sweeping or more restrictive abortion legislation this session than in the past.

South Dakota lawmakers who oppose abortion may back a bill that in the past seemed unconstitutional on its face or that was unlikely to withstand a court challenge.

In the past, youll have legislators that wouldnt vote for things that are not realistically going to matter, said Schoenbeck. But this session, youll have legislators who may say, Look, the court may let us do more.'"

During the annual legislative session, Right to Life representatives are in daily contact with the governors office and in periodic contact with Noems office throughout the year, Bartscher said. The group is also working with Mark Miller, the governors general counsel and interim chief of staff, who also serves as the Unborn Child Advocate in Noems office.

The Mason Dixon poll of 500 registered South Dakota voters was conducted in late October and sponsored by News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota. The error margin was +/- 4.5%.

Asked whether abortion in South Dakota should be legal, 18.4% of respondents said it should be legal in all circumstances, 19.0% said legal under most circumstances, 38.0% said legal in certain circumstances, 23.0% said not legal under any circumstances, and 1.6% were unsure.

On a subsequent question, whether South Dakota should increase restrictions on abortion, 24.8% of respondents said the state should increase restrictions, 40.2% said restrictions should be left the same, 21.0% wanted restrictions decreased, and 14.0% were unsure.

Even if restrictions to abortion are heightened in South Dakota, it is likely that women who want to terminate a pregnancy will still do so, according to a News Watch data analysis in 2021. Using data from health departments in South Dakota and neighboring states, News Watch showed that even when the Sioux Falls clinic closed completely during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many South Dakota women traveled to other states to get the procedure.

State data show that abortions performed in South Dakota fell from about 400 in 2019 to 125 in 2020, a year in which the clinic ceased providing abortions for seven months. But that year, more than 450 South Dakota women traveled to a different state to obtain an abortion, far more than in a typical year, according to data from neighboring states.

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South Dakota Mines 184th commencement ceremony recognized Todd Kenner, a Rapid City native, among 10 distinguished alumni honorees from both 2020 and 2021, according to a news release.

Kenner graduated from South Dakota Mines with a bachelors degree in civil engineering in 1983. He has more than 38 years of experience in engineering design and business management.

He began his career as a water resource design engineer for public projects in Fort Collins, Colo., eventually leading a $600 million A/E/C consulting company. Currently, he is the president/CEO of RESPEC, a 52-year-old company headquartered in Rapid City whose founders were academic professors at Mines.

During his 12 years at RESPEC, he has led the strategic expansion leveraging the companys nationally recognized technical expertise in the area of rock mechanics. During his tenure, RESPEC has grown from annual revenues of $14 million to $85 million and a geographic presence of two offices to 26 offices and one international location. RESPEC is an employee-owned company with 500 professionals.

Kenner's career spans years of public service, and currently he serves on the Elevate Rapid City Board of Directors and Executive Committee and on the board of directors for the Community Health Center of the Black Hills.

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A Bitterroot Valley Community College Foundation is now officially in the works and just waiting for approval at the state level.

BVCC Foundation board members are Terry Nelson (chair), Terry Ryan (vice-chair), Kierstin Schmitt (secretary), Damon Erickson (treasurer), Saundra Amsden, Jo Gamazel, John Grant, Gary Leese, Candy Lubansky, Chris Rowles, Dixie Stark, Don and Marci Smith (ex officio members, Marci is BVCC board chair) and Don Gardner, BVCC secretary.

Other community members have expressed an interest in being on the foundation board but are not yet confirmed.

Foundation Chair Terry Nelson said the levy will allow the college to be independent of the University of Montana and the foundation will help the taxpayers.

I dont want this school going to the taxpayers all the time and trying to raise taxes, he said. The way to get away from that is you raise money for it so it doesnt need to tax the taxpayer.

Foundation Vice-Chair Terry Ryan said she is pleased with the variety of community members on the foundation board from across the political spectrum.

Im so happy that in this valley the Bitterroot Valley Community College is considered a nonpartisan issue, Ryan said. With the college being independent we could raise more private funding for it, thats what a foundation does.

Ryan has organized an initial group of large gift "pledges" to take effect once the operational levy passes in May.

The independent college folds if the levy doesnt pass, Ryan said. But everyone is enthusiastic about the college becoming independent.

She said she and her husband Rob made a contingent gift of $250,000 paid over five years and dedicated to starting new programs. She said gathering additional funding is the goal of the BVCC Foundation locally and by bringing funding in from outside of the valley.

This college is so viable to fill jobs in this area that are needed, Ryan said. Im excited to have classes that provide infrastructure, needed infrastructure in the valley.

She said it would be a boon for high school seniors interested in the medical fields and also for students interested in the trades.

In many areas, community colleges provide electricians and offer welding for college credit, Ryan said. If it is not offered for college credits, it is not eligible for PELL grants, which are monetary support, an outright gift from the government to low-income earners to go to school.

BVCC Trustee Chair Marci Smith said the foundation isnt limited to just nine members.

You can have quite a few members and we are hoping for 13, she said. The people who have stepped forward to be on the foundation is such a phenomenal group, Smith said. It is a phenomenal diverse representation in Ravalli County, and I couldnt be happier.

She said the spectrum range is seen in ages, career backgrounds and political affiliations.

It has both sides of the political spectrum and we really do have a great diversity, Smith said. It is a great, great group.

She said the main goal will initially be to pass a levy and levy education for the community.

The foundation will be our charitable arm as we move forward, Smith said. Hopefully, when things move on and continue, well have our own brand of soiree, a yearly fundraiser. But to start, the main goal is to raise funds to help us pass the levy.

According to Smith, the amount and precise wording of the levy will be set at a BVCC Trustee work session on Jan. 19.

According to the Ravalli County Election Office website, the Community College trustee and levy election will be held on May 3, 2022. Trustee candidates must file by March 24. The community college district boundaries include Corvallis, Darby, Hamilton, Lone Rock, Pinesdale, Stevensville and Victor. Trustee candidates must live within these boundaries to qualify to run for office. BVCC trustees currently holding office, but whose terms expire in May include Marci Smith and board appointee Carrie Guarino.

Levy and candidate ballots will be mailed out on April 15. The election is by mail ballot only, polls will not be open.

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You could say Monday wasnt Tom Vilsacks first rodeo.

President Joe Biden was, figuratively, saddling up to ride to the rescue of both ranchers and consumers left short on cash by a meat packing industry in which four big players control more than 85% of the market.

Vilsack, who was also Agriculture secretary under Barack Obama, had done this before, when the effort was bucked into the dirt faster than you can say reelection.

But this time, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack is optimistic the outcome will be different, if for no other reason than Biden having $1 billion to expand the number of independent meatpackers competing against the industrys big four: Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS and National Beef packing.

The theory goes something like this: If theres another buyer in the auction barn, there will be competition that will naturally increase the price paid to ranchers for cattle. The plan, announced this week, drew comments from Republican and Democratic politicians in Montana, signaling they wanted market reform, too. Livestock sales were worth about $1.5 billion to the state economy in 2020, but that number was $100 million lower than sales from the previous year, as supply problems hit ranchers and consumers squarely in their wallets.

With the American rescue plan, we've got the resources to actually get something done on the financing side, and we're putting the finishing touches on some rules and regulations that will be forthcoming in 2022 to strengthen enforcement, Vilsack told the Lee Montana Newspapers on Wednesday.

Our belief is that by expanding capacity, we increase competition. When you do that, you're going to help farmers get a better shake out of the market. And you're going to allow consumers to have choice in the marketplace, which also, we believe, will moderate price increases. And then secondly, you want to make sure that, there are two aspects of this, you want to make sure that you have enough information so farmers can determine whether or not they're getting a fair shake.

"And that gets to the transparency in the market reporting that's necessary. I need Congress to continue to extend mandatory reporting efforts that will allow us to get information. And you need, I think, for Congress to do what Sen. (Jon) Tester and Sen. (Chuck) Grassley are interested in doing, which is to create more market transparency, to have the right level of cash transactions that give you a sense of what the market truly is.

The president Monday said that over the last 50 years rancher's share of every dollar a family spends on beef had shrunk from 60 cents for every dollar to about 39 cents. Hog farmers who once received 40 to 50 cents of very consumer dollar spent now receive 19 cents.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $375 million in gap financing grants for independent processors to fill a need for more processing capacity. One of the lessons of the last few years is that a single disruption among the four major meatpackers can derail the beef market for both ranchers and consumers.

In August 2019 a fire at a Tyson Foods packing plant in Kansas created a bottleneck at both ends of the U.S. meat supply chain. Ranchers with cattle to sell were backed up by the decrease in production, which lead to an oversupply and lower prices for cattle as a result. On the consumer end, less beef was making it to supermarkets which led to higher prices as supply failed to keep up with demand.

Only a few months later, a ransomware attack on JBS cut the number of cattle slaughtered by 40,000 carcasses in just a day and a half.

USDA will put another $150 million toward the 15 independent processor projects that are near completion. Another $225 million will be invested in projects that can be brought online by summer. Federally backed loans totaling $275 million will be made available for independent meat processing in underserved communities.

Additionally, $100 million will be spent on creating a skilled workforce, which Montana meat processors said earlier this week is needed for any expansion of independent processing to succeed. There arent enough skilled meat cutters currently to staff Montanas meatpacking industry, said Lyle Happel, of the Montana Meat Processors Association.

Demand for independent meat processing surged in the first year of the pandemic as COVID-19 sickness and death hit the packing plants of the big four meatpackers. At least 59,000 meatpacking employees were sickened by COVID-19 in the first 12 months of the pandemic in the United States. At least 269 workers died from COVID-19. Those numbers were reported to the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on Oct 27, 2021.

In Montana, where 31 meat processors are state inspected and 28 are federally inspected, theres growth in the industry, though it can be difficult to measure because some activity is disguised as existing processors moving between state and federal inspection designation. The federal meat inspection is whats needed to sell meat across state lines, which is attracting processors who are growing into multi-state markets.

USDA has $32 million available for 167 existing processors to cross over to federal inspection so they can reach more customers.

The new rules Vilsack references to police anti-competitive practices include making sure independent processors get a foot in the door to retail markets.

Getting access to space in grocers' refrigerator cases is no small matter, said Walter Schweitzer, president of the Montana Farmers Union. Just like big brands buy shelf space in the cereal aisle, refrigerated space is real-estate big meat suppliers can secure and squeeze competitors out of.

A big part of the piece of this puzzle is that if we're going to have a more competitive market, we're going to have to force not only these corporate packers to play fairly, but we're going to have to force the retailers to play fairly too, Schweitzer said.

MFU has been champing at the bit for country-of-origin labeling reform for meat. Currently product of of U.S.A. labels on meat packages in the store, arent limited to beef raised in the United States. The largest meatpackers process beef from Canada and Mexico at their 50 U.S. packing plants. When the meat is commingled during processing, that country of origin label winds up getting applied to meat from all three countries.

United States, under a law championed by Montana Democratic senator Tester, attempted to require a U.S. only COOL label, but Mexico and Canada objected, arguing that the label violated the North American Free Trade Agreement. The World Trade Organization then concluded that Canada and Mexico could impose tariffs on other U.S. exports in retaliation, after which the federal government killed COOL without challenging the WTO.

The way the labeling ended is a sore spot with Schweitzer.

You know, this Product of USA label as it is right now is fraudulent, Schweitzer said. With the United States being one of the largest beef importers in the world, and youve got processing capacity owned by the Brazilian cartel (JBS). Theyre mixing it. You know they are and theyre proudly doing it. And then they put the label on it.

MFU wants the country of origin labeling to be mandatory and applied to U.S. beef only. They back a Tester bill to do so.

Vilsack said the labeling being rolled out under the Biden Administration is voluntary, though the U.S.-only requirements for what the label goes on are there. The agriculture secretary expects that once independent processors become more of a presence, and the U.S. label goes on their product, the biggest meatpackers will feel market pressure to do the same.

Could they skip the labeling? Well sure, in which case when you're going into the grocery store, you can know that product that you're buying, at some point in time didn't have connection with the U.S., versus that local producer that took a grant or loan from USDA to produce its own processing facility that puts a label on there and says not only is a product of U.S., but this is a product of Joe Smith's farm down the road,  Vilsack said. I guarantee you. I believe people will buy a package for Joe that's got Joe Smith's label on it. And that will drive market share, if you will, to the labeled products, as opposed to the unlabeled ones.

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John S. Massad took a gamble in late 1959.

He was working at his familys Massads House Restaurant on North Fourth Street in downtown Richmond when the hotel building next door came up for sale.

I hated the restaurant business, Massad said.

But family was important to him, he said. When his parents opened the restaurant in 1948, his mother told him that he needed to help his father in running it. The last thing I wanted to do was to work in a restaurant. But its funny how God works to do what your parents tell you and how things turn out.

When Massad found out he could buy the four-story hotel at 11 N. Fourth St. for $120,000, he nervously jumped at the chance.

It was like rolling the dice. It was a gamble, he said.

He put his entire lifes savings at the time  $10,000  as a down payment to buy the hotel in February 1960. The buildings owner financed the rest.

Everything was built up around us. I just felt it was natural. I figured, what did I have to lose except $10,000. It doesnt sound like a lot money now, but at that time it was a lot of money, he said.

Buying the hotel  it was first called Massads House Hotel and later the Massad House Hotel  helped launch him into a business of owning more than a dozen hotels and motels in the Richmond area and across Virginia. He also bought other buildings in downtown Richmond near the hotel. He later created a company selling office furniture and providing workplace interior design.

It changed the whole way of looking at things, he said about buying the hotel. We got out of the food business and got into the lodging business.

But the Massad House Hotel has been sold, and it closed on Dec. 31.

Massad, 92, sold that building and the restaurant building next door, along with three other nearby buildings and three parking lots in late December for $4.4 million.

An entity tied to Douglas Development Corp., a Washington-based developer with significant property holdings in downtown Richmond, acquired the buildings and parking lots. The company plans to renovate the hotel, rebrand it and reopen it in the next year or so.

Its sad because Ive been in downtown for such a long time. There are lots of memories there. But it was the right decision, Massad said. Im just burned out. There comes a time to walk away.

He and his family have kept the JMJ Corp. office furniture business at 7910 W. Broad St. in Henrico County.

It was a stepping-stone for us to go from running the restaurant to the hotel to where we are right now, Massad said about the office furniture business.

***

In the beginning, Massad was worried about running a hotel.

I had no idea that first year if I would make it or not, he said. I would go back and work behind the desk at the hotel, take a shower and then go to work at the restaurant to make sure that I didnt miss a beat because I had a family that was growing. And I had payments to make. It was a gamble.

Single rooms went for $1.25 a night back then and suites for $2.50 a night. Rooms also were available for $15 a week.

Massad, a devout Catholic, also did a lot of praying to make sure his new business venture would work.

Even the legal name of his company  JMJ Corp.  has religious overtones.

JMJ doesnt stand for John Massad Jr., as many might think. Hes not a junior. His son is.

JMJ stands for Jesus, Mary and Joseph. He remembers growing up Catholic and the nuns having him and other students put those initials at the top of their school papers.

I figured if I didnt make it, Gods going down with me, Massad said with a chuckle. But I live by them.

The reason why Massad used the initials for Jesus, Mary and Joseph for his corporate name and let people assume it stood for his name was that people would think you are a religious freak. I would tell somebody that I knew understood.

***

For Massad, the hospitality business was good initially.

A couple of years after buying the hotel, he decided to excavate the basement and turn it into a membership club where liquor by the drink was sold. He spent about $600,000 to do the project, he said.

That was a big undertaking, he said.

The Rebel Room, as the club was called, was successful until liquor-by-the-drink was legalized for restaurants in Virginia in 1968.

In 1964, he bought what was then the Richmond Motel at Chamberlayne Avenue and Lombardy Street for $210,000.

That began his expansion into buying additional hotels and motels in Virginia.

He figures he owned about 15 hotels and motels in the region and across Virginia, including Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia and the Roanoke area. Those properties all operated under different names.

The 75-room Massad House in Richmond provided a budget-minded traveler with a place to stay, said Jack Berry, president and CEO of Richmond Region Tourism, the nonprofit organization that offers services to support the areas hospitality industry.

They were always very accommodating, gracious and very professional, Berry said. When budget-conscientious groups would come to town, I would go and inspect the Massad House and inspect the rooms. They were always clean, older rooms but very well-maintained. It provided a really good alternative for affordable accommodations.

Massad eventually sold the other hotels in the 70s and 80s, but kept the Massad House.

In recent years, some of the hotel rooms at the Massad House went to people who lived there and paid rent for a week at a time. Some of those residents had their rents paid for or got assistance from nonprofits.

All guests had to vacate the hotel at the end of December per the sale agreement, Massad said.

***

Douglas Development plans to renovate the hotel and reopen it, said Norman Jemal, a principal at Douglas Development, which his father, Douglas Jemal, founded in 1985 and serves as its president.

Were working through our plans now. Its evolving, Jemal said.

Douglas Development owns about 20 buildings in Richmond, including the former 23-story Central National Bank building at North Third and East Broad streets, which was turned into Deco at CNB, a complex with 200 apartments. The company bought that iconic structure in 2005 and began its redevelopment in late 2013.

It also owns the building at 411 E. Franklin St., which it acquired in 2004, and sits next to the hotel building on Fourth Street.

Its a nice little cluster of buildings there, Jemal said.

The Massad family real estate portfolio included a restaurant building at 9 N. Fourth St., which is next to the hotel. Massads father had purchased that building in 1948, and the family operated a restaurant there until sometime in the late 1960s, when they started to lease the space to a variety of operators over the years.

K-Town Kitchen & Bar, a Korean and Asian cuisine restaurant, operates there now. But the owner says hes leaving the space by the end of February.

Douglas Development also plans to renovate the four-story apartment building at 10 N. Fourth St., which is currently called the Massad Bldg., Jemal said. Massad bought that building  then called the Centralias Apartments  in February 1966 for $67,500.

The portfolios other buildings are a three-story office building at 400 E. Main St., at the corner of Fourth and Main streets; and an office building at 408-410 E. Main St.

Massad said he has lots of fond memories of his businesses in downtown Richmond during the past six decades.

But it was the right decision to sell. It was time to move on, he said. God works in funny ways.
Residents looking for hard-to-find COVID-19 tests can now schedule an appointment at Richmond Raceway for the next six days and beyond.

Beginning Saturday, the raceway will host a community testing center offering thousands of free PCR tests to Richmond-area residents.

Testing will be located at Gate 7 along Carolina Avenue every day until Thursday.

After that, the clinic will be open each week from Saturday to Tuesday. It will operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Results can be expected in about three days.

Appointments can be made by using the VASE+ testing system at www.rchd.com or by calling (804) 205-3501 during business hours. No rapid antigen tests will be available at the raceway.

The new testing center is the result of Gov. Ralph Northams decision to allocate $5 million toward the installation of nine new testing centers across the state. Contractor AshBritt/IEM will operate Richmonds clinic.

With the rise in omicron cases, holiday gatherings and new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demand for COVID tests has surged. Theres a shortage of at-home tests, and staffing shortages have hampered some health care facilities ability to perform PCR tests.

Dr. Melissa Viray, deputy director of the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts, said the community testing center will make it easier for residents to find an appointment and alleviate the strain on pharmacies and urgent care providers.

Earlier this year, the raceway served as a vaccination hub, and 160,000 doses were delivered.

Additionally, there are two walk-up clinics scheduled for next week in which appointments arent necessary: Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center and Thursday from 2 to 6 p.m. at Southside Plaza. These clinics operate on a first-come, first-served basis and have limited supply.

The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts expect to receive more at-home tests next week. It will announce dates for distribution after the shipment arrives.
A New York man who engaged in gang-related sex trafficking in the Richmond area was convicted Thursday of five charges related to the arson death of a local woman who was enticed to work as a prostitute to earn money for the defendants gang. The victims charred remains were found in Chesterfield County after she was set on fire in a suitcase.

In accordance with a plea agreement, Shykeen Shoot Em Delaney, 33, pleaded no contest in Chesterfield Circuit Court to charges of racketeering, gang participation, enticement into a bawdy house, conspiracy to conceal a dead body, and concealment of a body in the 2019 sex trafficking case involving Helena M. Swigert, 24.

A state medical examiner determined that Swigert was still alive when she was set on fire, but unconscious from a heroin overdose, and would not have survived medical intervention. Authorities believe Delaney and a co-defendant, Phaheem Peterson, provided her with the drugs, but she administered them to herself.

Circuit Judge Jayne Pemberton followed the terms of the agreement and sentenced Delaney, a ranking member of the Denver Lane Bloods, to a total of 50 years in prison with 40 years suspended, giving him 10 years to serve. Delaney had been charged with eight other offenses, including murder, abduction and arson, but prosecutors withdrew those counts Thursday because of insufficient evidence.

We had one witness who was willing to testify about what happened to Helena the day she died, said Henrico County Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Susan Parrish, who was appointed special prosecutor in the case, after the hearing. Others are fully aware of what happened to her, but throughout this investigation, they have evaded us and refused to cooperate.

The detectives went to great lengths to secure their cooperation, but people who were more than happy to profit from Helena and feed her addiction care even less about her now that she is gone, Parrish added. Legally, the testimony of one witness is sufficient for a jury to convict; however, we had nothing  no cellphone location data, no text messages, no toll records, no DNA, no other witnesses  to corroborate the testimony of the one witness willing to testify. We felt it important to gain convictions to hold Delaney responsible, but recognized the hurdles of proceeding with a case that relied on the testimony of one witness.

According to a summary of evidence by Henrico Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Sean Breit-Rupe, who co-prosecuted the case, investigators determined that Swigert had been enticed to work as a prostitute by two people, including Delaney. Swigert supplied the money she earned to Delaney and Peterson, both members of the Denver Lane Bloods, a recognized criminal street gang that engaged in drug distribution and sex trafficking in the Richmond area.

Swigert had been staying at hotels in Chesterfield, Henrico and Richmond and worked on behalf of the gang, along with several other women. She had been placed in a safe house by Henrico police, but left the residence on her own accord and reconnected with the defendants.

Detectives were able to ascertain that on Aug. 26, 2019, Delaney, Peterson, Swigert and a fourth person, Maya Hubbard, acquired some heroin and checked into the Red Roof Inn on Commerce Road in Richmond, about a mile from the Chesterfield line. All four entered the room, and Delaney and Peterson provided the heroin to Swigert.

The defendants told Swigert that she had a play, or customer, and would be receiving money for sexual services. Swigert stayed in the room while the others left and sat in a car in the parking lot. When Swigert didnt answer the door for her date, Hubbard entered the room and found Swigert unconscious and not breathing.

Delaney attempted to wake Swigert by smacking her but didnt get a response. Had the case gone to trial, Hubbard would have testified that she told the defendants they should call the police, but Delaney and Peterson indicated they couldnt because Delaney was on the run, Breit-Rupe told the court.

Hubbard also would have testified that Delaney and Peterson emptied a suitcase that Hubbard had provided, and placed Swigert inside. They got into Delaneys car and drove to Hubbards house with the suitcase containing Swigerts body to retrieve a canister of gasoline, and then to a construction site in the Kingsland Glen neighborhood of Chesterfield.

Their goal was to dispose of what they believed to be her corpse, Breit-Rupe told the court. They put the suitcase in the vacant lot, doused it with gasoline and set it on fire.

At 5:48 p.m. the following day, Chesterfield police responded to the location after receiving a call that construction workers had found what appeared to be the remains of a small female. The victim had been badly burned. Her identify was later confirmed as Swigert through DNA records.

Due to carboxyhemoglobin levels in Swigerts blood taken during her autopsy, the medical examiner determined that she was still alive when she was set on fire and died as a result of that, Breit-Rupe said.

However, the examiner would have testified that due to the levels of illegal substances in Swigerts body, she would have died of a drug overdose, even without the steps taken by the defendant to dispose of what he believed to be a corpse.

Defense attorney John Rockecharlie, who negotiated the plea agreement with prosecutors, told the court that the murder case against his client was going to be very difficult to sustain because of the testimony of the medical examiner. The case was further handicapped by the prosecution relying on a single witness, he said.

This case is a perfect example of the effects of addiction and the current opioid epidemic in this country, Parrish noted after court. There is a common belief that drug cases are victimless. Helena had family and friends who loved her.

A car accident after which she was prescribed pain medicine started her on the journey that ended with her death, the prosecutor added. It led her to a heroin addiction which saw her turn away from people who cared about her towards people who were more than willing to feed her addition and for their own financial gain. While she was alive, her body was literally their source of income.

At the time of her death, authorities said Swigert did not have stable living arrangements and spent most of her time in hotels and motels. But she had family members who lived in the area and had ties to New Kent County.

Peterson was to have been tried with Delaney during a five-day jury trial beginning Jan. 31. But prosecutors are negotiating with Petersons attorney to possibly resolve the case with a plea agreement.
The Hanover County Board of Supervisors is likely to present a plan next week that outlines next steps for appointing an interim Beaverdam District representative following the Dec. 31 death of longtime Beaverdam Supervisor Aubrey Bucky Stanley Jr.

By law, the board has 45 days from the vacancy date to appoint someone as an interim board member. In this case, that would be mid-February. The individual must be a qualified voter of the election district, per Virginia law, and would hold the office until a special election is held to fill the seat. At the latest, a special election would be held in November.

Hanovers board has 15 days from the vacancy date to petition Hanovers Circuit Court for the special election.

County Attorney Dennis Walter explained that Hanovers next general election is in 2023  when Stanleys four-year term would have ended. That means whoever is elected in the special election would finish that term. That individual could, however, run again in next years general election if they wish to remain in that seat and begin a new four-year term.

Board Chairman Sean Davis said board members hearts are saddened by the loss of their longtime colleague, but that filling the Beaverdam seat is a priority matter and not something that should go unattended.

He said board members are committed to fulfilling their responsibilities, though the process wont be one that in any way would encourage any type of political posturing or campaigning.

Davis said its his hope that whoever serves as the immediate interim supervisor would be just that  an interim, and not someone who would participate in the special election later this year. While the board makes the call on the interim appointment, Davis said, anybody desiring to hold that seat needs to take their candidacy to the people of the Beaverdam District.

In keeping within the 45-day timeframe, the board could make the interim appointment at either of this months meetings  Jan. 12 or 26  or at its Feb. 9 meeting.

Next weeks meeting is at 2 p.m. in the public meeting room, 7516 County Complex Road.

***

The county announced services for Stanley, who served on the board for 38 years, including six stints as chairman. Stanleys family will receive friends on Friday from 2 to 4 and 5 to 8 p.m. at Nelsen Funeral Home, 412 S. Washington Highway in Ashland. Funeral services and interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Beaverdam Heritage Days Foundation, P.O. Box 132, Beaverdam, VA 23015, or to the Association for the Preservation of Beaverdam Depot, P.O. Box 86, Beaverdam, VA 23015.
China to boost audit of fiscal, financial funds in 2022

Xinhua) 09:35, January 07, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China will boost audit of fiscal and financial funds with a focus on auditing the implementation of major government policies, the top auditor said Thursday.

In 2022, the audit will focus on fiscal expenditures, the implementation of policies for tax and fee cuts, and the financial support for the real economy, especially small and micro businesses, scientific and technological innovation and green development, said Hou Kai, auditor general of the National Audit Office of China (CNAO).

From January to November in 2021, the audit institutions scrutinized about 61,000 entities subject to audit. This has helped recover more than 304 billion yuan (47.72 billion U.S. dollars) of losses and improved about 9,900 rules and regulations, he said.

The audit work in the past year has facilitated the implementation of central government policies and maintained national economic safety, he said.

CNAO audits the implementation of the budget of the central government as well as other government revenues and expenditures. Local audit institutions at various levels audit the budget implementation at their corresponding levels as well as other government revenues and expenditures.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
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Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was invited to visit the African country.

Kenyatta asked Wang to convey his cordial greetings to President Xi Jinping. Kenyatta said that the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Kenya at the beginning of the year fully demonstrates the strong relationship between Kenya and China.

He said China is not only a sincere friend of Kenya, but also a development partner of close cooperation, adding that the deepening pragmatic cooperation in various fields and cultural exchanges between Kenya and China have created a large number of jobs in Kenya, improved people's lives, and brought notable benefits to the people.

Kenyatta said Kenya's development achievements would not have been possible without China's strong support, which is imprinted on the mind of the Kenyan government and people.

Every country has the right to independently choose a development path suited to its own national conditions, and bring health, prosperity and dignity to its people, Kenyatta said, adding there are always some people who like to point fingers at the country, saying that it has various problems, but China has sincerely helped Kenya solve problems and meet its needs with actions.

Kenyatta said the cooperation between Kenya and China is about timely support between true partners. He said he is often asked why Kenya and China cooperate so closely, and he told them, because China and Kenya respect each other and treat each other as equals.

Kenyatta expressed Kenya's willingness to continue deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with China to achieve common development, saying the country is full of expectations for the future of Kenya-China relations.

Wang first conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings and best wishes to President Kenyatta, and congratulated Kenya on its continuous rapid development under the leadership of President Kenyatta.

Wang said that the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Africa at the beginning of the year is to demonstrate the solidarity and mutual trust between China and Africa and China's firm determination to promote China-Africa friendship.

According to Wang, the visit will send three clear signals. First, China will stand firmly with Africa to fight COVID-19 pandemic with solidarity until the virus is completely defeated.

Second, China is willing to strengthen all-round cooperation with Kenya to help Kenya enhance its self-development capabilities and accelerate industrialization.

Third, China is willing to strengthen solidarity and coordination with Kenya in international and multilateral affairs, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights of the two countries and the common interests of developing countries, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

Wang said China is willing to work with Kenya to implement the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, and to be partners that firmly support each other, accelerate development and revitalization, promote China-Africa solidarity, and safeguard regional peace.

Kenyatta said Kenya and China share common or similar positions on international and regional issues, and Kenya is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in multilateral settings, especially at the United Nations Security Council, to jointly promote a more just and reasonable international order.

Wang also introduced the "Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa" proposed by China upon request. Describing this initiative as meeting the urgent needs of countries in the Horn of Africa, Kenyatta said Kenya agrees completely and is willing to play a role in this regard.

After the talks, Wang was invited to attend the completion ceremony of the Chinese-built oil terminal at the port of Mombasa with Kenyatta.

Wang also held talks with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo on Thursday. They witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents and met journalists.
The first half of 2021 couldnt have gone much better for Nicci Carr, the actor and former Richmonder who found sudden acclaim as one of the stars of the funny Scoop, There It Is Geico commercial.

As far as exposure, that has been the biggest, Carr said of the commercial, which recently was named by industry trade publication Adweek as the No. 1 ad of 2021. Last April, I wrote about Carr and the success of the commercial that left her, as she says, on cloud nine.

And then?

All of a sudden, she said, this happens.

This arrived in July when she felt a lump in her breast. In years past, she had been diagnosed with benign cysts, but, This, she thought, feels different.

In early September, Carr, 50, was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease, and, as you might expect, the news hit hard.

I was like, for real, God? This is how its going to go down? she recalled.

It felt so overwhelming and so unfair and, well, like a death sentence, she said, acknowledging now she was in a dark and scary place back then. At first, she didnt even want to proceed with treatments.

I was so deeply depressed, she said.

Her outlook has shifted entirely from that initial panic, as she describes it, when she was afraid of what people might think about her for being sick. Which doesnt make sense, I know, she says.

Now? She is in a much different place. She is deep into weekly chemotherapy treatments, which will continue until surgery  likely in the spring  to remove whats left of the shrinking tumor.

Now, Im just a woman whos conquering it, she said, part of a legion of women and men who are doing the same. Im stronger and more courageous than I thought I was.

As I wrote in April, Carr moved to Richmond from New York when she was about 8.

She attended city schools, played piano at Mosby Memorial Baptist Church and participated in SPARC  the School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community  where she played harp, sang and danced. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and earned a degree in political science at Saint Pauls College in Lawrenceville.

She taught school in Washington and moved to Los Angeles, where she scrambled to find acting jobs (which included roles as an extra in Beauty Shop and The West Wing, among other films and shows), completed a masters degree in student development in higher education, worked at UCLA and the University of Southern California, burned out on acting as a career, moved to Atlanta and settled into a job at Georgia State University.

In Atlanta, she relaunched her acting career, landing gigs on shows such as Atlanta, Good Girls and P-Valley, which led to the Geico commercial. It was shot in November 2020 and debuted on Christmas Day.

The commercial opens with Carr as the apron-wearing Tasha in a kitchen, cutting vegetables, but by the end she has joined in the dancing with the hip-hop duo Tag Team as they joyfully scoop ice cream in a comical version of their 1990s hit Whoomp! (There It Is).

The upbeat commercial, which couldnt help but make you smile, was produced by Richmond-based The Martin Agency, whose senior vice president and creative director, Sean Riley, said Carr brought so much energy and humor to the spot. Just a perfect performance.

Riley said in a follow-up email last week that all of us at Martin are thinking about Nicci and wishing her the best.

The success of the commercial left Carr at the top of my game, making her feel she was turning the page on a new chapter in her life.

At Georgia State, Carr was undergraduate coordinator in the biology department, but she was also a student, seeking a bachelors degree in film. She was planning to graduate in August after completing her final project: production of a documentary about James Solomon Russell, founder of her alma mater, Saint Pauls College, and a major figure in the history of Southside Virginia. The college closed in 2013.

Carr is producing the film for the James Solomon Russell-Saint Pauls College Museum and Archives in Lawrenceville, which hopes to use it as an introductory orientation video for visitors, said Bobby Conner, a founder and vice chairman of the museums board who has become a friend of Carrs in the short time he has known her.

When she came [to Lawrenceville] to work on the documentary, everywhere we went  people recognized her from the commercial, Conner said. People may not know her personally, but they connected with her, and they just love that commercial.

However, her diagnosis put the documentary on hold  and everything else in her life, which was already in a state of flux as she had quit her job, sold her house in Atlanta and relocated a 90-minute drive east to Athens, where she enrolled in a graduate theater program.

The dark days after the diagnosis eventually gave way to a more clear-eyed view. And hope.

I shouldnt have doubted myself, she said. Shouldnt have doubted the process.

A turning point proved to be in a meeting with one of her professors when she and a classmate were performing a scene from August Wilsons The Piano Lesson. As she immersed herself in a poignant part of the scene, she began to think of the hard stuff she has endured throughout her life  her difficult younger days, her divorce, fighting for her health in a new city  and the emotions poured from her.

I felt so alone, she said, and I left it in that scene.

In that moment, I thought, I want to win an Oscar, Carr said with a laugh. How crazy is that? But in order for that to happen, I have to live.

It was the hope I needed in such a dark place.

As she started treatment, she also remembered what her sister, Adrain Walls, herself a survivor of breast cancer, told her soon after the diagnosis: Do you think for one minute that what youve gone through is just for you? Its for you to help somebody else.

At the time, Carr was having none of it. She had no interest in telling anyone, as she put it, the Geico lady got cancer. But everything is different now, and shes pleased to use whatever platform a funny commercial has afforded her to provide encouragement and comfort or simply a little assurance to others.

She knew chemo was going to take her hair, so she cut it all off on Oct. 31  after the first clump of hair fell out while she was on a Zoom call  and in late November she went public with her battle on her Facebook page.

She has been gratified by the support she has received and by those who say she has inspired them when it comes to their own health. She even enlivens chemo treatments by making fashion statements, wearing bold and bright clothes from Philthy Ragz, a company operated by a California friend and designer, and posts pictures on her Facebook page.

She is out of work at the moment and some days the chemotherapy leaves her feeling awful, but she is embracing the challenge and is able to look back on the roller coaster that was 2021 and say, My year was pretty good. As she enters 2022, she begins a new, even more intense round of chemo.

I dont know what to expect, she said. I just know Im ready to live.
Dr. Danny Avula, who oversaw Virginia's effort to vaccinate nearly 6 million people against COVID-19, has stepped down from his position.

Named state vaccination coordinator one year ago, Avula said he has taken on other responsibilities in the Virginia Department of Health and returned to his position as director of the Richmond City and Henrico County health districts. The job switch was his decision, he added.

Christy Gray, the Virginia Department of Health's Director of the Division of Immunization, will now oversee vaccinations in Virginia.

When Avula was tapped by Gov. Ralph Northam to lead the state's vaccination efforts, Avula made a three-month commitment. Ultimately, he stayed on for much longer and began transitioning out of the role during the fall, he said. Recently, he has assumed the title of state vaccination liaison, focusing on partner development and media relations.

This time last year, Virginia was behind other states in vaccine distribution. Now Virginia is ranked ninth in percentage of residents fully vaccinated.

"I think Virginia has done a phenomenal job  our vaccination numbers certainly support that," Avula said. "I'd love to see higher numbers in our pediatric population, and I think the presence of omicron will drive some more uptake there."

As of Thursday, 5.8 million Virginians have been fully vaccinated, or 68%. Among them, 2 million have received a booster.

Among children ages 5 to 11, 33% have received at least one dose, and 71% of adolescents ages 12-15 have done so.

Avula's job change was never announced by the health department or Gov. Ralph Northam's administration. An unrelated news release issued Wednesday by the department of health listed Gray as the state's vaccination coordinator.

Spokespeople for the VDH and the governor's office did not respond to requests for comment.
Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin will challenge a rule that requires hospital employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, putting his opposition to vaccine mandates into action.

Youngkins transition team announced Friday that he and Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares will seek to cancel an order from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which in its original form would have required vaccines from almost every hospital employee in the country.

The announcement came on the same day Virginia broke its own record for COVID hospitalizations. On Friday, there were 3,329 people hospitalized in the state for the virus, eclipsing the previous total, 3,201 on Jan. 13, 2021. Hospitalizations in the state have nearly tripled in the past month.

Already under attack, the mandate has been paused in 25 states following three injunctions issued by U.S. District Court judges. Virginia is not among the 25, so the mandate could still come into effect here.

President Bidens CMS mandate ignores the hospital systems long-established policies designed to keep staff and patients safe and threatens the tenure of essential medical personnel at a time when staffing shortages threaten the health and safety of Virginians, Youngkins office said in a statement.

Two of the Richmond areas three health systems had already required vaccines before the CMS mandate arose  Virginia Commonwealth University Health and Bon Secours. So have many other health systems across the state.

When VCU Health announced it would require its employees to be vaccinated, it did so because administrators were losing the battle against false information spread on the internet, Dr. Art Kellermann, CEO of the health system, said at the time.

HCA Health System, however, never imposed its own requirement, following only what the law requires.

In the fall, 25 states challenged the CMS mandate in three different cases. In early December, a Louisiana judge issued an injunction, blocking the CMS rule. The judge applied the injunction to all 50 states, saying uniformity was necessary.

But a few days later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit narrowed that injunction to only the states that were part of the lawsuit. That allowed the rule to stay in place in Virginia and 24 other states.

CMS has not said whether it will implement the rule in the states not affected by the injunction.

During his campaign, Youngkin said he is vaccinated and encourages others to get vaccinated. But he believes mandates go too far.

While we believe that the vaccine is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19, we strongly believe that the federal government cannot impose its will and restrict the freedoms of Americans, his office said in a statement, and that Virginia is at its best when her people are allowed to make the best decisions for their families or businesses.

Youngkins statement called the vaccine mandate a staffing barrier to hospitals. But evidence suggests mandates arent driving away employees in large numbers.

Departures at VCU were minimal following the announcement. According to the Virginia Mercury, 11 staffers left Sentara hospital system in Hampton Roads because of their mandate. At Virginias Inova Health System, 89 employees  or 0.4% of the workforce  cited the mandate as their reason for departure.

Youngkin said he also opposes the OSHA mandate, which requires companies with more than 100 employees to be vaccinated or perform tests regularly, and the Head Start mandate, which would require vaccines for young children and teachers in a federally operated early education program.

Youngkin and Miyares take office on Jan. 15.
Ann-Frances Lambert was chasing Hollywood dreams before she was elected to the Richmond City Council in 2020.

Despite living more than 2,600 miles away for about a decade, Lambert said her heart always stayed in Richmond, where her grandparents ran a successful catering company and her dad represented the city in the General Assembly for three decades.

She trained as a videographer and took on various production gigs in California, including filming comedians at clubs like the Laugh Factory and working as a wardrobe assistant at the 2011 Grammy awards, rubbing elbows with celebrities like CeeLo Green, Beyonce and the Muppets. But after moving back in 2019, shes now embracing the legacy of her father, the late Democratic state Sen. Benjamin J. Lambert III, and trying to uplift the Third District neighborhoods in North Side where she was raised.

In her first year, Lambert succeeded in securing new funding to reopen the pool at the Calhoun Center in the Gilpin Court community. Shes also focused on making sure that longtime Black residents in gentrifying neighborhoods in North Side are being fairly represented.

Lambert, 46, said seeing the contrast of the citys growth in recent years and the poverty that still exists in areas like Jackson Ward, where her father practiced optometry in addition to duties as a lawmaker, inspired her to run for office.

I couldnt sit on the sidelines and continue to see the deterioration of Gilpin Court, she said, speaking of the public housing community that was cleaved from the rest of the neighborhood when Interstate 95 was built in the 1950s. Im the home girl, but also Im the home girl with the most experience. And I couldnt do my dad an injustice. ... I had to put my name in the hat.

Years before she moved to California, Lambert was already building government experience, first as a legislative liaison to then-Councilwoman Delores McQuinn, who now represents Richmond in the Virginia House of Delegates. She then went to for Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott, D-3rd, in Congress for several years.

She was basically birthed into this role, McQuinn said. When she was working for me, she understood the importance of engaging the community and listening. I wish I could take some credit for influencing her in a positive way, but I think her family ... did that.

Lambert has at times been a polarizing figure during her first year on the City Council, assuming leadership over one of the citys most gentrified communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the past decade, the white population in the Brookland Park, North Barton Heights and Ginter Park Terrace neighborhoods tripled to 1,700 people, 2020 U.S. census data shows. In the same period, the Black population decreased about 40% to 2,700 people, as the overall population declined by about 150 people.

Lambert, who is Black, said she knew that the job as a council member would require her to bridge a divide between longtime Black residents and mostly white newcomers; all while still keeping focus on the needs of public housing residents.

After her first year, she said shes most proud of advocating for the city to take control of the Calhoun Center in Gilpin Court from the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority so that an empty pool in the center can be fixed and reopened.

That was definitely one of my goals, she said. I would say thats my biggest accomplishment.

The demographic changes in the district, however, manifested into a neighborhood dispute last year over recent roadway changes and a proposed parklet on Brookland Park Boulevard.

While several civic associations had supported new traffic-safety curb extensions and a Black business owners plan to install a patio-like structure in the parking lane in front of her business, Lambert and other officials intervened by stalling the parklet project and removing the curb bump-outs that had been installed the previous year.

Lambert said she felt it was important to reverse course, as some longtime residents had come to her with concerns about how the loss of parking spaces was allegedly disrupting business through the commercial corridor where a kombucha shop, a fitness studio and dog-washing parlor have opened in recent years next to Black-owned salons and barbershops.

Some people felt like they werent being heard, she said. I couldnt have that. It wasnt fair to citizens and business owners being affected by it.

Some neighborhood residents criticized Lambert, saying that she was unfairly taking sides against residents she viewed as bitter supporters of a former political rival. She often replied to the criticism by highlighting other social issues, such as homelessness, drug addiction and crime.

Lambert said shes embraced social media to engage residents on such matters, but has often found herself taking fire for sharing her opinion on controversial topics.

Soon after she was sworn into office last year, Lambert shared her own hesitancy about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Critics said her comments as a public official were irresponsible. She said it led to dialogue about how some African Americans are skeptical of the shot because of past government mistreatment and unethical health experiments on Black people.

Critics also took Lambert to task in September, when she said on Twitter that a fence installed around the recently removed Robert E. Lee monument should remain until a plan for a post-Confederate Monument Avenue is formed.

Prior to the state installing the fence, the site had become a community hub during racial justice demonstrations in 2020, transforming the monument with graffiti into what the New York Times Magazine declared the most influential work of protest art since World War II.

Despite sometimes catching flak for her opinions, Lambert said she feels that its important to be active on social media, to inform residents of local issues and provoke discourse.

When I was in California, I learned a lot about internet marketing. ... A lot of those skills I acquired, I utilized them in my campaign and now as an elected official, she said. I do a lot on social media because there are folks who dont use email or pick up the phone. Its another way I can engage with people.

Lambert said the City Councils rejection of the $1.5 billion Navy Hill downtown redevelopment plan also motivated her to run for office.

While she felt that council had made a mistake passing on the project, Lambert faced pressure from constituents to declare her position on plans for a casino at the Movieland property on Arthur Ashe Boulevard in the neighboring 2nd District.

She remained largely quiet on the matter, fearing that it would be widely opposed and unlikely to pass a public referendum. She later endorsed plans for the One Casino and Resort in South Richmond that city voters ultimately narrowly rejected.

Honestly the best one was the Cordish proposal at the Movieland site, she said. Im so glad I didnt have to make the decision. ... At the end of the day I was grateful that it was [Mayor Levar Stoneys] choice which project would be voted upon in the referendum.

As her second year on the council begins to take shape, Lambert said her priorities will be addressing gun violence, improving parking management on Brookland Park Boulevard and bolstering the ranks of the citys police department.
Christopher Eugene Jefferson signed for a large container of marijuana and moved it with a forklift in 2012. That action led to a sentence of 20 years in state prison.

Jefferson didnt have any marijuana in his car or house. He didnt sell any of the green, leafy plant that is now so popular with consumers that Virginia has legalized its recreational use. But signing for the shipment of over 400 pounds cost him his freedom.

Even the prosecutor in his case in Spotsylvania County in 2012 said the sentence was extremely harsh, but blamed Jefferson for not cooperating. Jeffersons position, which he maintains, is that he didnt know the shipment that arrived at the appliance business where he drove a forklift contained marijuana, so he wasnt able to help the police.

He signed using someone elses name and told police he was doing a favor for someone.

Research shows people of color are targeted more often for arrest for nonviolent drug crimes than white people. Jefferson, now 47, who is Black, submitted a request for a pardon and reduced sentence to the governors office in 2017. Hes now in limbo.

A state official interviewed him in November, but on Dec. 6 he received a letter from the secretary of the commonwealth, which oversees pardon requests to the governor, saying that because of the thorough review required and the number of pardon requests the governor receives, it often takes several years to act on a petition.

I apologize we were not able to conclude the review of your petition during this Administration, wrote the secretary, Kelly Thomasson.

Jefferson said in a phone interview last week from Baskerville Correctional Center in Mecklenburg County that he was disappointed because he believes his case qualifies as a disparate sentence that some officials are trying to remedy. His release date is August 2030.

The prosecutor admitted that the sentence was excessive, he said.

But there appears to be hope for him.

Asked about the case, Thomasson said by email that Jeffersons case is actively under review and I expect will be acted on by early next week.

She said the governors office sent a letter to everyone with a pending pardon request to say that the request would carry over into the administration of Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, who takes office on Saturday, and they wouldnt need to send a new request.

We were trying to proactively communicate with folks so they would know what to expect with the administration change, she said.

It remained unclear why her letter to Jefferson apologized for not being able to act during Northams term if his case was still being reviewed.

Northam said in December that he had issued more than 700 pardons, a record. Among recent pardons is that of Jesse James Dunaway Jr., whose life sentence for nonviolent drug charges was reduced to 20 years.

But Northam will not say how many pardon requests are pending or how many state employees are assigned with reviewing the requests.

There will be pardon requests that transfer to the Youngkin administration, although its unclear how many. However, there could be another option for some of those people.

The American Civil Liberties Union in Virginia says lawmakers from both parties will be introducing legislation for a second look law, which would allow people with excessive sentences to petition the court where they were convicted for a transparent review of whether the original sentence is still appropriate.

Shawn Weneta, an ACLU policy strategist who was pardoned by Northam in 2020 for an embezzlement conviction, said Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax City, and Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, will sponsor that legislation in the General Assembly session that begins this week.

The conservative group Americans for Prosperity helped the ACLU draft the bill, he said.
Incoming House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, said Friday that he will encourage COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for legislators and others ahead of the 2022 legislative session, declining calls from the outgoing Democratic speaker to levy a mandate.

Outgoing House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, is instead calling to require COVID vaccines, including boosters, from legislators and staff when the legislature convenes Wednesday. Those who chose or cannot get vaccinated would be subject to a mask mandate in the chamber and inside all House facilities, along with weekly testing, according to the speakers proposal.

The safety of the convening for the 100-member chamber has taken on new significance amid a surge of COVID cases and hospitalizations in Virginia and the nation, fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant.

The GOP next week takes majority control of the chamber, and will have the power to impose its own rules once the session starts.

In a statement on Friday, Gilbert said that despite COVID, the House will meet in person, with the option for virtual public testimony. He said anyone showing symptoms of COVID will be asked to participate in the legislative session remotely.

He also urged every Virginian to be vaccinated, and when appropriate, get a booster.

Vaccines may not prevent every case of COVID, but they are extremely effective in turning what could be a life-threatening illness into something much less severe, said Gilbert, adding that KN95 masks, gloves, thermometers and hand sanitizer would be widely available during the legislative session.

Filler-Corn, in a last move as speaker, proposed mandatory reporting of COVID symptoms, followed by testing. She also proposed a virtual option for votes for members who become exposed or test positive for the virus and, as a last resort, an option for the speaker to convene the chamber virtually.

As COVID-19 infections rise across Virginia, it is vital the House put in place measures to ensure that it can complete the critical work deserved by Virginians in the upcoming session, Filler-Corn said in a statement.

Republicans have long opposed convening virtually, even before vaccines had become available, arguing that it hampered the power of the minority and decreased public transparency.

While we have made a great deal of progress in mitigating the pandemic, it is clear that COVID will be with us as we begin the 2022 Session, Gilbert said.

Nonetheless, it is crucial that we not only get the peoples business done in a timely manner, but we do so in an open and transparent fashion, while operating in as regular of order as possible.
 Flash

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Americans must ensure such an attack like that on the U.S. Capitol a year ago "never happens again" as the country seems more divided than ever.

"One year ago today in this sacred place, democracy was attacked, simply attacked. The will of the people was under assault. The Constitution, our constitution faced the gravest of threats," Biden said in a speech from Statuary Hall just outside the House chamber to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

"I believe the power of the presidency and the purpose is to unite this nation, not divide it. To lift us up, not tear us apart," Biden said, accusing former President Donald Trump of spreading a "web of lies" about the 2020 election, which laid the groundwork for the attack on the Capitol a year ago.

"For the first time in our history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol. But they failed," Biden said.

"And on this day of remembrance, we must make sure that such an attack never, never happens again," he added.

In a statement shortly after Biden's address, Trump claimed that Biden "used my name today to try to further divide America," although Biden did not mention Trump by name during his speech.

"The Democrats want to own this day of Jan. 6 so they can stoke fears and divide America. I say, let them have it because America sees through (their) lies and polarizations," Trump said.

One year after the deadly attack on the Capitol, Democrats and Republicans still differ sharply over its key aspects, aftermath and the related congressional investigation, underscoring an increasingly partisan Congress, a more divided country and growing distrust in American democracy.

Democrats have denounced the Capitol riot as an attack on democracy, while most Republicans have downplayed its implications, especially Trump's alleged role in inciting it.

The United States has not learned the lessons of the riot which led to multiple deaths, over 100 injuries and damage to the Capitol, U.S. experts warned. As U.S. partisan politics continues to decay, they say the country still faces the risk of a repeated incident.

More than half of Americans say that U.S. democracy is at risk of extinction, including 49 percent of Democrats and Republicans, as well as 54 percent of Independents, according to a recent survey conducted by Schoen Cooperman Research.
Ed Saylor looked for the road not taken, but it couldnt be found.

It wasnt Interstate 95, backed up for almost 50 miles in both directions from Dumfries to Ruther Glen after a freak snowstorm on Monday turned the highway into an icy parking lot for almost two days. But it also wasnt U.S. Route 1, the main north-south alternative to the interstate between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, where he and his wife, Janis, both 75, were headed after visiting family in snow-free Boston.

If youve got two major roads and theyre blocked, youre done for, said Saylor, a retired general practice and emergency room doctor who tried to thread his way around the gridlock that brought travel to a halt between the two capital cities.

On Monday, U.S. Route 1, roughly paralleling the interstate, had been blocked by downed trees and electric power lines from a storm that dumped twice as much snow as expected and twice as fast.

When Saylor tried again the next day, after spending the night in sub-freezing temperatures in a car rest stop on the northbound side of the interstate at Dale City in Prince William County, he met gridlock  miles and miles of 18-wheelers and cars as far as you can see in both directions.

Thats when they turned north again, ultimately finding a hotel room in Springfield to regroup.

The snowstorm, crashes and abandoned vehicles that paralyzed I-95 also confounded Google Maps, Waze and every other GPS guidance system trying to help the Saylors find a way around an impassable bottleneck that turned a leisurely, two-day trip home from New England into a four-day expedition.

And yet, he said, we thought we were pretty lucky in the end, by not being stuck in traffic on I-95 and not being able to go anywhere.

The journey began with an uneventful drive from Massachusetts to south of Harrisburg, Pa., on Sunday morning. The next morning, as they began the second leg of the trip, they began to see snow as they drove around Baltimore on Interstate 695.

The snow intensified as they headed south on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, with downed trees narrowing passage to one lane.

Everything was really slow and at a snails pace, Saylor said.

Their GPS routed them off Interstate 495, the Capital Beltway, through the heart of downtown Washington to Interstate 395 and ultimately I-95 in Northern Virginia. Then, they were diverted west as they approached Dumfries, following a series of confounding directions as the GPS sought a clear path.

Basically, Google Maps didnt know how to get us down to Richmond, he said.

The snowstorm continued to intensify. They had expected to encounter 3-5 inches, but Saylor said, There was a lot more snow and a faster rate of snowfall than we expected.

They found their way to U.S. Route 1, then traveled south slowly until they came to a roadblock near Quantico because of downed trees and power lines. Saylor realized that while I-95 was impassable southbound, the northbound lanes were relatively open because traffic was blocked to the south.

They turned north, reaching the sparsely populated rest area at 8 p.m., 12 hours after they had set out that morning.

Saylor, from his experience as an emergency room physician at Henrico Doctors and other HCA hospitals in the Richmond area, knew the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning for people in idling vehicles, so they turned on the car every hour for 10 to 15 minutes to stay warm, and they shut it off again.

We slept a little bit, he said.

On Tuesday morning, about 12 hours after they arrived at the rest stop, they saw traffic begin to move on the southbound lanes of I-95, but when they tried to enter, state police blocked them. They tried Route 1 again, but Saylor said, Route 1 was just as bad.

They turned north again, looking for other paths around the blocked highways, but ultimately found the hotel room.

On Wednesday  Day Four  the Saylors started down I-95, diverted to Route 1 after 15 miles, and then followed the alternate route back to the interstate south of Ashland. They arrived at their home in the West End around noon.

Saylor isnt among the critics who fault Gov. Ralph Northam for not deploying the Virginia National Guard after Mondays snow.

How are you going to get the National Guard through 50 miles of gridlock? he asked.
A man who said he fled Mexico because drug cartel members kidnapped him and his son and threatened his familys safety will likely be deported after he illegally entered the U.S. five times in the past two decades.

Sotero Vargas-Chavez, a Mexican national who was found in Richmond last year, was ordered Thursday to be placed into the custody of immigration authorities for likely deportation. In lieu of a federal prison sentence, he was given credit for the time he was jailed since his arrest.

Vargas-Chavezs repeated illegal re-entry into the U.S. demonstrated his inability or unwillingness to abide by U.S. law and that must be taken seriously, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in court papers.

U.S. District Court Judge Robert Payne did not sentence Vargas-Chavez to any prison time as prosecutors sought, but ordered that he be surrendered to the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings. Federal sentencing guidelines called for a punishment of between zero and six months in prison, and Payne opted to give Vargas-Chavez credit for the four months he has been behind bars since his Sept. 2 arrest.

Through his attorney, Vargas-Chavez, 50, said he fled Mexico after he and his oldest son were kidnapped separately in 2017 and 2018 by drug cartel members who also threatened the safety of his family. He alleged the cartel held his son for a week and demanded $1 million pesos as ransom ($48,000), and he sold his home, small sawmill business and trucks to raise what he could for his sons release.

As he worked to rebuild his business, Vargas-Chavez said cartel members kidnapped him again, and forced him to shutter his livelihood. It was after Mr. Vargass kidnapping that he came back to the United States to find a safer means to support his family, wrote his attorney, Laura Koenig, in a sentencing memorandum.

Prosecutors said that after Vargas-Chavez illegally re-entered the U.S. between 2018 and 2019, he requested asylum  but failed to even respond to the notice to appear so that his request for asylum could be heard.

The matters of his personal history involve self-reported instances of his and his familys alleged encounters with Mexican drug cartels, wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Anthony. While these claims are not, and likely cannot be verified, even if they are true, that is all the more reason why the defendants failure to follow through with his asylum request is, at best, puzzling  if not an indication that [his] claims are specious.

According to the prosecutions statement of facts, Vargas-Chavez was first arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Sept. 25, 2001, near Carrizo Springs, Texas, as he was attempting to illegally enter the U.S. He subsequently returned to Mexico voluntarily.

He was arrested again on Jan. 15, 2010, near Sasabe, Ariz., and ordered removed, again, for a period of five years. Following that, Vargas-Chavez re-entered the U.S. twice more and was removed again in 2014 and 2015.

Then on June 15, 2021, investigators observed Vargas-Chavez residing at a home on Broad Rock Boulevard in Richmond. Authorities determined that he had not been granted permission to return or reside in the U.S. after he had been previously removed from the country.

To date, the threat of removal, actual removal, nor any other consequences for his breaking the law has managed to hinder the defendant, Anthony wrote. As such, a period of incarceration must be imposed to ensure the defendant takes his breaking of the law seriously. Moreover, the defendants actions relative to his illegal presence in this case forestall any contention that he is merely a victim of circumstance and had no other way to secure his legal presence in the United States considering his failure to follow through with his asylum request in 2019.

Koenig wrote in the sentencing memorandum that while in the U.S., Vargas-Chavez worked several jobs and sent his earnings to his family in Mexico. Once he completes any prison sentence the court imposes, he will be deported back to Mexico and plans to stay and work there for the rest of his life.

Mr. Vargas is in jail for the first time in his life, Koenig wrote. The three months of incarceration he has endured in this case are a sufficient deterrent to any future criminal activity. He simply wants to live a quiet, peaceful life with loved ones back at home.
Hey, 2022, could we have a do-over? You may be hardly a week old, but this in-with-the-new thing isnt working out. A new year promises a fresh start and a clean slate, but, honestly, you havent delivered.

Its bad enough that were entering our third year of coping with an invisible enemy, the coronavirus. The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was identified on Jan. 20, 2020. We didnt know then it was called alpha to distinguish from later variants.

Vaccinations and boosters were supposed to set us free, but no. Even those who did the right thing, got their shots, wore masks and washed their hands got caught by the latest and most transmissible variant, omicron.

People who want to be tested must stand in long lines, if they can find tests at all. The good news is the people who followed health guidelines are less likely to be hospitalized and to die than those who shun vaccinations and boosters.

Still, omicron is disrupting society as it rampages through the country and the world.

Hospitals and the saints who take care of patients are slammed, mainly by those who havent gotten their jabs. Airlines canceled thousands of flights around Jan. 1 due to staff shortages caused by sick and quarantining employees. Then a snowstorm hit the East Coast.

Those who abandoned air travel for cars and trains this week also were headed not for their destinations, but for misery. We simply couldnt get there  or anywhere  from here.

The debacle on nearly 50 miles of Interstate 95 in Virginia, coupled with gridlock on surrounding roads, created a logjam that affected hundreds of motorists trying to head north and south. Amtrak trains also were stuck under the weather, unable to handle even the most basic of passenger needs  food and toilets.

Schools in Chicago and other places shut down or returned to remote learning as the pandemic again made in-person classes risky to teachers, staff and students. Businesses pulled back on bringing staff to their offices. Reports of the death of the Zoom culture were premature.

Its easy to make New Years resolutions for other people  and much more satisfying than making them for oneself  so heres one for Virginia and federal transportation officials: Work together to focus on essential services.

We need a country where the systems work. Competence may not be sexy, but it is necessary for peace and prosperity.

We know Northern Virginia hadnt had a good snow in a couple of years, and the bizarre change from balmy temperatures in the 60s over the weekend to rain and then heavy snowfall  up to 2 inches an hour  on Monday was discombobulating.

Transportation officials said they couldnt pretreat highways because the chemicals would have washed away in the rain. But other states routinely deal with heavy snowfalls without such disastrous consequences.

And once nearly a foot of snow stopped traffic, surely authorities could have done something to help people stranded in their cars in the cold and dark for more than 24 hours.

Gov. Ralph Northam wasnt helpful when he stated the obvious, that people should have stayed off I-95. Im sure they wish they had.

But truckers, who are trying to alleviate supply chain shortages and have schedules to keep, as well as other seasoned motorists, know interstates usually are cleared of snow first and are safer than secondary roads in inclement weather.

When people finally were able to get off I-95 near Fredericksburg, they faced more gridlock on secondary roads. Many travelers reported an absence of authorities to direct traffic or help in any way.

As officials probe what went wrong, they need to avoid finger-pointing, make solid recommendations and implement them.

Americans dont want more politicking. We want to know we can go where we need to go, safely and at reasonable speeds. We want our highways and trains to operate efficiently.

So, while we might like a do-over for the first disastrous week of the new year, there still are 51 weeks left to inspire confidence in Americas ability to function  even if more snow falls. Were counting on you to do better, 2022.
Last year, staff members at the St. Luke Community Clinic in Front Royal shared a handwritten note with me from a patient expressing her gratitude for the dignified health care services she had received. In the note, this patient described how conflicted she initially felt, with feelings of shame arising from her need for care. However, upon summoning the courage to enter on her fourth visit  as she had not made it further than the clinics steps on three prior occasions  she was immediately welcomed, provided the medical attention she required and was never made to feel lesser for needing help.

It is unthinkable to me that so many Virginians neglect their health because they lack insurance, yet this story is not uncommon. Many of us may not recognize how intimidating it can be to venture into this unfamiliar arena fraught with so many uncertainties: Without health insurance, where can I access care? What kind of care will I receive? How will I pay for it? Will I get better?

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has created even more risk and uncertainty for vulnerable Virginians. Thankfully, though, Virginias free and charitable clinics have continued to operate during this challenging time, providing more than 74,000 individuals with quality care, including COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, regardless of their ability to pay.

Whats more, the clinics have kept patients with chronic conditions healthy and out of crowded emergency rooms during the worst of the COVID-19 surges  patients like Sean, a local Albemarle County resident and truck driver who lacked health insurance. After feeling unwell and ignoring symptoms for several months during the pandemic, his wife urged him to seek care at the Charlottesville Free Clinic.

While there, Sean was diagnosed with diabetes and had dangerously high blood sugar levels. The clinic then provided Sean with the medications he needed and helped him changed his eating habits. As a result, his blood sugar level was dramatically reduced. I was given the education and support I needed to change my life and I couldnt be more grateful, he shared.

Now, however, free and charitable clinics are facing significant challenges: sustaining their efforts to provide a range of essential health care and social determinant services to patients like Sean, while also continuing to protect and treat at-risk populations throughout the state against more transmissible COVID variants such as delta and omicron. Unbudgeted operating costs are mounting as clinics contend with pent-up patient demand for care, including a spike in behavioral health needs, on top of the additional staff time and resources already being devoted toward COVID testing and vaccination efforts.

This growing operational and financial pressure is compounded by a shortage in volunteer providers, which has forced clinics to hire more paid providers, and a decrease in clinic fundraising due to donor fatigue as the pandemic nears two years. Moreover, clinics are burdened with ongoing expenses associated with investments designed to enhance safety and access to care during the COVID-19 crisis, such as telemedicine, remote monitoring, mobile health units and home delivery of prescriptions.

In order for free and charitable clinics to overcome these challenges and sustain their vital safety-net services, additional funding is critically needed. Ensuring that thousands of at-risk Virginians have access to essential care requires a commitment that goes well beyond the walls of the clinics. Therefore, it is vital that Gov. Ralph Northams proposed budget, which includes funding for Virginias free and charitable clinics, be passed by the General Assembly during its upcoming session.
A drunken crash that killed two passengers and wounded a third yielded a 12-year prison sentence Thursday for the driver who had been behind the wheel.

Efrain Noel Hernandez-Claros, 24, lost much more than just his freedom on the summer night when he flipped a Dodge Durango while cruising the Blue Ridge Parkway in Botetourt County, said his attorney, Suzanne Moushegian.

He also lost his only friends in the tragic wreck that unfolded, Moushegian said, as well as his hope of fulfilling a promise to his late mother to help take care of his younger siblings.

I will have this pain inside of me for the rest of my life, Hernandez-Claros said in a remorseful address to the court.

He added, speaking with the aid of an interpreter, that he wished he had been the one to die that night instead of 23-year-old Christian David Spil-Canales and 19-year-old Juvier Alexander Espinoza-Regaldo.

The pain is insurmountable, he said, apologizing to the victims families, while his own family watched in tears from the courthouse gallery.

Hernandez-Claros told authorities that he had consumed 13 beers before his vehicle swerved off the parkway on the night of Aug. 29, 2020, and overturned near milepost 105. He remembered little about the crash but thought he recalled seeing a deer.

His blood alcohol level was found to be 0.101 percent afterward. The legal limit is 0.08. Investigators also determined that he had been driving 86 miles per hour, in a 45-mile zone, in the seconds before the crash.

Espinoza-Regaldo died at the scene, and Spil-Canales death followed hours later at the hospital. A third passenger, age 19, was pinned underneath one of the vehicles wheels and seriously injured.

This didnt have to happen, said Botetourt County Commonwealths Attorney John Alexander. ... These families have suffered a loss that none of us can truly understand.

In a hearing last year, Hernandez-Claros pleaded no contest to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of DUI maiming.

Thursdays hearing, held in Botetourt County Circuit Court, was set to determine his sentence. Moushegian asked the court to consider the lower end of the state guideline range in the case, which would have been a little more than five years, citing in part his genuine remorse.

He never intended to hurt his friends, she said, and the crash has weighed heavily on him each day since.

The prosecution said it believed Hernandez-Claros had also suffered in the tragedy but countered that he had a prior record that should have been a wake up call. That included prior convictions of driving without a license and reckless driving for speeding.

At the time of the wreck, he was facing a DUI charge in Roanoke that was pending in the courts, Alexander said.

Judge Joel Branscom agreed that the aggravating factors in the case  alcohol, speeding and a prior history of unsafe driving  called for a longer sentence.

All of these circumstances showed a complete carelessness, a complete disregard for your life, for your friends lives and for anyone else who might have been in the way, he said.

The judge issued a sentence of 20 years, suspended after 10 years are served, for the involuntary manslaughter charges and a sentence of five years, suspended after two years are served, for the DUI maiming.

Branscom, speaking directly to Hernandez-Claros, added that he believed his grief and regret were genuine. He noted that Hernandez-Claros will still be a young man when hes released, and urged him to make the most out of his future.

I wish you luck, he said.

Hernandez-Claros will be on probation after his release but Moushegian indicated that was largely moot. In addition to the other losses hes faced, she said, Hernandez-Claros, a Honduran national, has been flagged by federal authorities for deportation once his sentence is complete, forfeiting his right to remain in the country to which he emigrated in his teens.

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UPDATE 11:20PM, 1/6/2022: Snow is close wrapping up for the Roanoke area. The big flakes fell at lower elevations but didn't have time to start sticking. Some locations just west and north of the valley, and higher elevations to the southwest, have received 1-2 inches, perhaps a little more in a few spots. It got just a little too warm today and our part of the system was not quite moist enough for it to do more. This was not our storm anyway -- it's Nashville's, Kentucky's, West Virginia's, and ultimately will be the Northeast's. Friday will be blustery one with highs staying below freezing and lows dropping off to single digits and lower teens by Saturday morning. This won't be our last snow rodeo of this winter. END UPDATE

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UPDATE 10:30PM, 1/6/2022: Snow has been ongoing for 1-2 hours in many locations west and north of Roanoke and in higher elevations, with some reports of around 1 inch of accumulation in the New River Valley and along the Blue Ridge south of Roanoke. Snow looks to continue about another hour or so, and even some may make it to the lower elevations of the Roanoke Valley, though accumulations look doubtful. A little too much warmth today and not quite enough moisture for a widespread significant snowfall, but there is enough to be slick in some of our region, so be mindful of that when headed out in the morning even if it's not bad near where you are. END UPDATE

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UPDATE 8PM, 1/6/2022: A band of precipitation -- rain to start, changing to snow from west to east -- is moving eastward into the New River Valley and will enter the Roanoke Valley in the next hour or so. This band is expected to last through about midnight and may lead to light accumulations of snow, generally 2 inches or less, with a few spots getting up to 3. Roads may quickly become slick as temperatures drop and rain and melted snow begins to freeze on road surfaces. Forecast guidance has ticked up a bit on snow accumulation but it still looks like a light event in our region while much of West Virginia gets heavier amounts. END UPDATE

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UPDATE 4PM, 1/6/2022: Precipitation, mostly snow, much of it aloft, has begun moving into Southwest Virginia mainly west of Interstate 77. Patchy precipitation -- a mix of snow, sleet and rain -- will continue to move across the western part of Virginia this evening, perhaps a more organized band by around 8-10 p.m. Most data trends suggest a drier system that may have a hard time cooling some surface temperatures -- Roanoke reached 50 degrees today -- long enough for much snowfall. So current indications are that snowfall amounts will generally be less, especially in lower elevations of the Roanoke Valley and points east and south, where less than an inch now seems likely. To the west and north, and in some higher elevations, 1-3 inches still appears likely, but may be more toward the 1-2 end of things in many locations rather than 3. Areas near the West Virginia border and west of I-77 still have the best chance of 3 or more inches, with 4+ inches likely in much of West Virginia. There could still be heavier banding that occurs to raise the totals some, and we'll be on the watch for that through the evening hours. END UPDATE

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A low-pressure system tracking just south and east of our region, before transferring its energy to a coastal low, will bring a band of snow, beginning as rain and sleet in some areas, to our region on this Thursday evening, roughly between 6 and 11 p.m.

There is the usual variance in forecast model output and therefore some uncertainty about accumulations, but areas west and north of Roanoke have the best chance at 1-3 inches, or possibly more if heavier snow develops or lasts a little longer. Much of West Virginia and Kentucky are under winter storm warnings for more than 4 inches of snow, and some of that may bleed into Virginia's westernmost counties and the area west of Interstate 77. Because of the speed of the system, this is very unlikely to be a widespread 4+ inch snow across the New River and Roanoke valleys, though localized amounts that high are possible.

While it will not be falling from the 60s like it did Monday, we also will not have the strong dynamic cooling in play we had that morning. Temperatures will fall primarily from cold-air advection behind a cold front and from evaporational cooling as precipitations falls into cooler, drier air. Temperatures are likely to start in the 40s in the Roanoke area and lower elevations to the east and south, and therefore the precipitation will probably begin as rain in those areas, and may begin briefly as rain or sleet just about anywhere in our region.

Urban lower elevations of the Roanoke Valley will have a harder time getting cold enough for snow to reach the surface, or snow to stick once it does, so that may depress amounts in the city compared to higher elevations surrounding the valley and points farther north and west. Roanoke/Salem city dwellers are well-versed in this on borderline temperature precipitation events.

This could be overcome faster if a heavier band of precipitation moves across the region, as some models show, so be prepared for 3 inches in the city as a higher-end scenario and more widespread road difficulties even though something closer to 1 inch with scattered slush appears more likely in the lower elevations of the Roanoke Valley.

Most of the snow, besides some lingering flurries, should be over by midnight and will be followed by some of the coldest weather we've seen in three years, with 20s to near 30 highs on Friday and single-digits to lower teens lows on Saturday morning. This will be a short-lived Arctic punch as a storm system tracking to our west pulls milder air back on Sunday, with highs in the 40s and rain, before colder weather again for early to mid next week.

Contact Kevin Myatt at kevin.myatt@roanoke.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevinmyattwx.

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Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday the Virginia Department of Health will spend $5 million to open nine new community testing centers to increase COVID-19 testing availability in the state.

The testing centers will be near or on the same property as community vaccination centers, one of which is located in the former Sears store at Valley View Mall in Roanoke.

The centers will administer PCR tests and will text or email the results to individuals. The state expects the nine centers will administer 50,000 tests in January.

Virginia is working to increase its testing capacity as a surge in demand reflects skyrocketing COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. A testing event Tuesday in Salem drew hundreds of people and the local health department eventually ran out of the 400 tests it had on hand to administer.

Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts director Cynthia Morrow said 35% of the tests administered at the event came back positive.

The health department will operate free drive-thru testing events every Tuesday at the Salem Civic Center through January. This Tuesdays event will be from 9 a.m. to noon.

Virginia reported 102,518 new COVID-19 infections over the past week, bringing the cumulative total during the pandemic to 1,221,036, the Virginia Department of Health reported Friday.

The state reported 2,194 more hospitalizations over the past seven days, increasing the total number of people hospitalized during the pandemic to 44,056, although the VDH website notes that hospitalizations are underrepresented.

Virginias near southwest region, which includes hospitals from Lynchburg to the Roanoke Valley, had 404 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Friday, including 104 in intensive care. Last Friday, there had been 348 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the region, including 101 in ICUs.

Statewide, COVID-19 hospitalizations reached a one-day record of 3,329 on Friday, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

Virginia reported 64 new virus-related deaths over the past seven days, for a total of 15,651 since the start of the pandemic.

As of Friday, 78.3% of Virginias adult population had been fully vaccinated.

Morrow said vaccination is still the best defense against infection, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

Everyone aged 5 or older has been approved to receive a vaccine, which are available at the community vaccination center in the former Sears store at Valley View Mall, located at 4812 Valley View Blvd. People can make appointments at vaccinate.virgina.gov or by calling 877-829-4682. Walk-ins are also open for adults and children.

The Roanoke Times contributed to this report.
As students prepare to return to colleges and universities in the Lynchburg area for the upcoming spring semester, school leaders are figuring out ways to bring them back amid surging coronavirus cases in the region.

The Virginia Department of Health reported 427 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday in Lynchburg and the surrounding counties.

Last fall, some schools in the area decided to enforce mask and vaccine mandates, while others left the choices up to its students. This winter, colleges and universities in Central Virginia are having to adapt quickly as the omicron variant is causing cases to surge nationwide.

Liberty University, which will welcome students back Jan. 10, will not enforce a vaccine or a mask mandate, similar to its policies in the fall. The university updated its COVID-19 isolation and quarantine period guidelines in accordance with the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in late December.

A spokesperson for the school said students would need to provide a response to a survey, which must be completed at least 72 hours prior to returning to campus. This will indicate whether the student will need to be quarantined or isolated if they have been in contact with somebody who has COVID-19.

Randolph College announced Friday that the opening of the spring 2022 academic semester will be delayed until Jan. 31. We believe this delay will hopefully allow this surge to run its course and also help us remain committed to an in-person learning environment, the school said in a statement.

The school also on Friday announced the decision to require booster shots for students who are eligible to receive them (and who do not have an approved religious or medical exemption).

Those who are eligible should plan to receive your booster shot as soon as possible or by Jan. 28 at the latest, the university said.

Randolph College also has plans to test every student on campus on the first day back to class, said Brenda Edson, director of college relations.

This has been a successful strategy for the college in the past, Edson said. The school did the same thing when students returned from fall break in late 2021.

We have done this several times after breaks and it works well, Edson said.

Before students returned in the fall, the school required only students be vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption.

The University of Lynchburg, where classes resume Jan. 24, required students to be vaccinated before returning in the fall. It now will require students to receive a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine before returning to campus this month, according to its website.

It also will keep its mask mandate in place, requiring all students and teachers to wear masks in any indoor facility unless they are in their office, dorm, or if they are eating or drinking.

The schools COVID-19 dashboard says the school has had 78 cases of the virus since classes started in August.

Sweet Briar College, which resumes classes Jan. 11, will require all students and employees be vaccinated for COVID-19, including a booster shot, within two weeks of when they are eligible to receive the shot, according to a release on the schools website.

Last semester, Sweet Briar required students and employees to be fully vaccinated before the start of the 2021-22 school year.

The school also announced at the end of December it will require a negative coronavirus test within 48 hours of returning to campus.

UL, LC and SBC join several other universities in the commonwealth requiring vaccinations and booster shots for students this semester.

The University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Radford University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the College of William & Mary, Virginia State University all added the requirement in the past two weeks.

Central Virginia Community College, despite not having any students who live on campus, still is working to combat COVID-19 for its employees and students, who usually commute from home. CVCC will begin classes for the spring semester Jan. 10.

According to Chris Bryant, the colleges vice president of institutional advancement, CVCC, because it is a non-residential community college, has the added benefit of offering its classes in several different formats, such as in-person, fully online or virtual real-time courses, which allows the school to have flexibility in the case of an outbreak.

Bryant also said for in-person classes, they will be requiring masks to be worn when on campus. The school also is registering classes below the assigned classrooms capacity to ensure enough space to accommodate students in a socially distanced fashion.

There are no current vaccine mandates for teachers or students, but the school highly encourages students and teachers be vaccinated before returning to classes, according to the schools COVID-19 resources website.

According to the Virginia Department of Healths COVID-19 dashboard, as of Jan. 5, 51.7% of the adult population in the City of Lynchburg has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Only 22.8% of adults have received a booster shot.
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The Russian Aerospace Forces are delivering a contingent to Kazakhstan as part of a peacekeeping mission organized by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the military bloc said Thursday.

The Collective Peacekeeping Forces include troops from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the Moscow-led CSTO said in a statement on its website.

The mission's main tasks are to protect important state and military facilities, and to provide assistance to the Kazakh law enforcement agencies to stabilize the situation, it added, without disclosing the scale of the forces.

Violent protests in Kazakhstan, particularly in the country's largest city of Almaty, have caused multiple deaths over the past days, according to various reports.

In order to put an end to the riots, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accepted the government's resignation on Wednesday, and then seek help from the CSTO.
" " Wilfried Pohnke/Pixabay A microscopic view of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

To stave off infection, there are some things you probably know you should do: wash your hands, be careful when you sneeze, gets lots of sleep, don't rub your eyes (especially after touching your nose), eat lots of fruits and vegetables. After all, a cold virus can survive on someone's hand for a couple of hours or for several days on some materials.

Even those hand sanitizers that many people use don't protect against everything. And once they're in the body, viruses are quite tough to kill  antibiotics are powerless against them and vaccines for influenza and some other viruses must be changed every year to adapt to new strains. Fortunately our immune systems can fight off many viruses, but others, like Ebola or the COVID-19 coronavirus, can be deadly.

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For years scientists have been experimenting with technology for combating viruses with another method  by using a laser, a device which stimulates atoms and molecules to emit light and then amplifies it to create a beam of radiation.

Back in 2007, researchers at Arizona State University and Johns Hopkins University discovered that pulses of light from a laser could low-power laser could neutralize viruses  turning them into "rubble," as Wired magazine put it at the time.

In their study, the researchers blasted a virus with a quick pulse of purple laser light. The laser, which only shines for 100 femtoseconds (a femtosecond is one-millionth of a billionth of a second), causes the virus's capsid (its outer shell) to vibrate and become damaged. Essentially, the virus becomes "deactivated" while the area around the virus remains unharmed. The method didn't cause viruses to mutate either, which is a problem in other virus treatments and can lead to viral resistance.

Since then, research on use of lasers against viruses has continued. Eventually, it might be possible to use lasers to cleanse blood samples of viruses and other pathogens, making them safer to handle. Laser therapy might also be combined with blood dialysis treatments. In that approach, blood would be cycled out of a patient's body, lasers could eliminate any pathogens in the blood and the blood would be cycled back in. As this study, published in November 2019 by the National Institutes of Health, describes, it eventually might be possible to employ lasers to inactivate influenza viruses, so that they used to produce more effective vaccines.

On the next page, we'll look at more ways in which scientists try to fight viruses or stop their spread altogether. Several of them use light, whether to kill viruses or as an activating agent.
" " London by night from the International Space Station. Earth's surface is becoming increasingly illuminated by brighter artificial night light. Universal History Archive/Getty Images

Back in 1807, London became the first city on the planet to have a street illuminated by gaslight lamps. To the city's residents, it must have seemed like a wondrous thing to have evening turned into a simulated version of daytime.

But a little more than two centuries later, artificial lighting has spread across so much of the planet that the darkness of night is steadily vanishing. Today, 80 percent of the world's population now lives in places where the sky glows at night from lights on streets and buildings. Artificial light has become another form of pollution  one that scientists say poses threats both to the natural environment and to human health.

The extent of light pollution is evidenced by a November 2017 study in the journal Science Advances, in which researchers used measurements taken by satellites to study the artificial brightness of Earth's surface during nighttime. They found that between 2012 and 2016, the outdoor area that was artificially lit grew at a rate of 2.2 percent per year. As more spaces are being illuminated, they've become brighter as well, with the radiance of those areas increasing at an annual rate of 1.8 percent.

As this summary of the findings in USA Today explains, the researchers found nighttime brightness stayed the same in the U.S. and 38 other countries during the time period studied, while it increased in 79 countries  mostly in fast-developing areas in Asia, Africa and South America. Only 16 nations  including Syria, whose cities have been devastated by a brutal civil war  saw decreases in light. And artificial lighting seems to be growing the fastest in areas that didn't have a lot of it until recently.

But those increases are just part of the story. Christopher Kyba, a scientist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences and the study's corresponding author, says in an email that the increasing transition to high-efficiency LEDs for outdoor lighting, which have been touted as a way to reduce our dependence upon fossil fuels and slow climate change, may not be saving as much electricity as envisioned.

"Despite great success with reducing energy for lighting in specific projects  e.g., LED transitions in individual cities  cheaper light seems to be leading to increased use," Kyba explains. "That means that LEDs overall aren't reducing total energy consumption for outdoor lighting anywhere near as much as it would appear."

Worse yet, there's growing evidence that our excess illumination is having harmful effects on people. In 2016, the American Medical Association issued a warning that the conversion to high-intensity LED streetlights  which emit a large amount of blue light that increases glare  actually made it more difficult for drivers to see at night. The AMA added that the wavelengths at which the lights operate suppress melatonin, a hormone that helps us to sleep.

"It is estimated that white LED lamps have five times greater impact on circadian sleep rhythms than conventional street lamps," the AMA noted. Research indicates that such disruption may be a significant factor in obesity and other ailments.

And it's not just humans who are being affected.

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Nocturnal Species Need Darkness

"Many terrestrial species are nocturnal, and electric lighting, especially dusk to dawn lighting, represents a complete disruption to the physical environment of these species," Dan Duriscoe, a retired physical scientist who worked at the National Park Service's Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, explains in an email. "Imagine the daytime darkened artificially by a factor of 10, every day. What kind of impact would that have on diurnal species such as humans?"

An October 2017 study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, for example, found that powerful beams of light from the National September 11 Museum and Memorial altered the flight paths and speed of 1.1 million migrating birds over a seven-day period alone, with simulations revealing "a high probability of disorientation" and other effects. The behavioral problems disappeared when the lights were turned off.

And in Florida, light pollution along beaches is disrupting the hatchling behavior of sea turtles, causing thousands of young animals to die each year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (For more information on the environmental effects, check out the HowStuffWorks article How Light Pollution Works.)

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How Much Artificial Light Do We Need?

But perhaps the most glaring thing about light pollution is that much of it results from wasteful illumination that isn't really necessary, according to Kyba, who estimates that it could be reduced by a factor of five to 10. "I think we should be asking as taxpayers, why are we paying for lights that shine uselessly into people's windows and disturb their sleep?"

Chris Elvidge, a scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Earth Observation Group and a co-author of the Science Advances study on the extent of light pollution, says in an email that plenty could be done to reduce the over-illumination, including putting more shielding on lights, decreasing the brightness of outdoor lighting and using motion detectors to turn on lights only when activity nearby is detected.

An Italian light pollution researcher also thinks there's a possibility that the rise of self-driving vehicles  which could communicate wirelessly with infrastructure and other vehicles to navigate the streets  may reduce the need for brightly illuminated streets.

"I hopefully see a future when lights in cities are dim but sufficient for the pedestrian and bikers," Fabio Falchi, a researcher at Italy's Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute, explains in an email. On the other hand, if humans continue shining more and more light on the darkness, he warns that "we'll completely destroy the night."

Now That's Interesting This 2015 study found that when street lighting was reduced to save money in communities in England and Wales, there was no increase in traffic accidents or crime.
 Head of federal Bureau of Prisons has resigned (though will stay on pending a successor) | Main | Some more highlights from among many great new Inquest pieces 

January 6, 2022

"Error Aversions and Due Process"

The title of this post is the title of this notable new paper now on SSRN authored by Brandon Garrett and Gregory Mitchell. Here is its abstract:

William Blackstone famously expressed the view that convicting the innocent constitutes a much more serious error than acquitting the guilty. This view is the cornerstone of due process protections for those accused of crimes, giving rise to the presumption of innocence and the high burden of proof required for criminal convictions. While most legal elites share Blackstones view, the citizen-jurors tasked with making due process protections a reality do not share the laws preference for false acquittals over false convictions. Across multiple national surveys, sampling more than 10,000 people, we find that a majority of Americans views false acquittals and false convictions to be errors of equal magnitude. Contrary to Blackstone, most people are unwilling to err on the side of letting the guilty go free to avoid convicting the innocent. Indeed, a sizeable minority views false acquittals as worse than false convictions; this group is willing to convict multiple innocent persons to avoid letting one guilty person go free. These value differences translate into behavioral differences: we show in multiple studies that jury-eligible adults who reject Blackstones view are more accepting of prosecution evidence and more conviction prone than the minority of potential jurors who agrees with Blackstone. These findings have important implications for our understanding of due process and criminal justice policy. Due process currently depends on jurors faithfully following instructions on the burden of proof, but many jurors are not disposed to hold the state to its high burden. Courts should do away with the fiction that the reasonable doubt standard guarantees due process and consider protections that do not depend on jurors honoring the laws preference for false acquittals, such as more stringent pre-trial screening of criminal cases and stricter limits on prosecution evidence. Furthermore, the fact that many people place crime control on par with, or above, the need to avoid wrongful convictions helps explain divisions in public opinion on important policy questions such as bail and sentencing reform. Criminal justice proposals that emphasize deontic concerns without addressing consequentialist concerns are unlikely to garner widespread support.

January 6, 2022 at 03:36 PM | Permalink

Comments

I draw a different conclusion about the remedy. Us lawyers tend to speak in legal jargon that does not fit well with the way non-lawyers think. Anybody who has ever done voir dire in a criminal case understands that jurors can express their ability to follow the instructions, but jurors interpret the language of the instructions differently than lawyers do (as shown by the questions that we get during deliberations asking about things that the attorneys think are adequately covered in the instructions).

The bottom line is that, however we explain it to the jury, the distinction between various levels of proof -- preponderance of the evidence, clear and convincing, and beyond a reasonable doubt -- are not going to make much sense to the jury. At the end of the day, the only issue is whether they think that the defendant is guilty (criminal) or at fault (civil). We can say all we want about the burden being on the State, but, at some point, the evidence becomes strong enough that the jury is going to convict unless the defense gives them a reason to doubt that evidence.

The best place to check these tendencies is at the appellate level. But the Jackson standard of sufficiency of the evidence for criminal cases sounds a lot like the civil standard for sufficient evidence. It would be beneficial if we stopped using the legal fiction that the burden never shifts and analyze cases by looking at if the evidence is such that the burden should shift. In other words, what might be enough to allow the burden to shift in a civil case is not enough in a criminal case even though a reasonable juror could find that an element in the instruction is true. A perfect example of how this implicitly occurs in current law is in "joint possession" cases. It takes very little evidence for a reasonable person to infer that either or both people who are in joint possession of an item knowingly possessed the items, but appellate courts require more. The opinions by falling back on the reasonable inference language fail to do an adequate job of explaining why the inference that most people would make is unreasonable. If we simply said that, because this is a criminal case, it takes something more than a reasonable inference before we are willing to allow a jury convict, perhaps similar logic might apply to other types of cases.

Posted by: tmm | Jan 7, 2022 10:11:21 AM

Did anyone see how utterly ignorant Sonia sotomayor is? Blood borne virus. Even though no one else ever saw theme.

Posted by: Funny | Jan 7, 2022 12:55:02 PM

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How well are last years Oscar winners doing? Could they be in the hunt again this year?

If your name is Frances McDormand, yes. In addition to playing a supporting role in The French Dispatch, shes Lady Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth (and a producer of that film). The latter is likely to get some attention and could bring her back to the big night. Nomadland won her two trophies  Best Actress and Best Picture.

Anthony Hopkins, who didnt attend the ceremony but won Best Actor for The Father, never seems at a loss for work. According to IMDB, the website that lists film credits, he has three films that were slated for release in 2021 and two in the hopper for 2022. One of those  The Son  is part of a trilogy with The Father, the film that won Hopkins his latest statuette. Quite likely, he wont be nominated this year.

Yuh-Jung Youn, the Best Supporting Actress winner who was thrilled to meet Brad Pitt when he handed her the Oscar, had two films this year, but neither is getting the attention Minari did. She is still a force in the Korean film industry. But American producers havent scrambled to find roles for her.

Daniel Kaluuya, the Best Supporting Actor winner for Judas and the Black Messiah, has three films in varying forms of completion. None is eligible for this years competition. Nope reunites him with his Get Out director Jordan Peele; Blak Panther: Wakanda Forever brings him back to the screen as WKabi; and The Upper World drops him in a futuristic situation and gives him a very special ability.

Chloe Zhao, who won Best Director for Nomadland, followed that up with this years much-awaited Eternals, a Marvel offering that didnt received the raves many expected. She, likely, wont be in the mix, either.

Of the 2021 nominees, the most likely to appear on the 2022 list is Olivia Colman, who has been mentioned in end-of-the-year lists for The Lost Daughter, a Maggie Gyllenhaal film. She was nominated last year for The Father.

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Financial Peace University

Financial Peace University (Dave Ramsey) is coming to Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St. It will start Jan. 9, from 6-9 p.m. in the basement center room, Door #3. Financial Peace University is a nine-lesson course that teaches how to save for emergencies, pay off debt fast, spend wisely, and invest for the future. For over 25 years, Dave Ramseys been teaching common sense, biblical money principles that work. Every time! This class is free, but registration is required. Call or text Pastor Zirpel at 712.253.8751.
ORANGE CITY, Iowa  Russell Moore, public theologian and director of the Public Theology Project at Christianity Today, will speak at Northwestern College Jan. 24  26.

At 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24, in Christ Chapel, Moore will present a lecture on abuses of power within the church and their impact upon young adults perceptions of corporate faith.

At 10:05 a.m. Jan. 26, Moore will be featured in a video Q&A interview with Northwesterns dean of Christian formation, Mark DeYounge, in the Vogel Community Room of the DeWitt Learning Commons. Both events are free and open to the public.

The public is also invited to hear Moores chapel message at 11:05 a.m. Jan. 25, in Christ Chapel, discussing what it means to be a Christ-centered witness.

Moore is the author of The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul, Onward: Engaging the Culture Without Losing the Gospel and The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home.

Moore previously served eight years as president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention and as the provost and dean at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

Other upcoming campus guests include the Rev. Sandra Van Opstal, pastor at Grace and Peace Community in Chicago, and Lisa Sharon Harper, an author and speaker.

Van Opstal will speak in chapel at 11:05 a.m. Feb. 1 and will appear in a video Q&A interview about biblically grounded justice at 10:05 a.m. Feb. 2, in the Vogel Room.

On Feb. 8, Harper will share a message on Genesis 1 during chapel at 11:05 a.m. and will discuss her book The Very Good Gospel during a luncheon lecture from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in the Vogel Room. A Q&A session with Harper will also be held at Trinity Reformed Church at 7 p.m.

Harpers lecture on Feb. 9 will address beloved community and will be held at 10:05 a.m. in the Vogel Room.

All of these events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tanya Vaas at tanya.vaas@nwciowa.edu or 712-707-7190.

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OMAHA -- In the past few weeks, some people have scrambled to find rapid at-home tests to screen for COVID-19.

The tests can be hard to come by. Several popular brands are listed as out of stock on Amazon and pharmacy websites. To help meet demand for the tests, President Joe Bidens administration announced late last month that it would give away a half-million test kits to households that request them beginning sometime this month.

But one concern with the at-home tests is that most of the results  positive or negative  are not reported to or recorded by local and state health departments.

Teresa Anderson, director of the Grand Island-based Central District Health Department, said she and her staff have no way of knowing the results of most at-home tests because there is no mechanism to report them to Nebraskas disease-tracking system.

One exception, she said, is the results of the Abbott BinaxNOW tests used by long-term care facilities. The facilities results are reported to the state through the Nebraska Infection Control Assessment and Promotion Program.

But if residents of the district, which includes Hall, Hamilton and Merrick Counties, call to report results from their tests  as some occasionally do  Andersons staff cant add them to state systems.

We really just dont know whats going on in the home-testing world, she said.

Dr. Anne OKeefe, the Douglas County Health Departments senior epidemiologist, said no mechanism exists to add the results to health departments systems. The department likely would have to track at-home tests separately so that they dont skew the positivity rates used to help determine testing needs and case trends. (While people may call with positive results, theyre not likely to do so with negative ones.)

OKeefe said in most cases, the tests should not be used as a substitute for a lab test. The best use may be in situations where its difficult to quickly find a lab-run test.

But she and Anderson said the at-home tests do offer people an opportunity to find out whether theyre COVID positive so they can take the appropriate steps to avoid infecting others.

At least the people doing them know and can act on the information, OKeefe said.

Previously, some experts have raised concerns that at-home tests dont allow for contact tracing because of the lack of reporting.

But OKeefe said the health department currently doesnt have the capacity to do all of the contact tracing it conducted last year, even with a contract in place for contact tracing services. Case counts, she said, are too high.

Instead, she said, the health department has focused on providing more information about what people should do if they have a positive test. That includes how to quarantine and isolate, how to determine when people may have exposed others, and what to tell close contacts.

Those who test positive on a home test dont need to have the results confirmed with another test, she said.

But those who get negative results, either after an exposure or before or after a gathering, should repeat the test within 24 to 48 hours, OKeefe said. Many of the tests come in two-packs and instruct users to repeat the initial test at a prescribed interval.

A person planning a visit to a relative in a nursing home, for instance, could test a couple of days beforehand and then repeat the test right before the visit.

Dr. James Lawler, a co-executive director of the University of Nebraska Medical Centers Global Center for Health Security, said the U.S. has had issues throughout the pandemic with accurately assessing case numbers, with cases undercounted throughout.

Now, in addition to most home test results not being reported, he said, many of the at-home tests available in the United States are less sensitive in picking up the omicron variant.

The Food and Drug Administration noted Dec. 28 that early data, based on lab tests on patient samples conducted by National Institutes of Health researchers, indicate that the tests detect omicron but may have reduced sensitivity. More research is underway.

Most of the rapid at-home tests available in the U.S. are antigen tests, which detect viral proteins. Using them typically involves swirling a nasal swab inside the nasal cavities. The swabs are shorter and dont go as far back as those typically used to collect samples for PCR tests, which amplify and detect the viruss genetic material.

Nationally, some experts have suggested swabbing the nose and the throat as a way to increase the sensitivity of the at-home tests.

Lawler said the suggestion makes sense intuitively, because it appears the omicron virus may be concentrated more in saliva. But tests are optimized for the samples they are designed to test. He advised caution in using the tests in ways other than their approved use until data are available to back that up.
 Flash

Constitutional order has been restored in all regions of Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told a meeting of anti-terrorist staff on Friday.

Tokayev said that "terrorists" are using weapons to damage civilian property, so "anti-terrorist operations will continue until the militants are completely eliminated," according to a news release from the presidential administration.

According to Interfax news agency, the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs earlier said all city halls in Kazakhstan had been vacated and are under law enforcement protection.

A total of 26 rioters have been killed and 18 others injured in clashes with the security forces during the mass protests, Interfax reported. More than 3,000 people have been arrested.
SIOUX CITY -- Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand has released a report on his office's investigation of vehicle transactions of the Woodbury County Sheriff's Department, indicating no wrongdoing on the part of the department but making recommendations for better recordkeeping procedures.

The audit, conducted with assistance from the Iowa Department of Transportation, covered the sheriff's department's vehicle-related transactions in the period between July 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 2020.

It was prompted by questions raised early last year that suggested the department had sold some of its older vehicles on the cheap and that a sheriff's department employee had purchased an inexpensive used vehicle sold by the department.

Sand's report "did not identify any Sheriff's Office vehicles that were traded in or sold for an unreasonable value."

Dollar figures in the auditor's report indicate that the sheriff's department's old vehicles, after being sold to dealerships, netted rather little in the way of profit for the dealers that purchased and then sold them -- 36 of the department's old vehicles earned a profit of less than $400, grand total, for the auto dealers.

"Specifically, the Sheriff's Office received $163,746.00 trade-in value for 36 vehicles traded from July 1, 2017 through December 31, 2020 which were subsequently sold by the dealers where they were traded in for a total of $164,133.21," the report said.

The report did identify some inconsistencies, including a purchase agreement setting the price of four old vehicles at $200 apiece -- for some reason the department received only $400 for these, rather than the $800 they were supposed to have been paid. The report says neither the sheriff's office nor the dealership, Ideal Wheels, could provide an explanation for this.

The auditor's report goes on to say that the Woodbury County Sheriff's Office did not maintain documentation on the condition of the vehicles, which would have helped determine their trade-in value.

"Sand recommended the Sheriff's Office develop written policies and procedures for the sale and trade-in of vehicles and other equipment and maintain information on the condition of the Office's fleet to help determine their value," the report said.

The department vehicles in question ranged from the long-since-discontinued Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis models, which were once very popular with law enforcement, to various model-years of Dodge Charger, Dodge Ram, Ford Expedition, Ford Interceptor, Ford Taurus, Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Impala and assorted others.

The audit was expected to cost the county somewhere between $5,000 and $30,000, though the final cost was not clear at the time of this writing.

The matter was brought to the public's attention Jan. 26 of last year by Rocky De Witt, chair of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors, who also works for the sheriff's office as a security officer in the Woodbury County Courthouse. The engagement letter that began the audit was signed in March.

De Witt said the office had sold a set of four patrol cars to a used-car dealer for a grand total of around $800 (this may have been the same sale mentioned above in which the department was paid $400.) Per his calculations, the cars should have been worth over 15 times that $800 price, though other estimates suggested less than that.

"I guess my thing is, if they're only worth 200 bucks, were they (in) that bad of shape?" De Witt said during a county board meeting last winter. "We're driving inmates around in a $200 jalopy? And that's not, like, a liability waiting to happen?"

Sand's report pointed out that vehicles driven in a law-enforcement capacity, such as these were, often suffer a strenuous service life, which impacts their value and may make comparisons to the market value of similar vehicles less relevant.

"The vehicles traded by the Sheriff's Office have typically been driven more aggressively than a normal vehicle. As a result, it is reasonable that the subsequent sale price of the vehicles is more reflective of the vehicles' value than their NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) value," the report said.

The report also pointed out that, despite the sheriff's department's efforts to get the best price for its used vehicles, it is ultimately the dealers who decide what they're willing to pay.

Woodbury County Sheriff Chad Sheehan, whose term in office began after the events in question, maintained that the sheriff's department's books had no irregularities that he knew of.

"We recognize that the optics of it may not look good," Sheehan said last year.

De Witt also pointed out that one of the vehicles, a Chevrolet Impala, had been sold to a local dealership during the summer of 2020 for $200. The dealership then sold the vehicle to a private citizen, who some time later sold it to Capt. Willie Garrett with the sheriff's department, who bought it for a friend of his son's. (This according to a recounting of events by Sheriff Chad Sheehan; the events and some details were recounted somewhat differently at the supervisors' meeting.)

The report indicates that a vehicle was traded by the sheriff's office for $100 to a dealership, and was later sold to another dealer. Some 70 days after the second dealership took the title to that vehicle, it "was then sold to an employee of the Sheriff's Office for $500," the report says.

"Based on the timing of the sales, the sale to the employee is considered an arm's length transaction and did not provide a benefit to the employee," the report says of that vehicle sale.

De Witt had also accused the sheriff's office of paying unusually high prices to a dealer in Indiana for a set of three Dodge Durangos in the summer of 2020. Vehicle prices surged during the pandemic, and Sheehan said the department had difficulty in sourcing vehicles locally.

Another of the department's vehicle transactions had been flagged by the county treasurer's office, De Witt said. Sheehan responded that the sale was flagged for a seemingly mundane reason, having to do with registration fees paid on the vehicle as part of the sale. As a government entity, the sheriff's office does not pay registration fees.

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SIOUX CITY -- The City of Sioux City will begin a new conversation series, The Difference is Dialogue, to facilitate honest conversations in the community about tough topics.

Conversations in this series will include group dialogues, panels, and more.

"Our backgrounds influence how we interact with one another and at times it can be difficult to talk about topics we don't know much about," Sioux City Community Inclusion Liaison Semehar Ghebrekidan said in a statement.

The first event, which will focus on various types of stigma, will be held at 5 p.m. on Jan. 12 in the Aalfs Downtown Library's Gleeson Room. The event will also be live streamed on the Facebook page "City of Sioux City: Diversity."

For more information, contact Ghebrekidan at sghebrekidan@sioux-city.org or 712-203-7738.

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According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Ledesma-Ledezma laundered money on April 9, 2020, when she bought a home for $65,000 with money she made by smuggling counterfeit goods into the United States and trafficking them. The goods had an approximate value of more than $370,000, and Ledesma-Ledezma make a profit of at least $65,000.
Brett Walking Eagle, 42, pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a protected location. He was sentenced to 70 months in prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Walking Eagle told another person on Dec. 2, 2019, to go to the parking lot at the Boys and Girls Home in Sioux City to meet with a co-conspirator who would provide meth. Authorities apprehended the co-conspirator at the Boys and Girls Home while he was waiting to sell the meth.
SIOUX CITY -- A plea agreement guaranteed that Carlos Morales would be sentenced to 50 years in prison for firing shots into a Morningside house where two dozen people were celebrating New Year's Eve.

The remaining question Friday was how long Morales would serve before he becomes eligible for parole for the Jan. 1, 2021, shooting in which 18-year-old Mia Kritis was struck and killed and three others wounded.

For her father, it wouldn't be enough, no matter what the judge decided.

"Mia was a beautiful blessing taken from our lives too soon. You murdered my baby girl. No amount of time in prison will make up for what you took from us," Kritis said in a victim impact statement that was read by Stephanie Robinson.

Because of Morales' age at the time of the shooting, District Judge Jeffrey Neary had a decision to make. He could order no mandatory minimum sentence, making Morales immediately eligible for parole, or a mandatory minimum of up to 35 years.

Woodbury County Attorney Patrick Jennings recommended a 20-year mandatory minimum. The defense sought no minimum sentence.

Neary said there was no easy answer, and whatever he decided wouldn't bring Mia back. He also said Morales is still young and hasn't reached full maturity.

"I know he's a young man, but he took someone's life," Neary said before deciding that Morales must serve 15 years in prison before he can be considered for parole.

"I understand, appreciate and accept that others might disagree with the sentence," Neary said.

Morales, 18, of Sioux City, pleaded guilty in August in Woodbury County District Court to second-degree murder and three counts of reckless use of a firearm after admitting he fired a gun while his two co-defendants also were shooting at the house.

As part of a plea agreement, Jennings reduced the original charge of first-degree murder to second degree, enabling Morales to avoid a potential sentence of life in prison had he been found guilty at trial.

Had he been an adult at the time of the shooting, Morales would have been required to serve a mandatory minimum of 35 years before he'd be eligible for parole. But Iowa law says that if a person was under age 18 at the time of an offense, a judge may suspend all or part of the prison sentence, including any mandatory minimum sentence. Morales was 10 days short of his 18th birthday at the time of the shooting.

At a November hearing, a psychologist testified that Morales, frequently charged in juvenile court since age 13, was a willing participant in the shooting and previous rehabilitation efforts were unsuccessful. Neary said that assessment contributed to his sentencing decision.

Mia's mother, Jessica Smith, said in a statement read by Jennings that she hoped Morales would use his time in prison to turn his life around.

"I'm trying hard to find forgiveness for you, but it's hard," Jennings read. "You can't change your past, but the future is still yours to make the best of."

Morales said thinks daily about how his actions have affected Mia's family.

"There are no words I can say to heal the pain I have caused," he said. "I send my condolences, and I'm sorry to the victim's family."

Morales was the third person to plead guilty to the shooting, in which at least 27 shots were fired into a house at 2636 Walker St. He pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting in the crime.

His brother Christopher Morales and Anthony Bauer, both of Sioux City, each have pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and three counts of reckless use of a firearm. Christopher Morales, 20, was sentenced to 55 years in prison, Bauer, 19, to 50 years. Both must serve the mandatory minimum of 35 years before they're eligible for parole.

Christopher Morales admitted to firing the shots that killed Kritis and wounded the others. Bauer pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting and also firing shots.

Liliana Gutierrez, 21, of Sioux City, is accused of driving Morales, his brother and Bauer to and from the shooting scene and has pleaded not guilty of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and three counts of reckless use of a firearm. Her trial is scheduled for Jan. 18.

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DAKOTA CITY -- Some Dakota County residents understand county board members' reluctance to take on the financial risk of building and operating a jail addition.

But many of those same residents voiced their opinion Wednesday night that it's worth the risk to move forward with construction of the 112-bed expansion that would be paid for by the U.S. Marshals Service in exchange for the county guaranteeing 85 beds daily for federal prisoners for 10 years.

"There's no such thing as a guaranteed, iron-clad agreement. But if you keep kicking this around and kicking this around, the county is going to lose out on a good opportunity," said Sally Reinert, of Dakota City, who sat on the jail advisory board when the county's current jail was built in 2006.

Reinert was one of approximately 75 people crowded into the Dakota County Courtroom to share their opinions and ask questions about the project during a public hearing conducted by the Dakota County Board of Commissioners. Of the 20 or so who spoke, all but three were definitely for it, and many of those who didn't speak could be seen nodding in agreement with speakers who backed the plan.

Many were concerned that if the county chooses not to build the expansion, the Marshals Service will give the deal to another county and eventually pull most of the 20-25 prisoners it currently houses daily out of the jail in Dakota City, costing the county up to $600,000 in revenues annually. Russ Rasmussen, who lives in rural Dakota County near Ponca, said that's a risk board members should be more concerned about.

"Part of that risk is losing that income from federal prisoners that we have at this time," Rasmussen said. "I can't see why we would lose revenue that we are depending on right now."

The board took no action Wednesday night.

Commissioners in August approved a contract in which the Marshals Service is paying the county $80 per day for each inmate currently housed at the jail, an increase from $65 per day under a previous agreement. Once the jail addition is open, the county guarantees the Marshals Service 85 beds per day for 10 years, and it could house more than 85, increasing its revenues. In exchange, the Marshals Service will pay $150 a day per inmate for 30 months to give the county the necessary revenue to pay off the estimated construction debt. After 30 months, the rate returns to $80. Marshals representatives have said they would be willing to extend the 30-month period if construction costs exceed estimates and the county needs more time to pay off the expansion.

Three of the five board members said rising construction costs worry them. An initial estimate placed the cost at $10.5 million-$11.25 million. Costs rose to $12.4 million-$13.5 million in a later estimate.

"I'd be happy if we got a check for $15 million, and if it didn't cost that much we'd give the rest back. I guess I'm still scared it won't work out," said Larry Albenesius, who along with chairwoman Janet Gill and Troy Launsby has voted against hiring a construction manager, a move that has essentially brought the project to a standstill.

Gill said calculations she's done show that, because of operation expenses and the debt and interest payoffs, the county wouldn't see positive cash flow off the expansion for 10 years.

Dakota County Sheriff Chris Kleinberg said the board's vote against hiring a construction manager is responsible for some of the uncertainty. He said a construction manager would work with the architect to finalize plans and reach a firm construction cost. If the cost is higher than currently estimated, the county can renegotiate the contract with the Marshals Service to cover the higher price, he said.

Statistics compiled by the sheriff's office show that if the county were to continue to house up to 116 federal prisoners daily after the expansion, the county would receive more than $15.8 million from the Marshals Service during the 30-month construction payoff period. If the county were to house only 85 federal prisoners during that time, revenue would top $11.6 million.

Dakota County Clerk Joan Spencer presented an estimate on expected revenues, operation costs and debt payments. If the county were to house at least 110 inmates daily for the life of the contract, the deal could work.

"We could easily do the cash flow. It's doable," Spencer said. "The figures are there, but will take a while if we apply the revenue to just principal and interest."

The prisoners would come from the U.S. Marshals Service in Sioux City, which has approximately 130 people in custody, said Christopher Barther, chief deputy U.S. Marshal for Northern District of Iowa. Those prisoners, who are awaiting trial in federal court in Sioux City, are housed in 11-12 facilities in four states. Barther said the Marshals Service is willing to pay for the Dakota County Jail expansion in order to consolidate most of its prisoners at one site and reduce costs to transport them to Sioux City from faraway jails.

Marshals Service offices in Nebraska and South Dakota also would be interested in filling any open beds in Dakota County, he said. If Dakota County decides against the expansion, the deal will be offered to another county and federal prisoners removed from Dakota County once construction is completed.

"If Dakota County doesn't want to move forward, I've got sheriffs calling me today ready to do the deal," Barther said.

The Marshals Service does not own or operate detention facilities and must contract with state and local governments to house its prisoners who are awaiting trial. Once sentenced, offenders are transferred to a federal prison.

The proposed addition would be added to the west side of the current jail and would raise the capacity to 248 beds, requiring the addition of 16-20 jailers whose salaries would be offset by the federal payments. The county has spent more than $225,000 thus far on architect and design fees and soil borings at the proposed site. Those costs are being funded by the increased daily rate the Marshals Service began paying after the contract was signed in August.

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SIOUX CITY -- Iowa environmental regulators are seeking what could add up to millions of dollars in penalties from the City of Sioux City for repeated violations at the city's wastewater treatment plant.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources also is seeking injunctions enjoining the plant from future violations and requiring the city to meet compliance requirements contained in its state wastewater treatment permit. The DNR is asking a judge to assess penalties of $5,000 per day for hundreds of days on which the violations occurred.

A lawsuit filed Friday lists numerous violations dating back to March 2012 and including a three-year scheme in which two former plant supervisors manipulated water sample test results to ensure that plant discharges into the Missouri River met environmental requirements. It also said that the city declined to fix problems at the plant because doing so would have exposed the city's dishonesty to the DNR about the effectiveness of its operations.

The city also received a substantial economic benefit from inadequately treating wastewater, while attracting new industries and delaying capital investments in the facility, the lawsuit said.

"The city potentially endangered human lives and wildlife by violating water-quality rules and perpetrating a fraud to conceal its employees' actions," Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said in a press release Friday after the lawsuit was filed in Woodbury County District Court.

According to the lawsuit, as early as 2012, plant officials knew the facility could not consistently disinfect the millions of gallons of wastewater each day.

The city has and continues to address the issues that have led to violations, said Guy Cook, a Des Moines attorney representing the city.

"The city has been working diligently to address and make improvements to the wastewater treatment facility," Cook said. "That effort is ongoing and substantial. The city staff has worked cooperatively with the DNR."

Built in 1961, the 28.73 million gallon-per-day plant at 3100 S. Lewis Blvd. accepts industrial, commercial and residential wastewater from Sioux City. The city also accepts wastewater from Sergeant Bluff, South Sioux City, North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes.

From 2012 through April 2015, former plant superintendent Jay Niday and shift supervisor Patrick Schwarte manipulated chlorine levels to make it appear the city was meeting federal E. coli standards when wastewater samples were tested. The two would raise chlorine levels added to wastewater on days that E. coli samples were taken, producing test samples showing plant discharges met federal limits for levels of fecal coliform and E. coli before they were discharged into the Missouri River.

Once the samples were taken, chlorine added to the wastewater was reduced to minimal levels, leading to the discharge of water containing high levels of E. coli and potentially endangering public health and fish and water organisms.

During that time, the lawsuit said, the city was touting the effectiveness of the plant's system in an attempt to convince the DNR to grant a higher rating so the city could increase its treatment capacity in order to recruit more businesses and industries producing high-strength wastewater. The DNR trusts municipalities to self-report its test results and inform regulators of any noncompliance.

"Cheating on required environmental tests gave the city an unfair advantage in this competition to attract business and industry among other municipalities," the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit says the city concealed problems with the disinfection process from the DNR beginning in 2011, and by May 1, 2012, had notified an engineering firm that the system could not meet E. coli treatment levels. Engineers advised the city to conduct additional testing and submit it to the firm, but the city never provided the data. The city also did not seek a contract to replace or upgrade faulty systems, actions that would have cost millions of dollars and required DNR approval, a process that would have revealed the city's deception to the state and endangered its ability to increase capacity and attract new business.

The engineering firm in 2013 sent the city a draft master plan in which it said the plant was unable to provide adequate disinfection and also included recommendations for treatment alternatives. The city instructed the firm not to finalize the plan and began using a different firm.

In April 2015, a plant employee tipped off the DNR to Niday and Schwarte's actions. The city fired the two in June 2015, and both surrendered their state wastewater licenses.

A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigation ensued, resulting in criminal charges against Niday and Schwarte. Both pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges of conspiracy and falsifying or providing inaccurate information. Niday was sentenced in April to three months in prison with two years of supervised release to follow and fined $6,000. Schwarte was sentenced in November 2020 to two years' probation and a $5,000 fine.

Niday's attorney said at sentencing he did not know the motive for Niday's actions, but he did not profit financially.

Cook, the city's attorney, on Friday reiterated the city's position that Niday and Schwarte acted on their own and were not directed by city department heads or other top officials. Friday's lawsuit does not implicate any other city workers or administrators by name, though it said at least four other plant workers said Niday and Schwarte directed them to manipulate the chemical levels.

"This conduct was rogue conduct by Mr. Niday and Mr. Schwarte," Cook said.

The DNR had put its case against the city on hold while federal authorities investigated the allegations and prosecuted Niday and Schwarte.

The attorney general's office is not conducting its own criminal investigation, spokesman Lynn Hicks said.

"There's been no referral to our office for criminal charges," Hicks said.

An EPA official would not comment on whether its investigation has concluded and referred questions to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa. A U.S. Attorney's spokesman said Friday he had been unable to confirm the investigation's status.

The DNR lawsuit also is seeking penalties for a number of other wastewater violations. The DNR said that the city exceeded ammonia concentration limits on several occasions in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the DNR issuing a compliance schedule requiring the city to meet more stringent ammonia limits by April 1, 2025.

The city also exceeded daily maximum total residual chlorine, or TRC, concentration limits and daily maximum TRC mass limits in 2017, 2018 and several months in 2019. Again, the DNR has issued a compliance schedule requiring the city to meet stricter TRC limits by Dec. 1, 2023. The DNR says the city continues to have difficulty meeting those TRC limits and exceeded them in March, May and June of 2021.

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SIOUX CITY -- The City of Sioux City said in statement Thursday that it will comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's vaccine and testing mandate for large employers.

The Emergency Temporary Standard issued by OSHA establishes binding requirements to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers from the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace.

"We will comply with the (OSHA) (ETS) requiring vaccination for COVID-19 of all employees or mandatory testing and mask requirements for those who are not vaccinated," the statement said.

According to the statement, city leaders will also continue to monitor court actions related to the ETS and will continue to adjust our requirements accordingly.

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SIOUX CITY -- A Florida-based cold storage company has committed to constructing a 500,000-square foot cold storage facility in Sioux City's Southbridge Business Park.

Cold-Link Logistics will build the facility in phases on a 40-acre parcel abutting 225th St., according to city documents. The first phase of the project will require a capital investment of nearly $60 million and include 185,000 square feet of cold storage warehousing space, approximately 20,000 pallet positions, blast freezing, truck docks, offices, and mechanical areas.

Construction is expected to begin in March 2022 with an expected opening date in early 2023.

The company will staff the first phase with 60 employees, including 50 production staff at an hourly wage of over $23 per hour.

"This is a tremendous project that will play to our regions strengths in the food processing industry," Mayor Bob Scott said in a statement issued Friday. "It's good to see such a return on the Citys investment in Southbridge. Securing this type of project was a major goal of the Citys when we began investing in land and infrastructure in the area."

The City Council will vote Monday whether to approve a resolution announcing the city's intent to accept Cold-Link's proposal, setting in motion a 30-day period in which other proposals can be submitted to the city.

Early last year, city staff began working with Iowa Area Development Group and Woodbury REC regarding their contact with Cold Link, a company that is actively constructing or acquiring several cold storage facilities in the Midwest. After several months, Cold Link committed to construct a facility on a portion of the 27 Flags site, according to the documents.

"We were approached about locating in Iowa and were immediately intrigued given its role as a major food producer in the U.S.," Cold-Link Logistics President Michael Mandich said in the statement. "Sioux City became an ideal location due to many factors, but most importantly we were welcomed by State and Local leaders who truly valued the partnership and investment we were going to bring. Further support from the Federal New Market Tax Credit program enabled us to get this project over the goal line. We are truly excited to become a part of the Sioux City community and the great state of Iowa."

The city and Cold-Link have each signed a letter of understanding to serve as a non-binding commitment of each party's obligations in developing a facility. Draft development and minimum assessments have been prepared and will be finalized for council consideration before the urban renewal hearing date in February.

Under the proposed development agreement, Cold-Link will purchase roughly 40 acres of the city's industrial site at a discounted rate of $22,500 per acre, commit to investing $50 million to construct the first phase of the facility, and enter into a minimum assessment agreement of $25 million beginning Jan. 1, 2024 and continuing for a period of 10 years.

The city, in exchange, will sell the land at a $7,500 per acre discount and provide 75% property tax rebates on the new incremental taxes created by the value added to the property for a period of seven years. The total tax rebate assistance is estimated at $5.3 million. The city will also construct a southern extension of Andrew Avenue, a rail spur from the city-owned lead track north, and utilities to serve the site.

According to the documents, the city will see immediate revenue through the proceeds of the sale, about $900,000, as well as increased tax revenue through the new development of the site.

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SIOUX CITY -- During a meeting with state lawmakers from Sioux City Friday, city leaders identified a shortage of workers as the most pressing priority for the upcoming session, citing hiring struggles for local businesses of all sizes.

"It's literally something we deal with every day," City Economic Development Director Marty Dougherty said during a forum at City Hall attended by Democratic Sen. Jackie Smith, Republican Sen. Jim Carlin, Republican Rep. Jacob Bossman and Democratic Rep. Chris Hall.

Before the pandemic, in early 2019, Dougherty said the unemployment rate in metro Sioux City was 3% or less. Today, it's about the same but "it's misleading, because we have probably several thousand fewer people in the Sioux City area than we had before," said Dougherty, who noted people left the workforce due to day care issues, early retirement and other reasons.

"It's a real issue and it affects our community and most communities in the country," he told lawmakers.

While Iowa has a variety of "innovative programs," such as the Last-Dollar Scholarship, Future Ready Iowa, and Learn and Earn, which it should continue to fund, Dougherty said the state needs to "go to another level" when it comes to workforce training and recruitment.

"I think we need new facilities. I think we need more innovative partnerships and training solutions. I think we should basically rethink the state's approach to provide next-level, customized employee recruiting and training. There are some states that do more than we do," he said.

Dougherty noted that one of the things that draws people to live in a community is quality-of-life initiatives. He cited the city's Cone Park and trail system as amenities that factor into an individual or family's decision to relocate to the city.

The city is also facing housing shortages and increasing housing prices, lawmakers heard Friday.

Dougherty thanked local legislators for increasing the workforce housing tax credit program's maximum credit, but he said more funding is needed. Since 2016, he said the program has assisted 25 separate qualifying housing projects in Sioux City, helping to create 546 new housing units.

Smith asked city leaders, "What is considered affordable housing on an entry price point?"

Mayor Pro Tem Dan Moore said the city doesn't have a clear definition or a formula. Councilwoman Julie Schoenherr said she believes lenders look at 33% of an individual's gross income.

"If you're building more expensive homes in areas like Whispering Creek etc., I can't go from an $80,000 bungalow in one of the other neighborhoods, a starter home in Morningside or the Leeds area, and jump to that," Schoenherr said. "So, having an affordable inventory that stages it for people, so if I'm ready to get out or I get married or need more room, I can find something that's more in the $200,000 range and move up there. That's kind of what my definition of affordable housing is."

Carlin responded, "We don't have an inventory. If you talk to any Realtor here in town, a $200,000 house is gone in a day."

Councilman Alex Watters said the first home he bought in Morningside around eight years ago sold for $115,000.

"You could get a really nice house then. You're not going to find any house that's inhabitable at that price point at this level without an investment in rehabbing or doing something else," he said. "I think the city is trying to be creative in meeting that need, whether we're looking at smaller homes and setback issues or partnering with Habitat for Humanity."

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At the local level, Nebraska voters can initiate a recall to remove an elected official, but no such mechanism exists for the state's highest offices.

On Thursday, Sen. Tom Briese of Albion introduced a constitutional amendment (LR268CA) that would give Nebraskans an option to remove governors and state senators from office.

"We're talking about the second house here," Briese said. "If a mistake has been made by the voters, they should have the ability to correct that mistake prior to the next election."

Nineteen states  Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin  and the District of Columbia permit the recall of state officials.

Virginia also has a process to recall state officials, where petitioners submit signatures to a circuit court for a trial. The court then decides whether or not to remove the state official from office.

Only four governors have faced a recall election in U.S. history, and only two of those recalls were successful, according to Rutgers University's Center on the American Governor.

North Dakota Gov. Lynn Frazier was recalled from office in 1921 and California Gov. Gray Davis was removed from office in 2003. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin survived a 2012 recall, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom was easily retained in office during a 2021 recall election.

Briese said he believes Nebraskans would use the recall process for state officials judiciously: "My hope would be that it would be rarely used, but I still think Nebraskans ought to have the option to do that."

If passed by the Legislature, the proposed constitutional amendment would go before voters in November's general election.

Approval from voters would send the measure back to lawmakers to draft how the recall process would ultimately work, Briese said.

Currently, Nebraska is among 30 states that allow local elected officials to be recalled, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Two school board officials  one in Waverly, the other in the Leyton district  are facing recall elections next week over school-related COVID-19 guidelines.

Saunders County voters recalled the chair of the county board of commissioners in December following approval of a solar energy farm.

The process outlined in state law says officials cannot be recalled in their first six months in office, nor can they be recalled within six months of the incumbent filing deadline to seek reelection.

To recall most local elected officials, petitioners have 30 days to gather a number of signatures equal to 35% of the total votes cast for that office in the most recent election.

The Legislature, under a power reserved in Article III-17 of the state constitution, has the power to impeach state officials if a majority of the 49 members agree on doing so.

Briese said he thinks the Legislature realizes the importance of giving the people  often referred to as the "second house"  an option to remove elected leaders from state office.

"It's an effort to put a little more power in the hands of Nebraskans," he said. "Any time you can do that, it's a good thing."

Other bills introduced Thursday include:

RANKED CHOICE VOTING: Omaha Sen. John McCollister sponsored a bill (LB793) allowing for ranked choice voting for certain city or village offices.

NONPARTISAN ELECTION: A bill (LB794), also from McCollister, would change the offices of state treasurer and state auditor to nonpartisan positions.

JUVENILE CONFINEMENT: Juvenile detention facilities would be required to report to the Legislature the number of times juveniles were confined to their rooms, for how long, and other incidents under a bill (LB810) from Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh.

VACCINE ADMINISTRATION: Pharmacy technicians could administer certain vaccines, under a proposal (LB812) from Omaha Sen. Robert Hilkemann.

RACIAL IMPACT: The Legislative Research Office would be required to prepare racial impact statements for each bill introduced, under a proposal (LB814) from Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney.

DIAPER CHANGING TABLES: McKinney also introduced a bill (LB815) requiring hotels, restaurants, gas stations, theaters, auditoriums or other facilities with public restrooms to make diaper changing tables available in both women's and men's restrooms.

PRIMARY CITY: Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen's bill (LB820) would increase the population threshold for cities of the metropolitan class from 300,000 to 400,000, which would keep Lincoln designated as a city of the primary class as its population surpasses the 300,000 mark.

INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS: Hansen also introduced a bill (LB821) providing state aid to municipalities in the form of grants to help pay for infrastructure projects.

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS: Omaha Sen. Rich Pahls sponsored legislation (LB833) eliminating the statute of limitations for sexual assault of a child.

ANTI-ISRAEL: Public entities would be required to obtain a written certification that contracted companies will not engage in a boycott of Israel, under a bill (LB845) from Sen. Julie Slama of Sterling.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS

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Six Omaha area teachers unions are calling on local officials to implement mask mandates because of a record-breaking surge of daily COVID cases from the omicron variant.

Presidents from education associations representing the Omaha, Millard, Bellevue, Papillion La Vista, Ralston and Westside school districts sent a letter to five city councils on Thursday seeking a communitywide mask mandate.

In the letter, the presidents said that regardless of whether local school districts are requiring masks, it will take more than the health and safety protocols in our schools alone to get COVID under control.

Our students and staff do not spend every hour in our buildings, the letter says. We need strong mitigation efforts that impact the entirety of our community, not just our school buildings, if we are going to keep our students and staff safe and our schools open for in-person learning.

Omaha city officials, though, expressed skepticism that a mask ordinance would receive the support needed to be passed by the Omaha City Council.

Douglas County marked its highest daily COVID-19 case count of the pandemic on Wednesday, with 1,547 new cases reported.

Daily case records had already been broken within the past week, with Wednesdays count surpassing the previous record of 1,188 daily cases Dec. 30. The department reported 1,038 daily cases on Tuesday.

The 4,731 cases reported for the week ending Saturday were the countys highest weekly total, breaking the previous record of 4,268 cases recorded during the seven-day stretch that ended Nov. 21, 2020.

Union presidents also said that masks should be required until there is more adequate COVID testing in the area. Omahans are experiencing lengthy wait times at testing sites.

In the letter, the presidents said they are concerned about the ongoing workforce shortage impacting teachers and school staff. They said they fear that without a universal mask mandate schools could be looking at classroom and building closures.

There are already significant concerns about having access to an adequate number of substitute teachers, the letter said.

Omahas indoor mask mandate expired on May 25, 2021.

Some Omaha area school districts have strict mask mandates in place, while others have more relaxed protocols.

Ralston Public Schools and Westside Community Schools recently issued mask mandates for the first few weeks of the second semester.

Omaha Public Schools currently requires masks in all district buildings. Masks are optional at school districts in Gretna, Elkhorn, Bellevue, Papillion-La Vista, Bennington and Millard.

Asked about implementing a mask mandate during a press conference Wednesday, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert noted that as mayor, she doesnt have the authority to impose one.

Stothert said that she was unaware of any plans from City Council members to introduce a new mask ordinance.

City Council President Pete Festersen told The World-Herald on Thursday that while he will continue the discussion of a mask mandate with his colleagues, he feels that there is not enough support for an ordinance to pass at this time.

Under the normal process by which city laws are passed, it would take about five weeks for a mask mandate in Omaha to go into effect if the council sought one. The ordinance would need to be introduced at one meeting, publicly discussed at a second and voted on at a third. Then, 15 days later, it would take effect.

In August 2020, the council bypassed that process by unanimously passing an emergency ordinance, which required votes from six of the seven council members.

The process, Festersen said, is very challenging.

Like many communities, were experiencing a surge (in cases), Festersen said. I understand the concerns from the teacher association. I think masks are an effective tool, but there is not enough support for a mandate at the moment.

Soon after the letter was sent, Councilman Don Rowe said he received a flood of emails from constituents both for and against a mandate.

I think that goes to show how polarizing this topic is, Rowe said.

The councilman, whose district includes southwest Omaha, said he doesnt think a mask mandate would accomplish what we need.

Right now, I really believe people can make a choice to wear a mask, Rowe said.

In August 2021, a mask mandate requested by Douglas County Public Health Director Lindsay Huse was rejected by the State of Nebraska.

Huse had asked the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for approval to issue a directed health measure requiring people to wear face masks indoors in the county. The temporary mask mandate would have applied to school districts across Douglas County as well as other indoor settings.

Stothert said at the time that she did not support another mask mandate.

Huse could impose a mask mandate for just the City of Omaha, a decision that would go into effect more quickly than the council process. That route was discussed during the summer of 2020, before the City Council enacted its mask mandate.

But then-County Health Director Adi Pour did not pursue the option.

On Wednesday, Omahas Fire and Police Departments implemented mask mandates as the agencies faced a staff shortage of a collective 74 people due to the omicron variant.

In the letter from the teachers unions, the presidents stress that the communitywide mask mandate wouldnt have to be active for long, but only to help get through the ongoing case surge.

We ask you to help our schools and communities get through this surge the best way we know how  by utilizing all of the tools at our disposal to keep everyone safe and healthy enough to go to work and to school, the letter said.
The lack of affordable housing in Iowa is a challenge that must be faced, and the state has been at the forefront of addressing it.

When the pandemic started in March of 2020, no one knew how to react, nor what the immediate future held, there were many unknowns. What became very clear was that housing was the key to riding out the pandemic. Iowans stayed home to work, to go to school, to protect themselves.

The lack of affordable housing in Iowa was brought into focus like never before. In the affordable housing area, clear advocates rose to the surface: Governor Reynolds, the Iowa Finance Authority | Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Housing Partnership. IFA|IEDA was given the immediate task of being the head of all things affordable housing. Iowa Housing Partnership, a non-profit affordable housing advocacy immediately started being a central point of gathered information, which is critical to using the incoming funds in the best way possible.

For example, Iowa was one of the first states in the country to make funds available for renters and homeowners at risk of eviction or foreclosure during the pandemic. IFA distributed nearly $36 million in rent, mortgage and utility assistance to ensure Iowans could stay in their homes in the midst of an unprecedented public health emergency. These funds assisted more than 14,000 renters and nearly 1,000 homeowners do just that.

In addition, after Iowa suffered the Derecho, at the urging of the Iowa Housing Partnership, Iowa Finance Authority requested and received an extra $50 million in Disaster Credits to be used to build affordable housing through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program.

In January of 2021, Gov. Kim Reynolds specifically addressed the need of more affordable housing for Iowans in her State of the State address, and that she was going to pursue an aggressive legislative agenda as such during the 2021 session and she did just that. The governors 2021 housing omnibus bill will increase housing investments by $230 million over the next five years. This includes increases to the highly successful Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program and State Housing Trust Fund.

In addition, IFA received $195 million in Emergency Rental Assistance funds from the federal government, which was used across the state of Iowa, and is still available to eligible renters in need of assistance at iowahousingrecovery.com. Then in September of 2021, at the annual HousingIowa Conference in Cedar Rapids, Gov. Reynolds made a historic announcement of the allocation of $100 million of American Rescue Plans Act funds to be used for affordable housing here in the Hawkeye State. This was the first time a state in the Midwest committed to making housing a priority through the use of these funds, and many other states have started to follow suit. This is a once in a generation opportunity to fundamentally affect affordable housing in our state.

Iowa has been and continues to be a leader in the creation and preservation of affordable housing during an historic public health crisis. Why? Because we have affordable housing advocates working with a Governor, Administration, and a Legislature that all believe that every Iowan deserves the opportunity to live where they work, and when they can, our people, communities and businesses thrive.

Too often, affordable housing is misunderstood. Those people, are a common terminology used to described citizens using affordable housing. To that end, IEDA | IFA recently completed a research study to look at perceptions of affordable housing in Iowa. This research found that 72% of Iowans support housing. However, those who oppose housing are far more likely to have their voices heard. Opposition has a large impact, stopping nearly one-in-three projects and significantly changing another one-in-four proposed housing projects in Iowa. For example, in the Dec. 24 edition of the Des Moines Business Record, the question was asked Should developers be required to have an affordable housing component to receive public tax incentives? The opinions were split down the middle among the business leaders queried.

Support for housing is needed now more than ever in order to support our robust and growing economy, as the state is projected to need an additional 61,000 housing units by 2030 and nearly 40% of renters and 16% of homeowners are currently housing cost burdened (Spending more than 30% of their income on housing). In an effort to showcase the far-ranging support for housing that we know exists in Iowa, IFA.

IEDA has developed an avenue to allow housing supporters to make their voices heard. All Iowans as well as businesses are encouraged to log their support for housing for all at welcomehomeia.com. Furthermore, if a citizen of Iowa wants to know from the grass roots level, they are encouraged to go to www.iowahousingpartnership.org, and see the examples of affordable housing that have been done in our great state.

Dan Garrett is chair of the Iowa Housing Partnership, a non-profit affordable housing advocacy group based in Des Moines.

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I write to voice my support for Admiral Mike Franken for U.S. Senate in the June primary. I believe he is the Democrats' best choice and the b
Pay Dirt is Slates money advice column. Have a question? Send it to Athena and Elizabeth here. (Its anonymous!)

Dear Pay Dirt,

Ive been helping a family member sort through some big issues (substance abuse, etc.). He makes good money but wastes most of ithe lives paycheck to paycheck and hasnt set aside anything for retirement, emergency savings, or basically anything else. Worse, in one of our recent conversations, he mentioned that he hasnt paid any taxes in about a decade.

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Do you have any advice for how he can get caught up on what Im guessing is a boatload of back taxes, plus penalties? Im assuming step one is to make sure he has all his W-2s for those years (he says he has these), and then  what? Contact the IRS directly and throw himself at their mercy? Is there a limit on how far back hell have to pay? Should he do this through an accountant or try to work with the IRS directly? Also, he currently lives in a noincome tax state, but hes lived in other places that do have a state income tax, so Im assuming hell need to sort through those back taxes as well (right?).

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Not My Mess, but Im Helping

Dear Not My Mess,

The IRS gets a bad rap, but theyre very easy to work with and staffed by a lot of very friendly people, who understand that a lot of callers who need to be communicating with them are also terrified of them. Your family member probably has a lot of anxiety about this is and is reluctant to deal with it, but you should assure them that the IRS has every incentive to work with him on a plan to get caught up on his taxes. Theyre not going to yell at him about financial irresponsibility; theyre going to help him figure it out.

Step one is, yes, to gather whatever documentation he has of his income over the last decade. If hes missing anything, he can request his transcripts directly from the IRS for free, and theyll send him documentation of whats been reported.

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Depending on how complicated his taxes are, he may be able to do all of this himself, but if fear is the primary reason hes putting off dealing with it, its probably worth hiring an accountant to make sure its all done correctlyand to get a little supportive hand-holding for both of you. Even very basic filing rules are sometimes hard for people to understand because we have a very convoluted tax code thats even hard for professionals to navigate sometimes.

If your family member is employed, theyll assess what he owes and work with him on a repayment plan, likely based on whatever his current income is. If hes still reluctant to get started, emphasize to him how much better hell feel when he doesnt have to worry about this on top of the other issues hes dealing with.

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Dear Pay Dirt,

Thirty-five-plus years ago, a grandparent passed away. They had established a living trust in which income generated from an apartment building they owned would go to provide for their living children and grandchildren. The executor of the trust is a sibling of my parent, and there have been no distributions made to any of the beneficiaries, ever (that Im aware of). The executor has been living in the building along with their children for the last 35 years.

I have reached middle age without any need for this income, and I really dont care that my parents sibling has been the only beneficiary. The property, however, is in a desirable area of a high-priced city (my guess is the land alone would be worth well over a million dollars), and I dont want to see it sold without myself, my parent, aunts/uncles, and siblings/cousins receiving their share.

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I dont really understand the legalities of the will, but from what I understand, it was never probated. My father would be heartbroken if he knew I had made any effort to interfere in this, and out of respect for him, I am not.

I would like advice on three questions, however. First: Is there any scenario, short of fraud, where the executor could sell the property and not distribute the benefits from the sale to the heirs? Second: If the executor does not keep up on their obligations (such as property taxes), could the heirs be liable to pay those obligations? Third: If the executor does not keep up on their obligations, could the property be seized by the city/state and the heirs lose any claim to it?

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That Buildings on My Mind

Dear On My Mind,

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In most cases, beneficiaries can have the executor of a trust removed if theyre not fulfilling their fiduciary duties or failing to make required distributions, but the specifics of your case and its potential liabilities are a little beyond my expertise, so I consulted estate lawyer Joshua Rubenstein, at Katten Muchin Rosenman. He tells me that the apartment likely passed into your relatives hands under the living trust (so the unprobated will isnt relevant here, unless the apartment specifics are laid out there) and that you really need to see a copy of it to answer your questions.

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Odds are it says that income can be paid to the beneficiaries in the discretion of the trustee and on termination of the trust (whenever that is), the trust assets pass to issue per stirpes [that is, in a linear fashion according to the familys lines of descent], or in some other relatively equal fashion, but that may not be the case, Rubenstein says. Regardless, it sounds like a conflict of interest for the trustee to use his powers to benefit only himself. If you cared to make an issue of it, you could bring a compulsory accounting proceeding and make the trustee account for his conduct to the court.

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But, he adds, theres no way the proceeds from a sale can be distributed except as the trust dictates. If the apartment passed under the trust, it does not belong to the heirs (or to the trust beneficiaries, for that matter), who would have no responsibility if the trustee failed to pay property taxes or other trust expenses. It is hard to imagine that the trustee would fail to do so if he and his family are living there, but if he did, creditors could force a sale of the property in order to receive the money they are owed.

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In any case, you wont know for sure whether any of this is an issue until you see a copy of the trust.

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Get the Pay Dirt Newsletter Money advice from Athena and Elizabeth, delivered weekly. 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.

Dear Pay Dirt,

I am an early-career professional working in an amazing but notoriously badly paid industry. Since I specialized in a niche area, I am lucky to be earning a much higher salary than the industry standard. However, wages seem to plateau at this stage, and I need a higher income in the next five to 10 years to be accepted for a mortgage.

If I were to move up in my current company, I would have to take a high-stress role for hardly any extra money, but next-level jobs at other companies are advertising at $8,000 less than my current salary! Do I stay in my current role for the next five years to build up savings, but risk hindering my professional development? Or is there a way I can move to another company but negotiate a significantly higher salary, based on my current trajectory?

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Beginners Luck Has Me Stuck

Dear Beginners Luck,

I think its worth it to interview for roles at other companies and see if you can negotiate a better salary. Its rare that a company would make an offer that they know is significantly below what youre making now if they genuinely want to hire you. Its also good to see what your market value is occasionally, even if you have no intention of leaving. Itll help you understand what you should be making in your current job.

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Ultimately, the decision you make is a function of your personal preferences and how much you value home ownership or dont. Not everyone cares that much about owning a home, and some people only care about career advancement because they want to be homeowners. Maybe you want both on some level, but you need to decide which one is more important if you have to prioritize one or the other.

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But theres no reason not to check out opportunities in your industry that might pay better if they know what your salary is now. At least then you know, concretely, what your options are, instead of guessing.

Dear Pay Dirt,

Decades ago, I had to stop pursuing my Ph.D. I tried to keep up with my student loan payments on debt from that time, but the payment program I was in was discontinued when I missed a payment in order to pay to have an abscessed tooth addressed. After that, I was not able to make the higher payments, and the government started garnishing my wages.

Now, my original $60,000 in debt has ballooned to over three-quarters of a million dollars. My per diem for interest is between $800 and $900. What I am garnished each month doesnt even cover a days worth of interest. I could never marry, hold any kind of license, or buy a house. When the garnishment resumes in May, I will not be able to afford my now higher rent, especially with a new job I just started at lower pay.

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Ive tried multiple times to get into an income-driven payment plan but have never been successful for reasons I dont understand. Im about to turn 60 and am exhausted. My entire existence is feeding my student loan beast. Is there any recourse for me? I am losing all hope.

Utterly Consumed by Debt

Dear Consumed,

I think youre probably a poster child for student loan cancellation as policy. No one should be punished for a lifetime for taking on debt at a young age, especially for educational purposes.

Your options here depend on what kind of loans were talking about. Federal loans are difficult to discharge in bankruptcy, but that might be one option if your loans are private. In that case, you would need to gather proof that the amount of debt you have constitutes an undue hardship. That means documenting your expenses and your income and any additional debt you have. Bankruptcy is not ideal, of course, but it is designed to give people a fresh start in cases like these.

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Many courts use a guideline called the Brunner test to determine whether your situation constitutes an undue hardship, and the criteria are that youre unable to maintain a minimum standard of living, youve made good faith effort to repay the loans before, and it appears that your situation isnt temporarymeaning, for example, your income is expected to stay the same. Your age probably works in your favor here. Many personal bankruptcy lawyers have worked with student debt situations before, and its worth talking to one to see what your options are.

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Its worth noting that even the American Bar Association thinks undue hardship is a ridiculously high bar, and that loans should be more easily discharged in cases like yours. There are also proposals moving through Congress to make it easier and to provide pathways to loan forgiveness after a set waiting period. Student debt has been financially devastating for a lot of people, and you are not alone.

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Elizabeth

More Advice from Slate

My significant other died six months ago from a long-term illness. In our 25 years together, we had a 25-year-old daughter and a 21-year-old son. During that time, he had an illegitimate son who is also 21 years old, just a few months older than our son. I didnt even meet this son until he was 15. After my significant others death, he began living with me and my son. About a month ago, I developed a sexual relationship with my significant others son. My children have now disowned me, calling the relationship disgusting, a poor decision, and inappropriate. Do you think my children are correct in their perception of this relationship, and if so, for what reasons?
Robin Zanaks son was born at the end of June 2020. It was a few months into the pandemic, and so shed had time to process what it might mean to have a baby during the COVID era. She wanted to breastfeed but intended to offer herself a little grace if it didnt go entirely smoothly, especially after an early stomach obstruction landed her son in the NICU. But Zanak worked from home in Marylandshe was finishing a Ph.D. and now teaches communications classes part time at a collegeand so it was easy to take little 10 minute breaks here and there to breastfeed. She rarely had to nurse in public and never had to switch to majority-pumping. Now, Zanak says, My son is 17 months old, and I cant believe Im still nursing.

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There was another factor for Zanak, too. When her son was 9 or 10 months old, around the time shed imagined beginning the process of weaning him, she was able to finally get the COVID-19 vaccine. She knew that one of the benefits of breastfeeding is thatat least early on in a babys lifethe child is able to acquire some passive immunity to diseases from its mom, via an antibody substance present in the mothers milk. Zanak did a little research into whether her son might get COVID protection, too, from her milk once she got the vaccine.

Zanak learned the science wasnt yet conclusive on whether her son was getting much protection. But, she says, This is the one defense he has at this point. He cant wear a mask. He cant get vaxxed. Shes planning, at this point, to keep feeding until around the time he turns 2 in June 2022, which shes hoping will coincide with him being able to get his own vaccine. (Pfizer has said it expects to submit an application for its under-5 vaccines in the first half of 2022.)

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Zanak isnt alone in extending her breastfeeding timeline as a result of the pandemicat least among the relatively affluent, largely white women who tend to dominate a lot of the public discourse around breastfeeding in the United States. (Guilty: I am breastfeeding a 6-month-old, and I fit roughly into that description.) This year, I started to hear about more friends and friends of friends who were going a lot longer than the six months or one year of breastfeeding they might have aimed for before the pandemic, based on the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations about breastfeeding.

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Among the women I spoke to about their pandemic feeding habits, going eighteen months or two years was relatively common. I also heard about some women breastfeeding 4-year-olds, though none of them wanted to talk to me. Perhaps because theres stigma around extended breastfeeding that goes that long. One woman, breastfeeding a large-for-her-age 2-year old, told me her husband wants her to stop. Hes like, enough already. He thinks it starts to get weird at 18 months. Hes like, OK dude, who is this for? The New York Times even reported earlier this year on mothers whod weaned their children but then attempted the biologically difficult process of relactation after they got their vaccine.

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The science is inconclusive on exactly what kind of COVID protection extended breastfeeding provides.

Some researchers preliminary data about breastfeeding during the pandemic indicates that extended lactation among this set could be a real trendone that might have lasting consequences for gender norms and class disparities. (Not to mention that it might increase the potential for guilt and shame experienced by parents who, for any number of excellent reasons, formula-feed.) One not-yet-published survey conducted from March to June of 2020 and shared with me by a group of researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, Johns Hopkins, and the University of North Carolina looked at how the pandemic was affecting breastfeeding decisions. That sample, which was disproportionally white and upper-middle-class, showed that more than 30 percent wanted to extend breastfeeding until the end of the pandemic, and a high proportion were able to do it during the early lockdowns. Many cited the immunological protection afforded by mothers milk as the reason, along with the ease that working at home brought to breastfeeding. [Working from home because of the pandemic] acted as a de facto paid leave for people who had an intention to breastfeed, said Aunchalee Palmquist, a UNC medical anthropologist who worked on the survey.

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Jessica Calarco, a sociologist at Indiana University, began tracking a cohort of women through pregnancy and beyond in 2018 and 2019, so those children were between 6 months and 18 months when the pandemic hit. Her data showed that a quarter of those women were still breastfeeding at 18 months, and that at a year, nearly 10 percent more of the women in her study were breastfeeding than the national average for the previous year might have predictedthough she cautions that her sample has more stay-at-home and part-time parents than is nationally representative. (And she warns that we wont have truly good data on any of this until the Center for Disease Control and Preventions Breastfeeding Report Cards come out in 2022 and 2023, which will include the data for pandemic babies.)

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The science is inconclusive on exactly what kind of COVID protection extended breastfeeding provides. Multiple studies have shown that COVID antibodies are present in the breast milk of vaccinated mothers, which is good news. More recent research (still in preprint) also shows that T-cells in breast milk change after mRNA vaccination, which could mean additional immunity, aka even more good news. But as yet, theres not much data on how much COVID protection is actually being absorbed by babies; thats the next round of research. It seems likely that whatever immunity is conferred only lasts as long as breastfeeding is ongoing and is proportionate with the amount of the milk consumed by the baby. In other words, it wouldnt function like a vaccine but more like a daily dose of medication, as the NYT explained. It might be that the protection is only mucosal, which is to say it would only come via the surfaces (like the throat, mouth, and nose) that the milk coats. But thats not nothing, given the nature of COVID.

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For extended breastfeeding, though, theres an additional open question of how much immunity is absorbed by older babies and toddlers. Theres not much good data, in general, on this question, since that older breastfeeding group hasnt been much studied. Certain changes that happen in babies physiognomy (like more stomach acid) as they grow suggest that theyre never able to absorb every bit of immune protection thats in breast milk as effectively as they do in the earliest days. The introduction of other food and drinkwhich usually happens by 6 monthsalso alters the ability of the antibodies to bind to cells. (One small Spanish study, cited last year by the American Academy of Pediatrics, did show that vaccinated mothers breastfeeding children beyond 23 months seemed to have the highest concentration of COVID antibodies of the women studied.) Still, a lot of the women I talked to said even a slim chance of protection was worth it.

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And looking for antibodies isnt the only reason parents are breastfeeding longer during the pandemic. For a lot of office workers with young children, even if theyre working full time, in certain ways their lives now have the flexibility of the stay-at-home and part-time-working mothers who statistically tend to breastfeed longer.

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Emily Mitchell Marell, an academic adviser who moved from Brooklyn to Woodstock, New York, during the pandemic, says she was the last man standing when her now-6-year-old stopped nursing at age 2. I felt like a freak about it, she says. In music class a few years ago, I wouldnt have wanted to nurse. This time around, as she breastfeeds her 2 year old (born on March 14, 2020, the day before school closed in New York City) with no end date in sight, Marell has company. Of the five or six mom friends shes acquired in Woodstock, all of whom have children between ages 1 and 3, all are nursing. For her, its not about antibodies; its about access. Im always around. She can ask at any time, and I never had to pump so my supply is sky-high, she says. I could nurse on a call and no one would care. Its more acceptable now if your kid is in the background.

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Meghan Haire Gaffney works for a tech company in the Bay Area; she just weaned her 1-year-old, but for the last six months was exclusively pumping. (Anyone who has even partially pumped can tell you that this is a major commitment.) She says she wouldnt have gone as long if it wasnt for COVID. She wanted her daughter to get as many antibodies as possible, but also, she was no longer traveling for work. It sounds terrible to be in a hotel room and have to ship your breast milk, she says.

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There are also fewer life events to plan around now, too. Sara Petry, a CPA who lives in Lutherville, Maryland, plans to keep nursing her 1-year-old until the COVID vaccine is available to him. She had weaned her other children around 1, and when he turned 1, in May 2021, she imagined she might wean him, too. Vaccines were more widely available, and infections were decreasing. She had a bachelorette party to attend in August, and she set that as the deadline to end breastfeeding. But then delta hit, and child hospitalizations went up. Instead of weaning him, I backed out of the bach, she said. They chose Florida. I was like, you guys are crazy.

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While parents in certain urban enclaves might be seeking out vaccinated milk, the extended-breastfeeding-for-COVID-protection trend is not the national norm. A sizable group of parentsincluding a bunch of college-educated and vaccinated onesbelieve that its not worth vaccinating very young children, since theyre not hit as hard by the disease. And, in preliminary data from a new survey Calarco is conducting, more than 60 percent of U.S. parents think that COVID-19 vaccines are either as dangerous or more dangerous for kids than the disease itself. (E.A. Quinn, a biological anthropologist at Washington University in St. Louis who also worked on the spring 2020 breastfeeding survey, told me that in one Missouri milk-sharing group a graduate student of hers was monitoring until recently, participants noted their vaccination status when they offered up milk. Unvaccinated milk was preferred; some people even went as far as to try to give back milk when they realized they got a vaccinated batch.)

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For other groups, barriers to breastfeeding were either worsened or created by the pandemic. Women farther down the income ladder and those in communities of color are less likely to have cultural support for breastfeeding, paid time off, or a clean place to pump, even if their job gives them enough break time to pump. In the earliest days of the pandemic, many women in Palmquist and Quinns 2020 survey feared that breastfeeding might actually put their baby at risk if they were to contract the virus and decided that formula would be safer. (We now know that kind of transmission doesnt happen, but Palmquist told me that women who were at high risk of contracting COVID, like doctors and nurses, went so far as to live in an apartment separate from their babies, pump, and send milk home.)

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Calarco says that in her study, the women who were more likely to stop breastfeeding earlier than they wanted were parents who went back to work outside the home during COVID, including health care workers. And even for those who didnt, not everyone appreciated the extra breastfeeding time. For some women, the extra physical contact was a stressor, another way to be pulled in multiple directions simultaneously while trapped indoors; COVID actually led them to wean. One mom in the study described her toddler daughter climbing up on her lap and trying to nurse during the workday.

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Calarco wonders whether social pressure for extended breastfeeding, if it exists as the pandemic drags on, would have a chilling effect on womens decisions to return to in-person work, if they have the financial freedom to stay home. She pointed out that Americans preference for traditional gender roles has increased during the pandemic. (Anecdotally, two of the women I spoke to for this story had recently become stay-at-home moms, at least temporarily.) Especially if the moms in the position to take advantage of extended breastfeeding are affluent white moms leading the trend, it has downstream consequences and can lead to shaming of women who cant make that choice, says Calarco.

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Alyssa Lindsey, an educator in Baltimore County, Maryland, is still breastfeeding her 3-year-old. This is her third child, and the others were weaned around a year old. She had already gone a little longer than shed expected but was thinking shed wean when her daughter turned 2. That happened in May 2020, at the height of the pandemics first wave. Maybe itll help protect her, she thought. She wasnt vaccinatedno one wasbut no one knows anything but its not NOT going to help, she told herself. So why not?

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In February 2021, she was vaccinated; in April, her daughter (along with her other two children) got COVID. But Lindsey still thinks maybe the reason her toddler was totally asymptomatic had something to do with whatever protection she was getting from breast milk. I asked her if shes setting vaccine availability as a deadline for weaning. She said no. People are weird about it, she said. Because of COVID, she admitted,  I could be like, I want her to have the antibodies. Even though that wasnt the reason. The real reason was I like it, and its working for us.
ARCHIVED - Electricity prices in Spain to increase by 475 euros this year



Energy costs in Spain have risen for six consecutive days

Its no secret that electricity prices around the globe rose sharply in 2021 thanks to the high cost of natural gas and increasing CO2 emission charges in Europe, but the situation shows no signs of improving and the Bank of America has actually predicted that energy costs in Spain will increase by a whopping 475 euros this year.

Despite the fact that the Spanish government has extended a series of tax breaks aimed at easing the burden on consumers, experts agree that these measure will only translate into a saving of 170 euros per household; thats just a third of the overall increase forecast during 2022.

In neighbouring Portugal, the government has also announced a series of measures to control the exponential increase, but since around 45% of the countrys energy is sold at fixed rates not affected by raw material prices, the average consumer isnt feeling quite the same pinch as customers in Spain.

Unfortunately, the analysts estimate that the measures being implemented by Spain and other nations such as the UK will only serve to cover a quarter of household energy expenditure.

On Friday January 7, the average price of electricity in the wholesale market will reach 215.86 euros per megawatt hour, the sixth consecutive day of increases. Early birds will fare the best as the cheapest time to run household appliances is between 4am and 5am, while the most expensive time block is from 6pm to 7pm when each megawatt hour will cost a whopping 260 euros.

Image: Archive
Get more info in the culture-travel roundup, including Trencin's aim to revive its fashion tradition.

The middle part of the ski slopes of the ski resort in Tatranska Lomnica in the High Tatras. (Source: Milan Kapusta/TASR)

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In this week's roundup, you will learn more about Czechoslovak chocolate, a walk to a waterfall, and a punk rocker who drives homeless people by bus.

The hybrid sculpture project Promenade by Matej Gavula on Treskonova Street near Kunsthalle in Bratislava. (Source: Dano Veselsky/TASR)

DISPLAY

Chocolate

Stollwerck, Figaro, Oscar Pischinger, Mojsovic, Kohut and Degenring, Ladislav Kirth, CY-PA, ASAB, Pribil, Cikos,  the list of chocolate producers on the territory of todays Slovakia who began their business by 1948 goes on. Many brands have declined since then.

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To help people discover the history of chocolate production in former Czechoslovakia, Horehronie Museum in Brezno decided to run a sweet exhibition, created by Bratislavas Museum of Trade, until the end of January. It has a very straightforward name: Chocolate.

The chocolate and confectionery industry was one of the most important branches of the food industry in Czechoslovakia, the museum said.

The history of the industry dates back to the mid-19th century. Several chocolate factories were being established in Austro-Hungary at that point. After 1920, a boom in opening up chocolate and confectionery factories occurred, and their number gradually climbed to 180. Not all of them were large businesses. Yet, up to 20,000 people worked in all these factories.

The Chocolate exhibition at Horehronie Museum in Brezno runs until the end of January 2022. (Source: Pixabay)

In addition to factory production, chocolate produced by confectioners in their workshops was also very widespread, the museum said, adding that some received orders even from outside Czechoslovakia.

Slovak National Gallery: Hauke Harders sound installation Grigio Due, with its principles, indicates the functioning of the world in which we live. It is on display until January 13 at the Esterhazy Palace in Bratislava.

Pianist: Young Australian-Slovak artist Ryan Martin Bradshaw won a talent show in Budapest.

TRAVEL

Bystro

The southern side of the dead volcano Polana is home to Bystro, one of the largest waterfalls, named after the Bystre stream, in the Western Carpathians. The rock wall of this national natural monument exceeds a height of 23 metres.

Hikers set out on a trip to the waterfall, and further to Polana (1,458 m), from Detva or Hrinova, towns in central Slovakia. The 2.5-kilometre-long educational tourist trail starts at the Bystre  Vratka bus stop.

Next to the waterfall, hikers can find a ladder with chains, which will help them climb to its upper part, Tomas Krahulec of the Turisticky Novohrad and Podpolanie regional tourist organisation told the TASR newswire. In 2022, Banska Bystrica Region will invest 35,000 in making the place more attractive.

Bystro Waterfall in the Polana protected landscape area, central Slovakia. (Source: Hrinova.sk)

Krahulec added that if people want to see the whole waterfall, they must go down the ladders as well. However, from the top of the waterfall hikers can walk up to Polana or the Javorinka area with its rock formation Kesovka. From this spot, hikers will enjoy a splendid view of the Hrinova scattered settlements, also known as "lazy", which are set in valleys, fields and hills.

You can find a map of the trail leading to Bystro here.

More travel ideas

A stone statue of the Immaculate Conception of Mary has been declared a national cultural monument.

Kopcany, a village located in fields on the east side of the Morava River, boasts three things that have put it on the map of distinctive places in Slovakia.

Zilina named a small park after a Swedish architect and installed a monument in his honour.

FASHION

Trencin to revive its fashion tradition

In former times, Trencin Region used to be a well-known mecca of fashion, at least to Slovaks, and the famous story of the fashion industry may soon see its continuation there.

The Sustainable Fashion Laboratory project aims to help create a responsible and independent fashion industry in the region, the TASR newswire wrote. The initiative of the non-profit organisation Slovak Fashion Council counts on its cooperation with fashion faculties and the city of Trencin, which will become the European Capital of Culture in 2026.

Women at sewing machines in the Makyta Puchov textile company in 2011. (Source: Radovan Stoklasa/TASR)

Fashion could be the impetus for a change that Trencin needs, said the councils head Zuzana Bobikova.

This year, the council wants to bring representatives of fashion cities together to better support the development of the fashion business in Trencin Region. Summer Fashion Academy will follow in 2024, focusing on children and people living with disabilities. On top of that, the Fashion Street Runaway series will bring fashion to the most unexpected places.

Through the project, Bobikova believes, locals and foreigners will come to understand the importance of the principles of a responsible fashion ecosystem. She added, Trencin will become an example for other cities and regions in Europe.

WEEKEND READ

A punk rocker drives homeless people by bus

Nearly seven oclock. A freezing December, the outskirts of Bratislava. The airport, where thousands of people arrive every day, is nearby. And a homeless shelter run by the Depaul organisation is close.

Roman Hulin poses in front of bus number 163, which he personally fought for. (Source: SME)

A large building that used to house a carpentry workshop stands near the road towards the city centre. In the winter, more than 200 homeless people spend the night here. The shelter closes its doors in the morning and opens again at 19:00. Dozens of men and women, both young and old, are standing at the bus stop.

When the bus arrives, passengers climb aboard. The man behind the wheel is Roman Hulin, who initiated the brand new bus line number 163, used mostly by the homeless people travelling to and from the shelter. He closes the doors and sets off.

That is for now. Have a lovely weekend! - Peter

Do you have any tips? You can reach Peter at peter.dlhopolec@spectator.sk
Controversy over defence agreement with the US after General Prosecutor's Office voiced objections.

A US Black Hawk during a military training at Lest base. (Source: Sme)

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A defence cooperation agreement with the US has stirred a wave of discontentment in Slovakia weeks after it was first presented to the public.

The U.S.-Slovak Defence Cooperation Agreement was submitted for interdepartmental review in mid-December by Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad (OLaNO) and is backed by Foreign Affairs Minister Ivan Korcok (SaS nominee). The interdepartmental review has recently been concluded amid controversy after General Prosecutor Maros Zilinka announced on Facebook that his office submitted 35 fundamental objections.

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PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) backed the agreement on January 7, but there are concerns that some of the ruling coalition parties may be against the agreement. The US Embassy stressed in its statement that the agreement does not anticipate or authorise the permanent presence of American troops in Slovakia.

"U.S. forces are allowed only with Slovakia's consent," US Ambassador Bridget Brink stated. The agreement creates the legal basis for American investment in the Slovak military infrastructure, according to the ambassador, the defence minister and the prime minister.
https://sputniknews.com/20220106/csto-head-current-events-in-kazakhstan-threaten-its-security-territorial-integrity-1092073681.html

CSTO Head: Current Events in Kazakhstan Threaten Its Security, Territorial Integrity

CSTO Head: Current Events in Kazakhstan Threaten Its Security, Territorial Integrity

The Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Stanislav Zas, told Sputnik in an exclusive interview on Thursday how the CSTO... 06.01.2022, Sputnik International

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Sputnik: Stanislav Vasilievich, on what basis are the CSTO peacekeeping forces being brought into Kazakhstan? Secretary General: The grounds for sending the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO to the Republic of Kazakhstan are Articles 2 and 4 of the Collective Security Treaty, the Agreement on Peacekeeping Activities and, of course, the appeal of the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Kemelevich Tokayev for military assistance. This is what served as the basis for the decision by the heads of our states to conduct a peacekeeping operation. The second article of the collective security treaty states clearly and plain that in the event of a threat to the security, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty of a state, the CSTO member states immediately hold consultations to coordinate their positions and take and implement measures to provide assistance to this state. This is what happened in this case in Kazakhstan. The events that are now taking place there pose a real threat to the country's security, stability and even territorial integrity. So, we have received an appeal, held emergency consultations of the heads of state and made an appropriate decision to use the peacekeeping potential of the CSTO in order to minimize and localize these threats there. This answers the question of what was the basis for the operation.Sputnik: How long will the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO be in Kazakhstan? Secretary General: They have already begun redeployment, by the way. For how long? We expect that the period will be short. It sounds like 'for a short period' in the decision of the Collective Security Council. What kind of short period, for several days or several weeks, it will depend on the development of the situation in Kazakhstan and, of course, on the position of the Kazakh leadership. If it considers that the situation has stabilized and it is controlled by its own forces without the help of all our states, then, of course, the operation will end and all troops will be withdrawn.Sputnik: Who is part of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces; what is their total number? Secretary General: Routinely, all our [member] states with their divisions have expressed their readiness to participate [in the peacekeeping operation in Kazakhstan], and the transfer of forces has already begun. The advance team of the Russian part of the peacekeeping contingent is already in Kazakhstan and has begun fulfilling assigned tasks. In two or three hours, the first echelon of the Belarusian peacekeeping forces will be there. Gradually, I think, over the course of tomorrow [Friday], we will complete the redeployment of all our other peacekeeping units. The contingent of the collective peacekeeping force may differ in size. Currently, in accordance with the decisions that have been made, there are about 2,500 people. We will make further decisions based on the situation. We have the entire list of units, formations included in the CSTO Peacekeeping Forces, about 3,600 in total. Therefore, if necessary, we will strengthen the grouping in Kazakhstan.Sputnik: What divisions are included in the CPF? Secretary General: Different divisions, if we talk about all our [member] states. Basically, these are, of course, mobile units and divisions. The divisions are called differently - airborne troops, special operations forces, special forces. It's such a good backbone. In the CSTO, the Peacekeeping Forces [derived] from the armed forces of the member states include precisely such units that are in constant combat readiness. They are ready to complete the task without any preparation.Sputnik: Is participation in the Peacekeeping Forces of Russia's CSTO allies significant or rather symbolic? There are different data on the size of the contingent, for example, the Armenian media reported that a unit of 70 people is participating from Armenia. Secretary General: It is not about the number [of countries]. This gesture means the readiness to support Kazakhstan. All member-states to the CSTO supported [Kazakhstan]. This is important for us.Sputnik: What is the geography of the CPF deployment? All key cities or only Almaty? Secretary General: I can't talk about geography yet. This will depend on the decisions that will be made on the spot by the commander of this peacekeeping contingent in cooperation with the law enforcement and the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan, to decide where the efforts of our peacekeeping units are needed. Talking about the tasks assigned to them, they can be divided into two main ones. The first one is the protection of the most important government, strategic facilities. And the second one is providing assistance in maintaining public order so that people can feel safe. All insinuations that our units will allegedly disperse demonstrations are not true, it is not going to happen. Our CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces have other tasks. There have been speculations about some kind of invasion or something else, or even that an "occupation" was agreed, this, excuse me, is complete nonsense. To provide assistance and support to Kazakhstan in this difficult period is the main motive for the decision of the Collective Security Council. Once the situation stabilizes, another decision will be made and the peacekeeping mission will be completed. So, of course, it is very unpleasant to listen and read that we took advantage of the situation, as this is complete nonsense. I am repeating myself that the sincere desire of all our countries is to really help Kazakhstan in this difficult situation, to support our ally in this difficult time.Sputnik: It is no secret that armed gangs are now active in Kazakhstan. If they attack a facility that the Peacekeeping Force is protecting, do the forces have the authority to use weapons in return? Secretary General: Yes, in this case weapons will be used. The military personnel of the collective peacekeeping forces have this right.Sputnik: Who is appointed as the commander of the peacekeeping force? Secretary General: I do not want to get ahead of myself yet, because the appointment has not yet been formalized. The CSTO Council of Defense Ministers will decide on the appointment of the commander of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces. There is already a candidacy, but it has not yet been approved, so I dont want to announce it either. The decision will be published later.Sputnik: Could the dispatch of CSTO peacekeepers lead to a turning point in the republic? Secretary General: The situation is difficult, but it is already possible to draw a cautious conclusion based on the events that took place [last] night and this afternoon [...] Some changes to the better are already evident. As a result, we hope this trend will strengthen.Sputnik: Including with the help of the CSTO forces? Secretary General: I would like to think that these are due to the help of the CSTO as well. Right now Kazakh security forces are managing [the situation]. It is hard for them, of course, so they need some help.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220106/prayer-vigil-for-victims-of-jan-6-riot-held-at-capitol-steps-1092076445.html

Prayer Vigil for Victims of Jan 6 Riot Held at Capitol Steps

Prayer Vigil for Victims of Jan 6 Riot Held at Capitol Steps

The January 6 Capitol siege was the biggest attack on the US Capitol since the British army burned the building and other landmarks down in the War of 1812. 06.01.2022, Sputnik International

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A prayer vigil is being held on the steps of the Capitol building on Thursday to commemorate the victims of the January 6 insurrection.On January 6, 2021, a group of Trump supporters entered the US Capitol building to stop lawmakers from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election from several states that the former president claimed were fraudulent. The proceedings were interrupted but the lawmakers returned and certified the results of the election that then-candidate Joe Biden won the race. One protester was shot dead by police and numerous law enforcement and protesters were injured.Follow Sputnik's feed to find out more.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220106/scientists-name-tree-in-honor-of-leonardo-dicaprio-after-halted-logging-plans-of-the-ebo-forest-1092077139.html

Scientists Name Tree in Honor of Leonardo DiCaprio For Helping to Stop Logging of Ebo Forest

Scientists Name Tree in Honor of Leonardo DiCaprio For Helping to Stop Logging of Ebo Forest

The Uvariopsis dicaprio, named after the actor, is a small evergreen tree with glossy yellow flowers which grow at its trunk. The tree was discovered by... 06.01.2022, Sputnik International

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logging

environmentalist

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Actor Leonardo DiCaprio, aged 47, is having a tree named after him for his efforts to halt the logging of the Ebo forest in Cameroon.In July of 2020, the Cameroon government revealed approved logging plans for the forest. Of the 500,000 acres which makes up the Ebo forest, 169,000 acres had been approved for logging.DiCaprio has campaigned to protect the Ebo forest located in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, where the tree was discovered. The forest is home to diverse wildlife including endangered gorillas, elephants, and tool-using chimps. It is also the home of the Banen people who live in about 40 communities and have existed in the area for generations.DiCaprio used his social media exposure to fight the logging plans, asking followers to sign a petition. The actor has been a long-standing advocate of the environment and wildlife. His foundation, which is dedicated to addressing climate change and environmental threats, has been active since 1998.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/british-warship-collided-with-russian-hunter-killer-submarine-claims-uk-defence-ministry-1092084076.html

British Warship Collided With Russian 'Hunter-Killer' Submarine, Claims UK Defence Ministry

British Warship Collided With Russian 'Hunter-Killer' Submarine, Claims UK Defence Ministry

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has claimed that a Russian "hunter-killer" submarine collided with a Royal Navy warship, which was on a patrol mission in the North Atlantic a couple of years ago.

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The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has claimed that a Russian "hunter-killer" submarine collided with a Royal Navy warship, which was on a patrol mission in the North Atlantic a couple of years ago.The Defence Ministry released a comment on the incident after a video emerged allegedly showing the moment. It was caught on camera by a Channel 5 TV crew who were shooting for the show "Warship: Life At Sea", which airs on Monday evenings.The footage also showed the warship's commander, Thom Hobbs, saying that his vessel was "very close to the submarine" and that "if they were on the surface we would definitely see faces".The Sun cited an unnamed Royal Navy source as saying that "[the sonar device] was badly chewed up and unusable" as a result of the incident, arguing that "the crew of the submarine would have sh*t themselves".The source described the collision as a "million-to-one chance event", which they claimed must have been an accident that reportedly occurred 200 miles (321 kilometres) north of Scotland.Last year, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned that Russian submarines are allegedly "circling Britain's entire coastline", a claim that was preceded by then-US Second Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis asserting in 2020 that the US Navy no longer feels uncontested in the Atlantic.As for the "collision" incident, it comes amid ongoing tensions between Russia and the West, who accuse Moscow of preparing "an invasion" of Ukraine. The Kremlin denies the accusations as unsubstantiated, pointing to NATO's increased military activity near Russia's borders.

https://sputniknews.com/20211202/possible-russia-uk-dialogue-hampered-by-londons-remarks-on-russian-threat-1091200501.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/child-sex-offender-gang-members-among-illegal-migrants-apprehended-at-us-mexico-border-1092080141.html

Child Sex Offender, Gang Members Among Illegal Migrants Apprehended at US-Mexico Border

Child Sex Offender, Gang Members Among Illegal Migrants Apprehended at US-Mexico Border

There were 488 convicted sexual offenders among the migrants crossing the border in Fiscal Year 2021, up from 156 in Fiscal Year 2020 and 58 in Fiscal Year... 07.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-07T01:52+0000

2022-01-07T01:52+0000

2022-01-07T01:52+0000

us-mexico border

us

texas

border

criminal gang

migrant crisis

us customs and border protection (cbp)

border controls

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Two gang members and a migrant with a child sex offense conviction were apprehended by Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley Sector as part of different groups of migrants entering the US, the government agency reported.Agents detained a Salvadoran national and registered sex offender on Wednesday. He had previously been jailed in Texas in 2018 for indecency with a child by sexual conduct. He was found guilty but not deported, instead of receiving a five-year probationary sentence.He was caught for stalking and child abuse in Houston a year later, and this time he was deported. He also has a warrant out for his arrest. According to a press release, he was traveling with a 7-year-old child and her mother. Meanwhile, agents in La Joya came upon a group of six migrants attempting to avoid them on Tuesday. During the investigation, they discovered that one of the women, 22, was a member of the 18th Street gang who had been removed many times, even as recently as August.Then, on the same day, three Salvadorans, including a 28-year-old member of the MS-13 gang, were apprehended in McAllen. The gang member has also been deported previously, according to the release.Several sex offenders were apprehended by agents throughout the past holiday season. Officials reported this week that they had detained an Ecuadorian national from Atlanta, Georgia, who had previously been convicted of aggravated sodomy, child molestation, and rape. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crimes. Moreover, on the weekend, two sex offenders, even a US-registered one, were caught along with a gang member. Most of them have already been caught in the US on several occasions while trying to stay in the country over the past 9 months. Each time they were deported, but they found ways to return.According to the same CBP data, 110 gang members have been captured at the border in FY2022. In FY2021, 348 gang members were detained, down from 363 in FY2020 and dramatically lower than the 976 caught in FY2019, prompting some Republicans to worry that they are sliding past an overburdened Border Patrol.The crime rate in the border areas is also a matter of concern for local residents and lawmakers worried about the congestion of border agents, especially given the fact that the number of detained non-citizens with a criminal record in the United States increased almost fivefold in a year-to-year comparison of 2020-2021.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/dakar-rally-incident-may-have-been-terror-attack-french-foreign-minister-says-1092085780.html

Dakar Rally Incident May Have Been Terror Attack, French Foreign Minister Says

Dakar Rally Incident May Have Been Terror Attack, French Foreign Minister Says

On Tuesday, French prosecutors opened a terror probe over a 30 December explosion in Saudi Arabia targeting a car participating in the Dakar Rally that left a... 07.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-07T07:37+0000

2022-01-07T07:37+0000

2022-01-07T08:03+0000

world

france

saudi arabia

dakar rally

explosion

driver

blast

injury

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The Dakar Rally incident may have been a terror attack, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Friday, calling on Saudi Arabia to be "transparent".French prosecutors have already opened a terrorism investigation into a blast in Saudi Arabia on 30 December that badly wounded a French driver in the Dakar Rally.The explosion damaged a support vehicle for the Sodicars Racing team soon after it left the Donatello Hotel, near Jeddah's international airport, for the race route, according to rally organiser ASO. The driver, Philippe Boutron, suffered grave leg injuries. He was flown to France and placed in a medically-induced coma. By Thursday morning, the 61-year-old had emerged from the coma, his son Benoit saidThe organisers of the rally said that the incident was not related to racing, while Saudi authorities stated there was no criminal suspicion over the blast. However, shortly thereafter the French Foreign Ministry issued a contradictory statement, claiming that "an investigation by Saudi authorities is underway to determine the cause of this explosion. The possibility of a criminal act has not been ruled out".

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/dhs-reportedly-warns-us-law-enforcement-of-extremist-calls-online-on-jan-6-riot-anniversary-1092080931.html

DHS Reportedly Warns US Law Enforcement of Extremist Calls Online on Jan. 6 Riot Anniversary

DHS Reportedly Warns US Law Enforcement of Extremist Calls Online on Jan. 6 Riot Anniversary

In light of the one year anniversary of the attack on the US Capitol building, the news is shedding light on how federal law enforcement agencies are striving... 07.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-07T03:03+0000

2022-01-07T03:03+0000

2022-01-07T03:03+0000

us

police

department of homeland security (dhs)

us capitol

capitol police

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A top Department of Homeland Security official cautioned law enforcement agencies across the US about suspicious online activity advocating violence on the anniversary of the January 6 riot, but said no specific or serious plot had been identified, Axios reported Thursday.Citing an obtained memo, the outlet noted that it was sent on behalf of John Cohen, the acting undersecretary of the DHS for intelligence and analysis. It reportedly reveals an uptick in alarming online behavior in the last two days.Moreover, according to the report, another two instances are given in the memo, such as this week, a video on a forum called for a list of 93 members of Congress to be hung outside the White House. According to the video, the targeted members were involved in certifying "false" 2020 election results. It has reportedly received over 60,000 views across multiple media.Another online post calls for the death of Democratic officials, including President Joe Biden, on January 6, citing bogus election fraud charges. According to the memo, the Secret Service, Capitol Police, and DC police "are aware of this online activity, and investigations have been initiated, as appropriate." Around the time of the January 6 mayhem, multiple conspiracy theories were forged, mostly regarding the 2020 presidential elections, including the "Big Lie" theory and allegations that the FBI was behind the Capitol riot.According to research by the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab, alt-right groups actively promoted allegations over the past year that "undercover FBI" agents will be "looking to create false narratives" about candlelight vigils for those imprisoned for taking part in the riots, dubbed "political prisoners."On Tuesday, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters that they are witnessing a stronger link between social media misinformation and domestic violent extremism threats. However, during a conference call, he noted that the department is "not aware of any specific, credible threats at this point related to January 6, 2022."

https://sputniknews.com/20210625/qanon-conspiracy-theories-of-trump-becoming-president-in-august-really-worry-dhs---report-1083236623.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/ex-us-envoy-believes-american-troops-wont-leave-iraq-anytime-soon-despite-ending-combat-mission-1092097208.html

Ex-US Envoy Believes American Troops Won't Leave Iraq Anytime Soon Despite Ending 'Combat Mission'

Ex-US Envoy Believes American Troops Won't Leave Iraq Anytime Soon Despite Ending 'Combat Mission'

The American troops won't be withdrawing from the Middle East, including Iraq, former US ambassador to Syria and Algeria, Robert Ford has opined.

2022-01-07T19:32+0000

2022-01-07T19:32+0000

2022-01-07T19:32+0000

us

middle east

iraq

syria

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American troops won't be withdrawing from the Middle East, including Iraq, former US ambassador to Syria and Algeria, Robert Ford has opined in an interview with Saudi newspaper Asharq al-Awsat. He stressed that it would be ridiculous to think that Washington would make such a move in the foreseeable future.The veteran diplomat further pointed out that neither of the last two US presidents actually fulfilled their pledge to withdraw troops from the Middle East. Ford noted that the situation is unlikely to change in the years to come, although he called the recent declaration of ending the "combat mission" in Iraq something "new".At the same time, the former envoy suggested that the influence of Russia and China will be growing in the region, noting that the US is "no longer the single superpower" and that the White House is now seeking ways of sharing "responsibility for stability" with regional allies.Ford's prediction coincides with the warnings of various militia leaders in Iraq, who insisted that the declaration of ending the "combat mission" changes nothing for the country and that foreign troops, including from the US, will continue their stay. The US maintains some 2,500 soldiers in Iraq, while the rest of coalition powers keep another 1,000. Formally, they remain deployed to oversee the training of local forces and advise Baghdad.Washington thus continues to defy the January 2020 non-binding motion passed by the country's parliament. Following the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on Iraqi territory, its parliament passed a motion demanding an immediate evacuation of all foreign forces from the country.American troops are also stationed in Syria, where they had been illegally deployed without a UN Security Council mandate or an invitation from Damascus for several years now. Washington claims that they are "keeping the oil" from falling into the hands of terrorist remnants. Damascus insists that the US is simply stealing the country's natural resources.

https://sputniknews.com/20220105/rocket-reportedly-hits-near-military-base-hosting-us-forces-in-iraq-1092031364.html

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us, middle east, iraq, syria
https://sputniknews.com/20220107/flashbacks-democratic-michigan-governor-gets-reminded-how-she-led-her-own-insurrection-in-2012-1092091832.html

Flashbacks: Democratic Michigan Governor Gets Reminded How She Led Her Own 'Insurrection' in 2012

Flashbacks: Democratic Michigan Governor Gets Reminded How She Led Her Own 'Insurrection' in 2012

The first anniversary of the Capitol riot in Washington, DC, on 6 January 2022, saw a wave of statements and opinions on last year's events. Among those speaking out were Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz, Tucker Carlson, and many prominent figures from across the American political spectrum..

2022-01-07T12:36+0000

2022-01-07T12:36+0000

2022-01-07T12:36+0000

us

insurrection

gretchen whitmer

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As Americans were looking back on the events of the Capitol riot on Thursday, letting all their feelings out at those responsible for the Capitol breach, some people recalled the year 2012, when Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer "led her own 'insurrection'" in the state Capitol.Republican candidate for Michigan governor, Tudor Dixon, shared a video with a recap of the 2012 events in the Great Lakes State, pointing at how the Capitol protests at the time followed Republican proposals for a "Right to Work" law.The clip showed crowds of people flocking outside the Michigan State Capitol, with Whitmer - a Democratic state senator at the time - opening her ground-floor Capitol office window to let protesters in.Later, protesters are seen thronging the floors of the Capitol, chanting slogans, and holding up posters. Some of the demonstrators can be heard swearing at police officers and engaging in squabbles with each other.Whitmer herself has not commented on the throwback, but netizens gathered in Twitter threads to discuss it. Many recalled other incidents of what they also compared to "insurrections" that did not receive as much media attention as the Capitol riot.One user wrote about the 2011 protests in Wisconsin, which also took place in the state Capitol in Madison. The protesters - an estimated 100,000 people - were objecting to the 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, also known as the "Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill". In late February of that year, protesters basically occupied the state Capitol and even established a somewhat functioning community, dividing the government building into "sleeping" area, "medical" area, and other sectors and putting signs and posters on the walls.Another user shared a number of videos from May 2020, saying that "mobs of [far]-left rioters tried to storm the White House" calling to "lynch the president".Other netizens, however, argued that the footage shared by Tudor does not depict actions as violent as those on 6 January 2021. In January 2021, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol demanding that Congress not certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. The riot claimed the lives of five people, including that of a Capitol police officer.Democrats have accused former US President Donald Trump of instigating the rioters - something that he has denied. The accusations have continued to the present day, with President Joe Biden again mentioning them on Thursday, when he said Trump created a "web of lies" after losing the 2020 election. Trump, in turn, lambasted Biden's Capitol riot anniversary speech as "political theatre" aimed at distracting the public from the current administration's misfortunes.

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Daria Bedenko

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/frances-le-drian-says-putin-trying-to-bypass-eu-by-talking-exclusively-with-us-1092088022.html

France's Le Drian Says Putin Trying to 'Bypass' EU by Talking Exclusively With US

France's Le Drian Says Putin Trying to 'Bypass' EU by Talking Exclusively With US

The European Union has been expressing grievances over the forthcoming Geneva negotiations between Russia and the United States along with NATO. The parties are set to discuss the tense situation on the Ukrainian border, but the EU is not expected to be among those negotiating.

2022-01-07T10:18+0000

2022-01-07T10:18+0000

2022-01-07T10:18+0000

france

jean-yves le drian

europe

russia

us

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Moscow is trying to bypass the European Union by discussing Ukraine solely with the United States, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM radio Friday.His assertion echoes the sentiment earlier voiced by EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, who lamented that Brussels "cannot be a neutral spectator in the negotiations" scheduled to take place later in January in Geneva and involve Russia, the US, and NATO.Le Drian issued a statement earlier in the week, saying that he, Borrell, and several other top European officials had discussed the tensions concerning Ukraine and highlighted the importance of the bloc's participation in the talks that will impact European security.As Brussels continues to fume over their lack of involvement in the upcoming security negotiations, reports said that top European officials believe the bloc was made an outsider in the talks due to its internal divisions and weak foreign policy.Moscow and Washington are set to hold talks on 10 January in order to discuss tensions in Ukraine. Two days later, Russian negotiators will meet their NATO counterparts, with Russian security proposals to the alliance expected to be discussed.The Kremlin's proposals include the demand that NATO refrains from expanding to the east or placing offensive weapons in the countries neighbouring Russia. Washington said it is not going to respond publicly to the proposals, only noting that it is looking for a "meaningful" dialogue with Moscow. According to observers, the White House is not likely to agree to all of them, but a compromise might be possible.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/harris-new-communications-chief-rags-on-her--biden-in-old-posts-1092102249.html

Harris' New Communications Chief Rags on Her & Biden in Old Posts

Harris' New Communications Chief Rags on Her & Biden in Old Posts

New Kamala Harris Communication Director Rag on Her & Biden in Outdated Posts

2022-01-07T22:32+0000

2022-01-07T22:32+0000

2022-01-07T22:32+0000

us

communications

staff

kamala harris

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Jamal Simmons, earlier announced by Kamala Harris as her new communications director, criticized Biden and Kamala in earlier comments and called the COVID-19 vaccines janky science.The former host also doubted the efficiency of the vaccines against COVID-19 back when the Trump administration was seeking emergency use approval for one of them in 2020. He called it a janky science vaccine, while also describing the Trump administration's pandemic response as ill-managed.Simmons responded on Friday, saying that he has tweeted a lot and spoken out on public issues throughout his career and at times has been sarcastic, unclear, or just plainly missed the mark.Harris' new communications director had also previously warned that then-presidential candidate Joe Biden shouldnt get "too comfortable" with the Black vote, as he didnt gain such credibility on his own.Among other things, Simmons described then-Sen. Harris presidential campaign in 2019 as listless, unfocused.Prior to the debate I had been having bad feelings about the Harris campaign, he posted. It seemed listless, unfocused. These lackluster fundraising totals are not a surprise. Im curious to see how this changes over the summer, now that Kamalas poll numbers have increased and Biden seems more like a winged bird than the inevitable nominee.Simmons was also apparently unhappy with illegal immigrants back in 2010, calling for the US borders to be strengthened. He tweeted about two undocumented folks talking on MSNBC and asked, why is ICE not picking them up?Simmons, who previously worked as a political strategist for more than 20 years in several presidential campaigns and for a number of lawmakers, is to replace Ashley Etienne, who announced in November that she would be leaving her post in December.Other important members of Kamalas public relations staff have recently left her office, which has been dubbed a staff exodus.Among the members who have vacated their positions are Harris chief spokesperson Symone Sanders, who resigned last month, and Vincent Evans, the vice presidents deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs. Peter Velz, the director of Harris press operations, also announced his departure from the White House this week, according to Fox News.Earlier, reports have been focused on the vice president's staff changes since July, speculating that a toxic atmosphere prevails in her office. All of Harris representatives have denied these rumors, but analysts have noticed that the staffing problem is not new and similar ones have reportedly previously occurred throughout her political career.Sources told the media that only two of Harris' senior team members brought to the White House worked for her before last year, while Biden is surrounded by people who have been with him for most of his 50-year political career.Meanwhile, Harris approval ratings remain a concern for her political future, currently standing at 32 percent in comparison with 40 percent in late December and 28 percent in November.

https://sputniknews.com/20211231/watch-kamala-harris-stumble-on-inflation-question-amid-reports-she-neglects-staff-briefings-1091934944.html

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Alexandra Kashirina

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/indian-intel-warns-leaders-security-establishments-of-terrorist-attacks-during-elections-report-1092088450.html

Indian Intel Warns Leaders, Security Establishments of Terrorist Attacks During Elections: Report

Indian Intel Warns Leaders, Security Establishments of Terrorist Attacks During Elections: Report

Indian security forces have sounded a high alert in five poll-bound states after intelligence inputs suggested that some terrorist organisations may target high-profile politicians and the workforce deployed to conduct free and fair elections in these states.

2022-01-07T11:14+0000

2022-01-07T11:14+0000

2022-01-07T11:14+0000

pakistan

terrorists

punjab

uttarakhand

narendra modi

bharatiya janata party (bjp)

elections

uttar pradesh

indian national congress

manipur

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Indian security forces have sounded a high alert in five poll-bound states after intelligence inputs suggested that some terrorist organisations may target high-profile politicians and the workforce deployed to conduct free and fair elections in these states."Terrorists of various groups as well anti-social elements may plan attacks against high profile leaders", the alert, reviewed by News18.com, read.The Ministry of Home Affairs has already started deploying Central Armed Police Forces in states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Manipur.Muslims constitute 20% of the almost 240 million people living in Uttar Pradesh, while Sikhs dominate the bordering state of Punjab. Manipur is a conflict-ridden state near the Myanmar border.The federal Home Ministry is likely to deploy over 27,000 Central Armed Police Force personnel in Uttar Pradesh, which is expected to see multi-phase polling. Over 6,000 security forces will be deployed in Manipur and Punjab during the elections. The intelligence inputs suggest that terrorists or insurgents may attack the campuses of these ground forces.Intel agencies have also issued separate alerts for Punjab, which witnessed a terrorist attack last month at a court premises in Ludhiana city.The alerts mentioned a surge in drone activity near the Pakistan border, where explosives and arms have been dropped in Indian territory.On 20 December, a drone managed to escape five rounds of fire by India's Border Security Force in the Gurdaspur sector of Punjab and returned to the Pakistani side.On Thursday, the National Investigative Agency announced cash rewards for information on 10 militants involved in the killing of seven troops in Manipur last November.The Election Commission of India reviewed the law and order situation on Thursday ahead of a formal announcement of the elections scheduled in the five states.The legislative assembly elections in India are held every five years, in which people vote to elect members of state legislative assemblies. This eventually leads to the selection of a state chief from the political party that has a majority.

https://sputniknews.com/20210708/massive-election-related-violence-erupts-across-indias-uttar-pradesh-over-a-dozen-injured---video-1083338130.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/iranian-commander-vows-hard-revenge-for-soleimanis-killing-from-within-us-1092092238.html

Iranian Commander Vows Hard Revenge for Soleimani's Killing 'From Within US'

Iranian Commander Vows Hard Revenge for Soleimani's Killing 'From Within US'

Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, has warned that Iran will take "hard revenge" for the assassination of the previous head of the force, General Qassem Soleimani, and that the retribution will come "from within the US".

2022-01-07T12:12+0000

2022-01-07T12:12+0000

2022-01-07T12:12+0000

us

iran

qasem soleimani

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Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, has warned that Iran will take "hard revenge" for the assassination of the previous head of the force, General Qassem Soleimani, and that the retribution will come "from within the US".He added that Tehran will use its own tactics and methods to hold the people responsible for Soleimani's death accountable. Qaani noted that it would be "wiser" for the US to deal with the "criminals" themselves, because otherwise, the "children of the Resistance Front" will take the matter into their own hands. The commander of the Quds Force, IRGC's foreign branch, did not elaborate on what methods Iran plans to use in its revenge, but noted that ejecting American forces from the Middle East region is on that list.Soleimani's DeathGeneral Qassem Soleimani was killed on 3 January 2020 in a US drone strike as he was leaving the Baghdad airport in a car with the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The attack was ordered by then-US President Donald Trump, who claimed that Soleimani was plotting attacks against American "interests" in the region. The White House never presented evidence to support the claim.Tehran responded to the assassination five days later launching a massive missile strike on two Iraqi bases hosting American troops - the Ain al-Asad and Erbil airbases. The US servicemen there managed to get into bunkers in time before the missiles hit, but several troops still received non-fatal injuries as a result of the strike. Iran stressed that it was just the "first slap" and that true revenge will come later.

https://sputniknews.com/20220104/former-uk-envoy-tales-about-hussein-soleimani-part-of-us-record-of-systematic-deception-1092005958.html

iran

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us, iran, qasem soleimani
https://sputniknews.com/20220107/january-6-riot-exposed-americas-vulnerabilities-to-disinformation-ex-us-attorneys-say-1092081279.html

January 6 Riot Exposed Americas Vulnerabilities to Disinformation, Ex-US Attorneys Say

January 6 Riot Exposed Americas Vulnerabilities to Disinformation, Ex-US Attorneys Say

WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Barrington M. Salmon - The storming of the US Capitol by a violent mob last January exposed how susceptible Americans are to... 07.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-07T03:08+0000

2022-01-07T03:08+0000

2022-01-07T03:19+0000

us

opinion

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Earlier in the day, President Joe Biden in his speech commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Capitol attack condemned former President Donald Trump for "spreading a web of lies" about the 2020 election being stolen. Biden also called the storming of the Capitol an "armed insurrection."Chavis, who is also director of the Criminal Justice Program at Wake Forest University School of Law, citing recent polling, said a large percentage of Republicans believe Biden was not legitimately elected.Former US Assistant State Attorney in Broward County, Florida, David Cannady, said the US is still "very vulnerable," even without Trump at the forefront, but does not believe January 6 was a dry run for 2024.What concerned Americans should be watching, Cannady said, are the ways in which the Republican Party is institutionalizing voter suppression, the erasure of votes of Black and brown voters, Native Americans, Asians and young people who are likely to vote Democratic and using institutions like the courts to cement their power.Lack of Critical Thinking / ExtremismBLAQUESMITH Psychological Consultative Services President, Dr. Ramel Kweku Akyirefi Smith, told Sputnik the events of that day demonstrated that lack of critical thinking and in some cases, illiteracy, have become America's biggest vulnerability.Smith said anti-government sentiment, racial animus and the decision by Republicans in Congress and public officials in the states to use the so-called "Big Lie" to cement political control is what is driving the party at the moment.Smith lamented the erasure of subjects and programs that would enhance critical thinking."Its a civil war, a fight for the soul of the country. Its like a cancer. The disease stays dormant for a while and then comes back more aggressively than before. When you are unaware or ignore the signs, cancer will take you," Smith added. "The republic is weak now; were very vulnerable and the fact that Trump is contemplating another run shows the idiocy of this country. The country is sick and more vulnerable than ever before."Renowned musician, composer and writer Aurora Flores told Sputnik she remains deeply concerned that the US will see a reoccurrence of this type of violence.Flores, a two-time Emmy Award winner, said Americas standing globally has been damaged by the coup attempt and the continuing attempts by Republicans and white nationalist extremists to undermine or overthrow the US government.She said it is mind-boggling and deeply infuriating that the participants who committed these acts have gotten incredibly light sentences.Flores also said there is no doubt the situation would have been different if the rioters were not white.The rioters, she added, carried mace, were fully armed, and wore uniforms."Everyone will end up killing each other," Flores warned. "I am very, very sad at whats happening but most of all, Im really terrified."

https://sputniknews.com/20220106/one-year-since-capitol-riot-obama-sanders-clinton-cruz-and-others-weigh-in-on-6-january-events-1092070718.html

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us, opinion, capitol, capitol police, capitol building, riot, attorney
https://sputniknews.com/20220107/juror-in-ghislaine-maxwell-trial-didnt-tell-court-he-was-victim-of-sexual-abuse-media-says--1092093380.html

Juror in Ghislaine Maxwell Trial Didnt Tell Court He Was Victim of Sexual Abuse, Media Says

Juror in Ghislaine Maxwell Trial Didnt Tell Court He Was Victim of Sexual Abuse, Media Says

Maxwell groomed young girls and women for US financier Jeffrey Epstein who sexually abused them. On 30 December, she was found guilty on five out of six counts. Her lawyers have insisted she is innocent.

2022-01-07T13:56+0000

2022-01-07T13:56+0000

2022-01-07T13:56+0000

society

us

jeffrey epstein

appeal

rape

sexual abuse

jury

mistrial

uk

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One of the jurors in Ghislaine Maxwell trial didnt tell the court he was a victim of sexual abuse, The Telegraph reported, citing its sources. The man, who has used the name Scotty David in several interviews, told the media that he spoke about his childhood trauma with other jurors while they were deciding on the verdict in the case and that his story helped assuage doubts about the testimonies of the witnesses.Mr David said he couldnt remember whether he revealed information about his past when the jury was being selected as required by the rules in order to establish an atmosphere of impartiality. However, a source told The Telegraph that David had answered no to a question when he was filling in a questionnaire. "He did not fill the questionnaire out correctly, then there were several questions that should have picked up same subject", the insider told the newspaper.The said question read: There were three answers: Yes (self), Yes (friend or relative), and No.Scotty David has insisted that he "flew through" 50 questions and answered them "honestly". David stressed that the issue was never raised when the jurors were interviewed. 'Its an Absolute Disaster'The revelations have increased Ghislaine Maxwells chances to receive a retrial. Her legal team has insisted she is innocent and vowed to appeal the verdict. Legal experts say Davids statement paves the way for two scenarios: an investigation into perjury or a mistrial due to the fact that a preconceived opinion may have swayed the jury. It appears Scotty David is not the only person who may have misled the court. Another juror in the case, who spoke with The New York Times, said that during deliberations they also shared that they had experienced sexual abuse, which appeared to help shape the jurys discussions.Mr David corroborated the NYTs story, saying that his own revelation led a second individual to open up about their trauma. The revelations prompted US State Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams to call for an inquiry into the issue. Scotty David hired a lawyer after authorities advised him to get legal representation. Neama Rahmani, the president of West Coast Trial Lawyers and a former federal prosecutor, said the revelations have dealt a big blow to the prosecution.Ghislaine Maxwell is the daughter of British billionaire Robert Maxwell. In 2019, she was thrown into the media spotlight after her ex-boyfriend and life companion Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on charges of running a sex trafficking network of minors. Multiple women came forward with accusations against Epstein, detailing how he had sexually abused them.They also said that Maxwell played an important role in Epstein's crime empire  she lured young women and girls into the hands of the late financier by promising them a well-paid job in the house of a millionaire. Some said she took part in the abuse herself.She was arrested in July 2020 and indicted on charges of sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking of a minor, as well as enticing a minor as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts. On 30 December 2021, the jury found her guilty on five out of six counts, including the most serious charge  sex trafficking of a minor. During the trial, her lawyers insisted that the prosecution was making her a scapegoat for Epsteins crimes and its own failure to bring the financier to court.Epstein, who rubbed shoulders with presidents, prime ministers, and royals, was found hanged in prison on 10 August 2019, a month after his arrest. The New York City Medical Examiners Office concluded that his death was a suicide. However, a forensic pathologist hired by his family suggested that evidence pointed to the financier potentially having been strangled.

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Max Gorbachev

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Max Gorbachev

society, us, jeffrey epstein, appeal, rape, sexual abuse, jury, mistrial, uk
https://sputniknews.com/20220107/norwegian-vaccine-researcher-says-pandemic-over-for-most-health-authorities-beg-to-differ-1092083684.html

Norwegian Vaccine Researcher Says Pandemic 'Over for Most', Health Authorities Beg to Differ

Norwegian Vaccine Researcher Says Pandemic 'Over for Most', Health Authorities Beg to Differ

According to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the novel Omicron strain only causes around a third or half as serious a disease as the previously dominant Delta strain, yet is more infectious.

2022-01-07T05:49+0000

2022-01-07T05:49+0000

2022-01-07T05:49+0000

omicron covid strain

news

norway

scandinavia

covid-19

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Fully vaccinated people shouldn't be particularly worried about infection, immunologist and vaccine researcher Gunnveig Grdeland at the University of Oslo has ventured, suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic is effectively over for the majority of the country's population which has had their two shots and are in the process of getting boosters.Grdeland is optimistic and thinks it is not long before peak infection is reached. In the next few months, with more infected and vaccinated, an increased protection among the population will be formed, she ventured. Vaccination yields extra protection, she reiterated."For the fully vaccinated, infection will be associated with very little risk. At the same time, if we get a lot of infection in society and an overload of the healthcare systemthen it will affect the rest of us as well. But on average, fully vaccinated people don't have to be so worried about infection", Grdeland told NRK.However, the Norwegian Directorate of Health pointed out that too many infected people could exhaust the capacity of the health service, which is already running in overdrive.The same thought was echoed by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, who explicitly disagreed with Grdeland and said that infections were likely to increase sharply.Earlier this week, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) stated "with a high degree of probability" that the novel Omicron strain only causes around a third or half as serious a disease as the previously dominant Delta strain. At the same time, Omicron is seen as more infectious than its predecessors. The FHI therefore expects a significant wave of infections in the coming weeks and a significant burden on the health service.The same week, a record in daily case count was set with over 8,000 confirmed cases. FHI technical director Frode Forland said he expected the infection wave to reach its peak at the end of January.

https://sputniknews.com/20211222/norway-registers-stoltenberg-effect-as-citizens-queue-for-moderna-boosters-1091708076.html

norway

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Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60

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Igor Kuznetsov

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Igor Kuznetsov

news, norway, scandinavia, covid-19
https://sputniknews.com/20220107/stock-of-company-linked-to-trumps-social-media-app-on-sharp-rise-as-launch-date-set---report-1092078285.html

Stock of Company Linked to Trump's Social Media App on Sharp Rise as Launch Date Set - Report

Stock of Company Linked to Trump's Social Media App on Sharp Rise as Launch Date Set - Report

The news comes as Trump's new Twitter-like social platform is reported to be set to launch some 13 months after Trump was banned from virtually all mainstream... 07.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-07T00:43+0000

2022-01-07T00:43+0000

2022-01-07T00:43+0000

donald trump

us

trump

stock

twitter

stock market

social media

app

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Following news that an upcoming TRUTH Social app endorsed by former US President Donald Trump has set a target launch date of February 21, shares of the firm linked to the app spiked dramatically, CNBC reported on Thursday.Digital World Acquisition Corp., a blank-check provider, had its stock rise about 20% at the end of the trading day, on much higher-than-average activity, while the app was reported to be listed on the Apple's App Store's docs, according to CNBC.The app, according to Reuters, is now available for pre-order ahead of its launch on Presidents' Day in the United States. And the app reportedly includes features similar to Twitter, such as the ability to follow other users and trending topics. "Truth" will be the messaging equivalent of a tweet.Trump's company is being promoted as a viable alternative to social media behemoths Twitter and Meta (ex-Facebook), who have both banned him on the basis of claims that he instigated the insurgency at the US Capitol on January 6 last year.Thus, when DWAC and the Trump Media & Technology Group announced their merger in October, the stock price of DWAC skyrocketed from roughly $10 per share to as high as $175 per share as individual investors flocked to the company. However, in recent months, that price has dropped significantly. On Thursday, it finished at $60.27 per share.The stock price of TMTG is reportedly evaluated at $5.3 billion.DWAC is a so-called special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), and like other SPACs, it was formed with no core business other than to acquire cash from the public stock markets with the intention of selecting a firm to merge with or buy with that money in two years or less. Before the merger transaction was announced in December, DWAC revealed in a public filing that two financial regulators, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, had launched investigations into stock trading and interactions with Trump's organization at the request of Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

https://sputniknews.com/20211022/trading-of-trump-social-media-app-linked-stock-halted-repeatedly-after-turning-into-memestock-1090141038.html

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Kirill Kurevlev

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Kirill Kurevlev

donald trump, us, trump, stock, twitter, stock market, social media, app
https://sputniknews.com/20220107/sweden-talks-nato-with-finland-as-supreme-commander-slams-russian-security-proposals-1092083186.html

Sweden Talks NATO With Finland as Supreme Commander Slams Russian Security Proposals

Sweden Talks NATO With Finland as Supreme Commander Slams Russian Security Proposals

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has held talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto about the countries' rights to join alliances amid Russia's security demands that include guarantees on NATO's non-expansion.

2022-01-07T05:10+0000

2022-01-07T05:10+0000

2022-01-07T05:10+0000

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Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson has held talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto about the countries' rights to join alliances amid Russia's security demands that include guarantees on NATO's non-expansion."In light of the developments in and around Ukraine and the deteriorating security situation in our immediate area, I have just spoken to Finnish President Niinisto and will hold talks with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg. The government is also in dialogue with the US administration", Andersson added, as her Foreign Minister Ann Linde has landed in Washington to discuss Russia's security proposals.In the coming three days, Linde will have a series of meetings in the American capital with, among others, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and President Joe Biden's Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer.Meanwhile, the Russian security demands presented in a draft in late December, were slammed by Swedish Supreme Commander Micael Byden. According to him, Russia's demands on the US and NATO would stop the Swedish military's exercises and cooperation with the outside world.Earlier in December, Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist dismissed Russia's security proposals as "unacceptable".Why the Urgency?New Year's speeches by Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sanna Marin, in which they emphasised the opportunity to ally militarily and apply for NATO membership is an inherent part of the freedom of choice, galvanised the perennial NATO debate in both Nordic countries.While formally non-aligned, both Finland and Sweden have been inching closer toward NATO through a plethora of joint drills and training activities, military acquisitions from the US and its partners, and participation in overseas missions.During his visit to Helsinki in the autumn of 2021, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated that the alliance's doors remained open for Finland.Inside both Finland and Sweden, the staunch political sentiment in favour of joining NATO is represented, among others, by members of the top brass and several parties, including the Finnish liberal-conservative National Coalition, currently ahead in the polls and the Swedish Moderates, currently billed as the largest opposition party.Russian Security ProposalsOn 17 December, Russia's Foreign Ministry published two draft agreements on mutual security guarantees with the US and NATO.Among other things, NATO is asked to scale down its military activities in nations that joined after 1997 and stop advancing eastward to former Soviet republics. At the same time, both NATO and Russia are required to refrain from to deploying intermediate- and short-range missiles within striking distance of each other. Similarly, both parties are required to refrain from drills above the brigade level near an agreed-upon border zone, to regularly exchange information and to establish hot lines for emergency contacts.Despite assurances of non-expansion that were provided to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev during the demise of the USSR, NATO has since expanded in multiple waves to include swaths of the former Warsaw Pact and even some ex-Soviet republics, such as the Baltics (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia). Nevertheless, the Western media never ceases to frame Russia as "assertive" and "aggressive".

https://sputniknews.com/20220102/finnish-pm-president-on-nato-finland-should-keep-options-open-may-join-at-will-1091971941.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/talks-with-russia-us-reportedly-ready-to-propose-scaling-back-troop-deployment-in-eastern-europe-1092098691.html

Talks With Russia: US Reportedly Ready to Propose Scaling Back Troop Deployment in Eastern Europe

Talks With Russia: US Reportedly Ready to Propose Scaling Back Troop Deployment in Eastern Europe

Negotiations between Russia and the United States are scheduled to take place in the Swiss city of Geneva on 10 January, with talks between Moscow and NATO to follow on 12 January. The parties are set to discuss the tensions around Ukraine.

2022-01-07T17:19+0000

2022-01-07T17:19+0000

2022-01-07T18:08+0000

us

russia

eastern europe

ukraine

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The United States is ready to propose scaling back its troop deployment and military drills in Eastern Europe in the upcoming talks with Russia, NBC reported Friday, citing a current administration official and two former US national security officials familiar with the plans.According to the report, the Biden administration is considering suggesting that both the US and Russia address the scope of their military drills in the region. Aside from this, the White House is reportedly ready to discuss the number of American troops stationed in the Baltic States and Poland, advance notice about the movement of forces, and Moscows nuclear-capable Iskander missiles in the Russian territory of Kaliningrad, situated between Poland and Lithuania. The news follows previous pledges by the Biden administration to respond with harsh sanctions in the event of Russian "military aggression" against Ukraine. Now, given the reported new suggestions for the upcoming talks, Washington expects reciprocal steps from Russia to scale back its forces in the region.Currently, per NBCs estimations, some 6,000 US troops are deployed in Eastern Europe out of more than 70,000 stationed in Europe.Russia and the US are expected to hold talks in Geneva in regard to the situation on the Ukrainian border on 10 January. Two days after, NATO and Moscow are scheduled to discuss the security proposals from the Kremlin that include the demand that the alliance does not expand eastwards or place offensive weapons in the countries neighbouring Russia.On Friday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg asserted that NATO will not compromise during the talks with Russia on its basic principle that any country may choose its own defence alliances.Still, Stoltenberg underlined that the alliance is ready to engage in a dialogue with Moscow, in order to "make every effort to ensure a political path forward."Tensions in Eastern EuropeRussia has been accused of beefing up its military presence near the Ukrainian border, but denied the accusations, arguing that it has the right to relocate troops within its territory at its own discretion. For its part, NATO's military activity near Russias borders poses a threat to the countrys security, the Kremlin underlined.In the run-up to the forthcoming security talks in Geneva, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said the US and Germany believe Russia's actions in Eastern Europe present an immediate challenge to stability in the region.However, Blinken underlined that the US remains ready to resolve the issues via diplomacy. He noted that if Russia is serious about de-escalating tensions, the United States could take steps to build greater confidence and address the issues, even though some of them - particularly those concerning arms control - will take time.

https://sputniknews.com/20211224/russia-will-respond-with-adequate-military-measures-to-hostile-actions-by-the-west-moscow-warns-1091772942.html

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Daria Bedenko

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Daria Bedenko

us, russia, eastern europe, ukraine
https://sputniknews.com/20220107/the-collective-security-treaty-organization-csto-sends-peacekeepers-to-kazakhstan-1092079488.html

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Sends Peacekeepers to Kazakhstan

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Sends Peacekeepers to Kazakhstan

Multilateral peacekeeping forces have begun arriving in Kazakhstan to stop the violent uprisings and stabilize the situation. 07.01.2022, Sputnik International

2022-01-07T11:25+0000

2022-01-07T11:25+0000

2022-01-07T11:25+0000

ukraine

japan

australia

the critical hour

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radio

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The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Sends Peacekeepers to Kazakhstan Multilateral peacekeeping forces have begun arriving in Kazakhstan to stop the violent uprisings and stabilize the situation.

Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss Kazakhstan. Multilateral peacekeeping forces have begun arriving in Kazakhstan to stop the violent uprisings and stabilize the situation. The troops include security and protection for Russia's space center and related facilities.Dr. Yolandra Hancock, board-certified pediatrician and obesity medicine specialist, joins us to discuss COVID-19. A critical increase in Omicron infections is having a dramatic impact on the economy as many businesses are unable to field enough employees to operate.Ajamu Baraka, 2016 US vice-presidential candidate for the Green Party, joins us to discuss Ukraine. Baraka explains the situation in Ukraine, and argues that those who desire peace should be motivated to try and halt this potentially extinction-level disaster foisted upon the world by the Biden administration.George Koo, journalist, social activist, and international business consultant, joins us to discuss Asia. In another move to increase tension in the Asia Pacific region, Japan and Australia have signed a defense treaty that will allow their militaries to enter and leave each other's nations with much less effort. Also, North Korea began the year with another missile test.Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, joins us to discuss the Middle East. For the third day in a row, US bases came under attack in Iraq. While no one was injured, it appears that 2022 will be a year of continuous attacks against US troops in Iraq and Syria.Leo Flores, Latin America coordinator for Code Pink, joins us to discuss the Global South. The neoliberal economic model in Brazil is producing miserable working conditions and pay for most workers. Therefore, it appears that the nation will follow the rest of the continent in a leftward direction when, and if, former leader Lula De Silva is swept back into office.Nick Davies, peace activist and author of "Blood on Our Hands: The American Invasion of Iraq," joins us to discuss the Pentagon budget. William Hartung writes about many of the issues that are created by selling weapons to despotic regimes. He explains why these moves undermine US security interests worldwide.Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "America's Undeclared War," joins us to discuss the upcoming meeting between US and Russian diplomats regarding Russia's security demands.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/us-faa-says-disruptions-to-flights-still-possible-due-to-5g-despite-deal-with-att-verizon-1092099878.html

US FAA Says Disruptions to Flights Still Possible Due to 5G Despite Deal With AT&T, Verizon

US FAA Says Disruptions to Flights Still Possible Due to 5G Despite Deal With AT&T, Verizon

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a warning that the launch of 5G networks might result in disruptions of flights in the country, despite the contingencies undertaken in 50 airports to prevent that.

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The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a warning that the launch of 5G networks might result in disruptions of flights in the country, despite the contingencies undertaken in 50 airports to prevent that. The agency cites differences between the precautions taken at US airports and those taken in France as the reason for the concerns.Both countries introduced buffer zones, preventing 5G signals from affecting aircraft equipment, such as altimeters. However, while in France the buffer covers the first 96 seconds of flight, in the US it only covers 20 seconds, the FAA said. In addition, lower power levels for 5G signal transmitters are 2.5 times higher than those permitted in France near airports, the agency stressed.French authorities also directed that 5G antennas be tilted downward to further reduce the effect on airplane equipment, while there is no such requirement in the US, the FAA said.As a result, US airports risk facing flight disruptions "during low visibility", which will prompt "flight cancellations, diverted flights, and delays".The FAA struck a deal on 3 January with the country's biggest network operators, AT&T and Verizon, so that they would delay the deployment of C-Band spectrum in 5G networks by two weeks and introduce buffer zones at 50 American airports. The number of airports was limited at the network operators' request.The agency said on its website that it still is going to make use of the delay to 5G's full launch to evaluate how different aircraft equipment reacts to 5G network waves and thus determine which steps need to be taken to prevent disruptions in the future.

https://sputniknews.com/20220104/verizon-att-agree-to-delay-5g-rollout-for-two-weeks-after-plea-from-airline-industry-1092006691.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/virus-sniffing-dogs-becoming-popular-alternative-for-covid-19-tests-reports-say-1092080705.html

Virus-Sniffing Dogs Becoming Popular Alternative For COVID-19 Tests, Reports Say

Virus-Sniffing Dogs Becoming Popular Alternative For COVID-19 Tests, Reports Say

Virus-Sniffing Dogs Are Becoming Popular Replacement For COVID-19 Tests, Reports Say

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Coronavirus-sniffing pups, trained to detect infected people, were employed by Massachusetts police to scour schools before they open back up for students, the New York Post reported on Thursday.They love to work, Bristol County Sheriffs spokesman Jonathan Darling told CBS News. And then when theyre not working, they just want to give you kisses and we love it.The sheriffs office sent two labradors for skills development training at Florida International University (FIU), which trains dogs to detect the scent of novel coronavirus on people and surfaces. The Global Forensic and Justice Center at FIU's campus in Miami has specialized in olfactory training since 1993 and added COVID to its list last year, according to the New York Post.Earlier, the New York-based pet services company BARK also sent its dogs for training so that they help them find COVID-19 before their return to office plan. The dogs were very sweet to our human employees and played well with our four-legged ones, said company spokesperson Stacie Grissom on Thursday.Heather Junqueira, owner of BioScent company in Florida, where BARK dogs were trained, said that she started experimenting before the first lockdowns.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220107/youre-pissing-me-off-meeting-of-european-israeli-officials-allegedly-turns-into-verbal-brawl-1092089664.html

'You're Pissing Me Off!': Meeting of European, Israeli Officials Allegedly Turns Into Verbal Brawl

'You're Pissing Me Off!': Meeting of European, Israeli Officials Allegedly Turns Into Verbal Brawl

Two weeks ago, a delegation of over a dozen European diplomats and ambassadors arrived in Israel in order to discuss the situation in the West Bank. However, the atmosphere of the meeting was reported to be rather far from diplomatic.

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A recent meeting between an Israeli Foreign Ministry official and a European diplomatic delegation devolved into a shouting match when the participants tried to discuss the situation in the West Bank and the treatment of Palestinians, Walla News has reported, citing three European and Israeli diplomats.According to the report, the British-led European delegation arrived in Jerusalem in order to lodge a protest against the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank, particularly voicing concerns about violence by settlers against them. Aside from this, the officials were said to have highlighted their objections to settlement building plans and other issues. Concerns were expressed regarding Israel's advancement in the contentious E1 area between Jerusalem and the settlement of Ma'ale Adumim, along with building plans in the Givat Hamatos neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.The delegation's concerns, however, met little appreciation from Aliza Bin Noun - Israel's former ambassador to France, now serving as the director of the European Affairs Department at the Foreign Ministry, who took part in the meeting.The European diplomats who participated in the meeting shared with Walla News that the atmosphere of the meeting quickly spiralled out of control and deteriorated. Some of the officials tried to smooth things over but failed, and the discussion ended up in a "major crisis".Israel welcomed a new government last June. Shortly after being sworn in, the new authorities announced thousands of permits for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to work in Israel and approved many building applications in Area C of the West Bank - a move that has not been seen in years, as noted by The Times of Israel.In late October, Israel announced plans to build more than 3,000 new settlement units in the West Bank. Such plans received condemnation from the United States, with State Department spokesperson Ned Price slamming the project as "completely inconsistent with efforts to lower tensions and to ensure calm, and damages the prospects for a two-state solution".The territories of the West Bank controlled by Israel are seen by the Palestinians as part of their future state. While Tel Aviv faces accusations from critics of "stealing" the land, it argues that it was never privately owned. Additionally, Israel views the West Bank as historically Jewish land.

https://sputniknews.com/20220106/west-might-not-like-house-demolitions-but-israel-doesnt-have-any-other-options-1092054849.html

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A pair of 1:51.3 miles topped the Thursday (Jan. 6) action at Miami Valley Raceway with GD Western Joe (Chris Page) elevated to winner of the $30,000 Open I Pace and Ubuntu (Dan Noble) demolishing a field of $30,000 claiming pacers.

GD Western Joe is barely visible winning (via disqualification) the first $30,000 Open I Pace of the Miami Valley meet

along the inside of Blank Stare and Sectionline Bigry. (Conrad Photo)

Blank Stare actually reached the finish line first in the Open, but was found guilty of drifting into Sectionline Bigry, causing him to check slightly late in the stretch drive. When the lane along the pylons opened up it allowed GD Western Joe to close with a rush and finish second before ultimately being named the official winner by the judges.

It was the 34th career win for GD Western Joe, trained by Ron Burke, and raised the seven-year-old son of Real Desires bankroll to $727,030.

Ubuntu used gate-to-wire tactics to trounce his foes and earn his fourth straight victory in Ohio. Following a victory in a $12,500 claimer at Hollywood Dayton in early December, the five-year-old Pet Rock gelding has reeled off another pair of triumphs in $15,000 claiming events before double jumping in class to secure this latest success against $30,000 claiming competition for trainer Christi Pokornowski and Norman Rae Racing.

Racing will resume Sunday afternoon with the regular 4:05 p.m. post time. Miami Valley features racing on a Sunday through Thursday schedule in 2022.

(With files from Miami Valley Raceway)
China calls for prudent action on Korean Peninsula issue

Xinhua) 09:37, January 07, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- All relevant parties should act prudently and make joint efforts to promote the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Thursday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to media reports that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has confirmed it successfully launched a hypersonic missile.

Wang said China hopes that all relevant parties will keep in mind the big picture of peace and stability, speak and act prudently, stick to the right approach of dialogue and consultation, and work together to promote the political settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
Century Mile Racetrack and Casino is pleased to announce that accomplished track announcer and handicapper, Shannon Sugar Doyle has accepted the role of Racing and Wagering Development Manager and will join Century Mile in February 2022.

Sugar will be the voice and face of racing at Century Mile, utilizing his talent and previous experience in the booth most recently at The Raceway at the Western Fair District in London, Ontario. Previously Sugar called the races at Fort Erie and the defunct Northlands Park as well as the summer of 2020 at Century Mile.

Additionally in the new role, Doyle will be responsible for the growth of racing-related revenues for both Century Mile and Century Downs in Rocky View County, Alberta.

Sugar brings a professional air and elevated level of excitement to the booth and on-air production, noted Paul Ryneveld, Managing Director - Racing. We (the Alberta Racing Industry) are excited to have him back and look forward to his valuable contributions to horse racing. Sugar understands horse racing and what bettors, horse owners and fans experience at the racetrack as well as what is needed to elevate that experience. This is an exciting opportunity to grow what has been started.

The two facilities are poised to capture market share and grow racing in Alberta and Western Canada and Doyle will work closely with the two racing teams and industry members to elevate the product, increase distribution and wagering on all facets of live horse racing at the two facilities.

"This is a very exciting opportunity for me in racing and one that I could not pass up! remarked Doyle. Working the summer of 2020 at Century Mile was a wonderful experience and I'm so looking forward to returning and staying this time around. There's so much potential, for growth, in Alberta horse racing... I've been fortunate to be alongside some very knowledgeable people, at the tracks I've worked, over the years. We'll take what I've learned and put it all in play going forward in Alberta."

(Century Mile)
After making a Grand Circuit splash at four, speedy pacer Poseidon Seelster has returned to the racetrack after a four-month break and appears ready to tussle with the top class at Woodbine Mohawk Park.

Lining up in a field of five during the opening qualifier on a chilly Friday morning at Woodbine Mohawk Park, the now five-year-old gelded son of Sunshine Beach made every call a winning one in his first appearance of 2022. With driver Trevor Henry at the controls, Poseidon Seelster paced through panels of :30, :58.2 and 1:26.2 before opening up in the stretch with a :28.3 closer to trip the timer nearly seven lengths the best in a time of 1:55.

Owned by trainer Don Lindsey of Fergus along with Paul Kleinpaste, Orangeville, Garth Bechtel of Meaford and expat Will Alempijevic of Forest Hills, N.Y., Poseidon Seelster (Sunshine Beach - Porsche Seelster) made 12 starts as a four-year-old, won three and finished in the top three in half of his seasonal starts. He took his lifetime mark of 1:47.4 in a leg of the Graduate Series at The Meadowlands and finished second by a head to Cattlewash in the Graduate Final. The career bankroll of the OSS graduate stands at $256,080.

The full qualifying session is available for viewing below.

To view the results from the Friday qualifiers, click the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park (Qualifiers).
A Gering man accused of pulling a handgun during an argument with his wife has been sentenced to two years probation.

Scotts Bluff County District Court Judge Leo Dobrovolny sentenced Donovan Santos, 41, during a hearing held on Dec. 20.

Santos had been arrested earlier this year by Gering Police after officers responded to his home on Pappas Boulevard on Jan. 18. Santos wife told police he had struck her across the face and grabbed a handgun during an altercation, saying he was going to kill himself.

The woman told police that he had been intoxicated at the time. She told police she had thrown a ketchup bottle when Santos slapped her and sprayed her with Lysol. He also retrieved a handgun, kicking a door off its hinges before she and her children got out of the home. She said he had also threatened to kill police if they showed up.

Gering officers requested assistance from surrounding agencies, including the Nebraska State Patrol and the SWAT team led by the Scottsbluff Police Department, and evacuated local homes. Police attempted to make contact with Donavan for 2 1/2 hours before they pulled back and ended perimeter security. Authorities obtained a warrant for Santos arrest, arresting him the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 19.

According to court documents, Santos agreed to a plea agreement in September, with prosecutors agreeing to dismiss felony terroristic threats and third-degree domestic assault charges against him stemming from the incident. An amended charge of third-degree assault, a Class I misdemeanor, was filed. Santos pleaded no contest to that charge.

A probation order requires Santos to complete the adult drug court program, according to online court records.

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Serving food to over 100 senior citizens from all over the valley, the Gering Senior Center is in desperate need of financial help, according to Gering Senior Board President Judith JD Anderson. With where the board stands right now, she said, theyll have just enough for just a few more months of operation before it has to close down.

I think weve got maybe three months funds before we go belly up, she said.

Anderson said the board noticed an issue with the finances after its previous treasurer died, and the financial paperwork was taken from his home and gone through more thoroughly by the entire board.

We didnt really have bank statements because they were done electronically, and we didnt have the checks written into a register, she said. Its taken our new treasurer since September to get it all unscrambled.

Once the financials were all settled, the board realized that funding was short. While they get support from the Aging Office of Western Nebraska and the City of Gering, they are still not sitting in the best shape.

The board is in charge of keeping this building completely repaired. So, thats what we have to get the money for; we have to keep it repaired, Anderson said. We have to get the electrical and utilities paid, we have to have the insurance paid.  (We have to do) maintenance.

Anderson said the City of Gering rents the building out to the board for $1 for 99 years, as well as provides some additional funding, and the Aging Office of Western Nebraska pays for the meals served out of the center as well as anything that goes with renting the center from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, including insurance. The problem is utilities, Anderson said.

The Aging Office pays to rent the place from seven in the morning till two in the afternoon. Gering city gives us a certain amount of funding every month, she said. Our problem came up when the electric bill went up and the utilities went up, and nobody noticed theyd gone up.

Anderson said its important to keep the center open as it serves more than just aging residents of Gering.

We have more people in Scottsbluff (on our food delivery routes) than we have in Gering. Way more, she said. We go all the way out beyond County (Road) 20 and 42nd Street. We go to Minatare; we go to Melbeta.

She added that many seniors come in for dominoes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays, bingo on Thursdays and for general sense of community and companionship.

If they want to come in and do puzzles, (they can). Weve got the pool table back here. They come in and they play pool.  Its open so they can come in and do activities. We usually are done between three and four in the afternoon.

Anderson said they are even open to other activities or groups coming in if others have ideas.

We are open, and wed be happy to have more activities. Id love to do some crafts here.  if anybody was interested, she said.

However, in order for there to still be an operated building in which to have these activities, the Gering Senior Board needs help in the finance department. The board currently has a soup supper fundraiser planned later this month which will be free-will donation and open to the entire community. It will take place Jan. 23 from 2-4 p.m. at the Gering Senior Center, 2005 Depot St. Take-out will be available.

Anderson also said that theyd like to apply for different grants but need some help with that as well.

If theres somebody that knows how to write a grant, we would love to have them offer (volunteer). We do keep track of everyone that has activities, so we can show that we are utilizing it (the building), and we can show how many people were feeding. We have the documentation for it, she said. We need help with some of the more technical part.

The board is also looking for more board members (must be 60 or older) and meal delivery volunteer drivers. Anyone interested in helping out in any way can contact the center at 308-436-3233.

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At the local level, Nebraska voters can initiate a recall to remove an elected official, but no such mechanism exists for the state's highest offices.

On Thursday, Sen. Tom Briese of Albion introduced a constitutional amendment (LR268CA) that would give Nebraskans an option to remove governors and state senators from office.

"We're talking about the second house here," Briese said. "If a mistake has been made by the voters, they should have the ability to correct that mistake prior to the next election."

Nineteen states  Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin  and the District of Columbia permit the recall of state officials.

Virginia also has a process to recall state officials, where petitioners submit signatures to a circuit court for a trial. The court then decides whether or not to remove the state official from office.

Only four governors have faced a recall election in U.S. history, and only two of those recalls were successful, according to Rutgers University's Center on the American Governor.

North Dakota Gov. Lynn Frazier was recalled from office in 1921 and California Gov. Gray Davis was removed from office in 2003. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin survived a 2012 recall, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom was easily retained in office during a 2021 recall election.

Briese said he believes Nebraskans would use the recall process for state officials judiciously: "My hope would be that it would be rarely used, but I still think Nebraskans ought to have the option to do that."

If passed by the Legislature, the proposed constitutional amendment would go before voters in November's general election.

Approval from voters would send the measure back to lawmakers to draft how the recall process would ultimately work, Briese said.

Currently, Nebraska is among 30 states that allow local elected officials to be recalled, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Two school board officials  one in Waverly, the other in the Leyton district  are facing recall elections next week over school-related COVID-19 guidelines.

Saunders County voters recalled the chair of the county board of commissioners in December following approval of a solar energy farm.

The process outlined in state law says officials cannot be recalled in their first six months in office, nor can they be recalled within six months of the incumbent filing deadline to seek reelection.

To recall most local elected officials, petitioners have 30 days to gather a number of signatures equal to 35% of the total votes cast for that office in the most recent election.

The Legislature, under a power reserved in Article III-17 of the state constitution, has the power to impeach state officials if a majority of the 49 members agree on doing so.

Briese said he thinks the Legislature realizes the importance of giving the people  often referred to as the "second house"  an option to remove elected leaders from state office.

"It's an effort to put a little more power in the hands of Nebraskans," he said. "Any time you can do that, it's a good thing."

Other bills introduced Thursday include:

RANKED CHOICE VOTING: Omaha Sen. John McCollister sponsored a bill (LB793) allowing for ranked choice voting for certain city or village offices.

NONPARTISAN ELECTION: A bill (LB794), also from McCollister, would change the offices of state treasurer and state auditor to nonpartisan positions.

JUVENILE CONFINEMENT: Juvenile detention facilities would be required to report to the Legislature the number of times juveniles were confined to their rooms, for how long, and other incidents under a bill (LB810) from Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh.

VACCINE ADMINISTRATION: Pharmacy technicians could administer certain vaccines, under a proposal (LB812) from Omaha Sen. Robert Hilkemann.

RACIAL IMPACT: The Legislative Research Office would be required to prepare racial impact statements for each bill introduced, under a proposal (LB814) from Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney.

DIAPER CHANGING TABLES: McKinney also introduced a bill (LB815) requiring hotels, restaurants, gas stations, theaters, auditoriums or other facilities with public restrooms to make diaper changing tables available in both women's and men's restrooms.

PRIMARY CITY: Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen's bill (LB820) would increase the population threshold for cities of the metropolitan class from 300,000 to 400,000, which would keep Lincoln designated as a city of the primary class as its population surpasses the 300,000 mark.

INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS: Hansen also introduced a bill (LB821) providing state aid to municipalities in the form of grants to help pay for infrastructure projects.

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS: Omaha Sen. Rich Pahls sponsored legislation (LB833) eliminating the statute of limitations for sexual assault of a child.

ANTI-ISRAEL: Public entities would be required to obtain a written certification that contracted companies will not engage in a boycott of Israel, under a bill (LB845) from Sen. Julie Slama of Sterling.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS

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Every summer, students flood offices as unpaid interns, soaking up knowledge and seeking positive references as they take lunch orders and organize storage closets. But this reliance on unpaid work leaves behind students who cant afford to work for free. Between temporarily relocating to another city, buying and maintaining office-appropriate attire, and paying for everyday costs, it can cost thousands of dollars to add a few lines to your resume.

According to Carlos Mark Vera, co-founder and executive director of Pay Our Interns, a nonprofit fighting to end unpaid internships across the country in all sectors, unpaid internships disproportionately harm specific populations. Women work for no pay more often than men, and compared to white interns, Black and Latino interns take on debt more often during their internships. It really does create this glass ceiling for people of color, Vera says.

Vera, who is still paying off the credit card debt he amassed when interning at the White House seven years ago, was inspired to launch Pay Our Interns after a conversation with a younger college student who was skipping buying groceries to afford dry cleaning for his internship clothes. I think this whole grind/hustle mentality is so ingrained, that you have to pay your dues, Vera says. Its daring to imagine how things could be.

Sadly, unpaid internships are still the norm. Perhaps the Great Resignation will inspire employers to pay interns for their labor, as they should. But until then, if an unpaid internship would help you gain experience, here are some ways to soften the financial burden and limit how much you put on your credit card to get by.

Know your rights

The U.S. Department of Labor has guidelines on what constitutes a legal unpaid internship  your work cant displace that of a paid employee, for example. If you suspect your internship is in violation, you can file a complaint to the Department of Labor or your state labor agency. You may be entitled to back pay.

Seek scholarships and specialty programs

Many universities offer scholarships specifically for unpaid internships, depending on your school and major. You need to apply and funding isnt guaranteed, but the effort can pay off.

You can also find paid opportunities through specialty programs created by nonprofits and professional organizations. For example, Black and Latino aspiring financial planners can apply through the BLX Internship Program to be placed in a paid internship at a fee-only financial planning firm. According to Luis F. Rosa, a certified financial planner and co-founder of the BLX Internship Program, they placed 38 applicants into internships last year, and of those, 20 got job offers.

Fund unpaid work with paid work

I would combine an internship with other side gigs or part-time jobs, says Mark Reyes, a certified financial planner at Albert, a financial wellness app. Depending on the internship time commitment, you may be able to balance more than one job at once. However, he cautions that this can quickly lead to burnout.

Vera felt the pressure as a student working part-time while interning 20 to 30 hours per week. Sometimes I was fighting not to fall asleep while doing the internship, he says.

School plus two jobs is a lot to handle. To ease the burden, you can work for pay during the school year and save that money to cover the cost of a summer internship. Or limit unpaid work to a part-time schedule so you can also have time for paid work.

Gain internship experience within paid jobs

If you need the earnings from your paid job to fund tuition, living expenses and other costs, it can be difficult to earmark some of that money toward supporting yourself during an unpaid internship. But your paid job might already provide the chance to learn beyond your actual role.

Rosa couldnt afford unpaid internships as a student because he contributed financially to his family. He found he was able to create internships within some of his paid jobs, like when he did office work at a law firm and asked to also spend some time learning about the industry.

Embrace remote opportunities

The pandemic transformed many office jobs into fully remote positions, and thats a benefit for interns who cant afford to spend a summer in an expensive major city. With a remote internship, youll avoid paying for relocation, commuting costs and work clothes. Plus, having remote work experience on your resume will strengthen your candidacy for a virtual position in the future.

Use student loans instead of credit cards

You can use funds from your student loan for living expenses if youre doing an unpaid internship for college credit. Its still debt, but student loans charge lower interest rates than credit cards.

People have misconceptions that all debt is bad, but student loans are there to add value to your life, Reyes says. It takes discipline and its not for everyone. Its not free money, but its cheaper debt than credit cards.

___
The businessman, author and motivator who rose up against crucifying colourism and insecurity to help inspire a nation

Asked to reveal one thing that might surprise people to know about him, Drexwell Seymour pauses before responding.





And surprise it might. For a man whos been at the helm of some of the nations biggest firms, presents seminars before sizeable live audiences, hosts a radio show, and has more than 20,000 subscribers to his self-improvement YouTube channel, its unexpected when he confesses to being a little shy.





Its something hes getting better at, he smiles. But its been a long bumpy journey to reach this point. The self-confidence he possesses today is the result of conquering a series of personal challenges, a battle valiantly fought and quietly won.





"I have this mantra; every day I say Drex is well, he imparts in reference to his name. "It keeps me going.





That positivity is the thread that runs through each of his endeavours, epitomised in his recently released motivational book Rise Up and Take Your Position.





Within its 12 chapters aimed at encouraging readers to find their hidden talents and fulfil their potential, Seymour is unflinchingly open about the painful childhood which spawned a long-running and deep-rooted inferiority complex.





As a boy growing up in South Caicos, the colourism  or skin-tone bias  that still persists in much of the world now was pervasive.





"It was rough for me because I am very dark, he says candidly. "There was a big issue with colourism and I had a very negative childhood. It impacted me well into adulthood, until just a few years ago.

While children can have notoriously cruel tongues, taunts like "dark ugly boy did not hail exclusively from the mouths of minors.





"I heard that from both kids and adults, he continues. "I ended up suffering from an inferiority complex; I thought I wasnt good enough and that people were better than me.





"I spent a lot of time alone; I didnt want to be around anyone because I was embarrassed about how I looked.





Meeting his wife Joanna in the 1990s helped him overcome that.





"It made a difference because shes a beautiful lady and I was like, wow, she actually likes me, Seymour says.





"She was very positive and encouraging to me. If I hadnt met her perhaps I would still be that way.





Its with similar humility that he reacts to being named the Weekly News Person of the Year 2021, an accolade he says he felt "honoured and grateful for, yet surprised.





"I am quite sure there are many other people who could have been selected, he says.





Perhaps so but the extent of his "personal accomplishments and service to the community  as cited by Weekly News publisher Blythe Duncanson when revealing the choice  is a rarity.





While he considers the release of his first book to be his biggest achievement of 2021, Seymour is a man of several firsts. Becoming the first native Islander to hold the prestigious post of financial controller at then Cable & Wireless  followed by the top position of CEO in 2006  are just two.





"That was a historic moment, he says of the latter. "I was very proud; in fact I could hardly believe it. Cable & Wireless had been in the Turks & Caicos since 1898 and had never had a local CEO.





"I was delighted, not just for me but for the entire country because it provided hope for our citizens.





Even while applying for the distinguished role, Seymour was still plagued by his old enemy: low self-esteem.





"I wanted to progress in life but subconsciously I think I was trying to prove a point to people too  I wanted to show them that I was good at this, he says.





After leaving the telecoms field in 2013, Seymour, a certified public accountant with an MBA in finance, co-founded accounting firm HLB TCI of which he remains the managing partner. Accounting is a lifelong love, his favourite subject as a pupil at the then Pierson High School, now named Marjorie Basden.





But its his property management company, See More TCI Villas & Properties, that gives him the most satisfaction these days.





"I really enjoy that. The hospitality industry is something I have been interested in since I was a child, he reveals.





"My end goal is to own a hotel so I love the experience I am getting and I just like the idea of satisfying the customers who come here to enjoy the beaches we take for granted.





Seymours foray into writing  something hed previously feared  started three years ago.





"I never liked writing; I didnt think I was any good. Then I wrote my first newspaper article and realised I had this gift, he explains.





"I found I was making an impact on peoples lives and that inspired me to continue. When people call me and say they appreciate something I have written, it feels great.





"I realised one of my purposes in life is to encourage and influence others.





Seymours Weekly News column has undoubtedly struck a chord with his fellow Islanders, with topics ranging from practicing gratitude to overcoming self-doubt and engendering unity among the countrys diverse inhabitants.





The youngest of six children and from a modest background, Seymour is keenly aware of the value of all three of the above.





"We grew up in a rural community; we didnt have television and we didnt even have electricity until I was 12 or 13, he recalls.





"My father was a carpenter and my mother worked at the fishing plant and also made bread and popsicles to sell.





After graduating high school at the age of 15 in 1985 and discovering the dearth of opportunities for young people back then, Seymour returned to school for another year.





It was during that period that Pierson High received a letter from a long-term visitor to the TCI offering a scholarship to a promising student.





Seymour was the lucky recipient. After successfully acquiring a Bachelors degree in accounting and business management, his generous benefactor then offered to finance a Masters too, resulting in his MBA from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.





His first job was as a staff accountant in the early 1990s with the company which would eventually become PricewaterhouseCoopers. It was his next position  at KPMG  where he would meet Joanna who was employed there as a secretary.





Next year the pair will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, a union which has given them five children - daughter Drexanna, and four sons Jowell, Drexwell, Josiah and Jostin.





Becoming a father, Seymour says, is his proudest feat of all.





"I believe children are a gift, he imparts earnestly. "When I was growing up, even though I knew my parents loved me it wasnt expressed in the home. As a father myself, I am trying to correct that so, hopefully, when my children become parents of their own, they will learn from me.





Seymours altruism is reflected in his community work too. His ardent activities with his church  the Community Fellowship Centre of which he is treasurer and an elder  were another reason for his Person of the Year badge of honour.





He is also treasurer of the non-profit organisation Nutrition in Demand which aims to promote healthy living. Delivering seminars free of charge on financial management, and work with prison inmates are other examples of his humanitarian ventures.





Shame was the prime reason behind his refusal to open up about his personal health struggles for several years.





Now 51, Seymour was 18 when he went for a routine medical check while applying for a bank loan and was told he had a kidney infection.





"I didnt pay it much attention because it didnt sound serious. I did annual check-ups as recommended and even when told my GFR [glomerular filtration rate] was just 40 [normal being 60 or more], I didnt do any research, he admits.





"It was a while before I realised the magnitude of it. In 2016, the doctors told me my kidney function was 19 percent. Went it went down to four percent I was told I had to go on dialysis.





"I was embarrassed. I felt I was a good person and couldnt understand why this was happening to me. I thought I was going to die and didnt even talk about it due to shame.





Seymour has been on dialysis since December 2016 and must attend three four-hour sessions each week.





"It was hard to deal with at first but now I am OK with it. You dont feel anything other than the needles going in. Now I take my laptop with me and use the time to work with no noise or distraction, he explains.





In the absence of a national organ donor register, a kidney transplant appears currently unlikely. While the National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP) would fund the operation, Seymour would be responsible for finding a donor. A previous social media shout-out for such resulted in two offers, but both were from overseas meaning the treatment would not be covered by NHIP.





Seymours health challenges just may be a contributory factor to his most important mantra of all: do not be afraid.





"Fear is the greatest obstacle in anyones life; if you overcome fear you can achieve anything, he says.





"If I could go back in time and give the little boy I used to be one piece of advice, it would be to not be fearful, because no one is better than you.





In addition to opening that hotel, Seymour has one other ultimate goal.





"I want to go around the world inspiring and helping others. I want to find a way to spread a message of hope to people. I want to be the voice to help others get in the right position, he divulges.





"We have marriages falling apart because husbands and wives are not doing what theyre supposed to do. We have a climate crisis because people have manipulated the environment. And we have governments failing because, in my opinion, the people who should be in power are not.





One might be forgiven then for wondering why he doesnt throw his own hat into the political ring.





"I thought about it in 2003, he admits. "But I believe the two-party system we have isnt working.





"Once you go into politics you are labelled as being a part of that party and that somehow overrides the whole idea of making a change.





"I think I can make more of a difference in the country by staying out of politics.





Just seven weeks after Rise Up and Take Your Position  which has a short film and song counterpart  was launched at Seymours church, it has risen to widespread acclaim, both locally and abroad, testimony to its timely release and ability to resonate.





Its available at the Pentecost Bookstore in Courtyard Plaza as well as on Amazon where it has already earned a slew of enthusiastic reviews.





"We all have gifts within us  we just need to find them, cultivate them and invest in them. Thats why I write and do my motivational talks on my YouTube channel, Seymour says.





"I want other people to have confidence in themselves. Now I know I have a purpose in life I am very confident, even though I am still shy.





He adds: "I want to be remembered as someone who made a difference, to leave a legacy of making an impactful change, to remind people that even if you fail you have to keep trying.





"Evaluate why you failed - but dont ever give up.




Tommie Hook woke Thursday morning to near waist-high water in his Alpha Drive driveway near Kelso  an area he said usually sees minor flooding, but not like Thursdays levels, which left his car halfway submerged in front of his house.

Normally it floods every year, but its only a little bit, he said. Now this is pretty extreme here.

Rain pummeled the Lower Columbia River Valley since Wednesday, leaving more areas underwater than usual. Cowlitz County cities are supplying sandbags, and road crews are working around the clock, but emergency experts say preparing for disasters should begin before the rain comes.

Preparation

The National Weather Service of Portland issued a flood warning around noon Thursday, indicating rising Cowlitz River waters were imminent in Kelso and Castle Rock. A local flood watch  meaning floods are possible  is in effect through 6 p.m. Friday.

At about 10 a.m., the Southwest Washington Regional Airport in Kelso had received 1.19 inches of rain over the last six hours, reports the National Weather Service. By 3 p.m., the Cowlitz River at Kelso and Castle Rock hit flood stage, and meteorologists forecasted another roughly 0.6 feet of water in Kelso and about 5 feet in Castle Rock would arrive throughout the night. River level forecasts would still leave both locations well below the National Weather Services criteria for moderate or major flood levels.

Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management Coordinator Larry Hembree said floods are the No. 1 hazard in our area, and advised people to plan months before the possibility of creeks and gullies overfilling, like on Thursday, or rivers overflowing, like during the areas 1996 floods.

The biggest things is preparing for it, he said. Not the day before, not during the event.

He said ways to prepare for disasters include creating a location for family members to meet; deciding which nonlocal emergency number to call incase local lines are jammed; and asking businesses or schools about their emergency plans.

Hembree said people are likely ready to leave their homes after the areas recent ice and snow, but advised residents to think before doing so.

They really need to determine it its that important, he said. When you drive through water, where is it going? Into a house? What effects is that having?

Alpha Drive

Vehicles that drove through the high waters on Alpha Drive Thursday created a wake that hit Hooks front door, he said, though his home of over three decades stayed relatively dry inside. Around 9 a.m., Hook stood in waders, collecting items that had washed from his driveway into the road and a flooded empty lot across the street.

On the western end of the closed portion of the street, Valentin Guerrero of Kelso helped his friend clean her backyard, where the overflowing creek had broken her fence and left the driveway covered in mud and sediment.

About two doors east, Ryan Rasmussen, his wife and children had stayed home from work and school, unable to get out of their driveway in the early morning, he said. Behind their house, a creek Rasmussen said is almost dry in the summer was carrying logs and garbage through the streets adjoining backyards.

He said the creek flowed under his crawlspace  a first for the resident of six years. He said hes been meaning to install a sump pump, and is now worried whether the excess sediment left under the crawlspace will affect his home. Rasmussen said he usually sees flooding at the end of his driveway, but Thursday it reached 12 feet up the path.

This is the worst Ive ever seen, he said. Today is the day Im most concerned.

Insurance

Almost none of the Alpha Drive residents were aware if they had flood insurance. But Longview Insurance Owner Linda Doerr said its too late for this flood watch to wonder.

Its a day late and dollar short right now, she said.

Flood insurance is issued by the federal government and requires 30 days for policies to kick in once signed, she said. Doerr said her Commerce Avenue office receives flood insurance inquires prior and during local floods, but there is little residents can do once rain is forecasted. She said people should contact the agent who wrote their homeowners insurance to also write flood insurance policies. She said renters can also apply for flood insurance.

The National Weather Service forecasts another inch of rain Thursday night and Friday during the day. Until then, Rasmussen said he will just have to watch for impacts to his home, and wait.

The rain is coming back now, he said, So I guess well see.

Watch a video of residents cleaning and protecting their Alpha Drive homes at tdn.com.

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A decision about the future of a Woodland marijuana store has been pushed back until February.

City hearing examiner Joe Turner presided over an appeal hearing Tuesday for 20After4, which received an order to close from the city for violating a zoning ban on marijuana stores.

Turner delayed a decision for four weeks by holding the record open for written argument and testimony. New written testimony can be submitted through Jan. 18. City officials and the business owner will have one week to respond to the submitted testimony and an additional week to submit their closing arguments to Turner who said he would base his decision on whether the business violated existing zoning rules, not making a policy decision about cannabis sales.

If Turner rules against 20After4, the business would have to pay $250 for the zoning code violation and be fined $25 per day for each day it stays open after the ruling.

Turners decision will be the final decision made at the city level. The Woodland City Council passed an ordinance Monday night that removed themselves from the land use appeal process. The change took effect immediately after being approved by the council.

During the appeal hearing, 20After4 owner John Stoehr indicated he plans to ask the City Council for a zoning code amendment if the appeal is denied.

The Woodland City Council voted in 2014 to ban retail marijuana stores. A few months later, the council amended the ordinance to allow recreational growing businesses.

Mayor Will Finn spoke during the public comment section of the appeal hearing. Finn said he was concerned a business could open while violating the city zoning code, regardless of what they were selling.

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As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations increase statewide, hospital leaders Thursday said they are closer than ever to a crisis situation.

Washingtons hospitalizations are accelerating at an alarming rate, with the seven-day average nearly doubled over the last month, said Cassie Sauer, Washington State Hospital Association CEO.

While Cowlitz Countys COVID-19 hospitalizations havent yet increased, cases are trending up and health officials expect a rise in hospitalizations to follow.

Many hospitals dont have room to care for a even a small number of COVID-19 patients, and those numbers are expected to keep climbing, Sauer said.

Hospitals are really, really full and staffing is incredibly tight, she said. We have a lot of hospital staff who are sick, who have tested positive. Many got it from a holiday gathering, from kids, out in the community, so we have a lot of folks calling out sick and that is worrisome.

Sauer said hospitals are asking people with mild illness to stay home or go to their primary care doctor and not come to the emergency room unless they need to. Hospital emergency rooms are not the place to look for a test, she said.

Cherelle Montanye, chief administrative officer at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center, said hospital officials are concerned about an increase in hospitalizations in Cowlitz County as beds and staff are tight.

At the peak of the delta surge in late August and early September, the hospital had 62 COVID-19 patients and 142 total inpatients, Montayne said. St. Johns normal census is around 85 to 87 patients, she said. After coming down from the surge, capacity has remained higher than normal, with about 120 to 125 patients. St. John had 21 COVID-19 patients as of Tuesday morning.

Montayne said most COVID patients come in for COVID-related illness, but the hospital has seen an increase in patients who come in for something else and then test positive.

Like hospitals statewide, St. John is struggling with patients who no longer need hospital care but are difficult to discharge, Montayne said. The hospital has about 30 of those patients, including 10 waiting on the guardianship process, 12 waiting on placement in skilled nursing facilities and eight who need a higher level of care, she said. Some of these patients have been at St. John for a long time, including one for more than 100 days and five for more than 50 days, Montayne said.

To address staffing shortages, every day the St. John moves around some staff depending on its capacity and what the need is in different departments, Montayne said.

This does feel different, she said. The workforce is fatigued, tired, distressed. Its really challenging to be making those decisions on a day to day basis regarding capacity, if we can continue with surgical services or not. And I know people like to use the word elective, but its really not elective when you think about a healthcare need that a patient or their family has.

Montayne said it would help the hospital for community members to get vaccinated, get a booster shot, and to get some help discharging and placing patients.

Cases and testing

While Cowlitz Countys COVID-19 cases havent exploded like other places in the state, a similar trend is expected, said Dr. Steve Krager, county deputy health officer.

The county Thursday recorded 90 new confirmed cases and 38 new probable cases, bringing the overall total to 15,712 cases. Cowlitz County recorded 287 COVID-19 deaths.

High case counts statewide are undercounts because they dont include at-home test results unless people report them or those infected who did not get tested, according to the Department of Health.

Krager said he is concerned Cowlitz County residents arent getting tested as much as other counties, for several reasons. Although testing data is unavailable, the county has historically had a lower testing rate, he said.

Test appointments at pharmacies are in short supply and at home tests can also be difficult to find, Krager said.

Gov. Jay Inslee Wednesday announced that the state ordered 5.5 million at-home tests, 3.5 million of which will be available for residents to order online beginning the week of Jan. 17.

The state will also distribute 1 million tests to schools and another 1 million to local health jurisdictions. Krager said hes still waiting for details, but Cowlitz County will likely distribute them to community groups that would get them to residents who couldnt access them otherwise.

Rapid tests are important because omicron spreads and causes infections quicker, so having an immediate test result helps people act faster if they are positive, Krager said.

Krager said his top concern is people downplaying omicron, particularly those who have no immunity from the vaccine or a prior infection.

The most recent data we have is not that it causes less severe disease but that it causes less people to go to hospital. About 50% less people that have to be hospitalized is still a lot of people, he said. This is not just some cold thats circulating. It is going to kill people, and it has.

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Washington State Department of Transportation reopened a section of Interstate 5 in Lewis County around 1 p.m. Friday after closing it in the morning as flood waters rose.

I-5 Exit 82 at Harrison Avenue in Centralia remained closed because of water over the road, according to the department.

Several roads throughout Cowlitz County and the region remained closed Friday morning because of flood water or slides, while others reopened.

Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management listed road closures as of 10 a.m. Friday, including:

 Westover/Lomar Drive

 Ostrander Road (bypass open)

 Columbia Heights Road from Lynnwood Drive to Parkview

 Maplewood Drive at the 2600 block

 400 block of North 23rd Avenue from Allen Street to Burcham

 Allen Street east of Corduroy Road

 Grade Street overpass

 Mahaffey Road at N. Goble Creek Road

 500 block of N. Goble Creek Road

 2700 block of North Pacific Highway

 South River Road

 South 11th Avenue from Mill Street to Coweeman Lane

 Coweeman Lane from Grade Street to Alma Drive

 Kool Road, one lane about a half-mile up due to slide

Ocean Beach Highway has reopened at the county line from a slide Thursday, but is closed at milepost 13 because of high water from the Grays River, according to the department.

The city of Kalama reopened Elm Street, West Frontage Road and East Frontage Road Friday morning after closing them Thursday because of flooding from heavy rain.

Interstate 5 Exit 30 into Kalama is set to reopen later Friday morning once approved by the Washington State Department of Transportation, according to the city.

Schools

On Friday, Wahkiakum and Rainier schools were closed due to washed out road conditions, while Castle Rock started two hours late and canceled three morning bus routes and morning preschool.

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John Deere and Naio debuted their latest innovations at the CES 2022, which began Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Driverless plows and autonomous tools to weed vegetable plots are the latest innovations ready to help farmers juggling labor shortages, climate change and environmental protection, while trying to feed a growing world population. Venerable American farm equipment manufacturer John Deere and French agricultural robot start-up Naio debuted their latest innovations at the Consumer Electronics Show, which began Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Touted as a means to feed the world, John Deere combined its popular 8R tractor, a plow, GPS and 360-degree cameras to create a machine a farmer can control from a smartphone.

Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read:

Once the tractor is driven into the field, the farmer can simply swipe right to send it on its way, with no need to be in the cab.

Equipped with six pairs of cameras and artificial intelligence capabilities, the equipment constantly checks its position to the inch, and stops automatically as soon as it perceives an obstacle and sends a warning signal.

The autonomous plow will be available in North America this year, John Deere Chief Technology Officer Jahmy Hindman told AFP.

Other versions to seed or fertilize fields will come later, but combines to harvest crops are more complicated. The company has not yet specified the price for the equipment.

Technology is not new to the agriculture industry. For nearly 20 years, farmers have used GPS to aid steering, allowing them to plow straighter than a human.

"The customers are probably more ready for autonomy in agriculture than just about anywhere else because they've been exposed to really sophisticated and high levels of automation for a very long time," Hindman said.

Other major farm equipment manufacturers are working on similar tractors.

American company New Holland presented a concept machine in 2016, while Japan's Kubota in 2020 unveiled a prototype that even eliminates the cab.

Repetitive tasks

Machines to automate farm tasks, including mechanical milking machines for dairy farms, generally improve productivity while freeing farmers from repetitive and physically demanding tasks.

Gaetan Severac and Aymeric Barthes launched Naio in 2011 after discussing the problems farms faced finding workers.

And they realized that robots, guided by centimeter-accurate GPS, could limit the use of chemicals.

At the Las Vegas tech show, they introduced the American market to Ted, a robot that can step over vines to weed around plants, and turn around on its own at the end of a row.

They also have a little "farm assistant" called Oz that can hoe, weed, or furrow, as well as a dedicated row crop weeding robot, Dino.

All are equipped with sensors, lasers, cameras or probes, allowing the robot to understand its environment, as well as collect data useful to the operator.

Farmers "no longer consider us as a gadget for the future," Severac told AFP.

He said it's likely the use of autonomous machines will first gain ground in specialized crops, with very high added value and requiring the most work, such as vegetables or vines, before moving to large cereal crops.

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, drones and even satellites all contribute to the move towards automating farm work, and the agricultural sector accounts for a quarter of the revenues of satellite imagery company Planet Labs.

"You can see the chlorophyll content in the sensors that we use that take pictures," company co-founder Robbie Schingler told AFP. That allows a farmer to determine the health of a crop and possibly to add water or fertilizers.

Barrett Hill, 36, a poultry farmer in Illinois, is not surprised by the array of new technologies.

"Adding computers and stuff like that make the whole operation more efficient," he said, pointing to centralized management of ventilation in his henhouses or a system that avoids planting twice in the same place.

However, he is not sure driverless tractors are right for his family farm.

"I'm sure that's really expensive. And I kind of want to be out there doing it," he said.
WhatsApp to stop working on your phone? Check list of phones and what you can do. WhatsApp will stop working on some Samsung Galaxy phones, iPhone 6S, iPhone SE.

WhatsApp to stop working on your phone? It is certainly a matter for concern for users of old devices which have dated operating software (OS). It applies to iPhones as well as Androids. A report says that WhatsApp will stop supporting many older phones in Brazil. In this WhatsApp list of phones are some Samsung Galaxy phones, iPhone 6S, iPhone SE, HTC Desire 500, Sony Xperia M, LG Optimus F7, and many more. The reason is simple. As part of the periodic upgradation, WhatsApp will stop supporting the older versions of Android, iPhones, and some other older models. More than 30 smartphones will be barred by WhatsApp from this January 2022, Sproutwired report suggested. Considering that these companies sold millions of these phones, this drastic step by WhatsApp means millions of users will be affected.

According to the report, WhatsApp will stop working on many phones in Brazil, which has more than 100 million users. However, whether this also applies to any other part of the world, including India, is uncertain. Many of these smartphones on the WhatsApp list are being used in India too. Official information about WhatsApp support for Indian users is still awaited.

Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read:

How to know if your phone will lose WhatsApp support?

You will need to note that the smartphones with the Android 4.1 operating system and lower will not be compatible with WhatsApp. Similarly, iPhone users with iOS 9 or less will no longer be able to send messages, photos, videos, or any services provided by the application. If your smartphone or operating system is old, then the updated version of WhatsApp will not be installed on your device. This will indicate that your smartphone may not support WhatsApp in the coming days. In short, your WhatsApp will not function at all. The company is doing it because it has updated WhatsApp app and safety and security of older phones cannot be ensured.

WhatsApp to stop working on these phones:

Check the list of Android smartphones that will not be supported by WhatsApp.

Archos 53 Platinum

HTC Desire 500

Samsung galaxy trend lite

Samsung Galaxy Trend II

Mini Samsung Galaxy S3

Caterpillar Cat B15

Sony Xperia M

THL W8

ZTE grand x quad v987

ZTE Grand Memo

Samsung galaxy Ace 2

LG Lucid 2

LG Optimus F7

LG Optimus L3 II Dual

LG Optimus F5

LG Optimus L5 II

LG Optimus L5 II Dual

LG Optimus L3 II

LG Optimus L7 II Dual

LG Optimus L7 II

LG Optimus F6

LG Act

LG Optimus L4 II Dual

LG Optimus F3

LG Optimus L4 II

LG Optimus L2 II

LG Optimus F3Q

Vico sync five

Vico darkknight

Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2

Huawei Ascend G740

ZTE Grand S Flex

Lenovo A820

Huawei Ascend Mate

ZTE V956  UMI X2

Huawei Ascend D2

Samsung galaxy core

Faea F1

Check the list of iPhones that will not be supported by WhatsApp.

Apple iPhone SE (16GB, 32 GB, and 64GB)

Apple iPhone 6S (32GB and 64GB)

Apple iPhone 6S Plus (16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128 GB)

Apple iPhone 6S (128 GB) A

Apple iPhone 6s (16gb)

What users can do

WhatsApp users with old phones can do one important thing that may help them in retaining WhatsApp. What they must do is try and update their OS to the most recent WhatsApp and phone system OS as is possible. For that, just go to both these settings and update.
Screenshot from the Dark Energy Explorers' citizen science app that lets non-experts differentiate real galaxies from false positives, in the process training a machine learning model to help search for dark energy. Credit: Karl Gebhardt, UT Austin

Citizen scientists have helped researchers discover new types of galaxies, design drugs to fight COVID-19, and map the bird world. The term describes a range of ways that the public can meaningfully contribute to scientific and engineering research, as well as environmental monitoring.

As members of the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) recently argued in a Quadrennial Paper, "Imagine All the People: Citizen Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Computational Research," non-scientists can help advance science by "providing or analyzing data at spatial and temporal resolutions or scales and speeds that otherwise would be impossible given limited staff and resources."

Recently, citizen scientists' efforts have found a new purpose: helping researchers develop machine learning models, using labeled data and algorithms, to train a computer to solve a specific task.

This approach was pioneered by the crowdsourced astronomy project Galaxy Zoo, which started leveraging citizen scientists in 2007. In 2019, researchers used labeled data to train a neural network model to classify hundreds of millions of unlabeled galaxies.

"Using the millions of classifications carried out by the public in the Galaxy Zoo project to train a neural network is an inspiring use of the citizens science program," said Elise Jennings, a computer scientist at Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF) who contributed to the effort.

TACC is supporting a number of projectsfrom identifying fake news to pinpointing structures in danger during natural hazardsthat use citizen science to train AI models and enable new scientific successes.

Tinder for galaxies

The Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment, or HETDEX, is the first major experiment to search for evolution in dark energy. Based at the McDonald Observatory in West Texas, it looks deeper into the past than ever before to determine with great accuracy how fast the universe is accelerating.

The experiment relies on being able to identify the location, distance, and redshift of tens of millions of galaxies. But Karl Gebhardt, a professor of Astronomy at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) and lead scientist on the project, faced a problem. The computational algorithms were having difficulty separating real target galaxies from false positives.

Strangely enough, humans can detect the difference easily. So, working with graduate students Lindsay House and Dustin Davis, and data scientist Erin Mentuch Cooper, they created a citizen science app called 'Dark Energy Explorers' to train a machine learning algorithm to assist in the process.

Individuals with minimal training can look at spectral lines and images of point sources and swipe left or right, depending on whether they believe it is a real galaxy or something else such as an artifact of the algorithm or a speck of dust on the sensor. The app has jokingly been called "Tinder for Galaxies," Gebhardt says. To date, citizen scientists have made almost 2 million classifications and more are needed.

After enough of these determinations are made, Gebhardt will use TACC's machine learning-centric Maverick supercomputer to train the galaxy detection model. The analysis will map over 1 million target galaxies and determine the rate of cosmic acceleration.

Labels to save lives

Another prime example of citizen science is the "Building Detective for Disaster Preparedness" project developed by the SimCenter of UC Berkeley. It invites the public to identify specific architectural features of buildings, like roofs, windows, and chimneys. These labels are then used to train additional AI modules for the researchers' citywide simulations of natural hazard events.

The project, hosted on the citizen science web portal Zooniverse, has been an unqualified success. "We launched the project in March and within a couple of weeks we had a thousand volunteers, and 20,000 images annotated," said Charles Wang, assistant professor in the College of Design, Construction and Planning at the University of Florida and lead developer of a suite of AI tools called BRAILSBuilding Recognition using AI at Large-Scale.

The "Building Detective For Disaster Preparedness" project in Zooniverse invites citizen scientists to label data that helps train the BRAILS tool. Credit: SimCenter, UC Berkeley

BRAILS applies deep learningmultiple layers of algorithms that progressively extract higher-level features from the raw inputto automatically classify features in millions of structures in a city. Architects, engineers, and planning professionals can use these classifications to assess risks to buildings and infrastructure, and they can even simulate the consequences of natural hazards.

"To successfully tackle pressing scientific and societal challenges, we need the complementary capabilities of both humans and machines," the CCC authors wrote. "The Federal Government could accelerate its priorities on multiple fronts through judicious integration of citizen science and crowdsourcing with artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud strategies."

Biases and bad data

There are challenges, of course, to datasets generated by citizen scientists or other amateurs (paid or volunteer). Matt Lease, an associate professor in the School of Information at UT Austin, employs crowdsourced labor for AI training. He also studies the dynamics of these human-computer interactions.

Lease recently paid non-professionals to label whether or not a tweet should be considered hate speech, and used this data to train a hate speech classification model. His team has similarly collected data from crowd workers about whether articles were fake news, which they used to train a prediction model.

Lease said he believes data is potentially the most under-valued aspect in developing accurate AI models (He fleshes this perspective in a recent arxiv article that will appear in the March/April issue of ACM Interactions.)

"Research to improve models is often prioritized over research to improve the data environments in which models operate, even though mismatches between datasets and the real-world can lead to significant modeling failures in practice," he said. "Improvements in prediction accuracy from better data can exceed improvements from better models."

He pointed to a recent study that showed that the ten most cited AI data sets are riddled with label errors. "Data quality is crucial to ensure that AI systems can accurately represent and predict the phenomenon it is claiming to measure," he said.

However, sometimes the biases themselves can be gleaned from studying the datasets and can suggest better ways to collect data. "There have been findings that hate speech detection models may be biased against African-American speech," said Lease. "Just as companies should hire diverse workers to create products incorporating diverse perspectives, so too should AI data be labeled by diverse workers so that AI models learned from data will similarly reflect diverse perspectives."

Probing the limits of citizen science

Ben Goldstein, a Ph.D. candidate at UC Berkeley, is writing a dissertation motivated by the question: what kinds of information can we get out of the wealth of citizen science biodiversity data available?

Goldstein and his collaborators Sara Stoudt and Perry de Valpine are comparing iNaturalist to eBird data to estimate which species are over- or under-reported relative to a baseline.

Goldstein was awarded an allocation by the NSF-funded Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment to use Jetstream, a national science and engineering cloud co-located at TACC and Indiana University, for the study.

"We argue that this 'overreporting index' captures human preference," he said. "We use it to identify which species and traitssize, color, rarityare perceived as charismatic." They published the results of their study in Biorxiv.

Citizen science is as old as science itself, and yet it has more tricks to teach us, if we can learn to harness it properly. By employing cutting edge computational tools, citizen science is poised to add even more value to the traditional scientific enterprise.

Explore further Will AI leave human astronomers in the stardust?
Muslim men perform Friday noon prayer in an area close to their workplace on the first working Friday in the Gulf emirate of Dubai.

Employees and schoolchildren juggled work and studies with weekly Muslim prayers on the first ever working Friday in the United Arab Emirates as the Gulf country formally switched to a Saturday-Sunday weekend.

Some grumbled at the change and businesses were split, with many moving to the Western-style weekend but other private firms sticking with Fridays and Saturdays, as in other Gulf states.

The weekly day of prayer has always been a free day in the UAE, which had previously observed a Thursday-Friday weekend until 2006.

However, mosques appeared busy as worshippers carrying prayer mats arrived as usual, before many of them later headed back to the office.

"I'd rather take (Friday) off," said 22-year-old Briton Rachel King, who works in the hospitality industry and has been living in Dubai for six months.

"That is what we all know and love, having a Friday off and going to certain places that are open and we could do things. But now it is going to be Saturday."

The UAE made the surprise announcement of the weekend switch for the public sector in December as it grapples with rising competition in international business from other Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia.

Government bodies and schools will operate four-and-a-half-days per week, closing at 12 pm on Fridays for a fixed prayer time of 1:15 pm, whereas the Muslim prayer schedule usually depends on the position of the sun.

Out of 195 businesses polled by human resources consultancy Mercer, only 23 percent were preparing to follow the four-and-a-half-day week, but more than half would switch to Saturday-Sunday weekends.

"Luckily I have the same days off as my kids, but that's not the case for my husband," said Fati, who works in an international distribution company, asking not to give her full name.

"He works for a multinational that hasn't changed its schedule for the moment. I hope they will do it quickly, otherwise our family life will be ruined."

The United Arab Emirates is cutting its official working week to four-and-a-half days and moving its weekend to Saturday and Sunday in a major shift aimed at improving competitiveness.

'Feels a bit weird'

Nearly a third of companies are worried about the impact of being out of sync with other countries in the region, the Mercer poll found.

"We work a lot with Egypt and Saudi Arabia," said Rana, an employee of an events company who said some of her teams would have to work on Sundays.

Dubai's financial district was unusually quiet on Friday with large numbers working remotely, especially at a time of rising COVID levels when many children are also doing online schooling.

"Today is the first working Friday, it feels a bit weird," said Ahmad Bilbisi, 34, a banking employee.

"It makes sense to me, at least for the banking industry. We are now working on the same day as everyone else in the world."

The new arrangement was a major talking point on social media, with one Twitter user complaining "it just feels so wrong".

"My body and mind have fully acclimatised to having Fridays off. I think today is going to a long hard struggle," the tweet reads.

Sharjah, an emirate neighbouring Dubai, has found a simple solution: mandating Friday, Saturday and Sunday as a three-day weekend.

Explore further Gulf Arab countries on alert for heavy rains

 2022 AFP
Trading Economics

With today's high oil prices and record gas prices, it is easy to forget that the situation was reversed as recently as two years ago. At the end of 2019, an over-supply of fossil fuels had left producers concerned about low prices. Saudi Arabia and Russia fell out over the need for further production cuts to support prices. Then the scale and impact of the pandemic became apparent, economies locked down, and energy demand plummetedmost significantly for oil, given its links to transport.

The average price for a barrel of Brent crude oil duly fell from US$64 (47) in 2019 to US$42 in 2020. It has since rallied to an average of US$71 in 2021. This strengthening reflects the success of oil-producer cartel Opec+ in managing production against rebounding global demand, helped also by only modest rates of recovery in supplies from the US shale industry.

The same cannot be said of the gas market, where prices vary significantly by region. North America is self-sufficient and has been enjoying relatively low prices, but consumers in Europe and Asia have to compete for marginal supplies on the global market.

Using the UK's spot price as a European benchmark, gas was trading at around 0.35 to 0.40 per therm in early 2020, but by May 2020 it had fallen to 0.084. In the thick of the pandemic, liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes in the US were being canceled due to a lack of demand and Gazprom in Russia was having to scale back production from its fields in Siberia.

Natural gas price (UK spot, pence per therm)

But in early 2021, a cold snap in Asia warned of what was to come as demand for gas started rising. A global gas-price crisis unfolded, with European consumers having to out-compete Asian buyers to attract LNG deliveries. UK spot prices reached a record 4.50 per therm just before Christmas, representing a ninefold increase on 12 months previously.

Prices have since fallen back as LNG deliveries have been diverted from Asia. But storage remains low, and a prolonged cold snap in Europe and/or Asia could see prices skyrocketing again (and indeed they have been on the increase in early January).

Against this backdrop, politicians on both sides of the Atlantic have called for increased oil and gas production as a way of lowering prices. In the UK there have been calls to reduce taxation on gas and electricity; remove the green levies from bills that subsidize renewable energy; support new exploration in the North Sea; and even try and resuscitate shale gas development.

Fossil fuel producers have used this crisis to warn against a messy energy transition and a rapid move away from fossil fuels. For environmentalists, on the other hand, the crisis highlights the need to accelerate the move away from expensive and volatile fossil fuels. There is truth in both positions.

Challenges with the green transition

The environmental consequences of fossil fuel consumption are ever more apparent. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) physical science report of 2021, described as code-red for humanity, made clear the severity of the situation. Analyses by academics, international organizations and think-tanks have made clear that we are planning to invest in future oil and gas production way beyond the constraints of the Paris Agreement of 2015, which committed to keeping global warming to a maximum of 2.

When the world's politicians and climate change negotiators met in Glasgow at the COP26 climate conference in November, the scale of the challenge was acknowledged and commitments and pledges were made, but they still fall way short of what is needed. Equally, greenhouse gas emissions are rebounding and the opportunity to build back better through a green recovery has been missed as most government financial support is towards maintaining the fossil-fuelled status quo.

Trading View

The good news is that the cost of clean energy and low carbon technologies continues to fall. At the same time, investments in fossil fuel production are declining as the financial community has less appetite to invest.

But here's the rub: how do you ensure an adequate supply of fossil fuels to meet global demand in the short-term, while reducing production in the long-term? At present, far more green investment is required to ensure the future falling fossil fuel production is compensated for by improvements in energy efficiency and rapid growth in clean power generation.

This lack of commitment helps to explain why demand for fossil fuels has driven prices back up. With governments apparently less willing to lock down in the face of the omicron variant, oil demand will likely continue to recover at least in the short term.

At the same time, Opec+ is hesitant to increase production significantly. Equally, the US shale industry is demonstrating financial discipline and may never again reach 2019 production levels. Other risks such as the Russia-Ukraine situation could further drive up prices if Russian oil were removed from the world market because of sanctions.

Brent crude price (US$) 201222

The gas situation is more unpredictable. Ordinarily, demand and prices fall when the winter heating period ends in the northern hemisphere. But storage will require re-filling because facilities in many countries were not full even before this winter. And growing global demand, as economies switch away from coal to gas, may stretch supply.

In Europe, the challenge is to ensure adequate supply in the short-term as climate policy drives down demand in the long term. Relations with Russia, which exports gas to Europe via several pipelines, will remain critical to avoid expensive competition with Asia for LNG supply.

Aside from this possibility of Europe contributing to higher demand, it is higher LNG demand in emerging markets that will promote an expansion of natural gas production in the medium to long term. One potential issue is that higher gas prices may dissuade potential new importers like Vietnam from investing in import infrastructure, potentially lowering global demand.

The production problem

Yet in general, few significant oil and gas producing economies are going to stop investing in new production anytime soon. The problem is the credibility gap that exists between ambition and action in importing economies. The producers simply do not believe that demand is going to disappear, that prices are going to fall permanently, or that their assets are going to get stranded.

It is true that financial markets are doing their bit to curb extra fossil fuel production by turning away from financing the sector, but the net result may simply be to hand market share to national oil companies. The real answer lies in fossil-fuel-importing nationsthe largest of which are China and Indiademonstrating credible plans to decarbonise their economies and delivering on them. At present, they are doing just the opposite.

The current energy crisis will eventually pass as more supply comes on the market. For now, governments in those countries impacted by high prices must hold their nerve and press on with decarbonisation. At the same time, fossil fuel producers should not be fooled into thinking that the good times are here to stay. What the current crisis does highlight is that the challenge of phasing down fossil fuels in an affordable and equitable manner is just as great as that of building up clean energy capacity.

Explore further Natural gas price spikes 25% on soaring demand

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
France and Germany are are at odds over nuclear power.

Germany and France have "agreed to disagree" on the EU's move to label nuclear energy as green, German Europe Minister Anna Luehrmann said Friday, denying any conflict between the two European giants on the issue.

The European Commission has issued a draft proposal to label nuclear energy, along with natural gas, as "green" sources eligible for investment under rules for promoting a carbon-neutral future.

France has led the charge for nuclear powerits main energy sourceto be included on the list, while Germany, which is in the process of shutting all its nuclear plants, remains fiercely opposed to the move.

"We know what the French position is on nuclear power and the French side knows very well what the German position is," Luehrmann told AFP in an interview.

"So we can say we agree to disagree on the issue and then turn to the issues where we want to move forward... from climate protection to sustainable investments, to the issue of European strategic sovereignty."

The green energy list, known as the EU's "taxonomy", was meant to have landed before the end of 2021, but deep divisions between member states have held it up.

The European Commission quietly distributed a draft text of its plans on New Year's Eve and said it had started consulting with member states on the proposal.

If a majority of member states back it, it will become EU law, coming into effect from 2023.

France, which gets about 70 percent of its power from nuclear, signed a statement supporting nuclear power with nine other EU states in October, including Poland and the Czech Republic.

'Not the majority'

But Germany's Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has said it would be "absolutely wrong" to include nuclear energy on the list, arguing that atomic power "can lead to devastating environmental catastrophes".

Germany shut down three of its six remaining nuclear power plants late last year and will close the others by the end of 2022, following Angela Merkel's timetable for phasing out atomic energy.

"We have made it very clear as the entire federal government that we are against the inclusion of nuclear as a sustainable financial product," Luehrmann said.

"We have to go in a different direction for climate reasons, but also for reasons of political independence, and I see that as an argument against both gas and nuclear energy. Because the uranium has to come from somewhere," she said.

However, Luehrmann conceded that "we also know that we are not the majority in Europe" on the issue.

Explore further Germany calls nuclear power 'dangerous,' rejects EU plan

 2022 AFP
Frits Bliek, CEO of Dutch startup Ocean Grazer, explains an "ocean battery," during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on January 6, 2022 in Las Vegas.

A wind turbine sitting idle on a calm day or spinning swiftly when power demand is already met poses a problem for renewables, and is one researchers think can be tackled under the sea.

In one vision, offshore wind farms could use seawater to essentially store energy until it's needed, helping wean humanity off fossil fuels.

"We came up with a solution that we call the ocean battery," Frits Bliek, CEO of Dutch startup Ocean Grazer told AFP while showing off the system at the CES tech fair in Las Vegas.

Amid the growing push away from climate-warming energy sources like coal, stockpiling green energy is key, experts say.

That's because nature does not always deliver windor sunat the moment when electricity is most in demand.

Bliek's "ocean battery" relies on massive flexible bladders on the seabed, which are filled up with seawater by the wind farm.

When the power is needed, the pressure of the ocean squeezes the water through the system on the seafloor that includes turbinesand the result is electricity.

A key consideration with energy is cost, and storage systems involving some type of battery are not only very expensive but also at risk of leaks or contamination in an ocean environment.

Systems that rely on pressure are already used in hydroelectric dams that pump water into the reservoir behind the dam when electricity demand falls, effectively storing it to come back through the facility's turbines.

The US Department of Energy traces the concept, called "pumped storage hydropower," to Italy and Switzerland in the 1890s, though facilities can now be found all around the world.

As for the underwater version of this type of storage, Ocean Grazer is not alone in trying to make it work.

Frits Bliek's 'ocean battery' relies on massive flexible bladders on the seabed, which are filled up with seawater by the wind farm.

Get rid of fossil fuels

FLASC, a spin-off of the University of Malta, has a system that uses renewably made electricity to pump water into a chamber that contains under-pressure air, which can then turn a hydraulic turbine to generate power.

Another initiative called StEnSea (Stored energy in the sea), uses hollow concrete spheres under the pressure of the deep ocean, and was tested in a German lake in 2016.

Bliek, the Ocean Grazer CEO, said undersea systems take advantage of the pressure below the ocean that is free, while creating a system that he said is about 80 percent efficient in storing energy.

He sees storage systems as key for renewables, which have boomed as the price to produce such energy has dropped and made them a steadily growing part of the energy mix worldwide.

Renewables are the fastest-growing source in the United States, increasing 42 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the nonprofit Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

Yet deploying systems like the "ocean battery" on the scale needed to work as part of an electricity grid is still years away.

Bliek said his company aims to have an offshore system in place by 2025, though one will be deployed onshore in the northern Netherlands by 2023.

Though various aspects of energy storage via pressure are not new, the pairing of it with green energy sources carries significant potential.

"With wind and solar now becoming part of the gridbasically allowing us to get rid of fossil fuelsin that context this is very exciting," said Claudio Canizares, an engineering professor and renewables expert at the University of Waterloo in Canada.

Explore further Serving up renewable energy

 2022 AFP
Credit: Jebulon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Before a building can be properly restored, rebuilt or even maintained, architects need to have a good understanding of how it was constructed and what methods were used. That's especially true for historical monuments with a unique type of architecture, like the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

Ignacio Ferrer Perez-Blanco and Marie-Pierre Zufferey, two scientists from the Laboratory of Numeric Cultures for Architectural Projects (CNPA) within EPFL's School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), have studied one of the Alhambra's main architectural features: muqarnas. These three-dimensional structures are made up of dozens of individual elements that can be arranged in an infinite number of ways. They were first used in the 9th century and have become a hallmark of Islamic architecture, found in Sicily, Iran, Morocco, Syria, Iraq and Egypt, as well as at the Alhambra in Spain.

Using computer models to help preserve monuments

Despite how widely muqarnas were used, there's little information about them in the literature. Only a handful of reference documentsincluding two 17th century manuscripts (written by Fray Andres de San Miguel and Diego Lopez de Arenas) and a study published in 1842contain descriptions of how their complex shapes, patterns and proportions were designed. However, in order to preserve these extraordinary structures, today's architects must be able to comprehend them fully and refer to documented research. "Just think about the monuments that were destroyed at Palmyra in Syria," says Prof. Bernard Cache, head of the CNPA. "We'll be able to restore only those for which computer models are available." Perez-Blanco adds that the Alhambra complex is located in the most seismically active region in Spain.

Combining ancient documents with digital technology

To identify the steps involved in building muqarnas and pinpoint which data are needed, the EPFL scientists began by comparing the information in the two manuscripts with each other and with five of the muqarnas column capitals in the Alhambra. They visited the site in Granada and collected images with a 3D scanner, then developed computer models of the capitals using photogrammetric methods. Based on these computer models, they sculpted four of the muqarnas capitals out of stone in order to test out different methods. "The sculpting process was really important so we could understand all the different steps involved and the geometric problems the architects had to solve," says Perez-Blanco.

Astonishingly complex, with a previously unknown, asymmetric element

The scientists compared what they learned from the above process with the steps described in the manuscripts. They found that the manuscripts contained some information that was either incomplete, only partially right or entirely wrong. "We identified a total of 16 different 3D elements in the muqarnas, whereas previous research had described just seven," says Perez-Blanco. "And we discovered a new asymmetric element that had never before been documented." The scientists had to use twice as many different elements as what was specified in the literature along with alternative proportions to sculpt the muqarnas capitals.

The five capitals they chose were just a small sample of the dozens of muqarnascomprising thousands of individual elementscontained in the Alhambra, such as those in the Hall of the Ambassadors and the Hall of the Two Sisters.

The scientists' study showcases the muqarnas' complexity and documents their architectural elements, thereby enriching our knowledge of this piece of world heritage. It also makes data available electronically for further research. Their method and findings, published in Muqarnas, can be used as a starting point for investigating more complicated patterns and better understanding the formal language expressed in the muqarnas of the Alhambra and other western monuments.

Explore further Unknown details identified in the Lions' Courtyard at the Alhambra
Some math is necessary as input to the robot. Credit: Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Working up a sweat and racing pulses are all in a day's work for researchers Tron Vedul Tronstad and Johannes Tjnnas. They've just reached the top after jogging up the long staircase outside NTNU's Science Building at Glshaugen in Trondheim. Glshaugen is the epicenter of all kinds of research, and on this autumn day, Tronstad and Tjnnas are wearing their trainers, earbuds, sensors and a GoPro cameraall in the aid of a new research method.

They're aiming to find out how earbud sound quality responds to movement and how well the buds stay in place during a variety of physical activities.

But how can they answer these questions with the necessary accuracy? These aren't simply 'run of the mill' measurements, so the researchers have developed their own approachwhich requires working together closely with a robot.

Turning a robot into an accurate copycat

What the researchers need first of all are data about movements within the ear itself while the wearer is performing different types of activity. This is why Tronstad and Tjnnas have been acting as their own guinea pigs, exercising in their trainers and equipped with their pulse watches, sensors and a camera.

Their efforts have produced a vast amount of data recording the movements that impact on an earbud as the wearer performs a variety of different activities at different speeds. They've done everything from walking and jogging at moderate speeds, as well as some really hard training.

The data then have to be digitalised so that the recorded movements can be repeated accurately by a robotbecause it is the robot that will be carrying out the lion's share of the high-volume training that constitutes the tests.

Researchers are aiming to find out how earbud sound quality responds to movement and how well the buds stay in place during a variety of physical activities. Credit: Karoline Ravndal Lorentzen

This means that a computer program must be developed to enable the robot to convert the measurements into physical movements that it can perform for as long and as often as is necessary.

"Repeatability is very important," says Tronstad. "We could have carried out the tests using human subjects, but they would have performed the movements differently every time, which would have made it difficult to compare the different types of earbuds. When the robot repeats exactly the same movements during every test, we can be sure that any differences we record are due to the earbuds, and not to differences in physical movement," he says.

An artificial ear, packed with sensors

However, it is also important to find out if physical movement impacts the sound quality. This is where the researchers can call on a familiar friend to help them outan artificial ear, packed with sensors.

"For many decades now, we've been working on a number of hearing-related projects, mostly focusing on hearing protection and protecting the ears," says Tronstad. "In this field too, activity can affect the sound attenuation, but this isn't something that we've investigated before. Our ear simulator consists of an anatomically accurate silicon ear fitted with a microphone where you would normally expect to find the eardrum. This enables us accurately to measure the sound emitted by an earbud or a headphone," he says.

An artificial ear packed with sensors and a robot will test the earbuds. Credit: SINTEF

Creating an objective reference datum

The researchers are working for earbud manufacturer Freebit, which uses anatomical principles to develop technologies that help audio equipment companies to identify the most comfortably fitting earbuds. Freebit currently licenses its technology to companies such as JBL and Audio-Technica.

The company is currently looking to offer an objective sound quality testing regime for earbuds.

Current tests are performed in laboratories using either static equipment or are based on subjective user experience. "What we're doing now together with SINTEF is to develop an objective test method that is documentable and which can be used to measure both the sound and the sound suppression properties of an earbud while it is in motion," says Vidar Sandanger at Freebit.

"Even if the current approach is being applied to test earbuds used for listening to music, it can in principle also be applied to test anything that has to be fitted in and around the ear, such as a hearing aid," says SINTEF researcher Tron Vedul Tronstad. "Hopefully, this will lead to better products for consumers," he says.

Explore further Retrofitting wireless earbuds to detect neural signals and issue smartphone commands


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Sexual violence happens with alarming frequency in the Brazos Valley and throughout the United States  regardless of what else is happening in the world.

It does not pause for pandemics. Nor is it deterred by the gender of the U.S. vice president or House speaker, or by how many females happen to wear judicial robes.

Readers of The Eagle might have a different impression, however, if they read a Dec. 21 column by Christine Flowers under the headline Get rid of Christine Blasey Ford time.

They might be misled to believe that sexual violence is no longer much of a problem compared with the supposed danger to society from sexual assault victims who wait years to report allegations against celebrities.

Flowers latest concern involves actor Chris Noth of Sex and the City and Law and Order fame, who recently has been accused of sexual misconduct by five different women. (To be fair, only two women had come forward against Noth when Flowers wrote her article.)

Flowers wrote that the initial Noth accusers are launching fire bombs against a person who is being asked when he stopped beating his wife. In recent years, Flowers used similarly provocative arguments to defend Superstar Bill Cosby and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Flowers should write less and read more. She could start with the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, which uses CDC data to estimate that one in five U.S. women will experience rape or attempted rape in their lifetime.

Or Flowers could go to the latest annual report from the U.S. Justice Department, which estimates that about 320,000 people in the U.S. were raped or sexually assault in 2020.

The estimated annual rate of victimization  1.2 per 1,000 people  is remarkably consistent. Another consistent Justice Department finding is that two out of three assaults are never reported to law enforcement.

Flowers could come to Bryan-College Station and visit firsthand with the licensed counselors at the Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC).

Sadly, they responded to a 30% uptick in the need for services in 2021 compared with 2020. They start the year 2022 battling a more than 70-person wait list.

Like everywhere else, most survivors that SARC encounters do not go to the police. Many survivors, if not a majority, dont reach out for counseling until many years after an assault. Initially, survivors might tell one or two people and arent believed or are even blamed. So they silence themselves.

Some survivors fear retaliation. Some feel ashamed or powerless. Others dont trust the police or the legal system to take their cases seriously and handle them professionally.

Flowers shows no understanding of these issues. She shows no empathy for the long-term trauma triggered by sexual assault, despite an abundance of credible research that is widely available.

Clueless, Flowers wrote that it is difficult to understand why women in the U.S. wait years to report sexual assaults when we have a female vice president, a female speaker of the House and thousands of female judges at the state and federal level.

She disparages this era as, Christine Blasey Ford Time, named for the research psychologist who in 2018 accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her decades earlier during Kavanaughs confirmation hearing.

As a syndicated columnist, Flowers is paid to provoke attention toward herself on a national scale. It is not surprising for her to use celebrity names and provocative language.

We are disappointed that The Eagle would publish such a poorly reasoned column. But we appreciate it offering this space here to illuminate the real story of the horrible, continuing trauma of sexual assault in the Brazos Valley.

Lindsey LeBlanc is executive director of the Sexual Assault Resource Center in Bryan-College Station.
A zoning change is being pursued for a town house development project being planned near Five Points Super Saver in Grand Island.

Mesner Development of Central City hopes to build 70 new town house units at the site north of State Street and west of Wheeler Avenue, near Blessed Sacrament Church.

For the project, Mesner requested from Regional Planning Commission rezoning the site to R3-SL (medium density small lot) to facilitate its development.

The site is currently zoned as B2 general business, R2 and R3, Regional Planner Chad Nabity explained at Wednesdays RPC meeting.

A zoning change is needed because not all of the zones allow for the development.

Immediately north of Blessed Sacrament does not permit the lot sizes that they are proposing. The R3-SL does, Nabity told The Independent. The B2 on the west side, between the church and Super Saver, does permit those lot sizes and the residential. They do need to rezone at least a portion of the property, and it makes sense to rezone it all to the same zoning district.

A new street would be extended from Wheeler to State Street, in an L-shape, with lots on both sides of the new street.

Anita Graf, a director at Blessed Sacrament, voiced support Wednesday for the project.

We are very much in approval of what the developers would like to do with that property, which is going to be right next door to us, and encourage you to allow it to be rezoned, Graf said.

Margaret Pickering, a Grand Island resident who lives in the project area, spoke against the development.

This will literally be in my backyard, she said. Im concerned about my childrens safety. This area is quiet. There isnt a lot of traffic. Im concerned theres going to be a lot of traffic coming through, and an increase in traffic. Weve already had things vandalized at our home from the apartment complex thats near the veterans hospital.

She added, I dont know what its going be when its all done, and I dont really want it in my backyard.

Developer Cliff Mesner explained that the project is intended for first-time buyers and last-time buyers.

Youll end up with young couples who are starting families, but you wont have a lot of kids in the neighborhood, he said. A lot of them are sold to seniors who are trying to downsize and trying to sell their three-bedroom home someplace else in the community. Thats what weve seen in some of the communities weve done this.

RPC approved recommending the zoning change to the Grand Island City Council. The zoning change will go before the council at their Jan. 25 meeting.

RPC also approved a redevelopment plan change for the site at their Dec. 1 meeting. That will go before the City Council on Jan. 11.

A redevelopment plan is needed for the project to pursue tax increment financing.

The site is in Grand Islands Blight and Substandard Area 6, and will pursue $1.7 million in TIF funds for the total $16 million project.

The project is also pursuing low-income housing tax credits.

TIF would be used for the demolition of existing structures, necessary site work and installation of public utilities and street improvements.

The project is consistent with the existing zoning and future land use plan for the area, which is planned for a combination of commercial and residential development, Nabity said.

Nabity spoke in favor of the project on Dec. 1.

It is infill development, he said. This is a piece there, around the church, that has been looked at for many years. Ive probably spoken to at least a dozen different developers over the last 10 years looking at that piece.

He added, It lends itself well to having a walkable community.

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A Georgia auto repair shop owner accused of dumping more than 90,000 oily pennies in a former workers driveway in a pay dispute last year is being sued for back wages, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

A federal complaint filed by the agency Dec. 30 accuses A OK Walker Autoworks owner Miles Walker of retaliating against the employee, who complained to the Department of Labor when Walker gave him the runaround and refused to pay him after quitting the Peachtree City auto shop.

The department is seeking nearly $37,000 in back wages and liquidated damages from Walker after federal investigators say he violated overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, authorities announced in a Jan. 5 news release.

The DOLs Wage and Hour Division found that Walker failed to pay his employees legally required overtime when they worked a 40-hour-plus work week and did not keep adequate and accurate records of employees pay rates and work hours, according to the release.

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, comes several months after Andreas Flaten contacted the department after he had trouble getting his final wages from Walker. Flaten quit in November 2020 but didnt get the $915 he was owed until nearly four months later.

His last paycheck arrived in the form of about 91,500 grease-covered pennies dumped at the end of his driveway with a nasty note on top.

The load was so heavy, Flaten and his girlfriend were forced to shovel the coins into a wheelbarrow and roll it into the garage.

Its going to be hours upon hours ... to clean this money up so that its even able to be spent, he told WAGA at the time. I think thats going to be a lot of work for money Ive already worked for.

Flaten suspected Walker was behind the ruse and called it a childish thing to do.

Walker was issued a court summons on Jan. 3, online records show. Its unclear if he has retained an attorney.

Authorities said they hope the complaint deters Walker from retaliation and overtime violations in the future.

By law, worker engagement with the U.S. Department of Labor is protected activity, Steven Salazar, district director of the Wage and Hour Division in Atlanta, said in a statement. Workers are entitled to receive information about their rights in the workplace and obtain the wages they earned without fear of harassment or intimidation.
YORK  Prosper Gilpin, 20, one of four former York College students accused of beating a man, stealing his property and breaking into multiple vehicles in York last March, has been sentenced.

The now-Winnebago resident was sentenced in York County District Court to probation for the amended charges of misdemeanor criminal mischief and misdemeanor theft.

He was initially charged with the following:

 Robbery, a Class 2 felony

 Conspiracy to commit a Class 2 felony, a Class 2 felony

 Criminal possession of multiple financial transaction devices, a Class 4 felony

 Third degree assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor

 Identity fraud, a Class 1 misdemeanor

 Theft by unlawful taking, $0-$500, a Class 2 misdemeanor

A jury trial has been scheduled for late September.

The case began when the York Police Department was dispatched to 6 Arbor Court in reference to an assault that took place on the college campus, according to the probable cause affidavit filed with the York County Court.

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.

The victim said there were four individuals in the group. Only two assaulted him and deprived him of his property by force, the officers report says. He was able to provide descriptions of the individuals. He said he recognized all four individuals as York College students as he works in the cafeteria and has seen them before.

At 5:52 a.m., police officers were dispatched to the 600 Block of N. Iowa Ave., on the report of an attempted vehicle break-in. Officers were advised the people fled the scene after the reporting partys car alarm went off. Officers were told the suspects fled in a darker colored sporty car. The reporting party said the vehicle was occupied by more than one person.

At 6 a.m., a sergeant with the police department located a gray Infiniti G35 driving in the area of 11th Street and North Nebraska Ave. A traffic stop was initiated due to a traffic infraction.

Another officer arrived and observed that the description of the four men by the earlier victim matched the description of the occupants of the vehicle.

Officers also saw a number of Nebraska vehicle registrations throughout the vehicle, which was strange because the vehicle had California license plates. All four occupants were asked to exit the vehicle.

The driver was identified as Robbie Lovejoy Jr., the officer says in the affidavit filed with the court. The front seat passenger was identified as Fernando Servin Jr. The drivers side rear passenger was identified as Isaiah Hernandez-Jasso. And the passengers side rear passenger was identified as Prosper Gilpin.

It should be noted the victim immediately identified his assailants, through a drive-by line-up. He also identified Jasso and Servin as the men who assaulted him, the affidavit says.

Servin and Jasso were arrested for robbery and assault. Later, Lovejoy told officers he saw Fernando and Jasso assault (the man) and take his hat. He said he did not know why. He also stated he was just driving them around so Fernando and Jasso could steal items out of vehicles. He said he and Gilpin stayed in the car the entire time the group was driving around York.

The affidavit says Lovejoy was found to have no operators license, Gilpin was under the influence of alcohol and the other two were arrested  for that reason, a tow truck was called. The wind made it nearly impossible to conduct a tow inventory search as papers were flying out the door. The vehicle was taken to an indoor location where it was searched. During the search, officers located items belonging to 16 victims. Most of which were vehicle registrations, insurance cards and various vehicle related documents. Most notably, officers located a womans wallet containing her drivers license, a bank-issued checkbook and multiple bank cards. Officers also located another bank card issued to a man.

Gilpin was sentenced to two years of traditional probation with three 30-day stints in jail that can be waived if he is found to be in compliance with the terms of his probation.
LINCOLN  A giant step forward in providing small rural communities with broadband internet is unfolding now that money is available to assist with those improvements.

Twelve communities in the Kearney area that are unserved or underserved by high-speed broadband soon will have improved access because of $3.2 million in grants to help local telecommunications providers upgrade their services.

The Nebraska Public Service Commission on Tuesday awarded 60 grants totaling nearly $18 million from the Nebraska Broadband Bridge Program. The $3.2 million to Kearney-area providers was part of that $18 million in statewide grants.

Projects funded through Tuesdays award must be completed by July 5, 2023. Providers may apply for one six-month extension.

This funding will go a long way in the states efforts to help make high-speed broadband available to unserved and underserved Nebraskans, said PSC Chair Dan Watermeier.

The program will provide up to $40 million during two grant cycles for the deployment of broadband networks in rural areas of Nebraska.

During the 2021 grant cycle, the PSC received 76 applications and determined 60 applications qualified for funding. The 60 grants awarded were submitted by 19 providers for a total of $17,771,964.

Certain applicants, who were denied funding because their applications were challenged, will be given the chance to apply for the remaining $2.02 million in funding for the 2022 grant cycle.
KEARNEY  Cases of COVID-19 are soaring here after two weeks of decline.

Two Rivers Public Health Department reported 398 new cases of COVID from Dec. 29-Jan, 4, more than twice as many as the 186 cases Dec. 22-28. Cases have seesawed all month, with 315 new cases Dec. 8-14 but just 224 cases Dec. 15-21.

Despite the rising numbers, Two Rivers risk dial remains in the orange elevated level for the second consecutive week. The dial, issued every Thursday, had been in the red severe level  formerly termed the pandemic level  for 14 consecutive weeks, from Sept. 23-Dec. 23.

The risk dial remains in the orange level because of improved hospital availability, Katherine Mulligan, Two Rivers planning section supervisor, said.

In early December, very few ICU beds were available in the district. A high number of people were hospitalized in general. People had a lot of difficulty getting treatment locally because our health systems were swamped, she said. Last week hospital availability was better, but we werent sure if it would hold.

She also said that very little, if any, testing was available during the Christmas holiday, which likely affected the number of cases reported.

This week we have significantly better availability in ICU beds, and fewer hospitalizations. Also, more test sites are open following the end of the winter holidays, so even though cases are significantly higher, other aspects of risk were reduced due to wider availability of tests, she said.

Two Rivers said that while more than 16% of all tests done in the past week were positive, positivity rates in Two Rivers three largest cities were well above that, with 40%-50% in Holdrege, 20%-30% in Lexington and 15%-20% in Kearney.

Two Rivers includes Buffalo, Dawson, Franklin, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney and Phelps counties.

Last week, test positivity rates were highest in Dawson and Gosper counties, with 15% and 52% respectively, but at the same time, testing has dropped dramatically. Two Rivers said in late December, about 30% fewer tests were conducted weekly than in the three months between September and December, although the positivity rate remained about the same.

The omicron variant of the coronavirus is responsible for the current surge in cases, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has said. While it spreads far more rapidly than other variants, illness is generally not as severe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said.

Two Rivers does not release the number of new cases in each county due to state directives, but the New York Times national COVID-19 map provides figures based on average numbers of new cases in the past seven days. According to that, new cases in the Two Rivers counties since Dec. 30 have been, approximately:

 Buffalo: 175

 Dawson: 114

 Franklin: 3

 Gosper: 6

 Harlan: 3

 Kearney: 14

 Phelps: 28

As of Wednesday morning, nine ICU beds were available in the Two Rivers region, which is one fewer than the week before. About 80% of patients who occupy the regions ICU beds or are on ventilators have an active COVID diagnosis.

Also as of Wednesday morning, a little less than 50% of the total population of TRPHD had received the minimum recommended doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Free COVID tests are available 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds at 3807 N Avenue in Kearney. Test results are available the same day. Pre-registration is required at www.trphd.org.

Free vaccines are available at pharmacies, medical offices or through Two Rivers, which offers mobile clinics in Kearney and nearby towns. For a schedule, click on COVID-19, then events, at www.trphd.org.
FRANKLIN COUNTY  A woman tied to the U.S. Capitol riots a year ago was drunk and driving the wrong way on Interstate 44 on Wednesday night when she killed a woman and seriously injured the man driving another car in Franklin County, authorities said.

The Missouri Highway Patrol said the wrong-way driver, 22-year-old Emily E. Hernandez, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Mercy Hospital for treatment. Hernandez lives in Sullivan, Missouri.

The crash happened just after 7 p.m. Wednesday on eastbound I-44 in Franklin County. The woman who died in the crash was identified as 32-year-old Victoria N. Wilson of St. Clair, Missouri. She was a passenger in a car that was hit by Hernandez, police said. Wilson's husband was seriously hurt.

Hernandez was issued a citation Wednesday night at the hospital for two felonies: driving while intoxicated resulting in death, and driving while intoxicated resulting in injury. Cpl. Dallas Thompson of the Missouri Highway Patrol said Hernandez was cited for those offenses and a patrol trooper will be seeking charges from the Franklin County prosecutor's office.

Thompson said no mugshot was available of Hernandez because she was hospitalized after the wreck, and no court date has been set.

The fatal crash happened on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riots last Jan. 6. Hernandez was pictured during the riots holding a broken sign from House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office.

Ethan Corlija, one of Hernandezs lawyers, said he was with Hernandez on Wednesday night in the hospital. She needed surgery to close a head wound, he said, but was expected to be released from the hospital sometime Thursday.

He said the crash was a tragic event and not intentional, adding, My heart goes out to the other motorist who lost their life and their family.

Corlija said the plan was to go forward with a court hearing Monday at which Hernandez will plead guilty to a single misdemeanor charge connected to the Capitol riot.

The misdemeanor should carry a recommended sentence of six months or less in prison.

Hernandez is facing five misdemeanors in U.S. District Court in Washington, including knowingly entering a restricted building without authority, demonstrating in the Capitol, stealing, and knowingly engaging in disorderly conduct in a restricted building with intent to impede the government.

Pictures and videos from inside and outside the Capitol show a smiling Hernandez holding up a piece of a sign from Pelosis office. Charging documents say tipsters told the FBI that it was Hernandez, and also said shed posted pictures of herself in the Capitol via Snapchat.

Hernandez was one of three people who traveled together to Washington for the "Stop the Steal" rally. All three entered the Capitol and were charged. William D. "Bill" Merry, Hernandez's uncle, and Paul Scott Westover, his friend, have both pleaded guilty.

In the fatal crash, the patrol said Hernandez had been driving west in the eastbound lanes in a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. Wilson was a passenger in an eastbound 2019 Buick Enclave driven by Ryan E. Wilson, 36, of St. Clair. He suffered serious injuries and was being treated at Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan.

The patrol said both cars swerved right before the crash. After the vehicles collided, Ryan Wilson's car ended up hitting cable barriers in the highway median.

Hernandez was the only person listed in the patrol's crash report who was wearing a seat belt.

Thompson, the patrol spokesman, said neither he nor the trooper who worked the crash investigation knew about Hernandez's connection to the riots. Thompson said he didn't have additional details, such as where Hernandez got on the highway before the crash.

'Heart of gold'

Victoria Wilson, the woman killed in the crash, was the innocent victim of the wrong-way driver, police said. Wilson was the mother of two boys, ages 15 and 10. Her husband, Ryan, is a stay-at-home father and the boys were being homeschooled since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Victoria Wilson was a home healthcare aide who worked primarily with disabled people, including children. She and her mother began doing that work together many years ago.

"She had a heart of gold," said Victoria's mother, Tonie Donaldson. "Not everyone can work with mentally challenged children, and she's done it since she was 13."

"She never went without a smile on her face," her mother said.

While Ryan Wilson was hospitalized Thursday, Donaldson and her husband, Eddie, were taking care of their grandsons. Donaldson said Ryan Wilson suffered broken bones in a foot and had a dislocated ankle and several lacerations.

Ryan and Victoria Wilson were traveling on I-44 to come home Wednesday night after eating dinner at Applebee's to celebrate an upcoming wedding anniversary. Their anniversary isn't until Sunday but they celebrated early because Victoria works weekends, Donaldson said. The couple had been together 15 years.

Donaldson said she was upset that Hernandez wasn't already in jail or prison for her role in the Capitol riots.

"Why is she still out?" Donaldson told the Post-Dispatch. "With what she did to the government, why is she still walking the street?"

Donaldson said of Hernandez, "To me, she's a piece of (expletive deleted). At 7 o'clock, you're drunk and she got on the highway drunk?"

Donaldson said the family has set up a fundraising account to help cover funeral expenses.

Kim Bell  314-340-8115 @kbellpd on Twitter kbell@post-dispatch.com
Just a slight counterpoint to the previous post: We do need to remember that wealth doesn't actually cling to us past death, even though modern society has evidently decided it does. It doesn't actually cling to us even in life. The Buddha said, "Gold and silver are like grains of sand that slip through my fingers, as if it were nothing." Ethan Nichtern elaborates: "In life, we are all wandering around in circles, thinking that our next stop will be exactly what we have always been looking for. But we never arriveits an illusion of an oasis. It is the same thing with materialism: The idea that 'If I get the right stuff, I will finally feel at home.' But we can never acquire enough stuff."

Except I'm sure he wasn't thinking of a GFX 50R when he said that. If I were to get one, surely I would achieve nirvana. I don't mean the group.

But other than that, Ethanand Buddhamight be right.

1 Timothy 6:10 reminds us, "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Which clearly recommends that we refrain from loving money. Jesus, when the wily Pharisees tried to trap him by asking him whether it was okay to pay taxes, asked whose picture was on the coins. When they replied it was Caesar's, Jesus said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." This seems to imply that Jesus was recommending that the symbolic tokens of the power structure belonged to them anyway, so why fight it? And that the material realm and the spiritual realm are separate. But it's open to interpretation. Jesus isn't always perfectly clear with his advice about worldly things.

Jesus also said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." That seems pretty clear to me. I once joked to a friend that this is an ironclad logical proof that either Pat Robertson is going to hell, or he doesn't believe what the Bible says. It's either A or B; there is no C. Traditionally, the position of Christianity was that true acolytes turned their backs on material wealth and took vows of poverty. Both Buddhist and Christian monks were not allowed to own money or seek it. In light of which, the evangelical project over the past half century of turning Christianity into a cult of materialism is...curious.

The essential activity for humans, in any event, seems to be trade, not wealth. Barter preceded cash. What we trade is actually not as important as the ritual and the symbolismconsider the price of Manhattan, or the current craze of exchanging vast sums of money for rectangles of canvas with oil paint dabbed on them. That makes sense only because we've decided it does. It's the interaction that's essential. We traded before we invented money as a convenience to help us trade. Gifting is included; tribal cultures, the essential ancestral form of human groups, have, or had, core customs of gift exchange, on which social status partly depended. Gift-giving raised the standing of the giver, and as a utilitarian practical matter helped keep socially divisive inequality from getting out of hand.

Taking the contrary position, Marek Cieslik noted that "...we can't make spiritual progress if our material needs aren't met...the wealthier we are the more we can help others and devote more time to spiritual practice." He quotes Abraham Lincoln: "You cant help the poor by being one of them."

Is money itself evil? "We need to have some kind of system for measuring how we consume, produce, and share," continues Ethan Nichtern, "So there will always be money in any complex society. And any human who wants to pay the rent has to learn the rules of budgeting. But its not just a necessary evil. Money can also be spiritual or divine, by powering whatever positive activity you want to engage in."

Aha! That there's my GFX 50R loophole right there!

I wonder if I'll be able to take it with me?

Mike

Book o' the Week

American Geography by Matt Black, a great name for a photographer but a terrible internet name, impossible to search. Stan Banos calls American Geography a "handsome, well thought out and put together book." Matt's work is outstanding.



The link is a portal to Amazon. Thank you kindly for helping support The Online Photographer!

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)

Featured Comments from:

Ray L Hudson: "That 'eye of needle' thing. There's a story about translations, 'eye of needle' referring to a low gate in ancient cities, camels having to get on their knees to enter.... If true, changes the commonly understood meaning of Jesus's saying. So I'm just saying...."

KeithB replies to Ray: "The idea that the 'eye of the needle' referred to a gate did not come along for maybe 900 years, and there is no evidence for it. The whole idea appears to be a way to soften the saying."

MikeR: "Quoting Jack Benny, 'If I can't take it with me, I won't go!'"

"And to borrow from Kurt Vonnegut, who was himself quoting (if I recall correctly) Kin Hubbard, 'It's no disgrace to be poor, but it might as well be.'"
ILLINOIS  Active COVID-19 cases in Illinois' prisons have reached quadruple digits, according to data provided by the Illinois Department of Corrections.

There are currently 1,623 active cases among inmates and prisons staff  compared to the 703 last week and the 200 cases reported on Dec. 6, according to IDOC date.

Lindsey Hess, a spokesperson for IDOC, said that this type of spike typically reflects what is happening within the larger community.

What we have found over the course of the pandemic is that the number of COVID-19 cases within IDOC is reflective of the situation in the community, Hess said. We are working closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health, infectious disease consultants, and correctional agencies across the nation to ensure best practices and keep individuals in custody healthy and safe.

Alan Mills, executive director of the Uptown Peoples Law Center, said that while that is true, prisons are one of the only places you can regulate people so intensely.

(The numbers) are just outrageous, Mills said. Prisons are not like the rest of the environment. The state has complete control over who comes in and out of the prison and whether or not they're vaccinated. You cant do that with the general public because we go to all kinds of places all the time. Prisons are one of the places where you could protect people if you took the right steps. We just decided not to do it.

Correctional facilities have accounted for 18.6% of cases statewide since July 1, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data. The facilities were one of the highest sources of outbreaks next to daycares, factories and group homes.

Mills attributed the Illinois prison spike to both the state of the surrounding community and the lack of prison personnel who are vaccinated.

The prisons have not done what (it should) to protect prisoners and, frankly, staff as well, Mills said. The governor announced that there would be a mandate for all employees to be vaccinated back in August. They still are not. The mandate now has until the end of January.

Gov. J.B Pritzker originally mandated vaccines for prison employees on Aug. 26, with an inoculation deadline of Oct. 4.

However, implementation was delayed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees opposition.

Pritzker announced Dec. 30 that the arbitrator in the states vaccine mandate interest arbitration proceedings determined the state could  and should  require vaccinations for prison staff.

Employees subjected to this mandate are now required to get their first shot by January 31, 2022 unless they are approved for a religious or medical exemption, Pritzker said.

Hess pushed back at Mills accusation that IDOC is not protecting its prisoners and staff.

Protecting the health and safety of staff, individuals in custody and the community remains the Departments top priority, Hess said. To help combat the challenge of infection control within our congregate living facilities, all staff and individuals in custody are temperature checked, masked, symptom screened and routinely tested. In addition, 75% of the incarcerated population and 66% of staff are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Further protections include medical quarantines.

Facilities with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are placed on medical quarantine with restricted movement depending on the outbreak, Hess said.

IDOCs medical and operations teams are also making facility-by-facility calls on visitor procedures, Hess said.

Local prisons like Shawnee and Centralia both have employee and inmate case numbers in the double digits despite precautions taken.

Shawnee has 19 current employee cases and 61 current inmate cases, while Centralia has 15 current employee cases and 22 current inmate cases, according to IDOC data.

Case counts are updated daily Monday through Friday at 5 p.m. on IDOCs website, according to IDOC.

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The last day on the job for the Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope was Thursday.

The office will be vacant on Friday.

We have to reeducate ourselves to fight the corruption that exists under the Capitol dome, Sen. Jil Tracy, RQuincy, who chairs the Senate Ethics Commission, said during a news conference Thursday.

Pope, a former prosecutor and appellate court judge, tendered her resignation in July. She called the office a paper tiger and blasted lawmakers saying they demonstrated true ethics reform is not a priority. She originally said her last day would be Dec. 16, but agreed to stay on until the Jan. 6 to allow more time for her position to be filled.

Confirming a candidate before LIG Pope left has always been my top priority. It is unfortunate that my goal was not shared by some of the Democrat members of the (Legislative Ethics Commission) who did what they could to stall and circumvent the selection process, Tracy said. Our search dommittee interviewed multiple candidates and recommended two qualified candidates, and we should have been able to fill this position in a timely manner. But several Democrat members of the LEC did not commit to seeing the process through, and we find ourselves without a qualified LIG to address legislative ethics complaints.

The search for a new LIG began after Pope announced her resignation in July. The position was posted and the search committee was formed. Two candidates were recommended, but the Legislative Ethics Committee made up of four Democrats and four Republicans couldnt come to a decision.

Tracy blamed the delay on Democrats. But Rep. Kelly Burke, D-Evergreen Park, who chairs the Ethics Committee, disagreed.

Senator Tracy's claims today are wildly mischaracterizing the situation, Burke said. Democrats have sought to advance two candidates for final selection, both of whom have been deemed qualified by the search committee and the LEC. Republicans have blocked that effort, insisting on only advancing their preferred candidate  even though both candidates have worked for former Governor Rauner and have demonstrated nonpartisan, professional expertise. In fact, both are also former federal prosecutors.

As we've said all along, this should be a straightforward process and we must end the political theater so we can fill this critical position. Senator Tracy is right on one thing, the people of Illinois deserve better."

During the news conference, Tracy noted a complaint was filed with the LIG on Dec. 23 but no investigation was started due to Popes departure.

This has led to renewed calls to give the LIG expanded powers and making the office more transparent.

Tracy said new legislation, Senate Bill 3030, will:

Require LEC meetings to be open to the public, and have the meetings publicly posted;

No longer allow elected officials to serve as members of the LEC; and

Provide the LIG with subpoena power to investigate ethics complaints against members of the Illinois General Assembly.

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American society still struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the course of 2021.

However, there were indications, some major, that at least there is hope for things to eventually return to normal.

Two major events, the Grand American and the Southern Illinois Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Days returned after a one-year hiatus in 2020. Those are among the top outdoors stories of the year.

Here are those Top 5 stories:

No. 1

The Amateur Trapshooting Associations Grand American returned to Spartas World Shooting and Recreational Complex in August.

The Grand American, the worlds largest trapshooting competition, moved to Sparta from Vandalia, Ohio in 2006.

Because Illinois more stringent COVID-19 restrictions, the ATA had to move the Grand American to Missouri in 2020. However, when the pandemic moderated last summer, the event returned to Sparta.

The Missouri venue was considerably smaller than the WSRC. The size of the complex and complications from the pandemic led to significantly lower attendance in 2020. However, registration returned to pre-pandemic levels when the event returned to Sparta last year.

Although the Grand American came back home, it wasnt without some drama. A variety of issues created labor shortages at the WSRC during the event, but the return of the Grand American was a success.

This years event, the 123rd, will be Aug. 3-13.

With more than 5,000 participants competing over a 10-day period, the Grand American generates millions of dollars of revenue for Southern Illinois each year.

No. 2

The return of the Southern Illinois Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Days.

The Southern Illinois celebration is generally regarded as the largest observance of National Hunting and Fishing Days in the country. Prior to the pandemic, the two-day event would draw about 30,000 visitors annually.

Although the show is spread out over much of the John A. Logan College campus in Carterville, state regulations would not allow the event to proceed in 2020.

The show, a somewhat slimmed down version of itself, returned in 2021.

The waterfowl calling contests, one of the signature events of National Hunting and Fishing Days, had to be moved outside. All events that were normally held inside the college buildings were cancelled, but most of the outside activities returned.

No. 3

The drawdown of Crab Orchard Lake.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discovered the spillway at Crab Orchard Lake was in serious need of repair last year. In order to facilitate the work, the lake level at to be dropped nearly four feet, exposing miles and miles of shoreline.

Although it sounds disruptive, biologists agreed the six-month drawdown was good for the lake.

Grass grew on the exposed shoreline, providing additional food sources for waterfowl. The same grasses will serve as nesting habitat and food sources during the fish spawning season this fall.

In addition, the refuge was able to hold a lake-wide clean-up in which tons of litter were removed from the lake bed. Refuge staff were also able to conduct repairs to boat ramps and fishing piers during the period of low water.

A series of late December and January rain showers has the lake level rising again. The lake is expected to be at normal pool this spring.

No. 4

The release of Cade Bursells Shawnee Showdown: Keep the Forest Standing.

Cade Bursell, a professor of film making and cinema at Southern Illinois University, released a documentary outlining the work of local activists to fight clear cutting in the Shawnee National Forest in the early 1990s.

The net effect of the protests and subsequent court cases resulted in a 17-year moratorium on clear-cutting.

In addition to being an important historical document, Bursells film also shows that an engaged citizenry can affect government action. Of note, many of the activists quoted in media reports in the 1990s were interviewed for the film, giving it a noteworthy before and after effect.

No. 5

The retirement of Liz Jones as manager of Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge.

Technically, Jones retired in December of 2019, but were not going to quibble over a few days.

Jones worked in the Cache River Watershed for about 30 years. Both Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge and the Cache River State Natural Area grew by leaps and bounds thanks to Jones work in purchasing land from willing buyers.

She also helped oversee the reforestation of large tracts of land in the Cache River Watershed.

Jones was a pioneer, one of the few women in leadership roles, in wildlife agencies.

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When an opening for bishop arose in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in 2010, Teresa Jefferson-Snorton looked around to see if any women were offering to be candidates.

None were.

She knew that since its founding 140 years earlier by Black Methodists emerging from slavery, the denomination had never elected a woman bishop.

"I was like, oh my goodness, this can't be," she recalled. "If no one steps forward, it gives the church a pass."

Jefferson-Snorton, who had spent decades as a pastor, chaplain and theological educator, undertook several months of intensive prayer before discerning she was "feeling a call to this" from God. Then she put her name forward.

"To an extent, it was a political statement," said Jefferson-Snorton.

Despite opposition from some who said the denomination wasn't ready for a woman bishop, she was elected the CME's 59th bishop, overseeing 217 churches across Alabama and Florida.

Jefferson-Snorton said people there have come to accept her in the role  if awkwardly at times.

"I can't tell you how many times people said, 'Yes sir,' to me," she said. "I just remind them, 'Yes ma'am' is OK."

Eleven years later, she remains the CME's only woman bishop, a status made vivid in an official photo of the church's college of bishops, where she sits among 16 men, all in purple and white vestments.

Most major Black Christian denominations in the U.S. have no doctrinal bar to ordained women leaders in the way that Catholicism and some other denominations do, and women have preached and been ordained in historically Black churches since at least the 19th century.

Yet denominational leadership remained all-male until the 21st century, and women are still the exception in the top rungs.

Earlier this year, the Rev. Gina Stewart became the first woman president of a major Black Baptist organization, the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Society, an organization that responds to disasters and fights poverty, hunger and human trafficking.

"Whenever a woman is placed in a role that is traditionally male, there's always some negativity that surrounds it," Stewart said, but in her first 90 days as president, she has received congratulatory calls from some male denominational leaders and support from her male predecessors, without encountering "any major resistance."

"There's a shifting taking place," Stewart said, noting that more women have been promoted to lead important departments in the church.

"We know that it's long overdue," added Stewart, who is the senior pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. "But we give those organizations that are making the effort credit, taking the initiative and giving women that opportunity."

Religious organizations still need to do more to provide women chances for leadership development, said the Rev. Maisha Handy, associate professor of religion and education at the Interdenominational Theological Center, a consortium of historically African American seminaries in Atlanta.

"We've certainly made strides around that in recent years, in recent decades, but we still have a long way to go," said Handy, who is also executive director of the Center for Black Women's Justice at ITC.

Women pastors often receive assignments to smaller congregations with fewer resources or opportunities to gain experience and preparation for denominational leadership, Handy said.

"It's not just about ordination. It's about placement," said Handy.

When Black denominations got their start in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, according to Handy, their biblical interpretations were affected by the cultural attitudes around them. "When you think about the kind of patriarchy and misogyny that is intrinsic to American history and culture, it makes sense that it was reflected also in those denominations," she said.

To be sure, women have long exercised authority in non-ordained roles, outnumbering men in local church membership and also leading their own organizations within denominations.

But from the first, women had limited access to the pulpit, though some challenged those barriers.

"If the man may preach, because the savior died for him, why not the woman?" Jarena Lee, the first woman lay preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, asked in the early 19th century.

A sister denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, ordained Mary Small, its first woman minister, in 1898. By the mid-20th century, the CME and AME churches were ordaining women as well. Records are less precise among the more decentralized Baptists, but women's ordination was long the exception among them.

In 2000, Vashti Murphy McKenzie was elected the first woman bishop in the AME Church. McKenzie, now retired, was later joined by more women bishops, though men still comprise most of the AME episcopacy. The AME Zion Church followed, electing Mildred "Bonnie" Hines bishop in 2008, as did the CME with Jefferson-Snorton in 2010.

Jefferson-Snorton, who in October was elected chair of the governing board of the National Council of Churches, said she is still sometimes questioned about biblical passages that are cited to justify giving men sole power to preach or lead. She cites other passages, such as one declaring that in Christ there is neither male nor female.

"I often start with the story of Resurrection morning," when Jesus' female followers were told to "go and proclaim" he had risen from the dead, she added.

"If Jesus had not intended for women to be bearers of good news, that would never have happened," said Jefferson-Snorton.

But to those who are "more hostile" in questioning women's ministry, "I often say to them, 'God called me to this ministry, so if you have a problem with it, you need to talk to God, because I did not call myself,'" she said.

In the Church of God in Christ, a historically Black Pentecostal denomination, women have made their influence felt in other ways. Traditionally only men have been recognized as ordained ministers or bishops, while women have led its Women's Department, which oversees auxiliaries. COGIC officials didn't respond to questions about women's roles in the denomination.

But after the death of her husband, COGIC's first elected presiding bishop, Mother Mary P. Patterson, a retired real estate agent who headed her own travel agency, founded the Pentecostal Heritage Connection, dedicated to planting historical markers honoring COGIC leaders across the South. In November, a ceremony unveiling the final marker, an 8-foot aluminum sign on a corner in Little Rock, Arkansas, was attended by regional religious leaders, a representative of the governor and scholars who traveled to the state for the occasion.

Sherry Sherrod DuPree, a Florida historian and former president of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, said Patterson's effort is an example of how women lead in a denomination known for its patriarchal hierarchy.

"She is a quiet praying lady who 'stays in her lane' but is active in getting jobs done without fanfare, one of the skills of COGIC women," said DuPree.

Patterson said, "it shows other young women that you don't have to be behind the pulpit in order to do a work for the Lord."

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Roy Braddock of Walterboro is the best of the best among Grand American coon hunters.

The 70-year-old has been coming to the Grand American Coon Hunt since 1975 and holds the record for the most Grand American wins of any of the hunters.

He has won the top trophy six times: 1979, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993 and 1999.

It is just about having a good dog, Braddock said as he arrived at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds on Thursday for the event's 57th year.

I won it with dogs that I raised and trained. I didn't buy them. I have been raising Walker hounds for about 50 years, he said.

Braddock still hunts, but says a lot has changed over the years.

It is a different breed of dog now, he said. The hunting terrain is not as plentiful as it used to be, finding places to hunt.

Braddock is not hunting this year because he broke his collar bone just last Wednesday while coon hunting.

The Grand American just gets in your blood  the excitement of it and visiting old friends and making new friends, Braddock said.

It is like a tradition, fellowship, camaraderie, he said.

Jeffrey Robinson, a UKC master of hounds, came from North Carolina. Hes been visiting since 1990.

While he has never placed in the Grand American, he comes for the friends and fellowship.

The way time flies  your young dog turns into your old dog into your dead dog, but the friends you meet through this lasts a lifetime, Robinson said. You come down here, it is like a family reunion. You get to see people you might not see but once a year."

Robinson praised Orangeburg as an ideal hunting location.

They have plenty of hunting within a two-hour area of here, he said. A lot of the other places that have held hunts for many years, with the development of building houses and businesses, they have lost of their hunting around and had to move them.

Orangeburg still has got a lot of good hunting close by, so this is a good location."

The hunters will share their war stories when they get together, he said.

A lot times the dogs will get in places that you don't want them to be, he said. You have to crawl to them or have to swim to them. That is just a part of it.

Coon hunting is also about, just spending time in nature and being out in God's creation, he said.

The hunters also form bonds with their dogs, he said. You watch it grow and watch it mature. You get the feeling of accomplishment when you see the dog do good and turn it into what you want it to be."

Thousands of hunters are expected to come out to the annual Grand American Coon Hunt at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds. Between 225 and 250 dogs are expected to participate.

The Grand American will be held through Sunday.

The Grand American typically brings in about 1,000 dog/owner teams and between 25,000 to 30,000 visitors, according to the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce.

License plates could be seen at the fairgrounds from Missouri, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky.

The Grand American Hunt has become such a staple in the overall existence of Orangeburg that we just wouldnt be the same without, Chamber President James McQuilla said. It represents tradition, family and Southern culture.

Orangeburg is a community steeped in family traditions and Southern charm, so we are the perfect place to have been chosen for the coon hunt, McQuilla said. Now in its 57th year, the Grand American Coon Hunt is as popular as ever, and even though COVID-19 has reared its ugly head once again, we are confident that every reasonable precaution has been taken to make this hunt a safe event.

As the kickoff to the United Kennel Club coonhound events calendar, the annual Grand American is the first major event of 2022.

Presented by American Cooner magazine, the Grand American is a national event that features dog/owner teams, which represent each of the seven coonhound breeds, competing for various prizes.

The Grand American includes nightly competitive hunts in which coon hounds and their handlers earn points for treeing and identifying raccoons.

The raccoons are not killed or attacked in the hunt.

New this year, South Carolina-based The Flatland Express Bluegrass Band will also perform on Saturday afternoon.

In addition to the hunt, the event offers a chance for people to admire, buy, sell and trade hunting dogs and gear.

Gale Parks, from Booneville, Mississippi, says he has gone to a lot of coon hunts over the past ten years. The eight-hour drive from Mississippi is well worth it, as he says the Grand American is one of the best.

It is the way the people treat us, the town treats us, the grounds here, he said. They are all so good to us.

He mostly sells dogs at the hunts. The Parks have about eight big dogs and ten puppies.

Every year we sell every dog and most of our customers are repeat customers, he said. I really enjoy coming here.

Kaelyn Parks, 8, has been coming before she could walk and talk.

I like the hunts, she said. Sometimes she gets to go on the hunts.

I like to listen to the dogs run. I like to see them tree. I like the dogs, she said.

Jim Crump of Beaver Dam, Kentucky has been coming to the Grand American for the past five years. He was introduced to the hunt by a friend.

He sells Stephens cur dogs.

We have tried to preserve this breed, Crump said. It is an old mountain breed. They are mostly a little black dog with some white on them. If it goes up a tree, we hunt them with it. We mostly coon and squirrel hunt ours.

Crump enjoys coming to the Grand American because the people are friendly and he gets to see old friends.

There are plenty of good places to stay and they are always very accommodating here at the fairgrounds, Crump said. It is a very good family atmosphere.

North Carolina resident Binkey Carver has been coming to the Grand American since he was 5 years old.

I like to come down to see all these guys around here. I like to watch them swap and trade these dogs. That is the best part of it, he said.

Carver says he has hunted before.

I didn't place, he said. I like coming to Orangeburg, though. It has always been fun. I like this old hunt down here. You see all these guys you ain't seen about every year. You look forward to it.

Opening ceremonies for the Grand American are at 10 a.m. Friday in the Bates Building at the fairgrounds.

The Grand American got its start in the 1960s when prominent coon hunters searched for a hunt in a warmer climate because snow prevented much winter hunting in the North.

A panel of national competition hunters was formed, including some hunters from The T&D Region.

One of its members, Jim Mathis of Denmark, met with the newly formed Orangeburg Coon Hunters Associations president, Lynn Anderson, who agreed to have the initial hunt in Orangeburg.

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The Regional Medical Center is looking to partner with Orangeburg's Family Health Center to create a family practice residency program.

FHC has applied and received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, toward making the program a reality. A target date for the program's implementation has not been determined.

"We are still in discussions with them about the funding," RMC President and CEO David Southerland said, "about how the funding will be distributed and how much of the funds will be able to hire a family practice residency program director."

He said there are also funding questions about how much it would cost to pay doctors to serve as mentors or clinical instructors.

The program will be a collaboration between FHC, RMC and Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg.

The development of the program began Aug. 1, 2021.

The Rural Residency Planning and Development Program grant will provide us with the opportunity to explore how we can better train and attract more family medicine providers to serve patients in our rural communities, FHC Chief Executive Officer Leon A. Brunson Sr. said.

Research shows providers who train in rural communities are most likely to stay in those communities to practice medicine, Brunson said.

The program would be a three-year residency that would initially have six doctors in the first class, six in the second and six in the third class, meaning after three years there would be 18 doctors in the program.

"After the third year, individuals would graduate," Southerland said. "The clinical rotations for training would happen here at the hospital."

Program implementation is expected to cost more than the $750,000 HRSA grant.

"We would have to cost it out," Southerland said, noting there would have to be a program director and at least half a dozen doctors involved in training. They would have to be paid.

Southerland said an individual will go to medical school for four years and then at the end of their fourth year, they would graduate and become doctors.

During their fourth year in medical school, the individual is able to select a specialty fellowship training or residency opportunity. He said there are a lot of specialties, with family practice being one.

Southerland said the local residency program would be an option for physicians across the state and for those out of state to get experience in Orangeburg.

He said the hospital already takes third and fourth-year students from the Spartanburg Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine school.

"The family practice residency program would be an option for these doctors," Southerland said. "Students at the Medical University of South Carolina or the medical school in Columbia would be able to apply to the program."

Access to residencies is a competitive process known as "the Match" through the National Resident Matching Program.

Doctors will interview and after the period is over, they would submit a "rank-order list" to the NRMP that depends on the residency program for which they are applying.

Similarly, residency programs submit a list of their preferred applicants in rank order to this same service.

"That matching process happens all over the country," Southerland said.

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RIVERTON  The teen accused of shooting Jocelyn Watt and Rudy Perez to death three years ago in Riverton was transferred to Fremont County District Court on Wednesday for felony-level murder prosecution.

Brandon Donald Monroe is now 19 years old but was 16 when Watt and Perez were found dead in Watts home near City Park in Riverton, on Jan. 5, 2019  exactly three years before his preliminary hearing.

He now is charged with two counts of first-degree murder or, in the alternate, two counts of felony murder, which is a variation of the first-degree murder charge punishable by no less than life in prison.

But before the preliminary hearing Tuesday after which Riverton Circuit Court Judge Wesley Roberts ruled that there is probable cause to send the case to the higher court, Monroes attorney first argued against the states decision to charge him as an adult.

Washakie County public defender Curtis Cheney had submitted a motion to Roberts court to pause the case in order to give Fremont County Attorney Patrick LeBrun more time to consider whether to charge Monroe as a juvenile instead.

LeBrun countered that although he filed charges against Monroe just one day after investigators received an eyewitness account of the alleged murders, he still has been familiar with the case for three years, and with Monroe through other incidents.

This office has given due consideration to the factors, said LeBrun. The state made a determination that this case should be charged in adult court... and Im confident in it.

Ultimately, Roberts denied Cheneys motion to pause the proceedings.

LeBrun then called to the witness stand Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Juliet Fish.

Fish had interviewed Patrick SunRhodes on Dec. 9 at the Wyoming Boys School in Worland.

She said SunRhodes gave a detailed account of being in Watts home at the time of the murders.

SunRhodes, who is now 17, also is charged with felony murder for his alleged involvement.

Fish related that the boy left his home on Beaver Creek and got into a truck with Korbin Headley and Bryce Teran, to drive around and drink, on Jan. 4, 2019.

Headley, 18, is charged with aggravated burglary and Teran, 24, with felony murder, each for his alleged involvement.

Teran picked up Monroe at the latters home. And after a time spent drinking together in the truck, Monroe retreated back into his home, then re-entered the truck with methamphetamine and a small-caliber gun, Fish related.

Monroe is said to have smoked the meth, saying he needed to take care of business in town. Teran drove the group to Riverton.

During the drive, SunRhodes recalled, Monroe loaded the gun.

SunRhodes remembered asking Headley to ask Monroe if he could go home, but Headley said Monroe said no, SunRhodes couldnt go home.

Fish explained in court that SunRhodes was concerned about Monroes behavior with the gun  so that SunRhodes switched seats to sit behind Monroe in the truck  and he also was concerned that two of the boys in the truck were sporting opposing gang colors: one in red, one in blue.

Teran parked behind Watts apartment, SunRhodes recalled.

Monroe told SunRhodes to go in with him. Monroe shouldered the back door open, breaking its glass window, Fish stated, then the pair went inside.

SunRhodes heard gunshots after Monroe went into the bedroom. He also heard a mans voice saying What the (expletive) are you doing here?

When SunRhodes walked into the room, hed recalled, he saw Rudy Perez struggling against Monroe, who said Get the (expletive) off me.

Then, the eyewitness had told Fish, he watched Monroe shoot Perez in the head.

SunRhodes also recalled seeing Watt lying facedown on the other side of the bed, shaking.

Perez had two bullets in his head and one in his bicep, said Fish. Watt had two bullets and one fragment in her head. The five whole bullets found, she said, were from the same gun.

LeBrun asked Fish if Sun-Rhodes had related any details about Watts home that were unknown to the public.

Fish said yes, SunRhodess description of Terans parking job behind the house matched the tire treads found in the packed snow.

She said SunRhodes also had described seeing a blue-and-white motorcycle in the kitchen of the home. Perez had, in fact, parked his blue-and-white motorcycle in Watts kitchen.

Originally, SunRhodes had said hed witnessed both murders, but he later said he thought hed only watched Perez being shot.

SunRhodes ran out of the home.

Monroe came out later, with the alleged murder weapon and with a shotgun believed to be Perezs.

Neither weapon has been found.

Teran drove them back to Monroes home.

SunRhodes said he remembered Monroe firing the shotgun from his back porch. Some time later, SunRhodes was taken back to his own home.

On cross-examination, Cheney focused on the lack of planning, to rebut the charge of first-degree murder, with its requirement of premeditation.

When was the plan made? he asked, referencing Fishs claim that Headley was supposed to go into Watts home with Monroe originally, but was found to be too drunk.

I dont know, answered Fish.

Fish also noted, pursuant to Cheneys questioning, that Watts uncle, William Watt, along with Tamra Dickson had discovered the bodies on Jan. 5  one day after the killings.

Cheney asked Fish if there was other physical evidence recovered at the scene that might tie Monroe to the incident, but LeBrun objected that it was a discovery  not a probable cause  question. Roberts sustained LeBruns objection.

Fish told Cheney that DCI agents also had interviewed Monroe in December, in Fort Washakie where he was incarcerated for an unrelated matter.

Monroe had reached out to DCI through his then-attorney, saying he wanted to give an interview.

Fish recalled Monroe saying that Perez had pointed a gun at him first; that Monroe heard Perezs gun click and then heard his own gun sound.

LeBrun argued in his closing statement that the evidence against Monroe was strong, by the latters own admission to at least one of the murders, and by the testimony of a literal eyewitness.

LeBrun argued that the forced entry into the home satisfies the felony murder charge underpinning, that a victim had died during the course of a separate felony offense.

Cheney rebutted, asking the court not to bind over the felony murder charges, because there was really no plan to commit a felony.

(With this) big statement to take care of business... Im not really sure what the intent was.

Cheney said The killing may have been self-defense.

Under Wyomings stand-your-ground law, a homeowner may shoot an invader exhibiting criminal intent.

LeBrun countered by citing case law that In burglary you can develop the intention once youre inside.

Roberts said the states argument did convey enough probable cause to advance the case.

He also set Monroes bond at $2 million cash-only.

Roberts had on Dec. 17 denied Monroe bond, then later set it at $1 million cash-only.

But on Wednesday, Roberts said some of the new details hed learned at the preliminary hearing suggested extreme danger to the community should Monroe be released. He doubled the bond.

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As state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle grow increasingly frustrated with the task of redistricting, Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, is looking to dramatically change how its done the next time around.

In Wyoming, the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee  which is made up of sitting legislators  is tasked with redistricting the state every 10 years. Gierau told the Star-Tribune on Wednesday that he requested the drafting of a bill that would take the responsibility away from the committee and give it to an independent body, none of whom hold elected office. The Teton County senator plans to introduce it in the upcoming budget session.

At a Management Council meeting on Thursday, state lawmakers expressed their dissatisfaction with how the process has gone so far, with multiple of them acknowledging that it might be time to remove the power of redistricting from the purview of legislators.

Those supporting such a move tend to cite two main issues. One, the process is inefficient because of all the other work lawmakers have to do. Two, the process inevitably becomes personal as lawmakers redraw not only their colleagues districts, but their own.

It just has been difficult because, despite everyones best intentions and best efforts, this process gets personal, Gierau said. There isnt any way around it.

Both Gierau and Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, the co-chairman of the corporations committee, acknowledged how difficult it can be for lawmakers to have their constituency changed.

If they redraw the lines, and you have a whole bunch of folks youve never represented before, its difficult, Gierau said.

Wyoming would not be the first to create a redistricting commission  roughly a dozen states use an independent body to redistrict.

As it stands, Gierau does not know exactly who would staff that commission, but he is entertaining the idea of retired legislators or creating an application process for the public.

The Legislature could still be involved in some capacity, even if the process of drawing the map is outsourced. The Legislature, for example, may still have to approve the final map.

Having a legislative committee redistrict the state does help to maintain the party-wide interests of constituents. Wyoming currently has the most Republican legislature in the country, and if the state created an independent commission that was not as GOP-heavy, it could detract from voters interests.

Gierau, a Democrat, said he wants to take that reality into account with his bill.

Even though Im on the wrong side of it, I think its important to keep that political advantage, he said.

The corporations committee aimed to be done with redistricting by Dec. 1, but it is going to drag on well into the new year. Committee members believes they will have two or more meetings before the budget session begins on Feb. 14.

Im slightly jealous of states that have an independent redistricting commission at this point, said Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, a member of the corporations committee.

Because its being done by legislators, it has to be a political process. So you have to have a bill that can get 31 votes in the House and 16 votes in the Senate, Yin previously told the Star-Tribune. Our goal is to deal with the change that has happened to our state and figure out how to best represent our constituents.

The committees next meeting is Wednesday, most likely in Casper.

The outstanding issues for the committee are sorting out the eastern side of the state, particularly around Weston County and whether or not it stays whole, as well as figuring out how the Senate districts will be maneuvered. So far, the committee has been focusing mainly on the House districts.

The idea is for the committee to sponsor one bill with one redrawn map, but it is possible that multiple maps may get introduced during the session.

Theyre doing a great job, but theyre doing a tough job and I just wonder if there is a better way, Gierau said.

The senators bill needs a two-thirds majority to even be introduced, an uphill battle in a session focused on the states finances. But because redistricting is top of mind for legislators, the bill may see an easier path forward.

Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis

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The omicron variant has become the most common source for new COVID-19 infections in Wyoming, the state Department of Health said Thursday.

Until recently, the delta variant had been the dominant strain in Wyoming. But omicron, which is considerably more contagious, is quickly overtaking it, both here and across the rest of the nation.

We are currently seeing big jumps in Wyomings case counts again, likely due to the Omicron variant, said Dr. Alexia Harrist, the state health officer and state epidemiologist. This is again not like the COVID-19 we have become familiar with because it spreads much more easily between people. Unfortunately, when a virus transmits between people easily more people become infected.

Harrist cited recent variant sequencing results and estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the determination that the omicron variant was now the most common strain for new infections in Wyoming.

Omicron was first detected in Wyoming in mid-December. The first case involved a University of Wyoming student in Laramie whod traveled domestically.

As of Thursday, the states COVID-19 dashboard showed 25 detected cases of omicron in Wyoming. Of those, 15 were found in Albany County residents, nine in neighboring Laramie County and one in Carbon County. All are in the southeastern corner of the state.

The actual number of omicron infections is likely much higher considering many people dont get tested or are asymptomatic.

Cases have been on the rise in Wyoming of late after falling this autumn. On Dec. 18, the states seven-day average for lab-confirmed cases was 64.6. As of Wednesday, that number had jumped to 292.6.

A similar spike is being experienced nationally. At the end of November, the countrys seven-day average for new cases was hovering around 80,000. On Jan. 5, it hit roughly 584,000, according to figures kept by the New York Times.

While omicron is showing to be more contagious, early studies suggest its symptoms may be less severe than the previously dominant delta variant.

The health department recommended vaccinations and noted that the CDC is now advising Pfizer boosters for anyone 12 and older. The Pfizer vaccine is the only one authorized for kids aged 12-17, according to the health department.

Wyoming remains one of the nations most vaccine-hesitant states. Roughly 48% of the states population is fully vaccinated, the countrys second-lowest rate behind Idaho.

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Pandemic-fueled spikes in park visitation, campground reservations, trail use and other metrics failed to translate into economic growth for Wyomings outdoor recreation sector in 2020.

In fact, jobs and revenue figures fell in the key economic segment, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, despite reports of high user numbers.

Still, many business and policy leaders see outdoor recreation as crucial to diversifying Wyomings economy  and as a lifeline out of the pandemic-induced slump.

Tourism and outdoor recreation have become major contributors to our revenues. Most of those dollars are paid for by visitors, not our citizens, Gov. Mark Gordon told the Joint Appropriations Committee on Dec. 16 as he proposed earmarking $40 million in federal stimulus funds for outdoor-recreation grants.

Growing the sector may not be straightforward. Issues like workforce and housing shortages continue to challenge the industry, experts say. And if recent controversies are an indication, gaining buy-in for bigger crowds from Wyomings wide-open-spaces-loving residents may prove difficult.

Outdoor recreation added $1.25 billion in value to Wyomings GDP in 2020, according to BEA data released in November. At 3.4%, that ranked Wyoming fourth among the 50 states for the share of its economy driven by outdoor rec.

Both measures were down from 2019 in which $1.69 billion, or 4.2% of the states GDP, was credited to the outdoor recreation sector.

Nationwide, outdoor recreations share of GDP fell more dramatically from 2019 to 2020. Several other indicators, like real gross output and compensation, also declined.

In Wyoming, outdoor recreation employment took a significant hit with a 24% decrease, from 21,344 jobs to 14,187.

The industry was not alone in seeing a slump; 2020 was the worst year for Wyomings economic growth since 1986, according to a recent report by Wyomings chief economist, Dr. Wenlin Liu.

Still, the disappointing economic performance stands in contrast to anecdotal evidence and visitation tracking that depicted sky-high numbers in 2020. Wyomings overall declines were mostly fueled by sectors heavily impacted by pandemic-related restrictions and closures, according to Chris Floyd, manager of Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation. Snow activities, particularly at ski resorts, saw a decrease of 37%, or $40 million in economic impact, according to Floyds office.

The ski resorts, thats a big part of our outdoor rec economy, and so the hit [that sector] took overtook a lot of the other gains, Floyd said.

Other activities saw significant growth, he said. They included snowmobiling and ORV riding; permit sales of each jumped more than 15% from 2019 to 2020. Boating, fishing, biking and hiking were all up too, he said. Almost everything else went up, but it was not enough to overtake [the declines], he said.

Another factor that shaped overall economic impact was the nature of visitation, said Wyoming Office of Tourism Executive Director Diane Shober.

There was a lot of day tripping, she said. Theres still economic value in day trippers, but not as much as overnighters.

COVID-19 also forced many enterprises to limit operations  from lodging to restaurant seats to guided tours  she said, so those visitation opportunities shrunk, and jobs sloughed as a result.

High concentrations of visitors in areas like Park and Teton counties, Shober said, probably contributed to the perception of boomtime outdoor tourism. But yet, it doesnt always equate to  a positive economic benchmark.

Comprehensive 2021 numbers arent yet available, but signs point toward continuing growth in outdoor recreation.

Wyomings State Parks and Historic Sites 2021 statistics are on track to match or exceed the record-setting numbers of 2020, the agency announced in December. Through October, state parks and historic sites had seen 5.1 million visits, a 24% increase over the systems five-year average.

Were still way up, Floyd said.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks also saw record-shattering visitation in 2021. GTNP had hosted more than 3.8 million recreation visits by the end of November and surpassed the busiest full year on record in September, while Yellowstone surpassed its previous annual highmark with 4.8 million visits through October.

Huge crowds have prompted national park officials to consider more aggressive visitor management.

Many businesses also reported strong equipment sales continued into 2021.

Last winter was great, last summer was great, said Dave Carter, who owns Cheyenne Bicycle Shop.

Carter estimates that sales spiked 30% in 2020, a huge year in which he said he practically sold every item on the floor. Fortunately he had ordered his inventory pre-season and he had plenty in stock before the pandemic began  so he wasnt as stymied by supply-chain shortages as others, he said.

Business has levelled out a little, he said, but he still expects relatively high demand.

I dont think its going to be like 2020 where everybody was just a feeding frenzy, but I think itll carry on for a little bit, Carter said.

Shober sees significant potential for outdoor recreation in the state.

Theres opportunity everywhere around the state of Wyoming, she said  from raising the profile of destinations like the Killpecker sand dunes to growing activities like winter fat-tire biking to equipping visitors with things like guides, rental bikes and climbing equipment.

Those opportunities could open even wider under Gov. Gordons recent ARPA fund proposals. The governor proposed spending $40 million of the more than $1 billion in federal stimulus dollars for grants to enhance outdoor recreation in Wyoming and to help communities pursue construction of new outdoor recreation products and infrastructure.

The program would make substantially more dollars available to local communities that have been doing planning for how to build trails, parks and other recreational facilities, Gordon said during the Dec. 16 presentation.

The industrys role in the states pandemic recovery, Shober said, is essential.

However, she said, the state will have to work to ensure resources are protected and infrastructure holds up to increased use. Ancillary tasks that could bolster growth, she said, include supporting entrepreneurs and addressing workplace shortage issues that are plaguing employers across the country.

Floyd echoed that recent trends have spelled out a need for the state to respond in other ways, such as expanding facilities in heavily used areas. We need, quite frankly, to expand capacity in some places that can handle it, Floyd said.

The key will be to try to find that balance right between innovative bold projects, but also the kind that can pass muster in the public but can also meet the deadline, he said.

Recent controversies have shown that expanding outdoor recreation isnt always embraced. Planners went back to the drawing board and revised a proposal to build a via ferrata on a cliff in Sinks Canyon State Park after local opposition crested. Wyoming State Parks also withdrew plans for 40 temporary campsites at Buffalo Bill State Park following an abundance of public concerns.

The Via Ferrata shone a bright light on whether or not communities want actual growth, and if so, what kind, said Mike Kusiek, a Lander resident who has been involved in trying to create a Wyoming outdoor recreation trade association. NIMBY [not in my back yard] is real, especially when its affecting you.

Recent pushback, he said, forced him to pause and reconsider how best to strike the balance between public desires and community benefits.

Kusiek said he has found significant beneficial trickle-down effects of outdoor recreation, particularly in a study focused on Fremont County. And yet, he said, community buy-in is crucial for the industry to flourish. Floyd echoed that.

To me, the biggest challenge for outdoor recreation in Wyoming is not simply the funding, Floyd said. I think a lot of it is just getting buy-in from the public and helping them understand that Wyoming is facing a lot of headwinds economically and that there are a lot of challenges ahead, and Wyomings just going to keep changing.

I think our public needs to be involved in this growth as much as possible because a lot of folks, quite frankly, are concerned about increased visitors, visitor use, increased traffic from other states, he continued.

Neither Kusiek nor Floyd see the growth trends reversing.

Weve seen that the floor has been lifted, Floyd said. In other words, theres like a new baseline for recreational use  and it doesnt appear to be reverting much.

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.

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The University of Wyoming will no longer test all of its students, faculty and staff for the coronavirus as they return winter break  though it will resume weekly surveillance testing.

In December, the schools board of trustees made plans to mass-test university community members as they returned to campus in mid-January. That way, they could take action to quarantine anyone who was COVID-positive before any outbreaks happened.

But the swiftly spreading omicron variant called those plans into question, University President Ed Seidel said in a press release Friday.

Theres already good reason to believe that the virus, particularly the Omicron variant, is widespread in our community, Seidel said in the release. Positivity rates are now growing rapidly, and the risk of creating an environment for further transmission at a mass testing event likely would offset information we would gain from it.

The omicron variant is a new strain of the coronavirus. Since the holidays, its spread rapidly throughout the United States. While not much is known about omicron, it appears to be more transmissible than other forms of COVID-19, though less likely to cause severe illness.

The university planned to mass-test community members from Jan. 12 to 16. Anyone who wants to get tested those days still can, according to the release.

The school will continue testing a random sample of 3% of its community each week, beginning Jan. 18. Voluntary testing is still available.

Those who arent on campus that week, are sick, in quarantine or have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days dont have to participate in surveillance testing, the release said.

In its December meeting, the board of trustees also decided to keep its mask mandate in place. That rule requires students and employees to wear masks in most university buildings when social distancing isnt possible.

As of Thursday, 82 members of the university community had COVID-19. That include 45 off-campus students, 15 on-campus students and 22 employees.

While it appears the semester will start with a lot of COVID  with a shift toward milder symptoms or even asymptomatic infections  experts say theres reason for optimism that we will emerge from pandemic conditions sooner than later, Seidel said in the release.

COVID-19 vaccinations arent required for students and most university employees. However, those who have been vaccinated and received a booster shot dont have to quarantine if exposed to COVID-19, the school announced Friday in a separate release.

Those who are exposed to COVID-19 and havent had a booster shot still have to quarantine for five-days, according to the release. Anyone who tests positive for the virus still has to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions isolation protocol.

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An increase in measles cases in January and February 2022 is a worrying sign of a heightened risk for the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and could trigger larger outbreaks, particularly of measles affecting millions of children in 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF have warned.

Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunisation are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
A pregnant mother and her family affected by the Quarry Street New Years Day fire say they felt pressured to accept an Oropune Gardens apartment as a permanent home after their years long efforts to find secure housing.

The family, who had previously spent months surrounded by debris and without electricity, told the Express they felt as though they were being pushed to mortgage the apartment as a quick fix to their problem.
The fact that 106 police killings dating from January 2019 to now are under investigation by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) is staggering.

Whether the number reflects an actual increase in fatal police shootings, or is the result of greater public willingness to file complaints, growing public confidence in the PCA or the PCAs own willingness to initiate investigations, would require more than bald figures. However, it underscores the PCAs importance as an independent authority with the power to hold the police to account.
When the just-launched James Webb Space Telescope finally peers into deep space later this year, it will be able to see clearly, thanks in part to technology developed by a Tucson-based optics company.

4D Technology Corp., co-founded by one of the University of Arizonas most renowned optical scientists, developed entirely new optical instruments for NASA to measure the surfaces of mirrors and other critical components on the Webb, which was launched into space on Christmas Day after more than two decades of development.

While most of 4Ds work for the space telescope was finished nearly a decade ago, the long-delayed launch was an exciting moment, said Neal Brock, a co-founder of the company who stepped into a role as technical consultant to 4D after it was acquired by a larger company in 2018.

We hadnt thought about it in quite awhile, it was little over year ago they were talking about it and then there was another delay, Brock said, recalling watching Webbs launch. It was a bit nerve wracking, when it launched, until it got up and they shed the outer cone from the telescope.

I think it will still be a little tense until images come back, said James Millerd, a 4D co-founder and technical consultant to the company since retiring as president and chief technology officer last year.

Problem solving

As NASA began developing the Webb as the Next Generation Space Telescope in the late 1990s, new methods were needed to rapidly measure the surfaces of Webbs system of multiple mirrors which form its primary light-gathering mirror, as well as other structures, to ensure they will perform amid environmental vibrations and in temperatures near 400 degrees below zero in the vacuum of space.

Webbs primary mirror is made of 18 separate, hexagonal mirror segments mounted on a main panel, and two panels folded for launch and deployed in space. The mirrors are mounted on actuators to move them to change focus.

Enter 4D Technology, which was co-founded in 2002 as a spinoff of a California company by renowned UA optics professor emeritus James Wyant, retired first dean of what is now the UAs James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences.

Wyant, a pioneer in the optics-based measurement technology known as interferometry, invested in the company and brought it to Tucson with principals Millerd and Brock to form 4D.

The companys technology is a form of interferometry, which essentially compares waves of laser light reflected off a reference material and the subject surface and gauges the difference when the waves are combined.

4D has developed so-called dynamic interferometers that can take readings in as little as a millionth of a second  making them immune to the effects of vibration and environmental noise.

That got NASAs attention.

The first system we built delivered was to them, Millerd said.

They were trying to build these large beryllium mirrors that become the segments, and they had to measure them under cryo-vacuum conditions inside a large vacuum chamber, he said. The whole thing was shaking and vibrating, and we had this snapshot technology that could measure them down to nanometers, which is what they needed.

Over more than a decade of work with NASA and prime Webb contractor Northrop Grumman, 4D developed several new technologies just for the project.

All the different tests they needed to do, they all needed this dynamic capability, but not one type of interferometer would work, Brock said. So we had to develop and sometimes invent ways to make interferometers do what they wanted, but they all incorporated our dynamic technology.

One breakthrough came when 4D adapted its technology to multiple wavelengths for the Webb, he recalled.

We came with a way to make it work, and it ended up being a big improvement in our dynamic phase sensor, Brock said.

Millerd said the company developed different interferometers to measure the mirror shapes, the carbon-fiber backing structures and the alignment of the mirror segments, in super-cold cryogenic conditions.

4D had delivered most of its Webb hardware to NASA or its prime contractor, Northrop Grumman, by 2012, he said.

When Webb entered its final test phase a few years ago, 4D was brought in to upgrade some of the computer systems and to support testing.

Meanwhile, NASA and its contractors have used the 4D instruments on other projects including ground-based telescopes and the UA-led OSIRIS-REx mission to extract samples from an asteroid in 2020, Millerd said.

Wider uses

With Webb still under development, 4D rolled out a number of interferometry products and got financial backing to grow the company, which employs about 60 people at its longtime location in an industrial park on Tucsons south side.

4Ds interferometer technology has found wide uses in aerospace applications, for customers besides NASA including major defense contractors Raytheon, L3 Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, which was the prime contractor on the Webb telescope.

The companys optical metrology instruments are in demand wherever there is a need for super-precise surface measurements and, besides aerospace and defense, have found uses in a broad array of industries including semiconductor, automotive and biomedical manufacturing.

4D also offers a line of industrial measurement instruments, including handheld models used to inspect critical parts for surface imperfections.

Millerd noted that a major application for its InSpec line of portable surface measuring devices is inspection of surfaces of aircraft turbine engines, which must go through annual inspections.

Up until now, these inspections were done with flashlights and skilled operators trying to figure it out, he said. Now we can actually measure it with a handheld instrument.

Back to its roots

4D is also going back to its roots, in a way, to serve the semiconductor industry with devices to precisely measure the surfaces of silicon wafers, for example.

Brock and Millerd noted that the company was initially focused on developing surface-measurement tools for computer chipmakers before it began working with NASA.

The company has since developed several products for semiconductor manufacturing, including its NanoCam to measure the surface of microscopic components, Millerd noted.

4Ds acquisition a few years ago by a company that primarily serves the semiconductor industry has only helped its marketing to that sector.

In 2018, 4D was acquired by California-based Nanometrics Inc. in a deal worth $40 million. Nanometrics later merged with Rudolph Technologies to form Onto Innovation, based near Boston.

It does give us access to more semiconductor markets, Millerd said. They have very high demands in terms of service, and its challenging to go after that as a smaller company.

Onto has kept 4Ds Tucson operation intact, and the company continues to grow, said Millerd, who was replaced as head of the local operation by Erik Novak, an eight-year veteran of the company named general manager last February.

This last year was the best year ever, though the pandemic was a setback for everyone, Millerd said.

Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 520-573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner. On Facebook: Facebook.com/DailyStarBiz

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Pima County government is out of danger, at least for now, of having its state funds slashed for requiring most of its employees to be vaccinated.

On Thursday, state Sen. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, withdrew her demand that Attorney General Mark Brnovich investigate whether the county is violating state law because it does not provide an automatic exemption for employees who claim getting vaccinated against COVID runs afoul of their sincerely held religious beliefs.

A finding by Brnovich of a violation would require him to order that the county forfeit millions of dollars in state aid.

But Townsend said this isnt the end of the matter.

Her complaint was filed under a state law that gave the attorney general just 30 days to issue a finding. That is up Friday, Jan. 7. But she said it really wasnt enough time for Brnovich to look at the situation of each individual employee denied a religious exemption to determine if the county was violating the law.

Townsend said her withdrawal of the formal complaint now provides a window for county employees who have been denied an exemption to speak up.

I am asking people to go to the (attorney generals) website and file a civil rights complaint so that they can start the investigations, she said.

Townsend said she believes Brnovichs office eventually will conclude Pima Countys policy does violate the law, and that the county is guilty of violating the civil rights of those denied exemptions.

Brnovich, a Republican, appears poised to do so. Our Civil Rights Division takes all complaints very seriously and will take appropriate action when necessary to ensure the medical and religious rights of our citizens are protected, said his offices spokeswoman, Katie Conner, of Townsends decision to withdraw her formal complaint.

Acting Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher declined to comment Thursday.

The fight is over a state law approved last year that says any employer who is told by a worker he or she has a sincerely held religious belief against the COVID vaccine shall provide a reasonable accommodation.

Pima County supervisors adopted a policy that requires vaccination of all employees who work with vulnerable populations.

Lesher said last month that includes people working in jails, including those in the behavioral health unit trying to restore inmates to competency to stand trial, and public defenders.

Others covered by the policy include those who work with senior citizens or those who have compromised immune systems. Part of the test is whether the employee will be within 6 feet of a vulnerable person for 15 or more cumulative minutes within a 24-hour period.

As of the end of December, out of the nearly 2,100 employees who were working with vulnerable populations, more than 200 were set to have their jobs terminated by Friday, Jan. 7, for failing to comply by the deadline.

Townsend said the new state law obligates the county to provide a religious exemption to anyone who claims it. At that point, she said, the county is required to provide reasonable accommodations unless that would pose an undue hardship and more than a minor cost to the operation of the employers business.

Townsend said there is no reason not to believe every worker who claims a religious exemption is entitled to it.

Lesher has said the county policy does provide accommodations. But there are restrictions.

Anyone who gets an accommodation is not allowed in in-person meetings and instead participates virtually. Theres also a requirement to wear a mask at all times when in a county building or workspace, and a prohibition against eating or drinking in shared work areas.

There also is a requirement for weekly testing for COVID-19 which, for those who claim a religious exemption, will be paid for out of their own pockets.

As to the definition of a sincerely held religious belief, Townsend contends the declaration, by itself, is sufficient  and that employers cannot inquire further into the matter or about the workers prior practices.

A persons religion can change at any moment, she said. Therefore, you cannot put a timeline on it.

Townsend said Brnovich needs to do more than review the policy on paper. She said he now needs to see how it is applied, who is affected, and whether those who have been denied accommodations are having their civil rights violated.

Another issue is that the county is not offering accommodations for new employees: No vaccination means no job.

Lesher said its one thing to work with existing employees, particularly if they are or can be put into positions where they have little or no contact with the public.

Distancing and mandatory mask wearing have proven sufficient in those instances, she said. However, we have no relationship with new hires and its not disruptive to require vaccination as a hiring requirement.

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The company planning to build the Rosemont Mine has won approval from the Central Arizona Project to start storing some CAP water at recharge basins south of Tucson, over city officials strong objections.

Following a lengthy, highly contentious debate, the CAP governing board voted 7-4 Thursday to approve Rosemont Coppers request to store 1,124 acre-feet of water annually for 10 years at the Pima Mine Road Recharge Project, a collection of water storage basins located between Tucson and Sahuarita.

Four other CAP board members, including Karen Cesare and Mark Taylor of Tucson, recused themselves from the vote, citing conflicts or potential conflicts of interest. Cesare, a landscape architect, and Taylor and his employer Westland Reources have done work for both Rosemont Copper and the city of Tucson, they said.

The approval could trigger legal action by Tucson to block its implementation.

City officials have opposed the mine for many years, saying it is a threat to water supplies and quality because Rosemont has a state permit to pump groundwater for the mine, which would be built in the Santa Rita Mountains southeast of Tucson.

But supporters of the recharge plan said the pros and cons of the mine itself were not at issue and that it would benefit the aquifer to store this water, which is brought to the Tucson area from the Colorado River via the CAP canal.

Matt Bingham, an attorney for Hudbay Minerals inc., Rosemont Coppers Toronto-based parent company, told the CAP board that the recharge is part of the companys efforts to be good citizens, and that the company doesnt view its mining as a threat to Tucsons groundwater supply.

Contracting with partners to increase CAP water storage for the Tucson (area) is prudent water management that will help maintain water levels in the regional aquifer. Through recharging CAP water and the transfer of existing surface water rights to conservation uses, the Rosemont Project will have a positive impact on water resources in the region, Hudbay said in a statement to the Star.

Bingham noted the company has already stored more than 42,000 acre-feet of CAP water in the Tucson area, well downstream of Pima Mine Road, in Marana.

But because the Pima Mine Road Recharge Project runs as a partnership of CAP and Tucson, its unknown whether the mining company will actually be able to use the recharge basins. A city-CAP agreement gives the city the right of first refusal if someone else wants to put CAP water in it.

City officials are investigating whether the CAP board vote was legal. Its not clear if the city can exercise its first refusal right this year after having already put in its order for CAP water for 2022, officials said, but they said the city can stop Rosemont from using the facility in 2023.

City Councilman Steve Kozachik told the Star Thursday he believes CAP violated the 2000 agreement the two entities signed to operate the Pima Mine Road Recharge Project, and that the city should take legal action to block Rosemont Copper from using this recharge site.

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said through a spokesman she will initiate discussion of what should be the citys next steps on this issue at the City Councils Jan. 11 or Jan. 25 meetings.

Simply put, the city of Tucson opposes the use of a project we co-own to facilitate a project we strongly oppose, Romero wrote in a letter to CAP Wednesday.

The city of Tucson, Pima County, the Tohono Oodham Nation, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and other jurisdictions oppose the Rosemont Mine Project.

We live here, and despite industry claims to the contrary, we strongly believe that the Rosemont Mine project will diminish our groundwater supply and contaminate our soils and our aquifers for the predominant benefit of a private, foreign corporation, Romero wrote.

Chris Avery, an assistant city attorney, said that if the city had learned last summer  before the city put in its order for CAP water use in 2022  that Rosemont Copper wanted to use this facility, I am confident that we would have requested full use of all available space at the Pima Mine Road project not used by CAP, so that Rosemont could not use it.

By the time it learned of Rosemonts interest in the site last fall, the city had already put in its CAP order, telling the project how much water it wanted to store at each of its recharge facilities including Pima Mine Road, he said.

Councilman Kevin Dahl wrote to CAP, saying, Tucson mayor and council have voted multiple times to not support activities that would benefit Rosemonts attempt to excavate open-pit, copper mines in the Santa Rita Mountains. Your contract is very concerning.

But CAP Board President Terry Goddard said while he doesnt support the mine, he voted for its CAP storage because he didnt think the mines flaws are relevant to the recharge decision, which was based on whether the applicant met the requisite legal requirements.

A denial wouldnt be consistent with the rules CAP has set up for all recharge basins statewide, Goddard said.

They met their criteria, said Goddard, adding the board voted in December to allow Rosemont Copper to store CAP water in the Lower Santa Cruz River Recharge Project in Marana. "Tucson hasn't exercised its right of first refusal.

It would be inconsistent for us to say that you can use it for this basin and not this one, Goddard said.

The proposed Rosemont Mine already has the right to withdraw groundwater, said CAP board member Marie Pearthree of Tucson, who voted to approve the contract.

This vote only concerned Rosemont Coppers ability to recharge a portion of its CAP water supply closer to the area of hydrologic impact, meaning the area from which it can withdraw groundwater, said Pearthree, who declined to discuss her position on the mine itself.

I have enormous respect for the city of Tucson and others who have urged the Board to vote no on this water storage agreement, but I do not believe it is CAPs role to be drawn into the community controversy regarding the mine and thereby be perceived to take a side for or against the mine, Pearthree said in an email to the Star.

But CAP board member Alexandra Arboleda of Phoenix said the CAP staff should have evaluated the validity of the citys claims before this contract was approved. Thats because the city expressed grave concerns that the agreement will cause negative impacts to the quantity and quality of the citys water supply and force it to occupy all of the storage space at the recharge project, reducing regional water storage options for other entities, said Arboleda, adding she has no position on the mine itself.

"When I read all the letters from the city of Tucson and others it was very concerning," Arboleda said of the correspondence CAP received opposing Rosemont from Pima County supervisors and the County Regional Flood Control District and the two area tribal governments.

Another no voter, CAP board member Pat Jacobs of Tucson, said his question was why, if Rosemont wants to recharge CAP water, it doesnt do so in the Upper Santa Cruz recharge project in Marana. That would allow this issue to be resolved by collaboration, he said, rather than headed toward litigation.

The approval comes as a 9-mile pipeline being built by a Green Valley water company to take CAP water down to a separate set of recharge basins is under construction and is approaching being 50% complete, said Arturo Gabaldon, president of Community Water Company of Green Valley. Rosemont Copper has agreed to pay that line's construction tab. That pipeline should be in operation by 2025 or 2026 at the latest and possibly sooner, he said.

Until that pipeline is done, Rosemont Copper cant recharge any water in that area  the same area where its wells will pump groundwater to be used at the mine  Jacobs said.

Im pro-mine, said Jacobs, describing himself as a Rosemont supporter. But do we need more lawsuits over something that makes no difference?

But Hudbay said recharging CAP water at Pima Mine Road is consistent with its stated goal of compensating for the impacts of its groundwater pumping for Rosemont at wells lying upstream of the recharge project -- but in the same groundwater basin in both cases.

Both Project Renews and the Pima Mine Road recharge site are both in the Upper Santa Cruz Basin which is the goal of the Project Renews facility," said Hudbay of the recharge basins in Sahuarita that it will pay to build.

Contact Tony Davis at 520-349-0350 or tdavis@tucson.com. Follow Davis on Twitter@tonydavis987.

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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:

This is an election year, the foundation upon which our democratic system of self-governance is built. The upcoming campaigns should fill us with excitement, not dread.

Yet dread is how many Americans approach election season. Its easy to understand why: We know the attack ads are coming, demonizing opponents rather than civilly debating policy. We know serious discussions of issues and Arizonas future are likely to be treated like cold broccoli.

It shouldnt have to be this way. Our states residents care deeply about the future of this place. Theyre more interested in solutions than finger-pointing.

How do we know this? The Center for the Future of Arizonas mission is to listen to Arizonans and learn what matters most to them, then work with communities to solve problems. We know the areas where Arizonans are hurting and want solutions.

The Gallup Arizona Survey, which the center commissioned in fall 2020, told us:

Arizonans agree that a strong education system is vital to building a better future, but only 25% think K-12 public education in this state is of high quality. Majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents want more money spent on public education.

Arizonans know education and training are necessary to build their own careers, but they worry opportunities are limited. Barely half of the surveys respondents are satisfied with their opportunities to advance through education or training.

Arizonans are struggling with child care. One-quarter of those with children 18 or under say the cost or limited availability of child care prevents them from going back to work or school.

Arizonans value the states natural resources but dont see enough action to preserve them. More than 80% want regulations that protect rural water supplies, more spending to prevent forest fires, and steps that reduce the urban heat effect.

But if you peruse the websites of the leading candidates for governor, youll find few if any specifics on how they would address even one of these issues, much less all of them. How will we find out any candidates thoughts on making child care more affordable? How will we find out what they plan to do, if anything, about increasing mid-career education and training opportunities? Or their plans for protecting rural water supplies?

The answer lies with Tucsons news organizations  this newspaper, TV and radio news stations. Imagine if they were to focus on a voter-centric agenda in covering the upcoming elections  serving us a hot, nutritious meal, as it were.

This wouldnt be novel. Three decades ago, the Charlotte Observer pioneered the approach of letting voters set an election agenda. It focused on issues that 500 readers helped the paper pinpoint. Readers questions were asked of candidates and, if they declined to answer, white space ran next to their name.

It turned out readers werent interested in gotcha questions or what a candidates brother did 20 years ago. They wanted to know what candidates would do to solve the most vexing problems in their lives.

Trusting News, Hearken and the Membership Puzzle Project have collaborated to provide an outline for creating a citizens agenda. It emphasizes the need to talk to a wide swath of the community, beyond the usual sources.

It encourages going into various communities and asking, What do you want the candidates to be talking about as they compete for votes?

If they do this, reporters and editors will find, as the Gallup survey did, that Arizonans agree on far more than they disagree, including the need to come together to find solutions to the challenges that hold Arizona back.

How will the candidates for governor solve the problems that matter most to the people of Tucson and Arizona? Thats the election coverage we need in 2022.

Sybil Francis is president and CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings Arizonans together to create a stronger and brighter future for our state.

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Theres not much thats cheesy at Madres Mexican Kitchen.

Madres Mexican Kitchen: Need to know Food: 4 stars  Service: 4 stars  Atmosphere: 4 stars

Its a comment that draws a laugh from Jerry Murillo, one of the owners of this newly opened restaurant.

Yeah, one of the things we wanted to do was move away from the traditional Tex-Mex approach, he said. We wanted the flavor of our food to come from the ingredients we use and the way we prepare them, instead of just covering everything in cheese sauce.

Madres is located in the building that formerly housed the original Mahogany Prime Steakhouse. The space has been lightened up considerably, to give it a more open feel, but not even a cheeky bit of neon spelling out Te Amo Tequila can quite dispel the lingering upscale aura of the place.

Fortunately, the food at Madres Mexican Kitchen more than lives up to its surroundings. Familiar menu items have been given some distinctive twists that elevate them above the norm one usually encounters at places with the word Mexican in their name. And Madres offers some dishes that one rarely, if ever, encounters locally.

We spent about two years developing this concept, Murillo said. Weve traveled all over Mexico, and we wanted to offer dishes that are unique to the various states and regions of Mexico  an elevated version of modern Mexican cuisine.

During a recent lunch service, four of my colleagues joined me to sample as much of the menu as we could in as decorous a manner as possible.

My choice was the cochinita pibil ($18), a Yucatan specialty of slow-braised pork thats been marinated in citrus juice and achiote, and wrapped in banana leaves. The traditional method is to braise the meat in a pit in the ground filled with live coals, but although this methodology is not feasible in a south Tulsa business area, the result was wonderfully tender, with a hint of acidity from orange juice used to marinate it.

It came topped with slices of pickled red onion, black beans and a scoop of white rice (it was also supposed to be served with corn tortillas and a habanero salsa, but I didnt realize their absence until I was nearly finished).

One of the best dishes ordered was the enchiladas poblanas ($13.50) and the enchiladas verdes ($13). The enchiladas poblanas were filled with roasted chicken and poblano peppers in corn tortillas that were made in-house, and topped with a rich mole sauce of incredible depth and complexity of flavor.

The enchiladas verdes, also filled with chicken, had a creamy sauce made with serrano chiles that balanced the heat with a citrusy tang that was addictive.

What most restaurants call fajitas are listed on Madres menu as parradillas, and the shrimp version ($17) came with a good portion of nicely grilled shrimp, a generous amount of red and green bell peppers and onions, a healthy scoop of fresh-tasting guacamole and  much to the delight of the person who ordered it  enough tortillas to contain it all.

The one dish that was something of a disappointment was the black salmon ($18). Perhaps we were expecting something close to the sort of highly seasoned, hard-seared coating of blackened fish; what was served was roasted salmon fillet with a spotty char and not a lot of seasoning. On the other hand, the roasted Brussels sprouts that came with it were excellent  these small, pearl onion-sized sprouts were tender and flavorful with none of the sulfurous quality larger examples can have.

We were able to sample a wider range of foods during the photo shoot, including the pork belly chicharrones ($9.75,) which are slices of braised-then-fried pork belly topped with a tomatillo sauce that were wickedly tasty; the tacos cameron ($16), with juicy shrimp in a chile-lime butter and chipotle salsa; the pastel de chocolate ($9), a dense, rich chocolate cake topped with a large scoop of ice cream and served with a Kahlua-flavored sauce; and the mole ($18), which here was slices of grilled chicken topped with that wonderful mole sauce.

Theres about 20 ingredients that go into our mole, said Sergio Villar, the restaurants executive chef. Personally, I like to eat it with plain white rice. You can taste the generations in that sauce.

Villar, a native of Chihuahua, became interested in cooking when his mother would take him with her when she went to work at a local restaurant.

I would watch her in the kitchen, and after a while I figured out that one could make a career out of being a cook, he said. I started out as a busboy and dishwasher, and worked my way.

Villar said he had previously worked with a number of corporation restaurants; he turned down an executive chef position with P.F. Changs in order to go to work at Madres.

There was another consideration; the restaurants owners, Murillo and Juan Oropezo, are his uncles. But the quality of the food, and the inventiveness of his approach, makes it obvious that Villar more than earned his position.

Murillo said the restaurant focuses on seasonal ingredients as much as possible, and making everything in-house.

We also make our own margarita mix each day, and our cocktails are made fresh, Murillo said. We make our own tortillas, all our sauces, we get the best seasonal vegetables we can. In fact, the only thing we have in cans here is the IPA beer at the bar.

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Former Tulsa Police Officer Shannon Kepler was sentenced Friday to serve 25 years in federal prison, overruling requests that he be freed based on the amount of time he has already served for the 2014 killing of his daughters new boyfriend, Jeremey Lake.

During a hearing in Tulsa federal court, U.S. District Judge Gregory Frizzell brushed aside the time-served request and opted to go with a prison term within federal sentencing guidelines.

Federal sentencing guidelines called for Kepler to serve 292 months (a little over 24 years) to 365 months (about 30 years) in prison after a jury in April found him guilty on a murder-related charge.

Prosecutors tried Kepler five times in connection with Lakes death. Three state trials ended in hung juries before a fourth state court jury found him guilty of manslaughter. That conviction was later overturned on jurisdictional grounds, prompting the federal prosecution.

Frizzell said little after pronouncing judgment on Kepler, other than to agree with a prosecutor who said there were no winners in the case. In addition to the prison time and three years of supervised release, Frizzell ordered Kepler to pay for a headstone for Lakes grave at his fathers request.

A federal jury found Kepler guilty in April on two of three felony charges, acquitting him of first-degree murder but convicting him on one count of using a firearm while committing second-degree murder and one count of assault with a deadly weapon in connection with shots fired at another person during the encounter with Lake.

Frizzell threw out the assault conviction after the trial.

Nineteen-year-old Jeremey Lake died almost immediately after Shannon Kepler gunned him down in the street in 2014, U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson said in a statement after Fridays sentencing.

Kepler, at the time, was sworn to uphold the law but instead made a series of decisions that led to the young mans murder. Todays 25-year sentence provides a measure of justice to Mr. Lakes family, though I know their healing continues. It also serves as a reminder that the U.S. Attorneys Office and our law enforcement partners will hold individuals accountable for acts of violence in our community.

The 2017 state trial conviction for heat-of-passion manslaughter and 15-year prison term Kepler received in Tulsa County District Court were overturned after he successfully argued that the state didnt have the jurisdiction to prosecute him under the U.S. Supreme Courts July 2020 ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma.

That ruling determined that Congress had never disestablished the Muscogee Nation reservation, leaving much of Tulsa within the jurisdiction of federal or tribal officials when dealing with major crimes that involve Native Americans.

The area where Lake was shot to death just northwest of downtown Tulsa is within what is now recognized as the Muscogee Nation reservation, and Kepler is a member of the Muscogee Nation.

Prosecutors contended Kepler fatally shot an unarmed Lake twice after the two met briefly in a street near where he and Keplers daughter, Lisa Kepler, were staying.

Kepler, now 61, claimed he was looking for his daughter at the time when he encountered her with Lake, 19. He claimed that Lake brandished a gun just before Kepler shot him.

No gun was found on or near Lake following the shooting, and no witness other than Kepler claimed to have seen Lake armed before the encounter.

About a week earlier, Shannon Kepler had dropped Lisa Kepler, then 18, at a downtown homeless shelter with no food, money, cellphone or clothes other than what she was wearing at the time, all as punishment for what she said at the time were poor life decisions.

Shortly afterward, Lisa Kepler met Lake, who offered to let her live at his aunts home with him.

That is where Shannon Kepler encountered the two after looking up Lakes address on police computers.

Kepler fled after shooting Lake but later surrendered to authorities.

Much of Fridays hearing was spent on two factors that determined Keplers recommended sentencing range.

Prosecutors on Friday agreed with a U.S. Probation Office presentencing report that said Keplers use of police resources to determine where Lake lived and his decision to testify that he shot in self-defense were factors that warranted a heightened sentence because he violated a position of trust and he obstructed justice.

A government sentencing memo co-authored by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Lenhardt disputed Keplers claims that his trial testimony was not necessarily false and therefore could not constitute obstruction of justice.

The jury was instructed that they absolutely could not convict Kepler of intentional murder if he was acting in self-defense, the government stated.

Kepler, in court papers filed on his behalf, argued that his testimony was instrumental in gaining an acquittal on the first-degree murder count.

Frizzell sided with the government that using police resources to determine where Lake lived increased his sentencing range, but he disagreed that Keplers decision to testify in his own defense constituted obstruction of justice.

Frizzell also overruled a request that Kepler be sentenced to time already served.

Stan Monroe, Keplers attorney in the federal trial, listed reasons for releasing Kepler based on the time he has already served in relation to the crime.

Monroe noted that the 24-year veteran of the Tulsa police force had an impeccable work record prior to the killing.

Monroe also wrote in the sentencing memo that Kepler has suffered stress and anxiety from undergoing four state trials and one federal trial, while also being held in solitary confinement since being found guilty to protect him from other inmates due to his law enforcement background.

Kepler was free on bond prior to being convicted.

During the hearing, Kepler said he regretted that Lake lost his life.

Kepler said if he could go back in time and change things, he would in a New York minute.

He thanked his family for sticking by him during the trial and said he prayed every day to God for both his family and Lakes family.

Government attorneys, meanwhile, urged Frizzell to sentence Kepler within the guideline range of 24 to 30 years in prison.

In the Governments view, the defendants criminal history, and much more importantly the nature and circumstances of the offense, are properly reflected in the advisory sentencing guideline range, and only a sentence within the advisory sentencing guideline range will accomplish all of the goals of sentencing, government prosecutors wrote.

A handful of victims impact statements, including one from Lakes father, were presented during the hearing.

Carl Morris told the judge that he was deeply depressed after his son was killed.

The last thing he ever said to me was, I love you, Dad, Morris said. I will never get to hear him say that again.

I feel like there is a hole in my life that can never be filled.

Morris asked that Kepler be ordered to pay for a headstone for his sons grave, which is currently bare.

He asked that Frizzell sentence Kepler to either life in prison or death, although the latter was not an option for the judge.

I humbly ask that you make an example out of him, Morris said.

Keplers attorney indicated during the sentencing hearing that his client planned to file an appeal in his case.

Featured April 2021 video: A fifth trial begins for former Tulsa Police Officer Shannon Kepler

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As hospitals are sounding alarms about rising patient counts and losses in staff, Oklahoma health officials on Thursday reported the second-highest single-day rise in new COVID-19 cases of the pandemic.

The seven-day rolling average of new cases, 3,742, is also approaching the record high of 4,255 from last January, before vaccinations were widely available. Despite the difference in Oklahomas vaccination rate, this year is showing the same trend as 2021: The holidays come with a surge of COVID-19.

Todays case numbers reflect what (the Oklahoma State Department of Health) has anticipated occurring due to holiday gatherings and trends seen elsewhere in the country, a statement on Thursdays state virus response update says.

We encourage those who have symptoms or believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested and complete the recommended isolation and/or quarantine period based on test results.

In addition to the 6,280 new cases reported Thursday, the State Health Department noted that 34,559 COVID-19 infections remain active.

Earlier in the week, MyHealth Access Network CEO Dr. David Kendrick noted that his real-time dataset indicated that Oklahoma was seeing numbers similar to those in January 2021 but that this third surge is the most rapid rise ever.

Kendrick said among his concerns is a big difference between January 2021 and this year: the availability of at-home tests. He said people who use them likely are finding many more COVID-19 infections that never make it into public health reporting systems.

Its concerning to me that were having the highest reported case counts even with the understanding that very likely a good proportion of the tests that are positive are happening at home, Kendrick said Tuesday during a Healthier Oklahoma Coalition COVID-19 update.

He also expressed concern about the testing rates among the youngest Oklahomans being the highest theyve ever been on a positivity scale.

Compared to the state average of 28%, the positivity rate among those age 18 to 35 is at a record 36%, Kendrick said, with school-age children at a 29% positivity rate. Those 36 to 49 are seeing 31% positivity, according to MyHealth data.

Immunity from vaccination is said to be the difference with this surge, which so far is seeing about half the level of COVID-19 hospitalizations as the delta surge.

But Oklahomans immunity appears to be waning since the surge that started showing up in the data in September. State officials urge people to get fully vaccinated, which includes booster doses.

On Wednesday, State Health Commissioner Keith Reed said four out of five breakthrough cases were in Oklahomans who were eligible for booster shots.

Moving forward, one of the best ways to keep yourself and those around you protected is vaccination, the State Health Department said in the Thursday update.

Featured video: How will COVID mutations affect us during transition to endemic disease?

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Some hallways are again being used to house patients at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa as long waits return to the emergency room amid rising hospitalizations brought on by the omicron variant.

Statewide, the top concern for hospitals is having health care workers available to staff beds and give care  not just for COVID-19 but for all reasons a person ends up in a hospital. Intensive-care units are strained, with beds refilled as soon as they open.

Oklahomas COVID-19 hospitalization numbers rose for the eight consecutive weekday report Thursday to a recent three-day average of 1,066. That is a 26% increase from 846 a week ago, an 80% increase from 592 a month ago and a 121% increase from 482 on Dec. 1.

The delta variant waves peak was 1,607 in late August.

Dr. Ryan Parker, chief of emergency medicine for Saint Francis Health System, said vaccination and booster shots are the main actions that help patients fend off COVID and ease burdens on hospitals.

I worked over the weekend, and I took care of a couple of elderly patients that were boosted, and even though they had a breakthrough infection, their chest X-rays were clear, Parker said Tuesday during a virtual briefing with reporters. So we do know that it is affecting severe disease and the need to be on a ventilator.

Contrastingly, Parker noted that she took care of some unvaccinated patients the same weekend. They were still experiencing severe respiratory issues and had to be placed on ventilators.

We are doing the best that we can, Parker said, adding that hospitals still need Oklahomans to get vaccinated and boosted, if eligible, and wear masks when around other people.

Unvaccinated individuals accounted for 93% of COVID hospitalizations in Oklahoma in the month leading up through Christmas, according to the states weekly epidemiological report released Wednesday.

Patti Davis, Oklahoma Hospital Association president, emphasized that hospitals are very full with a variety of sick people even though COVID hospitalizations havent reached the delta variants peak.

ICU beds once again are very tight, Davis said. As soon as an ICU bed opens up, you can bet theres a patient holding at an ER somewhere thats going to go into that ICU bed.

So, absolutely, we are concerned about this.

There is a noticeable uptick in influenza this year compared to a flu season that was almost nonexistent a year ago, Davis said. Oklahoma hospitals are fearful of what they see happening in neighboring states and what this state might experience soon.

Our staff is tired, and I never thought last January when we were talking to (reporters) that we would still be doing these calls and talking about the numbers, Davis said Tuesday during the Healthier Oklahoma Coalitions weekly virtual COVID briefing with journalists. I dont think any of us could see our crystal ball to say wed still have a problem in Oklahoma.

Davis said health care providers are still leaving the field for less stressful jobs or contracting out of state for more money. Others are retiring.

She asked people not to show up at hospitals only for a COVID test. Go if its an emergency, she said, but find other locations for testing so that hospitals can focus on those who are most in need of acute care.

COVID hospitalizations are a lagging indicator that generally show up about two weeks behind case counts or positivity rates. Hospitals again are looking at ways to increase capacity as COVID patients are expected to keep increasing, Davis said.

Our hospitals are also dealing with trying to work with insurance companies to get patients moved out of hospitals to free up hospital beds to sub-acute care when it is appropriate just so that we can create more capacity, Davis said.

Interim State Health Commissioner Keith Reed said omicron is leading to more vaccine breakthrough cases of the disease.

He said Oklahoma is experiencing breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people in about 30% of its cases. Of those breakthrough cases, about 80% of individuals were eligible to receive a booster shot but hadnt gotten one.

When we talk about fully vaccinated, the definition is that you completed that initial series. We really need to keep in mind the booster is an important part of that self-evaluation of your particular risk to COVID, Reed said. Its pretty obvious if youve gone past the point  youre fully vaccinated  and gone past the point of eligibility for a booster shot, then your risk of getting COVID goes up.

Reed said hospital staffing is further complicated because there are more breakthrough cases that are keeping health care workers themselves away for several days after positive diagnoses.

So that is making the problem worse when it comes to trying to manage the census in their hospitals, Reed said.

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It started out innocently enough: a Twitter post from the College Republicans national organization on Dec. 26, wishing people a happy Kwanzaa  a weeklong cultural holiday observed by many African Americans extolling cultural values held by that community.

Not all of the responses were favorable, but one in particular stuck out: What an embarrassment, it read. Lets celebrate a fake holiday created by a whacko who hated Christians 

That sharp rebuke was made by Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jackson Lahmeyer, who is among a number of GOP figures challenging James Lankfords reelection bid.

Lahmeyer joined the race after Lankford apologized for offending Black voters by siding with those who questioned President Joe Bidens election win, citing that as his prime motivation for seeking the incumbents ouster.

Lahmeyers social media is full of other blunt, and at times inflammatory, statements, such as this tweet about Chief White House Medical Adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci: Fauci is a mass-murderer who needs to be FIRED, ARRESTED & CONVICTED for crimes against humanity.

Youll find more of the same from others who are part of a new wave of conservatives who have swept the GOP.

Whats different, however, is that Lahmeyer is a church minister. And he aint happy.

Among fellow evangelical Christians, hes not alone. The overall sentiment I get from scores of evangelical friends and acquaintances is that theyre mad as hell.

It begs the question: Why are evangelicals so angry?

I believe Christianity is a hopeful religion. It has many threads, but optimism is high on the list. And yet, tension simmers in the pews.

A number of Oklahoma churches were recently cited by the Oklahoma Watch news organization as being dismissive of public health measures designed to combat COVID-19.

Vaccines were likened to the mark of the beast mentioned in the book of Revelation by Edmond pastor Paul Blair, who also said leaders would try to scare us into sacrificing our freedom.

At Tulsas Guts Church, Pastor Bill Scheer told his congregation that trusting in anything other than God was a lie, said in the context of pandemic guidance from medical experts.

Crimes against humanity. Mark of the beast. Sacrificing our freedom. Being told a lie. This is but a sampling of messages from ministers, and it resonates.

Evangelicalism has long been fertile ground for scary imagery.

When I was in high school, some churches role-played underground church games with their youth. The premise was based on figuring out how to live your faith behind the Iron Curtain and what the consequences might be if those godless communists found you.

Back then, persecution of Christians in the Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe was very real. Christian persecution in the Middle East, parts of Africa and elsewhere goes on to this day.

Here in the U.S., its not persecution but a persecution complex that pervades. Happy Holidays and a plain red coffee cup become offensive.

Obviously, theres a huge difference between disposable cups that arent Christmas-y enough and being murdered for your faith.

But many evangelicals worry that their way of life is not only losing sway but might be targeted.

Those fears are partly rooted in demographics. Evangelical Christianity is losing ground.

The Public Religion Research Institute notes that in 2006, white evangelicals made up 23% of the U.S. population; that number shrank to 17% in 2016. The group has gotten older, too. The report found that in 1984, 54% of white evangelicals were 49 years old or younger. Today, that number is 39%.

And according to a Pew Center poll, a third of white Americans raised in evangelical Christian households leave their faith. Of those who leave, 60% go to another faith while 40% give up on religion altogether.

These changing demographics have led to sharper societal clashes over hot-button issues that have festered for decades, most visibly over abortion and homosexuality.

Polls show most Americans oppose the traditionally anti-abortion stance championed by evangelical leaders. The legalization  and overall acceptance  of same-sex marriage signaled a swift change in how Americans think.

For those in the faith, this has led to redoubled efforts to maintain influence. Lately, thats become more political.

San Antonios Cornerstone Church hosted the ReAwaken America conference in November, featuring former President Donald Trump aide Roger Stone, Gen. Michael Flynn, MyPillow CEO Mike Lyndell and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Cornerstone Pastor Matt Hagee said he welcomed the group and thanked attendees for their faith.

During the conference, Flynn  Trumps former national security adviser and proponent of QAnon conspiracy theories  told the group, If were going to have one nation under God, which we must, we have to have one religion. One nation under God, and one religion under God.

This melding of religion and politics, dubbed Christian nationalism, is on the rise.

A few hours north of Cornerstones campus, Dallas First Baptist Church Pastor Robert Jeffress invited Trump to speak at his churchs Christmas service last month and promoted Trumps brief talk liberally throughout the service, complete with patriotic imagery beamed onto large, theater-style screens overlooking the church stage.

But evangelicals arent totally in lockstep. The Southern Baptist Conventions International Mission Board identified Christian nationalism as one of three American heresies harming their work.

And Cornerstones Hagee apologized after attendees at the conference hosted by his church launched into chants of Lets go Brandon, a tongue-in-cheek euphemism for F--- Joe Biden that went viral this fall.

I deeply regret, and ask forgiveness, for what took place in the Cornerstone sanctuary as a result of my oversight, Hagee told KSAT, a San Antonio TV news station.

Will similar introspection happen locally?

For his part, Lankford  a minister himself  is heeding the sermons like the ones documented by Oklahoma Watch. Hes long opposed abortion and same-sex marriage and, hewing to the spirit of the day, has opposed vaccine mandates  something that should play well with a demographic that tracks as one of the most vaccine-hesitant in the country.

Americans have the freedom to make their own decisions, Lankford said on Twitter. Thats why I oppose Bidens vaccine mandates  our work to stop this is not over.

Expect more of that in the months to come. The Lahmeyers of the world  and the anger they represent  arent going away.

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A teacher sits in the middle of a quiet classroom giving a one-on-one explanation of a math problem to a student as others work on their own or in small groups.

No one looks bored, stressed or nodding off to sleep. Everyone is engaged in something, allowed to move about the room as needed. There is a balance to it. Just as important, the teacher looks relaxed in this flexible workspace, anchored in the center.

Its a video of what the Modern Classrooms Project looks like. It revolves around student self-pacing and integration of technology. It provides students and teachers flexibility and isnt dependent on a specific curriculum.

Also, it isnt mandatory from administrators. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit targets teachers who want to voluntarily shift how they deliver classroom lessons.

Teachers in Union and Tulsa public schools have begun to embrace the model, with support from the Helmerich Foundation. TPS plans to invest from federal stimulus funds to add to the Helmerich grant to expand training for interested teachers.

The instructional model was created by Kareem Farah and a fellow teacher after being frustrated as a middle school math teacher in Washington, D.C., schools. The traditional way of giving lectures followed by lessons wasnt working.

Students missing school couldnt catch up. Teachers bound by daily lesson plans couldnt stop to deal with students arriving with problems or needing individual help. Students fast to learn were bored by the slower tempo.

It doesnt take much for one or two students to disrupt a class, Farah said. I never felt caught up; it felt like constant failure.

So Farah and colleague Robert Barnett came up with a different way for classroom management and teaching, putting the teacher in the center as more of a daily facilitator and emphasizing mastery of concepts.

But the shift takes more time in teacher preparation by utilizing more videos and online resources. Once thats in place, students can access the work from anywhere and move at their own speed, taking quizzes and tests to demonstrate proficiency.

Teamwork is encouraged by teachers who tell students, Ask three before me. That looks like a professional work structure  employees working together toward a goal.

In practice, classrooms have kids working at different places in a semesters curriculum. Students feel more power in taking the time they need while teachers can target their focus on where they are needed most.

The nonprofit launched in 2017, before the pandemic moved the idea of online learning into a traditional classroom. Teachers who had gone through Modern Classrooms training were prepared for distance learning. The online materials were ready, and students were used to the pacing.

Initial evaluations of a Michigan kindergarten through eighth grade school, with its teachers using the method prior to the pandemic, found an increase in math scores between 19% and 36%.

Tulsa businessman Hans Helmerich was introduced to Farah by a friend who is a philanthropist backing evidence-based education initiatives. His familys foundation helped introduce the model to Tulsa teachers as an innovative opportunity.

This doesnt require a top-down push, and Kareem is pitching this to teachers, Helmerich said. The genius in this is that the teachers personality comes through; the teachers voice comes through.

The Helmerich Foundation provided $100,000 last year for teachers who wanted the training. It has proven popular enough to continue, with a goal of about 100 teachers next year.

About 10 teachers from TPS went through it last year, and the district hopes to have about 75 educators for next year, said Deputy Superintendent Paula Shannon. Its completely voluntary.

This directly speaks to some of the acute challenges teachers are experiencing, she said. It helps teachers take the high-quality resources and technology we have and use it to better personalize, support and differentiate quality instruction for kids. Its how to do blended learning.

Oklahoma is facing a severe education staff shortage, with retirements and resignations far outpacing new teachers entering the field. Part of the problem is low per-pupil expenditure  46th in the nation and last in the region  reflected in large class sizes.

The Modern Classrooms model seeks to minimize those challenges by giving teachers flexibility in the classroom.

What excites me about this model is that it gets at the heart of empowering teachers and helping combat the burnout teachers are experiencing, Shannon said. This helps teachers make the work more manageable. It better situates them to have an immediate impact on learners each and every day.

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It seems that recent actions taken by Gov. Kevin Stitt are eerily similar to the antics of former President Donald Trump.

For example, Stitt's home mortgage company processed subprime mortgages like the one that contributed to the 2008 financial crisis. Furthermore, his company was fined by state of Illinois for its business practices.

Trump has been under investigation for money laundering on behalf of Russian oligarchs.

Stitt squanders taxpayer money by choosing to file pointless lawsuits against Indian tribes and useless lawsuits against vaccine mandates intended to stop COVID-19 from spreading. Stitt appointed John O'Connor, who hasn't argued a case in court for many years, as attorney general.

Stitt's lawsuit hobby could cost Oklahoma taxpayers up to $10 million. The states Republican legislators are only too happy to appropriate even more taxpayer funds to feed Stitt's appetite for even more foolish lawsuits as the old ones are tossed out of court.

I recall Trump hiring Polish workers to provide the labor to build Trump Tower, and when he refused to pay them for all their labor, they went to court. At least Trump didn't use Oklahoma taxpayer money for his lawsuit hobby.

Finally, when Stitt's lawsuits against Indian tribes get tossed out of court, he retaliates by refusing to allow the tribes to pay the state in exchange for administrating hunting licenses. Keep up your hard work.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to tulsaworld.com/opinion/submitletter.

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Maire McCainn, a 65-year-old Australian national, is the owner and founder of a school for special needs children in Hoi An Ancient Town, located in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Nam.

Her campus is at 203 28-3 Street, Thanh Ha Ward, roughly three kilometres away from the heart of the famous touristy town.

The 'school of silence'

Inside the humble campus, dozens of children are seen eagerly scribbling.

Equipped with hearing aids, their teachers use hand gestures to convey their ideas. Both are immersed in their lessons.

As the recess time is over, one of the instructors swiftly signs to summon the children running around in the yard, signalling to them that it is time for lesson revision.

The children are quick to resume their posts in an orderly fashion, with their eyes turning to the teacher.

Dong Thi Nhu Lien  the school manager  stands in front of a board, using her hands to indicate the date and time already written there.

The children begin to focus, pulling out notebooks from the bags and starting to practice writing letters and sentences.

Visitors are amazed by the brilliance and good manners of the children here, says Lien.

Both the bigger and smaller children are trying hard to practice writing letters like first graders in normal school.

"They are still making slow progress in their literacy.

But only that much is such a wonder to us."

Tran Van Son is the first student of this silent school. Originally from Hoi An City, he is born to a farmer couple and suffers inborn loss of hearing.

He appears as a tall handsome boy. Twenty minutes into the official class hour, he hurriedly dashes from outside with a notebook in his hand.

In no time, Son is seated at his place, passionately scribbling his words.

Before this school was opened, Son merely ran errands around his house because there was no school for special needs children like him.

His parents sent him immediately when this school came into operation.

Teacher Mai

Maire McCainn is known to the locals as 'co Mai' or 'me Mai,' which translates as 'teacher Mai' or 'mother Mai.'

These are the dearest words that Vietnamese people use to address a teacher they adore.

This former nurse from Australia visited Hoi An in 2006 when she had a family problem. This old town helped heal her pain.

Seeing the large number of disabled children uncared for, she had a change of plan.

In developed countries, those disadvantaged and disabled children are placed in special educational institutes with tailored learning programs, McCainn said.

In Vietnam, this is lacking in many regions.

"I met two deaf children in Hoi An and I have been thinking about how to help them since then.

After her journey in 2006, she returned several times to discuss her ideas with friends. She was asking around about the demand for a special needs school and the required paperwork to open up a support center for children.

McCainn received a great deal of support from both her Australian and Vietnamese contacts and soon realized her ambition.

The most devout supporter is Lien, who is currently the manager of the place.

At the 'school of silence' run by Maire McCainn and a group of dedicated teachers and staff, children get an education and interaction in an environment of love and respect. Photo: B.D. / Tuoi Tre

According to Lien, it took years to meet all the legal requirements before the school could finally launch in 2011.

McCainn rejoiced on the opening day as if she had finally found the joy of life at over 50.

Teacher Mai rents the premises to run her school. At first, it was located inside the center of Hoi An Ancient Town, but later was moved to the outskirts as the number of children grew.

According to the school manager, parents from all over Quang Nam Province, which administers Hoi An, soon signed their children up when news of this school opening reached them.

Children were coming over from the province's Duy Xuyen, Que Son, and Dien Ban Districts.

The disadvantaged kids had lived a boring life with little interaction due to their familys financial difficulties and a shortage of educational facilities.

Within months, the silent school of mother Mai had no vacancy left. They have an annual waiting list of hundreds of children.

One uncompromisable principle in this school is that teachers will not yell at or physically punish children however rude and disrespectful the little ones can be.

Sometimes after blending in with the culture here, many children have become disciplined and displayed great manners.

Interestingly, some of the students have graduated and currently work here as teaching assistants.

Fundraising through Wi-Fi

The school of teacher Mai charges a maximum amount of VND800,000 (US$35) for every child. Those in financial difficulty receive free education.

This income is modest compared with the monthly cost of approximately VND80 million ($3,500), including the rent, payroll, and the childrens lunches.

To cover the expenses, McCainn has been setting aside a three-month break every year when she heads back to Australia to work as a nurse in remote areas.

Due to the lack of staff and the challenge of the work in these places, she earns a higher pay and saves up to keep her 'silent school' running in Hoi An.

Besides, she receives voluntary donations from 20 of her friends on a monthly basis, even though they are on pensions.

Teacher Mai also runs one special fundraising event: a virtual coffee meeting when she meets up with others via the Internet.

The money donated through this activity goes into the treasury of the school for the deaf.

Instead of meeting in person at a coffee shop, participants in this meeting will connect through their phones and set aside $3.62, the approximate price for one cup of coffee, for the childrens fund.

To cut down her expenses, teacher Mai has been living with a friend of hers instead of renting her own place.

Her school currently has 25 students, the smallest being eight years old and the oldest 18.

There are six teachers, one janitor and other teaching assistants.

Parents drop off their children at 7:30 every morning and pick them up late in the afternoon.

The children get to learn how to write, read, interact, and blend in with the community.

Many of them have become sufficiently skilled to enter public schools.

This 'school of silence' is also a place for vocational training for older students.

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The Ministry of Health documented 16,278 COVID-19 patients throughout Vietnam on Friday, alongside 14,633 recoveries and 233 fatalities.

The latest infections, including 24 imported and 16,254 domestic transmissions, were detected in 59 provinces and cities, the ministry said, noting that 11,423 caught the virus in the community.

Hanoi logged 2,723 of the newest local cases, Hai Phong City 795, Khanh Hoa Province 790, Binh Phuoc Province 716, Tra Vinh Province 498, Ho Chi Minh City 489, Hai Duong Province 443, Bac Ninh Province 351, Quang Ninh Province 345, Da Nang 309, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province 263, Lam Dong Province 245, Thua Thien-Hue Province 235, Can Tho City 213, Quang Nam Province 173, Quang Tri Province 160, Nghe An Province 131, Binh Thuan Province 121, Quang Binh Province 54, and Binh Duong Province 52.

Vietnam had confirmed 25,787 domestically-acquired infections on Thursday.

The country has recorded 1,853,904 community transmissions in all its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave erupted on April 27, 2021. A combined 1,476,231 of them have recovered from COVID-19.

Ho Chi Minh City has been hit the hardest with 506,902 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 291,270, Dong Nai Province with 98,545, Tay Ninh Province with 81,135, Hanoi with 62,376, Dong Thap Province with 45,388, Can Tho City with 42,430, Long An Province with 40,683, Khanh Hoa Province with 38,525, Tien Giang Province with 34,492, An Giang Province with 33,972, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 27,107, Binh Thuan Province with 26,952, and Da Nang with 12,844.

Vietnam found merely 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves.

The health ministry reported 28,369 recovered patients on Friday, raising the total to 1,479,048.

The toll has spiked to 33,877 fatalities after the ministry announced 233 deaths on the same day, including 20 in Ho Chi Minh City, 23 in Dong Nai Province, 16 in Long An Province, 14 in Tien Giang Province, 14 in Vinh Long Province, 12 in Binh Duong Province, and the remainder in 21 other provinces and cities.

Vietnam has recorded 1,859,841 patients, including 30 imported Omicron infections, since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the country in early 2020.

Health workers have administered above 157.7 million vaccine doses, including 804,906 shots on Thursday, since vaccination was rolled out nationwide on March 8, 2021.

Over 78.1 million of the countrys 98 million people have received at least one dose while upwards of 70.5 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 reached 9,064,505.

Many provinces and cities are immunizing children aged 12-17 against COVID-19, using Pfizer-BioNTech shots.

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What you need to know today in Vietnam:

Politics

-- On Thursday, Germany's frigate Bayern entered the wharf of Nha Rong in Ho Chi Minh City and was welcomed by German Ambassador Dr. Guido Hildner, members of the German Embassy and Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City, as well as representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of External Relations, the Vietnamese Navy, and the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, according to the Germany Embassy.

Society

-- Police in southern Dong Nai Province said on Thursday that they had arrested two suspects for robbing two children who stayed home alone of an iPad on Monday this week.

-- Ho Chi Minh City recorded five more Omicron infections on Thursday, taking the total to 11, all imported from abroad, according to the municipal Center for Disease Control.

-- Doctors in Nghe An Province on Wednesday took 25 magnetic toy balls from the abdomen of a 37-month-old baby boy. His family brought him to the hospital over abdominal pain, suspecting he had swallowed magnetic toy balls.

-- Vietnam can halt or limit medical oxygen exports if domestic demand rises, according to a fiat by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.

Business

-- Vietnam recorded 1.4 million people in working age becoming unemployed last year, the General Statistics Office announced at a conference in Hanoi on Thursday.

-- Vietnam's automaker announced on Thursday its plan to go all-electric from the end of this year.

World News

-- "The more infectious Omicron variant of COVID-19 appears to produce less severe disease than the globally dominant Delta strain, but should not be categorised as 'mild'," Reuters quoted World Health Organization (WHO) officials as saying on Thursday.

-- "The efficacy of boosters against COVID-19 is likely to decline over the next few months and people may need another shot in the fall of 2022, Moderna Inc Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel said at a Goldman Sachs-organized healthcare conference on Thursday," Reuters reported.

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Commentary: Why was Lithuania wrong?

Xinhua) 09:41, January 07, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Tuesday acknowledged as a mistake the country's decision to allow the opening of a "representative office" in Vilnius under the name of "Taiwanese" instead of "Taipei."

With such a confession, Lithuania is now admitting to its brazen mistake in violating the one-China principle, which it has promised to follow when the two sides forged their diplomatic relationship over 30 years ago in 1991.

Over the past months, in disregard of Beijing's repeated and resolute oppositions, Lithuania has been bent on taking the wrong path. Under the one-China principle, any exchanges with China's Taiwan should be civil and non-official.

Yet Vilnius attempted to whitewash its wrong-headed decision and mislead the international community by saying that setting up such an office "does not mean any conflict or disagreement with the 'One China' policy."

For the record, the one-China principle is one of the universally recognized norms governing international relations as well as the consensus of the international community, and is the political foundation for China to develop bilateral relations with other countries, including Lithuania.

According to the joint communique the two countries signed in 1991 on the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, Lithuania recognizes "the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and Taiwan as an inalienable part of the Chinese territory."

By allowing the establishment of a "representative office" under the name of "Taiwanese," Vilnius has apparently reneged on its promise. And that is why Beijing's responses, such as downgrading its diplomatic ties with Vilnius, are totally legitimate. It is sending a clear-cut signal: China's determination to defend its core sovereign interests is beyond question, and any attempt to disregard or violate the one-China principle will pay a heavy price.

And for those still conspiring to play the Taiwan card, to unhesitatingly toss out the fantasy that somehow their political manipulation over the Taiwan question will do the trick can spare themselves from severe consequences. Lithuania is living proof.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
Ho Chi Minh City has documented five more imported Omicron cases, bringing the total infections of this coronavirus variant in the city to eleven, according to local health authorities.

The new infections were detected in five air passengers who entered Vietnam in December and were quarantined upon arrival, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control reported on Thursday.

Having tested positive for the coronavirus, they were sent to a COVID-19 field hospital, where their genome sequencing later confirmed their infection with the highly-contagious Omicron strain.

All the passengers on the same flights as the infected people as well as other contacts have been identified and put in centralized quarantine, while 223 of them have tested negative for the variant, the center said.

Under the citys new medical protocol for air passengers from abroad, COVID-19 tests have been performed on them upon their arrival at Tan Son Nhat International Airport since January 1.

Those found positive will be sent to a makeshift hospital for genome sequencing to identify Omicron infections, while those with negative results will be monitored in accordance with the current regulations of the Ministry of Health, the center said.

The southern city has previously documented six cases of Omicron, with all of them imported.

Of these cases, one was confirmed on January 3 while the other five were first found infected with Omicron on December 31 but they were retested negative one day later.

Nationwide, a total of 30 imported Omicron cases have been recorded, including 11 in the city, 14 in Quang Nam, two in Thanh Hoa, and one each in Hai Duong, Hai Phong, and Hanoi.

The Omicron mutant, a.k.a. the B.1.1.529 variant, was designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a variant of concern on November 26, two days after it was first reported to WHO by South Africa.

The variant has now been found in over 110 countries and territories, with health experts stating it appears to be more contagious but less virulent than previous strains.

As of Wednesday, Ho Chi Minh City, which houses nearly nine million people, had administered over 8.09 million first vaccine shots and some 7.25 million second jabs to its adult population, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination portal.

It is expected that the third vaccine does, including booster shots and additional primary jabs, will be given to all people aged 18 and older by January 30, VnExpress cited the local Department of Health as saying.

Ho Chi Minh City has recently seen its daily COVID-19 cases and deaths falling considerably, to 442 and 21, respectively, on Thursday, compared to the 1,174 and 94 a month earlier, according to the Ministry of Healths data.

Despite these positive signs, the city remains the locality hit worst by COVID-19 in Vietnam, with 507,759 infections and 19,675 fatalities documented since the pandemic erupted in the Southeast Asian country in early 2020.

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Police in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam announced on Thursday afternoon the arrest of two men who robbed two home-alone children of an iPad earlier this week.

At the police station, Bui Viet Thang, 31, from Dong Nais Bien Hoa City, and Nguyen Hoang Truong, 25, from Ho Chi Minh City, admitted to the crime.

Thang has four previous convictions for robbery, property theft, and fraud to appropriate others property, and was most recently released from prison in early 2021.

Bien Hoa City police started looking for Thang and Truong after Vo Thi Tien, from the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, shared footage to social media of her two children being robbed of their iPad while at home by themselves on Monday.

When Tien and her husband went to work that day, their two children, a seven-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl, stayed home to attend online classes.

At around 2:15 pm that afternoon, Thang and Truong drove up to the backdoor of Tiens home on a motorbike, discovered that the two children were home alone, and began banging on the door.

The two kids began to cry before calling their parents, both of whom failed to answer the phone.

Eventually, the boy opened the window and handed over his iPad to the men, who then fled the scene while the two children continued crying.

Nguyen Hoang Truong, one of the two men who robbed two children staying alone at home of an iPad in Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, is pictured at the police station. Photo: A Loc / Tuoi Tre

Thang and Truong sold the iPad and split the money.

Neither realized that the robbery had been recorded by Tiens home security camera.

After Tien shared a four-minute clip of the incident on social media, it provoked a public outcry, especially from parents who have to leave their children alone at home while schools remain closed due to COVID-19.

On Thursday afternoon, police officers in Bien Hoa City began searching the residences where Thang and Truong are registered in the citys Phuoc Tan Ward.

They also found the iPad at a local mobile phone shop where the two men sold it.

Police officers then invited Tien to the police station to retrieve the tablet on Thursday evening.

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Doctors in Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam on Wednesday took 25 magnetic toy balls from the abdomen of a 37-month-old baby boy.

N.T.T.s family brought him to a local hospital over his abdominal pain, fearing he had accidentally swallowed something dangerous.

As his pain worsened, T. was transferred to the Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, where doctors used an abdominal X-ray to find out that a group of round foreign bodies forming into a chain had caused intestinal obstruction inside his stomach.

Immediately, surgeons and anesthetists organized a consultation and an emergency surgery on the boy.

During the medical operation, doctors discovered 25 magnetic toy balls stuck together, leading to many duodenal and intestinal perforations.

After nearly three hours, the surgeons successfully removed all of the foreign objects.

The child received intravenous feeding after the surgery. His health became better but still needed further monitoring.

Swallowing foreign objects is a common accident in young children, with ingesting magnetic toy balls like T.s case extremely dangerous as the magnetic balls can cause blockage and pressure on the intestinal wall, leading to ischemia, necrosis and perforations, even septic shock and death, according to doctors.

In this case, doctors recommend that the child be taken to a medical facility quickly for examination and timely treatment.

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The General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam has suspended a deputy head at one of its divisions for 15 days after he was filmed clashing with two neighbors, including a woman, in Hanoi.

Tran Phuong, chief of the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam Office, on Thursday confirmed the 15-day suspension of Vu Van Thang, deputy head of its Department of Planning and Finance, for the clarification of a video in which Thang fought against a woman living next door.

The video of more than two minutes that was circulated on social media on Tuesday showed Thang shouting at the neighbor over a car parking conflict and then beating the woman.

A few seconds later, a man emerged from the womans house and hit back at Thang.

This screenshot shows a male neighbor hitting Vu Van Thang, deputy head of the Department of Planning and Finance at the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam, in Hanoi.

According to Thangs report, after the incident, Thang immediately went to the neighbors house to apologize to the people in question and reconcile with them in the presence of the local police, said Phuong.

The leaders of the General Department have assigned our Department of Personnel Organization the task of clarifying the case.

After having the official results, we will announce them to the press.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, which manages the General Department of Geology and Minerals of Vietnam, has also requested it to report on the case, according to the ministry offices chief Pham Tan Tuyen.

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On Monday 10 screens a documentary featuring one of the Im A Celebrity cast members.

Joey Essex: Grief And Me is a BBC Three documentary which screened in the UK in June. Essex has been an ambassador for Child Bereavement UK since 2014.

Although best known for his blindingly white teeth, bumbling persona, and more recently, his hilarious antics in the Aussie jungle, at the age of just 10, Joey Essex came home to find his father on his knees telling him Mummys gone.

In that instant, Joeys world was ripped apart. His mother had tragically taken her own life.

A tremendously moving portrait of a man coming of age and accepting his past, Joey Essex: Grief and Me premieres Monday, 10 January at 9pm, straight after Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!.

Joey first rose to fame on The Only Way Is Essex, at the age of 20, where he was catnip for the camera because he was cheeky and sweet and ridiculous.

After ten years in the reality TV spotlight, it might appear that everything in Joey Essexs life is reem. But fame and a luxury lifestyle havent been able to heal the grief he has kept inside for 20 years.

Unable to comprehend his mothers suicide, Joey rarely spoke about his mother, avoided having pictures of her in his home and has since suffered from an ongoing fear of abandonment. Recruiting the help of psychologist Stephen Blumenthal to confront his grief, the pair examine Essexs anxiety, and look at ways to integrate his past into his current life.

Joey is currently on Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! vying for the chance to win $100,000 for his chosen charity, Feel the Magic, an Australian not for profit organisation whose purpose is to create a world where children who are experiencing grief are supported to reach their full potential.

Monday, 10 January at 9pm on 10.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36
Legendary and trailblazing actor Sidney Poitier, best known for the films To Sir with Love, Lilies of the Field, Guess Whos Coming to Dinner? and The Defiant Ones, has died, aged 94.

His death was confirmed by Eugene Torchon-Newry, acting director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Bahamas, where Poitier was raised.

Weve lost a great a Bahamian and Ive lost a personal friend, he said.

Poitier, who held dual US and Bahamian nationality, was an icon, a hero, a mentor, a fighter, a national treasure, Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said on his official Facebook page.

Poitier was automatically granted US citizenship after being unexpectedly born in Miami while his parents were visiting. As a young actor he got his first break when he met the casting director of the American Negro Theater. Poitier later broke racial barriers as the first black winner of the best actor Oscar and inspired a generation during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

Three films in 1967 included Guess Whos Coming to Dinner where he played a black man with a white fiancee and In the Heat of the Night (later adapted for television) he was Virgil Tibbs, a black police officer confronting racism during a murder investigation. He also played a teacher in a tough London school that year in To Sir, With Love.

He won his history-making best actor Oscar for Lilies of the Field in 1963, playing a handyman who helps German nuns build a chapel in the desert.

Five years before that Poitier had been the first black man nominated for a lead actor Oscar for his role in The Defiant Ones.

His other classic films of that era included A Patch of Blue, The Blackboard Jungle, A Raisin in the Sun, and two sequels for In the Heat of the Night: They Call Me Mister Tibbs! and The Organization.

Other film credits included Buck and the Preacher, Shoot to Kill, Little Nikita, Sneakers and The Jackal whilst he directed films including Uptown Saturday Night, Lets Do It Again, A Piece of the Action, Stir Crazy and Hanky Panky.

There were also several telemovies, Separate but Equal, Mandela and de Klerk, To Sir With Love II, The Last Brickmaker in America, David and Lisa, The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn and Free of Eden.

Poitier won the Golden Globes Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1982 and SAGs life achievement award in 2000. In 1992, he became the first Black recipient of the American Film Institutes lifetime achievement award. He was ranked 22nd on the AFI list of the 25 Greatest Male Stars of All Time in 1999. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1995 and in 2002 an honorary Oscar for his extraordinary performances and unique presence on the screen and for representing the industry with dignity, style and intelligence.

In 2009, Poitier was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Tributes have been made by Hollywood stars following his death.

If you wanted the sky i would write across the sky in letters that would soar a thousand feet high.. To Sir with Love Sir Sidney Poitier R.I.P. He showed us how to reach for the stars, Whoopi Goldberg wrote on Twitter.

The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!!, Viola Davis tweeted.

Oprah Winfrey wrote,  For me, the greatest of the Great Trees has fallen: Sidney Poitier. My honor to have loved him as a mentor. Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher. The utmost, highest regard and praise for his most magnificent, gracious, eloquent life. I treasured him. I adored him. He had an enormous soul I will forever cherish. Blessings to Joanna and his world of beautiful daughters.

Actor Morgan Freeman described Poitier as my inspiration, my guiding light, my friend.

Source: ABC, Variety, news.com.au
I cover local government in East Texas for the Tyler Morning Telegraph. Im from East Texas and love getting to report on the area I grew up in. Texas A&M University former student. If you have story ideas email me at mmcham@tylerpaper.com

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By Stephen Nellis and Joseph White

(Reuters) - Major automakers like General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Volvo Cars deepened ties with key technology partners this week to gird for the fight against electric car challenger Tesla Inc and Apple Inc as it revs up to enter the market.

Three chip firms - Intel Corp's Mobileye, Qualcomm Inc and Nvidia Corp - have emerged from a raft of announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas as the leaders in locking down the brains of self-driving cars for the next decade.

The deals involve consolidating scores of older, slower chips into more powerful centralized computers. But to win them, the chip firms have had to consent to letting automakers control key parts of the technology.

Reuters has previously reported that Apple plans an electric car. Bloomberg reported last year that the iPhone maker is aiming for full self-driving capabilities as early as 2025.

For automakers facing Apple and Tesla, the stakes are high. In addition to electrifying their models, automakers are essentially designing computers with increasing self-driving capabilities.

That means a big opportunity for automakers to make money off software and services in cars long after vehicles roll off a dealer's lot, but only if they can keep the customer relationships and data for themselves, the way that Tesla and Apple do.

Automakers "that haven't been the pioneers are finally realizing they're going to be left in the dust if they don't change their approach," said Danny Shapiro, vice president, automotive for Nvidia, a maker of high-powered chips.

Nvidia this week announced deals to supply the electronic brains for future models from several Chinese electric vehicle startups, and is working with other automakers including Mercedes, Hyundai Motor Co, Volvo and Audi .

Control of technology and data are areas of tension between automakers and technology companies, Shapiro said. "Control and customization, and who owns the data?"

Story continues

The answer is complex because of the staggering amount of technology required to make cars drive themselves.

These include computer vision algorithms to help cameras recognize pedestrians, sprawling high-definition maps of the world's roads, and "drive policy" software to make millisecond decisions about how the car should behave when confronted with the unexpected.

For chipmakers, this means they need to have every aspect of the technology ready, but be willing to let customers pick and choose.

Qualcomm Inc, for example, spent $4.5 billion last year to purchase Veoneer Inc to round out all the pieces of software needed to complement its self-driving car chips. But after winning its first major self-driving chip contract with GM this week, those software assets will not be included because GM has its own.

"Our software stack is all internally developed. So we're not taking their pieces," said Jason Ditman, chief engineer for GM's forthcoming "Ultra Cruise" hands-free driving product.

But for other carmakers, Qualcomm needs to have all the pieces of a self-driving system ready, said Nakul Duggal, senior vice president and general manager of automotive at the chip firm.

"Different automakers find themselves at different points of readiness," he said. "What is critical for the automaker is that they have to be able to build a relationship with the customer that they're trying to acquire."

A similar dynamic is at play in Mobileye's relationship with Ford, which was deepened this week. Mobileye used to deliver its camera, chip and self-driving software as an all-in-one product. Now Mobileye will start separating out some of its system's functions and allowing Ford to build its own technology on top of them.

"We provide all the outputs to Ford, and they'll run their own algorithms on top of our outputs," Mobileye Chief Executive Amnon Shashua told Reuters.

The chip companies have little choice but to be more flexible as they face significant competitors of their own.

Automakers had relied on three main suppliers for the simpler semiconductors that controlled combustion engines  Infineon, Renesas and NXP, said Phil Amsrud, a senior principal analyst with IHS Markit.

But the market of chip firms supplying high-powered computing to vehicle makers is comparatively crowded, including Chinese companies such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and computer vision company Ambarella Inc moving into the auto sector.

"We're at a point where we might be getting too many suppliers," Amsrud said. "If you look at automotive traditionally there's never been more than a handful."

(Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Joseph White in Detroit; Editing by Richard Chang)
FILE PHOTO: Agrochemicals maker Syngenta's logo is seen in front of the company's headquarters in Basel

By Giuseppe Fonte and Giselda Vagnoni

ROME (Reuters) - Chinese-owned agrochemicals giant Syngenta has appealed to an administrative court after Rome blocked its attempt to buy Italian vegetable seed producer Verisem, two sources close to the matter told Reuters.

The move highlights the risk of legal disputes arising from Prime Minister Mario Draghi's push to curb Chinese corporate bids in the country, using Rome's so-called "golden power" legislation designed to defend strategic assets.

To reduce these litigation risks, the government is considering offering compensation to firms penalised by the use of the anti-takeover rules, Reuters reported last month.

Draghi blocked the Verisem takeover in October. It was the second of three occasions during his 11-month-old government when he has used the golden power to ward off undesired bids in industries such as telecoms, energy and agrifood.

Italian agriculture lobby Coldiretti said Sygenta's move would have shifted to Asia the world's strategic balance in the control of seeds for vegetable and herb production.

Verisem participated in the appeal as a co-plaintiff, the sources said, asking not to be named. Verisem was not immediately available for comment.

One of them said the two companies accuse the government of "unjustifiably" rejecting steps they had taken to ensure the terms of the takeover would preserve Italian strategic interests.

In another case last year LPE, a Milan-based producer of semi-conductor equipment, also appealed after Rome prevented it from being acquired by Chinese company Shenzhen Invenland Holdings Co Ltd.

Switzerland-based Syngenta was bought in 2017 for $43 billion by ChemChina, which was folded into Sinochem Holdings Corp earlier this year. The group had offered around 200 million euros ($226.1 million) to buy Verisem, sources have told Reuters.

Put on sale by U.S. fund Paine Schwarts and Partners, Verisem describes itself on its website as a global seed producer with processing facilities in Italy, France and North America.

Story continues

The golden power applies to attempts by non-EU groups and - under a temporary framework which Rome extended last month until the end of this year - EU suitors to buy strategic companies, including banks and insurers.

($1 = 0.8846 euros)

(Editing by Gavin Jones and Jan Harvey)
WSOP Circuit New Year Edition 2022 Festival Underway at King's Resort, Rozvadov

January 07 2022 Calum Grant

Following the conclusion of the 2021 World Series of Poker Europe last month, the WSOP brand has swiftly returned to King's Resort, Rozvadov to play out their first batch of WSOP Circuit events of the new year.

 The WSOPC has kicked off 3 Million guaranteed and 15 WSOPC Gold Rings up for grabs.  King's Resort (@PokerroomKings)

The WSOP Circuit New Year Edition 2022 Festival runs from January 5-25 and has 3 million up for grabs in guarantees across 15 WSOPC Ring events. The poker festival is headlined by the 1,700 buy-in WSOPC NLH Main Event which comes with a 1 million guarantee.

Read More: Six Key Steps for Practicing Better Poker Game Selection

Antoine Vranken Wins First WSOPC Event

Antoine Vranken won his first WSOP bracelet in November 2021

The Netherlands' Antoine Vranken claimed his maiden gold bracelet at the 2021 WSOPE after he triumphed in Event #6: 1,650 PLO/NLH Mixed for 113,000. He now has a WSOP ring to go along with his bracelet after he took down Ring #1: WSOPC NLH Senior Event 50+ which was the opening event of the circuit series.

### Announcement of the WSOPC Winner ###  King's Resort (@PokerroomKings)

The event saw 199 total entries and generated a final prizepool of 42,536, smashing the 20,000 guarantee. Vranken walked away with 10,206 and his first WSOPC ring after he defeated Vladimir Tamaskovic in heads-up play.

First Two Mini Main Event Flights Wrapped Up

Two of the seven starting flights for Ring #2: WSOPC Mini Main Event have also wrapped up with the likes of Predrag Bukovec (921,000) and Angelo Sisca (1,304,000) topping Day 1A and Day 1B respectively. The Mini Main Event has a 250 buy-in and comes with a massive 500,000 guarantee.

Day 1A saw 240 entries with 24 players progressing to Day 2. The second starting flight was better attended with 399 total entries and had a further 40 players progress to the next stage. Vranken was one of those to advance from Day 1B and has a healthy stack of 619,000. All players who make Day 2 guarantee themselves a payout of at least 400.

Read More: Six Online Poker Mistakes to Avoid in 2022

Stay and Play at King's Resort

Food at King's Resort

Poker players can take advantage of some special hotel deals at King's Resort for the WSOPC. The offer is only valid for the duration of the WSOPC and looks like:

5* Superior Room - 135 per night

4* Comfort Double Room - 90 per night

Long stays (five nights or more) get a 30% discount

WSOPC Rozvadov Schedule

Date Event Buy-in (EUR) Guarantee (EUR) January 5 Ring #1: WSOPC NLH Senior Event 50+  250  20,000 January 5-10 Ring #2: WSOPC Mini Main Event  250  500,000 January 10 Ring #3: WSOPC NLH Fiftystack  660  100,000 January 10 Ring #4: WSOPC PLO Bounuty Hunter  550  50,000 January 11-12 Ring #5: WSOPC Mixed PLO/NLH  550  50,000 January 12 Ring #6: WSOPC Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo  550  50,000 January 13-17 Ring #7: WSOPC NLH Monsterstack  550  500,000 January 14 Ring #8: WSOPC NLH Ladies Event  250  5,000 January 15 Ring #9: WSOPC 7-Card Stud  440  10,000 January 16 Ring #10: WSOPC 5-Card PLO  1,100  50,000 January 17-18 Ring #11: WSOPC PLO 6-Max  440  50,000 January 18-19 Ring #12: WSOPC PLO 2K 8-Max  2,000  100,000 January 19-20 Ring #13: WSOPC NLH 3K 8-Max  3,000  100,000 January 21-23 Ring #14: WSOPC NLH Main Event  1,700  1,000,000 January 23 Ring #15: WSOPC NLH Bounty Hunter  1,100  100,000
Demand for foreign holidays is bouncing back following the relaxation of coronavirus travel rules and could reach pre-pandemic levels within months, travel firms say.

A surge in bookings has come after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday that the testing and quarantine requirements for arrivals will be eased.

As of 4am on Friday, fully vaccinated travellers and under-18s arriving in the UK no longer need to have taken a pre-departure lateral flow test.

They can instead take a lateral flow test rather than the more expensive PCR version for their post-arrival test from 4am on Sunday, with the changes saving a family of four around 300.

Spain has come top as the most popular overseas destination people plan to visit this year, followed by the US, France, Italy and Greece, according to a survey of 2,000 UK consumers by travel trade organisation Abta.

But what are the COVID situations in these popular hotspots?

Spain

Under the current rules, all travellers who have recovered from or been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can travel to Spain without having to follow additional entry rules, even if their origin country is part of the country's risk list.

COVID infections are still rising across Spain as the country grapples with a sixth wave of the virus due to the highly transmissible Omicron strain.

As of Christmas Eve, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez introduced the wearing of face masks outdoors in a bid to contain the strain - meaning tourists visiting the country may have to mask up for most of their holidays.

However, face coverings are not compulsory during exercise, on the beach or at the pool so long as social distancing of 1.5 metres is maintained.

US

The US eased its travel restrictions at the beginning of November before the Omicron variant hit.

It has since suspended entry for non-citizens who have been in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the country.

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However, most fully vaccinated foreign citizens can enter the US.

Before boarding a flight to the US, most passengers will be required to show a negative COVID-19 test result taken no more than one day before travel.

Currently, everyone aged two and above who is not fully vaccinated has to wear a mask in indoor public places, however, this does not apply in outdoor settings.

People are expected to wear face coverings on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation travelling into, within, or out of the US, as well as indoors at transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

France

Those wishing to travel from the UK to France, regardless of vaccination status, can only do so for essential reasons.

As of Thursday, people can now travel between the UK and France for work-related reasons requiring an on-site presence, which cannot be postponed, with travellers required to provide proof from their employer.

France had earlier relaxed its travel measures over the festive period following an outcry from British nationals unable to travel home via the Eurotunnel.

Wearing masks even outdoors was made mandatory in Paris last month as the country struggles to come to grips with an Omicron surge.

Italy

Regardless of vaccination status, arriving in Italy by air, land or by sea may be subject to random COVID testing on arrival until 31 January.

If you travel from the UK and can demonstrate that you are fully vaccinated with a negative PCR test, you can enter Italy without needing to self-isolate.

Travellers are required to wear a mask at all times when using public transport in Italy, but this rule does not apply outdoors.

Everyone is also required to keep a distance of at least one metre, with only high-speed trains not having social distancing rules.

Since October, cultural venues have been allowed to operate at full capacity, including theatres, cinemas, and concert venues.

Greece

People travelling to Greece will need to complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) and proof of a negative PCR or rapid antigen COVID test.

In response to the Omicron surge, the country's government last month reintroduced mandatory mask-wearing outdoors.

Double-masking or wearing a high-protection face covering is also required on public transport and in supermarkets.

All travellers, regardless of their vaccination status, have been advised to take a lateral flow or PCR test on the second and fourth day after their arrival in the country.

Travel back to pre-COVID levels 'by spring'

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2holidays and leisure airline Jet2.com, revealed the firm has reported huge popularity for trips to mainland Spain, the Canaries, the Balearic Islands, Turkey, and Greece.

He said: "The relaxation of travel restrictions is welcome news for both the travel industry and holidaymakers and comes during what is traditionally a very busy period for holiday bookings.

"We have seen an immediate and dramatic spike in bookings, with volumes since the government announcement heading towards pre-pandemic levels, which demonstrates just how much demand is out there among people wanting to get away for a much-needed holiday."

Tui has also seen the biggest booking spikes for Mexico and the Canaries.

A spokeswoman for the tour operator said Mr Johnson's announcement "has given Brits the reassurance that travel will once again be easier and more affordable".

She continued: "We've already seen an immediate and strong uptick in bookings and we now expect summer 2022 bookings to be normalised.

"January is traditionally the busiest month for holiday bookings and demand is yet to reach pre-COVID levels, so we need to see sustained confidence in travel so the industry can fully recover."

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Meanwhile, luxury travel company Kuoni predicts travel to reach pre-pandemic levels by spring.

Its chief executive, Derek Jones, said the easing of testing rules "should be the beginning of the end of COVID as a blocker to international travel".

He added: "I predict travel will be 90% back to 2019 levels before the end of spring.

"We're already seeing increased call volumes and inquiries about trips for the year ahead as confidence builds."
America has begun the process of sending back migrants to Mexico. They will return to the city of Tijuana. This will be as per a U.S. federal court order. It will mean a revival of an order from the era of former President Donald Trump. In other words, asylum seekers cannot enter the U.S. directly but will wait for U.S. court hearings in Mexico.

The scheme known as Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) was a controversial scheme and a U.S. federal court passed an order on the subject. The United States and Mexico have agreed to relaunch the scheme, and work have begun.

During his tenure as President, Trump wanted to build an impregnable wall between the two countries. The purpose of the wall would be to deter illegal crossings, especially of those with criminal intent like drug smugglers. Work had begun, but it was put on hold by the new administration of Joe Biden.

U.S. President Joe Biden had tried to reverse some of the immigration policies that former president Donald Trump introduced. The MPP was one of these. On assuming office, Biden had put an end to this practice. He felt immigration deserved a more humane approach. However, in August, a federal judge ordered the reinstatement of MPP. In August, there was an unprecedented surge in the arrival of migrants at the US-Mexico border.

Tough time for migrants who seek asylum

The original program for migrants seeking asylum in the United States dates 2019. Under the scheme, thousands of migrants who sought asylum had to wait in Mexico. At times, the wait could be in weeks or even years. The U.N.'s International Organization of Migration (OIM) revealed that the relaunch of MPP began in December.

It took place at the international crossing that connects El Paso, Texas, to Ciudad Juarez. Since the relaunch, more than 200 people have gone back to Mexico. The restart of MPP has not gone down well with some people. The United Nations' refugee agency and advocacy groups have criticized it. The agency feels the migrants would feel unsafe because of fears of crimes like kidnapping, atrocities on women, and rampant extortion in border towns of Mexico.

The U.S. Coast Guard sends back migrants from Cuba

The United States Coast Guard undertook multiple operations to send back migrants from Cuba. It seems plenty of Cubans are trying to reach the United States by using the water route as their mode of travel. People usually migrate to another country under compulsion. These could be because of political instability or violence or natural disasters like typhoons, floods, fires, earthquakes, etc.

Cuban migrants and perilous sea voyages

U.S. Coast Guard helps to keep the U.S. border security and prevent perilous sea voyages of the Cubans from ending in tragedies. The U.S. authorities send them back by boats. Cuba's economy is in a crisis because of U.S.

sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic. These have crippled the vital international tourism to the Caribbean island. Incidentally, the crossing between Cuba and the U.S. is dangerous. It has claimed the lives of many Cubans, and some of them use the land route also.
YANGON, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's State Administration Council Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing held talks with visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw on Friday.

According to a release issued by the council's Information Team, Min Aung Hlaing and Hun Sen exchanged views on the promotion of bilateral diplomatic relations, friendship and cooperation, and the progress of internal peace process implementations.

The two leaders also discussed how ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) special envoy and Cambodia could help Myanmar, the progress of implementations based on a five-point consensus reached at ASEAN's emergency summit last year, and the provision of humanitarian assistance, said the press release.

Hun Sen arrived in Myanmar for a two-day visit at the invitation of Min Aung Hlaing on Friday morning.

Cambodia provided Myanmar with much-needed medical supplies to help it fight COVID-19, including 3 million face masks, 200,000 N95 masks, 100,000 goggles, 30,000 sets of personal protective equipment, as well as other relief items.

Cambodia is the rotating chair of ASEAN for 2022, which groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Friday that it had issued a notice to Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange, during the investigation of an alleged cryptocurrency scam involving around 100 million U.S. dollars.

The notice called the general manager or growth analyst of Binance Pakistan to appear and explain the organization's position on the linkage of fraudulent online investment mobile applications with Binance, the statement from FIA's cybercrime wing said.

"A relevant questionnaire has also been sent to Binance Headquarters Cayman Islands and Binance U.S. to explain the same," it added.

Last month, people from all over Pakistan launched complaints to the FIA against at least 11 mobile applications which had stopped working over a period of time and allegedly defrauded their billions of Pakistani rupees, the FIA said.

The initial findings revealed that each such application had on average 5,000 customers with HFC, one of the applications, reportedly having a maximum of 30,000 customers, said the statement.

According to the FIA, "the reported range of investment per person was from 100 to 80,000 U.S. dollars with an estimated average of 2,000 U.S. dollars per person thus making estimated scam stand at nearly 100 million U.S. dollars." 
Deportees being returned to their country at Tra Linh border gate in Cao Bang Province.  VNA/VNS Photo Vu Sinh

HA NOI  The rights and obligations of foreigners who are to be deported from Viet Nam has been clarified by a decree recently issued by the Government.

While the main content stays largely the same, the new document specifies the regulations and penalties according to the 2012 Law on Handling of Administrative Violations.

Decree No. 142/2021/ND-CP on expulsion, temporary custody and escorted transfer of violators will replace Decree No.112/2013/N-CP and its 2016 amendment.

It came into force on January 1, 2022.

In line with Article 27, violators of foreign nationality on Viet Nam-flagged planes and vessels will be deported from Viet Nam.

In the case where the deportee refuses the expulsion decision, a statement will be made and sent to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the diplomatic representative agency of the violators country, or the country where they last resided before arriving in Viet Nam.

The new decree adds that in the case where the expellee has a medical emergency, they must be immediately taken to the nearest treatment facility under strict supervision. A health report from the medical establishment is also required.

It is the right of the deportee to be told of the reasons for expulsion at least 48 hours before the decision is executed, and be able to ask for interpreters while working with Vietnamese agencies and officials.

They are also allowed to bring their lawful assets with them when leaving Viet Nam and lodge complaints in accordance with the law.

Expellees are also subjected to Decree No.65/2020/N-CP dated June 10, 2020, stipulating the organisation and rights of people at lodging facilities pending the completion of exit procedures.

The decree says that the deportees have to fully comply with expulsion decisions and Viet Nams law. They must present their personal identification papers at the request of immigration offices, and submit to the management by public security offices pending the completion of expulsion procedures.

They have to fulfil all civil, administrative and financial obligations and complete all necessary procedures for leaving Viet Nam.

If there are grounds to believe that a deportee may abscond or hinder the execution of the expulsion decision, a public security office will decide to apply management measures. The deportee could be restricted from travelling, have their passport or passport substitute retained or be required to stay at an accommodation facility managed by the public security force.  VNS
LC Files Reply Brief at SCOTUS in Religious Viewpoint Case

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Liberty Counsel

Jan. 7, 2022



WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Liberty Counsel filed its reply brief today to the U.S. Supreme Court in Shurtleff v. City of Boston, arguing the city of Boston violated the First Amendment by censoring a private flag in a public forum merely because the application form referred to the flag as a "Christian flag." Liberty Counsel represents Hal Shurtleff and his Christian civic organization, Camp Constitution, and will present oral argument beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 18. A press conference will follow outside of the Supreme Court.

The reply brief argues that the central focus of this case is whether the city flagpoles are a public forum as Boston has advertised. If a private speaker such as Camp Constitution challenges exclusion from government property, then the High Court must begin with the public forum consideration. For example, is the government property a traditional public forum? If not, has the governmentby policy or practicedesignated the property a public forum for private speech? Or, has the government designated the property a public forum limited to speech on certain topics or by certain speakers? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," then forum analysis determines the validity of the government's exclusion of the private speaker such as Camp Constitution by applying the applicable level of constitutional scrutiny. Only if the answer is "no" should the government speech doctrine be considered.

The city, by policy and practice, designated its city hall flagpoles as a public forum for private flag raising events, accessible to all applicants through a minimal application process. To the extent the city's policy or practice limits the flagpoles to flag raisings commemorating one of Boston's diverse communities (e.g., Argentinians, Caribbean Americans, or credit union members), or a significant date (e.g., Bunker Hill Day, Juneteenth, or Marcus Garvey Day), or a cause (e.g., Pride, Walk for Peace, or organ donation), the city has created a limited public forum, for which Camp Constitution's proposed flag raising to commemorate Boston's Christian community and the federally recognized Constitution Day and Citizenship Day satisfied all legitimate criteria. The city's exclusion of Camp Constitution from the flagpole forum was unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination under any standard, and thus the forum analysis ends the case.

While this case can be resolved under the public forum doctrine, it also presents the Supreme Court with the opportunity to set clear parameters around the recently minted government speech doctrine so that it does not swallow the public forum and restrict private speech. This case is a clear example of the danger the government speech doctrine presents to free speech. Here, Boston had a longstanding practice and policy to open its flagpoles for private speakers, and in its own words created a "public forum" open to "all applicants." But, after 12 years of no denials and virtually no review of the applications, Boston censored Camp Constitution's Christian viewpoint under the guise of government speech.

Boston never censored any flag until Camp Constitution's flag. Under oath, the city official testified the flag would have been approved if the application did not refer to it as a "Christian flag." The word "Christian" on the application alone triggered the censorship. The official testified that if the application had referred to the flag as the "Camp Constitution Flag," then it would have been approved.

Boston now argues that despite the policy and longstanding practice, the private flag raisings are government speech. However, the flags cannot be Boston's speech. For example, the Chinese Progressive Association raises the flag of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to commemorate its celebration of Mao Zedong's 1949 victory in the communist revolution that established China's currently recognized government. But usually within mere days after the PRC flag raising, the flag of democratic Taiwan is flown on the same flagpole. This flag is also called the flag of the Republic of China (ROC) representing the Chinese Nationalist government deposed by Mao's 1949 victory and exiled to the historically disputed territory of Taiwan. Many sympathetic to mainland China view the ROC flag as subversive to the PRC, which would make Boston's raising the ROC flag a form of "protest or other speech antithetical to" the message the city purportedly communicates through the PRC flag. The flags represent classic free speech in a public forum.

Liberty Counsel's Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "Boston opened a public forum for 'all applicants' and then slammed the door on Christian viewpoints. If Boston prevails, every local government will have a green light to censor viewpoints with which some government official disagrees. The tragedy would be the shrinking of the public forum as a marketplace of ideas. More speech is always better than less speech. This case is of national importance to protect the competing viewpoints of the public in the marketplace."

Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.



SOURCE Liberty Counsel



CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org



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A former West High School art teacher was indicted Thursday on charges he sexually abused two students multiple times in 2020 and 2021.

A McLennan County grand jury indicted Andrew White, 33, on eight second-degree felony counts, four counts of sexual assault of a child, two counts of indecency with a child by contact and two counts of inappropriate relationship between educator and student.

According to arrest warrant affidavits, a West Independent School District police officer and the high school principal took statements from a student, who told them she had been involved in several inappropriate sexual encounters with White from November 2020 to spring 2021.

According to the affidavit, White began writing letters and poems to the student, which she said made her uncomfortable. She alleged White pulled her into a storage closet, where he exposed himself to her, the affidavit states.

The student said he fondled her genitals and made her touch his, according to the affidavit. The report says White confessed during an Oct. 1 interview to the incident and said he engaged in sexual intercourse with the student while at school in March and April.

He also confessed to groping her, the affidavit states.

The West officer also questioned White about a sexual abuse report by a second student against White. The affidavit alleges White confessed to touching the second student in a sexual manner in multiple incidents from December 2020 to May 2021. The affidavit says the incidents occurred during the school day.

White remains free on $45,000 bond. McLennan County court records show no attorney has filed notice of representation in Whites case.

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The jury is still out, but McLennan County may spend $30 million in federal COVID-19 relief money to transform an old downtown jail into courtroom space.

The countys legal staff continues to examine guidelines for allocating $49 million in American Rescue Plan money the county has been promised. But County Judge Scott Felton said local officials believe a sizable chunk could go to repurposing the old lockup adjacent to the McLennan County Courthouse at Fifth Street and Washington Avenue.

After all, the project to add new courtroom space includes what the county believes is a pandemic-related component, Felton said. Attention will be paid to spacing in the building and in hallways, assuring the possibility of distancing, as well as the nuances of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems with an eye toward circulating the air, cleaning and turning it over, he said. Guidelines could prevent much of the project from qualifying for the federal funding though.

Commissioners wasted no time allocating $3 million from the countys American Rescue Plan money to support a new Heart of Texas Region MHMR crisis hub, and $2.5 million to support Waco Family Medicines planned new headquarters.

We wanted to step out there and do something quickly, put the money to use on two worthy projects, Felton said.

Commissioners continue weighing requests from nonprofits, including Friends For Life.

But thinking longer term, renovating the disused county jail on Columbus Avenue near Fifth Street, behind the courthouse, could find itself on the commissioners to-do list for the federal pandemic relief money approved last year, Felton said. The decades-old lockup is already down to the bare bones now, after 18 months of demolition, remediation and testing for structural integrity.

Its built like a jail. Its stout, good bones, Felton said.

It could serve various functions, the county has concluded, including providing space for court administration, storage and courtrooms. Felton said the jails proximity to existing courthouse could prove beneficial to maintaining security.

We know for a fact theres substantial amount of cost that would qualify to be funded under the American Rescue Plan Act, he said. We dont have an exact amount, of course, but wed use as much as qualifies. That would help reduce the burden of debt to McLennan County taxpayers.

Felton said the U.S. Treasury Department released new guidance on spending American Rescue Plan money. He said local attorney Mike Dixon and County Administrator Dustin Chapman, who has a law degree, gave the material a cursory reading.

It appears to be a little more restrictive on capital investment than we originally thought, meaning we may have to rethink courtrooms, Felton said. Were pretty sure air movement, the HVAC system, would be covered, but were not really sure about other things. Our legal counsel will give it a more thorough review over the weekend. Well utilize the funds as best we can, in ways that benefit the local economy and save taxpayers money.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Jim Smith said studies underway by the Dallas-based Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects firm should provide commissioners more detailed numbers on the projects scale and cost. The firm supplied the $30 million preliminary estimate, Felton said. Its resume includes repurposing a 232,000-square-foot building in downtown Fort Worth for use as detention space, according to the firms website.

Felton said the county also has secured the services of accounting firm BKD and engineering consultant Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam to assist in judging the eligibility of groups requesting American Rescue Plan money from the county.

Cramped quarters have become commonplace at the McLennan County Courthouse complex, with officials for years pursuing solutions. Their approach has reached the critical stage as the Texas Legislature created a new state district court and a new county court-at-law for the county.

Plans for relocating office space and courthouse functions continue to evolve, with the old jails proposed new look holding a prominent place.

The county set the stage by spending $1 million gutting the old jail.

Smith said the county has met with bond attorneys, and some of the $30 million investment could be debt-funded.

It is our responsibility to build really good structures, Felton said. The courthouse has been there more than 100 year because it was built properly, and its design expresses its importance to the community.

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DEAR NEIL: Why would my boxwood be dying on the tops of the plants? I have it all over my landscape. Is this too much or too little water?

Dear Reader: There is a comparatively new disease that has come from Europe to the East Coast of the United States in the past 15 to 20 years. Boxwood blight is affecting this genus exactly like your photograph.

Google some of the major East Coast universities such as Clemson, North Carolina State and the University of Virginia to search for boxwood blight and I think you will see good information on this relatively new disease.

You might also want to have a sample run through the Texas Plant Clinic at Texas A&M. Their sampling and mailing instructions are available online.

I think there also is a chance that this is just dry soil. I see the dwarf nandina near the top of your photo showing similar symptoms, and boxwood blight would certainly not affect it.

DEAR NEIL: Unusual and hard growths emerge from our St. Augustine lawn. They look somewhat like mushrooms, but they are woody and heavy when dug up with a shovel.

There was a tree in this vicinity years ago. What are they, and what should we do to prevent them?

Dear Reader: These are saprophytic fungal growths, probably fungal conks that are existing off the decaying organic matter of the old tree roots.

You could apply dusting sulfur over them to try to kill them, but avoid getting it all over the grass as it can burn foliage. It is also very irritating to skin and eyes.

I dont know if you could dig down with a sharpshooter spade and remove the root without doing much damage to the turf. If that were possible it might give quickest relief.

I notice the darker green grass within the circle of growths. Thats typical when these funguses release nitrogen they have been using as their food source.

DEAR NEIL: I have a bed of hardy hibiscus that became infested with mealy bugs last year. I tried various organic controls to no avail. I finally turned to a harsh systemic insecticide.

What do I need to expect next season?

Dear Reader: Get rid of every piece of leaf and stem rubble now that they have (or soon will have) died to the ground following the first hard freeze.

Blow the ground to get loose debris out of the way as well, then apply a fresh layer of mulch beneath them. The mealybugs will probably not be an issue next season.

Texas A&M says that soaps and oil sprays work to some degree, but primarily on the surface insects.

The systemic insecticide Imidacloprid gives best results. Since its applied as a soil drench right around the base of each plant, its impact is minimized. That would be my recommendation should you see them again this year.

DEAR NEIL: Something is eating the leaves of my Nellie R. Stevens holly. What is causing it, and what should I do?

Dear Reader: That is very old damage, probably from last summer. My guess would be that it was either a voracious caterpillar or a fast-moving grasshopper.

In either case, its long gone by now. Those old leaves will soon be replaced by new growth in the spring. There is absolutely nothing to be done now.

DEAR NEIL: we moved into a new subdivision in January a year ago. A new live oak had been planted right before we took possession of the house.

We thought it had survived the cold spell, but it began to develop some vertical splits in the trunk. It continued to grow well, but as fall approached some of the leaves began to turn yellow and fall easily.

What should we be doing now so that we wont have to start over with a new tree?

Dear Reader: If the splits in the trunk didnt get any worse over the course of the summer and fall, your tree will probably be fine. Without a photograph, I really cant predict.

My best advice is just wait and see how it looks in April and May. If it leafs out normally and grows vigorously, then you should be fine. If it stalls or dies back, then you need to consider whether you want to replace it.

DEAR NEIL: Our downtown area includes a courthouse square with a sidewalk on all four sides bounded with flowerbeds.

There have been live oaks there, but they have grown far too large. Their branches have grown into the side of the building. They also shed acorns everywhere.

Our community is trying to decide which tree would be best to replace the live oaks. We need a selection that will not grow too wide and encroach on the buildings again. What would you plant?

Dear Reader: I really would suggest that you work with a registered landscape architect who is also well-versed in local plants.

One of the dwarf Southern magnolia varieties might be ideal. So could a large tree-form holly. So much of it depends on the architecture of the buildings and other plantings around the square.

The landscape architect would have the experience of incorporating all of those concepts into the final plan. Its impossible to do a design without seeing the actual setting, either with a photograph or better yet, in person.

Have a question youd like Neil to consider? Email him at mailbag@sperrygardens.com. Neil regrets that he cannot reply to questions individually.
Edmund Burke. Russell Kirk. And  Jesse Watters?

One of the hosts of Foxs The Five, Watters said the quiet part out loud Monday evening when discussing President Bidens agenda and pushback hes getting from progressives in his party.

[D]o I feel sorry for Joe Biden? No. I work at Fox. I wanna see disarray on the left. Its good for America. Its good for our ratings.

In those eight seconds of television, Watters may have unknowingly articulated the entire philosophy of the new American right, adding to the canon of philosophical giants before him. I kid, of course. The leaders of the modern conservative movement, from Burke to Kirk, F.A. Hayek to William F. Buckley, Ayn Rand to Ronald Reagan, likely wouldnt recognize todays American right wing.

Co-opted entirely by Donald Trump in 2016, its now sufficiently aligned with whatever he just said, rather than the centuries of principles and philosophy that conservative thought leaders once espoused. Its led this arm of American politics, both in the Republican Party and in right-wing media, to forget about the things that used to animate it: things like fiscal responsibility, anti-protectionism, family values, lowering the debt and deficit, national security, law and order, and, you know, preserving democracy.

Now, the American right is off wasting taxpayer dollars chasing phony election audits to soothe the fragile ego of a guy who lost everything for the Republican Party in four short years.

It decries common-sense safety precautions like masks and vaccines  during a global pandemic that just set a global daily record for the most confirmed cases in a single day in the U.S.  as medical tyranny and an assault on freedom.

It coddles and caters to conspiracy theorists, white nationalists, supremacists and xenophobes, empowering lunatics, bigots and fame addicts to seek elected office.

And it led one of the darkest days in modern American history, an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol where Trump supporters tried to overturn a democratic election, in some cases criminally, violently and fatally. A year later, rather than being the slightest bit chastened, those responsible for that ignominy are now emboldened. Trump is getting ready to commemorate the riot with another media spectacle.

This is the new American right, and in the rancid bouillabaisse of patriot porn thats regularly dished out by right-wing leaders and media, its all part of a cause, one thats righteous, justified and most perversely, conservative. In this context, Watters comments make perfect sense. In fact, they spell out the three pillars of the New American Right:

1. There are two Americas, not one.

When Watters says, I wanna see disarray on the left. Its good for America, hes admitting that he doesnt consider the left to be part of America. Theres his America  the one thats righteous and good  and the other America, which must be excised. The United States as a concept is effectively dead in the new American right. No wonder there are some on the right openly aching for secession or civil war.

2. The cruelty is the point.

The new American right is here for the pain, as Adam Serwer explained in The Atlantic in 2018. Its not here to change hearts and minds with a competition of ideas and arguments. It wants to see liberals in tears. Whether its Speaker Nancy Pelosi, AOC, Ilhan Omar, Joe Biden, its not enough to just disagree with their ideas  a perfectly reasonable thing to do fairly often. No, you must Lock her up, Send her back, F--- Joe Biden  even Hang Mike Pence. The pain Watters wants to see is the point.

3. Ratings, above all else.

As journalism in right-wing media has fallen by the wayside, kooks, quacks, cranks and snake-oil salesmen have taken over, pushing lies and conspiracy theories to keep their audiences foaming at the mouths. Getting eyeballs has superseded things like public health and safety and truth and facts, as media stars have glorified willful ignorance. But its not just in media. Trump turned the right wing into an attention economy, where folks like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and the My Pillow guy just want to be famous, not serious. Attention is the only thing that matters now.

These new pillars dont belong in conservative orthodoxy. They belong in movies like Idiocracy and Dont Look Up, which satirize the persistent celebration of willful ignorance in America.

And yet, these are the only things that seem to consistently motivate the new American right: division, cruelty and ratings. Its a far cry from the things that once informed and animated the American experiment: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

(S.E. Cupp is the host of S.E. Cupp Unfiltered on CNN.)
CEDAR FALLS  A second person has been arrested in connection with a Cedar Falls robbery in September in which a man was shot.

Police arrested Megan Lee Palmer, 18, at her Grant Avenue home in Waterloo on a warrant for first-degree robbery and second-degree burglary Thursday, just days after he brother was arrested in the same crime.

Authorities allege Palmer and Alberto Luis Quinto, 17, were involved in the Sept. 10 robbery of William Clausen outside Clausens Peridot Road home in the Five Seasons Mobile Home Park. Three people approached the victim as he was returning home and demanded his wallet; he tried to run and was shot in the thigh.

The robbers also entered his home and took a TV, video game system and other items.

Court records indicate investigators found SnapChat messages in which Palmer discussed the robbery, and GPS information placed her phone at the location of the crime.

Palmer also was arrested on drug and assault charges for throwing a chair at police when they searched her home in October.

Her bond is currently set at $412,000.

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WATERLOO  Fridays cancellation of classes at all but one elementary building was an emergency resulting from what Waterloo Community Schools called significant bus issues due to the extreme cold.

The decision was made just over an hour before classes were set to begin on a two-hour late schedule.

We understand and apologize that the timing of this decision created complications for families, however, all factors considered, this was the decision that could best get students into shelter  or keep them sheltered  quickly and safely, the district said in a statement released later in the morning.

This is not the way we would have ever wanted this morning to go, Superintendent Jane Lindaman added in the statement. With the exception of a few other situations during my tenure as superintendent, this was the most concerning situation we have been in. I made a decision that was the best possible decision to try to get kids to shelter.

The district laid out a timeline to further explain what happened.

The buses began picking up students for the middle and high schools as well as Dr. Walter Cunningham School for Excellence students around 8:50 and 9 a.m. But the diesel fuel started to gel in some buses as middle school students were being transported. According to information from the district that included 10 buses.

Out of 66 routes, most were working fine, but some became inoperable, the statement said. At the bus garage and the district office, we immediately started finding other buses to support the route (i.e. Cedar Falls Schools, city transit, and every other bus in town). We also sent administrators out immediately to start driving the routes with all available vans to help ensure students who were perhaps already at bus stops could quickly access shelter.

Within minutes, though, the emergency nature of the situation became evident as diesel fuel in more buses started to gel.

Most kids had arrived at school for middle, high and Cunningham so we did not want to send them back home (compounding the growing bus issue), but others were still waiting for a bus and we needed to focus on their safety, the statement continues.

Cunningham Elementary has an earlier start time than the rest of the elementary schools. Because of this, the majority of Cunningham students were either already in school or en route. School was the safest place for those students and so we needed to focus on the one Cunningham bus route that was impacted.

The decision was made at 9:30 a.m.to cancel school for the rest of the elementary buildings.

District officials said that allowed them to have all buses available so middle and high school and Cunningham students could get to their buildings. In addition, the district was able to immediately mitigate the growing concerns about getting elementary students to school, the statement said.

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An expected decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 to restrict abortion rights or overturn Roe v. Wade has set off a renewed round of abortion battles in state legislatures.

Leaders of Iowa's Republican-led legislature, however, say they're waiting to see how state and federal court cases play out.

"I don't see us passing a bill," House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said in an interview previewing the upcoming legislative session.

The Legislature convenes Monday.

"I would like to see us wait to see how these court cases play out, and then we react," Grassley said. "I think right now, there's a lot of 'ifs' surrounding the life issue, to be honest with you."

Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, R-Ankeny, echoed Grassley.

"From my perspective, we really need to see what's going to happen at the federal level in the Supreme Court, but also the state Supreme Court," Whitver said. "I think waiting to see what happens at both of those, both the federal and the state level is something we need to do."

Iowa Democrats, however, argue the Republican-led Legislature is likely to press an all-out abortion ban that would take effect if Roe is reversed. The 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision affirmed a woman's right to an abortion before a fetus is viable outside the womb, usually about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

"Republicans just can't help themselves when it comes to attacking women's right to make their own health care decisions," said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights. "And so I can't fathom a legislative session in which nothing comes up. ... We've seen some pretty harsh attacks on women in this arena, and I can't fathom they'll just let it go. That's just not who they are, especially in an election year."

Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville, however, said he did not foresee more legislative action on abortion this year.

"But in terms of whether or not Iowans are paying attention, I think if we see a Supreme Court decision that overturns either Roe or Casey, you're gonna see a whole heck of a lot of folks really wake up and realize the stakes of what we're dealing with right here," Wahls said. That includes the prospect of young professionals leaving the state, exacerbating a state "workforce crisis." "Young Iowans are overwhelmingly supportive of a woman's right to choose."

A Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll conducted in September found a majority of Iowans -- 57% -- believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases.

Court rulings

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in December in a case concerning a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy and challenges the landmark abortion-rights ruling, which if overturned would give states more freedom to restrict procedures terminating a pregnancy.

A majority of the Supreme Court during debate last month signaled it is open to upholding Mississippis abortion ban, but left unclear how far it may go to curtail the constitutional right to an abortion.

Several states have already passed so-called "trigger laws" that would automatically outlaw abortions upon a court decision overturning Roe. However, a 2018 Iowa Supreme Court decision ruling the state constitution protects a right to an abortion means nothing would happen immediately in Iowa should Roe be overturned.

Iowa Republicans, though, got the ball rolling earlier this year on an effort amend the Iowa Constitution to undo that decision.

The Iowa House and Senate passed a resolution during the 2021 legislative session proposing an amendment that explicitly states the Iowa Constitution "does not recognize, grant, or secure a right to abortion or require the public funding of abortion." State lawmakers must to approve the resolution again in the next General Assembly, beginning in 2023, to place the amendment on the ballot. Iowa voters would still have to approve the change to the state's constitution in a general election. The soonest the issue could appear before voters would be in 2024.

Republicans, too, are waiting to see how the Iowa Supreme Court rules in coming months in the state's appeal of an Iowa District decision that permanently blocked a 2020 law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before receiving an abortion.

Anti-abortion activists have said they're hopeful a more conservative court will reverse the 2018 ruling, which struck down a prior 72-hour waiting period.

Since the 2018 decision, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed four of Iowa's seven Supreme Court justices, and has called on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Sixty Iowa Republican legislators this fall asked the Iowa Supreme Court to overturn the 2018 ruling declaring women have a fundamental right to an abortion and requiring any restrictions be subject to "strict judicial scrutiny."

"I think they created out of thin air a fundamental right to an abortion," said Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, who led passage of the constitutional amendment bill during the 2021 session. "I think we certainly have appointed judges that are more constructionist in nature. That doesn't necessarily mean rulings will go the way I think they should go. Am I cautiously optimistic? Yes. But ... I don't think there's anything certain as to how the court might rule."

'Extreme attack'

Iowa Democrats and abortion-rights supporters worry that if a new Supreme Court ruling or constitutional amendment passes, state lawmakers will be granted the unchecked ability to restrict access to abortion services, which will disproportionately harm low-income Iowans who cannot afford to travel out of state to receive the procedure.

"The constitution is meant to give rights and not take them away," said state Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, the ranking Democrat on the House Human Resources Committee that considers abortion legislation.

"If theres a focus this session it should be maternal health care  and making sure its safe to have a baby in Iowa, and were not doing that," Wessel-Kroeschell said. "Were making it more and more difficult and taking options away from Iowa families. The focus needs to change to supporting Iowans instead of taking away their rights."

Iowa hospitals have closed 18 labor and delivery departments since fiscal year 2017, when the state hired private national firms to manage its Medicaid program.

Hospitals in the state lost a combined more than $38 million in calendar year 2020 between the amount billed by each provider and the amount paid for delivery claims under Iowas privatized Medicaid system, according to figures provided by state Sen. Janet Petersen, D-Des Moines.

"As hospitals are dumping labor and delivery services at record speed, our state is becoming a more dangerous place for birthing parents and their babies," Petersen wrote in a June 15 letter to Iowa Department of Human Services Director Kelly Garcia. "Even worse, privatized Medicaid isnt required to cover the transportation costs of getting birthing parents or their babies to hospitals equipped to care for them."

Garcia responded arguing Iowa Department of Public Health data "shows that access and quality do not appear to be declining, even when accounting for the decline in labor and delivery units." Garcia, too, pointed to the declining number of women giving birth in the state and nationwide.

Holt contends the constitutional amendment, if passed by Iowa voters, would return the Iowa Constitution "to a position of neutrality on the issue of abortion."

"It doesn't outlaw abortion in the state of Iowa," Holt said. "It would remove the fundamental right, subject to strict scrutiny. ... There would have to be a ruling on the federal level before anything on abortion in Iowa would change, if the life amendment was to be passed."

Holt said he does not consider abortion health care, and worried if the 2018 ruling is allowed to stand it could open the door to taxpayer-funded and late-term abortions. Iowa law bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

"(The constitutional amendment) does not do anything besides possibly protect the restrictions we already have had in place," Holt argued.

Representatives from Planned Parenthood North Central States and Iowa Right to Life did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Petersen called the constitutional amendment an "extreme attack on women and girls" as part of a Republican agenda "obsessed with banning access to legal, safe abortion care."

Iowa women and girls, Petersen said, need more access to safe health care close to home, not less.

"This constitutional amendment takes away personal decision-making power from women  taking away our freedom to make personal decisions about what is best for our bodies, our future, our families and our pregnancies," Petersen said.

The Courier Des Moines Bureau and Associated Press contributed reporting to this article.

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WATERLOO  Residents of a Waterloo condo escaped an early morning fire that heavily damaged their home Friday.

Crews with Waterloo Fire Rescue were called to the two-unit condo at 5026 Mercedes Bend before dawn. Firefighters could see heavy smoke on their way to the address and found flames coming from the back of the home.

The residents were outside when they arrived and werent injured, said Battalion Chief Troy Luck with Waterloo Fire Rescue.

Firefighters were able to knock down the flames, and the city fire marshal is investigating the cause.

The American Red Cross is assisting the two people who lived there with emergency shelter, Luck said.

The fire came as a cold snap was passing through the Cedar Valley with overnight temperatures below zero.

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Legendary actor Sidney Poitier has died at 94.

Poitier was the first Black and first Bahamian man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1963's Lilies of the Field and an Honorary Award in 2001.

Few movie stars, Black or white, had such an influence both on and off the screen. Before Poitier, the son of Bahamian tomato farmers, no Black actor had a sustained career as a lead performer or could get a film produced based on his own star power. Before Poitier, few Black actors were permitted a break from the stereotypes of bug-eyed servants and grinning entertainers. Before Poitier, Hollywood filmmakers rarely even attempted to tell a Black persons story.

Poitiers rise mirrored profound changes in the country in the 1950s and 1960s. As racial attitudes evolved during the civil rights era and segregation laws were challenged and fell, Poitier was the performer to whom a cautious industry turned for stories of progress.

He was the escaped Black convict who befriends a racist white prisoner (Tony Curtis) in The Defiant Ones. He was the courtly office worker who falls in love with a blind white girl in A Patch of Blue. He was the handyman in Lilies of the Field who builds a church for a group of nuns. In one of the great roles of the stage and screen, he was the ambitious young father whose dreams clashed with those of other family members in Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun.

Poitier peaked in 1967 with three of the years most notable movies: To Sir, With Love, in which he starred as a school teacher who wins over his unruly students at a London secondary school; In the Heat of the Night, as the determined police detective Virgil Tibbs; and in Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, as the prominent doctor who wishes to marry a young white woman he only recently met, her parents played by Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in their final film together.

Theater owners named Poitier the No. 1 star of 1967, the first time a Black actor topped the list. In 2009 President Barack Obama, whose own steady bearing was sometimes compared to Poitiers, awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, saying that the actor not only entertained but enlightened ... revealing the power of the silver screen to bring us closer together.

The only Black actor before Poitier to win a competitive Oscar was Hattie McDaniel, the 1939 best supporting actress for Gone With the Wind. No one, including Poitier, thought Lilies of the Field his best film, but the times were right (Congress would soon pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, for which Poitier had lobbied) and the actor was favored even against such competitors as Paul Newman for Hud and Albert Finney for Tom Jones. Newman was among those rooting for Poitier.

When presenter Anne Bancroft announced his victory, the audience cheered for so long that Poitier momentarily forgot his speech. It has been a long journey to this moment, he declared.

When Denzel Washington became the second Black man to win best actor in 2002, he thanked Poitier in his acceptance speech.

Forty years I've been chasing Sidney, they finally give it to me, what'd they do? They give it to him the same night. I'll always be chasing you, Sidney. I'll always be following in your footsteps. There's nothing I would rather do, sir. Nothing I would rather do. God bless you. God bless you.

Earlier in the night, Poitier was awarded an honorary Academy Award.

Poitier had four daughters with his first wife, Juanita Hardy, and two with his second wife, actress Joanna Shimkus, who starred with him in his 1969 film The Lost Man. Daughter Sydney Tamaii Poitier appeared on such television series as Veronica Mars and Mr. Knight.

Poitier, who held dual U.S. and Bahamian nationality, was "an icon, a hero, a mentor, a fighter, a national treasure," Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said on his official Facebook page (below).

(The Associated Press, CBS News contributed to this report.)
Weather Alert

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM PDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph expected. Locally stronger gusts in wind prone locations. Sierra ridge wind gusts near 100 mph. Waves 2 to 4 feet on Pyramid Lake and Lake Tahoe. * WHERE...Greater Lake Tahoe Area, Greater Reno-Carson City- Minden Area and Western Nevada Basin and Range including Pyramid Lake. * WHEN...From 11 AM this morning to 8 PM PDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Choppy conditions for Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake with waves 2 to 4 feet expected. Travel restrictions for high profile vehicles are possible. Check with CalTrans and NDOT for the latest on road conditions. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Now is the time to secure loose outdoor items such as patio furniture, holiday decorations, and trash cans before winds increase which could blow these items away. The best thing to do is prepare ahead of time by making sure you have extra food and water on hand, flashlights with spare batteries and/or candles in the event of a power outage. &&
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A judge has denied a request to lower a $500,000 bail set for two parents who are charged with their son in a fatal Michigan school shooting. The judge says James and Jennifer Crumbley failed to turn themselves in when charged with involuntary manslaughter on Dec. 3 and have few ties to the area. The Crumbleys have been in jail since Dec. 4 and unable to meet the bond. They are charged in a shooting that killed four students at Oxford High School on Nov. 30. Theyre accused of making a gun accessible to their son, Ethan Crumbley, Ethan is charged as an adult with murder and other crimes.
Ten days after testing positive, the percentage of people still contagious is estimated to be about 5%, according to researchers at the UK Health Security Agency, and pictured, people receive free at-home COVID-19 test kits on January 2, in Connecticut.


Mt Stirling Project Drill Update

Perth, Jan 7, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Torian Resources Limited ( ASX:TNR ) is continuing the progress of its announced 17,500m drilling campaign (RC and AV combined) at the Stirling Gold Project, Leonora. Drilling to include a combined RC of 12,500m to test:- High priority targets at Tyrannus (assays received);- Hydra (assays received);- Estera (high grade Au assays received);- Stirling Well extension;- Mt Stirling / Viserion extension (in-progress); and- Skywing gold targets (drilling commenced)RC drilling continues to advance testing the high priority shallow portion of the Mt Stirling-Viserion gold deposit in order to achieve an increase in the JORC Code 'Indicated' category resource (~880m strike x ~125m depth) from surface with 9 drill holes completed for 740m.An additional ~5,000m of AV drilling is planned to vector and expand the footprint of high-ranked regional Au (gold); As (arsenic); multi-element and structural targets across the Stirling Gold Project.As has already been announced to the market, a key priority and goal of the current campaign is to upgrade the confidence level of a significant portion of the Mt Stirling-Viserion Resource to the JORC Code 'Indicated' category, while adding ounces by extending the strike and selective depth of the gold system.Approximately 40% of the planned meters will target the shallow portion of the Mt Stirling-Viserion gold deposit to be drill defined to JORC Indicated category (~880m strike x ~125m depth) from surface 425m down to 300mRL. The Company conservatively anticipates increasing its global project Au grade, expand the Resource base and provide valuable data and confidence for a 2022 Q1 Optimisation Study.An updated global MRE (Mineral Resource Estimation) for the Stirling Gold Project is on track for the end of Q1 2022. (Subject to drilling efficiency and laboratory timelines). In addition to the assay results from this next round of drilling, the MRE will include previously announced results that were not included in the May 2021 MRE.In an effort to expedite the drilling programme the Company has secured the services of three (3) drilling RC contractors and one AV contractor to conduct the planned activities through this month and into February 2022.The Company has also secured the services of Minecomp Pty Ltd a Kalgoorlie based, survey and mine planning company to conduct a pit optimisation study, as Torian takes another step towards assessing the economics and unlocking value from the Mt Stirling / Viserion gold system.Mt Stirling / Viserion Further ResultsMt Stirling-Viserion assays have been received for the following intercepts:1440No 4m @ 6.67 g/t Au from 52m* (comp MSRC150); and8m @ 1.21 g/t Au from 70m; incl 1m @ 2.47 g/t Au from 72m1680N:o 3m @ 1.57 g/t Au from 77m (MSRC149); incl 1m @ 3.30 g/t Au from 78mMultiple drill holes are pending single meter assays from anomalous composite assay results. These are expected within 2 weeks.Further results are anticipated throughout January, with approximately 38 further drill holes to be drilled to complete the planned Mt Stirling / Viserion drill phase.Skywing DiscoveryThe re-interpretation of Mt Stirling Central Zone to flat easterly dipping lode(s) has resulted in 24 pierce points over ~450m strike defining the newly discovered "Skywing" lode(s). These pierce points have been obtained from existing drilling, which has brought into play most intercepts being outside the previous MS MRE of May 2021.Skywing lode(s) vary from 1-2m true width and provide an immediate prospective shallow open-pittable interpreted extents (~800m x 220m; from surface). This will be drill tested with 40x40m drill spacing towards the Wonambi Shear with ~3,550m of RC drilling planned; with the first phase of 1800m going towards testing the mineralised model in order to commit to a 2nd phase of drilling which will complete the program.Of significant interest at Skywing, is the increase of Au grades towards the east on every section. (Exclusive of supergene enrichment close to surface on western extents of interpreted shallow easterly dipping flat lodes). It is highly unusual that the Skywing lode(s) exhibit such Au homogeneity and increasing grades towards the Wonambi Shear.Although modest ounces, modelled Au grade, increasing with depth and easterly appreciation could multiply scale potential. Any increase in width will also have this effect.Skywing also demonstrates potential for repeated flat lodes; alike to the Stirling Well stacked lode model, in addition to prospective spaced-out occurrences that further drilling will seek to unveil.Detailed logging will also confirm saprolitic -v- primary gold and provide sufficient data for interpreted modelling.Given shallow nature of the mineralisation and planned drilling, assay results from Skywing are anticipated to fast-track the prospect's inclusion into the optimisation study.Skywing lode(s) extension drilling has commenced.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Torian Resources Limited

Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR) is a gold exploration and development company with an extensive and strategic land holding comprising eight projects and over 400km2 of tenure in the Goldfields Region of Western Australia.

Torian's flagship project, Zuleika, is located along the world-class Zuleika Shear. The Zuleika Shear is the fourth largest gold producing region in Australia and consistently produces some of the country's highest grade and lowest cost gold mines. Torian's Zuleika project lies north and partly along strike of several major gold deposits including Northern Star's (ASX:NST) 7.0Moz East Kundana Joint Venture and Evolutions (ASX:EVN) 1.8Moz Frogs Legs and White Foil deposits.

Torian's other projects include the strategically located Mt Stirling and Malcolm Projects in the Leonora region (near Red 5's King of the Hills Project), where it recently completed updated Mineral Resource Estimates and preliminary scoping studies, and a suite of other projects in the Kalgoorlie region including Credo Well JV Zuleika JV, Bonnie Vale, Gibraltar and Mount Monger/Wombola.
Eastern New Mexico University is getting creative when it comes to beefing up its scholarship fund.

Most recently that effort involves wine.

The school joined forces with Lescombes Family Vineyards. The New Mexico-based winery has rechristened one of its sweet white wines the Eastern Sunrise and revenue generated from its sale will go to the ENMU Foundation to support scholarships, said John Houser, assistant vice president of marketing and communications for the school.

Houser said he reached out to the vineyard about the partnership.

The vineyard has several restaurants across the state, including D.H. Lescombes Winery and Bistro on Rio Grande Boulevard across from Old Town. They offer a full menu, wine flights and membership in their wine club that includes one bottle of wine per month, a free appetizer every month and wine flight each month.

A news release from the university describes Eastern Sunrise is a sweet carbonated white wine, with hints of peaches and honeydew. The wine is available at Lescombes locations around the state and will be more widely available in the coming months.

We celebrate and thank ENMU for this opportunity to work together, said Florent Lescombes, president of Lescombes Family Vineyards. Here, we have a partnership supporting local agriculture, employment, and increased scholarship opportunities. We are grateful this was such a great fit for both organizations.

Houser said the university turned to the public for naming ideas and received more than 100 suggestions. ENMU alumnus Andrew Sanchez had the winning entry. Sanchez lives in Carlsbad and graduated from ENMU in 2021 with a masters degree in counseling.

Bryan Hahn, also a graduate of ENMU and coordinator of creative services in the office of communication services, created the bottle design. The bottle features the historic administration building framed by a brilliant sunrise.

This is not the first time the school has used branding to raise money.

Houser said many universities around the country are branding products to help raise money for scholarships. Previously, it teamed up with Red Rock Roasters to launch Greyhound Grind coffee and Taco Box to release Silver Dawg Salsa. The schools mascot is a greyhound.

Houser said many universities around the country have started using product branding to raise money.

Also with COVID-19 affecting businesses in the state of New Mexico, ENMU wanted to partner with companies within the state to help support them during this difficult time, Houser said. Lescombes becomes the third partner with us on officially licensed products.

Houser said the school will next partner with Enchantment Vineyards in Portales to release a red wine named Eastern Sunset later this winter.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  With New Mexico rolling in a budget windfall, both Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and a key legislative panel released plans Thursday that would boost state spending to more than $8.4 billion  a record-high level  and provide 7% salary increases for teachers and state employees after planned pay raises were scaled back one year ago.

The budget plans would both increase spending levels for the budget year starting in June by about $1 billion over current levels amid an unprecedented revenue surge driven by increased oil and natural gas production in New Mexico and an uptick in consumer activity.

They could also allow for a cut in tax rates or rebates for taxpayers, though such proposals would have to be approved in separate bills.

New Mexico has the opportunity for generational change with the amount of money we have, said Senate Finance Committee Chairman George Munoz, D-Gallup, during a Thursday news conference at the Capitol Annex.

At least some of the proposed budget increases would be targeted at replacing one-time funding  such as a higher federal matching rate for Medicaid spending thats set to expire in April.

But the budget plans would also provide more money to hire additional law enforcement officers around New Mexico, reduce a waiting list for a state program for individuals with developmental disabilities and expand early literacy initiatives.

These are investments that take us beyond the status quo, beyond decades of unnecessary austerity  these are investments that carry our state and its people into a future that lifts up every New Mexican, Lujan Grisham said in a statement.

However, while the proposed spending levels are similar there are some key differences in the plans released by Lujan Grisham, a Democrat who is running for reelection this year, and the Legislative Finance Committee. Both plans will be used as spending blueprints of sorts once a 30-day legislative session gets underway this month.

For instance, the governors plan would appropriate $85 million for an opportunity scholarship program in an attempt to cover tuition costs for an additional 22,000 New Mexicans attending higher education institutions.

The Legislatures plan, in contrast, would provide only about half that much money for the scholarship program, which has faced skepticism from some lawmakers since it is not based on financial need.

In addition, the legislative spending recommendation would require all New Mexico schools to provide an additional 10 instructional days during the coming year, though districts would have some flexibility in how to implement the mandate.

The governors budget plan would also provide additional funding for extended learning in an attempt to address academic losses during the COVID-19 pandemic, but would allow districts to decide whether to seek out the funding and participate.

Meanwhile, the legislative budget proposal would actually cut state funding for the state Corrections Department by about $1.6 million amid a recent drop in New Mexicos inmate population. The governors spending plan would slightly increase funding for the agency.

Investing in education

Much of the proposed spending growth under both budget plans would go toward higher pay for teachers and state workers.

Under Lujan Grishams plan, about $277 million would go toward raising starting teacher pay in New Mexico to $50,000 annually  minimum pay levels for more experienced educators would also be raised  and providing salary increases for teachers and school administrators.

The legislative plan would set starting teacher pay even higher  at $51,000 per year  though that pay level would reflect the proposal for a longer school year.

LFC Director David Abbey told Albuquerque business leaders last month the spending increases should be targeted in large part at restoring public services impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

That could include training new teachers and trying to keep more educators from leaving amid a recent 40% jump in teacher retirements.

If we cant return the people we have, public services are going to suffer, Abbey told members of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce during a presentation.

For state workers, the legislative budget plan would provide 3% salary increases in April  and an additional 4% pay raise starting in June.

The governors budget plan would also earmark funding to boost state worker pay in order to establish a $15 minimum wage for state employees, a Lujan Grisham spokeswoman said.

Hikes in both plans

Both budget proposals released Thursday call for significant overall spending hikes.

If approved, the budget plans would represent nearly 50% state spending growth over the last 10 years, as New Mexicos budget was at $5.7 billion for the 2013 fiscal year.

The governors plan would increase spending levels by $998 million  or 13.4% over current spending  while the Legislative Finance Committees plan would boost spending by slightly more than $1 billion  or roughly 14%.

But top-ranking Democratic lawmakers said the spending increase is still financially prudent, pointing out both plans call for roughly $2.6 billion  or more than 30% of state spending  to remain in cash reserves in case projected revenue levels dont materialize.

At this point, we feel its just right, said Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, the LFCs chairwoman.

In part, thats due to a 2017 law that has bolstered New Mexicos rainy day fund by taking a certain percentage of oil and gas tax revenue in cash-flush years and setting it aside for future use.

House Minority Leader James Townsend, R-Artesia, expressed unease Thursday about the proposed spending growth.

I think every one of us should be concerned about the sustainability of these spending levels, Townsend said, adding he believes some of the states revenue bonanza should be used to lower tax rates on senior citizens and veterans.

In addition to state funds, lawmakers also have roughly $728 million in federal pandemic relief funds that New Mexico received last year but has not yet allocated.

While the legislative session does not begin until Jan. 18, a House budget committee is expected to begin its work crafting a new spending plan next week.

At a glance

Budget plans for the fiscal year that starts June 1 were released Thursday by the Legislative Finance Committee and the Governors Office. The plans are largely similar in scope, but contain some key differences. Here are some highlights:

Public school support 

LFC  $3.82 billion (12% increase)

Governor  $3.8 billion (11.5% increase)

Higher education 

LFC  $935.5 million (4.6% increase)

Governor  $1 billion (13% increase)

Department of Public Safety 

LFC  $143.7 million (10.8% increase)

Governor  $139.8 million (7.8% increase)
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  New Mexico would allow 16-year-olds to vote in local elections, expand absentee voting and create a straight-party ballot option under a proposal announced Thursday by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver.

The measure also would automatically restore the voting rights of felons who arent incarcerated and make it easier to register online to vote.

Lujan Grisham and Toulouse Oliver, both Democrats, jointly announced the proposal in a written statement Thursday  the anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol by Donald Trump supporters, temporarily interrupting certification of Joe Bidens victory.

Protecting voting rights is essential to upholding our democracy and ensuring New Mexicans voices are heard, Lujan Grisham said.

Republicans have vigorously opposed parts of the proposal. A legal challenge by the Republican Party and others in 2018 prevented the reinstatement of straight-ticket voting  an option that allows voters to choose the candidate in one party for every race.

In an interview, Sen. Cliff Pirtle, a Roswell Republican and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which considers voting legislation, said any proposals to change election laws should include requiring voters to show their identification.

An ID requirement, he said, would ensure people qualified to vote are the only ones who actually cast a ballot.

Its an easy balance that really should be a nonpartisan issue, Pirtle said Thursday.

The Democratic election proposal comes ahead of a 30-day session of the Legislature set to begin Jan. 18. The session is dedicated largely to budget and revenue legislation, but the governor is empowered to broaden the agenda.

Lujan Grisham and Toulouse Oliver didnt release a copy of the election bill Thursday. But they said its provisions would include:

 Expanding early voting by a day to the Sunday before Election Day and designating Election Day as a state holiday.

 Allowing residents as young as 16 to vote in local elections, such as for city councils and school boards.

 Creating a permanent absentee voter list, allowing people to receive ballots by mail for every election without having to file a new request.

 Permitting people without an official state ID to register to vote online by using their full Social Security number.

 Mailing absentee ballots to voters one week earlier, 35 days before Election Day, and extending the deadline to accept the ballots back to the Friday after the election, rather than when polls close.

 Revising the voter registration system at the Motor Vehicle Division.

Toulouse Oliver, the chief elections officer in New Mexico, said the legislation gives us the chance to pass one of the most powerful voting rights bills in our states history.

The proposal comes in an election year. Lujan Grisham and Toulouse Oliver are up for reelection, and the ballot will also include races for attorney general, state auditor, state treasurer, land commissioner and 70 seats in the state House.

Democrats hold large majorities in both chambers of the Legislature.

Election proposals have been among the most hotly contested bills in past sessions. Among the recent changes are a 2019 law that allows New Mexicans to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The Roundhouse will stay open to the public during the upcoming 30-day legislative session, despite a new surge of COVID-19 cases around New Mexico.

However, Legislative Council Services Director Raul Burciaga said Thursday exhibits and performances will not be held in the Capitol rotunda, as typically happens during legislative sessions.

In addition, tours from schoolchildren and other groups will not be allowed during the session in an attempt to limit crowding in the building, Burciaga said.

While the Roundhouse will remain open during the session that begins Jan. 18, it will feature metal detectors at each entrance to screen for firearms and workers checking the COVID-19 vaccine cards of all individuals entering the building.

Those changes were put in place in advance of a special session focused on redistricting that took place last month and lasted for 12 days.

Due to the pandemic, the Roundhouse was closed to members of the public and lobbyists for a special session in June 2020. It remained closed for last year's 60-day legislative session and a subsequent special session on legalizing cannabis for adult users.

A court challenge to the decision to close the Capitol to everyone but legislators, staffers and media members was rejected by a divided state Supreme Court in 2020. The Roundhouse was reopened to the public during the summer of 2021 when COVID-19 infection rates dropped to a low level.

While the Roundhouse was physically off limits, legislative committees accepted public testimony through online platforms and by phone, and all committee meetings and floor sessions were webcast by the Legislature.

At least some of those opportunities for remote testimony will continue during the 30-day session, legislative leaders have said.

The highly contagious omicron variant of COVID-19 has caused New Mexico's rolling seven-day test positivity rate to increase to 21.7%  up from 9.4% three weeks ago  and renewed concerns about hospitals being stretched beyond their capacity.

While New Mexico has avoided the widespread COVID-19 outbreaks at the state Capitol that some other states have experienced, several lawmakers have acknowledged testing positive for the virus.
Before his 7-year-old son, Pronoy Bhattacharya, was killed by a hit-and-run ATV outside the River of Lights last month, Aditya Bhattacharya said the family had been thinking about moving away from the Duke City.

Nearly a month later and with the accused ATV driver still on the run, its understandable the grieving father is beyond frustrated. We didnt see this coming, and that validated our doubts to some extent, he told KOAT-TV.

Sergio Almanza, 27, who is charged with homicide by vehicle, tampering with evidence and knowingly leaving the scene of an accident, has chosen to live life on the run rather than face authorities and the Bhattacharya family. A warrant for his arrest was issued Dec. 16, but police say he had already fled from his Belen home by then.

Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers, which can be reached at (505) 843-STOP, has upped its award to $10,830 for information leading to Almanzas arrest. There are people with information who need to come forward  they can remain anonymous  and do right by Pronoy.

Thats what happened in the Nov. 29 fires set at the Islamic Center of New Mexico. Police released a screenshot from mosque security camera video, which generated tips. A relative of Isela Camarena contacted authorities, was shown security camera images and positively identified her. Camarena was arrested last week and charged with arson and negligent arson. Mosque leadership and the Washington, D.C.-based Council on American-Islamic relations want her charged with a hate crime as well.

Camarena and Almanza are innocent until proven guilty. But we are a nation of laws, and it takes each of us stepping up when appropriate to help ensure those laws are enforced and justice is served.

Police and Aditya Bhattacharya urge anyone who knows something to come forward  because obviously there are people out there who know more than they are telling. Witnesses told police the ATV had up to three people in it when it ran a red light and struck Pronoy and his father. A friend led police to the vehicle and said Almanza admitted to the crash, saying something bad happened and I just hit a kid.

It appears Almanza has abandoned his own young children. Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina has issued a video plea to Almanza, saying Pronoys parents would like to see justice, just as you would if someone hurt one of your children.

Its past time someone came forward with information on Almanzas location  for Pronoys family, Almanzas own family and every family that wants to be able to stay here and live in a safe community.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Utah police arrested a couple accused of killing a man over a stolen bicycle in Southeast Albuquerque in the summer of 2020.

Utah police arrested a couple accused of killing a man over a stolen bicycle in southeast Albuquerque in the summer of 2020.

Breon Kindred and Davon Pritchett, both 28, are charged with an open count of murder, armed robbery, tampering with evidence and conspiracy in the June 27 death of 29-year-old Lavon King.

Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Pritchett and Kindred were arrested by authorities in Ogden, Utah. Weber County jail records indicate the pair was booked into the facility Wednesday.

Court records show the pair had been identified as prime suspects within a month of Kings death but the homicide detective retired and the case languished until it was reopened Dec. 1, 2021.

Gallegos said the case was picked up as a result of changes made by Chief Harold Medina to deal with deficiencies from the past.

One of those changes involved a review of homicide cases that were handled by detectives as they prepared to leave the unit, he said. That review process, along with other changes, has resulted in new leads that are moving several cases forward.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court:

Officers responded to the shooting around 8:40 p.m. at Pennsylvania and Zuni SE. They found King with numerous gunshot wounds and he died at the scene.

Surveillance video showed a man and a woman riding mopeds pull behind King, who was on a bicycle. The man crashes the moped and gets up, pointing a submachine gun at King.

The video shows King give the bicycle to the man before being shot multiple times. The man takes the bicycle and rides off, leaving the crashed moped behind.

The video showed  less than two minutes later  the couple come back on a moped as people gather near Kings body. The man grabs the crashed moped and leaves the scene.

A detective recognized the man as Kindred, a rapper known as Fourg Sonyboi with an affinity for mopeds and bicycles. Police learned Kindred and Pritchett lived near the crime scene and found Facebook video in which Kindred talks about his bike getting stolen and made veiled threats to the person responsible.

Police searched the couples apartment July 10 and found the bike, spray painted and partly dismantled with a piece smoldering on a grill. They also found the moped that had crashed and two guns  but not the one used to kill King. Kindred and Pritchett refused to speak with police.

Days later, police found a YouTube video where Kindred raps about shooting a man with a MAC-10 while riding a scooter. On Facebook, police found a half-hour monologue where Kindred spoke of his strong, emotional connection to bicycles due to his father being killed over a bike before he was born.

Kindred says in the video, all my life, (expletive) bikes just fall in my lap, attributing it to an otherworldly connection with his father. In the video, Kindred pans to the bike allegedly taken from King, calling it his daddy bike, and saying no amount of money would lead him to sell it.

The detective turned over the case to a homicide detective on July 28.

On Dec. 1, 2021, the detective wrote he was approached by command level staff at the department and told the homicide detective had retired and the case needed to be brought to completion.

The detective reviewed photographs taken from Kindreds Facebook showing a submachine gun identical to the one used to kill King. An arrest warrant was filed for the pair in late December.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Detectives arrested a man accused of fatally shooting another man with a rifle over a fender bender outside a methadone clinic in early 2021.

Adelio Gallegos Jr., 41, is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence in the Jan. 25 death of 63-year-old Mike Guerra.

Gallegos was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Thursday night.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court:

Police were dispatched in the morning to a shooting in the 5500 block of Silver SE, outside a methadone clinic near Madeira and Central. Officers found Guerra with a gunshot wound to the chest. He died at a hospital.

A witness told police Guerra had backed into a green car and tried to drive away before a man confronted him. The witness said the man went back to the car, grabbed a rifle and shot Guerra once.

The witness told police the shooter got into the green car, which was being driven by a woman, and left the scene. The shooting was caught on video surveillance.

Almost a year later, on Dec. 28, 2021, a detective was assigned to follow up on the case. The detective watched surveillance footage and found a Crime Stoppers tip that identified the pair as Gallegos and his girlfriend.

The detective drove by the home listed in the tip and saw the green car parked outside. On Jan. 6, the detective executed a search warrant on the car and Gallegos agreed to speak with him.

Gallegos told police that, on the day of the homicide, a man backed into the parked car he and his girlfriend were in. He said he confronted the man, who would not give him any information and called him a punk.

Gallegos told police this upset him, so he grabbed a rifle from the car and pointed it at the man. He said he didn't realize the rifle fired as it did not make a loud sound.

Gallegos told police he fled and threw the rifle out of a moving car a week later in the South Valley to dispose of it. The girlfriend told police the same story.

She said when Gallegos got back into the car after shooting Guerra, he said, I didn't mean to do it.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

For Intel, making the computing chips that power modern devices is impossible without water.

Millions of gallons are needed each day to rinse the chemicals that polish each layer of the tiny semiconductors.

The chip-making giant announced a $3.5 billion retrofit of its Rio Rancho plant in May to boost production capacity of its chip-packaging technology.

To support water demand for the expansion, the company will pay the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority to build a $32 million, 6-mile water pipeline from two wells west of Universe Boulevard to the Rio Rancho plant.

Linda Qian, spokeswoman for Intel New Mexico, said the company will then filter the nonpotable groundwater onsite into ultrapure water.

We use that ultrapure water to clean the surface of the silicon wafer, Qian said. If you think of the chip process as building layers on top of a wafer, in between each of those layers, you rinse with ultrapure water.

When the 200-acre site opened, Qian said, manufacturing demanded about 2 gallons of fresh water to produce 1 gallon of ultrapure water.

Now, the ratio is about 1 to 1.

Intel estimates demand at the expanded plant could be 1 million to 3 million gallons of water a day.

The pipeline project will also replace well motors, pumps and casings.

Intel also uses water for cooling towers, industrial equipment and landscaping.

Most of our water is used and recycled, and used again, treated and then discharged, Qian said. A portion of the water we use is lost to irrigation or some other processes, so our restoration efforts are focused on closing that gap.

In 2020, Intel pumped more than 756 million gallons of groundwater for its New Mexico plant, according to company data.

The company treated and discharged about 705 million gallons, or 93% of its withdrawals, back into the municipal system.

Intel has a goal of restoring more water than it uses by 2030.

In New Mexico, Intel has funded watershed restoration projects with Audubon, Trout Unlimited and the National Forest Foundation.

Qian said the company is pursuing more water and habitat projects with conservation groups to balance the increase in groundwater pumping.

The city-county water utility treats Intels wastewater again before discharging it into the Rio Grande.

Utility spokesman David Morris said the two groundwater wells west of Universe Boulevard were taken out of service about two decades ago because they exceeded new federal standards for arsenic.

Arsenic is mainly a West Side issue because of naturally occurring arsenic related to the volcanoes and volcanic rock, Morris said.

But the water authority reserved the wells as a backup source for the northwest part of town.

In times of really high demand, maybe in the height of the summer months  we can blend water from these wells with water brought in from elsewhere to get it to the federal standard, Morris said.

Intel will fund $15 million in transmission lines to boost the areas drinking water capacity and replace the utilitys backup water source.

The water authority is preparing to ask the state Legislature for $30 million for projects in the utilitys northwest service area, although Morris said the work is only tangentially related to Intel.

Were looking at adding some arsenic treatment capacity out there with an additional arsenic treatment plant, he said.

We need to do some improvements to an existing pump station and we need to upgrade reservoirs.

The utility anticipates pipeline construction will begin in April. The system should be delivering water to the Intel facility by December.

Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal.
People aiming to protect voting rights and recall the full measure of what happened a year ago in the U.S. Capitol carried signs and signed petitions in the cold on Albuquerques Civic Plaza Thursday evening as part of simultaneous national gatherings marking Jan. 6 around the country.

What do we have to do to make sure it never happens again? organizer Kenny Jones asked the crowd.

He spoke of the careful work it takes to preserve democracy. This will not be easy, he said. It will mean taking bold, provocative, persistent and peaceful action in our workplaces, our schools, our places of worship and, yes, in our streets.

He and other speakers called on Congress to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, even if it means doing away with the filibuster so the measures can clear the U.S. Senate.

The event was patriotic, with many handheld American flags waving as the sun set.

The American flag does not just belong to those fools on their big, huge trucks, said Lisa Christopherson from the stage, evoking the folks who in 2020 counterprotested Black Lives Matter demonstrations locally.

This is our America, too, she said.

No counterprotesters seemed to have come out to challenge the Jan. 6 Day of Remembrance and Action.

A row of people on the stage each held a letter spelling out Stop The Coup and speakers on the mic said the attack on democracy is ongoing. Legislatures in 19 states enacted voting restrictions in 2021, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which monitors such bills.

Many also demanded accountability for the Jan. 6 insurrectionists. Carl Peterson, a board member with Indivisible Albuquerque, said he wanted to hear the Department of Justice using such words as sedition and rebellion.

Jim Harvey, executive director for the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, said people should not accept the tepid response from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

We want teeth, Harvey said. The civil war in this country is still going on.

New Mexico Sen. Harold Pope, D-Albuquerque, said that, as a retired military officer who served overseas and has seen conflict, he was disgusted a year ago to see his countrys leader rally his supporters and then do nothing when they stormed the Capitol. Why was this allowed to happen? he asked. And not only that, but why were these insurrectionists allowed to leave and go home?

I know many community members out here who protest and rally. We probably had more that were arrested here in Albuquerque last year than  at the Capitol, Pope said.

But we cant legislate it all, Pope added. We have to stand up and hold each other accountable.

He spoke of misinformation and a disturbing disagreement about the facts, as public officials nationally tried to downplay or whitewash the events of Jan. 6. Were living in a world now where people are arguing that fires not hot and waters not wet. We have to change that.

What happened at the Capitol was brewing for a long time, Pope said.

Attendees began to light candles in vigil for the people who died or were injured when Trump supporters and election deniers mobbed the building in D.C., aiming to prevent ratification of the 2020 results by Congress.

Five people died that day and hundreds were injured. Four law enforcement officers later died by suicide.

This story was produced by Source New Mexico  sourcenm.com  which is part of States Newsroom, a national nonprofit news provider.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Heather Sweetser had just graduated high school and was working in a bakery.

I was there because I didnt want to go to college, she said. But I didnt know what I wanted to do.

Decades later, Sweetser, a senior lecturer of Arabic at the University of New Mexico, earned one of the top recognitions for language teachers. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages named her the 2022 National Language Teacher of the Year in November.

Its kind of ironic I didnt even want to go to college, she said. And now I work at a college.

It was an Army recruiter that set her on the path to becoming an esteemed university educator. She joined the U.S. Army at 19, initially hoping to be a military musician.

There wasnt really a job for me, so they suggested I become a linguist, she said. I took a test and they decided I would learn Arabic. I had never spoken it in my life.

Sweetser said she really had no idea what was in store. Most of her instructors were native speakers, but not all were good. She also struggled to use in the real world what she learned in a classroom setting. Even years after being considered fluent, she said the various dialects stumped her.

The idea of not doing well did not occur to me until I started learning and I wasnt doing well, she said.  I decided to teach Arabic to help other people because I learned from my struggles.

She attended Ohio State University and earned a bachelors in Arabic, Islamic studies and international studies, and a masters in Arabic.

Arabic is one of the six languages of the United Nations and is spoken all over the world, including in New Mexico. She said people have different motives for learning Arabic here. Some hope to work for the government some day. Others want to help refugee populations and some do it out of curiosity.

Her goal, she said, is to teach her students how to communicate in such real-life situations as renting an apartment, ordering food and asking for directions.

Emma Trentman, an associate professor of Arabic at UNM and director of the Arabic program, said they have worked hard to develop their curriculum, and that Sweetser has put in a lot of work above and beyond what is expected. She helps students apply for scholarships, uses feedback from her students, as well as colleagues, to adjust her teaching methods throughout the year and hosts student outings.

Sweetser, she said, is popular among her students. In 2020, she was named UNM Lecturer of the Year. That award and this most recent recognition relied partially on feedback from students.

This is the most prestigious language teaching award in the United States, Trentman said. We are very excited. She deserves it more than anyone.

Sweetser said she considers the recognition not for her, but for the work of the entire team of Arabic instructors who often collaborate and team teach. She said she believes its more important now than ever to learn a foreign language.

Its a crucial time in American history and world history, she said. We need to learn to communicate with each other.

The Journal continues The Good News File, a series of uplifting stories in partnership with KOAT-TV and KKOB Radio. The Journal will publish a Good News feature the first Friday of the month, KOAT-TV will present its feature each second Friday and KKOB each third Friday.
WARSAW, Poland  Polands most powerful politician has acknowledged that the country bought advanced spyware from the Israeli surveillance software maker NSO Group, but denied that it was being used to target his political opponents.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Polands ruling conservative party, Law and Justice, said in an interview that the secret services in many countries are using the Pegasus software to combat crime and corruption.

Kaczynski said the use of such spyware arose in response to the growing use of encryption to mask data in transit, which defeated earlier monitoring technologies. By hacking phones, it lets authorities monitor communications, as well as real-time conversations where they are not encrypted.

It would be bad if the Polish services did not have this type of tool, Kaczynski said in an interview to be published in the Monday edition of weekly magazine Sieci. The wPolityce.pl news portal published excerpts on Friday.

The interview follows exclusive reports by The Associated Press that Citizen Lab, a cyber watchdog group at the University of Toronto, found that three Polish government critics were hacked with NSOs Pegasus.

On Thursday, Amnesty International independently verified Citizen Labs finding that Sen. Krzysztof Brejza was hacked multiple times in 2019 when he was running the oppositions parliamentary election campaign.

Text messages stolen from Brejzas phone were doctored and aired by state-controlled TV in Poland as part of a smear campaign in the heat of the race, which the populist ruling party went on to narrowly win.

Brejza now maintains that the election was unfair since the ruling party would have had access to his campaigns tactical thinking and plans.

The hacking revelations have rocked Poland, drawing comparisons to the 1970s Watergate scandal in the United States and eliciting calls for an investigative commission in parliament.

Kaczynski said he saw no reason to set up such a commission, and he denied that the surveillance played any role in the outcome of the 2019 election.

There is nothing here, no fact, except the hysteria of the opposition. There is no Pegasus case, no surveillance, Kaczynski said. No Pegasus, no services, no secretly obtained information played any role in the 2019 election campaign. They lost because they lost. They shouldnt look for such excuses today.

The other two Polish targets confirmed by Citizen Lab were Roman Giertych, a lawyer who represents opposition politicians in a number of politically sensitive cases, and Ewa Wrzosek, an independent-minded prosecutor.

When asked by the AP in December if Poland had purchased Pegasus, state security spokesman Stanislaw Zaryn would neither confirm nor deny it. However, many Kaczynski allies publicly cast doubt on suggestions of government Pegasus use.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the Citizen Lab-AP findings fake news and suggested a foreign intelligence service could have done the spying  an idea dismissed by critics who said no other government would have any interest in the three Polish targets.

Deputy Defense Minister Wojciech Skurkiewicz in late December said the Pegasus system is not in the possession of the Polish services. It is not used to track or surveil anyone in our country.

Polish media reports say Poland purchased Pegasus in 2017, using money from the so-called Justice Fund, which is meant to help the victims of crimes and to rehabilitate criminals.

According to investigations by broadcaster TVN and daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, the software is used by the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, a special service created to combat corruption in public life that is under the political control of the ruling party.

The public money was spent on an important public purpose, related to the fight against crime and the protection of citizens, Kaczynski said.

Dozens of high-profile cases of Pegasus abuse have been uncovered since 2015, many by a global media consortium last year, showing the NSO Group malware was employed to eavesdrop on journalists, politicians, diplomats, lawyers and human rights activists from the Middle East to Mexico.

The Polish hacks are considered particularly egregious because they occurred not in a repressive autocracy but in a European Union member state.

Amnesty Internationals Poland director, Anna Baszczak, alleged in a statement Friday that spying on the opposition would be consistent with the Polish governments behavior under Law and Justice. The EU has increasingly criticized Poland for judicial interference and other actions regarded as anti-democratic.

These findings are shocking but not surprising. They raise serious concerns not only for politicians, but for the whole Polands civil society in general, particularly given the context of the governments record of persistently subverting human rights and the rule of law, Blaszczak said.
WASHINGTON  Fully vaccinated and mostly masked, the Supreme Courts conservative majority appeared skeptical Friday of the Biden administrations authority to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nations large employers. The court seemed more open to a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers.

The arguments in the two cases come at a time of spiking coronavirus cases because of the omicron variant, and the decision Friday by seven justices to wear masks for the first time while hearing arguments reflected the new phase of the pandemic.

An eighth justice, Sonia Sotomayor, a diabetic since childhood, didnt even appear in the courtroom, choosing to remain in her office at the court and take part remotely. Two lawyers, representing Ohio and Louisiana, argued by telephone after recent positive COVID-19 tests, state officials said.

But the COVID circumstances did not appear to outweigh the views of the courts six conservatives that the administration overstepped its authority in its vaccine-or-testing requirement for businesses with at least 100 employees.

This is something the federal government has never done before, Chief Justice John Roberts said, casting doubt on the administrations argument that a half-century-established law, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, confers such broad authority.

Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett probably hold the key to the outcome in both cases, as they have been more receptive to state-level vaccine requirements than the other three conservative justices. Barrett and Kavanaugh also had tough questions for Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administrations top Supreme Court lawyer.

The courts three liberal justices suggested support for the employer rule. Justice Elena Kagan said officials have shown quite clearly that no other policy will prevent sickness and death to anywhere like the degree that this one will. And Justice Stephen Breyer said he found it unbelievable that it could be in the public interest to put that rule on hold. He said that on Thursday there were some 750,000 new cases in the country and that hospitals are full.

Beginning Monday, unvaccinated employees in big companies are supposed to wear masks at work, unless the court blocks enforcement. But testing requirements and potential fines for employers dont kick in until February.

Legal challenges to the policies from Republican-led states and business groups are in their early stages, but the outcome at the high court probably will determine the fate of vaccine requirements affecting more than 80 million people.

Roberts, Kavanaugh and Barrett seemed to have fewer doubts about the health care vaccine mandate. Kavanaugh said it was a very unusual situation that hospitals and health care organizations affected by the regulation were not here complaining about the rule but instead support it. What are we to make of that? he asked.

The second regulation is a mandate that would apply to virtually all health care staff in the country. It covers health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.

Decisions by federal appeals courts in New Orleans and St. Louis have blocked the mandate in about half the states. The administration has said it is taking steps to enforce it in the rest.

I think effectively what is at stake is whether these mandates are going to go into effect at all, said Sean Marotta, a Washington lawyer whose clients include the American Hospital Association. The trade group is not involved in the Supreme Court cases.

Both vaccine rules would exacerbate labor shortages and be costly to businesses, lawyer Scott Keller argued Friday on behalf of more than two dozen business groups. Without an immediate order from the court, workers will quit right away, Keller said.

Administration lawyer Prelogar told the justices that COVID-19 is the deadliest pandemic in American history and it poses a unique workplace danger. OSHA has estimated that its emergency regulation will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.

Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of those have received booster shots, including the nine justices.

Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, said the vaccine requirements are extremely effective for 15% to 20% of Americans who dont like to get a shot but they will and dont have any strenuous objection.

The high court is weighing in on administration vaccine policies for the first time, although the justices have turned away pleas to block state-level mandates.

A conservative majority concerned about federal overreach did bring an end to a federal moratorium on evictions put in place because of the pandemic.

Both the vaccination cases came to the court on an emergency basis, and the court took the unusual step of scheduling arguments rather than just ruling on briefs submitted by the parties. Unlike in other cases the court hears, a decision from the justices could come in weeks if not days.

Because of the pandemic the justices heard the cases in a courtroom closed to the public. Only the justices, lawyers involved in the cases, court staff and journalists were allowed inside. The public could listen live, however, a change made earlier in the pandemic when the justices heard cases via telephone for nearly 19 months.

The court has been asking arguing lawyers to have negative coronavirus test results and participate remotely if they have positive tests. Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers, who was arguing against the employer rule, had tested positive for COVID-19 after Christmas, had mild symptoms and fully recovered, but a test Sunday required by the court detected the virus, a spokeswoman said. He had been vaccinated and had a booster shot.

Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill, who was arguing against the health care workers rule, was also arguing remotely based upon the courts protocol, state Attorney General Jeff Landry said. Landry was at the court for Fridays arguments.

It was the first time since the court returned to in-person arguments in October that lawyers were arguing remotely.

Justice Neil Gorsuch was the only justice to remain unmasked throughout the arguments, which lasted more than 3 and 1/2 hours. He sits between Barrett and Sotomayor. The court did not explain why Sotomayor didnt take the bench.

___

This story has been corrected to say that one-third of those fully vaccinated have also received boosters.
More private investment could soon flow into local startups from Santa Fe-based venture firm Cottonwood Technologies, which just closed on its third fund after receiving more than $75 million in new commitments.

About 40 first-time Cottonwood investors from the U.S. and Europe contributed to the fund, as did most of those who had previously invested in Cottonwoods last fund. That pushed total commitments for Fund III above the firms targeted raise of $75 million, significantly pumping up Cottonwoods ability to support new high-tech startups going forward, said Managing Partner David Blivin.

Weve now got more capacity to support companies than we ever had before, Blivin told the Journal. Were in a much stronger position to help startups from beginning to end.

Indeed, Cottonwoods newest fund is larger than the amount raised for its last two funds combined, which totaled about $65 million together. Since launching in 2010, the firm has invested in 21 companies  nine of them in New Mexico  committing a total of nearly $70 million to the startups it supports, Blivin said.

That includes investments made over the past year out of the newest fund, following a first close on that fund in October 2020, which allowed Cottonwood to begin committing money from Fund III even as it continued to raise more money for it.

Cottonwood made a total of six investments from Fund III last year, three of them in New Mexico. That included follow-on funding for existing companies that previously received money from Cottonwoods first two funds, plus first-time investments in new startups. Cottonwood, for example, was one of three investors that in December pumped a combined $4.5 million into Albuquerque-based Circular Genomics, a company that launched in February with breakthrough technology developed at the University of New Mexico that uses RNA as a biomarker to diagnose depression and other neurological disorders.

Two more Fund III investments for new companies are now in the works, including one thats expected to close in February for a startup in Colorado, and another in New Mexico.

Were finding good, compelling investment opportunities here and in Europe, Blivin said.

Cottonwood offers seed and early-stage investments for startups in the U.S. Southwest, and in northern Europe through a regional office in the Netherlands. It focuses on new, hard science technologies in everything from clean energy and robotics to advanced materials and the life sciences.

Some Cottonwood-backed innovation in New Mexico includes tiny solar cells made by startup mPower Technologies, compact hydrogen generators developed by BayoTech Inc., and a super-fast cell-screening and analysis technology marketed by BennuBio.

Initial investments by Cottonwood have allowed most of its local companies to further develop their technologies and attract larger rounds of funding from other investors. BayoTech, for example,has raised nearly $200 million in private equity to date.
CBS TV

The new season of the series, which sees Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Jean-Luc Picard, has indeed one of television biggest crews as it involves more than 450 staffers.

Jan 7, 2022

AceShowbiz - COVID-19 forces the production on new seasons of "Star Trek: Picard" to be paused. The filming on Paramount+ drama has been reportedly shut down since Monday, January 3 following a sizable COVID-19 outbreak.

Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that there were more than 50 crew members who tested positive on Monday. That marked the first day of work following the Christmas break.

The series, which sees Patrick Stewart reprising his role as Jean-Luc Picard, has indeed one of television biggest crews as it involves more than 450 staffers. It was reported that the outbreak impacted multiplee zones, including cast in zone A. Stewart was not among those who contracted coronavirus.

The back-to-back filming for season 2 and 3, which takes place in Los Angeles, is expected to resume early next week or sooner. However, exact details of the plan are still in scarce. CBS Studios has declined to comment on the report.

"Star Trek: Picard" is one of the latest TV productions which was forced to be temporarily halted due to the surge in COVID-19 cases. Prior to this, production on "NCIS" was suspended while the filming for "NCIS: Los Angeles" was pushed to February. NBC also made similar decision for "Chicago Fire".

The increase of Omicron variant cases also led to the postponement of the 2022 Grammy Awards and the 2022 Critics Choice Awards. "After careful consideration and analysis with city and state officials, health and safety experts, the artist community and our many partners, the Recording Academy and CBS have postponed the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards Show," Recording Academy and CBS announced earlier this month in a joint statement.

"The health and safety of those in our music community, the live audience, and the hundreds of people who work tirelessly to produce our show remains our top priority. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Omicron variant, holding the show on January 31st simply contains too many risks. We look forward to celebrating Music's Biggest Night on a future date, which will be announced soon," the statement continued.
Instagram/WENN/Ivan Nikolov Celebrity

Breaking her silence on her relationship with the 'Good Life' rhymer, the 'Uncut Gems' actress says, 'It was an instant connection' after they met in Miami on New Year's Eve.

Jan 7, 2022

AceShowbiz - Kanye West clearly has no intention to keep his relationship with Julia Fox private. After it was reported that he brought his own photographer on his dates with the actress, steamy pictures from their second date night have been officially released online.

Making their way out via Interview, the photos captured the pair's intimate moments post-their Broadway date. In one snap, the two were seen making out with the actress leaning against a wall in Ye's hotel suite.

Two other shots featured the Yeezy designer laying on the floor with Julia on top of him. The Italian-born beauty straddled the Atlanta native as they appeared to share more smooches. Other images had the brunette star trying on some clothes in front of the rapper.

To the magazine, Julia opened up on her new romance with Kanye. "I met Ye in Miami on New Year's Eve and it was an instant connection," she said. "His energy is so fun to be around. He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night."

After hitting it off in Miami, they "decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see 'Slave Play'," so the 31-year-old actress said. She continued, "After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, I'm still in shock. Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes. It was every girl's dream come true. It felt like a real Cinderella moment."

Julia went on gushing about her connection with Ye, "Everything with us has been so organic." She added, "I don't know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I'm loving the ride."

Page Six previously reported that Kanye has hired a photographer to follow him around to document his activities for a potentially larger project about his life. "He's decided to take matters into his own hands," a source said of the father of three. "He has an incredible life, he meets the craziest people on the planet. He realized maybe he should have an album of his life."
WENN Celebrity

In a new interview, 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star reveals that at first she's hesitant to watch the tell-all doc as watching the clips and promos was already 'too much.'

Jan 7, 2022

AceShowbiz - Kathy Hilton has opened up about how she felt after watching Paris Hilton's documentary, "This Is Paris". Upon learning of her daughter's childhood trauma which was detailed in the tell-all doc, "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star said that it put her in a "depression."

When making an appearance on SiriusXM's "Andy Cohen Live" on Wednesday, January 5, the 62-year-old mom admitted, "It put me in such a depression." She then confessed that "it was true" she initially hadn't seen Paris' documentary, in which her daughter opened up about her traumatizing, abusive experiences at a Utah boarding school.

On the reason why she initially didn't want to watch it, Kathy said that she thought it would be too painful to hear about Paris' time at Provo Canyon School. "It was too much after watching just the clips and promos 'cause you could imagine me just finding out [about the abuse]," she elaborated.

"And I'm not one of those people [who says], 'Oh, this is about me,' because it's not about me, but yet, it really was so devastating the way I was told [about what happened]," Kathy told host Andy. She then noted that it's sad seeing Paris had to "keep that in for 20 years."

Kathy then revealed she decided to watch the documentary with Paris after the socialite told her daughter how "important" it was to her. "I said to her finally a few weeks ago, and then when I went to Washington with her, I said, 'I'm just not ready to watch it,' " Kathy recalled.

"So when we got back, I did watch it, and we held hands," Kathy shared. "We held hands for an hour watching this thing, and just the energy that I was feeling from her and how relieved and happy that she was that I was watching."

Kathy explained that she had to send Paris to the boarding school so that her daughter, who was a teenager at the time, would stop sneaking off to the clubs. "A lot of people understood that [we were] trying to help our daughter," Kathy insisted.

"We were trying to save Paris. I'm not that strict, we were worried," Kathy stressed, referencing her husband Rick Hilton. "She was living in New York. She was sneaking out and sometimes didn't come back home for three days, not going to school," the fashion designer added. "So we put her in this boarding school, in this one, in this one. Gotta keep her away from the city and all these predators and people that wanted her to model."

In the tell-all documentary, Paris shared details of the physical, emotional and mental abuse she suffered at the boarding school. "It was supposed to be a school, but [classes] were not the focus at all. From the moment I woke up until I went to bed, it was all day screaming in my face, yelling at me, continuous torture," she unveiled.

Paris also alleged that the staff would hit and strangle students, who could be tossed into solitary confinement for as long as "20 hours a day." She recalled, "I was having panic attacks and crying every single day." She also dubbed herself "so miserable" at the time, before noting, "I felt like a prisoner and I hated life."
Instagram Celebrity

After police identified one of the gunmen and released his picture, a photo surfaces of the slain rapper with a man who looks like his shooter Justin Johnson.

Jan 7, 2022

AceShowbiz - Young Dolph and his murderer might be related to each other in a way that others had not thought before. The "Major" hitmaker was allegedly pictured with Justin Johnson, one of the suspected gunmen who killed him, before his death.

After police identified one of the murder suspects, a photo surfaced on the Internet showing the slain rapper partying in a club with the man, who is believed to be Justin. The "RNB" spitter seemed to be enjoying himself while holding a stack of cash, with people, including one who looks like Justin, around him.

Dolph, whose real name is Adolph Robert Thornton Jr., was shot and killed while he was visiting Makeda's Homemade Butter Cookies in Memphis on November 17, 2021. He was laid to rest on Tuesday, November 30 at the cemetery across from Hamilton High School, Dolph's alma mater.

Nearly two months later, the U.S. Marshalls, Memphis Police Department and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified 23-year-old Justin Johnson as one of the suspects. He is wanted by police in connection with a number alleged charges, including first-degree murder, criminal attempted first-degree murder and property theft.

Authorities released his photo on social media in hopes of locating the suspect. His description says he is 5-foot-8 tall, weighs 190 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Law enforcement says Justin is on the TBI Most Wanted list, has ties to organized crime and should be considered armed and dangerous.

He has the name "Jaiya" tattooed on his right arm. According to his social media page, Justin appears to be a local rapper who goes by the name StraightDrop. The law enforcement agencies offered a combined award of $15,000 for information leading to his arrest.

Following the release of the photo, fans noticed that Justin filmed a music video for his song "Going Straight In" at the house where the getaway car was found. The music video was released on November 21, nearly a week after the murder.
WENN/Avalon Celebrity

The 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' alum allegedly believes his estranged husband's new relationship with the actress is 'not serious' and is just another attempt to make her jealous.

Jan 8, 2022

AceShowbiz - Kim Kardashian doesn't think Kanye West's relationship with Julia Fox is serious. Following the rapper's dates with the actress, the reality TV star has reportedly weighed in on her estranged husband's new romance.

"Kim thinks it's comical Kanye went from begging her to come back to showcasing his new girl all over the city within days," a source tells U.K.'s The Sun. "She knows it's not serious and is just typical hijinks from Kanye."

The source suggests that the SKIMS founder believes the "Donda" artist is just using the "Uncut Gems" star to get her jealous, but it's already a big fail because she has guessed it. "Kim thinks it's another desperate attempt to make her jealous," the source claims.

"She honestly doesn't care, she's very over him at this point so his little game isn't working," the source goes on stressing. "All she cares about right now involving Kanye is raising their four kids and making sure they have a happy life, that's it."

After spotted on several dates in Miami and New York, Julia recently opened up about her relationship with Kanye. "I met Ye in Miami on New Year's Eve and it was an instant connection," she told Interview, which also published their steamy PDA pics. "His energy is so fun to be around. He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night."

After hitting it off in Miami, they "decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see 'Slave Play'," so the 31-year-old actress said. She continued, "After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, I'm still in shock. Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes. It was every girl's dream come true. It felt like a real Cinderella moment."

Julia went on gushing about her connection with Ye, "Everything with us has been so organic." She added, "I don't know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I'm loving the ride."

Meanwhile, Kim has been happily dating Pete Davidson since late last year. The pair recently returned to Los Angeles after their short tropical getaway to the Bahamas.
As political parties gear up with their electoral strategies for the upcoming assembly election in UP this year, ABP Ganga is ahead of the curve in keeping the nation apprised. The channel is soon to launch a unique programming for the upcoming UP Assembly Elections under the banner of Chunav Kranti Express. Through this completely new style of programming, ABP Ganga aims to provide the most incisive reporting, the most in-depth coverage, and a truly holistic news watching experience to its viewers. The show comprises of 10 episodes with an innovative concept of getting political leaders on board a train journey from Lucknow to Varanasi and engage in insightful conversations about the upcoming UP elections and de-board on stations enroute where a new guest will be ready to join. The show will be telecast on ABP Ganga daily from 9pm to 10pm with a repeat telecast the next day from 10am to 11am, starting from 10th January.

Setting a new benchmark in Indias TV election coverage history, this show is a series of conclaves held on a running train, using state-of-the-art live action shoot set up to capture and broadcast the discussions from a moving train. The first episode of the show will feature a special context setting program which will inform viewers about the shows unique concept. This will set them up for the rest of the series by showing behind the scene shots, bytes from guests, few sneak peeks into the rest of the series and the flag-off ceremony at Lucknow station.

The show will follow a train journey into Uttar Pradeshs heartland following the route of Lucknow  Bacchrawan  Rae Bareilly  Amethi  Pratapgarh  Prayagraj  Janghai  Varanasi. In total, there will be forty guests joining the ABP Ganga Chunav Kranti Express. Some prominent guests include S P Singh Baghel, MoS, Govt of India (Ministry of Law & Justice), Kaushal Kishore, MoS, Govt of India (Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs), Anupriya Patel, MoS, Govt of India (Ministry of Commerce & Industry), Mahendra Singh, Cabinet Minister, UP (Jal Shakti), Rakesh Tikait, National Spokesperson, Bharatiya Kisan Union, Ravi Kishan, MP (BJP), Sanjay Singh, MP (AAP), Juhi Singh, National President, Womens Wing (SP), Chandrashekhar Azad, National President, Bhim Army and Pramod Tiwari, Leader (INC).

This show will further strengthen ABP Gangas commitment to bridge the gap between political figures and the electorate ahead of the upcoming polls. This platform will further establish the leadership of ABP Ganga in the UP and Uttarakhand market as such innovative news experiences will affirm ABP Gangas philosophy of Khabar Aapki, Zubaan Aapki.

Commenting on the election programming, Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network said This will be a first of its kind initiative where the election mood and policies of various political parties can be presented to the viewing public through a train journey across the poll bound state. The audiences will be able to gauge the political agendas of their leaders ahead of the polls. This programming also reiterates ABP Networks position as a market leader in the election coverage programming.
FarEye, a global SaaS platform transforming last-mile deliveries, today announced the appointment of Manoj Rathi as its Chief Financial Officer. Manoj brings over 27 years of experience in leadership roles at Genpact, Grofers, BirlaSoft, DXC Technology, NIIT, etc and was recently associated with Dalmia-OCL.

Manoj is a Chartered Accountant and holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata. He has worked in the IT services space for almost 20 years, as well as eCommerce and Manufacturing sectors with Indian & Foreign multinationals managing the global Finance, Taxation, Legal & Secretarial functions. He has been involved in several M&A transactions & integration and spearheaded finance transformation, process re-engineering & digitization initiatives. Manoj has built 'high-performance' teams across the globe and driven excellence by enabling, empowering & motivating team members towards achieving optimal results.

As an active employer and one of the top global SaaS companies, FarEye has already attracted industry leaders from top brands like Microsoft, Amazon, and Dropbox to strengthen teams, enrich culture and build scalable world-class products. Over the last year, FarEye has hired several senior executives, including CRO, Amit Bagga (Ex-President of APAC at BlueYonder and strategic sales leader at Oracle), and CPO, Suvrat Joshi (former executive at Dropbox, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft). Other key hires include Arun Kumar (ex-Microsoft) as SVP Engineering and Rajat Budhiraja (VP Professional Services, ex Nagarro).

"I am delighted to welcome Manoj to the FarEye management team. He is a seasoned leader and brings remarkable experience with a proven track record of results-driven leadership. His appointment will contribute to our next phase of expansion, pushing our mission to make logistics better for everyone." said Kushal Nahata, CEO & Co-founder, FarEye.

Speaking about his appointment Manoj Rathi, Chief Financial Officer, FarEye said, "I am elated to join a global SaaS leader- FarEye. I look forward to working with FarEye's team to actualize their vision and take it to the next level of excellence.I am quite confident that we can develop and execute new plans to drive the company's growth to new highs."

Manoj's appointment comes at a time when FarEye is expanding its business across the globe. The company plans to increase its strength by over 1,000 in the coming year. Today with 150+ customers, across 30+ countries, FarEye's platform processes over 100 million transactions on a monthly basis, supports more than 25,000 drivers and is integrated into a network of over two million vehicles, improving billions of deliveries worldwide. The company is on a journey to achieve 100+ million transactions per day with processing petabytes of data.
The Indian PR industry has been moving at a steady pace in the last few years, especially after some of the major global PR companies have set up their consultancies in India. While there are several estimates that are floating around about the size of the Indian PR industry, according to a reliable report, it is pegged at over Rs 2,000 crore and growing at about 12%. From legacy organisations to the newest start-ups, PR has become a trusted business partner to steer the company ahead. Let us look at what are some of the challenges that the PR industry will have to grapple with as we move into 2022.

ALSO READ: Communications became a strategic business driver in 2020: Prachi Singh, Yahoo

Business Growth

While agencies are witnessing some momentum, the growth journey will be challenging for every agency as the Covid situation is yet to stabilise. While clients will not easily shift from one agency to another, the growing start-up ecosystem will need more robust help of PR. Ever since the pandemic struck, some of the clients have also negotiated new commercial terms. This will lead to agencies hiring more people and investing more in training and technology adoption. The first quarter should give us a picture of how the industry will cope up and manage their growth. Agencies will have to bring in a very strong differentiation in their offerings and add value to the clients business to maintain a long-term relationship.

Content - a key driver

Content continues to remain the king and still drives PR to a large extent. With the increase in consumption of content, need for generating fresh and interesting content will be a challenge to connect and engage with your varied audience. So, to stand out of the clutter PR agencies will need to have a strong and creatively focussed content team, who will be able to deliver and narrate better stories through superior content by customising and delivering to the niche media  both online and offline.

Today, with the accelerated use of social media, both brands and agencies need to collaborate very closely on content and share interesting content to engage their audience as the dynamics of media have restricted and brought in a significant change in the consumption pattern as the time span available for todays audience to browse the content is very less.

Attrition rate

This will keep hounding the industry. Talent churn will continue and the industry will continue to grapple with the quality of talent and attrition issues. This will happen for many reasons, starting from job satisfaction, growth in career to the pay scales that the industry has been offering. This will be a headache and a challenge for every agency as new and better growth opportunities are being provided by the start-ups and the desire to move to the clients side will be a lucrative proposition for several professionals in the PR industry. This is one area that the agencies need to plug it by bringing in some innovative ideas at the HR level to motivate employees and engage with them on a continuous basis, while addressing their issues.

The right training

Continuous training is paramount when you are in the PR business. Most research reports show that education and training deliver good benefits, which include job satisfaction and better opportunity to grow with in the organisation. Agencies should also bring in innovation to train their employees. Recently, Adfactors, one of Indias leading PR consultancies, joined hands with Upgrad to get a deeper understanding of digital for their employees. The core programme was designed by experts from MICA, with additional modules created in house by their training and development leadership team. So, training is one key element that will be a key driver for agencies to motivate their employees and gain respect from their clients by continuously adding value to the clients business.

Technology adoption in PR

The technological revolution will keep continuing and it will definitely have an impact on the PR industry. In the past, PR as an industry was reluctant to bring in changes and embrace technology as it had a direct effect on people losing jobs and bringing in redundancy. But now, PR industry has realised the importance of technology and is upgrading and upskilling technology capabilities. Even the attitude towards understanding technology has shifted and slowly they are getting accepted by most of them. Technology is not something new to the industry, but the willingness and adoption will be the key. Agencies offering and leveraging technology will surge ahead in the race as clients are demanding agencies to be more agile, especially when it comes to digital and the changing dynamics of the media landscape.

The future is going to be exciting and more challenging. While it may be a level playing field, ultimately those who are able tell their story well and leverage digital to the maximum will be in an advantageous position. Teams at agencies will have to be more agile as online reputation and influencer marketing will march ahead as brands are expecting quick turnaround and results.

Industry Speak

According to Vineet Handa, CEO Kaizzen & Chairperson North Chapter, PRCAI, one of the biggest challenges is the dearth of good people because of which the agencies will struggle in 2022. He further said, It will become more challenging due to squeezing opportunities in media, which means to succeed we as an industry have to create new and innovative avenues to communicate with our target audience across industries. This will further put an additional emphasis on the right kind of talent  the one that is well versed with integrated communication and that understands and masters the traditional as well as the new media platforms including social platforms.

Continuing, further he said that the second challenge is the shrinking of Print Media and opportunities in it and Online Media taking more relevance. Thus, there is a great opportunity to create awareness of the information/ news consumption pattern across different stakeholder groups, he added.

The third challenge is content. All the three challenges are somewhere interlinked and the PR industry needs to find the right skill sets to deliver all three areas. Therefore, an integrated agency that can provide innovative content is more likely to succeed.

Handa foresees 2022 to be one of the fastest-growing years for the industry and thus, these challenges become even more relevant.

Bhaskar Majumdar, Head - Corporate Affairs, Communication, CSR & Digital, Egis India, remarked that #COVID has fast forwarded the digital transformation in India. Buoyed by the digital transformation that is currently happening, the growing need of the market has put integrated strategic approach to PR, at the very top of the pyramid. The world is now moving from offline to online and the spotlight will be on all things digital using virtual tools to engage with all stakeholders. The focus would be to deliver content-driven campaigns that are both meaningful and engaging using both offline and online tools and with a purpose clearly reflecting in the campaigns. Given this dominant scenario, the roles and responsibilities of public relations and communications agencies and consultants are also undergoing sea-changes. More and more agencies are now offering strategic services and are building competencies for new age story telling. The need for building adequate capacities and offering services which are more suited to the current times will be critical for agencies going forward, he opined.

Sukanya Chakraborty, Senior VP & Head  Corporate Communications & CSR, VFS Global, pointed out, We have seen the contours of PR and communications getting redefined over the last two years, with real-time monitoring, listening across touchpoints, insights, and the use of data. While these trends would strengthen as deeper relationships and personalized experiences become key going forward, measuring communication impacts would be a strong business growth metric. This would prompt more brands to align their key messages to current issues.

Even as transparency and culture awareness remain imperative, communication would become more agile in dealing with uncertainties and catering to the stakeholders ecosystem. In terms of employer branding, diversity and inclusion would be the key messaging pillar. The major shift observed since the pandemic would continue to influence reputation dashboards in 2022 as focus on core values and social responsibility dominate. According to Chakraborty, The path ahead would be to find the right balance between people, profit, and the environment  elevation of a brand from a business organization to a contributor to society.

The year 2021 witnessed funding of more than $38 billion across 2K+ investment rounds. Aman Dhall, Founder, Comms Credible, noted that there are 50,000+ registered start-ups as per government figures. He, however, estimated this number to be much higher as not every start-up registers itself on the government portal up first  we are yet to do as well, he added.

Given the opportunities galore for the PR ecosystem, the talent pool is extremely limited. While there is a lot of business to be made for the PR/ Communications consultancies, talent retention, workload management and training younger professionals quickly and simultaneously amidst the scale up would be the biggest challenge for the industry in the year ahead.

I see the industry growing quite rapidly and considerably in 2022, even if a third wave occurs, as everyone has learned how to work remotely. Businesses know where to cut costs and where to sustain spends. I see a lot of focus on what PR earns for business (measurements from both revenue and brand growth perspective or crisis management). Do-it-yourself platforms will create their own niche; however, their growth will depend on the talent pool at the corporate level, who are usually busier with stakeholder management.

He further said that PR agencies have started to rebrand themselves as communication technology firms, an indication of how companies are preparing themselves to tap on funding available for B2B space in the start-up ecosystem.

Amid all the uncertainty, keeping up with the changing circumstances and evolving expectations, Asif Upadhye, Director, SPRD, saw the PR agencies having a tough time cracking the perfect campaigns that would be crowd pullers and cement the existing brand loyalty. According to him, In our industry, one of the biggest challenges, however, has always been building a sustainable network of collaborations  be it in terms of building a media universe, or in terms of finding the right speaker opportunities.

Technology has majorly altered the way we work today, acting as a catalyst in decreasing the turn-around time for delivering information, but optimising the overall consumer experience through a diverse plethora of mediums. While social media became a popular medium for brands to engage with their audiences, we also experienced a rise in the boycott culture, which added more pressure on the PR professionals to amplify their efforts in terms of online reputation management and overall brand positioning.

Another trend that has been on the rise is influencer marketing, where netizens prefer the brand messaging coming in from the people that they look up to, instead of pre-established celebrities. And with the recent developments, we are back to the conundrum of whether to encourage hybrid working or move back to the era of remote working. However, storytelling over story-selling is the key! This year, too, content marketing is by default going to be a powerful vertical that will help strengthen the bond between brands and consumers, Upadhye noted.

Sharing his perspective, Aman Gupta, Managing Partner, SPAG, said, Over the last two years, the industry has evolved in a big way  remote working, digital campaigns, online media dominance  the communications industry has adapted to this already. However, in 2022, tech will lead the way more than ever. There is an in and out of COVID restrictions across the world, which means that even hybrid work systems are temporary. This will lead to innovative digital campaigns that focus on experience and interactivity. The pandemic fatigue will be a challenge nonetheless, but will also present an opportunity for more creativity and innovation in the communications space.
Lenovo Indias Chief Marketing officer Amit Doshi has left the organization after being associated for eight years.

As per reports, Doshi is in the last week at Lenovo.

Doshi joined Lenovo in September 2013 as the Marketing Head- Consumer PC, Tablet, Digital and was then elevated as Director, Marketing (India and South Asia) in June 2018. Being a part of the India leadership, he was responsible for shaping the growth and equity of the brand portfolio and demand across all lines of business.

Before joining Lenovo, Doshi worked at Britannia for almost nine years. He joined the FMCG brand as Area Sales Manager in 2004 and was then elevated to several posts. His last role served at Britannia was as a Marketing Manager in 2013.

Doshi's previous stint includes Perfetti Van Melle where he started his career as an Area Sales Manager.
Onsurity, Indias first tech led monthly subscription-based employee health benefits platform, has launched its first digital campaign that focuses on the #GiftOfSurity for SME work families. The campaign demonstrates that expansion of health benefits is a vital step for SME and start-ups to pave the way in Indias effort to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

The campaign focuses on democratizing healthcare of SMEs to care and protect the health and life of their employees & contractual workforce. Delivering on the promise of Healthcare, ab sabke liye, Onsurity aims is to change the way companies experience health benefits by making it affordable, easy to understand and accessible at one click.

Commenting on the campaign, Samar Kagalwalla, Head Growth & Marketing, Onsurity said, We believe our colleagues are like familya work family, the GiftOfSurity campaign has captured various perspectives and stories that further strengthen the sense of building trust around healthcare benefits to employees. With our vision of Healthcare for All we aim to enable and empower 330 mn SME workforce which contributes almost 29% of Indias GDP.

He further added, With low financial health protection for a large middle segment of the working population, the campaign encourages SMEs to pause and realise the importance of employee healthcare. Brand Onsurity, has always enjoyed the trust of its customers, and now with the GiftofSurity campaign we want to motivate more SMEs to look at affordable healthcare programs for their work family as well.

Onsurity brand campaign highlights:

Affordable monthly healthcare program starting at Rs. 49 per employee

Tool for businesses to attract & retain talent

Instant Purchase, enroll and onboarding

Employee mobile app for all healthcare needs

Dedicated Good Doctors Team to facilitate hospitalization and claims support

Launched in 2020, Onsurity has created a flexible infrastructure to simplify employer-led healthcare and started a movement that prioritizes the human experience within health benefits to bridge the gap for Indias largest workforce. It has built a smarter technology thats easy to use, gives people an advocate in their health journey, and helps employers unblock working capital by managing cost.
McCann Health has appointed PK Anil Kumar as its Creative Head, according his LinkedIn profile.

Kumar is a results-driven advertising professional with around 27 years of experience in the industry in building brands by, providing 360 degree solutions with multi-media campaigns comprising of print, electronic media, digital media and OOH.

He has worked with top advertising agencies on global and local brands and have won many national and international advertising awards. Kumar has also written screenplays, dialogues lyrics, directed and acted for short films and feature films.

Kumar also wrote the dialogues, screenplay and original lyrics for PRAANA Hindi, a multilingual film directed by VK Prakash.

His previous stints includes BBDO Lanka, Bates CHI&Partners, Minority Brand Creation and Management LLP and McCann.
Samsung Electronics unveiled its vision for the future, Together for tomorrow, during a pre-show keynote event at CES 2022. Keynote speaker Jong-Hee (JH) Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of DX (Device eXperience) Division at Samsung, highlighted the companys efforts to usher in a new age of togetherness, with customizable experiences that reflect consumers evolving lifestyles, and innovations that mark progress for both society and the planet.

The companys Together for tomorrow vision is one that empowers everyone to create positive change and drives collaborations that address some of the planets most pressing challenges. The keynote illustrated how Samsung plans to make its vision a reality by introducing a range of sustainability initiatives, purposeful partnerships, and customizable and connected technologies.

Im excited for you to be a part of our vision to see how innovation can create positive change, [and] to join us and work together for tomorrow, said Han. These developments will make sustainability part of your product experience, enabling you to live a more sustainable life.

Building a Sustainable Future

At its core, Samsungs vision for the future is built on what the company calls everyday sustainability. It is a concept that inspires Samsung to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does. The company has been realizing its vision by adopting new, low-impact product manufacturing practices, footprint-reducing packaging and a more sustainable customer experience, and by responsibly disposing of products at the end of their lifecycles.

Samsungs efforts to reduce carbon emissions throughout the production cycle have also earned recognition from the Carbon Trust, the worlds leading authority on carbon footprint. Last year, the companys Carbon Trust-certified memory chips helped reduce carbon emissions by nearly 700,000 tons.

Samsungs efforts in this area extend well beyond semiconductors and include expanding the use of recycled materials. To introduce everyday sustainability to more products, Samsungs Visual Display Business plans to use 30 times more recycled plastics than it did in 2021. The company also revealed plans to expand its use of recycled materials to include all mobile products and home appliances over the next three years.

In 2021, all of Samsungs TV boxes included recycled materials. For this year, the company revealed that it will be expanding the use of recycled materials to include the boxes interior packaging as well. Now, recycled materials will be incorporated into Styrofoam, box holders and plastic bags. The company also announced the global expansion of its award-winning Eco-Packaging program. The expansion of the program, which transforms cardboard boxes into cat houses, side tables and other useful furniture items, will include packaging for home appliances such as vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, air purifiers and more.

Samsung is also building sustainability into the ways that customers experience its products. Such experiences will be integral to empowering people to reduce their carbon footprint and make positive changes together for a better tomorrow. As an example, the company introduced notable enhancements to its first-of-its-kind SolarCell Remote, which eliminates battery waste with a built-in solar panel that can be charged during both day and night.

The enhanced SolarCell Remote gets electricity from radio frequencies in devices like Wi-Fi routers.1 Whats more, it will be included in more Samsung products  like new Samsung TVs and home appliances  with the goal of eliminating more than 200 million batteries from landfills.2 When you line them up, it is the distance from right here, Las Vegas, to Korea, said Han.

In addition, by 2025, Samsung plans to make all of its TVs and phone chargers operate on near-zero standby power, so that the products will consume almost no energy when not being used.

E-waste is another big challenge for the electronics industry, which is why Samsung has collected more than five million tons of e-waste since 2009. For mobile products, last year, Samsung launched Galaxy for the Planet, a sustainability platform that was created to bring about tangible climate action and minimize devices environmental footprints throughout their lifecycles.

These are important steps, said Han, but we cannot achieve our goals alone. We believe open innovation and collaboration are keys to fighting climate change and protecting our environment. With this in mind, Samsung announced that its eco-conscious technologies like the SolarCell Remote will be made open source, so that others can utilize them for their new devices too.

Samsungs decision to make such technologies openly available reflects a commitment to innovation  and to everyday sustainability  that transcends industries. The collaboration with Patagonia that Samsung announced at the keynote demonstrates the type of innovation that can result when companies  even those from entirely different industries  come together to address environmental issues. The innovative solution that the companies are designing will help fight plastic pollution by enabling Samsung washing machines to minimize microplastics from entering waterways through laundry cycles.

This is a serious problem, and not one we can solve on our own, said Vincent Stanley, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia. Commending the hard work and dedication of Samsung engineers, Stanley described the working relationship as a perfect example of the kind of collaboration we all need to help turn the tide of climate change and restore nature to health.

We are thrilled about this collaboration, but our work wont stop there, added Han. We will continue to explore new partnerships and collaborations, aiming to address the challenges facing our planet.

Empowering Users With Customized Experiences

In addition to describing steps it is taking to advance everyday sustainability, Samsung outlined various ways it is advancing technology to cater to consumers diverse needs. Understanding that each person is unique and wants to customize their devices to suit their lifestyle, Samsung strives to find ways to help people redefine their relationships with everyday technologies. This people-first approach to innovation is a key pillar of the companys Together for tomorrow vision.

The platforms and screens that Samsung unveiled at the event reflect the Screens Everywhere, Screens for All era that Han alluded to at CES 2020. The Freestyle is a lightweight and portable screen that gives you a cinema-quality experience no matter where you are. Featuring AI-enabled sound, built-in streaming apps and a host of useful Smart TV accessibility features, The Freestyle can be set up virtually anywhere and projects up to 100 inches.

The Samsung Gaming Hub, meanwhile, offers an all-in-one platform for discovering and playing cloud and console games, and is set to launch on the companys 2022 Smart TVs and monitors. Lastly, The Odyssey Ark is a 55-inch, flexible and curved gaming screen that takes immersion to the next level with a multi-view experience that allows users to play games, video chat with friends and watch gaming videos at the same time.

To introduce more tailored product experiences to consumers homes, Samsung announced the rollout of even more customization options for its Bespoke lineup of home appliances. This includes new Bespoke options for Samsungs Family Hub and French 3-Door and 4-Door refrigerators, alongside dishwashers, ranges and over-the-range microwaves. Samsung is also introducing new products like the Bespoke Jet vacuum and Bespoke Washer and Dryer, expanding the lineup to every room in the home to offer consumers more ways to customize their space to suit their style and needs.

Samsung is constantly exploring ways to harness customization to help users get more out of their devices. The #YouMake Project represents the culmination of those efforts empowering consumers to choose and customize products based on what matters most to them, so they can enjoy a more personalized experience across their devices. Announced at the keynote, the initiative expands Samsungs Bespoke vision beyond home appliances and brings it to life in the companys smartphones and large-screen devices.

Ushering in an Era of Seamless Connectivity

Building a better future together for tomorrow requires more than building customization and sustainability into the core of Samsungs products  it also requires seamless connectivity. During the keynote, Samsung demonstrated its commitment to ushering in an era of truly seamless connected experiences by highlighting its collaborations with partners as well as its next-gen products.

Unveiled for the first time at CES, the all-new Samsung Home Hub takes connected home experiences to the next level with a SmartThings service that integrates with AI-connected appliances to simplify home management. Samsung Home Hub combines six SmartThings services into one convenient device that gives users complete control over their smart home and makes it easier to manage household chores.

To enable different types of smart devices to work better with each other, Samsung announced plans to make SmartThings Hub a built-in feature of its 2022 TVs, Smart Monitors and Family Hub refrigerators. Doing so will help make connected living experiences more accessible and seamless for everyone.

Pointing to the need to offer consumers the best smart home experience regardless of brand, Samsung also announced its role as a founding member of the Home Connectivity Alliance (HCA), which brings together various smart home appliance manufacturers. The organization aims to foster greater interoperability between devices across brands to give consumers more choice, and to enhance the security and safety of products and services.

As a global coalition of smart home appliance manufacturers, HCA members share a belief that connected ecosystems and digital technology will allow us to further develop product experiences that are elegant, hyper-personalized and truly smart for our consumers, said Katherine Shin, Vice President of Customer Experience at Trane Technologies. The HCA invites any global manufacturers with a similar vision for efficiency, interoperability and innovation to come and build with us.

Samsungs keynote underlined a deep commitment to corporate social responsibility that continues to characterize its approach to innovation. That commitment is not only realized in the companys technologies, but also in its dedication towards programs that empower the next generation to bring about the changes they want to see in the world. By nurturing young peoples development and building skills for the workplaces of tomorrow, programs like Solve for Tomorrow and Samsung Innovation Campus are turning dreams into action.

Today, Im honored to share that Samsungs programs to empower the next generation have now reached more than 21 million people since 2012, said Han. This is the better tomorrow we all seek: enabling people to reach beyond their dreams, a planet protected so others can experience its wonders, [and] innovation as the spark for change.
Nicolas Cage set to be a dad for the third time
Xi'an health official apologizes to woman who lost baby waiting outside hospital

(People's Daily App) 10:05, January 07, 2022

A city health official bowed to assembled media in a public apology for the 8-month pregnant woman who lost her baby after her treatment was delayed outside a hospital in Xi'an, the COVID-19-affected capital of Shaanxi Province.

"On behalf of the city's health commission, I deeply apologize to this patient," commission director Liu Shunzhi said at a press conference on Thursday before standing and bowing.

Liu also apologized to people with special needs for problems with access to medical treatment during the pandemic.

The hospital general manager has been suspended from duty and other related "persons-in-charge" removed from offices, the Global Times reported.

The woman lost her baby after waiting two hours outside a hospital for permission to enter, provoking criticism on Chinese social media.

(Edited by Xie Runjia)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
We cant imagine donuts without coffee. But why is that? And why do we eat donuts for breakfast, anyway? We get into the history of this darling duo.
It may not come as a big surprise, but Scottsdale is home to more short-term rentals than th
July 17, 2020

A televised address by Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the countrys new parliament July 12 covered a wide range of topics from foreign policy and the domestic economy to the coronavirus pandemic. But what grabbed the most media attention was his rejection of a plan by some lawmakers to impeach President Hassan Rouhani. The closing year of any administration is usually the most sensitive one.  I do strongly believe that administrations should work hard to the very end of their tenure and fulfill their responsibilities, Khamenei said.

For weeks, hard-line parliamentarians had been lobbying and collecting signatures to bring down the president before his second term came to an end. The project was shut down with a simple statement by the supreme leader that he did not find the impeachment effort to be in the best interest of the country.

Two days after the supreme leaders speech, one of the dogged architects of the impeachment bid, Javad Nikbin reversed his previous confrontational stance, announcing that the motion is no longer on our agenda. The ultraconservative cleric from the Paydari Movement  the parliaments most hard-line and anti-Rouhani faction  noted, however, We still need close oversight of the governments performance.

Member of the Parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Ebrahim Rezaee said though it is the lawmakers' legitimate authority to impeach the president, doing so is not helpful under the current circumstances. Another conservative lawmaker, Reza Taghipour, said he feared impeachment could do more harm than good.

After that speech, we will no longer pursue the impeachment, said lawmaker Ahmad Hossein Fallahi. Still, the parliamentarians have vowed to press ahead with summoning the president and are expected to grill him over his handling of Irans crumbling economy.

On multiple occasions during his 30-year leadership, Khamenei has intervened to push back other institutions when their plans have countered expediency or endangered the face of the establishment. Yet the tactic has also inspired questions about the extent of the Iranian leader's legal authorities enshrined in the constitution.

In 2000, a new parliament of Reformists was determined to overhaul Iranian media legislation after a mass closure of newspapers and the detention of a large number of dissident journalists. The supreme leader blocked the plan in a directive to then-parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi, who is now under house arrest.

In 2012, the parliament summoned former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for questioning, but the move was blocked by a brief message from the supreme leader: The bid has already gone too far and it needs to be dropped right here, he wrote to the lawmakers, who withdrew their signatures immediately. Obedience of the directives of the supreme leader is an obligation all parliamentarians are proud to observe, former speaker Ali Larijani wrote back to Khamenei.

The supreme leader openly ordered an end to the heated media debates and parliamentary action on a $3 billion fraud case in the Iranian banking system that rocked the nation in 2011 as the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei has separately argued that despite what critics have said, there is no systemic corruption in Iran. As recently as last November, Iranian lawmakers had to abide by the supreme leader's order not to seek the cancelation of a government fuel subsidy plan despite the widespread public discontent and the deadly unrest it had sparked nationwide.

The embattled president needs the supreme leaders support. On the eve of the fifth anniversary of the Iran nuclear deal, the accords prospects appear dimmer than ever, leaving Rouhani an easy target for his hard-line opponents. The impeachment bid was motivated in part by the deal, which Rouhani's critics say has brought Iran nothing but empty promises and humiliation.

Despite escaping the impeachment bid unharmed, there is more yet to come for Rouhani. The new uncompromising parliament continues to oppose the administration with almost every single move it makes, particularly in its push to take the helm in the fight against the ailing economy.

In a televised address earlier this week, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf unveiled an economic road map that set out a new five-year vision for economic stability. Rouhani supporters see it as a clear example of Ghalibaf trying to frame Rouhani as incompetent.

The day before the televised address, Rouhani and Ghalibaf took part in a meeting of the Supreme Council for Economic Coordination. While state media coverage of the session presented a picture of consensus, Reformist paper Etemad reported on a verbal clash between Rouhani and Ghalibaf, in which the president allegedly criticized the parliament speaker for independently presenting an economic package to the supreme leader. It is the president who commands the economic war, Rouhani reportedly complained.

Then let it be and lets find out if you can handle the crisis or you will simply continue to make speeches  the fruit of which is the countrys current economic turbulence, Ghalibaf hit back, according to Etemad. Unsurprisingly, government spokesperson Ali Rabiee dismissed the bitter exchange as fake news.
The Woods County Health Department is offering free drive-through testing for Covid on Saturday, Jan. 8, by appointment. This is PCR testing, the gold standard of testing, and not the rapid test. The testing will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the alley behind the health department, which is located at 511 Barnes Ave. in Alva. Enter the alley from 5th Street. Those being tested will stay in their vehicles.

For more information, call 580-327-3192. To schedule an appointment for the testing, visit OSDH.IMMYTECH.com.

This week, 73 Oklahoma counties are in the orange" risk level, three in the "yellow" risk level and one in the "green" for the Covid-19 Risk Level System. OSDH (Oklahoma State Department of Health) continues to monitor closely the statewide hospitalization trends for Covid-19. The risk level map is updated every Wednesday morning. All of northwest Oklahoma is in the orange risk level.

According to data from OSDH that was updated on Monday, Jan. 3, Alva has 21 active cases of Covid-19. None of the other Woods County towns list cases. The OSDH shows case totals between 1 and 4 as zero. In the surrounding area, Cherokee had eight active cases on Monday, Fairview 11, Woodward 46 and Enid 125.

Variant sequencing at the OSDH Public Health (PHL) lab of most recent specimens from over the holidays shows a mix of omicron (57%) and delta (43%). This surveillance data is important to providers and the public to understand what is going on in the state.

Our team continues to monitor cases and hospitalizations to provide critical data that allows Oklahomans to make the best decisions for themselves, stated Keith Reed, interim commissioner of health. Coinciding with our increased case count and what other states are seeing, current data shows omicron is increasing in Oklahoma, and we anticipate that will continue.

Variant sequencing continues to be conducted on all positive Covid-19 tests provided to the PHL. This full sequencing process can take up to four days for completion.

Who should get tested for Covid-19?

Your healthcare provider may recommend testing for Covid-19 if you have any of the following symptoms:

 Fever or chills.

 Cough.

 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

 Fatigue.

 Muscle or body aches.

 Headache.

 New loss of taste or smell.

 Sore throat.

 Congestion or runny nose.

 Nausea or vomiting.

 Diarrhea.

Not everyone with Covid-19 develops symptoms. And not all symptomatic people develop all of the symptoms listed above. Please check with your healthcare provider if youre feeling unwell during the Covid-19 pandemic  even if youve been vaccinated.
In order to appease the left, corporations are supposed to support fighting the fictitious climate catastrophe and similar environmental causes. They are supposed to have quotas on their board of directors and in their management for women and minorities. Quotas, giving preference to people for race or sex, incite strife when the most qualified are passed over for those with racial or gender qualifications.

A corporation's environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) "score" is used to attract "woke" investors, a concept that has nothing to do with generating a profit for shareholders and the growth of the company.

Most large corporations are amoral, timid, and easily bullied. They are eager to jump on the ESG bandwagon lest they be accused of being racists or despoilers of the environment. At times this becomes comedic. Big oil companies eagerly tout their programs to reduce CO2 emissions even though their business is selling fuel that releases vast amounts of CO2 when it is burned. Fortunately, adding CO2 to the atmosphere is a good thing. It greens the Earth.

The left loves the long parade of phony environmental catastrophes over the last seventy years. The environmental villain is usually capitalism, evil corporations, or new technology. The idea that Marxism will fix environmental problems fails an empirical test, given that Marxist regimes are environmental nightmares, China being the most recent example.

The Italian communist and Marxist theoretician Antonio Gramsci clearly recognized that the route to power would be to infiltrate society's institutions. In the U.S., infiltration of the universities and the media is well along. The dominant media companies are owned by large corporations.

To gain political power, the left has a long history of exploiting society's existing tensions and manufacturing new ones, weakening social cohesion. The left is quick to embrace ideas that are socially destructive. Defunding the police is a good example. Their narrative appeals to potential converts. Society's faults are magnified, and the program of the left is held out as a solution to correct those faults.

The supporters of the left are not poverty-stricken proletarians, but people doing OK who think it is someone else's fault that they aren't doing better. Such people are receptive to the idea that society needs to be reorganized. The legions of Marxist college professors are perfect examples of people who think they deserve to be much more important than they are. In the Democrat party, there is a substantial number of outright Marxist legislators, led by Bernie Sanders, known for spending his honeymoon in the Soviet Union.

The left foments chaos and social collapse because that adds more faults to society. Common criminals are treated nicely by the left. They are depicted as victims of capitalism rather than as bad persons. In the Soviet Union, common criminals were treated far better than political prisoners. Declining to prosecute petty thieves and releasing offenders without bail by leftist district attorneys is part of the program to create chaos and encourage social collapse.

Corporations have a long history of complicity with socially destabilizing leftist ideas. Big companies don't have morals; they have sales and profits. Moral preachments by big companies are aimed at shielding them from criticism and protecting profits. Corporations are supposed to be bastions of capitalism, but their actions are counter to the economic system that makes their existence possible.

Big companies eagerly give money to Marxist organizations and organizations promoting racial division. Company executives cower when confronted by hate-filled leftist ideology. These companies are accomplices in promoting cancel culture, which threatens and intimidates people who protest the leftist agenda. They fire employees who decline the COVID vaccine, even when not under a legal obligation to do so.

Big companies are mostly morally rootless and often complicit in furthering the goals of the Chinese communists or similar evil actors. They cling to ESG because they think it gives them moral substance. ESG diverts attention from things that the companies would rather didn't attract attention. Being complicit with evil is seen as a P.R. problem, and building a solar farm is a method of purchasing an indulgence.

Occasionally, the CEO of a big company has a clear moral compass. Lee Raymond was CEO of the oil company Exxon from 1993 to 2005. Raymond was an outspoken critic of the global warming scare. He was not afraid to say what he knew was true.

The Biden administration has engaged in reckless policies such as throwing the southern border wide open to illegal aliens and attacking the moral authority of the police. Its handling of COVID is notable for trying to scare and inconvenience the population by such measures as closing schools and threatening workers with losing their jobs for not accepting dubious vaccines.

Fear of the government is an essential part of the leftist program. The Biden administration uses the FBI to intimidate parents who dare to protest the teaching of racist doctrines in their schools.

The treatment of January 6 trespassers, featuring indefinite solitary confinement for a political offense, is strikingly similar to the treatment of political dissidents in the Soviet Union. Leftist ideologues preaching against imagined injustice are completely indifferent to injustice and cruelty against their political opponents. Neither does the left care that "cruel and unusual punishments" are prohibited by the Constitution.

The American creed, espoused by American leaders from Thomas Jefferson to Martin Luther King, promotes individualism and individual rights. It is what makes the U.S. different from European welfare states. The left says America is a sham, controlled by special interests. According to the left, Bernie Sanders has a solution superior to the program promoted by the founders or by Martin Luther King. Bernie's program is on display in China and in big cities governed by democrats.

Fortunately, all is not lost. The American creed is deeply embedded in the American psyche. The program of encouraging illegal immigration by the Democrats was based on the assumption that this would bring in new democrat voters and please existing Hispanic voters. But polls show that the program has backfired and has greatly increased Republican support among Hispanics. Demonizing the police as the real criminals has increased crime and upset the voters.

Rather than backing off when confronted by pending electoral disaster, the left seems to be doubling down. This is the response of fanatics, not the response of politicians. Confronted by legislative defeats, the left has now adopted electoral reform as its top priority. The purpose of the "reform" is to make it easier to fix elections. As Stalin allegedly said, it is not the voters that matter, but the people who count the votes.

Actively working to subvert democracy is a stunning rejection of everything that is American. The leftists are the real illegal aliens, not the opportunists pouring across the southern border.

Image: geralt via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
We can safely say it's been a rough start for President Biden. Just check the approval polls a year later: 42.5! This number confirms that the only people supporting the president are his family and those on the party's payroll.

What could President Biden do today to stop the bleeding? He could call on governors or mayors to fire the teachers who don't want to work. The president has a good case to make, as we see in this report by Philip Wegmann:

A growing body of research, going back at least to the summer of 2020, shows that not only do children rarely become seriously ill from the virus, they are not nearly as likely as adults to pass it on. The previous administration tried, and failed, to pressure schools into reopening, with then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos arguing that students were being held captive to other peoples fears and agendas.

The teacher unions played politics with the Trump administration. They did not want to cooperate with him, and many "blue" mayors and governors were willing to go along. It's time for the Biden administration to stop playing games and demand that the teachers get back to teaching in school.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot of Chicago is saying the right thing:

Enough is enough. We are standing firm. And we are going to fight to get our kids back in in-person learning. Period. Full stop.

I don't know if Mayor Lightfoot can give the teachers an ultimatum to get back to work or else. I don't know about Gov. "Has Anybody Seen" J.B. Pritzker's authority, either. Maybe President Biden will wash his hands and say that there is no "federal solution" to this problem, too.

Millions of parents are waiting for someone to stand with them and their children, though. They want their kids back in school so that they can learn and interact with other kids.

Can someone do something? The parents are looking to the Oval Office and hoping to hear from President Biden.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: TMT Photos via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
Looking back to the lowlights of 2021, one viral video pretty well summed up the depths of depravity reached by our masked society.

The video depicted a man punching a woman on a crowded New York subway. Many conservative commentators quickly took to their cameras and keyboards to point out that the crowd of bystanders was unfazed, even by New York standards. So why did no one step in to defend this woman, dishing out swift street justice in the name of chivalry?

Viewer feedback to this argument showed that the average clued in American is more ahead of the curve than many commentators. Things arent the same as they used to be, and because of the racial angle in this particular instance, stepping in to subdue a violent thug on a subway is liable to backfire against you.

Some cops might see you as the bad guy, and the county prosecutor could side with the thug, especially if in your rage you let the wrong word slip out, which 20 people captured on their cell phones. So now you dont get lauded as a hero for risking life and limb to defend an assaulted woman. Instead, you get demonized.

Stuffy Sunday school attendees are often too naive to accurately assess the moment they live in, in which the guiding rule should be that the old rules may no longer apply. The ancient world was clear on this. However, when a civilization reaches the dark age  weak leadership, corrupt institutions, chaos in society, and disorder in the family  the rules are irrelevant. They dont work, and following them might even get you in trouble.

Look no farther than the McCloskeys, the family who in the summer of 2020 defended their homestead against a mob of trespassers they feared could turn violent. But, unfortunately, the response by the media and what we used to call polite society sided with the mob, denouncing those who used their Second Amendment right to protect life and property as the evil ones.

Efforts to defund the police  as well as vaccine mandates that either fire them or force them to quit  are just another stage in the trickle-down process in the breakdown of law and order that leads to vicious attacks such as the one on the subway. Look at what happened to San Francisco when they stopped prosecuting shoplifting.

Law and order cannot be enforced from the ground up. A healthy society starts at the top, with strong leaders who have no tolerance for crime. It then filters down through a respected police force within the community and only then is there social support for individual acts of heroism when there is no other recourse.

Law and order is a dam consisting of many bricks. Remove them one by one, and you open the floodgates of chaos. Lets remember this as we forge ahead in 2022.

Michael A Letts is the CEO and Founder of In-VestUSA, a national grassroots non-profit organization helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs.

Image: Tony Webster via Flickr, CC BY SA 2.0 (cropped).
People are moving from high-tax Democrat-run states to states that are more welcoming to businesses and individuals. The way Illinois is run shows many reasons why.

In Illinois, the legislature schedules adjournment by May 31, and their salary is $69,464 per year. They also get substantial pensions and other benefits with a few years of service. They also get an extra salary if they are a leader or head of a committee. The Legislature is very generous to itself.

This year, they are scheduling adjournment by early April so they can campaign. My guess is that their opponents don't get taxpayer-paid time off to campaign.

They will probably have fewer than thirty scheduled legislative days this year for their salary. They will make as much for a few days in session as the median family makes in Illinois in a year.

According to the Census ACS 1-year survey, the median household income for Illinois was $69,187 in 2019

The Democrats can actually get things done with just their two leaders. They control what goes in and out of committees and what is voted on.

In the state House, Democrats have 73 out of 118 seats or 62%. In the state Senate, the Democrats have 41 out of 59 seats or 69%.

But the power is never enough for Democrats. They draw district maps to get rid of Republicans. Somehow, Eric Holder and others haven't sued or complained about Democrats who draw their maps.

Illinois Democrats' Map Aims to Grab 2 G.O.P. Seats in Congress

Eric Holder to Lead Democrats' Attack on Republican Gerrymandering

The Illinois Constitution requires a balanced budget, yet Illinois has run up hundreds of billions in actual debt and unfunded pension and health liabilities. The reason federal, state, and local entities have so much debt and unfunded liabilities is that they essentially borrow to balance their budget. They also cater to unions to promise unsustainable benefits. The taxpayers are their least concern.

Fiscal watchdog Truth in Accounting crunched the numbers for Illinois and gave the state an F grade in its latest Financial State of the States report. The report showed Illinois had just over $36 billion in assets available to pay bills totaling more than $272 billion, leaving the state needing $236 billion in additional assets to pay its bills. (source)

Kiplinger determined that Illinois is the least tax-friendly state of all, yet the greedy politicians want more. They talk about the need for people to pay their fair share, yet there is never a concern that they only take the government's fair share.

Kiplinger report finds Illinois' sales, income and property taxes on middle-income families rank among the highest in the nation, making prospective residents think twice about moving to the state. Illinois is the "least tax friendly" state for middle-class families in the U.S., according to a new Kiplinger report. The annual state-by-state tax analysis found a middle-income couple with two children in Illinois pays some of the highest taxes on income, sales and property in the nation, earning the Land of Lincoln the lowest rank of any state. The analysis determined Illinois' 4.95% flat state income tax rate is tied for ninth-highest levied against middle-class taxpayers in the country. Illinoisans pay the seventh-highest combined state and local tax rate at an average 8.83%. Kiplinger notes that burden on the middle class grows substantially when you consider Illinois residents already pay the second-highest property taxes in the nation. Nearly half of Illinoisans have thought about leaving the state, citing high taxes as their No. 1 reason. Kiplinger said it could also be making prospective residents think twice about moving to Illinois.

We will probably hear that Illinois will have a serious ethics bill. People must be very naive to believe that these politicians give a damn about ethics after Illinois has been a state for over 200 years.

The media always talk about getting rid of greed and corruption and having ethical politicians. That would be much easier if they didn't support, campaign for, and bury truthful information on politicians who are corrupt and unethical.

For example:

Journalists should never support a billionaire who was willing to commit fraud to save $300,000 in property taxes by taking toilets out of one of his many mansions. He clearly cared more about his money than the children, other taxpayers, or paying his fair share. If he was willing to commit fraud to save a pittance of his money, what else would he do?

Journalists should never support a person for senator or president that they knew took political favors from criminal political operative Tony Rezko. The media never cared about Obama's corruption and unethical activity while they sought to destroy McCain and Palin.

Journalists should never have supported the Clintons, who took massive kickbacks and set out to destroy women who dared tell the truth about Bill's history of sexual abuse. How many women and young girls were physically and mentally harmed by powerful men like Bill, Harvey Weinstein, and Jeffrey Epstein because the media were so busy campaigning for and protecting the Clintons?

And they never should have supported Joe Biden, who larded up his family wealth with kickbacks from Ukraine, Russia, China, and who knows where else. The media not only didn't care, but also intentionally hid the truth of the corruption from the public. Their interference in the 2020 election was extremely harmful to our democracy.

The media have known about the corrupt political machine in Illinois for a long time and mostly look the other way to hide the truth from the public. It is no wonder that so many residents of Illinois are taking the opportunity to get out to more honest, welcoming states.

Illinois, as a sanctuary state, is more welcoming of people who came here illegally than it is to legal residents. When will the media work for the people instead of for the corrupt powerful?

Here is a great article about the corrupt political machine in Illinois and how involved Obama was. It came out before the 2008 election, and the media didn't care. It is a shame the public has to suffer so much because of the media's willful blindness.

POLITICS: Obama and the Integrity Gap: The Machine
If you like dishonesty, and dollop after dollop of general disgustingness, Joe Biden had the speech for you.

Here he was for his big Jan. 6 moment in front of Congress, denouncing his predecessor, President Trump, defending voter fraud, demanding more of it, and calling it "democracy." His speech was ultimately an argument for his own right to power, by fair means or foul. Andrea Widburg has an excellent piece describing the Academy Awards quality of the whole wretched spectacle here.

(You'll need to listen to this afterward as sort of a mental shower, something to get the stink off. Greg Gutfeld is in fine form.)

Here are a few Twitter snippets, because there was no getting away from the old dotard in this grand moment of his, grotesquely defending his "right" to power:

One year ago today, democracy was attacked. The will of the people was under assault. And our Constitution faced the gravest of threats.



Im heading to the Capitol this morning to speak about the day of insurrection, the state of American democracy, and where we go from here.  President Biden (@POTUS) January 6, 2022

Here is the truth: The former president of the United States has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.



Hes done so because he values power over principle. Because his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or Constitution.  President Biden (@POTUS) January 6, 2022

Despite what the former president says, there is simply zero proof that the 2020 election results were inaccurate. pic.twitter.com/TVpFxawr4M  President Biden (@POTUS) January 6, 2022

It is up to all of us, We the People, to stand for the rule of law.



To preserve the flame of democracy.



To keep the promise of America alive.  President Biden (@POTUS) January 7, 2022

You cant love your country only when you win.



You can't obey the law only when it's convenient.



You can't be patriotic when you embrace or enable lies.  President Biden (@POTUS) January 6, 2022

President Biden: I will stand in this breach. I will defend this nation and allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy.  Duty To Warn  (@duty2warn) January 7, 2022

Last year, for the first time in our history, a president who just lost an election tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol.



But they failed.



And on this day of remembrance we must make sure that such an attack never happens again.  President Biden (@POTUS) January 6, 2022

Several things stick out, and none of them is pleasant.

One, he clearly hired a political consultant to profile which words would upset President Trump most, because he wanted to stick the knife in himself. "Failure," "didn't win," "lost," all spoken with shouting-level emphasis, figured prominently, just as any good political profiler might recommend. Those words were chosen carefully. Well, now we know what his real aim was in that speech: to annoy President Trump and insult his voters, not "defend democracy" as he tried to market to the public. When have we ever had a president of this kind of crumminess? File under "disgusting."

His claims about democracy being attacked and the will of the people being under assault and the Constitution being under attack were garbage, too. We all know he doesn't care about democracy. This is the vax mandate president; he's the thug who tells you what to do with your own body or no school and airline flights for you. Illegals are exempt, and they don't need ID to ride airplanes, either. Law? He doesn't care about that  he repeatedly ignored judicial orders and does what he damn well pleases. Constitution? He and his want to get rid of the Constitution. Will of the people? He shouldn't go there  "Let's go, Brandon" and "I did that" are the will of the people, now that he's ensconced in office by fraud in a stolen election and his poll numbers are perfectly reflective of it.

"The promise of America alive"? "The flame of democracy"? Said the man in bed with wokesters, statue-topplers, Critical Race Theory commissars, and Chicom-compromised propagandists? These creatures have never liked America. Their aim is to get rid of America. What they like is power, and what they want is our stuff, to expropriate for themselves, the better to create a new nomenklatura out of the carcass of American democracy. Those phrases are clearly borrowed from Peggy Noonan from the Reagan era before she went NeverTrump on us. As usual, Joe Biden plagiarizes, wearing Reaganist phrases like a skin suit.

"You can't love your country only when you win"? That's a doozy. Let's hear him mouth that phrase at the midterms come November 2022. As for "win," well, he didn't win; he cheated. State after state has enacted bona fide election reform laws after all of the sludge that has come out about ballot-harvesting, mass mail balloting, dead voters, zero ID voters, illegals voting, and other bona fide electoral abuses. Arizona held hearings and found massive problems, many of which cannot be redressed because the evidence is gone or tainted. Georgia right now has belatedly gotten around to investigating ballot-harvesting, which is illegal in the state, with one character coming out of the woodwork to say he earned $45,000 for all his hard work harvesting ballots. American Thinker contributor Jay Valentine has done stellar research on nests of fraud that have been festering for years in many blue (and occasionally red) states. The fraud in the recent New Jersey election certainly doesn't instill confidence that election stealing is gone. Molly Hemingway has exposed the Mark Zuckerberg/social media manipulations and buck-slinging in her bestselling book called Rigged that's out now.

Elsewhere in his speech (I listened to the whole thing), he declared the 2020 election "full, free, and fair." Yet he also used this speech to call for the Democrats' latest scheme to reform voting laws so that all states can run elections like California  zero voter ID, ballot-harvesting galore, full junk mail mass balloting, and zero cleanup of the voter rolls. Hey, Joe: If things are so great, why the need for "reform"? We all know what this "reform" is  institutional rigging on all states in a grotesque federal takeover of elections, to ensure the Democrat grip on power is as durable as the Castro oligarchy's in Cuba. That's their role model, and that's why they admire the shambles of Cuba so much  they identify with the leader who can maintain his grip on power forever. Thus the new rigging bills, which are baleful to all fair-minded Americans. Joe knows he can't win elections without them.

At the end, he vows to "defend the nation"  revolting words from a man who refuses to defend America's border and who presented us with the biggest, most humiliating American defeat of all time in Afghanistan. This is not a guy who defends us, our rule of law, our property, our prosperity, or actually anything, given his general lawlessness, senility, and dictatorial inclinations.

This is angry Joe Biden in all his ugliness, a bitter, small, failed president, who retains a rat's ambition to rise from his mouse-itude. President Trump, in his reply to the dotard, called it right in that he said Joe Biden's speech was a distraction from his own failed presidency. Biden's lies, plagiarisms, gaslights, and undisguised interest in maintaining his own personal power are operative here. It's all Joe amounts to. It's disgusting as hell.

Image: Screen shot from NBC News video via YouTube.
Have you, like me, struggled to figure out how we have arrived at such a horrific impasse in society? Dr. Robert Malone may have the answer: mass formation. Here's what I understand that to mean.

Twenty twenty-two sees so many liars, as well as others with their heads firmly glued to their social media devices, paying no mind to reality. Most people just swallow without a murmur the cacophony of propaganda that oligarchs, techies, newsies, pols, and "scientists" spout while excoriating anyone who thinks freely. We who don't go along experience inordinate hostility. Too many people are happy to ignore the obvious evidence of vast harm that bad actors visit on our entire society through the irrational dictates they embrace and enforce upon us all. This is an isolating phenomenon and one that we must overcome.

Dr. Robert Malone, during his interview with Joe Rogan, introduced a new term: Mass Formation Psychosis. Maybe this does explain our unsettling societal disconnect. Certainly, our esteemed Google censors have been playing whack-a-mole with the terminology and anything to do with it. I simply went around the barricades and found what I needed within our growing group of alternative sites.

In this 13-minute clip, Dr. Malone explains mass formation psychosis.

He points out that societal disconnect leads to "free-floating anxiety." That's certainly something I can relate to. Things, people, and "facts" just don't make sense, making us vulnerable and severing the connection to community, both close to home and in the larger sense.

This, he says, leads to a form of hypnosis for many people. Most everyone, when the virus hit, focused on the virus and nothing else and were hypnotized by staring at it nonstop. The theory says that once everyone is focused so intently, one or more leaders can jump in and seize the moment. Whatever they say, the hypnotized will focus on and believe. Outside thinkers  dissenters  must be attacked and destroyed. In other words, exactly what's been happening.

Thanks to Dr. Malone and a few others, Rumble has discussions from others about this phenomenon. Dr. Mattias Desmet, a psychologist and professor in Belgium, at Ghent University, developed the hypothesis. His field of study, group dynamics, led to his positing that when the members of a population are decoupled from one another  which characterizes this new age of faceless online communication and physical isolation, where 60% of people polled say they have no meaningful relationships in their lives  it is ripe for this type of thought takeover. Think Hitler in Germany, Stalin in Russia, or Mao in China for obvious examples of a people gulled, hypnotized, led by strong (and crazed) leaders down the rabbit hole of violent hate.

In the following video, the host, Dr. Tom Woodward, sits back and allows the exchange of ideas to flow between Drs. Desmet and Malone, with input from Dr. McCollough:

Dr. Desmet asks that the word "psychosis" be removed from the theory, as it's too clinical and off-putting. Dr. Malone pointed out that, for the American public, "crowd" could be substituted for mass  crowd formation perhaps making more sense to us linguistically. No matter the name, though, it's clear that the step-by-step process  taking people who are isolated, lonely, and beset by free-floating anxiety caused by changes in their lives they can neither comprehend nor control (e.g., COVID) and offering them a strategy to deal  will form a mass (or crowd) that has a strong social bond.

The doctors pointed out that this phenomenon is always destructive. Once the crowd identifies a common enemy, the enemy's destruction becomes essential. Then, that achieved, the crowd looks for another target, a new enemy to destroy, even if that enemy is from within its cohort. The concept, that it's a monster that devours its own children, is credited to Hannah Arendt, a political thinker in the last century who barely escaped the Holocaust.

What I've said is only a quick glimpse into the phenomenon, but maybe, possibly, it helps us understand how we're at such an impasse. The rest is up to us.

Understanding what's happening is the first step. Finding ways to expose and broadcast the evil for all to see is the second. Each of us must find, live, and give voice to the truth before this crowd formation gets stronger.

From my point of view, the only way out of this conundrum is to form a strong community. I know I feel isolated here in the San Francisco Bay Area, but I have a found community of sorts in writing for American Thinker and exchanging thoughts with other writers and thinkers.

If we don't act, America will succumb to the "inevitable," and we'll watch our society be destroyed. I know what I choose and hope you'll stand with me, speak the truth, and win this war.

Image: Drs. Desmet, Malone, and McCullough. Rumble screen grab.
"I've seen more of Dr. Fauci than I have my wife," said Joe Biden as he announced his winter plan for the pandemic. "We kid each other. But  hey look, who's president? Fauci." That may sound like an unscripted quip, but for Biden, it's not a stretch.

Biden earned a B.A. in history and political science and a law degree from Syracuse University. His academic record shows no medical or biology studies of any kind. Biden's recent pronouncement that "this continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated" is straight from Dr. Fauci. The chief White House medical adviser can boast advantages that Biden lacks.

Anthony Fauci earned a medical degree in 1966 and in 1968 hired on with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Fauci's bio shows no advanced degrees in molecular biology or biochemistry, but in 1984, he became director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the NIH.

In 1985, Fauci married Christine Grady, a nurse who later earned a Ph.D. in philosophy and bioethics from Georgetown. Fauci headed up AIDS policy, and in 1995, his wife authored The Search for an AIDS Vaccine, which dealt with research on "human subjects," clinical drug trials, and such.

Christine Grady, who is not a medical doctor, is now director of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health and heads the NIH section on human subjects research. As Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has noted in The Real Anthony Fauci, Grady's husband has authorized gruesome experiments on human subjects, including foster children.

If Christine Grady had ethical objections, nothing has emerged in public. By all indications, whatever her husband wants to do, his dutiful wife will sign off on it. That colossal conflict of interest raises an issue.

It is as though President Richard Nixon's wife Pat headed the Federal Election Commission and told her husband the Watergate operation was perfectly fine. In similar style, if Ronald Reagan's wife Nancy had held a key post in the Department of Justice, the Iran Contra operation would doubtless have posed no ethical issues.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi cannot shut down the U.S. economy, but Fauci came close with his destructive lockdowns. No public word from Christine Grady on the ethics involved in locking down American workers.

When the scientists of the Great Barrington Declaration showed the lockdowns to be harmful, particularly to children, Fauci and NIH boss Francis Collins conducted a vicious smear campaign against them. No word from Christine Grady on the ethics of that campaign.

According to the NIH Office of Science Policy, gain-of-function research can enhance the "pathogenicity or transmissibility of potential pandemic pathogens," which raises "biosafety and biosecurity concerns." If Christine Grady has ethical concerns about this dangerous research, the NIH bioethics boss has kept them to herself.

Fauci and Director Collins both lied about funding gain-of-function research at Wuhan Institute of Virology, controlled by a communist dictatorship and not accountable to American taxpayers. If Fauci's wife has issued a statement on the ethics of that deception, it is proving hard to find.

Despite his many reversals, Fauci now claims, "I represent science." That smacks of megalomania, but Fauci continues as NIAID director and chief adviser to Joe Biden, who first ran for president in 1988, but plagiarism of British politician Neil Kinnock derailed the campaign.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, 81, wields executive-level power, to the point that Biden calls him the real president, yet in a career of more than fifty years Dr. Fauci never once had to face a vote of the people. White coat supremacy is no basis for a system of government, and Dr. Anthony Fauci is the face of white coat supremacy in America.

Lloyd Billingsley is a policy fellow at the Independent Institute in Oakland, Calif.

Image: NIAID.
On Wednesday, Tucker Carlson made most Republicans aware of the fact that Ted Cruz referred to events on January 6, 2021, as a "violent terrorist attack on the Capitol." On Thursday, Ted Cruz appeared on Tucker's show to try to walk back what he said.

Tucker was brutal with him. This was a good thing because it showed that conservatives have more integrity than Democrats when it comes to calling their own side out. It also gave Cruz the chance to repent and fight his way back into conservatives' good graces.

Thomas Lifson wrote about Cruz's peculiar statement here.

There are lots of theories as to why Cruz said what he said. Tucker called him a Merrick Garland puppet; Thomas Lifson thinks he's angling for the Supreme Court; and one friend suggested that he was trying to avoid the Democrat lynch mob, led by Marc Elias, which announced a plan to use January 6 to bar Republicans from running for Congress.

Whatever Cruz's future political plans are, they're not going to happen if every conservative in America (but for the handful of NeverTrumps who are turning into leftists) hates him. That's why, the moment Cruz heard about Tucker's show, he shot a text to Tucker, begging to be allowed on the next day's show to set the record straight. And so it was that Cruz showed up on Tucker's Thursday night show:

If Cruz thought appearing on Fox News with a conservative host was going to be a cakewalk  apologize, receive Tucker's absolution, and chitchat a bit  he was sorely mistaken. Cruz tried to say that he just misspoke ("it was sloppy and it was frankly dumb"), only to have Tucker come back with "I don't buy that." He pointed out that Cruz is one of the smartest, most articulate people around, and he doesn't just misspeak.

Cruz shifted to saying that his "sloppy phrasing" led people to misunderstand what he meant. What he really meant was that all assaults against police are violent terrorist acts. Cruz explained that, for a decade, and especially during 2020, he has consistently referred to violent attacks on the police as terrorist attacks, and that was what he was saying here. And it is true that, in the offending video, immediately after mentioning the terrorist attack, Cruz does praise the Capitol Hill Police.

In other words, Cruz says he was sloppy because he reflexively used the same expression he's used before. He never meant to impugn Trump-supporters. But as Trump snapped back, while all people who physically attack the police are criminals, the January 6 people are not terrorists. Cruz, he pointed out, should have been savvy enough not to fall into the hyperbolic nomenclature that the Democrats have been using, no matter how much he wanted to praise the police.



Image: Tucker Carlson grills Ted Cruz. Rumble screen grab.

Cruz could only reiterate what he'd said before and explain, again, that it was a mistake to say that in the context of the January 6 protests. He ended on two strong notes. First, he admitted his mistake: "I agree it was a mistake to use the word yesterday because the Democrats and the corporate media have so politicized it, they're trying to paint everyone as a terrorist and it's a lie." Second, he said he was the one leading the fight in the Senate against this January 6 garbage.

We'll never know whether Cruz was trying to protect himself from Democrat attacks or had lazily swung into what is, for him, a standard stump speech. I'm inclined to the latter point.

For example, in August, in the context of the January 6 prisoners, Cruz again made a strong statement about attacking the police: "If an individual assaulted a police officer, they should spend a long, long time in jail." At the same time, he made it clear to shocked HuffPo apparatchiks that he believed that, for those who did not violently attack the police but were instead engaged in nonviolent political speech and protest, the Biden administration was "targeting and persecuting" people.

There's no doubt that Cruz dealt himself a serious blow when he referred to "terrorists" on January 6 because he appeared deeply disloyal to those who had aligned with him on January 6 when he objected to the supposed Electoral College results. Cruz also gave massive ammunition to leftists.

However, appearing on the Tucker show did give him a chance to explain the context of his ill chosen words, as well as to apologize. Tucker later praised him both for coming onto the show and for admitting his mistake. It remains to be seen whether conservatives will forgive him. I'm probably a little more forgiving than most because I write so much. I occasionally fall into a beaten path and say the wrong thing out of habit, so his excuse is credible to me.

Regardless of my personal feelings about the merits of Cruz's defense, in the unlikely event that 2024 boils down to a fight between whatever Democrat party candidate and Ted Cruz, I'm voting for Cruz. At the end of the day, I'm not going to be stupid enough to turn my back on a highly intelligent man who has a consistently conservative voting record.
Say one thing for the once august Smithsonian Institution: when they decide to do something, they go big. The Smithsonian didn't settle for a replica of the Wright Flyer; it would accept only the real thing, and that's what's hanging in the National Air & Space Museum in Washington.

Reality used to be the Smithsonian's prime directive. Now? They're now building a new collection, but it's not devoted to science, history, industry, or anything so unifying and uplifting. The Smithsonian's new collection is nakedly political and linked to lies. And it's not the first time.

The Smithsonian is going big on a date that Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, CNN, and Chuck Schumer want to live in infamy because they want to take permanent control of all of our elections, but the rest of America has mostly gotten past January 6. The once prestigious museum is collecting "artifacts" from the day a mob got into, mostly walked into, and many were invited into by the Capitol Police, the U.S. Capitol building. Remember  the day a Capitol Police officer shot an unarmed American veteran woman dead, it was captured on video, and the shooter was never brought to justice? Remember  the day a bunch of orange-hatted FBI agents instigated a riot and then blamed it on all Republicans and conservatives? Yeah, that day.

The Smithsonian says it's building a collection of stuff from that day. But you can bet it won't be interested in any of the radios the FBI used to agitate and instigate. It won't snap up the gun used to kill Ashli Babbitt. It won't pick up a bucket any of the January 6 political prisoners have to use to relieve themselves in their jail cells, where they're treated worse than the Los Angeles County D.A. treats murderers and rapists.

"The Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, and on the foundation of the United States' democratic republic, revealed the fragility of our political system," Anthea M. Hartig, the museum's Elizabeth MacMillan director, told the institution's in-house magazine. She's right that our republic  not democracy, since the United States isn't and has never been a democracy  is fragile. She's just wrong about the reasons. It's fragile because all of our institutions, including the one Hartig leads, have been captured by woke racists who hate America. They denounce America as "racist" and "unfair" every single day. They concoct trainings they force their employees to go through during which America is trashed as the land of oppression, not freedom. They reject America's real founding, 1776, for a lie that undermines America at its very republican core.

Then after they take a hammer and sickle to chip away at America's foundations, they have the audacity, the gall, to say America is "fragile." It is  because they're working to destroy it.

The Smithsonian's conscious decision to go political isn't a one-off. The Smithsonian has gone big and gone woke at the same time, which means hating the America that makes its existence possible. In its National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Smithsonian  which once prided itself on its fidelity to facts, accuracy, and authenticity  put out an entire section of its website devoted entirely to radical racist "whiteness" theories and propaganda. I'm not exaggerating; it's right here.

The Smithsonian isn't supposed to be political, but it's clearly taking sides in the culture wars by pushing out divisive, radical tripe that would please Pol Pot, and now by building this one-sided January 6 collection. The Smithsonian's current "whiteness" fare is a watered down version of the chart it published in 2020. That chart openly claimed that traits such as hard work, self-reliance, and even getting to where you're going on time are "white" traits. How are any of those traits "white," or any other skin color? What happened to the dream of getting past skin color to see character? How is it not racist to say that only white people work hard and can be punctual?

The Smithsonian ended up apologizing for getting caught publishing that, but it's clearly a fully politicized arm of the hard-left core of the Democratic National Committee now. Its January 6 collection must and can only be seen in this light. The Smithsonian Institution is no longer doing rocket science or even museum science. It's engaged in political science now, nothing more and nothing less.

A.J. Rice is author of the book The Woking Dead: How Society's Vogue Virus Destroys Our Culture. He serves as CEO of Publius PR, a premier communications firm in Washington, D.C.

Image: Smithsonian Institution.
Ever since the Schengen Agreement was signed in 1985, internal borders between a large number of European countries are gradually disappearing. The entire Schengen Area, comprising of 26 European countries and 16,500 kilometers of borders, have abolished passport and any type of border control allowing free movement of goods, information, money and people. The Schengen Agreement marks great progress in the gradual unification of Europe and the development of a European consciousness. This transformation in European relations was highlighted when the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the European Union on 10 December 2012.

Italian photographer Valerio Vincenzo has spent the last eight years photographing these internal boundaries that have slowly faded from the landscape and from peoples minds. Equipped with a medium-format camera, a GPS, guides and detailed maps, Vincenzo travelled through the entire European Union crossing over these borders more than a thousand times.

I show images that are very different from what we tend to associate with the notion of borders: fences, barbed wire, patrols, Valerio Vincenzo told CNN in an interview. By showing very calm, peaceful border landscapes, I question the meaning nowadays of borderlines between countries. I want to talk about the borders of the future, more than about the borders of the past.

Vincenzo states that the idea of living or traveling around the various European nations was inconceivable during the Cold War, and is probably the most important historical event in Europe since World War II.

I wanted to give visibility to this radical change, he said.

Looking back on the centuries of fratricidal wars which the nations of Europe waged on one another to establish their borders and impose controls on those wishing to cross them  we can measure just how far European attitudes have progressed by this area of freedom and mutual trust.

His project "Borderline, the Frontiers of Peace" will be exhibited at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris in September.

Sources: CNN / Private Photo Review

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Mahesh Babu Gets Tested Positive For Coronavirus:- Superstar Mahesh Babu has been on a break and he underwent a surgery for his right leg abroad. He has been holidaying in Dubai from the past few days and he returned back to India recently. The top actor released an official statement that he is tested positive for coronavirus. Mahesh Babu isolated himself at his home and has mild symptoms. The entire Tollywood wished him a speedy recovery. Mahesh Babu is shooting for Sarkaru Vaari Paata in the direction of Parasuram and the film is aimed for summer 2022 release.

"Despite taking all the necessary precautions, I've tested positive for Covid-19 with mild symptoms. I've isolated myself at home and have been following medical guidance. Request all those who came in contact with e to get themselves tested. I urge everyone who's not taken their vaccination to do so immediately, as it reduces the risk of severe symptoms and hospitalization. Please follow the COVID norms and stay safe." posted Superstar on his official social media page.
Fossil fuel companies seem to have invested heavily in Google ads. According to a new analysis by The Guardian and InfluenceMap, Google shows ads for fossil fuel companies to users who have searched for climate change.

The inconsistency of Google search terms with the ads displayed has always been a controversial issue. The research team searched for 78 phrases related to climate change, and more than 1,600 ads appeared. The group says that over one in five were from companies with significant interests in fossil fuels.

ExxonMobil, Shell, and Aramco are among the fossil fuel companies that owned most of these ads. McKinsey and Goldman Sachs are next in line.

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Google is letting groups with a vested interest in the continued use of fossil fuels pay to influence the resources people receive when they are trying to educate themselves, InfluenceMap senior data analyst Jake Carbone told The Guardian.

Google ads for fossil fuel companies look like regular searches

What makes Google ads for fossil fuel companies even more controversial is that the ads displayed are very similar to the common search phrases, and users have difficulty distinguishing them. The Varn research in 2020 proved that 58.1% of users could not distinguish an ad from a regular link.

The advertisements of these companies are also interesting. Fossil fuel companies, unlike other companies, do not use Google ads to sell their products because the authorities of any country do not search Google to buy oil or diesel.

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Fossil fuel companies are promoting their net zero plans

Most of the ads from fossil fuel companies focus on moving towards green and promoting their net zero strategies. For example, the British oil and gas company Shell says its a willing and able player in the energy transition. Another British company BP insists on Building and advocating for more renewable capacity & infrastructure.

According to The Guardian and InfluenceMap study, in 86% of the search results for the net zero, about 153 ads from Shell showed up. This shows the heavy investment of Shell in promoting its strategies.

Most fossil fuel companies have announced their plans to reach net zero in the following decades. BP and Shell said that they would reach net zero by 2050. However, these aspirations seem a little far from reality, and the two companies will continue to sell fossil fuels until 2050.
Samsung has detailed the contents of the January 2022 Android security patch for its Galaxy smartphones and tablets. The latest SMR (Security Maintenance Release) contains fixes for more than five dozen privacy and security vulnerabilities found on Googles version of Android as well as Samsungs custom software.

According to the updated security bulletin on Samsungs website, this months SMR contains no less than 52 CVE items (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) from Google. At least two of those vulnerabilities, which have been fixed now, were of critical severity. Meaning, they could potentially cause critical damages to users if exploited in the wild. Google also patched 36 high-risk vulnerabilities with the January 2022 SMR. Nine other CVE items, which are part of the latest Android security patch, dont apply to Samsung devices.

Additionally, Samsung has fixed 19 SVE items (Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures) as well this month. SVEs are privacy and security vulnerabilities that only affect the Korean brands Android-powered devices. The company hasnt disclosed them all in the update bulletin, which is standard practice as the new security patch has yet to roll out to many Galaxy smartphones and tablets.

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Among those disclosed include a high-risk vulnerability relating to Knox Guard. An incorrect implementation of Knox Guard allowed an attacker to temporarily unlock it by physically entering the Samsung DeX mode. Samsung has also fixed at least two more high-risk vulnerabilities with this months SMR. You can find the updated Android Security Bulletin for January 2022 here.

Samsung has already started rolling out the January 2022 security patch

Samsung has lately made a habit of releasing the latest security patch to its devices even before entering the new month. It has done so without fail for more than a year now, including this month. The January 2022 SMR rolled out to the Galaxy A51 towards the end of December last year, much before any other Android OEM. A few more devices have since jumped on the bandwagon, including the Galaxy S21 series. You can expect more to join the party in the coming weeks.

Its not just security updates that Samsung is excelling at lately though. The Korean behemoth has been surprisingly fast with its Android 12 rollout as well. We are just entering the new year and the company has already seeded the Android 12-based One UI 4.0 to dozens of Galaxy smartphones and tablets. These include all of its eligible flagship models and a few lower-cost ones. The remaining eligible mid-range and budgets models will also receive the big Android update over the next few months.
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(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 7 - Italy's hospital doctors on Friday urgently appealed to the government to lay on more money and staff to avert what they called a "health Caporetto", a national catastrophe named after a crushing WWI defeat to the Austrians.

"We need money and staff to get out of the emergency," said the hospital doctors largest trade union, Anaao Assomed.

They proposed a five-point plan: entrust vaccines and swabs to the 50,000 doctors getting their specializations; pension-age staff volunteering to stay on; opening up to foreign doctors; recognizing idemnities; and involving the private sector more.

(ANSA).


TUNIS - The Tunisian Investment Authority (TIA) has officially launched the Online Investor Guide.



The guide, available at: https://guide.tia.gov.tn/, was developed by the authority with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).



It is an interactive tool that offers up-to-date practical information on investment opportunities and the business climate in Tunisia.



The guide presents Tunisia as an attractive investment site thanks to its skill pool, with over 7,000 engineers, 25,000 students, 70,000 graduates annually and more than 200 academic institutions.



In addition, the guide highlights the country's infrastructure: nine international airports, seven commercial trade ports, 157 industrial zones, 15 cyber parks and 12 competitiveness clusters.



The guide also offers an overview of investment opportunities and the main business sectors in Tunisia, namely the aviation and automotive industry, pharmaceuticals, ICT, textiles, tourism, and green energy.



Tunisia is the fourth-largest textile supplier to the European Union.



It offers a low per-unit cost compared to direct competitors and enjoys geographical proximity to European markets.



The guide also provides a list of international companies operating in different businesses that have chosen Tunisia as their regional base of operations, including Altran, Huawei, IBM, Sanofi, Pfizer, Valeo, Leoni, and Yazaki.



TIA serves as the first point of contact for investors wishing to operate in Tunisia.



Its mission is to offer guidance to new or expanding businesses at every stage and to help entrepreneurs or companies explore investment opportunities.
VATICAN CITY - Swiss judicial authorities have refused a request by Italian financier Raffaele Mincione, a defendant in a Vatican trial over an allegedly inflated London property deal on Sloane Avenue, to free up some 48 million euro in funds deposited in Swiss banks and frozen a year ago, Holy See sources said Friday.



Swiss media sources have put the amount even higher, at some 60 million euros.



The trial resumes on January 25.



On November 19 Msgr Alberto Perlasca was cleared of corruption in the controversial property deal.



The former official of the Vatican's Secretariat of State did not knowingly take part in the "numerous fraudulent operations proved by the promotor of justice's office," said Vatican judge Paolo Papanti Pelletier.



On October 6 a Vatican court dropped the case against Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the highest-ranked Catholic cleric ever to face charges of financial crimes.



Becciu, who in 2020 resigned as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, was accused of embezzlement and abuse of office in relation to when he was the Vatican's Substitute of the Secretariat of State.
Join Edith Salas of Salas Properties & host Jenn Barlow as they visit the Coronado Shores community. The towers have amazing views including the world famous Hotel del Coronado, downtown San Diego, San Diego Bay, the City of Coronado, Point Loma, and the Pacific Ocean.
Andrew Garfield says he would definitely be up for reprising his role as Spider-Man if it felt right to do so.

The actor said it had been hilarious working with Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire on the latest instalment of the web-slinging franchise and the trio had shared their individual experiences of the character and the famous spandex.

Speaking to Variety magazine he said: I think the first time we were all in the suit together, it was hilarious because its like just three ordinary dudes who were just actors just hanging out.

The latest instalment of the web-slinging franchise features Tom Holland and Zendaya (Yui Mok/PA)

But then also, you just become a fan and say, Oh my god were all together in the suits and were doing the pointing thing.

There was talk about going to the bathroom and, you know, padding around the package.

We talked about what worked for each of us.

Garfield said that Holland, who also stars as Peter Parker in two of Marvels Avengers films, was jealous of his own costume and that all three Spider-Men had become close while filming.

Tom was jealous because I have little zippers in my suit that I can get my hands out of very easily, he said.

Dont miss out on the best Marvel movie of all time. #SpiderManNoWayHome is now playing exclusively in movie theaters! pic.twitter.com/MpRcm5CqPP  Spider-Man: No Way Home says HAPPY 2022! (@SpiderManMovie) December 18, 2021

To work his phone, he had to use his nose because he couldnt access his hands.

He added: We would have deeper conversations, too, and talk about our experiences with the character.

Theres a line I improvised in the movie, looking at (Maguire and Holland) and I tell them I love them. That was just me loving them.

Speaking about the possibility of returning to the character he said:  I mean, yes, definitely open to something if it felt right.

Peter and Spider-Man, those characters are all about service, to the greater good and the many.

Hes a working-class boy from Queens that knows struggle and loss and is deeply empathetic.

Garfield and Holland are joined by Tobey Maguire who starred as Peter Parker in the franchise from 2002-2007 (Yui Mok/PA)

I would try to borrow Peter Parkers ethical framework in that, if there was an opportunity to step back in and tell more of that story, I would have to feel very sure and certain in myself.

The film Spider-Man: No Way Home, which also stars Zendaya and Benedict Cumberbatch, has achieved global success since its release in December.

The blockbuster also explored the multiverse, seeing villains from previous Spider-Man films return, as well as two other Peter Parkers.

It smashed box-office records in its opening weekend, making an estimated 600 million dollars worldwide.

The film was beaten only by Avengers: Infinity War, which earned 640 million dollars worldwide, and Avengers: Endgame which earned 1.2 billion dollars.
Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey have paid tribute to trailblazing Hollywood star Sidney Poitier after his death at the age of 94.

The Bahamian-American actor was known for films including In The Heat Of The Night, Blackboard Jungle and Guess Whos Coming To Dinner  and was the first black man to win the Oscar for best actor.

Former US president Mr Obama shared a photo of himself and his wife Michelle standing alongside Poitier after he had awarded the esteemed actor the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.

Through his groundbreaking roles and singular talent, Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace, revealing the power of movies to bring us closer together. He also opened doors for a generation of actors. Michelle and I send our love to his family and legion of fans. pic.twitter.com/zkYKFSxfKA  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 7, 2022

Mr Obama wrote: Through his groundbreaking roles and singular talent, Sidney Poitier epitomised dignity and grace, revealing the power of movies to bring us closer together.

He also opened doors for a generation of actors.

Michelle and I send our love to his family and legion of fans.

US talk show host Winfrey posted a photo of the pair in a joyful embrace and added an emotional message, saying: For me, the greatest of the Great Trees has fallen: Sidney Poitier.

My honour to have loved him as a mentor. Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher.

The utmost, highest regard and praise for his most magnificent, gracious, eloquent life.

I treasured him. I adored him. He had an enormous soul I will forever cherish. Blessings to Joanna and his world of beautiful daughters.

Former tennis world number one and equality activist Billie Jean King reflected on standout achievements from his career in a post to Twitter, adding: He was a trailblazer in acting & directing & paved the way for many to follow. Rest In Peace.

On 8/12/09, Sidney Poitier, the 1st Black man to win the Best Actor Oscar, & I received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President @BarackObama. He was a trailblazer in acting & directing & paved the way for many to follow. Rest In Peace. https://t.co/NKX8I70eYD  Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) January 7, 2022

Actress Reese Witherspoon posted a photo of her and Poitier to Twitter and said: Today we lost a legend. I was lucky enough to spend some time with Sidney Poitier.

As a long time fan, I cherished hearing his incredible stories of how he changed perceptions in Hollywood.

His incredible performances are filled with dignity, strength, truth and deep humanity.

Today we lost a legend. I was lucky enough to spend some time with Sidney Poitier. As a long time fan, I cherished hearing his incredible stories of how he changed perceptions in Hollywood. His incredible performances are filled with dignity, strength, truth and deep humanity. pic.twitter.com/OnqH2gGg9f  Reese Witherspoon (@ReeseW) January 7, 2022

Singing legend Diana Ross also paid her condolences to Poitiers family and shared a black and white photo of her and the actor, adding: A wonderful, great man, Will always be remembered.

Filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner said on Twitter: To be in the presence of Sidney Poitier was to be in the presence of grace, dignity, and humanity. And a pretty great actor too. R.I.P.

Fellow film director William Friedkin added: Ive lost my dear friend and America has lost one of its greatest actors, Sidney Poitier.

My condolences to Sidney Poitier's familyA wonderful ,great man ,Will always be remembered. pic.twitter.com/3f0kMVxnV6  Ms. Ross (@DianaRoss) January 7, 2022

Star Trek star LeVar Burton spoke of the impact Poitier had on his life, calling him his North Star and guiding light.

He added: The very personification of elegance, eloquence, effortless grace and humanity, I have admired and emulated him my entire life.

Without Sidney Poitier, quite simply, there would be no LeVar Burton.

Sharing a series of photos of herself and Poitier, comedian Kathy Griffin said it was an honour and unimaginable opportunity to make him Poitier laugh and said she was thinking about his family.

It was an honor and unimaginable opportunity to make Sidney Poitier laugh. Thinking about Joanna and the kids today.  pic.twitter.com/dyIxnMz3X1  Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) January 7, 2022

Jeffrey Wright, Whoopi Goldberg and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were also among those paying tribute.

Bond star Wright said on Twitter: Sidney Poitier. What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. With love.

Sidney Poitier. What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. With love. (Sam Falk/NYT) pic.twitter.com/5ZaKxxPdxw  Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) January 7, 2022

Goldberg quoted the lyrics to the song To Sir With Love, which soundtracked Poitiers 1967 film.

She said on Twitter: If you wanted the sky i would write across the sky in letters that would soar a thousand feet high.. To Sir with Love. Sir Sidney Poitier R.I.P. He showed us how to reach for the stars.

Gordon-Levitt described him as An absolute legend. One of the greats.

Sidney Poitier. An absolute legend. One of the greats. pic.twitter.com/jd2Xd7vmIJ  Joseph Gordon-Levitt (@hitRECordJoe) January 7, 2022

Star Trek actor George Takei said Poitier was a trailblazer who will be mourned by so many for whom he opened the very doors of Hollywood.

Viola Davis described his death as a big one.

She added on Instagram: No words can describe how your work radically shifted my life. The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!!

It was an honour for my husband and I to share lunch with you at Spagos. You told us, If your dreams do not scare you, theyre not big enough!

I put this quote on my daughters wall. Rest well Mr. Poitier. Thank you! Thank you for leaving a legacy. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

This is a big one. No words can describe how your work radically shifted my life. The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!! It was an honor https://t.co/xaPAjAlRtR pic.twitter.com/aqOmRqq7SN  Viola Davis (@violadavis) January 7, 2022

The Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis, held a press conference during which he reflected on Poitiers legacy.

He said: Our whole Bahamas grieves. But even as we mourn, we celebrate the life of a great Bahamian.

A cultural icon, an actor and film director, civil and human rights activist and a diplomat.

We admire the man not just because of his colossal achievements, but also because of who he was.

His strength of character, his willingness to stand up and be counted and the way he plotted and navigated his lifes journey.

The boy who moved from the tomato farm to become a waiter in the United States, a young man who not only taught himself to read and write, but who made the expression of words and thoughts and feelings central to his career.

Best known for his work during the 50s and 60s, Poitier helped pave the way for generations of African-American actors.

Sidney Poitier has died aged 94 (PA)

Poitier grew up in the Bahamas, which was then a British colony, and returned to America aged 15 and worked in a string of low-paid jobs until he later joined the American Negro Theatre, which had been set up as a community project in Harlem in 1940.

His first major role came in Aristophanes comedy Lysistrata in 1946 but by 1949 he had moved away from theatre and into film.

In 1963, he was awarded an Oscar for Lilies Of The Field, in which he played a Baptist handyman who builds a chapel for a group of Roman Catholic nuns, and became the first black winner of the best actor trophy.

The Academy said on Twitter following his death: Poitier was barrier-breaking and an enduring inspiration who advanced US racial dialogue through his art. Few movie stars have had or will have the influence Poitier had both on and off screen.

The actor was granted an honorary knighthood in 1974 through his Bahamian heritage and in 1995 he received the Kennedy Centre Honour.
Labour has called for the parliamentary sleaze watchdog to investigate whether a Tory donor who helped pay for the refurbishment of Boris Johnsons Downing Street flat was able to get privileged access to ministers in return.

WhatsApp messages show the Prime Minister indicated he would consider a Great Exhibition 2.0 project backed by Lord Brownlow, who was setting up a charitable trust which was supposed to take over maintenance of the flat over No 11.

It is the latest in a series of calls for inquiries which Mr Johnson and the Tories have faced since he took office in 2019.

The Downing Street flat

In May 2021, Mr Johnson asked his adviser on ministerial interests, Lord Geidt, to investigate claims he had secretly asked Tory donors to foot the 112,000 bill for the lavish revamp which far exceeded the official 30,000 allowance.

Lord Geidt was not told of Mr Johnsons exchanges with a Tory donor (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Lord Geidt concluded there had been no breach of the ministerial code, although he said the Prime Minister should have been more rigorous in checking the financial arrangements.

He said when Mr Johnson had finally learned the bill had been settled by the Conservative Party  including with a donation from Lord Brownlow  he reimbursed them out of his own pocket.

However a further investigation by the Electoral Commission resulted in the party being fined 17,800 for failing to properly declare a 67,000 donation from a firm controlled by Lord Brownlow.

It also revealed the PM had exchanged WhatsApp messages with Lord Brownlow in November 2020 which were not disclosed to Lord Geidt when he conducted his inquiry.

Those messages, finally released this week, show that in the same exchanges, Mr Johnson referred to Lord Brownlows proposed Great Exhibition 2.0.

Less than two months later, the peer secured a meeting with then culture secretary Oliver Dowden to discuss the idea.

Downing Street said proposal was never taken forward but Labour wants the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Stone, to investigate if there was any conflict of interest.

Jennifer Arcuri

The Prime Minister has faced repeated questions over his relationship with the American businesswoman during his time as London mayor.

Boris Johnson has denied any wrongdoing over his relationship with Jennifer Arcuri (@SteveWardrec/PA)

Ms Arcuri, who has claimed to have had a four-year affair with Mr Johnson, received public grants for her technology business and had access to three foreign trade missions which he led during his time in City Hall.

Mr Johnson avoided a criminal investigation after the Independent Office for Police Conduct found no evidence it was as a result of his influence, although it said it would have been wise for him to have declared their close association as a conflict of interest.

The Greater London Authoritys oversight committee is now investigating whether Mr Johnson conducted himself in a way that is expected of people in public office.

While any finding that he behaved improperly would be politically embarrassing, the authority has no power to sanction him in any way as he is no longer mayor.

Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing.

Greensill Capital

The disclosure that former prime minister David Cameron lobbied ministers and officials in support of the collapsed finance firm triggered a series of inquiries by MPs and other bodies.

David Cameron lobbied ministers and officials on behalf of Greensill Capital (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The firms Australian founder, Lex Greensill, worked as an unpaid adviser to Mr Cameron when he was in Downing Street.

After he left office Mr Cameron was taken on as a paid adviser and used his contacts to send texts and e-mails to Chancellor Rishi Sunak and other ministers and senior civil servants urging them to allow Greensill to participate in a Government Covid loan scheme for businesses.

A Government-commissioned review by lawyer Nigel Boardman concluded Mr Cameron did not break the rules as they stood, but it put forward a series of proposed changes to tighten the system which ministers are currently considering.

In addition, three House of Commons select committees, the Committee on Standards in Public Life and the National Audit Office have all looked at issues raised by the case.

Mr Cameron has acknowledged there are important lessons to be learned.

Boris Johnsons holiday in Mustique

The Prime Minister was investigated over who paid for a luxury holiday he took with his then fiancee (now wife), Carrie Symonds in 2019.

The couple were invited to the private Caribbean island by the Carphone Warehouse owner David Ross.

Standards commissioner Ms Stone found he broke Commons rules by having not fulfilled conscientiously the requirements for registering the donation.

However her finding was overruled by MPs on the Commons Standards Committee, although they said it was regrettable that Mr Johnson had taken so long to provide a proper explanation as to what happened.
Wales has said coronavirus restrictions introduced after Christmas will remain in place as cases of Omicron soar.

But how do the current rules compare across the four nations of the UK?

 Wales

The Welsh Government has announced that the country is staying at Alert Level 2 for at least another week following the latest regulations review.

The measures, imposed from Boxing Day, mean nightclubs are closed and there is a requirement to work from home wherever possible.

Groups of no more than six people are allowed to meet in pubs, cinemas and restaurants.

Licensed premises can offer table service only, face masks will have to be worn and contact tracing details collected, and two-metre social distancing rules are in place.

A maximum of 30 people can attend indoor events and a maximum of 50 people are allowed at outdoor events.

People attending weddings or civil partnership receptions or wakes are also being told to take a lateral flow test before attending.

A package of seven NHS Test and Trace Covid-19 self-testing kits (Zoe Linkson/PA)

However, Wales has reduced the mandatory isolation period for people who test positive with Covid-19 from 10 days to seven, subject to two negative lateral flow tests on days six and seven.

And from Thursday, confirmatory PCR tests for asymptomatic people who test positive on a lateral flow device are no longer needed.

In terms of travel restrictions, the requirement for the fully vaccinated and under 18s to take a pre-departure test and a day two PCR test when arriving in the UK will be removed over the next few days.

People will instead need to take a lateral flow test (LFD) on day two and, if positive, a follow-up PCR test to enable genomic sequencing to be carried out.

There will also be no need to self-isolate until a negative test has been received.

 England

Like Wales, confirmatory PCR tests for asymptomatic people who test positive using a lateral flow device have been scrapped  though the change does not come in until January 11.

From 11th January in England, people who receive a positive lateral flow test for COVID-19 wont be required to take a confirmatory PCR test. They should continue to self-isolate. pic.twitter.com/LY8314mulb  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) January 5, 2022

Pre-departure Covid tests for travellers arriving in England are also being scrapped, as is the requirement for travellers to self-isolate on arrival until they receive a negative PCR test.

Instead, from 4am on Friday the rules will revert to the system in place in October, with travellers required to take a lateral flow test no later than the end of day two after their arrival.

Meanwhile, England has recently announced tougher coronavirus measures for schools, with a requirement for secondary pupils to wear masks in classrooms.

Face coverings are also compulsory in most indoor public settings, as well as on public transport, and people have been told to work from home if they can.

Covid passes are still required for entry into nightclubs and other venues, a rule which has been in place since December 15.

Passengers wearing masks travelling via Waterloo station in London (James Manning/PA)

If a person in England has tested positive or has symptoms, they can stop self-isolating after seven days instead of 10 if they receive two negative lateral flow test results on days six and seven.

Those who are unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases must still isolate for 10 days.

 Northern Ireland

The self-isolation period for confirmed Covid-19 cases was last week reduced in Northern Ireland from 10 days to seven in line with England.

The rule is subject to negative lateral flow tests on days six and seven.

Nightclubs are closed and dancing has been prohibited in hospitality venues.

Weddings are not affected (Anthony Devlin/PA)

But the rule does not apply to weddings.

People must remain seated for table service while table numbers are limited to six.

Ministers have also agreed that sporting events can continue with no limits on capacity, while the work-from-home message is being bolstered and legislation introduced to require social distancing in offices and similar workplaces.

The guidance is for mixing in a domestic setting to be limited to three households.

Northern Ireland also dropped the requirement for people who test positive on a lateral flow device to take a confirmatory PCR test, with the change coming in immediately after the announcement on Wednesday.

 Scotland

The same changes to testing for asymptomatic people were implemented in Scotland from Thursday.

On the same day, Scotland announced pre-departure testing for travellers entering the country would be scrapped.

The change will take effect from Friday at 4am, while those coming into the country will also be able to use a lateral flow test instead of a PCR as their post-arrival test, taken on or before the second day of their stay, from Sunday at 4am.

The requirement to self-isolate until a negative PCR is returned will also come to an end.

Other restrictions in the country include events having one-metre social distancing and being limited to 100 people standing indoors, 200 people sitting indoors and 500 people outdoors.

One-metre physical distancing is in place in all indoor hospitality and leisure settings.

Table service is also required where alcohol is being served.

Home-working is expected under current rules (Joe Giddens/PA)

Since December 14, people have been asked to reduce their social contacts as much as possible by meeting in groups of no more than three households.

Allowing staff to work from home where possible has become a legal duty on employers.

Care home visits have also been limited to two households.
A fortnight of further hospital admissions for Covid-19 are already baked in as some NHS staff face the steepest climb of the pandemic yet, the head of the health service has said.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, thanked staff during a visit to Kings College Hospital in London on Friday.

More than 400 people are currently in the hospital with Covid-19.

(PA Graphics)

She said: Were a week into 2022 but I do know that for some colleagues it already feels like its been a long year.

Case rates of the new variant have been highest so far here in London, but there is no community, no part of the country, that has been untouched by Omicron and this has obviously had, and will continue to have, an impact on NHS staff and on the services that were able to provide.

Realistically, another fortnight of admissions from Omicron are baked in. The only unknown is what level we will see and, of course, we will hope that the more optimistic forecasts are going to be the right ones.

She said that whatever the next few weeks bring, there is no doubt that it would have been so much tougher if it had not been for NHS staff working to give vaccinations over the last year.

She added: Staff are stepping up, but theyre not machines.

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard (Yui Mok/PA)

As ever in the NHS were working on this together, colleagues are finding though that the significant challenges that theyre facing now for some make this the steepest climb of the pandemic yet and the latest stats show that every day around 10,000 more colleagues are off sick than they were last week.

I know leaders across the NHS are doing everything they can to support their teams.

She said the NHS was still here for the public if they needed treatment and people should continue to come forward for care, adding that people should get their vaccines to keep the country on the path out of this pandemic.
Boris Johnson is facing new questions over his apparent support for a great exhibition plan backed by a Tory donor who helped pay for the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.

Whatsapp messages released on Thursday showed the Prime Minister discussed the proposal with Lord Brownlow at the same time as requesting his help with the 112,000 revamp of his official residence.

Downing Street said the proposal for a Great Exhibition 2.0 was not taken forward although the Government is going ahead with Festival UK which was first announced in 2018.

However ministerial records show that just two months after Mr Johnsons exchanges with Lord Brownlow, the peer attended a meeting with the then culture secretary Oliver Dowden to discuss his Great Exhibition 2.0 proposal.

Boris Johnson has apologised to his standards adviser, Lord Geidt (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Labour said that if Lord Brownlow had access to senior ministers because he was footing the bill for the refurbishment work it was corruption plain and simple.

On Thursday Mr Johnson was forced to issue a humble and sincere apology to his standards adviser, Lord Geidt, after he failed to inform him of the exchange with Lord Brownlow when he carried out an investigation into the funding of work last year.

Mr Johnson said he did not recall the exchanges and that the messages were on an old mobile phone which he no longer had access to.

Downing Street had hoped finally to draw a line under the matter after Lord Geidt said it would not have changed his conclusion that Mr Johnson did not breach the Ministerial Code, although he made clear his deep unhappiness at the way the issue had been handled.

The Prime Minister said after he learned the work  which far exceeded the official 30,000 allowance  had been paid for by the Conservative Party, including a donation by Lord Brownlow, he reimbursed the costs from his own pocket.

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said Boris Johnson still has questions to answer (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

However Labour believes the disclosure about the Great Exhibition proposal gives them fresh ammunition to keep the controversy alive.

In a Whatsapp message sent on November 29 2020, Mr Johnson asked Lord Brownlow  who was supposed to be heading up a charitable trust to take over the maintenance of the flat  if he would give his approval for the interior designer Lulu Lytle to begin work.

He added: Ps am on the great exhibition plan Will revert.

The peer said he would sort the flat ASAP, adding: Thanks for thinking about GE2.

On January 18 2021, Lord Brownlow attended the meeting with Mr Dowden and representatives of the Albert Hall to discuss the peers Great Exhibition 2.0 proposal.

Labours deputy leader Angela Rayner said: It appears that Lord Brownlow had access to the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary because he was paying for his luxury flat renovations.

It is pretty unbelievable that Boris Johnson didnt know who was paying for his luxury flat renovations.

If so, that is corruption plain and simple. No-one should be able to buy access or exchange wallpaper for festivals. Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer.

In a statement, a No 10 spokesman said: All prime ministers and ministers have proposals put to them at various points and ministers also meet stakeholders regularly as part of their engagement on an array of issues.

In line with normal practice, this idea was referred to the relevant department, considered and ultimately not taken forward by the Government.

The Government is taking forward Festival UK this year, which was confirmed in 2018, re-affirmed in the 2019 manifesto and is a cultural programme of events, called Unboxed, on arts, design and technology which will span the whole of the UK.
Travelers heading out this weekend, hoping the holiday travel mess was behind them, face another round of heavy flight disruptions as a winter storm wallops the East Coast.

More than 2,500 U.S flights have been canceled and more than 3,000 others have been delayed Friday as of roughly 3 p.m. EST, according to flight tracker FlightAware.

Jacob Moorer has been trying to fly home for two days. Sitting on the tarmac at Nashville International Airport waiting for his plane to be de-iced Friday morning, he told USA TODAY he understood why with the weather.

"Just very frustrating waiting 10+ hours to go on a 1 hr and 30 min flight home," he said via Twitter. "I could have (driven) home yesterday and I would have made it."

His original flight with Delta Air Lines was supposed to take off for Detroit shortly after noon Thursday, but after an hour or so on the tarmac, he said they were asked to deplane.

"They said they couldn't keep up with deicing the plane with the amount of snow," he said.

The tarmac at Nashville International Airport was coated in snow and ice on Jan. 7, 2022.

His flight kept getting delayed until around 5 p.m. when it was canceled.

"There were tons of people yesterday that were stranded at the airport," he said noting that no help was offered with "hotels or anything unless you asked."

Friday morning brought more of the same. He spent two hours on the tarmac waiting on deicing before being told to deplane.

"Communication has been constant but all they have been consistently doing is just delaying us 45 minutes to an hour," he said.

Delta did reach out to Moorer after he wrote about his experience on Twitter.

"They havent offered anything at all yet," he said. "Hopefully they do."

Airlines are required to offer travelers refunds if their flights are canceled for any reason, per Department of Transportation rules.

Travelers who want to avoid the fallout can delay their trip on most airlines with little or no penalty. Several airlines have added winter weather travel waivers. Check your airline's website for details on applicable travel dates and other fine print.

Flight canceled or delayed?: What airlines owe you

'Our hope is to stabilize the operation again': Southwest Airlines struggles with post-holiday flight cancellations:

A woman and her child speak with an airline attendant at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Jan. 6, 2022 as thousands of U.S. flights were canceled again. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Friday flight cancellations

Here are Friday's cancellations as of midafternoon, per FlightAware.

Southwest: 526 cancellations, representing 17% of scheduled flights

United: 208 cancellations, representing 10% of scheduled flights

SkyWest: 196 cancellations, representing 8% of scheduled flights

American: 191 cancellations, representing 6% of scheduled flights

JetBlue: 157 cancellations, representing 17% of scheduled flights

Alaska: 151 cancellations, representing 20% of scheduled flights

Delta: 110 cancellations, representing 4% of scheduled flights

Other U.S.-based carriers had cancellations in the double digits.

The double whammy of winter weather and COVID-related staffing shortages have forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights in recent weeks. More than 26,000 U.S flights have been canceled and more than 97,000 have been delayed since Christmas Eve.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flight cancellations top 2,500 as winter storm wallops East Coast
Lin-Manuel Miranda and cast members from the musical Hamilton gave a virtual performance on Thursday during a Jan. 6 event on Capitol Hill.

Miranda, the creator of the Tony Award-winning musical about the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton, introduced the performance. The cast sang Dear Theodosia, a song the characters Hamilton and Aaron Burr sing to their children in the musical.

We are all stewards of the American experiment, working to pass down to our children and our grandchildren a more perfect union that treats all its citizens with fairness and equity," Miranda said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in remarks before the performance referenced the song's lyrics "We'll make it right for you/If we lay a strong enough foundation/We'll pass it on to you."

Jan. 6 insurrection in photos: Chilling images from the Capitol riot

Live updates: Biden blasts Trump, Dick Cheney pays surprise visit to Jan. 6 ceremony at Capitol

The performance received applause from Pelosi and other viewers on Capitol Hill, though it was not embraced by all on social media.

The cast of Hamilton singing "Dear Theodosia" to Congress today is well, vastly, vastly, vastly preferable to last 1/6, but I am still cringing so hard it physically hurts. https://t.co/9nGse59S3H  Meredith Haggerty (@manymanywords) January 6, 2022

Who is this for https://t.co/q1N3D7OMci  Jared Holt (@jaredlholt) January 6, 2022

The performance came during a day of memorials at the Capitol as lawmakers marked a year since the violent insurrection in which pro-Trump rioters breached the building in hopes of derailing Congresss certification of the 2020 presidential election.

President Joe Biden during a speech at the Capitol Thursday denounced former President Donald Trump, saying he and the mob that breached the Capitol held a dagger at the throat of America.

Vice President Kamala Harris in remarks at the Capitol said, On January 6th, we all saw what our nation would look like if the forces who seek to dismantle our democracy are successful: The lawlessness, the violence, the chaos.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton cast perform at Jan. 6 Capitol riot event
The new year has ushered in a slew of minimum wage increases across the country.

A total of 81 states and cities will be raising their minimum wages in 2022, and 44 cities will be increasing theirs to above $15 an hour.

These raises that took effect this week, combined with others scheduled for later this year, are the largest wave of minimum wage raises that weve seen, Paul Sonn, state policy program director at the National Employment Law Project, said on Yahoo Finance Live (video above).

Sonn added that the wage increases are especially welcome right now because workers nationwide are struggling more than ever with rapidly rising prices, and its happening in the face of federal inaction. This is the longest weve gone without a federal minimum wage increase in U.S. history since the minimum wage was adopted, and its really hurting the country.

'Workers are now demanding even more'

While the push to raise the federal minimum wage has been a long and persistent battle, Sonn credited essential workers of color for the high number of states actually increasing their wages this year.

Theyve been organizing and demanding higher wages, he said. And when this movement started, their call for a $15 minimum wage was dismissed as unrealistic. Now, its becoming the reality for about half the country, and workers are now demanding even more and aiming higher as costs rise and as workers communicate what they really need.

In 48 states and D.C., a person would need to make more than $15 an hour to afford a modest two-bedroom rental in the U.S. And in 24 states and D.C., they would need to earn above $20/hour, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

A person must make more than $15 an hour in 48 states to afford a modest two-bedroom rental. (Map: NLIHC)

Whats clear is that workers everywhere across the country need $15 an hour, even in West Virginia, even in Alabama, Sonn said. And workers with children need even more than that. Its really kind of a basic self-sufficiency wage, which is why were seeing growing numbers of red states and cities raising the wage.

One example of that occurred in 2020 when Florida voters backed a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Other states like Nebraska, Idaho, and California are following suit and will feature propositions to raise their minimum wages in the November 2022 elections.

$15 an hour was the minimum that even in the least expensive parts of the United States a single worker needed to afford the basics as of a couple of years ago, Sonn said. Now with rising costs, workers everywhere need a lot more. And thats why were seeing a growing wave of action to raise pay above that $15 level, including blue states and red states.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks to the media about legislation to raise the minimum wage during a briefing on Capitol Hill, March 11, 2021. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

'Really, grossly inadequate' minimum wage

There are still 20 states that use the federal minimum wage of just $7.25 an hour, which Sonn described as really, grossly inadequate.

We need both to keep the minimum wage updated for the increases in the cost of living but also to just increase it to a more meaningful level, he said.

And though there are opponents of raising the federal minimum wage, Sonn described them as ideological politicians who are ignoring what their constituents and business community leaders want.

Its really short-sighted, and its what weve seen around other issues like health care and paid leave, he said. Its not business community opposition thats the problem right now. Fortunately, were seeing more and more states and cities acting, including where they can put it on the ballot, and in almost all cases, theres been significant business community support for that 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.

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Demand for foreign holidays is recovering towards pre-pandemic levels following the relaxation of coronavirus travel rules, according to travel firms.

Steve Heapy, chief executive of tour operator Jet2holidays and leisure airline Jet2.com, said bookings soared after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday that the testing and quarantine requirements for arrivals will be eased.

His firm reported huge popularity for trips to mainland Spain, the Canaries, the Balearic Islands, Turkey, and Greece.

From 4am on Friday, fully vaccinated travellers and under-18s arriving in the UK no longer need to have taken a pre-departure lateral flow test.

They will be able to take a lateral flow test rather than the more expensive PCR version for their post-arrival test from 4am on Sunday.

The changes will save a family of four about 300.

Mr Heapy said: The relaxation of travel restrictions is welcome news for both the travel industry and holidaymakers and comes during what is traditionally a very busy period for holiday bookings.

We have seen an immediate and dramatic spike in bookings, with volumes since the Government announcement heading towards pre-pandemic levels, which demonstrates just how much demand is out there among people wanting to get away for a much-needed holiday.

A spokeswoman for tour operator Tui said Mr Johnsons announcement has given Brits the reassurance that travel will once again be easier and more affordable.

She went on: Weve already seen an immediate and strong uptick in bookings and we now expect summer 2022 bookings to be normalised.

January is traditionally the busiest month for holiday bookings and demand is yet to reach pre-Covid levels, so we need to see sustained confidence in travel so the industry can fully recover.

The firms biggest booking spikes have been for Mexico and the Canaries.

Derek Jones, chief executive of luxury travel company Kuoni, said the easing of testing rules should be the beginning of the end of Covid as a blocker to international travel.

Mr Jones continued: I predict travel will be 90% back to 2019 levels before the end of spring.

Were already seeing increased call volumes and inquiries about trips for the year ahead as confidence builds.

A survey of 2,000 UK consumers by travel trade organisation Abta indicated that Spain is the most popular overseas destination people plan to visit in 2022, followed by the USA, France, Italy and Greece.
A Sunwing Airlines airplane at Cancun International Airport

Cesar Rodriguez/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A group of Canadian influencers is currently stuck in Mexico and being denied flights home by three airlines after videos showed them partying maskless and refusing to follow COVID-19 protocols on a December 30 flight from Montreal to Cancun.

The flight to Cancun was chartered through Sunwing Airlines, a Toronto-based Canadian airline, by a man named James William Awad, who organized the event as part of his company 111 Private Club, which is described on its Instagram profile as an "Exclusive Private Group (By Invitation Only)."

Videos posted on Twitter of the December 30 flight show the maskless passengers  many of whom are social media stars and Canadian reality TV personalities  dancing in the aisle and on the seats, drinking and passing around a bottle of vodka and vaping onboard.

A report in a Canadian news outlet states that the group became so rowdy that the flight attendants tried to avoid the main cabin for their own health and safety.

RELATED: State Department Says Americans Should Make 'Contingency Plans' If Traveling Internationally

"As previously confirmed by Sunwing Airlines and widely documented in videos online and on social media, a group of passengers on a recent private charter flight exhibited unruly behaviour and did not respect aviation or public health regulations," Sunwing told PEOPLE in a statement.

The airline also shared why they decided to cancel the group's flight home, which was supposed to take place on Wednesday, January 5: "The incident prompted an immediate internal investigation, and Sunwing Airlines developed a robust risk mitigation plan to return the passengers to Montreal while ensuring the health, safety and security of the crew and passengers which is always our top priority."

But, according to Sunwing, the group refused to accept the guidelines for the return flight.

The airline's statement continues: "Our decision to cancel the return flight was based on the group's refusal to accept all terms and our security team's assessment that non-compliance would be likely based on their previous disruptive onboard behavior."

RELATED VIDEO: Doctor Says Fully Vaccinated People Are Going to Test Positive with Omicron: 'Our New Normal'

In a statement posted to Twitter, Awad claims that he and the group agreed to all the terms set forth by the airline  including keeping masks on at all times, no alcohol, all passengers to "board in a sober condition" and more  except for one: there was no meal service for the flight.

"We couldn't conclude an agreement because Sunwing refused to provide meals to the group for a 5h flight," he wrote.

Two other Canadian airlines, Air Transat and Air Canada, subsequently refused to fly the group back to Montreal, each releasing statements on the matter citing their obligation to keep their crew and other passengers safe.

In a press conference this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the group's actions "completely irresponsible" and "a slap in the face" to those who have been following protocols amid the recent increase in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant.

cancun beach

Medios y Media/Getty A beach in Cancun in April 2021

In the province of Quebec, where the group traveled from, all public venues  including schools, bars and workplaces have been shut down since December 20, and a 10 pm to 5 am curfew has been put in place as of December 31.

"Like Canadians who have seen those videos, I'm extremely frustrated," Trudeau said. "This is a situation Transport Canada takes extremely seriously and we are following up."

On Tuesday, Canada's Minister of Transport, Minister of Health and Minister of Public Safety released a statement noting that Transport Canada has been in contact with the airline about the incident, and that "fines of up to $5,000 [CAD] per offence could be issued to passengers."

In Awad's Twitter statement, he notes that this was his "first travel event" for 111 Private Club, and he thought he was doing all he could to ensure his group's safety, like getting COVID tests for the group ahead of their flight "even if the Mexican authority does not require a negative PCR test to enter."

RELATED: FAA Warns of Additional Flight Delays Due to Weather, 'Increased Number' of Employees Out with COVID-19

"I have significantly learned, and I am still learning from this experience," he wrote, noting that he is working to get everyone "back home safely as quickly as we can."

Rebecca St-Pierre, a 19-year-old student from Quebec who was onboard the flight to Cancun, told Canada's Global News that she won the trip in an Instagram contest, and was not expecting the party atmosphere on the plane. She claimed that not everyone was engaged in the boisterous behavior, adding that two girls beside her were "trying to sleep."

According to the report, St-Pierre has since tested positive for COVID-19, and is quarantining in Tulum, Mexico. Information on the health of the other passengers has not been released.
FILE - A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine injection by a pharmacist at a clinic in Lawrence, Mass., on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, Research published Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2022, tracked nearly 4,000 U.S. women through six menstrual cycles and on average, the next period after a shot started about a day later than usual. But there was no change in the number of days of menstrual bleeding after COVID-19 vaccination. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

One of the first studies to track whether COVID-19 vaccination might affect womens periods found a small and temporary change.

Research published Wednesday tracked nearly 4,000 U.S. women through six menstrual cycles and on average, the next period after a shot started about a day later than usual. But there was no change in the number of days of menstrual bleeding after COVID-19 vaccination.

This is incredibly reassuring, said Dr. Alison Edelman of Oregon Health & Science University, who led the research and said it's important to tell women what to expect.

Some women have reported irregular periods or other menstrual changes after their shots. The National Institutes of Health is funding studies to examine if theres any link.

Edelmans team analyzed data from a birth control app called Natural Cycles, cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for women to track their menstrual cycles and tell when theyre most likely to become pregnant.

Menstrual cycles are counted from the first day of one period to the first day of the next. Slight variations from month to month are normal, and stress, diet, even exercise can spur temporary changes.

Edelman said the study included women with the most normal of normal cycle length, averaging between 24 and 38 days. Researchers tracked vaccinated women for three cycles before the shots and the immediate three cycles after, including the months they received a dose  and compared them to unvaccinated women. The app prompted women to enter vaccine information.

A subset of 358 women who got both vaccine doses in the same menstrual cycle saw a slightly larger change to their next cycle length, on average two days. About 10% of them had a change of eight days or more, but subsequently returned to normal ranges, the researchers reported in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Edelman said one theory is that when the immune system revs up at certain times in the cycle, our body clock or what controls the menstrual cycle can have a hiccup.

She plans additional study to tell if there are changes in the heaviness of menstrual bleeding or if women who have irregular periods react differently.

The findings provide important new evidence underscoring that any impact of the COVID vaccines on menstruation is both minimal and temporary, Dr. Christopher Zahn of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said in a statement.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will deliver his first State of the Union address on March 1, the White House confirmed Friday, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the president a formal invitation to speak to Congress and the American public one year into his term.

It will mark the latest any president has delivered a State of the Union address. The speech is normally timed for January, and occasionally for February. The delay is driven in part by a busy legislative calendar, a winter spike in COVID-19 cases from the more transmissible omicron variant and the upcoming Winter Olympics, which ties up broadcast network time.

The last State of the Union address was delivered by then-President Donald Trump on the eve of his acquittal by the Senate in his first impeachment trial.

Biden first addressed a joint session of Congress in April 2021, about 100 days into his time in the White House, which he used to promote twin infrastructure and domestic spending bills. Biden signed a slimmed-down and bipartisan version of the infrastructure proposal into law last year in crowning first-year legislative achievements. The larger expansion of the social safety net passed the House, but Biden has struggled to secure enough Democratic support in the Senate for passage.

Related video: Biden praises December jobs report

An address to Congress in the president's first year is not an official State of the Union address, and Biden's April speech bore little resemblance to one because of strict COVID-19 protocols. It was marked by limitations on attendance, with no guests allowed, and lawmakers seated on both the floor of the House chamber and the galleries above. Officials said pandemic precautions for this years speech were still being worked out, though they expect it to look more like a traditional State of the Union address than last years remarks.

Thank you for your bold vision and patriotic leadership which have guided America out of crisis and into an era of great progress, as we not only recover from the pandemic but Build Back Better!," Pelosi wrote in her letter to Biden. In that spirit, I am writing to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 1, to share your vision of the State of the Union.



This story has been corrected to show Biden's April speech was in 2021, not 2020.
While most Republicans were absent on Capitol Hill for the Jan. 6 anniversary Thursday, one of the party's most prominent elder statesmen was there.

ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl spoke to former Vice President Dick Cheney just off the House floor.

MORE: Beyond the riot, Jan. 6 was a dangerously close call. How Trump's plot nearly succeeded: ANALYSIS

Asked why he came to the Capitol this day, Cheney said, "It's an important historical event," referring to the anniversary of the insurrection. "You can't overestimate how important it is."

PHOTO: Former Vice President Dick Cheney and Rep. Liz Cheney recite the pledge of allegiance on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021. (House TV)

He added, "I'm deeply disappointed we don't have better leadership in the Republican Party to restore the Constitution."

He noted that his daughter, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., is an exception. She is the vice chair of the House select committee investigating the attack on the Capitol, and has come under heavy fire from fellow Republicans.

A year after Jan. 6, how Trump keeps pushing the 'big lie': ANALYSIS

PHOTO: Former Vice President Dick Cheney is interviewed in St. Michaels, Md., March 17, 2012. (David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images, FILE)

Cheney then went to the House floor with his daughter  he has lifetime floor privileges as a congressman who held the seat she now occupies  to observe a moment of silence.

One by one, Democratic members, including some liberals who castigated him and his politics when he was vice president  approached him to shake his hand and pay their respects.

On my 1st week covering Capitol Hill, the Jan. 6 attack happened: Reporter's notebook

Besides the Cheneys and her staffers, there were no other Republicans in sight.

PHOTO: Former Vice President Dick Cheney walks with his daughter Rep. Liz Cheney in the Capitol Rotunda at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2022. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

As Cheney departed the House chamber, walking alongside his daughter, he told ABC News, "Very proud of Liz," when asked for some parting thoughts.

Its great coming back, he told a swarm of reporters. "Liz is doing a hell of a job. Im here to support her."

When asked for his reaction to Republican leaderships handling of this day, Cheney  not one to mince words  said, "Well, its not a leadership that resembles any of the folks that I knew when I was here for 10 years  dramatically."

Rep Liz Cheney said it was "very concerning," adding, "I think a party that is in thrall to a cult personality is a party that is dangerous to the country, and I think we clearly have got to get to a place we are we are focused on substance and on issues."

The former vice president then took the long walk across the Capitol toward the Senate chamber, stopping momentarily to take in a white stone bust of himself outside the office of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who is far from the Capitol, and instead, at a funeral for a late GOP senator in Atlanta.

ABC News' Trish Turner, Benjamin Siegel and Mariam Khan contributed to this report.

Dick Cheney comes to Capitol on Jan. 6, says he's 'deeply disappointed' in GOP leadership originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A portrait of former Sen. Johnny Isakson is displayed during a funeral service for Isakson at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, Thursday afternoon, Jan. 6, 2022, in Atlanta. Isakson, 76, died Dec. 19, 2021, at his home in Atlanta. (Ben Gray/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

ATLANTA (AP)  Senators, Georgia politicians, family members and friends held one last meeting of what Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called the Johnny Isakson fan club on Thursday, remembering the Georgia Republican's friendship and love.

Isakson, 76, died Dec. 19 at his home in Atlanta. Elected three times, the Republican stepped down at the end of 2019, after announcing that his physical health was declining because of Parkinson's disease.

Now we all know this is a polarized time. Unity is in short supply," McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told Isakson's memorial service at Peachtree Road Methodist Church in Atlanta. But the gigantic and diverse Johnny Isakson fan club has never failed to pack a room.

Isakson was a dealmaker and consensus builder, with multiple mourners making reference to the barbecue lunch that Isakson hosted annually to build friendships among senators across party lines.

He particularly loved to vote for a bipartisan bill and authored an awful lot of bipartisan legislation, said former Georgia senator Saxby Chambliss.

As many as 20 current and former senators attended, as well as a who's who of Georgia politics including Gov. Brian Kemp and former governors Nathan Deal and Roy Barnes.

A millionaire real estate broker, Isakson was one of the founding fathers of the Georgia Republican Party. He spent more than four decades in political life, rising through the state House and state Senate to Congress when he won Newt Gingrichs former seat before winning a Senate seat in 2014.

To be clear, our colleague was a savvy legislator, a cunning dealmaker," McConnell said. "There wasnt a naive bone in his body. But Johnnys achievements didnt come despite his quiet virtues, they came because of those virtues.

Senate Chaplain Barry Black remembered that it was Isakson who asked that the two be prayer partners and said Isakson asked him to speak at the service.

It dawned on me, this brother is ready; this brother is finishing strong," Black said of Isakson's attitude toward his struggle with Parkinson's.

Isakson's children shared more personal remembrances. Son Kevin Isakson talked about his father's interest and attention to his family, remembering that as Isakson's Parkinson's Disease progressed, he would exercise by walking to Kevin Isakson's house and visiting.

He would walk up to my house; it was about a mile, uphill," Isakson said. "He would come in and he would take a break. Hed have a cup of water and check in on whoever was there.

Daughter Julie Mitchell remembered all the things her father had done for her  teaching her how to drive, walking her down the aisle to be married, and buying the keg for her University of Georgia graduation party. Go Dawgs, she said to laughter.

Son John Isakson remembered instruction from his father on how to give a speech in middle school, calling it the best advice anyone evers gotten about how to talk to people."

He was that great, John Isakson said. I loved him very much. I will miss him every day.

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Follow Jeff Amy at http://twitter.com/jeffamy.
A national flag of Germany waves on top of the Reichag building, home of the German federal parliament Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

BERLIN (AP)  A Berlin teacher was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the killing of another man that the judge said was carried as part of cannibalism fantasies.

The 42-year-old, who has been identified only as Stefan R. in keeping with German privacy rules, went on trial in August at the Berlin state court.

Presiding Judge Matthias Schertz said the defendant killed a 43-year-old mechanic in September 2020 to live out his cannibalism fantasies, news agency dpa reported.

What you did was inhuman," the judge said.

He was also convicted of disturbing the peace of the dead, regional broadcaster RBB reported.

The men met on a dating portal and agreed to meet for sex at the teacher's apartment in the German capital, according to investigators.

The defendant allegedly chopped up the other man's body and then spread parts of it in different neighborhoods of the city.

Police spent weeks looking for the missing mechanic before bones were found in a Berlin forest.

The court found that the defendant bears particularly grave responsibility, meaning that he wont be entitled to the automatic parole after 15 years that is customary in Germany. He disputed the charges, and the defense had sought his acquittal.

The case isn't the first in Germany involving alleged cannibalism or fantasies of it.

In 2006, a German court convicted Armin Meiwes of murder and disturbing the peace of the dead for killing and eating a man he had met online. Meiwes is currently serving a life sentence.

A German police officer was convicted of murder in 2015 for killing a man he met in an internet chat forum devoted to cannibalism. Prosecutors said the victim had fantasized about being eaten, but there was no evidence the suspect actually did so.
Joseph Iniguez, who serves as the chief of staff to Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon, attends a Pasadena summit on county jail facilities. (Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Patrisse Cullor)

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon's chief of staff filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against the Azusa Police Department, accusing officers of violating his civil rights when they arrested him last month.

Joseph Iniguez, 36, was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication on Dec. 11 after officers pulled over a vehicle driven by his fiance shortly before midnight. Hours before the lawsuit was made public, Azusa police released several pages of documents in response to a public records request filed by The Times. In the documents, an officer claimed Iniguez had "bloodshot" eyes and was slurring his speech when he allegedly interfered with the officers' actions during the vehicle stop.

According to the police report, officers initially stopped Iniguez's vehicle because his fiance, who was driving, made an illegal U-turn into a McDonald's drive-through in the 900 block of East Alosta Avenue.

The arresting officer  who is identified in the documents only as "Cpl. R. Martinez"  approached the car and said he smelled alcohol, according to the report. He asked Iniguez's fiance if he had been drinking and Iniguez replied that he "was the cause of the odor and he had consumed several alcoholic beverages," according to the report.

Iniguez began to question me and give legal advice. I informed Iniguez that I was not speaking with him and I was speaking with the driver and attempting to determine his sobriety," the officer wrote in the report. "Iniguez continued to interfere with my traffic stop.

The officer threatened to arrest Iniguez for public intoxication because of his admission that he had been drinking. Ultimately, the officer said he handcuffed the driver because of Iniguez's constant interference and then placed Iniguez under arrest.

I could see that his [Iniguez] eyes were bloodshot and watery, he had slurred speech, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath and person, he admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages and he was not listening to commands from officers," the report read.

Officers later determined Iniguez's fiance's blood-alcohol content was below the legal limit to drive, and he was released without incident, said Cpl. C.J. Wilkins, the president of Azusa's police union. Wilkins, who said he spoke directly to the arresting officer, believed the incident would have amounted to little more than a traffic citation if not for what he described as Iniguez's "belligerent" conduct.

In an interview with The Times last month, Iniguez claimed he had done nothing wrong and said the arrest was improper. Under California law, to be guilty of public intoxication, a person must be so drunk that they cannot care for themselves, he argued.

Iniguez also said he decided to film the encounter because Azusa police officers do not wear cameras and claimed the arrest was in retaliation for his decision to film the encounter. He has refused to release footage of the encounter to The Times, however.

On Thursday Iniguez sued the city of Azusa, alleging he had been falsely arrested.

"On Dec. 11, 2021, Mr. Iniguez was lucid, calm, responsive and communicative... Mr. Iniguez was arrested for exercising his 1st Amendment rights while objectively documenting the investigation," his attorney, Glen Jonas, wrote in an e-mail to The Times.

"Mr. Iniguez is driven by the moral imperative to protect the citizens of the community from abuse of authority," Jonas continued. "His goal is to hold [Martinez] accountable and to compel patrol officers of the APD to wear body-worn cameras."

Asked why Iniguez would not release the video, Jonas said the recording "will be released in due course, were not going to litigate that in the press.

An Azusa police spokesman said he could not comment on the suit because the city had yet to be formally served.

Iniguez had been a prosecutor for only a few years when he announced a longshot bid to unseat then-Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey in 2019. After gaining little traction in the race, Iniguez dropped out and joined Gascon's campaign team. After Gascon's victory, Iniguez was named interim chief deputy district attorney, making him the de facto second-in-command of the nation's largest prosecutor's office.

Iniguez has since been replaced in that position and now serves as chief of staff, but his rapid ascent has drawn scorn from many longtime prosecutors, who believe he lacks the experience necessary to hold such a high rank within the office.

Wilkins, the police union president, has also accused Iniguez of threatening to put the arresting officer on the district attorney's so-called "Brady List," which contains officers with problematic disciplinary histories whose testimony might be challenged or impeached in a trial. The name is a reference to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that requires prosecutors to turn over evidence favorable to a defendant, including evidence of police misconduct.

In the police report made public Wednesday, the arresting officer said that Iniguez "stated he was falsely arrested, said he would see me again and called me 'Brady'" when he was released from custody.

Iniguez has denied making the comment and Wilkins did not immediately return a call Thursday seeking clarification on his allegation.

Iniguez was released hours after the arrest, and police records show he was apprehended for "intoxication only" and no other criminal proceedings were desired. But police have since submitted a case "for review and consideration of any criminal charges" to the California attorney general's office, said Azusa Police Lt. Rocky Wenrick.

Alex Bastian, an advisor to Gascon, has said any possible prosecution would have to be reviewed by an outside agency because of the conflict of interest created by Iniguez's employment. Iniguez remains in his position as chief of staff, according to Bastian, who has declined to comment on what, if any, internal discipline Iniguez might face because of the arrest.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Peter Bogdanovich, longtime director and Hollywood fixture, in 2004. (Myung J. Chung / Los Angeles Times)

From his first feature film, 1968s Targets, to his last, 2014s Shes Funny That Way, Peter Bogdanovich was always slightly out of step with his times. Given to a nostalgists over-indexing of the past, he nevertheless pressed on into the future, beginning his career with a then-unfashionable sympathy to those who came before and ending up with a whimsical air of delight to still be at it.

His complicated career is often depicted as cautionary tale of ego and success destroying ones artistic integrity, and it is undeniable he made massive mistakes in his life and work. Frequently his own biggest obstacle, he also had a singular vision to fuse what once was with what could be.

Before he ever made a movie of his own, Bogdanovich had already made his mark on movie culture. A theater actor and director in New York, where he was born, he was involved in organizing landmark retrospectives of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles and Howard Hawks at the Museum of Modern Art, helping to reshape their legacies. He wrote monographs on his favorite directors and worked as a journalist, with many of his articles later compiled into the book Pieces of Time, before setting out to Hollywood with his wife and collaborator Polly Platt to break into the movie business himself.

In Targets, he not only cast himself in a role as a young film director, giving himself the line All the good movies have been made, but at a moment of generation-gap tensions he clearly sided with the aging movie star played by Boris Karloff while looking with horror at a troubled young man who lashes out in violence.

His second film, The Last Picture Show, adapted from the novel by Larry McMurtry, would expand on these themes, depicting one small Texas town as it slowly shuts down. Despite a cast full of young talent including Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepherd, the director's sympathies for older characters, including those played by Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson, gave the film its elegiac power. The film would be nominated for eight Oscars, with Leachman and Johnson both winning for their performances.

Bogdanovich followed that up with two more smash successes, 1972s screwball throwback Whats Up Doc? starring Ryan ONeal and Barbra Streisand, and 1973s Depression-era-set Paper Moon starring ONeal and his daughter Tatum. (Tatum ONeal would also win an Oscar for her performance.) Yet Bogdanovich had already sown the seeds for his own downfall, having left Platt for Shepherd and moving into a Bel-Air mansion.

As Bogdanovich said to The Times in 2004, I handled success poorly. When youre hot, its a heady atmosphere  everybody kowtows to you. After all, youre a director, creating illusions in your films, but it becomes hard to tell whats an illusion and whats reality.

His 1974 adaptation of Henry James Daisy Miller starring Shepherd would be a notorious flop. He made a glorious mess of a movie with 1975s At Long Last Love, a musical of Cole Porter songs with Shepherd, Burt Reynolds and Madeline Kahn doing their own singing and dancing, and the effort nevertheless has a charm and awkward grace all its own.

The marriage between Bogdanovich and Platt would be satirized in 1984's Irreconcilable Differences, starring Ryan O'Neal and Shelley Long and written by Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer. Platts life and career would be masterfully depicted in a 2020 season of the podcast You Must Remember This, unsparingly examining how badly Bogdanovich treated her in work and marriage, long denying her the credit she rightfully deserved for her role in his early, transformational successes.

Peter Bogdanovich, longtime director and Hollywood fixture, in 2004. (Myung J. Chun)

1979s Saint Jack, starring Ben Gazarra as a pimp in Singapore, got him back to work. In the comedic roundelay of They All Laughed, Bogdanovich found a way to tenderly depict Audrey Hepburn near the end of her career while also capturing the bloom of Dorothy Stratten at the beginning of hers. The film also featured John Ritter in a hilarious sendup of Bogdanovich himself.

Bogdanovich had begun an affair with Stratten, and in the devastating aftermath of her brutal murder  later depicted in Bob Fosses despairing Star 80  both the release of the film and Bogdanovichs career would be derailed. (Bogdanovich would eventually marry Strattens younger half-sister Louise, and they divorced in 2001. The two co-wrote Shes Funny that Way.)

The filmmaker recovered with the heartfelt family melodrama of Mask, with a fine performance by Cher. Texasville, the ill-fated sequel to The Last Picture Show, seemed to find him giving in to his worst impulses of nostalgia and taking it easy on himself. 1993s The Thing Called Love, a modest story of young strivers set amid the movie industry in Nashville that was River Phoenixs final completed role, would be Bogdanovichs last movie until 2001s The Cats Meow. Based on the real-life mystery around the 1924 death of Thomas Ince, the film featured Kirsten Dunst as actress Marion Davies and utilized the tart melancholy underneath Dunsts bubbly cuteness.

It makes sense that Bogdanovich would eventually strike up a mentor friendship with Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach. Similar to those younger filmmakers' work, Bogdanovichs films often contained an exterior artifice that could be pierced to reveal raw emotions and a deep humanity.

With his affectation for a kerchief tied around his neck and popped-collar jacket, Bogdanovich cut a singular figure as he often made public appearances to speak about his films or those of his filmmaking heroes. (His impressions of Old Hollywood figures scaled quickly from charming to insufferable.) It became perhaps too easy to take him for granted, an assumption that he would somehow always be around.

He participated in the effort to complete Welles unfinished magnum opus The Other Side of the Wind in 2018. In the film, shot in the early '70s, Bogdanovich played a young film director paying respect to an old master, played by John Huston.

Having also found a sidebar as an actor  most notably on HBO's The Sopranos  Bogdanovich, who had sensitively been making movies about older people from the very start of his career, may have found his greatest role as simply himself as eminence grise, a standard-bearer for days gone by that maybe never quite were.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WASHINGTON  Evidence of how contentious last years Jan. 6 riot remains in the public imagination could be found in a cramped room on the fifth floor of the Cannon House Office Building on Thursday afternoon.

For nearly an hour, reporters, photographers and conspicuously unmasked Republican aides all listened as Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., two of former President Donald Trumps closest supporters in the House, peddled unfounded conspiracy theories about the alleged involvement of federal law enforcement agencies in the violent attempt by pro-Trump rioters to stop the certification of Joe Bidens victory.

Rep. Matt Gaetz and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Capitol Hill on Thursday. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

The fedsurrection, as Gaetz has taken to calling it, implicated the FBI and those at the Justice Department supposedly set on covering it up. They dont answer the questions that can get to the truth, Gaetz charged of the DOJ, which, in an unrelated matter, is investigating him in a sex trafficking scheme. Testimony from arrested rioters and evidence released by the House select committee investigating the riot have failed to convince many Republicans that Trump and his supporters were responsible for the attack or that it was even especially grave; 36 percent of Republicans say that the attack on the Capitol, which left five people dead, was mostly peaceful, despite ample evidence to the contrary.

A few Republicans have spoken up on behalf of reality, only to be knocked down for doing so. The day before the anniversary, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, whose objections to ratifying Bidens win amplified what would have been that days routine proceedings, called last years riot a terrorist attack. That earned him a swift rebuke from Trumpists like Tucker Carlson, who has been sowing doubt about Jan. 6 on his nightly Fox News show.

The establishment will never love you, Ted, Gaetz said Thursday, picking up where Carlson had left off the night before.

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Related:

It was a jarring contrast, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holding a moment of silence to commemorate the violent attack, while most Republicans simply remained silent. Some had gone to Georgia, for the funeral of former GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson. Others simply stayed away from Capitol Hill.

Gaetz and Greene were, in fact, the only GOP members bold enough to push their counternarrative on more or less the same ground where members of Congress and congressional staffers fled from an angry mob one year ago. They did so with the knowledge that millions continue to believe that the election was stolen from Trump. There are growing concerns, too, that violence is increasingly seen as a tool of political redress.

Protesters outside the Michigan Capitol in Lansing on Oct. 12. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)

An avid defender of Trump on all matters, Gaetz showed video clips that, in his view, show FBI agents goading the rioters to storm the Capitol. The videos had been aggregated by a news outlet called Revolver News, Gaetz said. He did not say that Revolver was the work of Darren Beattie, a former Trump speechwriter who was dismissed from the administration for far-right views. Nor did he mention that there is no hard evidence that a man named Ray Epps, who is seen on the tapes urging Trump supporters to enter the Capitol, is or ever was an FBI-directed agent provocateur.

Imagine if we actually had the powers of the Jan. 6 committee, Gaetz mused. He later told Yahoo News that if Republicans win back the House next November, they will look into potential federal involvement in last years riot. Having sat through two impeachments of Trump, they are eager for revenge.

The cycles of recrimination, punctuated by violence, are not the stuff of healthy democracies, sober-minded leaders from both parties have said. There are historical precedents, and they are dark, as historians Jon Meacham and Doris Kearns Goodwin pointed out in a talk on Thursday afternoon with the librarian of Congress.

Jan. 6 could be a step on the way to the abyss, warned Meacham, if the present-day divisions persist, while Goodwin invoked American intervention in World War II as the possibility of what the nation can do when those divisions are closed though an act of collective will.

We did that, we can do that again, she said.

Republicans have charged that Democrats are overhyping the seriousness of Jan. 6 with such historical parallels, with some criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris for comparing that days riot with the attacks of Pearl Harbor and Sept. 11.

Vice President Kamala Harris in the Capitols Statuary Hall on Thursday. (Greg Nash-Pool/Getty Images)

During the event she held with Gaetz, Greene wondered why there had not been a more aggressive Department of Justice response to the looting and violence that accompanied some of the racial justice protests during the summer of 2020. (Local law enforcement agencies tended to handle alleged malefactors in those cases.)

Her most unambiguous concession to reality was in noting that she had already introduced articles of impeachment against Biden four separate times. It was her way of answering a reporters question about whether Biden was the president of the United States, a question that makes clear just how tenuous the very notion of a shared reality has become.

I think its clear that I think he is the president, Greene said, as non-presidents arent generally subject to efforts at presidential impeachment. Greene is also the author of a bill to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci, the presidents top medical adviser, who she believes helped the Chinese government produce the coronavirus as a bioweapon. Such conspiracy theories proliferate on social media and talk radio, reaching millions.

Unfortunately, Republicans dont seem to want to go into the truth, said Greene, who was recently banned from Twitter for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.

Like the vaccines, Jan. 6 has become thoroughly politicized. Just as the we-are-all-in-this-together spirit of the pandemics first stages now seems like the stuff of fantasy, the Republican condemnations that followed the assault a year ago quickly turned into amnesia or revision.

Back then, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said that Trump bears responsibility for inciting his supporters to riot and overturn the democratic process. A trip to Mar-a-Lago to visit the former president changed his mind; other Republicans have taken to calling the attack a normal tourist visit.

Then-President Donald Trump at the Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Among the few exceptions is Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who partook in commemoration of the days events on Thursday. She was accompanied by her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who said he was deeply disappointed in the Republican Party to which he has devoted his entire life.

That disappointment is plainly shared by Democrats, some of whom held out hope that the attack would lead to a suture of the wounds that the Trump presidency had created. There is no evidence, however, of any such reconciliation. If anything, the political winds may well be behind Gaetz and Greene.

Still, reality has a way. In the afternoon, House Democrats offered their own testimonies of the attack. They were testimonies of what was supposed to be a more or less ordinary day for the men and women sent by Americans to represent them in Washington. Instead, many of those representatives cowered in hopes that the mob sweeping through the Capitol would not reach them.

Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., was on her fourth day in office. Disoriented and afraid, she remembers cowering with colleagues in the House gallery, fashioning weapons out of stanchions, and pens and my high heels, ready to take on the rioters who were banging on the doors behind us. She thanked Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., for the glass of whiskey he offered her after the violence of that day was through and the days intended proceedings resumed.

Republicans have mocked the feelings of trauma that Jacobs and others have described, but the afternoons testimonials made clear how real that trauma remains.

Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester speaks as members of Congress share recollections of the Jan. 6 Capitol assault one year later. (Graeme Jennings/Pool/Reuters)

As she spoke, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., held up a scarf printed with an enlarged image of the voter registration card that her great-great-great-grandfather, who had been a slave, signed to vote in 1867.

The scarf had been with her on Jan. 6 too. It is my proof of what we have overcome, she said. And it is my inspiration for what is yet to be done.

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The rioters got within 2 doors of Vice President Mike Pence's office. See how in this 3D explainer from Yahoo Immersive.
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Owosso, MI (48867)

Today

Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low near 45F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low near 45F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
YEREVAN, JANUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping contingent is not participating in combat operations in Kazakhstan and is only involved in protecting state facilities, the Kazakh presidential administrations first deputy chief of staff Dauren Abayev announced, according to TASS.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) deployed its peacekeeping forces to its member-state Kazakhstan to stabilize and settle the situation as the country is facing threats to its national security and sovereignty.

The decision on deploying the peacekeepers was made on January 6 by the CSTO Collective Security Council.

Military units from CSTO-members Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are involved in the mission.

The main mission of the peacekeepers in Kazakhstan will be the protection of significant state and military facilities and supporting the Kazakhstani law enforcement agencies in stabilizing the situation and bringing it to a framework of law, the CSTO said in a statement.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is now the Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, announced earlier that the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev invoked Article 4 of the treaty amid threats to Kazakhstans national security and sovereignty which appeared including as a result of outside interference.
According to information published by the United States Department of Defense on January 4, 2022, soldiers from the Wisconsin U.S. Army National Guards 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery, a mobility artillery unit equipped with HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System ) M142 conduct training before deploying to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

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High-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) launchers from the Colorado Army National Guard move to their next training destination at Fort Bliss, Texas Dec. 16, 2021. Ten Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers are deploying overseas with the Colorado National Guards 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery in support of Operation Spartan Shield. (Colorado National Guard photo)

The approximately 300 members of the 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, left Colorado on December 6, 2021, for Fort Bliss for several weeks of pre-deployment training.

The 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery is currently part of the 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade that is based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Attached to the 1-121st is Battery A located in Hartford, Wisconsin; Battery B located in Plymouth, Wisconsin; 108th Forward Support Company located in Sussex, Wisconsin. The 1-121st FA originally operated M109 howitzer before switching to the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) in 2003. As of 2010 the 1-121st FA operates the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a combat-proven wheeled artillery system that is rapidly deployable via C-130 military transport aircraft and operable in all weather and visibility conditions. The rocket launcher system is mounted on a five-ton modified Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) chassis.

The M142 HIMARS provides responsive, highly accurate, and extremely lethal surface-to-surface rocket and missiles fires from 15 to 300 km. It can fire all munitions in the current planned suite of the MLRS Family of Munitions (MFOM), including army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles and Guided MLRS (GMLRS) rockets. The vehicle carries either six rockets or one missile, is self-loading and self-locating, and is operated by a crew of three soldiers.

For this mission, the U.S. Army 121st Field Artillery essentially cut a standard four-launcher platoon in half, adding maintenance, communications and medical support personnel to the two-launcher force package. This made it easier to disperse rocket artillery support across the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

1st Lt. Ryan Hommen, Battery As executive officer, is the officer in charge of the 10-person detachment, which also consists of three launcher section chiefs, three launcher crew members, two fire direction control team members, and one maintenance Soldier.

Operation Spartan Shield bolsters the U.S. Central Commands strategic goals to counter, protect, defend and prepare, while at the same time building partner capacity in the Middle East. This deployment has been described as essential in demonstrating U.S. commitment to the security and stability of the nations partners in the Middle East and Central Asia.
A video of the incident, which took place at a workshop held here on January 3, went viral on social media on Thursday

In the video, Habib is heard telling the audience, 'If there is a shortage of water, use saliva'. (Photo: Instagram)

Muzaffarnagar: The police here have lodged an FIR against famous hairstylist Jawed Habib for spitting on a woman's hair while styling it, officials said on Friday.

A video of the incident, which took place at a workshop held here on January 3, went viral on social media on Thursday.

In the video, Habib is heard telling the audience, "If there is a shortage of water, use saliva".

The FIR was lodged at Mansurpur police station here on a complaint filed by Pooja Gupta, a resident of Baraut town, on whose hair Habib spat during the workshop, the police said.

Habib has been booked under Section 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation) of the Indian Penal Code and the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, they said.

Meanwhile, Hindu activists held a protest against Habib. They demanded action against the hairstylist.
by Steve Suwannarat

Two arrests last November highlighted how the al-Qaeda-linked group has consolidated its political wing. Its recruitment and proselytising activities have been reduced, but the group has an estimated six to seven thousand members.

Singapore (AsiaNews)  In Indonesia and neighbouring countries, victims of violent protests in the past, the evolution of Jemaah Islamiyah[*], which is estimated to have six to seven thousand members, is cause for concern.

The regions governments, starting with that of Singapore which recently raised the alarm, fear that the movement aims, in different ways, to impose Shari'a (Islamic law) indiscriminately, linking local Muslims to international extremist Islamic groups, in an unstable area made even more permeable to jihadism by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Traditionally, radical groups have found greater support among the poorer classes of the population, but lately Jemaah Islamiyah seems to have made inroads among the urban middle classes and young people in particular.

This became clearer with the arrest, last November, of Farid Ahmad Okbah, a member of the groups advisory council and president of Partai Dakwah Rakyat Indonesia (Indonesian People's Da'wah Party), which is dedicated to proselytising, social outreach and philanthropy.

The arrest showed how the organisation is consolidating a third, political front in addition to its propaganda and armed wings, which it has developed since its foundation in 1993.

The arrest, also in November, of Ahmad Zain An-Najah, a member of the Fatwa Commission of the Indonesian Ulema Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia), is another example of how Jemaah Islamiyah is trying to infiltrate the countrys main institutions, in this case, its main religious body.

Last year, Indonesian special forces carried out a number of operations that decimated the groups military leadership, undermining recruitment activities in many Quranic schools. Not only that, proselytising (dawa) was also heavily affected by the arrest of a number of religious leaders.

However, arrests and raids have confirmed that Jamaah Islamiyah is changing from of a movement based of struggle to one seeking political consolidation (tamkin siyasi) in order to gain influence in society and political institutions, an aggiornamento that started in 2009 under the leadership of Para Wijayanto, who was arrested in 2019.

[*] Islamic Congregation.
by Emanuele Scimia

China is the main economic player in Central Asia, but Russia remains the dominant military power. However, over time Beijing may no longer be able to outsource its trade and energy security in the region to Moscow. Many Kazakhs see the Chinese as invaders and blast China for its repression in Xinjiang.

Rome (AsiaNews)  In view of recent events in Kazakhstan, cautious words have come from China suggesting that Beijing does not want to (or cannot) play an active role in the Central Asian countrys current crisis. What is happening in Kazakhstan is its domestic affairs. We believe that the Kazakh authorities can properly resolve the issue, said yesterday a spokesman for Chinas Foreign Ministry.

The absence of any reference to the deployment of troops from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) is a sign of Chinas unease towards Russias direct intervention.

Troops arrived today in Kazakhstan to help President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev quell anti-government protests. This was sparked by the start of unrest last Sunday, which spread across the country in the wake of a rise in the cost of living.

In addition to lower liquid gas prices, protesters also began to demand political changes in a nation dominated by elites linked to former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the strongman who ruled the nation since it became independent following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

CSTO autocracies like Russia, Tajikistan and Belarus (along with Kazakhstan, the other two members of the grouping are Kyrgyzstan and Armenia) fear that the Kazakh crisis may inspire riots at home.

The deployment of Russian troops to Tokayev s rescue confirms Moscows role as security kingpin in the region, despite the fact that China is now the real economic power in Central Asia. In the growing Sino-Russian geopolitical cooperation, the Kremlin has accepted to be Chinas junior partner, but not in what it considers its Central Asian sphere of influence. At least formally, Beijing has not questioned this division of influence.

Since the 2013 launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi Jinping's infrastructure plan to turn China into the worlds economic hub, Chinese investments in Central Asia have outstripped Russias.

Despite a gradual decline in recent years, China has invested almost US$ 9 billion in hydrocarbon- and mineral-rich Kazakhstan (data from the China Global Investment Tracker). However, Beijings interests in the region risk creating friction with the Kremlin.

The pipeline carrying Turkmen gas to Xinjiang, in northwestern China, crosses Kazakh territory  Turkmenistan is Chinas main supplier of natural gas. Beijing can be expected to continue to outsource its trade and energy security in Central Asia to Russian weapons, a situation that seems however unsustainable in the medium- to long-term.

Future territorial claims may also come in the way. In 2014 Putin said that Kazakhstan was an artificial creation of Nazarbayev; for their part, Chinese nationalist groups argue that traditionally China has exercised control over Kazakh territory.

Russia and China appear not to have quickly found common ground to deal with the Kazakh issue. Tokayev turned to Moscow and the CSTO, certainly not the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The latter is run together by the Chinese and the Russians, but is still a political forum rather than a Eurasian security mechanism.

In staying away from the SCO, Tokayev may have also taken into account Kazakh discontent vis-a-vis China. Beijing has been accused of sending more than a million Turkic-speaking Muslims from Xinjiang, Kazakhs included, to concentration camps that the Chinese authorities have described as vocational training centres.

In recent years protests have been reported in Kazakhstan against the growing presence of Chinese companies, considered major polluters of the territory. Nazarbayev, the first target of the recent riots, is seen as the main culprit for selling out the country to Beijing.
Other news of the day: North Korea will not participate in the Beijing Winter Olympics. Cambodian Premier Hun Sen criticised for trip to Myanmar. Unvaccinated Filippinos who violate quarantine face jail. First woman to lead Pakistan's Supreme Court. Eight Palestinians killed in a car accident in the Occupied Territories.

KAZAKHSTAN

26 rioters and 18 officers have died so far in the ongoing clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces. The official bulletin of the Kazakh authorities speaks of over 3,000 people arrested and 748 policemen injured. Part of the 2,500 Russian-led troops of the Collective Security Treaty Organization have already arrived in the country to protect the Tokaev regime.

NORTH KOREA-CHINA

Pyongyang will not participate in next month's Beijing Winter Olympics. Kim Jong-un's regime justified the decision with risks to Covid-19 and the presence of "hostile forces." Due to non-participation in the Tokyo Games, North Korean athletes cannot compete until the end of the year anyway.

CAMBODIA-MYANMAR

Burmese opposition to the February 2020 military coup has lashed out at Cambodian Premier Hun Sen, who arrived in Myanmar this morning to meet with the top leadership of the ruling junta. Critics say the Phnom Penh-based leader is not an "honest broker," given his authoritarian rule and ties to China, a supporter of Naypyidaw's generals.

PHILIPPINES

Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte has declared unvaccinated people who violate home quarantine will be arrested. With the spread of the Omicron variant, infections in the country have risen to the highest in three months (over 17 thousand).

RUSSIA

According to Interfax, at the beginning of 2022 there were almost 4 thousand Russian physical and legal persons sanctioned by UN, USA, Canada, Great Britain, EU, Australia, Japan and Ukraine: 20% of those sanctioned in the world. In all, there are 1,554 companies and 2,281 individuals.

PAKISTAN

Islamabad is on the verge of appointing the first woman to lead the National Supreme Court. Fifty-five-year-old Ayesha Malik cleared the first hurdle with a favorable vote from the Judicial Commission. Now all she needs is the green light from the Parliament: the majority party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf has already declared its support.

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

A collision between a bus and a truck caused the death of eight Palestinians yesterday. The accident occurred in the Occupied Territories. Among the victims are workers employed in Jewish settlements along Highway 90, which runs through the Jordan Valley.
The Kopel cooperative, which ran a sustainable tourism business, saw visitors disappear with the health crisis. So it invested everything in reforestation projects. In the last 20 years, Malaysia has lost a quarter of its tree cover.

Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Along the Kinabatangan River in Malaysian Borneo, a group of men and women set out to reforest the region. First they cleaned up the land with machetes, then they planted thousands of saplings that they will take care of in the coming years. The collective, made up exclusively of local indigenous people, is part of Kopel, a cooperative that used to run a sustainable tourism enterprise in the four villages in Batu Puteh province, Sabah region.

"When the work stopped, I joined the reforestation team to help my family financially," Nurul Susanti Nasir, who previously worked as a maid with families on vacation, told New Naratif. "I like working in the forest more because reforestation work is more enjoyable."

After months of hiatus due to fear of contagions and lack of funds generated by tourism, Batu Puteh residents have returned to planting trees to restore the rainforest. The region surrounding the Kinabatangan, the country's second longest river, is rich in biodiversity.

However, the province of Batu Puteh and the region of Sabah are also covered with fields for the cultivation of palm oil: the oil from these areas represents 6% of world production. According to data from Global Forest Watch, from 2001 to 2020 Malaysia has lost a quarter of its grass cover, corresponding to 2 million hectares of forest, or 809 mega tons of carbon dioxide, which is what it takes to charge about 103 million smartphones.

In the same period, the region around Kinabatangan lost 28% of its trees, or 190 thousand hectares of rainforest. As a result, the orangutan population has shrunk by nearly a third.

Kopel is trying to put a stop to this: Australian Marti Vogel in 1995 worked with the local population so that they could benefit from the earnings given by the tourism industry. Vogel had worked for several agencies that brought vacationers to Sabah and Sarawak, but had noticed that it was never the local communities that got rich.

In 1999, Kopel secured funding to launch his first reforestation program. Since then, 350 hectares of forest have been replanted and forest corridors connecting protected areas have been created. Before the pandemic, Kopel welcomed about 6,000 visitors each year. Then with Covid-19 everything came to a halt, the staff of 40 was cut in half to 20, and funding began to dwindle.

"Before the pandemic, our main business was tourism and our product was conservation," Saidal bin Udin, Kopel's manager, explained to New Naratif. The reforestation program has survived by partnering with research organizations, which rely on the cooperative for their long experience in the field. Researchers monitor tree growth to calculate carbon sequestration, but it's a complicated and laborious task, as carbon is sequestered both above and below ground.

Amaziasizamoria Jumail, a researcher at the Danau Girang Field Centre, measures the size of trees and puts out baskets every six months to calculate the amount of fallen leaves and dead wood. She takes soil samples and sends them to Cardiff University, where they are analyzed to measure carbon sequestration. "A healthy forest will capture more carbon," Jumail says.

"It's very important for us to work with communities, because at the end of the day they are people who live in those forests and know the species better than we do, they know what kind of forest they want to live in. At the end of the day it's about creating healthy forests, places that are good for animals, good for people and good for carbon."
One of my editors recently shared with me, and two other columnists, a delightful missive from a reader praising us three. Its always a thrill to hear from a reader and I want to thank Carol Allison for her kind words. I especially like the quote from Michael J. Fox in AARP that she noted: Gratitude makes optimism sustainable. I live by that doctrine every day and every day I express gratitude for everything I have. It lifts me up, and yes, makes me a diehard optimist.

In my early teens, I wrote a thin newsletter about the Beatles and got permission to make copies on my schools mimeograph. I charged my readers about 25 cents for it and soon, I was mailing them to new readers who heard about it from friends. I did it for the fun of sharing my wild enthusiasm over my favorite band. Eventually, I received a cease and desist letter from an attorney who told me I could not use the name The Beatles. Heartbroken, I asked if I could use a drawing of their mop-tops instead. He thought about that for a minute, then said that could be done, so I carried on.
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Athens, TX (75751)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

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Partly cloudy skies this evening. Thunderstorms likely late. Low 66F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
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MercBenzKing had the opportunity of checking out a G 63-based conversion in Germany, a brand-new truck with fewer than 100 kilometers (62 miles) on the clock and loads of tasteful modifications. Listed by Auto Seredin at 523,600 or $594,000 because it doesnt feature any engine upgrades, this fellow proudly wears G manufaktur metallic green paint.Merc advertises the color as Periclase Green, with periclase referring to a rare mineral that contains magnesium oxide and iron protoxide. Fitted with-specific wheels mounted with Pirelli Scorpion ATR all-terrain rubber, the XLP in the following video is also gifted with a side-hinged tailgate, bed tire carrier, a powder-coated sport bar, and a beefy-looking roof rack.Further equipped with two red-painted jerry cans that may never be used as intended, the short-boxed G 63 helps its twin-turbo V8 exhale through a set of side-mounted tailpipes. To whom it may concern, the black-finished trailer ball out back isnt there for show. The dealership mentioned earlier says the XLP is capable of towing up to 3,500 kilograms (7,716 pounds), which is better than Mercedes rating for the G 63 in the United States. More specifically, the North American model tows 6,500 pounds (2,948 kilos).Augmented with a small brush guard winch and a different front bumper that integrates an electric winch, the dual-cab pickup conversion brings the point home with front- and rear-facing auxiliary lights. The cabin is pretty much unchanged from the bone-stock model, save for the roof-mounted switches that control the lights and 4,500-kilogram (9,900-pound) winch.Similar to the U.S. model, the Brabus-modified G 63 in MercBenzKings video produces 577 horsepower and 627 pound-feet (850 Nm) of torque. On full chatter, the gentle giant is capable of hitting 220 kph (136.7 mph).
Airbus has confirmed its leading position in the aerospace world, with numerous successes throughout 2021. From the launch of ten new satellites to contributing to the historical mission of the James Webb telescope, this space technology giant has helped advance our interaction with space through innovative applications.

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Sidewalks in downtown Storrs are cleared after more than a foot of snow fell in the area Friday morning. (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

The first winter storm of 2022 dropped a foot of snow in eastern Connecticut, causing schools and day care centers across the state to close and making for a hazardous morning commute.

A tractor trailer jackknifed in the snow before dawn on I-95 South in Greenwich Friday, forcing a shutdown of the highway. (DOT traffic camera)

Snow was falling at a rate of 2 inches an hour early Friday, said Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist with the Connecticut Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University. It stopped snowing before noon.

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Most towns got 3-8 inches. But by mid-morning, 13 inches had fallen in the Danielson section of Killingly; 12.5 inches had dropped in the Higganum section of Haddam and Hebron and Pomfret got a foot. Colchester got 11 inches, Lessor said Friday morning.

A truck plows what appears to be more than a foot of snow in Mansfield Friday morning. (Mark Mirko/Hartford Courant)

A band of snow that sliced diagonally across the state, roughly along the I-84 corridor, was partly responsible for the unexpectedly high snow totals.

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The heavy band just crashed, Lessor said. It shifted further east. Its now Middlesex, Tolland, Windham counties, which is going to save central Connecticut.

Visibility was poor. Tractor trailers on I-95 in Stonington, Greenwich and Norwalk jackknifed, with two of the crashes shutting down the highway. A major road in Bristol, Route 229, also closed because of a two-car crash that seriously injured a driver; police said they are looking into the possibility that snow played a role.

In all, state police said they responded to 99 crashes between 12:01 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. People were injured in three of the crashes. No one died.

More than 100 school systems across the state canceled classes. Some employers urged workers not to drive in, including Gov. Ned Lamont, who closed all executive branch offices, and nonessential employees for the town of Bloomfield were told to stay home.

The state Department of Transportation, plagued with a COVID-19-related plow driver shortage, suggested people stay off the roads and urged patience from those who ventured out.

 Today is a good day to #StayHome. If you're on the roads, please use extreme caution . #CTDOT plows are out and need room to work. We'll need your patience today. #dontcrowdtheplow  Connecticut Department of Transportation (@CTDOTOfficial) January 7, 2022

Some departing and arriving flights were canceled at Bradley International Airport.

Bradley International Airport is open and our snow removal operations are ongoing, said spokeswoman Alisa D. Sisic. Currently, our airline partners have canceled approximately 12% of todays flights, primarily impacting morning departures.

As our airline partners continue adjusting their schedules in response to the storm, further flight cancellations may be possible. Passengers scheduled to travel are advised to contact their airline to confirm the status of their individual flight itineraries before heading to the airport.

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Metro-North Railroad trains were running on their Saturday schedule, with additional trains during the morning and evening rush, Metropolitan Transportation Authority staff said in an alert. Crews worked all night to clear platforms.

If youre traveling today, please give yourself extra time and use extra caution on platforms and staircases, they said. And be sure to check new.mta.info before you travel.

There were barely any power outages. The snow was light and fluffy, as opposed to the wet, heavy snow that weighs down tree branches, snaps them and takes out wires.

The storm was impressive nonetheless because of the amount of snow it produced  three times what meteorologists forecasted two days earlier, when they were expecting up to 4 inches.

They didnt expect a heavy band of snow that shifted right before dawn and stalled over the eastern part of the state, dropping more snow.

Unfortunately, the [computer] models dont have the resolution to pick up where the band will be, Lessor said. It apparently stayed there and just dumped.

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The western part of the state  even the northwest corner, known for its colder, snowier weather  got much less snow than the east. Warren, for example, got only 2.8 inches, the National Weather Service said.

[ How much snow did your town get? Connecticut snow totals from seasons first major snowstorm ]

But the farther east one went, the higher the snow total: Vernon had 8 inches at 7 a.m., Lessor said. Southington had 8.5 and Coventry and Willington had 10.5.

Snow covers a barn roof and tree branches in the Terryville section of Plymouth Friday morning. (Jesse Leavenworth/Hartford Courant)

The snow stopped falling by late Friday morning, finishing its run in the east last. It finished in the west first after having started shortly after midnight in Meriden and between midnight Thursday and 1 a.m. in Danbury, Lessor said.

The storm came two mornings after freezing rain caused Connecticut roads to become glazed with ice, causing hundreds of crashes, one of them deadly.

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Christine Dempsey may be reached at cdempsey@courant.com.
Back in October, the American space agency announced it cleared the design of its first lunar mobile robot, as in this one, unlike the Boeing-made Lunar Roving Vehicle of the Apollo program, will be made by NASA itself.That meant construction of the rover could begin and voila, just three months have passed and were getting the first glimpse of one of the most important elements of the rover: the wheels.Just like most other rovers designed for alien world exploration, VIPER will use all-metal wheels with no rubber wrapped around them. That makes them particularly robust at handling the harsh terrain on the Moon, but also means they have to endure stresses far beyond what regular wheels have to endure.To see how they cope, NASA tested the wheels for three weeks in an indoor Moon-mimicking set-up. That was in essence a 20-foot-long (6 meters) sandbox filled with lunar soil simulant, measuring devices, cameras, and robotic controls.During that time, they spun for the equivalent of about 25 miles (40 km), being subjected to all kinds of tests, from going up slopes to experiencing wheel slip and going over rocks and other simulated obstacles. In all, 196 scenarios of different rock shapes, heights, and positions the rover were designed to test the wheels.Using control software put together by a company called ProtoInnovations, the hardware performed as expected, according to Arno Rogg, rover mobility system engineer at NASA.At the end of the test, both its physical condition and its behavior  looking especially at its traction  were only slightly degraded compared to when we started the test. By driving the wheel more than twice the distance its expected to travel on the lunar surface, we reduced the risk of any premature wheel failure occurring on the Moon," the engineer said in a statement VIPER is the size of a golf cart and weighs 600 pounds (272 kg). It will be sent in the general area where the first Artemis astronauts will land in a bid to open in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) opportunities for a potential extended human presence on the surface.
Although its more than a decade old, the Sealyon is one of the most stunning luxury vessels on the market. Its second name (the first one was Candyscape II) is derived from the name of its new owner, property mogul Anthony Lyons. After being named one of the youngest successful businessmen in the UK, he treated himself to this unique party boat.The Candy brothers, together with the world-famous Espen Oeino Design, went all out when creating the interior of this 203-footer (62 meters), built by Italian yard Viareggio SuperYachts (VSY). On the huge sun deck that extends over 50% of the entire surface, the typical helipad was replaced with a revolving circular sunbed. Theres also enough room for a spa pool, a central bar, and a dining table that can sit up to 20.All the living spaces are jaw-dropping luxurious , with huge windows and a glass elevator that connects the decks. The lobby floors have built-in motion sensors, for automatic misting and the main salon boasts a self-playing piano worth over $100,000. In addition to the high-end onboard gym, guests can also enjoy a large media room with a 103 TV screen.Sealyons master suite is perhaps the most glamorous one ever seen on a yacht. It doesnt just boast a panoramic 180-degree view and a walk-in wardrobe, but also a large bathroom with a spa bath and shower. Both of these, like all the other six bathrooms, comes with waterproof TVs and Lalique glass taps. One of them is even lined in leather from antique Louis Vuitton suitcases. Of course, precious materials such as marbles, exotic woods, and silk are used throughout.Destined for the most glamorous VIP parties, the Sealyon also comes with a huge water toy selection, including professional diving equipment.Despite its stunning qualities, it looks like the British tycoon is ready to move on to something else. Although its value dropped significantly (it was estimated at $75 million when owned by the Candy brothers), the Sealyon is listed for sale over at Y.CO for $33.5 million  still a whopping amount for a statement yacht.
The E53 that ran from 1999 to 2006 looks elegant compared to modern-day BMWs, especially if were talking about the Concept XM . Stephenson begins his design review of the M-badged sport utility vehicle by analyzing the front end, which he describes as nonsensical. Frank is especially offended by the front lines that go in completely different directions as if they dont know where to go. The backlit kidney grille doesnt help either, and the weirdly shaped headlights look unlike anything else from BMW.From the three-quarter perspective, the front wheel arches are the worst offenders. What benefit does putting so many lines around a round object have? None! Of course, except to be different, said the man who also designed the MINI Hatch. I dont like it. Its just angles for angles sake.The side analysis is similarly frank (pun intended). More specifically, Frank claims there are too many dead lines and fussy angles that dont combine into a cohesive whole. As for the rear end, it does physically hurt me to look at the rear end. Why do you need two logos on the rear windscreen?Considering that Stephenson doesnt have any bad blood with BMW, it goes to show just how bad the Concept XM really is from a designers perspective. Fast forward to the 12:45 mark of the following video, and youll hear Frank state that BMW have really lost their f#&%ing minds.All things considered, the atrocity thats supposed to celebrate 50 years of M receives an F rating from Frank Stephenson, with F standing for failure. BMW has now entered a league of their own. Sorry, but thats my opinion.
We can now probably add another thing to the very long list of strange things people will do for clicks: crash a plane. This is what former Olympian turned vlogger and full-time daredevil Trevor Jacob is accused of doing on November 24, 2021. In a video posted one month later, simply titled I Crashed My Plane, Jacob explains how he came to crash a small plane in the Nevada mountains, during what should have been a short routine flight.The problem is, few are buying his story  least of all the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is currently investigating the crash. To put it differently, it is widely believed that Jacob crashed the plane on purpose, just so he could build a dramatic story around it, involving his parachute jump from the malfunctioning plane , his hours-long hike through the bushes, and his late rescue by a group of farmers.It all started innocently enough, with Jacob outside a 1940 Taylorcraft at the Lompoc City Airport in Santa Barbara County. The plan, he says, is to fly to Mammoth Lakes, California to skydive, paraglide and spread his late best friends ashes. Jacob climbs into the plane alone and takes off without incident. The plane is rigged with three cameras, one on the wing, one on the tail and another right in front, aimed at Jacob. Jacob himself has a selfie stick with a camera.Some 20 minutes into the flight, the engine cuts off and never starts again. Jacob opens the door and looks outside a couple of times, and then jumps . As luck would have it, hes wearing a parachute because, he says later in the video, hes always wearing one when hes flying, out of an abundance of caution (except that this is the first time hes wearing one). He lands in the bushes, and the pilot-less plane crashes at a distance, and Jacob is left stranded for the rest of the day, slowly and painfully making his way through the bushes until he eventually comes up a passing car and is rescued.His story is riddled with holes, and other certified pilots , skydivers or just regular people with a keener eye for details have taken notice. If this was a mission to scatter a friends ashes, the decision to rig the plane with cameras makes no sense, since this was a short, routine flight. Equally senseless is the fact that Jacob doesnt try to restart the engine, nor does he seem to even consider gliding the plane to a landing spot nearby. There is no camera feed in the cockpit, and the door is strangely open even before the supposed engine malfunction.The FAA has also taken notice of these suspicious facts, The Independent reports. Despite the disclaimer at the onset of the video, Jacob did not alert the FAA and the NTSB immediately, but actually tried to gather a team to go and retrieve the plane from the crash site in secret, several days later.Landing the plane was never even considered, sources at the small airport tell the publication. In fact, the plane shouldnt have been in the air in the first place, because it was in a state of disrepair and in need of major maintenance. Jacob attempted to complete a few fixes on his own but was well out of his depth, the sources say.To make a very long story shorter, it definitely looks like Jacob staged the engine malfunction and the subsequent crash for clout . Given his connections and his experience as a skydiver , it wouldnt have been that difficult to pull off, either. But neither will save him from the consequences, if its determined that he faked it.The FAA wouldnt comment on the ongoing investigation, and neither would Jacob, who has disabled the comments on the video. Before you proceed to check it out, this needs to be said: faking plane crashes for publicity is in very bad taste. Also, illegal.
The living proof in this regard is the recent arrest of Gioacchino Gammino, an Italian mafia boss whos been on the run for over two decades.But as it turns out, moving to Galapagar, Spain, changing your name to Manuel, marrying a local woman, and even working as a chef for a restaurant in the city wasnt enough to guarantee his freedom.This is because Gammino, who was wanted for murder and other crimes, showed up in a photo captured by Google for the Google Maps street-level imagery available as part of Street View. According to several media reports , the fugitive showed up on Google Maps in a photo in front of a fruit and vegetable shop.The police, who already knew the gangster was hiding close to Madrid, spotted the photo on Google Maps and then conducted further online searching to locate the fugitive. Facebook pages of nearby restaurants revealed more about the Gammino, with one of the public photos even showing him dressed as a chef.Gammino was eventually caught by the police in mid-December, and unsurprisingly, he was shocked to see the investigators tracking him down. During his ad-hoc encounter with the police, he revealed he hasnt even called his family in 10 years, all in an attempt to hide his location.Needless to say, Google Maps didnt actually reveal the identity of the man, as peoples faces are automatically blurred on Street View. However, the police managed to identify Gammino because of a scar on the left side of his chin, something that was then easily recognizable in other photos that were found on various Facebook pages.
On the other hand, its hard to estimate how many people actually use Android Auto and CarPlay, as the download figures published on the Google Play Store arent an accurate indicator on this front, especially as one device can install the app multiple times.Google, however, has finally shared some adoption figures for Android Auto, revealing just how many people use its app behind the wheel.There are currently 150 million cars out there that come fitted with Android Auto, though Google hasnt provided any other specifics regarding this figure.In theory, Google probably refers to the new models that are equipped with Android Auto right from the factory, but on the other hand, there are many ways to use the app in older cars as well. One of the most popular is a head unit upgrade, as installing a new receiver in pretty much any car out there makes it possible to run Android Auto either with a cord or wirelessly.The previous figures revealed by Google regarding the Android Auto adoption indicated there were over 100 million cars coming with the wireless version of the app. Indeed, Google reiterates that most new cars come with wireless Android Auto, but the 150 million figure seems to include both versions of the app.While the adoption of Android Auto is obviously growing, Google is also investing big in Android Automotive.As compared to Android Auto, Android Automotive is installed at the hardware level, so it doesnt require a mobile phone to power the driving experience. Android Automotive is a platform thats continuously growing, so earlier this week, the company announced that YouTube is also becoming available for this operating system when the car is parked.
Apart from the GMA T.50, Gordon Murray once said that his company would probably be able to make only another car without any sort of electrification. We now know that this vehicle will be called T.33 and that it will make its premiere on January 27.

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SUV

If youre in the market for a full-sizethat prioritizes comfort and luxury, the Mercedes-Benz GLS is definitely a solid option. The European brand even made the GLS more spacious starting with the 2019 generation, by increasing the wheelbase by 2.36 (60 mm).With a capacity of seven people, the GLS 580 4Matic features the biggest engine, a gasoline V8 with 489 hp and 700 Nm of torque.The 2022 GLS 450 4Matic version comes with a smaller, 3.0L inline-6 turbo engine with 362 hp and 500 Nm of torque. It is paired with a 48V lithium-ion battery, with the electric assist being able to generate additional torque and gas-free power for immediate response.Once you step inside the SUV, you enter a world of pampering and modern technology. Depending on the package you opt for, you can get massaging seats for the second row as well, an infotainment system controlled via tablet, leather upholstery, a wireless phone charging pad, to name just a few of the features GLS brings to the table.Woodworking Arts downscaled version of the luxurious SUV is an homage brought to the GLS 450, one that stays true to the original, down to the very last detail. The Vietnamese artisan behind the Woodworking Art YouTube channel dedicates weeks in a row to wood carving, building the most iconic four-wheeler car models. The Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 4Matic is not the first wooden SUV crafted by the artist. In fact, prior to that, he also made a gorgeous wooden version of the BMW X6 . Woodworking Art also has a Kia Sorento and Audi Q7 in his portfolio, as well as several convertibles, pickup trucks, and other reputable wheelers.You can check out the wooden GLS 450 in the video below.
AV

Mary Barras bold claim probably didnt come entirely as a surprise. After all, it was made in front of the sleek Cadillac InnerSpace AV concept at a show that lives on forward-thinking speculations. We must add people are already vaccinated by equally bold promises made by Elon Musk countless times before. But coming from the CEO of a big company like General Motors, this claim should carry more weight. What Barra did was set a deadline for GM that might not be in her own or her companys interest.In pursuing multiple paths simultaneously, GM and Cruise are gaining significant technological expertise and experience, and we are working to be the fastest to market with a retail personal autonomous vehicle. In fact, we aim to deliver our first personal autonomous vehicles as soon as the middle of this decade, said Barra during her keynote at CES.It is true, General Motors might know a thing or two about driving assistance technologies, having its Super Cruise suite already helping drivers in several models. General Motors announced last year they will deploy the technology to six models in 2022 , with 16 others coming up by 2023. Super Cruise is still a Level 2+ autonomous driving system, though.GM also owns Cruise, an autonomous vehicle startup that could help deliver the firstto retail customers as Barra hinted in her speech. And yet, Cruise promised to deliver an autonomous ride-hailing fleet in San Francisco as early as 2019. The plans were indefinitely delayed, and to our knowledge there were no real-world tests that would bring this objective any closer. Barra also ousted Cruise CEO Dan Amman last month over disagreements concerning the startups direction.There is no fully autonomous vehicle in the world right now. Even Waymo taxis that appear to drive themselves are only Level 3 cars for now. Although they appear to self-drive without any driver intervention, there are actual people that supervise them remotely. Tesla calls their cars self-driving and we all know how that played out. Even if there were fully autonomous driving vehicles, their producers will have to navigate a delicate puzzle of legal and ethical matters that are not even put in place anywhere in the world.And yet, Mary Barra is sure GM will have everything sorted out on their part and also all the regulations in place for people to be able to buy and drive a fully autonomous car by 2025. Well see how this will go from now on, especially as GM still has a lot of issues going on with its electric cars deployment and set-backs.
Developed by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Army, the PrSM is a long-range precision-strike missile designed to replace the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). It will deliver enhanced capabilities, being able to destroy targets from more than 310 miles (499 km) away. The PrSM is intended to be compatible with Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) launchers, and it has a modular architecture.Lockheed Martins PrSM has been working closely with the Army for the past years, getting closer to delivering the fully operational next-generation weapon. Last year, in October, the company conducted the fifth successful flight test for the missile, breaking the initial 250-mile (402-km) distance record in what turned out to be the longest flight to date.And the PrSM program doesnt show signs of slowing down. Recently, Northrop Grumman, the defense contractor in charge of the development of the solid rocket motor, announced that it completed another successful rocket motor test.This recent static test comes after Northrop Grumman put the motor through extremely cold temperatures, validating that everything works accordingly. The series of tests will not stop here for the rocket motor as it still has to go through several evaluations until it is declared fully operational.The company says that initial fielding will begin next year. The new motor will play a significant role in making the PrSM considerably better than the ATACMS, increasing the range and doubling the load out.That was made possible thanks to the latest high-performance solid propulsion technology, as well as additional soldier-safety elements incorporated into the propulsion system. The PrSM motor is set to be produced at Northrop Grummans manufacturing facility at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL), one of the worlds most modern and efficient tactical solid rocket motor production facilities.
More int'l students seek opportunities in China after graduation: NYU Shanghai report

Xinhua) 10:48, January 07, 2022

SHANGHAI, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Development prospects in China are becoming increasingly attractive for international students as many choose to seek opportunities in the country after graduation, according to a report released by New York University Shanghai (NYU Shanghai).

Among the 130 international students of the class of 2021, 17 chose to pursue further study or work in China after graduation, bringing the total number of NYU Shanghai international graduates choosing to stay in China to 70 since its establishment in 2012, said the report released on Wednesday.

Of these students, some chose to continue their studies at universities such as Peking University and Tsinghua University, while others entered renowned enterprises such as Shanghai Disney Resort or expressed interest in Chinese technology companies, according to the report.

"I wanted to build my future here," said John Christopher Dopp, a U.S. student, who found a job in a software development company in Shanghai after graduation.

"I think careers in China for international students are great," he said. "A strong and ever-growing country, China is not just a safe choice but one that is interesting, exciting and full of opportunities."

NYU Shanghai, co-founded by New York University and East China Normal University in 2012, is a pilot program in China-U.S. educational cooperation. The university has registered 582 international graduates.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
WASHINGTON  Fully vaccinated and mostly masked, the Supreme Courts conservative majority appeared skeptical Friday of the Biden administrations authority to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nations large employers. The court seemed more open to a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers.

The arguments in the two cases come at a time of spiking coronavirus cases because of the omicron variant, and the decision Friday by seven justices to wear masks for the first time while hearing arguments reflected the new phase of the pandemic.

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An eighth justice, Sonia Sotomayor, a diabetic since childhood, didnt even appear in the courtroom, choosing to remain in her office at the court and take part remotely. Two lawyers, representing Ohio and Louisiana, argued by telephone after recent positive COVID-19 tests, state officials said.

But the COVID circumstances did not appear to outweigh the views of the courts six conservatives that the administration overstepped its authority in its vaccine-or-testing requirement for businesses with at least 100 employees.

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This is something the federal government has never done before, Chief Justice John Roberts said, casting doubt on the administrations argument that a half-century established law, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, confers such broad authority.

The Supreme Court shown Jan. 7, 2022, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett probably hold the key to the outcome in both cases, as they have been more receptive to state-level vaccine requirements than the other three conservative justices. Barrett and Kavanaugh also had tough questions for Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administrations top Supreme Court lawyer.

The courts three liberal justices suggested support for the employer rule. Justice Elena Kagan said officials have shown quite clearly that no other policy will prevent sickness and death to anywhere like the degree that this one will. And Justice Stephen Breyer said he found it unbelievable that it could be in the public interest to put that rule on hold. He said that on Thursday there were some 750,000 new cases in the country and that hospitals are full.

Beginning Monday, unvaccinated employees in big companies are supposed to wear masks at work, unless the court blocks enforcement. But testing requirements and potential fines for employers dont kick in until February.

Legal challenges to the policies from Republican-led states and business groups are in their early stages, but the outcome at the high court probably will determine the fate of vaccine requirements affecting more than 80 million people.

Roberts, Kavanaugh and Barrett seemed to have fewer doubts about the health care vaccine mandate. Kavanaugh said it was a very unusual situation that hospitals and health care organizations affected by the regulation were not here complaining about the rule but instead support it. What are we to make of that? he asked.

The second regulation is a mandate that would apply to virtually all health care staff in the country. It covers health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.

Decisions by federal appeals courts in New Orleans and St. Louis have blocked the mandate in about half the states. The administration has said it is taking steps to enforce it in the rest.

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I think effectively what is at stake is whether these mandates are going to go into effect at all, said Sean Marotta, a Washington lawyer whose clients include the American Hospital Association. The trade group is not involved in the Supreme Court cases.

Both vaccine rules would exacerbate labor shortages and be costly to businesses, lawyer Scott Keller argued Friday on behalf of more than two dozen business groups. Without an immediate order from the court, workers will quit right away, Keller said.

Administration lawyer Prelogar told the justices that COVID-19 is the deadliest pandemic in American history and it poses a unique workplace danger. OSHA has estimated that its emergency regulation will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.

Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of those have received booster shots, including the nine justices.

Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, said the vaccine requirements are extremely effective for 15% to 20% of Americans who dont like to get a shot but they will and dont have any strenuous objection.

The high court is weighing in on administration vaccine policies for the first time, although the justices have turned away pleas to block state-level mandates.

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A conservative majority concerned about federal overreach did bring an end to a federal moratorium on evictions put in place because of the pandemic.

Both the vaccination case came to the court on an emergency basis, and the court took the unusual step of scheduling arguments rather than just ruling on briefs submitted by the parties. Unlike in other cases the court hears, a decision from the justices could come in weeks if not days.

Because of the pandemic the justices heard the cases in a courtroom closed to the public. Only the justices, lawyers involved in the cases, court staff and journalists were allowed inside. The public could listen live, however, a change made earlier in the pandemic when the justices for nearly 19 months heard cases via telephone.

The court has been asking arguing lawyers to have negative coronavirus tests and participate remotely if they have positive tests. Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers, who was arguing against the employer rule, had tested positive for COVID-19 after Christmas, had mild symptoms and fully recovered, but a test on Sunday required by the court detected the virus, a spokeswoman said. He had been vaccinated and had a booster shot.

Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill who was arguing against the health care workers rule, was also arguing remotely based upon the courts protocol, state Attorney General Jeff Landry said. Landry was at the court for Fridays arguments.

It was the first time since the court returned to in-person arguments in October that lawyers were arguing remotely.

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Justice Neil Gorsuch was the only justice to remain unmasked throughout the arguments, which lasted more than 3 and 1/2 hours. He sits between Barrett and Sotomayor. The court did not explain why Sotomayor didnt take the bench.
Toward the end of 2020, when it became clear that the international health crisis wouldnt just go away in a matter of weeks, major airline carriers started to devise strategies to keep their businesses from shuttering. These included repurposing airplanes, monetizing the airplane experience, and operating what has come to be known as ghost flights.

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One of the proudest moments of 2021 for Airbus was the launch of its new business jet, the luxurious ACJ TwoTwenty. An extra-large model, with 785 square feet (73 square meters) of floor space and six VIP living areas for up to 19 passengers, this jet is a game-changer in its category, when it comes to spaciousness and comfort. Of course, its performance is up to par. Powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, it boasts an impressive range of 5,650 nautical miles (6,500 miles/10,500 km).FIVE, a Dubai-based Group with real estate, hospitality, and several other branches, officially became the first customer of the new ACJ TwoTwenty, who also got to select its preferred VIP cabin from the multiple options available. Comlux, a luxury Switzerland-based company that takes care of everything related to business and private jets, from acquisitions to interiors and upgrades, is now in charge of completing the cabin layout for the Groups jet.The aircraft recently arrived at the Comlux facility in Indianapolis, where it will get its beautiful VIP cabin. Comlux engineers have developed a virtual reality tool specifically for this, enabling customers to immerse in a 3D experience of their future jet cabin, just like they would with a luxury car. But the complex 3D technology is not just about good looks, also demonstrating equipment functionality and future performance.Comlux hasnt shared what the future cabin will look like, but we do know that the ACJ TwoTwenty offers the option of a large cinema with the biggest screen available on a biz-jet , plus the highest bandwidth satellite connectivity, and a VIP bedroom with a king-size bed, a second home cinema screen, and an en-suite bathroom.The first ACJ TwoTwenty with a luxury cabin is set to begin operating by the start of 2023.
There are few things worse than getting involved in a car accident. You may be injured, and your automobile is likely to be damaged. It is not uncommon to need surgery, and you might have to go to the doctor more than once. You may have to deal with painful physical therapy, miss days, or even weeks away from your job. Injuries can also cause you to miss family events.

The stress from an accident will be compounded if you are partially at fault for the collision. Not only do you have to worry about your injuries, but you may also have to deal with the legal expenses of a traffic violation.

You have probably wondered if you will be able to get any insurance money for your injuries. If you live in the state of California, you will be able to make an insurance claim even if you are partially to blame for a crash.

Insurance Laws in The United States

According to brown-gessell.com, there are two different kinds of insurance rules in the United States; fault (or tort) and no-fault.

In a fault state, the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident will pay for the expenses related to the crash. In a no-fault state, a person's own insurance company will pay for their medical bills and damage to their property, no matter who is to blame for the collision.

Pure Comparative Fault in California

California is a fault state and has a pure comparative fault rule. That means each party is responsible for the percentage of the accident that they caused. For example, if you are 90% at fault, you may file a claim for 10% of your expenses with the other driver's insurance company.

California has very liberal laws compared to other states. The majority of fault states follow a modified comparative fault rule that says that if a person is over 50% responsible for an accident, they will not file a claim with the other driver's insurance company.

Filing a Claim

Insurance companies in the Golden State are not thrilled with pure comparative fault, and they may try to find a way out of paying you your due.

They could say that pre-existing conditions exacerbated your injuries, or they may try to claim that you took time off work for personal reasons that were not related to the accident. They have been known to say that claimants are exaggerating about pain and suffering.

If an insurance company denies your claim or offers you a paltry settlement, you should hire a personal injury attorney.

What to Look for in a Lawyer

A trained attorney can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. They will have years of experience in dealing with insurance adjusters and lawyers. The law firm that you select should specialize in California accident law and have an outstanding reputation with the state bar association.

Getting injured in an accident is not fun. However, if you understand insurance laws in California and hire an attorney who is well-versed in personal injury matters, you will have a good chance of getting the money you need to move on with your life.
One of the most prevalent post-accident injuries is whiplash. This neck injury is caused by a person's head being forcibly jerked back and forth. In an accident, this can happen in less than a second, and there is no way to prevent it from occurring.

Front-end and rear-end crashes are the most prevalent causes of whiplash, but it can occur in any sort of automobile accident. It can happen at any speed and with any amount of force, whether the car is going fast or slow.

Whiplash injuries can range from the minor to the serious, but they all require medical attention. Be on the lookout for symptoms for days or even weeks following an accident, even a little fender-bender.

Educating Yourself on the Legal Aspects of Whiplash Injuries

If a careless driver caused your whiplash and other injuries, your best bet is to speak with a car accident lawyer first. The following are some of the more important aspects that a lawyer will address:

Always go to the doctor. Chronic injuries can last a lifetime, even with prompt medical attention. Even with prompt medical attention, healing may take a long time. Consequently, the financial burden on an accident victim may be substantial and long-lasting.

If a settlement offer is made, do not accept it. Accident victims should resist the temptation to take an insurance company's initial, low-ball offer due to the risk of significant medical expenses. A vehicle accident lawyer can help victims understand their legal choices and how they might receive a fair settlement for their injuries.

Don't throw away any medical records or invoices. These elements will support the diagnosis, extent of injuries, treatment, prognosis, therapies, and other whiplash-related disabilities. There is no legal basis for a claim for compensation if there are no medical records. Without proof of injuries and treatment, an insurer may deny or undervalue the claim. In a court of law, a paper trail can be a strong tool. After the initial therapy, victims should keep track of any new symptoms that may occur.

Don't take the blame. Insurers may also attribute the accident's cause to the victim's own fault or assert that the victim's whiplash and other injuries were already present at the time of the accident. People who have been injured in car accidents should seek the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney who is familiar with how insurance companies operate.

It's important to keep your mouth shut. When driving, drivers must keep in mind that any comments they make or actions they take could be used against them. Occasionally, someone will apologise for an accident or admit responsibility for it in full or in part. For example, a victim may provide too much personal information to an insurance representative who calls them in order to persuade them to talk. When dealing with an insurance company, drivers should always consult a lawyer first.

Various criteria are taken into account when determining pay. Experienced car accident attorneys in Evansville will examine all aspects of the case, including evidence, damages, and long-term prognosis, in order to determine the amount of compensation to seek in a settlement offer or court action. Medical fees and lost pay if the whiplash leaves the victim unable to work or working at a reduced capacity will be taken into account by the experts. Compensation for pain and suffering and other non-economic losses will also be determined by a lawyer.
A car accident can be a scary experience, whether your injuries are serious or minor. The choice as to whether you should sue or not is one to consider with the aid of a legal professional who can evaluate your case and advise you on the next steps to take. In general, anytime you file a personal injury lawsuit you should have an attorney representing you, advising you of your rights, and ensuring that you know what to expect in court. They should be fighting for you to get the maximum compensation you deserve for your injuries.

How badly were you injured?

The more severe the injuries, the more expensive your medical care will be. When the medical costs are high, then insurance companies try to save themselves money by denying claims submitted by injured victims. A car accident attorney fights for you and advocates on your behalf, not the insurance company's behalf. When the insurance company starts to argue that your medical expenses are too much, or when they deem a treatment or procedure as "not medically necessary," then your attorney will step in and demonstrate the importance of you getting the care that you need.

Conversely, the insurance company may find other ways to deny your coverage if you were not badly injured but suffered minor injuries, such as whiplash. You should not have to undergo life-threatening injuries for the insurance company to take your pain and suffering seriously. Even minor injuries can cause a person to miss work or need child care. A car accident attorney fights for you to get the compensation you deserve, whether you suffered superficial cuts and bruises, or life-threatening trauma.

A Car Accident Attorney Collects The Facts

Your car accident case may seem straightforward from your perspective. However, Lewis & Castagliola, personal injury lawyers based in St. Petersburg, FL, warn that cases are rarely straightforward. There may be multiple factors that affect your case. The other parties involved in the accident may also have their own version of what happened that they will argue, or an investigation may prove facts that you could not have known. A car accident attorney will have access to the documents surrounding your case, including the police report. If there were surveillance footage from nearby cameras that could affect your case, they would be able to acquire that footage.

An Accident Attorney Advises You Of Your Rights

In addition to conducting an investigation into the facts of your case, your attorney also advises you of the applicable laws and what rights you have. They also protect you from inquiries made by the insurance company intended to get you to say something that could incriminate you, thus making you more liable than you should be. Lawyers know how to identify these questions, but people who do not work in personal injury law may not. The insurance companies often take advantage of victims' lack of knowledge of the law. A question that seems innocuous could hurt your case. The best thing to do is let your attorney talk to the insurance company on your behalf. The insurance company won't treat your attorney the same way they treat you, so call one today.
All of us require a break from everyday life from time to time. This is why planning a much-needed road trip can represent a dream come true. It is still a good idea to prepare well in advance of your departure date. Let us therefore imagine that English is not your first language and you want to learn more about the most popular English-speaking foreign destinations. It may first be wise to contact a private online tutor in order to become familiar with specific words that may be relevant to the journey.

Assuming that you hope to take a journey off of the "beaten path", what locations are the most popular? While there is plenty of advice found online, it is still wise to briefly review a handful of must-see destinations.

1. India

Believe it or not, more than 125 million Indians speak at least some form of basic English. It is also thought that approximately 226,000 of these individuals consider English to represent their first language. This is why there are actually more English speakers within India than throughout all of the United Kingdom!

India is a truly massive country and there are plenty of road trip itineraries to choose from. Two popular examples include between Mumbai and Goa as well as the journey from Chennai to Pondicherry. It is always to plan your journey outside of the monsoon season, as some roads can become quite treacherous.

2. Montreal, Canada

Although Canada is considered a bilingual country, the same cannot be said for Montreal. You might not have been aware that French is the official language of Quebec. As Montreal is the capital of this province, it only stands to reason that nearly everyone speaks French as a second language. However, they are also quite fluent in English. Some of the most popular attractions to visit during your road trip to Montreal include the famous Notre Dame Basilica, Mount Royal (the actual name of Montreal when translated into English), the Museum of Fine Arts, and La Ronde Amusement Park (a great idea if you will be travelling with young children).

3. European Destinations

What if you instead live in the United Kingdom and wish to travel to mainland Europe? Are there any prominent English-speaking regions to consider? Here are a handful of destinations that are known for high levels of written and spoken English:

The Netherlands (this nation contains an extremely high proportion of English speakers).

Stockholm, Sweden

Major German cities such as Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin

The eastern coast of Catalonia, Spain during the summer months (many English-speaking tourists flock to this region).

Thanks to an extremely modern European highway network, travelling from one location to another has never been easier. It could still be wise to set aside at least two weeks in order to fully appreciate all that these destinations have to offer. You will certainly not be disappointed with what is in store!
Smooth-flowing traffic is (relatively) safe traffic, even at today's higher speeds. What usually sets the scene for an accident is a disruption in the smooth flow. When such an event occurs, it surprises drivers. Surprised drivers make sudden moves, and the pressure to act quickly often forces them to make the wrong move, worsening the disruption. That surprises other drivers, resulting in a chain reaction that's likely to cause an accident.

So what are the causes of these disruptions? It can be many things, but drivers going faster or slower than the general flow is a pretty common cause. And, undoubtedly, a driver going faster, especially if he's "lane-jumping" to keep moving more quickly than others in heavy traffic, is the more dangerous behavior. Therefore, the big question is how to prevent the disruptions caused by speeders?

This article considers the ways ALPR (automatic license plate recognition) technology can be applied to this problem. For instance, specific ALPR camera models are programmed to measure individual vehicles' speed. Some have this as their primary function; for others, it's an optional feature that the user is free to choose or omit from the camera's set-up.

The Importance of Speed Measurements and How Special Techniques Can Improve Results

We all know the drill: "experienced" speedsters learn the positions of fixed speed cameras so they can slow down before reaching them. A big smile to the camera, pretending to be an orderly citizen, then they floor it, resuming their reckless behavior once again. And since they live for speed(ing), they often travel far and wide, causing troubles virtually everywhere.

ALPR is the technology to help agencies thwart speedsters no matter where they are.

Measure Average Speed Over a Segment of Several Hundred Meters

To catch these drivers, law enforcers have to set up an average-speed-over-a-segment measurement device. Better yet if its location is changed frequently, using portable ALPR cameras. This guarantees that drivers get the message: speed cameras can be watching them anytime, anywhere.

Using ALPR cameras that can measure speed from far away adds another element to the effectiveness of this technique.

Adaptive Recognition's S1 portable speed and traffic enforcement camera with ALPR has the features to put all these speed measurement tricks into action. It can be quickly set up and can measure speed from as far away as 600 m, using its super-accurate laser "eye". An added bonus: It also catches red-light violators, stolen vehicles, and other trouble-makers.

Use Vehicle-Mounted Cameras

A mobile ALPR camera mounted on the rooftop of a police patrol car - or behind its windshield - can measure speeds when both the police vehicle and the detected car are in motion. Mobile cameras are a very effective tool for identifying hazardous driver behavior, including speeding, running red lights, etc. Adaptive Recognition's MicroCAM mobile ALPR camera also searches for stolen or otherwise wanted vehicles, as well.

Catch Repeat Violators Far From Their Home Area

Suppose a driver from Stuttgart, Germany, travels to Copenhagen, Denmark, and misbehaves there. How would the Danish police officer know if that driver is a one-time offender or it's their "regular" way of driving?

An international database, maintained with input from police agencies ALPR cameras everywhere through Adaptive Recognition's GDS (Globessey Data Server) "middleware", can ensure that drivers records travel with them. Agencies anywhere can have this information readily available. Simply put, frequent violators of the law cannot hide whether they cross the border or not.

We've described a few ways ALPR cameras contribute to traffic safety by discouraging speeders and other disruptors to smooth traffic flow.

To learn more about how ALPR technology supports safety in traffic and otherwise enhances life experiences, visit Adaptive Recognition's website, and contact their experts to discuss your traffic safety issues or vehicle ID needs.
Gov. Ned Lamont announces the arrival of 426,000 home COVID-19 tests and N95 masks at the state commodities warehouse in New Britain on Dec. 31, 2021 for distribution to cities and towns. Photo by Cloe Poisson/Special to the Courant (Cloe Poisson / Special to the Courant)

Two Connecticut disability rights groups have filed two federal complaints against Gov. Ned Lamont and the state Department of Public Health, alleging discrimination in the distribution of COVID-19 tests and masks.

In the complaints, Disability Rights Connecticut and the Connecticut Legal Rights Project cite the Lamont administrations decision to recommend but not require that municipalities prioritize people with disabilities in passing out the supplies this week. They argue that disabled people, including some who are unable to leave their homes, were therefore unable to obtain tests and masks as readily as other residents.

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The groups on Thursday filed separate complaints to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

In a statement Thursday, Disability Rights Connecticut Executive Director Deborah Dorfman said disabled residents must be immediately provided with equal access to N95 masks and test kits and other COVID protections and an opportunity to receive reasonable modifications.

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Each day that goes by without these protections needlessly exacerbates the risk that they will become seriously ill from COVID-19 and serves only to perpetuate disability discrimination, Dorfman said.

A Lamont spokesperson declined to comment Thursday.

Connecticut last week received more than 400,000 at-home COVID-19 tests and a large shipment of N95 masks, which were allotted to municipalities to be distributed to the public. Some towns gave special priority to high-risk residents, while others passed them out on a first-come-first-served basis.

The disability rights groups originally brought their concerns to Lamont in a letter last weekend. The governor replied Wednesday in a letter of his own, noting that he had directed municipalities to prioritize those most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Sheldon Toubman, a litigation attorney for Disability Rights Connecticut, says that wasnt enough.

Its simple: Just issue a directive to all the municipalities saying they must [prioritize disabled residents], Toubman said. And he wont do it. His letter makes it clear that hes unwilling to do that.

Alex Putterman can be reached at aputterman@courant.com.
Pete Tittls Dining Out column appears in The Californian on Sundays. Email him at pftittl@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter: @pftittl.
In the One Stop Plaza on the New London Turnpike in Glastonbury, there is a pizza place, a deli, a Korean cafe and a rotisserie chicken joint. Now there is a place for dessert: Brown Butter Creations, a bakery run by two sisters from Glastonbury who have built a local following since starting an online business in 2018.

Ashli Esteves-Nelson and Marika Esteves-Smith co-own Brown Butter Creations with Esteves-Nelsons husband, Reggie Nelson. The name of the business comes from their favorite ingredient.

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We use brown butter in many recipes. It has a nutty flavor that brings out the deliciousness, Esteves-Smith says. Its in that happy medium between melted and burned.

Another of their favorite ingredients is coconut: It smells like vacation. When the weather is so cold like it is now, it brings a little warmth, Esteves-Nelson says.

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Esteves-Smith does most of the cooking. She started cooking in childhood with her godmother, who owned Sweet and Savory Creations, a catering business in Glastonbury. Esteves-Smith graduated from the famed hospitality program at Johnson & Wales University. She has worked as a pastry chef at Loomis Chaffee School, at The River in Wethersfield and at Dees One Smart Cookie in Glastonbury.

She and Esteves-Nelson are helped in the shop by their parents, Debbie and Eddie Esteves. We pulled them out of retirement, Esteves-Nelson says.

Some of the treats at Brown Butter Creations are, clockwise from top left, snickerdoodle bars, lime-coconut donuts, chocolate chip cookie-canolli sandwiches and pecan bars. (Susan Dunne)

The stores motto comes from a comment Eddie Esteves often makes when he eats something delicious and wants seconds: Tastes like more.

Esteves-Nelson has a degree in marketing from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. She was working in the supply chain management division at Pratt & Whitney in 2018 when she and her sister decided to start an online bakery business. They got their start at Hands On Hartford. Early in the pandemic, they transitioned to a cottage business, working from Esteves-Smiths house in Glastonbury.

By law, cottage businesses that earn more than $25,000 a year must move on to a commercial license. Thats how the successful startup went brick and mortar.

We had gained traction in the Glastonbury community, Esteves-Nelson says. They did this with many pop-up sales and food drives for Hands on Hartfords Backpack Nutrition Program.

Food & Drink Weekly Keep up with news from the Connecticut food scene, delicious recipes, and restaurant and bar reviews >

The women found a vacant storefront in the One Stop Plaza that used to be an eyebrow-threading studio. They started building out their kitchen in September. The store opened on Dec. 7.

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In the small shop, the sisters whip up a variety of pastries for takeout: donuts, cupcakes, dessert bars, tarts, homemade pop tarts, cakes and cookies, including their signature cookie, the indulgently rich Brown Butter Maple. Cakes include such indulgent flavors as Brown Butter Caramel Crunch and Chocolate Peanut Butter Explosion. They also make custom cakes and seasonal pies.

The have fun with their daily specials. In mid-December, it was tomato-pesto tarts. During the Christmas season, it was Holiday in a Cup, of gingerbread cake, eggnog cream and salted caramel. On National Bacon Day, they made maple bacon everything. Sometimes their specials are a little wild, like the Pumpkin Cheesecake filled Oreo Brownie.

The business has benefited from the proximity of the restaurants in the plaza. We get a lot of foot traffic at lunchtime, Esteves-Nelson says.

The store, at 353 New London Turnpike, Glastonbury, is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Brown Butter Creations is closed on Sunday and Monday. brownbuttercreations.com.

Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter.
WASHINGTON - Fareha Ahmed had been cautious since the beginning of the pandemic. She had eaten in restaurants only three times. She and her husband were vaccinated and boosted, and their 7-year-old got vaccinated in November as soon as he was eligible. In mid-December, Ahmed, 39, who lives in Washington, D.C., met a former colleague for an outdoor lunch. A few days later, the family attended an indoor gathering for the first time with other families, to bake Christmas cookies.

Then covid caught up with her.

Two days after the lunch, the colleague tested positive for coronavirus. Ahmed took PCR and rapid tests - both negative - and then for good measure took another PCR test the day of the cookie party; the other participants told her to come over and not worry.

But three days after the party she started feeling ill, and the next day her PCR test came back positive.

"Like garbage," was how she felt when she saw the result, which came shortly before Christmas. "Like my stomach basically was in my throat . . . like I'd just ruined everybody's Christmas, including my own family's."

Across the nation and the world, people who thought they knew how to avoid covid are getting a rude surprise. Safety precautions that had for so long felt talismanic  get vaccinated, mask up, avoid large indoor gatherings - have in the past week or two collapsed under the weight of omicron, a much more highly transmissible variant than the ones before it.

Schools and colleges returned to virtual learning. Flights were canceled as airline staff caught the virus. Long-anticipated holiday plans fell apart as people - young and old, vaccinated and unvaccinated - tested positive right and left. Those with negative tests worried it was only a matter of time.

They are likely right, according to Robert Frenck, professor of pediatrics and director of the Vaccine Research Center at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital. "You know what? You're probably going to get covid, but it's OK," he said.

Instead of thinking they lost the race against the virus, Frenck encouraged people to redefine their concept of winning. "It's not that you failed," he said. "You actually succeeded. You dodged the bullet. . . . What are people trying to prevent? Are we trying to prevent the common cold? Nobody's going to do that. You've gotten your booster, you've done everything, and you still get covid, but how sick did you get?"

For most infected people with vaccines, he said, "What they're having is a cold."

People misunderstand what the vaccine is designed to do, Frenck said, adding that unvaccinated people are dying at a rate 20 times higher than people who are vaccinated and boosted. "Vaccines are going to stop people from being hospitalized and from ending up in the ICU and from dying," he said. "This is nature saying, it hasn't gone away now, and we need to go out and get vaccinated."

But even if people are not feeling very sick, it can be hard to come to terms with a positive result after all the time and effort spent keeping the virus at bay.

The pandemic's long and continuing arc has made it harder for people to process it, said Ilene Weingarten, a marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles who has seen patients sobbing over omicron, whether or not they've been exposed to it.

"It's the relentlessness of it," she said. "We're still absorbing the shock of March 2020, but we're still in it. The normal trajectory of a trauma that resolves is you go through it, you may repeat it over and over in your head, and that aspect fades after time and then ultimately it get metabolized into your system. . . . But if it doesn't, it's trapped in your nervous system and you're reacting to it all the time."

The narrowing of people's lives over the past two years contributes to a more depressive outlook, Weingarten said. "You don't see the world in a wide way, you don't see context," she said. "It has an immense mental health toll, immense; with omicron in particular, there's been a spike in disheartened feelings, feelings of hopelessness and helplessness."

Adults 40 and under are having an especially difficult time, Weingarten said. "Everyone's disheartened, but I think it's hit millennials harder," she said, noting that that generation's adulthood has been marked by 9/11, the Great Recession and now covid. "You already feel like you were sold a bill of goods, like, 'I did all the right things and now this.' There's a sense that there's no end to the misery."

Some who are now getting covid feel resentful toward those who have resisted vaccines and other safety protocols.

Tatiana Laborde, 36, of Washington, said her family was careful to limit interactions during the pandemic. They raced to get the vaccine when it came out and got their children, now 8 and 6, vaccinated as soon as they were eligible.

But several days before Christmas, her older son tested positive, and after a few negative tests Laborde and her husband tested positive Sunday. She thinks her son picked it up at school, where there had been an exposure.

Her son and husband have experienced mild flu-like symptoms; Laborde felt more run-down and couldn't sleep for a couple of nights. She said the positive test results made her feel "defeated."

"I know we're going to be fine, I know we're not going to the hospital," she said. "It's just that thing where we've been so careful, and not everyone in the country takes it seriously, so there's that anger."

When Ahmed learned she was positive, she felt a surge of dread. She texted everyone else who had been at the cookie party - six adults and four kids - to let them know they had been exposed. "They said, 'Look, it's not your fault, don't blame yourself,' " she said. "But I said, 'If you test positive, it's my fault.' " Their tests all came back negative.

Ahmed's symptoms have been up and down: she has felt tired with a mild sore throat, chest pressure, and intermittent headaches and body aches. She has been sleeping in the basement, isolated from her husband and two children. All have been wearing masks around the house, and they canceled Christmas at her in-laws' in West Virginia. Their neighbors are in a similar situation. In this latest wave, it seems everyone knows someone who has tested positive.

The timing of omicron has felt especially cruel, spreading across the country just as boosters became widely available and families prepared for holiday gatherings. In fact, boosters had made some feel they could finally ease up on their precautions.

Jo McDaniel, 40, says she was "hypervigilant," testing weekly as she and her wife prepared to open a new bar near their house in Washington. As omicron ramped up, they started testing more often. Even after being fully vaccinated, they had barely gone anywhere without masks. But after receiving their boosters, they attended a few networking events and ate dinner out unmasked. "It felt a little bit freeing . . . that felt kind of awesome," McDaniel said.

A week before Christmas, her wife tested positive. She was mostly asymptomatic. But McDaniel said she felt duped.

"We were starting to sense some sense of normal, and then got lax, being around people we didn't know or who weren't in our pod," McDaniel said. "We felt this sense of security to safely do that . . . the sense of hope that the vaccine and booster was going to keep us safe. Now I feel like a real fool. I feel like we let our guard down prematurely because we wanted it to be over, we wanted to hug people."

That is understandable, Frenck of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital said, adding that people can only live with heightened awareness for so long. "Either they let their guard down or their systems go haywire," he said. "They can't tolerate it anymore, they're done. The world is done. We're interactive people, we're social creatures; we want to be around other people."

With vaccines and boosters, most people can follow that instinct despite omicron, he said. Vaccinated people who are upset about getting mild cases now are "operating on an emotional level rather than a rational level. The curves of hospitalization and deaths of people who have been vaccinated are basically flat."

Still, for many, getting the virus was a harsh reminder that life is still not back to normal.

McDaniel and her wife canceled their plans to go home to Ohio for the holidays.

"I think we'll go back to vigilance in terms of going out as little as possible . . . ordering takeout," she said.

Ahmed and her husband and kids had a quiet holiday at home.

"At first I was like, 'I ruined Christmas,' " she said. "But then I was like, 'No, we're going to have a different Christmas this year.' "
NEW YORK  Sidney Poitier, the groundbreaking actor and enduring inspiration who transformed how Black people were portrayed on screen, became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award for best lead performance and the first to be a top box-office draw, has died. He was 94.

Poitier, winner of the best actor Oscar in 1964 for Lilies of the Field, died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles, according to Latrae Rahming, the director of communications for the Prime Minister of Bahamas. His close friend and great contemporary Harry Belafonte issued a statement Friday, remembering their extraordinary times together.

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For over 80 years, Sidney and I laughed, cried and made as much mischief as we could, he wrote. He was truly my brother and partner in trying to make this world a little better. He certainly made mine a whole lot better.

Few movie stars, Black or white, had such an influence both on and off the screen. Before Poitier, the son of Bahamian tomato farmers, no Black actor had a sustained career as a lead performer or could get a film produced based on his own star power. Before Poitier, few Black actors were permitted a break from the stereotypes of bug-eyed servants and grinning entertainers. Before Poitier, Hollywood filmmakers rarely even attempted to tell a Black persons story.

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Messages honoring and mourning Poitier flooded social media, with Oscar winner Morgan Freeman calling him my inspiration, my guiding light, my friend and Oprah Winfrey praising him as a Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher. Former President Barack Obama cited his achievements and how he revealed the power of movies to bring us closer together.

Poitiers rise mirrored profound changes in the country in the 1950s and 1960s. As racial attitudes evolved during the civil rights era and segregation laws were challenged and fell, Poitier was the performer to whom a cautious industry turned for stories of progress.

He was the escaped Black convict who befriends a racist white prisoner (Tony Curtis) in The Defiant Ones. He was the courtly office worker who falls in love with a blind white girl in A Patch of Blue. He was the handyman in Lilies of the Field who builds a church for a group of nuns. In one of the great roles of the stage and screen, he was the ambitious young father whose dreams clashed with those of other family members in Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun.

Debates about diversity in Hollywood inevitably turn to the story of Poitier. With his handsome, flawless face; intense stare and disciplined style, he was for years not just the most popular Black movie star, but the only one.

I made films when the only other Black on the lot was the shoeshine boy, he recalled in a 1988 Newsweek interview. I was kind of the lone guy in town.

Poitier peaked in 1967 with three of the years most notable movies: To Sir, With Love, in which he starred as a school teacher who wins over his unruly students at a London secondary school; In the Heat of the Night, as the determined police detective Virgil Tibbs; and in Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, as the prominent doctor who wishes to marry a young white woman he only recently met, her parents played by Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in their final film together.

Theater owners named Poitier the No. 1 star of 1967, the first time a Black actor topped the list. In 2009 President Barack Obama, whose own steady bearing was sometimes compared to Poitiers, awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, saying that the actor not only entertained but enlightened... revealing the power of the silver screen to bring us closer together.

His appeal brought him burdens not unlike such other historical figures as Jackie Robinson and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He was subjected to bigotry from whites and accusations of compromise from the Black community. Poitier was held, and held himself, to standards well above his white peers. He refused to play cowards and took on characters, especially in Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, of almost divine goodness. He developed a steady, but resolved and occasionally humorous persona crystallized in his most famous line  They call me Mr. Tibbs!  from In the Heat of the Night.

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All those who see unworthiness when they look at me and are given thereby to denying me value  to you I say, Im not talking about being as good as you. I hereby declare myself better than you, he wrote in his memoir, The Measure of a Man, published in 2000.

But even in his prime he was criticized for being out of touch. He was called an Uncle Tom and a million-dollar shoeshine boy. In 1967, The New York Times published Black playwright Clifford Masons essay, Why Does White America Love Sidney Poitier So? Mason dismissed Poitiers films as a schizophrenic flight from historical fact and the actor as a pawn for the white mans sense of whats wrong with the world.

Stardom didnt shield Poitier from racism and condescension. He had a hard time finding housing in Los Angeles and was followed by the Ku Klux Klan when he visited Mississippi in 1964, not long after three civil rights workers had been murdered there. In interviews, journalists often ignored his work and asked him instead about race and current events.

I am an artist, man, American, contemporary, he snapped during a 1967 press conference. I am an awful lot of things, so I wish you would pay me the respect due.

Poitier was not as engaged politically as Belafonte, leading to occasional conflicts between them. But he was active in the 1963 March on Washington and other civil rights events, and as an actor defended himself and risked his career. He refused to sign loyalty oaths during the 1950s, when Hollywood was barring suspected Communists, and turned down roles he found offensive.

Almost all the job opportunities were reflective of the stereotypical perception of Blacks that had infected the whole consciousness of the country, he recalled. I came with an inability to do those things. It just wasnt in me. I had chosen to use my work as a reflection of my values.

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Poitiers films were usually about personal triumphs rather than broad political themes, but the classic Poitier role, from In the Heat of the Night to Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, was as a Black man of such decency and composure  Poitier became synonymous with the word dignified  that he wins over the whites opposed to him.

Sidney Poitier epitomized dignity and grace, Obama tweeted Friday.

His screen career faded in the late 1960s as political movements, Black and white, became more radical and movies more explicit. He acted less often, gave fewer interviews and began directing, his credits including the Richard Pryor-Gene Wilder farce Stir Crazy, Buck and the Preacher (co-starring Poitier and Belafonte) and the Bill Cosby comedies Uptown Saturday Night and Lets Do It Again.

In the 1980s and 90s, he appeared in the feature films Sneakers and The Jackal and several television movies, receiving an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination as future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in Separate But Equal and an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Mandela and De Klerk. Theatergoers were reminded of the actor through an acclaimed play that featured him in name only: John Guares Six Degrees of Separation, about a con artist claiming to be Poitiers son.

In recent years, a new generation learned of him through Oprah Winfrey, who chose The Measure of a Man for her book club. Meanwhile, he welcomed the rise of such Black stars as Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Danny Glover: Its like the cavalry coming to relieve the troops! You have no idea how pleased I am, he said.

Poitier received numerous honorary prizes, including a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute and a special Academy Award in 2002, on the same night that Black performers won both best acting awards, Washington for Training Day and Halle Berry for Monsters Ball.

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Ill always be chasing you, Sidney, Washington, who had earlier presented the honorary award to Poitier, said during his acceptance speech. Ill always be following in your footsteps. Theres nothing I would rather do, sir, nothing I would rather do.

Poitier had four daughters with his first wife, Juanita Hardy, and two with his second wife, actress Joanna Shimkus, who starred with him in his 1969 film The Lost Man. Daughter Sydney Tamaii Poitier appeared on such television series as Veronica Mars and Mr. Knight. Daughter Gina Poitier-Gouraige died in 2018.

His life ended in adulation, but it began in hardship. Poitier was born prematurely, weighing just 3 pounds, in Miami, where his parents had gone to deliver tomatoes from their farm on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas. He spent his early years on the remote island, which had a population of 1,500 and no electricity, and he quit school at 12 1/2 to help support the family. Three years later, he was sent to live with a brother in Miami; his father was concerned that the street life of Nassau was a bad influence. With $3 in his pocket, Sidney traveled steerage on a mail-cargo ship.

The smell in that portion of the boat was so horrendous that I spent a goodly part of the crossing heaving over the side, he told The Associated Press in 1999, adding that Miami soon educated him about racism. I learned quite quickly that there were places I couldnt go, that I would be questioned if I wandered into various neighborhoods.

Poitier moved to Harlem and was so overwhelmed by his first winter there he enlisted in the Army, cheating on his age and swearing he was 18 when he had yet to turn 17. Assigned to a mental hospital on Long Island, Poitier was appalled at how cruelly the doctors and nurses treated the soldier patients. In his 1980 autobiography, This Life, he related how he escaped the Army by feigning insanity.

Back in Harlem, he was looking in the Amsterdam News for a dishwasher job when he noticed an ad seeking actors at the American Negro Theater. He went there and was handed a script and told to go on the stage. Poitier had never seen a play in his life and could barely read. He stumbled through his lines in a thick Caribbean accent and the director marched him to the door.

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As I walked to the bus, what humiliated me was the suggestion that all he could see in me was a dishwasher. If I submitted to him, I would be aiding him in making that perception a prophetic one, Poitier later told the AP.

I got so pissed, I said, Im going to become an actor  whatever that is. I dont want to be an actor, but Ive got to become one to go back there and show him that I could be more than a dishwasher. That became my goal.

The process took months as he sounded out words from the newspaper. Poitier returned to the American Negro Theater and was again rejected. Then he made a deal: He would act as janitor for the theater in return for acting lessons. When he was released again, his fellow students urged the teachers to let him be in the class play. Another Caribbean, Belafonte, was cast in the lead. When Belafonte couldnt make a preview performance because it conflicted with his own janitorial duties, his understudy, Poitier, went on.

The audience included a Broadway producer who cast him in an all-Black version of Lysistrata. The play lasted four nights, but rave reviews for Poitier won him an understudy job in Anna Lucasta, and later he played the lead in the road company. In 1950, he broke through on screen in No Way Out, playing a doctor whose patient, a white man, dies and is then harassed by the patients bigoted brother, played by Richard Widmark.

Key early films included Blackboard Jungle, featuring Poitier as a tough high school student (the actor was well into his 20s at the time) in a violent school; and The Defiant Ones, which brought Poitier his first best actor nomination, and the first one for any Black male. The theme of cultural differences turned lighthearted in Lilies of the Field, in which Poitier played a Baptist handyman who builds a chapel for a group of Roman Catholic nuns, refugees from Germany. In one memorable scene, he gives them an English lesson.

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The only Black actor before Poitier to win a competitive Oscar was Hattie McDaniel, the 1939 best supporting actress for Gone With the Wind. No one, including Poitier, thought Lilies of the Field his best film, but the times were right (Congress would soon pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, for which Poitier had lobbied) and the actor was favored even against such competitors as Paul Newman for Hud and Albert Finney for Tom Jones. Newman was among those rooting for Poitier.

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When presenter Anne Bancroft announced his victory, the audience cheered for so long that Poitier momentarily forgot his speech. It has been a long journey to this moment, he declared.

Poitier never pretended that his Oscar was a magic wand for Black performers, as he observed after his victory, and he shared his critics frustration with some of the roles he took on, confiding that his characters were sometimes so unsexual they became kind of neuter. But he also believed himself fortunate and encouraged those who followed him.

To the young African American filmmakers who have arrived on the playing field, I am filled with pride you are here. I am sure, like me, you have discovered it was never impossible, it was just harder, he said in 1992 as he received a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute. "

Welcome, young Blacks. Those of us who go before you glance back with satisfaction and leave you with a simple trust: Be true to yourselves and be useful to the journey.

___

AP writer Robert Gillies in Toronto and AP Film Writer Jake Coyle and former Associated Press Writer Polly Anderson in New York contributed to this report.
Last summer, artist Maurice Abelman was offered a downtown alleyway to hone his skills as a muralist. That opportunity led to mural offers from other building owners.

On Thursday, Abelman started paying it forward.

Abelman gathered with his Lamar State College Port Arthur graphic art students in the alley and invited them to pick their canvas from among the bare brick spaces.

He then walked them through the process of transforming last semesters final art project into larger-than-life spray paint murals.

Its a method of creating that was new to the three who came for day one of the mural work.

Second-year student Chance Cooper, and first-years Alex Pradon and Lupe Lopez selected their spots. Lopez chose to brave a scaffold to paint above the work already completed by Abelman.

They began by painting what Abelman called a doodle grid  randomly applying shapes, lines and letters over a swatch of the wall.

Abelman took a photo of the finished grid, then overlayed it with a transparent photo of their illustration in Apples Procreate program.

It created a template from which they could paint an outline of their work.

Most professional muralists use projections of their drawings to replicate it accurately on a larger scale, Abelman said.

Working outside during the day doesnt allow for that technique, however. The doodle grid method provides a needed referential structure to get proportions and perspective correct, he explained.

Within hours, the artwork created digitally last semester took on new form painted on brick and mortar.

As they worked, Abelman offered tips on spray paint techniques - using shorter strokes to avoid losing paint in the wind-swept alley; avoiding drips in their lines; filling in with color and shading.

While the students lean toward genres of graphic art  animation and comic book art for Pradon and illustrative work in the music industry for Cooper  the introduction to murals opened their eyes to other possibilities.

Lopez is still mulling her future in the arts  something in social media or animation, perhaps.

I know graphic design will take me where I want to go if I try hard enough, she said.

On Friday, Abelman and his students will return to the alley and finish Thursdays work, while others begin their pieces.

Its a teaching tool Abelman plans to continue with his students to come - a bonus experience to their coursework, but also a way to grow future muralists in the area.

Ive already gotten offers to do murals on other buildings after the alleys success, Abelman said. Maybe I can have a team to help complete the work.

kbrent@beaumontenterprise.com
Divers brought in by the FBI were unable to turn up anything in the continuous search for the missing San Antonio 3-year-old, Lina Sardar Khil. Here's what you need to know.

The FBI's Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team searched a creek at the 5700 block of Babcock Road on Wednesday, January 5, but weren't able to find anything conclusive, according to a news release.

The San Antonio Police Department and FBI will widen the scope of the search for Lina. It's unclear if that will still include the dive team that was brought in Tuesday.

Lina went missing on December 20 at the Villas Del Cabo Apartments located at 9400 Fredericksburg Road. She was last seen wearing a red dress, black jacket, and black shoes.

People with tips or information that will lead to finding Lina should call 210-207-7660.

Here's some other news you might have missed.

Frost Bank faces lawsuit for overdraft fees

A lawsuit has been filed against Frost Bank in San Antonio District Court, saying that overdraft fees were applied to accounts that didn't overdraw, the Express-News reported.

The lawsuit is similar to one filed against Credit Human Federal Credit Union last April. The Frost Bank lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages.

Read more here.

Metro Health launches additional testing sites

Amid the largest daily caseload, San Antonio Metro Health is launching three additional testing sites to help document and mitigate the spread of the omicron variant.

Read more here.

Abbott asks for help while still fighting COVID restrictions

On Tuesday, FEMA responded to Gov. Greg Abbott's call for help with the announcement of its own testing sites in Texas. That same day, Abbott sued the Biden administration over the DoD's vaccine mandates.

That was only one of the many efforts to block any federal efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Read more here.

Taquero Mucho expanding its pink reign

The popular and perfectly pink Mexican restaurant with CBD-infused margaritas is opening a second Austin location.

Read more here.
Just when everyone started thinking the ground couldnt get any bumpier than it is was in 2020, along came 2021 and another rocky road to navigate.

I don't know how others feel about it, but this is one trail Im glad to see skidding to an end. It's been an eventful 12 months that just about everyone will remember for different reasons. Some are good. Others bad.

Among other things, Ill always remember 2021 as the year when Texas turned into an iceberg. When a little West Texas lake called O.H. Ivie exploded with lunkers. The year another lady angler grabbed the top prize in an amateur fishing tournament typically dominated by men. The year when the continued spread of chronic wasting disease in deer breeding facilities spurred emergency rulings by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission that some fear could throw the industry for a loop.

Here's a recap of some of the top outdoors stories from 2021:

The Big Freeze

The polar vortex that pummeled Texas last February with snow, ice and record low temperatures caught lots of people off guard and wreaked havoc on life as we know it. Among other things, the states power grid choked, leaving millions in the dark to fend off the ruthless cold without heat for days. More than two dozen Texans died because of the historic cold snap.

Winter Storm Uri also took a toll on some wildlife and nearshore saltwater fisheries.

Exotic species like black buck and axis deer were particularly hard hit as some ranches in Central and South Texas reported devastating blows to herds that were unable to cope with the frigid weather.

A wide range of songbirds and game birds like quail and doves also were impacted. In the Panhandle, wildlife biologists documented numerous white-winged doves with toes and feet missing as the result of frostbite.

Along the Texas coast, the cold snap drove water temperatures low enough in some bay systems that an estimated 3.8 million fish perished, including more than 160,000 spotted sea trout.

The Lower and Upper Laguna Madre bay systems were hardest hit by the freeze, resulting in the passage of emergency regulations on trout meant to protect mature fish from harvest the bays and beachfronts of the Laguna Madre.

New CWD Restrictions

In November, the TPW Commission approved a series regulation changes aimed at tightening the noose on already restrictive deer movement rules and expensive chronic wasting disease live testing requirements that apply to the hundreds of deer breeding operations across the state.

In addition to a temporary suspension of the Trap, Transport and Transplant program, the new rules require deer breeders to live test every deer 6 months and older at least eight months prior to release and to test 100 percent of their mortalities on all deer 12 months or older. The Commission will revisit the ante-mortum testing requirement in three years.

Despite heavy opposition from deer breeders, the new rules were implemented on the recommendation of TPWD staff after CWD was discovered in nearly three dozen deer in seven more breeding facilities across the state last spring, including one in East Texas near Quinlan.

Big Bass Explosion

2021 was a banner year for Legacy class entries in Texas Parks Wildlifes Toyota ShareLunker program. All total, the program accepted 23 entries from 10 different water bodies during its 35th anniversary collection season, which runs Jan. 1 - March 31. Fish must weigh upwards of 13 pounds to qualify.

Five of the bass turned were new water body records for lakes Coleman, O.H. Ivie, Travis, Tyler-East and Eagle Mountain. Ivie had hottest hand, producing 12 of the 23 entries including the years heaviest entry, a 16.40 pounder, caught by Joe McKay of Bussey, IA. McKays fish ranks as the No. 16 heaviest Texas of all-time and is the first Top 20 fish reported since 2011.

Four of this years entries were 15 pounders, including a 15.44 pounder from Lake Tyler-East, a 15.40 from Ivie, a 15.32 from Travis and a 15.27 pounder from Fork. The Tyler-East and Travis bass are the first Legacy lunkers recorded from those lakes.

Ivie Catches Fire

Lake O.H. Ivie near San Angelo caught fire on Feb. 19 and produced six of its 12 Legacy Class entries during a 10-day period. McKays 16.40 pounder kicked off the big bass blitz. The new lake record anchored what may be the heaviest five-fish, single-day catch ever documented on camera on a public lake  60 pounds!

McKay, 44, was fishing with YouTuber Ben Milliken. Together the anglers boated multiple bass topping 10 pounds, including a pair of 12 pounders to go with the 16 pounder. Millikens video premiered on March 2. It has been viewed nearly 256,000 times. To see it, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TEgp_DiaxI.

Oklahoma angler Josh Jones experienced some February magic of his own out West. Jones, an expert with forward-facing sonar and also an accomplished crappie pro, boated two Legacy-class lunkers from O.H. Ivie between Feb. 21-28. The fish weighed 13.20 and 15.40 pounds, respectively.

More recently, on Dec. 17, Jones landed a 15.10-pound Legend-class Sharelunker at Ivie. He said the fish ate a 6th Sense swim jig in about 20 feet of water.

Legend- class fish are those weighing 13 pounds or more that are caught outside the programs Jan. 1 - March 31 spawning window, or those that are not loaned to the state for one reason or another.

Jones elite accomplishments put him a very short list. Only seven other anglers have turned in two Legacy class ShareLunkers in the same season in the history of the program. He is also the first angler to document two 15 pounders from Texas public waters in the same year.

Mundys Magic

On January 2, 33-year-old Derek Mundy of Broaddus was competing in a MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League event when he reeled in an enormous five-fish limit that may be the heaviest ever recorded during a tournament on Sam Rayburn by one angler.

The monster sack weighed 40 pounds, 10 ounces. The biggest fish of the bunch weighed 11 pounds, 10 ounces. Together the five fish averaged around eight pounds each.

Youth Record Blue

Its not that often that you hear about a 12-year-old boy parlaying a Christmas present into a state record blue catfish, but thats exactly what youth angler Cade Childress Pickton did last spring.

Childress and his dad, Shiloh, were fishing with Lake Tawakoni fishing guide James Evans on March 6 when the youth reeled in a 72.4 pound blue catfish that ranks as a junior angler state record for that species.

Childress fish topped the former record of 67.92 pounds that was caught from Tawakoni a week earlier by 11-year-old Cowan Wittman of Kansas.

Cade only weighs 85 pounds, so it was pretty much a true tug of war between him and the fish, Shiloh Childress said. He pressed his feet against the back seat to get leverage and keep from getting pulled overboard. The fish was just about as big as he is.

Childress says his son was gifted the fishing trip as a Christmas present from his grandfather, Brad Bradford.

Loss of Legends

The fishing industry said farewell to a couple of legends, Lonnie Stanley of Huntington and Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala.

A former heavy equipment operator turned fishing pro, Stanley was a five-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier who made a comfortable living helping other anglers reel in the big ones after founding his signature company Stanley Jigs in 1979. He passed away on Aug. 20 after battling health issues for several years.

Martens was regarded as a champion tournament angler/lure designer that many consider to be the best natural talent to ever cradle a baitcaster or spinning reel.

Well known for his prowess as a finesse fisherman and a master of the drop-shot technique, AMart was a three-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year who collected nine Bassmaster wins during a storied career that began in 1997. He also was a 20-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, four-time Bassmaster Classic runner-up, a three-time US Open winner, two-time FLW Tour champion and a three-time FLW Cup Qualifier.

Martens died on Nov. 4 following a 19-month battle with brain cancer. He was only 49.

World Record Redear

Wisconsin angler Thomas Farchione caused quite a stir with panfish junkies around the globe last May when he reeled in a new world record redear sunfish at Lake Havasu, a scenic, Colorado River reservoir located along Arizona/California border.

Weighing a whopping 6.30 pounds, the enormous redear eclipses the former world record of 5.78 pounds caught in 2014 by Hector Brito. Britos fish topped Robert Lawlers 2011 world record of 5.55 pounds. Both former world records were also caught at Havasu.

John Galbraith says the big fish didnt come as a surprise. Galbraith owns the lakeside tackle shop where many anglers come to shop and weigh their fish. Hes seen an uptick in super-sized redears in recent times. Galbraith says he has averaged weighing 15-20 redears in the four-pound range and 3-4 fish topping five pounds per year over the last two years.

Three pounders are fairly common  they dont even raise eyebrows out here anymore, he said.

Local anglers and some fisheries experts speculate that invasive quagga mussels may be fueling Havasus trophy redear fishery.

Quaggas were first discovered in the United States in 1989 after foreign ships unknowingly carrying microscopic quagga larvae discharged their ballast water into the Great Lakes. The mussels have since been confirmed in several Western lakes, including Lake Havasu in 2007. The primary way mussels are spread is on recreational boats and other gear used in infested water and then transported to another water body.

The theory is the quaggas are providing an abundant, high protein food source to compliment other forage like red swamp crawfish and grass shrimp. Also known as shellcrackers, redear are gifted with pharyngeal teeth in their throats that help the panfish crush the mussels hard shells to get at the tasty goodies inside.

Lady angler nets whopper payday

Julie Brown of Lubbock has caught big fish before, but none to compare to the whopper that came calling shortly after daylight on the first morning of the 37th Annual Sealy Outdoors Big Bass Splash held last April 16-19 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in eastern Texas.

Brown reeled in the 11.29 pounder about 7:15 a.m. The fish is a new personal best for the lady angler. Its also the most valuable fish by far she has ever worked into a landing net.

Browns prize catch turned out to be the heaviest bass brought to the scales during the big bass derby. Her winnings  including a new truck, boat and more than $14,000 cash  totaled more than $100,000.

Brown isnt the first lady angler to strike gold in the popular amateur derby. Tonja Woytasczyk of Tarkington owns that title.

Woytasczyk won the 2016 Big Bass Splash with a 12.04 pounder. Woytasczyks fish is arguably the largest bass ever brought to the scales by a woman in any organized fishing tournament.

Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches. He can be reached by email, mattwillwrite4u@yahoo.com.
Bedford, PA (15522)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 46F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 46F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
On the eve 2022's first significant snowstorm, CTDOT workers Brian Ruot and Mike D'Amico (from left) prepare a truck in the Wethersfield CTDOT yard. Heavy snow is forecasted to fall Friday with 3-7 inches of accumulation by early afternoon. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

Short of plow drivers in the face of a storm that will pile up to an inch of snow per hour on roads and highways early Friday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is asking the public for patience.

With nearly 200 vacancies and over 250 absences as a result of COVID-positive test results or those awaiting test results due to close contacts, we have a large hole in our 1,600-person highway operations team, DOT spokeswoman Kafi Rouse said Thursday.

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Snow is expected to start early Friday and will be heavy at times, with accumulations around an inch per hour for a time.

[ Connecticut forecast: The first snowstorm of 2022 will arrive late Thursday into Friday. Heres what to expect and when ]

That rate of snowfall would be hard to keep up with even under ideal staffing, Rouse said.

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We are asking people to be patient, she said, as we work through the rush hour tomorrow. We would encourage people to drive slow, stay off the roads during rush hour if they can, and give our crews plenty of space and dont crowd the plow.

On the eve 2022's first significant snowstorm, CTDOT workers Mike D'Amico and Brian Ruot (from left) prepare a snowplow in the Wethersfield CTDOT yard. Heavy snow is forecast to fall early Friday with 3-7 inches of accumulation. Photograph by Mark Mirko | mmirko@courant.com (Mark Mirko/The Hartford Courant)

The forecast calls for snow to end between 8 a.m. and noon on Friday, with accumulations of 3 to 7 inches statewide, said Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist with the Connecticut Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University. Western Connecticut will see less accumulation as the fast-moving storm blows east.

The DOT came under fire for its response to icy road conditions Wednesday. But Garrett Eucalitto, a deputy commissioner with the DOT, said conditions were not right for effective treatment. The DOT couldnt put down a liquid brine solution because the pavement temperature was too cold in the last two days, Eucalitto said. It would have frozen, vehicles traveling over it would have crushed it and it would have dispersed, he said. And the rain would have washed it away.

Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com.
Exhibits from the Rohingya Cultural Memory Center are seen on the website of the initiative by the International Organization for Migration.

The Burmese junta has protested to the International Organization for Migration about a website the U.N. agency set up to preserve the history of the marginalized Rohingya community of Myanmar, saying the site contains false statements.

The site for the Rohingya Cultural Memory Center is an IOM initiative. The military regimes Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on Friday, criticized the IOM for creating this website.

The establishment of such a website is beyond the scope of the IOMs jurisdiction and expertise, and the Myanmar Permanent Representative Office in Geneva sent a letter of protest to the IOM on 23 December 2021 against the IOMs inability to approve the false claims of certain groups, the ministry said in the statement posted on its website and dated Jan. 7, 2022.

The term Rohingya has always been rejected by the Burmese people and is not recognized by the Burmese people. Myanmar has also rejected the false and misleading statements and information contained on the website, the statement says.

For decades, Burmese administrations have refused to call the stateless minority Rohingya. Even today, Myanmar insists on calling them Bengalis.

BenarNews tried to contact the ministry and the IOM to get more details but did not immediately hear back on Friday.

Myanmar, a country of 54 million people the size of France, recognizes 135 official ethnic groups, with majority Burmese accounting for about 68 percent of the population. The Rohingya ethnicity is not recognized. And both civilian and military governments have kept this status quo.

The Muslim Rohingya have centuries of history in Myanmar, a former British colony that became independent in 1948. But they are denied citizenship and voting rights, prevented from obtaining jobs and formal education, and restricted from traveling freely.

In August 2017 the Burmese military launched a brutal offensive  unleashing a host of atrocities  against the minority community in their home state of Rakhine. As many as 740,000 Rohingya fled across the border to Bangladesh and now live in camps in and around southeastern Coxs Bazar district.

A year later, IOM conducted a mental health assessment of Rohingya refugees and the findings are what inspired the creation of the Rohingya cultural center.

The assessment found that that 45 percent of those surveyed were living with distress symptoms, such a nightmares, panic attacks, or suicidal thoughts, according to an IOM fact sheet about the cultural center that the IOM shared with BenarNews last August.

The Rohingya community is at specific risk of mental health issues due to a number of factors, including prior history of systematic dehumanization, persecution and bearing witness to or directly experiencing extreme violence, the fact sheet said.

The survey also showed that 50 percent of Rohingya refuges surveyed had an identity crisis and 73 percent of respondents identified a loss of cultural identity following their forced exodus from Myanmar in 2017.

It was in light of the findings in Coxs Bazar, [that] IOM envisioned the concept of a Rohingya Cultural Memory Centre (RCMC), the fact sheet said.

One of the main objectives of the RCMC project is to provide the Rohingya refugees in the camps of Coxs Bazar with a creative and safe space to share their knowledge, preserve their cultural heritage and reconnect with their individual and collective memory, as a community and as an ethnic group from Myanmar."

Dildar Begum, a Rohingya chef, holds up rice cakes that she learned to make from her mother and grandmother before they died. [Photo courtesy of the Rohingya Cultural Memory Center]

The center first started as a website and now has a physical location, Shamsuddoza Noyon, an additional commissioner for refugee relief and repatriation in Bangladesh, said on Friday.

The Rohingya Cultural Memory Center was established at Camp-18 at Ukhia to store the culture and traditions of Rohingya. It would help Rohingya to remember their old memories, he told BenarNews, referring to a refugee camp in a sub-district of Coxs Bazar.

The website showcases the art, architecture, food, music, memorabilia, stories and much more of the community. For instance, one article talks about the love songs of the Rohingya.

It says: For this brave community, who have resisted generations of discrimination and displacement, love is the architecture that holds them together, that strengthens their bonds, and creates windows and doors for greater connection and meaning. Better than most, the Rohingya know that love is what makes life livable.

According to the Burmese juntas foreign ministry, the IOM and the Bangladesh embassy in The Hague had also jointly organized an online exhibition titled Art, Life, Rohingya. The website says the exhibition ran from Dec. 10 to Dec. 31.

Visitors could click through a 3D virtual gallery, moving through different rooms to view collections such as Rohingya architecture and boat models, needlework, pottery, basketry, musical instruments, and the like, said the cultural centers website.

The IOM notes in its fact sheet that many experts around the world say that ones cultural and ethnic identity is central to a person's identity, to how they see themselves, and how they relate to the world.

This is especially true for the Rohingya as their identity has historically been questioned by the Myanmar authorities, the fact sheet says.

Dil Mohammad, a Rohingya leader who lives in the no-mans land in Bandarban district, on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border lauded the idea of the center.

This center was established to remind and tell the Rohingya community about their history, culture, traditions and memories by preserving those elements, he told BenarNews on Friday.

This is a great initiative.

Sunil Barua in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh contributed to this report.
Protests erupted in Myanmar on Thursday ahead of the planned visit of Hun Sen, the Cambodian prime minister and new ASEAN chair, with activists angered over what they see as his support for the military regime and its repressive rule.

In Tanintharyi regions Launglon township, students and other youths gathered early in the morning to express their disapproval with Hun Sen.

A spokesman for the Dawei District Democracy Movement Strike Committee said the Cambodian leaders visit would confer legitimacy on the junta, which has failed to implement any steps toward solving Myanmars political crisis, as it agreed to do during a special summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in April 2021.

He is the dictator of Cambodia. It is completely impossible for someone like him to mediate in our countrys affairs, the spokesman said, as protesters stomped on photos of Hun Sen, which they later burned.

The military junta has implemented none of the five-point ASEAN recommendations so far, so coming here to our country to mediate implementation of the recommendations means nothing to us. It wont do any good and thats why we are protesting.

Protesters said that as a regular violator of human rights, Hun Sen is unlikely to hold the junta accountable for its abuses, and expressed frustration for what they see as his support for the military regime.

Hun Sen, who assumed the rotating ASEAN chairmanship in October, and Special Envoy to Myanmar Prasat Khun were initially scheduled to arrive in Myanmar on Jan. 7 to meet with junta chief Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. However, on Thursday the visit was moved to Jan. 8. Myanmars military regime has yet to release any statement on the change.

A source close to Myanmars foreign ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, told the Myanmar Service of Radio Free Asia (RFA) that he was unsure whether the Cambodian government had postponed the trip, but the junta had not. BenarNews is affiliated with RFA.

In recent days, three bombs were set off near the Cambodian Embassy in Yangon in protest of Hun Sen, while leaflets decrying the visit were distributed in Burmese, English and Khmer near the site.

Armed groups have warned that they would not be responsible for the security of any diplomats who recognize the military government, while earlier this week, hundreds of anti-junta groups issued a statement urging Hun Sen to call off the visit.

On Wednesday, Hun Sen dismissed the suggestion that he would be soft on Myanmar, despite concerns that the trip  the first by a foreign leader since Myanmars Feb. 1, 2021, coup  would bolster Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, whose forces stand accused of committing widespread atrocities since the takeover.

Min Aung Hlaing initially signaled to ASEAN that he would end the violence in his country and allow the regional bloc to send an envoy to monitor the situation after an emergency meeting of Southeast Asian leaders last April. However, after months of failing to implement any steps to do so, relations between the two sides have spiraled down, with ASEAN choosing not to invite junta delegations to several high-profile meetings, including its annual summit.

Meanwhile, more than 8,400 civilians have been arrested and 1,443 killed by junta authorities since February 2021, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, mostly during non-violent protests of the coup.

Residents step on a photo of Hun Sen during a protest in Sagaing's Kalay township, Jan. 6, 2022. [RFA]

Not benefit the people in any way

Boh Nagar, a leading member of Sagaing regions Depayin Township Revolutionary Strike Committee, told RFA that more than 1,000 locals took part in anti-Hun Sen protests in four different locations in Depayin on Wednesday and Thursday.

We protested for two days. It was a protest under the headline, Hun Sen must not set foot in Myanmar, he said.

Our people still do not accept the coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and his minions. They are not recognized [as the countrys leaders].

Nearly 500 villagers from the Sagaing townships of Yinmabin and Salingyi also protested on Thursday over Hun Sens visit.

We are here to show our opposition against the Cambodian dictator Hun Sen, who is giving support to Myanmars military dictator, one of the protest leaders told RFA.

We are here to tell Hun Sen not to come to our country because we dont recognize his support for the junta.

A protest leader in Sagaings Kalay township told RFA that Hun Sens visit would not benefit the people of Myanmar in any way.

He is a guy who wants to work hand in glove with the coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and we cannot accept it at all because it comes in the form of recognizing the junta, the protest leader said.

Security tightened

Meanwhile, as authorities prepared to welcome Hun Sen to the capital Naypyidaw, a resident said that security had been drastically upgraded, with roads closed to traffic near hotels for state guests and police and soldiers deployed along the route from the airport.

Fully armed soldiers are guarding every road and alley, said the resident, who declined to be named. Police and military vehicles are patrolling the city. Security is very tight.

Barbed-wire barricades on the Pyinmana-Taungnyo Road in Naypyidaw, which had been closed since the coup last year, were removed on Thursday. The road was the site of huge anti-coup protests in February, when a young woman named Mya Thwei Thwei Khaing became one of the first civilians to die after being shot in the head by police.
Yahya Cholil Staquf, the new chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesias largest Muslim organization, speaks during an interview with a TV station in Jakarta, Dec. 30, 2021.

The new leader of Indonesias largest mass-Muslim organization says he doesnt intend to enter the political fray or be dragged into communal politics that have divided people in the religiously diverse nation in recent years.

Yahya Cholil Staquf, nicknamed Gus Yahya, was elected chairman of the influential Nahdlatul Ulama group in late December, when he defeated two-term incumbent Said Aqil Siradj and three other candidates in a vote during NUs 34th congress.

I have stated since the beginning that I do not want to be a presidential or vice-presidential candidate, nor do I want someone from NU as a presidential or a vice-presidential candidate. That way, NU will no longer be involved in identity politics whatsoever, Yahya told BenarNews in an interview last week.

By identity politics, he was referring to a divisive communal streak that has lately infiltrated politics in the Muslim-majority nation. Indonesia has long been known for its moderate brand of Islam and general tolerance toward religious minorities.

NU, which claims to have 90 million members, for most of its existence, has been reputed as a moderate and more progressive faith-based institution.

On several occasions before the NU congress, Yahya expressed his determination to restore to the group the idealism, spirit of inclusiveness and humanity embodied by the late Abdurrahman Gus Dur Wahid, who  as the centennial of NUs birth approaches  remains one of the most revered figures in its history.

Gus Dur, a longtime chairman of NU, went on to serve as president of Indonesia, Southeast Asias most populous nation, in 1999-2001, during the early years of its transition to democracy after decades of authoritarian rule. Yahya, 55, acted as the presidential spokesman under Gus Dur.

More recently, Yahya stayed close to the seat of power when he was appointed as a member of the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres) during President Joko Jokowi Widodos first term.

In his view, NU should play a role in healing the scars and polarization in society that resulted from identity politics, which were on display in the run-up to the 2019 presidential election.

Maruf Amin was Jokowis running mate in that election as is serving as vice president.

But in 2017, Maruf was among those calling for the removal from office of Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, Jakartas governor who was a member of the Chinese-Christian minority, over alleged blasphemous comments that Ahok made on the campaign trail for reelection. Back in 2017, Maruf was chairman of NU and he sat on the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the nations leading body of Islamic clerics and scholars.

A year before the Jakarta gubernatorial election, the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), a conservative Muslim group that the central government has since banned, led mass protests in the streets of the nations capital demanding the arrest and prosecution of Ahok for the alleged blasphemy.

In May 2017, a district court in Jakarta convicted Ahok of blasphemy and sentenced him to two years imprisonment. Ahok subsequently lost the 2017 gubernatorial election.

Some Indonesians viewed the verdict as politically motivated and suspected that the judges succumbed to pressure from conservative Islamic groups.

Yahya said that fundamentalist Islamic groups such as FPI and Hizbut Tahrir, a pan-Islamic political organization which was dissolved in 2018, were not entirely at fault for wanting Indonesia, as the worlds most populous Muslim-majority nation, to abide by the caliphate concept.

We know they have political reasons for their choices to be radical or to be fundamental. We have to engage them, we have to try to make them realize that their political choices are no longer realistic, he told BenarNews during a 45-minute interview by phone on Dec. 31.

We can no longer impose a universal caliphate in the context of todays modern reality.

He also expressed optimism that NU could serve as a mediator by seeking a common framework to curtail, if not withhold, radicalism and fundamentalism in the country.

Obviously the way to do it is to persevere and campaign as hard as possible to prevent identity politics. We must encourage political stakeholders to build consensus that they would not capitalize on identity, especially religious identity, as a political weapon, Yahya said.

Thousands join a peaceful march against alleged blasphemous remarks made by the governor of Jakarta, in central Jakarta, Nov. 4, 2016. [Tria Dianti/BenarNews]

Israel controversy

In 2018, Yahya stirred public controversy at home when he accepted an invitation from the Israel Council on Foreign Relations (ICFR) to give a speech in Jerusalem on the solution to religious conflicts.

At the time, Yahya was still a member of Wantimpres. The Indonesian public criticized him over the invitation because he was perceived as having put a dent in Indonesias support for the Palestinian people.

But Yahya said he went on the trip in a personal capacity and as a regular Muslim who longed for the Palestine-Israel conflict to end, and not as a representative of the government or NU.

In early 2020, during a meeting of leaders from different faiths at the Vatican, Yahya said the worlds religious leaders had agreed to come together to think about how religion functions and responds to conflict in the 21st century.

Religion must also find its new function. This is the first and this requires a separate process, he told BenarNews.

As he put it, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict needs to be resolved fundamentally, namely through clarifying territorial boundaries in accordance with international law. As long as boundaries are not made clear, it will be difficult for Israel to gain political recognition, including establishing diplomatic ties with Indonesia, he said.

A lot of these territorial boundaries are just unilateral claims by both Israel and the surrounding Arab and Islamic countries. This must be resolved first. So if, for example, Indonesia says it is normalizing relations with Israel, which [Israel] is it? The boundaries must be clear so as not to cause new problems, he said.

The interview with the new NU chairman took place days after news reports emerged saying that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during meetings with Indonesian officials in Jakarta last month, had discussed the prospect of Indonesia normalizing ties with the Jewish State.

Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo greets U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jakarta, Dec. 13, 2020. [Handout Presidential Palace via AFP]

Yahya also has a proven track record in the international community.

In 2014, he was listed as one of the founders of Bayt Ar-Rahmah, a California-based religious institute which promotes the primary message of Islam as a source of universal love and compassion.

He was entrusted to be a member in the panel of experts who formulate policies in the U.S.-Indonesia Interfaith Executive Council, which was set up after an agreement signed between President Barack Obama and Jokowi in October 2015.

Yahya was also appointed as the envoy of Nahdlatul Ulamas youth movement and the National Awakening Party (PKB), NUs political vehicle, to forge political networks in the international community and in Europe.

He said he believes that Indonesia must contribute to develop the world order in accordance with its 1945 constitutional mandate. He also voiced hope that his activities could project the image of a peaceful and moderate Islam in Indonesia.

I think the Indonesian government should take a bolder action with a concrete agenda in solving existing problems, to penetrate the international politics, he said.

[T]o defend anyone who is treated unfairly, to seek a better future for everyone, including our brothers in Palestine or our brothers [the] Uyghurs in China. It even includes non-Muslim groups who also suffer from persecution in Muslim-majority societies.

Yahya said even though he is now NU chairman, Bayt Ar-Rahmah will keep operating as usual, because he still needs to carry on with its Islamic humanitarian mission, which includes campaigning to eliminate the use of the term kafir (infidel) in modern Islamic doctrine.

The non-Muslims or infidel status is a symbolic object for hostility, discrimination and persecution, he said.

We can no longer tolerate or allow such vulnerability because the world has become one, integrated neighborhood, and we have to live side by side with each other, Yahya told BenarNews.

A military officer helps Indonesian President Abdurrahman Gus Dur Wahid disembark upon his arrival at an airbase in Jakarta, June 29, 2001. [AFP]

Needs to be supported

Syafiq Hakim, a lecturer in Islamic studies at the Indonesian International Islamic University, welcomed Yahyas stated intention to revive Gus Durs visions and missions, but said this would require support from all parties.

If he doesnt want to be involved in politics by being a presidential or a vice presidential candidate, it seems that he really wants to reinstate Gus Durs values. But of course, we dont know if it would be applicable with NU. Because when it comes to NU, it has so many layers and not all scholars have an open perspective, Syafiq told BenarNews on Thursday.

According to Syafiq, if Yahya succeeds in reviving NUs old progressive values, other mass organizations with diverse perspectives and endeavors will likely follow suit, including Muhammadiyah, the second largest Muslim organization in Indonesia.

That is a working agenda that I think is challenging and needs support, though I have no idea how it will turn out. However, I strongly agree with Gus Yahyas proposed agenda, and he must put it forward, as a leader of the largest mass organization that protects minority groups, he said.

PKB, the political party associated with Nahdlatul Ulama, was established to voice the organizations aspirations in responding to a political crisis during the reform era, which began in 1998 with the downfall of President Suharto, the longtime dictator.

Gus Dur initially refused the idea because he didnt want NU to leave its khittah (original pledge) by mixing religious affairs with politics. However, Gus Dur finally relented because he saw this as the only way to fight Golkar, the party associated with Suharto, the authoritarian ruler and former military chief.

According to another observer, it is appropriate for Yahya to want to keep NU out of politics in Indonesia. Yon Machmudi, an Islamic politics expert at the University of Indonesia, said he hoped Yahya would not be steered into mobilizing NUs large mass following in any political contest.

If he remains on track with his agenda, it will be a major breakthrough  by returning to NUs foundational mandate as a religious Islamic organization beyond the struggle for political power, Yon told BenarNews.

If NU is forced to become involved in politics, this would diminish the organizations core values and mission in helping to strengthen society, he said.

I think his statement that he would steer NU away from politics is good and important, so that he can make decisions wisely on political choices without having to become a presidential or a vice presidential candidate, which could potentially cause friction at the grassroots level. I think this is an ideal situation, Yon said.

This report is the first of two parts.
Noraida Abo, executive director of UnYPhil-Women, an organization based in the Southern Philippines, says Muslim girls should be protected from child marriage.

Muslim leaders in the southern Philippines on Friday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to repeal a recently signed law criminalizing child marriage, saying it was part of their culture.

The law, which became effective last month but was announced late Thursday, prohibits the marriage of anyone younger than 18.

The community in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao does not support the law, said Romeo Sema, the regions labor and employment minister.

We are asking the president to reconsider it and veto the law, Sema said, as another Muslim leader noted the appeal has been sent to Dutertes office.

Its a culture that is very hard to change, he said.

Anwar Emblawa, a Muslim leader in Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao province, said a girl was considered a woman once she reaches the age of puberty.

In Islam there is no fixed age  to get married. As long as a girl reaches the age of puberty, they are allowed to get married.

Structures that perpetuate discrimination

While the legal age for marriage in the Philippines is 18, in some religions and cultures, child marriage is practiced and considered normal, especially in tribal communities where a girl is considered an adult once she reaches puberty.

Girls Not Brides, an international advocacy and research group, said the Philippines has the worlds 10th highest number of child brides, at 808,000  India at 26.6 million is the highest. An estimated 15 percent of Philippine girls are married by the age of 18, compared to 3 percent of boys.

According to UNICEF, Niger has the highest overall prevalence of child marriage in the world, but Bangladesh has the highest rate of marriage involving girls younger than 15. A 2017 analysis by Pew Research Center said at least 117 nations, including the United States, allow children to marry.

As of December 2021, the Philippines is not on that list. As of last month, anyone who fixes, facilitates or arranges a childs marriage faces a fine of at least 40,000 pesos (U.S. $780) and a jail term of up to 12 years.

Under the law signed by Duterte on Dec. 10, the state recognizes the need to abolish all traditional and cultural practices and structures that perpetuate discrimination, abuse and exploitation of children such as the practice of child marriage.

The State recognizes the role of women in nation-building and shall therefore protect and promote their empowerment. This entails the abolition of the unequal structures and practices that perpetuate discrimination and inequality, the law said.

Any child marriage is considered void from the start, without any need for annulment, it said. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has been enlisted to lead in implementing the measure.

A huge win

Noraida Abo, executive director of UnYPhil-Women, an organization based in the southern Lanao del Sur province, urged the Bangsamoro leadership to support the law to protect Muslim girls from being forced into marriage.

Ending child, early and forced marriage is a huge win for the future of our Bangsamoro children, Abo told BenarNews. We are one step closer to achieving our goal where we put an end to Bangsamoro children having children.

Abos group is part of the Girl Defenders alliance that includes British non-government organization Oxfam along with local Philippine organizations.

The alliance has to battle resistance from the community and clerics.

In November 2015, a fatwa, or religious edict, signed by Abuhuraira Udasan, mufti of the Islamic advisory council Bangsamoro Darul-Ifta in Mindanao, endorsed early and forced marriage.

It urged Filipino Muslim youth to get married when the necessary conditions are met, as long as they have reached puberty.

The fatwa said Islam does not precisely fix any marriageable age and in instances where the bride is younger than 18, the couple can practice contraception to delay pregnancy.

On Friday, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), a group advocating for the rights of women, said the law finally addresses the legal gaps that have allowed child marriages to thrive in the nation.

Lawyer Kristine Rosary Yuzon-Chaves, PCWs executive director, praised the government for recognizing that child marriage is a crime.

With this enactment, we can protect girls from being trapped in unwanted marriage, early pregnancy, violence and other violations to their human rights and dignity, she told BenarNews.
National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose checks his bust as he arrives at the unveiling of a giant pop-up book of Filipino heroes as the centerpiece of the 118th celebration of Philippine Independence Day in the northern province of Pangasinan, June 12, 2016.

The Philippines literary community on Friday mourned the death of F. Sionil Jose, a National Artist for Literature, whose widely read novels espoused national sovereignty and social justice.

Jose, 97, died at a Manila hospital late Thursday on the eve of a scheduled angioplasty. He is survived by wife, Tessie, in Manila, and seven children, all but one of whom live in the United States.

Our father passed away peacefully this evening. Many years ago, he told us this is what he wants written about him: He wrote stories and he believed in them, his family said in a brief statement.

Highly regarded for documenting the generational travails of the Philippines in novels, short stories and other writings, Jose was a key and at times controversial figure in the Philippine intelligentsia.

His best-known work, The Rosales Saga, is a series of five novels that illustrate a pivotal century of Philippine history from the points of view of characters rooted in his hometown of Rosales in the northern Pangasinan province. Jose wrote in English and some of his 14 novels and many short stories have been published internationally and translated into 28 languages.

In other writings, Jose sparked controversy over his support for President Rodrigo Dutertes war on drugs and his disdain for the Filipino-Chinese community.

He also drew criticism for an October tweet questioning the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to journalist Maria Ressa.

I have criticized Duterte but not on press freedom. The Philippine press is alive and well not because of Maria Ressa. No writer is in jail. There is no censorship. Duterte hasnt closed a single newspaper or radio station, Jose tweeted on Oct. 9, 2021. Those Nobel judges were taken for a ride by western media hype.

From his hospital bed, the famously agnostic Jose thanked God for allowing him to live as he urged his failing heart to survive.

I cannot kill you dear heart; you have to do that yourself. For 97 years you have been constantly working patiently pumping much more efficiently and longer that most machines, he wrote.

I know that a book lasts long too, as the libraries have shown, books that have lived more than 300 years. Now, that I am here waiting for an angioplasty, I hope that you will survive it and I with it, so that I will be able to continue what I have been doing with so much energy that only you have been able to give. Thank you, dear brave heart and dear Lord, for this most precious gift.

Mother nurtured interest in reading

Born Francisco Sionil Jose in Rosales on Dec. 3, 1924, he grew up poor but was educated.

Jose showed an interest in reading, which his mother nurtured by giving him books despite their poverty. He started writing as a school boy.

He was moved by the novels of the countrys national hero Jose Rizal, whose writings helped foment the Philippines quest for independence from Spain in the late 1800s.

In 2009, TIME magazine said Joses Rosales Saga is rivaled in his nations literature only by Jose Rizals [novels].

After World War II, Jose attended college but dropped out and started working as a journalist in Manila. In the succeeding decades, he became a prolific writer and editor, opened a publishing house and bookstore and founded the Philippine chapter of the international writers guild PEN. His bookstore Solidaridad was named after the revolutionary newspaper that included Rizal among its editors.

Awards Jose earned include the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, which he won five times; the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1980; the Outstanding Fulbrighters Award for Literature in 1988; and the Pablo Neruda Centennial Award in 2004. Most notably, he was named a National Artist for Literature by the Philippine government in 2001.

F. Sionil Joses writings since the late 60s, when taken collectively can best be described as epic. Its sheer volume puts him on the forefront of Philippine writing in English, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts said on its website. But ultimately, it is the consistent espousal of the aspirations of the Filipino  for national sovereignty and social justice  that guarantees the value of his oeuvre.

True patriotic Filipino

Additional tributes have poured in.

You spoke your mind against all naysayers and misunderstanding. You sang your heart against all the noise and distractions. And you truly loved our country, fully and unreservedly, til the end, political analyst and writer Richard Heydarian said on social media.

Not only is he a legendary writer and storyteller, F. Sionil Jose is a true patriotic Filipino, presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said.

Joel Pablo Salud, a Filipino journalist and erstwhile friend who has publicly feuded with him over his support of Dutertes drug war, said he felt extremely sad by of Joses death.

Now that the chance for us to iron out our differences is gone forever, then he and I have no choice but to bring our differences with us, he said. I may grieve now because he is gone, but I grieve a thousand times over for the victims of this regime.
A soldier checks vehicles after suspected insurgents killed one soldier and injured two others in La Pae village in Narathiwat province, Thailand, Jan. 3, 2022. [Matahari Ismail/BenarNews]

People in Thailands insurgency-torn Deep South say they have little hope that in-person peace talks resuming next week for the first time in nearly two years will achieve a breakthrough, but experts say it is a step toward building trust.

Thai negotiators are expected to meet in Malaysia Jan. 11-12 with the separatist Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) rebels, the most powerful separatist group in the majority-Muslim Deep South, to resume in-person talks disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the southern border region, a former BRN operative said he did not trust the process.

The dialogue for peace or negotiation, whichever term it is, [has] never made any progress. It is a waste of time. It failed for so many years, and they keep talking about the same old things, he told BenarNews on the condition of anonymity as he feared for his safety.

The military invited me to meet them yesterday [Thursday], but they did not talk about how to fix any problems at all. How can we achieve long-term peace? They are not sincere, he told BenarNews.

Kamjorn Awae, a 36-year-old native from Yala province, said she was not interested in the peace talks.

It is just a theater. Officials dont want peace because the violence keeps the budgets coming, she told BenarNews.

They use the violence to get the budget for so-called development projects, covert operations, and fighting against separatist insurgents.

Nurman Waeyusof, a 19-year-old resident of Pattani, also does not expect much from the talks, except more violence in the lead up to them.

Every time they prepare for talks, more attacks take place, and local people suffer more, Nurman told BenarNews.

Earlier, I had expected the violence to be gone by now, but now I have just given up, Nurman told BenarNews.

Since Dec. 23, when news of the face-to-face peace talks broke, there have been at least 15 attacks.

On Friday as well, four rangers traveling in a patrol truck were injured in a roadside bomb explosion in the Nong Chik district of Pattani province, police said. In a separate incident, a local government official was also shot dead in Pattani, but it was not clear who was behind the attack.

Police said it was a show of strength by BRN rebels ahead of the talks.

The Deep South encompasses Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala provinces and four districts of Songkhla province. Since the insurgency reignited in January 2004, more than 7,000 people have been killed and 13,500 others injured in violence across the region, according to Deep South Watch, a local think-tank.

The armed separatist movement against Buddhist majority Thailand began in the 1960s. The movements primary demand had been independence for the region.

A formal peace process to solve the issue began in 2013, but it never progressed.

Thai authorities secure the bagged body of Sufian Yusof, a slain insurgent suspect, in Narathiwat province, Thailand, Oct. 13, 2021. [BenarNews]

7 members on each side

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Thira Daehwa, the secretary of Thailands Peace Dialogue Panel, said the talks were a necessary step.

In the past two meetings, we were building mutual trust, Thira, who is also deputy commander of the 4th Army Region which covers the Deep South, told BenarNews.

We spoke in a foreign country, not using Thai as an official language. We spoke the words which were translated into Malay. If they were skeptical about any issues, we paused and resumed the talk when they were ready, he said.

Thira said the rebels had back then asked for Deep South security checkpoints to be removed.

We told them that we could do so only if they stopped attacking; the checkpoints were aimed at intercepting you. Had you not attacked, there wouldnt be any checkpoints, he said.

He said next weeks talks brokered by Malaysia would see seven members on each side. The Thai side will be led by Gen. Wanlop Rugsanaoh, the peace talks panel chief, he said.

Their side also has seven members, led by Hipni Mareh [also known as Anas Abdulrahman], Thira said, adding that independent observers would also be present.

Thai officials and BRN representatives last met virtually in February 2021, and the last face-to-face discussions  two rounds of them  took place in Kuala Lumpur in March 2020, around the time of the first full-blown onset of the coronavirus pandemic in Malaysia.

Lt. Gen. Thira Daehwa (left), deputy commander of the 4th Army Region, meets with an imam (center) during a religious ceremony in Yala province, Thailand, Nov. 13, 2021. [BenarNews]

Peace talks are a lengthy process

A report published this week cited a government source as saying that the BRN had submitted a ceasefire proposal in May.

Researcher Rungrawee Chalermsripinyorat, based in the Deep South, is the author of the Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis report published by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

She said there were three main components that both sides had agreed to: Reduction of violence, the search for a political or administrative solution, and the inclusion of various stakeholders into the peace dialogue.

Peace talks are a lengthy process, and so one should not expect any tangible outcome from the first meeting, said Rungrawee, a lecturer at the Prince of Songkla University.

It is likely to be a preparatory meeting for several more rounds of talks to come.

In the report, she said that BRN had proposed the establishment of an autonomous Patani Darussalam, in which the Patani people have the right to design their education and economic systems. In addition, the communitys Malay language and identity were to be officially recognized and preserved.

Rungrawee said BRN was willing to discuss various forms of political and administrative solutions.

I think that the BRN senior members are realistic enough, and they are willing to negotiate for a political solution short of independence, she said.

But they will never publicly announce that the BRN has abandoned its call for independence.
The U.S. Capitol is seen from the Washington Monument in Washington on Jan. 6, 2022, one year after the attack on the Capitol. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times)

HARTFORD  A year later, some of Connecticuts top elected leaders Thursday recalled the terrifying moments when violent insurrectionists stormed into the nations Capitol as Congress prepared to certify Joe Bidens electoral vote win.

At a Hartford press conference, Sen. Chris Murphy and Sen. Richard Blumenthal described rushing out of the Senate Chamber as rioters were within eyesight and earshot. Rep. Rosa DeLauro recounted lying on the floor of the House and calling her husband to say she loved him.

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On Capitol Hill, President Biden delivered a pointed address aimed at former President Donald Trump, who he said created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.

We didnt see a former president, who had just rallied the mob to attack  sitting in the private dining room off the Oval Office in the White House, watching it all on television and doing nothing for hours as police were assaulted, lives at risk, and the nations capital under siege,' Biden said. This wasnt a group of tourists. This was an armed insurrection. They werent looking to uphold the will of the people. They were looking to deny the will of the people.'

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In this Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, violent rioters supporting President Donald Trump, storm the Capitol in Washington. (John Minchillo/AP)

Blumenthal and Murphy were unharmed that day but are still shaken by the attack that has led to more than 725 arrests and more than 150 convictions for rioters who ransacked the Capitol.

This is a pretty terrible day,' Murphy told reporters as Blumenthal stood next to him. It was 2:30 in the afternoon when Dick and I were sitting in that chamber, and a bloodied Capitol police officer burst through the swinging doors and yelled at us frantically that we needed to evacuate the chamber and that we needed to do it quickly.  As we walked through the Capitol, we were within earshot and eyesight of rioters who, had they been able to reach members of the Senate or the House, would have done some tremendous violence.'

Blumenthal said he feared he could have been injured.

This day will always haunt me,' Blumenthal said. They wanted to kill us. They wanted to hurt us. And they said they wanted to murder the Vice President of the United States. It was, in effect, a coup  seeking to overthrow the government, stop the transition of power, and halt the counting of votes that would have changed our democracy forever.'

Blumenthal added, I am haunted by the sights and sounds of that day. The blood, the broken glass, the physical injuries that we saw. The sounds of doors slammed, just 50 feet away from us.'

Like others, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of New Haven remembered the day in personal terms.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro speaks as members of Congress share recollections of the Jan. 6 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol on the one year anniversary of the attack Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. (Graeme Jennings/AP)

On Jan. 6, 2021, I called my husband while lying on the floor of the House gallery in the United States Capitol to tell him I was safe, to reassure our family that everything would be all right,' DeLauro said. I remember hesitating before saying I love you and hanging up the phone  the moment hearkened back to Sept. 11, 2001.'

She added, A year later, it is still difficult to comprehend the gravity of this attack on our democracy. As we reflect on that horrific day filled with great sadness and lasting trauma, may we recognize that, above all, American democracy is resilient. On that day, our institutions withstood the threat, and we overcame the chaos. The principles of our Constitution not only survived this crisis but proved again that our democratic system works and remains a beacon of hope for the world.'

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In response, DeLauro said that the appropriations committee that she chairs successfully passed nearly $1 billion to increase Capitol security, including the police.

Around the nation, Americans marked the anniversary Thursday as they discussed the political divisions in the nation and looked ahead to the midterm elections this year and the presidential election in 2024. Many voters believe that Trump, who lost to Biden in the popular vote and Electoral College tally, will run again in 2024.

While some of Trumps supporters have downplayed the violence and sought to whitewash the history of the insurrection, Republicans in Connecticut said it cannot be forgotten.

President Joe Biden speaks to reporters as he departs with Vice President Kamala Harris through the Hall of Columns after he spoke in Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington. (Ken Cedeno/AP)

We condemn the violence of January 6, 2021 in the strongest of terms, just as we have continued to do since the day it happened,' Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly of Stratford and deputy leader Paul Formica of East Lyme said in a statement. A year later justice moves forward, and the tarnishing on our democracy and the process that occurred in Washington last year must serve as a reminder to be ever vigilant and grateful for our freedoms provided to us by the brave men and women who have sacrificed for our nation. We must not tolerate violence, and we must together encourage peaceful and respectful civil discourse so the voices of all people are heard.'

They added, In Connecticut, we do not stand for violence or those who incite division. That is not the Connecticut way.

In the early evening, Blumenthal and Murphy traveled to West Hartford town hall, where they spoke to a crowd of about 150 people who held flashlights and candles in the darkness. Nine speakers delivered remarks, including Nadia Sims, a Manchester-based author and poet.

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Maybe I missed the civics lesson Mrs. Anthony tried to teach in high school, but I get it now, Sims said. And it is citizens that give this country shape, its color, its creed. We are more than stars and stripes, more than states, more than a nation. Each of us is a thread in our flag and that flag may be unraveling.

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, a Vernon Democrat, said the repercussions are still being felt one year later for the victims of the violence.

Thanks to the courageous actions of the U.S. Capitol Police, the Washington D.C. Police, and the D.C. National Guard, the mob was stopped  but not without a bloody cost,' Courtney said. One police officer, Brian Sicknick, was pepper sprayed and lost his life from the assault, and four others died by suicide within seven months of the attack. A total of 140 officers were injured, and 17 were still out of work five months afterwards.'

Courtney added, The cowards who assaulted these sentinels with bats, poles, fire extinguishers, and pepper spray are being brought to justice. Over 700 have been indicted, 151 have been convicted, and many are still imprisoned.'

U.S. Rep. John B. Larson of East Hartford said, I witnessed firsthand the mob overtake Capitol Police officers from the window of my office. It was a sad day for democracy and an eye-opener, but we returned to the Capitol, we voted and defeated the insurrection.'

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 46F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 46F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT

The average American owes $37,000 in student loan debt. An art installation at Mass MoCA breaks it down, visually, into $40 bowls
Peter Broggi, center, talks to a customer, Nate Cecchinatl. Cecchinatl said he is fully vaccinated and chose not to wear a mask in the store because the store doesn't require. (Yehyun Kim/Yehyun Kim )

It was after a deadly COVID-19 outbreak at a nursing home in North Canaan this past fall that local hardware store owner Bob Riva said he and his staff started wearing masks again at work.

But he was hesitant to require that his customers do the same.

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One of Rivas clerks wanted to put up a sign. I said, Sure, you can, but we have to be very cautious. Say please.

The clientele at 130-year-old C.A. Lindell Hardware & Lumber reflect the demographics of the community  many are elderly  and Riva said hes cognizant of their health. At the height of the pandemic over a year ago, the store had a mask mandate in place, but some younger customers pushed back. Riva recalls people swearing at him and threatening to call the police.

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This time around, he said, I didnt feel as though I wanted to go through the arguments with customers  Im so past that. Its worn me out, maybe.

As COVID-19 cases surge across the state amid the spread of the omicron variant and the waning of vaccine effectiveness, enforcing safety measures like mask-wearing and social distancing is falling to private businesses. There are no statewide mandates, and imposing local ones has been challenging  most cities and towns have relied largely on good will and individual courtesy. As a result, public-facing retail shops and restaurants have borne the brunt of public pushback.

It puts businesses in the position of having to be the mask cops, said Betsy Gara, executive director of the Connecticut Council Of Small Towns. By and large, towns are finding that most people are complying with the requirements of local businesses to wear masks. Unfortunately, theres a small segment of the population that just refuses to do so, and that just makes it much more difficult.

It didnt help that the onset of the latest variant coincided with the 2021 holiday shopping season, which was significantly busier than 2020. Weekly foot traffic in U.S. retail stores in December was up between 14% and 20% compared to the same weeks the prior year, according to research firm Sensormatic Solutions. Family gatherings and air travel, which were also more common this holiday season, have likely aided the virus spread.

The range of rules and enforcement, from one business to the next, varies almost as widely as the range of regulations across Connecticut towns and cities. Some jurisdictions have reinstated public health measures after doing away with them months ago. Others have stayed the course. Even in places that reestablished mask mandates, there are few to no consequences for failing to comply (New Haven is one exception).

As a result, mask wearing is unpredictable from town to town, inconsistent even from one storefront to the next, among customers and employees alike.

Thats one thing weve heard from front-facing businesses, that it would be nice to have consistency, said Chris DiPentima, president of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. The best way to do that, he said, is for companies to establish their own policies and stick to them. Businesses have just taken it into their own hands, he said. Most prefer there would not be [mandates]. Most prefer to control it within their own business.

My feeling personally is that if the state set the regulations, then we can enforce them, said C.A. Lindell Hardware & Lumber store manager Peter Broggi. But when its the customers choice whether to wear or not, as a business, you have to respect your customer.

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But the latest spike in COVID positivity  nearly one in four tests as of Tuesday  is raising anxiety levels, DiPentima said. I think it is escalating a bit, as far as the sensitivity of it, because the customers themselves are getting frustrated or tired of mask-wearing.

For his part, Riva said he might feel more comfortable standing up to customers if he knew there were official policies to back him up.

I always felt like we were out here on an island by ourselves, he said.

The governors guidance

According to the states guidance, all people  vaccinated or not  must wear masks in schools, health facilities, group housing, public transit and when asked in public or private. The guidance suggests that people who are unvaccinated be required to wear a mask indoors, while those who have received the full vaccine dosage may opt not to wear a mask.

NEW BRITAIN 12/31/21 Gov. Ned Lamont gestures after announcing the arrival of 426,000 home COVID-19 tests at a press conference at the state commodities warehouse in New Britain Friday for distribution to cities and towns. Photo by Cloe Poisson/Special to the Courant (Cloe Poisson / Special to the Courant)

But since the pandemics early days, when everything shut down, the state has left specific rules and enforcement in the hands of local leaders, said Max Reiss, spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont.

Whether it was the health department, local law enforcement or local government, that was where the rubber met the road, and that has continued to be the case, Reiss said. We have allowed cities and towns to put in a mask mandate. If they put one in, its on them to enforce it. It just wouldnt be possible to send out the state police to be the enforcers on that.

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But Joe DeLong, executive director of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, said in the midst of the virus latest surge, many municipal leaders feel that this is the type of time where a collective effort needs to be in place, and there needs to be leadership from above as opposed to everyone being left to figure it out on their own.

In a state like Connecticut, with so many towns, cities and small communities, he said, There are probably very few areas where people spend their entire day  live, work, play  in just one town. DeLong added, Its not in the best collective interest for there to be this smorgasbord of different requirements from one town to the next.

When clerks asked customers to wear masks as the state required earlier in the pandemic, some customers said they wouldnt do business with the store anymore or threatened lawsuits. I feel bad for the clerks that dont know whats going on, said manager Peter Broggi. Theyre not used to this. And its been hard. Im sure its been hard on any retail worker.

Reiss said the governor isnt interested in new statewide mask or vaccine mandates. Rather, Lamonts focus is on getting people vaccinated and making high-quality masks and testing as widely available as possible, Reiss said.

The vaccine continues to be the best protection against COVID, he said. We continue to have an open dialogue with businesses, with restaurants. We continue to encourage them to get their people vaccinated.

Some critics have questioned that approach.

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I think the mistake that we made was to put all of our eggs into that vaccine basket  almost to the exclusion of other things, writer Ed Yong said recently on a podcast hosted by former presidential advisor on the COVID response, Andy Slavitt. We really thought the vaccines were so effective that they could act as a single layer  Because of that we began letting our guard down and stripping some of the others away. Masks, most notably.

Everything is political

At Bistro V in Greenwich, manager Nolvin Ventura said staff are wearing masks, getting tested and logging their temperatures regularly  all of which has thus far prevented the latest outbreak from hitting his restaurant. Greenwich has a mask mandate only in the towns buildings and facilities. And local restaurants were recently ordered to remove outdoor seating nodes in street parking areas. That means all customers now come inside, Ventura said, and they dont all follow the indoor rules.

Its really hard, he said. My staff and I are in a really tough position because as soon as we say to the customer, Please, can you wear a mask? they start getting aggravated, yelling at us, screaming at us, they create a big problem. If it were staff members who werent following the rules, Ventura said he could dock their pay or hours as punishment. But when its the customers, he has to be more careful. Everything is political, which I dont like, he said. It wasnt like that before.

The question of whether and how to enforce mask rules is sensitive for many shop and restaurant owners, in part because its perceived as a political issue. Several small businesses declined to comment for this story. One clerk at a convenience store in Eastford said, Its just not worth getting into.

DiPentima said every business is unique and will have to make its own decisions. But if association members ask him what they should do, DiPentima offers his own office policies as an example. CBIA instated a mask mandate at its offices before Christmas, which is still in place, and it is encouraging employees to work

C.A. Lindell Hardware & Lumber doesnt have a sign to ask customers to wear masks. We didnt enforce it because we didnt want any confrontations with a lot of the sales people at the front, said manager Peter Broggi.

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DeLong said hes aware of problems with some national chain businesses not enforcing any rules. But for local proprietors who are trying to follow public health guidance, he said municipal leaders have an obligation to provide support.

Any time a business is dealing with disruptive or unruly behavior, whether it has to do with COVID or anything else  it could be somebody who isnt 21 being unruly because they want to be served alcohol  those tools arent any different in this case than in any others, he said. You would need to reach out to local law enforcement to have those things dealt with appropriately, he said.

Still, Gara of COST pointed out, Most small towns simply do not have the resources to enforce a town-wide mask mandate. Instead, she said, Most towns are taking the approach that they will provide education and information to individuals about the importance of wearing masks, but they stop short of issuing fines or taking other measures to enforce a mandate.
Investigations editor

Larry Parnass joined The Eagle in 2016 from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where he was editor in chief. His freelance work has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, CommonWealth Magazine and with the Reuters news service.
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.
The Zoning Board of Appeals has tapped the brakes on potential approval of a proposed brewery/restaurant off Pittsfield Road (Route 7/20).
NORTH ADAMS  The vice president of the City Council owes nearly $15,000 in state taxes from meals sales at his restaurants.

In late December, the state Department of Revenue filed a tax lien on Desperados and Miss Adams Diner, according to records kept by the Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds. Both restaurants are owned by Peter Oleskiewicz.

He bought Desperados on Eagle Street in 2017, and recently renovated and reopened the diner on Park Street in Adams.

Oleskiewicz blamed financial pressures from the pandemic as the reason for not paying the taxes. Instead, he said he prioritized paying his staff. I feel like its more important right now to pay the staff, they need to pay their rents. My staff comes first.

Oleskiewicz said he plans to pay the taxes: Im on a plan right now to catch up.

A tax lien is a legal claim the government makes against people or businesses that owe taxes. The state filed 28 tax liens in the Northern Berkshire Registry of Deeds in 2021 and the first few days of 2022, according to a search on the registrys website.

Most of those liens were for individuals, and seven were against businesses, two of which were in North Adams, including Oleskiewiczs business. A lien attaches to the person or business property and may prevent the sale or transfer of the property attached, according to the Department of Revenues website.

Previously, Oleskiewicz said he had planned to pay the meals tax with money from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, funds that were part of the American Rescue Plan. But he said never got the funds. According to The Boston Globe, that money ran out and almost two-thirds of restaurants that applied didnt get funding.

The pandemic has challenged the restaurant industry, Oleskiewicz said. COVID just changed the entire game, he said. Its stressful.

Despite those challenges, Oleskiewicz said he has no plans to close his restaurants. Im not going out of business, he said.

Desperados is up to date on real estate taxes owed to the city, according to Tax Collector Beverly Cooper. The city does get some money from meals taxes, but it comes through the state, she said.
Residents tour Gloucester High School in 2016 as part of a study of possible renovations to the school. (Jonathon Gruenke)

Gloucester County will redirect proceeds from its 1 percentage point sales tax surcharge from repaying old school building debt to new construction or renovation projects, the county board of supervisors decided.

The change of mind comes in response to an opinion from Attorney General Mark Herring that the county had not complied with state law about such surcharges or with what it told taxpayers during the 2020 sales tax referendum.

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This is a difficult and appropriate decision, board chairman Robert Orth said, after supervisors closed-door session to discuss the implications of Herrings opinion.

Using proceeds to ease the impact of existing debt was thought to be in the best interest of the county and taxpayers, he said. It reflected legal advice the board received at the time, he added.

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The board action directs county staff to re-do the current budget to redirect the money, with no specifics as to where the money would now go.

Herrings opinion said The plain language of (the Code of Virginia section on sales tax surcharges) is clear that the statute applies to capital projects for new construction or major renovation of schools. The surcharge is supposed to expire when any loans or bonds for such new construction or major renovation are repaid, the opinion added.

[ Previously: Gloucester will use sales tax money for school construction to pay down debt ]

The opinion said the referendum question on the 2020 ballot said the surcharge shall be used solely for capital projects for the construction or renovation of schools and that information about the matter given to county voters further support the fact that the sales tax revenues would be used prospectively for new construction or major renovation of Gloucesters public schools and not for debt mitigation.

Nearly 62% of Gloucester County voters voted for a sales tax increase.

The countys budget calls for using the surcharge to pay down some $39 million in mostly old school construction debt. For the current fiscal year, that would be a payment of $3.5 million with a set aside of an additional reserve of $1.5 million.

Dave Ress, 757-247-4535, dress@dailypress.com
Chesapeake  Police are investigating social media comments directed at Chesapeake School Board members that alluded to violence.

The comments were posted on Instagram after a special meeting Dec. 31 at which the board reinstated a mask mandate in schools.

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We take these matters seriously and we appreciate when our students, parents, staff, and community members bring this type of information to our attention. The safety of our students and staff is our number one concern, Chris Vail, the districts spokesperson said in an email to The Virginian-Pilot.

[ Previous coverage: Chesapeake School Board votes to mandate masks again as student return ]

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Were all on high alert, board member Dr. Patricia King said Friday during a phone interview. Were all escorted with police now, which is ludicrous. Who would have ever thought that you serve on a school board and you would be in fear of your safety and your life.

Over the past couple of months, King said theres been more police officers at meetings for safety purposes. Parents and community members also have to walk through a metal detector when they enter the building.

Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news >

During the special meeting, two people were removed from the meeting for outbursts after King called for a closed meeting. The Instagram post recorded the incident as one parent voluntarily left, saying this child would not come back to the school division, and a Virginia Beach parent was escorted out.

Vice Chair Colleen Leary told local reporters that day she called the meeting because of the surge in COVID-19 cases before students returned from winter break. As of Friday, the district reported outbreaks at eight schools across the division. And as the rising trend in cases continues, King said its vital that masks be in place to control transmission.

Social media threats also targeted Virginia Beach board members in July for not wearing masks during and annual retreat. Mask wearing has been a hot-button topic in the district with multiple attempts from board members to make masks optional.

I refuse to live in fear, so Im going to continue the duties that I have been elected to perform on the school board, King said.

On behalf of all members, King said, she wont let the comments deter her from doing her job because its what Chesapeake students and teachers deserve.

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Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com
A countrys fate can turn on a dime because it only takes one unqualified leader to ruin it. During the reign of King David and King Solomon, the nation of Israel enjoyed unparalleled peace and prosperity. When King David rose to power, God promised him that He would establish an eternal kingdom through one of Davids descendants. Gods promise to King David shaped the trajectory of Israels future, and from that point on  in some way or another  Gods redemptive history through the Israelites conformed to His promise to King David. This redemptive history even includes the ruin brought by Rehoboam, Solomons son.

Who Is Rehoboam?

Rehoboam was Solomons son and Davids grandson. He was Gods chosen instrument to divide the nation of Israel due to the corruption brought about through Solomons idolatry (1 Kings 11:11-13). Rehoboam was the first king of Judah during the divided kingdom period.

What Is Rehoboam Known For?

Rehoboam is most known for dividing the rest of Israel against the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. When the people gathered in the city of Shechem for Rehoboams coronation, the Israelites requested that he lighten the heavy workload his father, Solomon, previously imposed on the people. King Solomon brought Israel to its most prosperous age, but it came through the heavy labor of the people. Solomon built the temple of God, and it became the established location of worship for all Israel. He also constructed a magnificent palace and developed Israels military; all achieved through the hard toil of the people.

When Rehoboam rose to the throne, all Solomons work had been accomplished. The people were ready to rest from their hard labor now that Israel had ascended to a glorious state. Rehoboam told the people to give him three days to consider their request. During those three days, Rehoboam consulted two distinct groups of people. The first group comprised wise and experienced elders who served King Solomon during his reign (1 Kings 12:6). They understood what it took for a king to rule his people successfully. They told Rehoboam to heed the request of the people and lighten their workload. The elders knew this would cause Rehoboam to win the peoples favor, and in turn, the people would welcome their new kings rule over them.

However, Rehoboam rejected the elders counsel (2 Kings 12:8). The second group Rehoboam consulted were his peers, friends Rehoboam grew up with who were inexperienced in life and ill-equipped to offer any valuable counsel for what he should do as king. Rehoboams friends gave foolish advice, as opposed to the counsel given by the wise elders. They told Rehoboam to refuse the peoples request and assert his authority over them by threatening worse labor conditions than those they experienced under Solomon (1 Kings 12:10-11). Rehoboam foolishly heeded the advice of his friends. On the third day, when the people returned to hear the kings verdict, Rehoboam told them, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions. (1 Kings 12:14). In response to Rehoboams foolish answer, the people rejected his rule. Only Judah and the tribe of Benjamin subjected themselves to Rehoboams rule. The other ten tribes united under the reign of Jeroboam, whom God had promised to give rule over most of the nation (1 Kings 12:28-38).

What Lessons Can We Learn from Rehoboam?

God keeps His Word. Even though God raised up Rehoboam to divide the kingdom and gave the majority to Jeroboam as He promised, God still allowed Rehoboam to reign over a portion of the kingdom because of the covenant He made with David (2 Samuel 7: 8-16). God promised to establish an everlasting kingdom through Davids descendants, and for that reason, Rehoboam was not stripped of his crown, but God allowed him to carry the lineage of David. In our wavering faith, doubt often overtakes our minds too easily anytime we face trials. For this reason, we must remind ourselves regularly that Gods promises to us cannot be broken because they stem from His divine, immutable character.

Wise counsel is imperative for life. Irony surrounds Rehoboam because his father was the wisest man (apart from Jesus) ever to walk the earth, yet he heeded the foolish counsel of his friends and plunged his life into ruin. The author of 1 Kings wants us to learn from Rehoboams example when he writes, The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had given him (1 Kings 12:13). Any number of proverbs apply to Rehoboams foolish response. Proverbs 18:7 states, A fools mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. No matter how confident we are, we all need wise counsel. Like most arrogant people, Rehoboam believed he possessed more control and power than he actually had. Any king (or leader) must prove their quality before the people subject themselves to their rule. Its easy for us to scoff at Rehoboam, but the truth is we are not so different. How many times do we bring ruin to our own lives because we fail to seek good counsel? Christians should make it a habit to examine their lives according to the pure counsel God gives us in His Word.

God can use anyone for His divine purposes. When we think about the people God uses to accomplish His will, its easy to focus on those of faith. We typically think about God using people who submit themselves to His rule. Although God certainly uses people of faith, He also uses everyone else. The difference is that Gods children enjoy fellowship with Him while others are oblivious. Scripture is full of examples where God used an unbelieving person or nation to accomplish His work. Rehoboam is no exception. Whenever we see wicked people rising to power or doing horrendous things, God is still on His throne; He works through all things and all people.

Wisdom is a beautiful gift from God that everyone needs. It doesnt matter what stage of life youre at or what your career is, nobody can experience success in life if they dont apply wisdom. At its core, true wisdom revolves around God. Proverbs 9:10 teaches us, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. All truth and all reality conform to the purpose of God, our Creator. It only makes sense for us to subject our lives to the Word of the One Who created us. As such, we should put our complete trust in Him and nothing else. Rehoboam serves as a great reminder to embrace wisdom. But he also reveals how foolish it is to put our faith in a nation or culture. God can change our circumstances on any given day. However, this should not be troubling to Christians. Even though we may not know His divine plans, we know Him. We know we can find peace and comfort in knowing our magnificent Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, stands watching over our lives and will see us faithfully to our heavenly dwelling.

Photo Credit: GettyImages/Tomertu

Stephen Baker is a graduate of Mount Union University. He is the writer of a special Scripture study/reflection addendum to Someplace to Be Somebody, authored by his wife, Lisa Loraine Baker (End Game Press Spring 2022).

He attends Faith Fellowship Church in East Rochester, OH where he has given multiple sermons and is discipled by pastor Chet Howes.
What Is Maranatha?

When Christians get excited about Jesus return, we exclaim, Maranatha! Likewise, when we grieve the worlds wickedness, our battle cry is Maranatha! In the first sense, this word is a joyful response to the sure, imminent return of Christ. In the second sense, its a call for Jesus to come save us from this sin-sick world.

For non-believers, Maranatha is another example of Christianese  words familiar to believers, which we sometimes assume everyone should know. But, even when we have good intentions of sharing the gospel with non-Christians, many miss what these words mean. Some display patience with us. Others react to us with a talk to the hand attitude or confusion. Heres what Maranatha means.

What Do Maranatha and Anathema Maranatha Mean in the Bible?

Maranatha is a Greek word transliterated from the Aramaic, which means, Our Lord, Come! or our Lord has come/is coming (1 Corinthians 16:22). This phrase expresses an eagerness for the Lords return (Revelation 22:20).

Eastons Bible Dictionary says Maranatha consists of two Aramaic words, Maranathah, meaning, our Lord comes, or is coming. If the latter interpretation is adopted, the meaning of the phrase is, Our Lord is coming, and He will judge those who have set Him at naught.

Anathema Maranatha is found in the same contextual passage (1 Corinthians 16:22-24), which reads, If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The KJV translation of verse 22 reads, If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. (Let him be accursed. The Lord cometh). Thus, this seems to indicate when the Lord Jesus Christ comes in judgment, let Him curse the man who does not love Him. Yet Paul asserted his apostolic authority by pronouncing the curse! Earlier, in 1 Corinthians 12:3, Paul said, Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, Jesus is accursed! and no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit. In this, Paul is emphatic in his opposition to the two-faced morality/depravity by some members of the Corinthian church. In its time, Corinth, where this letters recipients lived, was synonymous with wickedness and corruption. Its no wonder Paul had to bring a strong warning against church members who immersed themselves in the citys culture (1 Corinthians 5:1) rather than love for Jesus.

The following passages give the same caution about living with love and peace:

Philippians 4:5 informs us, let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.

James 5:8-9 directs us to be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

Why Would Paul Use Maranatha in a Greek Letter?

Paul, we must remember, was trained as a Pharisee and knew the Scriptures. He was also a Roman citizen who traveled extensively, so he was well-informed about Greek and Roman culture. He was adept with the Mediterranean regions vernacular, and most of the New Testament was written in Koine Greek (the common persons language).

According to Kenneth E. Bailey in his book, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes, the sudden appearance of two Aramaic words (maran and atha) is striking. The early church did employ some Hebrew-Aramaic words, including abba, amen, hallelujah, hosanna, and mammon. However, the only other occurrence of Maranatha is in the Didache 10:6 (The Teaching).

Maranatha is of Aramaic origin, and this is the only place Paul uses that language. The Jews referred to Jesus as Mar, and He could be called Maran (Our Lord). Paul, fluent in Hebrew and Greek (and obviously some knowledge of Aramaic), employed his heart language in this passage to exclaim Maran. Bailey states, the use of Mar in connection with Jesus is an early Aramaic-Jewish cry from the heart.

This jubilant cry, connected with the curse against those who dont love Jesus, is like seeing red and blue politicians at the nomination of a new president. Those with the candidate shout affirmation. Those against the candidate try to shout him down. Paul was resolute in his teaching on the Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, and he was equally strong in refuting the errant churchs wrong beliefs and actions. In essence, Paul told them, It is what it is. Jesus is Lord. He is risen. He is coming back, and you cannot do a thing about it.

What Hope Can We Draw from Maranatha?

Titus 1:11-15 offers a sure hope of the Lords return and how we are to live (occupy ourselves) as we wait. In this passage, we learn that the grace of God has appeared (Jesus), bringing salvation for all people. We are to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and instead live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age. And as we do, we are to be waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us. He redeemed us from all lawlessness. He purified us for Himself, and we are to be zealous for good works. As we wait, we are to declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority.

These verses describe the two appearances of Jesus Christ: His first advent is referenced as the grace of God. The second is the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Grace then glory! We can look back at His first coming and thank Him for all Hes done (and is doing). We can then look forward to His glorywhat He will do.

Hebrews 9:27-28 take us further, connecting the past grace with the future hope: And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

Now That We Know Maranatha, What Do We Do?

Titus 1:11-15 warns us to live a godly life and not be found lacking in zeal or holy living, lest the Lord make His glorious appearance and judge a sinful life.

Although a curse is involved in this passage (1 Corinthians 16:22), the curse is directed at those who choose not to accept Jesus as Lord. Other Scripture passages mention judgment against non-believers (Matthew 25:41, 46; Galatians 1:8-9; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, Jude 14-15).

Its our privilege and joy to get other Christians excited about the Lords return. Its also an urgent call to action to share the gospel with unbelievers. He could return at any momentany moment!

The Bible uses exclamation points with scarcity. When Paul uses one after his declaration, Our Lord, come! we had better remember what led him to make such a strong statement. We should live our lives in light of this truth, to walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1). Therefore, Maranatha!

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Arkira

Lisa Loraine Baker is the award-winning author of Someplace to Be Somebody (End Game Press, February 2022). Lisa writes fiction and nonfiction and is currently co-writing a Christian living book with her husband, and a suspense novel.

Lisa is a member of Word Weavers, Intl (as a critique partner and mentor), AWSA, ACFW, Serious Writer Group, and BRRC.

Lisa and her husband, Stephen, inhabit their home as the Newlyweds of Minerva with crazy cat, Lewis.
BOISE - Idaho Governor Brad Little on Thursday immediately shot down a recommendation by the Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole that Death Row inmate Gerald Pizzuto Jr. have his death sentence reduced to life in prison.

Pizzuto was convicted of two 1985 murders in Idaho County, killing 58-year-old Berta Herndon and her 37-year-old nephew Del Herndon at a cabin north of McCall. He has been on Death Row in Idaho since.

Pizzuto's lawyers urged board members in November to consider Pizzuto's poor health, brain injuries, and a childhood where Pizzuto allegedly suffered physical and sexual abuse by his stepfather. The legal team urged board members to recommend that Pizzuto's death sentence be changed to life without parole, enabling him to die inside prison walls of natural causes rather than lethal injection.

In a Thursday vote, the board voted 4-3 in support of commuting Pizzuto's sentence, and sent their recommendation to Governor Little. Little immediately responded with a denial of the request. Little's response noted that Pizzuto committed the Idaho County shortly after being released from prison in Michigan, where he had been convicted of rape.

Little's full response is attached to this story.
BOISE - Idaho students with an interest in aviation and space are invited to apply for a scholarship to the National Flight Academy in Pensacola, Florida this summer. Rising 8th-10th graders (current grades 7-9) living in Idaho with dream of trips to space, learning to fly jets, meeting new people, and going to new places are eligible. There are only 10 scholarships available to Idaho students, so those interested are encouraged to apply early.

Students can experience one of the most exciting and immersive learning adventures in the world aboard the worlds largest simulated aircraft carrier.

The US DOT Federal Highways Administration is collaborating with the Idaho Transportation Department to offer 10 full scholarships to this program, July 16-23. Scholarships cover tuition housing, meals, and cross-country round-trip travel to Pensacola, Florida. For more information, contact Jessika Phillips via phone call or text at (208) 806-1872 or by email at CivilRights@itd.idaho.gov.

To apply for the program visit: National Flight Academy Camp June 25th - July 3rd 2022 (8TH  10TH GRADERS ONLY) | Job Details tab | Career Pages (governmentjobs.com)

During the deployment at the National Flight Academy, selected applicants will travel in chaperoned groups to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida where they will stay in a multi-deck mock Aircraft Carrier.

The first deck houses the galley, mess deck, administrative spaces and the main simulator bays. The second deck comprises most of the dedicated academic spaces and contains all Simulation and Immersion Center spaces. The third and fourth decks provide housing and student aviator team building space.

Students experience theme-park style thrills surrounded by advanced technology, flight simulators and virtual reality missions that ignite imagination and encourage learning. While living aboard the aircraft carrier, AMBITION eXperimental Pilots (AXPs) role-play as Naval Aviators aboard a modern aircraft carrier. Missions progressively become more challenging throughout the week as the AXPs advance their aviation science skills as well as their communication skills
Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High around 55F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.

Tonight

Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 43F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.

Tomorrow

Mostly cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. High 59F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today marks the one-year anniversary of the capitol riot, a record number of workers quit their job, Manhattans New DA tells staff to stop prosecuting most crimes, the average American worries about money six times a day.

Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the truth about the January 6th capitol riot.
The state-of-art centre was inaugurated by Rajesh Tope, Maharashtra's Health Minister

Bharat Serums and Vaccines (BSV) has opened a world-class R&D centre at Airoli, Maharashtra. The state-of-art centre was inaugurated by Rajesh Tope, Maharashtra's Health Minister. Also present at the event were Sanjiv Navangul, MD & CEO, BSV, Vishwanath Swarup, COO, India Business and Dr Jaby Jacob, Head, R&D.

The R&D centre will endeavour to bring scientifically advanced biological, biotechnology products and novel drug delivery systems that deliver better patient outcomes in womens health, assisted reproductive technology and critical care and emergency medicines.

Rajesh Tope, Health Minister, State of Maharashtra said, The collaboration demonstrated by BSV during the pandemic, with the manufacturing of Liposomal Amphotericin B, has helped in saving lives and managing the pandemic. It is also encouraging to hear of BSVs ongoing COVID-19 Antibody development that will prepare us to fight the future COVID waves, as we continue to meet the unmet healthcare needs of our people.

He added, With a renewed focus on strengthening womens health in Maharashtra, we are proud of BSVs first in the world Anti-Rho (D) immunoglobulin product that has assisted in safe deliveries and in bringing good health to Rh-negative mothers and new-borns in our state. Looking forward, we would like to build a patient-centred, innovation-driven, robust healthcare ecosystem in Maharashtra where companies such as BSV will be able to innovate and bring scientifically advanced products to India and the world.
Traffic waits in the circle at the monument of Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill, which contains his remains, is in the middle of a traffic circle on Arthur Ashe Blvd. Thursday Jan. 6, 2022, in Richmond. Team Henry Enterprises has been awarded the job that includes removing the monument of Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill and his remains, which are buried underneath it, as well as nine other monument pedestals. (Steve Helber/AP)

RICHMOND  Richmond has awarded a contract for removing the citys last major Confederate statue and the pedestals where other Civil War monuments once stood.

The city published a notice Wednesday saying it will award the contract to the same company that recently finished taking down the citys Robert E. Lee memorial  Newport News-based Team Henry Enterprises, which bid $1.5 million on the project, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

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According to procurement documents, the job includes removing the monument of Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill and his remains, which are buried underneath it, as well as nine other monument pedestals.

Another company, Stratified Inc., said it could complete the work for $1 million. But as Richmond was preparing to award it the contract, the city found that the Washington-based company didnt have a necessary state contractors license.

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A city official familiar with the process told the newspaper that Team Henry protested plans to award the contract to the other company. Stratified Inc.s CEO Clive Diaz said Wednesday that he intended to get the license immediately, but lawyers he consulted told him that the city had the right to reject the bid without it.

In 2020, Richmond awarded a $1.8 million contract to a shell company associated with Team Henry to remove the citys Confederate statues, which Mayor Levar Stoney and Gov. Ralph Northam ordered dismantled following protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Henry later said he formed the shell company for safety reasons, as contractors taking down Confederate monuments in other places had been threatened or subject to violence.

The Virginia State Police investigated the deal after former Councilwoman Kim Gray raised concerns that company owner Devon Henry had previously donated to the mayors election campaign and political action committee. A prosecutor didnt find evidence of public corruption and ended the investigation last summer.

Richmonds chief administrative officer, Lincoln Saunders, told the Times-Dispatch on Wednesday that state officials had suggested Henry for this last job after already engaging him to remove the Lee statue.
U.S. reflects on "darkest day," "fragility of democracy" at Capitol attack anniversary

Xinhua) 10:51, January 07, 2022

"And on this day of remembrance, we must make sure that such an attack never, never happens again," says Joe Biden.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. officials and lawmakers on Thursday used the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol to reflect on the "darkest day" for the country and the "fragility of democracy", as the country seems more divided than ever.

"One year ago today in this sacred place, democracy was attacked, simply attacked. The will of the people was under assault. The Constitution, our constitution faced the gravest of threats," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a speech from Statuary Hall just outside the House chamber.

"I believe the power of the presidency and the purpose is to unite this nation, not divide it. To lift us up, not tear us apart," Biden said, accusing former President Donald Trump of spreading a "web of lies" about the 2020 election, which laid the groundwork for the attack on the Capitol a year ago.

"For the first time in our history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol. But they failed," Biden said.

"And on this day of remembrance, we must make sure that such an attack never, never happens again," he added.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol at the Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. (Michael Reynolds/Pool via Xinhua)

"We can't let that happen," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed on the Senate floor.

"We have an obligation not to let that happen because history shows us when you ignore or paint over this kind of violent action, it will recur, often in worse form than it had originally," Schumer said.

To date, the U.S. Justice Department has charged more than 720 individuals for storming the Capitol, and more than 150 rioters have pleaded guilty to charges, from assaulting police to felony obstruction, according to Bloomberg News.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking earlier at the Capitol, said that the violent assault on the Capitol reflects the "fragility of democracy" and "the American spirit is being tested."

"If we are not vigilant, if we do not defend it, democracy simply will not stand; it will falter and fail," Harris said, urging lawmakers to pass the voting rights bills that are now before the Senate.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi noted that there have been "continued assaults" on U.S. democracy since the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, which undermine the integrity of U.S. elections.

"As we reflect on that darkest day, we remember that the insurrectionists sought not only to attack the building, but to undermine democracy itself," Pelosi said from the podium of the House before observing a moment of silence honoring those who lost their lives protecting the Capitol that day and in its aftermath.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol at the Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. (Jabin Botsford/Pool via Xinhua)

Former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz Cheney, a Republican Representative of Wyoming, were the only Republicans on the House floor for a moment of silence to mark one year since the Jan. 6 attack, according to local media.

"I am deeply disappointed at the failure of many members of my party to recognize the grave nature of the January 6 attacks and the ongoing threat to our nation," the former vice president said in a statement.

Democrats have denounced the Capitol riot as an attack on democracy as Trump's supporters attempted to stop Congress from certifying Biden as the 2020 election winner. However, most Republicans have downplayed its implications, especially Trump's alleged role in inciting it.

While calling Jan. 6, 2021 "a dark day" for Congress and the country, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell claimed that some Washington Democrats "try to exploit this anniversary to advance partisan policy goals that long predated this event."

"It is especially jaw-dropping to hear some Senate Democrats invoke the mob's attempt to disrupt our country's norms, rules, and institutions as a justification to discard our norms, rules, and institutions themselves," McConnell said.

U.S. President Joe Biden leaves after delivering a speech to mark the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol at the Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. (Greg Nash/Pool via Xinhua)

In response to Biden's speech, Trump also claimed that Democrats want to use the Jan. 6 attack to "stoke fears and divide America".

"This political theater is all just a distraction for the fact Biden has completely and totally failed," Trump said in a statement.

One year after the deadly attack on the Capitol, Democrats and Republicans still differ sharply over its key aspects, aftermath and the related congressional investigation, underscoring an increasingly partisan Congress, a more divided country and growing distrust in American democracy.

The United States has not learned the lessons of the riot which led to multiple deaths, over 100 injuries and damage to the Capitol, U.S. experts warned. As U.S. partisan politics continues to decay, they said the country still faces the risk of a repeated incident.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Hongyu)
Cinema ticket prices in Andhra Pradesh is a hot topic in Tollywood. At a time when the film fraternity is raising a hue and cry about the reduction in rates by the Government, Nagarjunas comments on the subject seem to have caused some turmoil.

While interacting with the media about his film, Bangarraju, scheduled for release during the coming Sankranti season, the actor was asked whether the slashed ticket prices in AP would affect the revenues of his film.

Ill not talk about politics on a cinema platform, he responded, and went on to say, I dont have any problem; the existing ticket prices are adequate for my film.

His comments seem to have upset many in the film fraternity, which has taken up the issue of reduction in ticket prices with the AP government. Though no one in Tollywood has openly reacted to Nags comments, Twitterati had a field day.

Netizens have dug out a decade-old video (2010) of a promotional event of Nags film Ragada, in which he expresses anguish over the AP government not hiking ticket prices. Was Ragada a filmi event or a political stage, trolls asked. Memes titled Nagarjunas Double Standards have gone viral.
Hyderabad: A division bench of Telangana High Court, comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili, on Friday ordered a judicial probe by the principal district judge, Warangal, into the alleged harassment and torture of one Banya and his tribal family, residing in Jeedigadda tanda of Chennaraopeta mandal in Warangal district. It was reported that Banyas legs were broken because of the alleged physical torture.

The High Court directed the principal district judge to complete the probe within six weeks and submit a report to the court by February 20.

Banyas son-in-law married another girl. The son-in-law was killed on December 1, 2021, by unknown persons. Suspecting that it could have been by the family of Banya, they were called to the police station.

Banyas wife alleged that Chennaraopeta police took all her family members for investigation and tortured them in the police station for 10 days that led to Banyas leg getting fractured.

The victims lodged a complaint with the human rights commission, which was widely published in local dailies. Taking the news reports as suo moto PIL, the High Court ordered a judicial probe.
New Delhi: Amid a whopping spike in Covid-19 cases, the Union health ministry on Wednesday released revised guidelines for home isolation for mild and asymptomatic infections, saying such patients will stand discharged after at least seven days from testing positive and no fever for three successive days. Earlier, home isolation lasted 10 days from the onset of symptoms.

The health ministry advised people not to rush for self-medication, blood investigation or radiological imaging like chest X-rays or CT scans without consulting a doctor. There was no need for re-testing after the home isolation was over. Even the asymptomatic contacts of infected persons need not undergo Covid-19 tests and only monitor their health in home quarantine.

India, meanwhile, on Wednesday saw its first Covid-19 death linked to Omicron after the samples of a 73-year-old man in Rajasthan, who died last week, showed the presence of the new variant. The man, who was found infected with Omicron in genome sequencing and who had tested negative for the infection twice, died in a Udaipur hospital on December 31. He died due to post-Covid pneumonia along with co-morbidities  diabetes, hypertension and hypothyroidism. He was fully vaccinated and had no significant contact and travel history.

The government has also decided not to go for mix-and-match for the Covid-19 precautionary vaccine dose, which is to be administered to healthcare/frontline workers and senior citizens aged 60 and above with co-morbidities from January 10. This means those who have taken two doses of Covishield will get the same vaccine as their precautionary jab, and those who got two doses of Covaxin will get the same vaccine as well.

The need for the precaution dose was necessitated given the fast spread of Omicron. The government, which also started vaccinating children in the 15-18 age group, has given the first dose to 1.06 crore children in this age group over the past three days.

The health ministry home isolation guidelines specify that the treatment of every patient must be monitored individually as per his/her specific condition, and hence generic sharing of prescriptions should be avoided. It said the district administration, under the overall supervision of the state health authority, shall be responsible for monitoring patients under home isolation.

Those under home isolation have to be clinically assigned as mild/ asymptomatic cases by the treating medical officer. The patients family must be given a designated control room contact number to get guidance for testing, clinical management and assignment of a hospital bed if needed. The patients must have the requisite facility at their homes for self-isolation and for quarantining of family contacts.

The asymptomatic cases are laboratory-confirmed cases who are not experiencing any symptoms and have oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93 per cent. The clinically assigned mild cases are ones with upper respiratory tract symptoms with or without fever, without shortness of breath and having oxygen saturation at room air of more than 93 per cent.

The guidelines specified that elderly patients above 60 and those with co-morbid conditions like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/liver/kidney disease or cerebrovascular disease shall be allowed home isolation only after proper evaluation by the medical officer. But patients suffering from immune compromised status (HIV, transplant recipients, cancer therapy) have not been recommended for home isolation.

Indias Omicron tally has gone up to over 2,300 in 24 states and UTs. Maharashtra has the maximum number of 797 cases, followed by Delhi, with 464. The health ministry data released at 8 am Wednesday showed India had registered a single-day rise of 58,097 new infections, the highest in around 199 days, taking the total tally of cases to 3,50,18,358. Active cases were recorded at above two lakhs after around 81 days. The Covid-19 death toll has risen to 4,82,551, with 534 new fatalities.

The Centre said the upsurge of Covid-19 cases is happening in cities and the Omicron variant is the predominant circulating strain. However, it said there was no need to panic, but one must be alert, disciplined and prepared, saying the country will face this phase of the pandemic.

There is a surge in Covid-19 globally, with 25.2 lakh cases recorded by January 4, the highest since the pandemics onset. India reported a rise of over 6.3 times in the last eight days. There has been a sharp rise in case positivity from 0.79 per cent on December 29 to 5.03 per cent on January 5. Six states/UTs now have over 10,000 active Covid-19 cases.

Maharashtra, West Bengal, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Gujarat are emerging as the states of concern due to the surge in Covid-19 cases. A total of 28 districts reported over 10 per cent weekly Covid-19 positivity, while 43 districts had a weekly positivity of five to 10 per cent.

Both Mumbai and Delhi have reported a very high number of Covid-19 cases since the Omicron variant started spreading. Mumbai logged as many as 15,166 Covid-19 cases, including 100-odd Omicron patients, and three deaths in the last 24 hours. This is Mumbais all-time-high daily rise in cases since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.

Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain declared that the third wave has hit the national capital, with 10,665 fresh cases, a positivity rate of 11.9 per cent and eight deaths in 24 hours. Delhis daily death count has been the highest since June 16, 2021. The city had three fatalities on Tuesday and one each on January 3, 2 and 1.

The latest government data shows the number of patients in Delhis hospitals has increased from 247 on January 1 to 782 on January 5. The number of patients on oxygen support has risen from 94 to 140 in the last three days, and those on ventilator support has risen from four to 22.
Low says he is okay, but canceled a male beauty-pageant appearance. (Image via TikTok)

VICE: Titus Low, a 22-year-old content creator based in Singapore, was arrested December 30 and charged with obscenity for transmitting images of his privates. He later posed in a Lamborghini, dancing along to a popular tune, to let fans know he's okay. I'm against this type of anti-gay and anti-sex censorship, though I could do without the reflexive showing-off-in-a-Lamborghini-is-normal thrust of social media.

ADVOCATE: A loving look back at Eye to Eye, the first lesbian photo book, which will be in print again in March.

HUFF POST: If this doesn't depress the fuck out of you ... Alex Jones's InfoWars shop made $165M in three years.

KENNETH IN THE (212): The week's LGBTQ mags.

METRO WEEKLY: Israel lifts surrogacy bans on single people, gay men and trans people.

HUFF POST: If SCOTUS does away with vax mandates, we're all going to die, either of a future COVID-19 strain or of whatever the next killer virus is. It's insanity that we're suddenly questioning vaccine mandates after 100 years of them.

GR8ERDAYS: See all three show stoppers performed by Betty White and Carol Channing on The Love Boat  Together, Wherever We Go, Two a Day and Bosom Buddies.

INSTAGRAM: Colton Haynes offers nip slip.

GEORGIA VOICE: Tate Donovan and Adam Pascal are starring in Wild About Harry, about a gay relationship in 1973.

YOUTUBE: Hit the link for GLAAD's latest interviews, these with the ladies of this season's RuPaul's Drag Race.

POLITICO: A group of senators previously resistant to changing filibuster rules are leading the charge to try, try, try to persuade Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) to budge.

GR8ERDAYS: RIP Sidney Poitier, 94. The absolute legend was the second-to-last figure on AFI's list of 50 top Golden Age actors and actresses, leaving only Sophia Loren.

He was a trailblazer who felt enormous pressure not to disappoint. (Image via Ebony)
The ECI has urged states to increase immunization to cover as much eligible population as possible before the polls. (Representational Image/ PTI)

New Delhi: Union Health Secretary on Thursday briefed the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the latest Covid-19 situation in five states that will soon be going for assembly polls. The dates for elections in these states are expected to be announced soon with restrictions on rally crowds and vaccination drives in full swing.

Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur are expected to have assembly elections in February and March.

As part of the consultation process the ECI has been conducting tours in states that will be going for assembly polls soon to take feedback from the political parties and administration. As part of the process, the ECI is also holding regular meetings with the Health Ministry to get the exact picture of the third wave of the pandemic and the possible period of its `peak and decline in cases. Union Health Secretary Mr Rajesh Bhushan also briefed the ECI on the threat posed by the Omicron strain as fresh cases move to touch one lakh mark in the country.

The ECI has urged states to increase immunization to cover as much eligible population as possible before the polls. While delaying the assembly polls may not be feasible for the ECI, the panel is expected to announce curbs in rallies and crowds in these rallies in view of the rising Covid-19 cases. In politically charged Uttar Pradesh, political parties like Congress have already started canceling their rallies and started going on virtual and digital mode to communicate with voters.
HYDERABAD: The Covid-19 surge in Telangana on Thursday saw Hyderabads daily tally shoot past the 1,000-mark with the state health department reporting that the city, along with the rest of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area saw 1,214 fresh cases for the day.

Neighbouring districts, Ranga Reddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri reported 213 and 161 cases. Two more persons died from the disease in the state on Thursday taking the fatalities from Covid-19 to 4,036.

On Wednesday, the GHMC reported 979 cases, Ranga Reddy had 174 cases, while Medchal-Malkajgiri had 132 cases. The case tally was 1,520 for the entire state on Wednesday. Twenty-one other districts also reported an increase in cases over Wednesday.

As per the decision announced earlier in the day by the health department, no data on fresh Omicron cases in Telangana was released by it.

We are seeing a four-fold increase in cases over the past week and we expect the cases to rise. We urge people to follow safety precautions to prevent catching Covid, or spreading it to others, director of public health & family welfare Dr G. Srinivasa Rao said.

He also called on private hospitals not to admit Covid-19 patients who might be going to them out of anxiety, even when they did not require hospitalisation. When the surge is at its peak and even if 1 per cent of those infected need hospital care, filling up of beds with those who do not, will result in serious burden on services. We also urge doctors and private hospitals to follow the ICMR protocol with respect to treatment and not prescribe expensive drugs to Covid patients as we have seen that they really do not do much to control the disease, he said.

On imposing restrictions on gatherings in public places such as movie theatres, malls, pubs and bars, restaurants and the like, the top health official said, People have been warned to be careful. They know they should not go into crowds. The government is fully geared up to provide treatment to those who need it in hospitals, and at home by giving home isolation treatment kits.
Passengers wait for taxis outside the T-3 terminal of Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: India on Friday reported its second Omicron-related death from Odisha, confirmed Balangir's Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Snehalata Sahu.

The deceased, identified as a 50-year-old woman, was suffering from a brain stroke, Dr Sahu said. She was admitted to Burla Medical College where she tested COVID positive.

She died on December 27, 2021, Dr Sahu added.

Dr Sahu said that the victim's genome sequencing report, which came out after her death, had confirmed that she was Omicron positive.

She added that on getting the report, the district administration went to the victim's village Agalpur for further tracing of her contacts, and said their testing is underway.

On Wednesday, the country had reported its first Omicron-related death from the state of Rajasthan. The victim, a 73-year-old man, had died on December 31 infected with the new Omicron variant.

He died due to post-Covid pneumonia along with co-morbidities  diabetes, hypertension and hypothyroidism, officials said. They added that the man was fully vaccinated and had no significant contact and travel history.

The daily rise in coronavirus infections was recorded above one lakh after 214 days, taking India's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 3,52,26,386 which includes 3,007 cases of Omicron reported across 27 states and UTs, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

Out of the total Omicron cases reported so far, 1,199 people have recovered or migrated. Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of 876 cases followed by Delhi at 465, Karnataka 333, Rajasthan 291, Kerala 284 and Gujarat 204.

Amid a whopping spike in Covid-19 cases, the Union health ministry on Wednesday released revised guidelines for home isolation for mild and asymptomatic infections, saying such patients will stand discharged after at least seven days from testing positive and no fever for three successive days.

Earlier, home isolation lasted 10 days from the onset of symptoms.

The health ministry also advised people not to rush for self-medication, blood investigation or radiological imaging like chest X-rays or CT scans without consulting a doctor.

The health ministry home isolation guidelines specify that the treatment of every patient must be monitored individually as per his/her specific condition, and hence generic sharing of prescriptions should be avoided. It said the district administration, under the overall supervision of the state health authority, shall be responsible for monitoring patients under home isolation.

The government has also decided not to go for mix-and-match for the Covid-19 precautionary vaccine dose, which is to be administered to healthcare/frontline workers and senior citizens aged 60 and above with co-morbidities from January 10.

This means those who have taken two doses of Covishield will get the same vaccine as their precautionary jab, and those who got two doses of Covaxin will get the same vaccine as well.
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An Indigenous woman involved in a racially motivated attack against a Black man in downtown Brandon pleaded guilty to an assault charge in court Thursday morning.

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FILE A Brandon Police Service member takes photos at the scene of a stabbing at the intersection of Ninth Street and Princess Avenue on Sept. 3, 2020. Savannah Catagas and Freedom Williams have since pleaded guilty to their involvement in the assault. Annie Huntinghawk, Naomi Williams and Steven Jason Huntinghawk are awaiting charges in connection with the incident.

An Indigenous woman involved in a racially motivated attack against a Black man in downtown Brandon pleaded guilty to an assault charge in court Thursday morning.

Savannah Catagas, 22, was sentenced to one year of supervised probation for her role in the group attack on Kevin Taylor, which took place at the Kristopher Campbell Memorial Skate Plaza on Sept. 3, 2020.

In February 2021, another person involved in the skatepark attack, Freedom Williams, also pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to 225 days time served in jail.

Unlike Williams, Catagas did not have a criminal record until her arrest 16 months ago, which is partially why Crown attorney Grant Hughes recommended a lighter sentence.

Annie Huntinghawk, Naomi Williams and Steven Jason Huntinghawk were also arrested and are all awaiting charges in connection to the incident.

After Catagas entered her guilty plea over the phone Thursday morning, Hughes provided Judge Donovan Dvorak with a detailed breakdown of what took place on the night of Sept. 3, 2020.

At around 7:40 p.m., the Brandon Police Service was called to the intersection of Ninth Street and Princess Avenue after receiving reports that a brawl had taken place between an Indigenous man, four Indigenous women and a Black man (Taylor).

Nearby witnesses later told police that the alleged attackers had been hurling racial slurs at Taylor before a fight broke out, with Steven Huntinghawk taking the lead.

"Taylor got the better of him and had him pinned down to the ground to stop him from further punching him," Hughes said over the phone. "And at that time, Ms. Catagas, amongst others, started kicking and hitting Mr. Taylor and eventually another individual came and stabbed him."

While Catagas did not stab Taylor, she eventually fled the scene with her fellow assailants, managing to evade the authorities for the time being.

Meanwhile, Taylor was quickly transported to hospital with a collapsed lung that was caused by multiple stab wounds. He survived and managed to make a full recovery.

Hughes then described how an intoxicated Catagas returned to the scene of the crime on Sept. 5, when she was eventually recognized by a patrolling police officer, arrested and lodged at BPS headquarters.

The following day, Catagas supplied a statement to BPS, describing her involvement in the group assault on Taylor.

"Ms. Catagas indicated that she did punch and kick Mr. Taylor to try and get him off [Huntinghawk]," Hughes said. "And then Naomi Williams stabbed Mr. Taylor."

While Catagas denies hurling racial slurs at Taylor, she did admit in her statement that she verbally abused him before the physical attack took place.

Even though the 22-year-old declined to speak during her court appearance on Thursday, Hughes read from her statement that served as a direct apology to Taylor.

"Im sorry I said anything to you that day. I didnt mean to do it. I should have just walked away. Im glad youre alive."

Hughes also admitted that investigators were unable to determine which one of the five assailants used racial slurs to instigate Taylor.

Defence lawyer Andrew McDonald used Catagas display of remorse and lack of a criminal history to argue that she should be given a conditional discharge, which means the guilty plea would not appear on her record.

"Ms. Catagas has no criminal record. She has been on bail for a significant period of time and there have been no allegations of re-involvement," McDonald said.

"So we submit that this lack of recidivism, this lack of any criminal behaviour is consistent with somebody who is probably not going to be re-involved with the criminal justice system and would benefit from a discharge."

McDonald went on to talk about how Catagas bad decision-making on Sept. 3, 2020, stems from a lifetime of trauma that is still impacting her to this day.

Growing up on the Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation near Roblin, McDonald describes how Catagas witnessed family violence at a young age, including an incident where her brother killed her father.

"This is a traumatic event for anybody, but its certainly significant in a small community in a family like hers that rips them apart," the defence lawyer said.

McDonald revealed that Catagas eventually left Tootinaowaziibeeng at the age of 17 after her home burned down and has been living in Brandon ever since.

Having dropped out of school in Grade 10 due to anxiety issues, Catagas fell into addiction to try and deal with her ongoing mental health problems, McDonald added.

"Those factors contribute directly to her abusing substances, her associating with a negative peer group, and they lead directly to the event that is before the court today," he said.

Dvorak ultimately ruled in favour of the Crowns recommendation and sentenced Catagas to one year of supervised probation.

While Catagas isnt being charged with public incitement of hatred, Dvorak said he couldnt ignore the ugly nature of the assault she was involved in, especially given its proximity to a rise in racially motivated hate crimes across Canada and the United States.

"The fact is that [you] may not have been the person saying racist, hurtful remarks  but in reality, when youre in an atmosphere or circumstances or surroundings when racial comments are being used, followed by violence, and you become involved in that violence as well, in essence you are adopting the hate that that person has been expressing," he said.

Dvorak finished his ruling by outlining the conditions of Catagas probation, which includes her not being able to contact Taylor or be within 100 metres of him.

The judge also specified that Catagas must complete 25 hours of community service within the next nine months.

"Because this was an offence against Mr. Taylor, but it was an offence against the public as well," he said.

 kdarbyson@brandonsun.com

 Twitter:@KyleDarbyson
MONTREAL - The heads of several Montreal homeless shelters say they're facing a crisis, as rising staff absences due to COVID-19 threaten to disrupt services during the coldest part of winter.

MONTREAL - The heads of several Montreal homeless shelters say they're facing a crisis, as rising staff absences due to COVID-19 threaten to disrupt services during the coldest part of winter.

There were outbreaks in 27 Montreal homeless shelters between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1, with a total of 110 staff and clients testing positive during that time, according to the local health authority in the city's south end.

A Montreal police officer helps a homeless man find shelter from the cold Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, in Montreal. The heads of several homeless shelters say they're facing a looming crisis as staff absences due to COVID-19 threaten to disrupt services at the coldest part of winter. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Michel Monette, the general director of CARE Montreal, says the city is "on the brink of a humanitarian crisis."

Almost 30 per cent of his employees are currently off the job because of a positive COVID-19 test, and up to 25 per cent of shelter users have tested positive, he said in an interview Thursday. While he's managed to keep all the shelter's beds open for now, he says he'll have to close dozens if the situation worsens, and he has already had to stop offering other services, including psychosocial care.

"Shelters are at capacity; our users and employees are getting sick," he said. "I have three, four employees each day being diagnosed positive. It's not stopping."

Sam Watts, CEO of the Welcome Hall Mission, says the 108-bed hotel that the city requisitioned for COVID-19-positive homeless people is already full, leaving shelters wondering what to do with people who test positive.

Watts, however, said his biggest concern is staff shortages. While his own organization has fared well so far, he said may smaller shelters have had to scale back because of outbreaks, which he said puts more stress on the system overall.

He said he fears a major outbreak that would force services to be interrupted at any one of the three biggest shelters in the city  a situation he says would be "catastrophic."

"You would not be overstating it to say that the situation is on a razor's edge in Montreal with respect to the ability to serve," he said in an interview Thursday.

Watts said shelters are doing everything they can to keep staff safe by using masking, deploying rapid tests, asking people to reduce contacts and arranging COVID-19 booster shot clinics. He said the vaccination rate among workers at his organization is high, which may have helped it avoid the worst so far.

Nakuset, who uses one name and is the director of the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal, says her organization has also been lucky to have had few cases of COVID-19 so far this winter. The shelter decided in late December not to accept any new clients because of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus  a measure she hopes to lift soon.

However, she says it's hard to operate when the city has provided fewer emergency resources this year compared with a year ago, adding that this year's challenges are greater.

"We have more cases, more homeless people than last year, less services," she said in an interview Wednesday.

Nakuset said she had to raise funds to keep open a warming tent this season that was opened last year after a homeless Indigenous man died outside on a freezing night after a nearby shelter closed. She said she learned that six staff members at that tent have tested positive for COVID-19.

"We're just doing it day by day and trying to figure out how to balance everything and keep people safe and not closing down," she said.

While the City of Montreal recently announced it had requisitioned two hotels to allow COVID-positive people to isolate, Nakuset says one isn't for families with children, adding that the other only opens in February. Last year, she said the city opened more temporary shelters, including one in Old Montreal's Bonsecours Market.

In an email, a spokeswoman for Mayor Valerie Plante's cabinet said Thursday the city was evaluating sites for more emergency shelters.

"We have never shied away from responding to the needs of the most vulnerable and we will leave no one behind," the statement read, noting that the city had doubled the budget dedicated to fighting homelessness in 2022.

But Watts and Monette both noted that beds alone won't solve the problem, since shelters need staff to supervise them.

Watts said that while emergency services are needed, there ultimately needs to be a wider reform of how services are delivered in the city. That includes a co-ordinated intake system to help address people's diverse health and shelter needs, rather than a "disparate collection" of under-resourced groups providing services to the most vulnerable.

The provincial government, Watts added, needs to implement a rent-supplement program, which he said would help get more people into apartments.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2022.
FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's hospitals are struggling to provide appropriate and timely care amid rising COVID-19 infections and the high number of health staff who can't work because they have tested positive or have been exposed to the disease.

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, blue/pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, NIAID-RML

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's hospitals are struggling to provide appropriate and timely care amid rising COVID-19 infections and the high number of health staff who can't work because they have tested positive or have been exposed to the disease.

"Hundreds" of health-care workers are isolating at home, according to a statement Thursday from the Health Department. The government issued an official number on Tuesday  571 isolating workers  up by 41 from the day prior.

Dr. Mark MacMillan, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, says the province's hospitals were already facing staffing shortages before the pandemic. In an interview Wednesday, the doctor said COVID-19 is challenging the ability of workers to provide "appropriate and timely care."

"We are definitely very strained," he said. "I don't think we are broken yet, but it's definitely an unpredictable situation and we need to re-evaluate things on a daily basis, and that's what they're doing." MacMillan said emergency rooms and intensive care units are fully functioning but services such as diagnostic imaging and non-life-saving surgeries are postponed.

On Dec. 31, New Brunswick's two health networks  Horizon and Vitalite  announced that hospitals were moving to the red alert level, under which non-urgent medical procedures are postponed and visitor access is restricted. The Vitalite Health Network said Thursday half its 10 hospitals have an occupancy rate of more than 100 per cent.

Paula Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, says no one wants to postpone procedures but there's a need to maintain a certain level of care. She said the staff shortage is "putting an already strained system on life support."

"The nurses have been showing up and doing the best they can under circumstances that have been not great even pre-pandemic," she said in an interview Wednesday. "But now, almost two years into a pandemic, they are totally exhausted and trying their darndest to do the best they can.

"A nurse may go in for a 12-hour shift expecting to leave at 7:30 at night and next thing you know, they are staying to midnight or until the next day because there is no relief coming in," Doucet said. "It's a vicious cycle and right now, the nurses are in the thick of it. With this new variant and the transmissibility of it, it just seems like it is getting worse in all our facilities right now."

Doucet said many nurses are saying they can't take it anymore, adding that some are going on sick leave, quitting the profession or leaving New Brunswick.

As of November 2021, there were about 1,000 registered nurse positions vacant within the regional health authorities and in the long-term care sector. There were another roughly 300 licensed practical nurse positions vacant within the hospitals.

On Thursday, officials said there were 63 people hospitalized in the province with the disease  a rise of four from a day earlier  and 19 patients in intensive care, a rise of three. A person in their 30s in the Fredericton region was the 169th in the province to die as a result of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.

The province reported 672 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, but chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell has said the number of PCR-confirmed cases no longer reflects the severity of the situation in the province.

Dr. Roxanne MacKnight, a family physician in Miramichi, N.B., and former president of the New Brunswick College of Family Physicians, took to social media this week to call for government action to help the hospitals.

"New Brunswick needs to lockdown NOW," MacKnight wrote on Twitter. "Staff shortages high, elective surgery, lab work, X-rays all postponed."

Doucet said she didn't know if a lockdown is the answer, but she said if case numbers and numbers of health-care staff isolating remain high, then government will need to do more.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2022.
FICTION: The Sentence, Louise Erdrich, Corsair, $32.99



The Sentence is the latest novel by First Nations American writer Louise Erdrich and follows her Pulitzer Prize winner The Night Watchman. The central character, Ojibwe woman and former felon Tookie, works alongside fellow indigerati in an independent bookshop specialising in Native American literature in Minneapolis, a city she describes as full of old hatreds that die hard or leave a residue that is invisible to the well and wealthy, but chokingly present to the ill and the exploited.

Louise Erdrich traces the eruption of the pandemic and concurrent rise of the Black Lives Matter movement through her characters eyes. Credit:

Tookies Native American heritage is bound with intergenerational family trauma and an inherited sense of oblivion that complicate her close relationships. She is married to Pollux, whose arrest of Tookie during his time as a tribal cop led to her decade-long prison sentence. Polluxs daughter, Hetta, arrives to stay with the couple. Erdrichs interrogation of the complex step-mother/daughter relationship between Tookie and Hetta reveals a delicate evolution of feelings between the two women as the novel progresses.

In prison, Tookie learnt to read with murderous attention. Now she seeks out books that make her forget the elegant cellular precision of a baby vs the entropic flow of human flesh toward the disorder of death. She relishes conversations with bookstore customers who share her passion for literature and writers such as Denis Johnson, Penelope Fitzgerald, ClariceLispector and Amitav Ghosh (look for the list of titles at the end of the novel).

In a real-life parallel, Erdrich owns Birchbark Books, also in Minneapolis. The Sentence is a paean to writing and independent bookstores, places with the romance of doomed intimate spaces about to be erased by unfettered capitalism.
Forced into teenage work to support his family, John Curtin made up for his lack of formal education with a lifetime of reading. As a young man, he would stay late at the Melbourne Public Library. An hour each Sunday was reserved for reading poetry. (For more about Curtin and his love of poetry see Toby Davidsons Good for the Soul: John Curtins Life with Poetry.)

When he became prime minister, Curtins deep inner life engendered respect across the political spectrum. He had read enough in foreign policy to know that Australia needed to reach out to the United States free of any pangs as to our traditional links or kinship with the United Kingdom. His reading of Keynes and Pigou shaped Curtins decision to introduce unemployment benefits and plan for a full-employment economy after World War II. Books shaped Curtin, and Curtin shaped Australia.

Andrew Leigh says leaders should be readers, a belief exemplified by former PM John Curtin. Credit:Staff photographer

Last year was a bumper one for books about big ideas. In fact, you might say theres been a cabinet-full of books, in the sense that theres something for every member of cabinet to devour.

For the Industry Minister, Kazuo Ishiguros science-fiction novel, Klara and the Sun, explores a world of artificial intelligence and genetic engineering. Walter Isaacsons The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race delves into what current CRISPR gene-editing technologies can achieve.
The same personal qualities that took Novak Djokovic to the top of world tennis have brought him to the humiliation of what his brother Djordjie is calling a migrant hotel [in] a dirty room in Melbourne.

Djokovics all-round tennis game relies on no stand-out weapon and though his physical attributes are obviously supreme, it has been his mentality that stands him as one of the greatest male tennis players and athletes to have drawn breath. Chief among those psychological features are his indomitable willpower and his disregard for some prevailing mores of sportsmanship.

Novak Djokovics ability to overcome almost anything has made him a sporting great. Credit:AP

Djokovic, who as a boy learnt his tennis while bombs were falling around him in Belgrade, believes he will win from any position. Repeatedly, he has. One of the most resilient counter-attackers to have played any sport, Djokovic is never more dangerous than when on the brink of defeat. Nobody has come from as many desperate situations to win as many big tennis matches. He has the mental strength to bend reality and turn black into white.

While piling up 20 grand slams and a place among the greats, Djokovic has convinced himself that he is an object of adoration; he throws his heart to crowds at the end of his matches even as they are booing him. Something in his brain converts the sound of derision into cheering. Anywhere other than a sporting arena, this kind of solipsistic superpower would require a diagnosis and treatment.
The children of her state have only missed six weeks of school, compared with 20 or more in NSW, and even more for students in Victoria. Perrottet said that would not be NSWs approach. Our commitment is to get kids back in the classroom day one term one, he said on Friday. What the world is doing Australian governments can look to overseas experience as they make these decisions. Northern hemisphere schools resumed this week after the winter break. In Britain, principals were warned they might have to merge classes or switch to remote learning if too many teachers were sick, while in the United States thousands of classrooms shut just as students returned after the holidays amid a spike in cases. In Denmark, which has fewer people in hospital with COVID-19 than NSW, students and teachers are being asked to self-test twice a week using tests provided by the government, a similar system to the one used in the United Kingdom for most of last year. Denmark is also keeping children grouped in cohorts, to minimise mixing so that only a single cohort rather than the whole school will be affected if there is a disease outbreak, a system that has also been used around the world, including in NSW and Victoria after the Delta lockdowns.

Loading Paediatrician and epidemiologist Fiona Russell, who is a senior principal research fellow at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, says testing and so-called cohorting would be key to limiting transmission in Australian schools. [Rapid antigen testing] is the system that really needs to be pushed, she said. I dont anticipate we will need to do this all year, or even all of term one. Denmark is predicting they will peak by the end of the month. I imagine this intensive bit will not be for six months, itll be over two to three months. Testing times There are two ways to use rapid antigen tests in a school context. One is as a surveillance system; students and teachers do two tests a week at home before school. If the test returns a positive result they stay home, and stay there until their isolation period is over. The other is a test to stay system, which reduces the number of close contacts required to isolate. If a child is in a cohort with someone who has tested positive, they have a home test daily to check whether they have caught it. If the test is negative, they can still attend school.

The NSW Department of Education began the test-to-stay system last year. The biggest challenge to introducing surveillance will be the availability of tests, which are in short supply around the world. Across three school sectors in NSW, there are about 1.2 million students and another 200,000-odd school staff. For one 10-week term, surveillance alone would require 28 million rapid antigen tests. The Herald asked the department how many it had, and how many were on order. Its response was: The Department is working closely with NSW Health to finalise school settings for the start of the new school year, and detailed advice for Term 1, including the use of Rapid Antigen Home Tests, will be made available to school communities shortly. Other lines of defence, such as masks, ventilation and vaccinations will also be key to stopping the virus from ripping through schools. Teachers are required to have had two doses of a vaccine and a booster; most teenagers are vaccinated, and children aged between five and 11 can begin having their first dose of the pediatric Pfizer vaccine from Monday. No child under 12 will be fully vaccinated when school resumes, as they must wait eight weeks until their second dose. There is high demand for childrens vaccinations, so many wont be able to get an appointment for their first shot until after class resumes. However, many children will have immune defences against COVID-19 because they have already had it, possibly without knowing. Data from the US released this week, which is yet to be peer reviewed, found adults and children who had previously not had COVID-19 and caught Omicron experienced milder symptoms than those infected with Delta, and some had no symptoms.

Were missing loads of cases at the moment, says University of Sydney infectious diseases paediatrician Professor Robert Booy. For every child we find infected theres probably three to four times as many who are minimally or asymptomatic. Masks were a fixture of school last year and are likely to return this year. COVID-19 tends to be gentler on children than adults. Data released by researchers at Sydney Childrens Hospital Network earlier this week showed only 1.26 per cent of children infected between June and October in the states Delta outbreak were hospitalised for medical reasons, about a third of whom were babies aged under six months who were admitted for precautionary tests. Primary school-aged children were the least likely to experience severe disease. Teachers, even those who are double vaccinated and boostered, are likely to fall ill (although the vaccination will protect most from severe illness) and this poses serious workforce issues for their bosses. In the United Kingdom, there have been predictions that around a quarter of teachers at any given school could be off sick or furloughed at once. NSWs school system is already suffering a chronic shortage of casual teachers, so this could make operating schools difficult.

Loading Craig Petersen, the head of the Secondary Principals Council, says several issues had reduced the casual teacher pool over the past few years. They included new accreditation requirements, which some felt were too onerous to bother with and so left the profession; the so-called Gonski money, which allowed schools to employ more teachers on a temporary basis; and the COVID tutoring program, which involves hiring casual teachers on longer contracts to deliver small-group tutoring to pupils hit hard by lockdowns. Last year, many schools reported extreme difficulty in finding casual teachers to replace sick ones. In normal times, schools that cannot find relief teachers might move students to other classes - a year 3 class might be scattered into years 4, 5 and 6, for example  or put them under minimal supervision, which involves students being supervised but not actively taught. COVID-related cohorting will make sending students to other year groups difficult, but splitting them up within their own cohort will be hard, too; ventilation audits often say no more than 25-30 students can be allowed to sit in a single classroom. If a few teachers from a single cohort fall sick, or if COVID cuts a swathe through a high school department, the principal will have a big problem. Petersen says schools would likely remain open, but may not always be able to teach as normal.

Id be encouraging people to be prepared for high absentee rates for students and staff, he says. I think were going to have to be flexible in our learning. We want teachers to be at school if they can be, and students, if they can be. We might have schools operational, with students in class but not able to effectively engage with the curriculum. Loading Professor Russell says the education sector would, like all sectors, need a workforce plan. The UK has asked retired teachers to return. The Australian health sector is using medical students. If teachers have COVID but are asymptomatic, they could still deliver lessons remotely. It will be bumpy, and challenging, she says. Its a different way of working. But its vital to find a way to get children back to school, says Murdoch Childrens Research Institute Professor Sharon Goldfeld.
The HR manager of the company located at Somajiguda said that she had granted leave to the employee after seeing the certificate she had submitted. (AFP)

Hyderabad: In their apprehension over the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the state, some street-smart employees in corporate firms have devised a new method to take leave and be cleared for work from home (WFH). They are allegedly submitting fake Covid-19 positive certificates.

This came to light when the HR personnel from a company lodged a complaint with the district medical and other agencies against a clinic located in Secunderabad.

A 43-year-old woman employee submitted a fake certificate to HR stating that she had tested positive and obtained leaves. During verification, the office staff suspected the genuineness of the certificate issued by a clinic located at Secunderabad.

The HR manager of the company located at Somajiguda said that she had granted leave to the employee after seeing the certificate she had submitted.

On discovering that the certificate was fake, the company officials contacted the clinic management, who tendered an apology.

When contacted the clinic head J Srinivas said that unidentified persons had created fake certificates in the name of his clinic.
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has tested positive for COVID-19 after developing symptoms of the virus on Thursday evening.

Mr Frydenberg, who had been staying at his holiday home in the Surf Coast during the festive season, shared the news on a post on social media and said he was isolating with his family in their home in Melbourne.

Like thousands of Australians, I tested positive today to COVID-19, the post read.

I have the common symptoms and am isolating with my family. My thoughts are with all those who have COVID - this is a difficult time but we will get through this.
Melbourne has been drenched by an intense storm that forecasters warned could have pelted the city with giant hail had it not eased as it travelled east past Geelong and Werribee.

Authorities issued an emergency warning for hailstones as large as 5 centimetres in diameter and destructive winds for the citys outer western suburbs on Friday afternoon, with residents told to remain indoors.

A person seeks shelter from the storm in Carlton on Friday. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

However, the weather bureau said the thunderstorm had eased somewhat as it travelled towards the city and downgraded its earlier warning before it reached the CBD. The storm then passed over the eastern suburbs before clearing the metropolitan area at about 7.30pm.

Despite the downgrade from a life-threatening very dangerous thunderstorm, the bureau warned of the potential for damaging winds, flash flooding and large hailstones that could pose a threat to residents.
Fair trade regulator on Friday ordered a probe against for its alleged abuse of dominant position.

"In a well-functioning democracy, the critical role played by media cannot be undermined, and it needs to be ensured that digital gatekeeper firms do not abuse their dominant position to harm the competitive process of determining a fair distribution of revenue amongst all stakeholders," said.

It added that the Commission is of prima facie view that has violated provisions of Section 4 of the Competition Act, 2002 which pertains to abuse of dominant position.

The order came on a complaint filed by the Digital Publishers Association, which is a private company that promotes and secures interest of digital publishers.

It had filed complaint against Alphabet Inc, LLC, Google India Private Ltd and Google Ireland Ltd.

The association said that the majority of the traffic on news websites comes from online search engines and Google is claimed to be the most dominant search engine.

It said that more than 50 per cent of the total traffic on the news websites is routed through Google and being the dominant player, Google, by way of its algorithms, determines which news website gets discovered via search.

Besides, Google is the major stakeholder in the digital advertising space and it unilaterally decides the amount to be paid to the publishers for the content created by them, as well as the terms on which the aforesaid amounts have to be paid.

It further said that the members of the association have to suffer a loss of advertising revenues and the inability to bargain a fair share in the value chain of news dissemination, despite working and generating credible news.

It said that there is lack of transparency in online digital advertising intermediation services, which makes it difficult for publishers to audit and verify the ad revenue generated on their websites.

"No doubt, Google, being the gateway, generates substantial traffic for news publishers, but at the same time, the bargaining power imbalance and denial of fair share in the advertising revenue, as alleged by the Informant, merit detailed investigation," the Commission said.

As per the regulator, it needs to be examined if Google imposes any discriminatory condition or price on various news publishers.

Google has unilaterally decided not to pay the publishers of news for the snippets used by them in search engine results.

It needs to be examined whether the use of news snippets by Google is a result of bargaining power imbalance between Google on the one hand and news publishers on the other, and whether it affects the referral traffic to news publisher websites, and thus, their monetization abilities.

In France and Australia, Google has been asked to enter into good faith negotiation with news publishers for paid licensing of content to address the bargaining power imbalance between the two and the resultant imposition of unfair conditions by Google, noted.

The regulator has directed its investigation arm, the director-general (DG), to cause an investigation into the matter and submit the investigation report within 60 days.

It added that "nothing stated in this order shall be tantamount to a final expression of opinion on the merits of the case, and the DG shall conduct the investigation without being swayed in any manner whatsoever by the observations made herein".

(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 authorities rapped for allegedly violating laws, local media reported, the latest trouble for the U.S. retailer that is already a target of accusations in the country for supposedly stopping sales of products from Xinjiang.

Police in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen discovered 19 "vulnerabilities" in Walmart's network system in late November and accused it of being slow to fix the loopholes, the Quality News, backed by the country's market regulator, reported on Wednesday.

was ordered to make rectifications, the report said, without mentioning any fines or details of the vulnerabilities.

The retail giant and the Shenzhen police did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday.

This marks a fresh set of troubles in for Walmart, which in the past month has faced criticism for what local media has said was its deliberate removal of products sourced from Xinjiang from its apps and stores.

Xinjiang is a growing point of conflict between the Western governments and China, as U.N. experts and rights groups estimate more than a million people, mainly Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities, have been detained in camps there.

has rejected accusations of forced labour or any other abuses in the far western region.

has seen a wave of membership cancellations at its arm Sam's Club in China since the Xinjiang issue. China's anti-graft agency also accused the retailer and Sam's Club of "stupidity and short-sightedness".

While Walmart has not publicly commented on this, Reuters reported that a Sam's Club executive told analysts on a call that the matter was a "misunderstanding" and that there was no deliberate removal of Xinjiang-sourced products.

In December, Sam's Club was fined 10,000 yuan ($1,568) in Shanghai by the city's market regulator for violating food safety laws after they found that a frozen vegetable product carried no production or expiry date, according to a separate local media report.

($1 = 6.3763 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Sophie Yu and Brenda Goh; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Realty major on Friday launched its luxury project, comprising 913 units, in the national capital with a starting price of Rs 3 crore.

The company has launched a project 'ONE Midtown', comprising 913 luxury flats.

is developing this project in partnership with Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC.

In a statement, said the company has launched its luxury residential project 'ONE Midtown' located at Shivaji Marg in Moti Nagar.

Aakash Ohri, group executive director and chief business officer of DLF Home Developers, said the company has officially launched sales in the new residential project.

The construction work on this project had started a few years ago.

"We are introducing an unprecedented lifestyle offering that redefines what it means to live in India's capital," he added.

The project boasts of four towers of 39 floors each and comprising 913 apartments of two, three or four bedrooms.

"Available residences at ONE Midtown are priced at Rs 3 crore onwards," the statement said.

DLF did not mention the project cost and the total sales realisation of this new project.

DLF has already completed three residential complexes titled Capital Greens I, II and III in Moti Nagar.

Over 2,700 homes have been delivered in these three complexes.

The One Midtown is the fourth project in the entire development at this location, named as DLF Midtwon.

The company has land bank to develop more such projects at Moti Nagar.

DLF has developed 153 real estate projects and built an area of about 330 million square feet.

It has 215 million square feet of development potential across residential and commercial segment. The group has an annuity portfolio of over 35 million square feet.

DLF is primarily engaged in the business of development and sale of residential properties and the development and leasing of commercial and retail properties.

(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.)
Finance Minister reviewed progress made in launching the initial public offering of of India (LIC) as the ongoing third Covid-19 wave raises concerns over insurers listing, thats touted to be Indias largest.

The review was done with officials of Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), Department of Financial Services (DFS), Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), and .



ALSO READ: LIC IPO: DRHP, issue date and size, valuation--everything you need to know

The insurer is looking to file the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) this month, in sync with the governments plan to list the insurer in this financial year. The embedded value (EV) of would also be disclosed in the DRHP. Government-appointed actuary Milliman Advisors has shared a draft EV with the government, and would soon be sharing the final embedded value of .

The finance ministry and LIC have recently approved gradual lowering of the the insurers distributable surplus to policyholders. From next year, LIC would distribute 92.5 per cent of its surplus to policyholders from 95 per cent at present, and will gradually bringing it down to the industry norm of 90 per cent. The pie for shareholders including the government will gradually go up to 10 per cent from 5 per cent at present.

The government will also reserve a part of the public offering for employees and policyholders of LIC. The Centre has reserved 10 per cent of the allotment in LICs initial public offering (IPO) for policyholders. The insurer has also started an advertisement campaign for policyholders to prod them to update their personal details with LIC, and open a demat account to participate in the listing to become shareholders of the countrys largest insurer.
From Unilever Plc to Colgate-Palmolive Co., consumer goods makers in are facing distribution blues that have nothing to do with pandemic-induced shortages and bottlenecks. The trusted middlemen that brands have traditionally relied on to reach millions of small neighborhood stores in 8,000 towns and 660,000 villages are in revolt.

Its a mutiny that the multinationals have invited upon themselves.

About 90% of what gets consumed in the continent-sized economy flows through a pipe known as general trade: Brands appoint third-party distributors who stock bulk inventory, despatch goods in small quantities to shops in their area, collect cash and offer retailers unsecured credit at zero interest (without the cumbersome know-your-customer, or KYC, checks of the formal financial system).

Distributors also take the onus of compliance with existing rules and regulations for the brands as theyre the ones dealing directly with the the last-mile outlet, known as kirana.

Each of these services is important in its own right. Together, theyre worth at least 11.5% of the final price of merchandise, estimates Sumit Aggarwal, a U.S.-trained engineer who returned to run his familys consumer goods distribution business in north . Yet, the distributors share of the pie is barely 5%-to-6%. The rest of their value addition benefits other stakeholders, including consumers.

If the pipe is only now gurgling with discontent, its because a new breed of rivals has arrived. Better-funded bulk suppliers such as Walmart Inc., billionaire Mukesh Ambanis JioMart and Germanys Metro AG as well as business-to-business e-commerce firms like Udaan and Big Basket are flexing their superior financial muscles to win over the small shopkeeper.

The price at which distributors get merchandise from brands allows for only 10%-12% margins for retailers. Apps are offering as much as 20%. Since none of the new-age intermediaries are operationally profitable, the deep discounts are very likely backed by investor capital, of which there is no shortage at present. Retailers are switching to more modern suppliers, and the traditional distribution chain is up in arms.

The Economic Times last month chronicled the story of Vipresh Shah, a Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc distributor in a small town 200 miles south of Mumbai. When the newspaper caught up with him, Shah, who has been selling Dettol bars to shops in his area for 14 years, hadnt had a single order in eight days. Storeowners are buying the same soap 15% cheaper on the JioMart Partner app and accusing Shah of ripping them off.

Daring to take on the behemoths, the middlemen are sending an SOS: Dont turn us into a bunch of frustrated Willy Lomans from Death of a Salesman. We, too, can digitize and compete. Distributors in Indias Maharashtra state stopped supplying Hindustan Unilever Ltd.s Kissan range of ketchups and sauces from Jan. 1. and threatened to expand the blockade to personal-care products and detergents. Colgate, which is facing a similar embargo on its Max Fresh line of toothpaste, has been warned by an association of traders that its products may vanish from retail outlets in Maharashtra by February. The ban might extend to other states as well.

It probably wont come to that. Small and midsized intermediaries are scattered across the country. While they have temporarily come together in one state, they dont have the staying power for a prolonged, nationwide strike against the far more resourceful producers. (According to latest reports, the All Consumer Products Distributors Federation has suspended its boycott of Unilever, though the campaign against Colgate continues.)

The mobile internet is transforming the retail landscape in India. Pure e-commerce, the kind offered by Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc.s Flipkart, is still a minuscule part of overall consumer spending. But owners of mom-and-pop kirana shops are increasingly whipping out their smartphones to source goods as cheaply as they can. Credit, which was the No. 1 reason for them to rely on distributors, is now being offered by a whole range of new fintech players. The combination of digital and physical commerce is expected to account for most of the $700 billion expansion in Indian retail by 2030 and half of new jobs.

Technology-led disruptions will fundamentally enhance the productivity of commerce. But the conventional trade channel doesnt deserve to be left behind. Theres room for everyone, says Aggarwal. If brands ignore general trade, and distributors sales people lose their jobs, apps and other bulk suppliers will inevitably use their market power to raise prices. That wont be good for anyone.

Instead of letting their long-term partners in the country fall by the wayside, brands must help the direct trade channel embrace technology to become more efficient and profitable. It wont take much by way of handholding. With simple digital tools, distributors can have access to verified customer KYC, evaluate and underwrite credit risks and present a transparent account of their services in a language financiers can understand. The middlemen will become more bankable, their cost of capital will go down. Aggarwal is helping the Mumbai-based fintech ePayLater roll out some of these innovations.

Households in India withstood two debilitating waves of the pandemic without much fiscal support from the government beyond free food. Research has shown that it isnt so much the formal financial system that helped them survive the lockdowns and the elevated medical expenses, but informal credit from shops. Where will a hole-in-the-wall kirana obtain the resources to be a lender of last resort for the bottom of the pyramid in remote towns and villages? The answer lies in the traditional distribution chain, nurtured by a previous generation of multinational managers. Their successors shouldnt let a myopic vision of technological change destroy this important safety valve.
However, after a day of opening, a notice was issued on the second day to the Exhibition Society, directing them to suspend the event till January 10. (DC Image)

Hyderabad: With the rapid increase of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 cases in the city, the 81st All India Industrial Exhibition, also known as Numaish, has been cancelled this year. Exhibition Society secretary Aditya Margam said a notice from the city police commissioner C.V. Anand was received on Thursday morning directing them to close down the exhibition forthwith.

The notice issued by the police commissioner said that in order to contain the spread of Omicron virus, certain precautionary measures had been taken by the government and a GO has been issued restricting rallies, public meetings and mass gatherings across the state.

We received the notice from Hyderabad police commissioner on Thursday at 11:30 am, asking to close down the exhibition this year, hence the society announced the closure of Numaish. The arrangements are still there at the venue as of now. We asked the stall owners if they want to submit a plea to keep partial functioning of the place but they denied citing that it will not be profitable for them. We also told them they could apply for a refund as many stall owners came from faraway cities. However, a few of them are hopeful that the cancellation call will be revoked and told us that they will stay put. The vaccination camp for stall owners arranged by the government is still functioning at the venue, said Aditya Margam.

The Exhibition Society had earlier confirmed that it was going ahead with the Numaish after getting the go-ahead from the state government despite a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases and health officials cautioning about an impending third wave driven by the virulent Omicron variant. However, after a day of opening, a notice was issued on the second day to the Exhibition Society, directing them to suspend the event till January 10.
In a significant ruling, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) has said that violated five patents of high-tech speaker and audio company Sonos, relating to smart speakers.

A US judge had ruled in August last year that infringed upon the Sonos patents.

"We appreciate that the ITC has definitively validated the five Sonos patents at issue in this case and ruled unequivocally that infringes on all five. That is an across the board win that is surpassingly rare in patent cases and underscores the strength of Sonos's extensive patent portfolio and the hollowness of Google's denials of copying," Sonos Chief Legal Officer Eddie Lazarus said in a statement late on Thursday.

In January 2020, Sonos sued tech giant Google for allegedly copying its wireless speaker design, urging the ITC to ban Google products like laptops, phones and speakers.

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence testified before the US House antitrust committee that Google "blocked the company from enabling both Amazon's Alexa assistant and the Google Assistant from being active at the same time".

In a statement to The Verge, Google said that "We do not expect any impact to our ability to import or sell our products".

According to Lazarus, the Sonos patents "cover Sonos' groundbreaking invention of extremely popular home audio features, including the set up for controlling home audio systems, the synchronisation of multiple speakers, the independent volume control of different speakers, and the stereo pairing of speakers"

According to Sonos, starting in 2016 shortly after the first Google Home was launched, it began warning Google about patent infringement but to no avail.

Sonos said it accused Google of infringing on a total of 100 patents.

Google even countersued audio company Sonos for patent infringement, alleging that the tech giant contributed "substantial Google engineering resources" to help Sonos in the past.

Google has always maintained that its was developed independently and it was not copied from Sonos.

--IANS

na/dpb

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Two-wheeler maker MotoCorp on Friday announced the appointment of industry veteran Arun Jaura as its chief technology officer (CTO) to lead the company's research and development (R&D).

The company, in a statement, also announced the resignation of Neerja Sharma, company secretary and chief compliance officer.

Jaura, who was the managing director of Michelin India Technology Center before taking up the current position, reports to MotoCorp Chairman and CEO Pawan Munjal, the company said in a statement.

Vikram Kasbekar, who has been leading the R&D function at MotoCorp in the past two-and-a-half years, will support Jaura for a seamless transition and continue to work on some key assignments in the coming months, it said.

The appointment of Jaura, a global technology expert, is aimed at strengthening the company's leadership team amid its continued focus on its vision 'Be the Future of Mobility', Hero MotoCorp said.

Sharma has decided to take a pause and refresh her priorities. She has decided to move on and will leave the organisation at the end of this month, the company said.

With Hero MotoCorp, Neerja made a significant contribution in her role, including many other areas of the company's business in particular corporate governance and diversity and inclusion, Hero MotoCorp said.

An accomplished engineering and technology expert with experience of over four decades in global markets, Jaura managed R&D and sustainability functions in his capacity as the managing director of Michelin India Technology Center from 2017, said the statement.

Jaura also represented the Michelin Pune site of over 1,100 engineers and technologists, it said.

He started his career with DRDO in 1982 where he spent a decade developing servo and electrohydraulic weapon systems as well as hydro-pneumatic suspension systems for battle tanks besides working on subsystems of the Combat aircraft, the statement said.

Jaura moved to Canada in 1992 to pursue a PhD focused on robotics and artificial intelligence for smart manufacturing.

Besides Michelin, he has also served such as Ford Motor Co and Mahindra & Mahindra, according to the statement.

(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.)
Sajjan Jindal-led today said it will be investing Rs 15,000 crore to expand capacity at its Vijayanagar facility in Karnataka for commissioning in FY24.

Of the total six-million-tonne expansion planned, the new part of the project consists of 5 million tonnes and one million tonnes at the existing facility through optimisation.

Today, Union Steel Minister Ram Chandra Prasad Singh laid the foundation stone of the new 5-million-tonne project at Vijayanagar Works integrated steel facility in Ballari, Karnataka.

The Environmental Clearance (EC) for the project has already been received from the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India and preliminary clearance from the Single Window High-Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC), Government of Karnataka has also been secured, said in its release.

The new 5 MTPA project at Vijayanagar is aligned to our Sustainability goals and focus on circular economy by optimizing our water, waste, carbon and energy footprint, Sajjan Jindal, chairman of JSW Steel was quoted as saying.

In September 2021, JSW Steel had raised $1 billion (Rs 7,300 crore) through issuance of Sustainability Linked Bonds (SLBs) in the overseas market.

The proceeds of the issue will be used by the company to fund plans as well as for refinancing debt, JSW Steel had said.

Apart this, the integrated steel producer in its Q4 results of FY21 had indicated of an unspent of Rs 21,162 crore. Analysts are of the view that the company has enough liquidity to carry out this planned expansion.

Alongside, the brownfield expansion project of one million tonne is being undertaken through JSW Vijayanagar Metallics Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSW Steel Ltd, said the company.





The one million tonne which will take Vijayanagar capacity to 13 million tonne should be commissioned in the next 12 months, said a company source close to the development.

Shares of JSW Steel today ended at Rs 674 per share, up 0.15 percent from Thursday close on BSE.

Post these expansions, the total capacity at Vijaynagar will go to 18 million tonne forming part of JSW Steels next phase of growth, targeting an overall capacity of 37.5 million tonne in India and USA by FY25.

We (Care Ratings) are expecting Indias steel consumption to grow 7-7.5 percent per annum over the next five years. So, JSW Steels is in line with the country's requirement and should get absorbed by the market, said Hitesh Avchat, associate director at Care Ratings.

Alongside, brokerages were of the view that the new project of 5 million tonne expansion is value accretive since it would be a capex of around Rs 3,000 crore per million tonne as against usual project cost for one million tonne steel capacity which comes at about Rs 5,000 crore for every million tonne.
Realty firm has entered into 11 joint development agreements (JDAs) with landowners so far this fiscal year, with an estimated sales revenue potential of Rs 14,500 crore.

Mumbai-based Macrotech Developers, which is one of the leading developers in India, markets its properties under Lodha brand. It got listed on stock exchanges after raising Rs 2,500 crore from Initial Public Offer (IPO).

The company has projects in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune markets. It has been aggressively forming JDAs to expand presence in the micro-markets of these two cities.

"Continuing with our focus on capital light growth, we have entered into JDA for six additional new projects during the quarter (October-December) having ~4.8 million square feet of saleable area with GDV (gross development value) of Rs ~10,000 crores," the company said in a regulatory filing on Thursday evening.

The company has signed JDAs for eleven projects so far this fiscal with cumulative GDV of around Rs 14,500 crore.

On operational performance during the third quarter of this fiscal year, reported 40 per cent increase in its sales bookings to Rs 2,608 crore from Rs 1,862 crore in the year-ago period.

The collections from customers against sales rose 44 per cent to Rs 2,127 crore from 1,472 crore during the period under review.

The company's net debt of India business fell to Rs 9,925 crore as on December 31, 2021 from Rs 12,477 crore at the end of September quarter, with the help of Rs 4,000 crore raised through sale of equity shares to institutional investors through Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) route.

Commenting on Q3 numbers, Abhishek Lodha, MD & CEO, Ltd, said: Our business performance is a testimony to demand for high quality homes and the trust reposed by consumers in our brand."



Considering its performance in the last two quarters, Lodha said the recovery in housing market has taken root and the multi-year up-cycle in housing market is well underway.

He expressed confidence of achieving pre-sales guidance of Rs 9,000 crore for the fiscal assuming no major impact on account of COVID.

The company had achieved a sales bookings of Rs 5,970 crore in the last fiscal year.

Macrotech Developers has recently announced plans to enter the Bengaluru property market to capture the expected rise in housing demand from IT/ITeS employees.

Besides India, Macrotech Developers has two housing projects in London, where it achieved sales bookings of Rs 1,900 crore during the last quarter.

The company is expecting to receive Rs 1,500-2,000 crore surplus from these two projects in London.

Macrotech Developers, earlier named as Lodha Developers, had made a foray into the London market in 2013 with the acquisition of the landmark MacDonald House at 1 Grosvenor Square in prime Central London from the Canadian government for over GBP 300 million ( Rs 3,100 crore).

The group acquired another site in prime Central London, New Court at 48 Carey Street for 90 million pounds in 2014.

(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.)
Spandana Sphoorty, the troubled microfinance institution (MFI), has sought forbearance and a waiver from its lenders as regards some conditions in agreements on borrowing funds. While it is servicing all borrowing, there has been a breach in certain covenants on account of a rise in non-performing assets (NPAs) and a change in management, the MFI said in a filing with the BSE.

There has been an increase in portfolio at risk (PaR) and NPA ratios due to higher delinquencies caused by the pandemic. The query to the company seeking more information on which covenants it had sought ...
India's largest IT firm (TCS) on Friday said its Board will consider a buyback proposal on January 12.

"...the Board of Directors will consider a proposal for buyback of equity shares of the company, at its meeting to be held on January 12, 2022," a regulatory filing said.

No other details of the buyback proposal were disclosed.

The Board of the Mumbai-based company is scheduled to meet on January 12 to approve and take on record the financial results of the company for the third quarter and nine months ending December 31, 2021.

At the end of the September 2021 quarter, TCS had cash and cash equivalents of Rs 51,950 crore.

On Friday, TCS shares closed 1.26 per cent higher at Rs 3,854.85 on BSE.

TCS' previous buyback offer of around Rs 16,000 crore had opened on December 18, 2020, and closed on January 1, 2021. Over 5.33 crore equity shares were bought back under the offer for Rs 3,000 apiece.

In 2018, TCS had undertaken a share buyback programme worth up to Rs 16,000 crore. The buyback, at Rs 2,100 per equity share, had entailed up to 7.61 crore shares. In 2017 too, TCS had taken a similar share purchase programme.

Smaller peers like Infosys and Wipro have also undertaken buyback programmes to return surplus cash on their books to shareholders.

In September last year, Infosys had said it has bought back over 5.58 crore equity shares as part of its about Rs 9,200 crore buyback offer.

The process - conducted via open market through Indian stock exchanges - saw shares being bought back in the range of Rs 1,538.10 and Rs 1,750.

Wipro had also completed a Rs 9,500 crore buyback in January last year.

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Odisha Chief Minister said on Thursday it is the duty of every government to provide fool-proof security to the Prime Minister of the country and anything contrary to it is unacceptable in a democracy.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ferozepur had to be cancelled due to a security lapse after some protesters blocked a route and forced his convoy to spend about 20 minutes on a flyover. The Prime Minister was enroute the Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala when the incident happened.

The security lapse has created nationwide outrage with many condemning the serious lapse on the part of the government.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Patnaik wrote, "The Prime Minister of India is an institution. It is the duty of every government to provide fool-proof security and safeguard the dignity of this institution. Anything contrary should be unacceptable in our democracy."

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan appreciated Patnaik for his concern for the PM's security.

"This is how a democracy like in India should function. We all can have differing ideologies, beliefs & opinions but that can be no ground to legitimise a breach in security for the Prime Minister," Pradhan tweeted tagging Patnaik's tweet.

--IANS

bbm/arm

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The alleged mastermind behind the creation of 'Bulli Bai' app, Niraj Bishnoi, has been suspended by the Madhya Pradesh-based engineering college, where he was a B Tech student, following his arrest, an official of the institute said on Friday.

Bishnoi, a student of the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) Bhopal campus, was arrested on Thursday from Jorhat in Assam. The 21-year-old is the "main conspirator" in the case and allegedly involved in creation of the controversial app that has listed hundreds of for "auction", the Assam police have said. The VIT administration took action against Bishnoi soon after his involvement in the case came to light, the official said. The VIT Bhopal campus is situated about 100km away from the state capital in Sehore district. Soon after we got information through the media and later through the Sehore police (about his arrest), we immediately suspended Bishnoi from the college. The management will take further action depending on what more details emerge," he said. Earlier, Sehore additional superintendent of police (ASP) Samir Yadav said that college authorities had informed that Bishnoi was a second year B Tech student who had only attended online classes. He was a bright student, but had never attended physical classes in the VIT campus, the police officer said, citing college authorities. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra said Bishnoi originally hails from Rajasthan and cops were probing his links with Sehore district. From Jorhat, Bishnoi was brought to the capital where he confessed to his role in the case, the Delhi Police have said. With the arrest of Bishnoi, the Delhi Police said in a statement they have solved the case related to hundreds of being listed for "auction" on the "Bulli Bai" app hosted on the Github platform. The engineering student is the fourth person to be arrested in the case.

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The police on Friday brought Shweta Singh and Mayank Rawal, the two accused in the Bully Bai app case.

The two accused will be produced before Bandra court in the afternoon.

The duo were brought to through transit remand from Uttarakhand. Currently, they are lodged in Bandra police lockup.

(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 Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare on Thursday assured that the Central government will do everything in its capacity to ensure the income of the farmers of the North-Eastern region is doubled.

Tomar and Union Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy co-chaired a meeting to review the progress of various schemes of the Government of India in the Agriculture sector in states of the NER virtually from Vignan Bhavan, New Delhi today.

Addressing the North Eastern States, Tomar said, "The GOI will do everything in its capacity to ensure that the income of the farmers of the NER region is doubled. Our door is always open. I request all State Governments to come up with a proposal if you find any difficulty in any schemes related to the agriculture sector."

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi put special emphasis on the development of the North Eastern Region.

Speaking on the opportunities in the oil palm sector, Tomar said, "ICAR suggested that 9 lakh hectare land in the North East is suitable for oil palm production. Due to the oil palm production farmers of the NER will be hugely benefitted, employment will be generated and import of oil palm can be reduced. Thus, North East has a major role to play to make India self-reliant in edible oil."

The Minister said there are some horticulture and medicinal crops only produced in North-Eastern State.

He said that Agriculture and Commerce Ministry are working together to tap such opportunities and to solve the logistic problems faced by the North Eastern States.

The Agriculture Minister also requested State Government to focus on Natural Farming and said that the PM's vision to minimize the dependence of farmers on purchased inputs through Zero budget Natural farming that reduces the cost of agriculture by relying on traditional field-based technologies which leads to improved soil health through natural farming should be fulfilled.

He also congratulated Sikkim and the other North States for their achievements in organic farming.

Reddy, while addressing the states suggested that a task force be formed with representatives from Agriculture Ministry, DoNER, and State governments to ensure that the schemes of Agriculture Ministry are saturated for the Northeastern Region and the schemes can be customized to address the unique nature and the nuances encountered in the Northeast Region.

He further said that post-harvest management also needs to be improved by involving FPOs, SHGs, and the private sector.

In the meeting, Agriculture Ministers of the Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura discussed the issues and challenges they were facing in detail.

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HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court expressed its ire over Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind for uploading offensive posts on social media that might cause enmity and disturbances among different groups in the society.

However, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Friday directed the Banjara Hills police not to take any coercive steps against Arvind and directed the MP to refrain from uploading offensive posts on social media.

Justice Bhuyan was hearing a petition filed by Arvind, seeking to quash the FIR registered against him in the Banjara Hills police station for uploading an offensive post on social media by morphing the cartoon of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.

N. Ramachandra Rao, BJP leader and counsel appearing for Aravind, explained that the petitioner did not intend to defame anyone by the social media post, but only wanted to question the decisions of the state government.

Pratap Reddy, public prosecutor of Telangana, informed the court that Arvind uploaded derogatory, humiliating and offensive posts, not only of politicians but of police officers also, due to which the police officers were not able to discharge their legitimate duties. He pleaded before the court to direct the MP to maintain some restraint while posting anything on social media.

Annoyed by the offensive posts of Arvind, the court said, How can a person holding a responsible position upload offensive posting? The MP should have exercised some restraint in making offensive social media posts, that too against an elected leader, Justice Bhuyan observed.

In its order, the court said, The court has seen the photocopy of the social media post, posted by the MP. Though the same may not be in good taste, particularly in respect of an elected leader who is holding a high constitutional post, nevertheless, the allegation made and the registration of the FIR, prima facie appear to have been exaggerated, no criminal offence is made, particularly under Section 153 IPC.

Meanwhile, while dealing with another petition, Justice Bhuyan directed the magistrate to release former MLA Bodige Shoba, who was arrested by the Karimnagar police in connection with a case of BJP state president Bandi Sanjay's 'Jagaran' and produced before the court which sent her to a 14-day judicial remand. The court also directed the magistrate to get a surety of Rs 25,000 for her release.
reported fewer COVID cases on Friday as several cities have curbed movements, while a top official warned not to turn away patients after a woman's miscarriage during a lockdown in the city of Xian sparked outrage.



reported 116 domestically transmitted infections with confirmed clinical symptoms for Thursday, mostly in Xian and the province of Henan, down from 132 a day earlier, official data showed on Friday.



Xian, a city of 13 million in northwest China, entered its 16th day of lockdown, although officials said the outbreak there had been brought under control. Xian is in the Shaanxi province that borders Henan.



"The risk of a large-scale rebound of the (Xian) outbreak has been largely contained," the official Xinhua news service quoted Li Qun, a disease control and prevention official, as saying in a story published late on Thursday.



During Xian's lockdown, residents have complained about curtailed access to food and medical care, and the story of a pregnant woman who lost her unborn baby after waiting outside a local hospital for two hours provoked anger on Chinese social media and led to punishment of city officials.



Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan said she was "pained and deeply ashamed" about people's difficulties in securing hospital services in Xian, Xinhua news agency said.



"Medical institutions ... must not simply turn away patients on any excuse during COVID control," Sun was quoted as saying.



On Friday, the city government said that people without proof of a negative test result within 48 hours should not be blocked from leaving their residential compounds to go to hospital, overturning a previous requirement.



The outbreaks in remain tiny compared with many overseas, and the highly transmissible variant has yet to be announced among local infections in Henan or Xian, but local governments have maintained high vigilance.



China's policy of blocking any cluster from spreading further has taken on extra urgency in the run-up to the Winter Olympics, to be staged in Beijing and neighbouring Hebei province starting Feb. 4, and with the Lunar New Year holiday travel season beginning in less than two weeks.



There were no new fatalities on Thursday, leaving the death toll unchanged at 4,636. Mainland China had 103,295 confirmed symptomatic cases as of Jan 6, including both local and imported ones.



(Reporting by Tony Munroe, Roxanne Liu, Gabriel Crossley and Ella Cao; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

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continued to record a surge in daily COVID-19 cases with 2,295 new infections being reported on Friday, taking the tally to 6,89,751 while the death toll rose to 4,039 with three more fatalities, a health bulletin stated.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) accounted for the highest number of fresh cases with 1,452, followed by Medchal Malkajgiri (232) and Ranga Reddy (218) district, the state government bulletin said providing details as of 5.30 pm.

A total of 278 people recovered from the infection on Friday. The cumulative number of recoveries till date was 6,75,851. The number of active cases rose to 9,861, the bulletin said.

It said 64,474 samples were tested on Friday and the total number examined till date was 3,00,02,149.

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Covid cases are rising rapidly in the northeastern states, and alarmingly in even as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma ruled out any lockdown in the state, suggesting stricter measures to curb the spread.

An analysis by IANS of the Health Department's reports said that the daily positivity rate rose from 0.77 per cent rose to 2.37 per cent in the past one week.

Out of Assam's 34 districts, rise of Covid cases are maximum in four districts with Kamrup (Metro) district (where the main city of Guwahati and capital Dispur falls) reporting 369 active cases on Thursday followed by 57 in Jorhat, 52 in Kamrup (Rural) and 50 in Darrang district.

After Manipur (one case) and Meghalaya (five cases), also reported its first Omicron case on Wednesday after a man, who returned from Saudi Arabia, tested positive for the new variant of Covid-19.

Health officials claimed that, notwithstanding rising Covid positive cases, the number of patients requiring hospitalisation has not gone up proportionally. According to the officials, only five per cent of the Covid beds in the state were occupied by the patients.

Sarma, after holding a review meeting with the officials on Thursday, ruled outa lockdown in the state.

However, he asked the district administrations and the health officials to maintain strict measures including preventing the gatherings and adheringAto the Covid protocols.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta, at a separate meeting in Guwahati, reviewed the situation arising from the rising Covid cases.

"Considering the rise in Covid-19 cases in the state, visited the Covid Care Center in Karambir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium, Sarusajai today (Thursday), along with the GMC Principal, and reviewed the facilities and services. Also took stock of the health conditions of the infected people," he tweeted.

With the rising Covid cases in the other northeastern states, the authorities have revised the Standard Operating Procedures and imposed new restrictions including curbing rapid inter-state movements, increase of sample tests, mandatory use of masks and bar on gatherings.

--IANS

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A Court on Thursday sent the main conspirator and creator of 'Bulli Bai' on GitHub and the main Twitter account holder of the app to seven days police custody.

The accused Neeraj Bishnoi was produced by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit (IFSO) unit at the deputy magistrate's house.

The police had demanded seven days' custody and it was granted by the deputy magistrate.

Niraj Bishnoi was arrested by the Police Special Cell's Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit (IFSO) team from Assam for the alleged involvement in the Bulli Bai case.

Earlier today, he was brought to the capital from Assam and will be produced before court today.

Neeraj Bishnoi (20) is a resident of the Digambar area of Assam's Jorhat. He is a B.Tech student of the Vellore Institute of Technology, Bhopal.

"During interrogation, Neeraj Bishnoi disclosed that the app was developed in Nov 2021 and updated in Dec'21. He said he created one more Twitter account to talk about the app. Using another account he has stated 'You've arrested the wrong person," said the Delhi Police Special Cell.

Several complaints were received by police stations in the country regarding the listing of Muslim women for "auction" on the 'Bulli Bai' mobile application with photographs sourced without permission and doctored. It has happened for the second time in less than a year. The app appeared to be a clone of 'Sulli Deals' which triggered a similar row last year.

An engineering student from Bengaluru, a young girl from Uttarakhand, and one of her friends have also been arrested by Mumbai Police in connection with the 'Bulli Bai' app case, informed police on Wednesday.

"Three people have been arrested in the 'Bulli Bai' app case, including Vishal Kumar Jha and Shweta Singh. The third accused is Shweta's friend," said Hemant Nagrale, Mumbai Police Commissioner.

Vishal Kumar has been sent to police custody till January 10 by a Bandra court and Shweta Singh is on a transit remand.

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In light of the sudden rise in COVID-19 cases, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a high-level meeting on Friday to review the administration's preparedness to deal with the situation.

Municipal Commissioners of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Gandhinagar cities along with collectors and district development officers of Anand, Bharuch, Navsari, Valsad and Kutch attended the meeting through video-conference, a government release said.

Chief principal secretary to the chief minister, K Kailashnathan, chief secretary Pankaj Kumar and ACS-Health Mukesh Kumar attended the meet in person, it stated.

As per the release, municipal commissioners and district collectors shared the latest details and data about the vaccination drive, tracing and tracking of cases, availability of beds and medicines and status of isolated patients in their respective districts.

For better response and coordination, the state government has already asked all the in-charge secretaries to reach their allotted districts, the chief secretary informed Patel during the meeting.

The chief minister urged city and district administrators to continuously monitor infected patients, both in home isolation and those admitted to hospitals, the release stated.

To increase people's immunity, the state government plans to provide an Ayurvedic powder mix (kadha) in cities and districts from January 10, it was stated.

Administrators have been directed to make sure that this Ayurvedic mix, to be taken with hot water, reaches the public, the release stated.

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: The has allowed the abortion of the six-month of a 17-year old girl who was sexually assaulted by a 44-year old man.

The father of the 17-year old girl from Vadipatti in the district had filed a petition seeking permission for medical termination of his daughter's .

Justice G R Swaminathan of the High Court Bench here pointed out on Thursday that the doctors had advised to terminate the of the girl, who was raped by a 44-year old bus driver.

The doctors had said the health of the girl would not be affected by the termination. A team of doctors from Madurai Government Rajaji hospital should take steps to abort the child.

Police had already filed a case under POCSO Act . The Judge directed the Vadipatti police inspector to file charge sheet after investigation in two months. The court should also complete the trial in three months after the submission of charge sheet.

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has reported six times lower hospital admissions due to the coronavirus this time as compared to the first wave of the pandemic, city Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Friday.

He also said construction workers need not worry as construction work will go on.

With a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in and its neighbouring cities, migrant workers and daily wagers fear that another round of lockdown will push them into a severe financial crisis from which they might never recover.

The city government has already announced weekend and night curfews, among other restrictions to check crowding, as the city is witnessing a record rise in the number of Covid cases, months after the second wave of the pandemic wreaked havoc on its health system and led to a lockdown, leaving many jobless.

"Compared to the first wave of the coronavirus, this time, the number of patients admitted to is six times lower.... Some health workers, including doctors, have tested positive, but in very small numbers," Jain told reporters.

The Sir Ganga Ram hospital also said 15 of their healthcare workers, including five doctors, have tested positive for the viral disease.

"We have 53 Covid patients, including five doctors and seven nurses. Of the 53 patients, six are in the ICU, but due to some other diseases," Chairman of the hospital Dr D S Rana said.

On the World Health Organization (WHO) describing the Omicron variant of the virus as "not mild", Jain said only experts will be able to tell if it is mild or not.

"I can give you the data that I have. has 31,498 active Covid cases and only 1,091 hospital beds are occupied. When we had an equal number of cases the last time, around 7,000 beds were occupied," he added.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader said Delhi was the first city in the country to witness a surge in the number of coronavirus cases this time around as most of the international flights come to the capital.

"That is the reason we have implemented stricter measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 as compared to other states. Some people may say this is not needed but it is better than repenting later," he said.

Jain said authorities have devised different levels of restrictions and alerts under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), keeping in view the severity of the infection caused by the Delta variant of the virus.

"A total of 15,000 cases a day would have meant 3,000 to 4,000 hospital admissions had this wave been driven by the Delta variant. Hospital admissions now are not even 10 per cent of it (the number of daily cases). So, there is a huge difference and we have to accept it," he said.

When Delhi had 30,000 active cases the last time, 1,000 patients were on ventilator support as compared to 24 now, which means the severity of the infection is less this time, Jain added.

Asked why many patients who do not need oxygen support are admitted to hospitals, the minister cited the example of the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan hospital.

He said there are around 95 Covid patients in the hospital and only 14 of them need oxygen support, while the others have been admitted to the facility as they are suffering from problems such as cancer or kidney ailments, besides Covid.

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The Income-Tax department has recovered Rs 8 crore in cash and three kilogram gold besides incriminating documents in raids on the premises of businessman Shankar Rai and his brothers in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district, an official said on Friday.

The raids, which began on early Thursday, were still continuing, Income Tax (Investigations) Jabalpur circle joint commissioner Munmun Sharma told PTI. During searches so far, Rs 8 crore in cash has been recovered. Of this, Rs 1 crore was found hidden in a water container, the official said. Besides, gold weighing three kilogram has been recovered, she said. The official said I-T sleuths have found incriminating documents related to the wealth amassed by the Rai brothers. The papers found during the searches suggest the Rais had bagged contracts of liquor shops and were running luxury buses in the names of their staffers, she added. Sharma said the I-T department has announced a cash reward of Rs 10,000 for anyone who provides information to them regarding the wealth of Shankar Rai and his brothers. Nearly 200 personnel, including I-T department staffers and policemen from Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur and Gwalior, were carrying out searches at various premises of the businessman and his brothers Kamal Rai, Raju Rai and Sanjay Rai, officials have said.

The Rai family is into liquor and transport business and also runs petrol stations in Damoh, according to sources.

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The emissions of just five economies -- India, China, the US, the EU and Russia -- over the period 1991-2030 will double the number of countries experiencing extreme hot years every second year by 2030, according to a new scientific paper published in Communications Earth and Environment.

The results highlight the outsized role these emitters play in driving warming and temperature extremes around the world.

The study led by scientists at ETH Zurich and Climate Analytics looks at the impacts of these top five emitters over two periods: 1991-2030, and 2016-2030, over which they will contribute 52 per cent and 53 per cent of global emissions respectively.

Under current emissions reductions targets, 92 per cent of all countries are expected to experience extreme hot years every second year by 2030, twice as many countries as without the 1991-2030 emissions from the top five polluters (46 per cent).

Notably, 15 per cent of this increase would be attributable to the emissions of these five economies between 2016 and 2030, after the Paris Agreement was signed.

"Our work shows that over a relatively short-time period, the emissions of these five economies will have a strong impact on extreme heat experienced around the globe by 2030. We're talking about annual mean temperatures that would only be experienced once every 100 years in preindustrial times happening every second year", said ETH Zurich researcher Lea Beusch, lead author of the study.

The paper also looked at the per capita emissions of these major emitters. It found that if all countries had the same projected per capita emissions as the US -- the highest per capita emitter in the group -- in the period after the Paris Agreement was signed (2016-2030), global mean warming in 2030 would be 0.4 degree Celsius higher than under current pledged emission reductions.

This is a full 0.5 degree higher than if all countries followed the same per capita emissions trajectory of India, which has the lowest emissions per capita in the high emitters group.

The study comes in the wake of the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact that requests countries to revisit their 2030 climate targets to align them with the 2015 Paris Agreement temperature goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

"Our results underscore that the actions of the world's top emitters will have a huge impact on our global temperature trajectory in this decade. How they respond to the COP26 outcome will be fundamental to whether 1.5 degrees Celsius stays within reach -- none of their targets are currently sufficient", said Alexander Nauels of Climate Analytics, who co-authored the study.

--IANS

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Union Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Thursday that tribal and other local communities that are cultivating or engaging in other activities for their livelihood should be exempted from the Biological Diversity Act to find a balance between development of the local community and conservation of biodiversity.

"The Biological Diversity Act will be implemented to lay greater emphasis on the local community's interest and to encourage research in the area of biodiversity to make necessary changes in policy to ensure more access and benefit sharing (ABS)," Yadav said, adding, "We need to encourage investment for sustainable use with necessary regulations to increase ABS fund, which can be used for conservation of biodiversity and betterment of the local community."

The minister was speaking at the two-day South Asian Consultation Meeting on the 'Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework' that was held here in a hybrid manner.

With its over 1.97 billion human population and high biological diversity, South Asia faces formidable developmental challenges and impediments, which are amplified by the weak socio-economic status and the presence of high natural resource dependent communities, he said.

The meeting was attended by representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan in addition to representatives from the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal; the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Washington; French Embassy in New Delhi; UNDP-India; IUCN Offices in Canada and Singapore; National Geographic; and Campaign for Nature, Montreal, said a release from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Yadav said that subscribes to the theory and practice of green infrastructure development and 'Development with Design', particularly in the linear infrastructure sector that "we build to promote economic development, conservation and connectivity" and claimed that "conservation is mainstreamed in all sectors of economic development under the philosophy of Development without Destruction".

The minister said that has joined over 75 countries that are part of the 30 by 30 High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People. In South Asia, Pakistan and Maldives too have joined this.

--IANS

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South Korea has a long tradition of annual presidential pardons for convicted and sentenced personalities. This year, rather surprisingly, President Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea pardoned his predecessor, former President Park Geun-hye, who was serving a 22-year prison term after a rather bizarre corruption scandal.

Former President Park Geun-hye is the unmarried daughter of a former South Korean strongman, President Park Chung-hee. The pardoned Park Geun-hye belongs to the conservative right wing, which is now part of the countrys Opposition. Ms Park had been elected President in 2013 but was later impeached in 2017 and convicted on charges of bribery and corruption. The courts ruled that she had colluded with her close personal friend Choi Soon-sil to force South Korean chaebols (which are basically large family-run corporations) like Samsung to voluntarily contribute millions of dollars to foundations run by Choi.

Hard-working middle-class South Koreans were enraged by this nexus between politicians and corporates honchos, more so by the allegation that Chois daughter Chung Yoo-ra was undeservedly admitted to the prestigious EWHA Womens University in Seoul. After the scandal broke, the university cancelled Chungs admission and the president of the university resigned. Any favouritism in university admissions is anathema to the people of the country.

In the recent past, several South Korean political and industry leaders have fallen foul of the law and had to face prison terms. South Koreas first woman Prime Minister, Han Myong, served a two-year jail sentence from 2015 to 2017 for bribery. She was Prime Minister in 2006 under the liberal government of then President Roh Moo-hyun. This conviction was controversial due to the allegation of false testimony against the prosecutor. Han had always claimed innocence and was also exonerated by President Moon Jae-in in this years list of pardon beneficiaries.

Former Prime Minister Hans boss, President Roh Moo-hyun (2003-08) got embroiled in a damaging corruption scandal after his retirement. Roh was a former human rights activist and was known for his upright character. Roh was blamed for the payment of $6 million by a businessman to his wife and son. Unable to live with this stigma, Roh committed suicide in May 2009.

It is noteworthy that every former South Korean President since the 1980s has faced corruption accusations or been imprisoned. President Lee Myung-bak also had the final year of his 2008-13 presidency hit by corruption scandals. In 2018, Lee was arrested on charges of bribery and tax evasion and was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

South Koreas Chaebols are known to cut corners and indulge in intricate financial skullduggery. But despite their immense wealth and political clout, they could not escape the long hands of the nations legal system. In January 2021, the $220 billion Samsung Groups heir Lee Jae Young was sentenced to 30 months in prison for bribery. In August 2021, Lee was released on parole. His father Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Group in 1987-2008 and again in 2010-20, was also convicted twice in 1996 and 2008, for corruption and tax evasion charges, but was granted a presidential pardon in both instances. This reflects both the nexus between financial contributions to political parties by the South Korean Chaebols and also the vital role the Samsung Group has played in the industrial transformation of South Korea to a giant manufacturing hub.

The trial, conviction and sentencing of high-profile individuals shows the power and independence of its prosecutors and the judiciary. The judicial system is based on a European-style inquisitorial system under which South Korean prosecutors conduct criminal investigations. The combination of investigative and prosecutorial powers has been questioned in recent years, with public outrage over multiple scandals linked to prosecutors and their relationship with politicians and big business houses. The prosecutor-general is nominated by the President and approved by the National Assembly. He can be removed only after impeachment by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly.

President Moon Jae-in has been working to promote prosecution reform by giving back some control of criminal investigations to police officers. A special task force to investigate high-level corruption has also been proposed. The prosecutors office reportedly brazenly opposed these changes by opening an investigation against the family members of the justice minister, who eventually resigned.

The balance between the independence of prosecutors, investigating agencies and the judiciary, as well as their integrity, is a challenge for all Constitution-based democracies. A system of effective checks and balances is vital to prevent rogue behaviour or foot-dragging by any independent agency. In the United States, Presidents have been wary of the power once exercised by the legendary J. Edgar Hoover, the dictatorial head the FBI for 37 years until his death in 1972. At the other extreme, Indias main investigative agency is so much under the control of the government of the day that the Supreme Court was once forced to call it a caged parrot of the countrys political masters.

For an effective criminal justice system, the essential components are independence of action, the capacity and willingness to act against suspects irrespective of their political or financial clout, as well as the speed of judicial process. By these yardsticks, South Koreas system has a fairly good record. In South Korea, cases do not linger for years and the initial trial followed by appeals in the higher courts normally does not take more than a year. This is in stark contrast with the decades it takes in the Indian judicial system for a case to come to its final conclusion.
India's daily Covid-19 cases jumped to 117,100 on Friday, a five-fold increase in a week and on course to overtake its previous infection peak as the fast-spreading variant replaces Delta in cities.



Government officials have privately said they are working under the assumption that daily infections will surpass the record of more than 414,000 set in May, given what has happened in countries such as the United States where daily cases recently rose past 1 million.



"We will clearly surpass our record shortly and reach a new peak by early February," M.D. Gupte, a former director of the state-run National Institute of Epidemiology and an immunisation adviser to the government, told Reuters.



"Given the size of our population, we will report more daily cases than the U.S. But what we have seen is that these cases are much more mild, so the need for hospitalisation and oxygen and all that is not picking up."



He said India's high rate of infection during a previous major wave in April and May, as well as vaccinations, would mean a reduction in the severity of the illness for those infected by the variant.



Nearly 70% Indians had been exposed to the by the middle of last year, while an almost equal proportion of adults have been fully vaccinated as of this week.



Health officials in the capital, New Delhi, and the state of Maharashtra, home to the city of Mumbai, which together account for the bulk of new cases, have said hospitals and testing infrastructure have yet to come under pressure as many people are recovering quickly at home.



In Mumbai, about quarter of all tests are positive but fewer than a fifth of those who have contracted the virus have needed hospitalisation, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope told reporters.



The city recorded 20,181 new infections on Thursday, well above its previous high of just over 11,000 set last year.



"Around 80% of the hospital beds are still empty," he said.



"Oxygen demand is not rising in proportion to the rising cases.



Right now, there is no plan to impose a lockdown. If required, we may increase restrictions."



The state has closed schools and colleges and limited the number of people allowed in cinemas, at weddings and other functions.



Delhi, where daily cases have risen by more than five times in a week, goes into a 55-hour lockdown from Friday night to Monday morning.



Authorities have also imposed a night curfew on weekdays, closed schools, and ordered most shops to open only on alternate days when there is no curfew.



India's Covid-19 deaths rose by 302 on Friday, taking the total to 483,178. Total infections stand at 35.23 million, only fewer that the U.S. tally of about 58 million.



(Reporting by Krishna N. Das in New Delhi, Chandini Monnappa in Bengaluru and Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai; Editing by Kim Coghill, Robert Birsel)

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has moved from a "sleeping business destination" to a "land of opportunities" and received USD 2.5 billion in investments last year, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha told business leaders here, assuring them that his government will provide an investment-friendly environment to the global investors.

Jammu & Kashmir has inked six agreements with global investors at Dubai Expo 2020 to bring in investments in the Union Territory's real estate, infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, and manpower employment sectors among others.

Sinha addressed the Investors Summit in Dubai on Thursday, which was attended by renowned business leaders and investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Jammu & Kashmir has moved from a sleeping business destination to the land of opportunities and investment. The Union Territory received investments to the tune of USD 2.5 billion in 2021 and showcased the enormous opportunities and business potential in the region, he said.

has signed 5 MoUs with Al Maya Group, MATU Investments LLC, GL Employment Brokerage LLC, Century Financial and Noon E-commerce respectively; 1 LoI between Magna Waves Pvt. Ltd along with Emaar Group and Lulu International.

Talking about the upcoming opportunities with these investors, Sinha said the government is working relentlessly to provide an investment-friendly environment to the global investors.

From the business point of view, J&K has the capability to provide an opportunity to the industries to compete, correct and collaborate with readily available abundant resources. Archaic laws have been removed and more than 890 Central laws, which are the key drivers of socio-economic growth, have been made applicable in the last two years, he said.

Elaborating on the potential of collaboration between India and the UAE, UAE's ambassador to India Ahmed Abdul Rahman AlBanna said India is the second-largest trading partner of the UAE and the Gulf nation is the third-largest trading partner of India after the US and China.

Our total Foreign Trade figures reached about USD 60 billion in 2019-2020. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the United Arab Emirates and India will be crucial in deepening the ties between India and UAE. We are hoping that CEPA will increase our bilateral trade from USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion in the coming 5 to 8 years, the ambassador said.

Ever since the Government of India announced the historic administrative changes in 2019, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has become the latest success story among Indian states as a model of economic and social development, said Sunjay Sudhir, India's ambassador to the UAE said while addressing the Investors Summit on Thursday.

India and UAE are among each other's largest trading partners. And soon, CEPA will be signed, which certainly has the potential to catapult our economic engagement to a very different trajectory altogether, he said.

Sinha also visited the India Pavilion during the ongoing Jammu & Kashmir Week (Jan 3-13) and toured the J&K Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai earlier in the day.

India's participation at the Expo is a testament to the fact that the country values the UAE as an esteemed partner. Various States and Sectors in India have understood the importance of the Expo, and the global exposure provided by the event. Jammu & Kashmir is privileged to participate at this global event and strengthen its footprint in the UAE, he said.

The J&K Pavilion was inaugurated on January 3.

In addition to the Investor Summit and J&K Week at India Pavilion, Sinha also inaugurated a two-day Buyer-Seller Meet on Friday hosted by the Consulate General of India, Dubai in collaboration with Invest India.

The meet is being organised between sellers from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and buyers from the UAE under the 'One District One Product' initiative. The key focus sectors for the meeting are agri products & processed food and handicraft and textile.

Earlier, Sinha invited global businesses to invest in key sectors, including tourism, handloom and handicrafts, to boost the growth of industrial enterprises, cottage and village industries in the Union Territory.

As part of the Jammu and Kashmir Week, Sinha, along with other government officials from the Union Territory (UT), held various meetings and invited global investors to invest across key sectors like tourism, handloom & handicrafts, food processing among others, according to a press statement.

Sinha, who is on a three-day official visit to the UAE, also met the Chairman of Dubai ports giant DP World Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem here on Thursday to discuss the opportunities and potential areas of collaboration between the Jammu and Kashmir government and the company.

A Dubai-based company, DP World specialises in cargo logistics, port terminal operations, maritime services, and free trade zones.

Sinha also inaugurated Jammu and Kashmir promotion week at the local Lulu Hypermarket, where the world-famous GI-tagged saffron has been launched in a major step towards boosting trade ties between Jammu and Kashmir and Dubai.

Inaugurated J&K Promotion week at Lulu Hypermarket. The world-famous GI-tagged saffron has been launched at Lulu Hypermarket, which is a major step towards boosting Jammu Kashmir and Dubai trade ties, Sinha said in a tweet.

He termed it as a "historic agreement" and said the trade between Jammu & Kashmir and Dubai has remained steady and it reflects the resilience of the deep economic linkages.

"Relations between India and the UAE are long-standing and deep-rooted. People-to-people contact and trade have seen momentum in the recent years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.

The government also signed an MoU with the UAE-based retail major Lulu Group that will invest Rs 200 crore in Jammu and Kashmir to set up a food processing and logistic hub in Srinagar.

The agreement is aimed at further expanding Jammu-Kashmir-Dubai collaboration and Jammu and Kashmir-Lulu Group partnership.

Delivering a special speech on the Development after the Union Territory', Sinha also spoke about the initiatives taken by the Jammu and Kashmir government in ensuring growth across different sectors.

Given the prominence of Jammu and Kashmir as a tourist destination, it will also participate in a joint session with the tourism ministry on January 12.

The vision of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir is to promote balanced growth of industry and commerce through sustainable utilisation of natural resources and development of human skills, the statement said.

With this vision, the Jammu and Kashmir government is working towards creating an enabling and entrepreneurial-friendly environment that will facilitate the sustainable growth and development of industrial enterprises, including cottage and village industries.

The UT aims to encourage new investment in industries and facilitate new entrepreneurs. With the focus on growth in these areas, the UT is also working towards encouraging and creating conditions that will enable the promotion of human resource skills, creation of new employment opportunities and development of new designs in the handloom and handicrafts sector, it said.

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The 15th edition of the (JLF), scheduled to run between January 28-February 1, has now been postponed to March 5-14 in view of the rising number of Covid cases, the organisers said on Friday.

About 250 authors, thinkers, politicians and popular culture icons across the world are expected to participate in the festival, which will be held in hybrid mode. It will be virtual from March 5-9, and in person from March 10-14.

"Keeping in mind the advent of the new variant and the sharp rise in the number of cases across the country, we have thought it best to reschedule the Festival and hold it in March 2022. We remain committed to bring the Festival back to Jaipur as an on-ground, immersive experience, promoting dialogue, discussion and debate on books and ideas," festival producer Sanjoy K Roy said in a statement.

India recorded 1,17,100 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday as the virus continues to spread at a blistering pace, largely driven by the virulent Omicron variant.

The festival this year will also witness a shift from its traditional venue Diggi Palace to Hotel Clarks Amber, Jaipur with added facilities to accommodate footfalls and follow COVID-19 safety protocols according to government guidelines.

Turkish bestselling novelist Elif Shafak, Hollywood actor-writer Rupert Everett, award-winning Srilankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka, eminent Jamaican poet Kei Miller, Booker Prize winner Damon Galgut, 2003 Booker Prize winner DBC Pierre British and historian-biographer Andrew Lownie are among those participating in the event.

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reported 3,704 new COVID-19 cases and four deaths in the last 24 hours, the state health department informed on Thursday.

As many as 435 people recovered from the infection in the last 24 hours. However, the new fatalities pushed the COVID-19 death toll in the state to 5,153.

A total of 62069 samples were tested in the last 24 hours, with this the total tests conducted in the state mounted to 1,83,17,296.

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday mandated the COVID test at Ranchi airport for passengers coming to the state.

As per the Airport authorities, this test will be free of cost.

If a traveller is carrying a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test report (not more than 72 hours old) or a certificate showing his/her 'fully vaccinated' status, then they will be exempted from the test.

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Kerala recorded 5,296 new positive cases and 189 COVID-19-related deaths on Friday, taking the total count to 52,64,235 and the death toll to 49,305.

Of the deaths, 35 were recorded over the last few days and 154 designated as COVID-19 deaths after receiving appeals based on the new guidelines of the Centre and the directions of the Supreme Court.

Among the districts, Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest number of cases today--1,116, followed by Ernakulam with 1,086 and Kozhikode with 551 cases.

"Currently, there are 27,859 COVID-19 active cases in the state out of which only 7.8 per cent are admitted to hospitals," the health department said in a release.

The state tested 64,577 samples in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, 2,404 persons recuperated from the disease today, taking the total cured to 51,95,497.

Of those found infected, 76 reached the state from outside while 4,896 contracted the disease through their contact. The source of infection of 276 is yet to be traced and 48 health workers are also among the infected.

The health department also said that 99 per cent (2,63,15,340) of the targeted population received the first dose of vaccine, while 81 per cent (2,14,88,770) received both the doses of the vaccine.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
on Thursday logged 36,265 new cases, 36 per cent more than the previous day with alone registering 20,181 infections, a fresh record for the city, while 13 more patients succumbed to the disease, health department officials said. The new cases included 79 Omicron infections, taking the tally of those infected with the variant to 797. With these additions, the state's tally rose to 67,93,297, while the death toll increased to 1,41,594.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope said earlier in the day that the state government has not yet considered shutting down local trains in and imposing inter-district travel restrictions as the number of hospitalisations was still low.

He ruled out the possibility of a lockdown in the state at this point of time.

alone reported 20,181 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, a new record for the city, and four more deaths. The slum-dominated and densely populated Dharavi area of Mumbai recorded 107 new cases, highest since the pandemic began in March 2020, civic officials said. The previous record of daily cases in the area was 99, recorded on April 8, 2021, during the second wave of the pandemic. The state reported 9,727 more cases compared to Wednesday when 26,538 infections had come to light. A health department bulletin said 1,70,429 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, taking their cumulative number in the state to 6,99,47,436. The state's active cases stand at 1,14,847, it added. Tope and additional chief secretary (health) Pradeep Vyas met NCP president Sharad Pawar, whose party is part of the ruling combine, and discussed the coronavirus situation in and the restrictions currently in force. In Mumbai, the hospitalisation rate has not increased significantly and 80 per cent of hospital beds in the city were still unoccupied, Tope told reporters.

A similar rise in infections had been seen during the second wave too last year, but this time around the demand for medical oxygen and the number of deaths have not increased, which was a positive sign, he added. The new infections are seen to be affecting the upper respiratory tract, including the nose and throat, more, and not so much the lungs, the health minister said. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pawar on Thursday said she has tested positive for coronavirus. Bharati Pawar is the Lok Sabha member from Dindori in Nashik district of . Hemant Godse, a fellow MP from the district, had tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday.

On the inoculation drive against coronavirus, the health department said 13,64,60,096 doses have been administered in the state so far. Of this, 3,16,746 doses were administered to children in the age group of 15-17 years. In a related development, a 16-year-old boy in Maharashtra's Nashik district was mistakenly administered a dose of Covishield vaccine instead of Covaxin. As per the Union government's directive, children in this category are supposed to get only Covaxin. But the boy did not suffer any adverse effects, a local health official said.

Coronavirus figures of Maharashtra are as follows: Total cases: 67,93,297; new cases 36,265; death toll 1,41,594; active cases: 1,14,847; total tests 6,99,47,436.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The on Friday told the Delhi that is already covered as a crime of cruelty under the Indian Penal Code.

The Delhi government's counsel stated before the court hearing a batch of petitions seeking criminalisation of that the courts have no power to legislate any new offence and claimed that married women and unmarried women were placed differently under every single law.

" is a crime of cruelty in India. Married women and unmarried women are different under every single law, lawyer Nandita Rao said.

Rao also said that even in the case of one of the petitioners, who claimed to be a victim of repeated marital rape, the FIR stood registered for an offence under Section 498A IPC for necessary action.

Section 498A of IPC deals with cruelty to a married woman by her husband or his relatives where cruelty means any wilful conduct which is of such a nature which is likely to drive the woman to commit suicide or to cause grave injury or danger to life, limb or health (whether mental or physical) of the woman.

A bench of Justices Rajiv Shakdher and C Hari Shankar was dealing with PILs by NGOs RIT Foundation, All India Democratic Women's Association, a man and a woman seeking striking down of the exception granted to husbands under Indian rape law.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing the petitioner woman, argued that courts all over the world have recognised marital rape as an offence and abrogated the concept of a wife's irrevocable consent for establishing sexual relations.

The senior lawyer stated that the value system and women rights have evolved with the passage of time and relied on a series of judgements passed by courts in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, European Union and Nepal as well as international treaties to submit that an argument of a wife's assumed consent was untenable.

He said that the Nepal Supreme Court has observed that the Hindu religion did not exempt the heinous act of rape of a wife.

Gonsalves further objected to the notion that marital rape was a western concept and highlighted a United Nations report which indicated the prevalence of sexual violence between married couples in certain Indian states.

"Marital rape is the biggest form of sexual violence which happens in the confines of our homes. How many times does rape take place in the institution of marriage and is never reported? This figure is not reported or analysed, said the senior lawyer who contended that neither the families nor the police authorities come to the help of the victims.

In 2018, the city government had told the predecessor bench hearing the case -- headed by then Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal -- that wherever a spouse indulged in sexual relations without the willingness of the other, it was already an offence under IPC and a woman was entitled to refuse sexual relations with her husband as the right to bodily integrity and privacy under Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution.

The central government, in its affidavit filed in the case, has said that marital rape cannot be made a criminal offence as it could become a phenomenon that may destabilise the institution of marriage and an easy tool for harassing the husbands.

The petitioner NGO has challenged the constitutionality of section 375 IPC on the ground that it discriminated against married women being sexually assaulted by their husbands.

The hearing in the case will continue on January 10.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
on Friday reported 968 cases of COVID-19, including 24 cases of the Omicron variant, as the government urged hospitals and healthcare workers to remain vigilant and take all necessary precautions to tackle the surge in infections.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 968 fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours, which included 262 recoveries and no deaths.

On Thursday, 540 new cases were reported, with 271 recoveries and 1 death.

Additionally, 24 new cases of the Omicron variant were reported on Friday, taking the Himalayan nation's tally to 27, the Ministry of Health said.

The Ministry of Health confirmed that the cases were discovered in 1,146 COVID-19 positive random samples collected throughout the country.

Fearing a surge in infections, especially in view of the Omicron variant, the health ministry has asked hospitals to stockpile adequate medical supplies, especially oxygen.

There are currently 5,837 active cases of COVID-19 reported in Nepal, with 11,602 deaths.

(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 Human Rights Commission has expressed concern over the living conditions of slum dwellers in and sought a "comprehensive report" from the Centre, officials said on Friday.

In a statement, the said that acting on a complaint in this connection, it had issued notices to the government of Maharashtra and the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs seeking their responses.

The Government of Maharashtra responded, through its chief secretary, that several efforts have been made and schemes formulated to provide dwelling units to the slum dwellers for economically weaker sections with the state and central assistance under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna-Urban (PMAY-U). Shortage of funds has been cited as a constraint, it said



The Centre on its part responded that out of 2.24 lakh houses in Maharashtra, 2 lakh were sanctioned for alone, out of which 58,225 have been grounded, the rights panel said in its statement on Friday.

The Commission has sought a comprehensive report from the Secretary, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. He has been given four weeks' time, the statement said.

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs vide its communication dated December 3 2021, "submitted that the land and colonisation are State subjects".

Quoting the communication, the rights panel said the Centre is augmenting the efforts of the State to meet the housing needs of economically weaker sections in urban areas through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Urban (PMAY-U).

(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.)
Shopping malls have seen footfalls drop by up to 25 per cent in the first week of January 2022 due to restrictions imposed by states to check the spread of coronavirus, according to industry body SCAI.

On top of that consumers are also apprehensive about venturing out in the midst of rising Covid cases across the country, the Shopping Centres Association of India (SCAI) said.

Lower footfalls and sales have resulted in piling of stock at retailers' stores in shopping malls.

In cities such as Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai, which are witnessing a sharp jump in the number of Covid cases, shoppers are giving a miss, skipping the annual sale promotions.

When contacted, SCAI Chairman Mukesh Kumar said the weekend curfew imposed in and Bengaluru has hit the business of shopping malls.

The weekend sales contribute almost 30 to 40 per cent of their business. "We expect a drop in footfall. One has to accept that there is fear of Omicron in the public and it is spreading fast," Mukesh Kumar told PTI.

Businesses of food and beverages and multiplexes are most impacted in and Bengaluru, where the weekend closure is announced.

"For food and beverages, we are expecting a slight slow down because, in most of the states, they have been asked to close by 10 pm. There would be an impact on pubs while restaurants having family dining would have not much impact. While retail is concerned, most of the shops are getting closed by 9 to 9:30 pm," he added.

He, however, said that malls generally witness lower footfall in the first week of January every year.

"It is the same trend now. In case, if it did not get too serious, then it is not going to have an impact," he added.

The government has imposed a weekend curfew, while Karnataka has declared a weekend curfew and extended the night curfew for two weeks in the state.

Nexus Malls Cluster Director - Karnataka Manoj Singh said as malls are not operating on weekends, there would be 50 per cent loss of business.

"We are already seeing footfalls dip by around 15-25 per cent across malls during the first week of 2022," he said.

Nexus Malls has a total 16 malls spread across 12 cities and out of these five malls are in Karnataka.

Pacific Group Executive Director Abhishek Bansal said: "Footfalls in our shopping malls in Delhi have dropped by 60 per cent, while sales of retailers are down 70 per cent because of COVID restrictions".

On weekend, he said, there will be complete loss of business because of a curfew in the national capital.

In January, Bansal said footfalls and demands are generally high because of annual sales by retailers.

"Stocks have piled up in malls," he pointed out. Pacific group has three shopping malls at Shubash Nagar, Pitampura and Dwarka in the national capital.

However, mall owners are assuring the safety to the visitors and shoppers by strictly following the protocol and have also requested the government to allow them to function as usual.

"We have reached also to the government to go back to the normal timing. We would maintain protocol making sure that people visiting there are doubly vaccinated, said Kumar of SCAI. "We are just hoping that there is no more reactions from the government.

However, he also reiterated that safety for the customers and the visitors is very important and malls are safe.

"We do applaud the efforts that the state governments are taking to curb the spread of the virus, however, we would like to urge them to reconsider their decision on the weekend lockdowns, Nexus Malls' Singh said.

He added that malls are by far the most controlled and safe shopping experience that individuals can get.

(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.)
South Africa: NSFAS board extends deadline for financial aid applications

Students who did not apply for funding for the 2022 academic year by todays deadline will breath a sigh of relief as they will have another opportunity to apply for financial aid.

This after the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board extended the deadline for applications for the student financial aid to Friday, 21 January 2022.

Potential applicants are urged to make use of the opportunity as there will be no further extension on the application deadline, the scheme said in a statement on Thursday.

The government financial scheme said since the application process opened on 2 November 2021 they have received more than 600 000 applications from applicants who intend to further their post school education at any of the 50 TVET colleges and 26 public universities. At least 505 820 are first-time applicants.

NSFAS Chairperson, Ernest Khosa, briefed the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, on the assessment done on the number of applications received to date.

In this application cycle NSFAS enhanced its application portal such that first-time applicants who are SASSA beneficiaries will receive a real-time response after submitting their application. To date 182 567 applicants were confirmed eligible for funding instantly. The second cohort is non-SASSA applicants who receive their responses once their income verification has been concluded, the statement read.

To qualify for NSFAS funding you must be:

A South African Citizen;

SASSA grant recipients (the SASSA COVID-19 grant does not count);

Persons whose combined household income is not more than R350 000 per year;

Persons living with disabilities with a combined household income not more than R600 000 per annum.

A permanent resident, an individual who is in possession of a valid Permanent Residency Permit issue by the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa.



Supporting documents required:

All applicants must provide a copy of their ID document. Smart ID cards: a copy with both sides of the smart ID must be provided;

A temporary ID issued by the Department of Home Affairs

Non-SASSA applicants must provide ID copies of parent/s, legal guardian/guardian or spouse;

Proof of income: applicant and/or parents/legal guardian/spouse (where applicable (non-SASSA) should provide a latest payslip not older than three months, UIF letter, appointment letter, retrenchment letter (applicant and/or parent(s), legal guardian/spouse).



How can students apply?

NSFAS applications are submitted online through the myNSFAS portal (www.nsfas.org.za(link is external)), where students can submit their applications using their smartphones or computer.

To apply, create a myNSFAS account online, then proceed to the application tab and fill in personal details.

Applicants must ensure that they receive a reference number when they have submitted their application, as proof that their applications have been successfully submitted.

If you do not have a digital device or access to the internet, you can visit your nearest National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) or Thusong Centre to apply following the same steps.

The scheme has urged prospective students to apply for admission at a public university or TVET College of their choice, for an approved course/programme.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-01-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Interview: China, Ukraine have broad prospects for BRI cooperation, says Ukrainian economist

Xinhua) 14:12, January 07, 2022

KIEV, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China and Ukraine have great potential for partnership under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a Ukrainian economist said as the two countries marked their 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties this week.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Olga Drobotyuk, director at the Kiev-based Institute for Contemporary China Studies, stressed the bright prospects for bilateral cooperation "given the complementarities of their economies."

Describing cooperation on "Silk Road e-commerce" as particularly promising, Drobotyuk said that Ukraine possesses intellectual resources and potential for digitalizing the economy, while China has experience in digital transformation, and has actively been developing and investing in information and communications technologies.

The expert is also optimistic about China-Ukraine trade partnership under the BRI.

"The Chinese market is attractive for Ukrainian exporters due to its size and effective demand. The Ukrainian market also attracts Chinese exporters with its size," Drobotyuk said.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Ukraine-China trade increased by 47.5 percent year-on-year to 9.37 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2021.

Under the BRI, a direct freight train linking Ukraine with China was launched, which has "a positive impact on the development of trade relations," Drobotyuk said.

She also spoke highly of prospects for bilateral cooperation in infrastructure construction with a slew of contracts having recently been inked.

Since 2016, contractors from China and Ukraine have signed construction contracts under the BRI worth 2.95 billion dollars in such sectors as transport and energy, including alternative energy and gas, the expert said, citing data from the China Global Investment Tracker.

Another key milestone was the signing of an intergovernmental agreement on June 30, 2021, on strengthening cooperation in the construction of infrastructure, including railways, airports, ports and other facilities.

"The Belt and Road Initiative has a large-scale, global nature, in terms of the coverage of countries, the volume of trade, investments, resources," she noted.

Meanwhile, the expert noted that bilateral cooperation under the initiative goes beyond infrastructure and trade. "Cultural, educational and scientific exchanges are of great importance to strengthening cooperation."

There has been a positive trend in "student exchanges and joint research thanks to the efforts of the specialized Sub-Commissions of the China-Ukraine Intergovernmental Commission," she said.

"In the future, we can expect increased cooperation, the development of new directions of cooperation and participation under the BRI," she said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
The poets proclaim, O Bachchoo

That even the rose has thorns

Their intentions are to tell you

That poetry often warns

Against the cult of beauty

Her face of many dimples

Whove done their alluring duty

May sprout in a dozen pimples.

But Bachchoo ignore the blemish

The rose still smells as sweet

Its colours we should relish

Oh  Worship at beautys feet!

From Solemn Honeycomb, by Bachchoo

Each New Year Britain publishes a list of the Queens honours. This is a list of the new Lords, Baronesses, Sirs, Dames and lesser worthies who are blessed with being MBEs or OBEs, members or something or the other of the British Empire.

This year Tony Blair was made a knight and can henceforth sign himself, like our own Salman Rushdie before him, Sir Tony Blair. I chose him to mention out of a list of other knights and dames because a million signatories have united in a missive to Parliament to denounce him as a murderer for having joined the United States in its anti-Saddam war, sending British sons and brothers to be killed for chaos. The signatories believe that instead of being knighted, Tony Blair should be tried as a war criminal. Uneasy lies the head that wears the PMs responsibilities.

As I do each year, with degrees of mounting anticipation and then despair, I perused the lists in the newspapers and then the more trusted Internet, for the announcement that I had been made a peer of the realm. I have constantly sent emails to this peerage-nomination committee saying that when the Queen grants me the honour, I would want to be labelled Lord Dhondy of Doolally.

Peers have to choose a territory associated with their name, so allow me to explain. My ancestral Parsi family, gentle reader, though connected to Mumbai, owned vast acreage in Deolali. I dont know whether my ancestors squandered this possible inheritance through indulgent habits (the usual -- gambling, drink, sex, drugs, rock and roll?) or whether, as the family lore tells it, the Raj army illegally squatted on our family lands and these passed, at Independence, to the Indian Army. Nevertheless, a house on a road remained in the familys possession. And there is still in Deolali a Dhondy Road. It may not be as well-known as the Champs Elysees or Oxford Street, but none of those are named after me and mine so I remain proud to be proud.

The problem of opting for the title of Lord Dhondy of Deolali is that the towns name has been distorted by the British for millennia. It is referred to widely and commonly as Doolally, and its not a kind reference. But I feel that adopting the distorted name would be a permanent ironic blow to British imperialism.

The word Doolally is quite offensive. You see, there was in Deolali the all-India mental hospital for British soldiers and other Raj personnel who had mental problems. They were sent to the mental hospital there (It was definitely not on Dhondy land) and a phrase entered the English language. Hes gone doolally meant that he has been confined to the mental hospital in Deolali. There were other British corollaries to the word. When referring to an individual who was confined, the Brits would tap their foreheads with their forefingers and say Doolally tap. What they meant was Deolali ki taap  the heat that infuriates and makes people insane.

So, there you have it. But lets be frank and fair. I havent been very friendly or complimentary to or about BoJos government or to Priti Clueless or Hedgy Sunak. And OK, they give peerages to people who have handed over millions of pounds to their corrupt, swindling, intellectually-challenged Tory party. I have not a khoti damri  a counterfeit penny  as my grandmother used to say  to give to BoJo and gang. So, no lordship. Kya karein?  as my late friend Mahmood Jamal used to say  pardeys mey aakey koochh na koochh sehna padtha!

One response to the honours list by a good friend is worth noting. Paul notes in several media rants that black people he admires have accepted OBEs and MBEs. They have been rewarded as people who have contributed to society. Paul contends that they should have refused an honour which has the word Empire in it, as the British Empire was the cause of plenty of woes for the African, Caribbean and Indian sub-continental population.

Yes, there have been precedents of black people refusing this honour on the same grounds. But very many Black and Asian people have accepted it graciously. These include Doreen Lawrence whose son Stephen was murdered by idiot white racists at a bus stop in South London and she has campaigned against racial hatred since then.

Did Mrs Lawrence, in accepting the award, condone in any way the history of Empire? Im sure she didnt.

The name of these public service perception awards could be changed to anything. They could be called MBBLM  Member of the British Black Lives Matter award. It could be called the SSSA  the Super Service to Society Award. If, as Paul urges, all the recipients refuse the awards on the grounds that the prize includes the E for Empire, it would be a step forward for the linguistic revolution. But surely a step backward for the integration of the publicly-deserving in todays diverse Britain?
The on Friday asked the Centre and the state government to put on hold their probes into the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Ferozepur visit and directed the high court registrar general to immediately secure all relevant records.

The directions by a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana came on a day when a Central team investigating the lapse visited Ferozepur, meeting officials responsible for the security arrangements for the PM's visit on Wednesday.

Sources in Punjab said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sent show cause notices to some police officials in the state.

Also, the Punjab government submitted a report to Centre, informing that an FIR has been registered against unidentified protesters.

The prime minister's convoy was stranded on a flyover for nearly 20 minutes on Wednesday due to a blockade by farmers in Ferozepur.

He then returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending the planned events, including a rally. The Centre had accused the state's Congress for the security breach and sought an immediate report from it.

The political slugfest over the incident continued on Friday with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar demanding that his Punjab counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi's government should be dismissed and President's Rule imposed in the state.

Both the Centre and the state have set up high-level committees into the lapse.

The has now asked them to put the probes on hold till Monday when it will next hear the petition.

Heard counsel for parties. Taking into consideration the arguments advanced, keeping in view that it pertained to the security of the prime minister and other issues... as first step, we deem it appropriate to direct Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure records forthwith, the bench, also comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said in the order.

The apex court also directed the Punjab government, its police and other Central and state agencies to provide all relevant records immediately to the Registrar General.

The SC was hearing a plea by Lawyers' Voice' seeking a thorough investigation into the security breach.

The petition sought the preservation of evidence on security arrangements, a court-monitored probe and action against the erring Punjab government officials.

The three-member committee, constituted by the Union Home Ministry on Thursday, is seeking full details about the sequence of events that unfolded during Modi's Punjab visit, sources said.

The panel is led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat. It has Balbir Singh, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau and S Suresh, IG, Special Protection Group as two other members.

Amid foggy weather conditions, the team visited the Pyarayana flyover near Ferozepur on Friday morning and interacted with senior Punjab Police and administration officials.

.The team spent about 45 minutes at the flyover before heading to the BSF sector headquarters 10 km away. It was closeted there with senior officials who were directly responsible for ensuring a smooth passage for the PM's convoy.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari wrote to the Union Home Ministry on the security breach, giving the sequence of events and informing that an FIR has been lodged, sources said.

The state government also mentioned in the report that it has formed its own two-member panel to investigate the alleged lapses.

On Friday, BJP leaders continued to target the Channi government over the lapse while the Congress largely played down the incident.

Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu claimed that the BJP was ranting about the incident while trying to save itself from the humiliation over the thin attendance at the PM's rally venue.

In Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav taunted, People and farmers of Punjab should have allowed the PM to reach the dais... he would have felt good on seeing the empty chairs.

Union minister Anurag Thakur questioned the silence of top Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the security lapse.

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi offered prayers at the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai for the prime minister's well-being.

The deliberate criminal negligence during the visit of the world's popular and admired leader has made the Congress a cowardly conspiracy clan, he charged.

(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 on Thursday set up a three-member panel to investigate the security breach that stalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip, an announcement made hours after a minister indicated that some big and tough decisions" were being taken by the Union Home Ministry.

Prime Minister briefed President Ram Nath Kovind on the security breach even as Chief Minister claimed that the theatrics related to Wednesday's incident were aimed at imposing President's Rule on .

The matter also came up before the Supreme Court.

Earlier in the day, the government announced its own two-member panel to investigate lapses. It has been asked to submit its report in three days.

From Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, political leaders sparred over the issue.

BJP leaders offered prayers at temples in different parts of the country for a long life for the PM. They also posted their wishes and prayers for Modi on Twitter, using the hashtag "LongLivePMModi".

Punjab BJP leader met Governor Banwarilal Purohit in Chandigarh, seeking the dismissal of the state's home minister and its police chief.

The committee announced by the Union Home Ministry will inquire into "serious lapses" in security arrangements which exposed the VVIP to grave risk.

The panel will be led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat. Its other members are Intelligence Bureau joint director Balbir Singh and Special Protection Group IG S Suresh.

In what the Centre described as a "major security lapse", Modi's convoy was stranded Wednesday for 20 minutes on a flyover due to a blockade by farm protesters in Ferozepur.

He returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally, and the Centre blamed the Congress government in Punjab for the security breach. CM Channi, however, claimed that a last-minute change of travel plans by Modi led to the situation.

On Thursday, Channi's government constituted a committee of retired Justice Mehtab Singh Gill and Principal Secretary, Home Affairs and Justice, Anurag Verma to conduct an investigation.

In Delhi, Union minister Anurag Thakur indicated that the Home Ministry will act on the security breach.

"The home ministry has also spoken about taking action. After gathering information, whatever steps... big and tough decisions will be taken by it," he told reporters during a briefing on a cabinet meeting.

The Home Ministry announced the panel later in the day.

Earlier, Modi met President Ram Nath Kovind, who expressed concern over the security lapse.

"President Ram Nath Kovind met Prime Minister Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today and received from him a first-hand account of the security breach in his convoy in Punjab yesterday, the President's secretariat said on Twitter.

The President expressed his concerns about the serious lapse, it added.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu too has spoken with the PM.

The Supreme Court will on Friday hear a plea seeking a thorough investigation into the security breach. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana took note of senior advocate Maninder Singh's submission on the issue.

"Serve the copy (of the petition) to the state government. We will take it tomorrow as the first item," the bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said.

CM Channi took an aggressive stand at a public meeting in Hoshiarpur's Tanda, maintaining that the security threat claim was cheap theatrics that did not behove a leader of the PM's stature.

The chief minister claimed that Modi cancelled his trip because of the thin crowd at the Ferozepur rally venue, and there was a conspiracy to defame the state.

"Yesterday's gimmick by the PM and his coterie is aimed at imposing President Rule on the state, he said.

In Uttarkashi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said if the safety of the prime minister cannot be ensured, it would be difficult to prevent the disintegration of the country's democratic institutions."



The Punjab BJP said it did not have any expectations from the probe committee set up by the state government.

The chief minister is the conspirator of this conspiracy. What will this committee set up by his government do?" Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma told reporters after meeting the Governor.

The BJP delegation demanded the dismissal of the state home minister -- Deputy Chief Minister Sukjinder Singh Randhawa holds the portfolio and DGP S Chattopadhyay over the lapse.

(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.)
could face shortage of by the third week of January, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila warned on Friday, as he urged the Central Bank to step in and pump in foreign currency required for imports.

Gammanpila's grim warning comes close on the heels of the Ceylon Electricity Board issuing a statement, asking citizens to brace for power cuts in the days to come due to its inability to purchase .

The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday had announced a USD 1.2 billion economic relief package amidst a severe foreign exchange crisis grappling the island nation.

At the beginning of December last year, the forex reserves were sufficient for just a month of imports.

However, last week, the Central Bank of announced that the country's foreign exchange reserves had doubled in the span of just one month, and touched USD 3.1 billion.

According to sources, the forex reserve boost was buoyed by a 10 billion-yuan (USD 1.6 billion) currency swap agreement signed with China on March 21 this year.

There is this looming danger which I have informed the Cabinet no less than on 8 occasions. The Central Bank has to ensure Letters of Credit can be opened for cooking gas and . We could substitute imported food with some local varieties, but for fuel it is not possible, Gammanpila said.

The Energy Minister's comments come hours after the Sri Lankan government had signed an agreement with India jointly redevelop the strategic World War II-era oil tank farm in the island nation's eastern port district of Trincomalee, in a new milestone in bilateral economic and energy partnership.

The severe foreign currency shortage and a credit rating downgrade by Fitch had forced the country's only 50,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery to shut down from January 3.

(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 third wave of is here in India and the medical fraternity is bracing up for yet another year of the pandemic. Read more on that in today's top headlines.

Doctors and nurses brace for third wave of Covid-19

Winter break cancelled; join duty immediately. This was the message from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, to its staff earlier this week.

The third wave of Covid-19 is upon India. And like the last time and the time before that, it is doctors and nurses who will be at the forefront, tackling it  night and day. Read more

Centre seeks relaxation in promoter shareholding cap for sale

The central government has approached the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), seeking relaxation in the promoter shareholding cap for the new buyer of .

The Centre has sought relaxing the 26-per cent cap for new promoters of IDBI Bank, as it looks to initiate a strategic divestment of the lender. The RBI is considering the Centres proposal, as the government plans to come up with an expression of interest (EoI) and preliminary information memorandum for the bank's sale. Read more

Budget 2022-23: Worst-hit sectors may get credit guarantee breather

With concerns about the economic impact of the variant growing stronger due to restrictions in various states, the Centre is likely to fall back on one of its major economic recovery planks  the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). Read more

to be announced any time, but no decision on e-voting

With the Assembly election schedule to five states due to be announced any day now, and India in the grips of a surge in Covid cases, the (ECI) is preparing to reply to a query from the Uttarakhand High Court (HC), which has asked whether virtual campaigning and online voting is possible in the upcoming in the state. Read more

restrictions may shave off up to 150 bps from FY22 growth

Omicron-induced lockdowns, among other factors such as an increase in raw material prices, may pull down growth in gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 150 basis points (bps) for this fiscal year, according to economists.

Meanwhile, the government will release the first advance estimates of for FY22 on Friday. It is to be seen whether it takes the effect into consideration. Read more
The UK's Armed Forces have sent 200 personnel into National Health Service (NHS) hospitals across London as major incidents were declared on Friday due to staff shortages as a result of a continued surge in COVID-19 cases.

The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it will provide 40 defence medics and 160 general duty personnel for the next three weeks to assist with the crisis.

These military medics will assist NHS doctors and nurses with patient care, while general duty personnel will help fill gaps caused by other absences as the UK's daily COVID infections maintained a high trend at 179,756, driven by the Omicron variant.

The men and women of our Armed Forces are once again stepping up to support their dedicated colleagues in the NHS, as they work hand-in-hand to protect the nation from COVID-19, said UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

Across the UK, about 1,800 armed forces personnel are supporting the NHS response to the pandemic. The MoD said that more than 1,000 servicemen and women have also already been made available to support the vaccine booster programme, including 730 in England, 221 in Scotland and 98 in Wales.

Our brilliant armed forces have supported the country throughout the pandemic, bolstering the teams at testing sites, vaccination centres and hospitals. Once again, they are stepping up to assist NHS workers who are working round the clock across the capital, helping the health service through this difficult winter period where the need is greatest, added UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

The UK's Royal College of Nursing has said the deployment means the government can no longer deny there is a "staffing crisis" within the NHS.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the Indian-origin council chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA), said "we have never known this level of staff absence before" and the pressures facing the health service and general practitioners (GPs) "is not normal".

Latest figures from NHS show that 39,142 NHS staff at hospital trusts in were absent because of COVID on January 2, an increase of 59 per cent on the week before (24,632) and more than three times the level it was at the start of December 2021.

Around 17 hospital trusts in had declared critical incidents signalling there are fears that priority services cannot be safely delivered.

Two major incidents have also been declared in England with emergency services saying there is a civil emergency in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. This means multiple agencies including the NHS, Fire and Rescue Service, police and local authorities will step up coordination of their response to the surging infections and key workers needing to isolate.

Northamptonshire has also declared a system-wide major incident, with hospitals, care homes and emergency services subject to a shortage of staff and facing increased demand because of coronavirus, Northamptonshire Police said.

Some of the hardest-hit hospitals in the UK are in the north of England now even as London, previously the epicentre of the Omicron wave, starts to recover somewhat with staff absences declining slightly.

(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.)
Technology start-up industry representative IndiaTech has told Finance Minister that it is critical for the Union Budget to clearly lay down taxation clarity around crypto assets by formally naming them in tax laws besides the method of taxation and their disclosures.

The budget document should also name and classify cryptocurrencies to be defined as digital assets and not currencies and grant them recognition as digital assets, the industry body has suggested.

The letter, parts of which has been reviewed by Business Standard, lists nine recommendations to regulate crypto companies in the country.

IndiaTech said that crypto assets should draw from direct tax definitions in the budget and GST should be levied only on the platform fees of the exchanges. Ideally, 18 per cent on the platform commission. GST should be levied on the brokerage or exchange fees (like it happens in stock markets) and not on the transaction value.

The letter comes on the backdrop of larger tax demands being slapped on crypto companies by the GST department in the past one week. While WazirX has coughed up Rs 49 crore of unpaid taxes, sources say crypto unicorn CoinSwitch Kuber may be facing a higher ask as the platform engages in buying and selling of crypto assets.

The letter also recommended that appropriate FEMA Regulations and assigned HS Codes should be applied for the treatment of such cryptos purchased from persons outside India and Indian start-up exchanges may be given the status of Authorised Dealers. It also said that that FDI in crypto companies should be capped at 74 per cent, similar to the banking sector.

Additionally, for individuals holding crypto assets at the end of the Financial Year, similar disclosure requirements as recently introduced by the Ministry of Corporate affairs for companies holding crypto assets may be introduced by means of an equivalent provision similar to Schedule AL in the Income Tax Return to enable all individuals filing returns to mandatorily disclose such crypto asset holdings, the letter stated.

There also exists a possibility that some of crypto assets may possibly be owned by certain individuals/organisations through past mining. These should ideally be treated as self- generated assets in which case cost of acquisition may be computed appropriately, it added.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has directed all varsities and colleges to accept degrees, marksheets and other documents available in accounts as valid documents.

"As you are aware, the National Academic Depository (NAD) is an online storehouse of academic awards (degrees and mark-sheets) lodged by the academic institutions in a digital format. It facilitates students to get authentic documents and certificates in digital format directly from their original issuers anytime and anywhere without any physical interference, the said in a letter to varsities.

The Ministry of (MoE) has designated the as an authorised body to implement NAD as a permanent scheme without levy of any user charges in co-operation with the as a single depository of NAD.

Academic institutions can register themselves and upload academic awards of their institution on NAD through NAD portal.

The Digilocker platform of the Ministry of Electronics and Information technology (MeitY) has the facility to pull students' degree marksheet and other documents into the issued documents section in an electronic form once uploaded through the DigiLocker NAD platform by the original issuer. These electronic records available on DigiLocker platform are valid documents as per the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

"To enhance the reach of the NAD programmes, all academic institutions are requested to accept degree, marksheets and other documents available in issued documents in DigiLocker account as valid documents, it added.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
leader on Thursday took swipes at the Trinamool Party and for entering the fray for the coming Assembly elections in Goa.

joined hands with these two parties at the national level because they were anti-BJP, but in Goa, where Congress has the capability to defeat the BJP, they rushed to contest polls, he said. Kumar was addressing Congress workers at Mapusa town. He also targeted the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the security breach during Modi's Punjab visit. The BJP says prime minister does not belong to any one party, so why was he campaigning for the party, Kumar asked. The former JNU student leader also said the BJP accuses him of being anti-Hindu, but the fact remains that his name is 'Kanhaiya'. They call me anti-defence forces, I would like to tell them that 16 people from my family are in defence forces, I belong to a family which gets pension of freedom fighter, 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.)
Members of the BJP in burned effigies of All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi and its senior leader Rahul Gandhi here late on Thursday in protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach in Punjab a day ago.

The prime minister was stuck on a flyover in Congress-led Punjab for 15-20 minutes on Wednesday due to a blockade by some protesters, an incident the Union Home Ministry described as a "major lapse" in his security.

According to leaders of the grand old party, the protesters also vandalised the office of Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).

A senior police officer said the matter was being looked into.

Hareshwar Goswami, the general secretary of the state Congress unit, said activists of BJYM -- the youth wing of the saffron party -- entered Congress Bhavan by force.

"BJP goons wearing saffron caps, which had BJP written on them, started attacking us. A woman office-bearer of the Congress was also manhandled," he told PTI.

A BJP official said party members just wanted to stage a protest against the PM's security lapse, condemning the "undemocratic attitude" of Congress leaders.

Modi had visited Manipur on January 4 and launched a slew of projects for the development of the state.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Between March 2020 and May 2020, central banks of all major economies reduced policy rates to battle the economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. After nearly a year and a half of low policy rates, the US Fed in December 2021 accelerated its cycle, announcing multiple hikes in 2022. The Bank of England went a step ahead and increased its ...

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A Chinese national pleaded guilty in a US court to stealing trade secrets from Monsanto agribusiness corporation to benefit Beijing, the Justice Department said in a statement on Thursday (local time).

"Xiang Haitao, 44, a Chinese national formerly residing in Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit economic espionage," the Justice Department said.

"According to court documents, Xiang conspired to steal a trade secret from Monsanto, an company based in St. Louis, for the purpose of benefitting a foreign government, namely the People's Republic of China," it added.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division said: "Despite Xiang's agreements to protect Monsanto's intellectual property and repeated training on his obligations to do so, Xiang has now admitted that he stole a trade secret from Monsanto, transferred it to a memory card and attempted to take it to the People's Republic of for the benefit of Chinese government."

While US Attorney Sayler Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri said: "Mr Xiang used his insider status at a major company to steal valuable trade secrets for use in his native ."

Xiang, who was then living in the US state of Missouri, was employed by Monsanto and its subsidiary, The Climate Corporation, from 2008 to 2017 as an imaging scientist before quitting his job and buying a one-way ticket to .

Federal officials searched the Chinese national at a US airport in June 2017 and discovered copies of a Monsanto proprietary algorithm, which is considered a trade secret and intellectual property, in an electronic device as he was waiting to board a flight to China, the release said.

Xiang continued his trip to China where he worked for the Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Soil Science, but he was arrested when he returned to the United States, the release said.

Xiang will be sentenced on April 7. He faces up to 15 years in prison and a potential 5 million US dollars fine.

(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.)
Citigroup Inc. was the first major Wall Street bank to impose a strict Covid-19 vaccine mandate: Get a shot or face termination. With its deadline fast approaching, the company is preparing for action. Office workers who dont comply by January 14 will be placed on unpaid leave and their last day of employment will come at the end of the month. While some of the employees will be eligible for certain year-end bonus payments, theyll have to sign an agreement that states they wont pursue legal action against the company to receive the funds, the company said in the message.

Moderna sees boosters in fall Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel, said another round of vaccine boosters against Covid-19 will probably be needed this fall.

With the pandemic in its third year, global cases of have now passed 300 million. A South African study showed the omicron variant moved with unprecedented speed and caused milder illness, indications that the pandemic could be coming to an end. (Reuters) Britain calls in military to help Britain's Ministry of Defence on Friday said that it had begun the deployment of the military to support hospitals experiencing staff shortages and extreme pressures due to record COVID-19 cases in the country. (Reuters) Thailand reimposes quarantine Thailand indefinitely suspended a quarantine-free visa program for vaccinated visitors and ordered a ban on the sale of alcohol at restaurants in areas deemed at high risk of Covid infections to curb the spread of the omicron variant. (Reuters)
A senior Army three-star general with extensive experience in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has been nominated to become the top US commander for the .

President has nominated Army Lt Gen Erik Kurilla to head US Central Command and be promoted to four-star general, according to multiple US officials.

The Senate Armed Services Committee notice says only that Kurilla has been nominated to become a general, and does not detail which job he would get if confirmed. But his nomination for US Central Command has been expected for several months. US officials confirmed the planned job on condition of anonymity because it has not yet been made public.

If confirmed by the Senate, Kurilla would replace Marine General Frank McKenzie, who has led the command for the past three years and is expected to retire.

Kurilla would take over as the Pentagon continues to try and shift its focus to the Indo-Pacific and counter a rising China, and to bolster defences against Russia in Europe, where Moscow is massing troops near the Ukraine border, fuelling fears of an invasion.

The US has withdrawn all forces from Afghanistan and has now formally shifted its role in Iraq from combat to advising and assisting the Iraqi forces. But the US strategy to put more emphasis on China and Russia has been repeatedly stymied by Iran, forcing the Pentagon to maintain a significant troop presence across the and cultivate strong relations with allies in the region.

In recent weeks, Iranian-backed militia groups have increased the pace of their attacks on US and allied forces in Iraq and Syria. The groups have made it clear they want all US troops out of Iraq, and have vowed to continue attacks until they are gone.

Since Monday there have been at least three attacks on bases that house US forces in Iraq and Syria. The attacks included strikes by rockets and armed drones. Two armed drones were shot down Monday as they headed for a facility housing US advisers at the Baghdad airport, and two explosives-laden drones were destroyed as they targeted an Iraqi military base housing American troops in western Anbar province on Tuesday.

Kurilla, who is from Elk River, Minnesota, is currently commander of the 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, but previously served as the chief of staff at Central Command, working for McKenzie and, before that, General Joseph Votel.

He graduated from the Military Academy at West Point in 1988, and has served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, commanding conventional and special operations forces. He commanded a Stryker battalion in Iraq in 2004, and was shot and wounded.

He later was commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, overseeing combat teams deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. He also served as director of operations at the Joint Special Operations Command and was commander of the 82nd Airborne Division.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President forcefully blamed and his supporters for holding a dagger at the throat of democracy with election lies that sparked last year's deadly assault on the US Capitol, using the anniversary of the attack to warn that America's system of government remains under urgent threat.

The president Thursday set the tone on a day of remembrance that brought fiery speeches, moments of silence and anguished accounts from lawmakers recalling the terrifying hours of Jan 6, 2021, when the Trump mob laid siege to the Capitol and rioters tried to stop the routine, ceremonial certification of election results.

Notably, almost no Republicans joined Biden and the Democrats in what some hoped would be a day of reconciliation. Instead, it was a fresh and jarring display of a nation still deeply torn by the lies that led to the riot, by its unsettled aftermath and Trump's persisting grip on a large swath of the country.

For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol, Biden said. You can't love your country only when you win.

Biden's criticism of the defeated president was rife with condemnation for the assault that has fundamentally changed Congress and the nation, and has raised global concerns about the future of American democracy.

His voice booming at times, reverberating in the ornate Statuary Hall where rioters had laid siege, the president called on Americans to remember what they saw Jan 6 with their own eyes: the mob attacking police and breaking windows, a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, gallows erected outside amid calls to hang the vice president all while Trump sat at the White House watching on TV.

The former president's supporters are trying to rewrite history," Biden said. "They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6 as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America? I cannot.

Until the anniversary, Biden had mentioned the attack only sparingly but he aggressively weighed in Thursday and coupled his message with a call for voting rights legislation that Democrats have long been urging.

The president's remarks drew a stark contrast with the false narratives that persist about the Capitol assault, including the continued refusal by many Republicans to affirm that Biden won the 2020 election. Five people died in the Capitol siege and its immediate aftermath.

We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie, Biden said. The former president of the of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.

Yet even as the president spoke, the vanquished Trump gave no signs of letting go, a show of the division in the country emphasised by the silence and absence of most Republicans to join Biden at the Capitol.

From Florida, Trump revived his unfounded attack on the elections. He accepted no responsibility for sending the thousands of supporters to the Capitol that day when he told them to fight like hell". By Thursday evening, he was sending out a fundraising appeal.

Even among congressional Republicans who condemned the attack in the days afterward, few spoke that way now some joining in Trump's false portrayals.

What brazen politicisation of January 6 by President Biden, tweeted Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a sometimes Trump confidant who had initially said he had abandoned Trump after the riot only to quickly embrace him again.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell who at the time said Trump was practically and morally responsible the attack issued a statement that highlighted the gravity of that day, but also said some Democrats were trying to exploit it for other purposes. He was absent, with a contingent attending the funeral of former colleague Sen. Johnny Isakson in Georgia.

Rep. Liz Cheney, vice chair of the House committee investigating the attack and one of the few GOP lawmakers attending the Capitol ceremonies, warned that the threat continues. Trump, she said, "continues to make the same claims that he knows caused violence on January 6.

Unfortunately, too many in my own party are embracing the former president, are looking the other way or minimising the danger, she told NBC's Today show. That's how democracies die. We simply cannot let that happen.

She was joined by her father Dick Cheney, the former vice president and now a Republican Party elder. They were the only members of the GOP seen for a moment of silence on the House floor.

Dick Cheney was greeted by several Democrats and said in a statement: I am deeply disappointed at the failure of many members of my party to recognize the grave nature of the January 6 attacks and the ongoing threat to our nation.

Throughout Thursday, lawmakers shared their experiences of being trapped in the House or rushed away from the Senate, as the siege raged for hours. Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan showed a shard of glass from one of the Capitol's broken windows he carries in his pocket.

January 6 is not over, he said, choking up. The threat, and the lie that fuels that threat, continues to rear its head. He said: To truly protect our democracy we need truth.

The House panel investigating the insurrection plans to spend the coming months exploring and revealing what happened with public hearings.

Biden and his administration have come under criticism from some in his party for not adequately explaining how they believe democracy is at risk, or pushing Congress hard enough to pass election and voting rights legislation that is stalled by a Republican filibuster in the Senate.

Barack Obama, the former president, said nothing is more important on the anniversary than ensuring the right to vote.

Our democracy is at greater risk today than it was back then, Obama said in a statement.

Biden's address, and that of Vice President Kamala Harris who is leading the administration's efforts on the voting and elections legislation, appeared as a direct response to critics.

We must pass voting rights bills, Harris said in her address. We cannot sit on the sidelines."



House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, drew on history with a hope that Americans would turn to their better angels to resolve differences. Lawmakers held an evening vigil on the Capitol steps.

Other remembrances or demonstrations were few around the country.

Biden's sharp message and the Republicans' distance from it come as lawmakers are adjusting to the new normal on Capitol Hill the growing tensions that many worry will result in more violence or, someday, a legitimate election actually being overturned.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that 3 in 10 Republicans say the attack was not violent. Around two-thirds of Americans described the day as very or extremely violent, including about 9 in 10 Democrats.

The percentage of Americans who blame Trump for the riot has grown slightly over the past year, with 57% saying he bears significant responsibility, up from 50% in the days after the attack.

Trump's claims of widespread election fraud were rejected by the courts and refuted by his own Justice Department.

An investigation by the AP found fewer than 475 cases of voter fraud among 25.5 million ballots cast in the six battleground states disputed by Trump, a minuscule number in percentage terms.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared that order had largely been restored in but vowed to push ahead with a deadly crackdown after Russian troops helped suppress mass protests that had swept the country.

Security forces appeared to have reclaimed the streets of Kazakhstan's main city on Friday after days of violence, and the Russian-backed president said he had ordered his troops to shoot to kill to put down a countrywide uprising.

Dozens have died and public buildings across have been ransacked and torched in the worst violence in its 30 years of independence.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said foreign-trained terrorists were responsible for the unrest.

"The militants have not laid down their arms, they continue to commit crimes or are preparing for them," he said in a televised address.

"Whoever does not surrender will be destroyed. I have given the order to law enforcement agencies and the army to shoot to kill, without warning."

Moscow said more than 70 planes were ferrying Russian troops into Kazakhstan, and that these were now helping control Almaty's main airport, recaptured on Thursday from protesters.

Demonstrations that began as a response to a fuel price hike have swelled into a broad movement against the government and ex-leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, 81, the longest-serving ruler of any former Soviet state.

He turned over the presidency to Tokayev three years ago but his family is widely believed to have retained influence in Nur-Sultan, the purpose-built capital that bears his name.

The protesters in Almaty appear mainly to come from the city's poor outskirts or surrounding towns and villages. The violence has come as a shock to urban Kazakhs, used to comparing their country favourably to more repressive and volatile ex-Soviet Central Asian neighbours.
The reduced severity of is good news for now, but it is the result of an "evolutionary mistake" as COVID-19 is transmitting very efficiently and there is no reason for it to become milder, indicating that the next variant could be more virulent, a leading Indian-origin scientist from the University of Cambridge has warned.

Ravindra Gupta, Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Diseases (CITIID), led a recent study on the variant and was among the first globally to describe the modified fusion mechanism of cells at play which might make more visible to the body's immune defences.

While the study showed that the new variant, dominant in the UK and now sweeping parts of India, is infecting the cells found in the lungs less, the virus itself is not intending to become milder.

"There is this assumption that viruses become more benign over time but that's not what's happening here because those are long-term evolutionary trends," Prof. Gupta told PTI in an interview on Thursday.

"SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) does not have that issue because it is transmitting very efficiently so it doesn't have any reason to become milder, especially in the era of vaccination with plenty of susceptible hosts. So that's why I think it's an evolutionary mistake. It's not something intentional that the virus is trying to do to change its biology," he explained.

"This finding of reduced severity with Omicron is obviously good news for now but the next variant that comes, and there will be one, will not necessarily have these characteristics and could go back to the severity that we've seen before.

"And, in fact I think it probably will Therefore, blocking infection is a potentially desirable thing to do rather than what I've heard, which is people seeing this as a natural vaccine. That is an understandable but dangerous thing to do because we don't understand the complete implications of different variants on our health, he said.

According to the UK-born scientist with familial roots in Uttar Pradesh, who advises the UK government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG), keeping up the vaccination drive is important because that remains "our first line of defence" against the virus.

"Whilst we have a situation of a milder variant, we should use that as a chance to increase vaccination coverage," he said.

Asked how he sees the Omicron wave impacting India, Prof. Gupta said it was important to learn from other countries' experiences and take pre-emptive action. Also, the types of vaccines used, with fewer RNA vaccines compared to the US and Europe, and genetic differences could play a role in India's experience of the Omicron wave.

Gupta said: "In India, there were a lot of Delta infections so there's some immunity there. The vaccines have been rolled out very nicely. We know that Omicron is able to escape from vaccines and third dose boosting is essential.

"It's not clear in India, where mainly people have had two doses plus an infection, whether this will be adequate. There will be certain people who are vulnerable who get sick and do need ventilation, specially the unvaccinated.

"That's why caution is needed and focus on infection transmission interruption and vaccination are so important."



According to Gupta's study into Omicron, there seems to be a difference between its impact on the deep tissues in the lung and the upper airways or bronchus. This is down to the presence of a particular protein or enzyme which is sitting on the surface of the cells in the lung called TMPRSS2, which prevents the virus from completing an efficient infection.

"So, two pathways are available to the virus and Omicron prefers one pathway rather than the other and because of that choice, that pathway is more dominant in the upper airways where implications for oxygenation and lung function are milder compared to if things are going on deep into your lungs," he explains.

As the Omicron variant does not engage the TMPRSS2 very efficiently, its ability to cause large fused cells is impaired. This fusion mechanism of making larger cells is a way that the virus can help itself avoid neutralising antibodies and by not being able to fuse, Omicron might make itself more visible to the immune system.

It's a bit unclear. But it's very real and it's very related to what we call a tropism (behavioural) switch. The big question is why the virus is unable to use TMPRSS2. We are still trying to understand this for some reason, Omicron's spike is less well processed or cleaved, said Gupta.

The virus needs to be cleaved, or cut in two, in order for it to perform its functions optimally and Omicron seems to have lost some aspect of its function.

"But if it's replicating in the upper airways, passing very efficiently, it fulfills the goal of transmission much more effectively than if it were infecting deep tissues, which is probably an evolutionary mistake for the virus, added Gupta.

As a result, his team's focus now is on further studying why this evolutionary mistake occurred and to understand the biology of the virus better to help with more effective and efficient future courses of drugs and vaccines.

According to the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update, released by the global agency on Thursday, a record 9.5 million new COVID-19 cases were reported around the world during the week December 27-January 2.

The update said that during the week December 27, 2021 to January 2, 2022, following a gradual increase since October, the global number of new cases increased sharply by 71 per cent as compared to the previous week.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that while the Omicron variant appears to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorised as mild'.

Just like previous variants; Omicron is hospitalising people and it is killing people, he said in Geneva at a press briefing.

"In fact, the tsunami of cases is so huge and quick, that it is overwhelming systems around the world," Tedros said.

Hospitals are becoming overcrowded and understaffed, which further results in preventable deaths from not only COVID-19 but other diseases and injuries where patients cannot receive timely care, he said.

Since the was first reported in central China's Wuhan city, the deadly disease has infected over 300,173,00 people globally and caused more than 5,472,000 deaths.

(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.)
At least three people were killed and 14 trapped in debris after a building collapsed due to a suspected gas leak at a Sub-District Office in southwest on Friday.

The occurred at the Sub-District office in Wulong District's Chongqing Municipality, trapping 27 people.

Thirteen people had been pulled out from the debris, three of whom died during rescue efforts, state-run CGTN-TV quoted the on-site emergency response team as saying.

The accident took place at 12:10 pm local time due to a suspected gas leakage which triggered the explosion and caused the collapse of the canteen building, the Municipal Publicity Department said.

Rescuers are looking for the 14 buried in the debris, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

According to witnesses, people were having lunch in the canteen when the took place. A number of people were injured and have been rushed to the hospital; rescue work is underway, Xinhua reported.

China's Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched several experts to guide the rescue efforts.

Minister of Emergency Management Huang Ming has called for efforts to immediately inspect the situation, find out the exact number of victims trapped, determine the cause of the accident and prevent such mishaps from happening again.

More than 150 firefighters and professional rescuers as well as a group of rescue dogs are racing against time to search for the trapped people.

has in recent months witnessed explosions in restaurants, killing and injuring many people which are largely blamed on gas leaks.

(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 government has asked for specific numbers over a period to drill-down on the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the Indian government around funding licences of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the House of Lords was informed during a debate.

Peers in the Upper House of the Parliament debated the issue on Thursday following a question raised by crossbench peer Lord Harries of Pentregarth, asking what representations the British government had made to its Indian counterparts about the blocking of overseas funds for the Missionaries of Charity and other non-governmental organisations.

The charity founded by Mother Teresa in Kolkata was recently denied an FCRA renewal along with other NGOs, a move the Indian government has said is a matter of routine processing by the Ministry of Home Affairs under well-established procedure and long-standing administrative practice.

We are aware of some non-governmental organisations that face difficulties in India due to the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act by the Indian government, and that some have recently had applications to renew their foreign funding licences rejected, said Lord Tariq Ahmad, responding to questions on behalf of the government as Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

On the issue of the licence in India, I have looked into this specifically, and we do not know why its applications were rejected. I have asked and pressed to see the kinds of numbers that currently exist, he said, in reference to the Missionaries of Charity.

Lord Harries pressed the minister on the matter and questioned whether the action against the charity was to prevent people coming into contact with Christianity and eventually convert to it.

Among the 12,580 organisations whose licences have ceased to exist, some ceased to exist because they did not submit their applications in time, and others were rejected for other reasons. There are Christian NGOs, but there are also 250 Hindu and more than 250 Muslim NGOs, so whether this is specifically against Christian organisations is not shown by the data, but I am requesting further information in this respect, Ahmad said in response.

Lord Alton of Liverpool asked if the government had studied the list of organisations which have lost their licences, which number as high as 3,000.

Ahmad, who holds the brief of Minister for South Asia, replied: Because of the constructive nature of our engagement, we are able to raise this not just with the Indian High Commission here in London but in a constructive manner with the Indian government directly.

The noble Lord points to specific numbers. As I alluded to earlier, I have asked specifically for a drill-down on the numbers over a period, so that I can analyse directly which organisations are impacted and the reasons why these licences have been revoked, to allow us to make much more qualified representation, Ahmad said.

The debate, which involved a section of cross-party peers, covered concerns around civil society organisations being hampered in their work to fight poverty in India and also raised the issue of organisations such as Amnesty and Oxfam being starved of funds in India. Ahmad said the UK government had taken up the issue of Amnesty directly but that it continues to provide challenge.

However, because of our lobbying and representations, we welcomed the recent High Court decision in Karnataka which allowed Amnesty to access some of its funds, the minister said.

The Indian High Commission in London said it would not like to comment on a discussion between members of Parliament of the UK.

However, on the subject: it appears to need reiteration that this is a matter of routine processing by India's Ministry of Home Affairs of renewal applications for FCRA approval submitted by thousands of India-based entities including the Missionaries of Charity, a High Commission statement said.

An examination of facts would make it clear that no single community, religion or source of funding has been particularly targeted' or any accounts frozen by the government of India. It would be seen that all these applications for renewal of FCRA licences have been processed as per well-established procedure and long-standing administrative practice which, in most countries, are recognised as a part of good governance, the statement said.

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The US (FAA) on Thursday issued fresh warnings that new 5G wireless service could still disrupt flights, saying there were "big differences" between US aviation protections and those used in France.



Late Thursday, the FAA launched a dedicated webpage on 5G and aviation safety raising questions about potential impact on sensitive airplane electronics like altimeters.



This week, AT&T and Verizon agreed to adopt similar precautions to those in France. On Monday, the carriers said they would delay use of C-Band spectrum for wireless service until Jan. 19 -- an agreement aimed at heading off an aviation safety crisis and flight disruptions.



On Tuesday, President Joe Biden hailed the deal between wireless carriers and US regulators allowing 5G deployment in two weeks. The FAA said the delay would allow it to evaluate ways to minimize disruptions to altimeters, and also gives more time to prepare.



The FAA said 5G airport buffer zones in France cover "96 seconds of flight" while safety precautions around US airports "only protect the last 20 seconds of flight." It said temporary US lower power levels will be 2.5 times higher than France. It noted that France requires antennas be tilted downward to limit harmful interference, a rule the lacks.



"If there's the possibility of a risk to the flying public, we are obligated to pause the activity, until we can prove it is safe," the FAA website said. "Radar altimeters still must be proven safe in the overall US 5G environment to fly into these airports, so we must take into account the higher signal strength when assessing safety and risk." AT&T and Verizon won nearly all of the C-Band spectrum in an $80-billion auction last year. The FAA in early November issued a bulletin warning action may be needed to address potential interference from 5G, which prompted the carriers to agree to delay deployment for 30 days to Jan. 5.



The deal Monday assured AT&T and Verizon they will be able to start service this month and they agreed to temporary buffer zones around 50 airports that the FAA will identify by Friday.



The FAA website said 50 airports are covered because the "wireless only agreed to 50 airports." AT&T and Verizon did not immediately comment.



Biden said the agreement "puts us on track to substantially reduce disruptions to air operations" after Jan. 19.



The FAA said that "even with the temporary buffer around 50 airports, 5G deployment will increase the risk of disruption during low visibility" including "flight cancellations, diverted flights, and delays during periods of low visibility." The FAA said it is working during the two-week delay "to complete evaluations of the most popular altimeters allowing some aircraft to operate in 5G and minimize disruptions."



(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie Adler and David Gregorio)

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Seeking to deepen their defence cooperation, the and will soon sign a new five-year agreement on sharing the cost of the American military presence in Japan, Secretary of State has said.

Speaking at the outset of a virtual conference between the US and Japanese foreign and defence ministers on Thursday, Blinken said Tokyo and Washington also will sign a deal on collaborating more closely in research and development of defence-related technologies, including ways to counter threats from hypersonic weapons.

The agreement on a new formula for sharing the cost of the American military presence in ends a Trump-era dispute that had been a significant irritant in US- relations. Blinken said the new deal will enable greater investment in the readiness of both countries' forces and improve their ability to operate together.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who participated virtually from his home because he is recovering from a COVID-19 infection, said the US-Japan alliance is increasingly important.

We're meeting against a backdrop of increased tensions and challenges to the free, stable and secure Indo-Pacific region that we both seek challenges posed by North Korea's nuclear ambitions and by the coercive and aggressive behaviour of the People's Republic of China, Austin said.

We remain grateful for the support that Japan continues to provide US forces deployed there and for an extraordinary level of mutual cooperation across the full spectrum of military capabilities, he added.

Concerns about China's growing military might were manifested in the signing of a defence agreement earlier Thursday between Japan and Australia, the first such pact Japan has sealed with any country other than the .

Thursday's talks could be complicated by the surge in coronavirus cases. Japan asked the US before the talks began to lock down American military bases on its soil due to the spread of COVID-19.

That request was made to Blinken by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in a one-on-one phone call before they joined Austin and Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi for the virtual conference. None of the four officials mentioned it directly in their introductory statements.

Speaking prior to the four-way conference, Hayashi said Blinken had promised the US would take utmost efforts to ensure people's health, but it was not immediately clear if a base curfew would be imposed. US Forces in Japan would not comment on the request, but said a team was carefully monitoring cases and trends.

The US military has vowed to take more stringent measures, including requiring all personnel, even those vaccinated, to wear masks on base until a third negative coronavirus test.

American forces have been criticised after a spike in coronavirus cases in areas where they are based in large numbers, including Okinawa and Iwakuni, both in southern Japan. COVID-19 cases among US Forces in Japan now total 1,784, about a third of them on Okinawa, according to USFJ. Iwakuni has reported 529 cases.

Yet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government clearly sees a benefit to the American military presence and shortly before Christmas agreed to a new cost-sharing pact with the that is expected to be formally signed on Friday in Tokyo.

Former President Donald Trump had railed about the costs of deployments of US forces abroad and had demanded that host countries, including Japan, pay significantly more for their upkeep than many were prepared to offer, badly straining relations with allies in Asia and Europe.

President Joe Biden's administration has sought to smooth those disagreements and last April resolved an impasse with South Korea over the costs of keeping US troops there. The Dec 21 consensus with Japan on a new four-year Special Measures Agreement is another tangible result of that policy.

Under the terms of the hosting deal, which will run to 2026, Japan will spend approximately $1.82 billion annually to support the US military presence. The US has about 55,000 troops in Japan, including a naval contingent, which makes it the largest forward-deployed US force in the world, according to the GAO.

Apart from cementing those terms, the US and Japan are hoping to increase cooperation and coordination on combatting China's increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region as well as explore ways to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table over its nuclear weapons programme.

The US and Japan are increasingly worried about threats from North Korea, which on Wednesday fired a ballistic missile into the sea in its first weapons launch in about two months.

The test of what the North says was a hypersonic missile was widely seen as a signal that Pyongyang isn't interested in rejoining denuclearisation talks anytime soon and would rather focus on boosting its weapons arsenal.

Despite repeated entreaties from the Biden administration the North has declined to rejoin even preliminary discussions on the nuclear issue. State Department spokesman Ned Price called on the North to refrain from further tests, which he said were a violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and urged it to respond to offers to restart the talks.

(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.)
Australian Pharmaceutical Industries said on Friday conglomerate Wesfarmers Ltd would buy it for A$763.6 million ($546.9 million) after Woolworths pulled out of a race to acquire the country's top drugstore chain.



The news sent API's shares tumbling 12.7% to A$1.51 in early trade, as Wesfarmers' A$1.55 per share offer was 20 cents a share lower than Woolworths' proposal.



The deal will mark Wesfarmers' first foray into the pharmacy sector, giving it access to API's network of retail stores, skincare clinics, and a distribution network of pharmaceutical and healthcare products.



Woolworths, in a separate statement, said it had "not been able to validate the financial returns it requires in line with the group's capital allocation framework" to proceed with its proposal.



Wesfarmers, which already owns 19.3% of API, said last month it would not back Woolworths' bid for the pharmacy chain. In early November, Sigma Healthcare also dropped a A$773 million takeover bid for API.



The deal with Wesfarmers was on track to be completed in the first quarter of 2022, API said.

(Reporting by Harish Sridharan and Upasana Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Richard Pullin)

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Share prices of 87 companies, mostly non-index, have rallied over 100 per cent in the past one month on the BSE. Of these, the market price of 20 companies have zoomed between 200 per cent and 233 per cent. During the period, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 3.7 per cent, while the S&P BSE Midcap and S&P BSE Smallcap index gained 1.5 per cent and 5.7 per cent, respectively.

Moreover, three stocks -- Urja Global (up 203 per cent), Steel Exchange India (118 per cent) and 63 Moons Technologies (108 per cent) -- belonged to the BSE Smallcap index whose market price more-than-doubled in the past one month. Sectorally, 16 stocks are from the textile sector, 8 are from steel, and 6 belonged to the real estate sector, which have rallied over 100 per cent.

Among individual stocks, auto components maker Automotive Stampings & Assembles (ASL) hit a new high of Rs 838 today, having zoomed 207 per cent in the past one month. ASAL, the Tata Group company, on December 3, 2021, had announced its decision to establish a new plant at Chakan, Pune. Tata Autocomp Systems (TACO) holds 75 per cent stake in ASAL, shareholding pattern data showed.

In October 2021, rating agency CRISIL Ratings had upgraded its rating on the long-term bank facilities of ASAL to 'CRISIL BBB/Stable' from 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable' and had reaffirmed its 'CRISIL A3' rating on the short-term bank facility.

"The upgrade reflects expected improvement in the financial risk profile in the near term, supported by cash inflow from sale of land parcels in Chakan, Maharashtra, and Halol, Gujarat, for total consideration of Rs 113 crore; and better cash flow from operations. The company will use the proceeds from the land sale for debt reduction. The upgrade also factors in expected sustenance of operating performance, supported by healthy growth in revenue and profitability owing to recovery in end user demand, receipt of new orders and cost rationalisation initiatives," CRISIL Ratings had said.

Separately, shares of Digjam surged 206 per cent to Rs 315.65 from Rs 103.05 a month back. The stock of the textile company got relisted on October 18, 2021 after a reduction of capital.

Digjam operates in woollen worsted textiles segment and operates a fully equipped composite mill in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The woollen worsted industry in the country comprises of a few mills in the organized sector and a number of units in the unorganized sector.

The management believes that the company's business is backed by necessary skills and expertise and remains cautiously optimistic that the performance will improve as the Resolution Plan has been approved now, with continuing momentum of operational improvements and expected upturn in economic conditions, helping domestic as well as export demand.

The market price of Urja Global, a leading renewable energy developer and operator, too, soared over 200 per cent to Rs 27.40 on the BSE. The company is engaged in design, consultancy, integration, supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of off-grid and grid connected solar power plants. The company is an approved channel partner of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India.

As per its FY21 annual report, the company had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ogata Motors India Private Limited on June 23, 2020 to manufacture Electric Vehicles (E  Scooters, E - Autos & E  Cars) in the national capital i.e. Delhi and entered into an agreement dated October 17, 2020 with FVM Industries (India) for sale of 100,000 units of electric scooty, annually worth around Rs 480 crore.
Shares of Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) were locked at the 20 per cent lower circuit at Rs 2,927.80 on the BSE in Fridays trade on profit booking after the company announced 1:1 bonus share and an interim dividend of Rs 150 per share.

Till 09:30 am; a combined around 420,000 equity shares had changed hands and there were pending sell orders for 368,000 shares on the NSE and BSE. In comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 0.7 per cent at 60,001.

The stock of the company engaged in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)/ Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) had hit a record high of Rs 3,948 on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 after the company intimated stock exchanges regarding board meeting for considering interim dividend and a proposal for bonus issue of equity shares. In the past one month, the stock had rallied 24 per cent, as compared to a 5 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex till Thursday.

The board had recommended bonus shares in the proportion of 1 equity share for every 1 existing equity share held by the shareholders/ members of the company as on the record date, HGS said in an exchange filing.

The board also declared its third interim dividend of Rs 150 per share (1500 per cent) for the financial year 2021-22 and fixed January 18, 2022 as the Record Date for the payment of this dividend.

The HGS board, in their meeting held on August 09, 2021, had approved the sale of its healthcare services business (HS Business) to wholly-owned subsidiaries of Betaine BV, which is owned by funds affiliated with Baring Private Equity Asia.

Effective January 6, 2022, the HS Business and relevant subsidiaries stand sold/ transferred to Investor. The transaction was based on an enterprise value of $1,200 million subject to closing adjustments and resulted in inflows of $1088 million, HGS said.
The variant of COVID-19 appears to be a less severe disease than the Delta strain, but it does not mean it should be categorized as "mild", (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday.

During a press briefing, the head of global health body said that at present, 109 countries would miss out on fully vaccinating 70 per cent of their populations by the start of July 2022.

"Last week, the highest number of COVID-19 cases were reported so far in the pandemic...while does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorized as "mild", Tedros Adhanom said.

He added that the variant is hospitalizing people and it is killing people, just like previous ones.

"The tsunami of cases is so huge and quick, that it is overwhelming health systems around the world. Hospitals are becoming overcrowded and understaffed, which further results in preventable deaths from not only COVID-19 but other diseases and injuries where patients cannot receive timely care," the WHO chief also said.

Raising concern over the vaccine inequity and health inequity, WHO director-general Tedros said that these were the "biggest failures of last year."

"While some countries have had enough personal protective equipment, tests and vaccines to stockpile throughout this pandemic, many countries do not have enough to meet basic baseline needs or modest targets, which no rich country would have been satisfied with. Vaccine inequity is a killer of people and jobs and it undermines a global economic recovery," Tedros said.

Meanwhile, a new variant B.1.640.2 also known as IHU variant has been detected in a traveller returning from Cameroon, according to the hospital IHU Mediterrannee in Marseille, France.

The traveller has reportedly infected 12 people in Southern France.

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Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) declared the third interim dividend of Rs 150 per share for the current financial year 2021-22.

The company has fixed 18 January as the record date for the payment of this dividend. The dividend will be paid to the eligible shareholders and members on or before 27 January 2022.

Further, the company's board has also recommended issuing one bonus equity share for one equity share held (1:1).

Moreover, the board also approved to enhance the limits applicable for extending loans, making investments and providing guarantees or security upto Rs 3,500 crore. The proposal (under Section 186) is subject to the approval of the shareholders/ members and statutory/regulatory and other approvals, as may be necessary.

Meanwhile, HGS has completed the sale of its healthcare services business to wholly-owned subsidiaries of Betaine BV, funds affiliated with Baring Private Equity Asia (BPEA), one of the largest private alternative investment firms in Asia.

The transaction was based on an enterprise value of $1,200 million, subject to closing adjustments, and resulted in inflows of $1,088 million.

As part of the divestment, HGS has transferred all client contracts and assets, including infrastructure related to the healthcare services business, to the Buyer. As part of the transition services agreement, the new healthcare organization will operate under the name "HGS Healthcare" for a period of up to 12 months from closing.

Post completion of the transaction, HGS will have around 18,800 employees and 34 delivery centers in the US, Canada, UK, Jamaica, Philippines, and India. The company's revenue run rate for Q4 FY2022 post divestment would be approximately $105-$110 million per quarter.

HGS is a global leader in optimizing the customer experience lifecycle, digital transformation, and business process management. It combines automation, analytics, and artificial intelligence with deep domain expertise focusing on digital customer experiences, back-office processing, contact centers, and HRO solutions.

On a consolidated basis, net profit of HGS rose 67.51% to Rs 136.50 crore on 18.76% rise in net sales to Rs 1582.56 crore in Q2 September 2021 over Q2 September 2020.

Shares of HGS hit a lower circuit of 20% at Rs 2855.45.

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Japan share market finished choppy session marginally lower on Friday, 07 January 2022, as investors sentiments dampened amid lingering concerns over the economy after Japan's daily COVID-19 cases surpassed the 5,000-mark for the 1st time since Sept. 17, while Tokyo's daily tally reached 922 new infections, the highest figure since mid-September.

Adding to market woes, community transmission of the highly contagious Omicron variant of the virus has been confirmed in some of Japan's major metropolises including Tokyo and Osaka. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed Friday that three Japanese prefectures hard-hit by surging cases of COVID-19 would be placed under a quasi-state of emergency.

At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 9.31 points, or 0.03%, to 28,478.56. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange dropped 1.33 points, or 0.07%, to 1,995.68.

Shares related to leisure and transportation lost ground, on concerns individuals and families opt to stay at home during three-day weekend in the country due to resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

Tokyo Disney Resort operator Oriental Land fell 1%, while East Japan Railway fell 1.8%.

ECONOMIC NEWS: Japan Household Spending Down 1.2% On Month In November- Japan average household spending was down 1.2% on month in November, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication said on Friday, coming in at 277,029 yen, following the 3.4% gain in October. On a yearly basis, household spending sank 1.3% after dipping 0.6% in the previous month. The average of monthly income per household stood at 481,838 yen, up 1.1% on year.

CURRENCY NEWS: The Japanese yen traded at 115.90 per dollar, compared with 115.88-88 on Thursday.

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Actor Swara Bhasker on Friday said she has tested positive for the novel and is under home quarantine.

In a Twitter post, the 33-year-old actor shared that she and her family members developed symptoms for COVID-19 since January 5 and had isolated themselves.

"Hello Covid! Just got my RT-PCR test resulted and have tested positive. Been isolating and in quarantine. Symptoms include fever, a splitting headache and loss of taste. Double vaccinated so hope this passes soon. So grateful for family & to be at home. Stay safe everyone," Bhasker said.

In an accompanying statement, the actor urged everyone who came in contact with her to get themselves tested.

"I'm taking all necessary precautions. I've informed everyone I met in the week prior about my having Covid; but if anyone else did come into contact with me please get yourself tested. Double mask up and stay safe you all," Bhasker added.

Mumbai reported 20,181 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and four more patients succumbed to the disease, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

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Union Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad on Thursday slammed Chief Minister and State Finance Minister Ajit Pawar for not attending pre-budget consultation meetings called by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss the upcoming Union budget.

Speaking to ANI, MoS Karad said, "There have been a total of 12 to 13 meetings for the upcoming Union bugdet. CM and the state finance minister were called for two meetings of the Union Finance Ministry over it."

"But neither the Chief Minister nor the state finance minister was present at the two meetings," he added.

Further, the MoS said, "I understand that CM may have been busy but couldn't the state finance minister or Deputy CM take part in the meeting called by the Union Finance Ministry?"

Kadar asserted that if Maharashtra was represented at the meeting it would have been beneficial for the state.

The Union Budget for 2022-23, is scheduled to be presented in Parliament on February 1, 2022.

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Waiting in the wings since April 2019 -- when it was grounded due to a financial crisis -- has been looking to hit the skies for long now. The new owners, British firm Kalrock Capital and UAE-based entrepreneur Murari Lal Jalan, have time and again asserted that 2.0 will take off in the beginning of this year.

But will everything go as planned? The company has recently seen a slew of resignations. This week, Sudhir Gaur, its accountable manager and acting chief executive de-boarded the company.

Gaur was heading the operations team and was involved in key negotiations for airport slots. The airlines finance head and head of management information systems had quit two weeks ago.

We reached out to for their stance on the recent developments, but didnt receive a response by the time of publishing of this video.

While Gaurs replacement has been found in head of training and standards in Nepal Airlines, PP Singh, there are several other tasks to complete before Jet Airways 2.0 can take off.

The Kalrock-Jalan consortium is yet to finalise its fleet plans. Jet Airways 2.0 is understood to have a fleet of 11 aircraft, including Boeing 777, 737 and Airbus A330, on its books now.

The two company owners had said that the airline would commence domestic operations with six narrow body aircrafts in 2022. And also that the airline plans to have a fleet of 100-plus aircraft.

Meanwhile, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air has already ordered 72 Boeing 737 Max aircrafts.

The consortium had even approached the National Company Law Tribunal or NCLT, asking it to declare December 22, 2021 as the effective date for an immediate implementation of the revival plan.

However, the NCLT refused the plea and asked the consortium to expedite its efforts to revive the airline.

A banker privy to the matter told Business Standard on condition of anonymity that lenders have become jittery as the Jalan-Kalrock consortium has not brought in any funds or completed any process to restart the airline.

But a person involved in the revival plan claimed that all stakeholders were working towards the revival and denied that there was any disagreement between the consortium and the lenders.

To get a better understanding of the challenges facing Jet Airways, we spoke to Mark D Martin, CEO of Martin Consulting, an aviation consulting and safety firm based in Asia.

As the expert pointed out, given the challenges it is facing right now, it seems unlikely that the refurbished Jet Airways will be able to start operations by Q2 2022. A more mature and structured timeline needs to be defined for the airlines takeoff. Even so, with the spate of senior-level exits dogging the company, recreating Jet's uniqueness in service quality will be a major challenge.

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This week, founder Elizabeth Holmes was charged with defrauding . Holmes now faces at least 20 years in prison.

The way she established and sold her startup story offers valuable lessons to across the globe now. Even to Rupert Murdoch, one of the who believed in her idea.

Startups can command hefty valuations, very quickly. As venture capital and private equity firms in the US Silicon Valley place a premium on ideas that promise disruptive innovation, new-age tech can raise millions of dollars in funds, even before coming up with a product-market fit, or in some cases, even a workable prototype.

However, in this glitzy world of innovations and disruptions that are waiting to happen, some founders, like Holmes, are spinning a web of lies and charting their path to success by leveraging the greed of investors. They exemplify the fake it till you make it philosophy.

was founded by Holmes, a Stanford chemical engineering dropout, when she was 19 years old. It was once valued at over $9 bn.

And how did she pull it off?

Holmes claimed to have developed tests that could help in early detection of ailments ranging from high cholesterol and high blood sugar to liver dysfunction and cancer from just a couple of drops of blood drawn from a finger prick at any pharmacy.

The small amount of blood was collected in a nanotainer tube and analysed in a lab on a proprietary analysis machine called Edison.

The invention was believed to have the potential to revolutionise healthcare and slash diagnostic costs. That was until it came to light that Theranos Edison machines werent providing accurate results.

The company knew this. So it was diluting blood samples and subjecting them to traditional tests, instead of using its famed Edison machines.

Soon, issues arose with the US Food and Drug Administration. And as more information emerged about Holmes deceitful pitch to investors, many of them terminated their partnership with the company.

In 2014, Holmes was at the top of Forbes list of Americas Richest Self-Made Women with a net-worth of $4.5 Bn, with her company valued at $9 bn.

At its core, the Theranos tale is about a bevy of high-profile investors, from media mogul Murdoch to venture capitalist Tim Draper, not carrying out the adequate due diligence but being seduced by what they must have believed to be a disruptive innovation.

The Indian startup ecosystem, now the third-largest in the world after the US and China, is also maturing at a rapid pace. Some of these upstarts even have a base in Silicon Valley.

Last year, 42 Indian startups entered the unicorn club.

Thrasio-style Mensa Brands achieved the unicorn status in just six months of starting up. Indian startups raised over $42 Bn across 1,583 funding deals. This was more than 3 times the total funding of $13 Bn raised in 2020. In fact, the total startup amount for 2021 was more than the total funding of $37 bn for the last three years combined.

But in this rush of capital, are our venture capital and private equity investors carrying out their due diligence into the health of these new-age

Theres reason to be a little suspicious on this front. Consider cybersecurity. Over the last two years, several Indian from BigBasket, Dunzo, Haldirams, Dominos, Airtel, and Juspay, among others faced cyber attacks, which compromised the data of their users.

Cybersecurity experts have claimed that in their pursuit for rapid growth, startups often ignore the importance of building a robust cybersecurity posture. So shouldnt investors include checking the cyber health of a company in their due diligence?

Lets take another example. Indian edtech startups raised over $4 Bn in the last two years, compared to $500 Mn in 2019. The bigger players are acquiring smaller startups to build edtech super apps of sorts.

However, a recent government advisory cautioned the public against trusting the success stories advertised by these online educational companies.

While startups obviously need to be ethical in their practices and avoid the temptations of the fake it till you make it model, investors, for their part, also need to do their due diligence.

To get a better understanding of how private equity and venture capital firms can ensure that their money is safe and learn the right lessons from the Theranos episode, we spoke to Parth Gandhi, founder and chief investment officer at Bombay Capital.

Clearly, it is not easy to spot the unsafe firm or the one involved in . But as Mad-Eye Moody's favourite saying goes, constant vigilance, is the axiom investors should follow.
The acting CEO and accountable manager of quit this week, dealing another blow to the company which has seen at least two resignations at the top level in the last few days. The date to seek all regulatory permissions for restarting the defunct airline has also been extended twice. So, why is the re-launch of looking turbulent? After the Jet Airways, let us see why a startup scandal has stirred turbulence among global investors. Billionaire Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of healthcare company Theranos, has been found guilty of defrauding investors. Impressed by her persuasive skills, some had even compared 31-year-old Holmes with Steve Jobs. Her rise was dazzling and meteoric. And so was her fall.

And wait, she has an Indian connection too. Her reported former boyfriend and the companys COO, Ramesh Balwani, also faces trial in the case. The Homes-saga also hold lessons for startup investors back home. The rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes may hold several lessons for Indian investors too. Meanwhile, back home, fund rotation has begun on Dalal Street as India Inc gears up for Q3 earnings season. With over 40 companies set to announce their report cards next week, we caught up with Devangshu Datta, an independent market analyst, and Sandip Sabharwal, founder of asksandipsabharwal.com, to understand how the results season may pan out this time? Equity market finally acknowledged that Omicron may unsettle economic activities, as the stock indices plunged over 600 points yesterday. Effects of pandemic will also reflect on the upcoming Union budget, which the Centre will table on February 1. In the next episode, we explain the Consolidated Fund of India, a key component of the Union budget in this episode of the podcast.
In the recently-concluded Winter session of Parliament, the government brought the Appropriations (No. 5) Bill, to give itself the power to withdraw funds from Consolidated Fund of India. It was cleared in the Lok Sabha amid opposition.

The Constitution bars the government from withdrawing money from the Consolidated Fund of India. But the government cited crises caused by the pandemic as the reason behind taking the step.

This fund is defined under Article 266 of the Constitution. It says that, All revenues received by the Government of India, all loans raised by that Government by the issue of treasury bills, loans or ways and means advances and all moneys received by that Government in repayment of loans shall form one consolidated fund to be entitled the Consolidated Fund of India.

To put in simple terms, all revenues received, interest earned and money borrowed by the government goes into it Consolidated Fund of India. It is an account of the revenue the government gets via income tax, customs, central excise and the non-tax revenue, and the expenses it makes, excluding exceptional items.

So in every budget, the government lays down a statement of estimated receipts and expenditure before the Parliament pertaining to the next financial year. This statement is titled as 'Annual Financial Statement' is the main Budget document.

The Annual Financial Statement shows the receipts and payments of the government under three parts in which government accounts are kept.

Consolidated Fund of India is one of them. The other two categories are Contingency Fund and the Public Account.

Consolidated Fund of India includes revenue earned from direct taxes like income tax, corporate tax and indirect taxes such as GST, customs and excise duties. Dividends and profits from Public Sector Undertakings, disinvestment receipts, debt repayments and loan recoveries also go to the fund.

All expenditure of the government is incurred from the Consolidated Fund, with the exception of a few transactions which are carried out through the Contingency Fund and the Public Account. No amount can be withdrawn from this Fund without authorisation from Parliament.

The Fund in turn has the following two divisions - Revenue Account and Capital Account.

Revenue Account

The Revenue Account deals with the proceeds of taxation and other receipts classified as revenue as well as the expenditure met therefrom.

Capital Account

The Capital Account deals with expenditure incurred with the purpose of either increasing the concrete assets of durable nature or of reducing recurring liabilities. It also includes various types of Capital Receipts.

The receipts section deals with receipts of a capital nature which cannot be applied as a set off to .

The expenditure section deals with expenditure incurred with the object of increasing concrete assets of a material or of reducing recurring liabilities. It also includes receipts of a capital nature intended to be applied as set off to Capital expenditure

The sections Public Debt and Loans and Advances, comprise loans raised and their re-payments such as internal debt, external debt and their recoveries.

Certain items of expenditure like salaries and allowances of top government officials are also charged on the Consolidated Fund. They include the President, the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha and the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, salaries, allowances and pensions of Judges of the Supreme Court, Comptroller and Auditor-General of India and the Central Vigilance Commission.
Domestic indices on Friday started on a highly positive note, but failed to hold their opening gains and ended marginally higher amid consolidatory mood and mixed global cues.

After starting gap-up, the BSE Sensex index inched over 500 points to hit an intra-day high of 60,130. However, selling in select heavyweights like Bajaj twins, M&M, HDFC, Bharti Airtel, and L&T in the second half of the session erased gains. The index eventually ended 143 points higher at 59,745. Its NSE counterpart, Nifty50, meanwhile, closed at 17,813, up 67 points.

The broader markets, however, outperformed the benchmarks for a second straight day with the BSE MidCap and SmallCap indices ending around 0.5 per cent higher each.

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Sectorally, the Nifty Auto and Pharma indices were among the major losers, down up to 0.4 per cent. The BSE Telecom index was also an underperformer for the second day, down 0.5 per cent.

On the contrary, the Nifty Oil & Gas index was the top gainer, which ended 1.3 per cent higher, followed by FMCG and Bank indices, which closed 0.6 per cent up each.

Among individual stocks, Tata Group company Tata Teleservices entered the list of top-100 most valued companies in the country with its market capitalization crossing the Rs 50,000 crore-mark for the first time since listing. The stock was locked in the 5% upper circuit and hit a new record high. It has rallied a whopping 567% in the last three months.

On the flip side, shares of Hinduja Global Solutions were locked in the 20% lower circuit on the BSE on profit booking after the company's announcement of a bonus share issue in 1:1 ratio, and an interim dividend of Rs 150 a share failed to cheer investors.

Meanwhile, on the economic front, HSBC Holdings Plc sees new restrictions in India due to rising Covid-19 cases possibly lowering the country's GDP growth by about 25 basis points in the current financial year. Further, HSBC economist Pranjul Bhandari said that the rapid rise in covid cases could also defer RBI rate hikes for a while, but eventually the central bank would need to act due to rising price pressures.

Lastly, the world's biggest cryptocurrency Bitcoin tumbled below $42,000 to its lowest level since September amid hawkish sentiments after the US Fed's December meeting minutes were released. The cryptocurrency declined as much as 4.9% to $41,008, a fall of about 40% from its record near $69,000 level reached on November 10.
Enfusion, Inc. ("Enfusion") (NYSE: ENFN), a leading provider of cloud-based investment management software and services, today announced two internal executive promotions. Iris Xinwei Wang will serve as Enfusions Chief Strategy Officer, based in New York. Additionally, Lotte Tnsberg will serve as the London-based Head of Sales for EMEA.

We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Iris and Lotte, both of whom have been instrumental in our global expansion, said Thomas Kim, CEO of Enfusion. Our people are our greatest asset, and we are thoroughly committed to fostering and growing our best internal talent and rewarding success. We have the utmost faith in Iris and Lotte to continue leading and growing our organization in their new roles.

As Chief Strategy Officer, Iris will serve as the global driver of Enfusions continued strategic expansion, corporate development and transformation. Since joining Enfusion, Iris has been pivotal in developing the firms multi-year business strategy and strategically strengthening the companys foothold in Asia. She led the establishment of Enfusion Shanghai, which is Enfusions first step toward serving investment managers in mainland China. Iris brings twelve years of strategy expertise, including six years at Bridgewater Associates in strategy and business planning. Previously, she worked at Boston Consulting Group on market entry and global growth strategies. Iris has a Bachelor of Science degree in Corporate Finance from Fudan University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

As Head of Sales, EMEA and Executive Director, EMEA Lotte will direct the firms business development efforts for investment managers and hedge funds located in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). Lotte joined the firm in 2020 as Senior Vice President, Sales Manager EMEA and helped expand Enfusions client base across Europe, with a focus on the U.K. and Scandinavia. Lotte has spent nine years managing corporate sales, with previous roles at SimCorp Ltd as a Sales and Account Manager for U.K and Ireland, and Global Account Manager for UBS Asset Management and at Bloomberg LP as a Key Account Manager, Core Terminal, Norway Sales. Lotte holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Kingston University and a Master of Science in Global Banking and Finance from European Business School, Regent University.

About Enfusion

Enfusion's investment management software-as-a-service platform removes traditional information boundaries, uniting front-, middle- and back-office teams on one cloud-native system. Through its software, analytics, and middle/back-office managed services, Enfusion creates enterprise-wide cultures of real-time, data-driven intelligence, boosting agility, and powering growth. Enfusion partners with 680+ investment managers from 10 global offices spanning four continents.

Source: Enfusion, Inc.

Source Code: ENFN-IR

ENFN-CORP

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220106005204/en/
Uncertainty looms in Buea Unknown

12 people sustained injuries when an Improvised Explosive Device blew off at the Trade Fair site at Bongo Square, Buea late on Sunday night.

State media reports that it was at about 9:45 pm on Sunday that the explosion occurred at the Trade Fair site.

Unable to breach security measures, the carrier of the bomb is reported to have thrown the bomb over the fence.

Dr. Martin Mokake, Director of the Buea Regional Hospital said nine injured persons have been discharged while three others are still under observation in the hospital.

We received 12 injured ranging from the aged of 21 to 35. Most of them had mild but multiple injuries. They had multiple peroral wounds all over their bodies showing that the explosive was packed with pellets and sharp objects to cause maximum damage. For now, we have three of them who have been hospitalized out of the 12. The rest have been discharged. The three hospitalized had extensive injuries and we are still doing repeats of their scans to make sure that they are out of imminent danger, said Dr. Mokake.

Officials have opened investigations. They have also called on the population to remain vigilant and to intensify collaboration with the forces of law and order especially during this period of end-of-year festivities. They have been told to report anything and anybody suspicious.

Cameroon-Info.Net recalls that on December 6, 2021, separatists planted an explosive device at the Great Soppo Market. No casualty was recorded as the bomb was quickly spotted by traders in the market.

It was a green gas cylinder. It would appear that the explosive device was left there intentionally. We thought we were going to die and as such ran for our dear lives. Its now that we have mustered the courage to come back following the reassuring words from the authorities who have been to the scene. They want to instill fear in us but we cant give in to fear because if we do not come to the market, we will be unable to feed our families," a trader said.

Although no casualty was recorded, the local authorities alongside the forces of law and order descended to the scene to evaluate the situation.

The Mayor of Buea, Barrister David Mafani Namange says the peace-loving people of Buea will not be shaken.

I want to condemn it and condemn it totally on behalf of the population of Buea. The crime is that we are peaceful people, if at all that is a crime. But I want to thank the population that nothing will shake our resolve to stay peaceful and to stay by the nation, he said.

The population has been called to always scrutinize their environment, watch out for suspicious items and collaborate with the forces of law and order so as to maintain peace in Buea especially during this festive period.

Cameroons state forces have been battling to dislodge armed separatists who pitched their tents in the North West and South West Regions since Anglophone protests transformed into an armed conflict in 2017.

Corporate demands by Common Law Lawyers and Anglophone Teachers led to protests in November 2016. The street demonstrations later morphed into ongoing running gun battles between state forces and armed separatist fighters in the predominantly English-speaking regions, leading to untold destruction of human lives, their habitats, and livelihoods.

Tit-for-tat killings, kidnappings, arsons, maiming, and outright terror have become part of daily lives in some parts of the English-speaking regions. The militiamen have recently resorted to using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in schools, markets, and other civilian environments.
Houses razed to ashes in Bamenda Facebook

The smell of roasted human flesh fills the air in Mbengwi Road, a locale in Cameroons northwestern town of Bamenda after state forces went in search of gunmen who detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

Scores of people pointed their mobile phones at the burnt bodies of at least five persons as well as dozens of houses burning in hell-hot flames in the heart of the quarter after a military raid in the area.

As Amba-implanted explosive kills soldiers: Military goes on rampage, burns five alive, houses in Bamenda, The Guardian Post reports.

At least five persons were Wednesday evening burnt alive and scores of houses set ablaze along the Mbengwi Road, Azire, Hospital Roundabout and Rendezvous neighborhoods in Bamenda of the North West region by soldiers, The Guardian Post adds, citing accounts from locals.

According to reports, armed separatist fighters detonated an IED, destroying an armored vehicle aboard state forces. The casualty figures have not been made public by the authorities. But the reaction of the soldiers suggests the extent of the impact of the IED attack.

In retaliation, the soldiers are said to have gone nerves high, setting homes, cars, and businesses ablaze. Five persons are said to have been burnt alive in the process, leaving the population in shock. The incident has since been described by analysts as barbaric, heartless and genocidal, The Guardian Post reports.

Amateur videos on social media show at least five corpses burnt with many houses and shops charred to the ground.

For fear of the unknown, locals have been fleeing to safety.

"It was at about pass 3:15 pm that I was inside my house with my grandson. I heard a very loud explosion that sounded like a bomb. I fell to the ground and later heard sounds of gun all over. I later heard footsteps around my house and I saw military men who surrounded my house. Before I knew it, smoke was coming out of my building. I could not go out because of gunshots. I heard them speaking in French and I stayed mute with my grandson..., a survivor tells The Guardian Post.

"Even my identification card, my children's documents, certificates, and computers got burnt, even a single dress I didn't take from the house..."

With houses, shops, and cars burnt and about half a dozen people killed, Wednesdays action underscored the growing fears and suspicions swirling around the five-year-old Anglophone protest movement, which engulfed Cameroons North West and South West Regions in 2016 when thousands took to the streets to decry government corruption, poor services, and scarcity of jobs, benefiting from a strike action called by teachers and lawyers against perceived marginalization.

The street demonstrations later morphed into ongoing running gun battles between state forces and armed separatist fighters in the predominantly English-speaking regions, leading to untold destruction of human lives, their habitats, and livelihoods.

Cameroons state forces have been battling to dislodge the armed separatists who pitched their tents in the North West and South West Regions since Anglophone protests transformed into an armed conflict in 2017.

Tit-for-tat killings, kidnappings, arsons, maiming, and outright terror have become part of daily lives in some parts of the English-speaking regions.
President of South West Chiefs Conference, H.M Mafany Njie Facebook

South West Chiefs have rolled out conditions that must be fulfilled before the Senate of the University of Buea (UB) proceeds to create an annex of the institution in Akonolinga, capital of the Nyong-et-Mfoumou Division of Cameroons Centre Region.

In a letter addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea dated August 19, 2021, the President of the South West Chiefs Conference, Chief Mafany Njie Martin said before an annex of the University of Buea is created in Akonolinga, each of the six divisions of the South West should first have theirs.

It is said that charity begins at home. We the chiefs of the South West Region believe that while thinking of the request of the elite of Akonolinga to create an annex of the University of Buea in their municipality, Senate should first consider the previous request of the Chiefs of the South West Region towards the decongestion and growth of the University of Buea, said Chief Mafany on behalf of his peers.

He said the South West Chiefs during a courtesy call on the Vice-Chancellor on August 8, 2020, proposed the decongestion of the University of Buea.

We know how difficult this process entails as most faculties, colleges, and schools are interconnected and share common facilities and resources. However, in order for the people of the South West region to have a sense of ownership and belonging, we proposed the following decongestion format:

Faculty of Agriculture Ekondo-Titi, Ndian Division

Fisheries and Maritime Studies Limbe, Fako Division

Higher Teacher Training College Bangem, Kupe-Muanenguba Division

School of Mines and Geology Mamfe, Manyu Division

School of Pharmacy and Pharmacopeia Menji, Lebialem Division

Faculty of Engineering and Cyber Criminology Kumba, Meme Division

The aforementioned condition of the chiefs of the South-West Region comes after the elite of Akonolinga asked that an Annex of the University of Buea be opened in their municipality.

We the chiefs of the South West Region leaned with utter consternation the request for an annex of the University of Buea to be opened in Akonolinga, said Chief Mafany.

His words: We appreciate the fact that the University of Buea had maintained very high standards of excellence in a very competitive scholarly world. The University of Buea's focus on Teaching, Research, and Outreach has made it a true citadel of excellence and naturally enviable by many.

That notwithstanding, the text creating the University of Buea clearly states that it will pursue an Anglo-Saxon type education with English as the medium of instruction.

Cameroon is one and indivisible. Any student wishing to pursue an Anglo-Saxon type education should feel free to apply as it is already the case. Statistically, the number of French-speaking Cameroonians currently enrolled at the University of Buea is at an all-time high.

For the past four years, the South West Region has been passing through some challenging times aggravated by the ongoing socio-political crisis. We should avoid any action that will further complicate the present situation. Education is a very sensitive area. Education is the foundation of all social, political, technological and cultural development.
Professor Ngomo Horace Manga UB Facebook page

Professor Ngomo Horace Manga, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea, UB, has said his administration does not have the authority to create an annex in Akonolinga in the Centre Region or anywhere else.

Our role ends with administrative and academic management of the University, he said on CRTVs Sunday newsmagazine program, Cameroon Calling as he responded to claims that they are concluding plans for the creation of an annex of the University of Buea in Akonolinga.

The South West Chiefs Conference had called on the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea to, first of all, decongest the institution to all six divisions of the South West Region before considering the request made by the elite of Akonolinga.

Here is the full text of the interview Prof. Ngomo granted CRTV last Sunday. He was responding to questions from CRTVs anchorman, Ebenezer Motale.

For the clarity of our readers, what is an annex of a university prof?

Well, an annex of a university will virtually be a duplication of all the teaching programs of the university in buildings located elsewhere. But usually, an annex is under the management of the main campus. In an annex, you will have all that the main campus will have. But if the hierarchy so desires, if such a thing is created at all, then at some point it will be under some kind of autonomous management.

Has the request by Akonolinga prospered at all?

No, let me put it this way, it was just a request. It was a request to be studied.

How did they come to know about UB?

Yes, thats a fair question. Let me say that some of the lecturers in UB accompanied by their students had already been carrying out research in the Akonolinga area long before, and thats how the community came to know about UB and got to know us.

After seeing the results of such research carried out there, they believed UB could be of assistance to their activities which were mainly farming and aquaculture. Some researchers from the department of fisheries and aquaculture had taken an interest to study the multiplication of the kanga fish in the Nyong River and which had not been excessively studied and how it could be domesticated. This is in addition to some socioeconomic studies they had done. These researchers quite often presented their results to members of that community and they found them remarkable. Those elites then offered the university 40 hectares to help them carry out those activities. Let me say that when they showed up here, they pledged another 121 hectares making it a total of 161 hectares.

Does UB need that amount of land?

Why not? You know we have a department of forestry and students, lecturers and researchers in forestry need the land to carry out inventories of trees and wildlife species and it is important to go with students to a forest we control so that experiments cannot be destroyed.

So Prof., At this point we can assume that if this request gets granted, it will be something to do with agriculture and aquaculture?

Let me put it this way, these people came with a project. But first of all, researchers had individually been carrying out work on fish species not just from the Nyong River but from other rivers in Cameroon within the context of some research projects which some researchers had. And so the focus of particular research which concerned Akonolinga was on the establishment of a resistant species by cross-breeding species we got from Akonolinga, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. So that was within the context of a joint research project.

This was going on. But of course, that was being carried out at the level of the University of Buea. And when these people eventually showed up for a visit, and thats when everybody knew there was something like this. When the people came for a visit, they were taken to our laboratories to be shown the development of those species. It had nothing to do with any annex or anything. It was within the context of individual and collective research of some researchers.

Prof., the text creating UB states that it will pursue an Anglo-Saxon education with English as the medium of instruction. In Akonolinga, the language of instruction, of course, is French. Whats your take on this?

Well, I think I need to clear some grey areas there. Nobody has created anything. We took the matter to Senate. In fact, when the elites of that community came visiting, it coincided with the meeting of the deans and directors. So we gave them some time to do some presentations they had with them on PowerPoint. And so after listening to them, we continued with our meeting while they went visiting some of the facilities in the faculty of agriculture and veterinary medicine.

So having learned from them what they wanted from us, the next step was to inform Senate.

And Senate is the highest decision-making organ in the university regarding academic matters. So the discussion in the Senate was simply informative, and we had to do that before transferring that request to the ministry. So, of course, we dont have the authority to create an annex, an antenna, a college, talk less of a university campus.

On August 8, 2020, the chiefs paid you a courtesy visit on the occasion of which they proposed to decongest your institution in the following ways; Faculty of Agriculture in Ekondo-Titi, Ndian Division, Fisheries and Marine Studies in Limbe, Fako Division, Higher Teachers Training College in Bangem, Kupe Muanenguba, School of Mines and Geology in Mamfe, Manyu, a School of Pharmacy and Pharmacopeia in Menji, Lebialem Division and Faculty of Engineering and Cyber Criminology in Kumba, Meme Division. Now tell us, Professor, has the South West Chiefs Conference the authority or capacity to make the demands as we have just enumerated?

While I appreciate their demands, you know, like any other body, the demands are made to the wrong people. The demands should be made to those who have the authority to create those structures. For now, the University of Buea decree locates the University in Buea.

When the Higher Teachers Training Technical College was created in Kumba, it was created by the head of state. So, you know, they cant address such a request to us. We dont have that authority. They can inform us as they did. But to say that they have a decongestion plan for the university, such a request should be addressed to those who have the authority and we dont have. Our role ends with administrative and academic management of the University.
Coping with Cancer After a Natural Disaster: Frequently Asked Questions for People With Cancer and Their Caregivers

Living through natural disasters like major weather events, hurricanes, or wildfires can be stressful, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The usual evacuation procedures and shelter locations, as well as their availability in your community, county, or state, will likely be different during the pandemic.

People in areas affected by natural disasters who need guidance from the American Cancer Society should call our National Cancer Information Center at 1-800-227-2345.

If you (or a loved one) have cancer and have had to evacuate your home or treatment center, or if your treatment plan has been changed due to a recent natural disaster, you may have trouble getting the cancer care you need. It's also important to remember that state, county, and local rules related to COVID-19 vary. The following questions and answers can help you figure out what you need to do and how to take care of yourself.

Cancer treatment

Q. What do I need to do first?

A: If youre in a temporary shelter, remember rules about social distancing and face coverings might be different from what you're used to at home. If possible, call shelters ahead of time to know what rules are in place. It's a good idea to find out if there are health care professionals on site.

If there are health care professionals on site, meet with them right away. Let them know that you have been getting cancer treatment and that you need to be put in contact with a doctor or hospital as soon as possible. If you will need a ride to get there, be sure to let them know this, too.

If there are no health care professionals at the temporary shelter or housing, ask the shelter director, landlord, or person youre staying with to help put you in touch with a local hospital, or call the American Cancer Society and we will help you. Our number is 1-800-227-2345. If 1-800 numbers arent working, look up the local American Cancer Society office number.

Q. What should I do if I have an emergency?

A: Get treatment at the nearest emergency room, especially if you have:

A fever

Shaking chills or sweats (often goes along with fever)

Redness, swelling, drainage, tenderness, or warmth at the site of an injury, surgical wound, or central venous catheter, or anywhere on the skin including the genital and rectal areas

A new pain or one thats getting worse

Sinus pain or headache

A stiff neck

A sore throat

Shortness of breath or cough

Burning or pain when you pass urine or bloody or cloudy urine

Many shelters have nursing staff who can help get you to an emergency room. Once youre at the emergency room, make sure you tell them about your cancer and if you dont have a new doctor yet, ask them for help finding one.

Q. What can I do to keep getting my cancer treatment?

A: If you are still in the area where your cancer doctor or treatment facility is located but have stopped treatment because of power outage, loss of transportation, damage to your home, or damage to the doctors office or treatment center, contact your doctor as soon as you can and find out what you need to do to continue treatment. If you cant get in touch with your cancer doctor, try your treatment center, local emergency room, or your regular family doctor if you have one.

If you had to leave the area where you were getting treatment, you need to find a new cancer doctor and treatment center as soon as you can. Ask for help from the shelter staff, Red Cross, Salvation Army, or local health department. If all else fails, go to a local hospital information desk and ask for help.

Q. What about my cancer medicines?

A: If you have your medicines with you and know how to take them, keep taking them on schedule. If you need medicine, are almost out of medicine, or are unsure how to take it, youll need to talk to a disaster-relief nurse or ask someone at the shelter for help getting in touch with a pharmacist or doctor, or you can contact your health insurance company.

Q. What if I dont know what kind of cancer treatment I was getting or what medicine I was taking?

A: If theres any way you can contact your doctor or treatment center, call and get your medical records sent to you or to a local cancer doctor as soon as possible. This helps the new doctor know how to go on with your treatment right away and get you any medicines you need.

Sometimes there are other ways to get details about your treatment. If you have health insurance and coverage for your cancer treatment, your insurance company will have records on what services youve had. You can ask that they share this information with you and/or the new doctor.

Q. What if I cant get my medical records or get in touch with my doctor?

A: Write down anything you can remember about your treatment so that youll have this information to share with the new doctor. Include things like:

Type of cancer and stage of cancer if you know it

Type of treatment like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery

Date of your last treatment

Name of your doctor and treatment center

Any medicine youre taking ( cancer medicines and other medicines, including over-the-counter drugs). If you dont know names, describe it by color; size; shape; shot, pill or in a bag; how often you take it; etc.

Other illnesses or health problems you have

Q. What if Im taking pain medicine or medicine for depression?

A: If you stop taking some pain medicines or depression medicines all at once, it can cause problems. When you contact your doctor, a new doctor, or a pharmacy about getting your cancer medicines, be sure to ask about your pain and/or depression medicines, too. Be ready to tell them if you are still taking them, have cut down on how much youre taking, or have run out of pain and/or depression medicine. If you have run out, tell them how long you have been without the medicines. Its also a good idea to tell the nurse at the shelter, a shelter worker, or a family member or friend that you take these medicines  just in case you do have problems.

Q. What about other medicines?

A: There are some medicines that you can do without for a few days, but stopping others can cause trouble. Suddenly stopping certain sleeping medicines or anxiety medicines can cause the opposite (rebound) effect for a few days. Medicines to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, seizures, and low thyroid levels are designed to help you manage a long-term problem, so if the drugs are stopped, the problem can get out of control. Talk to the nurse or shelter worker about these medicines too.

Q. When will I be able to go back to my doctor and treatment center?

A: If you plan to go back to your previous doctor or treatment center, let the new doctor know that, when possible, you want to go home for treatment. As cancer treatment centers reopen, your new doctor can let you know about the openings that affect you. Make sure to ask for a copy of any current medical records to take back to your old treatment center. Also, contact your health insurance company to make sure proper steps are taken to get coverage for the treatments you need.

Living conditions and hygiene

You need to be very careful to protect yourself from illness and infections. Some kinds of cancer and cancer treatments can weaken your immune system and make it very easy for you to get infections. These questions cover some of the things you can do to be safe in a shelter or short-term housing.

Q. Should I get immunizations or vaccines if they are offered?

A: If youre in an area where safe water and food may be a problem or you could be injured due to the natural disaster, you may be asked to get shots for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, the flu, pneumococcus, and tetanus. While these vaccines are safe and may be needed, make sure the person giving the shots knows you have cancer and when you last had treatment. If you can, talk to your doctor or a local doctor before you get any shots.

Its very important that you do not let anyone give you a live vaccine unless a cancer doctor who knows your medical history says its OK. Vaccines like the flu nasal spray, varicella zoster (for chickenpox or shingles), measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), and smallpox have live virus in them. (Please note, the flu shot is OK, only the nasal spray has live virus in it.) Sometimes the live viruses can cause serious problems for people with weak immune systems. Also, try to avoid close contact with people who have gotten live virus vaccines.

Q. What can I do to protect myself from infection and germs?

A: Do these things to protect yourself:

Wash your hands with soap and water as often as possible. Keep washing for at least 20 seconds or as long as it takes you to sing Happy Birthday from beginning to end, twice.

If you cant get soap and water, ask for alcohol hand sanitizers (that are at least 60% alcohol) and be sure to follow the directions on the product.

Avoid touching surfaces that are frequently touched, like handrails, as much as possible. If you have to touch these surfaces, wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer immediately after.

Protect yourself from germs by wearing a mask or face covering when recommended or mandated.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, practise social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet from other people who are not part of your household.

If theres no safe water or you dont know if the water is safe, drink only bottled water or boil water for one full minute. Allow it to cool before drinking.

Some foods might have germs that may be harmful to you. Make sure all meats are thoroughly cooked and all fruits and vegetables are thoroughly washed in safe water. Dont eat cooked foods that have been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Be sure to ask your doctor if there are foods you should avoid until you can get into permanent housing.

Keep any cuts or wounds clean and covered with bandages UNLESS your doctor tells you otherwise. If you have a triple antibiotic ointment or cream, use it daily if it is OK with your doctor.

Bathe or shower as often as you can and use clean towels if possible.

Dont share toothbrushes or unwashed eating utensils or cups with others.

Q. Should I ask to be separated from others in the shelter or home? Should I ask to go to a special needs shelter?

A: Some shelters may have separate areas for people with special medical needs. And in some cases, special needs shelters are available. Whether a special needs shelter would be better for you depends in part on where you are in your treatment plan. If youve just gotten chemo and have very low white blood cell counts, your risk for infections may be higher in a crowded public shelter. Still, your options may be limited. Try to talk with your doctor or an on-site health care provider about your medical situation to see what else might be available and whether another location might be safer for you.

You may find more medical care is available in special needs shelters, but dont worry if you cant get into one  just make sure to take good care of yourself and follow any instructions the doctor gives you. Try to keep your body clean and stay away from people who have fevers, coughs, or any other signs of illness.

Other information to help you through this time

Q. What should I do if I have private health insurance?

A: Be sure to contact your health insurance company as soon as you can, and let them know where you are staying. Ask if there are cancer doctors and hospitals nearby in your plan, or if you can go outside your network area. Because of the disaster, your insurance company may offer special services to help evacuees.

Be sure to take proof of health insurance with you to any medical appointments. If youve lost or dont have your insurance cards, ask your insurance company to mail you information at a local address or through the new doctors office.

Q. What should I do if I have Medicare, Medicaid, or children on the state Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP)?

A: Contact the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the national organization that oversees these programs to see if they have special plans to help disaster evacuees.

The number is 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Q. How can the Red Cross or FEMA help me?

A: The American Red Cross provides shelter, food, and emotional support for those affected by natural disasters. Contact the Red Cross at www.redcross.org or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767).

If your losses occurred in a region that was declared a disaster area, you may qualify for federal relief funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Go to www.disasterassistance.gov/, call 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362), or TTY users can dial 1-800-462-7585 to find out whether you are eligible.

We have a lot more information that you might find helpful. Explore www.cancer.org or call our National Cancer Information Center toll-free number, 1-800-227-2345. Were here to help you any time, day or night.
The Irish Finance Minister has said tax receipts from corporation tax in Ireland will begin to decline from 2023 onwards.

New figures revealed this week that Irish tax receipts surged to their highest ever level last year at 68.4 billion, reducing the Exchequer deficit down to 7.3 billion.

It is the highest recorded tax yield, and more than 9 billion more than the previous highest figure in 2019.

Corporation tax soared by almost 30%, and is now the countrys second largest revenue in the state.

For years, a low corporate tax rate has been a key part of the Irish economic policy.

However, last year Ireland agreed to join the OECD framework for a global rate of 15% tax, giving up its highly prized previous rate of 12.5%.

Today (January 6) Paschal Donohoe said he expects that from 2023 onwards Ireland will begin to see corporate tax revenue decline.

If you look at where we are with this rate, overall Ireland will lose money and nobody knows this better than me, he said.

Well lose money because of two things happening. The first thing we will lose money from over time will be the full implementation of the global tax reform package.

He added that this was not just the reformed rate of tax, but the change that will happen regarding where tax is paid.

Secondly, many of the large tax payers are in a position of very high profitability due to other things that have happened in the global economy.

And we cannot, nor should we expect, that to continue. So we will get to a point where our corporate tax revenue  and Ive been saying this in particular since 2018  will come down, he told RTE radio.

Ill be on @TodaywithClaire shortly after 10 to discuss the exchequer returns published yesterday which showed the continued strength of our economy in 2021 despite the many challenges Covid-19 presented. Tune in if you can pic.twitter.com/NpG10mvr7G  Paschal Donohoe (@Paschald) January 6, 2022

He said that he expects the Irish corporate tax rate will be set at 15% in the Government Budget for 2023.

According to the latest data from the Department of Finance, consumer spending and an increase in wages helped bolster the tax figures.

The Department of Finance said that Ireland now gets one euro out of every 4.50 collected in overall tax revenue.

Chief economist at the Department of Finance John McCarthy said that total spending for last year amounted to around 105.5 billion.

Capital spending amounted to almost  10 billion, an increase of around 3% compared with 2020.
FILE - Defendant Joseph Elledge smiles at family members as he walks into the courtroom before closing arguments in his murder trial on Thursday Nov. 11, 2021, in Columbia, Mo. Elledge, a Missouri man who admitted to burying his wife's body and misleading authorities for more than a year about her whereabouts is set to be sentenced Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, for killing her. (Don Shrubshell/Columbia Daily Tribune via AP, Pool File)
This Jan. 24, 2018, photo released by the National Park Service shows a wolf from the Wapiti Lake pack silhouetted by a nearby hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyo. Park officials say hunters in neighboring states have killed 20 of the park's renown gray wolves in recent months, most of them in Montana after the state lifted hunting restrictions near the park. (Jacob W. Frank/National Park Service via AP, File)
Carroll, IA (51401)

Today

Rain likely. High 46F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 39F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Next event: Supporting Human Rights and Confronting Violence with Poetry and Music,

Thursday, Feb. 3 at 1 p.m. EST

Josh Griffin, a young consultant in the Carter Centers Human Rights Program, participated in the 2020 March on Washington for racial justice in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.



Standing at the foot of the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Griffin heard inspiring words from several speakers, including the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s son Martin III and 12-year-old granddaughter Yolanda Renee King.



Thats when I knew I had to fight this good fight and get in good trouble, said Griffin, using a phrase made famous by U.S. Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights leader who had died just weeks earlier.



You know, John Lewis was only 23 when he spoke [at the March on Washington] in 1963, said Zach Schreiner, a former U.S. Peace Corps volunteer and current social activist. You come to the realization that it doesnt matter who you are or how old you are or what your level of education is, or anything like that. Inaction at a time of injustice is [complicity with] that violence.



Schreiner and Griffin were discussing the power of peaceable assembly as part of a series of Carter Center roundtables on social justice in the United States. The Carter Center has always had an international focus, said Karin Ryan, the Centers senior advisor for human rights.



But in the last couple of years, weve seen a need to address issues in our own country as well. We cant ignore inequities and human rights abuses here in America even as we work abroad.



Many of the online roundtables, which take place on forum.cartercenter.org, highlight using the arts to promote social justice.



Past discussions have featured photographers, visual artists, and poets. The most recent roundtable brought together musicians for a look at The Blues and Resistance: The Music of Struggle from the U.S. to Palestine.



The session began with a blues song featuring traditional Middle Eastern instrumentation. The songs musical collaborators then spoke about how the blues origins can be traced to Africans brought to the U.S. as slaves and about how protesters here and in Palestine have used singing and dancing to keep up their spirits and indicate their refusal to back down.



Music can connect people to the experiences and emotions of others. It can be educational without seeming preachy.



Obviously, music isnt going to change the power system, said Ryan, but maybe it will make us be more human with each other.



For this reason, The Carter Center plans to continue the social justice through the arts series.



I think the human rights world needs to do more with the arts, Ryan said. When we experience art together, something shifts, and we see our common humanity.

Related Resources

To view past roundtable discussions, visit our Forum.

Learn more about the Center's Human Rights Program 
Photo: The Canadian Press A Sunwing Airlines jet prepares to take off at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport, Friday, March 20, 2020. Experts say the Sunwing party flight might have been halted mid-trip had certain aviation protocols been strictly followed. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Experts say a Sunwing flight that devolved into a raucous onboard party might have been halted mid-trip had certain aviation protocols been strictly followed.

Videos of the Dec. 30 charter voyage from Montreal to Mexico shared on social media show unmasked passengers in close proximity singing and dancing in the aisle and on seats as some clutch bottles of liquor, snap selfies and vape.

John Gradek, head of McGill University's aviation management program, says the captain has responsibility for the plane, including the decision to turn around or touch down early due to unruly behaviour or other breaches by passengers.

"Pilots basically have full discretion to manoeuvre the airplane," Gradek said in a phone interview.

"He's the boss on board the airplane. Its his or her decision. But he or she does that in consultation with headquarters, in consultation with dispatch in Toronto.

"Im guessing that Sunwing dispatch instructed them to continue on," he added.

Sunwing did not reply immediately to a request for comment about the decision to keep flying.

It said Tuesday that passengers  some were Quebec-based social media influencers  violated aviation regulations and public health rules, prompting an internal investigation.

As a result, the Toronto-based tour operator cancelled the group's return flight from Cancun that had been scheduled for Wednesday.

"The health and safety of our employees and passengers is our top priority at Sunwing Airlines," the carrier said in a release.

Transport Canada has also launched an investigation in conjunction with the federal health and public safety departments.

It warned that non-compliance with COVID-19 or air safety regulations can result in fines of up to $5,000 per offence. It also noted that anyone giving false information to a Canadian government official  on vaccination status, for example  could face fines of up to $750,000, six months in jail or both.

Louis-Eric Mongrain, who worked as a commercial airline pilot for 14 years before the pandemic hit, said the decision to halt the flight all comes down to risk assessment.

"If the safety of other passengers or other crew members is at stake, it's definitely necessary to divert the aircraft at that point if it's feasible," he said in a phone interview.

"But that is assuming that passengers were told to stop their behaviour. If they weren't, that doesn't really apply."

Rena Kisfalvi, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees local representing about 1,000 Sunwing flight attendants, said that while things got out of hand, her colleagues told her the guests were never "aggressive."

"This wasn't a catastrophic event," she said in a phone interview.

"Were they non-compliant with vaping? Yes. Were they non-compliant with masks? Yes. Were they non-compliant with alcohol consumption? Yes.

"But when you're in the air and you're halfway to where you need to be, there's a lot of factors that come into turning that plane around or landing it immediately," she said.

I think it was a decision that they made as a crew."

The trip organizer, who identifies himself on social media as James William Awad, said in a blog post Thursday that he had initially agreed to Sunwing's terms for the return flight, including that no alcohol would be served, all passengers would "remain seated and belted," and multiple "in-flight guardians" would be on board.

But Awad said that "we couldn't conclude an agreement" because Sunwing refused to provide meals on the roughly five-hour journey.

Sunwing did not respond to questions about the organizer's claims.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed in Wednesday, saying he was "extremely frustrated" with the young travellers' choices and calling them a "slap in the face."

Robert Kokonis, president of consulting firm AirTrav Inc., said he was "shocked" the plane did not return to Canada.

"The protocol for most carriers in a situation like that, where the cabin crew have lost control of the passengers on the flight, is to get the airplane put down as soon as possible. If they can make it back to Canada, great. If not, you set down at the closest airport where it would make sense," he said in a phone interview.
Photo: The Canadian Press An American flag flutters in the wind over over the charred remains of a home destroyed by wildfires Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Superior, Colo. Colorado authorities said Thursday, that last week's wildfires caused $513 million in damage and destroyed 1,084 homes and structures.(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado authorities say last weeks wildfire caused $513 million in damage and destroyed 1,084 homes and structures.

Its the first estimate of economic damage for the Dec. 30 blaze, the most destructive wildfire in state history.

Boulder County released the new totals Thursday after further assessing the suburban area located between Denver and Boulder.

Authorities previously estimated that at least 991 homes and other buildings were destroyed. Two people are missing, though officials have found partial human remains at one location.

Investigators also are trying to determine what caused the wind-whipped wildfire that charred entire neighborhoods and forced thousands to flee.

The inferno erupted following months of drought and fed on bone-dry grassland surrounding fast-growing development in the area near the Rocky Mountain foothills.

Experts say similar events will become more common as climate change warms the planet and suburbs grow in fire-prone areas. Ninety percent of Boulder County is in severe or extreme drought, and it hadnt seen substantial rainfall since mid-summer.

The fire, which spanned 9.4 square miles (24 square kilometers), ranks as the most destructive in state history in terms of homes and other structures destroyed and damaged. A 2013 fire outside Colorado Springs destroyed 489 homes and killed two people.

In 2020, Colorado also suffered its three largest wildfires in recorded history as a prolonged drought holds its grip on the Western U.S.

The new totals include destroyed barns, sheds and other outbuildings, but the vast majority were residences, Boulder County officials said. The worst damage was in and around Louisville and Superior, neighboring towns about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Denver with a combined population of 34,000.

Federal and state investigators have interviewed dozens of people as they work to determine what started the fire on a day when winds surpassed 100 mph (160 mph). Their efforts are focused on an area near Boulder where a passer-by captured video of a burning shed on the day the fire began.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The Canadian economy added 55,000 jobs in December before COVID-19 cases began spiking at the end of the month, Statistics Canada said Friday.

The agency said in its labour force survey that the increase in the number of people working came as the unemployment rate edged down to 5.9 per cent compared with 6.0 per cent in November.

It was the lowest unemployment rate since February 2020 before the pandemic when it was 5.7 per cent.

In British Columbia, the unemployment rate was pegged at 5.3 per cent, down from 5.6 per cent in November.

In Kelowna, it was 5.1 per cent, up from 4.4 per cent.

The report was based on survey results done during the week of Dec. 5 to 11, before the public health restrictions put in place to slow the latest surge in COVID-19 cases.

The highly transmissible Omicron variant has fuelled a massive spike in COVID-19 cases and prompted a return to restrictions in many parts of the country that have forced many businesses to temporarily close or curtail operations.

Stephen Brown, senior Canada economist at Capital Economics, said while the December report was positive, it seems inevitable that employment will fall in January due to the latest round of restrictions.

"The drop in restaurant visits alone is already consistent with a decline in accommodation and food services employment of 100,000, and it is likely that employment across the other high-contact service sectors will also weaken," Brown wrote in a report.

The overall increase in jobs in December was due to a gain in full-time jobs of 123,000, while part-time employment fell by 68,000 for the month.

Average hourly wages were up 2.7 per cent compared with a year earlier.

The gain in jobs in December was driven by the construction and educational services industries.

The construction industry added 27,000 jobs for the month, its first increase since August, however the sector still remains 41,000 below its pre-COVID-19 February 2020 mark.

Educational services gained 17,000 jobs in December.
Photo: The Canadian Press Exterior of the Albany County City Court is shown, where former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will appear virtually for a court session before Judge Holly Trexler, as she considers a prosecutor's request to dismiss a fondling case against him Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink,Pool)

A judge on Friday dismissed the only criminal charge filed against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in connection with the sexual harassment allegations that drove him from office.

The expected procedural move had been requested by prosecutors from the Albany County district attorneys office and came as they, Cuomo and his lawyers made a virtual appearance before a judge in Albany City Court.

Cuomo didnt speak during the hearing, which lasted just a few minutes. He was briefly visible on the videoconference as a defense attorney moved her camera slightly to show him in the room. He was wearing a black mask.

We have reviewed all of the available evidence and concluded we cannot successfully secure a conviction in this case, assistant district attorney Jennifer McCanney said.

Judge Holly Trexler said: This court is acutely aware of the fact that the district attorneys office has unfettered discretion to determine whether to prosecute a particular person or case.

The dismissal of the charge, which accused Cuomo of groping an aide in the executive mansion in 2020, removes what had been seen as the most serious legal threat to the Democrat.

He could still potentially face lawsuits over his conduct if his accusers choose to take him to court. Cuomo denied the groping allegation and says he didnt touch anyone inappropriately.

The misdemeanor complaint was filed by the local sheriff in October, two months after Cuomo resigned from office.

Albany County District Attorney David Soares told Trexler this week that although the aide was credible, and some evidence supported her account, he believed he couldnt win a conviction in court.

Soares and Cuomos attorney each asked the judge to dismiss the complaint. With an arraignment already scheduled, the judge said Cuomo and the attorneys should appear virtually. The judge will preside over the proceeding from an Albany courtroom with the lawyers participating via videoconference.

The charges against Cuomo were based on allegations by Brittany Commisso, who said Cuomo slid his hand up her blouse and grabbed her breast when they were alone in an office at the mansion.

Her testimony was among the most damning in a report released in August by Democratic state Attorney General Letitia James that concluded Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women.

Cuomo resigned that month. He has called the report unfair and has vehemently denied the groping allegation.

Soares has said he was caught by surprise when Sheriff Craig Apple, a fellow Democrat, filed the forcible touching complaint without consulting the prosecutors office. Soares called it potentially defective and moved to delay Cuomos arraignment, originally set for November.

In a letter to Trexler on Tuesday, Soares said statutory elements of New York law make this case impossible to prove. He added that multiple government inquiries into Cuomos conduct had created technical and procedural hurdles regarding prosecutors obligations to disclose evidence to the defense.

Some legal experts said Soares decision illustrated the difficulties of prosecuting sex crime allegations. But others said he should have proceeded if he considered the accuser credible.

Commisso was among the critics.

My disappointing experience of re-victimization with the failure to prosecute a serial sexual abuser, no matter what degree the crime committed, yet again sadly highlights the reason victims are afraid to come forward, especially against people in power, Commisso said in a statement to the Times Union of Albany.

The Associated Press doesnt identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they decide to tell their stories publicly, as Commisso has done in interviews.

Soares, in a radio interview Friday, noted that the attorney generals inquiry didnt have the same legal requirements as a criminal case, and he said prosecutors cant be swayed by public sentiment or passions.

Its not for me to engage in any kind of debate with those who arent equipped with as much information or the obligations that I have. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but theres only one person with a burden of proof, and thats me, he told the WAMC/Northeast Public Radio network.

I think the more dangerous position is to have a person in my position who will move forward, press forward, with cases because of fear of public backlash, he added.

Two prosecutors in the New York City suburbs separately announced last month that Cuomo would not face charges for allegations involving other women who said they had been subjected to unwanted kisses or touches.
(For nearly) four years now I have lived in the Okanagan (my wife grew up here). We moved here after we were married, originally living in the Greater Toronto Area.

I thought I had experienced bad road conditions in the many, many years I lived in Toronto and all the drives up north and to Quebec and Montreal to visit family and do various things.

Those are all seemingly nothing compared to how horrendous the snow removal has been out here the entire time Ive lived here.

I was driving a truck for a living before and after I had first moved here back in 2018. After one winter, I absolutely refused to ever do that again, even just driving from the south Okanagan all the way up to Shushwap.

Whenever we have had a massive snowfall, without fail, I have not seen a snow plow out or heard them out before 6 a.m. Most of the time you dont see them until (between) 7:30 a.m.-10 a.m.if you see them at all.

Back east, snow removal starts the night before, or in the early hours of the morning, so they can stay on top of itnot between 6 a.m and 10 a.m. when the roads are worse and being packed down by slow moving traffic.

Where is the city? Where are the independents? If you dont want to do this job properly, or you cannot meet your obligations, then give the contract to a company that is capable of doing it.

We live in (an area where) this weather is nothing new.

The fact that all you hear back is we are slammed because this is an abnormal amount of snow we are getting is total BS. They cant get it done properly when they have days and weeks (notice)?

What happened to hope for the best and plan for the worst?

Clearly our weather systems are becoming more intense and more frequent (heatwaves, flooding etc) so it doesnt take a genius to figure the snow will in all likelihood follow suit.

People, livelihoods, property, health and well-being are at risk from this disastrous standard they are being held to. It must stop, or (the people responsible) need to go. This (winter weather) is nothing new. Its not going to change anytime soon. There are no excuses.

Michael Hewat
Photo: YXS Facebook

Prince George's airport has high hopes of becoming the first airport terminal in the world to host a cannabis retail store.

In a joint press conference, the Prince George Airport Authority (PGAA) announced today (Jan. 7) that it is welcoming a new business partner called Copilot, who is 'pioneering cannabis for travel'.

The company approached us in early 2020 with a proposal to open the first cannabis retail store in an airport terminal worldwide, to our knowledge, said PGAA CEO Gordon Duke.

We feel strongly that having Copilot here at YXS will enhance our services our other business partners provide to our passengers and the people of our region.

The company first must obtain a business license from the City of Prince George and if granted, the plans to open a cannabis retail store at YXS later this year.

Copilot has been working with federal and provincial regulators throughout the license application process and has met every required step to operate at YXS so far. Approval of a business license from the city is one of the final steps before they can build and open their store at YXS.

Duke added that the products and services conform to all federal and provincial laws and the store will operate the same as other cannabis retail stores in Prince George

We are really excited to partner with the YXS team and introduce Copilot to the Prince George community, said Copilot co-founder Reed Horton.

Horton was college classmates with co-founder Owen Ritz and explained how the two bonded over travel and a desire to make the experience less stressful and more enjoyable.

We saw an opportunity to bring a safe and simple cannabis retain experience to airports across Canada and so in 2020 we founded Copilot.We reached out to YXS later that year and have been working with the team ever since to bring our store to Prince George.

Horton and Ritz added that Prince George is the perfect location for the companys first store, in any airport worldwide.

We felt Prince George was the best place to start because of the size of the airport and the community culture, added Horton.

We felt the airport was large enough to have enough passenger traffic and enough flights to test out the different aspects of the business model but small enough where we would develop a community feel and it wouldnt necessarily feel like our retail store was in a sea of other stores or that it was an overwhelming experience for other passengers given that is a very new concept.

The store itself would be located before security so it would not just be limited to travelers, and Reed explained the experience could be similar to both airport liquor stores and bars.

However, Duke noted the airport will remain a smoke-free environment with the exception of designated smoking areas.

We are looking at designating a separate cannabis area for combustible consumption.

The first and second readings of Copilots application will be heard at Prince George City Councils Jan. 10 meeting.

If all goes as plans we are opening the first cannabis retail store in an airport right here in Prince George this summer, said Ritz.
Photo: pixabay

Despite the vocal outcry over the lack of N95 masks across the province, B.C.'s top doctor stresses that face coverings shouldn't be the only layer of protection against the spread of coronavirus.

As daily case numbers of the virus continue to rise in B.C. due to the Omicron variant, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told reporters in a press briefing Friday (Jan. 7) that COVID-19 safety plans must include several layers of protection.

"I think we need to put things into perspective and look at [World Health Organization] documents [and] look at what we know about how things are transmitted in public settings," Henry said.

"Outside of healthcare settings...and schools are a very good example...we have many, many things in place that make it very unlikely that viruses and other pathogens will be transmitted."

Layers of protection, in addition to a "hierarchy of protection," significantly reduce the risk of transmission, Henry explained. Examples of safety protocol include having reduced numbers of people, preventing mixing and mingling, or having students attend class at different times. Additionally, businesses may use screening to prevent the "entrance of a hazard" to infect others.

"So you can't become infected if there's nobody with the virus in the setting," she emphasized. "There are many things that we do in these structured settings to make sure that you don't have to rely on the moderately increased filtration capacity of a respirator versus a medical mask."

Henry added that "we need to be pragmatic and practical" and the best mask is one that properly fits your face.

The Public Health Agency of Canada released some updated information about face masks and layers of protection to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in November 2021. Wearing a face mask that fits comfortably and correctly is most important, underscored Henry. But while non-medical masks are adequate for most people, she noted that others may want to consider wearing medical ones.

Non-medical masks generally can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but the PHAC notes that medical masks and respirators provide "better protection."

Experts say policies prohibiting N95 use are a step in the wrong direction when more protective masking is crucial to curbing the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

In an interview with the Canadian Press, Virginia Tech engineering professor Linsey Marr said medical masks and respirators are made out of materials that can both filter out particles of all sizes. However, the main difference comes down to fit  respirators are designed to form a seal around the face, while medical masks often leave gaps under the cheeks or chin that allow very small particles to seep through.

These leaks lead to significantly less protection against the novel coronavirus, she explained. A well-fitted respirator offers more than 95 per cent protection, while the effectiveness ranges from 20 per cent to 90 per cent for medical masks depending on how snug it is.

Find more information about the updated guidance on face masks with the Public Health Agency of Canada online.

With files from the Canadian Press.
by Molly K. Houle, DVM*

At New York Citys John F. Kennedy International Airport, the belly of the Boeing passenger jet opened to reveal the cargo hold filled with stacked crates of whimpering dogs, many more than usual. All were young puppiesmost too young to leave their motherscowering and huddling in their cages, shivering while covered in their own waste after their long international flight. Witnessing the scene was a team of federal agents from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and JFKs veterinarians accredited by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

I just wanted to take them home, said the burly CBP officer at seeing the puppies miserable plight. A 17-year expert on preventing narcotics smuggling, Deputy Chief of Cargo James Bowles realized he was confronting another kind of illegal importation, of the cuter variety.

In October 2017, Deputy Chief Bowles first overheard fellow officers complaining about hordes of puppies arriving at JFK on international flights. Brushing it off as a fluke, his mind changed when underage puppies started arriving weekly, even daily, in large shipments of 44 or 48 at a time, as opposed to 1 or 2 passengers pets. In response, Bowles drafted a heightened surveillance plan to address these illegal puppy importations, finding it similar to busting narcotics smugglers. He named the plan Operation Dog Catcher. To form a strike team, he brought in CDC public health officers and veterinarians from AirHeart Pet Hospital inside The ARK, CBPs biosecurity, 24-hour animal care and veterinary facility at JFK airport.

Government regulations

CBP functions on our countrys front lines to secure US borders while facilitating lawful travel and trade. Stationed at more than 300 US ports of entry, CBP works with 40 other US government agencies, including CDC, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration, to enforce more than 400 federal laws. One of these laws is CDCs federal regulation for proper rabies immunization for every dog arriving from a high-risk country for dog rabies before entering the United States.

Puppies true ages can be determined by examining their teeth, even though illegal importers may falsify the dogs ages on their papers.

All dogs coming into the United States are required to be healthy. And they must be at least 4 months old to be properly immunized against dog rabies, which has been eradicated from the United States since 2007.

Puppies cant be vaccinated for rabies before theyre 12 weeks old, because their mothers antibodies prevent the vaccines protection. CDCs age requirement is timed for when puppies are developing their own immune system. When puppies are vaccinated at 12 weeks, it takes a month for them to gain their own protective rabies antibodies to be fully immunized. Rabies poses a public health risk. Rabies almost always causes death.

Further, USDA requires puppies to be healthy and at least 6 months old if imported for resale to help prevent the foreign fraudulent importation of sick and underage dogs. If dogs dont meet CDCs or USDAs importation requirements, they may be deported back to their countries of origin.

USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) oversees animal welfare pertaining to the shipment of puppies. Shipping dogs in crates as cargo has its risks. Since Operation Dog Catchers start at JFK, seven illegally imported underage puppies arrived dead in the United States. At higher risks for death are the popular French and English bulldogs (both brachycephalic breedstheir smooshed noses make it harder to breathe normally). Airlines in the United States have started banning these breeds from their flights, as do most airlines in Europe and Australia. In stressful, cramped conditions, they are especially prone to heat stroke and respiratory distress.

No matter how importers falsify puppies ages on paper, their true age can be determined by examining their teeth.

Illegal importers tricks

The motives behind illegal puppy importation are not immediately obvious. However, a closer look reveals a big business driven by profit at the expense of the health and welfare of the underage puppies. Importers aim to get around these regulations, because customers demand puppies as young as 8-weeks. Profits decline by the thousands with each month a puppy ages. The puppy-loving public creating the demand is part of the problem.

Many dogs are bred irresponsibly in large numbers in puppy mills overseas, where the risk of congenital abnormalities and disease is high. Importers then fly them as cargo in large batches, claiming them as rescue dogs, valued at $0 on their paperwork, and allowing the importers to evade entry and broker fees.

If the illegal puppies enter the United States, they are marketed to the public through social media such as Facebook and Twitter, or even on legitimate-looking US breeder websites. Some international importers cheaply breed or board high-demand types of puppies in the United States, such as French and English bulldogs, and other small breeds like Yorkshire terriers and chihuahuas. The dogs are then sold to unsuspecting families as well-bred, American-born puppies at a cost of $3,000 to 5,000 each. The potential profit is exponential.

Another ruse is to recruit a flight parent, offering travelers a free flight in exchange for claiming the dogs as their own on their flight to the United States. The importers tell the unsuspecting flight parent they are helping to transport rescue dogs to meet their adoptive owners at the airport. They then give a description of the new families or transporters and a meeting point at the airport to make the exchange. The transaction between the flight parent and the puppys new family leaves no paper trail.

Turning point for Operation Dog Catcher

In 2017, a Christmas-time shipment of dogs, including a 6-month-old chihuahua puppy, marked a turning point for the strike team and Operation Dog Catcher. The puppy was one of five dogs in cargo on an arriving international flight from Cairo, Egypt. They seemed to have proper paperwork and rabies vaccination certificates. All the dogs were permitted entry into the United States. As planned, the volunteer flight parents met with transporters to distribute the dogs for ultimate adoption in states widespread from Connecticut to Washington.

The chihuahua, in particular, was markedly agitated on the flight and bit the flight parent at the airport. The next day, the chihuahua bit a veterinary technician; then the puppy died on his second day in the United States. Lab results soon revealed the chihuahua had rabies. A collaborative effort between five state health departments, CDC, CBP, and APHIS contacted all people exposed, from cargo handler to adoptive parent, to ensure they and the other dogs received anti-rabies postexposure treatment to help prevent the disease. None of the exposed people developed rabies.

CDC and CBP officers suspected a fraudulent rabies vaccination certificate, sparking a new conversation at CBP about how to increase surveillance of dog imports and add procedures to better scrutinize puppies paperwork. Because the rabid puppy slipped through surveillance at JFK airport, CBP now requires all puppy shipments from suspicious importers and high-risk countries for dog rabies to go to The ARK, where they receive a thorough physical exam and paperwork inspection.

The ARK

Lavender French bulldog puppies command high prices.

At the tarmac entrance of The ARK clinic, the steel exam table to the left gleams in front of cupboards filled with medical supplies. To the right are empty cat cages, stacked atop one another like bookshelves. Down the long hall, a few faint whines echo in the vast space of the spotless warehouse-like facility. The ARKs Managing Director Elizabeth Schuette explains they provide boarding, veterinary care, and quarantine, and facilitate air travel for animals from birds to horses.

Soft squeaks and whimpers beckon from two rows of dog runs on either side of the hallway. Heres where veterinarians care for imported underage puppies during their exam and paperwork inspection.

Three adjacent dog runs each house two velvety 7-week-old French bulldog puppies. The first two are spotted black and white, the next two are cream-colored, and the last two are the fashionable lavender color. Once stateside, these lavender Frenchies could be worth $10,000 to $15,000 each in the US puppy market. The other four of different colors are less valuable, but still worth $3,000 to 5,000 per pup.

Even from the opposite side of the cage door, each yawn and yip reveals their sparse, needle-like puppy teeth, indicating they cant be more than 8 weeks old.

ARK staff, CDC experts, and JFK veterinarians partner to investigate imported underage puppies.

The puppies chase and tumble over one another in their runs. Although they seem like playful, healthy puppies, The ARK staff warns the puppy mill dogs have lived in poor, filthy conditions their whole lives, in sometimes abusive conditions that make them fearful of people. One veterinarian proves his point by cracking open the cage doorthe two puppies rush to the back corner of their run, quivering as one fuzzy mound, their eyes white saucers.

Down the hall, seven longhaired chihuahuasall varying in size and agewere separated into individual cages after their arrival to the United States that morning. As with the French bulldog puppies, CBP flagged their shipment as suspicious and had them transported to The ARK for inspection. Two underage puppies could fit in the palm of your hand, and they lay curled like croissants on their blankets, looking exhausted and sick next to dishes full of uneaten food.

The ARK-affiliated veterinary staff had to syringe-feed them a nutrient-dense gruel to prevent their blood sugar from dropping. Young puppies like these are at risk for life-threateningly low blood sugar, as well as hypothermia and respiratory infections during the long plane ride. The stress of the trip weakens their young immune systems, and they may have other diseases like kennel cough and parvovirus. Illegal puppies are not deported back to their country of origin until they are well enough to travel.

Public health implications

Linda Mittel, MSPH, DVM, a faculty veterinarian at Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, works with The ARK on their biosecurity and standard operating procedures for horses. But since Operation Dog Catcher, she helps with the animal care procedures for dogs as well. While CDCs dog importation regulations only require dogs to be healthy on arrival and have rabies vaccinations to protect the publics health, Mittel explains rabies is not the only threat to human and animal health from these imported underage puppies. Parasitic diseases, such as tapeworm, roundworm, and Giardia infection, can spread quickly through dense populations of dogs and lead to disease in people. Skin infections, such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a drug-resistant bacterium), are known to be contagious between people and their pet dogs. Brucellosis (another disease caused by bacteria) is also a concern, particularly for American Kennel Club breeders and pet stores. At increased risk for these zoonotic (spread from animal to human) diseases are children, the elderly, and people on certain medications.

Cornells veterinary diagnostic lab researches flu viruses. Mittel expressed concern that some illegal, underage puppies are coming from areas where dog flu is common, and shipments of rescue dogs from those areas have been traced as the source of recent outbreaks in the US pet population. Of even more concern is the potential for dog flu to transform into a more severe strain, possibly becoming contagious between dogs and humans. In 2016, transmission of bird flu from cats to a human was documented in a New York City animal shelter. Although the disease was mild, a more severe strain could emerge from the sick underage puppies imported into the United States.

A new tactic

A pregnant longhaired chihuahua represents a new concern to the strike team.

At the very end of The ARKs hall of dog runs, a pot-bellied, longhaired chihuahua presses her nose between the bars of her cage door. She may represent the test of a new tactic by illegal dog importers: a pregnant female within hours of delivering her litter. She was smuggled into the United States in a small, cat-sized carrier with two other dogs, an attempted evasion of CBP surveillance. Upon inspection at The ARK, however, her pregnancy was discovered.

Stressed from her ordeal, she cowers in the front corner of her cage. If this pregnant dog were released to the importer, within hours or days, two or three puppies would be born in the United States with no way of following up on the sale of the puppies. If not caught, the importer is a mere 8 weeks away from making thousands of dollars on each puppy. According to CBP, corrupt importers are willing to take this gamble for the potential payoffs, and they constantly evolve their methods to stay one step ahead of port authorities.

I wish we could be proactive, admitted Bowles, but were forced to be reactive.

Progress and port shopping

The first US port to recognize the rise in puppy importations was Miami International Airport. The airport developed a strike team to bust illegal importers. This apparently led the influx of dogs to shift north to JFK airport. Now that Operation Dog Catcher has streamlined CBP and CDC surveillance in New York, illegal importers have again felt the effects, and large shipments containing 20 to 40 dogs have slowed. But the underage puppies still keep coming.

Smaller shipments of 1 to 10 puppies have kept CDCs New York quarantine public health officers busy. Operation Dog Catcher takes the majority of their workday, even spilling over into off hours. Importers often attempt to ship puppies on overnight flights, seeing an opportunity for easier entry into the United States. But CDCs public health officers are on call day and night.

CBP has generated a list of problem importers and countries on their radar. As soon as the plane wheels hit JFKs runway, officers are notified if the shipment seems suspicious. CDC continues tracking the puppies from cargo to The ARK, where USDA-accredited veterinarians examine them and determine their ages. The puppies status updates come often, awakening the CDC on-duty officer three to four times per night. On a weekend, shipments may take 8 hours for CDC to process because of limited staff.

For the larger shipments, illegal importers now go port shopping, looking for the easiest entries into the United States that may not have veterinary staff on site to properly examine the puppies. Other airports, such as Dallas, Philadelphia, and Newark, report dogs coming in en masse.

Public awareness

The only way we can stop this problem is to shut down demand, said CDCs Yonette Hercules, officer in charge of the New York Quarantine Station. Its important to be a responsible dog owner and realize taking a puppy away from its mother too soon is not healthy and is creating inhumane conditions for their breeding and shipment. Make sure you know what youre buying. Be diligent in researching breeders and verifying their online advertisements. Locate ethical US dog breeders by visiting their facilities, and see how they raise puppies.

Purebreds and mixed-breed dogs of all ages are also available for adoption at credible animal shelters across the country. Many shelters conduct behavior testing to match adopters with their perfect companion. For those people looking to add a new pet to their family, seeking a rescue dog in the United States not only helps decrease our homeless pet population but also helps decrease demand for false rescue puppies sold illegally in the US market from international puppy mills. Once an educated public reduces demand, irresponsible overbreeding and fraudulent importation will hopefully cease.
FiCO Pan-United Concrete completes Novaland agreement

07 January 2022

FiCO Pan-United Concrete JSC, a subsidiary of Singapore-listed Pan-United Corporation Ltd, has strengthened its longstanding working relationship with Novaland Group with the signing of a 2022-24 cooperation agreement.

The agreement will see FiCO PanU providing sustainable concrete solutions to Novaland, a leading prestigious brand in the real estate investment and development industry in Vietnam.

Under the terms of the agreement, FiCO PanU will construct two onsite batching plants at the site of Aqua City, a large-scale smart eco-urban integrated development in Dong Nai province undertaken by Novaland by 2022. Collectively, the two plants will supply about 700,000m3 of ready-mix concrete to the Aqua City project over a two-and-a-half-year period. FiCO PanU has commissioned the first plant in December 2021.

Steven Loh, general director of FiCO PanU, said: "The cooperation agreement attests to the strong and longstanding relationship we have built with Novaland. We look forward to playing a meaningful role in the development of the iconic Aqua City and to fulfilling our commitments to Novaland developments in Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai. This partnership also highlights our shared commitment towards sustainable building development needs for the Vietnamese market and our contributions to the achievement of Vietnams stated goal of net-zero carbon emissions in 2050."

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China reiterates implementation of "double reduction" policy

Xinhua) 14:15, January 07, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese education authority has stressed banning irregular off-campus tutoring activities featuring curriculum subjects and warned against excessive homework amid the upcoming winter vacation.

In a statement released on Friday, the Ministry of Education ordered strict measures to prevent off-campus curriculum subject tutoring services for students at the stage of compulsory education and preschoolers.

Local authorities should crack down on curriculum subject tutoring under the disguise of thinking training courses, household services or winter camps, the ministry said.

A blacklist of training institutions violating relevant regulations should be set up, and the offenders should be exposed to the public, according to the ministry.

Channels for tip-offs from local lawmakers and political advisors, the media and the public should be kept open, it added.

In July 2021, China introduced a set of "double reduction" rules to ease the burden of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for young students.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Legacy Village at Park Regency, an assisted living and memory care community operated by Legacy Senior Living in Moultrie, Ga., presented Georgia Christian School with a special $1,105 gift in the name of resident Pearl Collins, in honor of her 105th birthday on Dec. 28.



Barry Ray and Bryan Cook, founders of Legacy Village at Park Regencys parent organization, Legacy Senior Living, traveled to Moultrie from its headquarters in Cleveland, Tn., to participate in a special birthday celebration held at the assisted living community in Ms. Collins honor. Ms. Collins is the oldest resident of all Legacy Senior Livings 15 assisted living and memory care communities.



Ms. Collins, who served for many years as a manager of school cafeterias, was celebrated with a parking lot parade featuring community members, fire and police officials. So touched by the spirit of Ms. Collins, Mr. Ray and Mr. Cook wanted to honor her through a donation in her name to a dining services program at the school of her choice. Ms. Collins promptly chose Georgia Christian School in Dasher, from which her younger daughter, Rita, graduated.



At Legacy Senior Living, our motto is, life, love, legacy, and we cannot think of anyone who embodies this more than Ms. Pearl. It was an honor to join in this celebration, and we are thrilled to present this gift that will help Georgia Christian School continue to impact the lives of its students in a special way. Thank you, Ms. Pearl, for allowing our team at Legacy Village at Park Regency to love and care for you, and for the joy you bring to Moultrie, Mr. Cook said.



Georgia Christian School President Brad Lawson met Ms. Collins at Legacy Village at Park Regency in Moultrie on Tuesday, to receive the gift in her name.



It was such an honor to meet Ms. Pearl and thank her personally for remembering Georgia Christian School with the donation from Legacy. Even though her youngest daughter, Rita, graduated in 1971, knowing she wanted to help another generation get a Christian education is so heartwarming. Ms. Pearl is an inspiration to all who know her, and we'll be telling her story for years to come, said Mr. Lawson.



Additionally, during Ms. Collins birthday celebration, Wertz surprised Ms. Collins, who is a Georgia native, with a commendation from Gov. Brian Kemp and Moultrie Mayor Bill McIntosh proclaimed her birthday, Dec. 24, 2021, as Pearl Collins Day in Moultrie.



Ms. Collins, a mother of three and grandmother of two, has shared a two-bedroom apartment with her oldest daughter, Bonnie, at Legacy Village at Park Regency since 2019.
A man on Montview Drive told police he was in a heated verbal argument with his wife and he wanted her removed from the house. Police informed him that they couldn't remove her from the home because it's also her residence. The man told police that he was sick and tired of his wife verbally berating him over every little thing. He told police that every time she drinks, she gets like this. While police were on the scene talking to the man, the wife felt the need to yell obscenities at police and her husband. After providing the man with some possible options to rectify the issue, the man opted to leave the house for the night.

* * *

A man on Van Buren Street told police sometime overnight someone broke into his Honda Civic. He said someone broke out the lock on the drivers door and scratched the paint. Suspects stole a sweatshirt ($35) out of the car.

* * *

While patrolling on Daisy Street, an officer saw a suspicious vehicle parked in an empty, dark and grassy field. Due to having previous knowledge of this area and finding stolen vehicles at this same location, the officer examined the car and found a tag that returned to a different vehicle. The officer ran the VIN and found it to be registered to a person out of Sequatchie County, and the vehicle did not return stolen. The officer saw the car had damage consistent with a motor vehicle crash and the front seats also appeared ransacked. There was no one around the car and no contact was made with the owner.

* * *

Police were dispatched to a broken down auto at 800 Ochs Hwy. The officer arrived and found a blue semi stuck in the hairpin curve. The passenger side rear wheels of the trailer were off the roadway. Doug Yates was called to the scene to tow the semi back onto the road.

* * *

While working extra security at Douglas Heights, an officer heard a disorder in the parking garage. The officer walked outside and found two individuals in a verbal disorder. One man in a red Ford Mustang sped off when he saw police. The second man entered his vehicle and followed the red Mustang. It was later reported that the man in the Mustang brandished a firearm. However, the other man was not cooperative with police and refused to give any further information. The Mustang was not found.

* * *

An officer spoke with a man walking east on Citico Avenue from North Holly Street. He was wearing a purple LA jacket and black and white camouflage pants.

* * *

A woman at Bar Watson at 6925 Shallowford Road told police someone had smashed her window and had taken her purse with multiple items in it while she was inside. No finger prints were found on or in the vehicle.

* * *

Police were dispatched to South Willow Street for a burglar alarm. Upon arrival, officers located an unsecured door. While clearing the building, it appeared that someone may have been inside the store but was no longer there. Police attempted to contact a responsible person but were unable to reach one. Officers were unable to secure the door at this time.

* * *

An anonymous caller told police an 18-wheeler had damaged a utility pole on Hickory Valley Road. On arrival, the officer observed the 18-wheeler that had attempted to pull into a construction zone and contacted low hanging wires. In doing so, the 18-wheeler damaged an adjacent pole. EPB responded and the truck was able to be freed from the wires without any damage to the truck.

* * *



A black male entered Echelon Fitness Studio at 1400 Market St. and went over to one of the iPads. He looked at the iPad for a few moments before sticking it into his jacket and walking out of the store. An employee said he did not appear to be homeless. The iPad was remotely locked/disabled and they do not have a way to track it. It was valued at $400.

* * *

An officer saw a black man in his 20s throwing trash from the back seat of a white Kia Optima at the intersection of Water Street and Ohls Avenue. The officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, initiating emergency lights and a chirped siren after the driver got back into the car onto West 37th St. The vehicle accelerated and did not stop. It was last seen driving east on 28th Street. The vehicle was not pursued due to department policy. The tag returned to a woman on Gleason Drive. The officer requested dispatch to send an officer by that address to see if the car was present. An East Ridge unit checked Gleason Drive and did not find the car.

* * *

After receiving a report of an abandoned vehicle on Cambridge Drive, an officer responded and found the car parked the wrong direction with damage. A check of its registration showed it to not be stolen. The car was tagged for removal.

* * *

Police spoke with two women on 13th Avenue in regards to a dispute about a dog. The first woman has a dog that was on a leash and it was in her yard. The second woman said she is afraid of dogs and she was on her porch and had grabbed a knife because she believed the dogs leash was long enough to reach her. It was not. The two women got into a verbal argument about the dog. The first woman agreed to move the leash to a different location to avoid further disorders.

* * *

Police were called to Northgate Mall on a report of an intoxicated man stumbling in the parking lot. Upon arrival, police met with the man and he was very cooperative. A taxi was called for him and he was taken home by A-1 taxi service.

* * *

A man on Lee Highway called police and said during a road rage incident, he "flipped-off" the driver behind him and she displayed a firearm. He said that she never pointed the gun at him. He described the other driver as a larger black female with long dreadlocks, possibly in her 30's. She was operating a light green colored Toyota.
ArtsBuild announces the five local artists receiving awards from the Racial Equity Grants for Individual Artists (REGIA) program. They are Pablo Mazariegos, Isela Arredondo, Kristina Sanchez-Mills, Jose Loza and Samantha De Armas.



REGIA was established for the purpose of supporting local artists of color. The grant program aims to support the work of diverse artists that are reflective of the community.

"National reports done over the years have shown funding inequities in the nonprofit arts sector. REGIA was designed to provide more racially equitable grant funding in our community," officials said.

This recent grant cycle was available for artists who identify as Latin(o)(a)(x) and are living and working in Hamilton County. Grant funding was available in three categories: Artist Works, Equipment and Professional Development. REGIA is made possible with gifts from individual donors, Lyndhurst Foundation, Benwood Foundation and Footprint Foundation.



Twenty-one percent of ArtsBuild funding last year was awarded to BIPOC-led or BIPOC-serving organizations.

"It is a strategic priority that ArtsBuild funding reflects the demographics of the geographic area we serve," officials said.



The goals for the REGIA program include:



 Making arts funding more equitable in our community by creating access to resources for artists of color in Hamilton County;

 Providing support to established and emerging racially diverse artists;

 Broadening the types of artists supported in the community; and

 Ensuring the distribution of financial and capacity-building resources for minority artists.

About the awardees:



Pablo Mazariegos is an established award-winning narrative filmmaker from Guatemala who now calls Chattanooga home. He produces heartfelt stories that drive meaningful change for Latino and underrepresented communities. Pablo has directed 33 video projects from start to finish highlighting 20 Chattanooga non-profits that included the participation of Latinos from Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Cuba and Guatemala. The REGIA grant will support the writing and production of a documentary film highlighting the bond between a Guatemalan mother and son forced to live in different countries, their longing to reunite, and their journey back together. Pablo states, I want to bring hope to the many Latino immigrant children and mothers struggling with the grief of leaving their native country and living apart from their parents and children.



Isela Arredondo is a local writer, visual and craft artist from Guadalajara in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Isela has worked as a community artist teaching classes at La Paz and Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. Isela has recognized a need for Spanish literature in our community and will be using her grant funding to write, illustrate and self-publish a children's book in English and Spanish as well as in audio format for those who are hearing impaired. The book will be titled I Am Right Here and will convey the message that a mother is always present in her childs heart, dreams and memories. Isela hopes her book will inspire children to recognize and realize that regardless of where we come from, where we live, our race or social status, we can make an impact in the lives of others. Through art, we can find our voice and a way towards a better, healthier and happier future.



Kristina Sanchez-Mills is a fine artist, sculptor, writer, teacher, illustrator, and community artist born in Costa Rica. Kristina has illustrated for authors in the U.S., Costa Rica, Portugal, Spain and the Ivory Coast, and has worked on multiple literary and illustrative projects for the Biblioteca de las Grandes Naciones based in the Basque Country region of Spain. Kristina will be self-publishing three books that highlight the struggles she has faced in her life and the positive life-changing lessons she and her family have gained from them. The first book will be told from the perspective of a child whose sibling is ill with a catastrophic disease, the second book will be told from the sick child's point of view, and the third book will be from the parent's perspective. She hopes the books will provide a light-hearted yet powerful view of events, fears, hopes, and coping mechanisms we learn along the way.



Jose Loza is a local photographer born in Peru who specializes in portraiture for personal branding and business headshots. Through his work his goal is to create images that not only represent you well in front of your clients but also empower you, and that will leave a legacy for your loved ones. Jose will be using the REGIA grant for professional development to attend a workshop that will allow him to grow as an artist and grow his photography business. Joses work will culminate with a special community exhibition during National Hispanic Heritage Month in September that will be hosted at ArtsBuild to display his photography and highlight local Latino business owners.



Samantha De Armas is a digital media and virtual reality artist currently earning her BFA at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Her work revolves around problems of mental health, performance, art, and technology. She says, my art is intended to question and describe my mental illness to others in an attempt to destigmatize and validate the experience. Funding from the REGIA grant will support equipment purchases to complete her senior thesis project to develop an interactive virtual environment that will be included in UTCs BFA Senior Thesis Exhibition at the Institute for Contemporary Art in May 2022.
If anyone knows that George Harrison wasnt the quiet Beatle, its TV producer Norman Lear. While vacationing in the British Virgin Islands in 1976, George and his friend, Monty Python comedian, Eric Idle were a little too loud for their neighbor in their hotel.

George Harrison | Michael Putland/Getty Images

George Harrison and Eric Idle disturbed Norman Lear

In her introduction to the reissue of Georges memoir, I Me Mine, Georges wife, Olivia, wrote about an especially enchanting vacation they took in the British Virgin Islands in 1976.

It was a great time for them. However, it wasnt for Lear, the producer of shows like All in the Family and The Jeffersons.

I remember Eric Idle joined us on that holiday, Olivia wrote. One afternoon we were playing a song on a small cassette player, when I answered a knock on our door. Television producer Norman Lear introduced himself and told us that that music was too loud and disturbing his wife who was trying to write.

(The year was 1976, before the days of laptops, so wed been holidaying with the clacking of the typewriter next door and were hoping she was writing letters and not a book.) This minor conflict briefly put a damper on things, since it wasnt as much fun knowing the people next door were grumbling about us.

Lear complained about George and Idles noise. However, when he found out who he was complaining about, his attitude quickly changed.

RELATED: George Harrison Said His Initial Inspiration for a Lyric Usually Metamorphosed by the End of the Song

Lear learned who his neighbors were and swiftly apologized

The TV producer might have caused a damper on George, Olivia, and Idles holiday, but he quickly made amends.

The next day Norman found out it was George Harrison playing the music and again knocked on our door, this time apologising and pleading for George to play as much music as he liked, not that he and Eric needed much encouragement, since they always travelled with acoustic guitars.

Thankfully Lear gave his blessing for the music to commence because George wrote some great songs on that vacation.

RELATED: George Harrison Said Being a Beatle Was Like Having a Previous Incarnation

George wrote Soft Touch while in the British Virgin Islands

That year, vacationing in the British Virgin Islands allowed the creative juices to flow for George. While there, Olivia said he wrote Soft Touch.

His short paragraph about the writing of that song describes the mood and what was going on around us, but for me there is so much more on that page, both in sentiment and notation-just tiny notes that speak to me, Olivia wrote in her introduction. At the bottom of the second page of the Soft Touch lyrics he printed Bridge (noch einmal)-German for one more time.

George used this phase occasionally from the time that they (The Beatles) used to shout it from the stage when they played in Hamburg. Olivia continued to write, George loved the tropics and was always happiest there. He was inspired and wrote several songs during those days.

Were glad Lear told George to continue playing. If he didnt, we might have gotten some great music.

RELATED: Keith Richards Said He and George Harrison Had a Bond: Theyd Be Nowhere Without Us
On New Years Eve, the cast of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation looked back on 2021. In the post to social media, Jenni JWoww Farley, Nicole Snooki Polizzi, Deena Cortese, Vinny Guadagnino, and Mike The Situation Sorrentino reflected on their achievements in 2021. Plus, the roommates shared everything theyre looking forward to in 2022, including some details about the new season of the MTV series.

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation cast including: Pauly DelVecchio, Deena Cortese, Nicole Snooki Polizzi, Jenni JWoww Farley and Mike The Situation Sorrentino | Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for MTV

Snooki, JWoww, and more celebrate their 2021 successes

I am most proud of getting through 2021, Farley says in the video shared to the Jersey Shore Twitter account. The reality star had a hugely successful 2021, opening her boutique store Heavenly Flower in the American Dream Mall and getting engaged to Zack 24 Carpinello.

I think in general, the thing Im most proud of this year is being a kick-ass mom, Polizzi says. During her break from the reality series, she spent most of her time with her three kids: Lorenzo, Giovanna, and Angelo. Im just proud of myself that I get it all done and Im really good at it.

The cast talks about their most memorable moments from this year, and look ahead on whats to come. #JSFamilyVacation returns Jerzday, January 6th at 8/7c on MTV. pic.twitter.com/RzR7RVMJL2  Jersey Shore (@JerseyShore) December 31, 2021

Cortese is also proud of her mom status. She and her husband Chris Buckner welcomed their second son, Cameron Theo, in May 2021.

When Sorrentino shared what hes most proud of from 2021, he teased the challenges he and his wife Lauren met throughout the year. He also said fans will get to see them rise to the occasion in the new season of JSFV. Guadagnino is proud of figuring out where he wants to live  the reality star moved back to New York after a brief stint in Los Angeles.

New Years resolutions for the Jersey Shore: Family Vacation cast

Farley admits she doesnt have any resolutions for the new year in the video. But she would like to welcome travel back into her life, as would Cortese. I just wanna do everything and make memories for my kids, she says of her 2022 resolution.

Like Cortese and Farley, Polizzi says she doesnt do resolutions either. I just want to be healthier, but not give up my wine, says Snooki.

Guadagnino has similar aspirations, claiming he has to get shredded if he returns to Chippendales in 2022. Sorrentino, who is actively living his best life, plans to continue that trend and work on progress over perfection.

Favorite 2021 memory for the cast of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation

The Jersey Shore roommates also share their favorite memories from 2021 in the video. For Cortese and Sorrentino, the best part of the year was bringing their babies home from the hospital. Meanwhile, Guadagninos favorite memory was eating dinner with his family.

Probably coming back to the show because I quit! Polizzi laughs. I came back because I missed my roomies.

After her brief mental health break, Polizzi returned to the series in the second half of season 4. Shell also be part of season 5.

Farleys favorite 2021 memories involve filming for Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, including their trips to the Poconos and Florida Keys. Being able to still be with my Jersey Shore family is incredible, she says.

Jersey Shore cast look forward to 2022

Like many of us, the Jersey Shore cast is looking forward to doing more in 2022. Guadagnino hopes to get back to Las Vegas and perform as the Keto Guido. Meanwhile, Farley wants to plan a trip to Hawaii to see her cousin, who moved there years ago.

All Snooki asks for just a good time  no worries, please. Watch new episodes of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 5 every Jerzday on MTV.

RELATED: Jersey Shore: Family Vacation: 20 Best Moments From 2021
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

When Josh Duggar was found guilty to possessing child pornography, his attorney immediately vowed to appeal the verdict.

His legal team just won a minor victory, granting them more time to file the appeal.

Meanwhile, his wife, Anna Duggar, might be considering the unthinkable according to a Duggar family insider.

Disgraced Counting On star Josh Duggar | Washington County Sheriffs Office via Getty Images

Josh Duggar was convicted on two counts of possessing child pornography in December 2021. The former 19 Kids & Counting star and his legal team immediately started working on his appeal, and they recently scored a minor victory in the process. At the same time, rumors are starting to swirl that Joshs wife Anna Duggar might be considering the unthinkable.

Josh Duggars appeal process has started, and he just scored a minor victory

After an Arkansas jury found Josh Duggar guilty on December 9, the former reality stars lead attorney  Justin Gelfand  immediately vowed to appeal the verdict. That process has officially begun. And on Wednesday, January 5, Gelfand was granted a motion that asked for additional time to rile post-trial motions.

There is normally a 30-day deadline after a verdict for post-trial motions to be filed. But Joshs legal team scored the minor win of an additional 10 days.

The court granted the request so the appeal records would be more precise

According to court documents, Joshs defense team has ordered his trial transcripts. But, they arent expected to be completed until next week. The motion for the 10-day extension was granted because Joshs legal team needs those trial transcripts to file their post-trial motions.

Because the transcripts are necessary with respect to certain issues [Josh] intends to raise in his post-trial motions, [Josh] respectfully requests that this Court grant this request for a brief extension of 10 additional days in which to file his motions so that the transcripts may be utilized. And so that this Court will have a more precise record from which to consider [Joshs] motions, the court documents read.

What will Josh Duggars appeal be based on?

The former 19 Kids & Counting stars legal team now has until January 19 to appeal Joshs conviction. But according to the experts, the odds of Joshs appeal succeeding arent good.

Whenever theres a criminal conviction, and especially when the defendant has money, theres going to be an appeal, legal analyst Emily D. Baker explained, per The Hollywood Gossip. What [Joshs attorneys] pick to appeal on will be interesting to see. I imagine they will appeal on the judge allowing Bobye Holt to testify. They might appeal on their motions to eliminate her testimony.

Bobby Holt is the former Duggar family friend who testified about Joshs history of molestation and abuse. She recalled that Josh molested a five-year-old while she was sitting on his lap during Bible study. Joshs lawyers attempted to have his history thrown out as evidence in his pornography child. But, the judge allowed this evidence to be submitted.

Josh Duggars appeal is a longshot

Baker says that at the end of the day, she didnt see anything from Joshs trial that would be appealable. She believes the judge ruled very fairly, the jury instructions were clear, and the evidence was very overwhelming.

I dont see anything based on what I know of the case that would lead me to go they should appeal on that, they might win, Baker said.

As Josh attempts to appeal his conviction, he will be sentenced at some point this spring. The expectation is that he will receive a prison sentence somewhere between 10 and 20 years. He is currently being held in an Arkansas detention center.

Is Anna Duggar considering the unthinkable?

As Josh sits behind bars, waiting to find out his fate, his wife Anna is rumored to be considering the unthinkable  a divorce. According to an insider, Anna is still not certain about her future.

Shes doing everything she possibly can to make sense of this living nightmare, the source told In Touch Weekly. His actions have forced her to look at him as a fallen man who lost his way.

The insider added that Anna  who shares seven children with Josh  stood by her husband until the bitter end. Anna is reportedly praying for Josh and leaning on her faith, and shes certain that it will work out the way its supposed to.

The Duggar family has made it clear that they will continue to support Anna and her children. However, shes reportedly been taking time away in recent weeks and spending time with her own family instead of her in-laws.

RELATED: Bobye Holt Details Exactly How Close Josh Duggar Came to Being Prosecuted for Assaulting His Sisters  I Truly Mean, They Didnt Do Their Job!
Sadly, Station 19 Season 5 isnt on tonight, January 6, but Women of the Movement is perfect for viewers to watch in its place on ABC. Find out more about the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley limited series and what to expect when Station 19 finally returns from the long break below.

Station 19: Barrett Doss and Jay Hayden | ABC/Craig Sjodin

Why arent Station 19 and Greys Anatomy on tonight, Jan. 6, 2022?

Station 19 Season 5 and Greys Anatomy Season 18 lose their time slot tonight, Jan. 6, 2022. However, when the two shows return on Feb. 24, its for a crossover event viewers wont want to miss. In the meantime, for three consecutive Thursdays, viewers could watch the 6-episode limited series, Women of the Movement, on ABC.

RELATED: Station 19 Renewal Status Is a No-Brainer for ABC  Heres Why

What is Women of the Movement about?

ABCs Women of the Movement is the true story of Emmett Tills murder in 1955. It is based on the book Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement by Devery S. Anderson. The ABC series details his mother, Mamie Till-Mobleys fight for justice, which spawned the civil rights movement viewers know today. Although Okieriete Oak Onaodowan chose to leave Station 19, the historical series details the fight Dean Miller continued before he died in the firefighter drama.

RELATED: Station 19: The Story of Dean Millers Baby  Pruitt Arike Miller  The Recap You Need

Although the story begins with Emmett, it centers around Mamies life, which she devoted to seeking justice for her sons death. The Women of the Movement trailer gives background information about how the 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago ended up in Mississippi. While there, he innocently flirted with a white woman in a country store, which led to his lynching by a group of white men. Throughout the six-part series, viewers watch the court trial that led an all-white jury to let the murderers go free. That verdict set in motion a movement for social change throughout the world.

What to expect when Station 19 returns

Instead of tonight, the Station 19 and Greys Anatomy crossover event on Feb. 24 begins picks up where the two shows left off on Dec. 16, 2021. In Greys Anatomy, Cormac Hayes (Richard Flood) stepped out of a crashed vehicle, and then Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) went down with the car. When Station 19 opens, the firefighters responded to the call at Leons Ridge. Ben Warren (Jason George) insists the team save Owen at all costs. According to the YouTube Station 19 and Greys Anatomy crossover event trailer, the firefighters find a civilian down with no pulse. However, they might be referring to the vehicles driver (which was not Owen).

What to expect when Greys Anatomy returns

When Greys Anatomy returns on Feb. 24, 2022, Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) questions Hayes about what happened between him and Owen in the car after she left. Viewers should recall that Owen admitted he had drugs to help dying veterans end their life and suffering.

Hayes also arrives at Grey Sloan with the donors heart for Megan Hunts (Abigail Spencer) son, Farouk (Bardia Seiri). However, in another scene, Megan is crying. It appears that the fate of Owen and Farouk are both in question when the show returns.

RELATED: Station 19 Season 5 Episode 7, A House is Not a Home Recap For Greys Anatomy Fans
The Women of the Movement ABC TV series details the story of Emmett Tills murder in Mississippi in 1955 and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobleys fight for justice, but where was it filmed? The 14-year-old boy traveled from Chicago to Winona, Mississippi to visit family. While there, a group of white men brutally murdered him for allegedly whistling at a white woman in a local store. Did Women of the Movement film in Mississippi or Chicago to stay true to the storys roots?

Women of the Movement Adrienne Warren | ABC/James Van Evers

Where was Women of the Movement filmed?

The Jay-Z and Will Smith produced historical series took the Women of the Movement cast to Mississippi for most of the filming. In an interview with Glynn Turman, who portrays Emmetts great Uncle Mose, the actor told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that the filming took place in all the actual locations. There was one location that was emotionally difficult to film at.

When they took the body out of the river, the scene that Mose is in, Turman admitted it was a scary place to be.

I have been in the profession a long time, and there are a lot of different situations and reenacting different events, he continued. But when they took me down to that river where they actually pulled the body out of the river and that was the actual spot, there was a marker and that marker has bullet holes in it. Thats whats scary. They got the marker there stating: This is where Emmett Till was taken out the river. And there were bullet holes saying, I dont give a sh*t. Excuse my French. So when you go there and you have to reenact the scene there; youre dealing with recreating the past, but youre also dealing with the present, which is no different. The bullet holes say nothings changed.

Glynn Turman | Bobby Quillard/Bobby Quillard Inc.

According to Commercial Appeal, filming primarily took place in Greenwood, Mississippi. The location is close to Money, Mississippi, where Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam abducted and murdered Emmett. However, some filming took place in Ripley and Memphis, Tennessee.

ABC filmed Women of the Movement in the original courtroom

In 1955, the trial of Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam occured in the Sumner courthouse. The producers of Women of the Movement filmed the trial scenes at the renamed Tallahatchie County Courthouse in Sumner. In recent years, the restoration of the second-floor courtroom made it look very similar to the original 1955 courtroom. At the trial, an all-white jury found the two men not guilty. Turman described what it was like to film in the actual Sumner courtroom.

Glynn Turman | Bobby Quillard/Bobby Quillard Inc.

Ive got a picture that I took when I was in the courthouse in Mississippi, Turman told Showbiz Cheat Sheet. I was in character clothing but we were taking a break. And I sat down on a bench that said, This bench for whites only, so somebody took a picture of that. So, I sat there very aware that that was a whites only bench, but it was a whites only bench from that time period.

Is Women of the Movement a true story?

Yes, ABCs Women of the Movement is based on the true story of Emmett Tills murder in 1955. It is based on the book Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement by Devery S. Anderson. The ABC series details his mothers fight for justice, which helped begin the civil rights movement.

Although the story begins with Emmett, it centers around Mamies life, which she devoted to seeking justice for her sons death. The Women of the Movement trailer gives the background information about why they filmed in Mississippi. The 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago traveled to Mississippi with his great Uncle Mose. While there, he innocently flirted with a white woman in a country store, which led to his lynching by a group of white men.

Remember that place is not like Chicago, Mamie told her son before he left for Winona, Mississippi. White folks are going to treat you different now.

After Emmett Tills murder, Mamie insisted on an open casket in Chicago. She wanted the world to see what his killers did to him. She continued her fight for a trial; however, the killers were acquitted by an all-white jury. That verdict set in motion a movement for social change throughout the world. Although Mamie and Emmetts story began in Chicago, Women of the Movement was not filmed there.

Women of the Movement airs on ABC on Jan. 6, Jan. 13, and Jan. 20. The 6-episode historical limited series is also available the next day on Hulu.

RELATED: Women of the Movement on ABC: How and When to Watch Mamie and Emmett Tills Story
ABCs Women of the Movement premiered on Jan. 6, 2022, recreating the true story of the brutal murder of Emmett Till (portrayed by Cedric Joe) in 1955. He was a 14-year-old Black boy from Chicago who traveled to visit family in Mississippi, staying with his great uncle Mose (Glynn Turman).

However, he allegedly whistled and spoke inappropriately to a white woman, Carolyn Bryant (Julia McDermott), in a local country store. The six-part series recounts how her husband, Roy Bryant (Carter Jenkins), and J. W. Milam (Chris Coy) abducted the boy, brutally murdered him, and dumped him in a river. Then it details the aftermath as Emmetts mother, Mamie Till-Mobley (Adrienne Warren), fought for justice and eventually spawned the civil rights movement.

Showbiz Cheat Sheet exclusively spoke to Women of the Movement cast member Glynn Turman on Jan. 6, 2022, about portraying Emmetts great uncle Mose. The six-part series is produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith.

Women of the Movement Glynn Turman | ABC/James Van Evers

You grew up when Emmett Till was murdered. What do you remember about it?

I remember the urgency with which families gathered around and talked about what was going on and the pictures shown from Jet Magazine, Ebony Magazine  the key major Black publications that most Black households got. What comes to mind is when I was playing a prank on my mother, and I was hiding from her on the street. When she found me, she was so upset with me, and I didnt realize why she was so bent out of shape. Later thinking about it, she was afraid because Emmett Till had just been abducted. So all Black mothers were forming barriers around their sons. So, it was a horrible, scary time.

How did it feel portraying Emmetts great uncle having yourself lived through the entire civil rights movement?

Well, it is a great honor. I have been introduced to Wheeler Parker, one of the nephews, and to have him tell me that I got the uncle right. That was such a wonderful, wonderful compliment. And thats what I was hoping I would be able to do. You know, thats always the responsibility of [portraying] somebody that actually lived, you know, as opposed to creating a fictional character.

What do you hope viewers take away from Women of the Movement?

RELATED: Women of the Movement on ABC: How and When to Watch Mamie and Emmett Tills Story

We really need to make sure that we dont repeat history. You know, these are scary times right now, and were really at a crossroads in this country as to whether were going to move forward and live up to what we set up our democracy to do. Did we really mean justice for all, or if were going to go back to a time where it was a privilege that was exercised to climb up on top of another group of people just to make you feel better, you know, right?

What are your thoughts about helping to educate children about the civil rights movement? Do you think they should show Women of the Movement in schools?

Glynn Turman | Bobby Quillard

Yeah, I think so. The only way that were going to make sure that we dont repeat the mistakes of the past is through education. Youve got to remember this. If this was happening to a 14-year-old child, then a 14-year-old child needs to see what can happen.

The show puts the flesh and bones and the soul into Emmett Till. So you realize that through a mothers eyes, you see that this is somebodys child. And so, yeah, you got to teach it in schools. You have to get it as young as possible to understand that this kind of behavior is right or wrong.

Do you feel the writers did everything they could to hold up the accuracy of what happened? Do you have any examples of that?

We filmed in all the actual locations. When they took the body [of Emmett Till] out of the river, the scene that Mose is in I have been in the profession a long time, and there are a lot of different situations and reenacting different events. But when they took me down to that river where they actually pulled the body out of the river, and that was the exact spot, there was a marker, and that marker has bullet holes in it. Thats whats scary.

Women of the Movement: Glynn Turman | Bobby Quillard

They got the marker there stating: This is where Emmett Till was taken out the river. And there were bullet holes saying, I dont give a sh*t. Excuse my French. So when you go there, and you have to reenact the scene there, youre dealing with recreating the past, but youre also dealing with the present, which is no different. The bullet holes say, nothings changed.

It was hard walking down those stairs [of the Sumner courthouse], driving down those roads. Everybody was very courageous. A very brave film crew, the actors, and the producers tried to keep us safe. You know, some people still dont want this story told to this day.

In Women of the Movement, its mentioned that things are very different in the South versus the North with how they treated people of color. It was 1955; was it that different?

Ive got a picture I took when I was in the courthouse in Mississippi. I was in character clothing, but we were taking a break. And I sat down on a bench that said, This bench for whites only, so somebody took a picture of that. So, I sat there very aware that that was a whites-only bench, but it was a whites-only bench from that time period. Now, I remember going down South when I was a kid, and that was enforced.

You see, in New York, the only difference was there was no sign. It was all attitude but no sign. They couldnt make you stay out, but they would make you want to stay out. Thats the difference. In some ways, theres more respect for the South, which puts the feelings out in public as opposed to the B.S.

But the thing is, in the South, it was the law, and thats what we have to understand. In some places, its the law, and sometimes its not  its an unspoken rule. But when the government supports the attitude, you dont stand a chance. And thats what can be changed. You might not be able to change peoples minds, but you can change the law.

Do you think that Jay-Z and the other producers hope to tell another story with another season of Women of the Movement?

Yeah, oh for sure. I thought this was the beginning of a series of different stories that speak of the courageousness of women. You know, probably Black women in particular.

Women of the Movement airs on ABC on Jan. 6, Jan. 13, and Jan. 20. The 6-episode historical limited series is also available the next day on Hulu.

RELATED: Women of the Movement: ABC Filmed the Series in Scary Original Locations According to Glynn Turman (Exclusive)
Jiles Turning Heart of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe shares a traditional dance on Jan. 5 at the Chota Center in Tahlequah during the launch event for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.
The Cherokee Nation will offer GED classes to anyone wishing to continue their education by participating in the tribe's Adult Education program at Bell School in the Bell community of Adair County. The classes will be held in the Bell School Library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Monday night beginning Jan. 10.
Funeral Service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 30, 2022, at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. Interment will be at Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of Sevier Funeral Home. Elnora J Rock of Chickasha, OK, passed away on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at the age of 85. She was born Dece
Genshin Impact's Version 2.4 Update has brought in several new in-game additions, including two new Characters, Yun Jin and Shenhe, as well as new main story and quest lines, as well as in-game items like weapons and outfits.

The said version update also added in a new region in Teyvat, the floating underwater island named Enkanomiya, whose mysteries awaits the players of the multiplayer online role-playing game, including new gameplay mechanics and monsters that they will encounter as they venture there.

But in order to have access to the said region, they need to find, and get, the Key Sigils that are scattered in the Watatsumi Island, a group of islands that are in Inazuma. Before this, they need to take one of the two quest lines in Genshin Impact as pre-requisites.

How to Clear 'The Moon-Bathed Deep'

In order for them to find the said Key Sigils, and unlock Enkanomiya, they need first to clear two quest lines - the "Chapter 2 Act III - Omnipresence Over Mortals" Archon Quest and the "The Moon-Bathed Deep" World Quest. They must also reach the Adventure Rank 30 or above.

READ ALSO: 'Genshin Impact' Enkanomiya Guide: Where to Find the Key Sigils in Order to Unlock the Area

Once they have reached the required Adventure Rank, as well as clear the aforementioned Archon Quest, according to Ginx.tv, they need to travel towards Watatsumi Island, which is southwest of Nakurumi island in Inazuma.

From there, according to Sportskeeda, they need to talk to Tsuyuko, a non-playable character (NPC) that can be seen near the Statue of the Seven, which is few walks away from the Mouun Shrine. Once they have interacted with her, they can now start taking on the said quest.

There are five parts in this quest that they need to clear - the "Eye of Watatsumi," the "Fang of Watatsumi," the "Fin of Watatsumi," the "Tail of Watatsumi," and the "Heart of Watatsumi."

For the Eye of Watatsumi, according to game8.co, they must glide from the Statue of the Seven towards an island that is west from the NPC's location.

Once they are in the area, they will go towards a shrine, then they will read the Ancient Stone Tablet, which it will give them clues regarding the quest.

According to the said tablet, there are three "eyes" that are located south, north, and west of the island, respectively. Using their characters' Elemental Sight, they will need to find the said "eyes" in the area, all of which can be indicated by a purple-colored pointer.

Once they are in the first "eye," which is in the south of the island, they will use either an Elemental Skill or an Elemental Attack that can counter Electro in order to unlock it, such those that are Cryo or Pyro-based. After activating the first "eye," they must defeat the Electro slimes that will be appearing.

Then, they will go to the second "eye," which is in the west of the island. Just like the first one, they will unlock it using an Elemental Skill or an Elemental Attack, only this time, they will need to defeat the Anemo Specters that will be appearing.

Finally, they will go towards the north of the island to unlock the third "eye." But before this, they will need to defeat the Ruin Sentinels that are guarding near the location. Once they have unlocked the final "eye," they will need to go back to the shrine in order to get the Spirit Pearl.

Next, for the Fang of Watatsumi, they will need to go to the northeast from the first shrine's island, where another shrine can be seen. From there, they will read another Ancient Stone Tablet.

Afterward, they will go towards the Ley Line Monolith, where they will defend it against waves of enemies, which will vary with Hilichurls, Treasure Horders, Nobushi, and Kairagi. From there, they can use Thunder Dwellings in order to defeat them while protecting the said monolith.

Once they defeated the waves of enemies and completing the challenge, they will go back to the shrine, and obtain the second Spirit Pearl.

Next, for the Fin of Watatsumi, they will go to another shrine that are near the Suigetsu Pool, which is in the northeast area of Watatsumi Island. After reading another Ancient Stone Tablet, they will go to the said pool to solve its puzzle.

To do this, they will first rotate all of the Fish Statues, which can be indicated by their blue orbs, until they are all facing the circular disc that is in the middle. Then, they will approach the Mysterious Pillar, then select a button to "pay respects" to it.

After solving it, they will go back to the shrine to get the third Spirit Pearl, then they will go to the southeastern land, where the next shrine is located for the Tail of Watatsumi.

Once they are in the shrine, they will read another Ancient Stone Table, then they will solve an Electric Lamp puzzle. To do this, they will go back down the path to get an Electrograna, then they will go near all of the six electric lamps that are above the shrine, one by one.

After solving the puzzle, they will defeat the Fatui enemies that will be appearing, then they will go back to the shrine to get the fourth Spirit Pearl.

Finally, for the Heart of Watatsumi, they will go to the Sangonomiya Shrine, and talk to Tsuyuko once again.

Afterwards, they will teleport near the shrine, which is east of the NPC's location, then they will use their collected Spirit Pearls to open it. Once it is unlocked, they will walk towards a glowing spot, then they will glide down.

Once they are in the area, they will solve the four puzzles similar to that from the Fin of Watatsumi quest.

In the first puzzle, they will need to rotate the fist statues that are in the puzzle, until they will face inwards towards the disc in the middle. While doing this, they need to defeat the Hydro Mimics.

After they finished rotating the fish statues, they will "pay their respects" with the Mysterious Pillar.

They will do this to two other puzzles before solving the fourth puzzle. This time, however, it is on reverse. They must first interact with the Pillar before rotating the Fish Statues while fighting against the Hydro Mimics.

Afterwards, a cutscene will be triggered, then they will see the Key of the Deep, which they need to collect. Then, they will go to Tsuyuko, who is waiting in the area, for the last time to finish the "The Moon-Bathed Deep" World Quest.

READ ALSO: 'Genshin Impact' Version 2.4 Update Spoilers: What are the Abilities for Shenhe, Yunjin
Actor Chris Tucker turns down over $10 million for movie role over religious objections to content

Rapper Ice Cube has revealed that actor Chris Tucker, his co-star in the popular 1995 film Friday, didnt appear in the sequels because of his Christian faith, turning down a $10 million to $12 million offer to portray a character known for cussing and smoking marijuana.

Ice Cube shared the information on social media after being asked if Tucker quit because the comedy actor, who portrayed the character Smokey in Friday, was underpaid.

We were ready to pay Chris Tucker $10-12m to do Next Friday but he turned us down for religious reasons, he tweeted. He didnt want to cuss or smoke weed on camera anymore.

In an interview with All Urban Central last November, Tucker, who is best known for his role in the Rush Hour film franchise, had hinted at the reason why he refused to appear in the sequels Next Friday and Friday After Next.

Back then, I gotta tell you, one of the reasons why I didnt do the second one was because of the weed. Because I said, man, that movie became a phenomenon. I dont want everybody smoking weed  and I never really told people this because I kind of forgot about it, but it was one of the reasons why I didnt do it. Because I said, I don't wanna represent everybody smoking weed.

He added, And thats one of the reasons why I said, Nah. I didnt wanna keep doing that character. It probably was good for me because it kept me moving to the next phase and next movies.

Tucker has publicly spoken about his Christian faith. In 2018, he told Piers Morgan, who was co-host of ITV's Good Morning Britain at the time, that he prayed for former President Donald Trump.

I hope he does a good job, because I pray for him. I hope he does a great job, because we need a good president, he said. We need a lot of things to happen in our country, America. So I hope tomorrow he wakes up and just does the right thing.

Tucker also explained why he didnt make fun of Trump.

I say a little bit of stuff, but I try and encourage him to do the right thing, he said. Im not a comedian that dogs people out. I want you to do that right thing. Hopefully, we can be friends one day and we can talk. I want him to be successful. I want him to do that right thing. Thats my whole attitude and, in my show, thats what I talk about.

In 2014, Tucker told the Canadian newspaper Straight that he returned to stand-up comedy because of his faith.

Being a Christian helps me in comedy, he said. I have to talk about other stuff. Normally, most comics talk about stuff thats easy  maybe cussing or saying something raunchy. I have to dig deeper to find something thats still funny and not raunchy. Its harder. I like the challenge.

Tucker was raised Pentecostal and regularly attended church, according to FaithWire, which says the actor abandoned his faith after becoming famous but later became a born-again Christian after moving back to Atlanta in the late 1990s.
2 North Carolina churches merge to survive costly toll of pandemic

With the share of self-identified Christians in America continuing to plummet and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forcing some churches to permanently shutter, two North Carolina congregations that have hemorrhaged members and donations will merge this Sunday in a bid to survive the toll of the virus.

The pastors of Hope Church in High Point and Renaissance Church in Jamestown explained in a Fox 8 interview that they see their decision as an opportunity to keep the ministries alive. They hope other struggling churches will be inspired by their actions.

We had a large building with a large mortgage, and there were bills to pay, Pastor Randall Reece, who founded Hope Church in 2003, told the outlet. So going from a church of 350 to a church of 80, the loss of income was significant. And even in the congregation of 80, some of the ones who were regularly giving really had to stop because they were impacted by COVID as well.

The church did not immediately respond to calls from The Christian Post on Friday, but Reece told the news outlet that struggling churches merging in the pandemic makes sense.

It certainly makes sense. Those churches can stay alone and struggle or come together in strength and merge out of the pandemic from a position of strength. Hopefully, it becomes a model, he said.

Pastor Jason Goins, who founded Renaissance Church in 2008, said he hopes his friendship with Reece will help the merger.

I mean, Randall and I are great friends. Hes like a spiritual father to me. He got me involved in the ministry. It takes that relation equity, he said. This is an opportunity for something great to come out of something that is a period of darkness for all of us.

Goins says he knows that the idea of merging with another church can be difficult to consider for some congregations. He noted that while Renaissance Church wasnt in as difficult a position as Hope Church, they also struggled.

We dwindled by 150 people or so, but the folks we have been left with are excited and energized, so were bringing together two pockets of two energized congregations, Goins detailed.

The first service will be 10 a.m. on Sunday at Rennaissance Church in Jamestown.

A Gallup poll released earlier this year suggested that less than half of American respondents (49%) have formal church membership, marking an 80-year low. In 1937, 70% of Americans had a formal church membership.

Data from the National Public Opinion Reference Survey conducted by Pew Research Center from May 29 to Aug. 25, 2021, finds that just under half (45%) of adults in the United States say they pray daily, a decrease of 13 percentage points from 2007. In 2014, 55% said they prayed daily.

Even though self-identified Christians are still the largest religious demographic in the U.S., they make up a collective 63% of the adult population. When the Pew Research Center began measuring religious identity in 2007, self-identified Christians outnumbered nones 78% to 16%.

The study noted the decline in Christians nationwide was mostly concentrated among respondents who identified as Protestant. Their numbers declined by 10% in the last decade and 4% in the last five years.

Last month, the 221-year-old First Presbyterian Church in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, permanently closed its doors on Christmas Eve due to declining membership and attendance.

The Potters House of Denver announced plans last month to sell its $12.2 million megachurch in Arapahoe County, Colorado, and go completely virtual amid declining donations amid the pandemic.
Religious freedom scholars divided on 'Fairness for All' LGBT rights bill: 'Step in the right direction'

Two scholars shared conflicting views about a proposed compromise bill that would codify a ban on LGBT discrimination into federal law while protecting the religious freedom of faith-based organizations and individuals, with one warning that it has the practical working out of driving religious freedom further and further to the fringes of society.

In a Wednesday panel discussion hosted by the Religious Freedom Institute titled Institutional Religious Freedom: Exploring Contemporary Policy Challenges, scholars Stanley Carlson-Thies and David Trimble debated the merits and pitfalls of the Fairness for All Act.

The legislation is billed as an alternative to the controversial Equality Act. It would enshrine nondiscrimination protections for the LGBT community into law while establishing some protections for religious organizations that wish to abide by their traditional views about marriage and sexuality.

Introduced by Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, the bill has attracted 21 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, all Republicans. It has yet to come up for a vote in the Democrat-controlled House, which instead passed the Equality Act. The U.S. Senate has yet to vote on the Equality Act, which is vehemently opposed by conservatives and religious liberty advocates.

The Fairness for All Act has gained the support of some prominent Christian organizations, such as the National Association of Evangelicals and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, but has also drawn criticism from Christian conservative advocacy groups who fear it will codify a radical gender ideology.

Carlson-Thies, the founder and senior director of the Center for Public Justices Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance, played a part in crafting the Fairness for All Act framework.

The idea of the bill is to amend federal civil rights laws to do two things at the same time. One of them is, for the first time, offer general protection for LGBT people in civil rights laws, federal civil rights laws, but at the same time to expand the protections for religious exercise in religious organizations, Carlson-Thies said.

He pointed to similar legislation in Utah, passed in 2015, as the inspiration for the Fairness for All Act. The federal proposal has secured the support of all four of Utahs Republican Congressmen.

Fairness For All requires proponents of LGBT civil rights to admit that people who disagree with them on a religious basis also have rights, Carlson-Thies said. The bill also requires proponents of traditional moral values to accept that, of course, there shouldnt be invidious discrimination against people because theyre gay or transgender.

The scholar, who served on the White House Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives during the George W. Bush administration and President Barack Obamas Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, characterized the bill as an effort to have civil rights law to protect [the LGBT community] in the right places as long as we also protect religious freedom, religious institutional rights.

And that would be the rights of people who have a different view about human sexuality and marriage, for example, he said.

Carlson-Thies likened the management of conflicting interests between LGBT activists and religious organizations to the existing management of conflicting interests between various religious groups.

Catholics, for example, with particular views about God, the world, human nature, relationships, he said. Muslims have other particular views about these things.

And both Catholics  and Muslims seek legal protection to be able to live consistently with their beliefs in their personal lives and through organizations, whether thats houses of worship or schools and charities, Carlson-Thies added. But as with classical religious freedom, we have to accept that the government is not going to  establish our views as the correct ones although theyll protect our freedom to exercise those beliefs.

Trimble, the Religious Freedom Institutes vice president for public policy and director of the Center for Religious Freedom Education, described the legislative effort as a step in the right direction but lamented that it comes up short with respect to the central role that religious freedom holds in society according to our founders.

As we understand it today, sexual orientation and gender identity ideology as it is presented, understood and even proposed in  the current pieces of legislation, still represses religion, Trimble, a lawyer who previously worked with the Washington, D.C.-based firm Van Scoyoc Associates, warned. It in effect has the practical working out of driving religious freedom further and further to the fringes of society.

Trimble argues that religious freedom is an inalienable human right from the First Amendment that was not intended to be on the defensive.

And yet, I find it there, certainly within the Equality Act  even in Fairness For All, I find religious freedom on the defensive and this concerns me, Trimble, who holds a master of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas, said.

We seem to have adopted  a posture, an automatic defaulting to a posture of narrow exceptions for religious freedom, a kind of leave-us-alone mentality, a kind of siloed approach.

Carlson-Thies predicted that if the Fairness for All Act became law, secular public schools would take on the current view that theres no moral difference between different forms of sexuality and marriage although the public institutions would be bound in some way to respect students and staff committed to traditional views.

Carlson-Thies suggested there could be an opt-out in certain teaching modules so teachers would not have to affirm ideas they feel violate their religious convictions.

He stressed that the bill would be very explicit that private religious schools would be legally protected in teaching not just about religion but about a conservative view of sexuality and marriage.

Of course, they would teach theres a certain new legal definition, but this is what we think God says about sexuality and marriage, he said.

Fairness For All would guarantee that religious agencies can maintain their religious-based practices of selecting and certifying appropriate homes in placing children  but also making sure that LGBT people and couples have access to adoption and foster care services that will work for them, he added. And I mean not just say that they have a right but make sure through specific policies that theres access.

Carlson-Thies defended what he viewed as the most controversial aspect of the bill, which addresses secular companies with religious and moral views that would like the companys culture and practices to mirror those views. Under the Fairness for All Act, a religious business owner would not be able to fire somebody or refuse to hire somebody because theyre gay or transgender. He justified this provision as consistent with what we do with respect to religion right now.

The Muslim owner of a company, for example, cannot refuse to hire Hindus or evangelicals just because of the difference of religion. And a Catholic owner of a company has to reasonably accommodate the needs of Muslims, Seventh-day Adventists who have a different day of worship than Sunday even though thats not the belief of the owner. So, I think thats kind of what would happen here with Fairness For All.

Carlson-Thies rejected the claim that protecting LGBT rights in federal civil rights while also protecting religious exercise and religious organizations amounts to affirming the LGBT perspective. He characterized the proposed law as a way of protecting people who disagree with that perspective and providing a peaceful and safe way for people to live together despite being so far apart in their views.

Trimble argues that if he is reading the First Amendment correctly, the framers understood religious freedom as a core component of public life, a core component of our democracy, a lynchpin  that strengthens all of the other fundamental freedoms.

He reiterated that while Fairness For All gets us closer, its not there.

It still compromises this core role that religious freedom was intended to play from our founding, he contends.

After classifying the legislation as a very noble effort to correct the evisceration of [the Religious Freedom Restoration Act] that is part of the Equality Act, he expressed concern that it, unfortunately, mandates referrals that may violate conscience.

Trimble states that the 2021 U.S. Supreme Court ruling Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, which found that Catholic Social Services had the right to refuse to place children with same-sex couples, could have had a different result if the Fairness for All Act had been law.

If Fairness For All was enacted,  Catholic Social Services would have been required to provide or would be required to provide a referral for adoption services to same-sex couples, he said.

This concerns me ... that the conscience of this institution, the religious freedom of this institution, would be trapped into providing a referral service, Trimble added. He said the Fairness for All Act is another example of an approach perpetuating a jurisprudential posture of narrow exceptions.

He opined that the way of thinking at the center of the Fairness For All Act is we always have to be looking and providing for an off-ramp for religious freedom and expressed concern that its getting stuck on the service road with this type of  jurisprudential approach.
Hollywood actor Nathaniel Buzolic compares Dubai's Burj Khalifa to Tower of Babel, shares Gospel

Actor Nathaniel Buzolic, known for his roles in Hacksaw Ridge and Vampire Diaries, used a recent visit to Dubai to share a Bible lesson and the Gospel with his 2 million online followers.

Buzolic, an outspoken Christian, posted a photo of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai over the holidays and used the account in Genesis of the Tower of Babel to share about the Savior of the world.

Come let us build for ourselves a city and a tower with its tops in the heavens and let us make a name for ourselves, he quoted on Instagram along with the photo of the famous building. This was mans plan in the book of Genesis, this was mans desire from long ago. This plan was not to glorify God but to glorify self. To not honor Gods glory but to rival Gods glory with His own.

Though he's a mainstream movie star, the Australian entertainer regularly uses his platform to share the Gospel.

God will disperse the nations and choose one man after this event, Buzolic continued, speaking of the Tower of Babel. And through that one man God will make a people for himself. A people who would be instructed to honor God, follow God and bring God to all the nations once more. And from Abraham, One man will come from Israel who will tower above all men. For this man was promised by God and sent by God  the messiah.

The 38 year old then encouraged his followers to trust solely in God.

There is only one name in heaven or on earth which can bring about salvation from mans curse of sin. Mans initial desire to glorify self. This name is Yeshua. Jesus of Nazareth, Buzolic wrote. Glory to God in the highest.

He ended his post with a description of the photo. Pictured  currently the tallest tower in the world the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Stretching as close as it can to the heavens.

In recent days, Buzolic has posted several photos of Israel along with Bible messages. In one post, he spoke of Jesus as a healer. The Originals star also shared about Satan tempting Christ in the wilderness. In every message shared, he pointed back to the Word of God and his strong Christian faith.

In an interview with Insights in 2018, Buzolic talked about how he navigates being a Christian while working in Hollywood and the television industry.

Buzolic explained that his faith is helpful in enabling me to disconnect from a business that is based on how you look, how much money you make, how relevant you are and how many followers you have.

Look at the teachings of Jesus. It is an absolute upside-down kingdom where the person who is last is first, the person who serves is considered greatest in the kingdom of God, he added.

During that interview, he also declared that the world does not need another star. Instead, it needs to start listening to the truth of what Jesus said.

Buzolic came to know Jesus Christ as his Savior at 27, after running into a bunch of dead ends in his life. I saw a huge difference, he said after making the decision to follow Jesus.

Since coming to faith, Buzolic revealed he's shared Christ with others on television and movie sets. He noted that when talking to people in show business, what you start to realize is that people who are so against it havent really had a chance to have explained who Jesus is and what He represents very well.

Along with acting, Buzolic founded Palm Sundays Co., an apparel and clothing company inspired by the Gospel.
Christian groups back new LGBT civil rights bill that protects religious institutions Christian conservative groups call bill's religious exemptions 'narrow'

WASHINGTON  A new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives Friday backed by faith groups seeks to extend federal discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity while providing protections for individual and institutional religious objectors to homosexuality.

Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, introduced the Fairness for All Act amending the Civil Rights Act to include discrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and includes laser-precise language protecting the convictions of religious organizations, health care providers and employers.

The bill is seen as the Republican response to the Equality Act, legislation passed by the House in May to codify sexual orientation and gender identity as protected social classes in federal law but does nothing to protect the beliefs of religious objectors.

They are not mutually exclusive principles. There is enough space where both of those can be accommodated and that is what we tried to do here today. Neither side has to lose in order for the other side to win, Stewart said at a press conference Friday.

I think it is better for us in society if the courts dont have to resolve these issues one at a time, often in conflicting findings over the course of many, many years. It leads to uncertainty and, in too many cases, strife and conflict.

The bill is co-sponsored by a group of eight Republican lawmakers.

It is the first time that a Republican in either chamber has introduced legislation that would codify discrimination protections for the LGBT community into federal law.

Fairness for All, however, has drawn the ire of prominent conservative legal and lobbying organizations such as the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Heritage Foundation and the Family Research Council. All three organizations have voiced concerns that the bill shares many of the dangerous characteristics of the Equality Act in that it would codify a radical gender ideology.

Additionally, some LGBT activist organizations, such as the Human Rights Campaign, also oppose the legislation, saying that it provides substandard protections for LGBTQ people and has massive loopholes that upend critical federal programs.

As the Equality Act stands little chance of passing in the Republican-controlled Senate, proponents feel the compromise legislation has a more realistic chance of bridging the partisan divide and becoming law one day. However, they recognize it could be an uphill battle.

The Fairness for All legislation is more than three years in the making and a diverse coalition of religious and civil society organizations and activists called Alliance for Lasting Liberty came up with the framework.

Among the groups involved in the discussions for the bill are the 1st Amendment Partnership, the American Unity Fund, the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, the Center for Public Justice and the Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance.

Proponents of the legislation believe that more support for Fairness for All could be had depending on how the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a pending Title VII cases next year.

The Supreme Court cases are going to be decided sometime this spring. If they are found to be only for the employers, there will be a real push to press the Equality Act into law, CCCU President Shirley Hoogstra told The Christian Post.

The Fairness for All bill stands in readiness for the religious liberty protections that are essential to make the rights in the Equality Act even possible or palatable. This is the firetruck and the firefighters in case this one-sided only bill were to have any movement. We need to be prepared to offer a much better result because LGBT people are going to continue to press for civil rights. And religious liberty is essential in the American landscape.

Tyler Deaton, a gay Christian and senior adviser at the American Unity Fund, said the coalition will press both chambers to have hearings on the Fairness for All Act.

Tim Schultz, the president of 1st Amendment Partnership, challenged the political system to stop posturing on the issue. He argued that the one-sided approach to LGBT protections is not working since many states lack sexual orientation and gender identity protections.

What we have done here is drafted something that we think looks forward to what might actually eventually become law, he said. It really is saying, Lets see if the political system is ready to solve these issues rather than just posture on them. This is very much like what the solution will be like.

White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere signaled an openness to the legislation in a statement to The Washington Blade, an LGBT publication, on Friday.

The White House looks forward to reviewing the legislation, Deere said.

The legislation is also supported by the AND Campaign, a progressive Christian civic engagement organization that upholds a traditional Christian ethic on sexuality. It is also backed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, institutions that uphold traditional Christian teachings on marriage.

We dont see this as any sort of compromise to our principles. We feel like it aligns with who we are as Christians, Melissa Reid, associate director of public affairs and religious liberty at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, told CP.

We have always stood for the separation of church and state and religious freedom. That is something that has been important to us since our churchs inception. This piece of legislation really champions individual conscience. It upholds our right as a church to hold our faith tradition and our values in our own institutions, but at the same time in the public sphere allows people to follow their consciences in that way.

Another organization that has expressed support for the idea of Fairness for All is the National Association of Evangelicals, an association of 45,000 churches and organizations from over 40 different countries.

The Fairness for All Act is similar to a bill that passed in Utah in 2015 that protects LGBT people from discrimination and shields religious institutions that uphold teachings that oppose homosexuality.

Among other things, the bill would ban discrimination against the LGBT community in situations of public accommodation, housing, employment or finances.

Under the bill, small businesses with fewer than 15 or more employees would not qualify as places of public accommodation in federal law and would not be bound by the federal discrimination statute for places of public accommodation, something LGBT activists fear could allow small businesses to discriminate against LGBT individuals.

Stanley Carlson-Thies, the founder of the Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance, told CP that there still might be some concerns for small businesses when it comes to state and local accommodation laws that have been an issue of concern for Christian businesses in the past that have refused to service same-sex weddings.

The bill also carves out what types of organizations qualify as religious employers who would be exempt from Title VII employment law allowing them to hire and fire on the basis of the organizations convictions on sexuality and gender.

For example, a house of worship is considered a religious employer, while a religious-run hospital is not a religious employer and would not be exempt under Title VII employment laws.

Hospitals are places of public accommodations and there are employment rights, Carlson-Thies said. But this bill says that a medical professional doesnt have to do transgender surgery and that kind of thing. But there is no blanket protection for their religious hiring. That is because almost no hospital only hires religious people.

Under the bill, hospitals and medical providers would not be required to perform gender transition procedures regardless of whether they are religious-based institutions. Additionally, healthcare providers would not be forced to perform abortions. Religious doctors would have greater leverage to receive religious accommodations from their employers, the bill's supporters say.

While faith-based foster care and adoption care providers have been penalized by state and local governments over the years and forced to shut down for refusing to place children in the homes of same-sex couples, the bill seeks to protect those institutions from federal, state and local government actions.

One of the important areas [where this bill reaches into states] is foster care and adoption, which have been very controversial, he said. States get a lot of federal funding for that, so this bill says that when a state takes that federal money, then, even if they are Massachusetts, they cant unlicense an organization because [it doesnt serve same-sex couples.]

He added that the Fairness for All Act protects the Religious Freedom Restoration Act while the Equality Act seeks to dismantle the 1993 law.

Additionally, religious colleges and universities would be protected from state laws that interfere with their employment policies and from hostile accreditation agencies, according to CCCUs Hoogstra.

Chris Butler, the lead pastor of Chicago Embassy Church and executive committee member of the AND Campaign, said during Fridays press conference that it's the responsibility of the church to step forward into polarized environments and become the agent of reconciliation.

The Christian values of love and compassion dont always demand agreement but they often demand social action, he said. Saying that we love our neighbors from a pulpit cannot be only empty words. We have to advocate for policy that protect our LGBTQ neighbors while maintaining and never surrendering but always guarding our own Christian convictions.

Leaders from social conservative organizations such as FRC, Heritage Foundation, Concerned Women for America, Christian Medical and Dental Association and the American College of Pediatricians objected to Fairness for All in a letter to members of Congress last month.

FFA is simply not an effective means of stopping the Equality Act. Its narrow religious exemptions would not even protect religious schools, colleges and charities that open their property to the public, but who dont want it used to celebrate same-sex weddings, the letter reads.

The organizations contend that adding sexual orientation and gender identity to federal law could force employers to permit transgender employees to use the private facilities of the opposite sex and violate sex-specific dress codes.

It could create a preferred pronoun mandate and require employers to include sex-reassignment treatments in their employee health plans, the organizations fear. Under FFA, only businesses with less than 15 employees are exempted, while the rest face the certain loss of their conscience rights as their workforces grow. FFA would also lessen the impact of the Department of Labors recent proposed rule allowing religious federal contractors to hire according to their own religious beliefs and practices.

The letter adds that prominent LGBT rights groups oppose religious exemptions and have successfully gotten them repealed in other countries.

Indeed, the severability language in FFA could allow the religious exemptions it contains to be invalidated while other damaging provisions remain, they argue.

FRC President Tony Perkins, a major conservative evangelical activist in Washington, said in a statement Friday that Fairness for All sacrifices the conscience rights of Americans to "secure a few minor carveouts."

"'Fairness for All' represents a near-total surrender to the aggressive LGBT agenda," he argued. "It would legitimize discrimination against people of faith like floral artist Barronelle Stutzman, who was targeted by the government because she operated her business according to her Christian beliefs. Religious liberty includes the freedom to practice one's faith in every area of life, not just within a religious institution or the four walls of one's church."
Survey to show 'increase in direct attacks' on religious freedom worldwide amid COVID-19 pandemic

A forthcoming survey is slated to reveal how adverse treatment of certain religious groups in several countries significantly worsened during the coronavirus pandemic.

The SMART survey, conducted as part of the Religious Freedom Institutes Freedom of Religious Institutions in Society (FORIS) Project, was designed to fulfill an unmet need for policy-relevant data to identify, understand and address religious freedom restrictions on religious communities across the globe. A detailed report analyzing the survey's results will be published soon.

Rebecca Shah, a senior fellow at the Archbridge Institute and principal investigator for the Religion and Economic Empowerment Project (REEP), elaborated on the results of the SMART survey during an RFI panel discussion on Wednesday.

The SMART survey stands for Simple, Meaningful, Accessible, Relevant and Timely, she said. While the survey initially received funding to question experts on the ground about the state of religious freedom in Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq, the survey was later expanded to other countries, about 10 countries, including India, Egypt, Mexico, Turkey and Greece.

According to Shah, policymakers  needed reliable reports that drew on the deep expertise of individuals who could analyze religious freedom violations on the ground in key global locations and provide policymakers with real-time and reliable data on strategic countries.

While a lot of reports on religious freedom restrictions, both individuals and religious institutions, existed prior to the SMART survey, Shah stressed the need for information that comes from local experts on the ground in their own countries, rather than, say, somebodys desk in Washington, D.C., or Geneva.

She contended that the findings of such a survey were more likely to be owned by actors in the country and in the region. The local experts in these different countries who participated were asked to fill out the survey from the perspective of a minority religious community or a majority religious community based on expertise or membership in a particular religion.

We started the survey before the pandemic, but as soon as the pandemic hit, we were able to retool the questionnaire to some extent, a great extent, and resubmit the questions to the experts and ask them to fill out COVID-related questions. And so, a lot of the data we got was over the COVID-19 period  at the height of the Delta variant and others, where we were able to examine and explore the impact of restrictions on religious communities as the pandemic was ongoing, Shah said.

Shah reported that the survey found an increase in deliberate and direct attacks on houses of worship  and religious and charitable and other religious institutions across the globe. Specifically, In Nigeria  85.7% of respondents writing about minority Christian communities in northern parts of Nigeria said they were aware of direct attacks of houses of worship in their country.

In Iraq, 30% of respondents reporting about minority communities, which included Yazidis and Christians, said they were aware of attacks on houses of worship in their countries.

Again, when asked who, in their view, were the perpetrators of these attacks, our data revealed that political actors, which might include local government officials, were responsible for 60% of high or very high levels of restrictions on religious institutions, which include houses of worship  religious and charitable institutions, she added.

The survey also asked respondents if they knew of any acts of discrimination perpetrated against individuals or communities on account of their religion or belief that may have been prompted by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The results revealed that one out of three respondents from India said they were aware of such types of religiously motivated discrimination during COVID.

Additionally, one out of five respondents in Indonesia said the same and 10% of Nigerian respondents also said they were aware of this type of  discrimination.

Shah discussed significant restrictions on both minority and majority institutions in India, emphasizing that the impact of these restrictions have come to the fore during this COVID-19 pandemic. She explained that state-sanctioned restrictions on Hindu institutions during the coronavirus pandemic severely limited the ways in which they could actually provide services to their adherents.

The current pandemic enabled many governments to pass stringent regulations that severely restricted the freedom of individuals and institutions they deemed a threat to national security, Shah lamented. More than four out of every 10 respondents in our survey said they were aware of peaceful prisoners of conscience who were being held and not released due to concerns about COVID-19. This happened even as the deadly Delta variant raged across Asia.

Shah cited Indonesias treatment of political prisoners as a cause for concern, sharing the finding that more than 70% of respondents from Indonesia were concerned about the well-being of political prisoners during COVID-19 in their country. Respondents also reported increasing levels of persecution against people who overly criticized the government and their handling of COVID-19.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented increase in hate speech stigma and discrimination, Shah asserted. Ninety-nine percent of respondents in Egypt, 78% of respondents in Pakistan, and 70% of respondents in Indonesia, 64% of respondents in Nepal said there were laws on blasphemy and apostasy that were open to abuse.

Discrimination also ran rampant in India, with 68% of respondents from the country alleging that the religious communities suffered because there was a failure to address acts of religious persecution or discrimination on the part of non-state actors, state actors or levels of government. In Israel, Orthodox Jews faced heavy levels of discrimination because of their opposition to the coronavirus vaccine.

Shah concluded the discussion about the SMART survey by noting that Nigeria, Egypt, Indonesia and Iraq reported very high levels of communal beatings and lynchings on the basis of religion or belief. At the same time, very high levels of communal or group expulsions based on religion or belief were India, Nigeria, Egypt and Sri Lanka. India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia and Egypt reported very high levels of communal killings.
Jackie Hill Perry: Christians who blame God for sin elevate Satan

Jackie Hill Perry, who made the decision years ago to leave a lesbian lifestyle to follow Christ, warned young Christians against blaming God for their sins.

The 32-year-old poet, speaker and hip-hop artist who hails from St. Louis, Missouri, told the Gen Zers gathered at Passion 2022 that when Christians cannot accurately define God, without defining the word holiness because God is holy. And when Christians blame God for the sin in the world, they deny the holy nature of God by projecting human nature onto Him.

The things humans believe about God determine how they behave, Perry said, and at the root of all sin is unbelief in the Word and in God's worth.

Whats problematic about our sinful nature?" she asked those gathered Monday at the two-day annual conference spearheaded by Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia. "We talk about God like Hes unjust, just because He allows some suffering in our world. We open up His Word and we refuse to believe its true, as if God had the potential to lie to you. But who I described sounds more like the devil than it does God, she added.

Who do you suppose we are imagining God as when holiness is disregarded in our definitions of Him? We have somehow supposed that Satan sits on the throne."

You dont have sex with people you arent married to just because youre lustful, you do it because you dont believe that God is Lord of the body, she declared. You didnt take a job that God told you not to just because youre disobedient. You did it because you didnt believe that God can provide for you at a lower wage.

It is very difficult for Christians to be holy sometimes, Perry said, because they tend to try to modify behavior externally without dealing with the belief systems at the root of their sinful issues.

I have a suspicion. I think that one reason why faith and, therefore, holiness is so difficult for us is because we live in a constant state of self-preservation. Weve experienced all kinds of pain, betrayal, abuse, unfaithfulness, inconsistency, dishonesty. We know this world isn't safe because sinners live here, so we are always trying to protect ourselves from the potential of any kind of hurt, any kind of pain, any kind of suffering, she explained.

And I wonder if, underneath our doubt, the reason why we dont trust God, and therefore we struggle with holiness, is because we have a suspicion that God isnt safe either; that He is just like the father that left us, that He is like the mother that didnt nurture us, the friend that didnt listen to us, or the person in a position of power that abused us, Perry posited.

So when God uses His Word and His son to reveal Himself as a heavenly parent or a faithful friend or our Lord, we dont relinquish control, surrender our wills because we have mistakenly projected onto God the nature of everybody that has sinned against us, she said.

Perry further explained that if God is holy, He cannot sin, which, in turn, means He cannot sin against them.

If God cannot sin against you, doesnt that make Him the most trustworthy being that exists? The holy God is a God that is without fault.

Earlier in her talk, Perry reminded those gathered that, as Christians, they have the ability to know the real definition of holy as they begin to get a better understanding of God's character and make that their foundational truth and sole definition of the Lord.

How we define the term [holy] cannot and should not start with the people you know or the feelings you have, Perry advised. Holiness finds its most precise definition in who God has revealed Himself to be.

Theres a lot of baggage around the word holy, Perry continued. Some of us hear the word and immediately think about people who are always dressed in a particular kind of apparel. They are serious. They are strict. They are rigid. And they seem to be resistant to fun.

Oftentimes, Perry said, Christians have false definitions of the word holy, and it makes them uncomfortable.

Some of us hear the word holy and we immediately feel something, she said. We might feel fear. We feel shame. We might feel even defensive or on guard or we might feel curious.

Seems like we are in a world where definitions are always changing. Consider words like man, woman, marriage, salvation, truth, love, privilege, oppression, and how each word might mean different things to different people, Perry pointed out.

But when we get to God, we dont have the authority to redefine or re-imagine Him. We dont have the right to redefine or reimagine holiness either. Because God is holy, she emphasized.

Reading from Isaiah 6:1-8, Perry also shared how the prophet Isaiah saw the Lord on His throne and He heard the heavenly creatures called seraphim praising God and singing about the doctrinal nature of God to one another. The seraphim were praising God by saying to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.

If the seraphim were suddenly replaced by people, in our current cultural context, then the lyrics of their song might be different, Perry said. If we asked someone and gave them the supernatural ability to leave Earth and enter Heaven and stand near the throne and ask them to sing and attribute [it to] God, they would stand there, open up their mouths and out of it would come: Love, love, love, is the Lord of hosts.

God is love, Perry said before suggesting that Christians should ask themselves: Would God be love if God wasnt holy?

Without righteousness permeating His being, setting Him apart from all that is arrogant, all that is abusive, all that is self-serving, self-protected and self-centered, if there was no righteousness, if there was no moral purity in God, would He be able to love you at all? Perry asked.

It is because God is holy that He is also kind, humble, honest, faithful, aka, loving, she declared.

When the seraphim had a chance to say something about the nature of God, they said, He is holy, Perry noted, stressing the repetition of the seraphims praises. They mention Gods holiness more than two times, Perry said, and in Hebrew, literature repetition is a way of putting emphasis on words and phrases.

In the same way, when Jesus wanted to emphasize the truthfulness of His statements, He would say: truly, truly, she added.

Repetition adds emphasis. So to say that God is holy, holy, holy implies that the seraphim recognized that God is not merely holy, but God is most holy, supremely holy, completely holy, utterly holy, she said.

Perry recalled that throughout her early experiences in church, holiness meant different things to her based on how other people acted toward her.

It was God is holy. Im not, so Im going to Hell, Perry recounted of her early church days. It also seemed like holy people talked about Hell all the time. You could laugh at the wrong joke and theyll be like: Youre going to laugh your way straight to Hell.

And I was confused about why I have to be efficient, even on my way to damnation.  It just seemed like holy people always liked to talk about judgment, always liked to talk about sin, always liked to talk about wrath, she continued.

As a result of her early church experiences, Perry said she once believed that holiness was only about rule-keeping and judgment.

I think most of us at one point may have had a narrow, most likely negative framework of the term holy, and I want you to know if that is the case, then it has affected how you view and thus interact with God, Perry added. Because if by holy we only mean restriction, and not also the possibility of freedom or simply wrath and not mercy, then when you hear God is holy, holy, holy, you will be pessimistic and guarded. You will not be moved to worship.

As Perry concluded her talk, she advised the audience that during times when other people are abandoning the faith and deconstructing their faith, to hold on to theirs.

You dont have a choice. Hold on to yours. Why? because where are you going to go? she asked. Who else has the Words of eternal life? Who else is able to save? Who else is able to comfort you when youre hurt and heal you when youre wounded? Who else is able to keep you from falling if not the holy, holy God?

This Lord, this King, this Son, this Jesus is holy, holy, holy, she concluded.

In addition to Perry, other speakers at the Passion 2022 conference included: Pastor Louie Giglio, Sadie Robertson Huff, David Platt, Christine Caine, Timothy Tebow and many others.
Pregnant women who cause deaths of unborn babies shouldn't be charged with murder, Calif. AG declares

California Attorney General Rob Bonta advised district attorneys, police chiefs and sheriffs across the state Thursday not to prosecute pregnant women whose actions lead to the miscarriage or stillbirth of a fetus under section 187 of the California Penal Code because mothers were not the intended target of the legislation.

A press statement from Bontas office said his instruction to law enforcement and court officials on Thursday is meant to prevent improper and unjust applications of the law similar to the recent prosecutions of two Kings County women.

Adora Perez and Chelsea Becker were charged with fetal murder for allegedly causing the stillbirth of their fetuses.

Beckers charges were dismissed in May 2021, but Perez is currently serving an 11-year sentence after drug use was found to have contributed to the death of her baby.

The loss of a pregnancy at any stage is a physically and emotionally traumatic experience that should not be exacerbated by the threat of being charged with murder, Bonta said in his statement. The charges against Ms. Becker and Ms. Perez were not consistent with the law, and this misuse of section 187 should not be repeated. With reproductive rights under attack in this country, it is important that we make it clear: Here in California, we do not criminalize the loss of a pregnancy.

In a legal alert sent to the relevant authorities on Thursday, Bonta explained in an attached amicus brief in support of Perez case in June 2021 that Penal Code section 187  the states murder statute  was amended to include the unlawful killing of a fetus more than half a century ago.

The text, purpose, and legislative history of that amendment demonstrate that the Legislature intended only to ensure that a third party who unlawfully kills a fetus does not escape punishment, he argued.

He said that the legislature was careful to exclude several categories of actions, including those related to legal abortions and any act that was aided, abetted, or consented to by the mother of the fetus.

A woman necessarily consents to an act that she herself voluntarily undertakes, free of fraud, duress, or mistake. The acts in question in this case  Perezs alleged drug use during her pregnancy  fall squarely within the subdivision (b)(3) exclusion. This Court should issue an order to show cause, he noted.

The facts in Perezs case show that she suffered a stillbirth at Adventist Health Hanford on Dec. 30, 2017, after 37 weeks of gestation. The Hanford Police Department was called and Perezs doctor informed the police that the stillbirth was caused by methamphetamine use during pregnancy.

Perez was charged with murder under Penal Code 187 by the district attorney. Her court-appointed counsel didnt challenge whether section 187 applied. She later pleaded no contest to an amended complaint alleging voluntary manslaughter. Perez accepted the plea according to the amicus brief because her counsel and the court advised her that she was facing a life sentence on the murder charge.

She later attempted to withdraw her plea with private counsel but failed. In June 2018, the court sentenced Perez to a maximum term of 11 years in prison.

Perez is still fighting for her release, and Bonta continues to support her efforts on the grounds that Penal Code 187 was improperly applied to her case.

It is already well settled that manslaughter lies only for the killing of a human being, and not a fetus. And as outlined below, it seems equally clear that a woman cannot commit the crime of murder of her own fetus, as actions to which a pregnant woman consents are expressly outside the statutes scope, Bonta argued. The Attorney General agrees with Perez that the text, purpose, and legislative history of California Penal Code section 187 demonstrate that a woman cannot be prosecuted for murder as a result of her own omissions or actions that might result in pregnancy loss.
Nearly 12,000 non-US citizens may have registered to vote in Texas: audit

An audit conducted by the Secretary of States office in Texas has revealed that while more than 11,000 non-citizens were possibly registered to vote at the time of the 2020 presidential election, votes cast by non-citizens did not affect the outcome of the election.

The Phase 1 progress report of the audit, released Friday, detailed the results of an analysis and investigation of the presidential election results in four of the states most populous counties that cast 35% of the total votes: Collin, Dallas, Harris and Tarrant. According to CNN, then-President Donald Trump won the state by a margin of more than 500,000 votes over Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election out of 11.3 million votes cast.

However, concerns about voter irregularities prompted the Secretary of States office to announce a full forensic audit of the results in those counties on Sept. 23.

What were trying to do is make sure that theres a little more confidence in the system, in the election integrity," Secretary of State John Scott told NBC's Dallas-Fort Worth affiliate last month. "And I think this is one of the hopes  of the audit is to show folks that it is very safe, it is secure, your vote does count when you cast it. And where we find issues, were going to address those issues.

Specifically, during the first phase of the audit, the Secretary of States office worked to review available data and documents concerning the security and accuracy of voting systems used in each of the four counties, as well as the counties work to maintain the accuracy of their respective lists of registered voters. Regarding the accuracy of the counties respective list of registered voters, the progress report detailed their efforts to remove dead and non-citizen voters from the voter rolls.

Texas law requires a quarterly comparison of the statewide voter registration list to identify all potential deceased voters. The Secretary of States office implemented a comparative analysis of the statewide system to records provided by the Local Registrars of Death, Clerks of the Court, the Bureau of Vital Statistics, the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), and the Social Security Administration.

Any strong matches, where the last name, date of birth and Social Security number of a person gathered from one of the aforementioned sources matches exactly with the data of someone on the states voter registration list, are canceled by the state system. Weak matches require an additional review process to be conducted by each individual county voter registrar.

In the four counties at the center of the audit, a total of 47,521 strong matches have been canceled by the state since November 2020, while an additional 57,684 weak matches were canceled by the individual counties. More than 100,000 voter registrations altogether have been canceled in the four counties in that time period.

While the report primarily focuses on the four large counties, it also contains data about efforts to remove deceased and non-citizen voters from the voter rolls throughout the state as a whole. Statewide, 190,227 strong matches have been canceled by the state.

The number of strong match cancellations, combined with the number of weak matches canceled at the county level adds up to a total of 224,585 voter registrations of deceased voters canceled. While more than 30,000 additional weak matches were identified, their registrations were not canceled.

A statewide comparison of citizenship data compiled by the Texas Department of Public Services to the Texas voter registration list found 11,737 possible non-U.S. citizen voter records since September 2021. A total of 2,737 of those voter registrations have been canceled due to either confirmation of non-U.S. citizenship by the county or an individuals failure to respond to a notice from the county voter registrar requesting documentation of proof of citizenship.

A total of 3,063 possible non-citizen voter registrations have been identified in Harris County, along with 1,385 in Dallas County, 708 in Tarrant County and 327 in Collin County. None of the potential non-U.S. citizen voter records in Collin County and Harris County resulted in a cancellation due to confirmed non-citizenship, while five such cancellations took place in Dallas County along with one in Tarrant County.

The report revealed that the SOS, in coordination with county voter registrars, continues to verify the number of non-U.S. citizens registered to vote statewide to identify those that may have voted in the November 2020 election. Additionally, the report indicated that all records with voting history suggesting the potential of an illegal vote cast will be referred to the Office of Attorney General (OAG) for further investigation.

The ability of the Texas Attorney General to investigate and prosecute electoral fraud has become the subject of litigation. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals recent decision to strip the Legislature of its power to assign the Office of Attorney General (OAG) authority to prosecute criminal election law violations was met with condemnation from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican.

The Courts decision to suddenly remove our authority to prosecute election fraud can only empower dishonest campaigns to silence voters across the state, Paxton said in a statement shared with The Christian Post. This decision is not only wrong on legal grounds, but it has the effect of giving district and county attorneys virtually unlimited discretion not to bring election law prosecutions.

Paxton also pushed back on the courts conclusion that allowing the Office of the Attorney General to investigate and prosecute election fraud runs afoul of the state constitutions provision for separation of powers.

Last years election cycle shows us that officials in our most problematic counties will simply let election fraud run rampant. I will continue to oppose this decision that diminishes our democracy and misconstrues the Texas Constitution, he added.
The world is coming to terms with the undeniable truth: bitcoin and cryptocurrency can't be overlooked anymore. You either hop on the train or get left behind. Cities across the world - and to great measures, countries (case in point, El Salvador) - are taking giant steps in adopting bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

One city that has vocally voiced its commitment to cryptocurrency adoption and growth is Miami. And now, Florida, the state where Miami falls under, is doing one better than Miami. Florida is accepting bitcoin and cryptocurrency as payment for goods and services.

HOW INTERESTING IS THIS MOVE BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA?

The world over, the debate on the universal fungibility of cryptocurrencies have been on the rise. Some federal governments are outrightly banning cryptocurrencies. India is the latest country rumored to be placing brick walls on cryptocurrency activities, banning every form of cryptocurrency exchange on platforms such as Redot.com. Whether it is mining or trading or investing, India plans to ban everything related to cryptocurrency.

Then there are other countries such as Russia and South Korea that still restrict some activities while allowing others, with fears that cryptocurrency will open the door for money laundering and corruption.

While these fears are true, they are a smokescreen that distracts from the immense positives that cryptocurrency and bitcoin offer.

And for forward thinking cities and states like Miami and Florida, accepting bitcoin as payment through exchange platforms like Redot.com is a step towards ensuring that the state takes the first step in preparing the world for a solely digital economy.

The proposal for businesses in crypto Florida to pay state fees in cryptocurrency was brought forward by the governor of Florida Ron DeSantis. The proposal will allow businesses operating in the state to pay directly into the state's wallet.

WHAT DOES THIS PROPOSAL ENTAILS?

The proposal is two-pronged: on one end, the state will provide $200,000 to the Department of Financial services that will be given to Florida corporations. The money will allow these corporations to pay for state fees directly to the state's account via the department of State; and $500,000 allocated to help develop more blockchain-based solutions for the state and her citizens and residents.

The $500,000 will help develop blockchain-based solutions to monitor vehicle records, verify Medicaid transactions and help in detecting possible frauds in the government.

This move will enable the state of Florida to become one of the leading states in the United States in the digital currency-based economy, thereby attracting more cryptocurrency- based businesses. With more acceptability, more businesses will move to Florida, and more job opportunities for citizens and residents.

The second proposal opens the way for other blockchain-based solutions in the state. With Medicaid records stored on blockchain's smart contract, there will be more transparency in the system, which in turn will lead to more people benefiting from Medicaid and other government-funded healthcare solutions.

Also, the plethora of opportunities this opens up to developers in Florida is massive!

This move assures blockchain developers that whatever creative and efficient solutions they have will be accepted and encouraged by the government. With a move like this, there is sure to be an explosion of blockchain-based solutions to most of the issues bedeviling the state.

Also, the proposal for a $500,000 allocation will serve as a boost to young people in the state of Florida and its cities. It was reported that the City of Miami had plans to introduce blockchain technology in its high school curriculum. The move further strengthens the call and boosts the interest of young people in blockchain technology.

CAN MIAMI BECOME THE WORLD'S BITCOIN CAPITAL WITH A MOVE AS THIS?

The latest move by the State of Florida and Governor Ron DeSantis is a big boost for the City of Miami, who plan to become the world's bitcoin centre. The city has been working tirelessly to establish itself as a progressive city, one that's committed to bitcoin and blockchain development.

Miami was quick to accept the creation of MiamiCoin, a coin that will help the city have cryptocurrency in its official government. The idea of Miamicoins was brought up by CityCoins, a company dedicated to enriching and rewarding cities with cryptocurrencies developed in the city's name.

With the adoption of Miamicoin, bitcoin Miami led the way for these types of projects.

Miamicoin will also help enrich citizens as the government plans to, in addition to distributing some Miamicoins to citizens, use these coins in developing the city and encourage more cryptocurrency adoption in the city.

Miami was also the first city to announce that it'll give bitcoin to all its citizens with a cryptocurrency wallet. This move by the city sparked a lot of applause from cryptocurrency enthusiasts and developers all over the world.

So, for a city where the mayor agreed to receive part of his salary in bitcoin, a move such as the one the State of Florida is taking, is exciting news for them. With the state government now accepting cryptocurrency for government fees, the City of Miami and other cryptocurrency enthusiasts will be hopeful that the state creates its own cryptocurrency.

The City of Miami's dream of becoming the world's center for cryptocurrency might not be a dream anymore. If the budget proposal pulls through, and other plans the city has come to fruition, the world might have to turn to Miami for lessons on how to evolve to a solely digital assets-powered economy.

While there is still so much to be done (the never-ending battles between the Securities and Exchange Commissions and bitcoin ETFs leaves much to be desired), the future of cryptocurrency looks brighter with each passing day.

Yes, the news in the cryptocurrency space in recent weeks hasn't been positive. But given how much dominance bitcoin is losing, and how altcoins such as Ethereum and Solana are favorably competing with bitcoin in the cryptocurrency marketplace, the signs look promising for digital assets and blockchain technology.

The world might have to wait for another decade before cryptocurrency becomes a mainstay currency and adopted in countries around the world, but the signs are more than encouraging, the fall in cryptocurrency's market cap nonetheless.
Elon Musk says he agrees with the teachings of Jesus: 'There is great wisdom'

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk is not a religiously inclined person. But in a recent interview with the popular Christian satire site The Babylon Bee, the Tesla CEO shared his thoughts about Jesus.

The famous billionaire who founded SpaceX in 2002 made an appearance on The Babylon Bees podcast last month. He sat down with the organizations CEO Seth Dillon and Editor-in-Chief Kyle Mann and Creative Director Ethan Nicolle for an in-depth interview. The four discussed wokeness, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., taxing the rich and more.

The Babylon Bee is a popular Christian satire site that focuses on Christian and political issues as well as everyday life.

For the final question of the podcast, Nicolle asked Musk if he would accept Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.

Final question to pull some time out here, Babylon Bee is a Christian organization and were a ministry, said the host.

Musk then interjected: How come were doing the show on a Sunday? Why arent you heathens in church? God said dont work on Sundays, OK. You guys are going straight to Hell for this one.

Nicolle continued: To make this Church, were wondering if you could do us a quick solid and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

Musk said that he respects and agrees with the principles that Jesus advocated, such as forgiveness and treating people as you wish to be treated.

Things like turn the other cheek are very important, as opposed to an eye for an eye. An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind, Musk maintained.

As Einstein would say, I believe in the God of Spinoza, said Musk, seemingly referencing deist beliefs.

Musk was referring to the quote believed to have been spoken by Albert Einstein in 1921 at the Institutional Synagogue in New York. Einstein was quoted as saying: I believe in Spinozas God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings.

The Babylon Bee hosts celebrated Musks response as the entrepreneur ended his comment by saying hell be saved.

But hey, if Jesus is saving people, I mean, I wont stand in His way. Sure, Ill be saved. Why not? Musk stated.

I think he just said yes, Nicolle declared. We got him.

Musk, who was born in South Africa, also said he was baptized as a child and partook in communion.

In past remarks about his Space X project after the Dragon Capsule completed a splash landing in the Gulf of Mexico in 2020, the chief engineer and CEO of SpaceX revealed that he prayed.

Im not very religious, but I prayed for this one, Musk said at one point during his speech.

Musk has often been described as atheist or agnostic.

In 2013, Musk was asked during an interview with actor Rainn Wilson if he worships anything. He said he doesn't "really worship anything" but devotes himself to the "advancement of humanity using technology." When asked if he prayed, Musk said that he didn't even pray when he almost died of Malaria. Its unclear if his beliefs have evolved.
Judge sides with Navy SEALs seeking religious exemption to Biden admin. COVID-19 vaccine mandate

A federal judge has ruled in favor of Navy personnel suing the Biden administration over the Department of Defenses COVID-19 vaccine mandate, concluding that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their claim that the requirement violates their religious freedom.

Judge Reed OConnor of the U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction Monday, arguing that the Navy has failed to respect the religious objections of service members.

The Navy provides a religious accommodation process, but by all accounts, it is theater. The Navy has not granted a religious exemption to any vaccine in recent memory. It merely rubber stamps each denial, wrote OConnor, a George W. Bush appointee.

The Navy servicemembers in this case seek to vindicate the very freedoms they have sacrificed so much to protect. The COVID-19 pandemic provides the government no license to abrogate those freedoms. There is no COVID-19 exception to the First Amendment. There is no military exclusion from our Constitution.

The lawsuit was filed in November on behalf of 35 U.S. Navy personnel, including 26 Navy SEALs. They are represented by the First Liberty Institute, a Texas-based conservative legal nonprofit that specializes in religious liberty cases.

First Liberty General Counsel Mike Berry, who served for seven years as an attorney in the Marine Corps, said he was pleased with the injunction. He contends that the mandate forces military personnel to choose between their faith and serving their country.

[Its] abhorrent to the Constitution and Americas values, he said in a statement.

Punishing SEALs for simply asking for a religious accommodation is purely vindictive and punitive. Were pleased that the court has acted to protect our brave warriors before more damage is done to our national security.

The lawsuit stated that multiple plaintiffs hold the sincere religious belief that all life is sacred, from conception to natural death, and that abortion is the impermissible taking of an innocent life in the womb.

As a result of their sincerely held religious beliefs regarding life and abortion, multiple Plaintiffs are unable to receive any of the COVID-19 vaccines due to what they believe and understand is a connection between these vaccines and their testing, development, or production using aborted fetal cell lines," the complaint states.

The Pentagon announced in August that it would require U.S. military personnel to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by mid-September, citing combat readiness as a justification.

Now that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved, the department is prepared to issue updated guidance, requiring all service members to be vaccinated, stated Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby at the time.

These efforts ensure the safety of our service members and promote the readiness of our force, not to mention the health and safety of the communities around the country in which we live.

According to a report by the U.S. Naval Institute published last week, approximately 8,000 active duty and reserve Navy personnel are unvaccinated, with around 3,000 requests for religious exemptions being sent to the Navy.

Multiple plaintiffs received a formal COVID-19 Vaccination Administrative Counseling/Warning, stating that those who refuse to get vaccinated based on personal or religious beliefs will be disqualified from special operations duty unless their disqualification is waived, the court filing shows The provision doesnt pertain to medical contraindications or allergies to vaccine administration.

Plaintiffs also have been informed that any religious accommodation that will be

offered will preclude them from deploying, the lawsuit reads.

There has been debate in some religious circles about the ethics of taking a vaccine that has utilized aborted fetal cell lines in their testing or development.

Dallas megachurch Pastor Robert Jeffress argued in September that there is no credible religious argument against COVID-19 vaccines. He suggested that those troubled by the use of a fetal cell line for testing of the vaccines would also have to abstain from the use of Tylenol, Pepto Bismol, Ibuprofen, and other products that used the same cell line if they are sincere in their objection.

Roman Catholic Archbishop for the Military Services Timothy P. Broglio released a statement in October stressing that no one should be forced to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if it would violate the sanctity of his or her conscience.

The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were tested using an abortion-derived cell line. That type of a link has been for centuries considered remote material cooperation with evil and is never sinful, Broglio wrote.

A poll released last month from the Washington, D.C.-based Public Religion Research Institute found that most Americans support some level of religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccines, though their views on when religious exemptions should be granted differ.

Thirty-nine percent of respondents said they either completely or mostly agree that anyone who simply says that receiving a COVID-19 vaccination goes against their religious beliefs should be granted a religious exemption.

Fifty-five percent said anyone who has a record of refusing to receive other vaccinations due to their religious beliefs should be able to claim a religious exemption. Additionally, 57% agreed that anyone who belongs to a religious group that has a record of refusing to receive other vaccinations should be able to claim a religious exemption.
Parents petition Va. Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin to protect parental rights in response to COVID-19 vaccine mandates

A coalition of parents is urging Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin to keep his campaign promise to protect parental rights amid growing concern over vaccine policies, particularly as COVID-19 shots are now being advised for children.

In a recently-launched petition, the parents ask the incoming governor to heed the warning of more than 16,000 medical scientists and doctors from around the world that healthy children shouldn't be mandated to get the COVID-19 vaccines. The petition also asks Youngkin to safeguard the rights of parents to make medical decisions on behalf of their children.

The petition calls on Youngkin to immediately issue an executive order upon taking office that affirms his stated commitment to parental rights. It asks Youngkin to bar the State Health Commissioner from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for children; prohibit local and state government officials from using coercive language and bribery in order to incentivize compliance with vaccine mandates; forbid all state health officers, including the Health Commissioner, from describing the vaccine as "safe;" and require the Virginia Health Commissioner to provide parents with written information listing all known potential health risks and unknown long-term repercussions prior to giving consent to their childs vaccination.

Kathy Blum, the president of the Virginia chapter of Childrens Health Defense, told The Christian Post in an interview that over the past few years, parental rights have been challenged on multiple fronts. Making informed and uncoerced medical decisions for their children is of utmost concern, she said.

CHD-Virginia is petitioning Youngkin to ensure he restores this most important and fundamental right, Blum said. She asserted that if the general public knew about the corruption behind the hasty development of these COVID-19 vaccines, they would be shocked.

Blum pointed to a whistleblower's report to the FDA describing how Pfizer falsified data, unblinded patients, inadequately trained vaccinators, and was slow to follow-up on adverse events.

Her report has been ignored by the FDA, as well as almost all news outlets, Blum told CP.

Similarly, she added, Brianne Dressen, who was a participant in the AstraZeneca trial, suffered a severe adverse event after her first injection, became disabled, and was hospitalized.

The trial investigators withdrew her from the trial but did not document her experiences in the trial's publication in the New England Journal of Medicine. Ms. Dressen wrote to the journal demanding a correction and complete reporting of the trial results. The editor-in-chief, Dr. Eric Rubin, refused to correct the inaccurate data, Blum explained.

Most egregious is Pfizer's pediatric trial where 12-year-old volunteer Maddie de Garay experienced crippling pain immediately upon receiving her second injection. Despite suffering life-altering vaccine injuries, Pfizer falsely described them in their application to the FDA as functional abdominal pain, she continued.

De Garays story is described in the text of the petition.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states on its website that COVID-19 vaccines are "safe and effective," that millions have received them under the "most intense safety monitoring in history," and the agency recommends everyone receive the shot as soon as possible.

In late December, the CDC released new data revealing that a total of 965,843 reports of adverse events following COVID-19 vaccines were submitted between Dec. 14, 2020, and Dec. 10, 2021, to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is the government's database for reporting adverse vaccine reactions in the United States. Those figures included a total of 20,244 reports of deaths  an increase of 358 over the week before  and 155,506 reports of serious injuries, including deaths, during the same time period  up 4,560 compared to the previous week.



The U.S. VAERS data for children ages 5 to 11 during that same time span showed 4,181 adverse events, including 80 rated as serious. Two deaths were reported. One death occurred in an 11-year-old girl from Georgia who was vaccinated on Sept. 14, prior to the authorization of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine in the 5 to 11 age cohort.

VAERS is jointly managed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The database serves as an "early warning system to detect possible safety problems in U.S.-licensed vaccines."

A disclosure on the website says that the database is not "designed to determine if a vaccine caused a health problem, but is especially useful for detecting unusual or unexpected patterns of adverse event reporting that might indicate a possible safety problem with a vaccine."

Anyone can report to the database. Certain adverse events are required to be reported by healthcare professionals. Vaccine manufacturers are also required to report adverse events that come to their attention.

When asked about how the "anti-vaxxer" label is used to frame and often weaponize discussion about concerns around this subject and the cavalier disregard some exhibit with respect to vaccine-injured people and their medical complications, CDH-Virginia Vice President Teresa Champion said that the label has become a pejorative term that is spat out of mouths like a curse.

Many of us with vaccine-injured children have for many years been seeking medical care for the multiple life-changing medical issues our children and adults now live with and as such, we live with too as long as we are able to care for them, Champion said in the emailed statement to CP.

To call someone anti-vax is not completely accurate. We did vaccinate, and then our child was injured without recourse. We did what we were told without question and, at the time, without meaningful informed consent. We have now researched and understand what happened, but the moment of discovery, our epiphany, is well beyond any statute of limitations, she added.

Champion said their injured children serve as cautionary warnings for the benefit of others. She implores people to not use such individuals as "'cannon fodder' for the greater good."

That certainly should not be the case here when the vaccine really only supposedly protects the person receiving the shot and doesnt protect from further transmission or even further infection. Over the years, I have learned the complete lack of fiduciary care demonstrated by corporations and, in particular, pharmaceutical corporations, she said.

Champions son was injured by the Hep B vaccine at birth. Before that, she had no idea that vaccine injuries were an issue to be concerned about, and didn't know what to look for until 20 years later, following genetic tests and reading extensively about such injuries.

Also of concern to parents backing the petition are the ways in which children are being allowed to make medical decisions outside the purview of their parents, particularly regarding the COVID-19 shot.



One such mom from Washington, D.C., who is supporting the Virginia effort, shared with CP how her 17-year-old daughter was caught between her parents, who are divorced, and had different ideas about whether she should get vaccinated. Because her daughter attends school in the District, where children as young as 11 can get themselves vaccinated without parental notification or consent, she was able to make the choice herself.



Without telling me, she scheduled herself an appointment. After the fact, she let me know she got the COVID vaccine. She got vaccinated at Target where they gave her a $10 coupon to the store, which she used right then and there. Another perk-for-the-poke she and her friends enjoy is a free donut every time they show their vaccine cards at Krispy Kreme, the mother shared with CP.

In an October interview with Newsmax, then-candidate Youngkin said that he would not mandate the COVID-19 shot for children and that he did not think schools should either, especially for young children.

"I think thats a parents decision. I believe in parents rights, fundamental rights to make decisions with regards to their children and as governor, Im going to make sure Im standing up for parents rights," Youngkin said at the time.

Champion went on to say that there should be no noble lies to try to steer the action of the public.

All information should be open access and easily retrieved so that an individual can judge risk versus benefit knowing their own situations and conditions, she asserted.

The petition comes amid growing Big Tech censorship of vaccine critics, particularly Dr. Robert Malone, who was permanently suspended from Twitter Wednesday. Malone, who is the co-inventor of mRNA vaccine technology and had over half a million Twitter followers, said in a statement on his Substack that the social media platforms move means that he must have been on the mark and [o]ver the target.

It also means we lost a critical component in our fight to stop these vaccines being mandated for children and to stop the corruption in our governments, as well as the medical-industrial complex and pharmaceutical industries, Malone said.

Malone was interviewed by famous podcaster Joe Rogan on Dec. 31. The three-hour interview was released on Spotify.
Pastor raises over $160K for 5 children orphaned after dad dies in crash, mom in childbirth

Thanks to a public appeal from their pastor, more than $150,000 in donations have already poured in to help five children in Des Moine, Iowa, who were made orphans after their Christian refugee father was killed in a car accident Friday, just four months after their mother died in childbirth.

Pastor Eugene Kiruhura of Shalom Covenant Church in Urbandale, revealed the tragedy in a GoFundMe campaign he launched on Sunday to help the orphans.

It is with heavy hearts we are asking for your donations and prayers for the family of Bazirake Kayira. Bazirake was one of the African refugee/immigrant community members living in Des Moines, he died Friday afternoon after crashing his vehicle into a creek during the ice storm, Kiruhura wrote.

Four months ago Bazirake lost his wife during childbirth. He leaves behind five children. We are raising funds to help assist with his funeral expenses and any extra funds will go into an account reserved for the children. Keep these children in your prayers this is very sudden and extremely shocking for them to lose both parents like this in a short period of time, he added.

Kayira, 30, moved to Des Moines with his family two years ago as refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. On Friday, according to the Marshall County Sheriffs Office, he was driving on Iowa Highway 330 in Marshall County at about 2:05 p.m. when his car veered off the road into a creek. The Des Moines Register said he was on his way to work at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown.

Pastor Kiruhura told the Des Moines Register that when he launched the fundraising campaign to help the orphans, he set a goal of $60,000 to help with funeral expenses and start a fund to help support the children.

After an overwhelming response from the public, the fundraising goal was increased to $200,000.

Kayira was the only breadwinner for his family, according to a KCCI report. His sickly older adult parents are now caring for his children and they do not work.

Grandma and grandpa, they can live together but they dont work, the pastor told KCCI during an earlier appeal.

How are they going to pay the rent? Where are they going to live? What are they going to do? They dont drive, whos going to take them to appointments?  They dont speak English, he said. Even the rent for this month, I dont know how theyre going to get it.
'Bodies burned beyond recognition': Al-Shabaab militants torture, behead Christians in Kenya; at least 6 killed

Suspected al-Shabaab militants tortured and killed at least six Christians, five of whom were reportedly beheaded, in a terror attack on a village in Kenyas coastal Lamu region that borders Somalia, according to reports.

It is an ugly sight of peoples bodies lying dead and houses smoking with fire. This is undeniably an awful terrorist attack, said Pastor Stephen Sila, who was at the site of the attack in Widhu village in Lamu West on Monday morning, the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern reported.

I counted seven houses that were torched down, four bodies of people burned beyond recognition inside the houses, he was quoted as saying. A body shot dead right outside a burned house and another beheaded body next to it. Other villagers escaped into the dark and the police are still looking for them.

The attack took place at about 4 a.m. local time while people were still sleeping, Lamu County Commissioner Samson Macharia told local media.

Five of the six killed had their hands tied from behind before they were beheaded, reported Kenyas The Standard newspaper. All the deceased persons had their hands tied from behind. Also several houses were torched within the locality and property of unknown value burned, it said, citing a police report.

The pastor who spoke to ICC added: The residents have gathered and are asking why the security officers were not doing enough to protect the Christians from being attacked by the Somali militants. There is a standoff now, but more police officers are arriving to pick the bodies and also evacuate those who need emergency medical attention.

Commissioner Macharia also called it a terror attack and said security forces were hunting for the militants in a nearby forest, where they might have disappeared after the attack.

In the countrys northeast, the al-Shabaab terrorist group has been a constant threat.

Al-Shabaab has fought for years to overthrow the Somali government. The group has been responsible for attacks on both sides of the Somalia and Kenya border as it has long vowed to retaliate against Kenya for sending in troops to Somalia to fight the group.

In April 2015, al-Shabaab carried out one of its deadliest attacks when it stormed the campus of Garissa University. On that occasion, militants were said to have separated Muslims from non-Muslims and proceeded to execute all non-Muslim students. At least 148 people were killed in the attack.

Kenya was ranked 49th on Christian support organization Open Doors USA's 2021 World Watch List of countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

While its a Christian-majority country, persecution has spread in Kenya, Open Doors says. Particularly, Christians with a Muslim background in the northeast and coastal regions live under constant threat of attack  even from their closest relatives. Our research revealed that Christians were attacked and forced to flee their villages, and Islamic extremist group al-Shabaab has infiltrated the local population to monitor the activities of Christians in those areas.

Organized crime is also a serious problem in the country, Open Doors adds. Corrupt officials often fail to take measures against persecutors  increasing the potential for further incidents against Christians.

A church leader overseeing the Lamu West Africa Inland Churches told ICC that believers are still at risk in the country.

The enemy is still roaming free within our region, he said. We are saddened that six Christians have lost their lives and left their families, and the entire body of Christ is hurting. We call upon the government to heighten its commitment to protecting the people of this great nation of Kenya.
It was a week when both oil and natural gas prices settled higher.

U.S. energy biggie ExxonMobil XOM issued an update on its upcoming Q4 earnings, while refiner HollyFrontier HFC cautioned investors that severe weather, among other factors, will negatively impact its throughput. News related to APA Corporation APA, Enbridge ENB and Petrobras PBR also made it to the headlines.

Overall, it was a good seven-day period for the sector. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 1.9% to close at $75.21 per barrel, while natural gas prices rose 2.8% to end at $3.73 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). In fact, both the oil and natural gas markets managed to maintain their forward momentum from the previous week.

Coming back to the week ended Dec 31, the positive price action could be attributed to a report from the Energy Information Administration ("EIA") showing draws in crude and fuel stockpiles. Easing concerns about the potential Omicron-related fall in demand also boosted the commodity.

Natural gas notched a weekly gain, buoyed by weather forecasts, indicating bouts of cold temperatures over most of the country in the coming days.

1. U.S. oil and gas behemoth ExxonMobil provided a glimpse of fourth-quarter 2021 results, assuming a sequential increase in profits from oil and gas production.

The price of oil and natural gas has increased significantly in the past year. For the upstream segment, the massive improvement in commodity prices could have increased fourth-quarter 2021 earnings by up to $1.9 billion from the previous-quarter levels.

Per a recent filing, ExxonMobil expects that changes in the natural gas price will increase fourth-quarter earnings by $700 million to $1.1 billion. Moreover, changes in liquid prices will increase earnings by $400 million to $800 million. XOMs upstream asset divestments, which involve the U.K. North Sea assets, could raise up to $500 million. (ExxonMobil Expects Earnings of Nearly $1.9B in Q4)

2. HollyFrontiers management sounded a cautionary note, stating that it sees fourth-quarter crude oil throughput at a level lower than previously thought, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) U.S. fuel refiner has pegged average throughput for the three months ended Dec 31 at approximately 420,000 barrels per day  down nearly 9% from the midpoint of the guidance provided earlier.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

In HollyFrontiers West Region, output was impacted by the newly acquired Puget Sound refinerys post-purchase downtime, lower crude availability due to floods/landslides along the Trans Mountain Pipeline route, issues with starting the Navajo facility after the planned turnaround, to go with severe weather-related disruptions. Meanwhile, throughput in HFCs Mid-Continent region was hit by lower runs at the Tulsa Refinery and extreme weather. (HollyFrontier Gives Gloomy Throughput Forecast for Q4)

3 APA Corporation announced that it has agreed to invest $3.5 billion in research, development and manufacturing in Egypt's Western Desert. Egypt's parliament recently snapped up a deal to revamp and consolidate its production-sharing contracts with the government.

The African country and the joint venture between APA and Chinas Sinopec will benefit from this deal. The updated PSC encourages high investment and production development, thus putting Egypt on top of many attractive investment options in APA's worldwide portfolio. It also underscores the desert country's commitment to sustainable development and public-private partnerships.

According to the American oil and gas explorer, the agreement consolidates 90% of gross output into a single concession and renews existing development lease terms for the next 20 years. In Egypt, APA's joint venture with Sinopec intends to boost gross capital investment by $235 million in 2022, with a 13-15% rise in gross oil output year over year. (APA to Infuse $3.5B Capital Into Egypt Oil Production Per PSC)

4. Enbridge announced the approval of its Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) by the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) to purchase as much as 31 million common shares to an aggregate amount of C$1.5 billion.

Per the terms of the NCIB, Enbridge will be allowed to purchase for cancellation through the facilities of the TSX, the New York Stock Exchange as well as other designated exchanges and alternative trading systems.



Starting from Jan 5, 2022, the energy infrastructure company will purchase the shares over a one-year period. The number of shares authorized for purchase represents 1.5% of the companys common shares issued and outstanding. Enbridge will limit daily purchases on the TSX under the NCIB to a maximum of 1,929,706 common shares, which is 25% of the average daily trading volume of the common shares. (Enbridge Receives TSX Approval for Share Buyback Program)

5. Petrobras recently decided to sell a group of onshore producing assets and associated infrastructure in the Sergipe Basin to Carmo Energy S.A. for $1.1 billion.

Brazil's state-run energy giant began divesting 11 mature fields in Sergipe during October 2020. The line-up comprises one of PBR's oldest and largest onshore assets in the South American country.

The 11 concessions of onshore producing fields, including integrated facilities, are known as the Carmopolis Cluster. All are located in several municipalities around the state of Sergipe. From January to November, the concessions produced 7600 barrels of oil per day, on average, and 43,000 cubic meters of natural gas per day. (Petrobras to Sell Carmopolis Cluster to Carmo Energy)

Price Performance

The following table shows the price movement of some major oil and gas players over the past week and during the last six months.

Company Last Week Last 6 Months

XOM +0.3% +5.7%

CVX +0.8% +15.2%

COP +1.7% +20.6%

OXY +0.5% -2.4%

SLB +1.3% +1.4%

RIG -9.5% -35.6%

VLO +4.7% +0.2%

MPC +1.5% +11.7%

The Energy Select Sector SPDR  a popular way to track energy companies  was up 1.1% last week. Over the past six months, the sector tracker has increased 8.2%.

Whats Next in the Energy World?

As the global oil consumption outlook strengthens amid tightening fundamentals, market participants will closely track the regular releases to watch for signs that could further validate the upward momentum. In this context, the U.S. governments statistics on oil and natural gas  one of the few solid indicators that come out regularly  will be on energy traders' radar. Data on rig count from the oilfield service firm Baker Hughes, which is a pointer to trends in U.S. crude production, is closely followed. News related to coronavirus vaccine approval/rollout/distribution will be of utmost importance. Last but not least, investors will keep an eye on the potential demand hit from the Omicron variant.

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From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

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Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report



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Poland is erecting a border wall in response to end the migrant crisis, once and for all. Belarus, its close neighbor, is alleged to have used migrants in the form of hybrid warfare to overload the border, sow disorder and confusion in the EU. Hopefully, the 115-mile wall would solve the problem of illegal immigration.

Building a border wall could end the crisis

The Polish Ministry of the Interior has verified the news on Twitter. As posted on social media, the barricade will be constructed throughout 186 kilometers and divided into four sections.

It is to decrease project duration as practicable by working on various sections and confirmed by Brigadier Wioleta Gorzkowska, the Deputy Commander in Chief.

In 2021, streaming immigrants were heading into the Poland-Belarus border, causing chaos to border security. It also revealed that the bloc is vulnerable when crashed by numerous refugees wanting to enter the EU.

Tensions broke, and the foreigners were driven back by pepper spray-laced water cannons to dissuade them from pushing on. Freezing and substandard living conditions were questioned by groups concerned about a humanitarian crisis, reported the Express UK.

Belarus had to give on-the-spot shelter to migrants who said that Germany was where they wanted to go, not Poland as most of them were. There are still many of them stranded at the borderlands.

Despite numerous unsuccessful attempts to breach the boundary in the frigid cold, numerous refugees remain optimistic that they'll be brought inside. Poland is erecting a border wall that will lessen the problems that migration causes.

Read Also: Movement of Russian Armor and Troops to the North Ukraine Border A Reminder to NATO Putin is not Playing Games

Migrant reasons out intent to cross border

One of the migrants, Ahmed Rebaz, said that his life in Iraq was dangerous and hard. There is the threat of ISIS, and more dangers cited the Star Tribune.

A sizable group of migrants, largely Iraqi Kurds, are stuck in Belarus at the border crossing with Poland from November 8. Many immigrants escape conflict or desperation from native countries, intending to get to Germany or other Bloc members.

#BREAKING Polish lawmakers approve Belarus border wall amid migrant crisis pic.twitter.com/2PmwzBMLBF  AFP News Agency (@AFP) October 29, 2021

President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has been angered by accusations that his regime has resorted to hybrid warfare on the European Union, denied it and called it hogwash.

Brussels is livid that he is enticing many migrants intentionally that they can push on to the west of Europe. The underlying agenda is to put pressure on the shared border with the Poles, to get back at sanctions against him.

It's all lies, he says. Instead, the crisis is the blocs own doing, said critics to Brussels.

Red Cross assistance to migrants

The Belarusian Red Cross has confirmed that 600 migrants are camped at the Bruzgi logistic center in late December. It's a facility where they've set up a temporary camp by installing beds and shelters in the rows where cargo containers were once.

Human rights groups have condemned the Poles policy, which has received broad support from other European nations working to avoid a massive rise in immigration.

Poland erecting a border wall has support from its government and the EU that has been exposed to a weak border policy.

Related Article: Russia Probes EU's Reaction in the Ongoing Migrant Crisis at the Poland-Belarus Border

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
LANSING  Michigan has received its first shipment of new oral medications to treat COVID-19, paxlovid and molnupiravir, following the recent emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.

These antivirals are designed for the outpatient treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. Both medications may only be prescribed for a patient by physicians, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants.

When administered to non-hospitalized patients within five days of symptom onset, these antivirals may reduce symptoms and the risk of hospitalizations and emergency room visits associated with the virus.

Due to the limited quantity of these drugs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has developed eligibility criteria and prescribing requirements for the antivirals.

The authorization of these new medications provides another important tool to help fight the virus, said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director, in a news release. Due to limited availability of these antivirals, health care providers will need to determine the best course of treatment for their patients based on eligibility criteria. We ask Michiganders to be patient as providers will prioritize people at highest risk for developing serious illness from the virus. We are committed to distributing these pills equitably across the state, and access will increase as Michigan receives more allocations from the federal government.

Priority Eligibility Criteria for therapeutics, including antiviral medication and monoclonal antibody therapy, will remain in effect until supply is able to meet demand and will be periodically reviewed as appropriate.

MDHHS continues to strongly recommend getting vaccinated and boosted for the best protection against the virus.

Its important to remember these drugs are not a substitution for protecting yourself by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask in public places, said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive," in a news release. Getting vaccinated continues to be the best protection against severe illness and hospitalization, and we urge all Michiganders over age 5 to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Continue to wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth, test and social distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19, avoid large gatherings and get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already."

Treatment with monoclonal antibody therapy continues to be an important therapy for mild to moderate COVID-19 infection and is preferred over treatment with molnupiravir whenever it can be readily accessed. Based on current evidence, mAb therapy is also a comparable alternative to paxlovid for patients who do not have access to the oral medication, have contraindications to the medication (e.g., pregnancy), or are beyond five days (but within 10 days) of symptom onset. Treatment with mAb should be considered for patients who are in eligible lower risk tiers in the Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Paxlovid is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in patients 12 years of age and older who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and who meet the current Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Paxlovid currently has limited availability through the following sites:

 Selected Federally Qualified Health Centers and Tribal Health Centers.

 Selected Meijer Pharmacies in southeast and east central Michigan.

Molnupiravir is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults ages 18 and older who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and only when alternative COVID-19 treatment options authorized by FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate and who meet the current Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Molnupiravir currently has limited availability through the following sites:

 All Meijer Pharmacies (based on supply).

 Selected retail pharmacies in areas not served by Meijer (based on supply).

Additional information on oral antiviral medications and monoclonal antibody therapy, including priority eligibility criteria based on MDHHS scare resource allocation principles is available at Michigan.gov/COVIDTherapy.

Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.
The next generation of hands-free driving for General Motors will cover 2 million North American roads, a ten-fold increase over its current Super Cruise systems 200,000-mile capability. For this new Ultra Cruise Level 3 hands-free driving system, the automaker will adopt the Snapdragon Ride platform. Super Cruise works only on scanned and mapped divided-lane highways.

Ultra Cruise will debut on the 2024 Cadillac Celestiq, a premium electric sedan, and should come closer to providing door-to-door autonomy. To match the Tesla Model S or Mercedes-Benz EQS, it would need a range of 300-plus miles; the price could be in the $100,000 range. Cadillac already has some Escalade SUVs with base prices over $100,000.

Going with Qualcomm is a big change in suppliers. Much of the auto industry has used vision company Mobileye as the leading provider of the chips and software that underpin vision-based advanced driver assist systems (ADAS).

While the Intel-owned company continues to grow its business, Mobileyes competition in the ADAS and automated driving system (ADS) market is heating up rapidly with both Nvidia and now Qualcomm taking away chunks of market share.

Qualcomm is the relative newcomer to this sector with its Snapdragon Ride platform, but General Motors is taking advantage of that as it prepares to launch its next-generation Ultra Cruise hands-free driving system next year.

Qualcomm also announced at CES 2022 that both BMW and Renault will adopt the Snapdragon Ride platform by 2025.

A teaser image of the 2024 Cadillac Celestiq, an electric car powered by GMs Ultium battery system and using the Qualcomm hardware platform for self-driving as well as driver-assist functions. Cadillac says the luxury EV will reward the senses and inspire extraordinary journeys. Cadillac

If It Doesnt Build a Car, Apple Could Sell Chips to Automakers

Another potentially interesting player in the automotive chip sector is Apple. The maker of Macs and iPhones has had an automotive development program going that includes automated driving for at least seven years.

Whether or not Apple actually ever produces a branded vehicle remains to be seen, but the company has proved its mettle in chip design with its mobile devices and more recently Macs. Apple Silicon offers everything that automakers are looking for, extremely high performance and low energy consumption. Even if Apple never builds a car, they could have a very healthy side business as a chip vendor to other automakers.

Soon, Point-to-Point Driving

At GMs investor day in October 2021, GM revealed the first public details about Ultra Cruise, a system that had been hinted at since at least 2019. Unlike the current Super Cruise that is limited to driving on divided highways, Ultra Cruise will enable point-to-point hands-free driving on all types of paved roads. Eventually, it will work on all roads.

Providing the ability to drive in urban and suburban areas will require more sensors, much more sophisticated software and a lot more computing power than what GM is using for Super Cruise today. Thats where Qualcomm comes in.

Automakers Already Use Qualcomm for Infotainment

The San Diego-based companys Snapdragon systems-on-chip (SoC) power many of the smartphones and tablets not named by Apple. In recent years several automakers have started using derivatives of those SoCs for infotainment systems and at CES 2020, Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon Ride for ADAS and ADS.

The first iteration of Snapdragon Ride consists of two chips, the ADAS processor and an artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator. They can be used in various combinations to provide whatever level of performance is needed. GM was the first automaker to adopt the Snapdragon Ride platform and will actually be using a couple of different combinations. The Cadillac Lyriq EV launching this spring will use one ADAS processor to run its Super Cruise system. Ultra Cruise will use two ADAS processors and one AI accelerator.

Nvidia has been developing large single chip solutions like the Orin that is launching this year and Atlan that is due in 2024. Nakul Duggal, SVP and GM of Automotive at Qualcomm, explained that when you have these massive SOCs, remember that there is a yield aspect that youre going to take care of, there is a thermal aspect that youre going to take care of.

A multi-chip solution allows manufacturers to scale different combinations depending on what functionality is needed, while large chips may have lower production yields and thus higher system costs.

One of the two Qualcomm SoC (systems on chip) hardware modules, about the size of a pair of stacked notebook PCs. Theyll draw 65-70 watts. Current self-drive/driver assist packages can draw 1,000, enough to draw down 5% of an EVs battery over a five-hour drive. Qualcomm

Current Self-Driving Computers Can Draw 1,000 Watts

Jason Ditman, chief engineer for Ultra Cruise explained that by getting in early as Qualcomm was still defining the details of the chips, it was able to get the right balance latency, energy consumption and packaging space. Energy consumption is a real challenge for automated vehicles with the computers often consuming well over 1,000 watts, or 1 kilowatt-hour for every 60 minutes of driving. In an EV where every watt counts toward range, minimizing the draw from computers, lights, climate control and other systems is crucial.

Fewer, Bigger Chips Consolidate More Functions

With 360 trillion operations per second, the three-chip Ultra Cruise configuration provides enough computing performance that GM was able to consolidate some of the functions previously run in separate electronic control units like radar adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist into the Ultra Cruise computer. This reduces cost and complexity by eliminating a lot of extra wiring and the need to find places to mount those other computers.

The whole system fits into a box that is roughly the size of three thin laptops stacked up. Its relatively modest power consumption of 65-70 watts means that the box can get by with forced air cooling. The full-self-driving computer in Tesla vehicles requires liquid cooling.

Qualcomm Hardware, Software from GM

While Qualcomm is also developing its own software stack that can provide everything from basic driver assist functions to a fully automated driving system, GM has opted to just use the hardware. The entire software stack for Ultra including sensor processing, prediction, path planning and control has been developed in-house at GM.

The sun never sets on the Ultra Cruise software team, Ditman says. Theyre widely dispersed, if not quite literally in daylight sun. Ditman says there are research and tech centers in Limerick, Ireland; in Canada; in Austin, Texas; and at GMs main research post in Warren, Michigan.

GM and Qualcomm have worked together more closely than usual to bring both Snapdragon Ride to market. Watch for more such collaborations as automakers move to bring more software development in-house and integrate it on higher performance computing platforms.

This article, 2024 Cadillac Celestiq Hands-Free System Will Use Qualcomm Chips, originally appeared on Forbes Advisor.
US President Joe Biden got into a New Year's gaffe, saying it was 2020, not 2022, and rambling into incoherence puzzling Americans.

The broadcast on Tuesday was met with mocking by his critics, many of those who voted for him who are now experiencing buyer's regret.

His address did not assuage any fears and indicated no confidence in one of the most unpopular administrations.

Biden's blunder during broadcast

President Joe Biden committed his epic misstep during one COVID-19 Response Team briefing webcast live from the White House. He urged Americans to be inoculated and reassured them of the strides made in fighting the virus, reported the Express UK.

Trying to convince everyone that everyone will be okay despite the sharp rise of Omicron cases in the US. So far, most are not convinced of it. The Omicron has been able to surge infection faster than expected, just like in other countries.

Using a not encouraging tone, saying getting vaccinated is important, addressing the 35 million who have no confidence in the vaccine. Most of the anti-vaxxers have misgivings due to the mixed messages from the government, cited the Star Post.

He shifted to saying the unvaccinated should take the jab, and it's not excusable.

Accusing the unvaccinated as the cause of further transmissions in the pandemic of the unvaccinated. Gunning for those not wanting to be inoculated.

Throughout the breakout, the Democrats and their supporters have targeted the anti-vaxxers and painted them as the enemy no the virus itself.

Read Also: Russia Redirects Gas Supplies From Poland as an Economic Transaction That Is Not Politically Motivated by the European Union

Nevertheless, President Joe Biden stared directly into the camera in a cringe-worthy mistake and genuinely told his fellow Americans. Wishing the best in 2020, not 2022, resulting in a big whoop.

It was a massive Freudian slip that got mocked online, and posts on social media had a field day, where most of the comments were none too kind.

The social media attack

Starting the shark frenzy was @dasent_faith, posted on social media that Biden has no cognition of the year 2022, asked why he should be not be impeached to his leftist supporters.

@A_twoo_Z got serious and frustrated the president, and he has no idea where he is or if the year or time zone is even in his head. One says it is a global embarrassment.

Another user, @KJNofConcord, hit the nail's head on how the US seemed so weak to Russia, China, Iran, and other hostile republics.

Other countries saw the president disintegrating and slipping up all the time, not getting better, and they are seeing it in real-time.

There was more than the year gaffe, and everyone saw the president blank out when one of the panel scientists told him how he felt, noted the Daily Advent.

It was silence and a long pause before the pandemic was discussed, which was not seen favorably.

The upcoming midterm elections on November 2022 will be brutal for the Democrats, who are in danger of losing control and dozens of seats in Congress and the Senate. All because of the mistakes since taking office.

Biden is in hot water for the 2020 blunder, and it just came out. He stumbled on his own, which alarms the Democrats to no end.

Related Article: Joe Biden Too Old and Ineffective Costing the US Confidence With His Lackadaisical Performance on the Domestic, International Stage

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Don Huffines launched his campaign tour for Texas Governor and visited Laredo, making LMT his first stop to speak about his promises, especially the ones affecting Laredoans.

The campaign is largely centered around border security.

He said he is unsatisfied with incumbent Greg Abbotts unwillingness to secure the Texas-Mexico border, and that President Joe Biden is intentionally flooding Texas with all kinds of illegals.

We dont have control of the border, Huffines said. I look at this somewhat as a premeditated attack on Texas by the Biden administration.

As governor, Huffines pledges to deploy the Texas National Guard to the border, finish former President Donald Trumps wall and put economic pressure on Mexico.

He plans to accomplish this with road closures at the 25 bridges over the Rio Grande to all inbound commercial traffic. He says this would stop Mexico from shipping tens of millions of dollars in exports per day in Texas.

Mexicans love making money. Youve got 10,000-15,000 18-wheelers stacked up there every day across the river, Huffines said. Until they decide theyre going to stop the cartels on their side, theyre not getting that stuff in.

The Port of Laredo is the No. 1 inland port along the U.S.-Mexico border, and Huffines acknowledged hes concerned for Laredos local economy.

He said he hasnt come up with a better solution because Mexico responds to economic pressure.

I hope and pray this wont last long. I think the threat of it will get them to secure the river and stop this flow of everything you can imagine coming across, Huffines said. If it doesnt, I will not issue an executive order or an idle threat. When I say Im going to do something, Im going to do it, and I wouldnt unless I knew my backup plan.

Huffines said Hispanics and Republicans have a lot in common, particularly in their Catholic faith. He says they share pro-life values among others, and that these values are in trouble.

Abbott is a RINO. Hes a Republican In Name Only, Huffines said. Weve got the solutions and the courage to implement them.

Huffines said he was pleased in October when Abbott banned any entity from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for employees or customers, but he doesnt approve of the enforcement.

As governor, he says he wouldnt allow Texas employers to fire or hire workers based on their vaccination status and prohibit mask and vaccine mandates.

Huffines adds that he wont take the COVID vaccine and that they dont work.

Laredo had its first major vaccine drive on Jan. 3, 2021. After that, the remainder of the year featured 2,190 total breakthrough cases and 22 deaths from fully vaccinated individuals as opposed to 25,232 cases and 455 deaths locally during the same time period from individuals who were not fully vaccinated.

We were lied to about the cure to the virus, preventive care for the virus and the masks. (Abbott) empowered what I call the leftists to make this a political statement, Huffines said. We see the vaccines dont work. Of course Im against the vaccine mandates. Ive never taken the vaccine and I never will.

Another one of Huffines' central issues is establishing term limits in Texas government. He said politicians such as Abbott, who has been in politics for more than 20 years, only seek to further their careers.

As governor, he would enact term limits for all elected officials in the state. This is important to him because he said hes seen what happens when people get the power they desire.

It changes them, Huffines said. I just think people should serve for the right reasons; go down there and serve then go home and make a living.

In the end, Huffines said his election would give Texas its swagger back.

Were the leaders of the free world. We dont follow anybody for any reason, Huffines said. We dont ask permission for anything. We do what we think is best.

marcus.trevino@lmtonline.com

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Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the European Union members to help stem the rise of Nazism in Ukraine, which is a developing threat.

Moscow has underscored the threat of modern Nazis that should be cracked down in Ukraine, where instances are glorifying Hitler's legacy, which is still recognized by far-rightists.

Nazi official Stepan Bandera's legacy

Kiev is where countless far-rightists held a march to celebrate the birthday of Stepan Bandera, one of the Fuhrer's collaborators, reported the Express UK.

A top Russian legislator called for a pan-European response to the march. A Telegram post by State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said the protestors' actions are detestable.

Saying that it is wrong that Nazi officials, who orchestrated horrors, are Nazi supporters, burnt communities to the ground, massacred older folk, mothers, children, and infants, are glorified again in the twenty-first century, cite RT.

Moscow remarked that Brussels must be stand side by side to condemn the vestiges of Hitler and place sanctions on Kiev for such support.

Putin said the Ukraine march should scour the European Parliament, Council of Europe, and the OSCE PA. He added that the promotion of patriotism must be made responsible, with sanctions that should be applied, including everything which must be designed to stop its resurgence in Europe.

One observation is the country is pushing Ukrainian Nazism to a nationalist frame of mind and ideology; the Russian leader made it clear that EU parliamentarians will hear of his grievance in the upcoming state meetings.

Read Also: Joe Biden Outmaneuvered by Putin Regarding the Ukraine Border; Russia at an Upper Hand Advantage That Washington Will Regret

The massing of Russian troops on the Ukraine border has made the tension explosive with Moscow and Kyiv, pushing Europe to potential conflict, noted DW.

Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, attended the Ukraine frontline last week as part of a solidarity trip with Kyiv.

The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) was formerly led by Mr. Bandera, associated with Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

He was a nationalist leader who got killed by an assassin in Munich, Germany, during the year 1959, regarded as a Hero to Kiev nationalists due to his fight for freedom in the thirties and forties.

March held to glorify Nazi officials

Unfortunately, others consider him a war criminal, alleging that his nationalist forces committed numerous crimes against Jews and Poles during the war.

According to Moscow, the organization has a terrible history of violence that has been overlooked. It is notorious for thousands of deaths, such as genocide in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia. In two years, they caused the deaths of 100,000 people.

A legacy of the OUN leader and Nazi sympathizer has drawn mixed reactions in several administrations. In 2010, Bandera was hailed as a Ukraine hero by exiting leader, President Viktor Yushchenko. It did not take long before, in 2011, by the next Kiev Leader, Viktor Yanukovych.

But Yanukovych got ejected from office in 2014; the capital's city council recalled the Moscow Avenue, and it became Stepan Bandera Avenue; to mark the invasion of Ukraine. Israel, like Russian, condemned the march by the OUN in the capital.

Vladimir Putin called Ukrainian Nazism in the form of Bandera's legacy as a vestige of Germany that terrorized Europe in the 40s.

Related Article: France, Germany Criticized for Easing Out Ukraine From Talks Due to EU Agenda

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Emergency Management Agency will establish four new one-day mass vaccination mobile booster clinics to help meet the growing demand for boosters. These clinics add to 6,511 community partner vaccination events hosted to date with another 816 planned through Jan. 31.

One of the events is planned for Madison County at SIUE Vadalabene Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 9. The event will include adult doses of the Moderna vaccine, as well as doses of Pfizer for ages 5 and up.

For boosters, those with Pfizer are eligible five months after the primary two-dose regimen, Moderna is eligible six months after and those with Johnson & Johnson should get a second dose two months after the first one, with the CDC and health experts recommending a mRNA booster instead of another Johnson & Johnson shot.

"Booster shots are a key part of keeping ourselves and our loved ones as healthy as possible this winter," Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. "My administration is partnering with local health departments to make these free vaccines as accessible as possible for all eligible residents  which now includes Illinois residents 12 and up. This is another step forward for safe schools, safe businesses and safe communities for all."



As with all state mass vaccination clinics, vaccines are available to any Illinois resident, and no appointment, identification nor health insurance will be required.

Earlier this week, the Illinois Department of Public Health adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to shorten the interval from 6 months to 5 months for when people who have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine can get a booster dose. Only people who received two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during their primary series can now receive an mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) booster dose 5 months after their second shot.

The booster interval remains the same for those who received the Moderna vaccine (6 months) or the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine for their primary series. While adults have the ability to mix-and-match their booster vaccine, 12- through 17-year-olds are only eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech booster, although 12 to 15 year olds are now eligible for booster doses five months after receiving their primary course.

In late December, Pritzker directed the IDPH and IEMA to enhance its partnerships with local health department mass vaccination operations throughout the state to help meet the growing demand for the COVID-19 vaccine booster. The State of Illinois is more than doubling personnel and adding at least 100 people to regional vaccination sites.

Further testing locations can be found at the IDPH website, including information on the days and hours for free Community-Based Testing Sites.

State health officials urge residents to continue to practice preventive public health measures: getting vaccinated and boosted, wearing masks, avoiding large crowds and physical distancing where possible. If you are unable to attend one of these mass vaccination booster clinics, you can visit vaccines.gov to find a clinic near you.

The time of the event has been corrected to 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Kazakhstan Police on Thursday reported that dozens of people were killed in violent protests that led to attacks on government properties.

Police spokesperson Saltanat Azirbek announced on the government-run news station Khabar 24 that hundreds of angry protesters storm the buildings in the city of Almaty. Some of the attackers were able to infiltrate the building of the Mayor's office and set the place on fire. However, Azirbek added that there were "dozens of attackers" who got "liquidated."

Reports describe the current situation as the worst street protest in the oil-rich Central Asian country since it gained independence 30 years ago. The riots have set ablaze government buildings, which resulted in the death of no less than eight members of the law enforcement agency.

The protests began in western Kazakhstan on Sunday over soaring prices of liquified petroleum gas, which is being used to power cars in the country. Sooner, the patience of the people ran out and unrest had reached the largest city of the country, Almaty, and the capital Nur-Sultan as residents in nearby cities joined in the massive protests. Eventually, the protest had spread out to the rest of the country, according to the Associated Press.

Read Also: Russia Invades NATO Countries With Massive Missile Blitz as Vladimir Putin Steps Up Missile Defense Capabilities

Kazakhstan Government Resigns

In videos posted online by witnesses, enraged protesters seemed to have successfully broken through the barriers set by security forces at the airport, which paralyzed flights. Stun grenades were deployed by the military and the police whose explosions can be heard throughout the city streets.

Protesters also tore down the statue of the country's first President Nursultan Nazarbayev, according to Al Jazeera.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accepted the government's resignation on Wednesday after it failed to control the unrest. However, the protests continued, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.

The Russia-led intergovernmental military alliance Collective Security Treaty Organization announced that it would deploy peacekeeper troops to Kazakhstan as requested by Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayevm, as per The Washington Post.

According to the statement of Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the chair of the allience, the deployment of troops will only be for a "limited period of time" to help in the stabilization of the situation in Kazakhstan. The statement was posted on Facebook as well as on Kremlin's website.

President Tokayev said he was prompted to seek the help of the CSTO in order to end the attacks which he connects to big terrorist groups.

"Given the fact that we are having to deal with international terrorist groups, which were thoroughly trained abroad, their attack on Kazakhstan can and should be regarded as an act of aggression," he said in a statement carried on Kazakh state television, as per Wall Street Journal.

Kazakhstan is five times the size of France with a population of almost 19 million. It is the richest and largest among the five Central Asian republics that gained independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The country currently sells most of its oil products to powerful neighboring countries Russia and China.

Related Article: China-Russia Railway Bridge to Run Test Train Soon, Boosting Bilateral Trade Following Showcase of Unity Through Joint War Games

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A week into the rampant spread of COVID-19's newest variant, San Antonio-area schools are still dealing with student and teacher absences.

Northside ISD, the Alamo City's largest school district, was facing perhaps highest amount of absences amid skyrocketing COVID numbers. District spokesperson Barry Perez reported 990 teachers were out today, January 7, requiring substitutes. That is a decrease from Thursday's 1,195, and the first decrease of the week.

NISD started out the new school year with a high number of staff absences with 1,000 staff members not returning from winter break on Monday, January 3. That number only grew, reaching 1,380 on Wednesday, January 5.

Student absences fluctuated throughout the week at NISD. The highest absence rate out of over 103,000 enrolled students was 16 percent on Monday, January 7. The student absence rate was 14 percent on Thursday, meaning about 14,400 students were out that day. Data for today's absence rate was not available.

Bob Owen/San Antonio Express-News

Area school districts outside of San Antonio were facing similar issues. Somerset ISD reported results from days of testing on Facebook. As of January 5, 144 students and 19 staff members tested positive and were not at school. SISD asked parents to contact the district to set up remote learning but also said students could return on Monday if they had no symptoms.

Somerset provides testing for students by appointment through Community Labs.

Further south, Floresville ISD resumed school after winter break on January 5. On Thursday, the district reported 30 staff members were absent out of a total of 538, and 347 students were absent out of a total 3,983. FISD also provides COVID testing on at various campuses by appointment only.

San Antonio ISD will return to school after winter break next week, but district spokesperson Laura Short says in a statement that she hasn't heard or seen any indication of extensive teacher absences.

"However, if needed, we are prepared to provide support from among our approximately 250 certified staff in the Division of Academics and School Leadership," Short says.

San Antonio ISD requires teachers and staff to wear masks indoors, but will also recommend staff and students get a COVID test before returning to campus.

"We have held 65 testing events this week, and we will continue providing the opportunity of weekly COVID testing in our schools in the spring semester as well as vaccination clinics," Short says.
The latest surge of COVID-19 cases has health officials across the country contending with an increased demand for testing and a shortage of rapid-result supplies.

Director of business operations Homer Marquez said Covenant Health Plainview felt some of the effects of this earlier this week.

For the first time since testing for COVID-19 became widely available to the public, the hospital was notified Monday afternoon that it would have to wait 30 days before placing another order for its next shipment of rapid-test supplies. The hospital has since been cleared by its supplier to order as usual again.

It was never a concern that the hospital and its local affiliated clinics would run out of testing supplies, he clarified. Covenant Health Plainview still had/has a healthy stock of available PCR tests, the results of which take an extra day or so to process since those tests are run through a lab, Marquez said. Its the rapid tests that are in short supply.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory to laboratories back in September 2021 noting what was described as a temporary shortage of rapid tests and encouraging use of lab-based testing.

Those resources have been stretched for Covenant Health Plainview but not to the point reached Monday. Covenant Health Plainview clinics have been conducting frequent testing, Marquez said, adding that the Covenant Health West Texas Family Medicine clinics have been averaging about 60 to 70 tests per day. Covenants other affiliated local clinics were averaging 30 to 40 tests per day.

Its a problem even for the bigger health chains. CVS Health officials also told The Herald its stores offer a variety of five over-the-counter at-home tests.

To ensure equitable access to tests both in store and digitally, weve added a limit of six test kits per purchase. Due to a recent surge in demand, and to retain community-based access to tests in our stores, there may be temporary out-of-stocks for these products on CVS.com, reads an email from CVS Health to The Herald.

Its hard to pinpoint why exactly theres such a great demand for tests right now. Marquez attributes at least part of it to the rapidly-spreading Omicron COVID variant.

According to the CDC, the Omicron variant was identified in November and the first confirmed case in the United States was reported Dec. 1. By December 25, it was noted to be the most common variant. The first cases of Omicron were confirmed in Lubbock last week, though those individuals were tested in mid-December.

If its there, its probably here (in Plainview), Marquez noted.

This virus variant is expected to spread more easily regardless of vaccination status and whether symptoms are evident, according to the CDC.

With people trying to get back to normal schedules after a holiday break full of shopping and gatherings, Marquez suspects more people are trying to get a medical green light to return to work.

Rapid tests have their benefits, he noted, because they dont bog down the labs and you get results in a much quicker turnaround.

He emphasized that the hospital and its clinics have a healthy supply of laboratory test kits to meet the communitys needs. The downside is it takes a few extra days to learn the results.

The labs are processing results from several different testing sites, he explained. Pair that with the increasing demand for tests and the current medical staffing shortages  not just at local medical facilities but across the country in general  and it creates a recipe for slower processing of results.

Marquez said he knows theres a desire for quick results but urges people to be patient.
Camille Tokerud/Getty Images

The surge in COVID-19 cases in the Houston-area due to the highly-contagious Omicron variant is taking a toll on the Harris County Animal Shelter. Shelter officials announced in a Facebook post Thursday that due to a decrease in pet adoptions, their animal intake has reached an "all-time high" and will therefore be closed through Monday.

"Our staff and animals are experiencing the stress from the situation, and in order to properly care for our staff and animals in the best possible manner, we have closed animal surrender intake effective Thursday, January 6th through Monday, January 10th," officials said in the post, adding further adjustments may be made depending on staffing and capacity.
Just 53 years ago, we finally ventured to the moon and for the first time, we looked back at our planet. Since then, the human population has more than doubled and our knowledge of the solar system has increased dramatically, according to NASA.

In 2021, space news was full of events like rocket launches, meteor showers, the first space tourists and billionaires prioritizing space exploration. In December, a NASA spacecraft even touched the sun for the first time.

This year looks to be just as exciting, with many space missions slated to launch in 2022.

From new launch vehicles like NASA's Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft to missions to the moon, Mars, asteroids and more, a lot of exciting missions are expected to launch or arrive at their destination in 2022, according to reporting by space.com.

Beyond the U.S., China is expected to complete its Tiangong space station while Europe and Russia will attempt to land spacecraft on Mars. India, South Korea and Japan are also scheduled for a few missions into space, according to The Guardian.

Here are some of the most exciting moments 2022 holds for space travel:

Unfolding the universe: The James Webb Space Telescope

When: June 2022

The world's most powerful telescope, called the James Webb Space Telescope, launched on Dec. 25, 2021, and its first images are expected in June 2022, according to the @NASAWebb Twitter account.

After launching from French Guiana, the observatory traveled to an orbit about one million miles away from Earth and is undergoing six months of commissioning in space because the telescope must unfold its mirrors to be considered fully deployed, according to NASA.

Webbs infrared telescope will observe a part of space and time never seen before. It will gaze into the distant stars and galaxies which began burning more than 13.5 billion years ago to help us understand the origins of the universe, according to NASA.

The project is a team effort between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. Thousands of engineers and hundreds of scientists worked to make Webb a reality, along with more than 300 universities, organizations and companies from 29 U.S. states and 14 countries, according to NASA.

For more information about Webb, visit here.

Space tourism isn't going away

When: February 2022

Photo provided/ NASA/Roscosmos

NASA and Axiom Space have signed an order for the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station with a launch targeted for Feb. 28, 2022, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"The first private crew to visit the International Space Station is a watershed moment in humanitys expansion off the planet and we are glad to partner with NASA in making it happen," Axiom President and CEO Michael Suffredini said in a statement to NASA. "A thriving commercial marketplace in low-Earth orbit begins with expanding access to serious, nontraditional users and that is exactly the aim of our private astronaut missions."

Photo provided/NASA

The spaceflight, designated as Axiom Mission 1 or Ax-1, will travel to the International Space Station. Once docked, the Axiom astronauts are scheduled to spend eight days aboard the orbiting laboratory.

NASA has opened up the International Space Station for commercial activities, including private astronaut missions, as part of its plan to develop a robust and competitive economy in low-Earth orbit, according to a NASA press release.

Enabling Ax-1 is an important step to stimulate demand for commercial human spaceflight services so the space agency can be one of many customers in low-Earth orbit, according to NASA.

For more information about the Ax-1 mission and to meet the crew, visit here.

Additionally, Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, and Virgin Galactic, set up by Richard Branson, both launched their first sub-orbital flights last year and both say they expect to begin offering groups of tourists regular missions in 2022, according to reporting by The Guardian.

More space news The best space photos of 2021

How to avert an Armageddon-style impact

When: September 2022

Illustration provided/NASA

Launched last year, NASA's double asteroid redirection test spacecraft is expected to crash into Dimorphos, a small moon orbiting the near-Earth asteroid Didymos in September as a first for the space agency.

Astronomers want to see if they can change an asteroid's motion in space to defend the planet if needed, according to NASA.

Although this asteroid and its moon pose no threat to Earth, it is a perfect testing ground to see if intentionally crashing a spacecraft into an asteroid changes its course, should an Earth-threatening asteroid be discovered, according to NASA.

While no known asteroid larger than 140 meters in size has a significant chance to hit Earth for the next 100 years, only about 40% of those asteroids have been found as of October 2021, according to NASA.

Enabling human exploration to the moon and mars

When: February 2022

Photo provided/NASA

Artemis I, formerly Exploration Mission-1, will be the first group test of NASAs deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System rocket and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to NASA.

The mission, after being delayed two years, intends to enable human exploration to the moon and Mars and is launching in February, according to NASA.

During the first flight, the spacecraft will launch without a crew on the most powerful rocket in the world and fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. It will travel 280,000 miles from Earth, thousands of miles beyond the moon for roughly a five-week mission, according to NASA.

"This is a mission that truly will do what hasnt been done and learn what isnt known," Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager at NASA Headquarters said in a statement. "It will blaze a trail that people will follow on the next Orion flight, pushing the edges of the envelope to prepare for that mission."

For more information about Artemis I, visit here.

Satellite to survey the worlds water

When: November 2022

Illustration provided/NASA

The Surface Water Ocean Topography mission is a NASA mission to make the first global survey of the planet's surface water.

Expected to launch in November, the SWOT mission will help researchers determine how much water Earths oceans, lakes and rivers contain.

This will help us understand the effects of climate change on freshwater bodies and the oceans ability to absorb excess heat and greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, according to NASA.

NASA to capture more stunning pictures of Jupiter

When: September 2022

Photo provided/NASA

NASAs Juno spacecraft, observing Jupiter since 2016, will come close to Jupiter's moon, Europa, in late September.

In February 2022, Juno will travel near Europa at a distance of about 29,000 miles. Then, in late September 2022, Juno will swoop just 221 miles above Europa's surface, offering an up-close view of the massive moon, according to NASA.

Additionally, Europa is considered one of the most likely places in the solar system to find alien life. Junos pass could give scientists clues about the moons true nature, according to reporting by National Geographic.
North Korea claimed on Thursday that it had conducted a successful test of a hypersonic missile that has the capability to overcome missile defense systems.

It was the country's second hypersonic missile test since September and the first publicly known missile test in two months.

The launch on Wednesday sends out a message that North Korea will be pursuing with its program to modernize its nuclear and missile arsenals instead of the resumption of the disarmament negotiations anytime soon.

State media Korean Central News Agency reported that the Central Committee of the Worker's Party was greatly satisfied by the results of the missile test. According to KNCA, the missile was able to hit its target 700 kilometers (435 miles) away after making a 120-kilometer (75 miles) lateral movement, per Associated Press.

Hypersonic weapons can fly at speeds higher than Mach 5, five times the speed of sound. Their speed and maneuverability can bring crucial challenges to missile defense systems. However, it remains unknown if North Korea has the capability to manufacture such a sophisticated weapon soon; but Pyongyang is committed to developing the capability to produce them.

Read Also: North Korea Slams 'Squid Game,' Says Netflix Drama's Storyline Reflects An 'Unequal Society Where The Strong Exploit The Weak'

Pyongyang's Commitment to Upgrading Military Capabilities

Kim recently marked the 10th year of his regime in North Korea, in which he promised to spend more on military development as he cited the increasing instability on the Korean peninsula.

The government has already started spending almost a quarter of its gross domestic product on weapons, which is greater than any other country.

Last year, Kim revealed that he wanted to obtain high-tech military assets for his country like the hypersonic missile North Korea has been testing. The others include multi-spy satellites, solid-fueled long-range missiles, multi-warhead missiles, and underwater-launched nuclear missiles.

Since 2019, he has significantly increased East Asian country's weapons testing that involves different methods of missile launching from a train and a submarine, as per the New York Times.

US, Japan Alarmed

In late 2021, Kim also announced North Korea's testings of a long-range cruise missile which alarmed Japan.

The "peace constitution" of Japan, considered the oldest unamended constitution in the world, was written after the country's defeat in World War II. It restricts its military to self-defense. However, Japan sees North Korea's acceleration in developing its weapons, prompting it to consider revising its constitution to grant its armed forces to attack enemy targets including missile sites.

The recent missile test of North Korea has demonstrated progress in its weapons modernization, particularly in the development of a hypersonic missile. But according to Lee Choon Geun, an expert and honorary research fellow at the Science and Technology Policy Institute of South Korea, there is still more test flights to conduct in order to determine its tactical objectives as well as the status of its technology to develop hypersonic weapons, according to CBS News.

Meanwhile, the US state department announced that North Korea's missile test, believed to be a ballistic one, violated multiple UN security council resolutions and posed a threat to North Korea's neighboring countries and the international community.

Related Article: North Korea Launches Short-Range Missile Into The Sea, Tells UN It Has The Right To Test Weapons

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
One year ago, hours after a swarm of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol and briefly stopped Congress from ratifying the 2020 election results, 17 Texas Republicans voted against certifying Joe Biden as president.

This week, The Texas Tribune reached out to all those members asking if they accept the 2020 election results as legitimate a year later.

None responded.

The mob that day attacked police officers and caused millions of dollars of damage to the historic structure. The lawmakers and staff inside hid in fear for their lives as protesters breached the building carrying zip ties and wearing tactical gear.

Texas own Sen. Ted Cruz was objecting to certifying Arizonas election results when the Capitol was overrun. His speech that day and his misleading comments in the weeks before that cast doubts on the election led to calls for his resignation.

But this week he was taking heat from the political right for a speech acknowledging the solemn anniversary of a violent terrorist attack on the Capitol where we saw the men and women of law enforcement  risk their lives to defend the men and women who serve in this Capitol.

Many conservatives have spent the past several months downplaying the seriousness of the attack, which led to thousands of injuries and five deaths.

What the hell is going on here? Fox News host Tucker Carlson said on his show. Youre making us think that maybe the Republican Party is as worthless as we suspected it was.

A year ago, on the floor of the Senate, Cruz said he was not arguing for setting aside the results of the election, but he was objecting because of concerns about how many Americans believed fraud had occurred.

Even if you do not share that conviction, it is the responsibility, I believe, of this office to acknowledge that it is a profound threat to this country and to the legitimacy of any administrations that will come in the future, he said shortly before he and his colleagues were evacuated from the Senate chamber because rioters had breached the police line.

When the Tribune asked whether Cruz believed the 2020 election was legitimate, his office did not respond.

In total, 147 Republican lawmakers voted against certifying the election results that day, a move that has since taken the form of a multiyear campaign led by former President Donald Trump to convince the American public that the election was stolen. It wasnt. His own attorney general, Bill Barr, has said repeatedly that the election was secure. Multiple election reviews in states have confirmed the results, including Texas recent review of votes in four of the largest counties.

Here are the Texans who voted to object to certifying the election results on Jan. 6, 2020.



With the exception of Van Duyne, those lawmakers voted to object to the results in both Arizona and Pennsylvania. Van Duyne split her vote, supporting the certification of Arizonas results but not Pennsylvanias.

Republican Reps. Van Taylor, Dan Crenshaw, Michael McCaul, Chip Roy and Tony Gonzales voted against objecting to the results. Taylor is now the focus of a primary challenge from Republicans seeking to oust him from office over his vote.

Republican Reps. Kay Granger of Fort Worth and Kevin Brady of The Woodlands had been diagnosed recently with COVID-19 and did not vote.

All the Texas Democrats voted against objecting.

Democrats on Thursday acknowledged the anniversary and the ensuing efforts to undermine the election results.

It was a day that should have been a symbolic, peaceful transfer of power. However, it sadly resulted in chaos and division by right-wing extremists, said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, in a statement. Unfortunately, a vengeful Donald Trump and many Republicans have perpetuated a Big Lie about election fraud  stirring up anger, fear, and resentment in a lot of Americans.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, pointed the finger at Republicans in a tweet Thursday.

January 6 was a tragic and shocking day for America. It was nothing less than an attempt to overthrow the government. And now we know that it was much more than a day: It was at least two months of Trump and his gang plotting a coup, he said.

On Wednesday, Politico reported that days before the insurrection, Capitol Police intelligence analysts were worried that Gohmerts public comments could encourage violence in response to the 2020 election results.

The Capitol Police intelligence report notes that on Jan. 1, 2021, Gohmert told Newsmax, a conservative media company, that letting the will of the voters stand would mean the end of our republic, the end of the experiment in self-government, Politico reported.

The ruling would be that you got to go to the streets and be as violent as Antifa and [Black Lives Matter], Gohmert said on Newsmax.

Representative Gohmert then seemed to encourage violence as a means to this end, the assessment says, according to Politico.

Gohmert, who is running for Texas attorney general, tweeted the day of the insurrection, Please people; no violence. That only hurts our cause.

Disclosure: Politico has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Barbara F. Walter, a political scientist at the University of California, San Diego, has interviewed many people whove lived through civil wars, and she told me they all say they didnt see it coming. Theyre all surprised, she said. Even when, to somebody who studies it, its obvious years beforehand.

This is worth keeping in mind if your impulse is to dismiss the idea that America could fall into civil war again. Even now, despite my constant horror at this countrys punch-drunk disintegration, I find the idea of a total meltdown hard to wrap my mind around. But to some of those, like Walter, who study civil war, an American crackup has come to seem, if not obvious, then far from unlikely, especially since Jan. 6.

Two books out this month warn that this country is closer to civil war than most Americans understand. In How Civil Wars Start: And How to Stop Them, Walter writes, Ive seen how civil wars start, and I know the signs that people miss. And I can see those signs emerging here at a surprisingly fast rate. Canadian novelist and critic Stephen Marche is more stark in his book, The Next Civil War: Dispatches From the American Future. The United States is coming to an end, Marche writes. The question is how.

In Torontos Globe and Mail, Thomas Homer-Dixon, a scholar who studies violent conflict, recently urged the Canadian government to prepare for an American implosion. By 2025, American democracy could collapse, causing extreme domestic political instability, including widespread civil violence, he wrote. By 2030, if not sooner, the country could be governed by a right-wing dictatorship. As John Harris writes in Politico, Serious people now invoke Civil War not as metaphor but as literal precedent.

Of course, not all serious people. Harvard political scientist Josh Kertzer wrote on Twitter that he knows many civil war scholars, and very few of them think the United States is on the precipice of a civil war. Yet even some who push back on civil war talk tend to acknowledge what a perilous place America is in. In The Atlantic, Fintan OToole, writing about Marches book, warns that prophecies of civil war can be self-fulfilling; during the long conflict in Ireland, he says, each side was driven by fear that the other was mobilizing. Its one thing, he writes, to acknowledge the real possibility that the U.S. could break apart and could do so violently. It is quite another to frame that possibility as an inevitability.

I agree with OToole that its absurd to treat civil war as a foregone conclusion, but that it now seems distinctly possible is still pretty bad. The fact that speculation about civil war has moved from the crankish fringes into the mainstream is itself a sign of civic crisis, an indication of how broken our country is.

The sort of civil war that Walter and Marche worry about wouldnt involve red and blue armies facing off on some battlefield. If it happens, it will be more of a guerrilla insurgency. As Walter told me, she, like Marche, relies on an academic definition of major armed conflict as one that causes at least 1,000 deaths per year. A minor armed conflict is one that kills at least 25 people a year. By this definition, as Marche argues, America is already in a state of civil strife. According to the Anti-Defamation League, extremists, most of them right-wing, killed 54 people in 2018 and 45 people in 2019. (They killed 17 people in 2020, a figure that was low due to the absence of extremist mass shootings, possibly because of the pandemic.)

Walter argues that civil wars have predictable patterns, and she spends more than half her book laying out how those patterns have played out in other countries. They are most common in what she and other scholars call anocracies, countries that are neither full autocracies nor democracies but something in between. Warning signs include the rise of intense political polarization based on identity rather than ideology, especially polarization between two factions of roughly equal size, each of which fears being crushed by the other.

Instigators of civil violence, she writes, tend to be previously dominant groups who see their status slipping away. The ethnic groups that start wars are those claiming that the country is or ought to be theirs, she writes. This is one reason, although there are violent actors on the left, neither she nor Marche believe the left will start a civil war. As Marche writes, Left-wing radicalism matters mostly because it creates the conditions for right-wing radicalization.

Its no secret that many on the right are both fantasizing about and planning civil war. Some of those who swarmed the Capitol a year ago wore black sweatshirts emblazoned with MAGA Civil War. The Boogaloo Bois, a surreal, violent, meme-obsessed anti-government movement, get their name from a joke about a Civil War sequel. Republicans increasingly throw around the idea of armed conflict. In August, Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina said, If our election systems continue to be rigged and continue to be stolen, then its going to lead to one place and thats bloodshed, and suggested he was willing, though reluctant, to take up arms.

Citing the men who plotted to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Walter writes that modern civil wars start with vigilantes just like these  armed militants who take violence directly to the people.

There are parts of Walters argument that Im not quite convinced by. Consider, for example, Americas status as an anocracy. I dont dispute the political science measures she relies on to show the alarming extent of Americas democratic backsliding. But I think she underplays the difference between countries moving from authoritarianism toward democracy, and those going the other way. You can see why a country like Yugoslavia would explode when the autocratic system holding it together disappeared; new freedoms and democratic competition allow for the emergence of what Walter describes as ethnic entrepreneurs.

Its not clear, however, that the move from democracy toward authoritarianism would be destabilizing in the same way. As Walter acknowledges, The decline of liberal democracies is a new phenomenon, and none have fallen into all-out civil war  yet. To me, the threat of America calcifying into a Hungarian-style right-wing autocracy under a Republican president seems more imminent than mass civil violence. Her theory depends on an irredentist right-wing faction rebelling against its loss of power. But increasingly, the right is rigging our sclerotic system so that it can maintain power whether the voters want it to or not.

If outright civil war still isnt likely, though, it seems to me more likely than a return to the sort of democratic stability many Americans grew up with.

Marches book presents five scenarios for how this country could come undone, each extrapolated from current movements and trends. A few of them dont strike me as wholly plausible. For example, given the history of federal confrontations with the far right at Waco, Ruby Ridge and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, I suspect an American president determined to break up a sovereign citizen encampment would send the FBI, not an Army general relying on counterinsurgency doctrine.

Yet most of Marches narratives seem more imaginable than a future in which Jan. 6 turns out to be the peak of right-wing insurrection, and America ends up basically OK. Its so easy to pretend its all going to work out, he writes. I dont find it easy.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Harris County can continue imposing mask requirements following a Texas state appeals court ruling that decided against Governor Greg Abbott's attempt to ban mask mandates by local governments. The Texas 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin Thursday upheld a previous lower court ruling issued in August.

Justices in the opinion argued that Abbott exceeded his authority by prohibiting local governments from mandating face coverings to prevent the spread of COVID-19,. "The Governor does not possess absolute authority under the Texas Disaster Act to preempt orders issued by local governmental entities or officials that contradict his executive orders," the opinion said.

County Judge Lina Hidalgo in a news conference following the ruling Thursday called the decision a victory for public health and affirms the authority of local health officials to put measures in place to control the spread of coronavirus.

"But it's just another battle in our fight against COVID-19," Hidalgo said. "From day one the culture wars of COVID-19 have had deadly consequences. Too many people have been lost to this virus who didn't have to die simply because the misinformation and the politicization and the culture wars surrounding the virus has made it easier to spread."

The decision also allows the county to provide clear guidance amid a surge in cases in the region due to the highly contagious Omicron variant, Hidalgo said. On Tuesday, she announced the county is considering raising the threat level to "red" in response to rocketing COVID-19 positivity in the area.

Hidalgo said businesses and schools can continue requiring masks, and encouraged them to do so. "Unless a Texas Supreme Court rules against this, and they won't make a ruling for a while, you're within your rights to continue with those requirements," she said, adding the ruling is expected to be appealed to the Texas Supreme Court.

County attorney Christian Menefee also celebrated the victory. "What we've seen the courts continue to say is that the governor's power in not unlimited," he said at the conference. "The attorney general's power is not unlimited. Since the start of the pandemic, the governor has issued executive orders that seek to tie the hands of local officials and this is just the latest of many courts who have said that the governor does not have the legal authority to do this."
Shelley Luther, a Republican candidate for Texas House and hairdresser who became a hero of the anti-lockdown movement during the coronavirus pandemic, recently said in a since-deleted tweet that Chinese students should not be allowed to attend Texas colleges.

Chinese students should be BANNED from attending all Texas universities, Luther said in the Wednesday tweet. No more Communists!

In a follow-up tweet that is still online, Luther said the state's taxpayers "should not be subsidizing the next generation of CCP leaders," referring to the Chinese Communist Party. In a subsequent tweet, she said it is "common sense" that CCP members "should not have access to our schools."

On Friday, state Rep. Gene Wu, a Democrat from Houston who is Chinese-American, condemned Luther's comments and asked her to publicly apologize.

"Luthers statements are ignorant, hateful, and incite violence against not only Chinese Americans, but all Asian Americans," Wu said in a statement. "To casually conflate all Chinese students in America with actual registered members of the ruling party in the Peoples Republic of China is not only ignorance of an extreme nature, it is also the type of rhetoric that drives anti-Asian hate crimes."

Asked for comment Friday, Luther declined to apologize and attacked Wu, who was among the House Democrats who broke quorum and went to Washington, D.C., last year in protest of Republicans' priority elections bill.

"It doesnt surprise me that a socialist Democrat who doesnt even know how to show up to work thinks the position that communist Chinese citizens should not access taxpayer funded state institutions is racist," Luther said in a statement to the Tribune.

Luther's comments came as anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise. They increased by more than 73% in 2020, according to recent FBI data, far outpacing all hate crimes, which increased 13%.

Luther is challenging state Rep. Reggie Smith, R-Sherman, in the March primary. The district favors Republicans, so whoever wins between Smith and Luther is set to hold the seat after November.

Luther became nationally known at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 when she refused to shut down her Dallas salon in defiance of emergency orders. She was sentenced to a week in jail but was released after only a few days, via a motion granted by the Texas Supreme Court.

She became a vocal critic of Gov. Greg Abbott, a fellow Republican, and ran unsuccesfully for a state Senate seat in a special election later that year.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
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In a scorching address recognizing a year since the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol, President Joe Biden blasted former President Donald Trump as a menace to democracy.

On Thursday morning, a day of remembrance, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the country against the backdrop of Statuary Hall in the Capitol. The president stated that he would not back down from a struggle for the country's survival.

Biden tears into Trump on Jan.6 anniversary

Five people were killed, hundreds were arrested, and a bipartisan House select committee was formed to investigate the reasons for the Jan. 6 insurrection, which was aimed at changing the results of the 2020 presidential election. The events of that day led to former President Donald Trump's second impeachment to encourage violence. The Senate acquitted him in February.

Per USA Today, relationships between Republican and Democratic senators and members of Congress, many of whom sought refuge on Capitol Hill from the rioters, grew tense in the aftermath of the Capitol riot. Some have questioned the sincerity of those who continue to support Trump.

Lawmakers will use narratives, thoughts, and a prayer vigil to mark the day. On the anniversary of the Capitol riot, Democratic politicians joined a throng of a few hundred people on Thursday evening.

Speakers at the event, co-hosted by the nonprofit advocacy groups People for the American Way and Public Citizen, including Reps. Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal, Eleanor Norton, and Veronica Escobar, as well as Sen. Chris Van Hollen.

At the candlelight vigil and memorial, voting rights was a hot subject, with several politicians urging their Republican colleagues to approve proposed legislation. However, many people were disappointed that the anniversary brought attention to the long-term consequences of the Capitol incident.

Read Also: Is Fraud-Convicted Elizabeth Holmes Related To Joe Biden? President Reportedly Meets Theranos Founder in 2015

Trump slams Biden speech on Capitol riot

Former President Donald Trump slammed President Joe Biden's remarks on the one-year anniversary of the tragic Capitol riot on January 6 as "political theater." Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, expressed her hope that Trump had "learned something" from Biden's statements.

Trump made a series of remarks in response to Biden's speech at the Capitol on Thursday morning, the first around a half-hour after his replacement began. While the 46th president did not call his predecessor by his name, Biden was often mentioned in Trump's attack.

Biden was chastised by Trump for his management of the southern border, the coronavirus outbreak, the military, and Afghanistan, as well as the House Select Committee probing the insurgency. Biden claimed that the former president's "bruised ego mattered more to him than our democracy or our Constitution" remarks made soon after 9 am.

"There's only one president in history who fomented an insurgency that resulted in the seizure of our nation's capital," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday afternoon when asked why Biden did not reference Trump by his name during his speech, METRO reported.

There is no credible proof that the election was manipulated, according to federal and state election authorities, as well as Trump's attorney general. Courts, including judges Trump selected, have dismissed the former president's fraud charges.

Trump is gearing up for another bid for the White House in 2024, with polls indicating that he will easily win the Republican nomination. Although five people died in the riots or its aftermath, according to a poll released this week by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs, less than half of Republicans remember the incident as violent or highly violent. Approximately one-third of Republicans believe the attack was not violent, as per Penn Live.

Related Article: Jan.6 Anniversary: Republicans, Democrats Disagree For a Year While Americans Remain Divided Over How Capitol Riot Unfolded

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One thing most CEOs can agree on is the importance of technology in finding a strong path forward, especially when the effects of the pandemic lessen.

In this PWC survey conducted earlier this year, 77% of chief executives worldwide said their top priority was to make their business more efficient, and 83% say they are increasing investments in digital transformation to do it.

They have clear direction. Now, they need speed. Because the companies that emerge on top after the pandemic will be the ones that have figured out how to quickly use both new and legacy technology in innovative ways  ways that have the power to transform.

At the crux of this digital transformation is data  data you likely have vast amount of, yet which isnt doing you any good. Why? Because most of it is unstructured. It comes in different sizes and forms, from different data sources. And that makes it hard for organizations to use it well.

Did you know that the pros estimate that poor data quality can cost a business 30% or more of their revenues?

Integration between all the critical enterprise management and customer systems is paramount to mining the value in all that rich data so you can provide a fully integrated experience for the people who matter  customers, partners, and employees.

What if you could

Discover and convert high-volume data to high-value data ?

Unify data assets across the enterprise?

Enable data-powered end-user experiences?

If you do all those things, youll be positioned to deliver truly integrated experiences  enabling you to engage your end users in new ways, through new channels that can accelerate your corporate and organizational objectives.

Want to learn more? Go to: https://boomi.com/integrated-experiences/
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A New York appellate court on Thursday reversed the State Workers Compensation Board and awarded death benefits to a court employee who contracted cancer years after participating in the rescue and recovery effort after the World Trade Center attack.

A panel of the 3rd Department of the Appellate Division said in its opinion that the board erred when it discounted testimony by Dr. Lester N. Ploss that contamination at the site of the terrorist attack caused the cancer that killed Patrick M. Murphy.

In our view, the medical opinion of Ploss was neither speculative nor a general expression of possibility and demonstrated that decedents exposure at Ground Zero and the World Trade Center site was a contributing factor to his demise for purposes of causation, the appellate panel said.

Murphy worked as a law enforcement officer for the New York State court system. After the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, he was assigned to work on a bucket brigade at the World Trade Center site that searched for the remains of people killed and recovered body parts.

Murphy worked ten 12-hour shifts at Ground Zero, according to court records. He slept on cots near the wreckage between shifts.

In 2017, Murphy was diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma in his lungs. He died in March 2020. His wife Theresa Murphy filed a claim seeking workers compensation benefits from the New York State Insurance Fund.

The New York State Legislature amended the Workers Compensation Law in 2015 to add Article 8-A, which allowed workers who participated in the World Trade Center rescue and recovery effort to file claims even if the usual statute of limitations had passed.

Ploss testified that Murphys death was 80% related to exposure to toxins at Ground Zero, with 20% of the cause attributed to smoking cigarettes.

An administrative law judge found that Ploss testimony was quite persuasive and awarded the widow death benefits plus $96,315.08 in disability benefits.

NYSIF appealed to the State Workers Compensation Board. The insurer said in its pleading that Ploss had reported that Murphy had smoked for only five years, when in fact he smoked for 40. Whats more, Murphy was also exposed to smoke and fumes while working for 23 years as a volunteer firefighter, the carrier said.

The board panel reversed the administrative law judges ruling, saying Ploss had failed to cite to any studies or other evidence to sufficiently explain his opinion regarding causation.

The Appellate Division, however, said that NYSIF had an opportunity to raise the issue of the lack of citation to scientific studies at trial, but did not.

Ploss further testified that the toxic exposure at Ground Zero that decedent experienced was intense and concentrated given his prolonged exposure and lack of respiratory protection and that such exposure would have resulted in damage to decedents bronchial tree and lung tissue, the opinion says.

John Clennan, a Ronkonkoma attorney who represented Theresa Murphy on appeal, said the Workers Compensation Board invented a contention that NYSIF never argued. He said board decisions denying benefits to workers who participated in the World Trade Center rescue and recovery are routine.

They make it very difficult for these people to get a dime, he said. They are extremely harsh on World Trade Center cases.

Court records show that appellate division reversals of board decisions to deny benefits under Article 8-A are not uncommon.

On Dec. 30, 2021, the Appellate Division annulled a portion of a decision by the state comptroller that denied accidental disability retirement benefits to former New York City police officer Raphael Fragola, who was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress syndrome.

On June 17, 2021 the Appellate Division overturned a board ruling that determined New York State trooper Christopher R. Bodisch, who worked at a vehicle checkpoint near Ground Zero, was not covered by article 8-A.

And on July 9, 2020, the Appellate Division reversed a decision by the board to deny benefits to David M. Renko, a state police employee who cleaned automobiles that were coated in World Trade Center dust.

About the photo: Flowers adorn the names of people who were killed during the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, as families gather at the National September 11 Memorial in New York on the 20th anniversary of the attacks, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (Craig Ruttle/Newsday via AP, Pool)
PHILADELPHIA (AP)Two sisters and several of their children were among the 12 people killed when a fire tore through a Philadelphia rowhome that apparently had no working smoke detectors, fire officials said.

Eight children lost their lives in the Wednesday morning blazethe citys deadliest single fire in more than a century.

At least two people were hospitalized and some others managed to escape from the three-story brick duplex, which was public housing, officials said. The cause of the fire has not been determined. Officials said 26 people had been staying in the two apartments.

I knew some of those kidsI used to see them playing on the corner, said Dannie McGuire, 34, fighting back tears as she and Martin Burgert, 35, stood in the doorway of a home around the corner.

I cant picture how more people couldnt get outjumping out a window, she said.

Officials did not release the names or ages of those killed in the blaze, which started before 6:30 a.m.

Family members on Facebook have identified two of the victims as sisters Rosalee McDonald, 33, and Virginia Thomas, 30. The siblings each had multiple children but its unclear if all of them were home at the time of the fire or how many of them died. Messages were left with several people who said they knew or were related to the victims.

Fire officials initially said 13 people died, seven of them children, but those figures were updated Wednesday evening. Eight children and four adults were found dead, officials said.

None of the four smoke alarms appeared to be working, said Craig Murphy, first deputy fire commissioner. The alarms had been inspected annually, and at least two were replaced in 2020, with batteries replaced in the others at that time, officials said. It said the last inspection was in May 2021. Smoke detectors were working at that time, officials said.

The fire burned in a residential area of the Fairmount neighborhood, northwest of downtown and home to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous steps from the film Rocky.

Streets around the home remained blocked off Wednesday evening. Moments after the last firetruck pulled away, several neighbors quietly approached the foot of the block and left candles and flowers.

In the late afternoon, onlookers and neighbors had migrated to a nearby elementary school, where relatives and friends of the homes residents gathered to wait for news.

A small group of people, some wrapped in Salvation Army blankets, stared down 23rd Street, where the blaze happened, hugging one another and crying. Several friends of the children stopped by the school, hoping for information, after their texts and calls went unanswered.

Rabiya Turner said she rushed to bring clothes to cousins who escaped the blaze. People gathered at the school for warmth and someone to talk to, she said.

Its just like floatingeverybodys floating, she said before hurrying away.

Officials held a news conference Wednesday near the scene of the fire.

It was terrible. Ive been around for 35 years now and this is probably one of the worst fires I have ever been to, said Murphy, the deputy fire commissioner.

Losing so many kids is just devastating, said Mayor Jim Kenney. Keep these babies in your prayers.

First lady Jill Biden, who along with President Joe Biden has deep ties to the Philadelphia area, tweeted, My heart is with the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragic fire in Philadelphia.

Crews responded around 6:40 a.m. and saw flames shooting from the second-floor front windows in an area believed to be a kitchen, Murphy said. They found heavy smoke, heat and limited visibility on all floors, according to a statement Wednesday night from the city.

The odd configuration of the buildingoriginally a single-family home that had been split into two apartmentsmade it difficult to navigate, he said. Crews brought it under control in less than an hour, he said. Firefighters were able to rescue one child from the building, but the child died.

There were 18 people staying in the upstairs apartment on the second and third floors, and eight staying in the downstairs apartment, which included the first floor and part of the second floor, Murphy said.

He noted that 26 was a large number of people to be occupying a duplex, but a spokesperson for Philadelphias Department of Licenses and Inspections said the city does not limit the number of family members who can stay in a single unit. The mayor said people should withhold judgment.

You dont know the circumstances of each and every family, and maybe there were relatives and family that needed to be sheltered, Kenney said. Obviously the tragedy happened, and we all mourn for it. But we cant make judgment on the number of people living in the house because sometimes people just need to be indoors.

Its just heartbreaking, said Andrea Duszenczuk, 68, whose family has long owned a home in the neighborhood and who walked her dog past the home regularly. A lot of these homes have old wiringthese are probably 125 years old. Who knows whats behind the walls.

About the photo: People react near the scene of a deadly row house fire, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the MMS- Payne Funeral Home Chapel from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Family will greet friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Grace Ann Harrison passed away on April 26, 2022 at the age of 76 years old. Grace Ann was born to Dryden and Joan Carman 
Kyrgyzstan-China cooperation at very high level: Kyrgyz expert

Xinhua) 14:17, January 07, 2022

BISHKEK, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China and Kyrgyzstan have reached a very high level of cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago, Kyrgyz expert Sheradil Baktygulov has said.

By adhering to the principle of equality and mutual benefit and focusing on practical results, the two countries have achieved a high level of interaction in a very short period of time, the expert told Xinhua on Thursday.

On cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Baktygulov said, "this initiative is much broader in its meaning and content, and differs from the strategies and initiatives of other states, primarily because it lacks the monocentrism of a superpower."

"The Belt and Road Initiative breaks the usual stereotypes," he said, adding the initiative has become the driving force of good-neighborly relations between China and Kyrgyzstan.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Don't be discouraged if you didn't receive the last stimulus check. You still have time to apply for the money if you're eligible. The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law in March 2021, included the third wave of stimulus payments. Millions of Americans and their dependent children received up to $1,400 apiece beginning that month.

The IRS has until December 31 to send the stimulus checks to those who were qualified. If you haven't received your payment or received less than you were entitled to, you can use the Recovery Rebate Credit to recover the money on your 2021 tax return.

Eligible Americans can claim stimulus check in 2022

"Even if you don't regularly submit a tax return, you'll need to file a 2021 tax return if you're qualified," the IRS stated in a statement, CNBC reported. If you believe you are qualified for the Recovery Rebate Credit, you must specify the amount of stimulus money you got this year if any, and the amount you should have received.

People who received 2021 economic impact payments will receive a notice, Letter 6475, from the agency to assist with this calculation. A record of the funds provided will be included in the letter and notice of additional payments required for qualifying beneficiaries. Using the IRS Form 1040 Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet or an online tax software application, you'll need this information to figure out how much money you'll get.

Read Also: Plus-Up Stimulus Payments Schedule: How To Receive $1,400 Checks Before 2022?

New stimulus checks in 2022

This fall, Ohio State University students will receive an additional $46 million in federal financial aid. Since the outbreak, more than 87 million dollars have been distributed to Ohio State students. As a result of this assistance, thousands of them received emergency grants, as per The East County Gazette.

Meanwhile, the state of California has sent hundreds of dollars in stimulus payments to low- and middle-income citizens around the state. According to BGR, 1,000 stimulus checks were delivered to citizens reentering the workforce in places including Arizona and Connecticut.

Unemployed people in Connecticut are only paid if they have been out of employment for eight weeks. In Arizona, employees who take up a part-time job will earn a $1,000 payment, those who work full-time would receive a $2,000 payment.

Over 3,000 households in New Mexico will receive $452 in one-time payments as part of an emergency financial assistance program. "The one-time payment is for low-income state citizens who did not receive federal pandemic stimulus funding," the state said. In July of this year, the first set of payouts was released."

State officials in Oklahoma recently announced the following. College students eligible for federal financial aid would get about $13 million. This money would be given to student teachers only. Florida offered a $1,000 incentive to teachers and administrators earlier this year. In recent weeks, Governor Ron DeSantis suggested another round of incentives.'

The fourth stimulus check remains unlikely to happen

Per The Sun, the White House talks about a new stimulus package, but another round of federal checks seems unlikely. Stimulus payments are intended to help a stumbling economy by providing individuals with additional money to spend.

Since the coronavirus outbreak began, three different stimulus packages have been enacted into law. Direct payments of $1,200 were given in the first stimulus package, while $600 was delivered to Americans in the second.

President Joe Biden's American Rescue Act included $1,400 stimulus checks for Americans in the latest stimulus payments. It's unclear what a new stimulus package would look like if it were to pass, but White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration is in "continuous talks" with senators.

Related Article: $8,000 Stimulus Check: Everything You Need To Know From Eligibility, How To Apply, and When To Receive

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We have had mobile technology in our lives since the early 1980s and like most of us, we could not see a world without having one and the convenience it brings us. The question we should ask ourselves is if you left your wallet at home or your cell phone which one would you absolutely go bac
Former United States Vice President Dick Cheney attended the Jan. 6 anniversary of the Capitol Hill riot on Thursday as many other Republicans were absent from the occasion and said that he was disappointed in the GOP leadership in the country.

Cheney, who is one of the Republican party's most prominent elder statesmen, said that he attended the event because it was historical and important. He said that no one could overestimate how important that day was for the country and its people.

Capitol Hill Riot Anniversary

In an interview with ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl just off the House floor, Cheney added that the GOP did not have sufficient leadership to restore the Constitution. The former vice president noted that his daughter, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, was an exception.

Cheney said that Liz was the vice-chair of the House Select Committee responsible for investigating the events leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. Liz has since come under fire from other Republicans for her position and actions, ABC News reported.

The event also had White House Speaker Nancy Pelosi leading a moment of silence on the House floor. While at the anniversary event, Cheney said that the Republican leadership was not the leadership that resembled any of the ones he knew when he was an active politician for 10 years.

Read Also: Donald Trump Slams Joe Biden's Vaccination Mandates, Urges Republicans To Oppose the Administration

ABC News' Ben Siegel reported the moments when Democrats came over one by one to introduce themselves to Cheney and shake the former statesman's hand. White House correspondent Peter Baker of the New York Times said that there was something "surreal" about seeing Pelosi and other Democrats happily greeting their once bete noire. He said that the situation suggested former United States Donald Trump changed the nature of politics.

In an interview, Liz also said that the threat to the country's democracy "continues" and criticized other Republicans who were "looking the other way." The senator added that the situation was how democracies died and noted that we simply cannot let that happen, Yahoo News reported.

Dick and Liz Cheney

Cheney and his daughter Liz were reportedly the only Republicans that observed a moment of silence for the anniversary of the unprecedented Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. They were the only two GOP members that were on the House floor when Pelosi called for the moment of silence on that day.

Liz was the number three House Republican before she was forcibly exiled from House leadership, a decision that was largely due to her criticism of former President Trump. She has argued that the Republican businessman had a role in both stoking the Capitol riot and continuing to lie about the 2020 presidential election results.

Now, Liz is the top Republican on the House Select Committee and has dedicated her time to investigating the Jan. 6 incident. Her appointment to the panel came after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy removed all of his picks following a dispute with Pelosi.

The former vice president, who also worked as Defense secretary under former President George H.W. Bush, co-wrote an op-ed with all living former Pentagon heads prior to Jan. 6, 2021, where he warned the military to stay out of any election disputes, Business Insider reported.



Related Article: Joe Biden Blasts Donald Trump Over Jan.6; Former President Dismisses Speech in 2 Words

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According to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, extremism in the United States has not diminished in the year since the Capitol was attacked by rioters and instead might be growing in severity.

If someone then had told me that ... we would have an insurrection at the Capitol, that people would storm the Capitol, break into it, threaten the life of our vice president and our leader of the House, and that in the aftermath of that tragedy, that assault on democracy, that this country would not come together in  unanimity to condemn it, I dont think I would have believed it, Mayorkas said during a virtual press conference held by the Anti-Defamation League Jan. 6, the one-year anniversary of the insurrection. But now Im in the position to do something about it. What we are focused upon is equipping and empowering local communities to identify ideologies of hate, to identify false narratives, to identify their connectivity to violence and to prevent that threat from ever materializing, and should it unfortunately materialize, to respond and prove resilient in the face of it.

He said the Department of Homeland Security is sharing information with local law enforcement agencies. The department is also equipping local communities with the capabilities to prevent threats through grants to faith-based and nonprofit organizations as well as to state and local municipalities.

These steps are meant to respond to the threat that is real, that has not diminished in this past year, but has certainly held steady if not grown in severity, Mayorkas said.

He added that the department is at the end of an internal review of domestic violent extremism within that agency and hopes to publish (the findings) very soon.

Panelist Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the ADL, agreed with Mayorkas assessment of extremists.

Its frightening because these extremists have grown more organized, Greenblatt said. Theyve been increasingly emboldened, shifted from large public rallies to small local school board meetings, to attacking the integrity of medical professionals, to intimidating town council members and whatnot, and its quite frightening to see not just the normalization of extremism but the localization of extremism as it unfolds across the country.

He said ADL helped identify perpetrators of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, but that was not the end of the problem.

It didnt happen in a vacuum, Greenblatt said. And even that day when the crowd dispersed, the lies did not.

Another speaker on the call, Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney General Karl Racine, said he hopes to bankrupt extremist groups like Oath Keepers and Proud Boys in a civil lawsuit the U.S. filed against people it has identified as key perpetrators in the insurrection.

Were going to go where the evidence takes us and hold them financially accountable, he said. Bankrupting these organizations and individuals is my objective.

The lawsuit names four Ohioans as defendants, along with Proud Boys International LLC, Oath Keepers, 27 named defendants, and John and Jane Does 1-50.

The four Ohioans named in the civil lawsuit have all been charged criminally as well. They are Donovan Ray Crowl of Woodstock, Bennie Alvin Parker and Sandra Ruth Parker of Morrow and Jessica Marie Watkins of Hilliard.

Racine said there may be more defendants in the conspiracy and deprivation of civil rights case filed Dec. 14, 2021, which names the District of Columbia as the only plaintiff.

The ADL has joined as co-counsel in the case, along with the United States Democracy Center based in Washington, D.C., and law firms Dechert LLP of Philadelphia and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP of New York.

The 82-page lawsuit contains photos of the defendants in the Capitol wearing riot gear.

It seeks a jury trial, declaratory judgment, injunctive relief, compensatory, statutory, punitive and other damages as well as attorneys fees and costs.

Certainly a civil lawsuit is different from a criminal lawsuit, Racine said at the press conference. No ones going to lose their liberty or go to jail as a result of our lawsuit. However, this is America and money talks in America.  You hit them with financial penalties. They feel it, and thats the goal of this lawsuit.

Racine also referred to a lawsuit against Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He said he holds Facebook accountable for selling military tactical gear around the time of Jan. 6, 2021.

Where was responsibility in corporate America? Racine asked, raising his voice. There is no way in the law, in G-ds law, that its legal and right for a company to make profit from selling ads that would arm insurrectionists and hate purveyors. Stand up and be responsible.

Greenblatt asked, How do we deal with these sources of misinformation, like a Fox News  within the parameters of First Amendment when they are actually radicalizing people?

Racine responded, My thinking on that, to be very honest, in terms of a legal weapon, is still in the process of being formulated. Of course, the First Amendment doesnt allow for the incitement of violence. We know that. And so when, you know, others, some elected officials argue that theyre exercising their First Amendment right, when youre inciting violence, there is no protection.

The attorney general said hate has been normalized, acknowledging Greenblatts work in that area.

Racine called upon leaders in every type of institution to act like leaders and stand up for humanity, not hate. Worry about humanity, not your election.
BEDFORDSHIRE [mdash]Michael A. Litchfield, Age 73, passed away April 23 in Bedfordshire, England. He is survived by his wife Vivian, 2 daughters Donna and Michelle , 4 grandchildren, 2 brothers Alan and Philip, 3 sisters Janet and Karen of Bedfordshire and Patricia Cramer of Clinton. He was 
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6)  The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has placed more areas under the heightened Alert Level 3, Malacanang announced on Thursday.

The following will have tightened restrictions from Jan. 9 to 15:

- Baguio City

- Dagupan City

- City of Santiago

- Cagayan

- Angeles City

- Bataan

- Olongapo City

- Pampanga

- Zambales

- Batangas

- Lucena City

- Naga City

- Iloilo City

- Lapu-Lapu City

The IATF also earlier escalated Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna to the Alert Level 3 status.

Under Alert Level 3, activities like face-to-face classes, contact sports, funfairs, as well as live voice and wind instrument events are prohibited.

Intrazonal and interzonal travel will be allowed subject to restrictions imposed by local governments.

Operations of select establishments and tourist attractions will also be scaled down to 30% indoor and 50% outdoor venue capacity.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  When should you take a COVID-19 test? When should you start or end your quarantine? CNN Philippines speaks to a health expert to give a recap of the proper health protocols for those feeling symptoms of the coronavirus.

Infectious diseases expert Dr. Anna Ong Lim told CNN Philippines' The Source on Friday that during the onset of symptoms or after an exposure to someone with symptoms, one must immediately act as if he or she has already contracted the virus to protect the people in the workplace and household.

"Assume (that it is) COVID-19. The first thing to do is isolate then find a way to get tested," Lim said.

She added that after an exposure, one can already be deemed infectious even two days prior to the onset of any symptoms.

"Kaya dapat yung interactions mo masked. Ang kailangan mo na lang problemahin is 'yung mga kasama mo sa bahay kasi hindi ka nagmamask sa bahay (This is why your interactions should always be masked. You just have to look after the people you are with at home because you don't wear masks at home)," she said.

What is the difference between quarantine and isolation?

Lim explained that those who are infected with COVID-19 are the ones who must undergo a ten-day isolation to reduce risk of transmission.

That person should already be totally well on the 11th day to get out of isolation. If not, he or she would have to extend at least three more days in isolation until symptoms are gone.

Under the Health department's January 6 circular on quarantine and isolation protocols, a severe or critical case may take up to 21 days of isolation regardless of vaccination status.

Meanwhile, the close contacts of the sick person must undergo quarantine to observe the onset of symptoms. The quarantine period for fully vaccinated people is seven days, while those who are unvaccinated must be quarantined for 14 days, she added.

"Whether or not you do an RT-PCR or an antigen test does not make a difference, whether or not you're positive does not make a difference, you continue the period that has been assigned," she added.

What are the requirements for home isolation?

Under the Health department's Circular No. 2022-0002, requirements for home isolation include a well-ventilated room, a line of communication with family and health workers, utilities such as electricity, potable water, cooking source, and sewage disposal.

Each household is also encouraged to have a vital signs recording mechanism, thermometer, pulse oximeter, blood pressure apparatus, and medicines to manage the COVID-19 symptoms of the patient.

When should you take an antigen or RT-PCR test?

Lim said that during the onset of symptoms, one can still take an antigen test, and a positive result must be taken as it is.

"The point to make is, an antigen test positive result is highly reliable. Paniwalaan natin kung positive siya. Kung negative, kailangan i-confirm (Let's believe it if the result is positive. If negative, we can make a confirmatory test)," she said.

This means a positive antigen test would not require an RT-PCR confirmatory test anymore "for practical purposes", but she noted that the RT-PCR tests are still being done for PhilHealth reimbursements, or for proper documentation including severe cases that need to be included in genome sequencing.

Health Usec. Rosario Vergeire earlier said those who yield a positive COVID-19 test result must immediately inform their local government so they can be properly assisted.

RELATED: Getting tested amid the post-holiday surge? Omicron symptoms may be seen earlier than usual, says DOH

New COVID-19 cases quickly rose to over 17,000 on Thursday, nearly a 60% increase from Wednesday's count of 10,775.

Just eight days earlier, the country recorded a daily tally of only 889 cases. On Friday, the daily count breached 20,000 for the first time since Sept. 26, 2021.

The Health department said it already assumes a community transmission brought by the Omicron variant due to the exponential increase in cases nationwide. Peak infections are seen to surpass last year's Delta surge by the end of the month.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The government is set to include the status of healthcare workers in determining the next alert level classification of an area, acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said on Friday.

"Ang special technical working group for data analytics ay maglalabas ng bagong metrics kung saan ang datos ukol sa healthcare workers ay isasama bilang indicator for alert level classifications," he said in a media briefing.

[Translation: The special technical working group for data analytics will release new metrics to include data on healthcare workers as additional indicator for alert level classifications.]

Currently, the factors that determine an area's alert level includes COVID-19 transmission risk, healthcare utilization, and vaccination rate.

Some hospitals previously said even if there are enough beds, they have trouble keeping up with COVID-19 admissions when a number of their workers test positive for COVID-19.

Hospital beds in Metro Manila are now 43% occupied, while the healthcare utilization rate nationwide is at 31%.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  An infectious diseases expert clarified on Thursday that the IHU COVID-19 variant detected in France is not yet classified as a variant of concern or a variant of interest.

During a televised Cabinet meeting, infectious diseases specialist Dr. Edsel Salvana also noted that the World Health Organization, which designates the classification, has been monitoring this variant since November last year and said it is not a threat at this time.

Its a variant that is being monitored but it is not yet as concerning as Omicron or Delta or even the other ones, he noted.

Salvana explained that the variant discovered by experts at the IHU Mediterranee Infection has many mutations but it still has no signs of survival advantage or immune evasion, unlike Delta and Omicron, so COVID-19 vaccines remain effective against it.

The expert assured they will continue monitoring this, noting that more attention should be given to the spread of Delta and Omicron as they dramatically increase infections around the world.

In the briefing, President Rodrigo Duterte said the IHU variant will also enter the country whether we like it or not.

And being the chief executive, he is responsible for the safety and well-being of every Filipino, Duterte pointed out.

The President also announced Thursday night his order to barangay officials to arrest unvaccinated individuals who would insist on going outside of their residences in a bid to control the spike in COVID-19 infections in the country.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The Department of Health along with medical experts debunked an OCTA Research fellow's claim that the Omicron variant could act as a "natural vaccine," stressing there would still be consequences if the public gets complacent.

DOH spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire on Friday explained that more infections mean more chances for the virus to replicate and eventually, mutate and lead to more fatal outcomes.

"Huwag ho tayong maging complacent. Huwag ho tayong magpapahawa dahil po sa statements na ganito. Hindi po ganyan ang direksyon ng ating response dito," Vergeire said in a virtual briefing.

[Translation: Let's not be complacent. Let's not deliberately get ourselves infected because of statements like this. This is not the direction our (COVID-19) response is going.]

Earlier this week, OCTA Research Fellow Nicanor Austriaco Jr., a molecular biologist and Catholic priest, said in a forum that those infected with Omicron would eventually get antibodies that will protect them from the said variant and other existing variants of concern.

Speaking to CNN Philippines' New Day on Friday, epidemiologist Dr. John Wong differentiated the characteristics of a COVID-19 vaccine from a COVID-19 infection in response to the claim.

"We still didn't call infections as vaccines," Wong said. "First of all, you can't adjust the dose of infection. If you get too little of the virus, you don't develop immunity at all, if you get too much you get hospitalized."

"Second, if you get Omicron, you're infectious to others unlike vaccines which are not," he added. "You can also be hospitalized from Omicron."

Wong noted: "All of these characteristics...make Omicron very dangerous. If a vaccine does all of these, it could be withdrawn from the market right away and the manufacturer could be sued."

Austriaco also earlier said that Omicron is hopefully the "beginning of the end of the pandemic," but he qualified that people must still be vaccinated and do all that they can to prevent an infection.

Dr. Anna Ong Lim told CNN Philippines' The Source that Austriaco's "beginning of the end" claim assumes that infected people might be able to protect themselves against Omicron and other variants of concern, but there is no evidence to that.

DOH Technical Advisory Group member Dr. Edsel Salvana likewise disagreed with the claim.

"If there is one thing constant about COVID-19 and the SARS CoV-2 virus is that it has surprised us time and again. Lahat po ng dalubhasa, mahirap ho talagang i-predict [It's hard to predict for all experts]," he said as he encouraged the public to still get their vaccine shots and not be complacent.

Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante also said that an Omicron infection does not necessarily equate to a life-long protection nor guarantee the ability to fight new variants in the future because antibodies will eventually wane.

"What we know, because of the massive infection of Omicron...well create a herd immunity among population," he said. "But the question is, will it protect us from future other variants of concern that will evolve and be present? We don't know."

OCTA Research Fellow Guido David distanced himself from Austriaco's claim, noting that neither he nor OCTA shares the sentiment of his colleague.

CNN Philippines' Glee Jalea and Carolyn Bonquin contributed to this report.
The European Union wants a role in the upcoming talks on security guarantees between Russia, the United States, and NATO. According to a report, EU officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the way upcoming negotiations with Russian officials were set up, with counterparts from the US and NATO to discuss the security of Ukraine and the entire European continent.

They said that, while the US has maintained tight touch with Brussels and individual EU member states, it has not attempted to change Moscow's proposed security assurances agreements, Republic World reported.

EU wants a place in Ukraine crisis talks

The charges come after EU Foreign Policy Chief Josip Borrel stated that Brussels will not be able to remain an impartial observer in future debates over Europe's security architecture.

Borrel remarked last month that Russia's ultimate aims are unknown, saved from threatening and weakening Ukraine. "Various possibilities are imaginable," Borrell wrote on his blog, "and we can't rule out Russia's willingness to use the crisis as leverage for its stated objective of altering Europe's security framework while simultaneously excluding Europeans from the conversation."

Per Newsweek via MSN, the EU has mainly been a bystander in the diplomatic buzz around Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's border; this reveals a deeper source of dissatisfaction in Brussels. While being a major global economic powerhouse, the EU's strategic geopolitical presence is disproportionately tiny.

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have spoken twice in the last month, ahead of two days of talks in Geneva between senior US and Russian officials beginning Sunday. The US has told its European partners that it would not make any side agreements with Putin without their consent, and they have stepped in lockstep, threatening Russia with crippling penalties if it invades.

Borrell paid a visit to Ukrainian soldiers at the Stanitsa Luganskaya border between Ukraine and territory held by pro-Russian separatists in the Luhansk area to demonstrate the EU's commitment to Kyiv. The violence in Ukraine's east has killed over 14,000 people and decimated the country's industrial heartland, known as the Donbas since Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula and backed a separatist revolt.

Since it lacked the political ability to develop a significant defense and security component in its common agenda, the EU has championed the ideals of diplomacy's so-called soft power of economic and non-military help for years. Even on its own continent, it has struggled to establish itself as a key actor.

Read Also: US Arrests, Charges Ex-Colombian Soldier Suspect in Assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise

Putin threatens to abandon Ukraine with severe gas threat to EU

On Tuesday, European gas prices soared over 30% as ongoing poor supply from Russia stoked fears of an energy crisis. The Russian President has redirected gas flow to the East through the Yamal-Europe pipeline, which ordinarily transports gas to the West, for the sixteenth day in a row, Express.co.

Meanwhile, worries of a Russian invasion of Ukraine have heightened tensions with the West, following claims of 100,000 Russian troops massing on the Russia-Ukraine border.

The United States has expressed its opposition to Russia's possible military aggressiveness and looks ready to intervene. "President Biden made clear that the United States and its friends and partners would respond firmly if Russia continues to attack Ukraine," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

However, Dr. Thomas O'Donnell of the Hertie School of Governance, a geopolitical expert, claims that Russia's influence over global gas supply may preclude the US from supporting Ukraine. He said that because the West still relies heavily on Russia for gas supply, Putin has a geostrategic edge and can achieve what he wants without succumbing to EU and US pressure.

Nord Stream 2 is a newly constructed gas pipeline that will carry gas from Russia to Germany without traveling via Ukraine or Poland. It has been beset by delays, and Putin has been accused of stifling Europe's gas supply in order to hasten its certification.

Related Article: Joe Biden Warns Vladimir Putin of "Serious Cost" If Russia Continues Military Build-Up on Ukraine Border

@YouTube

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7) Senators Panfilo Lacson and Sherwin Gatchalian, who are both running in the upcoming elections, announced on Friday that they tested positive for COVID-19.

Senatorial reelectionist Gatchalian said he has mild symptoms, while presidential aspirant Lacson said he has experienced sore throat, fever, and colds after he was exposed to his COVID-positive son earlier this week.

Lacson complained of delays in receiving the result of the swab test he took on Tuesday, prompting his family to undergo another test.

Lockdown in Senate, House

Aside from the lawmakers, dozens of employees of the Senate have also either contracted COVID-19 or are under quarantine. This prompted Senate President Tito Sotto to order a total closure of the upper chamber for a week.

Total closure ang recommendation nila (Their recommendation was total closure) for seven days. So nobody can enter the Senate premises except those that will do the disinfection on January 8 and 15. Therefore, I will heed the call of the medical team, Sotto said in a message to reporters.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives will extend its lockdown until Jan. 16 amid the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco announced on the same day.

He said regular work in the House will resume on Jan. 17, when the legislature is also scheduled to convene for its first plenary session since the holiday break.

Only 20 percent of the workforce in each office in the House will be allowed to report for work starting Jan. 17.
The Coastal Point is a local newspaper published each Friday and distributed in the Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island, Ocean View, Millville, Dagsboro, Frankford, Selbyville, Millsboro, Long Neck and Georgetown, Delaware areas.
Staff Reporter

Kerin majored in journalism at Ohio University and has worked as an editor and reporter for monthly, daily and weekly publications in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Delaware since 1983. A native of Baltimore, Md., she has lived in Ocean View since 1996.
Staff Reporter

Mike has bachelors and masters degrees in journalism from Northwestern and is a 25-year member of the National Press Club. He has won four national writing awards for editorial work. He is a native of McLean, Va., and lives in Millville.
The stepmother of a 5-year-old child who went missing in 2019 has been charged with welfare fraud for claiming food stamps in her name, according to the New Hampshire attorney general's office.

Kayla Montgomery, 31, of Manchester, has been charged with one count of welfare fraud for allegedly getting $1,500 in food stamps for Harmony Montgomery while she was not living with Kayla and her husband, Adam Montgomery, from December 2019 to June 2021.

The missing girl's dad was given custody of her despite violence, drugs record

In Hillsborough County Superior Court, Kayla Montgomery entered a not guilty plea. Her attorney requested her release on her own recognizance, as per ABC News. The court granted a prosecutor's plea for $5,000 bail and ordered Montgomery, who has a minor criminal record, to report to Manchester police every day.

Adam Montgomery, 31, was charged with a number of offenses on Wednesday, including failing to keep Harmony in his control. On his part, his counsel submitted not guilty pleas. He has been imprisoned without the possibility of being released on bail.

Kayla Montgomery, who has three children with her husband, ages 4, 2, and 1, claimed she last saw Harmony in November or December 2019 in her interview with police on New Year's Eve. Harmony was being driven to the child's mother in Massachusetts, she added. According to the police report, she stated that she assumed Harmony had been returned to her mother and that she had not seen or heard from her since that day.

Harmony Montgomery's father has been accused of being a "sweet-talking" liar by his mother-in-law. Montgomery was arrested on a felony assault charge after the family told authorities he once gave the little girl a black eye, but he has not been prosecuted in connection with her mysterious disappearance.

His former wife Kayla Montgomery, who has three children with him but is not Harmony's mother, was arrested on Wednesday night for claiming $1,500 in food stamps in Harmony's name from December 2019 to June 2021.

Christina Lubin, 51, confessed Kayla had a history of dishonesty during her daughter's arraignment on Thursday morning but argued she had nothing to do with Harmony's abduction.

Adam Montgomery, her estranged son-in-law and a career criminal with a history of violence and drugs, was singled out for suspicion. Lubin requested a restraining order against Montgomery last year, according to court records obtained by DailyMail.com.

She said she spoke with cops many times this week and gave them potentially fresh information, but she didn't go into detail. After her son-in-law was detained, Lubin claimed she immediately questioned her daughter, 31, about what was going on with Harmony.

Read Also: Kamarie Holland Slaying: Mother of Missing Georgia Girl Found Dead Joins Alleged Killer Friend Behind Bars, Faces Human Trafficking Charge

Reward hits $60K for Harmony Montgomery

Per Crime Online, the reward for a missing girl from New Hampshire who has been missing since 2019 has been raised to $60,000. The US Marshals Service, corporations, law enforcement organizations, and unknown contributors all made monetary promises, according to Manchester police. The United States Marshals Service alone contributed $10,000 to the reward fund.

Harmony was last seen in October 2019 at a residence off of Gilford Street in Manchester, New Hampshire, after a family feud. Adam Montgomery then left with Harmony, according to the girl's uncle, Kevin Montgomery, and cut communication with many family members.

Harmony, according to Kevin Montgomery, "looked like a terrified puppy" the last time he saw her. After the occurrence, it appears that law enforcement and social services did not follow up. According to neighbors, police searched the house for many hours and excavated a trench in the backyard.

Some of the neighbors claimed they had previously complained to municipal officials about the home's poor living conditions, but nothing was done. Harmony was remembered by others as a kind, peaceful girl who never created any difficulties.

Harmony stands roughly 4 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds, according to some description. Her hair is blond, and her eyes are blue. Her right eye is blind, and she should be wearing spectacles. Her most recent pictures were shot when she was five years old. A reward of $43,000 is being offered for information on Harmony's location. Anyone with information is requested to call the 603-203-6060 police tip line.

Related Article: Where Is Harmony Montgomery? Here Are Chilling Details About Missing New Hampshire Girl and Her Parents

@YouTube

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday.
Its the most popular Jewish holiday of the year. Though the fastest-growing and perhaps soon to be the largest sector of American Jewry is the one demographers call Jews of no religion, Passover is still the one holiday that is widely observed. Surveys show that more of those who identify as Jewish  regardless of their belief in God or Jewish law, willingness to be affiliated with organized groups, synagogues and movements, or feel any sense of Jewish peoplehood  attend a seder than those who take part in any other act of observance.
Apple has a rather complicated relationship with privacy, which it always points to as a differentiator with Google. But delivering on it is a different tale.

Much of this involves the definition of privacy. Fortunately for Apples marketing people, privacy is the ultimate undefinable term because every user views it differently. If you ask a 60-year-old man in Chicago what he considers to be private, youll get a very different answer than if you asked a 19-year-old woman in Los Angeles. Outside the US, privacy definitions vary even more. Germans and Canadians truly value privacy, but even they dont agree on what they personally consider private.

What brings this up is a recent move by Apple to allow app developers to collect tons of data from Apple users, despite the company's privacy policy that allows users to block tracking or data sharing.

The Financial Times explained the change well: Apple has allowed app developers to collect data from its 1bn iPhone users for targeted advertising, in an unacknowledged shift that lets companies follow a much looser interpretation of its controversial privacy policy. In May, Apple communicated its privacy changes to the wider public, launching an advert that featured a harassed man whose daily activities were closely monitored by an ever-growing group of strangers. When his iPhone prompted him to Ask App Not to Track, he clicked it and they vanished. Apples message to potential customers was clear  if you choose an iPhone, you are choosing privacy. But seven months later, companies including Snap and Facebook have been allowed to keep sharing user-level signals from iPhones, as long as that data is anonymized and aggregated rather than tied to specific user profiles.

Ah, yes, the always-popular its not really private if its anonymized/aggregated line. Lets explore that a bit.

First, lets start by looking at anonymization/aggregation in theory. If it works perfectly (which it often doesnt and thats pretty much the point), no user will see any ad that reflects a specific purchase they made or piece of content they looked at/listened to/watched.

Or will it?

Privacy fears are overwhelmingly about perception. If users think their privacy has been violated, they act and feel angry. Even if the data was truly anonymized, the user will be just as furious. Example: A user buys something embarrassing and is immediately seeing ads for very related products. They feel violated. That might still be anonymized. An advertiser might ask to send ads to anyone who looks at that embarrassing product.

Done properly, an approach where data is anonymized/aggregated could still let a user feel that the advertiser knows what they did  when, in fact, the advertiser might never know the users name. And if a user winds up feeling violated, I'm not sure whether the anonymous approach will help the Apple brand  or the brands that use that anonymized data.

More importantly, its not what users bought into. It undermines the intent and feel of what Apple promised. If Apple wants to attract users interested in privacy, it shouldn't share data in any way. It can, of course, but it may get punished by users.

Lets get back to that FT piece. Apple declined to answer specific questions for this article but described privacy as its North Star, implying it was setting a general destination rather than defining a narrow pathway for developers. Cory Munchbach, chief operating officer at customer data platform BlueConic, said Apple had to stand back from a strict reading of its rules because the disruption to the mobile ads ecosystem would be too great. Apple cant put themselves in a situation where they are basically gutting their top-performing apps from a user-consumption perspective, she said. 'That would ultimately hurt iOS.' For anyone interpreting Apples rules strictly, these solutions break the privacy rules set out to iOS users.

In other words, the industry has moved to a place where sharing data  albeit anonymized and aggregated  is the norm. I agree that it is now indeed become the norm, but Apple is going to regret going along with the crowd. Its privacy argument has been that Google sells ads, so it will leverage your data, whereas Apple sells hardware and software and doesnt need to leverage user data.

Its a powerful argument. Many users have bought Apple devices explicitly because of the company's privacy approaches, including pushing back on law enforcement requests to access user data. Going this aggregated/anonymized route will kill that argument for Apple.
Chaoticsoftware.com scored 45 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 14 Jan 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the chaoticsoftware homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if chaoticsoftware has a Facebook fan page). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the chaoticsoftware homepage on Twitter + the total number of chaoticsoftware followers (if chaoticsoftware has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the chaoticsoftware homepage on Delicious. The total number of people who shared the chaoticsoftware homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the chaoticsoftware homepage on StumbleUpon.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE Welcome to Chaotic Software DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS download info, download, buy download info, buy download, products,



The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the 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. CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache/2.2.3 (Red Hat) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Operative System running on the server. Type of server and offered services. The language of chaoticsoftware.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site.

Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world.

Referring domains for chaoticsoftware.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who like website 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
Jenb.com scored 40 Social Media Impact. Social Media Impact score is a measure of how much a site is popular on social networks. 2/5.0 Stars by Social Team

This CoolSocial report was updated on 12 Mar 2013, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

The total number of people who shared the jenb homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the jenb homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the jenb homepage on Twitter + the total number of jenb followers (if jenb has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the jenb homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if jenb has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the jenb homepage on Delicious.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE jenb.com - Le migliori risorse e informazioni sul tema: jenb. Questa pagina e in vendita! DESCRIPTION jenb.com e la sua fonte di informazioni privilegiata sul tema jenb . Qui trovera inoltre argomenti inerenti questioni dinteresse generale. Le auguriamo una buona ricerca! KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS about, dominio, information, in vendita, vendita, website, companies



CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. 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. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage.

Domain and Server

DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE DETECTED LANGUAGE English English SERVER Apache (PHP/5.3.3-7+squeeze14) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Linux Linux

The language of jenb.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. 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) 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 jenb.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines.

Facebook link

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND

Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. 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. A Facebook page link can be found in the homepage or in the robots.txt file. The URL of the found Facebook page. The type of Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
Several former Trump administration officials are setting a meeting where they would discuss ways on how to prevent the former president of the United States from getting back into office ever again.

Former White House press secretary and chief of staff to the first lady Stephanie Grisham was the one who announced the meeting of the group. The date is scheduled for next week, and its agenda will be how to "try and stop" the Republican businessman and the "kind of violence and rhetoric that has been talked about and continues to divide our country."

Former Trump Staffers

On the morning of Jan. 6, Grisham had an interview where she said that roughly 15 of Trump's former administration officials have held informal discussions and plan to meet in person. The people involved in the meeting include some that were ranked higher than the former press secretary.

"I think that there were a few of us who, again, have been sitting back watching him continue to manipulate and spread this big lie and continue to harm our country. And [we] started some informal chats and then started throwing around ideas of what we could do, how we could formalize it," said Grisham, Politico reported.

The list of ex-Trump staffers that Grisham has been talking with include former national security aide to former Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye, New York businessman who was briefly Trump's communications director, Anthony Scaramucci. Currently, there is no clear sign of the group's influence on political matters.

Former President Trump has expressed his support of a handpicked group of Republican loyalists for seats in the November 2022 congressional elections. The Republican businessman has also long teased a possible campaign for the White House in 2024.

Read Also: Joe Biden Blasts Donald Trump Over Jan.6; Former President Dismisses Speech in 2 Words

On Wednesday, Grisham testified before the congressional committee that was investigating the unprecedented Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. However, the former Trump administration official did not elaborate what her testimony was about, Reuters reported.

Stopping Trump's Re-election

Other people who were invited to the meeting include former senior Trump officials such as Chris Krebs who previously directed the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency inside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). John Bolton, a former top White House aide, who was ousted by Trump from his role as the national security adviser in September 2019, was also joining the group.

A spokeswoman for Bolton, Sarah Tinsley, confirmed her planned attendance in an interview while a representative for Krebs refused to comment on the matter. Scaramucci, who plans to participate in the meeting, previously accused the former president of having "perverted" the GOP. A former top DHS official, Miles Taylor, who penned an anonymous essay during Trump's tenure, will be included.

In a statement, Grisham said that she was personally hoping that she would be able to "travel the country and talk to people who are believers like I once was." She said that she wanted to explain the true man that Trump was and called the former president a "master manipulator."

The former press secretary said that she hoped to talk to people like her or some individuals who believed in Trump and understood that you can be proud of his policies that can be overlooked by another leader, CNN reported.



Related Article: Donald Trump Slams Joe Biden's Vaccination Mandates, Urges Republicans To Oppose the Administration

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Corsicana, TX (75110)

Today

Windy with mostly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
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Well, Karate Kid fans, it seems Mr. Miyagi's wisdom about balance in karate actually applying to our whole life has been proven right once again  more specifically, balancing our need for fascinating trivia surrounding the iconic '80s flick with our absolute burning jealousy for the badass keepsake Daniel LaRusso himself, Ralph Macchio, got to take home after starring in the beloved film series.

Earlier this week, Macchio stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to discuss the latest season of Cobra Kai, which dropped on Netflix last week, as well as and one of his favorite keepsakes from his time starring in the iconic '80s series  the 1947 Ford Super Deluxe Convertible where his character learned the ever-important wax on, wax off lesson.

Columbia Pictures at the time, when The Karate Kid III came out, that day it was at my house, Macchio told Colbert of the car, noting that he had dropped hints that he wanted to keep it while filming of the first two flicks. Yet unlike the That 70s Show Car, which sits in Wilmer Valderramas car collection, it seems Macchio puts his prop to good use, loaning it out  apparently free of charge  to appear on Cobra Kai. They got it all fixed up for me," he added. "Its awesome.
Well, my fellow muggles, It's been a weird week for the wizarding, wand-wielding world of Harry Potter. Yet instead of the usual catalysts responsible for launching Hogwarts controversy  JK Rowling's long track record of shoehorned revisionism and terrible, terrible transphobia (to paraphrase Professor McGonagall, why is it when something happens its always you two?)  another concerning element of the fantasy series has been broached yet again: Do the goblins who run the magical universe's Gringotts Bank perpetuate anti-Semitic stereotypes?

In light of the film series' 20th anniversary last November, comedian/ex-Daily Show host/notorious deep-dish pizza foe, Jon Stewart discussed the franchise, as well as this important question, on a recent episode of his partially-eponymous podcast, The Problem with Jon Stewart.

Have you ever seen a Harry Potter movie? Have you ever seen the scenes in Gringotts Bank?" Stewart mused on the episode. "Do you know what those folks that run the bank are? Jews!.. And theyre like, Oh, from Harry Potter! And youre like, No, thats a caricature of a Jew from an anti-Semitic piece of literature, He continued, referencing anti-Semetic drawings in the 1903 book, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. J.K. Rowling was like, Can we get these guys to run our bank? Youre like, Its a wizarding world We can ride dragons, you can have a pet owl but who should run the bank? Jews but what if the teeth were sharper?

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Naturally, the internet imploded as it tends to do when comedians dabble in socio-political issues. As his comments gained traction online, becoming a trending topic on social media and sparking articles appearing in Variety, Newsweek, as well as publications dedication to covering topics that are relevant to members of the Jewish community like Hey Alma, Stewart took to Twitter, sharing a video on Wednesday clarifying that this statement was apparently in jest.
Following a slew of recent layoffs from her office, Vice President Kamala Harris has named a new communications director.

Harris has chosen longtime Democratic communications staffer Jamal Simmons to serve as her communications director, according to Fox News. The choice is anticipated to be publicized this week.

VP chooses Jamal Simmons as new comms director

Ashley Etienne, Harris' former communications director, revealed in November that she would be leaving her position in December. Simmons, a Michigan native, will succeed her. Etienne isn't the only vice president's office employee who has lately stated his intention to leave.

Last month, Harris' main spokesperson, Symone Sanders, quit. Vincent Evans, the vice president's deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental relations for over a year, said this week that he is departing to become executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus.

On Thursday, Peter Velz, the director of Harris' press operations, completed his last day on the job. He has stated that he would be leaving Harris' office in November to take up a new position in the State Department.

The resignation came after a CNN investigation in November that revealed rising discontent within Harris' office, as the vice president's approval ratings continue to plummet despite a succession of gaffes during her first year in office.

In a speech at the Capitol on Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris compared the attack on January 6 to the 9/11 attacks, which killed almost 3,000 people, and the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. There were 2,977 persons murdered in the terrorist assault on September 11, 2001. The bombing of Pearl Harbor claimed the lives of 2,403 Americans. Harris referenced previous century civil rights battles, as per Daily Mail.

The Greeks created the term democracy around 430 BC, which means "for the people," and democracies date back to the ninth and tenth centuries in places like Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the United Kingdom, San Marino, and Switzerland.

Read Also: Is Fraud-Convicted Elizabeth Holmes Related To Joe Biden? President Reportedly Meets Theranos Founder in 2015

White House defends Kamala Harris' Jan. 6 statement

Because the United States is the oldest modern democracy, some have argued that the United States is the oldest modern democracy. The Constitution is the world's oldest governmental document that is still in effect today. The United States democratic system is based on the Constitution. Critics of Harris' 9/11 connection, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, are using the statements as an "excuse."

Per The Washington Examiner, the White House backed Vice President Kamala Harris' remarks in which she compared last year's Capitol riot to the Pearl Harbor bombing and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. People latching on Harris's statements Thursday, which drew a line between December 7, 1941, September 11, 2001, and January 6, 2021, according to press secretary Jen Psaki, were shifting responsibility for protecting democracy.

Harris' statement that the dates "instantly remind all who have lived through them where they were, and what they were doing when our democracy came under attack" drew immediate rebuke, with critics pointing to the thousands of Americans who died at Pearl Harbor and in the 9/11 attacks on the Pentagon and Twin Towers, which prompted the United States to go to war.

Ari Fleischer, press secretary to former President George W. Bush, called the move "absolutely absurd and ridiculous" in a Fox News interview. The Jan. 6 riot resulted in the death of a Trump supporter and indirectly led to the deaths of two U.S. Capitol Police officers.

Related Article: Joe Biden Blasts Donald Trump Over Jan. 6 Anniversary; Former President Dismisses Speech in 2 Words

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Friday, 7 January 2022

Luke 14:27-28, 33 (NLT)

"And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me. But don't begin until you count the cost. So, no one can become my disciple without giving up everything for me."

What's the cost of following Jesus?

Isaias Catorce, Ambassadors for Christ International's director in the Philippines, shares that there are many obstacles to ministry in his country, but that there is a great hunger for the Gospel. On his preaching trips to remote corners of the various islands, he often faces long, difficult travel.

When the team arrives in a village, they begin preaching at 8 pm and give the benediction after midnight. But no one leaves. "You can go home now," he says.

Still they do not leave. "No, pastor, give us more!" Many who attend have walked up to 8 hours to attend the meeting. Hearing the word of God brings consolation and strength to their hungry souls.

When the meeting is finally over, the team often sleeps on the floor of the pastor's house with the dogs. They return home very, very tired and flea-bitten.

Isaias' daughter once said to him after one of the trips, "Daddy, why are they doing this to you?" He answered her, "It's OK. The local pastors are sharing all they have and that is enough."

So, what is the cost of following Jesus? One word: everything. Just as he gave up everything for us, he calls us to give up everything for him. As long as we cling to our own life priorities, we are not hungry enough for him to give up everything, and we are missing the delights he has for us. Jesus gave up everything, even his life (Philippians 2), but he was filled with the joy of the Lord (Hebrews 1). Paul said, "For me, to live is Christ."

Are you hungry enough for more of the Lord that you would walk 8 hours to worship with others and hear a sermon? Is your heart in tune enough with his priorities that you would sleep on the floor with the dogs for the privilege of sharing his word with others?

For the iPhone app and more from John North and Ambassadors For Christ International, click here.
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The Apache Log4j vulnerability has made global headlines since it was discovered in early December. The flaw has impacted vast numbers of organizations around the world as security teams have scrambled to mitigate the associated risks. Here is a timeline of the key events surrounding the Log4j vulnerability as they have unfolded.

Thursday, December 9: Apache Log4j zero-day exploit discovered

Apache released details on a critical vulnerability in Log4j, a logging library used in millions of Java-based applications. Attackers began exploiting the flaw (CVE-2021-44228)  dubbed Log4Shell, which was rated 10 out of 10 on the CVSS vulnerability rating scale. It could lead to remote code execution (RCE) on underlying servers that run vulnerable applications. An attacker who can control log messages or log message parameters can execute arbitrary code loaded from LDAP servers when message lookup substitution is enabled, Apache developers wrote in an advisory. A fix for the issue was made available with the release of Log4j 2.15.0 as security teams from around the globe worked to protect their organizations. Businesses were urged to install the latest version.

Friday, December 10: UK NCSC issues Log4j warning to UK organizations

As the fallout from the vulnerability continued, the UKs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued a public warning to UK companies about the flaw and outlined strategies for mitigation. The NCSC advised all organizations to install the latest update immediately wherever Log4j was known to be used. This should be the first priority for all UK organizations using software that is known to include Log4j. Organizations should update both internet-facing and non-internet facing software, the statement read. Businesses were also urged to seek out unknown instances of Log4j and deploy protective network monitoring/blocking.

Saturday, December 11: CISA director comments on urgent challenge to network defenders

Much like the UKs NCSC, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) publicly responded to the Log4j vulnerability with director Jen Easterly reflecting upon the urgent challenge it presented to network defenders. CISA is working closely with our public and private sector partners to proactively address a critical vulnerability affecting products containing the Log4j software library, she said in a statement. We are taking urgent action to drive mitigation of this vulnerability and detect any associated threat activity. We have added this vulnerability to our catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities, which compels federal civilian agencies  and signals to non-federal partners  to urgently patch or remediate this vulnerability. We are proactively reaching out to entities whose networks may be vulnerable and are leveraging our scanning and intrusion detection tools to help government and industry partners identify exposure to or exploitation of the vulnerability.

CISA recommended asset owners to take three additional, immediate steps to help mitigate the vulnerability:

Enumerate any external facing devices that have Log4j installed

Ensure security operations centers are actioning every single alert on the devices that fall into the category above

Install a web application firewall with rules that automatically update so that security operations centers (SOCs) can concentrate on fewer alerts

Tuesday, December 14: Second Log4j vulnerability carrying denial-of-service threat detected, new patch released

A second vulnerability impacting Apache Log4j was discovered. The new exploit, CVE 2021-45046, allowed malicious actors to craft malicious input data using a JNDI lookup pattern to create denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, according to the CVE description. A new patch for the exploit was made available which removed support for message lookup patterns and disabled JNDI functionality by default, with the Log4j 2.15.0 fix for the original flaw incomplete in certain non-default configurations.

While CVE-2021-45046 is less severe than the original vulnerability, it becomes another vector for threat actors to conduct malicious attacks against unpatched or improperly patched systems, Amy Chang, head of risk and response at Resilience, told CSO shortly after the flaw was discovered. The incomplete patch to CVE-2021-44228 could be abused to craft malicious input data, which could result in a DoS attack. A DoS attack can shut down a machine or network and render it inaccessible to its intended users, she added. Organizations were advised to update to Log4j: 2.16.0 as soon as possible.

Friday, December 17: Third Log4j vulnerability revealed, new fix made available

Apache published details of a third major Log4j vulnerability and made yet another fix available. This was an infinite recursion flaw rated 7.5 out of 10. The Log4j team has been made aware of a security vulnerability, CVE-2021-45105, that has been addressed in Log4j 2.17.0 for Java 8 and up, it wrote. Apache Log4j2 versions 2.0-alpha1 through 2.16.0 did not protect from uncontrolled recursion from self-referential lookups. When the logging configuration uses a non-default Pattern Layout with a Context Lookup (for example, $${ctx:loginId}), attackers with control over Thread Context Map (MDC) input data can craft malicious input data that contains a recursive lookup, resulting in a StackOverflowError that will terminate the process. This is also known as a DoS (denial-of-service) attack.

Apache also outlined the following mitigations:

In PatternLayout in the logging configuration, replace Context Lookups like ${ctx:loginId}or $${ctx:loginId} with Thread Context Map patterns (%X, %mdc, or %MDC)

Otherwise, in the configuration, remove references to Context Lookups like ${ctx:loginId} or $${ctx:loginId} where they originate from sources external to the application such as HTTP headers or user input

Monday, December 20: Log4j exploited to install Dridex and Meterpreter

Cybersecurity research group Cryptolaemus warned that the Log4j vulnerability was being exploited to infect Windows devices with the Dridex banking Trojan and Linux devices with Meterpreter. Dridex is a form of malware that steals bank credentials via a system that uses macros from Microsoft Word, while Meterpreter is a Metasploit attack payload that provides an interactive shell from which an attacker can explore a target machine and execute code. Cryptolaemus member Joseph Roosen told BleepingComputer that threat actors use the Log4j RMI (Remote Method Invocation) exploit variant to force vulnerable devices to load and execute a Java class from an attacker-controlled remote server.

Wednesday, December 22: Data shows 10% of all assets vulnerable to Log4Shell

Data released by cybersecurity vendor Tenable revealed that that one in 10 of all assets were vulnerable to Log4Shell, while 30% of organizations had not begun scanning for the bug. Of the assets that have been assessed, Log4Shell has been found in approximately 10% of them, including a wide range of servers, web applications, containers and IoT devices, read a Tenable blog posting. Log4Shell is pervasive across all industries and geographies. One in 10 corporate servers being exposed. One in 10 web applications and so on. One in 10 of nearly every aspect of our digital infrastructure has the potential for malicious exploitation via Log4Shell.

The vendor warned that Log4Shell carries a greater potential threat than EternalBlue (exploited in the WannaCry attacks) because of the pervasiveness of Log4j across both infrastructure and applications. No single vulnerability in history has so blatantly called out for remediation. Log4Shell will define computing as we know it, separating those that put in the effort to protect themselves and those comfortable being negligent, it added.

Tuesday, January 4: FTC tells companies to patch Log4j vulnerability, threatens legal action

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urged U.S. organizations to patch the Log4Shell vulnerability immediately or risk facing punitive action from the agency. When vulnerabilities are discovered and exploited, it risks a loss or breach of personal information, financial loss, and other irreversible harms. The duty to take reasonable steps to mitigate known software vulnerabilities implicates laws including, among others, the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Gramm Leach Bliley Act, the FTC said. It added that it is critical that companies and their vendors relying on Log4j act now to reduce the likelihood of harm to consumers and to avoid FTC legal action. The FTC intends to use its full legal authority to pursue companies that fail to take reasonable steps to protect consumer data from exposure as a result of Log4j, or similar known vulnerabilities in the future.

Monday, January 10: Microsoft warns of China-based ransomware operator exploiting Log4Shell

Microsoft updated its Log4j vulnerability guidance page with details of a China-based ransomware operator (DEV-0401) targeting internet-facing systems and deploying the NightSky ransomware. As early as January 4, attackers started exploiting the CVE-2021-44228 vulnerability in internet-facing systems running VMware Horizon, it wrote. DEV-0401 has previously deployed multiple ransomware families including LockFile, AtomSilo, and Rook, and has similarly exploited Internet-facing systems running Confluence (CVE-2021-26084) and on-premises Exchange servers (CVE-2021-34473). Based on Microsofts analysis, attackers were discovered to be using command and control (CnC) servers that spoof legitimate domains. These include service[.]trendmrcio[.]com, api[.]rogerscorp[.]org, api[.]sophosantivirus[.]ga, apicon[.]nvidialab[.]us, w2zmii7kjb81pfj0ped16kg8szyvmk.burpcollaborator[.]net, and 139[.]180[.]217[.]203.
GLASTONBURY  Police have charged a New Britain man they say was responsible for a spree of car burglaries in November.

Marquees Rodriguez was arrested Friday on a warrant, charging him with burglary, larceny and conspiracy offenses. The 18-year-old was also charged with credit card theft and illegal use of a credit card, Glastonbury police said in a statement.

Police said the spree began the morning of Nov. 15, 2021, when Glastonbury officers took numerous complaints of car burglaries involving a gray Infiniti sedan.

When police ran the Infinitis plate, they learned it had been reported stolen out of Bloomfield. Shortly after 9 a.m., a woman reported her wallet and credit cards had been stolen from her vehicle while it was parked by a walking trail on House Street, police said.

Multiple fraudulent charges were later made on the cards that were taken, police said.

Glastonbury police and members of the Greater Hartford Regional Auto Theft Task Force located the Infiniti in Hartford later that day with Rodriguez behind the wheel, but he eluded officers, police said.

The task force took Rodriguez into custody on Nov. 23, after he was found with a stolen vehicle and stolen handgun with a high-capacity magazine.

Further investigative efforts identified Rodriguez as one of the teens reported to have burglarized the Glastonbury vehicles, on Nov. 15, Glastonbury police said.

Police said he faces charges in other towns as well.
The South Korean military reported North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its east coast on Wednesday, only days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country should focus on improving food production while retaining its military capability in the new year.

The South Korean military said its experts and US officials were reviewing the North Korean missile's trajectory and other flight data to learn more. On October 19, North Korea tested a newly built submarine-launched ballistic missile off its east coast, in defiance of numerous UN Security Council resolutions. Resolutions of the United Nations Security Council prohibit the country from producing or testing ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons, NY Times reported.

North Korea has fired ballistic missile

The North's official Korean Central News Agency confirmed on Thursday that the weapon tested the day before was a hypersonic missile. In September, the North conducted its maiden test of the new missile. According to the news agency, the missile hit a target 435 kilometers distant during the test on Wednesday.

Following the launch, South Korean President Moon Jae-in's administration reiterated his plea for engagement with North Korea, adding that the latest missile test occurred at a time when the region couldn't afford instability. The Winter Olympics will be held in China in February while South Korea's presidential election will be held on March 9.

Moon was in attendance at a groundbreaking ceremony on the east coast on Wednesday, where engineers began work on extending the South's rail line by 69 miles to the inter-Korean border.

The National Security Council of South Korea called an emergency meeting, saying the launch "occurred at a critical time for domestic and external stability" and urging Pyongyang to begin disarmament discussions. The launch occurred only hours before South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended the launching ceremony of a new rail line that he hopes would one day unite the Korean peninsula. As of this writing, the suspected North Korean missile has not been identified, as per National Interest.

Some observers had anticipated Pyongyang to desist from overt military provocations so close to the February Winter Olympics in Beijing to avoid causing excessive diplomatic anxiety for its Chinese benefactor.

Read Also: EU Urges Role in the Upcoming Russia-US Security Guarantee Talks Over Ukraine Crisis

India, Japan, and South Korea join for Sea Dragon exercise

Meanwhile, India and its Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) allies, Canada and South Korea, are taking part in the multinational exercise Sea Dragon in the Western Pacific near Guam.

The exercise will include more than 270 hours of in-flight training and operations ranging from monitoring simulated targets to tracking a US Navy submarine. It will be largely focused on anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training. Each event will be rated, and the country with the greatest overall score will be awarded the Dragon Belt.

The Indian Navy, the US Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the South Korean Navy are all participating in the exercise, which is being hosted at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

Per Hindustan Times, the US Navy's P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft are taking part in the exercise. The US Pacific Fleet stated in a statement that during classroom training sessions, pilots and flight officers from various countries will construct plans and debate strategies including their country' capabilities and equipment.

Related Article: North Korea Launches Short-Range Missile Into The Sea, Tells UN It Has The Right To Test Weapons

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Ermal Caushi was stuck, trying to come up with a name for his new restaurant on West Hartfords Park Road. He had a list of 32 candidates, but nothing stood out.

One late night after dinner service at his first restaurant, Division West in the towns center, a friend stopped by. When Caushi told him he was trying to decide on a name for his new eatery, the friend said Great. Thats what this town needs, just another restaurant. The quip was delivered sarcastically, but it all clicked for Caushi. He leaned into the JAR abbreviation, using mason jars as water glasses and constructing a chandelier with rope-suspended jars surrounding light bulbs.

Caushi opened the restaurant in May, presenting a menu of international tapas-style small plates. The dishes spanned the globe: birria taco pizza, yakitori skewers, Texas ribs, carne asada, and even Balkan lamb cevapi (grilled sausage) and patate shqiptare (crispy pan-fried potatoes with mustard butter) from Caushis native Albania.

But before long, Caushi was facing the same staffing issues as restaurateurs all over the country. His first chef left, and the replacement chef didnt work out, either. It was a domino effect, he says. Caushi changed the menu four times in as many months, streamlining it and offering dishes that were easier to prepare with fewer kitchen employees: tacos, nachos, sliders, wings, fish and chips. He began closing the restaurant for lunch hours, focusing instead on dinner and bar business. With the restaurant business, once you start getting bad reviews, theres no coming back from that, he says.

Caushi is looking to the future again, with plans to revamp the menu under a new chef. He wants to keep successful dishes going: spicy fried chicken bites in a miso garlic sauce, pork gyoza, edamame, calamari. A charcuterie board will stay, along with a zesty baked buffalo chicken dip served with tortilla chips. But hes also looking to bring back some of the international flavors his early customers enjoyed. I want to contribute a little bit from everybody, he says, explaining that he wants to evoke peoples memories of home  wherever in the world that may be. When you taste and smell, it brings up memories.

Home for Caushi has been Connecticut for nearly two decades, when he came to the U.S. from Albania in 2003 as a teenager. He started working as a dishwasher at Peppercorns Grill shortly after he came to the country, and a few years later went to college to study construction management and civil engineering.

He continued working at Peppercorns, where he was eventually elevated to a general manager position. Once he finished his degree, he worked as a building inspector, but quickly realized that wasnt what he wanted to do. He would take his restaurant experience to the next level. I learned everything from Dino, he says of Dino Cialfi, Peppercorns longtime owner. Hes an amazing chef; an amazing business owner. I owe everything to him.

In 2017, Caushi and his brother-in-law, Jimi Brahimi, opened Division West on LaSalle Road in West Hartford center, an upscale bistro and bar with fresh pastas, seafood entrees, steaks and chops. When the Park Road space became available a few years later (formerly home to Chengdu Restaurant and later Uncle Chow Asian Bistro) Caushi realized it needed little work, beyond some construction and cosmetic touches.

JAR quickly became a town favorite for its spacious patio, with string lights, handmade wooden tables and flower boxes. Caushi has also filled the evenings with social activities: a Tuesday game night for service industry workers, live music on Thursdays and late-night ladies night specials, and DJs on Fridays and Saturdays.

At the bar, JARs team gets creative with both the names and recipes, dubbing a Titos vodka and ginger beer drink the Ermule after Caushi, with rotating fruit flavors. A scorpion-bowl style drink serves two, with seasonal ingredients, and an espresso martini with Madagascar vanilla liqueur is one of the bars best-sellers.

Caushi is also working on another project, this time across the river in Manchester. Hes leased the former Catsup and Mustard burger spot on Main Street, with plans to open a restaurant with customized pizzas in the spring.

JAR + Bar 179 Park Road, West Hartford 860-263-7030, jarbarct.com, @jarbarct Hours: Tue.-Sat. 4-10 p.m., Sun. 4-9 p.m. Bar is open later. Closed Mon. Wheelchair accessible See More Collapse
Stamford Police / Contributed

After a fire ripped through a public housing unit in Philadelphia, killing 12 people on Wednesday, fire officials in Connecticut are urging residents to take precautions.

Fire officials in Philadelphia said the fire broke out around 6:30 a.m. in the area of the Fairmount neighborhood, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its famous steps from the Rocky film. Officials said eight children and four adults were found dead. The incident marked the citys deadliest fire in more than a century, according to the Associated Press.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that it was monitoring the new IHU coronavirus variant that was first reported in France, saying it was "not a threat" despite early evidence suggesting it could be more transmissible than the Omicron variant.

It was more than a month ago when the IHU variant was first reported in France, and since then, it has failed to spread beyond a small initial cluster of cases. The situation is the reason that the WHO has not labeled the new strain as one of its "variants of concern."

IHU Variant

Researchers who looked into the new variant named it "IHU" after the university hospital where it was first identified, the IHU Mediterranee Infection. The hospital, which is located in Marseille, southeast of France, is led by the controversial scientist Dr. Didier Raoult, who made hydroxychloroquine a household name.

Many social media users quickly made memes about the name of the new coronavirus variant, with some saying it means "I hate you." But the new strain, registered as B.1.640.2, made headlines worldwide as nations closely monitor new variants of the coronavirus infection, CBS News reported.

A December study conducted by researchers which has not yet been peer-reviewed confirmed that 12 patients in the area tested positive for the new variant. The IHU strain is known to have mutations that have also appeared in other fast-spreading variants of the coronavirus.

Despite being detected at around the same time as the Omicron variant, the IHU variant has not been successful in spreading outside the Southern Alps region of France. IHU researchers previously reported that the first patient identified with the new coronavirus strain was vaccinated and had just returned from Cameroon.

Read Also: Omicron Puts Kids at High Risk, Causing Unusual Complications

The incident manager for the WHO's COVID-19 Incident Management Support Team, Abdi Mahamud, said that the IHU variant has had a lot of chances to pick up. The remarks were made during a news briefing on Tuesday held in Geneva, the South China Morning Post reported.

Omicron Variant

Researchers who first identified the new IHU variant said that it had 46 mutations, which is more than the now spreading Omicron variant, and makes it much more resistant against vaccines and is more transmissible. One of the mutations includes the N501Y, which was first seen in the Alpha variant, which experts believe is what makes it more contagious.

Scientists said that the IHU variant also had the E484K mutation which is the reason why the IHU variant is able to infect a person despite being vaccinated. The situation comes as the Omicron variant is still the one dominating infections in recent weeks.

France is among the countries that are struggling to contain the Omicron variant, joining other European countries like the United Kingdom and Portugal. The nations have observed a spike in confirmed cases over the past few days.

France's public health agency said that roughly 62.4$ of tests in the region showed a profile compatible with the Omicron variant. The strain has since caused a surge of confirmed cases to more than 160,000 per day in the last week, peaking above 200,000, Firstpost reported.



Related Article: COVID-19 Around the World: How Different Countries Are Dealing With Omicron Surge in January 2022

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BRIDGEPORT  On Friday the Rev. Kenneth Moales Jr. was supposed to have vacated his Union Avenue cathedral.

He had been given to this date to get out by a federal judge after his bank, Foundation Capital Resources, was granted a strict foreclosure on the cathedral and 14 other properties Moales owns through his church corporation, Prayer Tabernacle Church of Love Inc.

But Moales said on Friday afternoon he wasnt going anywhere.

We are absolutely not moving out today, Moales said. He claimed they will be in federal court on Monday to provide evidence that supports his position that he shouldnt have been evicted.

Last week Moales announced that he has secured funding not only to buy all his properties back but to construct 64 units of affordable housing on Stratford Avenue.

I know the clock is ticking but we have secured a lender who is going to give us $18 million to buy back our church and do so much more for the community, Moales said, standing in front of a large Christmas tree in the lobby of his church, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

Moales would not disclose the name of the lender, describing it only as a legitimate firm that manages billions. But he said he has the full support of Mayor Joe Ganim and city officials not only on securing the loan but in the housing project.

He presented a letter Ganim wrote that Moales said helped him to secure the loan as well as a letter from Thomas Gill, director of the citys Office of Planning and Economic Development, supporting the proposed Peggy Moales Commons  named after his mother  for the corner of Stratford and Central avenues.

Rowena White, spokeswoman for Ganim, confirmed that the mayor and Gill wrote letters of support.

Please know the city remains supportive of the proposal and stands ready to remain engaged in constructive partnership as you advance the proposal toward its required approvals, states the letter from Gill.

The housing project would be adjacent to the 35,000-square-foot Honey Locust Square retail plaza currently under construction on Stratford Avenue.

The mayor supports projects for much-needed neighborhoods in the city and this appears to be a nice revitalization project, said White. She added that the mayors letter seeking financial support for Moales was written in April while Moales was still going through the foreclosure process and is not linked to Moales new claim of a loan.

Moales, a former chairman of the citys Board of Education, is senior pastor of Prayer Tabernacle Church of Love, Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and chief executive of CREAM Enterprises, a construction and management company.

In September 2017, according to court documents, after a more than four-year legal battle that initially began in state court, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Meyer issued a foreclosure order against Moales for failure to pay a debt of more than $12 million to his bank, Foundation Capital Resources. That amount has since increased to more than $15 million.

Following numerous court hearings, the judge on May 29, 2020, ordered the eviction of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit on Union Avenue along with the Kingdoms Little Ones daycare, a summer camp, private school Love Christian Academy  all at the Union Avenue address  and other operations owned by Moales on Stratford and Central avenues. The judge denied Moales a stay of the eviction pending his appeal to the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, ordering him to vacate the properties by Jan. 7.

Last week Moales withdrew his appeal.

The lawyer for Foundation Capital Resources did not return emails for comment.

Last year, Foundation Capital Resources filed a separate lawsuit in federal court against nine tenants of the properties including the operators of the school and daycare. The bank is seeking to eliminate the alleged leasehold interests of the nine defendants in the lawsuit. That lawsuit is pending.

Moales had previously accused Foundation Capital of engaging in fraud and predatory lending practices. However, in his ruling last year, the judge reiterated that he had evaluated Moales testimony in great detail and concluded that it was not credible or supported by the testimony of other witnesses or the whole of the documentary evidence record presented at trial.
Gov. Ned Lamonts failure to deliver promised COVID tests, and the questionable circumstances surrounding this failure, not only created a dangerous situation for at-risk residents seeking to exercise caution through the holiday season  but raises serious questions about what really happened. Gov. Lamont needs to come clean and provide complete transparency  and if he refuses to do so, there are mechanisms in place that can provide our citizens the answers they deserve.

Despite projections by experts that COVID and its omicron variant would disrupt this years holiday season, Gov. Lamont was caught flat-footed in providing the necessary resources to cities and towns across the state. Families across Connecticut had to scramble to find rapid tests to stop the spread while still enjoying the holidays with their loved ones.

It was not for a lack of resources, because hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID assistance have flowed into Connecticut from the federal government. It was not for the lack of time to prepare as we enter a third year of the pandemic. It was the lack of leadership and attention to detail from Gov. Lamont and his team that failed to secure these vital tests and, therefore, failed the people of Connecticut.

On Dec. 27, the governor announced a plan to distribute 3 million at-home rapid tests in Connecticut, and municipalities adjusted their plans to accommodate the delivery of tests to their residents. The news quickly broke that the governors statement was inaccurate. The rapid tests were not going to come after all.

The Democratic-controlled legislature, which punted its responsibility and approved emergency powers to the governor for the sixth time in September, needs to fulfill its constitutional obligation to the people of Connecticut and hold the executive branch accountable for this debacle. Now is not the time to play politics and allow the Lamont administration to go unchecked simply because he belongs to the same political party. The residents of Connecticut deserve to know why this happened and hold those responsible accountable for their actions. We need a legislative investigation into the Lamont administrations failure to secure and provide these rapid tests.

Gov. Lamont campaigned as a candidate who would bring his experience in the business world into government, but I would be shocked to find a CEO who would tolerate this sort of incompetence on such a massive scale. With millions of taxpayer dollars being spent on these tests and supplies, the entire state has a vested interest in ensuring this money is being spent properly and that the procurement process is open, transparent and fair.

In Connecticut, we have already seen instances in which COVID funds were misspent and misappropriated, as in the case of West Haven city employees. This is why the state attorney general needs to investigate the COVID test mishap by taking a thorough look at the states procurement process and the wide berth the states emergency measures give the governor in state contracts.

We need checks and balances in Hartford, not one-party Democratic rule that looks to give political cover when debacles like this happen. The state attorney general and the General Assembly need to step up and hold the Lamont administration accountable. Their integrity and credibility depend on it; the people of Connecticut demand it.

Themis Klarides is the former state House Republican Leader.
Simoni Romero and Giulia Heyward

New York TimesJanuary 3, 2022Investigators looking into the cause of a colossal wildfire in Colorado that forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people are focusing on a property owned by a Christian fundamentalist sect, after witnesses reported seeing a structure on fire there moments before the blaze spread with astonishing speed across drought-stricken suburbs.Sheriff Joe Pelle of Boulder County said at a news briefing on Monday that the property owned by Twelve Tribes, which was founded in Tennessee in the 1970s, had become a target of the probe after investigators ruled out the possibility that downed power lines might have sparked the fire.Still, Sheriff Pelle warned against jumping to conclusions regarding the fires origins, emphasizing that the investigation was in its early stages and that it could take weeks or even months to determine the exact cause. He said investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Forest Service were assisting his departments probe.Were going to take our time and be methodical because the stakes are huge, Sheriff Pelle said.The efforts to determine what caused the fire are adding to the challenges that authorities are facing in Colorado, after heavy snowfall over the weekend blanketed the suburban areas that had been torched by the Marshall fire. About 35,000 people were forced to evacuate the area last week, and many families remain in shelters after more than 900 homes were destroyed.Authorities are still searching for two people missing in the blaze, which figured among the most destructive in Colorado history. A severe multiyear drought nurtured the brittle-dry conditions that allowed the fire to sweep through residential areas.Discussion of the Twelve Tribes property emerged on social media on Thursday, around the time the Marshall fire began spreading, when video of a structure on fire there started circulating. By Sunday, officials confirmed that the fire began on private property at the Boulder County intersection of Marshall Road and Highway 93, which is owned by Twelve Tribes. Sheriff Pelle confirmed on Monday that investigators were examining the site in addition to adjacent areas.Several witnesses who live nearby said they had alerted the authorities about the fire at the site before hurricane-force winds spread flames around Boulder County. Anne Michaels, a kindergarten teacher who lives in the area, said she was driving by the property on Thursday while talking to her mother on her mobile phone when she noticed something was wrong.I said, Mom, I see smoke, said Ms. Michaels, 43, adding that the smoke was clearly coming from the Twelve Tribes property. She said she called 911 shortly afterward to alert the authorities.Mike Zoltowski, another witness who reported seeing the fire on the property, while staying at a friends neighboring home, said he saw a fire crew on Thursday unsuccessfully try to put out what appeared to be a shed on fire before leaving the site.As soon as I turned around and came back, they were gone, Mr. Zoltowski told a local television station. And thats when I realized something is seriously wrong here, because the shed was still burning.A spokeswoman for Twelve Tribes said on Monday that an investigation was taking place but declined to comment further.Twelve Tribes originated from a youth Bible study group in the 1970s in Chattanooga, Tenn. Since then, it has grown into an international network of self-governing communities scattered across North and South America, Europe and Australia. The settlement in Boulder is one of two in Colorado.The group touts itself as an assemblage of up to 3,000 people united by a common belief in God, or Yahshua, and strict adherence to the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, according to its website. Men are expected to wear long beards and tie their hair back, while women dress modestly. Its members often work at several businesses owned by the group across the country, which include a deli in Boulder.Sheriff Pelle said earlier that a search warrant had been executed as part of the fire investigation, but did not say what location had been searched.He said that the initial assumptions that downed power lines might have sparked the fire were ruled out after fire investigators and work crews from Xcel Energy, which provides power to the area, determined that the lines in question were used to transmit not electricity but telecommunications data.In the meantime, the sheriff said investigators were trying to piece together what happened by speaking to as many people as possible. What Ive seen today coming in and out of this building meeting with these investigators are dozens of people, Sheriff Pelle said at the briefing.He said investigators were essentially working by hand and with small tools to try to get through those locations to try to ascertain the origin of the blaze.It is very, very difficult work given the debris, the heat, he said, describing the investigation as in full force and in full swing.Evacuees were waiting for answers. Forrest Smith, 67, who escaped from his home with the clothes on his back, a coffee mug and his smartphone, said he welcomed the investigation into the blaze. But Mr. Smith, who was staying at a Red Cross shelter after the fire gutted his home, expressed doubt that the investigation would result in holding anyone accountable.First of all, theyve got to prove who did it, said Mr. Smith, a retired truck driver. In any event, he said: You cant take it back. Whats done is done.Charlie Brennan contributed reporting.
An appeals court found in Meghan Markle's favor in a privacy issue, awarding her paltry damages of one pound from one of Britain's largest newspaper companies.

Associated Newspapers must pay the payment, which is equivalent to $1.40 or 1 pound, for the abuse of private information, as well as a "confidential sum" for infringing on her copyright. The payment for copyright infringement was "significant," according to a spokesman for the Duchess of Sussex, and will be donated to charity.

Read Also: QUEEN-IN-WAITING: How Kate Middleton Prepares For the Throne

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's Archewell charity raised less than $50,000

Lawyers for Associated, which publishes the Mail on Sunday daily and MailOnline, revealed details of the Court of Appeal's decision last month in a written court order released Wednesday. According to the judgment, Associated must additionally pay Markle 300,000 pounds in legal fees.

After a High Court judge originally decided in the former TV actress's favor last year without a full trial, Associated had announced it was considering another appeal to the UK's Supreme Court. However, the firm has now admitted loss in the long-running battle, NDTV reported.

The duchess had sued Associated after a letter she had sent to her estranged father was published in the Mail on Sunday in 2019. Associated's lawyers said that, despite Meghan Markle's claims to the contrary, she wrote the letter knowing it would be released.

Despite repeated denials, Markle apologized to the appeals court last month after admitting she had permitted a former staffer to advise the writers of a favorable history of her brief stint as a frontline royal in Britain.

According to royal analyst Duncan Larcombe, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would put "their heart and soul" into their work when it was revealed how much their charity Archewell raised in 2020.

The disclosure of the Archewell data "puts pressure" on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to convert their organization into a successful force for change and to demonstrate to the public that they are a "power couple," according to the royal author.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's agents at Archewell have been approached by Express.co.uk for comment on Larcombe's claims. Meghan and Harry's Archewell charity raised less than $50,000 (36,947) in 2020, according to American tax documents released earlier this week.

Although Archewell was established in April 2020, a spokesperson for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stated there was no financial activity that year. According to records obtained by the Daily Mail, Archewell received its first deposit in early 2021.

Archewell has three branches: the foundation, which is Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's non-profit organization, Archewell Audio, and Archewell Productions, which will deliver audio and video material created especially for Spotify and Netflix.

Prince Harry was allegedly convinced that Royal Family is against him

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Prince Harry became concerned that important members of the Royal Family had turned on him as a result of a New Year's photo. To commemorate the start of both a new year and a new decade, the Queen issued a portrait of herself, Prince Charles, and Prince William at the start of 2020.

Although the photograph plainly depicted the monarchy's future, it has been said that a "paranoid" Prince Harry and Meghan Markle mistook it for a covert signal that was being secretly pushed out of the Royal Family.

"The royal couple thought that the whole institution was conspiring against them, as they saw it, the proof was all around them," author Andrew Morton wrote in his unofficial biography, 'Meghan: A Hollywood Princess.' Per The Sun, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the shocking news that they will be stepping down from their positions as working royals within days, dealing a major blow to the Queen and the monarchy as a whole.

Related Article: Meghan Markle Could Receive $2.7 Million in Copyright Case After Duchess Gets Front-Page Apology From Mail on Sunday Publishers

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Dalton, GA (30720)

Today

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
Madalyn Chase, a recent UO graduate, had her original study abroad plans thwarted at the beginning of the pandemic.

The summer between my sophomore and junior year I was supposed to go to the Copenhagen Business School, she said. The program was canceled, and although Chase was offered the option to do the program virtually, it wasnt what she was looking for. She later got an email from GEO that another program they offered, Psychology and Business in London, was going in person.

It started in April, and I got this email in March, Chase said. I applied on a whim and was so excited when I got in because I had been waiting forever to study abroad.

Chase was the last of five students that joined the program. The other four students in her program had applied the year before, but the program was postponed to the summer of 2021. They had all been on this emotional roller-coaster of if they would get to go or not get to go, Chase said.

As UO students continue to persevere through the pandemic, any study abroad programs have been canceled or pushed back because of travel restrictions and quarantine regulations. Although these barriers exist, UO students and faculty are still working hard to keep study abroad programs running. Things might look different than they did before the pandemic, but many Ducks are more than willing to adjust to a new normal while thousands of miles away from Eugene.

Choosing to fly out or log onto Zoom

Students choose to study abroad for various reasons, from learning a new language to building community in a different country. While online study abroad options have been available throughout the pandemic, they dont make the cut for many students interested in exploring another culture.

Autumn Lukens, a first-year student who is hoping to study abroad in Italy during the summer of 2022, wants to learn Italian and earn language credits. Lukens will have to take part-time classes next year in order to earn in-state tuition, so shes trying to fulfill her language requirement with an immersion program over the summer. I have always really wanted to go to Italy, Lukens said. She took a gap year and was originally going to be an au pair in Italy, but when COVID hit, her international travel plans were put on hold.

Chase found that one of the biggest benefits of her study abroad program in London was building connections with the people involved. She said she got really close to her professors and Mary Hiles and Amanda Milburn, the heads of the GEO center in London. There were only three or four people in each of her classes, so the interactions Chase had with her professors were very personal.

I still email with my professors, and Im still in contact with Mary and Amanda because we had that opportunity to get so close to them, Chase said. I think that made the program so special and made up for anything that could have been missing.

In response to the pandemic, UO moved many of its 2020 and 2021 study abroad programs online. Many students dont see virtual options as adequate replacements for studying abroad. Lukens said she is really nervous that the study abroad program she wants to do will move online. I just want to go, Lukens said. I dont really care if things are closed or if I cant do specific things. I just think its really important in furthering your education to study in a different country and learn about a different culture.

For some students, the value of studying abroad lies in the traveling itself. UO senior Oscar Sigala chose his current exchange program in Prague and the Czech Republic because of its location. Prague is in the middle of Europe, and its my first time in Europe so I wanted to have the ability to travel, he said. Sigalas plans to tour Europe were challenged by the new wave of COVID, but he still was able to see a lot of places on his list before Omicron really hit. I got here the last week of September, and October and November were still a good time to travel, he said. There were fewer restrictions. Despite the new wave of COVID, Sigala still got to travel to Barcelona, Budapest, Krakow and Vienna.

Students doing studying abroad programs in March of 2020 had to complete them online to earn credit. It was exactly the same as it was at UO, Amanda Milburn, the director of the GEO center in London, said. Students went home and classes went online. The London GEO center did a lot of remote experiences in the 2020/21 academic year. It allowed us to connect with students who werent able to study abroad but still wanted that international element, Milburn said.

Milburn explained that rising seniors who graduated in 2021 and students who were planning to study abroad in the future and wanted a head-start were prime candidates for these programs. I was really proud of what we were able to achieve during the online programs, Milburn said. GEO facilitated a conversation partner program with students from other schools in Southeast Asia and China who werent able to travel to the US but wanted to practice their English. Guest lectures were also available over Zoom, with faculty from the UK joining classes from the U.S. You never would have thought, pre-pandemic, that someone would come into your class from the UK on Zoom, Milburn said.

Navigating COVID-19 safety restrictions in a different country

Students studying abroad have to get used to new, and oftentimes stricter, COVID-19 guidelines. As of Jan. 5, 2022, countries such as Canada, India and Italy have issued a shelter in place protocol similar to that of March 2020. The United States is a step below these countries, recommending but not requiring that its citizens stay indoors. France, Spain and Germany have chosen to restrict international travel along with the United States, making it harder to get in and out of the country.

London has a lot more restrictions than the US does, Chase said. When we got there, the US was relaxing their mask mandates and easing up on all of their restrictions. But when we got to London, we werent even allowed to go into the GEO building for the first couple weeks.

Milburn elaborated on the COVID-19 restrictions in London. Regardless of your vaccination status, if youre a student or in higher education, you have to take a lateral flow COVID test twice a week, she said. Milburn has been taking them twice a week since March of 2021, and they are available for free because of the UKs socialized healthcare system. Milburn explained that the tests take 15 minutes and that you can report your result to the National Health Service with a QR code. Its a good way of knowing, especially when youre meeting people, if you have COVID asymptomatically, Milburn said.

As an American institution in the UK, the GEO center in London had to decide between following US or UK COVID-19 guidelines. We decided that whichever rule was the strictest, thats the one we would follow, Milburn said. Things like social distancing and household mixing rules, which were loosened in summer 2021 in the US, were still very much in place in the UK. The US also has exemptions for people who were vaccinated, which the UK didnt have. This has more to do more with our kind of cultures around healthcare, Milburn said.

As an American in Europe, Sigala said its difficult to provide proof of vaccination. We have our CDC cards, but everyone here uses a QR code which is so much easier, he said. Sigala explained that the EU offers a digital vaccine passport with a scannable QR code, which some consider more streamlined and efficient than a physical vaccine card. Sometimes when you go somewhere and they ask you for your vaccination, you show them the card, and they look at it for the longest time, Sigala said. It can be easily replicated. Its better with the barcode system.

If Sigala doesnt get his booster shot before Feb. 1, he will be considered unvaccinated in Prague. I had my flight back home set for Feb. 10 or 12, Sigala said. So most likely I will head home in late January or early February. Hes considering getting his booster while hes abroad but doesnt know how it will transfer on to his record in the US. If I get my shot here, I have to figure out if it will count back home, Sigala said.

Some students are concerned that the US isnt taking COVID-19 seriously enough to maintain in-person study abroad options. Lukens said she is afraid other countries wont want to take American citizens because the U.S. hasnt taken the pandemic as seriously. Hopefully everyone gets their boosters, and we can still do international travel, she said.

Despite the challenges COVID-19 has created, Sigala is optimistic about the future of study abroad programs. I think eventually study abroad programs will return to what they were before COVID, Sigala said. Even though there were restrictions with COVID, I think the first few months I was here I got a good general study abroad experience. Sigala was still able to travel, attend school and participate in events for exchange students.

Safe but still fun

Milburn and her colleagues at GEO were challenged to come up with a study abroad experience that was interesting and exciting for students who came in knowing not everything was open. Students couldnt travel to different countries on the weekends like they usually do, and as a result, they got to know London really well. Milburn and her coworker Mary Hiles lead walking tours around the city in lieu of the other usual weekend or indoor activities.

She led a tour on a street called Brick Lane that students liked so much its a regular part of the London programs now. The street is rich with the cultural history of Bengali migrants, Jewish migrants and French Huguenots. We started the tour at the oldest bagel shop in London, and walked, looking at the beautiful political street art, Milburn said, and we finished at an outdoor market. The market was still open and completely COVID safe, so students had the opportunity to shop around. You just have to consider what to do outside and what you can do with the cityscape, Milburn said.

Kaelene Spence, the institutional relations specialist at GEO, follows the same train of thinking as Milburn. Students arent going on a five different country experience, she said, but they said thats only enriched their study abroad experience. Staying in one place rather than traveling to multiple countries allows students to fully immerse themselves in the culture.

Spence believes that students' interests in studying abroad have peaked after the pandemic. Theyve been stuck inside for so long, and they want to get out and explore, she said. Spence thinks that students are still getting all the important aspects of a study abroad experience, just in a different way. She also detailed the safety precautions that GEO is taking, saying that some students feel safer abroad than they do in the U.S. because of stricter COVID guidelines.

If people want to study abroad, its still possible with COVID, Sigala said. Sigala, Chase and Milburn all agreed that students are still able to have a fulfilling experience abroad, even if it looks a little different than it did before the pandemic. Studying abroad can change your whole outlook on life, Chase said. If you want to go abroad, dont let the pandemic stop you.
The University of Oregon will allow instructors to temporarily pivot to remote learning if at least 20% of their class is absent due to COVID-19, Provost Patrick Phillips announced in an email to the UO community today.

Oregon has been on the lagging end of the latest COVID-19 surge caused by the Omicron variant, Phillips wrote. However, we now have a much clearer picture of what the next month is likely to look like with respect to incidence levels within the university community.

The announcement follows the reporting of 154 COVID-19 cases the week of Dec. 27, 2021.

The Oregon Health Authority reported over 7,600 new COVID-19 cases today  the states largest daily report since the start of the pandemic.

This is not how we had hoped to begin 2022, Phillips wrote. But we firmly believe that by following these steps we can minimize operational disruptions on campus through this surge while continuing to keep our community safe.

The Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation sent a letter to UOs executive vice provost yesterday, requesting that UO move classes online for two weeks in light of the Omicron variant.

Phillips wrote we continue to emphasize in-person instruction as the best option whenever possible, even if more than 20% of the class is absent.

Faculty must tell students if classes are being shifted to online at least 24 hours in advance, according to the announcement. If instructors choose to keep classes in person, they must provide materials to those who are unable to attend.

UO will also change its quarantine time from 10 days to five days, per new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite criticism around the CDC shortening its isolation period, the university has adapted its operations continuously to adhere to CDC, Oregon Health Authority, Oregon OSHA and Lane County Public health guidance for higher education, UO spokesperson Saul Hubbard told the Emerald.

Phillips said campus remains open and administrative offices will continue working at their current status. Labs, workshops, internships and studios are unlikely to be impacted, he wrote.

Surgical masks are currently available in classrooms, and we anticipate that a limited number of disposable KN95s may also soon be available, Phillips wrote. An email to the UO School of Journalism and Communication community discouraged the use of cloth face coverings in favor of surgical and KN95 masks.

The GTFF letter asked UO to provide students and faculty with N95/KN95 masks.

All classes must return to in-person instruction by Feb. 7.
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French President Emmanuel Macron received backlash from anti-vaccine residents after using harsh language to criticize unvaccinated people in his attempt to garner support as the elections are approaching.

Macron shocked the whole nation when he used vulgar words three months before the presidential elections this year. The French president is using his harsh language to relay not only a public health message but also a political agenda.

French President's Harsh Language

The official seemed to have considered that using the growing public anger against unvaccinated residents was more beneficial for him than risking the anger of the anti-vaccination minority that he had very little chance of winning over. Macron's recent address used his harshest language yet to urge people to get vaccinated.

While the French president said that he will not be putting unvaccinated residents into prisons or forcing them to get the shots, he vowed to make their lives harder. His plan effectively kicked off his campaign for re-election on Wednesday, drawing clear lines between his supporters and opponents, the New York Times reported.

Macron's statement where he used the term "emmerder" in French which is translated to putting someone in the "merde" which is translated to "shit" received condemnation from his political rivals. The French president's remarks came as the country's government is seeking to push through legislation that would mandate a vaccine against the coronavirus infection before a person is allowed to enter public spaces.

Read Also: Joe Biden Blasts Donald Trump Over Jan. 6 Anniversary; Former President Dismisses Speech in 2 Words

The debate surrounding the proposal began on Monday, a bill that would make it mandatory for people to show proof of being vaccinated against the disease. This means that people cannot simply show a negative coronavirus test or proof that they have recovered from the sickness to gain access to public venues and transport.

The country's Public Health Department revealed that overall, France's numbers showed 77% of the population is fully vaccinated with three doses, meaning they got a booster shot. Last week, Health Minister Olivier Veran said that there were only four million adults remaining in the country who have not yet been vaccinated against the coronavirus infection, France24 reported.

Mandatory Vaccinations

For a second night on Tuesday, the session in the National Assembly was brought to a standstill after opposition delegates complained about Macron's harsh language. One of the leading figures described the incident as words being "unworthy, irresponsible, and premeditated."

Many expect the legislation to be approved by officials during a vote later this week but has caused anger among vaccine opponents and various French MPs revealed that they have received death threats over the proposal. Several European countries have started introducing mandatory vaccines with Australia leading the way for people over the age of 14 starting next month.

On the other hand, Germany is planning to implement similar legislation for adults while Italian authorities said on Wednesday that they would make vaccination against the coronavirus compulsory from Feb. 15 and for residents over the age of 50.

Macron's opponents quickly criticized the French president for his harsh words, one of whom was right-wing Republican candidate Valerie Pecresse. She expressed her outrage over the incident and claimed that Macron was accusing unvaccinated residents of not being citizens of the country, BBC reported.



Related Article: Dick Cheney, Former Vice President of the US, Attends Jan. 6 Anniversary, Says He Is Disappointed With Republicans

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Every time I find myself puzzling over an astonishing-sounding statistic, I remind myself of the indisputable truth that well over 99 per cent of Belgians have more than the average number of legs.

For the benefit of those who may be as baffled as I was when I first heard that remarkable fact, from a mate in the saloon bar, I'll explain it in a moment.

Anyway, I thought of those multi-legged Belgians this week when I read in the Guardian that women are 32 per cent more likely to die if they are operated on by a male surgeon.

Every time I find myself puzzling over an astonishing-sounding statistic, I remind myself of the indisputable truth that well over 99 per cent of Belgians have more than the average number of legs

Could this figure really be true, I wondered? If so, shouldn't all women patients henceforth insist on being attended to by female surgeons, the next time they're wheeled into an operating theatre with a life-threatening condition?

I should say at once that I see no particular reason to doubt the finding, based as it is on a massive survey conducted by a team from the University of Toronto in Canada, which involved no fewer than 1.3 million patients and nearly 3,000 surgeons. We can hardly complain that the sample was too small to reach a meaningful conclusion.

Blessed

Indeed, I'm inclined to believe it may well be true. But then it's also true, as I mentioned above, that well over 99 per cent of Belgians have more than the average number of legs.

As for the explanation, I grant you that very few people in Belgium have three legs. But some are amputees, who have only one or none at all. So if you add up the number of legs attached to Belgians, and divide by the total population, you will arrive at an average of fractionally less than two.

Since the overwhelming majority of Belgians have the full complement of two legs, it is therefore incontrovertible that those who are so blessed have more than the average. Quod Erat Demonstrandum, as we say in the pub.

At this stage, many will protest that what goes for Belgium goes equally for every country in the world whose citizens include amputees. I freely concede that this is quite true, and confess that I picked on Belgium only because, like many Englishmen of my age (I'm 68), I find something intrinsically funny about that nation of chocolatiers, racing cyclists and passengers on the EU gravy train. I humbly beg forgiveness of anyone who has taken offence.

My point is simply that statistics can be extremely misleading  a fact particularly important to bear in mind at a time like this, when every day we're bombarded with highly selective figures about Covid on the evening news.

I would go further and say that stats can be used and abused to reinforce almost any argument you care to make.

Take the recent, eye-popping finding that Americans who are hospitalised are 2.7 times more likely to die if they hold Right-wing opinions.

I should say at once that I see no particular reason to doubt the finding, based as it is on a massive survey conducted by a team from the University of Toronto in Canada, which involved no fewer than 1.3 million patients and nearly 3,000 surgeons. A stock image is used above

Common sense tells us it must be rubbish to suggest that a preference for the Republicans over the Democrats, on its own, has any effect on a patient's chances of survival. So if there's any truth in that statistic  and it's possible that there is  there must be some other explanation for any disparity in these death-rates.

My own guess (and I stress it's no more than that) is that redneck Trump supporters in areas such as the mid-West tend to be more overweight  and more reluctant to be vaccinated against Covid  than the citizens of Democrat strongholds such as New York.

If I'm right, then it's surely their obesity, relative poverty and refusal to be vaccinated, rather than their politics per se, that makes them more vulnerable to premature death. Indeed, it would be grossly misleading if Democrat politicians were to urge: 'Vote for us  because statistics prove that you'll live longer!'

Wary

I suspect in Britain, where less well-off voters tend to be more inclined to support Labour, we would find the opposite phenomenon, with Left-wingers more likely to die in hospital than those who vote Conservative. But again, this would have nothing to do with their views on the relative merits of Boris and Sir Keir.

For much the same reason, I'm deeply wary of the suggestion that because female patients are more likely to survive operations conducted by women, female surgeons must therefore be more trustworthy than their male counterparts.

Mind you, the woman who led the Canadian survey had little hesitation in drawing conclusions from her findings.

According to the epidemiologist Dr Angela Jerath, part of the explanation could be the 'implicit sex biases' of male surgeons, coupled with gender differences in communication skills and 'differences between male and female physician work style, decision-making and judgment'.

Certainly, I'm ready to accept that women tend to be better at communicating than members of my own sex.

Indeed, I well remember something once said to me by my dear friend Philippa, a GP who loves nothing more than a good chat (get her on the phone to my wife, and they'll be nattering for the next couple of hours). She recalled with delight an accolade paid to her by a patient who spoke little English: 'You very good doctor. You very good yack, yack, yack.'

But I mustn't mock, because I know that a gift for talking can be an important part of a doctor's job.

After all, it's a saying in the profession that if patients come in complaining of ten ailments, the one that really worries them is the 11th, which has to be coaxed out of them.

All this I admit. But let's be realistic. It's simply incredible, in the most literal meaning of that word, that failures of communication or 'implicit sex bias' can lie behind that massive disparity in death-rates between patients treated by male and female surgeons.

Terrifying

If you want my opinion, a far more plausible explanation is that the most experienced consultant surgeons  those entrusted with the most dangerous and life-threatening cases  are chiefly men.

In fact, in Britain 86 per cent of consultant surgeons are male. Meanwhile women, who for all sorts of reasons (mostly to do with child-rearing) tend to be less experienced with the scalpel, are generally left to concentrate on the simpler operations. So it's no wonder if male surgeons have a lower success rate.

All right, I admit that I'm stumped by the study's finding that there's little difference between outcomes for male patients, whether they're treated by men or women. But I reckon we'll need to know a great deal more before we conclude that females surgeons are hugely more trustworthy than men.

All of which brings me back to the hair-raising Covid figures, pumped out nightly by the BBC and those newly-honoured knights of the apocalypse, Sir Chris, Sir Patrick and Sir Jonathan.

At first glance, it's terrifying that the numbers in hospital who've tested positive have been rising so sharply. But dig more deeply, and the figures become almost meaningless. More than a third of those who've tested positive  of whom some (who knows how many?) have no symptoms of Covid  are in hospital for reasons quite unconnected to it. But they don't tell us that on the news.

Nor do they tell us how many of those who have died were in their 80s and 90s, or how many succumbed to underlying health conditions that had nothing to do with Covid. Nor the average length of a patient's stay in hospital  which is said to be coming down sharply, thanks to the new miracle drugs on offer.

Other relevant facts go unmentioned  unless they serve the doom-mongers' purpose of scaring us out of our wits.

But let me leave you with a statistic of my own. Do you realise that the overwhelming majority of people in hospital with Covid have more than the average number of legs? I leave you to decide whether this means that those of us who are similarly endowed should worry.
Rewilding is one of those trendy terms that anyone who buys orange wine, drinks oat milk and owns a high maintenance Spanish hunting dog will know all about.

It doesn't mean not having your roots done, giving up on bikini line maintenance or leaving your chin hair to sprout.

Rewilding is a fashionable term describing the determined campaign by high profile toffs and wealthy landowners to return a large part of our countryside to a fake past, untouched by industry, farming or any kind of maintenance.

They want to create a place where native animals and nature rule, and visits from humans are limited at best. Hunting and shooting is banned and moors and farmland where cattle once grazed are allowed to return to their natural scrubby state.

The movement started out as a hobby for very wealthy property owners who have bought huge estates in isolated parts of the UK.

The largest landowner in Scotland is a Danish billionaire who is busy returning his holdings in the remote Highlands to wilderness areas where you can rent beautifully restored crofters cottages and lodges for luxury breaks.

Other huge rewilding fans are the Goldsmith millionaires, Ben and Zac, pals of Carrie Johnson, who is the PR for millionaire Damian Aspinall's Foundation in Kent.

Aspinall owns Howletts Zoo (he prefers the term 'nature park') where the public can pay 20 to gawp at gorillas and cheetahs who are being reared to eventually return to Africa.

Ben Goldsmith is a rewilding-mad financier who owns 300 acres in the West Country, and wants to return his estate to a 'species-rich scrubby wood', planning to introduce polecats and glow worms.

JANET STREET-PORTER: Other huge rewilding fans are the Goldsmith millionaires, Ben and Zac, pals of Carrie Johnson, who is the PR for millionaire Damian Aspinall's Foundation in Kent (Zac and Carrie pictured left)

Unfortunately, 32 red deer he's already unleashed on the property have escaped, forcing him to apologise to neighbours.

Ben holds a non-executive role as an advisor at Defra, giving him a good chance to bend the ear of government with his rewilding crusade. To be fair he hasn't taken a salary  then again he doesn't need to.

Older brother Zac, a charming man but a failed Tory MP, now sits in the House of Lords as Baron Goldsmith of Richmond Park, personally appointed by Boris, holding the environment brief.

Zac and Ben are old pals of the Prime Minister- they all attended Eton. Last autumn the Prime Minister borrowed the Goldsmith's family house in Spain for a short holiday.

Another rewilding fan is movie star environmentalist Leo DiCaprio, who is spending this week on a billionaire's super-yacht moored off the coast of St Barts (doesn't sound like a very eco-friendly vacation to me).

You might be astonished to discover that a charity which Leo launched last year (Re: Wild) has just managed to scoop a 28,000 grant for 'development assistance' from the British government.

Which seems questionable use of public money, since Mr DiCaprio is worth a reputed 200 million.

The influence of the rewilding movement is growing stronger by the day and it has fans at the highest level of government.

With supermarkets struggling to fill shelves since the pandemic, and with all the extra bureaucracy imported goods have to comply with since Brexit, you might expect the government to back British farmers and increase the amount of food produced within the UK.

Instead, they seem to have been seduced by the trendy rewilders - favouring scrubland and ponds over green fields full of dairy cattle or beef herds.

This week, the government announced it was changing subsidies to farmers (as a result of Brexit), launching two major schemes aiming to create more nature reserves, where plants and animals can flourish.

JANET STREET-PORTER: Ben Goldsmith (pictured) is a rewilding-mad financier who owns 300 acres in the West Country, and wants to return his estate to a 'species-rich scrubby wood', planning to introduce polecats and glow worms

Using existing funding of 28 billion, they want farmers to sign up to 'make space' and plant thousands of trees, open up ditches so that wetlands can flood again, turning fields which previously were used to produce food into empty acreage.

This is called Landscape Recovery, and you might wonder why - when Britain only manages to grow 60 per cent of the food we need (compared to 78 per cent thirty years ago) - farmers are being encouraged to step away from food and turn large parts of the country into glorified theme parks.

Surely farmers go to agricultural college, spending years learning about rearing cattle, understanding how to get the best out of the soil and what crops to grow, because they have pride in their job - which I thought was feeding the nation.

Now, they are being encouraged to apply for government help to actually stop farming and become game wardens. It's a weird world.

As for planting such a huge amount of trees - turning large parts of the country into managed forest has to be approached with caution. I've walked right through the biggest forest in the UK  Kielder - and it's a dispiriting experience.

10 per cent of England is already covered in trees (up from five per cent in the early 1900s) which may not sound much but which is more than at any time since 1300.

The government wants to get it up to 12 per cent by 2060 which will be more trees than England has had since the Sheriff of Nottingham was chasing Robin Hood around Sherwood Forest in 1200 AD.

If more forestry is planted, will the public have access? Should public money be used for schemes which might be on private land?

And shouldn't the government do more to protect farmland and forestry by refusing to allow unrestricted housing development on rural sites?

Instead, every small town in England is becoming surrounded by building sites churning out identikit estates of noddyland housing on land which once produced food. Meanwhile, town centres are full of vacant sites and unused buildings.

JANET STREET-PORTER: The influence of the rewilding movement is growing stronger by the day and it has fans at the highest level of government (Pictured: A rewilding project in the Scottish Highlands)

Many government policy choices have already desecrated our precious landscape.

The British countryside is scarred with hideous wind turbines which ruin some of our most iconic views, emitting horrible noises and scaring birds.

These turbines are anchored in concrete pads, which don't seem very environmentally acceptable.

Thousands of acres lush green pasture are being turned into hideous 'solar farms' - instead of contented livestock, serried ranks of ugly panels sit there in mute lines, adding absolutely nothing to the landscape.

Are we so committed to renewable energy that we're prepared to ruin our gorgeous landscape with these energy factories? The government says it wants to protect 30 per cent of all land for nature by 2030. But what does that really mean?

As a former President of the Ramblers, the last Big Ideas I want to see are rewilding schemes shutting out walkers.

Near my house in Norfolk, a local landowner has denied access to a beautiful lake. Signs proudly announce the area is being 'rewilded' with animals which could be dangerous, so he's erected miles of fencing and locked the gates.

When landowners start introducing wild boar (or some breeds of pigs), walkers are best advised to steer clear. I should know, having reared a pair for a TV series a few years ago.

Thousands of wild boar - intelligent and sneaky animals - have already escaped from secure pens in many parts of England, where they cause havoc in woodland and are dangerous if cornered.

The best custodians of our countryside are farmers, all the evidence exists that government interference usually results in devastation and destruction.
Theres a knack to playing a real person, and Jeremy Irons believes the key is not to act but to become a version of that character.

He won an Oscar for his portrayal of socialite Claus von Bulow, whose conviction for attempting to murder his wife was overturned in 1985, in Reversal Of Fortune, and hes uncanny in his new role as Neville Chamberlain in the film Munich: The Edge Of War, based on Robert Harriss novel about the infamous Munich Agreement.

Jeremy not only looks like the former British prime minister, but has also imbued himself with the stiffness of a man wearing the bruises of a previous war who has to make the toughest of calls when faced with Adolf Hitler. You dont want the acting to show, a bit like a knicker line, drawls Jeremy, smiling as he enjoys his analogy.

New film Munich: The Edge Of War, is based on Robert Harris's novel about the infamous Munich Agreement. Pictured: Jeremy Irons as Chamberlain arriving in Munich in the film

You know, well you assume, that someone is wearing knickers, but you dont want to see the line under the skirt. In the same way, you mustnt let the acting get in the way of becoming another person.

'You have to fill yourself up with them. Get the look right, do the research and stop worrying, just hope that you will succeed.

And succeed he does, with a portrayal that shows us a very human side of one of the most controversial prime ministers of the last century.

He was slightly Edwardian, and I thought I could play somebody who seems a little old-fashioned because I probably seem a little old-fashioned to the youngsters, laughs Jeremy, 73, sporting bright red shoes and a cravat today as he nestles in an armchair at a London hotel.

Jeremy Irons portrays Neville Chamberlain (pictured), who attempts to dissuade Hitler from starting a war

THE DAY HITLER KISSED MY GRANDMOTHER German actor Jannis Niewohner, 29, takes on the role of Paul von Hartmann (pictured) All the German characters in the film are played by German actors, with Jannis Niewohner, 29, taking on the role of Paul von Hartmann, a diplomat who initially admires Hitler for bringing back German pride after the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles. Janniss grandmother and her family actually met Hitler. She suddenly told us all about it about five years ago, he reveals. Even my father never knew this story. My grandmother was from the Sudeten, her family were German speakers and the land was part of Germany until the Treaty of Versailles. Her father was a famous poet who felt that Czechoslovakia should give it back to Germany, and the family got an invitation to go and meet Hitler at his mansion in Bavaria. 'She talked about how her little sister was a bit overwhelmed but she wasnt scared, and then she finished her story with, Hitler kissed my forehead and said he would get us home. Everyone just sat there in shock. Advertisement

Jeremy spent months growing a bushy Chamberlain moustache and had his hair coloured to replicate the mans salt and pepper look. But it was getting inside what it must have been like to be the PM, facing a tyrant like Hitler just two decades after the last war with Germany, that Jeremy believes was key to the character.

The last war had ended 20 years ago and when I think back to my 50s  20 years ago  it seems like yesterday. Thats how it must have felt to Chamberlain. So of course he would do everything in his power not to go to war.

But for Jeremy that doesnt mean that appeasement  a word thats come to mean cravenly giving in to monsters  should be seen as wholly evil.

The film shows Chamberlain struggling with how to restrain an ambitious German leader who wants to invade Czechoslovakia and annex the militarily important Sudetenland, which had previously been German territory.

HOPING AGAINST HOPE Jessica Brown Findlay, who found fame as Lady Sybil in Downton Abbey, plays diplomat Hugh's wife Pamela Legat (pictured) Jessica Brown Findlay, who found fame as Lady Sybil in Downton Abbey, believes Pamela Legat, her character in the film, epitomises what most of Britain was feeling. Pamela is diplomat Hughs wife, but he isnt allowed to tell her whats really going on. Shes an intelligent woman but shes hanging on to the possibility that war can be averted, says Jessica, 32. Her Downton character became a nurse in the First World War, and Jessica says she can understand why a generation that had already experienced conflict was so keen to avoid it again. A haunting energy like that wouldnt leave a society quickly and so it must have felt horrendous, the idea that something like that could happen again. Advertisement

It focuses on Chamberlains third and most famous attempt to dissuade Hitler from starting a war  even as sandbags were being set up all over London and gas masks were being handed out.

Much of the action comes via a fictional spy element, with former Oxford University friends Hugh Legat (George MacKay) and German Paul von Hartmann (Jannis Niewohner), now diplomats for their countries, both trying to ensure Chamberlain realises Hitlers ambitions will not stop.

The Munich Agreement, signed by Britain, Germany, France and Italy in September 1938, allowed for Hitlers ambitions over the Sudetenland to succeed  no Czechs were at the table.

Chamberlain also returned to Britain with a piece of paper signed by Hitler which stated the Munich Agreement was symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war again.

We all know what happened next. Within a year Hitler had invaded Poland, and Britain and Germany went to war. The film shows the gulf in the way the British public saw things in 1938.

There were crowds, grateful there would not be another war, cheering Chamberlain, while others understood that the Munich Agreement, described by Winston Churchill as a total and unmitigated defeat, was only a stop-gap.

I knew Chamberlain mainly for his reputation as an appeaser  the man who was fooled by Hitler  but what I discovered from Roberts book was the true situation in 1938, says Jeremy.

What he was up against, where hed come from and the knowledge of all that had been lost in the previous war. Its important to challenge the modern perception and view the world as it was then, without knowing about the Holocaust or that wed win.

For bestselling author Robert, who hand-picked his friend Jeremy to play Chamberlain because he believed that as well as sharing a look they both had gravitas, reappraising Chamberlain had been a passion project before he wrote his book in 2016.

Appeasement will never cease to be a dirty word because it failed, he says.

Thats because it was doing a deal with a man who turned out to be a psychopath. But the process of appeasement goes on all the time. The Northern Ireland peace process was a kind of appeasement. But because that worked, we applaud it.

SEAT-OF -THE-PANTS ACTING! Jeremy felt like Chamberlain (pictured) when he was thrown into making a speech he'd barely had time to learn Jeremy Irons says that the point at which he felt most like Chamberlain was when he was thrown into making a speech hed barely had time to learn because the producers suddenly decided to insert a scene. Theres this impassioned speech in the film where hes talking until hes interrupted with the news that Hitler has agreed to have a meeting. I had a high-octane couple of hours trying to learn this speech thinking, Gird your loins boy, youve got to earn your money here. It sort of worked. 'It looks as emotional as I felt, so Im pleased we got away with it. My wife is always criticising me for lack of preparation, but I like nothing more than that seat-of-the-pants acting. Advertisement

The reason Britain was able to survive in 1940 and go on was because Chamberlain ordered the provision of armaments and Spitfires, and bolstered the Navy after Munich, adds Robert, 64. The agreement also provided the moral force he needed to go to war; hed gone the extra mile and done everything for peace.

I think Chamberlain has had a thin deal. Appeasement was originally popular. When he came back from Munich, thousands lined The Mall to see him and he went on to the balcony at Buckingham Palace with the king and queen.

'No prime minister has ever been so feted, and then seen it all turn to dust and ashes. For me, that makes him a tragic hero.

George MacKay, 29, who appeared in Sam Mendess Great War film 1917 and plays diplomat Hugh Legat here, believes compromise is sorely undervalued today.

HISTORY IN THE CARPET The production company had to seek permission to use huge swastika banners to recreate what Germany would've looked liked. Pictured: Hitlers main office in Munich, where the Agreement was signed The movie was filmed in both the UK and Germany, including at the Fuhrerbau, Hitlers main office in Munich, where the Agreement was signed. Permission had to be granted for the production company to use huge swastika banners to recreate what it would have looked like at the time because the emblem is banned in Germany. To be at the place where it was signed was extraordinary, says George MacKay, who plays diplomat Hugh Legat. You think about what those walls have seen, the history in the carpet. Advertisement

What I love about the story is that it felt relevant to where we are politically now. You know that things are changing in the world but how do you take action? With activism? With legislation? Do you hope the system will look after it for you?

As I get older, I think compromise is more important. Debates have become so polarised that in trying to understand the other sides point of view youre deemed to be on the other side.

'With the character of Chamberlain we have a leader with integrity who is also fallible and he compromises. He failed, but perhaps he didnt fail as wholly as history has painted.

NEWSREELS WITH A STIFF UPPER LIP Director Christian Schwochow, a German who has directed episodes of The Crown, created a huge website with films, colourised images, books, diaries and audio tapes for the whole cast to use as part of their research. It was interesting listening to the newsreels from that time because there was this sense of optimism. You get a sense of that stiff upper lip, says Jessica Brown Findlay. There was an attitude of, We need to get this sorted out, which is really interesting knowing what happened next. Advertisement

Munich: The Edge Of War is in cinemas now and on Netflix from 21 January.
Dragons' Den's new entrepreneur Steven Bartlett has come in all guns blazing and taken on the show's veteran investors in an explosive debut.

Social media marketing CEO Steven, who at just 29 is the youngest Dragon the programme has ever seen, was praised by viewers after he 'asserted his authority' by undercutting Peter Jones, 55, and accusing him of 'sucking the blood' out of a business, before winning the investment from the established businessman.

Meanwhile a clip from an upcoming episode reveals how Steven becomes embroiled in a heated on-air clash with Touker Suleyman, 68, over a potential investment, with the two men shouting and pointing at each other.

Fashion retail entrepreneur Touker, who is thought to be worth 200million, was seen yelling: 'I'm telling you exactly what I think.' And, refusing to back down, Social media CEO Steven hit back: 'And I'm telling you what I think.'

Among the budding business minds was former financier Edward Hancock who sank 720,000 of his own cash into his cheese subscription business, described as the 'Vivino for cheese', and his Chief Operating Officer Richard Simpson.

Steven has been praised after his 'ruthless undercut' of Peter Jones - who asked for a huge 20 per cent of a business described as 'Vivino for cheese' on Thursday night's episode

Dragon's Den's latest entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, 29, is the founder and former CEO of The Social Chain, a social media marketing agency and the BBC One show's youngest ever Dragon

Peter Jones, who was initially dismissive of the company's valuation, made an offer of all 150,000 for 20 per cent of the business

Fuming! Steven - who is the youngest Dragon the programme has ever see - was made his mark as he became embroiled in a huge on-air row when he clashed with seasoned Dragon Touker (pictured)

It's back! Dragons' Den returned on Thursday with Peter Jones, 55, Deborah Meaden, 62, Touker Suleyman, 68, and Sara Davies, 37, on the panel with newcomer Steven Bartlett, 29

Steven accused Peter, 55, of 'sucking the blood' out of the business after he offered to invest 150,000 in the company for a whopping 20 per cent share, before jumping in himself with a 'fair' deal of 7.5 per cent.

Social media CEO Steven, who in his book described himself as a 'broke, lonely, insecure university drop-out from a bankrupt family' before founding his multi-million pound business, was praised by viewers for 'stamping his authority' on the panel.

'How good was @SteveBartlettSC on #DragonsDen tonight!! Great feedback & constructive criticismnot to mention the ruthless undercut of Peter Jones!!', wrote one viewer.

'Brilliant watching Steven Bartlett on Dragons Den tonight. Stamped his authority and carries an aura from minute 1. My Business inspiration', said another.

'The addition of @SteveBartlettSC on #DragonsDen will most certainly catch the attention of young & aspiring #entrepreneurs. Brilliant role model!', commented a third.

Social media CEO Steven, who described himself as a 'broke, lonely, insecure university drop-out from a bankrupt family' before founding his multi-million pound business, was praised by viewers for 'stamping his authority' on the panel

The London-based chese entrepreneurs appeared on the show with their business, The Modern Cheesemonger, looking looking for 150,000 for three per cent share of the business.

Described as the 'Viveno of cheese', the idea of the business is creating personalised subscription boxes of British cheese using a mobile app which provides bios off cheeses and lets users rate their favourites.

After investing a massive 720,000 of his own savings from a career in finance, Edwards' business turned over 96,000 in their first year, followed by 280,000 and 1.54million in year three - however were yet to show a large profit.

Explaining the appeal of the app, Richard said: 'For me I would start with the technology, it holds all our cheese universe. We have hundreds of cheeses and profiles on all of it and our customer data feeds into it and works its magic and spits out the five cheeses perfect for that person.

Among the budding business minds was former financier Edward Hancock (right) who sank 720,000 of his own cash into his cheese subscription business and his Chief Operating Officer Richard Simpson

Described as the 'Viveno of cheese', Edward explained the idea of the business is creating personalised subscription boxes of British cheese using a mobile app which provides bios off cheeses and lets users rate their favourites

'Then customers rate their cheese and that influences what they get in future boxes so their subscription becomes more and more personalised'.

After being quizzed by Deborah, the pair revealed their business - which also had a 700,000 from other investors - have no huge dairy farms on their books and do not sell cheese which hasn't come from grass fed cows.

Despite fears about their supply chain, all but two investors made an offer on the business - with Deborah admitting she has 'big issues' in the milk industry and would struggle to cooperate with suppliers.

Peter Jones, who was initially dismissive of the company's valuation, made an offer of all 150,000 for 20 per cent of the business.

However Steven - who is an investor in Vivino - offered all of the money for 7.5 per cent of the business, adding: 'I'm not going to suck the blood out of you like Peter just did.

Bartlett replaced Tej Lalvani on the latest series of Dragon's Den, which arrived back on screens on January 6th; the CEO of social media marketing agency The Social Chain is worth 300 million

'I'm going to offer you all of the money for 7.5 per cent of your business because I think that's fair.'

After Steven sweetened the deal by offering to drop down five per cent if his money was returned within 24 months, the pair chose to partner up with the Dragon- adding the investor has 'really obvious advantages'.

The social media entrepreneur also clashed with fashion retail guru Touker, who is thought to be worth 200million in a series of clips previewing what viewers could expect from the 19th series of the show.

The heated exchange saw Touker ask: 'What do you know about business?' to which Steven responded: 'I've built a 300 million pound business at 28 years old.'

Next to take on the Dragons was Ola Goldsmith, from Nuneaton, founded Naked Weave in 2019 after seven years of working in the beauty industry appeared on the programme asking for 70,000 in return for 15 per cent of the business.

Her product was training sessions for hair technicians to master her discreet weave extensions - one of the most cost efficient form of adding extensions.

'Having kids was an eye opener', she said. 'I felt guilty for going to work I felt guilty for not going back to work I didn't realise you could do it both, be a bad ass business woman and a mother.

'To get investment today, the main thing it would mean is someone believes in my business as much as me, so that would be amazing'.

Next to take on the Dragons was Ola Goldsmith, from Nuneaton, founded Naked Weave in 2019 after seven years of working in the beauty industry appeared on the programme asking for 70,000 in return for 15 per cent of the business

Her product was training sessions for hair technicians to master her discreet weave extensions - one of the most cost efficient form of adding extensions

After enquiries from Deborah, she revealed that it's the technique she was selling rather than a product itself, with a course priced at 450.

She revealed the company had turned over 192,000 in their second year, with a gross profit of 104,000 and net profit of 36,000

Despite her impressive figures, the Dragons became sceptical of how sustainable her business model was, with Steven questioning how the business would survive should someone else begin teaching the method once learning.

After Ola said there are around 1000 hair technicians in the UK, he pointed out that the market is limited and even if every single one in the country took her session, it would only add up to 400,000.

However then Ola backtracked, insisting there were as many as 50,000 hair techs in the UK - soon admitting that there was 'limited information' about how many there actually are.

After revealing that she wants to expand into selling her own hair eventually, which would prove more profitable than selling the installation technique, the Dragons asked why she hadn't already taken the plunge with a bank loan.

The next contestant was Sarah Gleave, who was after 30,000 for five per cent in her anti-theft dog walking lead business, Meg Health Dog Leads

'The only thing holding me back is I'd just be nervous', she said. 'I don't want to owe loads of money'.

When asked why she wanted investment from the Dragons, Ola said: 'I am on my own in this business, I just want someone else to believe in me and come with my on the journey a little bit.'

Despite some of Dragons keen on the idea of selling Ola's product, they felt the brand was not established enough to launch a product - and so none decided to invest.

The next contestant was Sarah Gleave, who was after 30,000 for five per cent in her anti-theft dog walking lead business, Meg Health Dog Leads.

The leads have a wire core which is scissor and knife proof and provides an 'anti-snatch' handle which allows owners to make the handle tight on their wrists as they walk.

However the Dragons weren't a fan of Sarah's product, with Peter pointing out there could be an element of risk by attaching yourself to the dog if a thief were to come and steal the animal.

Scottish businessman Grant Bruce showed the Dragons his gizmo, a magnetic miniature flashlight which attaches to your keyring, as part of his business that makes convenient accessories

After being grilled on her numbers, Sarah wasn't able to tell the Dragons how much profit she was expecting to make the following year and left the pitch with no investment.

Next was Scottish businessman Grant Bruce who showed the Dragons his gizmo, a magnetic miniature flashlight which attaches to your keyring, as part of his business that makes convenient accessories.

He was selling the mini-torches for 23 each on Amazon and was after 40,000 for 20 per cent of the company.

While Peter felt the product was well-designed, Steven didn't feel there was much of a target market for the torch as the majority of people would simply use the torch on their smart phone.

Reading-based Chang Liu, who wants to follow in the footsteps of Tesla founder Elon Musk, appeared with a robot which allows those with physical jobs to work remotely asking for an 150,000 investment for five percent of the company, Extend Robotics

Touker agreed the product was credible, but felt it was over priced, while Deborah and Sara didn't feel Grant had offered an investable proposition - and he left with mo deal.

Reading-based Chang Liu, who wants to follow in the footsteps of Tesla founder Elon Musk, appeared with a robot which allows those with physical jobs to work remotely.

The entrepreneur asked for an 150,000 investment for five percent of the company, Extend Robotics.

Explaining his product, he said: 'Technology will replace jobs, but we believe nobody should be left behind and everyone can be part of this revolution.

'Extend Robotics is building an intuitive human-robot interface software to hep people to work remotely by operating robots through an immersive virtual reality interface this way their job can be safer less travel, and even access to global job opportunities.'

Chang explained to Deborah the robot was designed for healthcare, industrial and hospitality purposes and general system and hardware costs around 5,000-6,000.

The company are selling the license for their software and Chang predicted the company would start making money soon, with customers already keen in purchasing the robot.

Due to concerns about entry to the market, the level of the robotics and slow investment return, Touker Steven, Debra and Sara decided not to invest.

However Peter was fascinated by the idea, and offered to invest all of the money for 25 per cent of the business, a deal which Chang accepted.

Dragons Den airs on Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One

Dragon's Den's new entrepreneur, Steven Bartlett, 29, reveals how he went from being a 'broke, lonely drop-out from a bankrupt family' - who tried and failed to pitch on the show at 18 - to amassing a 300M fortune

The new series of Dragon's Den welcomed its youngest ever dragon - a millionaire yet to hit 30, who's written books on how to find success in life and love - when it returned to screens on BBC One this week.

Steven Bartlett, 29, joined Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Sara Davies on the panel of the business reality show, which sees entrepreneurs decide whether to invest or not in ideas pitched to them.

His place in the lair is a far cry from his first brush with the programme, shortly after he dropped out of university ten years ago, when he applied to pitch to the dragons but was turned down.

Describing how he feared he'd never make a success of his life after quitting his course at Manchester Metropolitan University, Bartlett, who's currently single, wrote in his book Happy Sexy Millionaire, which was published earlier this year, that at the time he was a 'broke, lonely, insecure university drop-out from a bankrupt family.'

Steven Bartlett, 29, will replace Tej Lalvani on the latest series of Dragon's Den, which is back on screens on January 6th; the CEO of social media marketing agency The Social Chain is worth 300 million

The businessman, who admits he felt like a 'broke, lonely drop-out' after quitting university aged 18 will join, from left, Touker Suleyman, Sara Davies, Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones on the latest series

Bartlett, now CEO of social media marketing agency The Social Chain - currently valued at 300million - was officially be anointed as a new dragon when the new series aired on January 6th.

Tweeting last week, Bartlett, who set up his company from his Manchester bedroom after dropping out of university at 22, wrote: '10 years ago at 18 years old, I applied to pitch to the Dragons. 10 years later at 28 years old I have the honour of sitting amongst them.'

The young entrepreneur, born in Botswana and brought up in Plymouth, has replaced Tej Lalvani, 46, on the show. After quitting university, he started Wallpark, a platform for students before setting up Social Chain and Media Chain - brands that have worked with names including Apple, Amazon and Coca-Cola.

Ahead of filming, he told BBC Radio 1Xtras If You Dont Know podcast, that he was determined to join the panel as there 'has not been a young, black man on the show' and he wanted to be a role model for others.

He said: 'Much of the reason for me wanting to be a Dragon and wanting to do the show is because I know the show is a big platform and I am not represented on that show as an entrepreneur. There's not been a young, black man on that show.

'I feel like I have a responsibility to do this because it will show 12-year-old Steve, or other 12 year old Steve's, that they too can be business people.

The new series sees the young businessman unafraid to voice his opinions, leading co-dragon Touker Suleyman to ask 'what do you know about business?'

The new dragon pictured during filming of the latest series - the 19th - of Dragon's Den

Read all about it: Steven is also driven by a desire to appeal to the 'underrepresented' and encourage and enable people to thrive in the business world

'To see someone like me on the show as well that's not going to wear a suit, and that is into all the same things you're into - like hip-hop music, jollof rice, Manchester United and whatever else it is - I think is an enabler.

'Because role models are most powerful when you can relate to the path they've walked.

Steven is also driven by a desire to appeal to the 'underrepresented' and encourage and enable people to thrive in the business world.

He said: 'If you type in "CEO" on Google, what you see is white men in suits. I'm not against white men in suits, but I am against leaving talent off the field because they don't feel included.

'And so by being a black man in a snapback, I will appeal to other black men, and women, in snapbacks. Or anybody that comes from an underrepresented background, and I will let them know that they can sit at the table.

Inspiring: Speaking on BBC Radio 1Xtras If You Dont Know podcast, Botswana-born Steven said he was determined to join the panel as there 'has not been a young, black man on the show' and he wanted to be a role model for others

Bartlett, pictured on This Morning earlier this year, says his success is down to a positive confidence cycle - where trying something new propels you to keep going. He said: 'What's happened with me since I was very young, is my self belief has compounded positively upwards. I tried something, "omg I did it, and didn't die! I'm gonna try something else".

'That's why I felt a sense of responsibility. It felt like this wasn't really about me, it was about enabling a lot of people like me.

'You don't have to wear a suit, you don't have to pretend to be someone else, you can just be yourself and sit there.

'I've never worn a suit in business. There's not been a day at Social Chain where I wore a suit, not one day in almost a decade, where I went to a meeting, a pitch, to meet an investor, where I wore a suit.

'So why would I then change for TV? I'm trying to represent the real modern world of business and the real world of entrepreneurs and that's not suited and booted for the majority.

'It's the internet, social media, it's wearing whatever you want. Right now it's like working at home. Imagining going on Dragon's Den wearing a suit when 80% of the world are remote working in their boxer shorts.'

Discussing his age and going onto the panel alongside fellow older multi-millionaires Touker Suleyman, 67, Sara Davies, 37, Deborah Meaden, 62, and Peter Jones, 55, he said: 'The other thing with going on that show, especially with the age component, is to feel "happy to be here".

'There is such a thing as respecting an opportunity more than you respect yourself. People do that when they get jobs and they don't speak up, or they just want to blend in.

Goodbye: Former dragon Tej Lalvani announced in January that he would not be returning for the show's 19th season and stepped away from the Den following a four-year stint. Right: the young pretender; Steven Bartlett will take his place in the 19th series

'It's like "happy to be here syndrome" - where you never saw yourself this high, so you're just trying to hold on to it. Whereas if you saw yourself higher, when you get there you're still striving, you don't feel like you've punched above your weight.

'You can have "happy to be here syndrome" where you just wanna, you don't wanna do anything that might risk the position you've reached. And you're just holding on thinking "oh my god I can't believe I'm here".

'And that comes from the immigrant mindset and also, me not seeing another Dragon like me on the show, is going to give me a bit of "happy to be here syndrome". And I know that I've got to counteract that.

Steven also gave his tips for succeeding in business, citing the importance of 'quitting' before taking a leap of faith.

Dragons' Den has been delivering high-stakes TV drama since 2005 and for its 18th series moved from BBC2 to BBC1

He said: 'Everyone glamourises starting... but you usually have to quit something before you start. The quitting part is actually the really hard part. Letting go of the branch and falling is much harder than grabbing on to a branch for me.

'People don't talk about the art of quitting and how pivotal that will be, probably even more important for you to become a success.

'Everyone says this in my DMs. It's like "I just don't know where to start". And the truth is, that is a mental Mount Everest that we choose to put in front of ourselves. Today, instead of trying to move Mount Everest, pick up one stone and move it out the way. Think of the name of your business today.

'There's not a perfect place to start - in fact when you're starting a business you have a list of 100 things that need to be done now. When you're starting you have name, website, etc... all at the same time. So just pick one of them and make a start on that today. That is the truth. You just need to start.'

'What's happened with me since I was very young, is my self belief has compounded positively upwards. I tried something, "omg I did it, and didn't die! I'm gonna try something else". And when you get in that positive confidence cycle... then you get to a point where you start to believe there's not many things you can't do.

'Not taking life too seriously is one of the most important coping mechanisms anyone can have when you go into a high, intense, chaotic situation.

The BBC show sees budding entrepreneurs given three minutes to pitch their ideas to five multi-millionaires in the hope of securing financial backing.

This year Steven released a book titled Happy Sexy Millionaire and he also hosts a podcast called The Diary Of A CEO. Steven said he is 'honoured' to be appearing on a show he has watched since he was just 12, Metro reports.

Tej announced in January that he would not be returning for the show's 19th season, and would be stepping away after four years on board.

Tej, who serves as CEO of the UK's largest vitamin company Vitabiotics and has an estimated net worth of 390million according to the Sunday Times Rich List, joined the show in 2017.

He said of his decision: 'I'm truly excited for the upcoming series of Dragons' Den, which looks set to be one of the best.

'However after an incredibly enjoyable four years as a Dragon I have decided that this next series will be my last.

'My commitment to the international growth and expansion of my core business and the numerous investments over the years sadly means I will be unable to dedicate the necessary time moving forward.'

Dragons' Den has been delivering high-stakes TV drama since 2005 and for its 18th series moved from BBC2 to BBC1.

The last series was filmed in 2020 after the introduction of fresh guidelines allowing TV production to resume during the pandemic.
From navy blue kitchens and bathrooms to curved ceilings and dedicated 'peace zones', the top home design trends for 2022 have been revealed by an industry expert.

Houzz Australia has predicted how people will be designing their houses and the six hottest trends set to take off this year using search insights from its community of homeowners, home-design enthusiasts and professionals.

Vanessa Walker, editor of Houzz New Zealand and Australia said Australians and New Zealanders will embrace preppy-pastel tones in their living and bedrooms while opting for darker hues in the kitchen and bathrooms.

From navy blue kitchens and bathrooms, curved ceilings, and dedicated 'peace zones', the top home design trends for 2022 has been revealed by an industry expert

'Well see homeowners prioritising quality over quantity with homes optimised with mindfulness taking form in dedicated pause zones and interior features will continue to breathe into organic shapes,' she said.

'Looking at the future of Australian design in 2022, professionals on Houzz predict homes will require creativity in adaptable spaces to meet todays changing household dynamics.'

1. Preppy pastels

The on-trend palettes designers on Houzz say the most fashion-forward homes will embrace a phrase called 'eighties meets cottage-core.

The eighties element introduces pastel brights with summery tones in the form of pinks, yellows, browns and blues in organic patterns and free-form shapes.

While cottage-core references the nostalgic romance of agricultural life, it is an aesthetic that celebrates the devotion of manual skills and handmade crafts.

This trend will be making its mark on decor in 2022 with vintage style furniture, personalised neon, wallpaper, and natural fabrics.

The on-trend palettes designers on Houzz say the most fashion-forward homes will embrace a phrase called 'eighties meets cottage-core

2. Navy blue

Australia's ongoing love for darker sober colour classics, saw navy blue inspired searches on Houzz rise by 735% from the previous year.

Pros on Houzz foresee kitchens and bathrooms will take on this whimsical hue as a deeper dive into Houzz search terms showed a significant interest for navy blue island bench and navy blue bathrooms, jump up by 435% and 875% respectively.

A colour rich, bold, and reminiscent of the oceans soothing qualities has earned a name for itself in 2022 interiors.

Australia's ongoing love for darker sober colour classics, saw navy blue inspired searches on Houzz rise by 735% from the previous year

3. Curved craftsmanship

A source of inspiration well continue to see evolve is curved craftsmanship.

Curves first arrived in Australian homes within the Houzz community, with scalloped furniture and rounded kitchen island finishes.

In 2022, well see curves migrating into fitted home fixtures, so expect curves to take shape in glazing, walls and archways.

Where possible, more organically shaped staircases will replace linear styles, with searches on Houzz for curved staircases seeing an uptick of 735% from last year.

A source of inspiration well continue to see evolve is curved craftsmanship

4. Mindfulness and pause zones

Making waves in homes is the rise of dedicated zones that centre moments of mindfulness, pause, and privacy.

Recent Houzz emerging search trends fireplaces (up by 298%), bay windows (up by 296%) and sunrooms (up by 138%) surged in popularity over the last year, which tells us homeowners in 2022 will be looking to create appealing spots to provide joy and relief throughout the day

Making waves in homes is the rise of dedicated zones that centre moments of mindfulness, pause, and privacy

5. Alternative and adaptable doors

In the coming years, say hello to alternative and adaptable doors moving away from their swinging predecessor.

Well see more inventive ways to open up and close off rooms, such as sliding modern barn doors, which recorded a huge leap on Houzz this year, up by 529%.

Talking about an entrance with style topped up on Houzz, with searches for front door inspiration experiencing a 666% year-on-year upswing.

For 2022, this trend is all about claiming street appeal envy.

In the coming years, say hello to alternative and adaptable doors moving away from their swinging predecessor

6. Entangled design

As it has become increasingly important for our homes to take on multiple roles, well see a shift of spaces entangling over.

Entangled design focuses on the quality of spaces, that are adaptable to different activities, such as business and pleasure.

In the Houzz community, working from home practices have already inspired the entanglement of office workspaces in bedrooms, kitchens and living areas, rooms that otherwise had a single function.

On the cards for next coming years, pros forecast well see more clever design solutions integrated into unused or void areas, given purpose to accommodate contemporary living comforts and amenities.
The world of online dating is difficult to navigate for everyone, but these hapless daters took it to the next level with their hilariously awkward messages.

Ruin My Week rounded up a selection of toe-curling exchanges sent between people looking for love in the UK and US on dating apps, Instagram and Facebook.

Among the messages were some people who just didn't know when to quit, bombarding the recipient with unwanted declarations of love.

One prospective date revealed that he already had a girlfriend, and another shared some creepy world views.

Here FEMAIL rounds up the most hilariously awkward dating app messages ever...

Gross! One man simply took it too far with his opening messages, prompting an emoji-filled response from the woman he was messaging

Stuck in the dark ages: This woman was scared by a man's terrifying world views

If at first you don't succeed: Again, while some people may enjoy engaging with general trivia, it's often not the most effective opening message after matching on a dating app

The other woman! At least this person was honest. And that is about the only positive thing that can be said that can be said about this brief interchange

Ouch! This date doesn't sound like it's off to a good start, with one party admitting they prefer taller guys, and the guy being incredibly rude

A+ for effort? They say perseverance is a good thing, but when it comes to dating, it's really not. This texter should have known when to quit

No wonder he's single: Sometimes it seems like people need to work on themselves and their anger issues before they are really ready to get into a relationship

Ew! Maybe he should have opened with something a little more conventional. Like 'hi'

Someone let his girlfriend know! This guy seems like a real gem. His current partner must be over the moon to be a relationship with such a gent
I love them, says Liz Jones

Wearing a bodycon dress is like being in a very close relationship with a boa constrictor. The moment I saw sausage-skin bodycon back on the catwalk, I breathed a sigh of relief.

That said, it wasn't a deep breath  they're too tight for that. If you ever read that I've donated a kidney, it won't have been for altruistic reasons  it'll just be because I needed to make space.

Its return heralds the death of the tea dress  the passive-aggressive floaty number that hides a harridan who minds if you put a dirty teaspoon on her ironed tablecloth.

Bodycons and skyscraper heels are everywhere on the new series of The Apprentice. Does that mean these ambitious young wannabes are using sex appeal to get ahead?

Well, kind of. They know Lord Sugar would think a woman dressed in something floaty is in possession of an equally soft brain. You'd never catch Sugar's sidekick, Karren Brady, in anything that's not organ-hugging.

My first bodycon was bought in the very early 1980s. It was by that master of the art Azzedine Alaia  black, with a texture like crepe paper and it cost just short of 800, my entire student grant, writes Liz Jones (pictured)

Like The Apprentice contestants, I am just not a wafty sort of person. I don't want to float. In a bodycon, you strive, you dive and, as Meghan Markle would say, you thrive  and that's much more my style.

My first bodycon was bought in the very early 1980s. It was by that master of the art Azzedine Alaia  black, with a texture like crepe paper and it cost just short of 800, my entire student grant.

It had a kick like a pony at the knee, with a teeny diagonal zip, and it was very, very difficult to get on. The process made me sweat, and I often put my head through the armhole by mistake but, once on, it always got me noticed.

I felt contained and confident, as though I was being hugged by a very forgiving friend. Bodycon holds you in and shores you up. It makes you stand tall even when you might be down in the dumps.

Since then, I have dallied with a slip and toyed with an A-line, but I have always returned to the bodycon: a pupa by Prada, a gut-gripper from Gucci.

Always designer, as only expensive fabric will constrain like a corset no matter if, like me, you have a stress-fat tummy induced by the price tags.

Charlotte Hawkins is pictured left while Sarah Jessica Parker are both pictured in bodycon

In the mid 1980s, Herve Leger  the firm started by French designer Herve Peugnet  picked up the baton from Alaia, fashioning garments from strips of knitted fabric, a technique formerly used in corsetry.

While Herve parted company with the original firm, and has since died, the brand that bears his name still specialises in bodycon.

And it was a show-stopping Herve Leger pink bandage dress  it cost nearly a grand, so you can't afford food, which is just as well  that I chose as my 're-entry' outfit post-lockdown for a hot date, after what seemed like a decade without anywhere glamorous to go and a two-year sex drought.

If the man in your life has gone off the boil in the bedroom, this is what you need to do the trick. He can peel you like a banana.

These are clothes for grown-up women who mean business. Designers have finally got the message that the main function of a dress is not to make us look like little girls or, God forbid, comfy. I think we've all had enough of Covid comfy. And you don't have to be thin to rock a bodycon. In fact, I think it looks better with curves  just look at Kim Kardashian. These dresses shout: 'I'm not ashamed of my body. I'm not covering it up in a sack.'

The bodycon isn't like a bikini. If it's made well, with thick elastane or crepe threaded with Lycra, and reinforced at the seams  Herve Leger is like a straitjacket, even Hannibal Lecter couldn't escape  it will tame your wobbly bits. You will be hard, as sleek as an otter, as impervious as a deep-sea diver.

Some more recent iterations have messed with the formula, with half-hearted results. I'm not a fan of a bodycon dress with cutouts  the whole point is to contain your flesh.

My most recent bodycon purchase was a nude Victoria Beckham number; VB is queen of the squeeze. Everyone comments on it. It even gives me curves, when I'm naturally quite straight-up-and-down.

And unlike Alaia, since Victoria is a woman, it has a very long zip, so you can get it on without turning contortionist.

I wore it to meet a man in a bar, and his tongue practically lolled out of his mouth. The truth is, bodycon is back because it's sexy. Never mind price per wear, it's price per stare!

I loathe them, says Imogen Edwards-Jones

Oh no, it's back. Just when you thought it was safe to expand on the sofa, crack open another tube of Pringles and, slack-jawed, watch a bit of telly, here comes Lord Sugar's Fembot Army all marching to the same drum, dressed in nude stilettos and pantyhose and the ubiquitous bodycon dress.

What fresh hell is this?

Have we returned to the 1980s? Are we having a collective Jackie Collins flashback? The last time we saw this particular combination was the era of Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, announcing she had a 'head for business and a body for sin'.

Though how anyone can concentrate on tricky figures while holding their breath and sitting bolt upright is beyond me.

I have to say I'm confused. Surely we'd learned by now that no one looks good in a bodycon dress? Full stop.

They cling, they pinch, they squeeze, they suffocate, they are unforgiving.

The pastry breakfast, the baguette lunch, even the smallest packet of peanuts on the way to the party are all writ large for the world to see.

I have to say I'm confused. Surely we'd learned by now that no one looks good in a bodycon dress? Full stop, writes Imogen Edwards-Jones

And don't think that Spanx are your friend in all of this. Yes, they can smooth a stomach and hoick up a behind.

But they can do nothing in the face of a bodycon dress because, much like squeezing a tube of toothpaste, the fat has to go somewhere.

Down the thighs, out the back, up the front or, in my case, over the side as double boob under the armpit.

We know all this  but still we are tempted.

For the bodycon  or shall we just call it The Con?  is really a story of hope over experience.

The Apprentice's Brittany Carter is pictured left while Victoria Beckham is pictured right

I admit that I fell for it in Zara recently. Shimmery. Silver. Sequinned. Short. It was like a siren call from parties past, exuding fun and youth. And I took it home.

What a mistake. Will I ever learn? Thankfully, I tried it on in the comfort of my own bedroom so no one could hear me scream.

Did I look glamorous? Did I look fun? Did I look sexy? Did I hell! I just looked like a chunky, glittered, butcher's choice pork sausage ready for the barbecue.

It makes you long for the frilly frou-frou curtains of last year. The up-to-the-neck, down-to-the-floor, coverall lampshade outfits that allowed us to waft and wander and flop as we liked.

We looked presentable and fragrant and perfectly pretty, while half of us were still wearing our tracksuit bottoms underneath.

Maybe that's the reason for the new Fembot army of Cons? It's the idea of being perfectly put together, having gone to the salon, curled their hair, waxed the legs and slipped into something extremely uncomfortable that makes you so very 2022.

However, the Con should come with an age-appropriate warning. If you can remember Cindy Crawford working the bandage dress, or Demi Moore in Indecent Proposal, then you should step away from the sequinned elastane tube winking at you from the High Street window.

For no matter how super and smashing and svelte your figure might be, you are mutton, my friend. The Con is a young woman's game.

Picture research: Claire Cisotti
Chinese FM elaborates on initiative of peaceful development in Horn of Africa

Xinhua) 14:43, January 07, 2022

MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to propose the "Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa" to support regional countries in addressing security, development and governance challenges, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Thursday.

Wang elaborated on China's views on the current situation in the Horn of Africa when meeting with journalists after holding talks with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo.

The Horn of Africa, albeit with a unique strategic location and great development potential, has in recent years experienced flare-ups of hot issues and eruptions of conflicts and confrontations, which run counter to the interests of the people in the region and have to be stopped, Wang said.

China is willing to propose the initiative to support the region in realizing long-term stability, peace and prosperity, Wang said.

First, the Horn of Africa should strengthen intra-regional dialogue to overcome security challenges, he said.

The countries and people in the region should stay out of the geological competition between major countries, firmly follow the path of unity and self-improvement, and hold the region's fate in their own hands through equal consultation, Wang said.

It is suggested that regional countries hold a peace conference to conduct in-depth discussions, reach political consensus, and coordinate joint actions on this issue, he said.

China is ready to appoint a special envoy for the Horn of Africa affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, to provide necessary support to this process, he added.

Second, the Horn of Africa should accelerate regional revitalization to overcome development challenges, Wang said.

The region should expand and strengthen, and extend to neighboring countries in a timely manner, the two main axes of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway and the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, while accelerating the development along the coasts of the Red Sea and of East Africa, so as to form a development framework of "two axes plus two coastal areas," he said.

The regional countries should also speed up the building of industrial belts and economic belts, create more jobs and promote growth, and enhance capacity for independent development, so as to keep pace with the times, he said.

Third, the Horn of Africa should explore effective ways to overcome governance challenges, Wang said.

China supports the regional countries in seeking development paths that suit their own national conditions, he said, adding that the Horn of Africa should strengthen exchanges on national governance, share with each other useful experience, and break through governance bottlenecks.

The countries in the region should properly handle various ethnic, religious and regional disputes in an African way, and build a united, stable and harmonious environment for development in the Horn of Africa, he said.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a sincere partner of Africa, Wang stressed, China will deepen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Africa's development strategies, take solid steps to advance the "nine programs" put forward at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and make unremitting efforts for and play a constructive role in the peace and development of the Horn of Africa.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Several Democratic lawmakers recalled their traumatic experiences and shared how they managed to survive as a huge group of protesters flocked to the US Capitol last year.

The lawmakers gathered on the House floor after all sessions were canceled to give way to the anniversary of the siege.

Some of the leaders revealed that they saw glass walls breaking and rioters entering the Capitol while hiding under tables and holding on to whatever armor they could hold on to.

Rep. Colin Allred said that he saw the officers inside the US Capitol drawing their guns at the insurrectionists. The officers held the line to ensure that the lawmakers inside the building wouldn't be put in harm's way.

Allred couldn't be more grateful to the officers that risked their lives to save him. And he also said that if not for these officers, he would've never been able to come home to his family.

More specifically, Allred thanked the parents of fallen officer Brian Sicknick, who suffered two strokes following the riot. Sicknick died one day after the siege. Allred acknowledged Sicknick's sacrifice during his emotional speech.

Reps. Sara Jacobs, Dan Kildee share their experiences

Rep. Sara Jacobs shared how she and other lawmakers used makeshift armors like pens and high heels as weapons if the rioters attacked them.

Rep. Dan Kildee is reminded of the Capitol riot daily because he has been keeping a shard of glass inside his pocket since the insurrection took place. He also slammed Donald Trump for whipping up lies and encouraging his supporters to get their hands dirty.

Read Also: Donald Trump Backs Out of Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Anniversary Speech, Says He'll Talk About the Siege on Jan. 15

Rep. Pramila Jayapal slams Donald Trump

Rep. Pramila Jayapal revealed that he was so close to using her cane following a knee replacement surgery to fight back if she was attacked.

"Our democracy is very fragile and the cult of the 'big lie' is still very much in action with the help of the vast majority of our colleagues on the other side. I remember not knowing if I would make it out alive or if our democracy itself would survive...," she said via the Huffington Post.

Only two Republicans participated in the US Capitol vigil

The Capitol riot anniversary also showed an even bigger divide between Democratic and Republican lawmakers. After all, almost no leaders from the Republican party visited the US Capitol on Jan. 6.

According to Business Insider, Rep. Liz Cheney, and her dad, Dick Cheney, were the only two Republicans that attended a moment of silence in the House.

Jayapal also took the opportunity to thank Cheney for her participation in the chamber even though they do not belong to the same party.

When asked why she thinks only a few Republicans attended the anniversary service on Thursday, Cheney said that this reflects where their party is. She also said that the absence of Republicans was very concerning.

According to Al Jazeera, some Republicans that did not attend the moment of silence and prayer vigil in the House also appeared unapologetic about what happened last year.

Matt Gaetz said that Republicans are not ashamed of anything, and they are proud of the work they did on Jan. 6.

Related Article: Republican Party Faces Backlash for Hosting a Capitol Riot Vigil That Would Celebrate Attackers Behind the Siege

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The creative forces behind one of Australia's most in demand fashion brands have revealed which of their best-selling dresses is recut into new colours each season - and what happens when well-known celebrities wear their styles.

Daniel James Waite Romanin and Nikolina Ergic, both in their mid-30s, started One Fell Swoop in February 2005 after meeting while they studied at a fashion college.

'It was clear from the beginning with our European backgrounds, enthusiasm, and work ethic that we would be either fierce competitors or inspiring allies. We luckily fell into the latter and became closely linked creatively,' Daniel told Daily Mail Australia.

The creative forces behind one of Australia's most in demand fashion brands have revealed which of their best-selling dresses is recut into new colours each season

Daniel James Waite Romanin and Nikolina Ergic (pictured), both in their mid-30s, started One Fell Swoop in February 2005 after meeting while they studied at a fashion college

After finishing college the pair hired a cottage in Perth, Western Australia, and began to diffuse their graduate collections into more accessible shapes

After finishing college the pair hired a cottage in Perth, Western Australia, and began to diffuse their graduate collections into more accessible shapes.

'From the beginning we were dedicated in our design practice and made locally,' he said.

'Every piece is draped on a mannequin; our shapes elevate the form of the body and accent the cloth.

'Our designs are about technique and manipulation, not traditional in design, conformist to trends, nor fast fashion to be consumed by the masses. Our ideas are as true today as when we started.'

The brand has had great success selling draped midi dresses, especially the 'Philly dress' (pictured), which is recut every year into new tones

One Fell Swoop garments are made to be timeless keepsakes and effortless to wear, with many of them becoming bridesmaid dresses or featuring in other personal and pivotal events

One Fell Swoop garments are made to be timeless keepsakes and effortless to wear, with many of them becoming bridesmaid dresses or featuring in other personal and pivotal events.

The brand has had great success selling draped midi dresses, especially the 'Philly dress', which is recut every year into new tones.

'It's our longest and best-selling style which we have been selling since 2016 and it was also picked up by the Western Australian Museum for their Innovative and Creativity Progress gallery,' Daniel said.

Their outfits have caught the eye of a number of Australian celebrities, including DJ Tigerlily and Natalie Roser, as well as international makeup conglomerate and new mum Desi Perkins.

Their outfits have caught the eye of a number of Australian celebrities, including DJ Tigerlily (right) and Natalie Roser (left)

'We have had quite a few girls in the last couple of months both in Australia and internationally wearing our designs. As soon as they post we see immediate traffic and sales through our website,' Daniel said.

'After DJ Tigerlilly wore the Gaia Maxi in Fern we saw sales increase by 30 per cent. We had an extensive waitlist once Nat Roser wore the Kiki Mini in Fern, with 20 orders straight away and hundreds of enquiries per day, off the back of her posting.

'The Rapid Wrap top in shell stripe and Paris pant in shell stripe that Desi Perkins wore sold out within minutes and we are releasing the styles again in early February. Our sales were up 60 per cent that day.

'The Rapid Wrap top in shell stripe and Paris pant in shell stripe that Desi Perkins wore sold out within minutes and we are releasing the styles again in early February. Our sales were up 60 per cent that day,' Daniel said

'We get a lot of enquiries from high profile celebrities for bridesmaid dressing also so it's great to see them connecting with our designs for such an important day.'

This year the brand will be focusing on expanding internationally with more work on building its US and European profile.

'We want to continue to reach more celebrities worldwide with our designs and finding new local retailers nationally will also be key, especially now that travel has opened up across the country,' Daniel said.
Julie loved her red shoes. I'd given them to her just before Christmas 2017. They were scarlet and shiny like lipstick, flat, with straps over the instep.

She loved them so much she only took them off when she got into bed.

But this past November, when I spotted those same shoes in a catalogue, I wept.

Because I realised then that I didn't really know Julie. And now I never will. My older sister's gone, taken by Covid last March.

Most sisters have intensely close, if sometimes fraught, relationships. There are jealousies and quarrels but also loyalty and fun.

I envied my friends with this sort of sibling connection because, for most of my life, Julie was a stranger to me.

We might have shared a love of books, floaty dresses, Joni Mitchell and socialist values. Yet we never bonded. And I've never been sadder that we didn't have the chance to be proper sisters.

In the months since her death, I have gone through cycles of deep sorrow, as well as regret, guilt and exasperation. My feelings are partly due to the circumstances that conspired to keep us apart.

Growing up apart: Yasmin and her elder sister Julie

It was our mercurial, irresponsible father who sent Julie to England when I was six  a move that sparked a chain of events that led to many years of separation.

Throughout my childhood there were a host of secrets and lies when it came to Julie. And then, I must confess, in the last two decades I was too immersed in my own career and busy life: I should have tried harder.

Her death has also raised complex emotions about how two daughters from the same family could end up with such different lives.

Why did one daughter  me  flourish, while the other slowly disintegrated? How did I end up with a successful career and, in spite of many family upheavals, manage to find stability and joy, while Julie  beautiful, cultured and clever  never realised her potential and ended her life in a care home after years of mental illness?

Both born and raised in Uganda, we grew up in an Indian family that was economically insecure and full of strife.

My brother Babu and Julie were born a year apart. I arrived 11 years later, by which time the marriage had soured so much you could smell the discord.

My father, a brilliant man, was a loose cannon. When the cash rolled in, he would spend, spend, spend. When it ran out my mother had to take up several jobs so she could feed and educate her three children.

Pictured: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

My earliest memories of my sister are of her showing me off to her friends, teaching me nursery rhymes and how to suck sugar cane sticks.

But in 1956, Papa, in his flush period, sent Julie to boarding school in Poole, Dorset. His favourite child, the weight of expectation was on her young shoulders.

The night before Julie left, our small flat was packed full of people  religious elders, relatives, friends. Women were crying but I remember her looking cool in a lacy black blouse and bored with the fuss. I was sad to see her go but, as a young child, not much else sank in.

Whenever a blue airmail letter arrived from Julie, Papa would proudly read it out aloud. Her pictures were festooned on the walls in our small sitting room. My mother would give glowing reports of her progress to friends at Mosque.

Then one day, about five years later, all her pictures were taken down and my mother changed. She lost weight, listened to sad Bollywood songs and cried. Julie was never mentioned again at home and people in the community stopped asking after her.

I already felt too disconnected from my absent sister to wonder why and was also preoccupied by our chaotic home life.

After years of simmering conflicts and unforgiving silences, I couldn't wait to escape myself, so I worked hard and got the scholarships that enabled me to go to university first in Uganda and later Oxford.

By then my father had not spoken to me for several years. My crime? Playing Juliet in a school production in which Romeo was a black African.

The day I left home for university, he gave me a letter stating I was a floozy who would dishonour the family and come to no good. Distraught, I couldn't understand what had made him write such vile stuff.

It was years until I started to piece together the truth, from talking to a cousin, and I realised his moral panic was triggered by the twists and turns in my sister's life.

Because when I was ten, my sister had fallen pregnant in England. She was about 21 and had embraced the 1960s counterculture. The father didn't hang around. That was why Julie's pictures had been taken down, why my mother had lost her joy. Julie insisted on keeping the child and, as a result, my parents made her move to a lonely cottage to live with a retired health visitor to hide the 'shame'. How hard it must have been for her. I still have no idea how she supported herself.

By coincidence, in 2000 my friend, the actor Corin Redgrave, told me he remembered a gorgeous Indian woman from Uganda, a young mum who'd joined his Workers' Revolutionary Party. That was Julie, going through her radical politics phase in 1968. He also said she was smart and incredibly well-read.

How I wish I'd known the woman he knew. For sadly, my memories are dominated by Julie in later years, often mentally unreachable.

In May 1972, I started a post-grad degree at Oxford. By this time my father had died and my mother, brother and his family had resettled in the UK and reconnected with Julie. Having married an art teacher named Terry in 1969, she had become 'respectable' again.

In the wedding pictures, she looked like a lovely gypsy in a flouncy white blouse and dark skirt.

Terry adopted her smart and pretty young daughter. But I didn't like him. He seemed moody and unstable  and my sister was becoming moody in turn. She would go from being joyful and chatty to withdrawn and prickly.

There was no explanation given for her moods and, in any case, I was swept up in the whirl of university life. I had married my first husband, who was doing his D.Phil at Oxford, and was loving life with him, too.

I didn't really bother with what was going on in my sister's life, there was time enough for that, I thought. We did see each other intermittently at noisy family gatherings where she sometimes seemed adrift and sad. I never asked her why.

I deeply regret my self-obsession and foolish optimism now. In 1988, when my husband left me and my son, I would have liked to turn to my big sister for comfort. But, by that time, she was disappearing into her own head. A lot happened in the years between 1972 and 1988.

After around six years of marriage, Julie left Terry and moved in with Mick, who she'd met through her work as a clerk in a government office. They got married and were happy. Their sunny flat in Bath was full of plants she grew. She knitted, painted still life pictures and socialised with a circle of arty friends.

Pictured: Above, a gaunt Julie in around 2000

I liked them but my mother worried that these mates had got her into drugs. I still don't know if this was true but, at times, Julie did seem out of it and there were some worrying moments. I remember one day when she ripped up old photographs because they were 'covered in ants'. At times she ferociously turned on Mick.

Again, I did not do as much as I should have done to find out what was making her so mentally distressed. Mick didn't share much  now I wish I'd made him.

But I was too busy raising my son and building a career to persist and find some answers, some solutions. And we didn't have the close intimacy or trust that might have allowed me to help. Things only got worse after they moved to South Wales in 2000. We went to see her and she came to us, but it got harder and harder to get through to my sister, who had become totally dependent on Mick.

When our mother died in 2003, Julie was silent all throughout the funeral. After that, she never mentioned her.

Did she harbour resentments against our devoted mother? Was it because she had been so openly proud of my achievements?

I did try to get Julie to talk, but it came to nothing. She would go blank.

Mick, the love of her life, died of cancer in 2010. Julie missed him terribly and became even less communicative than before.

Whatever the illness was, it had her in its grip. I never did find out her diagnosis.

Over several decades, she took a pile of pills every day and they numbed her.

But she didn't explain what they were for and while I did try and find out, I got nowhere.

Some of my biggest regrets are around her final years. From 2011 she lived in a care home in Loughton, Essex, looked after by an exceptionally caring team.

I will never forget the way they made her laugh and persuaded her to eat when she got dangerously thin. They were closer to her than I had ever been.

She would often hold me tight, say she loved me, ask about my children. I used to take her fried cassava chips  her favourite snack. But I didn't go to see her as much as she wanted me to, and I bitterly regret being so caught up in my own life that I didn't try harder to enter her troubled inner world.

The last time we saw her was in January 2020, for her 80th birthday. Shortly after, Covid ripped through the land and visitors were banned.

I tried to explain this to her on the phone, but she was too far gone. All my conversations after that were with her carers.

And then Julie died in March 2021. As an asthmatic, clinically vulnerable to Covid, I watched her small funeral online, listening to the eulogies read out by her grandchildren, including things I'd never known, such as her love of Bob Dylan songs.

That added to the mass of confused feelings I am trying to unravel.

Most of all, I regret not finding out more about her life while she was still there for me to ask. Because there were so many more stories, still to be uncovered.

Six years ago, my sister told me she'd had another child, who'd been adopted. That child, now a woman, came into our lives. I dearly love her.

She'd looked for a long time for her birth mum, who, she'd been told, was a beautiful Indian lady. Mick knew. None of us did. Was this the trigger for the onset of Julie's mental illness?

What makes me sad is that I could never ask my sister about any of this. She was too fragile and withdrawn by then.

So many secrets. So many mysteries. Maybe in another life we'll get to know one another better, but for now how do I grieve?
First Dates viewers took to Twitter to share their excitement after Monty Python star Carol Cleveland made an appearance on the show last night.

The English actress, 78, appeared in 30 of the 45 episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus, as well as all four movies, between 1969 and 1974 and became Britain's pin-up.

But her date got off to an awkward start when her match, Keith, 76, an interior designer from Nottingham, admitted he had never watched the show.

First Dates viewers took to Twitter to share their excitement after Monty Python star Carol Cleveland made an appearance on the show last night

The English actress, 79, appeared in 30 of the 45 episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus, as well as all four movies, between 1969 and 1974 and became Britain's pin-up (seen in 1970)

Taking to Twitter, viewers shared their surprise at seeing the star on the show, with one writing: 'OMG it's Carol Cleveland! #FirstDates #Legend'.

Another added: 'Carol Cleveland!! #FirstDates', while one tweeted: 'Wow a date with the wonderful Carol Cleveland Ok hand #MontyPython #firstdates'.

Referring to her date, another remarked: 'Carol Cleveland is on #FirstDates and she's probably met the only bloke in her age group who never watched Monty Python.'

Entering the First Dates restaurant in London, Carol said: 'I've been waiting a long time for this. I am an incurable romantic, I hope that the man I meet on the date knows how to treat a lady. I love holding hands and I miss that so much.'

Referring to Monty Python as an 'older sister', she added: 'I love being in showbusiness but I feel lonely quite a lot of the time.

Taking to Twitter, viewers shared their surprise at seeing the star on the show, with one writing: 'OMG it's Carol Cleveland! #FirstDates #Legend'. Another added: 'Carol Cleveland!! #FirstDates', while one tweeted: 'Wow a date with the wonderful Carol Cleveland Ok hand #MontyPython #firstdates'.

Carol's date was Keith, 76, an interior designer from Nottingham, with a love for designer clothes and a full head of hair

'I'm looking for a man with a good sense of humour, who dresses nicely and I'd prefer if he has some hair I could put my fingers through.'

Speaking to the bartender Merlin, she admitted: 'There's a bit emptiness so I'm excited - this is my big chance'.

Carol's date was Keith, 76, an interior designer from Nottingham, with a love for designer clothes and a full head of hair.

Carol Cleveland is seen in her pin-up days during the seventies

Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Carol Cleveland, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, John Cleese Monty Python, London - 1970

Seen: Actress Carol Cleveland cycling in hot pants, November 1971

Despite widow Kevin, who lost his wife to cancer six years ago, admitting that he hadn't watched Monty Python, the pair got on well.

After being shown a pin-up picture in 1969, Kevin exclaimed: 'Wow she's glamorous, she looks beautiful!'.

And the pair agreed to see each other again, with Kevin proclaiming that he would even 'drive down from Nottingham' to make it work.

'How could I not want to see you again', Carol says, 'you're just so kind, I had a great time'.

Despite Kevin admitting that he hadn't watched Monty Python, the pair got on like a house on fire

Referring to Monty Python as an 'older sister', she said: 'I love being in showbusiness but I feel lonely quite a lot of the time.

Carol was voted number three in Splendor magazine's '100 Most Beautiful Entertainers' list in 1972 and went on to appear in Only Fools and Horses's 'The Miracle of Peckham' episode, and BBC comedy show 'A Fist of Fun'.

The actress was born in Surrey but moved to America at an early age before appearing as Miss Teen Queen in MAD magazine at 15.

She later returned to London to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

After being married to Peter Bret from 1971 to 1983 she remained single and focused on her career.
Aristocrat India Hicks has paid tribute to her adopted son's birth mother, who passed away in 2010 away after losing her battle with cancer.

India, 51, who was a bridesmaid at Prince Charles' wedding to Diana, adopted Bahamian son Wesley, 25, at the age of 12 following the death of his mother Lynne.

India, who has lived in the Bahamas with husband David Flint Wood since 1996, first met Lynne while she was a working as a waitress at a local restaurant and the pair became friends.

Lynne, a single mother, raised Wesley and her other children on a low waitressing wage, and lost both her younger and older sister to breast cancer, before she too passed away from the disease.

Following her death, India and David adopted Wesley. They also have biological sons Felix, 21, Amory, 19, Conrad, 16, and daughter Domino, 11.

India posted a photo of the family visiting Lynne's grave on Christmas Day with a caption saying it 'never gets easier'.

India, 51, who was a bridesmaid at the Prince's wedding to Diana and is 678th in line to the throne, shared a picture as she visited the late waitress' grave with Wesley, 25, alongside her sons Felix, 21, Amory, 19, Conrad, 16, and daughter Domino, 11, who she shares with husband David Flint Wood

India is seen on Wesley's graduation day alongside Amory, the brothers are close

Wesley was adopted when he was 12, after his mother Lynne- a Bahamian waitress- sadly died of breast cancer (seen as a baby)

Sharing a snap of the family supporting Wesley as they paid tribute to his late mother, India wrote: 'Every Christmas Day we go and see Wesley's Mum. I don't think it ever gets easier for Wes. How could it?'

She added: 'But it's a stark, stark reminder to make sure a mammogram happens in 2022.'

India, who was born in Lambeth, London, but moved to the Caribbean 23 years ago with long term partner David Flint Wood in 1996, lives in a sprawling white-washed villa - which boasts a pool and sea views - with the five children.

India first befriended Lynne during pregnancy, and when the children were born, India offered to help look after both of them.

Lynne had other children and many different jobs, she previously told MailOnline. I was lucky enough to have the space for an extra child.

'I had care in the home. It was easy for Wes to be dropped off at our home, which was better than him going to childcare.

She remembered Wesley as a spirited child, climbing on roofs with her own son, Felix, becoming close friends from a young age.

India remembered Wesley as a spirited child, climbing on roofs with her own son, Felix, becoming close friends from a young age (seen)

India and husband David live with children Wesley, 25, alongside her sons Felix, 21, Amory, 19, Conrad, 16, and daughter Domino, 11, in the Bahamas

In 2008, Wesleys mother moved the family some 50 miles away from Harbour Island over the water to Nassau.

It meant India didnt see much of him until 2010 when, by chance, she found herself sitting beside him on a tiny inter-island plane. His mother was ill and he was shuttled between family members - two days later, Lynne died.

India took Wesley in and often shares happy family pictures of the whole family enjoying time together.

India is the granddaughter of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the last Viceroy of India who was killed in 1979 by an IRA bomb.

Her mother, Lady Pamela Hicks, 88, served as a bridesmaid at the then-Princess Elizabeths wedding to Prince Philip, and then as her lady-in-waiting.
An influencer who lost more than 100,000 followers after racist tweets she sent as a teenager emerged has been dropped by her agency.

Elle Darby, 26, from Wiltshire, who launched her own clothing brand on the back of her success as a social media star, sent tweets where she called foreigners 'meatheads' who 'speak in grunts', and said she 'hates Polish people and Indians'.

The tweets, sent in 2011, emerged last week. Her boyfriend of seven years Connor Swift also posted racist tweets in 2012 including one that said: 'Looking like a black man after work, through all the dust I collected'.

Now the couple have been dropped from their agency, Gleam Futures, who say they are want 'talent that align with their values'.

Elle Darby, 26, from Wiltshire, who launched her own clothing brand on the back of her success as a social media star, sent tweets where she called foreigners 'meatheads' who 'speak in grunts', and said she 'hates Polish people and Indians really'.

Ms Darby apologised in a three-minute video for the tweets, saying she feels ashamed of her historic posts, adding that she wants to 'take responsibility' for her actions'

A spokesperson told FEMAIL: 'At Gleam Futures, our mission is to be a driving force for a culturally progressive and diverse industry, offering leading-edge representation for talent that align with our values.

'In light of recent events, we have therefore made the decision to no longer represent Elle Darby and Connor Swift.'

An insider added: 'As soon as this came to light, Gleam reviewed the situation and looked carefully into the whole issue but ultimately made the decision quickly that they could no longer represent Connor and Elle.

'Diversity is something that the company and all of the staff are extremely passionate about.'

Following the emergence of the tweets, Elle published an apology video on her YouTube channel - but some fans have suggested that the influencer comes across as 'insincere' and 'irritated' in the three-minute clip.

Before the tweets were published, Darby enjoyed more than 785,000 Instagram followers but the social media star now has 716,000. On YouTube, a subscriber count of 611,000 has now dropped to 585,000. Comments are currently turned off on the influencer's platforms and her Twitter has been deleted.

The star posted an apology video on YouTube - but fans have said she appeared 'irritated' and 'insincere' in the clip

The couple have been dropped from their agency, Gleam Futures, who say they are want 'talent that align with their values'. Elle is pictured with her child

Darby's name trended on Twitter after disappointed fans watched the video, with many saying they were less than convinced by it.

@hralexandra1x wrote: 'Elle Darbys apology video is so insincere.'

@charlcurry96 added: 'Just watched Elle Darbys Im sorry video and she literally looks and sounds like the most insincere, unsorry person Ive ever seen.'

@xjodyhayton_ wrote: 'I've always loved Elle Darby but more and more tweets are being leaked now and each one is worse and worse! I don't I'm the only person who is disappointed, regardless if it was 10 years ago.'

@georgiahwo added: 'Seeing those Elle Darby and Connor tweets actually made me so upset. I was not a perfect teen, neither any of my friends but never did racism, fat shaming or derogatory terms leave our mouths. Ive noticed a lot of influencers are the same with resurfaced tweets. Disappointed.'

@bendingtheruIes penned: 'The whole Elle Darby & Connor Swift situation makes me so angry & upset. Angry at how they thought it would be okay to tweet such despicable things. Upset that I spent yrs looking up to them as they were my comfort YouTubers. Disappointed & enraged doesnt even cover it right now.'

@KatieRB99 added: 'Considering I thought Elle Darby was one of the most genuine people I watched for years. Her apology video which shows no remorse or genuine apology proves otherwise. I wont send her hate as that makes me part of the problem, however Im sad shes not the person we looked up to.'

Connor Swift, Darby's partner, also issued two written apologies to his Instagram after racist tweets he'd written surfaced too.

Darby, 26, had written a series of 'shameful' messages when she was a teenager, using racial slurs and insulting several ethnic groups

Fans branded her apology video 'insincere' as she lost more than 100,000 followers

Darby's partner Connor Swift published a second written apology for racist tweets he'd sent in the past

One screenshot posted online appeared to show him tweeting: 'Looked like a black man after work, through all the dust I collected. #StillLookedhot.'

He told his 175,000 followers: 'Ive learnt now more than ever before that the words we use are so beyond powerful but I will show that my actions will forever speak louder moving forward. I want to make it clear that I am sorry, to everyone my tweets have affected and caused pain upon.'

In 2018, Darby hit the headlines after she wrote to Paul Stenson, the owner of the White Moose Cafe and Charleville Lodge Hotel in Dublin.

She asked about a 'possible collaboration' involving free accommodation for her and Swift, who were planning to visit for an early Valentine's Day weekend.

But her note was greeted with disdain by Mr Stenson, who not only poured scorn on the request but also posted the exchange online - and vowed to ban bloggers from his hotel.
A woman was horrified to discover that her husband of 23 years was living a double life  when he was arrested for murdering his secret fiancee.

Melanie Addie, from Missouri, said her 'mind was boggled' when police showed up to her house and told her that James Addie, 56  the man she had been married to for more than two decades  had been engaged to someone else at the same time.

It turns out, James cheated on Melanie for more than seven years with a woman named Molly Watson, 35.

On April 27, 2018  just three days before James and Molly were planning to wed  police found Molly's body outside of her car in Monroe County.

There was a single gunshot wound in the back of her head  and they arrested James for her murder. Two weeks after they arrested him, Melanie filed for divorce.

He was convicted in 2021 of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was then sentenced in July to life in prison without parole plus 10 years.

A woman was horrified to discover that her husband of 23 years was living a double life - when he was arrested for murdering his secret fiancee

Melanie Addie, from Missouri, was shocked when police told her James Addie, 56 - the man she had been married to for 23 years - was engaged to someone else at the same time

It turns out, James cheated on Melanie for more than seven years with a woman named Molly Watson (pictured)

On April 27, 2018 - just three days before James and Molly were set to tie the knot to one another - police found Molly's body outside of her car in Monroe County

They arrested James for Molly's (pictured left with James) murder. Two weeks after they arrested him, Melanie (pictured right with James) filed for divorce

It was just mind-boggling. It made no sense at all. Melanie Addie opens up for the first time to @DebRobertsABC about finding out her now ex-husband lived a double life that led to a shocking murder.#ABC2020 premieres Friday on @ABC. Stream on Hulu. https://t.co/HNjPskZz9u pic.twitter.com/fqS3nLZMrv  20/20 (@ABC2020) January 6, 2022

'It was just mind-boggling. It made no sense at all,' Melanie told 20/20 in a new special about the murder, which airs tonight. 'It didn't seem right. This was not my life.'

Throughout their marriage, Melanie said James, who worked as a corrections officer, was 'selfish,' 'controlling,' and 'intimidating,' but she never suspected that he was cheating on her.

'He was a pretty selfish person  He could be controlling and intimidating  it could be challenging,' she recalled.

The former couple share two kids together  a daughter, named Emma, and a son, named Ben.

And although she didn't think he was being unfaithful at the time, looking back now, she said she definitely sees some warning signs.

Melanie said: 'He would get off work at 3 P.M.  and usually he would get home at 5 and I would say, "Why are you always so late?" That would be an argument. He didn't want to tell me anything.'

He was convicted in 2021 of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was then sentenced in July to life in prison without parole plus 10 years

Throughout their marriage, Melanie said James, who worked as a corrections officer, was 'selfish,' 'controlling,' and 'intimidating,' but she never suspected that he was cheating on her

Years earlier, James went on a trip to Mexico and told Melanie he was going with his friends. It turns out, he was there with Molly. They are pictured on the trip

He also took Molly to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and claimed he went there on a business trip. They are pictured on the trip

On the day of Molly's death, Melanie said James 'seemed like he always did' and told her he was going over to a friend's house. Melanie and James are pictured at their wedding

Over the years, Melanie noted that he took two trips without her  he went to Florida and claimed it was a business trip, and he vacationed in Mexico, telling Melanie he was going with his friends.

However, Melanie later discovered he was actually traveling with Molly  when she found photos of them together on the trips in a storage space in their garage.

On the day of Molly's death, she said James 'seemed like he always did.'

'About seven o'clock, he came into the living room, where I was, and said he was going to a friend's house,' she added.

He came back after she had gone to sleep, however Melanie was woken suddenly in the middle of the night when the police knocked on their door.

She added: 'He had always been very hard on me about how a wife should act and how life should be, and then he did this. He had an affair, and that's OK? No. We were done.'

During his trial, prosecutors theorized that James had told Molly that Melanie was his ex-wife and that she had died in a car accident. And they believe he killed her because she found out he was lying.

'Forensic searches of Molly's phones indicated that the day before she was murdered, she was looking for Melanie Addie's obituary,' prosecutor Talley Smith said.

Molly's brother, Tim Watson, told the outlet that Molly was 'absolutely, 100 per cent in love' with James before her death.

But Tim and the rest of Molly's family weren't fans of their relationship, with Tim admitting he got 'bad vibes' from James from the beginning.

'He could never look you in the eye. He could never talk to you directly. Everything was very evasive with him,' he said. 'He put off bad vibes to everybody.'

Mark Price, the Randolph County recorder of deeds  who was helping the couple apply for their marriage license  recalled James acting 'perturbed' when he asked him simple questions about his previous marriage.

'He was just like, "Why do you need to know that?"' he recalled.

If James had married Molly he would have been committing bigamy  which is the act of going through a marriage ceremony while already married to another person.

According to AP News, it is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail in the state of Missouri.

James has maintained his innocence. Melanie visited James (pictured with Molly) in jail a week after he was arrested, and he insisted he did not kill Molly

'[He said] he's very sorry for the affair, but he insists that he was not the killer,' she revealed. 'I looked at him as someone I didn't want back'

During his trial, prosecutors theorized that James told Molly Melanie was his ex-wife and that she had died in a car accident. They believe he killed her because she found out he was lying

Melanie visited James in jail a week after he was arrested, and he insisted he did not kill Molly.

'[He said] he's very sorry for the affair, but he insists that he was not the killer,' she revealed. 'I looked at him as someone I didn't want back.'

James has maintained his innocence, and later slammed his defense attorney, claiming he did not get a fair trial because his lawyer didn't present enough evidence in support of his case.

'There is no way that I could have done this crime,' James said in a statement he read aloud at his sentencing.

'The only one I hold at fault in this entire process is my attorney because he had the means and he had the ability to present my case and he failed to do it whenever I asked him.'
The Gen Z creator of the 'Birds Aren't Real' conspiracy theory  which argues that the US government killed billions of birds in the twentieth century and replaced them with surveillance drones  drew attention to the movement on Thursday by vomiting during a live news broadcast.

Peter McIndoe, 23, appeared on Chicago's WGN yesterday to discuss the 'Birds Aren't Real' movement, but less than a minute into the broadcast, he appeared to choke and spew liquid at the screen.

Cameras quickly cut away, and McIndoe has claimed to be embarrassed by the incident  but fans familiar with his brand of humor are calling the stunt 'genius' and the 'ultimate troll interview move.'

Peter McIndoe, 23, appeared on Chicago's WGN on Thursday to discuss the 'Birds Aren't Real' movement

While being interviewed on a morning newscast, McIndoe appeared to take a sip from a cup of coffee before spewing white liquid and making gagging noises

He apologized and claimed he was 'nervous,' and on Instagram he said he was 'embarrassed' and that he 'totally messed it up'

What is 'Birds Aren't Real'? Peter McIndoe, 23, began the faux-conspiracy theory in 2017 as a way to mock pro-Trump protestors at the women's march that January. On social media, he promotes the idea that the US government 'committed mass bird genocide from 19592001, murdering 12 billion real birds using a poisonous toxin sprayed from airplanes.' 'As the real birds were removed, surveillance drone replicas replaced them. Now all birds in the US are robots,' he says. The satirical movement has earned popularity online, particularly with Gen Z. Advertisement

The anchors interviewing McIndoe on Thursday were clearly unaware of what they were in for when they cordially welcomed him on the show.

'So are there people that find your account and think that it's real?' Robin Baumgarten asked him.

Before answering, McIndoe appeared to take a sip from his mug, seemingly setting up the illusion that he was drinking coffee.

'You know, I think there's a lot of people who find out social media accounts and see a different side of Gen Z in America. Gen Z is full of amazing men, women, and children are aiming for change and I think that that is just what our group is all about, he told them.

As co-anchor Larry Potash began asking another question, McIndoe lifted up his mug again, appearing to take another sip.

But he soon appeared to choke and gag, spitting out white liquid in the direction of the screen.

Baumgarten and Potash both paused, and Potash asked McIndoe if he was alright.

'I'm so nervous, I'm so sorry,' McIndoe said, appearing to begin to cry before the shot cut away to B-roll  but more gagging could still be heard int he background.

The anchors interviewing McIndoe on Thursday were clearly unaware of what they were in for when they cordially welcomed him on the show

Though McIndoe claimed to be mortified by the moment, it hasn't gained much attention until he posted a full clip of it on the 'Birds Aren't Real' Instagram accoun

Though McIndoe claimed to be mortified by the moment, it hasn't gained much attention until he posted a full clip of it on the 'Birds Aren't Real' Instagram account.

'Mortified,' he wrote. 'Never imagined this amount of embarrassment was possible. I want to apologize to @wgnnews. I want to apologize to bird truthers everywhere.

'The one time the media gives us a platform to spread the truth with the public and I totally messed it up. If you all dont want me to be your spokesman after this I understand,' he continued.

'This is the worst morning of my life. Was feeling nervous and queasy and started panicking when I felt the vomit coming up tried to quiet my chest stuff it down with my coffee but It won the battle and there are no excuses. Sincerely I am sorry for messing up this opportunity for us I promise to do better,' he concluded.

Yet followers seemed to know that faking vomit on live TV would be McIndoe's style, and many left congratulatory comments.

The joke conspiracy theory argues that the US government killed billions of birds in the twentieth century and replaced them with surveillance drones

'The US government committed mass bird genocide from 19592001, murdering 12 billion real birds using a poisonous toxin sprayed from airplanes,' the organization says

'Lmao this is the best thing I've ever seen thank you,' wrote one, while another called him a 'genius.'

'This is gold honestly,' wrote yet another, while one more said: 'The ultimate troll interview move lmfao I am dead. Youre a legend.'

Others called him 'epic,' a 'menace,' and an 'icon,' with several joking that the US government poisoned McIndoe to 'silence' him.

According to the 'Birds Aren't Real' movement, the US government is involved in a massive conspiracy to surveil citizens by using robots that look like birds.

'The US government committed mass bird genocide from 19592001, murdering 12 billion real birds using a poisonous toxin sprayed from airplanes,' the organization says.

'As the real birds were removed, surveillance drone replicas replaced them. Now all birds in the US are robots.'

The 'Birds Aren't Real' social media accounts assert that their movement was found in 1976 by animal rights activists.

McIndoe said the purpose of the movement is to poke fun at the preponderance of misinformation people are faced with

'"Birds Arent Real" is not a shallow satire of conspiracies from the outside. It is from the deep inside,' he said

They posit that the drones charge their batteries through charging stations hidden in plain sight, like power lines.

They also claim that bird poop 'actually a form of liquidated tracking apparatus' and that it lands mainly on cars to track people's movements.

While the movement is a parody, 'adherents' have joined together for real-life events to promote the cause, including a protest outside of Twitter headquarters in San Francisco, where they demanded that the company change its bird logo.

Speaking to the New York Times in December, McIndoe said the purpose of the movement is to poke fun at the preponderance of misinformation people are faced with.

He came up with the idea spontaneously at the 2017 as a way to mock pro-Trump protestors at the women's march that January.

'Dealing in the world of misinformation for the past few years, weve been really conscious of the line we walk,' he said. 'The idea is meant to be so preposterous, but we make sure nothing were saying is too realistic.

'"Birds Arent Real" is not a shallow satire of conspiracies from the outside. It is from the deep inside,' he said. 'A lot of people in our generation feel the lunacy in all this, and Birds Arent Real has been a way for people to process that.'
A teenage national deadlifting champion took down a violent criminal last month after the man assaulted her mother and ran off.

Masina Tupea, 18, was on vacation with her parents in New Orleans on December 28 when a would-be mugger approached and punched her mother, Luisa Tupea, 47, in the face, dislocating her jaw.

But while the mugger may have believed he found an easy target for his crime, he made a serious miscalculation: Masina has set a nationwide record for deadlifting nearly 320 pounds, and she wasn't going to let anyone hurt her family and get away with it.

The teen, who is from Hawaii, immediately gave chase and ultimately tackled the 36-year-old man, who was soon arrested by police.

Masina Tupea, 18, was on vacation with her parents in New Orleans on December 28 when a would-be mugger approached and punched her mother, Luisa Tupea, 47, in the face

Masina, who is 5'5", set a nationwide record for deadlifting nearly 320 pounds when she was 15

Masina was walking to dinner with her parents when the stranger approached.

'This guy just comes running and he punches my mom right in the face and she drops immediately. My dad yelled to me to go after the guy,' she told Hawaii News Now.

'I dont think he was anticipating me going after him,' she added.

But Masina, who was deadlifting twice her body weight at the tender age of 15, jumped into action.

'I needed to protect my family,' she told NOLA.com. 'Thats all I could think about.'

At her father's encouragement (pictured together in New Orleans), she chased after the mugger, 36-year-old Augustus Taylor

'I needed to protect my family,' she said (pictured with her mom). 'Thats all I could think about'

The man fled, but she was on his tail, quickly running after him. Unfortunately, he managed to get a shot in, punching her in the face.

'I crumbled to the ground,' she said. 'I have a black eye. It isnt too bad. It was more shock than any real pain.'

But Masina got back up and continued to chase him.

'He hit my mom, he hit me and I needed to make sure he was done. Nobody else was getting hurt tonight,' she said.

Her dad had also pursued the man, getting him behind a car. Masina got in and tackled him, pinning him down.

Her dad had also pursued the man, getting him behind a car. Masina got in and tackled him, pinning him down

'He asked me to let him go, but I kept telling him that he messed with the wrong family,' she said

'Im an 18-year-old girl. I dont look that strong, but Im actually really, really strong,' she said. 'That man was not'

'He asked me to let him go, but I kept telling him that he messed with the wrong family,' she said.

She finally released him when she saw police approaching, and they went on to arrest the man, named Augustus Taylor.

The man clearly underestimated Masina, a 5'5" biomedical engineering major.

'Im an 18-year-old girl. I dont look that strong, but Im actually really, really strong,' she said. 'That man was not.'
A man said he earns thousands of dollars a month by putting women through social media loyalty tests at the request of their suspicious partners, who want to know if they're cheating or not.

Xavier Long, 20, from Yerkwood, Alabama, revealed he made over $2,000 in one week alone  simply by flirting with taken women on social media to see how they will react.

Xavier explained that men who think their partner may not be truthful to them, reach out to him and ask him for help.

He then tries to get with the women in an attempt to see their true colors and figure out if they're going to be faithful or unfaithful to their boyfriends.

It all started when one of Xavier's Instagram followers randomly asked him to help test his girlfriend's loyalty.

A man said he earns thousands of dollars a month by putting women through social media loyalty tests at the request of their suspicious partners, who want to know if they're cheating

Xavier Long, 20, from Yerkwood, Alabama, revealed he made over $2,000 in one week alone - simply by flirting with taken women on social media to see how they will react

Xavier explained that men who think their partner may not be faithful reach out to him and ask him for help. He then tries to get with the women in an attempt to see their true colors

He posted about it on TikTok and it quickly went viral, gaining thousands of views in a matter of days.

He then started getting more and more requests, and he eventually began charging for his services. Now, he said he gets over 99 requests and makes $200 a day.

He often shares the results to his TikTok account, which has now wracked up more than 400,000 followers and seven million likes in total.

He told Vice News, 'If people ask, I say I charge $10, but most of the time people say, I got this amount of money, but if she fails, Ill send you this amount of money."

'Sometimes, I do the test for free, but with the number of DMs I get, why would I do one for free when people pay?

'The most I got sent was $750. I guess he was rich? His girl failed, but he still sent it. Normally, people send me $100.

'Ive made a pretty good amount [in total]. I dont have an exact number, but doing these tests has allowed me to stop working a nine-to-five [job].

'I know within the first week or so I made around $2,000 and it was the quickest and easiest way Ive ever made money.'

Xavier said he gets over 99 requests and makes $200 a day. He often shares the results to his TikTok account, which has now wracked up more than 400,000 followers

In one video, Xavier messaged a woman and asked her if she had a boyfriend. She said it 'complicated' but agreed to give him her number

She then told him, 'Look, I think you're a really cool dude and would actually consider leaving my boyfriend for you if you loved in Michigan but I don't think long distance could work'

He sent screenshots of the messages to her boyfriend, who was stunned by the things she said

He said if the woman gives him any of her personal contact info without her boyfriend knowing, he considers it a 'fail.'

In one video, a man, who said he had just gotten back from deployment, DM'd Xavier and asked him for help because he was worried his girlfriend had cheated.

Xavier shared screenshots of his conversation with the woman throughout the clip. He messaged her and said, 'You must be a loan because you have my interest.'

'Aw thank you,' she responded, with a kissing emoji.

He then asked her if she could give him her Snapchat username, to which she replied, 'Nah, my boyfriend wouldn't be happy.'

He pushed further, claiming her boyfriend wouldn't find out, and he then asked for her phone number instead.

'I think you're cute, but I'm not willing to risk my relationship for someone I just met,' she said.

After that, Xavier suggested they get to know each other a little bit more and she agreed.

In another video, a man DM'd Xavier because he was worried his girlfriend had cheated. He messaged her and said, 'You must be a loan because you have my interest'

In the end, she gave him her number. And after texting back and forth for a little, she agreed to meet up with him on a date.

As for how he chooses which guys to help, Xavier told Vice News he tries to pick 'the most interesting stories.'

He explained: 'Sometimes, someone will message and say, We've been going out for two years, I want to see if she cheated on me," or, She's cheated on me before.

'One dude hit me up like, Ayo, test my mom." Some guy wanted me to test his sister because he was friends with her boyfriend. That's your own blood, and you want to test her?'

In another TikTok, Xavier got a request from a man who 'needed to see if his girl was a cheater or not.'

He messaged the woman, but she told him 'it wasn't a good idea' when he asked for her Snapchat.

He then asked her if she had a boyfriend, and she said things were 'complicated.'

He then asked her if she could give him her Snapchat username, to which she replied, 'Nah, my boyfriend wouldn't be happy.' He pushed further, claiming her boyfriend wouldn't find out

In the end, she gave him her number. And after texting back and forth for a little, she agreed to meet up with him on a date

After DMing for a few more moments, she agreed to give Xavier her number, and they started texting.

She then told him, 'Look, I think you're a really cool dude and would actually consider leaving my boyfriend for you if you loved in Michigan but I don't think long distance could work.'

Xavier is convinced that some men want him to test their girlfriends because they want 'an easy way out' of the relationship, while others want to be sure they're with the right girl before asking them to move in or to get married.

'I feel like some people do it because they want their girlfriend to cheat. They want an easy way out,' he added.

'Some dudes are thinking about asking her to marry him. Another one, theyre thinking of asking her to move in or introducing her to their mom  stuff like that.'

He is happy to use his platform to help people, and it's especially satisfying when the women pass the test.

'People in the comments of the videos write, Yo, dude keep doing what you're doing, [these videos are] good for people,"' he said.

'Once, after I sent a dude the screenshot of his girl passing, he said, Thanks, I'm taking her out to eat tonight.

'That's nice. Sometimes, say a dude is spending a whole bunch of money on a girl, I can tell him and he can stop wasting his money.

'I'm helping people, so I feel like it's a good thing in a way. Before the money, this is why I started doing this.'
A bridal boutique owner has revealed how her she received an anonymous four page poison pen letter blasting her 'uninspiring and unattractive' window displays - comparing existing floral arrangements to something from a graveyard.

Tara Trethowan, 50, who runs independent boutique The Bridal Studio in Helston, Cornwall, said she received the vile missive through the post at the end of November as was stunned when she received the nasty handwritten rant accusing her 'wasting a prime high street position with thoughtless displays' and suggesting she 'couldn't be bothered' with brides.

No part of the 'uninspiring' store was left uncriticised, with the window displays, 'prison cell' grey walls, colour scheme, dresses, and floral displays all coming under fire.

Tara Trethowan (pictured). 50, who runs independent boutique The Bridal Studio in Helston, Cornwall, said she received the vile missive through the post at the end of November as was stunned when she received the nasty handwritten rant accusing her 'wasting a prime high street position with thoughtless displays' and suggesting she 'couldn't be bothered' with brides

The boutique owner has revealed how her she received an anonymous four page poison pen letter blasting her 'uninspiring and unattractive' window displays - comparing existing floral arrangements to something from a graveyard', the shop is pictured

The rude writer, who opened the letter with 'this is difficult to write', suggested Tara's displays should be 'full of joy', include peach tones and that she should use decorations from The Range.

The mum-of-three posted the 'ridiculous' note online where it racked up more than 3,300 likes, comments and shares.

Supporters branding the letter as an 'absolute load of b*******', while the owner defended the display and explained that the pictures were taken on a 'bleary day' when she didn't have the lights on.

'It's pretty ridiculous. Usually when we get letters in the post they are from brides generally with a photograph of them in their dress thanking us for helping them find their dress,' Tara said.

'We don't usually get handwritten letters and it was a bit of a shock to be honest.

'We didn't really know what to make of it and at first thought it was maybe a bit of a joke.

The rude writer, who opened the letter with 'this is difficult to write', suggested Tara's displays should be 'full of joy', include peach tones and that she should use decorations from The Range.

The mum-of-three posted the 'ridiculous' note online where it racked up more than 3,300 likes, comments and shares. The shop is pictured from outside

'If somebody felt aggrieved by our windows and that they were so upset about it then why didn't they sign the letter, e-mail us or write a Google review.

'At first I was disappointed to think that somebody felt like that about us because I put a lot of effort and love into what I do.

THE POISON PEN LETTER IN FULL The letter reads: 'This is difficult to write but please take this as positive advice. 'Your shop window is extremely dull. It's empty, grey and cold. The bridal gowns look like they have been dumped on the mannequin, rather than dressed. 'The truly awful plastic flowers above your window resemble long forgotten and faded plastic flowers taken from a graveyard. Really, really bad. 'Your window is uninviting and uninspiring. In fact the charity shop windows nearby are much more attractive. 'Your windows should be full of joy, soft peach, rose and cream colours. 'Silk flower bouquets, tiaras, posies. 'The gowns should be pinned out, maybe with veils, headdresses, shoes, bags, confetti. 'Drape the window with an arch of silk flower, as a bridal walk through. 'Get rid of that prison cell grey. It's totally off-putting. Maybe add some colours with bridesmaid dresses or pageboy outfits. 'You are wasting a prime high street position with the thoughtless displays you have. 'Your windows give the impression of not bothering and that is what customers think. 'If you can't be bothered, how much attention would you give to a prospective bride. None. Maybe put a properly positioned gown/bridesmaid dresses in one window and wedding accessories in the other. 'Go and look at the joyful decorations in The Range, plenty of cheap additions to brighten up your windows silver vases, pretty napkins, champagne/glasses, silk flowers. 'Please do something positive to create interest in your business. 'Please put some joy, colour and fun into your window dressing, or take advice (Youtube?) on how to. 'It would be sad to see your business fail, but really you have a huge market, as there are no other bridal shops nearby. 'Go and visit other bridal outfitters and see what they do to attract buyers. Get rid of grey and plastic white, peach, rose, cream, colour and style is what's needed.' Advertisement

'It isn't a job, it's like a vocation really. I love what we do and feel very privileged to be able to help brides find their dress.

'So to get a letter like that initially my first thoughts were 'wow, god I've really upset somebody'.

'But as it's gone I'm more of the thinking that it was maybe somebody who's got a bit too much time on their hands and I got it in the neck for whatever reason.'

Tara, who's been running her modern contemporary boutique since 2015, said that most bridal shops use grey and white or just white as colour schemes.

Others, her included, solely have dresses in their displays to enable brides to visualise the complete look for themselves.

Tara said: 'I haven't got a clue why they wrote the letter, that's the million-dollar question.

'I would really like it if they felt as passionately as they feel that they do, they should come forward and have a conversation with us

'They're not going to get dismissed, we're not going to berate them because they've got an opinion.

'Everybody has an opinion and it's all subjective but I'm genuinely keen to know what drove them to write it.

'If they want to come in and offer us their wealth of experience and knowledge then we're always keen to hear, we are always wanting to improve our business and will always be happy to hear someone's constructive criticism, especially if it helps our business.

'You're never going to please everybody and everybody feels that their opinion is as important.

'Our target audience and our brides tell us they are all really happy.

'We've got a great following and really good relationships with our brides. Most of them are referrals from other brides, so we've got to be doing something right.'

Tara received the letter on November 30th and posted it on The Bridal Studio's Facebook page to gauge whether or not other thought her window displays really were 'dull'.

Social media users flooded the post with comments of support - and says she's also been gifted flowers, cards and received phone calls and messages.

Christine Woods wrote: 'Oh my goodness, this beggars belief.

'Everyone has an opinion but why not put your name to it.

'Tara your windows are stunning, and of course you care about your brides and business. How many awards this weekend. Don't change a thing. X'

Sarah Bateman commented: 'Obviously written by someone with a wealth of knowledge on styling a window display - I mean, peach, cream and accessories from The Range!

'This is obviously the work of a jilted 50+ woman harking back to the weddings of the 80s and 90s. She's obviously stuck in a time warp!'

Sam Jane wrote: 'I despair of the human race sometimes. So bloody rude and thoughtless.

'Obviously got too much time on their hands Tara*shows what a lonely life they lead! Read all the lovely comments and put this crap in the bin where it belongs xx'

The mum-of-three posted the 'ridiculous' note online where it racked up more than 3,300 likes, comments and shares

Charlotte Emily White commented: 'That is literally so savage and uncalled for and completely inaccurate.

'How old is this person? Is it a fountain pen? Clearly they don't realise grey is a very popular colour for weddings!

'When I had my dress fitting I didn't want everyone gawking in on me so the privacy of your set-up is perfect. This person is a kn*b.'

Judith Oliver wrote: 'I look forward to seeing your window whenever I'm in or passing through Helston.

'I would ignore any letters written by someone who hasn't the courage to put their name to it and who can't spell 'truly'. Wishing The Bridal Studio the very best of continued success.
Former Georgia Sen. David Perdue is criticizing a bill that supports Gov. Brian Kemp's campaign efforts and accusing the latter of silencing those that want to challenge him.

According to reports, Perdue filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Senate Bill 221 that paves the way for Kemp and other state legislative leaders to set up leadership funds or committees that are allowed to spend unlimited amounts of cash during the campaign period.

David Perdue wants to overthrow Senate bill 221

Senate Bill 221 was approved two years ago during the state's legislative session. Kemp then signed it into law in May 2021.

The bill also protects Kemp's committee from adhering to the current fundraising caps for statewide candidates in Georgia. The current cap is $14,000 per election cycle from individuals, but more can be raised alongside a primary election.

In his statement, Perdue said that the bill signed by Kemp into law reeks of cronyism and corruption. The former senator also thinks that there's a need for all candidates to abide by the same rules, but Kemp believes otherwise to serve his own interests.

Perdue's suit also shut down the argument that Senate Bill 221 increased Georgia's disclosure reporting requirements by saying that it simply applied the existing disclosure requirements to the new types of committees.

He said that regardless of public disclosure, the bill only benefits Kemp and not Perdue by creating unlimited opportunities for Kemp to use the contributions for the sake of his candidacy and campaign committee.

The bill also allows Kemp's camp to flood the competitive market of electoral politics with his own message, according to The Hill.

Read Also: Stacey Abrams, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp Will Have a Rematch After Democratic Nominee Announces Her Gubernatorial Candidacy

Georgians First Leadership Committee slams David Perdue

Cody Hall, a senior advisor for Georgians First Leadership Committee, fired back at Perdue.

"David Perdue's record of shady stock deals makes clear that he really doesn't like playing by the rules, so this laughable lawsuit shouldn't surprise anyone. The real question is: why did Perdue's Senate campaign pay over $600,000 in legal fees in 2021 to the same law firm representing him in this suit?" Hall said via Fox News.

According to reports, Perdue announced his candidacy last month after saying that he needs to defeat Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

Perdue also has the support of Donald Trump even though the former also faced the latter's wrath after he refused to overturn the result of the 2020 election in Georgia.

David Perdue wants to beat Stacey Abrams

Last month, New York Times said that Perdue wants to make sure that another Democrat won't be elected as governor of Georgia during this year's election.

Abrams has been receiving rave reviews and support from residents of Georgia even though the majority of the population in the state are Republicans.

Earlier this week, Abrams confirmed that she's gearing up to defeat Kemp as the Democratic party's gubernatorial candidate in Georgia. She also said that her entire team is putting together their plans this winter so that they could launch them in the spring, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Read Also: Former Sen. David Perdue To Announce Gubernatorial Bid 4 Months After Donald Trump Urged Him To Challenge Gov. Brian Kemp

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An American traveler was shocked to discover a fellow airplane passenger texting a friend to say she had COVID-19  but boarded the flight home anyway.

The unhappy traveler was sitting behind the COVID-positive passenger, and noticed the text she was sending through the crack between seats.

The woman had typed out on her iPhone that 'we'  that is, she and at least one other person she was flying with  knew they had COVID-19, but decided to catch an early flight home rather than quarantine.

An American traveler was shocked to discover a fellow airplane passenger texting a friend to say she had COVID-19 - but boarded the flight home anyway.

The closely-cropped photo was shared by Reddit user esporx in the 'trashy' subreddit this week.

'Is this is even legal?' the Redditor asked.

The photo shows a bit of the back of a woman's bleach-blonde hair and a leopard-print top.

She is mid-text, her polished fingernails hovering over the keyboard as she messages someone whose name appears to be Jamie or James.

'We have Covid shhh,' the woman had typed. 'Thats why were returning home a day early. On the plane'

The Redditor who posted the image was clearly upset about what they discovered, though they did not indicate whether they notified a flight attendance.

'We have Covid shhh,' the woman had typed. 'Thats why were returning home a day early. On the plane'

Several commenters on the post were equally horrified that the woman would knowingly expose others to the virus.

'SUPER f*** people who KNOW they have covid that don't take precautions to keep other people safe from it,' wrote one.

'Yooooo f*** that lady,' wrote another.

'F*** that lady, expose her to the flight attendant. See something, say somethin,' wrote a third.

'That's when you say loudly to her "Wait... You have COVID??" and let the others around her know. Watch her squirm,' added one more.

Other commenters, however, were more concerned that the Redditor read another person's text messages  and called the Redditor a 'weirdo' and an 'a**hole.'

'I miss the days when people would mind their own business,' wrote one.

'Why are you reading other peoples text messages like its your business? You dont even know if theyre joking or not. OP is just being a creep, I hate people like you,' said another.

'The trashy part is reading someones text messages, whatever the information they contain may be,' wrote a third.

Yet others still said 'privacy' goes out the window when other's health and lives are at risk.

'How can anyone defend her? Assuming its real and the shhh part is her being sarcastic because oooo Im on a plane with covidshhhh. Like shes joking about how shes putting everyone at risk, but is trying to be low key hiding it. That SHOULD be exposed,' someone said.

'Anyone who gets butt hurt about her privacy are literally people who have s***ty things they do that they hide and have to defend that stance or their internal monologue would call them hypocrites.'

Meanwhile, a schoolteacher who was flying from Chicago to Reykjavik in December quarantined in the airplane bathroom for four hours after taking a positive rapid test in transit

Meanwhile, a schoolteacher who was flying from Chicago to Reykjavik in December quarantined in the airplane bathroom for four hours after taking a positive rapid test while in transit.

Marisa Fotieo's throat began to hurt during about an hour into her journey and used one of the rapid tests she had brought with her on the trip.

When she discovered that she did, in fact, have COVID-19, she notified a flight attendance and sealed herself off in one of the toilets.

'There's 150 people on the flight, and my biggest fear was giving it to them,' Fotieo told NBC's Today show.

She then spent five hours of the six-hour journey in the plane's tiny bathroom.

She posted videos of the experience on TikTok, with a clip of her finding out she was Covid positive going viral with more than 4 million views.

Upon arrival, Fotieo was taken off the plane straight into 10-day mandatory quarantine at a hotel for people with COVID-19.
While millions of Britons are likely to be starting those January health kicks, many will still be tucking into a regular takeaway treat in 2022.

And a little known trick for Amazon Prime customers means those who use Deliveroo can have a year of its Plus service added on for free.

Deliveroo Plus, which gives users free delivery for a fee each month, is free to Amazon Prime members who register on the website.

It costs 7.99 a month for gold members who have to spend 10 on orders to get free delivery while silver customers pay 3.99 a month for free delivery on orders over 25.

Amazon Prime customers can now get free delivery on their Deliveroo orders over 25

Amazon Prime customers, who pay 5.99 a month for free next day delivery or 7.99 a month for free next day delivery with Prime Video, are able to get the silver service for free.

They will be able to use the service for free for 12 months and will save up to 40 a year.

To sign up, customers can visit Deliveroo's website or app and input their details as well as their Amazon Prime information.

After doing so, they will get access to the silver membership.

The offer started in September and Deliveroo reported in October 2021 that membership for its Plus service had doubled, although it did not release specific figures.

Amazon previously invested in Deliveroo in 2019.

While it is not known exactly how much the company invested, the delivery firm raised $575 million in May two years ago.

Deliveroo is just one of the current delivery services with others including Just Eat and Uber Eats.

These have increased in popularity in recent times with many utilising the services during the pandemic.
Apple's boss scooped a payout of almost $100million last year as he celebrated his tenth anniversary in charge.

Tim Cook bagged $98.7million, or 72.9million, in 2021  six times his pay the year before.

The iPhone maker revealed the eye-watering sum in a regulatory filing just days after it became the world's first ever company to hit a stock market value of $3trillion.

Bonanza: Tim Cook bagged $98.7m, or 72.9m, in 2021  six times his pay the year before

Shares have soared over the last year as more people turned to technology during the pandemic and Apple created iPhones with the capacity to run on 5G mobile net works. Cook's base salary of 2.2million was unchanged. Most of his pay came through shares in Apple he was given as he entered into a long-term incentive plan.

He will be able to start cashing in the shares between 2023 and 2025  giving him a reason to remain at the company for at least another three years.

The 61-year-old joined Apple in 1998 and took over as chief executive from co-founder Steve Jobs shortly before his death in 2011.

During Cook's decade in charge, Apple's shares have shot up more than 1100 per cent.

But some critics have raised concerns that he lacks the creative vision of his predecessor and has yet to come up with a truly innovative new product. And the firm has also come under fire over its tax structure, as it has kept billions of dollars of profits in Irish subsidiaries to reduce its tax bill.

Cook, who became the first openly gay chief executive on the Fortune 500 list of America's largest companies, has previously said he plans to donate most of his wealth to philanthropic causes. Under his leadership, Apple has become more generous with its donations and has handed tens of millions of pounds of its shares to charities.
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Omicron could be even less deadly than flu, scientists believe in a boost to hopes that the worst of the pandemic is over.

Some experts have always maintained that the coronavirus would eventually morph into a seasonal cold-like virus as the world develops immunity through vaccines and natural infection. But the emergence of the highly-mutated Omicron variant appears to have sped the process up.

MailOnline analysis shows Covid killed one in 33 people who tested positive at the peak of the devastating second wave last January, compared to just one in 670 now. But experts believe the figure could be even lower because of Omicron.

The case fatality rate  the proportion of confirmed infections that end in death  for seasonal influenza is 0.1, the equivalent of one in 1,000.

One former Government adviser today said if the trend continues to drop then 'we should be asking whether we are justified in having any measures we would not bring for a bad flu season'. But other experts say coronavirus is much more transmissible than flu, meaning it will inevitably cause more deaths.

Meanwhile, researchers at Washington University modelling the next stage of the pandemic expect Omicron to kill up to 99 per cent fewer people than Delta, in another hint it could be less deadly than flu.

No accurate infection-fatality rate (IFR), which is always just a fraction of the CFR because it reflects deaths among everyone who catches the virus, has yet been published for Delta.

But UK Government advisers estimated the overall figure stood at around 0.25 per cent before Omicron burst onto the scene, down from highs of around 1.5 per cent before the advent of life-saving vaccines.

If Omicron is 99 per cent less lethal than Delta, it suggests the current IFR could be as low as 0.0025 per cent, the equivalent of one in 40,000, although experts say this is unlikely. Instead, the Washington modelling estimates the figure actually sits in the region of 0.07 per cent, meaning approximately one in 1,430 people who get infected will succumb to the illness.

Leading researchers estimate flu's IFR to sit between 0.01 and 0.05 per cent but argue comparing rates for the two illnesses is complicated.

MailOnline analysis shows the UK's case fatality rate  the proportion of confirmed infections that end in death  has shrunk 21-fold from three per cent during the darkest days of the second wave last winter before the vaccine rollout to 0.15 per cent at the end of December. For comparison, widely-circulated data suggests seasonal influenza has a case-fatality rate of around 0.1 per cent

Cambridge University researchers, who are No10 scientific advisors, estimate that less than one per cent of under-75s who catch Covid die from the virus, with the fatality rate dropping for younger age groups. Over-75s are at most risk from the virus, with three per cent of those infected estimated to die from the virus

The Oxford University team behind Our World in Data estimates that the UK's IFR rate is currently 0.1 per cent. At the peak of the wave last winter, they estimated three per cent of those who caught Covid died from the virus. The declining IFR will be impacted by the increase in testing capacity this year, as comparatively more cases are now being detected

Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, an epidemiologist at the University of Wollongong in Australia, told MailOnline his 'very rough best guess' was that triple-jabbed people were at the same risk from Omicron as they are from the flu. 'Add the new medications into the mix and it gets even more complex,' he added.

But scientists today leaped on the estimates, saying it was more proof that the worst days of the pandemic were over and that Britain needs to get back on the path to normality.

Professor Robert Dingwall, a former JCVI member of and expert in sociology at Nottingham Trent University, told MailOnline it will be a few weeks until there are definitive Omicron fatality rates, but if they are consistent with the findings that it is less severe 'we should be asking whether we are justified in having any measures we would not bring for a bad flu season'.

What do we know about Omicron? Scientists know Omicron is more infectious than previous strains of Covid due to the speed it has taken off around the world. The variant has also been linked with causing more reinfections that previous strains, which experts say is likely due to its extensive mutations. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) analysis of nearly 800 Omicron infectious found six per cent were reinfections, suggesting it is 5.5 times more likely to re-infect than Delta. And some experts say the period of the new variant - the time taken from infection to first symptoms - appears to be much shorter than other strains. However, experts in South Africa, where the strain first emerged, and in the UK have said the variant is milder than previous versions of the virus. Scientists in the UK said those infected with Omicron are 70 per cent less likely to be hospitalised, but experts in South Africa said the figure may be as high as 80 per cent. However, it is unclear whether this is because the strain is inherently less severe or if protection from vaccines and prior infection mean people who catch Omicron are becoming less unwell. Analysis by the UKHSA revealed immunity gained from third Covid jabs fades quicker against Omicron than Delta. Adults who received two AstraZeneca doses, plus a Pfizer or Moderna booster, are 60 per cent less likely to get symptoms than the unvaccinated if they catch Omicron up to four weeks after their third jab. But after ten weeks, efficacy drops to 35 per cent for Pfizer and 45 per cent for Moderna. Meanwhile, those who received Pfizer for all three of their doses saw their protection levels increase to around 70 per cent for two weeks after their top-up dose before falling to around 45 per cent 10 weeks later. People given two AstraZeneca vaccines and a Moderna booster were the most protected, according to the report, with efficacy sitting at 75 per cent against Omicron and lasting for at least nine weeks. Advertisement

He said: 'If we would not have brought in the measures in November 2019, why are we doing it now? What's the specific justification for doing it?

'If the severity of Covid infection is falling away to the point that it is comparable with flu then we really shouldn't have exceptional levels of intervention.'

There would be no justification in having 'any restriction we didn't previously have' if the modelling is confirmed in the coming weeks, Professor Dingwall said.

However, he noted that if the UK has two respiratory viruses in the population which are capable of producing significant levels of hospitalisation, the NHS may need more funding to deal with both Covid and flu to increase its capacity.

Washington University experts who made the claim that Omicron will cause 97 to 99 per cent fewer deaths than Delta  based on case and death data  admit their forecasts were more 'optimistic' than forecasts used by UK Government scientists.

The Prime Minister was warned that daily Covid deaths in Britain could breach 6,000 a day this winter under the worst-case scenario of Omicron's rapid spread.

But the doomsday projection, conducted by one of the modelling sub-groups who feed into No10's SAGE panel, was branded 'fictitious'.

Daily coronavirus fatalities maxed out at slightly less than 1,400 during the depths of the second wave, before ministers embarked on a huge vaccination blitz.

And studies show two doses of the current crop of jabs still drastically cut the risk of patients becoming severely ill if they catch the virus, even if they offer little protection against falling ill in the first place.

Booster vaccines  already dished out to 34million people across the UK, or 60.1 per cent of over-12s  bolster immunity even further, real-world evidence shows.

Independent academics have queried the University of Washington team's estimate, saying that they do not look plausible and there is still lots of uncertainty around Omicron data.

The researchers did not offer an actual estimate for the IFR of Omicron  which scientists still barely understand given that it was only detected for the first time in mid-November.

The team said: 'Based on the available data, we expect the infection-fatality rate will be 97-99 per cent lower than for Delta.

'Huge numbers of infections and moderate numbers of hospitalizations may still translate into a peak of reported (global) daily deaths over 9,000 in early February.'

The IHME team also didn't offer an estimated IFR for Delta, which first cropped up in India before hitting the UK towards the end of spring.

Studies showed it was twice as deadly as the original virus, which was thought to have an IFR of around 1.4 per cent. But even using that figure would equate to an IFR of around 0.03 per cent if Omicron really was 97 to 99 per cent less lethal, making it similar to flu.

Their own estimates for Omicron  as almost every case will be caused by the strain by January  correspond to an IFR of around 0.07 per cent, Professor McConway said. This is based on deaths peaking at around 330 per day in Britain.

MailOnline analysis shows just 0.15 per cent of cases led to a death towards the end of December, compared to highs of over three per cent during the darkest days of last year's second wave when the Alpha variant was in full motion and the NHS had yet to embark on its vaccination drive. The rate is calculated by comparing average death numbers to average case numbers from two weeks earlier, which is roughly the amount of time it takes for the disease to take hold, experts say

Official data shows the number of people dying has barely changed across the UK over the last month, with fatalities dropping in the week up to December 31. Graph shows: Covid deaths by death date in the UK. More up to date death data by date reported is biased by reporting issues over the bank holiday weekends

Nearly 40% of NHS Covid 'patients' in England are NOT being treated for virus Nearly four in ten Covid patients in hospitals in England are not primarily being treated for the virus, according to official data that highlights the mildness of Omicron . NHS figures released today show there were around 13,000 beds occupied by coronavirus sufferers on January 4, of which nearly 4,850 were not mainly sick with the disease. It means close to 40 per cent of patients included in the Government's daily Covid statistics may have been admitted for something else, such as a broken leg. The share of so-called 'incidental' cases was even bigger in Omicron hotspot London, where 45 per cent of 'Covid patients' were not primarily in hospital for the virus. Experts say there is reason to believe that incidentals will continue to rise as the variant pushes England's infection rates to record highs, with one in 15 people estimated to have had Covid on New Year's Eve. In South Africa  ground zero of the Omicron outbreak  up to 60 per cent of Covid patients were not admitted primarily for the virus at the height of the crisis there. There are growing calls among experts and politicians for the Government to differentiate between people who're admitted 'with' and 'from' Covid to assess the real pressure of the virus on the NHS. The rise in incidental admissions and lack of any real uptick in ICU cases has given Boris Johnson the confidence to 'ride out' the Omicron wave without any further restrictions. A host of studies suggest Omicron causes less severe illness than its predecessors because it replicates faster in the upper airways rather than in the lungs where it can do more damage. MailOnline analysis revealed the Covid case fatality rate  the proportion of confirmed infections resulting in death  is now 21 times lower than during the devastating second wave. Advertisement

If Delta caused 97 to 99 per cent more deaths than this 0.07 IFR for Omicron, it would have an IFR of up to seven per cent, however, highlighting just how difficult it is too nail down an estimate.

Professor Kevin McConway, a statistician at the Open University, told MailOnline the suggested IFR of as low as 0.0025 per cent was 'really, really tiny'. That estimate is based on the rolling IFR, estimated by Cambridge University academics, which has been skewed downwards because of the build-up of natural immunity.

The Washington University experts acknowledge there is uncertainty in their projections, Professor McConway noted as he said it was possible they have 'got their numbers wrong somewhere'. But he said the actual projection  of up to 330 deaths per day  was plausible.

IHME told MailOnline they calculated IFR based on Covid seroprevalence data by age and Covid death figures.

Real-time IFR can vary drastically in every nation based on previous immunity, prevalence of obesity and other medical conditions, and the population age structure.

Experts also say it is hard to track overall IFR because it is impossible to accurately tell exactly how many people have been infected because not everyone gets tested when they are ill.

But they believe the Covid IFR is dropping due to medical interventions.

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, said that he believes the future of Covid can be 'kept in check' with jabs, insisting there was 'no question' that vaccines have drastically changed the course of the pandemic.

He added: 'The immunity we are building up appears to be suppressing new variants from causing severe disease.'

But he warned it was not 'inevitable' that the virus will eventually morph into one that merely causes symptoms of the common cold.

MailOnline's analysis suggests the Covid fatality rate fell to as low as 0.14 per cent on December 28  its lowest ever total  after dropping every day since November 18.

The rate is calculated by comparing average death numbers to average case numbers from two weeks earlier, which is roughly the amount of time it takes for the disease to take hold, experts say.

It means the case-fatality rate was already dropping before the strain truly kicked off in Britain in mid December, showing vaccines have played a huge role in thwarting the virus.

But the figure is also skewed slightly by increased levels of testing, with the number of swabs being carried out every having shot by around 245 per cent over the past year.

Testing in Britain reached its highest ever level in the week leading up to Christmas this year, before peaking on January 4 at more than 2million.

And data shows cases were predominantly occurring in people aged under-50, who have always been less at risk of dying from the virus. Rates are now only going up in over-60s in London, signalling what may be to come fore the res of the country.

Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline the Covid fatality rate has been falling in recent weeks in the UK but some of this 'is probably down to delayed reporting of deaths over Christmas'.

He said the 'fatality rate for Omicron does seem to be lower than we have seen with previous variants and is probably now below 0.2 per cent', similar to the rate for flu.

But nowhere near as many people are tested for the flu compared to Covid, which has seen more than 2million Brits get themselves swabbed each day.
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Covid deaths rose for the first time since in over a month last week in England and Wales, according to official figures that show early signs of Omicron's impact on fatalities.

Office for National Statistics data revealed the number of people dying with the virus climbed 12 per cent in the seven days up to Christmas Eve, from 755 to 852.

The virus was the underlying cause of death in 85 per cent of the new fatalities (723).

The original ONS report incorrectly stated that Covid deaths had dropped to their lowest since August but revised figures were reissued after the error was spotted.

Separate data from the ONS show England saw a record 3.3million people  one in 15  infected with the virus on any given day in the week up to New Year's Eve.

Experts fear record case numbers across the UK could cause unsustainable pressure on the NHS once they have had time to manifest as severe disease  despite a host of studies showing the super-mutant strain causes less intensive care admissions.

Adviser says we may be 'starting to see thing turn around' as admissions peak in hotspot London One of the Government's leading Covid modellers today appeared to back Boris Johnson's plan to 'ride out' the Omicron wave as he claimed that imposing more restrictions now would have little effect. Dr Mike Tildesley, a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Modelling group (Spi-M) which feeds into SAGE, said 'we're starting to see things turn around'. He claimed that if measures had been imposed before Christmas they may have reduced the number of infections but admitted restrictions would be 'much less effective' now the outbreak may be peaking. However, he refused to rule out needing more curbs if the wave starts to grow again. Dr Tildesley pointed to Omicron hotspot London, where infections and hospital admissions appear to be flatlining already, as reason to be optimistic about how the epidemic will play out in the rest of the country. There were 347 admissions in the capital on New Year's Day, the latest day with data, down 7 per cent compared to the previous week. It is the second day in a row admissions have fallen week-on-week. It comes after the Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference last night that England had a 'chance to ride out this Omicron wave without shutting down our country' because it is milder than older strains. While daily infections are running at record levels  218,000 people tested positive yesterday  the number of Covid patients in hospital is still a fraction of previous peaks. There are 15,000 Covid inpatients now compared to nearly 40,000 last January and about a third of current patients are not primarily sick with the virus. Fewer sufferers are also requiring ventilation. Advertisement

The number of weekly registered coronavirus deaths in England and Wales was revised upwards by more than 250 after a coding error.

Some 261 deaths registered in the week to December 24 were mistakenly not recorded as having involved the virus.

It took the total number of registered deaths that week, where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, to 852, up from 591.

The ONS said an issue with its automated coding system meant the causes and contributory factors for some deaths were coded late.

It means deaths involving coronavirus registered in the week to December 24 rose 12.8 per cent from the previous seven days  the first rise in six weeks.

Covid accounted for 6.5 per cent of deaths from all causes registered that week.

Registered care home resident deaths were revised upwards by 23.

There were 78 care home resident deaths involving Covid-19 registered over the week  up from the 55 initially recorded and up from 60 registered in the previous week.

It represents the first weekly rise in care home deaths for two months.

The ONS figures cover deaths of care home residents in all settings, not just in care homes.

It comes after official data showed cases in are now only going up in over-60s in London.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) statistics showing that infections in the city began to fall before Christmas sparked hopes that the worst was over.

But rates are only tumbling in under-60s currently, according to the same dataset which doesn't yet reflect New Year's Eve celebrations. Cases in over-60s, who are more vulnerable to the virus, have yet to slow down since the extremely-infectious variant took off.

Sir Chris Whitty last night said it was too early to say London's crisis had peaked because hospital pressures were likely to worsen over the coming weeks because of the trajectory.

However, other experts expect the trend in over-60s to follow that of younger adults and begin falling in the next week or so, mirroring the trend in South Africa  the first country in the world to fall victim to the variant, where infections now appear to be in freefall.

Professor David Livermore, a medical microbiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that infection numbers are 'bumpy' over the festive period because of reporting delays and fewer testes being carried out.

He said: 'Nonetheless, the rate is the under-60s does look to have peaked and be falling convincingly.

'This pattern of a short sharp peak is what you would expect from Omicrons increased transmissibility [and] it also tallies with South African experience.'

Growth rates already suggest that the infection rate in older people is slowing down.

Professor Livermore added: 'I would expect a similar peak and drop off, within a week or thereabouts, among the over 60s.'

Separate ONS data today showed a shocking one in 10 Londoners were estimated to have Covid on New Year's Eve but the statisticians said there were 'early signs' that infections had peaked in the capital, which has been hit hardest by Omicron.

The ONS' weekly infection survey is regarded as the most reliable indicator of the UK's outbreak because it uses random sampling of around 100,000 people, rather than relying on people coming forward to be tested.

The report, used by ministers to guide Covid policy, is normally published on Friday  but its release was moved while infections run at unprecedented levels.

Today's findings show that around one in 20 people had the virus by New Year's Eve in Wales and Scotland, both up from one in 40.

In Northern Ireland, prevalence has increased from one in 40 to one in 25.

In total, an estimated 3.7million people in all four UK nations had Covid in the most recent week.

An earlier version of this article reported the original figures published by the ONS, which showed that Covid deaths had dropped to their lowest since August. These figures have since been retracted by the ONS, who say they were issued following an issue with their automated coding system. We are happy to set the record straight.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures show Covid cases in Omicron hotspot London are now only going up in people aged 60 and above. Graph shows: The case rate per 100,000 in people aged 60 and above (yellow line) and under-60 (red line). Cases have started to drop in under-60s, though the rate still remains above the more vulnerable older age groups
There will be no more song and dance but the circus will go on after acrobatic New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet revealed his new Covid restrictions on Friday.

Mr Perrottet has repeatedly assured the citizens of the nation's largest state that returning to previous restrictions is not the way forward and they can now simply live with the virus'.

The premier had vowed he would not be held captive by fear and said he wanted to be a leader who instilled 'hope, optimism and confidence in our people'.

On Friday he banned singing and dancing in hospitality venues until after Australia Day and suspended elective surgery until mid February.

He also announced teachers, nurses and other front-line health workers would in future need a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated.

Mr Perrottet did not shut nightclubs, as had been predicted, or prevent pub patrons from drinking while standing - although he did want to discourage that practice.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has suspended elective surgery, banned singing and dancing in hospitality venues and said future major public events would be assessed on a case by case basis

The premier had vowed he would not be held captive by fear and said he wanted to be a leader who instilled 'hope, optimism and confidence in our people'

Case numbers reached 38,625 on Friday with 11 reported deaths, while the number of people in hospital is just 1,738, with 134 in intensive care units

He stopped short of cancelling all upcoming major events, saying only high-risk gatherings were at risk of being postponed and they would be assessed on a case by case basis.

The latest changes follow the re-introduction in late December of mandatory mask wearing in public places such as supermarkets and two square metre density limits.

While Mr Perrottet had warned changing circumstances could lead to some restrictions being reintroduced the people of NSW had been given every reason to believe most limits on their liberties were behind them.

Case numbers reached 38,625 on Friday with 11 reported deaths, while the number of people in hospital is just 1,738, with 134 in intensive care units.

Mr Perrottet has been under pressure to bring in further restrictions from radio commentators including 2GB's Ray Hadley and his summer stand-in host Mark Levy.

Talkback callers to 2GB have been put to air relentlessly complaining about how hard it is to get a Covid test, when the health advice has been to get one only if you are unwell.

In the earliest days of the Omicron variant reaching Australia's shores Mr Perrottet said the state could rely on its high vaccination rate to protect it from further Covid rule enforcement.

'Ultimately, we not only need to learn to live alongside the virus, but live alongside the variants as well,' he said on November 28.

Talkback callers to 2GB have been put to air relentlessly complaining about how hard it is to get a Covid test, when the health advice has been to get one only if you are unwell. Ray Hadley has been one of the premier's greatest critics

In the earliest days of the Omicron variant reaching Australia's shores Mr Perrottet said the state could rely on its high vaccination rate to protect it from further Covid rule enforcement

'This pandemic is not over,' Mr Perrottet said. 'These variants will continue, cases will continue to rise and the best thing we can do to keep the community safe, keep your family safe is to go out and get vaccinated and get that booster shot when you can.'

NEW COVID RULES HIT NSW ON SATURDAY TESTING CHANGES: People will be able to log positive RAT results with Service NSW from next week. They will be counted in daily Covid case figures. STANDING AT VENUES: Venues will be discouraged from allowing 'vertical consumption' while drinking at bars and pubs. ELECTIVE SURGERY SUSPENDED: The state has suspended elective surgery until mid-February to relieve pressure on the hospital system. BAN ON SINGING AND DANCING: Singing and dancing is banned in 'high-risk' environments such as pubs and restaurants. The ban does not apply to weddings or dance classes. BAN ON LARGE EVENTS: The 'overwhelming majority' of events will proceed, but will need approval of NSW Health.

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Mr Perrottet has been pushing this line for months, dramatically pointing to the Harbour Bridge on October 15 when he said Sydney was Australia's 'truly only global city' and would be opening up to the world.

He had been premier for less than a week when Sydney and surrounding regions emerged from almost four months of lockdown in October.

When the state recorded its second consecutive day of cases above 400 on December 9 Mr Perrottet was adamant 'it is time to go out and live alongside the virus'.

'I want people to go out and enjoy the best of what Sydney has to offer,' Mr Perrottet said.

'I think it's great people are going out and having a party again, enjoying their Christmas parties, so they should, that's the great aspect of our city.

'As we start to enjoy life again, as we have in the past, people will contract Covid.'

Confirming restrictions including mask mandates and venue density limits would ease for all residents - including the unvaccinated - on December 15, Mr Perrottet said cases would inevitably rise.

'It is unsustainable and untenable for NSW to remain closed,' he said. 'We've always said to the people of our state that when the vaccination rate increases, we will open up, that's exactly what we've done, we're sticking to the plan.'

Again he said 'we 'need to live alongside this virus'.

'The pandemic is not over, we need to make sure we remain safe and the best way to do that is go out and get vaccinated,' he added.

On December 13 the premier promised no more lockdowns for NSW as daily infections rose above 500.

'The pandemic is not over, we need to make sure we remain safe and the best way to do that is go out and get vaccinated,' Mr Perrottet said on December 9

'We made a compact with the people of our state based on the health information we received on vaccinations that once we got to a certain point, we wouldn't need to go back,' he told broadcaster Alan Jones.

'My focus isn't on case numbers. It's on ICU and hospitalisation numbers. I think coming out every single day and saying here are the case numbers, I believe will instil fear in the community.

Dominic Perrottet says 'Live with it' November 28: 'Ultimately, we not only need to learn to live alongside the virus, but live alongside the variants as well.' December 9: 'As we start to enjoy life again, as we have in the past, people will contract Covid.' December 13: 'I want to be Premier who's instilling hope, optimism and confidence in our people.' December 20: 'There will also be new variants of this virus. It is not going away. We need to learn to live alongside it.' December 21: 'The health and safety of our people comes first, but we will make those changes based on fact, not fear,' December 30: 'Now is the time to change strategy and allow the virus to become endemic - essentially, to live with it.' Advertisement

'I want to be a premier who's instilling hope, optimism and confidence in our people.'

With 2,501 new cases on December 20 and Health Minister Brad Hazzard accurately warning they could rise to 25,000 by January, the premier again said people had to live alongside Covid.

Mr Perrottet said he wanted to treat citizens 'like adults' and let them make their own choices.

'We are taking a balanced and proportionate response,' he said. 'It is completely focused on keeping people safe while at the same time opening up our economy and ensuring that people are able to work, be in jobs and provide for their families.

With 2,501 new cases on December 20 and Health Minister Brad Hazzard accurately warning they could rise to 25,000 by January, the premier again said people had to live alongside Covid

'There will also be new variants of this virus. It is not going away. We need to learn to live alongside it.

'I appreciate as premier there is concern in the community but now is our time to stand up, to stand tall, to look after each other, to treat people with kindness and respect and we'll get through it.'

Mr Perrottet again said the focus should not be on case numbers.

'If we need to tailor our responses from time to time, we will,' he said. 'There are challenging times today, there will be challenging times tomorrow.

'We are not going to have a knee-jerk reaction and dent confidence in the state.

'We have a compact with the people of our state, the great people of New South Wales who have gone out and been vaccinated.

'We have to learn to live alongside the virus. I know we have been saying that for two years, but now is our moment. Now is our time to do just that.'

Mr Perrottet has been under pressure to bring in further restrictions from radio commentators including 2GB's Ray Hadley (right) and his summer stand-in host Mark Levy (left)

Mr Perrottet again urged people to get their booster shots and reiterated the state was ready for rising case numbers.

'We said when we opened up that as mobility increases, case numbers will increase, case numbers will lead to hospitalisations and hospitalisations will lead to ICU presentations.'

'But we cannot live in a world where there is no Covid. We have to live in the world as it is. And as it is, the best thing we can do is have a high vaccination rate.'

As new infections hit 3,057 on December 21 the premier was still looking forward, not back, as he called for booster shots to be given four months after a second jab rather than five.

'The health and safety of our people comes first, but we will make those changes based on fact, not fear,' he said.

On December 23 he announced masks would again be required for indoor settings and reintroduced the two square metre rule for venues, later earning a rebuke from radio host Hadley.

Ray Hadley called 2GB stand-in afternoon host Chris O'Keefe on December 29 to criticise drive fill-in presenter Joe Hildebrand (pictured) for saying Australians should not fear Omicron

'The boy Premier decided he knew more on December 15 and a week later, what did he do?' Hadley asked. 'Seven days after he made the decision, he reversed a decision he should never have made in the first place.

'I know one thing: this will cost him the premiership in 2023.'

Hadley, who was on holidays, called 2GB stand-in afternoon host Chris O'Keefe on December 29 to criticise drive fill-in presenter Joe Hildebrand for saying Australians should not fear Omicron.

'As someone who's led the station for the last 18 months to make sure that the Covid message got out there, the last thing I need is a fill-in getting on-air and telling people, "Oh it's no worry".'

Mr Perrottet had correctly cited the low number of ICU admissions as evidence the Omicron variant was not as severe as previous strains, and said hospitals were coping well with the outbreak.

As new cases reached 12,226 on December 30, with 63 patients in intensive care, Mr Perrottet wanted to end the year on a positive message.

He noted 92.7 per cent of NSW citizens had been fully vaccinated, 94.2 per cent had been given at least one dose and the state did not want further lockdowns.

The only way to keep numbers down would be to shut borders tight, close workplaces and order people to stay home, Mr Perrottet wrote in an opinion piece for a newspaper

As data indicated the Omicron variant was less severe than Delta he said 'now is the time to change strategy and allow the virus to become endemic - essentially, to live with it'.

The premier said the increase in Covid case numbers due to Omicron had been expected due to its higher transmissibility.

The only way to keep numbers down would be to shut borders tight, close workplaces and order people to stay home, Mr Perrottet wrote in an opinion piece for the Sydney Morning Herald.

'It's hard to believe anyone really wants that kind of response, particularly because even radical restrictions offer no guarantees - just look at Western Australia and the rapid increase in cases around the country,' Mr Perrottet said.

Mr Perrottet said when evidence indicated NSW should reintroduce mask mandates and QR codes, he had done so.

'The pandemic isn't over,' Mr Perrottet wrote, again, on December 30. 'Challenges will arise, and we will continue to adapt'

'If higher case numbers translate into a risk of excessive pressure on our health system, we will adapt again, continuing to put safety first, while having society continue to function as much as possible.'

But the death rate was not rising sharply, numbers in hospitals were manageable and the current restrictions were appropriate.

'The pandemic isn't over,' Mr Perrottet wrote, again, on December 30. 'Challenges will arise, and we will continue to adapt.

'But the new approach is a product of the progress we have made, so let's not lose sight of what we have achieved together.

'If we maintain the optimism and determination that has got us this far, we will find so much to celebrate this summer.'

Celebrating summer for the people of NSW got that little bit harder with today's new restrictions, which will be in place until at least January 27.
A Capitol rioter filmed brandishing Nancy Pelosi's office sign has been charged with driving drunkenly down the wrong side of a freeway and killing a 32 year-old mom of two.

Authorities said that Emily Hernandez, 22, of Sullivan, was arrested after the crash Wednesday night on Interstate 44 in Franklin County. Her car slammed into another vehicle that spun into a median strip and hit cable barriers, police said. Both cars 'swerved to avoid each other,' according to a crash report shared by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Victoria Wilson, 32, of St. Clair, was killed in the collision while being in a 2019 Buick Enclave and her husband Ryan, who was the driver, was seriously injured, the patrol added.

Hernandez faces possible charges of driving while intoxicated resulting in death, and driving while intoxicated resulting in injury, according to an arrest report.

Ethan Corlija, one of Hernandez's lawyers, said his client was expected to be released from the hospital Thursday after receiving surgery, but declined to comment on the charges.

'The exact circumstances of the accident are unclear,' Corlija told the WMOV. 'It's unfortunate. I am heartbroken for the others involved.'

Emily Hernandez, 22, of Sullivan, was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated causing the death of an individual and driving while intoxicated leading to serious physical injury of another person on Wednesday evening

Victoria Wilson, 32, who was a mother-of-two, leaves behind a family of two boys, and her husband Ryan, after Wednesday night's fatal car crash

On January 6 last year, Hernandez participated in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and was pictured smiling in photos while holding a broken sign from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office (pictured)

In January of last year, Hernandez was charged with five misdemeanors after being pictured and recorded at the infamous Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Hernandez participated at the 'Stop the Steal' rally with two other people from the St. Louis area. She was part of a group of supporters of former President Donald Trump, who stormed through police barricades and broke into the Capitol as Congress certified the peaceful transfer of power.

Weeks later, Hernandez was accused in federal court of knowingly entering a restricted building without lawful authority, disorderly conduct which impedes government business, stealing, disruptive conduct in the Capitol, and demonstrating in the Capitol.

Corlija who also defended Hernandez at the time, described his client to reporters as 'the girl next door,' after she appeared smiling in photos while holding a broken sign from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

'It's an unfortunate situation and it's one she didn't want to put herself in,' Corlija told the Daily Beast, at the time. 'She's willing to move beyond it, do the things she needs to do to make it right and get on with the rest of her life.'

She also posted images of herself at the Capitol on Snapchat, according to court documents. Hernandez was scheduled to plead guilty on Monday to at least one misdemeanor charge related to the federal case.

One of the two other people who travelled to D.C from St. Louis with the woman was her uncle, William D. 'Bill Merry. He pleaded guilty this week to theft of government property after he was pictured next to Hernandez, holding Pelosi's broken sign while wearing a red 'Trump 2020' hat.

Paul Scott Westover is the other traveler. He pleaded guilty last month to demonstrating in the Capitol.

The 22-year-old female (wearing sunglasses in this picture) was charged with five misdemeanors related to the infamous Jan. 6 riots and intended to plea guilty to at least one of them on Monday in federal court

Hernandez (left) turned herself into the St. Louis FBI office, with her attorney Ethan Corlija (right) on Jan 19, 2021. She was released without bond.

Meanwhile, the victim who perished in Wednesday's crash leaves behind two boys, ages 10 and 15, according to the St Louis Post-Dispatch.

'She had a heart of gold,' Victoria's mother Tonie Donaldson told the local paper, adding that her daughter was a at-home healthcare worker who help people with disabilities.

'Not everyone can work with mentally challenged children, and she's done it since she was 13.'

Grieving her daughter's passing, Donaldson questioned why Hernandez wasn't in custody, especially after she turned herself in to the FBI last year

'Why is she still out?' Donaldson asked. 'With what she did to the government, why is she still walking the street? To me, she's a piece of [expletive]. At 7 o'clock, you're drunk and she got on the highway drunk?

At the time of the federal case, prosecutors advised that Hernandez should not be jailed until trial. Subsequently, she was released on bond but was not allowed to be in contact with law enforcement as a condition of her release.
A Washington teen who shot a 15 year-old classmate dead and injured three others in a 2017 school shooting has admitted his crime, after previously saying he felt no remorse.

Caleb Sharpe, now 20, has pleaded guilty to premeditated murder, three counts of attempted murder and second-degree assault for the shooting at Freeman High School in 2017 when he was 16 on Thursday, just days before his trial is set to begin.

He could face up to life in prison for allegedly slaying Sam Strahan, 15, and injuring three girls on September 13, 2017.

Sharpe took a plea deal that dropped many of his second-degree assault charges, leaving only one to represent the 45 students whose lives were put at risk.

When detectives asked Sharpe if he felt remorseful for the shooting, he answered: 'No.'

Caleb Sharpe, 20, pleaded guilty on Thursday to premeditated murder, three counts of attempted murder and second-degree assault for the shooting at Freeman High School in 2017 when he was 16. He is pictured in court today

He could face up to life in prison for allegedly slaying Sam Strahan, 15, and injuring three girls on September 13, 2017

Sparke (pictured in 2017) said he did not feel remorseful for the shooting

Despite his lack of emotion, Spokane County Superior Judge Michael Price still read out each initial of the victims before allowing Sharpe to enter his plea, the -Spokesman-Review reported.

Victims' families were allowed to give impact statements.

In the front row sat Sam's mother Ami, as well as Sharpe's family and law enforcement.

Earlier this year, Sharpe's defense team attempted to change the young man's plea to guilty by insanity, but a judge denied it, saying it was 'a little too late.'

Strahan, who was friends with Sharpe, was shot abdomen and then in the face. Sharpe said that Strahan was bullying him. Strahan's mother Ami was sitting front row in court on Thursday

Sharpe's lawyers have also attempted to move the trial out of Spokane - where the shooting took place - and to question jurors individually, according to KHQ 6.

Sharpe walked to a second-floor hallway of Freeman High School in 2017, where he pulled an assault weapon from a duffle bag and tried to load it, authorities said.

It jammed, and classmate and friend Sam Strahan, 15, reportedly walked up to him.

Sharpe pulled a pistol from his coat pocket and shot his classmate in the abdomen and then in the face, killing him, according to the documents.

He then walked down the hallway, firing at other students or into the ceiling, authorities say. Three female students were wounded. They were named Emma Nees, Gracie Jensen and Jordyn Goldsmith.

Police found what they described as finding a 'manifesto' in his bedroom which contained a 'list of dad's ammo' in 2017

Sharpe told police that he had been bullied by Strahan, but did not target him specifically.

Students said at the time that he brought notes to school about doing 'something stupid,' was obsessed with past school shootings and posted videos online that showed him playing with guns.

And he was allegedly seeing a therapist for suicidal thoughts.

Police found what they described as finding a 'manifesto' in his bedroom which contained a 'list of dad's ammo.'

It was in a binder in front of a dresser in the boy's room, they said.

In the second drawer of his dresser was a yearbook in which Sharpe had marked the faces of students with an 'X = kill'. Police will not reveal whether any of the students who were hurt or killed had their faces marked in the yearbook.

His trial is expected to start on January 18.
Vice President Kamala Harris was inside the Democratic Party's National Headquarters on January 6 last year when a pipe bomb was discovered outside the building, a new report claimed on Thursday.

She was evacuated just minutes after the Capitol Police began investigating it, according to documents obtained by Politico.

The explosives were reportedly placed there the night before, meaning Harris would have entered the building while a bomb was nearby.

The newly-revealed account of the United States Capitol Police's timeline of events when Donald Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol building raises fresh questions about the extent of security failings that day.

Exactly one year to the day of the insurrection, the FBI is still looking for the suspect who placed two of the explosive devices outside of both the Republican and Democrat headquarters.

At 1:07 p.m. on January 6, law enforcement reportedly began probing the pipe bomb placed outside Democrats' building.

Just seven minutes later at 1:14 p.m. an unnamed 'protectee' was escorted out by Capitol Police and the Secret Service.

Four sources including a White House official and a former law enforcement official told Politico that 'protectee' was Harris.

Harris acknowledged during her Capitol address today that she wasn't in the building when rioters broke in but didn't elaborate on where she was

Previously revealed timelines show protesters had broken into the Capitol and shattered the glass windows less than an hour later.

According to the timeline viewed by the outlet, the DNC bomb threat was neutralized at 4:36 p.m. The bomb found outside of the RNC was neutralized about an hour earlier.

Harris, who was a sitting senator at the time, remarked on her absence from the Capitol but did not elaborate further in her speech marking one year since the riot on Thursday morning.

She and her colleagues were meant to be attending a Joint Session of Congress to certify her and Joe Biden's electoral victory when Trump's supporters broke into the building in a bid to stop the process.

'I had left, but my thoughts immediately turned not only to my colleagues, but to my staff who had been forced to seek refuge in our office, converting filing cabinets into barricades,' the vice president said this morning.

Law enforcement and intelligence officials have been criticized for not being better prepared for the mob that overwhelmed officers and shattered glass to get into the Capitol complex.

To date the FBI still has not named a suspect in their investigation into who placed 'viable' pipe bombs outside of Democrat and Republican Headquarters the night before the riot

Forces that had to be diverted to the bomb threats further added to the strain on law enforcement trying to keep Trump's supporters out.

The FBI has since said the explosives were 'viable' and 'could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death.'

Early accounts of Harris' timeline during riot were also highlighted in Thursday's report. Although little has been reported about her specific movements before now, she had been scheduled to attend an intelligence briefing at the Capitol that morning before departing for a previously-planned engagement.

She later returned after the riot when lawmakers resumed the election certification process.

The FBI put out its latest call for help in identifying the pipe bomb suspect in September.

A person wearing a light hooded sweatshirt and dark pants carrying a backpack was identified as having placed the explosives at the DNC and RNC on the evening of January 5.

Capitol Police reportedly began investigating the DNC pipe bomb at 1:07 p.m. on January 6 last year, and Harris was rushed out seven minutes later

National Republican figures have been criticizing federal investigators in recent days for not yet having found the suspect.

'A year later, congressional Democrats have focused on political theater, have not explained why they left the Capitol vulnerable, and have never mentioned the pipe bombs placed at RNC and DNC headquarters,' RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told DailyMail.com for a separate story on Wednesday.

'To date, the terrorist who placed the bombs has still not been found. As we have said repeatedly, violence cannot be tolerated, but for Democrats, this is all about politics and primetime headlines, and has nothing to do with justice or democracy.'

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham echoed a similar call on Twitter Thursday.

'Those responsible for Capitol security including our political leaders must also be held accountable' for the riot,' the GOP senator wrote.

'We still do not know who planted pipe bombs on Capitol Hill the night of Jan 5. We still do not know why our Capitol was not adequately defended before President Trump spoke.'
Harmony Montgomery's junkie dad was awarded custody of the missing little girl despite shooting a man in the face just months before her birth, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.

Adam Montgomery's partner Crystal Sorey was three months pregnant with Harmony when her brutal boyfriend blasted drug dealer Robert Jacobs in the chin and narrowly avoided killing him.

According to a January 2014 police report obtained by DailyMail.com, the 'bullet traveled up the left side of his face and exited out his left temple.'

Miraculously, Jacobs survived and was able to identify 31-year-old Montgomery  street name Ace  from the distinctive Boston tattoo spanning his back that was exposed as the two men grappled.

Adam Montgomery, pictured right in his most recent booking photo, pleaded guilty to armed robbery, armed assault to murder and discharging an unlicensed firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling in 2014 - just months before his daughter Harmony was born

Police in Manchester, New Hampshire have been searching for seven-year-old Harmony Montgomery, who is blind in one eye, after learning she hasn't been seen since 2019

Montgomery appeared in Haverhill District Court in Massachusetts charged with armed robbery, armed assault to murder and discharging an unlicensed firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling.

He pleaded guilty to the charges in September 2014  just three months after Harmony was born  and was jailed for 18 months.

It was one of numerous charges the deadbeat dad has chalked up since his teens when he stabbed another boy in the leg and pushed him out of a moving car during a 2008 drug deal.

According to court records, that incident happened when Montgomery tried to pass off aspirin as Percocet. Montgomery, who has further convictions for burglary, assault and stalking, was jailed for 383 days.

Despite his repeated bouts of violence, the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families handed him custody of angelic Harmony, then aged five, in early 2019, according to records cited by Boston 25 News.

'Custody of Harmony was returned to her father in February 2019. Once Harmony was returned to her father's care/custody, her involvement with the Department ended as she does not live in Massachusetts,' the records allegedly state.

Montgomery, who has chalked up a lengthy rap sheet over the years, was awarded custody of his daughter (pictured together) then aged five, in early 2019 after the girl's mother fell into drug addiction

Montgomery, 31, who was arrested and charged with assault, interference with custody and endangering the welfare of a child on Wednesday, has been estranged from Harmony's mom

Documents obtained by DailyMail.com reveal Montgomery shot drug dealer Robert Jacobs in the chin months before his daughter Harmony was born in 2014

Harmony, who is blind in one eye, has not been seen by any member of her family since late 2019. Her mom Crystal  long since estranged from Montgomery  says she last glimpsed her in an Easter 2019 FaceTime call.

Sorey explained that she lost custody of Harmony in July 2018 because she was a drug addict, and she said that Montgomery also had struggled with substance abuse problems.

She claims she has repeatedly tried to track her little girl down since then but in court filings obtained by DailyMail.com the Manchester Police Department said it was not contacted until November 18 last year.

Cops located Montgomery, who has a teardrop tattoo on his face  a gang symbol that supposedly shows the wearer has killed someone, even though there is no suggestion that he has  homeless and sleeping in a car in December.

He was found with his latest girlfriend but told cops Harmony was with Sorey, which was determined to be untrue.

He was finally arrested Tuesday on a felony assault charge after estranged members of his own family told the investigating officers they had spotted Harmony with a black eye back in July 2019.

'I bashed her around the house,' he is alleged to have told his uncle Adam Montgomery, according to filings.

In a further twist Wednesday night his estranged wife Kayla Montgomery, who has three kids with him but is not Harmony's mom, was arrested for claiming $1,500 worth of food stamps in Harmony's name from December 2019 to June 2021.

The victim survived and was able to identify 31-year-old Montgomery  street name Ace  from the distinctive Boston tattoo spanning his back

Montgomery was jailed for 383 days after pleading guilty to charges including armed robbery, armed assault to murder in 2014

The incident happened when Montgomery, who has further convictions for burglary, assault and stalking, tried to pass off aspirin as Percocet

Kayla's mother Christina Lubin later told DailyMail.com that her daughter knew nothing about Harmony's disappearance.

She described her former son-in-law as 'pure evil,' however, and said she had passed on information about him to cops.

Montgomery's 2014 conviction came after he arranged to meet Jacobs, 36, in the hallway of an apartment building to buy three grams of heroin.

Instead of paying for the drugs he pulled out a revolver and aimed it at Jacobs's head. Jacobs responded by 'swatting' the barrel away but the gun went off as the two men fought.

Kayla Montgomery, 31 (left), was arrested and charged with felony welfare fraud for collecting food stamps in the name of her missing stepdaughter, Harmony Montgomery

Jacobs eventually wrestled the weapon from Montgomery and shot him in the arm as he fled.

Montgomery did not go to the hospital, however, and instead went home with Crystal's brother Jay Sorey. Nicknamed Jay Blunt, he was also at the scene of the shooting, according to police reports.

When officers arrived at the property three-months pregnant Sorey 'was found hiding in an abandoned shed at the rear of the property. The weather was arctic freezing temperatures,' according to the complaint.

Montgomery told cops he was jumped by four to five people when he went to buy $280 worth of drugs but he was charged after multiple witnesses contradicted his account.

Manchester police set up a 24-hour tip line this week and offered cash rewards totaling $33,000 in an effort to find Harmony.

By late Thursday the reward money had swelled to $60,000 thanks to donations from the public.

Montgomery is currently being held in custody on a felony charge of second-degree assault, one misdemeanor charge of interference with custody, and two misdemeanor charges of endangering the welfare of a child.

An arrest affidavit obtained by DailyMail.com alleges that Montgomery, who has a history of criminal offenses in two states and drug abuse, punched Harmony in the face and gave her a black eye - just six months after New Hampshire's child protective services handed him custody of his daughter.

Kayla Montgomery, 31, appeared in Hillsborough County Superior Court in New Hampshire for her arraignment on Thursday. She pleaded not guilty to one felony count of welfare fraud

This aerial photo shows police searching the backyard of a house in Gilford Street, Mancheste, on Sunday as part of an investigation into the disappearance of seven-year-old Harmony Montgomery

Crystal Sorey (right) had lost custody of Harmony in 2018 because of her drug addiction

Montgomery's uncle quoted Adam as telling him of the beating: 'I bashed her around this house,' according to the filing.

He also would allegedly spank his daughter on her buttocks, force her to stand in a corner for hours and make her scrub the toilet with her own toothbrush.

Kevin Montgomery also told police that he reported the 2019 assault to the Department of Children of Children Youth and Their Families (DCYF), but it is unclear whether his complaint was ever investigated by the agency. The portion of the affidavit pertaining to that incident has been redacted.

Montgomery, who was pictured in his booking photo with a teardrop tattoo on his face, was scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, but he waived his right to a hearing and was ordered held without bond.

According to the Superior Court Bail order, Montgomery has been placed in what is known in New Hampshire as preventive detention 'based on clear and convincing evidence that the defendant's release will endanger the safety of the defendant or of the public.'

The Manchester Police Department stated in a press release that despite Montgomery's arrest, 'the search for Harmony continues.'
A massive 75-car pile-up was captured on video that showed cars and semi-trucks strewn across a highway found in the eastern parts of Kentucky after a heavy snowstorm resulted in an icy and slick road.

Social media users posted images on Twitter that showed cars T-boned and partially buried in snow along Interstate 64 between Winchester and Mount Sterling. The massive vehicle pile-up after the National Weather Service (NWS) placed 100 million United States residents under weather alerts due to the winter storm systems that would be moving across the region in the following days.

Heavy Winter Weather

The storm on Thursday covered parts of the South with quick-falling snow, freezing rain, and sleet as the system continued down a path through Appalachia and toward the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Authorities expect another snow weather system to move from the Pacific Northwest into the Rockies through Friday. They also anticipate icy conditions to move from the Mid-South into the Northeast.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was preparing to face his first snowstorm while in office after the NWS reported that a snow system is expected to bring anywhere between three to six inches of snow to the city on Friday, Dailymail reported.

In another incident, Kentucky State Police personnel were working to clear what they said was a more than 20-car pile-up on the Western Kentucky Parkway due to the icy winter conditions. Drivers affected by the incident told CNN that they were stuck in the area for roughly four to five hours where cars moved very little if at all.

Read Also: Joe Biden Blasts Donald Trump Over Jan. 6 Anniversary; Former President Dismisses Speech in 2 Words

In an interview, State Police Public Information Officer Scotty Sharp said that the parkway was closed in both directions near mile marker 131 in Elizabethtown. The official added that the only injuries that were reported at the time were minor non-life-threatening types. Sharp said that the temperature in the area dropped to 20 degrees because of the blanket of snow.

Accidents and Incidents

Sharp added that he was pretty certain that ice was hidden underneath all the snow that made the road quite slippery and dangerous for passing vehicles. In a Facebook post, the Elizabethtown Police Department said that they could not "emphasize" strongly enough that road conditions in the area were very bad and quickly getting worse, CNN reported.

The worsening incident has prompted Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to declare a state of emergency in the region. The governor's office said that the declaration was due to the heavy snow that began falling on Thursday. Currently, the forecast shows that the snow is expected to continue into the early evening hours.

The governor said that the winter weather in the region has already affected major interstates, resulting in several accidents and pile-ups of vehicles. Many residents also reported experiencing power outages and damage to public infrastructure. Some private properties were also damaged because of the weather system.

In Louiseville, more snow was seen in counties south of the metro, and in Bardstown, residents witnessed around nine inches of snow. A similar situation was seen in Leitchfield where nine inches of snow was reported to have fallen, WLKY reported.



Related Article: Dick Cheney, Former Vice President of the US, Attends Jan. 6 Anniversary, Says He Is Disappointed With Republicans

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A Covid-19 positive woman has revealed her mother has been drinking from her cup to try and contract the virus and avoid extended isolation.

Chelsea Austin was forced to isolate at her Gold Coast apartment after contracting the virus.

As she shares the home with her family, her mother is considered a close contact.

A Covid-19 positive woman has revealed her mother has been drinking from her cup to try and contract the virus and avoid extended isolation

Chelsea Austin was forced to isolate at her Gold Coast apartment after contracting the virus. As she shares the home with her family, her mother is considered a close contact

Covid positive cases need to isolate for a week after testing positive for a Covid-19, while close contacts must isolate for seven days after last coming into contact with the positive case.

If the close contact tests positive to the virus, regardless of how long they have already been isolating, they must restart their seven days from the moment they received their result.

Ms Austin took to TikTok to reveal she was sharing drinks with her mother to pass on the virus, so she could test positive and begin her second round of isolation sooner.

'When you're covid positive and Mum drinks your OJ to try and get covid asap so we aren't in extended iso,' she wrote.

Ms Austin is seen in the video handing a glass of orange juice to her mother.

'Happy Covid,' she says off-camera.

Her mother smiles before taking the glass and downing the rest of the juice.

But experts have warned the trend is unnecessarily exposing people to a very serious virus.

Epidemiologist Dr Catherine Bennett told Daily Mail Australia the wisest advice is 'to avoid being infected for as long as you possibly can'.

'People trying to get this virus when it's still possible to ride through this wave without being infected isn't wise,' she said.

'We're hearing lots of people say "it might be mild" but it's actually really terrible, so if you can avoid it, do.'

She recommended people get their booster shot as soon as they are eligible to reduce their chances of suffering more severe symptoms.

'This wave will not last forever, we're talking a few weeks and it's not inevitable you have to get an infection,' she added.

Social media users were quick to praise the woman for the isolation hack

Nevertheless, some social media users praised Ms Austin's infection 'hack'.

'The twist of the glass to make sure she practically gets the whole rim,' one commented.

Several revealed they had also tried this little trick to get out of isolation sooner.

'Hahaha, we did that and it worked,' one person wrote.

Another one added: 'I tried this. Didn't catch it after a whole week sharing a bed with my bf'.
Health chiefs were under pressure last night to make urgent reforms to outdated Covid isolation rules which force hospitals to quarantine patients for 14 days.

Experts warned that hospitals were being crippled by the rules, which force patients into two weeks of quarantine even if they are only a close contact of a Covid sufferer.

Currently, most people have to isolate for as little as seven days if they test positive for Covid. If they are a close contact of someone with the virus, they no longer need to isolate at all if they are fully vaccinated.

But in hospital any patient who tests positive  or who comes into close contact with a confirmed case  has to be treated in isolation for 14 days. They have to remain in quarantine even if they later test negative.

Last night campaigners warned that the stringent regulations were having a devastating effect on hospital capacity. They said that entire wards were being forced into isolation while the rules were making it difficult to move patients around within hospitals or to discharge them.

Experts warned that hospitals were being crippled by the rules, which force patients into two weeks of quarantine even if they are only a close contact of a Covid sufferer (stock image)

It came as it emerged that 200 troops are being sent to London hospitals to fill in for NHS staff who are isolating after contracting Covid. The soldiers, including 40 specialist medics, were requested by NHS trusts.

The medics will help staff with patient care while other personnel will assist on wards and with duties such as checking in patients and conducting basic health checks. In other developments:

Holiday bookings surged by more than 400 per cent for some hotspots after ministers drastically scaled back travel testing rules;

It emerged people who fail to get a booster jab could face new travel restrictions from next month;

The Prime Minister urged people to ignore the complete mumbo jumbo peddled by anti-vaxxers;

It was reported that trusts will be told to get ready to dismiss staff who refuse the vaccine as soon as next month;

Officials admitted they did not definitely know if masks were effective in halting the spread of Covid in schools.

Hospitals stringent rules on Covid isolation were originally brought in to prevent the spread of Covid on the wards, but they have not been adjusted to account for the rollout of the vaccine or evidence that the Omicron variant is much milder.

The UK Health Security Agency is understood to be reviewing the guidance. However, last night experts called for action now.

End quarantine for cases with no symptoms, says care boss The boss of a major care home group last night called on ministers to scrap self-isolation rules completely for Covid cases with no symptoms. With pressure mounting on ministers to relax the current seven-day requirement, the chief executive of Healthcare Management Solutions said the rules were no longer fit for purpose in a highly vaccinated population. Tony Stein said at least 500 of 2,300 staff at his 60 care homes had been forced to isolate at some point despite most having no symptoms. It currently has more than 100 staff isolating. He called on the Government to scrap isolation completely for those who test positive with no symptoms, saying the Omicron variant was drastically milder and care staff were fully vaccinated  along with most residents. It is time for the Government and public to accept that asymptomatic people shouldnt isolate, he said. Evidence suggests that if youre double vaccinated and boosted  like all social care staff are mandated to be  you arent going to get seriously ill. There is a flaw in the argument that the purpose of isolation is to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed. Most people with Covid are not ending up in hospital and those that are are less ill and for a shorter time. Mr Stein said a lack of care staff due to isolation rules had caused a backlog of patients ready to leave hospital but with no place to go to. This clearly has a knock-on effect and is preventing other patients from receiving treatment. Staff shortages also made it difficult to manage visitors to the detriment of those missing their families, he added. It came as Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said ministers should consider reducing the isolation period to five days. Advertisement

Rory Deighton, of the NHS Confederation which represents the healthcare system, added that the quicker learnings from Omicron could be translated into new national guidance the quicker more beds and other capacity could be freed up.

Pat Cattini, a former president of the Infection Prevention Society, said the rules were crippling healthcare but had never changed despite vaccines and the evidence that Omicron was less severe.

Experts said that easing the 14-day quarantine rule would make a huge difference and free up beds. Current rules also force patients to isolate for 14 days if they are discharged into a care home from hospital  even if they test negative for coronavirus.

Around one in eight hospital beds in England, representing more than 10,000 patients, is occupied by people fit to leave, according to the latest figures.

At least 24 trusts have declared critical incidents in recent days, warning that staff shortages caused by Omicron have made matters worse. But ministers have pushed back against claims hospitals cannot cope, with Environment Secretary George Eustice yesterday predicting the NHSs problems would prove to be quite short-lived.

Elsewhere, some schools have provoked outrage by imposing a ten-day isolation period on pupils with Covid, despite the Government recommending seven. It came as a poll laid bare the extent of teacher shortages caused by Covid, with 36 per cent of schools seeing 10 per cent of staff stay away to self-isolate.

Other figures suggested the length of the average virus hospital stay had halved for some age groups due to vaccines and the milder Omicron.

Latest figures show there are 17,988 patients in UK hospitals with the virus, with admissions up 64 per cent in a week. However, the number in intensive care has not increased. And about one third of Covid patients were admitted for a different reason  testing positive for the virus incidentally or catching it while in hospital.

But guidance means all these patients  as well as any non-Covid positive patients they were in contact with  must spend 14 days in isolation. Health chiefs are also being urged to review guidance stating that care homes should not admit new patients for 28 days after an outbreak of Omicron. This means many care homes have closed to new residents.

A UKHSA spokesman said of the 14-day rule: The current guidance is in place to help limit the spread of Covid to vulnerable people and NHS staff. We continue to work in partnership...to review the guidance and will make changes where appropriate.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is reminding Australians they can get money in the bank if they are told to take time off work as Omicron cases surge.

A $750 payment covering seven days is available for those who has been told to self-isolate or quarantine.

Australians who can't earn an income or are caring for someone with COVID-19 are eligible for a Centrelink payment.

'It's been an important tool that we've had... and large numbers of Australians have done that,' Mr Morrison said.

Scott Morrison has urged Aussies to take advantage of the pandemic leave disaster payment

'I encourage people to become familiar with the supports that are in place.

'The support is already there for those who are in that situation where they're forced to isolate.'

Centrelink will not automatically give you the $750 a week payment if you enter self-isolation or quarantine.

This means individuals have to apply for it for each seven-day period they are isolating.

Australians can apply through the MyGov website, or by calling Centrelink on 180 22 66.

The payment came into effect on December 9 to cope with the surge in Omicron cases.

The Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment has to be declared on a tax return, including if recipients are receiving a Family Tax Benefit or a Child Care Subsidy.

During the lockdowns of 2021, the federal government had tailored Centrelink payments for individual states.

But with Omicron surging in all states and territories except Western Australia, the federal government now has one program.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions wants the federal government to legislate paid pandemic leave, that is separate from annual leave, so workers don't see a cut in their income if they have already used up their holiday leave.

What you need to know about the pandemic leave disaster payment You may be eligible if you're unable to work and earn income, have no sick leave entitlements and NSW Health has told you to self-isolate or quarantine. A health official must direct you personally by letter, email, phone or SMS. They need to give you these directions for any of the following reasons: you have coronavirus (COVID-19)

you've been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19

you care for a child, 16 years or under, who has COVID-19

you care for a child, 16 years or under, who's been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19

you're caring for someone who has a disability or severe medical condition who must self-isolate or quarantine If you claim this payment, and you care for someone with disability, or a severe medical condition, you must be living in the same household as the person you're caring for. You may also be eligible if you're caring for someone who has COVID-19. You must also meet all of the following: you're at least 17 years old and live in New South Wales

you're an Australian resident or hold a visa that gives you the right to work in Australia

you're unable to go to work and earn an income

you have no appropriate leave entitlements, including pandemic sick leave, personal leave or leave to care for another person

your period of quarantine is after 17 September 2020. If you're a member of a couple, you can both claim this payment. You and your partner will need to complete separate claims. Advertisement
Officials have admitted they do not definitely know whether face masks are effective in preventing the spread of Covid in schools.

The Government yesterday said evidence is not conclusive although studies show they may help reduce transmission.

The revelation comes despite all secondary school pupils being asked to wear a mask in class from this week.

The Government yesterday said evidence is not conclusive although studies show they may help reduce transmission

On Wednesday, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said masks in school will help reduce transmission at a time when rates of infection are high.

He highlighted data from a sample of 123 schools which suggested there was a greater reduction in Covid absence among schools using coverings.

However that same afternoon, an evidence review was published by the Department for Education (DfE) which found studies  including the one mentioned by Mr Zahawi  have provided mixed results on the effectiveness of face coverings in education settings.

The study cited by Mr Zahawi showed secondary schools where masks were used saw their average Covid absence rate fall from 5.3 per cent on October 1 to 3.0 on the third week of October  a drop of 2.3 percentage points.

An evidence review was published by the Department for Education (DfE) which found studies  including the one mentioned by Mr Zahawi  have provided mixed results on the effectiveness of face coverings in education settings

In secondary schools that did not use masks, the average Covid absence rate fell from 5.3 per cent to 3.6 per cent  a fall of 1.7 percentage points.

But the study concluded: There is a level of statistical uncertainty around the result.

The DfE review pointed out the study  which does not include any data on Omicron  is non-peer reviewed and the greater reduction in absences could be down to chance.

However, it conceded all the existing studies suggest face coverings in schools may contribute to reducing transmission.

A spokesman for parent group UsForThem said: The document demonstrates no statistically significant benefit for transmission in schools and highlights serious harms to communication and learning.

Meanwhile, some schools have provoked outrage by imposing ten days isolation on pupils with Covid  despite the Government recommending seven.

This week, headteachers at Ryburn Valley High School in Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, Colebourne Primary School in Hodge Hill, Birmingham, and Ricards Lodge School, in Merton, south London, said they needed to keep children out of school for longer to protect staff and fellow pupils in crowded classrooms.

But last night, Ryburn Valley said pupils were free to return after day seven and Ricards Lodge said it also would change to be in line with the Government.

And this week, the UKs largest teaching association National Education Union told members to ignore official guidance by imposing their own stricter rules.
The relative of a sheriff's deputy who killed herself days after her boyfriend committed suicide leaving their six week old baby son orphaned likened the double tragedy to a 'Romeo and Juliet'-type story and says the couple is now 'together forever.'

The family's heartbreaking chain of events began New Year's Eve, when Florida cop Clayton Osteen attempted suicide shortly before midnight. The 24-year-old died two days later in hospital.

His girlfriend Victoria Pacheco, 23, took her own life within days. The couple, both deputies at the St. Lucie Sheriff's office, left behind an infant son called Jayce, who was born on November 22. He is now being cared for by Osteen's brother.

'My heart is so sad I thought I was hurting before I lost my beautiful granddaughter,' Pacheco's grandmother, Bernice Bartolini, said on Facebook. 'Tragic Romeo and Juliet story. They are now together forever.

'This loss is so painful ... Victoria and I were very close when I lived in Florida, she was there for me. I wish I could have been there for her. My insides are being torn apart, my heart hurts so bad.'

Bernice Bartolini (left) says her police officer granddaughter Victoria Pacheco (right) is with her boyfriend forever after the couple committed suicide days apart

Bartolini is pictured holding the couple's month-old baby Jayce, who is now orphaned

Bernice spoke as it was revealed Osteen and Pacheco had both been awarded for their heroism by their department.

Osteen saved a person from overdosing on drugs in 2020, while Pacheco did the same thing with another person a year afterwards.

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the couple's son Jayce said: 'Tragically, for reasons completely unknown and totally out of character, Clayton took his own life December 31st, 2021.

'Reeling from the shock of loss, Victoria took her own life two days later.' It continued: 'Clayton and Victoria were joy-filled, first-time parents excited about their growing family, enamored with their baby Jayce, and so in love with each other.'

Now family and friends reeling from the loss are expressing shock at the parent's choice to end their lives, saying they were as happy as ever after welcoming their new baby and that the reason behind the drastic actions are unknown.

Family and friends are reeling from the loss are expressing shock at Osteen and Pacheco's choice to end their lives, saying they were as happy as ever after welcoming their new baby and that the reason behind the drastic actions are unknown

The St. Lucie Sheriffs Office is rallying to raise money and day to day basics to help raise baby Jayce, (pictured) including accepting essentials like diapers, wipes, gift cards to baby stores and food stores

The tragic deaths of Osteen and Pacheco left their baby son Jayce Osteen, who was born November 22, 2021 orphaned

St Lucie County Sheriff's deputies Clayton Osteen (left) and Victoria Pacheco (right) died as a result of suicides just days apart last week

Jayce Osteen has been left orphaned after his mom and dad, who were both sheriff's deputies, took their own lives

The young couple had just welcomed their first child together, a boy, in mid-November. Osteen and Pacheco are pictured during her baby shower in September

Osteen and Pacheco served on the force since November 2019 and February 2020, respectively.

Osteens brother, also a St. Lucie Deputy, will now care for newborn Jayce.

The St. Lucie Sheriffs Office is rallying to raise money and day to day basics to help Osteen's brother raise baby Jayce, including accepting essentials like diapers, wipes, gift cards to baby stores and food stores.

Kelly Ridle, the mother of one the couple's co-workers, who set up the GoFundMe for baby Jayce described Osteen's suicide attempt as 'unexpected' and 'unexplainable'.

'The grief is deep and painful,' Ridle wrote on Facebook. 'Parents shouldnt have to bury their children. Brothers and best friends should be called upon for support. Babies should grow up surrounded by the love of their parents. But know my friends, despite this horrendous situation, Ive witnessed more grace, love, compassion, answered prayers, and even what feels like a few miracles this week than I could imagine even existed among those left behind. We are forever bonded to one another and Jayce.'

Osteen was a retired US Marine, previously serving as a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment.

He enlisted in May 2015 and was featured in a video about undergoing training in the jungles of Brunei in 2016.

Osteen, pictured above cradling his girlfriend's pregnant belly, attempted to take his life on New Year's Eve and was taken off life support two days later

Osteen was a retired US Marine, previously serving as a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment

The young mother-of-one took her own life shortly after her partner's death

Authorities have not said what might have prompted the couple's back-to-back suicides, nor how they died, but Sheriff Mascara noted in his statement that deputies often deal with 'stress' and are 'human.'

'While it's impossible for us to fully comprehend the private circumstances leading up to this devastating loss, we pray that this tragedy becomes a catalyst for change, a catalyst to help ease the stigma surrounding mental well-being and normalize the conversation about the challenges so many of us face on a regular basis,' the sheriff added.

Friends have been sharing memories and photos of the tragic couple on social media.

'A true brother lost his internal battle,' Ray Tourville wrote of Osteen on Facebook. 'I struggle with finding the words to write that even remotely does him justice. Im incredibly sorry that you felt this was your only option.'
Boris Johnson was facing fresh sleaze claims last night after it emerged he had helped advance a pet project of the Tory donor who paid for the Downing Street flat revamp.

The Prime Minister told Lord Brownlow he was looking into his idea for a new Great Exhibition  and soon afterwards the businessman had a meeting with the Culture Secretary to discuss it.

Mr Johnson mentioned the plan in a previously hidden WhatsApp conversation in which he also asked the peer for more money for the lavish redecoration of the No11 living quarters  complaining it was 'still a bit of a tip'.

Although the PM was yet again cleared of breaking the ministerial code over the 'wallpapergate' scandal by his sleaze watchdog Lord Geidt yesterday, he had to make a 'humble and sincere apology' for not giving him the crucial text messages months earlier.

Boris Johnson was facing fresh sleaze claims last night after it emerged he had helped advance a pet project of a Tory donor

The Prime Minister told Lord Brownlow he was looking into his idea for a new Great Exhibition  and soon afterwards the businessman had a meeting with the Culture Secretary to discuss it

The revelations about his promotion of the proposed event at the Royal Albert Hall  although it never went ahead  have prompted new accusations of 'cash for access'.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said: 'It appears that Lord Brownlow had access to the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary because he was paying for his luxury flat renovations.

'If so, that is corruption plain and simple. No one should be able to buy access or exchange wallpaper for festivals. Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer.'

The newly unearthed messages mark another twist in the saga first exposed by the Daily Mail almost a year ago.

We told how Mr Johnson and now-wife Carrie had hired top interior designer Lulu Lytle to transform the 'John Lewis furniture nightmare', left by Theresa May, using gold wallpaper costing 840 a roll.

A number of official probes were launched into the secret plans to get a charitable trust, funded by Tory party donors, to pay for the upkeep of Downing Street including the flat.

Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests Lord Geidt concluded in May that Mr Johnson acted 'unwisely' by not finding out who was behind the renovation, but had not breached the ministerial code.

Mr Johnson and wife Carrie hired top interior designer Lulu Lytle to transform the 'John Lewis furniture nightmare', left by Theresa May

But his judgment was based on the PM's assurance that he had not known about the complex funding arrangements for the 112,549 refurbishment until February.

This was undermined last month when a separate Electoral Commission report revealed Mr Johnson messaged Lord Brownlow in November 2020.

It prompted Lord Geidt to demand answers as to why he had not been told about the WhatsApp messages or that the political funding watchdog had got hold of them.

In correspondence on the 'missing exchange' published by the Cabinet Office yesterday, Lord Geidt said it was 'plainly unsatisfactory'.

No10's explanation was that the PM had to change his phone after a gossip website revealed his number was available online. Lord Geidt said it was 'extraordinary' the Cabinet Office did not simply ask Lord Brownlow for his copy of the texts.

Had he seen them, the adviser doubted whether he 'would have concluded without qualification' that the PM declared his interests in the matter as soon as he could.

Oliver Dowden, then Culture Secretary, spoke to Lord Brownlow and a representative from the Royal Albert Hall on January 18 last year 'to discuss plans for Great Exhibition 2.0'.

Downing Street insisted the plans never developed further.

A long-planned 'Festival of Brexit' will go ahead this year, but it is known as Unboxed and is not related to the Great Exhibition proposal.
Woolworths shelves have been left bare with the food industry giant blaming staff shortages prompted by Covid-19 close contact and isolation rules.

The supermarket giant emailed its Everyday Rewards members on Friday revealing that one in five workers in their distribution centres and one in 10 retail staff are absent.

The widespread shortages have taken a direct hit on the supply chain with products unable to be delivered on time.

NSW supermarkets have been hit the hardest with fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry and dairy displays left empty.

Woolworths shelves have been left bare with the food industry giant blaming staff shortages prompted by Covid-19 close contact and isolation rules

The supermarket giant emailed its Everyday Rewards members on Friday revealing that one in five workers in their distribution centres and one in 10 retail staff are absent

NSW supermarkets have been hit the hardest with fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry and dairy displays left empty

Covid-19 isolation rules have sparked widespread staff shortages in supermarkets across the country (stock image)

'NSW is currently the most affected, although we are seeing impacts across the whole country, and it's not yet clear how soon the system will come back into balance as we move through the Omicron wave,' Woolworths said in the email.

Photographs have captured near empty vegetable and fruit shelves at a supermarket in Balmain, Sydney's inner west.

Cardboard vegetable boxes have been left completely empty while a single packet of tomatoes is rest on a nearby display.

'We understand how frustrating it is when you can't find the product you're looking for and, together with our suppliers and supply chain partners, we're working hard to get all products back on shelf as quickly as we can,' the email read.

Footage has emerged on TikTok of an empty Woolworths fruit and vegetable section at Chester Hill in Sydney's south-west, where garlic, watermelon, apples and a few capsicums were among the few items left in stock after fresh produce didn't arrive.

'I guess it's watermelon and garlic stew again,' one viewer quipped.

Others said similar scenes were happening in their own local stores across Australia as they struggle to come up with meal ideas based on the limited stock.

'Woolworths Leichhardt today. Need to rethink dinner!' a Sydneysider tweeted.

'Not many veggies at my local Woolies. Frozen peas for dinner tonight,' one woman tweeted.

Large spaces have also been left empty on the shelves in the rice section of the supermarket

Meat and poultry shelves have been stripped at a Coles as supermarkets battle a staff shortage

There were no avocados in stock at this Woolworths stores when doors opened on Thursday

Even toilet paper supplies are running low at this Woolworths store at Warringah on Sydney's Northern Beaches

Another Woolworths shopper shared photos of his local store with minimal fresh produce at 8am in the morning while a Gold Coast woman shared a photo of the empty meat section at her Coles.

Woolworths reassured its customers there was plenty of stock 'in the system' and that the empty shelves were not a sign of any food shortages.

'We also have good supply within each 'category' of product (even if your favourite isn't available, a good alternative hopefully should be), so it really helps if you can be flexible with the choices you make,' the email read.

'We would of course also ask you to keep shopping as you normally would and to continue to show kindness to our teams.'

Woolworths has resisted calls to impose buying limits on their products after Coles announced they would take action and introduce limits on meat and poultry.

Toilet paper also appears to be in short supply at some supermarket stores across Sydney

Woolworths has no plans to bring back product limits, despite the lack of stock in-store

The supply chain crisis has taken toll on the fruit and vegetable section at Woolworths Chester Hill (pictured) in Sydney's south-west

Food suppliers have warned of huge disruptions to their supply chains, with as many as 70 per cent of staff at some factories off work and in isolation.

Some suppliers were forced to close their doors over Christmas during their busiest time of the year.

Newcastle-based food distributor Red Funnel lost $1million over the course of its 10 day shutdown due to the close contact rules.

The surge of Covid-19 cases continues to cause widespread chaos, despite the national cabinet amending the definition of close contacts to ease isolation rules.

The rules have also been overhauled for positive Covid cases, who only have to isolate for a week if they have no symptoms on day seven.

Testing requirements for truck drivers have also been amended to removing the need for a PCR test every seven days.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the decision was key to ensuring food distribution networks could continue moving.

Woolworths has insisted there is plenty of supply despite empty displays in several stores

'We need truckies keeping on trucking ... to keep moving things around,' he told reporters on Thursday.

But food suppliers say the close contact rules should be scrapped entirely.

'It's something that needs to be managed by the business, by the individual,' Red Funnel owner George Sofanios told The Australian.

'The government puts everything else back onto business, so why do they want to hold onto this one that damages businesses the most.'

Gold Coast-based food distributor, Jeff Godden was forced to stand down almost half of his truck drivers.

'Our customer base is feeling it even worse than we are, being the hospitality industry. Restaurants, cafes, clubs, pubs  any venue that would be categorised as hospitality, they're now closing,' Mr Godden said.

'So what we're getting is a massive downturn in business and we're back to where we were pretty much two years ago.
New York State and New York City saw some startling COVID-19 numbers Thursday, with the most deaths in one day since vaccinations begin, but both death and hospitalizations remain down from their 2020 peak.

According to state data, 130 New Yorkers died due to COVID-19 on Wednesday, with 62 alone coming from New York City. That's the most since mass vaccination started, but still well below the record 816 who died in one day during the first peak in April 2020.

As of Thursday, over 11,000 people are hospitalized, the highest number since the spring 2020 peak when the state was utilizing field hospitals.

'Wearing a mask, washing your hands, getting your vaccine, your second dose, your booster - we are not defenseless and these are things you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy,' Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

'As we make our way through the winter surge, it is important to keep the wellbeing of others in mind,' Hochul added. 'Be mindful of how your actions impact others so we can keep our communities open and thriving.'

The state has lost just over 49,000 people to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.

The state also announced 84,202 new cases, just below the state's single-day record of 85,476 on New Year's Day.

Led by the spread of the Omicron variant, the state's positivity rate on tests is at 22.3 percent.

The CDC estimates that omicron, the first NY case of which was confirmed on Dec. 2, now accounts for upwards of 99 percent of current COVID-19 cases in the region

New York City, with a positivity rate of nearly 33 percent, now accounts for over half of the hospitalizations across the state.

Hospital officials in the Big Apple still say that things are nowhere near as bad as they were at the dawn of the pandemic.

'We're not even halfway to what we were in April 2020,' Dr. David Battinelli, the physician-in-chief for Northwell Health, New York state's largest hospital system, told NBC4.

Experts add that patients aren't as sick as they were getting earlier during the first surge.

For example, while 666 patients are currently in ICU beds - the highest total since February 2021 - that's still five-fold less than where they were at in April of 2020.

The WHO said Thursday that a record 9.5 million COVID-19 cases were tallied over the last week as the omicron variant of the coronavirus swept the planet, a 71 percent increase from the previous 7-day period that the U.N. health agency likened to a 'tsunami.'

That said, the number of weekly recorded deaths declined.
arrister Liam Walker apologised for urging jury to 'be on right side of history'

The judge in the Colston statue trial feared defence lawyers may have placed the jury under 'wrongful' pressure by urging them to be 'on the right side of history'.

Judge Peter Blair QC said jurors may have felt an 'additional burden on their shoulders' after hearing a barrister's claims about the global impact of their decision.

Jake Skuse, 33, Rhian Graham, 30, Milo Ponsford, 26, and Sage Willoughby, 22, were all cleared of criminal damage, despite CCTV evidence showing their roles in toppling the Edward Colston statue during a Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol in June 2020.

In his closing speech, barrister Liam Walker, representing Mr Willoughby, said: 'Make no mistake, members of the jury, your decision is not just going to be felt in this courtroom or this city.

Judge Peter Blair QC feared defence lawyers in the Colston statue trial may have placed the jury under 'wrongful' pressure by urging them to be 'on the right side of history'

'It will reverberate around the world. I urge you all to be on the right side of history.'

Mr Walker, a leading barrister from Doughty Street Chambers, apologised for his remarks after Judge Blair raised concerns.

The judge told the jury to 'focus their decision-making' on the defendants' accounts of what happened, and not on the alleged wider impact of the statue's removal.

Robert Poll, from the Save Our Statues campaign, said: 'The judge's comments clearly suggest that undue pressure was put on the jury to deliver the 'right' verdict or else face the consequences.

'The fact that he told them not to feel pressured doesn't change the fact that it happened, or mean they did not.'

Meanwhile, MPs last night said the decision to allow a historian who 'desperately' wanted to join the Colston statue protest to give expert evidence to the trial was 'absurd'.

Sage Willoughby, 22, Jake Skuse, 33, Milo Ponsford, 26, and Rhian Graham, 30, (pictured from left) were all cleared of criminal damage, despite CCTV evidence showing their roles in toppling the Edward Colston statue during a Black Lives Matter protest in Bristol in June 2020.

Critics claimed that letting Professor David Olusoga speak in front of the Colston Four jury converted a criminal trial into a political one.

They questioned whether jurors were unfairly swayed by the involvement in the case of prominent campaigners, who also included Bristol-born artist Banksy and specialist protest lawyer and Labour politician Raj Chada.

During the two-week trial, prosecutors argued that BLM supporter Professor Olusoga should not have been allowed to give evidence for the defendants due to his well-known stance on the statue's vandalism.

The academic, who has produced several documentaries about slavery for the BBC, has also publicly accused Winston Churchill of the equivalent of modern-day 'war crimes'.

Tory MP Peter Bone said last night: 'The decision seems absurd. But I guess the defence can call whichever expert witness they want. It's up to the prosecution to point out possible issues.'

In an interview shortly after the statue was felled, Professor Olusoga expressed his torment at not taking part in the demonstration.

Speaking to Radio Times, the 51-year-old academic admitted he 'desperately' wanted to join the protesters, adding: 'I fought enormously against the urge to jump on my bike and cycle down there  my home is only ten minutes away.'

He said he did not participate because he had promised his family he would be 'careful' during the Covid pandemic.

Political commentator Calvin Robinson criticised the judge for allowing the 'biased' academic to provide expert witness.

He said: 'David Olusoga was obviously biased, but more importantly he's not an expert in the destruction of property, he is a historian. This court case should have had nothing to do with history. It was about the destruction of public property.'

Mr Robinson added: 'Clearly it was Colston on trial, and not the Black Lives Matter thugs. The whole trial was on Colston  it wasn't entirely relevant and now the result looks political.'

During the trial, prosecutor William Hughes QC unsuccessfully argued that Professor Olusoga's historical evidence was irrelevant.

After the verdict, he said: 'In our view, Olusoga's testimony didn't add anything.

'Rather, it was a gloss that I can imagine would have put anyone in the jury at a degree of unease.'

Professor Olusoga welcomed the verdict, adding: 'All I did was lay down the facts.'

Doughty Street Chambers did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.
Houston police are investigating why it took four hours for cops to respond to a shooting with seriously injured George Floyd's four-year-old grand-niece.

Arianna Delane was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom next to her grandmother at about 3am on Saturday when someone fired several shots into their apartment.

Her family dialled 911 within minutes of her being shot but police officers didn't arrive at the apartment until 7am, four hours later.

She is the grandniece of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis in May 2020 when a police officer pressed his knee onto his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest.

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in April of state murder and manslaughter charges in Floyds death and was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in prison. Floyd, whose death triggered protests around the country in 2020, was laid to rest in the Houston area.

George Floyd's four-year-old niece, Arianna Delane, was shot at her home in South Houston over the weekend. She is pictured making a recovery in hospital

Several bullets struck the home leaving holes in various walls and doors to the building

Arianna was shot in the torso while she was asleep in her bed leaving her with a punctured lung and liver together with three broken ribs

Arianna was one of two children asleep inside the home at the time of the shooting

LaTonya Floyd, George Floyd's older sister and the girl's great-aunt, said when police and paramedics didn't immediately arrive after the family called 911, they drove Arianna to the hospital. Police didn't arrive at the apartment until around 7am, four hours after Arianna was shot.

'We didn't wait ... The baby had to get to the hospital. If we didn't get her there when she did, she would have died. The doctor said that,' LaTonya Floyd told The Associated Press on Thursday.

LaTonya Floyd said she and her family are very upset with the delayed response to their 911 call.

LaTonya Floyd, the older sister of George Floyd, gestures towards a bullet hole in the window of her apartment

The little girl was asleep in a front bedroom of the apartment on the second floor when the attack occurred

Arianna's family members say they're not sure why their apartment was shot at several times.

Arianna remained hospitalized on Thursday. She was shot in her side and the bullet pierced her liver and lungs and broke three ribs. No arrests have been made.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner and the Houston Emergency Center, which handles 911 calls for the city, have announced separate investigations into the delayed response.

'Collectively, we will determine whether changes in protocols and training will need to be made as to how calls are handled and coded for dispatch,' Finner said in a statement.

Doug Griffith, president of the Houston Police Officers' Union, said he believes the call was miscoded not as a shooting but as a less urgent call.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. White police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes while handcuffed face down in the street, begging for his life and repeatedly saying 'I can't breathe'.

Griffith said officers did respond quickly to the apartment complex where Arianna lives after they were notified by ShotSpotter, an algorithm-powered detection technology used by law enforcement to detect gunfire.

'They drove around the complex. Nobody flagged them down. They didn't see any spent casings or anything like that. They cleared it,' Griffith said.

The notification by ShotSpotter, which came at 3am, did not give a specific apartment that officers needed to go to but only that there had been gunfire near the complex.

Emergency Medical Service workers arrived at the scene within six to seven minutes after the shooting, but no one was there anymore, Griffith said.

Delane showed the media where the home had been hit by various bulletholes

'My daughter jumped up and said, ''Daddy, I been hit'',' her father, Derrick Delane, pictured, said

Finner said officers who responded to the area around the apartment complex after the ShotSpotter notification didn't know that Arianna had already been taken to the hospital in a private vehicle within three to four minutes after the shooting.

'We continue to pray for her recovery,' Finner said.

The Houston Emergency Center says an initial review indicates Houston police were not notified about the shooting at the same time as medical personnel.

Griffith said Houston police were short-handed on New Years Eve as over 400 officers were out sick with COVID-19 and notifications by ShotSpotter were 'dropping like crazy' and continued through 6 a.m. on New Years Day.

He added that emergency medical workers arrived at the scene within seven minutes of the shooting but no one was there anymore.

LaTonya Floyd said she is confident that whoever is responsible for shooting her grandniece will be arrested and that the investigation into the delayed response will result in improvements to how such calls are handled.

'We will get justice for our niece,' she said.
Two journalists en route to interview the leader of a rival gang in Haiti were killed by members of the Ti Makak group on Thursday.

According to reports, one of the journalists was savagely shot by the members of the Ti Makak gang before he was burned alive. His identity, as well as the identity of the other journalist, were confirmed by authorities.

Reuters revealed that the two slain journalists were Amady John Wesley, who worked for the Montreal-based radio station Ecoute FM and Wilguens Louissaint, a local reporter.

A third journalist managed to escape the attack, but his whereabouts remain unknown.

Following the incident, a spokesperson for Radio Ecoute FM released a statement condemning the killings.

"Amady was savagely shot and burned alive by armed bandits. We condemn with the utmost rigor this criminal and barbaric act. This is a serious attack on the right of life," they said via CNN.

The radio station also suspended operations until further notice as a sign of solidarity with the families of the two journalists that were killed.

Rival gangs have been targeting journalists, innocent people in Haiti

In recent months, rival groups have been battling one another amid the deteriorating security conditions in Port-au-Prince. Tens of thousands of people have also been displaced in Haiti.

Last year, Haitian President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in his private residence. Since then, multiple gangs have been fighting for control in different parts of the country.

Read Also: Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry Called To Resign Due to His Possible Connection to the Murder of Former President Jovenel Moise

According to France24, Haiti recorded at least 950 kidnappings in 2021 alone. But even if this is case, the local police has not organized any large-scale operations against the gangs since March 2021.

On March 12, four police officers were also killed during a raid in Port-au-Prince, which reportedly houses a holding area for kidnap victims. Almost a year has passed but the bodies of the four police officers, as well as their equipment, have not been recovered.

Several journalists have also been killed by the different gangs in Haiti.

Two years ago, journalist Jean Dominique, the country's most popular reporter at the time was assassinated. A year later, journalist Diego Charles was killed alongside 13 other people and an opposition political activist.

In 2018, photojournalist Vladimir Legagneur never returned home after a reporting trip to Martissant, a neighborhood that's controlled by gangs.

In June and October 2019, two journalists were also murdered but the investigations into their deaths have not yet been completed until today.

400 Mawozo gang kidnapped foreign missionaries

Three months ago, another notorious Haitian gang called 400 Mawozo kidnapped 16 Americans and one Canadian missionary after they visited an orphanage in Titanyen.

The group was traveling in their vehicle when the members of the gang stopped them at gunpoint.

According to the BBC, one of the kidnapped missionaries posted a message on WhatsApp asking family and friends for help and prayers.

The US State Department also released a statement saying that they were already in contact with Haitian authorities to ensure that all 16 missionaries will be able to return home safely.

Related Article: Powerful Haiti Gang '400 Mawozo' Believed to be Behind the Kidnapping of 16 Americans, 1 Canadian Missionaries After Visiting an Orphanage in Croix des Bouquets

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Foreign Office is still ploughing hundreds of thousands a year into Stonewall  even though Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has called on ministers to distance themselves from the controversial charity.

Accounts show that public bodies gave 1.25 million in taxpayer-funded grants over 18 months  a large increase on the amount handed over in the previous year.

A total of five public organisations gave money to the charity, making up more than half of the grants Stonewall received.

By far the biggest funder was the Foreign Office, which gave 765,061 over the 18 months to March 2021, compared to just 145,075 in the one-year period to the end of September 2019.

Last year, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss (then International Trade Secretary) told officials she believed government departments should withdraw from the Stonewall scheme as it did not provide value for money

This was money Stonewall received over and above amounts given in public sector subscriptions to the controversial Diversity Champions scheme.

Miss Truss, who is also equalities minister, has urged ministers to withdraw from this scheme over concerns it is not value for money.

Critics say companies that sign up are advised to rewrite their policies to reflect the charitys agenda on trans rights.

Hundreds of firms and public bodies have joined the scheme to receive advice on how to create an inclusive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers.

The controversial scheme counts 200 government departments and public bodies among its 900 members, which pay for guidance on issues such as pronouns and gender-neutral spaces.

Last May, Stonewall chief executive Nancy Kelley courted controversy when she said gender critical beliefs  the belief a persons biological sex cannot be changed  were akin to anti-Semitism.

Duncan Simpson, of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: Taxpayers are fed up with public bodies giving ever more grants to controversial campaigners.

Stonewall chief executive Nancy Kelley claimed in May last year that gender critical beliefs  that a persons biological sex cannot be changed  were akin to anti-Semitism

'After years of handing over millions, some officials seem determined to prop up pressure groups like Stonewall with taxpayers cash, despite ministers urging against it. Ministers must put a stop to these grants.

Stonewall received 1,249,363 in grants from taxpayer-funded bodies in the 18 months to March 2021. This is up 67 per cent on the 748,295 it received in 2018/19.

The Foreign Office said it provides funding to Stonewall to defend the human rights of LGBT+ people around the world, with programmes that tackle discrimination and hate crime running across Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America.
One of the greatest delights as I walk around my farm in south-east Cornwall is seeing and hearing the abundance of wildlife that thrives on the land.

There are deer peeking out among the barley, fieldmice scampering in and out of hedgerows, and the earth beneath my feet teems with worms and dung beetles  a sure sign of healthy soil.

In summer I hear the sweet song of the skylark high above,  and many other species of bird, some endangered, thrive here, including the very rare grasshopper warbler. Farm and nature working hand in hand, symbiosis at its best.

But the Government sees it rather differently.

Under the Local Nature Recovery scheme and the Landscape Recovery scheme, farmers will be paid 800 million a year to 'make space for nature'. (Stock image)

Agriculture is on a collision course with nature, in its view, as evidenced by the two new schemes announced this week by George Eustice, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Under the Local Nature Recovery scheme and the Landscape Recovery scheme, farmers will be paid 800 million a year to 'make space for nature' by replacing fields of crops and livestock with wildlife habitats such as peat bogs and wetlands, planting trees and establishing new nature reserves.

Wonderful as that sounds  who doesn't want more wildlife and woodlands?  this simplistic either/or approach to the countryside is potentially disastrous for farmers, consumers and, ironically, nature too.

George Eustice grew up on a fruit farm, not far from me in Cornwall. If anyone should understand that what is good for the farmer is also good for the land, it is George.

He has either forgotten or been overruled by the environmental zealots who have the ear of Boris Johnson and are pushing a narrow green agenda that will do more harm than good.

'Make space for nature' implies that farming and nature cannot co-exist, that one must give way to the other  farming to rewilding. This is nonsense, and my farm and others are proof of this.

Yet the green brigade has somehow convinced ministers that farmed land is damaged land, so farms must be carved up into distinct areas for nature and agriculture.

They want 30 per cent of farmland 'rewilded'  by which they all too often mean abandoned, left to brambles and nettles which choke other plants, creating scrubland that does nothing for diversity.

Another consequence of taking productive farmland out of production is that farmers will be forced to make the remaining areas yield even more to keep their enterprises going, which inevitably means the use of more intensive methods.

Since the end of World War II, government policy has driven yield maximisation. As the toll this takes on the environment  in terms of pollution and soil damage  has become clearer, a growing number of farmers are turning towards more nature-friendly methods.

We think long-term because we want to hand down our land to the next generation in better condition than we found it.

My wife and I took on our farm in 2008. We grow a variety of cereals and raise cattle and sheep.

'Make space for nature' implies that farming and nature cannot co-exist, that one must give way to the other  farming to rewilding. (Stock image)

But we have also planted more than 15,000 trees and tend 16 miles (25 km) of hedgerows, which shelter animals and crops from the wind while improving soil structure and providing a habitat for wildlife.

We work with Farm Net Zero, a National Lottery-funded project to improve soil quality, which not only makes it highly productive but also a healthy environment for earthworms, dung beetles and bacteria.

These further enhance its fertility, meaning we don't need to use such large quantities of artificial nitrogen in the form of fertiliser.

How ironic  and tragic  if all the good work done by farmers like me over recent years is undone by others being forced to farm smaller areas more intensively, rather than using our nature-friendly approach.

Another obvious and devastating consequence of giving up productive farmland to rewilding is that we will have to rely more heavily on food imports.

Our national self-sufficiency in food has already fallen from 78 per cent to 60 per cent in 30 years. Rip out crops to make way for rewilding and we will become even more reliant on cheap imports from abroad, where animal welfare and environmental standards are much lower than here.

What is the sense  or morality  in cutting our carbon footprint at home, only to send it offshore by buying meat and crops from territories where they are not produced sustainably?

Under the Government's future trade deals, it is proposed that much of our meat will be imported from countries such as New Zealand, where farming is highly intensive, never mind the carbon cost of transporting it across the globe.

We think long-term because we want to hand down our land to the next generation in better condition than we found it. (Stock image)

Cheap imports will destroy the livelihoods of UK farmers. Our farms cannot be green if our business goes into the red. We will simply go bust.

And Britain cannot necessarily rely on imports for ever. The populations of countries such as New Zealand are becoming more eco-conscious by the day and increasingly resentful about sacrificing their own environment to produce food for nations like us.

In time, we will have to turn to countries where farming is more reliant on polluting chemicals, animal welfare standards are virtually non-existent and environmental damage is simply ignored.Places such as Brazil, where rainforest is being systematically destroyed to make way for beef farming.

The UK Government's 'greenwashing' may appease the green vote here, but it is disastrous in the long term.

Far better to take a balanced approach  integrating farming and nature  than simply dumping our problems abroad.

If we become reliant on imports from countries more vulnerable to climate change than we are, where droughts and floods devastate crops or disease blights livestock, we will one day face shortages.

Then we will rue the rewilding of our fertile, productive farmland, nurtured by a wonderfully temperate climate.

For it cannot be returned to agricultural use overnight. For every year we don't invest in agriculture, it takes seven years to recover that lost investment time. If you plant trees, for example, their roots fundamentally change the structure of the soil for many years.

And with local councils under pressure to build more houses, you don't have to be a cynic to wonder how long it will be before a 'rewilded' area left to nature and smothered by brambles is snapped up by land-hungry housebuilders and lost both to farming and nature for ever.

Farmers represent only about one per cent of the electorate, and we are busy from dawn until dusk. We don't have time to respond to every new consultation and initiative the Government rushes out.

Our voices, and those of rural communities, have been drowned out by an unholy alliance of misguided  if well-meaning  green groups and vested interests. After all, carbon-offsetting has become big business and pension funds are making large sums from tree-planting schemes.

The Government must realise that farms can be the answer, not the problem. Farmers like me want to do the right thing for the planet and we need to do the right thing for our businesses. That means farming productively, sustainably and environmentally.

As a small country with a growing population, we must improve our food production, not give up on it.

Rob Halliday runs Cornish Valley Farming, on 450 acres, with his wife Louise and children William and Isla.
A farmer has fitted his cooped-up cows with virtual reality goggles to make them think they are outside in summer pastures.

Izzet Kocak has tried out the headsets on two of his cattle after a study suggested the pleasant scenes make the cows happier and produce more milk.

And he told The Sun the method had produced some good results, with output increasing from 22 litres of 27 litres a day.

Izzet, a cattle farmer from Aksaray, Turkey said: 'They are watching a green pasture and it gives them an emotional boost. They are less stressed.'

A farmer has fitted his cooped-up cows with virtual reality goggles to make them think they are outside in summer pastures

Photos from his cow shed show one of the bovines sporting the goggles while happily munching on grass.

Commenters online have compared the images to 'scenes from the classic sci-fi movie The Matrix'.

The headsets were developed with vets and first tested on a farm in Moscow.

Farmers worked with developers, vets and consultants at the Krasnogorsk farm near Moscow, to beam the cattle a simulation of a summer field.

Izzet Kocak, a cattle farmer from Aksaray, Turkey said: 'They are watching a green pasture and it gives them an emotional boost. They are less stressed.'

Photos from his cow shed show one of the bovines sporting the goggles while happily munching on grass

The study revealed 'reduced anxiety and improved overall emotional mood in the herd', according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Moscow.

The hardware was developed by taking a human VR headset and moulding it to the specifications of the animal's head. IT specialists then tweaked the colour palette in the software to make it more suitable to the animal's unique vision.

Though not colour blind, cows can't see red or green and only perceive dull shades of yellow and blue.

The Ministry of Agriculture referred to Dutch and Scottish research findings that 'environmental conditions have a significant impact on cow health and, as a consequence, the quality and quantity of milk produced.'

Izzet, who has also previously played his 180 animals classical music to relax them, added that he plans to buy ten more headsets.
A former New York Times columnist who quit the paper to run for Oregon governor was deemed ineligible to run because he hasn't been a resident in the state for three years.

On Thursday Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan announced that former New York Times columnist Nick Kristof was barred from running for governor of Oregon because he has not been a resident of the state for the required three years.

'Oregon election officials disqualified Nick Kristof's filing for governor because we determined that he will not have been an Oregon resident for three years before the November 2022 general election as required by the Oregon constitution,' Fagan said at a press conference.

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Kristof, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, quit his job at The Times last year in order to run for governor of Oregon in November

Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan (pictured) announced that former New York Times columnist Nick Kristof was barred from running for governor of Oregon

Fagan said the elections division followed their regular procedure in evaluating candidates for office, starting by consulting the online central voter registration database in Oregon.

'The elections division then gave Mr. Kristof's attorneys ample opportunity to provide documentation or information to prove his Oregon residency,' Fagan said. 'The division then consulted repeatedly with the Department of Justice and they issued their decision, the same kind of decision they issue hundreds of times every election.'

She said they found that until late 2020 or early 2021 Kristof lived in New York and had for the past 20 years and that when he traveled for work or vacation he would return to his New York residence.

The elections division also found that Kristof maintained a New York drivers' license for 20 years through December 2020, that until recently he was employed in New York and received mail at his New York address and filed income taxes in New York.

But Fagan said 'most importantly' the elections division found he voted as a resident of New York for 20 years including as recently as November 2020.

Kristof held a press conference of his own and said he plans on appealing the decision in state court

'Because I've always known Oregon to be my home, the law says that I am qualified to run for governor,' Kristoff said about his appeal to continue his campaign

Fagan said that considering all the findings she stands by the choice to ban Kristof from running.

'Let me be clear: I stand by their decision, I agree with their decision and I will defend their decision,' she said.

'The rules are the rules and they apply equally to all candidates for office in Oregon,' Fagan continued. 'Mr. Kristof does not currently meet the Constitutional requirements to run or serve as Oregon Governor.'

Kristof, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter, quit his job at The Times last year in order to run for governor in November.

The columnist grew up in Oregon and said he considers himself a resident of the state, but has mostly lived in New York and other places around the world while he served as a foreign correspondent, New York Daily News reported.

Following the announcement Kristof held a press conference of his own and said he plans on appealing the decision in state court.

'Because I've always known Oregon to be my home, the law says that I am qualified to run for governor,' he said.

Kristof also took aim at the 'establishment' and the 'political class,' claiming , 'My willingness to challenge the status quo is the reason state officials are trying to toss me from the ballot,' Washington Post reported.

'This is a decision grounded in politics, not precedent. The law is clearly on our side. Our campaign will challenge this decision in court, and we will win,' he said.
People who fail to get a booster jab could face new travel restrictions from next month under plans to increase uptake.

Boris Johnson yesterday ruled out following Italy, Austria and other European countries in making vaccinations compulsory.

But officials are drawing up plans to strip double-jabbed people of their fully vaccinated status without the booster shot, leaving them facing tough quarantine and testing rules for foreign travel.

Most travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated ended this week, including dropping the need for quarantine and pre-departure tests.

No 10 confirmed that the government is looking at changing the status to include boosters, as Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday in Northampton) urges Britons to take up the offer of jabs

Ministers are concerned by a fall in demand for boosters which threatens to leave hundreds of thousands of slots unfilled.

Mr Johnson yesterday urged people to ignore the complete mumbo jumbo peddled by anti-vaxxers on social media.

He said the overwhelming majority of people now in intensive care with Covid had not had their booster jab, with many not vaccinated at all. During a visit to a vaccination centre in Northampton, he said: When youre in ICU and you havent been vaccinated, sadly its too late to get vaccinated. So get boosted now.

Italy announced plans for mandatory vaccinations yesterday for all over-50s. But the PM said the UK would never resort to coercion.

However, the Health Service Journal last night said the NHS is preparing to fire thousands of staff still unvaccinated after the February deadline.

Sources last night said the change in the fully vaccinated definition could happen as soon as the end of next month.

An estimated 4.5 million over-18s have not had a first dose, six million-plus are not double-jabbed, and almost nine million eligible people have not had a booster yet.

It comes as official figures show a record 81.4 per cent of over-65s have had a flu jab this season.
An unhappy drive-thru customer was not lovin' it at a McDonald's in Southern Florida after surveillance footage video caught her having a tirade at staff and throwing items at them when she learned that her coupon would not be accepted.

Miramar Police Department said that the female customer was so angry, irate and confrontational that they want to find and arrest her for battery, and are even offering a reward.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, at the McDonald's in the 3000 block of University Drive in Miramar, Florida, 22 miles north of Miami.

Police said the woman was furious after a drive-thru employee could not apply a coupon to her order.

The woman exited her vehicle, came up to the fast food restaurant's window, before being being handed a Happy Meal.

She takes it and then throws the box with the food at the employee, shouting and throwing whatever company items she could reach with her hands from outside after her coupon didn't go through.

An unidentified woman went on a shocking rant at a drive-thru McDonalds in Miramar, Florida, on Wednesday after her coupon wasn't accepted at the checkout. The incident was caught on camera

Miramar Police is looking for the suspect and said she was driving a damaged black and red Kia when she fled the scene.

Before fleeing the scene, the woman is caught pulling two middle fingers to staff.

She also visibly threw condiments and heavier items too.

Police said she the incident left a bruise on the drive-thru employee's left hand.

Miramar Police are asking for the public's help in finding the suspect and said she was driving a damaged black and red Kia when she fled the scene.

She was also wearing a turquoise shirt and what appears to be jean shorts when the attack happened.

The attack happened at the McDonald's in the 3000 block of University Drive in Miramar, Florida, 22 miles north of Miami

DailyMail.com has contacted McDonald's for comment relating to the incident.
Chinese investors are increasingly eyeing Australian properties as apartment building giant Evergrande looks more likely to collapse, a real estate group says.

Evergrande owes international creditors more than $400billion and has repeatedly failed to meet interest repayment deadlines to bondholders.

This has seen it seek a series of extensions since late 2021 and will do so again on Friday, stirring fears of a broader Chinese property market slowdown in 2022 as oversupply issues bite.

Financial markets are widely expecting China's Communist Party government to let it fail to send a message to other building giants about unsustainable debt levels.

Credit ratings agency Fitch says Evergrande has defaulted on its debts.

Juwai IQI, which markets real estate to wealthy investors across Asia, is expecting Chinese investors to take more interest in Australia as they brace for property price falls in China this year.

Chinese investors are increasingly eyeing Australian properties as apartment building giant Evergrande looks more likely to collapse, a real estate group says (pictured are 39 buildings developed by Evergrande at Ocean Flower Island in Danzhou that are now slated for demolition)

The group's co-founder and managing director Daniel Ho said Chinese investors were particularly interested in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and to a lesser extent Perth, the Gold Coast and Canberra.

'Some Chinese developers are struggling in the slowing market, and some buyers think it's a good time to buy in Australia, instead,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'Chinese are used to much faster price growth than we expect to see in 2022, and the weaker forecast for property in China is raising buyer's horizons and encouraging them to look overseas for real estate investment.

'Chinese who can afford overseas property have also accumulated savings during the pandemic.'

In Australia, foreigners are only allowed to buy brand new properties instead of existing ones, which means off-the-plan apartments and occasionally house and land packages are regarded as attractive investments.

Perth, despite being cut off from the rest of Australia, was increasingly regarded as an attractive option.

'Perth has gained a lot of attention from Chinese investors due to it attractive infrastructure, well-structured education and lower property price,' Mr Ho said.

'Chinese buyers are amazed at the quality of home they can obtain in Perth for under $750,000.'

Juwai IQI, which markets real estate to wealthy investors across Asia, is expecting Chinese investors to take more interest in Australia as they brace for property price falls in China this year (pictured is Sydney's Bondi Beach)

Juwai IQI is expecting Chinese property prices to fall by one per cent in the first half of 2022, which while only small, is troubling to Chinese investors.

This would see them look to Australia, where house and apartment prices are expected to rise in 2022, albeit at a slower pace compared with 2021.

'When the tide is falling in one place, it is rising in another. Chinese investors are seeking real estate markets where the tide is rising,' Mr Ho said.

Across Australia, house and unit property last year increased by 22.1 per cent to $709,803, CoreLogic data showed.

In Australia, foreigners are only allowed to buy brand new properties instead of existing ones, which means off-the-plan apartments and occasionally house and land packages are regarded as attractive investments (pictured are apartments under construction at Sydney Olympic Park)

But Brisbane had the biggest increase of 30.4 per cent, taking median house prices to $782,967.

Sydney's median house price rose by 29.6 per cent to an even more unaffordable $1,374,970.

The Commonwealth Bank, Australia's biggest home lender, is expecting Brisbane property prices to rise by a more subdued 9 per cent in 2022, compared with 6 per cent in Sydney and 8 per cent in Melbourne.

More than a third, or 37 per cent of Chinese people, own more than one home, Financial Times data showed.

Last month, ratings agency Fitch downgraded Evergrande Group's rating to restricted default, also applying this categorisation its Hengda Real Estate Group and Tianji Holding.
Parking firms were branded crazy yesterday after arguing fines should rise to the equivalent of two days pay for a key worker on the minimum wage.

Ministers are poised to reduce the current cap of 100 to 50. But the British Parking Association (BPA) claimed it should be raised to 120.

Motoring groups pointed out it would take a key worker on a 35-hour-a-week, 8.91-an-hour minimum wage contract, two days to pay off a 120 ticket.

The BPA says fines of 50, discounted to 25 if paid within 14 days, would be seen as a bargain to motorists compared to the price of parking and that they may opt for a fine instead.

Parking firms have argued fines should be increased amid brazen claims it will protect the NHS and help reduce CO2 emissions

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: How can it ever be justified for someone who parks with a wheel over the line or overstays by ten minutes to be fined a days wage or even more?

'It is crazy to suggest that current enforcement charges outside London are not high enough to be a deterrent. Nobody wants to end up paying a fine whatever the cost.

BPA chief Andrew Pester said: We are calling on the Government to reconsider its proposal to reduce the level of parking charge and to further engage with landowners and parking operators to ensure a sufficient deterrent, which is effective and improves compliance with parking rules.

The BPAs call comes after it emerged this week that parking firms issued more than 22,000 tickets to drivers every day - or 15 every minute - in the first six months of this financial year (2021/22). This adds up to demands of 400million.

Ministers, who pledged a crackdown on cowboy firms, plan to this year introduce a new Government-sanctioned code of practice for the private parking industry.

It will include a single appeals service and a system of charges and penalties that would be more in line with those levied by councils. The cap on fines would be lowered from 100 to 50.

The more stringent regulations would aim to clamp down on the ruthless practices of some private firms, which run thousands of car parks at hospitals, shopping centres, motorway services and train stations.

The proposed legislation is still awaiting ministerial sign-off.

The RACs roads policy chief, Nicholas Lyes, said: No driver ever tries to get a parking charge notice, so the idea a lower penalty cap will mean more fines being dished out is baseless.

The majority simply want to park, abide by the rules, do their business and leave the car park without incident.
Queensland has recorded 10,953 new COVID-19 cases as authorities urge people to work from home and consider delaying the return of children to primary school.

The new cases emerged after 36,492 tests in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Friday, taking the total number of active cases in the state to more than 50,000.

There are 327 patients in hospital, with 14 in intensive care including three on ventilation.

Queensland has recorded 10,953 new Covid-19 cases on Friday as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) urges people to work from home to curb the spread

There are 24,843 people being treated at home and many more self-isolating as close contacts.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged people to work from home if they are able, with public servants already ordered to do so.

'Can I stress to employers if you do not need people working in the city at the moment, please work from home,' she told reporters on Friday.

'This will help slow down this wave, but I don't think this message has been getting out very clearly to employees.'

The premier also said the return of primary school will be delayed if the current wave is peaking when children are due to resume classes again in three week's time.

She said modelling is being done and children - many of whom will be unvaccinated - won't be put at further risk.

The new cases emerged after 36,492 tests were conducted in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Friday (pictured, residents line-up for Covid-19 PCR tests)

'We will give you more concrete decisions on this over the coming days. But I just want to assure parents that is definitely not on the agenda - just sending primary school children unvaccinated to school if we are in the peak of this wave,' Ms Palaszczuk said.

'This is a commonsense measure.'

The surging cases, which follow from the 10,332 reported on Thursday, comes as testing capacity is being pushed to the brink and authorities warn many undetected infections are likely to be circulating in the state.

The unexpected closure of private PCR testing hubs due to staffing issues related to virus cases and close contact isolation rules, and a slow down in analysis speed due to the high demand is weighing on capacity.
Amid deadly protests in Kazakhstan yesterday, Tony Blair faced renewed scrutiny over his dealings with the countrys regime.

Street battles have gripped Kazakhstan after demonstrations over fuel prices escalated into violent clashes between protesters and police.

Much of the anger was directed at former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who ruled over Kazakhstan for three decades until 2019, and who continued to wield immense power after he stepped down as president.

His authoritarian regime faced international criticism for human rights abuses and in 2011 Sir Tonys consulting business Tony Blair Associates (TBA) took on a contract to advise the Kazakh government.

Tony Blair is facing renewed scrutiny over his dealings with the Kazakhstan regime

Pictured: Then-PM Blair meets Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev at Downing St in 2006

The controversial deal saw Sir Tony face accusations that he had helped Mr Nazarbayev to spin a massacre which saw security forces kill at least 14 during a protest over wages.

The former British prime minister advised the Kazakh leader on how to deal with questions from the Western media about the 2011 shootings, and suggested passages to be inserted into a speech Mr Nazarbayev was giving at Cambridge University in 2012.

In a letter, he said: These events, tragic though they were, should not obscure the enormous progress that Kazakhstan has made.

After the letter was leaked, opposition groups in Kazakhstan said Sir Tony had blood on his hands for helping the regime to whitewash the killings.

The TBA deal with Kazakhstan operated for five years and by the end the consultancy firm was seeking more than 5million-a-year for its services.

Street battles have gripped Kazakhstan after demonstrations over fuel prices escalated into violent clashes between protesters and police

Author and historian Mark Almond tweeted: Kazakhstans current protests should remind us that the new-coined chevalier of human rights, Tony Blair, helped the regime to cover up repression there in the past.

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: He has been an adviser to numerous leaders around the world who would be considered repressive. It is one of the factors that has made his knighthood so contentious.

Sir Tony has always denied receiving money to whitewash Kazakhstans human rights record, and insisted he was advising on political reforms and governance, and was not profiting personally.

In 2016, he announced he had wound down his commercial operations. But as recently as 2020 Sir Tony appeared in a video praising Mr Nazarbayev for his leadership.

A spokesman said he was speaking in a personal capacity and had not been paid.
Parents express their frustrations over the return of virtual learning set up due to the omicron-driven surge of COVID-19 cases in the US.

In Detroit, the district announced that the 50,000 students would be once again having their remote learning at home via their laptops or desktop computers. Though this setup is only temporary that will last until January 14, at least, as per Associated Press.

However, a lot of parents who juggle the demands of work and home are upset. Among them is Latonya Peterson, a single mom who works more than 60 hours a week at two jobs in Detroit. She said, her son's remote learning affects her job performance as she had to help her son in his lessons.

There are days that she choose to take off days from her work, but not all off days are paid.

Though the vast majority of US districts seem to be going back to face-to-face classroom learning, large school systems in Cleveland, Newark, Milwaukee, and New Jersey have returned to remote learning as COVID-19 numbers shoot up and infected school staff. Other smaller districts followed, like those in Detroit Chicago, and Washington.

Read Also: How to Protect Children's Eyesight During Remote Learning

Concerns On Student's Well-Being

Remote learning had negative impacts on the health of many students. Over the last two years, hundreds of kids have developed mental health problems, a serious concern that experts want to address according to an ABC report.

Other students admit that in-person classes are still the best way of learning. In Detroit, both Peterson's son, Joshua Jackson, 16, would rather attend in-person classes because he has difficulties in focusing in a virtual classroom setup. He feels like he "learned less".

Teachers Getting Sick

The closure of schools is mostly driven by large numbers of teachers calling in sick.

On Thursday, Chicago students have been out of school for two days straight after school officials failed to establish an agreement with the teacher's union. The union wants to have remote learning back due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, per New York Times.

In Philadelphia, 216 public schools turned to remote learning last week which bothered parents due to the small preparation period.

In Detroit, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti wrote a letter to parents pointing out that a return to in-person learning would post higher risks to get infected. He said that increasing the vaccination rate in their area is can help significantly in turning things around.

In Detroit, only 44% of 5 and older have been vaccinated, which is lower in comparison to the 63% statewide rate.

In Chicago, legal secretary Jennifer Baez believes that remote learning is the best learning mode for her son until the spike in COVID-19 cases goes down. She said is not confident if her kids will be wearing their masks diligently and if the proper health safety precautions are being observed in school.

For Baez, a former COVID-19 patient, as a mom, she has to "roll with the punches" and adapt to the current situation. Something she has been doing for two years. Most likely, she already got used to it.

Related Article: Inside the Rise of Online Learning

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A body recovered from the River Thames is missing 20-year-old Harvey Parker, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed.

The force was alerted to reports of a body in the Thames near Embankment, central London, by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution at 11.51am on Tuesday.

Mr Parker was last seen on Friday after leaving Heaven nightclub near Charing Cross railway station in Westminster, central London, at about 2.15am.

A body recovered from the River Thames is missing 20-year-old Harvey Parker, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed. Mr Parker was last seen on Friday after leaving Heaven nightclub near Charing Cross railway station in Westminster, central London, at about 2.15am

Officers from the Met's marine support unit recovered the body.

Detective Chief Inspector Lucy O'Connor, of the Central South Command Unit, said: 'We are providing Harvey's family with all the available information.

'We are also asking for media to please respect the family's privacy at this challenging and difficult time.'

CCTV footage showed Mr Parker walking into Craven Street and then south towards the Embankment.

A friend said the University of York music student had been to a Little Simz concert in Brixton, south London, before going to the nightclub

A friend said the University of York music student had been to a Little Simz concert in Brixton, south London, before going to the nightclub.

On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police said that investigators had viewed CCTV near the Golden Jubilee Bridge and believe Mr Parker, who is a member of front of house staff at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, may have entered the water there.

The force said that there was nothing to suggest anyone else was involved.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz gave a mea culpa to Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson Thursday after Carlson criticized Cruz Wednesday for comments he made last week branding the Capitol riot 'a violent terrorist attack.'

Cruz, introduced by Carlson as 'smarter than me,' called his own comments 'dumb and sloppy' and said he texted Carlson shortly after and asked to go on the show.

Carlson didn't believe it, continuing his line of criticism from Wednesday night, where he said: 'He doesn't use a single word by accident. Every word Ted Cruz uses is used intentionally. He's a lawyer.'

'I don't buy that,' Carlson told Cruz Thursday. 'I've known you long time since before you went to senate. You were a supreme court contender. You take words as seriously as anyone in the senate. I do not believe you use that accidentally. I just don't.'

'Tucker, as a result of my sloppy phrasing it's caused a lot of people to misunderstand what I meant,' Cruz responded. 'What I was referring to are the limited number of people who engaged in violent attacks against police officers.'

Tucker Carlson had Senator Ted Cruz on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' Thursday to address comments Cruz made last week that Carlson slammed on Wednesday

Cruz, introduced by Carlson as 'smarter than me,' called his own comments 'dumb and sloppy' and said he texted Carlson shortly after and asked to go on the show

'I think you and I both agree that if you assault a police officer, you should go to jail. That is who I was talking about.'

'I drew a distinction - I wasn't saying the thousands of peaceful protesters supporting Donald Trump are somehow terrorists,' added Cruz. 'I wasn't saying the millions of patriots cross-country supporting trump are terrorists, that is what a lot of people misunderstood.'

Carlson claimed that Cruz 'doesn't make sense.' While he agreed you should go to jail for assaulting a police officer, he still didn't understand why Cruz called them 'terrorists.'

'You're playing into the other side's characterization that allows them to define an entire population as foreign combatants and you know that, so why'd you do that?'

Cruz claimed that he has a long history of calling anyone who assaults police officers as terrorists and was merely being consistent.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi delivers remarks alongside fellow lawmakers as they participate in a prayer vigil to commemorate the anniversary of the January 6 attack

'That being said, it was a mistake to say that yesterday and the reason is what you said: is that we've had had a year of Democrats and the media twisting words and trying to say that all of us are terrorists. Trying to say you are a terrorist. I just don't like people who assault cops.'

Carlson responded by saying 'I guess I just don't believe you and I mean that with respect because I have such respect for your acuity and precision. You have sat there for a year and watched people use language to distort the events of that day.'

'I was focusing on what I normally say is violence is wrong, peaceful protest is right. If you engage in violence you should be prosecuted, if you're speaking, you have a right to speak.'

Carlson then moved on to Ray Epps, the ex-Marine accused of being an 'FBI plant sent to help incite January 6 Capitol riot.'

Tucker was baffled as to why he hadn't been arrested or charged.

'I don't know who Ray Epps is. I've seen the video, it's disturbing' Cruz said and suggested himself that Epps might be an FBI plant.

Carlson's opening monologue Wednesday mocked the idea - as Carlson has repeatedly - that the storming of the building was an 'insurrection.'

He then went after Republicans, including Cruz, whom he felt took Democratic talking points he claims were first made by Attorney General Merrick Garland to discuss the riot.

'Now let's be honest,' Carlson said. 'Everyone who's conservative appreciates Ted Cruz. You may not like him. But you've gotta appreciate him. He's legitimately smart. He's one of the more articulate people to serve in the Congress, maybe the most articulate.'

Carlson continued by wondering why he was using his carefully chosen words to describe the events of the 6th as a terrorist attack.

'He described January 6th as a violent terrorist attack,' the top-rated cable news host said. 'Of all the things January 6th was, it was definitely not a violent terrorist attack. It wasn't an insurrection. Was it a riot? Sure. It was not a violent terrorist attack. Sorry! So why are you telling us it was, Ted Cruz?'

Tucker Carlson, speaking on his Fox News show 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' Wednesday, hit out at Senator Ted Cruz for his comments on the insurrection on January 6, 2021 at the Capitol

Carlson also argued that Merrick Garland - President Biden's attorney general - had 'written' the 'talking points' Cruz used.

'We are approaching a solemn anniversary this week,' said the senator in a clip Carlson played from last week. 'And it is an anniversary of a violent terrorist attack on the Capitol where we saw the men and women of law enforcement demonstrate incredible courage, incredible bravery, risk their lives to defend the men and women who serve in this Capitol.'

Carlson expressed that he was still an ally of Cruz, but found the former presidential candidate's use of words curious.

Tonight at midnight, just hours from now, we will begin the first of many annual remembrances of January 6th. pic.twitter.com/EZkV7LfpHQ  Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) January 6, 2022

Carlson played clips of Cruz calling the events of the 6th a 'violent terrorist attack' and an 'insurrection'

'He described January 6th as a violent terrorist attack,' the top-rated cable news host said. 'Of all the things January 6th was, it was definitely not a violent terrorist attack. It wasn't an insurrection. Was it a riot? Sure. It was not a violent terrorist attack'

Cruz was one of eight Republican senators to object to Electoral College results on January 6

Former President Donald Trump addressed his supporters outside the White House on January 6, 2021 before they marched on the Capitol and tried to stop the certification of Biden's victory

The Fox News host finished his monologue by returning to criticism of the Republican Party.

Carlson concluded, 'What the hell's going on here? You're making us think, maybe the Republican Party is as worthless as we suspected it was. That can't be true. Reassure us, please, Ted Cruz.'

Cruz was one of eight Republican senators to object to Electoral College results on January 6.

He also joined Republican Rep. Paul Gosar in objecting to the Arizona Electoral College votes, which prompted a joint session of Congress to break up and debate the objection shortly before rioters breached the building.

Former President Donald Trump addressed his supporters outside the White House on January 6, 2021 before they marched on the Capitol and tried to stop the certification of Biden's victory. Five people died either shortly before, during or following the event.

House Democrats impeached Trump for his role but he was acquitted by the Senate.
Kamala Harris deflected questions about rumored chaos in her office by announcing plans to tour the US in 2022 - after she was blasted for avoiding the southern border during last year's migrant crisis.

The vice president was asked by PBS how she felt about her first year in office, which host Judy Woodruff said 'has not been an easy one for you.'

Woodruff added: 'There have been a rash of stories about dissension inside your office, inside the White House, about  questions about your role.'

Yet Harris, asked what she had learnt, replied: 'Well, one of the things I have learned is to get out of D.C.'

Her response gave rise to speculation that she may visit the U.S.-Mexico border once more, in her role as Biden's envoy for dealing with the troublesome frontier, which has experienced ongoing, record surges of illegal immigration in recent months.

Kamala Harris spoke to PBS on Thursday and was asked what she had learned during her first year in office. She said she learned that she needed to get out of Washington DC more

Harris is seen on June 28 visiting the U.S.-Mexico border, in El Paso, Texas

Harris is seen speaking to Gloria Chavez, chief of the El Paso sector for U.S. Border Patrol, on June 28. She finally visited the border after being named as Biden's envoy in March

In March, Biden tasked Harris with addressing the root causes of the migration crisis, a role he had when he was vice president during an earlier spike in border crossings.

In June, Harris finally visited El Paso, Texas, to speak to border agents - after weeks of pressure from Republicans and some Democrats, who argued she needed to see the situation for herself.

November saw a 140 per cent increase in border crossings year-on-year, according to Customs and Border Protection - so Harris may decide to revisit the region to show her support.

Harris proceeded to discuss her travel plans - but failed to address the multiple reports of chaos and unhappiness among her team.

'I think it's important to definitely be out and be - I can't tell you when I have been able to get out of D.C. and be with the folks who are actually informing our policies and will be impacted by our policies.

'I do hope that, this year, I will be able to get out there more.

'I know the president feels the same way, so that we can make sure that we are with the folks, and not just, frankly, hanging out in D.C. with the pundits.'

Harris is seen speaking to reporters in Charlotte, North Carolina, on December 2

Earlier on Thursday it was reported that Harris has hired longtime Democratic communications aide Jamal Simmons, to replace one of the seven departing senior employees.

Simmons will join the team after communications director Ashley Etienne and chief spokesperson Symone Sanders took their leave in November and December.

On Wednesday, her director of press operations, Peter Velz, became the latest to quit. The day before, Vincent Evans, her deputy director of public engagement and intergovernmental affairs, announced he was leaving to take on a role on Capitol Hill.

Harris has been branded a 'bully' who dishes out 'soul-destroying criticism' and is impossible to work with.

She has also been accused of failing to read briefings prepared for her by staff, only to then lash out at them if she is criticized for appearing under-informed on an issue.

Yet White House press secretary Jen Psaki claimed at the time that the exodus from Harris' office was 'natural' and 'a very positive thing.'

'Working in the first year of a White House is exciting and rewarding but it's also grueling and exhausting,' she said during a press briefing.

'If you look at past precedent, it's natural for staffers who have thrown their heart and soul into a job to be ready to move on to a new challenge after a few years and that is applicable to many of these individuals.'

Symone Sanders (left), Harris' senior adviser and chief spokesperson, left the White House at the end of 2021. It came after Ashley Etienne (right), Harris' former communications director, left in November

Pete Velz (left) made his announcement the day after Vince Evans (right) confirmed his departure from Harris' team

The reports of discord have not helped her approval ratings.

A new poll on Tuesday put it at 32 percent - a poor rating, but a 4 percent increase from the November poll where her approval was at only 28 percent.

Harris told Woodruff that she understood people's frustrations about the pandemic, but said they were making progress.

'We know that the approach, in terms of vaccines, boosters and masks, work,' she said.

'Today, the vast majority of schools are open. Today, we have a vaccine that the majority of Americans have actually received. Boosters, we are seeing great progress with that. People are wearing their masks. So, we have seen progress. We are seeing businesses reopen.

'And I think it's important for us to see in this moment we're still  it is extremely frustrating, there's no question, for all of us. But we also must acknowledge that there has been progress and that that is the trajectory.

'But there are still steps to go. We have still work to do. And, in particular, around the vaccines and masks, we want to make sure that everyone is taking advantage of all the tools that we do have available to us right now.'

Harris brushed off criticism in a letter, published earlier on Thursday, from six prominent public health advisers who were part of the Biden-Harris transition team. The six pleaded with the president to adopt an entirely new pandemic strategy geared to what they termed the new normal of living with this virus indefinitely.

Harris told Woodruff that she understood people's frustration with the continuing pandemic, but insisted they were on the right track

Harris said their strategy was working.

'We welcome, of course, anyone who has information, especially those who are experts, about how we can accomplish these goals,' she said.

'But there are certain things that are without debate, and really not even necessary for discussion at this point among people who are knowledgeable about what needs to happen, in terms of vaccines and boosters and masks.'

Harris told Woodruff that another priority for the administration was passing voting reform bills.

Speaking on the anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, she said she was hopeful that the House special committee investigating the riot would get to the bottom of what happened.

'From what I'm witnessing from the outside, it seems that they are exercising great diligence, and they are being guided by the facts and law, and doing their job, and upholding their oath to defend and support the Constitution of the United States,' she said.

'I do have faith in the process that they have embarked upon.

'And I think we will see  I hope and I believe we will see justice come out of it.'
New Mexico authorities on Thursday said they were working with police in New York state to obtain Alec Baldwin's cellphone after the actor failed to give up to despite a search warrant to seize it.

The Santa Fe Sheriff's Office and New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney's Office are 'actively working' with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, New York, and Baldwin's lawyers to get any materials on the phone pertaining to their investigation, according to a press release.

The investigation relates to a probe into the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Western movie 'Rust.'

Baldwin, 63, could be seen in photos pacing around the outdoor set while talking on the cellphone immediately after the fatal shooting.

A lawyer for Baldwin did not respond to requests for comment as to why the actor has not yet handed over his cellphone to authorities.

A Santa Fe judge approved a search warrant for his phone after a request from Detective Alexandria Hancock, who has been granted access to his texts, call records, contacts, photos, videos, and geolocation data

Hutchins (center), a 42-year-old cinematographer, died after being shot by Baldwin during a rehearsal in New Mexico on October 21

Baldwin is seen on October 21 after speaking to investigators about the fatal shooting of Hutchins. His phone is now being sought by the team probing Hutchins's death

Baldwin has a home in Amagansett, Suffolk County.

The '30 Rock' actor has said he was holding a revolver on the film set when it went off during rehearsal back on October 21, firing a live round that killed Halyna Hutchins.

The actor said in a television interview he never pulled the trigger and denied responsibility for the shooting.

He said he had no idea how a live round got onto the set.

'The choices regarding any props by me for the film RUST were made weeks before production began,' he tweeted last month.

'To suggest that any changes were made "before fatal shooting" is false.'

The New Mexico prosecutor overseeing the case has said some people who handled guns on the set may face criminal charges over Hutchins' death.

The family's departure on Friday came just one day after Baldwin took to Twitter to deny that he had requested a larger Colt gun before Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of Rust

A Santa Fe detective said she sought the search warrant for Baldwin's phone after she requested it on a voluntary basis and 'was instructed to acquire a warrant,' according to an affidavit.

The affidavit said suspects, victims and witnesses 'often make and/or receive telephone calls and/or messages before, during and/or after the commission of crime(s).'

'Such information, if it exists, may be material and relevant to this investigation.'

One day after New Mexico police issued a search warrant for his iPhone, Baldwin could be seen dressed in a black T-shirt and black pants as he picked up a cup of java at Think Coffee in his neighborhood earlier in the morning on December 17, while Hilaria, 37, was later spotted with two of their six children.

The outline of Baldwin's cellphone was visible in his pocket as he walked to and from the coffee shop with disheveled hair and without a coat, despite the weather only being in the high-50s.

Baldwin ran to Think Coffee to grab a cup of java the day after authorities in New Mexico had a search warrant approved, and the outline of his cellphone was visible in his pocket

Their belongings were packed into paper bags, reusable shopping bags, and suitcases

Baldwin was seen packing up an SUV with his family's belongings, one day after New Mexico police issued a search warrant for his iPhone in regards to the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins

Around 8:30 am, he was seen loading up an SUV with bags, luggage, and a holiday wreath as her and his family got ready to leave the city ahead of the weekend.

They were not traveling light and appeared to be heading out of town for a while.

Baldwin filled the vehicle with their stuff before slipping into the backseat and leaving with his driver.

The couple needed two more SUVs to accommodate their nannies and six children, who each require either a car seat or booster seat, depending on their age.

The day before, Hilaria slammed the paparazzi on her Instagram Stories and warned them to 'stay away' from her husband. She shared footage of the photographers snapping their pictures, claiming they were purposefully provoking him.

An irate Baldwin was caught on video lunging at a New York Post reporter while gripping an umbrella on December 2

The confrontation took place outside Woody Allen's Upper East Side home, where reporter Jon Levine was waiting for Baldwin to quiz him about the shooting on the set of Rust

'These people are trying to taunt Alec,' she captioned the clip. 'This is not good for ptsd. I'm sure that comes as no surprise when you see this. I get you guys want to make money...but this is disgusting. And those of you who pay for these photos  shame.'

In a second post, she demanded that the paparazzi back off while vowing to protect her family.

'Stay away from him,' she insisted. 'Stop it right now. Have some humanity. Stop thinking about money and attention. Let the investigation do [its] process and it will play out. You don't need to come and traumatize him more every single step of the way. This is my family and I will protect them until the end.'

The family's departure on Friday came just one day after Baldwin took to Twitter to deny that he had requested a larger Colt gun before Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of Rust.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department declined to comment on the case.
An Australian couple have issued a dire warning for people to be vigilant with their mail after a thief stole their identities, committed tax fraud under their names and tried to access their superannuation.

The drama started soon after Tiffany Wong ordered a driver's licence in the mail, it was due to be delivered to their Melbourne home in February of 2021.

With the state in lockdown at the time, it never arrived, so Tiffany and her husband, Raphael - who also are new parents - forgot about it.

Come August last year, Tiffany's phone status suddenly began switching to SOS mode, leaving her unable to make any calls.

Her phone bill also increased a whopping $400 per week. Mrs Wong admitted it took a while 'before we both cottoned on.'

The pair suspect a hacker stole Tiffany's driver's licence out of the post and used her personal information to access their phone and email accounts.

Australian couple Raphael and Tiffany Wong (pictured) have issued a dire warning for people to be vigilant with their bills after a thief stole their identities, committed tax fraud under their names and tried to access their superannuation

The Melbourne couple (pictured) found the experience confronting and felt a 'sense of violation' after they were targeted by professional thieve

The couple soon discovered they had 'purchased' a new iPhone and iPad - from email addresses they didn't recognise.

'Once we realised someone had updated our details, that's when alarm bells started to ring,' Raphael told news.com.au.

His wife added the couple kept having their security passwords changed, causing more panic.

And around the same time, Tiffany was also having trouble logging into her own email address.

Weeks later, Mr Wong was contacted regarding his superannuation fund.

The hacker had attempted to agitate an early release of his funds - but thankfully his alert accountant blocked the brazen tax fraud attempt, which could have netted as much as $42,000.

The couple said they felt anxious, and a 'sense of violation' following the incident.

Incredibly, the hacker also looked to swap Mrs Wong's SIM card - which would have allowed them to then 'control' the phone number.

As recently as December, the thief told Optus their phone and wallet had been stolen and they required a new SIM card - while illegally assuming Mrs Wong's identity.

Due to privacy reasons with the network and 'cyber criminals', the request was denied.

Mrs Wong, who has since changed her number, still has identity issues, with her passport now expired.

She is also unable to be issued a new driver's licence from Vic Roads until police conclude their report and confirm it was stolen.

She lodged the cyber report in September, with Victoria police confirming it is 'currently being assessed.'

The couple believe the savvy thieves uses Mrs Wong's driver's licence to assume her identity (stock image)
Employees in 'high risk' industries will require a booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated in NSW as the state restricts singing and dancing and suspends elective surgery amid rising Covid infections.

Premier Dominic Perrottet announced a handful of new restrictions on Friday which will be in effect from Saturday until at least January 27.

The new mandates have been introduced after the state recorded 38,625 new Covid cases and 11 deaths overnight.

While singing and dancing in venues are off the cards, the premier stopped short of cancelling all upcoming major events and will instead assess events on their merit.

Pubgoers are still permitted to stand, although Mr Perrottet urged NSW residents to use caution and 'minimise mingling where possible'.

'If you're in a hospitality venue, if you can sit down while drinking, please do so,' he said.

The most significant of changes for many will be the decision to change the goal posts over what is considered 'fully vaccinated' for thousands of workers.

Premier Dominic Perrottet announced on Friday sweeping new restrictions which will come into effect from Saturday until at least January 27 in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus

Mr Perrottet is yet to announce when the mandates will be imposed, but high risk employees including teachers, nurses and frontline staff will be required to get their booster shot to keep working.

'The Health Minister is working through that at the moment, but that announcement today will ensure that whether it's our teachers, nurses, our front-line health and disability workers, we will move to boosters being included as part of that fully vaccinated determination,' he said.

Mr Perrottet and chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant were also at pains to clarify a positive Covid diagnosis does not mean a person does not have to get the booster at all.

Dr Chant explained Covid acts as a very short term booster but would not be officially considered a replacement for the shot.

'When you've had Covid, it does act like a booster, so you can delay [your shot] or wait for a period afterwards,' she said.

'It's reasonable to say four to six weeks after infection, get the booster.'

Residents have also been instructed to register their positive rapid antigen tests through Service NSW rather than queue for a PCR test. This option will be available on the app from next week.

A booster shot will now be required to be considered 'fully vaccinated' in high risk workplaces as NSW moves to restrict singing and dancing and suspend elective surgery to stem rising Covid infections

As a result, Dr Chant said it was likely daily case numbers - which already appear to be soaring - are likely 'underestimations' and will remain as such in the coming weeks.

The primary goal is no longer to determine exact case numbers each day, but to ensure care is offered to people most at risk.

Mr Perrottet reassured the public the healthcare system was under pressure but not at risk of collapsing.

'Even in a worst case scenario (based on new modelling) we have the capacity within our health system right now,' Mr Perrottet said.

'We have invested significantly... W have the best health system in the country if not around the world.'

The Premier didn't mention any closure of nightclubs and venues, a restriction that was rumoured to have been discussed overnight.

The Premier didn't mention any closure of nightclubs and venues, a restriction that was rumoured to have been discussed overnight

NSW Health Deputy Secretary Susan Pearce said the decisions have not been made lightly and no doubt there will be 'challenging weeks ahead'.

She said data suggests the worst of the virus will be over by February.

'We're measuring the conversion rate between cases and hospital admissions, and that conversion rate is coming down,' she said. 'It's a very important factor.'

The significant wind back of freedoms flies in the face of Premier Dominic Perrottet's insistence the public needed to learn to live with the virus.

He clarified he has no plans to ever return his state to lockdown and denied he opened up 'too early'.

'Certain people want us to go into lockdown, but we won't do that,' he maintained.

'We are in a good position, but that doesn't mean we're not under pressure.'

Chair of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness, Professor Jane Halton, said the new restrictions were sensible given the rise in infections.

'What we are trying to do now is manage this particular variant of the virus, and that means slowing its spread down,' Prof Halton told the Nine Network on Friday.

'This is very infectious, we know that, so people are going to have to be prudent for the next several weeks.'

Mr Perrottet said the testing system was at full capacity and it will take time to relieve the pressure as people adjust to new testing guidelines (pictured, healthcare workers administer PCR tests at St Vincent's Hospital drive-thru clinic, Bondi Beach, on New Year's Eve)

Mr Perrottet has long advocated the need to reopen the state and get the economy moving again in the face of rising cases numbers.

Ultimately, we not only need to learn to live alongside the virus, but live alongside the variants as well,' he said.

'This pandemic is not over. These variants will continue, cases will continue to rise and the best thing we can do to keep the community safe, keep your family safe is to go out and get vaccinated and get that booster shot when you can.'

He said 'for the moment' he intended to stick with the state's plan as NSW could not be a 'hermit kingdom on the other side of the world'.

But clearly the strategy has changed.

As of Friday, there are 1,738 people in hospital and 134 patients in intensive care units.

NEW COVID RULES COMING BACK IN NSW TESTING CHANGES: People will be able to log positive RAT results with Service NSW from next week. They will be counted in daily Covid case figures. STANDING AT PUBS DISCOURAGED: Venues will be discouraged from allowing 'vertical consumption' while drinking at bars and pubs. ELECTIVE SURGERY SUSPENDED: The state has suspended elective surgery until mid-February to relieve pressure on the hospital system. BAN ON SINGING AND DANCING: Singing and dancing is banned in 'high-risk environments such as pubs and restaurants. The ban does not apply to weddings or dance classes. SOME LARGE EVENTS CANCELLED: The overwhelming majority of events will proceed, but will need approval of NSW Health. BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE CONSIDERED 'FULLY VAXXED: High risk workers - like teachers and front line healthcare workers - will be required to have the booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated. Advertisement

Hospital rates have continued to climb in both NSW and Victoria but the number of patients in intensive care have remained steady

Australian Medical Association NSW president Danielle McMullen said the cancellation of elective surgery was 'yet another sign of a system in crisis' and suspending surgeries was an 'avoidable' move that 'will have profound consequences for patients'.

'Elective surgery shouldn't be a tap that government turns on and off to cover for serious cracks in our healthcare system,' Dr McMullen says.

Chair of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness, Professor Jane Halton, said the new restrictions were sensible given the rise in infections.

'What we are trying to do now is manage this particular variant of the virus, and that means slowing its spread down,' Prof Halton told the Nine Network on Friday.

'This is very infectious, we know that, so people are going to have to be prudent for the next several weeks.'

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet made the changes after revealing Covid-19 testing sites are at capacity (pictured, people endure long queues for PCR tests in Sydney during January)

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has backtracked on his call for calm that NSW would stay open despite surging Covid-19 case numbers
This newspaper respects and defends the jury system. It is not perfect, but it is better than alternatives practised elsewhere.

Jurors, having heard all the evidence, are entitled to reach a verdict as they see fit.

Yet there are serious questions to answer after four social justice warriors were acquitted of criminal damage for toppling a statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston.

The most troubling is: What has become of the rule of law?

There are serious questions to answer after four social justice warriors were acquitted of criminal damage for toppling a statue Edward Colston

Yes, many undoubtedly found the Bristol monument offensive. But there were democratic paths for its legal removal.

Worryingly, the jury (signalling its virtue?) has conceded the principle that vigilante vandalism is justified as long as it accords with a fashionable political cause.

But who decides a legitimate target for attack? The Left's cultural gatekeepers?

Gandhi, for instance, held profoundly racist views. Does that give a mob the right to destroy statues of him? Of course not. Criminal damage is never acceptable.

But with extremist protesters increasingly risking lives with their antics, laws must be applied dispassionately to protect us all.

The Attorney General should appeal against the Colston Four's case to prevent it becoming a vandal's charter.

If courts give individuals the green light to ignore laws they decide are unfair, the whole system will collapse into anarchy.

Public sector paralysis

Despite the perpetual hysteria of the pro-lockdown Left, there is no evidence the NHS is falling apart at the seams.

Still, we accept hospitals are under huge strain. Surging Omicron cases, staff absences due to self-isolation, the usual winter workload all contribute to the pressure.

Yet isn't this predicament partly of the health service's own making? For it is stuck in a time-warp of ossified thinking.

Take outdated infection rules. By forcing thousands exposed to Covid patients to quarantine for 14 days  even those testing negative  bosses worsen bed shortages.

Meanwhile, egged on by militant teaching unions, ultra-cautious schools are ignoring Government guidelines to keep recovering pupils at home for longer, further damaging children's education.

And GP chiefs claim family doctors can no longer provide a proper service for patients because of the virus (although after the shameful disintegration of in-person appointments could anyone tell?)

Public sector dinosaurs must emulate their private sector counterparts  ditch their archaic mindsets, engage common sense and become more agile. Failure to end this paralysis is detrimental to us all.

Taxation conversation

No newspaper has campaigned more ferociously than this one for government action to fix the social care scandal.

And while we felt deep unease at Boris Johnson's un-Tory solution  hiking National Insurance  at least he grasped the nettle.

But with household budgets pummelled by soaring living costs, April's tax raid will be an intolerable burden on pay packets.

Given the billions earmarked for elderly care won't arrive for three years (first being poured into the NHS's insatiable maw) Tory MPs want the Chancellor to scrap the rise and spare families financial pain.

Ministers must do something to help the public with rocketing bills. It is good that this conversation has started.
A wealthy and well-connected LA entrepreneur has become the latest target of the city's home invader burglars, with both her house sitters bound with zip ties by the armed intruders.

The terrifying incident took place at a an estimated $5 million home on Sherwood Place, in the affluent suburb of Sherman Oaks, in San Fernando Valley at around 2a.m. this morning.

It is owned by Florence Mirsky, 40, a social media influencer and the co-founder of Koko Nuggz, which is a California-based confectionery company.

She told The Sun that she was 'too frantic' to speak about the crime even though she wasn't inside the property when the robbery took place. Police were told by one of the home's housekeepers that, along with a friend, they were held at gunpoint after the three burglars woke them up.

The two women were then ordered to get on the floor while they were zip-tied as the three burglars continued to raid the property. Police have yet to disclose exactly what was stolen, or whether the property was damaged. The victims were able to summon help after the burglars left by using the property's Ring doorbell camera.

Between 2015 and 2018, Mirksy dated famous eight-time Grammy winning producer Scott Storch, who has previously collaborated with several worldwide artists, such as Drake, Justin Timberlake, and Beyonce.

Records show Storch once owned the property, when he amassed more than $70 million during the height of his career. In 2015, he filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Florida.

Homeowner Florence Mirsky (left) and Scott Storch (right) dated for three years between 2015 and 2018 before Mirsky's Sherman Oaks home was the target of a robbery in the early hours of Thursday morning

Two unidentified people were zip-tied (pictured) and held at gunpoint after three burglars raided Mirsky's home in the early hours of Thursday morning

LAPD confirmed that the cameras surveilling the house had tape on them and picked a lock to access the residence

The victims are seen being led away from the Sherman Oaks home after the terrifying burglary

Their phones were stolen, and they were only able to summon help using the property's Ring doorbell camera

The five-million dollar home that once belong to famous producer Scott Storch, but now belongs to his ex-girlfriend, CEO of Koko Nuggz, Florence Mirsky

Meanwhile, LAPD confirmed that the unidentified housekeeper and her friend's phones were stolen in the incident.

No visible signs of forced entry were noticed by investigators, who believe one of the suspects picked a lock to access the residence.

Later on, authorities confirmed that the burglars also placed tape over surveillance cameras monitoring the home.

After the three suspects took off, the two victims waited for 'a long time' before help was sent their way.

They rang the homes Ring doorbell camera, which then notified Mirsky's phone after learning that the home doesn't have a landline.

Mirsky proceed to contact police at 3a.m., around an hour after the incident. Officers found the two victims at the home, still bound at the wrists.

So far, no arrests have been made and there is no description of the three suspects.

One of the victims was treated for chest pains but no serious injuries were identified.

As of late, crime has soared in the San Fernando Valley and in the Los Angeles area, with multiple home invasion and follow-home robberies spooking the city's wealthy residents.

The housesitter and her friend rang the homes Ring doorbell camera after the robbery, which then notified Mirsky's phone after learning that the home doesn't have a landline

LA crime is on the upswing, according to police statistics. Homicides are up by 46 percent, car thefts are up 53 percent and shootings have risen by a staggering 51 percent in Los Angeles compared with the same time frame through November 27 of 2019

The murder of Clarence Avant's 81-year-old philanthropist wife, Jacqueline inside her $7 million Beverly Hills home on December 1 follows a disturbing rise in crime

Homicides in the City of Angeles rose 52 percent last year from 2019, and shooting incidents were up 59 percent, according to LAPD data.

The city has also suffered a shocking wave of follow-home robberies and organized smash-and-grab attacks on retailers, as the statistic went up 41.6 percent in 2021.

And last month, Beverly Hills residents were stunned by the home invasion murder of Jacqueline Avant, who was gunned down in front of her husband, famed music producer Clarence Avant.

Gascon responded by lamenting that the career criminal charged in the murder hadn't been properly rehabilitated.

Gascon has lamented that accused killer Aariel Maynor (above) was not properly rehabilitated earlier in his criminal career

Aariel Maynor, 29, was on parole when he was arrested earlier this month and charged with the shocking home-invasion murder in Avant's Beverly Hills mansion.

Maynor served two prison terms of five years and four years on separate robbery convictions, in addition to convictions on domestic violence and grand theft charges. He has pleaded not guilty to Avant's murder.

Although Beverly Hills is a bastion for Democrats, with 71 percent of voters choosing Joe Biden in the last presidential election, residents are unhappy with what they see as the results of Gascon's policies.

Many have now flocked to buy guns to defend themselves if they end up being targeted.

The district attorney's office did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com on Wednesday afternoon.

Gascon is a progressive prosecutor who has been vocal about his belief that the criminal justice system needs to focus more on intervention and rehabilitation, blasting 'tough on crime' policies as racist and a failure.

Last month, Gascon made waves by expanding a program to drop criminal proceedings against juveniles charged with a range of felonies.

Under the expansion, youth would be eligible for 'diversion' after being charged with burglary, assault, vehicle theft, robbery, grand theft person, sexual battery, and arson, according to a leaked memo.

A number of felonies would remain ineligible for diversion, including homicide, forcible rape, gun crimes, and crimes resulting in serious injuries.
A woke Historian has sparked fury online after comparing the January 6 riot to the Holocaust during an MSNBC appearance making the first anniversary of the violence at the Capitol.

During an MSNBC appearance on Thursday to mark the one year anniversary of the Capitol riots Rice University history professor Douglas Brinkley boldly compared the days events to that of the Holocaust - which saw 11 million people exterminated by the Nazis - Pearl Harbor and the September 11 attacks.

Brinkley told MSNBC anchor Craig Melvin that there is irreputable proof of what happened that day and history wont be kind those who try to downplay the events and evoked the Holocaust.

'But we have film footage of happened on January 6th, and we have proof,' Brinkley said. 'Dwight Eisenhower during World War II, made sure all the Holocaust camps were filmed. So we've got the film footage, so we're combating the conspiracy theorists, deniers and some, you know, Trumpeteers.'

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During an MSNBC appearance Rice University history professor Douglas Brinkley (pictured) boldly compared the January 6 riots to the Holocaust, Pearl Harbor and September 11

Just before the attack, former president Trump delivered fiery remarks at the White House and then encouraged his supporters to march to Capitol Hill

Brinkley said he worries if the day is not properly honored like Pearl Harbor and September 11 it will be lost in history.

Last January 6 Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building, leading to multiple deaths.

Four people died on the day of the violence - protester Ashli Babbitt was shot dead by police, while the other three of natural causes.

A Capitol Police officer who had been attacked by protesters died the following day and two police officers who took part in the defense of the Capitol later took their own lives. More than a hundred police officers were injured.

Four people died on the day of the violence, one shot dead by police and the other three of natural causes

'But what my worry is what do we call this and make sure we honor this day, this dark-stained day every year,' he said. 'So we've got to keep saying January 6th.

'I think it is like December 7th Pearl Harbor it is like the 9/11 tragedy, and we also need to not be afraid to call the Trump Insurrection of January 6th because in the end, all roads to what went wrong that day lead to Donald Trump's ill behavior, his anti-democratic stance he took, the Big Lie, after the presidential election tallies came in. And Joe Biden had won by millions of votes.'

Just before the attack, former president Trump delivered fiery remarks at the White House and then encouraged his supporters to march to Capitol Hill.

Trump has denied any wrong doing although he spent the weeks after the November election claiming he won and was the victim of voter fraud, despite showing no evidence to prove his claims.

He was impeached a second time on charges of he incited an insurrection at the Capitol. He was acquitted by the Senate.

But while many agree that January 6 was a dark day in American history, some say that the comparisons to some of the deadliest events in history was not appropriate.

'While January 6th was absolutely horrific, it does not compare at all to Pearl Harbor or the Holocaust, especially because the attempted coup that occurred was able to be stopped,' one person tweeted.

Another person tweeted: 'Nope this is not like Pearl Harbor or 9/11. It was a bad day for sure, but the hyperbole about this day is outrageous.'

Someone else tweeted: 'Holocaust death toll..over 6 million people Pearl Harbor death toll.2403 people Capital Riot death toll..1 murdered.'
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Cops have gathered for the visitation of a murdered Illinois police officer, who is said to have been gunned down by career criminal while responding to a call about killer's barking dogs.

Fellow officers and friends honored Sergeant Marlene Rittmanic in the chapel at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois, an hour away from Chicago, from Thursday.

All wore their full uniforms, with many also wearing masks and gloves.

American flags lined the entryway to the funeral as first responders and former military personnel paraded into the venue around 5pm to pay their respects at the visitation on Thursday. Her funeral will be at the same location at 10am on Friday.

Rittmanic was allegedly killed by Darrius Sullivan, 25, at the Comfort Inn in Bradley, Illinois, after her and partner - who is currently in the hospital with gunshot injures to the head - responded to a called regarding Sullivan's barking dogs.

First responders lined up looking somber as they prepared to head inside the Olivet Nazarene University chapel on Thursday night for the funeral visitation for fallen Illinois cop Marlene Rittmanic

American flags lined the property as officers and former military personnel

Rittmanic died on December 30 after she and her partner responded to a call at Comfort Inn in Bradley, Illinois. When they arrived at Darrius Sullivan and his pregnant girlfriend's door, where Sullivan allegedly shot her partner in the head and chased Rittmanic down the hall and shot her several times while she begged for her life

Rittmanic and partner Tyler Bailey knocked on the door of their room at the Comfort Inn for 14 minutes before Xandria Harris, 26 - Sullivan's pregnant girlfriend - cracked the door open, only enough to slip through while still protecting Sullivan inside, on December 30.

The two police officers were responding to a call about the couple's barking dogs which they'd left in their car in the parking lot of the motel but Sullivan is the subject of multiple arrest warrants.

When he finally swung the door open, Sullivan was brandishing a 9mm handgun, prosecutors say

He first shot Bailey in the head then chased Rittmanic down the hall and shot her in multiple times while she lay on the ground begging for her life, it is alleged.

He and Harris then went on the run. They were arrested on December 31 and are now both facing the death penalty.

Bailey was also shot in the head but he survived and was taken to the hospital where he remains. In a statement last night, his family said he is 'far from out of the woods'.

'While we are not able to go into specific details about the severity of Tyler's condition, we can certainly say that without the surgical intervention, Tyler would not have survived the remainder of the day on December 30.

'After the procedure, we are cautiously optimistic about beginning discussions for Tyler's recovery over the short term, although he is far from out of the woods at this point.

A former officer wore a button with Rittmanic's face on it to the visitation on Thursday night

Rittmanic's partner was unable to say goodbye as he is currently in the hospital with a gunshot wound

Saddened officers hugged each other as they entered the venue to pay their respects

'Since the surgery, Tyler has continued to fight for his life. He is stable but remains in very critical condition,' they said in the statement that was issued online by Illinois State Police.

Rittmanic's funeral has been scheduled for Friday in Boubonnais, Illinois.

There is growing fury about the fact that Sullivan, who has been arrested 21 times since 2014, was even on the street.

He was the subject of an arrest warrant for battery dating back to last May, but it's unclear what the details of that case are.

Prosecutors are demanding that the pair be sentenced to death for the 'cold blooded' murder of Sergeant Rittmanic.

Darius Sullivan started shooting at the two officers as soon as his pregnant girlfriend Xandria Harris opened the door of their hotel room. The pair now face the death penalty. The cops had been called because they'd left their dogs in their car and the animals were barking

Sullivan's rap sheet starts in June 2014, when he was 19 years old

They have been charged by state prosecutors so far, who cannot seek the death penalty in state court because Illinois has no death penalty.

Federal prosecutors can however seek it as a punishment if they bring charges against the pair. It remains to be seen if that will happen.

The state's case will go to a grand jury on January 22.

The next court appearance for either of the pair is on January 27, when Xandria Harris is due before a judge.
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A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph..

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Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph.
A pro-Trump firm that carried out an audit of 2020 Presidential Election ballots in Arizona is shutting down after threats of fines over its allegedly error-strewn recount.

Florida-based Cyber Ninjas, which was launched in 2013, has fired all of its employees, which the company's LinkedIn page said was between two and 10.

'Cyber Ninjas is shutting down. All employees have been let go,' Rod Thomson, the company's representative, said Thursday.

This comes after Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah said he would levy a $50,000 fine for each day Cyber Ninjas refused to hand over documents relating to the audit, which it is claimed contains at least 80 misleading or false claims.

A local newspaper, the Arizona Republic, filed a public records request, with Cyber Ninja failing to comply with its legal duty to do so, resulting in the threat of the $350,000-a-week fines.

Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan prior to the Arizona Senate Republicans hearing review of the 2020 presidential election results in Maricopa County at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix

Contractors working for Cyber Ninjas, who was hired by the Arizona State Senate, examine and recount ballots from the 2020 general election at Veterans Memorial Coliseum on May 1, 2021 in Phoenix

Jack Wilenchik, a lawyer for Cyber Ninjas, has not yet responded to media requests for comment.

The report from election officials in Maricopa includes a record of nearly 80 misleading or false claims made by Cyber Ninjas in their audit.

'Truth is truth. Numbers are numbers,' Arizona Senate President Karen Fann said at the time.

Those same Republicans had hired Cyber Ninjas to do the review of ballots in Maricopa, the state's largest county in terms of population.

The $6million, Republican-backed review of the 2020 presidential election in Arizona's largest county officially ended in September and found no proof that the Arizona election was stolen from Donald Trump.

The Maricopa County ballot recount came after two election audits found no evidence of widespread fraud in Arizona

The audits actually found that President Joe Biden had won the county by 360 more votes than the official results gave him

Despite Trump's promise of 'huge findings' and vindication, the six-month search for evidence of fraud found Biden won by 360 more votes than the official results that were certified last year.

President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump by a little over 10,400 votes, awarding the state's electoral votes to Democrats for the first time since 1964.

Republican legislators were attempting to overturn the Biden win in the state, despite then-President Trump's top cybersecurity official calling it 'the most secure in American history.'

Then-Attorney General William Barr also said the DOJ had found no evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Maricopa County Board Chairman Jack Sellers, a Republican, called Friday's hearing 'irresponsible and dangerous.'

Cyber Ninjas, the Senates lead contractor who compiled the forensic report, said in its 100-plus page report that there were 'no substantial differences' between the groups hand count of ballots and the official count.

The report also made a series of other disputed claims the auditors say should cast doubt on the accuracy and warrant more investigation.

The Republican-backed review of the 2020 presidential election Arizona's largest county officially ended in September and found no proof that the Arizona election was stolen from Donald Trump

Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan, center, is flanked by Ben Cotton, left, founder of digital security firm CyFIR, and Randy Pullen, right, the former Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, prior to the Arizona Senate Republicans hearing review of the 2020 presidential election results in Maricopa County at the Arizona Capitol on Friday

The results tally announced during the Arizona Senate Republicans hearing by Cyber Ninjas findings of the Arizona 2020 election review at the Arizona Capitol, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, in Phoenix

'The Cyber Ninjas opinions come from a misuse and misunderstanding of the data provided by the county and are twisted to fit the narrative that something went wrong,' Sellers said in a statement.

'Once again, these "auditors" threw out wild, damaging, false claims in the middle of their audit and Senate leadership provided them the platform to present their opinions, suspicions, and faulty conclusions unquestioned and unchallenged.

'Today these "auditors" falsely and recklessly accused Maricopa County of potential crimes and Senate leadership amplified those lies.'

The Maricopa County Twitter account live-tweeted the Friday press conference on the results of the Arizona audit and fact-checked Cyber Ninjas' claims.

A few of Maricopa County's tweets from Friday's press conference on the results of the Arizona audit and fact-checking some of Cyber Ninjas' claims

The finding was an embarrassing end to a widely criticized, and at times bizarre, quest to prove allegations that election officials and courts have rejected. It has no bearing on the final, certified results.

The report shuts down Trump's unsubstantiated fraud claims after he claimed tabulating machines had miscounted paper ballots across several states or had been hacked.

Arizona's ballot review began in April over the Republican-led county leadership's objections.

Republican State Senate President Karen Fann led the campaign and publicly stated that the goal was not to revisit Biden's win, but to look for ways to improve the state's election laws.

Lawmakers subpoenaed a copy of Maricopa County's ballots and voting machines, which were handed over to private contractors, according to the Washington Post.

In May, all seven of Maricopa's elected officials, including five Republicans, called the review a 'con' and demanded the Senate end the review.

Maricopa Countys official vote count was conducted in front of bipartisan observers, as were legally required audits meant to ensure voting machines work properly. A partial hand-count spot check found a perfect match.

Maricopa County Board Chairman Jack Sellers called Friday's hearing 'irresponsible and dangerous.' This is Sellers' full statement

Two extra post-election reviews by federally certified election experts also found no evidence that voting machines switched votes or were connected to the internet. The county Board of Supervisors commissioned the extraordinary reviews in an effort to prove to Trump backers that there were no problems.

Doug Logan, the CEO of Cyber Ninjas, oversaw the audit despite the company having no experience working elections. Forbes revealed that Logan has spread outrageous conspiracy theories that a company tied to Hugo Chavez, the long-dead Venezuelan dictator, rigged voting machines against Trump

Election experts are advising Arizona's recount serve as a warning sign to other Republican legislators who have agreed to recount their ballots, the Washington Post reported.

Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Texas have all agreed to review their own 2020 election after responding to pressure from Trump.

'Every time Trump and his supporters have been given a forum to make their case, they have swung and missed, said Ben Ginsberg, a Republican election lawyer who has criticized Trump's fraud claims.
The parents of Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbley will appear in court today to beg for their bail to be lowered from $500,000 to $100,000.

James and Jennifer Crumbley, who are charged with involuntary manslaughter over the November attack, have been locked up since December 4 unable to meet their bond.

Ethan, 15, also faces a court hearing today and is being charged with murder as an adult after the shooting spree which killed four teenagers and injured others.

James Crumbley is seen on court last month as he begs the judge to lower his bond with his wife Jennifer to $100,000

The couple are accused of making a gun accessible to their teenage son Ethan who carried out a school shooting

His parents are accused of making a gun accessible to the teenager and refusing to take him home earlier that day when school counselors confronted them with distressing drawings of violence.

'The last thing they expected was that a school shooting would take place, or that their son would be responsible,' defense attorneys Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman said in a court filing.

Prosecutors are opposing the parents' request for a lower bond.

Ethan, 15, also faces a court hearing today

They noted that the elder Crumbleys were missing for hours when charges were announced December 3 before police found them miles away in a Detroit art studio early the next morning.

Smith said they had planned to appear in court on December 4.

The Crumbleys 'will flee if they get the opportunity,' prosecutors said in a court filing, noting they were behind in mortgage payments and had put their house up for sale.

Oxford High students are expected to return to school next week for the first time since the shooting but at a different building.

The high school, roughly 30 miles north of Detroit, could reopen during the week of January 23.

Before the shooting, Jennifer bragged on social media about going out with her son to test his Christmas present - a 9mm handgun - just three days before the shooting and just one day after her husband had purchased the gun.

When Jennifer was later made aware of her son's 'inappropriate' web search researching firearm ammunition while at school, she texted him: 'LOL I'm not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught.'

The Crumbleys, who are charged with involuntary manslaughter over the November attack, have been locked up since December 4 unable to meet their bond

She never responded to the school's message about the 'inappropriate internet search.'

Hours before the school shooting begun, the Crumbleys were called to the school to discuss Ethan's disturbing behavior including drawings depicting a gun, a bullet, blood everywhere, a shooting victim and a laughing emoji.

The note included the words: 'Thoughts won't stop, help me'; 'my life is useless' and 'the world is dead,' Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said. After the meeting, the Crumbleys left their son to finish the day at school when he opened fire on his classmates and teachers.

Defense attorney Shannon Smith acknowledged that Jennifer Crumbley sent a text message to her son on the day of the shooting, telling him 'don't do it.'

But Smith said it was a plea for him to not kill himself, as the school shooting had already occurred and the gun was missing from home.

'The Crumbleys, like every parent and community member, are devastated by the school shooting,' Smith and co-counsel Mariell Lehman said in a court filing. 'The last thing they expected was that a school shooting would take place, or that their son would be responsible.'

Madisyn Baldwin, 17, (left) and Hana St Juliana, 14, (right) died in a shooting rampage at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit

Justin Shilling, 17, (left) died in the hospital the morning after the shooting and Tate Myre (right) died in the school on November 30

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer embraces Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter as the two leave flowers and pay their respects outside Oxford High School, where Crumbley killed four people on November 30

The Crumbleys were arrested at a Detroit art studio less than a mile from the Canadian border, hours after their charges were announced and they failed to appear in court on December 3.

The Crumbleys' arrests came after the U.S. Marshals offered a $10,000 bounty for information leading to their capture. Their absence prompted a manhunt involving several agencies, including the Marshals' Fugitive Task Force, state police and the FBI.

Law enforcement sources say the couple withdrew $4,000 from an ATM and were last seen around 2-3 pm shortly before the 4 pm deadline to turn themselves in.

Both Crumbleys have pleaded not guilty to all four charges of involuntary manslaughter - one for each Oxford High School student who was killed.

Each count is punishable by up to 15 years in prison along with a $7,500 fine and mandatory DNA testing.

Their 15-year-old son is accused of killing Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17, and injuring several others after opening fire in the school.
A Washington father has been charged with a hate crime after calling a black boy the n-word and threatening to kill him over FaceTime after his daughter made racist remarks toward him.

William Cunningham, 39, from Monroe, Washington was charged with a hate crime after his daughter, who is white, got him on FaceTime during a confrontation outside her school on November 10 so she could show her dad the 16 year-old's face.

Cunningham is then said to have shouted: 'I'm going to f**k all you n****** up... if I see you Ill kill you.' The black boy targeted has since withdrawn from the school.

The girl, who has not been named, was seen repeatedly calling the 16 year-old boy the n-word after he stood up for a friend the racist girl is said to have bullied earlier that day.

The Monroe Police Department said the girl and the boy had an 'altercation' in the Monroe High School parking lot where 'a white female student racially taunted a black student.' The altercation occurred after the girl, whose age has not been disclosed, allegedly shoved one of the student's friends in the hallway earlier that day.

Toward the end of the fight, the girl can be seen shoving her phone into the victim's face, where her father was on a FaceTime call and be heard threatening to beat him up.

'Cell phone video captures the father making death threats at the victim, saying: "If I see you, I'll kill you," and calling the victim racial slurs,' court documents said.

William Cunningham, 39, of Monroe, Washington, threatened to 'kill' a black student, 16, and called him the n-word after his daughter (pictured) and her boyfriend Parker, 18, got into a physical alteration with the student on November 10

The father also told the victim that he was a 'big white cracker' was going to 'f**k them up.'

'Did you hear that,' his daughter can be heard on the video saying. 'Did you not all just hear that, he said he was a white cracker and was going to f**k all you n****s up. You want to act ignorant, that's the real definition of a n****, you dumb f**ks.'

Before the girl resorted to calling her father, she and 18-year-old boyfriend Parker, who is also white, can be heard having a verbal altercation with the student before the two boys turned physical.

While the fight happened, the girl, who has not been named, can be heard repeatedly calling the 16-year-old the n-word and a 'p***y a** b**ch,' which she claimed was not in a 'derogatory' manner.

She can later be seen pushing her boyfriend toward his car and telling him to 'go to the f**king car,' while telling the victim that he 'got in my face first, b**ch.'

In a second video, the group can be seen surrounding Parker's car while one of the students repeatedly said: 'I'm not trying to go to jail, bro.'

The students surrounded Parker's car when she FaceTimed her father. Throughout the fight, the daughter (pictured left) called the student a 'p***y a** b**ch' and the n-word. After the fight, the father-daughter duo allegedly went to the victim's workplace and followed him around for 20 minutes (pictured: the boys surround Parker (plaid shirt) and his car)

The fight took place at Monroe High School in Washington

While the boys surround the boyfriend, the girl proceeds to call her father and tell them 'their trying to get inside Parker's car.'

Parker then proceeds to yelled out: 'My s**t was with him, not with you,' as he points to someone off-camera. 'The f**k is your problem. My s**t was with him, not with you. You have no reason to be in this.'

Parker, the girl, and another boy left the scene in Parker's car.

Later on, the girl and Cunningham reportedly showed up to the victim's workplace and followed him around for 20 minutes, according to K5 News.

Cunningham is expected to be arraigned in Snohomish County Superior on January 19.

Following the incident, Monroe School District Superintendent Dr. Justin Blasko was placed on administrative leave by the school board after several people, including teachers and parents, called for his resignation.
Jeremy Tremaine Williams, 37, has been charged with Capital murder in connection with the death of Kamarie Holland, 5 and the death of his one-month-old daughter, Naudia Treniece Williams, in 2005

A man accused of murdering a five-year-old girl after bribing her mother to have sex with the infant in Alabama is now being probed over the 2005 murder of his one month-old daughter on an Alaskan air base.

Police in North Pole, Alaska, announced that it reopened the investigation into the death of one-month-old Naudia Treniece Williams in 2005, the daughter of suspect Jeremy Williams.

North Pole Police Chief Steve Dutra confirmed the reopening into the investigation related to the death of Williams daughter on Thursday. She said that Williams, who has a lengthy history with child abuse charges, was considered a prime suspect.

The case was reopened following Williams arrest in the Holland case, Dutra added, although no charges have been filed, WBRL reported. He was originally considered a suspect at the time of Naudia's death, although investigators were unable to gather sufficient evidence to charge him then.

Williams is currently facing separate capital murder charges in relation to the murder of five-year-old Kamarie Holland. On Dec. 13, Holland was reported missing by her mother, Kristy Siple in Columbus, Georgia.

She was later found dead on the same evening of that day in a house that Williams used to reside in Phenix City, Alabama. Williams was arrested that day.

Back in 2005, Williams lived with the baby's mother, who hasn't been named in North Pole, where she was stationed while serving an undisclosed role in the Air Force. The baby's sudden death, which was ruled as blunt force trauma, was scrutinized by the Air Force and the North Pole Police Department.

After Williams' arrest in Alabama last month, Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor referred to the Alaska case.

'We have information where he was a suspect in a one-year-old death in Alaska where he was a suspect but never charged because of not able to get enough evidence in that case,' Taylor said at a press conference, held on Dec. 14.

Kamarie's mother, Kristin Siple (pictured with the child), knew Williams, but law enforcement has not specified to what degree due to a gag order issued by Russell County Circuit Court Judge David Johnson

Williams had been charged with child abuse crimes in the past but was never convicted. Pictured in court Tuesday in December

Kamarie was a very loving child, her mother said. She lived with her father, Colley Hollands, in Phenix City, Alabama

Siple was also charged with her daughters murder, as well as human trafficking and murder during a kidnapping, rape, and sodomy. Williams will also be charged with the production of child pornography, Taylor said.

Hoskins said she picked up Kamarie to spend the weekend with her. Kamarie lived in Phenix City with her father, Corey Holland, who had custody of her.

'I'm a mommy. I did not have nothing to do with this,' Hoskins told local ABC News. 'She was my life. I lived for her daily. She was my only girl. I have 3 boys and her.'

If found guilty of Hollands murder, Williams could face the death penalty, as it is a form of capital punishment in both Georgia and Alabama.

During a press conference on December 14, Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor said he believed Kamarie had been sexually assaulted

Kristy Siple was convicted of her daughters murder, as well as human trafficking and murder during a kidnapping, rape, and sodomy, although she claims she's innocent

The cordoned-off abandoned house where Kamarie's body was found

Prior to Kamarie's death, Williams has been charged with child abuse in the past, but was never convicted. A week prior to Kamarie's death, he pleaded not guilty to slapping his wife in front of a child.

Williams was also a suspect in the murder of a one-year-old boy in Alabama and was accused of lowering a three-year-old boy into a bowl of boiling water in 2009.

His defense argued that the boy had poured the water on himself. Williams was acquitted in 2012.

'It's a difficult time. It's been a very difficult time. Corey is basically beside himself. We are out trying to take care of everything for him,' said Kamarie's cousin, Adrienne Davis about the child's father.
Mary Trump says she thinks her uncle and former President Donald Trump is 'feeling the walls close in' from the Congressional panel investigating the January 6 riot.

The niece of the former president spoke with MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell just moments after Representative Liz Cheney told CNN the committee was 'looking at' whether former President Trump's 'action or inaction constituted a crime.'

Mary Trump, 56, then said that her uncle may be waiting for the hammer to fall on him from both the committee and the Department of Justice.

'I don't want to overstate this, because we've seen Donald get away with so much, but even he at this point must be feeling the walls close in,' Mary, who has long been one of her uncle's highest profile critics said: 'If he has any sense, he would feel that way.'

She added that she believes the committee is doing 'an extraordinary job of putting the pieces together.'

Mary Trump, former President Trump's niece, spoke to Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC Thursday night

President Donald Trump spoke during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by on January 6, 2021

President Trump's supporters climbed the walls of the Capitol to protest the election results

'There's no doubt in my mind, if they are discussing making such a referral (to prosecutors at the Department of Justice), they have everything nailed down,' she said, reacting to Cheney's announcement.

Mary Trump then criticized her uncle's statement addressing the anniversary, in which he accused Democrats of using the occasion to 'stoke fears and divide America,'

'Almost everything Donald says recently is some form of projection or another, which suggests there is some level of knowledge about his own guilt here,' said Mary Trump.

Mary also noted that her uncle's decision to cancel a press conference at Mar-a-Lago that had been planned for Thursday was 'significant.'

'It sort of reminds me of the circumstances that led to his video last year that clearly he did not want to make,' she added. 'Somebody managed to convinced him that he had serious legal liability and he did not have a choice, which is why in part I'm guessing he canceled today.'

Democrats are ramping up their probe of the January 6th riot, including considering 'Watergate-style' prime-time hearings with a bold-faced witness wish list that includes Mike Pence and Sean Hannity.

In a bid capitalize on the anniversary, Democrats on committee are looking to crank up the pace of their probe and draw a massive audience with prime-time hearings.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a day-long slate of events planned for the one-year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection - above she is seen with then-Vice President Mike Pence ahead of the joint session of Congress on that day

The House committee investigating January 6th is considering Watergate-style prime-time hearings; above are Chairman Bennie Thompson and Vice Chair Liz Cheney of the panel

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin is among those pushing for prime-time hearings on Jan. 6 riot

'I have favored this strategy from the beginning,' Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, a member of the panel, told MSNBC's Morning Joe on Wednesday.

He said he wanted a Watergate-style approach, when the 1973 hearings into Richard Nixon's presidency captivated America. At one point an estimated 85% of the country was tuned in to them.

'I remember as a kid getting to watch a bit of the Watergate hearings, which were a daily spectacle that the whole country tuned into,' Raskin said. 'If we can do that for, you know, a break-in in a couple of offices in the Watergate hotel, certainly, we can do it for a massive break-in into the Capitol of the United States, a storming, and a seizure essentially of our government offices, an interruption of the peaceful transfer of power.'

Those prime-time hearings could occur in late March or early April, Rep. Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, told Bloomberg News.

But no date has been set yet.

'We're working toward that,' Thompson said.

Those hearings would also feature high-profile witnesses, which would help them gain maximum exposure. Among the names being considered are former Vice President Mike Pence and Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Pence was under heavy pressure from then-President Donald Trump to declare the 2020 election results invalid, wipe out Joe Biden's victory and secure him a second term. The vice president has the symbolic role of presiding over the Electoral College certification of results. Pence was a target of the January 6th rioters, some of who threatened to hang him, and was evacuated from the Senate floor as the MAGA supporters stormed the Capitol.

Thompson told CNN that he and the panel would like to hear from Pence.

'I would hope that he would do the right thing and come forward and voluntarily talk to the committee,' he said.

'We have not formally asked. But if he offered, we'd gladly accept. Everything is under consideration,' he added.

So far, in its investigation, the committee has interviewed more than 300 witnesses, announced more than 50 subpoenas, obtained more than 35,000 pages of records and received hundreds of telephone tips through their Jan. 6 tipline, according to a tally by The Washington Post.

Names are starting to be lined up for hearings.

The panel on Tuesday asked longtime Trump supporter Sean Hannity to appear as a 'fact witness' in their investigation, noting how the Fox star was 'expressing concerns and providing advice to the president and White House staff.'

The committee released several texts Hannity sent to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

'I'm very worried about the next 48 hours,' Hannity wrote on the eve of January 6th.

On January 5, the eve of the Capitol attack, Hannity also texted to Meadows, 'Pence pressure. WH counsel will leave.'

In the letter to Hannity, Thompson wrote the texts suggest 'that you had knowledge of concerns by President Trump's White House Counsel's Office regarding the legality of the former President's plans for January 6th.'

'These facts are directly relevant to our inquiry,' Thompson told Hannity.

Thompson also said that Hannity appeared to have 'detailed knowledge regarding President Trump's state of mind in the days following the January 6th attack.'

One of Hannity's texts indicated he had a discussion with Trump on January 10 and it left the Fox News host concerned in the lead-up to President Joe Biden's January 20 inauguration.

'Guys, we have a clear path to land the plane in 9 days,' Hannity informed Meadows and Republican Rep. Jim Jordan.

'He can't mention the election again. Ever. I did not have a good call with him today. And worse, I'm not sure what is left to do or say, and I don't like not knowing if it's truly understood. Ideas?'

On his Fox News show on Tuesday evening, Hannity launched into a stinging rebuke of DC officials and their 'willing accomplices' but didn't mention the letter from the House committee investigating the MAGA riot.

'I have an important message to all you elected swamp creatures in Washington, D.C., your willing accomplices, your press secretaries in the media mob,' he began.

'It is frankly repulsive, just repulsive that all of you sycophants, you sit idly by, you say nothing, you do nothing, as Joe Biden completely mismanages COVID-19,' he said.

Republicans have not revealed their plans for how they will mark the one-year anniversary of the riot. Donald Trump cancelled a press conference he had scheduled for Thursday.

Many Republican lawmakers criticized Trump in the immediate wake of January 6th - some even called him that day to encourage him to try and call off the rioters. But, many of them also have made amends with the former president in the months following particularly as Trump continues to hold a tight grip on Republican base.

From left to right: Sgt. Aquilino Gonell of the US Capitol Police, Officer Michael Fanone of the DC Metropolitan Police and Officer Daniel Hodges of the DC Metropolitan Police listen as Private First Class Harry Dunn of the US Capitol Police testifies before the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack on US Capitol on July 27
The American Medical Association has issued a stinging rebuke to CDC for halving the isolation time for people who catch COVID from ten days to five.

Gerald Harmon, the president of the AMA, issued a remarkable statement against his fellow medical experts, claiming the new rule could lead to hospitals being overwhelmed.

'Nearly two years into this pandemic, with Omicron cases surging across the country, the American people should be able to count on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for timely, accurate, clear guidance to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities,' Harmon said.

'Instead, the new recommendations on quarantine and isolation are not only confusing, but are risking further spread of the virus.'

Harmon said that the updated guidance meant 'tens of thousands - potentially hundreds of thousands of people - could return to work and school infectious if they follow the CDC's new guidance', and that would risk overwhelming the healthcare system.

Gerald Harmon, the head of the AMA, criticized the CDC for their new recommendations

Dr Rochelle Walensky, the head of the CDC, updated the guidance on isolation on December 27

'A negative test should be required for ending isolation after one tests positive for COVID-19. Reemerging without knowing one's status unnecessarily risks further transmission of the virus,' he said.

Harmon concluded that the shortage of testing should not be used as an excuse to end a testing requirement at the end of isolation.

On December 27, the CDC reduced the recommended time from 10 days to five, with the CDC saying the update was due to the latest data. From day five to 10, the patient can resume normal life, but always wearing a face mask.

Anyone who is yet to receive their booster should follow the same guidelines - five days quarantine, five days wearing a mask - if they are exposed, but those boosted need not quarantine, and must only wear a mask for 10 days.

'The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after,' they said.

Yet Dr Rochelle Walensky, head of the CDC, appeared to suggest that the update was also in response to concern from industry that the current surge was putting swathes of their staffers out of action, and making their businesses grind to a halt.

'The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society,' Walensky said.

'These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives.'
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An airline boss said this morning demand for holidays has returned to pre-pandemic levels after the announcement of new rules dictating that passengers flying to the UK from abroad don't need to take a Covid test before departure from today.

The requirement for travellers to self-isolate on arrival in England until they receive a negative PCR test is also being dropped from Sunday - and they will instead have to take a lateral flow test no later than the end of day two after arriving.

The measures will save families hundreds of pounds on not having to buy so many tests and make it much easier to book holidays - and has resulted in a surge in demand among winter sun-seekers and families looking to reunite with loved ones.

PCR tests on average cost around 80 per traveller, compared to 20-30 for a rapid swab, saving families up to 200 on post-arrival tests alone. They could save another 100 in tests taken for entry into the UK.

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2, told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that demand for holidays had now reached similar levels to those seen before the start of the pandemic.

He said: 'Demand is around pre-Covid levels. Prior to the announcement it was well below, but it has given people the confidence to look for a holiday, that they won't be caught in resorts quarantining. People now want to start thinking about more cheerful things, ie going on holiday.

'There's always a risk that we could have new restrictions but I think the Omicron variant has shown to governments you need to bide your time and look at the science a bit before jumping into lockdown.

'As Professor Whitty said we have to learn to live with this virus, we can't just jump into further restrictions every time we have a new variant - we have to learn to live with it. Hopefully this is the beginning of the end we can get back to some form of normality.

'Our plans for summer 2022 remain the same and we have a bigger programme than summer 2019. Some companies are saying it's going to take two or three years to recover, we are back to above summer 2019 levels.

'I think it's realistic [to be making such preparations], it's optimistic obviously, but after two years of dealing with the virus, we're in a place where we can live with it better.

'People are desperate to get away. It's two or three years since some people have had a holiday, and I think it's very good for health getting away in the sun, lying on a beach, getting some Vitamin D etc.'

A busy terminal 5 arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport today as now passengers arriving back into the UK no longer need to take a PCR test

A busy terminal 5 arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport today as now passengers arriving back into the UK no longer need to take a PCR test

A busy terminal 5 arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport today as now passengers arriving back into the UK no longer need to take a PCR test

A busy terminal 5 arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport today as now passengers arriving back into the UK no longer need to take a PCR test

A busy terminal 5 arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport today as now passengers arriving back into the UK no longer need to take a PCR test

A busy terminal 5 arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport today as now passengers arriving back into the UK no longer need to take a PCR test

A busy terminal 5 arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport today as now passengers arriving back into the UK no longer need to take a PCR test

A busy terminal 5 arrivals hall at Heathrow Airport today as now passengers arriving back into the UK no longer need to take a PCR test

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2, told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that demand for holidays had now reached similar levels to those seen before the start of the pandemic

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for tour operator Tui said Mr Johnson's announcement 'has given Brits the reassurance that travel will once again be easier and more affordable'.

She went on: 'We've already seen an immediate and strong uptick in bookings and we now expect summer 2022 bookings to be normalised.

'January is traditionally the busiest month for holiday bookings and demand is yet to reach pre-Covid levels, so we need to see sustained confidence in travel so the industry can fully recover.'

The firm's biggest booking spikes have been for Mexico and the Canaries. Derek Jones, chief executive of luxury travel company Kuoni, said the easing of testing rules 'should be the beginning of the end of Covid as a blocker to international travel'.

Mr Jones continued: 'I predict travel will be 90% back to 2019 levels before the end of spring.

'We're already seeing increased call volumes and inquiries about trips for the year ahead as confidence builds.'

Britons can fly to 16 countries for under 10 this month - including Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

The cheapest single flights found by MailOnline for this month were 4 from London Stansted to Zagreb with Ryanair, and 5 for both London Luton to Rome with WizzAir and Stansted to Eindhoven with Ryanair. UK tourists can also go from Stansted with Ryanair to Oslo or Krakow for 6, Vienna for 7 and Sofia or Dublin for 8.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a statement in the House of Commons earlier this week that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is now so prevalent in the UK that the measure is having limited impact on the spread of the disease.

Flight booking website Skyscanner now expects 2022 will now be a 'bumper bargain year for travel' with prices currently up to 71 per cent cheaper than pre-pandemic for some destinations, compared to the 2019 average.

The company said that in the first hours following Mr Johnson's announcement, Skyscanner saw an 81 per cent increase in visits to the site, week on week.

It said bookings by UK travellers were already up 25 per cent in the week to this Monday compared to the previous week - and the top five summer destinations booked by Britons are Orlando, Malaga, Faro, Alicante and Palma.

Britons can fly to 16 countries for under 10 this month - including Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain

Passengers sit in the international arrivals hall at London Heathrow Airport today after the new testing rules were announced

Passengers walk around the departures area of London Heathrow Airport today after the rules were changed

Flight crew walk through Heathrow Airport today as it was revealed that pre-travel testing requirements will be dropped

Cheapest flights available for Britons this month 4 to Croatia: London Stansted to Zagreb (Ryanair, January 22, 0830-1150, 2h20m)

London Stansted to Zagreb (Ryanair, January 22, 0830-1150, 2h20m) 5 to Italy : London Luton to Rome (WizzAir, January 22, 1020-1350, 2h30m)

: London Luton to Rome (WizzAir, January 22, 1020-1350, 2h30m) 5 to Netherlands : London Stansted to Eindhoven (Ryanair, January 22, 0615-0830, 1h05m)

: London Stansted to Eindhoven (Ryanair, January 22, 0615-0830, 1h05m) 6 to Norway : London Stansted to Oslo (Ryanair, January 22, 1800-2100, 2h)

: London Stansted to Oslo (Ryanair, January 22, 1800-2100, 2h) 6 to Poland : London Stansted to Krakow (Ryanair, January 22, 0840-1155, 2h15m)

: London Stansted to Krakow (Ryanair, January 22, 0840-1155, 2h15m) 7 to Austria : London Stansted to Vienna (Ryanair, January 22, 0830-1135, 2h05m)

: London Stansted to Vienna (Ryanair, January 22, 0830-1135, 2h05m) 8 to Bulgaria : London Stansted to Sofia (Ryanair, January 25, 0635-1135, 3h)

: London Stansted to Sofia (Ryanair, January 25, 0635-1135, 3h) 8 to Ireland : London Stansted to Dublin (Ryanair, January 25, 0530-0745, 1h15m)

: London Stansted to Dublin (Ryanair, January 25, 0530-0745, 1h15m) 9 to Czech Republic : London Stansted to Prague (Ryanair, January 25, 1145-1435, 1h50m)

: London Stansted to Prague (Ryanair, January 25, 1145-1435, 1h50m) 9 to Denmark : London Stansted to Copenhagen (Ryanair, January 26, 0840-1125, 1h45m)

: London Stansted to Copenhagen (Ryanair, January 26, 0840-1125, 1h45m) 9 to Germany : London Stansted to Berlin (Ryanair, January 22, 0730-1010, 1h40m)

: London Stansted to Berlin (Ryanair, January 22, 0730-1010, 1h40m) 9 to Greec e : London Stansted to Athens (Ryanair, January 25, 1545-2115, 3h30m)

: London Stansted to Athens (Ryanair, January 25, 1545-2115, 3h30m) 9 to Latvia : London Stansted to Riga (Ryanair, January 19, 0620-1055, 2h35m)

: London Stansted to Riga (Ryanair, January 19, 0620-1055, 2h35m) 9 to Portugal : London Stansted to Lisbon (Ryanair, January 25, 0620-0910, 2h50m)

: London Stansted to Lisbon (Ryanair, January 25, 0620-0910, 2h50m) 9 to Romania : London Luton to Bucharest (WizzAir, January 22, 1650-2205, 3h15m)

: London Luton to Bucharest (WizzAir, January 22, 1650-2205, 3h15m) 9 to Spain : London Stansted to Zaragoza (Ryanair, January 22, 1245-1555, 2h10m)

: London Stansted to Zaragoza (Ryanair, January 22, 1245-1555, 2h10m) 9 to Sweden : London Stansted to Gothenburg (Ryanair, January 25, 1845-2140, 1h55m) Checked by MailOnline on Skyscanner at about 10am today. Flight arrival and departures times are local. Advertisement

Stephanie Boyle, Skyscanner's global travel industry expert, told MailOnline: 'This news will go a long way towards boosting confidence for travellers who are hoping to visit loved ones overseas or book a holiday in 2022.

'We expect to see a surge in demand from UK holidaymakers following the scrapping of pre-departure testing and self-isolation requirements, especially given the timing which aligns with a traditionally busy time for travel.

'Winter-weary workers returning this week after the festive period tend to want something to look forward to and will be keen to book breaks in the short term as well as planning bigger trips for the summer.'

She added: 'We have more information on what we can expect from a calendar year living with the virus now and many will be planning big trips for the summer when traditionally we have seen fewer restrictions.

'The travel industry has proved its agility and resistance through difficult times and will be hoping for these new simpler rules to remain in place without change to continue the safe and sustained return of travel.'

The current travel testing rules were introduced in November last year amid a global panic over the spread of Omicron - but with the variant now dominant in the UK, many questioned why they remained.

Mr Johnson told the Commons that from this weekend, costly post-arrival PCR tests would be replaced with cheaper rapid swabs for the fully vaccinated.

Travellers must buy the post-arrival lateral flow tests from private providers before returning to England. They cannot use free NHS ones.

Tests which previously needed to be taken within 72 hours of travelling to England have also been axed.

This change came into force at 4am today, whereas the replacement of PCRs with lateral flows post-arrival will come into effect at 4am on Sunday.

The new rules will apply only to those who have been fully vaccinated  which means double, rather than triple-jabbed.

Children aged five to 17 will be treated as fully vaccinated even if they are not, meaning they must also take day two post-arrival lateral flow tests. Under-fives are exempt.

The changes apply only to England, with Scotland and Northern Ireland yet to declare if they will follow suit. In Wales, health minister Eluned Morgan said they would be 'reluctantly' following suit.

Mr Johnson said: 'When the Omicron variant was first identified, we rightly introduced travel restrictions to slow its arrival in our country.

'But now Omicron is prevalent, these measures are having limited impact on the growth in cases, while continuing to incur significant costs to our travel industry.'

The changes come just in time for the travel industry, with January traditionally the busiest period for summer holiday bookings.

A British Airway aircraft comes in to land at London Heathrow Airport yesterday evening as the rule changes were announced

An aircraft comes in to land at Heathrow Airport last night as Boris Johnson announced a relaxing of travel testing rules

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks to the House of Commons yesterday where he announced changes to the travel rules

What will the new travel rules be for UK tourists? If you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England (meaning at least 14 days has passed since your second jab), and you will arrive in England from today (Friday, January 7), you do not need to: Take a Covid test before you travel to England

Quarantine when you arrive in England If you qualify as fully vaccinated and will arrive in England after 4am this Sunday (January 9), you can choose to take a lateral flow test instead of a PCR test after you arrive in England. If you take a lateral flow test and test positive, you will need to self-isolate and take a free confirmatory PCR. You must book the test before you travel to England. You can book lateral flows from today. You must take the lateral flow test no later than the end of day two after arriving. For example, if you arrive on a Monday, this would be by the end of the Wednesday. You cannot use a lateral flow until after 4am this Sunday. Before this time, you must use a PCR test after arrival. The fully vaccinated rules also apply to children aged 17 and under, people taking part in an approved vaccine trial, and people who are unable to have a vaccination due to medical reasons. Click here for more details Advertisement

Willie Walsh, director-general of the International Air Transport Association trade body, said: 'This is a long- overdue and welcome step back to the pre-Omicron regime. It's clear that the extra measures had little or no impact on the spread on this new variant.'

Shai Weiss, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said: 'Travellers can now book with confidence and look forward to reconnecting with loved ones and business colleagues. Meanwhile... vital testing capacity can be reallocated where it is needed the most  in hospitals, schools and crucial national infrastructure.'

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of the industry body Airlines UK, said it would be a 'massive boost' for the sector at a 'critical' time of the year.

'People will now be able to book knowing that - for the fully vaccinated - all emergency testing restrictions have been removed,' he said.

'Today marks an important step towards learning to live alongside the virus, helping passengers and the travel sector look ahead to what will be an all-important spring and summer season.'

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren also welcomed the move but said the Government needed to go further.

'This will make travel much simpler and easier and means our customers can book and travel with confidence,' he said.

'However, the Government must now urgently take the final step towards restriction-free travel and remove the last remaining unnecessary test for vaccinated travellers so flying does not become the preserve of the rich.'

A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said: 'Although this is welcome news, there is still a long way back for aviation which remains the lifeblood of the UK's economy, supporting millions of jobs in all four nations.'

NHS lateral flow tests cannot be used for international travel, and the tests must be brought from a private provider.

Those who have already brought PCR tests for travelling needs can still use these.

Julia Simpson, chief of the World Travel & Tourism Council, said: 'The removal of pre-departure tests and replacing Day 2 PCRs with more affordable antigen testing will significantly boost the UK travel and tourism sector and help both it, and the whole UK economy recover much faster than expected.'
Are you a farmer with a view on the proposals? Email martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk or tips@dailymail.com

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Are Boris' wife Carrie, father Stanley and his eco-chums the Goldsmith brothers pushing through their 'rewilding' pet project? Carrie Johnson and her husband's father Stanley Johnson, who says rewilding is 'halting man's manipulation of the landscape to allow animals and plants to return' Environment minister Zac Goldsmith has repeatedly spoken out to insist the Government is 'committed' to rewilding, so much so they are described as being part of a 'cult'. The Tory peer says farmers should be 'rewarded' for allowing their land to return to its natural state, letting native plants and animals come back. Environment minister Zac Goldsmith and his landowner brother Ben Goldsmith His public backing for the policy came at a time when police were investigating his younger brother Ben Goldsmith, a Department for Environment board member and also a friend of Carrie Johnson, over claims by neighbours that he released red deer and wild boar from his land in breach of rules. Millionaire farmer Mr Goldsmith told the Mail that the issue was 'a bit of a Vicar of Dibley-style local ding-dong' and said he believed it was due to two neighbours who had 'philosophical' differences with him over his rewilding stance on his 300 acre farm in Somerset. Lord Goldsmith said in a speech to Tory think-tank Bright Blue: 'I'm committed to ensuring that as we invest our Nature for Climate fund, we place a lot of importance on rewilding.' He added that he wanted to see a 'much greater uptake of rewilding'. Lord Goldsmith also hailed the end of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which will become the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELM). The Mail revealed that his brother had claimed EU CAP subsidies of 25,000 for his farm last year. The payments were under the CAP scheme that ministers have vowed to reform post-Brexit. Lord Goldsmith said: 'So if I want to go and plant ten hectares of land with trees I can be paid to do so and I can be paid reasonably well. If I want to leave that land to actually regenerate because that's the best solution for that piece of land, it won't be recognised and that's something that we need to address. 'So there is lots of work to be done... but I'm absolutely convinced that we need to get the incentives right to reward, and incentivise, much greater uptake of rewilding.' Ben Goldsmith caused fury among farmers in 2020 by tweeting that 'overgrazing' by upland sheep farmers  rather than near-record rainfall  was responsible for the devastating floods suffered in South Wales Boris Johnson's father Stanley is also a fan of rewilding, calling it a way of 'halting man's manipulation of the landscape to allow animals and plants to return'. In 2020 the Prime Minister Johnson gifted his father a group of beavers on his 80th birthday. According to the Telegraph, the Prime Minister and his siblings clubbed together to get a licence to allow their father to have beavers in the river of his Exmoor estate. The Prime Minister met with the UK's top rewilder, Derek Gow, to ensure the paperwork was arranged and the land suitably converted into a good beaver habitat. Stanley Johnson was said to be 'delighted' at the gift. Ben Goldsmith is an investor in Derek Gow's rewilding project. Advertisement

Boris Johnson's rewilding plans for Britain will lead to 'tragedy' for tenant farmers who face being kicked off their land by rich eco-zealot landowners who want to replace their crops and livestock with trees and bogs.

The National Farming Union also has growing concerns about Britain's food security, warning changing the use of agricultural land will damage the UK's self-sufficiency and lead to increased imports.

Tenant farmers are the lifeblood of British farming - with a third of land used this way - and some families have farmed the same land for a century or more.

NFU vice-president Tom Bradshaw said: 'We're hearing that some landlords are saying they don't need tenants and they are going to be putting the land into nature recovery. Where does that leave the tenants? If we lose tenants, it would be incredibly short-sighted.'

In England around a third of agricultural land is rented. The latest data from Defra based on a survey carried out in 2017 showed that in England there were 14,000 wholly tenanted farm holdings (making up 15 per cent of the country's total holdings), 36,000 mixed tenure (34 per cent) and 54,000 owner-occupied holdings.

The Government's 2.4billion-per-year plan to replace the European Union's common agricultural policy - called the 'Sustainable Farming Incentive' - was launched by Environment Secretary George Eustice at the Oxford Farming Conference yesterday.

Landowners will be paid to plant trees and restore wetlands and peat bogs on 741,000 acres of land under the largest farming reforms in 50 years when Britain joined the EEC.

But farmers say swapping fields of crops or cows for trees and bogs will make British food production a 'dirty word' and force smaller growers 'off the land' and out of business.

From 2023 the taxpayer will fund 15 large nature reserve projects of up to 12,000 acres across the UK plus thousands of other smaller projects. The 'landscape recovery' rewilding scheme will eventually cost 800million from 2028.

When asked about whether the Government is complacent on food security - and more focussed on growing nature than produce - Mr Eustice said: 'I don't accept that at all', saying that every three years there is a legal requirement be a review of UK food security.

He said the one from last year found that the country was around 76% self-sufficient and produces more milk and lamb than we consume, and soft fruit and chicken is going in the same direction.

He said: 'We want to plant 10,000 trees every year and 300,000 hectares to be restored to their natural condition. That needs to be looked at in the context of the fact that we have over 9million hectares of agricultural land in England. It is a relatively small percentage - around two or three per cent - that might go to some land use change.

'If you look at where our food production comes from, there is not a direct correlation with land area. So 60% of agricultural output comes from just 30% of land. And in areas such as pigs and poultry, where he have seen a growth in self-sufficiency, they don't use very much land at all'.

'My argument has been all along that food production is essential, but the reward for that should come from the market. We are already seeing increases in farm gate prices - so there are positive signs that farmers are seeing the right kind of return for the food they produce'.

Asked by a farmer concerned about the rising cost of growing food, particularly, fuel, fertiliser and labour costs, Mr Eustice said farmers needed to enter 'tough' negotiations with supermarkets, although this might mean price rises.

Mr Eustice said that as the cost of wheat was just 10 per cent of the price of a loaf, he said: 'You can actually see a good increase in the price of wheat without really affecting the price of bread much at all.' Red meat was only 3 per cent of the average family's shopping basket, 'and that means that the overall impact on consumer prices and the average shopping baskets are actually quite low'.

Costs in Mr Eustice added: The truth is a bunch of daffodils in supermarkets has been 1 a bunch pretty much for as long as anyone can remember.

'And there is no reason why the price of daffodils should not actually rise to maybe 1.10.

'It should not be a psychological barrier.' He said: 'we will need to see retailers paying more to reflect the increased costs of producers and we do need producers to stand their ground and take quite a tough position with those retailers.'

Boris Johnson's pursuit of a 'green dream' for Britain - including eating less meat, banning petrol cars from 2030 and scrapping gas boilers - has been blamed by some farmers on the Prime Minister's family and friends.

The Prime Minister's father Stanley, wife Carrie Johnson and their environmentalist 'chums' Zac and Ben Goldsmith, who are advising the Government, are accused of being part of a 'cult of rewilding'.

The announcement came days after Ed Sheeran announced his own plans to purchase farmland to plant 'as many trees as possible' to offset his considerable carbon footprint after years of worldwide tours and jet-setting.

Jono Dixon, a farmer in East Yorkshire whose family have grown wheat on the land since 1857, said: 'I'm sick to death of all this tree planting rewilding mumbo-jumbo malarkey. Let us farm, let us produce but for goodness sake leave us alone to do what we do best'.

He told MailOnline: 'Planting trees on a mass scale on good productive farm land producing cereals, vegetables and other edible crops is quite simply ridiculous and in my view shouldn't happen.

'As custodians of the countryside, we farmers know how to manage land, we monitor wildlife and we generally look after what's precious and that's our daily surroundings. We seem to be surrounded by a bunch of complete utter imbeciles who think they know everything but actually no nowt at all'.

Mr Dixon said the people around Mr Johnson are 'dangerous', adding that Ed Sheeran and other millionaire non-farmers buying up land for conservation are getting into something they 'know nothing about'.

Environment Secretary George Eustice (pictured) is in the firing line from farmers over the rewilding plans - but he insists it will not hurt food production

Farmers and landowners will be paid to protect nature by planting trees and restoring wetlands and peat under the largest farming reforms in 50 years (stock image)

There are concerns that the plans focus too much on freeing up land for rewilding instead of supporting British food production

NUMBER OF HOLDINGS AND AREA BY FARM TENURE TYPE IN ENGLAND Number of holdings % of holdings % of area Wholly tenanted 14,000 13% 15% Mixed tenure 36,000 34% 50% Owner occupied 54,000 51% 35% Data based on a Defra survey carried out in June 2017. Defra says it is not possible to classify all farms

Farmers are angry about the move towards rewilding, branding it 'mumbo jumbo c**p'

One in ten Welsh farms could go to the wall because of rewilding, unions warn Welsh farmers are up in arms over plans by Mark Drakeford administration to plant 80million trees - insisting politicians are 'fixated' with rewilding. Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) has said it will make it impossible for farmers to continue to live in their communities - and that 10% of farms could go. Last year more than 12 farms in mid-Wales were sold to investors outside the country, amid claims the land was just being bought up and planted to offset the carbon of the rich. Teleri Fielden has just taken over the tenancy of a farm in Snowdonia. She told the Guardian: 'I just find it bizarre. It is as if they just go, 'we'll pluck all you people out of there, we don't want you, your livelihoods, your traditions or your land management skills', adding: 'It's a weird kind of Highland clearance,' adds Fielden, referring to the forced removal of people from farms in the Scottish Highlands by landlords from the mid-18th century. 'Nature can do amazing things, but if we separate ourselves from the land, we will lose that link, as well as the skills and experience of managing it for ever. We could just import food  or instead, we could create livelihoods, local communities and homegrown protein', she said. There are similar concerns in Scotland. NFU Scotland vice-president Andrew Connon has said is 'naive at best and certainly short-sighted, having the potential to be damaging in other economic, environmental and social aspects'. He said: 'I am receiving fresh calls every week from despairing farmers and crofters across Scotland telling me of another farm or estate destined for tree planting'. Advertisement

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insists that projects will not go ahead if food production is risked and claims it will help cut greenhouse gases in the UK by the equivalent of taking between 12,000 to 25,000 petrol or diesel cars off the road.

Chair of the NFU Cymru Milk Board, Abi Reader, said this week: 'At some point growing food alongside nature became a dirty word', adding sarcastically: 'It's ok because when we can't grow enough to eat here we can import food from other places round the world and reassure ourselves we have the upper hand on nature'.

She believes that 'selling rewilding as the answer to all our problems' is wrong, because it takes farmers 'off the land' at a time when 'self sufficiency is falling' and rural communities are 'fragile'.

Cash will be handed to farmers over a number of years, and they will have to prove they have been planting trees and plants, restoring rivers and dunes or reintroducing certain types of wildlife, including beavers, curlew birds, sand lizards and water voles.

There are concerns that the new policy will reward the richest landowners who can bring in millions in taxpayer-funded grants, while smaller tenant farmers face 'financial catastrophe' because of the 'joke environmental idea'.

All the new schemes will be voluntary and it will be for farmers to decide what combination of actions is right for them.

But it appears that if they don't go along with it, they will miss out on cash.

British beef farmer Joanne Pile predicted: 'We're walking head first in to a very dangerous future of food security for this country'.

Under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, farmers were given taxpayers' money from Brussels broadly based on the amount of land they farmed. This meant that the more land they had, the more cash that came their way.

Until 2024, the Government will maintain the 2.4billion paid to the UK in EU agriculture subsidies, but will halve the 1.8billion handed out in direct payments to farmers. The 800million to 900million-a-year saved will go towards the new 'landscape recovery' scheme.

The NFU also has concerns, with vice president Tom Bradshaw declaring: 'At a time when public support for British food and farming is at a high, our biggest concern is that these schemes result in reduced food production in the UK, leading to the need to import more food from countries with production standards that would be illegal for our farmers here.

What is the Government's plan for replacing the EU's 2.4bn-a-year Common Agricultural Policy? The 'Sustainable Farming Incentive' will replace the EU's common agricultural policy that was worth more than 2.4billion a year. Under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, farmers were given taxpayers' money from Brussels broadly based on the amount of land they farmed. This meant that the more land they had, the more cash that came their way. Until 2024, the Government will maintain the 2.4billion paid to the UK in EU agriculture subsidies, but will halve the 1.8billion handed out in direct payments to farmers. The 800million to 900million-a-year saved will go towards the new 'landscape recovery' scheme. It will pay farmers for protecting the environment instead of largely receiving payments to grow crops and rear livestock. Environment Secretary George Eustice insists the policy will 'ensure a vibrant and profitable food and farming industry'. Farming accounts for more than 10 per cent of UK greenhouse gas emissions, making it critical to climate change. The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) praised the scheme as potentially 'the most progressive and environmentally responsible' of its kind. But Britain's three biggest nature charities  the Wildlife Trusts, National Trust and RSPB  said it was a 'huge disappointment'. Instead of encouraging farmers to prevent harm to the environment in the form of air and water pollution and soil erosion, the scheme rewards the status quo, the charities claimed. They added that standards saying legumes, which improve soil health, are required on only 15 per cent of land was 'a really low ambition'. Craig Bennett of the Wildlife Trusts said: 'After leaving the EU, we were promised that the billions of pounds of taxpayers' money given to farmers would be used to improve our natural world.'. He added: 'It's an absolute scandal that the Government has failed to seize this unique and important opportunity.' Advertisement

'This simply off-shores our production and any environmental impacts that go with it and would be morally reprehensible.'

Under the plans some 15 nature reserves will be created, which will aim to recover threatened native species such as the curlew, sand lizard and water vole, restoring rivers, lakes, ponds and streams.

Other threatened species expected to benefit from the plans include the Marsh fritillary butterfly, the shrill carder bee and wild asparagus. The plans will take effect this year, starting out with restoring 24,700 acres of habitat.

The Government claims it will help cut greenhouse gases in the UK by the equivalent of taking between 12,000 to 25,000 petrol or diesel cars off the road, a reduction of 25-50 kilotonnes of carbon. Despite the proposals' large scale, some 22.2million acres of farmland will remain, so officials do not expect food output will be affected.

The common agricultural policy, which subsidised farmers according to how much land they owned, had been criticised for providing incentives to destroy habitats.

One scheme in the new plans, Local Nature Recovery, rewards farmers for 'making space for nature' in farms and countryside. This could include planting trees, restoring peat bogs and turning fields into wetland areas.

More radical changes will take place in a second scheme, Landscape Recovery. This will include establishing new nature reserves, restoring floodplains or creating forests and wetlands.

The two new schemes follow on from the previously announced Sustainable Farming Incentive, which provided support for practices such as reducing pesticide use, improving soil quality and rewarding farmers for preventing local river pollution.

The schemes aim to bring up to 60 per cent of England's agricultural soil under sustainable management by 2030. The reforms will be the biggest changes to farming and land management in 50 years with more than 3,000 farmers already testing the schemes.

At the Oxford Farming Conference, Defra Secretary George Eustice said applications will shortly open for the first wave of Landscape Recovery projects.

The scheme is part of the environmental land management payments programme to replace the EU Common Agricultural Policy payments which mostly focused on the amount of land farmed.

There will also be a 'local nature recovery' scheme paying farmers to take local action and work together to benefit the environment, through measures such as reducing run-off, curbing flood risk by restoring peat or wetland areas, and adding trees and hedges to fields.

It will be trialled in 2023 with a full rollout across the country from 2024.

The landscape recovery scheme will pay for more radical, long-term, large-scale land use changes and habitat restoration, officials said.

A sustainable farming incentive, which supports environmentally friendly farm practices such as looking after the soil by growing cover crops in the winter, has already been announced.

The three strands of the new scheme are expected to each receive roughly a third share of the 2.4 billion annual Government spending on farm and land management payments by 2028.

The Government said the schemes would help halt the decline in species, restore up to 300,000 hectares of habitat by 2042 and generate carbon savings of six million tonnes a year by the mid 2030s.

Mr Eustice said: 'We want to see profitable farming businesses producing nutritious food, underpinning a growing rural economy, where nature is recovering and people have better access to it.

'Through our new schemes, we are going to work with farmers and land managers to halt the decline in species, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, increase woodland, improve water and air quality and create more space for nature.

'We are building these schemes together, and we are already working with over 3,000 farmers across the sector to test and trial our future approach.

'Farmers will be able to choose which scheme or combination of schemes works best for their business, and we will support them to do so.'

Speaking at the online Oxford Farming Conference, Mr Eustice said the 'local nature recovery' scheme would pay farmers to make space for nature, by planting trees, making ponds and creating wildflower meadows on unproductive parts of their land.

It is aimed to be a more ambitious replacement for the existing countryside stewardship scheme, which is also seeing a 30 per cent increase in the value of payments to encourage more take-up as a bridge to the new regime.

The landscape recovery element was 'about much more fundamental land use change', Mr Eustice said.

Under the scheme, land managers can bid to receive funding for large-scale, long-term projects for establishing woodlands, restoring peatlands, wetlands and other habitats and creating new nature reserves.

In the first wave, up to 15 pilot projects, which could include rewilding schemes that help re-establish natural processes in the landscape, will focus on restoring England's rivers and streams and helping threatened native species recover.

Successful bids, which will cover landscapes of between 500 and 5,000 hectares (1,200 to 12,000 acres), will be chosen by a team of experts over the summer.

Mr Eustice said that the 'radical rewilding experiment' at the Knepp Estate in Sussex showed that 'sometimes if you let go of the reins and allow nature to re-establish itself, and have a nature-led recovery of habitats, you can see some quite significant changes in a relatively short time'.

He told delegates: 'These types of projects we envisage under landscape recovery won't be right for every farm business or every farm holder, and indeed they probably won't be right for most farm businesses.

'It will enable us to support a choice that some landowners may want to take, but we won't be requiring anybody to enter these schemes.'

He told the conference: 'It's important that we recognise the truth around land use.

'If we're to deliver the targets we've set ourselves for woodland creation in England - around 10,000 hectares of trees per year - and deliver our objective of getting 300,000 hectares of land where habitat is restored, there is inevitably going to be some degree of land use change.'

But he said it would only be a small proportion of the 9.3 million hectares of farmland in England.

And seeking to answer concerns about a drop in food production, he said there was not a direct correlation between productivity and the amount of land farmed, and the Government would be keeping a close eye on food security.

Professor Alastair Driver, director of campaign group Rewilding Britain which works with landowners on rewilding projects, said the landscape recovery proposals were a significant step-change, but urged ministers to 'get the details right' by ensuring rewilding was at the heart of the initiative.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has unveiled the 2.4billion-per-year plan to replace the European Union's common agricultural policy. Pictured: A curlew, which is one of the animals that will hopefully be aided by the policy

One scheme in the new plans, Local Nature Recovery, rewards farmers for 'making space for nature' in farms and countryside. Pictured: A water vole

Some 15 nature reserves will be created, which will aim to recover threatened native species such as the curlew, sand lizard (pictured) and water vole, restoring rivers, lakes, ponds and streams

'Rewilding marginal and unproductive farmland, and upscaling nature-positive regenerative farming, is a major opportunity to tackle the nature and climate emergencies, while offering opportunities for farmers and rural communities, and ensuring no loss of productive land for growing food,' he said.

Tony Juniper, chairman of government advisers Natural England, said: 'More than two thirds of England is farmed and these reforms pave the way for those who manage the land to produce healthy food alongside other vital benefits, such as carbon storage, clean water, reduced flood risk, thriving wildlife and beautiful landscapes for everyone to enjoy.'

Dr Alexander Lees, senior lecturer in conservation biology at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: 'Escaping from the clutches of the common agricultural policy, which has driven biodiversity loss across Europe by incentivising habitat destruction, represents a major opportunity to improve the state of UK nature.'

If the UK is serious in reversing declines in its diminishing species 'we need to be racing towards the 300,000 hectare [741,000-acre] target as fast as possible,' he added.

All the new schemes will be voluntary and it will be for farmers to decide what combination of actions is right for them.

UK gives Leo charity 28k to protect the dwarf buffalo

By Helena Horton for the Daily Mail

Leonardo DiCaprio's green campaign group has been given 28,800 of taxpayers' cash to lobby for 'rewilding'.

The charity backed by the Oscar-winning actor, who is worth an estimated 200million, received the grant to protect a species of dwarf buffalo called the Tamaraw in the Philippines by conserving land from development, allowing it to remain wild.

The sum appeared in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' accounts as 'official development assistance'.

Leonardo DiCaprio's green campaign group has been given 28,800 of taxpayers' cash to lobby in order to protect a species of dwarf buffalo called the Tamaraw in the Philippines by conserving land from development

DiCaprio, 47, launched the conservation project Re:wild last year and has already attracted large donations. According to its website the actor 'has provided more than $100million (75 million) in grants to a variety of programmes and projects', with Re:wild described as 'the latest undertaking linked to DiCaprio's environmental activism'.

The star's most recent film, Don't Look Up, sees a deadly comet heading towards Earth in what many have interpreted as a metaphor for climate change. He said of his role: 'I just felt like this was an incredible gift to be a part of a movie that encapsulated exactly what we're going through.'

The actor recently came under fire for jetting from New York to Miami and back in one day soon after speaking at the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow in November.

A Defra spokesman said the projects it supports 'focus on local action... to address unsustainable use, habitat degradation and loss, whilst delivering poverty reduction'.
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Much of Britain was placed under an ice alert tonight by forecasters amid chaos on the roads as blizzards brought up to six inches of snow, cars were abandoned, schools were shut and temperatures fell to -4C (25F).

The Met Office said there would be 'potentially tricky conditions' and an 'increased likelihood of accidents or injuries' with icy patches forming on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths in parts of the UK.

Heavy snow hit the M77 and M74 in Scotland and caused the A66 trans-Pennine route between County Durham and Cumbria to shut today, with the biggest accumulations on higher ground in northern England and Scotland.

The snow warnings expired at noon, but the Met Office then issued two weather warnings for ice from central Scotland down to Manchester and in central southern England and southern Wales until midnight tonight.

Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said: 'It has been a wintry 24 hours across a good chunk of the UK.' Temperatures after sunset will drop low enough to cause ice on untreated roads, but later in the night, air temperatures will rise again as a band of rain comes across, meaning the ice should have gone for most by tomorrow morning.

Mr Snell said: 'During Saturday, England and Wales will be quite wet and windy. It will be a very unsettled day to come for some of us through Saturday. Sunday is looking drier and brighter, though there will be outbreaks of rain with the north-west of the UK most likely to see that. The South East will be the wettest on Saturday, so there will be a role reversal on Sunday. Temperatures will still be chilly, but not anywhere near as cold as it has been.'

In Glasgow this morning, a school bus collided with a truck blocking Barrhead Road, with abandoned vehicles left along the route. Witness Andrew Watson, who tweeted photographs of the incident, said there were no injuries, but added: 'Abandoned vehicles along the road. No police, no council, utter chaos. Someone is going to get hurt.'

Local SNP MP Kirsten Oswald said she was speaking to Police Scotland about the accident, which happened at about 8.45am, while East Renfrewshire Council confirmed officials had passed on reports to their team.

Drivers using motorways around Glasgow including the M8, M74 and M77 as well as minor roads also faced chaos with lorries stuck in the snow, roads blocked and complaints on Twitter that there were no gritters to be seen.

A handful of schools in Scotland had to close due to the severe road conditions, including Grantown Grammar and Kingussie High in the Highlands, while several primaries in South Lanarkshire delayed opening this morning.

Traffic Scotland said multiple vehicles had been stuck on the M8 eastbound off-slip at junction 16 in Glasgow due to difficult driving conditions at 6.40am, with gritters deployed to the scene. The incident was later cleared.

Bear North West Trunk Roads reported snow on routes including the A82 in the Glencoe and Tyndrum area, the A9 and the A83, and East Dunbartonshire Council tweeted: 'There are a number of vehicles abandoned throughout East Dunbartonshire due to the weather. Stay at home if you can, and travel later once the roads are a bit clearer.'

Meanwhile train passengers on ScotRail services faced disruption on top of an already-reduced timetable brought in due to Covid-related staff shortages - with signalling system faults reported in both Inverness and Glasgow.

Further south there were also five-mile delays on the M6 near Wigan in Greater Manchester after part of the motorway was shut following a major crash between junctions 26 for Orrell and 27 for Standish at about 6.30am.

A weather warning running from the Midlands to the top of Scotland remained in place until noon amid an alert for 'snow, sleet and hail', but the South of England is set to turn dry and mild, reaching 10C (50F) in places.

Rising temperatures throughout the country today will be accompanied by frequent showers as winds pick up, while there is also a risk of lightning strikes from isolated thunderstorms in some coastal areas.

Tomorrow, wet and windy weather will cross all parts of the UK with heavy rain likely in many areas along with very squally winds  where there is sudden large increase in wind speed which can cause violent conditions.

Sunshine and scattered showers will replace the rain across western areas in the afternoon, but Sunday is expected to bring much better weather for most  apart from showers in some western parts of Britain.

Snow and ice on the roads in Glasgow this afternoon as the Met Office issued weather warnings for parts of Britain

A crashed car on Waggon Road in Mossley, Greater Manchester, this morning after heavy snowfall in the area

Beith in North Ayrshire is covered with snow today as Scotland is hit by wintry weather conditions

A snowplough is used to clear a road as the cold weather continues today in Sparrowpit, Derbyshire

People walk their dogs in the snow at Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow this morning

A school bus collided with a truck blocking Barrhead Road in Glasgow today, with abandoned vehicles left along the route

Morning commuters drive on the snowy M8 in West Lothian today as they face treacherous conditions

Heavy snow has hit the Peak District this morning as blizzard conditions make driving conditions very dangerous

Chaos on the roads as a truck gets stuck amid heavy snow in the Mossley area of Greater Manchester this morning

Max rides on a sledge on the snow today while his mother Amanda looks on in Sparrowpit, Derbyshire

Vehicles are driven today along the snowy A628 Woodhead Pass which connects Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire

Waves up to 25ft in height engulf the cliffs and the Monkey Hut, a former harbour pilots shelter, in Portreath, Cornwall, today

A diesel locomotive carrying a snowplough passes through Rannoch Station on the West Highland Line this morning

Children and adults sledge in the snow at Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow this morning

A postman makes deliveries this morning after fresh snowfall over Penistone in Barnsley, South Yorkshire

Commuters struggle as they drive along snowy and icy roads in Harthill, West Lothian, this morning

Vehicles are driven today along the snowy A628 Woodhead Pass which connects Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire

A railway worker clears snow from the platform today at Rannoch Station which runs from Glasgow to Oban or Fort William

Sisters Maija-Storme, eight, and Summer-Rayne, four, play in the snow this morning in Whitburn, West Lothian

A motorist navigates their car after fresh snowfall in the Thurlstone area of Barnsley in South Yorkshire this morning

A railway worker clears snow from the platform at Rannoch Station on the West Highland Line this morning

Motorists are facing treacherous driving conditions in Harthill, West Lothian, today with roads covered in snow and ice

A man pulls a child on a sledge through the snow in Whiteinch in the West End of Glasgow this morning

A dog walker wrapped up warm in the snow in Whitburn, West Lothian, this morning amid wintry weather conditions

A 4x4 drives up a steep country lane in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, today after more snow fell in the Holme Valley overnight

A driver clears his car of snow in Harthill, West Lothian, this morning after a Met Office weather warning was imposed

A man walks on the road as the cold weather continues in Sparrowpit, Derbyshire, today

Beith in North Ayrshire is covered with snow today as Scotland is hit by wintry weather conditions

A handful of schools in Scotland had to close due to the severe road conditions, including Grantown Grammar (left) and Kingussie High (right) in the Highlands, which both said Stagecoach were unable to run bus services for students

It follows seven days of topsy-turvy temperatures which have brought Britain's warmest New Year's Eve and New Year's Day on record with the mercury soaring to 15.8C (60.4F) and 16.3C (61.3F) respectively, but also England's coldest night of the winter so far on Wednesday with temperatures plunging to -8C (18F) in North Yorkshire.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said: 'The weather's been chopping and changing all year and that will continue through the weekend with more cloud and rain moving in during the course of Saturday and a fairly stiff wind blowing as well.

Met Office weather warnings in place until midnight tonight

'If you're after something a bit drier and brighter then Sunday is the best bet for many a dry and a fine day with some sunny spells.'

Yesterday, the thick frost produced magnificent winter scenes in parks and countryside across the country and snow in the north and Midlands meant the unusually mild temperatures over New Year were long forgotten.

The Met Office issued a weather warning for snow and ice for the western half of Scotland and northern England to last until noon today.

Frequent wintry showers were expected to continue this morning with between 2in (5cm) and 4in (10cm) of snow on high ground between 330ft (100m) and 660ft (200m) and as much as 6in (15cm) over the highest ground.

On lower levels forecasters said falling snow would lead to slush on the ground which could freeze and cause 'icy patches' that may result in dangerous conditions on untreated roads, pavements and paths.

The warning added: 'Winds will be gusty around heavier showers and there is also a risk of lightning strikes from isolated thunderstorms in some coastal districts.'

Snow will continue to fall over northern England and Scotland this morning (left), and there will be rain in the afternoon (right)

Heavy rain will hit much of the UK tomorrow although it will be warmer (left) while Sunday will be more settled for most (right)

A highway maintenance worker clearing snow off a road sign today on the Woodhead Pass between Manchester and Sheffield

A railway worker clears snow from the platform at Rannoch train station on the West Highland Line this morning

Max rides on a sledge on the snow as the cold weather continues in Sparrowpit, Derbyshire, today

Vehicles are driven along the A628 Woodhead Pass between Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire this morning

Waves up to 25ft in height engulf the cliffs and the Monkey Hut, a former harbour pilots shelter, in Portreath, Cornwall, today

Cars make their way cautiously up the A635 this morning after snow fell overnight in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire

Heavy snow has hit the Peak District this morning as a group of ramblers struggle to walk along a snowy road

Vehicles are driven along the A628 Woodhead Pass between Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire this morning

A farmhouse covered in snow this afternoon as the cold weather continues in Sparrowpit, Derbyshire

A tractor spreads grits along the roads in Hunterston, Ayrshire, after overnight snowfall in the area

A Caledonian Sleeper train passes through a snow-covered Rannoch Station en-route from London to Fort William today

People walk with a dog in the snow through Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow this morning

Heavy snow has hit the Peak District this morning making driving conditions treacherous for motorists

People walk in the snow in the Queen's Park area of Glasgow today as the sun shines through the trees

Vehicles are drive along the A628 Woodhead Pass between Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire this morning

Lorry driver Mick Moore said he had an 'entertaining morning' today, stuck in the snow in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester

People walk through the snow in Whiteinch in the West End of Glasgow this morning

A horse is seen in the snow today as the cold weather continues in Sparrowpit, Derbyshire

A driver navigates through a snow-covered road in Whiteinch in the West End of Glasgow this morning

Heavy snow has hit the Peak District this morning as drivers struggle to make their way along the roads

Cars navigating the wintry conditions in the village of Hazlehead near Sheffield in South Yorkshire this morning

A jogger runs through the snow in Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow this morning

Wintry conditions by the Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow this morning after snowfall overnight

A gritter makes its way along a road in the Peak District this morning as the region is hit by heavy snow

People walk in the snow in Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow this morning amid wintry conditions

A motorist clears the snow from the windows of their car in Whiteinch in the West End of Glasgow this morning

Snow covers the rooftops of properties in the Queen's Park area of Glasgow as a dog walker goes out today

Heavy snow has hit the Peak District this morning as sheep are pictured on the white-covered grass

Morning commuters struggle on snowy roads in Blackridge, West Lothian, today amid wintry weather conditions

A woman walks along a snowy path as drivers struggle on the roads in Harthill, West Lothian, this morning

Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said temperatures last night in the snowy northern areas were also very low again, possibly down to -4C (25F), but would not beat the previous night's low figure.

She said the pattern would be more 'snow, sleet and hail', especially in north-west England. More rain is expected on Saturday but 'things will become a bit milder and the rain will wash away the lower lying snow,' she added.

However, snow may remain on some high ground. The Met Office forecast until the end of the month indicates temperatures are likely to be 'slightly above average overall' but with the chance of short-lived colder spells.

In Scotland, winter sport enthusiasts have been taking advantage of the snow which fell and allowed ski resorts to open  including Glenshee Snowsports Centre in Cairnwell, Aberdeenshire.

Heavy snow has hit the Peak District this morning as motorists struggle to make their way along the icy roads

A woman walks in the snow through Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow this morning amid the wintry weather

Wintry conditions by the Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow this morning after snowfall overnight

A street in Glasgow covered in snow this morning after the Met Office issued a weather warning for much of Scotland

A dog shakes itself in the snow at Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow this morning

A gritter is driven along the A635 in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, this morning after more snow fell overnight

A person walks with a dog in the snow at Victoria Park in the West End of Glasgow this morning

Birds stand on a snow covered sculpture in the pond in the Queen's Park area of Glasgow today

Morning commuters struggle on snowy roads in Blackridge, West Lothian, today amid the wintry weather

Snow-covered ground on the Eden Valley in Northumberland this morning amid the wintry conditions

The Caledonian Sleeper train arrives at Glasgow Central station this morning amid the heavy snow which was being cleared

Commuters struggle in slow traffic in Mossley, Greater Manchester, this morning as wintry weather hits the North West

Cars navigating the wintry conditions in the village of Hazlehead near Sheffield in South Yorkshire this morning

Cars drive along a snow-covered street in Glasgow this morning amid a warning for frequent sleet, hail and snow showers

Heavy snow in Mossley, Greater Manchester, this morning as wintry weather hits the North West

A railway worker clears snow from the platform at Rannoch Station on the West Highland Line this morning

A street in Glasgow covered in snow this morning after the Met Office issued a weather warning for much of Scotland

The view from a wingm irror today of a lorry on the A628 Woodhead Pass between Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire

Police block access to Waggon Road due to a crashed car after heavy snowfall in Mossley, Greater Manchester, today

A railway worker clears snow from the platform at Rannoch Station on the West Highland Line this morning

People look towards the London skyline at sunrise from Primrose Hill in North London this morning

The Lecht 2090 ski centre, north of Braemar, had snow cannons running during Wednesday night and, with the roads on either side of the pass open, were able to open three of the 13 lifts, with snow said to be 'thin at the top'.

But further north, high winds and driving snow closed the access road to Cairngorm Mountain near Aviemore in the Highlands. Nevis Range, the country's most northerly resort, said it was closed due to high winds.

It follows the UK's warmest ever New Year's Day last Saturday when St James's Park in London registered 16.3C (61.3F), beating the previous record of 15.6C (60.1F) set in Bude, Cornwall, set more than a century ago in 1916.

And that came after the country's mildest New Year's Eve on record last Friday when Merryfield in Somerset reached 15.8C (60.4F), beating the previous high of 14.8C (58.6F) set in 2011 at Colwyn Bay in North Wales.

IRELAND -- Drivers contend with wintry conditions at Killeshin in County Laois in the Republic of Ireland this morning

A motorist stands outside their car amid wintry conditions at Killeshin in County Laois in the Republic of Ireland today

A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions at Killeshin in County Laois in the Republic of Ireland this morning

Drivers contend with wintry conditions at Killeshin in County Laois as snow falls in the Republic of Ireland this morning

A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions at Killeshin in County Laois in the Republic of Ireland this morning
Shocking footage has captured the moment an injured woman screamed in pain after she was trapped underneath an overturned car that crashed into a shop.

Video showed a white Toyota Corolla mounting the kerb and flipping before crashing into a pet shop on Parramatta Road at Leichardt in Sydney's inner-west about 2am on Friday.

The male driver, 35, was later shown sitting beside the wreck while a woman screamed out in agony from under the car.

He had allegedly been driving on a suspended licence.

A suspended driver lost control of his car causing it to slam into shops on a major road in Leichardt in Sydney's inner-west (pictured, the car mounting the kerb before crashing into shops)

The 34-year-old woman had to be cut out of the car by Fire and Rescue NSW officers.

She was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance Paramedics before being taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital suffering serious leg injuries.

Power poles and the window and shop front of Pet 04 pet supplies were damaged in the early-morning crash.

The driver received minor injuries and was also taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for mandatory testing.

'On arrival, officers... were told the vehicle was allegedly travelling at speed before the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to flip,' a NSW Police statement said.

The force said it was only luck nobody was killed in the crash.

A 34-year-old woman had to be cut out of the car wreck by Fire and Rescue NSW officers (pictured, the scene after Friday's collision)

The accident led to Parramatta Road being closed for five hours on Friday

The man was charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm including driving with a suspended licence and negligent driving.

He was refused bail and was due to appear in Parramatta Court on Saturday.

Parramatta Road was closed for five hours because of the accident.
Conductor Chung Myung-whun, left, receives an appointment letter naming him as honorary conductor from Nam Chul-woo, acting president and CEO of the KBS Symphony Orchestra, at the orchestra's headquarters in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of KBS Philharmonic Orchestra



By Park Ji-won



Conductor Chung Myung-whun was appointed as honorary conductor, or conductor laureate, of the KBS Symphony Orchestra, according to the orchestra.



"He will be conducting the KBS Symphony Orchestra one or two times a year in the future," the orchestra said. "He is also planning to join the projects for developing talented musicians to foster peace between the two Koreas and raise the status of classical music as performed by Korean musicians."



An official of the orchestra said, "He was awarded the position because he served as a musical director of the orchestra in the past and has conducted the orchestra several times recently. It is an honorary position  volunteer work. So he will not be paid for any of his services." The orchestra said Chung's term length has not been decided.



The announcement came after Chung conducted the orchestra's Christmas Eve concert on behalf of Pietari Inkinen, the orchestra's newly appointed music director who was unable to enter the country due to toughened self-quarantine rules amid the spike in COVID-19 cases here. Chung also conducted the orchestra in December 2020 and August 2021.



Chung took the helm of the orchestra in January 1998 as music director. But he quit the position about four months later amid a dispute with the company. It took two decades to mend their relationship, and in August 2018 Chung led the orchestra once again with pianist Garrick Ohlsson for a concert.



The 68-year-old was also considered as a candidate to replace Yoel Levi as the orchestra's musical director, Chung made it clear but during a press conference last April that he is no longer interested in holding a position with heavy responsibilities.



He debuted as a pianist, but he also studied conducting at the Mannes College of Music and the Juilliard School. The maestro has led prestigious orchestras in the United States and Europe as well as in Korea.



He served as chief conductor of the Saarland Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1984 to 1990. He was principal guest conductor of the Teatro Comunale, Florence, from 1987 to 1992. He has conducted virtually all the prominent European and American orchestras and made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1986 with Simon Boccanegra. From 1989 to 1994, Chung served as the music director of the Paris Opera.



From 2000 to 2015, he served as the music director of the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, while from 2001 to 2010 serving as special artistic adviser and honorary conductor laureate from 2010 to 2016 for Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. From 2006 to 2015, he was music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.



Chung released "Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms: Late Piano Works" on Deutsche Grammophon last April and held recitals while conducting orchestras such as Staatskapelle Dresden in Europe.


Kazakhstan's president issued a shoot to kill order to his troops on Friday as he vowed to 'completely eliminate' protesters, and gave 'special thanks' to Russian president Vladimir Putin for sending help to quell unrest.

Security forces appeared to be in control of the streets of Kazakhstan's main city Almaty on Friday morning and the president said constitutional order had mostly been restored, a day after Russia sent troops to put down a countrywide uprising.

The unrest was fuelled by public anger over the country's former ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev and his family amassing a huge fortune, and over a hike in fuel prices.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Friday he had ordered his forces to shoot-to-kill to deal with disturbances from those he called bandits and terrorists, a day after Russia sent troops to put down a countrywide uprising.

He added there would be no negotiations with protesters, vowing to destroy 'armed bandits' who had attacked the country.

'The militants have not laid down their arms, they continue to commit crimes or are preparing for them. The fight against them must be pursued to the end. Whoever does not surrender will be destroyed,' he said in a televised address.

'I have given the order to law enforcement agencies and the army to shoot to kill without warning.'

He went on to say the country's main city Almaty had been attacked by '20,000 bandits' and gave 'special thanks' to Russian President Vladimir Putin for sending troops to help quell the unrest.

He also condemned calls by some countries for talks with the protesters as 'nonsense'. 'What negotiations can be held with criminals, murderers?' he asked.

Fresh gunshots could be heard in the morning near the city's central square, where troops and protesters had battled through much of the previous day.

Kazakh service members stand guard in a square following the protests triggered by fuel price increase in central Almaty, Kazakhstan January 7, 2022. Kazakhstan today vowed to continue 'liquidating' protesters until they are 'completely eliminated' following days of unrest.

Pictured: A burnt-out car is seen in the city centre of Shymkent on January 7 after days of clashes between protesters and security forces

Pictured: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Orthodox Christmas service at the Church of the Savior of the Miraculous Image, at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia January 6, 2022. The Russian strongman was thanked by Kazakhstan today for sending forced to quell growing unrest in the country

This handout image taken and released by the Kazakh presidential press service on January 7, 2021 shows Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (C) holding a meeting at the counter-terrorism headquarters in Alamaty

Dozens of people have been killed in clashes on the streets and protesters have torched and ransacked public buildings in several cities in the worst violence in the Central Asian state's 30 years of independence.

Demonstrations that began as a response to a fuel price hike have swelled into a broad movement against the government and ex-leader Nazarbayev, 81, the longest-serving ruler of any former Soviet state, and an ally of Vladimir Putin.

He stepped down as president three years ago but his family is widely believed to have retained power. A statue of Nazarbayev was toppled late on Wednesday.

'An anti-terrorist operation has been launched. The forces of law and order are working hard. Constitutional order has largely been restored in all regions of the country,' Tokayev said in an earlier statement.

'Local authorities are in control of the situation. But terrorists are still using weapons and damaging the property of citizens. Therefore, counter-terrorist actions should be continued until the militants are completely eliminated.'

Nazarbayev's hand-picked successor, Tokayev, called in Russian paratroopers on Thursday as part of a force from former Soviet states to help put down the uprising, which he has described as a revolt by foreign-trained militants.

The interior ministry said 26 'armed criminals' had been 'liquidated', 18 injured, and more than 3,000 detained, while 18 police and national guard servicemembers had been killed since the start of the protests. More than 700 were injured.

Pictured: Protesters gather in a square. Kazakhstan has been gripped by unrest since 2 January 2022 sparked by a rise in the price for liquefied petroleum gas used for vehicles

Kyrgyz service members board a military aircraft heading to Kazakhstan amid mass protests in the country, as part of a peacekeeping mission of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, at Kant military air base, Kyrgyzstan January 7, 2022

A former banker who casts himself as the leader of the Kazakh opposition protests said Kazakhstan is now in geopolitical play and unless the West enters the fray then Russia will bring the Central Asian republic to heel in a type of restored Soviet Union.

Mukhtar Ablyazov, a former government minister who is now living in Paris, said the West needed to enter the fray.

'If not, then Kazakhstan will turn into Belarus and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin with methodically impose his programme: the recreation of a structure like the Soviet Union,' Ablyazov told Reuters.

Ablyazov cast himself as the leader of the opposition protests and said he was consulted every day on tactics on the ground in Almaty.

'I see myself as the leader of the opposition,' he said. 'Every day the protesters call me and ask: 'What should we do? We are standing here: What should we do?''

He said he was ready to fly into Kazakhstan to head a provisional government if the protests escalated and said his activists were awaiting him.

'The West should tear Kazakhstan away from Russia,' he said. 'The West must help so that Putin cannot occupy this country, the West must help civil society elect its leaders so that the country can choose its path, a democratic path like in the West.'

Western countries have called for restraint on all sides and for the respect of people's right to protest peacefully.

Germany on Friday urged deescalation in Kazakhstan.

'Violence can never be an appropriate response,' said government spokeswoman Christane Hoffmann, adding that Germany 'calls on all parties to deescalate and reach a peaceful solution to the situation.'

French President Emmanuel Macron said he was concerned about the situation in Kazakhstan, adding he would continue to monitor developments in the former Soviet country.

But while western nations urged for restraint, Kazakhstan's other major neighbour, China, has backed Tokayev.

China's President Xi Jinping praised him for taking 'strong measures' and 'being highly responsible for your country and your people'.

Dozens of people have been killed in clashes on the streets and protesters have torched and ransacked public buildings in several cities in the worst violence in the Central Asian state's 30 years of independence. Pictured: A bullet-ridden car is seen on January 7

On Friday morning, Reuters correspondents saw armoured personal carriers and troops in the main square of Almaty.

A few hundred metres away, a dead body lay in a heavily damaged civilian car. In another part of the city, an ammunition shop had been ransacked.

Military vehicles and about 100 people in military uniforms had also taken positions at another square in Almaty.

Widespread unrest has been reported in a number of other cities across the vast country of 19 million people. The internet has been shut off since Wednesday, making it difficult to determine the full extent of the violence.

The Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization said its peacekeeping force from former Soviet states would number about 2,500 and would stay in Kazakhstan for a few days or weeks.

The Almaty airport - stormed and seized earlier by the protesters - was back under the control of Kazakh law enforcement and CSTO peacekeepers, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Friday.

The airport will remain shut until Friday evening, local TV station Khabar 24 reported, citing the airport's spokespeople.

Moscow's swift deployment demonstrated Putin's readiness to use force to maintain influence in the former Soviet Union, at a time when he has also alarmed the West by massing troops near Ukraine, whose Crimean peninsula Russia seized in 2014.

Kazakh service members stand guard in a square following the protests triggered by fuel price increase in central Almaty, Kazakhstan January 7, 2022

Kazakh law enforcement officers block a street leading to the official presidential residence Akorda after protests against the government, following authorities' decision to lift price caps on liquefied petroleum gas, in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan

Pictured: A torched bus is lifted by a crane in the city centre of Shymkent on January 7

Pro-government politician Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, speaking on state television, suggested there were traitors within the ranks of Kazakhstan's security forces.

He said the security forces had been ordered to leave the Almaty airport before militants seized it, and that the National Security Committee building had been left undefended, allowing protesters to gain access to weapons.

In other parts of the country some things started to go back to normal. In the capital, Nur-Sultan, access to the internet has been partially restored, and train traffic has been resumed across Kazakhstan.

The airport in the capital is operating as usual, Khabar 24 reported. According to the TV channel, airlines will resume domestic flights to the cities of Shymkent, Turkestan and Atyrau, as well as flights to Moscow and Dubai, starting from 3 p.m. (0900 GMT).

State-run TV in Moscow put the blame for the carnage on oil and gas rich Kazakhstan on battle-hardened fighters from the Middle East and Afghanistan possibly backed by Western intelligence - despite no clear evidence for the claims.

Yet it was clear that elements among the protesters were armed with smooth-bore guns and Molotov cocktails, with claims some were combat trained.

Tokayev's administration said the force was still arriving and had not been engaged in combat or the 'elimination of militants'.

The violence has been unprecedented in a country ruled firmly for decades by Nazarbayev, who was the last Soviet-era Communist Party boss still in power in an ex-Soviet state when he passed the presidency on to Tokayev in 2019.

A video apparently showing a scared young Kazakh border guard cadet has highlighted the terror of the bloody clashes in Almaty.

He recorded a message for his parents ahead of a battle with protesters.

The teenager tells them: 'So f***** up. Mum, dad, I love you. We are going to die.'

The youth is believed to have been from the KNB Border Guard Service Academy, which was targeted by protesters.

The intruders were fought off but there were reports the director had died.

It is not known what happened to the cadet.

This handout image grab taken on January 6, 2022 and released on January 7, 2022 by the Russian Defence Ministry, shows an aerial view of Russian military vehicles waiting for loading to a military cargo plane to depart to Kazakhstan at the airport of Ivanovo

This handout image grab taken on January 6, 2022 and released on January 7, 2022 by the Russian Defence Ministry, shows Russian paratroopers boarding a military cargo plane to depart to Kazakhstan

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) poses for a photo with Founding President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev (left) at the informal summit of leaders of Commonwealth of Independent States on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic in St. Petersburg, December 28, 2021

Nazarbayev has not been seen or heard from since the protests began. Tokayev has sought to distance himself from his predecessor, removing Nazarbayev and his nephew from security posts since the protests began.

Tokayev's administration said the identity of the detained militants was being established, and the possibility of them belonging to an extremist organisation being investigated.

His administration asked people in Almaty to limit their travelling around the city while the 'search for the remaining hiding bandits is under way.'

Kazakhstan is a major oil producer and the world's top producer of uranium.

Oil output at its top field, Tengiz, was reduced on Thursday, the field's operator Chevron said, as some contractors disrupted train lines in support of the protests. Global oil prices have risen and the price of uranium has jumped sharply since the clashes began.

The country also accounts for close to a fifth of global bitcoin 'mining', the electricity-intensive process of recording cryptocurrency transactions, and since the internet was shut down, computing power of bitcoin's global network has fallen.

Tokayev tried to head off further unrest by announcing the resignation of the cabinet early on Wednesday, but protests continued.

Authorities declared a nationwide state of emergency until January 19, with curfews, restrictions on movements and bans on mass gatherings.

The government made another concession on Thursday, setting new fuel price limits for six months, saying 'urgent' measures were needed 'to stabilise the socio-economic situation'.

Much of the anger appeared directed at Nazarbayev, who is 81 and had ruled Kazakhstan since 1989 before handing power to Tokayev.

Many protesters shouted 'Old Man Out!' in reference to Nazarbayev and a statue of the ex-leader was torn down in the southern city of Taldykorgan.

Western countries have called for restraint on all sides, with US State Department spokesman Ned Price warning Russian troops in Kazakhstan against taking control of the country's institutions.

'The United States and, frankly, the world will be watching for any violation of human rights,' Price said.
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An upmarket publican who lost everything after he was wrongly imprisoned alongside murderers over a 'vendetta' with his local council which destroyed his life is to be paid millions of pounds in damages.

Geoffrey Monks, 67, who ran The Snooty Fox in Kettering, Northamptonshire, was accused of breaking food safety laws when East Northamptonshire Council falsely claimed they found 'mouldy ham' inside the premises in the late 1990s.

During his High Court action Dr Monks described local solicitor Jenny Lawrence as a 'sexual partner' of former Northamptonshire Council chief executive Roger Heath, after she she was reportedly furious over being served the 'wrong bottle of wine'. Both Heath and Lawrence strongly denied these claims when speaking to MailOnline.

A furious Ms Lawrence then complained that she had suffered food poisoning from eating pate at the upmarket pub, with the ENDC launching an investigation into alleged malpractice at the Snooty Fox.

But instead of letting environmental officers handle the fallout of these hygiene 'breaches', which were later quashed on appeal, Chief Executive Mr Heath was said to have been handed responsibility for overseeing any final punishment in the case.

74-year-old Mr Heath, who would leave East Northamptonshire Council in early 2000s, now works as an independent consultant and most recently ran for political office as a Conservative council candidate in the Tomohun ward of Torquay.

Speaking to MailOnline on Friday, married Mr Heath said he was contacted by the council's solicitors in December 2020, telling them he had never had 'any relationship with Ms Lawrence', later claiming he 'had never even met her.'

After vehemently maintaining his innocence for more than two decades, Dr Monks has now agreed a seven-figure settlement figure after launching a High Court battle against the council in 2019.

Dr Monks had claimed 14million in lost earnings, but the council reportedly agreed to hand over a fee of around 4million earlier this year. His case marks just the third time in history that an applicant has successfully claimed 'abuse of process', the last such example being in 1861.

But further headaches may lie in wait for Northamptonshire Council - as Northamptonshire police force confirmed it will investigate any potential criminal charges that derived from the case.

Former Northamptonshire chief executive Roger Heath, 74, (pictured in 2019), was said to be in a 'sexual relationship' with solicitor Jenny Lawrence in the late 1990s and was accused of harbouring a 'vendetta' by upmarket publican Geoff Monks

Publican Geoffrey Monks, 67, has agreed a seven-figure settlement figure, believed to be in the region of 14m, with East Northamptonshire Council after launching a High Court battle in 2019 over his wrongful conviction and loss of earnings

Monks who ran The Snooty Fox in Kettering, Northamptonshire (pictured), was wrongly jailed after East Northamptonshire Council claimed to have found 'mouldy ham' inside the premises in 1999

Roger Heath most recently ran for political office as a Conservative council candidate in the Tomohun ward of Torquay. He received 561 votes, but was not elected during the 2019 elections

Dr Monks' ordeal began in 1998 when he barred solicitor Jenny Lawrence from the Snooty Fox after she was reportedly furious over being served the 'wrong bottle of wine'.

Ms Lawrence complained that she had suffered food poisoning at the upmarket pub, with the ENDC launching an investigation into 'mouldy ham' at the Snooty Fox. The council did not deny this claim.

Following six alleged infractions, Dr Monks was hit with the-then largest fine on record for breaching food safety offences - 25,500 plus his legal costs of 8,300, which were later reduced to 20,000 on appeal.

The pub boss could not afford to pay the fees after losing his businesses and his home, and in 2003 was imprisoned at the maximum security HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes - with his cell adjacent to Soham murderer Ian Huntley.

Roger Heath, then-Chief Executive of ENDC, was invited to oversee punishment by the council's environment department, and it was claimed in court that the local authority had pursued a 'vendetta' against Dr Monks.

The effect of the prosecutions, and the surrounding publicity, on Dr Monks' businesses was catastrophic and he was forced to sell all three pubs at a loss.

He also sold his home and suffered a heart attack while in prison and has experienced serious health issues ever since.

In 2000, Monks was convicted for the Snooty Fox 'offences', despite his legal team arguing the evidence offered against him was both 'thin and contradictory'. The prosecution was quashed 15 years later.

In 2015, Dr Monks won a retrial of the Snooty Fox case, and two other prosecutions made against other former venues were also quashed.

Monks alleged that Ms Lawrence, who is understood to no longer practice law, was in a 'sexual relationship' with East Northamptonshire Council's chief executive, Roger Heath at the time. While Northamptonshire Council did not deny this claim, both Lawrence and Heath did when contacted by MailOnline.

Speaking to MailOnline on Friday, Ms Lawrence said: 'I have no idea who Roger I simply do not know anyone at Northants Council sexually or otherwise.'

She said she did fall unwell after eating pate and drinking wine with a male friend at The Snooty Fox in 1998, but 'never asked for East Northants Council to do anything about it'.

'At the end of the meal, I had hardly had anything to drink from the bottle of wine that we'd ordered and I said that I didn't think it was the bottle we'd ordered,' she said.

'We pulled back the napkin that had been wrapped around the bottle and I think it was a Liebfraumilch or something but not what we'd ordered.

'I called over Monks and pointed out that it was the wrong bottle. There was no scene, no nastiness and he certainly didn't throw us out as he has alleged.

Speaking to MailOnline on Friday, Ms Lawrence (pictured) said: 'I have no idea who Roger is, I simply do not know anyone at Northants Council sexually or otherwise'

'He says that I was part of a conspiracy but it did not happen like that.

'On the Sunday, after dinner, I had the most awful sickness and diahorrea that I've ever had in my life.

'By the Wednesday I couldn't work it was so bad and the GP told me to get a sample to him. My son took it to the docs and that went to Kettering General Hospital.

'Several days later, when I was over it, I had a letter from East Northants Council saying I had a notifiable infectious disease.

'It was crazy and the Council wanted to know what I had eaten. I went through what I had eaten and they immediately went to Monks' kitchen at the Snooty Fox and prosecuted him. They didn't even ask me to attend the hearing.

'I am absolutely shattered by the suggestion I had sexual relations with someone from the Council. It's utterly absurd and this has come completely out of the blue.

'I did not think I had done anything wrong and Mr Monks was found to have had two further health and safety breaches which had nothing to do with me at all.

'I was described as being merely the butterfly who flapped her wings.

'If there is any vendetta it is a vendetta against me by Mr Monks.'

She added: 'The infectious disease was Campylobacter. It was like an ecoli. It can only be picked up from puppy dogs, chickens, dirty barbeques and pate.

'He tried to suggest it was from my barbeque but his insurance paid me out 6,000 for lost earnings as a result of what happened.'

Dr Monks was later accused of having mice and broken glass in his other local venues, The Vane Arms and Samuel Pepys pubs.

But appeal judges remarked that out of more than 7,000 food standards inspections by East Northamptonshire District Council over the course of a decade, just four convictions were made - three of which were against Mr Monks.

Environmental officers suggested Monks carry out 'remedial' actions for the phantom breaches, but this was ignored and the punishment was directly overseen by Mr Heath.

Monks would later claim the local authority launched an 'abusive campaign' against him after winning his appeals against his six convictions for food safety breaches.

Monks would later claim the local authority launched an 'abusive campaign' against him after winning his appeals against his six convictions for food safety breaches. Above: Dr Monks pictured outside The Snooty Fox in 1997

Monks lost ownership of The Snooty Fox (pictured) and his two other pubs The Vane Arms and Samuel Pepys, as well as his house as he faced financial ruin in the wake of the 'abusive campaign' against him, his lawyers claimed

After losing his businesses and his home, Dr Monks was sent to maximum security HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes (left). His cell was adjacent to Soham murderer Ian Huntley (right), who was awaiting trial at the time

Dr Monks would spend 57 days in Category A HMP Woodhill in Buckinghamshire after failing to pay the record-breaking fees from the alleged food safety breaches.

While imprisoned in the maximum security jail that once housed murderers, rapists and terrorists, Dr Monks suffered a heart attack and has suffered crippling health issues since.

The publican was financially ruined by his prosecution, losing his home and businesses, and was unable to afford legal costs to challenge the rulings until 2019.

He is understood to have run up bills of more than 150,000 following his high-profile action against the local authority that he claims ruined his life.

Dr Monks sued East Northamptonshire Council, now North Northamptonshire Council after the former went bust in 2018, for 14million after claiming loss of earnings for his three former thriving establishments.

Speaking after the trial, Paul Mitchell QC, for Dr Monks, said: 'The evidence against him on each occasion was thin and contradictory.

'He achieved the remarkable distinction of being the defendant to three of only a handful of food safety prosecutions the council had undertaken between 1990 and 2001, during which period it had carried out over 7,000 investigations.'

He went on: 'If that had been proved at trial, then it might well have been established that the abuse of process consisted in ENC's prosecuting Dr Monks because of an outrageous abuse of power by its chief executive: that was the 'vendetta' abuse of process, where the true aim was to punish Dr Monks for offending the mistress, not for serving contaminated food.'

North Northamptonshire's taxpayers are now set to foot the bill for their local authority's infractions in the late 1990s. The council will also offer an apology in open court for their predecessor's actions.

Geraint Thomas, partner and head of the disputes team at Laytons ETL Global who led Dr Monks' claim, insisted the settlement 'provides full vindication for our client more than 20 years after East Northamptonshire Council began its abusive campaign against him.

'The impact on his health, finances and wellbeing has been nothing short of devastating, but I hope that today's settlement will enable him at least to begin to rebuild his life.

'It is accepted East Northamptonshire Council's actions caused serious personal injury, loss, and damage to him over a period of more than 20 years, and I sincerely apologise for those actions.'

Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council, said: 'East Northamptonshire Council's decision to prosecute Dr Monks in relation to the Snooty Fox was an abuse of process and should never have occurred.

'It is accepted that East Northamptonshire Council's actions caused serious personal injury, loss, and damage to him over a period of more than 20 years, and I sincerely apologise for those actions.

'I hope that Dr Monks is able to have his reputation restored and that the substantial damages which the Council has agreed to pay to him go some way towards assisting him to move forward with his life.'

Northamptonshire Police have since confirmed they are investigating to determine whether or not criminal offences should also be brought against the council.

An earlier version of this article mistakenly referred to David Oliver as having been the Chief Executive of East Northamptonshire Council in 1998, and suggested he had been in a sexual relationship with solicitor Jenny Lawrence. We are happy to confirm that Mr Oliver was in fact Chief Executive of the council from 2006 until his retirement last year, and was not involved in any relationship with Ms Lawrence. The article has been amended accordingly, and we apologise for the error.
A Simon and Schuster employee has pleaded not guilty to stealing unpublished book manuscripts by authors including Margaret Atwood and had bail set at $300,000.

Italian citizen Filippo Bernardini, 29, entered the plea in Manhattan federal court against the wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges lodged against him after his Wednesday arrest when he flew into the U.S..

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Nessim asked that he be held until trial as a flight risk, but Judge Lewis J Liman set bail at $300,000 and said he could be released once electronic monitoring was established.

Bernardini's lawyer, Hannah McCrea, successfully argued for bail, saying her client had never been arrested before.

'He takes this very seriously and has every intention to fight this case,' she said.

McCrea said Bernardini had found the experience 'very humbling.'

Filippo Bernardini, 29, was taken into custody at JFK airport in New York City on Wednesday on suspicion of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft

She said he would be staying in Manhattan's West Village in a small apartment with a female friend until he finds an apartment of his own. McCrea said Bernardini's father would arrive Saturday.

Bernardini, who works in publishing in London, was charged with using fraudulent, look-alike domains to impersonate individuals involved in the publishing industry to gain surreptitious access to unpublished books from at least August 2016 through July of last year, an indictment said.

The alleged crimes were more mysterious because whoever was seeking the manuscripts apparently wasn't attempting to sell them or otherwise publicly exploit having them.

The indictment said Bernardini impersonated, defrauded and tried to defraud hundreds of individuals over the years. Works by Margaret Atwood and Ethan Hawke were among those targeted.

Simon & Schuster UK said in a statement Wednesday that it was 'shocked and horrified' by the allegations and that Bernardini had been suspended from his job.

In arguing for detention, Nessim said Bernardini was a 'tremendous flight risk' in part because he has no serious ties to the U.S. He said he had operated a sophisticated scheme in which he created 160 lookalike domains to obtain hundreds of manuscripts.

He said a conviction could result in a two-year mandatory prison sentence on the aggravated identity theft charge, which would be served in addition to whatever other term of imprisonment resulted.

Known as 'The Spine Collector', the mystery thief impersonated hundreds of authors, editors and authors to harvest the works, then vanished.

The thief - known in the literary world as The Spine Collector - stole manuscripts by Margaret Atwood, left, and Ethan Hawke, right. He planned to steal the ideas for his own masterpiece, according to federal prosecutors

Prosecutors say Bernardini was careful not to reveal his identity online. This is his LinkedIn page , where he leaves blank his surname, but boasts about being 'obsessed' with the written word

Prosecutors say Bernardini - who himself admits to being 'obsessed with the written word' - aimed to use their ideas to write his own masterpiece but could never pull it off.

The scheme began in 2016, when he was working in various intern and assistant roles for legal firms and literary companies in Italy.

Among his victims is Margaret Atwood and actor Ethan Hawke who has written nine books.

'We allege Mr. Bernardini used his insider knowledge of the industry to get authors to send him their unpublished books and texts by posing as agents, publishing houses, and literary scouts.

'Mr. Bernardini was allegedly trying to steal other people's literary ideas for himself, but in the end he wasn't creative enough to get away with it,' Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the FBI's New York Office, said in an announcement on Wednesday.

Bernardini's LinkedIn page describes his 'obsession' with the written word. Prosecutors say he deliberately did not include his full name in his social media pages or online.

Bernadini lives in North Finchley, London, with Ben Kaye (above together).

Bernardini (second from left) is shown with friends and Kaye (far right). He is due in court in Manhattan on Thursday on charges if fraud and aggravated identity theft

'My obsession for the written word and languages has resulted in me obtaining my bachelors in Chinese language from Universita Cattolica (Milan, Italy) and my masters in Publishing from UCL (London, UK).

'Combining these two passions has resulted in me pursuing a career within foreign rights management, a critical aspect of publishing. This ensures that books can be read and enjoyed all over the world and in multiple languages. I have also taken commissions to translate books and corporate materials,' he says.

It's unclear why Bernardini was flying to the US, or where he was flying from when he was arrested on Wednesday.

It is alleged he duped authors and their agents by changing a single letter in his email address or domain name like exchanging the letter 'm' for 'rn' in Penguin Random House.

According to the indictment against Bernardini, which was filed in July but only unsealed yesterday, the schemes had been taking place from at least August 2016 through July of last year.

It said Bernardini 'used fraudulent, look-alike, domains to impersonate individuals involved in the publishing industry to gain surreptitious access to these materials,' and that over the years he 'impersonated, defrauded, and attempted to defraud, hundreds of individuals.'

Simon & Schuster, in a statement, said it had no knowledge of his alleged involvement in the scam.

'The safekeeping of our authors' intellectual property is of primary importance to Simon & Schuster, and for all in the publishing industry, and we are grateful to the FBI for investigating these incidents and bringing charges against the alleged perpetrator,' the statement added.
Smashed armour worn by a French soldier blasted by a cannonball during the Battle of Waterloo has become an online hit after video of it was mocked for saying its wearer was merely 'wounded'.

Social media users poked fun at the idea the young soldier was only 'wounded' by the cannonball, comparing Fauveau to Monty Python's Black Knight with lines from the film that the soldier had only a 'flesh wound' and ''tis but a scratch!'

Others likened Fauveau to Captain Scarlet - the invincible 1960s childrens TV hero - while some simply questioned 'wounded????'.

The armour, worn by 23-year-old Antoine Fauveau, has a large cannonball entry wound on the soldier's right chest and an exit wound at the back from a blow that would have killed him immediately.

The breastplate, now displayed at the Musee de l'Armee in Paris, was likely hit by a 9lb cannon ball probably fired by the Royal Horse Artillery during the Battle of Waterloo, according to history Professor Tony Pollard.

He said the armour, also known as a cuirass, was pulled off Fauveau's as a prized possession before the conscripted French cavalryman was pitched into a mass, unmarked grave.

Images of a breastplate worn by a French cavalryman as he was struck and killed by a cannonball durning the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815 has sparked a debate on social media after it was posted with a caption saying he was 'wounded'

The armour, which is displayed at the Musee de l'Armee in Paris, has a large canonball entry wound on the soldier's chest and an exit wound at the back

Who was the French soldier who wore the breastplate? Antoine Fauveau was a 23-year-old conscripted French cavalryman killed during the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. He died after being hit by a 9lb canon ball which smashed through his metal breastplate, killing him immediately. The breastplate he was wearing shows a large entry wound on the right chest and an exit wound at the back - and is on display at the Musee de L'Armee in Paris. The shot would have destroyed every organ in his body - though his torso was held together by the breastplate. The young soldier was a new cavalryman conscript to the French army's 4th company, 2nd Carabinier Regiment who would have had 'no more than seven days training' before his death on the battlefield. He was a dairyman from France who was due to get married, according to a pay book found in the breastplate after his death. In it, he was described as a 'long, freckled face with a large forehead, blue eyes, hooked nose and a small mouth'. He was buried in a mass, unmarked grave. Advertisement

Professor of Conflict History and Archaeology at the University of Glasgow Tony Pollard weighed in on the debate, lamenting social media users making light of 'brave' Fauveau's death.

'It is not a joke or a Monty Python sketch about a scratch. It might not seem so funny if we knew more about the man and his death,' he wrote.

He also added context to Fauveau's death, saying that cannon balls 'ideally' hit the floor, bounced and then hit the soldier but the ground at Waterloo was softened by rain meaning he was instead hit 'direct'.

He said the shot hit Fauveau's right breast causing 'massive trauma' that 'destroyed every organ' and resulted in instant death - but that his torso would have been held together by the armour.

The young soldier was a new cavalryman conscript to the French army's 4th company, 2nd Carabinier Regiment who would have had 'no more than seven days training' before his death on the battlefield.

Mr Pollard said the young soldier likely died during a series of cavalry charges, described as 'more of a slog up a muddy hill than a gallop' because of the mud, against the Duke of Wellington's centre and right lines on June 16.

The 1st and 2nd Carabinier regiments were ordered forward from the east edge of Hougoumont at around 6:30pm and were met by a barrage of 'muskets and cannon' in which Favreau was likely killed, he said.

He added the breastplate was a 'prized trophy' that was recovered before Fauveau's body was buried in a mass, unmarked grave.

And in a surprising turn of events for the era a pay book found lodged in the breastplate's padding allowing officials to identify Fauveau.

The book gave his personal details as 'long, freckled face with a large forehead, blue eyes, hooked nose & a small mouth' and revealed he was a dairyman who was due to get married.

Mr Pollard said the young soldier likely died during a series of cavalry charges, described as 'more of a slog up a muddy hill than a gallop' because of the mud, against the Duke of Wellington's centre and right lines on June 16
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Fewer than a third of adults have still yet to get a Covid booster vaccine in areas lagging most behind in England's roll-out, MailOnline can reveal.

Uptake sits at just 29.3 per cent in Newham, with rates similarly low in the two other London boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Barking and Dagenham.

Meanwhile, latest NHS statistics show a sixth of the country's 300-plus authorities have yet to even reach 50 per cent of all over-18s. And even the area doing the best, Hambleton in Yorkshire, has only just tipped the 75 per cent barrier.

Separate analysis suggests around 10million eligible adults have still yet to get a third dose, although many will be ineligible because they caught the virus itself in the past month.

Experts today called on Britons to come forward for their third jabs, saying that it clearly 'does its job' in bolstering protection against hospitalisation and death. Ministers say 90 per cent of Covid patients in intensive care are not boosted.

They urged the Government to put out 'much clearer' messaging on the benefits of the jab, saying it was hard to convince sceptical people to change their minds if ministers kept saying Omicron was milder.

Yesterday on a visit to a vaccination centre in Northampton, the Prime Minister blamed lower uptake in parts of the country on anti-vaxxers spreading 'mumbo-jumbo'. Boris Johnson has repeatedly said a successful booster drive is key for keeping restrictions at bay, and promised to offer all over-18s a jab by New Year's day.

Last week No10 bragged the goal had been hit, but ministers were accused of over-egging the figures and it soon emerged that millions of eligible Britons were still waiting for appointments. Updated official figures show out of 38.9million over-18s who are double-jabbed, only 28.5million have already turned up for their third shot.

Health minister Gillian Keegan yesterday suggested that hundreds of thousands of people could not come forward for jabs because they caught Omicron over the past month.

The above map shows vaccine uptake across England's 300-plus local areas, with darker colours indicating a higher proportion of the population that has got a booter. Uptake is lowest in London

The above shows booster vaccine uptake by each age group's population. It reveals that uptake has been highest among older age groups who are most at risk to the virus. Britons can only get a booster from three months after their second jab

MailOnline analysis of NHS England statistics for the entire over-18s population shows uptake sits at around 57 per cent.

But rates vary by age group, with 86.4 per cent of over-60s having already got their top-ups. Nearly 1million still haven't had their first dose, despite being invited over a year ago because they are at most risk of serious illness or death if they catch the virus.

Nearly 40% of NHS Covid 'patients' in England are NOT being treated for virus Nearly four in ten Covid patients in hospitals in England are not primarily being treated for the virus, according to official data that highlights the mildness of Omicron. NHS figures released today show there were around 13,000 beds occupied by coronavirus sufferers on January 4, of which nearly 4,850 were not mainly sick with the disease. It means nearly 40 per cent of patients included in the Government's daily Covid statistics may have been admitted for something else, such as a broken leg. The share of so-called 'incidental' cases was even bigger in Omicron hotspot London, where 45 per cent of 'Covid patients' were not primarily in hospital for the virus. Experts say there is reason to believe that incidentals will continue to rise as the variant pushes England's infection rates to record highs, with one in 15 people estimated to have had Covid on New Year's Eve. In South Africa  ground zero of the Omicron outbreak  up to 60 per cent of Covid patients were not admitted primarily for the virus at the height of the crisis there. There are growing calls among experts and politicians for the Government to differentiate between people admitted 'with' and 'from' Covid to assess the real pressure of the virus on the NHS. The rise in incidental admissions and lack of any real uptick in ICU cases has given Boris Johnson the confidence to 'ride out' the Omicron wave without any further restrictions. MailOnline analysis on Thursday revealed the Covid case fatality rate  the proportion of confirmed infections resulting in death  is now 21 times lower than during the devastating second wave. A host of studies suggest Omicron causes less severe illness than its predecessors Delta and Alpha because it replicates faster in the upper airways rather than in the lungs where it can do more damage Advertisement

And figures are even more stark in some areas, especially London, where all ten areas with the slowest roll-outs are.

Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick Medical School, said: 'I am really surprised that uptake of the boosters is still so low in some areas.

'We do need much clearer messaging about the benefits of the booster jab. The problem is associated with the fact many people are taking for granted that Omicron is milder than Delta. They think "oh, it's ok, it's milder and we don't have to worry".

'But a lot of people are getting infected, a lot of people are getting hospitalised and we are still very concerned about the long term impacts of Omicron.

'[But] the booster does its job, it gives you suped-up immunity which will hopefully last long enough to protect you from Omicron and a number of months into this year.'

He warned the Government to stop 'dripping out' figures on the numbers of Covid patients in intensive care who have not got boosters, without backing it up with official data.

Professor Young also called for ministers to make more use of anti-vaxxers who were now pro-jabs following a stay in intensive care, saying real-world stories have the best cut through.

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, said the fact there were areas where two thirds of people hadn't got the jab had 'nothing to do with Covid'.

He called on ministers to push out more adverts for vaccines through the TV and radio in areas where uptake was lowest.

Official figures only go up to January 2, meaning the true situation may now be slightly better because more people have been inoculated.

Across England, Newham has the lowest uptake for booster jabs, with 103,500 out of 352,800 residents having already had three doses  or 29 per cent.

It was followed by Tower Hamlets, at 30 per cent or 99,600 out of 324,100, and Barking and Dagenham, at 32 per cent or 58,800 out of 180,200. In Westminster 88,200 people are boosted out of 260,000, or 33 per cent.

On the other end of the scale uptake was highest in Hambleton, Yorkshire, where 61,300 out of 78,000 residents are boosted  or 78.5 per cent.

They were followed by North Norfolk, where 70,600 out of 90,400 are boosted or 78 per cent, and the Malvern Hills, where 53,100 out of 68,000 are boosted or 78.1 per cent.

Mr Johnson threw open the drive to all over-18s in early December amid concern over the arrival and rapid spread of the Omicron Covid variant. He said everyone in this age group would be able to get a booster from three months after their second dose.

Over-60s had been able to get their top up doses for months beforehand, but many said they were struggling to secure appointments or access vaccination centres nearby.

Mr Johnson said yesterday: 'I want to say to the anti-vax campaigners, the people who are putting this mumbo-jumbo on social media: They are completely wrong.

'You haven't heard me say that before, because I think it's important we have a voluntary approach in this country and we're going to keep a voluntary approach.'

He added: 'What a tragedy that we've got all this pressure on the NHS, all the difficulties that our doctors and nurses are experiencing, and we've got people out there spouting complete nonsense about vaccination.

'They are totally wrong, and I think it's time that I, the Government, call them out on what they're doing.'

NHS England said it had been working at 'record speed' to roll out as many booster jabs as possible after the drive was accelerated in early December.

A spokeswoman said: 'More than 29million booster vaccines have now been administered, including to four-fifths of all adults aged 40 and above.

'Staff and volunteers are continuing to work non-stop to give every adult a booster jab and with 4.5million slots available in the next two weeks at more than 3,000 vaccination sites across the country, it has never been easier to get protected.

'Anyone yet to be boosted should come forward as soon as they can.'
A tormented mother of one has been left feeling suicidal after her abusive ex-boyfriend messaged her 3,000 times in a warped bid to force her to rekindle their relationship.

Jessica Bajic, 29, broke up with Steven Thorley after he throttled her with his bare hands during a jealously fuelled row before dumping her in a bath fully clothed and sprayed her with cold water.

But Thorley, 39, who was wrongly convinced Miss Bajic was cheating on him, begged her to get back with him and sent her 100 messages a day over an eight month period.

He also scaled a flat roof outside her apartment and repeatedly smashed her windows when she refused to answer calls.

When he was finally charged by police Thorley a father of two, from Heaton Norris, Stockport, Greater Manchester, blamed his victim for his obsessed behaviour.

Ms Bajic said she had considered taking her own life as Thorley had made her life intolerable

Steven Thorley, left, was jailed for 21 months having admitted stalking, criminal damage and actual bodily harm against his ex girlfriend Jessica Bajic, right. The 39-year-old criminal was also banned from contacting Ms Bajic indefinitely

In a statement to police Miss Bajic said: 'I felt suicidal because I do not feel like there is an end in sight. I feel like he knows my routine in and out and I am scared to leave the house in case he is waiting for me.'

Miss Bajic said Thorley would 'bombard' her with up to 100 messages a day and 'would not take no for an answer'.

She told police she took a number of precautions, including changing her phone number, taking out a non-molestation order and altering her daily routine.

In a statement which was read out in court, she said: 'I was hyper vigilant when walking and would use my phone to audio record whilst walking. My mental health has deteriorated. I struggle to have my windows open for long periods. I saw him at the gym and I just had to look down in case he thought I was looking at someone else.'

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Thorley was jailed for 21 months after he admitted stalking, criminal damage, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidating a witness. He was in breach of a community order imposed last year for battery and possession of cannabis.

The court heard the couple had been in a relationship for six years from 2015 but he had exhibited jealously during that time.

Prosecuting counsel Lisa Bookock said after Thorley strangled Miss Bajic, he prevented her from calling police. She later managed to report the incident when she spoke to a nurse at hospital.

Ms Bajic said she tried to change her mobile phone number and alter her daily routine in a bid to avoid contact with Thorley, who sent her some 3,000 messages

The court heard Thorley had tried to prevent Miss Bajic giving evidence against him as he wanted to continue having contact with his children.

During his campaign of intimidation, Thorley established fake social media profiles to check whether Miss Bajic had started any new relationships.

Thorley had 25 prior convictions, including battery, harassment and breach of restraining orders in a domestic context. His counsel Milena Bennett said: 'He has not had the opportunity to realise what he has done and to understand his behaviour.'

But Judge Maurice Greene told him: 'It must have been incredibly frightening for the victim. You sent numerous messages which caused her considerable distress and she was scared to leave her house and scared to open the windows.

'She wanted to move on with her life but you wouldn't let her. You sent in excess of 3,000 messages and calls contacting her during that time, almost 100 calls a day. You said you were going to kill yourself. It was emotional blackmail and you made her life unbearable.'

Thorley was also banned from contacting Miss Bajic indefinitely under the terms of a restraining order.
NHS trusts have 'never known' such high staff absences, health chiefs have today warned, with 120,000 staff off work this week - half of them self-isolating or testing positive for Covid - and the Army now being brought in to plug the gaps.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, council chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA), says doctors and nurses are under 'exceptional strain' covering for colleagues at home.

But Boris Johnson, who sent 200 soldiers to help NHS staff in London today and a further 150 to the north west for next week, insists the health service can 'ride out' the Omicron wave, as infections and deaths both dropped yesterday.

Far fewer people are also being admitted to intensive care than in previous waves, while the length of time patients spend in hospital is also shortening.

Meanwhile ministers have pushed back against claims hospitals are on the brink of collapse, with Environment Secretary George Eustice predicting the NHS's acute problems will prove to be 'quite short lived'.

They have also refused to follow in the footsteps of the US by cutting self-isolation periods to five days - a move some experts say will ease pressure on staffing issues.

It comes as figures leaked to the Health Service Journal today reveal that staff absences at NHS England went from 80,000 on January 2 to just under 120,000 on Wednesday January 5 - 20 per cent higher than the peak last January.

Around 62,000 of the total 120,000 absences reported 48 hours ago were people who had tested positive for Covid or self-isolating.

The highest rates of absence were in the Midlands, North East and Yorkshire, and the North West - where more than 10 per cent of all staff are off.

These trusts also already had the among the highest absence rates amongst staff before the pandemic.

It comes as separate figures, released today by the NHS, show a total of 39,142 NHS staff at hospital trusts in England were absent for Covid-19 reasons on January 2.

The figure, which includes confirmed cases and those in isolation, is up 59 per cent on the previous week, when the figure was 24,632, and more than three times the number at the start of December.

It has been driven up by absences in the north-west of England, which saw an 85 per cent week-on-week rise on January 2.

However NHS staff absence levels actually fell slightly in London - where Army personnel are being brought in to assist medical staff - as separate data suggests the Omicron wave has already peaked in the capital.

Military chiefs meanwhile say they are in discussion with the Government over deployments outside of London if and when necessary. Around 150 military personnel are to support North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) from next week.

Speaking about the nationwide situation, Dr Chaand Nagpaul told Sky News: 'We have never known this level of staff absence before'.

Military personnel assisting at the NHS Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate, North Yorkshire in 2020

Official figures show that the number of Covid and non-Covid absences in the NHS grew through December

He said: 'Every winter of course, the NHS has additional pressures, but I don't think anyone who's worked in the NHS has experienced this level of absence of their colleagues and we're feeling it in very real time because doctors and nurses and healthcare workers are having to cover for their absent colleagues - that's adding additional, exceptional strain.'

He added: 'The reality of the Army having been drafted in to London, the reality of 24 hospitals having declared critical incidents, the reality of having some hospitals having to cancel all their routine surgery, the reality of general practices having to cancel clinics on the day.

Hospitals 'are crippled' by 14-day isolation rule for patients: Pressure grows on health chiefs to change 'outdated' Covid quarantine period Health chiefs were under pressure last night to make urgent reforms to 'outdated' Covid isolation rules which force hospitals to quarantine patients for 14 days. Experts warned that hospitals were being 'crippled' by the rules, which force patients into two weeks of quarantine even if they are only a close contact of a Covid sufferer. Currently, most people have to isolate for as little as seven days if they test positive for Covid. If they are a close contact of someone with the virus, they no longer need to isolate at all if they are fully vaccinated. But in hospital any patient who tests positive  or who comes into close contact with a confirmed case  has to be treated in isolation for 14 days. They have to remain in quarantine even if they later test negative. Last night campaigners warned that the stringent regulations were having a 'devastating' effect on hospital capacity. They said that entire wards were being forced into isolation while the rules were making it difficult to move patients around within hospitals or to discharge them. Advertisement

'I'm a GP, I've never known it this bad. We're having to literally contact patients without notice that the staff member or a doctor or nurse just isn't in today because they're self-isolating.

'This is not normal, and therefore, the Government does need to recognise this is clearly an NHS under extreme pressure and the living reality sadly for thousands of patients is that they're suffering the consequences of such pressures and also staff absence.'

Hundreds of troops are being sent into London hospitals to fill in for NHS staff who are isolating because of Omicron, it was announced last night.

The 200 soldiers, whose deployment was requested by NHS trusts, include 40 medics who will help directly with patient care on wards.

The remainder will assist with medical and general duties such as checking in patients and conducting basic health checks.

Troops were last deployed to hospital wards in early 2021 when NHS staff were overwhelmed by the numbers of in-patients who had contracted the virus.

But this time the soldiers are being sent in due to the staffing shortages in hospitals caused by the high numbers isolating.

It is understood that the Department of Health submitted a request for additional MoD personnel on behalf of a number of hospital trusts in London which are experiencing staffing issues.

Several have declared 'critical incidents' in recent days, with health chiefs claiming that the service is under enormous strain.

But there has been debate over how severe the pressure actually are, with hospitalisations and severe illness much lower due to the mildness of Omicron.

In London, where data suggests a slowdown in the Omicron wave after Christmas, staff absences actually fell very slightly - by 4 per cent - according to new NHS data.

Meanwhile, Covid absences were up by roughly three quarters in the North East and Yorkshire and in the North West.

Sheffield's Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was one of the hardest trusts, missing 11 per cent of staff due to Covid.

Military bosses say they are in discussion with Government officials and NHS chiefs about offering further support outside of London if necessary.

Air Commodore John Lyle BBC Breakfast: 'We can't really forecast too far ahead, but certainly, throughout this current surge, we know that it's particularly difficult in London at the minute but we are aware that this is impacting all across the United Kingdom.

'And so we remain in discussions and there are a number of areas where we're looking at the potential for more assistance.

'So, over the coming weeks or months, I think we'll learn a lot from how the progress is made through London and potentially there could be further military support required in other areas.'

He said troops have 'a long history of supporting all government departments, but particularly the NHS over the last two years'.

He added: 'This isn't anything new. This announcement today about assistance to the hospitals in London is just part of a wider picture where we've got over 1,800 people supporting across the whole United Kingdom, members from all three Armed Forces  both regular and reservist  delivering support in areas such as the booster programme supporting ambulance services, and of course, supporting in hospitals.'

Around 150 military personnel are to support North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) from next week.

Troops will begin training on January 11 in driving ambulances, manual handling, kit familiarisation and basic life support.

NWAS director of operations Ged Blezard said: 'It is no secret that the ambulance service, along with the NHS as a whole, has been under extreme pressure for several months.

'Now we are also experiencing high numbers of staff absences due to confirmed Covid-19 cases and isolation, with around 25 per cent of the workforce currently affected.

'We worked alongside the military last February and March, and it allows us to have more of our vehicles on the road, getting people the treatment they need sooner. This frees up emergency ambulances to attend to urgent, life-threatening cases.'

Ministers yesterday pushed back against claims hospitals were on the brink of collapse, with Environment Secretary George Eustice predicting that the NHS's acute problems would prove to be 'quite short lived'.

It comes as Boris Johnson said it was 'not true' that the health service did not have enough staff to cope and Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, said that it was 'not entirely unusual for hospitals to go critical over the winter'.

Members of the armed forces gather outside outside the NHS Nightingale Hospital in London in April 2020

Boris Johnson greets a member of vaccination staff during a visit to a coronavirus disease vaccine centre in Northampton this week

Latest Department of Health figures show that on Wednesday there were 179,756 positive Covid tests recorded across the UK, down 5 per cent on the same day last week.

However, looking at the week-by-week numbers, the number of cases is still rising.

The 200 military personnel will be broken down into 40 teams of five, each comprised of one medic and four soldiers who will assist as doctors and nurses deem appropriate.

The troops have been told they will be working in hospitals for at least three weeks.

Last night Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: 'The men and women of our Armed Forces are once again stepping up to support their dedicated colleagues in the NHS.

'They have shown their worth time and again throughout this pandemic, whether driving ambulances, administering vaccines or supporting patients and they should be proud of their contribution to this truly national effort.'

Defence chiefs are also providing 32 personnel to join ambulance crews until the end of March. Downing Street has insisted the number of critical alert declarations was 'not a good indicator' of the pressure on the health service.

And Mr Shapps told Sky News the NHS was facing 'very real pressures', but said these were not insurmountable.

Visiting a vaccination centre in Northampton, Mr Johnson said: 'I appreciate that the NHS is under huge pressure.

'We've had wave after wave of Covid and our NHS has responded magnificently.' He said staff numbers had been increased, and that, combined with calling in retired staff and volunteers, would ease the strain.

He said Omicron was milder than other variants but said: 'We've got to give the NHS all the help we can through the next period.'

Mr Eustice predicted the country would get past the Omicron peak of infections 'relatively soon'. However, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said it was 'clear that we are facing a staffing crisis', with around 10 per cent of workers in self-isolation or on sick leave.

Data from the Zoe Covid app study suggested cases are falling among those aged 18 to 35 but rising in older groups, including the over-75s.

Dr Claire Steves of King's College London, which runs the app, said: 'This is the group we need to protect as they are the most likely to be hospitalised.'

A spokesperson for NHS national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said: 'Omicron means more patients to treat and fewer staff to treat them.

'In fact, around 10,000 more colleagues across the NHS were absent each day last week compared with the previous seven days and almost half of all absences are now down to Covid.

'While we don't know the full scale of the potential impact this new strain will have it's clear it spreads more easily and, as a result, Covid cases in hospitals are the highest they've been since February last year  piling even more pressure on hard working staff.

'Those staff are stepping up as they always do; answering a quarter more 111 calls last week than the week before, dealing with an increasing number of ambulance call outs, and working closely with colleagues in social care to get people out of hospital safely.

'You can help us to help you by ensuring you are vaccinated against covid.

'And as has been the case throughout the pandemic, if you have a health problem, please go to 111 online and call 999 when it is a life threatening condition  the NHS is here for you.'

REVEALED: Hospital stays for Covid patients have HALVED for most vulnerable cases in Omicron wave in huge boost for struggling NHS as evidence grows that it is a milder disease, new data suggests

The average length of a hospital stay for Covid patients over the age of 80 in the UK has more than halved in a major boost for the NHS, figures suggest.

During the third wave, from May 1 last year, over 80s were usually hospitalised for 11 days.

But since December 1  and the onset of the Omicron wave  they have typically required a bed for around just five days.

It is a similar story for those in the 50 to 69 and the 70 to 79 categories. During the third wave, those aged 70 to 79 required a hospital bed for eight days and those aged 50 to 69 for seven days. Now they too are on five days.

Th average length of a hospital stay for Covid patients over the age of 80 in the UK has more than halved. Pictured: Ambulances outside the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel

During the third wave, those aged 70 to 79 required a hospital bed for eight days and those aged 50 to 69 for seven days

The good news also extends to those under 50, with the length of a hospital stay falling from four days to three.

The more rapid recovery and discharge in December is likely to be due to the protective effect of vaccines, drugs and the milder Omicron variant.

The welcome news came as dozens of troops were set to be dispatched to London hospitals to help medics cope with staff shortages brought about by Omicron isolation.

Meanwhile in another development, MailOnline analysis showed that Covid mortality rates had dipped twenty-fold - at around 0.15 per cent of cases now compared with over 3 per cent at the pandemic's worst.

The positive data could be a game-changer for the NHS, with government advisors saying that a halving of the length of hospital stays effectively doubles capacity and reduces the risk of the health service being overwhelmed.

Members of the armed forces gather outside outside the NHS Nightingale Hospital in London in April 2020

Health experts in South Africa, where the Omicron variant first exploded, have also reported a reduced length of hospital stays since the variant emerged.

South Africa was able to lift its night-time curfew for the first time in 21 months in December after the Omicron wave peaked without overwhelming hospitals.

A study on hospital admissions in the country revealed it may be ten times less deadly than previous variants.

Doctors reported fewer patients needing oxygen or mechanical ventilation and far fewer were being admitted to intensive care than in previous waves.

Paul Hunter, professor in medicine at the University of East Anglia, said: 'The UK appears to be mirroring South Africa, with Covid patients now staying in hospital for a shorter period of time and becoming less ill.

'This is great news for the NHS because discharging patients sooner frees up a bed for someone else to be admitted and effectively increases capacity.'

The UK Government has not published data on the length of hospital stays but the Spectator magazine used a specialist scanning technique to extract information from graphs presented to Sage on December 23.

UK's daily Covid cases FALL for first time in a month in 5% weekly drop to 179,756 as hospitalisations keep tumbling in London

ByLuke Andrewsand Connor Boyd For Mailonline

Britain's daily Covid cases fell for the first time in a month today and hospitalisations dropped in Omicron hotspot London as Government ministers claimed NHS pressure will be 'short-lived'.

Department of Health figures show there were 179,756 positive tests recorded across the UK over the last 24 hours, down 5 per cent on last week and a drop on yesterday.

The drop has been accelerated by the fact two days' worth of cases were reported in Wales last Thursday, making today's fall appear steeper. But it adds to growing evidence the country's Omicron wave is no longer spiralling.

Latest hospital data showed another 2,078 Covid patients were admitted to UK wards on January 2, which was up 38 per cent on a week ago. Another 231 deaths were also recorded, down 30 per cent on last week.

But in London  which is several weeks ahead of the rest of the country in its Omicron outbreak  admissions fell 19 per cent in a week to 367, marking the fourth day in a row that they've dropped week-on-week.

Fewer than 400 people are now being admitted in the capital on average each day, compared to around 900 at the peak of the second wave last January.

Signs that the crisis has peaked in just three weeks in London will raise hope that the situation in the rest of the country follows a similar trajectory.

Boris Johnson (pictured at a Covid vaccine centre in Northampton today) claimed the NHS has enough staff to see through the Omicron wave in a bid to downplay hospital pressure despite two dozen trusts declaring 'critical incidents' and waiting lists hitting new highs

Even NHS leaders now say there are signs admissions in the capital may be peaking, however, experts note that cases are still rising in the over-60s who are most vulnerable to severe disease.

Now that there is a growing acceptance that Omicron is unlikely to lead to a wave of severe illness like previous peaks, health leaders say isolation and staff absences are the central crises they face.

Boris Johnson today downplayed pressure on hospitals saying they had enough staff to see them through the winter, despite two dozen trusts declaring 'critical incidents' and waiting lists hitting new records.

While the Prime Minister accepted the health service was 'under huge pressure', he said it was 'not true' that it could be overwhelmed because so many staff are off isolating with Covid.

He said staff numbers had been increased  about 6,000 more doctors and 10,000 nurses were hired during the pandemic  which should ease the strain, combined with the NHS' volunteer army of trainee and retired medics.

Earlier, George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, claimed the current NHS crisis would be 'short-lived' and Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, said the situation was 'not unusual' for winter.

Mr Johnson has held his nerve despite calls for tougher restrictions to tackle Omicron, unlike his counterparts in Scotland and Wales, winning him praise from Tory MPs.

But more than 180,000 Brits are being sent into isolation every day on average and the crisis has forced one in 10 NHS staff off work, putting significant strain on local health services.

A total of 24 out of 137 NHS Trusts in England have declared critical incidents  or 17.5 per cent. Above are the trusts that have publicly announced they have declared these incidents to help them manage winter pressures

 Slide me  The above maps show the percentage change in infection rates across London's 32 boroughs over the week to December 26 (left) and the week to January 2 (right). They indicate that the outbreak is slowing in the city

 Slide me  Pictured above is the % change in infection rates in England over the week to December 26 (left), and January 2 (right)

Nationally, Covid cases rose eight per cent last week the app estimated. They said there was a slowdown in rising infections across London and in 18 to 35-year-olds

King's College London scientists today suggested that cases in the capital also appeared to be peaking. They said they had dropped by a third within a week, raising hopes that the worst of the outbreak may be over. The figures rely on weekly reports from three quarters of a million people nationally to estimate the prevalence of the virus

UK Health Security Agency figures published today showed London's Covid cases had fallen six per cent in a week (green line). It is the only region to see cases fall, and now has the fifth biggest outbreak in England

Twenty-four NHS trusts so far have declared 'critical incidents' due to staffing absences and rising Covid admissions, indicating that they may not be able to deliver critical care in the coming weeks.

Health chiefs detect UK's first human case of deadly bird flu in South West England The first human case of a deadly strain of bird flu in the UK has been detected in a person living in the South West of England as the country faces its largest ever outbreak in animals, health officials have said. Britain's 'patient zero' caught the H5N1 virus after 'very close and regular' contact with a large number of infected birds which they kept in and around their home, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). It is the first ever human case of H5N1  which kills up to half of the people it infects  recorded in the UK and fewer than 1,000 people have ever been diagnosed with the strain globally since it emerged in the late 1990s. No more details about the individual have been released, but officials said they were in good health and currently in self-isolation. All of the patient's infected birds have been culled. Their close personal contacts, including people who visited the premises, have also been traced and there is 'no evidence' of the infection having spread to anyone else, the UKHSA said. The current H5N1 outbreak is the largest bird flu crisis ever recorded in Britain - with officials saying more than half a million poultry have had to be culled as part of efforts to control the virus. The outbreak has been going on for weeks and sparked fears of a turkey shortage in the run-up to Christmas. Bird to human transmission of bird flu  also known as avian flu  is rare and has only occurred a small number of times in the UK. However, the public is being urged not to touch sick or dead birds. Subsequent human-to-human transmission of avian influenza is also rare and the risk of a major outbreak in people is deemed to be even lower. But the development comes with fears about infectious pathogens at an all-time high in the UK after two years of the Covid pandemic, reignited by the latest surge in Omicron infections. The case was first detected after the UK's Animal and Plant Health Agency, identified an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of avian flu in the person's flock of birds. As a precaution, UKHSA swabbed the person involved and detected low levels of flu. Further lab analysis showed the virus was the 'H5' type found in birds but have UKHSA said it has not been possible to confirm that this is the same H5N1 infection currently circulating in birds Britain. The birds the person had contact with have now been culled, health authorities confirmed. UKHSA chief scientific officer Professor Isabel Oliver, said: 'While the risk of avian flu to the general public is very low, we know that some strains do have the potential to spread to humans and that's why we have robust systems in place to detect these early and take action. 'Currently there is no evidence that this strain detected in the UK can spread from person to person, but we know that viruses evolve all the time and we continue to monitor the situation closely.' Advertisement

It comes as UK Health Security Agency figures showed infections were still rising in 129 of 149 local authorities in England  or 87 per cent  last week. But in London a majority of boroughs were seeing cases fall.

And in another glimmer of hope the ZOE Covid Symptom study showed 208,471 people were catching Covid every day up to January 3, which was an eight per cent rise on 192,290 previously. They said the slow down was driven by a drop in infections in London and among 18 to 35-year-olds.

The UK today detected its first case of human bird flu. Officials said 'patient zero' caught the H5N1 virus after 'very close and regular' contact with a large number of infected birds which they kept in and around their home.

The UKHSA downplayed concerns saying human-to-human transmission of avian influenza is rare and the risk of a major outbreak is even lower.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson today said it was 'not true' that the NHS has too few doctors and nurses to deal with the pandemic.

Speaking at a vaccination centre in Moulton Park, Northampton, today, he said: 'First of all, yes, I appreciate that the NHS is under huge pressure and yes, you're quite right in what you say about the way it's been continuous over the last 18 months  we've had wave after wave of Covid and our NHS has responded magnificently and they've kept going.

'And of course I understand how frustrating it is to see another wave coming in, and I thank doctors, nurses, all health staff, everybody, for what they're doing to keep going.'

But he said staff numbers had been increased, and that combined with the calling back of retired staff and volunteers would ease the strain.

He insisted Omicron was milder than previous variants but said: 'The pressures on hospitals are clear. What we've got to do is give the NHS all the help we can through the next period, with all the simplifications of systems, moving staff from one hospital to another, all the ways we can back staff up, but also make sure that the people who are likely to get ill get vaccinated first.

'The saddest words in the English language are 'too late'. When you're in ICU and you haven't been vaccinated, sadly it's too late to get vaccinated, so get boosted now.'

Mr Eustice predicted the country would get past the Omicron peak of infections 'relatively soon', with NHS struggles set to be 'quite short lived'.

Speaking to Sky News, the Cabinet minister said: 'This is a difficult situation.

'It will be quite short lived because obviously we will get past this peak of infections relatively soon, but in the meantime we've taken that step to reduce the isolation period and we're doing all we can to make sure we can redeploy resources (in the NHS).'

Asked when hospitals are likely to return to 'normal', he added: 'We've seen growing numbers of infections over the last couple of weeks but people will start to return.

'So even as some start to go off work, there will be others returning. As I say, it won't be too long where you'll have more people returning to work than those who are isolating.

'But in the meantime, there is obviously a short-term issue and that's why we need to try and redeploy resources the best we can around the country to help those who are suffering a particularly acute shortage of staff.'

Mr Shapps also poured cold water over the rising number of NHS trusts declaring incidents, saying: 'It's not entirely unusual for hospitals to go critical over the winter.' He accepted, however, that there are 'very real pressures'.

Twenty-four out of 137 trusts in England  or 17 per cent  have declared critical incidents so far in response to staffing shortages and mounting Covid admissions.

Officials have yet to release the full list of affected trusts, however those which have raised the alarm include NHS sites in Bristol, Plymouth and Blackpool. Health bosses have already been forced to cancel non-urgent operations and have asked heart attack victims to make their own way to hospital.

Trusts declaring critical incidents  the highest level of alert  can ask staff on leave or on rest days to return to wards, and enables them to receive help from nearby hospitals.

MPs warned today that the patient waiting list  already on the brink of 6million in England alone  could double in three years without urgent action to get more doctors and nurses on wards.

They say efforts to clear the backlog are being thrown off course by the self-isolation fuelled staffing crisis. Even NHS bosses have called for No10 to look at slashing the quarantine period to five days, like the US.

NHS sources told MailOnline that critical incidents were 'not a good way' of monitoring pressures on hospitals, saying it was better to analyse patient admissions and staff absences. They warned more trusts may have declared critical incidents but ministers are unaware because they do not need to be reported centrally.

Government figures showed a total of 17,988 people were in hospital in the UK with Covid as of January 4, up 50 per cent week-on-week. The figure is the highest number since February 19 last year, although far below the peak of almost 40,000 in January 2021.

The number of daily positive Covid tests recorded in England has exceeded 100,000 for nearly two weeks. However, the number of patients in hospital with the virus is a fraction of the level seen last winter, while deaths remain flat

Tory MPs criticised the BBC over its Covid coverage last night after it gave airtime to a Left-wing critic of the PM. It came as the Today programme aired a string of warnings from other NHS figures over the 'really challenging' circumstances facing hospitals

The proportion of beds occupied by patients who are primarily in hospital 'for' Covid, versus those who were admitted for something else and tested positive later, referred to as 'with' Covid. The data covers the week between December 21 and December 28, when were around 2,100 additional beds occupied by the virus in England  of which 1,150 were primary illness (55 per cent). That suggests 45 per cent were not seriously ill with Covid, yet were counted in the official statistics. In the South East of England 66 per cent were primarily non-Covid, in the East of England it was 51 per cent and in London it was 48 per cent. Critics argue, however, that the figures are unreliable because they don't include discharges, which could skew the data. But they add to the growing trend

Latest figures show that hospitals in England have actually had fewer beds occupied this winter than they did pre-Covid. An average of 89,097 general and acute beds were open each day in the week to December 26, of which 77,901 were occupied. But the NHS was looking after more hospital patients in the week to December 26 in 2019, 2018 and 2017

While Covid hospitalisations are rising quickly in England, they are still half of the level of last January and far fewer patients are needing ventilation

At least 5,000 Covid 'patients' in England are NOT primarily in hospital for virus, data suggests As many as 5,000 Covid patients in hospital in England may have been admitted for other ailments, NHS figures suggest as the super-mild Omicron variant continues to engulf the country. Latest data shows so-called 'incidental' cases  those who test positive after admission for something else, such as a broken leg  made up a third of coronavirus inpatient numbers on December 28. At that point, there were just 8,300 Covid sufferers being treated in England's hospitals, 2,750 of which were not primarily receiving care for the virus (33 per cent). More up-to-date statistics from the Government's Covid dashboard show that, as of Wednesday, there were 15,600 beds occupied by people infected with the virus. It is not clear exactly how many of the current patients are there primarily for Covid because the NHS's breakdown is backdated and only covers up to December 28. But, if incidental cases still account for a third of cases, it means at least 5,000 who are being counted as coronavirus patients are not suffering seriously with the disease. Experts say there is reason to believe the share of incidentals will continue to rise as Omicron pushes England's infection rates to record numbers, with one in 15 people estimated to have had Covid on New Year's Eve. In South Africa  ground zero of the Omicron outbreak  up to 60 per cent of Covid patients were not admitted primarily for the virus at the height of the crisis there. Separate analysis of NHS data shows 45 per cent of beds newly occupied by Covid patients in the final week of December were patients not primarily ill with the virus. It comes as two dozen NHS trusts declared 'critical incidents' amid staggering staffing shortages caused by sky-high infection rates, indicating that they may be unable to provide vital care in the coming weeks. One in ten workers are off and 183,000 Brits are being sent into isolation every day on average, prompting calls for the isolation period to be cut to five days. Advertisement

It comes amid a growing body of evidence that London's Covid cases are slowing down just a month after the Omicron variant took hold, sparking fresh hopes the capital's outbreak may have already peaked.

King's College London scientists estimated cases fell by a third after 33,013 people in the city were estimated to be catching the virus every day on January 3, compared to 49,331 the week before.

Their findings  based on three quarters of a million weekly reports and 68,000 swabs in the country  add to a growing body of evidence that the worst may be over in London.

Any peak in infections in the capital  which was first to be struck by the fourth wave  suggests that the rest of the country may soon follow suit and also see its Covid crisis ease.

Dr Claire Steves, who works on the study also run by data science company ZOE, said there was a 'slow down' in cases in London but that it was 'too early' to confirm they had peaked. She warned the return of schools could trigger further outbreaks.

In another promising sign, UK Health Security Agency data revealed that London's cases fell six per cent last week. They said the capital was no longer the country's epicentre for the first time since Omicron took hold, and had the fifth largest outbreak in England. The epicentre is now the North West, followed by the North East and Yorkshire.

Office for National Statistics figures published yesterday also showed 'early signs' that the city's outbreak was peaking, statisticians said, although they cautioned one in ten Londoners were infected on New Year's Eve.

Official figures also suggest cases in London are flatlining with 21,854 infections recorded today, down from 24,865 a week ago. It is several thousand below the peak 27,799 set on December 22.

But some scientists say it is hard to tell what is happening in the capital because of the holiday period, when up to four million people  or half the city's population  leave to go 'home' for Christmas.

Most figures are also yet to cover the period after New Year's Eve, when celebrations were allowed to go ahead unimpeded by restrictions  meaning the virus could have spread further.

Covid testing data from the capital shows that the number of PCRs carried out has fallen to about 500,000 a day, but the positivity rate  the proportion that detect the virus  is still heading upwards.

Dr Steves said: 'It's good news that the number of daily new cases has slowed for now. ZOE Covid Study data shows that this slow down is being driven by cases falling in London and in younger age groups.

'However, it's worrying to see cases increasing in the over 75 age group. This is the group we need to protect as they are the most likely to be hospitalised as a result of a Covid infection.'

She added: 'It's too early to know if cases have truly peaked in London, as schools are yet to reopen after the holidays. We've seen school terms driving infection waves throughout the pandemic.

'The health and care systems are already under huge pressure, so we all need to take personal responsibility for limiting the spread of Covid. This could be in the form of regular testing, wearing masks, staying away from busy crowded places, meeting up outside and getting booster vaccines.'

Yet ANOTHER study shows London's Omicron crisis has peaked: Symptom-tracking app hails 'good news' and finds cases only jumped 8% nationwide

ByLuke Andrews Health Reporter For Mailonline

London's Covid cases are slowing down just a month after the Omicron variant took hold, according to the country's largest symptom-tracking app.

The finding is the latest piece of evidence that the capital's outbreaks is peaking and comes as daily Covid hospital admissions fell for the fourth day in a row.

The symptom study, led by King's College London scientists, estimated 33,000 were testing positive in the capital each day in the week to January 3, down a third on the week before.

KCL's Dr Claire Steves, who co-runs the study, said there was definitely a 'slow down' in cases but it was 'too early' to confirm if they had peaked. She warned the return of schools could trigger further outbreaks.

In another promising sign, UK Health Security Agency's weekly Covid surveillance report revealed that London's cases fell six per cent last week.

They said the capital was no longer the country's epicentre for the first time since Omicron took hold, with the North West now taking up that mantle, followed by the North East and Yorkshire.

Office for National Statistics figures published yesterday also showed 'early signs' that the city's outbreak was peaking, statisticians said, although they cautioned one in ten Londoners were infected on New Year's Eve.

Government dashboard data also suggest cases in London are flatlining. There were 21,854 cases in the capital today, down 11 per cent in a week.

Hospital admissions fell for the fourth day in a row. There were 367 Covid hospitalisations on January 4, the latest date with data, marking a 20 per cent fall on the previous week and the largest week-on-week drop yet.

Fewer than 400 people are now being admitted in the capital on average each day compared to around 900 at the peak of the second wave last January.

But scientists say it is difficult to untangle what is happening in the capital because up to four million Londoners leave for Christmas.

King's College London scientists today suggested that cases in the capital also appeared to be peaking. They said they had dropped by a third within a week, raising hopes that the worst of the outbreak may be over. The figures rely on weekly reports from three quarters of a million people nationally to estimate the prevalence of the virus

UK Health Security Agency figures published today showed London's Covid cases had fallen six per cent in a week (green line). It is the only region to see cases fall, and now has the fifth biggest outbreak in England

 Slide me  The above maps show the percentage change in infection rates across London's 32 boroughs over the week to December 26 (left) and the week to January 2 (right). They indicate that the outbreak is slowing in the city

 Slide me  Pictured above is the % change in infection rates in England over the week to December 26 (left), and January 2 (right)

Nationally, Covid cases rose eight per cent last week the app estimated. They said there was a slowdown in rising infections across London and in 18 to 35-year-olds

Nationally, they said cases were now starting to drop in 18 to 35-year-olds after they spiralled to record levels. But they were also seeing infections tick up in older age groups who are more at risk from the virus

The study  also run by health data science company ZOE  said nationally Britons suffering from a cold were more likely to have Covid (blue line) than another respiratory disease (orange line)

Some scientists point to testing data to suggest cases in the capital are yet to peak. They say that while the number of tests done has fallen, meaning fewer cases can be spotted, the postivity rate  the proportion of swabs that spot the virus  is still rising suggesting the outbreak has not yet peaked

The KCL, UKHSA and ONS data are also yet to cover the period after New Year's Eve, when celebrations were allowed to go ahead unimpeded by restrictions  meaning the virus could have spread further.

Covid testing data from the capital shows that the number of PCRs carried out has fallen to about 500,000 a day, but the positivity rate  the proportion that detect the virus  is still heading upwards.

Boris Johnson is holding his nerve and not introducing any new restrictions in England, unlike his counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which has won him praise from Conservative MPs. The Prime Minister said he believes the country can 'ride out' the wave.

But amid a crisis in hospitals  with 24 out of 137 or 17 per cent declaring critical incidents  because so many staff are off sick, there is mounting pressure for self-isolation to be cut to five days following France and the US.

Scientists say the vast majority of transmission happens within the first two days after symptoms appear, but Government experts warn it would be 'counterproductive' to cut quarantine because it could end up sending people back to the workplace when they are still infectious.

Data justifying move to cut self-isolation period to five days was evident last SUMMER Ministers have sat on evidence justifying slashing self-isolation to just five days since last summer, according to critics who have demanded Boris Johnson drops the crippling rules that are paralysing the nation. Rail services and bin collections have ground to a halt with up to 1.3million Britons currently under house arrest, while the workforce crisis has left NHS bosses asking heart attack patients to make their own way to hospital. But the Adam Smith Institute, a neoliberal thinktank, said data published in August last year suggested it was safe to halve the quarantine period, which at the time stood at 10 days. Oxford University research found 98 per cent of transmission occurs within the first five days of symptoms, and prompted experts on the topic to say the isolation period 'could be much shorter'. Virologists said today that they agreed with the findings, with the vast majority of spread happening in the days before and after someone starts feeling ill. And James Lawson, a fellow at the ASI, told MailOnline: 'The research shows we can safely reduce the isolation period. 'Governments say they want to follow the science, yet are ignoring the changes in circumstances and much of the data we've had since last summer.' Advertisement

Nationally, King's College London scientists estimated 208,471 people were catching Covid every day up to January 3 which was an eight per cent rise on 192,290 previously.

They said cases were rising rapidly among the over-75s, which are most vulnerable to the virus, in a warning sign that hospitals could soon face further pressure, but falling among 18 to 35-year-olds who had the highest infection rates when Omicron took hold.

Dr Steves said: 'It's good news that the number of daily new cases has slowed for now. ZOE Covid Study data shows that this slow down is being driven by cases falling in London and in younger age groups.

'However, it's worrying to see cases increasing in the over 75 age group. This is the group we need to protect as they are the most likely to be hospitalised as a result of a Covid infection.'

She added: 'It's too early to know if cases have truly peaked in London, as schools are yet to reopen after the holidays. We've seen school terms driving infection waves throughout the pandemic.

'The health and care systems are already under huge pressure, so we all need to take personal responsibility for limiting the spread of Covid. This could be in the form of regular testing, wearing masks, staying away from busy crowded places, meeting up outside and getting booster vaccines.'

The UKHSA weekly report  which is based on national surveillance data  showed London's Covid cases fell from 1,833.9 to 1,723.8 per 100,000 in the week to January 2.

This was also eight per cent below London's peak over the week to December 19, when the rate was 1,880.9.

It now has the fifth largest outbreak in the country, behind the North West (2,228.9), the North East (1,929.2), Yorkshire and the Humber (1,777.7) and the East Midlands (1,754.4).

Nationally, they said Covid infections were rising in 134 of 149 local authorities in England  or nine in ten.

Covid infections also rose in all age groups, they said.

In another sign that London's Covid outbreak may be slowing down its hospitalisations also appear to be levelling off.

The numbers of patients in Covid wards were rising by up to 15 per cent daily a week ago, but this has now dropped to one to two per cent a day.

There are currently 4,074 Covid patients on wards in the capital's hospitals, which is well below the peak last January when almost 7,800 beds were occupied by patients with the virus.

ONS figures published yesterday  regarded as the most reliable indicator of the UK's outbreak because they use random sampling of 100,000 people  suggested cases were also dropping in London.

Chief ONS analyst Sarah Crofts said: 'There are early signs of a potential slowing of infections in London in the days before New Year's Eve.

'However, it is too early to suggest this is a change in trend overall. The data continues to change rapidly, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.'

Separate data from the Government's dashboard  based on daily centralised testing  shows that while Covid cases are no longer rising in young and middle-aged Londoners, they are going up in over-60s, who are most vulnerable to the virus.

Sir Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance said on Tuesday it was too early to say London's crisis had peaked because hospital pressures were likely to worsen over the coming weeks because of the trajectory.

However, other experts expect the trend in over-60s to follow that of younger adults and begin falling in the next week or so, mirroring the trend in South Africa  the first country in the world to fall victim to the variant, where infections are now in freefall.

The UKHSA's report also showed Covid cases were rising in every age group, and ticking up rapidly among older adults

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures show Covid cases in Omicron hotspot London are now only going up in people aged 60 and above. Graph shows: The case rate per 100,000 in people aged 60 and above (yellow line) and under-60 (red line). Cases have started to drop in under-60s, though the rate still remains above the more vulnerable older age groups

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures show confirmed infections have fallen week-on-week on seven of the eight days leading up to December 30 - the latest date regional data is available for - in people aged 59 or below. Graph shows: The week-on-week rate of growth in average cases in under-60s (red line) and people aged 60 and above (yellow line). Cases are falling in under-60s and the rate of growth is slowing in over-60s

Now 24 NHS trusts declare critical incidents as patient waiting list hits 6MILLION Twenty-four NHS trusts have now declared 'critical incidents' due to staff shortages and rising Covid admissions, it was revealed today  but ministers have downplayed the warnings and insisted it is not unusual for hospitals to face winter crises amid growing hopes that the Omicron outbreak is close to peaking. Grant Shapps announced another four sites hit the panic button overnight, meaning roughly a fifth of England's 137 trusts have signalled they may not be able to deliver critical care in the coming weeks. But the Transport Secretary poured cold water over the alerts, saying: 'It's not entirely unusual for hospitals to go critical over the winter.' He accepted, however, that there are 'very real pressures'. Officials have yet to release the full list of affected trusts, however those which have raised the alarm include NHS sites in Bristol, Plymouth and Blackpool. Health bosses have already been forced to cancel non-urgent operations and have asked heart attack victims to make their own way to hospital. Trusts declaring critical incidents  the highest level of alert  can ask staff on leave or on rest days to return to wards, and enables them to receive help from nearby hospitals. It comes as MPs warned the patient waiting list  which already stands on the brink of 6million in England alone  could double in three years without urgent action to get more doctors and nurses on wards, saying efforts to clear the backlog are being thrown off course by the self-isolation fuelled staffing crisis. Even NHS bosses have called for No10 to look at slashing the quarantine period to five days, like the US. Despite NHS bosses warning of escalating pressures on wards with up to one in 10 medics thought to be off sick, Boris Johnson last night all but ruled out adopting another lockdown and held out the prospect of a return 'closer to normality' within weeks. Advertisement

Professor David Livermore, a medical microbiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that infection numbers are 'bumpy' over the festive period because of reporting delays and fewer testes being carried out.

He said: 'Nonetheless, the rate is the under-60s does look to have peaked and be falling convincingly.

'This pattern of a short sharp peak is what you would expect from Omicron's increased transmissibility [and] it also tallies with South African experience.'

Growth rates already suggest that the infection rate in older people is slowing down. Professor Livermore added: 'I would expect a similar peak and drop off, within a week or thereabouts, among the over 60s.'

Overall, cases in London fell 10 per cent from 27,820 on December 23 to 25,038, the latest date official statistics are available for.

Government data showed the number of positive tests had dropped in the run up to Christmas, with a slight blip in the days immediately following festivities, before the trend resumed.

And MailOnline on Tuesday revealed cases were now falling in two-thirds of London's neighbourhoods.

It prompted 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson  an influential No10 adviser whose grim death projections spooked ministers into adopting draconian restrictions back in spring 2020  to say he is 'cautiously optimistic' that the capital's cases were plateauing, and could fall nationally within as little as a week.

But the raw case numbers are unreliable because fewer tests are being carried out and the positivity rate shows no signs of slowing down yet.

However, separate figures show hospitalisation rates are already falling in London.

Ministers are believed to be watching admissions in the capital closely, with 400-a-day thought to be a tipping point that requires nationwide intervention, given that London has acted as the canary in the coalmine for the UK's Omicron crisis.

Latest data shows daily hospital admissions are falling in the capital, dipping 7.22 per cent from 374 on December 26 to 347 on January 2, the latest date data is available for. They were only above 400 for four days.

Boris Johnson last night all but ruled out adopting another lockdown and held out the prospect of a return 'closer to normality' within weeks.

The Prime Minister has held his nerve in the face of demands to introduce tougher restrictions to thwart Omicron, unlike his counterparts in Scotland and Wales, and imposed no new curbs over the holidays, winning him praise from Tory MPs.

But 24 NHS trusts have now declared 'critical incidents' due to staff shortages and rising Covid admissions, it was revealed today.

Grant Shapps announced another four sites hit the panic button overnight, meaning roughly a fifth of England's 137 trusts have signalled they may not be able to deliver critical care in the coming weeks.

But the Transport Secretary poured cold water over the alerts, saying: 'It's not entirely unusual for hospitals to go critical over the winter.' He accepted, however, that there are 'very real pressures'.

Officials have yet to release the full list of affected trusts, however those which have raised the alarm include NHS sites in Bristol, Plymouth and Blackpool. Health bosses have already been forced to cancel non-urgent operations and have asked heart attack victims to make their own way to hospital.

Trusts declaring critical incidents  the highest level of alert  can ask staff on leave or on rest days to return to wards, and enables them to receive help from nearby hospitals.
The rogue juror in Ghislaine Maxwell's trial incorrectly told the court he was not a sexual assault victim, it has been claimed.

The 60-year-old socialite is hoping for a retrial in her sex trafficking case after juror Scotty David revealed he told the jury about his own abuse as a child during deliberations, potentially affecting the verdict.

He first told DailyMail.com that he had not revealed his history during jury selection because it had not been asked on the questionnaire.

When it was pointed out that question 48 of the 50 asked exactly that question, he then claimed that he did not remember it but had answered all questions 'honestly.'

Now a source said to have knowledge of the case has told The Telegraph that Scotty answered 'no' to the question of whether he had ever been a victim of sexual assault.

The source said: 'He did not fill the questionnaire out correctly, then there were several questions that should have picked up same subject (by Judge Alison Nathan).'

If it is confirmed, the revelation would be the latest blow to the prosecution as the defense team pushes for mistrial with the conviction thrown into chaos.

Scotty David, the rogue juror in Ghislaine Maxwell's trial, incorrectly told the court he was not a sexual assault victim, it has been claimed

The jailed socialite is hoping for a retrial in her sex trafficking case after the juror revealed he told the jury about his own abuse as a child

The questions Maxwell jurors were asked about sex abuse during selection Have you or a family member ever supported, lobbied, petitioned, protested, or worked in any other manner for or against any laws, regulations, or organizations relating to sex trafficking, sex crimes against minors, sex abuse, or sexual harassment?

Witnesses in this case may testify claiming sexual abuse or sexual assault. Would you have any difficulty assessing the credibility of a witness claiming sexual assault or abuse just like you would any other witness?

Have you or a friend or family member ever been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or sexual assault? (This includes actual or attempted sexual assault or other unwanted sexual advance, including by a stranger, acquaintance, supervisor, teacher, or family member.)

Have you or a friend or family member ever been accused of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or sexual assault? (This includes both formal accusations in a court of law or informal accusations in a social or work setting of actual or attempted sexual assault or other unwanted sexual advance, including by a stranger, acquaintance, supervisor, teacher, or family member.) Advertisement

The judge told the New York court during jury selection that 'if a juror is going to lie and be dishonest, we will smoke that out'.

Legal experts said that if David failed to disclose his past experiences before the jury deliberations, Maxwell could have grounds to claim a mistrial and have her convictions quashed.

The juror has now hired lawyer Todd Spodek, who represented 'fake heiress' Anna Sorokin, as Maxwell fights to have the conviction thrown out and have a mistrial.

He rejected prosecutors' offer to appoint counsel for him when they called for a court investigation in an apparent attempt to get ahead of events branded 'a disaster' by legal experts.

Maxwell's defense team has wasted no time rejecting a prolonged investigation and calling for a mistrial.

David was the first of two jurors who have revealed their stories of sexual abuse and the role that sharing it played in deliberations.

He also revealed that a second juror had shared their own story of sexual abuse, a claim later verified by the juror who wished to remain anonymous.

US State Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams called for the court to, conduct an inquiry, in a letter filed in Federal Court Wednesday morning claiming that public statements made by the juror, merit attention by the Court.

The letter stated, In particular, the juror has described being a victim of sexual abuse. Assuming the accuracy of the reporting, the juror asserted that he flew through the prospective juror questionnaire and does not recall being asked whether he had been a victim of sexual abuse, but stated that he would have answered honestly.

The letter signed off by all four prosecutors asked for a hearing to be scheduled within the month.

But Maxwell's lawyers have insisted that no investigation is necessary, calling instead for a new trial and claiming that the statements that both jurors have now made publicly across multiple news outlets are 'incontrovertible grounds' for a mistrial.

Judge Alison Nathan has stated that she will hear briefings from all parties as the high-profile prosecution hovers on the brink of implosion. A date is yet to be determined.

The juror has now hired lawyer Todd Spodek (pictured), who represented 'fake heiress' Anna Sorokin, as Maxwell fights to have the conviction thrown out and have a mistrial

Scotty's admission has thrown Maxwell's conviction into chaos as her defense team is calling for a new trial

FREE AT LAST? GETTING BAIL FOR MAXWELL IS POSSIBLE With the declaration of a mistrial the clock would effectively be wound back to one day before this trial started. Because Maxwell was not out on bail, she would not automatically walk free, but one legal expert told DailyMail.com that it was inconceivable that her attorneys would not swiftly attempt to renew their bid for bail. Because a mistrial under these circumstances would not have been declared for substantive reasons  there was no evidence admitted that should not have been, nor evidence withheld by the government, for example  there is nothing in the proceedings that would change her lawyers previously unsuccessful bond arguments. However, the situation itself would hand Maxwells lawyers a new and potentially persuasive reason to press for bail. According to one expert, You have a constitutional right to a speedy trial and her lawyers could now argue that because of all this she essentially has not got that. The prosecution would absolutely be brought in again because the mistrial would not have been called for a substantive reason, but for what was basically a screw up. That means they will have to go through the whole process again. If I were her lawyer, I would certainly be making the argument that it is inhumane to make her sit in jail through all that, after all this time, and all over again. The judge just might be sympathetic to that. Advertisement

Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Insider that David and the second jurors' decision to speak out was, 'absolutely the last thing you want when you get a guilty verdict. It's an absolute disaster.'

Maxwell was convicted on five out of six counts of sexual trafficking in a verdict that came at the end of the fifth day of deliberations and proceedings that lasted four weeks.

If the convictions stand, the 60-year-old ex-socialite faces up to 65 years in prison.

But now, according to Rahmani, 'This entire conviction may get tossed and we may have to retry the case.'

The admission by the jurors pose two potential issues  an investigation into perjury, or lying under oath and prejudice, or a preconceived opinion that may have improperly swayed the jury.

According to Maxwell's lawyers it makes no difference whether either or both jurors deliberately or simply mistakenly failed to correctly answer the juror questionnaire when asked, 'Have you or a friend or family member ever been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or sexual assault? (This includes actual or attempted sexual assault or other unwanted sexual advance, including by a stranger, acquaintance, supervisor, teacher, or family member).'

There were three boxes to tick by way of answer: Yes (self), Yes (friend or family member) and No.

Questioned by DailyMail.com David could remember only a question relating to friends or family members and colored up when pressed about any answer relating to his own sexual history.

According to former Federal Prosecutor David S Weinstein, now a partner in Miami based law firm Jones Walker, all jurors may now be interviewed and specifically the two jurors who have shared their stories publicly.

He said that the admissions would not necessarily be considered automatic grounds for a mistrial but that it would, at the very least, be 'an arrow in the quiver' for Maxwell's appeal.

He said, 'There's going to be a record of whether or not he was asked that question, what his answer was, whether there were any follow up questions. Maxwell's lawyer will have this questionnaire and they will go back to it.'

DailyMail.com has already established that David's answer on the questionnaire did not elicit any follow up questions at the interview or 'voir dire' stage of jury selection.

David told DailyMail.com, 'It was never raised. We went in front of the judge and there were all the lawyers in the room and that's where they asked me some questions. They asked me what I do, what I like to do for fun and if I can be fair and impartial. It was literally like 30 seconds long and then I was out of the room.'

Conversely when he shared his story in the jury room on day three of deliberations, he recalled 'the room went silent.'

According to David his own sharing led a second juror to share their story. His experience, he said, allowed him to better understand the victims who testified and parlay that into a better understanding in jurors who were not convinced of the victims' credibility.

The US Attorney General has requested an investigation into Scotty David's public admission that he 'flew through' the juror questionnaire and 'could not remember' revealing that he had been a victim of sexual abuse

Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell say they have 'incontrovertible' grounds for a mistrial after a juror openly admitted that he was a survivor of sexual abuse and had discussed it during deliberations

Weinstein said, 'Was this something that was done intentionally to hide the fact that was what he was? If he says I didn't do it intentionally maybe he say I got this big questionnaire and ticked these boxes. I made a mistake. I didn't come in wanting to be on the jury.'

David told DailyMail.com that he was 'quite excited' to be selected for jury duty and that when he discovered that he had been called for selection for the Maxwell trial he was, 'shocked.'

He said, 'I thought this is incredible. If I get selected for this that would be an honor.'

He added, 'I honestly didn't know much about her or Jeffery Epstein going into it. I didn't know who Jeffery Epstein was until he died.'

During the trial Scotty, who works in finance, was seated in the third row of the jury box, in the back corner. From his vantage point, he said, he had a vista of the entire court and the 'perfect view' of Maxwell herself

If Maxwell's lawyer were aware of David and the second juror's history and failed to pick up on it, or to consider its possible implications, Weinstein pointed out, 'that's on them.'

He said, 'Being a victim of sexual abuse doesn't disqualify you from being a jurorEven if it did influence the way the jury voted, they're not asking people to put aside they're life experience during deliberations.

'They're asking them to use that to determine proof beyond reasonable doubt and apply it to the facts.'

But while Weinstein took the view that the revelations did not automatically mean the tossing of Maxwell's verdict or a retrial he admitted, 'This is certainly another arrow in the quiver of the defense team. It's a bit of a bombshell.'
Thousands of women may not have got their Covid vaccine because they fear it will interact with their Botox, experts say.

Some cosmetic clinics already urge anyone interested in getting Botox or dermal fillers to wait until four weeks after their jab.

The warnings are based on a few cases in the US of people who recently underwent Botox or dermal filler treatment suffering redness, swelling, and hard lumps after getting an mRNA Covid jab.

These type of vaccines are made by jab suppliers like Pfizer and Moderna which are supplying doses for the UK's booster programme.

These type of interactions with cosmetic injections are not unique to vaccines, and can also occur with viral illnesses, insect bites and allergies.

However, experts argue the perception of the risk, estimated to occur one in 5,000 cases, could be putting some women off getting a Covid booster.

Roughly one in three women under age of 35 have yet to get a Covid booster and some fear that hesitancy over interactions between vaccines and Botox and fillers may be playing a role

While extremely rare there have been some reports of Covid vaccines causing a reaction characterised by swelling, redness and hard lumps in people who recently had or subsequently had a Botox or filler injection (stock image)

What's the science behind the reaction between Botox and dermal fillers and the Covid jab? Why does the reaction happen? Covid jabs produce an immune response designed to protect you from an infection of the virus, part of that is flooding the system with new antibodies. Where this interacts with cosmetic treatments is that 'foreign bodies' in the body such as Botox and dermal fillers can be flagged as a potential threat prompting the immune system to attack. This generally manifests as suffering from sore skin, swelling, and hard lumps at the site of the treatment. Is this unique to the Covid vaccines? No. This type of reaction is well known to cosmetic treatment providers and can be trigged by anything that prompts a similar immune response. There are numerous potential triggers scenarios but some examples include: a viral infection itself (such as Covid)

a bacterial infection (such as an ear infection)

dental procedures

insect bites

some vaccinations (including some flu jabs) There is no evidence that Covid jabs have any more chance of causing a reaction compared to other triggers. How common is this? Current data suggests it is extremely rare but since so few cases have occurred it is hard to gauge. One study which looked at 15,184 people found only three cases. Is it dangerous? No. Such reactions usually clear up on their own but if it lasts more than few days people should seek medical advice. People are usually prescribed a course of oral steroids to help clear it up. Other medication can also be given if the problem persists. What are experts recommending? A cooling off period where people do not have Botox or dermal filler injections for up to three to four weeks prior to, or after, getting a Covid jab. You should chat with your provider about your vaccination history and also if you have had a Covid infection before any treatment. If you develop any reactions following your treatment, you should contact your healthcare practitioner at the earliest opportunity. Advertisement

Fewer than half of women in their 30s in England are fully vaccinated against Covid, according to the latest data from NHS England, and this figure drops to just a third for women in their 20s.

But they still have high uptake levels than men of a similar age, data shows.

This trend has been partially attributed to women being more likely to be employed in sectors such as health care which have been prioritised for vaccination and more likely to be proactive about their health in general.

Women in their 20s and 30s are a key target demographic for what is known as preventative Botox or filler treatments designed to delay the onset of wrinkles, or make certain features like their lips look bigger.

Currently, the NHS and UK Governments do not provide any information about the Botox and fillers interacting with Covid jabs.

Professor John Drury, an expert in social psychology from the University of Sussex, told MailOnline officials should address the Botox fears to ensure people are not left with doubts over the jab.

'All the research shows that trust is the main predictor of vaccine uptake,' he said.

'It is important that all fears are addressed, which means listening to people to find out what their fears are.'

With trust such a key issue in the jab rollout, Professor Drury added that the Government should act to address this concern directly to avoid young women being scared off getting the jab.

'If the source of the fears is trusted, it could ward people off getting the vaccine,' he said.

'My concern is that for some young people these sources may be trusted more than the government.'

Dr Maximilian Kiener, an expert in vaccine ethics at Oxford University, also told MailOnline he was concerned that people could be put off Covid jabs by this perceived risk.

'Various fears about vaccine-related side effect have already stopped people from getting a vaccine,' he said.

'So, it is likely that this fear will have an effect too.'

Dr Kiener said it was critical that health workers and authorities treat the Botox and vaccine question seriously as people who are concerned about in order to honestly engage with them.

'Physicians need to be sensitive to the fears and concerns of any individual patient,' he said.

'When they obtain a patient's consent, e.g. to vaccination, they need to take into account not only what the average person would consider relevant, but also what the individual patient considers relevant.

'We shouldn't restrict our focus only to what most people think is a reasonable or unreasonable concern but also be open to other views and honestly address each other's perspectives.

'In so doing, we are more likely to convince some people that their fears are unfounded and that they should get the jab as well as more likely to remind us that individual concerns deserve respect.'

He added that people should be encouraged to speak to health professionals about any concerns they have about a interactions between cosmetic injections and Covid jabs.

Travel could be harder for Brits who don't get Covid booster jab under plans to strip double-jabbed people of their fully vaccinated status People who fail to get a booster jab could face new travel restrictions from next month under plans to increase uptake. Boris Johnson yesterday ruled out following Italy, Austria and other European countries in making vaccinations compulsory. But officials are drawing up plans to strip double-jabbed people of their fully vaccinated status without the booster shot, leaving them facing tough quarantine and testing rules for foreign travel. Most travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated ended this week, including dropping the need for quarantine and pre-departure tests. Ministers are concerned by a fall in demand for boosters which threatens to leave hundreds of thousands of slots unfilled. Mr Johnson yesterday urged people to ignore the complete mumbo jumbo peddled by anti-vaxxers on social media. Advertisement

'I suggest that, in addition to making information publicly available, we also encourage people to talk to their GPs or members of a medical team so that they do not need to rely solely on potentially misleading online information,' he said.

As of the January 2, just over 2million women aged between 18-and-34-years of age in England were fully vaccinated.

This represents about one in three of the population of women aged between 18-and-29 years of age, and 44 per cent of women in their early 30s.

In comparison 5million women aged between 18-and-34-years-of-age got their first Covid jab.

Proportionally, women are more likely to get a Covid booster than men in all age demographics below 55-years-of-age.

Covid boosters have been rolled out based on age meaning older more members of older demographics have had their opportunity to get a booster with some younger people having only got their second Covid jab within the last three months.

The Aesthetic Complications Expert World Group (ACE) released guidelines earlier this year about reactions caused by the vaccine in patients with pre-existing filler, saying that while reported cases are low, this issue is 'a cause of concern to all aesthetic practitioners'.

The guidelines state: 'Delayed Onset Reactions can occur weeks, months or even years after receiving a soft tissue filler treatment when the immune system is challenged.

'Potential triggers include viral illnesses bacterial infections (most commonly sinus, ear, or dental infections), dental procedures, excessive UV exposure, subsequent minimally invasive aesthetic treatments, and vaccinations.'

ACE advises people to avoid having filler procedures within two weeks of your planned vaccination or within three weeks of having received it.
An Insulate Britain eco zealot who was freed from jail after just a month and a half has said prison emboldened him to carry on roadblocking protests.

Louis McKechnie, 21, was handed a three-month sentence on November 17 last year for breaching an injunction designed to prevent the group's M25 blockades.

The engineering student, who was locked up alongside nine other activists, was released on probation halfway through his jail term on New Year's Eve.

He now says his experience at HMP Thameside has encouraged him to 'take any future action regardless of if prison is a consequence.'

McKechnie added: 'If we're able to save these 8,000 to 30,000 every year that are lost to fuel poverty then I would spend the rest of my life in prison for that.'

The protester, who had been given a month off his sentence due to his youth, claims to have received a hero's welcome in jail, saying prisoners told him they 'supported what we were doing and they'd make sure our time in prison was okay'.

But the former chief constable of Cumbria Police, Dr Stuart Hyde, said McKechnie's comments provide a 'rather rose-tinted view'.

He warned the protester that he should 'look forward to another sentence if hes going to carry on this activity.'

Louis McKechnie (pictured far right), 21, was handed a three-month sentence on November 17 last year for breaching an injunction designed to prevent the group's M25 blockades

The group's demonstrations had seen them glue themselves to the road before being removed by police. Pictured: the protesters blocking an M25 junction on September 13 last year

Speaking on his time in jail, McKechnie told LBC: 'I had no problems. I was so surprised - before going to prison I was terrified, but at this point I would be willing to risk prison if the stakes were high enough.

'My experience of prison has emboldened me to take any future action regardless of if prison is a consequence.'

He added: 'The first prisoners on the wing we saw said to us they'd heard what we were in for, they supported what we were doing and they'd make sure our time in prison was okay.

'It really put me at ease because I was quite nervous about the reaction from the other prisoners until that point.'

On whether all the activists remained together in prison, he said: 'At the start, but they split us up quickly. I'm not really sure why.

'We were split up a lot faster than prisoners usually are. I don't know if there was pressure on the prison to do so.'

Reacting to the protester's comments, ex-chief constable Dr Hyde said: 'The consequences of having a conviction will impact on their later lives.

'But the other aspect of this that I would also point out to people like Louis is you've made it a lot easier for people, particularly the police, to identify you in the future.

'They will have your photograph, your fingerprints, your DNA, and with the amount of publicity that you're getting it really does make the police's job much, much easier to be able to convict people like Louis in the future.

'So he should look forward to another sentence if he's going to carry on this activity.'

McKechnie (pictured above) says his experience at HMP Thameside has encouraged him to 'take any future action regardless of if prison is a consequence'

He told LBC host Rachael Venables (above): 'If we're able to save these 8,000 to 30,000 every year that are lost to fuel poverty then I would spend the rest of my life in prison for that'

How Insulate Britain made a mockery of the law over two months September 13 - 78 Insulate Britain protesters arrested after blocking junctions 3, 6, 14, 20 and 31 of the M25 September 15 - More than 50 protesters arrested after targeting junctions 1, 8, 9 and 23 of the M25 September 17 - 48 protesters arrested after targeting junctions 3, 9 and 28 of the M25, as well as the M3 September 20 - 29 protesters are arrested after blocking the M25 at junctions 4 and 18, as well as the A1 September 21 - Protesters risk death by running into moving traffic to block the carriageway near Junction 10. Some 38 arrests are made. National Highways obtains an injunction against further protests on the M25 September 22 - Protesters burn copies of the injunction outside the Home Office, blocking the road outside the ministry. No arrests are made September 24 - 39 protesters arrested after blocking roads at three locations in Dover. They are all released under investigation. National Highways obtains a second injunction covering Dover. September 27 - 53 protesters are arrested for blocking a slip road at Junction 14 of the M25. They are all released under investigation. September 28 - National Highways says it is taking 'legal advice' over how to enforce its injunction September 29 - 27 protesters are arrested for blocking a roundabout at Junction 3 of the M25 on two occasions September 30 - Protesters return to junction 30 at Thurrock in Essex, and nine are arrested October 1: The group block the M4 at junction 3, the M1 at junction 1 and M25 at junction 25. Some 39 arrests October 2: Third injunction bans them from obstructing traffic and access to motorways and major A roads in and around London October 4: 38 arrests after protesters block three major roads in London - the Blackwall Tunnel, Wandsworth Bridge and A40 and North Circular at Hanger Lane. October 8: 19 arrested over protest at Old Street roundabout and a further 16 on the M25 at junction 24. Transport for London gets a High Court injunction to ban them from obstructing traffic in 14 locations in London. October 13: Protesters return to the M25 at junction 31 and a nearby industrial estate, with 35 people arrested. October 25: Activists target areas around Southwark Bridge, Canary Wharf and Liverpool Street station. Some 53 are arrested. October 27: Protesters blockade the A40 in North Acton, West London, and a major roundabout next to the Dartford Crossing in Kent. Kent Police arrested 32 protesters, while the Metropolitan Police detained 17. October 29: 10 activists are arrested after walking onto the M25 between junctions 28 and 29 in Essex November 2: Police arrest 20 activists before they can even get onto the M25 at junction 23 for South Mimms, but other actions take place on the M56 in Manchester, with 11 arrests, and the A4400 in Birmingham November 4: Some 62 protesters sit down at Parliament Square in Westminster November 17: Nine of the protesters are jailed at the High Court for between three and six months Advertisement

McKechnie and fellow activist Ana Heyatawin were both jailed for three months, while Ben Buse, Roman Paluch-Machnik, Oliver Rock, Emma Smart, Tim Speers and James Thomas received four-month sentences.

Ben Taylor was given a longer sentence of six months after boasting he would immediately block the motorway again if not jailed.

Dame Victoria and Mr Justice Chamberlain ordered each of the activists to pay 5,000 towards National Highways legal costs, making a total of 45,000.

McKechnie previously said his only income was his student loan, which all went on living expenses, so he would struggle to pay his share of the bill in paying the government's legal costs.

The group and its supporters chanted 'we are unstoppable, another world is possible' as they were led to the cells through the dock by security officers.

Insulate Britain embarked on a two-month campaign which saw them glue themselves to the road throughout the end of 2021 before protestors were finally arrested and charged.

The campaigners' demonstrations had seen them glue themselves to the road before being removed by police.

McKechnie's latest comments follow Priti Patel using her New Year message to promise a fresh crackdown on the eco-mob.

In a video message shared across social media, the Home Secretary praised the Goverment's achievements across 2021, such as its hiring of new police officers and publishing an anti-violence strategy to help women and girls.

But she insisted there was still 'much more to do' in 2022, pointing to tougher measures for eco-protesters who wreaked havoc on Britain's roads last year and 'caused misery to the law-abiding public'.

Looking ahead to the new year, Ms Patel said it was 'vital' the Government's Police and Crime Bill passed through Parliament.

She said: 'The Bill will introduce mandatory life sentences for those who kill an emergency worker in the course of their duty and also crack down on the so-called eco-protesters on our roads and motorways that have caused misery to the law-abiding public.'

After the sentencing in November, a statement from the nine activists jailed was read by an Insulate Britain supporter outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

It read: 'Over the last nine weeks, 174 ordinary people have held the Government to account, asking that they deliver on their most basic of duties, to protect the British people, the economy and all we hold dear in our society.

'Your Government has now chosen to act. It has chosen to imprison us for this demand.

'By imprisoning us, the Government shows its cowardice. They would rather lock up pensioners than insulate their homes.

'They would rather lock up teachers than create thousands of proper jobs.

'They would rather lock up young people than take practical steps to reduce emissions.

'They will lock us up and leave thousands to die of cold this winter.

'We knew we would face prison when we took this action, but we could not stand by while the Government betrays the general public.'

Duncan Smith, executive director of operations at National Highways, said at the time: 'Safety is our top priority and we welcome this outcome.

'We respect people's right to protest but do not condone the actions of anyone who puts their lives, and the lives of road users, at risk.

'The judge's decision will hopefully make people think again about carrying out reckless and dangerous protests such as these and endangering people's lives.

'The injunctions remain in place and we stand ready to do what is necessary to limit the impact of any protests on the strategic road network, and to keep drivers safe and on the move.'

Insulate Britain activist Tracey Mallaghan speaking to reporters outside the High Court last November following the group's sentencing




U.S. director Peter Bogdanovich poses during a photo-call for the movie "99 Homes" presented in competition at the 71st Venice Film Festival at the Lido, in this Aug. 29, 2014 file photo. AFP-Yonhap





Peter Bogdanovich, the revered director of touchstone films of the 1970s such as "The Last Picture Show," "What's Up, Doc?" and "Paper Moon," died Thursday of natural causes at his Los Angeles home. He was 82.







The two-time Oscar nominee's death was relayed by his daughter Antonia Bogdanovich to the Hollywood Reporter. The Los Angeles Times has reached out to her representatives for confirmation.







"Movies used to be something powerful," Bogdanovich told the L.A. Times, in 2015. "It's been a bit ruined now. I don't know if we can get it back  I think we can. But it's lost its innocence. The interesting stuff has moved to TV, and movies have become more like, 'What can I blow up next?' There's a terrible cancer at the heart of that."







"The Last Picture Show" earned two 1972 Oscar nods for Bogdanovich, for best picture and writing of a screenplay based on another medium, which he shared with author Larry McMurtry. It also earned two trophies, best actor and actress, for Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman, plus another four nominations.







Born in New York on July 30, 1939, Bogdanovich grew up in the 1940s as the son of immigrant parents from Austria and Serbia. Throughout his childhood, he would see up to 400 movies a year, studiously recording his opinions of each one on a note card.







He began his career programming films for the Museum of Modern Art and writing about movies for Esquire before moving to Los Angeles in the late 1960s and breaking into the business.







After rocketing to fame in the '70s with "The Last Picture Show," "What's Up, Doc?" and "Paper Moon"  all of which were steeped in an adoration for Hollywood's past  Bogdanovich saw his career plummet later that decade after a string of bruising flops. He was eventually forced to declare bankruptcy and move out of his Bel-Air estate.







He suffered personal tragedy when his then lover, Playboy playmate-turned-actress Dorothy Stratten, was killed by her estranged husband in 1980, then faced public scandal when he later married her younger sister, Louise.







"It's been a very up-and-down kind of existence," Bogdanovich told the L.A. Times in 2015.







The director was working in that capacity well into his 70s, releasing "She's Funny That Way" in 2014  he started writing the project with Louise Stratten in 2000, when their marriage was winding down  and appearing in several other projects as an actor.







Bogdanovich is survived by two daughters, Sashy and Antonia, from his first marriage to the late production designer and producer Polly Platt. (dpa)


McDonald's has run out of Hash Browns in Taiwan and limits fries to small-size one for a second time in Japan doe to global supply chain havoc.

The fast food company in Taiwan said it was running out of hash browns imported from the United States and would have to suspend sales due to 'unstable global shipping supply'

McDonald's put up signs in some storefronts announcing the suspensions while the item is listed as 'temporarily unavailable' on its menus.

'There is a shortage of hash browns in McDonald's restaurants and sales will be temporarily suspended after they are sold out,' a statement posted on the company's website said.

'We thank customers for their support and we are sorry for the inconvenience,' it added.

Supply chain shortages have rippled across the globe during the coronavirus pandemic affecting everything from building materials, wood and food to books, microchips and electronics.

McDonald's Taiwan said Friday some of its stores were running out of hash browns (pictured) imported from the United States and would have to suspend sales due to 'unstable global shipping supply'

Pictured: A McDonald's outlet in Taipei (file photo, 2016). McDonald's put up signs in some storefronts announcing the suspensions of hash browns while the item is listed as 'temporarily unavailable' on its menus

McDonald's Taiwan said it aims to resume selling hash browns in the second half of this month after restocking, and added that sales of French fries are 'normal'.

Meanwhile, Japanese customers will have to settle for a small serving of McDonald's fries for the next month or so after the fast-food chain said it was limiting portions due to shipping problems.

McDonald's Holdings Company Japan said in a statement on Friday that the impact of flood damage on the port of Vancouver and other disruptions since last year would delay an expected shipment of potatoes from North America.

McDonald's said that from Sunday it would sell only S-sized fries for about a month 'to make sure we have plenty of inventory and our customers can enjoy McDonald's fries without interruption.'

The fast-food chain took the same step for a week at the end of December at its roughly 2,900 branches in Japan.

Japan represents one of McDonald's largest consumer markets outside of the US anywhere in the world.

This isn't the first time that McDonald's have been affected by global supply chain issues.

In October, McDonald's restaurants in the UK were plagued by a shortage of its popular Chicken Legend burger - resulting in stores removing it from their menus.

McDonald's initially said supply chain woes were 'impacting the availability' of the Chicken Legend and that it was working hard to return the item as soon as possible.

Customers using mobile phones, are seen through the windows of a McDonald's store in Tokyo, Japan July 22, 2016. Japanese McDonald's are experiencing a shortage of fries

In a later statement to Mail Online it said the item should still be available inside restaurant chains, just not for delivery orders.

While in August, restaurants were also hit by a shortage of milkshakes as supply chain issues took hold.

Since September, countries around the world, including Japan, the UK, the US and Canada - where the potatoes are imported from - have been battling snarled supply chains.

Ships have spent days off the coasts of the world's major ports, unable to unload their cargo due to a shortage of delivery drivers and technical staff.

Container ships have plied their routes with their vessels only partially loaded, due to logistical issues in ports and warehouses.

The crisis has led to fears that stores and restaurants would not have enough supplies for the holidays.

An employee cooks French fries at a McDonald's restaurant in Moscow, Russia April 24, 2018

The potato shortage came amid a busy period for fast food restaurants in Japan - which traditionally sees rival KFC dominate the festive market.

For 51 years, many families in Japan have turned to KFC as their meal on Christmas Day.

The manager of the country's first-ever KFC store initially marketed 'party barrels' as an alternative to roast turkey on Christmas day.

The campaign proved so successful that it was eventually launched nationwide in Japan and has since become a tradition for many families.

In 2019, it was estimated that Christmas sales of KFC represented around five per cent of the company's total annual revenue in Japan.

And in a bid to dethrone KFC as the festive fast-food favourites, McDonald's has launched a campaign pushing chicken nuggets as an alternative to turkey.
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Incredible footage has emerged of a private jet roaring through a narrow pass in California's so-called Star Wars Canyon.

Aviation photographer Christopher McGreevy captured the breathtaking flight of a Dassault Falcon 8X private jet thundering through the canyon that crosses Riverside and San Diego County in Death Valley National Park.

It is unclear who was flying the jet through the valley, which is made from walls of red, grey and pink rock which look similar to the fictional Star Wars planet Tatooine - Luke Skywalker's home planet.

In the first Star Wars film, A New Hope, Luke Skywalker is in an X-wing fighter and has to destroy the Death Star by flying through an incredibly narrow passage and uses 'the force' to navigate his aircraft.

The daring flight earlier this week is believed to have been part of a promotional video for the aircraft but this has yet to be confirmed by Dassault.

Military aircraft were banned from flying through the canyon lower than 1,500 ft after an F/A-18 Super Hornet slammed into the canyon wall in 2019, killing its pilot Charles Walker, 33 and injuring seven onlookers.

In the past, jets have been known to zip through the gorge at 200 to 300mph, flying as low as 200 ft from the canyon floor. But the canyon's walls are so steep, the aircraft are still able to fly below the rim.

Aviation photographer Christopher McGreevy captured the breathtaking flight of a Dassault Falcon 8X private jet through the small valley that crosses Riverside and San Diego County

An onlooker takes pictures and films the flight of the Dassault Falcon 8X as it makes its journey through the canyon

Onlookers take pictures and film footage of the private jet flying through the large canyon in Death Valley National Park

Military aircraft were banned from flying through the canyon lower than 1,500 feet since 2019 when an F/A-18 Super Hornet slammed into the canyon wall, killing its pilot Charles Walker, 33 and injuring seven onlookers

Mr McGreevy said he believed the private jet was being flown to film a promotional video for the aircraft

But it is common to see military planes completing training exercises just above the Death Valley canyon.

And it appears that civilian flights are still permitted.

Mr McGreevy said he believed the private jet was being flown to film a promotional video for the aircraft.

The jet was being shadowed by another aircraft, thought to be a CineJet, which are used to film Hollywood flight scenes.

The Dassault Falcon 8X, which costs around $60million, is 80 feet long and can hold up to 19 passengers. It can reach a top cruising speed of 500mph. There are just 71 models in the world

The canyon is officially called Rainbow Canyon and is in Death Valley National Park, about 160 miles north of Los Angeles

The canyon is officially called Rainbow Canyon and is in Death Valley National Park, about 160 miles north of Los Angeles.

Mr McGreevy told The Drive: 'It was easily 20 passes in two sessions, in the AM and PM. I was told it's going to be a promo video for the new jet.

'They flew the crew's families out on it and they were on top of the hill watching. The kids and wives of the pilots were there. The jet flew into Inyokern Airport near China Lake from New Jersey.'

The Dassault Falcon 8X, which costs around $60million, is 80 feet long and can hold up to 19 passengers. It can reach a top cruising speed of 500mph. There are just 71 models in the world.

Fighter jets zipping through narrow Star Wars Canyon in 2017. The U.S. military uses an area of California's Death Valley National Park nicknamed Star Wars Canyon as a training site for fighter jet pilots

Lt. Cmdr. Ian "Elf" Kibler of the VX-9 Vampire squadron from Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, banks his F/A-18E Super Hornet through the nicknamed Star Wars Canyon in Death Valley National Park in 2017
Sub-Lieutenant John Duppa-Miller, of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

The bravery medals of a Blitz bomb disposal hero who saved a large chunk of London's rail network are being sold by his family for 50,000.

Sub-Lieutenant John Duppa-Miller laid in a pool of water with his face just six inches from the fuse of a German mine, which had landed in a viaduct outside London Bridge station on the night of December 8, 1940.

On two occasions the device started ticking and he ran for his life, knowing it could explode at any moment, but on both occasions it stopped before detonation.

S/Lt Miller, of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who was aged 37 at the time, then came back for a third attempt after a calming cup of tea and managed to deactivate it.

The viaduct carried lines to Cannon Street, Charing Cross and London Bridge, and the blast would have wiped out the electrically operated signal box.

Had the device gone off, he would surely have been killed and that part of London's rail infrastructure would have been critically damaged.

S/Lt Miller was awarded the George Cross and received the King's Commendation for Brave Conduct for his 'strongest nerve and nearly superhuman devotion to duty'.

His medals are going under the hammer with London-based auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb on January 26.

S/Lt Miller was born in Birmingham in 1903 and worked in local government education before World War Two, then volunteering to become a bomb diffuser as the conflict broke out.

He lived in Ethiopia and Kenya post-war, working on education and marketing boards in both countries, before going on to spend his retirement in South Africa. He died in 1994, aged 91.

Pictured: John Duppa-Miller (right) with a large bomb. S/Lt Miller had disarmed dozens of bombs during World War Two single-handedly, including one lodged in a warehouse

Pictured: The Thames Estuary during the first mass air raid on London, Tower Bridge stands out against a background of smoke and fire, 7th September, 1940

Left to right: George Cross, Defence medal, War medal, Coronation 1953 medal and Jubilee 1977 medal

S/Lt Miller had disarmed dozens of bombs during World War Two single-handedly, including one lodged in a warehouse.

On another occasion, he and his comrade Able Seaman George Tuckwell tackled a highly sensitive magnetic mine lodged in Barking Creek.

At low tide, the device popped out of the mud so they rowed towards it in a canoe boat, before wading through filth in a sewer to reach it.

The pair initially tried to drag the bomb on to the quay but the rope broke, so they had another go, lifting it by crane and then disabling it.

He later said of the operation: 'We pulled the rope over to the mine, made it fast round one end of the carcase, signalled the crane, and the huge cylinder was dragged slowly over the mud to the foot of the wharf.

'Tuckwell and I, the mine and the canoe all came out of the creek together on the end of the cable, and the final stages of the work were completed, in rain, but nevertheless in comparative comfort.'

Christopher Mellor-Hill, head of client liaison at Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'We are honoured to be asked to find a new home by the family for this outstanding George Cross.

Sub-Lieutenant John Duppa-Miller, 37, laid in a pool of water with his face just six inches from the fuse of a German mine, which had landed in a viaduct outside London Bridge station on the night of December 8, 1940 (pictured: London Bridge in 1927)

Christopher Mellor-Hill, head of client liaison at Dix Noonan Webb, said: 'We are honoured to be asked to find a new home by the family for this outstanding George Cross' (pictured)

Pictured: John Duppa-Miller's George Cross ribbon given to him by King George VI

'Whilst there were other George Crosses awarded for bomb disposal operations in World War Two, this is the first one we have encountered where the recipient, Lt Miller, was recommended for a bar for a further brave act during The London Blitz.

'For this act, he was subsequently awarded the Kings Commendation for Bravery which still reflected his being honoured with a double gallantry award for his outstanding bravery.'

His citation describing the London Bridge incident reads: 'The clock had already started and stopped twice. He (S/Lt Miller) explained this to the station-master, returned to the mine and, utterly regardless of consequences, removed the bomb fuze and rendered the mine safe.

Pictured: Sub-Lieutenant John Duppa-Miller's George Cross case

'On investigation it was found that the bomb fuse itself was leaking, consequently the pressure horn was quite useless as a safety arrangement.

'The mine was, therefore, in a highly dangerous state throughout the whole operation, including those periods when Lieutenant Miller thought the pressure horn was effective.'

S/Lt Miller was appointed secretary of the Admiralty's Interdepartmental Committee on Anti-Submarine Weapons in 1941, developing the 'Hedgehog' weapon.

He remained in post until the end of the war and then was in charge of disposing of German stocks of underwater weapons.

S/Lt Miller's medal group consists of the George Cross with Bar, Defence and War Medals, Coronation 1953; Jubilee 1977.

It is being sold with a length of George Cross ribbon and a note by S/Lt Miller revealing it was provided by King George VI.

It states: 'The ribbon in this box is King George VI's own personal sample, submitted to him for approval when he instituted the George Cross.

'My sailor George Tuckwell and I were two of the first recipients of the Cross.

'When you went to the palace to receive a decoration, you were supposed in those days anyhow, to put the ribbon up on your tunic in advance for some reason.

'As this decoration had only just been instituted, the ribbon was unobtainable, even at Gieves, the naval outfitters.

'When the King heard this he gave me his own sample, told me to cut off what was needed for the others, and keep the rest as a memento for myself.

'The George Cross ribbon, like the Victoria Cross ribbon, normally carries a miniature of the cross (in this case silver, not bronze) in the centre.

'At this early stage, no miniatures had been made so for some considerable time we wore the plain blue ribbon alone.

'And this is why there is no miniature on the King's sample.'
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Boris Johnson's standards adviser tonight faced demands to justify deciding that the PM did not break conduct rules despite messages showing he agreed to help advance a pet project of the Tory donor who paid for the No11 flat revamp.

Labour is calling for Lord Geidt to explain his conclusions and correct his previous report after bombshell WhatsApps raised fresh questions the so-called 'Wallpapergate' affair.

In the messages Mr Johnson told Lord Brownlow he was looking into his idea for a new Great Exhibition - at the same time as he asked the peer to sign off more lavish refurbishment works.

Soon after the exchange - in which Mr Johnson described his grace-and-favour residence as a 'bit of a tip'  the businessman had a meeting with the Culture Secretary to discuss the plan.

Ministers insisted this morning there was 'nothing untoward' in the discussion, pointing out that the project was not eventually taken forward and the premier 'gets proposals all the time'.

Mr Johnson was also yet again cleared of breaking the ministerial code over the 'Wallpapergate' scandal after offering an 'humble and sincere' apology, although Lord Geidt was clearly angry he had been kept in the dark about the existence of the messages during an initial probe last year.

But in a letter to the standards adviser tonight, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner pointed out that he had admitted his findings would have been different if he had known about the WhatsApps.

'You yourself note in the correspondence with the Prime Minister that you doubt you would have reached the same conclusions, without qualification, in your previous report had those messages been made available to you,' Ms Ranyer wrote.

'However, you do not appear to have revised those conclusions, nor addressed some of the issues that have been raised by the information that is now available. This raises a number of serious concerns and questions.'

Ms Rayner asked: 'Do you stand by your original conclusion that there could be 'no reasonably perceived conflict' in the Prime Minister seeking the support of a donor who at the same time is lobbying him for Government support of a project they are promoting?'

Boris Johnson is facing fresh questions today after it emerged he had helped advance a pet project of a Tory donor who

Labour is calling for Lord Geidt (pictured) to explain his conclusions and correct his previous report after bombshell WhatsApps raised fresh questions the so-called 'Wallpapergate' affair

The Prime Minister told Lord Brownlow he was looking into his idea for a new Great Exhibition  and soon afterwards the businessman had a meeting with the Culture Secretary to discuss it

What was the 'Great Exhibition'? The messages between Boris Johnson and Lord Brownlow refer to a 'great exhibition plan' - which the peer tags as 'GE2'. It is not clear from the exchange exactly what the pair were considering. But the original Great Exhibition was an 1851 event intended to demonstrate the power and scope of - mainly British - invention and industry. It was organised by Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert on a huge site in Hyde Park, and was in part regarded as a response to an exhibition highlighting French ingenuity in Paris. The event ran for nearly six months and was attended by luminaries including Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday and Charles Dickens. Tickets were sold and a reputed six million people - around a third of the population at the time - visited. The money generated by the Great Exhibition was used to build the Royal Albert Hall. Lord Brownlow is a trustee at the Royal Albert Hall Trust and was an ambassador for its 150th anniversary last year. The building the Great Exhibition took place in was taken down and later build in south east London - giving its name to what is now known as Crystal Palace. Advertisement

It does not appear that the Great Exhibition 2.0 plan was intended as a profitable venture, and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Lord Brownlow.

But the revelations about Mr Johnson's promotion of the proposed event at the Royal Albert Hall have prompted new accusations of 'cash for access'.

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said: 'It appears that Lord Brownlow had access to the Prime Minister and Culture Secretary because he was paying for his luxury flat renovations.

'If so, that is corruption plain and simple. No one should be able to buy access or exchange wallpaper for festivals. Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer.'

Shadow justice secretary Steve Reed confirmed this morning that the party has asked Commons standards commissioner Kathryn Stone to look at the situation.

'Those very cosy text messages show there was a quid pro quo in operation between the Prime Minister and Lord Brownlow, and we need to get to the absolute bottom of this,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Asked whether it was still a problem as the Great Exhibition did not go ahead, Mr Reed replied: 'The issue is not whether it happened, it is whether rich people can pay to get access to Government ministers to try and influence them over how they decide to spend taxpayers' money.'

The newly unearthed messages mark another twist in the saga first exposed by the Daily Mail almost a year ago.

Mr Johnson and now-wife Carrie had hired top interior designer Lulu Lytle to transform the 'John Lewis furniture nightmare', left by Theresa May, using gold wallpaper costing 840 a roll. The final bill came to around 140,000.

A number of official probes were launched into the secret plans to get a charitable trust, funded by Tory party donors, to pay for the upkeep of Downing Street including the flat.

Lord Brownlow was drafted in to head the theoretical trust - but the whole idea was later ditched as impractical under government rules.

In the meantime the Conservative Party had repaid the Cabinet Office for the works using funds provided by Lord Brownlow, and the peer also met other invoices directly.

Mr Johnson finally settled the bill himself beyond the 30,000 taxpayer contribution permitted for upkeep, and the Tory party has been fined for failing to declare donations.

Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests Lord Geidt concluded in May that Mr Johnson acted 'unwisely' by not finding out who was behind the renovation, but had not breached the ministerial code.

Mr Johnson and wife Carrie hired top interior designer Lulu Lytle to transform the 'John Lewis furniture nightmare', left by Theresa May

How Boris got tangled up in the Wallpapergate saga yet again One of Lord Geidt's first actions after being appointed as adviser on ministerial interests was to probe the saga over the lavish No11 refurbishment. Boris Johnson wanted a charitable trust to cover the huge bill for improvements to the grace-and-favour residence beyond the 30,000 a year that the taxpayer foots. Lord Brownlow was drafted in to head the theoretical trust - but the whole idea was later ditched as impractical under government rules. In the meantime the Conservative Party had repaid the Cabinet Office for the works using funds provided by Lord Brownlow, and the peer also met other invoices directly. The PM subsequently resolved the chaos by paying out of his own pocket, and Lord Geidt concluded that while he had been 'unwise' not to keep closer track of how the work was being funded, no rules had been broken. However, critically the peer's report noted that officials told him Mr Johnson had not been aware of the 'fact or the method of the costs of refurbishing the apartment having been paid' until February this year. 'I have also spoken in similar terms to the Prime Minister who confirms that he knew nothing about such payments until immediately prior to media reports in February 2021,' the report said. That seemed to clash with an Electoral Commission investigation published last month, which revealed that Mr Johnson WhatsApped Lord Brownlow in November 2020 asking him to authorise work on the flat. 'The Prime Minister messaged Lord Brownlow via WhatsApp asking him to authorise further, at that stage unspecified, refurbishment works on the residence,' the commission stated. 'Lord Brownlow agreed to do so, and also explained that the proposed trust had not yet been set up but that he knew where the funding was coming from.' No10 insists the premier messaged Lord Brownlow in his role as head of the supposed trust, and did not know the source of the money. The Downing Street position was slightly bolstered by the fact Lord Geidt's report stated: 'Lord Brownlow behaved in a confidential manner consistent with his own experience of blind trusts.' Advertisement

But in an exchange of letters from December that were published yesterday, he vented fury at the PM after discovering the WhatsApps about the lavish 140,000 overhaul.

The newly-published messages complained that the grace-and-favour residence was a 'bit of a tip' and asked Lord Brownlow to 'approve' more spending - also referring to an idea for a 'Great Exhibition' that the donor appears to have been championing.

Lord Brownlow replied that the money for top designer Lulu Lytle would be 'sorted'.

In a latter missive he informed the PM that a mooted charitable trust to foot the bill had yet to be set up, saying there was 'only me and I know were the  will come from'.

Lord Geidt had previously cleared Mr Johnson of breaching the ministerial code on the basis that he knew nothing about the source of the money to overhaul the flat and believed the trust was being formed - an idea that was eventually abandoned as against government rules.

No10 insisted the idea of the Great Exhibition was 'not taken forward', but government logs show that in January last year then-Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden met Lord Brownlow and representatives from the Royal Albert Hall to discuss the project.

After the commission's findings caused him to reassess his report, Lord Geidt demanded reforms to make his role more powerful.

The PM blamed having to change his phone after his number was made public on gossip website Popbitch for the failure to flag the message to Lord Brownlow asking for more works to be authorised.

The Cabinet Office was also lambasted for failing to disclose to Lord Geidt that it had handed the messages to the Electoral Commission.

Mr Johnson wrote to Lord Geidt on December 21: 'I am sorry that the Office of Independent Adviser has been put in this position and can only repeat the humble and sincere apology I gave when we discussed this matter earlier today.'

The standards adviser concluded that the new information did not fundamentally change his conclusion, but was highly critical of the latest oversight.

And in another piece of advice that was seemingly ignored by the PM, he said on December 17 that their exchange of letters should be made public 'in the coming days' to restore confidence.

A long-planned 'Festival of Brexit' will go ahead this year, but it is known as Unboxed and is not related to the Great Exhibition proposal.

Downing Street said it was 'quite usual' for suggestions put to No 10 to be passed onto the relevant Government department.

It comes as the Prime Minister faces 'cash for access' allegations after passing on a proposal for a Great Exhibition 2.0, which was put to him by the Tory donor, Lord Brownlow, who was paying for the refurbishment of his official residence.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister told reporters: 'As is quite usual, when any suggestions such as this are put forward, it is right that it is passed on to the relevant department to take forward.

Boris's flat saga: a timeline January 2020: Plans are submitted for the refurbishment of the No11 flat, a month after Mr Johnson wins 2019 election. February 2020: Officials decide to set up a blind trust to fund the six-figure renovation. The system is designed to ensure the beneficiary is not aware of the source of the money, to prevent corruption. May 2020: Lord Brownlow is approached to set up and then chair the trust, and agrees. June/July 2020: The Cabinet Office, which is responsible for the Downing Street estate, pays three invoices totalling 52,801.72 for work carried out, and then bills the Conservative Party. August 2020: The Conservatives Party pays the bill. October 2020: Lord Brownlow emails the party and asks how much the bill is, and says he will make a donation to cover it. He does so. November 29, 2020: Boris Johnson contacts Lord Brownlow on WhatsApp asking him to authorise further works. Lord Brownlow agrees and explains that the Downing Street Trust has not yet been set up. December 18, 2020: Lord Brownlow donates a further 33,484.80 to the firm refurbishing the flat. February 2021: Lord Brownlow donates a further 13,295.30 to the firm refurbishing the flat, taking his total contribution to 112, 549.12 March 2021: The scale and cost of the renovations, and the way it was funded, is revealed by the Daily Mail. Boris Johnson repays the supplier personally and the firm then re-reimburses Lord Brownlow. May 2021: Ministerial Standards watchdog Lord Geidt clears the PM of wrongdoing. He says officials assured him that Mr Johnson was not aware that Lord Brownlow paid for the work personally until it was revealed in the media. The PM also told him the same thing directly. December 2021: The Electoral Commission fines the Conservatives Party 17,800 for failing to declare Lord Brownlow's original donation. The WhatsApp exchange with the PM emerges. January 2022: Letters between Lord Geidt and Mr Johnson emerges in which the adviser vents anger at having been kept in the dark about the messages, which are finally published with the correspondence. Mr Johnson apologises but is again cleared of breaking the ministerial code. Advertisement

'And as you're aware, Oliver Dowden (the then-culture secretary) met with Lord Brownlow at the Royal Albert Hall on the joint proposal and you'll have seen that was declared in the regular DCMS transparency returns.

'As I say, it is normal practice that when an idea or proposal is put to the Prime Minister, it is referred to the relevant departments to take forward, and in this case the decision was taken not to take this any further.'

Asked whether Boris Johnson had a role in setting up the meeting, the spokesman said it 'would have been referred to DCMS through the usual official channels'.

The spokesman said the Prime Minister continues to have confidence in Mr Dowden.

Downing Street said 'various people' put proposals to the Government for consideration, when asked whether a member of the public's idea would be referred to ministers in the same way as Lord Brownlow's Great Exhibition concept.

The spokesman said: 'Ministers have a range of ideas and proposals put to them by various people  through MPs, through other parties.

'I think it is right and proper that it is passed onto the relevant department to take forward and, in this instance, it was decided not to take it any further.'

The spokesman said the Tory peer's suggestion was 'dealt with in the same way' as a member of the public's would have been 'in that a department will look at it and take a view on it'.

Asked why the Great Exhibition 2.0 idea was turned down, the No 10 official replied: 'We've taken forward the idea of Festival UK and Unboxed 2022, which you can see all the details off on the website and is available for everybody to see.

'We went with that, which we confirmed in 2018 and was set out in the manifesto in 2019.'

Asked whether the conversation about the Great Exhibition amounted to corruption, small business minister Paul Scully told Times Radio: 'Ministers get proposals all the time and what rightly happened was that this got pushed on to the Culture, Media and Sport Department (DCMS) where it sits.

'Lord Brownlow made his own approaches and it wouldn't have just gone to the Prime Minister, but the important thing is it's not gone ahead so there's nothing untoward that's happening out of, you know, a few lines in a WhatsApp.'

A Royal Albert Hall spox said: 'The Hall is celebrating its 150th anniversary and as such it has looked into many ways of celebrating the momentous occasion.

'The Great Exhibition 2.0 was one of the ideas we were exploring, as a follow up to the Great Exhibition of 1851 which was the first international exhibition of culture and industry from around the world, held in Hyde Park.

'We were pleased to update the then Secretary of State for DCMS, Oliver Dowden, to discuss this idea, but sadly it has been deferred for the moment given the impact of Covid 19. The project neither required nor sought government funding.'

The PM had assured Lord Geidt that he did not know who was paying for the 112,549 refurbishment until this year.

But the electoral watchdog uncovered evidence that Mr Johnson sent WhatsApp messages asking Lord Brownlow to sign off works months earlier.

In the light of the revelations, Lord Geidt wrote to Mr Johnson asking him to explain the apparent contradiction.

In his initial letter to Mr Johnson on December 17, Lord Geidt was highly critical of the failure to provide him with the 'missing exchange'.

'It is plainly unsatisfactory that my earlier advice was unable to rely on the fullest possible disclosure of relevant information,' he said.

'Clearly, a very serious degree of risk attends a Prime Minister's commission of an investigation by the independent adviser into activity touching directly on the Prime Minister's interests, when that investigation is subsequently shown to have proceeded without reference to material requiring disclosure.'

Lord Geidt expressed his 'grave concern' that the missing messages were not provided to him initially or when Mr Johnson's old phone was accessed in June last year 'for another purpose'.

'It is of grave concern to me that, neither at the time when the Cabinet Office was collecting information ahead of my report, nor subsequently when the device had been activated again, was any attempt made to check for information relevant to my enquiries, such as the missing exchange,' he said.

Who is Lord Brownlow? David Brownlow started to build his reputed 270million fortune with recruitment firm Huntswood, which he founded in 1996. Before that he spent two years as a police officer with Thames Valley Police, after an economics degree from Newcastle Polytechnic. He stepped aside as chief executive in 2011, and went on to start investment vehicle the Havisham Group, which deals in assets ranging from property to education technology. The group's interests include Cefinn, the fashion brand launched by David Cameron's wife Samantha. He served as party vice-chairman responsible for Campaigning and Incumbency from June 2017 to July 2020. He was then made a Tory peer - becoming Lord Brownlow of Shurlock Row - in Theresa May's 2019 resignation honours. The 58-year-old's charitable foundation has given millions of pounds to good causes, and he has served as a trustee on The Prince's Regeneration Trust. In 2018 he was appointed an ambassador for the Royal Albert Hall's 150th anniversary, which was last year. And in 2020 he became a trustee for The Royal Albert Hall Trust. Away from business and politics, his interests include crime fiction and Lego. Advertisement

'I consider that the greatest possible care should have been taken to assemble all relevant material and this standard has not been met.'

Lord Geidt said the 'shortcomings' shows 'evidence of insufficient care for the role of your independent adviser'.

'Beyond that, however, I believe a far greater threat to public confidence attaches to the exchanges unrecalled, the messages undisclosed, the data unconsidered and the subsequent misjudgements about the impact of the messages which I have had to weigh in this initial advice,' he added.

Lord Geidt wrote later: 'The new disclosure did not in fact result in change to my original assessment of your interests insofar as they related to the ministerial code.

'It did, however, expose a signal deficiency in the standards upon which the independent adviser and, by extension, the Prime Minister have an absolute right to rely in establishing the truth in such matters.

'Indeed, the episode shook my confidence precisely because potential and real failures of process occurred in more than one part of the apparatus of government. I am very grateful to have your apology for these shortcomings and to know of your determination to prevent such a situation from happening again.'



In his response to Lord Geidt, the PM said explained that he did not have access to his previous mobile phone, from which the messages had been sent, and 'did not recall the message exchange'.

But he said: 'A fuller explanation of the circumstances should have been provided at the time of your investigation. I am sorry we did not do so.'

It was 'unacceptable' that the Cabinet Office did not inform Lord Geidt of the existence of the messages, he added.

He said Tory peer Lord Brownlow had offered to share the messages with the Cabinet Office but that the department had felt this was inappropriate to receive these while the Electoral Commission was undertaking an investigation.

Mr Johnson said: 'It is unacceptable that the Cabinet Office did not at the very least inform you of the position they had taken.'

Mr Johnson said the Electoral Commission's 'preliminary conclusions' had included a 'short reference' to the exchange but that it 'would not have been straightforward' to have briefed Lord Geidt due to confidentiality restrictions.

As opposed to sanctions, Mr Johnson and Lord Geidt agreed to reform the system for oversight of ministerial interests to include more resources for the relevant secretariat in the Cabinet Office.
Confronting footage has captured the moment a father attacked a jogger in a park after accusing the man of not socially distancing from his family.

The victim, who identified himself as Simone, was running through the McAlister Oval in Parkville in Melbourne's inner-city on Thursday morning when he was confronted by the man.

The video showed the man launching at Simone before repeatedly kicking and kneeing him in the head.

Simone was running through the McAlister Oval in Parkville, in Melbourne's inner-city on Thursday morning when he was confronted by a man and his partner

The man's partner screamed out 'stop it' as she tried to pull him away and Simone was knocked to the ground.

A child calling out 'Mum!' can be heard in the background.

Simone said the couple had demanded he stay away from them and their two kids, Nine News Melbourne reported.

'I was so far away from them and this guy deliberately hit me without any reason,' he said.

The man unleashed on Simone, repeatedly kicking and kneeing his head while his wife tried to drag him away

Simone said the couple were telling him to stay away from them and practice social distancing more

'They were saying to me that I was a danger to the community that I should have stayed away from them and I really don't know why - I was just running.

'It's a disgrace.'

Police say they have not received an official complaint about the attack.
A teenage mother has given birth to an 11oz baby, who is believed to be the smallest premature baby born in the UK in 20 years.

Ellie Paton, 17, from Newmilns, Ayrshire, was 25 weeks pregnant when she delivered baby Hannah Stibbles by emergency C-section at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow on December 30.

Hannah, who weighed just 11oz (325g) at birth, was given a mere 20 per cent chance of survival and is thought to be the smallest baby to survive in the UK in nearly two decades.

Ms Paton and her partner Brandon Stibbles, 21, were warned by medics that 'babies that small don't survive', but Hannah, whose due date was April 13, was born breathing on her own.

Ellie Paton, 17, from Newmilns, Ayrshire, she delivered baby Hannah Stibbles (pictured) by emergency C-section at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow on December 30

The new mother got to hold her daughter briefly once, while Mr Stibbles was able to change Hannah's nappy, while she tightly grabbed his finger in a white-knuckle fist.

Baby Hannah may not be able to go home for a number of months, as she could remain in Queen Elizabeth Hospital for around two months before being moved to another hospital.

Photographs show Hannah in her incubator covered in bubble wrap to keep her warm, which is used as it is lighter than a blanket, but she often kicks it off, Mr Stibbles said.

The new parents, who have been together nearly 18 months, described Hannah as 'the best thing to ever happen to them'.

Ms Paton said: 'We are allowed to put our hands in the incubator, I have held her once - she sleeps on a thing called 'the nest'.

'When the nurse changed it I got to hold her up. It will be pretty soon we're able to hold her.'

Mr Stibbles added: 'We are loving it. It's the best thing that's ever happened to us.

'Ellie got to hold her and I got to change her nappy - when I took my hand away from changing her nappy, she grabbed it.

'We were told she had a 20 per cent chance of survival, that she could need resuscitating, or be stillborn but when she came out she was breathing, she's practically breathing on her own.'

Hannah (pictured), who weighed just 11oz (325g) at birth, is thought to be the smallest baby to survive in the UK in nearly two decades, after being given a 20 per cent chance of survival

Ms Paton and her partner Brandon Stibbles (btoh pictured), 21, were warned that 'babies that small don't survive', but Hannah, whose due date was April 13, was born breathing on her own

At her 20-week scan, Ms Paton was told that the placenta was not feeding the baby properly, and then at her 22-week scan, she was warned that Hannah was the size of a 16-week foetus.

Ms Paton was monitored by doctors in the following weeks but no date for a C-section was arranged, as she was told one could be needed at any time.

But Ms Paton woke up on December 29 with excruciating stomach and chest pains and was rushed to Crosshouse Hospital around 11am, where preeclampsia was diagnosed.

Preeclampsia is a condition which causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and after labour and can be fatal if not treated.

Speaking of the pregnancy, Ms Paton said: 'It was just scary all the time.

'I had gone in just for a scan and ended up with high blood pressure, they sent me the QEUH and I was there for two days while my blood pressure sorted itself out.

'I went home and thought everything was OK, the next morning I woke up with excruciating pain in my chest and stomach and had to go in the next day.

'They said I was going to be having a C-section but there was no plan, it could happen at any time.'

Ms Paton was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where specialists delivered baby Hannah by emergency C-section at 25 weeks just after 1am on December 30.

The new parents had to spend New Year's Eve apart while Mr Stibbles, who works as a labourer, stayed in a nearby Travelodge, where they are living for the foreseeable future.

Photographs show Hannah covered in bubble wrap to keep her warm, which is used as it is lighter than a blanket, but often kicks it off in her incubator

The new mother got to hold her daughter briefly once, while Mr Stibbles was able to change Hannah's nappy, while she grabbed his finger in a white-knuckle fist

When Hannah tips the scales at 17.6oz (500g), she will be moved to Crosshouse Hospital, and although Hannah has gained almost 1oz (25g) since being born, the move could be two months away.

Ms Paton's younger sister, Abbie-Beth Miller, aged one, was born 28 weeks early last year.

Hannah's gran and mother-of-three Stacey Miller, 36, has been a massive support to the young couple, Mr Stibbles said.

He added: 'The high up doctors were coming into the neonatal unit and saying 'babies this size just don't survive'.

'Not at 25 weeks into pregnancy - babies should be 500g or more, Hannah was 325g.

'If anything she has excelled on the outside. We are hoping things stay the way she is, putting on weight and feeding well.

'It's not been easy but we've got a really strong support system, Ellie's family have been an amazing support.

'Ellie's mum went through the exact same thing. We are both just really eager to be back in our own environment. I would never have done it any way differently either.'

Mr Stibbles also praised the maternity staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, saying they have been 'absolutely brilliant'.

When Hannah tips the scales at 17.6oz (500g), she will be moved to Crosshouse Hospital, but that could be two months away

The new parents, who have been together nearly 18 months, described Hannah as 'the best thing to ever happen to them'. Pictured: Nappy and foot print for Hannah

Speaking of Hannah, he added: 'Everybody says she's very sassy, she's very active. Our whole life has just changed.'

MailOnline has contacted NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Board for comment.

The UK's smallest baby girl to survive before Hannah was Aaliyah Hart, who was born in 2003 weighing 12oz (340g).

In 2019, baby Isabella Evans came close to beating Aaliyah's record, having been born weighing 12.2oz (346g), after only being given a five per cent chance of survival.

After being born weighing the same as a can of Coke, Isabella was discharged from hospital six months after her birth weighing 13lb 7oz.

The world's lightest baby was born at 7.48oz (212g) in Singapore at the National University Hospital, Singapore, on June 9, 2020, according to Guinness World Records.

Kwek Yu Xuan was delivered by emergency C-section four months early, at just 24 weeks and six days. She was only 24cm (9.5inches) long and weighed about the same as an apple.

She was discharged from hospital in August 2021 after 13 months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, at a healthier weight of 14lb (6.3kg).
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Nearly four in ten Covid patients in hospitals in England are not primarily being treated for the virus, according to official data that highlights the mildness of Omicron.

NHS figures released today show there were around 13,000 beds occupied by coronavirus sufferers on January 4, of which nearly 4,850 were not mainly sick with the disease. It means close to 40 per cent of patients included in the Government's daily Covid statistics may have been admitted for something else, such as a broken leg.

The share of so-called 'incidental' cases was even bigger in Omicron hotspot London, where 45 per cent of 'Covid patients' were not primarily in hospital for the virus.

Experts say there is reason to believe that incidentals will continue to rise as the variant pushes England's infection rates to record highs, with one in 15 people estimated to have had Covid on New Year's Eve.

In South Africa  ground zero of the Omicron outbreak  up to 60 per cent of Covid patients were not admitted primarily for the virus at the height of the crisis there.

There are growing calls among experts and politicians for the Government to differentiate between people who're admitted 'with' and 'from' Covid to assess the real pressure of the virus on the NHS.

The rise in incidental admissions and lack of any real uptick in ICU cases has given Boris Johnson the confidence to 'ride out' the Omicron wave without any further restrictions.

A host of studies suggest Omicron causes less severe illness than its predecessors because it replicates faster in the upper airways rather than in the lungs where it can do more damage. MailOnline analysis revealed the Covid case fatality rate  the proportion of confirmed infections resulting in death  is now 21 times lower than during the devastating second wave.

Now that there is a growing acceptance that Omicron is unlikely to lead to a wave of severe illness like previous peaks, NHS leaders say isolation and staff absences are the main crises they face.

A record 120,000 NHS staff were off work this week - half of them self-isolating or testing positive for Covid - and hospitals are battling rising Covid admissions as well as trying to clear record waiting lists. Two dozen trusts in England have declared 'critical incidents' indicating that may be unable to deliver vital care in the coming weeks and the Army is now being brought in to plug the gaps.

NHS figures released today show there were 13,045 beds occupied by coronavirus sufferers on January 4, of which 4,845 were not mainly sick with the disease. It means only six in 10 inpatients are primarily ill with Covid now compared to more than 80 per cent with Delta

Experts say there is reason to believe that incidentals will continue to rise as the variant pushes England's infection rates to record highs, with one in 15 people estimated to have had Covid on New Year's Eve

The share of so-called 'incidental' cases was even bigger in Omicron hotspot London , where 45 per cent of 'Covid patients' were not primarily in hospital for the virus

Official figures show that the number of Covid and non-Covid absences in the NHS grew through December

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, an eminent statistician at Cambridge University, told MailOnline that the rise in incidental cases 'reflected the huge number of infections' at the moment.

He added: 'The rise in the share of incidental Covid patients could be largely due to the increased rate of people catching Covid while in hospital.

'But we have good evidence from other sources that, compared to Delta, Omicron tends to produce milder disease  although it can still affect some people badly.'

MailOnline's analysis shows the region with the highest incidental hospital patient was the Midlands, where 45 per cent of Covid patients were not being treated primarily for the virus on January 4.

It was followed by London (38 per cent), the East of England (38 per cent) and the North West (63 per cent).

The largest week-on-week growth in all Covid patients was in the North East and Yorkshire, which saw them rise 93 per cent from 1,014 to 1,961.

Of those, 1,265 (64 per cent) were being treated primarily for Covid  the third highest proportion in the country.

NHS England boss warns fortnight of admissions already 'baked in' A fortnight of further hospital admissions for Covid-19 are 'already baked in' as some NHS staff face 'the steepest climb of the pandemic yet', the head of the health service has said. Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, thanked staff during a visit to King's College Hospital in London on Friday. More than 400 people are currently in the hospital with Covid-19. She said: 'We're a week into 2022 but I do know that for some colleagues it already feels like it's been a long year. 'Case rates of the new variant have been highest so far here in London, but there is no community, no part of the country, that has been untouched by Omicron and this has obviously had, and will continue to have, an impact on NHS staff and on the services that we're able to provide. 'Realistically, another fortnight of admissions from Omicron are baked in. The only unknown is what level we will see and, of course, we will hope that the more optimistic forecasts are going to be the right ones.' She said that whatever the next few weeks bring, there is 'no doubt' that it would have been so much tougher if it had not been for NHS staff working to give vaccinations over the last year. She added: 'Staff are stepping up, but they're not machines. 'As ever in the NHS we're working on this together, colleagues are finding though that the significant challenges that they're facing now for some make this the steepest climb of the pandemic yet and the latest stats show that every day around 10,000 more colleagues are off sick than they were last week. 'I know leaders across the NHS are doing everything they can to support their teams.' She said the NHS was 'still here' for the public if they needed treatment and people should continue to come forward for care, adding that people should get their vaccines 'to keep the country on the path out of this pandemic.' Advertisement

As of yesterday, official data shows there were 16,058 Covid hospital patients in English hospitals, up 40 per cent in a week.

But that is still fewer than half of the peak last January when there were 33,000 inpatients and the rise of incidental cases has given ministers confidence that no extra restrictions are needed.

Experts and Tory MPs have called on the Government to differentiate between primary and secondary Covid patients in the daily figures for transparency.

Cambridge epidemiologist Dr Raghib Ali has previously told MailOnline that it would 'not only helpful but in many ways essential' in assessing the true pressure on the NHS.

Britain's daily Covid cases fell for the first time in a month yesterday, with 179,756 positive tests recorded across the UK, down five per cent on last week and a drop on the day before.

The fall has been accelerated by the fact two days' worth of cases were reported in Wales last Thursday, making the drop appear steeper. But it adds to growing evidence the country's Omicron wave is no longer spiralling.

Latest hospital data showed another 2,078 Covid patients were admitted to UK wards on January 2, which was up 38 per cent on a week ago. Another 231 deaths were also recorded, down 30 per cent on last week.

But the steep rise in infections over the last few weeks has put the NHS in crisis mode, with doctors and nurses are under 'exceptional strain' covering for colleagues at home, according to British Medical Association (BMA) council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul.

Boris Johnson, who sent soldiers to help NHS staff in London today, insists the health service can 'ride out' the Omicron wave, as infections and deaths both dropped yesterday.

Far fewer people are also being admitted to intensive care than in previous waves, while the length of time patients spend in hospital is also shortening.

Meanwhile ministers have pushed back against claims hospitals are on the brink of collapse, with Environment Secretary George Eustice predicting the NHS's acute problems will prove to be 'quite short lived'.

They have also refused to follow in the footsteps of the US by cutting self-isolation periods to five days  a move some experts say will ease pressure on staffing issues.

It comes as figures leaked to the Health Service Journal today reveal that staff absences at NHS England went from 80,000 on January 2 to just under 120,000 on Wednesday January 5  20 per cent higher than the peak last January.

Around 62,000 of the total 120,000 absences reported 48 hours ago were people who had tested positive for Covid or self-isolating.

The highest rates of absence were in the Midlands, North East and Yorkshire, and the North West  where more than 10 per cent of all staff are off. These trusts also already had the absence rates amongst staff before the pandemic.

Separate figures released by the NHS today show a total of 39,142 NHS staff at hospital trusts in England were absent for Covid reasons on January 2.

The figure, which includes confirmed cases and those in isolation, is up 59 per cent on the previous week, when the figure was 24,632, and more than three times the number at the start of December.

It has been driven up by absences in the north-west of England, which saw an 85 per cent week-on-week rise on January 2.

Military personnel assisting at the NHS Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate, North Yorkshire in 2020

The William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent, where work continues to construct a Nightingale surge hub, one of eight to be set up in hospitals across the country in preparation for a potential wave of Omicron admissions

Latest figures show that hospitals in England have actually had fewer beds occupied this winter than they did pre-Covid. An average of 89,097 general and acute beds were open each day in the week to December 26, of which 77,901 were occupied. But the NHS was looking after more hospital patients in the week to December 26 in 2019, 2018 and 2017

The proportion of beds occupied by patients who are primarily in hospital 'for' Covid, versus those who were admitted for something else and tested positive later, referred to as 'with' Covid. The data covers the week between December 21 and December 28, when were around 2,100 additional beds occupied by the virus in England  of which 1,150 were primary illness (55 per cent). That suggests 45 per cent were not seriously ill with Covid, yet were counted in the official statistics. In the South East of England 66 per cent were primarily non-Covid, in the East of England it was 51 per cent and in London it was 48 per cent. Critics argue, however, that the figures are unreliable because they don't include discharges, which could skew the data. But they add to the growing trend

While Covid hospitalisations are rising quickly in England, they are still half of the level of last January and far fewer patients are needing ventilation

During the third wave, those aged 70 to 79 required a hospital bed for eight days and those aged 50 to 69 for seven days (left). Right: Ambulances outside the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel

Meanwhile, people who fail to get a booster jab could face new travel restrictions from next month under plans to increase uptake.

Boris Johnson yesterday ruled out following Italy, Austria and other European countries in making vaccinations compulsory.

But officials are drawing up plans to strip double-jabbed people of their 'fully vaccinated' status without the booster shot, leaving them facing tough quarantine and testing rules for foreign travel.

Most travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated ended this week, including dropping the need for quarantine and pre-departure tests.

Ministers are concerned by a fall in demand for boosters which threatens to leave hundreds of thousands of slots unfilled.

Mr Johnson yesterday urged people to ignore the 'complete mumbo jumbo' peddled by anti-vaxxers on social media.

He said the 'overwhelming majority' of people now in intensive care with Covid had not had their booster jab, with many not vaccinated at all. During a visit to a vaccination centre in Northampton, he said: 'When you're in ICU and you haven't been vaccinated, sadly it's too late to get vaccinated. So get boosted now.'

Italy announced plans for mandatory vaccinations yesterday for all over-50s. But the PM said the UK would never resort to 'coercion'.

However, the Health Service Journal last night said the NHS is preparing to fire thousands of staff still unvaccinated after the February deadline.

Sources last night said the change in the 'fully vaccinated' definition could happen as soon as the end of next month.

An estimated 4.5 million over-18s have not had a first dose, six million-plus are not double-jabbed, and almost nine million eligible people have not had a booster yet.

It comes as official figures show a record 81.4 per cent of over-65s have had a flu jab this season.
MPs today demanded Michelle Mone and her billionaire husband explain the 'murky affair' of a 203million PPE Government contract for a firm set up by one of his employees - after leaked texts raised questions as to how involved she was in the deal.

Lingerie tycoon Lady Mone, 50, has always maintained she had no 'role or function' with PPE Medpro, a firm started two months after the first lockdown began.

She referred it as a potential supplier through the office of Lord Agnew and it was apparently fast-tracked through the government's so-called VIP fast-lane.

It was awarded more than 200m in government contracts to supply masks and surgical gowns.

But new WhatsApp texts which emerged today appear to suggest she was involved in some further capacity, despite her denials.

Tory peer Michelle Mone and her billionaire husband (both pictured) faced fresh questions last night over their involvement in a 203million Government contract for PPE at the start of the pandemic

Medpro was set up two months after the start of the first lockdown with Anthony Page, a wealth management expert and longtime employee of Lady Mone's husband, named as its 100 per cent shareholder and a director.

In June, after PPE Medpro was awarded its first contract with the DHSC, messages believed to be from her respond after a request for 'Lady Michelle' for information.

A reply said to be from her said 'We are just about to take off in the jet. The sizes are in the order. We are waiting for the official PO, this should come in today.

'They tell you not to start until you have this PO,' the Guardian reported she wrote.

PPE Medpro shows these products among items it currently offers on its website

Government details show how Lady Mone referred PPE Medpro as a potential supplier

From leaving school in Glasgow with no qualifications to modelling and business deals: How 'Baroness Bra' made her millions Lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone was born in 1971 and grew up in Glasgow's East End, leaving school with no qualifications aged 15 before finding work as a model. After running a sales and marketing team for the Labatt's brewing firm, she decided to create a range of support bras after the idea came to her while wearing an uncomfortable bra during a dinner party. Lady Mone founded MJM International with her then-husband Michael Mone in November 1996, and three years of research, design, and development resulted in the patented Ultimo bra. In August 1999, a month after having her third child, she launched Ultimo at the Selfridges department store in London, which sold the pre-launch estimate of six weeks of stock within 24 hours. The business grew rapidly and in 2010 she earned an OBE from the Queen for her contribution to business. But she sold 80 per cent of Ultimo in 2014, one year after announcing she had left the company following a breakdown in her marriage. Lady Mone was nicknamed 'Baroness Bra' after being elevated to the House of Lords in 2015, where her official title is Baroness Mone of Mayfair. To celebrate her 50th birthday last month, she decided to host five parties - one for each decade of her life  with her new husband billionaire tech tycoon Doug Barrowman, 55. Advertisement

Christine Jardine MP, Lib Dem Treasury Spokesperson, said: 'The stench of sleaze and cronyism from the Conservative party is unbearable now.

'There must be an independent investigation into these revelations.

'From dodgy PPE contracts to Christmas parties, we can't simply cannot trust Conservative politicians to mark their own homework.

'Our taxes are about to be hiked to record levels yet millions of pounds worth of Government contracts appear to be ending up with chums of the Conservative party.

It is time we got to the bottom of this once and for all.'

Lady Mone's husband Doug Barrowman, a financier based in the Isle of Man, may also have helped set up the deal with a firm managing Medpro's supply chain.

Medpro was set up two months after the start of the first lockdown with Anthony Page, a wealth management expert.

Mr Page is also a longtime employee of Lady Mone's husband, and was named in the new firm's incorporation papers as its 100 per cent shareholder and a director.

Companies house documents also show Mr Page previously had been a secretary in a management consultancy firm called MGM Media, alongside director Lady Mone.

His role with that company ended on May 12, 2020 - the same day PPE Medpro was incorporated, with Mr Page as director and secretary.

He is also a director at Knox House Trustees, of which Lady Mone's husband Mr Barrowman is listed as a person of 'significant influence or control'.

It is linked to the Knox Group, a tax advisory and wealth management firm run by Mr Barrowman.

Today Angela Rayner MP, Labour's Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, called for all the details of what happened to be put into the public arena.

She added: 'These latest reports suggest that hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers' cash ended up with a company closely connected to a Tory politician who personally referred it to a government minister.

'Labour has repeatedly called for an investigation into the awarding of these contracts.

Pictured: Anthony Page, PPE Medpro's owner, circled, at Lady Mone's wedding in 2020

Lady Mone published this image on her Instagram today. She captioned it: 'I love to put on makeup to feel my best-self, even if I dont have an event... it makes me feel ready to take on the day'

Met Police probe 'racist texts', 'mental loony' allegations and unfair dismissal payouts: The string of controversies faced by Lady Mone The entrepreneur, 50, is a well-known figure in the media but has faced a string of controversies over the years. Officers from the Met Police are set to question her over a claim that she sent a racist text message to a financial consultant of Indian heritage after a fatal yacht accident on the French Riviera. Richard Lynton-Jones alleged Lady Mone racially abused him and called his partner a 'nut case bird' and 'mental loony' three weeks after a day of 'drinking and partying'. She denies it. In April last year her former housekeeper won a payout for unfair dismissal when she was axed from her role. Deborah Wendy Lace had been a long-term employee at Mone's billionaire hubby's Isle of Man estate and got 20,355 for unfair dismissal. In 2014 Scott Kilday, operations director at Mones company MJM International, won a case for unfair dismissal in 2014 after it emerged his office had been bugged and Mone had listened to the tapes for signs of disloyalty. Advertisement

'The public need to know the truth of this murky affair, including the role of Baroness Mone and other Tory politicians.'

In fact millions of the medical gowns bought by the NHS from PPE Medpro were never even used.

At the time they had to reach the British Standard for the sterilisation of medical devices or what was called a 'technical equivalent'.

If the equivalent was the standard aimed for, health regulator the MHRA had to approve them.

It publishes lists of current products that had been given its exemption to be used.

Today there was still no sign of PPE Medpro on either the 'List of medical devices given exceptional use authorisations'.

It was also not visible on the 'List of medical devices that are no longer covered by an exceptional use authorisation' or any other updates.

MailOnline has contacted Lady Mone's lawyers for a response on the new allegations.

They told the Guardian last night she could not be expected to comment on 'unknown and unattributable WhatsApp messages allegedly sent 19 months ago'.

They added: 'We have no idea  and neither does our client  of the content of the WhatsApp messages to which you refer, the recipients, the context and perhaps most important the provenance of them.'

Lawyers for Barrowman said the report amounted to 'clutching at straws' and was 'largely incorrect'.

They added: 'Our client's desire not to reveal private or confidential information should not be taken as an assumption that any of your assertions or conclusions are correct or unchallenged.'
Sajid Javid opposed Boris Johnson's decision to loosen travel testing rules because of fears the move could heighten the risk of another lockdown, it was claimed today.

Mr Johnson announced earlier this week that travellers arriving in England will no longer have to take a pre-departure Covid test.

He also axed the requirement for travellers to self-isolate on arrival until they receive a negative PCR test, with people now required to just take a lateral flow test within two days instead.

The PM said he had taken the decision because the Omicron variant is now so prevalent in the UK that the border measures were only having a limited impact on the spread of the disease.

But Mr Javid is said to have strongly opposed relaxing the rules, warning his Cabinet colleagues that the move increased the risk of having to shut down the economy again.

Sajid Javid opposed Boris Johnson's decision to loosen travel testing rules because of fears the move could heighten the risk of another lockdown, it was claimed today

Mr Johnson announced earlier this week that travellers arriving in England will no longer have to take a pre-departure Covid test. He also axed the requirement for travellers to self-isolate on arrival until they receive a negative PCR test

Mr Javid told a meeting of the Cabinet's Covid-O committee that dropping the PCR testing requirement would restrict the UK's ability to identify new coronavirus strains, according to The Times.

This is because PCR tests are analysed in laboratories and used by the Government to keep track of emerging variants.

The Health Secretary told his colleagues that ditching the PCR testing rule could therefore increase the risk of a dangerous new variant spreading undetected in the UK which could then force the Government to impose a lockdown.

A Government source told The Times: 'Sajid was very unhappy about the decision to remove the requirement for PCR tests.

'He argued they are instrumental in spotting new variants sooner. He said that by scrapping them you increase the risk of having to shut down the entire economy. But he lost the argument.'

Mr Johnson, who was reportedly not at the Covid-O meeting, ultimately sided with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and decided to loosen the rules.

Downing Street today insisted the changes to the travel system had been 'collectively' agreed by ministers.

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said: I dont think youd expect me to comment on private meetings but ministers collectively agreed to these changes to our international travel rules, including the changes around day two PCR testing, given we no longer feel they are proportionate, given that Omicron is now the dominant variant in the UK by community transmission.

But I would also highlight that we have maintained the requirement for passengers to take a post-arrival lateral flow test and if that test is positive, they will still need to take a PCR test, which will help us identify variants.

The tougher testing measures were originally introduced following the identification of the fast-spreading Omicron variant in South Africa last November.

Mr Johnson announced the move in the House of Commons on Wednesday, telling MPs: 'When the Omicron variant was first identified, we rightly introduced travel restrictions to slow its arrival in our country.

'But now Omicron is so prevalent, these measures are having limited impact on the growth in cases, while continuing to pose significant costs on our travel industry.

Mr Johnson ultimately sided with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and decided to loosen the rules

'So I can announce that in England from 4am on Friday, we will be scrapping the pre-departure test, which discourages many from travelling for fear of being trapped overseas and incurring significant extra expense.'

The announcement  which covers those passengers who are fully-vaccinated or are under the age of 18  was broadly welcomed by the travel industry, which has been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of the industry body Airlines UK, said it would be a 'massive boost' for the sector at a 'critical' time of the year.

NHS lateral flow tests cannot be used for international travel, and the tests must be brought from a private provider.

People who have already brought PCR tests for travelling needs can still use them.
This is the perilous moment that a drunk man lit fireworks inside his apartment block on New Year's Eve - before wandering into the street as they explode in his hands.

The man in Khabarovsk, in eastern Russian, starts the security camera footage by stumbling while trying and failing to light the pyrotechnics.

After several attempts, he manages to light the fuse before nonchalantly picking up the box of fireworks intending to take them outside.

The box begins to explode as he leaves the room unflinchingly before the footage cuts to a shot of the outside where the man puts the box down and walks away casually.

The man in Khabarovsk was inexplicably trying to light fireworks initially in his apartment block

The incident was potentially a late New Year's celebration, taking place a 2am on January 1.

Russian police are investigating the incident according to the federal Ministry of Internal Affairs.

A resident in the block of apartments told local media: 'We have a common house chat.

The man eventually nonchalantly made his way outside of his house and set the box down near several parked cars

Even as the pyrotechnics exploded in his hands, the man still appeared to be unfazed

Russian police have said they are investigating the disturbance and will make a decision on how to proceed when the check is complete

'One of our neighbors was the first to notice what had happened, she wrote an alarming SMS with a request to do something, since [fireworks] were fired in the man's hands right at the parked cars nearby.

He also noted that police officers and emergency workers lived in the block.

A Ministry of Internal Affairs statement said: 'On the fact of the launch of New Year's pyrotechnics by an unknown citizen in the entrance and in the courtyard of a residential building, officers of the police department No. 3 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Khabarovsk are conducting a check.

'Measures are being taken to establish the identity of the man depicted in the video.

'At the end of the check, a legal and well-grounded procedural decision will be made.'
A scene from the documentary film "Sewing Sisters" / Courtesy of Jin Jin Pictures



By Kwak Yeon-soo



Chun Tae-il, a tailor and activist who set himself on fire to raise awareness of textile workers' poor labor conditions in 1970, is a symbolic figure in Korea's labor movement history.



Following Chun's self-immolation, unions sprang up and hundreds of workers at Pyounghwa Market, a cluster of sweatshops in Seoul's Dongdaemun Market area, stood up to seek guarantees of workers' rights. The majority of them were women and girls who started working at garment factories as teenagers.



These young women were sent off to work to support financially desperate families, rather than going to middle school. The working conditions in sweatshops were grueling.



They worked overtime without proper compensation in unventilated small compartments made by factory owners, who would squeeze as many sewing machines and workers into their factories as possible. Female workers, as young as 13, would work 15 to 16 hours a day.



"The trauma I faced as a teenager was the fact that I couldn't afford the sanitary pads they sell in drugstores. I had to cut out inside pockets from jumpers and used them instead. Due to friction from movement, my groin area became inflamed," Shin Soon-ae, who worked as a garment worker in the 1970s, said in a press conference Thursday for the release of the documentary film "Sewing Sisters" that looks at the lives of textile workers.



Female workers who were eager to pursue further studies joined the Cheonggye Clothing Labor Union and attended a night school for workers. Education changed their lives and they learned to say no to unreasonable demands.



"I could neither straighten my back for fear of incurring my supervisor's wrath nor lean too far forward for fear of getting my hair caught in the machine. As a result, I still have sore knees," Shin says in the film.





An image from the documentary film "Sewing Sisters" / Courtesy of Jin Jin Pictures
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The father and son who chased Ahmaud Arbery and shot him in February 2020 will die in prison after being sentenced to life without parole on Friday.

Travis and Gregory McMichael were both sentenced to life without parole, while their neighbor William Roddie Bryan, 52, - who filmed the murder - will be eligible for parole. Judge Timothy R. Walmsley did not specify how long he would have to spend in prison - prosecutors asked that he spend at least 15 years behind bars. Typically, the minimum in Georgia is 30 years.

In handing down his sentence, Judge Walmsley called the murder 'chilling' and 'disturbing'. He talked about the 'terror' Arbery must have felt for the five minutes the men chased him in their pick-up trucks with a shotgun and revolver.

'As we all now know based on the verdict that was handed down in this courtroom, Ahmaud Arbery was murdered. It's a tragedy. It's a tragedy on many, many levels.

'On February 23, 2020...a young man with dreams was gunned down in this community. As we understand it, he went for a run and he ended up running for his life.'

To emphasize how long the five-minute chase must have felt for Arbery, the judge sat silently for a minute in the courtroom.

'That one minute represents a fraction of the time that Ahmaud Arbery was running in Satilla Shores. The chase that occurred, occurred over a five minute period.

'When I thought about this, I kept coming back to the terror that must have been in the mind of the young man running through Satilla Shores,' he said.

'He was hunted down and shot and he was killed because individuals took the law into their own hands.'

Travis McMichael, left, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for shooting dead Ahmaud Arbery in 2020

Gregory McMichael, Travis's 66-year-old father, will also die in prison under the life without parole sentence

William Roddie Bryan, the 52-year-old neighbor who filmed the murder, was sentenced to life but he has been given the possibility of parole. Prosecutors asked that he have to serve at least 15 years behind bars

Judge Timothy Walmsley on Friday called the killing 'chilling' and 'disturbing.' He talked about the 'terror' Arbery must have felt as the men chased him in their pick-up trucks for five minutes

He then recited some of the comments made by the McMichaels after the shooting to prove that it was a 'callous' execution, and said they never showed any remorse.

'Remorse is something that's felt and demonstrated. In this case, getting back to the video, after Ahmaud Arbery fell, the McMichael's turned their backs. They walked away. This was a killing. It was callous and it occurred because confrontation was being sought.

'The most violent crime in Satilla Shores was the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.

'The record speaks for itself. Greg McMichael tried to establish a narrative. He said he was 'trapped like a rat.'

Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed in Brunswick, Georgia, U.S. on February 23, 2020,one year on

'He said, "stop or I'll blow your f*****g head off."

'He told Travis "you have no choice". He also said, "If I could have gotten a shot at the guy, I would have shot him."'

Unlike the father and son, Bryan appeared to show some remorse in the days and weeks after the killing, he said.

However all three acted as vigilantes, chasing down Arbery and then murdering him because they were 'seeking confrontation.'

'Taking the law into your own hands is a dangerous endeavor. Ultimately with regard to the murder of Ahmaud Arbery it holds us all accountable. At a minimum his death should force us to consider expanding our definition of what a neighbor may be and how we treat them.

'I believe that assuming the worst in others, we show our worst character. Assuming the best in others is always the best course of action. Maybe those are the grand lessons of this case,' the judge said.

There were celebrations outside the court as the sentences were read aloud.

Earlier, Arbery's parents asked a judge to sentence his killers to life without parole on Friday at a courthouse in Georgia, saying they 'lynched him in broad daylight' and targeted him when he felt most 'free and alive'.

Gregory McMichael, 66, his son Travis, 35, and their neighbor William Roddie Bryan, 52, were all pictured arriving at court on Friday in Brunswick, Georgia.

On February 23, 2020, they chased Arbery, a 26-year-old black man, through a street in Satilla Shores. They said they thought he was a burglar. Travis pulled the trigger, with his father nearby. Bryan filmed the entire incident on his phone.

In November, they were all convicted of murder - which carries a mandatory life sentence. Prosecutors chose not to seek the death penalty.

Gregory and Travis McMichael and their neighbor William Brian Jr were found a guilty of murder in state court on November 23 by a panel of 11 white jurors and one black juror. In compiling that jury pool, 1,000 people in the mostly-white Glynn County were called. Pictured: The moment Arbery was shot by Travis McMichael

Ahmaud Arbery's mother Wanda Cooper Jones celebrates as she leaves court with her family on Friday after her son's killers were sentenced to life behind bars without parole

Ahmaud Arbery's mother Wanda Cooper-Jones, center, speaks with supporters after Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley sentenced Greg McMichael, his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, at the Glynn County Courthouse in Brunswick

(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 23, 2021 a woman holds portraits of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd during an event in remembrance of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Ahmaud Arbery's mother Wanda Cooper Jones (left) and father Marcus (right) asked a judge to impose the maximum sentence possible for his killers - life without parole

Arbery's father Marcus spoke first, telling the court: 'The man who killed my son has sat in this courtroom every day next to his father. I'll never get the chance of sitting next to my son ever again. Not at a dinner table, not at a holiday, not at a wedding. I pray that no one in this courtroom has to do what we had - bury their child.'

Arbery's mother Wanda Cooper Jones, pleaded: 'They were fully committed to their crimes - let them be fully committed for the consequences.'

She also referred to her son's toenails on the day of the murder - something that was brought up during the trial in by a defense attorney who stoked outrage by referring to his 'long, dirty toenails'.

Wanda, on Friday, said: 'I wish he would have cut and cleaned his toenails before he went out for his jog that day. I guess he would have if he knew he would be murdered.'

She then pleaded with the judge: 'Your honor, I am standing here before you today as the mother of Ahmaud Arbery asking you to please give all three defendants who are responsible for the death of my son, the maximum punishment which I do believe is life without bars without the possible chance for parole.'

During sentencing, lawyers for the three men asked the judge to grant the men parole. That was refused for Travis McMichael and his father. Pictured: McMichael leaving the court house in shackles after being sentenced to life without parole

Greg McMichael is handcuffed and seen wearing a face mask as he's led out of the court after sentencing

William Bryan was the only convicted killer to be granted a sentence where he was given the option of parole. He's pictured being led out of the court house to serve his sentence

Ahmaud Arbery's parents, Wanda Cooper-JOnes (in blue suit) and Marcus Arbery (third from left), celebrate outside court as his three killers are jailed for life - two without the possibility of parole

The men's lawyers are asking that they be granted parole after 30 years. Prosecutors have asked the judge not to grant any of the men parole.

Cooper Jones spoke about Ahmaud as a 'loving' baby who 'never seemed to tire of cuddles, hugs and kisses.'

His father Marcus told how he loved to run more than anything because it made him feel 'free'.

'Not only did they lynch my son in broad daylight but they killed him when he was doing what he loved more than anything - running.

'That's when he felt most alive. Most free. And they took all of that from him.

'When I close my eyes, I see his execution over and over. I'll see that for the rest of my life.

'When I became a father my life became bigger than me, it became bigger than me about my family, protecting him, protecting my boy. I know in my head that there is nothing I could have done that day to have saved my son.

'MY SON'S KILLERS HAVE NO REMORSE' - AHMAUD ARBERY'S MOTHER'S VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT I want to speak directly to my son. This verdict doesn't bring you back, but it does help bring closure to this very difficult chapter of my life. I made a promise to you the day I laid you to rest. I told you I loved you and someday, somehow I would get you justice. Son, I love you as much today as the day you were born. Raising you was the honor of my life and I am very proud of you. Your honor, these men have chosen to lie and attack my son and his surviving family. They have no remorse and do not deserve leniency. This wasn't a case of mistaken identity or mistaken fact. They chose to target my son because they didn't want him in their community they chose to treat him differently when they couldn't sufficiently scare him or intimidate him, they killed him. My young son, he was born on mothers' day of 1994. He had a smile so bright it lit up the room. He was a greedy baby and it seemed like he was always searching for something to stick in his mouth. He was always a loving baby who seemed to never tire of cuddling, hugs and kisses He loved. He never hesitated to tell me, his sister Jasmine or brother Marcus, and we loved him back, He was messy. He sometimes refused to wear socks. I wish he would have cut and cleaned his toenails before he went out for his jog that day. I guess he would have if he knew he would be murdered. My family is going to miss Ahmaud, his jokes, impersonations, his warm smile. These men deserve the maximum sentence for their crimes. Ahamud never said a word to them. He never threatened them, he just wanted to be left alone. They were fully committed to their crimes - let them be fully committed for the consequences. I'm standing here before you asking you to please give all three defendants who are responsible for the death of my son, the maximum punishment in this court which I do believe is life without bars without the possible chance for parole. Advertisement

'To save him from this evil and hate. My heart is broken and always will be.

'If I could trade places with Ahmaud, I would in a heartbeat but I can't'. I'm standing here to do what he can't - that is to fight for him. His memory, his legacy and to tell you who he was.

'That's the one thing you didn't hear in this courtroom. More than anything else, you should know who my boy was.

'We love our son and we will never have him with us to celebrate anything. Thanksgiving, Christmas...his birthday his killers should spend the rest of their lives thinking about what they took from us.

'It should be behind my bars.

'Me and my family have got to live with this for the rest of our lives. They should stay behind those bars the rest of their lives. They didn't give him a chance.'

Ahmaud's mother spoke directly to him, saying: 'This verdict doesn't bring you back. But it does help bring closure to this very difficult chapter of my life.

'I made a promise to you the day I laid you to rest.

'I told you I loved you and someday, somehow I would get you justice.

'Son, I love you as much today as the day you were born.

'Raising you was the honor of my life and I am very proud of you.'

She said none of the killers showed remorse for their actions, and deserved to die in prison.

'They have no remorse and do not deserve leniency. This wasn't a case of mistaken identity or mistaken fact.

'They chose to target my son because they didn't want him in their community.

'They chose to treat him differently.

'And when they couldn't sufficiently scare him or intimidate him, they killed him.'

Arbery, a 25-year-old avid jogger, was running through the mostly white residential neighborhood of Satilla Shores on the afternoon of Feb. 23 when the McMichaels decided to grab their guns, jump in a pickup truck and give chase.

The younger McMichael would later testify to the jury they had a hunch Arbery might be fleeing a crime.

Bryan joined the chase in his own pickup truck after it passed his driveway, and pulled out his cellphone to record Travis McMichael firing a shotgun at Arbery at close range.

Arbery had nothing on him besides his running clothes and sneakers.

The video caused outrage when it emerged months later and it became clear that none of the men involved had yet been arrested after a local prosecutor concluded the killing was justified.

Armed members of the New Black Panther Party march and protest outside of the Glenn County Court house

Armed members of the New Black Panther Party marched outside the courthouse on Friday as the sentencing hearing unfolded inside

Members of the New Black Panther Party march outside the Glynn County Court House on Friday

Ahmaud Arbery's mother Wanda Cooper-Jones wipes a tear from her eyes while listening to her daughter's impact statement to Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley

Ahmaud Arbery's sister Jasmine Arbery wipes a tear from her eyes while listening to her mother's impact statement to Superior Court Judge Timothy Walmsley during the sentencing of Greg McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse, on January 7, 2022 in Brunswick, Georgia

Ahmaud Arbery's father Marcus Arbery, center, sits in the courtroom with other family members during the sentencing of Greg McMichael, his son, Travis McMichael, and a neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan in the Glynn County Courthouse

William Roddie Bryan, 52, arrives at court in Brunswick, Georgia, on Friday to be sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery

Travis McMichael, 35, arrives in court in shackles on Friday morning to be sentenced for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. He will be at least 65 before he gets out of prison

Gregory McMichael, 66, is shown arriving at court for the 10am sentencing hearing

Gregory McMichael makes his way into court on Friday to be sentenced to life in prison

'The day has finally come that we will get justice.

'The day my family an I have prayed for... it has finally come.'

Defense attorneys then pleaded with the judge not to sentence the men to the harshest possible term.

Gregory McMichael's attorney, Laura Hogue, called him a 'man of goodness' and referred to the killing as a 'five minute chase that ended in tragedy.'

'Greg McMichael is a good man. He is not a perfect person but none of us are.

'The choices he made as a young man, all the way through to the rest of his life, to serve, not to acquire wealth, but to quietly go through the business of choosing career options to help other people.

'I say without hesitation he remains a man of goodness,' she said.

Three white men guilty of Ahmaud Arbery faced 27 charges between them - this is what each of them mean COUNT 1 - MALICE MURDER This is defined as causing a person's death with deliberate intention without provocation and 'where all the circumstances in the killing show an abandoned and malignant heart'. Travis McMichael - Guilty Gregory McMichael - Not guilty William 'Roddie' Bryan - Not guilty COUNTS 2, 3, 4 AND 5 - FELONY MURDER This applies when a death is caused in the course of committing another felony whether or not the killing was intentional or unprovoked. Travis McMichael - Guilty on all counts Gregory McMichael - Guilty on all counts William 'Roddie' Bryan - Guilty on three counts, not guilty on one counts COUNT 6 and 7 - AGGRAVATED ASSAULT Under Georgia law this is an assault using a deadly weapon. Count six refers to the shotgun used, count 7 refers to the two pickup trucks, driven by Gregory McMichael and William 'Roddie' Bryan, used to box Arbery in. Travis McMichael - Guilty Gregory McMichael - Not guilty on count 6; Guilty on count 7 William 'Roddie' Bryan - Not guilty on count 6; Guilty on count 7 COUNT 8 - FALSE IMPRISONMENT This is when a person 'arrests, confines, or detains' another person without legal authority. Travis McMichael - Guilty Gregory McMichael - Guilty William 'Roddie' Bryan - Guilty COUNT 9 - CRIMINAL INTENT TO COMMIT A FELONY This refers to performing 'any act which constitutes a substantial step' toward the intentional commission of a crime Travis McMichael - Guilty Gregory McMichael - Guilty William 'Roddie' Bryan - Guilty Advertisement

Ahmaud Arbery's father Marcus Arbery arrives at court on Friday for the sentencing. He spoke briefly before the hearing, telling reporters he is a 'different man now'
Soldiers in Norway must return their underwear and socks after completing military service for the next recruits to wear because of shortages blamed on Covid-19.

Norway conscripts around 8,000 young men and women for military service every year to guard NATO's northern border and the frontier with Russia.

Until recently, newly discharged conscripts left their barracks with the underwear they were issued.

But the Covid-19 pandemic has seriously strained the flow of supplies with factory shutdowns and transport problems, leading the Norwegian military to ask conscripts to hand over underwear, bras and even socks.

Soldiers in Norway must return their underwear and socks after completing military service for the next recruits to wear because of shortages blamed on Covid-19

Though originally voluntary, it has now been made mandatory, public broadcaster NRK reported on Friday.

'Now that we have chosen to reuse this part of the kit, it helps us... We don't have enough in stock,' defence logistics spokesman Hans Meisingset told NRK.

'The textiles are washed, cleaned and checked. What we distribute is in good condition,' he said.

A conscripts' representative, however, criticised recurrent shortcomings, saying they could end up affecting operations.

'Severe shortages of equipment and clothing can potentially affect operational readiness and, in the worst case, the safety of the soldier,' Eirik Sjohelle Eiksund told trade publication Forsvarets Forum.
Police have arrested a second person as part of an investigation into the fatal stabbing of a man in a busy West London street.

A 27-year-old man was arrested on Friday on suspicion of the murder of 46-year-old Dariusz Wolosz.

A 13-year-old boy who was arrested on suspicion of murder on Thursday has been released on bail to a date in early February.

Mr Wolosz, who was Polish, was attacked near his home by a group of males following a row on Tavistock Road in West Drayton, the Metropolitan Police said.

He had been returning home after going to the shop to buy cigarettes when he was attacked, according to his family.

Dariusz Wolosz was attacked in the early hours of Tuesday, January 4 in Yiewsley, West Drayton

Officers were called by paramedics to reports of an injured man on the High Street in Yiewsley at 12.12am on Tuesday.

He was pronounced dead at 12.43am.

A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as stab wounds to the groin and chest.

Mr Wolosz's family are said to be 'distraught'.

Police have asked anyone with information to contact them and said dash cam footage from passing cars may have captured the incident.

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley said: 'We believe Dariusz was attacked by a group of males in Tavistock Road following a verbal dispute. The group then fled in different directions.

Police and paramedics battled for more than 30 minutes in an effort to save Mr Wolosz's life

Officers were called by paramedics to reports of an injured man on the High Street in Yiewsley at 12.12am on Tuesday. Above: A forensic officer is seen at the scene of the stabbing

'The area was busy at the time with passing traffic and people driving past could well have captured dash cam footage of the incident, and the moments leading up to it.

'Dariusz's family are distraught and we are doing everything we can to support them at this time.

'I urge local people to check any doorbell and dash cameras - you may have captured something that could be very significant for us.'

Anyone who has information is asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC, giving the reference 0063/04JAN.

Information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
A strike on the Night Tube service will go ahead tonight, with customers being warned of 'severe disruption' on two major lines.

Drivers are set to walk out at 8.30pm this evening as they begin six months of strike action over rosters for the Night Tube service.

They will walk out every Friday and Saturday night until the summer - in a move which travel chiefs warn will cause major disruption to the Central and Victoria lines.

It follows a dispute with Sadiq Khan over rosters for the Night Tube service - which was restarted in November following its closure during the first Covid lockdown.

But drivers, who are being asked to work four night shift weekends per year, say the new rosters are 'unfair'.

Bosses at the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) say drivers are striking 'for progressive and family friendly working practices'.

But London Underground say the amount of night shifts was 'fair and reasonable' and the new rosters include assurances that there will be no job cuts.

Today London Minister Paul Scully described the RMT's walkout as 'totally unreasonable'.

But the Conservative minister also questioned Mr Khan's 'leadership' in his handling of the dispute, and today urged Mr Khan to 'thrash out' a deal with drivers.

Drivers are set to walk out at 8.30pm tonight to start six months of strike action over rosters for the Night Tube service. Pictured: A message from TfL posted at London Underground stations during previous strike action in November

It follows a dispute with Sadiq Khan over rosters for the Night Tube service - which was restarted in November following its closure during the first Covid lockdown

London Minister Paul Scully MP today described the RMT's walkout as 'totally unreasonable', but urged Mr Khan to 'thrash out' a deal with drivers

Asked for his opinion on the strike action, the Tory MP told LBC: 'It is totally unreasonable, I think the mayor needs to get back to the table with those unions and TfL to thrash this out.

'No, he shouldn't reverse his decision to look at the Night Tube - the Night Tube is a boom for London as we start to open up again but importantly it is vital to give people confidence of the safety and the security about moving around London late at night, especially for workers, not just people who are enjoying hospitality.

'Workers who are maybe late workers, night workers, it gives them the security and safety to move around town.'

Asked what the 'longest ever Tube strike' occurring on Labour mayor Mr Khan's watch said about his stewardship, Mr Scully replied: 'He is good at politics, he is not good at leadership, and what we need is a strong leader in London at the moment who is tackling these industrial relations, making sure we can keep Londoners moving.'

It comes as Tube customers have been advised that the strike action could cause severe disruption on Central and Victoria line Night Tube this weekend - and until the planned strike action finishes on June 19.

A spokesperson for TfL said: 'Both the Victoria and Central lines could be severely disrupted from 7pm onwards on Fridays and Saturdays from this weekend until 19 June.

'Customers are advised to check before they travel and use buses to complete their journeys where required.

Tube customers have been advised that the strike action could cause severe disruption on Central and Victoria line Night Tube this weekend - and until the planned strike action finishes on June 19. Pictured: A sign warning of disruption due to Tube strikes in November

'Night services on London Overground will run as planned on Friday and Saturday nights between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate.'

Commenting on the strike, the spokesperson said: The RMT has taken this action over new rosters, which have been agreed by the other recognised union and were introduced for Tube drivers in August.

'This strike action has been called despite the new rosters including assurances that there will be no job cuts, providing certainty and the option of permanent work for those on part-time contracts, and only scheduling up to four night shift weekends per year. Where preferred, these night shifts can be swapped with colleagues for duties at other times of day.

'Transport for London (TfL) is urging the RMT to join it for talks as TfL seeks to try and avoid this unnecessary action and resolve this dispute.'

But RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said union chiefs were 'fighting for progressive and family friendly working practices' and they were 'available for further talks'.

He said: 'As the New Year gets under way our battle for workplace justice for tube staff steps up a gear with a new phase of action running from tomorrow through to the summer.

'If London Underground and the Mayor thought this fight for progressive and family friendly working practices was going away they need to think again.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said union chiefs were 'fighting for progressive and family friendly working practices' and they were 'available for further talks'

'It's the failure of LU and Sadiq Khan to address the grievances at the heart of the dispute that leaves us no option but to confirm the programme of action goes ahead as planned.

'RMT has repeatedly put forward cost neutral proposals that would repair the damage unleashed by deleting 200 driver posts and which would dig LU out of this mess. They have ignored us and that approach will have severe consequences for Londoners through to the summer.

'We remain available for further talks.'

Night Tube services were re-introduced on the Central and Victoria lines on the evening of Saturday, November 27 after being stopped during the first Covid lockdown.

But the new rotas sparked a dispute between drivers and TfL. On 18 December, a second 24-hour walk-out in a month caused disruption to five Tube lines throughout the day.

It followed a similar 24-hour strike on 26 November that affected six lines.

Further rounds of night-time industrial action took place on the weekends of 3, 10 and 17 December.

Andy Lord, Managing Director of London Underground, said: 'We're disappointed that, once again, the RMT is continuing to push for strike action that is likely to cause further unnecessary disruption.

'We're calling on the RMT to join us for talks so we can work together to resolve this dispute around roster changes, which mean no job losses and greater flexibility for drivers.

'If these six months of action do go ahead, we will continue to operate as regular a service as possible.

'However, customers are advised to check before they travel and use buses to complete their journeys where required. I apologise to them for the impact this unnecessary action will have on their journeys.'.

TfL says the strike affects train drivers only and stations will remain fully staffed throughout the action.

They say plain clothes and uniformed British Transport Police officers are also patrolling the network to ensure staff and customer safety.
A cancer sufferer has won more than 40,000 after he was told by his boss 'don't be a baby' for saying he couldn't work weekends due to his illness.

Steve Pointon was just 36 when he was first diagnosed with the disease and had to undergo a 'traumatic' and 'brutal' treatment regime while his managers continually complained about his performance.

The father of two was told to 'grow up' and asked why he thought he deserved to have 'every weekend off'.

An employment tribunal described company director Ken Lawton as a man lacking in emotional intelligence 'who would not suffer dissent easily' and liked to be 'seen to be in command'.

Mr Pointon was found to have been unfairly dismissed and discriminated against on grounds of disability and was awarded 42,228.65 in compensation from security firm Alpha Omega Securities.

Steve Pointon, left, was employed by Alpha Omega Securities based in Cheshire which was owned by Ken Lawton, right. An Employment Appeal tribunal criticised Mr Lawton for lacking 'emotional intelligence' before awarding Mr Pointon more than 42,000

In a judgment published today, the tribunal dismissed an application to stay the award of compensation until its appeal had been heard against the original decision.

Employment Judge Gary Self ruled there was no need to stay the compensation as any benefit from this would rely on the appeal succeeding and would be 'speculative'.'

Mr Pointon told the tribunal his claim was 'not about the money but in effect to show that individuals did not have to be treated in the way that he was'.

The original hearing in Birmingham was told that Mr Pointon worked as a 35,000 a year general manager at the firm based in Crewe, Cheshire.

The business provided security guards for events and shops and prior to his diagnosis Mr Pointon worked around 50 hours a week.

In August 2016 he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. At the time he had a young son and another child on the way.

Mr Lawton was director of the company and in its judgement the tribunal stated: 'It was within his gift and his gift alone to offer indulgences.

'His way was the only way, and the Tribunal did not consider that Mr Lawton would suffer dissent easily or at all. Mr Lawton wished not only to be in command but to be seen to be in command.'

In September, Mr Pointon underwent surgery and was off for six weeks before being given the all clear a year later.

He went back to working full time despite still suffering significant side effects.

The tribunal heard that Mr Lawton, who was initially very supportive, 'showed a lack of emotional intelligence' by regularly moaning to Mr Pointon about how hard he had to work when he was off.

When Mr Pointon returned he discovered another man, Andrew Taylor, been brought in as Operations Director to help with the workload.

Sadly, in January 2018 however, he was told his cancer had returned and the 'prognosis was poor'.

A few weeks later he declined to attend a work dinner stating that time with his family was now even more 'precious'. In response, Mr Lawton told him off for 'daring to challenge' his 'generosity'.

Mr Pointon's doctor eventually told him he was technically classed as disabled and offered to sign him off to allow him time to recover.

When he returned he was on a reduced schedule only working four days a week and his bosses agreed he wouldn't take calls out of hours.

A short while later however, Mr Taylor called him into his office and berated him for not pulling his weight at the weekends.

During the conversation, Mr Pointon said: 'I can't give you anymore.. My doctor has advised my limitations on my fit note and my duties were agreed with Ken and yourself on record.

'If this is now not good enough for you then I will have no option other than to go home and sign back off sick.'

Mr Taylor replied: 'Don't be a baby, if that is how you feel it would be your choice. I am running a very busy business and need more from you..'

Mr Pointon said he felt as if he was being 'forced out of the business' but was told 'grow up, you are a senior manager and can't expect to have every weekend off'.

After that an upset Mr Pointon told him 'there was nothing silly about putting his health first' and left the office.

Mr Pointon went back on sick leave but was then sent a hand delivered letter from Mr Lawton asking when he would be back at work.

Mr Pointon eventually resigned in November 2018, and in a letter to Mr Lawton, he said: '[I resigned after] the culmination of the treatment [I] received from you, your fellow director and the company since my diagnosis of secondary cancer in January of (2018)'.

Employment Judge Self concluded: '[Calling him a baby] was unwanted conduct, and the intention was to put [Mr Pointon] in his place after he had had the temerity not to work over the weekend and stick to what had been agreed as the basis for his return to work.

'The purpose and the effect were to attack [his] dignity and to create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating and offensive environment.'

He added: 'While [Mr Lawton] wants [Mr Pointon] to get better, he principally want[ed] to know when his company can be running at full capacity again.'

The tribunal found Mr Pointon's claims for unfair constructive dismissal, discrimination arising from disability and harassment succeeded but another allegation of victimisation failed.
The Supreme Court on Friday will hear arguments on President Joe Biden's most aggressive attempt to combat COVID - his vaccine and testing requirements - as the Omicron variant causes cases to spike around the country.

The justices on the conservative-leaning court will take up challenges on whether the Biden administration can enforce a vaccine-or-testing requirement that applies to business with more than 100 employees and on a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers.

The arguments are expected to last at least two hours. Their decision could affect 100 million workers in the United States.

The challenges are being brought from 27 states led by Republican officials, businesses, religious groups and others. They argue Congress has not authorized the mandate, calling it unnecessary and saying it exceeds the administration's authority.

The White House argues the policies are 'critical to our nation's Covid-19 response.'

'Unvaccinated Americans continue to face a real threat of severe illness and death  including from Omicron,' White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday in a statement. 'The need and the urgency for these policies is greater than ever, and we are confident in the legal authority for both policies.'

The Supreme Court on Friday will hear arguments on President Joe Biden's vaccine and testing requirements

President Biden announced the new rules in November and they were challenged by officials in Republican-led states along with some businesses and religious groups

The high court will be weighing in on administration vaccine policies for the first time, although the justices have turned away pleas to block state-level mandates.

The challenges are to two different rules.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's rule, which requires workers to get vaccinated or be tested for Covid on a weekly basis, applies to companies with 100 or more employees.

The rule from the Department of Health and Human Services would require vaccination for 17 million health-care workers in facilities that treat Medicare and Medicaid patients at 76,000 facilities that receive federal money tied to those programs.

'It is difficult to imagine a more paradigmatic health and safety condition than a requirement that workers at hospitals, nursing homes and other medical facilities take the step that most effectively prevents transmission of a deadly virus to vulnerable patients,' Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar wrote in a brief.

Technically, the court is not deciding the legality of the rules - only whether the mandates may be implemented while lawsuits challenging them continue.

The OSHA rule was originally scheduled to go into effect on January 4 but the agency delayed implementation amid the legal challenges.

Soon after Biden issued the mandate in November, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit blocked it from going into affect. But another federal appeals court reinstated it in December.

In a highly unusual move, the court scheduled a public hearing to consider the emergency request for rulings.

Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated

Demonstrators protest masks, vaccine mandates and vaccine passports, with some supporting vaccines, at the State House in Boston on Wednesday. The event was organized by first responders in the city who will lose their jobs if they don't get vaccinated

The Supreme Court remains closed to the public, but the justices will take the bench to hear the arguments in person. All of the justices are fully vaccinated and have received a booster shot, the court has said.

Court staff, lawyers in the cases, credentialed reporters and the justices' law clerks are allowed to attend on Friday but all must be masked and have negative test results for Covid.

The Supreme Court will provide a live audio feed on its website.

Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of the country has received a booster shot.
Families of men who died on 9/11 issued blistering criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris' tone-deaf comparison of the Capitol riots to the 9/11 terror attacks and Pearl Harbor

Survivors of the September 11 terror attacks and the families of those who died have slammed Vice President Kamala Harris's comparison of the horror that killed nearly 3,000 people to the Capitol riot as 'reckless' and 'appalling.'

They called on Harris to apologize for her 'insulting' comparison.

In a speech given on Thursday to mark the one-year anniversary of Capitol riots, Harris equated January 6 to the 9/11 attacks and Pearl Harbor. In the 9/11 attacks, 2,977 people were killed and more than 6,000 others were injured.

'Certain dates echo throughout history, including dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them where they were and what they were doing, when our democracy came under assault,' Harris said. 'December 7, 1941, September 11, 2001 and January 6, 2021.'

Mary Geraghty, 61, whose husband, New York City Fire Department Battalion Chief Edward Geraghty, died on 9/11, told DailyMail.com she was almost too upset by the comparison to comment.

'I'm still speechless that our vice president would make that comment,' she said. 'There were terrorists that came onto American soil and slaughtered American citizens. There is absolutely no comparison. Insult is too mild a word.'

'I guess you can't expect much from someone who is so out of touch,' she added.

Asked if she thought Harris's comments were divisive, she said: 'I think she was being Kamala Harris.'

The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center killed 2, 9777 people and launched a twenty-year war on Iraq and Afghanistan

FDNY Battalion Chief Edward Geraghty oversaw several firehouses on the day of the terror attack. His widow Mary Geraghty, 61, told DailyMail.com she was almost too upset by the comparison to comment. 'I'm still speechless that our vice president would make that comment,' she said. 'There were terrorists that came onto American soil and slaughtered American citizens. There is absolutely no comparison. Insult is too mild a word.'

Equity trader John Ryan (left) worked for Keef, Bruyette & Woods which lost a third of their employees that day. His widow Patty said: 'I think it's quite distressing. I think it totally minimizes the deaths of 3,000 people who died on our soil that day.' Mall manager Bruce Eagleson (right) died in the South Tower of the World Trade Center after making sure that 18 coworkers got out of the building before it collapsed. Mr Eagleson's widow Gail was baffled by the comparison

Patty Ryan with her husband, Joseph 'JR' Ryan, who died in 9/11. She said the families of the victims of 9/11 are tired of elected officials using the tragedy for their political gains

On September 11, 2001, the coordinated attack on the World Trade Center in New York City by al Qaeda killed 2,977 innocent civilians and launched a 21-year war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, that took 2,403 lives and pulled the U.S. into World War II.

In her speech on Thursday, Harris described the Capitol Hill fracas as an assault on democracy.

'I wonder, how will January 6 be come to be remembered?' Harris said. 'Will it be remembered as a moment that accelerated the unraveling of the oldest and greatest democracy in the world? Or a moment when we decided to secure and strengthen our democracy for generations to come?'

John Feal, (left) whose Fealgood Foundation was instrumental in getting the federal government to restore money to the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund. Joseph Mistrulli (right) was a union carpenter working in Windows on the World on 9/11, he died in the attack. His daughter Angela would like to see Vice President Kamala Harris sit down with the families so that she understands their viewpoint

The White House defended Harris's comments, claiming critics were missing the bigger point.

'Instead of, for those who are being critics of the vice president's remarks, I think instead of focusing on, or analyzing comparisons of moments in history, I would suggest that they be a part of solving the threat to democracy that occurs today  They are using this as an excuse not to be a part of that,' White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

But NYFD Battalion Chief Geraghty's widow brushed off the White House's defense of the v ice president.

'They're accustomed to doing damage control to back her up,' Mary Geraghty said. 'Politics aside, our government needs to do better.'

Angela Mistruli, whose father Joseph Mistrulli, a union carpenter working at the top of the North Tower restaurant Windows on the World, said that Al Qaeda and the Japanese intended to cause death and suffering.

'I don't like bringing 9/11 into political conversation,' she said. 'I don't believe the people on January 6 went there with the intent of harming anyone.'

Retired Fire Captain Anthony Varriale (left) and Gail Eagelson (right) both ripped Kamala Harris for her tone-deaf comparison. Varriale lose 11 members from his firehouse while Eagleson's husband was killed in the South Tower

Retired Fire Captain Anthony Varriale said putting events in their proper context is an important part of remembering.

He was assigned to Engine 24, Ladder 5 on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan on 9/11.

'I lost 11 guys in my firehouse,' he said. 'I lost 30 friends in all. I had to dig shredded bodies out of the rubble and she's going to compare it to that?'

He said that Harris should step down as vice president.

'It's embarrassing that she's the vice president of the United States. It's like a knife to my gut,' he said. 'I think she should resign.'

The widow of another victim, Gail Eagelson, whose husband Bruce died in the South Tower of the World Trade Center after making sure that 18 co-workers made it out safely, said she was baffled by the comment.

'I really don't have respect for her, so I don't listen to what she says,' Eagelson told DailyMail.com

'What is it? Seven people died at the Capitol, and that's unfortunate, but how can you compare that to 9/11.'

On January 6, 2020, Trump supporters marched from his 'Save America' rally to breach Capitol security as members of Congress and former Vice President Mike Pence were certifying the vote in favor of Biden. Four people died in the chaos of the day, and one injured Capitol police officer died a day later after suffering a stroke.

Eagleson said she doesn't remember where she was on January 6 last year.

'I remember where I was when the federal building was bombed in Oklahoma,' she said, referring to the April 19, 1995 home-grown terror attack that destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. 'I don't really remember what I was doing.'

'It seems like she's a difficult person. She can't keep staff. She seems like she has a chip on her shoulder. She kind of has an attitude.'

'Here is the truth,' Biden said. 'The former president of the United States of America created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election'

John Feal, whose Fealgood Foundation spearheaded the effort to restore funding to the 9/11 Victim's Compensation Fund, said Harris's comments were reckless.

'She joins a long list of elected officials who have misspoke, no knowing the pain that still exists in the 9/11 community,' he said.

Harris misses the point of the two events, Feal said.

Biden wipes his eye as Harris delivers her remarks commemorating January 6

'Both caused a lot of harm and damage to our country, but we witnessed 9/11 collectively as a nation,' he said. 'We witnessed 1/6 as a divided country.'

She was speaking recklessly, not knowing that words do hurt,' he said. 'Should she apologize? Absolutely. Will she apologize? I don't care. I'm an Army vet, a 9/11 first responder and a kidney donor.'

He said that there was no justice for the victims of 9/11.

'At least for January 6, justice will come,' he said. 'I hope that they bring the ringleaders to justice and I think they are - slowly.'

'I don't think she said it with malice, but maybe she thought she was going to score some political points with some people.

Harris compared the three events as an attack on democracy.

'What the extremists who roamed these halls targeted was not only the lives of elected leaders ... what they were assaulting were the institutions, the values, the ideals that generations of Americans have marched, picketed and shed blood to establish and defend.'

She compared the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol one year ago to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and 9/11

Patty Ryan, whose husband J.R. Ryan was a securities trader for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, which lost a third of its staff in the attack, said she was tired of politicians using her families tragedy as a political justification.

'Its just so frustrating,' she said. 'What we went through with the withdrawal of Afghanistan. We felt so bad for those people and what was being done in our name. We are constantly being used for political purpose.'

'I think it's quite distressing. I think it totally minimizes the deaths of 3,000 people who died on our soil that day,' she said.

Politicians also chimed in to condemn Harris's comments.

'Let's just be clear here: When they try to act like this is something akin to the September 11 attacks, that is an insult to the people that were going into those buildings,' Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Republican Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona also took issue with comparing 1/6 to 9/11 or Pearl Harbor.

'Kamala compared Jan6 to the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Twin Towers. Fear-baiting and truth-twisting at its finest,' Biggs wrote on Twitter.
A woman was removed by police from a Montreal grocery store after a racist rant where she blamed an Asian couple for the spread of COVID-19.

The unidentified 'grocery store Karen' was filmed by Ken Mak in the checkout aisle at IGA on Nuns Island.

'Are you Chinese?' she asked Mak, who moved to Canada 20 years ago. When he responded in the affirmative, she launched into the racist tirade, all two minutes of which was captured on Mak's cell phone video.

'All of these 21 months of bulls*** All of these f****** epidemic that became a pandemic, it's because of you Chinese people!' the woman yelled at the couple while giving the couple the middle finger.

A store employee eventually intervened and removed the woman, who mentions her family is 'one of the best lawyers in Montreal,' as she continues her rant towards the store's exit before the video cuts off.

Pictured: the unidentified woman who was caught on camera giving a racist, anti-Chinese rant towards an Asian couple, where she blamed them for the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic

'Are you Chinese?' the woman, pictured, asked Mak. 'All of (this) f**** pandemic, it's because of you Chinese people!' the woman yelled at the couple while giving the couple the middle finger

The Montreal police reportedly were called to help remove her from the store, according to NBC News.

'It's unfortunate that the Asian community has to put up with this,' said Mak, adding that he filmed the incident because he wanted to make his fellow Canadians aware that this kind of racism still exists.

Mak, who captioned the video with the hashtag #StopAsianHate, said that the racist incident 'shall not be swept under the rug.'

'This pandemic has caused chaos in all our lives, and it is not acceptable to assault a specific minority for it. We all have been through the lockdowns, the curfews and the hardships in Quebec together just like everyone else,' Mak wrote.

'All crisis ends, but until then we need to support each other, not blaming innocent people.'

Pictured: Ken Mak, the Chinese-Canadian man who filmed a racist rant directed towards him while in line at a Montreal grocery store

Mak, who captioned the video with the hashtag #StopAsianHate, said that the racist incident 'shall not be swept under the rug'

More than half of Asian-Canadians say they have suffered some form of discrimination over the past year since the onset of the pandemic, according to a July survey from the Angus Reid Institute.

The Government of Canada even addressed anti-Asian racism back in October, during Asian Heritage Month.

Meanwhile, Canadian politicians and local community leaders have lashed out at the woman's behavior, including the Mayor of Montreal.

'I denounce this lady's racist remarks, which are shocking and unacceptable,' Mayor Valerie Plante tweeted in response to the video.

'Anti-Asian racism has no place in Montreal, and this type of aggression should never be tolerated.'

Pictured: IGA on Nuns Island, the Montreal grocery store where the anti-Asian racist rant took place

Quebec's minister tasked to oversee anti-racism efforts, shared the same sentiment.

'Saddening, shocking and condemnable! Behavior of this sort simply has no place in Quebec,' Benoit Charette tweeted.

The grocery store also released a statement, saying they are 'incredibly disheartened and upset' over the unnamed woman's racist behavior.

'In such circumstances, we ask the customer to leave our store, as our team did in this instance. Local authorities were contacted to assist in this matter,' IGA said, according to CTV News.

'At IGA, we denounce all forms of hate. This is never acceptable.'
The boss of British Gas owner Centrica has called for green levies on energy bills to be scrapped to save families 170-a-year.

Chris O'Shea, chief executive of Centrica, has also said it does not want a bailout from the Government as households prepare for a 50% spike in their bills.

Mr O'Shea instead called for cuts to VAT and green levies and said they could do more to help customers. He also called for green programmes to be funded out of general taxation.

'There are reports that some energy companies want a 20 billion handout to keep household bills down,' he wrote in an opinion piece published in the Sun on Friday. Not British Gas. We haven't asked for a bailout, we don't want a bailout, and we oppose any bailouts.'

Energy bills are set to go up significantly in April. Households will not know exactly how much their bills will rise until next month, but some experts are predicting a hike by around 50%.

This means that an average household on a supplier's default tariff will pay nearly 2,000 per year for their gas and electricity, compared to less than 1,300 today.

Chris O'Shea, chief executive of Centrica, has called for green levies on energy bills to be scrapped to save families 170-a-year

Mr O'Shea said that if the Government chose to suspend VAT on energy bills, households could save around 100 per year.

However this will only offset a small proportion of the expected 700 hike in energy bills, and critics say it is a blunt tool that will help both rich and poor households.

It will deprive the Government of nearly 2 billion that it could otherwise use to help households most in need, some argue.

Mr O'Shea said that another option would be to remove social and green levies from energy bills and instead have the taxpayer pay for the programmes. This could save customers 170, he said.

Supporters of the potential 20 billion package say it would insulate customers from such a big shock.

The price hike is due to soaring global gas prices which mean that energy suppliers have to buy their gas at much higher levels than before.

'Energy suppliers have to pass on higher wholesale costs to survive,' Mr O'Shea wrote.

Jess Ralston, an analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, argued that it makes little sense to slash green levies, when it is the price of gas, a fossil fuel, which is pushing up bills.

'The talk of slashing levies ignores the fact that a significant proportion goes to insulate fuel poor homes and help the elderly cover winter heating bills,' she said.

'Without a decade of these levies many poorer households would be facing a much more frightening prospect.

Energy bills are set to go up significantly in April. Households will not know exactly how much their bills will rise until next month, but some experts are predicting a hike by around 50%

'There are reports that some energy companies want a 20 billion handout to keep household bills down,' he wrote in an opinion piece published in the Sun on Friday. Not British Gas. We haven't asked for a bailout, we don't want a bailout, and we oppose any bailouts'

'Electricity bills aren't rising as sharply as gas because early renewable subsidies are paying off, with cheaper wind and solar power cushioning the current high running costs of gas power stations.'

Customers are also facing the threat of higher shopping bills because companies are passing on the costs of spiralling energy prices.

A British Chambers of Commerce survey of almost 5,500 companies found three out of five expect their prices to increase in the next three months.

Families have been warned domestic gas and electricity bills also could rise as much as 50 per cent in April as the energy price cap is hiked.
The death of Aoife Beary, one of the survivors of the 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse, has sent ripples across her native Ireland, her funeral heard today.

Friends and family gathered in the Our Lady of Perpetual Succour church in Foxrock, south Dublin this morning for the funeral of the 27-year-old, described as 'a vibrant and brave girl' who did not let the tragedy 'define' her life.

Ms Beary from Blackrock, south Dublin, died on Saturday at Beaumont Hospital after suffering a stoke on December 29.

She was among seven survivors when a balcony collapsed in California in the early hours of June 16, 2015, during a celebration of her 21st birthday.

She was left with life-changing injuries including brain trauma, broken bones and organ lacerations.

Her friends Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Lorcan Miller, Niccolai Schuster, Eimear Walsh and Ashley Donohoe all died in the tragedy.

The funeral on Friday, which was attended by a representative of the Irish President Michael D Higgins as well as the chaplain of University College Dublin, heard how Ms Beary overcame the 'obstacles' life put in her way.

The death of Aoife Beary, one of the survivors of the 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse, has sent ripples across her native Ireland, her funeral heard today

Pall bearers bring Ms Beary's coffin out of the church in County Dublin today after the 27-year-old, described as 'a vibrant and brave girl', was laid to rest

Friends and family gathered in the Our Lady of Perpetual Succour church in Foxrock in south Dublin this morning for Ms Beary's funeral

Ms Beary was among seven survivors when a fifth floor balcony (pictured) collapsed in California in the early hours of June 16, 2015, during a celebration of her 21st birthday. She was left with life-changing injuries including brain trauma, broken bones and organ lacerations

Father Kieran Dunne, the parish priest, told the congregation that Ms Beary was 'a person of remarkable gifts and talent'.

In 2017 after the balcony collapse, Ms Beary had started studying occupational therapy in Oxford Brookes University in England.

Father Dunne described her as 'a woman who faced the very depth of loss of many friends and personal injury to herself and others'.

'A person who embraced life and its possibilities again, finding especially new growth and life in her friendships and in her study in Oxford Brookes.

'We recall a person rooted in her family, parish and community.

'A loving, loyal, faithful young woman who had the capacity to nurture true friendship.'

Father Dunne said the 'ripples' from the death of Ms Beary had been felt across the country and beyond.

'Communities of friendship all touched and moved by the life and death of this beautiful young woman. Not to mention the wider Christian community here in Foxrock and our city and national community as well,' he said.

An order of service for the funeral of Aoife Beary at the the Our Lady of Perpetual Succour church in Foxrock in south Dublin this morning

Speaking during the funeral, Father Kieran Dunne, the parish priest, told the congregation that Ms Beary was 'a person of remarkable gifts and talent' (pictured, Ms Beary's coffin is brought out of the hearse)

Flowers being placed in a hearse during the funeral of Aoife Beary, one of the survivors of the 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse who passed away on Saturday following a stroke on December 29

At the funeral, friends prayed and thanked the doctors and nurses who had cared for Aoife over the years.

Before the service began, children from local schools lined the route to the church on Friday to pay their respects to Ms Beary.

Inside the church, a map of the world, on which Ms Beary had scratched out all the countries she had visited, was placed on the altar.

The congregation heard that it had always been her aim to visit 25 countries before she reached the age of 25.

The map was joined by an old school jumper and a the degree scroll from University College Dublin, as well as an occupational therapist uniform and a coffee cup.

'Aoife's day always had to begin with her vanilla latte. It was an important part of her daily routine. No study or chat could begin without a cup of coffee in hand. It was like punctuation to her day,' her friend Aisling Kennon told the church.

Clodagh Cogley, another survivor of the balcony collapse, placed a Spanish textbook belonging to Ms Beary on the altar.

'Aoife's lockdown challenge was not baking banana bread, but to become fluent in Spanish,' Ms Kennon told mourners.

James O'Doherty, Ms Beary's godfather, spoke on behalf of the family as the funeral mass drew to a close.

Minutes earlier 'Begin' by Irish poet Brendan Kennelly, which says that 'something that will not acknowledge conclusion insists that we forever begin', had been read to the congregation.

'You fought such a good fight and the burden of your injuries and the burden of dealing with them didn't leave a lot of space for the joy of living,' Mr O'Doherty said of his goddaughter.

'But you insisted on living life well. You insisted on a life full of meaning and purpose. It was grounded in your ability to connect with people. The strong friendships you've built from a very early age.'

In a moving tribute to Ms Beary, he praised her love of living, her ability to make friends and her passion for travel.

Aoife with Stanford Medical staff at Berkeley in California, America

Angela and Aoife Beary of Dublin, Ireland with Vice Consul Kevin Byrne of the Irish Consulate General as state lawmakers in the Assembly Appropriations Committee discuss SB465 in Sacramento, California on August 10, 2016

The fifth floor balcony is pictured shortly after the June 2016 collapse which killed six and injured seven others

The apartment balconies were designed as 'decoration' more than as a sturdy place for large groups of people to sta

Officials later revealed the wooden beams supporting the balcony were water-damaged and rotten

Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Niccolai Schuster, Lorcan Miller, Eimear Walsh, all 21 from Ireland, and Irish-American Ashley Donohoe, 22, died when the balcony collapsed under the weight of 13 people

Mr O'Doherty spoke of the day she testified in front of the state legislature in California, following the balcony collapse.

'You didn't forget your friends when you sat in front of the lawmakers in California,' he said.

'And you said those words that I think everybody here remembers - that your birthday will always be their anniversary.'

He quoted a tribute from Dean of Science at University College Dublin Tara McMorrow, who said that her 'legacy is one of hope and determination'.

The song Somewhere Over the Rainbow was sung as Ms Beary's coffin was carried from the church, before being taken to Newlands Cross Crematorium.

The Mass booklet for the funeral was decorated with photos from the life of Ms Beary, showing her smiling with friends and documenting her travels.

A quote from it read: 'Never ever doubt that we will meet again. Until that happy day I will grow with God and wait for you.'
Visitors look on at an artificial-intelligence powered concierge service being showcased at Shinhan Bank's booth during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week. The lender is the only Korean commercial bank to join the world's largest electronics fair. Courtesy of Shinhan Bank





An artificial-intelligence powered concierge kiosk gives instructions on social distancing for visitors to Shinhan Bank's booth during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week. Courtesy of Shinhan Bank



By Lee Min-hyung



Leaders of Korea's major banking groups are paying attention to this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) via online channels, as part of their efforts to catch up with the latest financial technologies amid the rise of big tech firms here and abroad, industry sources said Friday.





Logo for Consumer Electronics Show / Courtesy of Consumer Technology Association

Even if no CEO-level figures from the nation's five major financial holding firms will attend the world's largest technology fair, most leaders and high-ranking executives in the banking industry will view the event online.



Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung planned to visit Las Vegas for the four-day fair that ends on Jan. 8, but was unable to do so amid escalating fears regarding the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Omicron variant there.



Shinhan Bank is the only major bank to promote an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered banking machine at CES 2022. The so-called AI Concierge machine was co-developed with MINDs Lab, a Korean AI startup. The machine is equipped with a 65-inch display, allowing even the elderly to comfortably carry out their banking activities, according to Shinhan.



The hardware is a kind of a digital receptionist that guides customers with more ease. The lender also plans to demonstrate its digital desk and the AI bank clerk during the tech fair, with a view to promoting its efforts on digital transformation.



"We will raise the awareness of our digital financial services at CES 2022 by promoting how our AI bank clerk can change the landscape of the banking industry," a spokesman at the lender said.





Visitors to the Consumer Electronics Show wait to enter the exhibition hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Thursday. Yonhap
Farmers have condemned Asda's decision to back out of a promise to only stock British beef after what it describes as a 'significant' surge in prices.

The supermarket will broaden its fresh beef suppliers to include the Republic of Ireland after stocking only British beef for the past three months.

The move will apply to all ranges excluding its premium Extra Special tier, which will remain exclusively sourced from the UK.

National Farmers Union (NFU) Neil Shand lashed out at the decision, saying he was 'deeply disappointed'.

It came despite Morrisons and Co-op reportedly saying they will stick to selling British beef, regardless of the price increase.

Asda will broaden its fresh beef suppliers to include the Republic of Ireland after stocking only British beef for the past three months (file photo of a store in west London)

Mr Shand told the BBC: 'Our supermarkets need to support domestic producers as much as possible - now more than ever.'

Deborah Deymond, a farmer with a herd of 80 cattle in Devon, added: 'I was so pleased to hear they had made the pledge in October but think it's disgraceful they're not supporting British farmers more.'

And the NFU's livestock board chairman, Richard Findlay, was also disappointed in the decision.

He said: 'Our beef is renowned for its quality and high production standards, and retail support plays a big part in enabling farmers to make further investments in climate and environmentally-friendly food production.'

An Asda spokesperson said: 'Whilst we continue to work hard to keep prices as low as possible for our customers, these increases are significant.'

The retailer's initial decision to switch to 100 per cent British beef last October came after it was slammed by farmers for stocking up on imported Polish beef in 2020.

In a statement, it added: 'We know that it is important to our customers that the beef on our shelves has been produced to high welfare standards and is affordable.'

The move comes as the NFU expresses growing concerns about Britain's food security, warning changing the use of agricultural land will damage the UK's self-sufficiency and lead to increased imports.

The retailer's move will apply to all ranges excluding its premium Extra Special tier, which will remain exclusively sourced from the UK (file photo)

The Government's 2.4billion-per-year plan to replace the European Union's common agricultural policy - called the 'Sustainable Farming Incentive' - was launched by Environment Secretary George Eustice at the Oxford Farming Conference yesterday.

Landowners will be paid to plant trees and restore wetlands and peat bogs on 741,000 acres of land under the largest farming reforms in 50 years when Britain joined the EEC.

But farmers say swapping fields of crops or cows for trees and bogs will make British food production a 'dirty word' and force smaller growers 'off the land' and out of business.

From 2023 the taxpayer will fund 15 large nature reserve projects of up to 12,000 acres across the UK plus thousands of other smaller projects. The 'landscape recovery' rewilding scheme will eventually cost 800million from 2028.

It comes as Environment Secretary George Eustice (pictured) is in the firing line from farmers over rewilding plans - but insists it will not hurt food production

When asked about whether the Government is complacent on food security - and more focussed on growing nature than produce - Mr Eustice said: 'I don't accept that at all', saying that every three years there is a legal requirement be a review of UK food security.

He said the one from last year found that the country was around 76% self-sufficient and produces more milk and lamb than we consume, and soft fruit and chicken is going in the same direction.

He added: 'We want to plant 10,000 trees every year and 300,000 hectares to be restored to their natural condition. That needs to be looked at in the context of the fact that we have over 9million hectares of agricultural land in England. It is a relatively small percentage - around two or three per cent - that might go to some land use change.

'If you look at where our food production comes from, there is not a direct correlation with land area. So 60% of agricultural output comes from just 30% of land. And in areas such as pigs and poultry, where he have seen a growth in self-sufficiency, they don't use very much land at all'.
Kamala Harris's incoming communications director Jamal Simmons once ridiculed a 'dazed and confused' Joe Biden for conflating multiple stories while describing a trip to Afghanistan and criticized Donald Trump for pushing a 'janky science vaccine', it emerged on Friday.

Simmons has been brought during an overhaul of the vice president's office, with her approval rating at a dire 32 percent and with seven staffers quitting since her disastrous border trip on June 25.

The veteran Democratic aide and TV commentator mocked Biden in 2019 for the gaffe during an episode of his politics show for The Hill called 'Why You Should Care.'

'We do this story about once a week!' he quipped. 'Its what you get with Uncle Joe.'

The segment began with a headline that said 'Dazed and Confused,' as he broke down the latest stumble by the former vice president, who had called himself a 'gaffe machine.'

Simmons made the comments at a time when the Democratic nomination was wide open  and long before he would be brought on to try to right Harris' struggling communications operation.

He told of how Biden at a town hall had 'conflated' multiple stories from a trip to Afghanistan. It turned out Biden got the timing wrong, the province wrong, along with key details  the story was about an Army soldier, not a Navy captain.

'This is the God's truth, he says. "My word as a Biden." Turns out, it wasn't God's truth,' Simmons says to the camera.

Jamal Simmons has been involved in national politics since the Clinton administration, and formerly served as deputy communications director for Al Gore's presidential campaign. He did a segment on a 'Dazed and Confused' Joe Biden as a media commentator in 2019

Simmons also critiqued Harris' run for president after she suspended her campaign, saying she 'pulled back in these very key moments.

He said she 'never quite got comfortable getting out of the pre-planned moments,' and criticized how she failed to capitalize on her early bussing attack on Biden, in another clip unearthed by Fox News. He said she also botched her handling of the fraught issue of Medicare for All during the primary.

Kamala Harris compares January 6 to Pearl Harbor and 9/11 Vice President Kamala Harris compared the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol one year ago to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and 9/11. 'Certain dates echo throughout history, including dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them where they were and what they were doing, when our democracy came under assault,' Harris began. 'December 7, 1941, September 11, 2001 and January 6, 2021.' Harris alluded to civil rights fights of the past century. 'What the extremists who roamed these halls targeted was not only the lives of elected leaders ... what they were assaulting were the institutions, the values, the ideals that generations of Americans have marched, picketed and shed blood to establish and defend.' 'We cannot let our future be decided by those bent on silencing our voices, overturning our votes, and peddling lies and misinformation by some radical faction that may be newly resurgent, but whose roots run old and deep.' Harris then called the U.S. the 'oldest and greatest democracy in the world.' 'I wonder, how will January 6 be come to be remembered?' Harris said. 'Will it be remembered as a moment that accelerated the unraveling of the oldest and greatest democracy in the world? Or a moment when we decided to secure and strengthen our democracy for generations to come?' Democracy was coined by the Greeks in 430 B.C., means 'for the people' and many communities such as Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the UK's Isle of Man, San Marino and Switzerland have had so-called democracies dating back to the ninth and tenth centuries. Advertisement

Simmons also went after former President Donald Trump on his coronavirus response  even calling life-saving vaccines under development 'janky.'

'Trumps fatally ill-managed Coronavirus response seems to have turned voters off to him the way Katrina destroyed Bushs political reputation, but pushing a janky science vaccine into the public for political purposes would turn incompetent culpability into intentional harm, he tweeted.

Urging people to get vaccinated has become a cornerstone of Biden's coronavirus response.

Harris is bringing Simmons into her press shop to replace one of seven staffer's she's lost over the past six months amid her own communications challenges.

Simmons will join the team after communications director Ashley Etienne and chief spokesperson took their leave in November and December.

An official announcement was expected from the White House later on Thursday, sources told The Hill.

Simmons is said to be widely respected in Democratic circles, and his entrance will come as the vice president's office is looking for a reset amid low poll numbers and headlines reporting dysfunction and bitter tension within the office.

Simmons has been involved in national politics since the Clinton administration, and formerly served as deputy communications director for Al Gore's presidential campaign.

A source familiar with the move told The Hill Simmons is expected to 'really change things up.'

Simmons also worked as an aide to former Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., former Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark and was chief of staff former Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich.

He's also worked in media and frequents the cable news circuit.

Harris has now lost at least seven aides since her disastrous southern border trip on June 25 after her director of press operations Peter Velz confirmed Wednesday he is leaving his role with the White House.

Velz's announcement comes in the midst of a staff exodus following reports the vice president is a 'bully' who facilitates a toxic work environment and other reports indicate tensions between the president's staff and Harris'.

'Today is my last day at the White House, and it truly has been an honor,' Velz tweeted on Wednesday. 'I will be forever grateful to Vice President Harris, the incredible Team @VP, and I'm so proud of our work this past year supporting this historic Administration.'

'The White House is an amazing place to work -- you're surrounded by the most selfless, smart, hard-working people everyday doing their best to serve the American people. And it has has been an absolute joy,' he added.

Velz's next job will start later this month at the State Department's Protocol team where Velz says he will still support President Joe Biden and Harris in their meetings with foreign leaders, delegations and international travel.

His announcement comes the day after fellow staffer Vince Evans confirmed his departure from the vice president's office to replace Kyle Anderson as executive director with the Congressional Black Caucus.

Velz (left) made his announcement the day after Vince Evans (right) confirmed his departure from Harris' team

Velz confirmed his departure in a Wednesday tweet after reports emerged toward the end of 2021 that he was eyeing the exits in the midst of a staff exodus from the vice president's office

Velz will work with the State Department on the protocol team starting later in January

He posted a throw back image of hi at the press briefing room podium from 2021 and a more current image in the same pose

Evans and Velz's departures exhibit the reports of a staff exodus coming to fruition amid reports of turmoil in the vice president's office.

At the end of December, Harris' chief spokesperson Symone Sanders left her post.

Peter Velz confirmed Wednesday he is leaving Vice President Kamala Harris' team  making him the seventh staffer to depart since June

It followed the departure of Ashley Etienne, Harris' former communications director, who left in November.

In the aftermath of Harris' botched Central America and border trip, reports emerged that two other aides were eyeing the exits. Harris' former director of advance Karly Satkowiak and deputy director of advance Gabrielle DeFranceschi departed shortly after the trip in June.

Staffers on the VP's advance team are responsible for planning all of her trips, surveying venues for her to visit and working with local officials to prepare venues for media coverage.

At the time of Satkowiak's and DeFranceschi's departure from Harris' team it was not clear why they were leaving  but it did fuel further rumors of workplace tensions.

Rajan Kaur who was Harris' director of digital strategies left her staff in July after opting not to relocate to Washington D.C. from Brooklyn.

Harris' job approval rating is at 32 per cent, according to a new USA Today/Suffolk University poll released Tuesday. While that is a terrible rating, it is a 4 per cent increase from the November poll where her approval was at only 28 per cent.

Evans, in moving on from the vice president's office, will work closely with CBC Chairwoman Representative Joyce Beatty from Ohio.

'I started my career in Washington working for a member of the CBC, so I know firsthand the tremendous leadership and impact this caucus has in Congress and across the country,' Evans said in a statement. 'As we write the next chapter of the CBC story, I am excited for the opportunity to lend my experience and passion for supporting the collective vision of this storied caucus.'

Evans (right) said he is leaving Vice President Kamala Harris' (left) office to become executive director with the Congressional Black Caucus

Velz tweeted his congratulations to Evans on Tuesday

Velz wrote in a tweet Tuesday of Evans' new position: 'Congrats to the absolute KING and MVP of Team VP! Adore this man  one of the best colleagues and friends you can ask for.'

'I'm so happy to see you continue fighting the good fight and go do great things with the Congressional Black Caucus. Love you, [Vince Evans]!' he added along with a picture of them together.

Reports revealed that Velz, currently director of press operations for Harris, has also told those in the vice president's office that he plans to leave.

As Evans joins the CBC, there are already seven members of the 56-member caucus who have said they will not run for reelection in this year's midterms. This includes veteran members and Democratic Representatives Brenda Lawrence from Michigan and Bobby Rush from Illinois, the only lawmaker to ever beat Barack Obama in a political election.

Other CBC members seeking other offices include Representatives Karen Bass from California, Anthony Brown from Maryland and Val Demings from Florida  all Democrats.

As of Wednesday morning, 25 House Democrats announced they will not seek reelection this year as the party tries to hold onto their razor thin majorities in both chambers.

Evans, in his new role with CBC, will function as a chief of staff for one of Congress' most influential caucuses. His duties will include overseeing daily activities and working with members and their top aides to coordinate and implement priorities and legislative agenda.

A Florida native, Evans began his political career as an aide to a Tallahassee city commissioner, was a staffer in the Florida state Senate and served on the senior staff of Florida Representative Al Lawson.

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Evans was Southern political director for Joe Biden and was political director for Harris when she became the vice presidential nominee.

Symone Sanders (left), Harris' senior adviser and chief spokesperson, left the White House at the end of 2021. It came after Ashley Etienne (right), Harris' former communications director, left in November

Officials maintain that Sanders and Etienne's departures were long-planned and not evidence of the reported turmoil.

Further, reports note that Sanders is getting married next year and was never able to go on a proper tour to sell her book, No, You Shut Up, which was published in May 2020.

Sanders, 32, defended her former boss in an interview published Monday in her hometown newspaper Omaha World-Herald, claiming it was the 'honor of her life' to serve Vice President Harris.

'She is someone who I watch every single day bring her full self to work,' Sanders said. 'I watch her challenge her teams, I watch her push us all to be better.

She added: 'I watch her raise issues and perspectives and topics and policy that other people  other folks just weren't thinking about.'

Sanders called the reports and rumors of dysfunction in Harris' office just 'salacious gossip.'

When announcing her departure last year, many took Sanders' exit as further evidence that Harris's office was in disarray, amid headlines of a toxic work environment and an exodus of key personnel.

Some stories, however, pointed the finger at Sanders.

Two unidentified sources told The Hill that the spokeswoman was seen as a rival to Harris's communications director, and that she was the 'voice in numerous blind quotes about friction in the office.'

The Washington Post published a damaging expose in December branding Harris a 'bully' who inflicted 'constant-soul destroying criticism' on her office staff.

The piece - a result of interviews with 18 people connected to the VP - alleges that Harris failed to read briefings they'd prepared, only to turn on them if she was subsequently criticized for being unprepared.

The claims from staff who worked for Harris were published amid confirmed departures of two high level staffers, with two others who are said to be heading for the door too.

'It's clear that you're not working with somebody who is willing to do the prep and the work,' a former colleague told the Washington Post.

'With Kamala you have to put up with a constant amount of soul-destroying criticism and also her own lack of confidence.

'So you're constantly sort of propping up a bully and it's not really clear why.' Harris's staffers

Meanwhile, Gil Duran, who worked with Harris for just five months in 2013 before quitting, said the vice president was 'repeating the same old destructive patterns.'

Writing in his San Francisco Examiner column, he said: 'One of the things we've said in our little text groups among each other is what is the common denominator through all this and it's her.'

'One of the things we've said in our little text groups among each other is what is the common denominator through all this and it's her,' Duran told the Post. 'Who are the next talented people you're going to bring in and burn through and then have (them) pretend they're retiring for positive reasons.'

People familiar with the conversations told Politico that even more 'key members of Harris' orbit' are 'eyeing the exits' and have expressed interest in leaving less than a year into her vice presidency.

Some Democratic allies have urged Harris to embrace the concept of a reset after a rocky first year as vice president, which has been riddled with project failures  like addressing the southern border crisis  and reports of tensions between her team and the president's.

Her poll ratings have tanked, with top Democrats said to be appalled at the idea of her running for president in 2024 should Joe Biden decide not to seek a second term.

Harris' staff are leaving because they're burned out, there are better opportunities elsewhere and they don't want to be permanently branded a 'Harris person,' according to Axios.

Harris tamped down rumors of tension as she addressed Sanders' departure during a gaggle on her trip to North Carolina last month.

'I love Symone,' the vice president said. 'And I mean that sincerely.'

'I can't wait to see what she will do next. I know that it's been three years jumping on and off planes, going around the country ' Harris continued.

Sanders joined President Joe Biden's presidential campaign in 2019.

Harris declined to answer further questions on the wave of departures.

'Well, I told you how I feel about Symone,' Harris said.

During the trip, Harris' personal aide, Opal Vadhan, posted a photo of the VP's team all smiling as they celebrated the birthday of Deputy Director of Advance, Juan Ortega.

'A favorite tradition in the @VP's office is celebrating staff birthdays with cupcakes! Happy Birthday, @JuanoBano!' she wrote.

Harris was in Charlotte, North Carolina to tour a public transit facility and give a speech on the bipartisan infrastructure bill alongside Pete Buttigieg, her rumored competition.

She hugged the Transportation secretary before they both boarded Air Force Two. Buttigieg then took questions from a gaggle of reporters on the plane alone.

Amid poll numbers in the high 20s, some Democrats are pushing for Buttigieg to replace Harris at the top of the ticket in 2024, should Biden choose not to run for a second term.

The White House insists Biden plans to run again, but he will be 82 in 2024.

In November, Harris hit back at claims she is being misused as vice president, saying she doesn't feel like she's being under utilized by Biden and dismissed her low approval ratings which plummeted to 28 per cent in a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll of registered voters earlier this month.

'Polls, they go up, they go down,' Harris said. 'But I think what is most important is that we remain consistent with what we need to do to deal with the issues that we're presented with at this moment.'

No announcement has been made on whether Sanders has lined up another job, sparking questions over the circumstances surrounding her departure.

Harris in recent weeks has battled mounting reports that her office is in disarray, and that her team is frustrated at being handed 'no-win' tasks that don't suit her skillset, such as tackling the 'root causes' of migration behind the recent border crisis.

Asked if the staff departures were prompted by bad headlines for Harris, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that working in the first year of an administration is 'grueling and exhausting.'

'It's natural for staffers who've thrown their heart and soul into a job to be ready to move on after a few years,' she said.

Praising Sanders' work in the administration, Psaki said the spokeswoman 'has charisma coming out of her eyeballs.'

'It's natural for staffers who have thrown their heart and soul into a job to be ready to move on to a new challenge after a few years,' Psaki said.

Sanders traveled frequently with Harris and as a senior adviser helped her juggle a daunting portfolio including the migrant issue and push for a sweeping federal overhaul of election laws.

Harris has suffered plunging approval ratings since taking office, threatening what would normally be an easy path to the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, or 2024 if Biden decides not to seek re-election at age 81.

Amid the turbulence, Sanders has been Harris' top bulldog defender, batting back at claims of internal disarray and tension with the West Wing.

Last month, Sanders was the first to respond to a detailed CNN report in which Harris aides complained that she has been set up to fail, and handed a portfolio that is not commensurate with her historic status as the first woman, and first woman of color, to hold the vice president's office.

'They're consistently sending her out there on losing issues in the wrong situations for her skill set,' said a former high-level Harris aide in the bombshell report.

Sanders fired back in a statement: 'It is unfortunate that after a productive trip to France in which we reaffirmed our relationship with America's oldest ally and demonstrated U.S. leadership on the world stage, and following passage of a historic, bipartisan infrastructure bill that will create jobs and strengthen our communities, some in the media are focused on gossip - not on the results that the President and the Vice President have delivered.'

Amid the turbulence, Sanders (right) has been Harris' top bulldog defender, batting back at claims of internal disarray and tension with the West Wing

An official in the vice president's office pointed out to Politico that Sanders, a former Biden campaign aide, had been working for the administration in some capacity for three years, and said that Biden and Harris had known of her departure 'for a while'.

Etienne's plan to leave was confirmed on November 18.

'Ashley is valued member of the Vice President's team, who has worked tirelessly to advance the goals of this administration. She is leaving the office in December to pursue other opportunities,' a White House official told DailyMail.com at the time.

Both Harris and Biden have vehemently denied that there is any tension between them, denying reports that are mostly based on the accounts of anonymous staffers.

The White House went full throat with their defense of her after a CNN report claimed Biden was distancing himself from Harris because of her sliding poll numbers, while the vice president is said to have felt isolated and frustrated with being given some of the most difficult issues for the administration in her portfolio.

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain tweeted Harris is an 'incredible leader' and Psaki argued Harris receives more criticism because of her status as a woman of color.

Harris is the country's first female vice president and the first vice president of color.

The president has publicly said he intends to run again, although pundits say that announcing he intends to step down after a single term would turn him into a lame duck leader.

But there has been anonymous chatter among Democrats that, if he does, he should consider replacing Harris.

There's additional speculation that if he doesn't run again, Harris would not be the strongest contender to replace him. Some have suggested Buttigieg would be a better candidate for the nomination.

A Politico/Morning Consult poll at the end of 2021 showed the transportation secretary with a higher favorability rating than both Biden and Harris  whom he led by 12 points.
A California couple ran over a Redondo Beach restaurant manager with their car while fleeing the eatery's parking lot after skipping out on their bill.

The brazen hit-and-run, which was caught on camera outside the Ragin Cajun Cafe, occurred after two diners ordered an array of expensive items at the Louisiana-style eatery Monday - including steak and lobster - and tried to leave without paying.

The pair, who employees said sat on the furthest seats in the establishment's outdoor patio before booking it to their car when it was time to pay the $90 bill, made it as far as the parking lot when they were confronted by the cafe manager.

In a scene captured by security footage, the manager, who asked not to be identified following the January 6 incident, stood down the alleged offenders' car as they attempted to drive off and struck at high speed when the car suddenly accelerated.

Miraculously, the man walked away from the incident relatively unscathed, and only suffered minor cuts and bruises and has since returned to work, a colleague said.

Scroll for video

In a scene captured by security footage, the manager, who asked not to be identified following the January 6 incident, stood down the alleged offenders' car as they attempted to drive off

In the disturbing clip, the man appears to be talking to the two unidentified suspects while standing in front of their car when the vehicle suddenly accelerates, striking the staffer

The video then shows the older model Chrysler dragging the man, hopelessly stuck on the car's hood, at least 10 yards through the establishment's parking lot at alarming speed

In the disturbing clip, the man appears to be talking to the two unidentified dine-and-dashers through their windshield of their car while standing at its hood, when the vehicle suddenly accelerates, striking the staffer at high speed.

The video then shows the older model Chrysler dragging the man, hopelessly stuck on the car's hood, at least 10 yards through the establishment's parking lot, before recklessly veering onto a busy road and speeding off.

The Ragin Cajun staffer can then be seen being thrust off the Chrysler's hood, falling helplessly to the sidewalk outside the eatery.

The clip shows the man atop the car's hood as it sped through the California car park the afternoon of Monday January 3

The unnamed staffer can then be seen being thrust off the car's hood as it veered out of the lot into a busy street, falling helplessly to the sidewalk outside the eatery as the suspects escaped

Miraculously, the Ragin Cajun manager only suffered minor cuts and bruises in the Monday attack, and has since returned to work

Somehow, the man suffered no broken bones or head injuries, Ragin Cajun Cafe co-owner Lisa Hodges told Fox News after the incident, and only suffered minor cuts and bruises.

'They hit him hard enough to carry him the whole distance of 30 feet to the street,' the Redondo Beach restaurateur told the outlet Thursday. 'And we have a very busy side street They could have been T-boned he could have been thrown into traffic.'

According to Hodges, the employee went out to clean the couple's table and grab the check once they left the restaurant around 1 PM PT, and found their checkbook empty.

Somehow, the man suffered no broken bones or head injuries, Ragin Cajun Cafe co-owner Lisa Hodges (pictured) said after the incident. According to Hodges, the employee went out to clean the couple's table once they left the restaurant, and found their checkbook empty

'Thats when he saw them driving off in their car,' Hodges told local outlet KTLA 5 after the brazen attack.

Hodges further told the outlet that her staffer the rushed outside to confront the pair and stepped in front of their car, asking them to pay the bill.

According to Hodges, one of the suspects apologized and told the manager to move from the front of the vehicle to its side so that they could pay.

When the staffer didn't but the suspect's proposition, Hodges said, the driver stepped on the gas.

'This whole incident is just disturbing, it's upsetting,' Hodges similarly told ABC7, revealing that the staffer has since returned to work. 'Nobody deserves this. And he still comes in with a smile on his face, even after this happened. He's just a good person.'

Security footage shows one of the suspects' face as they eat at the eatery's al fresco patio. The other alleged offender, meanwhile, had her back to the camera, leaving her face obscured

Surveillance video recorded the suspects, a black man and a white woman, inside the establishment, wearing masks as per local guidelines

Police are now on the hunt for the pair of suspects, who are both still at large as of Friday

Police are now on the hunt for the pair of suspects responsible for the horrifying occurrence, a black man and a white woman, both of whom are pictured in the security footage inside and outside the restaurant - albeit masked.

One image taken from the footage, however, shows the man unmasked while eating at the establishment's al fresco patio. The woman, meanwhile, had her back to the camera, leaving her face obscured.

An image of the suspects' car was also produced from nearby security footage, as the suspects made their escape down the busy South Pacific Coast Highway.

The investigation is currently ongoing, as police continue to search for the pair of suspects, who are still at large.
A teenage mother who died after giving birth to a baby much larger than expected should have been induced weeks before, an inquest heard today.

Teegan Barnard, 17, who was 5ft 6ins and weighed eight stone (52kg), lost almost four litres of blood in just 10 minutes when she gave birth to her 9lbs 9oz son, Parker.

On September 7, 2019, she began to have contractions while 41 weeks pregnant, so went to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester, West Sussex, but midwives said she wasn't dilated enough so sent her home.

The next day her contractions became 'very strong and she was in a lot of pain', so went back to hospital.

Around 11pm on September 8, she vomited and in the early hours of September 9, her pulse raised to 119 beats per minute.

At 1am on September 9, Teegan showed signs of infection and was given an emergency caesarian.

Just two hours later her condition dramatically worsened and 'her lips turned' blue as she suffered breathing issues. The first-time mother suffered a devastating cardiac arrest and brain damage.

She died at home in Havant, Hants, on October 7, after being discharged to spend her final days there.

Today an inquest heard that under NHS guidelines Teegan could have been offered induced labour at 38 weeks, three weeks before she gave birth, but was not.

The teenager - who was pictured cradling her newborn in hospital in tragic last photos before she passed away - was looking forward to becoming a parent and would have been a 'fantastic mother', her family said.

Teegan was 'really looking forward to becoming a parent', her mother said

Teegan's tragic last picture: This picture was taken shortly before Teegan died, weeks after giving birth. Investigators said it would have been 'best practice' and 'appropriate' for health workers to offer Teegan an induced labour

Pictured: Teegan Barnard and her baby Parker, taken hours before she passed away. Her devastated mother Abbie Hallawell, 35, who is looking after her son, collated pictures of Parker in his mother's arms - so that he can see them when he grows up

Slight-framed Teegan Barnard (pictured left, with her mother Abbie Hallawell) lost almost four litres of blood when she gave birth to her nine pounds and nine ounce baby via caesarean section after experiencing an obstruction during labour

'She was looking forward to becoming a parent and would have been a fantastic mum': Mother says 'time has stood still for our family' in heartfelt tribute to Teegan Today, as her four-day inquest opened at West Sussex Coroner's Court in Chichester, her family described her as a 'girly-girl' who loved spending time with friends and horse riding. 'Teegan had a big personality and was full of life', her mother Abbie Hallawell said. 'She loved her family and had close relationships with her grandparents. 'She was girly-girl who enjoyed socialising with her friends and horse riding. Growing up she was a normal healthy girl who didn't suffer any major illnesses.' In a previous tribute, Teegan's mother said: 'Teegan and the rest of the family were delighted when she fell pregnant. She was really looking forward to becoming a parent and she would have been an absolutely fantastic mum. 'It still doesn't seem real that what should have been the best day in Teegan's life ended tragically and left all of our family changed forever. 'It's been more than two years since Teegan died but time has stood still for all our family. 'Teegan would have been so proud of Parker and how he's such a happy baby who's developing every day. While he'll grow up without his mum in his life he will always be told how much Teegan loved him and how she'll always be a part of our family.' Advertisement

Teegan's parents are bringing up Parker - who is now two - alongside his dad, Leon Forster.

Investigators from the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) said it would have been 'best practice' and 'appropriate' for health workers to offer Teegan an induced labour, where a mother is given drugs to help kickstart a birth.

Instead, Teegan's baby son grew in size and 'in retrospect it would have contributed to the risk of Postpartum (after birth) haemorrhaging', investigators said.

Just two hours after delivering her healthy baby - who weighed more than four kilos - Teegan suffered unsurvivable brain damage.

Dr Ahmed Elgarhy, the senior registrar at St Richard's Hospital in Chichester who carried out her c-section, said the 3.8 litres of blood the 17 year old lost came in a short space of time.

Dr Elgarhy said: 'She lost two thirds of her blood volume in 10 minutes, so it was pretty intense.

'It was quite a stressful experience, it was a life and death situation.'

The teen was only given two units of blood to replace it. One unit of blood is equivalent to around a pint.

Coroner Dr Karen Henderson quizzed Dr Elgarhy on why Teegan was only given two units after such a dramatic blood loss.

Dr Elgarhy said: 'Sometimes two units can be enough for them.'

At the inquest, Adam Walker, representing Teegan's family, said: 'Teegan was relatively small and had a large baby.'

Mr Walker said she was 'borderline underweight' and that a post-mortem examination of her body showed Teegan was around 5ft 6ins and weighed 52kg (eight stone).

Today, as her four-day inquest opened at West Sussex Coroner's Court in Chichester, her mother Abbie Hallawell said: 'She was booked in to have her labour induced on September 9 but on the 7th began to have contractions so went to St Richard's, she was checked over but midwives said she wasn't dilated enough so sent her home.'

Ms Hallawell told how doctors told her Teegan 'suffered a bleed and cardiac arrest'. Subsequent scans showed she suffered brain damage.

Ms Hallawell and Teegan's father Trevor Barnard have instructed expert medical negligence lawyers as they demand answers at the inquest.

Teegan's mother Abbie Hallawell arriving at her inquest today

Teegan was given 'lots of support' by midwives throughout her pregnancy. Midwife Sally Walters, who cared for her from eight weeks, said: 'When I was looking after her I was not expecting a big baby.'

At St Richard's Hospital, at 41 weeks pregnant, Teegan lost 3.8 litres of blood during childbirth in what is known as Postpartum haemorrhaging (PPH) in medical terms.

According to NHS Inform, blood loss is normal during childbirth however it is considered 'heavy' if more than 500ml is lost within the first 24 hours.

Teegan suffered obstructed labour - when a baby cannot exit the pelvis - and was given a C-section as well as being given two units of blood.

Matt Mansbridge, lead investigator for HSIB, said: 'Teegan was bleeding, there was a major haemorrhage which was treated. She remained under general anesthetic. The haemorrhage was managed in line with guidance, there was a calm atmosphere in the medical room.'

After, while doctors moved her to a bed, they recognised her condition had deteriorated.

Teegan suffered obstructed labour - when a baby cannot exit the pelvis - and was given a C-section as well as being given two units of blood

Mr Mansbridge said: 'A bed was requested and she was transferred to that... While rolling her, on the second roll, it was recognised there was an issue with ventilation.

'Her lips turned blue and the alarm sounded on the ventilation machine.'

At 38 weeks Teegan visited St Richard's and could have been given the chance to be induced by hospital staff but wasn't.

Debbie Laing, maternity investigations team leader at HSIB, said the baby 'would have been smaller'.

'That's the only thing that may have had a causal affect on the outcome', she said.

'The significance of [not being offered induction at 38 weeks] is that the baby had an opportunity to grow and increase the risk of Postpartum haemorrhaging.

'We are able to say it would have been best practice to offer the induction earlier. It would have been down to Teegan and her family to make a decision as to whether it would have been done.'

She added it would have been 'appropriate' to have made a decision to offer induction at 38 weeks.

Ms Laing said: 'What we know with retrospect is that the baby grew and that would have contributed to the risk of PPH. What we [wouldn't] know at that time is that it was going to happen.'

Ms Laing said it was 'unpredictable' that Teegan would suffer PPH when she was seen by midwives at 38 weeks.

She also said the baby's wellbeing is the primary consideration when deciding whether or not to offer induced labour, rather than the mother's.

Lawyer Adam Walker, representing Teegan's family, suggested that, at 38 weeks, it would have been 'forseeable' that the baby would have been greater than 4kg.

HSIB said it made a safety recommendation to ensure induction of labour is offered appropriately.

The inquest also heard Teegan may have had an underlying infection which contributed to a raised temperature and may have suffered anaphylaxis during childbirth.

The inquest continues next week.
A petition demanding that Tony Blair be stripped of his knighthood reached its goal of one million signatures today.

The petition, set up by former soldier Angus Scott at New Year, claims that the former Labour Prime Minister had been the cause of 'irreparable damage' to the constitution of the United Kingdom - and 'the very fabric of the nation's society'.

Sir Tony has been made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter  the most senior form of knighthood, which has been bestowed upon all bar one of his predecessors in the Queen's reign.

The Change.org petition, which accuses Sir Tony of being 'personally responsible' for the death of 'countless' civilians and servicemen, hit the one million signature benchmark just after 4.30pm today.

But unlike the New Year's Honours list, which is drawn up by the Government for the Queen's approval, the Order of the Garter is bestowed as a personal gift by the monarch herself.

The Honours Forfeiture Committee, which can remove honours for those involved in scandals, cannot recommend the removal of knighthoods handed out in this way.

Families torn apart by IRA attacks hit out at former prime minister Sir Tony Blair for 'providing effective amnesty to murderers and bombers' as part of the 1998 Northern Ireland peace deal. The criticism comes after Sir Tony was honoured with a knighthood

Among those to back the petition was the mother of a teenage soldier killed in Iraq.

Gordon Gentle, 19, was serving as a Royal Highland Fusilier in 2004 after Blair sent UK troops there the previous year.

His mother Rose Gentle, 58, slept in a tent outside Downing Street in a bid to get answers from Blair and believes she was snubbed by the then-PM.

Gordon, from Pollok, died when a bomb planted by the side of a road in Basra detonated as his Land Rover passed.

Four years later a Coroner ruled that an Army logistics failure meant that electronic jamming equipment which should have been fitted to Gordon's vehicle would probably have prevented the explosion.

Mrs Gentle said: 'I feel this is a slap in the face for me and all the families who lost someone in Iraq.

'What did our sons' lives mean? The families' sacrifices mean nothing to Blair.'

She added: 'This has got to be stopped. I don't see why he should have this honour - for what? Taking our boys? And now the current Labour leader has come out in support.

'I have added my name to the petition and will be contacting my local MPs and MSPs to have this raised at both parliaments.'

And victims of IRA atrocities condemned Mr Blair's knighthood over his secret deal to provide 'get out of jail free' cards to almost 200 suspected terrorists.

The petition, which accuses Sir Tony of being 'personally responsible for causing the death of countless innocent, civilian lives and servicemen', calls for the honour to be removed

Families torn apart by Republican attacks hit out at the former prime minister for 'providing an effective amnesty to murderers and bombers' as part of the 1998 Northern Ireland peace deal.

Ex-soldier behind the petition with 1million signatures By Andrew Levy The former soldier whose petition calling for Tony Blair to be stripped of his knighthood said he had to take action against someone who took Britain to war using 'lies and deceit'. Angus Scott, 55, said it was a 'kick in the teeth' when he heard the former PM was to receive the honour. He warned it sent a 'terrible message' when someone who 'should have been held to account' for the conflict in Iraq was rewarded instead. The committed royalist said it was particularly painful that the knighthood had been the personal gift of the Queen, to whom he had sworn an oath of loyalty in the Territorial Army. Mr Scott, who now works as a voice artist, said Sir Tony 'sent people to their deaths on a false premise'. 'I thought I might get a hundred signatures,' he added. 'I was astounded when it went viral.' Advertisement

Tory grandee Lord Tebbit, who was severely injured in an IRA bomb attack during the 1984 Conservative Party conference, said Sir Tony's agreement to release terrorists early and provide immunity to others should 'demerit him from any honours'.

While the former PM's involvement in the Good Friday Agreement has been lauded for bringing an end to 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, victims of terrorist attacks have criticised concessions he was forced to make to Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA.

Mark Tipper's brother, Trooper Simon Tipper, was one of four soldiers from the Blues and Royals killed by an IRA bomb at Hyde Park in 1982.

Chief suspect John Downey walked free from the Old Bailey in 2014 when he produced an 'on-the-run' letter issued in secret by Sir Tony's government to at least 187 fugitives.

The controversial documents, also called 'comfort letters', told those accused of serious crimes including murder and terrorism that they were no longer 'wanted'. In 2019, a civil court found Downey was an 'active participant' in the bombing.

Mr Tipper said: 'The on-the-run letters were beyond belief, to give terrorists a get out of jail free card, which is what it was. The terrorists got away but we as victims have to live with it for the rest of our lives. It wasn't until 2019 that we got the justice we deserved.

'Blair has a lot of families to answer to who he left hurt because of the decisions he thought were right. I think they were only to suit his legacy. I despise Blair for what he has done. A knighthood? Not for me.' In 2015 Sir Tony apologised for Downey's letter.

Lord Tebbit's late wife Margaret was left paralysed from the chest down following the 1984 assassination attempt on Margaret Thatcher and her Cabinet.

The 90-year-old peer said: 'The result of the Good Friday Agreement was terrorists getting out of jail free, while for years afterwards soldiers who were seeking to deal with terrorists have been put on trial.'

Mark Tipper (right), the brother of Trooper Simon Tipper (left) who killed by an IRA bomb at Hyde Park in 1982, said he 'despised' Sir Tony for issuing secret 'on-the-run' letters which effectively 'gave terrorists a get out of jail free card'

Trooper Simon Tipper, was among the four soldiers from the Blues and Royals and seven horses killed by an IRA bomb at Hyde Park in 1982 as they rode through central London to attend the Changing of the Guard

Five people were killed in the attack at The Grand Hotel, Brighton. Bomber Patrick Magee was freed early from prison in 1999 having served 14 years, despite a legal challenge by then-Home Secretary Jack Straw.

Lord Tebbit added: 'I did not see how it was possible for a reasonable-minded man to come to the conclusion that he should have been released.'

Victims campaigner Alex Bunting, who lost a leg in 1991 when an IRA bomb detonated in his taxi described Sir Tony's knighthood as 'absolutely disgusting'.

While the former PM had played a major role in the peace deal, his decision to provide 'amnesties' was 'the start of a slippery slope', he said.

SAS hero Robin Horsfall, 64, one of the elite soldiers to storm the Iranian Embassy in 1980, revealed he mobilised his veterans' following of over 200,000 on social media to sign the petition.

But crossbench peer Lord Kilclooney, a former Ulster Unionist Party MP who was seriously injured in a 1972 Official IRA assassination attempt, backed Sir Tony's honour.

He said: 'I worked closely with Tony in preparation for the Belfast Agreement and I have nothing but admiration for his time and effort in getting devolution restored to Northern Ireland. His knighthood is well deserved.'

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also took a swipe, sharing a link to the Daily Mail's revelation that Sir Tony's defence secretary, Geoff Hoon, said he was ordered to burn a memo warning that invading Iraq could be illegal.

Mr Corbyn wrote: 'This underlines once more what a disastrous act of aggression the war on Iraq was.'

A YouGov survey conducted on Tuesday found that 63 per cent of Britons disapprove of the knighthood while 14 per cent approve.
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The wife of a slain Illinois police officer asked for justice and made a vow of vengeance against the career criminal and his girlfriend who shot and killed the officer.

Hundreds of Illinois police officers gathered at the funeral for Bradley Police Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic on Friday morning, who was laid to rest days after she was gunned down with her own weapon by Darius Sullivan, 25.

Rittmanic, 49, was shot by Sullivan at the Comfort Inn in Bradley, Illinois, after she and her partner - who is currently in the hospital with gunshot injures to the head - responded to a call regarding Sullivan's barking dogs on December 30.

The funeral service for Rittmanic, a veteran of the force for 14 years, was held at the Hawkins Centennial Chapel at Olivet Nazarene University, with a 35 minute procession following to the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, where she was laid to rest.

In a tearful eulogy for her wife, Lyn Stua, cried and said she was angry at Sullivan and his girlfriend, Xandria Harris, 26, who allegedly helped the career criminal kill Rittmanic.

'She was my soulmate... and I vow swift justice and vengeance' Stua said about Sullivan and Harris, who could face the death penalty for Rittmanic's murder.

'They did not respect life, and our lives have been turned upside down and hopelessly broken.'

Lyn Stua (left) delivered the eulogy for her wife, Marlene Rittmanic, who was shot to death on December 30

Rittmanic died after she and her partner responded to a call at Comfort Inn in Bradley, Illinois. When they arrived at Darius Sullivan and his pregnant girlfriend's door, where Sullivan allegedly shot her partner in the head and chased Rittmanic down the hall and shot her several times while she begged for her life. She is pictured (right) with her wife and rescue dogs

Hundreds of officers stood in solidarity of Stua (in white) as Bradley Deputy Police Chief Craig Anderson (on stage) said that they would always stand by her and their slain comrade

Illinois officers gathered at the Hawkins Centennial Chapel at Olivet Nazarene University to pay tribute to the slain officer

Stua (left, in white) stood by the hearse as police began the procession toward Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery

Pallbearers carried the casket holding Rittmanic as officers and family members saluted

One of the mourners stepped out to hug a Bradley Police officer who served alongside Rittmanic before the procession began

The Kankakee Fire Department held up an American Flag as the hearse drove off with spectators on the side of the rode offering their salutes and solidarity to Rittmanic

Members of the local Bourbonnais Fire Department saluted Rittmanic as the hearse as it drove by

Mourners lined the street waving flags of their own as the procession down the road from the chapel

As she cried and finished the eulogy, Stua said: 'Marlene Rittmanic, you are my whole reason for living. You are my hero, and my heart is empty without you. Rest in peace, my love.'

Bradley Deputy Police Chief Craig Anderson and Rittmanic's niece, Katie, described the slain officer as a Wonder Woman who cared deeply about her family, friends and community.

Anderson said Marlene was one of the department's best officers, who always dreamed about making her community a better place.

'She was the type who taught she could fix people. That included even the criminals she arrested. She believed everyone deserves a second chance,' Anderson said.

'The turn out is not only a tribute to Marlene's public service, but an acknowledgement of the amazing individual she was. It stands as a testament of the impact she had on the people she came in contact every day.'

Family and friends who attended a following private ceremony were greeted by hundreds of Illinois police officers who stood ready to help bring Rittmanic to her final resting place

Stua made her way to the hearse as she was escorted by Bradley Police officers who served with her wife

The pallbearers loaded the hears with the casket outside the Hawkins Centennial Chapel

Bradley Police Chief Don Barber echoed words of Rittmanic's heroism outside the chapel on Friday

Members of the Kankakee County law enforcement also attended the funeral and helped lead the procession

Spectators lined up by the start of the procession, which delivered Rittmanic to Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery

Many also held signs in support of police officers in tribute to Rittmanic, who lost her life while on patrol

Among those holding signs were a pair of mourners whose signs read, 'Fallen but not forgotten'

Two spectators huddled in a warm blanket as they waited for the funeral procession to pass by

A couple of mourners also saluted the slain officer and carried a metallic sign that read, 'Blessed are the peacemakers'

Bradley Deputy Police Chief Craig Anderson said Marlene was one of the department's best officers, who always dreamed about making her community a better place

The funeral procession was led by the Indiana State Police Department and lasted 35 minutes

The Bradley Police Department and Kankakee County Sheriff's Office described Rittmanic as a hero who She was well-known for her leadership in Bradley and had received the police department's Officer of the Year award in 2020.

She was survived by her wife, Lyn Stua, her father James Rittmanic, sisters Kimberly Organ, Christina O'Connor, Kathleen Emme, Colleen Welch and brother James Rittmanic.

'She was a kind soul,' said Sgt. Anderson said during the officer's wake on Thursday night. 'Marlene always had the view of people. She believed the best of everybody.'

Rittmanic's niece, Katie, described her aunt as a Wonder Woman who treated her like a daughter

Member of the public waved flags, saluted and clapped as the funeral process got underway

Many branded American flags that showed support for police officers and first responders

Hundreds of officers made their way to the chapel for the funeral, which was followed by a procession to the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery

Officers from the Kankakee Sheriff's Office lined up to help lead the procession to the cemetery

Flags were put up outside the chapel for the officer's wake on Thursday and funeral Friday

Loved ones gathered at the private funeral for Rittmanic, who was allegedly killed by a career criminal who had been arrested 21 times and had an active arrest warrant when he shot the officer with her own gun

Family and fellow department officers told NBC 5 in a statement: ''Our world has been turned upside down, obliterated and hopelessly broken.'

They went on to thank those who 'have affectionately gone out of their way to help us get through the most unnecessary, heartbreaking, painful, deplorable, tragic loss of our lives.'

'We are forever indebted to all of you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts,' the statement read.

Rittmanic and partner Tyler Bailey knocked on the door of their room at the Comfort Inn for 14 minutes before Harris - Sullivan's pregnant girlfriend - cracked the door open, only enough to slip through while still protecting Sullivan inside.

Officers also attended a wake for the slain officer on Thursday night at the chapel

A former officer wore a button with Rittmanic's face on it to the visitation on Thursday night

The solemn ceremony allowed Illinois, Kankakee and Bradley Police officers to see their fellow officer one last time

Bradley Police Deputy Chief Craig Anderson described Rittmanic as a hero who was honored by the department in 2020

The two police officers were responding to a call about the couple's barking dogs which they'd left in their car in the parking lot of the motel but Sullivan is the subject of multiple arrest warrants.

When he finally swung the door open, Sullivan was brandishing a 9mm handgun, prosecutors say

He first shot Bailey in the head then chased Rittmanic down the hall and shot her in multiple times while she lay on the ground begging for her life, it is alleged.

He and Harris then went on the run. They were arrested on December 31 and are now both facing the death penalty.

Bailey was also shot in the head but he survived and was taken to the hospital where he remains. In a statement last night, his family said he is 'far from out of the woods'.

'While we are not able to go into specific details about the severity of Tyler's condition, we can certainly say that without the surgical intervention, Tyler would not have survived the remainder of the day on December 30.

'After the procedure, we are cautiously optimistic about beginning discussions for Tyler's recovery over the short term, although he is far from out of the woods at this point.

'Since the surgery, Tyler has continued to fight for his life. He is stable but remains in very critical condition,' they said in the statement that was issued online by Illinois State Police.

There is growing fury about the fact that Sullivan, who has been arrested 21 times since 2014, was even on the street.

Darius Sullivan started shooting at the two officers as soon as his pregnant girlfriend Xandria Harris opened the door of their hotel room. The pair now face the death penalty. The cops had been called because they'd left their dogs in their car and the animals were barking

Sullivan's rap sheet starts in June 2014, when he was 19 years old

He was the subject of an arrest warrant for battery dating back to last May, but it's unclear what the details of that case are.

Prosecutors are demanding that the pair be sentenced to death for the 'cold blooded' murder of Sergeant Rittmanic.

They have been charged by state prosecutors so far, who cannot seek the death penalty in state court because Illinois has no death penalty.

Federal prosecutors can however seek it as a punishment if they bring charges against the pair. It remains to be seen if that will happen.

The state's case will go to a grand jury on January 22.

The next court appearance for either of the pair is on January 27, when Harris is due before a judge.
The teenager charged with killing four students at a Michigan high school waived a key hearing Friday, a decision that moves his case straight to a trial court, while his parents faced a separate court appearance to try to get out of jail.

Prosecutors in Michigan typically have to present evidence to show there's probable cause to send people to trial on felony charges, a low bar.

Ethan Crumbley waived his right to go through that stage. His court hearing lasted less than 10 minutes.

Crumbley, 15, is charged as an adult with murder and other crimes over the shooting at Oxford High School on November 30.

Meanwhile, his parents were due in another court Friday afternoon to try to get their bond lowered to $100,000 from $500,000 and leave jail.

Jennifer and James Crumbley are charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Ethan Crumbley, pictured, in a Zoom hearing in Rochester Hills, Michigan Friday. The teenager charged with killing four students at their Michigan high school has waived a key court hearing

Pictured: District Court showing Ethan Crumbley in a Zoom hearing in Rochester Hills Friday, January 7, 2022

James Crumbley, left, and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, a teen accused of killing four students in a shooting at Oxford High School, in Michigan

They're accused of making a gun accessible to their son and refusing to take him home earlier that day when school counselors confronted them with distressing drawings of violence.

Their 15-year-old son is accused of killing Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17, and injuring several others after opening fire in the school.

'The last thing they expected was that a school shooting would take place, or that their son would be responsible,' defense attorneys Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman said in a court filing.

Prosecutors are opposing the lower bond. They noted that the elder Crumbleys were missing for hours when charges were announced December 3 before police found them miles away in a Detroit art studio early the next morning.

Smith said they had planned to appear in court on December 4.

The Crumbleys 'will flee if they get the opportunity,' prosecutors said in a court filing, noting they were behind in mortgage payments and had put their house up for sale.

James Crumbley is seen on court last month as he begs the judge to lower his bond with his wife Jennifer to $100,000

The couple are accused of making a gun accessible to their teenage son Ethan who carried out a school shooting

Oxford High students are expected to return to school next week for the first time since the shooting but at a different building.

The high school, roughly 30 miles north of Detroit, could reopen during the week of January 23.

Before the shooting, Jennifer bragged on social media about going out with her son to test his Christmas present - a 9mm handgun - just three days before the shooting and just one day after her husband had purchased the gun.

When Jennifer was later made aware of her son's 'inappropriate' web search researching firearm ammunition while at school, she texted him: 'LOL I'm not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught.'

She never responded to the school's message about the 'inappropriate internet search.'

Hours before the school shooting begun, the Crumbleys were called to the school to discuss Ethan's disturbing behavior including drawings depicting a gun, a bullet, blood everywhere, a shooting victim and a laughing emoji.

The note included the words: 'Thoughts won't stop, help me'; 'my life is useless' and 'the world is dead,' Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said. After the meeting, the Crumbleys left their son to finish the day at school when he opened fire on his classmates and teachers.

Madisyn Baldwin, 17, (left) and Hana St Juliana, 14, (right) died in a shooting rampage at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit

Justin Shilling, 17, (left) died in the hospital the morning after the shooting and Tate Myre (right) died in the school on November 30

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer embraces Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter as the two leave flowers and pay their respects outside Oxford High School, where Crumbley killed four people

Defense attorney Shannon Smith acknowledged that Jennifer Crumbley sent a text message to her son on the day of the shooting, telling him 'don't do it.'

But Smith said it was a plea for him to not kill himself, as the school shooting had already occurred and the gun was missing from home.

'The Crumbleys, like every parent and community member, are devastated by the school shooting,' Smith and co-counsel Mariell Lehman said in a court filing. 'The last thing they expected was that a school shooting would take place, or that their son would be responsible.'

The Crumbleys were arrested at a Detroit art studio less than a mile from the Canadian border, hours after their charges were announced and they failed to appear in court on December 3.

The Crumbleys' arrests came after the U.S. Marshals offered a $10,000 bounty for information leading to their capture. Their absence prompted a manhunt involving several agencies, including the Marshals' Fugitive Task Force, state police and the FBI.

Law enforcement sources say the couple withdrew $4,000 from an ATM and were last seen around 2-3 pm shortly before the 4 pm deadline to turn themselves in.

Both Crumbleys have pleaded not guilty to all four charges of involuntary manslaughter - one for each Oxford High School student who was killed.

Each count is punishable by up to 15 years in prison along with a $7,500 fine and mandatory DNA testing.
A 20-year-old British tourist and a 23-year-old Norwegian have been remanded in police custody for two weeks pending a murder investigation over the death of Kjetil Andre sthus (pictured)

A 20-year-old British tourist has been arrested on suspicion of murder in Norway after a 28-year-old was stabbed to death in a dispute over fireworks.

The Brit and a 23-year-old Norwegian have been remanded in police custody for two weeks pending a murder investigation. Both deny killing Kjetil sthus.

The alleged stabbing took place after the Brit argued with sthus and his friends because they wanted to set off fireworks near his friend's car in Haugesund in southern Norway on New Year's Day.

The Brit allegedly grabbed the fireworks from one of the sthus's friends and dropped them on the ground. The victim's friend went to pick up the fireworks, sparking an argument that ended in the 28-year-old getting stabbed.

A preliminary autopsy carried out last week revealed that sthus, who was one of three brothers and worked as a chef, was killed by a single blow from a sharp object, such as a knife.

The Norwegian Court of Appeal believe the Briton inflicted the fatal wound, NRK reported, without elaborating.

He was reportedly carrying several knives, among them a 10-15cm long blade, though it was not clear if this was the weapon used to stab sthus.

NRK added the court said there was several pieces of evidence which suggested both of the suspects were 'active' during the stabbing in Presthaugvegen, Haugesund.

Police attorney Fredrik Martin Soma said the force would not comment on the investigation or possible charges but said both suspects had denied murder.

They were remanded in custody in Ana prison by the Sr-Rogaland District Court which banned them from sending or receiving letters or having visitors. An appeal against the restrictions was unsuccessful.

The alleged stabbing took place after the Brit argued with sthus and his friends because they wanted to set off fireworks near his friend's car in Haugesund in southern Norway (pictured) on New Year's Day

The Brit's lawyer Helene Haugland (pictured) has claimed her client was not involved in the stabbing and did not know sthus

The Brit's lawyer Helene Haugland has claimed her client was not involved in the stabbing and did not know sthus.

She said: 'I have no comments on the [appeal] ruling other than that my client has been informed about it. He has not changed his explanation.'

He has requested his release and has said he wants to return to the UK.

The 23-year-old admitted being present when the murder took place but his lawyer, Ben Einar Grindhaug, has claimed he was not responsible for the stabbing.

Grindhaug said his client thought sthus's death was 'tragic' but that 'he thinks it is heavy to be blame for murder'.

sthus's family's lawyer Benedicte Storhaug described his death as 'meaningless' and said they were unable to understand the motive behind his death.

He said the parents wanted to thank their family and friends for their support since their son's death.
Sen. Joe Manchin is taking heat from all sides as he resists eliminating the last stalwart against the Democratic agenda, the filibuster, including some of the biggest names in America.

Manchin has told colleagues his phone has been lighting up with calls in recent days, including from former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Though two former presidents and every Democrat in the Senate couldn't budge the West Virginia senator, even TV host Oprah Winfrey phoned in to try to convince him to agree to filibuster reform, according to Politico.

Moderate Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Angus King, I-Maine, were once leery of doing away with the 60-vote hurdle for fears of what Republicans would do if they took back the majority, but now are leading the campaign to sway the West Virginia Democrat.

Tester, Kaine and King have reportedly met with Manchin at least three dozen times to discuss filibuster reform, sometimes joined by other Democrats, according to participants.

Kaine likened the effort to sway Manchin to being trapped on Interstate 95 on his drive through Virginia to Washington, D.C. for 27 hours. 'Slow progress toward a goal, like my commute.'

Manchin has told colleagues his phone has been lighting up with calls about the filibuster in recent days

Former President Obama is one of many Democrats who have personally called Manchin to turn up the heat on filibuster reform

Even television host Oprah has urged Manchin to work to reform the filibuster

Former President Bill Clinton, pictured above in May, has reportedly called Manchin to urge him to work toward filibuster reform

Democrats gave up (for now) on President Biden's Build Back Better social spending plan, after months of back-and-forth proved fruitless and Manchin came out in December to say he would not be supporting the legislation.

They said they would instead focus their efforts on getting through voting rights legislation, with a renewed sense of urgency as GOP-led states have enacted new election security bills over the last year.

Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has vowed to pursue a 'nuclear option' to bypass the filibuster if Democrats do not find agreement with 10 Republicans on an election bill by Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

But Manchin, who is supportive of legislation to protect the right to vote, has remained hesitant about changing the Senate rules to expand the right to vote. 'Let me just say that to be open to a rules change that would trade a nuclear option. It's very, very difficult. So it's a heavy lift,' he said.

He didn't 100 percent rule out a 'carve out' for voting rights  an issue he called paramount  but did not get behind it either.

Moderate Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Angus King, I-Maine, were once leery of doing away with the 60-vote hurdle for fears of what Republicans would do if they took back the majority, but now are leading the campaign to sway the West Virginia Democrat

'Once you change a rule or you have a carve out  I've always said this. Anytime there's a carve out, you eat the whole turkey. There's nothing left because it comes back and forth,' he said.

He also said 'the bedrock of democracy is voting, and we have to do what we can in order to preserve that.'

Manchin has been negotiating with Republicans on voting rights legislation, but there is no sign it has the 60 votes needed for passage.

'Conversations are still ongoing,' he said.

'There's basically the the need for us to protect democracy as we know it,' said Manchin.

'And the Senate as it has operated for 232 years are extremely, extremely high bars that we must be very careful if we're willing to cross those. So I'm talking  I'm not agreeing to any of this... I want to talk and see all the options we have open.'

There is no filibuster in the Constitution. It has been a feature of Senate rules over the years, but has been changed on several occasions.

In 1917, the Senate adopted a 2/3 rule to end debate and force a vote. In 1975, the Senate changed the number to three-fifths of all senators chosen and sworn  60. In more recent years, the Senate used parliamentary moves to end filibusters of lower court federal judge nominees under Democrats and of Supreme Court nominees under Republicans.

Schumer, meanwhile, accused Republicans of warping supermajority requirements and of 'weaponization' of rules meant to protect the rights of the minority.

'We must ask ourselves: if the right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, then how can we in good conscience allow for a situation in which the Republican Party can debate and pass voter suppression laws at the State level with only a simple majority vote, but not allow the United States Senate to do the same?' he wrote, pointing to a series of GOP-led changes to election laws since the 2020 elections.

Schumer, who in 2017 opposed barring use of the filibuster for Supreme Court nominees, pointed to the early days of the Republic, and also invoked the January 6 Capitol riot.

President Joe Biden came out for a filibuster carve-out for voting rights before Christmas.

'If the only thing standing between getting voting rights legislation passed and not getting passed is the filibuster, I support making the exception of voting rights for the filibuster,' he told ABC News in an interview.
For six months London's 6million Marble Arch Mound has been mocked and ridiculed - even earning the unwanted title as the 'capital's worst tourist attraction'.

So bad were the reviews for the 82ft high mound of scaffolding, wooden boards and turf that Westminster City Council were forced to scrap the entrance fee.

It even led to the resignation of one council chief, who stepped back after what the authority's leader described as a 'totally unacceptable' rise in costs.

But with the much-derided mound now set to close on Sunday, it has gained somewhat of a surprising cult status.

Londoners are now rushing to see the attraction before it shuts. Others have expressed disappointment at missing their chance to see the mound - if only to witness how bad it is for themselves.

Meanwhile, a tongue-in-cheek petition has been launched urging the council to 'save' the Marble Arch Mound.

Those behind the mock petition say the attraction - which has had more than 250,000 visits since its opening in July - has become an 'icon of modern London' and it 'must not be cut down in its prime'.

The Change.org petition, set up by Alexander Bowen, says: 'Constructed in May 2021, at a cost of 6million, the Marble Arch Mound has since become an icon to Londoners and tourists alike.

For six months London's 6million Marble Arch Mound has been mocked and ridiculed - even earning the unwanted title as 'capital's worst tourist attraction'.

With the much-derided mound now set to close on Sunday, it has gained somewhat of a cult status. Londoners are now rushing to see the mount before it shuts.

Others meanwhile have expressed disappointment at missing their chance to see the attraction - if only to witness how bad it is for themselves

So bad were the reviews for the 80ft high mound of scaffolding, wooden boards and turf that Westminster Council were forced to scrap the entrance fee

A tongue-in-cheek petition has now been launched urging the council to 'save' the Marble Arch Mound

'The aim of this petition is to ask Westminster City Council to extend its lifespan beyond the proposed 9th of January dismantlement date.

'This icon of modern London and celebration of life during the Covid deconfinement period should be preserved and the many happy memories people have enjoyed on it should continue to take place.

'The Mound is both a piece of art and a piece of community - it must not be cut down in its prime especially in light of the money and joy already invested into it.

'Our message is simple - #SaveTheMound.'

Others joined in the fun on social media, with one Twitter user sharing the petition, along with the message: 'The Marble Arch Mound is a divine template for what the National Theatre or Shoreditch Car Park could one day aspire to be.

'We mustn't be indifferent to its proposed destruction. This is our Library of Alexandria.'

Others also took to Twitter to mock the mound, including Alex Partridge, who wrote: 'You only have till Sunday to see the Marble Arch mound folks, get down there before this beloved London landmark goes forever.'

Another wrote: 'The Marble Arch Mound always felt like something built by a team on The Apprentice.'

Twitter user Tasha Marie added: 'Part of me really wishes I could have seen the Marble Arch Mound.

'It almost seems like a piece of satire and I'd love to experience how c***p it actually was.'

David Bedwell: 'Gutted I never made it down to London to see that Marble Arch mound thing. I bet it looks even worse in person.'

Molly Green wrote: 'You can politicise it all you want. Marble Arch mound is hilarious and an epic fail. I love it, keep doing you babe.'

Others have been less forgiving in their critique. One Twitter user wrote: 'Marble Arch Mound is finally closing, was a complete waste of money and adds nothing special to the West End.

'I've been up close to it but never bothered climbing it. Much better views from the London Eye.'

Another wrote: 'The London Mound, a 6million, so called tourist attraction, at Marble Arch closed today after six months.

'It has been widely ridiculed. What a waste of money!'.

But the mound did have its defenders, chief among them Tony Devenish, a Conservative London Assembly member for West Central London.

He wrote on Twitter: 'The reality of the Marble Arch Mound is that it drove footfall at a time when the West End was trying desperately to protect jobs and recover from the impact of Covid.'

Others are rushing to Marble Arch just to see the mound before it closes.

Ben Cooper went to see the structure after seeing it being ridiculed online. He told MyLondon: 'I knew it because it was a bit of a meme. That's the whole reason I went up. They could've done better.

'It's underwhelming. You get up there and it is quite bleak. It's quite sad. If they had trimmed the trees just a bit you could have had a beautiful view of Oxford Street.'

The mound, designed by world-renowned Dutch architects MVRDV, and built by construction firms NRP and FM Conway, was designed to give views of the capital's Oxford Street, Hyde Park, Mayfair and Marylebone.

It was part of a scheme by Westminster Council to increase footfall in the shopping district in the wake of lockdown restrictions and promised to off 'a one-of-a-kind viewing experience in the centre of London'.

But much of the view into Hyde Park was obstructed by trees, while many found the view bland and obstructed by metal safety wires.

Others slammed the attraction as a 'waste of money' with tickets originally costing as much as 8 for an adult.

It was roundly ridiculed and likened it to a level from Nintendo game Super Mario 64, the Teletubbies' home, or worse still 'seven minutes of work on Minecraft'.

Others nicknamed it 'Sh*t Hill' and dubbed it the 'worst tourist attraction in London'.

Refunds were offered to members of the public on July 26 following what the authority called 'teething problems' with the attraction.

And the council eventually opted to scrap the charge to go on the attraction amid a flurry of complaints.

MailOnline understand that since then it has been visited more than 250,000 times.

But it cost the job of Melvyn Caplan, the deputy leader of Westminster City Council, who resigned after the total costs of the project, which was planned at around 3million, hit a staggering 6million.

The mound, designed by world-renowned Dutch architect MVRDV, and built by construction firms NRP and FM Conway, was designed to give views of the capital's Oxford Street, Hyde Park, Mayfair and Marylebone

It was part of a scheme by Westminster Council to increase footfall in the shopping district in the wake of lockdown restrictions and promised to off 'a one-of-a-kind viewing experience in the centre of London'

But much of the view into Hyde Park was obstructed by trees, while many found the view bland and obstructed by metal safety wires

It was roundly ridiculed and likened it to a level from Nintendo game Super Mario 64, the Teletubbies' home, or worse still 'seven minutes of work on Minecraft'. Others nicknamed it 'Sh*t Hill' and dubbed it the 'worst tourist attraction in London'

Refunds were offered to members of the public on July 26 following what the authority called 'teething problems' with the attraction. And the council eventually opted to scrap the charge to go on the attraction amid a flurry of complaints

The council's leader, Rachael Robathan, said in a statement in August that Cllr Caplan had resigned with immediate effect after a 'totally unacceptable' rise in costs.

Meanwhile, it was revealed earlier this month that that the Westminster City Council official who oversaw the controversial Marble Arch Mound project was the local authority's highest paid employee during his tenure - surpassing even the chief executive.

Elad Eisenstein was appointed as Oxford Street district improvement director with a salary of 220,000 in October 2020.

His role placed him charge of a 150 million regeneration programme, including the eye-popping tourist attraction.

Mr Eisentstein earned even more than the 217,545 paid to the local authority's chief executive Stuart Love.

Elad Eisenstein was appointed as Oxford Street district improvement director with a salary of 220,000 in October 2020

Their salaries were revealed in a document outlining the pay of all 179 Westminster City Council workers earning above 68,000 a year.

MVRDV, the Dutch firm which designed the Marble Arch Mound, had previously built a series of high-profile structures, including the futuristic 'Market Hall' in Rotterdam, which has become one of the city's main attractions.

They also designed an infamous pair of apartment towers in South Korea that were unbelievably reminiscent of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, with a pair of towers joined by a 'pixelated' cloud. The project prompted an outcry and was eventually cancelled.

Winy Maas, founding partner at MVRDV, had helped stoke the anticipation for the Marble Arch Mound prior to its opening.

He told Architect's Journal prior to the opening: 'It's a location full of contradictions, and our design highlights that.

'By adding this landscape element, we make a comment on the urban layout of the Marble Arch, and by looking to the site's history, we make a comment on the area's future.

'Marble Arch Hill strengthens the connection between Oxford Street and the park via the Marble Arch. Can this temporary addition help inspire the city to undo the mistakes of the 1960s, and repair that connection?'

Westminster Council were similarly enthused by the design and seemed eager to see the results.

Council leader Rachael Robathan said at the time: 'Our proposed Hyde Park Hill temporary visitor attraction at Marble Arch signifies our ambitious approach to the Oxford Street district.

 Slide me  Reality and fantasy: The council admitted this afternoon the mound was not ready and refunds would be given all week

Inside the mound, which visitors see as they exit the attraction, features a complicated scaffold structure

'It will be important for bringing in visitors to support the local economy. However, it will offer so much more.

'We hope it will give people an opportunity to look afresh and with wonder at this well-known, but sadly increasingly overlooked, area to recognise its beauty and importance.'

In the days leading up to the opening Mr Maas seemed to accept that the real hill was not quite up to the standards of the designs.

He told the Guardian: 'It's not enough, we are all fully aware that it needs more substance. The initial calculation was for a stair, and then there are all the extras.

'But I think it still opens people's eyes and prompts an intense discussion. It's OK for it to be vulnerable.

'Imagine if you lifted up Hyde Park at each of its corners. Speaker's Corner could be transformed into a kind of tribune, with a perfect view across an endless landscape.'

The Marble Arch Mound will be open until Sunday and free ticketed time slots are available online.

Dismantling of the attraction, which begins on January 18, could take up to four months, reports the Evening Standard.

A Westminster City Council spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The Mound has done what it was built to do - drawn crowds and supported the recovery in this part of London.

'We're really pleased that over 242,000 people have visited to see the Mound and the terrific light exhibition inside.'
Chinese FM refutes "debt trap" allegation in China-Africa cooperation

Xinhua) 14:46, January 07, 2022

MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The so-called allegation of "debt trap" is groundless and has been hyped up by some people with ulterior motives to smear China-Africa cooperation, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Thursday.

Wang made the remarks in a joint press conference with Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo.

China-Africa cooperation is South-South cooperation, demonstrating mutual support and help between developing countries, Wang said, adding that China has never attached any political conditions to its cooperation with Africa, and has never imposed its own will on others.

All projects of China-Kenya cooperation have gone through scientific planning and research, and have brought benefits to the Kenyan people and boosted the country's national development and revitalization, he added.

Wang noted that Kenya owes 80 percent of its foreign debt to multilateral financial institutions, and its debt to China is mainly concessional loans.

The so-called "debt trap" is in fact a narrative trap created by forces who do not want to see rapid development in Africa, Wang said.

If there is any trap in Africa, it is the trap of poverty and trap of backwardness, which African countries should get rid of as soon as possible, Wang said.

China is ready to work with all friendly countries to help African countries speed up post-pandemic recovery, get out of poverty and backwardness, catch up with the times as soon as possible and achieve common development so as to jointly create a better future.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)




South Korea on Friday expressed concerns about Indonesia's recent ban on coal exports and urged a prompt resumption of shipments, the trade ministry said.







Indonesia imposed a one-month suspension of coal exports on Jan. 1 due to low supplies at domestic power plants, which raised concerns about widespread blackouts.







Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo had an emergency meeting on the issue with his Indonesian counterpart Muhammad Lutfi via video link, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said.







"Trade Minister Yeo delivered the government's concerns about Indonesia's coal export ban and strongly requested the Indonesian government's cooperation for a prompt resumption of coal shipment," the ministry said in a press release.







Lutfi said Indonesia is well aware of South Korea's concerns and would make efforts for a smooth resolution, the ministry added.







The two ministers agreed on the importance of cooperation in global supply networks and emphasized the need for bilateral efforts for stable supply chains of commodities, the ministry said. (Yonhap)


A World War II soldier's letter to his mother sent 76 years ago was finally delivered to his widow during the holiday season after USPS found it in a Pittsburgh mailing facility.

Johnny Gonsalves, who died six years ago at the age of 92, served in the US Army as a 22-year-old Sergeant and was stationed in Germany with the 2nd Armored Division at the time he wrote and sent the letter.

'Dear, Mom. Received another letter from you today and was happy to hear that everything is okay,' the letter, dated December 6, 1945 - two month after the war had ended - and addressed to his mother in Massachusetts, reads.

'As for myself, I'm fine and getting along okay. But as far as the food it's pretty lousy most of the time.'

'Give my love to the family in regards to all. Take care, love and kisses your son Johnny. I'll be seeing you soon I hope.'

A WWII soldier's letter to his mother, pictured, was finally delivered to his widow during the holiday season - 76-years after sending it - after USPS found it unopened in a mailing facility

'Dear, Mom. Received another letter from you today and was happy to hear that everything is okay,' the letter, dated December 6, 1945 and addressed to his mother in Massachusetts, reads

Pictured: Johnny Gonsalves, who died six years ago at the age of 92, served in the US Army as a 22-year-old and was stationed in Germany at the time he wrote and sent the letter

His wife of 61-years, Angelina Gonsalves, of Woburn, shared pictures of her late husband after officially receiving the old letter, which was delivered to her after it recently turned up at a post office in Pittsburgh.

After doing some research, employees there sent the letter to the city that it was addressed to, and it ended up in his wife's hands.

'I loved him dearly and he was quite a guy. I still feel his presence, I really do,' Gonsalves told CBS Boston after receiving the letter.

USPS employees who had found the letter included a letter of their own, which read 'delivering this letter was of utmost importance to us.'

While the letter was addressed to his mother, Gonsalves still relished in reading the long-lost artifact from her late husband's army days.

The letter was dated all the way back to December 6, 1945

Angelina and Johnny Gonsalves, pictured, got married in 1953 a few years after he returned home from the war

The couple, pictured, had five sons, before her husband Johnny passed away in 2015

The Gonsalves family called the facility after receiving the letters and thanked them, according to the network.

'I love it. I love it. When I think it's all his words, I can't believe it. It's wonderful,' she told the station with a smile.

'And I feel like I have him here with me, you know?'

The couple would eventually marry in 1953 after John returned home from the war, and have five sons, before her husband Johnny passed away in 2015.

'We were good together,' she said.

'I had a good Life, I really did. It was wonderful.'

An American Red Cross stamp can be seen scrawled on the back of the 76-year-old envelope

'As for myself, I'm fine and getting along okay. But as far as the food it's pretty lousy most of the time' he wrote to his mother at the time in the now 76-year-old letter

Pictured: Angelina Gonsalves, the widow of the World War II soldier who died in 2015, recently received a letter he wrote to his mother in 1945

He would make his way into the electrical engineering field, graduating from Northeastern University and working for Sylvania, which eventually became GTE, for over 30-years.

In 1973, John was part of the fiber optics team that was introduced at the Super Bowl, which was 'the very beginning of optics which John had shared in the development of,' according to his obituary.

The timing of the letter's arrival did not go unnoticed, as his wife Angelina received it during the holiday season late last month.

'It was just a funny feeling, he was around us at Christmas time. One of his favorite times of the year,' she told CBS Boston.
aajid Nawaz will be leaving weekend show with 'immediate effect', said LBC

Radio presenter Maajid Nawaz who has been accused of tweeting 'deranged rubbish' about vaccines by fellow host Iain Dale and was criticised for spreading Covid conspiracy theories has today been axed by LBC with 'immediate effect.'

The anti-extremism activist, 43, will no longer be presenting his weekend show following discussions with the London-based radio station.

LBC has not yet confirmed the reason for his early departure or a replacement for his lunchtime slot.

But shortly after the announcement, Mr Nawaz said he 'refuses to go quietly into the night', adding the show was 'his family's only source of income'.

The host has faced criticism for sharing Covid conspiracy theories during the pandemic and, most recently, querying the use of the booster jab.

Radio presenter Maajid Nawaz (pictured in December 2016), 43, will be leaving his weekend show with 'immediate effect', said the London-based radio station

The host has been accused of tweeting 'deranged rubbish' about the Covid booster vaccine by his colleague Iain Dale (pictured)

Maajid Nawaz: Convicted former Islamist turned anti-extremism activist Maajid Nawaz spent 13 years inside Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT), the global Islamist organisation that first spawned al-Muhajiroun - the banned Islamist terrorist organisation founded by Omar Bakri Mohammed and Anjem Choudary. But he renounced his past and called for a 'secular Islam' after serving time in an Egyptian prison. Nawaz, who was convicted of 'membership of a banned organisation' and sentenced to serve five years in Mazra Tora prison, went on to set up the Quilliam Foundation, a counter-extremism think-tank. The law graduate was raised in Essex in what he described as 'an educated, middle-class and well integrated family'. But after experiencing severe and violent racism as a teenager and feeling cut off from mainstream society, the think-tank founder says he was sold Islamism in the name of Islam by a HT preacher, and sucked into a group that encouraged him to 'spout hate'. After reflecting on his membership during his imprisonment, the 43-year-old renounced the group. He says that Islamism 'uses political grievances to alienate and then provide an alternative sense of belonging to vulnerable young Muslims'. Advertisement

In a statement, the radio station said: 'Maajid Nawaz's contract with LBC is up very shortly and following discussions with him, Maajid will no longer present a show on LBC with immediate effect.

'We thank Maajid for the contribution he has made to LBC and wish him well.'

Mr Nawaz tweeted in response: 'I refuse to go quietly into the night.

'Please become a paid subscriber to my substack newsletter I'll post there soon but forgive the basic set up for now.

'I have a wife and child to support and my show was our family's only source of income. Thank you.'

Last month, the radio host was criticised by his colleague over a 'dangerously irresponsible' tweet.

Referring to the booster jab, Mr Nawaz wrote online: 'What we do know already, backed up by much academic research, is that MASS-VACCINATION DURING A PANDEMIC, with a jab that has not been studied for long-term side effects, could be doing more harm than good.'

Mr Dale responded: 'Enough.

'What we do know already is that it's dangerously irresponsible to tweet this kind of deranged rubbish.

'What it is designed to do is to sow seeds of doubt in people's minds. What is more dangerous is not to have the jabs.

'Given you've had them, why do you tweet this garbage?'

Mr Nawaz, who is vaccinated but has said he won't get the booster, wrote 'Thuglife' in response to his fellow radio host calling him dangerous.

He further said that those who condemned him were 'unable to respond to any of the substance or points raised'.

And in November 2020, Mr Nawaz retweeted a 'fascinating thread' concerning how the 'myth' of a killer coronavirus pandemic had been spread, adding he had no views on the claim.

British-born Nawaz was jailed in Egypt in 2005 for his role in radical Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

On his return to England in 2006, he renounced his views and quickly established himself as a spokesman on extremism issues.

In the 2015 general election, he was selected by then Lib Dem party leader Nick Clegg to fight the London marginal seat of Hampstead and Kilburn.

The radio station said: 'Maajid Nawaz's contract with LBC is up very shortly and following discussions with him, Maajid will no longer present a show on LBC with immediate effect'

Last month, the radio host was criticised by his colleague over a 'dangerously irresponsible' tweet (Twitter exchange pictured above)

British-born Nawaz was jailed in Egypt in 2005 for his role in radical Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. On his return to England in 2006, he renounced his views and quickly established himself as a spokesman on extremism issues

A spokesman for Mr Nawaz previously said: 'My client was imprisoned in Egypt for a political offence under the former Mubarak government, having been tried by an exceptional court, established under Emergency Law that suspended the constitution.

'Moreover, Mubarak's regime and his treatment of political prisoners have since been indisputably condemned by all Western governments and press.

'Because of the circumstances under which he was imprisoned, Mr Nawaz was adopted by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience.

'Finally, Mr Nawaz is now one of the fiercest critics of Islamism in general, and of his former group Hizb ut-Tahrir in particular.'

MailOnline has reached out to LBC's owner, Global, for further comment.
Conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court questioned the legality of President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for businesses as the nation's highest court considered a request by Republican officials and business groups to block the policy even as COVID-19 cases grip the nation.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Neil Gorsuch said states and Congress, rather than a federal agency, should take the lead in tackling the pandemic as the case reached the top court on Friday.

And fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett said the workplace policy - affecting more than 80 million American - was too broad.

Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Barrett probably hold the key to the outcome of Biden's controversial mandate. They have been more receptive to state-level vaccine requirements than the other three conservative justices.

The top court has just three liberal justices on the nine-member panel, with Kavanaugh, Barrett and Gorsuch having been nominated by former President Donald Trump.

Barrett and Kavanaugh had tough questions for Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer.

Scott Keller appeared before the Supreme Court on Friday to argue on behalf of business groups seeking an immediate order halting a Biden administration order to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nation's big employers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Business groups and Republican states believe mandates for businesses with more than 100 staff and a similar one for healthcare facilities represent an overreach of federal power

They were hearing a case brought by Republican states and business leaders who are say Biden's mandate that businesses with more than 100 employees represented federal overreach.

The courts three liberal justices suggested support for the employer rule. Justice Elena Kagan said officials have shown 'quite clearly that no other policy will prevent sickness and death to anywhere like the degree that this one will.'

And Justice Stephen Breyer said he found it 'unbelievable' that it could be in the 'public interest' to put that rule on hold. He pointed to the 750,000 new cases in the country reported on Thursday and noted that hospitals are full.

But Roberts asked Prelogar whether the 1970 law that established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration gave it the power to introduce the mandate.

'That was 50 years ago that you're saying Congress acted. I don't think it had COVID in mind.

'That was almost closer to the Spanish flu than it is to today's problem,' he said in reference to the 1918 pandemic.

'This is something the federal government has never done before,' Roberts added, casting doubt on the administration's argument that a half-century-established law, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, confers such broad authority.

The court heard the arguments as the nation remained gripped by the latest wave of infections, triggered by the highly infectious Omicron variant.

Benjamin Flowers, Ohio solicitor general, said the mandates had been formulated when a different, more dangerous variant - Delta - was the most common as he argued against the policy.

Justice Sonia Sotamayor took issue with his characterization of the pandemic.

'We have more affected people in the country today than we had a year ago in January,' she said.

'We have hospitals that are almost at full capacity with people severely ill on ventilators.

'We have over 100,000 children which we've never had before, in serious condition. And many on ventilators.'

Chief Justice Roberts questioned the White House claim that its vaccine mandate was a 'workaround' as the court heard arguments that it was an overreach

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain triggered controversy when he retweeted MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle, raising questions about whether the administration was trying to overstep

The justices heard more than two hours of arguments over the administration's requirement for businesses before turning to a second argument over whether to block the administration's vaccine requirement for healthcare facilities.

A partial ruling could come in record time, as the business mandate is due to come into force on Monday.

The justices are being asked for an emergency block while the lower courts continue to hear cases.

The impact of the pandemic was on full display Friday. The hearing was conducted in a building that has been closed to the public for almost two years and two lawyers delivered their arguments remotely after testing positive for COVID-19.

The Ohio attorney general's office confirmed that Flowers was delivering his argument by telephone.

'Ben who is vaccinated and boosted, tested positive for COVID-19 after Christmas. His symptoms were exceptionally mild and he has since fully recovered,' it said in a statement to Reuters.

'The Court required a PCR test yesterday which detected the virus so for that reason he is arguing remotely.'

Louisiana Solicitor General Liz Murrill was also expected to deliver her argument remotely, 'in accordance with COVID protocols,' said her office without offering further information.

Sotomayor also took part from her chambers. She has suffered from diabetes since childhood.

The White House says the mandates will save thousands of lives and strengthen the economy by ensuring people are protected from the worst consequences of the pandemic.

But opponents say the federal government has exceeded its authorities by imposing requirements not authorized by Congress.

Justice Roberts asked whether the White House was trying to find a 'workaround,' by using an agency tasked with workforce protection.

He was making reference to an infamous moment on Twitter when White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain appeared to endorse the idea that a workplace mandate was a 'workaround' - using an emergency workplace rule to impose the sort of sweeping requirement that would not be allowed on the general population.

'It seems to me that the government is trying to work across the waterfront and is just going agency by agency. I mean, this has been referred to as a 'workaround' and I'm wondering what it is you're trying to work around,' he asked Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar.

She replied saying it was simply a matter of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration acting to protect the workforce.

The White House says the mandates will save thousands of lives and strengthen the economy by ensuring people are protected from the worst consequences of the pandemic.

In September, Klain triggered controversy when he retweeted a comment by an MSNBC anchor suggesting that OSHA's mandate - which would affect more than 80 million people - was a backdoor way to use workplace safety legislation to impose vaccines on a broad swath of the population.

The retweet was central to an appeals court decision to keep a block on the mandate - a ruling that ultimately brought the policy to the Supreme Court.

The court's liberal justices were quick to emphasize the historic nature of the pandemic and the scale of death it had caused.

The Supreme Court has been shut to the public for almost two years because of the pandemic

President Biden announced the new rules in November and they were challenged by officials in Republican-led states along with some businesses and religious groups

The court heard more than two hours of arguments on Friday. Justice Sonia Sotomayor (front row, far right) took part from her chambers

Justice Sonia Sotomayor spotted an apparent contradiction in Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers case when he said states may be entitled to impose mandates on businesses.

'So it's within the police power to protect the health and welfare of workers, you seem to be saying, the states can do it,' she said.

'But you're saying the federal government can't, even though it's facing the same crisis in interstate commerce that states are facing within their own borders.

'I'm not sure I understand that distinction: Why the states would have the power, but the federal government wouldn't.'

He answered: 'The federal government has no police power.'

Sotomayor interrupted, saying: 'Oh, it does have power with respect to protecting the health and safety of workers.'

Flowers said he disagreed that amounted to a police power.

Fellow liberal Justice Elena Kagan was expressed skepticism that the administration had no right to impose the mandate.

'This is a publicly politically accountable policy. It also has the virtue of expertise,' she said.

'So on the one hand, the agency with their political leadership can decide or on the other hand, courts can decide.

'Courts are not politically accountable. Courts have not been elected. Courts have no epidemiological expertise.

'Why in the world would courts decide this question?'

Scott Keller, who argued on behalf of business associations against the mandate, was also asked why they were seeking an immediate stay.

'The short version is as soon as businesses have to put out their plans and this takes effect, workers will quit,' he said.

'That itself will be a permanent worker displacement that will ripple through the national economy.'

The Supreme Court has dealt with several pandemic-related cases already and rejected religious-based challenges to state vaccine requirements. Friday's cases for the first time test the federal government's authority to issue vaccine mandates.

Prelogar, U.S. solicitor general, argued that such an action was a central part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

'COVID-19 is the deadliest pandemic in American history, and it poses a particularly acute workplace danger,' she said.

'Workers are getting sick and dying every day because of their exposure to the virus at work.'

Earlier, the White House said the two policies - implemented by OSHA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - were 'critical' to the nation's COVID-19 response.

'The CMS healthcare rule protects vulnerable patients by requiring that covered healthcare providers get vaccinated,' said Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

'The need and the urgency for these policies is greater than ever, and we are confident in the legal authority for both policies.'

Business groups say the mandates are stymying economic recovery.

Alfredo Ortiz, president of Job Creators Network, one of the group's that brought the challenge, said: 'The Supreme Court can defend small businesses nationwide by following precedent and immediately staying the Biden administration's employer vaccine mandate.

'This unprecedented government overreach would impose new costs on businesses at the worst possible time and exacerbate the labor shortage and supply chain crisis.'
Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell fought for the right to ask potential jurors about any history of sexual abuse or assault during the selection process because they viewed any such personal experiences as presenting, 'significant potential' for bias against their client, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Maxwell's conviction on five out of six counts of sex trafficking has been thrown into disarray since two jurors have publicly revealed themselves to be victims of sexual abuse or assault.

The first to step forward was Scotty David who revealed to DailyMail.com that he could not remember being asked about his own sexual history but vaguely recalled a question on the potential juror questionnaire concerning friends or family.

Now, court filings obtained by DailyMail.com show that the ex-socialite's defense team mounted a vigorous effort to ask two such questions in a bid to weed out anyone 'who cannot be a fair juror,' and that they did so in the face of strenuous government objections.

Court filings obtained by DailyMail.com show that Ghislaine Maxwell's defense team mounted a vigorous effort to ask two questions about sexual abuse in a bid to weed out anyone 'who cannot be a fair juror

Prosecutors objected to these questions on the grounds that they were 'inappropriate, argumentative, confusing and excessively detailed.' Maxwell's lawyers kicked back by stating, 'Juror's personal experiences (directly or indirectly through family members and close friends) with sexual misconduct has significant potential to bias their opinions towards Ms. Maxwell based on the allegations and evidence in this case'

A draft of the proposed jury questionnaire was filed along with both the government and defense teams' comments in October last year.

Then, Maxwell's team proposed two questions. The first was, 'Whether reported or not, have you, any family member of anyone close to you, including a child/minor, ever been the victim of any form of sexual abuse? (This includes actual or attempted sexual assault or other unwanted sexual advance, including by a stranger, acquaintance, supervisor, teacher, or family member).

The first juror to step forward was Scotty David who revealed to DailyMail.com that he could not remember being asked about his own sexual history

The second question read, 'Whether reported or not, have you, or anyone close to you, including a child/minor, ever felt in danger of being sexually assaulted by another person, including a stranger, acquaintance, supervisor, teacher, or family member?'

Both questions had boxes to tick either, 'Yes' or 'No' with a request for further explanation if the answer was, 'Yes.'

Prosecutors objected to these questions on the grounds that they were 'inappropriate, argumentative, confusing and excessively detailed.'

Maxwell's lawyers kicked back by stating, 'Juror's personal experiences (directly or indirectly through family members and close friends) with sexual misconduct has significant potential to bias their opinions towards Ms. Maxwell based on the allegations and evidence in this case.'

They wrote, 'The privacy of a questionnaire affords an opportunity to share these biases confidentially and candidly and best allows the parties to identify who cannot be a fair juror in this case.'

They noted that it also, 'allows the Court to decide whether an individual questioning of that juror is appropriate, based on the sensitive nature of the content of the questions.'

In fact, an addendum to the questionnaire filed by both the defense and prosecution, states, 'The Court is requested to pursue more detailed questioning if a particular juror's answers reveals that further inquiry is appropriate.'

Ultimately the final document, which totaled 50 questions, incorporated a single question which was a streamlined version of both defense suggestions.

Scotty's admission has thrown Maxwell's conviction into chaos as her defense team is calling for a new trial

Maxwell is facing 65 years in prison after being found guilty on five of six counts, including sex trafficking

The final wording read, 'Have you or a friend or family member ever been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or sexual assault? (This includes actual or attempted sexual assault or other unwanted sexual advances, including by a stranger, acquaintance, supervisor, teacher, or family member).'

There were three boxes by way of answer: Yes (self), Yes (friend or family member) and No.

This is the question that juror Scotty David admitted to DailyMail.com that he cannot remember being asked.

Maxwell's lawyers have insisted that no investigation is necessary, calling instead for a new trial and claiming that the statements that both jurors have now made publicly across multiple news outlets are 'incontrovertible grounds' for a mistrial

In fact, when asked directly if he had shared information regarding his history of sexual abuse on the juror questionnaire, he said, 'No. They don't ask your sexual abuse history. They didn't ask that in the questionnaire.'

When told that they did, David colored up and said that he didn't remember the question being there but 'definitely' remembered a question asking about 'a friend or family member being sexually abused.'

He insisted that he had been honest on all of his questions, but confessed to other outlets that he 'flew threw' the lengthy document.

David made his admissions on the back of the revelation that he was a victim of sexual abuse and that he shared his story with jurors in a way that helped persuade uncertain jurors of the victims' credibility and Maxwell's guilt.

He went onto reveal that a second juror was also moved to share their own experience of sexual abuse or assault, a fact that has since been verified publicly by the second juror who chose to remain anonymous.

Within hours of the revelations Maxwell's conviction hung in the balance.

First, the government called for an investigation into the jurors' public comments.

Next, Maxwell's team declared an investigation 'premature' and unnecessary and claimed that the jurors' undisputed statements were 'incontrovertible grounds' for a mistrial.

Maxwell's lawyers have stated that it makes no difference whether either juror acted deliberately or in an honest mistake if they failed to reveal their sexual abuse or assault history during the selection process.

It is a view backed by many legal experts.

David made his admissions on the back of the revelation that he was a victim of sexual abuse and that he shared his story with jurors in a way that helped persuade uncertain jurors of the victims' credibility and Maxwell's guilt

New York criminal defense lawyer Mark Bederow told DailyMail.com, 'If the juror misled the court and parties by failing to disclose that he was a victim of sexual abuse, there are serious issues.'

He explained, 'There is every reason to believe that this verdict could be in peril and Maxwell will be awarded a new trial.

'The juror may also have a legal problem if the evidence establishes that he deliberately concealed his prior experience from the court and parties during voir dire.'

David has already told DailyMail.com that the matter was not raised in his voir dire - the individual questioning portion of the selection process - which he described as perfunctory and lasting barely 30 seconds.

He has remained silent and lawyered up in the disastrous fall-out of his and his fellow jurors' admissions.

Judge Alison Nathan has said that she will hear briefings from all parties and experts say she may well call upon jurors to be interviewed. No date has been set for any hearing.
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A fourth Covid jab is not yet needed, according to British health officials, because booster jabs are continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron coronavirus variant among older adults.

Around three months after receiving a third jab, protection against hospitalisation among those aged 65 and over remained at about 90%, the UK Health Security Agency said.

Protection against mild symptomatic infection of the variant, however, is down to about 30% after three months, according to the latest data.

Figures also show the importance of the booster jab as, with just two vaccines doses, protection drops to 70% after three months and down to 50% after six months.

Taking this data into account, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised the Government against giving a second booster dose, or fourth jab, to care home residents and those aged over 80.

It added that priority should continue to be given to rolling out the first booster dose, and that unvaccinated people should come forward for their first two doses as soon as possible.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, the JCVI's chair of COVID-19 immunisation, said the latest data is 'highly encouraging and emphasises the value of a booster jab'.

She added: 'The current data show the booster dose is continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease, even for the most vulnerable older age groups.

'For this reason, the committee has concluded there is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, though this will continue to be reviewed.

'The data is highly encouraging and emphasises the value of a booster jab.

'With Omicron continuing to spread widely, I encourage everyone to come forward for their booster dose or, if unvaccinated, for their first two doses, to increase their protection against serious illness.'

The latest figures show more than 35 million boosters and third jabs have been administered in the UK.

The new data comes as Britain's daily coronavirus cases fell for the second day in a row today and there are early signs NHS admissions are peaking in England  as Sajid Javid reiterated that Omicron is causing mild illness for the vast majority.

There were 178,250 new positive Covid tests across the UK over the past 24 hours, Government dashboard data shows, down 6 per cent on the figure last week  despite almost 2million tests being processed.

The two-day dip in new infections puts an end to nearly a month of solid growth following the emergence of the ultra-infectious new variant. There is now growing hope the UK's outbreak will follow a similar trajectory to South Africa's, where the Omicron crisis has completely collapsed in just six weeks.

Another 229 Covid fatalities were also registered across the UK today, marking a 13 per cent rise compared to last Friday.

However, deaths have remained relatively stable since the end of November, with experts confident the country is unlikely to see a surge despite an 'unbelievable' number of infections. There are around seven times fewer daily Covid fatalities now than during the second wave last January.

This could be explained in part by a raft of data suggesting Omicron could be no deadlier than the flu, which has prompted calls not to extend Covid restrictions any further in the country. But other experts say the coronavirus is much more transmissible than flu, meaning it will inevitably cause more deaths.

Meanwhile, latest hospital data showed another 2,434 patients were admitted to British hospitals with the virus on January 3, up by more than a quarter on the week before. But it is not clear how many of the new admissions were primarily for Covid, and analysis of NHS statistics shows nearly 40 per cent of 'patients' aren't mainly being treated for the virus.

And even though hospitalisations are rising in the UK as a whole, they appear to be flatlining in England according to the most recent data. Daily admissions there were down 10 per cent in a week on January 5, the second day in a row they had fallen.

England's admissions appear to be following the same trajectory as London's, which is weeks ahead of the rest of the country and has seen hospital rates fall for the past five days.

The promising statistics came shortly after the Health Secretary reminded the nation that boosters cut the risk of severe Omicron illness by up to 90 per cent, as he issued a plea to the remaining 10million eligible Brits who have not yet taken up the offer of a third dose.

But Mr Javid cautioned the NHS still faces a 'rocky' few weeks as it wrestles with staff absences triggered by high infection rates.

Firefighters could be drafted in to help health services after a major incident was declared in Northamptonshire due to 'worrying' staff shortages. The Army has already been sent to the capital to plug major gaps in hospital and ambulance service rotas.

However, in another major boost, Sir David Spiegelhalter, an eminent statistician at the University of Cambridge, suggested the worst of the pandemic was over.

He said: 'The big severing is between really severe outcomes and that there's still no sign of a serious increase in intensive care, and ventilation, and in deaths. We would have expected to see that by now in London and elsewhere  so that is the really reassuring thing.

'I think we can guarantee that over this wave, as we endure the next few weeks, what we're not going to see is a big surge in very severe outcomes.'

NHS figures released today show there were 13,045 beds occupied by coronavirus sufferers on January 4, of which 4,845 were not mainly sick with the disease. It means only six in 10 inpatients are primarily ill with Covid now compared to more than 80 per cent with Delta

Experts say there is reason to believe that incidentals will continue to rise as the variant pushes England's infection rates to record highs, with one in 15 people estimated to have had Covid on New Year's Eve

The share of so-called 'incidental' cases was even bigger in Omicron hotspot London , where 45 per cent of 'Covid patients' were not primarily in hospital for the virus

 Slide me  Pictured above is the % change in infection rates in England over the week to December 26 (left), and January 2 (right)

Could Omicron be even LESS deadly than seasonal flu? Scientists believe ultra-infectious strain may kill 100 TIMES fewer people than Delta Omicron could be even less deadly than flu, scientists believe in a boost to hopes that the worst of the pandemic is over. Some experts have always maintained that the coronavirus would eventually morph into a seasonal cold-like virus as the world develops immunity through vaccines and natural infection. But the emergence of the highly-mutated Omicron variant appears to have sped the process up. MailOnline analysis shows Covid killed one in 33 people who tested positive at the peak of the devastating second wave last January, compared to just one in 670 now. But experts believe the figure could be even lower because of Omicron. The case fatality rate  the proportion of confirmed infections that end in death  for seasonal influenza is 0.1, the equivalent of one in 1,000. Meanwhile, researchers at Washington University modelling the next stage of the pandemic expect Omicron to kill up to 99 per cent fewer people than Delta, in another hint it could be less deadly than flu. No accurate infection-fatality rate (IFR), which is always just a fraction of the CFR because it reflects deaths among everyone who catches the virus, has yet been published for Delta. But UK Government advisers estimated the overall figure stood at around 0.25 per cent before Omicron burst onto the scene, down from highs of around 1.5 per cent before the advent of life-saving vaccines. If Omicron is 99 per cent less lethal than Delta, it suggests the current IFR could be as low as 0.0025 per cent, the equivalent of one in 40,000, although experts say this is unlikely. Instead, the Washington modelling estimates the figure actually sits in the region of 0.07 per cent, meaning approximately one in 1,430 people who get infected will succumb to the illness. Leading researchers estimate flu's IFR to sit between 0.01 and 0.05 per cent but argue comparing rates for the two illnesses is complicated. Advertisement

In other coronavirus developments:

Nearly four in ten Covid patients in hospitals in England are not primarily being treated for the virus, according to official data that highlights the mildness of Omicron ;

Up to one in five people in London 's worst-hit boroughs may have had Covid on New Year's Eve, surveillance data showed today  although infections were slowing in the capital overall;

Covid deaths rose for the first time since in over a month last week in England and Wales, according to official figures that show early signs of Omicron 's impact on fatalities;

Washington University researchers said Omicron kills 99 per cent fewer people than Delta, as experts said the new variant is more akin to the flu;

Mark Drakeford launched an astonishing tirade at Boris Johnson over Covid restrictions today as he vowed to ignore clear evidence that the worst of the Omicron wave has passed in order to keep tough restrictions in place in Wales;

Thousands of women may not have got their Covid vaccine because they fear it will interact with their Botox, experts say.

Sir David said in December the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) warned that, if only Plan B measures were adhered to, hospital admissions would be likely to exceed 3,000 a day.

However, he said that, while daily cases are currently above 2,000, 'with luck' they may not go above 3,000, and the main change has been that people have 'voluntarily been very cautious about their behaviour'.

Today's daily figures show Britain is now averaging 180,076 cases per day, which is still more than twice as many as any other point in the pandemic before Omicron.

While admissions increased across the UK, figures for England show admissions have dropped 9.7 per cent in a week in the nation from 2,370 to 2,139 on January 5, the latest date data is available for.

The number of people in hospital with the virus is still increasing in the nation, increasing 30 per cent to 16,163 today.

But official NHS figures up to January 4 show just 62 per cent of those are patients being treated primarily for Covid.

And he share of so-called 'incidental' cases was even bigger in Omicron hotspot London, where 45 per cent of 'Covid patients' were not primarily in hospital for the virus.

MailOnline's analysis shows the region with the highest incidental hospital patient was the Midlands, where 45 per cent of Covid patients were not being treated primarily for the virus on January 4.

It was followed by London (38 per cent), the East of England (38 per cent) and the North West (63 per cent).

The largest week-on-week growth in all Covid patients was in the North East and Yorkshire, which saw them rise 93 per cent from 1,014 to 1,961.

Of those, 1,265 (64 per cent) were being treated primarily for Covid  the third highest proportion in the country.

Professor Spiegelhalter told MailOnline that the rise in incidental cases 'reflected the huge number of infections' at the moment.

He added: 'The rise in the share of incidental Covid patients could be largely due to the increased rate of people catching Covid while in hospital.

'But we have good evidence from other sources that, compared to Delta, Omicron tends to produce milder disease  although it can still affect some people badly.'

In yet more proof the wave is receding in London, the city's R rate dropped from between 1.2 and 1.6 on December 23 to 0.9 to 1.2 now according to the UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) estimate today. The rate is above one in all other areas of the country

The above graph shows Covid infection rates across England's regions up to January 2, Department of Health data shows

The above are the 25 areas with the highest Covid infection rates in England. In London, Havering has the biggest outbreak but nationally it is the 38th highest Covid infection rate

Nearly 40% of NHS Covid 'patients' in England are NOT being treated for virus Nearly four in ten Covid patients in hospitals in England are not primarily being treated for the virus, according to official data that highlights the mildness of Omicron. NHS figures released today show there were around 13,000 beds occupied by coronavirus sufferers on January 4, of which nearly 4,850 were not mainly sick with the disease. It means close to 40 per cent of patients included in the Government's daily Covid statistics may have been admitted for something else, such as a broken leg. The share of so-called 'incidental' cases was even bigger in Omicron hotspot London, where 45 per cent of 'Covid patients' were not primarily in hospital for the virus. Experts say there is reason to believe that incidentals will continue to rise as the variant pushes England's infection rates to record highs, with one in 15 people estimated to have had Covid on New Year's Eve. In South Africa  ground zero of the Omicron outbreak  up to 60 per cent of Covid patients were not admitted primarily for the virus at the height of the crisis there. There are growing calls among experts and politicians for the Government to differentiate between people who're admitted 'with' and 'from' Covid to assess the real pressure of the virus on the NHS. The rise in incidental admissions and lack of any real uptick in ICU cases has given Boris Johnson the confidence to 'ride out' the Omicron wave without any further restrictions. A host of studies suggest Omicron causes less severe illness than its predecessors because it replicates faster in the upper airways rather than in the lungs where it can do more damage. MailOnline analysis revealed the Covid case fatality rate  the proportion of confirmed infections resulting in death  is now 21 times lower than during the devastating second wave. Advertisement

Meanwhile, on a visit to King's College Hospital London, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he wanted to thank NHS workers across the country for 'the amazing work they've been doing throughout this pandemic but particularly during these current challenging times'.

But Mr Javid also warned hospital admissions were rising and that the NHS was facing a 'rocky few weeks ahead'.

He said: 'We are in a stronger position than we were last year thanks to the vaccinations and the testing, we have boosted more people in this country than in any other country in Europe, we've got more antivirals per head than any other country in Europe, we're testing more people per head than any other country in Europe.'

He added: 'The best thing anyone can do if they haven't already is get boosted or get your first or second jab if you haven't had one.'

During the visit he said the intensive care unit for Covid patients had an estimated 70 per cent of patients unvaccinated and that this was a 'reminder to us all' of the importance of vaccination.

During the visit he said the intensive care unit for Covid patients had an estimated 70 per cent of patients unvaccinated and that this was a 'reminder to us all' of the importance of vaccination.

Speaking at the same visit, the head of the health service said a fortnight of further hospital admissions for Covid are 'already baked in' as some NHS staff face 'the steepest climb of the pandemic yet'.

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of NHS England, thanked staff during a visit to King's College Hospital in London on Friday.

More than 400 people are currently in the hospital with Covid.

She said: 'We're a week into 2022 but I do know that for some colleagues it already feels like it's been a long year.

'Case rates of the new variant have been highest so far here in London, but there is no community, no part of the country, that has been untouched by Omicron and this has obviously had, and will continue to have, an impact on NHS staff and on the services that we're able to provide.

'Realistically, another fortnight of admissions from Omicron are baked in. The only unknown is what level we will see and, of course, we will hope that the more optimistic forecasts are going to be the right ones.'

She said that whatever the next few weeks bring, there is 'no doubt' that it would have been so much tougher if it had not been for NHS staff working to give vaccinations over the last year.

She added: 'Staff are stepping up, but they're not machines.

'As ever in the NHS we're working on this together, colleagues are finding though that the significant challenges that they're facing now for some make this the steepest climb of the pandemic yet and the latest stats show that every day around 10,000 more colleagues are off sick than they were last week.

'I know leaders across the NHS are doing everything they can to support their teams.'
Two police drivers were caught on camera in a 'drag race' side-by-side in their powerful patrol cars on a suburban road.

The pair are being investigated after two marked police cars were seen lining up before racing off together on both sides of the road.

Householder Ben Phillips caught the pair on a 47-second CCTV clip from his home security camera - and was shocked at the apparent road race.

Mr Phillips, 28, captured the moment clip when one police car reverses to line up next to the other 'like the drag race in the movie Grease'.

Then it shows the two cars apparently revving up next to each other - before then 'taking off' at speed at the same time.

Ben Phillips saw two police cars seemingly race each other on a 47-second CCTV clip from his home security camera in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire

Dyfed-Powys Police said the cars were attending an incident on the Mount Estate on New Year's Eve

Mr Phillips said the officers were 'drag racing in a built-up 30mph area' at the Mount Estate in the seaside town of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire.

He said: 'They had been called to an incident on the estate, before reversing out side-by-side. They spoke for 15 seconds then took off side-by-side.

'It's a 30mph area, with lots of children around.'

Mr Phillips captured the incident through CCTV footage from his first floor flat just before 4pm in broad daylight.

He said the cars then pulled over - and he went down to the street to challenge the officers about their behaviour.

He said: 'I went down and said to a sergeant: "It's one law for you, one law for everyone else".

'It's not right to do that. It should be investigated.'

Mr Phillips captured the incident through CCTV footage from his first floor flat just before 4pm in broad daylight

Dyfed-Powys Police said it received a complaint after officers attended an incident on the Mount Estate, Milford Haven at on December 31.

A force spokesman told MailOnline: 'Dyfed-Powys Police received a complaint following their attendance at an incident in Milford Haven, at approximately 15:45 on Friday, 31 December 2021.

'We have been in liaison with the parties involved and this matter has been referred to our Professional Standards Department for their consideration.'
The Biden administration is reportedly finalizing the details of its plan with the U.S. Postal Service to deliver 500 million at-home Covid tests for free to Americans who request them.

The administration is launching a website where Americans can request the rapid tests, though it's not clear when it will be online. Officials aim to begin sending out the test kits by mid-January.

A number of test manufacturers and distributors have submitted proposals to the government, and on Thursday night the Biden administration awarded its first contract for the tests.

Meanwhile, the Postal Service is reportedly negotiating with its four labor unions to extend their additional seasonal workforce, comprising roughly 40,000 workers who are brought in to help the agency manage the influx of holiday packages, according to the Washington Post.

The Biden administration is reportedly finalizing the details of its plan with the U.S. Postal Service to deliver 500 million at-home Covid tests for free to Americans who request them

New Yorkers stand in line to take a Covid-19 test in Times Square on Jan. 3

Boynton Beach residents sit in their cars waiting to obtain COVID-19 testing at the Colusa Park in Boynton Beach Florida on Monday

The agency moved 13.2 billion pieces of mail between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve.

As the highly infectious Omicron variant ripped across the U.S., tests were in short supply. Pharmacy shelves were bare of at-home tests and people waited in hours-long lines to get tested ahead of holiday travel.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki initially scoffed at the idea of doling out at-home tests.

'Should we just send one to every American?' Psaki sneered during a Dec. 6 news conference. 'Then what happens if every American has one test? How much does that cost, and then what happens after that?'

But by mid-December, Biden announced that half a billion at-home Covid tests would be purchased to offer free to Americans.

'I know this remains frustrating,' Biden said Tuesday of the testing issue. 'Believe me, it's frustrating to me, but we're making improvements. And the last two weeks we've stood up federal testing sites all over the country.'

Just in the last two weeks, Covid-19 cases have risen 227% for an average of 610,989 by Thursday. The nation reported over 1 million cases on Monday.

At the same time, hospitalizations have risen 65% in the last two weeks and deaths have risen 2% to an average of 1,404 per day.

On Thursday, the US recorded 786,824 new infections, an increase from the prior day and the third highest count since the pandemic began, following only the numbers recorded on Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, 1,870 deaths were reported Thursday.

In a round of television interviews on Friday morning, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky defended her agency's confusing new isolation guidelines, and predicted that the US had not reached the peak of the current wave.

'The number of cases are rising faster than the number of hospitalizations and deaths, although we're now starting to see the number of hospitalizations rise as well,' she told the Today Show. 'The way it is peaked in other countries, in South Africa, it has come down as rapidly as well. But I don't believe we've seen the peak yet here in the United States.'

'We are definitely looking at a time ahead of us where COVID will be an endemic virus. We are in the middle of a surge right now so we have to do everything we can to address that surge,' said Walensky.

In South Africa, where Omicron was first identified, cases have fallen sharply off their mid-December peak, and in the UK, which is a few weeks ahead of the US in the variant surge, cases are still rising nationwide, but appear to be levelling off in London.
Labour MP Jack Dromey, who died suddenly in his flat in Birmingham this morning, has been remembered as a 'much loved' politician' who will be 'greatly missed'.

Mr Dromey, 73, husband of the party's former deputy leader Harriet Harman, served as the MP for Birmingham Erdington from 2010 and was appointed Shadow Minister for Immigration by current leader Keir Starmer in December.

A statement issued on behalf of Mr Dromey's family by the Labour Party said: 'Jack Dromey MP died suddenly this morning aged 73 in his flat in Erdington.

'He had been a dedicated Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington since 2010. He was a much loved husband, father and grandfather, and he will be greatly missed.'

His son Joe tweeted: 'Our dad - Jack - died suddenly today. We loved him so, so much. Rest in peace big man x.'

Mr Dromey is understood to have died from natural causes. Mr Dromey and Ms Harman, who married in 1982, share three children, two sons and a daughter.

Mr Dromey last spoke in Parliament just yesterday during a debate in Westminster Hall about the Afghanistan citizens' resettlement scheme.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: 'Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Jack Dromey MP. My thoughts are with Harriet and the family, and all those who knew him as a friend. May he rest in peace.'

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Mr Dromey as an MP who 'lived his commitment to social justice every day'.

Labour MP Jack Dromey, 73, has died 'suddenly'. He served as the MP for Birmingham Erdington from 2010

Mr Dromey was married to former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman. The couple share three children

Mr Dromey was last seen in parliament yesterday, when he spoke in a Commons debate

Mr Dromey was appointed Shadow Minister for Immigration by current leader Keir Starmer in December

Sir Keir said: 'The proud son of Irish parents, Jack Dromey dedicated his life to standing up for working people through the Labour movement, becoming deputy general secretary of the UK's largest trade union and then a Labour MP.

'From supporting the strike at the Grunwick film processing laboratory, when he met Harriet, through to being elected to represent Birmingham Erdington in 2010, Jack lived his commitment to social justice every day.

'Jack was recognised for his determination to stand up for his constituents and he was highly respected and warmly regarded across Parliament.

'My thoughts and those of the whole Labour movement are with Harriet, their children and all those who knew and loved Jack.'

Before his career in politics, Mr Dromey was a trade unionist who held several roles in the Transport and General Workers Union which later became Unite. He was appointed Deputy General Secretary of the union in 2004.

His wife Ms Harman, who served as deputy Labour leader between 2007 and 2015, announced last month that she will not run for her Camberwell and Peckham seat in the next general election.

Mr Dromey alongside his son Jack. Jack today tweeted: 'Our dad - Jack - died suddenly today. We loved him so, so much. Rest in peace big man'

Mr Dromey and Ms Harman, who married in 1982, share three children, two sons and a daughter

Before his career in politics, Mr Dromey was a trade unionist who held several roles in the Transport and General Workers Union which later became Unite. Pictured, Mr Dromey in front of a trade union banner with placards supporting the Grunwick strikers in 1977

Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said the M had 'dedicated his life to the service of others" as a 'complete stalwart of the Labour and trade union movement'

Paying tribute to Mr Dromey, the speaker of the Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said: 'We are all in disbelief that the life-force that was Jack Dromey has died  this is another sad day for the House and a bad start to the year.

'I have known Jack since the mid-1980s when we fought to save the Royal Ordnance Factory in Chorley  he was national officer for the Transport and General Workers' Union, and I was chair of economic development at Chorley Council.

'He was a great guy, down to earth, always positive and always looking to support and save jobs. At his heart he was a devoted husband, father and grandfather  so all our thoughts go to Harriet and the rest of the family at this very sad time.'

Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said the MP had 'dedicated his life to the service of others" as a 'complete stalwart of the Labour and trade union movement'.

The former Labour leader said: 'He was also hugely likeable, a very popular colleague and well respected by all who worked with him.

'Cherie joins me in sending profound condolences to Harriet and all the family.'

Fellow former prime minister Gordon Brown paid tribute to Mr Dromey as a 'great humanitarian who never stopped fighting for social justice' and said he will be 'sorely missed'.

Mr Dromey appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain alongside host Piers Morgan in January 2016

Rushanara Ali pictured alongside Ms Harman and Mr Dromey at the Labour party conference in 2011

Preet Gill, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston and shadow cabinet minister for International Development, paying tribute to Mr Dromey, said: 'I am just really shocked.

'I am thinking about Harriet (Harman) retiring (at the next election) and Joe - Jack's son, he's a really good friend.

'With him having grandchildren - that was something Jack had spoken about, spending more time together with them.

'He's always been a great friend and hugely supportive, but not just me, that's the kind of thing he did.

'He would always go above and beyond, in his constituency.'

Mr Dromey and Ms Harman (pictured together at Labour party conference in 2015), who married in 1982, share three children, two sons and a daughter

MPs from across the political spectrum today paid tribute to Mr Dromey and sent condolences to his wife, Ms Harman. Pictured, the couple together in April 1994

Mr Dromey makes a speech for the Transport and General Workers Union as they protested against the low rate of pay parliament's cleaners received

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has said he is 'shocked and heartbroken' by the sudden death of Mr Dromey.

Mr Zahawi wrote in a tweet: 'Shocked and heart broken by the news of the sudden death of Jack Dromey MP. He was a friend, thoughts and prayers with @HarrietHarman and the family.'

Khalid Mahmood, Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr,said: 'He was a great trade union representative and always supported working people throughout his life, firstly through the T&G union, where he became assistant secretary, and then Unite, when the unions merged.

'He was always looking after the interests of working people and when, in 2010, he became an MP he continued to do that.

'He'll be sorely missed. He was a gentle man - a courageous man.'

Mr Dromey joined the Labour frontbench as shadow housing minister in 2010 under then Labour leader Ed Miliband.

At the 2019 general election, Mr Dromey defended his seat by 3,601 over the Conservatives in second place. His death means there will be a by-election to select the constituency's next MP.
NATO warned today there is still a 'real risk' of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking in Brussels, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also said the alliance was ready to discuss arms controls with Russia. He insisted the US would not take decisions on European security without Europe at the table.

'The risk of conflict is real. Russia's aggressive actions seriously undermine the security order in Europe,' Stoltenberg said after a video meeting of NATO foreign ministers ahead of talks with Moscow next week.

'We are ready to engage in arms control with Russia, conventional and nuclear, but that has to be reciprocal,' Stoltenberg added.

'That's a different thing (from) imposing one-sided restrictions ... we can't end up in a situation where we have second-class NATO members where NATO as an alliance is not allowed to protect them.'

NATO's warning came as Foreign Secretary Liz Truss issued a fresh call to Russia to end its 'malign activity' towards Ukraine.

NATO warned today there is still a 'real risk' of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Pictured: A Ukrainian marine walks in a trench at the line of separation from pro-Russian rebels, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022

Russia said in December it wanted a legally binding guarantee that NATO would give up any military activity in Eastern Europe and Ukraine.

At a virtual meeting of Nato foreign ministers on Friday, Ms Truss said the Russian military build-up on the Ukrainian border was 'unacceptable' and urged President Vladimir Putin to de-escalate.

'There is no justification for its aggressive and unprovoked stance towards Ukraine. We stand with our Nato allies in urging Russia to end its malign activity and adhere to international agreements it freely signed up to,' she said according to a Foreign Office readout.

'We will defend democracy in eastern Europe and around the world. Our support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering. We are clear that any Russian incursion would be a massive strategic mistake, for which there would be a severe cost.

'The Russian Government needs to de-escalate, pursue diplomatic channels and abide by its commitments on the transparency of military activities.'

The warning came from NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Friday (pictured during today's press conference), who also said the alliance was ready to discuss arms controls with Russia. He also insisted the US would not take decisions on European security without Europe at the table

Truss, along with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their counterparts held online talks to prepare for the first meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in more than two years.

That meeting on Wednesday in Brussels will give NATO ambassadors the chance to discuss Putin's security proposals with Russia's envoy face to face.

It's all part of a flurry of meetings involving NATO, senior U.S. and Russian officials and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe set for next week.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that it's important to speak with Russia about its concerns, and that he will talk again with Putin 'in the coming days.'

'Dialogue does not mean giving in,' Macron told reporters in Paris at an event to mark the start of France's six-month term at the helm of the European Union.

Much contained in the documents that Moscow has made public - a draft agreement with NATO countries and the offer of a treaty between Russia and the United States - appears to be a non-starter at the 30-country military organization, despite fears that Putin might order an invasion of Ukraine.

At a virtual meeting of Nato foreign ministers on Friday, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the Russian military build-up on the Ukrainian border was 'unacceptable' and urged Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured on Thursday) to de-escalate

NATO would have to agree to halt all membership plans, not just with Ukraine, and end military exercises close to Russia's borders.

In exchange, Russia would respect the international commitments it's signed up to on limiting wargames, and end aircraft buzzing incidents and other low-level hostilities.

Endorsing such an agreement would require NATO to reject a key part of its founding treaty. Under Article 10 of the 1949 Washington Treaty, the organization can invite in any willing European country that can contribute to security in the North Atlantic area, as well as fulfil the obligations of membership.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and later backed a separatist rebellion in the country's east.

Over more than seven years, the fighting has killed over 14,000 people and devastated Ukraine's industrial heartland, known as the Donbas.

Russia denies that it has fresh plans to attack its neighbour, but Putin wants legal guarantees that would rule out NATO expansion and weapons deployments.

Moscow says it expects answers to its security proposals this month.

Meanwhile, Russia has amassed thousands of troops on its border with Ukraine.

The NATO-Russia Council was set up two decades ago. But NATO ended cooperation with Russia through the NRC in 2014 after it annexed Crimea. Wednesday's meeting will be the first since July 2019.

NATO officials say Russia has refused to take part in meetings as long as Ukraine was on the agenda.
William Bennett, a former science teacher at Marion C. Moore High School in Louisville, Kentucky, was fired last month after an investigation into a fight caught on video in August 2021 found that Bennett 'escalated the situation' by making 'inappropriate comments' to the student

A white Kentucky high school teacher who was filmed fighting a black student has been fired after an investigation found he 'escalated the situation' by telling the teenager, who is a gunshot victim, he was 'just another black boy who got shot'.

William Bennett, a science teacher at Marion C. Moore High School in Louisville was fired last month and details of how the August 24, 2021 incident - where he was filmed fighting the 16-year-old student - unfolded were revealed in the termination letter obtained by The Insider.

Bennett admitted to saying something to Jamir Strane 'about being shot,' which 'provoked' the student to punch Bennett, according to the letter. Bennett then 'caught the student' and put his 'whole body weight on top of him.'

Strane, who had previously told outlets that he had been shot in a drive-by shooting in 2020, said he hit Bennett first because the teacher said he 'would just be another black boy shot.'

An unnamed student who was quoted in the report stated that he overheard Bennett tell Strane the same thing.

The minute-long video from August, which has since been deleted from social media, shows Bennett and the student locked in the scuffle as kids circle them.

Bennett claimed he was misrepresented in the shocking footage.

The former science teacher was filmed fighting a student at Moore High School in Louisville, Kentucky on August 24, two days after school started

The minute-long video from August that has since been deleted from social media shows Bennett and the student locked in the scuffle as kids circle them

Another adult eventually breaks up the fight, but as Strane walks away from Bennett, Bennett 'proceeded to engage in the altercation,' according to the letter. Bennett reportedly followed Strane down the hallway, had a verbal exchange with the student, and kicked him.

The report also states that Bennett referenced the Kentucky state statue on self-defense and force  which allows a person to use physical force to defend themselves if they believe it is necessary to protect against the use of imminent force by another person  and showed investigators pictures of his non-white family members to 'dispel any myths of being a racist portrayed in the media.'

On Wednesday, Strane's mother, Erica Strane, filed a lawsuit against Bennett and Jefferson County Public Schools.

The student (pictured) told a local TV station that he hit Bennett first after the teacher told him he was 'just going to be another black boy shot'

Previous records reveal he was reprimanded in Hardin County decades ago, after he admitted to calling a noisy class 'a bunch of monkeys,' kicking a trash can and singling out a student who cursed at him after he threatened him with detention.

In 2001, he was fired from a job at Elizabethtown Independent Schools, about 45 miles south of Louisville, after he was arrested for breaking into an apartment to see if his girlfriend was cheating on him, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The case was eventually sent up to the state standards board, which formally admonished him in September of that year.

Bennett failed to disclose that disciplinary actions and others when he applied to Jefferson County Public Schools, where the latest incident happened, that same year

Bennett (pictured) was accused of making sexual jokes in the classroom and of complaining that 'feminists are modern-day Nazis' at the Bullitt County school district

His personnel file at Elizabethtown shows he was written up for making sexual jokes and calling students who didn't laugh 'Nazi humorists.'

That didn't stop him from running for Elizabethtown City Council in 2018, according to the News-Enterprise, which covers Hardin County.

'My parents and grandparents instilled in me at an early age the importance of Christian charity, service to others, a good education, and that public service is a calling not a career,' he told the newspaper.

At Bullitt County, 20 miles south of Louisville, he was suspended without pay for five days after a series of inappropriate comments, including: 'I could just slap you,' 'I love guns; I love the Second Amendment; take it away, I shoot you,' and, 'feminists are modern-day Nazis.'

He was again reported to the standards board, which handles teacher certifications, in April 2019.

Bennett failed to disclose that disciplinary actions and others when he applied to Jefferson County Public Schools, where the latest incident happened, that same year.

The standards board dismissed the Bullitt case in December of last year after Bennett completed training.

According to the Jefferson County District, it's up to teachers to disclose such incidents.
Robert Neff, right, who has been contributing articles on Korean history in the "About the Past" section of The Korea Times, receives a plaque of gratitude from The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin for his 400th contribution, at the newspapers' headquarters in downtown Seoul, Jan. 7. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
A murder suspect who escaped from a Georgia jail earlier this week after a cell door malfunctioned and was left unlocked has been recaptured.

Kevin David Lenix Wilson, 32, walked out of Effingham County jail on Monday night, triggering a massive manhunt involving US Marshals.

On Thursday evening, the Effingham County Sheriff's Office announced that Wilson, who has been described as 'dangerous,' was taken into custody at a hotel off of Ogeechee Road in Savannah, located some 30 miles south of the jail.

Wilson was detained by sheriff's investigators, Savannah police, SWAT officers and additional law enforcement three days after his brazen escape.

Guards at the jail were performing a routine inmate head count at around 7.10am on Tuesday when they realized that Wilson had broken out.

It's still unclear how he managed to make his way out of his cell to the exit without running into any physical obstacles or guards at the facility, which houses suspects facing charges, but also sentenced inmates.

Security video from Effingham County jail in Georgia shows inmate Kevin Wilson escaping on Monday night after walking through an unlocked door. He was recaptured on Thursday

Wilson, who is a murder suspect and is considered dangerous, is seen fleeing after 8pm

Authorities believe Wilson had an accomplice who picked him from the area of the jail

Officials believe he walked out of the unlocked cell door just before 8pm the night before and was able to enter an unsecured area, where he made his escape.

Video from the jail courtyard shows Wilson fleeing on foot.

Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie said during a press conference aired by WJCL on Tuesday that a computer glitch caused by a recent storm and 'human error' were to blame for the inmate's escape.

Wilson had been in jail since October 2020 on a slew of charges stemming from a traffic stop and police chase, before he was indicted on murder and assault charges in a separate case

'Once you start with those computers, all kinds of stuff can go haywire,' McDuffie said. 'The jail was initially unlocked from that situation. This was a door that just never got locked back.

'We apparently didnt check it like we should have.'

Shortly after Wilson's absence was discovered, a bloodhound from the Statesboro K9 Unit picked up the fugitive's scent near the jail, but it 'dissipated,' suggesting that he had been picked up by someone who was helping him, according to McDuffie.

Wilson had been in jail since October 2020 on a slew of charges stemming from a traffic stop and chase, including willful obstruction, possession of a firearm or knife during the commission of or attempt to commit certain felonies, receipt, possession or transfer of firearm by convicted felon, marijuana possession, drug trafficking, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude police, weaving over roadway and speeding.

There have been at least three inmate escape incidents at the county jail since 2007

This image shows the interior of the county jail where the escape had taken place on Monday

It's unclear how Wilson was able to make his way from his unlocked cell to the exit

Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie said a computer malfunction caused by a recent storm and 'human error' were to blame for the inmate's escape

Then in August 2021, Wilson was indicted by the Chatham County Grand Jury on three counts of malice murder, one count of felony murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felony stemming from a homicide that took place on May 13, 2020, in Savannah.

Wilson is suspected of being involved in the killing of Vincent Smalls Jr, 28, who was found shot dead in the 2300 block of Pinetree Road.

Police arrested a second suspect in the Smalls murder, 19-year-old Labrea Adger, in June 2020, reported Fox 28.

Sheriff McDuffie said Wilson had not been a problem inmate until his escape, but warned people not to approach him and call 911 because he is considered dangerous.

Wilson is suspected of playing a role in the May 2020 killing of Vincent Smalls Jr (left and right). The 28-year-old was found shot dead in Savannah, Georgia

Wilson's alleged accomplice in the homicide, Labrea Adgar, 19, was arrested on murder and robbery charges in June 2020

The sheriff's office is now working with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the US Marshals, to track down the escapee.

The agency also has launched an internal investigation to determine how Wilson was able to break out of the jail.

WTOC reported that Monday's incident marks at least the third time that inmates have escaped from the Effingham County jail since 2007.

According to the jail's website, its mission 'is to provide for the safety and security of inmates and staff by maintaining a safe, sanitary, and secure environment.'
A father-of-three sent a heartbreaking text saying he was getting vaccinated as soon as possible less than two weeks before he died from Covid.

Stephen Doyle, 45, from Runcorn, Cheshire, was 'fit and healthy' before he was struck down with the virus and rushed to hospital on December 22.

He had not taken the vaccine as a result of reading lies about the jabs on social media and died just 12 days later on January 3.

His cousin Michelle Pierce, a nurse at Llandudno Hospital in north Wales, said: 'He was against the vaccination before he went in.

Stephen Doyle, 45, from Runcorn, Chesire, died from coronavirus after refusing to have the vaccine

'He was influenced by all the talk on social media.

'When Stephen was in hospital he texted his former partner Nichola and said, "I'm getting the jabs as soon as I can".

'He said he never wanted to go through this again.

'He was a funny guy. He liked to make people laugh and was always up for laugh.

'He loved spending time with his kids and making them all happy.

The father-of-three was described as 'fit and healthy' but had been 'influenced by social media' not to get the vaccine

'Sadly, he never got the chance to get vaccinated. It was too late for him.

'He had no underlying health conditions. He was fit and healthy.'

The former docker was working as a dispatch supervisor at the time of his death and had already been in hospital because of Covid but was discharged with antibiotics in mid-December.

His former partner Nicola, the mother of his three children, found him unwell on December 22 and called an ambulance.

Mr Doyle was readmitted to Warrington hospital with breathing difficulties and very low oxygen levels in his blood.

Within a day he was moved to the hospital's intensive therapy unit and was put on a ventilator on Christmas Day.

Mr Doyle told his former partner Nicola he was 'getting the jabs as soon as I can'. Nicola told him the family would have another Christmas when he was out of hospital. Yet tragically he died on January 3 from Covid after both his lungs collapsed

Doctors said Mr Doyle developed bilateral pneumothorax, meaning both his lungs had collapsed.

Clinicians had to insert four drains into his chest to help him breathe.

Ms Pierce added: 'On January 3 [the doctors told us] there was nothing they could do, so the decision was taken to withdraw the treatment.'

Mr Doyle's family called for more people to take the vaccine to protect themselves against the virus.

Ms Pierce said: 'People need to know this is happening to healthy people.

'If we can save one person by making them get their vaccinations, it's worth telling our story.'
A 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on a Tube train by a man who started harassing her and trying to get her Snapchat contact.

When the schoolgirl tried to get away from the suspect he followed her towards the train door and said he wanted to 'chill' with her before sexually assaulting the child.

The girl was going home on the Underground just after 7pm on September 18 when a man got on at Wembley Park in north west London and sat next to her.

He soon asked the youngster her age and when she told him she was 14, he started asking for her Snapchat username so he could contact her on social media.

Police have today released a CCTV image (pictured) of a man officers want to question after a 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on a Tube train

The victim then moved away from the man towards the Tube doors to get off, but he followed her and said 'I want to chill with you' before sexually assaulting her.

The girl got off the train at the next stop on the Jubilee line - at Neasden - and the man stayed on the Tube, police said.

Today, police released a CCTV image of a man officers want to question as they believe he may have information about the investigation.

A spokesman for the British Transport Police (BTP) said today: 'Officers investigating a sexual assault on-board a Jubilee line Tube are today (Fri) releasing this CCTV image in connection.

'At 7.15pm on September 18, the victim was travelling home on the Tube when a man got on at Wembley Park and sat opposite her and asked for her age. She told him she was 14 and he started asking for her Snapchat username.

'The victim then moved away from the man towards the Tube doors ready to get off the service, however the man followed her and said 'I want to chill with you' before sexually assaulting her.

The girl was going home on the Underground just after 7pm on September 18 when a man got on at Wembley Park (file image from May 23, 2020) in north west London and sat next to her

'The victim disembarked the service at Neasden Underground station, leaving the man on the Tube.

'Officers believe the man in the CCTV image may have information which could help their investigation.'

Anyone that recognises the man in the CCTV image or has any information is urged to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 633 of 18/09/21.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Thousands of North Koreans gathered at a rally to pledge their support for Kim Jong Un's plans to expand the nation's military.

Citizens of the pariah state - said to include factory and office workers, farmers and students - held banners and wore face masks as they assembled in Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung square on Wednesday.

Their show of apparent 'unity' for the regime, where non-compliance can have severe consequences, came in the wake of the ruling party's first Workers' Party Congress in five years, during which Kim underlined the need for a new five-year plan to develop the economy.

In the decade since he took power, North Korea has seen rapid progress in its military technology at the cost of international sanctions.

Despite severe economic difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic, Kim said last week the country would continue to build up its military capabilities.

During the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party, Kim repeated his vows to boost his country's military capacity and ordered the production of more powerful, sophisticated weapons systems.

Thousands of North Koreans gathered at a rally to pledge their support for Kim Jong Un's plans to expand the nation's military

Citizens of the pariah state - said to include factory and office workers, farmers and students - held banners and wore face masks as they assembled in Pyongyang's Kim Il-sung square on Wednesday

The show of apparent 'unity' - where non-compliance can lead to incarceration - came in the wake of the ruling party's first Workers' Party Congress in five years, during which Kim underlined the need for a new five-year plan to develop the economy

In the decade since Kim took power, North Korea has seen rapid progress in its military technology at the cost of international sanctions

Above, Kim's supporters gather en masse. Despite severe economic difficulties during the coronavirus pandemic, Kim said last week the country would continue to build up its military capabilities

Citizens of the famine-hit state march through Pyongyang City earlier this week in matching pink outfits

During the plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party, Kim repeated his vows to boost his country's military capacity and ordered the production of more powerful, sophisticated weapons systems

It comes as North Korea fired what it claims was its second 'hypersonic missile' after joining the global race to develop the 'new generation' of weapons - which are designed to dodge anti-missile defence systems.

According to state media KCNA, the missile, launched on Wednesday, managed to hit its target some 430 miles away.

However, on Friday, South Korea dismissed North Korea's claim as an exaggeration, saying it was a normal ballistic missile that could be intercepted. The assessment is certain to anger North Korea.

South Korea has previously avoided publicly disputing North Korea's weapons tests, apparently so as not to aggravate relations.

South Korea's Defence Ministry said it believes North Korea has not acquired the technologies needed to launch a hypersonic weapon.

Kim Jong Un is pictured at the first of day of the 8th Congress of the Workers' Party. During a key meeting, he spoke about building up defences but did not mention the United States at all

North Korea recently fired what it claims was its second 'hypersonic missile' (above). According to state media KCNA, the missile, launched on Wednesday, managed to hit its target some 430 miles away. However, on Friday, South Korea dismissed North Korea's claim as an exaggeration, saying it was a normal ballistic missile that could be intercepted

North Korea is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, which have progressed rapidly under Kim

The worsening economic situation during the pandemic has not blunted North Korea's military programmes, and it has continued to pursue weapons development, a UN report said in October

Workers gather in a show of support in Pyongyang. The United States has repeatedly declared its willingness to meet North Korean representatives, while saying it will seek denuclearisation

It said in a report that what North Korea fired on Wednesday was a type of ballistic missile that was displayed in October during a weapons exhibition in Pyongyang, its capital.

It said South Korean and US forces could shoot it down.

The ministry said North Korea's claim that the weapon flew 700 kilometres (435 miles) and manoeuvred laterally appeared to be an exaggeration.

Ministry officials said the claim was likely to have been aimed at a domestic audience to boost public confidence in its missile programme.

In 2021, nuclear-armed North Korea said it successfully tested a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile, a long-range cruise missile, a train-launched weapon, and what it described as a hypersonic warhead.

The dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang remains stalled, following the collapse of talks between Kim and then-president Donald Trump in 2019.

Under Trump's successor Joe Biden, the United States has repeatedly declared its willingness to meet North Korean representatives, while saying it will seek denuclearisation.

But Pyongyang has so far dismissed the offer, accusing Washington of pursuing 'hostile' policies.

At the end of a key meeting of the ruling Workers' Party last week, where Kim spoke about building up defences, he did not mention the United States at all.

Instead of the policy positions on diplomacy for which Kim's New Year statements have been closely watched in recent years, he focused on food security and development in an extensive speech.

Last month, Kim marked ten years in power. Since assuming control after his father and longtime ruler Kim Jong Il's death in December 2011, Kim Jong Un has established absolute power at home. (Above, the latest Workers' Party Congress in Pyongyang)

But he said Pyongyang would continue to boost its capabilities keeping in mind 'the military environment of the Korean peninsula' and the changing international situation.

North Korea is under multiple sets of international sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, which have progressed rapidly under Kim.

The impoverished nation has also been under a rigid self-imposed coronavirus blockade that has hammered its economy.

The worsening economic situation during the pandemic, however, has not blunted those programmes, and North Korea has continued to pursue weapons development, a UN report said in October.

Concerns have grown about a full-blown food crisis in North Korea, and a United Nations human rights expert warned in October that the most vulnerable were 'at risk of starvation'.

Last month, Kim marked ten years in power. Since assuming control after his father and longtime ruler Kim Jong Il's death in December 2011, Kim Jong Un has established absolute power at home and bolstered his nuclear and missile arsenals.
The socialite and former husband of heiress Petra Ecclestone, James Stunt, has denied money laundering and forgery charges.

Stunt, 39, appeared for a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, where he entered his not guilty pleas via a remote link.

He appeared with 12 other defendants, who all deny money laundering charges.

One of the defendants, Francesca Sota, also faces a charge of forgery, which she denies.

Stunt is due to go on trial with seven other defendants on April 25.

A further trial involving the other five defendants will take place at a date to be fixed.

The socialite and former husband of heiress Petra Ecclestone, James Stunt (pictured on Wednesday), has denied money laundering and forgery charges. Stunt, 39, appeared for a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, where he entered his not guilty pleas via a remote link

The defendant, who is on bail, married Ms Ecclestone, daughter of F1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, in Italy in 2011

The defendant, who is on bail, married Ms Ecclestone, daughter of F1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, in Italy in 2011.

They had three children together but divorced in 2017.

Stunt arrived at court on Wednesday with his girlfriend, Helena Robinson.

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman previously said: 'The CPS has made a decision to charge James Stunt with offences of money laundering contrary to section 327 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and forgery contrary to section one of Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981, following an investigation by West Yorkshire Police.'

He arrived at court on Wednesday wearing a navy blue three-piece suit, a white shirt and lighter blue tie.

Stunt arrived at court on Wednesday with his girlfriend, Helena Robinson

Stunt has strenuously denied the claims ahead of today's hearing.

His legal team, commenting in May 2020 said: 'Our client denies any criminality and will be contesting the charges.'

Stunt later told his 90,000 followers on Instagram: 'So what's the headline? 'A man they have arrested got charged with money laundering'? I will be tendering a defence.

'I hope this goes to trial and you can explain how James Stunt, the biggest clueless guy ever, is not a money launderer.

'I have to now prove my innocence, and I won't just use my photographic memory.

'James Stunt is prosecuted for money laundering  this is the biggest miscarriage of justice.'
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made a virtual court appearance with his attorneys as the criminal groping charge against him was dismissed.

The only criminal charge against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in his career-ending sexual harassment scandal has been dismissed by a New York judge.

Cuomo appeared virtually for the Albany court hearing on Friday, in which Judge Holly Trexler agreed to a joint request from prosecutors and defense attorneys to drop the charge.

'Today reason and the rule of law prevailed, not politics, rhetoric, or mob mentality,' Cuomo's attorney Rita Glavin said in remarks to reporters following the hearing.

The misdemeanor complaint was filed by the local sheriff in October, accusing Cuomo of groping an aide in the executive mansion in December 2020, eight months before he resigned.

Albany County District Attorney David Soares told Judge Trexler this week that although the aide was credible, and some evidence supported her account, he believed he couldn't win a conviction in court.

Soares and Cuomo's attorney each asked the judge to dismiss the complaint. With an arraignment already scheduled, the judge said Cuomo and the attorneys should appear virtually for the hearing, at which she accepted the motion to dismiss.

Prosecutors (top right) and Cuomo's lawyer (bottom right) both asked charges be dropped

Cuomo claimed during a sworn deposition that accuser Brittany Commisso (with him above) asked for a raise during the same month as the purported groping

The judge presided over the proceeding from an Albany courtroom with the lawyers participating via videoconference.

The charges against Cuomo were based on allegations by Brittany Commisso, who said Cuomo reached up her blouse and grabbed her breast in late 2020 while they were alone in his Executive Mansion office, where shed been summoned to help with his cellphone.

Judge Holly Trexler agreed to a joint request from prosecutors and defense attorneys to drop the charge

He insisted he did no such thing, saying 'it would be an act of insanity.'

Her testimony was among the most damning in a report released in August by Democratic state Attorney General Letitia James that concluded Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women.

Cuomo resigned later that month. He has called the report unfair and has vehemently denied the groping allegation.

In a lengthy statement issued on Friday, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi slammed the James investigation as 'a sham to generate a press frenzy and political firestorm to clear the way for her own run for higher office.'

'For the last several weeks, we have remained silent while the process played itself out -- do not confuse our respect for the justice system with acquiescence,' said Azzopardi. 'Stay tuned.'

The charges against Cuomo were based on allegations by Brittany Commisso (left), who said Cuomo slid his hand up her blouse and grabbed her breast when they were alone

Brittany Commisso, 33, (left) was the first woman to take sexual assault allegations against former New York governor Andrew Cuomo to police. Alyssa McGrath (right) also leveled claims

'Today reason and the rule of law prevailed, not politics, rhetoric, or mob mentality,' Cuomo's attorney Rita Glavin said in remarks to reporters following the hearing

Exterior of the Albany County City Court is shown, where former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will appear virtually for a court session before Judge Holly Trexler

Full statement from Cuomo's spokesman following ruling Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi issued the following statement after the dismissal of criminal charges: 'We have said from the beginning that this entire situation was a political manipulation and would be disproven when a non-corrupted legal review was conducted. 'The legislature insisted that Tish James be given the authority to do the review even though she had a glaring conflict on interest in that she would not rule out running against Governor Andrew Cuomo. Any lawyer who understood their ethical obligation would never have recommended such a referral and certainly would not have accepted it. James' appointment of Joon Kim and Anne Clark also violated the legal referral mandating "independent reviewers." She told the press there were 11 violations of law without any credible basis whatsoever. The Assembly's sham report, which relied on James' conclusions in their own review, unsurprisingly mimicked her findings. Three district attorneys have now reviewed James' report and evidence and have proven that what we said all along was correct -- the law was not broken and not a single case has been brought. 'The James report was not a legal review, but a sham to generate a press frenzy and political firestorm to clear the way for her own run for higher office. James' position that "we believe all women" is not a legal determination made by a professional Attorney General's office -- particularly when there is an abundance of exculpatory evidence and suspect motivations. Tellingly, James did not even apply the actual legal statutory definition of sexual harassment to the evidence which applies only to conduct between an employer and employee and excludes any behavior that to a rational person is "a trivial inconvenience or petty slight". 'Now three district attorneys have discredited James and her office's conclusions. The Nassau and Westchester District Attorneys found that even if the allegations were credible they did not violate the law. Kissing someone on the cheek, patting someone's stomach as you walk by, taking a photograph with an employee or a wedding guest is not illegal -- criminally or civilly. Plaintiff lawyers overplayed their hand, and we will not pay one penny in attempts at civil extortion.' 'A fourth district attorney in Manhattan found that the administration's handling of nursing homes complied with the law disputing hysteria and false claims of James and members of the legislature. Facts matter -- even in politics and even in Albany. 'For the last several weeks, we have remained silent while the process played itself out -- do not confuse our respect for the justice system with acquiescence. 'Stay tuned.' Advertisement

District Attorney Soares has said he was caught by surprise when Sheriff Craig Apple, a fellow Democrat, filed the forcible touching complaint without consulting the prosecutor's office.

Soares called it 'potentially defective' and moved to delay Cuomos arraignment, originally set for November.

In a letter to Trexler on Tuesday, Soares said 'statutory elements of New York law make this case impossible to prove.' He added that multiple government inquiries into Cuomos conduct had created 'technical and procedural hurdles' regarding prosecutors obligations to disclose evidence to the defense.

Some legal experts said Soares decision illustrated the difficulties of prosecuting sex crime allegations. But others said he should have proceeded if he considered the accuser credible.

Commisso was among the critics.

'My disappointing experience of re-victimization with the failure to prosecute a serial sexual abuser, no matter what degree the crime committed, yet again sadly highlights the reason victims are afraid to come forward, especially against people in power,' Commisso said in a statement to the Times Union of Albany.

'When will our voices uniformly be accepted? Where do we go to have our rights vindicated?' she asked

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made a virtual appearance before an Albany judge Friday as prosecutors moved to dismiss the groping charge against him

Commisso, seen in an August interview, released a statement saying the case 'highlights the reason victims are afraid to come forward, especially against people in power'

Reporters work on live news shots outside the Albany County City Court where former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will appear virtually for a court session before Judge Holly Trexler

Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple speaks during a news conference at the Albany County Sheriff office after a criminal complaint was filed charging Andrew Cuomo in October

Soares, in a radio interview Friday, noted that the attorney general's inquiry didn't have the same legal requirements as a criminal case, and he said prosecutors can't be swayed by public sentiment or 'passions.'

'It's not for me to engage in any kind of debate with those who arent equipped with as much information or the obligations that I have. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but theres only one person with a burden of proof, and thats me,' he told the WAMC/Northeast Public Radio network.

'I think the more dangerous position is to have a person in my position who will move forward, press forward, with cases because of fear of public backlash,' he added.

Two prosecutors in the New York City suburbs separately announced last month that Cuomo would not face charges for allegations involving other women who said they had been subjected to unwanted kisses or touches.

To some legal experts and womens advocates, Soares decision to seek a dismissal points to the difficulties of prosecuting sex crime allegations. But to others, it's confounding.

'If you have a credible witness who comes to you, you believe her, she's cooperative, is that not enough?' said Matthew Galluzzo, a New York City criminal defense lawyer and sex crimes prosecutor. 'This is tremendous prosecutorial cowardice.'
After spending the first months of his presidency seeking to avoid dwelling on the man who preceded him, President Joe Biden took a strong personal interest in Thursday's speech where he ripped Donald Trump's 'bruised ego' and defended the legitimacy of his own election.

Although White House aides previewed his Jan. 6th speech at the Capitol in broad strokes, they did not forecast the direct focus on Trump and his repeated claims of election fraud.

Biden put his own 2020 election in the context of the global fight for democracy, and said Trump was unable to accept the will of the people.

It was a speech that was crafted over a period of more than a month. And it was one Biden viewed as a deeply personal moment for him, advisors told CNN.

Biden connected Trump's repeated claims of fraud with GOP efforts to add new voting restrictions, while referencing his own 2020 mantra that the race was a fight for the 'soul of the nation.'

President Joe Biden took a keen interest in his Jan. 6th speech, penning some lines in a speech where he blasted Donald Trump as a 'defeated' candidate who maintained false claims because of his own ego

He signed off on some of the pointed lines himself, and helped direct its fiery tone.

Biden, who has spent years speaking off the cuff in the Senate but also has been known to veer wildly off course, brought 'distinct views on tone,' according to the report.

Biden claimed at an event last month that 'I don't think about the former President.'

But it was evident at the White House Friday Trump is still often on Biden's mind.

He even injected Trump's unrelated election fraud claims into a joke about fears of Christmas supply chain problems.

'The Grinch did not steal Christmas nor any votes,' Biden said with a chuckle, in a line that sounded prepared.

The speech was Biden's most sustained attack on his predecessor, who he sometimes tries to avoid talking about

The speech appeared to set off Trump, who blasted out statements throughout Thursday

Biden tried to draw a line between Trump's words and his followers who stormed the building

In his most searing attack on his predecessor to date, Biden called Trump a 'defeated former president' and criticized him for 'refusing to accept he lost' the November 2020 in remarks on the one-year anniversary of the attack. He spoke from Statuary Hall, which rioters breached 12 months ago

Biden concluded he absolutely had to speak on January 6th, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi was already organizing commemorative events.

But the most startling feature was the focused way he went after Trump, even without mentioning his name.

He ended up traveling to the building where he served for three decades, pointing out architectural details.

Speaking from inside Statuary Hall in the old House chamber, he referenced Trump 16 times.

'Because his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our Constitution,' Biden said. 'He can't accept he lost.'

He called Trump a 'defeated former president,' with emphasis on the defeated part, and brought up his own 7 million vote margin.

'He's not just a former president. He's a defeated former president  defeated by a margin of over 7 million of your votes in a full and free and fair election,' said Biden.

'There is simply zero proof the election results were inaccurate. In fact, in every venue where evidence had to be produced and an oath to tell the truth had to be taken, the former president failed to make his case.'

He also pointed out that Trump and his allies weren't contesting all the down ballot races where Republicans made gains in the House and Senate  just Trump's.

Tearing into Trump's fraud claims, which continued even after courts ruled repeatedly against his allies, Biden said: 'He's done so because he values power over principle, because he sees his own interest as more important than his country's interest and America's interest and because his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our Constitution.'

'Those who stormed this Capitol and those who instigated and incited and those who called on them to do so held a dagger at the throat of America -- at American democracy,' Biden said.

It came after months of low public approval ratings for Biden, and surveys indicating millions of Republicans are buying into Trump's claims about the election.

Biden also connected Trump directly to the rioters who stormed the Capitol, at a time when many Republicans are trying to focus only on those who directly clashed with police officers.

'They didn't come here out of patriotism or principle. They came here in rage -- not in service of America, but rather in service of one man,' said Biden.

He also blasted the idea  repeatedly promoted by Trump  that those who stormed the building were the 'true patriots.'

'To me, the true patriots were the more than 150 [million] Americans who peacefully expressed their vote at the ballot box, the election workers who protected the integrity of the vote, and the heroes who defended this Capitol,' Biden said.
A lone protester demonstrating against the January 6 attacker stands outside the Capitol during Biden's speech

Madam Vice President, my fellow Americans: To state the obvious, one year ago today, in this sacred place, democracy was attacked -- simply attacked. The will of the people was under assault. The Constitution -- our Constitution -- faced the gravest of threats.

Outnumbered and in the face of a brutal attack, the Capitol Police, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the National Guard, and other brave law enforcement officials saved the rule of law.

Our democracy held. We the people endured. And we the people prevailed.

For the first time in our history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol.

But they failed. They failed.

And on this day of remembrance, we must make sure that such an attack never, never happens again.

I'm speaking to you today from Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol. This is where the House of Representatives

met for 50 years in the decades leading up to the Civil War. This is -- on this floor is where a young congressman of Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, sat at desk 191.

Above him -- above us, over that door leading into the Rotunda -- is a sculpture depicting Clio, the muse of history. In her hands, an open book in which she records the events taking place in this chamber below.

Clio stood watch over this hall one year ago today, as she has for more than 200 years. She recorded what took place. The real history. The real facts. The real truth. The facts

and the truth that Vice President Harris just shared and that you and I and the whole world saw with our own eyes.

The Bible tells us that we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free. We shall know the truth.

Well, here is the God's truth about January 6th, 2021:

Close your eyes. Go back to that day. What do you see? Rioters rampaging, waving for the first time inside this Capitol a Confederate flag that symbolized the cause to destroy America, to rip us apart.

Even during the Civil War, that never, ever happened. But it happened here in 2021.

What else do you see? A mob breaking windows, kicking in doors, breaching the Capitol. American flags on poles being used as weapons, as spears. Fire extinguishers being thrown at the heads of police officers.

A crowd that professes their love for law enforcement assaulted those police officers, dragged them, sprayed them, stomped on them.

Over 140 police officers were injured.

We've all heard the police officers who were there that day testify to what happened. One officer called it, quote, a med- -- 'medieval' battle, and that he was more afraid that day than he was fighting the war in Iraq.

They've repeatedly asked since that day: How dare anyone -- anyone -- diminish, belittle, or deny the hell they were put through?

We saw it with our own eyes. Rioters menaced these halls, threatening the life of the Speaker of the House, literally erecting gallows to hang the Vice President of the United States of America.

But what did we not see?

We didn't see a former president, who had just rallied the mob to attack -- sitting in the private dining room off the Oval Office in the White House, watching it all on television and doing nothing for hours as police were assaulted, lives at risk, and the nation's capital under siege.

This wasn't a group of tourists. This was an armed insurrection.

They weren't looking to uphold the will of the people. They were looking to deny the will of the people.

They were looking to uphold -- they weren't looking to uphold a free and fair election. They were looking to overturn one.

They weren't looking to save the cause of America. They were looking to subvert the Constitution.

This isn't about being bogged down in the past. This is about making sure the past isn't buried.

That's the only way forward. That's what great nations do. They don't bury the truth, they face up to it. Sounds like hyperbole, but that's the truth: They face up to it.

We are a great nation.

My fellow Americans, in life, there's truth and,

tragically, there are lies -- lies conceived and spread for profit and power.

We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie.

And here is the truth: The former president of the

United States of America has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election. He's done so because he values power over principle, because he sees his own interests as more important than his country's interests and America's interests, and because his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our Constitution.

He can't accept he lost, even though that's what 93 United States senators, his own Attorney General, his own Vice President, governors and state officials in every battleground state have all said: He lost.

That's what 81 million of you did as you voted for a new way forward.

He has done what no president in American history -- the history of this country -- has ever, ever done: He refused to accept the results of an election and the will of the American people.

While some courageous men and women in the Republican Party are standing against it, trying to uphold the principles of that party, too many others are transforming that party into something else. They seem no longer to want to be the party -- the party of Lincoln, Eisenhower, Reagan, the Bushes.

But whatever my other disagreements are with Republicans who support the rule of law and not the rule of a single man, I will always seek to work together with them to find shared solutions where possible. Because if we have a shared belief in democracy, then anything is possible -- anything.

And so, at this moment, we must decide: What kind of nation are we going to be?

Are we going to be a nation that accepts political violence as a norm?

Are we going to be a nation where we allow partisan election officials to overturn the legally expressed will of the people?

Are we going to be a nation that lives not by the light of the truth but in the shadow of lies?

We cannot allow ourselves to be that kind of nation. The way forward is to recognize the truth and to live by it.

The Big Lie being told by the former president and many Republicans who fear his wrath is that the insurrection in this country actually took place on Election Day -- November 3rd, 2020.

Think about that. Is that what you thought? Is that what you thought when you voted that day? Taking part in an insurrection? Is that what you thought you were doing? Or did you think you were carrying out your highest duty as a citizen and voting?

The former president and his supporters are trying to rewrite history. They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6th as the true expression of the will of the people.

Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country -- to look at America? I cannot.

Here's the truth: The election of 2020 was the greatest demonstration of democracy in the history of this country.

More of you voted in that election than have ever voted in all of American history. Over 150 million Americans went to the polls and voted that day in a pandemic -- some at grea- -- great risk to their lives. They should be applauded, not attacked.

Right now, in state after state, new laws are being written -- not to protect the vote, but to deny it; not only to suppress the vote, but to subvert it; not to strengthen or protect our democracy, but because the former president lost.

Instead of looking at the election results from 2020 and saying they need new ideas or better ideas to win more votes, the former president and his supporters have decided the only way for them to win is to suppress your vote and subvert our elections.

It's wrong. It's undemocratic. And frankly, it's un-American.

The second Big Lie being told by the former President and his supporters is that the results of the election of 2020 can't be trusted.

The truth is that no election -- no election in American history has been more closely scrutinized or more carefully counted.

Every legal challenge questioning the results in every court in this country that could have been made was made and was rejected -- often rejected by Republican-appointed judges, including judges appointed by the former president himself, from state courts to the United States Supreme Court.

Recounts were undertaken in state after state. Georgia -- Georgia counted its results three times, with one recount by hand.

Phony partisan audits were undertaken long after the election in several states. None changed the results. And in some of them, the irony is the margin of victory actually grew slightly.

So, let's speak plainly about what happened in 2020. Even before the first ballot was cast, the former president

was preemptively sowing doubt about the election results. He built his lie over months. It wasn't based on any facts. He was just looking for an excuse -- a pretext -- to cover for the truth.

He's not just a former president. He's a defeated former president -- defeated by a margin of over 7 million of your votes in a full and free and fair election.

There is simply zero proof the election results were inaccurate. In fact, in every venue where evidence had to be produced and an oath to tell the truth had to be taken, the former president failed to make his case.

Just think about this: The former president and his supporters have never been able to explain how they accept as accurate the other election results that took place on November 3rd -- the elections for governor, United States Senate, the House of Representatives -- elections in which they closed the gap in the House.

They challenge none of that. The President's name was first, then we went down the line -- governors, senators, House of Representatives. Somehow, those results were accurate on the same ballot, but the presidential race was flawed?

And on the same ballot, the same day, cast by the same voters.

The only difference: The former President didn't lose those races; he just lost the one that was his own.

Finally, the third Big Lie being told by a former President and his supporters is that the mob who sought to impose their will through violence are the nation's true patriots.

Is that what you thought when you looked at the mob ransacking the Capitol, destroying property, literally defecating in the hallways, rifling through desks of senators and representatives, hunting down members of congress? Patriots? Not in my view.

To me, the true patriots were the more than 150 [million] Americans who peacefully expressed their vote at the ballot box, the election workers who protected the integrity of the vote, and the heroes who defended this Capitol.

You can't love your country only when you win.

You can't obey the law only when it's convenient.

You can't be patriotic when you embrace and enable lies.

Those who stormed this Capitol and those who instigated and incited and those who called on them to do so held a dagger at the throat of America -- at American democracy.

They didn't come here out of patriotism or principle. They came here in rage -- not in service of America, but rather in service of one man.

Those who incited the mob -- the real plotters -- who were desperate to deny the certification of the election and defy the will of the voters.

But their plot was foiled. Congressmen -- Democrats and Republicans -- stayed. Senators, representatives, staff -- they finished their work the Constitution demanded. They honored their oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Look, folks, now it's up to all of us -- to 'We the People' -- to stand for the rule of law, to preserve the flame of democracy, to keep the promise of America alive.

That promise is at risk, targeted by the forces that value brute strength over the sanctity of democracy, fear over hope, personal gain over public good.

Make no mistake about it: We're living at an inflection point in history.

Both at home and abroad, we're engaged anew in a struggle between democracy and autocracy, between the aspirations of the many and the greed of the few, between the people's right of self-determination and self- -- the self-seeking autocrat.

From China to Russia and beyond, they're betting that democracy's days are numbered. They've actually told me democracy is too slow, too bogged down by division to succeed in today's rapidly changing, complicated world.

And they're betting -- they're betting America will become more like them and less like us. They're betting that America is a place for the autocrat, the dictator, the strongman.

I do not believe that. That is not who we are. That is not who we have ever been. And that is not who we should ever, ever be.

Our Founding Fathers, as imperfect as they were, set in motion an experiment that changed the world -- literally changed the world.

Here in America, the people would rule, power would be transferred peacefully -- never at the tip of a spear or the barrel of a gun.

And they committed to paper an idea that couldn't live up to -- they couldn't live up to but an idea that couldn't be constrained: Yes, in America all people are created equal.

We reject the view that if you succeed, I fail; if you get ahead, I fall behind; if I hold you down, I somehow lift myself up.

The former President, who lies about this election, and the mob that attacked this Capitol could not be further away from the core American values.

They want to rule or they will ruin -- ruin what our country fought for at Lexington and Concord; at Gettysburg; at Omaha Beach; Seneca Falls; Selma, Alabama. What -- and what we were fighting for: the right to vote, the right to govern ourselves, the right to determine our own destiny.

And with rights come responsibilities: the responsibility to see each other as neighbors -- maybe we disagree with that neighbor, but they're not an adversary; the responsibility to accept defeat then get back in the arena and try again the next time to make your case; the responsibility to see that America is an idea -- an idea that requires vigilant stewardship.

As we stand here today -- one year since January 6th, 2021 -- the lies that drove the anger and madness we saw in this place, they have not abated.

So, we have to be firm, resolute, and unyielding in our defense of the right to vote and to have that vote counted.

Some have already made the ultimate sacrifice in this sacred effort.

Jill and I have mourned police officers in this Capitol Rotunda not once but twice in the wake of January 6th: once to honor Officer Brian Sicknick, who lost his life the day after the attack, and a second time to honor Officer Billy Evans, who lost his life defending this Capitol as well.

We think about the others who lost their lives and were injured and everyone living with the trauma of that day -- from those defending this Capitol to members of Congress in both parties and their staffs, to reporters, cafeteria workers, custodial workers, and their families.

Don't kid yourself: The pain and scars from that day run deep.

I said it many times and it's no more true or real than when we think about the events of January 6th: We are in a battle for the soul of America. A battle that, by the grace of God and the goodness and gracious -- and greatness of this nation, we will win.

Believe me, I know how difficult democracy is. And I'm crystal clear about the threats America faces. But I also know that our darkest days can lead to light and hope.

From the death and destruction, as the Vice President referenced, in Pearl Harbor came the triumph over the forces of fascism.

From the brutality of Bloody Sunday on the Edmund Pettus Bridge came historic voting rights legislation.

So, now let us step up, write the next chapter in American history where January 6th marks not the end of democracy, but the beginning of a renaissance of liberty and fair play.

I did not seek this fight brought to this Capitol one year ago today, but I will not shrink from it either.

I will stand in this breach. I will defend this nation. And I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of our democracy.

We will make sure the will of the people is heard; that the ballot prevails, not violence; that authority in this nation will always be peacefully transferred.

I believe the power of the presidency and the purpose is to unite this nation, not divide it; to lift us up, not tear us apart; to be about us -- about us, not about 'me.'

Deep in the heart of America burns a flame lit almost 250 years ago -- of liberty, freedom, and equality.

This is not a land of kings or dictators or autocrats. We're a nation of laws; of order, not chaos; of peace, not violence.

Here in America, the people rule through the ballot, and their will prevails.

So, let us remember: Together, we're one nation, under God, indivisible; that today, tomorrow, and forever, at our best, we are the United States of America.

God bless you all. May God protect our troops. And may God bless those who stand watch over our democracy.
Sec. of State Antony Blinken stepped up his rhetoric with Russia, accusing Vladimir Putin of 'gaslighting' the world as the State Department denied reports President Biden was willing to draw down the U.S. troop presence in Eastern Europe in exchange for Moscow pulling its soldiers back from the Ukraine border.

Next week NATO foreign ministers, senior U.S. and Russian officials and the NATO-Russia Council will participate in a flurry of meetings in Europe, following a phone conversation between Biden and Putin last week.

While the U.S. remains unclear on whether Russia is serious about negotiations, U.S. officials are prepared to offer a mutual drawdown in that region of the world, according to a NBC News report.

State Department spokesman Ned Price denied the report.

'It is not accurate that the administration is developing options for pulling back U.S. forces in Eastern Europe in preparation for discussions with Russia next week, which we told NBC while they were reporting this story,' he wrote on Twitter.

'In fact, we have been clear with Russia, publicly and privately, that should Russia further invade Ukraine we would reinforce our partners on the eastern flank, to whom we have sacred obligation as Allies.'

Blinken, who will attend next week's talks, seemed pessimistic that Russia would oblige, as he stepped rhetoric against the former Soviet Union.

'No one should be surprised if Russia instigates a provocation or incident then tries to use it to justify military intervention hoping that by the time the world realizes the ruse, it'll be too late,' Blinken told reporters Friday. 'The idea that Ukraine is the aggressor in this situation is absurd.'

Blinken accused Russia of 'gaslighting' the world with accusations that Ukraine is provoking the fight.

'Beyond its military aggression, Moscow has also worked to undermine Ukraine's democratic institutions, it's interfered in Ukraine's politics and elections, blocked energy and commerce to intimidate its leaders and pressure its citizens, it's used propaganda to sow mistrust, it's launched cyber attacks on the country's critical infrastructure, then starting last March and continuing through the fall, Russia began a massive, unprovoked buildup of forces and equipment on Ukraine's border,' Blinken said.

Sec. of State Antony Blinken, who will attend next week's talks, seemed pessimistic that Russia would oblige, as he stepped rhetoric against the former Soviet Union

President Biden is now willing to draw down the U.S. troop presence in Eastern Europe in exchange for Vladimir Putin pulling some of his soldiers back from the border with Ukraine

'We've seen this gaslighting before, when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, it claimed that Ukraine was the aggressor to justify pre-planned military action.'

Offers on the table next week could include negotiation on the scope of military drills by both powers, the number of U.S. troops stationed in the Baltic States and Poland, advance notice about the movement of forces and and Russia's nuclear-capable Iskander missiles in the Russian territory of Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania, sources told NBC News.

Of the roughly 70,000 U.S. troops stationed in Europe, about 6,000 are deployed to Eastern Europe on a rotating basis, about including about 4,000 in Poland. Other NATO countries rotate in thousands of troops to the region to protect the alliance's eastern front.

Russia has moved some 100,000 troops near the border with Ukraine

A Ukrainian marine at a fighting position on the line of separation from pro-Russian rebels, Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Friday

Service members of the Ukrainian armed forces walk at combat positions near the line of separation from Russian-backed rebels outside the town of Popasna in Luhansk Region, Ukraine on Thursday

Any talks of changes for the U.S. military presence in the region could trigger alarm bells for NATO allies in that region, particularly Poland and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Those nations rely on U.S. and NATO assistance to stave off Russia, as they were once dominated by the former Soviet Union.

Back at home, Republicans criticized the news of a potential drawdown too.

'Unbelievable, and not just because of the timing. If Biden was trying to signal weakness & surrender to Putin, what would he be doing differently?' Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wrote on Twitter.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., compared Biden to former UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, known for moves to appease Germany ahead of World War II.

'This is appeasement. Joe Biden is becoming the new Neville Chamberlain. Putin is handing out ultimatums because he senses weakness in the White House. We must stand with our Eastern European NATO Allies.'

Next week's conference comes amid growing fears Russia could invade Ukraine, sparking all-out war after Putin has stationed 100,000 troops near the eastern border of the country, where Putin already seized the Crimea region in 2014.

On Sunday Biden spoke with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and assured him the U.S. will respond 'decisively' if Russia invades.

Ukrainian officials have begged the United States and other Western government for stronger action to deter what they fear is a certain Russian invasion.

Using some of his most direct language yet, Biden said last Friday, 'I'm not going to negotiate here in public, but we made it clear he cannot -- I'll emphasize, cannot -- invade Ukraine.'

The US leader added, in remarks to reporters during a holiday stay in Delaware, that he had 'made it clear to President Putin that we will have severe sanctions, we will increase our presence in Europe, with NATO allies' if Russia invades Ukraine.

Biden has threatened harsh sanctions if Putin invades, and the Russian leader reportedly said that new sanctions would lead to a complete breakdown of relations between the two nations.
A three-year-old girl has been rescued by police officers in Tennessee after her father had murdered her mother in North Carolina and kidnapped the child.

Brent Bockes, 50, was taken into custody on Wednesday by deputies from the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office.

Bockes, who has an extensive criminal history involving domestic abuse, is charged with first-degree murder stemming from the death of his wife, Deana 'Missy' Bockes, 48.

His daughter, Riley Harper Bockes was found unharmed in a motel in Tennessee, more than 500 miles away from home.

Cops on Thursday shared a photo of Riley eating pizza with deputies while awaiting her reunification with her mother's family, which has been delayed because of a winter storm in Tennessee.

Scroll down for video

Riley Bockes, 3, is seen eating pizza with Rutherford County Sheriff's deputies in Tennessee after being rescued from her father, who is accused of murdering her mother. The photo was released by the sheriff's office on Thursday

Brent Bockes, 50, is facing a first-degree murder-charge for allegedly killing his wife, Deana 'Missy' Bockes, 48, and kidnapping their daughter (seen together, right) in North Carolina

Sanford Police Maj. Vincent Frazer said in a news release late Wednesday that officers who went to a home in the 3000 block of Lee Boulevard in Sanford, North Carolina, early Wednesday afternoon to check on Deana Bockes found her dead inside the home.

While a cause of death hasnt been released, police said they are investigating the death as a homicide.

Deana Bockes' daughter was unaccounted for and an Amber Alert was issued for her.

The mom-of-two was discovered murdered inside this home in Sanford, North Carolina, during a welfare check on Wednesday

Authorities say that after Brent killed his wife, he went on the run with their daughter, Riley (right), sparking an Amber Alert

Hours later, Rutherford County deputies found a stolen car that was involved in a crash on Interstate 24 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Deputies checked the license plate number and learned it was the same car mentioned in the Amber Alert related to Riley's kidnapping.

Authorities said Brent Bockes had his daughter in that car and the pair ran from the scene on Interstate 24 near Joe B. Jackson Parkway and South Church Street.

Deputies used K-9 dogs to track down the murder suspect and his missing daughter, who were both found at the Select Inn motel.

Deana Bockes leaves behind 3-year-old Riley, her older sister, 30-year-old Erica, and three grandchildren. Family members told WRAL that she held down two jobs to help support her children.

Cops found Brent Bockes and Riley at a motel in Tennessee, more than 500 miles from the homicide scene in North Carolina. The toddler was unharmed

Deana, known to her family as 'Missy,' had two daughters and three grandchildren. She and Brent had been married for five years

Brent, pictured in earlier mugshots, has a criminal history that includes a recent conviction for assault on a female. He also has 14 pending charges in two counties, including child abuse and DWI

Her mother, Cheryl Brown, said that Deana's relationship with Brent, her husband of five years, was a turbulent one.

'He could be the best guy in the world or he could be the most violent person around,' she said of her son-in-law.

Court records indicate that Brent was convicted last year of assault on a female, but it's unclear whether the victim in that case was his wife. He had faced additional charges, including assault by strangulation and child abuse, but those had been dismissed.

Brent also has 14 pending charges in two counties, including driving under the influence, resisting arrest and misdemeanor child abuse.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken listens during a news conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 5. AP-Yonhap



North Korea's nuclear and missile programs pose an ongoing threat to the region and the international community, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.



The top U.S. diplomat also highlighted the need to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance to meet such threats.



"Meanwhile, the DPRK's unlawful nuclear, missile programs pose an ongoing threat. And we saw that again this week with the most recent launch," Blinken said, referring to North Korea's test launch of a self-claimed hypersonic missile Wednesday (KST).



Blinken made the remarks at the start of annual security consultative talks with his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi, which also involved U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.



Blinken noted that threats facing the allies included what he called China's "provocative actions" in the region and Russia's military buildup along the Ukraine border.



"So, to address these evolving threats, our alliance must not only strengthen the tools we have but also develop new ones," Blinken told the virtual meeting. "And I think that's really the focus of the discussions that are about to happen."



Blinken earlier condemned the North Korean missile test while holding a telephone conversation with his Japanese counterpart.



Austin reiterated challenges posed by North Korea and others in the Indo-Pacific region.



"We're meeting against the backdrop of increased tensions and challenges to the free and stable and secure Indo-Pacific region that we both seek  challenges posed by North Korea's nuclear ambitions and by the coercive and aggressive behavior of the People's Republic of China," he said at the top of the two-plus-two meeting.



"So together we are taking bold steps to improve our alliances, bolster our readiness and strengthen what I call integrated deterrence," he added.



This week's missile test marked North Korea's first missile launch since October. Pyongyang claimed to have successfully tested its first hypersonic missile in September. (Yonhap)


When they first clapped eyes on one another at a swanky London boat party in 1994, nautical entrepreneur Captain Paul Crowther and his future wife, Caroline, were instantly smitten.

In the months and years that followed came a romantic proposal at The Ivy in London, a lavish church wedding in the shadow of Hever Castle in Kent, the birth of three children and, to cap it all, a burgeoning 10 million ship and private jet-chartering business.

The gilded couple enjoyed the kind of lifestyle  think luxury ski holidays, yacht cruises, private schools, cars, horses and staff, not to mention a 7.5 million estate in the South of France  that most of us can only dream of.

When they first clapped eyes on one another at a swanky London boat party in 1994, nautical entrepreneur Captain Paul Crowther (pictured) and his future wife, Caroline, were instantly smitten

Fast-forward 25 years and having blown their fortune fighting each other in court, the couples surname has become a byword for the very worst kind of divorce among the be-wigged occupants of the Family Division of the High Court in London.

Nihilistic was how one judge put it, as he blasted the pair from Horsham, West Sussex, for failing to compromise and squandering the fortune that should one day have been their childrens inheritance.

So how on earth did a couple blessed with health, happiness and wealth end up ripping one another to shreds in the divorce courts? And who is to blame for the ugly two-year courtroom battle involving unproven claims of fraud and the grounding of a 10 million fleet of ships, which almost wiped out their riches, with 2.3 million spent on legal costs alone?

I cant see how there is anything I could have done to change the course of events over the past two years, says 55-year-old Paul in an exclusive interview with the Mail.

The father of five, who has two children from a previous relationship, says he has been left penniless by the case, which ended with a final order made by a judge just days before Christmas. Ive been dragged by the nose throughout this process. I was simply reacting to claims made against me. The only people who profited were one firm of lawyers; and not mine.

Caroline, meanwhile, insists she did what I had to do to preserve assets and receive a fair hearing, and the courts protected me and helped me to achieve that objective.

The 51-year-old mother of three points out that after a gruelling two years with 34 court hearings, and 6,000 pages of evidence, she got the lions share of what was left of their money; 90 per cent plus costs, a decision made in her favour partly because the judge found that Paul was guilty of litigation misconduct.

Captain Paul Anthony Crowther, 54, is locked in a bitter divorce battle with ex-wife Caroline Crowther, 49 over a 10m fleet of ships owned by an offshore business that she is claiming should be included in their divorce settlement

The final order saw her walk away with 660,961 plus costs, while Paul was given 77,414  a sum less than his debts.

But many will feel the only real winners in this case were the couples hugely expensive lawyers. With Caroline spending 1.4 million on her legal team and Pauls costs reaching 920,300, the judge concluded that the main losers are probably the children who, quite apart from the emotional pain of seeing their parents involved in such bitter proceedings, will be deprived of monies which I am sure their parents would have wanted them to benefit in due course.

So how did things get so bad between them? Paul undoubtedly blames his wifes affair with a builder working on their home for the break-up  a fact regarded as immaterial by the judge when it came to settling their finances.

Paul tells me: I loved her throughout our marriage. I was devastated by the betrayal of her affair, but I wanted to try to find a way forward for the sake of our children. Unfortunately, the trust between us has been destroyed.

And yet the couple once seemed ideally matched. Both were privately educated and both had business in their blood; Paul is descended from textile mill owners, while Carolines family once owned the now defunct company Metcalf Motor Cruisers.

Caroline was pretty, adventurous and sociable, recalls Paul of the halcyon days of their marriage. We were both extremely active people. Im a pilot and a captain, an avid skier and snowboarder. She is a passionate horsewoman.

We had a lot of happy years. There were no issues as far as I was concerned, not until the last two or three years of the marriage.

By his own admission, marriage to him was never going to be plain sailing. This is a man who left school at 17 and started his own business, buying a decrepit canal boat, doing it up and selling it on at a profit.

He made 30,000 on the third boat he renovated, a decommissioned fishing vessel he bought in Denmark and sailed home alone across the North Sea with just a road map to guide him. By 21, hed lost everything and worked as a scallop diver while starting over again.

The couple married in 1996. Life with an entrepreneur is like living on a merry-go-round, admits Paul. Theres a lot of financial insecurity and it can be a living hell.

But when the good times were good, they were very good, with luxury homes, cars and horses.

The former couple's assets include the multi-million pound manor house which was their former matrimonial home, near Hartfield, in East Sussex

While Paul ran the maritime side of the business, chartering out vessels for offshore wind farm construction and underwater oil and gas operations, Caroline dealt with finance and admin. Until their marriage fell apart in 2019, they had weathered many a financial storm together.

They recovered their fortune after the jet chartering business collapsed during the 2007-08 financial crisis. Unable to sell their estate in the hills outside Cannes because it was in negative equity, they rented it out and moved back to the UK.

We owed more money than we had in assets and had to borrow money from our parents, says Paul.

Within a couple of years, they were back on their feet, picking up investors for their shipping chartering business. In 2014, they bought a 1.8 million property in Sussex which had once belonged to the film mogul, J Arthur Rank. They spent around another 1 million on a renovation project, featuring an indoor swimming pool and cinema room.

By the time the project had finished, however, Caroline was having an affair with one of the builders, named in court only as Mr X.

A suspicious Paul had placed GPS tracking systems on his wifes car and hired a private detective to follow her. In court, it was noted that he has harboured a real sense of anger towards his wife and her lover who, it was said in court, were still in a relationship.

The pair initiated divorce proceedings against one another in September 2019. Caroline issued financial remedy proceedings at Horsham Family Court later that month.

She immediately applied for her husbands assets to be frozen; hardly surprising given that Paul had closed their jointly owned company, Atlantic Marine & Aviation, and transferred its assets to a new company in his sole name.

Paul argues: We couldnt carry on working together, given that we couldnt be in the same room. She wanted to keep control of the finances and take money out of the company that we couldnt afford. I had to protect the business.

Surely he understands Carolines suspicions about his intentions?

I understand her upset and anger, but Im not sure what options I had, he says. Neither of us trusted the other. And none of this affected Carolines financial claim. She could have come after the new company as a marital asset just as easily.

In court, however, Mr Justice Peel said there was no justification for Pauls actions.

It is hard to conceive of a more inflammatory way to set about divorce proceedings, adding that his egregious conduct . . . set the tone for litigation.

Meanwhile, the couples lawyers meters were already merrily ticking over. And these were just the legal preliminaries. The worst was yet to come.

The pair have also clashed about a 10m fleet of boats owned by offshore companies. Pictured: The Atlantic Discovery, one of the boats fought over

At the heart of their protracted and costly dispute was Carolines claim that a 10 million fleet of five ships owned by offshore companies was, in reality, an asset of the marriage and should form part of her settlement.

She said the ships had been held on trust for us in order to reduce our tax liabilities. Paul, who insisted the ships were not owned by him, Caroline or their company, said they should not be included.

In court, Carolines lawyers accused Paul of unlawful tax evasion as distinct from legitimate tax avoidance, and said that despite the fact Caroline was a business partner, responsible for financial matters, and present at a meeting where these arrangements were agreed, was not a participant in unlawful activity.

According to Mrs Justice Lieven: It was apparent that Mrs Crowther was well aware of whatever was arranged and negotiated at that time and had been content with it until the marriage began to fail.

Caroline dropped the claim five days before it was due to go to trial. By then, shed run up nearly a million pounds in costs.

Paul was awarded more than 300,000 in costs  a sum that was wiped out by the final financial award made in Carolines favour.

It is this what Paul describes as a ruinous fishing expedition which angers him the most. With no opportunity to defend himself against these unproven allegations, widely reported in the Press at the time, he says the damaging spectre of fraud hangs over him. The abandoned trial made it impossible for me to clear my name, he says  a position acknowledged by Mrs Justice Lieven, who described the situation as grossly unfair.

He has faced a barrage of allegations . . . and hugely complex litigation for some of which time he has not been represented. He has been put to enormous expense . . . his reputation must also have been greatly damaged.

While declining to speak in full about the divorce battle, Caroline insists: What I will say is that Paul is not the victim here. The victims are our children.

Paul was represented throughout the proceedings and he had every opportunity to choose a different path for his litigation. Sadly, he did what he did and we ended up in court, where I was awarded 90 per cent of what was left, plus costs. The published judgment reveals where the truth lies.

Pictured as a happy couple: Caroline Crowther, and Paul Crowther on their Wedding Day

But by the time that judgment was given, there was so little left that Mr Justice Peel said he largely had to concentrate on how to divide the debts fairly.

The couple had argued about almost every imaginable issue, no matter how trivial, he said, adding that they and their lawyers have adopted a bitterly fought adversarial approach which had led to vast costs and reduced scope for settlement.

Paul insists he made numerous genuine attempts to settle the litigation, something his wife denies. But he is also highly critical of the family courts  the Wild West of the legal system as he puts it  which helped destroy my entire familys wealth. He believes a cap should be placed on legal fees in family proceedings.

But Paul himself came in for heavy criticism in the final judgment made at the end of last year. Mr Justice Peel said that he had at various times sought to conceal or minimise the extent of income available to him, and that he had been less than frank about his earned income.

Caroline, added the judge, was also not entirely free of blame in her conduct of the litigation, although, overall, he considered Paul to have been more blameworthy.

Ironically, because of delays caused by the pandemic, the pair are legally still husband and wife. Could they ever see themselves putting all this behind them, perhaps even becoming friends for the sake of their children?

Paul, who is now in a new relationship, says: I dont think that would be possible. The vendetta has been way beyond damaging without sense or reason. I look forward to rebuilding my life.

Caroline says: I just want to move on with my life. I wish Paul all the best for the future.

As to what might be learned from their two-year courtroom ordeal, its hard to say. For while the case of Crowther v Crowther may stand as a warning against the perils of mixing personal and professional relationships, surely no court can ever wholly account for the bitter depths of the human heart.
Kamala Harris's incoming communications director Jamal Simmons spent the first day after his hiring was revealed on cleanup duty for one of his past tweets, as he prepares to try to right the VP's PR shop.

Simmons made a name for himself as a Democratic political analyst and operative with stints going back to the Bill Clinton administration. News of his hiring brought to light some of his more controversial tweets and statements  including one on the red hot issue of immigration.

'Just saw 2 undocumented folks talking on MSNBC. One Law student the other a protester. Can someone explain why ICE is not picking them up?' he tweeted back in 2010  amid one of many heated debates over U.S. immigration policy.

President Biden has charged Harris with focusing on the root causes of immigration, forcing her to already contend with political headaches over border crossings.

Chiming in on the issue was former White House aide Stephen Miller, an architect of the Trump Administration's controversial immigration policies.

'I agree with @jamalsimmons. If you break into our nation there must be deportation,' he wrote.

Simmons tried to put the matter behind him Friday with a quick apology.

Jamal Simmons has been involved in national politics since the Clinton administration, and formerly served as deputy communications director for Al Gore's presidential campaign. He did a segment on a 'Dazed and Confused' Joe Biden as a media commentator in 2019

Simmons tweeted an apology Friday afternoon after some of his old tweets and comments surfaced

'As a pundit I tweeted +spoke A LOT. At times, I've been sarcastic, unclear, or just plainly missed the mark. I apologize for offending [people] who care as much as I do about making America the best, multi-ethnic, diverse democracy,' he wrote.

He added: 'I'll help the Biden-Harris admin w/humility, sincerity+respect.'

Years after the deportation tweet, Simmons ridiculed a 'dazed and confused' Joe Biden for conflating multiple stories while describing a trip to Afghanistan and criticized Donald Trump for pushing a 'janky science vaccine', it emerged on Friday.

Simmons has been brought during an overhaul of the vice president's office, with her approval rating at a dire 32 percent and with seven staffers quitting since her disastrous border trip on June 25.

The veteran Democratic aide and TV commentator mocked Biden in 2019 for the gaffe during an episode of his politics show for The Hill called 'Why You Should Care.'

'We do this story about once a week!' he quipped. 'Its what you get with Uncle Joe.'

The segment began with a headline that said 'Dazed and Confused,' as he broke down the latest stumble by the former vice president, who had called himself a 'gaffe machine.'

Simmons made the comments at a time when the Democratic nomination was wide open  and long before he would be brought on to try to right Harris' struggling communications operation.

He told of how Biden at a town hall had 'conflated' multiple stories from a trip to Afghanistan. It turned out Biden got the timing wrong, the province wrong, along with key details  the story was about an Army soldier, not a Navy captain.

'This is the God's truth, he says. "My word as a Biden." Turns out, it wasn't God's truth,' Simmons says to the camera.

Simmons also critiqued Harris' run for president after she suspended her campaign, saying she 'pulled back in these very key moments.

He said she 'never quite got comfortable getting out of the pre-planned moments,' and criticized how she failed to capitalize on her early bussing attack on Biden, in another clip unearthed by Fox News. He said she also botched her handling of the fraught issue of Medicare for All during the primary.

Kamala Harris compares January 6 to Pearl Harbor and 9/11 Vice President Kamala Harris compared the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol one year ago to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and 9/11. 'Certain dates echo throughout history, including dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them where they were and what they were doing, when our democracy came under assault,' Harris began. 'December 7, 1941, September 11, 2001 and January 6, 2021.' Harris alluded to civil rights fights of the past century. 'What the extremists who roamed these halls targeted was not only the lives of elected leaders ... what they were assaulting were the institutions, the values, the ideals that generations of Americans have marched, picketed and shed blood to establish and defend.' 'We cannot let our future be decided by those bent on silencing our voices, overturning our votes, and peddling lies and misinformation by some radical faction that may be newly resurgent, but whose roots run old and deep.' Harris then called the U.S. the 'oldest and greatest democracy in the world.' 'I wonder, how will January 6 be come to be remembered?' Harris said. 'Will it be remembered as a moment that accelerated the unraveling of the oldest and greatest democracy in the world? Or a moment when we decided to secure and strengthen our democracy for generations to come?' Democracy was coined by the Greeks in 430 B.C., means 'for the people' and many communities such as Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the UK's Isle of Man, San Marino and Switzerland have had so-called democracies dating back to the ninth and tenth centuries. Advertisement

Simmons also went after former President Donald Trump on his coronavirus response  even calling life-saving vaccines under development 'janky.'

'Trumps fatally ill-managed Coronavirus response seems to have turned voters off to him the way Katrina destroyed Bushs political reputation, but pushing a janky science vaccine into the public for political purposes would turn incompetent culpability into intentional harm, he tweeted.

Urging people to get vaccinated has become a cornerstone of Biden's coronavirus response.

Harris is bringing Simmons into her press shop to replace one of seven staffer's she's lost over the past six months amid her own communications challenges.

Simmons will join the team after communications director Ashley Etienne and chief spokesperson took their leave in November and December.

An official announcement was expected from the White House later on Thursday, sources told The Hill.

Simmons is said to be widely respected in Democratic circles, and his entrance will come as the vice president's office is looking for a reset amid low poll numbers and headlines reporting dysfunction and bitter tension within the office.

Simmons has been involved in national politics since the Clinton administration, and formerly served as deputy communications director for Al Gore's presidential campaign.

A source familiar with the move told The Hill Simmons is expected to 'really change things up.'

Simmons also worked as an aide to former Sen. Bob Graham, D-Fla., former Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark and was chief of staff former Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich.

He's also worked in media and frequents the cable news circuit.

Harris has now lost at least seven aides since her disastrous southern border trip on June 25 after her director of press operations Peter Velz confirmed Wednesday he is leaving his role with the White House.

Velz's announcement comes in the midst of a staff exodus following reports the vice president is a 'bully' who facilitates a toxic work environment and other reports indicate tensions between the president's staff and Harris'.

'Today is my last day at the White House, and it truly has been an honor,' Velz tweeted on Wednesday. 'I will be forever grateful to Vice President Harris, the incredible Team @VP, and I'm so proud of our work this past year supporting this historic Administration.'

'The White House is an amazing place to work -- you're surrounded by the most selfless, smart, hard-working people everyday doing their best to serve the American people. And it has has been an absolute joy,' he added.

Velz's next job will start later this month at the State Department's Protocol team where Velz says he will still support President Joe Biden and Harris in their meetings with foreign leaders, delegations and international travel.

His announcement comes the day after fellow staffer Vince Evans confirmed his departure from the vice president's office to replace Kyle Anderson as executive director with the Congressional Black Caucus.

Velz (left) made his announcement the day after Vince Evans (right) confirmed his departure from Harris' team

Velz confirmed his departure in a Wednesday tweet after reports emerged toward the end of 2021 that he was eyeing the exits in the midst of a staff exodus from the vice president's office

Velz will work with the State Department on the protocol team starting later in January

He posted a throw back image of hi at the press briefing room podium from 2021 and a more current image in the same pose

Evans and Velz's departures exhibit the reports of a staff exodus coming to fruition amid reports of turmoil in the vice president's office.

At the end of December, Harris' chief spokesperson Symone Sanders left her post.

Peter Velz confirmed Wednesday he is leaving Vice President Kamala Harris' team  making him the seventh staffer to depart since June

It followed the departure of Ashley Etienne, Harris' former communications director, who left in November.

In the aftermath of Harris' botched Central America and border trip, reports emerged that two other aides were eyeing the exits. Harris' former director of advance Karly Satkowiak and deputy director of advance Gabrielle DeFranceschi departed shortly after the trip in June.

Staffers on the VP's advance team are responsible for planning all of her trips, surveying venues for her to visit and working with local officials to prepare venues for media coverage.

At the time of Satkowiak's and DeFranceschi's departure from Harris' team it was not clear why they were leaving  but it did fuel further rumors of workplace tensions.

Rajan Kaur who was Harris' director of digital strategies left her staff in July after opting not to relocate to Washington D.C. from Brooklyn.

Harris' job approval rating is at 32 per cent, according to a new USA Today/Suffolk University poll released Tuesday. While that is a terrible rating, it is a 4 per cent increase from the November poll where her approval was at only 28 per cent.

Evans, in moving on from the vice president's office, will work closely with CBC Chairwoman Representative Joyce Beatty from Ohio.

'I started my career in Washington working for a member of the CBC, so I know firsthand the tremendous leadership and impact this caucus has in Congress and across the country,' Evans said in a statement. 'As we write the next chapter of the CBC story, I am excited for the opportunity to lend my experience and passion for supporting the collective vision of this storied caucus.'

Evans (right) said he is leaving Vice President Kamala Harris' (left) office to become executive director with the Congressional Black Caucus

Velz tweeted his congratulations to Evans on Tuesday

Velz wrote in a tweet Tuesday of Evans' new position: 'Congrats to the absolute KING and MVP of Team VP! Adore this man  one of the best colleagues and friends you can ask for.'

'I'm so happy to see you continue fighting the good fight and go do great things with the Congressional Black Caucus. Love you, [Vince Evans]!' he added along with a picture of them together.

Reports revealed that Velz, currently director of press operations for Harris, has also told those in the vice president's office that he plans to leave.

As Evans joins the CBC, there are already seven members of the 56-member caucus who have said they will not run for reelection in this year's midterms. This includes veteran members and Democratic Representatives Brenda Lawrence from Michigan and Bobby Rush from Illinois, the only lawmaker to ever beat Barack Obama in a political election.

Other CBC members seeking other offices include Representatives Karen Bass from California, Anthony Brown from Maryland and Val Demings from Florida  all Democrats.

As of Wednesday morning, 25 House Democrats announced they will not seek reelection this year as the party tries to hold onto their razor thin majorities in both chambers.

Evans, in his new role with CBC, will function as a chief of staff for one of Congress' most influential caucuses. His duties will include overseeing daily activities and working with members and their top aides to coordinate and implement priorities and legislative agenda.

A Florida native, Evans began his political career as an aide to a Tallahassee city commissioner, was a staffer in the Florida state Senate and served on the senior staff of Florida Representative Al Lawson.

During the 2020 presidential campaign, Evans was Southern political director for Joe Biden and was political director for Harris when she became the vice presidential nominee.

Symone Sanders (left), Harris' senior adviser and chief spokesperson, left the White House at the end of 2021. It came after Ashley Etienne (right), Harris' former communications director, left in November

Officials maintain that Sanders and Etienne's departures were long-planned and not evidence of the reported turmoil.

Further, reports note that Sanders is getting married next year and was never able to go on a proper tour to sell her book, No, You Shut Up, which was published in May 2020.

Sanders, 32, defended her former boss in an interview published Monday in her hometown newspaper Omaha World-Herald, claiming it was the 'honor of her life' to serve Vice President Harris.

'She is someone who I watch every single day bring her full self to work,' Sanders said. 'I watch her challenge her teams, I watch her push us all to be better.

She added: 'I watch her raise issues and perspectives and topics and policy that other people  other folks just weren't thinking about.'

Sanders called the reports and rumors of dysfunction in Harris' office just 'salacious gossip.'

When announcing her departure last year, many took Sanders' exit as further evidence that Harris's office was in disarray, amid headlines of a toxic work environment and an exodus of key personnel.

Some stories, however, pointed the finger at Sanders.

Two unidentified sources told The Hill that the spokeswoman was seen as a rival to Harris's communications director, and that she was the 'voice in numerous blind quotes about friction in the office.'

The Washington Post published a damaging expose in December branding Harris a 'bully' who inflicted 'constant-soul destroying criticism' on her office staff.

The piece - a result of interviews with 18 people connected to the VP - alleges that Harris failed to read briefings they'd prepared, only to turn on them if she was subsequently criticized for being unprepared.

The claims from staff who worked for Harris were published amid confirmed departures of two high level staffers, with two others who are said to be heading for the door too.

'It's clear that you're not working with somebody who is willing to do the prep and the work,' a former colleague told the Washington Post.

'With Kamala you have to put up with a constant amount of soul-destroying criticism and also her own lack of confidence.

'So you're constantly sort of propping up a bully and it's not really clear why.' Harris's staffers

Meanwhile, Gil Duran, who worked with Harris for just five months in 2013 before quitting, said the vice president was 'repeating the same old destructive patterns.'

Writing in his San Francisco Examiner column, he said: 'One of the things we've said in our little text groups among each other is what is the common denominator through all this and it's her.'

'One of the things we've said in our little text groups among each other is what is the common denominator through all this and it's her,' Duran told the Post. 'Who are the next talented people you're going to bring in and burn through and then have (them) pretend they're retiring for positive reasons.'

People familiar with the conversations told Politico that even more 'key members of Harris' orbit' are 'eyeing the exits' and have expressed interest in leaving less than a year into her vice presidency.

Some Democratic allies have urged Harris to embrace the concept of a reset after a rocky first year as vice president, which has been riddled with project failures  like addressing the southern border crisis  and reports of tensions between her team and the president's.

Her poll ratings have tanked, with top Democrats said to be appalled at the idea of her running for president in 2024 should Joe Biden decide not to seek a second term.

Harris' staff are leaving because they're burned out, there are better opportunities elsewhere and they don't want to be permanently branded a 'Harris person,' according to Axios.

Harris tamped down rumors of tension as she addressed Sanders' departure during a gaggle on her trip to North Carolina last month.

'I love Symone,' the vice president said. 'And I mean that sincerely.'

'I can't wait to see what she will do next. I know that it's been three years jumping on and off planes, going around the country ' Harris continued.

Sanders joined President Joe Biden's presidential campaign in 2019.

Harris declined to answer further questions on the wave of departures.

'Well, I told you how I feel about Symone,' Harris said.

During the trip, Harris' personal aide, Opal Vadhan, posted a photo of the VP's team all smiling as they celebrated the birthday of Deputy Director of Advance, Juan Ortega.

'A favorite tradition in the @VP's office is celebrating staff birthdays with cupcakes! Happy Birthday, @JuanoBano!' she wrote.

Harris was in Charlotte, North Carolina to tour a public transit facility and give a speech on the bipartisan infrastructure bill alongside Pete Buttigieg, her rumored competition.

She hugged the Transportation secretary before they both boarded Air Force Two. Buttigieg then took questions from a gaggle of reporters on the plane alone.

Amid poll numbers in the high 20s, some Democrats are pushing for Buttigieg to replace Harris at the top of the ticket in 2024, should Biden choose not to run for a second term.

The White House insists Biden plans to run again, but he will be 82 in 2024.

In November, Harris hit back at claims she is being misused as vice president, saying she doesn't feel like she's being under utilized by Biden and dismissed her low approval ratings which plummeted to 28 per cent in a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll of registered voters earlier this month.

'Polls, they go up, they go down,' Harris said. 'But I think what is most important is that we remain consistent with what we need to do to deal with the issues that we're presented with at this moment.'

No announcement has been made on whether Sanders has lined up another job, sparking questions over the circumstances surrounding her departure.

Harris in recent weeks has battled mounting reports that her office is in disarray, and that her team is frustrated at being handed 'no-win' tasks that don't suit her skillset, such as tackling the 'root causes' of migration behind the recent border crisis.

Asked if the staff departures were prompted by bad headlines for Harris, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that working in the first year of an administration is 'grueling and exhausting.'

'It's natural for staffers who've thrown their heart and soul into a job to be ready to move on after a few years,' she said.

Praising Sanders' work in the administration, Psaki said the spokeswoman 'has charisma coming out of her eyeballs.'

'It's natural for staffers who have thrown their heart and soul into a job to be ready to move on to a new challenge after a few years,' Psaki said.

Sanders traveled frequently with Harris and as a senior adviser helped her juggle a daunting portfolio including the migrant issue and push for a sweeping federal overhaul of election laws.

Harris has suffered plunging approval ratings since taking office, threatening what would normally be an easy path to the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, or 2024 if Biden decides not to seek re-election at age 81.

Amid the turbulence, Sanders has been Harris' top bulldog defender, batting back at claims of internal disarray and tension with the West Wing.

Last month, Sanders was the first to respond to a detailed CNN report in which Harris aides complained that she has been set up to fail, and handed a portfolio that is not commensurate with her historic status as the first woman, and first woman of color, to hold the vice president's office.

'They're consistently sending her out there on losing issues in the wrong situations for her skill set,' said a former high-level Harris aide in the bombshell report.

Sanders fired back in a statement: 'It is unfortunate that after a productive trip to France in which we reaffirmed our relationship with America's oldest ally and demonstrated U.S. leadership on the world stage, and following passage of a historic, bipartisan infrastructure bill that will create jobs and strengthen our communities, some in the media are focused on gossip - not on the results that the President and the Vice President have delivered.'

Amid the turbulence, Sanders (right) has been Harris' top bulldog defender, batting back at claims of internal disarray and tension with the West Wing

An official in the vice president's office pointed out to Politico that Sanders, a former Biden campaign aide, had been working for the administration in some capacity for three years, and said that Biden and Harris had known of her departure 'for a while'.

Etienne's plan to leave was confirmed on November 18.

'Ashley is valued member of the Vice President's team, who has worked tirelessly to advance the goals of this administration. She is leaving the office in December to pursue other opportunities,' a White House official told DailyMail.com at the time.

Both Harris and Biden have vehemently denied that there is any tension between them, denying reports that are mostly based on the accounts of anonymous staffers.

The White House went full throat with their defense of her after a CNN report claimed Biden was distancing himself from Harris because of her sliding poll numbers, while the vice president is said to have felt isolated and frustrated with being given some of the most difficult issues for the administration in her portfolio.

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain tweeted Harris is an 'incredible leader' and Psaki argued Harris receives more criticism because of her status as a woman of color.

Harris is the country's first female vice president and the first vice president of color.

The president has publicly said he intends to run again, although pundits say that announcing he intends to step down after a single term would turn him into a lame duck leader.

But there has been anonymous chatter among Democrats that, if he does, he should consider replacing Harris.

There's additional speculation that if he doesn't run again, Harris would not be the strongest contender to replace him. Some have suggested Buttigieg would be a better candidate for the nomination.

A Politico/Morning Consult poll at the end of 2021 showed the transportation secretary with a higher favorability rating than both Biden and Harris  whom he led by 12 points.
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Virginia Roberts told a fellow Jeffrey Epstein 'sex slave' that she slept with Prince Andrew in London, it was claimed last night.

The then 17-year-old is also said to have shown the infamous picture of her posing at Ghislaine Maxwell's home with the Queen's second son.

In a world exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Carolyn Andriano says Miss Roberts texted her from London in March 2001 to say she was going for dinner with Andrew, Maxwell and Epstein.

Miss Roberts is alleged to have shown the picture to Mrs Andriano back in Florida, saying of the prince: 'I got to sleep with him.'

Mrs Andriano, 35, gave harrowing testimony against Maxwell at her trial last month. Four of the five guilty verdicts against her were underpinned by the evidence of the married mother of five, including the most serious charge of sex trafficking a minor which carries a maximum 40-year jail term.

Today Mrs Andriano bravely waives her legal right to anonymity to tell the full story about her horrific ordeal in Epstein's 'House of Sin' in Palm Beach, Florida  when she was aged 14 to 17  and her then friendship with Miss Roberts, who she says, recruited her into Epstein and 60-year-old Maxwell's sexual abuse 'pyramid scheme'.

Virginia Roberts is said to have shown the infamous picture of her posing at Ghislaine Maxwell's home with the Queen's second son, Carolyn Andriano claims

Mrs Andriano, 35, (pictured) gave harrowing testimony against Maxwell at her trial last month

Mrs Andriano, 35, gave harrowing testimony against Maxwell at her trial last month. Four of the five guilty verdicts against her were underpinned by the evidence of the married mother of five, including the most serious charge of sex trafficking a minor which carries a maximum 40-year jail term. Pictured: Courtroom sketch of Maxwell, centre, in court on Dec 29, 2021

Mrs Andriano's astonishing interview with the Daily Mail  for which she is not being paid  comes in the week that Andrew's lawyers made a desperate courtroom bid to get Miss Roberts' rape lawsuit against him in the US thrown out. Pictured: The Duke of York leaves his Royal Lodge home

Andrew's lawyers are seeking to persuade the court that the 38-year-old  now based in Australia and known by her married name Giuffre  had waived her right to sue him when she signed an earlier 370,000 legal settlement with US financier Epstein, who killed himself on remand in prison. Pictured: Prince Andrew walks through New York's Central Park with Jeffrey Epstein following the latter's prison term in 2011

Her account of her conversations with Miss Roberts is the first time there has been any contemporaneous and independent report of the purported meeting with the Duke of York.

Mrs Andriano's astonishing interview with the Daily Mail  for which she is not being paid  comes in the week that Andrew's lawyers made a desperate courtroom bid to get Miss Roberts' rape lawsuit against him in the US thrown out.

His legal bid is said to be hanging by a thread, with a judge expected to rule shortly. The duke strenuously denies any wrongdoing, and says he cannot remember meeting his accuser. Sources close to him have suggested that the picture of him with Miss Roberts may be fake.

Andrew's lawyers are seeking to persuade the court that the 38-year-old  now based in Australia and known by her married name Giuffre  had waived her right to sue him when she signed an earlier 370,000 legal settlement with US financier Epstein, who killed himself on remand in prison.

In her interview with the Mail, Mrs Andriona says she believes what Miss Roberts told her in 2001  ten years before the teen sex accuser first told her story in a Sunday newspaper.

In her interview with the Mail, Mrs Andriona says she believes what Virginia Roberts, now Giuffre told her in 2001  ten years before the teen sex accuser first told her story in a Sunday newspaper. Pictured: Giuffre holds a photo of herself at age 16, when she says Palm Beach multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein began abusing her sexually

Prince Andrew could settle out of court with his US sex-case accuser if a judge rules that the case should go to trial. Insiders say the option remains on the table if, as expected, Judge Lewis Kaplan rejects his legal teams motion this week to have Virginia Roberts lawsuit dismissed at an early stage (Andrew pictured in BBC interview, 2019)

Mrs Andriona said: 'I asked her if she'd been to the palace. And she said 'I got to sleep with him'. I said "What? You're f****** with me" and she said "no, I got to sleep with him". She didn't seem upset about it. She thought it was pretty cool.'

Mrs Andriona, who has been widely praised for her courageous testimony at Maxwell's trial, added: 'I waive my right to anonymity. I am doing this because I want all young women to know what happened to me when I was a teenager and how it has affected my life.

'I want to be a voice for all survivors of sexual abuse so that they are not afraid to come forward, even if it is years after the event, and say what happened to them. This is my story and I want to tell it.'

Earlier this week Maxwell's lawyers demanded a retrial after one of the jurors who convicted her of trafficking confessed to being a sex abuse victim.

Prosecutors who put Maxwell behind bars asked the trial judge for an investigation into the admission by Scotty David during media interviews. But the British socialite's lawyers went further, saying it was 'incontrovertible grounds for a new trial'.

Mr David is now likely to be summoned back to the New York courtroom.

Prince Andrew declined to comment.

Virginia Giuffre told me she'd slept with Prince Andrew just days after that trip to London with Jeffrey Epstein: Key witness at Ghislaine Maxwell's trial bravely waives her anonymity and makes a sensational new claim

ByStephen Wrightand Barbara Mcmahon In Florida For The Daily Mail

Carolyn Andriano was resentfully cleaning her bedroom, listening to music and squabbling with her mother  being a typical 14-year-old, in fact  when the text came through. It was from her friend Virginia, thousands of miles away in London.

'You'll never guess who I'm with' it read. Carolyn knew this was going to be a juicy bit of gossip and was quick to respond. 'Who?' she replied eagerly.

A text pinged back immediately.

'She said, "I'm in London with Jeffrey and Maxwell and Prince Andrew",' Carolyn recalls. 'She said they were going to have dinner. I kind of didn't believe her, but I had no reason not to. I thought it was far-fetched but, then again, she knew wealthy people and had been to fancy parties and stuff like that.

Pictured: Carolyn aged 8

'I said, "bulls**t". I was calling her out on it, but she swore [it was true]. She said she was going to see if she could get a picture.'

Of course, the 'Jeffrey and Maxwell' the text referred to were disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in prison in 2019, and his then girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of child trafficking and sex abuse charges in New York last month.

Carolyn and Virginia  then Roberts, now Giuffre  were members of the depraved couple's harem of vulnerable teens and young women, recruited by Maxwell to provide sexual favours for Epstein. Carolyn was a key prosecution witness at Maxwell's trial.

Then, she gave evidence only as Carolyn. But she has now bravely waived her legal right to anonymity to speak exclusively to the Mail.

Carolyn has received no fee for this article, saying: 'I am doing this because I want all young women to know what happened to me when I was a teenager and how it has affected my life. This is my story and I want to tell it.'

Back in 2001, for the two young girls, it all felt like a dangerous  and lucrative  game. A week after the text exchange, true to her word, 17-year-old Virginia came back from the UK and picked up Carolyn from school, keen to tell all. 'I said, "so where's your picture, Miss Princess?"' Carolyn said. A photograph was duly produced.

The image  Carolyn feels like it was on a mobile phone, although camera phones weren't universally available in 2001 and memories fade, so it might have been a digital or disposable snap  is one most people will be familiar with.

It shows Virginia grinning, with Prince Andrew at her side, his hand around her waist, and Ghislaine looking on proudly in the background.

Carolyn was duly impressed. But there was more. Much more.

Carolyn was full of questions: 'I asked her if she'd been to the Palace. And she said, "I got to sleep with him". I said, "What? You're f****** with me", and she said "no, I got to sleep with him". She didn't seem upset about it. She thought it was pretty cool.'

Today Carolyn is a life-worn, 35-year-old married mother of five children aged between five and 17, still living near Palm Beach, where Epstein had a sprawling, 13 million mansion. Pictured: A photo of Jeffrey Epstein's Palm Beach home

This is the first time there has been a contemporaneous and independent account of Virginia's purported recollection of her meeting with the Duke of York that night in March 2001, which he strenuously denies ever happened. Andrew is currently waiting to hear whether a US judge will throw out Mrs Giuffre's civil sex assault against him.

'Virginia just couldn't believe it. Maxwell had told her she had a surprise for her and I guess the surprise was Prince Andrew. She was excited. I guess when you're meeting somebody that famous, I would have been excited too.

Virginia said they had dinner and sex

'She said they had dinner and they had sex. She didn't say anything about what they ate or where they were  that's not what we were talking about. It was just that she couldn't believe she got to sleep with Prince Andrew.

'I kept saying, "are you serious?" And she said "yeah". I asked if she got paid to do it and she never gave me an answer.'

Today Carolyn is a life-worn, 35-year-old married mother of five children aged between five and 17, still living near Palm Beach, where Epstein had a sprawling, 13 million mansion.

She has no issue with Andrew  she's never met him  nor is she a huge fan of Virginia. She hasn't seen her former friend in years, and it probably wouldn't be a joyful reunion if they did meet.

Carolyn holds Virginia responsible for delivering her into Epstein and Maxwell's clutches in the first place. Giuffre has admitted that she actively recruited young girls for Epstein, something she says she bitterly regrets.

Carolyn has no issue with Andrew  she's never met him  nor is she a huge fan of Virginia. She hasn't seen her former friend in years, and it probably wouldn't be a joyful reunion if they did meet

There is a brief thaw when she hears how the jury trusted her every word: 'I'm glad they believed me, and that it was wrong what Maxwell did to me. I had a voice and it was heard'. Pictured: Maxwell sits as the guilty verdict in her sex abuse trial is read in a courtroom sketch in New York City

Is Prince Andrew's team planning to PAY OFF his accuser? Royal could settle case with Virginia Roberts out of court if judge rules it should go to trial, insiders say Prince Andrew could settle out of court with his US sex-case accuser if a judge rules that the case should go to trial. Insiders say the option remains on the table if, as expected, Judge Lewis Kaplan rejects his legal teams motion this week to have Virginia Roberts lawsuit dismissed at an early stage. Andrews team are understood to acknowledge the attritional impact the case is having on the Royal Family, particularly as the Queen, 95, is due to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee this June with the threat of a scandalous sex trial involving her son hanging over her. Obviously, this is a US case involving US lawyers and involving a US civil lawsuit, one source said. In reality, 99 per cent of US civil litigations are settled out of court. A settlement would always be an option on the table, as thats where the vast majority end up. There is also the wider pressure and attritional impact to consider. Sources with knowledge of the case stressed last night to the Daily Mail that no discussions have taken place yet about whether the Queens son could  or should  agree a settlement without liability being admitted. But neither had it been ruled out as an option, they said. Buckingham Palace has refused to comment, describing it as an ongoing legal matter. The issue of whether to settle out of court is a tricky one for the ninth in line to the throne, whose lawyers argued this week in a New York court that Miss Roberts case should not be allowed to proceed to trial because of her own 2009 civil settlement with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Andrews legal team say that in return for a $500,000 (370,000) payout, she agreed to waive her right to sue any other potential defendants  which would include the prince, given the allegations she has made against him. Miss Roberts  who is bringing the case under her married name Giuffre  claims that not only was she abused by Epstein and his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, but that they trafficked her to their friend, the prince. In her claim for battery and infliction of emotional distress, she claims she was raped by the duke on three occasions in 2001 when she was 17 and he 41. On the one hand agreeing a no-liability settlement would prevent Andrew going through the humiliating experience of being interviewed by Miss Roberts lawyers, who will be able to question him about everything from his sexual partners to the minutiae of his dealings with Epstein and with Maxwell, found guilty last month of sex trafficking. They may seek answers from other family members, including his ex-wife Sarah and potentially other senior royals. But a settlement would clearly do little to help the 61-year-old prince clear his name, as he says he desperately wants to do. Andrew has always vehemently denied the allegations, saying he doesnt even recollect meeting Miss Roberts, despite there being a picture of them together with Maxwell. And a settlement is unlikely to help him achieve his long-held ambition of returning to public life in some form. After his disastrous BBC interview in 2019 with Newsnights Emily Maitlis, the prince temporarily stepped back from public duties. A settlement would also not prevent the FBI from pursuing its investigation  its agents would like to speak to Andrew as a potential witness to Epsteins crimes. The Daily Mail understands that Andrews legal team still have other avenues to pursue to get the lawsuit kicked out, including the suggestion that Miss Roberts, who lives with her family in Australia, is not domiciled in the US, allegedly rendering her case invalid. Miss Robertss lawyer, David Boies, said the case might not even have come to court if Andrew had shown some remorse and respect for Epsteins victims. Advertisement

Plus, it should be noted, the jury in New York believed Carolyn's testimony wholeheartedly. Maxwell was convicted unanimously on five of the six charges against her.

Four of the guilty verdicts were underpinned by allegations made by Carolyn. The most serious of them, of child sex trafficking a minor, applied to Carolyn alone, and carries a maximum 40-year jail term.

A juror this week broke cover to reveal how members had been split initially as they deliberated over some of the charges, but none of them ever doubted Carolyn.

Today, Carolyn seems older than her 35 years. The clear brown eyes of the 16-year-old Carolyn  the age when she was a regular visitor to Epstein's Palm Beach mansion  are the same, but smiles are a rare commodity nowadays.

A striking, 5ft 9ins, larger-than-life character, with a mane of dyed red curls, and a penchant for chunky jewellery, you sense the 'tough cookie' exterior is a shield she's worn for a very long time.

There is a brief thaw when she hears how the jury trusted her every word: 'I'm glad they believed me, and that it was wrong what Maxwell did to me. I had a voice and it was heard.

'It's so important because I have my own daughters now. Every day I think about whether there's someone who's going to put them in the situation I was in. I live with fear for my girls.'

It's fair to say Carolyn has had a hard life. Her suffering didn't end when she found herself  aged 18 and a single mother  no longer to Epstein's tastes, and duly redundant.

In the intervening years, she's worked as a stripper and escort, spent 52 days in prison for fraud, been addicted to drugs and drink, and suffered mental health issues. She takes a cocktail of medication just to get through the day.

'I was in the sex industry. It was easy. That was what I was taught, and I figured it was the easiest way to get money for the drugs. I felt worthless. I felt like I was just put here on Earth to be used and abused sexually. I looked at myself in the mirror one time and just cried and cried,' she says.

'There's no amount of money in this world that will ever mend what was stolen  my innocence as a child by Maxwell and Epstein who had been in cahoots for God knows how many years. I have children and I know as a mother, and as a woman, there's no way in Hell I could ever do something along the lines of what Maxwell has done.'

Curiously, however, when it comes to what allegedly happened between Virginia and Prince Andrew, she has little sympathy for her former friend. 'I don't think she [Virginia] deserves any compensation. I don't think she was coerced into doing anything.'

Although she believed her friend's account at the time, Carolyn adds: 'I don't think Virginia deserves anything less than what Maxwell is getting because she trafficked me into a world of spiralling downward slopes and it has taken my husband John 12 long years to get me to love myself again.'

A vulnerable child with a troubled past and chaotic homelife, Carolyn was just 13 when she met Virginia Roberts. She'd dropped out of school and moved to Florida from New York.

Her mother was an alcoholic and a drug addict, and she'd been abused by her grandmother's partner when she was four.

With a mother who pretty much 'let her do what she wanted', Carolyn started dating a 17-year-old called Shawn  who was friends with Virginia's boyfriend, Tony  when she was 13.

She remembers Virginia as 'bubbly and friendly'. 'She had a way of making me feel comfortable and I trusted her. We became friends and right away I thought she would have my best interests, no matter what, at heart. She knew how old I was, and she knew I came from a broken home.'

Virginia would pick Carolyn up from school and the four of them used to 'hang out and smoke pot'. 'I felt pretty damned good about it because everybody else had to walk home or their mum or dad came to pick them up. But I had a pretty friend, who was older, with a car. I thought I was pretty cool for being her friend.'

Carolyn described to the court how Virginia had asked her if she'd like to 'go and make some money'. All she had to do was go to a friend's house in Palm Beach and give him a massage. The 'friend' was Jeffrey Epstein, and his house was the beachside mansion, where girls were regularly enticed to tend to his insatiable needs.

'At 14 years old, I was big breasted and I definitely could pass for 21 when I was made up. I did my own make-up but Virginia gave me clothes. She gave me these really tight skimpy shorts with a spaghetti strap top with all my cleavage hanging out.

'She just said whatever you do, don't say your age. And I didn't even ask why. I went along with it.'

Curiously, however, when it comes to what allegedly happened between Virginia and Prince Andrew, she has little sympathy for her former friend. 'I don't think she [Virginia] deserves any compensation. I don't think she was coerced into doing anything'

On that first visit to Epstein's villa in 2001, Carolyn met Maxwell, who instructed Virginia to 'bring her upstairs and show her what to do'. They went to Epstein's bathroom, where Virginia set up a massage table.

'Epstein came in. He said he just came back from a jog. He brushed his teeth, gave Virginia a kiss on the cheek, looked at me, introduced himself, he took off his shorts and his shirt and was nude and laid on top of the massage table face down.

'And I looked at Virginia and she eye-motioned to me to say 'don't worry, it will be OK'. Forty-five minutes into the massage, he flipped over. I stepped back and Virginia climbed on top of him and proceeded to have sex with him.

I realised I was too old - I was 18

'I didn't know what to do or say or where to go, so I sat on the couch and watched until it was finished. We walked back downstairs and Maxwell asked, "how did everything go?" Virginia gave her a look to say it was a great session and that's when Maxwell asked me for my telephone number.'

Three $100 bills were handed over as payment for her time.

Carolyn returned to the house about 'a hundred times' over the next four years, sometimes three or four times a week. Cash would be laid on the sink in the bathroom. She kept coming back because '$300 was a lot of money when you're 14'.

The 'massages' always followed the same routine: a number of girls  some she knew, some she didn't, all of them young  rubbing Epstein's back and buttocks before he flipped over.

Although she and Epstein never had full sex, she was sexually assaulted several times.

As for Virginia, her lawyer David Boies (pictured together) stressed that it was important to remember that she too was a victim of trafficking, despite everything she did to bring Carolyn into the fold

FREE AT LAST? GETTING BAIL FOR MAXWELL IS POSSIBLE With the declaration of a mistrial the clock would effectively be wound back to one day before this trial started. Because Maxwell was not out on bail, she would not automatically walk free, but one legal expert told DailyMail.com that it was inconceivable that her attorneys would not swiftly attempt to renew their bid for bail. Because a mistrial under these circumstances would not have been declared for substantive reasons  there was no evidence admitted that should not have been, nor evidence withheld by the government, for example  there is nothing in the proceedings that would change her lawyers previously unsuccessful bond arguments. However, the situation itself would hand Maxwells lawyers a new and potentially persuasive reason to press for bail. According to one expert, You have a constitutional right to a speedy trial and her lawyers could now argue that because of all this she essentially has not got that. The prosecution would absolutely be brought in again because the mistrial would not have been called for a substantive reason, but for what was basically a screw up. That means they will have to go through the whole process again. If I were her lawyer, I would certainly be making the argument that it is inhumane to make her sit in jail through all that, after all this time, and all over again. The judge just might be sympathetic to that. Advertisement

One time, Maxwell offered to take Carolyn to Epstein's private island in the Caribbean. 'I told her there was no way in Hell my mum was going to let me leave the country. I told her I was 14.'

One day in 2002, Virginia simply disappeared: 'Vanished  poof  her boyfriend Tony was really upset.'

Epstein told Carolyn she'd gone abroad for school, but she was suspicious and worried something had happened to her friend.

It later transpired Epstein had paid for her to attend an international massage training school in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was here that Virginia met Robert Giuffre, an Australian martial arts trainer, and the two quickly married. She contacted Epstein to say she wouldn't be coming back.

The following year, Carolyn made a break for it, too. Aged 16, she and her boyfriend 'ran away' to Georgia, where Carolyn got pregnant. Her son was born in March 2004.

With money tight, she attempted to pick up the threads of her old job with Epstein: 'He asked me if I had any younger friends and I said "no". And that's when I realised I was too old. I was 18.'

In 2007, as the FBI started gathering evidence against Epstein, Carolyn gave her first statement to prosecutors. Last month, it was her turn in the witness stand.

'I had rosary beads in my hands for the entire time and my husband was in the courtroom and every time I felt like I was getting weak, he would give me a little thumbs up or I'd clench the beads. I was determined to have the strength to have this woman put away for what she did to me and other young women.

'Sure, they accused me of lying, but I knew that was coming and I stood up to it because I was telling the God's honest truth.'

She was permitted to use only her first name throughout the trial, but now she's proud to reveal her full identity to the world.

'I'm not ashamed at being a victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. For other girls that have been victimised, I want them to know that it is OK to come out and tell somebody  even if you don't want to be identified  and the sooner the better.

'I want people to know these terrible things have happened to me and that I am a survivor.

I want to let the other victims know, there's no timeframe on when you can talk about it, to get help. I'm very happy being a wife and a mother and I want to show people how the tragedies in my life did not stop me. I'm overcoming them. I'm not going to let Maxwell and Epstein ruin my life any more. I'm grateful every day when I wake up.'

As for Prince Andrew, she senses his story is far from over.

'I never got to ask Virginia about Prince Andrew again after she told me about it. She'd told me never to repeat it again.'

As for Virginia, her lawyer David Boies stressed that it was important to remember that she too was a victim of trafficking, despite everything she did to bring Carolyn into the fold.

Speaking to the Mail, he said: 'Virginia has said for years that her role in facilitating other young women's involvement is something that she has always regretted. But that fact doesn't have anything to do with the truth of her allegations.

'Nobody is saying these young, vulnerable girls were perfect in every respect. They were susceptible to the kind of threats they were subjected to and it's not at all surprising they did things they later regret.'

How, and if, the Queen's second eldest son deals with his own, personal, tragedy unfolding in his private life remains to be seen.

Representatives for Andrew last night declined to comment on Carolyn's revelations.

Prince Andrew 'is trying to force through sale of his 17m Swiss ski chalet because Queen refuses to foot legal bills in Virginia Giuffre sex abuse case' after it emerged he may SETTLE if trial is given green light to go ahead

ByHarry Howard For Mailonlineand Rebecca English, Royal Editor For The Daily Mail

Prince Andrew is reportedly trying to force through the sale of his 17million Swiss ski chalet to help foot the bill for his spiralling legal costs as he fights sexual abuse allegations made by Virginia Roberts.

According to The Mirror, the Duke of York is attempting to speed up the sale of the luxurious property because his mother the Queen will not pay his lawyers' fees.

Andrew bought the seven-bedroom Chalet Helora, in the luxury Swiss resort of Verbier with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in 2014 for 16.6million. It emerged last year that Andrew was selling the property.

The Duke is needing to find the funds to pay his team of US lawyers as they battle the claims made by Ms Roberts.

Ms Roberts, who now uses her married name of Giuffre, claims that the prince had sex with her three times after she was trafficked by paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew has consistently denied the allegations.

US judge Lewis Kaplan could reveal on Friday whether or not Andrew will face a full civil trial in New York after his lawyers argued this week that Miss Roberts' case should not go to trial because of a 2009 civil settlement she made with Epstein.

If the case does go to trial and Andrew loses, Ms Roberts could be awarded a settlement which legal experts have predicted could be as much as 3million.

It emerged this week that Prince Andrew could settle out of court with Ms Roberts to avoid the case going to trial.

Prince Andrew is reportedly trying to force through the sale of his 17million Swiss ski chalet to help foot the bill for his spiralling legal costs as fights sexual abuse allegations made by Virginia Roberts

Andrew bought the seven-bedroom Chalet Helora, in the luxury Swiss resort of Verbier with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in 2014 for 16.6million

Speaking of the alleged speeding up of the sale of his chalet, a source told The Mirror: 'It is crunch time for Andrew on several fronts.

'He is meeting all the costs himself so he needs to raise cash fast to pay bills which are increasing by the day.

'If there was the potential to settle, well, that is an option, but it is in no doubt that the Queen would not assist him in doing so.'

The newspaper also claimed that the Queen will not help Andrew pay for any future financial settlement which may be paid to Ms Roberts.

MailOnline has approached Buckingham Palace for comment.

In September last year, it was reported that Andrew and the Duchess of York were close to selling the chalet to settle a legal dispute with its former owner, Isabella de Rouvre, 74.

The Duke of York is attempting to speed up the sale of the luxurious property because his mother the Queen will not pay his lawyers' fees. Ms Roberts, who is suing Andrew under her married name of Giuffre, claims that the prince had sex with her three times after she was trafficked by paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Above: Prince Andrew, Virginia Roberts, aged 17, and Ghislaine Maxwell at Ghislaine Maxwell's townhouse in London, Britain on March 13, 2001

In September last year, it was reported that Andrew and the Duchess of York were close to selling the chalet to settle a legal dispute with its former owner, Isabella de Rouvre, 74

Prince Andrew is pictured in 2001 with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in Verbier, Switzerland, in 2001

She claimed they still owed her 6.6million after allegedly missing the final instalment for the property on January 1, 2020.

She took the case over the property, which has an indoor swimming pool and costs up to 22,000 a week to rent, to the Swiss courts.

However, Ms de Rouvre agreed to drop the legal proceedings when it emerged the property was close to selling for the asking price of 17.3million.

The Yorks are set to repay the debt once the sale of the home goes through.

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.

If judge Kaplan does decide that Virginia Giuffre's case should go to full trial, insiders said the option to settle out of court 'remains on the table'.

Andrew's daughter Princess Beatrice was pictured skiing in Verbier earlier this week with her husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi

The couple were accompanied by their daughter, Sienna, and son, Christopher Wolfe, who is known as 'Wolfie', Beatrice made a dash for the bus to get to the ski chalet where they are guests of Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York

Eugenie, 31, the youngest daughter of the Duke of York, was seen carrying her skis as she walked alongside husband Jack Brooksbank (pictured together) in the famous Swiss resort of Verbier

The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson was also pictured in Verbier this week as she holidayed with her daughters and their husbands

Andrew's team are understood to acknowledge the 'attritional impact' that the case is having on the Royal Family.

The Queen, 95, is due to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee in June but has the threat of a scandalous sex trial involving her son hanging over her.

Prince Andrew asked BBC's Emily Maitlis in car crash Newsnight interview if he should mention that he could not sweat Prince Andrew allegedly asked the BBC's Emily Maitlis if he should mention that he was 'unable to sweat' in their infamous Newsnight interview. The broadcaster quizzed the Duke of York in November 2019 over allegations made by Virginia Roberts that he had sex with her three times after she was trafficked by paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The prince claimed in his interview with Ms Maitlis that a medical condition after being shot at during the Falklands War left him unable to perspire. Writing on the BBC website on Tuesday, Ms Maitlis said Andrew asked her during a meeting at Buckingham Palace in the days leading up to the grilling if it would be 'interesting' for him to mention the claim. Ms Maitlis said that she and her production team were invited 'right into the heart of Buckingham Palace' to meet the Duke in the days before the November 2019 interview. 'It was Prince Andrew who volunteered the information to me in that early meeting that he was "unable to sweat",' she said. 'His Falkland Islands wartime experiences, he claimed, had produced a glut of adrenalin that meant he hadn't been able to sweat properly since being shot at. 'I remember him asking me very directly if we thought that would be interesting to hear. 'And I said yes - I was fascinated by adrenalin - and that we wanted to hear as much detail of his account as we could.' Ms Maitlis also said that Andrew agreed to the interview because he wanted to 'clear his name'. Advertisement

'Obviously, this is a US case involving US lawyers and involving a US civil lawsuit,' one source said. 'In reality, 99 per cent of US civil litigations are settled out of court.

'A settlement would always be an option on the table, as that's where the vast majority end up. There is also the wider pressure and attritional impact to consider.'

Sources with knowledge of the case stressed this week to the Daily Mail that no discussions have taken place yet about whether the Queen's son could  or should  agree a settlement without liability being admitted.

But neither had it been ruled out as an option, they said.

Buckingham Palace refused to comment, describing it as an 'ongoing legal matter'.

The issue of whether to settle out of court is a tricky one for the ninth in line to the throne, whose lawyers argued this week in a New York court that Miss Roberts' case should not be allowed to proceed to trial because of her own 2009 civil settlement with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew's legal team say that in return for a $500,000 (370,000) payout, she agreed to waive her right to sue any other 'potential defendants'  which would include the prince, given the allegations she has made against him.

Miss Roberts claims that not only was she abused by Epstein and his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, but that they 'trafficked' her to their friend, the prince.

In her claim for battery and infliction of emotional distress, she claims she was raped by the duke on three occasions in 2001 when she was 17 and he 41.

On the one hand agreeing a no-liability settlement would prevent Andrew going through the humiliating experience of being interviewed by Miss Roberts' lawyers, who will be able to question him about everything from his sexual partners to the minutiae of his dealings with Epstein and with Maxwell, found guilty last month of sex trafficking.

They may seek answers from other family members, including his ex-wife Sarah and potentially other senior royals.

But a settlement would clearly do little to help the 61-year-old prince clear his name, as he says he desperately wants to do.

Andrew has always vehemently denied the allegations, saying he doesn't even recollect meeting Miss Roberts, despite there being a picture of them together with Maxwell.

And a settlement is unlikely to help him achieve his long-held ambition of returning to public life in some form.

After his disastrous BBC interview in 2019 with Newsnight's Emily Maitlis, the prince temporarily stepped back from public duties.

A settlement would also not prevent the FBI from pursuing its investigation  its agents would like to speak to Andrew as a potential witness to Epstein's crimes.

Ghislaine Maxwell gives Jeffrey Epstein a foot massage on his private jet dubbed the 'Lolita Express'. The photo was entered into evidence in Maxwell's case on December 7 by the US Attorney's Office

Prince Andrew walks through New York's Central Park with Jeffrey Epstein following the latter's prison term in 2011

Prince Andrew is interviewed for the BBC's Newsnight in November 2019. In the interview, Andrew denied Ms Giuffre's claim that they had shared a sweaty dance at a London nightclub, saying that at the time he could not sweat due to a condition

Andrew's legal team this week argued that Miss Roberts' case should be thrown out on several grounds: her previous settlement, the fact that she has not given enough specifics about the alleged abuse and that her pursuit of the case was 'unconstitutional'.

Judge Kaplan told the two parties on Tuesday that he would issue his ruling on whether the case should go to trial 'pretty soon' and it is expected any day.

But the early signs for Andrew were not good after the judge verbally dismissed many of their arguments.

Andrew's legal team is unlikely to appeal if the judge rules against them. A trial date has tentatively been set for September.

The Daily Mail understands that Andrew's legal team still have other avenues to pursue to get the lawsuit kicked out, including the suggestion that Miss Roberts, who lives with her family in Australia, is not domiciled in the US, allegedly rendering her case invalid.

Miss Roberts's lawyer, David Boies, said the case might not even have come to court if Andrew had shown some 'remorse and respect' for Epstein's victims.
Carolyn Andriano was resentfully cleaning her bedroom, listening to music and squabbling with her mother  being a typical 14-year-old, in fact  when the text came through. It was from her friend Virginia, thousands of miles away in London.

Youll never guess who Im with it read. Carolyn knew this was going to be a juicy bit of gossip and was quick to respond. Who? she replied eagerly.

A text pinged back immediately.

She said, Im in London with Jeffrey and Maxwell and Prince Andrew, Carolyn recalls. She said they were going to have dinner. I kind of didnt believe her, but I had no reason not to. I thought it was far-fetched but, then again, she knew wealthy people and had been to fancy parties and stuff like that.

I said, bulls**t. I was calling her out on it, but she swore [it was true]. She said she was going to see if she could get a picture.

Of course, the Jeffrey and Maxwell the text referred to were disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in prison in 2019, and his then girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of child trafficking and sex abuse charges in New York last month.

Carolyn and Virginia  then Roberts, now Giuffre  were members of the depraved couples harem of vulnerable teens and young women, recruited by Maxwell to provide sexual favours for Epstein. Carolyn was a key prosecution witness at Maxwells trial.

Then, she gave evidence only as Carolyn. But she has now bravely waived her legal right to anonymity to speak exclusively to the Mail.

Infamous: The photo that Carolyn says Virginia Roberts showed her

Carolyn has received no fee for this article, saying: I am doing this because I want all young women to know what happened to me when I was a teenager and how it has affected my life. This is my story and I want to tell it.

Back in 2001, for the two young girls, it all felt like a dangerous  and lucrative  game. A week after the text exchange, true to her word, 17-year-old Virginia came back from the UK and picked up Carolyn from school, keen to tell all. I said, so wheres your picture, Miss Princess?  Carolyn said. A photograph was duly produced.

The image  Carolyn feels like it was on a mobile phone, although camera phones werent universally available in 2001 and memories fade, so it might have been a digital or disposable snap  is one most people will be familiar with.

It shows Virginia grinning, with Prince Andrew at her side, his hand around her waist, and Ghislaine looking on proudly in the background.

Carolyn was duly impressed. But there was more. Much more.

Carolyn was full of questions: I asked her if shed been to the Palace. And she said, I got to sleep with him. I said, What? Youre f****** with me, and she said no, I got to sleep with him. She didnt seem upset about it. She thought it was pretty cool.

This is the first time there has been a contemporaneous and independent account of Virginias purported recollection of her meeting with the Duke of York that night in March 2001, which he strenuously denies ever happened. Andrew is currently waiting to hear whether a US judge will throw out Mrs Giuffres civil sex assault against him.

Virginia just couldnt believe it. Maxwell had told her she had a surprise for her and I guess the surprise was Prince Andrew. She was excited. I guess when youre meeting somebody that famous, I would have been excited too.

Victim: Carolyn Andriano (pictured) was a friend of Virginia Roberts

She said they had dinner and they had sex. She didnt say anything about what they ate or where they were  thats not what we were talking about. It was just that she couldnt believe she got to sleep with Prince Andrew.

I kept saying, are you serious? And she said yeah. I asked if she got paid to do it and she never gave me an answer.

Today Carolyn is a life-worn, 35-year-old married mother of five children aged between five and 17, still living near Palm Beach, where Epstein had a sprawling, 13 million mansion.

She has no issue with Andrew  shes never met him  nor is she a huge fan of Virginia. She hasnt seen her former friend in years, and it probably wouldnt be a joyful reunion if they did meet.

Carolyn holds Virginia responsible for delivering her into Epstein and Maxwells clutches in the first place. Giuffre has admitted that she actively recruited young girls for Epstein, something she says she bitterly regrets.

Plus, it should be noted, the jury in New York believed Carolyns testimony wholeheartedly. Maxwell was convicted unanimously on five of the six charges against her. Four of the guilty verdicts were underpinned by allegations made by Carolyn. The most serious of them, of child sex trafficking a minor, applied to Carolyn alone, and carries a maximum 40-year jail term.

A juror this week broke cover to reveal how members had been split initially as they deliberated over some of the charges, but none of them ever doubted Carolyn.

Today, Carolyn seems older than her 35 years. The clear brown eyes of the 16-year-old Carolyn  the age when she was a regular visitor to Epsteins Palm Beach mansion  are the same, but smiles are a rare commodity nowadays.

A striking, 5ft 9ins, larger-than-life character, with a mane of dyed red curls, and a penchant for chunky jewellery, you sense the tough cookie exterior is a shield shes worn for a very long time.

There is a brief thaw when she hears how the jury trusted her every word: Im glad they believed me, and that it was wrong what Maxwell did to me. I had a voice and it was heard.

Its so important because I have my own daughters now. Every day I think about whether theres someone whos going to put them in the situation I was in. I live with fear for my girls.

Its fair to say Carolyn has had a hard life. Her suffering didnt end when she found herself  aged 18 and a single mother  no longer to Epsteins tastes, and duly redundant. In the intervening years, shes worked as a stripper and escort, spent 52 days in prison for fraud, been addicted to drugs and drink, and suffered mental health issues. She takes a cocktail of medication just to get through the day.

I was in the sex industry. It was easy. That was what I was taught, and I figured it was the easiest way to get money for the drugs. I felt worthless. I felt like I was just put here on Earth to be used and abused sexually. I looked at myself in the mirror one time and just cried and cried, she says.

Theres no amount of money in this world that will ever mend what was stolen  my innocence as a child by Maxwell and Epstein who had been in cahoots for God knows how many years. I have children and I know as a mother, and as a woman, theres no way in Hell I could ever do something along the lines of what Maxwell has done. Curiously, however, when it comes to what allegedly happened between Virginia and Prince Andrew, she has little sympathy for her former friend. I dont think she [Virginia] deserves any compensation. I dont think she was coerced into doing anything.

Although she believed her friends account at the time, Carolyn adds: I dont think Virginia deserves anything less than what Maxwell is getting because she trafficked me into a world of spiralling downward slopes and it has taken my husband John 12 long years to get me to love myself again.

A vulnerable child with a troubled past and chaotic homelife, Carolyn was just 13 when she met Virginia Roberts. Shed dropped out of school and moved to Florida from New York.

Her mother was an alcoholic and a drug addict, and shed been abused by her grandmothers partner when she was four.

With a mother who pretty much let her do what she wanted, Carolyn started dating a 17-year-old called Shawn  who was friends with Virginias boyfriend, Tony  when she was 13.

She remembers Virginia as bubbly and friendly. She had a way of making me feel comfortable and I trusted her. We became friends and right away I thought she would have my best interests, no matter what, at heart. She knew how old I was, and she knew I came from a broken home.

Virginia would pick Carolyn up from school and the four of them used to hang out and smoke pot. I felt pretty damned good about it because everybody else had to walk home or their mum or dad came to pick them up. But I had a pretty friend, who was older, with a car. I thought I was pretty cool for being her friend.

Carolyn described to the court how Virginia had asked her if shed like to go and make some money. All she had to do was go to a friends house in Palm Beach and give him a massage. The friend was Jeffrey Epstein, and his house was the beachside mansion, where girls were regularly enticed to tend to his insatiable needs.

Pictured: Carolyn aged 8

At 14 years old, I was big breasted and I definitely could pass for 21 when I was made up. I did my own make-up but Virginia gave me clothes. She gave me these really tight skimpy shorts with a spaghetti strap top with all my cleavage hanging out.

She just said whatever you do, dont say your age. And I didnt even ask why. I went along with it.

On that first visit to Epsteins villa in 2001, Carolyn met Maxwell, who instructed Virginia to bring her upstairs and show her what to do. They went to Epsteins bathroom, where Virginia set up a massage table.

Epstein came in. He said he just came back from a jog. He brushed his teeth, gave Virginia a kiss on the cheek, looked at me, introduced himself, he took off his shorts and his shirt and was nude and laid on top of the massage table face down.

And I looked at Virginia and she eye-motioned to me to say dont worry, it will be OK. Forty-five minutes into the massage, he flipped over. I stepped back and Virginia climbed on top of him and proceeded to have sex with him.

I didnt know what to do or say or where to go, so I sat on the couch and watched until it was finished. We walked back downstairs and Maxwell asked, how did everything go? Virginia gave her a look to say it was a great session and thats when Maxwell asked me for my telephone number. Three $100 bills were handed over as payment for her time.

Carolyn returned to the house about a hundred times over the next four years, sometimes three or four times a week. Cash would be laid on the sink in the bathroom. She kept coming back because $300 was a lot of money when youre 14.

The massages always followed the same routine: a number of girls  some she knew, some she didnt, all of them young  rubbing Epsteins back and buttocks before he flipped over.

Although she and Epstein never had full sex, she was sexually assaulted several times.

One time, Maxwell offered to take Carolyn to Epsteins private island in the Caribbean. I told her there was no way in Hell my mum was going to let me leave the country. I told her I was 14.

One day in 2002, Virginia simply disappeared: Vanished  poof  her boyfriend Tony was really upset.

Epstein told Carolyn shed gone abroad for school, but she was suspicious and worried something had happened to her friend.

It later transpired Epstein had paid for her to attend an international massage training school in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It was here that Virginia met Robert Giuffre, an Australian martial arts trainer, and the two quickly married. She contacted Epstein to say she wouldnt be coming back.

The following year, Carolyn made a break for it, too. Aged 16, she and her boyfriend ran away to Georgia, where Carolyn got pregnant. Her son was born in March 2004.

With money tight, she attempted to pick up the threads of her old job with Epstein: He asked me if I had any younger friends and I said no. And thats when I realised I was too old. I was 18.

In 2007, as the FBI started gathering evidence against Epstein, Carolyn gave her first statement to prosecutors. Last month, it was her turn in the witness stand.

I had rosary beads in my hands for the entire time and my husband was in the courtroom and every time I felt like I was getting weak, he would give me a little thumbs up or Id clench the beads. I was determined to have the strength to have this woman put away for what she did to me and other young women.

Sure, they accused me of lying, but I knew that was coming and I stood up to it because I was telling the Gods honest truth.

She was permitted to use only her first name throughout the trial, but now shes proud to reveal her full identity to the world.

Im not ashamed at being a victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. For other girls that have been victimised, I want them to know that it is OK to come out and tell somebody  even if you dont want to be identified  and the sooner the better.

I want people to know these terrible things have happened to me and that I am a survivor.

I want to let the other victims know, theres no timeframe on when you can talk about it, to get help. Im very happy being a wife and a mother and I want to show people how the tragedies in my life did not stop me. Im overcoming them. Im not going to let Maxwell and Epstein ruin my life any more. Im grateful every day when I wake up.

As for Prince Andrew, she senses his story is far from over.

I never got to ask Virginia about Prince Andrew again after she told me about it. Shed told me never to repeat it again.

As for Virginia, her lawyer David Boies stressed that it was important to remember that she too was a victim of trafficking, despite everything she did to bring Carolyn into the fold.

Speaking to the Mail, he said: Virginia has said for years that her role in facilitating other young womens involvement is something that she has always regretted. But that fact doesnt have anything to do with the truth of her allegations.

Nobody is saying these young, vulnerable girls were perfect in every respect. They were susceptible to the kind of threats they were subjected to and its not at all surprising they did things they later regret.

How, and if, the Queens second eldest son deals with his own, personal, tragedy unfolding in his private life remains to be seen.

Representatives for Andrew last night declined to comment on Carolyns revelations.
With a chilling sense of irony, Donna and Jenny Taylor still recall the day their younger brother, Jack, then just 17, asked if they would help him with his application to join the Army.

Our exact words were that we couldnt do that as we didnt want him to end up in Afghanistan and come back in a coffin, Donna recalls now.

We just wanted to protect him and our mum and dad. Now, it breaks our hearts to think of it, because one day he did go out and didnt come home.

Nor could the siblings ever have envisaged how their brother would meet his tragic end.

In September 2015, seven years later, Jack was raped and murdered by serial killer Stephen Port, a loner with a fetish for having sex with unconscious young men.

He was Ports fourth victim  in the preceding year the then 39-year-old had lured three others to his flat in Barking, East London, and administered fatal doses of the date-rape drug GHB before dumping their bodies to make it look like accidental overdoses or suicide.

Jack Taylor (centre) alongside his sisters Donna and Jenny. After Jack's death in September 2015, they conducted their own investigations to uncover the truth

All the men he killed were in their early 20s and their mobile phones were missing.

Three of them were found in an almost identical spot on either side of a church wall in Barking within the space of a year.

Astonishingly, police repeatedly refused to link the cases, insisting that the deaths were self-inflicted.

It was an explanation that Jacks grieving sisters could not accept. Determined to uncover the truth, they conducted their own investigations against what felt like total indifference from the very people whose job it was to pursue justice.

It was as if Jack was an animal that had been left on the side of the road, says Donna today.

Their dedication and persistence eventually led police to Port, who in November 2016 was given a whole-life sentence for the murders of Jack and three other men: fashion student Anthony Walgate, 23, from Hull, Slovakian Gabriel Kovari, 22, and chef Daniel Whitworth, 21.

This week viewers have seen the story brought to life in the BBC drama Four Lives, which lays bare police failings and the anger of the victims families.

Its not an easy watch, certainly not for Donna and Jenny  played respectively by Jaime Winstone and Stephanie Hyam  whose ongoing grief remains permanently compounded by their vehement conviction that Jack need never have died.

It wasnt because of a lack of training, and it wasnt because of a lack of funding, it was because they didnt care, says Jenny. They dismissed the victims as either gay or druggies.

Stephen Port (pictured) was, in November 2016, given a whole-life sentence for the murders of the four men

Jack has been dead for more than six years now, but the sisters love for their younger sibling remains undimmed.

Alongside Jack, Donna, a 43-year-old nursing practitioner and mother-of-five, and Jenny, 33, a mother-of-two and a teaching assistant, were raised in a tight-knit, loving family in Dagenham by mum Jeannette, 59, a school cleaner and dad Colin, 65, a cab driver.

Even after the sisters left home, they spent every Saturday together with extended family.

A former army cadet, Jack was working night shifts as a forklift truck driver at the time of his death but  in a bitter irony not lost on his sisters  was in the process of laying the groundwork to become a police officer.

Hed sent off for a licence to work as a security guard, which would allow him to have days off where he could be a special constable, says Jenny.

He wanted to do something he felt would make a difference.

Sociable and popular, he also had plenty of girlfriends, although the sisters confide that they both harboured suspicions about his sexuality.

Did we know he was gay? No, says Donna.

Did my sister and I have suspicions that he might be sexually curious  yes.

Both Donna and Jenny saw their brother on the weekend of his death  Donna at the regular Friday night get-together she had with her brother at her home, and Jenny the following evening at the parental home where she lived at the time.

What they didnt know was that, in the early hours of the morning, he had arranged to meet the man they now know to be Stephen Port, whom Jack had met through a dating site used by gay and bisexual men.

Assuming he was still in bed on Sunday morning, it wasnt until the early afternoon that his parents realised he was missing. By evening, with many phone calls going to voicemail, their unease deepened.

By Monday morning, disquiet had been replaced by panic. During one frenzied phone call between Donna and her mum, the police arrived.

I heard one of the officers ask Are you Jack Taylors mum and dad? When they answered yes he said hes dead. That was it, no sorry, no compassion. Mum screamed and I remember dropping to the floor in disbelief.

Racing to her parents home, she found them in shock.

They were all over the place. It was heartbreaking.

The family trauma was exacerbated by a vacuum of information.

All the police said on that initial visit was that Jack was found in a park in Barking, propped against an arch after a suspected drug overdose, says Donna.

It didnt make sense. We knew categorically he didnt do drugs. It wasnt his scene  and there were random drug tests at work. We knew his friends. Also, the idea he was in this random park just didnt ring true.

Jacks body had actually been found by the churchyard wall in Barking, where two of Ports previous victims had been dumped in the preceding year.

This week viewers have seen the story of Port's crimes brought to life in the BBC drama Four Lives, which lays bare police failings and the anger of the victims families. Pictured, Stephen Merchant playing Stephen Port

The police left saying they would be in touch. That was the last we heard from them for 11 days, says Donna.

We knew something wasnt right. We contacted all his friends, asking where they went and whether anyone unusual was there, adds Jenny.

We also went on Facebook, looking at all his contacts and putting a star next to those we didnt know.

Eleven days after Jacks death, the family were told the body could be released, although toxicology tests were ongoing. Together, the family visited the funeral director to see Jack for the final time.

It was horrific, Donna says, holding back tears.

Youre looking at this wonderful little soul thats gone.

The sisters also noticed scratches and cuts all over Jacks hands. Even more convinced that something wasnt right, Donna and Jenny mentioned the cuts to the police when they visited the family a couple of days later.

They said it was because of the weather, and implying exposure, which didnt make any sense.

They also told us Jacks wallet was in his back pocket  where we knew he never kept it  and that he had needle marks in his right arm. We said he gave blood but also that he was right-handed so if he did inject himself, it would not be there.

Frustrated by what they saw as police reluctance to investigate further, the pair scoured the internet, trying to come up with anything that might cast light on what had happened.

Within a couple of days they uncovered news reports of the dumping of Gabriel and Daniels bodies  left in a similar spot to where Jacks body was found.

Both men were a similar age to Jack and had been found without their mobiles.

Gabriel Kovari, 22, (left) and Anthony Walgate, 23, (right) were found dead near Stephen Port's flat

Two of Port's four victims were Jack Taylor (left), 25, and Daniel Whitworth (right), 21

But, when we called police, they told us the cases were not linked, says Jenny.

Convinced they were on to something, the sisters asked to see the spot where Jacks body had been found.

We broke down, says Donna.

Jack was a hygiene freak and there was no way in the world hed sit at this dirty, dank spot.

The police said Jack had been found with a small brown vial by his side and a syringe in his pocket, but in a confusing turn said the syringe had not been used, but that Jack had injected himself.

I asked what he had injected himself with, says Jenny. They said they couldnt be sure.

The sisters were also then told that CCTV footage had shown Jack with a man in the early hours of Sunday morning  but the man had been seen walking off.

Timeline of Stephen Port's crimes June 4, 2014: Police find Stephen Port at Barking station in East London with a young man he had drugged who has collapsed. Port admits they had taken illegal drugs but is not arrested. June 19: Anthony Walgate, 23, given drug overdose and raped by Port who dumps body outside his flat and calls 999, claiming he has found an unconscious man. June 26: Port suspected of lying to police and charged with perverting the course of justice. Released on bail. He is not accused of murdering Mr Walgate. August 28: Gabriel Kovari, 22, given an overdose and raped by Port who dumps the body against a graveyard wall. September 20: Daniel Whitworth, 21, given a drug overdose and raped. Port dumps his body against the same graveyard wall. Mr Whitworth is wearing Mr Kovari's top and is in a bed-sheet which has Port's DNA on it. October 1: Detective Chief Inspector Tony Kirk tells local paper the three deaths within a mile of each other are not being treated as suspicious. March 23, 2015: Port jailed for perverting the course of justice by lying over Mr Walgate's death. Released on licence in June with an electronic tag. June 2015: Inquests into the deaths of Mr Kovari and Mr Whitworth were held, which were later set aside at the High Court in the wake of the murder trial. September 13: Jack Taylor, 25, given a drug overdose and raped by Port. Body found next to the same graveyard. October 15: Port arrested on suspicion of four murders and charged. Later charged with attacks on eight other men. November 23, 2016: Port is convicted of 22 offences against 11 men, including four murders, four rapes, four assaults by penetration and 10 of administering a substance. He was cleared on three counts of rape. November 25: Port is handed a whole-life sentence for the four murders. Advertisement

We asked if they had tried to trace him as he was possibly the last man to see Jack alive, but they said no because Jack had then been seen on later footage walking away.

In yet another example of a missed opportunity, it would later transpire that the man police had thought theyd seen walking away was in fact someone else  meaning the man seen with him had been the last person to see their brother alive.

Frustration mounting, Donna requested a meeting with Barking and Dagenham police, when she returned home from where Jacks body had been found.

An officer called Sgt Laffan came and for two hours I told him everything we were worried about, says Donna.

I had mounds of paperwork to show him  news reports, information about Jack. I asked to see stills from the CCTV footage and he said hed see what he could do.

Two days later, with no further contact from the police, the sisters discovered a news report about Ports first victim, Anthony Walgate. His body had been discovered outside the block of flats where Port lived in June 2014.

The location was different but everything else was identical, says Jenny.

Another young man with no phone, dead in Barking of an apparent drug overdose.

Unbeknown to the sisters was the fact that Port himself had called 999 to report the body.

When interviewed by police, he initially denied he had ever met the fashion student, before later telling them that he had panicked after Anthony accidentally overdosed at his flat, saying he had moved his body downstairs to deflect suspicion.

Incredibly, he was never investigated on suspicion of murder, the death was simply recorded as an overdose and the only charge made against him was for perverting the course of justice. For that he was sentenced to eight months imprisonment in March 2015 but was released in June the same year.

Had police recognised Anthony Walgates death as murder, Ports three subsequent victims could have been saved. In fact, Gabriel Kovari was murdered while Port was out on bail and Daniel Whitworth and Jack Taylors murders soon followed.

Finally, a month after their brothers body was discovered, police started connecting the dots. A police officer in Dagenham recognised Port on the CCTV footage in Jacks case as the man who was linked to Anthonys death.

He was arrested on October 15 and charged the next day with the murders of all four young men.

It was a bittersweet vindication.

We didnt want to be right, Jenny says. We wanted to know what had happened to our Jack.

The case was taken over by the specialist Murders Investigation Team of the Metropolitan Police, who the sisters say handled matters with huge sensitivity.

Nonetheless, the family had to endure the horror of Jacks body being exhumed before, finally, in November 2016, Port stood trial.

Jacks family attended every day of its eight-week duration.

Sitting in a room with the monster that took our Jacks life and hearing him tell one lie after another was the hardest thing, says Donna.

Equally harrowing was watching the procession of police officers take the stand. Youre looking at them thinking its because of you that Jack has lost his life.

Its a view ratified at an inquest last December into the deaths of all four victims, when a coroner found that fundamental police failing probably contributed to three of the four deaths. There are now calls for an inquiry.

Life will never be the same again, says Donna. Were all haunted by the sense that it neednt have happened at all, says Jenny. Its a terrible waste of young lives.

Who, watching this weeks dramatisation, could possibly disagree?
She is the owner of a sustainability company which prides itself on helping others become carbon neutral.

So you might hope that The Apprentice candidate Francesca Kennedy Wallbank has planted enough trees to offset the huge carbon footprint accrued from her jet-setting adventures.

Alongside her sustainability outfit thecarbonfootprintco, Miss Kennedy Wallbank, from Surrey, has also founded a reusable water bottle company.

A map showing the carbon footprint of Francesca Kennedy Wallbank's travels since 2018

Swim shoot: Her travels on Instagram

But the 'eco-conscious' 26-year-old is also thought to have flown more than 47,000 miles in the past three-and-a-half years, visiting at least 11 countries.

Posts on Instagram show that from the end of 2018 to mid 2019, she visited Reykjavik in Iceland, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Crete and Gibraltar.

Later that year she travelled across Australia and New Zealand with her twin sister Mariella.

Jet-setter: Miss Kennedy Wallbank racked up more than 47,000 air miles since 2018

In February 2020 she flew to Florida and worked aboard a 22million superyacht which sailed to The Bahamas.

Pictures suggest she flew back to London before shortly heading to Barcelona, where she began a 21-day sail to the Seychelles, docked in Dubai, quarantined, and flew home.

Her latest trip abroad is thought to have been a trip to Majorca in September 2021.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation's carbon emissions calculator, Miss Kennedy Wallbank's plane trips have emitted a total of 5.94 tons of CO2.

Miss Kennedy-Wallbank in September 2021 in Majorca

A broadleaf tree in the UK will absorb roughly one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime, which is around 100 years. This means Miss Kennedy Wallbank would have to plant the equivalent of six trees to offset the CO2 emitted from her travels.

In total, she has visited more than 38 countries including volunteering in Sri Lanka and sailing across the Atlantic with her family.

Miss Kennedy Wallbank said she didn't plant trees following her travels but did donate to the climate crisis fund.

New: Miss Kennedy-Wallbank ready to face Lord Sugar as part of the new series of the Apprentice

She told the Daily Mail: 'I took a travelling sabbatical in 2019 before Covid-19 and worked abroad before setting up my reusable water bottle company in September 2020. I plant trees for every bottle sold, making it a carbon-neutral company.

'I also have a business that specialises in product carbon offsetting and I offset my own personal footprint by donating to the climate crisis fund.'

Miss Kennedy Wallbank hopes to expand thecarbonfootprintco if she wins the 250,000 investment prize from Lord Sugar on BBC's The Apprentice. The Apprentice was contacted for comment.
Liberal Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor incorrectly claimed during a hearing on President Biden's vaccine mandate that 100,000 children in the U.S. with Covid-19 are in 'serious condition.'

The justice, appointed by former President Obama, also claimed that Omicron is 'just as deadly' as the Delta variant for the unvaccinated.

Studies have shown the Omicron variant to be more infectious but less virulent than past strains of Covid-19.

'Omicron is as deadly as delta and causes as much serious disease in the unvaccinated as delta did,' she said. 'The numberslook at the hospitalization rates going up. We have more infected people today than we did a year ago in January. We have hospitals that are almost at full capacity with people severely ill on ventilators. We have over 100,000 children, which we've never had before, in serious condition, and many on ventilators.'

If by 'serious condition' the justice means hospitalized, those numbers are inaccurate.

The current seven-day average of Covid patients under 18 who are hospitalized is 797.

Since August of 2020, there have not even been 100,000 Covid-19 hospitalizations among children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 82,843 children have been hospitalized during that time period.

About 600 Americans under the age of 18 have died of Covid-19 over the course of the pandemic.

A new study from the CDC has shown that most young people who were severely affected by Covid-19 had underlying conditions - about 61% of teenagers hospitalized for Covid were obese.

Age may be even more important than vaccination status in assessing risk for Covid-19 - data from the UK's NHS shows that unvaccinated children are at less risk of severe illness than elderly people with both jabs.

Sotomayor took part in Friday's arguments from her chambers. She has suffered from diabetes since childhood.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor falsely claimed that 100,000 children are currently hospitalized with Covid-19, while Justice Stephen Breyer inaccurately claimed there were 750 million Covid cases in the US yesterday

Clinton appointed Justice Stephen Breyer, meanwhile, falsely claimed there were 750 million new cases of Covid-19 in the U.S. on Thursday.

'750 million new cases yesterday, or close to that, is a lot. I don't mean to be facetious.'

If the justice meant to say 750,000, his claim would be closer to the mark.

On Thursday, the US recorded 786,824 new infections, an increase from the prior day and the third highest count since the pandemic began, following only the numbers recorded on Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, 1,870 deaths were reported Thursday.

Conservative justices on Friday questioned the legality of President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for businesses as the U.S. Supreme Court considered a request by Republican officials and business groups to block the policy even as COVID-19 cases grip the nation.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Neil Gorsuch said states and Congress, rather than a federal agency, should take the lead in tackling the pandemic.

And fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett said the workplace policy - affecting more than 80 million American - was too broad.

They were hearing a case brought by Republican states and business leaders that the mandate for businesses with more than 100 employees represented federal overreach.

The courts' liberal justices appeared to side with the Biden administration's position that mandates and vaccines were the best way to tackle the pandemic.

But Roberts asked U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar whether the 1970 law that established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration gave it the power to introduce the mandate.

'That was 50 years ago that you're saying Congress acted. I don't think it had COVID in mind.

'That was almost closer to the Spanish flu than it is to today's problem,' he said in reference to the 1918 pandemic.

The court heard the arguments as the nation gripped by the latest wave of infections, triggered by the highly infectious Omicron variant.

Benjamin Flowers, Ohio solicitor general, said the mandates had been formulated when a different, more dangerous variant - the Delta variant - was the most common as he argued against the policy.

Sotomayor took issue with his characterization of the pandemic.

'We have more affected people in the country today than we had a year ago in January,' she said.

'We have hospitals that are almost at full capacity with people severely ill on ventilators.

'We have over 100,000 children which we've never had before, in in serious condition. And many on ventilators.'

Scott Keller appeared before the Supreme Court on Friday to argue on behalf of business groups seeking an immediate order halting a Biden administration order to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nation's big employers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Business groups and Republican states believe mandates for businesses with more than 100 staff and a similar one for healthcare facilities represent an overreach of federal power

Chief Justice Roberts questioned the White House claim that its vaccine mandate was a 'workaround' as the court heard arguments that it was an overreach

White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain triggered controversy when he retweeted MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle, raising questions about whether the administration was trying to overstep

The justices heard more than two hours of arguments over the administration's requirement for businesses before turning to a second argument over whether to block the administration's vaccine requirement for healthcare facilities.

A partial ruling could come in record time, as the business mandate is due to come into force on Monday.

The justices are being asked for an emergency block while the lower courts continue to hear cases.

The impact of the pandemic was on full display Friday. The hearing was conducted in a building that has been closed to the public for almost two years and two lawyers delivered their arguments remotely after testing positive for COVID-19.

The Ohio attorney general's office confirmed that Flowers was delivering his argument by telephone.

'Ben who is vaccinated and boosted, tested positive for COVID-19 after Christmas. His symptoms were exceptionally mild and he has since fully recovered,' it said in a statement to Reuters.

'The Court required a PCR test yesterday which detected the virus so for that reason he is arguing remotely.'

Louisiana Solicitor General Liz Murrill was also expected to deliver her argument remotely, 'in accordance with COVID protocols,' said her office without offering further information.

The White House says the mandates will save thousands of lives and strengthen the economy by ensuring people are protected from the worst consequences of the pandemic.

But opponents say the federal government has exceeded its authorities, by imposing requirements not authorized by Congress.

Justice Roberts asked whether the White House was trying to find a 'workaround,' by using an agency tasked with workforce protection.

He was making reference to an infamous moment on Twitter when White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain appeared to endorse the idea that a workplace mandate was a 'workaround' - using an emergency workplace rule to impose the sort of sweeping requirement that would not be allowed on the general population.

'It seems to me that the government is trying to work across the waterfront and is just going agency by agency. I mean, this has been referred to as a 'workaround' and I'm wondering what it is you're trying to work around,' he asked Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar.

She replied saying it was simply a matter of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration acting to protect the workforce.

The White House says the mandates will save thousands of lives and strengthen the economy by ensuring people are protected from the worst consequences of the pandemic.

In September, Klain triggered controversy when he retweeted a comment by an MSNBC anchor suggesting that OSHA's mandate - which would affect more than 80 million people - was a backdoor way to use workplace safety legislation to impose vaccines on a broad swath of the population.

The retweet was central to an appeals court decision to keep a block on the mandate - a ruling that ultimately brought the policy to the Supreme Court.

The court's liberal justices were quick to emphasize the historic nature of the pandemic and the scale of death it had caused.

The Supreme Court has been shut to the public for almost two years because of the pandemic

President Biden announced the new rules in November and they were challenged by officials in Republican-led states along with some businesses and religious groups

The court heard more than two hours of arguments on Friday. Justice Sonia Sotomayor (front row, far right) took part from her chambers

Justice Sonia Sotomayor spotted an apparent contradiction in Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers case when he said states may be entitled to impose mandates on businesses.

'So it's within the police power to protect the health and welfare of workers, you seem to be saying, the states can do it,' she said.

'But you're saying the federal government can't, even though it's facing the same crisis in interstate commerce that states are facing within their own borders.

'I'm not sure I understand that distinction: Why the states would have the power, but the federal government wouldn't.'

He answered: 'The federal government has no police power.'

Sotomayor interrupted, saying: 'Oh, it does have power with respect to protecting the health and safety of workers.'

Flowers said he disagreed that amounted to a police power.

Fellow liberal Justice Elena Kagan was expressed skepticism that the administration had no right to impose the mandate.

'This is a publicly politically accountable policy. It also has the virtue of expertise,' she said.

'So on the one hand, the agency with their political leadership can decide or on the other hand, courts can decide.

'Courts are not politically accountable. Courts have not been elected. Courts have no epidemiological expertise.

'Why in the world would courts decide this question?'

Scott Keller, who argued on behalf of business associations against the mandate, was also asked why they were seeking an immediate stay.

'The short version is as soon as businesses have to put out their plans and this takes effect, workers will quit,' he said.

'That itself will be a permanent worker displacement that will ripple through the national economy.'

The Supreme Court has dealt with several pandemic-related cases already and rejected religious-based challenges to state vaccine requirements. Friday's cases for the first time test the federal government's authority to issue vaccine mandates.

Prelogar, U.S. solicitor general, argued that such an action was a central part of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

'COVID-19 is the deadliest pandemic in American history, and it poses a particularly acute workplace danger,' she said.

'Workers are getting sick and dying every day because of their exposure to the virus at work.'

Earlier, the White House said the two policies - implemented by OSHA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) - were 'critical' to the nation's COVID-19 response.

'The CMS healthcare rule protects vulnerable patients by requiring that covered healthcare providers get vaccinated,' said Press Secretary Jen Psaki.

'The need and the urgency for these policies is greater than ever, and we are confident in the legal authority for both policies.'

Business groups say the mandates are stymying economic recovery.

Alfredo Ortiz, president of Job Creators Network, one of the group's that brought the challenge, said: 'The Supreme Court can defend small businesses nationwide by following precedent and immediately staying the Biden administration's employer vaccine mandate.

'This unprecedented government overreach would impose new costs on businesses at the worst possible time and exacerbate the labor shortage and supply chain crisis.'
Victoria has once again become Australia's Covid capital with the state reporting 51,356 new infections.

The spike in cases, which were announced on Saturday, come after health officials allowed positive rapid antigen test results to be included in the reporting of daily cases.

The huge increase in case numbers comes as close to 440 Victorians have been hit with Covid-19 twice in the last two years, new figures have revealed.

Melbourne resident Alexandra Duffin is one example, with the influencer this week revealing she had contracted Covid for the second time in less than four months.

Ms Duffin, 28, was hospitalised twice after she contracted the Delta strain in October last year.

Victoria has recorded 51,356 new infections on Saturday, once again becoming Australia's Covid capital (pictured, recent public testing)

Melbourne based influencer Alexandra Duffin, 28, was hospitalised twice after she contracted the Delta strain in October last year

The huge spike in cases, which were announced on Saturday in Victoria, come after health officials allowed positive rapid antigen test results to be included in the reporting of daily cases (pictured, testing in Melbourne's CBD)

Ms Duffin, who was unvaccinated at the time, experienced severe symptoms and even struggled to keep any food down.

Her sense of taste had just started to return days before she tested positive for the highly transmissible Omicron variant on a PCR test this week.

'I feel a lot more congested this time round, but I am trying to be positive. I managed to get through it the first time, and even though I was so sick, if I can do that, I can do it again,' Ms Duffin said.

I really want more people to know about this.'

Ms Duffin has 70,000 TikTok followers were she has documented her Covid 'journey' in recent months.

After a number of negative test results in Melbourne, she flew to Sydney on December 27 and soon returned a positive reading - and has been isolating in the Harbour City since.

Deakin University epidemiology chair Catherine Bennett said scores of Victorians could find themselves infected with Covid multiple times - especially if they previously caught the Delta variant.

'We've got both variants circulating at the moment in Victoria, so someone could literally get a Delta infection this week and still be susceptible to Omicron in two weeks' time,' Professor Bennett told the Herald Sun.

'Immune response to Delta doesn't protect you from Omicron. Neither prior infection or vaccination, is protecting people from infection at the moment.'

Former World Health Organisation epidemiologist Adrian Esterman also weighed into the discussion, stating the exact number of people becoming reinfected with Covid across Victoria 'may never be known.'

Meanwhile, NSW reported a record 45,098 new cases and nine deaths on Saturday.

It marks the highest daily number of infections ever recorded in the state and a sharp spike on the 38,625 cases reported on Friday.

NSW has recorded 45,098 new infections and nine deaths as the state brings back restrictions with new economic data revealing the damaging impact of the pandemic on spending habits

The new cases announced on Saturday marks the highest daily number of infections ever recorded in the state and a sharp spike on the 38,625 cases reported on Friday

Hospitalisations have slightly increased with 1,795 patients being treated - up from 1,738 - and ICU figures have climbed to 145 - up from 134.

This week the NSW government reintroduced a raft of new restrictions, banning singing or dancing in pubs or clubs until January 27, except for weddings, performers or classes.

The changes come as new economic statistics revealed the damaging impact of restrictions on spending with residents across NSW, and the rest of Australia, buying less than ever before.

Spending rates in Sydney from the week to January 5 were the lowest they have been since the pandemic began in March 2020, data from ANZ Bank shows.
Pressure mounted last night for VAT on domestic fuel to be scrapped after it emerged that soaring energy bills could land the Treasury a 1billion 'windfall'.

This is the total the country's 30million households would pay in extra tax on bills if the energy price cap rises by 700 in April, as analysts have predicted.

The Prime Minister is expected to hold talks with Rishi Sunak next week amid fears that energy bills could spark a cost-of- living crisis.

A Government source said ministers were agreed that 'doing nothing is not an option' but had yet to finalise what help would be offered.

Pressure mounted on the Treasury last night for VAT on domestic fuel to be scrapped after it emerged that soaring energy bills could land a 1billion 'windfall'

Craig Mackinlay, chairman of the Net Zero Scrutiny Group of Conservative MPs, said it would be 'disastrous' for the Government to profit from the crisis, adding: 'The Chancellor simply cannot be seen to accept a windfall like that  there is no justification for it.'

Reports have suggested ministers are looking at focusing support on the poorest, possibly through an expansion of the means-tested Warm Homes Discount Scheme.

But Mr Mackinlay said the scale of the increases meant many 'just about managing' families would also need help, preferably through scrapping the 5 per cent VAT rate or suspending the green levies that make up 13 per cent of a typical bill.

The Treasury rejected the idea it would benefit from rising energy prices as bigger fuel bills would leave people with less money to spend on goods that attract higher rates of VAT

British Gas boss: Scrap green levy The owners of British Gas have called for green levies to be removed from energy bills to help struggling customers. The plea comes amid pressure put on Boris Johnson from his own backbenchers and the Opposition to protect households against the spiralling cost of heat and light. A review of the household price cap by industry regular Ofgem could see annual bills rise by 500 to 700 a year from April 1. This would take the current figure for a household  based on typical use  from 1,277 to approaching 2,000. Options include switching green levies, which are helping fund the shift to renewable power, to general taxation. The chief executive of British Gas parent company Centrica, Chris O'Shea, said: 'Overnight, this would reduce annual bills by 170. It would also be fairer. Funding environmental costs through the bill means every customer pays the same amount, regardless of how rich or poor they are.' Advertisement

He added that a VAT cut 'would also be a Brexit dividend, of which we have not seen very many'.

Former Cabinet minister David Jones also backed a VAT cut, saying: 'There are an awful lot of people looking at the likely energy bill increase in April and wondering where the money will come from. It is not just the poorest.'

Labour has also backed a VAT cut, with Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves saying: 'People are being hit by a cost-of-living crisis which has seen energy bills soar, food costs increase and the weekly budget stretched.'

She called on the Government to 'immediately remove VAT on domestic energy bills over winter'.

The Treasury rejected the idea it would benefit from rising energy prices as bigger fuel bills would leave people with less money to spend on goods that attract higher rates of VAT.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it was 'right to have the approach that targets the support on those most in need' but a Government source said that it remained possible ministers might instead agree more widespread support.

No 10 yesterday rejected the idea of scrapping green levies on bills, saying they were needed to help build a more resilient energy network for the future.

During the Brexit referendum, Boris Johnson suggested leaving the EU would allow the UK to cut VAT on fuel so 'energy bills will be lower for everyone' but this week he downplayed the idea.
Tony Blair secretly promised George Bush he would lead a public relations drive to promote the Iraq War, it was revealed last night.

The former prime minister's pledge, which was approved by the then US president, is disclosed in a Downing Street memo leaked to the Daily Mail.

It was written by Mr Blair's foreign policy chief Sir David Manning one day after Mr Blair's summit with Mr Bush at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas, in April 2002, a year before the conflict.

It was not until two years after the war that evidence emerged suggesting Mr Blair had 'signed in blood' at Crawford a deal to back Mr Bush's plan to bomb Iraq.

Ex-PM Tony Blair (left) secretly promised George Bush (right) he'd 'spin' the Iraq war to the world

But evidence of Mr Blair's role in manipulating public opinion was clear much earlier, with his press chief Alastair Campbell clashing with the BBC when it accused the Government of 'sexing up' the case for war.

The fight was over the notorious '45-minute dossier', which was spun to newspapers as suggesting Saddam Hussein could hit British targets in Cyprus with weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes of an order by the Iraqi dictator.

Sir David's memo also shows that Mr Blair made the decision to back the war  almost an entire year before it began  after Mr Bush blithely told him he did not know who would replace Saddam and wasn't bothered about that.

The official inquiry into the Iraq War ruled that failure to plan for the post-conflict phase was one of the biggest blunders by Mr Bush and Mr Blair.

The memo was leaked as the number of people who have signed a petition calling for Sir Tony's knighthood to be rescinded passed one million.

Sir David is credited with playing a major role in brokering the Iraq War pact between Mr Blair and Mr Bush. He makes it clear his memo  sent to then foreign secretary Jack Straw's principal private secretary Simon McDonald and copied to Mr Blair's No 10 chief of staff Jonathan Powell  was top secret.

It was 'exceptionally sensitive' and Mr Blair had ordered that it be 'very tightly held' with 'no further copies' made.

In effect, Mr Blair  whose 'New Labour' was notorious for its use of PR 'spinning' under Mr Campbell  was offering to act as a global spin doctor for Mr Bush, seen by some as less sophisticated

Anti-war protesters are seen massed in Hyde Park during a demonstration against war with Iraq in London on February 15, 2003

Sir David, who attended the talks at Crawford with Mr Blair, Mr Bush and Mr Powell, says the prime minister told the president he could help with 'the PR aspect' of his secret plan to bomb Iraq.

In effect, Mr Blair  whose 'New Labour' was notorious for its use of PR 'spinning' under Mr Campbell  was offering to act as a global spin doctor for Mr Bush, seen by some as less sophisticated.

He told the president PR was vital to persuade sceptical EU leaders and voters of the importance of letting UN inspectors search for Saddam's supposed stockpile of 'weapons of mass destruction' (WMDs).

The memo says: 'Bush accepted we needed to manage the PR with great care. The PM said we had to be careful how we framed the UN inspectors' ultimatum to Saddam.

'We needed an accompanying PR strategy to manage European public opinion. Bush agreed.

'If, as the PM expected, Saddam failed to co-operate with UN inspectors, the Europeans would find it harder to resist the logic that we must take action to deal with an evil regime.'

The former prime minister also told Mr Bush: 'We would still face the question of why we had decided to act now, what had changed?'

Then Prime Minister Tony Blair (second from right) talks with Major General Richard Shirreff CBE (second from left) as he visits British troops in Basra, southern Iraq, in 2006

Mr Blair would say ignoring such risks could 'force us to take more costly action later'.

In the weeks before the war Mr Blair visited all major EU nations in a bid to persuade them to back the war. But his PR campaign failed and ended in acrimony when he accused France of sabotaging his attempt to obtain UN support.

The memo also reveals Mr Bush had scant regard for what might happen after the war.

He issued a rallying cry to Mr Blair: 'Whatever plan emerged we had to ensure victory. We could not afford to fail.'

But Sir David notes warily that Mr Bush had produced 'a number of imponderables'.

He wrote: 'He didn't know who would take Saddam's place if and when we toppled him.

'But he didn't much care. He was working on the assumption that anyone would be an improvement.'

Hopes that the fall of Saddam would bring peace in Iraq have not been borne out. It was plunged into bloody strife that continues to this day.

Mr Blair and Mr Bush's hope that they would find WMDs in Iraq was dashed when Saddam allowed UN inspectors in  and they found nothing.

They decided to go ahead with the war after Downing Street produced the later discredited 'dodgy dossier' that claimed Saddam had WMDs.

Sir David hints that as early as the Crawford summit, Mr Blair had doubts about relying on the UN inspectors. He told Sir David 'privately' that Mr Bush realised it was 'possible Saddam would allow the inspectors in'.

Mr Blair said if that occurred they would 'have to adjust our approach accordingly'.

He also told Mr Bush to 'ramp up' pressure on Saddam and if he blocked UN inspectors the US and UK had the right to 'go in and deal with him'.
In this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, Jan. 6, what the North claims to be a new hypersonic missile is launched the previous day. Yonhap



South Korea's defense ministry said Friday that North Korea's claim that it has successfully test-fired a hypersonic missile this week appears to be "exaggerated," assessing Pyongyang has yet to secure technologies for such an advanced flight vehicle.



Its initial analysis has found that the missile, launched Wednesday, traveled less than 700 kilometers at a top speed of Mach 6  six times the speed of sound  at an altitude of below 50 km, the ministry said.



Its assessment is different from Thursday's report by the North's official Korean Central News Agency that the missile "precisely hit a set target 700 km away" and made a "120 km lateral movement."



"The North's claim about the missile's capabilities, such as its operational range and lateral movement, appears to be exaggerated," the ministry said in a statement.



"Especially, we assess the North has yet to reach the technologies for a hypersonic flight vehicle," it added, saying the South and the United States are still conducting a detailed analysis for additional information.



An official at a ministry-affiliated defense agency said the North's missile in the latest test met the speed criteria of Mach 5, but it does not fit into any of the two widely recognized hypersonic missile categories  the hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) and the hypersonic cruise missile (HCM).



"Any ballistic missile with a range of longer than 500 km can fly at Mach 5, meaning all ballistic missiles with such an operational range can be classified as hypersonic ones," the official told reporters, requesting anonymity.



"But the general consensus among major countries regarding the definition of hypersonic missiles is that it should be either the HGV or HCM. Given the North's footage, its latest missile was neither," he added.



Moreover, the official noted the missile, which the North claimed to have tested in September, had the appearance of an HGV, while the latest one appears to be just a general ballistic missile.



The ministry also pointed out that the latest missile launch does not represent new technological progress compared with the North's first-known test of a hypersonic missile in September last year.



"We judge the missile was one of the different missiles first unveiled at the Defense Development Exhibition held (in the North) in October 2021," the official said.



The ministry reiterated that the allies believe their combined assets are "capable of detecting and intercepting" the North's latest missile while boasting of the South's "qualitatively superior" missile capabilities.



The remarks came amid growing concerns that the North's push for a hypersonic missile appears aimed at dodging the South Korea-U.S. combined missile defense shield and putting the allies' key bases on the Korean Peninsula and beyond within striking range. (Yonhap)


Four in five of Britain's period property owners know they need to improve their home's energy efficiency, but almost 60 per cent haven't got a clue where to start, new research suggests.

Some 79 per cent of homeowners surveyed with properties built before 1900 were aware they need to make changes to cut their home's carbon footprint.

But 57 per cent of this group don't know what improvements are needed to increase the energy efficiency of their historic homes. Meanwhile, 21 per cent of owners were completely unaware of the need to adapt their properties.

It follows the Government announcing proposals to meet net zero targets in 2050, including plans to ditch gas boilers and better insulate homes.

More than three quarters of owners living in period properties know they need to improve their homes

The findings by specialist lender Together are from a survey of 2,000 homeowners carried out last month.

The lender said there was a large 'awareness gap' about the Government's plans to meet its net zero targets.

Boris Johnson plans for turning Britain green include forcing households to ditch gas boilers, with a 5,000 grant being offered to homeowners to install air or ground heat pumps instead.

After going back and forth on the dates, the Government has now confirmed that gas boilers will be banned from new housing in 2025, and households will no longer be able to buy gas boilers from 2035.

Estate agents have already warned that homeowners living in poorly insulated older properties risk being unable to sell. This is because buyers may be unable to secure finance on the homes due to their lower energy efficiencies.

Together suggested that the cost of making period properties carbon neutral has been 'greatly underestimated'.

The research revealed 20 per cent of period homeowners want to install a heat pump.

Installing a heat pump can reduce a household's carbon footprint by at least 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per year, according to The Eco Experts. But installation - before any grants - can cost between 10,000 to 18,000, The Energy Saving Trust has revealed.

Period homeowners considering fitting a ground source heat pump also need to look at fully insulating their property first - pushing up installation costs even higher.

Together's survey found the average period homeowner would only be willing to spend 5,480 in total on their sustainable home improvements.

Installing a heat pump can reduce a household's carbon footprint by at least 2.5 tonnes of CO2 per year

Scott Clay, of Together, said: 'Meeting the net zero target by 2050 and tackling climate change is one of the greatest challenges we face today.

'England has some of Europe's oldest housing stock and is well-known for its high concentration of period homes. While this is a gift for house hunters and property investors, it can be a curse when thinking about carbon emissions.'

He added: 'What's clear from our survey is this glaring awareness gap between period property owners who know there is a problem and those who know how to fix it. There is no overnight solution, but there are methods to help turn the tide. More needs to be done to help those living in older houses understand what carbon neutral changes are feasible given their budgets.
SpaceX has sent another 49 Starlink satellites into orbit, despite criticisms of the company that it is clogging up space with its equipment.

Elon Musk's firm launched its 35th batch of Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida at 16:49 EST (21:49 GMT) Thursday (January 6).

Deployment of the 49 Starlink satellites on-board, which are each about the size of a table, was confirmed one hour and 20 minutes after liftoff.

Starlink is a constellation of more than 1,800 satellites that aims to provide internet access to most of the Earth, particularly underserved rural areas.

As part of its beta service, Starlink internet is already available in 23 countries around the world, including the UK.

However, next-generation Starlink constellations could have a whopping 42,000 Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit, Musk hopes.

As seen from Canaveral National Seashore, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket heads skyward after launching from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on January 6 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket is carrying 49 Starlink internet satellites

Spectators at Canaveral National Seashore watch as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on January 6

RECENT STARLINK LAUNCHES January 6, 2022: 49 satellites December 18, 2021: 52 satellites December 2, 2021: 48 satellites November 13, 2021: 53 satellites September 14, 2021: 51 satellites Advertisement

About nine minutes after Thursday's lift-off of the latest batch, SpaceX landed Falcon 9s first stage on one of SpaceX's drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean, the elaborately titled 'A Shortfall of Gravitas'.

The recovery vessel catches falling boosters and returns them to port to save on costs.

'Deployment of 49 Starlink satellites confirmed,' SpaceX tweeted. 'Falcon 9s first stage has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship.'

Musk himself also confirmed deployment of the Starlink satellites 'with lasers' which route data between individual satellites in the constellation.

Nearly 2,000 Starlink satellites have been launched into space since the first couple in February 2018; however, many have been decommissioned or have since failed.

As of Thursday, there are 1,824 Starlink satellites in orbit that are now working, including this latest batch.

Musk himself also confirmed deployment of the Starlink satellites 'with lasers'  which can route data between individual satellites in the constellation

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying a batch of Starlink satellites, lifts off from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday

The launch comes only days after high-profile criticism of the firm that its Starlink satellites are hogging space, leading to near collisions.

CHINESE CITIZENS SLAM MUSK OVER SATELLITE THREAT Chinese citizens have lashed out with fury against billionaire SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk after China said its space station was forced to take evasive action to avoid collision with SpaceX's Starlink satellites. In a post on China's Twitter-like Weibo microblogging platform on Monday, one user said Starlink's satellites were 'just a pile of space junk', while another described them as 'American space warfare weapons'. Although Musk is widely admired in China, the reputation of Tesla  which sells tens of thousands of vehicles in the country each month  has faltered this year following a spate of crashes, scandals and data storage concerns. Tesla is still hugely popular, selling around one out of every four of its cars in China, and has built a rare wholly-owned factory in Shanghai. Read more: Chinese citizens slam Musk over threat to space station Advertisement

Late last month, Musk was blasted by China over two 'close encounters' between his satellites and Beijing's new space station, Tiangong.

Tiangong had to perform 'evasive manoeuvres' to 'prevent a potential collision' with two Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX on July 1 and October 21, the Chinese government said in a December 6 complaint to the UN.

China accused the US of ignoring its space treaty obligations to protect the safety of the Tiangong station's three-member crew after the two 'near misses'.

Musk since said that 'tens of billions' of spacecraft can orbit close to Earth and rubbished claims that his firm is 'squeezing out rivals in space'.

'Space is just extremely enormous and satellites are very tiny,' Musk told the Financial Times.

'This is not some situation where we're effectively blocking others in any way. We've not blocked anyone from doing anything, nor do we expect to.'

Musk argued that each satellite orbits Earth in its own 'shell'  essentially a pathway around Earth at a certain fixed altitude that has a bigger diameter than Earth itself.

He compared this to the density of 2 billion cars and trucks that cover only a fraction of the Earth's surface.

'That would imply room for tens of billions of satellites,' Musk said. 'A couple of thousand satellites is nothing. Its like, hey, here's a couple of thousand of cars on Earth  it's nothing.'

However, one astrophysicist rubbished the billionaire's comparison, saying that spacecraft travelling at 17,000 miles per hour needs far greater separation than road vehicles to prevent a potential collision.

'For many space users, planning an avoidance manoeuvre is at least hours if not days, so this suggests space is already too crowded,' said Jonathan McDowell at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Deployment of the 49 Starlink satellites on-board, which are each about the size of a table, was confirmed one hour and 20 minutes after liftoff (pictured)

What's more, calculating the trajectory of many different satellites can be affected by changes in solar weather, McDowell said.

He added that evasive manoeuvres are becoming more frequent as more objects crowd into near-Earth orbit and force course adjustments to reduce the risk of crashes.

'We've really noticed the increase in the number of close passes since Starlink started getting deployed,' he told AFP earlier this week.

Any collision between Tiangong and a Starlink satellite would likely 'completely demolish' the space station and kill everyone on board.

Josef Aschbacher, head of the European Space Agency, has also said that Musk was 'making the rules' for the new commercial space economy.

Musk (pictured) defended his company's regular launch of satellites into orbit. Thursday's launch is the 35th deployment of Starlink satellites

However, Laura Forczyk, a space analyst at space consulting group Astralytical, said that this criticism of Starlink was 'based on emotion, not facts'.

'I have to wonder if similar complaints were made when certain airlines started flying more planes on set routes. No one owns the skies and all are free to use them,' she said.

China launched Tianhe  the main section of what will be a permanent space station called Tiangong Space Station  back in April.

Tiangong, meaning 'heavenly palace', will rival the ageing International Space Station (ISS), which is operated by the space agencies of the US, Canada, Russia, Japan and Europe.
Scientists are ramping up their search for the elusive 'Asian unicorn', one of the world's rarest animals, in an effort to save it from extinction.

Asian unicorn, also called the saola, is native to the mountains of Vietnam and Laos, but it's 'critically endangered' according to the IUCN Red List.

With its long horns and white facial markings, the saola resembles the antelopes of North Africa, but it's more closely related to wild cattle.

The saola was discovered as a species new to science only in 1992, in Vietnam's Vu Quang Nature Reserve, near the border with Laos, based on the animal's remains.

But no biologist has ever reported seeing one in the wild, and it was most recently observed in the wild nine years ago only thanks to secret cameras hidden in trees.

Now, experts at the Wisconsin-based non-profit Saola Foundation are planning new efforts to find the creature, by training dogs to detect saola traces.

The animal was discovered in remote mountains near Laos in 1992 when a joint team of WWF and Vietnam's forest control agency found a skull with unusual horns in a hunter's home

'We stand at a moment of conservation history,' William Robichaud, president of the Saola Foundation, told the Guardian.

THE RARE SAOLA The saola or Asian unicorn (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) is a forest-dwelling bovine found only in the Annamite Range of Vietnam and Laos. Cousin to the cow, goat, and antelope, the species was defined following a discovery of remains in 1992 in Vu Quang Nature Reserve. Despite its 'unicorn' nickname, it in fact has two horns. Saola stay in mountain forests during the wet seasons, when water in streams and rivers is abundant, and move down to the lowlands in winter. They are shy and never enter cultivated fields or come close to villages. To date, all known captive saola have died, leading to the belief that this species cannot live in captivity. An adult saola stands at about 31 to 35 inches (8090 cm) at the shoulder with its entire body length measuring around 60 inches (150cm). Advertisement

'We know how to find and save this magnificent animal, which has been on planet Earth for perhaps 8 million years.

'We just need the world to come together and support the effort. It wont cost much, and the reward, for saola, for the Annamite mountains, and for ourselves, will be huge.'

Saola (pronounced 'sow-la') are recognised by two parallel horns with sharp ends, which can reach 20 inches in length and are found on both males and females, according to the WWF.

Saola also have striking white markings on the face and large maxillary glands on the muzzle, which could be used to mark territory or attract mates. They are found only in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Laos.

The species (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) is regarded as one of the most threatened mammals in Southeast Asia, says Edge of Existence.

As part of the Saola Foundation's new initiative, any samples found in the wild suspected to be from saola, such as fur or dung, would be studied onsite DNA test kits.

If the kits return a positive result within an hour, experts would start searching for saola in the forest near to the location of the sample.

If they found any saolas, the creatures would be captured and taken to a breeding centre being developed with help from the Vietnamese government at Bach Ma national park in central Vietnam.

Artist's impression of an Asian unicorn grazing on foliage. Saola are so secretive and so seldom seen (no biologist has ever reported seeing one in the wild) that they have been likened to unicorns

Based on expert opinion and threat assessments, the IUCN thinks there are fewer than 100 individual saolas in existence. Saola Foundation puts this number at potentially under 50.

There are no saolas in zoos and almost nothing is known about how to keep them in captivity, so if the species dies out in the wild it will be extinct.

Saolas are so secretive and so seldom seen that they have been likened to unicorns, despite actually having two horns, as opposed to the mythical unicorn's one horn.

The species was discovered in north-central Vietnam in May 1992 when a joint team of WWF and Vietnam's forest control agency found a skull with with unusually long, straight horns in a hunter's home.

On four follow-up visits, new remains were discovered, including the animal's skin and more bones. In all, researchers examined more than 20 specimens.

The saola or Asian unicorn is only found only in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam and Laos

Based on the findings, the species was first described in 1993 by a team of authors including Vietnamese biologist Do Tuoc, who was part of the 1992 expedition.

The discovery was 'one of the most spectacular zoological discoveries of the 20th century', according to the WWF.

In 2013, a saola was photographed by a strategically-placed camera trap hidden in tree foliage in Vietnam's central Annamite mountains.

It marked the first time that the endangered horned creature had been spotted in the wild in the country for 15 years.

In 2010, a saola was captured by locals in a remote region of Laos and the animal sadly died only days later, likely due to being given the incorrect food.

The species eats the leaves of fig trees and other bushes along riverbanks, as well as grasses and herbs at ground level.
Psychological stress may contribute to flare-ups of Crohn's disease by impeding the body's ability to fight off bad gut bacteria like E. coli, a study has suggested.

Crohns disease is a long-term condition which can cause inflammation, scarring and ulcers within the body's digestive tract  most often in the small or large intestine.

It is a debilitating gut condition that affects around 115,000 people in the United Kingdom and almost 3 million globally.

Working with mice, researchers from McMaster University in Ontario Canada found that stress hormones could suppress the rodents' innate immune system.

This left them vulnerable to a family of invasive bacteria  'Enterobacteriaceae'  whose members, especially E. coli, have previously been linked to Crohn's disease.

Psychological stress may contribute to flare-ups of Crohn's disease by impeding the body's ability to fight off bad gut bacteria like E. coli, a study has suggested (stock image)

'The main takeaway is that psychological stress impedes the body's ability to fight off gut bacteria that may be implicated in Crohn's disease,' said paper author and biochemist Brian Coombes of McMaster University.

'Innate immunity is designed to protect us from microbes that do not belong in the gut, like harmful bacteria,' he explained.

'When our innate immune system functions properly, it prevents harmful bacteria from colonising us, but when it breaks down, it leaves an opening for pathogens to colonise locations they normally cannot and cause illness.'

Key to the body's innate immunity, the team explained, is the correct functioning and maintenance of the gut's protective lining of epithelial cells.

This barrier relies on molecular signals from immune cells in order to secrete mucus, repair the cell wall and keep out harmful microbes.

When the innate immune system is suppressed  such as by stress hormones  the the epithelial cellular wall can break down, allowing microbes like E. coli to invade the gut and trigger Crohns disease flare-ups.

Symptoms of the inflammatory condition are known to include abdominal pain, blood and mucus in one's faeces, diarrhoea, fatigue and weight loss.

In their experiments, the team found that blocking the production of stress hormones in their mice models worked to restore proper function to both the immune system and the epithelial cells.

The researchers cautioned that, while their research may eventually pave the way to new treatments for Crohn's disease, the findings are presently only in the pre-clinical stage  and there is much more work to be done.

'The more we know about what triggers Crohn's disease, the closer we come to new treatments and potentially even disease prevention,' Professor Coombes said.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Two spectacular bronze horned helmets discovered in a peat bog in the small Danish town of Viks did not belong to the Vikings, a new study has found.

The helmets, which were uncovered back in 1942, were actually worn by a different civilisation in 900 BC, more than 1,500 years before the first Vikings in the region, researchers believe.

Now housed at the National Museum of Denmark, the helmets each have peculiar curved horns in the style of a bull and two large domes made to look like eyes.

The elaborate style of the headgear may have made it possible to attach feathers or even horse hair, so wearers could attend sacred rituals in style.

The researchers think the helmets were likely imported from Mediterranean Europe, including Sardinia and western Iberia, before being buried in Viks.

The helmets each have peculiar curved horns in the style of a bull and two large domes made to look like eyes

Artist's impression of how the helmets may have looked with adornments. The helmets were less likely to have been worn for battle than as part of religious rituals, experts believe

THE HORNED HELMETS OF VIKS In 1942, a peat cutter working in the Danish town of Viks of found a bronze helmet in a bog. Subsequent excavations in the same place revealed another nearly identical helmet. The helmets have peculiar curved horns in the style of a bull and two large domes made to look like eyes. Experts think they were less likely to have been worn for battle than as part of religious rituals. Advertisement

The helmets were less likely to have been worn for battle than as part of religious rituals, the experts believe, before being deposited in the bog as offerings to the gods.

When the helmets were discovered in 1942, one was found resting on a wooden tray of ash, suggesting they were deliberately placed rather than mislaid.

The experts say: 'This pair of twin helmets communicates to the onlooker an extraordinary agency, suggesting that their wearers wielded power, whether perceived as god, human, or something in between.'

The new study was led by archaeologists at Moesgaard Museum and Aarhus University in Denmark, who have based their new findings on radiocarbon dating results.

Study author Heide Wrobel Nrgaard spotted black residue on one of the helmets and dated it to 900 BC  around 1,500 prior to the arrival of Vikings in Viks.

One of the tell-tale clues was the elaborate style of the helmets, which matches rock art and figurines dating to the same period on the the island of Sardinia.

In 1942, a peat cutter working in the Danish town of Viks of found a bronze helmet in a bog. Subsequent excavations in the same place revealed another nearly identical helmet

These commonly depict warriors with nearly identical horned helmets, according to the study authors.

'There are huge similarities between them,' Nrgaard, based at Moesgaard Museum's Department of Archaeology, told Science.

Because of their similarities with the Sardinian artworks, the experts think bronze crafts and tools were exported along a trade route from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean.

This proposed trade route went around the Atlantic coast, rather than across land through the treacherous Alps, the team think.

'These [helmets] are new indications metals were traded further than we thought,' Aarhus University archaeologist Helle Vandkilde, the paper's lead author, told Science.

Viks is a small town between Ballerup and lstykke-Stenlse in Egedal, some 20 km northwest of Copenhagen, Denmark

However, one expert who was not involved with the study is sceptical of this proposed trade route.

Nicola Ialongo, an archaeologist at Georg August University, argues that the trade route, if it existed, would have left similar-looking helmets in Belgium, France and the UK.

'Even if you assume seafarers went directly from Sardinia to Scandinavia, they must have stopped along the way,' said Ialongo.

The study has been published in the journal Praehistorische Zeitschrift.
Manchester United may be set to promote some of their brightest stars to a more prominent role in the first team if Anthony Martial gets his wish and leaves the club this month.

Martial told the Old Trafford club last month that he wants a new challenge and has requested to leave, putting himself in the shop window.

The 26-year-old has made just seven league appearances this season, with only two coming as starts, and has not featured for United since a two-minute cameo against Arsenal at the beginning of December.

Amad Diallo (left), Anthony Elanga (middle) and Shola Shoretire (right) could be given a more prominent first-team role if Anthony Martial leaves in January

Martial told United last month that he wants a new challenge and has requested to leave

And with the likes of Sevilla, PSG and Newcastle showing interest, Martial could be heading for the exit  and interim boss Ralf Rangnick will not stand in his way.

The Frenchman's departure would present an opportunity for Amad Diallo, Anthony Elanga and Shola Shoretire to get a more prominent role in Rangnick's plans, according to the Express.

The report claims finding a replacement for Martial in the transfer market may be a tough ask and instead could hand the opportunity to one of the three aforementioned players.

Should the Frenchman get his wish, United could give youth players a more prominent role

Diallo has struggled to get any meaningful first-team minutes under his belt since his 25million move from Atalanta last summer.

The Ivorian arrived to huge fanfare but is yet to get a real run in the first team.

Meanwhile, Elanga already appears to have Rangnick's trust having put pen to paper on a new four-and-a-half-year deal last month and scored on his full Premier League debut against Wolves.

He already has already made four appearances for United this season and looks to be in favour with the new management.

Ralf Rangnick would promote from within rather than buying a replacement in January

Another promising option would be Shoretire who has been tipped for big things in the future.

The talented 17-year-old has been fast-tracked through the club's acadamy and has made four senior appearances for the club so far.
Paul Pogba has moved to dismiss reports he has been offered a new Manchester United deal worth 500,000-per-week.

The Old Trafford star, who is currently recovering from injury, has entered the final six months of his contract.

Reports that surfaced on Friday have suggested that he was offered fresh terms worth 500,000-per-week last summer.

There had been reports that Paul Pogba had been offered a 500,000-a-week deal

The Frenchman has moved to dismiss reports he has been offered a new contract

But a spokesman for Pogba has issued a statement to Sportsmail to deny suggestions of a recently extended contract offer from United.

The statement read: 'To clarify media reports, Paul has not been offered a new contract in recent months. Paul is fully focused on his recovery from injury with the aim of helping the team as soon as possible.'

Pogba is in the final year of his contract and is free to speak to foreign clubs over a pre-contract agreement this month.

The France international has yet to play under Ralf Rangnick, who took interim charge last year

If both parties are unable to come to terms on a new deal it would mean that they would lose Pogba for nothing for the second time in his career.

The 28-year-old returned to Old Trafford in 2016 for 89m and has gone on to score 38 goals in 212 appearances during his second stint at the club.

Pogba has been linked with a number of Europe's biggest clubs, including former club Juventus and a move back to France with Paris Saint-Germain. Real Madrid have also been heavily linked.

Pogba is not the only United player looking at his options this month, with no fewer than seventeen members of Rangnick's first-team squad reportedly unhappy.
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Staycationers, prepare to rub your hands with glee, because a host of eye-catching new hotels and guesthouses are throwing open their doors up and down the British Isles this year.

From Jersey to Blackpool via London, here are seven eye-catching properties to put on your must-visit list...

COUNTRY PILE

Stately stay: The Fairmont Windsor Park, which opened its doors on New Year's Day, overlooks Windsor Great Park

One of 200 rooms at the Fairmont Windsor Park. Doubles at the countryside hotel are available from 425

Pictured is the swimming pool at Fairmont Windsor Park. The hotel has a spa with 18 treatment rooms

A cosy lounge area at the Fairmont Windsor Park, which boasts seven restaurants and bars

The 200-room countryside hotel Fairmont Windsor Park opened on January 1.

The property overlooks 4,800 acres of Windsor Great Park, has seven restaurants and bars, and a spa with 18 treatment rooms. Book doubles from 425 at Fairmont-windsorpark.com.

ISLAND HOP

The Plus room at the new 122-room Premier Inn that is set to open in St Helier in February

The hotel, which is set on Bath Street, is close to Elizabeth Castle and some of the islands best beaches

Fans of Jersey will be pleased to hear a new 122-room Premier Inn will open in St Helier in February.

On Bath Street, the hotel is close to Elizabeth Castle and some of the islands best beaches. Rooms from 60 at premierinn.co.uk.

FRESH HEIGHTS

Calm and comforting interiors are one of the highlights at One Hundred Shoreditch, which opens in February

Rooms at the 258-bedroomed One Hundred Shoreditch will start from 175 per night

The hotel boasts six restaurants and bars, including a rooftop bar with views of East London

Calm and comforting interiors are one of the highlights at One Hundred Shoreditch which opens in February.

The Central London hotel has 258 rooms and suites plus six restaurants and bars including a rooftop bar with views of East London. Rooms from 175 at onehundredshoreditch.com.

COSY COMFORT

Cities dont come much more charming than York and it is home to No 1 guesthouse, pictured

The No 1 guesthouse is a Regency townhouse that has been transformed to feature 39 rooms. Pictured is the guesthouse's lounge area

Pictured is the restaurant at No 1 guesthouse. The building has large sash windows and high ceilings

One of the guest rooms at No 1 guesthouse. York Minster is a ten-minute walk away

Cities dont come much more charming than York and it is home to No 1 guesthouse.

A Grade II Listed Regency townhouse has been transformed to house 39 rooms (from 139) with large sash windows and high ceilings. York Minster is a ten-minute walk away (guesthousehotels.co.uk).

GO WILDE

Wildes Chester is set to open on Chesters historic Rows this summer. Pictured is a rendering of the hotel's spa area

A rendering of one of the 18 rooms at the hotel. Room prices will start from 250 per night

One of the highlights at Wildes Chester, shown here in a rendering, will be X by Harry Guy - a chef who has worked in multiple Michelin-starred restaurants

Chesters historic Rows will be home to an 18-room boutique hotel from this summer.

One of the highlights at Wildes Chester will be X by Harry Guy  a chef who has worked in multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. Rooms from 250 at wildeschester.com.

CLASSY CABINS

Pictured is one of the five Orchard Cabins that Norfolk's Congham Hall Hotel will be launching in February

Each cabin is set in the manors apple orchard. Pictured is the view from the interior of one of the cabins

Congham Hall Hotel in Norfolk is in business but will also be launching five Orchard Cabins in February.

Each room is set in the Georgian manors apple orchard and has a freestanding out-door bath. Book from 399, including dinner and breakfast, at conghamhallhotel.co.uk.

COASTAL CAPER

Blackpool seafront is set to get its first five-star hotel with the opening of Sands Venue Resort. The property will be inspired by 1930s glamour with Art Deco and modern influences throughout. Sign up at sandsvenueresorthotel.co.uk to hear news of an exact opening date and room prices.
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Prospective homeowners with a head for heights will love this new development in Vancouver - because it has rooms that cantilever out over the street.

Pictures reveal how these floating rooms make the stunning new residential tower resemble a game of Jenga. Being inside one will 'create the sensation of floating high above the city, the ocean, and the mountains, says Ole Scheeren, the renowned German architect behind the condominium.

Construction of the 42-storey tower, called 'Fifteen Fifteen', is under way in the Coal Harbour neighbourhood of the Canadian city, with 2026 projected as the year it'll open.

The 'Fifteen Fifteen' development in Vancouver has rooms that cantilever out over the street

The cantilevered glass-enclosed rooms, reinforced by steel columns, are a feature of the 18 Observatory Residences' in the building. These apartments, likened to glass boxes in the sky, are on the market with a starting price of 3.2million (5.6million Canadian Dollars).

The entryway to each Observatory Residence' will feature oak flooring, and the bathrooms will be embellished with a floating vanity and terrazzo walls.

Moving up the tower, there will be four penthouses available from the 39th to the 42nd floors of the building, each with balconies, generous ceiling heights and open-plan kitchens.

The 42-storey tower is set to be built in Vancouver's Coal Harbour neighbourhood and is due to open in 2026

Pictures reveal how the floating rooms make the stunning new residential tower resemble a game of Jenga

Gliding back down the tower, the Sky Lounge - another cantilevered space - will be situated on level 29, and will offer 270-degree panoramas of Vancouver. This lounge area will be exclusive to residents, and boasts 'towering double-height windows.

A statement describes the communal area as the most dramatic space in all of Vancouver. The architect explains: It was a very important decision to give one of the best spaces in the entire building to all the residents.

Elsewhere in the tower, there will be studio apartments and one, two, and three-bedroom homes, ranging in size from 1,089 sq feet (101 sq metres) to over 3,000 sq feet (279 sq metres).

The leisure centre will be situated on level four, offering an intimate, boutique-style experience much like a private gym in ones own home.

Being inside one of the cantilevered rooms will 'create the sensation of floating high above the city, the ocean, and the mountains, say the architects

A rendering shows one of the apartments in the complex. The building was designed by German architect Ole Scheeren

Pictured is a rendering of the open-plan kitchen in one of the four penthouses in the building

The tower features studio apartments and one, two, and three-bedroom homes, ranging in size from 1,089 sq feet (101 sq metres) to over 3,000 sq feet (279 sq metres)

It will house a gym with expansive full-height windows, so residents get a glorious view while working out, a dedicated yoga studio and an outdoor terrace, where in warmer weather residents can practice yoga while enjoying a breeze among the treetops.

A private dining room and bar area will also occupy space in the building.

This area, which can be reserved by residents for 'intimate dinners or cocktail parties, leads out to a balcony that offers views of downtown and nature.

Pictured is the communal cantilevered Sky Lounge, which will be situated on level 29 and will offer 270-degree panoramas of Vancouver

A statement describes the Sky Lounge area, pictured, as the most dramatic space in all of Vancouver

Residents will be able to look through the gyms expansive full-height windows while they work out

There will be a dedicated yoga studio and an outdoor terrace, where in warmer weather residents can practice yoga while enjoying a breeze among the treetops

The entranceway to the complex will be framed by a shimmering golden canopy.

Just inside the door, residents will find the lobby area - an elegant space with wooden wall-panelling, terrazzo floors, and an illuminated gold-tone water feature that brings an element of nature indoors.

There are plans in place for the ground floor to also feature a cafe with large windows and outdoor seating overlooking a landscaped plaza and [a] water feature.

The car park will be situated in the basement, and there, residents will have their automobiles retrieved by a full-time valet at a moments notice. The adjoining valet station is described as a dramatic space resembling a cutting-edge art gallery, with polished concrete floors'.

There will be a private dining room and bar area (pictured) in the building that can be reserved by residents to host intimate dinners or exclusive cocktail parties

There are plans in place for a cafe on the ground floor of the tower (pictured), which will feature large windows and outdoor seating overlooking a landscaped plaza and [a] water feature

The entranceway to the complex, pictured above, will be framed by a shimmering golden canopy

A rendering shows the valet station in the basement. Residents will have their automobiles retrieved by a full-time valet at a moments notice

According to a statement, environmentally-friendly materials and 'energy-efficient systems' were implemented in the design of the building. The properties in the tower also feature advanced filtration systems that deliver purified air and water.

With the complex, the developers hope to achieve a Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold international sustainability certification.

The building, developed by Bosa Properties and Kingswood Properties, is described as precision-driven architecture, at its finest.

The building, developed by Bosa Properties and Kingswood Properties, is described as precision-driven architecture, at its finest

Residences within the complex are already on the market. Prices for studio apartments start from 523,488 (900,000 Canadian Dollars), and two and three-bedroom residences are priced from 1.2million (2.2million Canadian Dollars)

Scheeren says: 'For many years, I have explored the question of how we want to live in relation to our own private spaces as well as our communities, our cities, and the environment - and what architecture means in this context.

Born from an idea of three-dimensional living, Fifteen Fifteens strong sculptural form introduces horizontality to an urban tower. Its distinctive silhouette flows from the idea of activation. Fifteen Fifteen is about connectivity - connecting people to each other and to their surroundings - and offers an interactive way of living.

Residences within the complex are already up for sale. Prices for studio apartments start from 523,488 (900,000 Canadian Dollars), and two and three-bedroom residences are priced from 1.2million (2.2million Canadian Dollars). For more information visit fifteen-fifteen.bosaproperties.com/en.
Jeff Lewis was seen out in West Hollywood on Thursday after his recent heated exchange with his ex boyfriend Gage Edward.

The Flipping Out star, 51, was dressed casually in dark shorts and a grey Adidas jacket.

A recent episode of his eponymous radio show - in which he discussed his and Edwards' five-year-old daughter Monroe - prompted his former flame to post a lengthy statement accusing him of exploiting the child.

Taking it easy after recent drama: Jeff Lewis was seen out in West Hollywood on Thursday after his recent heated exchange with his ex boyfriend Gage Edwards

Jeff looked calm while out and about in Los Angeles, as his personal life continues to make waves in the media.

He wore a dark pair of New Balance sneakers with white shoelaces. Underneath his jacket he had on a crewneck t-shirt.

The outing comes after Lewis brought up his young daughter recently on his show Jeff Lewis Live.

Subsequently, Gage took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a lengthy post about his thoughts on his ex's public comments regarding their child, saying 'enough is enough.'

Laid back look: The Flipping Out star was dressed casually in dark shorts and a grey Adidas jacket

Edward accused Lewis of using Monroe to grow the show's audience after he revealed on air that the little girl gave him an ultimatum after he talked about her on air.

'I didn't expect her to say this so young, I expected her to say this when she was a teenager, but she said if I continue to talk [about her] on the radio that she will not see me again until she's a grown-up,' Lewis shared.

Lewis had revealed their daughter had gotten 'pretty mad' after he discussed her getting rejected from several ritzy private elementary schools on air.

Open book: On a recent episode of his eponymous radio show he discussed his and ex Gage Edwards' five-year-old daughter Monroe

The Bravo TV star shared that his ex and co-parent, 36, told their daughter that her education situation was being discussed on Lewis' radio show.

Last week Lewis said that Monroe was 'denied admission to one of the, I think, four or five schools that we had applied to.'

He added that if the pattern of rejection continues, they would likely have to enroll her in a Catholic school instead  despite the fact that she had confessed to being 'afraid of nuns.'

'Gage thought he should tell her that I've been talking about her on the radio and that as a result, she's not going to be admitted to certain schools and that she's going to have to go to a Catholic school with the nuns,' Lewis said.

He's had enough: Lewis' ex Gage Edward took to social media with a stern statement about the radio show host's comments

'So she called me crying and she was pretty mad' he continued before revealing the aforementioned ultimatum she gave him.

Lewis said the conversation left him upset for hours and he 'hopes' the dust will settle, before hitting out at Edward for his 'decisive' and seemingly vindictive move.

'I texted Gage and I said, "Look, I never say anything negative about Monroe to you ever and this feels decisive. I would never want to turn her against you, which is what it seems like you are doing right now. You're mad at me, please don't use her to take it out on me,"' he explained of the conversation.

'I don't appreciate him getting in her head about these things and I hope he realizes he's made a mistake in using her to get back at me,' he added.

Happier times: Lewis and Edward dated for nearly a decade and began raising a daughter together before their 2019 split

Lewis' loose lips had previously caused Monroe to be expelled from her Montessori preschool back in 2019, with Gage being 'less than thrilled' that their daughter's education could be threatened yet again because of their publicity.

Jeff had mocked the prestigious institution as well as some of the parents and students on his radio show  even going so far as to read internal emails on air.

The reality star has acknowledged that the past incident had something to do with why his daughter was rejected from several private elementary schools.

'We've heard back from one school, and they got back to us right away. They said, "We know who you are. We know who Monroe is and... we are not interested in Monroe." That's what they said,' he recalled on air.

Caught in the middle: On Wednesday Gage took to Instagram to share a lengthy post about his thoughts on his ex's public comments regarding their child

Gage shared a lengthy post on Instagram about his thoughts on his ex's comments regarding their child. He added the now-expired Stories as a highlight on his page.

In the posts he lamented, 'As many people know, my preference has always been to not engage.'

He explained he's at his wit's end: 'What is unfairand what I will speak aboutis the continued exploitation of a minor for content.'

The marketing executive also placed blame on the show's SiriusXM and the show's producers. 'Equally as disappointing as the person that continues to talk about her, is SiriusXM and the executives, producers, and people in charge of RadioAndy.'








Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum speaks at a COVID-19 response meeting in Seoul, Jan. 7. Yonhap





Antiviral COVID-19 pills will arrive in South Korea next week, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum said Friday.







"We will make sure they can be used swiftly," Kim said during a COVID-19 response meeting in Seoul.






Abbie Chatfield has kept on top of the Covid news cycle throughout the pandemic.

But the reality star and public health advocate still had one burning question on her mind on Thursday - and she's not the only Australian looking for an answer.

She asked her Instagram followers whether positive rapid antigen test results were being included in the daily case numbers released by state health departments.

Curious: Abbie Chatfield has revealed the one question every Australian is asking about Covid-19 case numbers - as fears grow the real daily figure could be much higher than reported

Daily case numbers in Australia rose to 72,357 on January 6, but many Aussies still don't know if this figure includes RAT results or just represents positive PCR tests.

Abbie, 26, uploaded a poll on her Instagram Story asking her Covid-positive fans if they'd had a PCR test to confirm their at-home RAT result.

Abbie acknowledged she wasn't striving to conduct an official poll and was just 'curious' to see what her followers were doing.

Reaching out: Abbie, 26, asked her Instagram followers whether positive rapid antigen test results were being included in the daily case numbers released by state health departments

Data: Abbie said she wasn't going to use the votes to 'dob' people, adding: 'It's [just] that everyone I've spoken to has gone, "I wonder what the real number is," so we're doing a sample'

She said she wasn't going to use the votes to 'dob' people in, adding: 'It's [just] that everyone I've spoken to has gone, "I wonder what the real number is," so we're doing a sample.'

Medical experts have expressed concerned that case numbers across Australia may not be accurate following the national cabinet's recent decision to scrap the need to for PCR tests to confirm a positive Covid case.

A positive RAT result is now satisfactory.

While there is no way to track positive cases found through a RAT result on a national scale, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged these people to contact their GP.

Tests: Medical experts have expressed concerned that case numbers across Australia may not be accurate following the national cabinet's recent decision to scrap the need to for PCR tests to confirm a positive Covid case. A positive RAT result is now satisfactory

The PM said at a press conference on Thursday: 'We know that people are self-managing in many circumstances.

'They haven't gone for a PCR test, they are aware they have Covid and they're staying home.'

According to health department data, on January 1 there were 35,327 new cases, followed by 37,239 in January 3. This number jumped to 64,776 on January 5.
Madeline Holtznagel has shared a gallery of rare photos with her boyfriend, the notoriously private billionaire pub baron Justin Hemmes, 49.

On Thursday, the 26-year-old model documented the couple's beachside holiday in the coastal town of Narooma, New South Wales.

Among the snaps was a loved-up photo of the couple embracing one another while enjoying some downtime in the ocean.

Loved-up: Model Madeline Holtznagel, 26, has shared a gallery of rare photos with her boyfriend, the notoriously private billionaire pub baron Justin Hemmes, 49

Another showed them in all-white ensembles as they cuddled up at a sunset picnic.

Other photos in the Instagram gallery featured Madeline posing in bikinis with her various girlfriends.

Meanwhile, Merivale CEO Justin looked very zen as he lay back in a hammock, taking in the ocean breeze.

Embracing: Among the snaps from the couple's holiday in Narooma, NSW, was this loved-up photo of the couple embracing one another in the ocean

Holiday: Merivale CEO Justin looked zen as he lay back in a hammock, taking in the sea breeze

The couple are known to keep their relationship private, and Madeline's gallery post comes after months of silence on their accounts.

In October, Justin shared a rare tribute to his girlfriend on her 26th birthday.

Posting an image of the pair together, the businessman wrote in the caption: 'Happy birthday, beautiful girl.'

Sweet: The couple are known to keep their relationship private, and Madeline's gallery post comes after months of silence on their accounts

In August, Madeline paid tribute to her boyfriend as he celebrated his 49th birthday.

'Happy birthday,' the blonde beauty captioned a series of black and white images.

While it's not known exactly how long Justin and Madeline have been dating, she once hinted their relationship had being going on for longer than reported.

Love: In August, Madeline paid tribute to her boyfriend as he celebrated his 49th birthday

Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald in October, Madeline said they'd actually met two years before reports emerged of their relationship early last year.

'We have known each other for two years and met when I was modelling in Singapore,' she said at the time.

It was also reported that Madeline was living in a penthouse apartment owned by Justin in the Sydney beachside suburb of Coogee.
The Pioneer Woman is going down memory lane on her 53rd birthday.

Ree Drummond posted a picture on her Instagram story of her 13-year-old self in braces, writing: 'Oh, Ree... You are in for a few adventures.'

It was also shared by The Pioneer Woman Magazine's Instagram account, who captioned the post, 'To celebrate, heres a photo of The Pioneer Woman when she was 13. She had bangs and braces, her favorite song was Come on Eileen.'

Down memory lane: The Pioneer Woman is going down memory lane on her 53rd birthday

Then and now: Ree Drummond posted a picture on her Instagram story of 13-year-old self in braces. 'Oh, Ree... You are in for a few adventures,' the author captioned her story

The magazine went on to add that 13-year-old Ree was 'about a year away from falling deeply in love with Billy Idol.'

The tv personality posted her own birthday post to her nearly four million Instagram followers on Thursday and said, 'Todays my birthday, so Im posting a photo and a brief (thankfully) video of me recently fulfilling a longtime dream of singing Dont Stop Me Now on karaoke.'

Ree went on to share a video of her and her two daughters, Alex, 24, and Paige, 22, singing her dream song with her.

Karaoke night: The tv personality posted her own birthday post to her nearly four million Instagram followers on Thursday and said, 'Todays my birthday, so Im posting a photo and a brief (thankfully) video of me recently fulfilling a longtime dream of singing Dont Stop Me Now on karaoke

Living the dream: Ree went on to share a video of her and her two daughters, Alex, 24, and Paige, 22, singing her dream song with her

'Somehow I always sounded a little better in my dream but my daughters were with me, which made for an especially wonderful memory!'

Ree spent Christmas with her family in matching pajamas, just missing her oldest daughter, Alex and her husband, Mauricio, who were in his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico for the holiday.

According to the Pioneer Woman blog, Alex explained on Instagram that she and Mauricio would alternate the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays between their two families.
Film-lovers have a treat in store in 2022. The greatest movie ever made is getting a 50th anniversary re-release, and if you've never seen The Godfather on the big screen, then make a note of Friday, February 25. It's a cinematic offer you can't refuse.

Of course, there are plenty of other contenders for the title of greatest movie ever made. My friend Avril thinks it's Mamma Mia!. More discerning judges, dare I say, choose the Orson Welles classic Citizen Kane, Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, or David Lean's Lawrence Of Arabia.

But those of us who think it's The Godfather, know it's The Godfather. And one of the most remarkable things about Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece about a Mob family in 1940s New York, and their battle for supremacy with the Mob's other leading families, is that it was every bit as eventful off screen as on.

Indeed, it ignited a war between two of the most powerful forces in 1970s America: the titans of Hollywood and the Italian-American overlords of organised crime. It also rescued Paramount Pictures from ruin, and changed film-making for ever.

But before it was a film, it was a book. Mario Puzo was a writer up to his neck in debt, with five children and a destructive gambling habit when, in March 1968, he managed to get an audience with Robert Evans, the head of production at Paramount, a film studio also on its uppers.

Film-lovers have a treat in store in 2022. The greatest movie ever made is getting a 50th anniversary re-release

Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone and Al Martino as Johnny Fontane in The Godfather

Evans badly needed a hit  not that he thought there was even a sniff of one in the 60 pages of an unfinished novel Puzo brought with him, which he titled Mafia.

Paramount had just made a picture about organised crime, The Brotherhood, which had been a flop even with Kirk Douglas as the lead. Evans wasn't interested in making another. But feeling sorry for a guy clearly down on his luck, he offered Puzo $12,500 for the movie rights, assuming he'd never see him again.

That there are conflicting versions of that tale indicates the magnitude of what happened next. Puzo finished writing his book, changed the title to The Godfather, and it became a publishing sensation, shooting to the top of bestseller lists all over the world.

There had been a multitude of books and films about the Mob, but never one that delved into their personal lives like The Godfather did, first in Puzo's novel and subsequently in Coppola's screen trilogy.

When television much later got in on the same compelling act, with the unsurpassable HBO drama The Sopranos, the debt was made crystal clear, with characters referring simply to 'One' (meaning Coppola's 1972 film), and 'Two' (meaning his equally brilliant 1974 sequel, The Godfather Part II).

Despite the book's gigantic success, Paramount still didn't want to make the movie. 'Sicilian mobster films don't play,' Evans reiterated. However, he was stirred into action when Burt Lancaster's production company offered to pay $1 million to buy out the $12,500 deal with Puzo, which would secure Lancaster the title role of Don Vito Corleone.

Evans immediately decreed nobody would make the movie but Paramount. Frank Sinatra, however, didn't want anyone to make it at all. Enraged by the character of over-the-hill crooner Johnny Fontane, which everyone knew was based on him, Sinatra was reportedly considering legal action to stop production of the film.

There was an unseemly altercation at an LA restaurant one night, when Ol' Blue Eyes saw red. Encountering Puzo, who by then had been engaged to write the script, Sinatra screamed that he was nothing but a 'pimp'.

There had been a multitude of books and films about the Mob, but never one that delved into their personal lives like The Godfather did. Pictured: James Caan's Sonny Corleone gets gunned down in The Godfather

Sinatra wasn't the only Italian-American concerned about the making of The Godfather. The heavyweights of the Mob were edgy, too. They felt the film would reflect badly on Italian-Americans in general, perpetuating the idea that they were all crooked.

Without recognising any irony, they sent their enforcers to deal with the situation. One, foreshadowing perhaps the most famous scene in the film, arrived in Hollywood offering Paramount $1 million to drop the picture.

In the film, Don Corleone's consigliere Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) is sent out west to persuade producer Jack Woltz to give Johnny Fontane a part in his new movie. When Woltz refuses, he wakes up one night to find the severed head of his beloved thoroughbred racehorse in his bed. In life as in art, the tactics got heavier as soon as the bribe was rejected.

Following several death threats, the film's producer, Al Ruddy, even took to wearing a Groucho Marx disguise. And just after Evans's wife, the actress Ali MacGraw, had given birth to their son, he received a call in his New York hotel suite threatening the baby's life. 'Don't shoot no movie about the family here,' said the anonymous caller.

In the film, Hagen tells Woltz that if he hires Johnny, his union problems will 'go away'. In real life, The Godfather's New York shoot was bedevilled by issues with the Teamsters union.

They were engineered by the forbidding Joe Colombo, who saw no conflict between his day job, as boss of the Colombo crime family, and the mission of the Italian-American Civil Rights League, which he founded in 1970, to change how Italian-Americans were depicted in popular culture. Evans and Ruddy had no choice but to meet Colombo to negotiate, and took Coppola with them.

The ambitious young director had been hired only after numerous others ruled themselves out. So did Coppola at first. He thought the book was 'sleazy'. But like Puzo before him, he was broke.

The meeting with Colombo took place at the Park Sheraton Hotel in midtown Manhattan. For anyone who knew the history of the New York Mob, it was a location loaded with sinister resonance.

In 1957, crime boss Albert Anastasia had been shot in the head, on the orders of rival mobsters Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese, while sitting in the Park Sheraton barber's chair. Fans of the film will recall the same happens to Las Vegas casino owner Moe Greene.

Yet despite those ominous undertones, or possibly because of them, Ruddy handled the negotiations brilliantly. He agreed to show the script to the League and delete all mentions of 'Mafia' and 'Cosa Nostra'. He offered to give the proceeds from the New York premiere to the League's hospital fund.

And most seductively of all, he said he would cast lots of Colombo's associates as extras. They were killers and extortionists, many of them, but like everyone else they adored the idea of being in the movies.

Overnight, all the New York locations that had been mysteriously closed to the film-makers  a funeral parlour in Brooklyn, a house on Staten Island they wanted as Don Corleone's home  miraculously became available.

While Ruddy tackled real life, Coppola was having headaches with make-believe. Casting The Godfather was the greatest challenge of his career so far, especially the part of Don Corleone.

From the outset he wanted either Marlon Brando or Laurence Olivier, but Olivier, then in his mid-60s, wasn't well enough and Paramount executives were horrified by the idea of Brando, whom they thought a 'has-been' with a disruptive reputation.

They were even more fiercely opposed to Coppola's choice for the film's other key role, Don Corleone's youngest son, Michael. They wanted Robert Redford, Ryan O'Neal, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson or Dustin Hoffman; he wanted the unknown Al Pacino.

Italian-American Mafia boss Albert Anastasia smiling in a park in Italy in the 1940s

The wife of his friend and fellow director George Lucas urged him to stick to his guns. 'Cast Al, he undresses you with his eyes,' she said. More importantly, Mario Puzo agreed that Pacino, a theatre actor who had never been in a film before, would be perfect as Michael.

'I've never been surer of anything in my life,' Puzo told Coppola. But it was Evans, habitually referring to Pacino as 'that little dwarf', who needed persuading.

Coppola tried everything to get his way with both Brando and Pacino. According to a new book about the making of The Godfather, Mark Seal's Leave The Gun, Take The Cannoli (named after one of the film's more memorable lines), when Paramount president Stanley Jaffe ordered Coppola to forget Brando, the director, who had suffered epilepsy as a child, feigned a fit.

Aghast, Jaffe agreed to consider Brando, but only if he would submit to a screen test.

Terrified of appearing to belittle such a mighty actor, Coppola astutely presented it to Brando as a 'make-up test'. It turned out to be one of the most famous screen tests in movie history.

The director brought plates of prosciutto and Italian cheeses to Brando's home on Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills to help him get into character.

And, inexorably, the 47-year-old star, after walking into the room in a kimono, his long blond hair tied back into a pony-tail, transformed himself into the hunched, mumbling, ageing Don. Al Ruddy later called it the 'Miracle on Mulholland'.

The executives duly backed down and eventually approved Pacino, too.

Franco Citti as Calo (left) and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone (middle) in The Godfather, the movie based on the novel by Mario Puzo and directed by Francis Ford Coppola

There is so much that makes The Godfather great, but casting is the heart of it. With James Caan, John Cazale and Coppola's own sister Talia Shire as the Don's other children, plus Duvall, and Diane Keaton as Michael's girlfriend Kay, the class shows in every perfectly composed frame.

Compounding that is Coppola's extraordinary flair for storytelling, aided by the superb screenplay, which he and Puzo worked on together. Then, of course, there's Nino Rota's unforgettable music, another triumph for the director, because Evans wanted Henry Mancini, composer of The Pink Panther theme.

Coppola threatened to quit if Rota didn't get the job, and once again he got his way.

The Godfather opened across the United States on March 24, 1972, ten days after its New York premiere, with cinemas ordered not to interrupt its nearly three-hour running-time with a routine intermission. Ruddy and Evans weren't sure what to expect.

Had Coppola made a masterpiece for the ages or a high-profile flop? The premiere audience had received the film in disconcerting silence  but only, it transpired, because they were so overwhelmed.

In less than a fortnight, The Godfather shattered box-office records still held by the 1939 epic Gone With The Wind. Legendary directors such as David Lean and Frank Capra sent Coppola fan letters. And people queued for hours, to the extent that the Los Angeles Times published a list of tips on how to pass the time while doing so.

But mobsters didn't want to have to wait. Ruddy organised a special screening for them, and if he hoped to keep it discreet, he failed.

Outside, about 100 limousines disgorged wise guys and their companions, and the cinema's projectionist later reported that one of them had handed him a $1,000 tip.

Movie executives were fiercely opposed Coppola's choice of Al Pacino (pictured) for the film's other key role, Don Corleone's youngest son, Michael

Mobsters who had tried to stop the film became its most adoring fans. Overnight, they adopted its one-liners. Before The Godfather, no Mafioso talked about making someone an offer he couldn't refuse. It was a Puzo original. But after The Godfather, it became common Mob parlance.

The colossal box-office returns continued to roll in: The Godfather was anointed Best Picture at the 45th Academy Awards and Paramount turned into the most successful and powerful film studio in the world.

Then, two years later, Coppola did it again, making the greatest sequel of all time, The Godfather Part II, which also won Best Picture. As the young Vito Corleone, Robert De Niro won an Oscar. Coppola catapulted him to stardom just as he had Pacino.

The final film in the trilogy followed in 1990 and is the weakest of the three. But it still has many virtues, courtesy of its remarkable director who, with the first two instalments especially, changed Hollywood for ever.

He elevated the art of complex storytelling and compelled studios to invest in a new generation of now-legendary filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and George Lucas.

In that sense, those directors' mid-1970s pictures  Jaws, Taxi Driver and Star Wars  all owe something to The Godfather.

All are great movies. But only one is the greatest.
Sandra Bullock scored a major hit with the apocalyptic-thriller Bird Box (2018), which had been the most viewed film ever on Netflix up until a few weeks ago.

Bullock cemented her own star power with the streaming service when her new film, The Unforgivable, made it into the top 10 of the most watched titles.

Bullock credited her more recent success, in part, to Netflix, and went as far as to say that many actors would be out of work if wasn't for streaming services.

Streaming success: Sandra Bullock, 57, has high praise for streaming services like Netflix, in the wake of her recent films - Bird Box (2018) and The Unforgivable (2021)

'They're good to artists. They're good to filmmakers. If it wasn't for Netflix, a lot of people wouldn't be working. Their stories wouldn't be told,' Bullock told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of The Unforgivable.

The longtime leading lady, who at 57, even joked about still being able to have a viable career as an actor.

'Who would think that me, as a woman, would still be working at this point? I would have been out in the cow pasture. It's true,' she said.

High praise for Netflix: 'They're good to artists. They're good to filmmakers. If it wasn't for Netflix, a lot of people wouldn't be working. Their stories wouldn't be told,' Bullock, 57, told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of The Unforgivable in December' she is pictured in a scene from the drama film The Unforgivable

With the massive success of the Korean series Squid Game setting the example of how storytelling can cross borders and oceans, Bullock also noted how Netflix has welcomed diversity on the platform.

'I've seen more work from other countries told by other nationalities, and we never would have had that 10 years ago, ever,' the Speed star explained.

'It brings people together in a way that really, you know, we're getting more and more divided and yet, we have the streamers that are able to blend our stories together and go, look, same story, just different.'

Top 10: Bullock's films Bird Box (2018) and The Unforgivable (2021) are both in the top 10 of most viewed titles on Netflix in history

The Unforgivable had a limited release on November 24, 2021, and then went on to stream on Netflix beginning on December 10, 2021.

In the drama, Bullock plays Ruth Slater, a woman who attempts to rebuild her life, which includes reuniting with her daughter Katherine (Aisling Franciosi), after spending years in prison for murdering a sheriff.

Along the harrowing journey, her character returns to the scene of the crime, which happens to her old house, now occupied by a couple (Viola Davis and Vincent D'Onofrio).

The film also stars Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Thomas Guiry, Rob Morgan, Emma Nelson, Jessica McLeod, W. Earl Brown, Andrew Francis and Will Pullen,
A catty clip of Joan Rivers trading hilarious barbs with Betty White while guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on April 19, 1983 has gone viral since White's death last Friday.

The brassy blondes - who were 49 and 61 at the time - appeared to have a blast making fun of each other's magazine covers for People Weekly and Kennel Review at the time.

'And if you dare say, "Who's that other bi*** on the cover?" I will never speak to you again for as long as I live,' Betty joked.

TV icons: A catty clip of Joan Rivers (R) trading hilarious barbs with Betty White (L) while guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on April 19, 1983 has gone viral since White's death last Friday

'I am the one in the pink jacket.'

Joan then shaded White over her cover not being for 'a major publication.'

'Not a major publication? If you have dogs I tell you that's a very major publication,' the eight-time Emmy winner replied.

Rivers (born Molinsky) quipped: 'For your career, though, that's a good start.'

Cover girls! The brassy blondes - who were 49 and 61 at the time - appeared to have a blast making fun of each other's magazine covers for People Weekly and Kennel Review at the time

Betty joked: 'And if you dare say, "Who's that other bi*** on the cover?" I will never speak to you again for as long as I live! I am the one in the pink jacket'

Joan then shaded White over her cover not being for 'a major publication'

The Daytime Emmy winner joked that the People Weekly editors wanted the cover to be 'topless' but she said no.

'Weren't you?' Betty sarcastically asked. 'It's so hard to tell.'

At that, Joan clapped back: 'Oh, I bet you'd be funny on a date if you ever had one.'

And White replied: 'Listen, I don't find the G-spot hard to find at all, it's a cinch. Any guy that touches me I say, "Oh gee!"'

The eight-time Emmy winner replied: 'Not a major publication? If you have dogs I tell you that's a very major publication'

Rivers (born Molinsky) quipped: 'For your career, though, that's a good start'

'Weren't you? It's so hard to tell!' The Daytime Emmy winner (R) joked that the People Weekly editors wanted the cover to be 'topless' but she said no

At that, Joan clapped back: 'Oh, I bet you'd be funny on a date if you ever had one'

And White replied: 'Listen, I don't find the G-spot hard to find at all, it's a cinch. Any guy that touches me I say, "Oh gee!"'

Rivers even took the Illinois-born, Hollywood-raised icon to task over her blue blouse and matching pants.

'I asked you to come on tonight and look glamorous and look what you showed up in?' the Brooklyn-born insult comic zinged.

And Betty said: 'I like to think understated is a lot classier than all this other stuff hanging out all over, well it's just ridiculous. The little tassels on everything. Can you get them all going in opposite directions?'

The Hollywood Squares regulars went on to discuss dating at their age, what they love most in a man, and White told a funny story about her and Doris Day arguing with a woman at a restaurant in Pebble Beach.

Reunited! In 2012, Rivers guest-starred as Elka Ostrovsky's (White) long lost twin sister Anka in two episodes of TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland

RIP: The Grammy-winning funnywoman died, age 81, in 2014 from brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen during a routine throat procedure (pictured in 2014)

Funeral will be private: The Illinois-born, Hollywood-raised icon passed away on New Year's Eve peacefully in her sleep from natural causes just 17 days shy of her 100th birthday (pictured in 2019)

In 2012, Rivers guest-starred as Elka Ostrovsky's (Betty) long lost twin sister Anka in two episodes of TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland.

The talented twosome also voiced characters Round and Spike, respectively, in Dereck Joubert's 2000 Disney flick Whispers: An Elephant's Tale.

The Grammy-winning funnywoman Joan died, age 81, in 2014 from brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen during a routine throat procedure.

Hitting US theaters January 17! Betty and her impressive 80-year career will be honored in the star-studded documentary Betty White: A Celebration

And Betty - whose funeral will be private - passed away on New Year's Eve peacefully in her sleep from natural causes just 17 days shy of her 100th birthday.

White and her impressive 80-year career will be honored in the star-studded documentary Betty White: A Celebration, which hits US theaters January 17.

The doc features insights from Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendie Malick, and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
They were love rivals on season five of Married At First Sight in 2018.

But it appears Tracey Jewel has well and truly forgiven Davina Rankin for trying to steal her TV 'husband' Dean Wells.

The mother of two, 38, shared a message of support for the influencer, 29, after she joined the cast of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me of Here! on Wednesday.

No bad blood! It appears Tracey Jewel (pictured) has well and truly forgiven Davina Rankin for trying to steal her TV 'husband' Dean Wells on season five of Married At First Sight in 2018

Tracey wrote on Instagram on Friday morning: 'Lots of people have been asking me about my feelings on Davina being on #ImaCelebrityAU...

'I wish her all the best, MAFS was years ago, we hopefully all move forward in our lives!'

Tracey also confirmed she has no plans to appear on another reality show after her ill-fated stint on Married At First Sight.

'I wish her all the best': The mother of two, 38, shared a message of support for the influencer, 29, after she joined the cast of I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me of Here! on Wednesday

A lot has changed for the two women since they butted heads on MAFS four years ago.

Davina has found love with business owner Jaxon Manuel and they welcomed a daughter, Mila-Mae, in 2019.

Tracey last year married Nathan Constable. They are now parents to a son, Frankie, who is 10 months old.

Moving on: A lot has changed for the two women since they butted heads on MAFS four years ago. Davina has found love with Jaxon Manuel and they welcomed a daughter in 2019

Family: Tracey last year married Nathan Constable. They are now parents to a son, Frankie, who is 10 months old

While Tracey has been able to forgive Davina for her role in the MAFS 'cheating' scandal, the Australian public has not been quite so forgiving.

There were many complaints on Twitter on Wednesday when the former Zoo cover girl arrived in the I'm a Celebrity jungle.

'I hope Davina is the first one voted out,' one viewer tweeted.

Mixed reception: While Tracey has been able to forgive Davina for her role in the MAFS 'cheating' scandal, the Australian public has not been quite so forgiving

'Who the hell is this Davina chick? I thought this was about celebrities,' another complained.

'Scraping the bottom of the barrel with Davina,' a third tweeted.

One viewer couldn't help but laugh at comedian Cal Wilson's reaction to Davina's entrance, saying he clearly had 'absolutely no idea' who she was.

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me of Here! continues Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel 10

Reaction: There were many complaints on Twitter on Wednesday when the former Zoo cover girl arrived in the I'm a Celebrity jungle
KISS bassist Gene Simmons previously made the outrageous claim he'd had sex with 4,800 women during his five-decade-long music career.

And on Friday, 72-year-old rocker confessed he may have fathered some Australian children while on tour in the country.

He was asked by Sunrise host Edwina Bartholomew about his plans for the upcoming KISS tour when he made the startling paternity admission.

Is that you, dad? KISS bassist Gene Simmons (right) confessed on Sunrise on Friday he may have fathered some Australian children while on tour in the country. Left: Sunrise hosts Edwina Bartholomew and Matt Shirvington

He said: 'We have wonderful friends in your government. I am a big fan of Australia. I may have a few children running around in your country, you never know.'

Speaking of his band's upcoming tour, he said they planned to go ahead with the March 2022 shows followed by concerts across South America.

The glam metal star added: 'Truly and without hyperbole, if I was not living in Beverly Hills, I would move to Sydney like that!'

Elsewhere in the interview, Edwina asked on behalf of her co-host Matt Shirvington if Gene could stick out his famously long tongue.

'You never know': He was asked by Sunrise host Edwina Bartholomew about his plans for the upcoming KISS tour when he made the startling paternity admission

Say what? 'I may have a few children running around in your country, you never know,' he said

Back on stage: Speaking of his band's upcoming tour, he said they planned to go ahead with the March 2022 shows followed by concerts across South America

But he politely declined, saying: 'We are on morning television in Australia, and it is hideous, and I looked down at the floor just now and it is dirty. So, no.'

Before wrapping up the interview, Edwina joked: 'If you are a child in Australia with an unusually long tongue, you may in fact be related to Gene Simmons.'

In 2016, Gene told The Sun he had photographic evidence of sexual partners but was made to burn them all by his now wife, Playboy model Shannon Tweed, before they married in 2011 after 28 years of dating.

Cleaning up his act: In 2016, Gene told The Sun he had photographic evidence of sexual partners but was made to burn them all by his now wife, Playboy model Shannon Tweed (right), before they married in 2011 after 28 years of dating

Burning up: He said, 'I didn't do drugs in the crazy times but I did do sex. Did I sleep with 4,800 women? So they tell me. I did have the Polaroids to prove it, oh yes. Most of them were burned'

He said: 'I didn't do drugs in the crazy times but I did do sex. Did I sleep with 4,800 women? So they tell me.'

'I did have the Polaroids to prove it, oh yes. But most of them were burned,' he added, calling it a 'ritual' he and his wife shared.

Gene and Sophie married in 2011 and are parents to son Nick, 32, and daughter Sophie, 29.
John Mulaney's marriage to Annamarie Tendler is officially over after drug rehabilitation and welcoming a child with Olivia Munn.

The comedian, 39, signed the papers to end his marriage to his wife of seven years, 36, TMZ reported.

The two ended things on Thursday according to the legal filing. Mulaney filed from divorce from Tendler about five months ago.

Officially done: John Mulaney signed the papers Thursday to end his marriage to his wife of seven years Annamarie Tendler, TMZ reported (pictured 2019)

The end of the couple's relationship came during a year of huge changes in the former Saturday Night Live writer's life.

Mulaney went to rehab last year for an addiction to cocaine and other substances. He went a few months after he separated from Tendler.

After getting out, Mulaney started a relationship with actress Olivia Munn that soon resulted in a pregnancy. Their son, Malcom Hiep, was born in November.

End of a difficult year: The two ended things on Thursday according to the legal filing. Mulaney filed from divorce from Tendler about five months ago (pictured 2019)

Mulaney moved on: Mulaney started a relationship with actress Olivia Munn that soon resulted in a pregnancy. Their son, Malcom, was born in November (Munn pictured 2021)

The couple have since posted several photos of their little one including an image where Mulaney pretended to cook their boy.

Munn wrote on the photo, 'LOL Daddy's New Banh Bao Recipe.'

While Munn and Mulaney seem happy with Malcolm, Tendler recently opened up about what she called a 'harsh and punishing' year.

Doting dad: The couple have since posted several photos of their little one including an image where Mulaney pretended to cook their boy

Tendler talks difficulties via social media: The makeup artist opened up about the difficulties of the past year in a social media post from last Friday (pictured 2017)

'My own brain is well acquainted with the elusiveness of hope that materializes in sporadic and ephemeral waves. I suppose, in part, this is what it means to live with depression and anxiety,' the Connecticut-born 36-year-old - who boasts 535K Instagram/TikTok followers - wrote last Friday.

'That said, melancholia is oft amplified by circumstance and the circumstances of my year have been harsh and punishing. I find myself asking, "When will I feel normal?" But in reality, I recognize that the normal from before has expired; "normal" is an impossibility, there is only "new."'

Anna went on to discuss the 'unfathomable collective loss' the world has suffered amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of 5.4M people since March 2020.

'Here's to all the things we did this year to cope and here's to all we will do next year to heal,' Tendler continued.

'An infinite history of pain and suffering occurred before this time, yet here we all are, surviving and creating and laughing at TikTok videos. So long 2021. For better or worse I will carry a piece of you with me forever.'

John went public with the pregnancy this September on Late Night With Seth Meyers, whose host had been part of his intervention last year.

He showered praise on Olivia for having 'dealt with' his newly sober self and said, 'She's kind of held my hand through that hell, and we're having a baby together.'

During the interview he revealed that the first time he was introduced to Olivia was at Seth's wedding on Martha's Vineyard in 2013.

The way they were: John proposed to Anna Marie, a makeup artist, in 2013 and they tied the knot in July 2014; they are pictured at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar party

He gushed about their 'incredible' new relationship, saying: 'Olivia and this baby have helped save me from myself in this early journey out of recovery.'

John entered a 60-day stint at a treatment facility for cocaine addiction and alcoholism in December 2020, Page Six revealed.

His separation from his estranged wife went public in mid-May of this year and he finally filed for divorce in July in New York.

When news broke of his marriage breakup this May, Page Six insiders said that John requested a divorce from Anna Marie as early as February.

'I am heartbroken that John has decided to end our marriage,' she said when the split was announced. 'I wish him support and success as he continues his recovery.'

John proposed to Anna Marie, a makeup artist, in 2013 and they tied the knot in July 2014 in a ceremony officiated by Dan Levy of Schitt's Creek fame.

Personal pals: John went public with the pregnancy this September on Late Night With Seth Meyers, whose host had been part of his intervention last year

Breaking the news: He showered praise on Olivia for having 'dealt with' his newly sober self 'and she's kind of held my hand through that hell, and we're having a baby together'

A few days after their separation was announced in May a People source claimed that John had become romantically involved with Olivia.

AJ Benza alleged on his podcast Fame Is A B**** that Anna Marie was at rehab at Silver Hill in Connecticut around the same time John was in treatment.

Shortly thereafter a Page Six source claimed that emotional problems and 'eating disorders' had caused Anna Marie to go to Silver Hill.

The insider claimed Anna Marie declined to discuss any marital problems she may have been having but insisted it was 'clear she suffered during their marriage.'

Reaching out: When John entered rehab at the end of last year Olivia was one of the many celebrities who sent him well wishes; she is pictured at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar party

MailOnline contacted Anna Marie's representatives for comment.

Meanwhile when John entered rehab at the end of last year Olivia was one of the many celebrities who sent him well wishes.

'Sending SO MUCH love and support to John Mulaney,' the Love Wedding Repeat actress wrote on Twitter. 'You got this.'

A couple of years ago John revealed in an Esquire profile that he was only 13 years old when he first began drinking.

Meanwhile: Olivia's dating history includes Suicide Squad actor Joel Kinnaman and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers; Olivia and Aaron are pictured together in 2016

'I wasn't a good athlete, so maybe it was some young male thing of: "This is the physical feat I can do. Three Vicodin and a tequila and I'm still standing. Who's the athlete now?"' quipped the Oh Hello star.

Meanwhile Olivia's dating history includes Suicide Squad actor Joel Kinnaman and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

She told Variety last year that 'I never have ever been that girl' who has the perfect wedding mapped out for herself in her head.

'The idea of getting married has always made me a little.It gives me.I dont know what that word is for...Im like: "Its hot in here, right?" Its like: "Really?"...Yeah, I just feel like to pick one person forever,' said Olivia.
She welcomed twins with actor Joel Edgerton in May.

And Vogue fashion director Christine Centenera posted a rare Instagram selfie on Friday to show off her post-baby body.

The mother of two, 40, looked chic in an outfit by Wardrobe.NYC comprising a mini skirt, T-shirt and bomber jacket.

Fashion stylist: Vogue fashion director Christine Centenera, who welcomed twins with actor Joel Edgerton in May, posted a rare Instagram selfie on Friday to show off her post-baby body

She said her outfit was a collaboration between Wardrobe.NYC and Carhartt.

Christine was last seen with Joel earlier this week when they were on a family holiday on the NSW South Coast.

Joel had announced his children's arrival during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in May, saying Christine had given birth a few days earlier in Sydney.

Power couple: Christine was last seen with partner Joel (left) earlier this week when they were on a family holiday on the NSW South Coast. Pictured in London on February 17, 2019

'I just ran away from the hospital for a moment. I can't even put it into words. I'm in love,' the filmmaker said.

The Secret Life of Us star revealed he was worried about missing the birth because he was filming a project interstate.

'I was very nervous because I was working in Queensland and there are some border issues with Sydney and Queensland that pop up,' he said.

Welcome: Joel had announced his children's arrival during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in May, saying Christine had given birth a few days earlier in Sydney

'I was getting very nervous that I'd get stuck.'

Fortunately, Joel was able to leave the set and return to Sydney in time for his children's arrival.

The notoriously private couple started dating in 2018




People wait to get tested for COVID-19 at a testing center in Seoul, Jan. 7. Yonhap



South Korea's daily coronavirus cases fell below 4,000 for the first time in three days Friday as the country is speeding up booster vaccination shots amid persistent concerns over the potentially more transmissible Omicron variant.



The country added 3,717 new COVID-19 infections, including 3,529 local infections, raising the total caseload to 657,508, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).



The figure was down 409 from the previous day's tally and 1,158 fewer than a week earlier. This also marked the first time in three days that the daily cases have fallen to the 3,000s following 4,443 on Wednesday and 4,125 on Thursday.



South Korea reported 45 more COVID-19 deaths, raising the death toll to 5,932, the KDCA said. The figure was lower than the previous day's 49 deaths, and the fatality rate was 0.9 percent.



The number of critically ill COVID-19 patients stood at 839, down 43 from the previous day. The figure has stayed below 1,000 for four consecutive days.






He's spent the last 18 months between the Guadeloupe Islands where Death in Paradise is filmed and his American fiancee's Florida home after pandemic restrictions made travel back to the UK difficult.

But Ralf Little, 41, had some strong feelings about Britain after coming home to visit family over Christmas, with the actor branding his home country 'horrible' due to the weather.

He told the Mirror: 'I hate to say this, but Im over it. Im from Manchester so grew up in the cold, wet and drizzle.

Bold opinion: Ralf Little, 41, had some strong feelings about Britain's weather after coming home to visit family over Christmas, with the actor branding his home country 'horrible'

'I was back two days and was like, "this sucks'. Ive been away for 18 months and not been cold.

'As I was flying in to Heathrow I looked out the window and as far as I could see, stretching out across the horizon, was thick cloud.'

Ralf, who is engaged to screenwriter Lindsey Ferrentino and lives in Los Angeles, has enjoyed playing his Death in Paradise character DI Neville Parker while filming in the tropics.

Jet set: He's spent the last 18 months between the Guadeloupe Islands where Death in Paradise is filmed and his American fiancee, screenwriter Lindsey Ferrentino's, Florida home

He insists he has 'the best job in TV' both for the location and because the BBC show has become 'iconic'.

The star praises the show's writers for keeping viewers on their toes by including a puzzle and murder in each episode, both of which are resolved by the end, along with red herrings and plot twists.

In the UK, Death in Paradise gets eight million viewers and it has been sold to 90 countries around the world.

Loved-up: Ralf has also stayed at his American screenwriter fiancee Lindsey Ferrentino's Florida home over the last 18 months (pictured 2018)

Ralf's comments come after it emerged his Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisp co-star Will Mellor has two scripts ready for a reboot of the popular sitcom.

Speaking in a new interview, the actor, 45, who played Gaz Wilkinson in the BBC3 sitcom told how the show will be a spin-off focusing in his character and Gaz's best pal Jonny Keogh, noting: 'Fans are going mad for it, so we've got the audience.'

However, the actor and creator Susan Nickson's plans to the new series has hit a major snag as Will admitted that the BBC have rejected their proposal for the show.

In the making: Ralf's comments come after it emerged his Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisp co-star Will Mellor has two scripts ready for a reboot of the popular sitcom

Uh oh: However, the actor and creator Susan Nickson's plans to the new series has hit a major snag as Will admitted that the BBC have rejected their proposal for the show

Speaking about the revamp, he told the Daily Star: 'We've got the scripts - It's Called Two Pints: Last Orders. It's revamped. It's a spin-off about Gaz and Johnny, and it's really funny.

'It's been brought up to the modern day but Gaz and Johnny are still very old school and sit in the pub talking about pies and beer.'

Going on to speak of the BBC's refusal to make the show, the former Coronation Street star told how they're on the hunt for other broadcasters to take on the series.

He continued: 'Fans are going mad for it, so we've got the audience. The BBC said no, they don't want to revisit Two Pints. Now we're going to look for someone else, whether it's another channel, whether it's Britbox or Netflix, because there's a massive audience for this.'
The Apprentice candidate Amy Anzel has claimed she sang the jingles for Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Burger King during the series' opening episode on Thursday.

Insisting it to be true, the beauty brand owner, 48, reeled off the household names while her competitors looked at each other in surprise.

An unconvinced Lord Sugar replied: 'Is that true or is that a whopper?' before the boardroom of contestants burst into laughter.

Impressive: The Apprentice candidate Amy Anzel has claimed she sang the jingles for Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Burger King during the series' opening episode on Thursday

She proudly declared: 'Yes, McDonald's, Burger King, Coca-Cola, I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing.'

The aforementioned title was a popular Coca-Cola advert, which originated in 1971 - a year before Amy was born - before being re-produced in 1980.

An eight-year-old Amy would have appeared with hundreds of other extras as they gathered around a Christmas tree for the festive commercial.

Decades later, she was accused of being homophobic by John Barrowman in 2013, after she told a dancer to 'strip away the gay' before asking if he was homosexual on national TV.

Hilarious: An unconvinced Lord Sugar replied: 'Is that true or is that a whopper?' before the boardroom of contestants burst into laughter

The beauty brand owner starred on Channel 4's Sound Of Musicals and judged auditionees for her production debut of Happy Days.

At the time the show aired, a stunned John, 54, took to Twitter blasting Amy for her comments which he viewed as offensive to the LBGTQ+ community.

Amy has since insisted the comments have been taken completely out of context and dismissed any suggestion of homophobia.

She told MailOnline: 'Unfortunately this comment was taken completely out of context. In reality, I was giving a dancer creative direction during an audition for a show that I was producing.

Throwback: I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing was a popular Coca-Cola advert, which originated in 1971 - a year before Amy was born - before being re-produced in 1980

'To suggest that Im even slightly homophobic is completely untrue. Im a huge supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, always have been and always will be.'

The incident happened when dancer Steven Hardcastle was auditioning for the show, based on the popular TV series set in 1950's America.

Actress Amy suggested Steven needed to fit in with his character and requested him to 'strip away the gay'.

When he didn't react, Amy was forced to confirm, 'You are gay, right?' She then followed up with: 'I love my gays!'

Controversy: She was accused of being homophobic by John Barrowman in 2013, after she told a dancer to 'strip away the gay' before asking if he was homosexual on national TV

The moment sparked outrage, particularly from West End icon John.

John tweeted: 'Holly s**t! Did Amy Anzul [sic] actually say that about gay's? I love my gays, strip away the gay.'

According to her IMDb profile, she also appeared as Mrs. Zane in 2013's Kick Ass 2, as well as a contestant on American reality show The Bachelor in 2002.

Her time on the ABC favourite was unfortunately short-lived since she was sent packing her bags in just week two - a fate she is hoping not to suffer on The Apprentice.

Upset: At the time the show aired, John, 54, took to Twitter blasting Amy for her comments which he viewed as offensive to the LBGTQ+ community (pictured May 2020)

According to The Sun, she said at the time: 'It was just another way to meet somebody.

'I'm sick of the scene. I've done bars, I've done clubs, I've done online dating. I've been set up and obviously nothing's worked because I'm still single.

'I figured this was another way to get a date and ABC would do the legwork for me. I had nothing to lose.'

The Apprentice airs Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One, followed by You're Fired on BBC Two. Watch live and on-demand on BBC iPlayer.

Shock: According to her IMDb profile, she also appeared as Mrs. Zane in 2013's Kick Ass 2, as well as a contestant on American reality show The Bachelor in 2002 (pictured 2013)

THE APPRENTICE 2022: MEET THE MEN AARON WILLIS, 38 Occupation: Flight Operations Instructor Lives in: Chorley, Lancashire Key information: Having served in the RAF for 12 years as Flight Operations Instructor, Aaron has set out to start his own security business. He says: 'My strongest point is that I can sell to anybody and I think that's the reason why my business will be a success, because people will buy from me.' AKSHAY THAKRAR, 28 Occupation: Owner, Digital Marketing Agency Lives in: London Key information: Referring to himself as a man who believes sleeping is a 'waste of time' he also claims his first word as a newborn was profit'. He says: 'My friends call me AK 47 because I'm a killer salesperson.' CONOR GILSENAN, 28 Occupation: Sales Executive and former Professional Rugby Player Lives in: London Key information: Hard working and 'hyper motivated by money', ex rugby player Conor describes himself as a 'corporate panther' with a record for getting deals done and who will win this series. He says: 'I'm going to be the corporate panther in the boardroom, I'm going to get it done, and I'm going to be Lord Sugar's perfect business partner.' NAVID SOLE, 27 Occupation: Pharmacist Lives in: London Key information: Qualified pharmacist and Nicki Minaj superfan Navid aspires to create a successful pharmacy business with the help and expertise of Lord Sugar. He says: 'Nothing intimidates me because I just feel like I'm a strong character, strong person, strong mindset.' AKEEM BUNDU KAMARA, 29 Occupation: Strategy Manager for a Financial Firm Lives in: London Key information: Akeem considers himself a people's person who loves being around others, however as a 'numbers guy', his analytical ability often causes him to think carefully about his every move, as he claims he will come in with a 'calculated point of view.' He says: 'My growing up has made me who I am, I'm able to converse with everyone, but also able to show that financial, business side to myself.' ALEX SHORT, 27 Occupation: Owner, Commercial Cleaning Company Lives in: Hertford Key information: With big goals for his commercial cleaning business, Alex is driven, focused and is 'not going to stop' until he gets where he wants to go. He says: 'I would compare myself to a Ferrari, shiny on the outside but under the bonnet, there is a lot of fire and I'm coming for you.' HARRY MAHMOOD, 35 Occupation: Regional Operations Manager Lives in: West Midlands Key information: Inspired by the kindness of his grandparents, Harry wants to help and support people. He says: 'Everything I've looked into achieving, I've achieved I've literally done everything I've put my mind to.' NICK SHOWERING, 31 Occupation: Finance Manager Lives in: London Key information: After 'working in the shadow of his family's business', qualified accountant Nick hopes to make a name for himself in the drinks industry with his line of flavoured water. He says: 'In business I'm a bit of a force to be reckoned with I know what I'm talking about, I know how things work, and I'm extremely experienced So, I'm a bit of an animal in the boardroom' Advertisement
Being a working mom in Hollywood can be a tough road to navigate, especially for first-time mothers like Diane Kruger.

Like so many other mothers, Kruger was fearful to leave her daughter, whom she shares with fiance, and Walking Dead star, Norman Reedus, for any extended time.

In a new interview with Extra, the actress opens up about her experience making the film The 355 - which was her first project since giving birth - and how her fellow female cast members helped her through any fear she had over returning to work.

Diane Kruger, 45, opened up about how she feared she would have 'separation anxiety' after returning to work on The 355 after giving birth, and how her female co-stars helped put her fears at ease on the set

In The 355, Kruger stars alongside a bevy of beauties that includes Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Lupita Nyongo, and Fan Bingbing; some of which have children of their own.

While on set, it didn't take long before Kruger felt like she could lean on some of the women for advice on how to handle being away from her baby girl.

'My daughter was 6 months. I was just worried, is she going to forget about me? I had extreme separation anxiety,' the German native, 45, confessed.

Kruger revealed that the supportive work environment on the set of The 355 helped her get past her fears of being a working mom; the German native is pictured with three of her co-stars on The 355: Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain and Lupita Nyong'o

It also helped that Kruger found the work environment to be very supportive.

'It felt like a very warm and welcoming set, a set where I felt like I was heard and seen, I was invited to collaborate,' she revealed, before adding, 'Those girls are also great actresses, so it also felt like we were playing off of each other.'

Kruger, who's best known for her roles in such films as Troy (2004), National Treasure (2004) and Inglourious Basterds (2009), confessed that she was empowered by how some of her co-stars were able to balance their lives as working moms.

'It was empowering to see Jessica [Chastain] has kids, Penelope [Cruz] has kids, how they manage to do it all and where they put the priorities and where they also say no,' she explained.

The actress is pictured with fiance, and Walking Dead star, Norman Reedus in October 2021

Inspired: Kruger confessed that she was empowered by how some of her co-stars were able to balance their lives as working moms; the actress' daughter is pictured with Minnie Mouse

The moms also had the befit of having a trailer on set for the kids, compliments of Chastain, who happens to also be among the producers of The 355.

'Jessica always made sure wherever we were, there was a trailer for all the kids to play,' she explained, adding, 'To be able to have lunch with your kid every day was very special.'

The 355 tells the story of a CIA agent who teams up with other international agents to recover a top-secret weapon, in a mission to prevent a terrorist group from destroying the world.

Directed by Simon Kinberg, who's best known for his work on the X-Men film franchise, the spy action film premieres in the United States on Friday, January 7.
Screw

Rating:

Andy Warhol's America

Rating:

Make way for the new generation. What use is decades of experience when today's youngsters leave school already knowing everything?

The fast-moving and deftly drawn prison drama Screw (C4) pits cynical and overworked warders against the devious, violent inmates of C Wing. But the real conflict is between youth and age, new brooms and old hands.

Nina Sosanya plays senior officer Leigh Henry, who's been doing the job so long she can quell trouble just by raising an eyebrow. When one con goes on the rampage wearing his tattoos and nothing else, Leigh halts him in his tracks with a stare. 'What is that, Yoyo?' she demands, pointing below his waist. 'Has it always been that shape?'

The fast-moving and deftly drawn prison drama Screw (C4) pits cynical and overworked warders against the devious, violent inmates of C Wing

Mortified, the villain allows himself to be led away. She knows what spells genuine menace  such as the disappearance of a lavatory seat. That prompts a full lockdown with prisoners confined to their cells, while Leigh's team conduct a fingertip search of every landing.

There's only one reason to nick a loo seat . . . and that's to break it into plastic shards to make a knife.

Her colleagues know she is irreplaceable. 'You're the best masochist for the job,' says one, who also knows the secret of why her boss puts in such long hours: Leigh can't stand to go home, and prefers to sleep in an empty cell.

All her time-worn knowledge counts for little in the eyes of the new governor (Karan Gill), who looks like a reject from a boy band. He's assessing Leigh for promotion  but he'd rather see her retire.

'There are those who prefer the more experienced staff to make way for new people,' he remarks, adding that he was just eight years old when she started at the prison.

Not every novice brings a guarantee of fresh enthusiasm and better practices. Probationer Rose (Jamie-Lee O'Donnell) says she applied for the job because she got fed up with her job in a call centre.

All her time-worn knowledge counts for little in the eyes of the new governor (Karan Gill), who looks like a reject from a boy band. He's assessing Leigh for promotion  but he'd rather see her retire

But at least one of the inmates recognises her from the outside world. A cliffhanger ending left us wondering whether Rose is working for an organised crime gang.

Screw is tightly constructed, with a barrage of rapid, overlapping incidents and longer, interwoven storylines. It's a long way from Porridge, but it has sharp jokes, too.

Stephen Wight is relishing his role as sexist, racist, boorish officer Gary. He nicknames one of his colleagues 'Swiss' because he is 'nowhere to be seen when the fighting starts'.

Rolling his eyes, Gary predicts trouble with the 'benefit frauds . . . sorry, asylum-seekers'. There's a lot more where those one-liners came from, but none of them is printable.

There was a strong sense in Andy Warhol's America (BBC2) that many of the anecdotes about this enigmatic genius were unprintable, too.

One old friend, a photographer, explained that the artist 'didn't give a ^%&'. He paused, as though he'd sworn in church: 'Can I say '^%&'?'

Then he gave a shoulder-rolling New York shrug: 'Ah, you'll cut it out.' The story is well documented, of how this momma's boy from Pittsburgh electrified the Big Apple with his exaggerated effeminacy and screen prints of soup can labels.

But the archive footage brings it alive, showing us not just Andy but the pretentious milieu in which he moved.

Film from one 1960s art exhibition was hilarious. A young man in suit and tie opined that pop art was already passe.

He was vigorously contradicted by a terribly English woman in a gauze hat: 'Pop art is here for a very long time.'

Then, as now, you can say anything about art if you're clutching a glass of champagne.

Forgotten star of the night: Monty Python's Carol Cleveland, 79, was one of the diners looking for love on First Dates (C4). Carol appeared on more than 30 episodes of the surreal comedy. You can't help thinking, if it was John Cleese or Eric Idle, there'd be more fuss.
Anna Nicole Smith will be the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary examining her rise to fame and tragic death at age 39.

The streaming service announced Thursday that the untitled film from director Ursula Macfarlane will feature never-before-seen footage of Smith from a previously unreleased documentary.

Smith died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in February 2007 in a Hollywood, Florida hotel room.

Netflix documentary: Anna Nicole Smith, shown in July 1994 in Las Vegas, will be the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary examining her rise to fame and tragic death at age 39

'I approached Anna Nicole's story as an epic mystery tale. How did someone with so much charisma and jaw-dropping beauty, with the world at her feet, fall so far, so quickly?,' director Macfarlane said in a statement.

'Now feels like the right time to re-examine the life of yet another beautiful young woman whose life has been picked over and ultimately destroyed by our culture,' she added.

Her statement concluded: 'I am thrilled to work with Netflix and Propagate to make a moving, unflinching and sensitive portrayal of one of the most misunderstood women of our time.'

Smith, born name Vickie Lynn Hogan, married 89-year-old oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall II in 1994 after she met him while performing at a strip club.

Tragic death: Smith, shwon in February 2004 in New York City, died of an accidental prescription drug overdose in February 2007 in a Hollywood, Florida hotel room

The Houston native rose to fame as a Guess model and was Playboy's 1993 Playmate of the Year.

She later starred in her own E! reality series The Anna Nicole Show.

Smith was survived by her daughter Dannielynn Birkhead, 15.

Older husband: Smith married 89-year-old oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall II in 1994 after she met him while performing at a strip club nd they are shown in 1995

Famous model: The Houston native, shown in July 2005 in Hollywood, Florida, rose to fame as a Guess model and was Playboy's 1993 Playmate of the Year

Her son Daniel died in September 2006 at age 20 of an accidental drug overdose in the Bahamas just three days after Dannielynn was born.

Larry Birkhead, 48, filed a paternity case after Dannielynn's birth and a DNA test confirmed that he was her father.

The documentary currently is in production and does not yet have a release date.
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Kanye West's new flame Julia Fox has penned a 217 word account on her first two dates with the rapper, which included a trip to New York City.

Detailing their 'instant connection' after meeting in Miami on New Year's Eve to Interview Magazine, the actress, 31, described the 44-year-old Grammy winner's generosity and 'fun' energy.

The article also contained a slew of images documenting their epic night out, from the many kisses they shared to the hotel suite full of clothing Kanye had surprised Julia with.

XOXO: Julia Fox kissed Kanye West in a series of images taken for Interview Magazine where she chronicled their date night

Romantic: Kanye West's rumored new flame Julia Fox penned a short article about her first two dates with the rapper, which included a trip to New York City; seen together on Tuesday night in Greenwich Village

'He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night. We decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see Slave Play,' she gushed.

The Uncut Gems star continued: 'Ye's flight landed at six and the play was at seven and he was there ON TIME. I was impressed. After the play we chose to do dinner at Carbone which is one of my favorite restaurants.'

'At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined,' she added. 'After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, I'm still in shock. Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes.'

She said the move was 'every girl's dream come true' and 'felt like a real Cinderella moment.'

XOXO: The lovedbirds got handsy as they shared a kiss

Lean on me: Julia closed her eyes as she cuddled her new flame

Hot and heavy: Fox straddled West inside the closet

Kiss me! The hit-maker wrapped his arms around Fox as things got hot

'I don't know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time. But I was so surprised. Like, who does things like this on a second date? Or any date!' she marveled.

Fox concluded her piece by writing: 'Everything with us has been so organic. I don't know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I'm loving the ride.'

There were also some very intimate snaps of their date night shared on Interview's Instagram which showed the two with their heads together as they kissed and even one where Julia straddled Ye in front of a clothing rack.

Pucker up: As she tried on her jeans, she appeared to be giving Kanye a kiss

Fashionista: Fox wore a textured jacket and skintight leggings

Another photo shared by Julia includes the shoot at Carbone, in which West and 'Slave Play' writer Jeremy O. Harris can be seen in the background.

Harris also shared 'proof' of West directing Fox, 31, during the Interview Magazine photo shoot over dinner via Twitter.

In the clip shared by the 32-year-old playwright, the Uncut Gems actress could be seen striking her best poses as Ye could be heard off camera saying: 'No best I'm telling you this is good don't worry. He's looking like "Oh how long is this going for."'

Style me: West helped fit Julia into her new clothing

Getting comfortable: Julia wore a pair of shades as she sat inside the intimate area

Harris shared a link to Fox's essay with the caption: 'Id only third wheel for Ye and Julia.'

He followed it up with the video as he wrote alongside it: '"At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined!"

'Its true. I have the proof.'

On her Instagram Story, Julia hinted to going through some struggles as she reposted a meme, which read: 'My mental status is: if you give me a long hug I might start crying.'

Smile! The Stronger rapper beamed with happiness as he sat beside Julia

Despite their romance feeling like it was ripped right out of a fairytale, her Prince Charming's love life has been quite complicated since his estranged wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce last February.

In addition to wooing Fox, this week, he was also spotted looking cozy with Puerto Rican pop artist Audri Nix in Miami on a hotel balcony together on New Year's Day.

And less than 24 hours after whisking Fox to the Big Apple, he spent more time with Nix at a gated property.

'Every girl's dream come true': Fox tried on the rack of clothing Kanye had supplied for her

Va va voom: She showed off her G-string trousers while posing for Kanye at Carbone

Hours before Fox shared PDA-heavy images of their second date, which showed them hugging and kissing with Interview, the validity of their relationship was called into question.

Following reports that his ex Kim Kardashian sees the 'romance' as an 'attempt to make her jealous', Ye is said to be documenting his many dates with his own media team.

A source told Page Six that Kanye has brought along the photographers as part of a larger project documenting his life.

Strike a pose: Julia strutted down the hallway towards the superstar

Contemplative: West watched on with a wine glass in hand and leaned against a doorframe

They explained: 'He's decided to take matters into his own hands. He has an incredible life, he meets the craziest people on the planet. He realized maybe he should have an album of his life.'

The high profile romance has not gone down well with ex Kim, who is currently dating Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson.

A source told The Sun: 'Kim thinks it's comical Kanye went from begging her to come back to showcasing his new girl all over the city within days.

'It felt like a real Cinderella moment': High heels, a tote bag, and petite handbag sat neatly inside a shelf

Smitten: Detailing their 'instant connection' after meeting in Miami on New Year's Eve to Interview Magazine , the actress, 31, described the 44-year-old Grammy winner's generosity and 'fun' energy

Going public: 'Slave Play' writer Jeremy O. Harris shared 'proof' of West directing Fox, 31, during the Interview Magazine photo shoot over dinner via Twitter

Romantic: Just a month after making a public appeal to his ex Kim Kardashian, to 'run right back' to him at a benefit concert in Los Angeles, images showed the rapper, 44, cozying up to Fox, 31, on their second date night

In the inner circle: Harris shared a link to Fox's essay with the caption: 'Id only third wheel for Ye and Julia'

'She knows it's not serious and is just typical hijinks from Kanye,' a source told The Sun.

'Kim thinks it's another desperate attempt to make her jealous. She honestly doesn't care, she's very over him at this point so his little game isn't working.'

Page Six confirmed West and Fox's romance last week, with an insider insisting the two are dating. They 'both just got out of their former relationships, and they've helped each other recover immensely.' the outlet revealed.

Julia has previously insisted she's not one 'to wait for things to be handed to me,' and with just a handful of appearances with Kanye she has seen her fame skyrocket.

Evidence: He followed it up with the video as he wrote alongside it: '"At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined!" 'Its true. I have the proof.'

'After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, I'm still in shock. Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes,' she gushed (pictured in 2020)

Emotional: On her Instagram Story, however, she hinted to going through some struggles as she reposted a meme, which read: 'My mental status is: if you give me a long hug I might start crying'

Born in Italy to her Italian mum and American dad, after her parents split Julia spent the first six years of her life being raised by her grandfather in Sirona before making the move to be with her father in New York.

She has previously talked about her 'unstable' upbringing which saw her move from borough to borough. At one point she was homeless.

She also admitted to Rolling Stone in a 2020 interview that she stole clothes to try and emmulate the wealthy women she saw around Manhattan, eventually getting arrested for shoplifting at Bloomingdale's.

'You're seeing this really extravagant display of wealth, and you're trying to look like that, but you have to do it by stealing.' At 15 she ran away with her drug-dealer boyfriend but because of the free spirited lifestyle her father allowed her, no one realised she was missing for three weeks.

Split: Despite their romance feeling like it was ripped right out of a fairytale, her Prince Charming's love life has been quite complicated since his estranged wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce last February

In her late teens she worked as a dominatrix, earning money and building her confidence while still in high school. She dabbled in art and started a knitwear business before setting her heart on acting.

She landed her first acting role in Adam Sandler's 2019 Netflix hit Uncut Gems, with the part of Sandler's girlfriend Julia written for her.

She had struck up a friendship via social media with the filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie, who pushed for her to get the role even after producers Martin Scorsese and Scott Rudin argued for a bigger name.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Julia explained how 'Josh would hit me up every few months and ask me for suggestions on the character. Of course, I molded her to be what I wanted her to be, which conveniently was also what Josh wanted her to be.'

Rising star: Julia has previously insisted she's not one 'to wait for things to be handed to me,' and with just a handful of appearances with Kanye she has seen her fame skyrocket

Before acting she dabbled in filmmaking, photography and writing, but Julia has insisted that she always knew she wanted to be in the film industry, 'and I'm not one to wait for things to be handed to me.'

Next up for Julia is the lead role in the recently announced Upper Cut: Highlights of My Hollywood Life, an adaptation of the internationally bestselling memoir by Carrie White.

The film tells the story of the 'First Lady of Hairdressing' and her addiction and recovery. White was the most high-profile hair stylist of her day, working on shoots with Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis and more.

But behind the glamorous career, her world was fuelled by champagne and vodka, pills, cocaine, and heroin. The movie is due to start filming this year.

A source told The Sun: 'Kim thinks it's comical Kanye went from begging her to come back to showcasing his new girl all over the city within days

Humble beginnings: Born in Italy to her Italian mum and American dad, after her parents split Julia spent the first six years of her life being raised by her grandfather in Sirona before making the move to be with her father in New York; seen in September

Actress: She landed her first acting role in Adam Sandler's 2019 Netflix hit Uncut Gems, with the part of Sandler's girlfriend Julia written for her; seen in December

Away from her blossoming career, Julia shares a son, Valentino, 11 months with her private pilot husband Peter Artemiev, whom she married in 2018.

Last month Julia took to Instagram to call out her estranged husband, accusing him of turning his back on her and their son, and calling him a 'dead beat alcoholic drug addict dad.'

Julia ripped her ex in a series of recent Instagram Stories posts, sharing an image of Artemiev and writing, 'Have you seen this deadbeat dad?' and said he be found 'at most strip clubs, Lucien, Paul's [Baby Grand], Casablanca, the streets etc.'

Coming soon: Next up for Julia is the lead role in the recently announced Upper Cut: Highlights of My Hollywood Life, an adaptation of the internationally bestselling memoir by Carrie White

Mama: Away from her blossoming career, Julia shares a son, Valentino, 11 months with her private pilot husband Peter Artemiev, whom she married in 2018

Fox said that it was 'traumatic' for her to review the screenshots, videos and photos related to her claims about Artemiev, including a clip in which he was calling her names, according to Page Six.

'I can't even do it anymore,' said Fox, who welcomed son Valentino with Artemiev in February of 2021. 'I just don't want my son f***ed up cuz he feels like his dad was absent or loved alcohol and partying more than him ... this man left me with a 5 month old and a dog and a home and ALL THE BILLS. It's wrong!!! It's not fair!!!'

In a separate post, a follower told Fox that her acting career could suffer amid the public vitriol. She said in response, 'This is MY SON'S LIFE we are talking about - I don't give a f*** about my 'acting career.'''

She added: 'My son loves his dad. I've accepted that his Dad refuses to present and I've made peace with it but I'm sure as s*** gonna work the public.'
Denzel Washington said he doesn't recall a clash with Ellen Pompeo when he directed an episode of Greys Anatomy in 2016.

The Oscar-winning actor, 67, spoke with Variety in a piece published Thursday, in which he was asked about the incident with Pompeo, 52, when he was directing an episode titled The Sound of Silence in the show's 12th season.

Washington said that he didn't recall the incident, telling the publication, 'No, no ... but its all good.'

The latest: Denzel Washington, 67, said Thursday that he doesn't recall a clash with Ellen Pompeo, 52, when he directed an episode of Greys Anatomy in 2016

Pompeo opened up about her clash with Washington last September on her podcast Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo, saying that they had words after she improvised in a scene with another actor.

In the podcast, in which she spoke with former co-star Patrick Dempsey, 55, Pompeo said that the actor she was working with 'made this choice to speak very softly,' and Washington yelled at her after she gave the actor instruction.

'I was like, "Look at me when you apologize. Look at me." And that wasn't in the dialogue,' Pompeo said. 'And Denzel went ham on my a**. He was like, "I'm the director. Don't you tell him what to do."'

'I was like, "Listen, motherf***er, this is my show, this is my set. Who are you telling?"'

Washington said that he didn't recall the incident, as he said, 'No, no ... but its all good'

Pompeo chalked up their clash to the nature of the business

Pompeo said she has the 'utmost respect for [Washington] as an actor and director,' and chalked up their clash to the nature of the business.

'We didn't get through it without a fight, but that's actors for you,' Pompeo said. 'Passionate and fiery and that's where you get the magic, and that's where you get the good stuff. So, it was an amazing experience, it really was.'

Pompeo said that she told Washington's wife Pauletta Washington about the exchange.

She said, 'I told his wife, I was like, "Yeah, he yelled at me today. He let me have it today, and Im not OK with him, and Im not looking at him, and Im not talking to him."'
Kanye West seemingly confirmed his new romance with actress Julia Fox by participating in a steamy photo shoot at the Italian restaurant Carbone.

And the artist has also proven himself to be the creative director for the pictorial.

Jeremy O. Harris, who stars in Slave Play on Broadway, shared 'proof' of 44-year-old West directing Fox, 31, during the Interview Magazine photo shoot over dinner via Twitter.

Going public: Kanye West seemingly confirmed his new romance with Julia Fox by participating in a steamy photo shoot at Carbone in NYC

In the clip shared by the 32-year-old playwright, the Uncut Gems actress could be seen striking her best poses as Ye could be heard off camera saying: 'No best I'm telling you this is good don't worry. He's looking like "Oh how long is this going for."'

Harris shared a link to Fox's essay with the caption: 'Id only third wheel for Ye and Julia.'

He followed it up with the video as he wrote alongside it: '"At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined!"

'Its true. I have the proof.'

Romantic: Just a month after making a public appeal to his ex Kim Kardashian, to 'run right back' to him at a benefit concert in Los Angeles, images showed the rapper, 44, cozying up to Fox, 31, on their second date night

This comes just a month after making a public appeal to his ex Kim Kardashian, to 'run right back' to him at a benefit concert in Los Angeles, images showed the rapper cozying up to Fox on their second date night.

In photos, shared on Interview Magazine's Instagram account, the Uncut Gems star can be seen with her arms wrapped around the father-of-six as they shared a kiss in a dimly lit hallway.

At one point, the Stronger hitmaker and Italian-American filmmaker snuggled up in a booth together, before he surprised her with a new wardrobe.

On Thursday, Fox released an article on Interview Magazine about their romance, in which she revealed they met in Miami on New Years Eve.

Hot and heavy: In photos from the Interview Magazine article, the Uncut Gems star can be seen with her arms wrapped around the father-of-six as they shared a kiss in a dimly lit hallway

Lean on me: Fox snuggled Kanye as they relaxed on a couch

Hot and heavy! Fox shared a kiss with Kanye as she straddled him

Detailing their 'instant' connection, the performer described the 22-time Grammy winner's generosity and 'fun' energy.

'He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night. We decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see Slave Play,' she gushed.

The mom-of-one continued: 'Yes flight landed at six and the play was at seven and he was there ON TIME. I was impressed. After the play we chose to do dinner at Carbone which is one of my favorite restaurants.'

'At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined,' she added. 'After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, Im still in shock. Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes.'

She said the move was 'every girls dream come true' and 'felt like a real Cinderella moment.'

'I dont know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time. But I was so surprised. Like, who does things like this on a second date? Or any date!' she marveled.

Daring: After their date night Fox was seen stepping out in a cropped black shirt and low-rise pants

Heating up: West stayed by her side throughout the night

Sexy: She also wore a black G-string

Fox concluded her piece by writing: 'Everything with us has been so organic. I dont know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future Im loving the ride.'

There were also some very intimate snaps of their date night shared on Interview's Instagram which showed the two with their heads together as they kissed and even one where Julia straddled Ye in front of a clothing rack.

On her Instagram Story, however, she hinted to going through some struggles as she reposted a meme, which read: 'My mental status is: if you give me a long hug I might start crying.'

Romantic: Kanye West's rumored new flame Julia Fox penned a short article about her first two dates with the rapper, which included a trip to New York City; seen together on Tuesday night in Greenwich Village

'He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night. We decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see Slave Play,' she gushed

Despite their romance feeling like it was ripped right out of a fairytale, her Prince Charming's love life has been quite complicated since Kardashian filed for divorce last February.

In addition to wooing Fox, this week, he was also spotted looking cozy with Puerto Rican pop artist Audri Nix in Miami on a hotel balcony together on New Year's Day.

And less than 24 hours after whisking Fox to the Big Apple, he spent more time with Nix at a gated property.

'After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, Im still in shock. Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes,' she gushed (pictured in 2020)

Emotional: On her Instagram Story, however, she hinted to going through some struggles as she reposted a meme, which read: 'My mental status is: if you give me a long hug I might start crying'

Hours before Fox shared PDA-heavy images of their second date, which showed them hugging and kissing with Interview, the validity of their relationship was called into question.

Following reports that his ex Kim Kardashian sees the 'romance' as an 'attempt to make her jealous', Ye is said to be documenting his many dates with his own media team.

A source told Page Six that Kanye has brought along the photographers as part of a larger project documenting his life.

They explained: 'He's decided to take matters into his own hands. He has an incredible life, he meets the craziest people on the planet. He realized maybe he should have an album of his life.'

Split: Despite their romance feeling like it was ripped right out of a fairytale, her Prince Charming's love life has been quite complicated since his estranged wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce last February

The high profile romance has not gone down well with ex Kim, who is currently dating Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson.

A source told The Sun: 'Kim thinks it's comical Kanye went from begging her to come back to showcasing his new girl all over the city within days.

'She knows it's not serious and is just typical hijinks from Kanye,' a source told The Sun.

'Kim thinks it's another desperate attempt to make her jealous. She honestly doesn't care, she's very over him at this point so his little game isn't working.'

Rising star: Julia has previously insisted she's not one 'to wait for things to be handed to me,' and with just a handful of appearances with Kanye she has seen her fame skyrocket

Page Six confirmed West and Fox's romance last week, with an insider insisting the two are dating. They 'both just got out of their former relationships, and they've helped each other recover immensely.' the outlet revealed.

Julia has previously insisted she's not one 'to wait for things to be handed to me,' and with just a handful of appearances with Kanye she has seen her fame skyrocket.

Born in Italy to her Italian mum and American dad, after her parents split Julia spent the first six years of her life being raised by her grandfather in Sirona before making the move to be with her father in New York.

She has previously talked about her 'unstable' upbringing which saw her move from borough to borough. At one point she was homeless.

She also admitted to Rolling Stone in a 2020 interview that she stole clothes to try and emmulate the wealthy women she saw around Manhattan, eventually getting arrested for shoplifting at Bloomingdale's.

A source told The Sun: 'Kim thinks it's comical Kanye went from begging her to come back to showcasing his new girl all over the city within days

Humble beginnings: Born in Italy to her Italian mum and American dad, after her parents split Julia spent the first six years of her life being raised by her grandfather in Sirona before making the move to be with her father in New York; seen in September

'You're seeing this really extravagant display of wealth, and you're trying to look like that, but you have to do it by stealing.' At 15 she ran away with her drug-dealer boyfriend but because of the free spirited lifestyle her father allowed her, no one realised she was missing for three weeks.

In her late teens she worked as a dominatrix, earning money and building her confidence while still in high school. She dabbled in art and started a knitwear business before setting her heart on acting.

She landed her first acting role in Adam Sandler's 2019 Netflix hit Uncut Gems, with the part of Sandler's girlfriend Julia written for her.

She had struck up a friendship via social media with the filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie, who pushed for her to get the role even after producers Martin Scorsese and Scott Rudin argued for a bigger name.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Julia explained how 'Josh would hit me up every few months and ask me for suggestions on the character. Of course, I molded her to be what I wanted her to be, which conveniently was also what Josh wanted her to be.'

Actress: She landed her first acting role in Adam Sandler's 2019 Netflix hit Uncut Gems, with the part of Sandler's girlfriend Julia written for her; seen in December

Before acting she dabbled in filmmaking, photography and writing, but Julia has insisted that she always knew she wanted to be in the film industry, 'and I'm not one to wait for things to be handed to me.'

Next up for Julia is the lead role in the recently announced Upper Cut: Highlights of My Hollywood Life, an adaptation of the internationally bestselling memoir by Carrie White.

The film tells the story of the 'First Lady of Hairdressing' and her addiction and recovery. White was the most high-profile hair stylist of her day, working on shoots with Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis and more.
Little People, Big World star Matt Roloff opened up about a fire that broke out on his Oregon-based Roloff Farms on Tuesday.

The 60-year-old reality star posted a series of clips on Instagram Wednesday detailing the incident.

'Never a dull moment here on the farm,' the TLC personality said. 'Yesterday we dodged a bullet with our 110 year old sweet building,' which had 'only some interior damage' amid the blaze.

The latest: Little People, Big World star Matt Roloff, 60, opened up about a fire that broke out on his Oregon-based Roloff Farms on Tuesday

Roloff, whose farm is outside of Portland, said that he had just arrived home after flying in from Arizona, and was woken up after hearing 'the commotion in the chicken barn outside my window.'

Roloff said that he called 911 Tuesday morning as smoke was heavily 'pouring out the sides' of the chicken barn, noting that 'the chickens had already gone out for the day a few hours earlier.'

Roloff thanked his friend Ty for pushing him to keep a supply of 'up to date fire extinguishers ... in all the barns and structures' on the farm, as well as his 'farm hand Jason,' whose quick reaction helped 'saved the barn.'

Roloff said that flames spanned six feet high 'and spread along one of the interior walls' of the structure, which was saved thanks to 'the quick response of' farmhands and the local fire department.

The reality star posted a series of clips on Instagram Wednesday detailing the incident

Firefighters worked on the Oregon barn, which has been standing for more than 110 years

Roloff said that the fire 'was caused by a light falling to the floor,' which 'likely happened when all the chickens rush to get out their automatic door' each morning.

He added that 'no chickens were injured in the event.'

The show, which has been on the air more than 15 years, has extensively featured the farm.

Roloff and ex-wife Amy got divorced in 2016 after more than after 27 years of marriage, and Amy, 57, subsequently sold her half to Matt in the wake of the split.

A firefighter stood outside the chicken barn in the aftermath of the blaze

Roloff thanked his friend Ty for pushing him to keep a supply of 'up to date fire extinguishers ... in all the barns and structures' on the farm

Roloff showed a piece of wood that had been charred in the morning blaze

Roloff said that the fire 'was caused by a light falling to the floor,' which 'likely happened when all the chickens rush to get out their automatic door' each morning

On a May 2021 episode of the TLC series, Amy said that buying a new home helped her reach the decision to sell.

'Matt approached me on this second time to buy me out and this was definitely a better time because now that I'm in my new house, there's not as much grey area anymore,' she said. 'It's like, this was this chapter. I have no part in the farm with this chapter. It's changed.'

Amy last summer got married to Chris Marek on the farm.
She's been caring for her newborn daughter Daisy after her break-up with Will Dwyer last year.

But Hayley Love revealed in an Instagram Q&A on Friday that she's not the only one taking care of her daughter.

The Farmer Wants a Wife star says she has had the support of her parents after a follower posed the question about whether she was receiving any support.

Not alone! Farmer Wants a Wife star Hayley Love is being supported by her parents as she raises her child alone after breakup with Will Dwyer

'We sure do! I currently live with my mum and dad who help out HEAPS,' Hayley, 25, answered.

'I have so many mum friends who are great for advice too,' she added.

Another follower also asked the young mother if it was difficult for her to take care of Daisy without a partner.

'I currently live with my mum and dad who help outs HEAPS': Another follower also asked the young mother if it was difficult for her to take care of Daisy without a partner

Congratulations! Hayley gave birth earlier last month and is raising Daisy as a single mother

'Don't know what it's like with a partner, but I do have the support of my parents who have four kids. I'm going to say I've got it a little bit easier,' Hayley responded optimistically.

Hayley gave birth earlier last month and is raising Daisy as a single mother.

In July, she shocked Farmer Wants A Wife viewers when she revealed she was 22 weeks pregnant with Will Dwyer's child, but said they were no longer together.

Single mum: Will doesn't appear to be involved in his daughter's life at the moment

Shock news: In July, Hayley (left) shocked Farmer Wants A Wife viewers when she revealed she was 22 weeks pregnant with Will's (right) child, but said they were no longer together

The cancer survivor was originally matched with farmer Matt Trewin on the Channel Seven dating show, but he dumped her shortly before the finale.

She went on to briefly date Will and became pregnant with his child, but they split.

Hayley and Will had a short-lived romance after the FWAW finale was filmed in December, and after he'd split from his winner Jaimee, but they ended things around April.

Will later released a statement addressing Hayley's pregnancy in which he vowed to be 'the best dad I can be... when the time comes'.




A bridge linking North Korea with China over the Aprok River / Yonhap





An appeals court upheld a three-and-a-half year prison term for a North Korean defector charged with spying for Pyongyang, court officials said Friday.







The defector, whose identity was not made public, was indicted on charges of meeting with a North Korean official after traveling to a border region between China and the North in May 2018 at the request of his brother staying in the North.







During the meeting, the defector allegedly accepted a request from the official to collect and deliver information on brokers helping North Koreans flee their country and those who leak information on the North's military to the South.







Since then, the defector was found to have shared information about other defectors living in Seoul and their families remaining in the North on multiple occasions.







After the lower court convicted him of violating the National Security Act, he appealed the ruling, claiming information on North Korean defectors was not a state secret.







But the Suwon High Court rejected the appeal, saying the information is undisclosed to the public and can be used for propaganda by Pyongyang and pose a risk to South Korea's security. (Yonhap)


Rooney Mara has been tapped to play Audrey Hepburn in a biopic from Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino.

In addition to leading the cast of the movie Rooney, 36, will also be serving as a producer, according to a report in Deadline.

Known for her immaculately glamorous persona and tender performances, Audrey entranced audiences in such movies as Breakfast At Tiffany's and Roman Holiday.

Incoming: Rooney Mara (right) has been tapped to play Audrey Hepburn (left) in a biopic from Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino

She was born in 1929 to a Dutch baroness and a British diplomat, a background that instilled in her the elegance and refinement that became her signature.

However her childhood was scarred by the Second World War, which she spent under Nazi occupation in the Netherlands using an assumed Dutch name on account of the potential threat posed by appearing English.

'Had we known the first six months of the war that we were going to be occupied for five years, we might all have shot ourselves,' she said in archival footage included in the Netflix documentary Audrey. 'We thought it would be over next week.'

Audrey, who performed dance concerts to fundraise for the Dutch resistance and transferred messages in her shoes, recalled: 'My uncles were taken from their homes and shot. One brother was sent to Germany. The other one was always hidden.'

Icon: Known for her immaculately glamorous persona and tender performances, Audrey entranced audiences in such movies as Breakfast At Tiffany's (pictured)

She added: 'My uncles were the first hostages to be shot in Holland, and it was actually a turning point, because from that day on an underground was formed.'

Her fascist father walked out on the family when she was young, and though she renewed contact later and took care of him financially the bond was never repaired.

After training in ballet and jobbing as a dancer in London, she found herself doing a French movie in Monaco where she was discovered on a beach by Colette.

The French lady of letters was having her novella Gigi adapted for a Broadway play by Anita Loos, whose work included the novel Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Sensation: She was born in 1929 to a Dutch baroness and a British diplomat, a background that instilled in her the elegance and refinement that became her signature

Colette handpicked Audrey to lead the original Broadway cast of Gigi, which opened in 1951 and made her a star of the American stage.

Two years later she became an international movie star with the romantic film Roman Holiday, which placed her opposite Gregory Peck and won her an Oscar.

Her best-remembered parts include an American visiting Paris in Funny Face, as well as a nun posted to the Belgian Congo in The Nun's Story.

She turned on the charisma as Eliza Doolittle, a role originated on Broadway by Julie Andrews, in the movie adaptation of My Fair Lady.

Fame: Two years later she became an international movie star with the romantic film Roman Holiday that placed her opposite Gregory Peck and won her an Oscar

Aglow: She turned on the charisma as Eliza Doolittle, a role originated on Broadway by Julie Andrews, in the movie adaptation of My Fair Lady opposite Rex Harrison

However one film that loomed particularly large in her personal life was Sabrina, which placed her in a love triangle between William Holden and Humphrey Bogart.

Directed by Billy Wilder, the movie kicked off her affair with Bill Holden, who according to a book by Edward Z Epstein called her 'the love of my life.'

Bill was a married alcoholic, but Audrey was prepared to venture into the affair anyway, even wanting to marry him herself despite the inevitable scandal.

However the central problem was that Audrey was bent on becoming a mother and he had gotten a vasectomy, so the romance was doomed.

Throwback; However one film that loomed particularly large in her personal life was Sabrina, which placed her in a love triangle between William Holden and Humphrey Bogart

Romance; Directed by Billy Wilder, the movie kicked off her affair with Bill Holden, who according to a book by Edward Z Epstein called her 'the love of my life'

Despite her two failed marriages - first to American actor Mel Ferrer and then Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti - Bill remained one of her great loves.

He died in 1981 after he slipped and fell while drunk at home alone and hit his head on a table, bleeding out without anyone to help him.

Audrey, who began the 1960s with her most iconic role in Breakfast At Tiffany's, continued acting that decade in such films as Charade.

But in 1967, now a mother of of a son, she decided to enter semi-retirement and divert her energies to her family, to which she added another son in 1970.

Legend in her own time: Audrey, who began the 1960s with her most iconic role in Breakfast At Tiffany's (pictured), continued acting that decade in such films as Charade

Making a change: But in 1967, now a mother of of a son, she decided to enter semi-retirement and divert her energies to her family; pictured in Breakfast At Tiffany's

Mel Ferrer's mercurial personality and Andrea Dotti's serial infidelity made both of Audrey's marriages unfeasible and both ended in divorce.

Alongside her acting career she also became known the world over as a committed humanitarian by way of her work for UNICEF.

In the early 1990s she discovered she had a rare form of abdominal cancer and despite fighting the illness she died in 1993 at the age of just 63.

Her legacy as a luminous movie star is matched by her reputation as being the greatest style icon that Hollywood has produced.
Love Island's Shaughna Phillips has weighed in on Molly Mae Hague's 'tone-deaf' comments about wealth inequality on the recent Diary of a CEO YouTube series.

Molly, 22, appeared on Love Island in 2019 and last year was named the creative director of clothing brand PrettyLittleThing, a title with a seven-figure salary.

A clip of her December interview on The Diary of a CEO then went viral this week, with Molly's comments that she has 'worked my a**e off' for her wealth and that 'everyone has the same 24 hours in a day' to achieve sparked a backlash.

Shaughna, who appeared on the winter 2020 series of the ITV2 show, tweeted: 'Molly Mae is young, who's had a lot of success really quickly, and not a lot of 'life'.

Oh dear: Love Island's Shaughna Phillips has weighed in on Molly Mae Hague's 'tone-deaf' comments about wealth inequality on the recent Diary of a CEO YouTube series

Adding that she believed Molly would come to regret her comments, she continued: 'So I can understand why she holds those views. We all say things when we're younger and look back and think 'well that was stupid' lol. No shade, I wanna live in her bubble.'

The tweet wasn't taken lightly with Molly's good friend and fellow 2019 show star Maura Higgins, 31, who blasted Shaughna for even getting involved.

She wrote: 'Surely you know as someone in this industry how lonely and scary it can be when the whole internet is slamming you.

Pals: Molly's best pal Maura Higgins sprang to her defence after Shaughna said she believes the blonde will regret her comments

Viral: A clip of her December interview on the YouTube series The Diary of a CEO went viral this week, with Molly's comments that she has 'worked my a**e off' for her wealth sparking huge backlash

'You're entitled to your opinion yes but I'm really surprised you commenting on this at all.'

Shaughna quickly retorted: '100%! That's why I tweeted this in her defence. She's young and successful, it's not her fault she has those views. Like I said, no shade, just jel lol.'

Molly's recent interview prompted uncharitable comparisons to the late Margaret Thatcher.

Molly, who boasts six million Instagram followers and 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, made the comments on the YouTube series The Diary of a CEO.

While the interview was first shared on YouTube on December 13, a clip from the episode went viral on Wednesday when it was shared on Twitter.

In the clip, Molly says: 'You're given one life and it's down to you what you do with it. You can literally go in any direction.

Tweets: Shaughna, who appeared on the winter 2020 series of the ITV2 show, tweeted: 'Molly Mae is young, who's had a lot of success really quickly, and not a lot of 'life' - with Maura quickly hitting back

No judgment? Shaughna said she was 'just jealous' of Molly's success and was tweeting in her defence

'When I've spoken about that in the past I have been slammed a little bit, with people saying 'it's easy for you to say that because you've not grown up in poverty, so for you to sit there and say we all have the same 24 hours in a day is not correct.' But, technically, what I'm saying is correct. We do.'

She went on: 'I understand we all have different backgrounds and we're all raised in different ways and we do have different financial situations, but I think if you want something enough you can achieve it.

'It just depends on what lengths you want to go to get where you want to be in the future. And I'll go to any length.'

She then added: 'I've worked my absolute a**e off to get where I am now.'

The clip was shared on Twitter by @tsrbys under the comment 'If you're homeless just buy a house,' and has been 'liked' 28.6k times.

Worked hard? Molly said: 'I understand we all have different backgrounds and we're all raised in different ways and we do have different financial situations, but I think if you want something enough you can achieve it'

Among the comments in response was: 'I should've put molly mae being margaret thatcher with a fake tan on my 2022 bingo card,' with others labelling her 'a Thatcherite.'

One fan tweeted: 'She literally just went on a TV dating show and got brand deals, I'm not sure she 'worked here a**e off'.'

'Her immaturity is showing. If you come from a place of privilege you should work extra hard to educate yourself on the hardships of others,' another added.

'Worked her a** off. of I go to do my 12 hour shift to put a roof over mine and my sons head I should of thought of this but dont think Love Island would accept 48yo, size 14 single mums,' another follower tweeted.

'I dare Molly Mae to tell some of the UK's lowest paid workers that they're less hard working that someone who takes Instagram photos for a living,' agreed another commenter.

Slammed: One fan tweeted: 'She literally just went on a TV dating show and got brand deals, I'm not sure she 'worked here a**e off''

'Hustle culture and the effects of pretty privilege are exhausting.'

Some showed their support for the reality star, with one fan writing: 'Of course this is a stupid comment, but I do feel like she's been hung out to dry a bit here. The podcast was called 'The Diary of a CEO', where I think she felt the need to say inspiring things like 'follow your dreams' and 'you can do anything'. It's tonedeaf, not malicious.'

Another tweeted: 'People saying she needs to know about the background of those less fortunate. Life comes at you in different ways. What she is saying is that everyone has the same potential and you can get to the same places with or without money. Yes one is harder but you can get there.'

A spokesman for Molly told Mailonline: 'Molly did a podcast interview in December about her own rise to success. If you listen to the full conversation and interview Molly was asked about how the nature of her potential grows and how she believes in herself.

'This part of the interview was discussing time efficiency relating to success. Molly refers to a quote which says 'We all have the same 24 hours in a day as Beyonce'. She was discussing her own experience and how she can resonate with this specific quote.

'Her opinion on if you want something enough you can work hard to achieve it is how she keeps determined with her own work to achieve more in her own life. Molly is not commenting on anyone else's life or personal situation she can only speak of her own experience.

'She acknowledges that everyone is raised in different ways and from different backgrounds but her comments here are in reference to timing, hard work and determination in her own life.

'If you listen to this interview you can see the whole conversation was about her own personal circumstances, how she has grown up and this small clip in the conversation was talking about a quote that inspires her.

'Social media users have shared a short snippet from this interview with words such as 'if you are homeless buy a house' and 'if you are poor be poor' these are absolutely not Molly's words, these are not Molly's thoughts and this isn't at all the meaning or thought behind that conversation'.

In an interview with MailOnline last year, Molly-Mae insisted that she thinks she'd be just as successful without taking part in Love Island in 2019.

The social media star told MailOnline: 'The things that I've achieved since coming out of that show aren't really down to the show they're more down to my drive and ambition to do big things.'

Criticism: The clip was shared on Twitter by @tsrbys under the comment 'If you're homeless just buy a house,' and has been 'liked' 28.6k times

Molly Mae explained: 'I always say don't bite the hand that feeds you but also respect that I've obviously worked so hard to get where I am now... I always had big goals and I set myself huge dreams.

'Everybody when they come out of that show is given the same opportunities - we all have the same 24 hours in the day - and where you take your life when you come out of a show like that is totally dependent on who you are as a person.'

The reality star revealed she had actually been warned against going on Love Island by advisors as her social media following was already growing organically at a 'rapid rate' and had been spotted by multiple brands - including PrettyLittleThing.

'It was more a fun opportunity where I thought let's just see where this goes and I might actually find a guy... I think, it pushed me in the right direction but I would have still done good things,' Molly reflected.

It was announced in May 2021 that the reality star is a millionaire after earning over 500,000 in a year through lucrative brand deals and YouTube videos.

Backlash: 'Worked her a** off. of I go to do my 12 hour shift to put a roof over mine and my son's head' tweeted one furious commenter

In addition to her jaw-dropping earnings, she reportedly also has 786,959 worth of assets which includes 777,179 in cash reserves.

Molly admitted: 'There's always the desire to want more from life. I just think you're only given one life so you might as well pull as much from it as you can.'

Molly's seven figure deal with PrettyLittleThing to become their new Creative Director was announced last August.

Of her new role, the elated star gushed: 'I always wanted to work in fashion. I studied fashion in London for two years at a fashion school when all my friends were doing 6th form because I had a really clear vision of where I wanted to go. But this is just huge.

'It was a shock that PLT's CEO Umar [Kamani] was trusting me with such a huge role within the brand. He just trusted my creative input and my thoughts and ideas. That is such an honour. The opportunities are endless.'
She famously experienced 'deja-screw' in Sex And The City, claiming that she had 'run out' of men to sleep with after unknowingly dating a man she had already hooked up with 15 years prior.

And Samantha Jones' prolific dating life made its mark in the latest episode of the series reboot, as one of her past love interests reappeared in a new role.

Ajay Mehta, who had propositioned Kim Cattrall's character in series two of the hit series, returned to screens for episode six of And Just Like That... this time recast as Seema's father.

'Samantha could've been Seema's step mumma!': Sex And The City fans went wild as Kim Cattrall's series two love interest Ajay Mehta was recast in And Just Like That...

The Indian actor first appeared on the series playing a Pakistani busboy who offered to 'go home' with Samantha after she was stood up on a date.

Although she declined, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) noted in the voiceover at the time: 'Samantha let the Pakistani bus boy kiss her  after all, hed been so sweet and attentive with the bread.'

So eagle-eyed fans were shocked when they noticed Ajay appear in the reboot of the series, this time playing the father of Carrie's realtor, Seema (Sarita Choudhury).

Although viewers questioned if he was playing the same role, the episode revealed that Seema's family are Indian and her father and mother met as a result of an arranged marriage, having been together for decades.

Throwback: The Indian actor first appeared on the series playing a Pakistani busboy who offered to 'go home' with Samantha after she was stood up on a date

As seen on screen: Eagle-eyed fans were shocked when they noticed Ajay appear in the reboot of the series, this time playing the father of Carrie's realtor Seema (Sarita Choudhury)

Despite this, fans still went crazy after a fan account made the connection, commenting: 'And just like that Samantha could have been Seema's step momma'; 'IT WAS HIM!!!!'

'Which means he hit on Samantha whilst he was married and Seema was in her 30s. Which is fine in terms of . Well Im not judging him (hes fictional) but I do mourn the idea of the sweet busboy with the kind eyes always attentive with the bread.';

'L MA OOOO I AM SCREAMING AT THIS'; 'This is everything. Saved me a trip to IMDB to figure out where I knew Seemas dad from'; 'He changed from being Pakistani to Indian'

'So... He cheated Seema's mom with Samantha?'; 'THANK YOU! I thought this myself but wasn't sure lol'; 'plot twist: he already was seema's dad when samantha kissed him'; 'Yup! I recognized him also!'.

Cynthia Nixon, who plays Miranda Hobbes in the series and stepped behind the camera to direct this episode, was left impressed, noting: 'Good catch!'

Eagle-eyed: Fans went crazy after a fan account made the connection, with Cynthia Nixon, who stepped behind the camera to direct this episode, noting 'Good catch!'

Ajay previously spoke of his small role on the show, telling Times Of India: 'Kim is a warm person. A brilliant actor, Kim is comfortable with her sexuality. It reflects in her performance thats free and sensual.

'I remember telling her that she was my first kiss on television. Her reply was: Glad to be your first. We sure had a good laugh over it.'

Kim did not reprise her role as Samantha after a fallout with Sarah off-camera.

The reboot explained Samantha's departure in a move mirroring real life, Carrie and Samantha were said to have fallen out - with Samantha moving to London after Carrie fired her as her publicist.

Recycled: One fan pointed out that it was similar to when Justin Theroux was recast by SATC bosses as two separate characters just a season apart in the hit show

Series one: Justin first appeared in season one as Jared, an up-and-coming author who is friends with Stanford (Willie Garson) and wants to date Carrie

Meanwhile, one fan asked, 'Intentional or are they trying to pull a Justin Theroux on us again?!' referring to the fact that Justin was recast by SATC bosses as two separate characters just a season apart in the hit show.

Justin first appeared in season one as Jared, an up-and-coming author who wants to date Carrie; then in the following season as Vaughn Wysel, a short-story writer with premature ejaculation issues who dates Carrie.

Speaking about the decision to recast him, Justin previously revealed: 'It's about girls who are dating all the time, you burn through every single male actor in New York. I did a small part in the first one. You know, enters frame, says a few things and then leaves frame.'

'And they were like, "Why don't you come back?" And their idea was that they would just shave my head. And they're like 'Voila! total transformation.'
Ireland Baldwin has revealed she lives in constant fear she's dying from a heart attack.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the model, 26, explained how she uses a blood pressure monitor to read her heart rate and blood pressure due to her phobia, which is known as Cardiophobia.

Cardiophobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by complaints of chest pain, heart palpitations, accompanied by fears of having a heart attack and of dying.

Ireland said her anxiety makes her suffer with heart palpitations and chest pain which 'convince me that I have an underlying heart condition that I don't have'.

Worries: Ireland Baldwin has revealed she lives in constant fear she's dying from a heart attack

The daughter of Alec Baldwin wrote: 'This is not an ad for a blood pressure machine. This is not at ad at all.

'I am posting this for whoever suffers with anxiety and anxiety disorders like I do. I ordered a blood pressure monitor to accurately read my heart rate and blood pressure because I live in a constant fear that Im dying from a heart attack also known as cardiophobia.

'The heart palpitations and chest pain brought on by your typical anxiety attack convinces me that I am a 26 year old with an underlying heart condition that I dont have. I do not take medication.

Scared: Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the model, 26, explained how she uses a blood pressure monitor to read her heart rate and blood pressure due to her phobia

Phobia: 'I am posting this for whoever suffers with anxiety and anxiety disorders like I do', she wrote

'I dont believe in it but I understand some people need their medications. I have worked with anxiety specialists and I have gotten into breath work but nothing brings me more comfort than an EKG.'

Ireland went on to explain how her anxiety attacks in the past have been so severe she has called ambulances and gone to hospital in past for medics to 'assure me my heart is ok'.

She continued: 'I know it may seem silly to you, but this little machine has brought me the utmost comfort.

'I just want anyone who suffers from their own anxieties to know that I am here and you are not alone.

'It can be so embarrassing and isolating at times. My anxiety has made me miss out on a lot in this life and my true 2022 goal is not let it get in my way.'

Ireland said her anxiety is triggered by food, her digestive system, her heart, big crowds, airplanes and much more.

Telling fans they're not alone, she said: ' Hold on to your comfort item right. Dont let people make you feel guilty for having to take a walk or take some space or stay home because youre not feeling good.

'Surround yourself with people who understand or at least try to. And if youre feeling anxious right now deep breaths. Youre going to be ok.'

Ireland has been open about her battle with mental health. In 2018, the American model revealed she suffered with suicidal thoughts whilst depressed.

In 2015 she spent time in rehab overcoming 'emotional trauma'.

Anxiety: Ireland said her anxiety is triggered by food, her digestive system, her heart, big crowds, airplanes and much more
BBC One's Dragons' Den returned on Thursday evening with new crop of hopefuls.

Alongside Peter Jones, 55, Deborah Meaden, 62, Touker Suleyman, 68, and Sara Davies, 37, on the panel was newcomer Steven Bartlett, 29.

And Steven - who is the youngest Dragon the programme has ever see - was sure to make his mark as he became embroiled in a huge on-air row when he clashed with Touker, which was teased in a trailer for the current series.

It's back! Dragons' Den returned on Thursday with Peter Jones, 55, Deborah Meaden, 62, Touker Suleyman, 68, and Sara Davies, 37, on the panel with newcomer Steven Bartlett, 29

Two rows were included in a series of clips previewing what viewers could expect from the 19th series of the show.

Fashion retail entrepreneur Touker, who is thought to be worth 200million, was seen yelling: 'I'm telling you exactly what I think.'

And, refusing to back down, Social media CEO Steven hit back: 'And I'm telling you what I think,' as the duo came to blows.

Another heated exchange saw Touker questioning Steven's credentials, as he asked: 'What do you know about business?' to which Steven responded: 'I've built a 300 million pound business at 28 years old.'

Fuming! Steven made his mark as he became embroiled in a huge on-air row when he clashed with Touker, which was teased in a trailer for the current series (pictured)

Steven, now CEO of social media marketing agency The Social Chain - currently valued at 300million - was officially anointed as a new dragon when the new series aired on January 6th.

Tweeting last week, the star, who set up his company from his Manchester bedroom after dropping out of university at 22, wrote: '10 years ago at 18 years old, I applied to pitch to the Dragons. 10 years later at 28 years old I have the honour of sitting amongst them.'

The young entrepreneur, born in Botswana and brought up in Plymouth, has replaced Tej Lalvani, 46, on the show.

Drama! Touker, was seen yelling: 'I'm telling you exactly what I think.' And, refusing to back down, Social media CEO Steven hit back: 'And I'm telling you what I think'

Snap! Another heated exchange saw Touker asking: 'What do you know about business?' to which Steven responded: 'I've built a 300 million pound business at 28 years old'

The entrepreneur admitted he feared he'd never make a success of his life after quitting his course at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Steven wrote in his book Happy Sexy Millionaire, that at the time he was a 'broke, lonely, insecure university drop-out from a bankrupt family.'

After quitting university, he started Wallpark, a platform for students before setting up Social Chain and Media Chain - brands that have worked with names including Apple, Amazon and Coca-Cola.

Ahead of filming Dragons' Den, he told BBC Radio 1Xtras If You Dont Know podcast, that he was determined to join the panel as there 'has not been a young, black man on the show' and he wanted to be a role model for others.

He said: 'Much of the reason for me wanting to be a Dragon and wanting to do the show is because I know the show is a big platform and I am not represented on that show as an entrepreneur. There's not been a young, black man on that show.

'I feel like I have a responsibility to do this because it will show 12-year-old Steve, or other 12 year old Steve's, that they too can be business people.

'To see someone like me on the show as well that's not going to wear a suit, and that is into all the same things you're into - like hip-hop music, jollof rice, Manchester United and whatever else it is - I think is an enabler.

'Because role models are most powerful when you can relate to the path they've walked.

Steven is also driven by a desire to appeal to the 'underrepresented' and encourage and enable people to thrive in the business world.
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Kanye West certainly has a type as his new love Julia Fox shares the same penchant for curve-enhancing, racy outfits as his reality star ex Kim Kardashian.

The actress, 31, who first met Kanye, 44, on New Year's Eve has previously appeared to be emulating 41-year-old Kim's signature bombshell, flesh-flashing look - amid rumours Julia and Kanye are in a 'showmance; and that Kim believes they are 'trying to make her jealous.'

Actress Julia slipped into an extremely revealing naked optical illusion dress, which flashed her black lingerie as she attended a Paris Fashion Week show back in September.

Kim 2.0: Kanye West certainly has a type as his new love Julia Fox (pictured left in September) shares the same penchant for curve-enhancing, racy outfits as his reality star ex Kim Kardashian (pictured right in 2018)

The outfit was a near carbon-copy of the iconic Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 1996 collection dress which Kim famously slipped into for the November 2018 People's Choice Awards,

Julia also sported a very revealing lace body stocking worn over black lingerie as she attended the GQ Men of the Year Celebration in LA in December 2019.

The ensemble was eerily similar to the scanty stocking worn by Kim in January of that year, even down to the crystal embellished cut-outs. Kim wore the outfit to John Legend's party, which she attended with then partner Kanye.

Kanye has a type: Julia also sported a very revealing lace body stocking worn over black lingerie as she attended the GQ Men of the Year Celebration in LA in December 2019 (left) - identical to Kim's January 2019 outfit (right)

This comes as Julia penned a 217 word account on her first two dates with the rapper, which included a trip to New York City.

Detailing their 'instant connection' after meeting in Miami on New Year's Eve to Interview Magazine, the actress described the Grammy winner's generosity and 'fun' energy.

'He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night. We decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see Slave Play,' she gushed.

It's over: Kim and Kanye were together for nine years and share four children - they split in early 2021 (pictured February 2020)

The Uncut Gems star continued: 'Ye's flight landed at six and the play was at seven and he was there ON TIME. I was impressed. After the play we chose to do dinner at Carbone which is one of my favorite restaurants.'

'At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined,' she added. 'After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, I'm still in shock. Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes.'

She said the move was 'every girl's dream come true' and 'felt like a real Cinderella moment.'

'I don't know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time. But I was so surprised. Like, who does things like this on a second date? Or any date!' she marveled.

Fox concluded her piece by writing: 'Everything with us has been so organic. I don't know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I'm loving the ride.'

There were also some very intimate snaps of their date night shared on Interview's Instagram which showed the two with their heads together as they kissed and even one where Julia straddled Ye in front of a clothing rack.

And again: Julia wore a very risque bejewelled see-through skirt at the 2019 TIFF event (left) with Kim sporting a similar look in a custom-designed haute couture gunmetal skirt by Ralph & Russo at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards in 2014 (right)

Another photo shared by Julia includes the shoot at Carbone, in which West and 'Slave Play' writer Jeremy O. Harris can be seen in the background.

Harris also shared 'proof' of West directing Fox during the Interview Magazine photo shoot over dinner via Twitter.

In the clip shared by the 32-year-old playwright, the Uncut Gems actress could be seen striking her best poses as Ye could be heard off camera saying: 'No best I'm telling you this is good don't worry. He's looking like "Oh how long is this going for."'

Harris shared a link to Fox's essay with the caption: 'Id only third wheel for Ye and Julia.'

He followed it up with the video as he wrote alongside it: '"At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined!" Its true. I have the proof.'

Going public: 'Slave Play' writer Jeremy O. Harris shared 'proof' of West directing Fox during the Interview Magazine photo shoot over dinner via Twitter

Romantic: Just a month after making a public appeal to his ex Kim Kardashian, to 'run right back' to him at a benefit concert in Los Angeles, images showed the rapper, 44, cozying up to Fox, 31, on their second date night

On her Instagram Story, Julia hinted to going through some struggles as she reposted a meme, which read: 'My mental status is: if you give me a long hug I might start crying.'

Despite their romance feeling like it was ripped right out of a fairytale, her Prince Charming's love life has been quite complicated since his estranged wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce last February.

In addition to wooing Fox, this week, he was also spotted looking cozy with Puerto Rican pop artist Audri Nix in Miami on a hotel balcony together on New Year's Day.

And less than 24 hours after whisking Fox to the Big Apple, he spent more time with Nix at a gated property.

Hours before Fox shared PDA-heavy images of their second date, which showed them hugging and kissing with Interview, the validity of their relationship was called into question.

Following reports that his ex Kim Kardashian sees the 'romance' as an 'attempt to make her jealous', Ye is said to be documenting his many dates with his own media team.

A source told Page Six that Kanye has brought along the photographers as part of a larger project documenting his life.

They explained: 'He's decided to take matters into his own hands. He has an incredible life, he meets the craziest people on the planet. He realized maybe he should have an album of his life.'

The high profile romance has not gone down well with ex Kim, who is currently dating Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson.

A source told The Sun: 'Kim thinks it's comical Kanye went from begging her to come back to showcasing his new girl all over the city within days.

'She knows it's not serious and is just typical hijinks from Kanye,' a source told The Sun.

In the inner circle: Harris shared a link to Fox's essay with the caption: 'Id only third wheel for Ye and Julia'

Evidence: He followed it up with the video as he wrote alongside it: '"At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined!" 'Its true. I have the proof.'

'Kim thinks it's another desperate attempt to make her jealous. She honestly doesn't care, she's very over him at this point so his little game isn't working.'

Page Six confirmed West and Fox's romance last week, with an insider insisting the two are dating. They 'both just got out of their former relationships, and they've helped each other recover immensely.' the outlet revealed.

Julia has previously insisted she's not one 'to wait for things to be handed to me,' and with just a handful of appearances with Kanye she has seen her fame skyrocket.

Born in Italy to her Italian mum and American dad, after her parents split Julia spent the first six years of her life being raised by her grandfather in Sirona before making the move to be with her father in New York.

Split: Despite their romance feeling like it was ripped right out of a fairytale, her Prince Charming's love life has been quite complicated since his estranged wife Kim filed for divorce last February - she is now dating Pete Davidson

She has previously talked about her 'unstable' upbringing which saw her move from borough to borough. At one point she was homeless.

She also admitted to Rolling Stone in a 2020 interview that she stole clothes to try and emulate the wealthy women she saw around Manhattan, eventually getting arrested for shoplifting at Bloomingdale's.

'You're seeing this really extravagant display of wealth, and you're trying to look like that, but you have to do it by stealing.' At 15 she ran away with her drug-dealer boyfriend but because of the free spirited lifestyle her father allowed her, no one realised she was missing for three weeks.

In her late teens she worked as a dominatrix, earning money and building her confidence while still in high school. She dabbled in art and started a knitwear business before setting her heart on acting.

She landed her first acting role in Adam Sandler's 2019 Netflix hit Uncut Gems, with the part of Sandler's girlfriend Julia written for her.

She had struck up a friendship via social media with the filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie, who pushed for her to get the role even after producers Martin Scorsese and Scott Rudin argued for a bigger name.

A source told The Sun: 'Kim thinks it's comical Kanye went from begging her to come back to showcasing his new girl all over the city within days

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Julia explained how 'Josh would hit me up every few months and ask me for suggestions on the character. Of course, I molded her to be what I wanted her to be, which conveniently was also what Josh wanted her to be.'

Before acting she dabbled in filmmaking, photography and writing, but Julia has insisted that she always knew she wanted to be in the film industry, 'and I'm not one to wait for things to be handed to me.'

Next up for Julia is the lead role in the recently announced Upper Cut: Highlights of My Hollywood Life, an adaptation of the internationally bestselling memoir by Carrie White.

The film tells the story of the 'First Lady of Hairdressing' and her addiction and recovery. White was the most high-profile hair stylist of her day, working on shoots with Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis and more.

But behind the glamorous career, her world was fuelled by champagne and vodka, pills, cocaine, and heroin. The movie is due to start filming this year.

Mama: Away from her blossoming career, Julia shares a son, Valentino, 11 months with her private pilot husband Peter Artemiev, whom she married in 2018

Away from her blossoming career, Julia shares a son, Valentino, 11 months with her private pilot husband Peter Artemiev, whom she married in 2018.

Last month Julia took to Instagram to call out her estranged husband, accusing him of turning his back on her and their son, and calling him a 'dead beat alcoholic drug addict dad.'

Julia ripped her ex in a series of recent Instagram Stories posts, sharing an image of Artemiev and writing, 'Have you seen this deadbeat dad?' and said he be found 'at most strip clubs, Lucien, Paul's [Baby Grand], Casablanca, the streets etc.'

Fox said that it was 'traumatic' for her to review the screenshots, videos and photos related to her claims about Artemiev, including a clip in which he was calling her names, according to Page Six.

'I can't even do it anymore,' said Fox, who welcomed son Valentino with Artemiev in February of 2021. 'I just don't want my son f***ed up cuz he feels like his dad was absent or loved alcohol and partying more than him ... this man left me with a 5 month old and a dog and a home and ALL THE BILLS. It's wrong!!! It's not fair!!!'

In a separate post, a follower told Fox that her acting career could suffer amid the public vitriol. She said in response, 'This is MY SON'S LIFE we are talking about - I don't give a f*** about my 'acting career.'''

She added: 'My son loves his dad. I've accepted that his Dad refuses to present and I've made peace with it but I'm sure as s*** gonna work the public.'
Kate Garraway cut a youthful figure as she stepped out in statement flares on Friday.

Arriving at Global Studios in London, the television presenter, 54, harked back to the 70s in the denim bell bottom jeans which she teamed with a fluffy coat and boots.

It comes after Kate revealed earlier this week she has received negative backlash for making the New Year's honours list, saying trolls have told her they don't think she is worthy of an MBE.

70s are calling! Kate Garraway cut a youthful figure as she stepped out in statement flares on Friday

Kate layered the zig-zag coat top of a black polo neck and arrived carrying a large black tote bag and suitcase.

The ITV veteran arrived at the studios to present her Smooth Radio show and appeared in high spirits.

Flashing a smile to cameras, Kate looked a little windswept as she headed into the building.

Radio host: Flashing a smile to cameras, Kate looked a little windswept as she headed into the building

Statement look: Arriving at Global Studios in London, the television presenter, 54, harked back to the 70s in the denim bell bottom jeans which she teamed with a fluffy coat and boots

Arriving: Kate layered the zig-zag coat top of a black polo neck and arrived carrying a large black tote bag and suitcase

It comes after Kate revealed she has received negative backlash after receiving an MBE for services to broadcasting, journalism and charity.

The TV presenter previously won a National Television Award for her documentary Finding Derek which followed her husband Derek Draper's year-long battle with Covid.

Appearing on Tuesday's episode of Good Morning Britain, Kate told how some people asked why she had been given the honour for 'just looking after Derek'.

Hurtful: It comes after Kate revealed she has received negative backlash after receiving an MBE for services to broadcasting, journalism and charity

Documentary: The TV presenter won a National Television Award for her documentary Finding Derek which followed her husband Derek Draper's year-long battle with Covid

She said: 'I feel very awkward about it all, thrilled to bits and incredibly honoured. But you think, me? And then you think it's not real.'

Kate added: 'There's been a few comments since saying - "Why has she got this?" I look after my loved one. And you sort of feel like, I haven't got it for looking after Derek.'

Derek was rushed to hospital in March 2020 after contracting coronavirus, spending more than a year in medical care before returning home to be looked after by Kate and their children Darcey, 15, and William, 12.

Kate added that the family are currently making a second documentary portraying the aftermath of Derek returning home from hospital last year 'and how it affects us as a family as well as navigating the system.'
Courteney Cox is bringing something new to the Scream franchise.

The 57-year-old actress spoke about her upcoming movie - a revamp to the original Scream that was released in 1996 - calling it a 'brand-new relaunch.'

The Friends alum wants to make it clear that this movie is not a 'fifth to something' and is going to be its own movie.

'Were not making the fifth of something,' Courtney said to Parade in an interview. 'This is an absolute, brand-new relaunch of the franchise.'

Scream 1996: Courteney Cox is bringing something new to the Scream franchise. The 57-year-old actress spoke about her upcoming movie, a revamp to the original Scream that was released in 1996

Although Courteney has been in all of the four prior Scream movies, this new installment will feature a new cast, with only a few of the original cast members.

Some of the veterans making the return for the fifth movie is Neve Campbell, who played Sidney Prescott and David Arquette as Dewey Riley.

Along with new actors, Scream has gotten two new directors, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. Wes Craven, who directed the first Scream and all three sequels, died in 2015 of brain cancer at age 76.

New and old cast memebers: The fifth installment of Scream is set to be released on January 14

1996: 'Were not making the fifth of something, Courteney said to Parade in an interview. 'This is an absolute, brand-new relaunch of the franchise'

The new cast includes Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Sonia Ammar.

'It was such an emotional thing to come back,' the Scream star said. 'I had the same feeling when I walked on the set of Friends. I got really teary-eyed then too.'

The fourth installment was released in 2011, so it's been a decade since the original cast members worked together.

Even with time spent apart, Courteney feels that the new and old members work very well together.

'They're all top-notch actors who were so excited to be there, and no complaining over the sticky blood,' she said to the magazine with a laugh.

The picture also brought David and Courteney together as a romantic couple in real life, and they got married in 1999. Although they split in 2013 they amicably co-parent their daughter Coco, 17.

The fifth installment of Scream is set to be released on January 14.
She has every reason to be on cloud nine since her boyfriend popped the question.

And it looked as though newly-engaged Francesca Allen, 26, was still thriving following last month's proposal as she posed for a sultry new snap.

The former Love Island contestant took to Instagram on Thursday to flash her diamond ring at Isabel restaurant in Mayfair with husband-to-be Ed Crossan.

'Life is the best party': The former Love Island contestant, 26, took to Instagram on Thursday to flash her diamond ring at Isabel restaurant in Mayfair with husband-to-be Ed Crossan

Quick peek: It looked as though she was still thriving off last month's proposal as she flashed the eye-catching jewellery

Alongside the snap, Francesca captioned the post: 'Life is the best party I've ever been to.'

In the picture, she displayed her enviable washboard abs in a tight black crop top and chic grey trousers.

The brunette beauty was leather clad in a blazer and coordinating boots from Zara.

Francesca opted for a natural makeup palette and coiffed her locks with loose curls.

It comes after couple looked utterly smitten with one another as they were snapped up outside the upmarket eatery on Wednesday night.

Bride-to-be: Newly-engaged Francesca Allen flashed her diamond ring as she and fiance Ed Crossan headed for a spot of dinner at Isabel in Mayfair on Wednesday

Date night: The couple looked utterly smitten with one another as they were snapped up outside the upmarket eatery

Chic: The reality star displayed her enviable washboard abs in a tight black crop top and chic grey trousers

Fashion: The brunette beauty was leather clad in a blazer and coordinating boots from Zara

Francesca's fiance was recently revealed as her family friend, businessman Ed, who previously dated TOWIE 's Amber Turner.

The Love Island beauty revealed in December that Ed, the vice chairman of London-based waste management company Powerday, had popped the question in an idyllic festive proposal, having previously stayed coy on his identity.

She had previously taken to Instagram to reveal their romance after years of friendship, in which they embarked on family holidays, including a jaunt with the Crossan clan to Marbella shortly after her 2019 Love Island appearance.

Happy news: Francesca's fiance was recently revealed as her family friend, businessman Ed, who previously dated TOWIE 's Amber Turner

Future: The Love Island beauty revealed in December that Ed, the vice chairman of London-based waste management company Powerday, had popped the question in an idyllic festive proposal, having previously stayed coy on his identity

Exciting: Francesca said yes to Ed's proposal at Marylebone's swanky members club Home House and shared images of the moment with her Instagram followers

Francesca said yes to Ed's proposal at Marylebone's swanky members club Home House and shared images of the moment with her Instagram followers.

While she failed to tag her husband-to-be, her management company HLD Talent and her sister Claudia both named Ed in their congratulatory posts.

Ed's sister Tara also commented on the post, simply writing: 'THE BEST'.

Francesca has shared and tagged images of Ed in the past, seemingly before they formed their romance, with their 2019 Marbella trip seeing the star jet away with his family and enjoy a host of boozy nights and exercise sessions.
Molly-Mae Hague shut down speculation her boyfriend Tommy Fury would propose to her after surprising her with a New Year's trip to New York.

Uploading a video of her time in the Big Apple on YouTube on Thursday, the Love Island star, 22, started the vlog by telling her fans not to get too excited because she know her beau, 22, won't pop the question.

It comes as followers in the comment section announced they were unsubscribing after being offended by her 'tone deaf' remarks on wealth inequality on a recent podcast.

'I'm tired and sick of it!': Molly-Mae Hague shut down speculation her boyfriend Tommy Fury would propose to her after surprising her with a New Year's trip to New York

Talking about how Tommy had surprised her with a last minute trip across the world while they were on a walk in Manchester, Molly-Mae said: 'He was like, "I'm taking to you New York".'

The television personality said she burst into tears immediately, with Tommy noting 'it looked like we had got engaged' as they hugged on the path.

'I was so shocked, I did not that expect that at all. Basically it's been a lot to take in. I feel so lucky to be here. I can't believe my boyfriend did that for me,' she elaborated.

No proposal: Uploading a video of her time in the Big Apple on YouTube, the Love Island star, 22, started the vlog by telling her fans not to get too excited

Her say: 'Also I'm getting a little bit sick and tired that every single person thinks Tommy is going to propose out here. He booked this trip two days ago, it hasn't been planned,' she said

'Also I'm getting a little bit sick and tired that every single person thinks Tommy is going to propose out here. He booked this trip two days ago, it hasn't been planned for long at all.

'I can promise you guys he is not proposing to me. As Tommy winked in the background, Molly-Mae said: 'Don't look like you are Tommy because everyone is going to be like "oh, he's going to propose".

'I'm not saying that he won't propose at some point in the next year but I know this trip is not the one, so don't get your hopes up.'

The couple have been dating since 2019 after they found love on ITV2's Love Island.

After the show, they soon moved in together and often talk about their hopes for marriage and children in the future.

Unimpressed: Meanwhile, Molly-Mae's subscribers took to the comment section to share their opinion of the backlash the influencer has faced

Meanwhile, Molly-Mae's subscribers took to the comment section to share their opinion of the backlash the influencer has faced for making controversial statements, with some choosing to hit the unsubscribe button.

An interview, which was first shared on YouTube on December 13, went viral on Wednesday when it was shared on Twitter.

In the clip, Molly, who last year was named the creative director of clothing brand PrettyLittleThing, a title with a seven-figure salary, said: 'You're given one life and it's down to you what you do with it. You can literally go in any direction.

Annoyed: 'I can promise you guys he is not proposing to me. As Tommy winked in the background, Molly-Mae said: 'Don't look like you are Tommy'

In the future: 'I'm not saying that he won't propose at some point in the next year but I know this trip is not the one, so don't get your hopes up,' Molly said

'When I've spoken about that in the past I have been slammed a little bit, with people saying 'it's easy for you to say that because you've not grown up in poverty, so for you to sit there and say we all have the same 24 hours in a day is not correct.' But, technically, what I'm saying is correct. We do.'

She went on: 'I understand we all have different backgrounds and we're all raised in different ways and we do have different financial situations, but I think if you want something enough you can achieve it.

'It just depends on what lengths you want to go to get where you want to be in the future. And I'll go to any length.'

She then added: 'I've worked my absolute a**e off to get where I am now.'

Taking to the comment section, one wrote: 'You have done really well for yourself but undoubtedly saying that we all have the same 24 hours came across awfully because we really don't- privilege is so real in today's world, some people work ridiculously hard but have barriers to success such as family background, racism etc...'

While another follower added: 'Molly, I've supported you through and through since Love Island, but I'm so hurt by what said in the podcast. I can comprehend that perhaps you don't mean it in the way it came across, but the point being is that it came across in a really terrible way.'

Mixed response: However, other fans commented words of adoration, describing her relationship with Tommy as 'beautiful'

'Unsubscribing. What reflection on how our society awards idiots. Meanwhile many of those who make a meaningful contribution struggle,' typed a third.

A fourth subscriber chimed: 'Completely out of touch and deluded. It's embarrassing to listen to her speak on the matter because she just consistently exposes how sheltered and ignorant she is.'

However, other fans commented words of adoration, describing her relationship with Tommy as 'beautiful'.

One wrote: 'Molly and Tommy are literally soul mates. Besties in a relationship just like me and my hubby'.

Sending tongues wagging: Molly-Mae kept fans guessing by hiding her hands on Instagram shots

Another typed: 'Omg you are so lucky, hope you had an amazing christmas and new years. You both really deserve this trip after the year you've had'.

A third added: 'Love the connection you and Tommy have, it's so beautiful to see! Keep staying true Molly Mae, your influence is real!'

A spokesman for the star told MailOnline that Molly acknowledges that people 'are raised in different ways' and 'from different backgrounds' and that she never meant to offend.

Smitten: The couple have been dating since 2019 after they found love on ITV2's Love Island. After the show, they soon moved in together and often talk about their hopes for marriage

A statement read: 'Molly did a podcast interview in December about her own rise to success. If you listen to the full conversation and interview Molly was asked about how the nature of her potential grows and how she believes in herself.

'This part of the interview was discussing time efficiency relating to success. Molly refers to a quote which says "We all have the same 24 hours in a day as Beyonce".

'She was discussing her own experience and how she can resonate with this specific quote. Her opinion on if you want something enough you can work hard to achieve it is how she keeps determined with her own work to achieve more in her own life.

'Molly is not commenting on anyone else's life or personal situation she can only speak of her own experience.

'She acknowledges that everyone is raised in different ways and from different backgrounds but her comments here are in reference to timing, hard work and determination in her own life.'

'If you listen to this interview you can see the whole conversation was about her own personal circumstances, how she has grown up and this small clip in the conversation was talking about a quote that inspires her.

Social media users have shared a short snippet from this interview with words such as 'if you are homeless buy a house' and "if you are poor be poor" these are absolutely not Molly's words, these are not Molly's thoughts and this isn't at all the meaning or thought behind that conversation.'
A bistro inside the Baekhack traditional marketplace in central Seoul remains lit up after 9 p.m., Jan. 6, as many business owners joined a 'lighting protest' in resistance to the government's business curfew. Yonhap



A number of cafes and restaurants in commercial districts in Seoul have defiantly stayed lit up past midnight in collective action protesting the government's 9 p.m. anti-COVID-19 business curfew.



Small bistros lining the Baekhack traditional marketplace in central Seoul, and restaurants and food vendors on a street near Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul were among the participants in the so-called "lighting protest," launched a day earlier in resistance to the business curfew.



Under the current social distancing rules, cafes and restaurants are allowed to operate until 9 p.m., while private gatherings at those places are limited to four people.



Amid the resurgence of COVID-19 and the fast spread of the Omicron variant, the government extended those measures for two more weeks through mid-January.






She recently hit back at body shamers who told her to 'eat something'.

But Siannise Fudge wasn't letting the haters get her down as she put on a sultry display posing up a storm in her underwear on Friday.

The Love Island star, 27, displayed her toned abs and lithe legs in the set as she leant seductively on her bath tub.

Wow: Love Island's Siannise Fudge put on a sizzling display as she posed up a storm in sexy green underwear on Friday

The Bristolian beauty wowed in the set from lounge which featured pretty silk and lace detailing and was worn high on her hips.

Siannise wore her dark tresses in a slick pony tail and opted for a very glamorous makeup look for the post.

She cheekily captioned the gorgeous snap: 'You got the green light'.

It comes after last month Siannise hit out at her critics after her notably slender physique prompted concern among social media followers.

'I feel sorry for you': It comes after last month Siannise hit out at her critics after her notably slender physique prompted concern among social media followers

The newly single star sparked a flurry of comments from fans after sharing a photo of herself in a gold satin dress that accentuated her lean figure.

Echoing a theme of sorts, one person commented: 'Skin n bone... New year res Eat something!!' [sic]

However Siannise clapped back, sharing a screenshot of the comment with the words: 'Your new resolution can be to be kind hun.'

Firing shots: Siannise clapped back, sharing a screenshot of the comment with the words: 'Your new resolution can be to be kind hun'

'We are all beautiful': She went on to add: 'I receive messages like these daily but whatever body type you are, we are ALL beautiful'

She went on to add: 'I receive messages like these daily but whatever body type you are, we are ALL beautiful.

'Will never understand why people think it's ok to body shame people online or comment nasty things and I feel sorry for you.

'On the other hand I am HAPPY and HEALTHY and how I see myself is what matters the most. Happy New Year to you all.'

It comes after last month it was reported that Siannise and Luke have ended their nearly two-year relationship.

All over? It comes after last month it was reported that Siannise and Luke have ended their nearly two-year relationship (the pair last made their public appearance together in October pictured)

Speculation the pair, who rose to fame on the winter series of the ITV dating show, had split in November was sparked after Siannise uploaded a cryptic caption on Instagram.

A source told The Sun: 'It's been a really hard couple of weeks for both of them but it's over for now.'

MailOnline has contacted both of their representatives for comment.

The pair last made their public appearance together on October 27 when they attended the Eternals UK Premiere at the BFI IMAX Waterloo.

Adorable: Siannise met Luke during Love Island's first-ever winter series, after jetting off to the villa in South Africa in January 2020. They bought their dog Nala (pictured) lat year

In November the pair sent tongues wagging when Siannise wrote on her Instagram story: 'Take this opportunity to learn from my mistakes.'

The quote continued: 'You don't have to guess if something is love. Love is shown through actions. Stop making excuses for people who don't show up for you.

'Don't ignore the red flags. And don't think you have yo stay somewhere 'cause you can't find better - you can and you will.

'Don't settle for less - you don't deserve it and neither does your family.'

Siannise met Luke during Love Island's first-ever winter series, after jetting off to the villa in South Africa in January 2020.

After coupling up early on, the smitten pair went on to come in second place in the competition, narrowly losing out to Paige Turley and Finn Tapp.

In May last year, the pair decided to move into their own flat in London after both staying with Luke's mum in Luton during lockdown.

Siannise wrote on Instagram at the time: 'We did it! Today myself & @luketroytrotman moved into our apartment and we love it.

'I feel so overwhelmed, this is something I have always wanted and it reminds me of how far we have both come.

'I'm excited for our next chapter in London and going on lots of adventures with my best friend, I love you (sic).'
She's been soaking up the sun in the Maldives with her best friends.

And Ferne McCann, 31, turned up the heat in her recent Instagram snaps which showed her and her friends enjoying a luxury holiday in the Maldives on Friday.

The First Time Mum star looked flawless in a black plunging swimsuit as she posed with a glass of wine.

Hot! Ferne McCann, 31, turned up the heat in her recent Instagram stories as she flaunted her body in a plunging black swimsuit on Friday in the Maldives

Ferne showcased her stunning figure in a black plunging swimsuit which featured delicate gold detail.

She accessorised with two gorgeous gold necklace's and matching earrings.

The former TOWIE star styled her blonde tresses in a slick back ponytail, and finished the look with a soft glam make-up look and glossy lips.

Ferne enjoyed a luxurious meal and drinks with her friends and their kids on Friday. She shared a video to her Instagram story of her steak dish being salted by the waiter.

Stunning: The former TOWIE star showcased her stunning gold matching jewellery, with her golden locks slicked back in a ponytail

She has been enjoying the post-Christmas get away with her daughter Sunday, four, alongside her co-star Billie Faiers, 31, and her daughter Nelly, seven.

Ferne went on to share photos and videos of her daughter and Amber Coral's daughter posing for the camera.

She captioned the picture: 'These girls I can't even'

Cute: Ferne McCann's daughter Sunday (left) and Amber Coral's daughter (right) posed for the camera while enjoying their holiday in the Maldives

Yum! Ferne shared a video of her luxurious steak meal while the girls dined out and enjoyed a drink in the sun

Ferne has not shied away from flooding her social media with snippets from her luxe Maldives trip.

She was joined by a group of her pals for New Year's Eve celebrations on Friday, including Stephanie Turp. They took to Instagram to document their holiday, on Sunday.

They slipped into bikinis and posed with Stephanie as Billie planted a kiss on her pal Ferne's cheek.
Tributes poured in Friday morning following the death of legendary Hollywood actor Sidney Poitier at age 94.

Poitier - the first black man to win a best actor Oscar - left behind a trailblazing career which many A-List stars celebrated in their messages of condolences.

His passing was confirmed by the Bahamas's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fred Mitchell, on Friday morning. His cause of death is not yet known.

Halle Berry, Whoopi Goldberg, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, Anika Noni Rose and many more lead tributes on Friday.

'RIP, Sir. With love': Sidney Poitier is honored by stars Halle Berry, Whoopi Goldberg and Jeffrey Wright leading tributes to 'landmark actor' after his death at 94 (Pictured in 1964)

Berry, 55, was the first black actress to win the best actress Oscar in 2002 as she posted a touching tribute to the star on Instagram with a snap of the talented thespians together.

She wrote: '"A tiny bit of myself is lost when my friends are gone," Sidney Poitier wrote in his book LIFE BEYOND MEASURE. My dear Sidney, an enormous part of my soul weeps at your passing.

'In your ninety-four years on this planet, you left an indelible mark with your extraordinary talent, paving the way for Black people to be seen and heard in the fullness of who we are. You were an iconic trailblazer; yours was a life well lived.'

Berry continued by talking about growing up admiring him and what a thrill it was when they finally met.

'You are and always will be the true measure of a man': Berry, 55, was the first black actress to win the best actress Oscar in 2002 as she posted a touching tribute to the star on Instagram with a snap of the talented thespians together

She wrote: 'I grew up idolizing you and will always remember the day when I first met you. It is the only time in my life when Ive been rendered speechless! There I sat, with my words glued together, and you were as gracious and charming then as you would be during our decades of friendship to follow.

'Rest in peace, beloved Sidney. You are and always will be the true measure of a man.'

Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actor Jeffrey Wright was one of the first stars to react, tweeting: 'Sidney Poitier. What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. With love.'

Oscar-winner Whoopi Goldberg tweeted a touching message, reciting the lyrics to the theme song from Poitier's 1967 film To Sir, with Love.

'If you wanted the sky I would write across the sky in letters that would soar a thousand feet high.. To Sir with Love,' she wrote, adding: 'Sir Sidney Poitier R.I.P. He showed us how to reach for the stars.'

Outpouring: Tributes poured in Friday morning following the death of legendary Hollywood actor Sidney Poitier at age 94

The 1967 British drama film dealt with social and racial issues in an inner city school, with Poitier playing teacher Mr Mark Thackeray.

Oprah Winfrey wrote on her social media platforms: 'For me, the greatest of the "Great Trees" has fallen: Sidney Poitier. My honor to have loved him as a mentor. Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher.'

She continued: 'The utmost, highest regard and praise for his most magnificent, gracious, eloquent life. I treasured him. I adored him. He had an enormous soul I will forever cherish. Blessings to Joanna and his world of beautiful daughters.'

'Your legacy is eternal': 'Thank you Sidney Poitier for breaking down barriers, creating the path and making it possible for there to be a Will Smith!' wrote Will Smith

So many stars: John Travolta quoted the late film icon as having said: 'We must be citizens of the world,' and added his own thoughts: 'I think he was right'

'An icon, legend, visionary, and true pioneer,' wrote Will Smith. 'Thank you Sidney Poitier for breaking down barriers, creating the path and making it possible for there to be a Will Smith! Your legacy is eternal. Rest In Power.'

John Travolta quoted the late film icon as having said: 'We must be citizens of the world,' and added his own thoughts: 'I think he was right.'

Star of Dreamgirls and Tony winner Anika Noni Rose tweeted: 'RIP Sidney Poitier. Thank you for being so kind, for every door you broke down and every slap you gave in return.'

To Sir With Love: Oscar winner Viola Davis posted a tribute on Instagram

'This is a big one,' said Oscar-winner Viola Davis. 'No words can describe how your work radically shifted my life.'

'The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!! It was an honor for my husband and I to share lunch with you at Spagos.'

'You told us,If your dreams do not scare you, they're not big enough! I put this quote on my daughter's wall. Rest well Mr. Poitier.Thank you! Thank you for leaving a legacy. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.'

Star-studded tribute: The actor began trending on social media Friday

Mariah Carey called him a 'true King': 'Beyond his unparalleled talent and devotion to change the world, to me, he was also a celestial, pure soul who took the time to care, talk, help and heal others so selflessly.

'I am blessed with the memories of our conversations that will be forever emblazoned in my mind. Condolences and love to the Poitier family. Rest in Power and Peace Sir Sidney Poitier.'

Alicia Keys wrote: 'Legendary GREATNESS! Thank you for all the doors you opened, for all the ceilings you broke through! Thank for showing us what GREATNESS looks like! You are never to be forgotten.'

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt wrote: 'Sidney Poitier. An absolute legend. One of the greats' while Katie Holmes shared an image of him with the words 'Rest In Peace.'

'A true King': Mariah Carey called him a 'true King' and remarked that he was 'a celestial, pure soul who took the time to care, talk, help and heal others so selflessly'

Legends never die: 'Legendary GREATNESS! Thank you for all the doors you opened, for all the ceilings you broke through!' Alicia Keys wrote in her tribute

RIP: And Katie Holmes shared a black and white portrait of the groundbreaking actor with a simple 'Rest In Peace'

Paying respects: Mourners began to lay flowers by his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

It is no surprise to see such a huge outpouring of tributes for the Bahamian-American star from fellow actors.

Poitier's groundbreaking acting career saw win an Oscar in 1964 for his role in Lilies of the Field him and earn two further Academy Award nominations, ten Golden Globes nominations, two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, six BAFTA nominations, eight Laurel nominations, and one Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination.

Twice-married, he had four daughters with his first wife Juanita Hardy and two with his second wife Joanna Shimkus.
Christine Quinn is bringing in the new year with a romantic getaway.

The Selling Sunset star was spotted on the beach with her husband, Christian Richard, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on Thursday. The couple was seen walking arm-in-arm and even shared a romantic kiss on the picturesque beach.

Christine, 32, showed off her toned figure in a floral print bikini with matching sheer, pant cover-up. Her husband wore a black t-shirt and blue board shorts as he walked barefoot next to his wife.

Bringing in the new year: Christine Quinn is bringing in the new year with a romantic getaway. The Selling Sunset star was spotted on the beach with her husband, Christian Richard, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico on Thursday

In Cabo: Christine posted a few pictures on her Instagram with a lengthy New Year's caption on Wednesday. The new mom said, 'This is YOUR year. YOUR fresh start'

As the adorable couple sipped tropical drinks, they stopped for a quick kiss as they made their stroll along the beach. Christine and Christian also stopped and looked out towards the ocean as the duo cuddled up to one another.

Christine and Christian met in 2019 and tied the knot within a year of knowing each other. Their extravagant wedding was featured on the Netflix hit Selling Sunset.

Christine brought her wild flair to the ceremony with black swans, a blood-covered wedding cake, and literal snow to their indoor ceremony.

Romantic getaway: The couple was seen walking arm-in-arm and even shared a romantic kiss on the picturesque beach

Cheers: The two lovingly strutted arm-in-arm down the shoreline

Picturesque scene: As the adorable couple sipped tropical drinks, they stopped for a quick kiss as they made their stroll along the beach. Christine and Christian also stopped and looked out towards the ocean as the duo cuddled up to one another

Enjoying the tropics: Christine, 32, showed off her toned figure in a floral print bikini with matching sheer, pant cover-up. Her husband wore a black t-shirt and blue board shorts as he walked barefoot next to his wife

Christine posted a few pictures on her Instagram with a lengthy New Year's caption on Wednesday. The new mom said, 'This is YOUR year. YOUR fresh start'

She proceeded to urge her two and a half million Instagram followers to comment one goal they have for themselves in 2022 and to hold themselves accountable throughout the year.

'Im from a small town in Texas, I worked at Walmart and a car hop at Sonic with no high school diploma or GED,' the reality tv personality said to encourage her followers. 'I was a high school drop out and experienced sexism and misogyny, and was publicly humiliated for having no formal education.'

That look of love: Christine stared adoringly at her man

Laughing in Mexico: Christine and Christian met in 2019 and tied the knot within a year of knowing each other. Their extravagant wedding was featured on the Netflix hit Selling Sunset

Making a splash: She dipped her feet in the water

Enjoying the view? The couple shared an adoring stare into the sea

Her 42-year-old husband is a retired tech entrepreneur following a successful career in software engineering.

He also helped create one of the first online food delivery companies, something which helped boost his wealth when he sold it to a competitor in 2017. Due to his strategic business ventures, the new father was able to retire at 38.

The famous couple welcomed their first son, who is named after his father, in May 2021. Christine went into labor two weeks early and had planned to have a natural birth, but had to opt for an emergency cesarean section. The baby is happy and healthy after his early arrival.

Staying consistent: Christine urged her two and a half million Instagram followers to comment one goal they have for themselves in 2022 and to hold themselves accountable throughout the year

Enjoying the ocean: The couple laughed, hand-in hand, as they made their way through the crashing waves on their romantic beach stroll in Cabo
Kanye West has teamed up with retailer giant Gap and famed fashion house Balenciaga for a new collaboration.

On Friday, the 44-year-old rapper confirmed the upcoming project by posting an excerpt from a contract signed by representatives of the three brands on his Instagram page.

'It is a vision come true to work with Gap and Demna, the creative director of Balenciaga, to make incredible product available to everyone at all times,' the Flashing Lights hitmaker told Vogue.

Exciting! Kanye West has teamed up with retailer giant Gap and famed fashion house Balenciaga for a new collaboration. Seen in 2019

New collaboration: On Friday, the 44-year-old rapper confirmed the upcoming project by posting an excerpt from a contract signed by representatives of the three brands on his Instagram page

Demna Gvasalia - who recently shortened his professional name to Demna - previously worked with West when he served as the creative director for the rapper's second Donda album listening party in August 2021.

According to Vogue, the collaboration, which is titled Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga, is set for a June release with a second drop to come later in 2022.

Dema told Vogue, 'This is a very different challenge. I've always appreciated the utilitarianism and the accessibility of Gap.

'I share some of the same sensibilities in my creative language. This project allowed me to join forces [with Ye] to create utilitarian fashion for all.'

Coming soon: According to Vogue, the collaboration, which is titled Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga, is set for a June release with a second drop to come later in 2022. Ye pictured at the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week in 2020

Kanye - who officially changed his name to Ye - inked a massive 10-year deal with Gap in 2020.

In June 2021, Ye debuted his first Gap item, a $200 blue puffer jacket, which sold out online within a few hours of its release.

The $90 Yeezy blue hoodie that Ye released in November delivered the most single-day sales in in Gap's history.

Big hit: In June 2021, Ye debuted his first Gap item, a $200 blue puffer jacket, which sold out online within a few hours of its release

According to a press release from Gap, the Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga items will available 'alongside continued Yeezy Gap releases.'

Ye has frequently showcased his love for Balenciaga. On Tuesday, the Grammy Award winner was spotted shopping at the luxury brand's Miami boutique with rapper Future.

After the shopping spree, Ye jetted to New York City for a date night with his new girlfriend Julia Fox.

Personal stylist: Ye's new girlfriend Julia Fox, who revealed that the rapper had surprised her with hotel suite filled with new clothes, was decked out in Balenciaga when the pair enjoyed dinner in Manhattan. Pictured in January 2022

The 32-year-old actress, who revealed that the rapper had surprised her with hotel suite filled with new clothes, was decked out in Balenciaga when the pair enjoyed dinner in Manhattan.

Ye is also credited with introducing his estranged wife Kim Kardashian, 41, to the brand.

Over the past few months, the SKIMS mogul has sported Balenciaga for numerous high-profile appearances, from the MET Gala to her Saturday Night Live hosting debut to the People's Choice Awards.
While Kanye West and Julia Fox may have only been 'dating' for less than a week, their fledgling romance has already gone viral.

On Thursday, the curious new couple were ruthlessly mocked on Twitter, when rising star Julia wrote a blog post about their second date for Interview Magazine titled 'date night.'

Detailing their 'instant connection' after meeting in Miami on New Year's Eve to Interview Magazine, the actress, 31, described the 44-year-old Grammy winner's generosity and 'fun' energy.

Are they for real?! Twitter ruthlessly mocked Julia Fox and Kanye West after the actress wrote a blog about their second date for Interview Magazine

However, many found the article to be bizarre given the short amount of time they have been together, questioning why the Uncut Gems star would be so public with their week-long romance.

'About last night,' Interview Magazine's office account tweeted, adding: 'Ye and Julia Fox give us the tea.'

The tweet elicited a flood of responses from some users laughing that it had 'only been seven days.'

Another said of Julia's blog post: 'So she's only known him long enough for 2 paragraphs. Get it Pretty Woman.'

Others hinted that it was all a ploy for Kanye to get back at his estranged wife Kim Kardashian: 'The Julia Fox/Kanye West article is the most hilariously pathetic attempt to make Kim Kardashian jealous I can't even believe it's real.'

Internet do your thing: Kanye and Julia have been ruthlessly mocked online over their whirlwind romance

'This Kanye West and Julia Fox PR stunt is so pathetic,' another tweeted.

The article also contained a slew of images documenting their epic night out, from the many kisses they shared to the hotel suite full of clothing Kanye had surprised Julia with.

'He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night. We decided to keep the energy going and fly back to New York City to see Slave Play,' she gushed.

The Uncut Gems star continued: 'Ye's flight landed at six and the play was at seven and he was there ON TIME. I was impressed. After the play we chose to do dinner at Carbone which is one of my favorite restaurants.'

Strong reactions: Fans have set social media ablaze with their thoughts on the Kanye West and Julia Fox

'At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined,' she added. 'After dinner Ye had a surprise for me. I mean, I'm still in shock. Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes.'

She said the move was 'every girl's dream come true' and 'felt like a real Cinderella moment.'

'I don't know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time. But I was so surprised. Like, who does things like this on a second date? Or any date!' she marveled.

Romantic: Kanye West's rumored new flame Julia Fox penned a short article about her first two dates with the rapper, which included a trip to New York City; seen together on Tuesday night in Greenwich Village

Fox concluded her piece by writing: 'Everything with us has been so organic. I don't know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future I'm loving the ride.'

There were also some very intimate snaps of their date night shared on Interview's Instagram which showed the two with their heads together as they kissed and even one where Julia straddled Ye in front of a clothing rack.

Another photo shared by Julia includes the shoot at Carbone, in which West and 'Slave Play' writer Jeremy O. Harris can be seen in the background.

XOXO: The lovedbirds got handsy as they shared a kiss

Lean on me: Julia closed her eyes as she cuddled her new flame

Hot and heavy: Fox straddled West inside the closet

Harris also shared 'proof' of West directing Fox, 31, during the Interview Magazine photo shoot over dinner via Twitter.

Harris shared a link to Fox's essay with the caption: 'Id only third wheel for Ye and Julia.'

He followed it up with the video as he wrote alongside it: '"At the restaurant, Ye directed an entire photo shoot for me while people dined!"

Kiss me! The hit-maker wrapped his arms around Fox as things got hot

'Its true. I have the proof.'

On her Instagram Story, Julia hinted to going through some struggles as she reposted a meme, which read: 'My mental status is: if you give me a long hug I might start crying.'

In the clip shared by the 32-year-old playwright, the Uncut Gems actress could be seen striking her best poses as Ye could be heard off camera saying: 'No best I'm telling you this is good don't worry. He's looking like "Oh how long is this going for."'

Pucker up: As she tried on her jeans, she appeared to be giving Kanye a kiss

Fashionista: Fox wore a textured jacket and skintight leggings

Despite their romance feeling like it was ripped right out of a fairytale, her Prince Charming's love life has been quite complicated since his estranged wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce last February.

In addition to wooing Fox, this week, he was also spotted looking cozy with Puerto Rican pop artist Audri Nix in Miami on a hotel balcony together on New Year's Day.

And less than 24 hours after whisking Fox to the Big Apple, he spent more time with Nix at a gated property.

Split: Despite their romance feeling like it was ripped right out of a fairytale, her Prince Charming's love life has been quite complicated since his estranged wife Kim Kardashian filed for divorce last February

Hours before Fox shared PDA-heavy images of their second date, which showed them hugging and kissing with Interview, the validity of their relationship was called into question.

Following reports that his ex Kim Kardashian sees the 'romance' as an 'attempt to make her jealous', Ye is said to be documenting his many dates with his own media team.

A source told Page Six that Kanye has brought along the photographers as part of a larger project documenting his life.
She kicked off the New Year by announcing that she was expecting her first child with her husband, Alex, 30.

And Olivia Bowen looked incredible as she flashed her midriff in a black long-sleeved crop top, that showcased her stomach tattoo.

The former Love Island star, 28, teamed the cropped top with a pair of stylish cargo-style trousers and some quirky black stilettos.

Sizzling: Olivia Bowen looked incredible as she flashed her midriff in a black long-sleeved crop top, that accentuated her stunning tattoo

She added a chain necklace, and a pair of black Balenciaga heels, with the name emblazoned across them.

Olivia wore her blonde locks swept back from her face and completed her look with a plum lipstick.

Captioning the gorgeous snaps, she wrote: 'Kim Possible vibes are always welcome.'

Stunning: The former Love Island star, 28, also showed off her blossoming baby bump in a pair of green cargo trousers

Wow: Captioning the gorgeous snaps, she wrote: 'Kim Possible vibes are always welcome'

Olviia also revealed that her baby is due sometime this summer, with a selfie of her and Alex.

Alongside it she wrote: 'I'm just gonna answer my most asked question now, with how far along in pregnancy we are.

'We are due in the summer. It's just a personal choice we have decided to keep this between us & our families for now. I'm sure you guys understand & thank you!

'So yes, Summer baby!', Olivia concluded.

Baby news: She also revealed that her baby is due sometime this summer, with a selfie of her and Alex

Olivia took to Instagram on Saturday to share the news that she is expecting her first child with Alex.

Her New Year's Day post showed a series of instant photos and a pair of booties alongside the caption: 'Happy New Baby Bowen', before Alex then shared the same post and penned: 'This year we get to meet Baby Bowen'

The trio of images included a shot of Alex kissing his wife's stomach, a selfie showing them holding the booties and a baby grow alongside sonogram pictures.

Olivia and Alex, formerly a sales executive and scaffolder respectively, soared to fame in 2016 when they appeared on the ITV2 reality show, where she was an original star and he, a late and extremely popular entrant.

After leaving the villa their romance soon when from strength to strength and Alex popped the question in New York in 2016.

Loved-up couple Olivia and Alex tied the knot in a luxurious Essex ceremony two years after meeting on Love Island during series two.
London Goheen and her son Stone are finally enjoying quality family time with Reece Hawkins after they spent weeks separated after their botched Swiss holiday last year.

On Friday, the influencer shared a photo on Instagram of herself and her husband sharing a passionate kiss at a seaside resort, with their nine-month-old boy in between.

The 24-year-old also included another image of the trio cuddled up together as her Australian husband, 26, lovingly looked down at their son.

Loved-up: London Goheen shared photo of herself sharing a kiss with her husband Reece Hawkins at a seaside resort on Friday, following their botched holiday in Switzerland last year

The family, who are now based in the US, reunited late last year - just in time for London's birthday.

She shared a happy photo of them together on her special day, along with the caption: '24 & never felt better.'

This comes after Hawkins and Goheen's botched family holiday to Switzerland back in December.

Hawkins had been travelling in Switzerland for some time when Goheen planned to visit him with their baby Stone.

Family: The 24-year-old influencer also included another image of the trio cuddled up together as her Australian husband, 26, lovingly looked down at their nine-month-old son Stone

Reunited: The family, who are now based in the US, reunited late last year - just in time for London's birthday. She shared a happy photo of them together on her special day, along with the caption: '24 & never felt better'

However, these plans combusted when Goheen was turned away at the border for being unvaccinated against Covid-19.

Switzerland had imposed new rules restricting unvaccinated travellers from entering the country in response to the Omicron variant.

About two-thirds of the Swiss population are fully vaccinated against coronavirus, and Covid patients make up 34 per cent of those in intensive care.

Holiday fiasco: This comes after Hawkins and Goheen's botched family holiday to Switzerland back in December

Abroad: Hawkins had been travelling in Switzerland for some time when his Texas-born wife Goheen planned to visit him with baby Stone

Hawkins had managed to enter the country despite also being unvaccinated because the rules hadn't yet taken effect when he crossed the border.

Rather than leaving the country after learning his wife and child would not be joining him, Hawkins continued his whirlwind trip around Switzerland, leaving Goheen and Stone to fly back to their home in America without him.

After arriving back in the United States, Goheen told fans she was 'exhausted, sleep deprived and had been crying all day' in an emotional Instagram Story.

'The longest two days ever': The bikini model said she'd booked her flight to Switzerland before the new vaccination laws were announced, and that she and Stone had travelled for 14 hours only to see Hawkins for two hours under police supervision

Stressed: Goheen described the ordeal as 'stressful' and 'emotional' in an Instagram Story post

The bikini model said she'd booked her flight to Switzerland before the new vaccination laws were announced, and that she and Stone had travelled for 14 hours only to see Hawkins for two hours under police supervision.

The circumstances surrounding Hawkins and Goheen's trip were discussed during a recent episode of the Outspoken podcast, with co-host Kate Taeuber expressing little sympathy for the unvaccinated couple.

'It's hard not to feel sorry for baby Stone who has been dragged into all of this. But, to me, there's a very obvious solution to this issue,' Kate said.

Upset: After arriving back in the United States, Goheen told fans she was 'exhausted, sleep deprived and had been crying all day' in an emotional Instagram Story

'If you want to jet-set around the world, get vaccinated. Not only can you travel, but you're also protecting yourself and others from Covid. It all seems a little bit rich to complain about this situation.'

Co-host Amy Taeuber agreed, pointing out that Hawkins' decision to continue travelling 'is really not a good look off the back of him leaving Australia and his two children that he shares with Tammy Hembrow behind'.

Hembrow and Hawkins were in a relationship for five years before splitting in 2018 and share son Wolf, six, and daughter Saskia, five.

Old times: Hembrow and Hawkins were in a relationship for five years before splitting in 2018 and share son Wolf, six, and daughter Saskia, five

In November, Hembrow appeared to confirm she has sole custody of the children she shares with Hawkins.

During an Instagram Q&A, the Queensland businesswoman was asked if she looks after her children full-time after her ex-fiance relocated to the U.S. in July.

'Do you look after Wolf and Sass full-time now?' the fan asked, to which Tammy simply responded: 'Yes.'

Single mum: In November, Tammy Hembrow (centre) appeared to confirm she has sole custody of Wolf (left) and Saskia (right), the two children she shares with her ex-fiance Hawkins

The Rich Lister also spoke about raising her two young children, saying: 'My kids are quite a good age, and actually really well-behaved.'

'I'll bring Sass to a lot of my [work] meetings when Wolf is at school as she only goes a couple of days a week. Also having family around to help. My mum will help babysit.'

Hawkins and Goheen, who previously lived together on the Gold Coast but now reside in the U.S., married in December 2020.
Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett has defended Molly-Mae Hague after she was 'crucified' over her controversial comments on wealth inequality and poverty on his podcast.

A clip of the 22-year-old influencer's December interview on The Diary of a CEO went viral this week, with her comments that she has 'worked my a**e off' for her wealth and that 'everyone has the same 24 hours in a day' to achieve sparking a backlash.

And entrepreneur Stephen, 29, who interviewed Molly, waded into the debate, suggesting the backlash was a result of sexism as he called out the 'double standard that successful women face' from critics.

Defence: Dragon's Den star Steven Bartlett has defended Molly-Mae Hague after she was 'crucified' over her controversial comments on wealth inequality and poverty on his podcast

Taking to Twitter on Friday he wrote: 'Molly Mae did an interview on my podcast, yesterday a soundbite from that interview went viral, she trended No.1 on Twitter, every newspaper covered it and MP's weighed in.

'I've had male guests say what she said. No-one cared. But when Molly says it, she's crucified? Crazy.'

He continued: 'I have become aware of the double standard that successful women face.

Speaking up: entrepreneur Stephen, 29, who interviewed Molly, waded into the debate, suggesting the backlash was a result of sexism as he called out the 'double standard that successful women face' from critics

'If I interview a man he can brag about money, take full credit for his success and talk about his cars?

'If I interview a successful woman, she's got to tip toe around her success and watch her words.'

Stephen, who recently replaced Tej Lalvani on Dragon's Den then added: 'Gender issues aside, the standard we hold Molly Mae to as a 22 year-old that's figuring out the world is absolutely outrageous.

'She once said she didn't like Italian food, it trended No.1 all day, was written about in every newspaper and she had to issue a public apology. 22.'

Double standards? Taking to Twitter on Friday, the Dragon's Den star claimed none of his male guests who have said similar things have faced such a backlash

Molly recently broke her silence after being slammed over 'tone deaf' comments during the interview.

Molly appeared on Love Island in 2019 and last year was named the creative director of clothing brand PrettyLittleThing, a title with a seven-figure salary.

After her comments went viral, footage also resurfaced of the star being left horrified after being asked to work a 12-hour shift in the PLT warehouse in order to experience what goes on behind the scenes.

A spokesman for the star told MailOnline that Molly acknowledges that people 'are raised in different ways' and 'from different backgrounds' and that she never meant to offend.

Statement: Molly recently broke her silence after being slammed over 'tone deaf' comments she made about wealth inequality during a recent interview on The Diary of a CEO (pictured)

A statement read: 'Molly did a podcast interview in December about her own rise to success. If you listen to the full conversation and interview Molly was asked about how the nature of her potential grows and how she believes in herself.

'This part of the interview was discussing time efficiency relating to success. Molly refers to a quote which says "We all have the same 24 hours in a day as Beyonce".

'She was discussing her own experience and how she can resonate with this specific quote. Her opinion on if you want something enough you can work hard to achieve it is how she keeps determined with her own work to achieve more in her own life.

'Molly is not commenting on anyone else's life or personal situation she can only speak of her own experience.

Awkward: After her comments went viral, footage also resurfaced of the star being left horrified after being asked to work a 12-hour shift in the PLT warehouse

'She acknowledges that everyone is raised in different ways and from different backgrounds but her comments here are in reference to timing, hard work and determination in her own life.'

'If you listen to this interview you can see the whole conversation was about her own personal circumstances, how she has grown up and this small clip in the conversation was talking about a quote that inspires her.

Social media users have shared a short snippet from this interview with words such as 'if you are homeless buy a house' and "if you are poor be poor" these are absolutely not Molly's words, these are not Molly's thoughts and this isn't at all the meaning or thought behind that conversation'.

Love Island star: A clip of her December interview went viral this week, with Molly's comments that she has 'worked my a**e off' for her wealth and that 'everyone has the same 24 hours in a day' to achieve sparking a backlash

Molly's statement came as footage resurfaced of the star left flabbergasted after being asked to work a 12-hour shift.

The PLT creative director spent the evening in the warehouse while filming for her YouTube channel.

In the clip, Molly checks the time she is due to work with the warehouse staff before exclaiming: 'I'm on the 2-10, but it's actually quarter to one so I'm doing the one 'til one, oh it's 12 hours...'

Gasping in shock, she adds: 'I'll be on the floor like this by one am, Jesus.'

Backlash: A spokesman for the star told MailOnline that Molly acknowledges that people 'are raised in different ways' and 'from different backgrounds' and that she never meant to offend

Molly's recent interview prompted uncharitable comparisons to the late Margaret Thatcher.

Molly, who boasts six million Instagram followers and 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, made the comments on the YouTube series The Diary of a CEO.

While the interview was first shared on YouTube on December 13, a clip from the episode went viral on Wednesday when it was shared on Twitter.

In the clip, Molly says: 'You're given one life and it's down to you what you do with it. You can literally go in any direction.

'When I've spoken about that in the past I have been slammed a little bit, with people saying 'it's easy for you to say that because you've not grown up in poverty, so for you to sit there and say we all have the same 24 hours in a day is not correct.' But, technically, what I'm saying is correct. We do.'

Not impressed: Molly's statement came as footage resurfaced of the star left flabbergasted after being asked to work a 12-hour shift

She went on: 'I understand we all have different backgrounds and we're all raised in different ways and we do have different financial situations, but I think if you want something enough you can achieve it.

'It just depends on what lengths you want to go to get where you want to be in the future. And I'll go to any length.'

She then added: 'I've worked my absolute a**e off to get where I am now.'

The clip was shared on Twitter by @tsrbys under the comment 'If you're homeless just buy a house,' and has been 'liked' 28.6k times.

Reality star roots: The social media star appeared on Love Island in 2019 and last year nabbed a seven-figure salary after becoming the creative director of PrettyLittleThing

Slammed: One fan tweeted: 'She literally just went on a TV dating show and got brand deals, I'm not sure she 'worked here a**e off''

Among the comments in response was: 'I should've put molly mae being margaret thatcher with a fake tan on my 2022 bingo card,' with others labelling her 'a Thatcherite.'

One fan tweeted: 'She literally just went on a TV dating show and got brand deals, I'm not sure she 'worked here a**e off'.'

'Her immaturity is showing. If you come from a place of privilege you should work extra hard to educate yourself on the hardships of others,' another added.

'Worked her a** off. of I go to do my 12 hour shift to put a roof over mine and my sons head I should of thought of this but dont think Love Island would accept 48yo, size 14 single mums,' another follower tweeted.

Criticism: The clip was shared on Twitter by @tsrbys under the comment 'If you're homeless just buy a house,' and has been 'liked' 28.6k times

'I dare Molly Mae to tell some of the UK's lowest paid workers that they're less hard working that someone who takes Instagram photos for a living,' agreed another commenter.

'Hustle culture and the effects of pretty privilege are exhausting.'

Some showed their support for the reality star, with one fan writing: 'Of course this is a stupid comment, but I do feel like she's been hung out to dry a bit here. The podcast was called 'The Diary of a CEO', where I think she felt the need to say inspiring things like 'follow your dreams' and 'you can do anything'. It's tonedeaf, not malicious.'

Another tweeted: 'People saying she needs to know about the background of those less fortunate. Life comes at you in different ways. What she is saying is that everyone has the same potential and you can get to the same places with or without money. Yes one is harder but you can get there.'

Backlash: 'Worked her a** off. of I go to do my 12 hour shift to put a roof over mine and my son's head' tweeted one furious commenter

The influencer also had her Wikipedia page tampered with as a result of being branded 'Margaret Thatcher with a fake tan' by angry fans on Twitter.

The new entry read: 'Molly-Mae Thatcher (born 26 May 1999) is an English social-media influencer. She is best known for being getting her s***ch out on the fifth series of Love Island and for having worked harder than anyone less successful than her.

Under the 'controversy' section of her page, the entry was updated to read: 'For many, it showed tone-deaf insolence and an obnoxious sense of ignorance, especially in a time where there is an unprecedented use of food banks and an electricity/gas crisis, exacerbate the issue of roughly 1 in 5 in the UK living in poverty.'

Support: Molly-Mae also found an ally in the form of Small Business MP Paul Scully, with the Conservative minister, 53, stating 'an aspirational approach to life is no bad thing'

While Molly-Mae has had her fair share of critics, the reality star has found an ally in the form of Small Business MP Paul Scully.

The Conservative minister, 53, waded into the row on Friday, stating 'an aspirational approach to life is no bad thing.'

Asked if her comments were fair, Paul told LBC: 'I think it is, but I think you've got to define success, because some of the comments that I was hearing in the lead up to my piece on this was about money, but success doesn't necessarily equal money.

'It can be, you know, furthering your job, whether it's in public service or whatever.

'And I think an aspirational approach to life is no bad thing. What we've got to make sure, though, is that opportunity is equally distributed around the country.

'And that's why the levelling up agenda that we often talk about in government is so, so important to make sure that those 24 hours can be matched by the opportunities by education and business across the country.'

Support: Some showed their support for the reality star, with one fan writing: 'Of course this is a stupid comment, but I do feel like she's been hung out to dry a bit here'

Molly-Mae's father Stephen also spoke out in her defence, sharing a lengthy post in which he reflected on the storm surrounding his daughter and also the backlash faced by fellow influencer Elle Darby who lost more than 100,000 followers and was dropped by her management after racist tweets she sent as a teenager emerged.

Elle, 26, from Wiltshire, who launched her own clothing brand on the back of her success as a social media star, sent tweets where she called foreigners 'meatheads' who 'speak in grunts', and said she 'hates Polish people and Indians'.

The tweets, sent in 2011, emerged last week. Her boyfriend of seven years Connor Swift also posted racist tweets in 2012 including one that said: 'Looking like a black man after work, through all the dust I collected'.

Speaking out: Molly-Mae's father Stephen also spoke out in her defence, sharing a lengthy post in which he reflected on the storm surrounding his daughter

In his post, Stephen stated: 'It must be tough for the media stars, influencers and public figures. Especially the younger ones who are still learning the emotional rollercoaster of life.

'It hurts me to see people literally driven to death by cruel comments of people who dont know the individuals and hide behind a keyboard often on fake accounts, cancelling someone for something 5,6,7 or 10 years ago, when a child is profoundly naive and shows a real lack of emotional intelligence.'

He added: 'Then attacking people for a sentence made as part of an interview taken out of context  I wouldnt mind but the CEO of Netflix appeared on a podcast called "the same 24hrs" on which many well respected business leaders have appeared  not attacked or cancelled.

'I think the context of Mollys words fit better with the title of that podcast we all have the same 24 hours in every day. But its how we USE those 24 hours that makes the difference in our health, happiness and success  but what do I know.'

Fallout: Stephen also referenced the backlash faced by influencer Elle Darby (pictured) who lost more than 100,000 followers after racist tweets she sent as a teenager emerged

Resurfaced: Elle has apologised in a three-minute video for the tweets, saying she feels ashamed of her historic posts, adding that she wants to 'take responsibility' for her actions'

Carol McGiffin also waded into the row, defending the influencer's statements on GB News, as she reasoned: 'I couldn't find anything wrong with what she was saying. I think she was perfectly reasonable in saying if you want something, go and get it.

'I think the people she's appealing to, however, are the people who think the world owes them a living and they don't really want to go out there and work for it.

'Anybody who sits there and says to anyone, "oh it's alright for you", that's just such a get out. It's not good enough. You have to get up and do it yourself.

'Lots of people come from poverty and do really well in life. If you want to, you can do it and that's all she's saying.'

She added on Friday's Loose Women that she believes the anger from the public also comes from the fact that they don't view Molly-Mae's career as a 'proper job.'

Carol explained: Im saying its hard work. Its well paid, but its not a real job and its very glamorous and the thing is, a lot of kids now think, Thats what I want, nothing else will do. And if they cant make it, its like, well lets take it out on someone who has made it. And thats wrong.'

Defence: Carol McGiffin also waded into the row as she reasoned: 'I couldn't find anything wrong with what she was saying. I think she was perfectly reasonable'

In an interview with MailOnline last year, Molly-Mae insisted that she thinks she'd be just as successful without taking part in Love Island in 2019.

The social media star told MailOnline: 'The things that I've achieved since coming out of that show aren't really down to the show they're more down to my drive and ambition to do big things.'

Molly Mae explained: 'I always say don't bite the hand that feeds you but also respect that I've obviously worked so hard to get where I am now... I always had big goals and I set myself huge dreams.

'Everybody when they come out of that show is given the same opportunities - we all have the same 24 hours in the day - and where you take your life when you come out of a show like that is totally dependent on who you are as a person.'

Social media star: Molly, who boasts six million Instagram followers and 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, made the comments on the YouTube series The Diary of a CEO

The reality star revealed she had actually been warned against going on Love Island by advisors as her social media following was already growing organically at a 'rapid rate' and had been spotted by multiple brands - including PrettyLittleThing.

'It was more a fun opportunity where I thought let's just see where this goes and I might actually find a guy... I think, it pushed me in the right direction but I would have still done good things,' Molly reflected.

When asked where her ambition to keep striving comes from, Molly joked: 'Pushy parents!'

She added: 'I had my first job when I was thirteen in a hairdressers sweeping the floor. I've always had that hunger to earn my own money and be a bit of a business woman.'

Busy: Molly's seven figure deal with PrettyLittleThing to become their new Creative Director was announced last August

It was announced in May 2021 that the reality star is a millionaire after earning over 500,000 in a year through lucrative brand deals and YouTube videos.

In addition to her jaw-dropping earnings, she reportedly also has 786,959 worth of assets which includes 777,179 in cash reserves.

Molly admitted: 'There's always the desire to want more from life. I just think you're only given one life so you might as well pull as much from it as you can.'

Molly's seven figure deal with PrettyLittleThing to become their new Creative Director was announced last August.

Of her new role, the elated star gushed: 'I always wanted to work in fashion. I studied fashion in London for two years at a fashion school when all my friends were doing 6th form because I had a really clear vision of where I wanted to go. But this is just huge.

'It was a shock that PLT's CEO Umar [Kamani] was trusting me with such a huge role within the brand. He just trusted my creative input and my thoughts and ideas. That is such an honour. The opportunities are endless.'
Tori Spelling has revealed her entire family has COVID-19.

The 48-year-old American television personality took to Instagram to share a selfie alongside four-year-old son Beau with a lengthy caption detailing the McDermott family's trials and tribulations fighting the disease.

She began the caption to her 1.6million followers writing: I share a lot on social media but this is one thing I didnt want to share...

'But, at this point people are getting frustrated not getting responses personally and business wise from me and wondering why Im MIA so I finally decided to share. Our entire family has COVID. Yes, every single member got it. We all have varying degrees of symptoms. I was last to be symptomatic.'

'We are right in the thick of it': Tori Spelling took to Instagram to announce that her entire family has COVID-19 with a selfie alongside four-year-old son Beau with a lengthy caption

She went on to say that they were hoping that it was just a cold going through the family but unfortunately it wasn't and that she feels helpless not being able to fully care for the rest of her brood.

Spelling continued: ' Nothing is worse than wanting to care for your little ones but feeling so sick you can barely function yourself.

'I feel useless as a parent. Devastated. A mom is supposed to take care of their kiddos when sick. Thats how it works.

'But, we are all getting thru this together. I know we arent alone. So many are going thru this as well. Have gone they thru this. And, will go thru this.'

'I feel useless as a parent. Devastated. A mom is supposed to take care of their kiddos when sick. Thats how it works': The 48-year-old American television personality (seen last month) went on to say they were hoping it was just a cold going through the family but unfortunately it wasn't and that she feels helpless not being able to fully care for the rest of her brood

Spelling concluded the message by thanking a friend for dropping off supplements to aid the family in recovery while asking for patience from others around them even citing that it took her 45 minutes just to come up with this caption.

She wrote: 'Thank you to my friend Chrissy @goodcarmacree who immediately dropped a care package of vitamins at our front door when she heard. So grateful to you!

'And, if Im not responding please understand. Give me some time. We are right in the thick of it. For reference : This post took 45 min of starting and stopping to write. [face with medical mask emoji] #covidsucks'

This comes after she welcomed 2022 with the help of her five children.

The actress and her brood - Stella, 13, Hattie, 10, Finn, nine, and Beau, four - happily posed in front of a stunning Christmas tree at Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa, in photo taken by eldest son Liam, 14.

Bonding time: This comes days after she posted a photo with her brood - Stella, 13, Hattie, 10, Finn, nine, and Beau, four - happily posed in front of a stunning Christmas tree at Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa, in photo taken by eldest son Liam, 14 (not pictured)

'Happy New Year's Eve 2021,' Spelling wrote in her Instagram caption.

Spelling went on to say that the outing was a family tradition that her parents passed on to her.

'The kiddos and I were so excited to continue our family tradition since my oldest were babies. Love you @lakearrowheadresortandspa! My parents used to bring my brother and I here growing up. I wanted my kids to continue that tradition.'

She continued, 'I can't wait for my kids to bring their kids here one day! Thx @liammcdermott2007 for taking an awesome pic.'

There was one person missing from the celebrations - Tori's husband and the children's father, Dean McDermott, 55.

The reason for his absence turned out to be a bad case of pneumonia.

Absent: Tori's husband and the children's father, Dean McDermott, 55, was missing from the celebrations as he recovered from pneumonia in bed

Fighting spirit: 'I am sick as a dog with pneumonia, but I am not going to let that dampen my spirits. 2022 is going to be awesome,' McDermott said in an Instagram video

'I am sick as a dog with pneumonia,' McDermott said in an Instagram video shot in his bed. 'I am not going to let that dampen my spirits. 2022 is going to be awesome. 2022, we're going to get through.'

'Wishing everybody much much love and happiness and success in the new year,' he said, adding, 'Health, wealth and prosperity.'

The couple have been at the center of divorce rumors since November, when a source close to Spelling told E! News that she was reportedly preparing to file for divorce from her husband.

The insider claimed that there was no way back for the couple, who have been married since 2006, but that the 90210 star wanted to make sure she is 'financially' stable before submitting divorce papers.

Divorce rumors: The couple have been at the center of divorce rumors since November, when a source close to Spelling told E! News that she was reportedly preparing to file for divorce; Pictured on Oct 17, 2019 in Culver City

'The marriage is over and has been for a very long time now,' the source said, adding that the couple 'truly do not get along' and 'have been sleeping in different rooms for months.'

It's been alleged that a major source of strife between the couple is trust issues stemming from Dean's infidelity, which he admitted to in 2014, on the reality show True Tori.

A source told People: 'Tori still has major trust issues. Part of their relationship was never fully repaired after he was unfaithful.'

The insider revealed that the couple's outings together are purely for the sake of their children.

'They've been living separate lives. They will still have family meals and occasional outings, but it's for the kids.'
A firefighter looks up at the burning seven-story refrigerated warehouse in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. The fierce blaze, in which three firefighters were killed, was extinguished 19 hours after it started. Yonhap





By Lee Hae-rin







There are growing calls for an improvement in working conditions of firefighters in the wake of the death of three firefighters following a warehouse blaze, Thursday.







Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, visited a funeral altar for the victims in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, and expressed his condolences to the deceased's families.







"I have said firefighters work on behalf of God," Lee wrote on his Facebook, Thursday. "The country must work to keep them safe, as they are at the forefront of disasters protecting people's lives." Lee did not make any comment to the press during the visit.







Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party, visited the funeral altar Thursday and wrote on his Facebook, Friday, "We will make sure that these kinds of firefighting accidents are not repeated.







"The firefighters deserve an appropriate level of support and compensation for their commitment to keeping people safe day and night," Yoon wrote.







Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor People's Party and Shim Sang-jeung of the minor Justice Party also paid condolences, Thursday, and pointed out the need to improve firefighters' working conditions.







There have long been problems and debates on the dire working conditions of firefighters here, especially the long working hours, lack of compensation and safety guidelines.







In April 2020, the status of over 65,000 firefighters across the country was transformed so that they are now officially considered as national public servants directly hired by the central government, instead of being treated as local government civil servants.







However, their conditions still have not improved since the transition, according to Jeong Eun-ae, the head of the firefighters union.







"Even after the firefighters became central government public servants, local governments still have the authority over personnel and budget control over them. In some ways, officials face more difficulties in terms of manpower enhancement, compensation and welfare than before," Jeong told The Korea Times, Friday.







Jeong also pointed out the need to improve healthcare and safety measures for firefighters.







"The average life expectancy of firefighters is six years less than that of other public servants. This is because we are exposed to stress and hazardous chemicals in disaster scenes, and there are more suicides than deaths from duty, due to post-traumatic stress disorder" Jeong said.


NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - The United Nations refugee agency says an airstrike has killed three Eritrean refugees, two of them children, in Ethiopias Tigray region amid the countrys war.

A statement the agency issued overnight did not say who carried out the airstrike that hit the Mai Aini camp on Wednesday. Ethiopias military has conducted several deadly airstrikes in Tigray in recent months, while Tigray ground forces earlier in the conflict attacked some Eritreans in refugee camps.

The statement by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said four other refugees were injured in the strike. "Thankfully, their lives are not at risk," he said.

Thousands of refugees fled the camps early in the war amid attacks by both Tigray forces and soldiers from nearby Eritrea. Many facilities were destroyed.

Grandi called on all sides to respect the rights of all civilians.

Ethiopias war shifted in late December, when the Tigray forces fighting Ethiopias government withdrew back into the Tigray region after approaching the capital, Addis Ababa, A drone-supported military offensive pushed them back.

The U.N.'s humanitarian agency reported late last month that between Dec. 19 and 24, "airstrikes on Tigray reportedly led to mass civilian causalities, including dozens of people reportedly killed, making this the most intense series of air attacks and casualties reported since October." It said most attacks and casualties were reported in towns in southern Tigray.

An estimated tens of thousands of people have been killed in the war that erupted in November 2020, and millions more have been displaced. Ethiopias government has sought to restrict reporting on the war and detained some journalists, including a video freelancer accredited to The Associated Press, Amir Aman Kiyaro.
Trailing 10-8 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Washington baseball team only had one option to pull off the improbable against No. 6 Stanford Sunday afternoon.
Yoon Suk-yeol, left, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), and Lee Jun-seok, chairman of the party, embrace during a meeting of party lawmakers at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap









By Jung Da-min







The restored cooperation between main opposition conservative People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol and PPP Chairman Lee Jun-seok over election strategies is not likely to provide an immediate impetus for Yoon and his election camp to regain public trust and shore up his support rate, according to political watchers, Friday.







Yoon's approval ratings had topped many opinion polls of presidential candidates until late November, as he was enjoying a post-convention bounce since his election as the PPP candidate in early November. But Yoon's popularity started to fade due to various factors, including internal feuds among members of his election camp as well as allegations of his wife's false credentials in applying for lecturing posts at colleges.







In particular, the conflicts between Yoon and Lee over election strategies, which had started even before the launch of Yoon's election committee in early December, only continued to rise, adding to the drop in Yoon's popularity.







Before the launch of the election committee, Lee had boycotted scheduled campaign events in protest against being excluded from the decision-making processes of the campaign committee. Lee and Yoon managed to resolve their differences when launching the election committee, with Lee assuming the post of co-chairman, but he resigned from the post on Dec. 21, citing the same reasons. Then the two again vowed to work together at a party meeting, Friday, for the party's victory in the presidential election slated for March 9.







Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, said he sees there still remains a high possibility that similar conflicts could occur in Yoon's election camp.







"Yoon and Lee did not come to a reconciliation with each other but just patched up their conflicts for their own political ends," Shin said.







Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon said the fundamental problem is with Yoon's leadership, as he not only failed to win support from the public by not making a proper apology for the accusations against his wife, but also failed to resolve the internal feuds among members of his election camp.







"When Yoon's approval rating was decreasing over his inappropriate handling of the accusations against his wife, Kim Chong-in, then-chairman of Yoon's election committee, tried to tighten his grip on the election committee's operations, while also calling for Yoon to follow directions made by the committee. But Yoon did not listen to Kim's advice and let Kim resign from the chairman post," the commentator said, referring to Yoon's decision made Wednesday to reform his election camp. Following Kim's resignation, Yoon appointed four-term lawmaker Rep. Kwon Young-se as the new leader of his election camp.







"As for major elections such as the presidential election, candidates must follow directions and strategies made by their election camps, but Yoon has failed to do so," commentator Lee said.







While the PPP and its election committee are failing to find a breakthrough in winning back public support for Yoon, the approval rating of Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate and leader of the minor opposition conservative People's Party has been rising in recent weeks.







According to a survey of 1,002 adults on their preferential presidential candidates conducted from Jan. 4 to 6 by local pollster Gallup Korea, 15 percent of the respondents said they support Ahn, up 10 percentage points from the previous poll conducted in mid-December, while Yoon's support rate decreased to 26 percent from the previous 35 percent. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) topped both polls with 36 percent support in each.







"It remains to be seen over the following few weeks, but I think it is highly likely that Ahn's support rate will continue to rise, especially seeing his high support rate among voters in Gwangju and the South and North Jeolla provinces, where he had also enjoyed a high popularity in his first presidential bid in 2017," Shin said.







In the latest Gallup survey, Ahn's support rate in the southwestern region was 15 percent, while that of Yoon was 7 percent. Lee's popularity in the region recorded 65 percent in the same survey. Further details are available at the websites of the survey agency and the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.


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Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.
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HYDERABAD: An IAS officer from the Telangana Biodiversity Board was booked by the Delhi police for the alleged rape of a minor girl. While the complaint was lodged in 2020 and a charge sheet was filed by the Tilak Marg police, the case is undergoing trial at Patiala House court, Delhi, wherein on January 4, summons were issued to the accused, who is currently residing in Hyderabad.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is in the possession of Deccan Chronicle, Kalicharan Sudamrao Khartade, an IAS officer of 2012 Telangana cadre, had allegedly sedated, raped and continued to threaten the victim with photos and videos he took when she was unconscious. The FIR mentioned that he called her to his chamber at Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi, and offered her a drink laced with sedatives.

Speaking to this newspaper, the victims lawyer, Piyush Sachdev, said the Patiala House court had issued summons and he had not appeared in the court yet. He did not appear in court when he was summoned to appear physically. However, he has been virtually attending the hearings. The last one was on January 4. Meanwhile, his lawyers are applying for a bail plea in the case. Investigation wise, the Tilak Marg police filed a charge sheet and submitted it in the court. He has been threatening her by saying that he is an influential man and can harm her family, fearing that she has not approached the police earlier, he said, adding that a letter was sent to the Chief Secretary of Telangana and other officials here.

It was also mentioned in the FIR that he got in touch with the victim via Facebook in 2013 and offered to help her prepare for civil services exams. He asked her to meet him at the chamber and sent a government vehicle to pick her up. It further said that he had sexually assaulted the girl on multiple occasions ever since by threatening to publish the videos and photos online and even married her at Arya Samaj on August 21, 2019. The girl even came to visit him in Hyderabad during the lockdown in 2020, and went back to Delhi on August 6, 2020. Following a complaint on November 28, 2021, Tilak Marg police booked cases under Section 376 (rape), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence.), 354 (assault), 354-A (sexual assault), 354-D (follows a woman and contacts, or attempts to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. The POCSO sections were added when the Delhi Commission for Women intervened.

Sources from the Telangana Bhavan, New Delhi, on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the issue and said that following the police case, a departmental enquiry was launched and the accused was transferred to Telangana Biodiversity Board.
Airmen recruits engage in night jump

China Military Online) 15:33, January 07, 2022

Airmen recruits assigned to an airborne brigade under the PLA Air Force board a transport aircraft in order during a night airborne training exercise in late December, 2021. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Sheng Chao)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)








Yoon Suk-yeol, left, and Hong Joon-pyo are seen at a People Power Party primary event in Seoul, in this Nov. 5, 2021 file photo. Korea Times file





Main opposition People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol is likely to meet with a former rival in his party's primary race, officials said Friday, as he tries to regain public support after defusing internal strife with the PPP leader.







Yoon requested a meeting with Rep. Hong Joon-pyo, the runner-up in the party's primary, and the two are expected to meet behind closed doors next week, sources said.







Hong is considered more popular among younger voters than Yoon.







"If the meeting is arranged, it would take place privately with the two having a frank dialogue," an official close to Hong said.







The move comes after Yoon made a dramatic reconciliation with PPP chief Lee Jun-seok, Thursday.







Yoon and Lee had been at odds over campaign issues and their feud was seen as one of the main reasons for Yoon's declining support, just about two months ahead of the March 9 presidential election







But the two vowed to put their differences behind them and move forward.







Hong has kept a low profile since his primary defeat to Yoon. But the veteran lawmaker reportedly played a part in the surprise reconciliation between Yoon and Lee, persuading both to calm down and find ways to work for an election win.







A PPP spokesman said Yoon is even scheduling a meeting with Kim Chong-in, the former leader of Yoon's campaign who earlier parted ways with the candidate.







Yoon announced the dissolution of his campaign committee Wednesday, including the departure of election czar Kim, and set up a new "slimmer and practical" campaign body. (Yonhap)


Some 50 per cent of the reservations to the 511 bus service from Hyderabad was already booked. (Representational Image/ DC File)

Vijayawada: APSRTC MD Dwarka Thirumala Rao said on Thursday that 7000 special buses will be operated from July 7 to 18 to meet the travel needs of the people durig this Sankranti festival.

There will be a 50 per cent additional ticket rate in the special buses and the buses would be operated based on the demand.

Addressing a press meet here, Rao said that they are operating 35 per cent more special bus services for 11 days than the previous year. Passengers have booked their tickets in advance for the Sankranti festival. To date, there is a 60 per cent reservation for regular services, 50 per cent for special services.

He said RTC is operating 344 services to Hyderabad, 316 to Bangalore, 161 to Chennai and 60 per cent of bookings were already done.

Some 50 per cent of the reservations to the 511 bus service from Hyderabad was already booked. People coming to the state to celebrate the festival would prefer to travel by APSRTC. A call center is also provided with phone number 0866-2570005 to get necessary information and details.

On January 10, 11 and 12, some 80 per cent of seats were reserved for regular services while 60 per cent seats for special services.
HYDERABAD: Some students are still concerned about the adverse effects of taking the jab because of panic due to rumours and lack of awareness among their parents. A majority of eligible students of the government high school, Rasoolpura, have initially abstained from taking the vaccine.

Nevertheless, thanks to the counselling by health volunteers and school staff, around 20 students were immunised on Wednesday, leaving out about 15 students, who continued to abstain even on Thursday, citing that their parents asked them not to take the vaccine.

Kanaka Lakshmi, a healthcare volunteer, explained that the parents were not willing to have their kids vaccinated. They will be vaccinated only if accompanied by parents or if they submit a letter of consent from the parents. All eligible children in other schools we visited were vaccinated, she said.

The school staff said there was a need to educate parents and children. Praveena Kumari, the headmistress, said some students had refrained from taking the jab due to lack of awareness.

Dr H. Raj Kumari, deputy district medical and health officer, Secunderabad Cantonment, said she would visit the area on Friday to try and educate the parents. We have experienced the same attitude in the Rasoolpura area while trying to vaccinate the adults, she added.
New Delhi: Attacking China for its ridiculous exercise and antics in its recent move to rename areas in Arunachal Pradesh that are part of India, New Delhi on Thursday also said it is closely monitoring the construction of a bridge by China across the Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh in an area that has been under the illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. It added India has never accepted such illegal occupation.

New Delhi also said the substance, tone and tenor of a letter written recently by the political counsellor of the Chinese embassy in New Delhi to certain Indian MPs (for attending a Tibetan-associated event) was inappropriate and that Beijing should refrain from hyping normal activities by Honble MPs and complicate further the situation in our bilateral relations.

At a weekly virtual media briefing on Thursday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: As regards reports about a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, the government has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware, India has never accepted such illegal occupation. He added: Separately, the government has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that our security interests are fully protected. As part of these efforts, the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before. These have provided much needed connectivity to the local population as well as logistical support to the armed forces. The government remains committed to this objective.

On the renaming of places in the Chinese Mandarin language by China in Indias northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh last week, which India had already attacked, the MEA spokesperson said: We had seen reports of the Chinese side naming some places in Arunachal Pradesh last week. At that time, we had conveyed our views on such a ridiculous exercise to support untenable territorial claims. Calling Tuting as DouDeng or River Siyom as XiYueMu or even Kibithu as Daba does not alter the fact that Arunachal Pradesh has always been and will always remain an inalienable part of India. We hope that instead of engaging in such antics China will work constructively with us to resolve the outstanding friction points in areas along the western sector of the LAC in the India-China border areas.

On the letter by the Chinese embassy official, the MEA spokesperson said: We have seen the reports about the political counsellor at the Chinese embassy writing letters to honourable Members of Parliament on their participation in an event. The substance, tone and tenor of the letter are inappropriate. The Chinese side should note that India is a vibrant democracy and Honble MPs, as representatives of the people, undertake activities as per their views and beliefs. We expect the Chinese side to refrain from hyping normal activities by Honble MPs and complicate further the situation in our bilateral relations.
Hyderabad: Officials from the Union home ministry (MHA), who collected inputs in connection with the arrest of state BJP chief and Lok Sabha member Bandi Sanjay Kumar, are likely to serve notices on the DGP M Mahendar Reddy, chief secretary Somesh Kumar and Karimnagar police commissioner V Satyanarayana asking them to submit a report on the issue.

Sources said that MHA officials are understood to have urged Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials for updates on the incident, rallies and public meetings held in recent times by several political parties in Telangana, including Hyderabad. On getting intelligence reports, MHA officials have spoken to several officers in Telangana about the incident.

Meanwhile, central agencies have kept a close vigil on the regular functioning of the state police as the ministry officials are seeking a day to day report.
Madurai: The Madras High Court has allowed the abortion of the six-month pregnancy of a 17-year old girl who was sexually assaulted by a 44-year old man.

The father of the 17-year old girl from Vadipatti in the district had filed a petition seeking permission for medical termination of his daughter's pregnancy. Justice G R Swaminathan of the High Court Bench here pointed out on Thursday that the doctors had advised to terminate the pregnancy of the girl, who was raped by a 44-year old bus driver.

The doctors had said the health of the girl would not be affected by the termination. A team of doctors from Madurai Government Rajaji hospital should take steps to abort the child.

Police had already filed a case under POCSO Act . The Judge directed the Vadipatti police inspector to file charge sheet after investigation in two months. The court should also complete the trial in three months after the submission of charge sheet.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy with Employees union leaders Bandi Srinivasa Rao, Bopparaju Venkateswarlu and others at the camp office on Friday. Photo BY ARRANGEMENT.

VIJAYAWADA: Leaders of Andhra Pradesh government employees expressed happiness with the announcement of PRC, Fitment and resolving of the 50 demands out of the 71 by the state government on Friday.

Chief Minister Jagan made the announcement at a meeting he held with the employee union leaders. He announced a fitment of 23 per cent and said the new pay scales shall come into force from January 2022. He also raised the retirement age from 60 to 62 years.

AP JAC Amaravati chairman Venkateswarlu said the CM has assured them that the Health Cards issue will be addressed in two weeks. The CM has also promised homes for employees, he said and welcomed the decision of giving them a 20 per cent discount on home construction in Smart Cities.

The CM has said the contract employees will also be paid their salaries on the first of every month.

AP NGO state president, Srinivas Rao said the positive outcome on various long-pending demands was the result of protests by the union. Out of the 71 demands, 50 have been settled and the retirement age was increased by a year more than that of TS.

State government adviser (employees welfare) Chandrasekhar Reddy said the government will give GPF and medical reimbursement to employees by April. He also briefed about the benefits being given to retired employees. Contract and outsourcing personnel will get revised salaries from this month. In future, central PRC will be implemented, he said.
BJP MPs protest against Congress party over Ferozepur incident, in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue at Parliament, in New Delhi, Friday, Jan.7, 2022. (PTI Photo/Atul Yadav)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the registrar general of the Punjab and Haryana high court to forthwith collect, preserve and keep in safe custody all the records relating to security arrangements made during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Punjab in which his motorcade was stranded at a flyover in Bathinda for 15-20 minutes.

The court said that the registrar general will take the assistance of the director-general, Chandigarh police, and a senior ranking officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in collecting the records, including wireless messages.

Ordering the collection and preserving of records, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana, heading a bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli, said that the two committees constituted by the Centre and the Punjab government will not proceed with their respective inquires till January 10 when the court will hold further hearing in the matter.

Directing the registrar general of the Punjab and Haryana high court to secure and preserve the records relating to the Prime Ministers scheduled tour of Punjab on January 5, the top court in its order further directed the director general of police, Union territory of Chandigarh, and an officer of the National Investigation Agency, not below the rank of inspector general, to be nominated by the director-general, NIA, to assist the registrar general, to forthwith secure and seize the records from the state police as well as the Central agencies.

The court further directed the Punjab government, including police authorities, the Special Protection Group and any other Central/state agencies, to cooperate and to provide necessary assistance in securing and seizing the records.

The Centre had on Thursday constituted a three-member committee headed by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, secretary (security), Cabinet Secretariat, to inquire into the security lapse. The other members of the committee are Balbir Singh, joint director, Intelligence Bureau, and S. Suresh, IG, SPG. The Punjab government, too, had set up a committee headed by former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana high court Justice Mehtab Singh Gill to inquire into the security lapse.

The proceedings of both the committees were put on hold till January 10 on a plea by Punjab advocate general D.S. Patwalia who said that the Centres committee has called Punjab DGP to appear before it on Friday at 4 pm and he has been given a questionnaire to reply. He said that the DGP cant reply to the questionnaire on facts without records, which now will be in the custody of the high courts registrar general.

Responding to senior lawyer Maninder Singh, appearing for the petitioner  Lawyers Voice  raising questions about Justice Gill referring to some past allegations, Mr Patwalia said, If they have reservation about our committee, we too have reservation about their committee. He referred to the presence of S. Suresh, IG, SPG, in the Centres committee.

He said that Mr Suresh cant be a judge in his own cause. Apprehending that the Central committee may put the entire onus on the Punjab government, Mr Patwalia, batting for a totally impartial committee to investigate the incident, said, If there has to be an investigation, it has to be done and seen to be done.

Describing the matter as a grave issue which cant be thrown under the carpet, Mr Patwalia said that if some officer has to face flak for the lapse, he must face the flak.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, agreed with Mr Patwalia, saying that Mr Suresh can be replaced with the Union home secretary.

When CJI Ramana asked the solicitor general if he wanted an independent committee to be constitute, the latter said, Let everything be before you by tomorrow with records collected and we will place our individual concerns by tomorrow and you can look into it on Monday.

Describing the incident as a rarest of rare issue having the potential of causing international embarrassment, solicitor general Mehta told the court that it was the director-general of Punjab police who was consulted first on the Prime Minister going to Ferozepur by road and he gave the green signal.

Pointing to a statement by London-based organisation Sikh for Justice asking people to block the Prime Ministers route, the solicitor general said that there could be an issue of cross-border terrorism.
The private universities offering engineering courses are in a fix with the government revising its January 4 order on offline classes.

The government, on Friday, altered January 4 Covid restriction orders to permit engineering colleges in Bengaluru Urban district to hold offline classes. The revised order dated January 6, issued by chief secretary P Ravikumar, allows all institutions and colleges affiliated to the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) to hold offline classes by strictly adhering to Covid-safety protocols.

With the revised order, engineering colleges will continue offline classes. The colleges were closed on Thursday as there was no clarity from the government. However, the revised order created confusion as it extended exemption only to colleges affiliated with the VTU. Private universities offering engineering courses and the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, which is not affiliated to VTU, demanded clarity.

There is no clarity on private universities and constituent colleges of other universities which are offering engineering courses. We request the higher education department to provide clarity, said the vice-chancellor of one of the private universities.

Meanwhile, the earlier order suspending offline classes has resulted in several engineering asking their students to vacate college hostels to vacate. Many students have shifted to their hometowns.

Normally, those who stay in college hostels are from outside Bengaluru and they have vacated the hostels. Now, we have to call them back, said the principal of a private engineering college.

Students from outside Karnataka have booked train and flight tickets as offline classes were suspended for two weeks. Now, cancelling the tickets will cost them, dear, some private college principals said.

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The UN Security Council will meet behind closed doors Monday to discuss the testing of what North Korea said was a hypersonic missile, according to diplomatic sources.

The meeting was requested by the United States, France and the United Kingdom -- three of the five permanent members on the Security Council -- as well as Ireland and Albania, the sources said Thursday.

In 2017, the Security Council unanimously passed three sets of economic sanctions after North Korea carried out nuclear and missile tests -- a rare showing of unity for the often gridlocked body.

No joint declaration is expected after Monday's meeting, one diplomat said, although another added that statements are likely to be issued before or afterwards.

Also Read | North Korea says it tested hypersonic missile

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a state media outlet, said Wednesday's missile carried a "hypersonic gliding warhead" that "precisely hit a target 700 km (435 miles) away," without identifying the launcher.

The warhead also demonstrated a "new" capability, moving 120 kilometres laterally after it detached from the launcher to strike the target, it added.

The launch was the second reported test of what Pyongyang claimed were hypersonic gliding missiles, after a similar trial last September.

The United States, Japan and Canada were among those quick to condemn Wednesday's launch, stating that it violated multiple Security Council resolutions and threatened safety in the region as well as the international community.

Pyongyang has argued that the continued development of its weapons technologies is necessary to defend itself against a possible American invasion.

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In a rare case, a person living in the South West of England has contracted avian influenza, health officials said.

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, is a type of influenza that spreads among birds.

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the person acquired the infection from very close, regular contact with a large number of infected birds, which they kept in and around their home over a prolonged period of time.

All contacts of the individual, including those who visited the premises, have been traced and there is no evidence of onward spread of the infection to anyone else. The individual is currently well and self-isolating.

Also Read: New bird flu has higher risk of spread to humans: Animal health director

The risk to the wider public from avian flu continues to be very low. However, people should not touch sick or dead birds, the health regulator said.

"Bird-to-human transmission of avian flu is very rare and this is the first human case of this strain in the UK, although there have been cases elsewhere globally," the agency said in a statement.

"Some strains of bird flu can pass from birds to people, but this is extremely rare. It usually requires close contact with an infected bird, so the risk to humans is generally considered very low. Human-to-human transmission of bird flu is very rare," it added.

The UK has recently seen a large number of outbreaks and incidents of avian influenza in birds across the country of the H5N1 strain.

The human case was detected after the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) identified an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of avian flu in their flock of birds. The infected birds have all been culled.

The patient was detected with low levels of flu during routine monitoring of everyone within close contact of infected birds. Further laboratory analysis revealed that the virus was the 'H5' type, found in birds, the regulator said.

However, the regulator noted that "at this point it has not been possible to confirm that this is a H5N1 infection (the strain that is currently circulating in birds in the UK)".

Based on the available evidence, they have also notified the World Health Organization.

"While the risk of avian flu to the general public is very low, we know that some strains do have the potential to spread to humans and that's why we have robust systems in place to detect these early and take action," said Professor Isabel Oliver, Chief Scientific Officer at UKHSA, in the statement.

"Currently there is no evidence that this strain detected in the UK can spread from person to person, but we know that viruses evolve all the time and we continue to monitor the situation closely. We have followed up all of this individual's contacts and have not identified any onward spread," Oliver said.

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The ruling and main opposition presidential candidates shared an understanding Friday that they should have more TV debates than the minimum three rounds required under law before the March 9 election.







Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) told reporters that he welcomes a proposal from Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) who earlier called for holding presidential debates more than three times.







Under the election law, televised presidential debates organized by the National Election Commission should be held three times or more during the candidates' official campaign period, which starts from Feb. 15. But it is possible that the debates can be additionally held under the candidates' agreement.







Even though Lee and Yoon agreed to hold debates, experts said the two sides are likely to have a tug-of-war over selection of debate agenda and format.







Yoon said not only policies but anything a candidate had done in the past as a public figure can be discussed, apparently targeting a corruption-ridden development scandal involving former aides to Lee.







Lee earlier said he has no reason to refuse a debate over the development scandal, though holding a debate focusing only on the scandal appears to go against common sense. (Yonhap)


Aiming to corner the Congress over the recent "lapse" in the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Punjab, the BJP is all set to launch a nationwide campaign.

On Friday, the BJP MPs will stage a silent protest near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament House complex against the incident. Along with this, the party has also made a strategy to go to Raj Bhavans across the country and submit a memorandum.

Similarly, it has decided to hold a series of protests to "expose" Congress nationwide.

Also Read | There was no plan to stop PM's visit or obstruct his programme: SKM

Further, the BJP has also devised a strategy to respond to Congress' "political card" of harassment of a Dalit Chief Minister (Charanjit Singh Channi) by it. For this, the party's Scheduled Caste Morcha and Dalit leaders will stage protests before the Ambedkar statue.

Meanwhile, it has decided to write a letter to Sonia Gandhi regarding the "lapse by the Punjab government" in the Prime Minister's security and the "attitude" of the Congress' high command over it.

The BJP MPs will stage the silent dharna at the Parliament House complex at 11 am on Friday.

Also Read | PM Modi got 'troubled' in 15 minutes, while farmers camped for a year: Navjot Singh Sidhu

Furthermore, the party's veteran national and state-level leaders will go to the Raj Bhavan of their respective states and union territories and will submit a memorandum to the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor highlighting the incident.

On Thursday, many BJP Chief Ministers, veteran leaders, national and state unit office bearers, MPs and MLAs chanted 'Mahamrityunjaya mantra' for the wellbeing of the Prime Minister by visiting other Jyotirlingas and other prominent 'Shivalayas' across the country including Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar.

The party's youth cell also protested against the Congress by taking out torch rallies in all the districts of the country on Thursday.

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India and China military delegates are likely to hold talks on January 12 to deliberate over ways to de-escalate the border dispute between the two nations.

It would be the 14th round of India and China Corps Commander level military talks focusing on disengagement in the remaining friction areas like Depsang, Hot Springs and others.

The talks are happening when China has implemented new border laws from January 1 and has also started construction of a bridge on Pangong Lake in Eastern Ladakh to which India has objected.

Also Read | PLA to give out stones taken from Galwan Valley on Chinese social media

On Thursday, India had strongly objected to China's illegal construction of a bridge on a part of the Pangong Lake and had stated that the government is monitoring the situation.

Talking about reports about a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said, "Government has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware India has never accepted such illegal occupation."

The official pointed out that separately, the government has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that our security interests are fully protected.

As part of these efforts the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before.

"These have provided much needed connectivity to local population as well as logistical support to armed forces. government remains committed to this objective," the official had said.

Also Read | Bridge over Pangong lake being built in area under Chinese occupation for last 60 years: Centre

China has been carrying out construction of a bridge connecting the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake for at least two months and is taking place at India's claim of the Line of Actual Control.

The bridge to connect the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake will allow the Chinese People's Liberation Army quick access to both sides.

India had occupied key heights on the Kailash range on the southern bank in August 2020 giving its troops a strategic advantage as they overlooked the Chinese Moldo garrison.

However, with the disengagement in Pangong in February last year India pulled back from the heights as part of a mutual pullback plan to ease tensions.

In addition to this, China has implemented its new border law on January 1 that calls for strengthening its border defence, development of villages and infrastructure near the borders.

Just ahead of the implementation of the law, China renamed 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh on its map.

India and China have been engaged in a border dispute for around two years and are now in talks to resolve the issues.

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Neeraj Bishnoi, the B Tech student, who was arrested by Delhi Police from his residence in Assam in the 'Bulli Bai' app case, remained glued to his laptop, which was provided by Assam government after he did well in his Class 10 examinations, his father Dashrath Bishnoi told reporters in Assam.

"Since he got admission in the Vellore Institute of Technology, Bhopal, he was doing classes online due to the Covid-19 restrictions. He was busy in studies all the time. I don't know what is happening but my heart says he has not done what he is being accused of," Dashrath, who is a shopkeeper in eastern Assam's Jorhat town, said soon after Neeraj was picked up by a team of cops on Thursday.

"He got 82 per cent marks in Class 10 [exams] and so he got the laptop under a scheme of the state government. The police team seized the laptop and a mobile phone," he further said. Bishnoi originally hails from Rajasthan but shifted to Assam years ago. The family now lives in Digambar Chowk area in Jorhat. He is the youngest of three siblings.

Also read: 'Bulli Bai' app creator Neeraj Bishnoi sent to 7-day police custody

Neeraj, who is a second-year student of computer science in VIT, Bhopal, was suspended by the institute hours after his arrest in the case.

Delhi Police on Thursday claimed Neeraj was the "main conspirator and creator of the derogatory Bulli Bai app on GitHub platform and the owner of the app that posted pictures of over 100 Muslim women and conducted online auctions. He is also the creater of the main Twitter account of the app, police said.

Also read: Collegemates clueless about boy arrested in Bulli Bai case

Jorhat SP Ankur Jain said Delhi Police had shared an IP (Internet Protocol) address of the device used by Neeraj and sought their help for his arrest. He was accordingly traced and arrested on Wednesday night.

The 'Bulli Bai' app, which surfaced six months after a similar 'Sulli Deals' app surfaced, came to light on January 1 when some of the women whose pictures were used and auctioned online spotted these on Twitter. An outrage followed and Union Information and Technology Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw assured action.

Delhi Police had registered a case on the basis of a complaint by Ismat Ara, a journalist with news portal The Wire.

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Low Covid-19 tests in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab have emerged as a matter of concern to the Union Health Ministry, which on Thursday wrote to these states along with six others asking them to augment their daily testing level.

In the absence of sufficient testing, it is rather impossible to determine the true level of infection spread in the community, Arti Ahuja, Additional Secretary in the Union Health Ministry wrote to the states.

In her letter to Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar, she flagged a considerable decline in the Covid-19 test level amid steeply rising cases and positivity rate across the nation and noted it was a "cause of concern".

Also Read | India's R-value higher than 2nd Covid-19 wave peak: Govt

The health ministry letter dated January 5 coincided with India registering more than 90,000 fresh Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, less than 10 days after the third wave began with 9,000 odd cases on December 28. The number of daily tests crossed 14 lakh for the first time on Wednesday.

"With the increased detection of the Omicron variant and a majority of countries seeing multiple surges in cases despite high levels of vaccination, there is a need for continued vigil and efforts to prevent any deterioration of the Covid-19 scenario, Ahuja wrote.

"Keeping in mind the unpredictable and highly transmissible behaviour of Omicron and the larger preponderance of asymptomatic cases, ramping up testing in the initial days itself will help to ensure that the infected individual does not spread the virus to others," she said.

Also Read | EC reviews Covid-19 surge in poll-bound states with Health Secy, chiefs of ICMR, AIIMS

In a separate letter, Ahuja on Thursday also prodded the states to open control rooms at district and sub-district levels (for bigger districts) to ensure better access to services like ambulance transportation and booking of hospital beds.

The control rooms should be linked to the hospitals or designated Covid facilities so that patients can be appropriately channelised to the right places depending on their physical conditions. Also, each control room should have a dedicated fleet of ambulances.

The control rooms should also have adequate numbers of doctors, counsellors and volunteers besides having enough phone lines, computers and broadband connectivity so that they can have access to real-time data on testing centres and ambulances for guiding the callers.

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All international passengers arriving in India will have to undergo a mandatory seven-day quarantine at home and RT-PCR test on the eighth day, the Union Health Ministry said in a revised travel guideline on Friday amidst a Omicron-powered third wave of Covid-19 cases.

The new guideline will come into effect from January 11, superseding the existing one.

All travelers (including those 2% who were selected for random testing on arrival and were found negative) will undergo home quarantine for 7 days and shall undertake RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India, says the new guideline.

Also read: Covid vaccine doses administered in India surpass 150 crore mark

Travelers are required to upload the RT-PCR results on the Air Suvidha portal. If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next 7 days.

If they are tested positive, their samples would be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network while they would be undergoing treatment.

Almost similar protocols are in place for people coming from At Risk countries with an additional condition of mandatory testing of every passenger on arrival. They will have to wait at the designated areas in the airport till the result comes.

If negative, they can leave the airport or board a connecting flight but would have to undergo RT-PCR test on the 8th day and upload the result on the portal. If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for another seven days.

Currently, every European nation and 18 others are in the category of At Risk countries. They are South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Ghana, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Hong Kong, Israel, Congo, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia and Zambia.

The modification in the travel guideline comes at a time when a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, driven by the Omicron variant, has begun to rise at an unprecedented rate infecting more than 100,000 persons in 10 days.

The World Health Organisation on Thursday said while Omicron appeared to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it did not mean the variant should be categorised as mild.

Just like previous variants; Omicron is hospitalising people and killing people. The tsunami of cases is so huge and quick, it is overwhelming health systems around the world, said WHO director general Tedros Ghebreyesus.

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The Assam government has decided to impose "curfew-like" restrictions on people who are yet to take both the doses of the Covid-19 vaccines in order to achieve 100 per cent vaccination within this month.

Under the restrictions to come into force from January 15, such people will not be allowed to enter offices, malls, hotels, cinema halls, buses and other public places till they get both doses of the vaccine.

"Our target is to get all eligible persons vaccinated within this month. So far, nearly 50 lakh people have not taken the second dose and some of them have not come forward to take the first dose. We are asking them to get the second dose by January 15 or they will face the restrictions. If the unvaccinated persons are allowed entry after January 15, the onwers of concerned hotels, malls, etc. will be imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati.

Read: Centre mandates 7-day home quarantine for all international arrivals

"Some people in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong district have resisted the vaccination and have not taken the first dose yet. We are trying very hard to convince them," he said.

"As the impact of infection from Omicron variant is comparatively less, our effort is to get all vaccinated," he said.

The Chief Minister also announced that classes upto class VIII in Guwahati and upto class V (five) in rest the state will remain suspended from Saturday. "The classes for Class IX, X and XI will continue on alternate days, while Class XII will continue," he said.

The CM also announced that night curfew would be in force between 10 pm and 6 am, instead of between 11.30 pm and 6 am at present. Wearning of mask has also been made compulsory.

The steps come amid sudden increase in number of Covid-19 cases, which reached 844 on Thursday, from 475 on January 4. The state has so far reported nine Omicron variant cases, the CM said.

Assam reported 5,059 deaths in the second wave of Covid-19 last year.

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The Delhi High Court on Friday granted bail to freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe linked to alleged leakage and supply of sensitive information to Chinese intelligence officers.

Justice Mukta Gupta, while pronouncing the order on the city-based journalists bail plea, said, The petitioner has been granted bail.

The detailed order will be made available later.

Sharmas counsel had earlier submitted that the alleged money laundering case arises out of a police case under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), in which he was released on default bail in 2020.

The bail plea was opposed by ED which had said the offence committed by him has cross border implications and if released, he would not be available for further ongoing investigation.

The agency had submitted that since Sharma allegedly supplied confidential information to Chinese intelligence officials during foreign trips, part of the offence took place in foreign locations.

Since Sharma has enjoyed the proceeds of crime in various foreign countries through his foreign trips and expenses therein, the offence in the present case is an offence of cross border implications as well, it had argued.

It had also alleged that Sharma did not cooperate with the investigation and had miserably failed to establish even prima facie innocence at this stage under the money laundering law.

Sharma had approached the high court after a sessions court denied him bail in July last year.

The ED had arrested him under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on July 1, 2021.

The ED case is based on a Delhi Police FIR filed under the Official Secrets Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Sharma in 2020.

The journalist was arrested by the special cell of the Delhi Police on September 14, 2020 and charged with passing on information about the Indian Army's deployment and the country's border strategy to Chinese intelligence officers.

He was granted bail by the Delhi High Court in the case in December 2020.

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Despite differences in political outlook, the (Trinamool-led) state government abides and executes Centres guidelines, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told PM Modi, as the two leaders jointly attended a programme after a long time, though virtually. She added that while the PM is formally inaugurating the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, it has already been inaugurated by the state.

I am here because of the Prime Minister. As Pradhan Mantriji is virtually inaugurating this project, she said, adding that the health minister had called her twice and as PM Modi has taken interest in a Calcutta programme, she was participating.

I would like to say we have already inaugurated this. How have we done it? When covid emeged, we needed a centre. Then, one day I went there. I assessed Rajarhat (based) second Chittaranjan campus, which is attached with the state government, Mamata said. Subsequently, it was utilised and it was of immense help, she said.

Mamata mentioned that 25 per cent of the funding was offered by the state. The state has offered land for the campus and is also taking care of the recurring expenses. Besides stating the importance of Centre-state cooperation for public works, she highlighted the steps her government has taken to strengthen the health infrastructure in the state. PM Modi, speaking later, similarly mentioned steps taken by the Centre over the last few years.

The Bengal chief minister told the PM that scarcity of doctors occurs and quota (of seats) should be increased in medical colleges. "More medical seats should be added, given the fact that there is a big population and covid has emerged, so more doctors are needed," she said. Mamata further said that while PMs suggestions to add people from outside to strengthen the health infrastructure are being followed, such moves are being questioned by the state governor.

Whatever guidelines Centre gives, no matter whatever is our political outlook, but we do it, 99 per cent, she said, adding that more vaccination doses are needed by the state and around 40 per cent of vaccines for second-dose have still not been received by the state.

PM Modi, who remotely inaugurated the campus, said that the facility will be of immense use for the poor and the middle class, where someone is in need of cancer treatment. He mentioned that the state has been provided 11 crore vaccine doses for free by the Centre, besides ventilators and oxygen cylinders.

Mamatas mention of having used the campus during an earlier covid surge, and stating that the centre has already been inaugurated, has not gone well with BJP leaders. Amit Malviya, BJPs co-incharge for West Bengal, tweeted, Mamata Banerjee is incorrigible. Notwithstanding the fact that she is on path of constant, needless confrontation, she must realise that inaugurating a building as Covid facility is not the same as inaugurating a Cancer facility in a hospital.

Suvendu Adhikari, BJP leader, and the leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Legislative Assembly, tweeted: Guilefully articulating the emergency usage of an under construction facility as Safe Home during the 2nd wave of Covid, to discredit the formal inauguration of the most advanced fully equipped Cancer facility of Eastern India is a deliberate attempt to mislead the people of WB.

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The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has asked Mumbai Commissioner of Police Hemant Nagrale to appear in-person before Chairman Vijay Sampla on January 31 regarding the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede harassment case.

It also asked the petitioner to remain present in the commission on the day of the hearing.

While issuing written summons to the police Commissioner, NCSC Director Kaushal Kumar on Thursday said: "Chairman Vijay Sampla has fixed a meeting with you, in person, on January 31 at 11 am in his chamber at Loknayak Bhawan, New Delhi.

"Accordingly, you are to appear in person, along with an updated action taken report and all relevant documents, including the relevant files, case diaries, to facilitate the hearing."

The NCSC further recommended the state government not to take final decision in the matter till the investigation is pending with it.

"No final decision in the matter is to be taken by the state government till the pendency of the investigation of the case in the commission. This is as per commission's Rules of Procedure clause 7.2," the NCSC director said in an official letter.

Wankhede, NCB's Mumbai Zonal Director, has been in the limelight in connection with the Aryan Khan case and was recently accused by Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik of faking his caste certificate.

The NCSC is, however, examining the complaint of Wankhede that he was being implicated in a false case.

Wankhede had written to the commission alleging harassment following "disclosures" made by NCP minister Malik. The minister had alleged that Wankhede was a Muslim and had secured a job claiming to be from the Scheduled Caste.

Malik had alleged that Wankhede's father's name was Dawood and not Dyandev. Wankhede has denied all allegations.

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Days after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had offered puja at a Lord Parshuram temple here as part of his Brahmin outreach efforts, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma and other BJP leaders on Friday inaugurated a temple of the god in the state capital.

BJP MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi and her son Mayank Joshi, along with deputy CM Sharma and minister Brijesh Pathak, unveiled a statue of Lord Parshuram, venerated by many Brahmins, in Hasoveer temple in the state capital.

The six-foot statue of Lord Parshuram has been brought from Rajasthan.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Polls: More Brahmin leaders, BJP MLA join SP

The move is being seen as another attempt by the BJP to placate the electorally dominant Brahmin community which is believed to be unhappy with the state government.

In political circles, the unveiling of Lord Parshuram statue in Lucknow during the day was seen as part of the BJP's efforts to counter Akhilesh Yadav's Brahmin outreach bid, but Dinesh Sharma differed.

"It's not BJP but Akhilesh who is imitating us. BJP has installed idols of Parshuram in Kanpur and other places earlier too," Sharma told PTI.

Several parks have also been named after Parshuram in different parts of Uttar Pradesh, he added.

Also Read | UP Polls: Yogi, Akhilesh bicker about what Lord Krishna said in dreams

Not only Parshuram, the BJP has been honouring icons of all castes and community be it Ravi Das, Balmiki or Rana Pratap, he added.

Making a concerted effort to throw the BJP out of power, Yadav had on January 2 offered puja at a temple having a 108-foot-tall statue of Parshuram in village Mahurakala on Purvanchal Express near Lucknow to attract Brahmins towards his party.

Brahmins account for nearly 13 per cent of the state's population and they are being wooed by all the major parties to brighten their chance in the assembly elections only months away from now.

BSP chief Mayawati has already deployed her party's Brahmin face S C Misra to mobilise their support to revive the 2007 social engineering formula of Dalits-Brahmins combination.

The Brahmin leaders of the BJP have also been activated by the party to retain the support of the community.

A large number of the BJP's Brahmin leaders had recently met at party president J P Nadda's residence in Delhi. Subsequently a committee was formed as part of the Brahmin outreach drive.

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Floating solar panels near Hapcheon Dam in South Gyeongsang Province's Hapcheon County with a 41 megawatt capacity started operating in November 2021. Courtesy of the Ministry of Environment





By Ko Dong-hwan







The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Jan. 5 that the country's total renewable energy output in 2021 was 4.8 gigawatts (GW), surpassing the government's goal by 0.2 GW.







Solar power contributed most of the clean power last year, with 4.4 GW generated. Wind turbines contributed 0.1 GW, while that from biomass and other renewable sources reached 0.3 GW.







The accomplishment marks the fourth consecutive year that national renewable energy output has surpassed annual goals since 2018, the year before the country launched its Renewable Energy 3020 Plan  boosting renewable sources-based output to 20 percent of the country's overall power generation by 2030.







As of last year, the country's accumulated renewable energy output had reached almost 29 GW, out of which solar accounted for 21 GW and wind 1.7 GW. The 3020 plan targets raising the accumulated renewable energy output to 64 GW.







In the four years since the launch of the 3020 plan, the country saw 18.2 GW of clean power from newly-built renewable energy facilities. Among the figure, solar accounted for 15.6 GW, which is 2.4 times that from 2017 when accumulated solar energy had reached 6.4 GW.







The ministry said industrial renewable energy output's contribution to the country's overall power grid reached 6.5 percent as of October 2021, double that of 2017.







Wind turbines on top of Mount Cheongok in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon Province / Korea Times file





Overall renewable energy output in 2021, however, fell short of that from 2020 when it was 5.3 GW  the highest since the introduction of the 3020 plan. The shortage, according to the ministry, was largely because last year the government enforced stronger regulations for the construction of solar panel farms in mountainous regions  a greater distance between the farms and the closest residential villages so as not to inconvenience residents, and lowering the standard gradient for a solar panel site from 25 degrees to 15 degrees to prevent landslides caused by soil erosion from their installation. The stronger measures resulted in reducing the national solar power output at mountainous sites from 1.2 GW in 2020 to 0.8 GW last year.







Difficulties people experienced in operating wind farms also caused the year-on drop of renewable energy output in 2021. The ministry noted that getting a license was too complicated  there are 10 government bureaus involved in the process and 29 related laws that must be observed  and setting up facilities often caused clashes with locals, causing delays to many projects. "It takes about three to four years to acquire a wind power operation license in countries with advanced wind power generation," said a ministry official. "In Korea, it takes up to six years."







Despite the challenges, the number of new wind power farms under construction increased from four in 2020 (capacity 120 megawatts) to 13 the following year (capacity 902 megawatts). This was because the government raised wind power's renewable energy certificate value from 1.0 in 2020 to 1.2 the following year, improving its profitability to drive the energy type's broader expansion nationwide.







To further increase the national renewable energy output, the government plans to expand renewable portfolio standards  a mandate for power generators to increase energy production from renewable sources instead of fossil and nuclear fuels  by raising its mandatory minimum rate from 10 percent to 12.5 percent. New wind power laws this year will also lower legal barriers to installing wind turbines, while new regulations to better accommodate residents near renewable power stations with better incentives will also be soon introduced.


The 15th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), scheduled to run between January 28-February 1, has now been postponed to March 5-14 in view of the rising number of Covid cases, the organisers said on Friday.

About 250 authors, thinkers, politicians and popular culture icons across the world are expected to participate in the festival, which will be held in hybrid mode. It will be virtual from March 5-9, and in person from March 10-14.

"Keeping in mind the advent of the new variant and the sharp rise in the number of cases across the country, we have thought it best to reschedule the Festival and hold it in March 2022. We remain committed to bring the Festival back to Jaipur as an on-ground, immersive experience, promoting dialogue, discussion and debate on books and ideas," festival producer Sanjoy K Roy said in a statement.

India recorded 1,17,100 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday as the virus continues to spread at a blistering pace, largely driven by the virulent Omicron variant.

The festival this year will also witness a shift from its traditional venue Diggi Palace to Hotel Clarks Amber, Jaipur with added facilities to accommodate footfalls and follow Covid-19 safety protocols according to government guidelines.

Turkish bestselling novelist Elif Shafak, Hollywood actor-writer Rupert Everett, award-winning Srilankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka, eminent Jamaican poet Kei Miller, Booker Prize winner Damon Galgut, 2003 Booker Prize winner DBC Pierre British and historian-biographer Andrew Lownie are among those participating in the event.

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The Union Home Ministry has issued showcause notices to six senior officers, including the Bathinda police chief, over the "major lapses in security" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab, officials said here on Friday.

Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Maluja and the five other officers were responsible for the prime minister's security during his visit to the state on January 5 and they have been asked to reply to the notices, officials told PTI here.

The home ministry is the cadre controlling authority for the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

Also Read | PM security lapse: A contested theatre in Punjab

Modi had to cut short his visit to Punjab on Wednesday after he was stuck on a flyover for 20 minutes due to a blockade by some protesters, an incident described by the home ministry as a "major lapse" in security.

"Yes, we have served a showcause notice to the SSP of Bathinda and asked him to submit a reply on the serious security lapses during the PM's visit," a senior officer privy to the development said.

Ajay Maluja is currently serving as SSP Bathinda.

Another official said that showcause notices were served to at least five other senior officers of the Punjab Police who were on duty during the prime minister's visit.

The identity of the other officers were not disclosed immediately, but sources said they are police officers on the rank of SSP, DIG and above.

Also Read | PM security breach: MHA panel at Ferozepur; Punjab submits report to Centre, says FIR filed

The home ministry, through its showcause notices, has asked the officers as to why action should not be initiated against them under the law including disciplinary proceedings as prescribed in the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal), Rules, 1969, for the acts of omission and commission.

The punishment under the said rules include suspension, compulsory retirement, censure and withholding of promotions if found guilty.

However, action against the "delinquent" officers will be taken only after a thorough inquiry.

The Central government on Thursday constituted a three-member committee, led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, and comprising of Balbir Singh, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau, and S Suresh, IG, Special Protection Group, to enquire into the "major lapses in security" during Modi's visit to Punjab.

The committee is advised to submit the report at the earliest.

After he was stranded on the flyover due to a blockade by protesters, the prime minister had to return from the poll-bound state without attending any event, including a rally.

The home ministry had directed the state government to file an immediate report, asserting it did not ensure the required deployment, while Home Minister Amit Shah said that such dereliction of the security procedure during the prime minister's visit is totally unacceptable and accountability will be fixed.

The incident triggered a major political row as the BJP alleged the ruling Congress in Punjab "tried to physically harm" the prime minister, while other parties too attacked the state government over the law and order issue.

On the defensive, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi denied there was any security lapse or political motive behind it and said his government was ready for an inquiry.

The Punjab government has also set up a committee on Wednesday to enquire into the incident.

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Former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday lashed out at Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa and Punjab Congress President Navjot Sidhu for their 'reckless' and 'irresponsible' response to the grave security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent Punjab visit.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister's rally in Ferozepur had to be cancelled due to a security lapse after some protesters blocked a route and forced his convoy to spend about 20 minutes on a flyover. The Prime Minister was enroute the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala when the incident happened.

"Channi, Randhawa and Sidhu are acting like a confused lot, who have no idea about how to do their job and perform their duties", Amarinder Singh said in a statement, adding that instead of owning up the responsibility, they are running away from it and passing it on to their juniors, which is cowardice and not true leadership.

Also Read | PM security breach: MHA panel at Ferozepur; Punjab submits report to Centre, says FIR filed

Referring to Channi's 'confusing' and 'contradictory' statements on the security breach, Amarinder Singh said, "In the morning he says something and orders an inquiry, and by the evening he straightway denies that anything has happened."

He also ridiculed the Chief Minister's statement that he will take bullets in his chest if there was any threat to the life of the Prime Minister.

"You are not there to take bullets on your chest, better focus on your job as the Chief Minister," Amarinder Singh said.

The former CM also took a dig at Deputy CM Randhawa, who also holds the Home portfolio, for saying that Central security agencies should have ensured the safe passage for the Prime Minister.

Also Read | PM security lapse: A contested theatre in Punjab

"The Deputy CM appears to be oblivious of the fact that the Prime Minister was very much in Punjab and it was the duty of the Punjab government to provide all sorts of security," he said, adding: "Recently, you were crying hoarse against extension of BSF's jurisdiction, saying law and order is a state subject, although it had nothing to do with law and order. Today you are saying that the same law and order is the responsibility of the Central agencies in order to escape responsibility."

The former Chief Minister also had a word of advice for Sidhu, saying: "You better avoid talking on issues you have absolutely no idea about, like how the Prime Minister's security details are worked out."

"With everyone, particularly his own party and the government having stopped taking him seriously, Sidhu is now trying to wade into the waters he doesn't know even ABC of," Amarinder Singh said.

The former CM also told the Congress leaders to listen to the "wise counsel" of their own party president Sonia Gandhi, who has asked the Chief Minister to investigate the matter and fix responsibility.

"Now, I assume, you will say that even Ms Gandhi is trying to side with Prime Minister Modi," he said.

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A group of BJP workers who held a protest in Tilhar here against the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Punjab visit were allegedly lathi-charged by police, following which the incharge of the local police station was sent to police lines.

An investigation in the matter is underway, police officials said.

BJP's Tilhar Nagar president Rajiv Rathore said dozens of party workers took out a torch procession on Thursday night to protest the lapse in the prime minister's security during his visit to Punjab.

As the procession reached Martyrs Kutir, police personnel arrived there and started beating the BJP workers after enquiring about the sloganeering, he alleged.

Also read: PM Modi's security breach: Supreme Court directs Punjab HC Registrar General to preserve travel records

BJP workers were chased and thrashed by the police and it was only when all of them gathered and staged a sit-in outside the local police station that top officers reached the spot, Rathore claimed.

Superintendent of Police (Rural) Sanjeev Bajpai said he reached the spot as soon as he received information about the incident.

After listening to both sides, the incharge of Tilhar police station, Ravindra Singh, was removed. He has been sent to police lines and the matter is being investigated, he said.

BJP MLA from Tilhar Roshan Lal Verma condemned the alleged police action.

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Niraj Bishnoi, the alleged creator and main conspirator of the derogatory 'Bulli Bai' app, who was arrested by the Delhi Police from Assam, has been suspended from his college here.

Bishnoi, a second year B.Tech student at Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), was suspended by the college management hours after the news of his arrest broke out.'

Also Read: Collegemates clueless about boy arrested in Bulli Bai case

"Niraj Bishnoi, studying B.Tech since September 2022 via online, has been arrested by Delhi police in connection with his alleged involvement in 'Bulli Bai' app case. Accordingly, he (Bishnoi) is suspended with immediate effect from the University until further notice, in view of bringing disrepute to the University and defaming the name of the institute," a notice issued by the Vice Chancellor of VIT, said.

Bishnoi was, allegedly, targeting Muslim women by uploading their doctored photographs, without their consent, and was arrested from Jorhat in Assam by Delhi Police on Thursday.

The 20-year-old, who is now in police remand in Delhi, had also created the 'Bulli Bai' Twitter handle. As per Delhi Police, after creating the content, he forwarded the Twitter handle to others in his network to share it.

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Underlining his government's commitment to reaching the benefits of high-quality healthcare services to the poor and the middle class, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) here on Friday.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also attended the event that was held online, caused a flutter with her remark that she had already inaugurated the complex during the second COVID-19 wave, when the state desperately needed more and more centres to cater to the surge of patients.

A strident critic of Modi, Banerjee said she was attending the event after being invited twice by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandavia, and underscored her government has been following all guidelines issued by the Centre despite differences and "questions raised by the governor" over its decisions.

Dedicating to the nation the 400-bed tertiary cancer care centre built at a cost of Rs 534 crore, Modi told the gathering that India has reached the "historic milestone" of administering 150 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine during the day.

"Today, over 90 per cent of India's adult population has already got the first dose of Covid vaccine. This reflects the country's sense of self-confidence, self-dependence and self-pride for an achievement that is difficult for even the developed and rich nations," he asserted.

Extolling the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the prime minister said it has become a global benchmark for public healthcare systems with Over 2.60 crore people, including 17 lakh cancer patients, having benefited from it so far.

"This is yet another step towards our national resolve to reach high-quality healthcare services to all our citizens, especially the poor and the middle class," he said talking about the new CNCI campus, which will cater to West Bengal, its eastern neighbours and the remote states of the Northeast.

"There was a time when a poor person either did not think of getting treated for cancer or sold his house and land for meeting the expenses. The poor and the middle class got anxious and lost heart at the sheer thought of having got cancer. We took determined steps to pull cancer patients out of their worries," he said.

Modi said the 50,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras were dispensing medicines, including 50 cancer drugs, across the country at subsidised prices. Amrit Pharmacies are also selling costly cancer medicines at affordable prices, he said.

The prime minister said by regulating the prices of 500 drugs the government ensured the patients, particularly the poor, saved Rs 3,000 crore.

Regulating the prices of key medicines and implants helped common people save huge money, he said, adding reducing the price of coronory stents alone resulted in a saving of Rs 4,500 crore for heart patients. Under the Prime Minister National Dialysis Programme, 12 lakh people got free of cost treatment and saved over Rs 520 crore, he said.

"If we consider the benefits patients reaped from these and other programmes under Ayushman Bharat, ordinary people saved anywhere between Rs 50,000 crore and Rs 60,000 crore," he said.

Responding to Mamata Banerjee's suggestion for increasing seats in medical colleges, Modi said the country had 90,000 undergraduate and postgraduate seats before he took over as the prime minister in 2014. He said 60,000 seats were added in medical colleges in the last seven years. "We had just six AIIMS in 2014 and today we have a strong network of 22 AIIMS across the country," he asserted.

Efforts are on to set up a medical college in each district, 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Cancer Centres, he said.

"We are going to produce more doctors over the next 10 years than we did in the last 70 years," he asserted.

Health and Wellness Centres are being set up in villages while promoting preventive healthcare through Yoga, Ayurved, Universal Sanitation, and the tap water scheme that will reach every household, the prime minister said. "Har Ghar Jal Yojana will eliminate the hazards like arsenic poisoning which could lead to cancer," he said.

Mamata Banerjee, in her speech, said the state government spent 25 per cent of the cost incurred on setting up the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, and will also bear the recurring expenditure of Rs 71 crore. The West Bengal government, she said, had provided 11 acres of land for the institute.

"Cancer has no answer but we should not stop trying," she said, and added her government has launched the 'Swasthya Saathi Scheme' covering all citizens of West Bengal under which people can avail medical treatment upto Rs 5 lakh.

She deplored that only 40 per cent of the state's population has received the second dose of Covid vaccine. West Bengal has an estimated population of little over 10 crore.

In his speech, the prime minister said the Centre had made available 11 crore vaccines to West Bengal free of cost, besides 1,500 ventilators and 9,000 oxygen cylinders.

Modi made no mention of Banerjee's claim that she had already inaugurated the new CNCI campus in his speech.

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The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve all records related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's travel to the State which was marred by a security breach.

The top court also directed the two separate committees formed by the Centre and Punjab to hold its hands off on their inquiry till it hears a plea for probe on Monday.

Also Read | MHA will take big and tough decisions: Anurag Thakur on security breach during PM's Punjab visit

Hearing a petition filed by NGO 'Lawyers Voice' against the security breach, a bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli told the Director General of UT of Chandigarh and other top officers from various agencies, including the NIA and SPG, to render their help in collecting the records.

During the hearing, the Centre led by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta supported the petitioner for probe into the matter saying this was the rarest of rare issue which had potential to cause embarrassment to the country within the international community. This also had potential to cause cross-border terrorism. He also pointed out that a video had emerged from the banned terrorist organisation 'Sikh for Justice' giving a call for similar action seen on Wednesday.

Also Read | BJP leaders slam breach of PM Modi's security in Punjab, demand apology

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the petitioner, raised a question mark over the committee formed by the Punjab government to look into the matter.

Advocate General of Punjab D S Patwalia said the State was not joining the issue. "Any person can be appointed to investigate the matter, if there is lapse, the matter needs to be probed," he said.

On Wednesday, Modi's convoy remained stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur. The incident forced the PM to cancel his rally and other events planned in poll-bound Punjab.

The plea alleged that the lapse in the security of the Prime Minister was occasioned clearly in connivance with the Punjab Police.

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Two history-sheeters accused of a double murder on Thursday evening were gunned down by the Chengalpattu district police on Friday morning near Mamandur after the duo allegedly attacked the police team that was trying to nab them.

Dinesh (23) and Biscuit Moideen (20) are accused of killing Karthik and Mahesh in Chengalpattu on Thursday evening in full public view. The police launched investigations into the murder and found the involvement of Dinesh and Moideen.

As the police launched a search to nab the accused, they are understood to have hidden near the Palar river in Mamandur. When a police team surrounded the duo at around 8.30 am on Friday, they, according to police, used country bombs to attack the police team.

In self-defence, the police had to use force. They opened fire resulting in the death of the two, a police official said.

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The UK government has asked for specific numbers over a period to drill-down on the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the Indian government around funding licences of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the House of Lords was informed during a debate.

Peers in the Upper House of the UK Parliament debated the issue on Thursday following a question raised by crossbench peer Lord Harries of Pentregarth, asking what representations the British government had made to its Indian counterparts about the blocking of overseas funds for the Missionaries of Charity and other non-governmental organisations.

The charity founded by Mother Teresa in Kolkata was recently denied an FCRA renewal along with other NGOs, a move the Indian government has said is a matter of routine processing by the Ministry of Home Affairs under well-established procedure and long-standing administrative practice.

We are aware of some non-governmental organisations that face difficulties in India due to the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act by the Indian government, and that some have recently had applications to renew their foreign funding licences rejected, said Lord Tariq Ahmad, responding to questions on behalf of the UK government as Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

On the issue of the licence in India, I have looked into this specifically, and we do not know why its applications were rejected. I have asked and pressed to see the kinds of numbers that currently exist, he said, in reference to the Missionaries of Charity.

Also read: Over 6,000 organisations including Oxfam India denied FCRA licence

Lord Harries pressed the minister on the matter and questioned whether the action against the charity was to prevent people coming into contact with Christianity and eventually convert to it.

Among the 12,580 organisations whose licences have ceased to exist, some ceased to exist because they did not submit their applications in time, and others were rejected for other reasons. There are Christian NGOs, but there are also 250 Hindu NGOs and more than 250 Muslim NGOs, so whether this is specifically against Christian organisations is not shown by the data, but I am requesting further information in this respect, Ahmad said in response.

Lord Alton of Liverpool asked if the government had studied the list of organisations which have lost their licences, which number as high as 3,000.

Ahmad, who holds the brief of Minister for South Asia, replied: Because of the constructive nature of our engagement, we are able to raise this not just with the Indian High Commission here in London but in a constructive manner with the Indian government directly.

The noble Lord points to specific numbers. As I alluded to earlier, I have asked specifically for a drill-down on the numbers over a period, so that I can analyse directly which organisations are impacted and the reasons why these licences have been revoked, to allow us to make much more qualified representation, Ahmad said.

The debate, which involved a section of cross-party peers, covered concerns around international civil society organisations being hampered in their work to fight poverty in India and also raised the issue of organisations such as Amnesty International and Oxfam being starved of funds in India. Ahmad said the UK government had taken up the issue of Amnesty International directly but that it continues to provide challenge.

However, because of our lobbying and representations, we welcomed the recent High Court decision in Karnataka which allowed Amnesty to access some of its funds, the minister said.

The Indian High Commission in London said it would not like to comment on a discussion between members of Parliament of the UK.

However, on the subject: it appears to need reiteration that this is a matter of routine processing by Indias Ministry of Home Affairs  of renewal applications for FCRA approval  submitted by thousands of India-based entities including the Missionaries of Charity, a High Commission statement said.

An examination of facts would make it clear that no single community, religion or source of funding has been particularly targeted or any accounts frozen by the government of India. It would be seen that all these applications for renewal of FCRA licences have been processed as per well-established procedure and long-standing administrative practice  which, in most countries, are recognised as a part of good governance, the statement said.

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There are different versions of and explanations about the incident in Punjab when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stuck on a road flyover for about 15-20 minutes on Wednesday. But the most important fact that should not be lost sight of in the politics over the matter is that there was a major security lapse. The Prime Minister was stuck because his route was blocked by protesting farmers. He had taken the road route to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur after landing in Bathinda. This was a change of plan said to have been forced by inclement weather.

The programme was eventually cancelled and the Prime Minister returned to Delhi. The Union Home Ministry has termed it rightly as a security lapse and called for a report from the Punjab government. The BJP has blamed the state government for the lapse. Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has expressed regret for the incident but has said that there was no threat to the Prime Ministers security. The state government has ordered an inquiry, too.

The Punjab government has said that it had no information about the change of route affected at the last minute. Congress has said that the programme was cancelled because the BJP had failed to attract a crowd to listen to the Prime Minister. The return of the Prime Minister without attending the function lent much drama to the incident. The political slugfest that has erupted should not obfuscate the main issue that is involved in the incident. A lot of planning is involved in the Prime Ministers travels and many agencies have their roles in ensuring fool-proof security.

There are different layers, alternative plans and strategies to deal with even the most unexpected contingencies. It is not known if the chances of a sudden protest and a blockade had been taken into consideration. The cancellation of the programme should be the last option because there is an admission of failure in it. But that would also be the only option when the Prime Ministers safety could not be ensured.

The investigation should be done professionally and should identify and pinpoint the individuals or agencies who were responsible for the lapse, without being influenced by politics. The Prime Ministers security is not a political issue. India has paid a high price with the death of two Prime Ministers for lapses in security.

There have also been breaches of security without serious damage, as when Indira Gandhi was struck with a stone at a meeting or when her cavalcade was attacked. But these are different and more difficult times and there cannot be any laxity or complacency in ensuring the safety and security of the Prime Minister or, indeed, of anyone.

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South Korea, US need new strategy to deter North Korea



North Korea has launched its second hypersonic missile successfully into the East Sea, according to its official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Thursday. The KCNA claimed the consecutive successes in the test firing of the supersonic missiles are strategically significant as they will speed up the North's much-touted task of modernizing its strategic armed forces.



The KCNA reported that the Central Committee of the governing Workers' Party expressed "great satisfaction" with the results of the missile test conducted on Wednesday. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense noted the missile launch was detected through various military intelligence assets of South Korea and the United States. Yet it stopped short of confirming whether the missile launch was successful or not.



This shows it is premature to confirm the North's launch of what it claims to be a supersonic missile as a success. Yet it is certain that the North has made considerable progress in improving its technological prowess given that the distance traveled by the missile launched Wednesday increased more than three times compared to the Hwasong-8, another supersonic missile the North launched last September, at a higher speed.



Supersonic missiles are regarded as game changers with their ability to combine multi-step glide jump flight and strong lateral maneuvering. The KCNA asserted the recent missile test demonstrated such capabilities. Pyongyang is highly likely to test-fire more missiles toward completing the development of such state-of-the-art weapons.



North Korea has been pushing for the development of the supersonic missiles as one of its "top five priorities." North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to speed up efforts to develop new tech-savvy weapons such as large-size ballistic missiles, solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and nuclear submarines during the eighth congress of the North's ruling party last year.



The North has managed to maintain the upper hand over South Korea in terms of "strategic asymmetrical military strength" by developing nuclear weapons. Now the North is also hastening efforts to possess "tactical asymmetrical" superiority over the South by developing diverse weapons aimed to paralyze Seoul's defense posture.



The Moon Jae-in administration has continued its efforts to build up the nation's military strength. But it has yet to cope with the North's strenuous bids to develop high-tech weapons. Defense chiefs of the South and the U.S. endorsed the strategic planning guidance (SPG) to update Operational Plan (OPLAN) 5015 during the bilateral Security Council Meeting (SCM) late last year.



Usually it takes at least several years for South Korea and the U.S. to map out new operational plans. However, the two allies have no time to waste to effectively tackle the ever-serious moves by North Korea to develop high-tech missiles and other weapons. They need to speed up mutual efforts to complete new operational plans to more efficiently deal with North Korea's weapons development.


Do you want to see my favourite animal which I always carry in my pocket?, so saying, much to the amazement of the teachers and students seated in the auditorium, I pulled out a one-rupee coin with the four-headed lion, our national emblem. The deafening claps enthralled me. Needless to say, I bagged the first prize in the oratorical competition.

I was in the fourth grade then. A few days before the contest, I was a totally different person. Basically an introvert by nature, I loved to be in my own shell. When the date and topic ('My favourite animal') were announced, I was the least interested. Yet, I pulled out my school diary and noted down the details.

I remember many kids enthusiastically giving out their names for the contest. I had then felt that speaking in front of a huge audience was beyond my capability. I forgot all about it until my mom pulled out my diary. When she asked me about it, I told her that the competition was only for extroverts. She did not prod me further.

That night as I was about to sleep, I saw my dad writing something. When I went near him, he held out a paper and said that the contents written in it were for me. I reached out for the sheet. The writing began with My favourite animal: The Lion.

It took a few minutes for me to gather that he had noticed my childhood appreciation of the majestic lion as the king of the forest and had prepared hints on the speech. My surprise grew into disappointment as I knew what was coming up.

I vividly remember my mom and dad sitting near me and encouraging me to join the contest. My initial reaction was a big NO. I shuddered at the thought of speaking about the animal. My parents asked me to state my apprehensions and deal with them one by one. I finally decided to give it a try.

That was definitely a turning point for me! My dad helped me with the way how a speech should be delivered. I also learnt that, while your eyes should be on the audience, your concentration should be on what you speak. Thus, while preparing for the speech, I forgot everything else and kept in mind only the subject of the talk.

When the D-day arrived, though I was frightened a bit, I confidently delivered the speech. As the climax, I pulled out the coin to exhibit to all how my favourite animal ever remained not only in my pocket but also in everybodys! The thunderous applause made my confidence grow. I became quite popular in school and there was no looking back. I could also bag even a state-level prize!

The golden advice, Where there is a will there is a way given by my parents, rings in my ears even today.

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Was Uttar Pradesh born in 2017? It is an obvious question given the recent conduct of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the state government he leads.

Most major thoroughfares and streets in all important cities of the state are replete with hoardings, while TV channels are inundated with resounding claims by the government that whatever existed before 2017 was chaos and non-governance.

The government seems to be trying to build the impression that the saffron-clad Adityanath has ushered in 'Ram Rajya' in the country's most populous state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also stamped Adityanath's claim by echoing that sentiment quite passionately in all his speeches at rallies in the run-up to the forthcoming state Assembly elections in February-March 2022. It would perhaps lead people into believing the ironic narrative that actress Kangana Ranaut was desperately trying to build  that India got "real independence in 2014" when Modi emerged at the country's helm.

Also Read | Candidates can now pump in more money in poll campaign

The innumerable hoardings and television ads seek to convey that all is fine across the state ever since Adityanath rode on to become the state's chief minister in 2017. These proclaim the difference that Adityanath's "able" governance has made to crucial issues like "law and order", "corruption", and "development".

According to one such hoarding, "2017 se pehle sarkari paise ki hoti thi bandarbaant" (before 2017, government funds were pilfered away), but "2017 ke baad , Pradesh mein vikas hota hai" (after 2017, the state has seen development). The hoardings display money bags shared between a man with a red cap (an apparent reference to the Samajwadi Party) and contractors, contrasting with the expressways being constructed now. The fact, however, is that the state's first and perhaps by far the best expressway (Lucknow-Agra) came up during the previous government. And what was most remarkable about it was that the 301 km expressway was completed in a record 23 months, while the present government was unable to complete its 358-km Purvanchal Expressway in 57 months. Also, the investigation by the Adityanath administration to dig out suspected irregularities in the Agra expressway construction did not reach anywhere.

Another hoarding, showing a bearded man flinging an enflamed torch, reads, "2017 se pehle dangaiyon ka khauf" (rioters terrorised UP before 2017), "2017 ke baad maang rahe hain maafi" (after 2017, they are seeking public apology). Its tag line states, "farq saaf hai" (the difference is evident).

To top it all comes yet another hoarding that seeks to claim how women's security had witnessed a sea change between 2017 and now. It states women were unsafe and unprotected before 2017, but after 2017, criminals are scared of the rule of law. The visual depicts a young woman being followed by two ruffians, who, after 2017, maintain a safe distance from the woman's path because of an alert and visibly helpful police. But the hoarding is in sharp contrast to the ground reality. The open patronage extended to former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar involved in the gang rape of a girl in Unnao, is a matter of recent public memory. He was put in the dock only after the intervention of the Allahabad High Court chief justice, who went to the extent of castigating the advocate-general for going out of the way to shield the ruling party MLA, who eventually got convicted and jailed for the crime.

Another example of the ruling dispensation's blatant protection to criminals was the Hathras gang rape case in which not only the accused were allowed to go scot-free, but the victim's body was disposed of through a hastily carried out cremation in the dead of night. Worse, the local administration moved heaven and earth to intimidate the victim's family, who were not even allowed at the cremation site. Here too, it was the intervention of the high court that prompted the government to initiate action.

The Gorakhpur incident in which a young trader was beaten to death by an alleged extortionist police inspector right under the nose of the chief minister's home and constituency also punches holes in the claims of transformed law and order. The broad-daylight killing of four farmers and a journalist in Lakhimpur-Kheri, moved down by an SUV allegedly driven by the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Misra' Teni', was yet another case that contradicts the government's boast of establishing the rule of law in the state. But for the intervention of the Supreme Court, the minister's son would have continued to enjoy immunity.

The list could be longer, but from the publicity blitz undertaken by Adityanath's propaganda machinery, it appears that the intent is towards overwhelming harsh truth with official lies.

As for hoardings highlighting corruption and official pilferage during the Samajwadi Party rule, there have been similar allegations against some top ministers in the Adityanath cabinet, but there is no effort towards investigating these. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has put in the public domain documents that suggest large scale pilferage in the Jal Shakti mission. Likewise is the prima facie financial irregularities in the sale and purchase of land in and around Ayodhya. At the grassroots level, corruption continues to thrive as severely as during earlier regimes.

Still, the government does not tire of making claims that it has transformed governance in the state. No wonder people have taken to wonder whether the Adityanath government's claims through these hoardings were about some imaginary land, or is it that there was no Uttar Pradesh before 2017?

(Sharat Pradhan is a journalist and author based in Lucknow)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.
The highly contagious Covid Omicron variant is shattering new U.S. daily case records. With Omicron carrying a risk of breakthrough infection five times higher than that of the Delta variant, we are witnessing a significant impact on the American workforce in all sectors. The increase in cases among essential workers has sidelined many health care workers, resulted in thousands of holiday flights being cancelled, and once again disrupted our supply chain.

In the meantime, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is adding to the chaos in the way they changed its isolation recommendations. What originally was 10 days of isolation after initial contact with someone who tested positive for Covid has turned into five days of isolation, and upon re-entry into civilization, five more days of wearing a mask. To complicate matters further, the CDC has also introduced an option to test out of isolation if a test is readily available (which in the United States is currently not the case).

These changes, which started as guidance focused on health care personnel before it was suggested to the general public, give reason to suspect the agency was motivated by pressure from the business community rather than consideration of the science. As recently reported, the CEO of Delta Air Lines sent a letter pressing the head of the CDC for such a move in order to preserve the airlines workforce. With such a shift from our top public health agency comes to a palpable sense of frustration in the country, and the further eroding of public faith in science, the scientific process and scientists themselves.

Also Read | Centre flags low Covid-19 testing in nine states

For us as physicians steeped in empirical evidence, to think that our health and the health of our patients potentially could be compromised because of business interests feels like a serious blow, undermining even our confidence in the agency.

But perhaps we all saw this coming.

Throughout the pandemic, we have seen how inconsistent messaging around Covid has fueled doubt around science, giving place to consistently messaged misinformation that has found its way into communities all across America. This has undermined our ability to implement data-driven policymaking.

Even before the pandemic, science has been under attack with debates over whether climate change is real, whether tobacco or vaping causes lung damage, whether guns are associated with gun violence, and whether mental illness is simply a chemical imbalance or more broadly related to a bio-psycho-social model.

Also Read | India's R-value higher than 2nd Covid-19 wave peak: Govt

We have seen anti-vaccine sentiment prevail after Andrew Wakefields work linking autism to vaccines was published. Dozens of peer-reviewed studies have found exactly the opposite. Wakefields paper was retracted, and hes been resoundingly discredited as a scientist, but the damage is done. Prior to Covid -19, we saw measles outbreaks reach their highest numbers since measles was all but eliminated. Why? Pockets of American communities, fearing autism, simply refused vaccination. Children died of a preventable disease.

As the pandemic continues, our public health agencies, starting at the very top, need to be reliable, evidence-driven, and consistent sources of information. But the CDC is not alone. Our top drug regulatory agency, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has shown inconsistency that not only affects the general public but everyone who is involved in health care delivery.

Take Aduhelm, for instance. Several months prior to the approval of the Alzheimers disease drug, a group of senior FDA officials agreed that there wasnt enough evidence for approval of the drug. The officials said the agency should require further evidence that the drug worked the way the company said it did prior to re-review or approval. This came as a blow to patients, clinicians and researchers who were incredibly hopeful for the potential treatment of such a devastating disease that lacks therapeutic options.

Also Read | Omicron may be less severe in young and old, but not 'mild': WHO

Despite the setback, the scientific community agreed that further clinical work should be done. Shortly after the consensus decision by advisory members and senior scientists, the FDA controversially approved the drug with no additional clinical studies and zero acknowledgement of the lack of data behind the approval. After weeks of incredible backlash and the resignation of several key advisory members, then acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock made a 180-degree reversal that went from making statements expressing confidence in the agencys decision to then supporting an independent investigation that led to the approval of the drug.

That flip left the medical community dumbfounded over the decision to initially approve Aduhelm, which still defies explanation.

Scientists and health care professionals have long viewed institutions such as the CDC and FDA with respect. However, the mixed messages and the doubt they have created in our minds signal a much deeper problem that will require innovative solutions.

We are entering the third year of an infectious disease war that has killed over 800,000 Americans. At the same time, many more Americans are dying from firearm injuries, drug overdoses, suicides and delayed medical care. Health care professionals are physically and emotionally exhausted and have worked through some of the darkest periods of this pandemicwhether its the lack of protective personal equipment (PPE), the personal sacrifice of their lives, or putting their families and loved ones at risk for contracting the virus.

Also Read | Omicron may be less severe in young and old, but not 'mild': WHO

Meanwhile, people are still not getting vaccinated, government leaders like US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin are contracting breakthrough cases of Covid, and the American workforce is being crippled by the exponential uptick in positive cases.

Its clear that we are struggling to smother this fire. Part of our success in doing so rests in our ability to restore trust in our scientific institutions.

The leaders of government agencies and the public sector, including public and for-profit health care and research institutions, should create a rapid response system that evaluates the newest data around Covid and quickly provides feedback to best ensure the most consistent, evidence-based messaging is released to the health care workforce and the general public. Similar to the peer review process, elevating the evaluation of significant policies to a larger peer group is a strategy that may be useful.

Its also important to include frontline healthcare workers in these conversations. They are closest to the struggle and often know what the best solutions are.

As an important group of trusted professionals, public health practitioners and scientific organizations must do a better job at communicating our message, especially during a crisis where the landscape is rapidly changing. All of us are prone to mistakes, and while no one expects any individual or organization to be perfect, setting consistent expectations during a public health crisis is critical. The strategy and approach in how we communicate the message is just as important as having the right idea.

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BJP national general secretary CT Ravi triggered a controversy on Wednesday with his tweet that was construed as a call for violence by some sections of social media users.

"Desh Ke Gaddaron Ko Goli Maro!" Ravi tweeted from his official handle @CTRavi_BJP. The tweet translates to "Shoot the traitors of the country". The tweet came in the backdrop of a security breach Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy faced in Punjab.

While many users reported the tweet alleging that it was against Twitter policy, others tagged official handles of the state police seeking action against the BJP leader. A few also urged the senior leader to delete the tweet and apologise.

Also Read | Amit Shah slams Congress for security breach in PM's Punjab convoy

Kannada activist Ganesh Chetan quote retweeted the post, calling Ravi a "Sanghi goon". All India Students Association president N Sai Balaji tweeted saying, "Another BJP leader inciting violence."

Activist Vinay Sreenivasa tagged state police chief and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and asked: "How safe are people in our state when your party general secretary gives an open call for violence??"

Twitter user Floyd wrote: "How is this tolerated @Twitter @TwitterIndia? This is openly in breach with Twitter policies. How is this account not suspended yet? This is absolutely bonkers," adding some expletives at the end.

Ravi's line is similar to what junior finance minister Anurag Thakur said at a BJP rally in Delhi last year: Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko."

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Amid the political slugfest over the Mekedatu project, the 101-year-old Institution of Engineers (IoE) on Friday offered to help the Karnataka government by constituting an expert committee to look into various technicalities.

The body is willing to extend its expertise and services to the government free of cost, IoE Karnataka chairperson M Lakshmana said.

The IoE had organised a discussion on the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project. Speaking at the event, Lakshmana said the Mekedatu project will bring the pressure down on upstream dams such as Kabini and KRS. This will be useful to Karnataka, especially in the peak season when there is water scarcity.

That apart, it will also aid in tourism and fishing culture and will facilitate economic growth in the surrounding areas, he said. When it comes to a city like Bengaluru where the daily water consumption is only expected to grow in the coming years, the Mekedatu project will be a boon in addressing drinking water woes, he added.

In order to help the government iron out the technical glitches in securing permissions, the IoE will constitute a five-member committee that will include experts who have worked in water resources earlier and are familiar with the processes. An exclusive office will be set up for the purpose. The committee will extend aid to the government, free of cost, he said. A memorandum will also be submitted to the state government urging it to expedite the process.

Captain Raja Rao, a retired government official and former environment secretary, emphasised that Karnataka was not doing anything illegal in proposing the Mekedatu project.

As long as the state government is using water within its boundaries and is not breaking its commitment to release the annually stipulated amount of water to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka is not flouting any rules, he said.

The 1924 link

Digging into history, Rao said an approval was given to the Mekedatu project way back in 1924. The then joint secretary of Madras Presidency in 1924, gave a press statement which says that the then governments (Madras Presidency and Mysore State) had agreed that: "Mysore shall utilise the water power available at Mekedatu for development of electric power..." He urged the state government to make use of it to present its case before the court.

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Revenue Minister R Ashoka said on Friday that he has tested positive for Covid-19.

"I have tested positive for Covid and I'm healthy. Those who came in contact with me, please get tested for Covid," Ashoka, 64, said in a tweet.

According to sources, Ashoka got tested at Manipal Hospital. He is now in home isolation.

Earlier this week, Ashoka attended a high-level meeting with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Health Minister K Sudhakar, IT/BT Minister C N Ashwath Narayan and others to discuss Covid-19 curbs. All of them continue to chair official meetings without going into quarantine.

Besides Ashoka, Primary & Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh has tested positive for Covid-19 and is undergoing treatment.

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Childline Foyle, situated at Exchange House in the city, are seeking volunteers, particularly for evenings and weekends.

Mairead Monds, Childline Team Manager, said: "As another new year is upon us, we know that people will be reflecting and looking ahead to the coming months.

"Many peoples resolutions and goals for the year ahead often include giving back. We are incredibly lucky to have dedicated volunteers who come in every single week and give their time to be there for children when they need us the most.

"Last year, our teams of volunteers in our Childline bases across the UK had over 200,000 Childline counselling sessions with children and young people about a range of problems including mental health, abuse and neglect, family relationships, sexuality, grief, loneliness, and isolation.

"If you have a new years resolution, why not consider becoming a volunteer Childline counsellor? Volunteering can be a great way to give back to the community, whilst learning new skills.

"At NSPCC, we have an in-depth training process to get you ready for your volunteering role, as well as a hugely supportive team of volunteers and supervisors to guide and help you on your volunteering journey."

If you are interested, you can visit www.nspcc.org.uk/volunteer and sign up to the next available volunteer information session, which will give you everything you need to get your application started.
The Department of Health Services (DHS) announced today that Wisconsin has received the first allocation of oral antiviral COVID-19 treatments molnupiravir and Paxlovid to treat patients diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19. The initial supply available to states from the federal government is extremely limited. Under guidance developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), health care providers are encouraged to prioritize prescribing these new therapeutics to those patients at greatest risk of serious illness or hospitalization from COVID-19. Wisconsinites who may be eligible for these treatments should talk with their health care provider.

While these new antiviral pills may help treat COVID-19, its important to remember these drugs are not a substitution for protecting yourself by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask in public places, said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake. We anticipate high demand for these medications, and we know that the initial supply we are receiving will be extremely limited. Please be patient as providers will prioritize people at highest risk for developing serious illness from the virus. We are committed to distributing these pills equitably across the state, and access will increase as Wisconsin receives more allocations from the federal government.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued emergency use authorizations (EUA) for two antiviral pills to be taken at home. Pfizers Paxlovid and Mercks molnupiravir treat patients diagnosed with mild to moderate COVID-19. These pills must be taken within 5 days of when a persons symptoms begin. Paxlovid can be used in people over age 12 who do not take certain medications, and molnupiravir can be for adults over 18 who are not pregnant or breast feeding. Both antiviral pills are intended for people who are at risk of developing severe COVID-19. Get tested as soon as symptoms develop and talk with your health care provider to see if you may be eligible to receive one of these treatments. More information can be found on the DHS COVID-19: Treatments and Medications webpage.

As our hospitals approach capacity and the Omicron variant spreads rapidly in Wisconsin, antiviral pills will help prevent severe disease, said Dr. Jonathan Meiman, a Chief Medical Officer at DHS. Since these medications are most effective early in the course of the virus, it is urgent that people at risk for severe COVID-19 get tested at the first sign of illness and seek medical care so their provider can determine if they should receive these pills.

Wisconsins first week allocation from the federal government includes 940 courses of Paxlovid and 4,320 courses of molnupiravir. DHS will distribute the courses to select pharmacies by Friday, January 7. As Wisconsin receives more allocations from the federal government, DHS will continue to distribute the antiviral pills equitably throughout the state.

Vaccination remains your best protection against serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. Your best strategy for protecting yourself, your family, friends and community from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated and get a booster when eligible; wear a tight fitting mask when in public; get tested as soon as possible if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or were exposed to the virus; and refrain from attending large gatherings until the current surge in cases subsides.

For up-to-date information about Wisconsins COVID-19 response, visit the DHS COVID-19 webpage. You can also follow @DHSWI on Facebook, Twitter, or dhs.wi on Instagram for more information on COVID-19.
These artists and producers intend to change the world for the better in 2022.
Both the iQOO 9 and iQOO 9 Pro are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chipset.

iQOO 9 and iQOO 9 Pro are said to launch in India soon, as per a report by news agency IANS. The iQOO 9 series was launched on January 5 in China and as per Nipun Marya, CEO, iQOO, it's headed to India very soon. Both the iQOO 9 and iQOO 9 Pro are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chipset along with a triple camera setup on the back and support 120W fast charging. The iQOO 9 series will follow the iQOO 7 and iQOO 7 Legend which launched in India last year. The iQOO 7 Legend was one of the highest-scoring phones in our tests for which it was awarded during the Digit Zero1 Award 2021. Heres everything you need to know about its successors, the iQOO 9 and iQOO 9 Pro.

iQOO 9 Pro specifications

The iQOO 9 Pro features a 6.78-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with upto 120Hz refresh rate and a punch-hole notch cutout for the 16MP selfie camera up front. The phone measures 8.8mm and weighs around 204 grams.

It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chip and is paired with upto 12GB RAM and 512GB storage options to choose from. It runs on Android 12 based Origin OS but global variants will likely receive Funtouch OS.

It has triple cameras on the back with a 50MP main camera with gimbal OIS, a 16MP telephoto camera with 2.5x optical zoom and a 50MP ultra-wide camera with 150-degree FOV. The rear cameras can record in 4K UHD at upto 60FPS.

There are stereo speakers onboard along with an in-screen fingerprint sensor. The iQOO 9 Pro is equipped with a 4,700mAh battery that supports 120W fast wired charging, 50W fast wireless charging and 10W reverse charging.

iQOO 9 specifications

The iQOO 9 features a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with upto 120Hz refresh rate support. It measures 8.4mm in thickness and weighs 206 grams. The phone shares a lot in common with the iQOO 9 Pro.

It runs on the same Snapdragon 8 Gen1 chip as the iQOO 9 Pro and has the same 50MP primary camera. This is followed by a 13MP ultra-wide camera with 120-degree FOV and a 12MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom.

The rest of the features remain the same including the presence of an in-display fingerprint reader and battery capacity along with 120W fast wired charging support. Though, the standard iQOO 9 does not support wireless charging.

Also Read: iQOO NEO 5 SE, iQOO NEO 5S launched: Price, specifications and more
An official from a Korean startup SOFTPV showcases its solar cell products to buyers during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Jan. 6. Courtesy of KOTRA



By Baek Byung-yeul



The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has been creating a golden opportunity for Korean companies to expand their presence in the United States as well as the global market.





Logo for Consumer Electronics Show / Courtesy of Consumer Technology Association

To promote small local firms with technological capabilities to overseas markets during the tech fair, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and the Korea Electronics Association (KEA) have operated a Korea pavilion, exhibiting technologies and products of 78 Korean companies during the CES tech fair.
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Photo by Greystar [enlarge] Units run from studios to two-bedrooms at Avana, averaging around 797 square feet. But the views and water are the draw.





Avana on the Lake, at 538 Lakeside Ave. S. in Seattle, recently sold for just over $31 million, according to King County records. The seller was GS Shangrila LLC, associated with Greystar, which acquired the property in 2014 for over $23.1 million.





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KENT  An apartment building at 10545 S.E. 238th St. in Kent recently sold for a little under $4 million, according to King County records.

The sellers were two local investors who acquired the property in 2010 for $900,000.





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Local

LEGEND OR LEGENDARY

Is John Wilkes Booth buried in Guntown, Mississippi?

Brooke Burleson / By BROOKE BULLOCK BURLESON Daily Journal This headstone in Smith Cemetery lies right outside of Guntown's city limits. It reads "John Wilkes Booth, Born 1838, Died Unknown, Rest In Peace." Library of Congress John Wilkes Booth Thomas Wells | Daily Journal In Guntown family cemetery

GUNTOWN  More than 157 years later, any kid whos been through a middle school history class knows the story of President Abraham Lincolns assassination.

At 10:15 p.m. on April 14, 1865, actor and spy for the Confederacy, John Wilkes Booth, entered Fords Theatre in Washington City (now called Washington, D.C.), slithered past Lincoln's security, drew his pistol and fired a shot into the back of the president's head.

About the series Legends have a way of making humankind second-guess what we know as truth. In Mississippi, legends weave their way into every corner of the state, infiltrating even the smallest, one-stoplight towns. Legend or Legendary is an ongoing series exploring these tales and the stories behind them. Contact series author Brooke Burleson at brooke.burleson@djournal.com.

A quick internet search will tell you that John Wilkes Booth infamously killed President Abraham Lincoln out of hate for Lincoln's stance on slavery and the success of the Union over the Confederacy.

After he committed his crime, Booth rappelled to the stage, shouting, "Sic semper tyrannis! The South is avenged!"

He escaped southward and proceeded to evade capture for 12 days until he was cornered and killed for his treason at Garrett's Farm in Port Royal, Virginia.

Family members and a doctor who had previously operated on Booth determined that the lifeless body belonged to Lincoln's assassin.

The verdict was indisputable  the man killed at Garrett's Farm was undeniably Booth.

For most, that's where the history lesson usually ends. For the small town of Guntown, Mississippi, that's where it begins.

Family ties

Located about 15 miles north of Tupelo, the small town of Guntown has a population just shy of 3,000. Once known as Campbelltown, Guntown was at one time home to Dr. John Fletcher Booth and his family. The doctor's last name is no coincidence. Dr. John Fletcher Booth was believed to be a cousin of John Wilkes Booth.

According to local legend published in "I-40 Country News," John Wilkes Booth didn't die in Virginia on April 26, 1865. Instead, he evaded capture and escaped to Mississippi with the help of his cousin.

After his arrival, John Wilkes lived the remainder of his life in the attic of Dr. Booth's home, walking with a supposed limp, a byproduct of his plummet to the stage at Ford's Theater.

Per Guntown native Dick Gentry, descendants of Dr. John Fletcher Booth corroborate this story, most notably Emily Epting Pressey, who died in 1988.

Pressey was the granddaughter of Dr. Booth and spoke of a man she called "Unky" who lived in the upstairs quarters of her grandfather's home.

As the story goes, the children were forbidden to speak of him in public, guarding the family's secret of harboring the country's most wanted fugitive.

An assassin's escape

Although this story contradicts the factual account of John Wilkes Booth's escape and death, the small-town Mississippi legend has no blatant reasons for being unfeasible.

Concerning the logistics of this escape, the most obvious question would be how Booth managed to make the journey from Washington, D.C., to Mississippi without being detected.

At the time, trains were the quickest and most available mode of long-distance travel. If John Wilkes Booth boarded a train bound for Mississippi, he very well could have landed in Guntown in a matter of days.

It would be difficult to imagine that no one would have noticed the president's assassin aboard since, in the wake of Lincoln's killing, "wanted" posters had been plastered around the country. However, television and radio had yet to be invented, so an undercover Booth could have slipped under the radar.

Upon Booth's arrival, his relatives would have had to keep their secret close to the vest so as to not tip off anyone seeking a reward for the killer's capture.

If no one in the family had loose lips, and townsfolk never laid eyes on Lincoln's assassin, there would be no evidence proving that he didn't reside in Guntown, only lending to his secret lodging in Dr. Booth's attic.

John Wilkes Booth, Died Unknown

Bud Herring, former mayor of Guntown, said that when his father was mayor, he and a few others helped erect the headstone that now stands at John Wilkes Booth's gravesite.

The family plot includes the grave of Dr. John Fletcher Booth and his cousin, George Washington Booth. Between these two graves stands a small, eroded headstone that reads: John Wilkes Booth, Born 1838, Died Unknown, Rest In Peace.

"People around here just believed it. It fit all the criteria at the time," said Herring, who recently finished his tenure as mayor.

When asked if anyone has ever attempted to exhume the body or research the legend further, Herring said it's been years since anyone has expressed interest in uncovering more of the story.

Additionally, the Booth family no longer lives in Guntown, so many of the details of John Wilkes Booth's alleged residence and death are lost to time.

Fact or fiction?

John Wilkes Booth's body was originally buried at the Old Penitentiary in Washington, D.C., in 1865. Then in 1867, it was moved to a warehouse at the Washington Arsenal. In 1869, the government released the body to Booth's family. The family buried the remains in Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore.

Nevertheless, over the years, there have been unfounded claims of John Wilkes Booth's escape. Some tell the story of a man under an assumed name who died in Oklahoma and revealed his true identity before he passed. Others say that Booth escaped to India.

In spite of there being no factual evidence to prove the Guntown theory, the legend still remains an interesting piece of history for the community.

The legend is seemingly just that, a legend with no historically accurate facts to back it.

However, the question still remains.

Was John Wilkes Booth really killed in a barn in Virginia? Or did another man die for Booth's crimes while he escaped to Mississippi?

As Pressey said, "Doubts will always linger. No one will know the truth but our God."
There has been a broad welcome for the news that a new operator has been announced for Donegal Airport / Aerfort Dhun na nGall.

Minister Eamon Ryan TD and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton TD announced that Irelands newest airline, Emerald Airlines, will operate the Government funded Public Service Obligation (PSO) air service between Donegal and Dublin airports, under the Aer Lingus Regional brand.

The new operator is due to begin a three year contract to service the route from February 26.

Airport management Steve O Culain, Cathaoirleach, and Eilis Ni Dhochartaigh, Priomhfheidhmeannach, said in a joint statement: "This PSO contract provides an essential airlink between the north west and Dublin in the absence of a motorway or rail network in the region.

"The award of the contract to Emerald Airlines will see a continuation of the twice daily flights currently being operated by Amapola Flyg AB, who have provided a very reliable service under an imterim contract since July 2021.

"The ATR72-600 series aircraft operated by Emerald Airlines will also provide additional seat capacity on the route, which will help the airport regain passenger numbers post Covid-19, and contribute to our working closely with business and tourism development agencies to further promote the region as an attractive destination.

"We sincerely thank Amapola Flyg AB for their service under the interim contract and look forward to working with Ireland's newest airline over the coming weeks to prepare for the start of operations on February 26."

TD Pearse Doherty (SF) welcomed the news, saying: "The appointment of the new carrier on a long-term basis is welcome news for all passengers who rely on this service.

"Given the uncertainty which ensued in the summer of last year following the collapse of the previous airline, I know that many business passengers, students and those who use the flight for medical appointments and treatment in Dublin will breathe a sigh of relief today knowing that this contract has been awarded on a three-year basis.

"As I have said previously, this route is vital for the north west. The 40-minute flight makes that journey much easier than the four or five hours it takes to travel by road, each way.

The North West is not connected to Dublin or the rest of Ireland by motorway, dual carriageway or rail. For those who live in Donegal and travel to work or study in Dublin, the regional airport makes this possible.

"I reiterate that it is important that the new airline offers the lowest possible airfares for passengers to ensure that people can afford to use the service.

"I also commend the team at Donegal Airport for their continued work and I wish Emerald Airlines the very best of luck in the new venture when they take over the service on February 26."
Troops are seen on the main square where hundreds of people were protesting against the government, after the authorities' decision to lift price caps on liquefied petroleum gas, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Jan. 6. Reuters-Yonhap





Security forces in Kazakhstan killed dozens of protesters, while 12 police officers died in an eruption of violence that saw demonstrators storm government buildings and set them on fire, the authorities said Thursday.







One police officer was found beheaded in the unrest, which poses a growing challenge to the authoritarian rule in the former Soviet republic.







Despite the severe response, protesters took to the streets again Thursday in the country's largest city Almaty, a day after breaking into the presidential residence and the mayor's office there.







Police were also out in force, including in the capital of Nur-Sultan, which was reported quiet, and a Russian-led force of peacekeeping troops was on its way.







Video from the Russian news agency Tass showed police firing intensely on a street near Republic Square, where demonstrators had gathered, though they could not be seen in the footage. Late Thursday, Tass said protesters had been swept from the square but that sporadic gunfire in the area continued.







Earlier, Russia's Sputnik news service reported that shots were fired as police surrounded a group of about 200 protesters in the city.







In the unrest Wednesday, ''dozens of attackers were liquidated,'' police spokeswoman Saltanat Azirbek told state news channel Khabar-24. Twelve police officers were killed and 353 injured, the channel reported, citing city officials. The Interior Ministry said 2,000 people were arrested.







Protesters clashing with Kazakhstan's security forces during a demonstration in the country's largest city Almaty, Jan. 5, in this frame grab taken from an AFPTV video. AFP-Yonhap





Tens of thousands of people, some reported to be carrying clubs and shields, have taken to the streets in recent days in the worst protests the country has seen since gaining independence from the Soviet Union three decades ago.







The demonstrations began over a near-doubling of prices for a type of vehicle fuel, but seemed to reflect wider discontent in the country, which has been under the rule of the same party since independence.







In a concession, the government announced a 180-day price cap on vehicle fuel Thursday and a moratorium on utility rate increases. It was unclear what effect the moves would have.







President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has vacillated between trying to mollify the protesters, including accepting the resignation of his government, and promising harsh measures to quell the unrest, which he blamed on ''terrorist bands.''







Severe interruptions to internet and cellphone service made it difficult and sometimes impossible for news of what was happening inside Kazakhstan to get out. The airports in Almaty and one other city were shut down.







Worries that a broader crackdown could be on the horizon grew after Tokayev called on a Russia-led military alliance for help.







The alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The operation is its first military action, an indication that Kazakhstan's neighbors, particularly Russia, are concerned that the unrest could spread.







Russia and Kazakhstan share close relations and a 4,700-mile (7,600-kilometer) border, much of it along the open Steppes. Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome space center is also in Kazakhstan.







CSTO General Secretary Stanislav Za, told Russia's RIA-Novosti news agency that the full contingent to be sent as peacekeepers would number about 2,500.







He rejected as ''complete stupidity'' suggestions that the troops would act as occupiers rather than peacekeepers. ''The sincere wish of our states is real help for Kazakhstan in the difficult situation," he said.







However, White House press secretary Jen Pasaki said the U.S. has ''questions about the nature of this request and whether it was a legitimate invitation or not.''







''The world will, of course, be watching for any violation of human rights and actions that may lay the predicate for the seizure of Kazakh institutions,'' she said.







U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric called on security forces from within and without to ''show restraint and protect people's rights.''







Tokayev has imposed a nationwide state of emergency and banned religious services. That is a blow to Kazakhstan's sizable Orthodox Christian population, which observed Christmas, Friday. (AP)


A senior health official has said the health system is prioritising patients needing "time-dependent care" such as those with cancer.

HSE chief operations officer Anne OConnor made the comment on RTE Radio after stating the HSE will face an "inability" to do some scheduled work due to the current surge in Covid-19 cases.

It comes during a week where HSE chief, Paul Reid, confirmed hospitals would be suspending elective care due to growing Covid pressures.

He told RTE: "The reality of it is we will have to suspend, in many cases, elective care."

Ms O'Connor today (January 7) said approximately 12% of healthcare staff are now absent due to Covid-19 across all healthcare services.

She confirmed this amounts to approximately 14,000 to 15,000 staff, adding: This is something that is impacting all of our services.

She said that healthcare services across the country are doing all they can, with staff returning early from leave and others being redeployed.

Keep well this winter with helpful advice and information to guide you if you need to see a healthcare professional: https://t.co/32a04C7qFZ pic.twitter.com/vaWFwNSt8s  HSE Ireland (@HSELive) January 6, 2022

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) met yesterday (January 6) to discuss the latest Covid-19 situation.

Health officials are not believed to have recommended any new restrictions to the Government.

It comes as the country continues to experience record case numbers.

A further 23,817 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Ireland yesterday, a new record daily total.

However, politicians have expressed optimism that high case numbers are not translating into a surge in patients in intensive care.
THURSDAY, Jan. 6, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Former members of President Joe Bidens transition team are calling for a new long-term strategy that envisions a world in which humans learn to live with the new coronavirus.

Six former advisers published three opinion articles Thursday in the Journal of the American Medical Association detailing what needs to be done now to make that happen.

Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, an oncologist, medical ethicist and University of Pennsylvania professor who advised former President Barack Obama, is the driving force behind the effort.

The experts suggest that the Biden administration take a broader view of the pandemic and acknowledge the virus wont be going away. They expressed concern about a "perpetual state of emergency" in response to new surges, such as the highly contagious Omicron variant.

"From a macro perspective, it feels like we are always fighting yesterday's crisis and not necessarily thinking what needs to be done today to prepare us for what comes next," one author, Dr. Luciana Borio, told the New York Times. She's a former acting chief scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The authors called for a "new normal" of living with the virus indefinitely. They suggested preparing for future outbreaks by creating goals and benchmarks for what metrics would set emergency measures in motion. These might include specific numbers for hospitalizations and deaths from respiratory viruses.

One of the pieces called for a new national plan. The other two suggest improvements in testing, surveillance, vaccines and therapeutics.

They also called for broader vaccine mandates, including for children, and recommended that oral treatments and N95 masks be free and readily available.

Every person in the United States should have access to low-cost testing, they added. Plans to purchase 500 million rapid tests are not enough for "comprehensive, digital, real-time" data collection by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They also suggested that vaccines could be delivered through nasal sprays or skin patches.

Borio expressed frustration that no federal system links testing to treatments, so that high-risk people can get prescriptions for new antivirals right away.

The authors said they felt unheard by Biden's team.

"We understand that they have their hands full and are working to try to do everything right to get through this surge," said Rick Bright, chief executive of the Rockefeller Foundation's Pandemic Prevention Institute. He led a federal biomedical agency during the Trump administration and cowrote two of the pieces.

"But at the same time, we think a lot of work still needs to be done to see through that smoke to see how this is going to end, and start laying down steps for how we will be able to live a normal life" with the virus, Bright told the Times.

Biden had a pandemic strategy when he was inaugurated and recently released a winter strategy, the Times reported.

A first step could be retiring old and tired public health categorizations and focusing on the aggregate risk of all respiratory infections, the experts suggested. Figuring out what rates hospitalization and death will cripple hospitals could lead to a metric for when emergency measures should be taken, they added.

"The administration had a strategic plan a year ago and executed very well on it through June, with a lot of people getting vaccinated, and drove down case counts very successfully," Emanuel told the Times. "As we transition to endemic COVID, we need to change our understanding of what a success is, what target we're aiming at."

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19.

SOURCES: Journal of the American Medical Association, Jan. 6, 2022; New York Times
Duncan, OK (73533)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Windy with scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 46F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
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Louth councillor, John Sheridan, wants residents in mid-Louth "to stand up and make their voices heard" to make Dunleer station a priority, in a strategic rail review of the train network taking place before the deadline of Jan 21, 2022.

"In a recent social media post", said Cllr Sheridan in a statement, "I sought feedback from constituents on the matter. A huge number of people got in touch with their own feedback and naturally all wanted the station reopened.

"I have said to all constituents that made comments that they should make their own submissions to highlight the case for reopening Dunleer station".

He continued, "in April 2021, I wrote to the Ministers for Transport North and South to ask them to include reopening Dunleer station in their review of the rail network across Ireland.

"Obviously, any such plan should include Dunleer and explore the viability of reopening that station in the middle of the town. Dunleer had train services up to 1984 which is relatively recently in infrastructure terms and there is so much desire for it to re-open some day."

"The consultation on the review is currently closing soon and would take only a few minutes to fill in. I really think as many people as possible from Mid Louth should stand up for Dunleer in this review. Residents can fill in the form on www.strategicrailreview.com. If we get a significant number of submissions it will again shine a light on the need for the authorities to examine Dunleer station. We must campaign for Dunleer station reopening every opportunity we have."

Cllr Sheridan added, "in 2021, there was the launch of the Dublin-Belfast economic corridor which isn't just about jobs for the large towns but all towns along the route being accessible for employment.

"As far as I can see, Dunleer is the largest town along the rail line from Dublin to Belfast with no station open. The new County development plan will provide for an increase in Dunleer's population of up to 51% between now and 2027 and that doesn't take into account increased population in Mid Louth as a whole"

"Overall, I think this new scheme is to be welcomed. We could have Louth at the heart of services between Derry and Cork which would be a truly all-Ireland approach to rail travel. But locally, we would love to see this happen for Dunleer and this consultation is the opportunity to shine a light on Dunleer once again", Cllr Sheridan concluded.
The regional representative for the North-Eastern branch of the ASTI has described it as beggars belief that basic covid safety concerns have not been addressed by the Department of Education.

Ray Nolan, who is a teacher at St Marys Diocesan school in Drogheda, was commenting as secondary schools officially reopened on Thursday amid rising covid numbers nationally.

Were just trying to get on with it, Mr. Nolan told the Democrat.

Schools are doing their best to maximise the number of students attending, while also seeking to provide the safest environment possible in very difficult circumstances.

In the Louth region, generally we estimate that there were about 20%-25% of students absent yesterday, [Thursday] and I think theres more today [Friday] given what I see around here.

We had about 8-10 teachers out yesterday in my school and I think theres a couple more out today.

The ASTI have expressed their dismay at the lack of progress on school safety and implementing extra supports, concerns echoed by Mr. Nolan.

Its not getting any better.

The ASTI had a standing committee meeting on Tuesday, and we made it very clear about our reservations regarding schools reopening without the provision of medical grade masks, and we still have a situation where many classrooms are in need of HEPA filter filtration units.

Particular risks remain for those teachers and students who are medically at high risk.

While cautiously welcoming government efforts to alleviate the staffing shortage, and a commitment from the Department to consider the need for higher grade masks in schools, Mr. Nolan maintains they simply arent moving quickly enough.

Were going nowhere fast.

Its beggars belief that nearly two years into this pandemic that basic facilities like adequate ventilation, filtration units and provision of medical grade masks are not available.

Its great to have the extra support from student teachers, but it could possibly get to the stage where there are so many teachers, SNAs, principals and deputy principals out [schools wouldnt be able to function].

Echoing many of the concerns expressed by the ASTI, the Louth-Meath regional representative for the Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU) also expressed serious concerns about the recent government announcement on the reopening of schools.

In a statement given to the Democrat, Eva Grace criticised the lack of student consultation from the Department of Education and other stakeholders:

The Departments announcement of the reopening of schools across Ireland means that there will not be enough time to prepare schools properly.

This approach risks not having adequate enough changes to schools before students and staff return, jeopardising our safety in classrooms.

When I found out that the Department failed to consult the ISSU, and many other education stakeholders about their decisions, I was outraged and annoyed.

We were merely briefed about plans that were already finalised before anyone joined the meeting.

The Department has also failed to address the difficulties of staff-shortages or student absenteeism.

This means that not every student will be receiving the same standard of education, and this is an incredibly unfair outcome, especially for exam year students, Ms. Grace concluded.
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said this evening that the Government, through IDA Ireland, did everything it could but National Pen took the decision to move certain operations to the Czech Republic.

National Pen announced this evening that they plan to cease fulfilment operations at its Dundalk facility from next year as part of their latest restructuring plans.

The move is expected to place 100 fulfilment jobs at risk.

From 2023 the company plans to conduct the fulfilment of European orders at their facility in the Czech Republic.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar said:

My thoughts are with the employees and their families today with the news that the company will close its Fulfilment Operations Centre in Dundalk, resulting in 100 redundancies.

This is really difficult news to receive at the start of the year and I know its devastating for those affected and for the entire community, especially following the companys previous decision to let staff go in May 2020.

The Government, through IDA Ireland did everything it could but the company has taken the decision to move certain operations to the Czech Republic.

We have been assured that National Pen remains committed to its International HQ and Contact Centre in Dundalk, which employs 240 people and will not be affected by this announcement.

The company has advised that it will offer an attractive redundancy package and that the redundancies will not start until January 2023. All temporary contracts will be honoured until the end of December 2022.

National Pen has also decided to invest in the online operations part of its business in Ireland, with help from the Government through the IDA, and that will create 50 new jobs over the next 5 years.

Im very aware of the impact this decision will have.

The Government will make all necessary State assistance available to the workers including welfare entitlements, help with jobsearch, education, training and entrepreneurship opportunities.

The Minister for Social Protection is aware of the situation and we will work across Government, to help them find new employment, education and training opportunities soon.

Were also working hard to help all parts of the country rebound and rebuild, after what has been a really challenging time for the economy.

Although this news today is deeply disappointing, the pipeline of new jobs in the county remains strong, with significant investments from Wuxi Biologic, Panasonic, Wuxi Vaccines, Carotec and BD in Louth in recent years.

So as difficult as it may be to appreciate right now, we have reason to be confident, that even in the current climate, we will find new investment and new opportunities for those receiving this news today.
Scientists in the US and Europe are creating risky self-spreading viruses in the hope of developing viral vaccines, a new UK paper has warned.

The paper, written by an international team of academics led by Kings College London, warns the research could have irreversible consequences for the planet.

According to the paper, scientists are currently attempting to modify the viruses in the lab to spread easily between hosts.

The scientists hope the viruses could be used like insecticides to protect crops, or even used like a vaccine to spread immunity from one host to another.

The authors, led by Dr Filippa Lentzos, of the Department of War Studies and the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Kings College London, say these scientists are ignoring the long-held view that self-spreading viruses are too unstable to be safe.

In a statement, Dr Lentzos said the research is an example of risky virology similar to virus hunting in bat caves.

Developing self-spreading viruses for environmental release is another example of risky virology research, like virus hunting in bat caves or deliberately making dangerous pathogens even more dangerous in the lab, all in the name of pandemic preparedness, but where it is far from clear that the anticipated benefits outweigh the very clear risks.

The authors of the paper have called for greater regulation and an open discussion about the risks and benefits of such research.

Only a concerted, global governance effort with coherent regional, national and local implementation can tackle the challenges of self-spreading viruses that have the potential to radically transform both wildlife and human communities, they said.

According to the reports authors, the concept of self-spreading viruses has been around for years, with attempts to use them on insects and wildlife in Australia and Spain respectively abandoned over warnings that the potential consequences were too serious.

However, 2016 saw renewed interest in the idea, with the European Union, the US National Institutes of Health and the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency funding proposals around using self-spreading viruses for wildlife immunisations.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low around 45F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low around 45F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.




U.S. President Joe Biden delivers speaks on the one-year anniversary of the January 6th insurrection at the Statuary Hall of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, Jan. 6. EPA-Yonhap





President Joe Biden savaged Donald Trump's "lies" and attempt to overturn the 2020 election Thursday, vowing on the first anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot that he would let anyone put a "dagger at the throat of democracy."







After largely ignoring Trump for a year, Biden took off the gloves, describing the Republican as a cheat whose ego wouldn't let him accept defeat and whose supporters almost shattered US democracy when they stormed Congress to prevent certification of the election.







It was a searing speech, signaling Biden's decision to abandon his previously cautious approach  and it immediately prompted an equally bitter Republican backlash.







"This was an armed insurrection," Biden declared from Statuary Hall inside the Capitol, where a year ago thousands of people brandishing Trump flags trampled over police to invade the chamber, forcing lawmakers to flee for their lives.







"For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election. He tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power," Biden said.







"I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy."







Biden's voice filled with anger as he laid out the dangers facing a country that has long styled itself as leader of the free world.







"Are we going to be a nation that accepts political violence as a norm?" he asked.







Trump doubles down







Although Biden deliberately did not mention Trump's name, he made clear whom he was talking about in a blistering portrait of a man he said scorned democracy because he couldn't accept defeat.







"The former president of the United States of America has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election," Biden said. "He values power over principle."







During the assault on Congress, Trump was "sitting in the private dining room off the Oval Office in the White House, watching it all on television and doing nothing," Biden said, his anger clear.







Trump, who has spent the last year spreading conspiracy theories about his election loss to millions of followers, quickly fired back with a series of statements doubling down on his lie about the election "crime" and dismissing Biden's speech as "political theater."







And in an interview later with the conspiracy theory-peddling OAN television channel, Trump again falsely claimed that the election was "rigged" with "hundreds of thousands of votes in certain states."







U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the one year anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, during a ceremony in Statuary Hall at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6. AP-Yonhap





Republicans keep clear







In the evening, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats held a candle-lit outdoor vigil on the Capitol steps, praying for the police officers who died following the violence and singing "God Bless America."







However, such are the depths of division 12 months later that barely any Republicans attended the events.







The party's top lawmaker, Senator Mitch McConnell, was leading a delegation to a funeral of a recently deceased senator some 600 miles (965 kilometers) away in Atlanta, Georgia.







In a statement, McConnell said January 6 had been a "dark day" but called it "stunning to see some Washington Democrats try to exploit this anniversary."







McConnell was among the senior Republicans a year ago who condemned Trump for stoking the unprecedented violence with his barrage of lies about fraud, which no court or independent investigator has ever substantiated.







Since then, however, almost the entire party has quietly backed off from talking about January 6, bowing to Trump's enormous influence with Republican voters  and possible bid to return as president in 2024.







One top Republican, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, said Democrats "want this to be politicized... They want every day to be about January 6."







A photo tweeted by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy showed just two Republicans present at the minute of silence held for Capitol police officers who died in the wake of the unrest. "An extraordinary image of where this country's politics are," Murphy said.







'True patriotism'







Writing in The New York Times, former Democratic President Jimmy Carter said the United States "teeters on the brink of a widening abyss."







"Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. Americans must set aside differences and work together before it is too late," Carter wrote.







More surprising was the voice of Karl Rove, one of the chief architects of Republican strategy over the last 30 years, who wrote in the right-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial pages that there can be no forgiveness for the assault on democracy.







"There can be no soft-pedaling what happened and no absolution for those who planned, encouraged and aided the attempt to overthrow our democracy. Love of country demands nothing less. That's true patriotism," he wrote. (AFP)










Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he delivers his 6th State of the Nation Address (SONA), at the House of Representative in Quezon City, Metro Manila, the Philippines, in this July 26, 2021 file photo. Reuters-Yonhap





Child marriage became illegal in the Philippines, Thursday, after a law banning the practice took effect in a country where one in six girls enters wedlock before the age of 18.







The impoverished Southeast Asian country has the 12th-highest number of child marriages in the world, according to UK-based rights group Plan International, with long-held cultural practices and gender inequality hindering change.







But a new law, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte and released to the public Thursday, lays out prison terms of up to 12 years for marrying or cohabiting with anyone under 18.







People arranging or solemnizing underage unions face the same penalty.







"The state... views child marriage as a practice constituting child abuse because it debases, degrades and demeans the intrinsic worth and dignity of children," the law states.







The government says the law is consistent with international conventions on the rights of women and children.







However, some portions of the legislation have been suspended for one year to allow for a transition period for Muslims and indigenous communities in which child marriage is relatively common.







A report last year by the United Nations Children's Fund said more than half a billion girls and women worldwide were married in childhood, with the highest rates found in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.







But recent data indicates the practice is generally in decline on average across the globe.







Plan International's country director for the Philippines, Ana Maria Locsin, hailed the ban.







"Child marriage is a harmful practice that can cause lasting impact throughout the lives of both girls and boys. It deprives them of the right to be free from violence, the right to education, and sexual and reproductive health and rights," Locsin told AFP.







Banning child marriage is unpopular in the southern areas populated by the Catholic nation's large Islamic minority, where a 1977 law allows marriage by Filipino Muslims at the age of puberty or the onset of first menstruation for girls.







Members of the regional parliament in the Muslim self-ruled area there had tried to convince Duterte to veto the law's penal provisions, said the body's deputy speaker Ziaur-Rahman Adiong.







"While we understand that child marriage is not popular amongst various sectors in the country, we also need to consider the varying definitions of 'puberty' relative to what (the) law says and what the Islamic perspective is," he told AFP. (AFP)


Just after his first week of official practice, new transfer Jesse Miritello persuaded sever
For the first time in more than 30 years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has added a new chemical to its list of hazardous air pollutants.

The chemical in question is 1-bromopropane, a solvent used by dry cleaners, auto shops and other businesses. The rule adding the pollutant was posted to the Federal Register on Wednesday and goes into effect February 4.

I hate the term no-brainer, but this is a no-brainer, Adam M. Finkel, former director of the health standards programs at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, told The Washington Post. Its a toxic air pollutant, so it belongs on the list of toxic air pollutants.

For Finkel, who sounded the alarm over 1-bromopropane 20 years ago, the addition is a long time coming.

In 1990, Congress strengthened the Clean Air Act by creating a list of more than 180 hazardous air pollutants. The EPA was supposed to be able to add to this list as needed, yet has never done so until now.

[EPA regulators] have trouble consistently following the law that Congress laid out in terms of protecting people, Earthjustice senior attorney Tosh Sagar told The Washington Post.

1-bromopropane has been linked to cancer in animals, E&E News reported. It is also reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, by the National Toxicology Program, according to the EPA.

Industry trade-group the Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance first petitioned the EPA to add the chemical in 2010, and was joined in its petition by New York state in 2011, according to E&E and The Washington Post.

However, the agency did not draft an approval until 2017 and did not finally agree to the petition until 2020.

Its taken them this long to act, Halogenated Solvents Industry Alliance Executive Director Faye Graul told the Washington Post.

Because this is the first new toxin added to the list, it could set an important precedent for how added chemicals are regulated going forward, E&E noted. The EPA said it is now working on a separate regulatory infrastructure to address the impacts, implications, and requirements, according to E&E.

This could potentially turn into a battle over how to enforce the new rule in business settings. The Air Advocacy Coalition, which includes industry group the American Chemistry Council, expressed concerns over what those regulations might entail. But environmental organizations like Earthjustice countered that businesses had had ample time to get ready for a new rule governing the dangerous chemical.
In this EcoWatch guide on solar panel needs, youll learn:

How to use your electric bill to determine your solar energy needs

Which type of solar panels is best for your home

How to work around various limitations that you or your house may have

This guide has helped 2,000+ homeowners make the best decisions on solar panels for THEIR homes. Unlike some other sites that provide general recommendations, we equip you with the knowledge to tailor your purchase to your exact needs. Lets get started!

Jump to Section:

Read on for a full explanation of each step of the process. Or, to consult with a professional and start designing your system right away, you can use this tool or fill out the form below to get connected with a certified installer in your area.

Get Free Quotes From EcoWatch Approved Solar Installers

Determining How Many Solar Panels You Need

Making the switch to solar energy can help you lower or even eliminate your monthly electric utility bills while reducing your carbon footprint. However, before installing a clean energy system in your home, you must first answer an important question: How many solar panels do I need?

To accurately calculate the ideal number of solar panels for your home, youll need a professional assessment. However, you can estimate the size and cost of the system based on your energy bills, energy needs and available roof space. Here are the general steps:

Calculate how much energy your home uses Assess your roof space and the amount of sunlight your home receives Figure out the specific yield of solar panels in your area to estimate system size Check the wattage of the specific panels you intend to purchase Divide the wattage of your system by the wattage of your panels

If you plan on going off-grid, that is definitely something to consider. You will want to ensure that your system provides enough power, as it will need to provide for all of your electricity needs.

Factors That Influence How Many Solar Panels You Need: Size and Output

To determine how many solar panels are needed to power a house, several key factors must be considered. For example, if there are two identical homes powered by solar energy in California and New York, with exactly the same energy usage, the California home will need fewer solar panels because the state gets more sunshine.

The following are some of the most important factors to consider when figuring out many solar panels you need:

Size of Your Home and Available Roof Space

Larger homes tend to consume more electricity, and they generally need more solar panels. However, they also have the extra roof space necessary for larger solar panel installations. There may be exceptions to this rule  for example, a 2,000-square-foot home with new Energy Star appliances may consume less power than a 1,200-square-foot home with older, less-efficient devices.

When it comes to installation, solar panels can be placed on many types of surfaces. However, your roof conditions may limit the number of solar panels your home can handle.

For example, if you have a chimney, rooftop air conditioning unit or skylight, youll have to place panels around these fixtures. Similarly, roof areas that are covered by shadows are not suitable for panels. Also, most top solar companies will not work on asbestos roofs due to the potential health risks for installers.

Amount of Direct Sunlight in Your Area

Where there is more sunlight available, there is more energy that can be converted into electricity. The yearly output of each solar panel is higher in states like Arizona or New Mexico, which get a larger amount of sunlight than less sunny regions like New England.

The World Bank has created solar radiation maps for over 200 countries and regions, including the U.S. The map below can give you an idea of the sunshine available in your location. Keep in mind that homes in sunnier regions will generally need fewer solar panels.



 2020 The World Bank, Source: Global Solar Atlas 2.0, Solar resource data: Solargis.

Number of Residents and Amount of Energy You Use

Households with more members normally use a higher amount of electricity, and this also means they need more solar panels to increase energy production.

Electricity usage is a very important factor, as it determines how much power must be generated by your solar panel system. If your home uses 12,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year and you want to go 100% solar, your system must be capable of generating that amount of power.

Type of Solar Panel and Efficiency Rating

High-efficiency panels can deliver more watts per square foot, which means you need to purchase fewer of them to reach your electricity generation target. There are three main types of solar panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film.

In general, monocrystalline panels are the most efficient solar panels, followed closely by polycrystalline panels. Thin-film panels are the least efficient.

How to Estimate the Number of Solar Panels You Need

So, based on these factors, how many solar panels power a home? To roughly determine how many solar panels you need without a professional assessment, youll need to figure out two basic things: how much energy you use and how much energy your panels will produce.

Calculating How Many Kilowatt-Hours Your Home Uses

According to the latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average American home uses 10,649 kWh of energy per year. However, this varies depending on the state. For example:

Louisiana homes have the highest average consumption, at 14,787 kWh per year.

Hawaii homes have the lowest average consumption, at 6,298 kWh per year.

To more closely estimate how much energy you use annually, add up the kWh reported on your last 12 power utility bills. These numbers will fluctuate based on factors like the size of your home, the number of residents, your electricity consumption habits and the energy efficiency rating of your home devices.

Solar Panel Specific Yield

After you determine how many kWh of electricity your home uses annually, youll want to figure out how many kWh are produced by each of your solar panels during a year. This will depend on the specific type of solar panel, roof conditions and local peak hours of sunlight.

In the solar power industry, a common metric used to estimate system capacity is specific yield or specific production. This can be defined as the annual kWh of energy produced for each kilowatt of solar capacity installed. Specific yield has much to do with the amount of sunlight available in your location.

You can get a better idea of the specific yield that can be achieved in your location by checking reliable sources like the World Bank solar maps or the solar radiation database from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

To estimate how many kW are needed to run a house, you can divide your annual kWh consumption by the specific yield per kilowatt of solar capacity. For example, if your home needs 15,000 kWh of energy per year, and solar panels have a specific yield of 1,500 kWh/kWp in your location, you will need a system size of around 10 kilowatts.

Paradise Energy Solutions has also come up with a general formula to roughly ballpark the solar panel system size you need. You can simply divide your annual kWh by 1,200 and you will get the kilowatts of solar capacity needed. So, if the energy consumption reported on your last 12 power bills adds up to 24,000 kWh, youll need a 20 kW system (24,000 / 1,200 = 20).

So, How Do I Calculate How Many Panels I Need?

Once you know the system size you need, you can check your solar panel wattage (also known as a power rating) to figure how many panels to purchase for your solar array. Multiply your system size by 1,000 to obtain watts, then divide this by the individual wattage of each solar panel.

Most of the best solar panels on the market have an output of around 330W to 360W each. The output of less efficient panels can be as low as 250W.

So, if you need a 10-kW solar installation and youre buying solar panels that have an output of 340W, youll need 30 panels. Your formula will look like this: 10,000W / 340W = 29.4 panels.

If you use lower-efficiency 250-watt solar panels, youll need 40 of them (10,000W / 250W = 40) panels.

Keep in mind that, although the average cost of solar panels is lower if you choose a lower-efficiency model over a pricier high-efficiency one, the total amount you pay for your solar energy system may come out to be the same or higher because youll have to buy more panels.

Want to see some more examples of how that math works? The below video provides just that, using energy needs for specific devices that you may be using in your own house.

FAQ: Solar Panels Needed to Power a House

How Much Roof Space Do You Need for a Home Solar System?

After you estimate how many solar panels power a house, the next step is calculating the roof area needed for their installation.

The exact dimensions may change slightly depending on the manufacturer, but a typical solar panel for residential use measures 65 inches by 39 inches, or 17.6 square feet. You will need 528 square feet of roof space to install 30 panels, and 704 square feet to install 40.

In addition to having the required space for solar panels, youll also need a roof structure that supports their weight. A home solar panel weighs around 20 kilograms (44 pounds), which means that 30 of them will add around 600 kilograms (1,323 pounds) to your roof.

You will notice that some solar panels are described as residential, while others are described as commercial. Residential panels have 60 individual solar cells, while commercial panels have 72 cells, but both types will work in any building. Here are a few key differences:

Commercial solar panels produce around 20% more energy, thanks to their extra cells.

Commercial panels are also more expensive, as well as 20% larger and heavier.

Residential 60-cell solar panels are easier to handle in home installations, which saves on labor, and their smaller size helps when roof dimensions are limited.

Some of the latest solar panel designs have half-cells with a higher efficiency, which means they have 120 cells instead of 60 (or 144 instead of 72). However, this doesnt change the dimensions of the panels.

What Affects Solar Panel Efficiency?

The efficiency of a solar panel is affected by a number of factors, but two of the most prominent are the type of panel it is and how much sunlight it receives.

Type of panel: As mentioned, there are three types of solar panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film. Because of the way theyre manufactured, monocrystalline panels are the most efficient. (Learn more here.)

As mentioned, there are three types of solar panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film. Because of the way theyre manufactured, monocrystalline panels are the most efficient. (Learn more here.) Amount of sunlight: If your home is heavily shaded, your roof orientation isnt optimal, your panels arent facing the best angle or your panels are dirty, they wont perform as well.

How Many Solar Panels Does it Take to Make 2,000 kWh a Month?

If your aim is to produce 2,000 kWh of energy a month, youll need to do a few quick calculations to determine how many solar panels you need. As a general rule of thumb, you can divide your annual kWh needs by 1,200 to calculate your ideal system size. In this case, 2,000 kWh per month x 12 months = 24,000 kWh per year. 24,000 kWh / 1,200 = a 20 kW system.

But how many solar panels are in a 20 kW system? The number of solar panels youll need will depend on the power output of the panels. The best solar panels have output ratings between 330W and 360W, and the lowest-producing panels typically have a 250W output.

Lets say you purchase panels with an output of 340 watts. Youll need to divide your total system wattage by your panel wattage to determine how many panels to order. So, 20,000W / 340W = 58.8 panels. If you purchased 250W panels, your formula would look like this: 20,000 / 250 = 80 panels.

How Much Do Solar Panels Weigh?

When deciding how many solar panels you need for your home  especially if youre installing a large system  youll want to take into consideration how much weight your roof can support. Standard solar panels typically weigh about 44 pounds. The lightest panels are under 35 pounds, and heavier models come in around 50 pounds.

If your roof cant support the number of panels you need, you can look for lighter panels, more efficient panels (so that you need fewer of them) or alternative placements, like installing a ground-mounted solar system

Hear from two solar panel installation professionals on how most installers will account for this.

Conclusion: Are Solar Panels Worth it for Your Home?

Solar panels produce no carbon emissions while operating. However, the EIA estimates fossil fuels still produce around 60% of the electricity delivered by U.S. power grids.

Although the initial investment in solar panels is steep, renewable energy systems make sense financially for many homeowners.

According to the Department of Energy, they have a typical payback period of about 10 years, while their rated service life is up to 30 years. After recovering your initial investment, you will have a source of clean and free electricity for about two decades.

Plus, even if you have a large home or find you need more solar panels than you initially thought you would, keep in mind that there are both federal and local tax credits, rebates and other incentives to help you save on your solar power system.

To get a free, no-obligation quote and see how much a solar panel system would cost for your home, fill out the 30-second form below.

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Get Free Quotes From EcoWatch Approved Solar Installers

Leonardo David is an electromechanical engineer, MBA, energy consultant and technical writer. His energy-efficiency and solar consulting experience covers sectors including banking, textile manufacturing, plastics processing, pharmaceutics, education, food processing, fast food, real estate and retail. He has also been writing articles about energy and engineering topics since 2015.
By Claire OConnor

Agriculture is on the front lines of climate change. Whether its the a seven-year drought drying up fields in California, the devastating Midwest flooding in 2019, or hurricane after hurricane hitting the Eastern Shore, agriculture and rural communities are already feeling the effects of a changing climate. Scientists expect climate change to make these extreme weather events both more frequent and more intense in coming years.

Agriculture is also an important  in fact a necessary  partner in fighting climate change. The science is clear: We cannot stay beneath the most dangerous climate thresholds without sequestering a significant amount of carbon in our soils.

Agricultural soils have the potential to sequester, relatively inexpensively, 250 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gasses annually  equivalent to the annual emissions of 64 coal fired power plants, according to National Academy of Sciences.

But we cant get there without engaging farmers, turning a source of emissions into a carbon sink. Here are just a few of the ways the Natural Resources Defense Council works to encourage climate-friendly farming:

Creating New Incentives for Cover Crops: Cover crops are planted in between growing seasons with the specific purpose of building soil health. Despite their multiple agronomic and environmental benefits, adoption is low  only about 7% of U.S. farmland uses cover crops. NRDC is working to scale up cover cropping through innovative incentives delivered through the largest federal farm subsidy: crop insurance. Weve worked with partners in Iowa and Illinois to launch programs that give farmers who use cover crops /acre off of their crop insurance bill. And partners in Minnesota and Wisconsin are exploring similar options. While were delighted at the benefit this program has for farmers in those individual states, were even more excited about the potential to scale this program to the 350 million acres that utilize subsidized crop insurance nationwide. A recent study suggests that cover crops sequester an average of .79 tons of carbon per acre annually, making cover crops one of the pillars of climate-friendly farming systems.

Supporting Carbon as a New Agricultural Product: Championed by Senator Ron Wyden, the 2018 Farm Bill created a new program, the Soil Health Demonstration Trial, that encourages farmers to adopt practices that improve their soil health, and tracks and measures the outcomes. NRDC worked alongside our partners at E2 and a number of commodity groups, farmer organizations, and agribusinesses to secure passage of this provision. The Demonstration Trial will create a new, reliable income stream  farmers will get paid for the carbon they sequester regardless of how their crops turn out, and it builds the data needed for confidence in any future carbon markets. USDA recently announced the first round of awards under this new program, totaling over million in investments to improve soil health. Senator Cory Booker has since drafted legislation that would increase funding for the program nearly 10-fold to 0 million annually; Representative Deb Haaland released a companion bill in the House.

Scaling up Regenerative Agriculture: Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that looks to work with nature to rebuild the overall health of the system. Regenerative farmers use a variety of tactics, including reduced chemical inputs, diverse crop and livestock rotations, incorporating compost into their systems, and agroforestry, among others. Our team is in the midst of interviewing regenerative farmers and ranchers to learn more about whats working for them and what challenges theyve faced in their shift to a regenerative approach. Were planning to analyze our interview results and combine them with a literature review to identify what role NRDC could potentially play in helping to scale up regenerative farming and ranching systems. Well also be sharing quotes and photos from our interviews on social media every Friday starting in January, so stay tuned for some inspiring farm footage!

Supporting Organic Farmers: Organic agriculture by design reduces greenhouse gas emissions, sequesters carbon in the soil, does not rely on energy-intensive chemical inputs, and builds resiliency within our food system. Practices integrated into organic production will become increasingly more important in the face of a changing climate. NRDC supports organic farmers through policy initiatives like the Organic Farm-to-School program that was introduced in the California legislature last year. In the coming year, well continue to work to support organic farmers in California.

Reducing Food Waste: Food waste generates nearly 3% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., and NRDC is working hard to reduce that number, and improve soil health in the process. Some of our policy proposals include securing passage of date labelling legislation to eliminate confusion about whether food is still good to eat, working with cities to reduce waste and increase rescue of surplus food, and supporting efforts at all levels to increase composting of food scraps. Adding compost to soils improves their ability to sequester carbon, store nutrients, and retain water. Composting food scraps also helps to close the loop on organic matter and nutrients by returning them to the agricultural production cycle, rather than sending that organic material to landfills, where it generates methane (a powerful climate pollutant).

Climate-friendly farming also offers a host of important co-benefits. For example, when farmers use complex crop rotations to break weed, pest, and disease cycles, they can reduce the amount of synthetic chemicals they need to use. When they use practices like cover crops, no-till, and adding compost to protect and restore the soil, they reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers that emit greenhouse gasses. And when farmers can reinvest the oppressive amount of money they had been previously spending on expensive, synthetic inputs into the additional labor required to carbon farm, they bring new jobs to economically-depressed rural areas.

Farmers understand better than many of us the harsh realities of climate change, regardless of their opinions about whats causing those changes. And tight margins and trade wars make the potential of new value streams particularly attractive for farmers right now. By working alongside the farmers and farmworkers who tend the land, we can bring new allies into the fight against climate change, restore the health of our soil, and create a healthy, equitable, and resilient food system.
Maryland offers several incentive programs for home solar panel systems and gets a decent amount of sunshine throughout the year  but is solar a good investment for your home? In this article, well discuss the average cost of solar panels in Maryland and the main factors that affect prices. Well also cover the main incentives available when going solar in the Old Line State, which include a solar rebate program and solar tax exemptions.

Well give you an idea of average costs below, but to find out exactly how much it would cost to put a solar energy system on your roof, youll need to get a free quote from a solar installer near you.

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in Maryland?

Maryland has slightly above-average solar energy costs, but prices arent unreasonably high. Based on our market research and data from leading brands, weve found that the average cost of solar panels in Maryland is $2.77 per watt. The U.S. average is $2.66 per watt, which means Marylands solar costs are 4% above the national average.

Based on this information, you can expect to pay around $13,867 for a 5-kW home solar system in Maryland. However, once you factor in the federal solar tax incentives, the net price for a system of this size decreases to $10,261. The following table provides the typical cost for some common solar system sizes in Maryland:

Size of Solar Panel System Cost of Solar Panels in Maryland Cost After Federal Tax Credit 5kW $13,867 $10,261 6kW $16,640 $12,314 7kW $19,413 $14,366 8kW $22,187 $16,418 9kW $24,960 $18,470 10kW $27,733 $20,523

Just keep in mind these are averages, and costs can vary widely depending on a number of variables.

What Determines the Cost of Solar Panels in Maryland?

When going solar, the most important factor that determines the cost of your system is your energy consumption, your local electricity rates and how many solar panels you need. Larger homes tend to need more solar panels, but this is not always the case. For example, a small home with old appliances can consume a larger amount of energy than a large home with newer, energy-efficient appliances.

The cost of a home solar system also depends on what you want to achieve. If you simply want to save money on your utility bills, you can use solar panels on their own to offset part of your consumption. On the other hand, if you want an electricity source that will be available day and night, youll need to install a solar battery system as well.

The cost of going solar also depends on the equipment brands you pick, how you decide to finance your system and the installation company hired for the job. Lets discuss how these factors affect the price of your solar PV system.

Solar Equipment

There are many brands of solar panels and inverters, and each offers different features. For example, some solar manufacturers focus on making affordable products, while others offer the most efficient solar panels that come with higher prices. System prices also depend on the type of solar panels used: monocrystalline panels have higher wattages and efficiency ratings than polycrystalline panels of the same size, but they also come with higher prices.

The cost of a home solar system also increases if you add more features. For example, if you want a home battery like the Tesla Powerwall or LG Chem RESU, and an advanced monitoring system to track your energy, expect higher installation costs.

Regardless of the solar equipment you pick, make sure you get a solid warranty. As a bare minimum, you will want solar panels with a 10-year product warranty, which is considered the industry standard. However, you can also find brands that offer 25-year warranty coverage.

Solar Financing

The total amount paid for your home solar system also depends on how you decide to finance the project. There are three main options: a cash purchase, a solar loan, and a lease or PPA.

Solar Financing Method Pros Cons Cash purchase + Will result in the lowest cost, as youre paying the full price upfront  Youll need to pay a large amount of cash at once (over $10,000 for a 5-kW solar system in Maryland) Solar loan + Allows you to split the investment into smaller payments + You can use your power bill savings to pay off the loan  You must pay interest, which increases your overall solar system costs Solar lease or power purchase agreement (PPA) + The panels will be installed on your roof at no cost to you  Youll still need to pay to access the energy thats produced by the panels  The installer owns the system, which means you arent eligible to claim any solar incentives

Installation Company

The all-in price of a residential solar system not only includes equipment but also qualified labor. This means the cost of solar panels in Maryland will vary depending on the installation company chosen, even if using the same panels or other components. We recommend comparing several solar quotes instead of going with the first option available. This way, you can make sure youre getting a good deal.

But should you go with a local installer or a national, recognized company? There are pros and cons of each:

Local installers may have lower prices, as they must travel a shorter distance and their overhead costs are reduced. They also offer the advantage of being nearby in case you need technical assistance.

may have lower prices, as they must travel a shorter distance and their overhead costs are reduced. They also offer the advantage of being nearby in case you need technical assistance. National installers can get discounts for bulk purchasing equipment, and many have local offices or certified technicians that can help out if you need assistance and are far from the companys headquarters.

In the case of Maryland, we strongly recommend looking for a solar installer with technicians that are certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, NABCEP. This is a mandatory condition for one of the solar incentive programs available in the state.

Maryland Solar Incentives

Maryland offers several incentives that improve your return on investment when going solar. The following table summarizes the main features of each program, and we also have a dedicated article where you can read more about Maryland solar incentives.

Maryland Solar Incentive How it Affects the Cost of Solar Panels in Maryland Renewable Energy Credits In Maryland, solar power systems earn one Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) for every 1,000 kWh of power they generate. As of late 2021, Maryland SRECs have been trading for around $78 each. This means you get an extra 7.8 cents per kilowatt-hour in addition to your power bill savings. Residential Clean Energy Grant Program Maryland has a $1,000 rebate program for any approved solar power system with a capacity of at least 1 kW. You must hire a NABCEP certified installer to qualify for this benefit. Tax Exemptions Home solar systems in Maryland are exempt from the states 6% sales tax, and the increase in your home value after the panels are installed is exempt from property tax evaluations. Net Metering Maryland has a favorable net metering policy for home solar systems. You get full credit for any excess power that you send back to the local utility grid, and the credit can be rolled over to the next month. Local Solar Incentives Smaller programs may be available from certain utility companies or municipalities. Before going solar, do some quick research on your area to make sure you dont miss out. Federal Solar Tax Credit The U.S. offers a federal solar investment tax credit thats worth 26% of your installation costs. This benefit can be applied on top of local incentives.

FAQ: Maryland Solar Panel Costs

How much does it cost to install solar panels in Maryland?

The average cost of solar panels in Maryland is $2.77 per watt. You can expect to pay $10,261 for a 5kW system installation after subtracting the federal tax credit, and keep in mind you can also qualify for a $1,000 rebate through the state.

Do solar panels make sense in Maryland?

In Maryland, you can earn Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC) that represent additional cash flow beyond your power bill savings, and the state also has a favorable net metering policy. In addition, there is a local rebate program that offers $1,000 upfront when going solar, and you are exempt from sales and property taxes.

These incentives certainly help solar make sense in Maryland, but whether a solar panel installation is worth it for your home will depend on a number of factors including your homes energy usage.

Are solar panels free in Maryland?

Currently, there are no programs that offer free solar panels in Maryland, but your upfront cost is reduced thanks to the local rebate program and several tax deductions. If you are offered free solar panels by an installation company, its likely a marketing tactic to get you to sign a solar lease or power purchase agreement (PPA).

Leonardo David is an electromechanical engineer, MBA, energy consultant and technical writer. His energy-efficiency and solar consulting experience covers sectors including banking, textile manufacturing, plastics processing, pharmaceutics, education, food processing, fast food, real estate and retail. He has also been writing articles about energy and engineering topics since 2015.






Kayla Zhang, a finance worker, receives laser facial treatment at a beauty clinic in Shanghai, in this Nov. 11, 2021 file photo. AFP-Yonhap



Midday queues snake out to the street in an upmarket Shanghai neighborhood, but it's not lunch at the city's hottest restaurant that people are lining up for  it's cosmetic "micro-procedures," which are surging in popularity in China.



The "lunchtime facelift" and other "medical aesthetics" procedures are booming as a new generation of Chinese consumers grapple with the pressure to look good on social media as well as in person.



Kayla Zhang has never actually gone under the knife for cosmetic reasons, but she's had laser treatments, injections and a thread lift  a barbed string inserted under the skin and pulled up to "lift" the face.



"I'm not changing my nose or my eyes, which would be an extreme change in my looks," the 27-year-old told AFP, adding that she's seeking a "better version" of herself rather than "a totally new face."



Already popular in the West because they are less invasive and more affordable than traditional cosmetic surgery, micro-procedures  from laser facials and fillers to thread lifts  are fast becoming the norm in China's cities where disposable incomes have jumped in the past decade.



The Chinese Association of Plastics and Aesthetics estimates, overall, the cosmetic industry will grow to $46 billion this year compared to around $6.5 billion in 2013.



Micro-procedures are now an expanding segment of that market, while traditional surgery's growth rates slow, according to data from consulting firm Frost and Sullivan.



Changing values



But a government crackdown looms over the boom.



The ruling Communist Party is pushing a broad campaign to "purify" social values, which includes taking aim at mounting youth pressure to go under the knife.



The government has banned industry advertising practices that contribute to "appearance anxiety" such as before-and-after images, and has levied tens of millions of dollars in fines this year over various infractions.



Model Li Li already gets monthly laser treatments to correct skin blemishes but admits she feels social pressure to continually fix her appearance.



After friends said her face was out of proportion she opted for a "chin filler," which makes the chin more prominent.



"I went to get it immediately," the 27-year-old confessed.



But Li and Zhang insist that micro-procedures  which can cost on average a third of the price of cosmetic surgery, according to research by Deloitte  are a less-invasive alternative to traditional surgery and are being unfairly stigmatized.



"Everyone had the same standard of beauty before, but now it feels like this norm is being tipped over," added Zhang, who likens micro-procedures to skincare, but faster.



A decade ago, cosmetic doctor Yang Kaiyuan said customers often came to him with a picture of a celebrity, telling him: "I want to look like this."



"Nowadays, people just hope to make slight improvements on what they already have," Yang explained.





Kayla Zhang, a finance worker, receives laser facial treatment at a beauty clinic in Shanghai, in this Nov. 11, 2021 file photo. AFP-Yonhap
Sachchida Nand Pandey, a postdoctoral fellow at IIT Bombay and an alumnus of IIT Madras is protesting in front of the Ministry of Education, against "alleged discrimination and mental harassment" of students in IITs. Pandey had previously filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking to implement reservations in IIT faculty recruitment.

In the photographs that Pandey had shared with EdexLive, he can be seen masked up and holding a placard saying, "Stop mental torture, stop harassment." He had also written a statement, posing a series of concerns and questions to Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, where he said that the SC is silent on "unconstitutional recruitment policy and mental harassment of students." He also accuses Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the MoE on being silent on "academic corruption, racial discrimination and harassment." He also points out the number of student suicides in IITs, the high drop out rate and lack of reservations.

READ ALSO : Undergraduate students at IIT M can now pursue a Master's degree in Electric Vehicles. Here's how

Pandey's petition, that was filed last year, sought to create a mechanism for resolving the research harassment complaints, to constitute a committee of technical experts to review the performance of existing faculty and to cancel the appointment of non-performing faculty "due to violation of reservation norms, formation of transparent recruitment policy."
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Avian Flu H5N1 was discovered in Elkhart County about three weeks ago, and has been found in other communities around the U.S. since February. This seems like a good time to review some of the common questions we have been hearing about the situation.
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Deadline approaching for ManSat scholarships to United Space School

Sixth-form students can win scholarships to represent the Isle of Man at the 2022 United Space School in Houston.

The annual United Space School takes place from July 24th to August 8th with the ManSat Group awarding up to three scholarships to Year 12 and 13 students in the Isle of Man.

The successful scholars will travel to Houston and work alongside peers from around the world to plan a space mission, with support from NASA astronauts, engineers, and scientists. The Space School is run by the Foundation for International Space Education (FISE).

The scholarships are awarded in cooperation with the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, with the first recipient, in 2000, being Dr Jennifer Stone, who is now Chief Technical Officer for ManSat.

Jennifer said: ManSat has run this competition every year since 2000, with 44 Isle of Man students having attended Space School. Because of the pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 space schools were both held online. We hope the 2022 edition will be back in Houston, with a final decision on whether it will be held in-person or online to be made by the end of March.

Usually, our scholarships are open to Year 12 students, but this year we are extending our competition to both Year 12 and 13 so that all sixth-form students will have had the opportunity to apply to go to Houston during their school career.

The dealine to apply is Friday 14th January. You can find out more here.
PCR testing could dropped for travellers

PCR testing for travellers returning to the Isle of Man could be dropped.

Arrivals to the Island from outside the Common Travel Area currently have to take a PCR test for Covid-19.

The UK Government scrapped the return tests this week.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan says the Manx Government will consider its position over the next few days.
Visiting to resume at Isle of Man Prison

Visiting will resume at Isle of Man Prison from tomorrow on a strictly controlled basis.

Anyone wishing to visit a prisoner must take an LFD test on arrival at the facility in Jurby, and record a negative COVID-19 result before being allowed entry. Children aged under 10 will be exempt.

Face-coverings must be worn at all times unless seated in the Visits Hall.

Visiting was suspended lasr month following an outbreak of COVID-19.
Manx Isolation Payment to provide more financial support to more people

A new 300 Manx Isolation Payment will come into effect on Monday 10 January for those who test positive for COVID-19 and are unable to work.

The lump-sum will replace a system which provides those qualifying for short-term Incapacity Benefit with 230 a week for up to 14 days. It will apply only to people whose period of isolation begins on or after 10 January.

From Monday, short term Incapacity Benefit for new claimants will revert to the standard rate of 86.55 a week. This will coincide with the introduction of the Manx Isolation Payment, which must be applied for separately once a person has completed a full 4 days in isolation.

A Manx Isolation Payment is payable to a person once in any 26-week period and the online application form will be available from Friday 14 January.
A car pulls into the emergency room entrance at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. With its emergency department overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients and normal health problems including trauma injuries and heart attacks, the hospital issued what it called an "urgent" request for people to go elsewhere for COVID-19 tests or minor symptoms, or to simply stay home for all but true emergencies.
The surviving sister of Dave Patrick Underwood, a federal security guard who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2020, has filed a lawsuit against Meta, the parent organization of Facebook. The suit seeks to hold the company accountable for connecting the two men charged in the murder plot and giving them a space online to plan the attack.

Underwood was shot outside a federal building in Oakland, California in May of 2020. The two men charged inn the case were later linked to so-called boogaloo anti-government movement, which Facebook banned from its platform in June of 2020 citing the group's history of "actively promoting violence against civilians, law enforcement and government officials and institutions."

The shooting was not a random act of violence, the lawsuit states. It was the culmination of an extremist plot hatched and planned on Facebook by two men who Meta connected through Facebooks groups infrastructure and its use of algorithms designed and intended to increase user engagement and, correspondingly, Metas profits. The lawsuit alleges the two men would never have met if not for Facebooks recommendations, which pushed them both to join groups that openly advocated for violence.

A spokesperson for Meta said in a statement to The New York Times that the claims are without legal basis, and pointed to the companys work to ban militarized social movements.

The lawsuit is hardly the first time Meta has been implicated over its role in fueling extremism and violence. Facebooks own researchers warned that group recommendations were pushing users toward extremism in 2016, according to internal company documents first reported by The Wall Street Journal. And documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen have raised questions about Facebooks role in inciting violence around the world. Meta was also recently sued by a group of Rohingya refugees over Facebook's role in amplifying hate speech that incited a genocide in the country.

In a statement to ABC, Ted Leopold, who is representing Underwoods sister, referenced Haugens disclosures about Facebook. We believe and intend to show that Facebooks conduct has led to a rise in extremism throughout the world and acts of real-world violence, including the murder of Officer Underwood, Leopold said.
Tinder is working on a new feature called Swipe Party that will let you invite friends online to help you vet dates, TechCrunch has reported. The feature was first spotted in the app's code by the Dutch site Gratisdatingtips and has yet to be announced, but Tinder confirmed that it's in in the works.

The feature would be not unlike Apple's SharePlay, which lets you do watch parties with friends via FaceTime on supported apps like Disney+ and Hulu. With Tinder, you could similarly invite friends to your swiping sessions so they could help you pick a match. A lot of folks already do that in person, so the new feature bring that online  handy in the time of COVID-19.

Code snippets show that Swipe Party would let you invite friends to join a session by providing their phone number, confirming it with a code, then entering their name and date of birth. If you want their help, however, you'd need to give them access to your phone's camera and microphone.

Tinder recently let users add videos to their dating profiles, and parent Match recently promised to introduce other audio and chat features to its dating apps. While Tinder confirmed to TechCrunch that the feature was in development, it didn't provide any additional details.
Joint statement of Australia-Japan leaders' meeting interferes in China's domestic affairs: Chinese embassy

Xinhua) 15:44, January 07, 2022

CANBERRA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The joint statement of the Australia-Japan leaders' meeting interferes in China's internal affairs, said the Chinese embassy in Australia on Friday.

The joint statement, "in total disregard of the facts, makes groundless accusations against China on a series of issues related to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and unscrupulously interferes in China's internal affairs on issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan," said the embassy in a media release.

It noted that as members of the region, Australia and Japan should have played a positive role in enhancing mutual trust and cooperation, maintaining regional peace and stability, and promoting regional prosperity and development.

"Instead, they should not violate international law and the basic norms of international relations, grossly interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and should not provoke division and confrontation, or form a small circle to keep others out. They should not target a third party or undermine its interests," the embassy said.

China is a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order and a provider of public good, according to the media release.

"On the journey to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, China will resolutely defend its sovereignty, security and development interests," said the embassy.

It urged Australia and Japan to see the underling trend of history, view China's development objectively, embrace the trend of the times and make positive efforts to promote regional peace, stability and development.

Leaders of Australia and Japan held a virtual meeting on Thursday, and signed a security agreement in the name of strengthening "security and defense cooperation."

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Weather Alert

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 171 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN OKLAHOMA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 25 COUNTIES IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA CANADIAN CLEVELAND GRADY KINGFISHER LINCOLN LOGAN MCCLAIN OKLAHOMA PAYNE POTTAWATOMIE IN EAST CENTRAL OKLAHOMA SEMINOLE IN NORTHERN OKLAHOMA GARFIELD GRANT KAY NOBLE IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMANEAR-CRITICAL TO CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO THE WEST OF THE DRYLINE THIS AFTERNOON WITH A VERY DRY AIRMASS IN PLACE AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS ALFALFA BLAINE DEWEY MAJOR WOODS WOODWARD IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA HUGHES IN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA CADDO IN WESTERN OKLAHOMA CUSTER WASHITA THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ALVA, ANADARKO, BLACKWELL, BLANCHARD, BURNS FLAT, CARMEN, CHANDLER, CHEROKEE, CHICKASHA, CLINTON, CONCHO, CORDELL, DAVENPORT, EL RENO, ENID, FAIRVIEW, GEARY, GUTHRIE, HELENA, HENNESSEY, HINTON, HOLDENVILLE, KINGFISHER, LAMONT, LEEDEY, MEDFORD, MEEKER, MOORE, MUSTANG, NEWCASTLE, NORMAN, OKARCHE, OKEENE, OKLAHOMA CITY, PERRY, PONCA CITY, POND CREEK, PRAGUE, PURCELL, SEILING, SEMINOLE, SENTINEL, SHAWNEE, STILLWATER, STROUD, TALOGA, TUTTLE, VICI, WAKITA, WATONGA, WEATHERFORD, WELLSTON, WETUMKA, WEWOKA, WOODWARD, AND YUKON.
France took over the rotating presidency of the European Union on 1 January 2022, just days after German leader Angela Merkel retired. French President Emmanuel Macron has never made any secret of his ambitions to be the engine for further European integration, serving over the last four years as a dynamic sidekick to the more steady German chancellor in Europes power couple. On the first day of 2022, Macron announced an ambitious program and priorities for the 27-member bloc for the next six months that could also serve his domestic campaign for re-election as president, in the face of the rising challenge from Frances far-right camp. His aim is clear: Macron would like to be seen as the EUs de facto leader in the run-up to national elections in April. But the French head of state is launching a high-stakes political gamble if only because his agenda may simply prove to be too ambitious for the 27 member states. In other words, if Macron fails to achieve concrete results, his political opponents will waste no time in using these setbacks to weaken him at home.

Macron will try to make the most of the four months while in office during which high-level diplomatic events and diplomatic initiatives will still be possible. The transatlantic relationship will still feature prominently but, operationally speaking, France will seek to get increasingly involved in the areas where their core interests are at stake, which will naturally affect French policy toward the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Practically speaking, as the United States is focusing more on the Indo-Pacific and less on the MENA region, Paris has realized that it must get increasingly involved in the areas where its core interests are at stake, namely, North Africa, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and other neighboring regions. In a nutshell, France, and to a broader extent the EU, must seek to provide their own security.

There are two main underlaying drivers of Macrons efforts in the MENA: First and foremost, the idea that ensuring security at home requires projecting stability in neighboring regions and countries through an increased engagement in crisis management and resolution. Second, the notion that pursuing counter-terrorism efforts in neighboring regions is paramount to preserve Europe and Frances security. Being a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, France is often inclined to play a role in solving international crises around the world. When it comes to instability in Europes backyard, France considers that what happens in the MENA has an impact on France and more broadly on the EU as a whole. Hence, in 2022, France is likely to continue to be very much engaged in regional crisis management, particularly in Libya, Lebanon and Iraq.

Macron will also chair the One Ocean summit, dedicated to protecting the oceans and seas, in February, before bringing together in Brussels the leaders of the EU and the African Union, to discuss the relations between the two continents. The link between [Africa and Europe] is the great political and geopolitical project of the decades to come, the French president declared in December, stating his desire to launch an economic and financial New Deal with Africa. As Macrons plans include strengthening Europes borders and forging a new alliance with Africa, he will need the backing especially of North African countries, such as Morocco. Countries on the southern coast of the Mediterranean, by and large, expect to use Frances rotating presidency to strengthen their bilateral relations with the EU.
Chile will begin offering a fourth shot of the coronavirus vaccine next week to immunocompromised citizens, the government said.
Russian paratroopers have been deployed to Kazakhstan as part of a peacekeeping force that includes troops from four other former Soviet republics, according to the secretariat of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.
I've just spent a week in Southern California, seeing family and helping my daughter move into her new apartment. LA traffic seems back to its ugly self and there are people out shopping like the good days--albeit with most people wearing masks somewhat correctly.

I don't think anyone here spent much time pondering the fact that today is the one-year anniversary of the violent attack on the US Capitol. It's been on the news, but life here doesn't seem to be impacted at all.

How different from a year ago when we all sat glued to our TV sets wondering what on Earth was happening. Would invaders harm Congress members or Vice President Pence? Would the election results be certified?

A year later, it seems we're in a very different place: Our duly-elected president has been installed. Vaccines are readily available to protect people from the worst impacts of the virus. People are traveling and seeing family again.

And yet we are still reacting to the latest virus variant--shutting down events and some schools and businesses. We're suffering the long-term impacts of dealing with COVID. And we're as polarized as a country now as we were a year ago--maybe even more so.

It seems like many of the emotions of the past year or so are being suppressed--we're all putting on a good game face and trying to move forward. But wishing the pandemic was over doesn't make it go away. Ignoring what happened in Washington a year ago doesn't stop the anger and violence that's been manifested since the attack.

A year later, we need to get on with our lives as best as possible while not losing the lessons of the traumatic times we've just experienced. As Winston Churchill said, those who don't learn from history are bound to repeat it.

One pandemic per lifetime is more than enough.

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It seemed like the right move early in the pandemic  retraining thousands of San Antonians whod been thrown out of work by the COVID-19 downturn, preparing them for higher-skilled, better-paying jobs.

True, those of us without a lot of faith in city government were skeptical. We questioned its ability to pull off such a big, complex initiative.

Our skepticism overlapped with that of people who thought government shouldnt be engaged in wholesale job training, that it was best left to a network of employers, nonprofits, foundations, high schools, community colleges and universities.

But the loss of about 140,000 jobs in the spring of 2020, a cataclysm the likes of which wed never seen before, made us swallow our concerns. Mass unemployment has a way of making you rethink what role government should play in the economy.

The early days of Train for Jobs SA, which cost the city $65 million, werent encouraging. When the program launched in September 2020, many of the unemployed who wanted in couldnt get through by phone, and the website kept crashing.

More importantly, after the technical problems were fixed, participants only trickled in. Those who get in work toward GEDs or industry certificates. Some get on-the-job training. And they all receive weekly stipends of $450. Yet by this past November, only 795 people had completed training through the initiative.

On ExpressNews.com: Citys job training effort still off to slow start

Raising expectations

Not to harp on this, but lets take a moment to harp on this: In July 2020, as city staffers pieced together Train for Jobs, they said it would train up to 10,000 people by September 2021; Mayor Ron Nirenberg latched on to the detail and repeated it publicly, creating a big problem that would haunt the effort throughout its first year. Staff and Nirenberg set expectations insanely high  10,000 unemployed workers to be prepared for better jobs in 12 months! Nobody remembered the up to part.

But thats history. Train for Jobs stopped taking new applicants Dec. 31 as planned, and its training efforts will be over by the end of this year.

Next up is its successor, called Ready to Work, which will be paid for with an estimated $200 million in sales tax revenue over four years. Voters cast 79 percent of their ballots in favor of the funding in November 2020, a stunning result. Nirenberg was the initiatives biggest champion.

By then, the San Antonio areas unemployment rate was dropping from a record high of more than 13 percent in April 2020. But it was still an unnerving 6.4 percent. The public mood: Government intervention in the labor market? Bring it.

Wed quickly gotten used to all those extra unemployment payments and Paycheck Protection Program loans for employers, the explicit aim of which was to keep employees on the payroll. In other words, we were more comfortable with government spending for the benefit of workers.

Today, the padded unemployment checks are gone; labor shortages are roiling most industries, forcing employers to increase wages; and San Antonios jobless rate fell to 4.1 percent in November.

So its fair to ask: Given that were past the economic crisis, how much interest will there be in Ready to Work?

Actually, its tea-leaf reading isnt bad.

For one thing, it turns out Train for Jobs was a late bloomer. Interest surged in its last few months of enrolling participants. Currently, the program counts 4,579 people who are either receiving or have completed training.

Nearly 70 percent of them are women, about 65 percent are Hispanic and 15 percent Black.

Nearer the target

Mike Ramsey, director of the citys new workforce development department, said as many as 8,000 enrollees could complete the program by the end of this year. Even if thats overly optimistic, the numbers are edging closer to Nirenbergs unbalanced target of 10,000.

The city hired Ramsey in August. The Louisiana native, a one-time high school teacher, previously headed the workforce development department at St. Petersburg College in Florida.

On ExpressNews.com: Were going to change lives: How the citys new workforce director plans to roll out the voter-approved Ready to Work initiative

He scrupulously avoids the mayors unforced error in the expectations game. I asked him how many people he hopes will complete Ready to Work over the next four years. He engaged in a little duck-and-cover, saying, Were going to try to train as many as possible.

His department is currently negotiating with organizations that Ready to Work will rely on for enrollee intake, case management and marketing. Hes looking to take the program plan to City Council in February for approval. If all goes well, Ready to Work will begin taking in participants in April.

The program is more ambitious than its forerunner. Participants can either do on-the-job training, get the equivalency of their high school diploma or pursue associate or bachelors degrees. Theyll also receive support services, such as career counseling and job placement help, and referrals for financial help with child care and other necessities.

The aim is to land them in good-paying jobs in health care, information technology, financial services, manufacturing and a handful of other fields.

Last month, the city eased the income requirements for participants. Itll be open to people earning as much as $32,000 per year, which is 250 percent of the poverty line. Thats up from an earnings cap of no more than $26,000. So it will offer longer-term training and education for more people.

On ExpressNews.com: With interest in city-funded job training picking up, program opened to more residents

S.A.s low-wage trap

Which gets at the real difference between Train for Jobs and Ready to Work: The crisis the latter is addressing isnt the incineration of more than 100,000 jobs in a matter of weeks. Its going after the deeper, slower-burning crisis of generational poverty.

San Antonio has been one of the poorest big cities in the U.S. for a long, long time. Nearly 18 percent of the population lives in poverty, according to the census. Too many workers were struggling to pay their bills way before COVID-19 showed up. The pandemic just exposed that reality for all to see.

As thousands upon thousands of hotel, restaurant and bar workers lost jobs, no one could ignore how dependent San Antonio was on its leisure and hospitality industry to keep a huge slice of the population working. Many of these jobs are lower-paying and dont require a lot of education or special skills.

The industry remains one of the citys biggest, employing 131,500 people as of November, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Its clawing back from the disaster nearly two years ago, its workforce increasing 17 percent from November 2020 to this past November.

Ready to Work could offer one way out of the low-wage trap many workers are in.

The pool of potential applicants who meet the programs income requirements is big.

Ramsey gets the last word here.

I think theres still a lot of people who need help, he said. There are people who may not be unemployed, but theres a whole lot of underemployed people here.

As more and more good jobs become available, jobs that pay a living wage and have great benefits  that are attractive to these workers who want economic mobility  I believe theyre going to see the program as a great steppingstone to help them get there.

greg.jefferson@express-news.net
The surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant hit San Antonio government this week.

City Manager Erik Walsh said more employees are out this week because of the coronavirus than since the pandemic began.

Walsh said 845 of the citys 12,500 employees are at home after testing positive for COVID-19, showing symptoms or coming into close contact with people infected with the coronavirus.

Were in good shape right now despite the high positivity rate and the high number of employees that are out, and operations have not been impacted, Walsh said at a news conference Thursday morning. However, if the number of employees out sick or in quarantine continues to increase, we are prepared to make adjustments to city services.

Most of the employees who are out have tested positive: 505 of them. An additional 281 workers are symptomatic, and 59 have had close contact with the virus.

That leaves 6.8 percent of San Antonios workforce at home in isolation or quarantine.

A union representative for civilian city workers said she was alarmed by the record number of cases.

However, after nearly two years working through the pandemic, we are sadly not surprised, said Sheri Van Horsen, with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2021. San Antonios workers continue to be exposed, get sick, be hospitalized and even die while serving the community and providing vital services.

Van Horsen said the union is in contact with employees and working to address any issues with city leaders. That includes reporting any mitigation shortfalls or protocol failures and requesting the city fix those if they exist.

The absences are spread across most city departments and assessed daily, a city spokesperson said. Employees can work from home depending on their job and may work remotely during quarantine if they feel well enough to do so. The spokesperson did not have a breakdown of how many quarantined employees were working from home.

The effect on the city comes as the Metropolitan Health District reported 4,331 new COVID-19 cases in Bexar County on Friday. Thats up from the 2,358 Thursday and 806 a week ago.

Metro Health also reported one new death related to COVID-19. Also, an additional 134 people were admitted to hospitals, and there were 150 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units. Fifty-nine COVID-19 patients were on ventilators  up from 52 who needed the breathing support Thursday.

In all, 679 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized Friday with virus complications in Bexar County, 69 percent of whom are unvaccinated. A week ago, just 372 patients were hospitalized because of the virus.

The surge in cases and hospitalizations led to the cancellation of San Antonios MLK March on Jan. 17 for the second year in a row. The Martin Luther King Jr. Commission made the decision Thursday night, but it will meet Monday to determine whether it can hold some events virtually.

We know because of the virus we cannot risk the health and safety of our community, said Renee Watson, MLK commission chair.

San Antonios MLK March is considered one of the nations largest observances and has drawn estimated crowds of 100,000 people in the past.

Other event cancellations because of COVID-19 include the Asian Festival and the Texas Folklife Festival.

The three-day Folklife Festival, normally held in June, and the Asian Festival are hosted by the Institute of Texan Cultures, which is at Hemisfair and is part of the University of Texas at San Antonio.

After careful consideration, UTSA leadership and the Institute of Texan Cultures staff have made the difficult decision to postpone our beloved festivals one more year, the institute said in a statement on its website. The extra time will allow us to work through lingering challenges such as supply chain, health and safety protocols and logistics.

We know that this will come as an enormous disappointment to the exhibitors, community members and volunteers who have been patiently waiting for the festivals to return; however, we pledge to come together again soon so that our one-of-a-kind cultural celebrations at the ITC continue.

Performances of the hit musical Hamilton scheduled for Friday night and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the Majestic Theatre were also canceled due to breakthrough positive COVID cases within the company.

Organizers said in a statement that ticket holders should hold onto your tickets while we work to reschedule the show. There is no other action needed on your part at this time. Details will be sent to you by email as soon as theyre available.

The show originally was scheduled to run at the Majestic through Jan. 16.

District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez said his office is working remotely, aside from any in-person district events. His field office remains closed to in-person visits. As a parent, Pelaez said hes worried about omicron, and he knows city employees are in the same anxiety-inducing situation as everyone else.

When people tell me we have a lot of employees who are out, what I read into that is, we have employees who are being extra careful, or (who) are struggling the way the rest of America is, Pelaez said.

He added hes thankful for the city employees who continue to come to work and run San Antonios critical operations. He assured residents that plans to continue basic services such as police and fire were at the forefront of city leaders conversations.

The anxiety (employees) feel, I understand it because my family is experiencing it the same way, Pelaez said. And every other City Council member is showing up to work with a sense of urgency.

Omicron has grown so pervasive across the citys workforce that Danny Diaz, president of the police union, didnt immediately have time for an interview Friday. He said others couldnt talk because they were out with COVID-19.

The City Council is considering proposals to give government employees premium pay as a one-time bonus pulled from federal coronavirus relief funds. Most council members have voiced support for the policy as the city undergoes a process to determine how to spend its remaining dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Proposals last month showed one-time payments ranging from $250 to $3,000, depending on how many employees the city includes and the pay they already earn. Van Horsen said the civilian employee union will continue to advocate for premium pay.

The city has an opportunity to compensate employees for the increased danger they continue to face at work, during this pandemic and especially during this COVID surge, Van Horsen said.

Walsh said the city is focused on continuing to provide critical services such as police and fire, garbage collection, 911, the 311 information and service request line, the COVID-19 hotline and the airport.

Were closely monitoring. Were prepared. Were planning. And if we need to make any adjustments, well communicate that, Walsh said. Our top priority is to make sure all critical services residents rely upon are there 100 percent of the time.

Staff writers Vincent T. Davis and Eric Killelea contributed to this report.

megan.stringer@express-news.net
On the Southwest Side of San Antonio, a line of people seeking a free rapid COVID-19 test stretched down the sidewalk from the parking lot of a hookah store and gas station.

The testing site, at the corner of Marbach Road and Military Drive, isnt on the citys list of verified locations, isnt one of the options through the state health departments resources and does not appear on Google Maps.

As COVID-19 cases have surged in San Antonio with the highly contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus, it has grown increasingly difficult to find a test. Some residents have had to sit in long lines for hours waiting for their chance to be tested, while others have stayed up past midnight trying to score same-day appointments at Walgreens, CVS pharmacies or other sites. Curative testing sites are often booked for days in advance.

More and new testing labs are likely to continue to pop up around San Antonio as the pandemic trudges on and new variants cause a new surge.

Officials in Houston and San Antonio warned of possible fake COVID-19 testing sites that may be defrauding people by charging them up-front costs or stealing their confidential information.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, asked the FBI this week to investigate a series of so-called pop-up testing sites in Houston that have failed to provide test results to local residents or have done so after delays of several days. In letters to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Jackson Lee wrote that the sites primarily target low-income or non-native individuals and often provide contact information that is disconnected and/or incorrect.

Most of the people getting tested may be desperate, Jackson Lee said at a news conference Wednesday. They may even have symptoms, and they cant get an answer. Thats whats so tragic.

San Antonio Metro Health spokeswoman Cleo Garcia said local officials are addressing this issue and warned that fraudulent sites commonly ask for patients social security numbers, charge an up-front cost and do not have logos or appear to be affiliated with any local health organization or business.

Adding to the confusion, a post on social media earlier this week expressed concerns that people in San Antonio were not waiting long enough to read the rapid results at the gas station testing site off Marbach Road and Military Drive. The post also pointed out there was no electronic data entry, just notes on a sheet of paper that testers and test recipients took photos of with their cell phones.

Cesar Galvan, 20, got tested at the gas station parking lot Wednesday.

Hed heard about the Marbach Road and Military Drive site from his mom and saw the long line when he passed through the area.

Syed Siddiqui, who runs the testing location, said he doesnt need to advertise  people come by word of mouth.

The free rapid test Siddiqui gave Galvan came from Sienna, available under Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Galvan said his test results were available after what seemed like five minutes, but the FDA instructions state the results for the Sienna test should be read 10-20 minutes after the sample is taken. The test results could be erroneous before or after that timeframe, according to the FDA.

After receiving rapid test results, Siddiqui said they send the samples to Easy Lab Services for a PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, test, which is generally more accurate than rapid results.

Based in Chicago, Easy Lab Services only handles samples from one public testing location: The gas station site in San Antonio, said Syed Ahmed, operations manager for Easy Lab Services. They take some other samples from private daycares and motels, he added.

We started in September of 2021, Ahmed said. Its a fairly new lab.

The tests are free because Easy Lab Services is reimbursed by the federal government, Ahmed said.

Easy Lab Services has been an incorporated business in Illinois since August, state business records show. It is listed as a CLIA-certified laboratory on the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions website  a certification it must have in order to run COVID-19 test results.

Ahmed used to live in San Antonio and is friends with the men who started the gas station testing site.

Im really picky about doing business with just anyone, he said. I get calls left and right about opening up a sample collection location. But like I said, the only one we have is in San Antonio.

He said they ship samples overnight from Texas to Illinois to get PCR test results. But it wasnt clear if the location was running PCR tests on Wednesday  Siddiqui said they were sending the samples to Easy Lab Services and instructed people to wait at least 48 hours for results. But Ahmed said they hit the brakes on PCR tests until they can get more supplies and more workers.

The lab employs about 16 people, Ahmed said, but almost half of them are out sick with COVID-19 right now.

Metro Health announced Wednesday that it opened three new, no-cost COVID-19 test sites operated by Community Labs. Testing is done on a walk-up only basis, and results should be provided within 24 hours.

The citys health department advised people should be cautious about a testing location if it is not affiliated with a medical provider or lab or if they are asked for payment. They should also ask what lab or medical organization they are affiliated with and then call that facility, Garcia said.

She encouraged people to check out the COVID-19 testing sites listed on the citys COVID-19 website at covid19.sanantonio.gov because the city has vetted those locations. The city verified those locations by looking at the testing platform a clinic uses and any health organizations or businesses with which it is affiliated.

Metro Healths been made aware this week about fake testing sites popping up around San Antonio and around Texas, Junda Woo, medical director with Metro Health, said Thursday at a news conference announcing the three new testing sites. These scammers are not running the test correctly. So you could have COVID and test negative  not because of any inherent problem with antigen tests but because they ran the test wrong.

A test that provides results in five minutes is a red flag, according to Metro Health.

Any fraudulent testing can be reported online at ftc.gov/complaint.

Jasper Scherer contributed to this report.

megan.stringer@express-news.net
Fans of margaritas and Mexican food have something to celebrate this week. The popular San Antonio restaurant La Fogata has opened a third location dubbed La Fogata Cantina on Austin Highway near Alamo Heights.

La Fogata Cantina has taken over the former home of Nosh, which occupied the floor below Silo Alamo Heights. Both properties closed early in the pandemic. Patrick Richardson, owner of both Silo and La Fogata, said he hopes to reopen Silo later this month or in early February.
Some of the best years of my life  I miss those people.

Good times and memories, but I have moved on.

Not my best days, but I have made peace with them.

Glad to be away from those people  I dont miss the high school experience.

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The San Antonio Symphony strike, now in its fourth month, is a rare example of San Antonio workers banding together against management for more money or improved working conditions.

Experts say the reason why strikes here are rare is that the city has had few of the kinds of industries that are likely to experience labor unrest.

San Antonio wasnt like Detroit, Chicago, Boston or even the coal areas of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, said Char Miller, an environmental and urban history professor at Pomona College in Claremont, Calif. and a former professor at Trinity University. It had few industries that employed large numbers of unionized workers. Add to that the states enmity toward unions and labor stoppages, and its no wonder strikes there are rare.

Rare but not unknown. Heres a look at some of the biggest strikes to have happened here:

Staff file photo

Alamo Iron Works, 1913

In early July, 50 iron molders from Alamo Iron Works, founded 10 years after the Civil War, walked off the job, demanding a pay increase to $3.75 per day, up from $3.50.

Ten days into the strike, tensions boiled over when strikers attacked nonunion workers as they were leaving the plant, located on the present-day site of the Alamodome.

The trouble, it is said, ended in a pitched battle between the two forces in which stones were used as weapons, read a story in the July 10, 1913 San Antonio Light newspaper. No one was seriously hurt.

An update in the July 25, 1913 San Antonio Express newspaper reported that the walkout was still underway, with no amicable adjustment of difficulty having been reached. Curiously, this was the last time the strike was mentioned in any of the citys three major newspapers.

On ExpressNews.com: Striking San Antonio Symphony musicians scramble to make ends meet

Shirlee Frocks, 1937

The Depression was a time of great labor unrest in the United States, and San Antonio was not immune. Several major strikes dominated local newspaper headlines during the 1930s and few were bigger than the one at infant dress manufacturer Shirlee Frocks.

It began when about 25 women garment workers walked off their jobs, demanding union wages, union recognition and the reinstatement of three workers fired for union activities. While strikers marched on the plant at 109 S. Pecos, at least 10 workers crossed the picket lines, the San Antonio Evening News reported.

The strike was part of an ongoing effort by the International Ladies Garment Workers Union to organize the mostly female labor force in Texas, and it was not free of violence.

A riot call was sent into police headquarters when the girl pickets attempted to forcibly restrain some of the workers from entering the plant, said a story in the May 25, 1937 Light with the headline Girl Picket is Arrested by Police. Fearful that a hair-pulling, clothes-tearing battle might ensue, Chief of Police Owen W. Kilday assumed personal charge of the police squad rushed to the scene.

Charges of simple assault were filed against one of the strikers involved.

The strike, along with similar actions against two other garment companies, the Texas Infants Dress Co. and Juvenile Manufacturing, ultimately was successful, resulting in more favorable contracts for workers and increased acceptance of unions. By 1940 the ILGWU counted 1,000 San Antonio-area workers among its members, according to the Handbook of Texas.

On ExpressNews.com: Not 'just a housekeeper': The $10-an-hour workers on the pandemic's front lines

San Antonio Laundry, 1937

On Aug. 7, about 80 workers at the San Antonio Laundry Co., members of the Laundry Workers Union, walked off their jobs. Their demands included a firm, nine-hour workday (down from as many as 14 hours) and a 20 percent increase in the average salary of $6.60 per week.

Two days later, with the company running classified ads seeking experienced laundry workers, the strike turned violent when police tried to escort between 25 to 30 strike breakers through picket lines at the plant, located 226 E. Market St. The Evening News reported that police had to push and shove strikers aside to make a path for cars carrying nonunion workers.

The next day, the San Antonio Express reported that the strikebreakers, fearing for their safety, had refused to leave the plant for three hours until they received police protection from the crowd outside.

On Aug. 11, striking employees were chased by armed men when they went to the homes of two strikebreakers in an attempt to persuade the workers to join the walkout. The next day a woman strikebreaker was grabbed and pushed by two women strikers as she attempted to enter the plant.

The strike, which the San Antonio Express called San Antonios most sensational lasted into the winter before being settled amicably.

As part of the settlement, employees got jobs, although not necessarily at San Antonio Laundry. Girl pickets, who, day after day, walked back and forth in front of the laundry, in sweltering heat, in freezing blizzards and in rain, were among the last to be given other jobs, the San Antonio Express wrote in January 1938.

UTSA Special Collections

Pecan-Shellers Strike, 1938

Undoubtedly the most famous and consequential strike in city history, this walkout occurred early in the year when some 12,000 pecan shellers walked off the job, most of them women. Pecan shelling was a brutal job paying an average of just $2 to $3 per week, with workers operating in dark, poorly ventilated rooms filled with pecan dust.

The strike was triggered when companies tried to cut shellers pay from 6 or 7 cents per pound of shelled nutsto 5 or 6 cents per pound. Wages for pecan crackers also were cut from 40 cents to 50 cents per 100 pounds.

The strike is also remembered for its original leader, the controversial labor firebrand Emma Tenayuca, although she was soon replaced by other, less contentious leadership.

San Antonio police came down hard on the strikers, with dozens arrested, according to the Handbook of Texas.

In March, an arbitrated settlement was reached that would pay 7 and 8 cents but that was soon superseded by passage of a new federal minimum wage of 25 cents per hour. Concerned that the new law would lead to increased mechanization of the industry, both sides requested an exemption, which the Department of Labor denied. Within three years, pecan shelling machines had replaced more than 10,000 San Antonio-area workers.

On ExpressNews.com: Mexican farmworkers sue South Texas labor contractor for unpaid wages, 'dangerous' housing conditions

Tex-Son Garment Manufacturing Co., 1959-1963

This ILGWU strike is one of the longest in San Antonio history. Called to protest low wages and benefits, poor working conditions and labor outsourcing to Mississippi, this was the first ILGWU strike led by Mexican American women and the first in which whites and Hispanics marched together at the company factory at 419 S. St. Marys St.

In order to regain public support following outbreaks of violence between picketers and strikebreakers, the union began emphasizing the strikers dual roles as workers and mothers, often having the women bring their children to march alongside them.

The strike also gained support from other area unions, and the strikers organized boycotts of retailers that carried Tex-Son products.

One reason the strike lasted so long was that picketers received a stipend from the union, variously reported as $20 and $30 per week. The factory remained open throughout the strike, however, and ILGWU officials stopped the payments in 1960. The picket line was abandoned in January 1963, with the strikers demands unmet. But the company didnt win, either, declaring bankruptcy shortly after the strike ended and relocating to Dallas.

William Luther /Staff photographer

Friedrich Refrigerators, 1964-1965

More than 500 union workers from one of San Antonios largest manufacturers walked off the job shortly before Christmas 1964 in a dispute over a new contract. The union representing workers was seeking a pay hike from $1.78 to $1.93 per hour.

Picketers at the plant, located at 1117 E. Commerce St., were joined by Bexar County Commissioner Albert Pena, more than 20 children of striking workers and also Santa Claus. A Dec. 24, 1964 story in the San Antonio Express quoted Pena as saying that San Antonio suffers a cheap labor complex and has the lowest wage scale in the country.

As negotiations dragged past New Years Day, a dance fundraiser was planned at Municipal Auditorium with tickets sold for $1 to help pay workers health insurance premiums. The event was expected to raise $4,200 and orchestras led by Rudy Carr and Ted Huston donated their services.

In mid-January 1965, the two sides reached agreement on a 16-cent per hour wage increase over three years, with all striking workers returning to their jobs within 30 days. Both sides agreed to conduct themselves as gentlemen according to the Express and News when work resumed.

Friedrich Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, 1977

In early January, about 700 union workers took to the picket lines over wages. With an average wage of $3.34 per hour, the union representing workers was asking for new contracts as close as possible to the national average for assembly line air conditioner and refrigeration workers of $4.91.

At one point the union requested a stop to the practice of city buses being used to transport nonstriking workers across picket lines, but City Council denied the request.

After three months, the strike was settled with workers receiving an immediate 40-cent to 90-cent per hour raise and improved health benefits. They also received a cost of living increase spread out over the next 33 months.

rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini
Sesame Street is welcoming San Antonio filmmakers Mark Lee Walley and Angela Guerra Walley to the neighborhood.

On Wednesday, the husband-and-wife team behind the independent film studio that focuses on visual and performing artists in San Antonio and Houston, will make its debut on the ninth episode of the 52nd season of Sesame Street.

On ExpressNews.com: Restaurants closing dining rooms, reducing hours as omicron takes toll on already-tight workforce

The episode, which is available on the HBO Max and PBS Kids apps as of Thursday, Jan. 6, features Angela as a watermelon farmer.

Im going to be on Sesame Street, yall, Angela said in a post on the studios Instagram account.

She added: I play a farmer who welcomes Cookie Monsters Foodie Truck to the watermelon farm and explains how watermelons are grown. We also filmed and edited the on-location segment for Foodie Truck, so being both in front of and behind the camera was a whole new experience.

Mark and Angela founded Walley Films in 2010. In 2018, The couple completed their feature-length documentary directorial debut, Tia Chuck: A Portrait of Chuck Ramirez, following the life and work of the late artist Chuck Ramirez.

Their band, Dreambored, released its debut album, "Loved Ones" in 2020. Walley Films wrote and directed Dreambored's music video for Coming Down the following year.

Timothy.Fanning@express-news.net
Calls to 911 for family violence in San Antonio during the COVID-19 lockdown period increased more than 14 percent, according to a new study published in the Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency.

The researchers said the uptick, from March 27 to May 20, 2020, underscores the need for social service and social welfare agencies to plan for future pandemics or other major disasters.

Policymakers should take appropriate steps now to bolster resources and scale up for the future, the researchers wrote. Local politicians and local influencers can also use their platforms to educate the public about the problem of family violence, where to get resources, and how exerting physical and emotional forms of violence are unacceptable.

The data, published in a peer-reviewed academic journal late last month, is similar to data released by the San Antonio Police Department at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

On ExpressNews.com: Family violence calls increase 18 percent in San Antonio as coronavirus stay-at-home orders issued

In March 2020, after local residents were told to stay home in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, emergency 911 calls for family violence increased 18 percent compared to the same time in 2019, the department reported.

This is obviously a big concern for us because domestic violence thrives on secrecy, Lt. Jesse Salame said at the time. The community needs to be aware that although we are limiting our interactions with friends, families and neighbors, we have to be mindful that these situations are occurring.

However, Salame cautioned that the increase in 911 calls is not necessarily indicative of more offenses. It could mean that more victims are aware that help is available and are pursuing it.

He also warned that data on calls for service isnt 100 percent reliable  as some calls that are initially classified as one type of offense can end up being something else.

The researchers  who are based at universities in San Antonio, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas and Melbourne, Australia  echoed those cautions.

Nevertheless, they pointed out that the true number of family violence incidents could be even higher, as victims of family violence are often fearful or reluctant to reach out for help.

Given that family violence remains an under-reported crime, we anticipate that the level of family violence, including emotional violence, was likely even higher during the pandemic lockdown, the researchers wrote.

Why San Antonio

Several other studies have noted an uptick in family violence following stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The researches said they were particularly interested in studying the problem in San Antonio because the city had a high rate of domestic violence assaults and killings prior to the start of the pandemic.

In 2016, 27 people in Bexar County were killed in family violence assaults, eight more than the year before, according to a San Antonio Express-News investigation published last year. In 2017, the death toll climbed to 35. It hovered around that level for two years before shooting up to 43 during the pandemic year of 2020.

The researchers were also interested in studying domestic violence in San Antonio because nearly two-thirds of the citys population is Hispanic or Latino.

Some studies have found that Hispanic women are disproportionately affected by domestic violence, due in part to unique obstacles that some Hispanic women face, such as language barriers, stressors related to immigration status, and a lack of access to economic resources, potentially limiting their ability to leave an abusive relationship.

Moreover, other studies have shown that unemployment and alcohol use among Hispanic men increases a female partners risk of violence.

Unfortunately, there is evidence that both of these risk factors increased during the pandemic, the researchers wrote.

How to respond

The researchers said their study  in addition to others that found similar increases in domestic violence during the pandemic  underscores the need for additional social services.

They suggested that police officers should receive specialized training on how to respond to family violence calls  something the San Antonio Police Training Academy has done for years.

The researchers also said that local policymakers should look into having police officers respond to domestic violence calls in concert with mental health or social service professionals.

On ExpressNews.com: How the system fails victims of family violence

Later this year, the city of San Antonio plans to unveil a multidisciplinary response team consisting of a mental health clinician, a paramedic and a police officer to respond to mental health calls in areas around the SAPDs Central Substation.

While city officials considered having that team also respond to domestic violence calls, police officials cautioned against doing so  saying domestic violence calls are among the most dangerous that they respond to.

Still, researchers said the idea is worth exploring.

Current efforts in policing today vis-a-vis mental health calls has some police officers responding to such calls in concert with mental health or social service professionals, the researchers wrote. To the extent feasible, some consideration should be given to the use of these types of approaches for domestic violence calls as well.

eeaton@express-news.net
Edison Carraman choked back tears as he read an apology to his family after a Bexar County jury on Friday found him guilty of murder.

He was the only cousin on that side of the family that I was close to, he said as the punishment phase of his case started, immediately after jurors took four and a half hours to convict him in the fatal drive-by shooting of Kristopher Carraman, 23, on March 27, 2020.

Moments before, relatives of the victim wept silently as the verdict was read, after which Judge Melisa Skinner began the trials sentencing phase. Jurors will be back in the 437th District Court Monday morning for closing arguments and to deliberate punishment.

Edison Carraman, 23, faces up to life in prison. He was 21 when he was arrested and charged in the fatal shooting.

When Michele Carraman  the victims mother and first witness of the sentencing phase  was shown a photo of her son, she started sobbing uncontrollably, prompting Skinner to call for a brief break and send the jury out of the courtroom. When she returned, she cried again, saying Kristopher was the glue that kept all of us together, and lamented that his sons would not know their father.

On ExpressNews.com: Not what we do with family: San Antonio man testifies cousins were fighting over a woman before fatal shooting

At times, Edison struggled to maintain his composure on the witness stand as he read from a prepared statement.

It deeply saddens me that Kris is no longer with us. Their children will no longer have their father, to know the man he was, he said. I wish he would have called me that night instead of the person who called me.

Appearing defiant, Edison said he stood by his testimony Thursday.

I did not kill Kris, he said. The person who was with me did. The family feels like it should be me and they should put all of this hate on me. I accept that.

Edison declined again to name the person who was with him that night when prosecutors asked the name.

During the trial, which began Tuesday, witnesses testified that the family had been having a cookout, making tacos and enjoying each others company, which was a regular occurrence for the large family.

Gonzalo Carraman  known as Chalo, who is defendants cousin and the victims uncle  testified Tuesday that he felt it was his responsibility to defuse the situation between the men because they were at odds over Edison beginning to date Kristophers ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of his sons.

Text messages between Gonzalo and Edison escalated to the men agreeing to meet at a park.

Around 11:30 p.m. that night, the family was outside the home in the 1800 block of West Pyron Avenue on the South Side when a black car slowly drove past the house and someone in the vehicle fired multiple shots.

On ExpressNews.com: I didnt think he was going to shoot nobody: Man accused of killing cousin said passenger shot him

Relatives said they heard a familiar voice  Edison Carramans  call out Chalo with an expletive before shots rang out.

At least four shots were fired into the air, while another hit Kristopher Carraman on his forehead, above the left eyebrow, and exited through the back of his head. He later died at Brooke Army Medical Center.

In a frantic 911 call and in body camera audio and video, relatives are seen trying to stop blood from gushing out of the victims head and are heard almost immediately identifying the shooter as Edison Carraman, saying he fired the gun from either the passengers side of the car or from the moonroof on top of the car.

Edison Carraman, testifying in his defense on Thursday, told the jury that he drove his car by the house because he was angry that his cousin Gonzalo Carraman had sent him numerous texts and called him nine times about Edison dating his nephews ex, and they agreed to meet at a park across from the home.

On ExpressNews.com: Relatives ID family member as killer on witness stand

The defendant said a friend  whom he would not name, saying he feared for his family  was there to have his back. The defendant said that unnamed man, and not him, fired the shots.

I didnt think he was going to shoot nobody, the defendant told the court, adding that when his friend began shooting, Edison told him to fire up into the air.

Testimony established that on the night of the shooting, Kristopher Carraman and his fiance left the West Pyron Avenue home and took his children to their mothers house.

Relatives testified that Kristopher Carramans ex was his high school sweetheart and that she told him she had begun dating his cousin, Edison Carraman.

Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox

Alexandria Carraman, Kristopher Carramans aunt, testified that her nephew was concerned about Edison being around his son because of some of the activities that Edison participates in, she told the court Wednesday.

The news disappointed him, she testified.

San Antonio police never recovered the .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun they said was used in the shooting, but ballistics exerts testified that markings on shell casings found at the scene and unspent bullets found in Edison Carramans home indicated that they came from the same gun.

In his closing arguments, prosecutor David Martin said that whether Edison Carraman was the driver or the passenger, or whether Gonzalo Carraman was the intended target, Edison Carraman is still guilty of murder.

Kristopher was the unintended target. Unfortunately, he got hit, Martin told the jury. Edison Carraman chose to shoot at a person and killed a person.

Defense attorney Raymond Martinez noted in his closing arguments that Gonzalo Carraman and his sister Audrey Carraman changed their eyewitness accounts from the day of the shooting, and suggested that they discussed their testimony so it would match.

Gonzalo was heard in the 911 call saying Edison was the passenger and that the shots came from Edison. This week, he said they came from the moonroof. Meanwhile, Audrey initially said Edison was the driver and fired the shots, but on Thursday said she was too emotional that day, when she gave her nephew CPR, and said she now knows he was the passenger.

They needed to make sure they put him in the passengers seat. They changed their story, Martinez told the jury, before arguing that if his client is guilty, it is for manslaughter and a reckless  but not intentional  act.

Martin, in the second half of his closing, said Edison had a gun and that whether he shot it or asked someone else to, the gun didnt go off by itself.

Thats murder, whether you are a passenger, a driver or the Easter Bunny.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
Texas new restrictive abortion law returns on Friday to a federal appeals court, where judges will consider a very narrow legal question: whether state medical licensing officials can discipline doctors and nurses for performing abortions in Texas after about six weeks of pregnancy.

This thin challenge is the only one left to abortion providers since the Supreme Courts 8-to-1 decision in December, which kept the uniquely designed law largely intact. At Fridays hearing, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will decide whether that remaining challenge should be sent to the Texas Supreme Court or proceed in federal court.

Lawyers for Texas abortion providers have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to step in and force the 5th Circuit to instead send the case to a federal district court. The Supreme Court has not yet responded to that motion and unless it does before Friday, the appeals hearing will proceed as scheduled.

Fridays hearing is unlikely to change much about abortion access in Texas, where abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy have been effectively banned for more than four months.

The best thing would have been for the Supreme Court to block this unconstitutional law, but we didnt get that, said Amy Hagstrom Miller, the founder and CEO of Whole Womans Health, which operates four abortion clinics in Texas. So we just have to keep trying to get some relief from this law.

But this last remaining challenge from the Supreme Court case will not substantially change the crux of the law, which empowers private citizens to sue anyone who, as the law says, aids or abets in an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Im not sure people are fully appreciating the impact of that Supreme Court ruling, said Marc Hearron, senior counsel for the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing the abortion providers. The Supreme Court  has given the green light to these bounty-hunting schemes.

Evading judicial review

The Texas law, originally passed as Senate Bill 8, makes it illegal to help a pregnant patient obtain an abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy.

The Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade in 1973 that states cannot ban abortion before the point at which a fetus could likely survive outside the womb, usually around 24 weeks. For decades, the courts have blocked states, including Texas, from enacting pre-viability bans.

But SB8 was specifically designed to withstand judicial challenge by empowering private citizens  not state officials  to sue anyone who aids or abets in a prohibited abortion for at least $10,000 per abortion.

By design, government officials are removed from enforcing the law, leaving abortion providers with no government entity to challenge in court.

Fearing financial ruin, abortion providers in Texas have completely ceased the procedure after fetal cardiac activity is detected, which is often before a patient even knows they are pregnant.

Whole Womans Health, which runs four abortion clinics in Texas, is the lead plaintiff on the case. Hagstrom Miller said the clinics have been serving less than 30 percent of their usual patient load since the law went into effect in September.

Some people are going straight to Louisiana or another state where its more accessible, she said. But a lot of people are just disappearing. They know their options are gone, they know they are over the limit and those are the folks that you are going to see over the next generation be impacted in really long-term ways.

In November, lawyers for the abortion providers argued before the Supreme Court that the law is unconstitutional and could be blocked by preventing the judicial system from taking these cases.

But the high court largely disagreed with the challenges brought by lawyers for the abortion providers. It did allow one challenge to proceed against state officials who would be responsible for revoking the medical licenses of anyone who was sued under the law.

Doctors, nurses and pharmacists are at risk of losing their medical licenses if they violate this law, said Hearron.

But even if the court were to block these licensing officials from taking action, the primary threat of the law remains in place. Abortion providers could still face countless civil lawsuits, each for at least $10,000, for every abortion they perform.

Hagstrom Miller said her organization is committed to seeing this challenge through to the end, no matter how narrow.

Hopefully, well get some relief, she said. Its just hard to predict how much relief well need for people to resume care.

Whats next

The 5th Circuit has said it will consider whether the case should now be sent to the Texas Supreme Court to weigh in on whether the challenge to the medical licensing officials can proceed.

The Texas attorney generals office did not respond to a request for comment. But in a court filing, lawyers for the state argued that sending the case to the Texas Supreme Court is the proper move.

The Supreme Court made clear that it was offering only a tentative interpretation of Texas law, the filing reads. The court reaffirmed that federal courts must follow the state judiciarys interpretations of state law.

Lawyers for the abortion providers argued in a motion filed to the Supreme Court that the 5th Circuit should instead have immediately sent the case back down to the district court. Agreeing with that stance, 5th Circuit Judge Stephen A. Higginson wrote in a dissent that there is nothing left for the court to consider.

The defendants already lost this point in the Supreme Court, he wrote. They should not get a second bite.

Involving the state supreme court could add months, or longer, to the resolution of this case. The U.S. Supreme Court did not block the law while this is being litigated, and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is unlikely to do so either.

The only real path to blocking the law runs through the district court, Hearron said. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman briefly blocked the law in October, and theres a pending motion for summary judgment before him.

The plan for now is to keep trying to get back into district court to get a declaratory judgment, said Hearron. Apart from that, providers are going to have to take a hard look at what theyre going to be able to do.

One option is for providers to intentionally violate the law and then challenge the resulting lawsuit in court on constitutional grounds.

In October, Dr. Alan Braid, an abortion provider in San Antonio, said he had performed a prohibited abortion. He was sued three times and has asked a federal judge to throw out the suits on the grounds that the law is unconstitutional.

That case is ongoing.

Hagstrom Miller said she fantasizes about all the abortion providers statewide banding together to violate the law. But that would require putting their faith in a court system that has proven increasingly hostile toward abortion access in recent years.

What this new (Supreme) Court has done just this year, its night and day from even six years ago, she said, referring to her 2016 victory at the Supreme Court knocking down a slew of abortion restrictions. I just dont think in this country generally we can look to the court system for the relief weve gotten in the past.

The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
A San Antonio man accused of killing his cousin in a drive-by shooting after an argument told a Bexar County jury that while he drove the car that night, a passenger in his car  whom he would not name  fired the shots.

Edison Carraman, 24, is accused of murder in the death of his cousin, Kristopher Carraman, 21, on March 27, 2020. Testimony from numerous relatives who witnessed the shooting established that the defendant had started dating the victims ex-girlfriend, who is the mother of his sons. Relatives also testified that there was a rift in the family.

Testifying in his defense, Edison Carraman said he never spoke to the victim that night, but received angry and profane text messages and phone calls from Kristopher Carramans uncle, Gonzalo Carraman.

Earlier in the trial, Gonzalo Carraman testified that he wanted to intervene between the two because he felt it was wrong for his cousin to be dating his nephews ex-girlfriend.

On Thursday, Edison Carraman told the jury that text messages and profanity-riddled phone calls made him feel belittled, so he agreed to meet Gonzalo Carraman at a park across the street from his home on Pyron Avenue the night of the shooting. The defendant said he picked up a friend so that someone could have his back in case something happened.

On ExpressNews.com: Relatives ID family member as killer on witness stand

Under direct questioning by defense attorney Raymond Martinez, Edison Carraman said he kept a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun in his car, which his passenger saw when Carraman opened the glove compartment. He said that as he drove slowly down the street, the passenger pulled out the gun, rolled down his window and stuck his hand out the window as they approached the park.

I was telling him, Dont shoot at the house. If you are going to shoot, shoot straight up, the defendant told the jury.

Edison Carraman said that after several shots were fired, he drove the passenger to his home nearby. He stayed with the gun, Carraman said.

The defendant said he did not know that someone had been shot until he was arrested and went before a magistrate.

Under cross-examination by prosecutor David Martin, Edison Carraman would not name the passenger.

I cant answer because I fear for my familys safety, he told the court.

Martin asked, You actually encouraged him to shoot the gun?

I said shoot it in the air, Edison Carraman replied. I didnt think he was going to shoot nobody.

On ExpressNews.com: Not what we do with family: San Antonio man testifies cousins were fighting over a woman before fatal shooting

San Antonio police never recovered the weapon used in the shooting. An expert said gunshot residue tests were inconclusive on Edison Carraman, who was arrested after he had taken a shower.

His testimony followed that of two prosecution witnesses, Gonzalo Carraman and Audrey Carraman, who are siblings to each other and Kristopher Carramans uncle and aunt. They conceded that their testimony in court was inconsistent with their witness statements immediately after the shooting.

Audrey Carraman cried as she said that she was too overcome with emotion the night she performed CPR on her nephew, and mistakenly said Edison Carraman was the driver. She said she knows now he was the passenger. Gonzalo Carraman said he saw the shots come from the roof of the car, from the moonroof, and said he relives it every day.

The defense is expected to call one more witness Friday morning before both sides present closing arguments.

If convicted, Edison Carraman faces up to life in prison.

ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
Almost three weeks since 3-year-old Lina Sardar Khil went missing, some veteran investigators surmise she did not wander off on her own but likely was the target of an abduction.

The missing girls case has gripped San Antonio since she disappeared near her familys apartment on the Northwest Side. The FBI recently joined the San Antonio Police Department in the search and brought in profilers and divers.

Her disappearance is being treated as a missing person case, with no evidence of any criminal activity. The Texas Department of Public Safety discontinued its statewide amber alert for the child Friday, but the investigation continues.

On ExpressNews.com: Hopes for a better life for Lina Sardar Khil dashed by her disappearance

Lina was last seen at a playground between 4:30 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Villas Del Cabo Apartments at 9400 Fredericksburg Road, where her mother had left her for a few minutes.

Theres always a possibility she may have wandered off, retired FBI agent Greg Pratt said. As time goes on, that possibility dwindles.

Jacob Beltran /San Antonio Express-News William Luther/Staff Jessica Phelps, Staff photographer / Jessica Phelps Via The Creative Mango owner Marco Garcia While police say there is no evidence yet of a crime, former FBI agents say it is unlikely 3-year-old Lina Sardar Khil wandered off on her own. Express-News photos While police say there is no evidence yet of a crime, former FBI agents say it is unlikely 3-year-old Lina Sardar Khil wandered off on her own. Express-News photos

Retired FBI agent Abel Pena, CEO of Project Absentis, an organization made up of retired FBI agents who have worked abduction and kidnapping cases, said he visited the complex and believes it is unlikely that the girl wandered away.

Is it possible she walked out of the gate? Honestly, I dont see that happening, Pena said. Most kids stay nearby, unless she was drawn out.

Since Linas disappearance, San Antonio has had a few freezing nights, and it is unlikely she survived if she was outside, according to Pratt and Eric Herr, vice president of Search and Support San Antonio, which has been involved in other search cases.

From the very beginning, to me, this sounded like an abduction, Herr said. A 3-year-old child is going to walk away at 5 oclock? I mean, everyone is getting home from work. Its busy traffic hours there. Theres no way shes out walking around and no one sees her.

Pena and Pratt said the FBIs involvement in the case does not mean that agency is taking it over  as many Hollywood movies and shows portray  but instead is complementing SAPDs resources.

Its not a matter of capability, its capacity, Pratt said. When you have a big case, departments sometimes get overwhelmed. They could exceed their capacity because of manpower or other resources.

Pratt, who served on the Evidence Response Team in San Antonio in his years with the FBI, said the local field office always has had a good working relationship with SAPD.

The retired agents caution that, although members of the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit, or BAU  known for developing profiles of suspects  were brought in, it doesnt necessarily mean there was an abduction.

Pratt said each division of the FBI has at least one representative or liaison to the BAU who could decide whether to call in members from the Quantico, Va.-based unit.

Pena, Pratt and other retired agents said the profilers might be developing information about what could have occurred. Generally, investigators handling the case could already have a working theory. The profilers will look at reports and witness interviews for information, discrepancies or other clues, the retired agents said.

The BAU may put together an analysis of what happened, Pena said. They might look at the behavioral patterns of some of the individuals connected to the case. Theyll analyze and try to determine things like, Is this person truthful, or are they being deceptive?

If they see any deficiencies or missing information, they may re-interview the witnesses, Pratt said. If it is an abduction, they might look at developing a suspect.

Pena noted that early in his FBI career, the BAU profilers helped him solve the abduction of Crystal Guerrero, a 7-week-old infant, from a Chicago clinic. The BAU, during the 1993 case, came up with a profile of the kidnapping suspect that turned out to be spot on: A Hispanic female, very religious and Catholic.

William Luther /Staff

They suggested putting a priest on TV, who said, If you are godly, bring this child to the altar of God, Pena said.

Within days, the infant was left at a church altar before Christmas 1993, and Hortencia Hernandez was arrested and charged with kidnapping, Pena recalled. Hernandez tried to convince people that the child was hers.

In the San Antonio case, 11 members of the FBI dive team searched a creek in the 5700 block of Babcock, near Huebner, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The area is more than 2 miles from where Lina and her family live.

At a briefing at the site this week, Police Chief William McManus said that although the search of the creek bed seemed like we are really onto something, investigators were just following up on leads.

We dont want to leave anything to chance, McManus said. Everything that we get that has any potential at all, we follow it up.

In a statement, SAPD said that the footprint of the search operations has been expanded to locations near Linas home. The search of the creek bed broadened the search grid but ended without any conclusive findings, the statement said.

Our follow-up units continue to tirelessly investigate the disappearance of Lina, the statement said. No resource, both from the department and the FBI, has been spared in this investigation. Countless hours have been devoted to evidence analysis, aggressively chasing down leads, re-interviewing people, and ensuring that every piece of information is thoroughly scrutinized.

guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland
The San Antonio Martin Luther King Jr. Commission board has canceled the citys in-person MLK March for the second year in a row because of COVID-19.

Renee Watson, MLK commission chair, said the board made its decision Thursday night after an 8-4 vote.

She said the commission will meet Monday to determine how many events can be moved to a virtual environment. They will also discuss how to comply with the King familys request to cities across the nation not to celebrate until the voting rights act is passed.

We know because of the virus we cannot risk the health and safety of our community, Watson said. Each one of our commissioners had comments on what their concerns were about, and thats how we came to that decision.

Other event cancellations due to COVID-19 include the Asian Festival and the Texas Folklife Festival. The University of Texas-San Antonio Institute of Texan Cultures, which organizes both events, vowed that they would be back next year.

Our hope is that the extended year will allow staff more planning time so that we may deliver quality cultural experiences that engage the community and continue our celebrated traditions, states a news release. The extra time will allow us to work through lingering challenges such as supply chain, health and safety protocols and logistics.

The cancellations fall in line with other cities across the nation that have curtailed observations and events because of the pandemic. Earlier this week, Metro Health upgraded the COVID-19 risk level to severe, citing a positivity rate of 27.3 percent.

San Antonios MLK March is considered one of the nations largest observances and has drawn estimated crowds of 100,000 people of all creeds and races.

Last year, because of safety concerns, the MLK Commission asked residents not to go to the traditional 2.75-mile route. They recommended that the thousands of marchers celebrate the late civil rights leader through a virtual event titled Dream: Rising up for Justice by filmmaker YaKe Smith.

Yet, more than 60 faithful marchers took to the East Side route to observe Kings holiday.

Last year, organizer Kathleen Carter-Stiggers said the impromptu procession was the groups way to remember King and the Rev. R.A. Callies, who started the marches on April 6, 1968. Callies, pastor of First Gethsemane Baptist Church, organized the event with seven marchers to honor the slain civil rights leader.

The residents drove vehicles and walked, wearing masks, from Davis-Scott YMCA to the Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, where the March traditionally begins.

Watson said the commission cant sanction 100,000 people going out to the route as COVID cases are on the rise.

Its the peoples constitutional right to march, she said. If they do go out, they should be safe, social distance and wear face masks.

She said the commission will put out an event schedule on Tuesday.
Retired Army Capt. Le Roy Torres was forced to quit his job as a Texas state trooper when the Department of Public Safety would not provide accommodations for a respiratory condition resulting from repeated exposure to burn pits during his time as a reservist in Iraq.

Torres sued.

After wondering if the case would go anywhere, Torres and his wife, Rosie, recently learned the U.S. Supreme Court had asked the acting solicitor general to outline the governments views in the case.

We have a 1 percent chance out of 8,000 cases, said Rosie Torres, whose husband deployed to Iraq in 2007. They live in Robstown. Just knowing that our case will be heard before the United States Supreme Court, thats a victory in itself for us.

Le Roy Torres resigned over DPS refusal to grant accommodations for a respiratory condition resulting from his exposure to burn pits in the war zone and sued under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.

Congress passed the law, called USERRA, to protect troops from being fired or losing benefits  such as vacation time  when they miss work for training exercises and deployments.

Mayra Beltran, Staff / Houston Chronicle Billy Calzada, Staff / Staff Photographer Spc. Phillip Melton of Turon, Kansas burns human waste in the pit at Patrol Base K-wal in Shakarat, Iraq/ NICOLE FRUGE, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Torres said he was pressured to resign after developing a debilitating lung disease while working near a 10-acre burn pit at Balad Air Base, north of Baghdad. The pit, he said, burned everything from plastic bottles and batteries to body parts.

USERRA requires employers to make reasonable efforts to accommodate the disabilities of veterans. Under the law, veterans and service members can return to their old civilian jobs, retaining the seniority and salary they would have had if they had been continuously employed.

RELATED: 'Veterans are dying': Texan man exposed to toxic burn pits featured on new Jon Stewart show

Civilian and local government employers can be sued if they discriminate against someone based on their military service.

A Texas appellate court held the law unconstitutional because Congress lacks the power to authorize lawsuits against nonconsenting states. It said Texas has sovereign immunity against such suits. The Texas Supreme Court refused to take the case, but the U.S. Supreme Court asked acting Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar to explain the governments views on the matter.

Rosie Torres credits U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro with getting Prelogar to weigh in. Castro said five states give veterans no recourse when a government employer discriminates them on the basis of their service.

Rosie and Burn Pits 360 has become the main organization advocating for service members exposed to burn pits, said Castro, D-San Antonio. I listened to their story, Le Roys story, and also to the stories they were telling me of other veterans and I thought, my God, this was just like Agent Orange from the Vietnam era.

A July 2 letter to Prelogar drafted by Castro and signed by other members of Congress expressed concern over the effect the appellate courts novel and incorrect constitutional holding would have on veterans and service members. We are also concerned that it will hinder Congress ability to ensure the national defense, the letter stated.

Sebastian Meyer, Contributor / Corbis via Getty Images

Le Roy and Rosie Torres have become well-known among veterans for creating Burn Pits 360, which lobbies for those who suffer ailments linked to burn pit exposure. Their Burn Pit 360 registry now has a little more than 10,000 veterans. It includes entries for people whose deaths are believed to have been caused by burn pit exposure.

RELATED: Iraq veterans case against Texas is testing job protections for homecoming troops

A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report, released Sept. 11, 2020, found three symptoms associated with burn pits  coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. It uncovered no medical conditions associated with exposure to them.

The Veterans Affairs Department has since launched a review of particulate matter pollution and added three conditions as presumptions: asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis, while continuing to review health outcomes for veterans.

It has been at loggerheads with some researchers on the question of whether burn pits were a true health hazard. As the agency has continued its research, its also claimed that there is no proof of long-term health problems from the pits.

Still, nearly 286,301 veterans and service members have signed up with the VAs Airborne Hazards and Open Pit Registry, with more than 31,600 from the Lone Star State.

The Veterans Benefits Administration processed 17,088 disability claims with at least one condition related to burn pit exposure from 15,413 veterans from June 2007 through Nov. 30

As the federal government has grudgingly acknowledged the problem, Congress has taken action. U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., and a physician, spearheaded a pair of bills last year that became part of the new National Defense Authorization Act.

One bill requires the Pentagon to implement mandatory training for all medical providers with the Defense Department on the potential health effects of burn pits. The other requires the department and the VA to include Egypt and Syria in the burn pit registry.

Despite that movement in Washington, state government workers across the nation have faced hurdles when filing lawsuits seeking monetary damages even though USERRA applies to private employers and government agencies.

Texas and other states have contended they have sovereign immunity from being sued under the federal law. In making that claim, Attorney General Ken Paxton has also argued that the Legislature passed laws allowing veterans to pursue wrongful termination claims.

A brief filed by Paxton with the Texas Supreme Court stated that the Legislature has provided remedies that Torres could have used, but he is instead attempting to take advantage of federal remedies state lawmakers did not intend to allow in court.

State law caps damages at $300,000. Torres had sought more than $1 million for lost wages and retirement benefits.

RELATED: Texas veterans and caregivers cope as Congress eyes burn pits

Now 49, Torres began showing signs of falling ill after coming home from Iraq. He began having bad headaches and a dry cough that doctors diagnosed as constrictive bronchiolitis. He was reassigned to answer phones at a driver license office, working in a small room and wearing a mask to cover his coughing.

He asked DPS to give him an accommodation to become an investigator but was refused, and he said he was pressured to resign in 2012.

Now, he cant collect retirement.

A judge in Nueces County found in Torres favor, but the appeals court reversed the decision. The Texas Supreme Court denied the petition for review in early June, with the U.S. Supreme Court deciding to take the case only a few weeks ago.

Andrew Burton, Stringer / Getty Images

Castro said hell be part of an amicus brief to be filed with the high court in the case and hopes to be there for oral arguments that could come as early as this spring.

This is an issue of the federal governments war powers, said Castro, a former chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and senior member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Of course, the state of Texas sees it as an issue of sovereign immunity for the state, and so its unlike other issues like vouchers or abortion or other things where its easier to tell right away where some of the justices might come down.

Torres sent a message from his hospital bed Thursday night after being rushed there for internal bleeding. He said the case would not only validate USERRA but save the lives of hundreds of warriors who have lost their jobs due to war injuries.

It has been detrimental and exhausting to me and my family following the moral injury suffered from my employer forcing me to resign, Torres said. We press onward and remain hopeful that justice will prevail for the citizen-soldier.

sigc@express-news.net
In late 1995, Illinois state Sen. Alice Palmer was in a bind.

The Democratic lawmaker had launched a campaign for a vacant congressional seat, but finished a distant third in a special primary field that included Jesse Jackson Jr.

So Palmer decided, at the last minute, to seek another term in the Illinois General Assembly even though she had already endorsed a potential successor, a young lawyer named Barack Obama.

Obama didnt take kindly to Palmers switcheroo. Members of his campaign team questioned the legitimacy of the 1,580 petition signatures that Palmer had gathered in only two weeks. They challenged hundreds of those signatures and succeeded in forcing Palmer off the ballot.

Ultimately, Obamas petition-challenging tactics eliminated all four of his opponents and allowed him to coast uncontested through the Democratic primary.

There are at least two lessons to this story:

1. Campaign politics (particularly the deep-dish Chicago variety) is an unforgiving contact sport.

2. If you want people to entrust you with an elective office, you need to demonstrate that you can properly execute the simple tasks required to get you on the ballot.

Siggi Ragnar, Photographer

Thats what the recent legal battle between Nadine Nieto and Lisa Uresti-Dasher was all about.

On the surface, it was endless court questioning about hyphens.

Beneath the surface, it was Nietos bid to prove that her rival in the Democratic primary for the 285th District Court bench is either dishonest or incompetent.

It started on Dec. 8, when Roy Barrett, an attorney representing Nieto, sent a letter to Monica Alcantara, the chair of the Bexar County Democratic Party.

Barrett alleged that Uresti-Dashers Nov. 18 ballot application contained inaccuracies that rendered her ineligible for the Democratic primary.

Barrett focused on Uresti-Dashers use of a hyphen between her maiden and married surnames, which he described as invalid because it is neither her legal name nor a nickname.

Courtesy

He stated that Uresti-Dasher, the daughter of Tax Assessor-Collector Albert Uresti and the niece of disgraced former state Sen. Carlos Uresti, was emphasizing her maiden name to ride the coattails of her father.

He also cited an item on the form in which Uresti-Dasher falsely stated that she has continuously resided for 40 years in Texas and 35 years in the district which she hopes to represent.

However, Uresti-Dasher left the state to study at the University of Wisconsin Law School, graduating in 2010. She later lived for three years in Houston.

Alcantara disregarded Nietos objections.

On Dec.17, Nieto filed suit against Alcantara, the Bexar County Democratic Party and Uresti-Dasher, arguing that Uresti-Dashers ballot application contains several facial defects that invalidate her application and violate the Texas Election Code.

During a Wednesday court hearing to settle the issue of whether or not Uresti-Dasher could stay on the March ballot, the endless questioning from Barrett about dates, places and hyphens drove Uresti-Dashers attorney, Andrew Toscano, up the wall.

He said Barretts relentless cross-examination of Uresti-Dasher amounted to the entirety of Nietos campaign.

At one point, he interrupted the proceedings to tell Barrett, I know you dont want me to bother you, but youre bothering us.

On Wednesday afternoon, visiting Judge John Gabriel denied Nietos request for a temporary injunction, a ruling that will enable Uresti-Dasher to stay on the ballot.

While the verdict went her way, the hearing itself did Uresti-Dasher no favors. In fending off Barretts suggestions that she had been less than honest while filling out the application form, she took the ignorance defense.

She said the continuous-residence box on the form had confused her. She also indicated that she was perplexed by the concept of residence.

I did not know what residence meant. I didnt look up the code, Uresti-Dasher said.

Theres also the fact that a newspaper ad for Uresti-Dashers candidacy proclaims that she has been serving San Antonio as your lawyer for 12+ years!

By her own admission, however, Uresti-Dasher received her attorneys license 11 years ago, subsequently worked for H-E-B in a non-legal capacity and then lived for three years in Houston. Theres no denying that the ad is false.

In a statement released on Thursday, Uresti-Dasher characterized Nietos lawsuit as an attempt to take the decision out of the voters hands.

She added, It was a frivolous claim with absolutely no merit that was nothing but a waste of tax dollars and court resources.

To be sure, it was a hardball political move. In the spirit of 1996 Barack Obama.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
After Congress reconvened late on Jan. 6, 2021, a friend posted a comment on his social media that still resonates.

Its not what you think it was, he wrote.

The words perplexed and angered me as I watched the footage that replayed late into that night and the days that followed.

That mob surging up steps and scaling walls like medieval hordes. Citizens beating police with American and Blue Lives Matter flags, fists and fire extinguishers. The smoke and glass. Helmets, body armor and MAGA ball caps. Yells, chants and hatred under a gray sky. Legislators ducking behind chairs. Guards drawing guns to protect lawmakers, some of whom fueled the big lie of widespread voter fraud. The lights of the Capitol shining into the night.

On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: Indifference allows Jan. 6 wounds to fester

It was cinematic. The setting and timing. The banners, shouts, racism, fanaticism and oddity were too on point to be spontaneous. Someone produced Jan. 6.

Hadnt my friend seen what I saw? It was what it looked like. We exchanged comments that night. The conversation faded, but his words stuck with me.

Like a tumor, the question of what Jan. 6 was, and is, grows and morphs with each revelation and obstruction. The whitewashing, what-abouting and downplaying only make the questions grow. Its tendrils reach across our nation to infect us all.

Weve had many conversations about that day. We examine and analyze it from all angles. Magnify and dissect it. Try to shine a light into the darkness, but nothing reflects. We cant make sense of what we saw  a national trauma that could happen again.

On ExpressNews.com: Lingle: Vets in House loyal to a lie, not to their oath

Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell said he was more scared Jan. 6. than during his Army deployment to Iraq.

Literature offers one place to make sense of brutality and violence. In Tim OBriens meditation on Vietnam, The Things They Carried, he wrote, In a true war story, if theres a moral at all, its like the thread that makes the cloth. You cant tease it out. You cant extract the meaning without unraveling the deeper meaning.

The sentiment holds true for the hand-to-hand combat of Jan. 6. The more we dig, the more the run-up and aftermath implicate us all  our histories, families, religions, biases, beliefs and institutions.

Jan. 6 hit more than a few of my blind spots.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: One dark day in January reverberates

My dad, a career policeman, worked many protests and riots over the years.

D.C. officer Michael Fanones mannerisms, words and tattoos remind me of our oldest boy, Christopher, a sheriffs deputy. The mob beat and tased Fanone before some helped him escape. About those who helped, he said, I think the conclusion Ive come to is Thank you, but (expletive) you for being there. Christopher would likely say the same.

Our daughter flew back to her military training early on Jan. 5, 2021. That morning the San Antonio airport bustled with an odd mix of college kids, business travelers and more than a few people sporting MAGA paraphernalia. She sent us videos of people on her flight chanting Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump 2020! We love our president - Trump train, Trump plane!

The MAGA people asked if she was going to the rally. As the day wore on, we realized the chanting wasnt isolated. Planes from across the country were headed to D.C. with people yelling about a man who lost the election.

What a disgraceful example weve set for her generation of young people who joined the military amid a pandemic and political chaos.

Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox

Consider that 81 of those charged in the Capitol storming have military experience.

A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who is an Air Force Academy graduate became one face of the insurrection and forever sullied our alma matter. The images of him standing on the Senate floor in a helmet and body armor holding flex cuffs undercut his decades of military service.

Then there are the attacks on the media. Roughly 10 people have been charged for assaulting journalists or destroying their equipment.

In the weeks and months that followed, many organizations and businesses were slow to disavow extremism and politicians implicated in the melee. Some still havent.

Many of us thought Jan. 6 might be some sort of catharsis  an epiphany on the Epiphany  that would wake us up, but we were wrong. One year after Jan. 6, Im still thinking about my friends words  Its not what you think it was.

Hes right, but not in the way he intended. It was worse.

We have much work to do to hold those responsible accountable, heal and prevent another insider attack on our nation.

Correction: An earlier version of this column incorrectly characterized the number of people with military ties who have been charged for storming the Capitol Jan. 6. According to George Washington University research, 81 individuals with military ties have been charged in the riot, which is 12 percent of all those charged to date.

brandon.lingle@express-news.net
When the dynamite exploded in Birminghams 16th Street Baptist Church on Sept. 15, 1963, the church clock stopped at 10:22. In that second, Maxine McNair, sitting in the choir loft with her Sunday school class, shouted, My baby! My baby! and went looking for her.

Her baby, her and her husband Chris only child, was in the church basement with the daughters of three other sets of parents. Denise McNair, 11, was the youngest of the four girls laying under the rubble. The others, Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins and Carole Robertson were 14.

From 10:22 that morning onward, one girls name could not be invoked without the other three when referring to the bombing of the Black church by Klansmen. Collectively, they became known as the four little girls, victims of one of the most notorious domestic terrorism attacks in American history, the youngest martyrs, along with Emmett Till, also 14, of the civil rights movement.

The bombing was a violent punctuation mark on the movements Birmingham campaign to desegregate the citys public facilities  the campaign that led to passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the campaign from which Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, the campaign that preceded the March on Washington.

On ExpressNews.com: Clack: To be American is to see that U.S. ideals can die

In May 2002, I went to Birmingham for the trial of Bobby Frank Cherry. He would be the last of the three men to be convicted for the murders of the four little girls. (A fourth suspect died before he could be tried.)

Nearly 40 years after the bombing, there were still cracks in the walls of the basement where the dynamite exploded. Across the street, in Kelly Ingram Park, site of civil rights demonstrations in 1963, are statutes of King, police attack dogs, high-powered water guns and prison bars.

Also, four broken columns in memory of Denise, Cynthia, Carole and Addie.

There were other bombings and murders in Alabama during the 1950s and 1960s. Bombings were so frequent in Birmingham that it was nicknamed Bombingham. But four little girls killed in church on a Sunday morning struck especially deep chords of sorrow. In his eulogy for the girls, King spoke of the hatred and bigotry responsible for their death,

Manuel Balce Ceneta /Associated Press

And so, this afternoon in a real sense they have something to say to each of us in their death. They have something to say to every minister of the gospel who has remained silent behind the safe security of stained-glass windows. They have something to say to every politician who has fed his constituents with the stale bread of hatred and the spoiled meat of racism. They have something to say to a federal government that has compromised with the undemocratic practices of southern Dixiecrats and the blatant hypocrisy of right-wing northern Republicans. They have something to say to every Negro who has passively accepted the evil system of segregation and who has stood on the sidelines in a mighty struggle for justice. They say to each of us, black and white alike, that we must substitute courage for caution. They say to us that we must be concerned not merely about who murdered them, but about the system, the way of life, the philosophy which produced the murderers.

After Denise died, Maxine and Chris would have two more daughters. On the 50th anniversary of the bombing, the McNairs were in Washington, D.C., when President Barack Obama awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the four little girls.

On Jan. 2, Maxine McNair, a teacher for more than 30 years in the Birmingham public school system, died at 93. She was the last surviving parent of the girls. Parents who, on that Sunday morning in 1963, were forced to surrender their daughters to history and a martyrdom they didnt expect or want.

The history of a terrible wrong doesnt end when the last of its victims is gone. The end of the story isnt entombed with them.

The hatred, ignorance and domestic terror that murdered the four little girls in 1963 wasnt buried with them or their parents.

What stopped the church clock at 10:22 that morning is with us in 2022.

cary.clack@express-news.net
Gov. Greg Abbotts opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates is undermining the Texas Guards military readiness and credibility, and stoking flames of division and discontent.

The governor opposes the Defense Departments COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the military, and he ordered Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris, adjutant general of the Texas Military Department, to ignore the federal guidance.

Abbott is not alone in this endeavor as six other states  Oklahoma, Wyoming, Iowa, Alaska, Nebraska and Mississippi  have also pushed back against Defense Secretary Lloyd Austins orders.

According to Abbott, Texas Guard members arent required to get the COVID-19 vaccine while activated on state orders under Title 32 or state active duty. However, the DOD could punish unvaccinated Texas Guard members when federalized under Title 10. And, DOD said, federal money cant be used for unvaccinated guard members.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Operation Lone Star is a disgrace

Abbott filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Biden administration over its military vaccine mandates. He also sent a letter to Norris reiterating his position to not punish any guardsman for choosing not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

The letter exemplifies the hyperpoliticized state of our nation. The tone is less commander-in-chief of Texass militia  which he declares in the first sentence  than it is accusatory and defiant.

Abbott wrote President Biden has muddied the waters with a vaccine mandate and repeatedly cites the Biden DoD. But the Defense Department belongs to all Americans and transcends any one presidency. In many ways, Abbott is stoking the politics of disunion, and the refusal to follow the DODs vaccine mandate should be viewed as a red flag for the civic health of our nation.

Abbott argues the federal government has put Texass guardsmen in this difficult position. But, wait a minute, hes the one stoking opposition to a mandate that makes plenty of sense.

On ExpressNews.com: Foes left and right blame Abbott for suicides, pay delays among Texas troops deployed to the border

Instead of perpetuating the myth of the unconstitutionality of vaccine mandates, Abbott could depoliticize this and let Norris and her commanders follow the Pentagons guidance.

Vaccinations are nothing new for the armed forces. Every military member is required to have at least eight vaccinations. And most will get additional vaccinations throughout their career, depending on their jobs and locations of service.

The governors enabling of COVID-19 vaccine hesitation is an irresponsible move for any military leader, and we dont envy Norris position as she tries to navigate the minefield of conflicting guidance.

According to the lawsuit, more than 220 members of the 3,300-person Texas Air National Guard are unvaccinated. Forty percent, or 7,600, of the 19,000-person Texas Army National Guard are unvaccinated. Army Guard members have until June 30 to comply.

Abbott wrote President Biden must be held accountable for his unconscionable willingness to hollow out the Texas National Guard, but before placing blame, the governor should look in the mirror.

Views & Voices: Editorials, columns and commentary, delivered to your inbox

The vaccine hubbub comes amid increasing scrutiny of Abbotts Operation Lone Star, the ill-conceived and controversial mission that has sent 10,000 guard members to bolster border security.

Multiple outlets, especially the Army Times, have reported on Operation Lone Stars chaotic deployments, unclear mission and a festering morale crisis.

Four soldiers connected to the mission have died by suicide since October, with another suicide attempt and an accidental death reported on Tuesday.

And yet Abbotts focus appears to be on virtue signaling over COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Abbott silent in COVID-19 fight

Roughly 98 percent of the active-duty military has received at least one dose of the vaccine. The services have begun reprimanding, and in some cases discharging, those not complying with the mandate.

It is a lawful order, DOD Press Secretary John F. Kirby said Dec. 21. It is a valid military requirement to get the vaccine. And it does apply, as weve said before, to members of the National Guard.

As COVID-19 cases spike and Abbott requests federal testing assistance, its more than fair to wonder about the logic and motivation for fighting DOD vaccine mandates.
A federal appeals court Friday seemed poised to further delay legal challenges to the new abortion ban in Texas, all but ensuring it remains in place for the foreseeable future.

The U.S. Supreme Court dismissed most of the litigation last month, shielding much of the law and potentially paving the way for other states to restrict constitutional rights with statutes that similarly delegate enforcement to private citizens.

But the justices had allowed a narrow portion of abortion providers original petition  against Texas licensing officials  to proceed. Since then, Texas has asked the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to send the case to the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether those licensing officials can even play a role in enforcing the law, which prohibits abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

IN-DEPTH: U.S. Supreme Court leaves Texas 6-week abortion ban in effect but allows some challenges to law

Two of the conservative judges on Fridays three-judge panel appeared nearly certain to agree with the state. Such a move would further delay any relief abortion providers have left to obtain, though its not clear whether post-six-week abortions would resume even if they were able to get it.

I dont understand the urgency of this particular lawsuit, given how the Supreme Court has narrowed the potential universal of relief, Judge Kyle Duncan said.

The 5th Circuit is one of the most conservative federal appellate courts in the country and has been obstructive toward previous challenges to the law.

Since the ban took effect last September, abortions have plummeted in Texas, with many women fleeing to surrounding states where the procedure is still legal. That comes as the Supreme Court is expected to decide this summer whether to further roll back abortion protections that have been in place for nearly 50 years.

Other legal challenges to the law are still slowly winding through state and federal courts.
Kim Brent / The Enterprise

With absentee voting underway in just a week and election day about seven weeks away, the candidates for governor are spanning the state this weekend. Heres where to find the major contenders.

Gov. Greg Abbott, Republican: The incumbent is heading for the Texas border where on Saturday hell speak to the Hispanic Leadership Summit as part of a ceremonial kickoff of his campaign. Abbott speaks at 3 p.m. at the McAllen Convention Center, 700 Convention Center Blvd., McAllen
Sterling, VA (20165)

Today

Mainly clear. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low near 50F. Winds light and variable.
Ermal Caushi was stuck, trying to come up with a name for his new restaurant on West Hartfords Park Road. He had a list of 32 candidates, but nothing stood out.

One late night after dinner service at his first restaurant, Division West in the towns center, a friend stopped by. When Caushi told him he was trying to decide on a name for his new eatery, the friend said Great. Thats what this town needs, just another restaurant. The quip was delivered sarcastically, but it all clicked for Caushi. He leaned into the JAR abbreviation, using mason jars as water glasses and constructing a chandelier with rope-suspended jars surrounding light bulbs.

Caushi opened the restaurant in May, presenting a menu of international tapas-style small plates. The dishes spanned the globe: birria taco pizza, yakitori skewers, Texas ribs, carne asada, and even Balkan lamb cevapi (grilled sausage) and patate shqiptare (crispy pan-fried potatoes with mustard butter) from Caushis native Albania.

But before long, Caushi was facing the same staffing issues as restaurateurs all over the country. His first chef left, and the replacement chef didnt work out, either. It was a domino effect, he says. Caushi changed the menu four times in as many months, streamlining it and offering dishes that were easier to prepare with fewer kitchen employees: tacos, nachos, sliders, wings, fish and chips. He began closing the restaurant for lunch hours, focusing instead on dinner and bar business. With the restaurant business, once you start getting bad reviews, theres no coming back from that, he says.

Caushi is looking to the future again, with plans to revamp the menu under a new chef. He wants to keep successful dishes going: spicy fried chicken bites in a miso garlic sauce, pork gyoza, edamame, calamari. A charcuterie board will stay, along with a zesty baked buffalo chicken dip served with tortilla chips. But hes also looking to bring back some of the international flavors his early customers enjoyed. I want to contribute a little bit from everybody, he says, explaining that he wants to evoke peoples memories of home  wherever in the world that may be. When you taste and smell, it brings up memories.

Home for Caushi has been Connecticut for nearly two decades, when he came to the U.S. from Albania in 2003 as a teenager. He started working as a dishwasher at Peppercorns Grill shortly after he came to the country, and a few years later went to college to study construction management and civil engineering.

He continued working at Peppercorns, where he was eventually elevated to a general manager position. Once he finished his degree, he worked as a building inspector, but quickly realized that wasnt what he wanted to do. He would take his restaurant experience to the next level. I learned everything from Dino, he says of Dino Cialfi, Peppercorns longtime owner. Hes an amazing chef; an amazing business owner. I owe everything to him.

In 2017, Caushi and his brother-in-law, Jimi Brahimi, opened Division West on LaSalle Road in West Hartford center, an upscale bistro and bar with fresh pastas, seafood entrees, steaks and chops. When the Park Road space became available a few years later (formerly home to Chengdu Restaurant and later Uncle Chow Asian Bistro) Caushi realized it needed little work, beyond some construction and cosmetic touches.

JAR quickly became a town favorite for its spacious patio, with string lights, handmade wooden tables and flower boxes. Caushi has also filled the evenings with social activities: a Tuesday game night for service industry workers, live music on Thursdays and late-night ladies night specials, and DJs on Fridays and Saturdays.

At the bar, JARs team gets creative with both the names and recipes, dubbing a Titos vodka and ginger beer drink the Ermule after Caushi, with rotating fruit flavors. A scorpion-bowl style drink serves two, with seasonal ingredients, and an espresso martini with Madagascar vanilla liqueur is one of the bars best-sellers.

Caushi is also working on another project, this time across the river in Manchester. Hes leased the former Catsup and Mustard burger spot on Main Street, with plans to open a restaurant with customized pizzas in the spring.
The developer of the Merritt 7 Corporate Park in Norwalk and the Fairfield Shopping Center has died, leaving behind a lasting legacy of commercial projects throughout Fairfield and Westchester counties.

At one point Albert Bert D. Phelps, Jr. was one of the largest land owners in the region, developing and managing millions of square feet of commercial space. He died in his Florida home on Jan. 2, just two weeks after his 98th birthday, according to his obituary. He had spent his summers in Redding.

Mr. Phelps was an entrepreneur, a visionary and generous to a fault, said Steven Warren, president of Albert D. Phelps Inc. in Fairfield.

Albert D. Phelps Inc. still has offices in the Fairfield Shopping Center, which Phelps built in 1955.

His trophy property though was Merritt 7, according to his obituary.

Merritt 7 is a six-building, 1.4 million square foot office park, that according to its website, is the largest corporate park in Fairfield County. It is home to Hearst Connecticut Media Groups headquarters.

Phelps started work on the project in the 1960s and the first of six buildings was completed in 1980. His company, ADPhelps Inc., handled management and leasing of the complex until 2011 when he sold his interest to Clarion Partners.

Clarion Partners had a 15-year partnership with Albert D. Phelps on Merritt 7 starting in the mid-90s.

Bert had the insight to bring the office market to the work force and conceived of Merritt 7 in the middle of Connecticuts Gold Coast, between Fairfield Countys traditional CBD Stamford and housing to the north, said Margaret Egan, Senior Vice President at Clarion Partners. Even many years ago, Bert understood concerns relative to traffic into and out of Stamford as well as the importance of mass transit.

She said he worked to increase public transportation and selected a spot where Route 7 and the Merritt Parkway met.

Bert was not only visionary in terms of location, but also relative to product, and built a highly amenitized asset which has been one of the largest and premier office properties in the region, Egan said. From its inception to today Merritt 7 has attracted large, blue-chip tenants, verifying that insight.

She called him a pioneer in the region that led to many other businesses appearing where there was virtually nothing 50 years ago. Egan said they take pride in Merritt 7 will continue to improve upon his vision.

The Merritt 7 Corporate Park really put Norwalk on the map, said Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling. As the first and largest office space developed for the city, it paved the way for future growth and expansion in our business community. I did not know Mr. Phelps personally, but his vision and entrepreneurial spirit certainly left a lasting impact on our community.

That part of Norwalk certainly looked very different from what it is now thanks to the project. Route 7 at the time was a two-lane road, the Route 7 Connector did not exist and Armstrong Tire owned the land that is now home to Merritt 7 Corporate Park. A man-made lake was on the property that the tire company used for cooling, according to an earlier report in The Hour on the park.

Phelps drained the lake, moved utilities underground, widened Route 7 and even rerouted the Norwalk River as part of the project, according to the article.

He was also a big factor in the areas employment, Warren said at the time, pointing not only to the people Phelps directly employed, but also those who worked at Merritt 7 and the hotels and businesses that opened around it.

Bert had a lot of vision, Mike DiScala, of DiScala Fairfield, the broker influential in attracting businesses to Merritt 7, said in the 2011 article. There was nothing on Route 7 then. Nothing to eat, no place to shop, nothing. It was isolated. He had a lot of vision and a lot of guts.

Phelps also developed one of the first regional malls, now the Cortlandt Town Center in Peekskill, N.Y.

He gave back to the community outside of development too. The Albert D. Phelps, Jr. Charitable Foundation is still active and has donated to organizations for decades.

Phelps established the Merritt 7 Corporate Park student scholarship for Fairfield University, where he was also a former trustee.

Fairfield University extends our heartfelt condolences to the family of former University trustee Albert D. Phelps Jr., the university said in a statement. Through Mr. Phelps generous philanthropy, the endowed scholarship his corporation funded has provided financial assistance to many Fairfield University students. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this time.

Phelps also donated a number of his boats to AM Kids, a charity for troubled youth in Florida.

His first love was sailing and he was a lifetime member of the New York Yacht Club. He won many prestigious races during his career and even built his 91-foot racing schooner Sonny in 2018 at the age of 95.

Phelps was born in the Bronx in 1923. He served in the Army in Europe during World War II. He graduated from Babson College after the war.

He is survived by his wife Mona and a stepson, Ben Gershel, and will be buried at his family plot at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.
BRIDGEPORT  A Fairfield man was in custody Thursday after police said he raped a Sacred Heart University student in her dorm.

Jack Shukri, 24, of Wilson Street, was charged with first-degree sexual assault.

Police said Shukri works as a security guard for a local company not associated with the university.

During Shukris arraignment Thursday afternoon Assistant States Attorney Justina Moore urged Superior Court Judge Alex Hernandez to set a high bond for Shukri citing the serious nature of the allegations.

Contributed photo /

The judge agreed and ordered Shukri held in lieu of $100,000 bond. He continued the case to Jan. 18.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, on Oct. 9, a 19-year-old female student reported to Sacred Heart University security officials that she had been sexually assaulted in her dorm.

During a subsequent interview with police, the affidavit states that the victim told detectives that she had contacted Shukri a week before on the Tinder App, a dating website, and they had agreed to meet on campus on Oct. 9.

The affidavit states that Shukri followed the victim back to her dormitory and when they got to a deserted common room he suddenly pushed her down on a couch and got on top of her.

The victim repeatedly screamed for Shukri to get off her but he responded, its fine, and pulled off her clothes and sexually assaulted her, the affidavit states.

The affidavit states that the victims roommates heard her yelling for help and came to her aid, pulling Shukri off the victim. Shukri then left.

Each of the roommates corroborated the victims account, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit states that detectives later questioned Shukri and while he admitted being in the common room with the victim, he claimed he was having consensual relations with the victim when the roommates pulled him off her.

The safety of our students, faculty and staff is always our top priority, and we regularly communicate with our students about personal safety, said SHU Spokeswoman Deborah Noack. This is an ongoing investigation and we are working closely with the police. Our Title IX coordinator provides support and services to our students who come forward after a sexual assault. Support is immediate and ongoing. Counseling and academic support are also provided to ensure their future success.
Darlene Mae (Wattam) Montgomery opened her eyes in Heaven on January 3, 2022. She was 87 years old. Darlene was born September 16, 1934, to Ewart and Lorna (Larson) Wattam in Havre, Montana. She was later joined by brother, Kenny and sister, Betty Jean. Darlene grew up in Havre surrounded by wonderful cousins and a large, boisterous extended family.

In March 1953 Darlene met the love of her life, Robert Montgomery. Bob came to Havre with a seismograph crew, met Darlene and stayed. It was love at first sight. They were married on August 28, 1953, and enjoyed 62 years together before Bobs passing in 2016. Thomas was born in 1954 while Bob was in the service. After 2 years at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, they returned to Havre. Their family expanded with the arrivals of Peggy, Teri, and Bruce. They raised their family in the house they built from the ground up.

Darlene supported her family in all they did. She taught Sunday School and was a leader for Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts. She served as Mother Advisor for the Havre Assembly of Rainbow Girls, and she also was a member of the Order of Eastern Star. She was a member of the Van Orsdel United Methodist Church.

Bob was transferred to Helena in 1978. There, Darlene worked for the Department of Agriculture until she retired in 1995. When she retired, she started her favorite job as Granny Nanny. She cared for her grandchildren Matt and Annie before and after school. What a priceless gift for everyone!

During their time in Helena, Bob and Darlene were active members of the Moose Lodge and Women of the Moose. They spent many hours volunteering at the Lodge. Darlene held several higher degrees while involved with the Moose, College of Regents, Deputy Grand Regent, and Star Recorder. Darlene was involved in the Helena Senior Program and loved being a senior reader at the school her grandchildren attended. They loved their neighborhood in Treasure State Acres and made so many long-lasting relationships with their neighbors.

In 2008, Darlene and Bob moved to Augusta, a community they loved. Darlene was an avid school fan, attending all the school events, usually with her granddaughter Annie. Boy, could she cheer loud! Darlene was a member of the Augusta Community Church, the Augusta Senior Center, and the Augusta American Legion Auxiliary. She generously gave her time and love to the community.

Darlene had many hobbies over the years. She loved ceramics, stamp collecting, fishing with her husband and grandchildren, making cards and especially reading. She was an avid reader to the end of her life.

Darlene will be remembered for her loving, kind, forgiving, bubbly, outgoing personality. Her faith was the center of her life and she lived it out every day. Darlene never knew a stranger and was loved by so many. Her doctor affectionately called her Little Miss Sparkle a perfect nickname. Darlene was a WONDERFUL wife, mother, grandmother, GG, and friend. She was dedicated to her family and friends. Darlene was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; son, Thomas; granddaughter, Emily; her parents, and brother. Darlene is survived by her sister, Betty (Tony) Preite; daughters, Peggy Montgomery and Teri (Russ) Bean; son, Bruce (Corinna) Montgomery; daughter-in-law, Lynn Montgomery; grandchildren, Paul Montgomery, Annie Bean, Matthew (Emily) Bean, Dustin (Caitlyn) Montgomery, Shae (Jason) Montgomery; and great-grandchildren, Teagan, Aspen, Lynlee and Holly Bean, Liam, Lily, and Amelia Montgomery, and Miles and Eloise Wakeham.

Our hearts are sad, but we rejoice and celebrate Darlenes arrival in Heaven. A memorial service will be held January 12, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at the Augusta Community Church. Memorials may be sent to the Augusta Community Church or a charity of your choice.
Endangered yellowhammers have been spotted on farms in Pembrokeshire for the first time in decades following a new feeding and conservation programme launched by potato growers.

On one of the farms, where the bird had not been seen in at least 16 years, a new population has been discovered after installing farm-size bird feeders.

The Pembrokeshire farms all grow 'Root Zero' potatoes, the UKs first carbon neutral potato launched in September by Puffin Produce.

They are grown sustainably by farmers who have pledged to minimise carbon emissions, protect soil health and support biodiversity.

This includes the planting of more cover crops to capture carbon from the atmosphere, helping pollinators in the summer and feed the birds in the winter.

All these measures have helped the yellowhammer, which is a red list species under severe threat and of the utmost concern to conservationists.

One of the main reasons for the decline is the lack of food at this time of year, as little waste seed is left on the farm. Growers are helping the birds get through this hungry gap.

Roger Mathias, a biodiversity consultant working for Root Zero to advise growers said: "For many years, the seeds so important to them, left over from the corn harvest, just werent there. Different crops and more efficient machines meant less left overs for the birds."

A new population has been discovered after installing farm-size bird feeders

Replacing that winter food can be done, with growers achieving this in two ways: they are sowing special areas of seed rich plants which are left unharvested to help feed the birds when frosts and stormy weather can make finding food difficult.

And special feeders are being installed around the growing fields filled with wheat, oats and seeds which have been grown and mixed by one of the growers.

Mr Mathias added: We have small numbers of yellowhammers on our farms, and we are determined to help them return to our Welsh countryside, so that the little bit of bread and no cheese song can join the stunning yellow feathers in brightening our summer walks.

Its been great to see the work that were doing to help the yellowhammer has had a positive impact in supporting a whole range of other farmland birds too. Weve also seen Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Linnet in good numbers and 100s of Chaffinches."

Surveys by an expert volunteer from the British Trust for Ornithology have begun on the Pembrokeshire farms to count the species and numbers of birds that can be found.
Farming ministers from England, Northern Ireland and Wales have shared their different visions for future agricultural policy and how new support payments can help achieve climate targets.

Speaking at the virtual Oxford Farming Conference, Defra Secretary George Eustice said that to meet climate ambitions, change would be needed.

Put simply, our vision is for a more sustainable agricultural industry where we produce a significant amount of our own food," he told the audience.

"Domestic food production is a critical part of our food security and thats why we will be monitoring it every three years."

Mr Eustice said the government's policy would be putting in place 'powerful incentives' to support sustainable farming.

This included sensitive hedgerow management allowing hedgerows to recover, and good stewardship of soils with a focus soil health and biodiversity.

"But we must also note that there will be some land use change," the Defra Secretary said.

Changes to land use included targets of 10,000 hectares of new woodland creation per year and ambition to restore 300,000 hectares of habitats to their natural state.

Regarding the new Environmental Land Management Scheme, he also noted that payment rates needed to incentivise farmers to participate.

We now have legally binding targets for the environment, most notably a target to reverse the decline in nature by 2030.

"We have a responsibility as a government to ensure that the payment rates we make are attractive enough to incentivise the uptake of our schemes on the scale needed to hit the targets weve set ourselves and to which we are legally bound to deliver.

With 50% of farmers already in some sort of countryside stewardship, Mr Eustice announced that the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) payment rates would rise by up to 30%.

In addition, any livestock farmer who is currently a claimant of BPS will be entitled to a funded visit from a vet once a year to put in place an animal health strategy.

Edwin Poots, Minister for Agriculture in Northern Ireland, said that their Future Agricultural Policy Proposals focused on farming with the environment.

Enhancing our peatlands and hedgerows and enabling more tree planting are all key elements in how we want to address the issue around climate change," he said.

"We also want to be smarter in how we farm. Instead of just being a producer or milk or meat, we need to look at that animal as a producer of renewable energy.

"The methane currently going into the environment needs to be captured and reused and we need to have more anaerobic digestion on our farms.

Lesley Griffiths, Wales' Minister for Rural Affairs, outlined the Welsh government's plans for farmers to be leaders in sustainable food production.

For us, we will create a new system of farm support so that we can really maximise the power of nature throughout farming. Our agricultural bill is key to meeting these ambitions.

Welsh farmers can continue to produce high quality food, whilst maintaining those very high production standards," she explained.

"But what were proposing is to ask our farmers to go further and we will provide support  both financial and advisory - through the Sustainable Farming Scheme to target outcomes in relation to environmental issues.

"At the moment, farmers are not currently rewarded for clean air, clean water and flood mitigation, so thats what well be looking at as part of our sustainable farming scheme.
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Image: Instagram



Captain Harpreet Chandi, an Indian Sikh woman born in the United Kingdom, has completed a solo journey to the South Pole. She was the first woman of colour to finish a solo journey to the South Pole. Chandi, a 32-year-old British army captain of Indian descent, began her 700-mile solo expedition across the Antarctic wilderness on November 7, 2021, and finished on January 3, 2022. She documented her 40-day adventure by blogging about it and publishing it on her Instagram account. Chandi went to Chile before setting out on her historic solo Antarctica trek. She carried a heavy holding kit with her on the walk, which included food, supplies, and fuel. The Twin Otter (plane) dropped me off around 4 pm and I just did a few hours today. I weighed my Pulk just before leaving and its 87kg. Conditions were windy but visibility was good today wrote Chandi kickstarting her trek.





Image: Instagram



Antarctica is the coldest, highest, driest and windiest continent on Earth. Nobody lives there permanently. I didnt know much about the continent when I first started planning and that is what inspired me to go there. Hopefully doing something that pushes me so far out of my comfort zone will inspire others to believe in themselves and push their boundaries. There are only a few female adventurers that have completed a solo, unsupported trek on this continent. It is time to add some more names, diversity and to make history, explained Chandi on why she chose such a challenging trip.





Image: Instagram



Chandi began her training in the French Alps, where she learned how to navigate crevasses. She also spent 27 days on the ice cap of Greenland and hiked over Iceland's Langjokull Glacier. To prepare for her walk in the snow, she practised pulling a large tyre behind her pack back home in England.



Hello everyone, checking in from day 40. I made it to the South Pole where it is snowing. Feeling so many emotions right now. I knew nothing about the polar world three years ago and it feels so surreal to finally be here. It was tough getting here and I want to thank everybody for their support.



This expedition was always about so much more than me. I want to encourage people to push their boundaries and to believe in themselves, and I want you to be able to do it without being labelled a rebel. I have been told no on many occasions and told to just do the normal thing, but we create our own normal. You are capable of anything you want. No matter where you are from or where your start line is, everybody starts somewhere. I dont want to just break the glass ceiling, I want to smash it into a million pieces, Chandi says in a social media post announcing her achievement, wanting to set an example that would shatter the stereotype of Asian women.



Also Read: Indias Everest Twins Tashi And Nungshi Malik Now Conquer The Alps
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South superstar Mahesh Babu tested positive for COVID-19 and has been facing mild symptoms. He revealed the same through social media. He also informed the media and his fans that he has isolated himself at home and has been following all the medical guidelines.





Mahesh announced that he tested positive for the Coronavirus through Twitter, where he wrote, Despite taking all the necessary precautions, I've tested positive for Covid-19 with mild symptoms. I've isolated myself at home and have been following medical guidance.





He further added, Request all those who came in contact with me to get themselves tested. I urge everyone who's not taken their vaccination to do so immediately as it reduces the risk of severe symptoms and hospitalisation. Please follow Covid norms and stay safe. Can't wait to be back.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 6, 2022 / Li-Metal Corp. (CSE:LIM)(FSE:5ZO) ("Li-Metal" or the "Company"), a leading developer of lithium metal anode and lithium metal technologies critical for next-generation batteries, is pleased to announce that it will hold a special meeting of shareholders (the "Special Meeting") on January 26, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). The record date for this Special Meeting is December 20, 2021.

The purpose of the Special Meeting is to ask shareholders to grant Li-Metal's Board of Directors (the "Board") the authority to split the Company's issued and outstanding common shares on a 4-for-1 basis to allow for a more accessible trading range for investors, to enhance liquidity and to increase investor interest in Li-Metal and its business. This share split does not affect the market value of Li-Metal's shares or a shareholder's proportionate ownership stake in the Company. Any authority proposed to be granted to the Board to split the shares is conditional upon the prior approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Board size is the second matter to be considered by the Board at the Special Meeting. Shareholders will be asked to consider passing a resolution authorizing the board to determine the number of directors on the Board from time to time within the minimum and maximum number set in the articles of the Corporation.

In addition to this, the Special Meeting will consider increasing the number of directors to six and electing Colin Farrell to the Board. Mr. Farrell sits on the Company's advisory board and holds over 40 years of wide professional experience, including commercial, technical and policy, leadership experience. Mr. Farrell has successfully started up and led several tax and non-tax teams in various groups at PwC. Until his retirement from PwC in 2018, Mr. Farrell was a member of PwC's Hong Kong and China disruption and investment group, PwC's Tax Policy Panel, PwC's China/Hong Kong advisory committee on insurance and human resources matters, PwC Hong Kong's Foundation and PwC Hong Kong/China's Corporate Responsibility committee, and on a major multinational corporation's global tax advisory council. He was also a member of PwC China/Hong Kong's Future of Tax committee.

In addition, he has leadership and start-up involvement in Hong Kong and China human resources, corporate recovery, and cross-discipline teams. Mr. Farrell has a broad range of client experience in tax and non-tax consulting and execution matters such as market entry, e-commerce strategy, human resources, board information needs and property disposals. Other work experience includes secondments to government and industry, deal experience, and leading system design and implementation projects cross-territory and other major change management leadership.

The full details of the special business mentioned above have been outlined in the Company's management information circular and has been posted under the Company's profile on SEDAR, along with Li-Metal's notice of Special Meeting and form of proxy.

On behalf of the Board

Maciej Jastrzebski

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Li-Metal Corp.

About Li-Metal Corp.

Li-Metal is a Canadian-based company developing lithium metal anodes and lithium metal production technologies for use in next generation batteries. Our production methods are significantly more sustainable than existing products and offer lighter, more energy dense and safer batteries that are critical to tomorrow's electric vehicles. For more information visit, www.li-metal.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the Company. Any such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements about, among other things, the Company's strategic plans are forward-looking information. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Although such statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that the development of the business of the Company will be completed as described above. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by applicable law.

Investor Contact

For more information on Li-Metal or to be added to the Company's email distribution list, please contact:

Salisha Ilyas

ir@li-metal.com

647-795-1653

SOURCE: Li-Metal Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/681309/Li-Metal-Announces-Special-Meeting-of-Shareholders
DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- J&T Express, an international express logistics company, today announced the official launch of its express network in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. The two countries are the first markets to be covered by J&T Express in the Middle East, and the latest expansion brings J&T Express' global network coverage to a total of ten countries.

J&T Express' Middle East expansion plans kicked off in April 2021. After 8 months of inspection, site selection, and trial operations, the company officially launched its network in the UAE and Saudi Arabia today. J&T Express has established its own nationwide distribution network and localised warehousing system in the UAE and Saudi Arabia respectively, covering all local provinces and regions in the two countries. In addition, as an integral aspect of its courier service, the UAE and Saudi Arabia versions of the J&T Express mobile application have also been launched simultaneously.

Sean Xiao, Head of J&T Express Middle East, said, "We hope that with J&T Express' efficient and comprehensive delivery network, we can effectively improve the shopping experience of consumers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and contribute to the development of the e-commerce industry in both countries."

Steven Fan, CEO of J&T Express, said, "The expansion to the UAE and Saudi Arabia marks an important step for J&T Express in establishing a global delivery network. In the future, the company will actively explore opportunities in emerging markets as part of its global strategy to connect the world with greater efficiency and bring logistical benefits to all."

With the newly launched businesses, J&T Express' network currently covers ten countries, including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

About J&T Express

Founded in August 2015, J&T Express is a rapidly-growing international delivery company, with its core business in express services and cross-border logistics. J&T Express is committed to continuously creating integrated quality experiences for its customers globally. J&T Express' network spans ten countries including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and serves over two billion people.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1721297/The_express_network_of_J_T_Express_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates_is_officially_launched.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1721299/A_J_T_Express_courier_delivers_a_parcel_to_a_resident_in_Saudi_Arabia.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1721319/JT_Express_Logo.jpg
The deadline to vote is 2:00 p.m. (Vancouver Time) on Tuesday, January 18, 2022.

For any questions, please contact Pretivm's proxy solicitation agent and communications advisor, Laurel Hill Advisory Group, toll free at 1-877-452-7184 ( +1-416-304-0211 outside North America) or email assistance@laurelhill.com (mailto:assistance@laurelhill.com).

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX/NYSE: PVG) ("Pretivm" or the "Company") today announced that both Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co. LLC ("Glass Lewis") have recommended that Pretivm shareholders vote FOR the resolution (the "Arrangement Resolution") to approve the proposed acquisition of Pretivm by Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX/TSX/PNGX: NCM) ("Newcrest") by way of a plan of arrangement (the "Transaction"), at the upcoming special meeting of Pretivm shareholders on January 20, 2022 (the "Special Meeting").

In their report ISS stated, "The transaction makes strategic sense as the consideration provides shareholders optionality to either receive certain and immediate value in the form of cash, or the ability to receive shares of Newcrest and participate in the upside represented by the combined entity".

Glass Lewis' report noted, "The proposed transaction represents the most attractive opportunity. The merger will result in a larger, more diversified gold producer with an opportunity to achieve meaningful synergies".

ISS and Glass Lewis are leading independent, third party proxy advisory firms who, among other services, provide proxy voting recommendations to pension funds, investment managers, mutual funds and other institutional shareholders.

Pretivm's board of directors UNANIMOUSLY recommends that shareholders

VOTE FOR the Arrangement Resolution

Pretivm Special Meeting

The Special Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) in a virtual-only format conducted by live audio webcast, using the Summit meeting platform, at https://meetnow.global/MAZZWNK (https://meetnow.global/MAZZWNK). Registered shareholders and optionholders and duly appointed proxyholders will have an equal opportunity to participate in the Special Meeting, regardless of their geographic location or the particular constraints, circumstances or health risks they may be facing.

Shareholders should closely review the procedures outlined in the management information circular and related meeting materials for the Special Meeting (the "Meeting Materials") to ensure that they are able to cast their vote prior to or at the Special Meeting. The Meeting Materials are available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com (http://www.sedar.com), and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov (http://www.sec.gov) and on the Company's website at www.pretivm.com/investors/Newcrest-Transaction (http://www.pretivm.com/investors/Newcrest-Transaction).

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT- PLEASE VOTE TODAY

How to Vote

Due to the essence of time, shareholders are encouraged to vote online or by telephone in advance of the meeting, even if they plan on attending the meeting, to ensure their vote is received in a timely manner.

THE VOTING DEADLINE IS 2:00 p.m. (Vancouver Time) ON TUESDAY JANUARY 18, 2022

Vote using the following methods prior to the Meeting1: Intranet Telephone or Fax Registered Shareholders and Optionholders:

Shares held in own name and represented by a physical certificate.

www.investorvote.com (http://www.investorvote.com)

Telephone: 1-866-732-8683

Fax: 1-866-249-775 Non-Registered Shareholders:

Shares held with a broker, bank or other intermediary. www.proxyvote.com (http://www.proxyvote.com)

Call or fax to the number(s) listed on your voting instruction form

Please review the Meeting Materials for more information on how to vote your shares or options.





Shareholder and Optionholder Questions and Voting Assistance

For any questions or assistance with voting, shareholders and optionholders can contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group at 1-877-452-7184 (toll-free in North America), +1-416-304-0211 (calls outside North America) or by email at assistance@laurelhill.com (mailto:assistance@laurelhill.com).

Transaction Details

Pursuant to the Transaction, Pretivm shareholders will have the option to elect to receive C$18.50 per Pretivm share in cash or 0.8084 Newcrest shares per Pretivm share, representing share consideration of C$18.50 based on the Canadian dollar equivalent of the 5 day volume-weighted-average-price (VWAP) of Newcrest shares on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) ending on November 8, 2021, subject to proration to ensure aggregate cash and Newcrest share consideration each represent 5o% of total transaction consideration (the "Transaction Price"). Pretivm shareholders who do not elect cash or Newcrest shares (subject to proration) will receive default consideration of C$9.25 per Pretivm share in cash and 0.4042 Newcrest shares per Pretivm share. In order to make a valid election, registered Pretivm shareholders must duly complete, execute and return the letter of transmittal and election form enclosed with the Meeting Materials in accordance with the instructions contained therein, by 5:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on January 18, 2022 or, if the Special Meeting is adjourned or postponed, no later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays in British Columbia, Australia or New York) before the adjourned Special Meeting is reconvened or the postponed Special Meeting is convened. Beneficial Pretivm shareholders should follow the instructions provided by your intermediary to make your election.

About Pretivm

Pretivm is an intermediate gold producer with the 100%-owned, high-grade gold underground Brucejack Mine located in northwestern BC. We strive for operating excellence and our first priority is the health and safety of our employees, contractors and neighbouring communities. We are committed to the principles of sustainable development and conducting our activities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Pretivm Contact

Pretium Resources Inc.

Troy Shultz, Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

(604) 558-1784

invest@pretivm.com (mailto:invest@pretivm.com)

Media Contact

Alan Bayless, Longview Communications and Public Affairs

604-417-9645

abayless@longviewcomms.ca (mailto:abayless@longviewcomms.ca)

Pretium Resources Inc.

Suite 2300, Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street

PO Box 49334 Vancouver, BC V7X 1L4

(SEDAR filings: Pretium Resources Inc.)

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively herein referred to as "forward-looking information"), including the "safe harbour" provisions of Canadian provincial securities legislation and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "guidance", "projects", "assumes", "budget", "strategy", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "modeled", "targets" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information contained herein includes, but is not limited to: the consummation and timing of the Transaction; the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the Transaction; matters related to the Special Meeting; timing, receipt and anticipated effects of court and regulatory approvals; and discussion of future plans, projects, objectives, estimates and forecasts and the timing related thereto.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to materially differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, failure to receive the required court and regulatory approvals to effect the Transaction; changes in laws, regulations and government practices; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak, including on our operations and workforce and the operations and workforce of Newcrest; future price of gold and silver and other metal prices; market competition, the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the potential of a third party making a superior proposal to the Transaction and such other risks as are identified in Pretivm's public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and in the United States through EDGAR at the Security and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov (collectively, the "Pretivm Disclosure Documents"). This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of our forward looking information. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Our forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, many of which may be difficult to predict and beyond our control. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, we have made certain assumptions about, among other things: our business and operations and that no significant event will occur outside of our normal course of business and operations (other than as expressly set out herein); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak, including on our operations and workforce; our ability to obtain the required court and regulatory approvals in a timely matter, if at all; our ability to satisfy the terms and conditions precedent of the Arrangement Agreement in order to consummate the Transaction; Newcrest's ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for operations in a timely manner, if at all; the adequacy of our and Newcrest's financial resources; sustained labour stability and availability of equipment; the maintenance of positive relations with local groups; favourable equity and debt capital markets; and stability in financial capital markets. Although we believe that the assumptions inherent in forward-looking information are reasonable as of the date of this news release, these assumptions are subject to significant business, social, economic, political, regulatory, competitive and other risks and uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking information. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information contained in this news release.

Additional information about the risks and uncertainties concerning forward-looking information and material factors or assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based is provided in the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Forward-looking information involves statements about the future and is inherently uncertain, and our actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, those referred to in this news release and the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. For the reasons set forth above, readers and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX nor the NYSE has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.
Yesterday, Kazakhstani army and security forces backed by Russian special forces moved in to forcibly put down what has become the biggest mass movement in Kazakhstan since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

On Thursday 6 January, street fighting took place in several large cities of Kazakhstan after the authorities declared a state of emergency and moved the army in to re-establish its grip on power. In a message designed to shock and provoke, a police spokesperson told state news that dozens of attackers were liquidated. There have been reports of hundreds of wounded and thousands arrested. Appearing on TV today (Friday), a pompous president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said he personally gave the order to security forces and army to open fire with lethal force against what he called bandits and terrorists.

It is clear that the state apparatus is moving swiftly and violently in order to take back control, which appeared to be slipping out of its hand in the past few days. All airports, roads, squares and other key points of communication and transport, which had previously been taken over by protesters, are now firmly back in the hands of the state.

City of Ust-Kamenogorsk, the administrative center of Eastern #Kazakhstan: military sweeps. pic.twitter.com/rtVCutBtcO  Bota Jardemalie  (@jardemalie) January 7, 2022

In the absence of any clear leadership and organisation, such overwhelming force appears, at least for now, to have beaten back the protests, which had engulfed all the major cities of the country for the past week. The movement took on a semi-insurrectionary character after it overran airports and government buildings in major cities, and there were indications of fraternisation amongst police and protesters. Without a clear plan of where to go from there, however, initiative swung towards the counter-revolution, which managed to reorganise and strike back with a combination of concessions and brute force.

Faced with the powerful movement, the state was initially forced to give a series of wide-ranging concessions, such as the reduction of gas prices in the Mangystau region and the introduction of state regulation of petrol, diesel, natural gas and staple food products as well as the dismissal of the entire government. This had raised the confidence of the movement and spurred it forward while the state forces were slowly disintegrating. Tokayev appeared to be reacting to events, leading to widespread demoralisation and disorientation within the ranks of the state apparatus in particular.

Protesters in #Kazakhstan chase an APC away. Riot police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protesters. The authorities have introduced a state of emergency and curfew in Mangystau region and in Almaty. Mass protests broke out over fuel price hike pic.twitter.com/BVbPGKX3w0  Abdujalil A (@abdujalil) January 4, 2022

On Thursday however, Tokayev  who had until then operated as a de facto caretaker president, with former President Nursultan Nazarbayev retaining real power in the background  stepped forward and took the reins. He dismissed the government and pushed aside Nazarbayev, announced a state of emergency, and called on the assistance of Russian troops (under the cover of the Collective Security Treaty Organization). This bold and confident move appears to have galvanised the forces of the state and buoyed them for the offensive we have witnessed in the past 24 hours.

Meanwhile, with many of the initial demands of the movement having been granted and no new and clear objectives being put forward, some layers began vacillating. This trend was strengthened by the looting and senseless violence, which was undoubtedly promoted and orchestrated for the most part by the state. Under these conditions, and faced with the prospect of fighting state repression without any clear organisation or programme, a layer would have retreated, leaving the most radical elements potentially isolated on the streets.

But while the streets have been cleared in some places, such as Almaty and the capital Nursultan, in other places such as Zhanaozen and Aktau, protests continue and have renewed today. It cannot be ruled out that once the movement has overcome its shock, it will be radicalised and take new steps forward. Whatever happens, this is by no means the end of the Kazakhstani revolution. On the contrary, this is only the beginning.

In #Aktau, west #Kazakhstan, the #protest rally appears to be ongoing as of Thursday night, despite the nationwide state of emergency and the night time curfew:



pic.twitter.com/zwVzLRbFOW  Alex Kokcharov (@AlexKokcharov) January 7, 2022

Instability ahead

What we are witnessing is a turning point in the history of Kazakhstan. The country, which for years had been highlighted by the bourgeois as a model of stability, is now entering a new stage of instability, crisis and class struggle. The strategy of the regime will be to beat back the movement through a combination of violent repression and economic concessions.

Kazakhstan has some of the largest reserves of chromite, wolfram, lead, zinc, manganese, silver and uranium in the world. It also has significant reserves of bauxite, copper, gold, iron ore, coal, natural gas and petroleum. On the basis of these reserves it has also built a significant sovereign wealth fund that it can dip into in order to give certain social and economic concessions.

However, this will not be enough to buy sustained stability. These resources are dependent on a world economy that is in a dire state. In 2014, when oil and mineral prices began declining as a result of slowing economic growth in China and the West, Kazakhstans GDP growth fell from 4.2 to 1.2 percent. Once the pandemic hit, the situation worsened, as prices increased and access to welfare declined for the poorest. In the next period, the world economy will face new downturns, which will put additional pressures on Kazakhstans economy, meaning that the ruling class is bound to attack living standards in order to maintain its own position.

For two decades the Kazakh regime, led in a Bonapartist manner by Nursultan Nazarbayev, could maintain relative stability on the basis of an economy that was growing quickly and a relative growth of living standards  at least for some parts of the population. That era, however, is finished. If it was not clear last week, then certainly after last night, the regime has been thoroughly discredited and will increasingly be forced to rely on brute force to maintain itself, a fact that in turn will push even more layers into opposition. Thus, the order that Tokayev has so proudly proclaimed in Nur-Sultan and Almaty, will form the basis for a new period of instability and class struggle.

A colour revolution?

Some people on the left have been quick to call the past weeks movement in Kazakhstan a colour revolution, orchestrated by the west as a part of a plot to isolate Russia. According to this line of opinion, what we are witnessing is similar to the reactionary Maidan movement in Ukraine, which was essentially a movement controlled by far-right and fascist elements egged on by Washington. That, however, is a superficial comparison that ignores the facts on the ground in Kazakhstan.

If anything, the movement we have witnessed in the past few days has been remarkable for the limited presence that weve seen of liberal and petit-bourgeois elements. Unlike the protest movements between 2018 and 2020, last week's protests had a real revolutionary character and were begun by workers, who played a key part, as well as by poor unemployed and lower-middle-class elements.

Oil workers in #Kazakhstan going on strike in solidarity with the protests. Remember this uprising began as protests against increased fuel prices.



(Via Atlas News) pic.twitter.com/0RDJ9Lg69T  Jake Hanrahan (@Jake_Hanrahan) January 6, 2022

The starting point and initial epicentre of the movement was in the western region of Mangystau, the heartland of large oil companies and home to a large and powerful industrial working class with fighting traditions. The region is home to Zhanaozen, a town in which tens of thousands of oil workers went on strike in 2011, and essentially occupied the city for seven months before they were brutally repressed by the armed forces. It is clear that this experience played an important role in the movement today, which to a large degree was based on the traditions of struggle in that region.

This impressive development of the movement over the space of a few days was explained very well in a statement by the Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan, which we will quote at length:

There is a real popular uprising in Kazakhstan now. From the very beginning the protests were of a social and class nature; the doubling of the cost of liquefied gas on the stock exchange was only the straw that broke the camels back. After all, the events began in the same way in Zhanaozen, on the initiative of oil workers, which became a kind of political headquarters of the entire protest movement. The dynamics of this movement are indicative. Since it began as a social protest, then it began to expand, the labour organisations used their rallies to raise their own demands for a 100 percent increase in wages, cancellation of unreasonable production targets, improvement of working conditions and freedom of trade union activity. As a result, on 3 January, the entire Mangystau region was engulfed in a general strike, which spread to the neighbouring Atyrau region. It is noteworthy that already on 4 January, the oil workers of the Tengizchevroil company, 75 percent of which is controlled by American multinationals, went on strike. It was here that 40,000 workers were laid off in December last year and a new series of layoffs was planned. These workers were subsequently supported during the day by oil workers of Aktobe and West Kazakhstan and Kyzylorda regions. Moreover, in the evening of the same day, strikes began of miners from the ArcelorMittal Temirtau company in the Karaganda region, and copper smelters and miners from the Kazakhmys corporation, which can already be regarded as a general strike across the entire national mining industry of the country. And there were also demands for higher wages, a lower retirement age, the right to run their own trade unions and conduct strikes. At the same time, indefinite rallies had already begin on Tuesday in Atyrau, Uralsk, Aktobe, Kyzyl-Orda, Taraz, Taldykorgan, Turkestan, Shymkent, Ekibastuz, in the cities of Almaty region and in Almaty itself, where the closure of streets resulted in an open clash of demonstrators with the police on the night of 4-5 January, as a result of which the akimat [provincial government] of the city was temporarily seized. This gave and excuse for Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to declare a state of emergency. It should be noted that these speeches in Almaty were attended mainly by unemployed youth and internal migrants living in the suburbs of the metropolis and working in temporary or low-paid jobs. Attempts to calm them down with promises to reduce the price of gas to 50 tenge, separately for the Mangystau region and Almaty, have not satisfied anyone. The decision of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to dismiss the government, and then remove Nursultan Nazarbayev from the post of chairman of the Security Council, also did not stop the protests. Mass protest rallies already began on 5 January in regional centres of Northern and Eastern Kazakhstan where none had previously broken out  in Petropavlovsk, Pavlodar, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Semipalatinsk. At the same time, attempts were made to storm the buildings of regional akimats in Aktobe, Taldykorgan, Shymkent and Almaty. In Zhanaozen itself, workers formulated new demands at their indefinite rally, including the resignation of the current president and all Nazarbayev officials, the restoration of the 1993 Constitution and related freedoms to form parties, the right to create trade unions, the release of political prisoners, and the cessation of repression. A Council of Elders was immediately created, which became an informal authority. Thus, the demands and slogans that are now used in different cities and regions were broadcast to the entire movement, and the struggle received political content. Attempts are also being made on the ground to create committees and councils to coordinate the struggle.

What we see very clearly from the above is the enormous role of the industrial working class of Mangystau, which essentially led the movement and imbued it with its own proletarian political programme and methods of organisation and struggle. Meanwhile, the vague democratic and nationlist demands of the western-backed liberal opposition remained peripheral at best.

In a very interesting interview published on Zanovo-media, Aynur Kurmanov  one of the leaders of Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan in exile  answers the claim that this was a conspiracy orchestrated by western powers:

This is not a Maidan, although many political analysts are trying to present it in this way. Where did such amazing self-organisation come from? It is based on the experience and traditions of the workers. Strikes have been shaking the Mangystau region since 2008, and the strike movement began back in the 2000s. Even without any input from the Communist Party or other leftist group, there were constant demands to nationalise the oil companies. The workers simply saw with their own eyes what privatisation and foreign capitalist takeover were leading to. In the course of these earlier demonstrations, they gained enormous experience in terms of methods of struggle and solidarity. Living in the wilderness made people stick together. It was against this background that the working class and the rest of the population came together. The protests of the workers in Zhanaozen and Aktau then set the tone for other regions of the country. Yurts and tents, which protesters began to put up in the main squares of the cities, were not at all taken from the Euromaidan experience: they stood in the Mangystau Region during the local strikes last year. The population itself brought water and food for the protesters.

Not only are the workers of the Mangystau region not in cahoots with US imperialism, they have a rich tradition of fighting western-based multinationals! This is not to say that there are no bourgeois liberal and nationalist organisations that are trying to capitalise on the movement, but one thing is certain: they did not start it and they are not in control of it.

#Kazakhstan : footage from #Mangystau earlier today as thousands of worked walked to #Aktau in the freezing cold, striking in protest against the government. #zhanaozen2022 pic.twitter.com/Ix5TEp187a  Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) January 4, 2022

Kazakhstan, Russia and the West

It would be incorrect to present Kazakhstan as a country dominated by Russia. The Kazakhstani regime of Nazarbayev spent 30 years playing a game of balancing between Russia, the US, China, and even Turkey, playing each power against each other in order to get the best deal for itself. In fact, it is not Russia, but the US, owing to the investments of Chevron and ExxonMobil, that ranks first among the foreign investors in Kazakhstan. Chevron itself is the largest investor in Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, the majority of the vast overseas wealth of the Kazakhstani establishment is stored in the West and in the Gulf countries. Nursultan Nazerbayevs main domestic policy was not anti-western, but anti-Russian Kazakh nationalism, which has led to a dangerous chasm between the Kazakh and Russian speakers of the country.

There is no supposed plot for US imperialism to enter Kazakhstan  it is already there and is profiting well from its presence! / Image: public domain

There is no supposed plot for US imperialism to enter Kazakhstan  it is already there and is profiting well from its presence! So too is the ruling class of Kazakhstan. This relationship was clear from the meek statement of the US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, who said that the US ... hope[s] that the government of Kazakhstan will soon be able to address problems which are fundamentally economic and political in nature. Price went on to emphasise that the U.S. is a partner of the Central Asian nation!

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, who spoke with Kazakhstans Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi, reiterated the United States full support for Kazakhstans constitutional institutions and media freedom and advocated for a peaceful, rights-respecting resolution to the crisis. These are not the words of a belligerent imperialist power trying to muscle its way into Kazakhstan, but of an imperialist power that is nervous about the future stability of that country, and the ability of the Kazakhstani regime to guarantee the security of its interests. If anything, it reveals the impotence of the West to intervene, even if it wished to do so.

Meanwhile, Russia is keeping a nervous eye on developments in Kazakhstan. Similar to the recent mass movement in Belarus, the Kazakhstani movement poses a threat to the stability of Russia, where the masses suffer under similar conditions. Thus, the intervention of Russian forces has an important domestic purpose. This does not mean, however, that Putin will not demand a certain payment for saving the Kazakhstani regime, just as he demanded obedience from the Belarussian regime. Nevertheless, the US will be powerless to do anything about this. Rather, it is likely to become increasingly dependent on Russia to protect its interests in the country.

What way forward?

What we are witnessing is not a colour revolution, a CIA conspiracy, nor a clash between different sectors of the Kazakhstani ruling class. It is a genuine revolutionary movement of the workers, the youth, the poor and dispossessed.

What we are witnessing is not a colour revolution, a CIA conspiracy, nor a clash between different sectors of the Kazakhstani ruling class. It is a genuine revolutionary movement of the workers, the youth, the poor and dispossessed / Image: Twitter

It is based on the programme and organisational methods of struggle developed by the most advanced layers of the industrial working class. These methods (strikes, mass rallies, etc.), and a programme of economic, social and democratic demands were highly effective, as demonstrated by the speed with which the movement advanced, threatening to bring down the whole edifice of the state within four days.

Nevertheless, the question of leadership and organisation remains the main weakness of the movement. Without a national organisation of the working class, the movement was incapable of extending the strikes to the level of a national, revolutionary general strike; or of responding to the swift manoeuvres of the regime. It also failed to organise a systematic campaign to decisively win over the Russian speakers, who make up just under 20 percent of the population.

In the next period, particularly if we witness a general withdrawal of the broader layers of the masses from the streets, bourgeois liberal elements will undoubtedly try to hijack what remains of the movement. Given the lack of any solid national workers party and leadership to counter their manoeuvres, they may even succeed. However, the struggle between these different tendencies in the movement is not determined in advance. Characterising the present movement as a reactionary one now amounts to capitulating in such a struggle at its outset. Instead, what is necessary is for the most advanced revolutionary elements to draw the lessons from these events, and to begin the struggle to build a revolutionary leadership, based on the most advanced elements of the working class and the youth.

Here, we have to disagree with Aynur Kurmanov, whom we quoted above, who seems to suggest that, even if liberal bourgeois opposition forces come to power, this could somehow still benefit the working class. In the above interview, he says:

The existing left-wing groups in Kazakhstan are more like circles and cannot seriously influence the course of events. Oligarchic and outside forces will try to appropriate or at least use this movement for their own purposes. If they win, the redistribution of property and open confrontation between various groups of the bourgeoisie, a war of all against all, will begin. But, in any case, the workers will be able to win certain freedoms and get new opportunities, including for the creation of their own parties and independent trade unions, which will facilitate the struggle for their rights in the future. (our emphasis)

We must warn against any illusions in this respect. The working class and revolutionary movement cannot in any way be seen to promote the coming to power of bourgeois liberal forces. The role of the liberal democratic opposition is to dilute the class nature of the movement and the class contradictions in society in general. As the experience of the National League for Democracy in Burma, the Maidan movement in Ukraine and the experiences of countless revolutions show, the role of the liberal opposition is to save the system. They are the enemies of the masses, and as revolutionaries we must fight against giving any concessions to these forces. Any collaboration or even willingness to collaborate with such reactionaries will discredit and undermine the movement. The coming to power of a different gang of capitalist oligarchs would not solve any of the problems facing the working masses. Regardless of their pretence to be democratic and liberal, theres no guarantee whatsoever that in coming to power these gentlemen (many of whom were part of the Nazarbayev regime not so long ago) would not implement the same measures and use the same methods of banning left-wing political parties and trade unions, jailing left-wing and worker activists, and responding to mass mobilisations with repression.

The mass of workers and poor can only rely on their own strength to finish the Kazakhstani revolution. In a matter of days, on the basis of radical, proletarian methods and demands, they have achieved more than any liberal NGO could have dreamt of achieving in the past decade. They have won a string of victories and pushed out the sitting government and the old dictator. Only on the basis of deepening this struggle can they prepare to finish the job and bring down the whole rotten regime.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 6, 2022) - Destiny Media Technologies Inc. (TSXV: DSY) (OTCQB: DSNY), the makers of Play MPE, a cloud-based SaaS solution for promotional music marketing, today announced that the Company will hold a live webinar on Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) to discuss financial results for its first quarter ended November 30, 2021. The Company plans to release financial results for the quarter before market open on January 13, 2022.

This webinar replaces the Company's traditional conference call format.

The live webinar will include comments from President, Chief Executive Officer, Fred Vandenberg, and Director of Business Development, Glenn Mattern.

Date: Thursday, January 13, 2022

Time: 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time)



Attendees are encouraged to register prior to the scheduled time at the following:

https://investors.dsny.com/investors/financials/

or directly on the REGISTRATION FORM by clicking here.

Attendees viewing the webinar can voluntarily submit either verbal and written questions during the live presentation. Attendee cameras will remain off throughout the presentation. Attendees' microphones will remain off unless the attendee voluntarily selects to engage in verbal questions similar to the format available on traditional conference call format.

The webinar format will provide the Company an opportunity to present visual information and provide attendees an opportunity for written questions.

For those without internet access, the webinar can be accessed via the following dial in details:

Direct dial in: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 253 215 8782

Webinar ID: 841 5143 2269

Attendees participating via dial in will not have access the webinar video stream, and will not have access to question and answer functions.

A recording of the webinar will be available after the event on https://investors.dsny.com/investors/financials/

About Destiny Media Technologies Inc.

Destiny Media Technologies Inc. ("Destiny"), provides software as service (SaaS) solutions to businesses in the music industry solving critical problems in distribution and promotion. The core service, Play MPE (www.plaympe.com), provides promotional music marketing to engaged networks of decision makers in radio, film, TV, and beyond. More information can be found at www.dsny.com.

Contacts:

Fred Vandenberg

CEO Destiny Media Technologies, Inc.

604 609 7736 x236

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109327
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 6, 2022) - SPARQ Corp. (formerly MJ Innovation Capital Corp.) (TSXV: SPRQ) (the "Company" or the "Resulting Issuer") is pleased to announce that the common shares in the capital of Company (the "Common Shares") and the common share purchase warrants issued on December 31, 2021 (the "Warrants") will commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") following completion of its qualifying transaction at the open of the market on January 7, 2022. The Common Shares will trade under the symbol "SPRQ" and the Warrants will trade under the symbol "SPRQ.WT".

ABOUT SPARQ

SPARQ's head office is located at 945 Princess Street, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 0E9. SPARQ originated from the advanced research conducted at ePOWER, the Centre for Energy and Power Electronics Research at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. SPARQ was founded at Queen's University in 2009 by Canada Research Chair in Power Electronics, Dr. Praveen Jain, Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Royal Society of Canada.

SPARQ designs and manufactures next generation single-phase microinverters for residential and commercial solar electric applications. SPARQ has developed a proprietary photovoltaic ("PV") solution called the Quad; the Quad inverter optimizes four PV modules with a single microinverter, simplifying design and installation, and lowering cost for solar power installations when compared to existing market offerings.

SPARQ's operations are located in Ontario.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

Forward-looking statements in this document include, among others, statements relating to expectations regarding the trading of the Resulting Issuer Shares and Resulting Issuer Warrants and other statements that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: (a) the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; (b) domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; (c) a drop in retail pricing of electricity from utilities providers or other renewable energy sources or improved distribution of electricity could negatively impact the Company's business; (d) the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance; and (e) the impacts of COVID-19.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Qualifying Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Service Provider (as defined policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

For more information, please contact:

SPARQ Corp.

Dr. Praveen Jain

Chief Executive Officer

Email: pjain@sparqsys.com

Tel: 343.477.1158

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109328
SEOUL (dpa-AFX) - SK Telecom (SKM) and Qualcomm discussed cooperation in 5G business areas including metaverse and smart factory, SK Telecom said in a statement. In a meeting at CES 2022, the companies discussed cooperation in the field of ICT. They also discussed cooperation in areas such as semiconductor and 5G. The companies held talks regarding collaboration on the development of data center applications and high-speed memory for PCs. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TOKYO, Jan 7, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu today announced that it will raise the standard price of certain products and optional products of the FUJITSU Server PRIMERGY series in Japan as of February 2022.Amid the impact of the recent global supply shortage of semiconductors and various raw materials on parts and materials procurement, the Fujitsu Group has made every effort to secure parts and materials necessary for production. However, ongoing circumstances, including further increases in procurement and logistics costs, mean that it is no longer possible for Fujitsu to maintain supply prices by absorbing these expenses through efforts to improve production costs and reduce costs across the manufacturing and supply chain. Consequently, Fujitsu has decided to revise the standard prices for some products of the FUJITSU Server PRIMERGY series in Japan, as follows. Fujitsu additionally plans to revise the standard prices in Europe, Asia, Oceania and other countries, and details for each region will be communicated separately at a future date.Details of Price Revision (in Japan)1. Target products: Part of x86 server main units and optional products of the FUJITSU Server PRIMERGY series2. Price revision rate: x86 server main units up about 10%, optional products up about 30%About FujitsuFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Approximately 126,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$34 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com.Source: Fujitsu LtdCopyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - GlaxoSmithKline Plc. (GSK.L, GSK) said that it has signed agreements with the Government of Canada to supply 20,000 doses of Sotrovimab for injection. Sotrovimab is a COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy developed by GSK and Vir Biotechnology. It follows the initial purchase agreement with the Government of Canada to supply 10,000 doses of Sotrovimab, announced on October 4, 2021. Health Canada authorized Sotrovimab for injection on July 30, 2021, under its Interim Order Respecting the Importation, Sale and Advertising of Drugs for Use in Relation to COVID-19 for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19, confirmed by direct SARS-COV-2 viral testing, in adults and adolescents (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) who are at high risk for progressing to hospitalization and/or death. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Completed Patient Enrollment for Part A of Phase 2 INTEGRAL Trial Evaluating THR-687 for treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) in treatment naive subjects



US IRB Approval of Protocol Amendment to Part B of the Phase 2 KALAHARI Trial Assessing THR-149 versus aflibercept for treatment of DME in patients that suboptimally respond to anti-VEGF therapy

Full dataset from Part A of KALAHARI Trial to be presented at Angiogenesis on February 12th

Leuven, BELGIUM, Boston, MA, US - 7 January 2022 - 7.00 AM CET - Oxurion NV (Euronext Brussels: OXUR), a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation standard of care ophthalmic therapies, with a clinical stage portfolio in vascular retinal disorders, today announced updates on its two clinical programs, THR-687, initially being developed for first line treatment of DME, and THR-149 being developed for second line treatment of DME.

THR-687 - Completed Patient Enrollment for Part A of the Phase 2 Clinical Trial("INTEGRAL") Evaluating THR-687 in Patients with DME

THR-687 is a potential best-in-class small molecule pan-RGD integrin antagonist being developed for the treatment of DME and holding promise for the treatment of wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) and macular edema following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO). The INTEGRAL trial is a two-part Phase 2, randomized, multi-center clinical trial and is the first trial in which multiple intravitreal injections of THR-687 will be administered in humans.

"We are pleased to announce the completion of patient enrollment for Part A of the Phase 2 INTEGRAL trial of THR-687," Tom Graney, CFA, Chief Executive Officer of Oxurion commented. "The rapid enrollment in this trial is a testament to how interested physicians and patients are to have a new mechanism of action with the potential to offer improved efficacy over the standard of care anti-VEGF therapy. This milestone brings us closer to delivering a potential first line treatment of choice for patients with DME. With its unique mechanism of action, THR-687 demonstrated promising results in its Phase 1 study, which showed an encouraging efficacy signal following just a single dose. This best-in-class small molecule has further potential to be developed to raise the standard of care in additional significant indications, including wAMD and RVO."

Part A of the trial will assess two dose levels of multiple THR-687 injections and, if successful, the trial's results will be used to select the appropriate dose for Part B of the INTEGRAL trial that will evaluate the efficacy and safety of THR-687 versus aflibercept (the current standard of care) for the treatment of DME. Part B of the trial will include both treatment experienced and treatment naive subjects.

The dose selection decision, following Part A, is anticipated in the first half of 2022 with top line data from Part B expected in the second half of 2023.

THR-149 - Received Approval from the US Institutional Review Board (IRB) to Amend the Protocol for Part B of the Phase 2 Clinical Trial ("KALAHARI") Assessing THR-149 versus aflibercept for Treatment of DME

THR-149 is a potent plasma kallikrein inhibitor being developed as a potential new standard of care for the 40-50% of DME patients showing suboptimal response to anti-VEGF therapy.

The trial's U.S. IRB has approved a protocol amendment to Part B of its ongoing KALAHARI trial assessing multiple doses of THR-149 versus aflibercept for the treatment of DME. The changes to the protocol are designed to:

Enhance the probability of a successful trial outcome without impacting the trial timelines by refining the patient inclusion/exclusion criteria, and

Provide preliminary data on the use of THR-149 before, or immediately following, anti-VEGF therapy by exploring synergies of THR-149 with aflibercept utilizing a cross-over style design with a fourth injection at month four

In September 2021, Oxurion announced positive data from Part A of the Phase 2 KALAHARI trial evaluating THR-149 for the treatment of DME. These data demonstrated that THR-149 had a favorable safety profile, with no serious adverse events or inflammation observed at any dose level. The high dose achieved a mean improvement in Best Corrected Vision (BCVA) of 6.1 letters at Month 3 without the need for rescue medication. BCVA is the primary endpoint for registration in DME trials.

The post-hoc analysis of the Part A results identified opportunities to optimize the inclusion and exclusion criteria for Part B for both probability of success and speed. Part B of the KALAHARI trial is ongoing, assessing three monthly injections of THR-149, compared to three monthly injections of aflibercept, up to Month 3. As from Month 3, the safety and efficacy of a switched fourth injection (THR-149 to aflibercept or aflibercept to THR-149) will be evaluated in about half of the subjects whereas in the other half of the subjects the durability of three monthly injections (THR-149 or aflibercept) will be evaluated through a single sham injection. The trial is planned to randomize approximately 108 subjects in Part B and the primary endpoint remains the mean change in BCVA letter score from baseline, at Month 3.

Tom Graney, CFA, Chief Executive Officer of Oxurion, said, "I am pleased that the IRB has approved our protocol amendments to Part B of the Phase 2 KALAHARI trial. These amendments, including refining the patient inclusion and exclusion criteria, have been made based on further post-hoc analyses of the data from Part A of the trial, which have improved our understanding of which patients are most likely to respond to treatment with THR-149. We believe these changes will maximize our ability to achieve a successful trial outcome while preserving the benefits of the initial trial design and maintaining our timelines."

Additional new data from Part A from the KALAHARI trial will be presented at Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2022, a virtual conference taking place February 11 and 12, 2022. Arshad M. Khanani, M.D., M.A., Director of Clinical Research at Sierra Eye Associates, Reno, Nevada, US will present the Part A data on February 12th.

Final topline results from Part B the KALAHARI trial are expected by mid-2023.

END

For further information please contact:

Oxurion NV

Tom Graney

Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +32 16 75 13 10

tom.graney@oxurion.com (mailto:tom.graney@oxurion.com)











Michael Dillen

Chief Business Officer

Tel: +32 479 783583

michael.dillen@oxurion.com (mailto:michael.dillen@oxurion.com)



EU

MEDiSTRAVA Consulting

David Dible/ Sylvie Berrebi/Frazer Hall

Tel: +44 203 928 6900

oxurion@medistrava.com (mailto:oxurion@medistrava.com)







US

ICR Westwicke

Christopher Brinzey

Tel: +1 617 835 9304

chris.brinzey@westwicke.com (mailto:chris.brinzey@westwicke.com)





About Oxurion

Oxurion (Euronext Brussels: OXUR) is a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation standard of care ophthalmic therapies, which are designed to better preserve vision in patients with retinal vascular disorders including diabetic macular edema (DME), the leading cause of vision loss in diabetic patients worldwide as well as other conditions, including wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

Oxurion is aiming to build a leading global franchise in the treatment of retinal vascular disorders based on the successful development of its two novel therapeutics:

THR-687 is a highly selective pan-RGD integrin antagonist that is initially being developed as a potential first line therapy for DME patients. Positive topline results in a Phase 1 clinical study assessing THR-687 as a treatment for DME were announced in 2020. Oxurion is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial ("INTEGRAL") evaluating THR-687 in patients with DME. THR-687 also has the potential to deliver improved treatment outcomes for patients with wAMD and RVO.





THR-149 is a potent plasma kallikrein inhibitor being developed as a potential new standard of care for the 40-50% of DME patients showing suboptimal response to anti-VEGF therapy. THR-149 has shown positive topline Phase 1 results for the treatment of DME. The company is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial ("KALAHARI") evaluating multiple injections of THR-149 in DME patients previously showing a suboptimal response to anti-VEGF therapy. Following positive data from Part A of this Phase 2 trial (dose selection), the Company has initiated Part B of the trial.





Oxurion is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and is listed on the Euronext Brussels exchange under the symbol OXUR. More information is available at www.oxurion.com.

Important information about forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking". Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Company's Annual Report. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of Oxurion in any jurisdiction. No securities of Oxurion may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. state securities laws.
Combination treatment with NOX-A12, radiotherapy and bevacizumab in expansion arm is safe for continued recruitment

Additional expansion arm with NOX-A12, radiotherapy and pembrolizumab approved by competent authority

Regulatory News:

NOXXON Pharma N.V. (Euronext Growth Paris: ALNOX) (Paris:ALNOX), a biotechnology company focused on improving cancer treatments by targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME), announced today that the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) positively evaluated safety data from the initial four weeks of treatment of the first patient enrolled in the GLORIA clinical trial expansion arm with NOX-A12 combined with radiotherapy and bevacizumab. The DSMB concluded that it is safe and appropriate to continue recruitment of five additional remaining patients into this arm according to the study protocol. NOXXON also announced that the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM, Bundesinstitut fur Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte) approved the third expansion arm of the GLORIA clinical trial in which patients will receive the PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab in combination with NOX-A12 and radiotherapy.

Aram Mangasarian, CEO of NOXXON, commented: "The three arms in the expansion of our Phase 1/2 study of NOX-A12 are supported by the clinical data from the GLORIA trial and are designed to explore the potential for improved benefits for patients with brain tumors. The combination with the anti-PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab is of particular interest as we expect this combination therapy to unlock a stronger and more durable immune response against the tumor. This is based on our previous observation that NOX-A12 drives infiltration of activated cytotoxic immune cells into brain tumor tissue. We plan to use clinical data from the expansion arms to support our future pivotal glioblastoma study."

The GLORIA Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluates the safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 combined with radiotherapy in newly diagnosed brain cancer (glioblastoma) patients with unmethylated MGMT promoter. Three expansion arms, each intending to enrol six patients, will evaluate the benefit of NOX-A12 in other therapeutic settings:

Arm A: NOX-A12 with radiotherapy in patients with complete tumor resection

Arm B: NOX-A12 with radiotherapy and bevacizumab in patients with incomplete tumor resection

Arm C: NOX-A12 with radiotherapy and pembrolizumab in patients with incomplete tumor resection.

About NOXXON

NOXXON's oncology-focused pipeline acts on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cancer immunity cycle by breaking the tumor protection barrier and blocking tumor repair. By neutralizing chemokines in the TME, NOXXON's approach works in combination with other forms of treatment to weaken tumor defenses against the immune system and enable greater therapeutic impact. NOXXON's lead program NOX-A12 has delivered final top-line data from a Keytruda combination trial in metastatic colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients published at the ESMO conference in September 2020 and in July 2021 the company announced its Phase 2 study, OPTIMUS, to further evaluate safety and efficacy of NOX-A12 in combination with Merck's Keytruda and two different chemotherapy regimens as second-line therapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. NOXXON is also studying NOX-A12 in brain cancer in combination with radiotherapy which has been granted orphan drug status in the US and EU for the treatment of certain brain cancers. GLORIA, a trial of NOX-A12 in combination with radiotherapy in newly diagnosed brain cancer patients who will not benefit clinically from standard chemotherapy has delivered interim data from the first two cohorts showing consistent tumor reductions and objective tumor responses. The company's second clinical-stage asset NOX-E36 is a Phase 2 TME asset targeting the innate immune system. NOXXON plans to test NOX-E36 in patients with solid tumors. Further information can be found at: www.noxxon.com.

Keytruda is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp Dohme Corp.

Visit NOXXON on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About the GLORIA Study

GLORIA (NCT04121455) is NOXXON's dose-escalation, phase 1/2 study of NOX-A12 in combination with irradiation in first-line glioblastoma (brain cancer) patients with unmethylated MGMT promoter (resistant to standard chemotherapy).

About the OPTIMUS Study

OPTIMUS (NCT04901741) is NOXXON's open-label two-arm phase 2 study of NOX-A12 combined with pembrolizumab and nanoliposomal irinotecan/5-FU/leucovorin or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in microsatellite-stable metastatic pancreatic cancer patients.

Disclaimer

Certain statements in this communication contain formulations or terms referring to the future or future developments, as well as negations of such formulations or terms, or similar terminology. These are described as forward-looking statements. In addition, all information in this communication regarding planned or future results of business segments, financial indicators, developments of the financial situation or other financial or statistical data contains such forward-looking statements. The company cautions prospective investors not to rely on such forward-looking statements as certain prognoses of actual future events and developments. The company is neither responsible nor liable for updating such information, which only represents the state of affairs on the day of publication.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220106005983/en/

Contacts:

For more information:

NOXXON Pharma N.V.

Aram Mangasarian, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Tel. +49 (0) 30 726247 0

amangasarian@noxxon.com

Investor and Media Relations:

LifeSci Advisors

Guillaume van Renterghem

Tel. +41 (0) 76 735 01 31

gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com

NewCap

Arthur Rouille

Tel. +33 (0) 1 44 71 00 15

arouille@newcap.fr
AliveCor's KardiaMobile is the only personal electrocardiogram (ECG) to be recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for use within the NHS [1]

NICE's positive recommendation [1] offers patients and physicians across England and Wales access to a medical-grade ECG to support at home monitoring of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) without the requirements for multiple hospital appointments

[1] AF, a type of irregular heart rhythm and leading cause of stroke, affects around 1.3 million people in the UK, [2] almost half of which remain undiagnosed[3]

[2] Paroxysmal AF occurs when AF symptoms, such as palpitations, are intermittent and self-terminating within seven days of onset

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AliveCor, the global leader in FDA-cleared personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology, today announced that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued Medical Technologies Guidance (MTG) recommending KardiaMobile as an option for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) for people with suspected paroxysmal AF, who present with symptoms such as palpitations and are referred for ambulatory ECG monitoring by a clinician. KardiaMobile is the first personal ECG to be recommended by NICE for use within the National Health Service (NHS) in England and Wales. KardiaMobile would be prescribed by a healthcare professional for people experiencing arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm) symptoms more than 24 hours apart. The instructions for use state that all interpretations of ECG recordings are reviewed by a healthcare professional and used to support clinical decision making.1

AF, the most common form of arrhythmia ,2 is a leading cause of AF-related stroke.4 Almost half of the 1.3 million people in the UK living with AF are undiagnosed,2,3 leaving them particularly at risk of suffering the life-changing, and often devastating, effects of this serious form of stroke.5 Stroke detection and prevention is key to the NHS Long Term Plan,6 in efforts to save thousands of lives and reduce the staggering costs of disease - approximately 3 billion per year direct costs to the NHS, with further 4 billion to the UK economy in lost productivity, disability and informal care.7

"AF diagnosis rates across the UK pre-pandemic were already too low. With difficulties in accessing in-person care and increased waiting times, concern is that diagnosis rates have fallen further, leaving thousands of people at risk of life-threatening cardiovascular complications, such as an AF-related stroke" said Professor Matt Reed, RCEM Professor, Consultant and NRS Fellow in Emergency Medicine, NHS Lothian. "With the NHS over-stretched, it is encouraging that NICE has recognised the value of utilising smart technology to support clinicians. Today's recommendation of KardiaMobile - a clinically-validated digital tool to allow people to monitor their heart rhythm at home, avoiding the need for hospital appointments - is a great step forward for cardiac services."

"Many people experience various symptoms but do not realise it may be a heart rhythm disorder such as AF. If medical attention is not sought it leaves them exposed to a much higher risk of AF-related stroke. KardiaMobile can be used to monitor a person's heart rhythm at any time, regardless of whether or not people show signs or symptoms of AF. This ultimately means AF can be detected faster, leading to a quicker diagnosis and therefore more lives being protected against AF-related stroke and consequences of suffering with AF," said Mrs Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder and Trustee of Arrhythmia Alliance & AF Association.

KardiaMobile is the world's most clinically-validated personal ECG. Unlike traditional ECGs, KardiaMobile provides a compact, patchless and wireless solution that can be used at any time and anywhere. The user starts a 30-second ECG recording on their smartphone via the Kardia app - by placing two fingers from each hand on each of the two top electrodes - enabling the patient to remotely capture a medical-grade recording of their heart activity. KardiaMobile provides instant detection of AF, bradycardia and tachycardia, which are leading indicators of cardiovascular disease. KardiaMobile can also detect normal heart rhythm, offering users peace of mind.

Commenting on the announcement, Priya Abani, CEO, AliveCor said, "AliveCor is proud to be able to offer the only NICE-recommended personal ECG to support remote cardiac care services for patients not in front of their cardiologist. Today's recommendation not only highlights the clinical superiority of KardiaMobile against the current standard of care, but also its position as a more cost-effective solution, therefore warranting its value as a clinical tool to support rapid diagnosis of AF."

NICE's recommendation of KardiaMobile as a clinically and cost-effective medical technology is supported by evidence from 27 different studies,1 including five randomised controlled trials.8,9,10,11,12 Data submitted to NICE, showed KardiaMobile was five times more efficacious at detecting heart rhythm problems than standard tests alone9, with greater usability.9,13

NICE's MTG evaluates new, innovative medical devices and diagnostics. It assesses medical technologies that deliver treatment, give greater independence to patients and detect or monitor medical conditions.

The NICE MTG recommendation can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg64

About AliveCor

AliveCor, Inc. is transforming cardiological care using deep learning. The FDA-cleared KardiaMobile device is the most clinically-validated personal ECG solution in the world. KardiaMobile 6L provides instant detection of Atrial Fibrillation, Bradycardia, Tachycardia, Sinus Rhythm with Supraventricular Ectopy, Sinus Rhythm with Premature Ventricular Contractions, Sinus Rhythm with Wide QRS and Normal Sinus Rhythm in an ECG. Kardia is the first AI-enabled platform to aid patients and clinicians in the early detection of atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia and one associated with a highly-elevated risk of stroke. AliveCor's enterprise platform allows third party providers to manage their patients' and customers' heart conditions simply using state-of-the-art tools that provide easy front-end and back-end integration to AliveCor technologies. AliveCor protects its customers with stringent data security and compliance practices, achieving HIPAA compliance and SOC2 Type 1 and Type 2 attestations. AliveCor is a privately-held company headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. "Consumer" or "Personal" ECGs are ECG devices available for direct sale to consumers. For more information, visit alivecor.com.

References

[1] NICE Medical Technologies Guidance. KardiaMobile for detecting atrial fibrillation (MTG64). Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg64. Last accessed January 2022.

[2] British Heart Foundation. Managing atrial fibrillation in primary care. Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/for-professionals/healthcare-professionals/innovation-in-care/managing-atrial-fibrillation-in-primary-care. Last accessed January 2022

[3] Heart Rhythm Alliance. Heart Rhythm Week. Available at: https://www.heartrhythmalliance.org/afa/uk/heart-rhythm-week. Last accessed January 2022.

[4] Heart Rhythm Alliance. AF-related stroke? AF-related stroke. Available at: https://www.heartrhythmalliance.org/afa/uk/af-related-stroke. Last accessed January 2022.

[5] Heart Rhythm Alliance. Atrial Fibrillation Management. Available at: https://www.heartrhythmalliance.org/files/files/Atrial%20Fibrillation%20Management_2010%20Full%20Report.pdf . Last accessed January 2022.

[6] NHS. Long Term Plan. Available at: https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/areas-of-work/stroke. Last accessed January 2022.

[7] NHS England. Press release: NHS stroke action will save hundreds of lives. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2019/05/nhs-stroke-action-will-save-hundreds-of-lives/ . Last accessed January 2022.

[8] Goldenthal IL, Sciacca RR, Riga T, et al. Recurrent atrial fibrillation/flutter detection after ablation or cardioversion using the AliveCor KardiaMobile device: iHEART results. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2019. 30(11):2220-2228.

[9] Reed MJ, Grubb NR, Lang CC et al. Multi-centre Randomised Controlled Trial of a Smartphone-based Event Recorder Alongside Standard Care Versus Standard Care for Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Palpitations and Pre-syncope: The IPED (Investigation of Palpitations in the ED) study. EClinicalMedicine. 2019. 19(1):711.

[10] Koh KT, Law WC, Zaw WM et al. Smartphone electrocardiogram for detecting atrial fibrillation after a cerebral ischaemic event: a multicentre randomized controlled trial. Europace. 2021. 18;23(7):1016-1023.

[11] Caceres B, Hickey K, Bakken S, et al. Mobile Electrocardiogram Monitoring and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2020. 35(4):327-336.

[12] Guhl, E, Althouse A, Pusateri A, et al. The Atrial Fibrillation Health Literacy Information Technology Trial: Pilot Trial of a Mobile Health App for Atrial Fibrillation. JMIR Cardio. 2020. 4(1):17162.

[13] Narasimha N, Hanna N, Beck H et al. Validation of a smartphone-based event recorder for arrhythmia detection. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2018. 41(5):487-494.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1721631/AliveCor_KardiaMobile.jpg
Forum brings together governments, miners, investors and other critical stakeholders to shape the future of global mining

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As Saudi Arabia prepares to host one of the world's most important new events, the Future Minerals Forum, a number of the world's most influential mining experts have spoken of their excitement at the opportunities that will be up for discussion.

Robert Friedland , Founder & Executive Co-Chairman of Canada's Ivanhoe Mines : "The mining industry is a central pillar of the world's transition to a more sustainable future, and emergent mining regions have a vital role to play in this transition, helping to ensure security and diversification of mineral and metal supplies."

, Founder & Executive Co-Chairman of : "The mining industry is a central pillar of the world's transition to a more sustainable future, and emergent mining regions have a vital role to play in this transition, helping to ensure security and diversification of mineral and metal supplies." Michael Naylor , CEO of EV Metals Group: "A Forum based on Future Minerals is a discerning and defining choice for the region, that aligns fully with Vision 2030 as it transitions from a global leader in energy based on fossil fuels to a global leader in energy based on renewable energy. As a first mover in the Kingdom, we are fast tracking the development and processing of high purity battery chemicals for a clean energy future, supported by key Ministries. We look forward to sharing this strategic project with the attendees of FMF."

, CEO of EV Metals Group: "A Forum based on Future Minerals is a discerning and defining choice for the region, that aligns fully with Vision 2030 as it transitions from a global leader in energy based on fossil fuels to a global leader in energy based on renewable energy. As a first mover in the Kingdom, we are fast tracking the development and processing of high purity battery chemicals for a clean energy future, supported by key Ministries. We look forward to sharing this strategic project with the attendees of FMF." Brian Hosking , Chief Executive Officer, Gold & Minerals Company: "The Arabian-Nubian Shield is rapidly becoming a major mineral province hosting world-class mining projects. This region, along with the Tethyan-Eurasian mineral belt, are now well-recognized as having the potential to meet a large share of the world's growing demand for metals and minerals. We believe events like the Future Minerals Forum will bring much-needed focus to the importance and vast potential of the Eurasian and Northern African regions as a whole."

, Chief Executive Officer, Gold & Minerals Company: "The Arabian-Nubian Shield is rapidly becoming a major mineral province hosting world-class mining projects. This region, along with the Tethyan-Eurasian mineral belt, are now well-recognized as having the potential to meet a large share of the world's growing demand for metals and minerals. We believe events like the Future Minerals Forum will bring much-needed focus to the importance and vast potential of the Eurasian and Northern African regions as a whole." Christopher Ecclestone , Mining Strategist at Hallgarten & Company: "Without new technology metals, the change will not occur. A supportive business climate is needed by global and regional miners in order to make the best of these resources, and an event such as [this] is a great place to discuss how to build this climate."

, Mining Strategist at Hallgarten & Company: "Without new technology metals, the change will not occur. A supportive business climate is needed by global and regional miners in order to make the best of these resources, and an event such as [this] is a great place to discuss how to build this climate." Warren Irwin , President & Chief Investment Officer, Rosseau Asset Management: "The world's energy transition will require billions in investments in new metal and mineral production. The Forum offers a much-needed meeting point for producers and investors to find mutually beneficial ways of developing the vast untapped mineral wealth of emerging economies across Asia , Africa and the Middle East ."

, President & Chief Investment Officer, Rosseau Asset Management: "The world's energy transition will require billions in investments in new metal and mineral production. The Forum offers a much-needed meeting point for producers and investors to find mutually beneficial ways of developing the vast untapped mineral wealth of emerging economies across , and the ." Douglas Kirwin , renowned geologist and member of the Society of Economic Geologists: "Mineral and metal resources are a vital part of the world's energy transition but so is the diversification of supply. Developing nations, thanks to their natural resources, are at the forefront of this transition, and the Future Minerals Forum is a great place for the industry and the governments of these countries to meet and discuss how to best responsibly develop these resources."

The Forum, convened and hosted by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources in conjunction with multiple Government stakeholders, has an ambitious vision: to shape the future of mining and to connect global policy makers with investors, financiers and business leaders across the mining value chain and its supporting industries. Its aim is to convene a truly global conversation about the Middle East, Africa and Asia and the region's collective mining objectives.

https://www.futuremineralssummit.com/

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1721718/Future_Minerals_Forum.jpg
ABN AMRO CI&TO Christian Bornfeld to step down on 1 May 2022

ABN AMRO Bank N.V. today announced that its Chief Innovation & Technology Officer (CI&TO), Christian Bornfeld, has decided to leave ABN AMRO on 1 May 2022. Christian has accepted a position closer to his home and family in Denmark. The process of finding a new CI&TO has been initiated.

Robert Swaak, CEO of ABN AMRO:

"I want to sincerely thank Christian for his vision and leadership and the tremendous work he has done for ABN AMRO in the past four years. It is with great regret that we will see him go, but I fully respect his desire to work closer to his home and family in Denmark. Until 1 May, Christian will be fully committed to ABN AMRO. He has been a driving force for the bank in recent years, as one of the architects of our current strategy and of our ambition to serve our clients as a personal bank in the digital age. Christian has been instrumental in future-proofing the bank's IT landscape and our way of working and in reinforcing our bank- wide KYC capabilities and activities. His knowledge, skills and companionship will be sorely missed. I wish Christian every success and happiness in his new job."

Christian Bornfeld, CI&TO:

"It is with mixed emotions that I will be saying goodbye in a few months. I have immensely enjoyed working with all my colleagues at ABN AMRO and would like to thank them for that. The passion, professionalism and expertise at ABN AMRO are exceptional. At the same time, I'm excited about this new opportunity, which will allow me to work closer to my family in Denmark. So when this opportunity arose, I decided, together with my family, to return to Denmark. I have a lot of respect for Robert and my colleagues in the Executive Board. I firmly believe in the current strategy and in ABN AMRO's ability to be successful as a personal bank in the digital age. I'll be following the bank's progress closely for years to come."

ABN AMRO Press Office

Jarco de Swart

Senior Press Officer

pressrelations@nl.abnamro.com (mailto:pressrelations@nl.abnamro.com)

+31 20 6288900 ABN AMRO Investor Relations

Ferdinand Vaandrager

Head of Investor Relations investorrelations@nl.abnamro.com (mailto:investorrelations@nl.abnamro.com)

+31 20 6282282

This press release is published by ABN AMRO Bank N.V. and contains inside information within the meaning of article 7 (1) to (4) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (Market Abuse Regulation)

Attachment
le cabont sest reuni une premiere fois en 2022 et a pris note que le Protocole dAccord entre le Commonwealth Scholarship Commission of UK et le Ministere de lEducation sera renouvelle, la siganture dun autre entre Competition Commission of Mauritius et Competition Commission of India, que les Wage Assistance Scheme et the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme seront accordes aux personnes qui travaillent dans le secteur touristique a Rodrigues, de la situation de la Covid-19 dans le pays entre autres.

1. Cabinet has agreed to the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission of UK and the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, for a period of three years. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission offers scholarships at post graduate level to Mauritian nationals on a yearly basis through the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology. The Memorandum of Understanding clarifies the existing rules and processes of the Nominating Agency and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for promotion of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commissions programmes for the nomination and selection of candidates. The new provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding aim at enlarging the Nominating Agencys commitment towards Commonwealth Scholarship Commissions safeguarding policies as follows:

(a) parity between the number of men and women to be nominated;

(b) the use of electronic communication; and

(c) the signature of a separate legally binding Data Protection Agreement.

2. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Competition Commission of Mauritius and the Competition Commission of India. The Memorandum of Understanding would cover, inter alia, the following areas of collaboration:

(a) technical cooperation activities related to competition law enforcement and policy;

(b) training courses on competition law and policy;

(c) assistance in promoting the understanding of sound competitive policy among government agencies, business communities, bar associations, academic institutions, and other important supporting institutions;

(d) cooperation in investigations on related competition matters; and

(e) seek advice and communicate on matters of competition law enforcement and policy.

3. Cabinet has agreed to the List of Indicative Priority Fields of Study 2021-2023 document that has been approved by the Board of the Higher Education Commission. The list serves a fourfold purpose, namely:

(a) it guides prospective higher education students in their choice of fields of study at tertiary level, with a view to enhancing their competencies and their potential for employability after graduation;

(b) it assists Higher Education Institutions in the review of existing programmes and in the design of new ones, while also providing a framework for capacity building;

(c) it acts as a reference document for students applying for scholarships awarded by the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology such that they may opt for fields of study that are contributory to the development of the country; and

(d) it guides potential investors in the field of Higher Education with regard to the offer of programmes in areas of scarcity and of national priority.

4. Cabinet has agreed to extend Government support under:

(a) the Wage Assistance Scheme and the Self-Employed Assistance Scheme to workers and self-employed individuals of the tourism sector in Rodrigues for an additional period of three months after the opening of its borders. An employer would be required to undertake not to lay off any employee during that period, failing which Government may claim back the assistance paid; and

(b) the Wage Assistance Scheme to employees of bus operators providing public transport for the months of November and December 2021, provided that the employer undertakes not to lay off any worker up to 31 March 2022.

5. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of the following Regulations:

(a) the Construction Industry Development Board (Amendment of Schedule) Regulations 2022;

(b) the Construction Industry Development Board (Conversion of Grade of Contractors) Regulations 2022;

(c) the Construction Industry Development Board (Registration of Consultants, Contractors, Service Providers and Suppliers) (Amendment) Regulations 2022;

(d) the Construction Industry Development Board (Appeal Fee) (Amendment) Regulations 2022; and

(e) the Construction Industry Development Board (Compliance Notice and Penalty Fees) Regulations 2022.

The Regulations shall be deemed to have come into operation on 01 January 2022.

6. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Project Portfolio Document on e-Health initiatives between the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The following projects are included in the Project Portfolio Document:

(a) Project 1: Supporting an Inclusive and Multi-Sectoral Response to COVID-19 and Addressing its Socio-Economic Impact in the Republic of Mauritius;

(b) Project 2: Support to Resilience through Digital Transformation and Capacity Development;

(c) Project 3: Strengthened Resilience through Digitalisation and Community Engagement; and

(d) Project 4: e-Health Implementation. The Ministry of Health and Wellness would adopt a phase-wise implementation of the National e-Health Project. The first phase would consist of the implementation of a Patient Administration System in all public health institutions in Mauritius. Thereafter, the National eHealth Project would be scaled up to include the remaining modules on a priority and cost effectiveness basis and in line with the long-term Digital Health Transformation Strategy Framework to be developed by the UNDP.

7. Cabinet has taken note that necessary arrangements were being made by the Ministry of AgroIndustry and Food Security and the Agricultural Marketing Board in respect of supply of vegetables and coconuts for the forthcoming Thaipoosam Cavadee through the outlets of the Agricultural Marketing Board, in addition to the usual market supply. The Agricultural Marketing Board also intends to import three tons of beans and cabbage respectively from India and the consignments are expected by 14 January 2022. 8. Cabinet has taken note that the Rodrigues Regional Assembly has been dissolved on 6 January 2022. The writs of elections have been issued. The Nomination Day has been fixed for 22 January 2022. The taking of the Poll and Counting of Votes would be held on 13 February 2022.

9. Cabinet has taken note that the State of Mauritius has obtained two A grades in its implementation of recommendations linked to the treatment of asylum seekers, refugees and stateless person residing in Mauritius and its efforts linked to juvenile justice in respect of its Interim Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights submitted to the Human Rights Committee on 08 November 2019. Mauritius is the only country which has received two As and is the only one from the African Continent that has received top grades for their implementation of selected priority recommendations by the Human Rights Committee.

10. Cabinet has taken note of the situation report following the recent heavy rainfall in Mauritius, particularly in the region of Beau Bassin/Rose Hill and a Committee chaired by the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Local Government and Disaster Risk Management would look into the problem of water accumulation in the area of Beau Bassin/Rose Hill and come up with remedial measures.

11. Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing across the world. Some 298.3 million cases have been reported globally, of which 256.8 million persons have been successfully treated.

With regard to Mauritius, as at 05 January 2022, there were 678 active cases of COVID-19, out of which 12 were admitted at the New ENT Hospital. Over the period 29 December 2021 to 05 January 2022, 13 deaths were attributed to COVID-19.

Cabinet has also taken note of progress in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, including the administration of the booster dose in the Republic of Mauritius. As at 06 January 2022, 952,305 persons had received a first dose of vaccine (representing 75.2 percent of the population). 914,505 persons were fully vaccinated (representing 72.5 percent of the population). 195,862 persons had received a booster dose (representing 15.8 percent of the population). Some 400,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine have been received on 31 December 2021.

12. Cabinet has taken note that the NOTAM for Rodrigues has been extended up to 15 February 2022. Two weekly domestic flights would be effected to Rodrigues as from 12 January 2022 and the passengers would have to undergo seven days paid quarantine in Rodrigues. Cabinet has also taken note that the NOTAM in respect of the passengers from South Africa and eight Southern African countries has been cancelled.

13. Cabinet has taken note of the online participation of the Minister of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Protection in the Special Ministerial Plenary of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit 2021 held recently. The CII Partnership Summit 2021, jointly organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Government of India and the CII, is an annual event and has evolved as a leading global platform for discussions on Indias economy and external economic and partnership engagement. The CII Partnership Summit captured perspectives of leading experts across major themes such as geopolitical and strategic developments, international trade and multilateralism, economy and finance, investments, technology disruptions and cooperation in healthcare.

In his speech, the Minister underlined the special links that exist between Mauritius and India. He stressed on the role of India as a main partner in terms of investment and trade. He added that the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Partnership Agreement (CECPA) would also boost investments and open access to new markets for Mauritian exporters both in goods and services.

In his address, HE Mr Piyush Goyal, Chairman, CII Partnership Summit 2021 and Minister of Commerce and Industry, Textiles, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution stressed on the importance of strengthening trading relationships and working together as trusted partners, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to have a positive impact on economies and lives of people.

14. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the Executive Council of the Marathi Speaking Union with Mr Niteen Bappoo as President.

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7 January 2022

ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC

("Ananda" or the "Company")

Shareholder Update

Ananda's ambition is to be a leading UK grower and provider of consistent, high quality, carbon neutral medical cannabis for the UK and international markets.

The Directors of Ananda provide the following update to shareholders, which comprises Ananda's responses to questions recently received from shareholders and other interested parties.

Melissa Sturgess, Ananda's Chief Executive Officer, commented "We welcome these questions from shareholders and other interested parties. We believe that the medical cannabis industry is not particularly well understood at the moment, and we appreciate the time taken to frame these questions and send them to the Company".

Q1: 40 Hectares of Land were identified by JE Piccaver & Co (Gedney Marsh) Limited ("JEPCO") for commercial growing. Is this already owned and is it the intention to use the whole area for the first growing season?

A: JEPCO* originally delineated a 40Ha area for the use of DJT Plants Limited ("DJT Plants"). To comply with the Home Office's desire for remote and secure locations to grow medical cannabis, a superior location was identified by JEPCO prior to DJT Plants submitting its application to the Home Office in October 2019. The location and significant acreage around it is leased by JEPCO. A sublease agreement between DJT Plants and JEPCO forms part of the acquisition package of the 50% of DJT Plants that is not already owned by Ananda. The initial area DJT Plants will be subletting covers 10Ha of land which also includes some infrastructure in the form of large storage sheds. The research facility is being built inside the storage sheds. Also included within the sublease agreement is the option to sublet more land from JEPCO as demand for product grows (subject to commercial licencing from the Home Office). The earmarked land is currently being utilised for crops, including potatoes and wheat and will be made available to DJT Plants when it is required. There is no reason for DJT Plants to tie up further land now for which it would have to pay rent. It is conceivable that the total area for cannabis growing could be bigger than 40ha but that will depend on success and demand.

In summary, Ananda is able to tailor the size of its growing area to the demand for product. To provide context, currently the UK market has around 10,000 patients who consume approximately 1 gram per day of cannabis. A reasonable assumption for yield would be 300-400g per square metre (3 - 4 million grams per hectare).

In line with other markets for medical cannabis, such as Israel and Germany, the Directors expect that the growth of the UK market will accelerate over the coming years. Ananda's intention is to build capacity in line with market demand. Ananda believes that the best result for patients is to deliver high quality, consistent medical cannabis products and the best result for shareholders is to focus on building a profitable business for the long term rather than building large production capacity in the first year.

Note:

* DJT Plants is the holder of the Home Office licence to grow >0.2% THC cannabis for research purposes. DJT Plants is 100% owned by DJT Group Limited, which in turn is 50% owned by Ananda and 50% owned by Anglia Salads Limited. Anglia Salads Limited is owned as to 68% by JEPCO and Stuart Piccaver, JEPCO's principal shareholder. Shareholders of Ananda will shortly be asked to approve the acquisition of the 50% of DJT Group Limited that Ananda does not own. Anglia Salads Limited will become a significant shareholder of Ananda.

Q2: What stage is Ananda at with identifying potential customers and establishing relationships with them?

A: Ananda's initial focus is the UK and we have commenced engagement with patient groups, prescribing groups and associated health care workers. The Company has also commenced an initiative with the launch of the Medical Cannabis Research Roundup newsletters which comprise a regular summary of new scientific research in the medical cannabis space. These summaries are collated into a regular newsletter which the Company sends to interested parties. The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society is to use Ananda's updates to enhance its clinicians' information database and will acknowledge Ananda's contribution. If you would like to receive copies of the newsletters, please go to the Company's website at www.anandadevelopments.com and sign up for the Medical Cannabis Research Roundup.

Q3: Is Ananda going down the same path as GW Pharmaceuticals Plc ("GW") and becoming a pharmaceutical company?

A: No, Ananda is not a pharmaceutical company. The key difference between Ananda and GW is that GW formulates licensed medicines and Ananda is focused on unlicensed medicines, at least in the initial stages. Medical cannabis flower and oil (apart from the two GW products) currently prescribed in the UK are unlicensed. These unlicensed medicines are prescribed to patients by specialist clinicians.

Q4: When does Ananda anticipate starting and finishing the test growing phase?

A: The genetic stabilisation and field trial program, is expected to take around 18 months, provided there are no delays. It will commence when the research facility construction is complete. There are two parts to the first phase. The first is to create stable genetics by 'self-crossing' for a number of generations (pollinating with a plant of the same genetics). Genetic stability is most easily explained by thinking about the similarity of the plants you grow when you buy a bag of tomato seeds. It is currently difficult to obtain truly stable cannabis genetics without creating them yourself, and it is the Directors' view that this is one of the causes of inconsistency of much medical cannabis flower. Inconsistent flower gives patients a different therapeutic experience from batch to batch, which is not ideal for the patient and does not generate confidence in the medicine for prescribing clinicians. The second part of the first phase is to take the best stable plants and grow them in the multi-chappelle greenhouses we have constructed at our research facility. This is crucial, as all genetics respond differently in different conditions and some or many might not grow at all well. We will take stable plants with the most 'useful' properties (combination of THC, CBD etc) and then find out which of those respond best to our growing conditions.

The Directors believe this will provide the best platform for the start of commercial growing (subject to licence) and enable the creation of a library of strains which will be proprietary to DJT Plants.

Q5: When will Ananda start its first production growing and first harvest?

A: It is not possible for the Directors to provide a time for this, because it depends on many factors, including Ananda's ability to secure a number of licences and approvals, including a commercial growing licence from the Home Office, a manufacturing licence from the MHRA (including GMP certification of our manufacturing facility) and a few other minor licenses. Ananda is obviously focused on becoming a profitable company as quickly as possible and commercial growing is key to this.

Q6: What does Ananda intend to do to educate the medical profession regarding medical cannabis?

A: We have commenced the Medical Cannabis Research Roundup initiative as described above. In addition to our work, there are specialised groups focused on education, such as the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (www.ukmccs.org). That Society is currently training specialists in medical cannabis and providing education to other health care groups. Stuart Piccaver, Chief Executive Officer of JEPCO, and Melissa Sturgess presented to over 100 members of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society on 8 September 2021

Claims as to efficacy and healing properties cannot be made about unlicensed medicines. This is the case for all manufacturers of medical cannabis and all unlicenced medicines in the UK. We can only provide specialists with factual information, known as 'detailing'. If the Company is able to commence commercial production, we intend to provide, amongst other things, certificates showing the CBD, THC, terpene etc content of the flower being prescribed and to show the full supply chain, so that prescribers can get comfort about UK quality and provenance.

Q7: There are reports that vegetable growers are struggling to obtain and retain resources for vegetable production. Is the growing of cannabis plant resource intensive, and does the Company envisage any issues in attracting the right resources to be able to grow the target volume of plants?

A: One of the reasons Ananda partnered with JEPCO is that they deal with human resourcing every year for their salad leaf business. To provide perspective, they have around 70 full time employees and we are able to draw on skills from that pool, on an as needs basis, as per the Service Agreement between DJT Plants and JEPCO. Stuart Piccaver has been dealing with the requirements for seasonal labour for many years and has developed a focus on automation where possible, in order to reduce labour requirements and human handling of high care plant material. One of the reasons for a managed expansion of the cannabis growing business, rather than immediate large scale, is to ensure we are able to manage labour requirements effectively and securely. All labour will have to be trained in cannabis growing, harvesting etc. We must also consider issues such as site security and numbers of people moving around high care areas.

Q8: How far down the supply chain is Ananda looking to serve or is the target to be a vertically integrated company?

We are focused on the UK initially, and this requires us to grow medical cannabis to GACP (Good Agricultural Collection Practices), manufacture it under MHRA certified GMP (Good Manufacturing Processes) and distribute under GDP (Good Distribution Practices). Initially, we propose producing flower-based products and will add extract products as the business grows. We do not want to take on aspects of the supply chain that we feel are not part of our remit (for example it is unlikely we will buy a specials pharmacy (pharmacy that handles unlicensed medicines)). We want to remain focused on growing and providing high quality medical cannabis to UK patients and build the business from that base.

-Ends-

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC

Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Sturgess



Investor Relations

Jeremy Sturgess-Smith +44 (0)7463 686 497

ir@anandadevelopments.com PETERHOUSE CAPITAL LIMITED

Corporate Finance

Mark Anwyl



Corporate Broking

Lucy Williams

Duncan Vasey +44 (0)20 7469 0930

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

About Ananda Developments

Ananda is an AQSE-listed medical cannabis company creating UK-based operations to grow and provide carbon neutral, consistent, medical cannabis for the UK and international markets.

The UK medical cannabis market is predicted to be worth 450m by 2025 and the European market is predicted to be worth USD4.2bn by 2027.

For more information, please visit: https://anandadevelopments.com/
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - AstraZeneca (AZN.L, AZN) said that its Rare Disease group, Alexion, has entered into an exclusive global collaboration and license agreement with Neurimmune AG for NI006, an investigational human monoclonal antibody currently in Phase Ib development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy or ATTR-CM. As per the deal, Alexion will be granted an exclusive worldwide licence to develop, manufacture and commercialize NI006. Alexion will pay Neurimmune an upfront payment of $30 million with the potential for additional contingent milestone payments of up to $730 million upon achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as low-to-mid teen royalties on net sales of any approved medicine resulting from the collaboration. Neurimmune will continue to be responsible for completion of the current Phase Ib clinical trial on behalf of Alexion, and Alexion will pay certain trial costs. Alexion will be responsible for further clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization. NI006 specifically targets misfolded transthyretin and is designed to directly address the pathology of ATTR-CM by enabling removal of amyloid fibril deposits in the heart, with the potential to treat patients with advanced ATTR-CM. ATTR-CM is a systemic, progressive and fatal condition that leads to progressive heart failure and high rate of fatality within four years from diagnosis. It remains underdiagnosed and its prevalence is thought to be underestimated due to a lack of disease awareness and the heterogeneity of symptoms. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Regulatory News:

7 January 2022

SEGRO plc

DIRECTORATE CHANGE

SEGRO APPOINTS NEW CHAIR

The Board of SEGRO plc ('SEGRO' or 'the Company') is pleased to announce the appointment of Andy Harrison to succeed Gerald Corbett as Chair. He will join the Board and the Nomination Committee as a Non-Executive Director on 1 April 2022 and will become Chair of the Board and the Nomination Committee on 30 June 2022, with Gerald Corbett stepping down from the Board on that date.

Andy Harrison is currently Chair of Dunelm Group plc, a position he has held since July 2015. He was previously Chief Executive of Whitbread plc, easyJet plc and RAC plc, and was a Non-Executive Director of Ascential plc (formerly Emap plc).

Gerald Corbett said:

"I am delighted to be succeeded by someone of the calibre of Andy Harrison, who brings a wealth of experience across several different industries and public company boards. We look forward to welcoming him to SEGRO. My six years has coincided with a period of growth and much success for the Company and the business is in great shape. I've enjoyed working with its remarkable management team. I went on my first public company board 35 years ago and have been fortunate to serve on 12 others, chairing seven and I am now looking forward to doing other things."

David Sleath said:

"On behalf of the Board and the management team, I thank Gerald for his leadership of the Board and for his wise counsel, support and encouragement over the last six years, during a time of tremendous growth and success for SEGRO. I am looking forward to working with Andy Harrison, whose breadth of corporate experience and leadership will prove invaluable for the years ahead, as we continue to deliver our growth strategy and the implementation of our Responsible SEGRO framework."

Andy Harrison said:

"I am delighted to join SEGRO and look forward to working with David, the SEGRO team, and my new Board colleagues to build on the tremendous growth the Company has achieved in recent years."

This announcement is issued in accordance with Listing Rule LR 9.6.11 of the UK Listing Authority. There are no additional matters that would require disclosure under LR 9.6.13 R (1) to (6) in relation to this appointment.

ABOUT SEGRO

SEGRO is a UK Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), listed on the London Stock Exchange and Euronext Paris, and is a leading owner, manager and developer of modern warehouses and industrial property. It owns or manages 8.8 million square metres of space (95 million square feet) valued at 17.1 billion serving customers from a wide range of industry sectors. Its properties are located in and around major cities and at key transportation hubs in the UK and in seven other European countries.

For over 100 years SEGRO has been creating the space that enables extraordinary things to happen. From modern big box warehouses, used primarily for regional, national and international distribution hubs, to urban warehousing located close to major population centres and business districts, it provides high-quality assets that allow its customers to thrive.

A commitment to be a force for societal and environmental good is integral to SEGRO's purpose and strategy. Its Responsible SEGRO framework focuses on three long-term priorities where the company believes it can make the greatest impact: Championing Low-Carbon Growth, Investing in Local Communities and Environments and Nurturing Talent.

See www.SEGRO.com for further information.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220107005029/en/

Contacts:

CONTACT DETAILS FOR INVESTOR ANALYST AND MEDIA ENQUIRIES:

SEGRO

Claire Mogford (Head of Investor Relations)

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7451 9048

Gary Gaskarth (External Communications Manager)

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7451 9069

FTI Consulting

Richard Sunderland Claire Turvey Eve Kirmatzis

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3727 1000
LONDON, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Art&Co. ("Art&Co."), an initiative set up by InsurAid to help connect the worlds of art, finance and support groups, brings continued relief to COVID-19 victims a year on, as funds dispersed to charity Za Teb helps fight domestic violence against women in Eastern Europe via a mobile app.

Art&Co is the only auction to help with the immediate as well as longer term "causal effects" of the coronavirus, including domestic violence, illnesses, isolation, and mental health. Funds raised from the online auction comprised of more than 200 pieces, supported frontline charities and NGOs providing healthcare, food, medicines and guidance to those affected by the contagion.

One in three women worldwide experienced physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner, during the pandemic, according to The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women also known as UN Women. European members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported a 60% increase in emergency calls from women experiencing violence by their partners. The increase of violence was a consequence of long and repeated periods of lockdowns. Last month, Pope Francis condemned domestic violence against women and described such acts as "almost satanic."

"Art&Co. is proud to have supported the first app in Eastern Europe to combat domestic violence," said PremFina Group CEO Bundeep Singh Rangar. "Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria, top the end of the scale, with nearly one in two women experiencing such violence. We continue to champion women's safety, equality and encourage survivors to speak up and seek help."

"We're truly grateful to Art&Co. for helping raise awareness about domestic violence on a global level," said Za Teb's founder Ivelina Choeva. "The help was much appreciated in Bulgaria and helped many lives change for the better. We hope that more companies follow your great example and we all as humans unite for good causes more often!"

Art&Co., the world's largest online art auction for Covid relief, is the first initiative launched by InsurAid, who's vision involves encouraging the insurance and financial services industries, to contribute to those affected by humanitarian disasters, public health and safety crises.

Art&Co. has been featured in BBC World Radio, Bloomberg, The Independent, Evening Standard, Gulf Today, The Art Newspaper, The Resident, Eastern Eye, 1883 and many more.

About Art&Co.

Art&Co. is an initiative by InsurAid, a company set up to encourage corporate and personal donations to support those affected by coronavirus, as well as other humanitarian disasters and public health and safety crises. Since its launch, the initiave raised funds for six frontline charities and not-for-profit organisations. Art&Co. partnered with LuxTag, a blockchain technology to record the dispersement of funds to the charities.

Art&Co. website: https://www.artandco.net

InsurAid website:

https://insuraid.co.uk/

Za Teb:

https://www.zateb.org/

For All Press Enquiries:

Jessica Patterson

Jessica@jprmediagroup.com

+44 (0) 7950 9776
Swiss performance sportswear brand On (NYSE: ONON) announced today that the Company will participate in the 2022 ICR Conference.

The Company's management will participate in a fireside chat on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 10:00 am US Eastern Time (4:00 pm CET on January 11, 2022). A live webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the Company's investor relations website and under the following Link.

Following the conclusion of the fireside chat, a replay will be available on the Company's website.

About On

On was born in the Swiss Alps with one goal: to revolutionize the sensation of running by empowering all to run on clouds. Eleven years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel, and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, and all-day activities. Fueled by customer-recommendation, On's award-winning CloudTec innovation, purposeful design and groundbreaking strides in sportswear's circular economy have attracted a fast-growing global fanbase inspiring humans to explore, discover and dream on.

On is present in more than 60 countries globally and engages with a digital community on www.on-running.com.

Source: On

Category: Corporate

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220107005187/en/

Contacts:

Investor:

On Holding AG

Florian Maag

investorrelations@on-running.com

or

ICR, Inc.

Brendon Frey

brendon.frey@icrinc.com

Media:

On Holding AG

Vesna Stimac

press@on-running.com
COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Denmark's jobless rate declined to the lowest since November 2008, figures from Statistics Denmark showed on Friday. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the gross unemployment rate fell to 2.8 percent in November from 3.0 percent in October. The gross unemployment fell by 6,900 persons to 80,600 in November from 87,500 in the preceding month. The youth jobless rate, which is applicable to the 16 to 24 age group, decreased to 1.1 percent in November from 1.2 percent in the previous month. Based on the LFS data, the number of unemployed persons was 154,000 in November. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
CEO of Merck Foundation , Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej and scientific committee felicitated 13 winners of best African Women Researchers and best Young African Researchers of MARS Awards 2021 ceremony via videoconference for their valuable research work and contribution to empowering women and youth in STEM; Merck Foundation also announced the Call for Applications for MARS best young African and best African women researchers Awards 2022, with the aim to Empower Women & Youth in Research and STEM.

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, conducted the Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit  MARS 2021 Awards ceremony, in partnership with the African Union, through videoconference to felicitate the 13 winners from 8 African countries, for their valuable research work and contribution to empowering women and youth in STEM.

On the occasion, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Chairperson of MARS Summit expressed I am very proud of all 13 winners who have been recognized under the 3 categories of Best African Women Researchers Award, Best Young African Researcher Award, Best Young African Researcher Special Awards for their valuable contribution, especially by African Female Scientists who are under presented in this field. Through Merck Foundation African Research Summit  MARS Awards, we aim to empower African young researchers & women researchers, advancing their research capacity and promote their contribution to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

The award ceremony was also attended by Dr. Ahmed Hamdy, Executive Director, African Union  Scientific, Technical and Research Commission; Prof. Andrew Kambugu, The Sande-McKinnell Executive Director at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda, and Prof. Elijah Songkok, Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Kenya.

Dr. Ahmed Hamdy, Executive Director, African Union  Scientific, Technical and Research Commission, emphasized, I congratulate all the worthy winners of MARS Awards 2021. This is a very valuable platform for African women and young African researchers who are engaged and interested in health research.

The winners of Best African women Researchers Award and Best Young African Researcher Award category will be enrolled into research training at a premier research institute in India.

I am also excited to announce the Call for Applications for our prestigious Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit (MARS) Awards 2022. The Role of Scientific Research in responding to Cancer and Vaccines Development  Two emerging challenges in Africa will be the key focus of this year. Eventually, through this contest, Merck Foundation aims to empower young African researchers & women researchers to strengthen the important role research plays towards contributing to public health thus improving healthcare capacity in Africa, added Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.

The MARS 2021 Award Winners are;

Winners of MARS Best African Women Researchers Awards

Regina Wachuka Mbugua, KENYA

Temitope Adeyemo, NIGERIA

Ebele Onuigbo, NIGERIA

Beatrice Mukami Muriuki, KENYA

Njua Clarisse, CAMEROON

Winners of MARS Best Young African Researchers Awards

Touwendpoulimde Isabelle Kiendrebeogo, BURKINA FASO

Jude Ogechukwu Okoye, NIGERIA

Jean-Paul Ngbolua Koto-Te-Nyiwa, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Winners of MARS Best Young African Researchers Special Awards

Jean Claude Djontu, CAMEROON

Jason Kilembe Thambwe, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Okedi Francis Xaviour, UGANDA

Marceline Djuidje Ngounoue, CAMEROON

Oppah Kuguyo, ZIMBABWE

Details for MARS AWARDS 2022

Abstracts are invited from final year African PhD students and young investigators involved in research related to either of the following topics: 1) Cancer (specially in women) & 2) Vaccines Development. The applicants should be primarily based at African Research Institutes and Universities, although collaboration within Africa as well as outside is encouraged.

Last Date of Submission:

Applications can be submitted till 31st July 2022

How to apply:

Applications can be submitted via email to mars@merck-foundation.com along with your CV (including Name, Gender, Country, University/Hospital Name, Email address, Mobile Number) and the abstract document as an attachment.

Other Details:

All Abstracts will be peer reviewed, and 15 winners will be eligible for a sponsorship to attend MARS Summit

Best three Abstracts will be eligible for Research Awards

Research Awards will be also dedicated for Best African Women Researchers

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LONDON, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Highgate, the fast-growing global CEO and sovereign advisory firm, has kick-started 2022 with two new senior level appointments.

APCO UK's Deputy Managing Director Polly Kennedy joins Highgate as Chief Operating Officer while Weber Shandwick's Corporate Affairs Director Patrick Harrison has been appointed as Senior Vice-President. Prior to his seven years at Weber Shandwick, Patrick was HRH The Prince of Wales's Press Secretary for over a decade.

Drawn from two of the communications industry's largest and most respected agencies, both appointments reflect Highgate's strategy of investing significantly in senior talent. To date, 70% of the company's consultants hold senior roles, providing direct advice to high-profile clients. Founded in January 2020 by Thomas Eymond-Laritaz and headquartered in Mayfair, London, Highgate doubled its revenues in 2021 and is now 18 consultants. Operating at the intersection of communications, business strategy, intelligence, and politics, the firm advises CEOs, political leaders and prominent individuals on high-stakes issues.

Polly Kennedy has a decade of leadership experience in global communications consultancies and over 20 years providing strategic communications counsel to clients. At APCO, she was responsible for the P&L, office operations and talent management and development of the UK operation. Polly began her career at Grayling in London before spending seven years based in Singapore and acting as deputy for Grayling's Asia Pacific operations. She specialises in corporate reputation and issues and crisis management across a wide range of sectors.

Polly Kennedy said today: "I'm really excited to join this talented team and contribute to Highgate's future growth and success. I look forward to continuing the great work that has already been done to build the agency, deliver exceptional results for clients and offer outstanding career opportunities for our consultants."

Patrick Harrison has over 25 years' senior level experience in reputation management, providing counsel to a wide variety of individuals including CEOs and senior executives of multinational companies, high net-worth individuals and their private offices, entrepreneurs, leading politicians, Government Ministers, and royalty. Regularly named as a leading reputation adviser in the Spears Top 500, he provides trusted advice on a wide range of issues including individual reputation management, complex litigation, corporate and financial communications, internal restructuring and philanthropic activity. As Press Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales, he played a key role in defending and enhancing the reputation of The Prince and his immediate family, including his wife The Duchess of Cornwall and both his sons William and Harry. As well as being responsible for the global broadcasting and reporting of both the 2005 and 2011 royal weddings to audiences around the world, he also provided communication leadership for 24 official royal tours to 37 countries over a period of 14 years.

Patrick Harrison said today: "I am thrilled to be joining such a high calibre team of professional advisors who in just two years have already established Highgate as a leading consultancy for high-profile individuals. Having worked both in-house and at an agency, and across both public and private sectors, I very much look forward to applying my experience and skills to the type of challenging assignments that Highgate specialises in."

Welcoming Highgate's new joiners, Founder & CEO Thomas Eymond-Laritaz said today: "I am delighted to bring on board two such experienced consultants as Polly and Patrick. Recruiting the very best talent has been my main priority since I founded the company two years ago. Our clients typically face intricate challenges that take them outside their comfort zone. They require senior advisers they respect and trust."

www.highgate.ltd
F-star Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing next generation immunotherapies to transform the lives of patients with cancer. F-star is pioneering the use of tetravalent (2+2) bispecific antibodies to create a paradigm shift in cancer therapy. The Company has four second-generation immuno-oncology therapeutics in the clinic, each directed against some of the most promising IO targets in drug development, including LAG-3 and CD137. F-star's proprietary antibody discovery platform is protected by an extensive intellectual property estate. F-star has over 500 granted patents and pending patent applications relating to its platform technology and product pipeline. The Company has attracted multiple partnerships with biopharma targeting significant unmet needs across several disease areas, including oncology, immunology, and CNS.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - American Aires Inc. (CSE: WIFI) (the "Company" or "Aires"), a provider of scientifically-proven EMF modulation technology, is pleased to announce that it has achieved record revenues for product sales in the month of December 2021. Aires December revenue was 21% higher than the same period last year while also maintaining 68% gross margin*. This increase comes on the back of 19% revenue growth in November.

Aires saw increases across key areas of emphasis including overall traffic increasing 83% over the previous December and average order value (AOV) increasing 36%. Traffic from new users was a primary focus and resulted in 127% increase over December, 2020.

Globally, sales from key markets such as the UK and Australia saw revenue increases of 82% and 193%. Revenue from the 22 non-North American countries Aires shipped to in December saw a combined 33% increase over the previous December. Ongoing improvements to the user experience also led to significant gains in AOV in non-North American countries. In total, international AOV saw in an increase of 27% with the key markets of UK and Australia increasing 61% and 31%.

"We are very excited about the sales performance from December and the 2021 holiday season as a whole. More than that though, our team is incredibly energized to see many of the projects they completed in the weeks leading up to this period have meaningful, measurable impact. Many of these projects enabled us to conduct numerous tests designed to assist in shaping future strategy and also confirm strategic decisions already deployed. Throughout November and December we put a heavy emphasis on testing and optimizing conversion rate, average order value and generating quality traffic from key markets. The results of these tests exceeded our expectations as seen in the performance the past two months and has increased our confidence in our strategy for the upcoming year," said Josh Bruni, Chief Revenue Officer at Aires.

While many companies were impacted by supply chain issues resulting in delays and lost sales, especially in the semiconductor space, Aires operations team was able to stay ahead of these obstacles. The accurate forecasting and operational execution allowed Aires to meet the increased sales demand without disruption.

About American Aires Inc.

American Aires Inc. is Canadian-based nanotechnology company which has developed proprietary silicon-based microprocessors that reduce the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The technology was developed by a team of highly accredited scientists and confirmed by independent third-party validation including peer reviewed studies and publications in scientific journals. Aires' Lifetune products specifically target EMR emitted by consumer electronic devices such as cellphones, computers, baby monitors, Wi-Fi radiation, including the rapidly expanding next-generation high-speed 5G networks. Aires is listed on the CSE under ticker 'WIFI'. Learn more at www.airestech.com.

On behalf of the board of directors

Company Contact:

Dimitry Serov, CEO

Email: dimitry@airestech.com

Telephone: (905) 482-4667

Website: www.airestech.com

For further information please contact:

5 Quarters Investor Relations, Inc.

Cindy Gray, CEO & Managing Director

Email: wifi@airestech.com

Telephone: (403) 705.5076

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements may be discussed in this news release and the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis filed at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Shares have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of any person in the United States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any common shares in the United States, or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. We seek safe harbour.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Not intended for distribution to United States Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of United States Securities laws.

*These are unofficial results and have not been audited.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109343
London, England--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - Join Reuters Events' latest Automotive webinar panel discussion where you will learn from:

Mark McClung, Deputy COO, Toyota Connected

Olivier Pascal, Senior Manager Connected Cars, KIA Europe

Moderator: Maxime Flament, CTO, 5GAA

SIGN UP FOR FREE HERE

The possibilities of potential services and features within a fully connected car have no boundaries when given access to unlimited data. This includes unlocking the potential of data to become more human centric to create cars which can communicate with objects like stop signs. However, how do we approach the customer acceptance curve on fully connected vehicles as we monitor the willingness of consumers to compromise their privacy for a more convenient and personalized service?

Don't miss out on what is sure to be an insightful discussion by signing up for this FREE webinar on the 3rd February at 11am ET.

Here are some key concepts you can expect to be addressed in this live webinar panel discussion:

The potential of vehicle data to enable a personalized in-vehicle experience that will deliver a new level of convenience to the consumer. The prospect of cross industry partnerships will allow access to apps and features that consumers are already familiar with from their smartphone whilst also triggering the emergence of connected advertisements.

The role of 5G in achieving congestion management. See how we can unleash increasingly connected applications from digital assistance to connected navigation as we make advancements in smart mobility.

New methods to overcome the challenges of data monetization. How will OEMs address the legal barriers such as privacy rights: GDPR and CCPA?

Unable to join us live? Not to worry, register for free here and we will send you the recordings after.

For more information, please contact:

Paul Bergamini

Global Project Director

Reuters Events

Telephone: +44 (0)20 8078 7251

paul.bergamini@thomsonreuters.com





To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109340
OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Statistics Canada will release Canada jobs data for December at 8:30 am ET Friday. Ahead of the data, the loonie showed mixed trading against its major counterparts. While it retreated against the greenback, it held steady against the rest of major rivals. The loonie was worth 1.4371 against the euro, 0.9095 against the aussie, 1.2716 against the greenback and 91.09 against the yen as of 8:25 am ET. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - IFAN Financial, Inc. (OTC Pink: IFAN) ("IFAN" or the "Company") a Nevada holding corporation actively pursuing acquisitions wishes to provide the following shareholder updates:

Appointment of Larry Williams as Chief Executive Officer & Director,

New Business Direction & Strategy,

OTC Markets Filings Status

First, the Company wishes to welcome its new Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Larry Williams. Mr. Williams has a successful track record or over 20 years in corporate acquisitions. The appointment of Mr. Williams will bring strong management and business development expertise.

Second, with the appointment of Mr. Williams the Company is pursuing a new business direction and strategy to create shareholder value. To that point, the Company is currently in the process of selecting acquisition candidates. "I look forward to adding value to IFAN as we move forward in the days to come. I'm sure the shareholders will be pleased as we embark on a new company direction," commented Larry Williams, newly appointed CEO. The spokesperson added that "we now have a very capable CEO in the form of Larry Williams, who has many years of experience in the real estate and construction markets."

Additionally, the Company is waiting for Change in Control approval to upload all the required disclosure and financial statements as well as the Issuer Attorney letter and is now pending processing by OTC Markets to become PINK Current. The Company has received the Dark/Defunct sign as a result the long processing time taken by OTC Markets. The Company expects to be PINK Current upon OTC Markets approval of the IFAN Change in Control documents and pending disclosure/financial documents are processed - which are currently pending.

IFAN Financial, Inc.

IFAN Financial, Inc. a Nevada holding corporation actively pursuing acquisitions. IFAN Financial, Inc. is an OTC Markets listed issuer and trades under the ticker symbol "IFAN".

Twitter: @IFAN_Financial

Contact:

Mark Anderson

386-220-1349

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109342
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - Kovo HealthTech Corporation (TSXV: KOVO) (the "Company", "Kovo") - a leader in healthcare technology and Billing-as-a-Service - is pleased to announce that veteran finance expert Mark Detz, CPA, CA has joined the Company as its Senior Vice President of Finance.

Veteran finance expert Mark Detz, CPA, CA has joined Kovo HealthTech Corporation as its Senior Vice President of Finance.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8064/109330_figure1.jpg

Before joining Kovo, Detz held several senior positions with Anheuser-Busch, where he focused on strategy and financial operations, including financial reporting, forecasting, budgeting, mergers and acquisitions. Detz began his career as an auditor at KPMG and holds an undergraduate degree from the Schulich School of Business.

"As we look to continue to scale our business operations in 2022 through strategic acquisitions and organic growth, we're excited to welcome Mark to the Kovo team," says Kovo CFO Inder Saini. "Mark's entrepreneurial, disciplined approach and track-record with world-leading innovators like Anheuser-Busch and KPMG, will be instrumental in driving Kovo's aggressive 2022 growth strategy," he explains.

About Kovo HealthTech Corporation

Kovo HealthTech Corporation is a growing healthcare technology company that specializes in Billing-as-a-Service offering SaaS-style recurring revenue contracts and software for more than 1700 US healthcare providers. Kovo helps healthcare providers digitally track and manage complex patient care registration, services, billing and payments in a seamless way, using its proprietary OneRev technology platform. Currently, through its clients, Kovo processes billing transactions for more than 3.5 million patients. By offering effective billing practices and technology through long-term SaaS-style contracts, Kovo helps healthcare practitioners get paid so they can focus on offering quality care. The Company posted 94% year-over-year revenue growth in the quarter ending September 30, 2021. To learn more about Kovo and to keep up-to-date on Kovo news, visit www.kovo.co

For more information:

Greg Noble, CEO

investors@kovo.co

1-866-558-6777

Manish Grigo

manish@kovo.co

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109330
BANGALORE, India, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuroprosthetics Market By Type - Output Neuroprosthetics, Input Neuroprosthetics, By Application - Hospital, Clinic, Other. Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021 - 2027. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Medical Devices & Equipment Category.

The global Neuroprosthetics market size is projected to reach USD 11450 million by 2027, from USD 5731 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 9.9% during 2021-2027.

Major Factors Driving The Growth Of The Neuroprosthetics Market Are

The rising number of neurological illnesses, hearing loss, diabetes, and amputation cases due to the rising number of accidents and injuries are all driving the growth of the neuroprosthetics market.

Furthermore, the increased acceptance rate of neuroprosthetics implants is due to the high costs and negative effects of conventional drugs.

Get Your Sample Today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-3B4555/Global_Neuroprosthetics_Market

TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF NEUROPROSTHETICS MARKET

One of the primary reasons for the growth of the neuroprosthetics market is the rising prevalence of hearing loss among the global population. The cochlear implant is one of the most important neuroprosthetic technologies that has helped people who are deaf or severely hard of hearing. Patients with severe hearing loss due to disease or accident can also benefit from this technology, which allows them to hear sounds in their surroundings.

Furthermore, contemporary breakthroughs in neurotechnologies and neuroimaging are contributing to the rapid growth in the use of Neuroprosthetics to treat a variety of neurologic illnesses. As a result, the global Neuroprosthetics market is expected to benefit from the expansion of device usage to various chronic indications and targeted applications.

The increasing prevalence of diabetes among the global population is another factor fueling the neuroprosthetics market. Diabetes patients may develop a variety of foot problems as a result of the blood vessel and nerve damage. Diabetes can harm the blood vessels in the retina, resulting in vision problems or blindness. As a result, the market for retinal/bionic eye implants is predicted to rise in response to the rising prevalence of diabetes.

Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures At https://reports.valuates.com/reports/QYRE-Auto-3B4555/global-neuroprosthetics

NEUROPROSTHETICS MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS

The North American region is estimated to account for the largest Neuroprosthetics market share during the forecast period. The high incidence of vision and hearing loss, rising prevalence of neurological illnesses, and the strong presence of industry players in this region are all factors in this market's size. However, due to the arrival of international healthcare establishments advocating safe and effective medical procedures, as well as increased consumer awareness levels, Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest expanding segment.

Based on type, the Input Neural Prosthetics Segment is expected to be the most lucrative. Because of the rising prevalence of hearing loss and technological improvements allowing for the development of novel devices, the input neural prosthetics market is predicted to grow throughout the forecast period. The cochlear implant and a bionic eye/retinal implant are among the input neural prostheses.

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Neuroprosthetics Market By Company

medtronic

abbott

cochlear

boston scientific

livanova

second sight

med-el

retina implant

sonova

neuropace

ndi medical

nevro

Market By Region

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

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SIMILAR REPORTS

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- The global Neuroscience market size is projected to reach USD 33470 million by 2027, from USD 26310 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 3.5% during 2021-2027.

- The global brain computer interface market size was valued at USD 1,488.00 million in 2020, and is projected to reach USD 5,463.00 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.9% from 2021 to 2030.

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Click Here To See Related Reports on Neuroprosthetics Market

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Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs.

Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs.

To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains a detailed research methodology employed to generate the report. Please also reach our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources.

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Following a successful showcase at CES 2022, Coway now aims to introduce the Middle East to smart home products for healthier living

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Coway Co., Ltd., "The Best Life Solution Company," has been showcasing its latest home health appliance innovations, driven by years of proprietary R&D, at CES 2022 this week. The company's mattresses, water purifiers, air purifiers, and bidets were considered some of the event's must-see innovations.

"Our mission has always been to make people's lives better and healthier, and we're excited to showcase our latest innovations and designs at CES 2022 and online," said Conall Lee, VP and Head of Global Business at Coway. "Creating healthy home environments is now more vital than ever before, and better air, water, and sleep can be transformative. We hope our smart home products empower users to live healthier."

Coway expanded to Middle East Asia over a decade ago and has worked with trusted partners in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, and Turkey to provide high-end air purifiers, water purifiers, and bidets.

Trusted partners like Samnan provide Sales & After-Sales Support to Saudi Arabian customers. Samnan has been considered one of Saudi Arabia's best partners for premium Home & Kitchen Appliances. Samnan, a leader in the Water Treatment industry, knows the importance of water purification technology and its benefits. This mutual understanding and shared vision have been the foundation of a successful long-term relationship with Coway.

Coway provides top-notch water purifiers like the counter-top type CHP-250R, CHP-08AR, and standing type CP-08DR and CHP-671R. All models have Coway's industry-leading Reverse Osmosis water filtration. This technology was developed by the Coway R&D Center in Seoul, the largest of its type in Asia. Coway's Reverse Osmosis system filters substances as small as 0.4 nanometers to filter out unnecessary components and transform water into its purest form yet rich in taste.

The benefit of using a water purifier does not stop with hygiene and also commits to the global initiative of reducing carbon emission by using less plastic. Coway cares a lot about the planet and aims to reach Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050.

In Turkey, Coway launched on Amazon in 2021, giving consumers the convenience to purchase online. Online channels will further be developed to cover more regions.

Today, when air pollution and viruses are a common cause of concern across the country, Coway gives your family a safer living environment.

What makes Coway air purifiers stand out is the latest HyperCaptiveTM air filtration system. All Coway Airmega air purifiers are powered by this technology, which features a pre-filter, an activated carbon filter, and a Green HEPA filter. The HyperCaptive Air Filtration system removes particles of nano-particles down to 0.01 micrometer, including allergen, bacteria, dander, dust, gas, mold, and viruses, in the air to banish indoor air pollution. The system has proven effective by independent research laboratories in Korea, Japan, and the USA.

"During CES 2022, we had the honor to showcase Coway's next-level innovations. And now, we're thrilled to expand our product lineup to the Middle East," said Conall Lee, the Head of Global Business at Coway. "Our objective is to revolutionize every category we are present in. Advanced Technology & Consumer Comfort is at the heart of everything we do at Coway."

For more information about Coway products, visit here.

About Coway Co., Ltd.

Established in Korea in 1989, Coway, "The Best Life Solution Company," is a leading environmental home appliances company making people's lives healthy and comfortable with innovative home appliances such as water purifiers, air purifiers, bidets, and mattresses. Since being founded, Coway has become a leader in the environmental home appliances industry, with intensive research, engineering, development, and customer service. The company has proven dedication to innovation with award-winning products, home health expertise, unrivaled market share, customer satisfaction, and brand recognition. Coway continues to innovate by diversifying product lines and accelerating overseas business in Malaysia, the USA, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, and Europe, based on the business success in Korea.

For more information, please visit http://www.coway.com or http://newsroom.coway.com.

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Patent Covers TQL-1055 Adjuvant for Multiple Uses, Including Shingles Vaccine

Protects the Foundation of the Company's Proprietary Adjuvant Technology

Adjuvance Technologies Inc., a privately-held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next generation saponin adjuvants and vaccines for infectious disease and immuno-oncology, today announced the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued U.S. Patent No. 10,906,926. The patent is directed to triterpene saponin analogues, specifically Adjuvance's next generation saponin adjuvant TQL-1055, which exhibits improved adjuvant activity and reduced toxicity as compared to QS-21.

U.S. Patent No. 10,906,926 protects the TQL-1055 composition of matter, pharmaceutical compositions incorporating TQL-1055, methods of using TQL-1055 for immunization against infections, and methods for obtaining TQL-1055. The patent includes 21 claims and follows issuance of similar patents in certain other countries around the world.

The patent has been assigned to Adjuvance and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, USA), where advanced synthetic saponin technology was first developed. Adjuvance exclusively licensed MSK's foundational technology in 2011 and has since continued to innovate. Adjuvance seeks to apply TQL-1055 in improved vaccine compositions, including an improved shingles vaccine expected to enter clinical development during 2022. Adjuvance will continue to develop its vaccine adjuvant technology by creating, developing, and manufacturing a family of next-generation proprietary adjuvants as the foundation of its vaccine pipeline and for other developers through licensing partnerships.

MSK Disclosure: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) has intellectual property rights and associated financial interests related to Adjuvance Technologies by virtue of licensing agreements between MSK and Adjuvance Technologies.

About TQL-1055: TQL-1055 is a rationally designed, semi-synthetic analogue of the QS-21 saponin adjuvant, which is used in the currently available shingles vaccine. Saponin adjuvants are potent immune stimulators and important components of licensed, currently marketed, and clinically-advanced infectious disease vaccines. The usefulness of saponin adjuvants has been constrained by dose-limiting tolerability and manufacturing challenges. TQL-1055 is designed to have improved tolerability and to provide the same strong immune response as QS-21 and has shown favorable tolerability in a Phase 1 clinical trial. Adjuvance is designing new combination adjuvants, with TQL-1055 as the foundation, to produce different types of immune responses.

About Shingles: Shingles (also known as herpes zoster) is a painful rash that develops, often on the face or torso, and has the potential complication of pain that can last for months or even years. Vaccination against shingles is recommended in the United States and many countries for older adults and people with weak immune systems, resulting in a market value of over $2.0 billion in 2020. Available shingles vaccines contain the saponin adjuvant QS-21 and the toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 agonist adjuvant monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), known together as the AS01 adjuvant. The adjuvanted shingles vaccine is highly effective, but can cause short-term adverse events more intense than other vaccines. About 1 out of 6 people who got the available shingles vaccine experienced side effects that prevented them from doing regular activities. Symptoms went away on their own in about 2 to 3 days.

About Adjuvance Technologies: Adjuvance Technologies is a privately-held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to making vaccines better through fundamental breakthroughs in adjuvant design, vaccine development, and manufacturing. Adjuvance creates and manufactures next generation proprietary adjuvants as the foundation of its vaccine pipeline and for other developers through licensing partnerships. Our lead vaccine candidate against shingles aims to provide a better patient experience including improved tolerability for the recipient and the same protection against disease.

Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, the company has received grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and closed a Series A investment by Morningside Venture Investments. For more information, visit www.adjuvancetechnologies.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220107005083/en/

Contacts:

Adjuvance:

Media

Howard Matzner

Senior Account Executive

LaVoieHealthScience

hmatzner@lavoiehealthscience.com

+1 617-865-0048

Investors

Tyler Martin

Chief Executive Officer

+1 402-817-5050
Following the announcement from the authorities of the lifting of travel ban on South Africa, Air Mauritius is resuming its passenger commercial flights from Johannesburg as from Sunday 09 January 2022.

05 weekly flights are scheduled for the month of January 2022 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays which will be operated by the Airbus A350-900/ A330-900neo aircraft as per the following timings:

MK851/852 Local Timings MAURITIUS DEPARTURE 09:15 * JOHANNESBURG ARRIVAL 11:50 JOHANNESBURG DEPARTURE 13:35 MAURITIUS ARRIVAL 19:35

*Above timings are for flights operated by the Airbus A330-900neo. For flights operated by the Airbus 350-900, the departure from Mauritius is 10 minutes later.

Daily passenger commercial operations to and from Johannesburg have been scheduled as from Tuesday 01 February 2022.

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - Meryllion Resources Corporation (CSE: MYR), ("MYR "or the "Corporation") wishes to announce that it has signed an extension to the option agreement over the Oldham Range Project in Western Australia to April 1, 2022. All other terms of the agreement have remained the same. As stated in a press release dated December 16, 2021, the Corporation's planned drilling program remains subject to obtaining a suitable drilling rig and all regional approvals.

About Meryllion Resources Corp.

Meryllion Resources Corp. is a junior exploration company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange. The Corporation undertook a corporate re-structuring and financing in early 2021 and is now investigating a number of exploration opportunities with drill-ready targets.

For further information please contact:

Mr. Jeremy Edelman

Director and Chief Executive Officer

Meryllion Resources Corp.

E: meryllion@outlook.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although Management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such.

Neither CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109351
CHANGSHU, China, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China Daily on the transformation of traditional industries in Jiangsu province

Jiangsu province has made great efforts to promote the transformation of traditional industries and focus on intelligent manufacturing to help companies improve quality, reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Down jacket brand Bosideng based in the city of Changshu, for instance, has grown into a globally famous brand with products sold to 72 countries and regions and has more than 4,000 retail stores in China since its founding in 1976. Its operations include product research, design, development, raw material procurement, production and sales.

To promote intelligent development, the company built the Bosideng Intelligent Manufacturing Production Base in 2001, which now covers 88,000 square meters.

The plants in the base adopt the world's latest intelligent down jacket production equipment, which can help to achieve more than 90 percent of numeric control in manufacturing, testing, logistics, distribution and other core operations.

In 2019, Bosideng independently developed the industry-leading intelligent clothing manufacturing system GiMS to achieve both high-efficiency, large-scale customized production and small-batch personalized production.

The system is capable of the data collection, analysis, early warning and decision-making of the whole process from the raw material storage, automatic cutting, sewing and automatic velvet filling to automatic sorting, which improves work efficiency and product quality.

According to Lai Hedong, manufacturing manager at the production base, 53 percent of the process of producing a down jacket can be finished automatically in as fast as three hours. The system also helps to increase the qualification rate of products to more than 97 percent.

The production base was included on the national list of green factories and Jiangsu list of intelligent manufacturing demonstration factories.

Bosideng has also developed a software system and big data center to distribute products intelligently, which helps to improve the logistics efficiency, save labor costs of more than 20 million yuan ($3.15 million) annually and save 30,000 sq m of land space.

Longfengtang, a traditional Chinese medicine company based in the city of Taizhou, is another example of intelligent tools being used to promote the modernization of the TCM industry.

According to Xu Jingren, CEO of the company, they have set up 34 standardized planting bases for Chinese medicinal herbs covering more than 6,600 hectares, in an effort to control the quality of TCM from the source.

Longfengtang has set up a Chinese herbal medicine traceability system, which allows real-time monitoring of the whole process of planting, harvesting, processing and transportation.

In addition, the company has set up an integrated logistics system and robot feeding system to achieve automatic transportation and digital production of TCM products across different workshops.

From the storage of medicinal materials to the finished products, Longfengtang has achieved automatic transmission across the whole chain.

The digital tools help to reduce human errors, reduce energy consumption and any uncontrollable operation of TCM production, according to Longfengtang.

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Regulatory News:

ESI Group (FR0004110310 ESI) (Paris:ESI), leader and pioneer in Virtual Prototyping solutions, hereby releases the total number of shares making up the company's capital and the total number of voting rights in December 31, 2021, in accordance with articles 223-16 and 221-3 of the General Regulations of the "Autorite des Marches Financiers".

Number of shares Number of theoretical voting

rights * Number of voting rights ** 6,064,092 8,116,303 7,771,695

* The number of theoretical voting rights is calculated based on all shares eligible for voting right (single or double), including shares temporarily deprived of voting rights (treasury shares).

** All Group shares have equal right to vote, except treasury shares, which are deprived of the right to vote, and registered shares held for more than four years that are eligible for double voting rights.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220107005140/en/

Contacts:

ESI Group
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 7, 2022 / FALCON GOLD CORP. (TSXV:FG)(GR:3FA)(OTCQB:FGLDF); ("Falcon" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a corporate update letter to shareholders in an address from its Chief Executive Officer Karim Rayani.

Dear Shareholders:

As a new year begins, I would like to share some of our successes over the past year and objectives for the ensuing year. With the world scale pandemic continuing its attack on the globe, it can be sometimes hard to discern the clear road ahead. Despite all that is happening, my commitment remains the same to our Company since the first day I signed on as Chief Executive Officer. My focus is and always has been on creating shareholder value, and it will be no different as we embark on a new year. I'm very pleased with Falcon's progress during 2021, we have a clear roadmap going into 2022 and we are committed to continuing that success.

Central Canada Project

We continue to make great progress at the historic Central Canada gold mine trend in the developing Atikokan camp. This flagship project lies just 20 kms southeast of Agnico Eagles Hammond Reef Deposit which hosts a measured resource of 3.32 million ounces of gold.

Falcon has completed two successful rounds of drilling that complement and validate the historic workings as we work towards our main goal of delineating a resource. In addition to the extensive mapping and sampling of outcrop exposures of the Central Canada mine trend, Falcon has received the reinterpretation of the 2021 heliborne high-resolution magnetic and time-domain electromagnetic survey utilizing artificial intelligent (AI) computer analyses. This type of AI system is an evolving and promising application that may be capable of identifying areas of complex folding and faulting and could accelerate the process of deciphering and modelling the complex structural setting of the property.

Through our past year exploration efforts, we are now pleased to report that the Central Canada Mine trend has been extended to a strike length of over 140m. This mine trend includes the historical J.J. Walshe Shaft. Detailed mapping and sampling across the property also resulted in new discoveries of the Sugar Shear, Monte, Honey, and Hoist Zones. The Sugar Shear returned grab sample results up to 23 g/t Au and has been traced on surface for over 360m and presents a previously undocumented target of high merit for future exploration efforts (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Gold-bearing zones of the Central Canada gold project.

The company is now ready to begin an exciting chapter in its future exploration efforts at Central Canada. Plans are in place to begin a Phase 3 drilling program. The objective of the drilling will be to target the gold mineralization in the J.J. Walshe shaft area and to test other strong gold-bearing zones such as the No. 2 Vein, the Sugar Shear Zone and drill the Honey Zone. As the snow melts in the spring, summer programs will consist of further mapping, ground-truthing the targets of merit highlighted by the AI analyses, stripping and a Phase 4 drill program scheduled for the fall of 2022.

Newfoundland Acquisitions

Falcon continues to search out opportunities and build value by project generation and has made a number of acquisitions in Central Newfoundland as of late. The Hope Brook and Baie Verte Projects are the first in a number of announcements to come. Both these acquisitions are very strategic in our long-term objective of securing key areas that have seen little historical exploration and host structural similarities to the recent success of the Newfoundland exploration boom. The ever-evolving understanding of the geological nature of the central Newfoundland gold belt is also presenting opportunities through the success of First Mining, Sokoman-Benton JV and Matador Resources which all have a large presence in the area with defined resources. Matador's Cape Ray deposit hosts 837,000 ounces of Au at an average grade of 2 g/t and is contiguous to Falcon's ground. First Mining's Hope Brook project located to the south of Falcon has a resource of 5.5 million tonnes containing 844,000 ounces Au grading 4.77 g/t. Falcon's claims are located along the same structural trend as the Hope Brook Project.

Not only known for its gold the Hope Brook camp is quickly becoming an area of interest for lithium, just recently the Benton - Sokoman JV announced the first lithium-bearing pegmatite discovery located 400m meters away from our property boundary. Recent geophysical interpretation shows the same controlling structures that host the Kraken Pegmatite dyke swarm discovered by Benton-Sokoman extend onto Falcon's ground. Falcon now controls a large footprint in the Hope Brook camp of the southern central Newfoundland gold belt along key structural trends and the discovery of lithium in the area presents an additional layer of potential success for more discoveries. The Company has applied for the necessary permitting and is looking forward to mobilizing crews as soon as conditions allow.

Falcon's Baie Verte project consisting of 13,700 hectares is located along the Baie Verte Brompton Line (BVBL) of the central Newfoundland gold belt. The BVBL is a major crustal scale structural feature and through the Baie Verte peninsula and currently hosts all of Newfoundland's gold production. Current producing mines include Anaconda Mining Inc.'s Point Rousse gold mine and Rambler Metals Mining operations. Former producing mines include the Terra Nova mine and deposits of the Rambler mining camp. All these current gold mines and former producers are in close proximity to the Baie Verte Brompton line. Additionally, there are more than 100 gold prospects along the BVBL, and Falcon has taken advantage of this key structural corridor having acquired ground over a 70 km strike length.

On November 17th Falcon announced a strategic partnership with Marvel Discovery in the Hope Brook camp of the central Newfoundland gold belt. Called the Golden Brook, this strategic alliance covers additional ground along the Baie Verte Brompton Line. The 50-50 joint venture between Falcon and Marvel now brings total landholdings to 115,000 hectares. This alliance provides numerous upside potential to both companies including synergies of shared capital and administration costs while collectively targeting those areas of high merit for a Tier 1 gold discovery that is not hampered by property boundaries.

The newly formed JV also controls strategic ground 13 kilometers (km) southwest of the Glover Island (GI) trend. The GI trend is an 11km mineralized corridor host to 17 base metal, polymetallic mineral prospects and numerous gold showings and anomalies. The GI trend hosts the Lunch Pond South deposit with inferred resources of 120,000 ounces of gold. Not only known for its base and precious metals, the GI Trend and BVBL corridor contains the Four Corners project which hosts an apparent large iron-titanium-vanadium bearing deposit owned by Triple Nine Resources. This deposit has thus far been outlined for over 3km in length with widths of up to 200m and to a depth of 600m. The Falcon-Marvel JV is well positioned along this important mineralized corridor and by combining exploration strategies and synergies is well poised for success.

British Columbia Projects:

Gaspard Claims

Falcon announced on February 4, 2021, the acquisition of the Gaspard Gold Claims near Spences Bridge. The Gaspard claims are located in what may be an extension of the Spences Bridge gold belt. The Spences Bridge gold belt is host to several significant developing gold deposits such as Westhaven Gold Corp.'s Shovelnose gold project and the Blackdome Zone gold-silver deposit owned by Tempus Resources. The former Blackdome mine produced 225,000 of gold at an average grade of 20 g/t Au. The Blackdome has a reported resources of 144,500 tonnes with an average grade of 11.29 grams per tonne gold and 50.01 g/t silver, and an inferred resource of 90,600 tonnes grading 8.79 g/t gold and 18.61 g/t silver (Tempus Resources Ltd.) The Blackdome is classified as low-sulphidation epithermal gold and silver mineralization and represents a similar target type for the Gaspard claims.

Historical exploration programs at Gaspard reported anomalous heavy mineral concentrate stream sediments returning grades from 94 parts per billion gold to 5,910 parts per billion gold within four adjacent streams. This defines a continuous gold anomaly over an upstream distance of 1.8km. To date, Falcon has completed its first phase of exploration to delineate and investigate the styles of gold mineralization associated with this stream sediment anomaly.

Falcon has fulfilled its obligations in expenditures during the 2021 field season and now controls 100% interest in the project.

Sunny Boy-Spitfire

On August 09, 2021, the Company announced the commencement of Phase 2 exploration efforts at the High-Grade Sunny Boy-Spitfire project near Merritt B.C. The company's first phase in 2020, was successful in identifying gold mineralization over a 300-metre strike length through grab and channel sampling. Highlights of the September 2020, sampling program were a 2.2 m channel sample that averaged 59.8 g/t Au which included a one meter channel sample that assayed 122 g/t Au. Both channel samples were taken from the Master Vein.

In 2021 Falcon's second phase of exploration consisted of packsack drilling along the Master Vein and parallel mineralized horizons.

Highlights of the 2021 exploration efforts include:

Grab samples on the Master vein ranging from 1.09 g/t Au to 168 g/t Au and 17.5 g/t silver and 0.7 per cent Cu;

Backpack drilling from surface of 68.7 g/t Au and 11.8 g/t Ag over a drilled intersection of 0.47 m;

A grab sample from Vein 2 reporting 1.52 g/t Au;

A grab sample from Vein 3 reporting 2.58 g/t Au and 1.2 g/t Ag.

Falcon Gold is very encouraged by the results of the pack-sack drilling and sampling along six parallel vein structures with anomalous to high grade gold results in every sample reported. Due to visible gold noted in many of the samples, Falcon has commissioned total metallics gold analyses to determine the effect of the nuggety nature of gold may have had original fire assay method results. These values will be released once they have been obtained.

Alex Pleson, P.Geo. Dispute

On November 23, 2021, the Company filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of British Columbia against Alex Pleson, P.Geo (PGO) of Pleson Geoscience of Ontario Canada. Mr. Pleson failed to transfer claims he staked on behalf of the company and did not report the work he performed for the company to the standards expected of a professional geoscientist. The lawsuit does not affect any of our plans moving forward and the company is optimistic the matter will be solved in a timely manner.

Viernes Project, Northern Chile

On December 16,2021 Falcon signed a definitive option to-purchase agreement on the Viernes Project. The Viernes project is located 122km southeast of Antofagasta city in northern Chile. The claims encompass 13 claim blocks covering 3,300 hectares and are directly adjacent to Yamana's El-Penon gold-silver mine. Production from the El-Penon in 2021 was 160,000 ounces of gold and 5,000,000 million ounces of silver. The property is also located 30 km from the Escondida copper-gold porphyry cluster operated by BHP and Rio Tinto.

Since the 1990's this area has produced 30.6 million tonnes of copper (57 times the annual Canadian production), 9.2 million ounces of gold (1.5 times the annual Canadian production) and 129.3 million ounces of silver (8.6 times the Canadian annual production) through multiple world class discoveries. Terms of the option to-purchase agreement are subject to TSX Venture Exchange policy.

Latamark Resources formed; South America Issuer planned

On October 7,2021 the Company formed Latamark Resources Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Falcon Gold., The company intends to spin out its Argentine gold asset located in the renowned Sierra de Las Minas district of southern La Rioja province in San Juan. The district is reported to host several formerly producing gold and silver mines.

On Feb. 9, 2021, the company was able to reinstate the property option for a reduction from the original agreement. The original terms were calling for escalating annual payments over a six-year term totaling $500,000 (U.S.) and the issuance of four million common shares with property expenditures of US$1.74 million Falcon was successful in reworking the terms to share payments of 500,000 common shares plus 500,000 warrants to be paid to the vendors and by spending US$350,000 in exploration expenditures to earn an 80-per-cent interest in the project. Upon completion of payments and expenditures, Falcon will hold an 80-per-cent interest and the vendors would retain 20-per-cent ownership in the property. For a 30-month period following acquiring 80% Falcon reserves the right to purchase the vendors' 20% remaining interest for a further payment of two million Falcon common shares and a one-time US$1.5-million payment. The vendor retains a 2% NSR with a buyback clause of 1% for $$$$$ which Falcon Gold can elect to do so at any time.

The company will update shareholders in the coming weeks on the necessary requirements for shareholder approval. Falcon can make no assurances that a spinout will take place as it is subject to several conditions that include board approval, satisfying the TSX Venture requirements, legal and tax ramifications, determining the final details of the transaction, receipt of all regulatory approval, the availability of financing for the new subsidiary, and the overall market conditions. The company will be providing further details in the coming weeks.

In Closing

The Company is looking forward to a robust exploration season in 2022. Falcon continues to build value for stake holders by acquiring, advancing, and exploring opportunities in the Americas. The Company is continuing to build upon the historic results and new discoveries at the Central Canada project as we complete further drilling, modeling, and resource delineation. The recent acquisitions in Newfoundland which is witnessing the largest exploration boom and discoveries in history is testament to Falcon recognizing where opportunities for success are the highest. Strategies in Chile are opportunistic in building shareholder value in the largest copper producing areas in the world. Copper demand is expected to increase dramatically in the near future as the world turns to green metal energy. We believe that Falcon presents incredible upside potential in 2022 when currently valued at such a low market capitalization as compared to some of our peers in the same jurisdictions. We thank all our current shareholders for their continued support and look forward to rewarding them with success.

Wishing you the best for 2022.

Cordially,

Karim Rayani

About Falcon Gold Corp.

Falcon is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on generating, acquiring, and exploring opportunities in the Americas. Falcon's flagship project, the Central Canada Gold Mine, is approximately 20 km southeast of Agnico Eagle's Hammond Reef Gold Deposit which has currently estimated 3.32 million ounces of gold (123.5 million tonnes grading 0.84 g/t gold) mineral reserves, and 2.3 million ounces of measured and indicated mineral resources (133.4 million tonnes grading 0.54 g/t gold). The Hammond Reef gold property lies on the Hammond shear zone, which is a northeast-trending splay off the Quetico Fault Zone ("QFZ") and may be the control for the gold deposit. The Central Gold property lies on a similar major northeast-trending splay of the QFZ.

The Company holds 8 additional projects. The Esperanza Gold/Silver/Copper mineral concessions located in La Rioja Province, Argentina. The Springpole West Property in the world-renowned Red Lake mining camp; a 49% interest in the Burton Gold property with Iamgold near Sudbury Ontario; and in B.C., the Spitfire-Sunny Boy, Gaspard Gold claims; and most recently the Great Burnt, Hope Brook, and Baie Verte acquisitions adjacent to First Mining, Benton-Sokoman's JV, and Marvel Discovery in Central Newfoundland.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Falcon Gold Corp.

"Karim Rayani"

Karim Rayani

Chief Executive Officer, Director

Telephone: (604) 716-0551

Email: info@falcongold.ca

Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, etc. Forward looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

This news release may contain forward looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, etc. Forward looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Falcon Gold Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/681496/Falcons-Chief-Executive-Officer-Issues-Corporate-Update-Letter
Gen Z Marketplace for Buy/Sell, Events and Community, Providing BitcoinSV-Back into Crypto Wallet

Mijem creates vibrant social marketplace for Generation Z communities to efficiently buy, sell and trade goods and service

Enables university and college students across the United States and Canada to build online communities and engage in campus themed commerce

Mijem has presence at 72 university communities

Offering a loyalty program that rewards both the buyer and seller with Bitcoin SV (BSV), the first marketplace with "get BitcoinSV-back" (for each successful transaction done within the Mijem platform) loyalty system in the world

Users can easily create their own crypto wallet to collect BSV and exchange for other cryptocurrencies

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - Mijem Newcomm Tech Inc. (CSE: MJEM) ('Mijem' or 'the Company'), a social media and technology company that provides innovative solutions to create a vibrant social marketplace for Generation Z communities, today announced that its common shares will begin trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange on January 10, 2022 at the market open under the symbol "MJEM."

Following March and July 2021 financings for total gross proceeds of $3,236,657, the Company successfully completed its acquisition of Mijem Inc., on January 6, 2022. Mijem Inc. provides social marketplace solutions for Generation Z, including buy and sell, events, and bulletin boards.

"Building upon our successful penetration into 72 North American university and college campuses, Mijem has extended its offering by developing the world's first marketplace platform that offers Bitcoin SV to registered users for every successful transaction within our app," said Phuong Dinh, CEO of Mijem. "Our Gen Z target market demands cost effective, eco-friendly, rapid, trustworthy crypto that they can use and Mijem has delivered on this, the opportunity for Gen Z to get and use Bitcoin SV. On the back of this development, we believe that now is strategically the right time to take the Company public to better position us to capitalize on the major global trend of cryptocurrency, sustainable technologies, and supporting local economies. Mijem's unique community app, which champions sustainability, enables Gen Z to meet online for intracommunity transactions. We believe there is ample opportunity for our app to grow within the large Gen Z market in the United States and Canada."

For further details about the Company and the acquisition of Mijem Inc., please refer to the prospectus of the Company dated December 13, 2021, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

CSE Listing

The CSE has issued a bulletin confirming final approval for the listing of Mijem's common shares, which will begin trading on or about January 10, 2022 under the symbol "MJEM."

Mijem Background

Mijem is a social media and technology company providing innovative solutions to create a vibrant social marketplace for Generation Z communities, such as students, to connect and to efficiently buy, sell and trade goods and services on and off campus. Since launching the app in 2017, Mijem has accumulated over 119,000 downloads and has a userbase of 72 university communities. Mijem's patent pending technology currently permits thousands of university and college students across the United States and Canada to both connect online and engage in campus themed commerce. Accordingly, the addressable market for Mijem is the global post-secondary education student population and their Generation Z peers.

Mijem's marketplace is available via software accessible through both, mobile devices (specifically, an iOS application and an Android application) (the "Mobile Application") and the internet using a web browser (specifically, accessing Mijem's web application) (the "Web Application" and, together with the Mobile Application, the "Mijem App"). The Mijem App allows sellers to list goods and services for sale in a few minutes by taking a photo, adding a description and a price. Buyers are able to easily browse the myriad of items posted via the Mijem App and to find desired goods or services at lower costs. The Mijem App is a Generation Z-focused application targeted towards student campuses and their Generation Z peers. The objective of the Mijem App is to develop a one-stop online social marketplace based on simplicity, trust, and happiness for members.

Users of the Mijem App can use Mijem's marketplace to browse collections posted by other trusted members including textbooks, housing, clothing, electronics, furniture, tickets, ride shares and more. Users may also post items, ride shares, or school events on Mijem. Mijem is committed to building loyal members in the Mijem community. In the past, rewards such as gift cards and merchandise were given away to loyal members of Mijem. Mijem is looking to expand its loyalty rewards offering by permitting registered users to earn points and to redeem the points for Bitcoin SV in their crypto wallet. Users earn points based on dollars spent on purchases or value of goods sold through the Mijem App. Every 100 Mijem reward points accumulated is redeemable for the equivalent of 1 US dollar worth of Bitcoin SV.

About Mijem Newcomm Tech Inc.

Mijem is a Canadian-based social media and technology company that provides innovative solutions to create a vibrant social marketplace for Generation Z to connect and to efficiently buy, sell and trade goods and services. Mijem's patent-pending flagship technology currently permits thousands of university and college students across the United States and Canada to both connect on-line and engage in consumer-to-consumer commerce.

For more information please visit:

Mijem Investor Website (https://investor.mijem.com)

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking statements. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved".

Forward-looking information in this news release is based on certain assumptions and expected future events. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.

Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and are subject to change thereafter. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Gord Tomkin, Chief Financial Officer

Mijem Newcomm Tech Inc.

416 915-4747

gtomkin@mijem.com

For media-related enquiries, please contact:

Laurie Freudenberg, media@mijem.com ;

For investor-related enquiries, please contact:

Sean Peasgood, investorrelations@mijem.com

SOURCE Mijem Newcomm Tech Inc.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109419
Chief Revenue Officer position eliminated helping to further streamline operations as the Company aims to reduce capital expenditures, improve operational effectiveness and achieve profitability

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CNSX: SLNG) (OTCQB: SLGWF) ("SLANG" or the "Company"), a leading global cannabis consumer packaged goods ("CPG") company with a diversified portfolio of popular brands, today announced it has eliminated the position of Chief Revenue Officer, effective as of January 14, 2022. The decision comes as a result of the steps taken to restructure the sales and marketing departments, as the Company furthers its efforts to improve operational efficiencies, drive future revenues, and reduce capital expenditures.

Drew McManigle, Interim CEO and Chairman said, "Since I joined in November, we have been reviewing the entire Company, with an aim to reposition SLANG as a highly effective, nimble organization. Following our internal review process, management has made the decision to restructure the sales and marketing departments, resulting in the elimination of the Chief Revenue Officer position. Through this restructuring, our main goal is to improve operational efficiencies, while positioning the Company for future revenue growth, and helping to drive shareholder value." Mr. McManigle added, "We would like to thank Mr. Hilal Tabsh for his contributions while serving as Chief Revenue Officer and wish him the best in his future endeavors."

Share Issuance

The Company also announces it has issued common shares for salary deferrals, agreed to in fiscal 2020 to conserve cash, to certain current and former executives: 377,825 common shares were issued to a former executive at a deemed price of $0.0920 per share; and 138,107 common shares were issued to current executives at a deemed price of $0.3258 per share. The shares are subject to hold periods expiring 4 months and 1 day from the date of issuance.

To be added to SLANG's email distribution list, please email SLNG@kcsa.com with "SLNG" in the subject.

About SLANG Worldwide Inc.

SLANG Worldwide Inc. is a global leader in the cannabis CPG sector with a diversified portfolio of popular brands distributed across the United States. SLANG specializes in acquiring and developing market-proven regional brands as well as launching innovative new brands to seize global market opportunities. For more information, please visit www.slangww.com.

Media and Investor inquiries

Investors@SLANGww.com

KCSA Strategic Communications

Phil Carlson

SLANG@kcsa.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management of SLANG at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to regulatory risks, risks related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, changes in laws, resolutions and guidelines, market risks, concentration risks, operating history, competition, the risks associated with international and foreign operations and the other risks identified under the headings "Risk Factors" in SLANG's annual information form dated April 29, 2021 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. SLANG is not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Reader Advisory

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109409
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - Bluesky Digital Assets Corp., (CSE: BTC) (CSE: BTC.PR.A) (OTCQB: BTCWF) ("Bluesky" or the "Corporation") announced today that it had closed the first tranche of its December 20, 2021 previously announced non-brokered private placement financing. In total the Corporation raised $1,629,500.00 CAD via the sale of 6,518,000 Units.

As previously stated in the Corporation's December 20, 2021 press release, all Units were offered at a price of $0.25 CAD per Unit. Each Unit consisted of one Common Share (a "Share") in the capital of the Corporation and one Common Share Purchase Warrant ("Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one additional Common Share of the Corporation at an exercise price of $0.40 CAD per Common Share for a period of 36 months from the closing of the financing. The Warrants in this offering will be subjected to an accelerated expiry date if certain market conditions occur which are outlined in the Corporation's subscription document. All Common Shares issued in connection with this placement will be subject to a four month plus one day hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws.

In connection with the closing the Corporation also paid $43,400.00 CAD in finder's fees and issued 165,600 Broker Warrants. The Broker Warrants were issued on the same terms as the Warrants contained in the Units of this offering. A Director of the Corporation participated in the private placement on the same terms and conditions as non-arm's length subscribers, subscribing for a total of 400,000 Units for aggregate proceeds of $100,000.00 CAD.

All proceeds from the financing will be used for the purchasing of additional mining equipment with the purpose of expanding the corporation's existing digital asset mining operations and for general working capital purposes.

About Bluesky Digital Assets Corp.

Bluesky Digital Assets Corp, is building a high value digital currency enterprise. Bluesky mines digital currencies, such as Bitcoin and Ether, and is developing value-added technology services for the digital currency market, such as proprietary technology solutions. Offering a complete ecosystem of value-creation, Bluesky is targeting reinvesting appropriate portions of its digital currency mining profits back into its operations. A percentage of the profit will be invested in the development of a proprietary Artificial Intelligence ("AI") based technology. Overall, Bluesky takes an approach that enables the Corporation to scale, and respond to changing conditions, within the still-emerging Blockchain industry. The Corporation is poised to capture value in successive phases as this industry continues to scale.

For more information please visit Bluesky at: https://www.blueskydigitalassets.com

For further information please contact:

Mr. Ben Gelfand

CEO & Director

Bluesky Digital Assets Corp.

T: (416) 363-3833

E: ben.gelfand@blueskydigitalassets.com

Mr. Frank Kordy

Secretary & Director

Bluesky Digital Assets Corp.

T: (647) 466-4037

E: frank.kordy@blueskydigitalassets.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward- looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and the Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek safe harbor.

- 30 -

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109436
BROOKFIELD, NEWS, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd. (NYSE, TSX: BAMR) (together with its affiliates, "Brookfield Reinsurance") today announced that it has purchased an additional 6,775,000 shares of common stock of American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL) ("AEL"), bringing its total combined equity interest in AEL to approximately 16%. The share purchase took place pursuant to the terms of Brookfield Reinsurance's previously announced investment agreement with AEL following receipt of required regulatory approvals on December 29, 2021. Brookfield Reinsurance acquired the additional shares at a price of $37.33 per share, being AEL's adjusted book value as of September 30, 2021, for total consideration of approximately $253 million.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - Blue Thunder Mining Inc. (TSXV: BLUE) (OTCQB: BLTMF) ("Blue Thunder" or "the Company") announces that the Board of Directors has approved the grant of stock options to directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company for the purchase of up to 4,375,000 shares in the Company exercisable at a price of $0.05 for a period of five years from the date of grant. The grant is pursuant and subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's existing stock option plan and is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and all regulatory requirements.

About Blue Thunder

Blue Thunder (TSXV: BLUE) (OTCQB: BLTMF) is a gold exploration company that controls 100% of one of the largest land positions near the Chapais-Chibougamau gold district of Quebec with significant historical production and major recent discoveries. The project is situated on the two major regional trends hosting IAMGOLD's Nelligan and Northern Superior Resources Lac Surprise to the south and IAMGOLD's Monster Lake to the north with excellent highway and road access. The Muus Project covers approximately 51,000 hectares in five separate blocks of prospective ground in the eastern part of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The Project is considered particularly prospective for gold mineralization, as a series of prominent ductile and brittle fault-sets transect the Property, including the Guercheville and Fancamp deformation zones, both of which are associated with numerous past and currently producing precious- and base-metal mines in the District.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Chad Williams, Executive Chairman and Director

Blue Thunder Mining Inc.

401 Bay Street, Suite 2704, P.O. Box 4, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2Y4

(647) 848-1009

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements regarding the anticipated content, commencement and exploration program results, the ability to complete future financings, required permitting, exploration programs and drilling, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

With respect to information pertaining to adjacent or similar mineral properties in the Chibougamau District, readers are cautioned that the Company has no interest in or right to acquire any interest in any such properties, and that mineral deposits, and the results of any mining thereof, on adjacent or similar properties, are not indicative of mineral deposits on the Company's properties or any potential exploration thereof.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109446
When I was a kid, my father, a mechanic, use to take me around to visit his clients in the Dominican Republic. He worked over 60 hours a week as a small-business owner until he was 70 years old.

Part of his value-added service offering to his clients was to go to their house or office to fix their vehicles. I was able to witness how he handled different situations with ease and a positive attitude, no matter how frustrated his clients were, he always kept his cool. From him I learned what work ethic really means and what it means to be a provider for your family.

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On Dec. 25, my father turned 88 years old. Two days later, I had the honor of bringing him around to work with me and showing him what I do on a daily basis. He brought us to America when I was 16 years old so we could have better opportunities and a better life. Back then, I promised him to give it my best!

Coming from a Third World country and having traveled around the world to other nations where the people have no opportunities, no chance to advance, no matter how hard they try, I can tell you with certainty, there is no other country like the United States of America.

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In America, you can come from nothing, if you have the work ethics and desire to build something for yourself and your family, you can make it happen as long as you stay consistent and work hard.

If you look around, you can see many immigrants from all parts of the world who have come to America, and started successful businesses that provide stability and fortune to them and many of the people who they employed beyond their wildest dreams. There is no secret to their success other than work ethics and appreciation for what this great nation has to offer those who are willing to put in the work and stay focused long-term.

There are a small number of immigrants who didnt take the opportunities America offered for granted; neither did they make themselves victims because of their lack of knowledge of not being able to speak the language well, or having an accent.

Im sure you know a successful immigrant or business started by immigrants in our local community. People like George Paxos (owner of Melt, Blue, Torre, Top Cut); Dr. Oscar Morffi (one of the best pediatricians in the area); Dr. Atul Amin (one of the best plastic surgeons in the area), and Lambrose Galano (owner of Campus Pizza and Mojo Cafe), all of them local citizens who came to America in search of a better life and to make the best of the opportunities.

I often tell people, if you were born in the United States of America, you are blessed. Often, some people take it for granted and dont realize the treasures they already have, making themselves victims and not living to their full potential.

As we embark into a new year, 2022, I encourage everyone looking to grow professionally. If you are getting ready to start or expand a business, understand anything worth building takes time, effort and tons of hard work, requiring an abundance of patience and dedication.

Business Buzz Daily The daily update for the Lehigh Valley business person. >

When I started my first official business at the age of 22 (Im now 40), all the hard lessons experienced over 18 years, all the financial setbacks, betrayals, health issues and anything possible that could go wrong that went wrong, could not be overcome had I not had the right mindset and understanding. I reminded myself that I was fortunate enough to be living in the greatest country in the world, the United States of America, as I was experiencing those hard times.

As a family/business man, one of my greatest joys is teaching my boys through hands-on training the value of hard work and how to be providers.

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I feel one of my greatest gifts to them is showing them how they can achieve anything they put their minds to. In our household there are not handouts, everyone knows they must work to get the things they want.

Our oldest, Andrew, became a homeowner in his early 20s and is learning the family business from the bottom up and doing a fabulous job at it. He is currently in charge of running one of our top restaurants.

Our youngest, Marcos, who is 12, is able to buy his own video games and he saves 50% of his earnings so he can buy his first investment property when he turns 18 with the money he earns shoveling snow around the neighborhood and helping his older brother at one of the restaurants he runs.

Nothing can substitute the power of hard work, as you continue to build your business or your career. Always remember that if you live in America, with focus on educating yourself on your trade, hard work, and patience. Its only a matter of time until you start seeing the results. Stay focused and your time will come!

Juan Martinez is owner of Don Juan Mex Grill, which has five locations in the Lehigh Valley. He can be reached at juan@donjuanmexgrill.com.
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (OTCQB: GZDIF) (FSE: G6H) ("Grizzly" or the "Company") announces that the Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Mr. Ray Wytinck from the Board, effective December 31, 2021. Mr. Wytinck joined the Board in 2014 and served as a member of the Audit Committee. Brian Testo, President & CEO, stated that, "We would like to thank Ray for his contribution over the years and wish him all the best in his current and future endeavours."

Mr. Wytinck's position on the Board of Directors will remain vacant, and Jim Greig has replaced Mr. Wytinck on the Audit Committee effective January 1, 2022.

ABOUT GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC.

Grizzly is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company with its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange, focused on developing its over 160,000 acres of precious and base metals properties in southeastern British Columbia. Grizzly is run by a highly experienced junior resource sector management team, who have a track record of advancing exploration projects from early exploration stage through to feasibility stage.

On behalf of the Board,

GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC.

Brian Testo, CEO, President

For further information, please visit our website at www.grizzlydiscoveries.com or contact:

Chris Beltgens

Corporate Development

Tel: 604 347 9535

Email: cbeltgens@grizzlydiscoveries.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109450
BOCA RATON, FL / ACCESSWIRE / January 7, 2022 / Executive Digital's European Operations Center's Managing Director, Tatijana Terzic is the recipient of Company Wall's 2021 Female Business Leaders Award. The prestigious recognition is awarded to female leaders who have showcased their leadership skills through perseverance, experienced monumental growth, and led a team of more than 50 employees in Serbia and the Eastern European Region.

Aleksandar Sasha Jovicic, The CEO of Executive Digital noted: "Tatijana has led the European Operations team for over half a decade now, improving the operations of the Serbian team in Novi Sad each and every year. This award is a recognition of her operational excellence and dedication to improving our digital ops".

Anthony Lopez, Managing Partner of Executive Digital stated "Tatijana's ability to lead the teams in Europe, all while adapting to the never-ending challenges in the digital marketing space is incredible, and I commend her on being the 2021 recipient of the CompanyWall award".

CompanyWall, the organization behind the awards program, specializes in classifying and analyzing financial and business information. To date, Executive Digital is only the second company in the region to be honored with its Female Leaders in Business award.

About Executive Digital LLC

Executive Digital is a Miami-headquartered digital marketing experts company, offering advanced, enterprise-level SEO, Social Media, Website Development, Branding, PPC/Paid Media strategies, mobile app development, and advanced data analytics for lead generation and brand development.

To learn more, please visit: https://executive-digital.com

Media Contact

Jennifer Cross

aj@executive-digital.com

(754) 701-2891

433 Plaza Real Suite 275

Boca Raton, FL

SOURCE: Executive Digital

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/681520/Executive-Digital-LLCs-European-Operations-Center-in-Novi-Sad-Serbia-Is-the-Recipient-of-the-2021-Female-Leaders-in-Business-Award-by-Company-Wall
Brampton, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 7, 2022) - Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. (CSE: SNA) ("Star" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Client Services Agreement ("CSA") with Stockhouse Publishing Ltd. ("Stockhouse"), to assist with increasing market outreach and investor awareness as the Company continues to grow its investor base.

Since retaining Stockhouse's services in December 2021, the Company has launched a full-service marketing campaign to provide investors with an aggregated view of Star's news releases, editorial coverage, and interviews with Company Executives. Through Star's agreement with Stockhouse, the Company now has access to over 30 different marketing tools focused on editorial, brand awareness and amplifying news. Using these tools and the Stockhouse program, a larger investor audience will be aware of Star's investment opportunity.

"The CSA between Star and Stockhouse will enhance Star's efforts to get our messages and news out to the global market in a timely fashion," said Amir Bhatti, CEO of Star. "Stockhouse has a great reputation in Canada and with its relationship with The Market Herald, Star's story can be shared with a global audience. This is very important to Star as we have a global customer target base."

Twila Jensen, Vice-President Sales & Marketing at Stockhouse, stated: "As one of the largest online communities of retail investors in North America, we understand the importance of tracking and measuring data to keep investors connected with new targeted opportunities. Star provides aerospace solutions, which offer real-time tracking, with performance trends and predictive incident occurrences. We are excited to partner with Star and introduce them to our community as they continue achieving sustainable quality growth."

The engagement with Stockhouse is for a 12-month term. All content produced will be published on the Stockhouse websites and further featured through the Stockhouse distribution platform.

About Stockhouse Ltd.

Stockhouse Publishing Ltd. (https://stockhouse.com) is a leading financial media company that serves public companies, financial institutions, media publishers, and brand advertisers. Stockhouse members have access to a wide range of world class products and tools including portfolio managers, subscription-based expert newsletters, Stockhouse Bullboards, blogs and social networking tools to help navigate their investment options.

With over 9 million unique visitors annually, Stockhouse is one of North America's leading financial portals and one of North America's largest small-cap investor communities.

About Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd.

Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. has developed its In-flight Safety Monitoring System, the STAR-ISMS, the heart of the STAR-A.D.S. System. The System's real-time capability of tracking performance trends and predicting incident-occurrence enhances aviation safety and improves fleet management while reducing costs for the operator.

Star's M.M.I. Division designs and manufactures high performance, mission critical, flight deck flat panel displays for defence and commercial aviation industries worldwide. These displays are found on aircraft and simulators, from P-3 Orion and C-130 aircraft, to Sikorsky and Agusta Westland helicopters, as examples.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

Certain statements contained in this Release constitute forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "expected", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Star or its management or board are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect Star's current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions.

The risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic are real and substantial. Many other factors could cause Star's actual performance or achievements to vary from those described herein. Should one or more of these factors or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Star does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.

Please visit www.star-navigation.com or contact

Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd.

Mr. Amir Bhatti, CEO at (416) 252-2889 x230, amir.bhatti@star-navigation.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/109454
Voters can expect to see only a few contested races on their ballots this spring.

While most everyone in the city will have a contested local race to vote for, theyre spread out enough across the city where most voters will have only one or two to vote for at most. Some voters in District 1 will have two contested races, with it being the only aldermanic district to have more than one person vying for the role, as well as contested races for both Verona Area and Madison Metropolitan school board seats.

And while the Dane County Board of Supervisorss District 27 race looked to be contested, which covers the northern portion of Fitchburg, thats no longer a two-person race, as incumbent Dorothy Krause has since dropped out of the race. She initially filed paperwork in early December, but had told the Star that she wasnt sure she would go through with it.

The spring election will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. A primary election in February wont be needed for any Fitchburg-area races, as there are no seats with more than two people running for them. Prospective candidates had to turn in their nomination papers by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, to be placed on the ballot.

City of Fitchburg

All incumbents are running for another term, with only one person filing to challenge in April.

District 1 will have a show-down between incumbent Ald. Joe Maldonado, a community youth development program coordinator for University of Wisconsin, Division of Extension, and Mark Fairchild, a musician and percussionist who has served on the Make Music Madison board and played with multiple bands. Maldonado will be seeking his second term on the Common Council, and Fairchild is a newcomer to the council, having no previous political experience within the city.

For the other districts, all incumbents have filed to run again, and will do so unopposed. All three  Alds. Gabriella Gerhardt (Dist. 2), Shannon Strassman (D-3) and Randy Udell (D-4) will each be running for their second term. Strassman is the longest-tenured of the three, after she was appointed to the council in August of 2019.

Verona Area School District

There will be only one contested election for the Verona Area School District, where an appointed board member will be vying for his first term on the board against a newcomer.

Incumbent Joe Hanes, who was appointed to an At-Large seat in November following the departure of board president Noah Roberts, will run against Jo Ellen Kilkenny, who is new to running for school board.

Hanes is a father of five children with ages spanning from Pre-K to middle school and works as a member of in-house legal counsel for UW Health. He said during the appointment process that he felt he had the temperament to deal with much of the cultural issues being forward to school boards since the onset of the pandemic and told board members planned to run for the seat in the spring if selected.

Kilkenny, a nurse and an active member of St. Christopher Catholic Parish, also serves as a caretaker for her adult son who has a disability, according to a WKOW story from 2018. Kilkenny made regional news in 2008 after the churchs musical director was fired because he was openly gay, telling the Wisconsin State Journal at the time that the man was a wonderful director but it was indefensible for him to be in a leadership role because of his sexuality. Kilkenny told the Press during a phone interview on Tuesday, Jan. 11, that despite what was reported in the State Journal, she wasnt one of the people who contacted the diocese about the choir director, and she had never wanted to see him get fired.

Kilkenny told the Press that if elected, she would want to focus on areas that include supporting literacy for all students, supporting the districts educators and looking at behavior and discipline standards within the schools.

Only incumbent Nicole Vafadari is running for her City of Fitchburg seat. Vafadari was appointed to the seat in summer 2021 after the departure of long-tenured board member Amy Almond.

Madison Metropolitan School District

There will for sure be two new people on the Madison Metropolitan school board in April, as two incumbents are declining to run again.

Of the two seats being vacated, the one held by departing board member Cris Carusi will be contested between two newcomers  Shepherd Joyner, also known as Shepherd Janeway, and Laura Simkin.

Joyner, a teacher within Madison schools through Whoopensocker, a University of Wisconsin-Madison arts program, told the Wisconsin State Journal that their goal is to ensure all students feel safe in schools and to promote transparency in decision-making. Joyner joined the race after it was publicized that candidate Mary Jo Walters was making anti-transgender comments on social media. Walters later dropped out of the race.

Simkin, a family childcare system manager through Reach Dane, has a high school-age child and holds a masters degree in policy and leadership. Simkin told the State Journal that she also intended to focus on school safety if elected, as well as teacher retention.

Board president Ali Janae Muldrow is running for her second term as the Seat 4 representative, and the other seat being vacated by a current board member, Ananda Mirilli, only has one person, Nichelle Nichols, registered to run for it.

Nichols currently works for National Equity Project and was the executive director of Madisons Office of Equity and Engagement for six years. She unsuccessfully ran for the school board in 2012.

Oregon School District

There wont be any contested races for the Oregon School Board this spring, but there will be one person joining the governing body.

Area II incumbent Kevin Mehring will decline to seek re-election, leaving his seat open to newcomer Leslie Wright, a fellow City of Fitchburg resident. Mehring had been undecided as to whether he was going to run at the last board meeting in December.

For Area I, both board president Krista Flanagan and Ahna Bizjak are up for re-election and will see the last impacts of the reapportionment of board seats a few years back. The highest vote-getter of the two will receive a three-year term, while the second-most vote getter will receive a one-year term.

Dane County

It was looking like there was going to be a contested election for the Dane County Board of Supervisors.

Itll now be a set of uncontested races with two new people representing Fitchburg, as incumbent Sup. Dorothy Krause (District 27) has withdrawn from seeking re-election. That will leave Kierstin Huelsemann as the sole candidate for District 27, which covers the northern, densely populated areas of Fitchburg, and Dana Pellebon as the only person running for District 33 on the citys southern and eastern side.

Huelsemann told the Star in December that if elected, she would want to expand accessible housing in the Dane County area and encourage home ownership programs at the county level.

Pellebon, the co-director for the Rape Crisis Center, filed to run for the District 33 seat in early December. At that point, incumbent Sup. Ann DeGarmo had already filed non-candidacy paperwork.
Tampa, FL (33646)

Today

Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Thunder possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Thunder possible. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
A school bus driver begins her day. A portion of the licensing test for bus drivers was temporarily changed, which will help address the shortage of drivers in Florida and other states.
Big Sandy Area Community Action Program (BSACAP) will open online and telephone appointment bookings for the Low Income Home Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)  both the Crisis and Subsidy Components  and the Crisis Component of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) beginning Jan. 3, 2022.

Appointments for all three components are available now. Below is a timeline and brief explanation of each component:

Crisis Water Assistance  Applications accepted January 3, 2022 through June 1, 2022, or until designated funds are depleted. Applicants must provide at least one of the following: a disconnect/past due notice, disconnection notice, or an eviction notice for non-payment of rent (if water service cost is included in your rent). Benefits are limited to the minimum needed to alleviate the crisis, not to exceed $800. Households can reapply each time they experience a crisis until they have reached their maximum benefits ($800).

Subsidy Water Assistance  Applications accepted January 10, 2022 through June 1, 2022, or until designated funds are depleted. Eligible households can apply for a one-time water service benefit ranging from $300 to $400 depending on income level, housing category, and water service benefit type. Participation in LIHWAP Crisis will not affect a households eligibility.

Crisis Heating Assistance  Applications accepted January 10, 2022 through March 31, 2022, or until designated funds are depleted. Households are considered to be in a home heating crisis if:

the household is within four days of running out of fuel if bulk fuel (coal, fuel oil, propane, kerosene, or wood) is the primary heating source, or the household has received a disconnect notice if natural gas or electric is the heating source, or the households home heating costs are included in the rent and the household has received an eviction notice for non-payment of rent. Benefits are limited to the minimum needed to alleviate the crisis, not to exceed $600. Households can reapply each time they experience a crisis until they have reached their maximum benefits ($600).

All appointments will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. You may book an appointment for Crisis Water Assistance ALONE until January 10, 2022. Beginning January 10, 2022 a single appointment will cover all three assistance programs or any needed combination.

Households must meet eligibility requirements and be at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.

All applicants will be required to supply the following documentation at the time of application:

Proof of Social Security Number or Permanent Residence card (Green Card) for each member of the household.

Proof of all households (all members) income from the preceding month.

Most current utility bill (electric, water and/or wastewater), including account number and name on account; or statement from your landlord if water service expenses are included in your rent; or statement from utility company if you participate in a Pre-Pay Program.

Appointments can be made online by visiting the agencys website at, www.bsacap.org/bookings. You must choose the county you reside in, then picking a date and a time that would be best for you. Next, add your contact details and click Book. Those without internet access or who are unable to book online can call the agencys toll free hotline at 1-888-658-3641 to book an appointment over the telephone. Appointments and applications will be taken during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Big Sandy Area Community Action Program serves Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike counties. If you live in another county, you can access the program by finding the Community Action Agency in your area at capky.org.

LIHEAP and LIHWAP are national utility assistance initiatives funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and funded in Kentucky by the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Community Action Kentucky.

Big Sandy Area Community Action Program is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a vast array of services, such as employment and training assistance, weatherization of homes, and area Head Start programs, in order to assist individuals and families in obtaining self-sufficiency. Through collaborative efforts of community and organizational partnerships, BSACAP seeks to improve the overall quality of life within the Floyd, Johnson, Martin, Magoffin, and Pike County communities. To learn more about BSACAP and their programs, visit, www.bsacap.org, or call, (606) 789-3641.
On January 2, 2022, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Xi Jinping pointed out, since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago, China-Uzbekistan relations have kept pace with the times and forged ahead, setting an example of international relations featuring harmonious coexistence and win-win cooperation. In particular, the two sides have learned from each other in the process of reform and opening up, development and revitalization, and made concerted efforts and stood together with mutual assistance in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming comprehensive strategic partners in the real sense.

Xi Jinping stressed, I attach great importance to the development of China-Uzbekistan relations, and I am willing to work with President Mirziyoyev to take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to jointly write a new chapter in the history of China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership to the benefit of the two countries and peoples.

Mirziyoyev said, the past 30 years have been a splendid chapter in the history of friendly exchanges between the Uzbek and Chinese peoples for thousands of years. Under the personal care of President Xi Jinping, Uzbekistan-China comprehensive strategic partnership has flourished, bilateral cooperation in various fields has progressed smoothly, cultural and people-to-people exchanges has been continuously strengthened, and close communication has been carried out within the framework of international and regional organizations. The Uzbek side stands ready to work with China to deepen the Belt and Road cooperation and push the friendly relations and all-round cooperation between the two countries into a new historical stage.
The Board resolution dated January 06, 2022, the Board of Directors of Vietnam Export Import Commercial Joint Stock Bank approved the meeting venue to hold the Annual General Meeting 2021 for the second time at White Palace, No.194 Hoang Van Thu Street, ward 9, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh.

In case of the conference cannot be held in Ho Chi Minh City due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the meeting venue will be moved to Ho Tram resort, Ba Ria  Vung Tau Province.
Six members of the Pennsylvania National Guard were dispatched to Gracedale on Friday to lend a hand as the Northampton County home deals with two dozen COVID-19-related staff absences.

Gracedale administrator Jennifer Stewart-King made the request in anticipation of additional staff absences due to Fridays snow.

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The guard members will remain for five days. They will pass out food and water, transport patients, answer call bells and take care of other non-medical patient needs, Northampton County said in a statement.

Guard members have filled in during times of high demand since April 2020, when COVID-19 deaths at the home were on the rise and many staffers were diagnosed with the illness or in quarantine after exposure. The initial deployment included 20 medics and eight nurses.

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The omicron variant of the virus, which emerged in November, has proved especially contagious. The county said 92% of Gracedale residents are vaccinated and 71% have received a booster shot, though omicron appears to be better able to break through vaccines protection than the delta variant. However, vaccinated people are still far less likely to develop serious cases.

There were two cases reported among residents earlier this week.

We are more grateful to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard than we can express in words, County Executive Lamont McClure said. As the largest nursing home under one roof in the commonwealth, weve needed their help from time to time. The Guard has always come when weve called. They have our eternal thanks.

We rely on the support of our subscribers to fund our journalism as we continue to cover the coronavirus crisis. If youre not already signed up, we hope you will consider subscribing. Already a print subscriber? If you havent already, please activate your digital access.
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Six New Creations Have Joined the Range of Parfumeurs du Monde

Niche Perfumery

Last December, Les Parfumeurs du Monde presented six new fragrances at Jovoy to join this collection of 100% natural perfumes, completely redesigned for the occasion. My colleague Sergey already talked about them in general terms, so here, I will focus on the ones that I would pick as my favorites.

But first a few words about this brand founded by Thierry Bernard, born from the meeting of six perfumers passionate about beautiful natural materials. Thierry Bernard, Jean-Claude and Eric Gigodot, Isabelle Gele, Michel Roudnitska, and Perrine Scandel came together to face a challenge, that of creating a 100% natural line. "Far from the brands that claim 98% natural perfumes within this concept, we have a completely natural materials approach, which excludes hedione or musks, for example. We do allow ourselves some natural isolates (coumarin, vanillin, for example). Favoring a 100% natural approach is a completely different way of perfuming and composing," explains Thierry Bernard. Note that for the launch of these new products, four perfumers joined the team: Nathalie Feisthauer, Bertrand Duchaufour, Ellen Dahlgren, and Alexandre Isaie Helwani.

Among the novelties that caught my attention, I would mention Nam Chaa by Nathalie Feisthauer, which already came highly recommended by Sergey. This spicy floral partition is inspired by tasting black tea on a terrace in Koh Tao, Thailand. The press kit mentions jasmine, but I also detect the sweet and uplifting notes of ylang-ylang, maybe in a nod to the frangipani flower that blooms in Southeast Asia. It creates a solar dimension, almost lactonic, chiseled with citrus fruits, spices, and herbaceous notes, as well as a bit of camphor (lemon, grapefruit, coriander, ginger). In a play of chiaroscuro, this facet is obscured by the vegetal and leathery effect of tea and mate, which is confirmed by the woods in the background. The whole exudes an aesthetic, a finesse in its style, which sets it apart from what we usually expect from 100% natural perfumes.

My other favorite, Les Larmes d'Aden, designed by Thierry Bernard, takes us back to Antiquity, to the origins of perfume. A dense fragrance inspired by the "ancient routes of the incense trade." The idea is a trip to the port of Aden, south of Yemen, a place of trade between India, Europe, and Africa. Around the theme of Ketoretto incense from Jerusalem, Thierry Bernard embroidered a honeyed oriental, rich in resins. A tribute to Kyphi, the first ancestral fragrance, composed of around twenty ingredients including frankincense, myrrh, honey, broom, spices.

We find here this honeyed and balmy dimension as soon as the fragrance takes off. The beeswax absolute jumps to the nose, its airy curves popping with the zesty and luminous freshness of neroli and tangy notes of citron. The ginger offers a sparkling effect to the perfume, while the galbanum initiates a resinous facet with its green and peppy notes. Jasmine voluptuously prolongs the radiance of the top notes while the woody, terpenic, and balsamic mists of incense emerge. The myrrh prolongs the effect of its aniseed and candied accents, and the labdanum underlines the presence of balms with sensuality. Opulent, rich, intense; a fragrance that will appeal as much for its mystical breath as for the almost vintage effect of its honeyed notes.

I invite you to discover the rest of the range dressed in its new bottles, including the four other novelties: Petite Fumee by Bertrand Duchaufour, Tjarn by Ellen Dahlgreen, Makeda by Alexandre Helwani, and Androgyne 16020 by Isabelle Gelle.

The entire collection is available in 50 ml, priced at 145 EUR.




HARRISBURG  Proposed changes in the way Allentown and its largely minority population would be divided into state House and Senate districts came under fire at a hearing Thursday, with two Latino testifiers saying the proposals would hurt  rather than help  election chances of minority candidates.

The reality is that the opportunity for a minority candidate to get elected? It is not there, said Victor Martinez, an Allentown radio station owner, during a Legislative Reapportionment Commission hearing in Harrisburg.

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The five-member commission is charged with redrawing maps for the 50 state Senate districts and 203 House districts, based on 2020 census data.

The final, approved maps will govern elections for the next 10 years.

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A preliminary map approved by the commission last month divided Allentown between two Senate districts. It currently is covered by one.

Another preliminary map split the city among three House districts, rather than the current two.

Both Martinez and Enid Santiago, a former candidate in Allentown, said such splits may give the city more lawmakers in Harrisburg, but they divide minority communities into sections and diminish the chances those communities can elect lawmakers.

Santiago said the proposals three House districts might have impressive-looking 30% or 40% minority population figures, but it gets rid of the 22nd District, where more than half of residents were minorities.

Santiago said it was a way of almost guaranteeing that Allentown will not have true representation.

She claimed it was drawn to protect the two incumbents, whom she pointed out were white.

We dont need allies to speak for us, Santiago said of the Latino community.

The city is represented by Democratic Reps. Peter Schweyer, who defeated Santiago in a close primary in 2020, and Mike Schlossberg.

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Allentown City Council member Joshua Siegel felt otherwise.

Siegel told the commission the split of the city among three House districts would help ensure the city receives the clout and representation in Harrisburg that it deserves.

Siegel said that while he is largely satisfied with the House proposal, he does not like its splitting of the downtown area. That part of the city, Siegel said, should be entirely in one district or the other.

The proposed Senate maps handling of Allentown also drew criticism.

Allentown currently is entirely in the 16th district, represented by Republican Sen. Pat Browne. The proposed map puts a new 14th district in the middle of the Lehigh Valley and includes a large portion of Allentown within it.

It also pushes the outline of the 16th to the west, including large, rural portions of Lehigh and Berks counties, but still including Brownes Allentown home just inside its eastern edge.

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Commission Chairperson Mark Nordenberg previously said the drawing was an attempt to bolster opportunities for minorities.

But Fair Districts PA Chairperson Carol Kuniholm told the commission the map appears to carve a personalized district to a current Republican senator, an apparent reference to Browne, who, as chair of the Appropriations Committee, is part of the Republicans Senate leadership.

Kuniholm said that even though commission members said they were attempting to create a district that increased chances for minority candidates, demographic data for the new district did not appear to support that.

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Senate Republican Majority Leader Kim Ward, a member of the commission, disputed Kuniholms contentions.

Part of the point in drawing the proposed 14th district, she said, was to make sure no incumbents home is within its boundaries.

That, she said, is important if you are truly trying to give an opportunity to the Latino community.

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The testimony came in the first of four hearings scheduled over two days.

On Friday, Democratic Sen. Lisa Boscola of Northampton County is expected to testify about her opposition to the proposed Senate map.

Browne has expressed satisfaction with the proposed Senate map. Schweyer and Schlossberg both have said the split of Allentown among three districts makes sense.

Morning Call Capitol correspondent Ford Turner can be reached at fturner@mcall.com.
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O Christmas tree: Holiday decoration used to rebuild West End dunes

STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Sindy Pfaab, the treasurer of the Bermuda Beach Homeowners Association, looks over discarded Christmas trees being used to rebuild dunes along Bermuda Beach in Galveston on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Discarded Christmas trees line a section of the beach adjacent to houses near Bermuda Beach in Galveston on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. The trees are being used to rebuild sand dunes that have been washed away. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Discarded Christmas trees line a section of the beach adjacent to houses near Bermuda Beach in Galveston on Thursday. Jan. 6, 2022

GALVESTON

All along the streets this week were Christmas trees kicked to the curb. But some West Enders have been collecting those trees to throw not in the trash but under the sand.

Residents of Bermuda Beach have revived a program to use Christmas trees as base material for dune construction in hopes the evergreens will help replace dunes wiped out by a series of 2020 storms and protect beachfront homes.

The Bermuda Beach neighborhood already had a permit for sand fencing, wooden structures meant to capture and accumulate blowing sand, said Chris Lauer, president of the Bermuda Beach Property Owners Association. The sand fencing, however, didnt stand up in the face of minor storms and became an ongoing cost for the neighborhood, he said.

That didnt work out so well just because once it got hit by the storms, we couldnt stretch it and reuse it again, Lauer said. It had to basically be thrown away. Were looking not to buy something that is throw-away again. We felt it was kind of wasteful and that it was not a good spend of our neighborhoods money to protect the beaches.

Bermuda Beach has collected about 50 trees so far but ultimately would like to get 220, which is enough to cover the neighborhoods beachfront, Lauer said.

Use of Christmas trees to build dunes actually is fairly common along the Texas coast.

Communities in Surfside typically collect Christmas trees annually for dune construction.

With some restrictions, the Texas General Land Office encourages building up dunes with Christmas trees, which are in abundance this time of year, land office spokesman Matt Atwood said.

This means there are essentially free materials that can be used to help trap wind-blown sand, assist with faster accumulation around and in between the branches of Christmas trees and eventually build dunes around the trees, Atwood said.

Trees need to be secured with organic materials  like wooden stakes  and be free of tinsel, ornaments and other decorations, Atwood said. Trees also cant block access to the beach, he said.

The only requirement is a city permit, which Bermuda Beach residents acquired, said Brandon Hill, the citys coastal resources manager.

Christmas trees, like sand fences, mimic natural vegetation that catches windblown sand and, over time, builds dunes, he said.

They break up the blow of the wind across the beach and it causes sand that is being transported by that wind to accumulate there and to build up a dune, Hill said.

Hill pointed out that the plan wont work on every beach.

Youre not going to have sand start piling up and create a dune unless youve got enough width of the beach to cause that sand to dry out and become windblown, Hill said. For much of Galvestons shoreline, we have conditions where the water is completely up to the vegetation line. The sand isnt going to dry out and isnt going to blow.

Christmas trees once were used to rebuild dunes in Galveston, but many communities stopped after a hurricane in the 1990s or early 2000s, District 6 Councilwoman Marie Robb said.

The trees dont often hold up well in a high tide, and the storm flung the trees across the beach, she said.

There was nothing but Christmas trees everywhere, Robb said. Literally everywhere. We kind of stopped that.

Bermuda Beach, like many West End neighborhoods, went through the trauma of losing several rows of houses during Hurricane Ike in 2008. Homes that were once several rows back from the beach can now look out unimpeded on the water.

Typically, the Christmas trees will be placed on public beach areas, but since the water laps up to private beach because of erosion caused by Hurricane Ike, homeowners have to get permission from owners of the private property where theyd like to place the trees to make the dunes, Hill said.

Hill ultimately wants to study how vegetation of any kind  seaweed, Christmas trees, palm trees  helps rebuild dunes and which material works best, he said.

Residents have been reaching out to those property owners but may need to hire legal help to track down some of them, Lauer said.

Residents hope to see results soon, he said. Before 2020, the Bermuda Beach dunes had been growing for eight to 10 years, he said.

All it takes is a good rain or a good windstorm and theyll have some sand in them, Lauer said.

Bermuda Beach residents are collecting Christmas trees from curbs and also encouraging people to take their trees to the parking area at the beachside end of Pabst Road, Lauer said.
The Benton County Courthouse on Thursday evening served as the backdrop for a candlelight vigil marking a year since the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

As many as 100-plus gathered, holding signs that said, "voting is a human right, "heal the hate, save democracy" and "Black votes matter." Motorists honked in support as they drove by the crowd. There were lights, music and plenty of candles held by young and old.

"This can't be a hopeless cause," Charlie Miller of Corvallis said. "We have to protect our democracy from a violent overthrow."

On Jan. 6, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, enraged with the results of the 2020 presidential election. Since then, hundreds of people have been criminally charged, and 71 have been sentenced for riot-related crimes. The nation remains divided over the Big Lie, the false claim that Trump won the election.

Billed as a pro-democracy event and part of a national movement promoting voting rights and Washington, D.C. statehood, the vigil was organized by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis Democracy Action Team and the Linn Benton NAACP Branch. Speakers included Rev. Jill McAllister and local NAACP President Jason Dorsette.

Community members were reverent, and there was a feeling that the crowd was united in their cause.

"There's a saying, 'For evil to triumph, all that's needed is for good people to do nothing,'" Irje Galvan of Corvallis said. "I want to prove that wrong. I want to be 'good people.'"

Karen Josephson is a co-leader of the Democracy Action Team. In an interview before the event, she said attacks against democracy have skyrocketed, with many states pursuing legislation threatening election integrity.

To combat that trend, she's advocating for the passage of the Freedom to Vote, Protecting Our Democracy and John Lewis Voting Rights acts, as well as D.C. statehood.

Those bills together will protect nationwide, so that it will be against federal law to do what those states are doing, Josephson said. We want letters, calls, people on socially media telling our senators to please get this done.

Josephson's co-leader on the evening's event, Claire Montgomery, shares concerns about voting rights. The vigil is to serve as a reminder that a totalitarian government could still take over, and that complacency is its own threat to democracy, she said before the event.

She also views voting rights legislation as essential for the nations future.

Right now, theres support for this legislation across the country, Montgomery said. If we make it really apparent that people care and theyre paying attention, then maybe well see some action.

During the event, Susan Leonard, chair of the political action committee for the local NAACP chapter, read a statement from U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Springfield.

"The success of our democracy depends on an active and engaged electorate," the statement says. "We are a nation of laws and democratic principles. And our great democratic experiment will only work when we adhere to them."

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

Dorsette, president of the Corvallis-Albany NAACP branch, provided his own thoughts on the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and what the community can do going forward.

As far as he's concerned, the actions of Trump supporters that day amounted to a terrorist attack and underscored the challenges faced by American democracy.

Before the event, he said he hoped the vigil would mobilize people to vote.

During his remarks Thursday evening, Dorsette urged those in attendance to continue fighting for democracy and reminded them that the attack on the Capitol represented more than just one day.

"This year, friends, it has to be the year of the full court press," he said. "The year all hands are on deck around voting rights, voter registration, voter education, voter mobilization ... all in order to ensure we uphold to this American democracy."

Cody Mann covers the cities of Albany and Lebanon. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net.

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State's tallest wind turbines could be along Rock-Walworth county line

JANESVILLE

Not many details have emerged publicly, but federal records show a developer is looking to erect several 670-foot-tall wind turbines along a ridge near the Rock-Walworth county line.

A Federal Aviation Administration database lists the locations for 10 proposed wind turbines the agency said an unnamed developer applied to build in mid-December. The agency hasnt started studying the proposal, but the FAA has regulatory authority over the location and height of wind turbines as they relate to boundaries and operations at local airports.

According to the FAAs database, a developer is proposing to build the 10 turbines in a trapezoid-shaped swath of farmland that hugs a ridgeline on the Rock-Walworth county line south from County Highway A in the town of Harmony to just south of Walworth along Highway 67.

One official from the states electrical utility regulator, the Public Service Commission, said that based on the proposed height of the turbines673 feetthe handful of turbines would likely be among the tallest windmills ever proposed in Wisconsin.

A coordinator with the FAAs Obstruction Evaluation group confirmed that the FAA is looking at a proposed wind turbine development in Rock County involving 10 turbines.

The coordinator said that under federal policy, FAA officials are not allowed to release in-depth details or specifics about any wind farm proposal while its under evaluation, including the name of the developer proposing the project.

Under FAA policy, the FAA is required to make public its own letters of response to any groups whove sought the agencys approval to build wind turbines. But the FAAs oversight is limited to whether wind turbines proposed height and location would create a potential obstruction in controlled air space or aircraft flight paths.

State law typically requires other state and federal regulatory agencies to set wind turbine siting rules. The FAA coordinator declined to say whether FAA clearance typically is among the first regulatory steps in wind farm siting.

According to the FAA database, if approved, the wind turbines are tentatively slated for construction sometime between 2024 and 2025.

But Adam Ingwell, a Public Service Commission employee who handles and coordinates local wind energy siting requirements and processes, said its a regulatory process that can take a year or more, and one the PSC isnt always immediately involved in.

Ingwell said the Public Service Commission has not been notified of a wind turbine proposal in Rock County, and officials for one statewide renewable energy lobby group, Renew Wisconsin, said they were also not familiar with the proposal.

But Ingwell said under state law, the PSC typically only takes direct regulatory oversight of wind farms planned with an energy production capacity of 100 megawatts or more.

Despite the fact that the proposed turbines in Rock County would be significantly taller than average wind turbineswhich range between 200 and 400 feet highIngwell said he doubts that 10 turbines would generate anywhere near the 100 megawatts that would require regulatory oversight by his agency. Wind farms 100 megawatts in size can typically power between 35,000 and 40,000 homes, depending on wind conditions.

Some wind farms operating in northern Illinois have arrays of dozens or hundreds of turbines, yet few have turbines as tall as the ones being proposed in Rock County.

Ingwell said state and federal law requires developers to notify the PSC of a wind farm development, along with its federal or state regulatory status if the turbines proposed are expected to be more than 600 feet tall.

And Ingwell said developers must notify the PSC within 180 days from when they initially file for a federal construction permit, whether or not the commission has lead regulatory oversight over the project.

The PSC keeps those records in its own, publicly accessible database.

Wisconsin has a legal framework lawmakers put in place in 2010 to ease wind farm siting in the state, but the Public Service Commission has not taken the lead in siting a wind farm since then.

Ingwell said thats because the state has not seen a wind farm proposal larger than 100 megawatts in the past 12 years.

The PSC earlier this week authorized the purchase of a proposed wind farm project in Wisconsin by the Wisconsin Public Service Corp. and Madison Gas and Electric in Grant County in southwestern Wisconsin.

The PSC reports that wind farm would be powered by about 30 turbines, and its generating capacity would total just over 90 megawatts.

More developers and electrical utilities have begun planning and siting large-scale solar farms in rural, southern Wisconsin. Wind farms proposed here have typically been smaller in scale, but energy analysts statewide say wind could become a growing part of alternative energy production as utility companies continue to decrease their reliance on coal-fired power plants.
Braden Manning, Gettysburg baseball: Braden went 9-for-13 with 2 doubles, 2 triples and 7 RBI over 4 games. He also struck out 11 batters in a win over South Western.

Amy Anderson, Delone Catholic softball: Amy went 5-for-12 with 6 RBI, 3 runs scored and a triple over 3 games. She also struck out 17 batters and went 2-1 in those games.

Parker Sanders, Bermudian Springs Tennis: Parker won 3 matches on his way to a fourth-place finish in the YAIAA Class 2A Singles Tournament.

Andrew Koons, Fairfield baseball: Andrew went 5-for-11 with 8 RBI, 4 runs scored and 2 home runs over 3 games, including a grand slam. He was also the winning pitcher against Biglerville.

Ben Angstadt, Biglerville baseball: Ben went 8-for-17 with 7 RBI, 4 runs scored, a double and a home run over 4 games for the Canners.

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Adam Baugh and Jason Morris, attorneys and partners in Withey Morris, have created an engaging series of podcasts on developments they have helped usher in.
Shahid Abbas will begin his role as Glendales transportation director on Feb. 14. He is serving as public works director for South Pasadena, California.
NEW YORK, Jan. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DarkPulse Inc. (OTC: DPLS) (DPLS" or "the Company"), with the full support of its board of directors, today announced its intention to take its wholly-owned subsidiary, Optilan (Optilan), public in the U.S. in mid-2022 via an initial public offering (IPO). Management believes the move will unlock the value of Optilan for DarkPulse shareholders by creating a separate publicly traded company and will build on Optilans successful track record and serve to expand its markets.



The Company anticipates that Optilan will apply for listing on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") directing towards public offering upon acceptance. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering is yet to be determined; however, the Company plans to list 20% of Optilan shares on the NYSE while retaining 80% ownership. Optilan will remain a subsidiary of DarkPulse and the two companies will continue as strategic partners, collaborating on projects as they pursue the growth of the infrastructure technology (Infratech) sector together.

With relatively independent business operations, Optilan is an infratech consulting and solution services provider that covers various technology-driven industries including but not limited to telecommunications, oil and gas, alternative energy, rail solutions, and power. For more than 30 years, Optilan has been enabling its customers to increase operational efficiencies across all these industries with advanced security and communication solutions protecting their customers assets. DarkPulse has been and will continue to engage with in-demand technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, robotics, defense and aerospace, among others. DarkPulses main focus will remain on smart infrastructure and, as the world moves toward smart cities, the focus will expand to include the implementation of Global System Dynamics as part of the Companys SaaS model as it continues to expand its global footprint. Optilan is already on this journey with its fiber-related business helping enable faster connectivity to the web.

I believe that an IPO would provide the greatest opportunity for Optilan to grow the infratech category, serve its customers, explore its own acquisition strategy, and continue building the best team, said DarkPulse Chairman and CEO Dennis OLeary. Most importantly, this IPO will bring value to DarkPulses shareholders as the Company itself also moves towards an up listing on a Senior Exchange. DarkPulse will remain Optilans parent company and largest, most important go-to-market and research and development (R&D) partner while giving Optilan greater independence to broaden its base by partnering and building out the entire infratech ecosystem.

DarkPulse has no intention of spinning off or otherwise divesting its majority ownership interest. A final decision on the IPO and its conditions and ultimate timing is pending and subject to market conditions.

About DarkPulse, Inc.

DarkPulse, Inc. uses advanced laser-based monitoring systems to provide rapid and accurate monitoring of temperatures, strains and stresses. The Companys technology excels when applied to live, dynamic critical infrastructure and structural monitoring, including pipeline monitoring, perimeter and structural surveillance, aircraft structural components and mining safety. The Company's fiber-based monitoring systems can assist markets that are not currently served, and its unique technology covers extended areas and any event that is translated into the detection of a change in strain or temperature. In addition to the Companys ongoing efforts with respect to the marketing and sales of its technology products and services to its customers, the Company also continues to explore potential strategic alliances through joint venture and licensing opportunities to further expand its global market position.

For more information, visit www.DarkPulse.com

Rule 135 Legend

This announcement is being made pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 135 under the Securities Act. As required by Rule 135, this press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "goal," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this news release regarding our strategies, prospects, financial condition, operations, costs, plans and objectives are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following: our ability to successfully market our products and services; the acceptance of our products and services by customers; our continued ability to pay operating costs and ability to meet demand for our products and services; the amount and nature of competition from other security and telecom products and services; the effects of changes in the cybersecurity and telecom markets; our ability to successfully develop new products and services; our success establishing and maintaining collaborative, strategic alliance agreements, licensing and supplier arrangements; our ability to comply with applicable regulations; and the other risks and uncertainties described in our prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Investor Relations Contact:
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blender Bites Ltd. (the Company, Blender Bites or Blender), (CSE: BITE, FWB: JL4, WKN: A3C3Y2), a Canadian company involved in the development and marketing of a line of premium, organic and plant-based pre-portioned frozen functional foods, announces that it will undertake a forward share split (the Forward Split) in which existing shareholders of the Company will receive 1.25 common shares in exchange for every existing common share of the Company.



As of the date of this news release, there are currently 29,582,624 common shares of the Company outstanding. Following completion of the Forward Split, the Company will have approximately 36,978,280 common shares outstanding. Management of the Company is of the view that the Forward Split will help to improve liquidity, reduce the recent volatility in the market and address potential short-selling activity.

Following completion of the Forward Split, shareholders of the Company who hold common shares represented by a physical certificate will receive a letter of transmittal from the transfer agent for the Company, Computershare Trust Company of Canada, with instructions on how to exchange their existing certificates for post-Forward Split certificates.

The Company will provide further information regarding the Forward Split, including the applicable effective dates, as soon as it becomes available. Completion of the Forward Split remains subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange.

About Blender Bites

Blender Bites is a Canadian company involved in the development and marketing of a line of premium frozen food products with a focus on functionality. Blender Bites was founded in 2016 and was first to market in Western Canada with a pre-portioned easy smoothie product that is free of any unnecessary inner plastic packaging. Blender Bites products are certified organic, vegan, non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free and soy free. They contain no added sugars and are made in Canada. Blender Bites products are distributed internationally across Canada and the US, and are currently sold in over 850 stores, including Sobeys, Safeway, Save on Foods, Whole Foods Market, Buy-Low/Nesters, IGA and Fresh Street.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Blender Bites Limited

Chelsie Hodge, Chief Executive Officer

For further information, contact Blender IR Team at:

Email - investors@blenderbites.com

Telephone - 1-888-997-2055

CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMER STATEMENT

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties, and uncertain capital markets. Readers are cautioned that actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Chicago, IL, Jan. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (via Blockchain Wire)







KronicKatz has been extremely focused on developing its NFT platform. As the project developers realize the extent of the competition within the current digital market, KronicKatz has made sure that their idea of building, developing, and teaching blockchain, crypto, and NFT tech and their assorted system is carried out to perfection. Talking about how KronicKatz came into development under a set of distinctive goals and objectives, the platform presents the first "Metaversity" of the digital world. Not only does the project target NFTs and their development, but it also believes in teaching users the basic concepts of crypto, blockchain and the functions within. For this, KronicKatz is proud to present its first and metaverse-based educational platform.



With such distinctive and dignified objectives in the digital world, KronicKatz is surely here to make an everlasting statement that would lead them into the world's most popular NFT platforms. The concept of 'Metaversity' seems quite confusing for many NFT users in the digital fraternity. As an answer to this query, KronicKatz aims to educate and make people aware of how to safely navigate, interact and invest on the blockchain. With a step-by-step hands-on learning environment, participants will be guided through a set of basic classes that will allow even the earliest of crypto investors to enter this space as safely and as educated as possible.

KronicKatz has been building its platform simultaneously while working on the 'Metaversity' project. There have been a lot of considerable updates that the project has successfully countered. As the project builds up the passion and curiosity of NFT users with its objectives, KronicKatz Metaversity has successfully launched public minting of their NFTs KronicKatz with a mint price of 0.03 ETH. These NFTs will later be used as a form of tuition for access to the advanced level classes provided by the Metaversity. This gives holders of the NFT the ability to gain a return on their investment by renting the NFT to the general public at a rate of nearly $8,000 per year in some cases. The holder will retain 80% of the fee paid to them, the other 20% will go back to the Metaversity and be delegated accordingly.

KronicKatz has introduced a variety of updates related to their project's details and operations. As Dustin Turska, the founder and creator of KronicKatz, introduced himself as the proud owner of this project; the world also came to know about how his wife, Haley Turska, leading the first-ever kid-friendly NFT marketplace featuring a safe environment under controlled conditions for guiding parents into helping their children provide input across a creative NFT environment. The project officially announced its goal to become the 'first decentralized educational platform featuring access for kids and adults globally.'

While focusing on the Metaversity updates, KronicKatz has successfully initiated their free blockchain education classes across the Discord channel. Following this, the developers are encouraged to develop a VR-based specialized teaching environment to build a distinctive environment for teaching students. To ensure successful coverage of all desired goals and updates, KronicKatz has partnered officially with AstroZeroNFT, the marketplace where NFT project production and education will officially be held ElonOne, the native token of AstroZero, gasless NFT marketplace, and Blue Chimps, the welcoming community for those first onboard into the crypto-space. Together, they form the Super community who aims to make defi and NFTs a globally accepted currency, and empowerment to the NFT artist and community.

To continue this exponential growth across the digital fraternity, KronicKatz is searching for volunteers to help lead instructions and design a curriculum that would be used for teaching users about NFT platforms. The project also focuses on building up partnerships in different fields for driving the operations and development of the platform, along with providing different teaching fields and guest speaker positions.

About the company:



KronicKatz is an NFT platform built to 'teach' users to move into a decentralized world. The project purposefully builds a platform that would provide users with NFT art to buy and hold and teach users of the initial concepts of blockchain technology. KronicKatz believes in building an inclusive community focused on a strong digital ecosystem, which can only come through the basic elements of teaching.



Website | Twitter | Discord | Instagram
The deadline to vote is 2:00 p.m. (Vancouver Time) on Tuesday, January 18, 2022.

For any questions, please contact Pretivms proxy solicitation agent and communications advisor, Laurel Hill Advisory Group, toll free at 1-877-452-7184 ( +1-416-304-0211 outside North America) or email assistance@laurelhill.com.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX/NYSE: PVG) (Pretivm or the Company) today announced that both Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis & Co. LLC (Glass Lewis) have recommended that Pretivm shareholders vote FOR the resolution (the Arrangement Resolution) to approve the proposed acquisition of Pretivm by Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX/TSX/PNGX: NCM) (Newcrest) by way of a plan of arrangement (the Transaction), at the upcoming special meeting of Pretivm shareholders on January 20, 2022 (the Special Meeting).

In their report ISS stated, The transaction makes strategic sense as the consideration provides shareholders optionality to either receive certain and immediate value in the form of cash, or the ability to receive shares of Newcrest and participate in the upside represented by the combined entity.

Glass Lewis report noted, The proposed transaction represents the most attractive opportunity. The merger will result in a larger, more diversified gold producer with an opportunity to achieve meaningful synergies.

ISS and Glass Lewis are leading independent, third party proxy advisory firms who, among other services, provide proxy voting recommendations to pension funds, investment managers, mutual funds and other institutional shareholders.

Pretivms board of directors UNANIMOUSLY recommends that shareholders

VOTE FOR the Arrangement Resolution

Pretivm Special Meeting

The Special Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) in a virtual-only format conducted by live audio webcast, using the Summit meeting platform, at https://meetnow.global/MAZZWNK. Registered shareholders and optionholders and duly appointed proxyholders will have an equal opportunity to participate in the Special Meeting, regardless of their geographic location or the particular constraints, circumstances or health risks they may be facing.

Shareholders should closely review the procedures outlined in the management information circular and related meeting materials for the Special Meeting (the Meeting Materials) to ensure that they are able to cast their vote prior to or at the Special Meeting. The Meeting Materials are available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov and on the Companys website at www.pretivm.com/investors/Newcrest-Transaction.

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT- PLEASE VOTE TODAY

How to Vote

Due to the essence of time, shareholders are encouraged to vote online or by telephone in advance of the meeting, even if they plan on attending the meeting, to ensure their vote is received in a timely manner.

THE VOTING DEADLINE IS 2:00 p.m. (Vancouver Time) ON TUESDAY JANUARY 18, 2022

Vote using the following methods prior to the Meeting1: Intranet Telephone or Fax Registered Shareholders and Optionholders:

Shares held in own name and represented by a physical certificate.

www.investorvote.com

Telephone: 1-866-732-8683

Fax: 1-866-249-775 Non-Registered Shareholders:

Shares held with a broker, bank or other intermediary. www.proxyvote.com

Call or fax to the number(s) listed on your voting instruction form

Please review the Meeting Materials for more information on how to vote your shares or options.





Shareholder and Optionholder Questions and Voting Assistance

For any questions or assistance with voting, shareholders and optionholders can contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group at 1-877-452-7184 (toll-free in North America), +1-416-304-0211 (calls outside North America) or by email at assistance@laurelhill.com.

Transaction Details

Pursuant to the Transaction, Pretivm shareholders will have the option to elect to receive C$18.50 per Pretivm share in cash or 0.8084 Newcrest shares per Pretivm share, representing share consideration of C$18.50 based on the Canadian dollar equivalent of the 5 day volume-weighted-average-price (VWAP) of Newcrest shares on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) ending on November 8, 2021, subject to proration to ensure aggregate cash and Newcrest share consideration each represent 5o% of total transaction consideration (the Transaction Price). Pretivm shareholders who do not elect cash or Newcrest shares (subject to proration) will receive default consideration of C$9.25 per Pretivm share in cash and 0.4042 Newcrest shares per Pretivm share. In order to make a valid election, registered Pretivm shareholders must duly complete, execute and return the letter of transmittal and election form enclosed with the Meeting Materials in accordance with the instructions contained therein, by 5:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on January 18, 2022 or, if the Special Meeting is adjourned or postponed, no later than 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays in British Columbia, Australia or New York) before the adjourned Special Meeting is reconvened or the postponed Special Meeting is convened. Beneficial Pretivm shareholders should follow the instructions provided by your intermediary to make your election.

About Pretivm

Pretivm is an intermediate gold producer with the 100%-owned, high-grade gold underground Brucejack Mine located in northwestern BC. We strive for operating excellence and our first priority is the health and safety of our employees, contractors and neighbouring communities. We are committed to the principles of sustainable development and conducting our activities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

Pretivm Contact

Pretium Resources Inc.

Troy Shultz, Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications

(604) 558-1784

invest@pretivm.com

Media Contact

Alan Bayless, Longview Communications and Public Affairs

604-417-9645

abayless@longviewcomms.ca

Pretium Resources Inc.

Suite 2300, Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street

PO Box 49334 Vancouver, BC V7X 1L4

(SEDAR filings: Pretium Resources Inc.)

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively herein referred to as forward-looking information), including the safe harbour provisions of Canadian provincial securities legislation and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Wherever possible, words such as plans, expects, guidance, projects, assumes, budget, strategy, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, anticipates, believes, intends, modeled, targets and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information contained herein includes, but is not limited to: the consummation and timing of the Transaction; the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the Transaction; matters related to the Special Meeting; timing, receipt and anticipated effects of court and regulatory approvals; and discussion of future plans, projects, objectives, estimates and forecasts and the timing related thereto.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to materially differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, failure to receive the required court and regulatory approvals to effect the Transaction; changes in laws, regulations and government practices; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak, including on our operations and workforce and the operations and workforce of Newcrest; future price of gold and silver and other metal prices; market competition, the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the potential of a third party making a superior proposal to the Transaction and such other risks as are identified in Pretivms public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and in the United States through EDGAR at the Security and Exchange Commissions website at www.sec.gov (collectively, the Pretivm Disclosure Documents). This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of our forward looking information. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Our forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, many of which may be difficult to predict and beyond our control. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, we have made certain assumptions about, among other things: our business and operations and that no significant event will occur outside of our normal course of business and operations (other than as expressly set out herein); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak, including on our operations and workforce; our ability to obtain the required court and regulatory approvals in a timely matter, if at all; our ability to satisfy the terms and conditions precedent of the Arrangement Agreement in order to consummate the Transaction; Newcrests ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for operations in a timely manner, if at all; the adequacy of our and Newcrests financial resources; sustained labour stability and availability of equipment; the maintenance of positive relations with local groups; favourable equity and debt capital markets; and stability in financial capital markets. Although we believe that the assumptions inherent in forward-looking information are reasonable as of the date of this news release, these assumptions are subject to significant business, social, economic, political, regulatory, competitive and other risks and uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking information. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information contained in this news release.

Additional information about the risks and uncertainties concerning forward-looking information and material factors or assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based is provided in the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Forward-looking information involves statements about the future and is inherently uncertain, and our actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, those referred to in this news release and the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. For the reasons set forth above, readers and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX nor the NYSE has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.
Los Angeles, California, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flux Capital Managing Partner Ari Stiegler announced this week that his firm completed a $2 million round of financing for Triumph Labs. This company enables app developers to monetize fast casual games through real cash competitions. Flux Capital, which prioritizes strategic investments in winner-take all-markets, led two rounds over a series of 5 months.

Flux Capital is proud to have led Triumph Labss latest financing round, said Stiegler. Triumphs API is the perfect model for bringing integrated monetization to the nearly one million fast casual games in the iPhone ecosystem. Triumphs proven approach to monetization and dedication to fairness has positioned it as a leader in this burgeoning market, and we look forward to working with its team to expand its offerings to new gaming verticals and consoles.

Founded by Jake Brooks and Jared Geller, Triumph Labs brings a high-quality integration of real cash competitions into players favorite fast-casual mobile games. Its novel API, designed to replace or augment existing monetization channels, allows players to securely wager funds on the outcomes of thousands of mobile games. Triumphs software provides anti-cheating mechanisms, fair matchmaking services, and seamless tournament infrastructures to create a safe environment for all players.

Triumphs API can be integrated into mobile apps in as little as an hour and drive up to 10-times greater gameplay monetization for developers. Its SDK handles tournament hosting, matchmaking, payment, arbitration, and compliance with no additional configuration. Triumphs product complies with local and federal gambling regulations as a skill-based gaming platform.

About Ari Stiegler:

Ari Stiegler is the Managing Partner of Flux Capital and a three-time startup co-founder, including TutorMe, LVL, and PhoneTag. To date, he has directed over $200M in transactions primarily while managing U.S. investments for a private family office. Ari was the founding CEO of TutorMe, a leading online tutoring platform acquired by Zovio in 2019. He graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Business Administration.
Completed Patient Enrollment for Part A of Phase 2 INTEGRAL Trial Evaluating THR-687 for treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) in treatment naive subjects



US IRB Approval of Protocol Amendment to Part B of the Phase 2 KALAHARI Trial Assessing THR-149 versus aflibercept for treatment of DME in patients that suboptimally respond to anti-VEGF therapy

Full dataset from Part A of KALAHARI Trial to be presented at Angiogenesis on February 12th

Leuven, BELGIUM, Boston, MA, US  7 January 2022  7.00 AM CET  Oxurion NV (Euronext Brussels: OXUR), a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation standard of care ophthalmic therapies, with a clinical stage portfolio in vascular retinal disorders, today announced updates on its two clinical programs, THR-687, initially being developed for first line treatment of DME, and THR-149 being developed for second line treatment of DME.

THR-687  Completed Patient Enrollment for Part A of the Phase 2 Clinical Trial (INTEGRAL) Evaluating THR-687 in Patients with DME

THR-687 is a potential best-in-class small molecule pan-RGD integrin antagonist being developed for the treatment of DME and holding promise for the treatment of wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) and macular edema following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO). The INTEGRAL trial is a two-part Phase 2, randomized, multi-center clinical trial and is the first trial in which multiple intravitreal injections of THR-687 will be administered in humans.

We are pleased to announce the completion of patient enrollment for Part A of the Phase 2 INTEGRAL trial of THR-687, Tom Graney, CFA, Chief Executive Officer of Oxurion commented. The rapid enrollment in this trial is a testament to how interested physicians and patients are to have a new mechanism of action with the potential to offer improved efficacy over the standard of care anti-VEGF therapy. This milestone brings us closer to delivering a potential first line treatment of choice for patients with DME. With its unique mechanism of action, THR-687 demonstrated promising results in its Phase 1 study, which showed an encouraging efficacy signal following just a single dose. This best-in-class small molecule has further potential to be developed to raise the standard of care in additional significant indications, including wAMD and RVO.

Part A of the trial will assess two dose levels of multiple THR-687 injections and, if successful, the trials results will be used to select the appropriate dose for Part B of the INTEGRAL trial that will evaluate the efficacy and safety of THR-687 versus aflibercept (the current standard of care) for the treatment of DME. Part B of the trial will include both treatment experienced and treatment naive subjects.

The dose selection decision, following Part A, is anticipated in the first half of 2022 with top line data from Part B expected in the second half of 2023.

THR-149  Received Approval from the US Institutional Review Board (IRB) to Amend the Protocol for Part B of the Phase 2 Clinical Trial (KALAHARI) Assessing THR-149 versus aflibercept for Treatment of DME

THR-149 is a potent plasma kallikrein inhibitor being developed as a potential new standard of care for the 40-50% of DME patients showing suboptimal response to anti-VEGF therapy.

The trials U.S. IRB has approved a protocol amendment to Part B of its ongoing KALAHARI trial assessing multiple doses of THR-149 versus aflibercept for the treatment of DME. The changes to the protocol are designed to:

Enhance the probability of a successful trial outcome without impacting the trial timelines by refining the patient inclusion/exclusion criteria, and

Provide preliminary data on the use of THR-149 before, or immediately following, anti-VEGF therapy by exploring synergies of THR-149 with aflibercept utilizing a cross-over style design with a fourth injection at month four

In September 2021, Oxurion announced positive data from Part A of the Phase 2 KALAHARI trial evaluating THR-149 for the treatment of DME. These data demonstrated that THR-149 had a favorable safety profile, with no serious adverse events or inflammation observed at any dose level. The high dose achieved a mean improvement in Best Corrected Vision (BCVA) of 6.1 letters at Month 3 without the need for rescue medication. BCVA is the primary endpoint for registration in DME trials.

The post-hoc analysis of the Part A results identified opportunities to optimize the inclusion and exclusion criteria for Part B for both probability of success and speed. Part B of the KALAHARI trial is ongoing, assessing three monthly injections of THR-149, compared to three monthly injections of aflibercept, up to Month 3. As from Month 3, the safety and efficacy of a switched fourth injection (THR-149 to aflibercept or aflibercept to THR-149) will be evaluated in about half of the subjects whereas in the other half of the subjects the durability of three monthly injections (THR-149 or aflibercept) will be evaluated through a single sham injection. The trial is planned to randomize approximately 108 subjects in Part B and the primary endpoint remains the mean change in BCVA letter score from baseline, at Month 3.

Tom Graney, CFA, Chief Executive Officer of Oxurion, said, I am pleased that the IRB has approved our protocol amendments to Part B of the Phase 2 KALAHARI trial. These amendments, including refining the patient inclusion and exclusion criteria, have been made based on further post-hoc analyses of the data from Part A of the trial, which have improved our understanding of which patients are most likely to respond to treatment with THR-149. We believe these changes will maximize our ability to achieve a successful trial outcome while preserving the benefits of the initial trial design and maintaining our timelines.

Additional new data from Part A from the KALAHARI trial will be presented at Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2022, a virtual conference taking place February 11 and 12, 2022. Arshad M. Khanani, M.D., M.A., Director of Clinical Research at Sierra Eye Associates, Reno, Nevada, US will present the Part A data on February 12th.

Final topline results from Part B the KALAHARI trial are expected by mid-2023.

END

For further information please contact:

Oxurion NV

Tom Graney

Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +32 16 75 13 10

tom.graney@oxurion.com











Michael Dillen

Chief Business Officer

Tel: +32 479 783583

michael.dillen@oxurion.com



EU

MEDiSTRAVA Consulting

David Dible/ Sylvie Berrebi/Frazer Hall

Tel: +44 203 928 6900

oxurion@medistrava.com







US

ICR Westwicke

Christopher Brinzey

Tel: +1 617 835 9304

chris.brinzey@westwicke.com





About Oxurion

Oxurion (Euronext Brussels: OXUR) is a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation standard of care ophthalmic therapies, which are designed to better preserve vision in patients with retinal vascular disorders including diabetic macular edema (DME), the leading cause of vision loss in diabetic patients worldwide as well as other conditions, including wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

Oxurion is aiming to build a leading global franchise in the treatment of retinal vascular disorders based on the successful development of its two novel therapeutics:

THR-687 is a highly selective pan-RGD integrin antagonist that is initially being developed as a potential first line therapy for DME patients. Positive topline results in a Phase 1 clinical study assessing THR-687 as a treatment for DME were announced in 2020. Oxurion is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial (INTEGRAL) evaluating THR-687 in patients with DME. THR-687 also has the potential to deliver improved treatment outcomes for patients with wAMD and RVO.





THR-149 is a potent plasma kallikrein inhibitor being developed as a potential new standard of care for the 40-50% of DME patients showing suboptimal response to anti-VEGF therapy. THR-149 has shown positive topline Phase 1 results for the treatment of DME. The company is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial (KALAHARI) evaluating multiple injections of THR-149 in DME patients previously showing a suboptimal response to anti-VEGF therapy. Following positive data from Part A of this Phase 2 trial (dose selection), the Company has initiated Part B of the trial.





Oxurion is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and is listed on the Euronext Brussels exchange under the symbol OXUR. More information is available at www.oxurion.com.

Important information about forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Companys Annual Report. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of Oxurion in any jurisdiction. No securities of Oxurion may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. state securities laws.
English German

Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Basel, Switzerland, January 07, 2022

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SIX: BSLN), a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to meeting the needs of patients with infectious diseases and cancer, announced today that sales of the antifungal Cresemba (isavuconazole) by its partner Astellas Pharma Inc. (Astellas) in the United States exceeded the threshold triggering a milestone payment to Basilea of CHF 15 million.

David Veitch, Chief Executive Officer of Basilea, said: We are very pleased with the continued commercial success of Cresemba. This significant milestone payment reflects the strong sales growth in 2021 in the U.S. and confirms the important role that Cresemba plays in the treatment of patients suffering from invasive mold infections.

Under the license agreement with Astellas, Basilea is entitled to receive milestone payments based on Astellas exceeding certain net sales thresholds in the United States within a calendar year. Total sales milestone payments from Astellas, including the CHF 15 million triggered now, amount to CHF 30 million and Basilea is still eligible for additional sales milestone payments of up to CHF 260 million, in addition to tiered, double-digit royalties on U.S. sales.

Cresemba has been approved in more than 60 countries to date and is currently marketed in 56 countries, including the United States, most EU member states and additional countries inside and outside of Europe. In the twelve months between October 2020 and September 2021, total in-market sales of Cresemba amounted to more than USD 300 million, a 26.5 percent growth year-on-year.1

About isavuconazole (Cresemba)

Isavuconazole is an intravenous (i.v.) and oral azole antifungal, commercialized under the trade name Cresemba. Basilea has entered into several license and distribution agreements for isavuconazole covering the United States, Europe, China, Japan, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa region, Canada, Russia, Turkey and Israel. Cresemba is approved in the United States for patients 18 years of age and older for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and invasive mucormycosis.2 Cresemba is also approved in the European Union and several additional countries in Europe and beyond.3 It has orphan drug designation in the U.S., Europe and Australia for its approved indications.

About Basilea

Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. We are committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs to meet the needs of patients with cancer and infectious diseases. We have successfully launched two hospital brands, Cresemba for the treatment of invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for the treatment of severe bacterial infections. We are conducting clinical studies with two targeted drug candidates for the treatment of a range of cancers and have several preclinical assets in both cancer and infectious diseases in our portfolio. Basilea is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Please visit basilea.com.

Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements, such as "believe", "assume", "expect", "forecast", "project", "may", "could", "might", "will" or similar expressions concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. and its business, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical studies for product candidates. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further information, please contact:

Peer Nils Schroder, PhD



Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations Phone +41 61 606 1102 E-mail media_relations@basilea.com

investor_relations@basilea.com

This ad hoc announcement can be downloaded from www.basilea.com.

References

IQVIA, September 2021. In-market sales reported as moving annual total (MAT) in U.S. dollar. Cresemba U.S. prescribing information [Accessed: January 06, 2022] The registration status and approved indications may vary from country to country.

Attachment
Pune, India, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global identity and access management market size was USD 12.26 billion in 2020. The market is projected to grow from USD 13.41 billion in 2021 to USD 34.52 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 14.5 % in the 2021-2028 period. This information is provided by Fortune Business Insights, in its report, titled, Identity and Access Management Market, 2021-2028.

According to our researchers, advent of block-chain technology enables safe and clear identity administration medium in order to guard private as well as administrative personalities from cyber-attacks and deceitful actions. Moreover, leveraging the welfares of individuality verification and protected access presented by block-chain incorporated IAM systems, administrations and official organizations are actively financing to integrate solutions. For example, since November 2017, Zug, which is a town situated in Switzerland, has initiated presenting block-chain centered digital identification cards to its residents.

Request a Sample Copy of Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/identity-and-access-management-market-100373

List of Key Players in Identity and Access Management Market

Amazon Web Services Inc. (Washington, U.S.)

Akamai Technologies (Massachusetts, U.S.)

HP Development Company L.P. (California, U.S.)

Microsoft Corporation (Washington, U.S.)

Oracle Corporation (Texas, U.S.)

IBM Corporation (New York, U.S.)

ForgeRock (California, U.S.)

Thales Group (Paris, France)

Avatier (California, U.S.)

Symantec (Arizona, U.S.)

Beta Systems (Berlin, Germany)

CA Technologies (New York, U.S.)

Centrify (California, U.S.)

CyberArk (Massachusetts, U.S.)

Core Security (Massachusetts, U.S.)

Crossmatch (Florida, U.S.)

Fischer Identity (Florida, U.S.)

Report Scope & Segmentation

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 14.5% 2028 Value Projection USD 34.52 Billion Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 12.26 Billion Historical Data for 2017 to 2019 No. of Pages 150 Segments covered Component, Deployment Model, Enterprise Size, Vertical and Geography Growth Drivers Surging Consciousness of Supervisory Obedience to Promote Market Growth Crucial Players Focus on Fortifying their Market Position with Constant Expansions

Increasing Demand for Identity Security Key amid COVID-19 to Offer New Market Prospect

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has obstructed several business processes and observed an occupational hazard across countless industries on a global level. On account of the pandemic, administrations have implemented distant working method and cloud technology to diminish the influence on business processes.

Moreover, escalating implementation of cloud and remote work or work-from-home culture augmented the data security and confidentiality apprehensions for several administrative organizations. On account of the financial commotion instigated by COVID-19 virus outbreak, cybercrimes and upsurge in identity scams have enhanced the implementation of IAM solutions in these unfortunate times.

To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market, please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/identity-and-access-management-market-100373

Report Coverage

The report offers a complete investigation of this market along with existing trends and imminent openings in order to inaugurate proximate investment advantages. Moreover, an exhaustive breakdown of any impending opportunities, intimidations, rivalries or driving aspects is also revealed in the report. Step by step, systematic regional inspection is presented for additional business gains. The COVID-19 sways have been discussed in the report to aid investors and business experts to understand the risks better and tackle them. The top companies in the market are acknowledged, and their prominent strategies to reinforce the market growth are conversed in the report.

Segmentation

On the basis of component, the global market is segregated into provisioning, directory services, single sign-on, password management, advanced authentication, audit, compliance, and governance, and others. By deployment, the market is classified into cloud and on-premises. On the basis of organization size, the market is categorized into small & medium enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises. In terms of geography, the IAM market is bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East & Africa, and Latin America.

Based on the industry vertical, the market is branched into BFSI, healthcare & life sciences, manufacturing, retail and consumer packed goods, IT & telecom, government, education, and energy & utilities. Among these, the healthcare and life-science segment is anticipated to display maximum growth owing to the escalating adoption of IAM solutions.

Drivers and Restraints

Surging Consciousness of Supervisory Obedience to Promote Market Growth

In the data powered world that we live in today, corporations are integrating identity and access management solutions to detect deceitful happenings and diminish cyber-attacks guaranteeing data privacy and security. IAM systems aids administrations to suffice the obedience necessities. For example, administrations having IAM solutions are able to verify that they have suitable processes to alleviate the threat of data breach or mismanagement while inspecting.

Such agreement necessities and business supremacy apprehensions are anticipated to augment the identity and access management market growth during the forecast period.

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Regional Insights

North America held the maximum identity and access management market share and is anticipated to lead the market in 2020. The development in this region is accredited to the implementation of distant work, cloud technology and surging cyber-attacks. Moreover, the market growth is powered by the existence of prominent corporations such as Amazon Web Services Inc. and Akamai Technologies among others.

Europe is predicted to grow substantially owing to the safety and monitoring agreement apprehensions in nations such as Germany, Spain, Italy and others. The necessities of general data protection regulation (GDPR) across European Union fuels the market growth for identity and access management solutions in this region.

Asia Pacific is projected to display the highest CAGR during the mentioned period. The principal players in Asia pacific are capitalizing in progressive IAM solutions to avert cyber-attacks and individuality scams, this stimulates the regional market growth.

Competitive Landscape

Crucial Players Focus on Fortifying their Market Position with Constant Expansions

The prominent players present in the market are looking for opportunities for financing in innovative technologies to enhance the competences of IAM solutions. Likewise, the significant competitors are entailed in numerous procurements, collaborations, alliances, and mergers in order to multiply their market presence.

Industry Development

May 2021: Centrify and Thycotic, which is a cloud identity security solution provider, has made an announcement regarding the merger of ThycoticCentrify. It intends to administrate IAM accounts, AWS EC2 examples, and AWS billing accounts.





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Major Table of Contents:

Introduction Definition, By Segment Research Methodology/Approach Data Sources

Key Takeaways

Market Dynamics Macro and Micro Economic Indicators Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities and Trends Impact of COVID-19 Short-term Impact Long-term Impact

Competition Landscape Business Strategies Adopted by Key Players Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players

Global Identity and Access Management Key Players Market Share Insights and Analysis, 2020

Key Market Insights and Strategic Recommendations

Companies Profiled (Covered for key 10 players only) Overview Key Management Headquarters etc. Offerings/Business Segments Key Details (Subjected to data availability in public domain and/or on paid databases) Employee Size Key Financials Past and Current Revenue Geographical Share Business Segment Share Recent Developments

Annexure / Appendix Global Identity and Access Management Market Size Estimates and Forecasts (Quantitative Data), By Segments, 2017-2028 By Component(USD) Provisioning Directory Service Single Sign-On Password Management Advanced Authentication Audit, Compliance, and Governance Others (access management and authorization, verification etc.) By Deployment Model(USD) Cloud On-Premises By Enterprise Size(USD) Large Enterprises Small and Medium Enterprises By Vertical BFSI Telecom and IT Retail and Consumer Packed Goods Government Energy Utilities Education Manufacturing Healthcare and Life Sciences Others By Region (USD) North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa Latin America North America Identity and Access Management Market Size Estimates and Forecasts (Quantitative Data), By Segments, 2017-2028 By Component(USD) Provisioning Directory Service Single Sign-On Password Management Advanced Authentication Audit, Compliance, and Governance Others (access management and authorization, verification etc.) By Deployment Model(USD) Cloud On-Premises By Enterprise Size(USD) Large Enterprises Small and Medium Enterprises



TOC Continued!





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COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT NO 01/2022  7 JANUARY 2022

Royal Unibrew A/S has today entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining 75% of Hansa Borg Bryggerier, of which Royal Unibrew already has 25% ownership, resulting in a 100% ownership of the company. Hansa Borg Bryggerier is Norways second largest brewery and beverage company with four breweries and one bottling plant throughout the country and products ranging from beers to ciders, soft drinks, waters and wines for the Norwegian market.

Together with Solera Beverage Group, which Royal Unibrew acquired in September 2021, the acquisition of the remaining 75% of Hansa Borg Bryggerier will create a strong multi beverage market position for Royal Unibrew in Norway.

The Norwegian beverage market is attractive, and the acquisition of Hansa Borg Bryggerier is strategically very important for our Norwegian business as it, in combination with Solera, will create a strong player with a very strong beverage portfolio in Norway and thereby strengthen our multi beverage presence.

CEO of Royal Unibrew, Lars Jensen, says I am very pleased to announce that we have entered into an agreement to acquire Hansa Borg Bryggerier and we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to Royal Unibrew. We have been minority shareholders in Hansa Borg Bryggerier since 2002 and have for a long period of time wanted to expand our partnership for mutual interest. I am happy that it has finally succeeded and look very much forward to developing Hansa Borg Bryggerier into the leading multi beverage provider in Norway.

I am pleased that Royal Unibrew will become the new owner of Hansa Borg Bryggerier. With a strong industrial owner as Royal Unibrew behind us, we will get access to a lot of insight and resources that I am sure will strengthen our position in the market even further as well as ensuring that we have the necessary investment power for the future. I am convinced that the new ownership structure will create significant synergy effects, says CEO of Hansa Borg Bryggerier Lars Giil.

The transaction is based on an enterprise value of NOK 3.3 billion (around DKK 2.4 billion) for 100% of Hansa Borg Bryggerier with close to zero debt at the time of signing. Prior to the transaction Royal Unibrew owns 25% of Hansa Borg Bryggerier, meaning that the net amount paid in this transaction is 75% of the enterprise value, i.e. NOK 2.5 billion (DKK 1.8 billion).

According to the agreement, 10% of the payment, corresponding to NOK 231 million (DKK 171 million), will be paid in cash in connection with closing of the deal, while the remaining 90% of the payment will be paid in Royal Unibrew shares. It has been agreed that the share payment will consist of 2,194,257 shares, which will be a mix of 794,257 treasury shares and 1,400,000 new shares. The issue of the 1,400,000 new shares has been adopted by Royal Unibrews Board of Directors at a board meeting today pursuant to an existing authorisation given to Royal Unibrews Board of Directors by the Annual General Meeting. The price per new share is DKK 759, equivalent to the average closing price for Royal Unibrews shares during the period 3 - 6 January 2022. The new shares will be subscribed for by the seller at closing of the deal and entitle the shareholder with shareholders right from the time of registration.

The final enterprise value for accounting purposes will be determined at closing of the deal as the value of the consideration will depend on Royal Unibrews share price at the closing date. The transaction and share issue ensure that Royal Unibrews capital structure remains strong and with financial flexibility.

The transaction will lead to a revaluation of the 25% ownership that Royal Unibrew has in Hansa Borg Bryggerierne at closing and will lead to an extraordinary profit in 2022 of around DKK 0.4 billion booked under income from associated companies below EBIT.

Hansa Borg Bryggerier is expected to generate normalized revenue in 2022 of around NOK 1.4 billion with a normalized EBITDA of around NOK 210 million, resulting in an acquisition multiple (EV/EBITDA) of 16 times. The ROIC for Royal Unibrews Norwegian activities are expected to exceed WACC in 2 years from closing.

Closing of the transaction is pending approval from the Norwegian Competition Authority which is expected during H1 2022.

As a result of the acquisitions made during the past months, it has been decided to change reporting segmentation. The new segmentation will take effect from 1 January 2022. New segmentation will be Northern Europe, Southern Europe and International. Northern Europe will include Finland, Norway, Sweden, the Baltic countries, Denmark and Germany. Southern Europe will include Italy and France, whereas International will continue being the businesses outside of these key markets. The annual results for 2021 will be reported in accordance with the old segmentation. We will provide historical comparative numbers for the new segmentation ahead of Q1 2022, which will be announced on 28 April 2022.

For further information on this Announcement:

Investor Relations: Jonas Guldborg Hansen, tel (+45) 20 10 12 45

Media Relations: Louise Kapel, tel (+45) 22 20 80 17

Attachment
Dublin, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Technology Developments in Viral Vector Manufacturing for Cell and Gene Therapies" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The publisher's research service discusses the cell and gene therapy (CGT) market and highlights some key roadblocks in viral vector manufacturing. While many CGT candidates exist in the pipeline, there is a huge capacity deficit that the industry is collaboratively trying to address. Scalability, costs, reproducibility, and overall process efficiency are some of the main pain points at each step of the viral vector manufacturing process.

Many industry stakeholders are capitalizing on innovative, sustainable business models and capacity expansion investments to address shortage issues. Biotechnology companies, such as Merck, Novartis, and Pfizer, and key contract development and manufacturing organizations, such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Catalent, and FUJIFILM Diosynth Technologies, are investing in new capacities, expanding capacities, and developing innovative technologies to stay ahead in the CGT market.



The research covers emerging technologies and trends, challenges, and opportunities across the manufacturing workflow, from upstream (viral vector production) to downstream (viral vector purification). Key developments in upstream processes for viral vector production include advanced transfection agents, novel plasmids, suspension-adapted cell culture, and stable producer cell lines.

The research also discusses the general industry shift toward adopting automation, digitization, and advanced analytical processes, including on-line and in-line analytics and robust real-time analytics, to highlight the importance of analytical tools throughout the value chain. Smart technologies, such as automation and digital tools, and the adoption of artificial intelligence and big data support progress in process control and optimization while improving overall efficiencies and safety.



The CGT industry works through orchestrated collaborations to develop reference standards and build process analytical technologies (PAT) to optimize manufacturing further. The research presents a bird's eye view of key stakeholders and their innovative platforms and a snapshot of the collaborative ecosystem to understand the CGT industry's dynamic and fast-paced nature.

Key Topics Covered:

1.0 Strategic Imperatives

2.0 Growth Opportunity Analysis

2.1 Research Context

2.2 Research Scope - Key Questions Addressed

2.3 Research Methodology

2.4 Manufacturing is the Most Critical Bottleneck in Realizing CGT Potential

2.5 Advanced Manufacturing and Digital Technologies Integration Improve Efficiencies

2.6 Viral Vector Manufacturing - A Dynamically Evolving Road Ahead

2.7 Key Findings

3.0 Technology Trends Influencing Viral Vector Manufacturing

3.1 Macro to Micro Visions and Implications

3.2 Advanced Therapeutics Manufacturing is Complex Compared to Monoclonal Antibodies and Recombinant Proteins Manufacturing

3.3 Key Challenges in CGT Biomanufacturing

3.4 Need to Shift from the Gold Standard to Address Manufacturing Bottlenecks

3.5 Emerging Technology Trends in CGT Manufacturing

3.6 Shifting Technology Trends Across the CGT Manufacturing Workflow

3.7 Developments and Priorities for Viral Vector Manufacturing

3.8 How to Stay Ahead of the Curve in CGT Manufacturing

3.9 Glimpse of the Innovation Universe in CGT Manufacturing

4.0 Upstream Bioprocesses - Bottlenecks and Developments

4.1 Upstream Processing - Challenges and Developments

4.2 Trends in Host Cell Line Development

4.3 Transfection Efficiencies Improve with Advanced Transfection Agents and the Development of Stable Producer Cell Lines

4.4 Host Cell Line Development and Stable Packaging Cell Lines

4.5 Plasmids and Advanced Transfection

4.6 Industrial-scale Bioreactors for CGT

4.7 Bioreactors and Integrated Equipment for Upstream Processing

4.8 Cell Expansion and Microfluidics-based Process Improvement Platforms

4.9 Key Integrated Manufacturing Platform Developers

4.10 Emerging Opportunities for Upstream Processes

5.0 Downstream Bioprocesses - Bottlenecks and Developments

5.1 Downstream Processing of Viral Vectors

5.2 Downstream Processing - Challenges and Developments

5.3 Key Participants in Downstream Processing Development

6.0 Analytics for Viral Vector Manufacturing Processes and Products

6.1 Developing Robust Analytical Tools for Product Safety and Characterization

6.2 Challenges and Developments in Viral Vector Analytics

6.3 Current Standards for Viral Vector Analysis

6.4 Next-Generation Tools for Viral Vector Analysis

6.5 Emerging Opportunities - Analytics and Assays

6.6 Key Developers of Viral Vector Analytics and Assays

7.0 Technology Enablers Bolstering Viral Vector Manufacturing

7.1 Data Science Enabling CGT Manufacturing

7.2 Digital Technologies Increasingly and Seamlessly Adopted into the CGT Workflow

7.3 Digitization and Big Data in CGT Manufacturing

8.0 Industry Initiatives and the Stakeholder Ecosystem

8.1 Stakeholders Need a Multifaceted Approach to Gain Technology Leadership in CGT Manufacturing

8.2 Orchestrated Collaborations between Stakeholders are Critical

8.3 Key Innovators in CGT Manufacturing

8.4 Evolving Landscape with Increasing Industry Partnerships and Investments

8.5 Advancing CGT Products by Partnering with CDMOs

8.6 Latest Capacity Expansion Plans for Viral Vector Production

8.7 Strategic Collaborations Bolster Product Developments and Manufacturing Support

8.8 Multiple Acquisitions Increase Manufacturing Capacity and Strengthen Capabilities

8.9 Acquiring Technology Start-ups to Build Value and Solidify Market Position

8.10 Accelerate Innovations through Consortia and Public-Private Partnerships

8.11 Collaborations and Licensing Strengthen Technology Offerings

9.0 Funding Trends Supporting Viral Vector Manufacturing

9.1 Significant Venture Capital and Private Equity Funding Boost Innovations in Viral Vector Manufacturing

9.2 Robust Federal Funding and Investments from Large Biotechnology Companies Support the CGT Manufacturing Market

10.0 Growth Opportunity Universe

10.1 Growth Opportunity 1: Plug-and-Play Platform Technologies Enhance the Manufacturing Workflow

10.2 Growth Opportunity 2: Adopting SUTs to Improve Flexibility and Reduce Cost

10.3 Growth Opportunity 3: Close to Real-time Data Analytics Drive Efficiencies and Support PAT Integration

10.4 Growth Opportunity 4: Replicate Intensified and Continuous Manufacturing Like in Traditional Biotherapeutics

11.0 Appendix

12.0 Next Steps

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vhtfyh
Dublin, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "eClinical Solutions Market Research Report by Product, Delivery Mode, Development Phase, End-user, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Global eClinical Solutions Market size was estimated at USD 5,973.40 million in 2020, is expected to reach USD 6,784.59 million in 2021, and projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.91% reaching USD 13,055.26 million by 2026.



Market Statistics

The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major currencies - USD, EUR GBP, JPY, and AUD. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2019 are considered historical years, 2020 as the base year, 2021 as the estimated year, and years from 2022 to 2026 are considered the forecast period.



Market Segmentation & Coverage

This research report categorizes the eClinical Solutions to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:

Based on Product, the market was studied across Clinical Analytics Platforms, Clinical data integration platforms, CTMS, ECOA, EDC & CDMS, eTMF, RTSM, and Safety solutions.

Based on Delivery Mode, the market was studied across Cloud-based, Licensed Enterprise, and Web-hosted.

Based on Development Phase, the market was studied across Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, and Phase IV.

Based on End-user, the market was studied across Academic Institutes, CROs, Hospitals, Medical Device Manufacturers, and Pharma & Biotech Organizations.

Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom.

Competitive Strategic Window

The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period.



FPNV Positioning Matrix

The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the eClinical Solutions Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.



Market Share Analysis

The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits.



Competitive Scenario

The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitor's strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players

2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets

3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments

4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players

5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global eClinical Solutions Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global eClinical Solutions Market during the forecast period?

3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global eClinical Solutions Market?

4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global eClinical Solutions Market?

5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global eClinical Solutions Market?

6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global eClinical Solutions Market?

7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global eClinical Solutions Market?



Key Topics Covered:



1. Preface



2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary



4. Market Overview

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19



5. Market Dynamics

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Drivers

5.2.1. Rising research and development activities by biopharma and pharma companies

5.2.2. Increasing incorporation of software solutions for clinical trials

5.2.3. Government funding & grants support for clinical trials

5.2.4. Increasing adoption of eclinical solutions for data standardization

5.3. Restraints

5.3.1. High implementation costs and lack of skilled professionals for operating eclinical solutions

5.4. Opportunities

5.4.1. Outsourcing of clinical trial processes by many industrial researchers

5.4.2. Rising number of clinical trials across emerging countries

5.4.3. Shift observed from Manual work to real-time data analysis in laboratories

5.5. Challenges

5.5.1. Software reliability concern



6. eClinical Solutions Market, by Product

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Clinical Analytics Platforms

6.3. Clinical data integration platforms

6.4. CTMS

6.5. ECOA

6.6. EDC & CDMS

6.7. eTMF

6.8. RTSM

6.9. Safety solutions



7. eClinical Solutions Market, by Delivery Mode

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Cloud-based

7.3. Licensed Enterprise

7.4. Web-hosted



8. eClinical Solutions Market, by Development Phase

8.1. Introduction

8.2. Phase I

8.3. Phase II

8.4. Phase III

8.5. Phase IV



9. eClinical Solutions Market, by End-user

9.1. Introduction

9.2. Academic Institutes

9.3. CROs

9.4. Hospitals

9.5. Medical Device Manufacturers

9.6. Pharma & Biotech Organizations



10. Americas eClinical Solutions Market

10.1. Introduction

10.2. Argentina

10.3. Brazil

10.4. Canada

10.5. Mexico

10.6. United States



11. Asia-Pacific eClinical Solutions Market

11.1. Introduction

11.2. Australia

11.3. China

11.4. India

11.5. Indonesia

11.6. Japan

11.7. Malaysia

11.8. Philippines

11.9. Singapore

11.10. South Korea

11.11. Taiwan

11.12. Thailand



12. Europe, Middle East & Africa eClinical Solutions Market

12.1. Introduction

12.2. France

12.3. Germany

12.4. Italy

12.5. Netherlands

12.6. Qatar

12.7. Russia

12.8. Saudi Arabia

12.9. South Africa

12.10. Spain

12.11. United Arab Emirates

12.12. United Kingdom



13. Competitive Landscape

13.1. FPNV Positioning Matrix

13.1.1. Quadrants

13.1.2. Business Strategy

13.1.3. Product Satisfaction

13.2. Market Ranking Analysis

13.3. Market Share Analysis, by Key Player

13.4. Competitive Scenario

13.4.1. Merger & Acquisition

13.4.2. Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership

13.4.3. New Product Launch & Enhancement

13.4.4. Investment & Funding

13.4.5. Award, Recognition, & Expansion



14. Company Usability Profiles

14.1. Acceliant

14.2. Bio-Optronics, Inc.

14.3. Bioclinica, Inc.

14.4. Castor EDC.

14.5. CIMS Global

14.6. CRF Health

14.7. Datatrak International, Inc.

14.8. eclinical Solutions, LLC.

14.9. eClinicalWorks

14.10. ERT Clinical

14.11. IBM Watson Health

14.12. MaxisIT Inc.

14.13. Maxisit Inc.

14.14. Medidata Solutions, Inc.

14.15. MedNet, Inc.

14.16. Medrio, Inc.

14.17. Merge Healthcare Incorporated

14.18. Omnicomm Systems, Inc.

14.19. Oracle Corporation

14.20. Parexel International Corporation



15. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qw628c
High prices and growing demand in the olive oil market have spurred investments to expand and mechanize plantations that will automate the production process. This will enable increased production in the EU from a projected 2.2M tonnes in 2021 to 2.3M tonnes by 2025. Thanks to rising demand from Asia, top European exporters - Spain, Italy and Portugal - will boost shipments.



Key Trends and Insights

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new market report from IndexBox, high prices for olive oil in 2020-2021 have prompted an influx of investments to expand plantation sizes in Spain, Italy and Portugal. Oil production is becoming completely mechanized, from planting trees to harvesting products. This facilitates minimizing wasted effect and achieving high-quality olive oil and, consequently, improves profitability.

Based on projections from the EU Agricultural Outlook 2021-31, IndexBox calculates that in 2021 EU olive oil production will total 2.2M tonnes, then increase to 2.3M tonnes by 2025, and, in the following years, it will steadfastly grow to reach 2.5M tonnes by 2031. In Greece, land allocated for plantations will be reduced. However, the country will retain its status as one of the leading exporters.

Climate change, drought and water scarcity will be the critical negative factors hindering production growth. To mitigate that, new olive tree varieties that are more resistant to extreme weather conditions will be introduced for new plantations and replace current ones.

Consumption per capita of olive oil in EU countries, excluding Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece, will rise about 4% annually but remain relatively low (1.3 kg/person by 2025). At the same time, the arithmetic mean of per capita consumption in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece will decline from 9.3 kg/person in 2021 to 8.9 kg/person in 2025.

Demand from non-European countries is growing and thus driving a projected increase in the total EU olive oil exports to outside the union from an estimated 860K tonnes in 2021 to 949K tonnes in 2025. The main gains in exports come from those countries without domestic production. In these cases, the main focus is on shipments of high-quality bottled and organic olive oil.

Portugal and Spain should significantly solidify their leadership positions in global exports thanks to heightened demand in Asia-Pacific and potentially increased shipments to Brazil. Spain is the largest olive oil supplier with a market share of 43% of global exports. Growing competition from producers in the southern hemisphere is forecast not significantly influence the EUs position on the international market.

Virgin Olive Oil Exports in the EU

In 2020, the amount of virgin olive oil exported in the EU expanded to 1.5M tonnes, growing by 11% against 2019 figures. In value terms, supplies reached $5.2B, IndexBox estimates.

Spain represented the major exporting country with about 852K tonnes, which accounted for 56% of total exports. It was distantly followed by Italy (311K tonnes), Portugal (177K tonnes) and Greece (165K tonnes), together creating a 43% share of total supplies.

In value terms, Spain ($2.5B), Italy ($1.4B) and Portugal ($569M) appeared to be the countries with the highest levels of exports in 2020, together comprising 87% of total exports. Greece lagged somewhat behind, accounting for a further 10%.

In 2020, the virgin olive oil export price in the EU amounted to $3,371 per tonne, falling by -6.2% against the previous year. There were significant differences in the average prices amongst the major exporting countries. In 2020, the country with the highest price was Italy ($4,481 per tonne), while Spain ($2,960 per tonne) was the lowest.

About IndexBox

IndexBox is a market research firm developing an AI-driven market intelligence platform that helps business analysts find actionable insights and make data-driven decisions. The platform provides data on consumption, production, trade, and prices for more than 10K+ different products across 200 countries.

For more information, please visit

Website https://www.indexbox.io

Twitter https://twitter.com/indexbox

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/IndexBox



LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/indexbox-marketing/

Companies Mentioned in the Report

EU Olive Oil, Food Dispense, Societa' Agricola Pa.Vi.Ro. Dei F.Lli D'ettorres & C. S.N.C., Colavita Spa, Fiorentini Firenze, Terra D'oro Srl, Casale Falchini, Pantaleo, Italian Food Export, Fenolio, Garo - Aceituna Verde Sl, Acete De Oliva Virgen Extra, Aceites Casa Pareja, Gualtaminos, Aceites El Tilo, Trujal Mendia, Finca La Gramanosa, Henri Mor, Elementalfoods, Oliberico, E&A Pure Beauty, Aulis P.C., Mia Elia, Akra Morea Olive Oil, Nature Blessed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Facetas Organic Olive Oil, Anazeites, Frusantos - Frutos Seleccionados, Quinta Da Laboeira, Saudal Green

Sources

EU - Olive Oil (Virgin) - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights

World - Olive Oil (Virgin) - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights

World - Refined Olive Oil - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights

EU - Refined Olive Oil - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights

World - Olives - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights
Pune, India, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global genomics market size was USD 23.11 billion in 2020. The market is projected to grow from USD 27.81 billion in 2021 to USD 94.65 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 19.4% in the 2021-2028 period. Based on the research conducted by our analysts, the healthcare environment is steadily shifting from conventional treatment procedures towards accuracy medicine and has revolved this evolution through incomparable clinical possessions over the last few years. This information is provided by Fortune Business Insights, in its report, titled, Genomics Market, 2021-2028.

Additionally, the requirement for storing, sequencing, and examination of huge DNA information has carved the way for fresher products and software. The above-mentioned aspects have considerably contributed to directing the market in recent years.

Industry Developments

December 2020: Personalis Inc., launched Neoantiigen Presentation Score (NEOPS) to predict and analyze the response to cancer therapy.

Personalis Inc., launched Neoantiigen Presentation Score (NEOPS) to predict and analyze the response to cancer therapy. August 2020: Ancestry launched AncestryHealth. It is able to identify genes related to colon cancer, heart diseases, breast cancer, etc., using next-generation sequencing.





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Increasing Government Funding for Research Activities to Propel Future Growth

Personalized medicines help in providing effective treatment as per the requirements. The emergence of microarray and DNA technologies has immensely benefited the personalized medicines sector. The growing use of personalized medicines is attracting investments for development and growth, which in return, is expected to boost the genomics market growth.

Additionally, the increasing government investment in research and development activities of genomics is expected to fuel the market growth in forthcoming years. For instance, the Government of Iceland and deCODE genetics has partnered to conduct the demonic analysis of coronavirus. Likewise, the Government of India is helping HaystackAnalytics to study virus transmission using genome sequencing techniques. The growing number of startups and such initiatives are likely to surge the market growth in the forthcoming years. However, the lack of trained professionals and the high instrument costs are expected to hinder the market growth.





Report Scope & Segmentation

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 Forecast Period 2021 to 2028 CAGR 19.4% 2028 Value Projection USD 94.66 Billion Base Year 2020 Market Size in 2020 USD 27.81 Billion Historical Data for 2017 to 2019 No. of Pages 160 Segments covered Type, Technology, Application, End-User and Geography Growth Drivers Rising number of Government Genome Project to Drive the Market New Products and Innovative Services to Favor the adoption of sequencing Increasing Research Funding by Government to Surge the Research Institutes Segments





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COVID-19 Impact

The global pandemic has wreaked unprecedented havoc on several industries and markets. Healthcare systems are on the verge of collapsing in many nations. However, the coronavirus pandemic has augmented the genomics market growth due to the grave need for effective vaccine development and the continuous monitoring of the coronavirus. Investments in the research activities for developing effective COVID-19 treatment are augmenting the market growth. The global impact of the COVID-19 crisis is expected to gradually fade away as economies are trying to wade their way through the pandemic. It is uncertain to say how long the situation may persist this way. Nonetheless, our research reports in-depth analysis will help you gain an exhaustive understanding of this niche market.

Report coverage

The report is developed using bottom-up and top-down approaches for an exhaustive study of the market. The report contains information gathered through interviews with multiple stakeholders at regional, country, and global levels. The report highlights the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the market, PESTLE Analysis, and Porters Five Forces Analysis for an infallible prediction of the prospected market. The report also highlights the competitive landscape of the prospected market, including the information on rankings of key players, key market trends, recent industry developments, etc., that are contributing to the markets growth.

Surging Number of Government-Assisted Genome Programs to Support Growth

One of the significant aspects that have contributed to the growth of the market is the rising number of government-sponsored genome ventures. Genomic study is an effective instrument that can assist the development of proficient treatments; a principal factor why various government organizations are participating in genome assignments. This is estimated to bolster the genomics market growth during the forecast period.





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Regional Insights

North America to Dominate Led by Advancing R&D in Sequencing

North America held the maximum genomics market share and was worth USD 10.15 billion in 2020. The speedy implementation of novel sequencing technologies and move towards customized medicines will drive the market in North America.

Active backing from the government through research funding and genomic examination and research and academic institutions, particularly in the U.K., are anticipated to aid the development of the market in Europe.

Asia Pacific is projected to document the highest CAGR during the forecast years owing to the greater demand for genetic sequencing and testing in China and progressions in bioinformatics.





Competitive Landscape

Collaborations among Companies to Fortify Their Brand Values in Global Market

Important players in the market are incessantly opting for operative tactics to endorse their products and establish their positions in the market. One such stratagem is to launch novel products by teaming up with other companies to expand their reach to end-users.





Key Players in the Global Genomics Market:

Illumina Inc. (California, U.S.)

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Massachusetts, U.S.)

Pacific biosciences of California Inc. (California, U.S.)

F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. (Basel, Switzerland)

Agilent Technologies Inc. (California, U.S.)

Oxford Nanopore Technologies (England, U.K.)

Danaher (Washington, D.C., U.S.)

QIAGEN (Hilden, Germany)

BGI (Guangdong, China)

IntegraGen (Evry, France)

General Electric Company (Illinois, U.S.)

Bio-Rad Laboratories (Illinois, U.S.)





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Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Overview of Genomic Projects  For Key Countries Overview of Genomic Services New Product Launches Key Industry Developments - Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships Key Trends

Global Genomics Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Type Products Instruments & Software Consumables Services Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Technology Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) Microarray Sanger Sequencing Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Application Diagnostics Research Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By End User Research Institutes Healthcare Facilities & Diagnostic Centers Pharmaceutical & Biotechnological Companies Contact Research Organizations (CROs) Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa

North America Genomics Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Type Products Instruments & Software Consumables Services Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Technology Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) Microarray Sanger Sequencing Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Application Diagnostics Research Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By End User Research Institutes Healthcare Facilities & Diagnostic Centers Pharmaceutical & Biotechnological Companies Contact Research Organizations (CROs) Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Country U.S. Canada



TOC Continued..!!!!!!





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QUEBEC CITY, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB) has just released its residential real estate market statistics for the Quebec City Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) for the month of December, based on the real estate brokers Centris provincial database.



There was a renewed interest in condominiums at the end of 2021. Barely more than 4 months are now needed to sell the entire inventory of properties for sale, a significant advantage for sellers that has not been seen at this time of the year since 2003, notes Charles Brant, QPAREB director of market analysis. Buyers are flocking to this type of property, which is still relatively affordable in Quebec City, taking advantage of financing rates that are still extremely advantageous, he adds.

December highlights

Over 2021, sales in Quebec City experienced a relative decline of 4 per cent with 10,197 transactions. Nevertheless, this is the second most active year recorded by the Centris real estate brokerage system after the exceptional year of 2020.

In December, sales were down to 736, a drop of 17 per cent compared to the same period last year. Note that a historical record of 885 sales was reached in December 2020.

All areas of the Quebec City CMA continue to record excellent levels of sales, particularly on the South Shore with a 4 per cent decline compared to December last year, followed closely by Quebec Citys Northern Periphery (-5 per cent). The agglomeration of Quebec City recorded the most significant decline with a 21 per cent drop in sales.

The condominium category is enjoying great popularity with sales falling by only 7 per cent compared to December 2020. Sales of single-family homes, constrained by a low level of available inventory, saw a 20 per cent drop. It was the sales of small income properties that experienced the strongest decline (-25 per cent).

Active listings dropped significantly for the 21st consecutive month for single-family homes (-36 per cent) and especially for condominiums (-45 per cent). The drop is -7 per cent for small income properties.

Month after month, with market conditions largely in favour of sellers, prices continue to rise steadily, although plexes are down slightly by 4 per cent ($350,000). Condominiums registered a jump of around 18 per cent compared to last year, while the price of single-family homes continued to show a constant increase of around 13 per cent. Consequently, median prices reached new records for these two categories: $318,875 for single-family homes and $225,000 for condominiums.

Additional information:

Detailed and cumulative statistics for the province and regions

If you would like additional information from the Market Analysis Department, such as specific data or regional details on the real estate market, please write to us .

About the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers

The Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (QPAREB) is a non-profit association that brings together more than 13,300 real estate brokers and agencies. It is responsible for promoting and defending their interests while taking into account the issues facing the profession and the various professional and regional realities of its members. The QPAREB is also an important player in many real estate dossiers, including the implementation of measures that promote homeownership. The Association reports on Quebec's residential real estate market statistics, provides training, tools and services relating to real estate, and facilitates the collection, dissemination and exchange of information. The QPAREB is headquartered in Quebec City and has its administrative offices in Montreal. It has two subsidiaries: Centris Inc. and the College de l'immobilier du Quebec. Follow its activities at qpareb.ca or via its social media pages: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

The QPAREB released an important study on real estate overheating on September 13, 2021. This brief was presented to the Quebec Minister of Finance as part of the consultation on the supervision of real estate brokers in the context of an overheated market. Click here to read this analysis (in French).

About Centris

Centris is a dynamic and innovative technology company in the real estate sector. It collects data and offers solutions that are highly adapted to the needs of professionals. Among these solutions is Centris.ca, the most visited real estate website in Quebec.

For more information:

Marie-Rose Desautels

Morin Relations Publiques

media@qpareb.ca

Image bank (credit QPAREB) available free of charge.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/abcd9961-b297-435f-aec5-71ecf2d6938e
DENVER, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meta Reality Realms announced today its official launch introducing its first-ever NFT collection of real-world properties.

As part of its launch, anyone will now have the opportunity to turn their real-world properties and assets into NFTs to be sold on the blockchain. This original take on NFTs, spearheaded by Meta Reality Realms, is the first of its kind to allow investors that own physical land to obtain both a physical and virtual warranty deed for their property.

Each deed allows investors to not just own the digital art but also the blockchain-based NFT ID, which is expected to unlock endless possibilities in future Augmented Reality Zone sites that will exist both physically and virtually.

"Alongside cryptocurrency, land will be the most important asset to own in the future," explained Meta Reality Realms founder and CEO, Aaron Beltran. "Our NFTs are backed by real-world assets that anyone should be thinking about investing in, as the future of augmented reality gets closer."

The future of Augmented Reality Zone sites is still progressing. By bringing awareness to NFTs backed by physical property, Meta Reality Realms is committed to preparing investors for the virtual future.

Meta Reality Realms is the first company to allow real land ownership to be purchased and sold on the blockchain. To turn your real land into virtual reality property, please visit www.metarealityrealms.com.

About Meta Reality Realms

At Meta Reality Realms, we create NFTs backed by real-world properties and assets that allow you to turn the world into your playground. Own an NFT of your physical property and get ready to dive into the virtual future. Enjoy from home, explore the world.

PRESS CONTACT:

Aaron Beltran

Meta Reality Realms Founder and CEO

e: aaron@metarealityrealms.com w: www.opensea.io/realityrealms w: www.metarealityrealms.com ph: (720)537-0361







Related Images











Image 1: Eden Prime





Owning this NFT Collection will not only grant you the physical deed of the property but the First-Ever NFT Generated ID for land Investment Properties. Eden Prime is the First NFT/Physical Land to be augmented with AR Technology in the future.

















Image 2: Genesis I





Owning this NFT Collection will not only grant you the physical deed of the property but the First-Ever NFT Generated ID for land Investment Properties. Genesis I is the First NFT/Physical Land to be augmented with AR Technology in the future.









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Beijing, China, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, Beijing Peking University Pioneer Technology Corporation Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as PKU Pioneer) issued an analysis report on the application of VPSA oxygen generation technology in blast furnace oxygen enrichment in India, which has caused an ardent response in related industries. PKU Pioneers VPSA oxygen production process has been applied in industrial areas for over 20 years. Through continuous technical optimization and product iteration, the ultra-large-capacity application of VPSA oxygen generation technology in the iron & steel industry has been realized. The total oxygen generation capacity of VPSA oxygen system in a single iron & steel mill has reached 87,500Nm3/h, which enables this technology to gain core competitiveness in the international market.

Abstract: Based on characteristics of blast furnace oxy-coal injection, this report expounds the process optimization and performance improvement of VPSA oxygen generation technology for Indian iron & steel mills.

Keywords: VPSA oxygen generation; blast furnace oxygen enrichment; oxygen enrichment rate

Introduction

In recent years, Indias iron & steel production has maintained rapid growth on an on-going basis. In 2018, India surpassed Japan to become the worlds second-largest iron & steel manufacturer after China with an annual crude steel output of 106.5 million tons. According to the national iron & steel development plan formulated by the Indian government, Indias iron & steel manufacturing capacity will reach 300 million tons in 2030. By then, it will be difficult for the countries behind India to surpass its second position.

Compared with Chinas major blast furnace ironmaking process, with non-coking coal and non-metallurgical coke as the main ironmaking raw materials, India mainly produces direct reduced iron, accounting for about 44% of the pig iron output. Given that the direct reduced iron process is not suitable for large-scale production and that India lacks coking coal, India has great potential for the long-term development of blast furnaces. The iron & steel industry in India is highly concentrated; in 2016, the steel CR3 level reached 44%, and large steel mills including JSW and TATA hit the level of world-class level. Currently, oxygen-enriched coal injection for blast furnaces in India has followed the trend of Chinas iron & steel industry in choosing oxygen generation technologies. In 2016, VPSA oxygen generation process was applied for blast furnaces for the first time in India. Subsequently, large Indian iron & steel groups including JSW, JSPL and BPSL have successively built multiple sets of VPSA oxygen units, all of which are used for oxygen-enriched blast furnace ironmaking.

Body

Relying on the self-developed high-efficiency oxygen adsorbent, radial-bed adsorbers, excellent equipment performance and professional international business teams, PKU Pioneer has gradually opened up the international market of VPSA oxygen units with numerous successful industrial application cases in Asia, Africa, Europe and America. In India alone, PKU Pioneer has built and put into production over 20 sets of VPSA oxygen generators in the past 5 years, covering various industries including metal smelting and petrochemicals, among which the projects for top iron & steel companies make up the majority. Therefore, PKU Pioneer has accumulated rich experience in the design and service of both VPSA oxygen generation technology and supporting equipment in the overseas oxygen-rich coal injection projects for blast furnaces. Taking India as an example, the technical characteristics of PKU Pioneers blast furnace oxygen enrichment technology are summarized in the following four aspects:

1. Numerous Advantages of VPSA Oxygen Plant Projects

For many years, driven by PKU Pioneer, iron and steel companies in India have well recognized the VPSA oxygen equipment for its advantages of excellent performance, high level of automation and diversified customized services.

1.1. Excellent Performance

Compared with the local traditional cryogenic air separator, VPSA oxygen gas plant is superior in terms of safety, energy consumption, start-up and shut-down time, load regulation, construction period and profits on the investment.

1.2. High Level of Automation

In response to the diel temperature variations and seasonal characteristics in India, during the construction of the first 200TPD VPSA oxygen system for a steel mill in India, after a theoretical analysis on the impact of temperature changes on the oxygen system, according to the equipment composition and operation principles, PKU Pioneer proposed the automatic adjustment control scheme of capacity & purity, which was realized by the PLC control system. Through automatic adjustment of the valve opening and the travel time of each step by comparing the feedback data, a more stable, energy-saving and efficient oxygen source for blast oxygen enrichment is realized by VPSA oxygen generation technology. In the Phase II oxygen generation project of another steel plant, PKU Pioneer added such automatic functions as load regulation, fault removal and temperature control to further improve the automaticity of the oxygen unit and ensure its stable operation [1] .

1.3. Diversified Services

In addition to conventional design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance services for India projects, PKU Pioneer provides oxygen enrichment solutions, overall relocation guidance and remote instruction services as well.

2. Diversified Oxygen Enrichment Solutions

Oxygen enrichment plays the most important role in the production increase of blast furnaces [2]. Despite that Indian iron & steel companies have practiced oxygen enrichment technology for a long time, they began to popularize and promote oxygen enrichment before the blast furnace (BF) blower only a few years ago. Part of the reason is that they can only choose oxygen enrichment after the blower, combining VPSA oxygen generator with the compressor, due to the limitation of the BF blower to the operating conditions and oxygen purity.

Compared with cryogenic air separation, VPSA oxygen generation technology can greatly lower the energy consumption, thereby reducing the ironmaking cost. Indian iron & steel mills have fully applied the advanced experience of China iron and steel companies in oxy-coal injection into blast furnace, recognizing the process & solutions of partial use (subject to the limitation of blast furnace blower) or complete use of oxygen enrichment before the BF blower, which can not only save the investment on oxygen compressors, but also save more energy.

2.1. Oxygen Enrichment Before Blower

If the maximum oxygen enrichment rate of the blower could reach 30% [3], sending oxygen into blast furnace system by the suction of the BF blower is the most suitable oxygen enrichment technique for blast furnaces, which could not only lower the investment on oxygen compressors, but also save the relevant manual operation and maintenance costs. In line with the oxygen demand of iron & steel mills, the systematical solutions of VPSA oxygen system in conjunction with oxygen enrichment before the blower has shown great maturity, including the VPSA oxygen plant, oxygen pipeline system with flow and pressure control device, security nitrogen pipeline, oxygen mixing devices at the inlet of the blast furnace blower, and system control device, etc. [4]. The fluctuation of the oxygen-enriched air concentration after the mixer can be controlled within 0.5% through the joint control of the system, and a series of safety precautions including real-time monitoring of the oxygen purity at the blower inlet, automatic flow adjustment, automatic oxygen cutoff & nitrogen charging protection in emergency situations are available to maximumly ensure oxygen enrichment under normal conditions and full safety in emergencies.

2.2 Big Difference in BF Oxygen Enrichment Rates

Every 1% increase of oxygen enrichment rate witnesses at least 3% growth in the output [5]. Most companies in the world reckon that the enriched oxygen volume for blast furnaces shall be controlled within 30%. Different from many China iron & steel companies that adopt oxygen enrichment rate of about 6%, some conventional iron and steel plants in India require 3~4%, while others require 8~9%. With the growing public acceptance of oxygen enrichment before the blower in India, oxygen enrichment rates ranging from the lowest 4% to the highest 9% are all applied. For iron and steel plants requiring 3~4%, the oxygen enrichment before the BF blower can fully meet the demands; but 8~9% will be limited by the BF blower, thus its achieved by making the oxygen enrichment rate 4~5% before the blower and 4~5% after the blower respectively.

3. Integral Relocation

Large iron & steel mills in India are usually distributed in various places, and the VPSA oxygen equipment relocation is frequently needed due to insufficient oxygen supply or slow construction of air separation units, so as to quickly make up the oxygen shortage. When prepared, VPSA oxygen generator system can be well reinstalled on site during only over 1 month for oxygen generation with no need of unloading or refilling, thus realizing one-off relocation of complete sets of VPSA oxygen plants. Under the premises that the iron & steel mill well cooperated with the overall relocation scheme and reconstruction plans, it takes only less than 3 months to cross-provincially resettle an oxygen generating unit (6000Nm3/h) being constructed to a city 300 kilometers away upon the request of a steel mill headquarters in India under the remote guidance of PKU Pioneers technical team; After years of use, another 3 oxygen generating units (5000Nm3/h) were relocated to a site 766 kilometers away as per the overall plan of the customer in less than 4 months.

4. Offering Remote Services in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since 2020, India has been hard hit by the COVID-19 outbreak, causing severe economic downturn and bringing a huge challenge for Chinese companies to implement localized engineering services as well. Currently, although China has been carrying out COVID-19 prevention and control measures on an on-going basis, it is still impossible for PKU Pioneer technical teams to guide the installation on site in India even after coordinating among multiple parties. In this regard, PKU Pioneer has reached an agreement with clients on the premise of ensuring equivalent construction quality, and completed the whole-process guidance from construction, debugging to commissioning of at least 5 VPSA oxygen generating system projects through remote services, with the implementation procedures and final results of each oxygen units receiving high compliments from the users. PKU Pioneer is greatly encouraged to promote international business and more diversified service models at present and in the future: Chinese VPSA oxygen plants could be sent to any places where Chinese goods can reach.

Conclusion

In conclusion, judging from PKU Pioneers practical project implementations in India, VPSA oxygen plant applies to a variety of blast furnace oxygen enrichment solutions. Its able to meet manifold needs of global users, and can well adapt to ever changing international situations. In the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, VPSA oxygen units will usher in a broader application prospect in oxygen-enriched blast furnace ironmaking projects around the world in the future by virtue of their huge advantages in construction period, investment, level of automation, installation and maintenance, coupled with professional service teams.

References

[1] Li Jian, Shan Yi. Application of Automatic Control in VPSA Oxygen Production System [J]. Automatic Instrumentation, 2021, (1st Issue).

[2] Tu Chunlin. The Intensified Smelting Practice of No.7 Blast Furnace in LY Steel [J]. Metal Materials and Metallurgy Engineering, 2011, (1st Issue).

[3] Liu Dianyao. The Current Situation of Oxygen-enriched Blast of Blast Furnace and Oxygen Supply Before the Blower [J]. Metallurgical Power, 2003, (6th Issue).

[4] Li Kunpeng1, Wu Xianjie1, Sun Yonglai1, Han Jiangwen2, Wang Zengbei2. Practical Analysis for Innovation of Oxygen Enrichment Before Blower [J]. Energy for Metallurgical Industry, 2017, (4th Issue).

[5] Jiang He. Advancement of VPSA Oxygen Generation Technology [J]. China Nonferrous Metallurgy, 2014, (2nd Issue).

Media Contact

Contact Person: Joyce Young

Company Name: Beijing Peking University Pioneer Technology Corporation Ltd.

Address: 4-5th Floor, New Times Mansion, No. 7 Huayuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China

Website: www.vpsatech.com / www.vpsagas.com

Email: yangruilin@pioneer-pku.com/ business@pioneer-pku.com

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New York, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Disposable Pipette Tips Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type and End-User and Geography" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06195578/?utm_source=GNW

However, the reuse of plastic pipette tips hampers the market growth.



The novel discoveries of technologies in genomics have led to extraordinary changes in the healthcare industry.The genomics market is driven by nine trendsthe adoption of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), single-cell biology, upcoming RNA biology, upcoming molecular stethoscope, genetic testing, and patients diagnosis through genomics, bioinformatics, extensive research, and clinical trials.



These trends have a huge potential to create substantial commercial opportunities for the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) companies. In addition, genomics has exceeded expectations for the past three decades due to enormous changes in technology that have allowed researchers to probe larger pieces of the human genome.



Genomics technologies have transformed genomics research and have also created opportunities for clinical genomics, which is also known as molecular diagnostics.Genomic technologies have transformed testing across infectious disease, cancer, and inherited disease for the clinics by measuring new biomarkers.



Genomics has improved analytical performance and provided faster improvement time than traditional testing methods.



Furthermore, players such as Illumina, Qiagen, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Agilent, and Roche are key innovators for these technologies. They are constantly engaged in the development of products for genomics. Thus, the introduction of new technologies requiring extensive lab work demands more automation to complete the tasks and reduce the manual tasks for increasing work efficiency. Hence, the expansion of genomic technologies in the life sciences, medical, clinical diagnostics, and research sector is likely to be a prevalent trend and generate a need for basic and advanced pipetting techniques during the forecast period.



Based on type, the disposable pipette tips market is bifurcated into non-filtered pipette tips and filtered pipette tips.In 2021, the non-filtered pipette tips segment accounted for a larger share of the market.



Non-barrier tips are the workhorse of any lab and are usually the most affordable option. These tips come in the large quantities (i.e., in a bag) and pre-racked (i.e., in racks which can be easily place into boxes). The non-filtered pipette tips are either pre sterilized or non-sterilized. The tips are available for manual pipette as well as automated pipette. Majority of market players, such as Labcon, Corning Incorporated, and Tecan Trading AG, offer these types of tips. Further, the filtered pipette tips segment is anticipated to register a higher CAGR of 10.8% in the market during the forecast period. These tips are more convenient and cost effective than non-filtered tips. Various companies, such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sartorius AG, Gilson Incorporated, and Eppendorf, offer filtered pipette tips .



Based on end user, the disposable pipette tips market is segmented into hospitals, research institutions, and others. The research institutions segment held the largest share of the market in 2021, and the same segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR (10.0%) of the market during the forecast period.

Center for Drug Evaluation and Researchs (CDERs), National Healthcare Service (NHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Statistics Office 2018, National Center for Biotechnology Information, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), World Bank Data, United Nations (UN), and World Health Organization (WHO) are among the major secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the disposable pipette tips market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06195578/?utm_source=GNW



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ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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CAMDEN, N.J., Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Michaels Organization, a national leader in residential real estate, with full-service capabilities in development, property management, construction, and investment, announced today that it has completed the sale of three purpose-built student living properties, two in New York, and one in Texas.

"The strategic sales of these high quality, financially successful assets will continue to fuel future growth of Michaels' student living and market-rate developments, whilst at the same time delivering attractive returns to our investment and capital partners who have supported us in these deals," said Michaels Executive Vice President Michael Flanagan.

The two New York sales include 505 on Walnut, an off-campus community located adjacent to Syracuse University, which Michaels completed in 2018. The 126 unit/363-bed property features modern layouts and upscale amenities, including Smart Home Technology. The property, which is currently 100% pre-leased for Fall 2022, will continue to be managed by The Michaels Organization. A New York-based student housing fund purchased 505 on Walnut.

Harrison Street, a leading investment management firm exclusively focused on alternative real assets and The Michaels Organization have recapitalized APEX, one of the largest off-campus student housing projects in New York. Positioned directly across the street from the Rochester Institute of Technology, a leading STEM-focused university in Rochester, NY, the property offers an innovative community with modern apartments in one- to five-bedroom layouts. The property features abundant community spaces and Smart Home Technology, an Esports arena, and electric car charging stations. The transaction, which was completed in December, is one of the largest single-asset student housing transactions completed in 2021. The Michaels Organization will continue to act as property manager for APEX.

Michaels also sold Hill Country Place, a 228 unit/696 bed student housing community located off-campus in close proximity to the University of Texas- San Antonio. Michaels acquired the property in 2017, as a value-add proposition, repositioning the asset, which at the time of sale was 97.4% leased.

Due to strong execution, Michaels was able to successfully sell all three of these properties at a price that exceeded initial underwritten returns.

The Michaels Organization has been developing purpose-built student housing communities since 2011 in strategic markets across the country and has a strong, existing pipeline of student and market rate developments for delivery in 2022 and beyond.

About The Michaels Organization: The Michaels Organization is a national leader in residential real estate, offering full-service capabilities in development, property management, construction, and investment management. Serving more than 175,000 residents in more than 440 communities across 37 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Michaels is committed to crafting housing solutions that jumpstart education, civic engagement and neighborhood prosperity and to creating Communities That Lift Lives.

Media Contact: Laura Zaner, 856-988-5983; lzaner@tmo.com

Related Images











Image 1: APEX





The APEX student living community is located directly across the street from the Rochester Institute of Technology.









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RADNOR, Pa., Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against Paysafe Limited (Paysafe) (NYSE: PSFE) f/k/a Foley Trasimene Acquisition Corp. II (FTAC) (NYSE: BFT). The action charges Paysafe with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the companys business, operations, and prospects. As a result of Paysafes materially misleading statements to the public, Paysafe investors have suffered significant losses.



CANNOT VIEW THIS VIDEO? PLEASE CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR PAYSAFE LOSSES

LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE: February 8, 2022

CLASS PERIOD: December 7, 2020 through November 10, 2021

CONTACT AN ATTORNEY TO DISCUSS YOUR RIGHTS:

James Maro, Esq. (484) 270-1453 or Toll Free (844) 887-9500 or Email at info@ktmc.com

PAYSAFES ALLEGED MISCONDUCT

Paysafe, headquartered in the United Kingdom, provides digital commerce solutions to online businesses, merchants, and consumers through its Paysafe Network worldwide which, among other things, enable users to upload, store, withdraw, and pay funds and from virtual accounts.

On March 30, 2021, Paysafe became a public entity via business combination with FTAC. Then, on November 11, 2021, before the market opened, Paysafe announced that it was revising its revenue guidance for the full year 2021 downward. Paysafe attributed the revision to "[g]ambling regulations and softness in key European markets and performance challenges impacting the Digital Wallet segment" and "[t]he modified scope and timing of new eCommerce customer agreements relative to the Companys original expectations for these agreements."

On this news, the Paysafes share price fell $3.03 per share, or more than 40%, to close at $4.24 per share on November 11, 2021.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Paysafe investors may, no later than February 8, 2022 , seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Paysafe investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE

WHO CAN BE A LEAD PLAINTIFF?

A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.

ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. At the end of the day, we have succeeded if the bad guys pay up, and if you recover your assets. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com.

CONTACT:

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP

James Maro, Jr., Esq.

280 King of Prussia Road

Radnor, PA 19087

(844) 887-9500 (toll free)

info@ktmc.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/375eec49-01dd-400f-9544-e3da017575f6
Egyptian students visit the factory of China's fiberglass manufacturer Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Egypt, on Dec. 30, 2021. At least 60 teachers and students from Confucius Institute at the Suez Canal University and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the British University in Egypt recently visited Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.(Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

by Wu Danni, Mahmoud Fouly

SUEZ, Egypt, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- "I never thought fiberglass products were so close to our daily life! The production process here is so wonderful!" said Veronica Wael, an Egyptian student of Chinese language at Confucius Institute of the Suez Canal University in Egypt, when visiting China's fiberglass giant manufacturer Jushi.

At least 60 teachers and students from Confucius Institute at the Suez Canal University and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the British University in Egypt recently visited Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.

The visitors were impressed not only by the wide range of applications where fiberglass products could be used, varying from aerospace to household items, but also by the scale and mechanical automation of the manufacturing site and the advanced technology.

In the workshop with constant temperature and humidity, some curious students asked the Egyptian workers about the functions and uses of various machines. Meanwhile, at the assembly line, some others recorded the visiting moments with their mobile phones.

Nearly half an hour's visit enabled everyone to get basic hold of fiberglass production steps from raw materials to finished products. They also learned that Jushi Egypt fully possesses the independent core technology of fiberglass production and has trained a large number of professional workers in Egypt.

"Chinese manufacture is really amazing and it shows how powerful science and technology are," Sandra Ghattas, an Egyptian student, told Xinhua during the tour inside the plant.

Accompanied by Wu Ping, general manager of Jushi Egypt, the students had a deeper understanding of the company's business structure, future plans for the plant and the characteristics of fiberglass production that requires high technology and large investment.

With the help of Jushi, Egypt has become one of the largest fiberglass producers and exporters in the world.

Established in January 2012, the large-scale fiberglass production base of Jushi Egypt covers a total area of 360,000 square meters, with an annual output of more than 200,000 tonnes, according to Wu.

"This is the first large-scale fiberglass production line built overseas by China, which has not only filled the gap of fiberglass manufacturing in the Middle East and North Africa region, but also pushed forward the internationalization strategy of China's fiberglass industry," Wu said.

After the tour, the students also experienced traditional Chinese calligraphy and paper cutting at the activity hall of the plant. Some of the artistical pieces read "New Year" and "Spring" in Chinese characters.

Afterward, on the stage of the same hall, some talented Egyptian students interested in and familiar with Chinese culture performed Chinese martial arts, dances and popular songs, marking a joyful conclusion of the memorable visit.

"I hope that through such activities, more young talents in Egypt can learn about China's advanced manufacturing technologies, and this is also a responsibility of our Chinese enterprises overseas," Wu told Xinhua, noting Egyptian students conversant with Chinese language are welcome to join Chinese-funded enterprises in Egypt.

"I will try my best to learn Chinese and I am looking forward to joining a Chinese enterprise one day for new experiences," said Wael. 

Egyptian students visit the factory of China's fiberglass manufacturer Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Egypt, on Dec. 30, 2021. At least 60 teachers and students from Confucius Institute at the Suez Canal University and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the British University in Egypt recently visited Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Egyptian students show their paper-cutting work during cultural activities with staff of the China's fiberglass manufacturer Jushi in in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Egypt, on Dec. 30, 2021. At least 60 teachers and students from Confucius Institute at the Suez Canal University and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the British University in Egypt recently visited Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Egyptian students visit the factory of China's fiberglass manufacturer Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Egypt, on Dec. 30, 2021. At least 60 teachers and students from Confucius Institute at the Suez Canal University and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the British University in Egypt recently visited Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)

Egyptian students visit the exhibition hall of China's fiberglass manufacturer Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Egypt, on Dec. 30, 2021. At least 60 teachers and students from Confucius Institute at the Suez Canal University and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the British University in Egypt recently visited Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.(Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Egyptian students visit the factory of China's fiberglass manufacturer Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, Egypt, on Dec. 30, 2021. At least 60 teachers and students from Confucius Institute at the Suez Canal University and the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at the British University in Egypt recently visited Jushi Egypt, located in China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.(Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
EDMONTON, Alberta, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alcanna Inc. ("Alcanna" or the "Company" or "CLIQ") (TSX: CLIQ) is pleased to announce the voting results of the special meeting (the "Meeting") of holders ("Alcanna Shareholders") of Alcanna's common shares (each, an "Alcanna Share") held earlier today. At the Meeting, Alcanna Shareholders voted in favour of a special resolution (the "Arrangement Resolution") to approve the proposed plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") under Section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "CBCA"), involving the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding Alcanna Shares by Sundial Growers Inc. ("Sundial"), pursuant to the arrangement agreement dated October 7, 2021, as amended on January 6, 2021 (the "Arrangement Agreement"). In accordance with the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, as amended, Alcanna Shareholders will receive 8.85 common shares of Sundial (each whole share, a "Sundial Share") and $1.50 in cash (the "Revised Consideration") in exchange for each Alcanna Share held following closing of the Arrangement.



The Arrangement Resolution required the approval of: (i) not less than two-thirds (66 2/3%) of the votes cast by Alcanna Shareholders present in person (virtually) or represented by proxy at the Meeting; and (ii) a simple majority (greater than 50%) of the votes cast on the Arrangement Resolution by Alcanna Shareholders present in person (virtually) or represented by proxy at the Meeting, excluding votes attached to Alcanna Shares required to be excluded for obtaining majority of the minority approval at the Meeting (the "Majority of the Minority Vote") pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Alcanna Shareholders approved the Arrangement Resolution with 90.04% of the votes cast at the Meeting in favour of the Arrangement (89.51% pursuant to the Majority of the Minority Vote in accordance with MI 61-101).

The Arrangement remains subject to receipt of a final order (the "Final Order") of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (the "Court") with respect to the Arrangement and certain other customary closing conditions, including certain approvals required under applicable provincial liquor and cannabis legislation. Subject to the receipt of the Final Order, all required regulatory approvals and satisfaction of all closing conditions, the Arrangement is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2022.

"The support from Alcanna shareholdersover 90% of the votesclearly demonstrates the value of Sundials offer. Sundial's best-in-class balance sheet with approximately $1.1 billion in cash and investments ($0.55/sh) provides the foundation for ongoing value creation and growth that Sundial has seen over the past two years under Zach George's leadership," said James Burns, Vice Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Alcanna. "The prospects for our Ace Discount Liquor and Wine and Beyond banners are even more positive as part of the larger Sundial group."

"Alcanna's regulated product distribution platform will strengthen Sundial's operations, portfolio, and cash flow profile. We are humbled by the support of Alcanna shareholders and look forward to working with the team at Alcanna to create a best-in-class company focused on delighting consumers and delivering value to all stakeholders," said Zach George, Chief Executive Officer of Sundial.

DETAILED VOTING RESULTS

The voting results from the Meeting are as follows:

Total Alcanna Shares issued and outstanding at record date (November 9, 2021) 36,226,143 Total Alcanna Shares represented at the Meeting in person (virtually) and by proxy 23,159,025 Percentage of Alcanna Shares represented at the Meeting 63.93 % Votes

For % of

Votes For Votes

Against % of

Votes Against Alcanna Shareholders 20,851,642 90.04 2,307,383 9.96 Alcanna Shareholders (Majority of Minority) 19,692,771 89.51 2,307,383 10.49

Details of voting results will be filed under Alcanna's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

FAIRNESS OPINION

Paradigm Capital Inc. ("Paradigm") has provided the special committee of the Alcanna board of directors with an updated fairness opinion which states that, in the opinion of Paradigm, as of January 7, 2022, and subject to the assumptions, limitations, qualifications and other matters set forth in the fairness opinion, the Revised Consideration to be received by the Alcanna Shareholders pursuant to the Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the Alcanna Shareholders.

FINAL ORDER

Alcanna will apply to the Court for the Final Order at 3:00 p.m. (Mountain time) on January 18, 2022. Alcanna Shareholders or other interested parties have the ability to appear (virtually) and make submissions in respect of the Final Order upon proper service upon Alcanna of a notice of appearance ("Notice of Intention to Appear") setting out the address for service of such Alcanna Shareholder (or an email address for service by electronic mail) and indicating whether such Alcanna Shareholder intends to support or oppose or make submissions (virtually) before the Court at the Final Order and any evidence or materials which are to be presented to the Court.

The interim order of the Court in respect of the Arrangement (the "Interim Order") set the deadline to submit a Notice of Intention to Appear as five business days prior to the Meeting. In light of the Revised Consideration being offered to Alcanna Shareholders, Alcanna and Sundial do not intend to rely upon such deadline to oppose the appearance of an Alcanna Shareholder or other interested party at the hearing of the Final Order that properly effects service of any Notice of Intention to Appear on or before 4:00 p.m. (Mountain time) on January 14, 2022 by delivery to Alcanna's solicitors at the address set forth below. Further information on how to submit a Notice of Intention to Appear is set forth in Alcanna's information circular and proxy statement dated November 9, 2021 (the "Circular").

DISSENT RIGHTS

In light of the Revised Consideration being offered to Alcanna Shareholders, additionally, Alcanna and Sundial wish to provide registered Alcanna Shareholders with additional time to exercise rights to Dissent ("Dissent Rights"). In making the application for the Final Order discussed above, Alcanna and Sundial will request that the Court honour an extension of the deadline to exercise Dissent Rights to 4:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) on January 14, 2022. The granting of such an extension will be subject to Court approval.

Registered Alcanna Shareholders who have voted against the Arrangement Resolution have the right to dissent ("Dissent Rights") with respect to the Arrangement Resolution as further described in the Plan of Arrangement (as amended) and the Interim Order, and if the Arrangement becomes effective, to be paid the fair market value for their Alcanna Shares as determined by the Court. A registered Alcanna Shareholder that wishes to exercise its Dissent Rights must send to Alcanna a written objection to the Arrangement Resolution referred to in subsection 190(5) of the CBCA, which written objection must be received by Alcanna c/o Bennett Jones LLP, Suite 4500, 855  2nd Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2P 4K7, Attention: Justin R. Lambert / Jon C. Truswell and must otherwise strictly comply with Section 190 of the CBCA, as modified by the Interim Order and the Plan of Arrangement. Subject to approval of the Court in the Final Order, Alcanna intends to honour any exercise of Dissent Rights by an Alcanna Shareholders properly received prior to 4:00 p.m. (Mountain time) on January 14, 2022.

Registered Alcanna Shareholders' Dissent Rights are more particularly described in the Circular, and a copy of the Interim Order and the text of Section 190 of the CBCA are set forth in Appendix "C" and Appendix "G", respectively, to the Circular. Failure to strictly comply with the requirements set forth in Section 190 of the CBCA, as modified by the Interim Order and the Plan of Arrangement, may result in the loss of any Dissent Right.

NEW LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

Due to the Revised Consideration payable to Alcanna Shareholders, Alcanna intends to provide Alcanna Shareholders with a new letter of transmittal. The new letter of transmittal will be made available to Alcanna Shareholders as soon as practicable following the Meeting, including under Alcanna's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on Alcanna's website at https://www.alcanna.com/ALCANNA-Special-Meeting-Materials and will be mailed to Alcanna Shareholders. Alcanna Shareholders should disregard the letter of transmittal previously provided to Alcanna Shareholders with the Circular. Alcanna Shareholders that have previously deposited a letter of transmittal will be required to complete a new letter of transmittal and resubmit it to Odyssey Trust Company, the depositary in respect of the Arrangement. If Alcanna Shareholders have questions about submitting the new letter of transmittal, please contact Odyssey Trust Company by email at corp.actions@odysseytrust.com or at 1-587-885-0960.

ABOUT ALCANNA INC.

Alcanna is one of the largest private sector retailers of alcohol in North America and the largest in Canada by number of stores  operating locations in Alberta and British Columbia. The Company's majority-owned subsidiary, Nova Cannabis Inc. (TSX: NOVC), also operates 74 cannabis retail stores in Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. Alcanna Shares trade on the TSX under the symbol "CLIQ". Additional information about Alcanna is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and the Company's website at www.alcanna.com.

ABOUT SUNDIAL GROWERS INC.

Sundial is a public company with Sundial Shares traded on Nasdaq under the symbol "SNDL". Its business is reported and analyzed under three operating segments: Cannabis Operations, Cannabis Retail and Investments.

As a licensed producer that crafts small-batch cannabis using state-of-the-art indoor facilities, Sundial's 'craft-at-scale' modular growing approach, award-winning genetics and experienced growers set us apart. Sundial's brand portfolio includes Top Leaf, Sundial Cannabis, Palmetto and Grasslands. Sundial also operates the Spiritleaf retail banner. Spiritleaf aims to be the most knowledgeable and trusted source of recreational cannabis by offering a premium consumer experience and quality curated cannabis products.

Sundial's investment operations seek to deploy strategic capital through direct and indirect investments and partnerships throughout the global cannabis industry.

Sundial is proudly Albertan, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, with operations in Olds and Rocky View County, Alberta, Canada. For more information on Sundial, please go to www.sndlgroup.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements or information (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, relating to, among other things, the completion and timing of the Arrangement; the ability of the parties to satisfy all of the closing conditions and the anticipated timing for closing of the Arrangement; the receipt of the Final Order of the Court in connection with the Arrangement and the anticipated timing thereof, including the approval by the Court of any Dissent Rights and Notice of Intention to Appear received prior to the above-stated deadline. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "continue", "anticipate", "will", "should", "plan", "intend", and similar words suggesting future events or future performance. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact contained in this news release are forward-looking statements.

The risk factors and uncertainties related to the Arrangement include, among other things: risks related to the completion and the timing of the Arrangement; the ability to complete the Arrangement on the terms and timeline contemplated by the Arrangement Agreement, or at all; the ability and expectation that following completion of the Arrangement, Sundial will continue to experience enhanced market liquidity and growth; that Alcanna's cash flow and retail operations expertise will accelerate Sundial's growth; the ability of the consolidated entity to focus more management effort on its investment arm; the ability of the consolidated entity to realize the anticipated benefits from the Arrangement and the timing thereof; the inability of the parties to fulfill or waive any conditions precedent to the completion of the Arrangement Agreement, including obtaining required regulatory and Court approvals; interloper or other stakeholder risk; risks related to the operations of Alcanna's liquor retail business upon completion of the Arrangement; risks related to new issuances of Sundial Shares that could affect the Alcanna Shareholders' pro forma ownership of Sundial; the risks and uncertainties related to the ability of the consolidated entity to successfully integrate the respective businesses, execute on the strategic opportunity, as well as the ability to ensure continued performance or market growth of its products; the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business, operations and financial condition of the consolidated entity; the risk that the consolidated entity will be unable to execute its strategic plan and growth strategy, including the capital allocation and retail cannabis strategy, as planned or at all; dependence on suppliers; potential delays or changes in plans with respect to capital expenditures and the availability of capital on acceptable terms; risks inherent in the liquor retail and cannabis industries; competition for, among other things, customers, supply, capital and skilled personnel; changes in labour costs and markets; inaccurate assessments of the value of acquisitions; general economic and provincial and national political conditions in Canada and globally; industry conditions, including changes in government regulations; fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates; unanticipated operating events; failure to obtain regulatory and thirdparty consents and approvals when required; changes in tax and other laws that affect us and our security holders; the potential failure of counterparties to honour their contractual obligations; stock market volatility; and risks associated with existing and potential future lawsuits, shareholder proposals and regulatory actions.

Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements included in this news release. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to change and do not guarantee future performance and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. A number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual performance and results to differ materially from any estimates, forecasts or projections, or could cause our current objectives, strategies and intentions to change.

In addition, if the Arrangement is not completed, and each of the parties continues as an independent entity, there are risks that the announcement of the Arrangement and the dedication of substantial resources of each party to the completion of the Arrangement could have an impact on such party's business relationships, and could have a material adverse effect on the current and future operations, financial conditions and prospects of such party. Readers should refer to the discussion of risks set forth in Alcanna's management information circular and proxy statement dated November 9, 2021 under the heading "Risk Factors". A comprehensive discussion of other risks relating to Alcanna's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in Alcanna's annual information form for the financial year ended December 31, 2020 dated March 25, 2021 which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties relating to Sundial's business are contained under "Item 3D Risk Factors" in Sundial's Annual Report on Form 20-F, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 17, 2021 which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof. Except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation, Alcanna does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

CONTACT INFORMATION

James Burns

Vice Chair & Chief Executive Officer

Alcanna Inc.

(587) 460-1026
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- H&R Block (NYSE: HRB) announces the recognition of three franchisees that stood out in customer experience from the companys nearly 1,200. Award winners drove company growth, and also focused on community involvement. Winning in separate categories, the featured franchisees of the year are Amanda Rhoton, Enrique Enriquez, and Dan Dever and his daughter Nikki Sunstedt.



Franchises are an important part of our business, said Bob Moretti, Senior Vice President, U.S. Retail Operations. We are constantly rethinking and improving how we support our franchisees. With their hard work, theyre delivering an excellent client experience and living out Blocks purpose by giving back to their community.

Amanda Rhoton | Kouts, Indiana

Recognized as the top franchisee among those with one to two offices, Amanda Rhoton is a second-generation franchisee who learned the key to success is providing clients with a personalized solution  she makes a concerted effort to recognize clients by name when coming to Rhotons office. Her customer-centric approach led to her high conversion and client retention rates. In addition, she achieved top results in client growth with her resilient behaviors and is actively involved in her community.

Enrique Enriquez | Bergenfield, New Jersey

Enrique (Ricky) Enriquez, his wife, Maria and son, Erick were honored as the best among franchisees owning three to seven offices. They have a strong focus on family and community, which is ingrained into how they lead their team and serve clients. Through volunteering, Ricky and Maria are advocates for inclusivity and belonging.

Working with their team during the pandemic, they worked to help those in their offices feel safe while still being served with an easy-to-understand process. Enriquez achieved top results in client growth, the use of virtual services, and service quality.

Dan Dever and Nikki Sunstedt | California

Recognized as a top franchisee among those operating more than eight offices, Dan Dever and his daughter Nikki Sunstedt take great pride in the name and history of H&R Block through 10 offices and 65 employees across the state of California. Dever and Sunstedt engage with clients more than once a year, providing essential virtual tools for multiple ways to work with H&R Block.

Dever and his team are heavily involved in the community, even going as far as to assist high school teachers with educating the next generation about taxes, W-4s, educational credit basics, and more.

Each honoree received a framed certificate, an engraved crystal award, as well as a monetary award. For more than 65 years, H&R Block franchisees have delivered outstanding customer experiences, and today provide convenient services as they blend Blocks digital capabilities with their expertise and care. Interested entrepreneurs can learn more about H&R Block franchises online or by calling 1-800-HRBLOCK.

About H&R Block

H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) provides help and inspires confidence in its clients and communities everywhere through global tax preparation , financial products , and small-business solutions . The company blends digital innovation with the human expertise and care of its associates and franchisees as it helps people get the best outcome at tax time and better manage and access their money year-round. Through Block Advisors and Wave , the company helps small-business owners thrive with innovative products like Wave Money, a small-business banking and bookkeeping solution, and the only business bank account to manage bookkeeping automatically. For more information, visit H&R Block News or follow @HRBlockNews on Twitter.
MONTREAL, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Osisko Development Corp. (Osisko Development or the Company) (TSX.V-ODV) announces that it has disposed of a total of 34,290,000 common shares Minera Alamos Inc. (TSXV:MAI) (Minera Alamos), at a price ranging from $0.50 to $0.57 per common pursuant to market dispositions performed from October 25, 2021 to December 29, 2021 for gross proceeds of $18,532,170 (the Transaction).



Immediately prior to the closing of the Transaction, the Company held, directly or indirectly, 76,080,000 common shares of Minera Alamos representing approximately 17.1% of Minera Alamos issued and outstanding common shares prior to the closing.

Immediately following the closing of the Transaction, Company owned, directly or indirectly, 41,790,000 common shares of Minera Alamos representing approximately 9.4% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Minera Alamos.

The Company disposed of the securities described in this press release in accordance with applicable securities laws, the Company may, from time to time and at any time, acquire common shares and/or other equity, debt or other securities or instruments (collectively, Securities) of Minera Alamos in the open market or otherwise, and reserves the right to dispose of any or all of its Securities in the open market or otherwise at any time and from time to time, and to engage in similar transactions with respect to the Securities, the whole depending on market conditions, the business and prospects of Minera Alamos and other relevant factors.

A copy of the early warning report to be filed by the Company in connection with the Transaction described above will be available on SEDAR under Minera Alamos profile. This news release is issued under the early warning provisions of the Canadian securities legislation.

About Osisko Development Corp.

Osisko Development Corp. is uniquely positioned as a premier gold development company in North America to advance the Cariboo Gold Project and other Canadian and Mexican properties, with the objective of becoming the next mid-tier gold producer. The Cariboo Gold Project, located in central British Columbia, is Osisko Development's flagship asset with measured and indicated resources of 21.44 Mt at 4.6 Au g/t for a total of 3.2 million ounces of gold and inferred resource of 21.69 Mt at 3.9 Au g/t for a total of 2.7 million ounces of gold (see NI 43-101 Technical Report and mineral resource estimate effective October 5th, 2020). The considerable exploration potential at depth and along strike distinguishes the Cariboo Gold Project relative to other development assets as does the historically low, all-in discovery costs of US $19 per ounce. The Cariboo Gold Project is advancing through permitting as a 4,750 tonnes per day underground operation with a feasibility study on track for completion in the first half of 2022. Osisko Development's project pipeline is complemented by potential near-term production targeted from the San Antonio gold project, located in Sonora Mexico and early exploration stage properties including the Coulon Project and James Bay Properties located in Quebec as well as the Guerrero Properties located in Mexico. Osisko Development began trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ODV on December 2, 2020 and the Companys 14,789,373 outstanding share purchase warrants were listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ODV.WT on October 25, 2021.

For further information, please contact Osisko Development Corp.:

Jean Francois Lemonde

VP Investor Relations

jflemonde@osiskodev.com

Tel: 514-299-4926

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Gloucester, MA (01930)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
SHIPSHEWANA [mdash] Lorene Miller, 69, Shipshewana, died at 7:15 p.m., Saturday, April 30, at Life Care Center, LaGrange. She was born Sept. 8, 1952 in LaGrange, to Lester and Mary Alice (Miller) Hochstetler. On Oct. 24, 1974 in Shipshewana, she married Chris B. Miller, he survives. Survivor
MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- History and facts will tell who is Africa's true friend and partner, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Thursday.

Wang made the remarks while attending a ceremony with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to witness the completion of the Chinese-built Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT) upon invitation.

Wang congratulated Kenya on accomplishing another major infrastructure project under the leadership of President Kenyatta, adding that the KOT project will benefit the country and the region.

"What we witness here today is the enduring sincere friendship between China and Africa, the gratifying achievement of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the bright prospect of China and Africa jointly pursuing modernization," Wang said.

Wang said that more than 600 years ago, Chinese navigator Zheng He led one of the world's most powerful fleets to Mombasa three times, bringing friendship and trust to Africa, not colonization and slavery.

Six hundred years later, Chinese engineers and technicians followed Zheng's footsteps to Africa and the coastal city of Mombasa, where they built the best roads, railways and today the best oil and gas facilities for local people, Wang said.

"History is the fairest judge, facts are the most powerful testimony. Our brothers and sisters in Kenya and other African countries know who is Africa's true friend and partner," Wang added.

The KOT project is highly technical and difficult to construct, Wang said, noting that a world-class offshore platform has been adopted to effectively protect the marine environment and create a large number of local jobs and business opportunities.

All this shows that the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Africa is moving forward in a high-standard, sustainable and people-friendly way, following the goals set by President Xi Jinping and African leaders, he said.

Wang said that the completion of the oil terminal is an important step for Kenya to accelerate its industrialization.

Modernization is not achieved by slogans but actions, he said, noting that China and Africa have jointly built over 10,000 km of railways, nearly 100,000 km of roads, nearly 1,000 bridges, nearly 100 ports and a large number of hospitals and schools.

"China and Africa have become steadfast allies and reliable partners on the path to modernization. As long as we continue to work together, we will surely blaze a new trail for developing countries to achieve modernization," Wang said.

Every country should be entitled to development and progress, and every nation should have the opportunity to realize their dreams, Wang said.

The 21st century is not only a century for Asia but also for Africa, he said, adding that the 2.7 billion Chinese and African people, working together to achieve modernization, will constitute the most glorious chapter in the history of human civilization.

Wang said China has always called on the international community to pay more attention to Africa and welcomes other countries, especially developed countries, to actively participate in Africa's development process.

Africa should be a big stage for international cooperation, not an arena for competition among major countries, Wang said. "If there is any competition, it should be a competition of who has done more for Africa, who has contributed more to Africa, and who has worked more for the African people."

"China is ready to join hands with all countries with goodwill towards Africa in making new contributions to an even brighter future for Africa," Wang said. 
Grand Haven, MI (49417)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 43F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 43F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Gov. Hochul said Friday that New York States coronavirus caseload could be peaking, albeit at steep heights, signaling that the hospital admissions surge may soon slow, too.

The heavily mutated omicron variant drove a rapid rise in cases as fall faded to winter, flooding hospitals and sapping businesses and emergency services of staff. As New York entered the new year, one in five COVID tests statewide were coming back positive.

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But Friday, the states week-long average in cases per 100,000 people increased by just 1% from the previous day. And the states test positivity rate dropped each day from Monday to Friday.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul holds a COVID-19 briefing in Manhattan, New York on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (Don Pollard/Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)

Despite the hopeful developments, the state still reported disturbing daily tallies of hospitalizations and deaths: 155 infected New Yorkers perished on Thursday, and more than 11,000 were hospitalized.

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Hochul tentatively hailed the indications that the case count is cresting, but noted hospitalizations and deaths are poised to continue to rise. Hospital admissions lag behind infections.

There is a slight peaking, Hochul said in a news conference in Manhattan. I want to be cautiously optimistic about what that means. But were not going to make any pronouncements other than that is a better trend line than we had been seeing up until now.

Every day that we can flatten that is going to be a good day, Hochul added.

Covid-19 testing workers try to warm up in front of a propane heater on the Upper East Side in Manhattan New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

The daily case count logged on Friday was 82,094, and the daily test positivity rate stood at 21.8%, a steep but slightly slipping clip.

Hochul also outlined new measures aimed at the spread.

She announced she would mandate that nursing home visitors receive a negative test result within 24 hours of arrival, and that health care workers receive boosters.

The booster mandate, which is pending approval from the Public Health and Health Planning Council, a state advisory body, has no test-out option but carves out a medical exemption, Hochul said.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul holds a COVID-19 briefing in Manhattan, New York on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (Don Pollard/Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)

The omicron strain typically leads to less serious illness than other strains, and more than one-third of COVID cases in New York were asymptomatic in the latest data batch. But omicron can still pack a potent punch when it reaches people who are not fully vaccinated and boosted.

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This is still a pandemic, Hochul said. The number of cases and hospitalizations are still rising.

Hochul, who has worked with New York City Mayor Adams to keep schools open, has expressed frustration in recent days at low vaccination rates among children.

The states rate of pediatric hospitalizations in children ages 5 to 11 increased by more than 300% in the last three weeks of December. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that Americans 5 and older get jabs.

A man gets tested at the COVID-19 testing site at the Times Square subway stop in Manhattan, New York. (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

Overall, the states COVID hospitalization rate has surged 25% higher than its 2021 peak.

One in two people hospitalized with coronavirus in New York City were admitted for a reason other than the infection, Hochul said.

But the share was less striking in other areas, and almost 80% of COVID hospitalizations in some regions were traced directly to the virus, according to the data.

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It is not clear how quickly positivity rates might spiral downward.

In South Africa, which encountered one of the globes early omicron waves, cases plunged after a mid-December peak. South Africa is a relatively young country, though, and it is summer there.

Research suggesting that omicron infections grant immunity to other strains has raised hopes that a brutal winter in the U.S. will give way to a relatively normal spring.

Dr. Mary Bassett, the New York State Health Commissioner, said it will take a couple more days of data before health authorities will know whether the state has reached the top of the omicron case mountain. (Don Pollard/Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)

Dr. Mary Bassett, the state health commissioner, said it will take a couple more days of data before health authorities will know whether the state has reached the top of the omicron case mountain.

Of course, thats what everyone is hoping for, Bassett said in the news conference. It will end  that much Im prepared to make an assured statement about.

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At least a dozen travelers from Italy managed to escape quarantine after they tested positive for COVID-19 upon arriving in India.

The international flight touched down on Wednesday at an airport in the city of Amritsar around 1:30 p.m. local time.

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While most passengers were negative for coronavirus prior to their departure from Milan, the vast majority of them  125 of 179  were positive for the virus by the time the plane landed.

The interior of Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar, Punjab state, India. (Shutterstock)

City official Sherjang Singh told BBC Punjabi that of the infected, nine people fled the airport to avoid the mandated quarantine period while another four escaped isolation at a hospital.

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While its unclear how exactly the first group of infected got away, authorities at the hospital told NDTV that the four who were already in quarantine allegedly tricked the health officials.

Authorities in India remained on the hunt for the missing passengers more than 24 hours later and have already expressed intentions to file charges against them.

The incident comes amid a spike in omicron cases in India, which has already left some hospitals understaffed and overwhelmed. On Friday, the nation reported 117,100 new COVID-19 cases  the highest daily increase in nearly seven months.
GOLDBERG: As Political Satire, 'Don't Look Up' Fails In More Ways Than One
Out of a desire to give students more hands-on experience with agriculture and livestock, Sweetwater County School District No. 2 is hoping to swap land with the city in order to build barns for Green River High Schools Future Farmers of America program.

Liz Thoman, the agriculture and natural resources teacher at GRHS, spoke at Tuesdays city council meeting to chat about a proposed land swap to help benefit our high school and FFA program.

Thoman is also the director of the FFA program at the high school. She explained FFA is a youth organization offering leadership training and setting students up for career success in agricultural fields. While FFA teaches principals and information, Thoman said the most benefit comes from Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), which are out-of-classroom projects where students can apply the information they learn in hands-on settings.

In Green River, students dont always have access to agricultural resources and opportunities, Thoman explained. She said one of the best opportunities for them is an ownership SAE which allows students to go through the process of owning, raising and selling their own animal. However, they usually dont have access to the barn space needed to make the process possible. This is where the land swap comes in.

The GRHS FFA program wants to swap roughly 3 acres of land with the city in order to have space to build barns for FFA projects. The high school wants to swap a plot of land it owns by Roosevelt School, much of which is occupied by Collier Park, for a plot of land owned by the city near the horse corrals.

Thomans vision for the land includes a 30x40 foot metal sheep and goat barn with 10 to 12 indoor pens and 6x12 foot runs for the animals with a turnout area and a 30x80 foot swine barn, also with indoor pens, outdoor runs and a turnout area. She said these plans would give the animals optimal space and a healthy environment. Other features the land could include would be a storage building and a practice show pen. Thoman believes in the future there could also be potential for a beef barn and a greenhouse and land lab for plant science projects.

Currently there is a hog barn and sheep and goat barn run by Project Hope, but Thoman explained there is a long waiting list to get into the barns, and most FFA kids dont have the opportunity to use that space for their projects. Having their own land and barns would give students the location and resources to raise their own animals and apply the concepts they learn in class.

Thoman said there are currently about 150 students enrolled in agriculture classes at the high school. About 65 students are actively involved in FFA, and most of them are nontraditional ag students, meaning they dont have access or opportunities to experience agriculture on a regular basis. Having barns for projects would give students more access to agriculture and livestock experiences.

The land by the horse corals would also be a good location for economically disadvantaged students according to Thoman, since it is relatively easy to access and could be walked or biked to.

Thoman hopes the FFA program can continue to grow and expand in the future and even more students will be interested as they see other students start to get involved. She also hopes their plans and space could grow, but said 3 acres would be a great place for the program to start, and its certainly more than [the students] have now.

As far as funding for construction goes, Thoman is confident the program could receive multiple grants from federal programs and the Perkins program, including a $200,000 grant they could apply for and other grants she has researched and received assurance they could receive.

As far as the timeline is concerned, Thoman just wants to be able to build the barns as soon as possible.

Green Rivers director of public works Mark Westenskow said there are still a few details to be figured out regarding the land, but making the space work for FFA is certainly something we want to help them figure out how to do.

Several council members expressed support for the idea, including Gary Killpack, Sherry Bushman and Robert Berg.

Were 100% behind this, Mayor Pete Rust said.
While many people hoped the COVID-19 pandemic would improve throughout 2021 and life would get back to normal, the fight against the novel coronavirus and its variants continued throughout the year, with an ongoing back-and-forth of progress and setbacks.

In the past year, the Wyoming Department of Health reported almost 54,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state and over 1,100 related deaths.

The first COVID-19 vaccine doses in Wyoming were administered in Dec. 2020. By the beginning of 2021, vaccines had begun to be distributed throughout the state and in Sweetwater County. Vaccines were initially distributed based on priority groups that detailed who was eligible to receive the vaccine.

In March, the Sweetwater County District Board of Health made vaccines available to all residents in Sweetwater County, a month before vaccines became all adults became eligible for vaccination nationally.

Vaccine clinics were held in Sweetwater County throughout the year, and the vaccine was distributed by Public Health, Castle Rock Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County before also being distributed by local pharmacies. Other local organizations and schools hosted vaccine clinics through the year, including Western Wyoming Community College.

At the beginning of the year, COVID-19 case numbers and infection rates were down. Although variants of the virus had begun to spread, the countys infection rate was declining, recorded at a 7.6% positivity rate in January, putting the county in a moderate yellow zone for infection risk.

Statewide public health orders put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19 began to be relaxed in March, when the statewide mask requirement was removed and bars, restaurants, theaters and gyms were allowed to operate normally. The last phase of public health orders expired at the end of May, removing gathering limits and mask mandates in schools.

We are making these changes now because we are confident in the effectiveness of the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines, Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist, said in a press release in May.

While some community events, such as Flaming Gorge Days, were again canceled or postponed due to the pandemic, many other events were held again, often without restrictions or masks.

Over the summer, COVID-19 cases in Wyoming began to rise. In June, the positivity rate in Sweetwater County had risen to 9.9%, and in August the number of active coronavirus cases in Wyoming grew to more than 1,000 for the first time since early February.

I think the impression in our county is that its all gone away, but it hasnt, Sweetwater County Health Officer Dr. Jean Stachon said during an update meeting in August.

Despite the increase in cases, COVID-19 precautions were not put back in place when students returned to school in the fall. Both Sweetwater County School Districts released statements at the end of July saying in the new school year the option to utilize masks or other face coverings will be left to the discretion of families and employees. Governor Mark Gordon announced Aug. 4 he would not implement a state-wide mask mandate for schools.

Cases continued to rise in the fall, when long lines formed at the Sweetwater Memorial drive-thru swab station and the Delta variant began to spread through the county. In September, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County suspended elective surgeries and opened a second COVID-19 unit in response to the increased number of patients seeking treatment.

We are at crisis level, Kim White, Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater Countys emergency services director, said in September.

In November, Sweetwater Memorial reported facing challenges of not being able to transfer patients to other hospitals, along with dealing with a nursing shortage and staff facing burnout.

Throughout the year, COVID-19 remained a topic of debate and dissension throughout Wyoming and Sweetwater County. Protests were held against COVID-related issues, from the January protest in front of the Wyoming State Capitol calling to stop the tyranny of health orders to local protests against vaccinations in Green River and Rock Springs in December. The effectiveness of Ivermectin as a treatment became a topic of discussion in September. In November, Sweetwater County School District No. 2 became one of six school districts included in a lawsuit aiming to overturn health orders related to COVID-19.

Going into 2022, COVID-19 remains a threat throughout Wyoming, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates of any state. The number of cases and deaths increased throughout 2021 more than it did in 2020, and the number of cases in the state currently remains similar to what it was a year ago.

The week of Jan. 6, 2021, there had been 38,954 lab-confirmed cases, 6,615 probable cases and 464 deaths since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wyoming. At that point there were 1,542 active cases in the state.

As of Jan. 4, 2022, there have been 92,929 laboratory-confirmed cases, 24,460 probable cases and 1,572 COVID-19 related deaths, and there were 1,509 active cases in the state Tuesday.

Among the COVID-related deaths, 110 have been Sweetwater County residents.
A staff member of the Bank of Communications Beijing Branch instructs a visitor to open a digital RMB wallet on a mobile phone, on June 16, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's latest move to release a plan to pilot comprehensive reforms of market-based allocation of factors of production will push its drive to build a high-standard market system and foster high-quality development, experts said.

The General Office of the State Council released the document on Thursday that aims to deepen reforms of the market-based factors to give strong impetus to economic and social development.

Under the plan, China will take key measures to promote the more efficient allocation of land, encourage the rational and smooth flow of labor and support the pilot digital currency program for the use in retail transactions, daily life and in payment for government services.

More efforts will also be made to explore the establishment of rules on the flow of data and improve the market-based trading mechanism for resources such as electricity and natural gas, and the carbon emissions allowance.

The plan sets a target that the trials will be basically accomplished by 2025, and the reform of market-based allocation of factors of production will make a landmark achievement, setting an example for the optimization of the national system.

Liu Quanhong, director of the international economics research institute of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said the new plan will help improve the efficiency of the allocation of different factors of production and promote the formation of a unified domestic market.

"It will also help further advance the reform of the market-based allocation of factors of production and resolve deep-seated systemic and institutional barriers," Liu added. "The pilot reforms will play a key role in stimulating the vitality of market players and fostering high-quality economic and social development."

The plan follows the Central Economic Work Conference held last month, which said China will vitalize development with reform and opening-up policies and pilot comprehensive reforms of the market-based allocation of factors of production.

In fact, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialist Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era offers China's answer to dealing with the relationship between the government and the market.

A pivotal meeting of the Communist Party of China presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, in 2013 acknowledged the market's "decisive" role in allocating resources, changing the tone from the "basic" role it has played since 1992.

In the meantime, the government should play its role better, the meeting decided. It added that the core of China's economic system reform is to handle the relationship between the government and the market appropriately.

Cui Weijie, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that the new plan will give full play to the market's decisive role in allocating resources, providing strong impetus to high-quality development.

"The plan attaches great importance to removing barriers that hinder the free and orderly flow of factors, marking a key step in promoting smooth internal circulation. And it will also help create the new economic development pattern of 'dual-circulation' that takes the domestic market as the mainstay, while the domestic and foreign markets complement each other."

Cui's views were echoed by Zheng Lei, chief economist at Glory Sun Financial Group, who said the new plan follows a series of government measures to cultivate the market, demonstrating the government's firm determination to continuously deepen reform and opening-up.

Citing the new steps mapped out by the plan such as promoting pilot digital currency programs and the sharing of credit information, he expected to see the digital renminbi being widely used in the nation, and a mechanism to make financing for small and medium-sized enterprises easier and affordable.

"Once the pilot projects are implemented and then expanded to the whole nation, it will create new sources of economic growth," said Yang Jinghao, chief economist at Kangkai Data Technology.
The president of a Brooklyn for-profit college accused of using his perch to sexually abuse vulnerable students has resigned from his post for the second time in the last four years following a Daily News expose.

Alex Shchegol, the founder and long-time president of ASA College, a for-profit institution with roughly 3,000 students across three campuses in New York City and Florida, first called it quits in 2018 following a lawsuit alleging he used an employee to help him find women to abuse. The suit was later settled out of court for $500,000, according to documents reviewed by The News.

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At least nine other women, including some foreign students, have come forward accusing Shchegol of sexual misconduct including rape, the Daily News reported in a November investigation. But the accusations didnt stop Shchegol from engineering a comeback.

Alex Shchegol (Twitter)

Last fall, Shchegol used his authority as sole owner of ASA to dismiss most of the colleges board of trustees. He replaced them with board members who voted him back into the presidency in October.

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But Shchegols second act as president was short-lived.

He resigned his post effective Dec. 31, according to a Thursday email from interim board chair Frank Seddio, a former state assemblyman, Brooklyn Democratic Party chair and long-time friend of Shchegol. Seddio joked to The News in November that the boards first move after reinstating Shchegol was to hire two mohels...to cut his d--k off.

Seddio couldnt be reached for comment.

Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. >

Shchegol declined to comment on his resignation, but called a News reporter a garbage journalist before hanging up the phone. He previously denied the sexual misconduct allegations.

Shchegol remains the sole owner of the college, according to an ASA source.

Regulators that control the colleges purse strings began scrutinizing ASA College following The News scoop.

One government official in Florida said ASAs tenure in the state was not for long. The commission responsible for accreditation issued a sharply-worded letter in December warning that the colleges approval is in serious jeopardy.

ASAs new president is Jose Valencia, the same official who took the reins after Shchegols first resignation.

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The colleges future remains in doubt. If Middle States Commission on Higher Education decides to pull the schools accreditation, the college will lose access to federal financial aid.

With Noah Goldberg
Kelly Ann Porenta, 62, passed away with her husband and sister Carmen by her side Tuesday December 21, 2021 at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. She died following a courageous battle with COVID. Kelly was a resident of Rock Springs, Wyoming for 55 years and resident of North Dakota.

Kelly was born February 22, 1959 in Elgin, North Dakota the daughter of Anselm Schlosser and Kathleen Ann Boehm. Kelly spent her early childhood years on farms near Mott, North Dakota before moving to Rock Springs. Kelly was a 1977 graduate of Rock Springs High School and attended Western Wyoming Community College.

Kelly and Kent first met at an aerobics class at the Civic Center and soon, she asked him for a date. Eventually Kelly and Kent were joined in marriage March 15, 1995 under the Great White Throne in Zion National Park and spent 36 wonderful years together.

Kelly worked at U.S. West for 30 years as a pay phone tech and retired in 1999. Being bored with retirement Kelly went back to college to hone her computer skills. She worked a short time at Wyoming Waste and then on to Bunning Transfer for 8 years and again for 2 years with a couple of jobs in between. Finally in the fall of 2019 she decided to retire full time.

Kelly thoroughly enjoyed life. Whether it was; taking care of her pay phone "babies", teaching an aerobics class, drag racing, working at the Speedway or the County Fair, Kelly was always there to happily lend a hand. Kelly had no children of her own, however, she was a "kid magnet" and it was not uncommon to see her skipping around with several kids in tow singing "Lions and Tigers and Bears O my". She loved to travel and was ready to go on a moment's notice. After retirement Kelly continued her service to others. During her lengthy daily walks with her dogs Cisco and Titan, it was common to see her putting away trash cans or shoveling snow.

Survivors include: Husband Kent Porenta of Rock Springs, Wyoming; three sisters, Carmen Abbott and husband Dale of Salt Lake City, Utah; Sam Esquibel and husband Dan of Rock Springs, Wyoming; Tracy Potter and husband Cal of Layton, Utah; one brother, Patrick Schlosser of Moraga, California; and many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Lyle Schlosser; Joel Schlosser; Loren Schlosser; one sister, Darci Weydeveld.

Cremation has taken place; a Celebration of Life will be conducted at 1:00 P.M. Friday, January 28, 2021 at New Hope Baptist Church, 513 G Street, Rock Springs, Wyoming.

In Christian love of neighbor, face coverings are strongly encouraged.

Live stream on Facebook: New Hope Baptist Church

The family respectfully requests donations in Kelly's memory to Rocks Springs Humane Society, 310 Yellowstone Road, Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901; Food Bank, 90 Center Street, Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901 or your favorite charity.

Condolences may be left at http://www.vasefuneralhome.com.
Chad Michael Marse, the son of Brooke Dimick and Skylar Marse of Green River, is Sweetwater County's first baby of 2022.

A Green River couple welcomed the first newborn of 2022 early New Year's Day.

Brooke Dimick and Skylar Marse welcomed their child Chad Michael Marse at 2:12 a.m., making Chad the first baby born at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County for the year. He measured 19.5 inches and weighed 8 pounds, 5.3 ounces. He is the family's third child, joining siblings Carter, 6, and Greyson, 3.

The Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County Auxiliary welcomed the New Year Baby by donating a basket to the family, with a variety of items for Chad and his parents. The donation included a $100 Wal-Mart gift card, a baby bath, clothing, a travel mug, teethers, cloth books, a scrapbook, learning toys and more.
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GREENWICH  The residents of Greenwich woke up to a winter wonderland on Friday after more than 6 inches of snow fell overnight.

Crews from the Highway Division of the Department of Public Works were out all day removing snow on 265 miles of the towns public roadways, said Renee Wallace, communication specialist for the DPW.

Holly Hill Resource Recovery Center was closed Friday morning due to the snow, but it quickly reopened thanks to our hardworking staff, she said.

The storm blanketed the area in a pretty covering of fluffy white snow. According to the National Weather Service, 6.3 inches of snow had fallen by 5:30 a.m.

Workers were out in force, shoveling the sidewalks in front of businesses and St. Mary Church along Greenwich Avenue. It was the first major snowfall of the season.

Schools were closed Friday, giving public and private school students a day off across town.

In the interest of public safety and the safety of town employees, Town Hall and all town facilities will open at 10 a.m. Friday, First Selectman Fred Camillo said.

Greenwich Library and the Byram Shubert and Cos Cob branches announced that they will delay their openings until 11 a.m. Friday.

The town was pre-treating and anti-icing roads in advance of a snowstorm, Camillo said, cautioning residents to be careful and set aside extra time for driving on Friday morning.

A total of 4 to 6 inches of snow could fall on the area before the storm clears out at midday, the National Weather Service said.

Camillo asked residents to park their cars in driveways to help with snow-removal efforts. And he also reminded residents they are required under town statute to clear their sidewalks and asked them to dig out nearby fire hydrants.
GREENWICH  With the state of Connecticut reporting a record spike in COVID-19 cases in schools, the Greenwich Public Schools is also experiencing a surge in cases, according to the latest statistics released Friday on the districts online tracker.

The district reported 349 new cases, with 438 active cases across all of the school buildings as of Friday, according to the tracker. This follows the 392 cases of COVID-19 among students and staff reported Tuesday, which is the largest number of cases in an update.

The total number of COVID-19 cases reported so far in the 2021-22 school year comes to a total of 1,285, compared with the 700 cases reported districtwide in the entire 2020-21 school year, according to the tracker.

The district is continuing to receive reports of cases from last weeks holiday recess, according to Jonathan Supranowitz, director of communications for Greenwich Public Schools.

GPS monitors the situation closely, and while cases continue to rise in our town, the vast majority of student and staff cases are coming from the outside community, Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones said in a statement Friday morning.

Most of our families and staff are telling us where the exposures occur (family gatherings, holiday parties, travel, etc.), she said. Since returning from our break, we have yet to experience an outbreak within a classroom. We believe school is one of the safest places for our students and staff.

Students returned Monday for the first day of classes since the holiday recess. The last day of classes for elementary and middle school students was Dec. 23 and for Greenwich High students was Dec. 21.

Even with the large number of COVID-19 cases, we continue not to have any major staffing shortages, Supranowitz said Thursday. Our student attendance has been hovering around 80 (percent) to 85 percent this week.

Statewide cases

Cases of COVID-19 reached unprecedented levels in Connecticut schools, as the Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 7,612 new infections for students and 2,338 among staff statewide for the week ending Wednesday.

The last week before winter break, state data showed 3,691 students and 742 staff reported new infections  a previous record this school year. And in the 2020-21 school year, cases peaked for students at 1,618 and staff at 519 cases in mid-January, according to state data.

These numbers are certainly cause for concern, said Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, the states largest teachers union.

School-by-school numbers

Of the 438 active cases reported Friday in Greenwich schools, 391 cases were among students, 20 among teachers, 14 among service providers, 12 among nonteaching staff members and one with an administrator, according to the tracker.

The most cases were reported at Greenwich High, with 111, followed by 70 cases at Eastern; 31 cases at Western; 30 cases each at International School at Dundee and Riverside; and 29 cases at Central.

That was followed by 21 cases at New Lebanon; 20 cases each at Hamilton Avenue and North Mianus; 17 cases at North Street; 15 cases each at Glenville and Old Greenwich; 10 cases each at Cos Cob and Parkway; and eight cases at Julian Curtiss.

And there were two cases reported at Windrose, which were the first cases this school year in the alternative program.

Staff members who work at multiple buildings are counted toward each locations total.

A number of families in the district are heavily impacted by COVID-19, with 167 families reporting 364 cases during the school year.

Vaccination rates continue to rise in Greenwich, with 38.4 percent of children ages 5 to 11 and 89.8 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in town now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

COVID tests at schools

On Tuesday, the Connecticut Department of Education and Department of Public Health distributed self-test COVID-19 kits manufactured by iHealth Labs and Flowflex to public school districts and private schools.

The kits will be at all 15 public schools in Greenwich, according to Jones and Mary Keller, GPS head of nursing. They can be used if a student or staff member exhibits symptoms or has a direct exposure to an individual with COVID-19.

The Greenwich Public Schools received 46 boxes  or 8,280 total tests  of iHealth tests and five boxes  or 1,440 total tests  of Flowflex.

The Greenwich schools also announced a number of adjustments as classes reopened Monday after the long holiday break.

All schools are making certain there is enough space between students when eating lunch. At Greenwich High, staff reopened a gym for expanded lunch space and added a fifth lunch rotation to reduce the number of students eating at one time.

Additionally, all school sites will limit individuals who may enter the buildings to only essential volunteers or consultants, Jones said. Aquatics class at Greenwich High will be temporarily suspended, she said.

The school district says it updates the online tracker every Tuesday and Friday to keep the community informed on the COVID-19 pandemic.

This story includes previous reporting by Staff Writer Cayla Bamberger.
A Rhode Island ghost gun manufacturer sold more than 100 of the untraceable firearms  and even posted a YouTube video of himself shooting a DIY Glock, prosecutors said Thursday.

Robert Alcantara, 34, had a veritable DIY gun factory at his home in Providence, according to a complaint filed in Manhattan Federal Court. On Nov. 20, he allegedly bought firearm components costing more than $16,000 at a gun show in Morgantown, Penn. FBI agents arrested him driving through the Bronx hours later with an accomplice, allegedly carrying a stockpile that included 46 upper receivers and 45 lower receivers.

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Further investigation uncovered Alcantaras YouTube channel. In a 2019 video cited in the complaint, he displays a homemade 9mm Glock, loads it with an extended clip and then opens fire.

Everything work. No issue. Very nice, he says in the video.

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Pictures pulled from Alancataras phone show he had a poster portraying former President Donald Trump as a heavyweight boxer above a cluttered workbench with a hydraulic drill press, a vise and other tools used to make the guns, according to the complaint.

In one photo, five ghost guns were displayed on a mat with manufacturing instructions.

Other images showed multiple DIY rifles and guns packaged for shipment or sale, the feds wrote.

Alcantara is charged with conspiracy to traffic firearms and lying to the feds following his arrest.

The feds say they arrested Robert Alcantara after he bought weapons parts valued at more than $16,000 at a gun show in Morgantown, Penn. on Nov. 20, 2021. (KMead)

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said a deadly business had been shut down.

Untraceable ghost guns pose a serious threat to public safety, Williams said in a statement. As alleged, the defendant agreed with others to buy the parts for these firearms, put them together at his home, and then unlawfully sold or attempted to sell over 100 of them.

Ghost guns have become a growing concern of law enforcement because they are manufactured without any serial number. They are assembled using gun parts, which can be purchased without background checks. Ghost guns have become increasingly popular among criminals in the city. They have even fallen into the hands of kids: Last month, a Brooklyn teen was allegedly busted at his high school with one of the untraceable guns and $30,000 cash.

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To make and transport 15 Glocks, Alcantara charged a neat $9,624  tax included, the complaint charges.

Alcantara got involved in the gun trafficking scheme with five coconspirators in late 2019, the feds charge. According to messages in his Signal app, he dropped thousands on gun parts monthly. Texts show he delivered bullets to Philadelphia in September and bought $32,000 worth of ammo in November, according to a complaint.

A photo from Alcantara's alleged at-home gun factory in Providence, R.I. (KMead)

In one series of texts in July 2021, Alcantara allegedly told a coconspirator he could have his mother bring firearms with her on a trip from the U.S. to the Dominican Republic.

My mother is coming tomorrow. In case you wanted to send something, read the message, which was written in Spanish, according to court docs.

In another text, he wrote guns were ready for exportation to the Dominican Republic, prosecutors charged.

Ghost guns allegedly seized from Robert Alcantara. (KMead)

Alcantara snapped another picture of two suitcases filled with cash and guns at a port in the Dominican Republic, according to the complaint.

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Alcantara was ordered detained after an appearance in in Rhode Island. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Gov. Ralph Torres, who last month sued the legislative committee which investigated his actions as governor, believes the case should not be heard by any CNMI judge because of the highly charged political atmosphere, his office stated Friday.

Last years investigation by the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations resulted in articles of impeachment against Torres that will head to the CNMI House floor for a vote. The next House session is scheduled for Jan. 12.

If at least two-thirds of the House votes to impeach Torres for commission of felonies, corruption and neglect of duty, it will require a two-thirds vote of the CNMI Senate to convict him.

Allegations investigated by the committee last year include: excessive utility costs at Torres private home, paid for by taxpayers; the use of public safety boats and personnel for fishing trips and other personal reasons; bypassing customs screening at the airport; flying first-class at public expense; using public funds and resources for personal reasons; releasing deer, an invasive species, in the Northern Islands; and having a large security detail, which sometimes runs his personal errands.

Torres sued last month, asking the Superior Court for injunctive relief, after the committee found Torres in contempt when he did not respond to the committees subpoena to testify.

Celina Babauta, chairwoman of the JGO committee, on Wednesday issued a statement, accusing Torres of improperly interfering with the court in connection with his lawsuit. She stated Torres, attempted to manipulate the judicial branch by requesting a closed-door meeting between himself and the chief justice, which explicitly violates the model rules of professional conduct.

This is not true, governors legal counsel Gil Birnbirch said Friday. Birnbirch stated he requested a meeting with the chief justice on the issue of whether Judge Timothy Bellas should be allowed to hear the case. The governor was not going to be present at any meeting allowed by the chief justice, Birnbirch stated.

According to Birnbirch, Torres believes no current or former CNMI judge should be allowed to hear his case.

The CNMI is a small community; there is scarcely a family that does not have ties to the government and a history of close political allegiances. So extensive are these ties that all five sitting Superior Court judges have had to disqualify themselves for one reason or another, Birnbirch stated. In light of the highly partisan atmosphere surrounding the governors ongoing dispute with the committee, the governor believes that no single CNMI judge, current or former, can either be truly insulated from it or, no less important, be perceived by the public, reasonably or not, as insulated from it.
A legislative resolution and proclamation by the governor were signed Friday in recognition of January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and National Stalking Awareness Month.

The online event was hosted by the Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence, along with government agencies and other partners.

We all deserve to feel safe and protected either in our homes or in school, online or in any other public or private spaces, said Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero. I think this proclamation, and along with the people that do work in the criminal justice system and also in the social service system, continuously, make our community more educated about it.

Resolution 238-36 was introduced by Speaker Therese Terlaje in observance of National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Trafficking in persons, also known as modern slavery or human trafficking, includes sex trafficking and forced labor, according to the U.S. Department of State. About 24.9 million children and adults are trafficked each year.

According to information provided by the coalition, Guam doesnt have current statistics of human trafficking. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported 10 cases of potential trafficking in Guam from 2012 to 2016.

I just want to let people know that our job is really the three functions we talk about of prevention, protection and prosecution of criminals, whether its human trafficking or whether its stalking, said Guam Attorney General Leevin Camacho.

Stalking includes actions or conduct specifically directed at someone that would cause a reasonable person to fear.

Camacho said victims services providers at the AGs office in 2021 assisted over 70 victims of stalking. There were 10 victims of stalking in 2020 and 13 in 2019, according to the Guam Police Departments Family Violence Statistics.

The coalition will be hosting an event on stalking awareness from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Micronesia Malls center court.
Workers from Naval Base Guams Fire and Emergency Services teamed up with the crew of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Jackson for an in-port fire drill this week, according to a news release from the Navy.

The drill simulated a fire onboard the USS Jackson that tested the capability of the ships in-port emergency team in conjunction with base firefighters and Commander Joint Region Marianas. This type of training offers base services and ships force an opportunity to practice joint firefighting techniques and procedures to effectively extinguish a major fire while moored at an Apra Harbor pier, according to the Navy.

Ships assigned to Task Force 76 are required to conduct expeditionary maintenance throughout the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, which makes routine training to mitigate damage, to include fires, onboard our assets a priority, said Rear Adm. Chris Engdahl, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7/Task Force 76, in the news release.

In the event of a major fire, integration between both the crew on the ship and the fire and emergency crews from ashore is crucial to save the ship. Conducting joint drills enables the practice and repetition required to alleviate communication gaps and is an opportunity to combine techniques necessary to assist shipboard personnel during a casualty.

Its important to have these drills as frequently as possible, especially in forward areas such as Guam, said Mark S. Berry Jr., Naval Base Guam assistant fire chief for training. It allows the ship to know the level of support they will have when in port. For the fire department, it gives us experience and training on different Navy ships and enables us to offer assistance to any ship that is in port.

Sailors are the initial responders to every casualty, said Chief Damage Controlman Daniel Solis. By having sailors trained to the full extent of their capabilities, we provide the Fire & Emergency Services time to arrive and integrate with the crew, thus increasing the odds of saving the ship.

Knowing which services are available and using them efficiently can make all the difference in an emergency, the Navy stated.
A trash bin is emptied into the rear of a Guam Solid Waste Authority packer truck during collection in a Dededo neighborhood Oct. 26, 2021.
Robert Underwood is the former president of the University of Guam and Guams former delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The planned extension of the Second Ave. Subway into East Harlem has rumbled closer to reality, entering what the government calls its engineering process, officials said Thursday.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he got word that the project has moved to the engineering process in an afternoon phone call from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

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Its great news, Schumer told the Daily News. The development signals that federal funding for the project is likely assured, he said.

Once they do the engineering, they dont typically turn it down, Schumer said of full funding. Were on the fast-track.

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Schumer pushed for federal money for the project in the bipartisan infrastructure bill signed by President Biden in November.

The MTA had asked the feds for permission to move the project to the engineering phase, in which engineers assess the scope of the project and construction specifics.

The Second Avenue extension will stretch the Q line to three new subway stations, at E. 106th St., E. 116th St., and E. 125th St. and Lexington Ave. in East Harlem. The line now terminates at E. 96th St.

Federal funding for the more than $6 billion project fell into limbo after former President Donald Trump failed to fulfill a deal with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

A section of Phase Two of the Second Ave. Subway near E112th St. is pictured Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

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Gov. Hochul, who has promised to complete the final extension in a 50-year, 8.5-mile project during her tenure, also said she had spoken to Buttigieg.

The Second Avenue Subway project is moving down the tracks! she said in a tweet.

Republicans last summer slammed Schumers efforts to plow cash into New Yorks transit system.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) tweeted sarcastically in August that he had asked if Chuck is going to gold-plate every rail in the NYC subway system. Hes asking for enough money to do that.

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The MTA wont get gold rails anytime soon. But funding uncorked by the infrastructure law easily covers the federal governments 49% share of the costs from the project, according to Schumers office.

Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), who represents East Harlem and joined Schumer in the push for transit cash, hailed Thursdays news.

Todays announcement kickstarts the Second Avenue Subway extension and will serve as a catalyst for improving the local economy and small business development while addressing environmental and social issues for years to come, Espaillat said in a statement.
A man was fatally shot in the hallway of a Bronx public housing apartment Thursday night, police said.

Police found Jose Garcia, 35, with bullet wounds in his torso just before 6:45 p.m. on the ninth floor of a building in the Monterey/Twin Parks Houses, A New York City Housing Authority development on E.181st St. at Lafontaine Ave. in Belmont.

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An NYPD Crime Scene Unit is seen at 558 East181 street where a fatal shooting occurred earlier in the evening on Thursday, January 6, 2022. (Sam Costanza/for New York Daily News)

Medics rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital, but he couldnt be saved.

Garcia lived in Mt. Eden, less than a mile away.

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Police have made no arrests in the shooting.




Haiti - FLASH : 2 Haitian journalists fall under gangs bullets





Thursday January 6, 2022 two Haitian journalists from online media, were killed in Laboule 12 during a clash between armed gangs, they are Wilguens Louissaint and Amady John Wesley of Radio Ecoute FM an online media based in Montreal, where a large Haitian community lives. Wilmann Vil a third journalist who accompanied them managed to escape with the help of the residents.



Laboule 12, where the three journalists had gone, was the object of intense fighting, where the Gang of "Ti Makak" and the gang of "Toto" clash with a weapon of war to have the strategic control of the area, the only alternative land route to reach the southern half of the country, for lack of being able to take the national road totally controlled, since June, by one of the most powerful gangs in Haiti.



According to our sources, journalists were investigating the death of Inspector Dan Jerry Toussaint, shot dead in Fessard last week by the men of "Ti Makak" https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35625-icihaiti-insecurity-divisional-inspector-jerry-toussaint-shot-dead.html



"We condemn with the utmost rigor this criminal and barbaric act" responded Francky Attis, General Manager of Radio Ecoute FM, who denounces a serious violation of the rights of journalists to exercise their profession freely in the country, Following the loss of its journalist Amady John Wesley, Radio Ecoute FM has decided to suspend its broadcasts until further notice.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH : A ransom was paid for the release of American hostages





Testimonies from former hostages and other staff of the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries (CAM) in recent recorded interviews with, among others, with religious groups admitted for the first that ransom was paid to the "400 mawoso" gang after the October 16 kidnappings of 16 Americans and a Canadian affiliated with CAM https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35012-haiti-flash-at-least-fifteen-american-missionaries-kidnapped-in-port-au-prince.html



"In the course of this whole thing, there was Christian Aid Ministries' no-ransom policy," Philip Mast, a CAM Executive Committee member, said in a recent talk at Mt. Moriah Mennonite Church in Crossville, Tennessee. "there was a donor who offered to take the negotiations and deal with the situation, and so CAM accepted that offer."



This unidentified donor paid a ransom that was supposed to lead to the release of the remaining 15 hostages in early December 2021, CAM employees confirmed.



The donor who made the payment was not affiliated with CAM's Ohio, and employees say they don't know who he is or how much was paid to the gang, who were initially asking $1 million per hostage for their releases https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35037-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-demands-one-million-dollars-for-the-release-of-each-american-hostage.html



Barry Grant, CAM's field director in Titanyen, Haiti, said the kidnappers "reneged on the deal". Austin Smucker (one of the ex-hostages) and Grant both said they learned that some members of the gang refused to release all the hostages in an attempt to force the Haitian government to release their jailed leader. Due to this internal conflict and despite the payment of a ransom, the gang released only three hostages on December 5, 2021 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35417-haiti-flash-3-new-american-hostages-released.html



While CAM officials praised "God for working miraculously" to allow the hostages to escape https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35529-haiti-flash-the-400-mawozo-gang-did-not-release-the-12-hostages-they-escaped.html An article published on December 30 in the Yonkers Times of New York citing an anonymous source, claimed that the gang had deliberately left the door unattended and allowed the 12 hostages to march to freedom in respect of the payment of the ransom agreement.



Another person the newspaper described as having "first-hand and detailed knowledge" of the case, said if the gang had not allowed them to leave, someone would have reported the escapees long before they were in security.



Read also on this case :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35529-haiti-flash-the-400-mawozo-gang-did-not-release-the-12-hostages-they-escaped.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35497-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-released-all-the-american-hostages.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35513-haiti-flash-christian-aid-ministries-forgives-the-kidnappers-of-the-17-american-hostages.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35417-haiti-flash-3-new-american-hostages-released.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35299-haiti-flash-2-of-the-17-kidnapped-american-hostages-released.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35204-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-35112-icihaiti-insecurity-the-pnh-has-proof-that-the-16-american-hostages-are-alive.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35094-haiti-flash-joe-biden-sends-a-large-number-of-specialists-to-release-the-american-hostages-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35061-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35053-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35037-haiti-flash-the-gang-400-mawozo-demands-one-million-dollars-for-the-release-of-each-american-hostage.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35028-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35012-haiti-flash-at-least-fifteen-american-missionaries-kidnapped-in-port-au-prince.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Senator Lambert will address the Nation

The President of the Senate, Joseph Lambert, asks the human resources department to advise all employees to report to their workstations from Monday January 10 in neat and proper attire. The absence of an employee will be considered as an abandonment of a position. "On this occasion, the President of the Senate, Joseph Lambert, will make an address to the Nation", we read in a note from the Bureau of the Senate.



NOTICE to Haitian descendants in Cuba

"As of Monday, January 10, 2022, the descendants of Haitians must present each certification of their chain of descent, legalized by the Ministry of External Relations (MINREX). If this condition is not met, entry to the Embassy will not be admitted under this category," Consulate, Embassy of Haiti in Cuba.



Fake promotional video for Carnival 2022

Camy J. Depas Director General of the Ministry of Culture and Communication informs the general public that the video currently circulating on social networks promoting Carnival 2022 is not authentic. This untimely publication has nothing to do, directly or indirectly, with the Ministry of Culture.



Restart of the Rural Electrification project

"The year 2022 begins with redoubled efforts to boost development in Haiti. We thank "Enviro Earth" and Enersa Haiti for the restart of the Rural Electrification Project (ERAF) funded by Japan in Mont-Organise https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30141-haiti-politic-two-electrification-and-waste-management-projects-funded-by-japan.html " declared the United Nations Development Program (UNDP-Haiti).



A Senator believes that the PM could put an end to the Senate

Jean Rigaud Belizaire (Consortium Party) one of the 10 senators still sitting in the upper house said that the terms of senators expire in 2023, although he believes that Prime Minister Ariel Henry to determine the end of the management of lawmakers next January 10.



Laboule 12 : Breakthrough of a new road

Work of decongestion of the Laboule 12 roadways has started. The West Departmental Directorate of the Ministry of Public Works Ministry is working on the breakthrough of a new road. An alternative for the benefit of the population in order to make traffic accessible and facilitate trade with the South department.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Published on 2022/01/06 | Source

Walt Disney Company's video streaming service Disney+ announced that it will release the drama "Casino" starring actor Choi Min-sik, as original content. It is Choi Min-sik's first return to drama 26 years after MBC's "Love and Farewell" in 1997.

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Walt Disney Company announced on the 6th that it is set to produce Korean content "Casino" in the process of additionally releasing some of the new content lineups in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region. It is a 16-part drama written and directed by director Kang Yoon-sung of the movie "The Outlaws" (2017), depicting a man's turbulent life in the casino business.

Disney+ did not have much success in Korea due to controversy over the denunciation of the democratization movement in the 1980s with the first exclusively streamed Korean work "Snowdrop". Except for works such as animation and Marvel Studios, it was also criticized that there was no work worth paying for. It was pointed out that its influence is insignificant in the domestic OTT market, where competitions of overseas OTTs are continuing, including Netflix.

In the midst of this, attention is being paid to whether it will be able to rebound through additional production and disclosure of Korean content. More than 20 billion won is expected to be spent on the production of "Casino" while the addition of Jang Deok-soo and Han Mi-nyeo of the Netflix's original series "Squid Game", played by actors Heo Sung-tae and Kim Joo-ryung, are expected to draw attention from domestic and overseas viewers.

Meanwhile, "Casino" is scheduled to begin filming in earnest from the end of February after completing major casting.
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COLUMBUS, Ind., Jan. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Material Handling (TMH) is elevating its position as the industry's most innovative manufacturer of material handling products and warehousing solutions with the largest product launch in the company's history.

Toyota Material Handling announced the release of 22 new electric products as part of the company's growing portfolio of world-class material handling products and solutions.

"This is an exciting milestone for our company and our customers," said Bill Finerty, TMH President and CEO. "Never before has the global supply chain endured such challenges as those we presently face. Warehouses and distribution centers everywhere need material handling equipment that can help them keep pace with the speed of commerce. This historic product release puts Toyota in a position to lift up customers with the material handling solutions they need to be successful in today's demanding market."

Toyota's historic product introduction includes a range of new warehousing solutions, including 12 new reach truck models  giving Toyota the industry's most expansive reach truck lineup. The new reach truck models address modern warehousing challenges by offering customers tailored solutions for narrow aisles, and different picking and putaway needs. The expanded lineup includes four different operator compartments; 24V, 36V and 48V models; a Multidirectional model for handling long loads in narrow aisles; High-Capacity models with a maximum fork height of 45 feet; as well as three Moving Mast Reach Truck models to fit unique applications  such as cold storage and indoor/outdoor use.

Toyota Material Handling also added a Low Level Order Picker and Furniture Order Picker, along with Enclosed End Rider and Stand-Up Rider pallet jacks to its industry-leading product lineup to stay at the forefront of a significant shift taking place in the industry.

"When our customers speak, we listen," said Tony Miller, TMH Senior Vice President of Operations, Engineering and Strategic Planning. "Our customers have been asking for specific and sustainable solutions that get the job done. The comprehensive group of products and solutions featured in this historic release represent Toyota's finest engineering and capture the true spirit of collaborative design and function, with all the options, features and versatility our customers need to optimize their operations and meet their strategic initiatives."

To round out the company's unprecedented product launch, TMH introduced four electric pneumatic forklift models, available in capacities ranging from 3,000-17,500 pounds, to provide customers with options that combine strength and versatility while helping address sustainability objectives.

The new product lineup demonstrates Toyota's responsiveness to the growing demand for durable, reliable, energy efficient products with greater versatility and seamless operation across all applications and environments. Nearly 70 percent of material handling products sold in 2021 were electric, and that shift is expected to continue in the years to come. Toyota remains committed to its Vision 2030 goal of significantly reducing the company's carbon footprint.

"Material handling operations are being influenced by multiple mega trends, and we believe this historic product launch will provide our customers with the solutions they need to meet increasing throughput demands," said Jaksa Pejnovic, TMH Vice President of Sales & Marketing. "Consumer buying behaviors are forcing new warehousing strategies to keep up with the explosion of SKUs and the rapid rate of change. We strongly believe the introduction of all of these great new models will help us stay ahead of the industry's rapid electrification transformation by providing our customers with solutions for any material handling challenge."

The entire product lineup is backed by Toyota's industry-leading nationwide dealer network, Toyota 360 Support and service guarantee, plus the unparalleled reputation and quality inherent in products manufactured with the world-renowned Toyota Production System (TPS), Toyota Lean Management, and Toyota's Five "S" System (5S). These elements, combined with Toyota's System of Active Stability (SAS) technology and all-new Smart Environment Sensor (SEnS) pedestrian detection system, provide customers with confidence in the operational safety of their equipment.

Learn more about the power, productivity and versatility of these new models in Toyota Material Handling's growing lineup of electric forklifts at ToyotaForklift.com.

About Toyota Material Handling

Toyota Material Handling offers material handling products and solutions, including forklifts, reach trucks, order pickers, pallet jacks, container handlers, automated guided vehicles, and tow tractors, along with aerial work platforms, fleet management services, and advanced automation engineering and design. Toyota's commitment to quality, reliability and customer satisfaction extends throughout more than 230 locations across North America. Built for every application, Toyota can provide the most complete set of solutions for material handling, automation, energy, advanced logistics, and warehouse optimization. For more information or to learn more, visit ToyotaForklift.com.

CONTACT

Lisa Van Hook

The Communications Group

501-425-8092

Lvanhook@comgroup.com

Justin Albers

Toyota Material Handling

812-350-9739

Justin.Albers@toyotatmh.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toyota-material-handling-introduces-22-new-electric-models-in-historic-product-launch-301455805.html

SOURCE Toyota Material Handling
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A 19-year-old steered clear of gangs, but his red jacket got him killed anyway by two men who asked if he was a member of the Bloods, police said Friday.

Victim Cristobal Alfredo Ixquier Mejia was drinking at a deli at 147th Place and Jamaica Ave. in Jamaica when two suspects approached and asked about his choice of clothing, police said.

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Red is the signature color of the Bloods.

The question sparked a fistfight that spilled outside just before 10 p.m., police said. Mejia was shot in the chest.

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Murder victim Cristobal Alfredo Ixquier Mejia

My brother wasnt in any type of group or gang, Mejias heartbroken older brother Antonio Rolando Ixquier Mejia, 23, told the Daily News.

An NYPD spokesman said there is no indication Mejia had gang ties.

Antonio recalled walking with another sibling, Diego Federico Ixquier Mejia, to the deli when they saw their younger brother fighting for his life with the two suspects  one of whom was wearing blue.

Diego Federico Ixquier Mejia, 21, was with his brothers Cristobal and Antonio when they were attacked. (Liam Quigley/New York Daily News)

Blue is associated with the Bloods rival gang, the Crips.

The guy just punched my brother, Diego, 21, told The News, adding that the attack appeared unprovoked.

Cristobal managed to break away from his attacker and ran a few blocks toward Jamaica Ave., but one of the suspects opened fire, Diego said.

He had a pistol, and then he shot my brother, Diego added. We ran to the park, shouting for the police.

The deli where the altercation began. (Liam Quigley/New York Daily News)

Responding officers arrested Shareese Smith near the scene and charged him with murder and gun possession. Police found a 9-mm handgun, but it wasnt immediately clear whether Smith is suspected of firing the fatal shot.

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Smith has two sealed arrests on his record, police sources said. Efforts to find his family were unsuccessful.

The second man ran off and was still being sought.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

Medics rushed Cristobal to Jamaica Hospital but he could not be saved.

Police investigate a shooting on 147th Place and Jamaica Avenue in Queens on Thursday night. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)

A clerk at the deli vouched for Cristobal and his siblings.

Theyre good kids. I dont have any problem with them. They come here once in a while. Its unfortunate what happened, maybe something was lost in translation, he said.

Cristobal emigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala when he was 15 and worked at a nearby car wash. Antonio Lenares, a manager at the car wash, said he frequently warned the teen about his fashion choices.

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He always had a red T-shirt. I told him dont wear that one, Lenares, 50, said. People might get confused. He didnt have a long time in the country.

His family was stunned to learn that Cristobal was killed over the color of his jacket.

I just want to know why they killed my son, his grieving father, Ixquier Tzaj Santos, said.
Its been more than six months since the Mohave County Board of Supervisors pledged to take a closer look at affordable housing  or rather, t
Since this is International Dark Sky Week, it seemed like a perfect time to addres
From U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

From U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

From U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Snow covers the ice over the Missouri River in the James Kipp Recreation Area. The recreation area has closed for the winter season.

The James Kipp Recreation Area will temporarily close for the 2022 winter season, starting Jan. 18, according to Bureau of Land Management officials at the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.

Day-use areas, including the boat ramp, fish-cleaning station and restroom facilities, will be inaccessible throughout the winter closure. The James Kipp Recreation Area is scheduled to reopen April 1.

"The river surface is now frozen over," said Paul Sever, a BLM outdoor recreation planner at the monument. "It is not safe or accessible for recreation."

Looking for something to do during the freezing winter temperatures? The Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center in Fort Benton, Montana, welcomes winter visitors from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For more information or answers to questions, please call the BLM at 406-622-4000, or visit the interpretive center's website at https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/missouri-breaks-interpretive-center .
The allegations of the head of the Turkish occupation state, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, directed at Muslims in particular regarding his "protection of the Islamic community", and the recent targeting of his army and mercenaries loyal to him in a mosque in Zarkan district, show the falsehood of the Turkish president's allegations.

Erdogan seeks, playing on the religious chord, seeks to restore the fading Ottoman Empire and achieve his political gains in the Middle East, using religion as a political tool to cover his practices and justify his crime."

Distortion of the Islamic truth

In this regard, the head of the Qadri Sufi Order in Syria, Sheikh Muhammad al-Qadri, explained to our agency that what Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan practices against peoples under the name of Islam is completely contrary to the divine principles and the Holy Quran, and that his policies are considered hostility and distortion of the Islamic truth.

According to Qadri the words of God: "(It is the darkest of those who prevent the mosques of Allah to mention his name and sought to mess those what they had to enter it only scared them in this world and shame them in the Hereafter a great punishment) that is not a darker than those who denied Allah in mosques, from establishing prayer, or they sought to destroy it by demolishing it or preventing the believers from it, and everyone who has this characteristic will have a severe punishment in the Hereafter.

Since the beginning of the Turkish occupation launching attacks on northern and eastern Syria, it has targeted holy places for the peoples of the region, the last of which was the bombing of the Zarkan district mosque of Hasaka canton on December 30, 2021.

'launches attacks on the Muslims'

Sheikh Muhammad al-Qadri referred to the Turkish occupation armys targeting of places of worship in its attacks on the region, saying: Erdogan clearly contradicts his speeches and actions on the ground to achieve his personal interests at the expense of the blood of the people, and thus he distorts the principles of true Islam.

On the third day of the Turkish occupation army's attack on Serekaniye / Ras al-Ain, northern and eastern Syria on October 9, 2019, the "Bukhari" Mosque, which is located in the center of the city, was bombed.

During a special statement to our agency, the co-chair of the Tel Tamer district council, Jiwan Mullah Ayoub, explained that the Turkish occupation targeted two places of worship in the villages of Tawila and Dardara, in the district of Tel Tamer in Hasaka canton.

On May 30, 2020, sources from the occupied canton of Afrin reported that the "Samarkand" mercenaries of the Turkish occupation had turned a mosque in the Mobata district into a detention to torture women, in addition to targeting the Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi mosque in Janders district of the occupied canton of Afrin with heavy artillery.

Al-Qadri stressed that Erdogan and his policies are nothing but a continuation of "the filth of the Ottoman Caliphate and its predecessors, who pursued unjust violations against peoples under the name of Islam. True Islam does not accept these practices and policies at all."

'NE Syria represent the true and sacred principles of Islam'

Al-Qadri indicated that in northern and eastern Syria they represent the true and sacred principles of Islam, where each component practices its religion and belief freely and democratically, and preserves the holy sites of all monotheistic faiths and religions, and added: "It is the right of every people in the Middle East and the world to practice their religion and belief freely."

The crimes of the Turkish occupation were not limited to Muslims only. Its mercenaries practiced the most heinous violations and crimes against the Yazidis and Alawites in the occupied city of Afrin, where they imposed Islam on the Yazidis and imposed the Sunni doctrine on the Alawites, forcing them to attend mosques and pronounce the two testimonies.

Sources from the occupied city of Afrin told our agency that the mercenaries of the Turkish occupation destroyed the headquarters of the Yazidis Union in Afrin, and destroyed the statue of Zarathustra and the dome model of Lalish that were placed in it, in addition to the mercenaries of the occupation stole and exhumed the graves of the Yezidis and destroyed them in Afrin and Serekaniye.

'He uses Islam to impose his hegemony'

Sheikh Muhammad al-Qadri stressed: "We will remain true to our religion and our principles, and we will continue the path of resistance in achieving the words of God Almighty, and all religions and beliefs in northern and eastern Syria will remain one hand, and we will achieve the democracy of all religions on the ground."

Al-Qadri explained that Turkey uses Islam to occupy the lands and neighboring countries in order to end the rights of the peoples of these countries, and added: "The Kurds are also among the servants of God Almighty, and despite that, Turkey sees this people as its main enemy."

At the conclusion of his speech, Sheikh Muhammad al-Qadri noted the use of Islam by the Turkish occupation state to impose its authority on society from a psychological and moral point of view, and said: Despite all its attempts, it has not been able to use this policy in practice to influence the people of northern and eastern Syria."

A

ANHA
Nicolas Cage is set to be a father for the third time.

The Pig star and his wife Riko Shibata are believed to be expecting their first child together, which will see Nicolas become a dad for the third time after previously welcoming sons Kal-El, 16, and Weston, 31.

A representative for the couple confirmed the news to People magazine and added: "The parents-to-be are elated!"

Nicolas, 57, tied the knot with Riko during a "very small and intimate wedding at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas" on February 16 last year.

The film icon later said: "It's true, and we are very happy.

According to a state of Nevada marriage certificate, Riko has taken Nicolas surname, and the document also stated the couple applied for their wedding license on January 10, which was the same day as Rikos 26th birthday.

Meanwhile, Nicolas recently said he first realised he had a lot in common with Riko when they were discussing their shared love of animals.

Riko told Nicolas she had two pet sugar gliders  which are also known as flying squirrels  and the National Treasure actor knew there would be sparks between them.

He explained: "We met in Japan and I thought she was stunning when I met her. We had a lot in common. She likes animals, too, so I asked her, 'Do you have any pets?' And she said, 'Yes, I have flying squirrels.' She had two sugar gliders ... I thought, 'That's it. This this could work out.' 

Nicolas and Riko were first spotted together in February 2020, and the actor confirmed in August that year he was engaged.

He said at the time: She left New York and went back to Kyoto, Japan, and I went back to Nevada, and I haven't seen her for six months.

We're really happy together and we're really excited to spend that time together, so I finally just said Look, I wanna marry you' and we got engaged on FaceTime.

I got her a black diamond engagement ring. Her favourite colour is black, so she wanted the black gold, and the black diamond. I customised and personalised it and I actually sent it to her FedEx.

Their marriage is the first for Riko but the fifth for Nicolas, who has previously been married to Patricia Arquette, Lisa Marie Presley, Alice Kim, and Erika Koike.
A Staten Island grand jury declined to bring homicide charges against a man who said his deadly shotgun blast to his sons chest on New Years Eve was an act of self defense.

Joseph Leone Sr., 57, said he fired his shotgun to save his own life when his 29-year-old son, acting erratically because he was withdrawing from drug abuse, pointed a handgun at him, sources familiar with the case said.

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Police recovered the handgun, sources said.

Police investigate the shooting death of Joseph Leone Jr. outside 1251 Bay St. in Staten Island last Friday. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)

Cops found Joseph Leone Jr. shot in the chest on the sidewalk outside the dads home on Bay St. near Scarboro Ave. in Rosebank about 7:25 p.m. Friday.

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Leone Sr. pointed out to cops the weapon he used. That shotgun in the garbage can  thats the one I shot him with, he told police, according to a criminal complaint.

The grand jury indicted Leone Sr. on two administrative code violations for unlawful possession of firearms, and two more violations for ammo possession  but the murder and manslaughter charges against him didnt stand.

A man who answered the door at Leone Sr.s home declined to speak to a Daily News reporter.

Joseph Leone Jr.s widow told The News on Sunday that the son, an Army veteran, traveled to Staten Island to help his father beat alcoholism, and was killed for his good act.

Joseph Leone Jr., allegedly shot dead by his father. (Obtained by Daily News)

This case is tragic, and Mr. Leone suffers the loss of his son like any parent. But the grand jury rightfully declined to indict on this case after hearing witnesses and reviewing the evidence, said S. Maquita Moody of the Legal Aid Society, which represented Leone Sr.

This is a clear case of self-defense. We will continue to represent Mr. Leone, who has no criminal record and is innocent of his pending misdemeanor charges, and offer other needed support.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

A neighbor, who didnt give his name, said he knows Leone Sr. as a cancer patient and military veteran who enjoyed drinking.

We were all baffled. I could not imagine him shooting his own son, he said. Joe is like everybody else  he has a temper, he gets pissed off, the neighbor said. But I dont see him as the kind of man to shoot his own son for no reason. If it was self defense, he probably feels like hell right now.

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Leone Jr.s widow, Kimberly, who lived with him and their three children in South Carolina, told the Daily News Sunday that her father-in-law was abusive  but Leone Jr., still wanted to help him after he got a call on Dec. 19 that he had fallen down the stairs.

He said, Ill have to go up there and help my daddy recover from alcohol like you helped me to recover from drugs, Kimberly Leone recounted Sunday.

She did not immediately return a message Thursday seeking comment about the grand jurys decision.

My office presented this case to the grand jury following a thorough investigation of all facts and evidence, Staten Island D.A. Michael McMahon said in a statement Thursday. We remain committed to keeping Staten Island safe and will always work tirelessly to ensure justice is served. At this time, our condolences remain with the victims family who have suffered a tragic loss.

With Liam Quigley
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A former youth pastor in Indiana was sentenced to 20 years behind bars for child sex abuse. Hes admitted to molesting several boys, ages 11 to 13, from 2011 to 2019.

Scott Christner pleaded guilty in November to several child-molestation charges.

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The disgraced youth leader, who worked for the First Baptist Church in Goshen, Ind., is starting his sentence on Wednesday.

Christner, his attorney, as well as a character witness he brought up had argued for probation only, but he received the maximum time allowed, according to terms of his plea deal, WNDU-TV reported.

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An Elkhart County judge sentenced him to three 9-year sentences for felonies, and he was ordered to serve 20 of those years in prison, with seven years suspended.

Scott Christner is starting a 20-year prison sentence on Wednesday, which is the most time he could spend behind bars because of the terms of his plea deal.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

During the hearing, Christner said that he was remorseful for the pain hed caused, and he wished he could take it all back, according to WSBT-TV.

One victim, as well as the parents of other victims, were in the courtroom on Wednesday.

A victims father, who attended the hearing, said that hed bring his kids around him for sporting events, birthdays, as well as church functions  unaware of Christners behavior.

Another parent of a victim said in the courtroom, You molested my son at a party. There were other people around.

One of the victims wrote a letter about the former pastors double life, pretending to be a kind, giving man, while also molesting kids.

Christner touched his first victim in 2012, and the abuse continued until as recently as July 2019.

He was arrested four months after that.
The man accused of raping and murdering a 5-year-old Georgia girl is also under investigation for the 2005 death of his 1-month-old daughter.

Jeremy Williams was arrested last month on a capital murder charge in connection with the slaying of Kamarie Holland. She was initially reported missing on Dec. 13 by her mother, Katie Siple, who has since been accused of accepting money from the 37-year-old suspect, who wanted to have sex with her young daughter.

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Jeremy Williams

Kamarie was found dead later the same day inside a house, just across the state border in Phenix City, Ala., once occupied by Williams. He was taken into custody, and in subsequent interviews with investigators alluded to another murder in Alaska. It prompted authorities in North Pole, some 4,200 miles from where Kamarie was found, to reopen their probe into the slaying of Williams infant daughter, Naudia Treniece Williams, Police Chief Steve Dutra confirmed to News 3.

Williams was living at the time with the childs mother, who was stationed in the city with the Air Force. Hes long been a suspect in Naudias murder, though authorities have not yet been able to come up with enough evidence to bring charges against him.

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Police have not released any other details surrounding the infants death.

Kamarie Holland (GoFundMe)

If he is convicted in Kamaries slaying, Williams could face the death penalty. The girls mother, Siple, has also been charged with felony murder and human trafficking. Officials said last week she will likely face additional capital charges for rape, sodomy, and kidnapping while Williams will also likely be charged with the production of child pornography.

They are both being held without bond.
Anderson, IN (46016)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 57F. NNW winds shifting to ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 57F. NNW winds shifting to ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Saint Joseph, MI (49085)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 47F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 47F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
The sister of a California security officer who was gunned down amid protests sparked by the police-involved death of George Floyd has filed a lawsuit against Facebook, alleging the sites algorithm pushed extremist content that ultimately contributed to her brothers fatal shooting.

Dave Patrick Underwood was killed as he guarded the federal courthouse in Oakland on May 29, 2020, just days after 46-year-old Floyds deadly confrontation with Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Video of the incident, which shows Chauvin kneeling down on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes, ignited outrage nationwide, including in California.

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People work outside of a United States Courthouse at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building after protests over the death of George Floyd in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, May 30, 2020. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

Authorities have since charged Steven Carrillo  an Air Force staff sergeant allegedly associated with the far-right, anti-government boogaloo movement  with murder in connection with Underwoods slaying. According to a federal criminal complaint, the 53-year-old suspect connected with an accomplice through a Facebook group centered on the boogaloo movement before stoking violence outside the courthouse, where he also used his own blood to write boog on the hood of a car.

On Thursday, Underwoods sister, Angela, filed a lawsuit in California state court against Meta, Facebooks parent company, accusing the tech giant of neglecting to remove boogaloo-related pages until after her brothers death  despite being fully aware the platform was being used for recruitment and the promotion of dangerous content.

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Instead, the company ignored any risk for potential violence and focused on maximizing profits, according to the suit.

Angela Underwood Jacobs, sister to slain Federal Protective Services Officer Dave Patrick Underwood, right, speaks to media beside family mambers prior to a memorial service for Underwood on Friday, June 19, 2020, in Pinole, Calif. (Ben Margot/AP)

The shooting was not a random act of violence, the suit reads. It was the culmination of an extremist plot hatched and planned on Facebook by two men who Meta connected through Facebooks groups infrastructure and its use of algorithms designed and intended to increase user engagement and, correspondingly, Metas profits.

Lawyers for the grieving sister also emphasized Carrillo would have never met his alleged accomplice, Robert Alvin Justus, Jr., had Facebook not recommend the latter join a Boogaloo group on Facebook.

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, unveiled their new sign at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on, Oct. 28, 2021. (Tony Avelar/AP)

Just hours before Underwood was killed, Carrillo allegedly shared a post with a Facebook group about his plans to attend the George Floyd protests in Oakland, where he would show them the real targets. Use their anger to fuel our fire, he allegedly wrote.

We have mobs of angry people to use to our advantage, Carrillo added, according to federal prosecutors.

Police said the men traveled to Oakland in a white ford van, from which Carrillo opened fire as they approached the courthouse. Justus is also facing charges in connection with Underwoods death, including aiding and abetting for allegedly driving the vehicle, and attempted murder.

The lawsuit comes on the heels of bombshell claims made by Facebook employee Frances Haugen late last year. Like Underwood, Haugen claimed Facebook chooses to maximize profit and growth over public safety.
Uniontown, PA (15401)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

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Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.


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A woman photographed at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection was arrested in connection with a fatal crash in which her car was allegedly being driven on the wrong side of a Missouri interstate.

Emily Hernandez, 22, who was charged with a handful of misdemeanors following the attack on the Capitol, now stands accused of causing the collision that killed Victoria Wilson, 32, and injured her husband in Franklin County, Mo., around 7 p.m. Wednesday.

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Emily Hernandez, left, who is accused of being in the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot, and stealing a broken sign that identified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, turns herself into the St. Louis FBI office, with her attorney Ethan Corlija, on Jan. 19, 2021. (Christian Gooden/AP)

She was driving a 2014 Volkswagen Passat, cops say.

Charges she could face over that encounter include driving while intoxicated resulting in death and driving while intoxicated resulting in injury. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Hernandez was hospitalized after the deadly impact. She was reportedly cited for those alleged infractions by police while being treated at Mercy Hospital.

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[ Woman alleges dead U.S. Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt attacked her when she exposed her extramarital affair ]

The fatal crash fell on the eve of the anniversary of the lethal uprising at the Capitol, where Hernandez was seen holding a broken sign from House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office. Hernandezs lawyer said Wednesdays incident was not intentional. She allegedly plans to plead guilty to a single misdemeanor count regarding the insurrection.

The victim was a mother to two sons, ages 10 and 15. She worked with mentally challenged children. Ryan and Victoria Wilson were driving home from an anniversary dinner at Applebees when their car was struck, according to the dead womans mother, Tonie Donaldson. Sunday would have marked their 15th year of marriage.

Donaldson wondered why the woman accused of running into her daughters car was allegedly drunk at 7 p.m. and not in jail.

With what she did to the government, why is she still walking the street?Donaldson asked the Post-Dispatch.

With News Wire Services
The photo shows Gao Hao, a 21-year-old student of Suzhou College is donating hematopoietic stem cells at the Hematology Department of Anhui Provincial Hospital on December 30, 2021. Gao was discharged from hospital on January 1 after successfully donating 288-ml of hematopoietic stem cell suspension to an 11-year-old patient in Guangdong Province. (Photo by Li Bo, Liu Yucai)

The photo shows citizens donating blood at Silihe sub-district in Luyang District, Hefei City. The blood donation campaign organized by the sub-district office and Hefei Central Blood Bank lasted for two days, collecting a total of 27,000 milliliters of blood.
More like Ken-stucky.

Snow blanketed Kentucky roads Thursday, causing more than 200 car crashes across the state and multiple reported pileups involving dozens of cars.

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Ten miles of Interstate 64 were closed because of a 75-car backup around Mt. Sterling, according to Lexington CBS affiliate WKYT. One of the stations reporters spent seven hours in traffic on Interstate 75.

We had to power down for our 6 p.m. live shot for the moment because were seeing some movement in the right lane. Hoping things are beginning to open up ahead of us. pic.twitter.com/3dpLWbhdAV  Garrett Wymer (@GarrettWKYT) January 6, 2022

About 100 miles west, the city of Elizabethtown reported a 20-30 car pileup on the Western Kentucky Parkway.

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Roads are BAD, read a post on the towns Facebook page. Pockets of highways across the state were shutdown as emergency crews worked to clear stuck vehicles.

Incredible video from the massive pileup on the Western Kentucky Parkway. #kywx pic.twitter.com/Bb3Aab1lvQ  Chris Bailey (@Kentuckyweather) January 6, 2022

Around Louisville, 144 car crashes were reported, though authorities said no one was killed or seriously injured, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.

In Lexington, the states second-most populous city, police tallied 119 crashes, the Lexington Herald Leader reported.

Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency Thursday evening and called up the Kentucky National Guard.

Folks, were seeing hazardous road conditions across the commonwealth, Beshear tweeted. Please stay home.

No deaths from the storm had been reported as of Thursday night, but first responders had difficulty simply reaching all areas of the state because snow covered so many roads.

A state traffic map showed highways snarled across the state, most notably I-75 for 75 miles south from Lexington to London. Essentially all major roads around Elizabethtown, about 35 miles south of Louisville, were also backed up, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinets map.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a stern warning regarding the risk of rabies after five Americans died from the disease last year  the largest toll in the last decade.

Three deaths alone occurred over the course of just six weeks, between Sept. 28 and Nov. 10, 2021, according to a CDC report released on Thursday. In each of these cases, people either trivialized the exposure (to bats) or they didnt recognize the severity of rabies, said CDC rabies expert and study co-author Ryan Wallace.

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Rabies, a viral disease typically transmitted to humans through an infected animal, can be deadly within just a few weeks of symptoms emerging. It is however, treatable with a series of five shots that must be administered within 14 days of exposure.

Three deaths alone occurred over the course of just six weeks, between September 28November 10, 2021, according to a CDC report released on Thursday. (Shutterstock)

In one instance last year, an 80-year-old man from Illinois refused lifesaving treatment due to a long-standing fear of vaccines. An Idaho man and a boy in Texas also opted against getting their shots, both of them under the impression that no bat bite or scratch broke their skin.

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According to the CDC report, a Minnesota man who was also bitten by a bat died earlier in 2021 despite seeking out treatment. Officials said the shots were rendered ineffective by an immune system condition, which had been undiagnosed at the time.

The fifth victim was bitten by a rabid dog during a trip to the Philippines and died in New York shortly after returning to the United States.

In each case, sufferers exhibited symptoms including altered mental status, paralysis, seizure-like activity and autonomic instability. Other symptoms can include insomnia, anxiety, confusion, salivating, hallucinations, difficulty swallowing and fear of water.

We have come a long way in the United States toward reducing the number of people who become infected each year with rabies, but this recent spate of cases is a sobering reminder that contact with bats poses a real health risk, Wallace said.

In 2019 and 2020, no rabies deaths were recorded. Officials suspect the spike could be due to a lack of awareness regarding the risks of rabies and how to handle a potential exposure. They recommend avoiding contact with bats when possible and seeking out treatment immediately after coming into contact with an animal that may have been infected.

With News Wire Services
White Lodging, one of the largest independent hotel development and management companies in the United States, has named Jean-Luc Barone the Chief Executive Officer of the hotel management company. Ken Barrett, who previously held this role, will continue to serve as President of White Lodging, focused on the performance of the company's owned assets and other key company initiatives. Both Barone and Barrett will report to White Lodging Founder and Chairman, Bruce White.

Barone joined White Lodging in 2016 as the Vice President of Food & Beverage, and most recently served as the company's Chief Operating Officer, a position he has held since 2018. Filling the now-open Chief Operating Officer position is David Lanterman, current Senior Vice President of Operations at White Lodging.

Barone is responsible for all of White Lodging's hospitality management operations, including new hotel openings; concept creation and execution; and the award-winning Brush Creek Luxury Ranch Collection. Prior to joining White Lodging, Barone spent 16 years with Starwood Hotels in a variety of operation roles, including Vice President of Global Food & Beverage for Starwood hotels
As Global President Hospitality at ASSA ABLOY Hospitality, Markus Boberg is responsible for maintaining relationships with key clients within hospitality markets worldwide. Based in Stockholm and a member of the ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions team since 2015, Boberg is a seasoned sales and marketing professional with more than 15 years of experience. His expertise is key in identifying and providing hoteliers with cutting-edge solutions that address their specific security access needs. Such industry leading innovations include state-of-the-art electronic door locks, safes and digital key-issuing platforms. Prior to joining ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions, Boberg held numerous notable positions including being appointed vice president of sales and marketing for Lernia AB, where he leveraged his skills to build a successful digital and indirect sales strategy. Also participating in the creation of ecosystems and partnerships, Boberg is credited for his efforts in assisting the company with taking its business revenues to the next level. Additional roles previously held by Boberg include business area manager at STANLEY Security, and vice president of sales and marketing at Extenda AB, where he was responsible for establishing a sales pipe from the ground up, and creating three successful sales channels via strategic global partnerships. Boberg holds an MBA, along with a Masters in Public Administration and Business/Managerial Economics from Stockholm University. He also holds an MBA Masters in Public Administration from Gothenburg University.
2021 was an interesting time for the hospitality industry. One company took it in their stride and never waivered, opening hotels throughout the UK and tripling the number of employees. They are now looking to the new year with positivity and a busy pipeline.

As operator for almost all the UK Moxy Hotels owned by Marriott, Hotel Co. 51 currently has 14 hotels open with 3,181 bedrooms. 10 hotels re-opened last year after Covid and they launched 4 brand new properties in 2021 which added a further 930 bedrooms to their portfolio includi ng a Courtyard by Marriott and Moxy both at the SEC in Glasgow.

Looking ahead to this year, the UK will welcome 3 properties with a total of over 600 bedrooms including Moxy Bristol and an AC Hotel in Inverness. They will also launch 4 hotels in Europe including Paris, Dortmund and Berlin.

So far, they have created over 160 new jobs, starting in January last year with 79 employees and ending in December on 243. The workforce reflects the variety of the international clientele, with a team of 33 nationalities and multiple languages spoken in all hotels. They will create another wealth of jobs this year when Moxy Bristol opens in February as well as continuing to recruit for all the other hotels they manage.

Hotel Co. 51 have also worked hard on its sustainability credentials for each hotel and that will continue to be a big part of their strategy going forward. Thanks to their funky LED lights that feature heavily throughout each hotel, even th e LEED certifying body (US Green Building Council) were pleasantly surprised by the low energy consumption, before granting the first of many LEED certifications to the buildings. As of today, 4 hotels have received Platinum status, and 8 Gold, while 2 hotels hold BREEAM status. Another important step was to switch from grey gas & power to green energy, reducing the CO2 utility consumption by a minimum of 75% per hotel. Their modular builds and no plastic policy in their bars and restaurants are an integral part in their continuous effort towards sustainability.

John Farrelly, Corporate Commercial Lead for Hotel Co. 51 commented; Last year was a difficult year of trading across the board for the hospitality sector, but we have remained positive and continued to open hotels, even during lockdown. We ended last year on a high after the success of opening two hotels in time for COP26 and saw both properties full for the duration of the conference. We have big plan s this year and will be opening a further 7 properties across the UK and Europe, bringing the total to 41 under our belts by the end of 2022. And the plan will continue unabated for 2023 as we have already a number of locations earmarked to add to our portfolio.

About Hotel Co. 51

Hotel Co. 51 is an independent European Hotel Operator of Moxy, Courtyard By Marriott, and Residence Inn, founded in Amsterdam in 2020 to support development and operations for the new hotel openings. The company is currently operating 34 properties in 8 countries (The Netherlands, France, UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Norway and Poland) and expanding its reach with new properties in key markets. The companys pipeline includes hotels in European strategic cities and airports.
Texas experienced a routine cold snap over New Years weekend, but it was enough to take up to a quarter of natural gas operations briefly offline, release tons of methane into the atmosphere and send prices higher, reminiscent of the freeze last year that killed 246 people.

No one died, nor did the systems burp cause power outages. But the dip does raise questions about what would happen if another polar vortex dropped into Texas and whether officials have done enough to protect the electric grid.

A team of reporters at the Bloomberg news agency first reported how instruments froze, output plunged and companies spewed a miasma of pollutants into the atmosphere in a bid to keep operations stable.

TOMLINSON S TAKE: How to fix the Texas power grid in 5 difficult steps

Texas natural gas suppliers released or burned nearly 1 million cubic feet of natural gas, according to compulsory filings with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

BloombergNEF data showed natural gas production sharply dropping at a rate unseen since last February.

The dozen or so affected facilities reported also releasing 85 tons of sulfur dioxide and 11 tons of carbon monoxide. All because corporations did not adequately prepare their equipment for temperatures frequently seen in West Texas.

The incidents show that our fossil fuel-dependent energy system continues to be unreliable, polluting, and unprepared for the impacts of the climate crisis, the Lone Star Sierra Club said in a statement. Not only did these incidents release pollution that harms public health, they led to a dip in supply that impacted gas and electricity prices for millions of Texans.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

The Reuters news agency reported Monday that national natural gas prices rose 2 percent after the cold in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado.

Gas prices have been falling recently with the rise in production but gained on Monday as the freeze-offs disconcerted the market, John Abeln, senior analyst of natural gas research at data provider Refinitiv, told Reuters.

Natural gas production in the lower 48 states dropped by 2.8 billion cubic feet per day during the freeze. Most of that went offline in Texas, Abeln added.

The Texas Railroad Commission regulates natural gas production. Last year, commissioners announced new rules to improve reliability, but those will not take effect until 2023.

I asked the commission for their take on what happened and what it says about the resiliency of natural gas and its role supporting the electric grid in times of crisis. Spokesperson Andrew Keese said the commission had seen no indications of a problem over the weekend.

The agency has not received any information suggesting that production decreased anywhere near the extent some media outlets have reported, he wrote in an email. Pipeline nominations are not the best data source to estimate real-time production changes, especially given markets were closed for the holiday weekend.

During the weekend and after, producers did not report any major disruption of gas production, Keese added.

In other words, the Railroad Commission says there is nothing to see here. But thats not true.

Natural gas companies did report releasing dangerous and harmful gases because their equipment froze. Refinitiv, which supplies critical information to commodity traders, only makes money from providing accurate data.

Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Railroad commissioners, meanwhile, have been trying to convince Texans to look the other way for decades. More than two-thirds of their campaign donations come from the industry they regulate, and their rules around safety and environmental protection are the weakest in the nation.

After the February freeze, then-Chair Christi Craddick denied the natural gas industry was responsible for the blackouts. Six months later, however, federal investigators proved they were the main trigger for the disaster.

Current Chair Wayne Christian distributes misleading statistics on social media, blaming wind and solar generation for the blackouts, doing his best to acquit his donors of any fault. He refuses to acknowledge how the Texas electric grid was designed to rely on natural gas in an emergency. When we needed them most, the companies he oversees failed to deliver.

TOMLINSONS TAKE: Overseers of Texas electricity moving fast and loose with grid changes

According to Bloomberg, Pioneer Natural Resources reported releasing most of the greenhouse gases over the weekend. I left a message with their media relations manager, who did not return my call, just as they ignored Bloombergs call.

Pioneers PAC was Christians largest donor at $10,000 during the 2020 election cycle, according to Open Secrets, a campaign finance tracking site.

Texans are unlikely to see another polar vortex this year. But that should not breed complacency.

The weekend burp proves the Railroad Commission is still doing more to protect the industry from regulation than Texans from frostbite. Voters should keep that in mind as Christian runs for reelection this year.

NOTE: Bloomberg issued a correction stating that natural gas companies released or burned 1 million cubic feet of natural gas, not 1 billion. This column was updated to reflect that correction.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The shale industry is no stranger to accusations of promising more oil than it could deliver and spending shareholders money unwisely, but one group of alleged Ponzi schemers in Texas took that to a whole new level.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week sued Heartland Group Ventures LLC, its founders and a slew of affiliates who raised $122 million from more than 700 investors from at least October 2018 and October 2021. The defendants only spent about half of the money they raised on oil and gas projects in the Permian Basin, generating less than $500,000 in revenue, according to the suit filed in a Chicago federal court.
WASHINGTON  On a recent Sunday afternoon a television ad ran in Washington, D.C., showing a young couple out on the town for the evening. They are dressed stylishly  of the sort who might slam Big Oil on social media  and then all of a sudden their night falls into chaos.

Their sneakers, their smart phones, their eyeglasses all disappear, along with the tires on their ride share. A spokesman asks, What if we lived in a world without oil and gas?

What might seem a standard piece of oil industry marketing quickly drew jeers online  one Twitter commenter proclaimed Criiiinnnnnnggggggeeeeeeeeeeeee  illustrating the challenges the industry faces as it tries to shape opinion on the energy transition without alienating a public already suspicious of oil companies.

With President Joe Biden pushing hard on climate policy, the U.S. oil and gas industry is in the middle of an advertising push to try to protect their share of an energy marketplace that is shifting away from their products. But how to best market themselves in the current political climate is an increasingly tricky task for executives. They must simultaneously declare their commitment to addressing climate change while reminding the public of the need for oil and natural gas  all while separating themselves from their climate denial of the past.

People are trying to figure out their lane, said Frank Maisano, a Washington public relations consultant at the law firm Bracewell. Energy Transfer is trying to remind people how important oil and gas is in our lives. Exxon Mobil is spending a lot on Spotify ads that are very technology focused. And Ive been pummeled with Saudi Aramco ads about hydrogen.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Big Oil cautions against disruptive energy transition

While they generally share the same message about their commitment to clean energy, oil companies take different approaches when it comes to the role of their products in society. European companies like BP and Royal Dutch Shell generally stay quiet about their petroleum businesses while promoting their investments in wind and solar. But some U.S. companies and their lobbyists are vocal in warning of the dangers of shifting off fossil fuels too quickly.

A case in point is the ad with the young couple, run by the Dallas-based pipeline company Energy Transfer. It was conceived out of the belief held by Kelcy Warren, the companys founder and chairman, along with other executives, that the public, particularly younger people, do not understand how integral oil and gas is to their lives, said Vicki Granado, vice president of corporate communications at Energy Transfer.

They think theyre going to buy an electric vehicle and theyre not going to need fossil fuels anymore, but they will, she said. Its not something you would normally expect from a pipeline company, but if we as an industry dont step forward to educate people, then no one else is going to do it for us.

But where Warren might see a void in messaging ready to be filled, others see a case of overly aggressive, in-your-face advertising, reminiscent of the industrys campaigns of the late 1990s questioning the science of climate change.

Weve spent a lot of money trying to figure out the best message, and weve found this methodology, where youre saying youre going to lose all these things if you dont embrace natural gas and oil, its not at all well received by the focus groups, said a lobbyist for an industry trade group, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of concern for alienating Energy Transfer. Its this threatening message thats counter intuitive to everything were trying to do as an industry. Its the big bad bogeyman is going to take away your stuff.

Once a side issue in U.S. politics, climate change has risen to the forefront in recent years amid increasingly unusual weather events, whether its late season wildfires in California or unusually large rainfalls in Houston. And, according scientists, those effects are only going to worsen in the decades ahead.

Environmental groups have targeted pipeline and LNG projects for litigation, tying up companies for years in court and, in some instances, halting construction altogether.

At the same time, investors are pressuring oil companies to reduce emissions. In May, Exxon Mobil lost two board seats to an activist hedge fund that stressed to shareholders that the companys executives werent taking climate change seriously.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Big Oil CEOs to face questions on 'misleading' ad campaigns in climate hearing

The oil and gas industry in the United States is really feeling the change in social sensibility, said Mark Brownstein, senior vice president of energy at the Environmental Defense Fund. Climate change is not a philosophical thing. Its confronting the reality that continuing to put huge amounts of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere is driving us toward an unlivable planet.

In recent years, Exxon and other large oil companies have worked to improve their image by advertising their energy expertise, pointing to research into technologies such as algae-based biofuels and capturing carbon dioxide for underground storage and making the case that society needs them if it is to successfully reduce emissions.

But they face an uphill climb. After decades of oil spills, misinformation and massive profits, the publics poor perception of the oil industry is unlikely to be changed by advertising alone, said Lan Ni, a University of Houston professor who studies public relations.

Im not sure how much change (advertising) can bring to peoples emotional behavior, she said. Oil companies should be doing more community engagement. This might be difficult, but they should try to sit down and try to find some common ground. If the companies are just trying to dismiss the communities concerns, it will only increase the distrust and the hostility.

Paul Sakuma, STF / Associated Press

For now, oil and gas companies are focused on using social media to counter environmental campaigns against them.

In 2020, oil companies and their trade groups produced more than 25,000 ads on Facebook alone, which were seen more than 430 million times, according to the British nonprofit InfluenceMap, which tracks the impact of businesses on climate change.

The ads ramped up in the runup to the presidential election in November 2020, and now analysts are seeing a similar uptick as Congress debates Bidens $2 trillion spending bill, which includes a methane tax opposed by the oil and gas sector, said Dylan Tanner, executive director of Influence Map.

Almost half those ads were about the industrys efforts to address climate change, with another 31 percent addressing the necessity of oil and gas in our everyday lives.

Theres a range of approaches, anything but the climate denial of the past, Tanner said. Our research shows this kind of (ad) spending is highest during these electoral moments. Its very strategic. They focus on the swing states. Members of Congress see these ads and it can influence how they vote.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Exxon warns investors of climate risk to its oil and gas assets

For many oil companies, the long-term mission is to build enough of a relationship with government officials to get a seat at the table when it comes to deciding how to shift the worlds economies toward clean energy.

Oil and gas executives believe that their firms have unmatched expertise in delivering energy, which will be sorely needed in the future whether its wind power or oil. But so far, convincing elected officials of that is proving difficult, said a public relations staffer at one major oil company.

At COP26 (the climate summit in Glasgow this year) there were people who didnt want oil and gas there, said the individual, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, to discuss sensitive relationships with government officials. For us, we want to play a role.

james.osborne@chron.com
Marvy Finger prospered over 63 years in the real estate industry by following a simple strategy of developing and operating apartment complexes at prime locations, but hardly ever selling them.

But last year, with apartment values spiking 50 percent and an institutional investment group on the prowl for acquisitions, Finger revisited the strategy that had built a nationwide portfolio of properties. He thought about his own investors and wondered: Would it be irresponsible not to consider a sale?

Weve never had this type of overnight growth, he thought at the time. Its a one-time opportunity.

Last month, Finger closed a deal with a venture led by Greystar Real Estate Partners of Charleston, S.C. to sell 20 of his properties for $2 billion, a payoff for more than six decades of patient investing, smart development and careful management. Over the years, his holdings grew to more than 28,000 units, anchoring a real estate empire informed by a perfectionists approach to detail, an instinctual eye for design and the patience to acquire only what he considered premier sites.

Finger, 86, could have sold all his apartments but decided against it. Well, then what would I do? he asked.

His company continues to own and manage 14 properties, including several newer buildings in Houston, apartments in Denver, Chicago and Los Angeles, and the first complex he built  a rambling, two-story property in Bellaire called Colony Oaks.

The apartment development business has been a way of life for me for these 60 years, he said.

Long on confidence

Fingers life in apartment development was far from planned. Growing up in the Almeda area near Hermann Park, Finger assumed he would join Finger Furniture, the company co-founded by his father, Hyman. As a teenager, however, his father sold his part of the business, leaving Finger to consider other careers.

After graduating from San Jacinto High School, Finger earned a degree in business administration at the University of Texas at Austin in 1957. He then went to work for a small homebuilder, a short experience that would prime his future as an apartment developer.

After the builder died unexpectedly, Finger was asked to complete a 32-unit apartment complex. Finger, who knew nothing about building apartments, said: Well of course I can do that. Thats my specialty!

On HoustonChronicle.com: Apartment industry icon Marvy Finger sells 20 properties in $2 billion transaction

The mortgage banker financing that project was the late Ben G. McGuire, who became a prominent figure in Houstons real estate finance industry.

Because I finished this little apartment, he took me under his wing and said, Let me be your mentor. Let me show you how to build your own development, Finger says. That was really my being at the right place at the right time.

With newly found confidence, Finger launched his own company. He built his first complex and collected a 3 percent management fee, which at the time was around $3,500 per month. He said he never thought about selling because he was literally living off the fee.

As Finger expanded, he focused on finding and developing the best locations that would appreciate over time. He built near parks, high-end grocery stores and office towers.

Finger has always prioritized location. Hell only buy what he thinks are the best sites  those he considers to be Main and Main locations. If five are available in one year, hell buy them all. If none are available, hell wait.

Part of what makes Finger different from other developers, is he focuses on long-term real estate values, not fees or profits he can gain by building and flipping properties, business associates said. He enjoys running the business and making decisions about design and amenities that make his units stand out.

To Finger, each project is a badge of honor, said Barry Nekritz, Fingers longtime lawyer. I think he falls in love with his projects.

Details, details, details

Finger, president, CEO and chairman of the Finger Cos., has maintained the same routine for decades. He goes to the gym around 5:30 a.m. (though he now rides a stationary bike instead of playing racquetball or squash) and then heads to work for the remainder of the day.

His work schedule includes regular meetings with property managers, his executive team and the companys architects and designers. He remains involved in marketing initiatives, and is often on calls with lawyers, bankers and construction supervisors.

If its Friday at 6 oclock and you need to talk to Marvy Finger, you call his office,. said Scott Galloway, executive managing director at JLL Capital Markets. Hell be there with a tie on.

Finger often finds it difficult to detach from work. Nekritz recalled walking with Finger down a street in Aspen, Colo. years ago. They came to a corner  Main and Main, you might say  and Finger stopped. He began describing an apartment complex he could build there. He had it all planned out in his head.

His genius is in the imagination to see things that others cant see, Nekritz said.

Finger thinks big, but also sweats the tiniest details. Michael Morgan, chairman of the Houston-based Morgan apartment development firm, has always looked up to Finger as a mentor. Years ago, while having lunch, Finger discussed the benefits of gas stoves over electric ranges, pointing out that electric ranges can get scratched easily if they're not properly cleaned.

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Morgan recently moved into one of his companys apartments because hes renovating his familys home. He chuckled at what he found.

It has an electric range and its all scratched, he said. He was right.

Morgan first met Finger more than 30 years, when Morgan was just starting at his familys apartment business. When Morgan considered buying his first complex, a building in the Galleria he wanted to renovate, he asked Finger if hed take a look at it.

He spent two hours with me walking the property, said Morgan, who decided not to buy because Finger found too many problems. In my eyes, hes the best real estate guy in the city, so to get feedback from him was worthwhile.

Against type

If Finger is a real estate mogul, he plays against type. His last car - he stopped driving after partially losing his eyesight from an infection - was a 10-year-old BMW sedan. Amid the sprawling mansions of River Oaks, he lives in a three-bedroom home with his wife, Elaine, and cat, Esther.

He wears penny loafers, and his cuffs are frayed, Galloway said. Hell be so happy in telling me about this great $20 wine he found.

What he doesnt spend on himself, he spends on others. He is generous with both his time and money, with a genuine concern for other people. When negotiating the sale of his properties, Finger insisted that Greystar keep the maintenance staff, some of whom were on Fingers payroll for 25 years.

In 2013, Finger and his wife Elaine launched a family foundation to help high school graduates from low-income and primarily minority households learn a licensed or certified trade. Graduates from the Houston Independent School District earn scholarships to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books and program equipment for two years at a Houston-area community college.

In the first year, the program awarded eight scholarships. In this school year, the foundation will provide 100 scholarships.

We dont offer a trade that pays less than $25 an hour at beginning salary, Finger said of the program.

In 2019, the foundation also added a food component to the scholarship program through a partnership with the Houston Food Bank. Scholarship students are able receive 60 pounds of food twice a month.

Finger said the foundation has been the most rewarding experience of his life because it is helping young people in real need and changing the outcomes of families who might otherwise have been stuck in a cycle of poverty.

While philanthropy has taken more of his focus lately, that doesnt mean hes stopped chasing the next deal or prime piece of property.

Im cautiously optimistic that well be developing in some phase of real estate immediately after the sale, Finger said. Just looking for another Main and Main location.
David and Jennifer Bradshaw thought they were in the clear when Hurricane Harveys rains started to dwindle. Theyd evacuated because of rising water in the street and were nearly ready to celebrate when the Addicks and Barker reservoirs were released  a move that changed life for thousands of west Houston residents.

The Bradshaws had lived in their Yorkshire home since 1999 and, in the years leading up to the 2017 hurricane, had remodeled and expanded the 1960s-era ranch-style home to 3,700 square feet. The reservoir release sent about a foot of water into their home, where it sat for several days.

They found themselves in the same position as so many others, deciding what to do next: muck and gut and remodel again; demolish and build new; or scrap it all and move somewhere else.

Ultimately, they decided to tear down the house, raise the lot by 2 feet and start over. While it far from covered all of their costs, they felt lucky to have a good flood insurance policy that Jennifer had taken out a year prior.

Part of their search sent them to open houses, where they considered spec homes, gathered ideas and met builders, including Stuart Beken of Metropolitan Custom Homes, who they hired along with architect Alan Kent and their longtime friend and interior designer Joani Scaff of Paisley House.

The Bradshaws, married for 34 years, are a fun-loving couple who have long hosted fundraisers, baby and wedding showers, and all kinds of parties for friends and family. But a recent Christmas party for 125 people was the first event theyve been able to host since moving into their new 6,300-square-foot home in August 2019.

The original house sat empty for more than a year as they figured out what they were going to do. Once they knew, they donated the homes contents to Habitat for Humanity, which came in and stripped out everything  from cabinets and lighting to upstairs hardwood flooring and the brick exterior.

Not long after they moved in, Jennifers father became ill and moved in with them, turning their first-floor guest room into a hospital room. After he passed away, her mother used it while recuperating from knee replacement surgery.

Then COVID hit and the prospective empty nesters  two sons are grown and a third is a senior at Texas A&M University  bought exercise equipment and a goldendoodle named Lucy and hunkered down.

Because they love to entertain and hoped for a welcoming vibe, they wanted this house to feel more casual and relaxed. They also were adamant about not living in a white box.

The foyer and dining room offer the first hint of bursts of color: a deep red buffet against a back wall. Theres also a table custom made of alder wood and upholstered chairs.

David, 60, has spent his career in IT health care, first for IBM and then spent 20 years at Memorial Hermann Health System, retiring as its chief strategy officer. More recently, he launched an IT consulting business, WayPoint Healthcare Advisors, and if he needs to meet with clients, they meet in his beautiful conference room  the dining room.

The large main living area includes the kitchen, living room, breakfast area, a cozy area and a beautiful bar.

Scaff urged Jennifer to step outside her comfort zone, mixing metals in lighting, hardware and plumbing fixtures and using white paint on perimeter counters and deep blue on the island.

David left many of the decor decisions to Jennifer and Scaff but was adamant that their kitchen have a deep and wide sink, which becomes a major prep area when you set a tray on top. Jennifer was a skeptic  until she used it.

A different ceiling treatment helps establish the living room in the overall space, with wood-stained tongue-in-groove paneling and white beams. Comfortable furniture includes a pair of plush navy blue sofas and a pair of tan chairs. Two more options  upholstered ottomans  tuck into corners of the large coffee table.

Instead of built-in cabinets flanking the fireplace, matching cabinets with stone counters provide a extra storage.

The breakfast area has a built-in banquette, and the cozy spot nearby includes a couple of chairs where the Bradshaws can sit with a cup of coffee and a view of the backyard.

The tucked-away bar is a jewel. Brass and glass shelving holds pretty barware, but the brick groin ceiling is what David and Jennifer admire.

There were just a couple of things I wanted, and one was brick, said David, a native of Texarkana. Im the son of a bricklayer, so there is no stucco on (the exterior of) this house. And I wanted a really big garage and a brick groin ceiling in the bar. Its real craftsmanship to be able to lay brick like that.

The primary bedroom brings a sense of calm with soft neutrals. A pair of armchairs with a small round table are the only pieces they brought from their previous home. Their canopy bed has a headboard and footboard upholstered in a tone-on-tone JF Fabrics pattern that looks remarkably like a much more expensive Fortuny fabric.

Its also separated from the main living area by two doorways and a short hall, and David jokes that when Jennifers girlfriends come over, he can head to the bedroom to block out their noise.

It took some convincing, but Jennifer and Scaff managed to talk David out of having a ceiling fan in the room. Instead, a pretty chandelier hangs overhead, and David gets cool breeze from a small tower fan. The automated draperies open or close via remote control.

The primary bathroom includes perhaps the homes biggest splurge: a window behind the bathtub is lined with a slab of onyx.

Jennifer has her own office, an energy-filled space with teal lacquer on the walls and a coffered ceiling, print draperies with an ochre background, a chair and ottoman in garnet velvet and decorative pillows of floral print velvet.

A powder bathroom across the hall features wallpaper in peacock colors that play off of her study, a brass-framed mirror and natural stone vanity.

Stevens room and guest rooms are upstairs, along with a tricked-out game room. Theres a full bar  cabinets are painted red and the carpet is animal print  and a pool table that can convert to pingpong with a different top.

David wanted the two-car garage for a man cave  not for parking. He and his sons  27-year-old Riley, 24-year-old Jacob and 21-year-old Steven  are avid cyclists, so there are racks of bikes here, plus exercise equipment and a big-screen TV.

He likes to work with his hands, so there are carpentry and welding tools, and David points to a table that he and one of his sons built using scrap wood.

Theres a cozy patio with places to sit or gather and an outdoor kitchen with a Big Green Egg, a gas grill, a burner for the occasional fish fry and a fridge.

Overall, the Bradshaws have shifted from being fairly traditional into transitional style.

What I like is that every room is usable. You can have a gathering in every room, David said.

diane.cowen@chron.com
A woman waiting for her bus near Miami International Airport was forced to fight for her life when she was suddenly attacked by a man who attempted to strangle her with his shoelaces.

In video obtained by Local News 10 on Thursday, the suspect, 26-year-old Aaron Quinones, can be seen pretending to tie his shoe behind a woman seated on a bench. He quietly looks over both of his shoulders before he approaches her from behind, and then wraps his laces around her neck. The woman immediately begins to flail and attempts to fend off the bold daylight attack..

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Though Quinones does manage to wrestle her to the ground, the woman is able to get in several fierce punches  giving a passerby enough time to call the authorities for help. The Good Samaritan can also be seen putting Quinones in some type of headlock.

The Miami-Dade Police Department said the 26-year-old victim was waiting for the bus at a Miami-Dade Transit bus stop on Sunday when the incident occurred around 11 a.m.

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While Quinones was able to initially escape, he was arrested later the same evening, police said in a news release. Hes facing a charge of attempted felony murder.

Authorities are also currently seeking to speak with the passerby who help the woman fight off Quinones. Anyone with information has been asked to call the Airport District at (305) 867-7373.
The manager of a southwest Houston pain clinic was sentenced Thursday in a lengthy fraud scheme in which she, her brother and an associate billed for millions of dollars in false worker compensation claims.

U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett sentenced Anurag Dass, 50, of Houston, to two years in federal prison for receiving $2,242,899 in fraudulent reimbursements from the government, said her lawyer, Kent Schaffer. Her brother, Anukul Dass, was previously sentenced to two years probation for his role in the scheme.

Schaff said Bennetts sentence was imminently fair and came after hed considered a breadth of mitigating evidence.

Anna is well-respected and loved in the community and the judge saw that she had helped scores of patients at her clinic, her lawyer said.

Anurag Dass, who also went by Anna, and her younger brother Anukul, or Andy, owned A&E Wellness Center on Harwin Drive, northeast of Sharpstown. The sister admitted in a 2019 plea agreement that between 2010 and 2017 she paid kickbacks to the associate, Stephen Vincent Hunt. in exchange for federal workers compensation referrals. She also admitted to laundering the proceeds of the scam. Along with other defendants hearings, her sentencing was delayed multiple times during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hunt had sustained an injury when he worked for the U.S. Postal Service, so he had easy access to postal workers who could file false workers comp claims, according to court documents. The siblings then billed the federal government for millions of dollars in services that were not rendered or necessary. Federal workers compensation paid the clinic operators $7.2 million that investigators tagged as fraudulent.

Hunt, 71, of Waxahachie, and Anukul Dass, 45, of Houston, both pleaded guilty to engaging in illegal kickbacks.

The judge ordered Dass to pay back the $2,242,899 in restitution. Dass is free on bond and was permitted to surrender to authorities from the Bureau of Prisons when summoned.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com
For years, Demetrius Johnson, now 54, spent his days imagining what his life could have been if he had made different decisions at the age of 16.

He describes it as if it actually happened to an alternate version of himself: A Demetrius Johnson who got a job at 18 and took care of his family. Who bought a two-bedroom house next door to his aunt, where he lived with his mother, his son and his sons mother. Whose aunt helped turn the garage into an extra bedroom.

But since he was 16, almost four decades ago, people from his dream life have passed away while hes been locked in prison for killing a cab driver. Eventually, he was forced to put down his old dream (God told me: Let them rest). He picked up a new one, one that takes place in the future. Now what I do: I done got out of prison because of the Second Look Bill, I got me a job I got me a good girl, she got three kids, they call me daddy. They love me.

Versions of the Second Look Bill Johnson has pinned his hopes on have aimed to change parole requirements in Texas for people serving long sentences for crimes they committed as juveniles. Roughly 1,500 Texans fall in that category, meaning theyre either ineligible for or denied parole for at least 40 years, according to a 2020 report by the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, a nonprofit group advocating to end mass incarceration.

The amount of time juvenile offenders can serve before theyre eligible for parole in Texas is a national outlier  while many states set the maximum amount of time at 20 years, Texas has set it at 40. Thats 33 percent longer than the next harshest state.

At the heart of parole reform for juvenile offenders are questions about the purpose of incarceration and the capacity for teenagers who commit violent crimes to change their ways.

On HoustonChronicle.com: In 2019, convicted young, longtime Texas inmates hope Second Look bill could give them a second chance

I dont even think the way I thought, not as a 16-year-old, Johnson said. I dont think like I thought as a 30-year-old This is something scientists say: Kids dont think the way adults think.

But Andy Kahan, director of victim services and advocacy for the public safety nonprofit Crime Stoppers, said justice for the families of victims also have to be kept in mind.

Of course theres going to be change, he said. Its hard to maintain that behavior when youre in that controlled environment. I applaud anyone who changed their lifestyle, changed their behavior. But still, it doesnt negate that you took someones life thats never going to come back.

Shifting approaches to crime

Last regular legislative session, both the state house and senate passed a bill that would require parole panels to consider the greater capacity of juveniles for change, as compared to that of adults when deciding whether or not to release an inmate on parole.

The bill also would have reduced the maximum amount of time people could serve in prison without being eligible for parole to 30 years, unless they had been convicted for capital murder, in which case the maximum would remain at 40.

But Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed the bill, saying that he feared the way it was written could open the state to needless, disruptive litigation, and that he planned to work with the author of the bill to address his concerns in a way that would allow for meaningful reform on this important matter.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

On HoustonChronicle.com: As killing tied to defendants out on bond rise in Houston, crime data reveals a crisis in courts

Johnson took Abbotts words as a sign the bill would be passed in 2021 with some changes, in the third special legislative session.

His face fell in November when he realized the session had ended without a chance to vote on the bill. The next time the bill could be considered is the 2023 legislative session.

In 1984, 16-year-old Johnson and his friends decided they needed a cab. The teenagers had gone to the Northline Mall, and needed to get back to their homes in Fifth Ward, but the bus hadnt shown up, Johnson recounted. They flagged down William Leinert, 59, for a ride. Leinert was suspicious of the Black teenagers, according to Johnsons testimony at the time, and demanded his payment in advance and showed them he was armed.

Johnson said he stabbed Leinert in order to wrest away the gun and give himself and his friends time to flee to safety. The prosecutor said that Leinert was missing not only his pistol, but also three rings and as much as $50 in cash, and argued Johnson had killed Leinert in order to rob him. Johnson was convicted and sentenced to life.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

The case took place as the nations attitude toward crime was changing. In the early 1900s, in the Progressive Era through World War II, white crime in urban areas was seen as product of poor living conditions, spurring policymakers to invest in education and social services, according to the National Academy of Sciences, a nonprofit research organization founded by Congress.

But after white flight from city cores in the 50s and 60s, homicides in cities, which had fallen per capita during the New Deal and stayed relatively low in decades since, began in the 70s to rise near the levels they had reached during the Great Depression. This time, the violence was associated with Black communities with poor living conditions, and politicians began campaigning on being tough on crime. By the 80s, legislators were passing laws, such as minimum sentencing requirements, that created harsher consequences for those convicted.

The length of stay for murder increased nationwide by 238 percent between 1981 and 2000, according to the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. The superpredator myth  that a surge of violent, remorseless children was imminent  came to the fore. The number people across the country serving life without parole for crimes committed as children surged, reaching 2,310 in 2016 up from 152 in 1996.

Capacity for change

In the past decade, the Supreme Court and policy makers have rolled back some of the harshest sentencing for young offenders. Now the bulk of juvenile offenders the advocacy group Second Look Texas calls second lookers, like Johnson, are middle-aged.

Many, like Johnson, were convicted of violent crimes in their youth. One woman, now in her 40s, was convicted of killing and robbing a motel owner at the age of 16 with her husband, whom she told police had assaulted her and her child. A man in his 40s robbed a pawn shop when he was 16 with his friend, whom he says killed the owner.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Tina M. Zottoli, a clinical psychologist, has studied the recidivism rates of people who were given life sentences for crimes they committed in Philadelphia as juveniles, then released from prison as the city changed its approach to sentencing. (In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juveniles were unconstitutional and such sentences could be reviewed retroactively.) The study found that those released had a dramatically lower risk of new convictions than the population of paroled homicide offenders overall.

Only four of the 174 people who been sentenced to life as juveniles, then released, were arrested again (two were convicted: one for contempt and another for robbery in the third degree). Thats 2 percent, compared to an estimated 34 percent of homicide offenders nationwide who are arrested within two years of release, according to Department of Justice numbers.

The vast majority of youth who commit crimes will desist with maturation, Zottoli said. She pointed out that an intervention  prison, in the case of everyone in the study  was necessary, because young people need environments where they can safely mature, psychosocially and neurobiologically.

If were going to justify a particular sentence from the perspective of risk to society, there is no science that could ever support a mandatory sentence for youth of 20, 30, 40 years, she said. Science would suggest they should be looked at again in their mid to late 20s. Im not advocating direct release, but they should at least be looked at.

But, she acknowledged sentencing involves factors besides risk to society, including justice for victims and their families.

Kahan said that resentencing is a painful prospect for victims families. Their loved one is never coming back, he said. Going through the parole process means having to relive everything all over again.  To be put through the

parole process much earlier than they originally thought would be difficult for

many to comprehend.

As for whether an offenders capacity for change from the person they were as a teenager should be taken into consideration at a parole hearing, Kahan called it a balancing act.

Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Theres no winners in any of this, he said. Everyone loses. But the victims family lost for eternity Im talking about homicide specifically  when you consciously and knowingly take someones life, theres a price to pay for it.

Meanwhile, Johnson keeps dreaming. At 54, his memories of childhood are unusually sharp. He can still remember when his grandfather explained prison to him (he was 3 years old) and the day he first went on a boat (Dec. 8, 1982). He remembers the award he won in elementary school for playing his French horn and the words of the song he sang at his fifth-grade graduation. As if it were yesterday, he can describe the first and only time he ever met his father and what it was like to recover from a car accident that permanently damaged the muscles on half his face.

When he gets out, he plans to use his memories of his childhood to connect with others like him.

Im going to the county jail, talking to the juveniles, he said, as if he could picture it now. Im going to Giddings State School, a juvenile correctional facility, Crockett State School, talking to who I was back then And Im talking to them, and Im blowing them away, man.

Upon hearing what he has to say, he hopes they go on to live the alternate life he spent decades imagining for himself.

rebecca.schuetz@chron.com;

twitter.com/raschuetz
A former Harris County deputy constable pleaded guilty Thursday on charges related to escorting a marked shipment of cocaine, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas.

Former Harris County Precinct 1 Deputy Constable Alexsander Reyes, 49, of Huffman was involved in a December 2020 incident where he was paid $6,000 to use his constable-marked vehicle to escort a tractor-trailer carrying 10 kilograms of cocaine through Houston.
For over 60 years, Joe Thomas ran a tight ship, acting as a mentor to thousands of young people who passed through the shop over the decades  a patriarch of his family but also of the broader Acres Homes community. Among them was his grandson, Jemiel Thomas, who became an old soul dusting off customers.

Joe Thomas died on New Years Day at 94. He died in his sleep, 10 minutes from the shop he built more than six decades ago.

His barbershop  a neatly painted, one-story storefront on Ferguson Way  is where neighborhood kids like Jemiel grew up.

Ever since we were able to walk, me and my brothers were in that barbershop. We started out sweeping the floors, and when customers got out of the chair, wed dust them off and theyd give us quarters and dollars, said Thomas grandson, who is 49 and has worked in the shop his whole life.

The barbers family members werent the only ones working for tips, however. His daughter, Pamela White, rattled off a list of people who spent time in the shop as children, many of whom have died.

Hed run into kids who were down on their luck, nowhere to go with no job or education, being raised by a single parent, and hed let them dust people off or shine shoes, White said.

They looked at it as a home away from home, and he would teach them and talk to them and encourage them and support them, White said. My father never looked down on them.

Joe Thomas was born in 1927 and raised in Opelousas, Louisiana, picking cotton alongside his mother. After he left school in the 6th grade, he made deliveries by bike for the general store. He enlisted in the Navy at 18 and spent about two years in the service before returning home. He then moved to Orange, Texas, with his cousins.

Within a few years, Thomas had met his wife, Velma Westmoreland, and set to work on getting certification as a barber. He drove a bus for Houston ISD in the mornings and evenings, parking it outside the Franklin Barber Institute during the day while he took his classes.

He opened Joes Barber Shop in 1956 and stood at one of its two chairs cutting hair until 2017, when he was 90. Mayor Sylvester Turner is among the legions of young men who occupied those chairs, and in 2017 Turner honored Thomas with an official proclamation.

I have fond memories of growing up in Acres Homes and Joe giving me my first haircut. As a child, I sat on that board across the arms of his chair so that I was high enough for him to cut my hair, Turner said.

He touched many lives, not only of the people who sat in his chair and trusted him with a fade or a cut. He was a legend in the community, Turner said.

Thomas was a devout Christian and family man who raised his four daughters alone after their mother died in 1965. His life was further struck by tragedy when he lost his eldest daughter Katherine to a heart attack in 1977, leaving him to raise her three sons.

Including his children, stepchildren and grandkids, Thomas and his second wife, the late Deloris Faye Thomas, raised as many 10 children at a time at some points.

Joe Thomas taught them right from wrong and did not abide any foolishness, Jemiel Thomas said. He was known to leave the barbershop with his razor strap, the strip of leather used to sharpen razors, to ward off misbehavior.

For all his no-nonsense behavior, Thomas had a softer side too. He sang in the choir at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church near his home, and loved to bang on the piano, Jemiel said. He went to church every Sunday of his life until the weekend before he died.

Jemiel plans to continue at the helm at Joes Barber Shop, carrying on the family legacy.

Im just going to go by his teachings, the way he taught me how to run a barbershop, he said. Respect people and love them like family.

sam.kelly@chron.com
About 60 people gathered at the corner of St. Joseph Parkway and Louisiana Street on a windy Thursday evening in downtown Houston with renewed calls to defend voting rights on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

Houston resident Brent Sullivan organized the "Stand Up for Democracy" event which was one of many similar gatherings taking place around Texas and the rest of the country on Thursday in remembrance of last year's breaching of the U.S. Capitol building.

"The main thing is we're here to demand democracy. To demand that voting rights legislation that's stuck in congress gets passed and goes to Biden's desk to be signed by the president," Sullivan said, adding that last year's insurrection is deeply tied to issues of voting rights.

Sullivan said he saw the calls for local volunteers on the Internet and felt compelled to sign himself up as an organizer.

"I was willing to click a button to say I would host an event ... 122 people said they would come which is pretty good for Houston, Texas and we'll see how many show. I'm encouraged by those who have showed up," he said.

Residents gathered holding signs affirming support of President Joe Biden's election as cars passed by mixing the air with some horns of approval and some jeers of disgust.

Gion Thomas, Katy political strategist and nonprofit youth organizer for Protest, Organize and Participate, said events like Thursday's are a small step in creating political change but need to be followed by efforts to reach young people, Black and Latino voters.

"We have to get Black and Latino people out here," Thomas said. "We have to go where the young people are at. At this event, yes there is a pretty good turnout, but there are not many young people here. We need to take this messaging and bring it to the young people."

Thomas added that because many disenfranchised communities are struggling to survive in their day-to-day lives it is hard to become politically active.

"You're struggling to survive and have the whole weight of the world doing either school or work and life," he said. "It's hard to do all those things and then protest to fight the system."
The Harris County Animal Shelter has closed animal surrender intakes through the weekend due to its critical capacity level reaching an "all-time high," shelter officials said Thursday in a Facebook post.

Officials said the latest COVID surge driven by the omicron variant has complicated efforts at the shelter, leading to decreased pet adoptions and rising animal intakes amid a maxed-out staff.

"We are asking our community for help," officials pleaded in the post. "If you find a lost or stray animal, please make every attempt to locate the owner or find a new home for that pet."

Officials recommend anyone that comes across a lost or stray animal should have the pet scanned for a microchip at any vet clinic; try to find the animal's owner through social media posts and networking groups or find the animal a new home by asking friends and family.

The shelter said further adjustments may need to be made depending on staffing and capacity over the next several days.

'JUST DEVASTATING': Animal shelters near critical capacity due to COVID surrenders, evictions

Houston-area shelters faced critical capacity levels this August due to an influx of animal intakes that many shelters said could be attributed to people surrendering their pandemic pets. COVID-19 related abandonments and evictions also lead to critical capacity levels at area shelters.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering, adopting or fostering an animal is encouraged to apply online through the county website.

"These times are unique, and we are trying our best, but we simply cannot do this alone," shelter staff said. "Please help us by taking responsibility for the homeless pets you may encounter."

rebecca.hennes@chron.com
Almost three weeks since 3-year-old Lina Sardar Khil went missing, some veteran investigators surmise she may not have wandered off on her own, but could have been the target of an abduction.

The missing girls case has gripped San Antonio since she disappeared near her familys apartment on the Northwest Side. The FBI recently joined the San Antonio Police Department in the search and brought in profilers and divers.

Her disappearance is being treated as a missing person case, with no evidence of any criminal activity.

She was last seen in a playground between 4:30 p.m. and 5:10 p.m. on Dec. 20 at the Villas Del Cabo Apartments at 9400 Fredericksburg Road, where her mother had left her for a few minutes.

Theres always a possibility she may have wandered off, said retired FBI agent Greg Pratt. As time goes on, that possibility dwindles.

Jacob Beltran /San Antonio Express-News William Luther/Staff Jessica Phelps, Staff photographer / Jessica Phelps Via The Creative Mango owner Marco Garcia While police say there is no evidence yet of a crime, former FBI agents say it is unlikely 3-year-old Lina Sardar Khil wandered off on her own. Express-News photos While police say there is no evidence yet of a crime, former FBI agents say it is unlikely 3-year-old Lina Sardar Khil wandered off on her own. Express-News photos

Retired FBI agent Abel Pena, CEO of Project Absentis, an organization made up of retired FBI agents who have worked abduction and kidnapping cases, said he visited the complex and believes it is unlikely that the girl wandered away.

Is it possible she walked out of the gate? Honestly, I dont see that happening, said Pena. Most kids stay nearby, unless she was drawn out.

Since her disappearance, San Antonio has had a few freezing nights, and it is unlikely she survived if she was outside, according to Pratt and Eric Herr, vice president of Search and Support San Antonio, which has been involved in other search cases.

From the very beginning, to me, this sounded like an abduction, Herr said. A 3-year-old child is going to walk away at 5 oclock? I mean, everyone is getting home from work. Its busy traffic hours there, theres no way shes out walking around and no one sees her.

RELATED: Who are the ace FBI divers who searched for missing 3-year-old Lina Khil?

Pena and Pratt said the FBIs involvement in the case does not mean they are taking it over  as many Hollywood movies and shows portray  but instead are helping complement SAPDs resources.

Its not a matter of capability, its capacity, Pratt said. When you have a big case, departments sometimes get overwhelmed. They could exceed their capacity because of manpower or other resources.

Pratt, who served on the Evidence Response Team in San Antonio in his years with the FBI, said the local field office always has had a good working relationship with the SAPD.

The retired agents caution that, although members of the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit, or BAU  known for developing profiles of suspects  were brought in, it doesnt necessarily mean there was an abduction.

Pratt said each division of the FBI has at least one representative or liaison to the BAU who could decide there might be a need to call in members from the Quantico, Va.-based unit.

Pena, Pratt and other retired agents said the profilers might begin working generally to develop information of what could have occurred. Generally, there could already be a theory developed by investigators handling the case. The profilers will look at reports and witness interviews for information, discrepancies or other clues, the retired agents said.

The BAU may put together an analysis of what happened, Pena said. They might look at the behavioral patterns of some of the individuals connected to the case. Theyll analyze and try to determine things like, Is this person truthful, or are they being deceptive?

If they see any deficiencies or missing information, they may re-interview the witnesses, Pratt added. If it is an abduction, they might look at developing a suspect.

William Luther /Staff

Pena noted that the BAU profilers helped him solve the abduction of Crystal Guerrero, a 7-week old infant, from a Chicago clinic during his early years in the FBI. The BAU, during the 1993 case, came up with a profile of the kidnapping suspect that turned out to be spot on: A Hispanic female, very religious and Catholic.

They suggested putting a priest on TV, who said, If you are Godly, bring this child to the altar of God, Pena said.

Within days, the infant was left at a church altar before Christmas 1993, and Hortencia Hernandez was arrested and charged with kidnapping, Pena recalled. Hernandez tried to convince people that the child was hers.

As for the San Antonio case, 11 members of the FBI dive team searched a creek in the 5700 block of Babcock, near Huebner on Tuesday and Wednesday. The area is more than two miles from where Lina and her family live.

At a briefing at the site this week, Police Chief William McManus said that although the search of the creek bed seemed like we are really onto something, investigators were just following up on leads.

We dont want to leave anything to chance, McManus said. Everything that we get that has any potential at all, we follow it up.

In a statement, the SAPD said the footprint of the search operations has been expanded to locations near Linas home. The search of the creek bed broadened the search grid, but ended without any conclusive findings, the SAPD statement said.

Our follow-up units continue to tirelessly investigate the disappearance of Lina, the statement said. No resource, both from the Department and the FBI, has been spared in this investigation. Countless hours have been devoted to evidence analysis, aggressively chasing down leads, re-interviewing people, and ensuring that every piece of information is thoroughly scrutinized.

guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland
A year ago, Eddie Garcia was still going through the vetting process to be the next Dallas police chief when he phoned a San Antonio professor hed gotten to know during his four years as chief of the San Jose Police Department in California.

If Garcia got the Dallas gig, he knew violent crime reduction would have to be his primary focus, coming off a year in 2020 where homicides spiked in Dallas by 23 percent. He wanted to come in armed with new ideas and asked Michael Smith, professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Texas at San Antonio who had done previous research for the San Jose PD, to help draw up a plan.

My goal, when we put that together was for it to bring together the best of what we know, from a research and evidence standpoint, about how the police can best control crime in urban areas, Smith told the editorial board this week.

Garcia got the job, and the result of their collaboration was implemented in May: first, to use data to map out roughly 50 micro locations  hot spots in police parlance  in Dallas that produced the highest volume of violent street crime. Second, to flood the dangerous areas with a consistent police presence. And third, rather than employ dragnet or stop-and-frisk tactics, to focus on the surveillance, deterrence and arrest of repeat violent offenders, ferreting out guns and drug activity in particular.

The results so far are impressive.. Violent crime in Dallas dropped 9 percent in 2021, and 12 percent since Garcia implemented his plan, the Dallas Morning News reported. Homicides decreased by 13 percent, while gun and drug seizures increased by 27 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Even more eye-popping: arrests fell 5 percent, suggesting that the precision policing tactics are working without stuffing a bunch of people in jail cells.

At a time when most major U.S. cities have seen sharp increases in violent crime, Dallas is trending in the opposite direction, offering a potential blueprint for cities such as Houston  where the homicide rate increased by 17 percent in 2021.

While Harris County has a larger population than Dallas County, their criminal justice systems have some things in common: each have district attorneys who have declined to prosecute low-level marijuana offenses; bail systems that were deemed unconstitutional and forced by courtsto reform; and a wave of progressive-minded judges elected in 2018. Where the two counties diverge is Harris massive backlog of criminal cases clogging its courts  residue from the double whammy of Hurricane Harvey flooding the courthouse and the COVID-19 pandemic  that is preventing cases from going to trial and allowing many accused of violent crimes to roam the streets while they await long-delayed court dates.

Garcias hyper-targeted approach to crime reduction in Dallas can certainly be replicated in Houston and Harris County, but it will need to be carefully tailored to our citys sprawling geography. The Houston Police Department has employed hot spots strategies in the past with mixed success. A 2011 study by criminologists at Sam Houston State University found that dispatching officers in the departments Crime Reduction Unit to specific high-crime neighborhoods did not reduce violent crime but did tamp down property crime. Such a strategy requires a sustained commitment and getting buy-in from officers, who might find patrolling the same neighborhoods on a regular basis to be monotonous, is critical.

Still, Dallas micro zone strategy has caught the eye of Chief Troy Finner, Garcias counterpart in Houston. Finner, who was sworn in as police chief in April, told the editorial board this week that he hopes to pick Garcias brain on some of the tactics and data hes using.

We all as chiefs try to learn from  especially major city chiefs, when it comes to communication  shared success and failures, Finner said. So a part of that strategy is looking at what is working in other cities, and could you duplicate that in your city?

In Harris County, the sheriffs office is already moving forward with a similar micro-zones policing initiative in unincorporated areas  such as Cypress Station, Woodforest and Aldine  where violent crime is high. County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced the $2.6 million plan last month, which will run for 120 days. It incorporates one of the long-term pillars of Garcias strategy in Dallas: a community policing unit that will hold regular meetings with local residents to keep them informed on progress and gather information that can help home in on entrenched criminal activity.

Its about understanding what factors and variables are contributing to a long-term crime problem, said Maj. Thomas Diaz, who leads the sheriffs Crime Analysis Intelligence Division team.

There is no silver bullet that will solve our violent crime wave. It is a complex, interconnected problem that has as much to do with whats happening in our courtrooms as it does on our streets. Dallas offers some hope that targeted policing in partnership with city agencies, nonprofits and neighborhood leaders can both deter crime and act as a conduit to social services that ensure sustainable progress. If it working for them, it can work for us, too.
ALBANY  Andrew Cuomo is in the clear when it comes to criminal groping charges  and potentially plotting a political comeback.

Judge Holly Trexler formally dismissed misdemeanor forcible touching charges and sealed the case against the former governor Friday as Cuomo and his attorneys appeared in Albany City Court via video.

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Cuomo, wearing a suit as well as a mask, did not speak during the brief hearing, which came days after prosecutors decided not to pursue the case.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appears briefly virtually for a court session in Albany City Court before Judge Holly Trexler, as she considers a prosecutor's request to dismiss a fondling case against him Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink/AP)

A spokesman, however, later opened fire in a lengthy statement, assailing Attorney General Letitia James and others involved in the multiple investigations into allegations of misconduct that led to Cuomos resignation last year.

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For the last several weeks, we have remained silent while the process played itself out -- do not confuse our respect for the justice system with acquiescence, Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said, ominously adding: Stay tuned.

It was clear Cuomo was off the hook with regards to the groping charge earlier this week when Albany County District Attorney David Soares announced that his office was dropping the case despite finding the alleged victim, Brittany Commisso, cooperative and credible.

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (SPENCER PLATT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Commisso has publicly accused Cuomo of groping her breast at the Executive Mansion in Albany in late 2020.

He put his hand up my blouse and cupped by breast over my bra. I exactly remember looking down, seeing his hand, which is a large hand, thinking to myself, Oh, my God, this is happening, Commisso said last summer.

Cuomo, who resigned in August after a bombshell report detailed multiple allegations of sexual harassment against him, insists he never touched the 33-year-old former staffer. Despite stepping down, Cuomo and his supporters have painted the claims against him as politically-motivated.

Brittany Commisso (left) and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (right)

They have also repeatedly accused James, who oversaw an independent investigation into the former governors behavior, and others of ambushing the ex-governor. A second investigation conducted as part of the Assemblys scuttled impeachment probe also found the allegations credible.

Rita Glavin, Cuomos personal attorney, argued in a brief post-hearing press conference that the decision to drop the case proved her clients innocence.

No jury would have found Ms. Commisso credible, she said. Thats why this case was dismissed.

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Today, reason and the rule of law prevailed, not politics, rhetoric or mob mentality, she added.

Judge Holly Trexler is pictured Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Albany, N.Y. Trexler dismissed the only criminal charge filed against Cuomo in connection with the sexual harassment allegations that drove him from office. (Hans Pennink/AP)

Several prosecutors in the state have similarly declined to pursue criminal charges against Cuomo despite reviewing credible evidence confirming allegations against the disgraced Democrat.

Last week, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced that her office will not move forward with charges related to a pair of incidents due to statutory legal requirements.

Long Island prosecutors likewise said Cuomo wont face criminal charges after a female trooper assigned to his security detail said she felt completely violated by his unwanted touching at an event at Belmont Park in September 2019.

The Albany case, based on the most serious allegations against Cuomo, appeared tainted from the outset after Albany County Sheriff Craig Apples office filed documents with the court in October without informing prosecutors.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appears virtually for a court session in Albany City Court before Judge Holly Trexler, as she considers a prosecutor's request to dismiss a fondling case against him Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink/AP)

Soares complained at the time that the charges were filed without his knowledge and called the case potentially defective.

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In his letter to Trexler this week, Soares said that while he was troubled by the allegations there was not sufficient enough evidence to move forward with the case.

He went further during a radio appearance earlier Friday, saying it would have been near impossible to convict.

Your witnesses can be credible. You can find your witnesses to be honest people, Soares told Albany-based WAMC. But you still have whats called a jury instruction and that jury instruction defines the law and defines what elements a prosecutor has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

Then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (right) talks with Albany County District Attorney David Soares (left) in Albany, N.Y. (Mike Groll/AP)

Despite Azzopardis call to keep an eye on the ex-governor, Cuomos future remains unclear as he could still face civil suits over his alleged behavior and probes into his administrations handling of the pandemic as well as his $5 million book deal remain ongoing.

Weve seen, time and time again, that comebacks like this dont work, one Albany insider said. These types of comebacks are just ego-driven escapades by people who dont know when to close the book.

Front page for Nov. 23, 2021: State probe slams Cuomo sex harass, book. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo was blasted in Assembly impeachment probe that found "overwhelming" evidence of sex harassment and misuse of staffers in his book project. (New York Daily News)

A political resurrection for the former three-term governor  who enjoyed the national spotlight early on in the pandemic and left office with an $18 million campaign war chest  is not beyond the realm of possibility, but certainly would be a challenge, according to Siena pollster Steve Greenberg.

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There are 18 million reasons that Andrew Cuomo can try to stay relevant and try to make a comeback, Greenberg said. Thats a lot of money.

However, he noted that Cuomos popularity, even among Democrats, nosedived over the past year as he became engulfed in scandal.

On the other hand... he didnt simply lose an election. He was governor for 10 years and resigned in disgrace, he added.
WASHINGTON  After a day in the crosshairs of conservative commentators for calling Jan. 6 a violent terrorist attack, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was on Fox News Thursday night taking it all back.

It was a mistake to say that, Cruz said on Tucker Carlsons show, 24 hours after Carlson tore into Cruz and other Republicans for repeating the talking points that (Attorney General) Merrick Garland has written for them.

Cruz said he texted Carlson soon after the Wednesday evening segment aired, asking if he could go on the show again and explain that his phrasing was sloppy and it was, frankly, dumb.

BACKGROUND: Conservatives attacks on Sen. Ted Cruz underscore GOP infighting over Jan. 6 riot

As a result of my sloppy phrasing its caused a lot of people to misunderstand what I meant, Cruz said. What I was referring to was the limited number of people who engaged in violent attacks against police officers.

Remember, while thousands of people were standing up to defend this country on Jan. 6, at that exact moment I was standing on the Senate floor, objecting to the election results, demanding that we impanel an election commission to consider evidence of voter fraud, Cruz said. Of course, it would be ridiculous for me to be saying that the people standing up and protesting to follow the law were somehow terrorists.

Carlson said he didnt buy it, because Cruz never uses words carelessly.

I guess I just don't believe you, and I mean that with respect, he said.

The blowback from Carlson and others illustrated the tension within the GOP a year after the Capitol attacks, as many Republicans take care not to attack the former president or his supporters, who still hold remarkable sway within the party.

FLASHBACK: What Sen. Ted Cruz said as he led the Jan. 6 effort to block President Joe Bidens win

Cruz had repeatedly called it a terrorist attack before recanting Thursday.

What happened at the Capitol was a despicable act of terrorism, Cruz said in an interview with Hearst Newspapers two days after the riot. The violent criminals who attacked the Capitol should be fully prosecuted and they should go to jail for a very, very long time.

Cruz sparked the outrage this week during a Senate Rules Committee hearing with Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger on Wednesday.

We are approaching a solemn anniversary this week and it is an anniversary of a violent terrorist attack on the Capitol, where we saw the men and women of law enforcement demonstrate incredible courage, incredible bravery, risk their lives to defend the men and women who serve in this Capitol, Cruz said.

ben.wermund@chron.com
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New Yorkers started Friday by reaching for their shovels and ended the afternoon rushing to parks with sled-toting tots, as an overnight snowstorm transformed the five boroughs into a winter wonderland for the first time this season.

The storm, which dropped a half-foot of snow on Central Park and almost ten inches of powder on LaGuardia Airport, rendered streets slick but did not shutter the citys school system.

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A school bus makes its way through Rosedale, Queens on Friday morning, Jan. 7, 2022. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News)

Mayor Adams, facing the first weather test of his young mayoralty, dropped into a damp Sanitation Department garage on the Lower East Side of Manhattan before dawn to cheer on workers who battled the elements to keep the city running.

Were here this morning to say thank you, Adams told crews of workers who were concluding and beginning 12-hour shifts. Nothing stops New Yorkers.

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New York City Mayor Adams meets with DSNY in Lower Manhattan, New York on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (Tim Balk/New York Daily News) (Tim Balk/New York Daily News)

The department, which worked furiously to plow pavement in the small hours of the slushy day, was operating at a roughly 20% staffing deficit amid the omicron COVID wave, said Commissioner Edward Grayson.

Grayson said his department deployed about 1,600 plows and attempted to overcome the worker shortage with aggressive pretreatment. The city sent about 1,800 plows into service during storms last year, he said.

You always do better with more people, Grayson told reporters. But were going to do really well this time.

A doorman clears snow from the sidewalk on Park Ave. in the Upper East Side on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

Adams said he made the decision to keep schools open after asking Grayson and Schools Chancellor David Banks on Thursday evening for their assessment.

Both men approved of keeping the schools open, Adams said.

I wanted to hear from the professionals, the mayor said. If we reached the point that the snowfall was dangerous, we would have made the call to say, OK, lets shut things down. We were not there. Three to six inches in New York? Come on.

A snow plow clears Third Ave. in Manhattan, New York on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News)

He and Grayson met in a Zoom call around 4 a.m. to assess the latest weather developments, according to their offices, and then in-person before 7 a.m. at the Sanitation Department garage.

Plan for walking through snow, Grayson urged New Yorkers in a news conference. Plan extra time. Take care of each other. Take care of New Yorkers.

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The citys subway system warned passengers to plan for delays. Our crews are working to keep rails and surfaces clear and service moving this morning, said an early morning tweet from the official New York City Transit Subway account. If you must travel, use extra caution.

The Metro North Railroad ran on a Saturday schedule.

The downstate flakes paled in comparison to the frosty beating Buffalo took a day earlier. A lake-effect lashing left the upstate city with 18 inches of snow.

Gov. Hochul, a Buffalo native, jokingly asked in a Manhattan news conference on Friday morning: Is this called a snowstorm?

I do commend New Yorkers for how youve managed this, Hochul said, her voice more serious. Were tough. We get through these things.

Mara Hirschfeld takes her daughter and dog for a sled ride in Central Park on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams for New York Daily News)

Adams, wearing snow boots and a windbreaker in the morning, acknowledged that the day was going to be a little sloppy.

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But the mayor voiced confidence that keeping schools open was the right move, saying he was ready for criticism.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 20 A woman walks through the snow in Times Square, New York on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. A winter storm that has already left areas of the south with more than 6 inches of snow moved into the northeast during the morning commute. (Richard Drew/AP)

Some parents have expressed concern that schools did not shut due to the virus wave, which thinned school staff, and the heaps of snow figured to add to their frustration. Adams has noted research showing coronavirus spread has been limited in school buildings during the pandemic.

We dont have any more days to waste, and the long-term impact of leaving our children home is going to impact us for years to come, Adams said Friday. Im not going to contribute to that.

Still, not every pupil made it to class.

Shef Yamasaki said his second grade daughter Osata was out of school due to a virus outbreak in her class as the pair made snow sculptures in Prospect Park.

Im very happy, Yamasaki said. It breaks up all the things with COVID.
Hudson, NY (12534)

Today

Cloudy. Periods of rain early. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of rain early. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.


Organizers Betsy Burris, left, and Sherwood Guernsey address the crowd at Williamstown's First Congregational Church. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The events of Jan. 6, 2021, spurred a local conversation about Christian nationalism.

But the roots of the issue go deeper than that.

"I came to the church in the '80s when the Moral Majority was coming into power in the United States," the Rev. Mark Seifried said on Thursday afternoon. "I say, 'coming into power' because they are a powerful force. I felt like it was incumbent for people of faith to offer a different perspective than they were offering.

"To offer a broader perspective, a pluralistic perspective, that's based in the teachings of Jesus. When Jesus was asked, 'Who is closest to the heart of God?' there were two religious men walking by and one pagan walking by. And Jesus pointed to the pagan, who was closest to the heart of God by the way he treated his neighbor."

Seifried was speaking from the steps of First Congregational Church, where he is interim minister, as the faith community hosted one of several area protests against Christian nationalism on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection.

In Williamstown, about 50 people held signs along Main Street (Route 2) and waved to passing motorists, who frequently returned the waves and tooted their horns in apparent support of the " standout ."

Organizers hope the event will raise awareness of what they characterize as a perversion of Christianity and a threat to democracy that was on display when supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol a year ago.

"I think we all consider this a step on a pilgrimage that we are all taking together," David Langston said. "I anticipate things are going to get worse before they get better. And it's going to require more coalition building, more preaching to other people and explaining to them what the real difficulties are that we face."

Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington joined the Williamstown demonstration and told the crowd assembled that as the county's chief law enforcement officer, she was committed to protecting the right to vote.

Down the road in North Adams, dozens stood out on the front lawn of First Congregational Church on Main Street.

"We felt this was an invitation to our community, anybody of faith and goodwill to share their opinion on this," Lois Daunis, church moderator and member of the mission organization that helped organize the event said. "We reached out to other Christians, churches, the synagogue, and the community in general. Anyone who wants to join us."

Protesters stood socially distanced from each other and waved to cars. One protester continually fed the community fire pit on the cold but sunny day.

Protesters held different signs  some homemade  that had a clear message: never again.

"I don't like what happened last year and you have to do something," Ken Keneally said. "We need to tell the world that we are still here, and we never want this to happen again."

Daunis added that she hopes all who witnessed the standout will think about the insurrection and what it really means to be a Christian.

"We hope that they will remember, and we hope that they will ponder the definition of Christianity," she said. "And understand that Christian nationalism is counter to the basic tenants of Christianity."

More than 20 people gathered in Pittsfield's Park Square later in the evening to join the nationwide standout.

A standout in Pittsfield's Park Square in the evening attracted more than 20 who stood in the cold with signs. They held signs with slogans such as "protect our democracy," "abuse of power is a crime," and "cry out against violence." Frank Farkas of Berkshire Democratic Brigades said the Capitol attack was a threat to democracy and spoke on the importance of allies in defending it. "In coming out here together, we're saying we're concerned about a threat to democracy from a group that has all the telltale signs of fascism, really, I hate to use the F word," he said. "Because it's got all the hallmarks, the desire to have a one-party state with a single religion and they've created a scapegoat group." Farkas compared the situation to Nazi Germany where Jewish people, communists, and labor leaders were used as scapegoats. Immigrants and people of color are the scapegoats in this situation, he said. He emphasized the need for people to come together against ideals that led to the event last Jan. 6. "I really worry that if groups like the ones that assaulted the Capitol a year ago, if they grow and there's every indication that they are, that we have to grow a movement just as powerful, all-encompassing," Farkas added. "We've got to be networking with all of our fellow pro-democracy groups which could include even a few Republicans now and then, some of them did vote for the impeachment."

iBerkshires.com reporters Jack Guerino and Brittany Polito contributed to this report.
Pittsfield COVID-19 Numbers Higher Than Ever Before

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  The number of people being tested daily for COVID-19 by Berkshire Health Systems has almost doubled as the omicron variant surges through the state.

"We have increased our testing capacity and are continuing to adapt to meet the demand during this surge. Earlier in the fall, we were testing an average of 500 people per day and have now increased that by to nearly 900 people per day in recent weeks," said BHS spokesman Michael Leary in an email on Thursday

Leary said the health system is working to accommodate the spread of the omicron variant at its testing centers. Testing appointments at BHS and local pharmacies, however, remain scarce because of the demand.

Pittsfield's seen a sharp increase in the daily case rate at 177.9 per 100,000 people and a percent positivity rate of 15.3 percent compared to the county rate of 9.88. This case rate is by far the highest in the history of the pandemic. It is more than double the former highest peak of 81.9 that occurred in mid-January of 2021.

In comparison, the case rate was 64.8 on Dec. 25 and the positivity rate 6.3 percent.

On Dec. 30, there were 124 new cases in the city, that number decreased to 68 new cases on Jan. 2 and has since spiked to 154 cases on Jan. 4. Pittsfield had the biggest jump in cases in the county with 713 cases in the two weeks ending Jan. 1; as of Thursday, the total number of cases was 6,816.

Currently, there are 621 estimated actively contagious cases in Pittsfield.

On Wednesday, the Board of Health was scheduled to meet in person at City Hall to receive a routine update on the virus and review Pittsfield's masking directive implemented in November but was canceled.

That same day, Superintendent Joseph Curtis cautioned families that school closures could happen because of the recent surge in novel coronavirus cases.

That came faster than expected when it was announced that Taconic High School and Reid Middle School would be closed on Thursday and Friday because the schools do not have enough staff to open. Both schools are anticipated to reopen on Monday but families will be notified by Sunday.

There were 292 new cases in Berkshire County on Wednesday and the seven-day average is 205.

Similar to the school district and the rest of the United States, the surge has made staffing more difficult for BHS.

"As with all health-care providers in the state and nation, we continue to experience staffing pressures, which are being exacerbated by the current Omicron surge. We are the county's largest employer and are not immune to the increasing community positivity rate, which is over 20 percent and close to the state rate of 22 percent," Leary wrote.

"We are closely monitoring all conditions and making changes as necessary to staffing and services so that we can continue to serve the critical health-care needs of our community during these challenging times."

There are currently 18 people hospitalized with COVID-19, all at Berkshire Medical Center. Even though positivity metrics are higher than ever in the city, Leary said hospitalizations are much lower and infection is most common in the unvaccinated.

"While many hospitals in Massachusetts and nearby states are experiencing significant COVID-19 inpatient populations, at this time our COVID-19 inpatient count remains between 18 and 25, compared to one year ago when BMC was caring for 60 COVID inpatients," he explained.

"Despite breakthrough cases, this continues to be a pandemic of the unvaccinated, and we are continuing to encourage residents to be vaccinated and to receive a booster if eligible, as this has proven to provide good protection, and for those with breakthrough cases, has shown to reduce the severity of the illness and prevent hospitalization."
Co-marketing coordinator Makayla-Courtney McGeeney demonstrates an interactive artwork at Common Folk. The artist collaborative is raising funds to purchase its current location on Holden Street. PreviousNext

Common Folk 'Shoots for The Moon' With Drive to Buy Its Space



Some artists sell their works or perform at Common Folk, and use it as a common gathering space.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Common Folk Artist Collective has surpassed its $20,000 fundraising goal and has stretched it to $30,000 by Friday in a quest to buy its current location.

With just days left to reach the goal, the group has already raised more than $25,000 on the crowdfunding website Patronicity. Another $20,000 of that will be matched by a Biz-M-Power grant facilitated by the Massachusettes Growth Capital Corp.

The campaign is called "Shoot for The Moon," in reference to the group making a dream happen.



"It's been going even more successfully than we had even anticipated and we knew it would go really well," said Jessica Sweeney, a founder and co-owner.



"We didn't anticipate being able to offer a stretch goal, though, so we're really excited about that."



The 40-member artist collective inhabits a storefront at 12 Holden St., a relocation from its previous spot on Main Street due to costs. It was a good move six years ago because members wound up loving the space.



A few months ago, Common Folk contacted landlord David Carver for possible lease renewal and was informed that another party was interested in purchasing the space. Carver gave the group the first right of refusal and Sweeney found out about the grant opportunity at the same time.



"We kind of looked around and we were like, 'this might be the perfect time to do this," She said.



Before the campaign and grant application, Common Folk did a pre-pledge phase to assess how much support could be rallied and very quickly had 50 percent of the original $20,000 goal pledged.



Local businesses Prix Fixe Accounting, Tourists, Bright Ideas Brewing, and an anonymous Common Folk member also collectively pledged a $4,000 donation if $26,000 is reached by the goal date.



"It's really, really awesome to have our local businesses be sort of rallying around us like that," Sweeney said.



With $30,000 and the $20,000 match from MGCC, the group has just under half of its mortgage paid.



Alternative to monetary capital, Sweeney feels this campaign has proven the amount of "social capital" that Common Folk has in its community. This purchase has the added bonus of preserving real estate for small businesses in the community.



"We kind of serve a pretty important role to be strong advocates for that in the community, so when we're looking at this purchase, we're not just looking at this purchase from the lens of using the space for ourselves, we're really looking at this as like, we are now preserving downtown retail space for the community," she explained.


Clark Art Hosts Williams College I/O Fest

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  The Clark Art Institute is hosting five performances as part of the Williams College Music Department's I/O Fest, an annual expedition into the music of today.

From Jan. 13 through 16, 2022, students in the music program will take audiences on a tour of new sounds and adventurous music. These free programs are presented in the Clark's Michael Conforti Pavilion, but advance registration is required. Visit clarkart.edu/events for more information.

The performance schedule is:

I/O Ensemble Performance

Thursday, Jan. 13, 4 5 pm

The Williams College Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Matthew Gold and the Williams College Department of Music, present a free performance of the group's continuing I/O program of new music.

I/O Fest featuring Jacqueline Kerrod

Friday, Jan. 14, 45 pm

Featured artist Jacqueline Kerrod presents improvisations for acoustic and electric harp in conjunction with the Williams College Percussion Ensemble.

I/O Fest featuring The Black Box Ensemble

Saturday, Jan. 15, 34 pm

The BlackBox Ensemble, a New York City-based contemporary music collective, presents "Intersections," a program of new voices exploring experimentation, innovation, and human connection.

I/O Out Loud: Family Concert

Sunday, Jan. 16, 12 pm

A special one-hour interactive event for families provides an exciting opportunity for children to experiment with the joys of experimenting with sound and music.

I/O Ensemble: Concert

Sunday, Jan. 16, 45 pm

An immersive program of new music and fresh voices inviting listeners to experience music in new ways with a focus on cutting edge composition and unconventional modes of performance. I/O Fest 2022 features guest ensembles, music by composers-in-residence, and performances by the I/O Ensemble, IOTA, and an array of Williams faculty, students, alumni, and guests.
Letter: Merry Orthodox Christmas

To the Editor:



Hello,



Merry Orthodox Christmas, Jan. 7, 2022. This is celebrated largely in Russia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Greece and Serbia, by Coptic Christians in Egypt, and regions that have people from these countries

This is based on the Julian calendar. The Catholic Pope Gregory XIII organized a new calendar in 1582 and areas not affected in some cases adopted the date later. People will attend church services ( plus Divine Liturgy) and then feast on foods and some cheese dishes and other ways to celebrate. Enjoy!

Joseph Maciora

Lenox, Mass.
After violent protesters loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol today, a tactical team with ATF gathers in the Rotunda to provide security for the continuation of the joint session of the House and Senate to count the Electoral College votes cast in November's election, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

President Biden laced into his predecessor in an intense and personal speech on the one-year anniversary of the violent Capitol insurrection, as Republicans mostly laid low and former President Donald Trump continued to propagate the same fictions that produced the attack.

In remarks from the Capitol of a deeply divided nation, Biden accused Trump of thrusting a dagger at the throat of America with his baseless claims that he won the 2020 presidential election, sparks that ignited the attack on Congress during the vote certification.

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The former president of the United States of America has created and spread a web of lies, said Biden, his voice reverberating through the Capitols Statuary Hall. His bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our Constitution. He cant accept he lost.

President Joe Biden speaks from Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Greg Nash/AP)

In a show of fealty to Trump, Republican leaders skipped events on Capitol Hill, though some released statements decrying the attack. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who voted to overturn the election last year, had not issued a statement as of Thursday evening.

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The remarks from Biden, whose poll numbers have slumped in his first year, carried reminders of his campaign rhetoric, which often centered on his pledge to unseat an unfit commander-in-chief.

We are in a battle for the soul of America, Biden said, delivering a common campaign refrain as he leaned close to the microphone, his voice dropping to a near-whisper.

President Joe Biden speaks from Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Jabin Botsford/AP)

Without referring to Trump by name, Biden landed punch after punch.

Hes not just a former president, the commander-in-chief said of his predecessor. Hes a defeated former president.

[ Wild celebrations erupt across NYC as Joe Biden declared nations 46th president ]

Then-President Donald Trump speaks during a rally protesting the electoral college certification of Joe Biden as the next U.S. President in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. (Evan Vucci/AP)

The speech, delivered in an otherwise silent setting on a solemn day, launched a round of urgent warnings from Democrats who believe Americas democracy is in peril.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who offered remarks before Biden, compared Jan. 6, 2021, to Dec. 7, 1941, the day of Japans attack on Pearl Harbor, and to Sept. 11, 2001.

Certain dates echo throughout history, Harris said. Dates that instantly remind all who have lived through them where they were and what they were doing when our democracy came under assault.

President Joe Biden (right) listens as Vice President Kamala Harris (left) speaks from Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/AP)

Though Trump has never publicly accepted the overwhelming evidence that he lost the election, he holds an iron grip on the GOP, whose voters largely believe his falsehoods. And despite the deadly Capitol assault, polling has put Trump and Biden in a dead heat in a hypothetical rematch.

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Biden questioned his twice-impeached predecessors basic patriotism, attacking the premise of Trumps turbulent presidency, which promised to put America first.

[ House impeaches Trump for unprecedented second time over deadly Capitol attack ]

You cant love your country only when you win, Biden said in his speech. You cant obey the law only when its convenient. You cant be patriotic when you embrace and enable lies.

President Joe Biden wipes his eye as he listens to Vice President Kamala Harris speak from Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/AP)

The remarks met a biting reaction from Trump. The former commander-in-chief issued a statement calling Biden a failure who is working hard to try and deflect the incompetent job he is doing.

Thats what you get when you have a rigged Election, Trump said in his statement. Sweeping independent reviews have found no evidence of widespread voter fraud or election rigging in the 2020 election.

Never forget the crime of the 2020 Presidential Election, Trump said in another statement. Never give up!

Trump had scrapped plans to address the insurrection on Thursday, suggesting that he will address the attack at a rally in Arizona on Jan. 15.

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Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. (top, in red) joined by her father and former Vice President Dick Cheney (top left) is pictured during a moment of silence at the Capitol building in Washington, DC, on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022.

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) was the only current Republican lawmaker who attended a moment of silence on the floor of the House on Thursday.

The future of the country is at stake and there are moments when we all have to come together in order to defend the Constitution, Cheney told reporters. A party who is enthralled to a cult of personality is a party that is dangerous for the country.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney (right) walks with his daughter Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. (left) vice chair of the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection, in the Capitol Rotunda at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

She was joined by her father, Dick Cheney, the former vice president. He said the lack of Republicans in the chamber was very concerning.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who called it a tough day, echoed dismay that his GOP colleagues were missing at the Capitol.

When a group of insurrectionists tries to invade the Capitol, everyone should rise up and say its a bad thing, Schumer told the Daily News on Thursday afternoon.

On the floor of the Senate, he warned that the nations democracy could vanish if Americans do not actively guard against the spread of Trumps dangerous election claims.

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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y) speaks at the start of a discussion with historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, on how "to establish and preserve the narrative of January 6th." (Susan Walsh/AP)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-N.Y.), speaking from the podium of the House, emphasized the ongoing challenge, saying that the past year has been marked by continued assaults on our democracy.

She also took a moment to honor the police officers who protected the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, warding off a calamity in the face of an enormous mob of Trump-loving rioters.

That day and the days after, they were the defenders of our democracy, and their courage and patriotism remain an inspiration, Pelosi said. Because of them, Congress was able to defeat the insurrection, to return to the Capitol that same night, to ensure that the peaceful transfer of power took place.

Because of them and our members, Pelosi added, the insurrection failed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at the Capitol building in Washington, DC, on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, during an event recognizing the one-year anniversary of the insurrection.

Pelosi and Schumer held a vigil at the steps of the Capitol in the evening. At the end of the Jan. 6 attack, which followed a call from Trump for protesters to fight like hell, four people in the crowd were dead and more than 100 cops were injured.

At least 5 officers who defended against the assault perished in the months that followed, including four by suicide.

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Jan. 7, 2021: Prez incited insurrection. Mob storms Capitol. Pols return to OK Biden. Rapid President Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, prompting police to barricade the door to the House chamber and guard it with guns drawn (inset). (New York Daily News)

One Republican lawmaker who chose to address that attack on Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), released a statement describing Jan. 6 as a dark day for Congress.

In his statement, McConnell tagged the rioters as criminals who brutalized police officers and used force to try to stop Congress from doing its job and expressed appreciation for the men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police who served our institution bravely that day.

But he also ripped into Democrats, accusing them of exploiting the anniversary for political purposes, and did not address Trumps role in the carnage.

In the morning, before he gave his speech, Biden arrived at the Capitol clad in a mask. It was not yet clear how much fire he would aim at Trump.

He answered a single question from the news media, a query about how he was feeling.

Im praying that we will never have a day like we had a year ago, Biden said. Thats what Im praying.
A family court in Taiwan has allowed a man to legally adopt his same-sex partners daughter, in a historic ruling activists are calling a ray of hope.

The ruling, which was made public on Tuesday, allowed a 34-year-old man to become the legal guardian of his husbands daughter. The child had been adopted before they were officially married.

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Taiwan has been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTQ rights in Asia. On May 17, 2019, thousands of marriage-equality advocates took to the streets outside Taiwans legislature to celebrate the historic decision by the parliament that made same-sex unions the law of the land  the first place in the region to do so.

However, members of the LGBTQ community in the self-ruled island of nearly 24 million people are still short of receiving the same rights as their non-LGBTQ counterparts.

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People hold up roses as they await the result of a parliamentary vote to legalize same-sex marriage on May 17, 2019 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Carl Court/Getty Images)

Same-sex couples, for example, still dont have the same rights as heterosexual couples, such as the adoption of a non-blood relative, and the legal right to marry partners from countries that dont recognize same-sex marriages.

And the recent ruling  while historic, as activists pointed out  only applied to one couple.

I am happy that my spouse is also legally recognized as the father of our child, 38-year-old Wang Chen-wei, one of the claimants, told the Agence France-Presse. But I cant feel all that happy without amending the law.

Its really absurd that same-sex people can adopt a child when they are single but they cant after they get married, he added.

Jennifer Lu, who serves as the executive director for the LGBTQ rights group the Taiwan Equality Campaign was hopeful about the decision but noted that Taiwan has been inconsistent on the issue, adding that some couples had similar requests denied by the courts.

We hope the rulings serve as a reminder to government officials and lawmakers that the current unfair legal conditions need to be changed, she told the AFP.
As Chicago, its hand forced by a hell-no teachers union, temporarily gives up on in-person schooling  despite nine out of 10 of its teachers being fully vaccinated and therefore well protected from getting seriously ill from COVID, and despite overwhelming evidence that remote learning is worse for students, and especially for disadvantaged kids  New York Citys teachers keep coming into work, with a teachers union that is for now resisting pressure from restive factions in its midst.

Schools Chancellor David Banks and Michael Mulgrew (Theodore Parisenne and Luiz Ribeiro /for New York Daily News)

We say: Thank you, UFT President Mike Mulgrew, and please hold the line. The kids need their teachers.

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New Yorks public schools are far from COVID-free; there is ample spread. With many more COVID safety measures in place than, say, in Chicago, and stepped-up testing detecting many cases, kids and adults are being sent home by the thousands with at-home diagnostic kits when they test positive or exposed to someone who does. This has yielded real disruptions. But a supermajority of the systems million kids (around 700,000) are still getting educated because the school system is engaged in an elaborate effort to try to mitigate spread of a variant that, though extraordinarily contagious, hardly ever does serious harm to the fully vaccinated  or to children, even when they are unvaccinated.

In city schools, children are masked and increasingly have their shots. All adults working in school buildings are fully vaccinated. The fact that children are in school by the hundreds of thousands, is not producing any meaningful public health consequences.

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Yet if schools were shuttered for a week or two or three until omicron blows over (or doesnt), children would once again be subjected to many of the harms that hounded them over the last two academic years. That includes further backsliding in math and reading aptitude; social and emotional damage that comes from being isolated; and a search for child-care by their parents, including essential workers who can ill afford the additional turmoil.

Any honest cost-benefit analysis falls on the side of keeping kids in school.
Over the last few weeks, all of us will have been immersed in our closest culture - your family, whatever form that takes - and hopefully the cultures of other meaningful groups in our lives, that of friends and family. Over the festive period of 2021, I am sure I was not alone in observing my immediate family and those of others. As we return to work - in whatever form that takes - the beginning of a new year is a good time to consider the other cultures we are close to - our colleagues, senior leadership team and the wider ecosystem that all technology divisions operate within.

Austrian born management author and consultant Peter Drucker is famed for his statement: culture eats strategy for breakfast, and in 2022 his words have even greater meaning, as although a strategy is important, it is incredibly hard to stick to a plan of action in the shifting sands of a Covid-19 impacted society and economy. However, no matter how the ground beneath our feet moves, the right culture will offer some level of protection.

Developing the right culture has, and will remain, a primary focus for chief information officers (CIO). Customers and business peers are increasing their demands on the technology team, driven by a rapidly changing market and economic landscape. These challenges require not only the right technology and IT service partners but also a culture that can grasp the challenge, creatively think of solutions and deploy in an agile and timely manner.

CIOs face serious challenges to this culture though. The ongoing pandemic means remote working will remain an essential element of the team dynamic. Providing both compliance, protection and, in many cases, the only way to secure skills. But a remote workforce makes culture creation harder and can increase the mental health strain on team members (and the CIO too). With the rising demand for technology-led solutions and a myriad of reports showing that technologists are being highly productive, the burn-out of team members is a real risk, and members of the CIO and CTO community have shared this experience and concern with me. It is essential that the culture that the CIO creates is healthy and supportive.

A healthy, supportive and creative culture will, in turn, enable CIOs to deal with the challenges of recruitment and retention. Come and join us, it is a great place to work is the cheapest and often the most reliable recruitment advertisement a CIO can have in their armour. Team members advocating their employer is real gold dust.

The right culture doesnt guarantee an end to recruitment issues or that there will be no mental health issues in your team. No matter how hard we try to develop the right culture, in the maelstrom of life, we can all become blind to the struggles family, and team members are having. Part of cultural development is to be self-aware and analytical. The festive season was, personally, both a chance to observe and reflect on the cultures I am part of, but also to question weak points (especially in yours truly) and observe strengths in other cultures and how to adopt - or avoid - patterns of behaviour.

Poor culture is now a risk. A risk to delivering successful technology solutions to the organisation, and therefore a risk to the business meeting its goals and promise to customers. Leaders with no understanding of a culture or the value of the right culture in the right place can quickly wreck a team, which leads to a decline in product quality, lower levels of innovation, opportunity for rivals and ultimately an impact on the bottom line.

A prominent member of the CIO community once said to me or a roundtable I was moderating: People dont leave organisations; they leave poor leadership. With talk, perhaps some of it hyped, of a great resignation taking place, people will leave leadership and organisations that dont fit their values. Looking back over our careers, we have all left an organisation as it was never right or declined in purpose. The pandemic has increased this awareness in many of our team members.

In 2022, the cultural development element of the CIO role remains in high demand, and in many cases, has increased in importance. A challenge and an opportunity for the new year.
Firefighters rescue Mason County resident who was trapped under collapsed roof for nearly six hours
Meralco linemen take a break after working non-stop in Camp Lapu Lapu in Cebu City. Meralco sent a contingent of engineers and linemen to help in the power restoration efforts in areas ravaged by Typhoon Odette in Cebu and Bohol.
As the Covid-19 pandemic nears its two-year anniversary, it's distressingly clear that businesses need to prepare for ongoing surges and new variants. Earlier this week, the U.S. reported a record number of daily Covid-19 cases, with more than one million new infections, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. While that one-day record may reflect the lack of tracking during the holidays, it's still a staggering number.

Despite the growth in cases, President Joe Biden has no intention of shutting down the economy, as happened at the start of the pandemic, and is preparing Americans to accept the virus as a part of daily life. In December, he announced a plan that included additional protections for businesses, such as increasing access to booster shots and free at-home tests, and encouraging businesses with fewer than 100 employees (which don't fall under the federal mandate) to ask their employees to get vaccinated.

The rapid spread of Omicron underlines the importance of having a plan in place, says Michael Daignault, ER physician and chief medical adviser for Reliant Health Services. "Businesses have to be prepared," he says. "By the time another variant comes around and they react, it's already too late."

Here are a few things to consider to make sure you're prepared for any upcoming surges:

Vaccine mandates are now in force

Biden's vaccine mandate took effect January 4, and on January 10, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can start instituting fines for those companies that don't comply. The fines can range from $13,653 for each serious violation, to as high as $136,532 for any employer who deliberately disregards the mandate. And OSHA likely won't give you notice before showing up, so make sure you have employee vaccination records on hand, or test results for unvaccinated individuals with agreed-upon accommodations.

Weigh your options and work remotely if you need to

It's time to once again take workplace safety into account and weigh whether to stay open. Many corporations--such as Jefferies, Goldman Sachs, and Chevron--have delayed or changed their January return-to-office plans, according to The New York Times. Starbucks, Delta Air Lines, and BlackRock amended their safety protocols, because of guidance from public health authorities.

Largely, there's been a shift in focus: from a forced lockdown meant to protect everybody, to a personal-risk assessment of what you need to do to protect yourself, notes Daignault. It's up to companies to analyze the risk factors around the workplace. This means taking into account the office or workplace environment, including ventilation, vaccination rates, community transmission, and hospitalizations.

There's no longer the binary choice of "just coming to the office or not," Daignault notes "but a spectrum of the office being fully open on one end, to fully remote on the other end, and everywhere in between."

Isolation periods have changed with Omicron

If an employee tests positive, or is diagnosed with Covid-19, make sure they know to notify their manager or the company immediately. While it's not as big a deal if an employee is working remotely, one who tests positive and shows up to work can expose your company to lawsuits for reckless endangerment and negligence if other workers become infected.

Importantly, isolation periods have changed. With the Omicron variant apparently being less severe than Delta, especially for the vaccinated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shortened the recommended time in isolation for Covid-19 patients. People with Covid-19 need to remain home for five days (as opposed to 10 or more) if they are asymptomatic or if their symptoms are resolving without fever for 24 hours. Returning employees will still need to wear a mask for five days to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter.
Steffen Schebesta, an Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) member in Toronto, is the CEO and VP of Corporate Development at Sendinblue, a marketing platform for small businesses. We asked Steffen how the pandemic has affected startups and the tools they need to succeed. Here's what he shared:

If you believe in your small business idea, now is an opportune time to take the leap into entrepreneurship. It's critical to consider the economic climate when outlining your business plan. So, how do you start a new business on the heels of a global pandemic?

The past two years have brought great uncertainty, but many businesses have successfully adapted. With a well-thought-out and strategic plan, you can harness your passion, launch a small business, and achieve success during these turbulent times.

Start with the basics. Ask yourself: Why do I want to start a business? If you are confident in your unique offering, here are a few ways to drive success for your small business during and after the pandemic.

Find Your Niche

The pandemic affected everyone by shifting the roles of work and personal life. With these changes, new gaps appeared in the market, and existing gaps were enlarged. That leaves space for new small businesses to prosper. A new small business can create value in niche markets that larger companies don't serve.

Go Digital

It is nearly impossible to start a business without establishing an online presence. Thousands of businesses closed for good during the pandemic--but many avoided that outcome by focusing strong efforts on building their online community. During such an online boom, small businesses must find and use the right digital tools to thrive.

Take advantage of social media and create personalized content. Social media management tools can empower you to make the most of your brand presence online and schedule content in advance. Email marketing is another inexpensive yet rewarding tool to explore. Finally, leverage the power of search engine optimization (SEO) to become more searchable online.

Network, Network, Network

Though traditional networking happens through in-person meetings and events, online networking with professionals is more accessible now with social media platforms, including Clubhouse, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Identify local networking groups or events in your area to build professional relationships. Most networking groups have a Slack community, which can be advantageous, as that's one of the most effective ways to connect with new professionals in your industry of interest and share new ideas. Never underestimate the power of building relationships, whether online or offline.
You don't have to be a so-called "green business" to join the effort to create a carbon-neutral future.

Thanks to a quickly expanding new business arm from General Motors, consumers will soon be able to get packages and groceries delivered to their homes by electric vehicles. The company revealed on Wednesday that it has struck deals to produce electric vehicles for Walmart and FedEx through its delivery vehicle spinoff, BrightDrop. GM's CEO, Mary Barra, made the announcement during a virtual keynote at the CES 2022 in Las Vegas.

Combined with the recent news of Tesla's $1 trillion market cap, the announcement serves as further proof that electric vehicles aren't part of the distant future. They're here now--and companies in industries from logistics to ride-hailing to deliveries should be planning on making electric vehicles part of their future.

BrightDrop's box-shaped vans can travel up to 250 miles on a single charge and will be used for last-mile delivery. With the pandemic-fueled explosion of e-commerce in recent years, FedEx expects to deliver 100 million packages per day by 2023. That will put additional strain on the company's supply chain--as well as on the environment. Appearing during the keynote, BrightDrop CEO Travis Katz referred to last-mile delivery as "the hidden footprint of e-commerce."

Electric vehicles can help offset that. FedEx will buy 2,500 of the vehicles and might add up to 20,000 more in the coming years. The company plans to maintain a fleet of 200,000 electric vehicles by 2040, at which point it has vowed to be carbon neutral.

Walmart plans to begin using BrightDrop's electric vehicles in companion with its new delivery service, InHome, through which workers bring items directly into a customer's home, in 2023. The company will initially buy a fleet of 5,000 vehicles.

"We no longer need to imagine a zero-emissions future," said Barra. "We're building it."

Walmart is also testing deliveries with Cruise, the autonomous vehicle company that GM acquired in 2016. The company revealed that it made nearly 3,000 deliveries in the Phoenix area last year using Cruise vehicles, many of which are electric. Cruise is currently testing its self-driving cars in San Francisco and intends to use them for ride-hailing services soon.

Barra on Wednesday also unveiled an all-electric Silverado pickup truck made by GM-owned Chevrolet. The truck will go into production next year and be available by 2025.
Elizabeth Holmes is not the first businessperson for whom ruthless ambition untethered from reality resulted in a fraud conviction. Nor will she be the last. What, then, is the startup community to make of the spectacular rise and fall of the Theranos founder?

It's tempting to draw a definitive conclusion from the verdict handed down in a federal court in San Jose on January 3: the Theranos case will forever change biotech. Theranos is a referendum on Silicon Valley culture. Or, the flip side: Holmes, her company, and her slate of investors--who notably had no experience in health care or diagnostics--are outliers rather than representing a condemnable trend in entrepreneurship.

Setting aside the question of long-term implications from the Theranos trial, I think there's a fascinating post-mortem discussion to be had around the inner turmoil of the entrepreneur who pursues the path of outsize ambition.

Startup culture celebrates the founders who conceive of and effectively sell the most inspiring visions. Hence the glut of startup advice, including on Inc.com, focused on that first crucial step: the pitch. Without the vision, you have no team, no financial support, no partners, and arguably not enough reason to persevere every morning trying to create something from nothing. So you need the spark that comes from hoping you'll be the exceptional person who will achieve what others before you have not. You'll be the one who will revolutionize the health care industry with a few drops of blood.

But when reality conflicts with your vision, there's a psychological dance required to keep working at it. Let too much self-doubt creep in, and you'll get nowhere, say many successful entrepreneurs. And so unwavering belief in oneself and in one's idea is paramount. Keep going when everyone tells you no. Forget your critics. As Holmes put it in a 2015 interview in an attempt to respond to Theranos skeptics: "First they think you're crazy, then they fight you, then all of a sudden you change the world."

To succeed, you must effectively walk the line between projecting hope and inspiration, and responding to the obstacles that are inevitably thrown in your face. But how?

To explore this question, I reached out to entrepreneurs and investors in biotech and health care, spheres known for long innovation cycles. And while their perspective most closely reflects what it's like to operate in these industries, their advice is relevant for ambitious startup founders in any industry.

Adam de la Zerda is a scientist first, and then an entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Visby, a biotech company that has played a pivotal role in the pandemic response by making the world's first portable PCR machine that can test for Covid in 30 minutes. While the Covid-specific test was brought to market in about six months, de la Zerda had been working on the idea for years leading up to Visby's FDA emergency-use authorization in September 2020.

When he reflects on what Holmes says she was trying to do at Theranos, de la Zerda--who is also on the faculty at Stanford's School of Medicine, where he teaches in the structural biology and electrical engineering department--immediately thinks of his scientific training. "The verdict reminds us of what we knew all along, what's fundamental as scientists: All that matters is truth and data," he says. "Doubting yourself, others, the data, everything--that's intrinsic to someone's identity as a scientist."

At Stanford, he says, faculty spend enormous amounts of time training students to remove their conscious and unconscious biases in their experiments. Good scientists learn good techniques for asking questions, especially when they get the result they were hoping for. How might they have influenced the outcome? In science, external structures such as peer review and clinical trials are in place to remove the bias and conflicts of interest inherent to the process. (Theranos, it must be noted, did not subject its research to the same scrutiny that most biotech companies do.) In other words, applying caution--even doubt--is crucial to the scientific process and to proving the validity of breakthroughs.

When I asked de la Zerda if self-doubting was at odds with his identity as an entrepreneur, he paused. Perhaps in some moments, it might be, he said, pointing to the big pitch moment. But at the same time, he says, "in science, doubt doesn't take us away from being willing to pursue high-risk, high-reward projects." Perhaps it needn't do so in startups either.

De la Zerda's point easily could be reframed to be more palatable for the non-scientific founder, the same person who believes too much self-doubt is antithetical to the success of a startup entrepreneur. What de la Zerda is talking about is the importance of maintaining a learning mindset. The humility to know what you don't know, question your assumptions, and change your beliefs in the face of convincing evidence. In short, everything Holmes was unwilling to do. It sounds basic, and yet plenty of business leaders operate with a similar mindset, if not to the extent that they commit fraud. They limit their own growth because they are overconfident in their own ideas and are unable to adapt. For more on that topic, read organizational psychologist Adam Grant's recent book, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know (Viking, 2021).

When Menlo Ventures partner and biotech investor Greg Yap thinks of the task of staying grounded in the pursuit of outsize goals, he puts it another way: "How do you eat an elephant? The answer is one bite at a time." You absolutely need to preach the long-term vision so your partners, investors, and employees stay excited on the journey, he says. But then your work is about "identifying the de-risking moments along the way to know you're going in the right direction." You need to make incremental, tangible progress toward your goal.
Sidney Poitier, the pathbreaking Black star whose presence on stage and screen through decades of racial reckoning projected the best of Americas character, was what some might disparagingly call an anchor baby. His parents, Bahamian farmers, would travel regularly to Miami to sell produce. He was born two months premature on one such visit.

Poitier was raised back on the islands until he returned to the states as a teen, first to Miami, then, at age 16, to New York: I was not looking for opportunities...I was, at that point, content to be a dishwasher. Poitier knew that to succeed he really had to learn to read: I realized that in New York there were many streets. Some were numbered, but not all. Some were named. And three syllables, I had great problems with pronouncing three syllables.

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Sidney Poitier after receiving "Handel" medal in New York City in 1964. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive via Getty Images)

One day, perusing the Amsterdam News for dishwashing jobs, an Actors Wanted ad came into focus. Poitier went to the audition. It went horribly; he struggled mightily to read the text. The man said, Get out of here and stop wasting peoples time. Ironically, he told Poitier to get himself a job as a dishwasher.

Poitier recollected: That was one thing I wouldnt have told him. And I realized then and there that what he said was his perception of my worth. He perceived me to be of no value beyond something that I could do with my hands. And while he was correct in his anger to characterize me that way, I was offended. I was offended deeply. And I said to myself, I have to rectify that. I have to show him that he was wrong about me.

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See: Tributes pour in for Sidney Poitier from Hollywood to Washington

The rectification succeeded. In The Defiant Ones, A Raisin in the Sun, Porgy and Bess, In the Heat of the Night, To Sir, With Love, Guess Whos Coming to Dinner and so much more, Poitier portrayed men  Black men  worthy of, aching for and achieving dignity. May he rest in peace.
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Mumbai-based Hexagon Nutrition Limited (HNL), a fully integrated company engaged, from product development to marketing including research and development and manufacturing of nutrition, with a focus on quality has filed preliminary papers. with capital market regulator Sebi to raise funds through an initial share-sale.The initial public offering (IPO) with a face value of Rs. 1 per equity share consists of a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating to Rs. 100 crore, and an offer for sale of up to 30,113,918 equity shares, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP).As per market sources, the issue size will be approximately in the range of Rs. 500-600 crore.The Offer for Sale comprises up to 7,700,000 equity shares by Arun Purushottam Kelkar, up to 6,136,000 equity shares by Subhash Purushottam Kelkar (The Promoter Selling Shareholders.), up to 1,500,000 equity shares by Anuradha Arun Kelkar, up to 2,500,000 equity shares by Nutan Subhash Kelkar, up to 12,204,250 equity shares by SomeRs.et Indus Healthcare Fund I Limited and up to 73,668 equity shares by Mayur Sirdesai (The Other Selling Shareholders).The proceeds from its fresh issuance worth Rs. 33.5 crore will be utilised for the repayment or prepayment of borrowings, in full or part of all or certain borrowings for the company and subsidiaries; Rs. 15.00 crore for funding incremental working capital requirements; Rs. 19.17 crore for funding capital expenditure requirement for expanding existing facility; Rs. 7.15 crore for investment in subsidiary and financing capital expenditure at existing facility and general corporate purposes.In 2016, Somerset Indus Healthcare Fund-I, along with Mayur Anand Sardesai, an advisor and director at SomeRs.et Health Capital Advisors, had invested Rs. 25 crore for a 10% stake in the company. Somerset is an offshore private equity firm focused on making healthcare investments in India.Founded by Arun and Subash Kelkar in 1993, Hexagon Nutrition started as a micro-nutrient formulations player, and today it has moved up the value chain to develop brands like PENTASURE, OBESIGO and PEDIAGOLD which are leading names in the health, wellness, and clinical nutrition space. It is the only holistic nutrition player that offers. products across clinical products, micronutrient premixes and therapeutic products. Its product portfolio includes fortification of foods, therapeutic nutrition, clinical nutrition and alleviation of malnutrition.Being a differentiated and research oriented pure-play nutrition company, it focus on holistic nutrition products encompassing a wide range of nutritional and nutrition enhancing products, that sells its products in around 70 countries, currently from its three factories located at Nasik, Chennai, and Thoothukkudi.In order to grow and diversify its business in the last three fiscals, the Mumbai-based company continued to leverage its ability to implement new product launches and/ or introduction of products such as Penta Sure Fiber, Carboload and Penta Sure Whey Protein Max, in the branded nutrition product category.In absence of direct competition, however it faces competition from various domestic and multi-national companies across its Branded Nutrition Products (B2C) like Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Nestle Health Science, Zydus Wellness, Fresenius Kabi and Premix Formulations (B2B) like DSM N.V., Piramal Enterprises, P D Navkar Bio-Chem Pvt. Ltd.In 2019, it had set up a trading company in South Africa and has future plans to build a facility there. The company is also setting up a factory in Uzbekistan that is expected to commence operations by Q1 2022.Indias health and wellness nutrition market was worth $ 10.5 billion in CY 2020 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 11.9% till CY 2025. Staple and processed foods are being increasingly industrially produced in many developing economies allowing for standardised and fortified healthy nutritious food. The Indian food fortification premix market was valued at $ 80.0 million in CY 2020 and is expected to reach $ 149.6 million in CY 2026.Revenue from operations grew 3.01% to Rs. 209.97 crore for the fiscal 2021 against Rs. 203.84 crore for the fiscal 2020, primarily due to increase in demand for B2B2C and ESG segment and increase in volume of premixes and therapeutic foods sold, while its net profits grew by 23.10% from Rs. 18.57 crore in FY20 to Rs. 22.86 crore in FY21.Equirus Capital Private Limited and SBI Capital Markets Limited are the book running lead managers. to the issue.
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It is not every day that we hear about people doing bizarre things to save their asses but this prisoner, who is currently in Tihar jail, carried out the most unusual attempt that left us dumbstruck.

An undertrial prisoner at Tihar jail swallowed a cell phone when the jail staff was approaching for search on suspicion, DG (Prison)Sandeep Goel told ANI on Friday.

News Intervention

"On January 5, one inmate of Jail no.1, Tihar swallowed a mobile phone when our staff approached him for search on suspicion," said the jail official.

"He was sent to DDU hospital. Though his condition is fine so far, but mobile is still inside," added Goel.

ANI

Last year, a cat had tried to commit the purrfect crime after authorities caught it trying to smuggle drugs into a prison in Panama. The feline was carrying a pouch of drugs tied to its body and was stopped outside the Neuza Esperanza jail in the Caribbean province of Colon, north of the capital Panama City.

The cat had a cloth tied around its neck and was going to enter the prison which houses more than 1,700 prisoners. Andres Gutierrez, Head of the Panama Penitentiary System told the media that a smuggler had tied a cloth around the cat's neck that contained wrapped packages of white powder, vegetable matter and leaves. According to another official, the materials were most likely crack, marijuana and cocaine.

The cat was shifted to a pet adoption centre, said prosecutor Eduardo Rodriguez.



AFP

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Its 2 a.m. and youve just put the finishing touches on the option list for your new home build. Last week you picked the lot with a mountain view, and this week youve configured your new 2,500-square-foot home using a web-based design tool. Once your design is complete, you hit the build button. Three days later, you get a text that your home is ready for occupancy, the utilities are activated, and the occupancy permits already granted. You have yet to speak with a single human about your home build.

How do we get a home delivered at this speed? It will require complete automation of the design and build processes, with as few humans as possible in the mix. This includes automation of all construction-related trades, and even automation to meet all required legal checkpoints along the way. It will be a homeowners utopia.

Back in my youth, I was a laborer on a construction site. My job was to move plywood and drywall from one place to another. Even then I was struck by the number of repetitive tasks required to build a home. Yes, todays construction crews leverage some automation, such as power tools, but it still seems outdated when you look at how we now build cars and other manufactured products.

Manufactured homes have been available for several decades. They are produced in a factory, and completed sections are transported to the lot for assembly. However, the amount of manual labor is still much the same as when all of a build takes place at the final site, and the costs are similar to those of traditionally built homes.

This is an industry thats primed for disruption. The technology to truly automate building homes is just beginning to arrive. At the same time, the price of new homes is too high for the average buyers budget. A Virginia family recently moved into Habitat for Humanitys first 3D-printed home in the United States. While Im sure this was more about proving the concept rather than saving money and time, it did show that more types of home construction could be automated, and thus potential costs could be reduced and even the quality of the construction improved.

The 3D-printed home solves only part of the problems of home construction. However, there is nothing on the horizon that will stop the automation of the building trades. The use of optical-driven robotics for carpentry, electrical, and plumbing tasks will work with emerging construction automation systems to provide better planning and sequencing of the build. The idea is to optimize the processes and thus reduce costs and increase speed to delivery. In the big picture, this is the same transformation going on in other industries through the digitalization of everything.

The construction industry is already looking to weaponize cloud computing to begin automating more core processes of a home build. I suspect well see the day sooner rather than later when we can purchase a lot, design a house to build on that lot, and then walk into that house within a few days, all thanks to automation driven by cloud computing technology.

The real value is not the ability to do a people-less build, although thats cool. The real value is to lower the cost of housing to more affordable levels while increasing quality and safety. The processes and technology we used to build houses when I hauled 2x4s up several flights of stairs all those years ago are pretty much the same today. Thats about to change.
The law is in my blood. My brothers and I grew up with it, watching my father leave the house every day from our home in Cambria Heights, off to protect the people of the city. His name was Philip too. And I, like many other people, followed in my fathers footsteps.

Now, nearly 40 years after I left home, and after nearly 30 years as a member of the NYPD, I still want to serve. But as I take on a new role as deputy mayor for public safety, I owe it to New Yorkers, and to our new Mayor Eric Adams, to answer some questions that have been raised about me.

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Based on the release of court records, there has been much speculation about my relationship with two men, Jona Rechnitz and Jeremy Reichberg, who were later convicted as part of a corruption investigation. I was never charged with any crime as part of that investigation, which is why I never felt it necessary to address the reports.

The central theme of the reports about my involvement in the corruption scheme was that I was party to it; that I traded favors as a senior NYPD official for some form of compensation. That is 100% false. In fact, neither defendant even claimed this. I never did anything in my official capacity for Rechnitz or Reichberg.

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In his own words. (James Keivom/New York Daily News)

The other story is that I left the NYPD to avoid a departmental trial on the investigation. That is also completely false. I was asked by the police commissioner to take the position of first deputy commissioner in the NYPD. Some considered this to be a promotion, others did not. I expressed my concern about accepting the position. I did not feel I could be effective in the role.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

The commissioner stated that he would like me to stay on and we discussed the restructuring of my role, but we could not agree. Ultimately it was the commissioners decision to define the role, and I respected that and his decades of success in law enforcement. But it was my decision whether to accept. And after three decades in the NYPD, I made the decision to retire.

There are also individual details of the speculation that I would like to address. It was reported that I had unexplained income in my bank accounts. This again proved to be false. There was a question about unreported income from my rental properties. The IRS investigated these questions and took no action. For instance, the rental income was payments from a tenant who is a long-time family friend. And those payments were offset by the cost of repairs and other expenses incurred by the properties, which I never deducted. In hindsight though, I absolutely should have declared the income and taken the legally allowed deductions associated with those properties.

And there was a question of why I invested my money with Rechnitz. The answer to that is simple: At the time, I believed he was a legitimate businessman.

Despite the fact that I never broke the law, nor did I ever betray the public trust by abusing my authority as an NYPD official, I do also want to offer an apology to the people of New York. My interaction with Rechnitz and Reichberg was a mistake. These two men were attempting to corrupt public officials  and I now regret the time I spent with them. I realize now that even the appearance of our friendship was damaging to my profession. I hope that from here on, I can serve the people of New York excellently to prove my commitment to them.

It is an odd thing to watch and listen to your name get dragged through the mud. And I would probably just stay out of public life if it was not just my name being dragged through the mud. But it is not just my name. It is my fathers name.

I love the law and I love this city. I want to serve. I know I can help keep this city safe. So I will serve. From here on, I promise all New Yorkers that I will let my hard work be the evidence of my commitment. But more importantly, it will be how I live up to my dads name and fulfill my promise to the people of New York City.

Banks is the incoming deputy mayor for public safety of New York City.
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Canadas top health official Theresa Tam has warned that COVID-19 cases in the country could jump in coming days, due to community spread of the Omicron variant.

Concerns over the highly transmissible variant have spooked investors around the world and prompted companies to delay return-to-office plans.

Canada Employers Shed Unvaccinated Workers With Legal Challenges Expected More Canadian Businesses to Introduce Vaccine Mandates for Employees: Minister

Here are updated plans of Canadian banks and insurers to bring staff back to office:

Royal Bank of Canada: Canadas biggest bank by market value has told staff to work from home in regions where provincial governments have advised employers to maintain remote work where jobs allow. The bank had not announced a firm return-to-office date and had encouraged employees to work from home until the new year.

Bank of Nova Scotia: Scotiabank has paused plans to begin a phased return for its Toronto head-office employees from Jan. 17. When the return happens, it will be staggered for different groups and most head-office staff will follow a hybrid working model.

Sun Life Financial Inc.: Canadas second-biggest life insurer has paused its office re-opening pilot for more employees until the end of January. The company has launched a flexible return-to-office approach for a majority of its 12,000 staffers in Canada, that will allow them to choose where to work from.

National Bank of Canada: Canadas sixth-biggest lender has asked employees to work remotely if possible.

Toronto-Dominion Bank: The bank asked employees who are able to do so to work from home until further notice.

Bank of Montreal: Canadas fourth-largest bank has asked its investment bankers to go back to working from home until the week of Jan. 17, according to a Bloomberg News report.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce: Canadas fifth-largest lender has asked its staff in the country to work remotely and halted plans for a return-to-work location in January.

Manulife Financial: Canadas biggest life insurer has paused its return-to-office date for employees in North America, according to a memo seen by Reuters. Earlier, it had planned Jan. 24 for return to office for U.S. workers.

The banks and insurers also have mandatory vaccination policies that employees must follow to return to their premises.

(Reporting by Nichola Saminather, Niket Nishant, Manya Saini and Sohini Podder; editing by Marguerita Choy, Barbara Lewis, Ramakrishnan M., Anil DSilva and David Gregorio)

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Topics Carriers Canada
A paper mill in Michigans Upper Peninsula has agreed to pay nearly $250,000 to settle an investigation of a fish kill in the Escanaba River, state regulators said.

A catastrophic pipe failure at the Verso Corp. site in Escanaba resulted in a discharge of partially treated wastewater in August 2020, regulators said.

The mill generates a pollutant known as black liquor, which typically is burned as an energy source, the Michigan environment department said.

The river was deprived of oxygen, and fish _ pike, bass, walleye and others _ were killed for three miles. The Escanaba River runs for 52 miles from Marquette County to Lake Michigan.

Verso, based in Miamisburg, Ohio, will pay $244,000 in civil penalties and natural resource damages, the state said.

An email seeking comment was sent to the company Thursday.

The Escanaba mill has been making paper since 1911.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Michigan
A wind-driven house fire killed three members of a suburban Chicago family, including a 91-year-old woman, and left fourth person hospitalized, authorities said.

River Grove Fire Chief Sean Flynn said Wednesday mornings fire began in a garage and spread to the rest of the home in Chicagos western suburbs. He said firefighters faced high winds and frozen fire hydrants as they struggled to extinguish the blaze.

Three hours after the fire started, the bodies of three relatives were found inside the gutted home. Michelle Owrey, 28, and John Owrey, 61, were found dead on the second floor, and Marilyn Owrey Hennig, 91, was found dead on the first floor, said the Cook County medical examiners office.

A 56-year-old man who escaped from the burning home and suffered smoke inhalation was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.

The cause of the fire was under investigation by the River Grove Fire Department and the office of the state fire marshal.

Flynn said it was unclear if there was a working smoke detector in the home.

The fire was so intense that we cant tell if there were smoke detectors, he told the Chicago Tribune.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A deadly form of soot pollution from U.S. refineries has gone unregulated for decades because of a dispute between the U.S. oil industry and federal environmental officials over how to measure it, according to documents from the Environmental Protection Agency reviewed by Reuters.

The delay in addressing so-called condensable fine particulate matter emissions means this pollutant is being released by scores of facilities across the country unchecked, adding to a slew of other contaminants from oil refineries that researchers say take a disproportionately large toll on the health of poor and minority communities living nearby.

The absence of a federal standard has led at least one regional air quality regulator in California to attempt a crack-down on these emissions, an effort that has sparked litigation from oil refiners located there.

Condensable fine particulate matter is a form of soot that leaves the smokestack as a gas before solidifying into particles when it cools. The EPA first proposed a method to measure it in 1991 amid evidence that it was at least as damaging to human lungs as normal soot, which is solid when emitted.

The agency says even short-term exposure to fine soot particles can lead to heart attacks, lung cancer, asthma attacks and premature death. Scientific research cited by the EPA estimates that, combined, condensable and solid soot cause more than 50,000 premature deaths a year in the United States, findings that are disputed by the industry.

But the EPA has declined to impose limits on the condensable form of the pollutant. The oil industry and its main lobbying group, the American Petroleum Institute (API), claim the agency has failed to come up with an accurate test to quantify it, according to EPA disclosures and interviews with independent testing firms, API officials and the trade groups members.

The industry says testing employed currently can overstate the amount of condensable soot emitted by refineries under certain conditions, a flaw the EPA has acknowledged.

Costly retrofits or new control devices should not be required based on results from a faulty method, major U.S. oil company Chevron Corp told Reuters in a statement.

Setting a national limit on pollutant emissions without consensus on how to measure those emissions is unfeasible because it would invite legal challenges from the industry, according to regulators and stack-testing analysts.

The EPA said in a statement that it is still conducting research into how to reliably measure condensable soot, but did not comment on a timeline for finishing the effort.

The delays are dangerous, said Greg Karras, an environmental scientist who has worked for nonprofit groups seeking reduced emissions from the refining industry.

It is inappropriate to wait more than 30 years to protect people from this form of pollution while you are trying to perfect a test, Karras said.

If condensable soot were eventually regulated, it would force nearly all of the countrys 135 oil refineries to invest in new pollution-control equipment, based on estimates of current emissions using the EPAs contested testing method.

SAN FRANCISCO CRACKS DOWN

Soot is comprised of particles many times smaller than a grain of sand that can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream if inhaled. The EPA regulates solid forms of soot, which are easy to measure by filtering smokestack emissions. But because condensable soot is gaseous in the smokestack, it is harder to quantify.

The EPAs current test for condensable soot, called Method 202, uses probes and glass tubes placed inside refinery smokestacks to collect samples from the gas stream. It shows individual U.S. refineries can emit up to hundreds of tons of the pollutant per year, sometimes accounting for nearly half of a refinerys total soot emissions, according to a Reuters review of regulatory documents filed by oil companies.

The material examined by the news agency dates from 2017 to 2021 and includes results of Method 202 tests that some refineries had commissioned to meet local requirements or as part of litigation.

The API, however, says the test can produce erroneously high readings of condensable soot if the samples react with other chemicals that commonly are present at a refinery.

The EPA has acknowledged that pollution levels could be overestimated using Method 202, agency disclosures show. The EPA revised Method 202 in 2010 in an attempt to eliminate this bias. But the revision did not fully address industry concerns about potentially skewed results due to the presence of other compounds in refinery smokestacks, particularly ammonia, according to a 2014 EPA memorandum viewed by Reuters.

The EPAs National Risk Management Research Laboratory in Ohio, which is charged with finding scientific and engineering solutions to environmental problems, is now working with the API on resolving issues with Method 202 while exploring an alternative methodology, the EPA told Reuters.

The long-running issue surfaced last year when regulators in San Franciscos Bay Area, which includes nine counties around the city of San Francisco, passed the strictest soot regulations in the country in a bid to ease pollution in the neighborhoods around its cluster of oil refineries.

U.S. states and regions are often given the power to impose their own pollution limits provided those rules are as strong, or stronger, than federal regulations.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management Districts (BAAQMD) new limits include condensable soot and require the industry  despite its objections  to use Method 202 to quantify those soot emissions. The agency contends the test is accurate and that condensable soot measurements are not impacted by the presence of ammonia in a smokestack if a refinery is operating properly. The tougher soot standard goes into effect in 2026 to give oil companies time to adapt.

Refining companies Chevron and PBF Energy Inc are fighting the BAAQMDs new regulations in Contra Costa County Superior Court, according to a civil complaint filed in September. The companies say the rules would force them to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on pollution-control equipment for their Bay Area refineries.

API and our members support policies at the federal level that follow the science to drive emissions reductions, but the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is using the wrong approach, Ron Chittim, APIs vice president of downstream policy, said in a statement to Reuters.

Chevron estimates it would cost $1.48 billion to install a so-called wet gas scrubber at its refinery in Richmond, California, a pollution-control approach the BAAQMD wants the company to use.

BAAQMD estimates its restrictions would cut the areas annual death toll from soot by as much as half. Soot-related deaths currently average up to 12 a year from Chevrons Richmond refinery and up to six deaths a year from PBF Energys refinery in Martinez, California, the regulator estimates.

Refiners disputed those figures in comments submitted to BAAQMD staff. The industry says the numbers dont take into account lifestyle choices of the deceased, such as smoking, and it contends the health benefits from cuts in soot production are exaggerated.

A BAAQMD spokesperson declined further comment, citing ongoing litigation.

NEW STANDARD?

It remains to be seen whether other California air quality districts, regulators in other states or the federal government will follow the Bay Areas lead.

The EPA under Democratic President Joe Biden has said it is weighing whether to lower its existing limits for soot pollution after former Republican President Donald Trumps administration declined to do so. But the agency would not specify whether it planned to crack down on condensable soot.

In Texas, which has the largest number of refineries in the country, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said it does not have plans to tighten restrictions on particulate matter, a spokesman said.

Elsewhere, recent test results at two refineries viewed by Reuters showed that condensable soot accounted for a significant portion of overall soot generated by those operations.

In Delaware, at the Delaware City Refinery owned by PBF, 48% of the soot measured was condensable soot, according to results from a May stack test performed by an outside consulting firm as part of the facilitys routine compliance with federal air quality regulations.

PBF declined to comment.

At Exxon Mobil Corps refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 17% of soot measured was condensable, according to an August stack test on file with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

Exxon declined to comment on the battle over Method 202. The company said it was continuously optimizing our processes to minimize emissions and enhance energy efficiency.

(Reporting by Tim McLaughlin in Boston; editing by Richard Valdmanis and Marla Dickerson)

Topics Energy Oil Gas Pollution
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has announced the acquisition of Little Rock, Arkansas-based The Robbi Davis Agency, Inc.. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1996, RDA is a full-service insurance agency specializing in employee benefits, Medicare supplement/drug plans and individual health insurance, with a focus on small group businesses. Robbi Davis and her team will remain in their current location under the direction of Jerry Roberts, head of Gallaghers Heartland region employee benefits consulting operations.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions A.J. Gallagher Arkansas
One month after the North Carolina Court of Appeals found that a health care workers slight deviation from her normal work routine constituted an accident that caused an injury, the court made a similar ruling this week.

In Genevieve Vance vs. Laurels Healthcare and PMA Companies, the appeals court reversed an Industrial Commission ruling that denied a physical therapy assistants workers compensation claim. The woman injured her knee in 2018 when she attempted to get a 300-pound patient to his feet for therapy.

North Carolinas workers comp statute, unlike those in most other states, requires that a claimant prove that she was injured, not only during the course and scope of employment, but also that it was an accident that caused the injury. An accident has been defined by statute and case law as an unexpected event that involves the interruption of the normal work routine.

In the Vance case, Vance testified that moving a large patient is often, but not always, a two-person job. On the day of the injury, she attempted to raise the patient from his wheelchair without another workers assistance, which the court said constituted an unusual event and an accident. She later required arthroscopic surgery for a meniscus tear.

The employer had denied the claim, but a deputy comp commissioner awarded Vance benefits. The employer and insurer appealed to the full Industrial Commission and the commission reversed. It noted that the injury was not the result of an interruption in work routine or unusual conditions, and was part of Vances normal work program.

The appeals court disagreed and said some of the commissions conclusions were not supported by the facts of the case.

Accordingly, we reverse the opinion and award of the commission and remand the case for entry of an opinion and award concluding that plaintiff was not performing her usual job duties in the usual manner and that plaintiffs extra exertion caused an unusual condition and interruption of plaintiffs normal work routine, and awarding benefits, Judge Jeff Carpenter wrote in the opinion, posted Jan. 4.

It is well-settled law in North Carolina that  extra exertion by the employee, resulting in injury, may qualify as an injury by accident, when the extra and unusual exertion was accidental and produced the original [injury]   the court said, citing previous appeal court rulings.

One month earlier, the court made a similar ruling in a case with similar circumstances. A nurse had attempted to move an obese patient with only one other assistant, instead of the usual three. A deputy commissioner granted benefits, the full Industrial Commission agreed, and the appeals court affirmed.
Patriot Growth Insurance Services, a national agency, has acquired six Florida agencies, greatly expanding Patriots footprint in the Southeast.

Pennsylvania-headquartered Patriot said in a news release that it had purchased agencies across Florida.

They include:

Kolisch Marine, in Coral Gables, specializes in marine and yacht insurance.

Bob MacLeish is based in Orlando, sells personal and commercial lines.

Depace Insurance, in Coral Springs, provides personal lines insurance. Founders Joe and Susan Depace are retiring and Patriot plans to upgrade the office and administrative support.

Focus Insurance in Plantation also offers personal lines, with a staff that speaks a number of languages.

Crosslet Insurance Services serves business and residential customers in St. Petersburg.

Herndon Carr & Co. has served the Fort Myers area since 1979, with personal and commercial lines and employee benefits.

Patriot, founded less than three years ago, calls itself one of the fastest-growing benefits and property-casualty national agencies, with more than 1,300 employees in 19 states.

Topics Agencies Florida
South Africa: Class of 2021 disadvantaged by reduced teaching time in Grade 11

The matric class of 2021 was disrupted in their schooling over the last two years, and the impact of the loss of more than 50% of their Grade 11 year presented serious consequences for the class.

Speaking at the Umalusi standardisation meeting held on Thursday in Pretoria, the Department of Basic Education Director-General, Mathanzima Mweli, said the important foundation that Grade 11 work builds in preparation for Grade 12 was weakened.

We will therefore see the deleterious effect of lost teaching time, in particular on those subjects that are time intensive such as the languages, and subjects that are heavily dependent on language for utility, such as Mathematical Literacy, he said.

The Director-General said the standardisation of the 2021 NSC examinations is a special meeting that deserves distinctive attention for a number of reasons.

These learners not only had to deal with a reduced exposure to face-to-face teaching and learning but they also had to contend with the anxieties and trauma of COVID-19. Countless families have been pushed to the limits of financial endurance from lost jobs and income.

Not only this but also many families have lost family members and friends due to the pandemic, Mweli said.

He said when looking at the principles of the science of how pupils learn, the cohort of 2021 was heavily impacted during their Grade 11 year due to reduced teaching time.

Mweli emphasised that learning is strengthened through the retrieval practice, which must be done multiple times and over time, including revisiting subject content across multiple sessions with good, specific and focused feedback from teachers and others, such as peers.

The class of 2021 was deprived of this advantage. The unique learning context necessitated a robust, targeted and differentiated learner support programme for this cohort. The sector increased not only the learner beneficiaries and scope of the interventions but also the number and type of interventions offered to this class, he said.

Mweli said the class of 2021 is also the first class to be presented with amendments to Section 4 of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), which impacted on 20 of the 67 subjects of this class.

A further unanticipated hurdle that confronted this class was the load shedding that would have adversely affected their final preparations for the examinations.

A total of 733 746 full-time candidates registered to write the 2021 NSC examination -- the largest full time cohort over the last few years. A total of 123 487 more full-time candidates and 46 942 more part-time candidates registered to write the examination, he said.

The Director-General said of the 733 746 candidates that registered for the examination, 700 604 candidates wrote the examination, which reflects the lowest percentage of no shows (4.5%) over the last few years.

The increase in the number of full-time candidates can be attributed to a number of factors and one of the key factors is the change in the assessment regime, in Grade 10 and 11, which was prompted by the need to create maximum time for teaching and learning, he said.

He added that the school based assessment in Grade 11 was increased from 25% to 60% and examinations were replaced by controlled tests.

Hence, the change in assessment practices resulted in a different outcome. These learners would therefore have written their first fully-fledged examination in their Grade 12 year, which was part of the preparatory examination, Mweli said.

Mweli said one of the purposes of standardisation is to ensure fairness from year to year and the disadvantages suffered by the class of 2021 cannot be ignored, as part of our social justice obligations.

Meanwhile, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga is expected to announce the outcome of the results of the 2021 NSC examinations on 20 January 2022.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-01-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Pro-Trump supporters storm the US Capitol following a rally with President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Trump supporters gathered in the nation's capital to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over President Trump in the 2020 election. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images/VCG

January 6 marked the first anniversary of the US Capitol riot. Washington held various events to commemorate the day in a high-profile manner. US President Joe Biden in his speech on Thursday said that "democracy was attacked, simply attacked" on that day and took former president's "web of lies" as target. Some Republican lawmakers accused Democrats of exploiting the consequences of the riot for their partisan ends. The "US-style democracy" crisis isn't over, but is still continuously deepening the antagonism between the two parties, and becoming the "resource" for a political struggle.

On January 6, 2021, a large number of Trump supporters broke into the Capitol building, beating, smashing, looting and burning under the astonished eyes of the world. The protesters clashed with the police, resulting in five deaths and many injuries. This was the first time in over 200 years that the Capitol was breached. It was also an embarrassing scene that the fig leaf of "US-style democracy" had been ripped off. The bloody violence that took place in the US' highest political palace pulled the icon of "US-style democracy" down from the shining city upon the hill, making it shattered. Even if the political elites in Washington are trying hard to fix it, the icon cannot be raised again, nor can it be used to dictate the world.

The world has seen all these scenes: The US president became the biggest instigator of anti-government protests; hatred and lies are prevailing in US society; politicians in Washington glorified violent demonstrators in other countries as "national heroes" and "democratic fighters," but called the Americans storming the Capitol "mobs" and "a shame." The internal collapse of "US-style democracy" has deep political and social roots, and the consequences it has caused are quite serious and far-reaching. But all these have been neglected by Washington's political elites, deliberately or not. US reflections over the past year have either missed the point, or been superficial, which makes the real problems unresolved and will further cause destruction.

The Capitol riot showed the world the deep illness of "US-style democracy," but Washington simply attributed it to "a few bad apples." They seem to have forgotten that "president Donald Trump" himself is a product of "US-style democracy." Furthermore, one year on, the problems of social division, political polarization, racial conflict and a wealth gap in the US have not eased, and are even getting worse. The latest survey shows Americans' pride in "US-style democracy" has dropped sharply, from 90 percent in 2002 to 54 percent now.

The same poll also shows that 34 percent of respondents believe that violent action against the government can sometimes be justified - the largest percentage in decades. "US-style democracy" released monster from the bottle, which has frightened Washington's political elites. Some US scholars have made more pessimistic predictions, suggesting that the next three to four years are likely to witness large-scale violent conflicts, the collapse of the federal government and the split of the country into confrontational red and blue camps.

Such a situation is turning the US into a huge source of potential chaos. The international community sincerely hopes that the US can "cure" its illness. However what we are seeing is that "US-style democracy" is still preaching despite its severe sickness, dictating other countries. This makes people feel both absurd and worried. President Biden said that leaders of over 140 countries asked him "Is America going to be all right? What about democracy in America?" But such a US even had the nerve to convene the so-called Summit for Democracy.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called the Hong Kong protests "a beautiful sight to behold," said on the one-year anniversary of the Capitol riot in a media interview that "Democracy won" and "America always prevails." The conceit and arrogance of Washington elites have become part of the American illness. There is no doubt that "US-style democracy" and Western liberalism still have its market and influence in the world. But reflection, questioning and transcending it are happening in some places outside the US. Some countries including China are exploring a democratic path that suits themselves, and they have made remarkable achievements.

Perhaps only when "democratic hegemony" falls will democracy of humanity be full of blossom and vitality. Today, the narrative of democracy of the US is crumbling, which was clearly shown at the so-called Summit for Democracy at the end of last year. People on the podium stuttered empty slogans and the audience sitting below had fallen asleep.
If you thought Kanye West gifting Kim Kardashian with Kenny G serenading her in her home one Valentines Day was over the top, just wait till you hear what hes doing for his new love interest.

Uncut Gems breakout actress Julia Fox wrote all about the budding romance, complete with photos, for Interview Magazine in a piece out Thursday.

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Fox, 31, explained that she and West, who now goes by Ye, had an instant connection when they met in Miami last Friday, on New Years Eve.

Julia Fox, left, and Kanye West are seen in Greenwich Village on Jan. 4, 2022. (Gotham/GC Images)

He had me and my friends laughing, dancing, and smiling all night, wrote Fox.

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The pair then traveled to New York to see Slave Play on Broadway, with the rapper, 44, cutting it close.

Yes flight landed at six and the play was at seven and he was there ON TIME. I was impressed, Fox wrote.

The date then continued at the Italian restaurant Carbone in Manhattan, a favorite for Fox, who then starred in a photo shoot West directed while people dined ... and cheered us on.

Fox said she was still in shock after dinner, when West pulled off another impressive surprise.

The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. >

Ye had an entire hotel suite full of clothes. It was every girls dream come true, gushed Fox. It felt like a real Cinderella moment. I dont know how he did it, or how he got all of it there in time. But I was so surprised.

Despite the now-viral tale of their first two dates, Fox said the romance has so far been so organic.

I dont know where things are headed but if this is any indication of the future Im loving the ride, she concluded.

Photos of the pair include West donning sunglasses at Carbone, with Fox resting her head against him, a shot of the two about to kiss in a dimly lit hallway, and Fox straddling West in that dreamy closet.

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Fox and West are in a time of transition.

The actress, who has long been separated from her Brooklyn-based pilot husband, welcomed a son early last year. The childs father is her estranged husband, according to Vogue.

Meanwhile, Kardashian filed for divorce from West last year. Though hes proclaimed hell get her back, he might finally be moving on. West was also spotted getting cozy with Irina Shayk last year.
Some Democratic California lawmakers want to make it easier for people to sue gun companies for liability in shootings that cause injuries or deaths, a move advocates said Tuesday is aimed at getting around a U.S. law that prevents such lawsuits and allows the industry to act recklessly.

But critics call the bill, which is modeled after a New York law passed last year, an illegal overreach. They say its true purpose was to force gun manufacturers out of business.

In general, when someone is injured or killed by gunfire its very hard for the victim or their family to hold the gun manufacturer or dealer responsible by suing them and making them pay for damages. A federal law prevents most of those types of lawsuits, which advocacy groups say is unique to the gun industry.

But the U.S law does permit some types of liability lawsuits, including when gun-makers break state or local laws regarding the sale and marketing of their products. Last year, New York approved a first-in-the-nation law declaring such violations a public nuisance, opening up gun-makers to lawsuits.

California Assembly member Phil Ting of San Francisco unveiled a bill on Tuesday modeled after the New York law, which is being challenged in court by gun-makers.

Almost every industry in the U.S. is held liable for what their products do.  The gun industry is the one exception, Ting said. Financial repercussions may encourage the firearms industry and dealers to be more responsible.

The bill is co-authored by Assembly members Chris Ward of San Diego and Mike Gipson of Carson. Gipsons son, his sons fiance and another man were shot in Los Angeles in April 2020. Gipsons son and fiance survived. But the other man, Gary Patrick Moody, was killed.

This is absolutely personal to me, said Gipson, a former police officer.

Gun advocates quickly denounced the bill, known as AB 1594, as a smokescreen for another attempt by California progressives to ban guns. Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California, compared it to suing Gov. Gavin Newsom because he owns a winery and people have misused his products by drinking and driving.

He cant ban guns, but hes going to try to bankrupt lawful firearms-related businesses, Paredes said.

California has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, including a ban on most assault weapons that has been in place for decades. But last year, a federal judge overturned Californias assault weapons ban, prompting a lengthy appeals process.

Angered by the move, Newsom last month asked the state Legislature to pass a law allowing citizens to enforce the states assault weapons ban through lawsuits. The idea is similar to a Texas law that bans most abortions but leaves it up to private citizens to enforce the law by taking offenders to court.

The bill announced on Tuesday would not do that. Instead, Ting said it would let people and governments sue gun manufacturers or dealers for liability in shooting deaths or injuries. Thats a key distinction from the Texas abortion law, which is only enforceable by private lawsuits.

Its unclear what these potential lawsuits against gun makers could include. The bill filed in the state Legislature is just one sentence long, declaring gun manufacturers have created a public nuisance if their failure to follow state and local gun laws result in injury or death. The bill will likely be changed several times as it moves through the legislative process.

Tanya Schardt, senior counsel for gun control group the Brady Campaign, said lawsuits could include suing gun dealers who knowingly sell weapons to people who then sell them illegally to others who are not allowed to own them. Or it could mean suing a gun manufacturer that supplies dealers they know are selling guns used in crimes.

The goal is to create an environment where the gun industry is held accountable, Schardt said.

Chuck Michel, a civil rights attorney and president of the California Rifle and Pistol Association, said that goal will likely backfire by making it harder for law-abiding citizens to have guns for self-defense.

As a matter of policy, to try and shift the blame for the criminal misuse of a lawful product that is used far more often to save lives and protect lives than to take them is a terrible idea, he said.

Topics Lawsuits California
A gig driver badly mauled by a police dog is suing a San Francisco area suburb, alleging use of excessive force and violation of civil rights when police stopped him in December 2020 after he had missed car rental payments.

Dashboard and body-camera videos obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle show an unresisting Ali Badr wailing in pain, his arm in the teeth of an aggressive San Ramon police dog for more than a minute as officers tried to cuff him.

I never do nothing, Badr yelled to officers, the videos show. I never in my life do anything.

Badr, a 42-year-old resident of Oakland, has driven for Uber and Lyft and started delivering food for DoorDash when the pandemic hit, the news outlet reported. Forced to give up his own car due to declining income, he agreed to rent a Toyota Camry owned by startup CarMommy, which caters to gig workers, according to the lawsuit.

He told The Chronicle that he fell behind on payments, but told the company he would pay them shortly. It was something he had done before, he said. But CarMommy CEO and cofounder John Blomeke had reported the car stolen, said Matthew Haley, Badrs attorney, resulting in the cars license plate number being listed in a state Department of Justice database shared among agencies.

Badr was driving to work at a gas station when the plate triggered one of the citys license plate readers, alerting police of a vehicle reported as stolen. Officers in a half-dozen cars pulled him over, guns drawn and dog barking. He ended up being rushed to the hospital for surgery.

San Ramon Police Chief Craig Stevens told the news outlet in an email that the department conducted an internal investigation into the arrest of Badr, but declined to answer other questions citing the lawsuit.

Badr filed a federal lawsuit last month against the city of San Ramon, its police chief, and several police officers. He is also suing CarMommy, Blomeke, and HyreCar Inc. of Los Angeles, which brokered the rental.

HyreCar, San Ramons city attorney, CarMommy and Blomeke did not return messages from the Chronicle seeking comment.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits California Personal Auto
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Professor Stephen Hawking is to be celebrated with a Google Doodle on Saturday, to mark what would have been his 80th birthday.

A two-minute animation will appear on the Google home page on January 8 to celebrate the life of the theoretical physicist and will be available to view in more than 50 countries.

The Doodle, created by Google art lead Matthew Cruickshank, will take people on a journey through Prof Hawkings early years and out into space, with the design having been worked on with guidance from the Hawking family and estate, Google said.

Prof Hawkings theories on the origins and nature of the universe revolutionised modern physics, while his best-selling books helped make the field more widely accessible to millions of people around the world.

Professor Stephen Hawking died in 2018 aged 76 (Philip Toscano/PA)

One of the most renowned scientists in his field, he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 1964 at the age of 22 and given just a few years to live.

The father-of-three was later confined to a wheelchair and relied on a computer to communicate, but continued to travel the world to present lectures and further scientific knowledge, before his death at the age of 76 in March 2018.

The Doodle will also feature the voice of Hawking, which has been generated to narrate some of his most impactful quotes, Google said.

The physicists children: Lucy, Robert and Tim, said: We are delighted that Google has chosen to celebrate our fathers 80th birthday with this fabulous Doodle.

We think he would have loved the Doodle and been very entertained to see his long, distinguished life expressed so creatively in this briefest history of all, a two-minute animation.

We also believe he would have found it important to show that he never allowed the challenges of his physical condition to limit his power of expression nor his determination to make an impact on the world in which he lived.

We hope that his example offers inspiration and hope globally to all who face great challenges at this difficult time.

Our father would have been 80 years old today and we thank everyone who has joined in the celebration of his extraordinary life and the legacy he gave to us all.

The Doodles creator, Mr Cruickshank said it had been particularly exciting and humbling to work on the design, calling Prof Hawking one of historys most influential, scientific minds.

The creative challenge lay in including and tying together all of his work: from black holes to the Big Bang, as well as his theories on the origins and mechanics of the universe, he said.

And as a British national myself, the creative process felt especially poignant.
The latest data on Covid-related deaths show 11 people died in the week up to Tuesday, January 4, with 157 deaths occurring during the month of December.

This brings the total number of Covid-related deaths to 5,952 since the start of the pandemic, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

The vast majority of these are confirmed as related to Covid-19 with just 97 marked as probable.

This evening, the Department of Health confirmed a further 21,926 cases of Covid-19.

There are currently 936 Covid patients in hospital, down five in 24 hours. Of these, 84 are in intensive care which is down from 90 yesterday.

A total of 20 healthcare workers have lost their lives since the start of the pandemic.

Since March 2020, eight people under-25 have died from the virus, 18 people aged 25-34 died, and 47 people aged 35-44.

Over-75s accounted for the majority of the deaths, mainly during the third wave in January last year.

Since March 2020, the highest number of deaths per county has been in Dublin where 2,057 people have died.

In Munster, Cork remains the worst-affected with 512 deaths since March 2020, followed by Limerick with 283, Clare with 148, Waterford at 126; in Tipperary, 125 people lost their lives and in Kerry 96 people died.

Impact of vaccine campaigns

However, the impact of the vaccine campaigns can be seen in changes to mortality numbers for nursing homes and community hospitals; since the end of June, 176 residents died, compared to 1,020 during the third Covid wave.

The number of residents infected in this current wave remains high at 2,771, although again this is significantly lower than during the third wave when 8,375 were sick.

Figures on outbreaks for the week up to January 1 show the number of new outbreaks fell from 96 the week before to just 44, although schools were not counted in the newer figures.

The number of new outbreaks in residential institutions remains high at 22 with seven also notified from nursing homes. Once again eight new outbreaks were notified from hospitals.

The northeast region saw 16 new outbreaks, while there were just two in the Southeast and none in the South covering Cork and Kerry.

The HPSC found between June and January 1 outbreaks linked to schools made up 12.5% of the total, and a further 6% were reported in childcare facilities.

In contrast, workplaces account for just 11.2% of outbreaks reported.

Incidence rate increases by 237%

The 14-day incidence rate which stood at 4,450 per 100,000 of population on Thursday is a 237% increase from December 2, the HSEs chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry told a media briefing.

In the last fortnight teens and children under-18s saw the second largest number of cases at 24,666, he said, with just 400 over-80s becoming infected.

These high case numbers now appear to be feeding into hospitals although at a lower rate than was first feared; on Thursday, there were 941 Covid-patients compared with 619 in hospitals the week before.

The HPSC also said 92.4% of over-12s are now vaccinated. Boosters are now also being offered to all over-16s with 20% of teens aged between 16 and 17 boosted since January 2.

Meanwhile, people aged between 25 and 34 are now the worst-affected age-group in terms of infections, with 29,183 new cases identified in the last two weeks.
The family of the teenage girl assaulted in west Dublin over a week ago are asking people to wear something green tomorrow at a vigil organised by the local community.

The gesture is to "show support" for Alanna Quinn Idris, who suffered serious injuries, including to an eye, in the attack. The event is being held at 11am at the Ballyfermot Civic Centre, near where the 17-year-old was set upon.

The incident took place on Thursday night of last week after she and a friend, who was also injured, got off a bus as they returned home from an evening spent in the nearby Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.

Alanna was hospitalised for a number of days and is expected to be seen by doctors again next week in relation to her eye, which the family fear she may lose sight in. The incident sparked outrage locally as well as support and sympathy for the family.

Alanna Quinn Idris is expected to be seen by doctors again next week in relation to her eye, which the family fear she may lose sight in. Photo: alannaquinn_idris

A GoFundMe account that was set up for Alanna and her friend only five days ago has attracted almost 90,000 from over 3,400 people. One anonymous person donated 5,000.

A local councillor involved in organising the vigil, in partnership with the family, said the attack should be a turning point for society, in making communities safer, particularly for young people.

The attack that took place last Thursday in Ballyfermot was ferocious, said Sinn Fein Cllr Daithi Doolan, representing the Ballyfermot/Drimnagh constituency.

This needs to be a wake-up call for everyone. This needs to be a turning point in how young people, in particular how young women, are viewed and treated.

Our streets must be safe for our young people. They must feel safe to walk our streets, day and night.

He said society cannot allow communities to be held to ransom: "We will not allow this to happen. Our young people deserve better. He said the community had responded with an outpouring of support for the families and said a network of youth services, community groups and elected representatives decided to organise a vigil at the Ballyfermot Civic Centre.

The support for the vigil has been inspiring and gives hope for the future, the councillor said. The event will give the public an opportunity to show their support for both victims and their families.

"But it will also send out a very clear message: Ballyfermot demands safer streets for our young people. The event will be positive, family-friendly and will observe Covid guidelines.

The family have asked people to wear something green at the vigil to show support for Alanna."
Burma Cambodian Leader Draws Peoples Fury as He Arrives in Junta-Ruled Myanmar

People in Kale, Sagaing Region stage a protest against Hun Sen's visit on Thursday. / CJ

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen turned out to be an unwelcome visitor to Myanmar as he began his two-day trip to the country on Friday, his arrival strenuously denounced by the people of the Southeast Asia nation for his engagement with the Myanmar regime, which has killed more than 1,300 people since seizing power last year.

Hun Sen landed in Myanmars capital Naypyitaw on Friday morning for a two-day visit at the invitation of the countrys coup leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. He met with the general and ., becoming the first foreign leader to meet the junta leadership since the coup.

Many fear his visit will confer on Min Aung Hlaing and his junta the legitimacy they have so far failed to establish, as Cambodia currently holds the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to which Myanmar belongs. They also questioned how someone with a record as a notorious violator of human rights could hold the junta to account for its abuses.

Since the moment it was announced last month, Hun Sens visit has been denounced by critics who warned his unilateral initiative could have far-reaching consequences for ASEAN, potentially undermining the regional blocs credibility to mediate a political solution.

Relations between ASEAN and Myanmar turned sour last year when the bloc excluded Min Aung Hlaing from its summit over his failure to implement a peace plan known as the Five Point Consensus, which he had agreed with the regional group. The agreed steps include an immediate cessation of violence in the country and allowing the blocs special envoy to visit, among others.

Hun Sen responded that he was just trying to bring Myanmar back into the ASEAN fold and urged his critics not to pre-judge his visit, adding that his goals were not far from the consensus.

His assurances failed to appease many in Myanmar, however. His visit has met with a level of denunciation unprecedented for a visiting foreign dignity.

A few days before his visit, a series of explosions occurred near the Cambodian Embassy in Yangon. Across the country, people have staged protests against his visit, holding placards reading, We Dont Need You Hun Sen, and You are Not Welcomed to Myanmar while stepping on portraits of him. Hundreds of anti-junta groups issued a statement urging Hun Sen to call off the visit.

On the eve of his departure for Naypyitaw, Hun Sen experienced the condemnation up close and personal as Myanmar people flocked to his Facebook page to post angry comments about his visit under his 41st wedding anniversary post. Many left comments such as Shame on You or We dont need you Mr Hun Sen , youre not welcome accompanied by memes portraying Min Aung Hlaing and Hun Sen. Another said, You dictator is ruling Cambodia against the will of Cambodians. Now trying to support Burmese military to be the same. Sorry your days are numbered.

Hun Sens visit coincides with an escalation of the regimes attacks on armed resistance forces, mainly made up of civilians who reject the regimes rule in the countrys southeastern Kayah State.

Shortly before his visit, the Cambodian prime minister discussed developments in Myanmar via phone with Indonesian President Joko Widodo. The president later said in a Twitter post that during the call he reiterated clearly Indonesias position on the importance of implementing the five-point consensus to bring democracy back to Myanmar through inclusive dialogue.

Should there be no significant progress on the implementation of 5PCs [the five-point consensus], Myanmar should only be represented by non-political level at ASEAN meetings, he posted on Wednesday.

On Friday, the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), the parliamentary wing of Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG), said military leaders who commit human rights abuses and other violations should be isolated, adding that engaging with them could have no positive outcomes for Myanmar and its people.

We reiterate our call for cooperation only with the legitimate institutions, including the CRPH comprising those elected by the people of Myanmar, and the NUG, it said in its announcement.

Human Rights Watch said Hun Sens meeting as ASEAN chair with Myanmars military leadership is an affront to the people of Myanmar, who strongly oppose the visit.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said Hun Sens decision to meet, without preconditions, the leaders of Myanmars military will only lend underserved international legitimacy to the junta.

A unilateral visit by Hun Sen is doomed to not yield solutions, especially if he wont meet and confer with the representatives of the people elected to parliament in the November 2020 election, such as the National Unity Government, which has the support of most elected MPs, he said.



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Burma Myanmar Junta Aircraft Attack Near Thai Border

Karenni Army soldiers at a ceremony for recruits last year. / Supplied

Myanmars junta has launched air attacks against a Karenni Army (KA) camp following clashes near Hway Pu Laung on the Thai border.

Planes fired on the KA, the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), about five times on Hway Pu Laung hill on Friday morning, according to Khu Daniel, the KNPPs secretary.

Around 200 villagers fled crossed the border into the Thai province of Mae Hong Song because of the airstrikes, said Khu Daniel.

Hway Pu Laung has seen heavy fighting between the KA and Myanmars military in the past and battles have resumed since the February coup.

The KA, in collaboration with the Karenni Nationalities Defense Forces and peoples defense forces (PDFs), has been fighting the junta. The resistance forces say they have inflicted heavy casualties on junta soldiers.

Khu Daniel said fighting would continue while junta troops were deployed in the state and he warned residents to be alert.

The KA and PDFs say they hold ground in towns across Kayah State.

At least 23 junta soldiers, including two captains, were killed and many others injured in fighting in the capital, Loikaw, and Demoso Township on Thursday, according to resistance forces.

The Irrawaddy could not independently verify any of the reports.

A two-hour, early morning attack by PDFs and the KNDF on junta troops near Kayan Thar Yar village on Thursday killed 15 regime soldiers, according to the KNDF.

In Demoso, fighting reportedly broke out when three groups of junta troops attacked. The KNDF claimed that eight junta troops were killed.

According to the KNDF, by December 31 more than 80 clashes had occurred in Kayah State and nearly 300 junta soldiers had been killed, while 13 KNDF fighters had died. It said there had been around 146 civilian deaths.



You may also like these stories:

Cambodian Leader Draws Peoples Fury as He Arrives in Junta-Ruled Myanmar

Yangon Resistance Fighters Step up Attacks on Myanmar Junta

No News About Pro-Democracy Broadcasters Family Held by Myanmar Junta
Trinity, TX (77320)

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Actor Nicholas Cage, 57, is expecting a baby with wife Riko Shibata, 27, her first and his third.

The new arrival will join big brothers Kal-El, 16, and Weston, 31, Cages children from previous relationships, People reported.

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The parents-to-be are elated! a rep for the happy couple told People.

Riko Shibata and Nicolas Cage attend the 2021 Gotham Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on Nov. 29, 2021 in New York City. (Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for FIJI Water)

The pair married last Feb. 16, his late fathers birthday, in a Las Vegas hotel.

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Shibata is Cages fifth wife, after his previous marriages to Patricia Arquette, Lisa Marie Presley, Alice Kim and, for just four days, makeup artist Erika Koike. Cage filed for annulment from Koike soon after they married, claiming he had been too drunk to know what he was doing when he said I do.

Kim, now 38, is mother to Kal-El, and Weston is the child Cage shares with actress and model Christina Fulton, with whom he had a prior relationship but never married.

Shibata and Cage met through mutual friends in her home country of Japan just over a year ago, while he was filming Prisoners of the Ghostland, he told People. Though separated by the pandemic for several months last year, their romance bloomed.

She left New York and went back to Kyoto, Japan, and I went back to Nevada and I havent seen her for six months, Cage said on a radio show at the time. Were really happy together, and were really excited to spend that time together. So I finally just said, Look, I wanna marry you, and we got engaged on FaceTime.
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As the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard - who he is suing over her 2018 Washington Post domestic violence op-ed - continues, we take a look at 10 of the stars who have shown their support for the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star. Click for more.
New digs have opened on the north end of Orlandos tourism corridor.

Spot X Hotel - Orlando, a new hotel from Red Roof Inn, has moved into 12235 Regency Village, behind the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets and Mary, Queen of the Universe Catholic church.

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The 154-room lodging features a bar, marketplace and restaurant on site, plus a pool, fitness center and other traditional amenities. For a $12.99 resort fee, guests can take shuttles to theme parks including Disney, Universal and SeaWorld.

The Spot X Hotel, the latest brand from Red Roof Inn, has opened near the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets. The 154-room mid-luxury hotel is pictured on Friday, January 7, 2022. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

A search for bookings shows rooms at Spot X average between $88 and $112 per night, depending on the day. More information can be found at redroof.com.

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Spot X is the third hotel in Red Roofs Red Collection and the first in Florida. Marina MacDonald, Red Roofs Chief Marketing Officer, said the hotels are inspired from the local vibe and culture of the city in which they are located.

The lobby features a signature mural and the furnishings are meant to evoke the Florida aesthetic, according to MacDonald.

Hotel business has picked back up in Orlando, but experts say the region still suffers from a lack of business and group travel.

The Orange County Convention Center canceled or rescheduled 54 events last year, estimating the economic impact to be near $1.5 billion.

Want to reach out? Email tfraser@orlandosentinel.com. Follow TIFraserOS on Twitter.
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WASHINGTON  Fully vaccinated and mostly masked, the Supreme Courts conservative majority appeared skeptical Friday of the Biden administrations authority to impose a vaccine-or-testing requirement on the nations large employers. The court seemed more open to a separate vaccine mandate for most health care workers.

The arguments in the two cases come at a time of spiking coronavirus cases because of the omicron variant, and the decision Friday by seven justices to wear masks for the first time while hearing arguments reflected the new phase of the pandemic.

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An eighth justice, Sonia Sotomayor, a diabetic since childhood, didnt even appear in the courtroom, choosing to remain in her office at the court and take part remotely. Two lawyers, representing Ohio and Louisiana, argued by telephone after recent positive COVID-19 tests, state officials said.

But the COVID circumstances did not appear to outweigh the views of the courts six conservatives that the administration overstepped its authority in its vaccine-or-testing requirement for businesses with at least 100 employees.

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This is something the federal government has never done before, Chief Justice John Roberts said, casting doubt on the administrations argument that a half-century established law, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, confers such broad authority.

The Supreme Court shown Jan. 7, 2022, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett probably hold the key to the outcome in both cases, as they have been more receptive to state-level vaccine requirements than the other three conservative justices. Barrett and Kavanaugh also had tough questions for Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administrations top Supreme Court lawyer.

The courts three liberal justices suggested support for the employer rule. Justice Elena Kagan said officials have shown quite clearly that no other policy will prevent sickness and death to anywhere like the degree that this one will. And Justice Stephen Breyer said he found it unbelievable that it could be in the public interest to put that rule on hold. He said that on Thursday there were some 750,000 new cases in the country and that hospitals are full.

Beginning Monday, unvaccinated employees in big companies are supposed to wear masks at work, unless the court blocks enforcement. But testing requirements and potential fines for employers dont kick in until February.

Legal challenges to the policies from Republican-led states and business groups are in their early stages, but the outcome at the high court probably will determine the fate of vaccine requirements affecting more than 80 million people.

Roberts, Kavanaugh and Barrett seemed to have fewer doubts about the health care vaccine mandate. Kavanaugh said it was a very unusual situation that hospitals and health care organizations affected by the regulation were not here complaining about the rule but instead support it. What are we to make of that? he asked.

The second regulation is a mandate that would apply to virtually all health care staff in the country. It covers health care providers that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid funding, potentially affecting 76,000 health care facilities as well as home health care providers. The rule has medical and religious exemptions.

Decisions by federal appeals courts in New Orleans and St. Louis have blocked the mandate in about half the states. The administration has said it is taking steps to enforce it in the rest.

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I think effectively what is at stake is whether these mandates are going to go into effect at all, said Sean Marotta, a Washington lawyer whose clients include the American Hospital Association. The trade group is not involved in the Supreme Court cases.

Both vaccine rules would exacerbate labor shortages and be costly to businesses, lawyer Scott Keller argued Friday on behalf of more than two dozen business groups. Without an immediate order from the court, workers will quit right away, Keller said.

Administration lawyer Prelogar told the justices that COVID-19 is the deadliest pandemic in American history and it poses a unique workplace danger. OSHA has estimated that its emergency regulation will save 6,500 lives and prevent 250,000 hospitalizations over six months.

Nearly 207 million Americans, 62.3% of the population, are fully vaccinated, and more than a third of those have received booster shots, including the nine justices.

Andy Slavitt, a former adviser to the Biden administration on COVID-19, said the vaccine requirements are extremely effective for 15% to 20% of Americans who dont like to get a shot but they will and dont have any strenuous objection.

The high court is weighing in on administration vaccine policies for the first time, although the justices have turned away pleas to block state-level mandates.

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The Health Report Weekly A weekly update on health news in Florida. >

A conservative majority concerned about federal overreach did bring an end to a federal moratorium on evictions put in place because of the pandemic.

Both the vaccination case came to the court on an emergency basis, and the court took the unusual step of scheduling arguments rather than just ruling on briefs submitted by the parties. Unlike in other cases the court hears, a decision from the justices could come in weeks if not days.

Because of the pandemic the justices heard the cases in a courtroom closed to the public. Only the justices, lawyers involved in the cases, court staff and journalists were allowed inside. The public could listen live, however, a change made earlier in the pandemic when the justices for nearly 19 months heard cases via telephone.

The court has been asking arguing lawyers to have negative coronavirus tests and participate remotely if they have positive tests. Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin Flowers, who was arguing against the employer rule, had tested positive for COVID-19 after Christmas, had mild symptoms and fully recovered, but a test on Sunday required by the court detected the virus, a spokeswoman said. He had been vaccinated and had a booster shot.

Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill who was arguing against the health care workers rule, was also arguing remotely based upon the courts protocol, state Attorney General Jeff Landry said. Landry was at the court for Fridays arguments.

It was the first time since the court returned to in-person arguments in October that lawyers were arguing remotely.

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Justice Neil Gorsuch was the only justice to remain unmasked throughout the arguments, which lasted more than 3 and 1/2 hours. He sits between Barrett and Sotomayor. The court did not explain why Sotomayor didnt take the bench.
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The omicron variant has exploded across Central Florida, with more than 40% of tests for the virus finding a positive in Orange County alone, the highest rate in the state.

Its spawned unprecedented demand for testing across the region and, with so many sick, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings this week expressed concerns that infection rates could have ramifications on the regions workforce.

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That was echoed Friday by Dr. Tim Hendrix, the medical director with AdventHealth Centra Care, who said about three out of four people showing up at the clinics are sick with the virus.

Those of us on the frontlines are tired; were swamped. Were seeing a lot of people at Centra Care, he said. This may not be impacting us from a hospitalization and death rate [standpoint] like previous waves, but its impacting our society because so many people are sick.

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In an email sent to AdventHealth staff this week, the system said only symptomatic staffers would be tested, and those without symptoms but who were exposed to the virus may report to work with no restrictions.

The policy change falls in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, under Crisis Capacity Strategies to Mitigate Staffing Shortages.

The safety of our patients and team members is our No. 1 priority, Jeff Grainger, a spokesperson for the hospital system, said in a statement. Asymptomatic health care personnel can return to work after completing isolation protocols without testing. Symptomatic health care personnel can return to work after completing isolation protocols with negative testing. Everyone patients, visitors and team members  must wear a mask and socially distance while in AdventHealth facilities.

Amid the omicron surge, readers have questions about isolations, symptoms and testing. Here are some answers to those questions:

I am fully vaccinated and boosted and tested positive for COVID-19. What should I do?

The CDC says people who have COVID-19 should isolate for at least five days, and then wear a mask around others for five days after that.

More specifically, Hendrix said people who have the virus should sleep in a separate room at home and, if possible, use a separate restroom.

If its not possible to totally isolate, they should wear a mask at home around others to help prevent spread.

Even those fully vaccinated with a booster should do these things as well, Hendrix said, especially with young children or people vulnerable to the virus around.

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But I still recommend you continue to wear your mask and isolate if youre positive because omicron is so contagious, he said.

Omicron is said to cause a milder infection than delta. What does that mean?

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White Houses chief medical advisor, said this week that more preliminary data is showing omicron to be less severe than delta. While hospitalization rates arent rising as fast as they did over the summer, they are increasing, and many more people are sick.

 Florida COVID-19 Update for January 7, 2022

 Total Confirmed Hospitalizations: 8,548 pic.twitter.com/N1QwPN4XlZ  Florida Hospital Association (@FLHospitalAssn) January 7, 2022

A persons vaccination status is a strong determining factor in their experience with COVID-19 and omicron, Hendrix said, noting many people are quite sick.

The unvaccinated people Ive seen who have gotten COVID-19 are miserable, he said, noting they experience coughs that sometimes last weeks, fevers and other symptoms. People that are vaccinated do have more head-cold type of symptoms and not as severe. The unvaccinated people are getting more severe symptoms.

He said only about 5% of people at Centra Care with boosters test positive for the virus.

The Health Report Weekly A weekly update on health news in Florida. >

[Being vaccinated] helps to reduce risk  being boosted helps even further, Hendrix said.

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Who should get tested for COVID-19?

According to the CDC, people who have COVID-19 symptoms, have come into close contact with an infected person and those who are unvaccinated and have been asked to be tested by their school or workplace should be tested.

New guidance issued this week by the Florida Department of Health recommends tests only for symptomatic people with risk factors for severe disease, which surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo this week called high value testing. The document, which a Florida International University professor of infectious diseases called a recipe for disaster, doesnt limit testing.

Hendrix said testing remains critical, as asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 have helped propel the pandemic, and at Centra Care, where 40% of tests have been positive lately, its been important.

The biggest risk in this pandemic has been the asymptomatic spread of this virus, he said. I cant argue against anybody wanting to get tested.

For more information about testing locations, visit ocfl.net/testing.

rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com
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Days after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said he would prioritize high value testing, the Florida Department of Health released new COVID-19 guidance that contradicts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and recommends fewer people get tested.

Sensible public health ... its the very opposite of what weve seen over the last two years, where, for example, leadership at the national public health level have sort of convinced people that its just as important to run around testing middle schoolers and elementary school students as it is to be testing other members of the population, Ladapo said at a Thursday news conference in West Palm Beach.

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The CDC recommends people get tested if they have had close contact with someone with COVID-19, if they have COVID-19 symptoms, or if they are not fully vaccinated. It notes that people can spread COVID-19 even if asymptomatic, so testing is crucial.

Public health experts worry the new Florida DOH guidelines, released in a one-page document on Thursday, could exacerbate the current COVID-19 surge.

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The upshot  this document is a recipe for disaster, said Dr. Aileen Marty, professor of infectious diseases at Florida International University.

The Florida DOH used to follow the CDCs testing recommendations but now recommends COVID-19 tests only for symptomatic people with risk factors for severe COVID-19. This group is defined by the CDC and by Florida DOH as older adults; individuals with medical conditions including cancer, diabetes and chronic lung diseases; immunocompromised people; and pregnant or recently pregnant people.

People who may have been exposed to COVID-19 but have no symptoms are no longer recommended to get a COVID-19 test: COVID-19 testing is unlikely to have any clinical benefits, the Florida DOH says.

The new guidance follows comments made by Ladapo earlier this week that the state should prioritize high value testing amid the statewide testing shortage. He defines high value as a test that can serve as a diagnostic tool for people who will likely benefit from treatment; conversely, he defines a low-value test as one given to someone without symptoms who is unlikely to ever need treatment even if COVID-19 positive.

People who are unlikely to benefit ... to sort of be in line waiting to get tested, that doesnt make a lot of sense to me, Ladapo said in a Tuesday news conference. It doesnt make a lot of sense to me as a physician. It doesnt make a lot of sense to me as a clinical researcher.

The guidelines do not limit anyone from getting tested; they are merely recommendations. Yet Marty says the new guidelines are dangerous because they focus too much on the individual benefit of testing. She argues the point of public health measures is to focus on protecting the community.

This document is written from the perspective of individual health and is not a document about Public Health, Marty wrote in an email on Thursday. Public health is about the health of the population ... in contrast to clinical activities such as those done by doctors and nurses, who focus primarily on treating individuals after they become sick or injured.

Marty said accurate COVID-19 case counts are necessary to estimate how many resources a community needs and get ahead of surges before they even begin.

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The Health Report Weekly A weekly update on health news in Florida. >

Encouraging individuals NOT to test is the perfect way to mask the truth, hide the risk to the population, underestimate the resource needs, and prolong the problem, she wrote.

Dr. Mary Jo Trepka, another Florida International University epidemiology professor, echoed past comments, reiterating her stance that testing asymptomatic people is of high value to public health.

While the clinical benefit of testing an asymptomatic person may be less than for a high-risk symptomatic person, asymptomatic people can be highly contagious, she said.

The new Department of Health guidance also emphasizes the importance of treatment for people at risk of severe outcomes, advising them to seek early monoclonal antibody or antiviral drug treatment.

Monoclonal antibody treatment has been effective at reducing severe outcomes such as death for people with the delta COVID-19 variant, though the treatments largely do not seem to work as well against omicron.

Monoclonal antibodies are in short supply, but Florida is expecting 30,000 additional doses from the federal government to support new monoclonal antibody sites, the Governors Press Office announced Tuesday.

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ccatherman@orlandosentinel.com; @CECatherman on Twitter
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Susan covers the towns of Somers and Enfield. She joined the JI in May 2021 and graduated from Skidmore College. She recently completed docent training for the Wadsworth Atheneum and hopes to start giving tours some time next year.
Integrity is one of the cornerstones of the accounting profession. Unfortunately, students don't always uphold the profession's commitment to integrity in their tests and coursework. There are, however, steps faculty can take to reinforce the importance of academic integrity and reduce the temptation to cheat. Here are some of the strategies accounting faculty have used:

Make a connection. On the first day of class, Laura Wiley, CPA, Ph.D., assistant chair of the department of accounting at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, asks students to write a memorandum about their future career plans. "I think that helps build trust between me and the students," Wiley said, since it demonstrates her interest in their goals. "If we have strong relationships, there's less likelihood of misconduct," she said.

Emphasize the profession's standards. "The profession's code of conduct is part of what defines CPAs," Wiley said. The graduating seniors in her auditing class study the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, and she emphasizes the CPA's role in protecting the public interest by acting with integrity, objectivity, and independence.

Jill Mitchell, accounting professor at Northern Virginia Community College, believes that when students understand the profession's commitment to integrity, "it gives them more respect for their own work, for their school, and their degree."

Use real misconduct cases as learning experiences. Showing students the consequences of misconduct can also have an impact. Wiley reviews the section of the AICPA site that covers disciplinary actions taken against CPAs who have failed to follow the code. The goal is to demonstrate the importance of ethical behavior and set a tone for the academic integrity that is expected in the class.

In her class on internal controls, Mitchell asks students to listen to one of three podcasts on real fraud cases, including one from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners about a controller who committed fraud and has served time in prison. Students then write papers on the podcasts detailing what they have learned. Students have told her that this assignment "really helped them understand the importance of internal controls and the severity of committing fraud in 'real life,'" she said.

Personalize learning. Terry Warfield, Ph.D., PwC Chair and senior associate dean at the University of Wisconsin, recommended giving assignments that require personalized answers. For example, different students are given different case studies, each with its own set of facts, which makes it tougher to cheat. Students then do a class presentation on their case and share what they've learned with their classmates.

Mitchell also gives students personalized assignments. In her classes, students write a paper worth 10% to 15% of their grade  in which they describe how accounting topics connect to their life. One management accounting student wrote about the fact that most of the products he used in his everyday life, such as soda or shampoo, were accounted for using process costing, which is used for mass-produced items, rather than job costing, which is used for products with unique characteristics. Another student shared that he uses the concept of materiality when taking notes and deciding on which information is important to remember to be successful in a class.

Creating your own exam questions  rather than relying on a publisher's test bank that might be available online for students to find  is another effective way to prevent cheating, Wiley believes. Developing case studies and questions requires extra work, but she noted that they can be reused for future classes. She also likes to use short answer or essay questions in addition to multiple choice because they require students to give more thought to questions and offer more detail.

Set time limits and mix things up. While teaching online classes, many faculty worried that, without someone proctoring tests, students would have opportunities to cheat. Wiley addressed this problem by giving timed exams where students had to answer each multiple choice question before proceeding, and were not able to return to a question once they'd answered it. As a result, students didn't have enough time to text a friend for an answer or look it up online or in a textbook.

For in-person testing, Warfield recommended randomizing the order of questions so that it's harder for students to peek at a classmate's paper. He also advocated limiting how long students can spend on an exam. "You need to know the material to do well on a timed exam," he said.

Lower the stakes. Students may be less motivated to cheat if most of their grade does not depend on one or two large, high-stakes exams, Warfield said. Mitchell gives frequent quizzes in her classes: one every two chapters.

Many faculty are using numerous types of assessments rather than exams. This shift is also in line with a general reconsideration of the best ways to achieve learning objectives, Warfield said. For example, he uses quizzes, homework, case studies, and class participation alongside exams in his classes. "No one element is overweighted," he said.

Maintain your institution's academic integrity policy. Mitchell acknowledged that upholding a strong integrity policy is not easy. She believes in giving students second chances when misconduct is found. However, she also thinks that students should have to experience some consequences for their misconduct, in line with the administrative and educational sanctions in their institution's academic integrity policy. Sanctions, which can vary by college, school, or even within departments, might include a grade penalty, letter of apology, service-learning experience, or counseling. "If we don't hold them accountable now, the consequences could be devastating for them and for the accounting firms or organizations they work for later," she said.

 Anita Dennis is a freelance writer based in New Jersey. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Courtney Vien at Courtney.Vien@aicpa-cima.com.
The accounting profession has seen many changes over the years. Understanding the technical side of the job is no longer enough for new graduates  communication skills are also vital.

Many students will end up in roles where they'll interact with people who aren't that knowledgeable about finance, such as clients or colleagues in other divisions in their organization, said Stephanie Grimm, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. Thus, it's important that they're able to communicate complex financial ideas to a variety of audiences, whether in the form of emails, presentations, PowerPoint slides, or reports.

However, employers often say that interns and recent graduates could do a better job of articulating their thoughts, said Ryan Sheets, Ph.D., director of the Business Communication Lab at the University of Arkansas's Walton College of Business, located in Fayetteville.

"You can have the best ideas in the world, but if you can't share them, you're not going to be able to influence decision-making," Sheets said.

In fact, it was feedback from employers that inspired the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business in Iowa City to create its Accounting Writing Program in 1998, said Carl Follmer, Ph.D., associate director of the program.

"We were hearing from companies that were hiring accounting graduates that students were knowledgeable in the technical content but struggling with communication skills," he said.

Now every accounting class at Iowa includes a writing assignment. Follmer and his colleagues help accounting faculty develop projects and grade assignments. They also meet individually with students to improve their writing chops.

Having strong communication skills can set students apart when they're competing for jobs and promotions, Follmer said. Here are some ways to help your students build those skills:

Teach communication alongside accounting concepts. Accountants need to master many technical concepts, and accounting syllabuses are often packed with important topics. Fortunately, you can add a communications component to your classes without sacrificing content, Grimm said. She recommends looking at your existing assignments to see where a writing project or presentation might fit naturally. For instance, she said, if you're teaching bonds, you can have students complete an assignment in the form of an email to a client about a bond offering.

Grade for communication. Many accounting faculty already give assignments that include a communications component, Follmer said, but they don't always make communications or writing part of the grade. Consider doing so to encourage students to focus more on how they present their ideas.

Focus on a few aspects of communication. In his role, Sheets helps accounting faculty add communications assignments to their classes. The first thing he usually asks them is what they want their students to learn. Knowing your objective  whether it's having students write more concisely, improve their tone, or craft a narrative from messy ideas  can help you decide where to start, he said.

You don't need to get bogged down in students' writing to offer helpful feedback. Get comfortable assessing just one or two communications skills, Follmer said. While reviewing assignments, for instance, consider whether you can identify the takeaway, if the writing is too wordy, or if the document is organized.

Consider nontraditional assignments. Use assignments and activities that ask students to replicate the types of deliverables they will be asked to produce on the job. For instance, have them write a professional email  something that's often a new experience for students who typically communicate in less formal channels, said Marcy Binkley, CPA, DBA, an assistant professor of accounting at Lipscomb University in Nashville.

To help students prepare for what they will encounter in the workplace, accounting classes at Iowa use many different formats for writing and communications assignments, Follmer said. For instance, students give presentations in various formats: in-person and virtual, recorded and live, individually and as groups, he said. "We're trying to hit all these different formats so when students get into the business world, they can say, 'Oh, I've done this at least once before.'"

Give clear directions. Before giving a writing assignment, it's important to clearly walk students through a good example, Binkley said. More direction typically means less stress for your students and better results. Accounting students, in particular, like having models to follow, she said.

Prepare for pushback. Often, students don't realize that communication is such an important part of accountants' jobs, Binkley said. Grimm, likewise, received some pushback from her classes when she first started assigning communications projects. But she's found that being upfront about her expectations at the beginning of the semester has helped. She tells students they'll be doing some writing, and "it just becomes an expectation," she explained.

Students aren't always excited about writing projects, Follmer acknowledged. However, he added, students do come to appreciate them after completing an internship or starting their first job.

"Just be prepared for some moaning and groaning as the medicine goes down," he said.

Ask for help. Speak with practitioners if you're unsure what kinds of communications assignments might benefit your students, Follmer suggested. You can also point students who need more help to resources such as your campus's writing center.

 Megan Hart is a freelance writer based in Wisconsin. To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Courtney Vien, a JofA senior editor, at Courtney.Vien@aicpa-cima.com.
Find the full final report of the Gambia TRRC at the bottom of this page.

Yahya Jammeh, the exiled former president of the Gambia, must be held accountable for the assassination of more than 200 people in his 22-year rule, says the countrys Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) in its final report released on December 24. After two and a half years of hearings and investigations, it found that at least 240 persons were found to have been murdered by state agents under his rule.

Jammeh lost power to current president Adama Barrow in 2016, who was re-elected in December for a second term. His victims, according to the TRRC final report, range from people he perceived to be his security threats, political opponents, close associates he fell out with, ordinary citizens and journalists. The Commission recommends that the former president be prosecuted for murders, unlawful killings as well as the crimes of rape, torture and enforced disappearances that he is found to have committed directly and indirectly while in power.

Of course, justice will take place, said the countrys Justice Minister Dawda Jallow as he made the report public on December 24, barely two weeks after Barrow won the election by a comfortable margin. Copies of the report, which is available online, were also submitted to Gambias Parliament and to the United Nations Secretary Generals office.

How long before Jammeh is brought to justice?

After nearly three years of work, including public hearings, a series of delays and political hold-ups, the Commission submitted its report to president Barrow last month.

Three hundred and ninety-three witnesses testified before the Commission, the majority of which were victims. The witnesses also included self-confessed perpetrators, TRRC chair, Lamin J. Sise, said in a statement.

After the powerful public testimonies at the TRRC which deeply impacted Gambians, there is an expectation and a demand, both at home and abroad, that the Gambian government will now deliver justice without further delay for victims. There is still a lot that needs to be done to get there, but I wouldnt be surprised if we see Yahya Jammeh in a court sooner rather than later, Reed Brody of the International Commission of Jurists, who advises Jammehs victims and was instrumental in the trial of former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre, told Justice Info.

2000-2010: the peak of killings

But before Jammeh, who still enjoys protection in exile in Equatorial Guinea, can be brought to justice, the priority for the Commission and for Gambia will be to organise the trial of all the other officials singled out in the final report. The long list includes his former vice president Isatou Njie Saidy, former Interior minister Ousman Sonko, former Defence Minister Edward Singhatey and former Local Government Minister Yankuba Touray.

For the many Gambians who followed the Truth Commission, the public hearings of the Junglers have no match in the degree of their grim violations. While the early life of Jammehs presidency was marred with violations, as noted by the Commission, the 2000s holds the record of rights violations. It was the time that the Junglers, a paramilitary group under his direct orders, were rampant.

Nearly 150 people were killed between 2000 and 2010. They include 17 student protesters, 66 West African migrants, journalist Deyda Hydara, 41 victims of Jammehs HIV treatment, 39 people killed during his witch-hunting exercise and people randomly killed by the Junglers. Some survivors have remained in a despicable situation of health for decades, said the Commissions report.

The TRRCs recommendations for prosecution include Junglers commander General Sulayman Badgie, five Junglers now in custody, over a dozen of Junglers on the loose, and former army chief Baboucarr Jatta. At one point, the group comprised at least 40 personnel drawn from the State Guards Unit of the army. However, at the time of the TRRC investigations, only six top members of the group were in custody.

 on Jammehs orders

Defending Jammeh at all costs and carrying out his orders, irrespective of how wrong and unlawful they may be, was integral in the operational psyche of the Junglers, said the Commission in its final report.

One of the Junglers early victims was prominent journalist Deyda Hydara, who was shot to death on December 13, 2004. The Commission said it was convinced by evidence that Hydaracaused great discomfort for his criticism of Jammeh through his newspaper and his campaign against anti-press freedom laws being instituted by the regime.

The largest single killing occurred barely one year after the murder of Deyda, when security forces rounded up 67 Europe-bound irregular migrants from various West African countries and surrendered them to Junglers, who killed all but one.

Multiple witnesses testified that nothing in their appearance or behaviour suggested that they were more than migrants. The police officers who initially arrested them treated them as migrants and obtained their details. They were carrying small travel bags and it became obvious to the authorities that they were not mercenaries and not posing any threat to Gambias security, said the Commission, which found that the orders came from Jammeh.

For this particular wave of killings documented by the Commission, it found Jammeh responsible for the crimes of rape, torture, and unlawful killing of student protesters and recommended his prosecution, along with his vice president Isatou Njie Saidy, his army chief Baboucarr Jatta and Interior Minister Ousman Badjie.

Also, several police and military officers have been recommended for prosecution or have been put on a list of people who should be banned from public office, including current head of the Anti-Crime Task Force, Gorgui Mboob.

 after a first decade of terror

During his first decade in office, Jammeh unleashed another form of terror on citizens. The former ruler embarked on a witch hunting exercise. At least 39 people were found by the Commission to have died during this period.

Many survivors have been incapacitated and many are still suffering from physical and mental ailments as a result of the concoctions they drank and the terrible treatment meted out against them, said the Commission. From 1994 to 1995, it found, Jammeh and his junta were involved in two high-profile murders.

On November 11, barely four months after taking over, Jammeh and his men responded to a counter-coup, killing at least 11 military personnel through extra-judicial means, while subjecting others to torture. This would later be known in Gambia as the November 11 incident. The Commission holds Jammeh and members of his junta responsible for it and asks the government to prosecute them. Also recommended for prosecution for these murders are Sanna B. Sabally, Defence Minister Edward Singhatey and army chief Jatta.

The second high-profile murder occurred on June 24, 1995. The charred remains of former Finance Minister Ousman Koro Ceesay were found inside his burnt official vehicle in an isolated location. The Commission indicated that Koro was killed to silence him permanently because he was about to expose some unfavourable information about financial management by the Junta in the 1995/1996 Budget Speech. The Junta did not want this.

The Commission thus held Jammeh, former Defence Minister Edward Singhatey, former Local Government Minister Yankuba Touray and Peter Singhateya brother of Edward who was an influential member of the Gambian armed forcesresponsible for Ceesays murder and called for their prosecution, while recommending amnesty for the low-level perpetrators such as Alagie Kanyi, BK Jatta, Pa Alieu Gomez who testified to the crime committed. Touray is already serving a life sentence for murder of Ceesay.

Jammehs HIV herbal treatment

In 2007, Jammeh shocked the world when he announced that he had found a cure for HIV using herbs. For more than ten years, he administered the herbal concoction on patients.

The Commission said in its findings that the treatment was fake, fraudulent, and that it has endangered the lives of many people living with HIV/AIDS that participated in it, causing the death of at least 41 people. It recommends the prosecution of Jammeh and Dr. Tamsir Mbowe for intentionally and knowingly causing the death of patients.

The former rulers presidential convoy also claimed some lives, especially children who would gather around as Jammeh threw biscuits from his speeding convoys.

Sexual violence

The Commissions findings reveal that besides killings, sexual violence was widespread throughout Jammehs 22-year rule. On his orders, security personnel, especially Junglers, raped and sexually harassed women.

Sexual violence was often perpetrated either as the main objective of certain human rights violations or it was used as an instrument of repression, torture and punishment, the Commission said. Across the Gambia, females were disproportionately affected by violations including sexual violence, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, arbitrary arrests, detention and forced labour, it added.

One instance cited by the final report was when Jammeh instructed the Junglers to give full treatment to a woman whose identity has been protected by the Commission. And the Junglers raped her. His senior government officials, including senior security officials and government ministers were subjecting women and girls to a range of sexual violence with impunity, the report said.

The Commission further underlined in its report that there is evidence Jammeh himself raped a beauty contestant Fatou (Toufah) Jallow and protocol girls.

Amnesty applications being reviewed

As Justice Minister Jallow made the TRRCs final report public last month, he announced that people who qualified for amnesty could apply. The Truth Commission, which is not yet dissolved, will now vet these amnesty applications.

The applicant for amnesty should make a full and truthful statement in his or her application on their involvement in human rights violations as found by the TRRC in its report, said the Commission in a statement issued on January 5. In addition, the applicant must have expressed genuine remorse for their participation in human rights violations and abuses. The applications for amnesty are open until January 21.

Will recommendations be followed?

Though the government assures there will be justice for Jammeh era crimes, critics of President Barrow doubt his commitment to justice. I have no doubts that Barrow will not implement the TRRC recommendations in full. In a normal place, the right administrative and justice step to take immediately is to ask those adversely mentioned to step aside before the legal determination of their cases, said leading Gambian rights activist Madi Jobarteh.

There are a number of public officials and security officers who have been mentioned in the report for having committed human rights violations. Those officers should have been suspended immediately, both as a measure against any interference with justice and also to generate confidence in the public that there will be justice. Thus, the fact that Barrow has failed to do that until now shows his low-level commitment to justice. It appears Barrow is more focused on giving forgiveness in the name of a false notion of reconciliation than to ensure that there is accountability, he added.

Barrow won his second term with a 53% margin in alliance with a faction of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction Party  a section of the party still loyal to former ruler Jammeh. And recently, one of the commanders of the state guards and Junglers, General Sulayman Badgie, has returned from Equatorial Guinea and is being lodged at a state-owned Friendship Hotel. Critics are asking why he was not arrested.

TRRC final report suggests judiciary options

The Commission has also offered recommendations of approaches that could be used to ensure Jammeh is brought to justice, in the Gambia or abroad. The first option is to establish a hybrid tribunal in the Gambia comprising of Gambians and other nationalities, like in the East Timor, Cambodia or Sierra Leone hybrid courts models.

Another option is to bring Jammeh and his henchmen to justice in a neighbouring country, in which Gambia could play a leading role. Such an approach was taken in the prosecution of Habre, who was prosecuted in Senegal for crimes he had committed in Chad.

The numerous crimes committed by Yahya Jammeh and his co-perpetrators include unlawful killings, sexual violence, torture, enforced disappearance, persecution including through arbitrary arrests and unlawful detentions. Gambia being the state where the crimes have been committed, naturally (it) has primary jurisdiction, the Commission said.

But the crimes committed by Yahya Jammeh and his co-perpetrators were not only committed against Gambian nationals. Some of the victims are nationals of other West African States such as Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Togo. Each of these states whose citizens were killed in Gambia would also have jurisdiction under their domestic laws to prosecute Yahya Jammeh for those crimes committed against their citizens in Gambia.

At the time of writing, despite requests from Justice Info, neither the Gambia Truth Commission nor the Ministry of Justice is able to provide a full list of the persons recommended for prosecution in the TRRCs final report.
A report stated that Chinas crackdown on Bitcoin mining has led to an increase in the number of Thai investors buying and operating mining equipment. The report added that many of these investors currently earn between $30 and $40 per day from each mining equipment.

Chinas suppression and its impact on mining machine prices

After Chinas continued crackdown on Bitcoin mining forced major players in the industry to withdraw or ship their equipment to more regulated countries, the number of Bitcoin miners in Thailand surged in 2021.

As Al Jazeera explained Report, The brief price drop after the restriction made it possible for many smaller investors to purchase mining equipment from fleeing Chinese miners. Although the price of mining equipment for each new machine has risen to more than $13,000, this shows that the demand for machines has not decreased.

To support the claim that Thai investors are still buying mining equipment, the report quoted businessman Pongsakorn Tongtaveenan who had been buying Antminer SJ19 Pro from miners who fled China and selling it to local investors. In the report, Tongtaveenan proposed why his compatriots invest in mining equipment.

He said:

Bitcoin is the gold of the digital world. But mining equipment is like gold mining stocks: you receive dividends based on the price of gold. There are now approximately 100,000 Thai miners.

Thai investors set their sights on Laos mining

According to the report, some of these miners made 30-40 US dollars by running these machines. For others, such as the conversion of an unnamed Bitcoin enthusiast into a miner, Chinas crackdown proved to be an important turning point.

The moment China banned cryptocurrency, we were ecstatic. I took it all back within three months, said the miner who claimed to have started his solar mining business with $30,000.

At the same time, it is reported that larger Thai investors are considering setting up operations in neighboring Laos, which has recently issued mining licenses to six companies and where electricity costs are lower. However, like other potential investors, Thai investors who wish to invest in Laos must meet the initial terms, which include the purchase of US$1 million worth of electricity from the Lao National Grid each year and the payment of large operating expenses.

What are your thoughts on this story? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Terence Zinwara Terence Zimwara is an award-winning journalist, writer and writer in Zimbabwe. He has written a large number of articles about the economic difficulties of some African countries and how digital currencies can provide a way out for Africans.































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Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. It is not a direct offer or invitation to buy or sell, nor is it a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service or company. Bitcoin Network Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. The company or the author is not directly or indirectly responsible for any damage or loss caused or claimed to be caused by using or relying on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced on Thursday that he plans to order nursing home staff and contractors who have close contact with residents to be vaccinated by February 11, and pointed out the COVID-19 of the states staff The infection rate is rising.

The order is expected to be signed by the Democrats on Thursday night, and it will also apply to workers in other long-term care facilities, including assisted living and residential care homes, and 3,600 state employees working in state chronic care hospitals, such as Connecticut Valley Hospital and Huaian. Ting Forensic Hospital.

At the same time, the Connecticut Hospital Association announced that it is revising its statewide mandatory vaccination policy for hospital and health system staff and clinical staff, requiring them to also receive booster vaccines. Other private hospital systems elsewhere in the United States, including the Boston area, require additional doses.

Connecticut was one of the first states to implement such authorizations for nursing home employees. In California, approximately 2.5 million healthcare workers must be vaccinated against the coronavirus by February 1, or they will face the risk of unemployment. New Mexico also requires certain categories of workers to receive booster injections.

New data released on Thursday showed that from December 22 to January 4, there were 2,148 employees infected with COVID-19, up from 242 cases from December 8 to December 21. At the same time, the number of resident cases increased from 136 to 829. period. In the past month, 26 residents died, but no employees died.

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Lamont predicts that requiring nursing home staff and others to receive a third dose will bring a huge bonus.

This will open up the capacity of our hospital and make it easier for us to transfer people from the hospital to the nursing home, he said.

Dr. Deirdre Gifford, Lamonts health consultant and Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, stated that employees affected by the governors new executive order will not be able to conduct tests as an alternative.
Goldman Sachs had predicted that the price of Bitcoin might reach $100,000. The global investment bank believes that as the adoption rate of cryptocurrencies grows, Bitcoin will continue to take market share from gold.

Goldman Sachs Bitcoin and Gold predictions

Goldman Sachs analyst and co-head of global foreign exchange strategy Zach Pandl outlined the future prospects of Bitcoin in a research report to clients on Tuesday.

Goldman Sachs analysts predict that as cryptocurrencies are more widely adopted, Bitcoin will continue to take market share from gold in 2022. Details of research notes:

The application of Bitcoin may not only be a store of value-but the digital asset market is much larger than Bitcoin.

The analyst pointed out that Bitcoins circulating market value is currently less than 700 billion U.S. dollars. Cryptocurrencies account for 20% of the store of value market, including gold and Bitcoin. The note explained that this market is worth approximately US$2.6 trillion.

Goldman Sachs stated in its 2022 forecast list that over time, Bitcoin is likely to become larger.

Pandl stated that if Bitcoins share of the store of value market assume increases to 50% in the next five years, then Bitcoin Will increase to slightly more than $100,000. The analyst added:

We believe that comparing its market value to gold can help determine a reasonable outcome for Bitcoins return.

In addition, Goldman Sachs analysts pointed out that even though the resource consumption of the Bitcoin network may become an obstacle to institutional adoption, it will not prevent demand for the asset, the report said.

Goldman Sachs restarted its cryptocurrency trading desk last year. In June, the company Unfold Its cryptocurrency products include ether futures and options.

Do you agree with Goldman Sachs views on Bitcoin and gold? Please let us know in the comments section below.

Kevin Helms As an Austrian economics student, Kevin discovered Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests lie in Bitcoin security, open source systems, network effects, and the intersection of economics and cryptography.











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Disclaimer: This article is for reference only. It is not a direct offer or invitation to buy or sell, nor is it a recommendation or endorsement of any product, service or company. Bitcoin Network Does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. The company or the author is not directly or indirectly responsible for any damage or loss caused or claimed to be caused by using or relying on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
According to a federal prosecutor, a federal grand jury indicted a North Carolina doctor who was accused of changing medical equipment for reuse and embezzling more than $46 million from health insurance.

U.S. Attorney Michael Easley stated that according to an alternative indictment, between 2014 and 2018, 58-year-old Anita Louise Jackson was suspected of providing services to more than 700 patients. More than 1,200 balloon sinusplasty services and more than 46 million U.S. dollars paid to medical insurance. Her clinic received more than $5.4 million in services.

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The authorities stated that Jackson was the highest-paid provider of balloon sinusplasty in the United States over a four-year period, even though her clinic was located outside of major metropolitan areas, and added that Jackson made a lot of money from the bills of the health insurance plan.

According to the press release, Jackson faces multiple allegations, including medical device adulteration, making false statements about medical benefits and mail fraud.
A former Brevard County sheriffs deputy was arrested and is suspected of holding a naked man at gunpoint, filming him, and forcing him to sign a $30,000 contract, according to authorities.

Amony Robillard, 30, of St. Cloud was arrested Nov. 27 by Osceola County Sheriffs Office and taken to Orange County Jail where he faces charges of robbery with a firearm, extortion with a weapon and false imprisonment with a weapon.

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Rollibard worked as a Brevard County Sheriffs Office corrections deputy, but was terminated after the November arrest, according to a press release by Brevard Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

An incident of this nature is absolutely unacceptable to me and I can assure you that our team will be doing everything possible to assist and support the Orange County Sheriffs Office in their investigation, so that justice can be served, Ivey said.

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Robillard is also known in Central Florida as a radio show host for Panick FM 99.9s Love Connection under the name Tchooby. Rollibards Facebook page also identifies himself as a U.S. Army veteran sergeant.

Last November, the Orange County Sheriffs Office was approached by a man claiming that Robillard had pointed a gun at him while attempting to blackmail him into signing a notarized contract agreeing to pay Robillard $30,000, according to an OCSO incident report.

The report stated that the victim and Robillard had previous interactions with each other about a year earlier in which the victim had suggested investing money into a company. Robillard did so, however he lost his money after the unnamed company tanked, OCSO said.

According to the report, six months later, the victim began sharing intimate messages with what he believed to be a woman by the name of Djerise. The report stated that Djerise was actually Robillards girlfriend, but the victim did not know that while messaging her. The two made plans to meet at an Airbnb on Nov. 19.

On the scheduled date, the report stated that Djerise greeted the victim at the door of the Airbnb and welcomed him inside a dark room with two beds, one of which was obscured by a curtain. Just before the two were about to become intimate, Rollibard emerged from behind the curtains pointing two guns at the victim, OCSO said.

The report stated that Robillard then told the victim to drink a Haitian male enhancement drink, towo and eat a maggii bouillon cube. Robillard then placed five condoms in front of the victim while filming and said he was going to show the world that the victim was paying prostitutes for sex unless he paid Robillard back the money he lost, according to the report.

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The report stated that in an effort to humiliate the victim further, Robillard told the victim he had posed as his girlfriend Djerise while the two were texting and revealed he was the one who made the Airbnb reservations. The report said Robillard then presented a contract that stated the victim would pay $30,000 within a certain amount of time. Another man arrived, 45-year-old Melchy Pierre Louis, who claimed to be a notary to witness the two sign the contract. Still naked, the victim signed, according to the report.

The sheriffs report also stated that Robillard, unsatisfied with just one signature, told the victim to call his wife and have her come to the Airbnb. She arrived, frightened to see her husband naked in the corner. In response, Robillard told the victims wife to sign the contract, but she refused to do so. After failing to get her to sign, Robillard let both of them go claiming he was satisfied with the victims single signature, OCSO said.

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The report then stated Robillard later called the victim asking him for the first installment of money in the amount of $5,000. The victim told Robillard he was not able to produce that sum. The two argued about what Robillard had done to the victim, which Robillard defended by saying it was the victims fault Robillard lost the money, the report said.

After the two exchanged a verbal volley Robillard ended the conversation saying find a way to give me my $5,000 this afternoon so I can pay the bank, the report said.

On Nov. 27, deputies arrived at a St. Cloud residence to arrest Robillard without incident.

Robillard is being held in Orange County Jail without bond. His trial is scheduled in May.

Jpedersen@orlandosentinel.com
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a lawsuit against Australian Craig Derel Sproule on the grounds that his company was involved in a fraudulent and unregistered sale of digital asset securities in an initial coin offering in 2018.

The SEC stated in a statement on January 6 complain Sproules company Metavine, Inc. is Crowd machine (CMCT) From January to April 2018, it sold unregistered securities, never put the project into operation, and seriously misrepresented how it intends to use ICO proceeds.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission stated that Sproule has raised a total of at least 33 million US dollars, but he now lacks sufficient funds to fund continued operations. The reason for his lack of funds is the core of the US Securities and Exchange Commission case.

January 6 announcement Information from the US Securities and Exchange Commission on the case indicated that Sproule agreed to prohibit him, Crowd Machine, and Metavine from issuing any more securities. They must also permanently disable the CMCT token and seek to remove it from the digital asset trading platform. According to CoinGecko, CMCT is currently only available for trading on HitBTC.

Sproule was barred from becoming an executive of a public company and ordered to pay a fine of $195,047.

Although Sproule told investors that ICO proceeds will be used to fund the development of a decentralized peer-to-peer network, the complaint stated that $5.8 million in ICO funds were sent to South African mining companies as loans or equity. So far, these funds have not been recovered, and Sproule has not received a return on investment.

The complaint also detailed how CMCT tokens should operate in the Crowd Computer ecosystem to pay for equipment owners to use their computer capabilities and to pay for software developers to write code. However, tokens have never run in the ecosystem.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission claimed that CMCT was an investment contract and was classified as a security, and that Crowd Computer and Metavine failed to register its sale with the commission:

Many courts have clearly determined that the provision and sale of digital assets such as CMCT are investment contracts. Therefore, according to the Federal Securities Law, such digital assets are securities.

related: The Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission appoints a new senior crypto advisor

For some time, the question of whether cryptocurrencies should be classified as securities or commodities has been the center of debate in certain circles. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler Urge crypto companies Come in and talk with him about the legal status of cryptocurrencies because they are related to securities laws.
Psychologists, social workers and therapists at Kaiser Permanente clinics in Oakland and Richmond will strike for a day to protest that Martin Luther King Day is not a paid holiday.

This strike Scheduled for Monday, January 17 at Kaiser Permanentes Oakland Medical Center and outside corporate headquarters in downtown Oakland. About 200 workers planned to march with allies and elected officials.

Strike is the latest move Kaiser Medical Institution Ixayanne Baez, a marriage and family therapist at Kaiser Permanentes Oakland clinic, said staff were addressing structural racism within the organization.

We lost very qualified black leadership because of a lack of response, she said. Because theres very little support for cultural competence, cultural responsiveness, and support for black employees.

after being killed George Floyd In 2020, black mental health clinicians at Kaiser Permanentes Oakland and Richmond facilities began a conversation with health system leadership, who then agreed to make Martin Luther King Jr. Jr.s choice for all mental health clinicians in Northern California, according to the National Coalition. Healthcare workers on paid leave.

In an emailed statement, Kaiser said the information provided to Bay Area employees confirming paid leave was incorrect and was due to a misunderstanding by local authorities.

We regret, but are not surprised, that NUHW sought to abuse this isolated incident as part of its bargaining strategy as a justification for disrupting mental health care, Kaiser said. In fact, every time a contract expires, NUHW leadership has called for a strike. Its especially disappointing that theyve once again asked our dedicated and compassionate staff to stay away from patients who need us.

However, Baez said that for the past two years, Kaiser has refused to finalize paid leave, saying more negotiation and meetings are necessary.

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Kaiser said it has committed to making Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a scheduled paid vacation for the entire organization starting in 2023. This year, Kaiser Permanente will extend its MLK Days of Service into a week-long event starting Monday, January 17.

They keep saying next year, which reminds me of how long it will take to desegregate, said Sabrina Chaumette, an adult psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente. Its like they keep saying the timing is not right. Id rather they talk less about the importance of it Addressing systemic racism And actually no longer is a system that perpetuates racism. 

Thats especially depreciating for black mental health professionals and patients, she said, because Martin Luther King Day has been a federal holiday for nearly 40 years.

Despite meetings with management, emails and letters detailing the pressures and struggles of black clinicians, Chaumette said employees havent seen a change.

November Polls Among the 1,500 employees of the National Federation of Healthcare Workers found that 62% of Kaiser employees of color have experienced racism at work and 47% of providers have witnessed racism.

In December, Kaiser Permanente agreed to pay $11.5 million Settled with more than 2,000 current and former black employees in California who said they were underpaid and not considered for promotion due to racism.

As an Afro-Latino clinician, Baez said her experience at Kaiser Permanente left her feeling isolated and excluded, largely because she was not receiving additional compensation, resources, or support to support her efforts to develop culturally competent project leadership.

Chaumette said therapists of color are in high demand because more than 20 percent of Oaklands population is black, and many seek clinicians who can understand their racial trauma. But she said she was one of fewer than 10 of about 137 providers identified as black at Kaiser Permanentes Oakland clinic, creating a huge burden and workload.

Founder Jessica Dominguez said, Were seeing an organization that doesnt take even the smallest steps to combat structural racism and doesnt show the urgency to stop clinicians of color from continuing to leave. , they can provide culturally competent care to all of Kaisers patients, said in a statement, lead clinician at La Clinica, Kaiser Permanentes Spanish-language program.

Kaiser Permanente said it is proud of its staffs efforts to promote diversity and responsive care, and is committed to creating a space that is highly inclusive, engaging and psychologically safe.

To deliver on our long-term commitment to providing high-quality care, improving access to care, and addressing the inequalities, structural racism and injustice that marginalize our most vulnerable, we begin with a commitment to our workforce , including those concerned with the mental health needs of our members, the group said.
Seasoned actor Jin Sun Kyu expresses his excitement for the upcoming drama "Through the Darkness." He talks about the reason why he chose to star in the drama, his role and how he prepared for it.

Jin Sun Kyu Transforms Into a Reliable Team Leader in 'Through the Darkness'

Following the release of SBS TV's "Through the Darkness" stills and individual posters, lead actor Jin Sun Kyu shared his excitement for the upcoming drama.

In "Through the Darkness," he takes on the role of Kook Young Soo, the founder of the Criminal Behavior Analysis team of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. He is a determined and principled police officer, and a great friend to criminal profiler Song Ha Young, played by Kim Nam Gil.

The drama is set in the 1990s, based on the non-fiction book written by Kwon Il Young, Korea's first criminal profiler. It follows the story of the writer's experiences in the field, where baseless murders were rampant in the society.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Kim Nam Gil Dishes Out Reasons for Choosing 'Through the Darkness,' His Role and More

When Jin Sun Kyu was asked why he chose to appear in the drama, he enthusiastically answered, "The first profilers in Korea."

According to the actor, he is fascinated by people who have the desire and passion to read the inner thoughts and hearts of people in order to catch the criminals.

"There's no reason why I shouldn't do it," Jin Sun Kyu added.

Jin Sun Kyu Shares How He Prepared for His Role

The actor's new acting role is a very firm and passionate police officer. Jin Sun Kyu shared the details of Kook Young Soo, the founder of the Criminal Behavior Analysis Team.

"After his thorough observation, Kook Young Soo figured that the need for criminal psychological analysis is through the roof. He then creates the first analysis team after finding the best strategy for a long time," Jin Sun Kyu stated.

He also said that his character contributed to writing a new history that is never seen before in any other organization. His character is also the one who discovered Song Ha Young's talent in interrogating suspects.

Jin Sun Kyu focused on expressing his different emotions perfectly, through big movements and body language and even minimal or micro-movements. His meticulousness in immersing in his new character will give a different kind of watching experience, and surely create a bond with the drama's viewers.

Moreover, the new SBS TV's Friday and Saturday drama "Through the Darkness" airs for the first time on January 14 at 10:00 p.m. KST.

Check out the drama's teaser here:

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KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
Netflix opened the year with a loud bang as the streaming giant is set to realize another much-awaited K-zombie series, "All of Us Are Dead."

Based on the webtoon of the same name, the upcoming horror Kdrama follows the story of a group of students at Hyosan High School who are trapped in a zombie-stricken campus.

As Netflix entices fans with disturbing and intriguing still cuts and trailers, Korea Media Rating Board pointed out that the forthcoming K-zombie series might be more "terrifying" than its predecessors, "Kingdom" and "Squid Game."

'All of Us Are Dead' is Expected to be More Intense Than Other K-Zombie Series

In a report cited by Insight Korea, the organization which "classifies films, videos, and other motion pictures into age-based ratings" released a result reviewing ratings noting that it got five out of seven ratings.

The said category includes violence, dialogue, fear, drugs and risk of imitation.

Unfortunately, the Korea Media Rating Board highlighted that the "All of Us Are Dead" might not be suitable for "young people" due to its disturbing scenes, particularly zombies attacking humans and killings using various weapons.

Moreover, it noted that it might have a "harmful effect," especially towards the young viewers, as it contains an "overall context of violence, dialogue, fear, drugs, and risk of imitation."

To recall, based on the organization's rating done on other Netflix shows, "Hellbound" scored high points in three out of seven categories: subject matter, violence, and horror.

On the other hand, "Kingdom" got two high scores on violence and horror while "Squid Game" scored high points on four categories such as violence and provocative scenes.

Netflix Unveils 'All of Us Are Dead' New Still Cuts

Despite the notice of the Korea Media Rating Board, several fans expressed their excitement to watch "All of Us Are Dead," especially now that Netflix is releasing various still cuts and trailers, showing a glimpse of what the K-zombie series is about.

With exactly three weeks till the highly anticipated D-day, the streaming giant unveiled a new video that would undoubtedly pique the interest of fans.

In a 1 minute and 30 second trailer, a male student managed to call the police and report about the zombie attack at Hyosan high School.

Unfortunately, the officers thought it was a prank call and reminded the student about its consequences.

However, the police officers noticed that they kept on receiving the same concerns and decided to call up the school and check on the students.

"They'll come to save us. They have to," one student mentioned-the clip transitions showing a girl transforming into a zombie.

The phrase "Help is not coming" flashed on the screen, signifying that the students might be stuck inside the campus filled with flesh-eating monsters.

"All of Us Are Dead" release date is scheduled on January 28, featuring lead stars Yoon Chan Young, Park Ji Hoo, Jo Yi Hyun, Park Solomon and Yoo In Soo.

READ MORE: Netflix's 'All of Us Are Dead' Features Yoon Chan Young, Park Ji Hoon and More Struggle to Survive in a Terrifying Zombie Outbreak

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
With the huge amount of promising series and shows on Netflix, viewers now spend hours and hours on choosing what to watch for the night or day.

From "Train to Busan," "Parasite" to "Squid Game," Korean shows just get better and better. Here are some of the masterpieces that Rotten Tomatoes included in their must-watch list!

'The Call'

Based on the highly acclaimed 2011 British and Puerto Rican film "The Caller," Lee Chung Hyun's 2020 thriller film "The Call" follows the story of two people living in two different generations that get connected through a mysterious phone call.

The film stars award-winning actresses Park Shin Hye and Jeon Jong in the main roles. Actors Kim Sung Ryeong, Lee El, Oh Jung Se and Lee Dong Hwi also participated in strengthening the film.

'The Wailing'

For adrenaline junkies, director Na Hong Jin's thriller and suspense film "The Wailing" is perfect for you. The film depicts the story of a policeman who religiously investigates a serial murder case and an epidemic of illnesses after her only daughter becomes a victim of the same sickness.

Hwang Jung Min, Kwak Do Won and Chun Woo Hee led the drama to success with their superb and immersive acting performances.

The film received worldwide acclaim, and was recognized by the Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards, Molins de Rei Horror Film Festival and more. In Korea, the film and production cast bagged major awards for its actresses, cinematography, directing and more.

'Burning'

Based on best seller author Haruki Murakami's short story "Barn Burning," the 2018 psychological thriller film by director Lee Chang Dong tells the story of two childhood friends who meet once again in a dangerous situation where both of their lives are at risk.

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: These 4 K-Dramas Feature Unconventional Careers That Will Surely Inspire You

The drama features the excellence of actors Yoo Ah In, Jeon Jong Seo and Yoo Ah In.

With its ambiguous narrative and performances, the film received universal critical acclaim from many critics such as The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Vogue magazine, Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal to name a few.

'Hellbound'

Another Yoo Ah In masterpiece in the list! "Hellbound" follows the occult and pagan story of sinful people who are one day sentenced to hell by enormous unknown supernatural beings.

In the drama, Yoo Ah In stars as an occult leader of an emerging religion. Alongside the actor are seasoned veterans Park Jung Min, Yang Ik Jun, Won Jin Ah, and Kim Hyun Joo.

The British newspaper The Guardian described the drama as "exceptional" and "a drama wrapped in the lightest genre of thrills that will surely be talked about even after a decade."

'Squid Game'

Probably the most well-known masterpiece from South Korea, next to "Train to Busan" and "Parasite," is Hwang Dong Hyuk's survival game series "Squid Game."

The story revolves around a survival game where hundreds of players in knee-deep debt risk their lives to play a series of deadly games for a chance to win the grand prize.

YOU MIGH ALSO LIKE THIS: Check Out These 3 Feel Good Films to Boost Your Mood

"Squid Game" received international acclaim and became Netflix's most-watched series, topping shows in 94 countries including South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, USA and Philippines.

Lee Jung Jae, Park Hae Soo, Wi Ha Jun, Jung Ho Yeon, Oh Yeong Soo, Heo Sung Tae, Kim Joo Ryung and Anupam Tripathi certainly delivered outstanding performances, which drove the drama to success.

Follow KDramaStars for more KMovie, KDrama, and celebrity updates!



KDramaStars owns this article.

Written by Elijah Mully.
This photo provided by The City of Key West, Fla., shows Southernmost Point buoy on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022 in Key West, Fla. Police are searching for two people who burned a part of Key Westas famous Southernmost Point buoy early New Yearas Day after setting a fire near the landmark tourism icon. (City of Key West via AP) (AP Photo)

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP)  Restoration has been completed on Key Wests Southernmost Point marker, one of the most photographed landmarks in the Florida Keys, following damage from a fire intentionally set early New Years Day. Two people including one from Central Florida have been charged in the incident.

City public works staff finished repainting the marker Thursday night. It designates the southernmost land point in the continental United States, a replica of a marine navigational buoy with red, yellow, black and white stripes.

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The Southernmost Point is one of the most iconic spots in the Florida Keys, Key West Mayor Teri Johnston said. People come from around the world in order to be photographed in front of this statue.

In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Key West Public Works employee Paul Cassidy puts finishing touches on the Southernmost Point marker Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Key West, Fla. The iconic marker was scorched early New Year's Day when two men burned a Christmas tree next to it and photographed themselves during the process that was captured by webcams. Both men were served warrants, charged with criminal mischief with damages over $1,000. The Southernmost Point marker is one of the most popular landmarks in the Florida Keys. (Rob O'Neal/Florida Keys News Bureau via AP) (Rob O'Neal/AP)

Key West police have announced charges against two men suspected of torching a Christmas tree next to the landmark buoy.

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David B. Perkins (Monroe County Jail)

David B. Perkins, Jr., 22, of Leesburg, Florida, and Skylar Rae Jacobson, 21, of Henrietta, Texas, face charges of criminal mischief with damages over $1,000. Perkins turned himself in Thursday afternoon at a Monroe County detention facility in the Upper Florida Keys.

Jacobson is also expected to turn himself in, Key West police spokeswoman Alyson Crean said.

The suspects were seen on webcams early Jan. 1. Footage shows one man dragging the tree to the location. They took several pictures on their phones of each other in front of the burning tree next to the buoy. Flames and heat left a large scar on the front of the marker.

The 20-ton concrete monument, installed beside the Atlantic Ocean in 1983, bears lettering that proclaims it stands just 90 miles from Cuba. For decades, Key West visitors have lined up for pictures before its expanse.

The damage and multi-day repair didnt stop the flow of daytime visitors to the Southernmost Point. Public Works personnel did their restoration work at night. Damage was estimated at over $5,000.
Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu responds to a question during a news conference, Tuesday, January 4, 2022 in Ottawa. Bearskin Lake First Nation in Northern Ontario is still waiting for military assistance a week after it declared emergency due to a COVID-19 outbreak that infected nearly half of its 400 residents and crippled the community. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A picturesque scene in Frankfort on Thursday as snow began to fall. Much of the state was blanketed with snow before the day was over including near record numbers in Elizabethtown and Lexington. (Photo by State-Journal / Hannah Brown)
Jerry Ambs, with the Daviess County Fiscal Court, blows the falling snow off the sidewalks around the Daviess County Court House, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Owensboro, Ky. (Greg Eans/The Messenger-Inquirer via AP)
Ketchikan, AK (99901)

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A few showers this morning with overcast skies during the afternoon hours. High 52F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

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United States Postal Service officials investigated an employee suspected of stealing mail in Central Florida.

Authorities arrested 25-year-old Miranda Farleigh on Friday, according to the Department of Justice.

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Court documents identified Farleigh as a postal worker delivering mail to the Lady Lake Post Office, including The Villages.

A USPS supervisor told investigators they found tubs and bags of open mail in her possession on or near Nov. 23, the DOJ reported.

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Farleigh could spend up to five years in prison if shes convicted.
The Biden administration said Friday it approved Floridas plan for spending federal COVID-19 education relief money, sending $2.3 billion to the state.

Florida, like other states, plans to spend its money on summer school, after-school programs and other efforts to help students recover from the learning loss incurred when the coronavirus pandemic disrupted schooling.

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The funding is part of the third round of federal COVID-19 relief money for schools. Florida received $7 billion in this round, two-thirds of it sent earlier but the final third sent this week after its plan was approved.

This fall, the Florida Department of Education and its federal counterparts  already in a public disagreement over school districts face mask mandates  engaged in a war of words after Florida failed to submit its plan by the federal deadline. Federal officials in a letter said Floridas delay raised significant concerns.

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Florida officials, however, said they alerted the federal department that they would not meet its June 7 deadline because they wanted time to analyze students end-of-the-year test scores before devising a plan meant to help academic performance. They also said most school districts had not yet spent all their federal money provided previously so they were not harmed by the delay.

State officials submitted their plan Oct. 6.

lpostal@orlandosentinel
Kilgore, TX (75662)

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Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

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Partly cloudy skies early. Thunderstorms developing late. Low 67F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Security forces in Kazakhstan say they've killed dozens of protesters in the country's largest city Almaty.

Russia has sent paratroopers to help combat anti-government demonstrations in the former Soviet nation. State media in Kazakhstan said 13 officers had been killed in the violence and more than 350 injured.

In recent days, the protests, which were triggered by a rise in fuel prices, have spread to major cities including the capital Nursultan and morphed into a wider movement against President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

His government has resigned in response to the protests, during which more than 1,000 people have been injured, according to Kazakhstan's health ministry.

The doubling of the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was the catalyst for thousands to take to the streets. But there's also wider anger at Tokayev's predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who ruled the nation for nearly 30 years after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Despite stepping down in 2019 and personally picking Tokayev as his successor, many think he still calls the shots in the tightly controlled state.

One protester, Rafik Zharylkasyn, said years of pent-up anger had boiled over: "Lots of versions of what happened here have been told. You have to understand what has happened here. The coiled spring has now been unleashed after 30 years. Look, all of us have been fired upon."

On Wednesday, protesters stormed the presidential residence and mayor's office in Almaty and set them on fire, with President Tokayev vowing "maximum toughness" in his response.

Demonstrators in Almaty, Kazakhstan protesting against fuel price increases on Thursday. /Reuters/Pavel Mikheyev

Tokayev requested help from Russia and other former Soviet states to deal with what he called a foreign-inspired uprising.

"The terrorist mobs are essentially international. They underwent serious training abroad and their attack of Kazakhstan can be and should be viewed as an act of aggression. For this reason, I reached out to the heads of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) states today to assist Kazakhstan in overcoming this terrorist threat," he said.

The CSTO also includes Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Neither the organization nor Tokayev has provided any proof of foreign involvement in the protests.

Vladimir Zainetdinov, press secretary of the CSTO confirmed that Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan had provided contingents of "peacekeeping forces" for a limited time period in order to "stabilize and normalize the situation."

In an interview with CGTN in Russia he said: "The main tasks of the collective peacekeeping forces of the CSTO will be the protection of important state and military facilities, the assistance to the law enforcement of the Republic of Kazakhstan in stabilizing the situation and returning it to the legal framework."

"From the Russian Federation, the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the CSTO included units and military units of Airborne troops."

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev promised 'maximum toughness' in response to the unrest. /Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via Reuters

Foreign reaction

The United Nations said it was concerned by the violence and was monitoring the situation closely.

"I think it's very important for all involved in these current events to exercise restraint, refrain from violence, and promote dialogue in addressing all of the pertinent issues," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

On Thursday, the UK said it was in talks with allies about a unified response.

"We condemn the acts of violence and destruction of property in Almaty and we will be coordinating further with our allies on what further steps we should take," UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told parliament.

The European Union said it was "ready and willing to support a dialogue in the country" and urged Russia to respect Kazakhstan's sovereignty.

"The violence must be stopped. We are also calling for restraint from all parties and a peaceful resolution of the situation," said a EU spokesperson.

Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources, including oil and coal and is the world's largest producer of uranium, which is used in nuclear power generation. The price of the metal shot up by 8 percent in response to the violence.

Despite its vast mineral reserves, many Kazakhs feel they've been left behind by an elite that's profited from decades of oil-led growth.
State Rep. Geraldine Thompson, who in November witnessed the long-awaited exoneration of the Groveland Four, wants Florida to create scholarships and priority business loans as recognition of the injustices suffered by the young Black men wrongly accused of raping a white teenager over 70 years ago.

It is a means in a very limited way to try to make these families whole, said Thompson, an Orlando Democrat who pushed legislators in 2017 to issue a formal apology on behalf of the state to the families of the four  Charles Greenlee, Walter Irvin, Samuel Shepherd and Ernest Thomas.

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The four, all now dead, ranged in age from 16 to 26 in 1949 when they were accused of kidnapping and raping 17-year-old Norma Padgett.

Thompsons bill, HB 1133, would create 50 college scholarships worth up to $6,100 a year toward tuition and fees for descendants of the four or for current Black residents of Groveland, the south Lake town where three of the four lived or worked. Greenlee, just 16 but married to a wife who was pregnant, had come to Groveland to look for work.

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The bill also would direct the state to prioritize low-interest loan applications for Black-owned businesses in Groveland.

Thompsons proposal is akin to other measures the Legislature has adopted to mitigate the harm of racial atrocities in Ocoee and Rosewood.

Contacted by the Orlando Sentinel, descendants of the Groveland Four endorsed her bill, saying they never sought reparations only the truth.

My goal was three-fold, said Carol Greenlee Crawley, 72, in a phone interview from her home in Tennessee. One was to clear my dads name, another was to let the world know my fathers not a rapist, the third was to get him completely exonerated. ... As far as Im concerned, Im in peace.

[ Groveland Four families: 'This is a glory hallelujah day!' ]

She said she hopes Legislators approve the bill and that it helps any folks who seem to be struggling ...

Vivian Robinson, 60, a niece of Samuel Shepherd living in Clermont, also said exoneration was our gold.

Sam didnt have any kids, she said. But to honor his name by giving kids an opportunity to excel in whatever field they decide is wonderful.

Though Groveland is not in Thompsons legislative district, she attended the extraordinary exoneration hearing Nov. 22 to support the families in their crusade to clear the names of the four, who were posthumously pardoned of alleged crimes in 2019 by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his executive Cabinet.

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Thompson described the bill as a small way to make amends for what happened at the hands of state-sanctioned oppression in Lake County.

She said she included the provision for low-interest loans from the Department of Economic Opportunity for Black-owned businesses because not everybody is going to be in a position to go to school but there are people who may want to open a business who dont have the capital to get started.

Carol Greenlee Crawley, center, daughter of Charles Greenlee, reacts as Circuit Court Judge Heidi Davis dismisses all charges against Ernest Thomas, Samuel Shepherd, Charles Greenlee and Walter Irvin, known as the Groveland Four, during a proceeding at the Lake County Courthouse Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, in Tavares, Fla. The four were falsely accused of raping 17-year-old Norma Padgett and assaulting her husband in 1949. (Phelan M. Ebenhack for the Orlando Sentinel) (Phelan M. Ebenhack / Orlando Sentinel)

Padgett, the accuser, told authorities she and her husband were looking for a place to get a sandwich after a night out dancing when their car broke down in Okahumpka, a rural outpost between Leesburg and Groveland. She alleged the four men initially stopped to help but then overpowered her husband and took turns raping her, a claim cast in serious doubt by a medical report prosecutors never shared with defense lawyers.

A Leesburg doctor examined the 17-year-old the morning after the alleged rape and did not find semen or other evidence of sexual assault.

[ Norma Lee Padgett's version: 'Im not no liar.' ]

Padgett told DeSantis and the clemency board in 2019 she told the truth.

Now 89, she declined her right to appear at the exoneration hearing Nov. 22 to present evidence or testimony.

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In his motion to exonerate the four, State Attorney William Gladson pointed out injustices in the case.

Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. >

I have not witnessed a more complete breakdown of the criminal justice system, he wrote.

Now a candidate for state senate, Thompson said she was hopeful legislators will pass the bill.

Legislators last year approved a similar scholarship program for descendants of victims of the Election Day racial violence in Ocoee in 1920 when a deputized white mob rampaged through Black communities, burning homes and churches and killing residents who tried to defend themselves.

[ Trying to right the wrongs of the Ocoee Massacre ]

The best-known victim was Julius July Perry, a labor broker who had registered Blacks and women to vote.

He was wounded, captured by the mob then lynched in Orlando.

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Florida legislators also created a scholarship fund in 1994 as part of a $2.1 million, compensation package for survivors and descendants of victims of racial terror in Rosewood in 1923. Violence erupted after a married white woman said she was raped by a Black resident of the small town, nine miles south of Cedar Key on Floridas west coast.

shudak@orlandosentinel.com
The Orlando Police Department identified on Thursday a 37-year-old man fatally shot in the Callahan neighborhood.

Officers found the body of Ulysses Brown Sr. Wednesday around 5 p.m. in the 1000 block of Bentley Street, said OPD spokesperson Officer Michelle Rogers.

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There was no information released about a possible suspect or the circumstances of the shooting.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Orlando Police Department at 321-235-5300 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.

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lgarza@orlandosentinel.com
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Kokomo, IN (46901)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 55F. NNW winds shifting to E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

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Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low around 55F. NNW winds shifting to E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
For more than a decade, the Florida Department of Transportation has had plans to widen a nearly two-mile stretch of County Road 419, which cuts through the center of Oviedos downtown district.

But delays have led the Seminole County city to hold off its years-long efforts to redevelop its historic downtown  one of the oldest in Central Florida  until the project was completed.

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Now after years of Oviedo residents waiting, state work crews will roll into their city this month with bulldozers, jackhammers, front-end loaders, and other heavy equipment to begin the long-awaited work.

The $20-million project will expand C.R. 419  also known as West Broadway Street  from the current two lanes to four lanes between Pine Avenue to Avenue B. Work also will include adding a center grassy median, bike lanes and sidewalks. New stormwater ponds will be built to improve the areas water quality and control flooding.

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To avoid congestion and delays during peak traffic times, most of the work will be done between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. during the weekdays, officials said.

Traffic stacks up on S.R. 426/C.R. 419, just east of Oviedo High School, on Friday afternoon. The Florida Department of Transportation has plans to ease traffic congestion in the area by widening the road to four lanes and adding bike lanes. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Delays came in 2014, when the state began purchasing more than two dozen properties and demolishing them for the widening of both S.R. 434 and C.R. 419. Oviedo even had to relocate its downtown fire station to its current site on South Central Avenue, just south of the downtown district. The state gave the city $2 million for the old fire station property.

State transportation officials then delayed the project in 2018 as they waited for the DOT to complete the widening of a half-mile stretch of State Road 434 between East Franklin and Smith streets in downtown Oviedo.

Leigh-Ann Tepper moved her popular Townhouse restaurant in 2016 from its old spot at the intersection of C.R. 419 into a larger building about 500 feet north on S.R. 434 after it was acquired and demolished by the state for that widening project. Since the 1950s, the diner has offered homestyle meals to customers who often queue up outside the front door just after dawn.

Theyve been talking about this for years, Tepper said about the C.R. 419 widening. Its hard for the city to make any plans when you have to wait for the construction.

But Tepper and other residents say the C.R. 419 widening will help traffic move more easily along the busy thoroughfare, which handles about 17,000 motor vehicles a day on average, according to state traffic counts. Most of that traffic is drivers leaving or entering Oviedo High or Lawton Elementary schools, or vehicles headed to east Seminole.

Cost overruns in 2000 also halted the project.

Weve been waiting for the road to be widened for 20 years. ... So lets get on with it, Mayor Megan Sladek said. Im actually looking forward to it.

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Sladek said her city has long sought to create a downtown district where people can easily park their cars and take a walk around. She said she has mixed feelings about C.R. 419 widening.

Our city is already cut up by giant roads, she said. And now were going to have a wide road through the middle of where were trying to have an urban center. It counters to having a cute, quaint place. How do you do that with a four-lane road?

But Sladek acknowledged that the project will add sidewalks and help move traffic. After the work is completed, developers can then present plans to the city on redeveloping Oviedos core, she said.

Everybody is waiting to get this done, Sladek said. So, lets do it. Lets get it done and then build back something better [in the downtown district].

The public can learn more about the project  along with checking out design plans and present comments  during a community meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Oviedo City Hall, 400 Alexandria Blvd. The meeting will also be held virtually and requires advance registration by visiting https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/480374850315760651

The public also can listen in by phone by calling 1-631-992-3221 and entering passcode 821-743-462 when prompted.

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mcomas@orlandosentinel.com
A probable cause hearing for Ethan Crumbley, the 15-year-old suspect accused of killing four fellow students at a Michigan high school in November, is scheduled for January 7.
For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
World War II veteran Lawrence Brooks holds a photo of him taken in 1943, as he celebrates his 110th birthday at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, in this Sept. 12, 2019 file photo. AP-Yonhap





Lawrence Brooks, the oldest surviving U.S. veteran of World War II who was referred to by President Joe Biden as "truly the best of America", died Wednesday at the age of 112.







His death was announced by the National WWII Museum. The museum's statement did not mention the cause of death.







Brooks, an African-American, was drafted into the U.S. Army at the age of 31 and spent World War II in the predominantly African-American 91st Engineer Battalion. He was stationed in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines.







Classified as service personnel, he cleaned and cooked for three of the battalion's white officers and attained the rank of Private 1st Class, the National WWII Museum said.







"As the nation's oldest known living veteran, he proudly served our country during World War II, and returned home to serve his community and church", said Stephen Watson, the museum's president.







His wife, Leona, died in November 2008, and he is survived by five children, 13 grandchildren, and 32 great-grandchildren.







"I had the honor of speaking with him last year, and he was truly the best of America. I'm keeping his loved ones in my prayers", Biden said on Twitter.







During World War II, the U.S. military was still segregated by race. Recalling that era, Brooks once said he felt he was treated much better in Australia than he was in the United States.







"I was treated so much better in Australia than I was by my own white people. I wondered about that", he was quoted as saying by the museum.







Of the 16 million U.S. veterans who fought in World War Two, about 240,000 remained alive as of Sept. 2021, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.







The museum said that while Brooks remained proud of his military service, his memories of those days were mixed.







"I had some good times, and I had some bad times," Brooks once said. (Reuters)


Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 49F. NNW winds shifting to E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

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Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 49F. NNW winds shifting to E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Just over a year ago, the Orlando Sentinel published an excellent editorial entitled Its time to clear the smoke from Floridas beaches. The point of the article was to debunk the nanny state argument against tobacco regulation, and in favor of clean beaches and the freedom to breathe clean air. The Florida Legislature failed to pass the legislation last year.

Identical bills to last year have now been introduced. These bills will give our communities the choice to make our beaches and parks smoke-free. The Florida Legislature should enact HB 105 and SB 224 without delay because they are what the people want. In a statewide poll of likely Florida voters, the overwhelming majority want to prohibit the use of cigarettes and other tobacco products on beaches and in state parks.

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John Michael Pierobon - Original Credit: Courtesy photo (Courtesy photo)

Martin County and Gilchrist County have passed resolutions asking the Florida Legislature to repeal the preemption on regulating secondhand tobacco smoke, and numerous cities all across Florida have passed similar resolutions, including Orlando and Winter Park here in Orange County.

In addition to world famous Doctor Beach, many organizations strongly support this legislation including: Florida Association of Counties, Florida League of Cities, Ocean Conservancy, Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, March of Dimes, QuitDoc Foundation, and Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council.

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Current Florida law exposes families with young children, seniors, and others, to harmful secondhand smoke while at our beaches and parks.

The deleterious effects of secondhand smoke, especially in children, are numerous and well documented, and so is tobaccos impact on the environment.

According to Keep America Beautiful, cigarette butts remain the most littered item in America. They make up one third of the litter found on beaches and in parks.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

Tobacco litter is toxic, non-biodegradable, and devastating on marine wildlife. According to the United Nations International Maritime Organization, 177 species of marine animals and 111 species of shorebirds are affected by tobacco litter, causing unnecessary malnutrition, starvation, and death. Cigarette filters have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales and other marine creatures who mistake them for food.

People who visit our state parks and beaches expect to experience clean fresh air. Tobacco smoke mars this experience.

That is why all the parks and beaches of California, Hawaii, Maine and New Jersey are smoke-free, and over 1,500 municipalities across America prohibit smoking in their parks. None of them are in Florida.

Smoking is not allowed within any of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Disney recognizes that a smoke-free outdoor environment is good for business because it enhances the experience for their guests.

Having tobacco-free parks and beaches would provide healthy environments for families with children, and allow Florida to fairly compete with smoke-free vacation destinations for tourist dollars.

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HB 105 and SB 224 will do much more than keep tobacco litter off our beaches and out of our parks. If enacted, they will restore local control of our beaches and parks to our communities. They will also protect the environment and our children, reduce cleanup costs, increase tourism, and improve the health of our citizens. It is the right thing to do. It is time to pass HB 105 and SB 224 to give us the freedom to make our parks and beaches smoke-free.

John Michael Pierobon is an active member of the Tobacco Free Partnership of Broward County and the Tobacco-Free Workgroup of the Consortium for a Healthier Miami-Dade.
Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 48F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 48F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
A controversial plan restricting Indiana companies from imposing a COVID-19 vaccine requirement on their employees  even as coronavirus infections surge across the Hoosier State  has cleared its first hurdle at the Statehouse.

The Republican-controlled House Committee on Employment, Labor and Pensions voted 7-4 Thursday to revise House Bill 1001 and advance it to the full chamber for a decision on sending the measure to the Republican-controlled Senate.

The proposal would compel all Indiana businesses with a COVID-19 vaccine requirement, except federal contractors, to allow any full- or part-time employee with a medical, religious, or general objection to the vaccine, or a recent COVID-19 infection and recovery, to automatically opt out of the company's vaccine mandate.

Employers could then require those employees participate in weekly COVID-19 testing. But the cost of the testing could not be passed on to the worker, according to the legislation.

The measure was revised in committee to permit workers who lose their jobs for refusing to comply with a company's vaccine mandate to have their departure classified as non-voluntary, thereby entitling the workers to receive unemployment benefits.

The plan also was adjusted to authorize companies with employee vaccine mandates to seek state reimbursement of their costs for the COVID-19 testing of employees choosing not to get the vaccine.

State Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne, the sponsor of the proposal, said the changes respond to some of the concerns he heard from employer groups and vaccine opponents during more than 14 hours of prior committee testimony on the plan.

"I think we have found a good place," Lehman said. "We went down the path of trying to find that place between an employer's right to do what employers have a right to do as private enterprises, while at the same time not interfering with the firmly held beliefs or the medical conditions of their employees."

Lehman's proposal is almost certain to pass the House since it so far has attracted 55 co-sponsors in the 100-member chamber, including Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, and Northwest Indiana state Reps. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point; Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie; Hal Slager, R-Schererville; and Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso.

However, Senate leaders and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb repeatedly have signaled they're not on board with the plan, which also could be moot before even becoming law if the U.S. Supreme Court reinstates the temporarily halted federal vaccine mandates for most health care practitioners and workers at companies with more than 100 employees.

"We're here until March. I would suggest we slow down and wait to see what the Supreme Court does," said state Rep. Ryan Hatfield, D-Evansville, who voted against advancing the measure out of committee.

The proposal also is opposed by business leaders who say Indiana's pro-business reputation will be threatened if the General Assembly meddles so deeply into how Hoosier businesses run their operations and manage their employees.

Separately, vaccine opponents, who favor a variety of medically unrecognized treatments for COVID-19 in lieu of the vaccine, have insisted the measure is inadequate so long as it fails to prohibit all COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the state.

The legislation stems from a desire by some Hoosier lawmakers to bring an end to the monthly renewals of the governor's COVID-19 public health emergency declaration that's been in effect with varying provisions since the first case of the coronavirus was confirmed in Indiana on March 6, 2020.

Under the plan, the state health commissioner would gain the authority to issue a kind of emergency declaration to enable Indiana to continue receiving COVID-19 enhanced federal funding for health care and food assistance, permit the ongoing vaccination of anyone in Indiana age 5 and up, and allow out-of-state health care practitioners to work in Indiana without transferring their license.

Holcomb has said he's willing to allow his emergency declaration to expire if those provisions are enacted into law.

To that end, state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, has filed Senate Bill 3, which mostly does just that without including all the additional employer vaccine language under consideration by the House.
The Florida Legislature convenes again next week, and Tallahassee will be filled with more manure than a pasture full of cows with irritable bowel syndrome.

Still, to give off an appearance of ethical behavior, legislators will abide by a rule that forbids them from collecting campaign checks once the session begins Jan. 11.

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Naturally, both parties have scheduled big-money grubfests for Jan. 10.

The Republicans are staging theirs at the Governors Club, calling it Last Call. Just like 1:45 am at a bar. (Only 15 minutes left for lobbyists to hand us piles of cash if you want us to do your bidding and call you job-creators.)

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We obviously dont know precisely whose palms will be greased Monday night. But I wanted to give you an idea of the greasing that typically takes place by looking at the checks cut during the most recent reporting quarter to both the Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Democratic Party.

And Ill connect some of the dots  who gave the cash and what they want from the politicians.

Gambling

The biggest checks cut to either party came from the Seminole Tribe.

In May, the Legislature tried to give the Tribe the gift of a lifetime by granting the Seminoles a monopoly over sports-betting throughout the state. It was totally antithetical to the free-market values leaders claim to espouse (and a judge would later say unconstitutional to boot). But its what the tribe wanted. So legislators gave it to them.

Three months later, the tribe starting cutting thank-you checks to the Republican Party that controls the Legislature  one for $250,000 in July, another for $250,000 in August and yet another for $100,000 in September for good measure.

A federal judge struck down the deal, saying legislators manufactured legal fiction to claim that bets placed from anywhere in the state were being placed on tribal land where the Seminoles computer servers were located.

But legislators tried. And the tribe wants them to continue the court fight, providing $600,000 in incentives.

Disney

Democrats have about as much clout in Tallahassee as Bernie Sanders has at a MAGA rally. Still, Disney gave Florida Dems $99,000 worth of theme park freebies for a fundraising weekend and another $25,000 in cash.

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Why give so much money to a relatively feckless bunch?

While Democrats dont have much power statewide, theyre a force in Central Florida where theres an effort to change state law to allow counties to spend hotel taxes on local needs like buses and transit  something other than just more tourism promotion.

Tourism interests hate the idea. And if local Democrats dont support that bill, it probably wont get done. That may be what happens since no local democratic senators have yet agreed to co-sponsor the House bill from Anna Eskamani and Carlos Smith that would make it happen.

Disney gave the GOP only $10,000 last quarter, but gave $110,000 cash and $140,000 worth of theme park goodies earlier in the year  money both before and after GOP legislators agreed to exempt theme parks from their crack-down on companies that run social-media platforms.

Power companies

Many power companies enjoy the monopolies that provide meaty profits. And they dont want policymakers mucking that up. So they give generously  especially to the party in control.

The going rate seems to be $100,000. Thats how much Republicans got from Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy and TECO. (FPL threw in an extra $2,500 worth of food and beverages to sweeten the pot.)

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Democrats werent completely ignored. Duke Energy tossed $40,000 their way in sort of a Maybe-you-can-at-least-buy-yourself-something-nice gesture.

All that money buys many kilowatts of goodwill  which can come in handy if you want to fight solar-friendly net metering or make sure industry-friendly regulators get appointed to the Public Service Commission.

Timeshare, lawyers

The nations biggest timeshare association gave $50,000 to Republicans and $5,000 to Democrats. And trial lawyers gave $75,000 to Democrats and steered more than $275,000 in cash and gifts to the GOP. (Florida Republicans like to gripe about trial lawyers to their constituents but take their money and often work alongside them behind closed doors in the capital.)

The takeaways

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Look at the subheads above. Do those priorities match your own? If not, maybe you can see why the issues you care most about are so routinely ignored.

Also, notice whos not among the big givers. Families with disabilities. Public education advocates. Environmentalists. They cant afford to cut $100,000 campaign checks. So their issues are often neglected. Thats why 22,000 citizens with profound special needs are on a waiting list for services where nearly half will linger for a decade before getting served.

Finally, understand that the money above is just the tiniest sliver of the pie. That was just for the two main parties. And only for one three-month period.

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All legislators have their own campaign accounts. Many also have committees that can take uncapped donations. The one for Gov. Ron DeSantis alone has taken in $110 million in the last four years  with checks as big as $5 million from a hedge fund manager in Chicago.

Now you get a better idea of who has these guys attention.

But sure, in the name of good government, theyll all take a few weeks break from money-grubbing on Tuesday  after one last slopfest Monday.

smaxwell@orlandosentinel.com
Weather Alert

...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Southwest winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph expected. Scattered thunderstorms are also expected. * WHERE...American Falls Reservoir. * WHEN...From noon today to 9 PM MDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Strong winds and rough waves on area lakes will create hazardous conditions for small craft. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Boaters on area lakes should use extra caution since strong winds and rough waves can overturn small craft. &&
In the marijuana industry, staff members are planning ahead in case of a product shortage of medical marijuana. With recreational sales in full swing, that could affect medical marijuana suppliers.

Customers in Montana bought over $1.5 million worth of marijuana this last weekend. While the revenue might be high, staff in the marijuana industry are concerned about supplying medical marijuana patients with enough product.

With recreational pot now easily available, there's supply chain concerns, along with keeping up with demand. In fact, a Yellowstone County dispensary owner says he's been planning ahead for this problem for months, and worst-case scenario, he might limit how much recreational product is sold, to protect the medical buyers.

"We'll do whatever we can to make sure we don't run out, but it's just going to be a challenge statewide. We might limit rec purchases and say sorry, recreationally we can only sell this much, our medical patients need the access," said Owner of Seed of Life Labs, Zach Schopp.

If you're a patient that uses medical marijuana, experts say the time to stock up is now, in case supplies run out later in the year.

"We've been advising people to get stocked up a little bit, you know get the possession limits, and get what you need. Right now, I think providers are still looking out for patients and they're making sure the patients are served," said Owner of Billings Alternative Wellness, Elizabeth Pincolini.

Some dispensary owners say the expect a higher demand for medical marijuana with recreational users getting medical cards in the future.
The three white men who chased and murdered Ahmaud Arbery are due to return to the Glynn County Courthouse where they were convicted to learn whether they'll spend their lives in prison.
Two Florida lawmakers said Thursday they are seeking a change in state law to force governors to set special elections for Congress and state Legislature within six months of vacancies.

The effort is aimed at preventing a repeat of moves made in 2021 by Gov. Ron DeSantis. He delayed setting special elections to fill a congressional and three state legislative seats far longer than he and other governors ever have before.

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As a result of those delays, the Broward-Palm Beach County 20th Congressional District will remain vacant for more than nine months after the death of U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, and three of the counties state legislative districts will go without representation for the 2022 legislative session.

[ RELATED: Nation's first 2022 congressional election pits progressive Democrat vs. Trump Republican vs. vaccine skeptics ]

Its especially acute in part of Broward County, where a state Senate and a state House seat overlap. There are people with zero representation, said state Sen. Tina Polsky, who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties.

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The governors date-setting decision was controversial in that the Republican governor decided to keep Hastings district vacant for far longer than recent Florida congressional vacancies  more than nine months  setting the special election five days after a lawsuit was filed seeking a court order requiring him to act.

Critics say that the delay was designed to keep a Democratic representative from the district, which is heavily Democratic, out of the House of Representatives, thus making it harder for Speaker Nancy Pelosi to pass legislation.

[ RELATED: Candidates in Broward state Senate primary similar on issues, differ on experience and dont like each other ]

The timing of the other three contests  primaries to pick replacements for three state legislators  was also a DeSantis decision. (All three had to submit irrevocable resignations so they could become candidates for the congressional vacancies. They all lost the Democratic primary.)

As with the congressional race, DeSantis delayed setting special legislative elections for months after the legislators irrevocable resignations were submitted. He finally set the dates 12 days after a lawsuit was filed seeking to compel him to act.

By delaying the legislative contests until Jan. 11, DeSantis is keeping the seats vacant during the 2022 legislative session in Tallahassee.

All three districts are so heavily Democratic, the voters are almost certain to pick new Democratic lawmakers.

[ RELATED: A special January election will decide Browards newest state representative. Here are the four candidates. ]

The special general elections for two of the three seats are March 8, so winners wont be certified by the scheduled March 11 last day of the session.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

Polsky said there was more than enough time for DeSantis to set special elections on dates that would have sent Hastings replacement to Washington, D.C., by now and made sure lawmakers were in place for the 2022 legislative session, which runs from Tuesday until March 11.

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There was no reason for this to happen. It has never happened before, she said. The proposed change would take away this discretion, the vagueness [in the law] that has allowed this to go on. I dont want to see this happen again in the future.

It would require the governor to set special elections within 180 days of the vacancy, but also asks that they be set as soon as is feasible, so it certainly could be much sooner than six months.

[ RELATED: 2 candidates, 2 generations, 2 styles compete for Palm Beach County state House seat ]

Broward Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott, appearing with Polsky and state Rep. Ben Diamond in a video news conference, said he and Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Wendy Sartory Link had a plan that would have allowed the congressional and legislative primaries to take place in August and the general elections in November.

The governor didnt use the Scott-Link suggested timetable.

The sponsors of House Bill 1217 and Senate Bill 1586, Polsky and Diamond, who represents part of Pinellas County, are both Democrats. Their legislation  aimed at the Republican governor  has virtually no chance of passing the Republican-controlled House and Senate. Even if it somehow passed, DeSantis would have the opportunity to veto it.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com or on Twitter @browardpolitics
Have a news tip or would like to report a typo? Email Anthony Victor Reyes at areyes@kvoa.com.
US Capitol Police Officer Briana Kirkland is suing former President Donald Trump for the physical and emotional pain she endured, including a traumatic brain injury, because of the Capitol insurrection, according to a new filing in DC District Court.
Oren Miller, 71 of The Villages, and Gary Search, 71 of The Villages were arrested Wednesday and are accused of lying under oath. (Sumter County Jail)

TALLAHASSEE  Two county commissioners in Central Florida were suspended from office Thursday, several weeks after being arrested and charged with lying during an investigation of possible Sunshine Law violations.

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued two executive orders to remove Sumter County commissioners Oren Miller and Gary Search from their elected offices until their criminal cases are resolved, in accordance with state law. Miller and Search were arrested Dec. 15 and charged with perjury.

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DeSantis, Miller and Search are all Republicans. Miller and Search are both residents of The Villages, a massive retirement community.

Floridas Sunshine Law requires public access for any gathering of two or more members of the same government board to discuss a matter that could foreseeably come before that board for action. The Fifth Circuit State Attorneys Office initially received three complaints last year that Miller and Search were communicating through Millers wife.

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Phone records showed Miller and Search contacted each other directly over 40 times between November 2020, when they were both elected, and July 2021, prosecutors said. Miller told investigators the calls stopped in January or February after they realized the communication might be an issue, and Search told investigators he had no contact with Miller outside public meetings, according to court documents. The phone records showed that nearly half of the calls between the two men were made after January 2021.

Arrest affidavits didnt say what Miller and Search were discussing, but many of the calls were made just before or just after scheduled county commission meetings, prosecutors said.

Defense attorneys for Miller and Search didnt immediately respond to messages seeking comment from The Associated Press.
Are you planning to attend NH Pumpkin Festival this year? If not, what would make you attend?
Ameren is reminding dock owners around Lake of the Ozarks to prepare their property for the annual Lake level drawdown.

During the first few months of 2022, the water level at the Lake will be lowered to approximately 654-foot mark. The annual winter drawdown reduces the possibility of flooding during spring rains.

Travis Hart, operations manager at Ameren Missouri's Osage Energy Center, urged dock owners to "do a full inspection by checking to make sure everything is prepared for the winter and your dock can follow the water level." He added, "Once drawdown begins, the Lake and Osage River levels will fluctuate as Bagnell Dam releases more water. We want everyone to be aware of these changing conditions so they can avoid damage to their property."

Bagnell Dam water releases can occur at any time. To ensure everyones safety, a warning siren will sound from the dam before generators start and stop. Dock owners can obtain up-to-date information on lake water levels and river flows online at AmerenMissouri.com/Lake or by calling for the Lake level daily report at 573.365.9205.

Ameren Missouri also offers the following tips to help both Lake of the Ozarks and Osage River dock owners prepare for the drawdown and winter season:

Below the dam, remove docks from the Osage River before freezing occurs.

Ensure that hinges, pins and other connections linking docks to seawalls or piers have the flexibility to follow water level fluctuations.

Lengthen cables to allow docks to drop as the lake or river levels drop.

Use a dock deicer to help protect docks from ice damage. Be aware that a deicer may not provide protection from large ice sheets and blocks.

Ask neighbors to keep an eye on the dock or retain a local dock builder or similar contractor to care for the property when the site is unoccupied.

Bagnell Dam holds back water from the Osage River to create Lake of the Ozarks. This stored water fuels Ameren Missouris Osage Energy Center, which provides clean energy to Missouri electric customers. Ameren says their continued investment in hydro-powered energy, along with expanded wind and solar generation, will be an important part of enabling Ameren Missouri to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The Mercyhealth Development Foundation held its first Holiday Give a Gift Drive, Dec. 16 at Mercyhealth Hospital and Medical Center-Walworth, raising more than $400 in gift cards and monetary donations to benefit patients and families of Mercyhealths Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Javon Bea HospitalRiverside in Rockford, Illinois.

Donors at the drive-thru event enjoyed a special visit from Santa and received a holiday cookie making kit.

The gift cards were given to families, some of whom are from Walworth County, to help offset hotel, gas and restaurant expenses they face while their babies are in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Monetary donations from sponsors and private donors will go toward the purchase of two SNOO Smart Sleepers, which are used to help babies suffering from withdrawal symptoms due to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

The machines soothe preemies and infants by rocking them and responding to the infants level of fussiness, speeding up and slowing down in direct response to the babys movements.

Because of the pandemic, Mercyhealths volunteers are not allowed in the neonatal intensive care unit, making the SNOO Smart Sleeper a much-needed aid to soothe drug-exposed infants.

Several area residents and businesses donated gift cards and monetary donations to the 2021 Holiday Give a Gift Drive, including premier sponsors MD-1 Physicians and Rohlik Financial Group. The total amount collected through sponsorship and donations as of Dec. 16 was $14,320.

For more information, visit giveagift.mercyhealthsystem.org. For more information about Mercyhealth Development Foundation, visit foundation.mercyhealthsystem.org.
A bedroom set supposedly from the original Lake Geneva Playboy Club, which opened in 1968 and has been the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa since 1993, is up for sale.

Some of the items include two pieces of signed artwork for the wall, a desk lamp, a round bed with Playboy monogram sheets, two nightstands, and a desk/dresser from 1968.

Mike Boerschinger, of Waukesha, is the auctioneer selling the items.

He posted it on a few Facebook marketplace sites and soon his phone started ringing.

My phone, the auction house phone and my email have been going crazy, he said. It is crazy how many people thought this was a pretty cool set.

He currently has it listed for $4,000 and would love to see someone in the Lake Geneva area buy it who remembers it.

We had a couple from western Wisconsin that contacted us on a number of pieces as they were moving out of state to Florida, Boerschinger said. When I went out there and visited them, they didnt really tell me about this stuff until I got out there.

He said they had bought the pieces from a couple in Lake Geneva where the husband worked for the Playboy Club.

When they dismantled the Playboy Club and became the Grand Geneva, he was able to obtain a full bedroom set, he said. They were very proud of it, but theres that cringe factor with that and you could tell that they were prepared for that.

A couple weeks before the previous owners moved, Boerschinger said they asked for help.

I ended up acquiring it and I sat on it for a long time, he said. I also thought Im going to put this out there and Im going to get a lot of people that are going to make some rude comments about it.

But as it turns out, it has been the exact opposite.

When I wrote up the history on it, I erred on the side of historical artifacts, Boerschinger said. Thats really what it is.

He said he reached out to friends of his and one of his friends was a Playboy bunny who remembered her time and the items now being auctioned off.

Boerschinger acknowledged the reason these items sat in his warehouse for six months was a lot of the same reasons people might view Playboy in a negative light.

Id gauge interest from people who would walk into the warehouse, tell them the story and it was kind of 50-50, he said. It was a lot of differing opinions from people, some who thought it was the coolest set they have seen in a long time to people suggesting that you need a black light to look at the mattress.

Boerschinger primarily sells his items, things like juke boxes, classic cars, motorcycles, overseas to people in Northern Europe.

Many of those customers were really interested in it and I have had to quote shipping to a number of them to get it over there, he said. I wondered what the connection would be for someone from Greece and I asked them. They said they collect Playboy. I didnt really think that many people out of the country were into that and I was kind of taken back by that.

If interested, the items up for auction can be found on the Sell it Now Stores Facebook page at facebook.com/sellitnowstore and theyre also set up in his Waukesha warehouse located at 2315 Badger Drive Unit 1. The warehouse is open Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To learn more, call 414- 727-0600.

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U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald tried Monday to happily mark his anniversary in Congress.

One year ago today, I was sworn in and took on the duties of this office, the Juneau Republican tweeted with a ceremonial picture of him taking his oath at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 3, 2021.

Fitzgerald needs to read that oath again  and take it seriously this time. Fitzgerald swore to support and defend the Constitution and bear true faith and allegiance to the same, while faithfully discharging his responsibilities as a servant of the people.

His commitment to those principles lasted all of three days.

On Jan. 6, 2021, and into the wee hours of the next morning, Fitzgerald shamefully tried to block Arizonas and Pennsylvanias votes from being counted in the final certification for president. The rookie congressman even said he would have voted to disenfranchise Wisconsin voters if given the chance  objecting to the very election that led to him being sworn in.

Voters  especially those in Wisconsins 5th Congressional District, which includes Jefferson, Washington and parts of Dodge and Waukesha counties  should never forget his betrayal of American democracy.

The same goes for voters in northern Wisconsins 7th Congressional District, whose U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, similarly sought to overturn a free and fair election. Fitzgerald and Tiffany were among more than 100 Republicans who will go down in history as traitors to democracy. Even after violent mobs stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to stop the certification of President-elect Joe Bidens victory on Jan. 6, 2021, Fitzgerald and Tiffany still voted against the election results based on lies and conspiracy theories. They favored the fantasies of a terribly flawed and defeated President Donald Trump over the will of the American people.

Judges  some appointed by Trump  in more than 60 court cases, multiple recounts, election audits and reviews have dismissed Trumps bogus claims that he won. Yet the huckster reality TV star turned leader of the free world for four long years still refuses to accept his defeat  setting up another potential constitutional crisis in 2024.

Fitzgerald, Tiffany, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, and most Republican leaders in Washington seem more than happy to play along with Trumps falsehoods, undermining trust in our system of government and fomenting division. And their complicity undoubtedly contributed to the misinformed masses who attacked the U.S Capitol one year ago today, following Trumps orders at a rally outside the White House to go to the Capitol and fight like hell.

The Jan. 6 attack was nothing short of an attempted coup. The angry mobs beat police officers with blunt objects, smashed an officer between doors and left more than 100 law enforcement officials injured, eventually ransacking the chambers and offices of Congress. A woman trying to force her way into the House chamber, where members of Congress were sheltering for protection, was shot and later died. One officer died of a stroke. Within days, two officers committed suicide.

The attempt to stop our democracy by brute force even included chants to hang Mike Pence, Trumps vice president, for fulfilling his constitutional duty. Pence certified Bidens election, just as Biden had certified Trumps victory in 2016 when Biden was vice president.

Though Johnson changed his mind hours after the Jan. 6 insurgency and voted with most members of Congress to certify Bidens election, Johnson was one of Trumps ringleaders in the plot leading up to the Capitol attack. And to this day, Johnson continues to downplay the seriousness of this historic American nightmare.

Voters across Wisconsin should remember Johnsons failed leadership if he seeks a third term. Johnson only told the truth that Trump lost  Theres nothing obviously skewed about the results  when caught on hidden camera at a Republican Party event last August.

If Johnson does seek reelection this fall  even though he told voters during his last campaign that he wouldnt run again  a principled and honest Republican should challenge him in the GOP primary, joining a bevy of Democratic candidates hoping to defeat him.

The same goes for Fitzgerald and Tiffany, who dont deserve their positions. Republican voters who want their party to return to its conservative values of respecting tradition, limiting the reach of government and carefully spending money  rather than catering to Trumps ego, whims and deception  need to stand up. They need to tell Trumps apologists and enablers in Wisconsins congressional delegation its time to go. America needs honorable public servants to survive.
A legislative committee with the power to OK administrative rules will vote Monday on whether to force the state Elections Commission to quickly create rules for absentee ballot drop boxes and to clarify what missing information clerks can fill in on absentee ballot envelopes.

The scheduled votes by members of the GOP-led Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, which will be cast via paper ballot, come after the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission unanimously voted last month to begin the lengthy process of creating administrative rules for ballot drop boxes and how to address errors on absentee ballot envelopes.

Committee co-chairman Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, requested the motions last week, which would require the commission to submit emergency rules within 30 days or cease issuing guidance on the two practices. The committees Assembly co-chairman, Rep. Adam Neylon, R-Pewaukee, said last week Assembly Republicans on the committee had not discussed the proposal, but Mondays scheduled votes seem to indicate the motions may have enough support to pass the Republican-led committee.

State statutes do not address the use of ballot drop boxes, although the commission issued guidance in early 2020 to allow election clerks to make use of them. The boxes were widely used in the state that year as an alternative for voters worried that, with the crush of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential delays in mail delivery, their ballots might not make it back before Election Day.

The commission also approved guidance in 2016 allowing clerks to correct common errors on absentee ballot envelopes, such as missing ZIP codes or address information entered on the wrong line.

The commission voted in early December to begin the administrative rule-making process, which can take as long as 13 months to complete and requires approval from the governor and the rules committee. Two of the commissions votes, both of which passed unanimously, directed staff to sketch out proposed rules for what type of missing information clerks can fill in on absentee ballot envelopes and the use of ballot drop boxes, based on current guidance.

Nass motions join a growing list of Republican scrutiny over the six-member commission, its nonpartisan administrator Meagan Wolfe and other aspects of Wisconsins 2020 election  for which no evidence of widespread fraud has been discovered.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said in November several members of the commission should probably be criminally charged for voting in 2020 not to send special voting deputies to nursing homes and instead mail absentee ballots to voters in those facilities. The commission made the decision, at first unanimously, in public meetings after several nursing homes barred voting deputies for fear of spreading COVID-19 to residents.

Close to a dozen Republicans, including Vos, have also called on Wolfe to resign from her post.

Mark Thomsen, a Democratic appointee on the commission, on Thursday described Republican efforts as an attempt to overwhelm, undermine and ultimately destroy the nonpartisan nature of elections in Wisconsin as state and local officials try to prepare for the February spring primary and April spring election.

Either (Wolfe) can get ready for the elections or she can respond to these requests that are nothing but harassing, Thomsen said. The reality is theyre trying to overwhelm people and get them to quit and demoralize them. They want Meagan Wolfe out so they can appoint a new administrator, and they want to do it before November.

More measures

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said this week Senate Republicans plan to reintroduce a handful of election-related measures  some similar to bills vetoed last year by Gov. Tony Evers  that would place restrictions on absentee ballots, among other measures.

LeMahieu also told The Associated Press he believes changes to the Elections Commission are needed, but added he does not support weakening or dissolving the agency, as some Republicans have suggested.

Yes, Im frustrated with some of the things the commission has done over the last couple of years, but that doesnt mean that blowing it up is the right thing to do unless you know what the alternative is, he told the AP Wednesday.

Vos told the AP Friday he also is opposed to eliminating the Elections Commission.

This idea that we need to blow up the entire system? I just dont see that, Vos told the AP. I do not favor some kind of a radical change to how the Elections Commission operates.

Reviews of the election by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty found no evidence of widespread fraud but did lead to recommendations on how elections can be improved. A recount and court decisions have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes.

Vos last year hired former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to lead a GOP-ordered review of the election. In addition, Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, chairperson of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections, last month requested from the commission a wide array of election-related records, which Wolfe said would include hundreds of millions of data points.

The Elections Commission is scheduled to meet Tuesday.

Focus on 5 cities

On Thursday, Erick Kaardal, a Republican attorney for the conservative Thomas More Society and former secretary and treasurer for the Republican Party of Minnesota, filed an appeal in Dane County Circuit Court challenging the Elections Commissions decision in early December to throw out a complaint filed against private grant funding provided to Madison to help administer last years election during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kaardal filed complaints earlier this year alleging that officials in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha and Racine broke state election laws when they accepted funding from the Chicago-based Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), which is funded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Lawyers with Madisons DeWitt law firm, who were retained as special counsel to the commission, dismissed the complaints against the five cities on Dec. 8, saying they didnt raise probable cause to believe that a violation of law or abuse of discretion has occurred.

Court records show Kaardal filed appeals in each of the five cities respective counties.

Kaardal, who tried unsuccessfully to overturn the results of Wisconsins 2020 presidential election, is part of the Minneapolis law firm Mohrman, Kaardal and Erickson, which shares office space in Brookfield with the Thomas More Society and Gablemans team.

Kaardal has lost two lawsuits, one filed in state court and another in federal court, on behalf of the conservative Wisconsin Voters Alliance alleging the grants amounted to bribery to increase voter turnout in Democratic strongholds.
TALLAHASSEE  Bolstered by federal stimulus dollars and growing sales-tax revenues, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday this will probably be the best year for local projects that lawmakers put into the state budget.

Appearing in Lake Butler as the annual legislative session prepares to start Tuesday, DeSantis told Union County officials that Florida has huge amounts of money just coming into the state, even though we have very low taxes, increasing the odds that local projects will survive his veto pen.

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If these guys (lawmakers) arent getting you guys projects this year, then theyre not going to probably be able to do it, DeSantis told the local officials. Because, I mean, this is probably like the best year to be able to do it.

DeSantis has proposed a $99.7 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, with a hefty amount of money in reserves  a situation he described as exactly the opposite of what many people were predicting just under two years ago.

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Lawmakers will use DeSantis proposal as a starting point as they negotiate an election-year spending plan.

The federal government poured billions of dollars into the state as stimulus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, state tax collections have repeatedly exceeded expectations, most recently topping a projection for November by $398.8 million.

Lawmakers have piled up budget requests for money to fund local projects and programs. House members as of Friday morning had pitched 1,637 different proposals that collectively totaled $2.47 billion.

In the Senate, 1,007 requests would require $1.5 billion to cover.

In most years, lawmakers approve a couple of hundred local projects, with the governor having line-item power to veto spending.

The budget for the current fiscal year, which lawmakers approved in April, initially included just under 700 spending proposals pitched by individual lawmakers. In June, DeSantis vetoed about 150 of the line items.
While some folks soon lose hope in fulfilling their New Year's Resolutions, here are ways to be kind to yourself, yet make changes that you want to make this year.
Budgam (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 7 (ANI): Three terrorists were neutralised by security forces in the encounter that broke out late Thursday evening in Jammu and Kashmir's Zolwa Kralpora Chadoora area of Budgam, said IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar on Friday.

Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition have been recovered.

Also Read | Magh Mela 2022: 2-Feet-Long Baby Gharial Spotted Near Pontoon Bridge in Mela Township, Creates Panic.

The identification and affiliation of the terrorists are being ascertained, informed the IGP.

"BudgamEncounterUpdate: 03 #terrorists killed in #encounter. Identification & affiliation being ascertained. Incriminating materials including #arms & ammunition recovered: IGP Kashmir," tweeted the Kashmir Zone Police.

Also Read | Budgam Encounter: One Terrorist Killed in Gunfight Between Terrorists and Security Forces in Jammu and Kashmirs Zolwa Kralpora Chadoora Area.

Earlier on Thursday evening, the police had informed about the beginning of the encounter headed by police and security forces. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], January 7 (ANI): Amid a surge in the COVID-19 cases, the Central government on Friday announced a seven-day mandatory home quarantine for all international arrivals in the country.

All the international arrivals in the country will have to observe a seven-day mandatory home quarantine with effect from January 11 till further orders.

Also Read | Delhi: Differently-Abled Man Stabbed In Rohini By 3 People After He Resists Robbery Bid; Accused Arrested.

As per the order issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday, travellers from specified countries at risk will at first, submit a sample for the post-arrival COVID-19 test at the point of arrival (self-paid). Such travellers will be required to wait for their test results at the arrival airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight.

"If tested negative they will follow, home quarantine for seven days and shall undertake RT-PCR test on the eighth day of arrival in India. Travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 done on eighth day on Air Suvidha portal. If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next seven days. However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network," read the order copy.

Also Read | Marriage Without Sharing of Emotions, Dreams Is Merely Legal Bond, Says Delhi High Court.

"They shall be managed at isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol including contact tracing mentioned. The contacts of such positive case should be kept under home quarantine monitored strictly by the concerned State Government as per laid down protocol," it added.

Travellers from countries excluding those from at-risk countries will follow the ministry's guidelines as well. At first, a sub-section (two per cent of the total flight passengers) shall undergo post-arrival testing at random at the airport on arrival. These two per cent of such travellers in each flight shall be identified by the concerned airlines (preferably from different countries). Further, laboratories shall prioritize testing of samples from such travellers.

"All travellers (including those two per cent who were selected for random testing on arrival and were found negative) will undergo home quarantine for seven days and shall undertake RT-PCR test on the eighth day of arrival in India. Travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for COVID-19 done on eighth day on Air Suvidha portal (to be monitored by the respective States/UTs). If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for next seven days. However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at INSACOG laboratory network. They shall be managed at isolation facility and treated as per laid down standard protocol including contact tracing," the Health Ministry said.

International travellers arriving through seaports/land ports will also have to undergo the same protocol as above, except that facility for online registration is not available for such passengers currently. Such travellers shall submit the self-declaration form to the concerned authorities of the Government of India at seaports/land ports on arrival.

Children under five years of age are exempted from both pre and post-arrival testing. However, if found symptomatic for COVID-19 on arrival or during the home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per laid down protocol.

As per the Health ministry, the global trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to decline with certain regional variations. The need to monitor the continuously changing nature of the virus and the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) must still remain in focus. The existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been formulated taking a risk-based approach. The existing guidelines have been revised in view of reporting of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.1.529; named Omicron) which has been classified as a Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization.

Meanwhile, India reported 1,17,100 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the daily positivity rate in the country to 7.74 per cent, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. With this, the country's COVID-19 case tally has gone up to 3,52,26,386 including 3,71,363 active cases.

According to the ministry, the country has so far reported 3,007 cases of Omicron of which 1,199 have been recovered. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, January 7: Delhi BJP leaders and workers, including its Sikh cell members, staged a protest near the Congress headquarters in the national capital on Friday, slamming it over a massive security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab where it is in power. Earlier in the day, Delhi BJP leaders and workers also staged a silent protest at Rajghat on the issue. PM Narendra Modi Security Breach: FIR Registered Against 150 Unknown Persons in Ferozepur.

BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam alleged at Rajghat that the stopping of the prime minister's cavalcade despite official clearance was a "planned conspiracy".

Gautam, who is also the party's Punjab incharge, told mediapersons, "It's final that Congress is losing power in Punjab now and hence is indulging in anarchy."

Leading the protest near the Congress headquarters on Akbar Road, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said, "The way Congress put life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is one of the most popular leaders of the world, in danger shows the mindset of the party." "For power they can go to any extent without even caring for PM's life," he charged.

He said the prime minister belongs to the whole nation and not a particular party and it's everyone's responsibility to respect and protect him. "Congress tried to create a wedge between Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab, but failed. People now know that both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have given preference to power over the country and people won't tolerate this," Gupta claimed.

In a "massive security breach" on Wednesday, the PM's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur after which he returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.

BJP national spokesperson R P Singh, Sikh cell's co-incharge Gurmit Singh Sura, convener Kulwinder Singh Bunty, co-convener Charanjit Lovely, Sukhpreet Singh Malhotra, Jagdeep Singh Kohli and Harsimran Singh joined the protest. Gautam termed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a "hero of Pakistani TV channels" and alleged that he spoke the language of China.

"He should know when his father Rajiv Gandhi was attacked in Sri Lanka, our party was with him. But today in lust for power, Rahul is more interested in chair than the honour and respect of PM of the country," he blamed.

The protest at Rajghat was also attended by former Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Vijay Goel, Delhi MPs Ramesh Bidhuri and Parvesh Sahib Singh, and BJP's Assam party co-incharge Pawan Sharma.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], January 7 (ANI): The Centre on Wednesday clarified that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in its meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI) yesterday, presented the status of COVID spread and of vaccination coverage in the country, with special focus on the five poll-bound states.

The Union Health Ministry, in a press release, while refuting media reports, said, "Union Health Secretary in his meeting with ECI presented the overall global and domestic status of the spread of COVID, as well as Omicron, in the country. Details were also presented on the status of preparedness of the public health response within the States for control and management of the increasing numbers of COVID cases."

Also Read | Marriage Without Sharing of Emotions, Dreams Is Merely Legal Bond, Says Delhi High Court.

"The focus of the presentation was on the five poll-bound states and their neighbouring states," it added.

The Ministry also called the reports suggesting that, in the meeting, they suggested that the COVID situation in the country is nothing to be worried about and there is no cause of alarm or concern in the view of very few cases of Omicron in the poll-bound states, as "highly ill-informed", "misleading" and "far from the truth".

Also Read | Shocking Animal Brutality in Gwalior: Man Beats Stray Dog to Death For Visiting His Female Pet Dog Regularly; Horrific Video Goes Viral.

"These reports have a very high tendency to start a misinformation campaign in the midst of a pandemic," the Ministry said. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, January 7: The Congress Friday demanded answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the developments at the country's borders, amid reports that China was constructing a bridge over the Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh.

"What has been happening at our borders is a major lapse of national security. Will the PM ever talk about it? #PangongTso #China," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet. Also Read | GATE 2022 Examinations Update: Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering Exams Likely To Be Postponed, Admit Cards Not Released Today.

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also said any other PM would be focused on serious national security lapses in Pangong Tso and Arunachal Pradesh. Also Read | Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Offers Prayers at Haji Ali Dargah for PM Narendra Modi's Wellbeing, Says 'Parivaar-Tantra Is Trying To Hijack Democracy via Criminal Conspiracy'.

"But for the first time in 70 years, a Prime Minister is worried about security threat from his own party workers," he said, sharing a video of purported BJP workers raising slogans next to the PM's car when he was held up on a flyover in Punjab's Ferozepur on January 5.

India Thursday asserted that a bridge being built by China across Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh is in an area that has been under that country's "illegal occupation" for around 60 years, and said it was taking all steps to ensure that the country's security interests are "fully protected".

On China building the bridge across the Pangong lake area, External Affairs Minister spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India has been monitoring this activity "closely" and that it has never accepted such illegal occupation, in the country's first official comment on the matter.

"This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware India has never accepted such illegal occupation," he had said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Guwahati, Jan 7 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the Congress should sack Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi over the security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Ferozepur.

Sarma also said Congress President Sonial Gandhi and her son Rahul are protectees and dependent on non-Congress ruled states' security apparatus whenever they visit such places.

Also Read | Maharashtra Reports 40,925 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, 20 Deaths in Past 24 Hours.

"No bad precedent should be created. If that has happened, then the party seniors must censure that person.

"Today, I am very very surprised that knowing the same vulnerability of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, they should have been the first to criticise or censure the Punjab chief minister," Sarma told reporters here.

Also Read | Election Commission of India Withdraws Appointment of Sonu Sood As Punjab Icon.

In a "massive security breach" on Wednesday, the prime minister's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur, after which he returned from poll-bound Punjab without attending the planned events, including a rally.

"I don't know why they (Sonia and Rahul Gandhi) are playing this dangerous game I am not giving them a warning. If they come to Assam, we will ensure full security, Sarma said.

Asked what action the Grand Old Party should have taken, Sarma, once a Congress leader, said it should have sacked Channi.

"If at all they don't want to sack him for political reasons, then they should have at least distanced themselves from what happened in Punjab. By not even doing that, they are trying to institutionalise this kind of activity.

"And if such incidents are institutionalised, then our polity will be finished. There will be no democracy in this country. So, on protectee or protection, we should not play politics," he added.

Sarma also said what happened in Punjab has raised eyebrows and an inquiry will reveal whether "some international conspiracy" was behind it.

"But my primary point, I am a little surprisedhow the DGP and chief secretary disappeared from the cavalcade? It never happens. So, it is a clear violation of the rule book, a clear violation of the SPG Act. Now, whether it is intentional or not intentional, it is a matter of inquiry," he said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru, Jan 7 (PTI) The Karnataka government is mulling issuing green passes to identify those fully vaccinated against coronavirus, Health Minister K Sudhakar said on Friday.

Also Read | Delhi COVID-19 Restrictions: Non-Essential Shops To Remain Opened on Odd-Even Basis From 10 AM to 8 PM.

"We are planning to issue green passes to those who are fully vaccinated," the minister told reporters after chairing a high level meeting with the officials of his department.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Security Lapse: BJP Protests Near Congress Headquarters in Delhi Over Security Breach in Punjab.

He added that those who test positive will be placed under mandatory physical or tele-triaging to assess requirement of hospitalisation, the minister said.

Sudhakar said 10,000 medical and nursing students would be roped in for triaging the infected people.

He also said that the government will release a uniform treatment protocol, discharge policy and quarantine guidelines.

"Government is ensuring preparedness in every aspect to mitigate third wave," Sudhakar said.

According to him, responsibilities have been allocated to officials and instructions have been given to ensure coordination between other departments.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], January 7 (ANI): As the COVID cases in the country witness incessant surge, the Gujarat government on Friday announced a night curfew between 10 pm and 6 am in Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Gandhinagar, Junagadh, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Anand, and Nadiad.

As per the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), all political/social programs, weddings will have a maximum gathering of 400 people in open and that of 50 per cent of space capacity in closed venues. Only 100 persons have been allowed in funerals.

Also Read | Maharashtra Reports 40,925 Fresh COVID-19 Cases, 20 Deaths in Past 24 Hours.

"Shops, spas, shopping complexes, hotels and restaurants, with 75 per cent capacity, to function till 10 pm. 75 per cent capacity approved in government/private AC non-buses, 50 per cent capacity approved in cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools, libraries, etc. Educational institutions closed till Jan 31," Gujarat CMO informed.

High Court of Gujarat is also to function in virtual mode only till further orders, in view of rising COVID cases.

Also Read | Election Commission of India Withdraws Appointment of Sonu Sood As Punjab Icon.

As per the data of the Union Health Ministry, there are 14,346 active COVID cases in the state presently. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru, January 7: In view of the rising COVID-19 cases in the state, the Karnataka government on Friday made COVID vaccine certificate mandatory for entry in public places such as malls, markets and restaurants.

Addressing mediapersons here, state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said, "There will be strict enforcement of presenting vaccination certificates, as a universal pass, before entering any public place, including markets, malls, pubs, bars, restaurants, etc." Also Read | Odisha COVID-19 Restrictions: Colleges, Universities, Hostels To Remain Closed From January 10.

Sudhakar further said that the travellers from other states will be tested for the presence of the virus and COVID-care centres will be set up in the state. Also Read | Gujarat: Man Attacks Scheduled Caste Wife After She Refuses Sex Over Being Called 'Untouchable'; Booked.

"Travellers from other states will be tested and COVID-care centres are to be set up. We are collaborating with all hotels and educational institutions for institutional quarantine; monitoring of a uniform, transparent hospital bed management system is underway," he added.

He further said that the complete lockdown is not a matter of consideration for the government. "Lockdown is not a remedy. It is now a policy of the past. It was imposed when we did not have a remedy. Now, we know how to treat a person with an infection. Complete lockdown is not a matter of consideration for the government. That much clarity the government has because it is working to protect the lives and interests of people," said Sudhakar.

He added that the government will ensure strict compliance with COVID-19 norms. Further speaking on the Omicron variant of COVID-19, he said that the infections are spreading rapidly in six districts-- Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Mandya, Mysuru, Udupi and Kolar. These districts have a high positivity rate.

"We are in touch with the district administrations. We will make every effort to bring it down. Though Omicron is not severe, those who have not taken both the jabs of coronavirus vaccine would suffer. In some cases, deaths may also occur," he warned.

Earlier today, Sudhakar informed that Karnataka reported 107 cases Omicron variant of COVID-19 cases on Thursday taking the tally in the state to 333.

Meanwhile, Karnataka reported 8,449 new COVID-19 cases, 505 recoveries and four deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the state health ministry on Friday. With this, the active cases tally in the state mounted to 30,113.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
MIAMI  Florida Power & Light has launched an unusual public attack on the Miami Herald and its senior Tallahassee reporter over coverage of the utility companys lobbying on solar power policy, a criticism the papers top editor called unfair.

FPL this week published a piece on its own website criticizing the news organization for not publishing the entirety of an editorial opinion piece written in response to a Dec. 20 Miami Herald story co-authored by Capitol Bureau chief Mary Ellen Klas about the companys role in preparing legislation affecting rooftop solar power generation in Florida.

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FPLs post was titled: Truth Matters: Why is the Miami Herald afraid to let its readers hear opposing voices?

Herald Executive Editor Monica Richardson, in a statement issued Wednesday, defended Klas and the papers reporting and said the states largest utility company has crossed the line into an unfair attack.

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Klas has been a highly regarded member of the Tallahassee press corps for more than 20 years. She does hard-nosed accountability reporting about FPL, the Legislature, governors and many other people and institutions, Richardson wrote. Some of her coverage of the largest electric utility in the state and the nation has been critical when important issues needed to be raised about solar power, rates charged to consumers, political influence and more. Thats a journalist doing her job on behalf of Herald readers and the Florida community.

FPL posted its critique of the Herald as it faces increasing media scrutiny over its executives roles in so-called dark money groups that have been used to attack political enemies and try and sway elections.

The Orlando Sentinel last month published a story describing FPL executives steering money to consultants who led the organization Grow United, which promoted ghost candidates designed to confuse voters in key races. FPL has insisted theres been no wrong-doing related to political campaigns.

The use of ghost candidates and dark money has led to an expanding criminal probe in Miami-Dade.

The Herald story on solar panels was written by Klas, the longtime Herald Tallahassee bureau chief, and Mario Alejandro Ariza, a reporter with the Floodlight, a news organization that explores how corporate interests stymie efforts to stop climate change.

Klas story, titled Documents show FPL wrote bill to slow rooftop solars growth by hampering net metering, detailed how the company wrote and delivered draft legislation to state lawmakers, at least one of whom benefited from a FPL donation. The bill could dramatically curb the growth of a practice known as net metering, which allows homeowners and businesses equipped with rooftop solar panels to sell excess power back to FPL.

The solar industry has criticized the proposed bill as a way for utility companies to keep their grip on power markets. FPL argues that customers with rooftop solar are being subsidized by other customers who continue to buy electricity and pay to maintain the power grid.

Three days later, FPL asked the Herald to publish an op-ed by David Reuter, the companys chief communications officer, calling the story a huge disservice, focusing on misinformation and petty anti-utility biases over facts, blasting sources used in the article and criticizing Klas.

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The Herald published most of the opinion piece as a letter to the editor after editing out the unfounded attacks on Klas. That decision prompted FPLs 1,000-word-plus blog post, which included a timeline of its correspondences with editors and frustration over the pace of response. The Miami Heralds lack of journalistic balance and determination to keep opposing viewpoints out of its publication is why FPL has taken our own extraordinary step to expose its actions, the post states.

In a Wednesday, Richardson said, the letter was edited by the Herald Editorial Board to stick to the facts of the net metering issue and published.

Letters to the editor are routinely edited by the Editorial Board before publication. News editors and reporters play no role in the process. The Editorial Board is independent of the Herald newsroom, with a separate mission but the same standards for fact.

In an email responding to a request for comment on Thursday, Reuter said that FPL still wants an answer as to why the newspaper published an incomplete representation of what was submitted as an op-ed.

FPL also published a letter on an unrelated issue sent to Herald management Nov. 22 by Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson.

He accused Klas of attempting to influence Democratic Sen. Randolph Bracy of Orlando over issues of minority representation and redistricting for legislative seats. The letter quoted a recording  made by one of Simpsons aides standing near Klas and Bracy following a Nov. 17 Senate Reapportionment Subcommittee meeting  and accused her of crossing the line from journalism to advocating for organizations that will bring litigation against the Legislature.

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The letter, however, misquotes key parts of the exchange between Klas and Bracy, according to audio posted by Florida Politics.

Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. >

For example, Simpson alleged Klas encouraged Bracy to ask certain questions during a subcommittee meeting because we should hear about it before the courts get this. Florida Politics audio reveals that Klas actually said we should hear about it in public forums like this.

In a section not mentioned in Simpsons letter, Klas adds: As a reporter the more questions you guys ask, the better we can explain it to the public.

An aide to Simpson did not immediately return requests for comment on Thursday.

Richardson responded in a Nov. 30 letter to Simpson, explaining that Klas was simply doing the job that our readers expect. FPL did not publish her response to Simpson on its website.

Richardson reiterated her points in her Wednesday statement.

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Simpson alleges that comments and questions made by Klas were inappropriate for a journalist. As I told the senator in my written reply, the Herald disagrees. Klas, who covered the last reapportionment process that was a legal quagmire for the Senate, was using her experience in that coverage to inform her work this time around. And her conversation with Bracy reflects that.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) The Union Home Ministry has issued showcause notices to six senior officers, including the Bathinda police chief, over the "major lapses in security" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab, officials said here on Friday.

Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Maluja and the five other officers were responsible for the prime minister's security during his visit to the state on January 5 and they have been asked to reply to the notices, officials told PTI here.

Also Read | Public Holidays Not Part of Fundamental Rights, Time to Reduce Their Numbers: Bombay High Court.

The home ministry is the cadre controlling authority for the Indian Police Service (IPS) officers.

Modi had to cut short his visit to Punjab on Wednesday after he was stuck on a flyover for 20 minutes due to a blockade by some protesters, an incident described by the home ministry as a "major lapse" in security.

Also Read | Odisha COVID-19 Restrictions: Colleges, Universities, Hostels To Remain Closed From January 10.

"Yes, we have served a showcause notice to the SSP of Bathinda and asked him to submit a reply on the serious security lapses during the PM's visit," a senior officer privy to the development said.

Ajay Maluja is currently serving as SSP Bathinda.

Another official said that showcause notices were served to at least five other senior officers of the Punjab Police who were on duty during the prime minister's visit.

The identity of the other officers were not disclosed immediately, but sources said they are police officers on the rank of SSP, DIG and above.

The home ministry, through its showcause notices, has asked the officers as to why action should not be initiated against them under the law including disciplinary proceedings as prescribed in the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal), Rules, 1969, for the acts of omission and commission.

The punishment under the said rules include suspension, compulsory retirement, censure and withholding of promotions if found guilty.

However, action against the "delinquent" officers will be taken only after a thorough inquiry.

The Central government on Thursday constituted a three-member committee, led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, and comprising of Balbir Singh, Joint Director of the Intelligence Bureau, and S Suresh, IG, Special Protection Group, to enquire into the "major lapses in security" during Modi's visit to Punjab.

The committee is advised to submit the report at the earliest.

After he was stranded on the flyover due to a blockade by protesters, the prime minister had to return from the poll-bound state without attending any event, including a rally.

The home ministry had directed the state government to file an immediate report, asserting it did not ensure the required deployment, while Home Minister Amit Shah said that such dereliction of the security procedure during the prime minister's visit is totally unacceptable and accountability will be fixed.

The incident triggered a major political row as the BJP alleged the ruling Congress in Punjab "tried to physically harm" the prime minister, while other parties too attacked the state government over the law and order issue.

On the defensive, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi denied there was any security lapse or political motive behind it and said his government was ready for an inquiry.

The Punjab government has also set up a committee on Wednesday to enquire into the incident.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 7 (ANI): National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) has summoned Mumbai Police commissioner Hemant Nagrale and Maharashtra Chief Secretary to appear before it on January 31 regarding former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede harassment case.

"Samir Wankhede had given a complaint that I am being harassed and I am a schedule caste but I am being harassed after we asked for a report from Sameer Wankhede," NCSC Director Vijay Sampla told ANI.

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"It told the Police Commissioner and Chief Secretary that they should verify the certificate and verify whether it is SC or not, but instead of verifying it, Wankhede is being harassed," he added.

Issuing the written summons, NCSC Director Kaushal Kumar had said on Thursday that "Chairman Vijay Sampla has fixed a meeting with you, personally, on January 31 at 11 am in his chamber at Loknayak Bhawan, New Delhi. The Director of NCSC said in an official letter that "no final decision in the matter is to be taken by the State Government till the matter is pending before the Commission of Inquiry. This is in accordance with the Rules of Procedure Clause 7.2 of the Commission."

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Earlier, Wankhede had written to the commission alleging harassment following "revelations" made by Nationalist Congress Leader (NCP) minister Nawab Malik. The minister had alleged that Wankhede was a Muslim and had secured a job claiming to be from a Scheduled Caste. Malik had alleged that Wankhede's father's name was Dawood and not Gyandev. Wankhede has denied all the allegations. (ANI)

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Chandigarh [India], January 7 (ANI): In a scathing attack on former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday termed Amarinder as Centre's "parrot" and warned BJP to stop playing politics or they will get a benefitting reply referring to the growing chorus for the imposition of the President's rule in the state.

Defending the Channi government in Punjab which is facing questions over the security breach of Prime Minister, Sidhu said, "All that is being talked about for the past couple of days is security. And there are a few parrots who are mindlessly repeating security, security, security. And the foremost among those parrots are our former chief minister Amarinder Singh," Sidhu claimed.

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Sidhu who is famous for the quotations and witty turns of phrases he employs in everyday life was for the first time was seen reading from a paper in a press conference.

"They (BJP) must stop playing politics. You will get a befitting reply here. All those talking about President's Rule (in Punjab), are your (BJP) parrots," Sindhu attacked the BJP in a press conference.

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He further claimed that the BJP has neither votes nor support in the state.

"How can PM address 7000 chairs in which 500 people are sitting in a rally," he alleged.

"All the real issues of the state, be it farmers or unemployment have been put to the backburner."

He further said that the office of the Prime Minister is an institution and millions of Punjabis have lost their lives to protect it, Every Punjabi and the worker of the Congress party will fight till their last breath to protect the nation.

"PM Modi your party and Sangh Parivar may not have hoisted numerous times the tricolour in their lives, the same innumerable times the tirangaa (tricolour)have been wrapped around the bodies of Punjab Sapoots, therefore to claim that PM Modi's as life was in danger in Punjab in an insult to Panjabiyat" he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Amarinder Singh has demanded dismissal of the government and imposition of the President's rule in the state.

In a statement, the former Chief Minister said, "This government has lost all the moral and constitutional authority to continue in office as it failed in its constitutional duty to provide security to our Prime Minister".

PM Modi was scheduled to visit Ferozepur on Wednesday to lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore.

The Home Ministry has taken cognisance of the "serious security lapse" and has sought a detailed report from the Punjab government. The state government has also been asked to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action. (ANI)

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Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 7 (ANI): West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by party state chief Sukanta Majumdar called on Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday and submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind regarding the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Punjab visit.

Speaking to ANI, Majumdar said, "We gave a memorandum to the President of India through Governor Jagdeep Dhankar against the manner in which the Prime Minister's security was compromised by the Congress-led Punjab government. It is not good for the country. There should be strict action against the mastermind behind this. This is a condemnable act especially when two former Prime Ministers of the country were killed due to security lapses in the past."

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"This is an exhibition of the anti-Modi narrative of Congress. It shows the mentality of those who could not go beyond their family's interest and accept Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister," the BJP leader said.

He said Punjab Police violated the "Blue Book" of VVIP security. He said PM's convoy was struck for 15-20 minutes at a sensitive place that is also close to the Pakistan border.

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"There has been negligence on the part of the Punjab Government but they are trying to put the blame on others. A thorough investigation of the incident should be done and all the people associated with it should be punished severely," added the BJP MP.

The Prime Minister was stuck atop a flyover for 15-20 minutes while on his way to Ferozepur, Punjab on Wednesday due to the road being blocked by some protesters. The Ministry of Home Affairs termed it as a "major lapse" in his security. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) Realty major DLF on Friday launched its luxury housing project, comprising 913 units, in the national capital with a starting price of Rs 3 crore.

The company has launched a project 'ONE Midtown', comprising 913 luxury flats.

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DLF is developing this project in partnership with Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC.

In a statement, DLF said the company has launched its luxury residential project 'ONE Midtown' located at Shivaji Marg in Moti Nagar.

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Aakash Ohri, group executive director and chief business officer of DLF Home Developers, said the company has officially launched sales in the new residential project.

The construction work on this project had started a few years ago.

"We are introducing an unprecedented lifestyle offering that redefines what it means to live in India's capital," he added.

The project boasts of four towers of 39 floors each and comprising 913 apartments of two, three or four bedrooms.

"Available residences at ONE Midtown are priced at Rs 3 crore onwards," the statement said.

DLF did not mention the project cost and the total sales realisation of this new project.

DLF has already completed three residential complexes titled Capital Greens I, II and III in Moti Nagar.

Over 2,700 homes have been delivered in these three complexes.

The One Midtown is the fourth project in the entire development at this location, named as DLF Midtwon.

The company has land bank to develop more such projects at Moti Nagar.

DLF has developed 153 real estate projects and built an area of about 330 million square feet.

It has 215 million square feet of development potential across residential and commercial segment. The group has an annuity portfolio of over 35 million square feet.

DLF is primarily engaged in the business of development and sale of residential properties and the development and leasing of commercial and retail properties. HRS hrs

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By Reena Bhardwaj

Washington, [US], January 7 (ANI): Mathew Dillinson was in Los Angeles on January 6 last year, watching the news in disbelief as a violent mob descended upon the US Capitol in Washington, DC, leaving him appalled at the state of his nation.

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One year later, Dillinson was among the hundreds who gathered Thursday evening in front of the US Capitol to commemorate the anniversary of the 2021 attack on the US Capitol, participating in a display meant to promote protecting American democracy.

"It's been overwhelming to see how the country has responded to the attacks and I'm here to stand up for that.

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The Vigil organized by a coalition of more than 100 liberal groups, saw a few hundred people gathered on the National Mall near the Capitol Reflecting Pool. The racially diverse crowd chanted and sang, seeking to transform last year's pain into policy change.

Several US lawmakers including Congresswoman Pramila Jaypal, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton spoke about their experiences inside the Capitol that day during the event.

Jaypal who was at the Capitol complex on the morning of January 6 last year, reflected on what happened inside the Capitol building.

"I remember every moment of it vividly. I remember the pounding on the doors of the insurrectionists. I remember crawling on my knees under bannisters... thinking about how if I couldn't get up and leave ... I would attack the knees of whoever came to attack me." One year after the attack Jaypal now worries for American democracy "I think our democracy is still fragile and we have to make sure that we actually protect accountability and justice," the lawmaker told ANI.

Rep. Jamie B. Raskin, who mourned his son's suicide and the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump following the attack., reflected on what happened on January 6. Speaking to ANI Raskin said his presence at the vigil was "for standing up and restoring democracy."

Raskin is also a member of the January 6 House select committee and is tasked with investigating the cause and who was behind the Jan. 6 insurrection, among other things.

"The attack was not only an attack on democracy, but it was also an attack on the District of Columbia, where we are now standing," the DC-based lawmaker Norton said.

Speakers also demanded the Senate and Biden enact the Freedom to Vote Act, a voting rights bill, and the Protecting Our Democracy Act, which includes reforming oversight of the executive branch, among other legislation. They pointed to restrictive voting legislation passed by Republican-led state legislatures across the country and said the Jan. 6 attack highlighted the need for federal voting rights protections and expansions before the next election.

Demonstrators held signs reading "No Trump. No Lie. No G.O.P.", "Voters decide outcomes of U.S. elections", "senators protest our democracy now" and "DC statehood is racial justice."

"We are looking to our elected officials to continue to investigate the insurrection but also to pass urgently needed voting rights legislation and democracy reform legislation that will protect this country," said Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of Public Citizen, a progressive non-profit and one of the groups that organized the event.

69-year-old Bill Wood from Maryland carried a huge sign that had 'Traitor' on Former President Trump's image. "If I carried this sign one year ago to the Pro-Trump protest I would have been beaten up, so I'm here to make up for that." Wood further added, "If Trump was an average person if he wasn't rich, wasn't white, he would be in jail right now."

Mickey, another participant who was present a year ago counter-protesting Trump supporters on the Capitol Hill. "The progress of the investigation has been very slow I've r that one year, my concern is the next election could go to the Republicans," Mickey told ANI.

The event was part of a nationwide demonstration called "We the People: January 6th Day of Remembrance and Action" had more than 350 chapters nationwide. (ANI)

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St Louis (US), Jan 7 (AP) A Chinese national admitted in federal court Thursday that he stole a trade secret when he worked for Monsanto and one of its subsidiaries in Missouri, federal prosecutors said.

Haitao Xiang, 44, formerly of Chesterfield, Missouri, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit economic espionage. He was indicted by a grand jury on eight charges in 2019.

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Prosecutors said in a news release that Xiang transferred a trade secret to a memory card and then attempted to take it to China for the benefit of the Chinese government.

Xiang worked as an imaging scientist for Monsanto and one of its subsidiaries, The Climate Corporation, from 2008 to 2017.

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Court records say Monsanto and The Climate Corporation developed a digital online farming software platform to help farmers collect field data to increase productivity.

Part of the platform was an algorithm called the Nutrient Optimiser, which the companies considered a trade secret and their intellectual property, prosecutors said.

In June 2017, the day after leaving employment with the companies, Xiang tried to fly to China. During a search, investigators found one of Xiang's electronic devices contained copies of the Nutrient Optimiser, prosecutors said.

Xiang flew to China, where he worked for the Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Soil Science. He was arrested when he returned to the United States.

He will be sentenced April 7. (AP)

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Washington [US], January 7 (ANI/Sputnik): Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the jail in Washington, DC to show support for detainees being held at the facility in connection with events at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The demonstrators at the so-called "Justice for J6" candlelight vigil gave brief speeches sympathetic towards the January 6 breach of the US Capitol and sang songs and hymns for the detainees.

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One of the speakers was the mother of slain demonstrator Ashley Babbitt, who was killed by law enforcement during the Capitol breach.

Alexander, a DC resident, told Sputnik he attended the event to protest inhumane treatment of prisoners worldwide and the taking of political prisoners in the United States.

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All that demonstrators can hope for is to create awareness about the violation of people's rights, Alexander said.

"The situation needs to change," Alexander said. "We need the people that are held here to be charged and to have their days in court and be allowed the legal system to operate functionally."

Right now, he added, there are totalitarians from the top of the US government to local officials who are making the inmates stay "as inhumane and tortured as possible."

39 of the inmates have been jailed for charges in connection with the Capitol riot, a DC Department of Corrections spokesperson said earlier this week.

More than 700 individuals have been arrested for crimes related to the January 6 US Capitol breach, including over 220 facing charges of impeding law enforcement, according to the Justice Department. (ANI/Sputnik)

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Maine, Jan 7 (AP) A judge has awarded nearly $1 million in damages to the families of four fishermen who died when their boat mysteriously sank off Massachusetts in 2020.

The 82-foot (25-metre) Portland, Maine-based Emmy Rose went down early Nov. 23, 2020, as it was heading to port after a seven-day fishing trip, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

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Authorities had previously said it was heading to Gloucester, Massachusetts.

A total of $960,000 in insurance proceeds from the boat owner, Boat Aaron & Melissa Inc., was distributed among the families by US District Judge John Woodcock in an order Wednesday, The Portland Press Herald reported.

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The families agreed to accept the money in exchange for an order releasing the owner from further liability.

The judge also exonerated the owner.

Woodcock wrote that each man died an unspeakably tragic and terrible death.

Again, there is no evidence about how the vessel went down and it is possible that it sank suddenly and without warning, but it is more likely that there was some period of panic as the seamen worked in horrific conditions to avoid its and their awful demise, Woodcock wrote.

The vessel made no distress calls.

The Coast Guard searched more than 2,200 square miles over a 38-hour period, yet found nothing more than a debris field, diesel fuel odor, an emergency beacon and an empty life raft.

The crew  Capt. Robert Blethen Jr., of Georgetown, Maine; Jeffrey Matthews, of Portland, Maine; Ethan Ward, of Pownal, Maine; and Michael Porper, of Gloucester, Massachusetts  was never found.

The Emmy Rose was found in May, in an upright position with its outriggers deployed, in about 800 feet of water on the seafloor about 25 miles off Provincetown, Massachusetts, the NTSB said.

Federal authorities partnered with the National Science Foundation and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in September to survey the sunken vessel using a remotely operated vehicle.

The vehicle yielded videos and high-resolution photos that are being used by investigators trying to determine why the vessel went down.

Ashley Gross, Porper's fiancee, said in a statement provided by her attorney that she felt the judge did a fair job of dividing the limited insurance between the four families.

There is no amount of money that will bring my friends and fiance back, she said Thursday.

The judgment doesn't bring us closure but does bring some peace of mind that Michael was able to contribute to his daughters' future.

An email was left Friday for the attorney who represented the Emmy Rose's owner. (AP)

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Islamabad, January 6: Pakistan on Thursday moved closer to appoint the first woman judge of the Supreme Court after a high-power panel approved the elevation of Lahore High Court judge Ayesha Malik to the apex court of the conservative Muslim-majority country. The Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) - headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed - approved Malik's elevation by a majority of five votes against four, Dawn newspaper reported quoting an informed source.

After endorsement by the JCP, her name will be considered by a parliamentary committee which rarely goes against the recommendation of the JCP. This is the second time that the JCP held a meeting to decide on Justice Malik's elevation. Justice Malik's name first came before the JCP on September 9 last year but the panel was equally split, resulting in the rejection of her candidature. Pakistan Supreme Court Benches to Resume Work From April 13 Despite Rise in Coronavirus Cases.

The Supreme Court Bar Association had expressed reservations at her nomination due to the issue of seniority. President Abdul Latif Afridi had called a countrywide protest against her name being considered, saying that she was junior to many judges serving in five high courts of the country. This time the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) had threatened to boycott courts if the JCP went ahead to consider her name. The PCB is expected to agitate against her endorsement.

Justice Malik became a high court judge in March 2012 and currently she is number four on the Lahore High Court (LHC) judge seniority list. In case of her elevation, she will work as a Supreme Court judge until June 2031 before retiring at the age of 65. She will also be the senior most serving judge and likely to become the Chief Justice of Pakistan in January 2030. In that scenario, she will again create history to become the first chief justice of Pakistan.

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Moscow, Jan 7 (AP) Kazakhstan's president authorised security forces on Friday to shoot to kill those participating in unrest, opening the door for a dramatic escalation in a crackdown on anti-government protests that have turned violent.

The Central Asian nation this week experienced its worst street protests since gaining independence from the Soviet Union three decades ago, and dozens have been killed in the tumult.

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The demonstrations began over a near-doubling of prices for a type of vehicle fuel but quickly spread across the country, reflecting wider discontent with authoritarian rule.

In a televised address to the nation, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev used harsh rhetoric, referring to those involved in the turmoil as terrorists, bandits and militants  though it was unclear what led the peaceful protests to first gather steam and then descend into violence. No protest leaders have emerged so far.

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I have given the order to law enforcement and the army to shoot to kill without warning, Tokayev said.

Those who don't surrender will be eliminated.

Concerns grew in recent days that an even broader crackdown might be coming, as internet and cellphone service was severely disrupted and sometimes totally blocked, and several airports closed  making it difficult to understand what was happening inside the country and for images of the unrest to reach the outside world.

Adding to those fears was Tokayev's request for help from a Russia-led military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, whose troops began arriving Thursday.

On Friday, Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry reported that security forces have killed 26 protesters during the unrest, which escalated sharply on Wednesday.

Another 26 were wounded and more than 3,800 people have been detained. A total of 18 law enforcement officers were reported killed, and over 700 injured.

The numbers could not be independently verified, and it was not clear if more people may have died in the melee as the protests turned extremely violent, with people storming government buildings and setting them ablaze.

More skirmishes in Almaty were reported on Friday morning. Russia's state news agency Tass reported that the building occupied by the Kazakh branch of the Mir broadcaster, funded by several former Soviet states, was on fire.

But in other parts of the country life started to return to normal. On Friday morning, news reports said the internet was partially restored in the capital, Nur-Sultan, but it remained unclear for how long.

The Almaty airport  stormed and seized earlier by the protesters  was back under the control of Kazakh law enforcement and CTSO forces, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen.

Igor Konashenkov said. But the facility will remain shut at least until Sunday, the Kazakh TV channel Khabar 24 reported, citing the airport's spokespeople.

Hours before he authorized the use of lethal force against those participating in unrest, Tokayev indicated that some measure of calm had been restored, saying local authorities are in control of the situation.

Tokayev has vacillated between trying to mollify the protesters  including issuing a 180-day price cap on vehicle fuel and a moratorium on utility rate increases  and promising harsh measures to quell the unrest.

As he vowed a tougher response, he called on the CSTO alliance for help. A total of 2,500 troops have arrived so far, all of them in Almaty, Kazakh media reported, citing foreign ministry officials.

Kazakh officials have insisted that troops from the alliance, which includes several former Soviet republics, will not be fighting the demonstrators, and instead will guard government institutions.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the foreign troops deployed thus far were involved in suppressing the unrest.

The involvement of CSTO forces is an indication that Kazakhstan's neighbors, particularly Russia, are concerned the turmoil could spread.

In his address to the nation, Tokayev repeated his allegations that foreign actors along with independent media helped incite the turmoil.

He offered no evidence for those claims, but such rhetoric has often been used by former Soviet nations, most prominently Russia and Belarus, which sought to suppress mass anti-government demonstrations in recent years.

Kazakhstan, which spans a territory the size of Western Europe, borders Russia and China and sits atop colossal reserves of oil, natural gas, uranium and precious metals that make it strategically and economically important  and the crisis sparked concern in many quarters.

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said she was following the developments with a great worry, while French president Emmanuel Macron called for de-escalation.

In Germany, Foreign Ministry spokesman Christofer Burger said officials were looking into the reports of Tokayev's shooting order.

From Germany's point of view, it must be said very clearly that a use of lethal force, of live ammunition against civilians can only be a very last resort, particularly if military forces are deployed.

But China appeared to step up its support for Kazakhstan's government on Friday.

Kazakhstan is a critical component in China's Belt and Road overland connection to Europe and persistent unrest in the country could upend Beijing's hopes for closer trade and political relations with the continent.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his condolences to Tokayev over the large-scale riot, praising him for having decisively taken strong measures at critical moments and quickly calming down the situation.

As a fraternal neighbour and a long-term strategic partner, China is willing to provide necessary support within its means to Kazakhstan to help it get over this difficult period, Xi said.

Despite Kazakhstan's vast resource wealth, discontent over poor living conditions is strong in some parts of the country.

Many Kazakhs also chafe at the dominance of the ruling party, which holds more than 80% of the seats in parliament. (AP)

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Woburn (US), Jan 7 (AP) A letter sent from a US soldier stationed in Germany to his mother in Massachusetts has been delivered 76 years after it was sent.

Army Sgt John Gonsalves, 22 at the time, wrote to his mother in Woburn in December 1945 after the official end of WWII, WFXT-TV reported Wednesday.

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The letter would sit unopened for more than 75 years before being found in a US Postal Service distribution facility in Pittsburgh.

"Dear, Mom. Received another letter from you today and was happy to hear that everything is okay, the letter reads. As for myself, I'm fine and getting along okay. But as far as the food it's pretty lousy most of the time. He signed the letter: Love and kisses, Your son Johnny. I'll be seeing you soon, I hope.

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Gonsalves died in 2015. His mother has died as well. But the USPS found an address for his widow, Angelina, whom the soldier met five years after he sent the letter.

Alongside the decades-old mail, USPS employees also sent a letter of their own, saying "delivering this letter was of utmost importance to us. After the Gonsalves family received the letter, they called the facility and thanked them.

Imagine that! Seventy-six years! Angelina Gonsalves told WFXT-TV. I just I couldn't believe it. And then just his handwriting and everything. It was just so amazing.

Angelina Gonsalves, 89, spent another holiday without her husband, but she said this year it's like he came back to me, you know?" (AP)

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Honolulu (US), Jan 7 (AP) The Monsanto Company pleaded guilty to illegally using and storing agricultural chemicals in Hawaii, and will pay $12 million in fines.

Monsanto, now owned by German pharmaceutical company Bayer, Thursday agreed to plead guilty to the charges in December. US District Court judge Michael Seabright in Hawaii accepted the terms.

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Monsanto was charged with 30 environmental crimes after allowing workers to go into corn fields on Oahu in 2020 after a product named Forfeit 280 was sprayed. Federal law prohibits people from entering areas where the chemical is sprayed within six days of application.

Monsanto was sentenced to three years of probation in addition to the fines and will continue an environmental compliance programme overseen by a third-party auditor.

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The company also pleaded guilty to two felonies related to the storage of a banned chemical on Maui and Molokai.

The company repeatedly violated laws related to highly regulated chemicals, exposing people to pesticides that can cause serious health problems, said US Attorney Tracy Wilkison after the plea deal was made.

Monsanto said no adverse health effects were reported.

"The conduct at issue in the agreement is unacceptable and contrary to the values and policies of the company, and we sincerely regret it, said Darren Wallis, Monsanto's vice president of communications, in a statement. (AP)

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Islamabad [Pakistan], January 7(ANI): Pakistan's National Security Advisor, Moeed Yusuf, will visit Kabul, as tensions along the Durand Line, the de facto boundary between the two nations, have intensified.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC), which was presided over by Pakistani National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser in Islamabad on Thursday, reported TOLOnews.

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"A senior delegation of Pakistani officials, headed by the NSA, is scheduled to visit Afghanistan soon for further engagement with the Afghan government on all assistance-related prospects," the official statement said.

During the meeting, no date for the NSA's visit was disclosed. However, a Pakistani source informed the media that the visit will most likely take place between January 17 and 18. "We will finalize the delegation in a couple of days and then decide the date," the official said.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan's Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, has stated that the world must not desert the Afghan people in their hour of need, reported the news channel.

He stated that peace and security in Afghanistan provide significant prospects for not only the Afghan people but also Pakistan in terms of increased commerce and connection to Central Asian nations.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have asked for both parties to engage in dialogue on the matter.

Earlier, Pakistani Inter-Services Public Relations chief Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar on Wednesday confirmed that the fencing of the 2,600km-long border with Afghanistan will be completed despite the Taliban's statement that they will not allow fencing by Pakistan on the Durand Line. (ANI)

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Colombo, Jan 7 (PTI) Sri Lanka could face shortage of fuel by the third week of January, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila warned on Friday, as he urged the Central Bank to step in and pump in foreign currency required for imports.

Gammanpila's grim warning comes close on the heels of the Ceylon Electricity Board issuing a statement, asking citizens to brace for power cuts in the days to come due to its inability to purchase fuel.

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The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday had announced a USD 1.2 billion economic relief package amidst a severe foreign exchange crisis grappling the island nation.

At the beginning of December last year, the forex reserves were sufficient for just a month of imports.

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However, last week, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka announced that the country's foreign exchange reserves had doubled in the span of just one month, and touched USD 3.1 billion.

According to sources, the forex reserve boost was buoyed by a 10 billion-yuan (USD 1.6 billion) currency swap agreement signed with China on March 21 this year.

There is this looming danger which I have informed the Cabinet no less than on 8 occasions. The Central Bank has to ensure Letters of Credit can be opened for cooking gas and fuel. We could substitute imported food with some local varieties, but for fuel it is not possible, Gammanpila said.

The Energy Minister's comments come hours after the Sri Lankan government had signed an agreement with India jointly redevelop the strategic World War II-era oil tank farm in the island nation's eastern port district of Trincomalee, in a new milestone in bilateral economic and energy partnership.

The severe foreign currency shortage and a credit rating downgrade by Fitch had forced the country's only 50,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery to shut down from January 3.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
London, Jan 7 (PTI) The UK government has asked for specific numbers over a period to drill-down on the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by the Indian government around funding licences of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the House of Lords was informed during a debate.

Peers in the Upper House of the UK Parliament debated the issue on Thursday following a question raised by crossbench peer Lord Harries of Pentregarth, asking what representations the British government had made to its Indian counterparts about the blocking of overseas funds for the Missionaries of Charity and other non-governmental organisations.

Also Read | Airstrike in Ethiopia's Tigray Region Kills 3 Refugees, Including Kids: United Nations.

The charity founded by Mother Teresa in Kolkata was recently denied an FCRA renewal along with other NGOs, a move the Indian government has said is a matter of routine processing by the Ministry of Home Affairs under well-established procedure and long-standing administrative practice.

We are aware of some non-governmental organisations that face difficulties in India due to the use of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act by the Indian government, and that some have recently had applications to renew their foreign funding licences rejected, said Lord Tariq Ahmad, responding to questions on behalf of the UK government as Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Also Read | COVID-19 Boosters Can Wane, 4th Vaccine Shot May Be Necessary, Says Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel.

On the issue of the licence in India, I have looked into this specifically, and we do not know why its applications were rejected. I have asked and pressed to see the kinds of numbers that currently exist, he said, in reference to the Missionaries of Charity.

Lord Harries pressed the minister on the matter and questioned whether the action against the charity was to prevent people coming into contact with Christianity and eventually convert to it.

Among the 12,580 organisations whose licences have ceased to exist, some ceased to exist because they did not submit their applications in time, and others were rejected for other reasons. There are Christian NGOs, but there are also 250 Hindu NGOs and more than 250 Muslim NGOs, so whether this is specifically against Christian organisations is not shown by the data, but I am requesting further information in this respect, Ahmad said in response.

Lord Alton of Liverpool asked if the government had studied the list of organisations which have lost their licences, which number as high as 3,000.

Ahmad, who holds the brief of Minister for South Asia, replied: Because of the constructive nature of our engagement, we are able to raise this not just with the Indian High Commission here in London but in a constructive manner with the Indian government directly.

The noble Lord points to specific numbers. As I alluded to earlier, I have asked specifically for a drill-down on the numbers over a period, so that I can analyse directly which organisations are impacted and the reasons why these licences have been revoked, to allow us to make much more qualified representation, Ahmad said.

The debate, which involved a section of cross-party peers, covered concerns around international civil society organisations being hampered in their work to fight poverty in India and also raised the issue of organisations such as Amnesty International and Oxfam being starved of funds in India. Ahmad said the UK government had taken up the issue of Amnesty International directly but that it continues to provide challenge.

However, because of our lobbying and representations, we welcomed the recent High Court decision in Karnataka which allowed Amnesty to access some of its funds, the minister said.

The Indian High Commission in London said it would not like to comment on a discussion between members of Parliament of the UK.

However, on the subject: it appears to need reiteration that this is a matter of routine processing by India's Ministry of Home Affairs  of renewal applications for FCRA approval  submitted by thousands of India-based entities including the Missionaries of Charity, a High Commission statement said.

An examination of facts would make it clear that no single community, religion or source of funding has been particularly targeted' or any accounts frozen by the government of India. It would be seen that all these applications for renewal of FCRA licences have been processed as per well-established procedure and long-standing administrative practice  which, in most countries, are recognised as a part of good governance, the statement said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington [US], January 7 (ANI/Sputnik): The United States and Japan will soon sign an agreement that will enable bilateral cooperation on developing defenses against hypersonic missiles and on new space-based capabilities, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

"We're launching a new research and development agreement that will make it easier for our scientists, for our engineers and program managers to collaborate on emerging defense related issues from countering hypersonic threats to advancing space-based capabilities," Blinken said during a virtual meeting with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and their Japanese counterparts on Thursday.

Also Read | Omicron Not Mild, Hospitalising and Killing People, Says WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Blinken also said that in the coming days the United States and Japan will sign a new five-year host nation agreement that will support framework which will invest greater resources to deepen military readiness and interoperability.

Austin in his remarks underscored the significance of the US-Japan alliance to confront challenges from North Korea and China in the Pacific.

Also Read | Pakistan Vows To Continue Fencing at Afghanistan Border Despite Taliban's Objections.

Austin, Blinken, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel are meeting virtually with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo to discuss a range of issues that are of mutual concern.

Hayashi said the United States and Japan must be prepared to respond effectively to challenges of the present and future in the region, especially to have a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said earlier in the day that Japan filed a protest against North Korea through diplomatic channels in Beijing over Pyongyang's latest missile launch which it claims was a hypersonic missile.

On Wednesday, the Japanese Coast Guard and the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said they had observed an unknown projectile, presumed to be a ballistic missile, fired by North Korea in the direction of the Sea of Japan. This was the first test of North Korean weapons this year. The last one took place on October 19, 2021, when North Korea tested a new submarine ballistic missile. (ANI/Sputnik)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been deemed as 'Variant of Concern' by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The virus variant, first detected in South Africa, has been rapidly spreading across the world. Many studies suggest Omicron carries a reduced risk of being admitted to the hospital. In December, two studies based on real-world COVID-19 UK data reported that the Omicron variant is less severe than the Delta variant, with fewer infected people requiring hospitalisation. Here are the FAQs answered about the new COVID-19 variant. Omicron FAQs: Why Is It a Variant of Concern? Know Everything About the New Variant of SARS-CoV-2

Does the COVID-19 Omicron variant spreads faster?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Omicron variant is spreading faster than the Delta variant. Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, the regional director of WHO South-East Asia region had said Based on the currently limited evidence, Omicron appears to be spreading faster, at a rate not seen with any other previous variant. Emerging data from South Africa suggest an increased risk of re-infection with Omicron, but more data are needed to draw firmer conclusions.

What are symptoms of Omicron variant of COVID-19?

Cough, fatigue or tiredness, congestion and runny nose are some of the most common symptoms of the Omicron variant according to CDC analysis of the first 43 cases that were investigated in the US.

Can Omicron COVID-19 cases be mild?

Janet Diaz, who is a lead on clinical management at WHO, said that early studies show a reduced risk of hospitalisation compared to Delta.

WHO officials on Thursday said that though the Omicron variant appears to produce less severe disease compared to Delta, but it can not be categorised as mild.

Is Omicron more severe than the Delta variant of COVID-19?

While the Omicron variant of COVID-19 does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorised as 'mild,' the World Health Organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday. "Just like previous variants, omicron is hospitalizing people and it is killing people," he added. What is Delmicron And How Is It Different From Omicron COVID-19 Variant? Know The Details

Why do some people get fever after taking COVID-19 vaccine?

Experts say that when the human body gets exposed to an antigen for the first time, it takes time for the immune system to respond and produce antibodies specific to that antigen. Meanwhile, the person is susceptible to becoming ill. Blood flow in the body is increased to increase the circulation of the defensive immune cells in the body. This can lead to an increase in body temperature, which can consequently show up as fever.

With the Omicron variant spreading like a wildfire, a surge in COVID-19 cases across many countries is expected.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 07, 2022 12:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The United Nations refugee agency says an airstrike has killed three Eritrean refugees, two of them children, in Ethiopia's Tigray region amid the country's war. A statement the agency issued overnight did not say who carried out the airstrike that hit the Mai Aini camp on Wednesday.
New Delhi, January 7: Women and girls without a close male relative accompanying them were banned from entering coffee shops in Afghanistan's Herat province, Raha Press reported.

Sheikh Azizi ur Rahman Al-Mohajer, the head of virtue and vice of the Taliban office in Herat, said from now on playing music and women and girls without a mahram' (relative) are forbidden, the report said. He said criminals are also not allowed in coffee shops. According to him, most insecurities, kidnappings, robberies and destructive actions can be planned in such coffee shops.

"The coffee shop owners are warned if any instruction violations are reported, they will be faced with legal actions," Al-Mohajer said, adding that coffee shops can be remain open till 9.30 p.m.

According to him, these coffee shops serve as a convenient place for most of the moral corruption something has misled the youths in Herat. He emphasised any decree on closing all coffee shops in Herat can be issued from Kabul. Pakistan Vows To Continue Fencing at Afghanistan Border Despite Talibans Objections.

This comes as recently after all mannequins were beheaded as they resembled idols, an instruction from the Taliban government that caused lot of public opposition. Nearly five months after regaining power, the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has reclaimed its role as the enforcer of the group's radical interpretation of Islamic law, RFE/RL reported.

In a spate of decrees issued in recent weeks, the Ministry has imposed restrictions on the behaviour, movement, and appearances of residents, particularly those of women and girls.

While the militants have claimed the decrees are only recommendations, Taliban religious police have enforced the new laws, sometimes violently, in many areas.

Many Afghans have voiced their anger at the Taliban's religious policing, saying it is a tool for humiliating citizens and controlling every aspect of their lives. For Afghans, the decrees are reminiscent of the draconian rules the Taliban imposed during its brutal rule from 1996 to 2001.

Obaidullah Baheer, a Kabul-based academic, said by forcing its own interpretation of Sharia law upon Afghans, the Taliban is "locking out the population from decision-making" and exposing its "tyrannical tendencies", the report added.

Baheer said the Taliban views "any challenge to (its) policies as a challenge to the faith itself". Last month, the Taliban ordered shop owners in the western city of Herat to cut off the heads of mannequins, insisting they were un-Islamic.

The order angered local shopkeepers, who are already reeling from an economic crisis triggered by the Taliban takeover and the sudden halt in international assistance. "These mannequins will be ruined if I am forced to behead them," Mohammad Irshad, who owns three retail stores in Herat said. "It will negatively impact all our customers -- men, women, and children. They will lose their appetite (for shopping)," the report quoted Irshad as saying.

Abdul Wadud Faizada, the head of Herat's Chamber of Commerce, said the "heads of mannequins should be covered and not destroyed". The Taliban has said that did not go far enough.

"Our traders will suffer financially," Faizada said, noting that each mannequin typically costs between $70 and $100, as per the report. Some shopkeepers appeared to be already complying with the orders by sawing off the heads of shop dummies.

In late December, the Taliban announced that women seeking to travel more than 72 km should be refused transport unless they were accompanied by a close male relative.

The advisory distributed by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice also directed all vehicle drivers to refrain from playing music in their cars and not to pick up female passengers who did not wear an Islamic hijab covering their hair.

Since then, Taliban religious police have erected checkpoints across Kabul to inspect whether taxi drivers were complying with the orders. Last week, the Taliban also shut down all public bath-houses for women in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif. Such facilities are considered crucial because many Afghans do not have access to heating or electricity at home, the report said.

Tamana Siddiqi, a women's rights activist in Mazar-e Sharif, criticized the move and said: "People are dealing with growing economic pains, which means that not everyone can afford a hot bath inside their house."

Men face new regulations, too, as the Taliban's religious police have instructed them to grow beards. In a decree issued in late September, the Taliban banned the shaving of beards and trimming of hair in Uruzgan. Afghanistan: Taliban Authorities Call Out To Behead Mannequins Citing Breach of Sharia Law.

Violations can result in severe punishment, while barbers who were directly ordered to halt the practice are now struggling to make ends meet, RFE/RL reported. In some areas of Afghanistan, the Taliban has made it mandatory for all men to attend congregational prayers at mosques.

In parts of Kabul and the northern province of Takhar, the Taliban has fined residents who did not show up for prayers. Repeat offenders have faced arrest or beatings, locals said. The resident said the Taliban had ordered clerics at mosques in the capital to take a roll call and report those who failed to turn up. In Takhar's Rustaq district, Taliban fighters recently beat up two men who failed to attend prayers, locals said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 07, 2022 02:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
By Wei Dongxu

Leaders of the five Nuclear-Weapon States, namely China, France, Russia, the UK and the US on Monday issued a joint statement on preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms races. This is the first time for leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states to issue such a joint statement.

This statement by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (known as the "P5") can be regarded as a gift of peace to the whole world. It conveys a clear signal that even if there are contradictions among the five countries, no nuclear war will be triggered.

Washington sees Beijing as its top rival and engages in competition within all fields including that of the military. Additionally, the international community is worried about the possible scenario of military confrontation between Russia and the US over Ukraine. This joint statement can dispel the anxiety of the outside world. The five countries may sometimes vent anger toward each other because of their confrontations, but they will not press the nuclear button. This has certainly assured the world.

China has always been advocating the idea that "a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought," and has been playing a leading role in promoting the five countries taking joint actions. Among the P5, China has always been prudent and rational toward nuclear issues and strived to contribute to nuclear arms control and prevent nuclear proliferation. Such a joint statement means China's approach and policy on nuclear weapons have been met with approval from the other four countries of the P5.

The risks of nuclear proliferation still exist across the world. For example, the US, UK and Australia in September 2021 announced the formation of an enhanced trilateral security partnership called "AUKUS," which will support Canberra in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines and enable nuclear-powered submarines to patrol the Indo-Pacific region. Some analysts said they were touching the bottom line of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

This joint statement by the P5 demonstrates that other countries, such as China, Russia and France, may have piled some pressure on the US against AUKUS, and urged Washington to take more responsibility. The US seems to have made compromises in response.

The joint statement will to some extent restrain the US' development of nuclear weapons, as well as its practices in spreading nuclear technology to its allies through small US-led cliques, such as the AUKUS. The statement by the P5 drew a red line on nuclear proliferation - nuclear weapons, as well as weapons-grade highly enriched uranium, will not spread.

If the US breaks through certain contents or principles in this statement, it will face more queries and criticisms. In the future, Washington's arms sales will encounter increasing restraint and supervision from the other four P5 members. Corresponding supervision mechanisms will limit the US and the UK in providing Australia with nuclear-powered submarine technology. Against this backdrop, it remains to be seen whether Canberra can acquire nuclear-powered submarines or what kinds of limitations will be set for putting the submarines into use.

However, Washington is good at saying one thing and doing another. Sometimes, the US takes good advantage of the loopholes within policies or plays conspiratorial tricks. For example, US President Joe Biden said that the US is "not seeking a new cold war or a world divided into rigid blocs" at the UN General Assembly, yet almost at the same time, the AUKUS was established.

Therefore, the possibility that Washington will take measures to evade restrictions on providing nuclear-powered submarines cannot be ruled out. China, Russia and other countries should keep a close eye on such issues and remain vigilant toward the US' intent.

The author is a Beijing-based military analyst.
Niamey, Niger (PANA) - The Nigerien police seized more than 214 kilograms of cocaine in northern Niger, a record, and arrested a mayor of this region and his driver who were trying to transport the drug to Libya, as a transit country to Europe, the Central Office for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS) announced on Wednesday
Pope Francis is now urging people to have children. He even called individuals who do not want to have kids selfish.

Right now, the world is still having so many issues, especially when it comes to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from infecting people, the ongoing health crisis also affects other things that are essential for people's daily lives.

These include visiting places, having jobs, and other necessities. Recently, Bloomberg reported that the United States added around one million infected cases in its COVID-19 data.

If this continues, there is a high chance that the recent safety measures will return. Because of this, many individuals tend to avoid having kids.

Pope Francis Says People Without Kids are Selfish

According to CBS News' latest report, the Catholic Church leader had a sermon last January 5. During his lecture, he also mentioned the importance of fatherhood or parenthood.

READ MORE: Colombian Ex-Soldier Charged in U.S. Over Killing of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise

"We have so many children without fathers and the challenges of this in society today, we notice," said Pope Francis.

"Fathers are not born but made. A man does not become a father by bringing a child into the world, but by taking up the responsibility to care for that child," he added.

After explaining this, he added that those individuals who have pets but don't want to have children are selfish. The Catholic Church head further stated that having no child poses a bigger risk than having them.

He explained that a lot of children are currently looking for people to act like their parents, saying that adoption also needs to be considered.

Why People Do Not Want Kids?

BuzzFeed reported that there are various reasons why people, especially the younger generations, no longer want to have kids.

These include the current status of the world. On the other hand, other reasons involve mental wellness. Some of the younger generations said that they are afraid to lose themselves once they have kids.

Another thing that affects the child decision-making of many people is the worsening climate change.

Meanwhile, other people want to focus on their careers. They said that they are not planning to have a child yet unless they reached a certain level in their professions. If you want to see more details, you can check this link.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Launches Scathing Attack on Pres. Joe Biden on Eve of Capitol Riot Anniversary: Here's What He Says
A group of passengers in Mexico was being stranded after three airlines have declined to board them back to Canada. They filmed themselves partying on a chartered flight without masks.

Sunwing Airlines canceled the returned charter flight from Cancun, while Air Transat and Air Canada also both said they would refuse to carry the passengers, according to The Guardian report.

Air Transat took to Twitter to address the matter, saying that the "disruptive passengers" from the Sunwing flight had been trying to return home on its flights.

Air Transat said the passengers were denied boarding as they want to ensure the safety of their fellow passengers, as well as the airline workers.

Air Canada released a statement regarding the matter, saying the same reasons of safety for denying the passengers boarding their flights.

Transport Canada said the passengers' violations could face fines of up to $5,000 Canadian per infraction.

READ NEXT: U.S. To Reopen Canada and Mexico Borders in November for Fully Vaccinated Travelers

Canadian Passengers Violating COVID Rules

Among the passengers who were looking for a flight back home was 19-year old Rebecca St-Pierre. St-Pierre is a student from Trois-Rivieres, Quebec. She said she felt abandoned, not knowing how she will pay for her hotel room as her stay is extended indefinitely, according to an ABC News Go report.

The 19-year-old passenger tested positive for COVID on Wednesday and was in isolation in Tulum. She said that approximately 30 others on the flight have tested positive.

St-Pierre said that the organizer just left everybody, adding that she does not know who is still in Mexico.

She noted that she won the free trip in a contest on Instagram. She had had never previously heard of the organizer, who was identified on social media as James William Awad.

St-Pierre said that the trip turned out to be an expensive trip for something that was supposed to be free. However, she said that the videos from the five-hour flight give an accurate picture of what went on.

St-Pierre said that ahead of the scheduled return trip, some of the passengers were putting Vaseline up their noses in an effort to tamper with COVID testing.

Awad wrote on Twitter and said that he will take a moment to sit down "and rethink everything." He operates 111 Private Club.

Awad has also organized the trip, with attendees including a group of social media "influencers" and reality TV stars.

Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, and Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino issued a joint statement, ordering their respective departments to launch a probe.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on The Passengers' Video

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented on seeing the videos and said that he was "extremely frustrated," according to a CBC News report.

He dubbed the situation as a "slap in the face" to see people putting themselves, fellow citizens, and airline workers at risk.

Sunwing said it discussed the terms and conditions with organizers for them to board their return flight. However, the airline said in a statement that the group did not accept all of the terms.

Trudeau said that Transport Canada is taking the situation "extremely seriously."

READ MORE: Brazil Hospital Chain Allegedly Tested Unproven Drugs on Elderly COVID Patients: Whistleblowers

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Canadian passengers stranded after party flight to Mexico - from WPLG Local 10






The trial for the former paramilitary soldiers in Guatemala over sexual abuse against indigenous women has begun.

According to BBC, the five ex-paramilitary soldiers who raped at least 36 women, whose names were not disclosed, are former members of Guatemala's Civil Self-Defense patrols (PAC.). The said organization is known to be local militias blamed for "multiple atrocities" during the 1960-1996 war in the country.

NBC News noted that as the trial began this week, several human rights groups hung up blankets and placed flowers outside the court to sympathize with the victims, who are of Maya-Achi origin.

One of the defense attorneys asked the court to postpone the trial for another week. However, Judge Yassmin Barrios said that the debate on the case cannot be postponed.

The trial for the five accused ex-paramilitary soldiers, who deny the charges, will take place in the country's "high-risk court," a court that is dedicated to cases of organized crime and corruption. However, the soldiers joined the hearing through video conference from the jail, where they will remain until a verdict is ruled out by the judge.

"Today is a historic day not just for the Achi women or Rabinal [in Baja Verapaz], but also for the thousands of women who were victims of sexual violence in the armed conflict," Virginia Valencia said. Valencia represents five of the 36 alleged victims of the ex-paramilitary soldiers.

READ NEXT: Guatemala: Community of 13 Killed Over Land Dispute Engages in Protests, Defying State of Siege

Guatemala Ex-Paramilitary Soldiers Sexual Abuse

According to prosecutors, the former paramilitary soldiers committed sexual abuse against the Maya Achi women for five years during Guatemala's longest civil war between the military government and the left-wing guerrillas.

During this time, indigenous people were mostly the target of Guatemala's army as they accused the natives of siding with the rebels.

Prosecutors also alleged that one of the victims of sexual abuse was 12 years old during the time of the abuse, and the lives of these women were "shattered."

The sexual abuse reportedly occurred around a small town called Rabinal, located in the department of Baja Verapaz, the north of Guatemala's capital city.

Attorney Lucia Xiloj said that the women "were raped after the [forced] disappearance of their husbands."

The women were not the only victims of the civil war in the country. According to U.N backed truth commission, the 36-year war in the country killed an estimated 200,000 people. Most of the dead were from indigenous Maya civilians. The Guatemalan army was said to be responsible for more than 90 percent of the atrocities.

Other Trials Regarding Sexual Abuse on Guatemala's Indigenous Women

The recent trial is not the only trial that concerned the indigenous women who were sexually abused during Guatemala's Civil war.

In 2016, a military member and a paramilitary soldier, identified as Francisco Reyes Giron and Heriberto Valdez Asij, respectively, were found guilty of crimes against humanity and were sentenced to 360 years of imprisonment. The said ruling was known to be the first successful prosecution for sexual abuse committed against indigenous women in the 1980s.

Reyes Giron served as the former commander of the Sepur Zarco military base, while Valdez Asij was a paramilitary who carried out commissions for the army.

Reyes Giron was found guilty of holding 15 women in sexual domestic slavery. He was also charged for killing one woman and her two daughters.

Valdez Asij, on the other hand, was convicted of the enslavement and the forced disappearance of seven men.

READ NEXT: Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei Rips Biden Admin After Joe Biden Did Not Invite Him to the International Democracy Summit

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Violence Against Women, the Biggest Challenge Facing Guatemala - From FRANCE 24 English
An SUV filled with 10 bodies was left outside the office of a Mexican state governor in a public square lit up with holiday decorations, officials said on Thursday.

According to authorities, the bodies were discovered crammed inside a Mazda SUV, which was abandoned in the main plaza of Zacatecas near a Christmas tree just before dawn broke, The Guardian reported.

David Monreal, state governor, stated in a video that was taken at the scene that the bodies showed signs of bruising and beating.

He also added that the suspects came to leave the dead bodies exactly in front of the palace, referring to the offices at the Plaza de Armas of the city, which has been standing for centuries.

In addition, the federal public safety department stated that a man was seen driving the SUV into the scene. The man then got out of the vehicle and left the area through an alleyway.

Suspects Arrested

Authorities from Mexico have already taken two suspects into custody. The officials stated that they became suspicious of the vehicle driving around the area and checked it out.

Afterwhich, the vehicle was abandoned, and the federal security ministry discovered 10 badly beaten dead bodies inside.

According to Monreal, Zacatecas has been experiencing major challenges in security, making it hard to bring down violence. He also vowed that he will make sure to recover the peace in the area little by little despite the history of violence.

"Bit by bit we will recover our peace. What we received was a cursed inheritance," he said.

READ ALSO: Mafia, Local Politicians Involved in Mexican Drug Cartel's Turf Wars; Evidences Revealed in Mexico's Recent Beachside Attacks

Turf Wars Amplify Violence in Zacatecas

Due to the continuous turf wars of rival gangs, Zacatecas has become one of the most violent regions in Mexico. According to official data, in 2021 alone, 1050 murders were reported in the state, which is 260 more than the murders registered in 2020.

This is because Zacatecas is a major transit point for the drug trade in Mexico, especially those groups that transport fentanyl, a powerful synthetic painkiller, to the north to cross the US border.

Zacatecas was previously dominated by the Zetas cartel. However, a large number of cartels are currently fighting for the turf. The cartels include the notorious Sinaloa cartel, Jalisco, North-east cartels, Gulf, and the "Talibans," who are remaining members of the Zetas.

Turf wars among the drug cartels are known to cause thousands of deaths in the country.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been struggling to significantly decrease the number of homicides in the country. In 2021, from January to November, there were 31,615 killings reported, which is only 3.6% lower than the 2020 record of 32,814.

READ MORE: Six More Bodies Found Hanging in Mexico as Mexican Drug Cartels Battle for Territory

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: 10 bodies abandoned in a truck outside the Government Palace of Zacatecas -Excelsior TV
Prince Andrew could pay more than $5 million to settle his case with Virginia Roberts Giuffre if it goes to trial. The said amount is 10 times the sum Giuffre received from Jeffrey Epstein for settlement.

Insiders have claimed that the Duke of York's lawyers is trying to have the settlement option on the table, according to The Telegraph report.

They noted that there could be a negative impact on senior royal members, including his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

David Boies, Giuffre's lawyers, said in August that before filing the lawsuit, his team had offered Andrew the chance to negotiate a settlement privately. Now, Giuffre's team is eyeing to have a jury verdict on the case.

The two sides were awaiting a ruling from Judge Lewis Kaplan on the Duke's bid to have the case dismissed based on a $500,000 settlement deal Giuffre made with Epstein in 2009.

Andrew Brettler, Andrew's lawyer based in Los Angeles, will talk about his possible options after Kaplan decides his ruling.

READ NEXT: Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Lawyer Says They Will Try to Have Members of Royal Family, Including Meghan Markle, to Testify in Prince Andrew's Trial

Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre's Case

An insider noted that the case is a U.S. case involving U.S. lawyers and a U.S. civil lawsuit. The insider added that 99 percent of U.S. civil lawsuits are settled outside of the court.

The person familiar with the matter added that there is also a wider pressure and attritional impact to consider, according to The U.S. Sun report.

Giuffre alleges that she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times between 1999 and 2002 in London, New York, and on Epstein's private Caribbean Island.

Epstein had died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 at the age of 66 while waiting for his trial on sex abuse charges.

The 38-year-old has filed a battery and infliction of emotional distress against Andrew.

Meanwhile, Andrew has always denied all allegations made against him. Andrew's lawyers also called the lawsuit baseless and accused Giuffre of seeking a "payday," according to an Aljazeera report.

In November 2019, Andrew told BBC that he could not have had sex with Giuffre at Ghislaine Maxwell's home as he had returned to his house that night after a children's party.

Andrew was said to have failed to address important questions in the said interview, according to critics.

Andrew had also stepped down from public duties days after the interview was released publicly.

On the other hand, Giuffre did not testify in Maxwell's criminal trial. Her allegations were not included in the six sex abuse counts against the known Epstein partner. The British socialite was found guilty on five out of six counts against her.

Diplomats are often entitled to a certain degree of legal immunity in their respective posted countries. However, Craig Barker of London South Bank University noted that Andrew does not appear to be fit to have legal immunity.

READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth II Warns British Media to Stay Away From Balmoral - And Her Son Prince Andrew

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WATCH: Prince Andrew to face court hearing in sexual misconduct case l GMA - from ABC News


On Thursday, Mexico officially announced through the government's official gazette that there will be new visa requirements imposed for visitors coming into the country from Venezuela.

According to the Mexican ministry, the visa requirement will officially start 15 days after the announcement was published in the gazette.

The new imposition is part of the country's efforts to minimize the increase of illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. It is also placed as an attempt by Mexico to reduce the number of people from South and Central America trying to enter the U.S. illegally through Mexico, Reuters reported.

Before the new visa requirements were announced, Venezuelans did not need a visa to enter Mexico as tourists. Previously, Venezuelans can enter Mexico for free as tourists for a maximum of 6 months. Many of them have used this opportunity to escape their homeland, which has been suffering from an economic crisis for years.

The government also suggested that the increasing demand to leave the country also increases the exploitation of criminal gangs and people smugglers.

Tougher Entry Requirements for Venezuelans Imposed Due to U.S. Requests

In the past, the U.S. has repeatedly urged Mexico to help reduce the number of illegal immigrants coming to the country by accessing the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. President Joe Biden has faced major challenges regarding the rise in the number of illegal immigrants passing through Mexico.

On December 17, the Mexican ministry first announced that they were contemplating the imposition of stricter visa requirements for Venezuelans as a response to the requests of the Biden administration.

ALSO READ: Mafia, Local Politicians Involved in Mexican Drug Cartel's Turf Wars; Evidences Revealed in Mexico's Recent Beachside Attacks

Venezuelans Use Mexico as Portal to the U.S.

According to a document published by the Mexican ministry, they detected a substantial increase in the number of Venezuelans using Mexico as a portal to the U.S., declaring false motives for their arrival.

They also added that the jump of irregular transit of Venezuelans to a "third country" from Mexico has reached over 1,000% compared to the past five years. They also added that the trend continues to increase.

"The growing trend in the migratory flow of (Venezuelan) nationals ... in irregular transit to a third country stands out, marking an increase of more than 1,000% compared to the same period in the previous five years," the Mexican ministry stated.

An overwhelming majority of the migrants passing through Mexico have the U.S. as their ultimate destination causing problems at the border.

The visa requirement imposed on Venezuelans by Mexico came after the country gave the same directive to Brazilians. Also, in September, the visa exemptions given to Ecuadorians were suspended for six months following an increase of migrants crossing to the U.S.

READ MORE: Six More Bodies Found Hanging in Mexico as Mexican Drug Cartels Battle for Territory

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Given the increase in migrants in the country, Mexico will request a visa from Venezuelans December 17 - Grupo Formula
A Florida man was charged with felony attempted murder after he tried to strangle a woman with a shoelace at a bus stop in Miami.

According to Daily Mail, the horrific random attack happened at a bus stop near the Miami International Airport on January 2 at around 11 a.m. It seems the two did not know each other.

Aaron Quinones was behind the 26-year-old unidentified woman when he attacked her. Reports said the 27-year-old suspect appeared to be going to or from the airport as he had a neck pillow resting on his backpack.

The victim, who was on her phone with luggage beside her, was reportedly aware that Quinones was behind her.

Video Shows the Florida Man Strangling A Woman

Video footage shows the Florida man quietly walking up behind the woman before stretching his arms out to wrap the shoelace around her neck.

Quinones kept tightening his hold on her as she looked at him. He then dragged the woman to her side onto the bench, climbing on top of her.

After she seemed to break free of the shoelace, the Florida man repeatedly punched the woman in the face as she kicked her attacker away. A bystander saw the pair and approached them, waving his arms before he pulled Quinones, and the video ended.

A few days ago, a man tried strangling a woman at MIA bus stop with a shoelace and he was charged with attempted murder. Thankfully, a bystander intervened and the man took off | #ONLYinDADE pic.twitter.com/HGlqVloZdR  ONLY in DADE (@ONLYinDADE) January 5, 2022

Police said Quinones fled after the bystander's intervention, Law and Crime reported. Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) spokesperson Angel Rodriguez noted that the outcome would have been way worse if not for the Good Samaritan who "stepped in" that stopped the suspect from attacking the victim.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue treated the woman upon arrival at the scene. MDPD officers said they spotted Quinones while patrolling the area shortly after the attack.

Aaron Quinones is reportedly being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami on a $250,000 bond.

Meanwhile, authorities asked for the public's help to identify the bystander who helped the woman. The bystander left the scene before the police arrived. There is still an ongoing investigation about the incident. No motive for the attack has been shared.

READ NEXT: Florida Baby Left Orphaned After His Police Officer Parents Both Committed Suicide

Aaron Quinones' Criminal History

Two years ago, Aaron Quinones had a similar crime against another woman in North Carolina. He was charged with a misdemeanor simple assault against his girlfriend on January 22, 2020. He was held on a $500 bond, according to another Daily Mail report.

Quinones was a resident of North Carolina city at the time. He is now homeless in Florida, according to police. Quinones was also wanted for allegedly breaking into an apartment in Charlotte and stealing a piece of exercise equipment worth $5,000 in June.

Police said a warrant for his arrest was issued, but he was never arrested. In 2013, Quinones was also arrested for shoplifting in a Belk department store at Northlake Mall in Charlotte.

According to Daily Mail, the suspect has a long history of arrests in North Carolina as early as 2013 when he would have been just 19.

READ MORE: Florida Man Found Dead in Spain Luxurious Hotel After Inviting Some Men He Met at a Party Back to His Room for Sex

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WATCH: Caught On Video: Police Said Man Attempted To Strangle Woman With Shoelace At Miami-Dade Bus Stop - From CBS Miami






The Biden administration on Thursday slapped a travel ban on eight Cuban officials it says have been involved in the repression of peaceful protesters in Cuba since July.

The sanction was announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement, claiming that the Cuban officials, who were not named, attempted to "silence the voices of Cuban people through repression, unjust detentions, and harsh prison sentences."

"Those who jail peaceful protesters and sentence them to unjust prison terms must be held accountable," Blinken tweeted.

The U.S. imposed visa restrictions on 8 Cuban government officials. Those who jail peaceful protesters and sentence them to unjust prison terms must be held accountable. We stand with the Cuban people in their fight for freedom.  Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 6, 2022

Associated Press reported that the Secretary of State further noted that the move from the U.S. is a response to the Cuban government denying freedom among the Cubans.

Blinken said the visa restrictions were the response of the U.S. government in the continued "intimidation tactics, unjust imprisonment, and severe sentences" the Cuban government imposes against their people to deny freedom.

"We stand with the Cuban people in their fight for freedom," Blinken noted.

READ NEXT: 3 More Cuban Officials Sanctioned by U.S., DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Says

Cuba Foreign Minister Comments on U.S. Sanctions

The Cuban government decried the sanctions on their eight government officials announced by Antony Blinken. On Thursday, Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez took to Twitter to criticize the travel ban sanctions.

"The US government persists in the bad habit of trying to impose its will on other governments through unilateral coercive measures," Rodriguez said.

The foreign minister added that the announcement made by Blinken does not "alter" the iota of Cuba's "determination to defend its sovereign rights."

El gobierno de EEUU persiste en el mal habito de pretender imponer su voluntad sobre otros gobiernos por via de medidas coercitivas unilaterales. El anuncio hecho hoy por el Secretario de Estado no altera un apice la determinacion de #Cuba de defender sus derechos soberanos  Bruno Rodriguez P (@BrunoRguezP) January 6, 2022

It was not the first time that Rodriguez slammed a sanction issued by the U.S. government. On a different tweet in July, the Cuba's foreign minister lambasted the U.S. government for imposing sanctions on the head of Cuba's military and the division of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior.

He said the sanctions that targeted those from the Cuban regime responsible for the repression of protests in the country were "baseless" and "slanderous."

Apart from retaliating on the U.S. sanctions, Rodriguez also denounced the U.S. State Department for urging other countries to condemn Cuba amid the protests.

He claimed that the department was "exercising brutal pressures" among the 35-member Organization of American States (OAS) to garner support on a draft joint statement condemning Cuba.

The travel bans are the latest actions against Cuba from the Biden administration. Last November, Blinken also announced travel bans on nine Cuban officials for similar actions against protesters.

Cuba Protests

The July demonstrations were considered the biggest one in decades against the country's Communist regime. The thousands of Cubans protesting in the streets were angry about the economy's collapse and food and medicine shortages. They also cited price hikes and the government's response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Many have been arrested during the protests. While protests are rare, unauthorized public gatherings are illegal in Cuba.

Antony Blinken said on Thursday that around 600 protesters remained imprisoned for joining the protests, sentences he called "harsh and unjust."

He added that some detainees have seen their health conditions deteriorate because they do not have access to proper food or medicine.

READ MORE: Mexico Health Regulator Authorizes Cuba's COVID Vaccine for Emergency Use as Baja California Sur Becomes Country's Epicenter of Coronavirus

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Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Cuba blames U.S. as the Country Sees Biggest Protests in Decades - From DW News
President Joe Biden has revealed why he did not mention former President Donald Trump's name in his speech marking the first anniversary of the Capitol riot.

After his speech on Thursday, Biden told Daily Mail that he did not mention Trump by name as he did not want to begin a "contemporary political battle."

"I did not want to turn it into a contemporary political battle between me and the president. It's way beyond that," Biden noted.

The president said he was concerned about a new attitude "that seems to be emerging to some degree in American politics," which is all "about me."

He noted that the nation needs to look to move one, adding that the way to heal is to recognize "the extent of the wound."

"You can't pretend. This is serious stuff... You gotta face it. That's what great nations do. They face the truth. Deal with it. And move on," Biden said.

In his remarks, the president mentioned his predecessor 16 times, but he never said Donald Trump's name. He only referred to him as the "former president."

Donald Trump Reacts on Joe Biden's Capitol Riot Anniversary Speech

In a statement, Donald Trump has called Joe Biden's speech "political theater" and said it was a distraction for his failures.

He also reiterated his false claim that he won the 2020 presidential election, and the result was rigged.

Trump said the Democrats wanted to own the day of January 6 "so they can stoke fears and divide America."

"I say, let them have it because America sees through theirs [sic] lies and polarizations," he noted.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki brushed off Trump's response to Biden's remarks. Psaki said she was glad that the former president heard Biden's speech and maybe learned something from it.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden to Blame Donald Trump for 'Chaos and Carnage' of Capitol Riot as He Marks the Anniversary of the Attack

Joe Biden's Speech on January 6 Capitol Attack Anniversary

In his speech at Statuary Hall outside the House chamber, Joe Biden said that for the first time in U.S. history, "a president not just lost the election, he tried to prevent a peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol, NPR reported.

The president noted that the nation should make sure that it will never happen again. Biden said that Trump, without mentioning his name, "values power over principle," and his "bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy." He added that the "defeated former president" could not accept he lost.

The president further noted that Trump continued with the lie that he won the election because "he sees his own interest as more important than his country's interest, than America's interest."

Joe Biden added that Trump only sat in the White House while watching the event unfold on television, "doing nothing."

The president also decried the rioters for ransacking the Capitol and destroying property. Biden said he would defend the country and would not allow anyone "to place a dagger at the throat of democracy."

Speaking to reporters later, Biden told them that he wanted to "face the truth" in his speech in order to heal.

Biden also appealed for a bipartisan unity against the politics of last year's Capitol riot and recognized Republicans who condemned the attack. However, he did not spare any words against the former president for the attack.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted that the speech was a "brazen politicization of January 6" by the president. On the other hand, Democrat Rep. Adam Schiff praised the president's tone during his speech.

Schiff said that he hopes it will lead to an "awakening" about the danger he believes Trump still poses, NBC News reported.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris said she has faith that justice will be served when the January 6 committee ends its investigation of the Capitol attack.

Harris noted that from what she has witnessed from the outside, the select committee is exercising great diligence while being guided by facts and law.

The select committee has ramped up its investigation, with interviews from hundreds of individuals who have knowledge about what happened on January 6, including some Trump administration officials.

However, the inquiry could be dissolved, and the committee could cease to exist if Republicans regain control of the House after the November midterm election.

READ MORE: Justice Department Indicts Steve Bannon with Contempt of Congress for Refusing to Comply Capitol Riot Subpoena

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WATCH: Watch Biden's Full January 6 Anniversary Speech - From Washington Post






Separate piranha attacks in Paraguay this year left four people dead and more than 20 others injured, causing concern among locals.

Fox News reported that the first death of the new year happened on January 2, when a 22-year-old man was bathing in the Paraguay River, which is one of the biggest in the country, at the Ita Enramada neighborhood just south of the capital Asuncion.

His family contacted the police after he disappeared during a family outing. Police conducted a search, and after 45 minutes, his body was found with severe bite marks from the piranhas.

READ NEXT: Argentina Extends Export Ban on Some Beef Cuts to Guarantee Domestic Supply, Lower Local Prices

More People Died in Paraguay Due to Piranha Attacks

The second incident also happened in the same river in the town of Puerto Rosario, when a 49-year-old man was found dead after being attacked by the ferocious fish, The Daily Mail reported.

He was also found with severe bites on the face a few hours after he was reported missing. It was believed that he died first from a heart attack before the piranhas in the water attacked him.

Two other young people were also found dead Sunday with bites of the omnivorous fish species on their bodies in the Tebicuary River at Villa Florida.

On Tuesday, Naval Prefecture members and the Public Ministry removed the body of another victim, who was reported missing on Monday.

The man, who was found floating in the Paraguay River, reportedly died of asphyxia by submersion. However, he also had bite marks on his face and feet.

There have also been more than seven other reports of swimmers being bitten on New Year's Day on the beach at the Bella Vista swimming club in Itapua.

Dozens of other reports have also been filed by bathers in other beach areas. These incidents were reportedly not fatal but resulted in serious injuries.

Adrian Cardoza, the Bella Vista club's manager, said they were thinking of using chemicals to place in the water to keep the piranhas away.

Piranha attacks happen not only in Paraguay but also in other South American countries. In Argentina, a piranha attack caused a teenage girl to lose a toe after the fish bit her.

Piranha Attacks

Piranhas are an omnivorous fish species that do not usually attack humans unless at times of drought, starvation, or during their breeding season between October and March. Aggressive behavior is generally observed among male piranhas, but they do not usually result in fatal attacks.

According to experts, piranhas usually turn aggressive when water levels are low, starved, or in their breeding season.

To avoid being victimized by the said fish species, prevent commotion such as splashing and making unnecessary noise in the water. Piranhas are known to be attracted to these kinds of environments.

Throwing dead fish and other foods in the water may also attract them. Experts also suggest that bathing with leaking blood from the body is not advisable as the blood attracts piranhas.

READ MORE: 5 Guatemala Paramilitary Soldiers Undergo Trial After 40 Years Over Sexual Abuse on Country's Indigenous Women

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WATCH: How to Survive a Piranha Feeding Frenzy - From How to Survive
Paris, France (PANA) - Fifty-five journalists and media professionals were killed last year, latest UN data showed on Thursday, with nearly nine in 10 killings since 2006 still unresolved
A Laois nun who was killed in a savage attack on a church in St Lucia, has been remembered on the anniversary of her funeral.

On this day, January 7 in 2001, Irish soil was sprinkled on the casket of Sister Theresa Egan, as more than 2,000 mourners attended her funeral on the Carribean island, according to the Stair na hEireann website.

Sr Theresa was a native of Clonaslee, and a mass for her family was held there following her death.

She was killed in a horrific attack on a Roman Catholic church on New Years Eve aged 72. Sr Mel Kenny from Clonmacnoise was injured.

She was one of three nuns who had been giving out communion at 6 oclock mass. Four men, armed with blowtorches, kerosene and machetes stormed the church and began attacking people. At least 13 people were injured, including the priest who received severe burns.

According to local police at the time, the attack was carried out by a group of men, dressed in traditional rastafarian clothes, who claimed to be opposed to the island's main churches. The Prime Minister of St Lucia, Dr Kenny Anthony, said the attackers were "sick and demonic."

Sr Theresa had trained as a nun at the order of St Joseph of Cluny Sisters convent in Ferbane, Co Offaly, and left Ireland in her early 20s. She had been working in the West Indies for fifty years and had been based in St Lucia for 30 years.

She was a former primary school principal and was involved in education on the island. Sr Theresa Egan was survived by three sisters, all of whom are presentation nuns.
The Mayor of Kildare has said that the fact that the town of Maynooth has no community centre is "an absolute embarrassment."

Councillor Naoise O Cearuil made the comments during the most recent Clane-Maynooth Municipal District Meeting on Friday, January 7.

He admitted to those in attendance that he was "frustrated" with Kildare County Council's (KCC) report, which was issued by Denis McDermott, Senior Executive Officer for KCC's Economic, Community and Cultural Development Department.

It read as follows: "Maynooth Community Space has acted as a community centre in Maynooth for some time. Unfortunately this has been closed due to Covid restrictions: we are currently working with the facilities section to find a way we can safely reopen the facility to the public.

"A trial is currently being run in Newbridge Town Hall and we await the outcome of this.

"We hope that Maynooth Community Space will reopen in the new year assuming a positive outcome from the trial and an easing of current restrictions," the report concluded.

Mayor O Cearuil claimed that there is still no place for community groups to meet on a daily basis.

He explained: "It is an absolute embarrassment: the town of Maynooth has been left aside.

"It's been growing so much over the years, and yet KCC, who praise this fact, can't seem to accommodate it."

Mayor O Cearuil further expressed frustration over how "very little funding" is allocated to Celbridge, Leixlip, "and to a lesser extent, Kilcock and Clane."

"We need to get real here: this will probably be back next month and nothing will have changed.

"In my seven and a half years on KCC, I have seen no progress whatsoever over this issue," the Fianna Fail politician added.

He then urged Marian Higgins of KCC to look into the issue again, to which she replied that she would be open to meeting with him to discuss a possible new setting.

Mayor O Cearuil's sentiments were backed up by Fine Gael Cllr Brendan Wyse, as well as Senior Executive Officer McDermott, who said that he "understood the Mayor's frustrations.

"Let's get boots on the ground and look into this," Mr McDermott added.
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A Councillor from Kildare has said that it appears that the government "doesn't seem to care" about students.

Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender made the comments shortly after many pupils and teachers reluctantly returned to schools across the nation yesterday.

Commenting on the contentious issue, Cllr Pender said: "Schools need support, not 'lackluster' leadership."

"For certain students or teachers, a hybrid model of learning was not only attainable but also crucial... particularly for those with underlying health concerns or vulnerable family members at home."

The Newbridge politician continued: "Others who could have taken advantage of this opportunity, who have the luxury of technology and space in their homes, could have done so as well, alleviating the burden of our overcrowded classrooms in outdated buildings.

"The Department (for Education) or the Minister (Norma Foley) hasn't bothered to try, and it is deplorable and downright negligent... but, at the same time, the virus spreads across our communities."

"It honestly beggars belief that, with schools reopening, no one in the education department can tell you how many schools have acquired an air filtration system since they closed before Christmas."

He further claimed that the Minister (for Education) "allowed for a situation" where there will be an inequality of clean air in our classrooms: "That is outrageous and negligent to the point of cruelty, in my opinion.

"The latest data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre looks at the total number of outbreaks recorded in the fourth wave of the virus between 27 June and 31 December 2021: while the most significant number of outbreaks, 919, was recorded among families in private homes, the following highest figure was associated with school students and staff."

Reiterating the views of his Party's spokesperson for Education, Dublin Central TD Gary Gannon, Cllr Chris Pender elaborated: "I couldn't in conscience call for school closures in their entirety knowing as we know now that this would be incredibly harmful to the children and students who are already among the most vulnerable members of society."

"We need to get laptops into school students' hands and ensure access to the internet, that's how we prevent inequality in learning in the coming weeks when many students will be at home due to COVID."

He continued: "The truth is we've known for a while that we need a hybrid model, yet the Govt doesn't seem to care.

"I completely understand that this is asking certain members of our school community to put themselves in an unsafe environment.

However, that risk could and should have been reduced dramatically with serious mitigation measures being put in place; the next several weeks will be tough for everyone in the school community, whether they are students, teachers, or other members of the school community."

Cllr Pender further claimed that the government appears "incapable of learning lessons and exhibiting some grit in finding solutions".

"A government that hasn't even bothered to look at a central procurement system for filtration systems which would not only support schools but ensure we units are effective and meet the criteria for which they are needed," he concluded.
A Senator from Kildare has criticised Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald over what she called a derogatory statement from her regarding public servants.

On Wednesday January 5, Ms McDonald said that the civil service's constipated state would be a key challenge for Sinn Fein if they were to be elected into power.

In response, Fianna Fail TD Michael McGrath said in a tweet: (The public service is) far from being 'constipated', thousands of our public and civil servants have proven their value and have gone beyond the call of duty during Covid to look after the rest of us.

This is an unnecessary & worrying cheap shot from Mary Lou McDonald, he added.

Far from being 'constipated', thousands of our public and civil servants have proven their value and have gone beyond the call of duty during Covid to look after the rest of us. This is an unnecessary & worrying cheap shot from Mary Lou McDonald. https://t.co/EvEP5XmDp3  Michael McGrath (@mmcgrathtd) January 5, 2022

Following this, Minister McGrath's party colleague, Senator Fiona O' Loughlin, voiced her support for him.

She explained: Minister Michael McGrath made the comment, which I agreed with, that many of our our public servants have gone beyond the call of duty during the pandemic, and that Mary Lou was wrong in her derogatory language about them.

Our nurses, Doctors, teachers, Guards, soldiers etc are all public servants and have given unstinting service over the last 24 months.

The Kildare-South politician also recently appeared on a panel with Professor Staines about the return to schools.

Elaborating on her views after the panel appearance, she told the Leinster Leader: Whilst we are all concerned about Omicron, the situation is very different to last year, with 96 per cent of all adults vaccinated and over 2 million boosted, and the roll out of vaccination for children over 5 is also significant.

I can understand the nervousness and anxiety about children going back to school and undoubtedly there will continue to be many challenges ahead, but Minister Foley made extra funding available for either hepa filters or other forms of work to support ventilation for schools who now also have antigen tests available to them.

Speaking about her native county, Senator O' Loughlin said: We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our school communities in Kildare for their difficult work in managing school openings during the pandemic.

"There is no doubt, and this is borne out by all research that in classroom teaching is by far the best option for students, and we must take a child/student centered approach in these decisions.

In related news, earlier this week, Senator Fiona O' Loughlin said she welcomed the Housing Minister's newly expanded loan scheme.
The new minimum alcohol pricing rules are driving people to Northern Ireland in search of cheaper prices.

Fermanagh's off licences are stocking up in expectation of a boost of sales from customers from the Republic.

The new rules, introduced as a measure to reduce excessive alcohol consumption by reducing binge drinking, sees drink generally becoming more expensive and are expected to a surge in the number of shoppers crossing the border to buy drink.



The new law will see one gram of alcohol costing a minimum of 10c, which is approximately 8.5p. The minimum price for any drink will be 1, with a standard drink in Ireland containing ten grams of alcohol. A pub measure of spirits, a small glass of wine, or a half pint of beer are all classed as one standard drink.



This will mean, for example, a standard bottle of wine will not be allowed to be sold for less than 7.40, while a can of beer will be at least 1.70. Spirits such as gin or vodka with an alcohol content of more than 40 percent will not be able to be sold for less than 20.70 and a 700ml bottle of whiskey for less than 22.

Twenty-four cans of Budweiser will go from 24 to 40.71.
There were dramatic scenes at Upper Main Street in Mohill following the partial collapse of a building facade on Thursday, September 9.

Plaster rained down on a nearby footpath from the premises locally known as Clarke's bar and hotel.

Gardai were called to the scene and traffic was diverted as a precautionary measure. The pub and hotel section of the premises had previously been damaged in a fire in December 2013.

Officials from the Council met with the owner and his structural engineers to determine the condition of the building.

Twenty years on from the 9/11 attacks in New York, there was and remains a growing campaign calling for Father Mychal Judge to be considered a saint.

Fr Judge, whose parents came from Keshcarrigan and Drumkeerin, was the first recorded victim of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Fr Judge was a chaplain with the New York City Fire Department. He died on September 11, 2001 while administering last rites in the lobby of the North Tower.

Confirmation that over-the-counter cash services were ending in Manorhamilton's AIB branch was described as a kick in the teeth for the North Leitrim community by local Independent councillor, Felim Gurn.

The area was still reeling from Bank of Ireland's announcement earlier this year of plans to close its branches in Manorhamilton and Drumshanbo.

The passing of former Leitrim County Councillor, Francis Gilmartin on Sunday, September 26, was met with deep sadness across the county and particularly in his home area of Keshcarrigan and Kiltubrid.

A hugely popular figure in the community, Francie as he was best known, was elected to Leitrim County Council in 1999 for Fianna Fail and went on to represent the interests of his local community and the county as a whole with great determination and energy.
Leitrim secondary schools have seen a drop in Leaving Certificate students heading on to third level education.

The feeder school league table was published this week. It showed that fee paying schools continue to dominate entry to college, but the second Covid-era Leaving Cert gave disadvantaged pupils a further CAO lift.

The figures showed that pupils in schools serving the most disadvantaged communities have benefited from the use of grades based on teachers estimated marks instead of, or alongside, exam results. The feeder school tables are drawn from data supplied by almost 30 third-level colleges and from the State Examinations Commission(SEC).

Mohill Community College had the highest perecentage of Leaving Cert students enroling in third level intitutions this year. 83% of the 64 students who sat the exam went on to third level education this year. It was the only Leitrim school to see an increase in students going to third level, last year the had 73%. NUIG and NUI Maynooth were the most popular choices.

103 students sat the Leaving Certificate in Carrick-on-Shannon Community School, 80% of those students went onto third level education. Last year 100% of Carrick students went on to third level education. The most popular college choices from Carrick were NUIG, IT Sligo and University of Limerick.

77% of the 64 students who sat exams in Ballinamore Community School went to third level this year, this is a drop from 100% of students last year. NUI Maynooth and DCU had the highest number of students from Ballinamore.

The percentage of Drumshanbo Vocational School students who went to third level this year compared to last year dropped slightly from 77% to 71%. 47 students sat the Leaving exam this year and NUIG,UCD, DCU and IT Sligo were the most popular choices.

75 students sat the Leaving Certificate in St Clares Comprehensive School, Manorhamitlon this year. 64% of the students went on to third level education, a large drop from 84% in 2020. IT Letterkenny, IT Sligo, Galway - Mayo It and UCD were the top choices here.

Lough Allen College, Drumkeerin had just 27 Leaving Cert students this year, 63% went on to third level education in 2021, a drop from 75% in 2020. Galway-Mayo IT and IT Sligo were the colleges of choice.



Carrigallen Vocational School had 53 students sit LC exams this year. 62% of those students went to third level education, which is similar to last years numbers. Galways - mayo IT and DCU were the most popular choices there.

Many Leitrim students choose to do PLC courses for a year before heading on to third level education.












TRIBUTES have been pouring in for the late wife of retired Limerick businessman Papa Gino.

Marie Rocca nee Enright, who had been married to Gino for 52 years, died peacefully at her home on the Ennis Road on Tuesday.

Hundreds of tributes have been paid to the Rocca and Enright families in memory of the wife and mother who will be deeply missed by her rock.

One family member, from Clareview, said that Marie, who had been battling illness, was everybodys friend and always made time to stop and chat when she would meet you. She will be missed so much by many, they added.

Gino, originally from Italy, met his beloved wife while working in Roma takeaway on Roches Street in the city. Marie was working in a local bakery at the time.

The couple that many Limerick people came to know got married the following year and opened a chip shop in the Fairgreen in Garryowen as well as in Newcastle West.

One tribute from Bloomfield, Michigan in the U S, stated: Marie was a wonderful and beautiful person. I only remember her as a positive and supportive person that had a great outlook on life.

Another condolence, from much closer to home, recalls the many great chats that were had in her kitchen with a very gentle woman.

Papa Gino (73), took to social media to let his many loyal followers know of the passing and funeral arrangements of his wife who he loved so very much.

Marie Rocca (Enright) was laid to rest in her final resting place at Mount St Lawrence Cemetery, following requiem Mass on Thursday at St Josephs Church, O Connell Avenue, Limerick.

Marie will be sadly missed by her loving husband Papa Gino, son Gino, daughters Shirley and Raquel, son-in-law Charles, sisters, brothers, other relatives and her many friends.

May she rest in peace.
FOURTEEN apartments for sale in Limerick city have attracted interest from all around the country even from the UK.

Ten apartments at Fishermans Quay, Grove Island and four in Rices Corner, Thomondgate, have been brought to the market by BOC Properties. The guide price is 2,150,000.

The rental properties in Fishermans Quay are all two bedroom. The four top floor abodes in Rices Corner are one four bedroon, two three bedroom, and one two bedroom. Both developments were constructed around 2004.

Brendan OConnor, auctioneer, said they are an excellent investment opportunity.

The total gross annual income for the 14 apartments is 178,332. They are all occupied with good tenants. The tenants are not affected, said Mr OConnor.

The vendors are understood to be retiring. Mr OConnor has had an offer on the properties already.

They are an excellent investment. It is not like selling a three bedroom semi-detached where youll have loads of people wanting to view it tomorrow but the interested parties I have are serious buyers. We have various interest from all around the country and even from the UK, said Mr OConnor.

The auctioneer, based in Nenagh, is confident of achieving the guide price of over 2m.

The new owners would have a return of nearly 8% of a yield on our asking price. Anybody that is getting 8% of a yield is a good return for any investor, said Mr OConnor.

According to the Daft Rental Report Q3 2021, released last November, rents in Limerick city climbed by 8.9% in the last year. The average rent is now 1,373.

In County Limerick, rents were on average 13.2% higher in the third quarter of 2021 than a year previously. The average listed rent is now 1,067, up 89% from its lowest point.

Ronan Lyons, economist at Trinity College Dublin and author of the Daft Report, said: While some argue against the construction of large numbers of purpose-built rental homes, any solution to the chronic shortage of rental homes in Ireland must include building new ones.
THE head of the Limerick garda division says efforts are continuing to secure funding for the upgrade and refurbishment of Castleconnell garda station.

Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche made his comments at a meeting of the Limerick Joint Policing Committee after he confirmed there is currently no commitment at a national level to include a new garda station for Castletroy on the new Garda Capital Programme.

We have done some remedial work there (Castleconnell garda station) but its not enough. I would like to put more people out there but I cant, he said.

Currently, there is one sergeant and ten gardai attached to Castleconnell garda station which is the only garda station on that side of the city.

While submissions have been made to include a new station for Castletroy on the new Garda Capital Programme, Chief Superintendent Roche says its unlikely to be included.

It hasnt gotten into the capital program and thats the big issue  if it doesnt get on the capital programme its not gong to get done, he said.

In the meantime, he told the meeting, funding is being sought to upgrade Castleconnell garda station to allow more gardai to be assigned there.

Thats a matter of refurbishment of whats there and we are in regular contact with our own housing section who are talking with the Office of Public Works who are trying to upgrade that and make it fit for purpose until such time that we can get down to the nuts and bolts of what any new station (in Castletroy) might look like.

Separately, Chief Superintendent Roche told the JPC that hes confident plans for a new district headquarters in Newcastle West will be progressed during the coming calender year.
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BILLIONAIRE businessman John Collison visited Limerick to encourage high-achieving local teenagers to consider careers in software engineering.

The inaugural TECS awards ceremony at the University of Limerick was held to recognise a high achieving group of future young creators.

John Collison, Co-Founder and President of Stripe presented awards to a group of talented teenagers who took part in a new programme to find and reward people making new things in a four-week competition.

Fun to meet the winners of the @joinpatch_ and @ImmersiveSE TECS awards at @UL today, including overall winner Abutalha Alam (a fellow @CastletroyC student )! Only 26 days left to remember to put Immersive Software Engineering on your CAO pic.twitter.com/MRGcWXm9hY January 6, 2022

The former Castletroy College student, who along with his brother Patrick built Stripe, a digital payment company, has an estimated net worth in 2022 of $9.5 billion and resides in California.

The 31-year-old, who took the accolade of the youngest self-made billionaire in 2016, has yet to confirm if his company will begin trading publicly.

The TECS prizes for 16  21-year-olds, were awarded based on how much progress projects made from week to week.

Speaking to the prize winners, John Collison stressed that what the students had done is a perfect example of what is looking to be achieved in the Immersive Software Engineering programme at UL, with the projects really demonstrating the whole idea behind it.

You have to just jump in. That is what we are trying to do with this course and the TECS project. You want to be somersaulting off the deep end into actually learning it.

We are just so blown away by the projects. We would really encourage you all to consider careers in software engineering, however you choose to do that.

At the ceremony, he spoke of the importance of investing in the future of software engineers and mentioned that Stripe is continuing to expand here in Ireland.

Their Dublin office, located near the Grand Canal Dock, has 500 employees, with plans to expand that by a further 1,000 in the next five years.

He lauded UL as having the best computer science programme in Ireland and hopes that it will produce the next Stripes and the allow the Irish tech industry to selfishly bloom.

He also stressed that the rise in corporation tax in Ireland, would not inhibit Stripe or other companies from hiring, and that being on the periphery of Europe was a significant advantage.

We think it is a fabulous career, we think it is one of the best kept secrets and so we would love to have you here at UL, or however you choose to do that but we think you all have fabulous potential, and we cant wait to see what you all do with it, he concluded.
A MAN and woman appeared before an out-of-term sitting of the Special Criminal Court this Friday afternoon charged with money laundering offences. The arrests were made in what gardai have called a significant development in an ongoing operation against organised crime in County Limerick.

Dermot McManus (51) and Terese Halpin (49) were both arrested on Thursday night when gardai executed a warrant at their home address at Keating Park, Killalee, Co Limerick.

Mr McManus is charged with handling sums of cash worth 28,550 and 17,240, knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether it was the proceeds of criminal conduct on 17 June 2020, and allowing an account at the Limerick and District Credit Union to be used for the purposes of handling the proceeds of crime on the same date.

He is further charged with possession of a stolen blue Ford Transit van with a 161-L registration between 10 August 2019 and 12 June 2020; and with handling a white 151-C Mercedes Sprinter between 2 June 2020 and 23 May 2021.

Ms Halpin is charged with possession of the same cash sums on 17 June last year, and allowing a Permanent TSB account to be used for handling the proceeds of crime between 17 January 2019 and 10 June 2020.

Garda Enda Farrell told State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan that he arrested Ms Halpin on Thursday evening at her home address on foot of a warrant. He said he handed her a copy of the charge sheet in the Criminal Courts of Justice building in Dublin, shortly before this Friday afternoon's hearing.

Garda John Sheahan subsequently told Mr O'Donovan he had arrested Mr McManus at the same time and place before also handing him the charge sheet in the CCJ today.

The three-judge court heard that neither accused made any response to their arrest or caution.

Mr Mark Thompson BL, representing both accused, said he was reserving his position.

Dermot McManus, who wore a navy blue and orange soft-shell jacket and red tartan face mask, was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing on Tuesday next, January 11.

Bail was granted for Terese Halpin, who appeared in court wearing a black puffa jacket and a blue medical face mask.

She entered into a bond and undertook to surrender her passport, provide gardai with her phone number, and sign on from Monday to Friday at a local garda station.

She is to appear before the Special Criminal Court in Dublin again on Friday, February 18, at 10.30am.

On September 7 last year, gardai carried out 65 raids in Limerick as part of "Operation Coronation", which involved soldiers, detectives, customs officers and over 300 local gardai and led to the arrest of 12 people.
Aoife Beary, one of the survivors of the 2015 Berkeley balcony collapse, did not let that tragedy define her life, her funeral heard.

Friends and family gathered in the Our Lady of Perpetual Succour church in Foxrock in south Dublin on Friday morning for the funeral of the 27-year-old, described as a vibrant and brave girl.

Ms Beary, from Blackrock in south Dublin, survived the 2015 tragedy in the US.

She died last Saturday in Beaumont Hospital in Dublin.

Olivia Burke, Eoghan Culligan, Lorcan Miller, Niccolai Schuster, Eimear Walsh and Ashley Donohoe died when a balcony collapsed in California in the early hours of June 16 2015.

It happened during a celebration for Ms Bearys 21st birthday.

She was among those left with life-changing injuries following the tragedy in the US.

The funeral on Friday, which was attended by a representative of the Irish President Michael D Higgins as well as the chaplain of University College Dublin, heard how Ms Beary overcame the obstacles life put in her way.

Fr Kieran Dunne, the parish priest, told the congregation that Ms Beary was a person of remarkable gifts and talent.

In 2017 after the balcony collapse, Ms Beary had started studying occupational therapy in Oxford Brookes University in England.

Fr Dunne described her as a woman who faced the very depth of loss of many friends and personal injury to herself and others.

A person who embraced life and its possibilities again, finding especially new growth and life in her friendships and in her study in Oxford Brookes.

We recall a person rooted in her family, parish and community.

A loving, loyal, faithful young woman who had the capacity to nurture true friendship.

Fr Dunne said the ripples from the death of Ms Beary had been felt across the country and beyond.

Communities of friendship all touched and moved by the life and death of this beautiful young woman. Not to mention the wider Christian community here in Foxrock and our city and national community as well, he said.

At the funeral, friends prayed and thanked the doctors and nurses who had cared for Aoife over the years.

Before the service began, children from local schools lined the route to the church on Friday to pay their respects to Ms Beary.

Inside the church, a map of the world, on which Ms Beary had scratched out all the countries she had visited, was placed on the altar.

The congregation heard that it had always been her aim to visit 25 countries before she reached the age of 25.

The map was joined by an old school jumper and a the degree scroll from University College Dublin, as well as an occupational therapist uniform and a coffee cup.

Aoifes day always had to begin with her vanilla latte. It was an important part of her daily routine. No study or chat could begin without a cup of coffee in hand. It was like punctuation to her day, her friend Aisling Kennon told the church.

Clodagh Cogley, another survivor of the balcony collapse, placed a Spanish textbook belonging to Ms Beary on the altar.

Aoifes lockdown challenge was not baking banana bread, but to become fluent in Spanish, Ms Kennon told mourners.

James ODoherty, Ms Bearys godfather, spoke on behalf of the family as the funeral mass drew to a close.

Minutes earlier Begin by Irish poet Brendan Kennelly, which says that something that will not acknowledge conclusion insists that we forever begin, had been read to the congregation.

You fought such a good fight and the burden of your injuries and the burden of dealing with them didnt leave a lot of space for the joy of living, Mr ODoherty said of his goddaughter.

But you insisted on living life well. You insisted on a life full of meaning and purpose. It was grounded in your ability to connect with people. The strong friendships youve built from a very early age.

In a moving tribute to Ms Beary, he praised her love of living, her ability to make friends and her passion for travel.

Mr ODoherty spoke of the day she testified in front of the state legislature in California, following the balcony collapse.

You didnt forget your friends when you sat in front of the lawmakers in California, he said.

And you said those words that I think everybody here remembers  that your birthday will always be their anniversary.

He quoted a tribute from Dean of Science at University College Dublin Tara McMorrow, who said that her legacy is one of hope and determination.

The song Somewhere Over the Rainbow was sung as Ms Bearys coffin was carried from the church, before being taken to Newlands Cross Crematorium.

The Mass booklet for the funeral was decorated with photos from the life of Ms Beary, showing her smiling with friends and documenting her travels.

A quote from it read: Never ever doubt that we will meet again. Until that happy day I will grow with God and wait for you.
The 79th Golden Globes ceremony will be a private event and no longer live-streamed, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has announced.

The winners at the annual awards ceremony will be announced in real time on the Golden Globes website and social media.

The event received heavy criticism last year after it emerged that the HFPA, the body that presents the awards, had no black members.

The ceremony is due to take place on Sunday at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles though there will be no red carpet and, according to US media outlets, no celebrity hosts.

An HFPA spokesperson said: This years event is going to be a private event and will not be livestreamed.

We will be providing real time updates on winners on the Golden Globes website and our social media.

A full list of winners will be put out via press release following the ceremonys conclusion, the HFPA added.

The organisation recently said the event would feature a discussion of a new five-year diversity initiative in conjunction with the NAACP Hollywood Bureau.

This year's event is going to be a private event and will not be live-streamed. We will be providing real-time updates on winners on the Golden Globes website and our social media.https://t.co/UftlFSZg5u  Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) January 6, 2022

The project aims to ensure visibility of projects from artists of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and to increase diverse representation in the industry.

The backlash over the HFPAs lack of black members prompted the association to overhaul its bylaws and implement changes addressing ethics and inclusion.

The broadcast of the award ceremony was dropped by US network NBC.

The HFPAs ethics were also called into question over alleged shady practices including accepting inappropriate freebies following an investigation by the Los Angeles Times.
On Thursday, January 6, 2022, the City of Laredo conducted a special council meeting to recommend the approval of the Transit Management Services contract to Hendrickson Transportation Group (HTG) which will take over the operations of El Metro Transit System. The Laredo Council approved the motion and authorized the City Manager to initiate the negotiation of a management agreement with the sole bidder, HTG. The agendas motion states for the agreement to include a term of five years beginning February 1, 2022, with the option of renewing the contract for an additional five years.

HTGs President, John Hendrickson, stated that they are excited to be a part of this project as one of their main interests is to be a part of this community within public transportation. HTGs experience with different types of community services will continue to support the services that are being offered in Laredo. Additionally, both organizations expect a smooth transition to continue El Metro operations. HTG is determined to offer a comfortable transition, working with all the current employees to ensure them of their employment and their benefits. HTG believes in the importance of stability in the family unit and in helping them achieve that.

The official contract will be reviewed during the upcoming City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 18.

Hendrickson Transportation Group is an American-owned company established in April 2020, however, its founders carry over 25 years of experience developing, managing, and operating public transportation systems, including Denton County Transportation Authority in Denton County, Texas, and Waco Transit System in Waco, Texas.
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Lena Ann "Lee Ann" Enzinna, age 77 of the City of Tonawanda, April 28, 2022. Lee Ann was a 1962 graduate of Tonawanda High School and a graduate of Buffalo State Teachers College. She had been employed by Roswell Park Cancer Inst. for many years. Daughter of the late Samuel F. Sr. and Lena E
Penalty charges for motorists caught parking on footpaths, cycle tracks and bus lanes will double from February.

The Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, signed regulations to double the charge from 40 to 80 today.

Minister Ryan was pleased to announce the news and said, "Parking on footpaths puts vulnerable pedestrians, such as wheelchair users and those pushing buggies, at significant risk by forcing them off the footpath and into traffic. Parking in bus and cycle lanes endangers cyclists and undermines State investment in sustainable public transport infrastructure.

One third of students stay home from Longford school as Omicron wave fears hit home Around a third of students stayed at home from one Longford school today for Covid-related reasons as pupils returned from their Christmas break.

'Our hearts are broken into pieces': brother's emotional farewell to Longford crash victim The grief-stricken brother of a young man killed in a single vehicle road crash in Co Longford on New Years Day has told his funeral of how his familys hearts have been left broken by the tragedy.

"These increases should help improve the safety of all vulnerable road and footpath users, by creating a more effective deterrent to these specific forms of illegal parking."

A survey by the Irish Wheelchair Association found the majority of its members face difficulties navigating pavements, pedestrian crossings and parking.

A reported 77% of 1,000 people with physical disabilities surveyed said there was poor or no access to public spaces.

Minister of State for Road Safety, Hildegarde Naughton, also welcomed the 40 increase and said, "Obstructing footpaths, bus lanes and cycle tracks can confront vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, with particularly dangerous obstacles on busy roads, while also forcing tricky manoeuvres upon buses and cars who may be attempting to overtake such careless parking.

"These new penalties will safeguard families and communities as they make use of our growing network of active travel infrastructure and will encourage more people to walk and cycle as Government invests almost 1 million per day on projects across the country."
Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com

Columnists Press Releases
Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness

By Ls Cohen Published: January 07 2022

January is National Blood Donor Month.

This month is National Blood Donor Month, a reminder that a strong blood supply is important to everyones health, especially in emergencies. With the regions supply at a critically low level New York Blood Center (NYBC) put out a call to encourage blood donations this month.

The regions blood supply continues to be threatened by low donor turnout and blood drive cancellations due to surging levels of Omicron cases, the NYBC statement says. Schools that had begun to reinstate student blood drives are once again canceling, perpetuating the dramatic decline in youth and first-time donors.

According to the NYBC, prior to the pandemic, 50,000 annual blood donations were made at high schools, but the threat of a return to remote learning is making it nearly impossible for them to commit to hosting blood drives. Blood centers across the country have been suffering from shortages since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020.

A strong blood supply is essential and can be threatened at any time with emergencies such as inclement weather, which we are currently seeing with the snow storm to our south, and the surge of Omicron cases that we are seeing nationwide, said Andrea Cefarelli, Senior Executive Director at NYBC. National Blood Donor Month is a great time to sign up to donate blood and start the year by giving back, especially now as we continue to experience this blood shortage.

Donating blood is safe and only takes one hour. NYBC is taking extra precautions to help prevent the person-to-person spread of COVID-19. All NYBC staff are vaccinated. People are not eligible to donate if theyre experiencing a cold, sore throat, respiratory infection or flu-like symptoms. You can donate blood regardless of vaccination status. Additional information on donor eligibility and COVID-19 precautions is available here.

Donors can schedule appointments by calling (800) 933-2566 or visiting www.nybc.org.
(Sharecast News) - Gold and base metals-focussed development company Red Rock Resources reported the results of the first batch of 950 samples from the recently-completed first phase of reverse circulation drilling in the mid KKM prospect on Friday, at the Mikei Gold Project in Kenya.The AIM-traded firm said 20 holes totalling 2,093 metres were completed as part of the programme, with sampling and logging done at one metre intervals by its in-house geological team, before being sent to SGS in Mwanza, Tanzania for accredited laboratory assay.0

It said the results were of the first batch of 950 samples from nine of the 20 drill holes, with the final batch of drilling samples currently awaiting customs clearance.

Red Rock said the highlights included 17 metres at 1.02 grams of gold per tonne from 116 to 133 metres at hole KKRC102, including one metre at 3.15 grams per tonne.

It also highlighted six metres at 1.17 grams of gold per tonne from eight to 13 metres on hold KKRC082, including one metre at 3.75 grams per tonne, and four metres at 1.37 grams per tonne from 83 to 87 metres in hold KKRC101, including one metre at 2.7 grams per tonne.

"The drill programme was designed to test possible extensions of the mineralised zones and to infill some possible gaps where holes might previously have been drilled too far apart to allow an assumption of continuity of mineralisation in the resource calculation," explained chairman Andrew Bell.

"A more powerful compressor had to be brought in part way through the programme, and the first nine holes for which we have results were those drilled while waiting for it to arrive.

"A comprehensive picture of the results of the programme awaits the results of the final 11 holes, including some deeper holes."

Bell said the first nine holes, however, were "extremely encouraging", moving the company towards its objectives for the programme.

"Seven of the drill holes intercepted gold mineralisation, including five at good grades.

"We look forward to being able to announce the remaining results before long."

At 1216 GMT, shares in Red Rock Resources were down 1.95% at 0.56p.
(Alliance News) - A surge in coronavirus cases in the run-up to Christmas due to the Omicron variant knocked footfall in the UK, the latest British Retail Consortium-Sensormatic IQ monitor showed on Friday.

Total footfall in the four weeks to January 1 was down 19% on pre-virus levels, with a 2.9 percentage point decrease from October. Nonetheless, this was better than France, which saw a 24% drop in December, and Germany saw footfall crash 52%.

On UK High Streets, footfall declined 23% in December on two years ago, below the three-month average of a 21% fall. Retail parks and shopping centres also saw footfall decline to a greater extent than the three-month average.

December topped off a "challenging year for brick-and-mortar stores", said BRC Chief Executive Helen Dickinson.

"Much of the progress made over the last four months was wiped out in December as surging Omicron cases and new work-from-home advice deterred many from shopping in-store, particularly in towns and city centres. As case numbers rose precipitously, many people chose to limit social mixing in the run up to Christmas and shop less frequently," she said.

For 2021 as a whole, UK foot traffic was 33% below 2019 - but, encouragingly, up 19% on 2020.

By Lucy Heming; lucyheming@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Mason Ground Control (Colorado River Delta) Download Image: Web

The Lycoming College Art Gallery will welcome the new year with multi-disciplinary artist Noelle Mason whose work explores the temptations of power furthered by systems of visual and institutional control. Her exhibit titled X-Ray Vision vs. Invisibility will open Jan. 28, with a gallery talk to follow at 5:30 p.m. It will run through Saturday, Feb. 26, and is free and open to the public.

Masons exhibit focuses on the use of technologies to patrol international borders and capture images of undocumented immigrants. Using border patrol and border-watching vigilante website images, the project calls into question how the vision technologies recycle Cartesian modes of viewing land and body, and in so doing, reinforces a neocolonial worldview.

When asked about what the goal of the exhibit was, Mason said, This translation highlights how subtle shifts in the medium can evoke a new emotional relationship to this imagery and questions the manner in which the surveillance medium itself serves to dehumanize the subjects of machine images.

Masons work has been celebrated at the Ringling Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Benaki Museum in Athens, Greece, and at Phest International Festival of Photography in Monopi, Italy. Mason is a proud recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Artist Grant, Jerome fellowship, the Florida Prize for Contemporary Art, the Southern Prize and most recently the LensCulture Art Photography Award, the PHmuseum Grant Prize, the Center Sante Fe Directors Choice Award and the Female in Focus award from the British Journal of Photography.

As well as receiving her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Mason completed a residency at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She is now the Associate Professor of Sculpture at the University of South Florida.

The Lycoming College Art Gallery, located in downtown Williamsport at 25 W. Fourth St., contributes to the citys arts culture and allows the College to become more involved with the surrounding community. Lycoming art students have the opportunity to interact with visiting artists and learn first-hand the inner workings of an art gallery.

The gallery is open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 4-8 p.m. For more information, please visit the gallery online at: https://www.lycoming.edu/art/gallery/20-21.aspx.
Manchester, VT (05254)

Today

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 44F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 44F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
As the storm system moves south through the state, it will continue to dump heavy snow in parts of Michigan Thursday and a winter storm warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for the southwestern lower peninsula.

The warning, in effect until 10 a.m. Jan. 7, is for Allegan, Kalamazoo, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, Ottawa and Van Buren counties.

"Light lake effect snow showers this morning will gradually intensify and migrate closer to the lakeshore this evening, with locally heavy accumulations possible," the National Weather Service states on its website.

Heavy snow can be expected with accumulations of 4 to 12 inches. Wind gusts are expected to die down and remain under 10 miles per hour for most of the western side of the state.

The winter weather could make travel difficult with blowing snow still reducing visibility. According to the NWS, visibility issues will greatly affect the commutes into Friday morning for the affected counties.

"A dominant band of heavy lake effect snow will develop later this afternoon into tonight. Snowfall rates over 1" per hour are likely within this band, making road clearing efforts challenging at best," the NWS forecast states.

Other areas closer to central parts of the state will also see the weather system. A winter weather advisory has been issued for Kent county until 7 p.m. Thursday and for Barry and Calhoun counties until 10 a.m. Friday. Travel will be impacted with up to 4 inches of accumulating snow, icy road conditions and slippery road conditions that could affect evening commutes.

With the storm system moving south into parts of Indiana, the central and eastern parts of the state will see much less snow than the western side.
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Why has Taiwan bought 20,000 bottles of rum? Have Bono and the Edge found what theyre looking for? And can you cure a hangover? We ask the big questions in our first news round-up of the year. The Nightcap: 7 January 2022 has landed!

Hey folks, long time no see. We hope you had a lovely Christmas, a wonderful Chanukah, and a Happy New Year. We did too, thanks for asking, and are now looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. And what better way to do that than with a classic round-up of boozy news. Whos ready to do some new year Nightcapping?

Since our last edition a fair amount has happened on the blog, so lets run through it quickly. We made a list of our top ten favourite and most-read posts as well as our funniest stories from 2021. We also launched our famous Burns Night poetry competition and kicked off our Dry January coverage with a guide on how to do it the MoM way, as well as giving you a recipe for a delicious low-alcohol cocktail, some cracking options for which bottles to buy, and even a chance to win big. We also talked about terroir in rum, helped you find a new favourite dram, saw how New Zealand is getting on the whisky map, learned the story behind Fable whisky, and showed you which distilleries to keep an eye on in 2022.

Phew! Lots to catch up on. But for now lets crack on with The Nightcap: 7 January edition!

Bono, the Edge, and Hozier invest in brewery

The Wicklow Wolf Craft Brewing Company has added some star power to its ranks. U2 stars Bono and the Edge, as well as fellow Irish musician Hozier, a part of a group of investors backing the craft brewery. Founded by Mountmellick native Quincey Fennelly and Simon Lynch in 2014, The Wicklow Wolf Craft Brewing Company has issued new shares for almost 2.4 million. Reports suggest Bono and the Edge put up 327,000 between them, and Wicklow native Hozier invested almost 110,000, while the largest investor was Zatrix Holdings, a company controlled by Mary Ann OBrien, the founder of Irish chocolate maker Lily OBriens. Its not the first time the brewery has made headlines for big sums, with the company investing 4 million in a brewery in Newtown Mount Kennedy in 2019, the funding for which came from a 2 million equity raise. Its good to see a company thriving in these difficult times, and hopefully Bono and the Edge have found what theyre looking for. We make no apologies.

Hangover cures dont work, say scientists

On New Years Day, did you rub your aching head and reach for the ginseng? If so, we have bad news. According to the scientific journal Addiction (reported in UPI), theres no evidence that so-called hangover cures have any effect. Dr. Emmert Roberts and his team at Kings College London published a study based on over 20 trials of various products containing red ginseng, artichoke extract, prickly pear, and other popular hangover remedies. The doc commented: Our study has found that evidence on these hangover remedies is of very low quality and there is a need to provide more rigorous assessment. He continued: For now, the surest way of preventing hangover symptoms is to abstain from alcohol or drink in moderation. However, the study did not contain data on the effects of common painkillers like aspirin nor on that old standby, a can of ice-cold full fat Coca-Cola and a bacon sandwich. More research needed, we think.

Taiwan buys 20,000 bottles of Lithuania rum destined for China

Taiwan is sharing tips with the public on how to drink and cook with rum after it bought 20,400 bottles of Lithuanian rum bound for China. According to local media, Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp (TTL) purchased the rum after learning that it could be blocked from entering China. It comes after Lithuania established a de facto embassy in Taiwan using the name Taiwan rather than Chinese Taipei, the name preferred by the Chinese government (yes its a bit complicated, well worth reading this on the China-Taiwan relationship). In retaliation, China downgraded diplomatic relations with Lithuania days after. The state-owned TTL said it had been notified by Taiwans finance minister and head of the Taiwanese Representative Office of Lithuania (great job title mate) Eric Huang that a batch of rum could be up for grabs, as past shipments of beer had been blocked. Taiwans National Development Council later said in a post on Facebook that the rum could not pass through Chinese customs and has urged locals to buy rum at the end of January when the shipment would be on sale. Recipes that have been shared include ones for a Dark n Stormy cocktail (classic), and rum-infused French toast (nice), steak (tell me more) and hot chocolate (all great ideas). Of course, weve got plenty of rum recipes ourselves if anyone wants any more inspiration.

Dewars will deliver a Caribbean Burns Night feast

Dewars has the perfect answer if youre planning on celebrating Burns Night at home this year. The Scotch whisky brand has teamed up with creative consultant Mark Low, who also works with Mr Lyan Studio, and food delivery people All in a Box to deliver you a Burns Night supper with a twist. Its not your standard haggis, neeps, and tatties fare, as its inspired by Dewars Caribbean Smooth so theres a West Indian vibe about the whole thing. The box features haggis Scotch eggs, jerk chicken with neeps, tatties, and plantain mash, and an Irn-Bru-infused take on a Manhattan and a Cranachan-inspired Highball cocktail, all made with Caribbean Smooth, an eight-year-old Dewars finished in rum casks. It even comes with a special playlist, The Proclaimers covering Chaka Demus and Pliers, perhaps. Boxes cost 70 and you can order from 10 January (go here for more information) for an unforgettable Caribbean-infused Burns Night.

Alcohol-free off-licence comes to London

Can you imagine running down to the offie and finding out that they only have alcohol-free drinks? Surely a nightmare for some, but not for Laura Willoughby who is putting on a pop-up off-license just off Regent Street in London with no alcoholic drinks whatsoever. Willoughby (MBE, no less) who runs Club Soda, an alcohol-free drinks site, commented: More UK drinkers than ever are putting their health first by choosing low and no alcohol products. Substituting alcohol-free drinks for alcoholic ones is a tried-and-tested approach to cutting down or stopping drinking, and having good quality choices makes that easier. Thankfully these days going without booze doesnt mean going without flavour. There are over 70 brands on sale including Master of Malt favourites Everleaf and Lyres plus excellent zero and low ABV beers from Adnams, Big Drop, and Lucky Saint. So whether youre doing Dry January, dry curious or just dont drink alcohol, then head down to 59 Great Portland Street until 20 January. Deliciousness awaits.

Bacardi releases non-alc spirit Palette

If youre looking for non-alcoholic deliciousness, Bacardi may have the answer. It has collaborated with bartenders in Amsterdam on two spirit substitutes made with all natural flavours called Palette Roots and Palette Bold. Master of botanicals Alessandro Garneri and his team put cutting-edge technology and three different methods to good use to extract flavour. Of the two varieties, Roots is more your white spirit imitation, made with juniper berries, ginger, and the essential oils of nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, while Bold mimics an aged spirit using the likes of American oakwood and gentian root. At the moment its on-trade only, the brand will launch in bars and restaurants across London including Lyaness, LEscargot, and Christophers. Suggested serves include the Pink Clove which combines Roots with grapefruit soda, lime juice, and tonic, finished with a grapefruit garnish, or Bold Rush, made with Bold, lemon juice, agave syrup, and mint. Were calling time on sweet, tasteless mocktails, says Marine Rozenfeld, innovation development lead for Bacardi Europe, Australia & New Zealand. With the launch of Palette coming hot on the heels of our new Martini Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo with its groundbreaking quality and taste, we are definitely taking mindful drinking to new heights. Exciting stuff, and right in time for Dry January. That was probably deliberate.

Swift Soho shows off swanky new menu

Did you know that Swift Soho, the award-winning bar and home of the Irish Coffee I think about at least once a week, has just turned five years old? Well, it has, and to celebrate the news the bar has put together a brand new menu: Legends. Inspired by famous drinkers throughout history and their favourite tipples, including drinks industry icons such as Dick Bradsell and his daughter Bea, Peter Dorelli and Salvatore Calabrese, historic figures like Van Gogh and Hemingway, up to present-day celebrities including Snoop Dogg and Sir Ian McKellen. The menu includes 19 fun and elegant cocktails, with new innovations as well as some classic Swift serves, all illustrated by hospitality industry artist Dan Collins, who has drawn a portrait of each of the famous faces and their respective inspired cocktails. We had the opportunity to try a couple and, typically, Swift did not disappoint. Theres a smoky Highball made with Port Charlotte 10 Year Old called the Hummingbird that is so drinkable Id like to install a tap of it in my flat, while the Pisco Sour-inspired Shanghaied is spectacular. Right now we desperately need to support the hospitality industry, so if you need an excuse we can think of worse ones than sampling the Legends menu. Now I really fancy an Irish Coffee

And finally monks expelled for drinking whisky at New Year

Three Buddhist monks were caught boozing at a temple in Thailand on New Years Day, claiming they were only drinking whisky to deliver the alcohol to ancestors. Police from the Mueang Kamphaengphet District Office at a temple in Kamphaengphet found the senior monks were violating the rules of monkhood after breathalyser tests confirmed suspicions. Local residents who had heard the monks drinking and partying tipped them off and the odour of alcohol was, according to the officers, very strong in the area when they entered the temple. Monk Arpat was the one who confessed, reportedly telling officials, We dont usually drink, only in festivals. We were drinking local rice whisky from local residents who wanted to give the spirits to their ancestors as a blessing. So we drank this whisky in order to deliver alcohol to those dead people. We were doing a good thing by blessing their ancestors and thought this would not violate the rules of being a monk. As excuses go, its more creative than anything Ive ever come up with. Unfortunately, it didnt wash with the authorities and all three monks were expelled from the monkhood for breaking one of the major rules of conduct for Buddhist Monks in Thailand. If you think theyre bad, just wait till you see the amount of sherry Irish nuns put away at Christmas. Igniting the pudding is a high-risk endeavour.
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
At the back of the grand Vicky Kaushal-Katrina Kaif wedding, there has been a lot of talk about Bollywood celebrities and the people they are going to get married to or are currently dating.

Now, when you talk about Bollywood relationships, how can you leave out the name of one of the biggest superstars in the industry. Salman Khan?

 Instagram

Salman has been a mainstay in Bollywood for the last three decades and is pretty much at the centre of everything in the industry.



Now, while Salman is obviously not officially heard to be dating anyone, there was a time when even Bhai was bit by the lovebug.

The incident or the set of incidents are revealed by his ex-girlfriend Somy Ali.

Somy, who dated Salman for quite some time, really, really long back, revealed how things actually started between them.

The Pakistan-born actress reveals how she was madly in love with Salman and even came to India just with the intention of marrying him after watching Salman's superhit film Maine Pyaar Kiya.

 Zee5

 BCCL

Opening up on the incident in an old interview with Free Press Journal she said, We used to watch Hindi films. I saw Maine Pyaar Kiya, and I had developed a crush on Salman. I had a dream that night, and I decided to go to India. When I was 16, it was ridiculous for me to think that I could go to Mumbai and marry him. I dreamt of marriage and thought it was a prediction from God. I started looking for a suitcase. I told mom that Im going to Mumbai to get married to Salman Khan! said Somy.



She also revealed how it was while on a trip to Nepal when she confessed her fondness for him and how Salman eventually fell in love with her.

We were heading to Nepal. I was sitting next to him. I just removed his photo showing it to him. I told him, I have come all the way to marry you! He said, I have a girlfriend. I said that doesnt matter. I was a teenager. Our relationship started after a year when I turned 17. He did tell me first, I love you. It didnt take a lot of convincing, she said.

Beautiful, right?

However, unfortunately for them, despite being reported to be in a relationship from 1991 to 1999, the two parted ways. However, Somy only had nice things to say about Salman.

I learned a lot from his parents and household. I also learned from Salman. Ultimately, in any relationship, if you are not happy, its better to part ways. That was the case of the relationship between Salman and me. I decided to go back to America, she said.

Somy is now settled in the United States, where she runs a non-profit organization.

As for Salman, the actor will be seen in the upcoming Tiger 3, Shah Rukh Khan's Pathan, and Aamir Khan's Laal Singh Chaddha.

Source: Free Press Journal
Marriages in India just hit different!

We often see videos of gender reveals and wedding functions in foreign countries, but we all know that the marriage game in India is just completely something else.

Add this to the phenomenon that is Bollywood, you've got royal weddings that people just can't get enough of. This was just the case of the recent wedding of actors Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, who married each other in an extravagant fashion at the exotic hotel in Rajasthan.

Now, with that done and dusted, we know that there is one Bollywood couple who is in line to get a similar reception as and when they do get married.

Of course, we're talking about the one and only couple of Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.

Royalty really doesn't come much better than these two, with Ranbir the golden boy of the Kapoor Khaandaan, and Alia being the talented offspring of Bhatt Khaandaan.

The union between the two lovebirds is something that people have been looking really forward to and it sure looks like another royal wedding that will go off in an exotic location if we are to follow history.

However, as excited as we are and I'm sure Brahmastra stars Alia and Ranbir would be too, celebrity astrologer slash Numerologist Niraj Mancchanda has some bad news for everyone.

According to him, the wedding between both will go ahead, but it will only work if, Alia is 'submissive' in the marriage.

Very weird to hear something like that, to be honest.

I mean, both the actors are absolutely exceptional in their fields and we doubt that there should be any such conditions from them when they get married.

However, Niraj believes that it will be the one condition that will decide the fate of their marriage. Niraj, while speaking to Bollywood Life, said, Ranbir and Alia will get married. As long as Alia is a pawn of RK, the marriage will work wonders.

Now, I doubt that Ranbir or Alia will be losing any sleep over this, as these beliefs are obviously not 100 per cent certain.

On the other hand, Niraj also gave a take on marriage between stars Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora.

 BCCL

If Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora get married then it will be a sudden decision taken by Arjun, said Niraj.



Wow! Let's hope that both the couples stay happy forever and prove this to be absolutely bogus!

Source: Bollywood Life
By Wu Changwei

PHNOM PENH, Jan.7 -- The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) held a medal-awarding ceremony in Phnom Penh for the 12th batch of the Chinese PLA experts on January 5, to commend their contribution to the construction and development of the Royal Cambodian Army Academy.

General Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF, and other leaders of the Royal Cambodian Army Academy, together with Zhu Shuaifei, deputy military attache of the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia, attended the ceremony.

At the awarding ceremony, General Vong Pisen conferred medals on every member of the expert group. He said that in recent years, the Cambodia-China militaries have conducted sound cooperation in various fields and achieved fruitful results. Since the 12th Chinese expert group came to Cambodia in October 2020, it has made outstanding contributions to the discipline construction, curriculum design, talent training and infrastructure construction of the Royal Cambodian Army Academy against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Deputy Military Attache Zhu Shuaifei, the two militaries are iron friends to forge ahead together through thick and thin. China's military expert group to aid the Royal Cambodian Army Academy is an epitome of the cooperation between China and Cambodian military academies. He also made it clear that the Chinese government and military will continue to provide assistance and support to its Cambodian counterpart to the best of China's capacity. The Chinese PLA will always be a good friend of the Cambodian people and the RCAF.
There soon will be a bridge over river Mahakali at Indo-Nepal border, as the union cabinet on Thursday approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Nepal for construction of the bridge at Dharchula at Indian side and Nepal side.

With the signing of MoU, diplomatic relations between the two countries will further improve. As close neighbours, India and Nepal share unique ties of friendship and cooperation characterized by an open border and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts of kinship and culture.

Both India and Nepal have been working together on different regional forums i.e. SAARC, BIMSTEC as well as global fora, said the ministry of external affairs in a statement on cabinet's decision.
Bipasha Basu, who made her Bollywood debut with Abbas-Mustans 2001 thriller Ajnabee, went on to establish herself as a leading star of the 2000s and delivered films like Raaz, No Entry, Corporate, Dhoom 2, Race among others. Apart from her films, songs like Beedi from Omkara and Billo Rani from Goal too are synonymous with Bipasha.

After Jism, she got the title of Bollywood's sex symbol for portraying bold roles in her films. However, did you know that the actress used to be very intimidated of intimate scenes in her films?

The Phir Hera Pheri star revealed the same in an interview while promoting her debut web series Dangerous with husband Karan Singh Grover in 2020. Talking about shooting bold scenes, Bipasha had told SpotBoye that she's a "mess just before an intimate scene".

Bipasha also had revealed that she was terrified before kissing R Madhavan on screen for their 2012 film Jodi Breakers and jokingly recalled that she had a "mini cardiac arrest" before shooting for the scene.

The actress said, "As an actor, such scenes are terrifying for me. Like when I had to kiss R Madhvan who is a very dear friend of mine in Jodi Breakers, I had a mini cardiac arrest one day before. I was like what to do? Oh please! And my friends Rocky and Diya were travelling with me. They were like Bips, it's Madhvan you know him. He is your friend and I said that is the bigger problem, it's Maddy".

She further shared, "After I shot for the scene you can't imagine how much everyone laughed including Maddy. I am a walking talking mess before intimate scenes. I am actually very entertaining for everyone on sets".

n the Bollywood front, Bipasha was last seen in Alone opposite her hubby Karan Singh Grover. Helmed by Bhushan Patel, the film was released in 2015. In the same year, she made her TV debut as a host with the horror show Darr Sabko Lagta Hai. Later, in 2020, she made her digital debut with Dangerous which is streaming on the OTT platform MX Player.



Source: Spotboye
The key accused in the Bulli Bai case was nabbed from his home in Assams Jorhat.

21-year-old engineering student, Niraj Bishnoi was found to be the mastermind behind the app that was created and used to auction photos of Indian (mostly Muslim) women.

 iStock

His father, Dashrath Bishnoi spoke to The Quint and has claimed that his son is innocent.



Recalling his arrest on 5 January, he said, I have worked hard my whole life just so I can educate my children. When the police was taking Niraj away, I abused him and told him that he has ruined the family name. I have no idea what is going on, but I know he didnt do anything he is being accused of.

 PTI

While he believes that his son has done nothing wrong, he did mention he used his laptop till late, often after midnight. My son would spend day and night on his laptop, he said.



Niraj was a meritorious student who got the laptop he used to create the app from the government a few years ago.

He got a laptop from the Assam government when he scored 86% in class X, and since then, he is always on his laptop. He uses it to study. You can ask any of our neighbours in Jorhat; my son has a very good record.

 iStock

His father also said that he never heard his son making islamophobic or sexist remarks at home. According to him, he used to watch one news channel and might have been impacted by him. However, he said that he stopped watching it a year ago.



 The Quint

Niraj was studying B.Tech at VIT. The prestigious college suspended him post his arrest for his involvement in the case.



While his father is of the opinion he isnt the culprit, he has already confessed to his crime saying he did the right thing and has no regrets for his actions, according to reports by India TV.
Meridian, MS (39302)

Today

Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 67F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
A bill that would create a second, permanent Family Court judge for Daviess County has been filed for the 2022 General Assembly session.

House Bill 214 was filed by Rep. DJ Johnson, an Owensboro Republican. The bill would create an additional Family judge for Daviess County, and add new judges to other districts.

Altogether, there are eight new judgeships in the bill, said John Minton, Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court and head of the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Daviess County has one permanent Family Court judgeship, and the county has advocated for a second Family judge. Family Court handles divorces, custody and child support, abuse and neglect cases and issues like visitation.

Family Courts docket was so large in Daviess County that a second judge was assigned there on a temporary basis.

Daviess County is the only county in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. Johnsons bill would allow the Sixth Circuit to have four Circuit level judges instead of three (a Family judge is a Circuit level judge).

The bill would also add judges to a number of other judicial circuits, such as the Third Circuit (Christian County), the 14th Circuit (Bourbon, Scott and Woodford counties) and the 27th Circuit (Kenton and Laurel counties).

An additional judge was also added to the Eighth Circuit (Warren County), the 16th Circuit (Kenton County) and the 25th Circuit (Clark and Madison counties). All of those judgeships would come into existence right away.

The bill would also eliminate an equal number of district judgeships across the state, but not right away. The district judgeships would not be eliminated until Jan. 1, 2027.

Some of the district judges in those districts have already filed for another term of office, Johnson said.

We want to fill the immediate needs now, immediately, but we dont want to penalize a judge or potential judge planning to file for one of the district judgeships, Johnson said. If any of the affected District judgeships become vacant due to a retirement, the position wont be filled.

The AOC did a statewide judicial caseload study previously, that found some areas have too many judges for the workload, while other places have too few.

All I have done is allow the numbers to drive the process, Johnson said. The court said that is the step we need to take.

A similar bill proposed last year passed the House and Senate, but the House could not agree on changes the Senate made, and the bill died on the last day of the session.

One of the bones of contention last year was a plan to move Hancock County out of the 38th Circuit and into the Sixth Circuit with Daviess County. Hancock County court officials protested the plan.

Johnsons new bill keeps Hancock County in the 38th Circuit. Instead, Edmonson County, which is also part of the 38th District, would move into the Eighth District with Warren County.

Johnson said he was aware of the concerns of Hancock County officials.

I wanted to respect that, he said.

Minton said the bill would address the immediate problems of counties that need additional judges. The AOC certified the need for additional judges in those counties, Minton said.

It was a statewide effort to review everything, and we decided this would be the best place to start, Minton said.

There were members of the House and Senate who have said they were hoping for a broader realignment of judicial circuits, Minton said.

Minton said statewide alignment of judicial circuits needs to happen, but for where the commonwealth needs for the next few years, this (bill) puts us where we need to be. ...My goal has been to end this session getting judges where they are desperately needed; this bill will accomplish that.

Johnson said the bill was changed, compared to last years bill, to address some of the Senates concerns about not doing a statewide realignment of judicial circuits.

If they (the Senate) have a large bill in mind, I would have no problem with that, Johnson said. But this is what I think we can get done this session.

James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
While Daviess County Judge-Executive Al Mattingly spoke Thursday about what has been accomplished in recent years, his State of the County address just as often looked to the future.

Mattingly gave the annual address during the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce Rooster Booster breakfast at the Owensboro Convention Center.

I have one year left as the county executive, he said. Lets look at the countys future, as it might be.

While county officials are still waiting to receive final guidance for how the nearly $20 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding Daviess County received can be spent, Mattingly said that one area where that money can be spent is on broadband internet.

I am going to propose to the current court that we implement a public-private partnership, bringing affordable and reliable high-speed broadband to the unincorporated areas of Daviess County, Mattingly said. This is going to happen a whole lot sooner than later.

Other areas where the ARPA funds can be spent include water and wastewater.

Mattingly said the county will also be partnering with other local agencies to build a permanent stage at the 150-acre Yellow Creek Park. The park has served as the location of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museums ROMP Festival for 18 years.

That stage will benefit ROMP, as well as allow performance of outdoor concerts and plays, he said.

Mattingly said that its important that Daviess County continue to look to the future if it is going to continue to attract new residents and economic development.

These are only a few of the things that I think will happen in the future, he said. A future that we hold in our collective hands, in your hands, but these things depend on us as a community working together for the greater good and planning together for a better and safer tomorrow.

During his address, Mattingly also took time to highlight some of the accomplishments that the current Fiscal Court has achieved, including improvements to the county parks, a new pay scale for some of the countys first responders, a new Kentucky Transportation Cabinet regional driver licensing office and a balanced county budget.

It is my honor and pleasure to report this morning that the state of the county is good, he said. We have money in the bank, we pay our bills on time. This is my 12th and final State of the County address. Twelve times I have been able to say we have money in the bank and we pay our bills on time because of the efforts of our county employees and commissioners.

Mattingly said Fiscal Court was able to make strides in the area of public safety by hiring two additional sheriffs deputies and improving pay, particularly for court security officers and deputies.

We increased that pay to try and fairly compensate those folks, and (Sheriff) Barry Smith and I worked very hard to come up with that new pay scale, as well as making those positions more competitive with the real world, he said.

The countys paid firefighters also received a new pay scale in an effort to make the department more competitive with other fire departments and the private sector, Mattingly said.

Mattingly also highlighted paving and infrastructure improvements in Daviess County.

Over the last 11 years, we paved approximately 350 miles of county roads and streets out of 560 miles, Mattingly said. We paved over 60% of all the streets and roads in Daviess County, and a rebuilding of Daniels Lane, raising Crooked Creek Road and successfully advocated with KYTC to have U.S. 60 raised.

Mattingly closed his final State of the County address by asking Daviess County citizens to remember that change is going to happen and the community must be willing to have civil conversations and be accepting of those who have different opinions than our own.

Nathan Havenner, Messenger-Inquirer, nhavenner@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-228-2837
After reports of construction of a bridge at Pangong Tso lake by the Chinese forces emanated, the Congress has questioned the government about the status at the borders.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday in a tweet said, "What has been happening at our borders is a major lapse of national security. Will the PM ever talk about it?"

The government and the Congress are at loggerheads on the security breach of the Prime Minister, but Rahul questioned the PM on his 'silence' over the border issue.

As per reports a few days back, a new satellite image came into light which showed bridge construction on both the sides of pangong lake in eastern Ladakh sector.

This area is on the Chinese side, about 40 km away from LAC (Line of Actual Control) . As per the military experts this bridge will ensure Chinese army PLA's swift movement in the area.

The government on Thursday responded to the construction issue and said that with regards to the reports about a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, the government has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now.

The government has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that our security interests are fully protected. As part of these efforts, the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before. These have provided much needed connectivity to the local population as well as logistical support to the armed forces. The government remains committed to this objective, said the minister of external affairs spokesperson.
WASHINGTON  When President Joe Biden announced coronavirus vaccination requirements for private employers and health-care facilities in November, he said the rules would help get people back to work and increase immunization rates nationwide. Too many people remain unvaccinated for us to get out of this pandemic for good, he said at the time.

The Supreme Court on Friday will review two challenges to the administrations vaccine policies affecting nearly 100 million workers. Most already have made the choice to be vaccinated, but Biden has said the numbers are not good enough.

One measure requires large private companies to implement a vaccination requirement or impose a masking and weekly testingregime. The second applies to health-care workers at facilities that receive certain federal funding.

Together, the cases test a signature aspect of the White Houses response to the pandemic that has killed more than 800,000 people in the United States.

The Supreme Court must decide whether to block the requirements while legal battles continue, or to let them be implemented during that time. Heres an overview of the cases, the history and the issues the justices will consider Friday:

Q: Can the U.S. government force private companies and health-care facilities to require vaccinations for their workers?

A: The federal government has never before tried to impose a vaccine-or-test policy on U.S. companies and their workers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the authority to issue emergency workplace rules for up to six months to protect employees exposed to grave danger from substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or from new hazards.

The Biden administration says that gives the agency not only the authority but the responsibility to act. It gives companies a choice: Employers with 100 or more workers must either require all employees to be vaccinated or permit unvaccinated employees to provide weekly negative coronavirus tests and wear face coverings to work on-site.

Employers must provide paid time off to get vaccinated, but they are not required to pay for coronavirus testing.

The rules were set to take effect Jan. 4, but OSHA pushed back the date in response to the litigation and said it would not immediately issue citations for those not in compliance.

The other policy from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires vaccinations for more than 17 million health-care workers at 76,000 facilities that receive federal money tied to those programs.

The administration points to federal law that gives the secretary of health and human services the ability to impose requirements necessary for the health and safety of patients. For decades, it says, the secretary has had authority to require participating health-care providers to establish programs for the prevention and control of infectious diseases within the facilities.

Q: Who is challenging the vaccination policies and why?

A: A coalition of business and religious groups and Republican-led states say the rules for private companies represent a vast overreach on the part of the executive branch. They say a federal agency cannot take such a sweeping step without specific authorization by Congress and that the policy will lead to worker shortages and major costs for employers.

Any delay, according to the Biden administration, will cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day.

The vaccine mandate for health-care workers, opponents say, is plainly unlawful.

Like the challengers in the OSHA case, the states say a requirement with such vast economic and political significance must be clearly authorized by Congress. Beyond that, they say the HHS secretary did not make proper findings about the mandates effectiveness and why the order did not go through proper implementation channels. They say they will be hurt if the requirement increases staffing shortages at a critical time.

Q: Have workplace safety requirements previously been issued on an emergency basis?

A: OSHA, the federal safety agency, has used its emergency authority infrequently after mixed results in court in the 1970s and 80s in response to rules to regulate exposure to benzene, asbestos and certain pesticides.

The term grave danger is not defined in statute, and courts also have not provided clear guidance about the term.

In 1984, for instance, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit blocked emergency rules to limit exposure in the workplace to the carcinogen asbestos. The court said that gravity of danger is a policy decision committed to OSHA, not to the courts, but still rejected the policy because OSHA had not sufficiently supported its claims about potential deaths due to exposure.

Q: Hasnt the Supreme Court upheld vaccination requirements for college campuses and those imposed by local officials?

A: Yes, the justices have generally been supportive of vaccination requirements by local governments and universities. For instance, it allowed New York and Maine to mandate vaccinations for their health-care workers.

But the court has also been skeptical when it comes to federal agency power generally, and with respect to the pandemic.

The justices, for instance, rejected an eviction moratorium  first imposed by the Trump administration and extended by Biden  because it said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had exceeded its authority.

Q: What have lower courts said about Bidens policies?

A: They are divided.

Soon after the administration announced the rules for private companies in November, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit blocked enforcement of the policy.

But lawsuits sprung up around the nation, and were consolidated for review by a different court. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit dissolved the 5th Circuits stay, saying the rules could go into effect.

Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton issued a lengthy opinion related to a procedural question in which he said the policy should be blocked. Sutton called the rules a blunt national vaccine mandate that extends far beyond workplace-specific hazards. While OSHA has the authority to set temporary standards, the judge said there is nothing temporary about vaccination because it cannot be undone.

But two other 6th Circuit judges called the policy an important step in curtailing the transmission of a deadly virus that has killed over 800,000 people in the United States, brought our health care system to its knees, forced businesses to shut down for months on end, and cost hundreds of thousands of workers their jobs.

Opponents then asked the Supreme Court to intervene.

The lower courts also were divided on the health-care worker mandate.

A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit dismissed a request from Florida to stop the requirement. But a district judge in Missouri stopped the rules, and the 5th Circuit agreed with a challenge from Louisiana.

At the Supreme Court, a coalition of Republican-led states said the rules should be blocked.

The mandate would force millions of workers to choose between losing their jobs or complying with an unlawful federal mandate, the filing said. But for the district courts preliminary injunction, last years health care heroes would have become this years unemployed.

But the Biden administration said its authority is clear.

It is difficult to imagine a more paradigmatic health and safety condition than a requirement that workers at hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical facilities take the step that most effectively prevents transmission of a deadly virus to vulnerable patients, wrote Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar.

Q: What about the Supreme Courts own coronavirus policies for the justices and court visitors?

A: The courthouse has been closed to the public since March 2020. All nine justices have been vaccinated and received boosters. Justice Amy Coney Barrett had covid before she was confirmed to the high court in September 2020.

After returning to in-person oral arguments this past fall, Justice Brett Kavanaugh participated in some from home after he tested positive.

The justices have not required lawyers arguing cases and credentialed reporters observing the proceedings to be vaccinated. But they must have received negative test results and be masked.

The health-care worker cases are Biden v. Missouri and Becerra v. Louisiana. The OSHA cases are National Federation of Independent Business v. Department of Labor and Ohio v. Department of Labor.
The state is again seeing a surge in COVID-19 with record numbers of newly reported cases and positivity rates, as well as another rise in hospitalizations throughout Kentucky, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.

In a press conference Thursday, Beshear warned that COVID-19 hospitalizations are, once again, seeing an increase.

There is real cause for concern that hospitals can and maybe will be overrun again, he said. Hospital admissions are ... increasing, and they are starting to increase rapidly.

With many hospitals nationwide facing staffing shortages, there is significant concern that the current surge in omicron cases could place a significant strain on healthcare workers.

While Beshear said the hope is still that the omicron variant will not result in as many ICU admissions and ventilations, many are still getting very sick and needing a higher level of care, resulting in higher hospitalizations.

It is still placing a strain on our health care system, he said.

Owensboro Health Regional Hospital has also experienced increased numbers of COVID-19 patients since the start of January with 60 total COVID-19 patients reported throughout its three hospital facilities in Owensboro, Greenville and Leitchfield on Monday as the healthcare system acknowledged the increase and encouraged vaccination to help combat the spread.

Thursday morning, OH Regional Hospital reported a total of 50 COVID-19 patients in the facility.

Ten of those patients were in the critical care unit, three of which were on a ventilator.

The highest number of COVID-19 patients OH has housed at one time was 69 at OHRH, recorded Sept. 21 and 85 for all three hospitals, also recorded on Sept. 21.

OHRH reported four COVID-19 related deaths in the past six days alone.

Since April, the hospital has seen a total of 1,083 COVID-19 patients, 73.68% of whom were unvaccinated.

There have been 147 COVID-19 patients placed on a ventilator since April, 79.89% unvaccinated, and there have been 205 deaths recorded since April related to the virus, 79.51% of whom were unvaccinated.

Additionally, according to Beshear, 9,836 new COVID-19 cases were reported Thursday, the highest number of cases reported in a single day since the beginning of the pandemic, he said.

The positivity rate for COVID-19 tests in Kentucky was 23.67% Thursday, also a record for the state.

Nearly 1 in 4 people being tested are coming up positive, he said.

And there 35 deaths related to the virus reported throughout the state Thursday.

In Kentucky, there are 1,783 total reported COVID-19 hospitalizations, 402 in critical care and 227 individuals on ventilators.

You can help us by getting vaccinated and getting your booster, which makes it very unlikely youll end up in the hospital, and then wearing a mask when its appropriate, Beshear said. If you dont help us in those ways, and if youre part of this significant increase in hospitalizations, that person thats hurt today in a car accident due to weather might not have a bed or the level of attention that they need.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360
In summer 2020, The New York Times coordinated a nationwide project to document the lives of Americans out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved collaborating with 11 other local newsrooms around the U.S. The Messenger-Inquirer was the only newspaper from Kentucky in the collaboration. The resulting collection of stories was published Oct. 23, 2020, in the New York Times print edition and at nytimes.com/outofwork. The following list is the Messenger-Inquirer's local unemployment coverage from that time period; read more by clicking the "New York Times Project" header. Click on "Out Of Work In America" to go to the full
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When I was growing up, words like courage, integrity, honesty and public service meant something. After four years of President Trump, it appears that lying, cheating, stealing, cowardice and insurrection against the U.S. democracy have absolutely no consequence to being a Republican leader.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 7, 2022

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

LANSING, Mich. - Michigan has received its first shipment of new oral medications to treat COVID-19, paxlovid and molnupiravir, following the recent emergency use authorization by the FDA.

These antivirals are designed for the outpatient treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. Both medications may only be prescribed for a patient by physicians, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants.

When administered to non-hospitalized patients within five days of symptom onset, these antivirals may reduce symptoms and the risk of hospitalizations and emergency room visits associated with the virus.

Due to the limited quantity of these drugs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has developed eligibility criteria and prescribing requirements for the antivirals.

"The authorization of these new medications provides another important tool to help fight the virus," said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. "Due to limited availability of these antivirals, health care providers will need to determine the best course of treatment for their patients based on eligibility criteria. We ask Michiganders to be patient as providers will prioritize people at highest risk for developing serious illness from the virus. We are committed to distributing these pills equitably across the state, and access will increase as Michigan receives more allocations from the federal government."

Priority Eligibility Criteria for therapeutics, including antiviral medication and monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb), will remain in effect until supply is able to meet demand and will be periodically reviewed as appropriate.

MDHHS continues to strongly recommend getting vaccinated and boosted for the best protection against the virus.

"It's important to remember these drugs are not a substitution for protecting yourself by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask in public places," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. "Getting vaccinated continues to be the best protection against severe illness and hospitalization, and we urge all Michiganders over age 5 to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Continue to wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth, test and social distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19, avoid large gatherings and get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already."

Treatment with mAb continues to be an important therapy for mild to moderate COVID-19 infection and is preferred over treatment with molnupiravir whenever it can be readily accessed. Based on current evidence, mAb therapy is also a comparable alternative to paxlovid for patients who do not have access to the oral medication, have contraindications to the medication (e.g., pregnancy), or are beyond five days (but within 10 days) of symptom onset. Treatment with mAb should be considered for patients who are in eligible lower risk tiers in the Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Paxlovid is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in patients 12 years of age and older who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and who meet the current Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Paxlovid currently has limited availability through the following sites:

Selected Federally Qualified Health Centers and Tribal Health Centers.

Selected Meijer Pharmacies in southeast and east central Michigan.

Molnupiravir is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults ages 18 and older who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and only when alternative COVID-19 treatment options authorized by FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate and who meet the current Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Molnupiravir currently has limited availability through the following sites:

All Meijer Pharmacies (based on supply).

Selected retail pharmacies in areas not served by Meijer (based on supply).

Additional information on oral antiviral medications and monoclonal antibody therapy, including priority eligibility criteria based on MDHHS scare resource allocation principles is available at Michigan.gov/COVIDTherapy.

Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visit?Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.

# # #
Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu aimed a jibe at the BJP over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security breach, saying he was "troubled" only by a 15-minute wait. The farmers, he said, had to wait for more than a year to get the farm laws scrapped.

The convoy of PM Modi -- who was visiting Punjab after a two-year gap after his government scrapped the farm laws -- was stuck on a flyover in Punjab's Ferozepur Wednesday as farmers blocked the highway nearby. He was forced to return without addressing a political rally in Bathinda where he was headed.

"I want to ask Pradhan Mantri Sahab, our farmer brothers camped at the Delhi borders for over one year... tell me, they stayed there for one and half-year. Your media did not say anything," Mr Sidhu was quoted as saying at a rally by news agency Press Trust of India.

"And yesterday you had to wait for 15 minutes... Why these double standards," he asked.
The Tribune will publish Self-Help, information in the Upper Thumb area on a space-available basis. Each notice should be limited to 30 words. Please mail or bring information, clearly marked, to the Huron Daily Tribune, 211 N. Heisterman St., Bad Axe, 48413, call 989-269-6461 or email hdt_news@hearstnp.com.

Womens support

 Huron County SafePlace offers free support groups to women on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Transportation via Thumb Area Transit and child care for these support groups will be available by calling SafePlace.

These meetings take place in Bad Axe, please call for additional information or to make your reservations 989-269-5300.

 For information on meetings of the Womans Christian Temperance (self-control) Union, call Marie at 989-975-2465. It is a support group for people with addictions.

Substance abuse

 To find Narcotics Anonymous meetings in the area call 800-230-4085.

 The Families Against Narcotics Huron & Tuscola Chapter will have monthly meetings at 6 p.m. the fourth Monday of the month at Hills and Dales Corporate Services and Regional Education Center in Cass City. For more information, visit their website www.familiesagainstnarcotics.org.

 Family member or friend addicted? Call Families Anonymous. Familes Anonymous is a 12 step program to aid families with substance abuse or behavioral problems. Meetings are every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at 206 Scheurmann St. in Essexville. For inquiries, call 989-895-5938.

 Thumb Area Narcotics Anonymous meets Mondays from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the Caseville United Methodist Church. For inquiries call 800-230-4085.

 Thumb Area Narcotics Anonymous meets from 7 to 8:15 at the Port Austin Bible Campus on Thursdays.

 The Families Against Narcotics Huron County chapter meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Huron Fairgrounds Expo Center.

Family forum events are designed to promote recovery community and provide individuals to share their story, reducing shame and stigma associated with the disease of addiction.

Support is available online at familiesagainstnarcotics.org, via phone 989-551-4326 (HFAN), and Facebook @huronfan.

Grief

 GriefShare features nationally recognized experts on grief recovery topics. Seminar sessions include The Journey of Grief, The Effects of Grief, Your Family and Grief, Why? and Stuck in Grief.

For more information, call Chaplain Londa at 989-545-8357.

 Grief Support meets second Thursday of each month at 4 p.m. at Caro Community Library. Please call Sue or Pam at 800-275-4517 for more details.

 Grief Support meets last Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. for dinner at Franklin Inn in Bad Axe. Call 1-800-635-7490 ext. 4134.

 Grief Support meets at noon on the first Tuesday of the month at Eddie Gs in Marlette. Call United Hospice Service for more information at 800-635-7490.

 Thumb Compassionate Friends is a chapter of a national self-help group offering support to families who have suffered the loss of a child at any age. Meetings are on the second Monday of each month at the Community of Christ Church, 2081 E. Deckerville Road, Caro.

For information, call Sharon at 989-683-3305 or Dave at 810-376-2801 or visit www. TCFcaro.org.
Connor Veenstra/Huron Daily Tribune

Trinity United Methodist Church in Sebewaing will be hosting a soup sale on Saturday, Jan. 8. The sale is another in a series of fundraisers to update the church's kitchen.

The church has been fundraising for about four years, selling pastries and soups between the months of September and March. The church has decided to use sales income rather than tithe money, due to the tithes going to the installation of a new roof, instead.
Connecticut saw a spike in initial claims for unemployment assistance the week after Christmas, but its not immediately known whether it represented a blip in the economic recovery or a new stretch of malaise as the COVID omicron variant blitzes through the population.

While retail layoffs are common after the holidays, in past years in Connecticut they have risen only incrementally heading into the first few weeks of January.

But new claims for jobless aid in Connecticut nearly tripled to about 9,300 during the final week of 2021, according to advance estimates issued Thursday by the U.S. Department of Labor.

At close to 6,000 additional claims from the week before, it was the biggest jump since the start of the pandemic and the highest total for any single week since January 2021. Coming out of the 2020 holiday week, initial claims rose by less than 600 from the week before Christmas that year.

Nationally the final week of 2021, DOL tracked bigger single-week increases in initial claims only in New York and Pennsylvania. South Carolina and Georgia were the only two states to see initial claims at least double in a single week, with the totals smaller than Connecticuts surge in filings.

Seasonal employment has varied quite a bit over the last several years because of COVID and the associated fall-out, said Donald Klepper-Smith, a DataCore Partners economist who focuses on the state outlook. Businesses were also trying to recoup losses suffered since March 2020, and doing what they could to end the year on a positive note, but I think the labor markets will continue to show considerable variation depending how COVID rolls out from here.

A Connecticut Department of Labor spokesperson said single-week fluctuations are not unusual in any given year, and noted gains in the state job market in recent weeks. The number of people receiving unemployment assistance under state programs had fallen to about 32,100 filers as of mid-December, but was already higher by Christmas with DOL having yet to finalize its numbers as of that date.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor released estimates that employers nationally added nearly 200,000 jobs in December, dropping the U.S. unemployment rate to 3.9 percent from 4.2 percent in November. Connecticuts unemployment rate was 6 percent in November, with the Connecticut Department of Labor scheduled to release an updated estimate the final week of January.

In DOLs monthly Connecticut Economic Digest published Thursday with the state Department of Economic and Community Development, a University of Connecticut economist projected the states unemployment rate receding to 4 percent in 2023, but said the easy part is over in any quick recovery of remaining jobs lost in the pandemic.

Connecticut saw an outsized drop in labor force participation as many workers quit their jobs during the pandemics so-called Great Resignation, wrote Steve Lanza, an associate professor at UConn. Coaxing them back may hinge on whether these were mostly millennials and Gen Z workers unhappy with their jobs but who need the income or, in an older-population state like Connecticut, Baby Boomers with life savings who could afford to retire early.

On Saturday, extended benefits end in Connecticut, one of the four states that still were processing them along with New Jersey, New Mexico and Alaska. Under that program, unemployment claimants in Connecticut have been getting up to 14 weeks of benefits on top of the normal allotment of 27 weeks.

Employers continue to dangle ample numbers of job openings in Connecticut. As of Thursday, Indeed listed more than 80,000 opportunities, including more than 1,200 at Yale-New Haven Health in New Haven, not including its other hospitals in Greenwich, Bridgeport and New London.

Northeast employers received slight relief on one front near the end of 2021  fewer people quitting their jobs, with DOL calculating a slight decline in November based on surveys, but at a still-escalated rate of 2.2 percent of all workers that month for reasons other than retirement. That compared to 1.5 percent of workers filing notice in November 2020 to take better opportunities elsewhere or a work hiatus.

While no Connecticut employer has reported a mass layoff to the state Department of Labor since early November 2021  the Hartford cosmetics distributor Beauty Enterprises served notice at the time of 65 job cuts  workers have reported smaller layoffs since then at multiple Connecticut employers, under the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance program. They include the Hartford manufacturer Aquiline Drones, which furloughed workers after disruptions in importing drone parts from overseas; Flabeg Technical Glass, which is closing in Naugatuck; the Windsor health billing firm Meridian Medical Management; and the Franklin Templeton subsidiary K2 Advisors in Stamford.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
The Biden administration estimates that if a proposed vaccine mandate were to be enforced, it would lead to 22 million more people getting vaccinated, preventing about 250,000 hospitalizations and 6,500 deaths over six months.

The mandate, formally proposed by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, calls for a COVID-19 vaccination-or-testing mandate aimed at employers with more than 100 employees.

The requirement, issued in November, is vital to the administrations efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic. It is being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court with a decision probably about the time this article is published.

However, even if the Supreme Court were to reject the OSHA mandate, vaccines will continue to play an integral role in the COVID-19 workplace terrain.

OSHA already is authorized to impose standards and regulations on employers to protect workplace health and safety. OSHAs vaccine-or-test mandate requires covered employers to either implement a mandatory vaccination policy or submit to regular COVID-19 testing and wear a mask.

So why did OSHA limit the mandates application to employers with 100 or more employees? OSHA said it is proceeding in a step-wise fashion to companies it believed had sufficient administrative systems in place to quickly comply, adding that it would continue to compile information to determine whether to expand the mandates scope to smaller employers.

Although not yet legally required to implement vaccine-or-test mandates, even very small employers  regardless of the courts decision  should seriously consider implementing one.

In a survey of 1,000 small-business owners conducted in October by Small Business for Americas Future, 68 percent supported vaccine mandates. Many small employers already have implemented vaccine protocols.

Some employers, however, have been reluctant to implement such requirements due to the fear of workers quitting while in the midst of staffing shortages. Many employees appreciate their employer when the employer takes steps to protect workers. In a survey of 543 employees conducted in November, 13 percent of those surveyed said mandates lead to some employees quitting while 13 percent said mandates helped with employee recruitment or retention.

Individuals often work in close proximity in the workplace and, as a result, it is the primary location where COVID spreads. Employees may interact in meeting rooms, hallways, offices, restrooms or lunchrooms. While more employees continue to work remotely, most jobs require workers to be physically present in the workplace. In the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision removing the stay on OSHAs vaccine-or-test requirement, the court observed that, within just one week in November, 376 of the 507 COVID outbreaks occurred in workplaces.

The omicron variant clearly has led to an increase in the number of fully vaccinated individuals contracting COVID. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unvaccinated individuals are five times more likely to contract COVID and, if they do so, are 13 times more likely to die than fully vaccinated individuals.

If a small employer decides to implement a vaccine mandate, they will need to permit employees to request religious or medical exceptions and, if granted, attempt to accommodate those employees. If employers offer the option of getting the vaccine or agreeing to weekly COVID testing and masking, they can avoid dealing with possible religious and medical exemptions. However, they will need to implement at least weekly COVID testing. Small employers will need to decide whether to pay the cost of the testing. Under the OSHA mandate, large employers are not required to do so.

In the October employer survey conducted by Small Business for Americas Future, 44 percent of small business owners said the pandemic is the biggest challenge they face today. And that was before omicron entered our vocabulary.

To reduce employee absences, illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths, it seems prudent for employers should maximize the use of the two most effective pandemic protection tools: vaccines and tests.

Gary Phelan is an attorney with the Stratford-based law firm Mitchell & Sheahan, P.C. He represents clients in employment law matters and is an adjunct professor at the Quinnipiac University School of Law. He can be reached at 203-873-0240 or gphelan@mitchellandsheahan.com.
MIDDLETOWN  The chance to appear on PBS Antiques Roadshow is never a given  even if one is selected from a pool of candidates after an extensive application process, and spent seven hours waiting for an item to be appraised.

The popular show, known to its fans as simply Roadshow, filmed at the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown Aug. 10, kicking off its 26th season. Three episodes will be shown, the first of which aired Monday night.

Additional episodes will run Jan. 10 and 17.

Joyce Kirkpatrick, a founding member of the Middletown Commission on the Arts and 30-year volunteer docent and chairwoman of the Friends of Long Hill Docent Committee, which helps out with the mansion, brought a chair made by John Risley, the Wesleyan University professor of design and sculpture who died in 2002 at 83.

Eager to watch the initial episode Monday night, she was on pins and needles earlier in the day, waiting to see if her national television spot would end up on the cutting room floor.

In fact, Joyce Kirkpatrick said, the photograph of her 5-foot-tall Lady Chair, which her husband Robert commissioned from Risley in the 1970s, might be the only chance to see it.

The mansion was built in 1900, and renovations were made in 1909 and 1917. On June 30, 1994, Long Hill Estate became the property of the city.

Because of the pandemic, it was the first time in two years that Roadshow was filmed. Entrants had to describe their piece, size and weigh it, as well as submit three photographs.

The chair is made of black welded steel rods and is extremely comfortable to sit in, which is surprising, said Joyce Kirkpatrick, whose husband is the former dean of admissions and professor at Wesleyan.

The couple keeps it in a corner in the kitchen, against a plain, white wall, which accentuates its features.

The two eventually became good friends with the artist after seeing his works at the annual Wesleyan Potters art exhibit and sale.

His whimsical and humorous kind of art was beautiful to behold and design-worthy, she said. We loved them and looked forward to seeing these every year.

Risleys wife, Mary, also a Wesleyan teacher and pottery artist, was among the founders of the potters.

In later years, Robert Kirkpatrick asked the artist to customize a series of iron hats to place atop the chair, including a Greater Middletown Chorale hat symbolizing a passage from Handels Messiah.

Joyce Kirkpatrick sings with the chorale.

It was an absolutely wonderful kind of collaboration between the art and commissioning person, she said. The hats complement the piece, and retain its symmetry. It certainly speaks to my heart as well.

Bob solved his Christmas present problem, Joyce Kirkpatrick said with a laugh, adding that other hats reflect trips the family took in places such as Australia, England and Colorado.

She cant recall what they paid for the seat or hats, but remembers Risley suggested a fairly low price since they had a young family.

The provenance of the chair delighted appraiser Sebastian Clarke, who estimated it was worth more than the original price, Joyce Kirkpatrick said.

There was a rumor that someone had brought very valuable jewels to be appraised at the shoot, which required an armed guard, Joyce Kirkpatrick said. Attendees tried to discreetly look around the room to pick out who it was. She was unsuccessful.

Several Middletown and Portland residents also took part in the show. To maintain social distancing, there were eight stations set up on the grounds of the mansion, each with an appraiser.

Another of Risleys pieces, a wrought-iron bench, is displaced in the City Hall lobby, and appeared on the show in 2014.

Having Roadshow film at the mansion really puts Middletown on the map, Joyce Kirkpatrick said.

Their recognition of this unique public-private preservation project reflects on the many Middletown people involved, from the citizens who voted the bond issue to all the mayors and many city council members who lent their support over a number of years, she added.

Other filming locations were at Seward Johnsons Sculpture Park Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, N.J.; Bretton Woods in New Hampshire, Williamsburg, Va.; and Sands Point in New York, Joyce Kirkpatrick said.

Even if her appearance doesnt make the final cut, Joyce Kirkpatrick said, it would be the icing on the cake. The cake was an absolutely fantastic experience.
Noted actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan has urged the Tamil Nadu government to implement the Right to Service Act with immediate effect.

In a statement issued on Friday, Haasan said that this would lead to delivery of several services in a time-bound manner, which would eventually curb corruption.

The MNM chief said that the Act will help in delivering birth certificates, death certificates, legal heir certificates, and obtaining ration card in a time-bound manner.

The actor-politician urged the state government to pass the Act on Friday itself, as it is the last day of the ongoing Assembly session.

Haasan said that the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had in 2019 urged the state government to mull over enacting the Right to Service Act, adding that the ruling DMK had also promised the enactment of the Act in its election manifesto, while the Governor also mentioned it in his address in the previous Assembly session.

He said that 20 states in the country have passed the Right to Services Act, including Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka and New Delhi, among others.

In Madhya Pradesh and Goa, there are separate departments to monitor the delivery of services, he said.
MIDDLETOWN  The Middlesex United Way is pleased to invite you to join us virtually on Jan 27 to honor volunteers and community leaders, in addition to celebrating a year of many accomplishments, at our annual meeting.

While we would have loved to meet and celebrate together in person, the current COVID-19 positivity rate is far too high in Connecticut to do so responsibly. Instead, we will meet virtually to share and honor our amazing partners, volunteers, and donors who made outstanding accomplishments in 2021 despite all the challenges. We will reflect on the accomplishments this past year during the annual meeting, honor a longstanding Middlesex United Way volunteer, and nominate and elect new officers and directors.

The Middlesex United Way is pleased to present the Community Service Award to Patricia Charles. This honors volunteer service to the agency, considering length and continuity of service. It is the highest and most prestigious honor for a United Way volunteer.

Dr. Charles received her bachelor of science degree at Central Connecticut State University and started her career as an elementary teacher in West Hartford in 1977. Recognizing that students required support beyond academics, she returned to school to get her masters degree in school counseling at the University of Hartford.

She continued her career as an instructional specialist in West Hartford, an elementary and middle school principal in Middletown, assistant superintendent in Plainville, as well as serving as superintendent in Middletown and Westbrook.

She received her sixth year at the University of Connecticut and her doctorate in educational leadership from Central Connecticut State University in the area of principal leadership. Her research was recognized by the American Association of School Administrators in 2008 when she was named the Paul B. Salmon Award recipient for exemplary scholarship. A mentor to many aspiring educational leaders, Dr. Charles finds particular satisfaction in helping and guiding others to achieve their goals.

Dr. Charles leadership is exemplified through her work in the community as well. In recognition of these efforts, she received the Vista Vocational Community Support Award, Central Connecticut Outstanding Alumni Award, and the Connecticut Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Service to Families Award, Women & Families Leadership Award, and the Middlesex County NAACP Educational Service Award. Dr. Charles has served on many community boards, but her most passionate service has been to the Middlesex United Way for over 30 years, serving on Central Allocations, the Workplace Campaign Team, the Development Council, and the Board of Directors. She served as Campaign Chair in 2012 and Board Chair from 2017-18.

When notified that she would be honored at the meeting, Dr. Charles remarked, What an honor to receive this award from Middlesex United Way! It has been a wonderful way to truly know my community and to provide support where critical services are needed. Together with the caring staff and a dedicated group of volunteers, our work makes a difference for our local agencies and neighbors.

Dr. Charles and her husband Keith reside in Middletown.

We cannot wait to kick off the year together with a day of connection and stories! The annual meeting will be held virtually Jan 27 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. To attend, visit bit.ly/3q1nQyE or email Amanda Furlong at amanda.furlong@middlesexunitedway.org.
BRUSSELS  NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday ruled out any halt to the continued expansion of the military organization to address Russian security concerns, rejecting a key part of President Vladimir Putin's demands for easing tensions with Ukraine.

"We will not compromise on core principles, including the right for every nation to decide its own path, including what kind of security arrangements it wants to be a part of," Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels after an extraordinary meeting of NATO foreign ministers.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterparts held online talks to prepare for the first meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in more than two years. The meeting, set for Wednesday in Brussels, will give NATO ambassadors the chance to discuss Putin's security proposals with Russia's envoy face to face.

Much contained in the documents that Moscow has made public  a draft agreement with NATO countries and the offer of a treaty between Russia and the United States  appears to be a non-starter at the 30-country military organization, despite fears that Putin might order an invasion of Ukraine.

NATO would have to agree to halt all membership plans, not just with Ukraine, and to end military exercises close to Russia's borders. In exchange, Russia would respect the international commitments it's signed up to on limiting wargames, as well as end aircraft buzzing incidents and other low-level hostilities.

Endorsing such an agreement would require NATO to reject a key part of its founding treaty. Under Article 10 of the 1949 Washington Treaty, the organization can invite in any willing European country that can contribute to security in the North Atlantic area, as well as fulfill the obligations of membership.

Stoltenberg said a Russian military buildup near Ukraine that sparked worries of a possible invasion has continued.

"We see armored units, we see artillery, we see combat ready troops, we see electronic warfare equipment and we see a lot of different military capabilities," he said.

This buildup, combined with Russia's security demands, and its track record in Ukraine and Georgia, "sends a message that there is a real risk for a new armed conflict in Europe," Stoltenberg said.

Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and later backed a separatist rebellion in the country's east. Over more than seven years, the fighting has killed over 14,000 people and devastated Ukraine's industrial heartland, known as Donbas.

Russia denies that it has fresh plans to attack its neighbor, but Putin wants legal guarantees that would rule out NATO expansion and weapons deployments. Moscow says it expects answers to its security proposals this month.

Friday's meeting was the first in a flurry of high-level talks involving NATO, senior U.S. and Russian officials and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe over the next week.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that it's important to speak with Russia about its concerns, and that he will talk again with Putin "in the coming days."

"Dialogue does not mean giving in," Macron told reporters in Paris at an event to mark the start of France's six-month term at the helm of the European Union.

The NATO-Russia Council was set up two decades ago. But NATO ended practical cooperation with Russia through the NRC in 2014 after it annexed Crimea. Wednesday's meeting will be the first since July 2019. NATO officials say Russia has refused to take part in meetings as long as Ukraine was on the agenda.

___

AP writers Samuel Petrequin and Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.
In the fall of 2018, Neta C. Crawford, a political science professor at Boston University, prepared to teach a class on climate change designed to help students think about the issue in a big-picture way. Crawfords research expertise is in war, so she wanted to include a statistic on the militarys contribution to greenhouse gases.

I thought, Well, maybe I should just tell them what the emissions are for the U.S. military, Crawford says. It was meant to be a line on a slide in a lecture.

But when she went to look up the figure, she couldnt find anything reliable. Instead, she found scattered and incomplete data on how much fuel the military consumed and how much carbon it emitted. The information that did exist largely didnt include overseas operations, even though the United States had been at war for nearly two decades. Major categories of fuel consumption, like much of the fuel used for aviation, seemed to be missing.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Kristin Wolfe performs a demonstration in the F-35A Lightning II during at the Reno Air Races in Reno, Nevada, September 19, 2021. (Nicolas Myers/U.S. Air Force)

In 1997, the Kyoto Protocolthe worlds first legally binding, international climate treatycreated a reporting loophole for militaries, exempting many of the greenhouse gases emitted during military operations from counting against a countrys emissions totals. While the 2015 Paris Accords did away with this exemption, they didnt replace it with an obligation. Rather, the decision of whether to report military emissionsand how to calculate themwas left up to individual countries.

The result is a gap in our understanding of the United States climate footprint. Research from academics like Crawford, who now studies the issue, shows that the Department of Defense is a major producer of greenhouse gases, with more emissions than many industrialized nations. The United Statesand other countrieshave said they are committed to reducing military emissions, and earlier this summer, NATO released its Action Plan on Climate Change and Security, acknowledging that better emissions data would help guide member states military planning. But there is no consistent methodology and reporting requirement for these emissions. As the United States and other countries work toward net-zero emissions by 2050, Crawford and others say, the lack of clear data from the U.S. Defense Departmentthe worlds largest employerand other militaries is a major stumbling block.

Weve got these kind of just little fragmentary bits of information and data about how big this problem is, says Doug Weir, the Research and Policy Director for the U.K.-based Conflict and Environment Observatory, which studies and works to reduce the environmental consequences of military activity. Until states actually start reporting it, then you cant really do anything about it.

We Achieved Everything The DOD Outlined as Necessary

On the final evening of negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol, at the end of an all-night session in December 1997, U.S. negotiators pushed through one last demand. The final draft of the climate agreement included two sentences that exempted emissions from multilateral operationsactivities that involve more than two countriesand from ships and aircraft involved in international transport. That meant that much of the carbon emitted during U.S. military operations overseas would not need to be tracked and reported to the United Nationswhich was effectively the negotiators goal. In testimony to Congress on the Kyoto negotiations, the U.S. lead negotiator, Stuart Eizenstat, stated, We achieved everything [the Department of Defense] outlined as necessary to protect military operations and our national security. (In the same hearing, Sen. John Kerry, now the U.S special presidential envoy for climate, praised Eizenstat, saying, I thought it was a terrific job, and I thank you for it.)

Ultimately, the United States never even ratified the Kyoto Protocollargely because of concerns that countries such as India and China werent required to reduce emissionsbut the damage was done. The U.S. military was not required to develop a methodology for tracking its carbon emissions, and the militaries of other countries that did ratify the treaty remained largely exempt from reporting.

NOAA affiliate Sonja Wolter measures greenhouse gases, methane and carbon monoxide during an Arctic Domain Awareness flight aboard Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak HC-130 Hercules airplane April 8, 2014. (Diana Honings/U.S. Coast Guard)

Nearly 20 years later, the 2015 climate agreement signed in Paris did away with the automatic exemption for military emissions. Now, the choice of whether or not to report those emissionsand what, exactly, to report if a country chooses to do sois left up to individual governments. As a result, the full picture of military emissions, from the United States and other countries, is still unclear.

The level of reporting between countries varies a lot, says Linsey Cottrell, the environmental policy officer at the Conflict and Environment Observatory. Sometimes reporting is not occurring, [or] its reported elsewhere. So its hard to determine what contribution the military makes to the overall totals.

The United States does report military emissions to the United Nationssort of. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that military emissions, if reported, should be included in a category marked nonspecified. That same category also includes things like civilian waste incineration, so its essentially impossible to parse out which specific emissions come from military sources. And certain major military sources of emissionslike fuel during multilateral operationsare listed in the United States reporting as included elsewhere, though its unclear where. Other categories of military fuel consumption arent reported at all.

Its like a giant jigsaw puzzle, Crawford says. And some of the puzzle pieces are in different units and forms.

Every Major Weapon System Developed is Carbon-Intensive

Crawfords hunt for a clear statistic on military emissions to show her class led her to a new research focus: trying to puzzle out just how much fuel the U.S. military consumes and thus how much carbon it emits. Using Department of Energy data, Crawford found that the U.S. military is a major polluter. Since the beginning of the Global War on Terror in 2001, the military has produced more than 1.2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases. Crawford acknowledges her data is likely incompletebut even with the available data, she found that the U.S. military emits more than entire countries like Portugal and Denmark, and that the Department of Defense accounts for nearly 80% of the federal governments fuel consumption.

Some of this is because the U.S military owns a lot of propertyand has a lot of buildings to heat and power. In 2018, the Defense Department had some 585,000 facilities, spread over 27 million acres in 160 different countries. Each of these buildings emit greenhouse gasses; in 2013, Crawfords report found, the Pentagon building itself emitted more than 24,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Crawford found that installations account for about a third of Defense Department energy consumption. But the overall number has slowly decreased over the last decade, in large part due to energy initiatives across the service branches.

C.J. Pfutzner, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) mechanical engineer, runs to get on station to man the fire hose as Steven Tuttle, NRL combustion and reacting transport section head adjusts the NRL-developed emulsified crude oil burner systems air flow to administer emissions testing for the Department of Interiors Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the NRL Chesapeake Bay Detachment, Nov. 13, 2019. (Nicholas Pasquini/U.S. Naval Research Laboratory)

The vast majority of military emissions come from operationsmoving people and things around. The workhorse equipment needed to accomplish this task, particularly when its built to withstand combat, can be notoriously inefficient, Crawfords report notes. Even nonarmored vehicles guzzle gas: A Humvee gets between four and eight miles per gallon. But by far, the most fuel-thirsty equipment in the military is aircraft. In fact, of the 100 million gallons of fuel the Defense Logistics Agency bought in 2018, about 70 million gallons were jet fuel.

But the United States reporting of military fuel consumption omits much of the fuel used to power aircraft and ships, particularly those operating overseas. The governments own description of how it calculates international military transportation fuel for greenhouse gas emissions specifies that all Army and most Marine Corps fuel, and any fuel delivered outside of the United States, not be counted. This leads to huge gaps in reporting, Crawford says.

You have to count it, Crawford says. Jet fuel is the biggest greenhouse gas from the military.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jandreau Lance, 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintainer from Caribou, Maine, inspects the oxygen sensor of the engine of a newly assigned low-carbon, fuel-efficient diesel sedan Dec. 6, 2013, on RAF Mildenhall, England. (Gina Randall/U.S. Air Force)

Take the F-35, DODs controversial replacement for the F-16. The new plane burns more fuel than its predecessor: about 5,600 liters of fuel per hour, versus 3,500 liters per hour for the F-16, according to the newspaper Dagsavisen in Norway, where environmentalists have protested the purchase of the planes. Crawford calculated that the Air Forces version of the plane, the F-35A, gets about 2.37 gallons per nautical mile. Note thats not miles per gallonthats 2.37 gallons of fuel burned for every mile traveled. On a single tank of gas, one plane can produce almost 28 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The United States plans to buy close to 2,500 of the planes, with the expectation that theyll fly until at least 2070.

Military equipment is purchased with the understanding that it will be around for a long time, which critics argue contributes to the difficulty of reducing military emissions.

They cant just switch off [the F-35 program], says Oliver Belcher, a professor at Durham University who has studied military emissions by tracking Defense Logistics Agency fuel purchases. Despite these sort of pronouncements to green the military and all the rest of it, every major weapon system developed, from fighter jets to aircraft carriers to you name it, is extremely carbon-intensive. ... Weapons systems lock in certain carbon-intensive technologies.

Its Being Talked About

Part of the difficulty in tracking military emissions is there are so many moving parts. A military is a sprawling, bureaucratic apparatus, with people and things constantly going in different directions.

When youre in a theater of operations, there isnt somebody there whos accounting for every single bit of, this Humvee goes here, and that Humvee goes there, Belcher says. [Its] extremely difficult to keep track of.

Belchers research works to develop better methodologies for tracking and estimating military emissions. Hes not the only one. Last summer, in its climate change action plan, NATO announced that for the first time, it would develop a way to help member states calculate their military emissions. It also floated the possibility of helping member nations develop targets for military emissions reductionsthough it noted that any reduction targets would be voluntary.

Weir was skeptical that the plan will include comprehensive emissions accounting. But, he says, any mention of reducing military emissions is welcome progress. The fact is its on the agenda. Its being talked about.

Col. Jay Wylie, assistant chief of staff, G-4 Installation and Logistics, speaks to members of the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District at the MDAQMD headquarters, September 25, 2017. (Isaac Cantrell/U.S. Marine Corps)

Militaries themselves are taking notice. Last month, the head of the United Kingdoms Royal Air Force, Sir Mike Wigston, announced plans for the service to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a decade earlier than the United Kingdom has legally committed to reach net zero across the country. He highlighted sourcing jet fuel from more sustainable sources, like ethanol or recycled waste oil, and a zero-emissions aircraft flying by the end of the decade.

Ive been working on these issues for quite a long time, Weir says. The change in dynamic around this topic over the last 18 months has been pretty astonishing.

In early November, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said President Joe Bidens goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 would affect the Defense Department. The department is committed to meeting the challenge, by making significant changes in our use of energy and increasing our investments in clean energy technology, she said. Hicks highlighted a more sustainable supply chain, as well as a zero-emissions nontactical vehicle fleet and hybrid-electric tactical vehicles, as among the departments goals. As a nation and a department, we must do our part to mitigate climate change itself.

They Have Caused Poisoning of Air And Water

At the beginning of November, as world leaders met in Glasgow for the COP26 climate summit, Crawford, Belcher, Weir, and Cottrell, along with other academics and activists, gathered in an Arctic basecamp tent in the city for a panel discussion on the state of military emissions and to launch a new website dedicated to corralling disparate emissions reporting. The site pulls government reporting on countries military emissions, as well as data like gross domestic product and military expenditure, into one database to make comparisons between countries easier and to show more clearly the state of reporting.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Hicks tours Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility with senior Naval leadership on Oahu, Hawaii, Dec. 14, 2021. (DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Brittany A. Chase)

Although military emissions were not on the formal agenda at the United Nations meeting, more than 200 civil society organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, signed on to the Conflict and Environment Observatorys call for governments to commit to meaningful emissions reductions ahead of the summit. During protests at COP26, climate activists called out the U.S. military specifically for its role in climate change.

Not only have Western-induced wars led to the spikes in the carbon emissions, they have led to use of depleted uranium and they have caused poisoning of air and water, Ayisha Siddiqa, a Pakistani climate activist, told a crowd during a youth protest.

What were trying to do at COP26 is really get this on the agenda for COP27, Belcher says.

Belcher and Crawford say the military is taking the threat of climate change seriously, and they acknowledge some of its green initiatives. But they argue that in the absence of reporting requirements, theres a lack of real accountability. That makes it easy to avoid confronting some of the tougher questions about military operations and climate changethings like continued investment in carbon-intensive technologies, or national security as an automatic trump card.

But in the face of a global crisis, not thinking through those trade-offs head-on is a mistake, Crawford says. You have to start questioning everything, she says. We dont have time to have unquestioned assumptions.

Editors Note: This article first appeared on The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service. Subscribe to their newsletter
The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

It was 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and I had just wrapped up an interview with a source for a story. My dog Truman, a pit bull who had attended college classes with me, walked the halls of Congress and had accompanied my National Guard unit during much of the pandemic response, was upstairs in my fiancee's office, snoozing in one of his dog beds that we have in nearly every room of the house.

It was then I realized that in four hours, I was going to lose Truman. I had to euthanize him. I imagined how I would be holding his paw, looking at his eyes as he slipped away. The seconds ticked by, and the fate of my best friend, who was going to be the best man at my wedding, was sealed.

Following my time serving in Afghanistan and during my college years, I had a lot of issues -- namely anxiety and drinking too much booze at inappropriate times of the day -- but fortunately nothing too intense or beyond the help of therapy at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Read Next: Congress Passes Bill to Help Vets with Mental Health Conditions Get Service Dogs

I adopted Truman having no experience with dogs. He came from a shoddy animal shelter in Cincinnati and was sold as a "German Shepherd mix," probably because that's less scary to many than a pitbull. After a DNA test, we found out he indeed had about 10% shepherd in him so there was a grain of truth to the shelter's labeling.

I learned dogs are effectively emotional avatars for their owners. When I was relaxed, Truman was relaxed; when I was upset, Truman paced the apartment -- playing aggressively with his chew toys. That is when I learned I had a problem. My issues were fully articulated by a mutt, not the highly trained VA doctors or people who knew me well.

A VA doctor was able to identify the anxiety Truman was channeling and penned a letter prescribing Truman as an Emotional Support Animal, or ESA.

This is where things get controversial. ESAs are not service dogs, nor are ESAs an official part of VA policy. But they do fall under similar legal protections under the Fair Housing Act. VA doctors can prescribe them, but it isn't a part of typical treatment. ESAs have no training at all; the government didn't subsidize any costs associated with Truman. And I concede that ESAs have been abused by people who just want to skate by extra animal costs imposed by landlords and in one case someone tried to bring a peacock on a flight.

Truman was not meant to be in places only service dogs can go, but legally he could in most cases. ESAs were recently banned from flights, but my and my doctor's intentions weren't to bring him on planes and to grocery stores. He was just a regular dog, but that bond we had was critical. He did make me feel better and helped me regulate my emotions.

And I did benefit from being able to rent apartments with him that had pit-bull bans, which is shockingly common even in counties that don't have formal breed restrictions.

Truman, a pit bull who was an emotional support animal for reporter Steve Beynon. (Photo courtesy author)

Pit bulls are a breed I have grown to love for their loyalty, ease of training, eagerness to please and companionship. They're often unfairly discriminated against by local officials and landlords, banning the breed based on farce data suggesting they are more prone to aggressive behavior. Sure, it's a strong breed and if they attack someone it's going to be bad, but tiny dogs are more likely to bite -- mostly because owners don't feel the need to take cute dogs seriously in training. Owners are bad, not breeds.

At one point I was doing research trying to find a nice van Truman and I could live in while I figured out a place that would rent to the two of us, until a doctor finalized the ESA paperwork.

Truman accompanied me virtually everywhere that was appropriate for a dog, both because he provided me with a level of emotional stability, but also, frankly, because he was my buddy.

He went to college classes with me. At previous jobs where I had to go into an office every day, he was a frequent visitor. He was even on TV on at least two occasions when I worked at Cincinnati's Fox affiliate. Once he helped deliver a message to viewers that if people were cold outside, Truman would be cold outside -- a warning to bring your pets in during cold-weather snaps. Ironically, Truman had two coats and was uncomfortably hot in any non-winter conditions. He loved frigid weather.

He was even with me on my first date with my now fiancee. During the date, he fell asleep on her lap, which was adorable. A stamp of approval I quickly came to agree with, and a reflection of the fact that he was an excellent wingman.

Truman also walked the halls of Congress with me. The Capitol is a massive labyrinth of offices and corridors that takes some getting used to. As a relatively fresh reporter covering the Hill and getting settled in a new city, I killed two birds with one stone walking him what would end up being miles in the Capitol while also learning the layout. He was popular among staffers in some offices I would visit, serving as a morale booster, and of course got pets from lawmakers who came to rare bipartisan agreement that he was a good boy.

It was also a good avenue to build relationships, and therefore sources that would later be helpful in my reporting. Stressed out, underpaid Hill staffers got to play with a dog, and Truman got good exercise.

I also served part time in the National Guard while pursuing my reporting career and, like most soldiers, was activated amid multiple domestic missions. Unfortunately, the Guard does not supplement pet boarding fees or offer any solutions for troops who must leave their critters behind. Don't hold your breath for governors to spend political capital, and taxpayer dollars for doggy day care for troops.

Truman accompanied my unit during much of the pandemic response, holding down the fort at our hotel and getting significant play time with soldiers. When one soldier was tired of petting or playing tug of war with Truman, there was another hero ready to entertain the dog. Again, a massive boost to morale. Truman served his country.

The VA's own research shows service dogs, the trained ones, not ESAs, can be critical recovery tools for veterans. But I would suggest ESAs, the untrained mutts, can also be effective. My issues were not as severe as those veterans who need those expensive, professional pups. But there is a class of veterans or anyone with mental-health issues that aren't severe enough to warrant a service dog, for whom a legally protected companion can be a monumental boost to morale and treatment.

Suicide and metal health are brought up constantly by military leaders and lawmakers. Seldom have I heard of specific solutions. It's always a vague program, a sign to be hung up asking soldiers not to kill themselves, a PowerPoint presentation saying the military and VA have all these options -- but nothing concrete, other than a hotline meant for when things have gone too far, and VA Committee lawmakers urging something needs to be done. We never get to that something. Dogs will not work for everyone, but Truman helped me.

The VA warns of concerns about what happens to a veteran's mental health when the dog dies. For me, it's been devastating. But I suspect that devastation is the same as anyone who has to put their pooch down. Truman bought me critical time to figure things out and find other avenues to nurture my mental health. My recommendation to others is that the dog will not solve all your problems, but they're a hell of a companion and mental-health supplement. I owe that dog everything.

The veterinarian hospital does the best they can to be respectful. There's a special room in the back where the dogs are put down and a side door for the now previous owners to walk out so other patients don't have to watch them depart upset, having just terminated a family member.

They let you pay ahead of time. While my fiancee and I were grieving, we had to pick out an urn for Truman's ashes. In a darkly comedic twist, the urns are listed on a stiff physical menu, laminated because it's always held by people crying.

I made Truman's last days the best I could. He was insatiable, but I'd rarely let him gorge. But in his final days, he ate whatever he wanted. I got him fries, two double cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets at McDonald's. For another meal, my fiancee made a steak, and a second one for the morning where he'd also get some eggs. His final meal was rotisserie chicken with a deep snowbank of shredded cheese.

The Veterans Crisis Line can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-800-273-8255 and pressing 1, or by texting 838-255 or engaging via the Crisis Line's website.

-- Steve Beynon is a reporter for Military.com based in Washington D.C. He specializes in covering ground combat. An Afghanistan war veteran, serving over a decade as a cavalry scout, he currently serves as a non-commissioned officer in the National Guard.
Women and girls without a close male relative accompanying them were banned from entering coffee shops in Afghanistan's Herat province, Raha Press reported.

Sheikh Azizi ur Rahman Al-Mohajer, the head of virtue and vice of the Taliban office in Herat, said from now on playing music and women and girls without a mahram' (relative) are forbidden, the report said.

He said criminals are also not allowed in coffee shops. According to him, most insecurities, kidnappings, robberies and destructive actions can be planned in such coffee shops.

"The coffee shop owners are warned if any instruction violations are reported, they will be faced with legal actions," Al-Mohajer said, adding that coffee shops can be remain open till 9.30 p.m.

According to him, these coffee shops serve as a convenient place for most of the moral corruption something has misled the youths in Herat. He emphasised any decree on closing all coffee shops in Herat can be issued from Kabul.

This comes as recently after all mannequins were beheaded as they resembled idols, an instruction from the Taliban government that caused lot of public opposition.

Nearly five months after regaining power, the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has reclaimed its role as the enforcer of the group's radical interpretation of Islamic law, RFE/RL reported.

In a spate of decrees issued in recent weeks, the Ministry has imposed restrictions on the behaviour, movement, and appearances of residents, particularly those of women and girls.

While the militants have claimed the decrees are only recommendations, Taliban religious police have enforced the new laws, sometimes violently, in many areas.

Many Afghans have voiced their anger at the Taliban's religious policing, saying it is a tool for humiliating citizens and controlling every aspect of their lives.

For Afghans, the decrees are reminiscent of the draconian rules the Taliban imposed during its brutal rule from 1996 to 2001.

Obaidullah Baheer, a Kabul-based academic, said by forcing its own interpretation of Sharia law upon Afghans, the Taliban is "locking out the population from decision-making" and exposing its "tyrannical tendencies", the report added.

Baheer said the Taliban views "any challenge to (its) policies as a challenge to the faith itself".

Last month, the Taliban ordered shop owners in the western city of Herat to cut off the heads of mannequins, insisting they were un-Islamic.

The order angered local shopkeepers, who are already reeling from an economic crisis triggered by the Taliban takeover and the sudden halt in international assistance.

"These mannequins will be ruined if I am forced to behead them," Mohammad Irshad, who owns three retail stores in Herat said. "It will negatively impact all our customers -- men, women, and children. They will lose their appetite (for shopping)," the report quoted Irshad as saying.

Abdul Wadud Faizada, the head of Herat's Chamber of Commerce, said the "heads of mannequins should be covered and not destroyed". The Taliban has said that did not go far enough.

"Our traders will suffer financially," Faizada said, noting that each mannequin typically costs between $70 and $100, as per the report.

Some shopkeepers appeared to be already complying with the orders by sawing off the heads of shop dummies.

In late December, the Taliban announced that women seeking to travel more than 72 km should be refused transport unless they were accompanied by a close male relative.

The advisory distributed by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice also directed all vehicle drivers to refrain from playing music in their cars and not to pick up female passengers who did not wear an Islamic hijab covering their hair.

Since then, Taliban religious police have erected checkpoints across Kabul to inspect whether taxi drivers were complying with the orders.

Last week, the Taliban also shut down all public bath-houses for women in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif. Such facilities are considered crucial because many Afghans do not have access to heating or electricity at home, the report said.

Tamana Siddiqi, a women's rights activist in Mazar-e Sharif, criticized the move and said: "People are dealing with growing economic pains, which means that not everyone can afford a hot bath inside their house."

Men face new regulations, too, as the Taliban's religious police have instructed them to grow beards.

In a decree issued in late September, the Taliban banned the shaving of beards and trimming of hair in Uruzgan.

Violations can result in severe punishment, while barbers who were directly ordered to halt the practice are now struggling to make ends meet, RFE/RL reported.

In some areas of Afghanistan, the Taliban has made it mandatory for all men to attend congregational prayers at mosques.

In parts of Kabul and the northern province of Takhar, the Taliban has fined residents who did not show up for prayers. Repeat offenders have faced arrest or beatings, locals said.

The resident said the Taliban had ordered clerics at mosques in the capital to take a roll call and report those who failed to turn up.

In Takhar's Rustaq district, Taliban fighters recently beat up two men who failed to attend prayers, locals said.
Although he's now one of the most lauded comedians in Hollywood, Larry David never saw himself becoming a writer or a comedian. After graduating from the University of Maryland in 1970, he was lost and had little direction from his parents, who wanted him to take a job as a mailman.

The future writer for "Saturday Night Live," co-creator of "Seinfeld" and creator of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" joined the Army Reserve for one very important reason: to avoid going to Vietnam. He regretted it almost immediately.

He had never held a weapon, and he was terrible at push-ups and sit-ups. Basic training did not go well for David. That wasn't even the worst part of it, he told Howard Stern in a 2015 interview.

"I had an apartment in New York and I would go to Brooklyn for the weekend, stay with my parents, and spend all Saturday and Sunday at Floyd Bennett Field in a freezing airplane hangar," he said.

He especially hated the monthly meetings in Brooklyn because his hair had grown out of regulations. His solution was a creative one: he and his fellow soldiers stuffed their big, curly 1970s-style "fro" into crew-cut wigs. David said his entire unit wore the same style of wig to the monthly meetings.

"I had been in for two years, and every summer, you had to go to summer camp for two weeks and sleep in a tent. I mean the whole thing was absurd," he said.

In all, David spent five years in the Army Reserve, almost twice as long as the required service of a draftee. He concocted a plan to separate one year early with the help of a psychiatrist.

"Then I heard about this psychiatrist who was writing letters to get people out of the reserves," David told Stern. "I got the name of the psychiatrist. ... I acted a little crazy because I think he was looking for me to act a little crazy. He wrote me this letter and I read the letter, and according to the letter I'm 'stark, raving mad' and can't be in the military."

David had to take the letter on his next reserve weekend and hand it to his commanding officer, having to act the way the letter described him.

"This was only a month later; I was fine a month ago," David said. "I have to walk into the hangar, I sort of isolate myself from everybody. I was looking around, my eyes are darting around ... and I see people nudging each other, pointing at me."

Finally he walks up to the NCO and asks to talk to the unit commander. Once in the commander's office, David handed the letter over and began to get "knee deep in this performance ... living this part."

After five minutes of rambling and raving, the officer asks David if he's able to drive home. And that was it. David was out of the Army Reserve.

David worked a series of jobs after leaving the military, including as a New York cab driver, a private chauffeur and stand-up comedian before getting his gig as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" between 1984 and 1985.

His next stab at acting after leaving the Army Reserve came in the form of an acting class. David didn't like acting, either, because he hated waiting for the other person to finish their lines. When he was able to act with unscripted lines, he got some laughs.

David's off-the-cuff style didn't sit well with comedy club audiences, so his stand-up career was also short-lived. In 1989, he and Jerry Seinfeld teamed up to pitch a show called "The Seinfeld Chronicles" to NBC. The show aired as "Seinfeld," one of TV's most popular and successful shows of all time.

Read David's own take on his Reserve service in an opinion piece he wrote for The New York Times in 2004. Listen to him tell his story of leaving the reserves on "The Howard Stern Show" in 2015.

-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.

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Key

The Silver Cloud Mine is a cordilleran vein-hosted hydrothermal ore deposit that developed within the Red Mountain mining district from 30 to 20 million years ago. Mineralizaton is confined to radial and concentric ring faulting from the collapse of the San Juan and Silverton calderas adjacently east of the mine. Detailed field and analytical studies establish that the mine contains three primary veins that are dominated by mesothermal lead-zinc-copper mineralization with minor silver and gold. Mineralization exhibits textures of open-space filling along fractures that are mantled by proximal phyllic and regionally pervasive propyllitic alteration assemblages. The association of ore minerals, exsolution products and alteration assemblages in these deposits indicate that mineralization formed under early conditions of 300C- 600C and moderate pressures consistent with formative conditions of the mesothermal category. Vein types in this deposit vary from massive quartz-calcite hosted veins with abundant base-metal sulfides (vein 1), to finely disseminated silver-rich sulfides (vein 2) and zones of anastomosing bull quartz dominated veins with minor pyrite (vein 3). Grade and tonnage estimates on these veins indicate that vein-type 1 has the highest potential for development with 19,419 tons assaying about 0.19% copper, 12.80% zinc, 6.90% lead, 1.11 ounces of silver, and 0.43 grams of gold per ton of ore. A comparison of selected geochemical signatures indicates a poor overall correlation of trace elements (As, Sb, etc) with mineralization. This implies that mineralization does not have a strong association with any given mineral or combination of minerals in the system to serve as exploration tools. Results of laboratory analysis and field work indicate a significant orebody at the Silver Cloud with base metals comprising most of the value. Vein 1 is the only mineralized structure of considerable value with a gross value of $7.14 million at $367.82/ton. While lateral and vertical expression of vein 1 are limited to a single drift level, exploration drilling at two specified sites will help to identify the extent of mineralization and zoning beyond current exposure. The economic viability of producing metals from the Silver Cloud will ultimately be determined by the profit margin that production costs afford.

List of minerals for each chemical element

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Geol.desc: lode 50 to 70 ft. wide made up of intersecting veins
Fort Madison, IA (52627)

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Gordon Edudzi Tameklo, a member of the legal team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is using separate vehicles to carry his seat wherever he goes

Speaking to 3FM in an interview, Edudzi Tameklo said his checks has led him to uncover that the President uses a V8 and a Tundra to carry along his special seat in his convoy during his travels.

Describing this as ridiculous, he argues that the posture of the President is a waste of resources and a demotivation to citizens to help in nation building.

The most ridiculous thing I even found out later is that as we speak today; in the Presidents convoy he has a separate Tundra or V8 that carries his chair.

When Justice Marfo Sau died, I went to the funeral service at the State House, I was shocked, I wanted to be sure and so I saw it myself, the NDC legal team member shared.

Mr. Edudzi Tameklo continued, A few weeks ago, the president was in Tamale for the 70th anniversary of Tamale Secondary School, the same Tundra that carried the chair from Tamale to Accra. When you do this it becomes difficult for you to rally the citizens around on a conversation on burden sharing.

Last year when President Akufo-Addo toured the various regions, he was seen sitting on a special seat when he visited radio stations for interviews.
A Sudanese protester was killed on Thursday while taking part in the latest mass demonstrations demanding a transition to civilian rule after a coup, medics said.

The unidentified protester took a "live bullet to the head by the putschist forces as he took part in demonstrations" on Thursday in the capital's twin city of Omdurman, said the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, part of the pro-democracy movement.

The latest killing brings the overall death toll since the October 25 military coup to 58, the committee added.

The protester died a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had appealed on Twitter for Sudanese security forces to "cease using lethal force against demonstrators & commit to an independent investigation."

Singing, beating drums, and holding up posters of others killed in demonstrations since the military takeover, protesters in the capital Khartoum shouted defiant slogans against the army.

Many protesters in Khartoum were seen wounded and struggling with breathing difficulties due to the heavy firing of tear gas, according to the witnesses.

The military takeover -- one of several in Sudan's post-independence history -- has been accompanied by a security forces crackdown that has also wounded hundreds.

Demonstrators -- who have at times marched in the tens of thousands -- remain undeterred.

"We will not stop until we get our country back," shouted one protester, Samar al-Tayeb, 22.

Other demonstrators set fire to tyres to create burning barricades on the streets.

Crowds were marching towards the presidential palace in Khartoum when security forces fired volleys of tear gas that formed thick and choking clouds, witnesses said.

Protesters were seen hurling back stones at security forces, they added.

"Our marches will continue until we restore our revolution and our civilian government, even if martyrs fall among us," said Mojataba Hussein, a 23-year-old protester.

Call for dialogue

The military takeover has seen security forces launch a crackdown against protesters that has left at least 57 people dead. By - AFP

When military chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan staged the power grab more than two months ago it dismantled a precarious power-sharing arrangement between the military and civilians established in the wake of the April 2019 ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

The protests on Thursday came days after prime minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned, leaving the military fully in charge. Hamdock had first been held under house arrest for weeks following the coup, before being reinstated in a November 21 deal after international pressure.

The protest movement called the November pact a "betrayal" for providing what they said was a cloak of legitimacy for Burhan's coup, and kept up its rallies.

When Hamdok stepped down on Sunday, he said Sudan was at a "dangerous crossroads threatening its very survival".

Western nations say the solution is dialogue, a point made in a tweet Wednesday by Blinken.

He said: "To overcome the current crisis in Sudan, we and our partners strongly urge stakeholders to commit to an immediate, Sudanese-led, and internationally facilitated dialogue."

Protests in several cities

Main developments in Sudan since the October coup.. By Gal ROMA AFP

Demonstrations on Thursday again took place in other cities as well as the capital, witnesses said.

"The authority is that of the people," protesters chanted in Wad Madani, demanding soldiers "go back to the barracks".

In Atbara, protesters called on Burhan to "hand over the country's keys and leave," witnesses said.

Crowds in the central state of North Kordofan chanted "No, no to military rule" while waving and draped in the national flag.

Others also took to the streets in Central and South Darfur states, according to witnesses.

On Tuesday the United States, European Union, Britain and Norway warned the military against naming their own successor to Hamdok, saying that without involvement of "a broad range of civilian stakeholders" such a move could plunge the country into conflict.

Protesters set fire to tyres to create burning barricades. By - AFP

On Thursday, state-media quoted Burhan's media adviser Taher Abouhaga as saying, in an apparent reference to the absence of a government: "The void must be filled in the least possible time."

Burhan last month issued a decree allowing security forces to arrest individuals "over crimes related to the state of emergency", effectively banning street protests.

But the rallies continue.

Web monitoring group NetBlocks said the mobile internet was cut from mid-morning Thursday, and wider internet access and phone lines were also disrupted, a tactic repeatedly used to disrupt activists trying to organise demonstrations and broadcasting live footage of the rallies.
Cocoa carriers in the Ashanti Region say they will not accept any amount less than GH1 as wage per bag load for the cocoa beans they carry.

The Cocoa Marketing Company Limited, in a letter sighted by Citi News, has agreed to pay the carriers 82 pesewas per bag of cocoa beans they carry instead of the 65 pesewas they currently receive.

However, a spokesperson for the cocoa carriers in Kumasi, Raymond Atanga, told Citi News they will not accept any amount less than the GH1 they are demanding.

We just heard that they have suggested 82 pesewas at a meeting in Tema but we in Kumasi are saying that we will not work if we are not given 1 cedi. Workers in Kumasi, Tema, Takoradi will not accept 82 pesewas.

Cocoa carriers in Takoradi, Kumasi, and Tema embarked on a sit-down strike to demand wage increment and better conditions of service.

Thousands of bags of cocoa beans were left unattended on Wednesday at the various warehouses of COCOBOD in the Western and Ashanti regions as a result of the indefinite sit-down strike declared by the carriers.

The Headman for the Cocoa Carriers, Joseph Bordo, told Citi News that the indefinite strike is to demand GH1.00 instead of the 65 pesewas they are given per bag load.

The Ghana Cocoa Board has said it will do its best to resolve the grievances of cocoa carriers.

---citinewsroom
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was stranded in the open after farmers blocked a motorway as the country's most guarded politician drove into the heart of a protest against farm laws. His aides blamed the breach on a political conspiracy.

Demonstrators trapped Modi's motorcade in Punjab state where bad weather forced the Hindu nationalist leader to abandon a helicopter ride and travel instead by road to a proposed election rally site in Ferozepur town.

Bands of men squatting on a flyover held up his car armada for 20 minutes forcing Modi to turn back without addressing the event organised to shore up his BJP party's popularity in farm-dependent Punjab.

Disturbing TV footage showed up to 500 protesters, some seen with sticks, enforcing the security gridlock in Wednesday's drizzle.

Lurking dangers

Modi's government labelled the hold-up a major lapse in the security of the prime minister in Punjab, where India's main opposition Congress party is in office.

This is indeed a very dangerous security lapse. The prime minister is visiting a border state and we know what the threat perception from across the border, from Pakistan, added C. Pal Singh, a former Punjab state police chief.

In 1984, India's then prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh police guards and seven years later a female Tamil suicide bomber killed her son and former premier Rajiv Gandhi.

Shesh Paul Vaid, a former police chief from insurgency-wracked Kashmir, agreed amid calls for a hard look at the Indian security playbook for leaders facing death threats.

You can't have the prime minister on a route which is not sanitized and if protesters were there then why were they not removed, Vaid told the media.

The Punjab administration on Thursday ordered an investigation into the breach, officials told RFI.

Congress faces attacks

Amit Shah, India's powerful home minister and one of Modi's trusted colleagues, in a Twitter post warned action against those guilty as he attacked the Congress party.

Cabinet minister Meeankshi Lekhi, also said those responsible will pay the price for the breach, one of the first faced by Modi since he became prime minister in 2014.

We also travel across and we also know how these things are managed and manipulated. People responsible for this will have to pay the price for doing this, she told television. On cue, Modi's ruling BJP also trained its guns on the Congress, which is seeking a second term after upcoming polls to Punjab's 117-member legislature.

Without the Punjab government's connivance and state chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi's involvement, no one can dare to come near the prime minister's motorcade, added state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma.

But Navjot Singh Sidhu, president of the Congress party's Punjab chapter, alleged the breach was a drama to sidetrack public attention from the rally which he claimed did have enough guests to fill 70,000 chairs.

India's Supreme Court has accepted a petition seeking a probe into the incident in Punjab, where a Sikh separatist drive claimed thousands of lives in the 1980s.

Restless farmers

Punjab was the hub of a 14-month-long protest by farmers against three laws they said would help rich corporations usurp the agriculture sector which accounts for 14 percent of India's economy and 42 percent of employment.

In November, Modi withdrew the thorny reforms but the gesture did little to fully mollify farmers who have come up with demands linked to their livelihood.

Several farmers' unions had opposed Modi's visit to Punjab, often described as India's food basket because of the high yield of wheat and rice crops.
Sudanese security forces shot dead three protesters on Thursday during the latest mass demonstrations demanding a transition to civilian rule after a coup, medics said.

The latest killings bring to 60 the death toll in a security clampdown since the October 25 military takeover, said the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, which is part of the pro-democracy movement.

One of the slain demonstrators took a "live bullet to the head by the putschist forces as he took part in demonstrations" in the capital's twin city of Omdurman, the doctors said.

The second, who also has not been identified, "was hit by a live bullet to the pelvis" during the Omdurman protests while the third was killed in North Khartoum due to "live bullets to the chest," they added.

The medics also counted more than 300 wounded including by live rounds, rubber bullets, and other injuries due to the persistent firing of tear gas.

Their deaths came a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed on Twitter for Sudanese security forces to "cease using lethal force against demonstrators".

Authorities have regularly denied using live rounds in confronting protests.

Singing, beating drums, and holding up posters of others killed in demonstrations since the military takeover, protesters in the capital Khartoum shouted defiant slogans against the army.

Many protesters in Khartoum were seen wounded and struggling with breathing difficulties due to the heavy firing of tear gas, according to the witnesses.

Demonstrators remain undeterred by the risks, which on November 17 saw 15 protesters shot dead in the bloodiest day so far.

"We will not stop until we get our country back," shouted one protester, Samar al-Tayeb, 22.

Other demonstrators set fire to tyres to create burning barricades on the streets.

Crowds were marching towards the presidential palace in Khartoum when security forces fired volleys of tear gas that formed thick and choking clouds, witnesses said.

Protesters hurled back stones at security forces, they added.

"Our marches will continue until we restore our revolution and our civilian government, even if martyrs fall among us," said Mojataba Hussein, a 23-year-old protester.

Call for dialogue

Demonstrators -- who have at times marched in the tens of thousands -- remain undeterred by a security crackdown which has killed almost 60 people. By - AFP

The power grab by military chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was one of several in Sudan's post-independence history. It dismantled a precarious power-sharing arrangement between the military and civilians established in the wake of the April 2019 ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

The protests on Thursday came days after prime minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned, leaving the military fully in charge. Hamdok had been held under house arrest for weeks following the coup, before being reinstated in a November 21 deal after international pressure.

The protest movement called the November pact a "betrayal" for providing what they said was a cloak of legitimacy for Burhan's coup, and kept up its rallies.

When Hamdok stepped down on Sunday, he said Sudan was at a "dangerous crossroads threatening its very survival".

Western nations say the solution is dialogue, a point made in a tweet Wednesday by Blinken who urged "an immediate, Sudanese-led, and internationally facilitated dialogue."

Protests in several cities

Main developments in Sudan since the October coup.. By Gal ROMA AFP

Demonstrations on Thursday again took place in other cities as well as the capital, witnesses said.

"The authority is that of the people," protesters chanted in Wad Madani, demanding soldiers "go back to the barracks".

In Atbara, protesters called on Burhan to "hand over the country's keys and leave," witnesses said.

Crowds in the central state of North Kordofan chanted "No, no to military rule" while waving and draped in the national flag.

Others took to the streets in Central and South Darfur states, according to witnesses.

On Tuesday the United States, European Union, Britain and Norway warned the military against naming their own successor to Hamdok, saying that without involvement of "a broad range of civilian stakeholders" such a move could plunge the country into conflict.

Protesters set fire to tyres to create burning barricades. By - AFP

On Thursday, state-media quoted Burhan's media adviser Taher Abouhaga as saying, in an apparent reference to the absence of a government: "The void must be filled in the least possible time."

Web monitoring group NetBlocks said the mobile internet was cut from mid-morning Thursday, and wider internet access and phone lines were also disrupted, a tactic repeatedly used in an attempt to disrupt activists.
Former US President Donald Trump's new social media app, Truth Social, will launch on the iOS platform on February 21, according to a listing on the App Store.

The app is being made by the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), the former leaders's new media company led by former US Representative Devin Nunes, The Verge reported on Thursday.

Truth Social looks very much like a Twitter clone, based on screenshots in the App Store listing, the report said.

The profile page shown in one screenshot looks almost exactly like Twitter and posts appear to have icons for replies, retweets, saving and sharing.

As per the report, the social network's Twitter-like design is almost assuredly no accident.

Twitter was Trump's favourite megaphone for years until he was permanently banned in January 2021 shortly after the January 6 insurrection on the US Capitol, the report said.

In May, he launched what was essentially a blog where he posted pithy Twitter-length comments, but it wasn't nearly as popular as his former Twitter account and was shut down less than a month after it launched, it added.

Trump sued Twitter in October in an attempt to reinstate his account.
The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, wants Ghanaians to support the introduction of the 1.75% Electronic Transaction Levy.

According to him, the introduction of the levy will aid in the construction of more good roads nationwide.

Mr. Amoako-Atta made these comments after an inspection of the two-tier Tamale interchange in the Northern Region on Thursday, January 6, 2021.

The Minister also said the introduction of e-levy will provide enough funds to develop the road sector immensely, and that will be appreciated by every citizen.

Everybody should support the e-levy which coming for our benefit and our own good to develop the infrastructural base of our country particularly the roads sector. It is a good thing for us because it is going to take us from our current stage to a level that will be appreciated by every Tom, Dick and Harry in this country.

About e-levy

The government through the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta introduced the levy as part of the 2022 budget.

However, its voting led to fisticuffs in the Parliament due to the sharp division on the controversial levy.

The Minority and the Majority are sharply divided over the levy and its implications for financial inclusion and the cash-lite society agenda.

The Minority has said it will do all it can to ensure that the bill does not see the light of day, insisting it is not in the best interest of Ghanaians.

However, the Majority has maintained that the levy will help the government raise the needed revenue to meet the infrastructural demands of the country.

Meanwhile, the house could not approve the bill before proceeding on recess. It will resume sittings on January 18, 2022.

citinewsroom
Advocacy group, Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana) is pushing for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to embark on youth led peace initiatives to help address political vigilantism in the country.

This forms part of a proactive advocacy being championed by CFF-Ghana to avoid violence in the next general elections and also ensure the youth channel their energy into productive ventures that will rather help nation building.

Over the years, it has been proven that the causes of political vigilantism in Ghana are multifaceted and not far-fetched.

They include but not limited to lack of youths active participation in the democratic process, youth unemployment, winner-takes it all syndrome, poor governance, exclusionary politics, the socio-economic uncertainties of losing political power among others.

Although President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo criminalized political vigilante groups in September 2019 when he signed the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill into law, political parties still operate these dreaded groups under the cover of darkness. In Ghana, despite the existence of this law, the 2020 electioneering period recorded the highest number of brutalities with the bloodiest killings in the history of Ghanas democratic journey.

Insisting that the nature of operation and complexity of vigilantism in Ghana requires a new thinking and approach, CFF-Ghana has through a statement stressed that there is the need for CSO to work together.

It is for the above reasons why Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana) is advocating for well-coordinated CSOs actions including implementing youth led peace initiatives to mitigate the debilitating effects of political vigilantism in Ghana and beyond, a release from the public committee of the advocacy group has said.

Read the full release from CFF-Ghana below:

Article: Ending dreaded political vigilantism in Ghana; the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

Globally, political violence is considered an intolerable violation of citizens rights to freely participate in democratic processes of their respective countries which by far undermines democratic values and principles with its debilitating effects on human security.

In fact, the re-introduction of multiparty democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa in the early 1990s, electoral competition for state power has become the norm. While the frequency of elections and the advancements in the quality of democracy across the continent has generated a sense

of optimism for multiparty politics, this development has been closely accompanied by another, much more worrying trend, of violent conflicts predominantly fueled by unconstitutional political transitions, and electoral disputes among others in a Region considered as volatile with its dark and troubling history of political upheavals.

According to (Kwarkye, 2011), about 800 people were killed in post-election violence across northern cities in Nigeria. In 2015, about 100 deaths were also recorded in Nigeria as a result of electoral violence. In Benin, in May 2019, the elections also turned violent as opposition parties protested against new electoral laws that made it difficult for them to contest in the elections. Togo has not been left out. It has also been experiencing political unrest since 2017 over term-limit disputes resulting in the deaths of innocent citizens.

In fact, the electoral related violence in West Africa in recent years, especially in Mali, Burkina-Faso, and Togo lay credence to heightened insecurity in the region thereby derailing gains made thus far in the democratic consolidation by various stakeholders.

Though Ghana is considered as the citadel of democracy and good governance in the sub-region, her relatively stable democratic trajectory is not devoid of violence. Political vigilantism is gradually eating its layer which has indeed becoming a threat to its thriving democracy. In Ghana today, political parties whether in government or in opposition form and use vigilante groups who then act on their behalf to perpetrate mayhem on persons or groups considered as opponents. These vigilantes engage in riots, violent protests and property destruction; they are known to target elections, intimidating voters or mounting roadblocks to prevent people they termed outsiders from voting as part of a well-calculated scheme to disfranchise people they consider opponents to their advantage. They (vigilantes) have also been known to harass, threaten, assault, and even assassinate opponents. The danger posed by these dreaded groups cannot be underestimated.

For example, in 2019, during the parliamentary by-election in Ayawaso West Wuogon (AWW) constituency in Accra, violence occurred and it was attributed to the presence of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) political vigilante groups in the polling centres. The escalated level of brutalities in some parts of Ghana during the 2020 new voter registration exercise and the brutal killing of five (5) innocent Ghanaians during the 2020 general elections cast a shadow of doubt over a country highly hailed for its stable democracy.

The causes of political vigilantism in Ghana are multifaceted and not far-fetched. They include but not limited to lack of youths active participation in the democratic process, youth unemployment, winner-takes it all syndrome, poor governance, exclusionary politics, the socio-economic uncertainties of losing political power among others.

In recognition of the active role of youth to building a more resilient and inclusive societies for sustainable peace, the United Nations Security Council adopted the ground-breaking resolution 2250 to foster youth participation in peace processes. In the same vein, ECOWAS integrated a youth dimension in its 2019 Plan of Action (PoA) to ensure effective implementation of its Conflict Prevention Framework while the African Union also developed a continental framework to provide guidance on the implementation of the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda.

The question is has Ghana truly committed herself to the above resolutions?

Though, the President of the Republic of Ghana criminalized political vigilante groups in September 2019 when he signed the Vigilantism and Related Offences Bill into law, political parties still operate these dreaded groups under the cover of darkness. In Ghana, despite the existence of this law, the 2020 electioneering period recorded the highest number of brutalities with the bloodiest killings in the history of Ghanas democratic journey. In practice, there is no political will to apply the law fully to deter perpetrators of political violence. There is limited citizens knowledge on the law and lack of citizens especially youth participation in conflict prevention defeating the realization of its goals and expected objectives.

The nature of operation and complexity of vigilantism in Ghana requires a new thinking and approach to its prevention for a peaceful Ghana, West Africa, Africa and the World.

It is for the above reasons why Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana) is advocating for well-coordinated CSOs actions including implementing youth led peace initiatives to mitigate the debilitating effects of political vigilantism in Ghana and beyond.

Let the democratic values of our forebears which birthed the 4th Republic be upheld

Long live global peace!

Long Live CFF-Ghana!

Authored by: CFF-Ghanas Publicity Committee

For Partnership & Support, Contact Us:

0248640364

[email protected]

www.cffghana.org
07.01.2022 LISTEN

The Ghana Police Service has issued a caution to religious leaders especially Prophets that the law on doom prophecies must be adhered to on a daily basis.

The Police in late December 2021 warned religious leaders to desist from communicating information that has the tendency to create fear and panic during the 31st night service or risk being jailed for up to five years.

The Police in a latest statement commended religious leaders for complying to its directive.

It however warned that the law on doom prophecies is not limited to December 31st night services.

We would like to caution that the law on publication of information including Prophecies that have the tendency to cause fear and panic or put people's lives in danger, is not limited to 31st December only, but should be adhered to on a daily basis, a Police statement Supt. Alexander Kwaku Obeng, Director, Public Affairs has said.

The Police statement concludes, We wish to reiterate that the law and the Police are not against religious practices or the performance of religious doctrines and beliefs such as prophecies. However, if such information is communicated publicly and undermine the laws of the state, the relevant laws and sanctions will be applied.

Read the full statement below:
The -Turkey-Africa partnership was formalized within the 2008 Istanbul summit, amid which two result reports were embraced, to be specific the Istanbul statement and the framework for cooperation.

The moment Africa-Turkey summit took put in November 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The summit received the Malabo Declaration, the Africa-Turkey joint implementation arrange and the network of the key need ventures covering trade and investment, peace and security, culture, tourism and education,youth strengthening and innovation exchange, rural economy and agribusiness, infrastructure: Energy, ICT and transport as well as other subjects such as healthcare and media.

The joint execution arranges and the framework of key need ventures constituted a road map to upgrade the participation between Turkey and the African Union. Africa -Turkey participation amplifies to what is being done with the African Union at a multilateral level and with person African nations at the respective level.

Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit promises win-win solutions

The third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit is assembly in Istanbul. The two-day summit, facilitated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is anticipated to dispatch a modern arrange in Turkeys relations with the African Union and African nations, according to Turkeys Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Meetings between senior authorities started on 16 December.

The two-day summit motivation will incorporate investigating the participation between Turkey and African nations since the moment summit and drawing a system for the partnership prepare within the period ahead, according to 3rd Turkey-Africa Organization Summit Coordinator Ambassador Can Incesu.

The Third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit will give guidelines for our cooperation with Africa for another 5-year period. Portion of the projects to be chosen within the Summit will concern our private sector directly, he says.

According to the AU, the Summit is anticipated to embrace a Turkey-Africa Partnership Joint Activity Plan 2021-2026 containing concrete activities to be actualized mutually by Turkey, the AU and its part states.

It is anticipated to cover the following areas: Peace, security and governance; trade, investment and industry; education, STI skills, youth and womens development; infrastructure improvement and agriculture.

The Role of Somalia for the third Africa-Turkey Cooperation Summit in Istanbul

Istanbul, December 17, 2021; The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, HE Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, who is on a working visit to the Turkey-Africa Cooperation Conference in Istanbul, met with his Turkish counterpart, HE Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The two Presidents discussed the strengthening of friendly relations and deep cooperation between Somalia and Turkey, as well as the acceleration of previous plans for cooperation in the areas of security, education, health, economy, investment and development, and the launch of further initiatives. as part of a new partnership plan between Africa and Turkey.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo shared with his Turkish counterpart the achievements of the Federal Government of Somalia in stabilizing the country, rebuilding security institutions, boosting the economy, debt consolidation process, counter-terrorism and infrastructure development.

The two Presidents reaffirmed the importance of the two countries' development of cooperation based on the interests of the two nations and the need to enhance relations between Africa and Turkey. He lauded the significant achievements of the Somali people and government and encouraged Somali entrepreneurs to market their products in Turkey.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo thanked the President and the people of the Republic of Turkey for their brotherly support to the people and government of Somalia, and pointed out that the Turkish government is a close and strategic friend of Somalia, as the two Presidents offered Friday prayers together. and blessed them.

The President was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation HE Abdi Said Muse Ali, the Director General of the National Presidency HE Mohamed Abdullahi Isse, our Ambassador to Turkey HE Jama Abdullahi Aideed and Director Abdisalam Saleban Kodar.

By Mr. Mohamed Abdullahi Hersi
The Board Chairman of the Ghana Airports Company, Paul Adom-Otchere has rubbished allegations that his outfit spent a whopping GHS84,000 on Christmas trees to decorate the Kotoka International Airport last month.

In a Facebook post, the Good Evening Ghana host has clarified that the cost of the Christmas at terminal 3 as well as three others alltogether cost GHS34,000.

According to him, the spending is the lowest since 2016.

He indicated that claims to paint a different picture by naysayers are just ridiculous.

The Ghana Airports Company Limited has for many years mounted Christmas inspirations around the terminal area to create a festive atmosphere for passengers and their families coming into the country. The total expenditure of 2021 is the lowest since 2016.

Two separate suppliers were invited to submit bids. The bids were discussed and discounts obtained. (We are grateful to Jandel Limited and Favors and Arts).

The beautiful Christmas tree standing at Terminal 3 and 3 others altogether cost GHC 34,000, which was graciously provided by Jandel Limited at a heavy discount. (We thank Jandel Limited), Paul Adom-Otchere has said in a Facebook post.

He concludes, It is ridiculous for anyone to say that the invoices from these two reputable companies were issued in the name of the Board Chairman, that just means the author of such spurious allegations has insufficient acquaintance with corporate workings.

Find more in the attachment below:
07.01.2022 LISTEN

I take this opportunity to wish all Ghanaians, far and near, a prosperous new year. No challenge is insurmountable and so, I have positive intuition that, the challenges that ravaged 2021, would be surmounted in 2022.

Today is a Constitutional Day on the national calendar of our country. The purpose of the day is to celebrate the constitutional milestone of the 4th Republic. Considering that our history is replete with many disruptions of the constitutional order, we have every reason to celebrate the sustenance of the 4th Republic for almost three decades on this day.

Many governance experts believe that but for the incessant disruptions of the constitutional order, Ghana could have witnessed an accelerated development. For the proponents of this theory, a stable democracy is the bedrock for national development. If we test this theory against the 4th Republic, can we say Ghana has developed? The obvious answer is no. However, it's refreshing to note that we've made enormous progress though there's more room for improvement.

In this vein, I subscribe to the theory that a stable democracy is the bedrock for national development. But, we need to begin to examine, after three decades of constitutional practice, what factors led to the disruptions in our journey to development. Are those factors present today? Have we consolidated our democracy hermetically to prevent another disruption? These questions are critical especially when West Africa is seeing a surge in military strongmen who are vacating the constitutions of their respective country.

In most, if not all, military juntas, the leaders ride on the collective outrage of citizens to overthrow the constitution. A reading of our own history will support this point. When there's a state of despondency and frustrations in a country, perceived or real, military strongmen latch onto that to carry out their agenda, mostly to the admiration of civilians. Indeed, it should not be lost on us, flipping through our history pages, that, misgovernance and misrule, in summary, have been the reasons adduced by coup leaders in Ghana to justify their actions.

A case in point which buttresses the point supra, is the 1979 coup led by the late Jerry John Rawlings. To date, some people think the circumstances of that coup is justified. This goes to underscore the possibility of coup leaders to galvanise the support of the ordinary citizens to sustain their agenda. I daresay, without the support of citizens, the barrel of the gun can't succeed at overthrowing the constitution. A recent example is what happened in Turkey when the people poured on the streets to foil a coup attempt by the military.

My reflections on our journey as a people so far and looking at scenarios in other jurisdictions, point to an irresistible conclusion that, to sustain our 4th republican democracy, we need the unflinching support of the ordinary citizens of our country. We can attain this by serving the people in truth. The needs of the people including employment, access to healthcare, education, etc should be addressed. All attempts must be made to secure the trust of the people in the political class. This can be achieved through bridging the gap between the political class and the ordinary people.

Interestingly, military juntas, in my view, have mostly failed to deliver any good to the people. Military juntas largely come with extra judicial killings, looting of state resources, oppression of the people, and disregard for the rule of law. And that's why it's important to preserve our democracy through citizens' involvement in the governance process in order to kill any possibility of a coup d'etat. On this day, let everyone reflect on our journey thus far, and identify what more we can do to improve our lots.

A happy constitutional day.

God bless our homeland Ghana!
The Cuban Government has pledged to support the nation's transformation agenda through education.

Cuba's Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Anette Chao Garcia, said the Cuban Government was ready to support Ghana in the transformation of its economy through education development.

She explained that her office would soon engage the Ghana government through the Education Ministry on the specific areas of cooperation and support.

Mrs Anette Chao Garcia, announced this when she paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum in Accra on Wednesday.

'The people of Cuba are very happy with the state of development in Ghana so I am here to find means of contributing towards this noble achievement by the Government of Ghana.' She said.

Ambassador Garcia mentioned some of the areas they were looking at supporting such as the Special Education sector as well as supporting the development of the Government's Science, Technical, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) agenda which would help transform the economy so fast.

She stated of plans to offer grants to Ghanaian students to study in Cuba.

The Cuban Ambassador lauded Dr Adutwum for agreeing to come home to help with the development of the nation's education and called on all Ghanaians abroad to emulate the good example by Dr Adutwum.

The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, on his part, said the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo-led government was poised to turn around the fortunes of the nation through education development by boosting the training of the needed human capital to push the nation's development forward.

He explained that a lot of support was being offered by the Government towards improving the teaching and learning of STEM at all levels of education in the country to provide the right manpower to lead the nation's development.

Dr Adutwum said the nation could not be left out again in the fast development around the globe.

He lauded the Arab Development Bank for accepting to construct 15 STEM Academies across the country to complement the government effort at boosting the teaching and learning of STEM-related courses across the country.

Dr Adutwum said everything possible was being done by the Government to create a level playing field for all students to pursue courses of interest to contribute towards the development of the country and the world.

Background

Mrs Anette Chao Garcia is the first female Ambassador of Cuba to Ghana. She presented her letter of credence to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo on 23rd November 2021.

She replaces Pedro Luis Despaigne Gonzalez whose duty tour ended in November, 2021.

Her courtesy call on the Education Minister was to introduce herself and interact with him on areas of interest and collaboration.

GNA
Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has suspended the implementation of the reversal of the benchmark value policy for two weeks.

The suspension, to be lifted on January 17, 2022, is to allow importers who got their duty bill before December 31, 2021, to successfully clear their goods within the period, a source at the Authority, told the Ghana News Agency.

These are transitional arrangements. There have been some difficulties with people clearing their goods and we don't want them to be caught in the middle of all these things.

So it is for those who did everything before December 31 to be able to fully pay their duties before the reversal was made the source said.

The implementation of the reversal of the benchmark value on some 43 imported items initially took effect on Tuesday, January 04, 2022.

The GRA, however, suspended the implementation for 24 hours on Wednesday, following concerns raised by some importers over difficulties in clearing their goods after completing the required processes before January 04.

The policy has since been met with divided opinions over its appropriateness among industry players and stakeholders.

Whereas the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) supports the reversal of the benchmark value to reduce importation and boost local industries, the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) and freight forwarders hold contrary position, fearing that the move would increase charges at the Port and affect prices of imported products.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta on Thursday, met the leadership of GUTA, AGI, and Importers and Exporters Association to listen to their concerns.

The Ministry is expected to announce its final decision on the implementation of the policy after meeting the stakeholders.

The GRA source, said following the disagreements that had greeted the policy, the Authority had planned to meet the various stakeholders to deliberate over the policy and reach a consensus.

The GRA is yet to be briefed on the outcome of the meeting between the Finance Minister and the stakeholders, it said.

What we are trying to do is to have a series of engagement with all the stakeholders, so we are trying to draw a programme basically to understand how we can all deal with the situation, the source said.

The benchmark value policy was introduced by the Government in 2019 in accordance with the World Custom's Organisation policy of regular review of valuation database.

Under the policy, certain commodities are benchmarked to the prevailing world prices as a risk management tool, to reflect the true market dynamics of the affected commodities.

Mr Ofori-Atta announced the reversal of the policy during the 2022 Budget Presentation in Parliament in November, 2021.

He explained that the move would allow the Government to shore up revenue on goods imported into the country.

GNA
The House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Ghana has called on Government and the citizenry to trust God for provision and sustenance in the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic this year.

The Anglican Bishops made the call at a special Presidential Service held at the Jubilee House for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is an Anglican; first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, and their families, the Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Oare, and the entire staff of the Presidency, on Thursday.

The service was to ask for God's grace, courage, strength and divine wisdom for the President and his Government to govern and keep Ghana on the path of growth, progress and development.

It was also to usher the country into the depth of spirituality, prosperity and God's favour for 2022.

Most Reverend Dr. Cyril Ben-Smith, Anglican Archbishop of the Internal Province of Ghana (IpG) and Bishop of Asante Mampong, who based his sermon for the occasion on the theme: "It is written, launch into the deep," said, God promised to be faithful to the Government and the nation in the new year despite the challenges of 2021 occasioned by the CoVID-19 pandemic.

He said regardless of the issues that confronted Ghana in 2021, the country would launch into the deep in 2022 because the Lord has told us to do it, and He will abide with us still.

The country should learn to trust God for provision and accept that we can do all things through our Lord Jesus ChristRegardless of the failures, the challenges of the times, we must be willing to try again, trusting in God's word and that is the way we should view things.

Regardless of the issues that confront us, regardless of how things might appear, we must launch out because the Lord has told us to do it, Most Reverend Dr. Cyril Ben-Smith said.

The Bishops offered special prayers for the President, his household, the Vice President, the Chief of Staff and the entire staff of the Jubilee House.

In brief remarks after the service, President Akufo-Addo thanked the Bishops for the service and prayed also for God's guidance in the affairs of the nation.

We are very grateful for the service, my wife, children and the entire family of the Presidency, who have to work under very difficult circumstances, but we are sure our belief in the constant and eternal presence of the Almighty, fortified by our knowledge that at all times, He [God] is with us and will never forsake us."

The President, pointed out that though his office attracted all kinds of energies, he was consoled by the fact that God was with him, his family and his Government.

He said his Government's quest to build an open society meant that he and members of his administration must be willing to tolerate all views across the social and political divide.

We see it as part of the work that we have to do for the people of Ghana and we must be prepared to be opened to all kinds of statements; some malicious, some in good faith, but we take it all on-board.

We are trying to build an open society, a nation which guarantees freedom of all. So those who are at the front of it must have the temperament and the spirit, the psyche to tolerate whatever is said, the President, added.

GNA
The French government is considering cancelling the Dakar rally as prosecutors investigate an explosion in Saudi Arabia that targeted a car and badly injured its French driver, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Friday.

"We thought that maybe it's best to abandon this sporting event ... the question remains open," Le Drian told BFM television on Friday, adding that "there was potentially a terror attack against the Dakar."

French prosecutors said Tuesday that they had opened a terror probe over a 30 December blast in Jeddah, which left 61-year-old driver Philippe Boutron needing surgery for serious leg injuries before he returned to France.

Boutron's son said Thursday that his father had emerged from a coma, though both legs remained "badly injured".

Saudi authorities and race organisers had indicated there was no criminal suspicion over the explosion, but France has warned its citizens in Saudi Arabia to excercise "maximum alertness  security risk" in the wake of the blast.

Criminal act 'not ruled out'

"The possibility of a criminal act has not been ruled out," the ministry said in updated guidance on its website.

"We have told organisers and Saudi authorities they must be transparent about what has happened, because there is a hypothesis that it could've been a terrorist act," Le Drian warned.

He adding there had already been terrorist acts against French interests in Saudi Arabia.

In October 2020, a guard at the French consulate in Jeddah was injured in a knife attack. Two weeks later, two people were injured in an attack during a ceremony in Jeddah marking the 11 November 1918 armistice, attended by western diplomats and French citizens.

Long history of concerns

The famous race, formerly known as the Paris-Dakar was created in 1979 by Thierry Sabine but is now known simple as The Dakar.

It used to start from the French capital following a route to the Senegalese capital Dakar but has changed location several times due to security issues.

In 1991, a French driver was shot dead in Mali. The suspects were never identified and the case was linked to the armed conflict in the region.

The race was cancelled in Algeria in 1993 due to threats from Islamist groups.

En 1996, in Morocco, a driver was killed by a mine explosion in a zone disputed by the army and the Polisario Front.

It was also cancelled in 2008 at the last minute due to terror threats from the Al-Qaeda group in Mauritania.

From 2009 it was held in South America and from 2020 in Saudi Arabia.

The final stage of this year's edition  known as the Dakar 2022  is scheduled to take place on January 14.

(with wires)
The efficacy of boosters against Covid-19 will likely decline over time, and people may need a fourth shot to increase their protection, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel has said.

According to Bancel, people who received their boosters last year will likely have enough protection to get them through the winter, when new infections surge as people gather indoors to escape the cold.

However, he said that the efficacy of boosters will probably decline over the course of several months, similar to what happened with the first two doses, CNBC reported on Thursday.

"I will be surprised when we get that data in the coming weeks that it's holding nicely over time - I would expect that it's not going to hold great," Bancel was quoted as saying, referring to the strength of the booster shots.

However, Oxford vaccine expert Sir Andrew Pollard recently said that regular booster doses every four-six to fight Covid may not be a sustainable way to prevent Covid infections.

"Administering booster vaccines to everyone every six months was 'not sustainable'," Pollard was quoted as saying to the Daily Mail.

"We can't vaccinate the planet every four-six months. It's not sustainable or affordable. In the future, we need to target the vulnerable," said Pollard, who was chief investigator of the Oxford Covid vaccine trials and director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, which developed AstraZeneca's jab.

"Today, less than 10 per cent of people in low income families have even had their first dose, so the whole idea of fourth doses globally is just not sensible," Pollard was quoted as saying to Sky News.

According to Pollard, future immunisation drives should target the most vulnerable, rather than all adults.

In the wake of Omicron spreading rapidly around the globe, Israel has rolled out a fourth dose for over-60s, while health authorities in Germany, UK and France are planning a second booster.
An Accra High Court has finally granted bail to the 12 suspects allegedly involved in the Bawku Chieftaincy disturbances which led to the loss of lives and the destruction of properties.

The 12 were granted bail to the tune of 20,000 cedis each with one surety.

The decision comes after several attempts by lawyers for the accused to be granted bail by the Circuit Court.

The suspects have been charged with unlawful assembly with offensive weapons and offensive conduct to the breach of peace.

All 12 however pleaded not guilty to these charges.

They are expected to reappear before the court on February 12, 2022.

The 12 suspects were arrested following a renewed chieftaincy clash in Bawku last Monday, January 3, 2022, which led to the loss of lives and the destruction of property. Court refuses to grant 12 suspects bail

The court had earlier refused to grant the 12 suspects bail.

There was serious disagreement at the Circuit Court 4 in Accra on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, as lawyers clashed over a bail application for the 12 accused persons.

The accused persons, according to the Prosecution, had violated a curfew in Bawku, and a restraining order, to perform the funeral rites of a chief who died almost 40 years ago, and at the same time to enskin a new chief for an area that already has a chief.

Leading the prosecution, Vivian Osei Tutu of the Attorney General's department said there will be chaos and anarchy in Bawku if the 12 accused persons are granted bail.

She said that the security situation in Bawku was already volatile, and that granting the 12 accused persons bail would only heighten the already precarious situation.

Lawyer for the accused persons, Martin Kpebu, however disagreed with the facts as asserted by the Prosecution.

He described the accused persons as responsible and respectable people, some sub-chiefs with hundreds of thousands of subjects under them.

According to Mr. Kpebu, the accused persons had not enskinned a new chief, neither did they cause any chaos or anarchy in Bawku.

citinewsroom
In the dawn gloom, among throngs of pilgrims in white clutching burning candles, Hailu Abera gave special thanks on Friday as Orthodox Christmas celebrations unfolded at Ethiopia's stone-hewn churches in Lalibela.

Just weeks ago, the UNESCO-listed site and its astonishing houses of worship were under rebel control, Lalibela having changed hands once more as Ethiopia's war dragged into a second brutal and unpredictable year.

But with the holy site and its 12th-century icons retaken by government forces in late December, Hailu joined tens of thousands of devotees flocking to Lalibela to mark the day for orthodox Christmas.

"The vibe was very bad, and I did not expect to come and celebrate the holiday here," Hailu told AFP, wrapped in a white shawl beneath one of the towering walls of a 12th-century rock-carved church.

A pilgrim holds a candle at St. Mary's Church. Lalibela has changed hands repeatedly during Ethiopia's bloody conflict. By EDUARDO SOTERAS AFP

"When I heard the town was freed, then I decided to celebrate Christmas in Lalibela and also wanted to fulfill my pact with God."

Among the towns captured during a sweeping rebel offensive in the middle of last year, the fall of Lalibela made headlines around the world as the war arrived at one of Ethiopia's holiest and most storied places.

There were appeals for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the rebels who occupied Lalibela as they marched south, to protect its cultural heritage that includes, most famously, centuries-old churches carved out of rock.

Lalibela would change hands twice more before pro-government forces drove the TPLF back into their stronghold of Tigray.

Heavy security

But there were no chances being taken on the holy day, with the army out in force for Christmas as seas of worshippers made the pre-dawn pilgrimage to pray before Orthodox priests in full regalia chanting and swaying.

A pilgrim holds a candle at St. Mary's Church. Lalibela has changed hands repeatedly during Ethiopia's bloody conflict. By Aude GENET AFPFile

"I am very happy to celebrate this holiday here after going through war and suffering," said Yohannes Mekbib, an Orthodox deacon wearing a white turban.

"It makes this year's celebration special."

There were few of the foreign tourists who regularly flock in droves for the spectacular event.

But there were Ethiopians from among the global diaspora peppered among the crowds.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had issued a call for Ethiopians from abroad to return home in huge numbers for Christmas as a show of faith in the country's unity and stability.

"We answered the call to the diaspora," said Solomon Gadisa, who made the journey from the United States.

Thousands gathered before dawn to attend celebrations. By EDUARDO SOTERAS AFP

"We will assess the situation here in our country, and brief those back home who couldn't make it."

Ethiopia's President Sahle-Work Zewde, who holds a largely ceremonial role, was among the higher-profile worshippers in attendance.

Lalibela's UNESCO-listed churches and other heritage appear to have been spared any scars of war.

But the town and its wider infrastructure have suffered.

Power and water supplies remain patchy and the airport has been damaged.

Abiy sent the army into Tigray in November 2020 to oust the TLPF, having accused the region's dissident ruling party of staging attacks on army camps.

A priest attends a celebration at Saint Mary's Church on the eve of Genna, the Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas. By EDUARDO SOTERAS AFP

He promised a swift end to the war but 14 months later Tigray remains under TPLF control and the region's six million people lack food and medicine under what the UN calls a de facto aid blockade.

Some among the crowds in Lalibela prayed the country would be spared any further pain.

"I came here to celebrate the holiday in faith that God will save us if something bad happens," said devotee Achashmar Dereje.
Negotiations to resolve tensions between Russia and Ukraine were high on the agenda Friday when French President Emmanuel Macron hosted EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen for talks in Paris.

Speaking ahead of crucial security talks between the United States and Russia  due to get underway next week  Von der Leyen underlined: "One thing is clear: no solution without Europe. Whatever the solution, Europe has to be involved."

Speaking alongside Von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that US-Russia talks were a positive development, but said they would not affect "Europe's security architecture" which was "up to us to build."

He did add, however, that: "It's a good thing that there are discussions between the United States and Russia."

The EU Commission president also reiterated that the European Union was "very present" in Ukraine, with financial aid totalling 6 billion, as well as highly dependent on its position as a transit hub for gas imports from Russia.

With tens of thousands of Russian troops massed on Ukraine's border, the Biden administration has agreed to begin talks in Geneva from Monday with Moscow, which has proposed agreements to limit NATO's expansion.

Le Drian draws line in the sand with Moscow

Meanwhile, echoing Von der Leyen's position, France's foreign minister accused Russia of trying to bypass the European Union by holding talks directly with the United States over Ukraine.

Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM TV on Friday: "Vladimir Putin wants to bypass the European Union ... he wants to put dents in the EU cohesion, which is solidifying.

"You can't envisage EU security without the Europeans."

Le Drian added that any further military incursion into Ukraine by Russia would bring "serious strategic consequences", with one option being a review of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea.

He said that despite Putin's assurances that he was beginning to withdraw troops from the region, Paris had yet to see that happen.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said he is planning to hold discussions with Putin soon but he gave no details as to when the talks might take place.
Sheikh Ibrahim Sumaila Dankwabea, an Islamic scholar, says forced marriage has no legal validity in Islam.

He said marriage is a consensual arrangement requiring both parties to have the freedom to make the decision.

He explained that the Quran and the Sunna of the Prophet and his Ahlul-Bayt frame marriage as a relationship that promotes modesty, procreation, love, mercy, and enjoyment, hence it is unlawful to inherit a woman by force.

In some Muslim communities, it was normal for parents, particularly fathers, to betroth or marry out their children while they were still minors, with the understanding that the marriage would be consummated at a later date, Sheikh Dankwabea told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Tema.

This practice occurs in different societies for diverse reasons including tribal, and is by no means inherently an Islamic practice, he said.

Sheikh Dankwabea, the Director of Admission of the Islamic University College of Ghana, said even though Islam did not forbid the practice in principle, it allowed it on condition that the marriage could be rejected or upheld by the male or female upon reaching puberty.

This is because, in any other marriages, until they reach maturity they have no legal capacity to give their consent, he said.

He urged Muslims to obey the law of the land, noting that the legal minimum age for marriage was 18 years in Ghana, as well as in most countries.

Forced marriage was among the reasons many girls dropped out of school, thereby, increasing the illiteracy rate in the country, Sheikh Dankwabea said.

He advised parents to consider the right of the child to a marriage partner adding: If a child is forced into marriage, he or she is likely to suffer significant harm through physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.

GNA
I dont think its every NPP politician that is happy about the current abysmal political and economic state of Ghana because they know that when they speak against this useless government; they will either be called a traitor or face suspension from the party.

It takes courage to speak the truth, since many are scared, its only a few that dares to do that.

So far, the only NPP politician who has been brave enough to speak against the malfunctioning government of Nana Akufo Addo is Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central.

Akufo Addo is responsible for the poor state of Ghana today. The illiterates and the tribal bigots in Ghana can defend him, I dont give a damn about that because just as I have proved in the past and everything that I wrote has come to pass, I will continue to prove more anytime when its necessary.

There is a type of Mafioso government taking place within the Ghanaian government, in which connections have been firmly laid down, whereby; money is been diverted into various accounts either in or outside the country. Ghana is losing billions diverted into private banks yearly.

The money laundering and funds diversion started just a year after Akufo Addo became president after being overcome with the fear that the NPP government might lose leadership in Ghana.

The intelligent ones among Ghanaians, not the tribal bigots; can see that the country is under heavy debt, yet the government cant tell the people how and what the money was used for.

On many occasions; the Finance Minister, has refused to tell Ghanaians how the countrys finance was used, not even the COVID 19 funds were spared.

The corrupt NPP government has emptied the COVID funds and prepared false statements to represent how the money is used in the country.

Many were shocked by the figures, this is how Ghana has become, a country strongly built on a strong foundation of Muslims and Christians living peacefully.

Whether you like it or not, Ghana could probably be the leading corrupt country in the world.

This is one of the reasons the Belgium government asked Ghanas embassy to close down all its accounts in the country because it was massive corruption involving money laundering.

Such articles are very easy for me to write because I am not scared of anybody.

If together with independent scientists, doctors, and health writers, as the only African writer, have written many articles exposing the US governments usage of biological weapons in Africa, leading to HIV, Aids, Ebola, Nodding disease, etc, why would I be afraid to write about the money laundering involving Nana Akufo Addo?

The NPP, is this a promising or deceitful party flag?

I have said it many times, I will repeat it today if the US government think I have falsely accused them of being responsible for HIV, Aids, Ebola, Burkitts lymphoma, Kaposis sarcoma, and Nodding disease, in Africa, I will permit them to contact the Belgium government to arrest me.

God will punish all of them for committing such horrendous crimes against humanity in Africa, while you deceive the world that primates, bush meat, bats, poverty, etc, are responsible.

Your days are numbered on earth. Innocent blood can never be shed to enjoy freedom in life without punishment.

Thank God, Guinea is free from Ebola, so long as it remains a military country.

As for Akufo Addo, if as old as you are, you will continue with this unworthy lifestyle, you will be shocked to find yourself as the first Ghanaian or African leader to seek political asylum in Burkina Faso one day. I have said this before.
I was the manager of the BBD Bagh branch in Calcutta, reporting to the manager - eastern India.

I was always on the lookout for some new business so that I could increase the profits of my branch.

In the process, I came across a non-customer who was importing timber on a collection basis from Malaysia via our banks Singapore office. To explain, if you import goods under collection and get credit from the seller, all you have to do is sign a bill of exchange and thus accept the bill. You will get the goods upfront and pay for it 90 or 120 days later. In the meantime, you can sell the goods, get the money, and pay the bill on the due date.

My branch was getting almost nothing from this business because we were only a post-office. The bill of exchange and related documents came to us from Singapore, and we handed them over to the importer. His bank would handle the transaction and get a fee, plus the profits on foreign exchange.

I wanted this business, so I invited the importer to my office and sat down with him to understand how the business worked.

He was importing huge logs of wood (actually tree trunks) from Malaysia and selling them to plywood manufacturers. The logs were shipped from Kuala Lumpur direct to Calcutta port. The documents would come via Singapore.

I persuaded the importer to let my branch handle these transactions and he agreed.

The very first transaction ran into a problem.

The ship carrying the goods left Kuala Lumpur on a Wednesday morning, bound for Calcutta. The documents were sent to Singapore on Thursday, were processed on Friday and sent by courier to my branch on Monday. They would reach my branch only on Wednesday.

The ship, however, would dock at Calcutta port on Monday evening.

A very agitated importer met me on Monday morning and explained the big problem that had arisen.

The ship was carrying some 5,000 tonnes of logs, of which his portion was about 1,000 tonnes, worth about Rs3 crore.

The logs were stacked in the hold of the ship, and his logs were at the top.

The ships derricks would pick up the logs, each weighing some 30 tonnes, and put them on truck-trailers waiting at the quayside.

Now came the hitches:

1. The shipping company required the bill of lading before the logs were handed over to the importer, i.e., before the logs were placed on the trucks arranged by him. Unfortunately, the bill of lading was in the courier packet along with the bill of exchange.

2. In any case, the ship had to unload all the logs and sail away. To do that, my importers logs would have to be unloaded first.

3. If the importer could not provide the bill of lading, the shipping company would not allow him to take them away and instead simply dump the logs on the dock-side.

4. The clincher: there was no crane in Calcutta port that could lift a 30+ tonne log from the dock-side and put it on a truck. That meant that even if the importer got hold of the logs later, he could not load them on trucks and take them away.

Simply put  there would be one unholy mess!!

I called my contacts in the shipping business in Calcutta and they confirmed that what the importer was saying was correct.

However, there was a solution: in the absence of a bill of lading, the shipping company would accept a shipping guarantee issued by a bank. This guarantee basically absolved the shipping company of any liability if it handed over the goods to the importer without getting the bill of lading.

As you can guess, the importer wanted me to issue this shipping guarantee.

This created a problem for me.

Banking law said that my bank was required to get the importers signature, by way of acceptance, on the bill of exchange before handing over the bill of lading or issuing a shipping guarantee.

I would not receive the bill of exchange for another two days.

The importer was desperate. He was ready to sign on any document that I wantedan undertaking, an affidavit, whatever - to confirm that he would sign the bill of exchange when it did arrive. He had to have the shipping guarantee.

I ran across to Sandersons & Morgan, the leading lawyers in Calcutta, for an opinion.

The lawyers said: no document can substitute the acceptance signature on a bill of exchange. If a bank issued a shipping guarantee without getting the importers signature on the bill of exchange, the importer would not have accepted the bill and would not be (directly) liable to pay it.

In simple words:

- If I issued the shipping guarantee, I could make the bank liable for Rs3 crore.

- If I did not issue the shipping guarantee, the importer would be in deep trouble.

I went to my boss to ask him what I should do. He listened to the whole story.

He asked, What is your clean (unsecured) lending limit?

Fifty lakh, I replied.

So three crore is way beyond your limit.

Simple math, I thought.

After a couple of minutes of silence, I asked What do you suggest I do, boss?

Your call, mate, the boss said. We have not had any conversation about this, understand?

I did understand.

(I guess you understand, too.)

I went back to the office and signed the shipping guarantee at 5pm on Monday.

The logs were unloaded at 11pm on Monday and taken away by the importer.

Tuesday passed.

On Wednesday morning, the courier arrived with the bill of exchange. I called the importer. He came within 30 minutes and signed the bill.

I was clear!

I called my boss to report the successful completion of the transaction.

Good to hear that, he said. Were you nervous?

Not at all, boss, I replied. As you had said, it was my call. I took it.
A law court in Montreal district of Canada has allowed three Mauritius-based investors of Devas Multimedia Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between the Indian government-owned Antrix Corporation and Devas Multimedia Ltd, to seize funds deposited by Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Air India with International Air Transport Association (IATA). According to media reports, the court on 21 December 2021 had issued the order for ordering preliminary attachment of $6.8 million of the AAI funds deposited as air service fees with the Montreal-based IATA.

"The three investorsDevas (Mauritius) Ltd, Telcom Devas Mauritius Ltd and Devas Employees Mauritius Pvt. Ltdhave won international arbitration awards in their dispute with Antrix Ltd and the Indian government. AAI and Air India are being targeted because they are Indian public sector entities with overseas assets and serve as a proxy for the government of India," says a report from Mint

According to the report, the Canadian court in Montreal passed separate orders on 24th November and 21 December 2021 on pleas by shareholders of Devas Multimedia Pvt Ltd to enforce arbitration awards against the Indian government.

After the order was issued on 21st December, Air India removed its inventory from global distribution systems (GDS), used by travel agents to issue tickets, it added.

AAI says it would take legal recourse against the order by a court in Canada. The AAI has not been served any order by the Quebec Court, Canada, in this matter. However, the IATA shared certain documents on the AAIs request, for suspending the transfer of the amount collected on behalf of the AAI. The AAI is taking legal recourse to defend itself, the Airports Authority says in a statement.

According to a report from Indian Express , besides the Montreal court, the investors had moved a federal court in the US which, on Monday, turned down their plea to identify assets of Antrix across America. After the investors said Antrix had no assets in the Washington district, as they had been directed by the federal court for the Western district of Washington to find earlier, it told them to identify Antrix assets in the US eastern district of Virginia, it added.

Devas Multimedia is also seeking over $1.2 billion from India it won in international arbitration in September 2017. In 2020, an arbitration tribunal had awarded more than $111 million along with interest to Devas. The company also won $562.5 million in damages from separate proceedings at the International Chamber of Commerce.

This dispute goes back to 2011, when Antrix Corp, a unit of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) annulled an agreement with Devas Multimedia citing force majeure (unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract).

The then United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government cancelled the controversial Devas-Antrix contract in February 2011, invoking sovereignty and decided to use the advanced satellite (GSAT-6) for the country's strategic use.

Under the annulled deal, Antrix was to lease transponders of the satellite to Devas for allowing it to offer digital multimedia services using the S-band wavelength (spectrum), reserved for strategic purposes.

After the cancellation of the deal, Deutsche Telekom, three Mauritius-based foreign investors in Devas Multimedia, and Devas Multimedia itself, approached various international arbitration tribunals seeking damages from the Indian government.

Antrix Corp has also initiated proceedings to liquidate Devas Multimedia alleging that the company was a sham entity. The matter is currently pending before the Karnataka High Court.
In a democracy, there should not be a difference between citizens and activists as every active, alert or concerned citizen is automatically an activist. In fact, every citizen must be aware of what is going around him or her, what the impact is and what impact he can make in society.

Prof Jagdeep Chokkar, the co-founder of the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), which is focused on electoral and political reforms, was speaking on the subject `Civic Elections and Citizen Activism on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the RTI Katta (now online). He stated that political activity is a continuous process, one of the goals of which is elections. Hence, citizens role has to be continued and must not be limited to casting a vote. He called for participatory democracy.

However, Prof Chokkar stated that most citizens lack constitutional literacy as they are innocent or ignorant. He also said that although most people will tell you that it is they who elect the government, it is pertinent to ask whether a citizen really has the freedom to vote for the candidate they want.

Pointing out that a candidate is the one who the political party has selected, Prof Chokkar said, When India became independent, there was a large number of political candidates contesting as independents (36 won the Lok Sabha election in 1952) but the figure in the last election has reduced to a dismal four. So, are you contributing to a healthy democracy by electing a candidate as a voters choice is pre-constrained by the choices made by a given set of political parties? Thus, candidates who are backed by political parties have a better chance of winning the elections over the years. The political parties themselves have set this limitation for the citizens.

Elaborating on the other role of the elected ones, he questioned what the elected representatives do after being elected when a Bill is introduced.

Arent they supposed to come back to the people to make them aware of the contents of the bill and get feedback? However, the elected representatives are helpless as they have no choice. Their respective political party gives them the whip, and they have to abide by it or else they face suspension. Our country is a vibrant democracy but are the pillars of democracy democratic? No political party is democratic. Our democracy is hollow; it is superficial.

Speaking on how civic elections are critical, Prof Chokkar stated that the responsibility of the citizens begins with civic elections because issues of the civic body are very close to the citizens. Be it roads, electricity or law and order, it is directly connected to them and, hence, they must be abreast of whats going on. He said they should ask themselves who they are voting for.

While ADR conducts election watches for almost all the state assemblies and parliament elections in collaboration with the National Election Watch (NEW), Prof Chokkar lamented, Unfortunately ADR is unable to do an election watch for the municipal corporation elections, as it does for the assembly and general elections as they are too widespread and we lack adequate funds and resources.

However, he suggested that there should also be election watches at the city level so that information about every candidate is made public so that the individual citizen is better informed on whom to vote for.

Prof Chokkar stated, No one has the right to tell anyone to vote. The voter should not be uninformed, misinformed, ill-informed or partially informed. He should have enough information to enable him to make a choice.

He also mentioned that the powers given to the local self-government would materialise only with the constitutional literacy of citizens.

Prof Chokkar reminisced that even before the seed of the Right of Information Act (RTI) was sown in this country, the ADR had filed a writ petition for increasing transparency and accountability in the political and electoral system of the country, in which we had used the term right to information, 35 times.

Lamenting that we are a nation of advisors and not doers, he urged every activist to drop his or her ego as each one thinks that he or she is only doing the best. He stated that a citizen activist should be a model citizen himself if people have to believe in his campaigns for the larger public good.

Mahesh Zagade, former principal secretary of Maharashtra, also spoke on occasion and called for a more significant public movement to bring in political transparency and to make the people more participative and pro-active. Mahesh Zagade, former principal secretary of Maharashtra, also spoke on occasion and called for a more significant public movement to bring in political transparency and to make the people more participative and pro-active.

RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar had launched the RTI Katta online on 5 January 2021. The objective of the RTI Katta is to empower people through discussions with each other. It is an umbrella organisation where the attendees get an insight into various issues.

Several people answer a persons query, which results in a healthier and more relevant solution rather than one RTI expert providing the answer. Moreover, it strengthens the belief in the RTI movement, which the government repeatedly scuttles through various circulars and amendments, says Mr Kumbhar.
After investigating claims for almost two years on the use of Tek Fog, The Wire found that online operatives are using this highly sophisticated app to hijack major social media and encrypted messaging platforms and amplify right-wing propaganda to a domestic audience.

The source claimed that the app operatives used Sharechat, the flagship product of Mohalla Tech Pvt Ltd to test and curate fake news, political propaganda and hate speech before automating it to other popular social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp, the report says.

The Twitter handles (@Aarthisharma08) mention of Tek Fog  a secret app that they said was able to bypass reCaptcha codes allowing fellow employees to auto-upload texts and hashtag Trends  caught the attention of the authors of this piece, who reached out to the individual behind the account to investigate the existence of this hitherto unknown app.

The source went on to allege that they had decided to come forward after their supposed handler  Devang Dave, ex-national social media and IT head, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) (the youth wing of Bharatiya Janata Party-BJP) and current election manager for the party in Maharashtra  failed to deliver on a lucrative job offer promised in 2018 if the BJP was able to retain power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the report says.

The Wire came to know about the existence of Tek Fog in April 2020 through a series of tweets from @Aarthisharma08 claiming to be a disgruntled employee of the BJPs Information Technology Cell (IT Cell) alleged the existence of a highly sophisticated and secret app called Tek Fog. They claimed this app is used by political operatives affiliated with the ruling party to artificially inflate the popularity of the party, harass its critics and manipulate public perceptions at scale across major social media platforms.

Over the next two years, a process of correspondence followed where the team at The Wire set out to test what could and could not be verified in the allegations made by the whistleblower, in addition to investigating the broader implications of the existence of such an app on the public discourse and the sanctity of the countrys democratic processes.

The Wire says it monitored the public posts made by these accounts on Sharechat and Twitter or Facebook over 30 days from 1st April to 30 April 2020. A script that compared the posts made by the accounts on Sharechat to those made by the same account on Facebook or Twitter was utilised, revealing that 90% of the posts were common across the various platforms. Further review of the timestamps of these posts highlighted that these common posts were first uploaded on Sharechat before being migrated over to Twitter or Facebook.

To determine whether this pattern represented the broader behaviour of the Tek Fog network of accounts, we parsed 3.8 million publicly available posts uploaded in the popular Hindi and Marathi trending communities on Sharechat. This dataset was mapped onto a network graph via Graphistry, a visualisation software to highlight the relationships between different communities within Sharechat and other publicly available mainstream social media platforms, including Twitter lists and Facebook groups. The graph showed that almost 87% of content uploaded into popular Marathi communities and 79% of posts in Hindi communities on Sharechat were subsequently shared onto mainstream social media platforms by accounts participating in these trending regional language-based political communities, the report says.

After reviewing the Tek Fog app features, the team at The Wire asked the whistleblower to provide information regarding their employers. A bank statement and payslip sent by them surprisingly listed the involvement of two private companies, Persistent Systems and Mohalla Tech as their employer and assigned client, respectively.

Persistent Systems is an Indian-American publicly traded technology services company founded in 1990. Mohalla Tech is the company behind Sharechat, a popular Indian regional language social media platform funded by Twitter.

The source told The Wire that Persistent Systems employ them as a social media in-charge based out of its corporate office in Nagpur. However, their current project to operate the Tek Fog app required close collaboration with Sharechat and the person they identified as their immediate supervisor, Mr Dave, the current election manager for the BJP in Maharashtra, the report says.

The Wire says it could not independently confirm Mr Daves direct supervisory role through its technical analysis confirms a broad connection.

Given the operations ideological nature, the true motive behind Persistent Systems and Mohalla Tech involvement in the BJPs organised social media manipulation campaign remains opaque. What is clear, however, is that the potential scale, sophistication and pervasive nature of the Tek Fog operation provide unprecedented evidence of private actors engaging in the application of dubious digital practices  typically seen in totalitarian and closed societies such as China and North Korea  in the worlds largest democracy.
MISSOULA, Mont. - Community Medical Center (CMC) in Missoula is under fire for allegedly underpaying 257 nurses for the past two pay periods.

The Montana Nurses Association (MNA), which legally represents CMC nurses, sent a letter to the hospital Tuesday, urging them to correct the payment issue after receiving multiple calls from local nurses.

The issues started when CMC's payroll system, Kronos, got hacked in a nationwide ransomware attack, taking the payroll system completely offline.

But MNA's CEO Vicky Byrd, said other hospitals are handling it better than CMC.

"Other employers across the state have dealings with Kronos, they've figured it out, and their issues have not been nowhere near this severe," Byrd said.

MNA claimed the hospital still has access to nurses' timecards, but instead of doing them manually, they're paying each nurse based on their last pay period before the attack, which means some are getting underpaid, while others are getting overpaid.

"Nurses, to the best of their ability, in between some of them working night shifts, trying to take care of their family, are now trying to figure out their gross paychecks amounts, send them to me, and I have ranges from everything from 'CMC might owe me $20' and 'CMC might owe me $4,500,'" she said.

The association said in a call with CMC staff Tuesday that there wasn't a plan in place to address the situation, but Montana law requires on-time payment of all wages. So, if CMC doesn't have a plan by tomorrow, the MNA will take legal action.

"These nurses and other workers have earned every penny and we have to figure out, CMC has to figure out, how you're going to pay them," she said.

The MNA also told us today that this issue is affecting all hourly employees at CMC, not just nurses. But nurses are the only ones they legally represent.

We did reach out to CMC multiple times for comment but have yet to hear back.
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/07/2022 -- HTF MI Analyst have added a new research study on Title Global Online Work Collaboration Software Market Report 2021 with detailed information of Product Types [, Cloud Based & On-premises], Applications [SMEs & Large Enterprises] & Key Players Such as Google, Bit. A, Trello, Asana, Quip, Mural, Slack, NowBridge, Basecamp, Yammer, Zoho, Flock, Workzone, Wrike, Taiga, Zenkit, Proofhub, Walkabout, Workplace (Facebook), Airtable 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 Online Work Collaboration Software report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations with respect to its current trends, dynamics, and business scope & key statistics.



Click here for free sample + related graphs of the report @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/3361629-global-online-work-collaboration-software-market



Impact Analysis  Global Online Work Collaboration Software Market Research

Analysts at HTF MI constantly monitor the Online Work Collaboration Software industry factors with impacts of current events; with this study an update of how industry players have tackled latest scenario and what key strategies have made significant difference is showcased.



Key Highlights from Online Work Collaboration Software Market Study.



Revenue and Sales Estimation  Historical Revenue and sales volume is presented and further data is triangulated with top-down and bottom-up approaches to forecast complete market size and to estimate forecast numbers for key regions covered in the report along with classified and well recognized Types and end-use industry. Additionally, macroeconomic factor and regulatory policies are ascertained in Online Work Collaboration Software industry evolution and predictive analysis.



Manufacturing Analysis the report is currently analysed concerning various product type and application. The Online Work Collaboration Software market provides a chapter highlighting manufacturing process analysis validated via primary information collected through Industry experts and Key officials of profiled companies.



FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS: In order to better understand Online Work Collaboration Software market condition five forces analysis is conducted that includes Bargaining power of buyers, Bargaining power of suppliers, Threat of new entrants, Threat of substitutes, Threat of rivalry.



Competition  Leading players have been studied from Online Work Collaboration Software Industry depending on their company profile, product portfolio, capacity, product/service price, sales, and cost/profit.



Demand & Supply and Effectiveness  Online Work Collaboration Software report additionally provides distribution, Production, Consumption & EXIM** (Export & Import). ** If applicable



Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/3361629-global-online-work-collaboration-software-market



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 Online Work Collaboration Software Market have also been included in the study.



Market Growth by Applications: SMEs & Large Enterprises



Heat map Analysis, 3-Year Financial and Detailed Company Profiles of Key & Emerging Players: Google, Bit. A, Trello, Asana, Quip, Mural, Slack, NowBridge, Basecamp, Yammer, Zoho, Flock, Workzone, Wrike, Taiga, Zenkit, Proofhub, Walkabout, Workplace (Facebook), Airtable



Market Growth by Types: , Cloud Based & On-premises



Book Latest Edition of Study Global Online Work Collaboration Software Market Study @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=3361629



Introduction about Global Online Work Collaboration Software



Global Online Work Collaboration Software Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) [, Cloud Based & On-premises] in 2018

Online Work Collaboration Software Market by Application/End Users [SMEs & Large Enterprises]

Global Online Work Collaboration Software Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications

Global Global Online Work Collaboration Software Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2025)

Online Work Collaboration Software Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application

Online Work Collaboration Software (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined.

Global Online Work Collaboration Software Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales Data

Key Raw Materials Analysis & Price Trends

Supply Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Industrial Chain Analysis

........and view more in complete table of Contents



Check Complete Report Details @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/3361629-global-online-work-collaboration-software-market



Thanks for reading this article; HTF also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research according to clientele objectives. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report like North America, Europe or Asia
Masking up could keep a COVID surge down as Missoula County health officials track an increase in omicron-variant virus cases in the region.

When you go around town, you can see that the percentage of people choosing to wear masks is just too low to stop a surge from happening, City-County Health Officer DShane Barnett said on Thursday. We cant mandate masks. We need more people to choose do to the right thing.

The omicron variant appears to be three times more contagious than the delta variant of coronavirus, according to recent Centers for Disease Control analyses. In Missoula, the daily rate of new cases went from 20 on Sunday to 148 on Thursday, according to the Missoula County COVID-19 dashboard. That puts the county on the tipping point for community spread of the disease, with an average of 69 new cases daily per 100,000 people over the past seven days.

As of Thursday, 13 Missoula County residents and 11 non-county residents were hospitalized with COVID-19. The county has 763 active COVID cases.

Ravalli County has reported 83 new cases and 127 active cases. Flathead County has reported 74 new cases and 535 active cases.

Statewide, Montana officials reported 1,194 new cases as of Thursday, and 201,720 total cases. Three people have died of COVID in Gallatin County and one in Prairie County since December, bringing the state's total death toll to 2,916.

The new guidance also advises that cloth masks provide the least amount of protection, compared with surgical masks, N95 or KN95 masks.

While health care providers were struggling to get N95 masks at the start of the pandemic, that hasnt been the case for a long while, Barnett said. We want folks to make sure they are using high-quality masks or wearing multiple layers of masks if they cannot get N95s or KN95s.

St. Patrick Hospital is reporting that a significant number of their caregivers are out right now due to COVID, Barnett said.

"That just highlights the importance of doing anything we can to slow the spread of the virus," he said. "The last thing we want is for there not to be enough caregivers in the hospital to provide us with the care that we need. Protecting our community includes protecting those health care workers."

National Guard members were deployed in town to support the health department and hospitals during the delta spike last year, but they have been called to other areas in recent weeks.

Barnett said the health department and hospitals are in communication about capacity and need for aid and have the ability to put a request in for help from the National Guard as needed.

"We understand that a lot of people, myself included, in this community, we feel like we are done with COVID. That does not mean that COVID is done with us," Barnett said. "The best thing we can do right now is practice all of those healthy and responsible behaviors that can contribute to slowing the spread of this virus."
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/07/2022 -- The global Pipeline Integrity Market is projected to reach $2.1 billion by 2024 from an estimated $1.7 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 4.33% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to huge investment pool in the pipeline business, increased government mandate and regulations for pipeline assessment, concern over environment impact, the safety of pipelines and energy infrastructure, and increased focus on the remote management of oil & gas pipeline for process optimization & automation.



The gas segment is expected to be the largest contributor to the pipeline integrity market



The gas segment of the pipeline integrity is driven by an increase in demand for safe, economical, and reliable connectivity. The natural gas market is becoming more globalized, driven by the availability of shale gas and the rising supplies of liquefied natural gas. Natural gas, Natural Gas Liquids (NGL), shale gas, Coal Seam Gas (CSG), and Coal Bed Methane (CBM) have been considered under the gas segments. Gas pipelines are more prone to threats such as deformation and corrosion compared to liquid pipelines. Operators are laying more emphasis that the safety of pipelines complies with the environmental regulations.



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The America is expected to be the largest pipeline integrity market



America is estimated to dominate the global Pipeline Integrity Market in 2019. The growth of the Pipeline Integrity Market in the Americas is driven by the rising shale gas & oil production and favorable regulations related to the licensing of Exploration & Production (E&P) activities. The US has a high integrated network of pipelines for transferring natural gas throughout the continent. Moreover, the country has a network of approximately 3 million miles of mainline and other pipelines that link natural gas production areas and storage facilities with consumers. Furthermore, in 2018, the country planned to expand the offshore drilling to more than 90% of waters in the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Arctic.



The inspection segment is expected to hold the majority of share of the pipeline integrity market



The inspection segment is estimated to dominate the Pipeline Integrity Market in 2019 and is projected to be the largest market during the forecast period. Rising government regulations and mandates associated with the inspection of pipelines are expected to drive the market during the forecast period. Inspection services are carried out using technologies such as magnetic flux, ultrasonic, and caliper. Magnetic flux is the most widely adopted technology in inspection services. It is a nondestructive testing method, which is used to detect corrosion, surface pitting, cracks, and weld defects. It is used to provide information on the condition of the pipe wall. It scans the circumference and length of the pipeline helping determine the remaining wall thickness, depth, and location of metal, which is lost due to deterioration mechanisms.



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The Leading players in the global Pipeline Integrity Market are Rosen (Switzerland), Baker Hughes, a GE Company (US), NDT Global (Germany), T.D. Williamson (US), SGS (Switzerland), Schneider Electric (France), Emerson (US), Applus (Spain), Altus Intervention (Malaysia), Enermech (UK), Intertek (UK), IKM Gruppen (Norway), and Lin Scan (UAE).



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Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.



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Texas dominates the nations energy production, and a new whitepaper indicates the Lone Star State can play a key role in providing sustainable energy around the globe.

According to Texas LNG: Poised to Meet the Worlds Energy and Climate Needs, Texans for Natural Gas, a project of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association, said exports of Texas liquefied natural gas can help reduce air pollution in India, power ever-growing cities like Beijing and will keep the lights on in developing regions across the world.

The report cited forecasts from the US Energy Information Administration that the US will become the worlds largest LNG exporter this year, with that increased export capacity driven by expansions of facilities dotting the Texas Gulf Coast, namely at Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi.

Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO and spokesperson for Texans for Natural Gas, noted the report was issued as "a flotilla" of ships carrying US LNG was headed toward Europe. He told the Reporter-Telegram by email that, with increased export capacity, the Gulf Coast will look toward the Permian Basin to meet natural gas demand. In 2020, the Permian Basin alone accounted for 14 percent of U.S. natural gas production  measured as gross withdrawals.

The report found that natural gas from the Permian Basin delivers emissions cuts of roughly 50 percent when used in Germany and China. LNG, the report said, can play a key role in reducing global emissions. For example, Russias flaring intensity is 143 percent higher than that of the US and 239 percent higher than the Texas portion of the Permian Basin.

Said Longanecker, Natural gas production in the Permian Basin will continue to rise, coupled with a further decline in flaring volumes and pipeline infrastructure expansion, enabling the region to transport more product for export and to meet increasing domestic demand.

He went on to add, Global demand for oil and natural gas will continue to increase in the years ahead, necessitating the need for sufficient pipeline infrastructure to transport our product. We may experience periods of excess capacity, but overall we will need to expand infrastructure to keep up with demand both here and abroad.
Sun Valley, ID (83353)

Today

Cloudy with occasional light rain throughout the day. High 48F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy with rain and snow this evening, becoming all snow overnight. Low 33F. Winds light and variable. Chance of precip 90%. Snowfall around one inch.
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/07/2022 -- According to the new market research report "Residential Energy Storage Market by Power Rating (36 kW & 610 kW), Connectivity (On-Grid & Off-Grid), Technology (LeadAcid & Lithium-Ion), Ownership (Customer, Utility, & Third-Party), Operation (Standalone & Solar), Region - Global Forecast to 2024", is projected to reach USD 17.5 billion by 2024 from an estimated USD 6.3 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 22.88% during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to factors such as declining cost of batteries, regulatory support and financial incentives, and the need for energy self-sufficiency from consumers. Residential energy storage systems provide backup power during power outages, and therefore, play a vital role in the energy industry.



Browse 71 market data Tables and 42 Figures spread through 135 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Residential Energy Storage Market - Global Forecast to 2024"



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The 36 kW segment is expected to hold the largest share of the residential energy storage market, by power rating, during the forecast period.



The 36 kW segment is projected to be the largest market during the forecast period. This is mainly because of the increase in the need for power backup during natural disasters. Furthermore, consumers and governments install small storage solutions that can be utilized in times of need to avoid a major electricity crisis, which is also contributing to the growth of the market.



The customer owned segment is expected to be the fastest growing residential energy storage market, by ownership type, during the forecast period.



The customer owned segment is expected to account for the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the increasing need for energy self-sufficiency and rising demand for power backup. This is expected to increase the demand for the residential energy storage market during the forecast period. In addition to this, there is a rising demand for modular energy storage infrastructure in residential areas in developed countries such as the US, the UK, Germany, Norway, and China, which is driving the growth of the residential storage market.



This research report categorizes the global market on the basis of power rating, operation type, technology, ownership type, connectivity type, and region.

On the basis of power rating:



36 kW

610 kW



On the basis of operation type:



Standalone systems

Solar and storage



On the basis of technology:



Lithium-ion

LeadAcid



On the basis of ownership type:



Customer owned

Utility owned

Third-party owned



On the basis of connectivity type:



On-grid

Off-grid



On the basis of region:



Asia Pacific

North America

Europe

Middle East & Africa

South America



Asia Pacific: The leading residential energy storage market.



In this report, the residential energy storage market has been analyzed with respect to 5 regions, namely, North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific dominated the global residential energy storage market in 2018, owing to the installation of storage solutions for residential end-users. Over the past few years, this region has witnessed rapid economic development as well as the growth of renewables and demand for energy self-sufficiency, which has resulted in an increase in the demand for energy storage options. Countries such as Australia and some parts of India and China are also providing subsidies and financial incentives to residential consumers. This movement toward solar and storage is resulting in grid stabilization and greener countries with lower carbon emissions, thereby driving the residential energy storage market.



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Key Market Players:



The major players in the market of residential energy storage market are Huawei (China), Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. (South Korea), Tesla (US), LG Chem (South Korea), SMA Solar Technology (Germany), BYD (China), Siemens (Germany), Eaton (Ireland), Schneider Electric (France), and ABB (Switzerland).



Browse related reports:



Grid-Scale Battery Market by Type (Lithium-Ion, Lead Acid, Flow Battery, Sodium-Based), Ownership-Model (Third-Party, Utility), Application (Renewable Integration, Peak Shift, Ancillary Services, Back-Up Power), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023



https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/grid-scale-battery-market-93054442.html



About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.



Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.



MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.



Contact:

Mr. Aashish Mehra

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA : 1-888-600-6441

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Iran warns U.S. of revenge if murderers of Soleimani go unprosecuted

EditorLi Weichao Time2022-01-07 15:35:53

Iranian people attend a gathering to mark top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani's second martyrdom anniversary in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 3, 2022. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned on Monday of Iran's revenge for the U.S. assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in case those involved in and behind the "criminal act" are not prosecuted through a just mechanism. (Xinhua/Gao Wencheng)

TEHRAN, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned on Monday of Iran's revenge for the U.S. assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in case those involved in and behind the "criminal act" are not prosecuted through a just mechanism.

Raisi made the remarks in an address to a large gathering of Iranian people in Tehran's Imam Khomeini Mosalla to mark Soleimani's second martyrdom anniversary, according to the official website of Iran's presidency.

The Iranian president said former U.S. President Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo must be "prosecuted for their criminal activity" through a fair mechanism and be punished.

He stressed that Soleimani is no longer a natural person or an individual, but a "culture, path, and school of thought," noting that a "school of thought" cannot be obliterated by missile or an act of terror.

The Iranian president added Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has correctly said that "Martyr Soleimani" is more dangerous to the enemy than "General Soleimani," because the likes of Soleimani will rise in the future.

Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), was assassinated along with his companions in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport on Jan. 3, 2020.

Five days later, in a military operation codenamed Operation Martyr Soleimani, the IRGC launched a volley of ballistic missiles at the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq's western province of Anbar.

Iran has called Soleimani's assassination state terrorism and vowed to put an end to the U.S. military's presence in the region as its ultimate revenge, while urging neighboring Iraq to expel U.S. forces from the Arab country's soil.
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/07/2022 -- According to the new market research report, "The global smart water metering market is projected to reach USD 9.6 billion by 2024 from an estimated USD 5.9 billion in 2019, at a CAGR of 10.3% during the forecast period." Increasing efforts by water utilities to reduce nonrevenue water are driving the smart water metering market. The growing concern toward managing the supply of water is a driving factor for the market. Moreover, the adoption of the Internet of Things in the water industry is bringing opportunities for the market.



The ultrasonic meter segment is expected to be the fastest growing smart water metering market, by meter type, during the forecast period



The ultrasonic meter segment of the smart water metering market, by meter type, is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. This is mainly because ultrasonic meters deliver highly accurate data outputs than mechanical and electromagnetic meters. These meters are equipped with sensors that can measure the water velocity and then convert it into the water flow rate. Moreover, ultrasonic meters have a longer life span, and they are able to transmit real-time data using communication network connectivity; the data is analyzed by meter data management systems or central monitoring software platforms.



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The AMR segment is expected to dominate the smart water metering market



AMR is a key driver of proficiency for water utilities. It helps in lowering operational costs by optimizing maintenance and reducing human intervention in the measurement operation. AMR is a system and process used to remotely collect water meter data without the physical presence of personnel at the reading point. North America and Europe are the regions mostly implementing this technology. Other regions have also started implementing this metering infrastructure to reduce nonrevenue water.



This research report categorizes the smart water metering market on the basis of type, component, meter type, end-user, and region.

On the basis of Technology, the market has been segmented as follows:



AMI

AMR



On the basis of Component, the market has been segmented as follows:



IT Solutions

Communications

Meters & Accessories



On the basis of Meter Type, the market has been segmented as follows:



Ultrasonic Meter

Electromagnetic Meter

Mechanical Meter



On the basis of Application, the market has been segmented as follows:



Water Utilities

Industries



On the basis of Region, the market has been segmented as follows:



North America

South America

Asia Pacific

Europe

Middle East & Africa



North America: The largest smart water metering market



In this report, the smart water metering market has been analyzed with respect to 5 regions, namely, North America, South America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. The dominance of the region is mainly due to high installation rate of smart water meters by the North American water utilities. Also, the region is the highest consumer of water in the world. Smart water meter suppliers are focusing on expanding their offerings in the North American region to help customers reduce the water bills as the smart water meters detect water leakages and turn off the supply in case of water losses. Ultrasonic meters are gaining more preference by the water utilities in North America due to higher efficiency and more accurate rates.



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To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the smart water metering market.



Some of the key players are Arad Group (Israel), Badger Meter (US), Itron (US), Kamstrup (Denmark), and Diehl (Germany). The leading players are adopting various strategies to increase their share in the smart water metering market. Contracts & agreements has been a widely adopted strategy by the major players in the smart water metering market.



Browse related reports:



Ultrasonic Flow Meter Market by Implementation Type (Clamp-On and Inline), Measurement Technology, Number of Paths (1 Path Transit-Time, 2 Path Transit-Time, and 3 and Above Path Transit-Time), End-User, Region - Global Forecast to 2024



Distributed Control Systems Market by Industry (Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Power Generation, Metals and Mining, Pharmaceutical, Paper and Pulp, Food and Beverage), Component (Hardware, Software, Services), Application, and Region - Global Forecast to 2022



About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.



Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.



MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.



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Muskogee, OK (74401)

Today

Strong thunderstorms likely. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low near 50F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Strong thunderstorms likely. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low near 50F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
With the recent rise of omicron cases across the country, there is a growing concern among Myrtle Beach area medical professionals of the impact this variant is having in the community and across the state.

We have seen a tremendous increase in the amount of testing were performing and also the amount of positive results that weve been seeing, said Dr. Paul Richardson, chief medical officer at Conway Medical Center.

CMC spokesperson Allyson Floyd said of the roughly 500 tests that were administered Wednesday, 33.4% were positive. Floyd added the average percent positive at CMC for the first five days of 2022 is 29.5%. Conway Medical Center never saw a monthly percent positive average reach 20% throughout 2021.

This week, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control reported a total of 9,376 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the state as of last Friday. Of the 9,376 confirmed cases, 359 were in Horry County.

Between Dec. 29 and Jan. 4, Horry County had 2,141 confirmed cases of COVID-19. From Dec. 22 to Dec. 28, Horry County didnt surpass 700 confirmed cases.

While the state's and county's numbers from Wednesday were slightly less than the day before, much of South Carolina, including Horry County, saw a notable increase in confirmed cases from Monday to Tuesday.

DHEC reported 9,497 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, more than double from the day before. Of those near 9,497 cases, 441 were in Horry County.

Its scary, its truly scary, Richardson said.

Richardson said he has noticed COVID-19 patients who are vaccinated have handled the virus better  however, the omicron variant is incredibly contagious.

Were seeing a tremendous number of people contract this, Richardson said. Even if less people get very, very sick, proportionally, if a whole bunch of people contract it, youre still going to see significant numbers of sick patients.

DHEC reported Wednesday a total of 1,501 individuals were hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 in the past week, up 59% from the week before.
Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/06/2022 -- The report "Spunbond Nonwovens Market by Function (Disposable & Durable), By Material Type (Polypropylene, Polyethylene, Polyester), End-Use (Personal Care & Hygiene, Medical, Agriculture, Packaging, Automotive), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", is projected to grow from USD 18.7 billion in 2020 to USD 23.8 billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.0% during the forecast period. Growing preference for spunbond nonwovens in comparison to other nonwovens, increasing use in the medical sector, and high demand for polypropylene spunbond nonwovens are the key factors driving the growth of the spunbond nonwovens market.



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Disposable is expected to be the fastest-growing function segment of the spunbond nonwovens market.

Based on function, the disposable segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025. Disposable spunbond nonwovens are widely used by various end-use industries, major ones being personal care & hygiene, and medical. There is a high demand for disposable spunbond nonwovens in these segments as it is an affordable alternative to traditional textiles and can be disposed of after each use.



Polypropylene is expected to be the fastest-growing material type segment in the spunbond nonwovens market.

Based on material type, the polypropylene segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025. Polypropylene spunbond nonwovens are the preferred material type by the key end-use segments such as personal care & and hygiene medical, and agriculture to some extent. Increasing awareness regarding the benefits of the material has resulted in high demand globally.



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Personal care & hygiene is expected to be the fastest-growing end-use segment in the spunbond nonwovens market.

Based on end-use segments, the personal care & hygiene segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025. Spunbond nonwovens have specific properties such as absorbency, liquid repellency, resiliency, stretchability, softness, strength, washability, cushioning, and bacterial barrier and sterility that allow them to deliver high performance, which is mainly required in the personal care & hygiene sector. Thus, there is a high demand for spunbond nonwovens by this segment.



Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing regional segment in the spunbond nonwovens market.

The spunbond nonwovens market in the Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. China, India, Japan, and South Korea are the key countries contributing to the high demand for spunbond nonwovens in the Asia Pacific region. Availability of cheap labor and raw materials has resulted in making Asia Pacific a preferred region for expansion by the various leading manufacturers across the globe. This makes the region to be the fastest-growing spunbond nonwovens market.



Some of the leading players operating in the spunbond nonwovens market include Schouw & Co. (Denmark), Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Japan), Johns Manville Corporation (US), Fitesa S.A. (US), RadiciGroup SpA (Italy), Avgol Nonwovens (Israel), Kimberly-Clark Corporation (US), Berry Global Group, Inc. (US), Toray Industries, Inc. (Japan), Asahi Kasei Corporation (Japan), Pegas Nonwovens SA (Luxembourg), Kuraray Co., Ltd. (Japan), Kolon Industries, Inc. (South Korea), DuPont de Nemours and Company (US), and Mogul (Turkey), among others.



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About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.



Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model  GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve.



MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.



Contact:

Mr. Aashish Mehra

MarketsandMarkets INC.

630 Dundee Road

Suite 430

Northbrook, IL 60062

USA : 1-888-600-6441

sales@marketsandmarkets.com
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For those looking to enhance or change careers to working in health care, the Dominican Sisters of Springfield are looking for certified nursing assistants who already are certified or those who want to become a CNA to care for the elderly in their 36-bed facility at Sacred Heart Convent in Springfield.

With veteran nurses retiring, the sisters also are looking to hire licensed practical nurses for a second shift.
The Brits just don't get the idea.

Even as COVID-19 cases proliferate, you still see many people here not wearing face masks. Bars and restaurants in London remain open while Prime Minister Boris Johnson hems and haws on constraints. Meanwhile, Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland, adopting their own rules, have banned social gatherings and public events, making athletic teams play before empty stadiums.

The contrast in responses may be hard for a foreign visitor to understand. The first lesson to remember is that England is one "nation" within the United Kingdom. The Scots and Welsh and Irish in Northern Ireland also claim nationhood. Got that? For sure, England is the dominant element, and London, in southeast England, is the kingdom's capital. The UK is an agglomeration  "confederation" might not be the right word  formed in times of raging strife going back centuries.

You wonder, considering the differing responses to COVID, if the United Kingdom might someday fly apart. The Scots narrowly voted to stay in the UK, and the Welsh have been tempted to go their own way. Northern Ireland's status within the UK has survived bitter civil war. The Irish Republican Army, often divided, fought British rule for decades. Loyalty has much to do with religion. IRA members rebelled as Catholics against Protestants. Their dream was unity with the rest of Ireland, the Irish Republic. Overwhelmingly Catholic, Ireland won its freedom as a nation truly independent from the United Kingdom in decades of often bloody conflict in the early years of the last century.

The response to the virus in England is quite different from that in Korea or Japan. Koreans may be divided sharply as they enter an election year in which voters get to choose between candidates identified as leaning right or left, conservative or liberal. The left-leaning government of President Moon Jae-in faces a challenge. Lee Jae-myung, the candidate of the ruling Minjoo or Democratic Party, is seen as socialist and soft on North Korea while Yoon Suk-yeol, running under the banner of the conservative People Power Party, insists on denuclearization as a condition for a deal with the North.

Regardless of politics, you don't see Koreans flouting the rules on masking and social distancing and registering their phone numbers in restaurants and bars. Bus drivers more than once have reminded me to cover my nose and mouth when my mask seemed to have slipped. Coffee shops and bars have been strict in closing on the hour ordered by the government.

That kind of self-discipline isn't working in England. Once out of the airport, freedom reigns among people who sometimes seem proud not to have yielded to suggestions to wear masks, much less to get vaccinated. You wonder how or whether the United Kingdom, made up of four separate "nations," could respond in time of national crisis in which unity and self-discipline against foreign foes were urgently needed.

But hang on. Wasn't that what Brexit was all about? The English remain divided on whether Britain's exit from the European Union was such a good idea. Some Brits are unabashedly proud about Britain's own declaration of independence. Having fought off the Germans in World War II and the French and Spanish in centuries past, many see Britain as truly separate from Europe.

The reality is that Britain isn't quite a full-fledged European nation. Britain, say the English, must remain aloof from the dictates of European politicians and bureaucrats.

Outside England, other views prevail. Having made their own rules on controlling the pandemic, the Scots believe they should conduct business as usual with the EU and forget Brexit. In Northern Ireland, the problem is more complicated. Since the Irish Republic remains in the EU, goods and people from EU countries can enter Ireland freely. Then they cross the porous border into Northern Ireland and the UK.

In the battle against the pandemic, the English are independent not only from Europe, but from the rest of their own United Kingdom
We yawn as we drift toward doom. The news is relentless, for those who deign to pay attention.

For instance, scientists discovered last month that a massive (and, until now, stable) ice shelf at the bottom of the globe is rapidly crumbling, with serious consequences for us all: The rapid transformation of the Arctic and Antarctic creates ripple effects all over the planet. Sea levels will rise, weather patterns will shift and ecosystems will be altered. Unless humanity acts swiftly to curb emissions, scientists say, the same forces that have destabilized the poles will wreak havoc on the rest of the globe.

The havoc is here already. Unprecedented tornadoes destroy entire Kentucky towns, unprecedented wildfires destroy Denver suburbs, the sea routinely runs wild in the streets of Miami, New York City subways drown in floodwater ... its just life in the 21st century.

According to one report about last weeks Colorado conflagrations, heat and dryness associated with global warming are major reasons for the increasing prevalence of bigger and stronger fires, as rainfall patterns have been disrupted, snow melts earlier and meadows and forests are scorched into kindling.

And yet, film critics and armchair curmudgeons are whining that the Netflix satirical film "Dont Look Up!"  a bitter attack on climate change deniers  is too heavy-handed, too broad, too angry, a veritable sledgehammer at the expense of subtlety. I watched the film during the holiday doldrums  like many of you in semi-lockdown mode, I was binging TV  and I frankly cant fathom those complaints.

Because the same indictment could be leveled against "Dr. Strangelove" (on orders from a general named Jack D. Ripper, a gung-ho Texan rides an A-bomb), and against "Network" (a lunatic anchorman is assassinated on the air because his ratings went bad). Heck, you could say the same thing about "Jonathan Swift," the 18th century satirist who suggested, in his treatise titled A Modest Proposal, that poverty in Ireland would be cured if only the impoverished Irish families would agree to fatten their children and sell them as food to the English landowners. He even suggested some yummy recipes.

Spoiler alert: Nobody thought that Swift was literally serious. Satire, by definition, uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize peoples stupidity or vices,  and, in case you havent noticed, rampant stupidity currently reigns in our benighted disunion. Witness the latest deluge of lies on social media, with keyboard loons insisting, despite all scientific evidence to the contrary, that the Greenland ice sheet has not been losing billions of metric tons of ice each year.

In "Dont Look Up!", a killer comet is hurtling toward earth  theres incontrovertible scientific proof  but the morons on social media still call it a hoax. A male astronomer gets a lot of air time only because the viewers think hes hunky, while his female assistant gets canceled by the Twitter haters because shes deemed too shrill. Meanwhile, a MAGA-type president and her dimwit chief of staff (her son, naturally) worry that the comet will sink her poll ratings. An Elon Musk-type billionaire thinks theres money to be made from the comet, brainless followers chant that the comet will create jobs, and in no time a sizeable chunk of the doomed populace is refusing to look up, wearing buttons that feature an arrow pointing down.

And finally, when its too late to do anything, Leonardo DeCaprios astronomer says plaintively, We had it all, didnt we?

This is the fractured and fool-infested America we know all too well. If anything, the film is a documentary masquerading as a satire  a veritable metaphor for life as we know it, with tens of millions of people still spewing, circulating, and swallowing COVID-19 lies, adamantly refusing to look up.

Anyone who thinks "Dont Look Up! "lacks subtlety needs only to look around and behold what mass stupidity has wrought.
Watertown, SD (57201)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 32F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 32F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/07/2022 -- The Latest research study released by HTF MI "Global Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) 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 Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Nokia, Huawei Technologies, Casa Systems, Benu Networks, netElastic, Waystream AB, Sanctum Networks & RtBrick etc.



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Browse market information, tables and figures extent in-depth TOC on "Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) Market by Application (Household & Commercial), by Product Type (20 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 80 Gbps & 120 Gbps), Business scope, Manufacturing and Outlook  Estimate to 2025".



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At last, all parts of the Global Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) 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.



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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 Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) Market By Application/End-User (Value and Volume from 2021 to 2026) : Household & Commercial



Market By Type (Value and Volume from 2021 to 2026) : 20 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 80 Gbps & 120 Gbps



Global Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) Market by Key Players: Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Nokia, Huawei Technologies, Casa Systems, Benu Networks, netElastic, Waystream AB, Sanctum Networks & RtBrick



Geographically, this report is segmented into some key Regions, with manufacture, depletion, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) 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 Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) 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 Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) 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.



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Some of the important question for stakeholders and business professional for expanding their position in the Global Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) 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 Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) movement showcase by applications, types and regions?

Q 4.What segments grab most noteworthy attention in Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) Market in 2020 and beyond?

Q 5. Who are the significant players confronting and developing in Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) Market?



For More Information Read Table of Content @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/3282226-global-virtual-broadband-network-gateway



Key poles of the TOC:

Chapter 1 Global Virtual Broadband Network Gateway (vBNG) Market Business Overview

Chapter 2 Major Breakdown by Type [20 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 80 Gbps & 120 Gbps]

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.
A handful of communalist Muslim politicians have a niche in both major parties. While this is the truth, many SLPP speakers have rubbished the Janatha Vimukti Peramuna for having included, in the past, business magnate Ibrahim (father of two suicide bomber sons who perished while carrying out the April 21 Easter bombing attacks) in their national list!

by Rohana R. Wasala

Gravitas News (wionews, World is One News) web portal reported Tuesday December 21, 2021: Riyadh holds 4-day EDM carnival. Commenting on the electronic dance music extravaganza, unprecedented in Saudi Arabia, the young news anchor said, The defacto leader of the Islamic World, the Guardian of the two holiest sites in Islam, Saudi Arabia, did the unexpected this weekend. Its through a giant rave party, a four day electronic music festival complete with psychedelic lights and international DJs.. With video footage of densely packed dancing men and women taken from the exhilarating event held two or three days previously flashing across the background screen, the newscaster continued: ...the images that you see are from Saudi Arabia (where) a giant party was held in the deserts of Riyadh with the blessings and money of the Saudi royal family, the House of Saud. They fully endorsed and sponsored this carnival. It was attended by artistes from all over the world. Tiesto, Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Afrojackyou name them, the worlds leading DJs, performed at the rave. Their excitement was evident in their statements. One of the DJs was heard saying: It was the first time that there was going to be women and men being able to dance together, and there was also a very historical moment, and I am happy to be part of this.. Of course, theres more things to be done to improve the country, but I think they opening, are really going to the right direction giving more rights to women like four years ago women couldnt drive they can come and dance. Its a huge evolution.

That was what one of the DJs taking part in the massive musical show said about its underlying significance for a socio-culturally changed future for the kingdom, the birth place of Islam, with a previous reputation as the exporter of Islamic fundamentalism. The news presenter then dwelt on the fact that the exuberant Western type of music festival in the traditionally conservative Saudi Arabia did indeed symbolise a huge evolution. She went on:

(QUOTE) Saudi men and women dancing with abandon, swaying to the beats of Western music, no gender segregation, no full length robes, no face veils, no any religious restrictions for that matterAll this was unthinkable in Saudi Arabia just a few years back. Now it is happening .By the way, this rave party comes close on the heels of the  Red Sea International Film Festival, the first of its kind to be held in Saudi Arabia. It was a star studded affair with women walking the red carpet in sleeveless gowns, a woman film maker winning the best director award, and an openly queer man winning the best actor award.What do you make of these changes? The sands are shifting in Saudi Arabia, its evident. The socially conservative kingdom is trying to shake off its regressive image. Its limiting the rule of religion in public life and fitting itself as a modern liberal and tourism friendly kingdom. And this, we say, is a welcome change. Although critics of Saudi Arabia say its a facade (and) insist (that) the Saudi society is not making any fundamental meaningful change., ever since Mohamed bin Salman was made the crown prince in Saudi Arabia, hes embarked on a liberalisation drive, with loosened gender segregation norms, hes reopened cinemas, allowed women to drive, to go to stadiums, take the haj without a male guardian.In a way MBS has defanged the countrys religious police that not too long ago would dictate every facet of daily life. And those are all remarkable reforms, they deserve applause. But I have also to say they are only half-measures, and very late at that. Some very problematic issues persist in the Saudi society. Saudi Arabia continues to arrest dissidents, to extend prison terms of activists. It continues to detain the rich on allegations of corruption, a tinkering with power structures, arbitrary reshuffling whom the crown prince thinks are potential challengers. Political reform remains taboo. (END OF QUOTE)

The foregoing is based on a news item from an independent online news source that represents the international free media. The comments on the piece of news are those of the newscaster, about which we listeners and viewers may or may not agree with her, or regarding which we may just remain neutral. But the piece of news is true, and so is what she says about the Saudi crown princes commitment to a liberalization drive and his determination to rid his country of its regressive image. What it indicates is that the tide is turning against violent Islamic extremism. It is the same in other countries too. Isnt this good news for people all over the world who are faced with forms of violent Islamism? For, in this global anti-extremist background, we need not entertain exaggerated fears about the menace or resort to measures that are likely to breathe new life into it instead of letting it die a natural death.

The Saudi crown prince Mohamed bin Salmans brave initiative is an extremely praiseworthy example in a world where, in spite of the steadily rising awareness, particularly among the educated youth, of the dangerous insanity of excessive religiosity and the increasing rejection of its political backers and sympathisers by the civilized world, the backward ruling classes seem to believe that they are required to tolerate or even appease the few extremists in order to win the hearts and minds of the ordinary faithful. The Saudi leaders reformist gestures make good news for non-Muslim majority countries including Sri Lanka where a few opportunistic Muslim politicians maintain secret dealngs with extremists while pretending as if they had nothing to do with them.

It was justly suspected by many around the time of the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bombings (i.e., both before and after the unspeakable horror) that a handful of opportunistic Sri Lankan Muslim politicians with a communal mindset were maintaining treacherous links with suicide-bombing extremists for personal political advantage. It is now well known now that these sham champions of Muslims try to create the illusion of a non-existent Buddhist-Muslim conflct or disharmony in the country through false propaganda, which is a part of their scheming to position themselves between foreign donors inspired to genuinely help their Sri Lankan co-religionists that, they have been persuaded to wrongly believe, are being persecuted by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. All our political, civil and religious leaders need to unite to convince the leaders of friendly Islamic nations not to be misled by these duplicitous, self-seeking Muslim politicos who ultimately betray not only the interests of Sri Lankan Muslims (hardly 10% of the countrys total population) whom they claim to represent, but those of the whole nation.

I dealt with this subject in MWL should separate the wheat from the chaff/The Island/ May 4, 2021), where I wrote: What should be of greater concern for the government is the fact that, by contriving to get themselves identified as constituting the whole Muslim community of the country, the handful of Islamist extremists who are widely believed to have provided tacit or explicit support for the suicide bombers are also foisting themselves on its (the MWLs) powerful patronage. By the wheat in the title I meant the traditional Sri Lankan Muslim minority who have co-existed peacefully with the majority Sinhalese Buddhists and other minority communities over the centuries; by the chaff I meant opportunistic Muslim politicos who secretly associate with extremists, while masquerading as champions of the generality of peaceful Muslims. These duplicitous Muslim politicos manage to enjoy the best of both worlds by making shrewd changes of their loyalty at the right time to join the incoming administration, under whichever major partys leadership it gets formed. Leaders of both major parties dont hesitate to cut deals with these communalist Muslim politicians at critical moments.

This reminded me of certain statements that businessman-turned-politician Shiraz Yunus made recently which were critical of the government, of which he is a partner. He attacked the government while claiming to be prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksas national coordinator for Muslim affairs. The PMs media division has since denied that Yunus holds any position in the government and that he was expressing his individual personal opinions.

This is according to a statement in Sinhala from the Prime Ministers Media Division published in the online news portal lankacnews on December 4, 2021 (a day after the Sialkot incident); it was signed by Rohan Weliwita, the PMs media secretary. The statement was carried under a headline that translates into English as Mr Shiraz Yunus has not been appointed to any post in the Prime Ministers Office:

[QUOTE] I wish to announce that Mr Shiraz Yunus does not work as a coordinating secretary to the Prime Minister; such a position has not been granted by the Prime Ministers Office.This is to declare that the PMs Office has no connection with the statements that Mr Shiraz Yunus makes claiming that he serves as the PMs coordinating secretary.

Meanwhile, he has not been given a post of any description in the PMs Office.

I wish to further state that his statements are completely personal and that neither the prime minister nor the Prime Ministers Office endorses those ideas. [END OF QUOTE]

Why shouldnt we ask the PMs media unit to Tell it to the marines? This is hardly more than mere wordplay. In the following YouTube interview published more than five weeks ago, Shiraz Yunus didnt ever once refer to himself as a coordinating secretary; he claimed to be the prime ministers National Coordinator for Muslim Affairs. This interview took place more than a month before Priyantha Kumara was lynched by an Islamist mob. By denying after more than one month what Yunus never claimed (he never said he is/was acting as PMs coordinating secretary for Muslim affairs), the PMs media unit seems to be trying to eat the cake and have it, too. Did it have to take a heinous crime like beating to death of a helpless man and desecrating his dead body by burning it on a main road in Pakistan on December 3, 2021 by a lynch mob for alleged blasphemy, for the PM (who is also the minister of Buddha Sasana) to dissociate himself at long last from Yunuss baseless attacks on the Gotabaya loyalist faction in the government? Yunuss criticisms include the false charge of anti-Muslim discrimination as allegedly exemplified in the mandatory burning of Covid-19 dead, ignoring the religious sensitivities of the Muslims (and of others, for that matter) as an absolute necessity in the circumstances. Government and Opposition leaders have an unavoidable responsibility to ensure the protection of the non-Muslim majority of the population and the moderate Muslims from the excesses of Islamist extremists. Politicians, please dont sacrifice these innocents on the altar of political correctness to please the opportunistic ruling elite of the Muslim community.

During an interview conducted in Sinhala on a You Tube channel on October 27, 2021, Shiraz Yunus, who describes himself as Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksas National Coordinator for Muslim Affairs, laments that by now there is clearly a split in the government between a faction that supports the President and another that stands by the Prime Minister. According to Yunus, the latter has been reduced to a nominal PM and rendered powerless. This, Shiraz Yunus says, is in spite of the fact that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) came to power due to the influence of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Yunuss claim is not exactly true: What reaches me through the grapevine from Sri Lanka is that ordinary people whisper among themselves that the politically experienced Mahinda has ruined Gotabaya by restraining his actions, the latter being a neophyte in statecraft; Mahindas family bandyism and his softness towards certain notorious elements among his loyalists had already dented his heroic image, which helped the 2015 plot against him. The resounding victory of the SLPP in 2020 was not exclusively due to Mahinda regaining his old popularity. Probably a more important contributory factor was Gotabayas image as an uncorrupt person and his reputation as an able civil administrator.

Yunus avers that the Rajapaksa government has lost all its credibility. If an election was held today, 98% of the Muslims would not vote for the SLPP; their (i.e., Muslims) only hope is for this government to fall; Yunus asserts that the same hope is shared by all Sri Lankans. Only the remaining 2% of the Muslims will want the SLPP to gain power again! And who are those Muslims? Businessmen and wheeler-dealers, as Yunus claims, including presumably the likes of Rishad and Hakeem, who are communalist minority politicians. Rishad threw stones at a judges house, but was not arraigned in a court of law, Yunus remembers. (In the past, Rishad enjoyed the indulgence of the government, whichever of the two major parties was in power.) Yunus complains that although he wanted to contest the last election from the SLPP, he didnt get the ticket for it. Now he wont even vote for the SLPP if theres an election for it is sure to lose! My hunch is that though, as is well known, Muslims did not make any extraordinary contribution to Gotabayas or SLPPs victory, they gained the whip hand over both (Ali Sabry over the former and Muslim wheeler-dealers like Yunus over the latter).

The PMs National Coordinator for Muslim Affairs, is no doubt, performing his duty to the satisfaction of his employer. Surprisingly for a Mahinda loyalist, he argues that Rishad and Hakeem emerged and flourished during Rajapaksa times, which, however, is not an untruth. In his opinion, the majority Sinhalese were opposed to the 20th Amendment (that repealed 19A and restored the executive powers of the President that it had clipped). When enough MPs (required to form the two thirds majority) were not available to pass the 20A bill, some potentate arranged to cut a deal with the two to get their support. Yunus addresses himself directly to the duo (MPs Rishad and Hakeem) through the CP/Pnone/TV screen, and takes them to task for sacrificing Muslim interests for personal political gain! He shouts lajjai, lajjai shame, shame at them. Rishad and Hakeem must have guffawed in private if they watched him performing his dramatic feigning. However, towards the end of the You Tube channel QA session, Yunus betrays his hypocrisy by inadvertently revealing that he, in addition to being a disillusioned politician, is a disgruntled businessman as well, with interests at least in fertilizer importation and hydro-electricity production. He asked for a permit, he tells the interviewer, for importing what he calls liquid organic fertilizer, but his application was not granted by the agriculture department (which, he implies, does not know what sort of organic fertiliser is good for the country).

Yunus makes the patently false claim that the two and a half million Muslim community live in fear today, implying that all Sri Lankan Muslims are being condemned, and discriminated against, as violent Islamists, which allegation is a figment of his imagination. Which community does he hold responsible for this alleged anti-Muslim bigotry? The majority Sinhalese, of course. This is not the place to produce evidence to disprove his false charge (Yunus knows the truth to be otherwise). Even before the April 21 attack took place, some young Sinhalese Buddhist activists and monks made credible claims that hauls of swords and knives were being concealed in mosques. Nothing was done to check the veracity of these alleged wild fabrications. When hoards of newly imported swords were discovered in mosques during police searches following the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, the Sinhalese Buddhist activists claims were found not to be fabrications; the yahapalana government didnt seem to take exposures seriously. The reality is that this close Mahinda Rajapaksa associate has been repeating the same sort of nonsense in his FB and Twitter accounts and in other mainstream and social media channels.

It is also clear that Shiraz Yunus is better received among global Muslims than the PM himself who supposedly consults him on Muslim issues. Yunus says that he has acted as Mahinda Rajapaksas Muslim affairs coordinator since March 23, 2018 (that is, well before MR became PM). He stresses that he has no connection with the Muslim Cultural Department, which is paid separately. His job was earlier done by an MP, Yunus said. In his capacity as national coordinator he looks after all Muslim affairs. Yunus complains that those that he calls new viruses that recently gathered round the PM have failed to communicate the true message to the Muslim public. There are contextual hints to say that Yunuss alleged viruses are officials from the Muslim Affairs Department and the Muslim businessmen that allegedly surround him. But, doesnt he himself belong to the same category?

He makes passing references to the problem of Muslim objections to the cremation of their Covid-19 dead and the Muslims perception of the cow slaughter ban as discriminatory towards them as a community. Why didnt Yunus, as PMs paid overall Muslim affairs coodinator (advisor/consultant in practice), prevent the PM from so egregiously mishandling both issues? At that time, cremation of covid dead was ordered by the Director General of Health Services, who had been appointed as the competent authority to decide on the way such bodies were to be disposed of. The DGHS made it mandatory to cremate bodies of Covid dead on perfect scientific advice in view of the water table situation of the country that made burial Covid virus infected bodies dangerous to public health. However, the government could have asked the experts to devise a safe way to bury the bodies of those Covid dead whose families insisted on burying them on religious grounds, such as impervious concrete walled coffins. Ironically, even the fiery Ven. Gnanasara Thera wanted Muslim sentiments accomodated in this regard, and burial permitted. But that was running counter to what scientific opinion demanded.The decision belonged to the authorities. The DGHS implemented what the health experts recommended. The government took it for granted that people of all religious persuasions would prioritise science over religion, and accept his decision. That agreed with president Gotabayas approach to the issue. But the biased media interpreted this as Sri Lanka forcing Muslims to cremate their Covid dead (in violation of their religious sentiments). However, some conservative Muslims and the few opportunistic Muslim leaders didnt relent.

It was rumoured that PM Mahinda Rajapaksa embarrassed himself by asking Maldives to accept bodies of Corona dead Muslims for burial.That was probably the most clumsy decision the veteran politician took in his generally illustrious political life until then. The Maldivian leaders responded positively which could only be expected, but it appeared that no dead bodies were transported there for burial. However, the PMs clumsy response to the problem projected Sri Lanka as a country that was not sensitive to the feelings of religious minorities, even at a tragic moment like that. (NB: We are made to understand that PM Rajapaksa never asked Maldives to bury Covid-19 dead Sri Lankan Muslims in its soil, and that the offer actually came from the Maldivian authorities. Be that as it may, whichever alternative was actually proposed, it would have fed the totally unfounded canard that, in Sri Lanka, Muslims are being discriminated against.) Then, reportedly MR had arrangements made for such bodies to be taken to Ottamavadi in Batticaloa, where the shallow water table problem was not there. Later a boastful controversial Muslim politico from that province claimed with responsibility that the bodies of some Muslim dead were buried normally in Colombo, while their empty coffins were cremated to satisfy the official requirement. He was actually betraying the PM, for he implied that this was done with the knowledge of the latter. (This piece of news was carried, if my memory is correct, in the online Sinhala news outlet lankacnews, but I cannot remember the date it was published.)

This handful of communalist Muslim politicians have a niche in both major parties. While this is the truth, many SLPP speakers have rubbished the Janatha Vimukti Peramuna for having included, in the past, business magnate Ibrahim (father of two suicide bomber sons who perished while carrying out the April 21 Easter bombing attacks) in their national list! But the JVP may not have known that they too had been infiltrated by the same traitors, who use religion as a secret weapon in business and politics. Lets hope that the emerging Jana Bala Vegaya (Peoples Power) movement and other new patriotic alliances beware of the danger. Majority party politicians need not worry about losing the support of the few Muslim political crooks who are at present ruling the roost within the Muslim polity. They are being exposed, and their days are numbered. The future belongs to young Muslim politicians like national list MP (from Wimal Weerawansas National Freedom Front or NFF) Mohamed Muzammil (41), whose non-communalist politics, incorruptability and secular credentials are beyond question. By the time of the next general elections, there will be enough new youthful Muslim leaders of his calibre to elbow out the blighters.
From Mariposa Public Health View Photo

Tuolumne County Public Health reports 108 new Covid-19 positive cases identified since yesterday, 103 are community cases with 63 unvaccinated and there are five additional Sierra Conservation Center inmate cases. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports 17 currently active inmate cases (see below). Tuolumne Countys active community cases increased 14 to 254 including 12 people who are hospitalized, three people in the hospital with Covid-19 are vaccinated. The 14-day average for Covid-19 hospitalized patients has decreased 15.4% to 11 which is 2 fewer patients hospitalized from the prior 14-day total. The state reports one ICU bed available in Tuolumne County out of six total.

The newly reported community cases include 21 cases age 17 or younger and 27 cases age 60 or older. The new Covid cases by gender and age: four girls and five boys age 11 or younger, six girls and six boys age 12 to 17, 11 women and one man age 18 to 29, 14 women and eight men in their 30s, three women and six men in their 40s, eight women and four men in their 50s, six women and nine men in their 60s, four women and four men in their 70s, and two women and two men in their 80s.

Tuolumne County Public Health restates While our COVID response team continues case investigation and contact tracing efforts, due to the large increase in cases that we are experiencing, we will not reach everyone. If you receive a positive test result, they state you will likely receive a text or email from a Virtual Agent that will provide information on what to do next. Health Officials say, You can help slow the spread of Covid-19 by responding to texts, calls, or emails, and self-isolating when you have symptoms or a positive test result. Also notify any close contacts youve had from 2 days before you became ill or got tested. Any close contacts should follow current quarantine guidance and get tested 3-5 days after exposure. If you are at high risk of severe disease or hospitalization, you can contact your doctor to discuss potential treatment options. If you are not symptomatic, have not tested positive for COVID-19 recently, and are not in quarantine, get vaccinated or boosted.

There have been 1,633 inmate cases at the Sierra Conservation Center, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports the SCC manages 3,215 inmates with 85% vaccinated including all the southern fire conservation camps and has tested 26% of the prisons population in the past 14 days.

The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County increased to 63.4 from 51.6 per 100,000 population yesterday. The case rate reached a low of 15.1 on December 17th. A total of 89 individuals were released from isolation, in all 6,641 have been released from isolation. The number of active cases has been above 60 since near the end of July, the first three Delta cases were identified July 2nd active cases peaked August 16th at 407, with the lowest active cases since July being 62 on November 29th. The county sends samples from residents for sequencing which takes time, so far the Omicron Covid-19 variant has not been detected yet. A total of 59% of the population eligible to get vaccinated has been vaccinated.

Calaveras County Public Health reports 30 new cases since yesterday. There are five more active cases for a total of 68 active cases including three Covid hospitalizations. One of the new cases are age 17 or younger and seven are age 65 and older, in total 858 under age 17 and 808 over 65 have been identified with Covid. There are 25 more recovered cases for a total of 4,612 cases recovered and 55.75% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated in the county. According to the state Calaveras 14-day average for Covid hospitalized patients is three with no increase or decrease and there are five ICU beds available of 12.

Information about Omicron from Mariposa County Public Health was detailed here Tuesday.

Mariposa Health officials share that people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms can appear from 2-14 days, and with the Omicron variant seem to most often appear 2-4 days. Here is what they recommend to do if you have any symptoms or feel sick:

Stay home. Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home without medical care. Do not leave your home, except to get medical care.

Do not visit public areas.

Take care of yourself. Get rest and stay hydrated. Take over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen, to help you feel better.

Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency. Details are at cdc.gov.

Details about the California Department of Public Healths rapid tests at schools and distribution issues are in Wednesdays report here.

COVID-19 Testing Public health recommends scheduling an appointment to get tested 5 days after possible exposure and if you are having any symptoms, to get tested right away. The Tuolumne County State testing site schedule is 7 days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Appointments can be made at www.lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123. Testing is also available at pharmacies, at Rapid Care, and the hospital emergency department if you are experiencing any symptoms, or contact your healthcare provider. More details are here.

COVID-19 Vaccine appointments and booster vaccine shots are recommended. The CDC is recommending that moderately or severely immunocompromised 5 to 11-year-olds receive a Covid vaccine booster 28 days after their second shot. The CDC also now recommends people receive a booster shot if they completed a Pfizer series at least five months ago, or the Moderna series at least six months ago, or a J&J vaccine at least two months ago. Vaccine appointments for children ages 5 to 11 can be made through myturn.ca.gov, or by calling 833-422-4255, or through local pharmacies more details are here. For ways to manage a fear of needles or a phobia and help others with it, view the CDCs information guide here. Learn more about self-care strategies by visiting namica.org

County

Date

New

Active (Hospital)

Total 2022 All Cases (All Deaths) Amador 1/5 27 115 (11) 99 4,073

(62) Calaveras 1/6 30 68 (3) 139 4,774

(94) Mariposa 1/6 12 74 (12) 92 1,840

(18) Mono 1/6 3 52 68 2,014

(5) Stanislaus 1/6 601 3,735 (119) 2,354 87,327

(1,486) Tuolumne 1/6 108 254 (9) 386 8,678

(150) Reported cases at end of 2021 and 2020
Sonora, CAThe US Food and Drug Administration is warning people of fraudulent coronavirus tests. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the surge of the Omicron variant has led to an increase in testing for COVID-19 and its become a concern. That scarcity of tests is leading to potential scams for a product that doesnt exist and may lead to people compromising their personal information

This week the FBI had issued a warning about potential fraud related to the antibody test. Scammers are selling unapproved COVID-19 antibody tests, which can give inaccurate results. This is being used as a way to collect peoples personal information such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. They may also be stealing health insurance or Medicare information that can be used in future scams

One of the most prominent scams is the use of robocalls that send consumers to a website that looks similar to a clinic or medical supply company offering COVID-19 tests. These tests allegedly identify if a person has been infected with coronavirus  even if theyve recovered. Some even promise results in 10 minutes. However, to receive a test, a credit card or a form needs to be completed with personal information. How do you avoid this scam and others? The Better Business Bureau provides these tips.

Want a test? Talk to your doctor. Reach out to your healthcare provider. They can help figure out if the test will be covered by insurance and where to find a legitimate clinic. If you dont have a primary care physician, check out the official website of your local health department for more information on testing availability.

Research before buying. Scammers put pressure on people to buy or commit without giving them time to do further research. Before agreeing to anything, investigate first. Research any claims the company makes.

Check claims of FDA approval. Per the FBI, Not all COVID-19 antibody tests have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and their efficacy has not been determined.

Never share your personal information with strangers. Only make purchases and share your personal information with people and companies you know and trust. Be wary of anyone approaching you in line; ask for credentials if necessary.

Better Business Bureau has additional tips for avoiding scams that can be found here.
With elevated fire weather anticipated across the state, including the South Plains, this weekend, the Texas Division of Emergency Management has prepared resources at the request of Governor Greg Abbott.

With high wind speeds and dry vegetation, theres a greater potential for wildfires.
Lisa Krantz, Staff Photographer / Lisa Krantz

The citys Martin Luther King Jr. March  one of the largest in the nation  has been canceled following the Metropolitan Health District upgrading San Antonios COVID-19 risk level to severe. Overall concerns about COVID-19 in San Antonio and surrounding areas prompted the decision, which was announced in a January 7 press release from the SA MLK Commission.

The San Antonio march, which began in 1987 to honor Kings legacy and service, was set to take place on Monday, January 17. Renee Watson, a chair for the commission, says many local residents expressed their desire to march, but also shared concerns regarding the virus.
Students at Johnson High School spent class time sitting in an auditorium on Friday because classes were without a teacher or a substitute. NEISD spokesperson Aubrey Chancellor says there were 672 teachers out district wide today, January 7, and the district has been unable to find substitutes for 300 positions. This has been a growing problem at school districts across San Antonio as COVID cases continue to rise.

Chancellor says she didn't know how many of the absent teachers have COVID-19 since they classify their time off under personal or family illness, but she knows the wave of absences came after winter break.

The students are sent to the auditorium, Chancellor says, and are given any work that was planned for the day but are not taught.

She says NEISD has had trouble finding substitutes since the beginning of this school year, the first time Texas schools brought back in-person learning since the pandemic started in March 2020.

Chancellor says it's been mentally taxing on staff.

"Its tough," she says. "Every time our employees think there is going to be a little bit of hope  that we're going to turn a corner  theres another challenge."

Superintendent Sean Maika emailed a statement to parents this afternoon talking about teacher shortage. Maika says that the district welcomes parents who want to volunteer, adding that they will be added to schools based on their skills.

But he reiterated the district's need for substitutes and included a link where one could apply.

"We have increased substitute pay and are in desperate need of subs who know this school district, our communities and most importantly, love helping children," Maika says.

Still, parents are concerned with the teacher absences and its effect on their children. Jeremy Polen's daughter attends Johnson High School. She sent texts to a group thread with Polen and his wife notifying them that her history class and others were sent to the auditorium instead of a classroom, adding that they were not being taught or doing work.

Classes ranged from English, math, history, or science. Chancellor says the size of the classes vary but did not give details on the numbers of students. There are 755 seats in the auditorium.

Polen says in an emailed statement that sending students to an auditorium during the spread of a highly contagious variant of COVID-19 was very concerning to his family.

NEISD follows Texas' executive orders and only recommends face masks while encouraging cleanliness and social distancing when possible.

"All we are asking as parents is to be informed about what is going on at school but it doesnt seem that communication is timely," Polen says. "But I also understand what the administration is going through and I know its difficult."
Courtesy of SAPD

An AMBER alert for a missing San Antonio girl was suspended Friday. No reason was provided as to why the Department of Public Safety discontinued the alert for 3-year-old Lina Khil, who went missing from her apartment complex on December 20.

In a January 7 press release, the San Antonio Police Department stressed that Khil, who was last seen at the Villas del Cabo apartment complex on Fredericksburg Road, is still missing and that search efforts remain a priority for the department.
Whittenburg

Mr. Dustin S. Whittenburg of the Law Office of Dustin Whittenburg has been elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation. Fellows of the Foundation are selected for their outstanding professional achievements and their demonstrated commitment to the improvement of the justice system throughout the state of Texas. Election is a mark of distinction and recognition of Mr. Whittenburgs contributions to the legal profession.

Selection as a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation is restricted to members of the State Bar of Texas. Each year one-third of one percent of Texas attorneys are invited to become Fellows. Once nominees are selected, they must be elected by the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees. Membership has grown from an initial 255 Charter Members in 1965 to more than 10,000 Fellows throughout Texas today.

The Texas Bar Foundation is the largest charitably funded bar foundation in the country.
By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans.

To those of a certain age, toxic chemical  brings to mind oozing dumps of murk, which poison local communities while regulators dither about remediation and clean-up, let alone prevention. Think Love Canal.

Today forever chemicals  per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)long-lasting, man-made chemicals used in many consumer products  are ubiquitous and found most closer to home. On their face, dont appear to be scary.

Few would be surprised to hear the Trump administrations record on regulating forever chemicals wasnt good. Bidens Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced it will establish a national drinking water standard by March 2023. Philippe Grandjean, adjunct professor of environmental health at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health lauds these plans, according to a press release from Harvards T.H. Chan School of Public Health:

Im thrilled about it. Any support we can conjure for the EPA to get going is good, because were so far behind in limiting the use of these dangerous chemicals. PFAS are used in many products, such as waterproof clothing, nonstick cookware, firefighting foams, cosmetics, food packaging, cleaning supplies, and electronics. We know that the blood of nearly all Americans contains some PFAS, which we call forever chemicals because they dont break down in the body. And weve shown with two decades of intensive research that PFAS are linked to serious health issues such as kidney and testicular cancer, weakened immune system, endocrine disruption, fertility problems, and decreased birth weight.

A new EPA drinking water standard alone falls well short of the comprehensive regulatory approach thats required to address the health threats posed by forever chemicals. As in so many other areas, the European Union policy is far ahead of the U.S. (While theres no question that EU policy is superior to that of the U.S., I leave aside for the moment whether that EU policy is itself adequate.)

According to Grandjean:

The European Union (EU) is way ahead of the U.S. on regulating PFAS. In September 2020, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set a new safety threshold for the four most common PFAS. The EPAs limit is for only two PFASPFOS and PFOAand its more than 30 times higher than the European limit, and it pertains only to drinking water. So that illustrates how far behind the U.S. is. In setting their limit, the EFSA took into account toxicity to the immune system posed by PFAS, which is expressed by lowered antibody responses to childhood vaccinesan effect that we first reported in JAMA in 2012. The EFSAs exposure limit is meant to ensure that women of reproductive age do not accumulate too much of a PFAS burden. The strategy makes sense, in my opinion, because PFAS compounds tend to pass through the placenta during pregnancy, so that a mother will share her accumulated burden of these compounds with the next generation. In addition, our 2015 study found that when the mother is breastfeedingsomething that is strongly recommended by the CDC and WHOthese compounds are excreted through human milk. The infant may reach a blood concentration of PFAS that is 10-fold higher than the mothers. And this happens at the most vulnerable stage of life, when various organs and biochemical functions are being fine-tuned. If something goes wrong at this stage, it will likely stay with us for the rest of our lives and affect our disease risks later on. For example, in a study we published recently, we found that, even in nine-year-old children, their accumulated PFAS exposures were associated with elevated cholesterol, an outcome that was thought only to affect adults. And people who have high cholesterol as children or young adults are also likely to have high cholesterol later in life.

Grandjean was asked to outline what the government approach should be to regulating forever chemicals. His response:

Im willing to accept that some PFAS compounds may pose fewer human health risks. But I would like to see the proof of their safety before theyre allowed to be used in products, rather than finding out 10 to 15 years down the road that these compounds dont break down in the body, that they accumulate, and that women pass them down to their children via the placenta or through breastfeeding. We should not do this experiment again on humanity. Industry has hidden the dangers of PFASs from us for decades. They knew about PFAS toxicity since the 1970s but didnt share the information with the EPA until 2000. We should not allow similar secrecy to happen again.

Anti-Fogging Sprays

Well, the sensible approach to regulating forever chemicals that Grandjean outlined is unlikely to be implemented anytime soon. Meanwhile, Duke University researchers released a study this week suggesting many eyeglass wearers may be inadvertently and unnecessarily exposing themselves directly to forever chemicals by using anti-fogging sprays. During the pandemic, use of these agents has skyrocketed, as they reduce fogging that sometimes accompanies wearing a mask. According to The Guardian:

Anti-fogging sprays and cloths often used to prevent condensation on eyeglasses from wearing a mask or on face shields may contain high levels of potentially toxic PFAS forever chemicals, according to a new study led by Duke University. Researchers tested four of the top-rated anti-fogging sprays as well as five top-rated anti-fogging cloths sold by Amazon. In all nine products, experts found fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEOs), two types of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS).



Our tests show the sprays contain up to 20.7 milligrams of PFAS per milliliter of solution, which is a pretty high concentration, said study lead Nicholas Herkert, a postdoctoral researcher at Dukes Nicholas School of the Environment.

Echoing Grandjean, Herkert noted the two types of forever chemicals used in anti-fogging sprays  FTOHs and FTEOs  havent been studied extensively so that the health risks they pose are unknown. Nonetheless, The Guardian reports:

[R]esearch currently suggests that FTOHs inhaled or absorbed through the skin could break down in the body and become toxic, long-lasting PFAs. The FTEOs used in all four anti-fogging sprays were also analyzed in the new study and exhibited substantial cell-altering toxicity and conversion to fat cells during lab tests, said Herkert.

Alas, beyond the universe of anti-fogging sprays, The Guardian also reports that theres been scant research on the health threats posed by use of such chemicals despite their widespread use in other common consumer products. Im fairly cynical about the deficiencies of U.S. regulation of threats to human health and safety, but even I was shocked by how little research has been done on one class of these chemicals:

Its disturbing to think that products people have been using on a daily basis to help keep themselves safe during the Covid pandemic may be exposing them to a different risk, said Heather Stapleton, a distinguished professor of environmental chemistry and health at Duke. This study, conducted by Herkert and Stapleton with researchers from Duke University, Wayne State University, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is only the second ever to focus on FTEOS. The researchers published their peer-reviewed study on 5 January in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Herkert and Stapleton said that more research would be needed to expand on initial findings, with larger studies involving tests on living organisms being the next step. Studies that include a larger sample size of sprays and cloths could also help identify other unknown chemicals being used in these products

Now, I wear glasses and as Ive aged, my prescription has become more complicated. So I now use various pairs for correcting my sight at different distances, rather than relying on a single set of progressive lenses. Although I cant read without using the correct glasses, I can function without my distance glasses. When Im enmasked, I can skip the glasses, and therefore fogging isnt an issue.

But from my diving experiences, I know how difficult it is to function when ones diving mask fogs up. Divers resort to various stratagems to prevent this from happening, such as prepping a new mask by rubbing the inside with toothpaste. Before entering the water, many  myself included  apply either a thin layer of baby shampoo, or in the absence of that, saliva, aka spit, to the inside of the diving mask. Ive found these home remedies to be effective in preventing fogging.

I wonder whether other remedies might work to prevent spectacles from fogging that dont expose the user to the possible health risks of forever chemicals.

Readers?
Dogs can differentiate between familiar and unfamiliar human languages Live Science

The solar system belongs to us all, not just Jeff Bezos Space.com

Crypto cannot easily be painted green FT

Climate

The first arriving firefighters had trouble finding the Marshall Fire Wildfire Today. About Red Flag Warnings.

Review: The Nutmegs Curse challenges dominant view of development The Third Pole. Well worth a read.

#COVID19

Biden, in Shift, Prepares Americans to See Covid-19 as Part of Life WSJ. Giving up after having hardly tried.

Shots fired:

A National Strategy for COVID-19 Medical Countermeasures Vaccines and Therapeutics Luciana L. Borio, Rick A. Bright, Ezekiel J. Emanuel JAMA. The US needs a strategy for a new normal of living that includes COVID-19. This new normal will occur when total respiratory viral infections, hospitalizations, and deaths inclusive of those from COVID-19 are no higher than what typically occurred in the most severe influenza years before the current pandemic. Integral to achieving and sustaining this new normal are both faster development and more efficient deployment of vaccines and therapeutics. Wistful thinking?

A National Strategy for the New Normal of Life With COVID Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Michael Osterholm, Celine R. Gounder JAMA. It is imperative for public health, economic, and social functioning that US leaders establish and communicate specific goals for COVID-19 management, benchmarks for the imposition or relaxation of public health restrictions, investments and reforms needed to prepare for future SARS-CoV-2 variants and other novel viruses, and clear strategies to accomplish all of this. I dont want to be cranky, but werent the adults elected a year ago to do all this? As a bare minimum?

A National Strategy for COVID-19: Testing, Surveillance, and Mitigation Strategies David Michaels, Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Rick A. Bright, JAMA. Like influenza, SARS-CoV-2 is spread by aerosols. Just checking.

Lambert here: Wait. Youre telling me that Vax Vax Vax isnt a National Strategy? (Im not a fan of Rahms brother Zeke, author of Why I Hope to Die at 75  speak for yourself!  but if a blow with a 24 is what it takes to get the Biden Administrations attention, good.)

* * *

For CDCs Walensky, a Steep Learning Curve on Messaging New York Times

It is embarrassing: CDC struggles to track Covid cases as Omicron looms Politico. From December, still germane.

* * *

I know other people have talked about todays @TheAtlantic piece on the pandemic and colleges, and can add far more to the conversation than I can. However, as a university student, I wanted to share my thoughts on this article. Long thread below 1/  Joey Schafer (@Joey__Schafer) January 6, 2022

The whole thread is worth a read. And speaking of reality:

1/ Reducing respiratory aerosol particle concentrations in dorm rooms. I have heard from parents who have children returning to dorms at universities across North America. The #corsirosenthalbox can help with these situations a lot! Really a lot, folks. read on.  Dr. Richard Corsi (@CorsIAQ) January 5, 2022

Since Corsi boxes are cheap and effective, college administrators nationwide have naturally jumped on the bandwagon. Ha ha! Kidding!

Emily Oster is making strong claims about Omicron and schools based on weak data Claudia Sahm, Stay-At-Home Macro

Public K12 education employment has collapsed Economic Policy Institute

Ohio responds to substitute teaching shortage, degree no longer required WLWT

* * *

Vaccine lotteries did not help increase rates of shots: Study ABC

Guest op-ed: The US needs to vaccinate its overseas citizens Daily Herald (Furzy Mouse).

* * *

COVID-19 isnt just a cold, isnt a respiratory virus, and mild doesnt mean what you think it does. Ian Ricksecker. Useful aggregation.

* * *

Business owners in Japan are advertising the fact that they monitor CO2 levels in-store (keeping levels below 1000ppm) to encourage customers to visit their stores. Theyve even found a way to upload real-time store CO2 levels on Google Maps! https://t.co/LCueTSLmnT pic.twitter.com/IxFQkfAvOV  Dr Satoshi Akima (@ToshiAkima) December 14, 2021

How government provisions for Covid in a civilized country:

This is what the Malaysian government has provided to its lowest monthly income households since early December. Two packets of Rapid antigen tests, pulse oximeter, mask and thermometer. No fuss. No drama. Just leaving this here. pic.twitter.com/WYZdtp8tZe  Lord Blood (@drng) January 6, 2022

Shouldnt be means-tested, though.
Yves here. This post oddly has a lack of agency as to why US manufacturing became so hollowed out as a result of China entering the WTO, a move the US pushed for despite China not meeting WTO criteria. First, the US embraced NAFTA, with the Clinton Administration falsely claiming it would create jobs when the Samuelson-Stolper theorem made clear it wouldnt. And by the time China WTO entry would be under consideration, the impact on manufacturing employment would be incontrovertible.

Second, the author curiously makes Chinas competitive advantage solely about labor cost, and ignores environmental arbitrage, as in Chinese manufactures were lower cost also by virtue of not having to observe Western pollution control standards.

Having said that, this piece usefully debunks the Let them eat training approach for dealing with workers whose type of employment has been pulled out from under them.

By Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Arthur J. Gosnell Professor of Economics, Rochester Institute of Technology. Originally published at The Conversation

In December 1978, the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping introduced economic reforms that dramatically altered Chinas economy by strengthening trade and cultural ties with the West.

Beginning in the 1990s, these reforms set China on a trajectory to become what it is today: a nation with a dynamic and substantially market-driven economy that is also the worlds second-largest.

U.S. residents have enjoyed lower-priced goods exported from China since then, but many communities that produced goods that competed with Chinese manufacturing exports suffered job losses and economic downturns.

This negative effect on U.S. manufacturing jobs from Chinese exports is often called the China Shock. A recent study has found that even though this shock leveled off around 2010, its harmful aftereffects continued for many years beyond, particularly in certain industries such as furniture, games and toys, and childrens toy bicycles or cars.

I am an economics professor who has conducted research on China, and understanding when these trade effects ended allows me and other researchers to examine what long-term demographic aftershocks are occurring in U.S. communities and how best to deal with them. These policy prescriptions can be applied to other industries that are experiencing a rapid shift in employment because of macreconomic trends.

How China Gained So Much So Quickly

As a part of its increased openness to the world, China joined the World Trade Organization  the international body that sets global trade rules  in 2001. Believing that increasing economic liberalization would lead to political liberalization in China, the U.S. began to engage in robust trade with the country.

International trade theory teaches that free trade between nations makes them better off than not trading at all. And recent research underscores that the economic gains to the U.S. from trade in general have been positive but small, adding about 2% to 8% of gross domestic product.

Yet trade with China has given rise to a significant economic shock involving job losses and declines in human welfare in several U.S. regions, especially in the Deep South and in some Midwestern states.

The source of this shock is Chinas comparative advantage in manufacturing, specifically in goods that are labor-intensive. Comparative advantage is a nations ability to produce a good or service at a lower cost than its trading partners. China has an abundant supply of labor relative to capital and natural resources.

As China began to liberalize its foreign trade, there was a dramatic surge in manufacturing exports and an accompanying economic shock to the U.S. economy. Thats because U.S.-produced goods could not compete with the inexpensive Chinese goods that were flooding the market.

The U.S. economy lost 1.5 million manufacturing jobs between 1980 and 2000, and 5 million more between 2000 and 2017.

This fall in manufacturing employment was not accompanied with the same number of job gains in other sectors of the U.S. economy.

The Impact Endures

Today, even with the China manufacturing surge ending, its effects in the U.S. have endured.

A decade after the conclusion of the China trade shock in 2010, the U.S. still has a large number of local economies in which studies show social structures, including the institution of marriage, are fraying because workers have lost their jobs and dont have stable salaries they can live on.

This lack of wages has subsequently resulted in declines in the demand for local goods and services and in housing values and property tax revenues. There has also been an increase in the number of people on government assistance such as Medicaid.

How to Help Communities Still Suffering

Economists generally support people-based over place-based policies. People-based policies focus on distressed people, with a frequent focus on retraining, while place-based policies concentrate on investing in communities where workers live, such as revitalizing downtowns. Investment in the communities hit hard by Chinese imports have tended to focus on people-based policies because economists generally believe that investing in workers can help them move from distressed places with little job opportunity to new places with better job markets, schools and other amenities.

The best-known people-based U.S. government program that assists workers displaced by trade competition is the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers. It helps workers with job training, relocation assistance, subsidized health insurance and extended unemployment benefits.

Yet, relative to the magnitude of the job losses, the program is small, providing too little relief to most workers who lost their jobs because of import competition in the 1990s and 2000s.

The Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo have pointed out that the TAA program needs to be expanded significantly. Although the House of Representatives is taking steps to reauthorize and expand the TAA program, it is still too early to tell what the final legislation will look like.

Revisiting Place-Based Policies

Even though economists favor people-based policies, the evidence shows that those laid off as a result of import competition from China frequently dont move because of unaffordable housing, child care costs and the uncertainties associated with finding a new job.

And left-behind places never completely die. Instead, in such places fewer people marry and have children. More children live in poverty, alcohol and drug abuse go up and young men are less likely to graduate from college.

Therefore, a rethinking of economic policy is likely now needed in the U.S. to focus on two key points: the need to provide adequate assistance to workers in mass layoff events and to recognize that this assistance, quite frequently, will need to be place-based.

Two Lessons for the Future

Like the China trade shock, the decline of the coal industry in the U.S. beginning in 1980 and the Great Recession, from 2007 to 2009, were also mass layoff events.

Although local economies exposed to the Great Recession recovered their pre-recession employment rates quickly, the decline of coal and the China trade shock both gave rise to long-lasting job losses, reduced incomes, and slow population declines.

Policymakers could apply the lessons learned from this trade shock to respond effectively to the next likely mass layoff event.

As economies transition out of fossil fuels, we will continue to see job losses in the coal mining and oil industries.

Although the increased use of renewable energy is likely to generate new jobs, there is no guarantee that they will be anywhere near where the localized job losses are occurring. Hence, the prospect of large-scale, localized job losses remains. And new policies are needed to enhance employment growth in regions hurt by prolonged joblessness.

The evidence in the U.S. and Europe shows that political support for populist nationalists tends to be greater in regions that have suffered large, trade-led job losses.

If policies that promote job growth in distressed regions are not implemented, we may see more populist nationalists in power in the U.S.
My Nashville Post role has evolved since 2000 when I joined the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister publication in 2008 (when I began doing some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have been managing editor of the Post since late 2011.

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(Natural News) So many Aussies are coming down with serious illnesses after getting vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) that the Australian government is rolling out a new compensation scheme to try to shut them up.

Local media out of Sydney reported on the new program, which offers varying rates of compensation depending on the severity of the injury and how much a vaccine-injured person is having to pay out of pocket for medical expenses. (Related: Australia is also throwing some people in concentration camps for ongoing operations.)

Doctors say the benefits far outweigh the risks, but as the vaccine rollout now ramps up through the booster phase, there are a rare few who suffer serious side effects, a 7 News reporter explained (watch below).

Now the federal government is offering compensation for anyone who becomes seriously ill after having their covid shot.

REPORT: 79,000 People!  The government now ADMITS to severe vaccine side effects.  Offering some victims over $600,000 in cash and compensation.  Australia. pic.twitter.com/mmSiyfJiqv  New Granada (@NewGranada1979) December 31, 2021

A man named Matty John was interviewed for the segment as he suffered what felt like a heart attack just two days after getting jabbed with a Pfizer syringe. He says he felt a sharp pain in his chest that was later diagnosed as pericarditis.

John is one of at least 79,000 Aussies who have reported becoming seriously injured by the injections. Here is how they can qualify for compensation:

 For injuries that are confirmed just with evidence from a doctor, no more than $20,000 in compensation will be provided.

 For injuries assessed and confirmed by a team of legal experts,

over $20,000 will be compensated.

 In the worst of cases for the most serious injuries, a maximum payout of $644,640 will be compensated.

If you do suffer pericarditis, it can result in you paying out of pocket and you might need to see a cardiologist, you might need procedures, so it is definitely appropriate that there is a vaccination scheme there to compensate people, says Daniel Opare, a medical law expert.

Theres just one catch: Vaccine-injured people must spend at least one night in the hospital in order to qualify

It almost sounds too good to be true, seeing as how there is currently nothing comparable in the United States.

There is a catch, though. In order for a vaccine-injured Aussie to qualify for any compensation, he or she must have spent at least one night in the hospital. For John, this was not the case.

While he did spend two days in the hospital for his pericarditis, he did not stay overnight for either one of his visits. Consequently, he now has to pay out of pocket for his Fauci Flu shot injuries.

This caveat is making it difficult for many others to qualify as well since hospitals are more likely now to send patients home and prevent them from staying overnight so that they automatically will not qualify for compensation.

This is not enough  not even close! wrote one upset person on Twitter about the scheme.

And how many children 5-11? asked another. 2022 will tell.

So how does this work? asked someone else, confused about the program. Theyre giving you $600k for taking the shot, which they forced you to take? And are still forcing people to take it? I dont get it.

Its your money, responded another, explaining that taxpayers and not Big Pharma are the ones bankrolling all this hush money. Remember, giving out large sums of money will serve to destroy Australias economy. You need to get it back from Pfizer.

The latest Chinese Virus injection news can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

Twitter.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) People from all walks of life with different ethnic backgrounds and religions will march together on Jan. 23 to protest the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mandates and the stigmatization of those who refuse to get vaccinated.

Dr. Robert Malone, mRNA technology pioneer and outspoken critic of the vaccine mandates, said the protesters will descend on Washington D.C. The rally will start at the Washington Monument going to the Lincoln Memorial, where a big lineup of recording artists, prominent doctors, journalists, professional athletes, actors and thought leaders will speak their minds and express their opposition to the vaccine mandates by the Biden administration.

Banned by Twitter, You Tube and Google for questioning the effectivity of the Pfizer COVID vaccine and charging government officials for being lawless in disregarding bioethics by issuing the mandates, Malone announced the Defeat the Mandates rally during an interview with podcast host Joe Rogan.

Malone stressed that the rally is not about being anti-vaccines but about being anti-mandates. Our hope is that we bring people together, Malone explained. People from every walks of life, every party, every religion, every ethnic background. The thing that we can agree on is personal liberty and the right of people to make their own choice.

According to Malone, the rally is going to be part of the rally for freedom, which will happen around the world.

It will represent no to vaccine passports; no vaccination for healthy children; no to censorship. We believe in the power of natural immunity; we believe and insist on informed consent, Malone said.

Sponsored by groups like Unity Project, Childrens Health Defense, and Global COVID Summit, the rally will reiterate that the mandates are anti-American and will call to stop mass firings, stop segregating by vaccination status and put an end to calling Americans unpatriotic for making a personal medical choice.

Expect the participants to unfurl banners that say No to Vaccine Mandates, No to Vaccine Passports, No to Vaccinating Healthy Children, No to Censorship, No to Limits on Reasonable Debate during the rally. They will also fight for the power of natural immunity and the right of doctors and patients to make decisions without interference.

Malone compares present situation to pre-WWII Nazi Germany

In an earlier interview by Rogan, Malone said the COVID-19 pandemic has been politicized while data have been manipulated, making it hard for people to make sense of it.

The interview with Rogan went viral before it was deleted by Google, YouTube and Twitter. During the three-hour podcast, Malone laid out the medical dangers posed by the universal inoculation of the populace with experimental drug. Rogan and Malone began their in-depth conversation by digging into the widespread censorship of views that contradict the mainstream COVID-19 narrative.

Malone saw a similarity to what happened during pre-World War II Nazi Germany. Germany went barking mad despite its very intelligent and highly educated population at the time. He termed todays situation as mass formation psychosis.

When you have a society that has become decoupled from each other and has free-floating anxiety in a sense that things dont make sense, we cant understand it. And then their attention gets focused by a leader or series of events on one small point, just like hypnosis, they literally become hypnotized and can be led anywhere, he said.

Malone said there is presently a coordinated media warfare, which chilled free speech about the pandemic and the vaccines being used by Big Pharma.

Its the horizontal integration across all major industries now under the control of common funds, Malone said. The harmonization of the tech censorship, the interests of Pharma, mainstream media and governments, Malone said.

To fully understand whats happening, Malone pointed to the so-called Trust News Initiative launched in the late 2020 by the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) in partnership with Big Tech and mainstream media allegedly in service of the government, which wanted to counter alleged misinformation about vaccines.

If you want to sort of unpack this whole thing, it starts by understanding the Trusted News Initiative, he said.

Pharmaceutical companies, according to Malone, got the leverage they needed to take anybody out that is raising concerns about vaccine safety, labeling those with different perspective against the interest of the vaccine industry as anti-vaxxers.

In addition, Malone said physicians are being punished for supplying early treatments to COVID positive patients. Malone is the president of 16,000 strong International Alliance of Physicians and Scientists, an international group of physicians and scientists.

Watch the Dr. Robert Malone interview in the video below.



This video is from the JosephJenkins channel on Brighteon.com

Follow Vaccines.news to learn the truth about vaccines.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

DefeatTheMandatesDC.com

Lifesitenews.com 2

BBC.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Hannes Sjoblad is lashing out against critics who say that his companys new implantable microchips that track peoples Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination status are invasive.

The director of DSruptive Subdermals, based in Sweden, told the public in a recent media interview that his companys chips are here now whether we like it or not, and that people need to just accept them.

This technology exists and is used whether we like it or not, he said. I am happy that it is brought into the public conversation.

New technologies must be broadly debated and understood, he added. Smart implants are a powerful health technology. That is what we are building at DSruptive and our goal is to transform healthcare on a global scale.

The chip, which is roughly the size of a grain of rice, is capable of storing not just a persons covid injection passport but also private medical information and cryptocurrency.

Implants are a very versatile technology that can be used for many different things, Sjoblad explained in an earlier interview. Right now, its very convenient to have covid passports always accessible on your implant.

The chip is designed to be implanted into a persons arm or hand, though it can probably go anywhere a person prefers. It measures two millimeters by 16 mm in size.

Look, Im as pro-vaccine as anyone around  AND Im pro-vaccine passport (on a voluntary basis only), but this just plays into the narrative of they want to track you conspiracy theorists, admitted one of Sjoblads critics on Twitter.

Getting microchipped means the system owns you

Many household pets already have such chips implanted into their necks. This is how lost pets are commonly returned back to their owners, as the chips contain home addresses and other identification data.

Now, the system wants to chip humans in much the same way. For just 100 euros, a person can have one of Sjoblads chips embedded into the hand or arm (or forehead?) to prove injection status on demand.

All that is required is a mobile phone or some other kind of scanner to detect the chip. Then, any required information from it is instantly pulled up on a screen showing pass or fail.

When scanned, a PDF will appear that shows all the details of the persons EU Digital Covid Certificate, which indicates their vaccination status and may also show whether the person has recently been tested positive for Covid, reports Express (U.K.).

Sjoblad says that the chips design allows for always accessible information by anyone else, really, who wants to read me.

For example, if I go to the movies or go to a shopping center, then people will be able to check my status even if I dont have my phone, he added in the interview.

While Sjoblad insists that his companys microchips are not tracking devices, he did admit that they are easily activated by external devices as simple as a smartphone.

They dont have a battery, he says about the chips. They cannot transmit a signal by themselves. So they are basically passive. They sit there asleep.

Commenters at Express gave an almost resounding no to the technology, saying they would never allow it inside their bodies no matter how passive it supposedly is.

Not a cat in hells chance will I have that, or anything like it, implanted in me, one of them wrote.

Quite simply NO! wrote another.

Didnt this also happen in 1939 in Europe with a tattoo gun? asked another.

Its for your health  oh dear, where have we heard that before? another wrote.

More of the latest news about covid vaccine microchips can be found at Prophecy.news.

Sources for this article include:

Express.co.uk

NaturalNews.com
A mob of Trump supporters climbed scaffolding and took to the steps of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Jan. 06, 2021. Rioters breached the building following a rally, as Congress was preparing to certify President Joe Bidens victory.
New Castle, PA (16103)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 47F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 47F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Paris, Jan 07, 2022 (SPS) - A delegation from the Frente POLISARIO, led by its representative in Europe and the European Union (EU), Oubbi Bouchraya Bachir, denounced Thursday, before the French National Assembly, Paris' foreign policy towards Western Sahara , stressing that the real solution capable of putting an end to the conflict in the last colony in Africa is the "referendum route".

"France has not only failed in its obligations in terms of international law but it has also clearly supported and encouraged Morocco to rebel against international legality," said Oubbi Bouchraya during a public session at the French National Assembly. held under the theme "assessment of France's actions to ensure respect for international law, the case of Western Sahara".

During this meeting organized at the request of the Democratic and Republican Left Group (GDR), the representative of the Frente POLISARIO enumerated the obstacles put in place by the French government in various areas to undermine the efforts for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in the Western Sahara..

"Inside and outside the Security Council, France supported Morocco in its rejection of the (self-determination) referendum, defended Morocco's unilateral autonomy proposal and acted to block everything effort to enable MINURSO to monitor the human rights situation, "Bouchraya Bachir lamented.

Condemning the attitude of Paris which "acts as a leader within the European Union to circumvent the various decisions of the Court of Justice", the representative of the POLISARIO stressed that in Western Sahara and in most of the neighboring countries Immediately, there is discontent with this "unchanging position favoring Morocco to the detriment of the interests of other countries in the region".

"This cronyism has put Morocco on the path of arrogance leading it to be intransigent, extremist, bellicose and ultimately managing to reduce the conflict to military confrontations", he lamented, noting that the Kingdom "is ruminating on the plan capable of leading the whole region to an irreparable situation ".

France, he continued, "is responsible for this situation and the instability will only end if it balances its position".

Rejecting the Moroccan autonomy plan as a whole, Oubbi Bouchraya assured that "the real compromise solution is that which is in accordance with law first and with democracy, then, namely the referendum solution".SPS

125/090/TRA
Newburyport, MA (01950)

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Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Newburyport, MA (01950)

Today

Periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

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Periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
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BRIDGEPORT - A Waterbury man, accused of firing into a crowd outside a Bridgeport club, killing one man, was charged Wednesday with violating a prior probation.

Court records show that Jaquan Jiggy Bryant, was awaiting trial in Derby on gun charges when he is accused of killing 24-year-old Raheem Lynch outside Club Mystique on Nov. 6.

He was charged with murder and criminal possession of a firearm in Lynchs death.

Court records also show that at the time Bryant was on probation after pleading guilty in July to possession of narcotics with intent to sell. He received a suspended sentence with three years of probation in that case.

On Wednesday, police charged him with violating that probation.

Superior Court Judge Peter McShane ordered Bryant held on an additional $5,000 bond to the $2.5 million Bryant is being held on in the murder case.

Thanks, Bryant commented as he was led away by judicial marshals.

Police said Lynch was an innocent bystander caught in a drive-by shooting outside the Main Street club in November.

His family told Hearst Connecticut Media that Lynch had been at the club celebrating getting a new job.

Police said witnesses told detectives that Lynch and several other people had been in the club that evening and had left at closing time. As they and other patrons were leaving the club a white sedan drove by and Bryant fired out of the car and into the crowd.

Bryant was arrested by Ansonia police on July 9, 2019 on charges of criminal possession of a pistol, stealing a firearm and possession of narcotics with intent to sell, according to court records. The case is awaiting trial.
NEW MILFORD  When Alissa Swantek was 9 years old, her mother Alejandra Aguilar Gonzaga purchased a trailer, and in the warm weather months, she drove to local flea markets, fairs and carnivals to sell empanadas.

We would hang out all day, selling empanadas, said Swantek, who is now 25. I would help my mother.

Gonzaga and Swantek have come a long way since their days in the trailer. The mother-daughter pair just opened Mommas Tacos on Church Street in town. The business sells authentic Mexican food.

The empanada

Gonzaga, a single mother who was born in Mexico City, came to the United States at the age of 21.

She never cooked when she lived in Mexico.

When I started making empanadas, I researched cooking methods, she said, adding her friends also taught her cooking techniques.

Gonzaga chose to sell empanadas out of the trailer because that dish was easiest for her to make while traveling and taking care of her children  she also has a son, Alec  at the same time.

She could make the empanadas ahead of time and fry them on the spot, said Swantek, of New Britain. With other Mexican foods, she wouldve needed much more equipment.

After operating the business out of the trailer for five years, Gonzaga relocated to a booth in an indoor flea market in Middletown, N.Y., and renamed the business Antojitos Mexicanos, which means Mexican cravings.

She expanded the menu selection to include many more Mexican dishes.

We were all super nervous because this was a big investment, but it was really successful, Swantek said.

They were there for 17 years.

Two years ago, the plaza the business was located in was sold, and mother and daughter began hunting for a new location.

They fell in love with the town of New Milford.

What is intriguing to us is its right on the Green. Everyone walks in New Milford. Its a very cozy, almost like a Hallmark-y town, said Swantek, who just became a mother to Adalynn Swantek, who is 4 months old.

A lot of love

They opened Mommas Tacos with $5,000 in the bank. Its in the location that was previously occupied by Tossed on the Green, which has closed.

We opened it with a lot of IOUs, Swantek said. We have since paid everyone back.

The women already owned kitchen supplies, and the owner of the building helped them out with other issues that arose.

Swantek said her family is still amazed at how much business Mammas Tacos has gotten since it opened in November.

In the prior place, we served 30 to 50 families a day, Swantek said. Here, were serving 80 to 100 families a day.

Mother and daughter said they want to introduce New Milford residents to authentic Mexican food.

Nearly every item on the menu, which includes quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas and tacos, is made on the premises, from scratch.

Gonzaga, 53, a Cheshire resident, along with Alec Gonzaga, 21, does all the cooking, while Swantek takes care of the back end  making sure all bills and employees get paid, developing the menu, and training employees.

Dishes offered at Mommas Tacos include huaraches, which is a large tortilla; and nachos.

I put beans, sauce, jalapenos, and sour creme on them, Gonzaga said. Its a really good combination.

They also sell Mexican soups, including birria, which is beef cooked in dried chilis and Mexican spices; and pozole, which is made with corn and cooked in pork buns, and served with lettuce, relish, olives and avocado.

Gonzaga said her family puts a lot of love and effort into everything they make, and makes sure to never run out of anything listed on the menu.

Swantek said shes very proud of her mother.

She set such a good example for me and my brother, that if you have a dream, you can make it happen, she said. You just have to work really, really hard, but you can do it.

Mommas Tacos, 17 Church St., is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Call 860-717-4577. The diner seats 30 people. There is a childrens menu. The business offers Taco Tuesday, where are four tacos for the price of three. For more information, visit mommas-tacos.com and mommastacos on Facebook .
The omicron variant is driving Florida into uncharted territory for the pandemic.

The state is reporting 397,114 new COVID-19 cases for the week, eclipsing the states summer record of 151,675 for the week of Aug. 26. The weekly count had dropped as low as 10,746 new cases for the week ending Nov. 11, illustrating how quickly the omicron surge came on.

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In the Sunshine State, omicron is proving even more transmissible than its predecessors with testing positivity climbing to 31.2%, its highest level on record. Testing sites throughout the state are overwhelmed with people wanting to confirm whether they have the virus.

Only a week ago on New Years Eve, the state reported 298,455 new COVID cases for the week, up from 125,201 the week before. This weeks count is up 217% from two weeks ago. The age group with the highest infection rate is the 20- to 29-year-olds.

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With cases rising, so is the number of patients in the hospital with COVID-19.

On Thursday, 8,914 patients in Florida hospitals had COVID-19, the highest number since Sept. 17 and a 120% increase since two weeks earlier, data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows.

However so far, Floridas COVID hospitalizations are not rising as rapidly as infections.

Hospital leaders are watching the rise in new cases closely. The more people who get infected, the more likely it is the virus will spread to someone who is more vulnerable to developing severe symptoms.

If you are unvaccinated or immunocompromised, you are at risk, said Dr. Lilly Lee, chief of emergency medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Lee said about half of patients in her Miami hospital with COVID were admitted for other reasons and then tested positive for the virus, compared with about 25% during the delta wave. Most of our COVID patients are in COVID wards and not in the ICU, she said.

Lee said its too early to know whether hospital stays for COVID patients will be shorter. But she says the sheer number of cases means hospitalizations will rise.

Floridians continue to succumb to the disease. The COVID death count rose again for the week ending Jan. 6. There were 184 new deaths, up from 162 new deaths the week prior. That brings the states overall death toll to 62,688 people.

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The weekly count reported Friday reflects all deaths over the last week or even weeks prior that are newly confirmed with COVID as the cause of death.

Throughout the pandemic, a total of 4,562,954 people in the state have had COVID, or about 1 in 5 residents. That does not include Floridians who learn their positivity status using rapid at-home tests.

Public health experts are watching closely, hoping the peak of the omicron wave in Florida comes soon.

If we see next week new cases are down, I think that may be telling, said Mary Jo Trepka, an infectious disease epidemiologist with Florida International University. The peak usually comes quickly, but it never comes down as quickly as it goes up.

Dr. Joshua Lenchus, chief medical officer at Broward Health, said he is hopeful: If the numbers are true from places like Scotland and South Africa, as high as this exponential wave is taking us, once it peaks the downside of that should be a similar slope so we should get over this as fast as we got into it. he said. I would hope this month we would see a dramatic difference.

Meanwhile, Lenchus said Broward Health is trying to retain staff as best as possible and right now has the manpower to continue to take care of patients.

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Hospitals are here and prepared to take care of you if you need to be hospitalized, he said. Of the people in the hospital today, they predominantly are unvaccinated.

[ RELATED: Heres where to find coronavirus vaccines in South Florida ]

New cases

South Floridas three counties reported new weekly records for additional cases.

Palm Beach County on Friday reported 29,167 new cases, up from 24,488 additional cases a week prior. The total number of confirmed cases in the county stands at 297,389.

on Friday reported 29,167 new cases, up from 24,488 additional cases a week prior. The total number of confirmed cases in the county stands at 297,389. Broward County on Friday reported 50,315 additional cases, up from 48,018 additional cases a week ago. The total number of confirmed cases in the county stands at 490,229.

on Friday reported 50,315 additional cases, up from 48,018 additional cases a week ago. The total number of confirmed cases in the county stands at 490,229. Miami-Dade County on Friday reported 110,806 additional cases, up from 98,437 additional cases a week earlier. The total number of confirmed cases in the county stands at 958,187.

Test positivity

Health officials reported a new high in the statewide positivity rate  31.2%, up from 26.5% last week. At its worst during the delta wave, Floridas test positivity climbed as high as 20.5% for the week ending Aug. 19. This new rate sets a record for Florida.

In South Florida, the new case positivity rate rose significantly in all three counties to set records.

In Broward, it was 33.5%, up from 31.7% a week ago; in Palm Beach County, it was 34%, up from 30.6% a week ago; and in Miami-Dade, it was 31.3%, up from 27.3% a week ago.

Hospitalizations

Hospitalizations for COVID are climbing again.

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As of Friday, 8,914 people with COVID are hospitalized in Florida, up from 4,933 people a week ago. During the height of the delta wave this summer, more than 17,000 COVID patients were hospitalized in Florida.

Intensive-care units are filling up, but much more slowly than they did during the delta wave. On Friday, COVID patients occupied 16% of ICU beds, compared to 8.69% a week ago.

[ RELATED: COVID summer surge: Is the virus seasonal in Florida? ]

Vaccines

The rise in cases appears to have encouraged vaccination, with 79,151 first does of a vaccine given out this week. Of those aged 5 and older and eligible in Florida, 72% now have at least one dose.

The number of total COVID doses given out in the last week was 294,918, compared to 326,728 doses for the week prior.

Floridians received another 169,722 booster shots this week. That brings the total number of Floridians boosted to 4.39 million.

More than 14.9 million people in Florida ages 5 and older have received at least one, two or three doses of a COVID vaccine. Of those, 8.5 million have completed their two-shot series, and 2 million people have received only a first dose.

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[ RELATED: Back to the office during COVID. What are your rights? ]

The most heavily vaccinated age group in Florida is 65 and older, which is 91% vaccinated with at least one dose.

With the vaccine eligibility lowered, 16% of Floridas 1.6 million children between ages 5 and 11 now have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com or Twitter @cindykgoodman.
Ethan Simmons is a reporter at The News-Gazette covering the University of Illinois. His email is esimmons@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@ethancsimmons).
URBANA  Riding in a car with his mother Thursday, Jamonte Hill said being free to move around didnt feel real.

I feel like Im floating on clouds, he said, less than two hours after he had been acquitted of first-degree murder.

The 27-year-old man had just been released from the Champaign County Jail, where hed been held for almost four years.

Asked what was next, Hill said he was going out of state and Im not coming back.

I want to be a good dad. Ill figure it out from there, said the father of two 9-year-olds.

Urbana man acquitted in 2017 Champaign shooting: 'Too many questions, not enough answers' URBANA  An Urbana man accused of fatally shooting a man on a Champaign street more than four years ago walked out of the Champaign County Jai

Meantime, family members of Gus Edwards, 53, of Urbana, the man Hill was accused of fatally shooting on Aug. 3, 2017, were struggling to accept a verdict they did not agree with.

We were all convinced of Hills guilt, Richard Edwards said. Im at a loss for words.

In addition to their dismay at the verdict, Richard Edwards said the family  Mr. Edwards was one of 14 children  is hurt by people they believed were their friends.

Weve been dealing with people who said they were family and would not come forward, friends who grew up with us and knew Gus, he said.

Edwards said the police and the states attorney did a wonderful job.

This is a pill that is hard to swallow, but we have to move on, he said. Knowing my brother, he would not want us to stop living our lives.

He and Ronald Edwards said their brother struggled with drug addiction but was not a bad or violent person.

He had jobs. He was outside the mattress place on Prospect in a gorilla suit, said Ronald Edwards, smiling at the memory of his 4-foot, 9-inch brother holding signs to lure customers into businesses.

The brothers said they miss visiting Mr. Edwards at the library, where he could often be found reading alone or with his nieces and nephews.

Hill maintained he was wrongly accused of Mr. Edwards murder and that hes one of many people in Champaign County charged with crimes they didnt commit.

He also said he felt sorry for Mr. Gus family because they didnt get justice because the person that killed him is still out there.

Hill said he couldnt believe that now-retired Champaign police Detective Pat Funkhouser tried to identify him as the killer based on the way the shooter pulled up his sagging pants as he got out of the car.

I had no contact with this man (Funkhouser) for five years. If it wasnt in a court of law, it would have been laughable, he said. But it wasnt funny because it was my life on the line.

Hill chose not to testify in his own defense and did not want to answer questions about why his fingerprints and DNA were on and in the car that police believe was used in the shooting.

Besides him being charged with murder, his family has also been personally affected by violence in another way.

Hills younger brother survived being shot 22 times in early August in Urbana during what police believe was an attempt by him to rob two brothers of cash and cannabis. The two brothers are awaiting trial.

I would like to tell the people in the community that the violence has to stop, Hill said. Put the guns down. Take care of our families. Take care of our kids.

Im going to get a job and do right, he said, considering a role where he can advocate for youth or counsel others. Im great at talking.

Hills mother, Lashanda Britt, said she no longer lives in Champaign, where she grew up and raised her three sons and one daughter as a single mom.

At first, I blamed myself as a single mother, Britt said of her sons involvement in unsavory activity with people she didnt know.

But I went to college and I worked. I did the best I could as far as taking care of my kids, said the woman with a certificate in criminal justice who has worked in nursing and as a registered behavior therapist.

They had no positive male role models, she said.

Britt said Hills father was in trouble many years ago as a young man but has turned his life around.

Like many, she is weary of the violence and afraid for her family and others similarly situated.

She went to school with Johanna Cowart-Williams, 42, who was fatally shot by three unidentified men Aug. 3 in her own home in Urbana. Three others were wounded in that unsolved shooting.

This community is so messed up. We got no leaders, Britt observed, then added her own advice. I would tell any Black mother or father to get their kids out of Champaign. There are more opportunities elsewhere. This is like Chicago. I want Black fathers to be more involved with their children.

I just want them to have hope, she said.
Tampa-based Fords Garage, a burger-and-craft-beer franchise that gives the vibe of being in a 1920's service station and/or prohibition bar, is expanding its South Florida footprint. Already open in Wellington, the next location will be in Plantation Walk - and then 14 more throughout Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Martin counties. Founded in 2012 near Henry Fords winter home in Fort Myers, Fords Garage has a licensing agreement with the Ford Motor Company. (Fords Garage / Courtesy)

At the crossroads of pub food and car culture sits Fords Garage.

The burger-and-craft-beer franchise out of Tampa has a licensing agreement with the Ford Motor Company, so if you check out the restaurant that opened back in 2019 at the Mall at Wellington Green, youll see a vintage car hoisted above the bar and automobile memorabilia festooning the walls (or reimagined as everything from tableware to bathroom sinks).

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But if thats too much of a drive for you, just wait. A Fords Garage may soon be parking at a location closer to you. In addition to the next local spot at Plantation Walk  slated to open sometime in this year  there are ambitious plans for 14 more to open throughout South Florida.

The burger-and-craft-beer franchise Ford's Garage gives the vibe of being in a 1920s service station or Prohibition bar. Already open in Wellington, the next location will be in Plantation Walk and then there are plans to open 14 other locations in SoFlo. Founded in 2012 near Henry Fords winter home in Fort Myers, Fords Garage has a licensing agreement with the Ford Motor Company. (Fords Garage / Courtesy)

We think well open two restaurants a year over the next seven years, says Steve Shlemon, president of Fords Garage. We are actively looking at a bunch of properties. Every six weeks we tour the market down there, from Coral Gables all the way up to Stuart.

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Already Fords Garage has signed an agreement for the development of seven new restaurants in Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Martin counties.

In the meantime, Shlemon says all eyes will be on the Plantation Walk location.

Its new, its fresh, its going to get a lot of foot traffic, especially in the square where they want to do a lot of events, he explains. That will be a gateway to all the other ones we want to do in South Florida.

[ RELATED: Here are the restaurants coming to the new Plantation Walk ... so far. ]

Fords Garage first opened in 2012 in Fort Myers, where Henry Ford had a winter home. By the time a second location opened in Cape Coral, the Ford Motor Company became aware and, in 2015, asked if the eatery wanted to enter into a licensing agreement.

After testing the waters with their Wellington location, the Tampa-based restaurant brand Ford's Garage has annouced plans to expand throughout Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Martin counties. Ford's Garage has a licensing agreement with the Ford Motor Company. (Fords Garage / Courtesy)

They were impressed with the design and the quality of the food, Shlemon adds. They signed an agreement where [Fords Garage] could use the Ford name and a lot of the artifacts for a monthly royalty fee [from] our sales.

So now, with Fords blessing and museum-quality vehicles (Model As and Ts), fixtures and photographs, the 16 locations  all but two in Florida  have decor that evokes a 1920s gas station or speakeasy with Prohibition-chic elements such as hammered-by-hand copper bar tops. The servers wear blue mechanic shirts.

Shlemon says that another part of the attraction is the casualness of the brand. Its kind of come-as-you-are. We cover all demographics. We have a great happy hour, a fantastic brunch. And the food is fantastic, everything made from scratch. You can get a good meal for about $21 per person, which is extremely reasonable.

[ RELATED: Revved-up restaurant - Fords Garage coming to Palm Beach County mall ]
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High near 65F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low 56F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Columnist

Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich).
Longview, TX (75601)

Today

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening. Thunderstorms likely late. Low 67F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
In a recent study published on the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers investigate the effectiveness of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in individuals at high risk of developing COVID-19 due to their proximity with infected individuals, such as healthcare workers, and how it varies by the intensity of the exposure.

Study: Vaccine Effectiveness against COVID-19 among Symptomatic Persons Aged 12 Years with Reported Contact with COVID-19 Cases, February - September 2021. Image Credit: Studio Romantic / Shutterstock.com

Repeated and extended contact with a person infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of COVID-19, is one of the primary sources of new infections. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all individuals who are not fully vaccinated should seek testing immediately after having close contact with an infected individual, even if they were not experiencing symptoms.

Although several past studies have estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) against laboratory-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 individuals with known contact as compared to individuals unaware of close exposure, data supporting the notion that COVID-19 VE varies by the intensity of the exposure to SARS-CoV-2 is inadequate.

About the study

In the current study, the researchers enrolled 3,384 symptomatic outpatients over 12 years of age reporting an acute onset of COVID-19-like illness and consented to get tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

This study used previously published findings that estimated COVID-19 VE from the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (Flu VE) network. Herein, VE against symptomatic laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections among individuals over the age of 12, with and without known contact with a SARS-CoV-2-infected individual from February to September 2021, was measured. Therefore, this analysis included four additional months of data.

While fully vaccinated study participants had received two doses of a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, partially vaccinated participants had received at least one dose of an mRNA vaccine within 14 days before illness onset. Using a multivariable logistic regression model, VE was calculated as one, with an adjusted odds ratio of vaccination among symptomatic SARS-CoV-2-test-positive participants vis-a-vis the control group of SARS-CoV-2-negative individuals.

The researchers also performed several sensitivity analyses and compared VE using plausible self-reports of vaccination to VE estimates using documented vaccination status.

Study findings

Of the 3,384 symptomatic persons included in the current study, 2,229 (65.9%) participants confirmed contact with a SARS0-CoV-2-infected person during the 14 days before illness onset, 451 (20%) reported contact, and 1,778 (80%) reported no known contact with a COVID-19 positive individual. Among the 451 participants who reported contact and 1,778 participants who did not report a known contact, 283 (63%) and 331 (19%) were SARS-CoV-2 positive, respectively.

Estimates of vaccine effectiveness against laboratory-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 among participants with and without reported known contact with persons with COVID-19 disease during 14 days before illness onset, US Flu VE Network, February 1September 30, 2021. CI=Confidence interval Vaccine effectiveness (VE) of full vaccination by documented records versus unvaccinated. Model adjusted for study site, age in years (continuous), enrollment period (natural cubic spline with 3 percentile knots of interval between January 1, 2021 and illness onset date), and self-reported race/ethnicity.

Most of the 451 participants who reported contact were healthcare workers who were under the age of 65 and lived in a household with at least one child 12 years of age or younger with no documented COVID-19 vaccination.

Of the 1,288 vaccinated participants, 93% had received mRNA vaccines, 59% had received PfizerBioNTech, and 34% had received Moderna. Furthermore, over 90% of them got vaccinated before mid of May 2021, with 113 days median between the most recent vaccine dose and symptom onset, independent of the vaccine received. When participants were stratified by illness onset into pre-Delta and Delta variant circulation periods, no statistically significant difference was detected by known contact status.

Although the study did not categorize the setting such as household, occupational, social, or transportation where secondary SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurred, its findings were consistent with other findings suggesting that household settings had higher secondary transmission rates. Furthermore, despite the predominance of the Delta variant during later time points, the findings presented here showed high levels of protection conferred by vaccination against laboratory-confirmed symptomatic illness, regardless of a known contact.

Conclusions

The current study contributed to growing evidence of COVID-19 VE against symptomatic illness, including sustained protection against the Delta variant, among people who came in contact with COVID-19-positive persons, such as healthcare workers and their household members. More importantly, the study findings recommended continued efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccination coverage consistent with CDC recommendations of vaccinating all individuals over five years of age, in conjunction with non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as physical distancing, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Coronaviruses are enclosed, single-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses that infect vertebrates. Infection with human coronaviruses (HCoVs) results in mild to severe respiratory illness in humans.

Study: Antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in lung cancer patients: Reactivity to vaccine antigen and variants of concern. Image Credit: Chan2545 / Shutterstock.com

Prior to December 2019, two of the six recognized HCoV infections included the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), both of which caused severe respiratory illness epidemics with extremely high fatality rates.

In December 2019, Wuhan, China reported an upsurge in instances of severe respiratory disease. The virus responsible for the disease was identified as SARS-CoV-2, and the disease was designated as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). By March 2020, COVID-19 had spread to nearly every country on Earth, establishing a global pandemic.

Background

Each year, around two million patients are diagnosed with lung cancer, thereby allowing this type of cancer to be the primary cause of cancer-related death. The median age of diagnosis of lung cancer is 70 years.

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) accounts for 84% of all lung cancer diagnoses. Immune dysregulation is a typical occurrence in cancer patients as a result of tumor malignancy and immunomodulatory therapy.

It is therefore critical to assess the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 immunization in lung cancer patients. A recent study in thoracic cancer patients who received the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine demonstrated that the vaccine is highly effective at eliciting protective antibody responses in these patients.

In November 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant was detected in South Africa. It has since spread to other nations and has become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain worldwide.

In healthy individuals, the Omicron variant is immune to both vaccine-induced and therapeutic antibodies; however, it appears to be neutralized by a booster dose-induced antibody response.

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers from various multinational institutions examine the efficacy of mRNA vaccination in NSCLC patients to develop neutralizing antibodies against the rapidly emerging SARS CoV-2 B.1.1.529 Omicron and previously dominant B.1.617.2 (Delta) variants.

About the study

Most NSCLC patients demonstrated a robust binding immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM response to the mRNA vaccines one month following the second dosage. However, when compared to healthy controls, spike, receptor-binding domain (RBD), and N-terminal domain (NTD)-specific IgG titers were significantly lower.

Due to the absence of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid in the mRNA vaccine, patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection were identified by the presence of a high anti-nucleocapsid titer (N+) in their plasma. As compared to SARS-CoV-2 naive NSCLC patients, N+ patients showed significantly greater levels of the spike, RBD, and NTD-specific antibodies.

The authors also measured vaccine-specific IgA titers in the plasma of NSCLC patients. As with the IgG titers, vaccine-specific IgA titers were significantly lower in NSCLC patients than in healthy controls. N+ individuals had significantly higher IgA titers than SARS-CoV-2-naive NSCLC patients.

Antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in NSCLC patients. Figure 1 A  I. Spike, RBD and NTD specific IgG (Figure 1A-C), IgA (Figure 1D-F1) and IgM (Figure 1G-I), titers in plasma from healthy vaccinees, NSCLC patients and NSCLC patients with prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection was measured within two months after the second dose of mRNA vaccination. Pre-pandemic plasma samples from healthy individuals were used to set the detection limit for IgG, IgA and IgM titers. Statistical differences were measured using a one-way anova. Graph shows the mean and s.e.m. ns not significant, *p0.05, **p0.01, ***p0.001, ****p0.0001.

As with IgG and IgA titers, vaccine-specific IgM titers were shown to be lower in the plasma of NSCLC patients as compared to healthy persons. The authors observed no statistically significant difference in spike and RBD-specific IgM titers between N+ NSCLC patients and SARS-CoV-2 naive patients. NTD-specific IgM levels were significantly greater in N+ patients as compared to SARS-CoV-2 naive NSCLC patients.

Neutralizing antibody titers were also considerably lower in the plasma of NSCLC patients than in healthy individuals who received the vaccine. While the majority of individuals with NSCLC had neutralizing antibodies, a subgroup of these patients was unable to neutralize the live virus. The correlation between the focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT 50 ) for live viruses and the binding spike antibody titer was found.

The authors identified a correlation between the FRNT 50 and RBD-specific IgG titers in NSCLC patients. Taken together, these data suggest that most NSCLC patients develop detectable neutralizing antibody titers in response to vaccination, albeit at lower levels than healthy vaccinees. However, a significant proportion of patients with NSCLC did not produce a detectable neutralizing antibody response.

To assess the persistence of vaccine-specific antibody responses, the authors assessed the binding antibody response to mRNA vaccinations in NSCLC patients over a six-month period. After a week following the second vaccine dosage, anti-spike and anti-RBD IgG titers peaked.

Both anti-spike and anti-RBD IgG titers decreased around three months following the second dose, although this was not statistically significant. However, six months after the second dose of immunization, both anti-spike and anti-RBD-specific binding antibody responses were significantly lower than their respective peak IgG titers.

Implications

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is highly effective at evading vaccine-induced neutralization in healthy persons. This could pose a significant issue for cancer patients, who have considerably lower neutralizing antibody titers against the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 strain as compared to otherwise healthy individuals.

The data in this study indicate that sera from NSCLC patients who received two doses of the mRNA vaccine exhibited significantly lowered neutralization of the Omicron variation, thereby implying that cancer patients may be more susceptible to infection with the Omicron variant than healthy vaccinated persons.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
The Public Library of Science (PLOS) and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) today announced an expansion of their longstanding partnership to offer authors more options for rapidly and easily sharing their research before publication in a journal. Beginning this month, three PLOS journals, PLOS Medicine, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, and PLOS ONE, will offer authors the option to have their manuscript automatically forwarded to the preprint server medRxiv for posting as a preprint.

The practice of sharing preprints is becoming more prevalent in medicine, with more preprints posted since the beginning of 2020 than in the four previous years combined. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven much of the increase in preprint sharing in medicine, and demonstrated the benefits of rapidly and responsibly sharing findings prior to traditional peer review.

Since 2018, through our partnership with CSHL, we have posted thousands of manuscripts as preprints on bioRxiv on behalf of researchers in the biological sciences. I believe that our support, as publishers, has helped authors gain the confidence to share their results before formal publication. We are delighted to be extending this service to authors in the medical sciences, allowing important research results to be shared early and responsibly to accelerate research. It has never been more important." Veronique Kiermer, Chief Scientific Officer, PLOS

"PLOS has been a much valued partner in bioRxiv's transformation of communication among bioscientists," said John Inglis, co-founder of medRxiv and bioRxiv at CSHL. "The further support of such an innovative publisher for medRxiv's service to the health science research community is immensely encouraging."

The medRxiv preprint server was launched by CSHL in June 2019 as a not-for-profit, community-based author service that is publisher-independent but integrated with many journals. It currently hosts more than 27,500 manuscripts from 153,000 researchers in 140 countries. PLOS is the first publisher to implement this "journal-to-medRxiv" integration via the Editorial Manager journal submission system and at the scale of PLOS ONE. PLOS ONE alone received more than 19,000 submissions in Public Health and Medicine in 2020.

Responsible preprint posting is essential, especially in fields that impact public health and welfare. MedRxiv has worked closely with the editors of leading medical journals to develop a rigorous preprint screening process. In-house screening looks for nonscientific content, plagiarism, potentially identifying patient details, and ethical approval statements, while volunteer researchers with relevant expertise assess each preprint to confirm that posting will not pose a risk to patients or public health.

PLOS is committed to enhancing the integrity of preprints and confidence in them as research outputs. A key part of its mission has been to act as a catalyst, not only demonstrating the viability of new models through its own operations but also supporting them elsewhere. PLOS has been successful in steadily increasing adoption of preprints by its authors. 14% of all PLOS papers published in 2020 have an associated preprint, a figure that is driven largely by authors of Life Science studies who have used our integration with bioRxiv. PLOS receives an even greater volume of submissions in public health and medicine, and adding medRxiv alongside our existing bioRxiv integration will extend the ease of facilitated posting to more researchers around the world.
In a recent study published on the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers determined the neutralization potency of serum from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-recovered patients and double-vaccinated individuals against seven variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Study: Neutralization of Ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Variants Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Zeta, and Omicron by mRNA Vaccination and Infection-Derived Immunity through Homologous and Heterologous Variants. Image Credit: Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock.com

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented global health crisis since SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in December 2019. Soon after its emergence, SARS-CoV-2 acquired a characteristic mutation, the D614G substitution, which replaced all existing variants and remained dominant worldwide.

Later in 2020, several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) emerged, the first of which was the Alpha variant detected in the United Kingdom (UK). About five VOCs have been seen to date, the most recent of which is the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant detected in South Africa in November 2021. Besides VOCs, other variants of less concern have been detected and classified as variants of interests (VOIs).

Shortly after its emergence, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spread to many countries across the world and is quickly replacing other circulating VOCs. This increased transmissibility is due to a large number of mutations in its spike (S) protein, including over 30 substitutions.

About the study

In the present study, a team of researchers examined the neutralization potential of sera/plasma of vaccinated individuals who received two doses of either the BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccines, as well as convalescent patients who recovered from mild COVID-19. About 104 blood samples containing specimens from different time points were used in the current study.

These samples were infected with the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 strain, as well as the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, or Omicron variants. Vaccine-breakthrough samples infected with either the Delta or Omicron variant were investigated.

The authors assessed the neutralizing potency by performing a live virus plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) against homologous and heterologous variants. PRNT is used to detect SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies and is widely considered the gold standard. This assay was performed against seven authentic SARS-CoV-2 isolates, including the B.1, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Zeta, and Omicron strains.

Study findings

The researchers observed the highest neutralization titers against the previously infecting (homologous) variant. All samples were found to neutralize the homologous virus variant.

Neutralization in infection-derived blood specimens against seven authentic isolates of SARS-CoV-2 variants (B.1, Alpha, Beta Gamma, Delta, Zeta, Omicron). Bars represent geometric mean titers (GMT) of 90% reduction endpoint titers (PRNT90) with a 95% confidence interval. Convalescent specimens are derived from individuals infected with (A) early-pandemic SARS-CoV-2 (pre-VOC), (B) Alpha (C) Beta (D) Gamma (E) Delta. Colored numbers above bars refer to fold change reduction of GMT versus the homologous (infecting) variant, shown as the first bar of each figure. Colored numbers below each bar represent the number of specimens with complete loss of neutralization (PRNT90 titer < 1).

Further, neutralizing titers of specimens from double-vaccinated individuals were higher when compared to convalescent samples. High neutralization titers were observed in all samples for all variants tested. Complete loss of neutralization was observed only for five (31%) Omicron samples.

All samples with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and double vaccination reported neutralization potency against all assessed variants. However, the mean geometric PRNT 90 titers against the Omicron variant were lower (65.2), with an 18.2-fold reduction compared to the B.1 variant.

Eight samples of double-vaccinated individuals following a breakthrough infection with either the Delta or Omicron variant were analyzed against both variants. Individuals with Delta breakthrough infection reported high neutralization against homologous (Delta) virus, while a 12.5-fold reduction was observed against the heterologous (Omicron) variant. Similarly, a 1.5-fold loss in neutralization potency was observed against the Delta variant in Omicron variant breakthrough samples.

Conclusions

The observations of this study suggest that the highest neutralization titers across all assays were always seen against the homologous virus (infecting strain or vaccine strain). Conversely, the neutralization potency was relatively low for heterologous strains.

The investigation revealed that infection-derived immunity is poor against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant independent of infecting strain. As with samples of vaccine-induced immunity, neutralization titers were relatively higher than that of convalescent samples; however, decreased potential was noted when tested against the B.1.1.529 variant.

The Zeta variant reported marked escape from neutralization in convalescent samples and, despite showing escape potential, did not cause a massive surge in infections when compared to other SARS-CoV-2 variants. However, the study also noted that double-vaccination restored immunity against the Zeta variant.

Strong neutralization potential was observed in vaccine breakthrough infections against both the Delta and Omicron variants. However, in Delta breakthrough infection samples, a 12.5-fold loss in neutralization potency was noted against the Omicron variant, while in Omicron breakthrough specimens, only a small 1.5-fold reduction in neutralization potency was observed. This suggests that immunity could be boosted against variants similar to the vaccine strain when antigenically different variants cause COVID-19.

In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that combined immunity derived through infection-vaccination after breakthrough could boost immune responses and provide broad immunity against different SARS-CoV-2 variants. The findings proposed that existing vaccines might not be sufficient in the future to end the pandemic completely.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information
Xi Story: An enduring bond with a hero soldier

EditorChen Zhuo Time2022-01-07 15:55:37

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C, rear), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, poses for photos with soldiers of a squad named after the hero soldier Wang Jie, in Xuzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2017. Xi inspected the 71st Group Army of the People's Liberation Army in Xuzhou on Dec. 13. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- On the first day after China's New Year holiday, Chinese President Xi Jinping signed the first order of the Central Military Commission (CMC) in 2022, declaring the start of military training for the year.

The mobilization order asked all armed forces officers and soldiers to fear neither death nor hardship in their training, to boost their command and fighting capability and encourage excellent conduct.

The spirit of fearing neither death nor hardship is a motto passed on from a celebrated Chinese soldier from the 1960s, of whom Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the CMC, speaks highly over the years.

Wang Jie, a sapper squad head at the time, won multiple honors for his outstanding performance during his service in the Army. He died in 1965 at just 23-years-old while trying to protect 12 people in an explosion.

Two months before the accident, Wang wrote in his diary that he was determined to "be fearless of hardship and death, and be a dauntless man." He honored his pledge.

Wang's heroic spirit was extolled by Chairman Mao Zedong and other Chinese leaders of different generations. He was honored as a model soldier.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R, front), also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with senior officers of the 71st Group Army of the People's Liberation Army in Xuzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2017. Xi inspected the 71st Group Army of the People's Liberation Army in Xuzhou on Dec. 13. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

In December 2017, during his first inspection of the military after the 19th CPC National Congress, Xi visited the company where Wang served, sat with the soldiers and talked with them.

"I heard about Wang's story when I was very young, and Wang is a hero in my heart," Xi told the soldiers.

During that talk, Xi asked about the soldiers' study, training and whether their life necessities are properly guaranteed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the Museum of the Huaihai Campaign in Xuzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 13, 2017. Xi made an inspection tour in Xuzhou from Dec. 12 to 13. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

"A military is built to fight, and it should live up to this mission," Xi said, stressing that Wang's fearless motto is and always will be treasured by the military.

The bond between the top commander, the fallen hero and ordinary soldiers goes beyond that visit. More than one year later, Xi wrote a letter in response to correspondence from Wang's squad, encouraging the soldiers to be outstanding soldiers in the new era. The same year, during the New Year speech to ring in 2020, he mentioned Wang's name again.

Just as the soldiers of Wang's troop sing: "the gun of Wang Jie is on our shoulders; the song of Wang Jie is sung by us," the heroic spirit lives on.

SourceXinhuanet
Cinema Paradiso has been a storefront fixture on an eclectic stretcch of Hollywood Boulevard since 2013. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Cinema Paradiso in downtown Hollywood is teetering on the edge of closure as audiences continue to stay home and COVID case numbers head in the wrong direction.

An online fundraiser for the intimate, 82-seat theater has a goal of $75,000 to be raised by the end of February, according to Gregory Von Hausch, president and CEO of the nonprofit Broward County Film Society and Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, which opened Cinema Paradiso in 2013.

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Failure to show some measurable response from the audience  in dollars raised during the fundraiser and in increased attendance  could mean its curtains for Cinema Paradiso, Von Hausch says.

Two years of expenses outpacing income from meager, pandemic-rattled audiences at the art house theater have created a drastic situation, he says, made even more unpredictable by the rise of the omicron variant of COVID.

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Hollywood has always been sort of a struggle. We started to get our head above water around the end of 2019, and then, lo and behold, boom, in comes COVID, Von Hausch says. All of the theaters are just sucking wind.  Its just been a miserable time to be in the movie business.

Perhaps symbolic of the seriousness of the cause, Cinema Paradiso this weekend will turn its screen over to decidedly mainstream fare: Spider-Man: No Way Home.

In consultation with the film society board of directors, Von Hausch created a Save Cinema Paradiso GoFundMe page and set the goal  $75,000 by Feb. 28  as kind of a bare minimum, that would keep us going for at least a year, and get COVID behind us.

He cautioned, however, that he is expected to provide an update during a monthly meeting of the board the second week of February and a decision on the fate of the theater could be made then.

Cinema Paradiso in downtown Hollywood is steps away from a rich selection of international restaurants and bars. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

The decision to open Cinema Paradiso as a quirky storefront at 2008 Hollywood Blvd. in 2013 was an easy one, Von Hausch says. The theater was surrounded by a rich menu of international cafes and bars, with apartments and condominiums both built and imminent, and competition inconvenient.

Since there really was no other outlet there  to go out to Aventura or Oakwood, youve got to get in a car  we thought, Oh, this is a no brainer, well do well. And that audience there particularly likes our brand of cinema, which is art house, foreign films, Von Hausch says.

Its never quite lived up to the potential that we anticipated, but weve been coasting along, just making it. But add COVID to it and  A lot of our audience, theyre not whippersnappers anymore, and they tend to be cautious, and rightfully so, he says.

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Last year the Broward Film Society signed a lease agreement to take over operations at the multiscreen Gateway Theater in Fort Lauderdale, which shows both independent films and major first-run releases.

Gateway is doing better, coming along, Von Hausch says. Our audience there is a lot more mixed, age-wise, culture-wise, diversity-wise.

Von Hausch says the Gateway, FLIFFs original Fort Lauderdale home at Savor Cinema and Cinema Paradiso are in separate silos financially.

We want Cinema Paradiso to carry its own weight, he says.

Cinema Paradiso will host screenings of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" beginning Friday, Jan. 7 (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

A frequent visitor to Cinema Paradiso, 50-something Hollywood resident Ronald Jakubisin grew up on Star Wars and his adult tastes run from star-laden epics such as Dune to Italian import Hand of God. He says hed miss the theater for a variety of reasons.

I love the programming. Forget the term art house  they show interesting films that engage, he says, observing that the sidewalk in front of the theater is often the setting for friendly debate about films.

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Jakubisin says the theater also acts as a valuable cultural cue.

It creates a halo for the district. It tells people who are thinking about opening a really cool restaurant, coffee shop, or interesting thing, that this is a place where people can gather, and it supports that kind of demographic that may want to experience other things, Jakubisin says.

Cinema Paradiso is at 2008 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Call 954-342-9137 or visit FLIFF.com/cinemaparadiso. You can help the theater by attending a screening or by donation at FLIFF.com/donate or the Cinema Paradiso Hollywood GoFundMe page.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com.
Many patients who undergo heart surgery may be able to safely and effectively control postoperative pain without opioids after hospital discharge, according to research published online today in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

In some cases, patients assume that after surgery, especially a big operation like cardiac surgery, that they will need to go home with prescription pain medicine. This study shows that discharge without opioid pain medicine after cardiac surgery is extremely well tolerated by some patients. In other words, we should not be reflexively prescribing pain medicine to people after surgery just in case they need it." Catherine M. Wagner, MD, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor

Dr. Wagner and colleagues examined data from 2019 for patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), heart valve surgery, or a combination of those operations via median sternotomy (a vertical incision in the center of the chest) at 10 centers participating in the Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons Quality Collaborative.

The researchers found that more than one-fourth of patients (547/1,924 or 28%) did not receive an opioid prescription at the time of discharge. Patients who were older, spent more time in the hospital after surgery, or who underwent surgery and were discharged during the last 3 months of the study period (OctoberDecember) were more likely than other patients to leave the hospital without an opioid prescription. Conversely, patients with a history of depression, those who were treated with opioids on the day prior to discharge, or patients whose race was non-black and non-white were more likely to receive an opioid prescription at discharge.

Importantly, discharge without an opioid prescription appears to have been well tolerated, as fewer than 2% of patients subsequently required a prescription after their discharge and before their 30-day follow-up appointment.

"This study's findings should provide patients with reassurance that postoperative pain can be managed with non-opioid pain medications at home," said Dr. Wagner.

The researchers also found that among the 909 patients who did not take any opioids on the day before discharge, 415 (46%) still received an opioid prescription at discharge.

"One should consider if these opioid prescriptions were truly necessary for patient pain relief," said Dr. Wagner. "Our study shows that, particularly for patients who did not take any opioids on the day before leaving the hospital, discharge without opioids is safe. I think we need to ensure that only patients who truly need opioids get sent home with a prescription."

Opioid addiction continues to take a major toll on lives in the US. More than 70% of overdose deaths in 2019-;more than 49,000 deaths-;involved opioids, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 2021, more than 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses (28.5% increase from the year before); the CDC reports that the main driver of these deaths was opioids.

"For decades, surgeons have unwittingly but substantially contributed to the opioid epidemic," said Thomas E. MacGillivray, MD, from Houston Methodist in Texas, who was not directly involved in this research. "No one wants any patient to be discharged home after surgery without adequate pain relief. With the best intentions to help relieve pain and alleviate anxiety about pain, discharge practices have frequently erred on the side of prescribing too many rather than too few narcotic pain pills. We have learned that many of the unused, unneeded narcotics end up in the community. This very important study will help surgeons identify patients who may comfortably be discharged home without narcotics."

Dr. Wagner explained that prior to the relatively recent awareness of the opioid epidemic, patients often would be prescribed 50 to 100 opioid pills after surgery for various reasons. Unrelated research has shown that leftover medication may be diverted into the community, contributing to the opioid epidemic. With increased attention on the excessive prescribing of opioids for pain treatment after surgery, national efforts such as prescribing guidelines and patient education programs have begun to help "limit unnecessary opioids in the community and decrease the risks of developing new persistent opioid use in patients," she said.

Moving forward, the researchers plan to focus on ensuring that only patients who truly need opioids are sent home with a prescription, while also eliminating "just in case" prescriptions that leave unnecessary opioids in communities and put patients and their family members at risk from opioid diversion.

"It is important to balance excellent pain control while limiting unnecessary opioids," said Dr. Wagner. "We are still learning how to best find this balance for our patients and recommend that patients always work closely with their physicians/provider teams to decide what is best for them."
Women receiving one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during a single menstrual cycle had an increase in cycle length of nearly one day, compared to unvaccinated women, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The increase in cycle lengtha longer time between bleedingwas not associated with any change in the number of days of menses (days of bleeding). The study appears in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The authors, led by Alison Edelman, M.D., M.P.H., of Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, noted that menstrual cycles typically vary a small amount from month to month, and the increase they saw was well within the range of normal variability. They added that additional research is needed to determine how COVID-19 vaccination could potentially influence other menstrual characteristics, such as associated symptoms (pain, mood changes, etc.) and characteristics of bleeding (including heaviness of flow).

It is reassuring that the study found only a small, temporary menstrual change in women. These results provide, for the first time, an opportunity to counsel women about what to expect from COVID-19 vaccination so they can plan accordingly." Diana W. Bianchi, M.D., Director of NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Dr. Bianchi added that little research has previously been conducted on how vaccines for COVID-19 or vaccines for other diseases could potentially influence the menstrual cycle.

NICHD and NIH's Office of Research on Women's Health funded the study, which was part of $1.67 million awarded to five institutions to explore potential links between COVID-19 vaccination and menstrual changes.

The study authors analyzed de-identified data from a fertility tracking app, Natural Cycles. Users input data on their temperature and their menstrual cycles and can consent to the use of their de-identified data for research. For vaccinated individuals, data was from three consecutive cycles before vaccination and from three more consecutive cycles, including the cycle or cycles in which vaccination took place. For unvaccinated individuals, data was collected for six consecutive cycles. Of the 3,959 individuals in the study, 2,403 were vaccinated and 1,556 were unvaccinated.

Most vaccinated users received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. On average, the first vaccination dose was associated with a .71-day cycle increase in cycle length and the second dose with a .91-day increase. Therefore, users vaccinated over two cycles had an increase of less than one day in each of the vaccination cycles. There were no changes in the number of menstrual bleeding days for the vaccinated individuals. The researchers saw no significant change in cycle length for the unvaccinated app users.

A subgroup of app users who received two vaccine doses in the same menstrual cycle (358 users) had a larger average increase in cycle length of two days. However, this change appears to decrease in subsequent cycles, indicating that the menstrual changes likely are temporary. The authors added that the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics classifies a variation in cycle length as normal if the change is less than eight days.
In a recent study published on the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers estimate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its management in England, Scotland, and Wales using dispensed CVD medication data.

As CVD continues to be the most common cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, it is vital to understand the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on CVD and its risk factors. The need for this information is also due to the lack of understanding of the downstream impact of missed detection of the incident CVD cases.

Study: The adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease prevention and management in England, Scotland and Wales: A population-scale descriptive analysis of trends in medication data. Image Credit: Lisa-S / Shutterstock.com

About the study

The current study was the first to report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of CVD using anonymized individual-level population-scale data for 1.32 billion records of dispensed CVD medications across 15.8 million people in England, Scotland, and Wales. The study examines data of medications dispensed from April 1, 2018, to July 31, 2021, to both male and female patients between the ages of 18 to 112 years at pharmacies in all the nations.

The study provides a comprehensive quantification of the reduction in the control of CVD risk factors. Furthermore, the authors investigate the impact of not treating CVD and its risk factors on future CVD events by examining changes in the dispensed medicines used to treat CVD and CVD risk factors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers investigated the trends in dispensed CVD medications stratified by individual demographic characteristics such as age, sex, region, or ethnicity.

For the study period of March 2019 to May 2021, dispensed medications for CVD conditions that could be modified by antihypertensives, lipid-lowering, type-2 diabetes (T2DM), and insulin medications were included.

Flowchart showing selection of analytical datasets from NHSBSA (England)

Study findings

In England, year-on-year CVD medicine dispense rates per person increased from 26.0 to 27.0. Contrastingly, in Wales, these rates fell from 32.8 to 32.0, while in Scotland, these rates increased stably from 0.4 to 18.9 medicines per person per year.

Trends in dispensed CVD medicines over course of pandemic by CVD/ CVD risk factor sub-groups; i) counts by month, and ii) percentage change year-on-year by month; including England, Scotland and Wales. Footnotes: Dotted lines indicate timing of first, second and third national lockdowns: 26th March 2020, 5th November 2020 and 6th January 2021 respectively

A downward trend in the annual percent change in CVD medicines dispensed throughout 2020 and 2021 indicated a decline in the active management of CVD in the population. Across all the CVD sub-groups, a sharp growth in year-on-year medicines dispensed in the pre-pandemic period was followed by a decline below the 2019 levels in May 2020.

Interrupted Time Series (ITS) analysis evaluated prescription trends from April 2018 to May 2021 by individual CVD sub-groups at weekly timepoints during the COVID-19 pandemic in England. The results showed a sharp increase in the prescription of CVD medicines before the first national lockdown.

In contrast, the period between the first (January 5, 2020) and second national lockdowns (January 6, 2021) witnessed declining CVD prescriptions, which did not increase in the four weeks preceding the second lockdown.

During the times preceding the first national lockdown, the highest year-on-year rise in dispensed medicines was observed in the age group of 18-29 and 30-39 years, and the pattern did not change for both males and females. During the same time period, England, Yorkshire, and the Humber saw the highest year-on-year increase in dispensed medicines with peaks in June-September reflecting additional local restrictions at those times. Similar trends were observed in Scotland and Wales, with a marked change in year-on-year dispensing associated with the first COVID-19 lockdown.

As compared to pre-pandemic times, the incident medicine dispensing for antihypertensives, lipid-lowering, and T2DM medications decreased in the immediate post-pandemic period. In May 2020, there was a slow recovery in incident prescriptions; however, this recovery plateaued during the second and third national lockdowns.

Subsequently, there were on average 23,909 and 14,792 fewer patients on antihypertensives and lipid-lowering medications respectively. Comparatively, 1,642 more patients were reported to be prescribed T2DM medications per month during the first half of 2021 as compared with the same months in 2019.

Hypertension is the most common CVD risk factor for which medicines are prescribed. Using a cost-effective National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) analysis model, the researchers estimated that the missed antihypertension treatment could have resulted in 13,659 additional CVD events if people were left untreated, including 2,281 and 3,474 more myocardial infarctions (MIs) and strokes, respectively.

Conclusions

Overall, the study results indicate that year-on-year changes in dispensed CVD medicines by month substantially increased to 11.8% in March 2020 before the first, but not during subsequent, COVID-19-induced lockdowns in the U.K. Therefore, 491,203 fewer individuals initiated antihypertensive treatment across England, Scotland, and Wales from March 2020 to the end of May 2021, as compared to 2019.

The study also highlighted the indirect socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.K. by demonstrating that the management of CVD risk factors as proxied by incident use of CVD medicines has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Therefore, novel methods to identify and treat individuals who have missed CVD treatment are urgently required to avoid large numbers of future CVD cases.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Internationally renowned medical oncologist Philip A. Philip, M.D., Ph.D., has joined Henry Ford Cancer Institute (HFCI) as director of Gastrointestinal Oncology and Neuroendocrine Oncology, medical director of Research and Clinical Care Integration, and co-leader of the Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center (HFPCC). Joining Henry Ford's team of leading cancer experts, Dr. Philip has led numerous breakthroughs over the course of his career in the areas of pancreatic cancer and neuroendocrine tumors.

Dr. Philip is a prolific researcher and skillful clinician with extensive experience in an academic medical center environment. He is a strong leader with a proven track record demonstrating his deep commitment to providing outstanding patient care and achieving scientific breakthroughs that are continuing to help advance research in many aspects of pancreatic cancer. We are thrilled to have Dr. Philip joining our Henry Ford Cancer Institute as we launch into the next generation of both patient care and clinical research." Steven Kalkanis, M.D., CEO of the Henry Ford Medical Group and Chief Academic Officer at Henry Ford Health System

Dr. Philip will join HFCI from the Karmanos Cancer Institute, where he has served in multiple leadership roles over the past 25 years. He will continue to serve as tenured Professor of Oncology at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Throughout his accomplished career, Dr. Philip has served in many roles, including chair of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Committee for Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG), a National Cancer Institute supported global cancer research network. He has also served on the NCI's Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program Committee; authored more than 250 publications; co-edited books on pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers; and provided more than 400 presentations as a national and international lecturer.

"Dr. Philip's wide-ranging expertise on both the national and international cancer research stages will be an invaluable addition to our Henry Ford Cancer Institute as we continue to pursue discoveries that will increase survivorship among patients with pancreatic cancer," said Benjamin Movsas, M.D., interim medical director of HFCI. "By leveraging our advanced research and clinical capabilities, we remain committed to reducing disparities in cancer outcomes and staying on the forefront of scientific research that will help save lives."

Dr. Philip will co-lead the HFPCC alongside David Kwon, M.D., pancreas cancer surgeon and clinical director of the HFPCC, and Howard Crawford, Ph.D., another internationally acclaimed researcher who joined the HFPCC in 2020 as scientific director from the University of Michigan.

The addition of Dr. Philip will strengthen the burgeoning HFPCC, which was launched in 2018 by an initial $20 million gift, plus an additional $16 million gift in 2020. This support has bolstered the HFPCC's clinical and translational research endeavors in the fight against pancreatic cancer, for which the five-year survival rate is only 9 percent.

"As director of Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology at HFCI, Dr. Philip will augment our gastrointestinal and neuroendocrine oncology team's patient care and clinical trial portfolio, giving patients access to the most advanced and comprehensive options available," said Shirish Gadgeel, M.D., Division Head of Hematology/Oncology and Interim Associate Director of HFCI. "We remain committed to increasing survivorship among patients with gastrointestinal cancers, including pancreatic cancer and neuroendocrine tumors (carcinoid), through research aimed at earlier disease detection and personalized therapeutic treatment options."

Dr. Philip received his medical degree from the University of Baghdad, College of Medicine, and his Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenetics from the University of London Guy's Hospital Medical School in London, England. Dr. Philip completed a residency at the University of Baghdad. He completed fellowship in medical oncology at the University of Oxford in London, England, and at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
A recent paper, currently available on bioRxiv* preprint server, reveals the potential for a common class of public antibodies to develop broad cross-neutralization against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via the process known as affinity maturation  without the need for modifying viral spike glycoprotein in the vaccines.

Since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have emerged, with the Omicron (B.1.1.529) being the most recent one that has spread rapidly in many countries around the world.

As a result of the specific antigenic drift, the Omicron variant can successfully escape the majority of monoclonal antibodies, which includes those currently utilized in clinical practice. Furthermore, the variant displays substantially reduced sensitivity to neutralization by serum from individuals that were vaccinated or had the disease.

However, a third dose of vaccines based on the founder spike glycoprotein improved Omicron neutralization, implying either the expansion of more cross-reactive B cells in the repertoire, broader responses with affinity maturation, or both processes.

In this paper, a research group from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the University of Cape Town in South Africa aimed to explore whether there is a way to induce the production of potent neutralizing antibodies capable of neutralizing all SARS-CoV-2 variants - including Omicron.

Background

The researchers have first expressed the SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific immunoglobulin heavy chain variable 3-53 gene (IGHV3-53) with the use of monoclonal antibodies, which aremost frequently used by neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

More specifically, this has been isolated from memory B cells from a convalescent individual, approximately seven months after the infection with SARS-CoV-2 and prior to vaccination. Consequently, with the use of pseudovirus neutralization assay, they have investigated whether these monoclonal antibodies could cross-neutralize both the D614G mutation and Omicron.

Finally, the introduction of specific somatic hypermutations into a germline-reverted form to one such antibody was used to demonstrate the propensity of commonly elicited antibodies towards broad cross-neutralization through an affinity maturation process.

A potent bundle of antibodies

In a nutshell, the scientists have indeed described several tremendously potent neutralizing antibodies which were successful in neutralizing all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern evaluated in this study, including Omicron.

The sequences differed sufficiently between these broad neutralizers to imply that there are distinct ways of overcoming the mutations in Omicron (but also other variants of concern) and achieving this degree of breadth and potency

Moreover, they have resolved a structure of the trimeric Omicron spike glycoprotein in complex with one of these broad monoclonal antibodies, defining in turn the structural basis for cross-neutralization events.

The importance of affinity maturation

These data highlight a true potential for a common class of antibodies to develop broad cross-neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 via affinity maturation; a process when the immune system produces antibodies of higher affinities after repeated contact with an antigen.

The broad efficacy and potency of these antibodies mean we can look at them as rather important management candidates in the wider context of an antigenically evolving pandemic. It also means that there is no urgent need to modify currently existing vaccines.

The identification of multiple broadly cross-neutralizing antibodies from this public class, capable of neutralizing Omicron without loss of potency, also suggests that these responses may be more generally achievable than previously appreciated, say the study authors.

This means that the detection of cross-neutralizing antibodies in a convalescent individual that had the disease implies availability of specific memory B cells upon potential re-infection or vaccination, with important implications for our public health responses.

*Important notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a wide range of symptoms. In many of the mild cases, it remains asymptomatic. However, in symptomatic cases the effects can range from mild coughing and a sore throat to anosmia and lethargy, and even immune dysfunction, ARDS, and multiple organ failure.

The inflammatory and immune response severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection can induce can prove deadly, and researchers from Harvard Medical School have been investigating how much of this response is specific to SARS-CoV-2.

The study

The researchers established a coculture model using ex vivo blood immunocytes that were in direct contact with virus infected epithelial cells in order to assess immunocyte interactions with SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. Human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2, known to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, was used in place of primary lung epithelial cells, as these are known to be difficult to expand and manipulate.

Using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence they found that nucleocapsid protein from the virus was expressed in approximately 50% of Caco2 cells. Thirty-five hours post infection, any unbound virus was removed, and the researchers added peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from health donors. Fourteen hours later these were harvested and purified for transcriptome profiling using RNA sequencing. While this data was lower quality than normally seen, the results were still interesting. Identification of differentially expressed genes was achieved through convergence of two independent experiments, with a third used for validation. This was in place of traditional statistical testing.

CD14+ monocytes and B cells often show perturbed transcriptomes in COVID-19 patients, so the analysis was focused on these cells. At least 675 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were discovered in purified monocytes, with the most obvious response the induction of some of the most prominent proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including IL1B, IL6, TNF, CCL3 and CCl4, as well as antiviral IFN stimulated genes. The researchers also found that MHC class-II genes were significantly down-regulated. The most induced cytokine transcript was IL10, with IL6, IL1B and TNF following closely. These have an intricated and complex set of mechanics related to immune response, cell mobility and signaling pathways, and the scientists suggest that the changes cells undergo when exposed to infected cells are profound and far-reaching. The change in Caco-2 cells was extremely mild in comparison, showing none of the effects the monocytes suffered from.

Following this the researchers compared monocyte responses to epithelial cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to other viruses, including the respiratory pathogen IAV and EBOV, a hemorrhagic disease associated with strong inflammation. Epithelial infection levels differed between three different viruses, but all induced sizable numbers of DEGs, IAV and EBOV ~50% more than SARS-CoV-2. IAV revealed very similar transcriptional changes to SARS-CoV-2, albeit with less effect on proinflammatory cytokines. CCL24 was downregulated strongly in both infections, suggesting reduced eosinophil recruitment.

The scientists then incubated PBMS in cultures with E.coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR2/4 ligand, in order to investigate the suggestion that SARS-CoV-2 coculture signature could show elements of innate activation through TLR4 activation. They found that downregulation of LPS in monocytes was common to both SARS-CoV-2 and IAV infections, but upregulation of the response was only found in SARS-CoV-2. When they calculated an index for confirmed responsive genes across monocytes from different donors, this was confirmed. Profiling of monocytes in cocultures with Caco-2 cells infected with IAV revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 down signature was the most marked at an intermediate range, but the up signature could not be seen. EBOV monocytes showed largely the same results as IAV when compared to SARS-CoV-2.

To investigate which viral proteins could be involved in the SARS-CoV-2 specific response, Caco-2 cells were transfected with a panel of plasmids encoding for likely candidates. These were also later cocultured with PBMCs and monocytes profiled with RNAseq. Cross-referencing the results showing significantly increased variance and difference from controls with transcripts of SARS-CoV-2 induced signature revealed two groups of genes, G2 and G6, that showed significant overlap.

Conclusion

The researchers confirm that while some of the response from monocytes to SARS-CoV-2 is generic to virus infection, most of it SARS-CoV-2 specific, especially proinflammatory responses. They have also identified several likely candidates for groups of genes that are responsible for this reaction. They highlight the role of IFN and ISGs in COVID-19 pathogenesis, and offer more clues as to how this specific response is initiated. This information could be key for future researchers and drug developers, and could help combat the inflammatory response to COVID-19 infection that has proved deadly in many cases.
Sisters Gray and Andrea Koesters honored the life of their father, Willi Hans Koesters, by creating an exhibit of his work at the Bourne-Schweitzer Gallery in New Albany.
Thousands of people are getting free take-home COVID-19 rapid tests from giveaways across Florida. Long lines formed at distribution events Friday, and many more giveaways are planned for Saturday.

The tests are being offered at multiple locations across the region. Theyre often given on a first-come, first-served basis, with supplies sometimes running out in just a few hours. Here are the details.

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Residents receive COVID test kits at the City of Boca Raton Administration Complex on Friday, January 7, 2022. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Palm Beach County

Giveaways in Palm Beach County start at 10 a.m. Saturday, requiring residents to provide proof of residency in the county. The sites are:

Boca Raton Administration Complex, 6500 Congress Ave.

West Delray Regional Park, 10875 W. Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach.

Pompey Park, 1101 NW 2 St. in Delray Beach.

Glades Pioneer Park, 866 State Road 715 in Belle Glade.

Dyer Park, 7301 N. Haverhill Road in West Palm Beach.

John Prince Park, 2520 Lake Worth Road in Lake Worth.

Commons Park, 1600 Poinciana Blvd. in Royal Palm Beach.

Dan Calloway Recreation Center, 1472 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Riviera Beach.

Palm Beach County spokesman John Jamason said 2,592 tests were given away at each location Friday. He said the county got the kits from the Department of Health.

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Residents line up in their cars as they get ready to receive COVID test kits at the City of Boca Raton Administration Complex on Friday morning. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Broward County

The distribution in Broward will be at three county libraries 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. County spokeswoman Margaret Stapleton said the kits were obtained from the Department of Health, and there will be about 6,900 kits at each location.

The free kits will be distributed from the drive-through, curbside service lanes outside:

Margate Catherine Young Library, 5810 Park Drive in Margate.

South Regional/Broward College Library, 7300 Pines Blvd. in Pembroke Pines.

Tyrone Bryant Branch Library, 2230 NW 21st Ave. in Fort Lauderdale.

Cars are lined up as part of a COVID test kit giveaway in Boca Raton. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Residents picking up the test kits must show proof of Broward County residency and are limited to two kits per household.

Broward will offer real-time updates on kit availability, at @BrowardCounty on Twitter.

Miami-Dade County

In Miami-Dade County, residents can get two free take-home tests per household beginning at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Officials have 60,000 kits to give away. The eight library locations are:

Hispanic Branch Library, 1398 SW First St. in Miami.

Kendale Lakes Branch Library, 15205 SW 88 St. in Miami.

Miami Beach Regional Library, 227 22nd St. in Miami Beach.

Miami Lakes Branch Library, 6699 Windmill Gate Road in Miami Lakes.

Naranja Branch Library, 14850 SW 280 St. in Miami.

North Dade Regional Library, 2455 NW 183 St. in Miami Gardens.

Northeast Dade  Aventura Branch, 2930 Aventura Blvd. in Aventura.

Westchester Regional Library, 9445 Coral Way in Miami.

Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com or 954-572-2008 or Twitter @LisaHuriash
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(Newser)  Five Americans died of rabies last yearthe largest number in a decadeand health officials said Thursday that some of the people didn't realize they had been infected or refused life-saving shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report on three of the deaths, all stemming from contact with bats, per the AP. CDC officials said the deaths could have been prevented. One, an 80-year-old Illinois man, refused to take life-saving shots because of a longstanding fear of vaccines. An Idaho man and a Texas boy did not get shots because of a belief that no bat bite or scratch broke their skin.

In all three cases, people either trivialized the exposure (to bats) or they didn't recognize the severity of rabies, said Ryan Wallace, a CDC rabies expert who co-authored the report. Two other deaths occurred earlier in 2021. One was a Minnesota man bitten by a bat. He got the shots, but an undiagnosed immune system problem hampered their effectiveness, CDC officials said. The other victim was bitten by a rabid dog while traveling in the Philippines and died in New York after returning to the US.

Rabies is caused by a virus that invades the central nervous system and is usually fatal in animals and humans. Its most commonly spread through a bite from an infected animal, with most US infections in recent years traced to bat encounters. Infection can cause insomnia, anxiety, confusion, paralysis, salivating, hallucinations, difficulty swallowing, and fear of water. Death can occur only a couple of weeks after symptoms begin, but it can be prevented through a series of five shots given within two weeks of exposure. An estimated 60,000 Americans are treated each year after possible exposure. There were no deaths in 2020 or 2019.

(Read more rabies stories.)
(Newser)  A former House member made an appearance Thursday on the floor, causing more of a stir than such visits usually do. Former Vice President Dick Cheney accompanied his daughter, Rep. Liz Cheney, in observing a moment of silence in the House to mark the anniversary of the attack on the Capitol. They were the only Republicans in attendance, ABC News reports. Liz Cheney, who was among the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 attack, is vice chair of the panel investigating the riot. "I'm here to support her," Cheney's father said.

The arrival of former President George W. Bush's running mate prompted an unusual sight, per the AP, with Democrats lining up to greet a Republican they clashed with often over the decades. "I think what it reflects is the great respect that we have for Liz Cheney," said Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. Dick Cheney served in the House leadership in the 1980s, when he held the Wyoming seat his daughter now occupies. He noted that GOP leaders were absent Thursday. "Well, it's not a leadership that resembles any of the folks I knew when I was here for 10 years," he said later. The Cheneys sat alone in the front row on the Republican side of the House chamber as Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke.

Former members are allowed on the floor. "I was happy to welcome him back, and to congratulate him on the courage of Liz Cheney," Pelosi said, per the Hill. In a statement, Dick Cheney said, "The importance of January 6th as an historic event cannot be overstated," adding, "I am deeply disappointed at the failure of many members of my party to recognize the grave nature of the January 6 attacks and the ongoing threat to our nation." Republicans have punished Liz Cheney for her opposition to Trump's false claim that he won the election, removing her from the party's No. 3 leadership post in the House. Asked about that, Dick Cheney said, "My daughter can take care of herself." (Read more Dick Cheney stories.)
(Newser)  Andrew Cuomo will be required to appear virtually for a court session Friday as a judge considers a prosecutor's request to dismiss a fondling case against the former New York governor. Albany County District Attorney David Soares asked Judge Holly Trexler on Tuesday to dismiss the misdemeanor complaint, three days before Cuomo's scheduled arraignment. A defense lawyer then made a separate motion to dismiss. Trexler notified prosecution and defense lawyers Thursday that they will be required to appear virtually, along with Cuomo, the AP reports.

Soares said he would not be able to prove former Cuomo aide Brittany Commisso's allegation that the then-governor groped her in the executive mansion in late 2020. Commisso said Cuomo reached up her blouse and grabbed her breast while they were alone in his Executive Mansion office. Her testimony was included in a report, released in August by Democratic state Attorney General Letitia James, that concluded Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women. Cuomo announced his resignation a week after the report's release, though he attacked it as inaccurate and unfair.

Cuomo has denied the charge. Cuomo attorney Rita Glavin argued in a motion to dismiss the complaint Thursday that since Soares declined to prosecute, "the Court should dismiss the case to avoid intruding upon the role of the prosecutor." She also criticized Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple for filing the misdemeanor forcible touching complaint against Cuomo in October without consulting with Soares or herself. Soares, a fellow Democrat, similarly complained at the time that it was filed without his knowledge and was "potentially defective."

(Read more Andrew Cuomo stories.)
(Newser)  If a pipe bomb found outside Democratic National Committee headquarters on the day of the Capitol attack had exploded, the victims could have included Kamala Harris, then the vice president-elect. Politico, citing sources including a former law enforcement official, reports that the person the Secret Service and Capitol Police evacuated from the building seven minutes after the device was recovered was Harris. The evacuation of a "protectee" is mentioned in a Capitol Police timeline of events. The FBI says the DNC bomb and another one found outside Republican National Committee headquarters a few blocks away were "viable" and "could have been detonated, resulting in serious injury or death."

The devices were found around 1pm Jan. 6, soon after large numbers of Trump supporters arrived at the Capitol. Politico describes the bombs as a "crucial driver of the chaos" that day, as they diverted many officers from the Capitol just as Trump supporters were trying to force their way past barricades. Investigators believe the same person planted both bombs the night before the Capitol riot but a year later, no arrests have been made. In remarks Thursday commemorating the attack, Harris didn't mention being evacuated from DNC headquarters but said she had been in the Capitol earlier that day, CNN reports.

"On that day, I was not only vice president-elect, I was also a United States senator," Harris said. "And I was here at the Capitol that morning, at a classified hearing with fellow members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Hours later, the gates of the Capitol were breached," Harris said. She said that while she wasn't in the building at the time, her thoughts turned to her staff, "who had been forced to seek refuge in our office, converting filing cabinets into barricades." (Read more Kamala Harris stories.)
(Newser)  A report of a suspicious vehicle outside the office of a Mexican state governor before dawn on Thursday was the first sign of a trouble. It was not the last. Inside the vehicle, left in a public square still decorated with a Christmas tree, were the bodies of 10 murder victims, eight men and two women. Autopsies carried out on seven of the victims show they died of "asphyxiation by strangulation," the state's chief prosecutor said, per CBS News. One body reportedly showed possible indications of torture. The hands and feet of six victims appeared to have at one point been bound.

Zacatecas Gov. David Monreal said he was starting his workday when he learned of the grisly find in the main plaza of the state capital, also called Zacatecas. "They came to leave them here in front of the palace," he added, referring to the Plaza de Armas government building which contains his offices. "Bodies, apparently beaten, with wounds." A man had driven the vehicle into the plaza before getting out and walking down an alley, the federal Public Safety Department said, per Deutsche Welle. At least two people have since been arrested, per Reuters.

Chief prosecutor Francisco Murillo said three of the five bodies identified so far belonged to individuals previously detained on drug or robbery charges. The Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels are among what the Guardian describes as a "dizzying number of cartels" in the state battling for control of drug smuggling routes to the US, according to reports. While Monreal pointed to major security challenges in Zacatecas, where 1,050 murders were reported last year, he also vowed to reduce the violence. "Bit by bit we will recover our peace. What we received was a cursed inheritance," he said, per Reuters. (Read more Mexico stories.)
(Newser)  The president of Kazakhstan on Friday declared that constitutional order was "mainly restored" after the country was engulfed in unprecedented unrest in recent days. "An anti-terror operation has commenced. Law enforcement agencies are working hard. Constitutional order has been mainly restored in all regions of the country. Local authorities are in control of the situation," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was quoted by his spokespeople as saying Friday. The president added, however, that "terrorists are still using weapons and are damaging peoples property" and that "counterterrorist actions" should be continued, the AP reports.

Kazakhstan is experiencing the worst street protests since the country gained independence three decades ago. The demonstrations began over a near-doubling of prices for a type of vehicle fuel and quickly spread across the country, reflecting wider discontent over the rule of the same party since independence. Protests have turned extremely violent, with government buildings set ablaze and scores of protesters and more than a dozen law enforcement officers killed. Internet across the country has been shut down, and two airports closed, including one in Almaty, the country's largest city. In a concession, the government on Thursday announced a 180-day price cap on vehicle fuel and a moratorium on utility rate increases. The president has also called on a Russia-led military alliance for help.

The alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, includes the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan and has started deploying troops to Kazakhstan for a peacekeeping mission. Kazakh officials have insisted that the troops will not be fighting the demonstrators, and instead will take on guarding government institutions. Russia said Friday that planes are bringing troops to Kazakhstan around the clock, the Washington Post reports. Kazakhstans Interior Ministry reported Friday that more than 3,000 people have been detained.

(Read more Kazakhstan stories.)
PEMBROKE PARK  Pembroke Park has decided against firing its police chief despite a plea from the town manager, who accuses the chief of creating a toxic work environment.

The police department hasnt officially opened yet and its officers havent been hired, and the town is fighting internally whether it could still ever pull it off.

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Projected costs to start the department are mounting and the town administration has blamed Chief David Howard for adding on costs after his initial financial projections.

The Chief of Police for any municipality must uphold the highest level of integrity, ethics, accountability, and honesty in their daily interactions and in the performance of their duties. The Chief has demonstrated that he does not possess these qualities and skills to continue leading the Police Department efforts forward, Town Administrator Juan Carlos J.C Jimenez wrote in a Wednesday memo.

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In the same memo, Jimenez said Howard had threatened to arrest the finance director during an argument and told the manager to go back to your office and doodle.

Projected costs to start the Pembroke Park police department are mounting, and the town administration has blamed Chief David Howard for adding on costs after his initial financial projections. (Geoffrey Jacobs/Courtesy)

Howard, reached by the South Florida Sun Sentinel on Thursday, declined to comment. On Wednesday, he told commissioners that the towns staff didnt want the police department.

But two of the three city commissioners, including Mayor Geoffrey Jacobs, rejected Jimenezs request and backed the chief. Jacobs has pushed for the town to leave the Broward Sheriffs Office and have its own police department.

[ RELATED: A small Broward County town may remove the chief of its new police force before its up and running ]

Howard was hired as the police department consultant in June 2020 and became the interim chief in February 2021. The start date of the Pembroke Park Police Department has been repeatedly delayed, mostly because of getting the proper computer software. There has also been fighting between Howard and the finance director, who has publicly pushed back, saying the chief submitted calculation errors and his budget is wrong.

You are looking at bad information, the numbers are not correct, Harry Taubenfeld, the finance director, told commissioners, especially since the chief submitted a $5,000 annual salary bump for the entire department.

In a December email to Human Resources, Taubenfeld complained there has been a coordinated attack against me from the Interim Police Chief and the Mayor for, in my opinion, the Interim Police [chiefs] failure to do his JOB!!

Also among the issues at Town Hall, Howard blamed the resignation of a police administrator who was also a prospective lieutenant on these three idiots, referring to the manager, finance director, and another department head.

But Debra White, the former police administrator who now works for the Sheriffs Office, wrote in a Dec. 7 grievance letter she was leaving due to the chiefs untruthfulness, cited getting an apology from the chief for the three idiots comments. She said her unwillingness to be a lieutenant was due to the proposed staffing for the police department, which was so slim to save money there could be the potential for injury and death to officers.

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In a Dec. 9 handwritten resignation letter left on the chiefs desk and obtained by the Sun Sentinel, she also blamed the mayor for her departure. Reached on her cellphone, White declined to comment.

[ RELATED: A small town plans to leave the Broward Sheriffs Office. Will it conquer the obstacles to start its own police force? ]

When the police department was first considered in April 2020, the number being flown around was $1.7 million to $2 million, according to the manager.

But that continued to rise, especially after police consultants demanded more officers be added to each shift.

As of this week, the estimate is more than $3.5 million since the original eight-officer department has planned to double its sworn staff.

Town leaders said they wanted to walk away from the Sheriffs Office, which has a price tag of $3.3 million, to get better service at a cost-savings.

Next, Jimenez will hire a law enforcement consultant to figure out what the true long-term costs would be, and what the town should do next.

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He told town leaders Wednesday he met with a consulting firm and should have an estimate by the end of the week. I want to get this moving as quickly as possible, he said.

Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com or 954-572-2008 or Twitter @LisaHuriash.
(Newser)  Planned Parenthood's only clinic in East Tennessee was destroyed by arson, fire officials announced Thursday following an investigation into the blaze that ripped through the Knoxville clinic on New Year's Eve. This confirms the second act of violence at the clinic within the past year. On Jan. 22, 2021, the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade abortion ruling, a person fired a shotgun through the front door of the building while it was closed and unoccupied, leaving bullet holes in the reception area, per CNN and the Knoxville News Sentinel. The fire was likewise set while the building was unoccupied. It had been closed for several weeks for a renovation.

It took four hours for the Knoxville Fire Department to extinguish the blaze. Officials described the nearly 10,000-square-foot building as a "total loss." They "determined the fire to have been purposely set by an individual or individuals who, at this time, remain unidentified," a statement reads, per CNN. "The fact that the fire had already breached the roof indicated that the fire had been burning for some time prior to the department's arrival," Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks adds, per WVLT. Authorities are asking for tips, with a possible reward of up $10,000 for information that leads to a prosecution.

Ashley Coffield, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi, describes heartbreak at the arson but says officials are "determined to rebuild," per the News Sentinel. "We are committed to our patients in East Tennessee and will not let this attack take away the essential health care services on which they rely," she adds, per CNN. Though Planned Parenthood was referring patients to clinics in Nashville and Memphis during the renovation, the Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health saw a major increase in patient numbers as a result. Indeed, WVLT describes a one- and two-week waiting period at this point. (Read more Planned Parenthood stories.)
(Newser)  Two days before Missouri man James Addie was due to become a bigamist, he became a murderer instead. The prison officer's double life was exposed after the body of fiancee Molly Watson was found on a backroad on April 27, 2018. The 35-year-old, who was still wearing her engagement rings, had been shot in the back of the head. Relatives said Watson dated Addiea coworker at Moberly Area Correctional Center who was 16 years his juniorfor seven years before he proposed to her. He told her he had divorced Melanie Addie and she had later been in a car crash. James Addie claimed she died after she was taken off life support.

But when police launched an investigation, they discovered that not only was Melanie Addie still alive, she had been living with James Addie and their daughter the entire time Addie had been seeing Watson. The case will be profiled on ABC's 20/20 Friday night. Melanie Addie tells the show that she had no idea her then-husband was involved with Watson until police showed up at her door the night of the murder. She is now divorced from Addie for real. She testified against him at his trial in July last year, where he was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 10 years. She tells 20/20 that Addie could be "controlling and intimidating" and the murder "just seemed like something he would do to fix a problem."

Relatives say Watson, who had a child from a previous marriage, was excited about the planned Disney-themed wedding but that Addie, who dropped off decorations the day of the murder, seemed unenthusiasticand avoided planning meetings, saying he had to deal with funeral arrangements instead. During closing arguments in Addie's trial last year, Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Talley Smith said Addie's wife and fiancee were completely unaware of each other, the Herald-Whig reports. Smith called him a "coward" who "strung Molly Watson along until the very last day" and "threw her away like a piece of garbage." (Read more murder stories.)
(Newser)  Capitol Police officer Briana Kirkland filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump on Thursdaya year to the day since she was injured trying to defend the building from his supporters. The lawsuit describes Trump as the leader of the "violent mob," NBC reports. Trump, "by his words and conduct, directed the mob that stormed the Capitol and assaulted and battered" Kirkland, the lawsuit states. The officer, who says she suffered injuries including a concussion and only returned to work full-time this week, is seeking at least $75,000 in damages plus attorneys' fees. The suit describes how Kirkland and other officers, outnumbered by rioters by more than 400 to 1, tried to hold their ground against the mob, CNN reports

"Officer Kirkland endured an odyssey in which she started as one of the twenty or so USCP officers sent to the West Front of the United States Capitol, and ended covered in chemical spray, blood, with a traumatic brain injury that would cost her a year of her personal and professional life, and physical and personal injuries that will be with her indefinitely," the lawsuit states. Kirkland's lawyer, Patrick Malone, said the attack was the result of Trump's "provocative words and actions" leading up to Jan. 6. Three more officers sued Trump on Tuesday, Politico reports. Two others filed suit in March last year, followed by seven more in August.

In one of the two lawsuits filed against Trump Tuesday, Capitol Police officer Marcus Moore is seeking damages for "physical and emotional injuries," including persistent ringing in his ears, the Washington Post reports. In the other, Metropolitan Police Department officers Bobby Tabron and DeDivine Carter say they were injured when Trump supporters attacked them with fists, flagpoles, and pepper spray in intense fighting outside the Capitol. "Officer Tabron was fighting for his life and felt certain he would not survive to make it home alive to his wife or see his family again," the lawsuit states. Trump has argued that his rhetoric was protected free speechand that he is immune from lawsuits because he was president at the time. (Read more Capitol riot stories.)
(Newser)  On the eve of the anniversary of the Capitol riot this week, Ted Cruz described it as "a violent terrorist attack." On Thursday night, the GOP senator tried to walk back his use of the word "terrorist" during a grilling by Tucker Carlson on Fox News. Carlson, however, wasn't having it. "The way I phrased things yesterday, it was sloppy and it was frankly dumb," said Cruz, per Yahoo News. But Carlson cut him off: "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I don't buy that!" Cruz repeatedly tried to make the point that he wasn't referring to the vast majority of Trump supporters at the Capitol, only those who attacked police officers. "I guess I just don't believe you," Carlson said. "And I mean that with respect."

Politico takes note of the context: Cruz is believed to be positioning himself for a 2024 run for president, and referring to Trump supporters as terrorists isn't going to help his cause. Carlson himself also is rumored to be considering a run, notes the outlet. An analysis in the Washington Post by Aaron Blake points out that Carlson had good reason to be skeptical of Cruz's claim that he misspoke this week. After all, Cruz has referred to the events of Jan. 6 as terrorism on multiple occasions, including in tweets on Jan. 7, 2021, and the following day.

"You told that lie on purpose, and I'm wondering why you did," Carlson said on his show Thursday night, per Politico. "What I was referring to are the limited number of people who engaged in violent attacks against police officers," responded Cruz. "I think you and I both agree that if you assault a police officer, you should go to jail. I wasn't saying the thousands of peaceful protesters supporting Donald Trump are somehow terrorists. I wasn't saying the millions of patriots across the country supporting Trump are terrorists." To which Carlson responded: "What you just said doesn't make sense." (Read more Ted Cruz stories.)
(Newser)  Authorities say that a Florida mail carrier accused of stealing 4,000 or so pieces of mail around the holidays was busted by her own parents, and that she sifted through greeting cards to find cash due to her drug addiction. The alleged monthlong scheme carried out by 25-year-old Miranda Delee Farleigh took place in and around the community of Lady Lake, with one of her routes including The Villages retirement community. Per WTSP, a court complaint filed by US Postal Inspector David Keith says that on or around Nov. 23, a supervisor for Farleighwho NBC News notes has been a contract worker for the US Postal Service for six yearscame into the Lady Lake post office "with several tubs and bags of U.S. Mail that had been rifled."

Farleigh's supervisor informed the postmaster there that she'd recently found the unlawfully opened mail in Farleigh's bedroom, the complaint notes. The reason the supervisor had had access to Farleigh's bedroom in the first place, per the court doc: She's Farleigh's mother, and also a contractor for the USPS. As is Farleigh's father, who, along with Farleigh's mother, confronted Farleigh about the opened mail and searched her car, where they found more opened mail, the complaint notes, adding that Farleigh's mother then "relieved [Farleigh] of her postal duties and secured the recovered mail."

The complaint notes that, of the approximately 4,000 pieces of mail that Farleigh allegedly stole, "nearly all of the rifled envelopes consisted of outgoing mail that appeared to hold a holiday and/or greeting card." Farleigh admitted to Keith that she'd targeted residents' outgoing mail in her hunt for cash or gift cards, and that her heroin addiction was what spurred her actions. It's not clear how much Farleigh is being accused of stealing. Per a release from the US Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, Farleigh is being charged with theft of mail matter by a USPS employee, which could bring her five years behind bars if convicted. (Read more postal worker stories.)
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The active role of the United States is crucial to promoting security and stability in the region, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister said yesterday.

The role played by the United States, HRH said, is also crucial to ensuring world peace.

The long-standing strategic relationship between Bahrain and the United States of America, HRH Prince Salman said, is based on mutual interests.

His Royal Highness also stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation and coordination, especially military and defence, to benefit both countries and their peoples.

HRH Prince Salman said this during a meeting with the Commander of US Naval Forces Central Command, Commander of the United States Fifth Fleet, and Commander of Combined Maritime Forces, Vice Admiral Charles B. Cooper II, at the Riffa Palace.

The meeting also discussed several issues of common interest and the latest regional and international developments.

Also present were His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club High Committee, and General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Minister of Interior.
PEMBROKE PINES  A driver  running a stop sign  struck a young girl riding a bike outside her school in Pembroke Pines on Thursday afternoon, police said.

A little after 2 p.m., authorities noted in a news release that officers with the Pembroke Pines Police Department were notified of the accident at the intersection of Northwest 136th Avenue and Northwest 10th Street.

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Our preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle driver ran a stop sign located at the intersection, and struck a juvenile female bicyclist who was crossing the street in the crosswalk, police said.

The girl  a student at Lakeside Elementary School  was rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital with life-threatening injuries, officials with the police and Pembroke Pines Fire Department confirmed.

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Go to Herald.com for the full report.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The travel restrictions and severe lockdowns in their home countries have served a catalyst in Bahrain to host Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Filipino weddings. Parents have to adjust to new realities as we live in a fast-changing world, said longtime Indian expatriate Gopalan Vadakke Chalil, whose three children got married here during the last year. He said initially he wanted the marriage to be conducted in India but had to change his decision due to the travel restrictions.

Initially, I was a bit reluctant. Now I am really happy that my children got married here, for all their friends are here as this is the society they grew up in. Dismissing the fallacy, Gopalan said the cost of the wedding is less in Bahrain compared to that of India. It was only a few weeks ago Gopalans daughter Reema Gopalan Vadakke Chalil tied the knot with Mohammed Ashil at a wedding ceremony held in Bahrain.

Indian national Sarangi Sasidhar, who married Akash, another Indian national, on the New Year Day at a ceremony held here, said she had never thought that her wedding would happen in Bahrain. The pandemic was definitely the reason. Owing to restrictions in travel, girls and boys belonging to the Malayali community intensified their search to find a partner based in Bahrain. She said many of her close relatives wanted to attend the wedding, but couldnt as many of them were unvaccinated.

I was disappointed over Akashs mothers inability to attend the wedding as she was unvaccinated. But we could have done nothing. However, the MNC employee agreed that it was her dream wedding despite many limits set by the Covid protocols and regulations. Sarangis father M K Sasidhar said his relatives were initially upset over the decision to hold the wedding here.

The pandemic situation demanded a break away from all conventions. Change is something that never changes. I overwhelmingly support any expatriate who wants to conduct his childs wedding over here. He said the marriage turned out to be a unique event with guests belonging to diverse cultures and nationalities in attendance.

Pakistani national Mohammed Kaleem, who got married here a few weeks ago, said it was his decision to begin the togetherness journey in the same country where he met his wife for the first time. My relatives wanted the ceremony to be conducted in Pakistan. I made a firm decision that my marriage will only be held in Bahrain. I know my dear and near ones in Pakistan would miss the moment. But, there are not many choices during this time of the pandemic.
BOCA RATON  Garages that essentially work like giant vending machines could become part of new developments in downtown Boca Raton.

How they work: You drive up, you or a worker push a few buttons into a keypad or smartphone app, and mechanical arms and other devices take your car to a spot within the garage. When youre ready to leave, you go back to the keypad or pull up your app, press another few buttons and the machine brings your car back to you.

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There are no driving lanes in the garages, which advocates say help reduce car crashes, lower carbon dioxide emissions and save time people would spend looking for open spaces.

The Automotion Parking system works by putting cars on pallets and shuffling them into tight open spaces, as it does at this lot in Manhattan. Automated garages like it could be coming to Boca Raton, after the city's Planning and Zoning Board unanimously approved rules that would regulate this type of garage in the city's downtown area. (Mark Bonifacio/New York Daily News)

Instead of you driving around inside  looking for a parking space, the parking space is coming to you, said Paul Bates, a representative of ParkPlus, a New Jersey-based manufacturer of automated parking systems.

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The garages, popular in Europe and Asia, also take up less space than a conventional parking garage.

They provide an efficient method to park cars, Boca Raton City Councilwoman Monica Mayotte told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

The citys Planning and Zoning Board approved Thursday new rules for downtown parking garages that could allow the vending machine style garages in the area generally near Palmetto Park Road and U.S. 1 around Mizner Park. Next, the City Council will take up the rules.

[ RELATED: New Boca Raton buildings would offer 93 luxury apartments, a rooftop restaurant and an ATM-like parking garage ]

Thursdays decision allows three different types of mechanical parking units:

Individual mechanical lifts: One mechanical space stacked above another in only two levels, operated by a valet or attendant and not part of a bigger automated parking system;

One mechanical space stacked above another in only two levels, operated by a valet or attendant and not part of a bigger automated parking system; Mechanical parking, lifts or platforms: A semi-automated mechanism that lifts vehicles vertically to make space to park other vehicles below. A valet or attendant is not required but a code-activated switch and safety gates are required;

A semi-automated mechanism that lifts vehicles vertically to make space to park other vehicles below. A valet or attendant is not required but a code-activated switch and safety gates are required; Fully automated parking: A system using some combination of devices such as elevators, shuttles, turntables or hoists to move unoccupied vehicles to separate storage areas. The mechanical devices may be robotic and computers control and manage the systems.

At least one proposed development downtown includes plans an automated garage.

Aletto Square would include 93 luxury apartments, a rooftop restaurant and office space. If approved, Aletto Square would include the first automated garage in Boca Raton, likely to open sometime in 2024.

[ RELATED: Robotic parking garage is coming to Lauderdale ]

The technology, while unusual in South Florida, is not totally new.

The first one in the state was approved in Fort Lauderdale in 2005. Prior to that, only two fully automated parking systems existed in the entire country; one in Hoboken, N.J., and another in Washington, D.C. Hybrid models have also existed in New York City for almost two decades.

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This wasnt the first attempt to bring these garages to the city. In 2015, the prospect of these types of garages simmered in various city committees, but they never amounted to anything at the time.

[ RELATED: Stacked parking systems come up for downtown ]

I feel it is important that our building codes address this type of garage system so if and when a project includes one in their plans, our building code will provide the parameters for the developer, Mayotte said. If this type of parking system is approved, it will provide opportunities for future projects to incorporate them into their plans.

Austen Erblat can be reached at aerblat@sunsentinel.com, 954-599-8709 or on Twitter @AustenErblat.
Cases of COVID-19 have reached unprecedented levels in Connecticut schools.

The Department of Public Health on Thursday reported 7,612 new infections for students and 2,338 among staff for the week ending Wednesday.

The last week before winter break, state data showed 3,691 students and 742 staff reported new infections  a previous record this school year. And in the 2020-21 school year, cases peaked for students at 1,618 and staff at 519 cases in mid-January, according to state data.

These numbers are certainly cause for concern, said Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, the states largest teachers union. Theyre playing out as understaffed schools. Theyre playing out as students in some situations, theres 50 percent attendance. Thats what this looks like in practice.

Staff cases in the preliminary data include employees or contractors that work in schools, from teachers to school transport workers. Bus driver shortages have been a source of several closures this week, as transportation routes were canceled and students were unable to shuttle to-and-from schools.

State officials and union heads alike have been adamant that all students and staff have to play their part to curb the viral spread.

We really do need individuals who have symptoms to stay home, said Dias. If you arent feeling well, you should probably start by assuming its COVID. We need everybody in the community to adopt that mentality.

Children who have yet to be fully vaccinated continued to make up the bulk of cases. Less than a quarter of new infections were among students who had received both doses. Unlike school staff, students are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo testing.

Children ages 5 to 11 have been eligible for the COVID vaccine for more than two months. About 37 percent of that age group has received at least one dose, according to state data  compared to 75 percent of 12 to 15 year olds or 83 percent of 16 and 17 year olds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday recommended booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12 and up.

Takeaway would be that you need to stick to public health measures, said Dr. Syed Hussain, the chief clinical officer at Trinity Health New England. If your child is eligible now for the vaccine, they need to get vaccinated. If not, then you need to ensure that everybody in your family is vaccinated to provide that safe environment.

Students and staff were not in school buildings for the full report period, which began last Thursday while students were on winter break. Some schools had Monday off, too, and many closed for inclement weather on Wednesday, which could impact the data collection.

On the ground, the surge has continued to impact school districts across the state.

In Ansonia, Middletown and Danbury, teacher and bus driver COVID-related absences abruptly left districts too short-staffed to operate school buildings this week

We plan to open the following week anticipating improved staffing, Danbury Superintendent Kevin Walston tentatively told parents. Danbury schools had 296 staff members absent Monday and 322 on Tuesday, according to school district data.

Stratford Superintendent Uyi E. Osunde, too, anticipated over the weekend that COVID-19 cases and exposures would leave the district unable to effectively hold classes.

There are increased cases across the district, said Andrea Boissevain, director of the Stratford health department. They all live in Stratford with an increase transmission rate, as we expected coming out of the holidays.

According to district data, 241 elementary students and 303 middle and high school students are now positive. At one elementary school, close to 70 staff members are currently isolating, the most out of the districts schools so far.

Despite surging cases this week, state officials have remained committed to in-person learning.

Staff writers Dan Brechlin, Eddy Martinez and Peter Yankowski contributed to this report.
DANBURY  COVID-19 cases are setting Danbury-area pandemic records as cases surge across the state and nation.

Danburys COVID-19 case rate more than doubled in this weeks state report compared to last week, increasing by more than 120 percent to 154.4 cases per 100,000 residents. Data also show the citys number of cases jumping from 559 reported in one seven-day period to 1,272 the next.

Those numbers, reported from Dec. 19 to Jan. 1, dont take into account this weeks numbers, which have also set records.

Danbury reported 527 new cases on Monday  far more than had been reported on any single day and greater than the largest weekly total of 467 during the week of Nov. 30, 2020. The city then recorded 433 more cases on Tuesday and 391 on Wednesday.

In Bethel, the story is the same: A 120 percent increase in the case rate from one week to the next.

We could pretty much see that train coming down the track at us, First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said. Right now, its like being strapped to a runaway rollercoaster and weve really got no choice but to ride it out.

Ridgefield selectmen declared a state of emergency Wednesday due to severe COVID conditions. The towns case rate was 153.4 cases per 100,000 residents according to state data released Thursday, up from 102.7 the week prior.

Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi said the towns case rate is the highest weve seen over the last three years, no question, But, he said the severity of cases was not as bad as he saw with delta variant and the initial outbreak in 2020.

In Redding, First Selectman Julia Pemberton said despite the increase in cases, the town has not recorded any more fatalities.

Brookfield has the highest case rate of any Danbury-area town, with 173.1 cases per 100,000 residents. The towns health director, Raymond Sullivan, suspects the numbers will remain high for another week or two before declining.

As Dr. Sullivan anticipated, there is no doubt spread is up because of gatherings for the holidays where there was close contact transmission, the town said in a Facebook post. Fortunately, the omicron variant is less severe and most testing positive are experiencing less severe symptoms and are recovering well.

Students and school staff have tested positive at rates similar to the towns, and the lack of available tests could contribute to the spread, according to the post. Brookfield plans to announce another distribution of a limited number of at-home test kits.

The local effect

Across Connecticut, the rapidly rising number of cases has affected schools, child care, workplaces and travel plans.

Connecticut school districts are seeing their highest case numbers to date, with 7,612 new infections among students and 2,338 among staff for the week ending Wednesday, Department of Public Health reports show.

In Danbury schools, the infections and exposures among staff have contributed to staffing shortages that led administrators to cancel classes for three days this week.

New Milford, which closed schools Friday due to inclement weather, had 140 active cases among students so far this week and 228 students in quarantine, according to the districts COVID-19 dashboard. Easton, Redding, and Region 9 schools saw 20 positive cases among staff and 84 among students.

Ridgefields Marconi said the schools have done OK.

Theres no question that theres staff shortages and students and staff that are concerned, he added.

Teachers and parents in Danbury made it clear this week they want the option to go to a remote-learning set-up, but the state has not altered its statute prohibiting districts to go remote.

Adjusting and reinforcing mitigation strategies

Leaders are bracing for a few more weeks of rising cases before things are expected to taper off.

Danburys health director, Kara Prunty, called the levels the city is seeing right now unprecedented.

I dont know when we are going to hit the peak, she said. I dont think we are there yet.

Still, several municipalities have said they will not implement mask mandates at this time.

Danbury has no new mandates, and Prunty said she and Mayor Dean Esposito talk frequently. Bethel, which saw a jump in case rate rivaling Danbury, also will not implement a mask mandate, nor will Ridgefield.

Theres very little difference, if any, between areas that have tough mask rules and those that dont, said Bethels Knickerbocker. Its kind of too late  were already past the holidays.

This sentiment was echoed by Ridgefields Marconi.

To be quite honest, we missed the opportunity, he said. If we were going to do it, we should have done it several weeks ago.

Redding will continue with its indoor mask mandate, Pemberton said Friday.

In Danbury, another major mitigation strategy  contact tracing  has been overwhelmed by the rising case numbers, Prunty said.

So instead, leaders are focusing their messaging on vaccinations and specifically booster doses, as vaccination numbers across cities and towns remain relatively stagnant. Theyre also urging people to stay home if theyre feeling sick.

People are, I think, doubting the effectiveness of the vaccine right now, but the vaccine is working in keeping the level of illness not as severe, Prunty said. The city is holding a pediatric-focused vaccine clinic this weekend.

Marconi said he could not stress enough the importance of getting booster shots.

Only one in five people between the ages of 25 and 34 have had a booster dose in Connecticut so far, and 28.3 percent of people 35 to 44. For those between 65 and 74, booster doses have hit 62 percent.

Knickerbocker said two of his friends recently contract COVID  one received the booster shot, the other had not. The friend who was boosted experienced less illness than the one who didnt, he said.

It really does make a difference in the vast majority of cases, he said.
The vast majority of vaccinated patients with COVID infections in Connecticut hospitals have not been boosted, health officials say.

Hartford HealthCare said Thursday there were 466 COVID patients in its entire health system, a number which exceeds the 2020 peak. But of those patients, only seven have had boosters.

Of those seven patients, only two had received a third vaccine dose more than two weeks before getting admitted.

We continue to see even more efficacy with individuals having boosters, said Keith Grant, HHCs senior system director for infection prevention.

The percentage of vaccinated COVID patients in Connecticut hospitals has increased dramatically since the omicron variant began spreading across the state.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines someone as being fully vaccinated after at least two weeks have elapsed since they received two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Remember, the CDC definition for boosted is different from the clinical definition of boosted, said Hartford HealthCares chief epidemiologist Dr. Ulysses Wu. The clinical definition of boosted does include a booster within the last two to four weeks. The CDC considers fully vaccinated as still having completed the primary series irregardless of the booster.

By the CDCs definition, 78.3 percent of all COVID patients in Connecticut on Dec. 2 were not fully vaccinated.

On Jan. 6, that percentage had dropped to 68 percent, according to state data.

On Thursday, the state reported that 1,784 patients are hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Of those, 1,213 are not fully vaccinated, the data showed.

The vast majority of those are unboosted, said Scott Roberts, associate director for infection prevention at Yale New Haven Hospital. The vaccine efficacy, even with boosting, doesn't hit 100 percent.

Patients who have had a third vaccine dose sometimes get admitted, Roberts said, but almost all those patients are not having severe enough COVID to be on a ventilator or dying from COVID.

If they do get admitted, they'll need a very tiny amount of oxygen or just monitoring, Roberts said.

Though the number of younger people in hospitals with a COVID infection has increased  vaccine providers Thursday began administering third shots to patients 12 to 15 years old  Grant said the majority of vaccinated COVID patients are 60 and older.

As of Wednesday, 1,070,760 additional vaccine doses  counting both third doses for immunocompromised patients and boosters  have been administered in Connecticut, according to CDC data.

The majority of those, all but 10,152, have been administered to patients 18 and older, which may account for the increased number of pediatric patients, Roberts said.

My guess is that a lot of that is reflecting the burden of COVID in the community in an unvaccinated population, Roberts said. He said many of those patients who are both boosted and require hospitalization are immunocompromised.

There are subsets of patients, definitely the vast minority, who are boosted but come in for COVID, he said. The only time we see that is when there's a reason for it. Somebody who's had an organ transplant recently and is on immunosuppressive medications and can't mount an appropriate immune response to a vaccine.

Even though vaccinated patients are being admitted in greater numbers, Grant said Thursday the majority of those do not need to be in intensive care units.

The breakdown gets more interesting when you look at critical care, he said. We have a very small percentage, I think 3 percent of our patients that are COVID positive in critical care that are vaccinated as well.

Theres a subset of patients, Roberts said, found to be COVID positive on admission without clear symptoms suggestive of COVID. They broke their arm and they're coming in, and they're found to be COVID positive, but they don't have symptoms.

That, he said, represents how infectious the omicron variant is. Essentially, there are so many people testing positive for COVID that its bound to cause an increase in hospitalizations.

When you have state records being set every day, even a tiny bump in people who do need hospitalizations for COVID, impacts our health care system, Roberts said. So we're seeing our hospitalizations increase by the day.
The former president is no longer in office, but Democrats in Connecticut intend to make Donald Trump, and his continued false claims of election fraud, an issue in statewide races here in 2022.

On the first anniversary of the insurrection at the Capitol, the states elected Democrats recalled how their phones started buzzing with the news that a mob of Trump supporters stormed the building as Congress was certifying the 2020 election results and how they watched the situation unfold from afar in horror.

But a year later, their focus is not as much on how Jan. 6 unfolded but what they see as the failure of their Republican colleagues to loudly and strongly denounce The Big Lie that the election was stolen, the Democrats including state party chair Nancy DiNardo said during an online press conference Thursday.

Republicans are pushing to move forward rather than look back, saying the states residents care more about issues such as health care, the economy, and education. But Democrats want a full accounting, a litmus test, on two questions: Did Biden legitimately win the election? And will GOP candidates condemn in clear terms Trumps role in the siege?

It shouldnt serve as a litmus test perhaps in other states, but I think in a state like Connecticut it really should because I think our electorate is different and they view what happened on that day and the days leading up to that very, very differently, said House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford.

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said a lot of Connecticut Republicans acknowledge that Joe Biden is president, but have not been decisive that they believe he was elected fairly.

I havent heard a lot of Republican leaders loudly and clearly say that the 2020 election was free and fair as we all know it was, that the 2020 election was legitimate, and that Joe Biden legitimately won it, Bronin said.

In a series of statements issued Thursday, Connecticut Republicans denounced the violence that occurred at the Capitol, but made little or no mention of Trump or his involvement. They accused Democrats of trying to further politicize the country.

We should be memorializing what transpired on Jan. 6 by bringing political parties and elected officials together, not perpetuating this divide, House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford said in a written statement.

Referring to the shortage of COVID-19 tests plaguing Connecticut and the country, Candelora said, in a week where residents were left to wait hours for COVID tests, Democrats have suddenly come out of hiding and are tripping over themselves to embrace the type of divisive rhetoric our Speaker of the House has often said should remain in Washington D.C.

Lawmakers in Connecticut should instead be focused on addressing the mental health and education crisis among children and teachers or tackling public safety concerns in our neighborhoods, he said. Considering this disingenuous campaign stunt today, residents will justifiably wonder how serious the majority party is about unifying our state and developing balanced policies that will make it a better place to live for everyone.

In a separate written statement, Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, and Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, the deputy leader, said We condemn the violence of January 6, 2021 in the strongest of terms, just as we have continued to do since the day it happened.

The senators drew a distinction between what unfolded at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 and what happened outside the state Capitol in Hartford that same day  where lawmakers were sworn in on the first day of the legislative session in a ceremony marked by unity.

Two-thirds of Republican voters in the U.S. still doubt the legitimacy of Bidens election, according to a recent poll from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst  a point that is likely to be on the minds of GOP candidates in Connecticut as they seek to overcome Democratic majorities in the state House (96-53) and Senate (23-13). Democrats also hold all statewide and congressional offices in Connecticut.

They know what the polls say. Thats why the questions are so critical today because theyre trying to figure out how do I win a primary but then be electable in November and so the comments are very right in the middle and luke warm, Ritter said.

Democrats on Thursday specifically singled out Bob Stefanowksi, the GOP challenger to Gov. Ned Lamont in 2018 who is likely to run again in 2022, for refusing to condemn Trump for his role in the attack.

Were asking the Republican Party and Bob Stefanowksi, who is the de facto leader, right now to step and denounce Trump-like behavior and what the insurrection actually stood for and to actually stand up for his country, not for the love of the Republican party, or any party. Put your country first, said Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr., D-Waterbury, chair of the Black and Puerto Rican caucus.

Asked to respond to the comments by phone, Stefanowski instead issued an emailed statement Thursday.

As we come upon the one-year anniversary of the tragedy at our U.S. Capitol building we can all agree that whether its Washington, D.C. or Connecticut, violence is never the answer, he said. Each and every person found responsible for this tragedy should be held accountable to the full extent of the law.

Biden won the election over a year ago, he said. Its time to move on from division and hyper partisanship and work together to provide the people of Connecticut with better public safety, a lower cost of living and a quality education for their kids.

julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com
A South Florida attorney is accused of attempting to smuggle cocaine into the jail using papers disguised as legal documents, the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office said.

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David Casals, who practices in Palm Beach and Broward counties, is facing a first-degree felony charge of trafficking cocaine, a second-degree felony charge of delivery of cocaine and a third-degree felony charge of introduction of contraband into a county facility, according to the Sheriffs Office.

Casals is facing a maximum sentence of up to 50 years for the three felony charges combined. He turned himself into authorities Friday.

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Casals allegedly attempted to bring documents saturated with cocaine into the jail, detectives found through their investigation, testing, interviews and search warrants, the Sheriffs Office said.

Attorney David Casals, who practices in Palm Beach and Broward counties, turned himself into the Palm Beach County Jail Friday and is accused of attempting to smuggle cocaine into the jail, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said. (Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office)

On Oct. 24, Casals was checking in as a visitor at the jail, and a deputy began to search the items he had with him, according to a probable cause affidavit. The deputy inspected a manila folder that contained 37 pieces of paper with bible quotes and pictures of an unknown woman on them.

The deputy noticed the papers were concealed under a cover sheet that attempted to disguise the papers as a transcription translation of an audio file for an inmate from Spanish to English, the affidavit says. As the deputy looked at the swollen pages, she noticed stains from a see-through substance that resembled water marks.

After notifying supervisors about the pages, two lieutenants arrived to look at them. Casals said I hope theres nothing in there that shouldnt be, according to the affidavit.

Authorities took the pages and allowed Casals to meet with three inmates after telling him he could not give them anything, the affidavit says. But the deputy who inspected the pages was suspicious and watched the jails cameras.

The video showed Casals visited a fourth inmate who Casals did not say he was there to meet with, the affidavit says.

Another detective inspected the papers and said each page looked as if they were water stained and dried out. The detective tested a page for synthetic cannabinoids, turning the page a yellow-brown color, revealing the presence of a mix of cannabinoids, the affidavit says.

On Nov. 1, detectives received a report from a Sheriffs Office forensic scientist that determined the two pieces of paper tested were positive for cocaine at a weight of 9.9 grams, the affidavit says. Four more pages were tested a few days later, bringing the total weight to 29.5 grams for the six pages tested.

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Detectives in the past year have interviewed inmates about drugs being smuggled into the jail, the affidavit says. Inmates said in the past, several corrections deputies would bring in drugs, but attorneys have begun to bring in contraband by way of disguising the drugs onto papers since several corrections deputies were arrested for smuggling in drugs.

The inmates who spoke with detectives said the attorneys know the papers theyre carrying have substances on them and are paid by the inmates to bring the papers in, the affidavit says.

The affidavit says investigations have found that 8.5-by-11 papers sprayed or soaked with cannabinoids or other substances are selling for $1,000 for cannabinoids to $3,000 for cocaine.

Papers soaked with roach spray have been brought in, the inmates said, according to the affidavit, and would smoke them. But that was poisoning inmates, hospitalizing them and causing seizures or rendering them unresponsive, the affidavit says. Some have stopped breathing and had to be treated for narcotics overdoses, the affidavit says.

The addiction to the K-2 paper drug, as inmates called it, is causing inmates to ask family members and those outside the jail to send them money to barter with other inmates for them or to buy the papers, the affidavit says.

Testing of all 37 pages showed a positive result of cocaine with a weight of over 136 grams, the chemist noting that the papers did not receive trace amounts but were rather saturated with cocaine. Nine of the papers tested were found to have no trace of controlled substances, the affidavit says.

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Casals was released from the Palm Beach County Jail after posting a $58,000 bond, the Sheriffs Office said.

The only comment Ill make is he turned himself in, he bonded out and were going to plead not guilty, Casals attorney, Michael Salnick, said.

According to Casals Florida Bar profile, he has not been disciplined in the last 10 years.
A powerful winter storm is expected to sweep through the region early Friday, dumping anywhere from four to seven inches of snow on Connecticut, according to the latest report from the National Weather Service.

The storm is expected to be the first major snow event of the winter. The weather service has issued a winter storm warning for New London and Windham counties, as well as Rhode Island, much of Long Island and eastern parts of Massachusetts. Those areas could see up to 7 inches of snowfall, according to the NWS.

The warning for New London county goes from midnight to noon Friday. For Windham County, the warning is in effect from Friday from 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The entire region will be under a winter weather advisory from Friday at midnight to noon. Gale warnings have also been issued for Long Island Sound.

The storm is expected to pass through Connecticut late Thursday through noon Friday. Snow is expected to start falling mainly after 1 a.m. in southwestern Connecticut and around 4 a.m. near Hartford, dropping about 2 to 4 inches overnight. The snow will continue into Friday morning and bring another 1 to 2 inches.

In Windham County and other areas under the winter storm warning, snow could continue into the early afternoon, according to the weather service.

The storm comes just 48 hours after the state was caught off guard by freezing rain that caused hundreds of accidents, including one fatal. Schools also delayed opening or closed throughout the state. The freezing rain was exacerbated by a lack of road treatment. The state Department of Transportation said temperatures were too cold Tuesday night to apply a liquid treatment to roads, while conditions were too windy Wednesday to apply salt.

That weather event also underscored a grim reality amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, as the DOT wrestles with a staffing shortage brought on by both infections and unfilled job openings. The agency said Wednesdays ice was too short to have been affected by staffing issues, but a blizzard or other prolonged event could prove problematic.

The big concern is if we have multi-day events, said Garrett Eucalitto, a deputy commissioner at DOT.

Ahead of Fridays storm, several Connecticut municipalities have already issued parking bans, including Bristol, East Hartford, Plainfield and Vernon. The city of Norwalk may also declare a parking ban.
"Our purpose at McDonald's is to feed and foster communities and this effort is aimed at acknowledging those who are doing so much to care for our communities right now," said Gemma Pryor, Senior Director, Canada Impact Team. "Throughout the pandemic we saw our franchisees finding creative ways to support their communities in times of need and that's what we're seeing again here today with the free coffee offer."

In March 2020, McDonald's Canada partnered with its independent franchisees from coast to coast to coast, giving away more than one million complimentary cups of McCafe Premium Roast Coffee and Tea. Since then, our franchisees have continued to show their support within their local communities, on many occasions providing coffee or breakfast to local healthcare workers and volunteers.

Now, we are bringing back the offer for a limited time amid the continued push for Canadians to get their vaccine or booster, alongside the ongoing challenges of treating and testing patients in the pandemic. It's a simple gesture of appreciation for those who continue to be on the frontline, protecting and caring for our communities across the country.

About McDonald's Canada

In 1967, Canadians welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving close to three million guests every day. In both franchised and corporate-owned restaurants, nearly 100,000 people are employed from coast-to-coast, and more than 90 per cent of McDonald's 1,400 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent franchisees. Of the almost $1 billion spent on food, more than 85 per cent is purchased from suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald's Canada, visit mcdonalds.ca.

SOURCE McDonald's Canada

For further information: Media requiring more information please contact: Corporate Relations, McDonald's Canada [email protected]
As India witnesses an exponential surge in Covid-19 cases, in what can be seen as a surge driven by the Omicron variant, one lakh, seventeen thousand and one hundred cases have been reported in the last 24 hours. Out of these 1.5L cases, three thousand cases have been confirmed as the cases of the Omicron variant. Identified as the variant of concern by the WHO, Omicron has been detected across 27 states/UTs so far, of which Maharastra and Delhi top the charts with the highest number of Omicron cases.

The World Health Organization on Friday busted the belief that the Omicron variant is mild, saying it is killing people across the world. Recent studies suggest that Omicron is less likely to make people seriously ill than previous Covid variants. However, according to the WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the record number of people catching it has left health systems under severe pressure.

Even as states ramp up its efforts in fight against Covid-19, the focus is primarily on children between the age group of 2-18 years, majority of those who have not been vaccinated yet. Dr Suresh Kumar, MD of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) told a news agency, The increase in COVID-19 cases in winter is a matter of concern for children, the elderly, pregnant women and co-morbid patients with cancer, COPD or respiratory failure.

Over 1.5 crore children between the age group of 15-18 have been vaccinated with Covaxin so far. In a bid to secure the children, India extended its vaccine drive to young adults in the age group of 15-18 on January 3. So far, only Covaxin has been approved as a childrens vaccine in India.
According to Health Ministry, the country has so far reported 3,007 cases of Omicron of which 1,199 have been recovered.

India reported 1,17,100 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the daily positivity rate in the country to 7.74 per cent, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday. With this, the countrys COVID-19 case tally has gone up to 3,52,26,386. According to Health Ministry, the country has so far reported 3,007 cases of Omicron of which 1,199 have been recovered.

Maharashtra accounts for the highest number of Omicron cases (876), followed by Delhi (465) and Karnataka (333).

The Ministry informed that Indias active caseload presently is at 3,71,363. It accounts for 1.05 per cent of the countrys total cases.

The weekly positivity rate is at 4.54 per cent, while the daily positivity rate is at 7.74 per cent. With the recovery of 30,836 patients in the last 24 hours, the cumulative tally of COVID recovered patients, since the beginning of the pandemic, now stands at 3,43,71,845. The current recovery rate is at 97.57 per cent. The country also reported 302 new fatalities in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 4,83,178.

India conducted 15,13,377 COVID-19 tests in the last 24 hours, and so far the country has conducted 68,68,19,128 tests as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data. India has administered a total of 149.66 crore vaccine doses so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive. The COVID vaccination drive began on January 16, 2021. Cumulatively, 1,49,66,81,156 people have been vaccinated so far in the country of which 94,47,056 were administered vaccines in the last 24 hours.
Mentioning the matter before the CJI Bench, Singh sought an urgent hearing of the case saying a professional and efficient investigation is needed to ensure it doesn't happen again.

The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve the travel records of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Punjab forthwith. A Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli directed Punjab government and police authorities, SPG incharge of PMs security and other Central and State agencies to cooperate and provide necessary assistance to seal the entire record.

As Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, insisted on the presence of an NIA official to assist the Registrar General, the apex court also ordered that the DGP of Chandigarh along with an NIA officer can assist the Registrar General in the collection of records.

The apex court also asked the Committees of both the Centre and Punjab to hold their hands in proceeding with any inquiry relating to the Prime Ministers visit to Punjab till Monday, the next date of hearing.

Senior advocate DS Patwalia, Advocate General of Punjab, during the hearing, requested the Bench to pass an order to put on hold the proceedings of the Committee constituted by the Centre till Monday as the Committee has issued notices to the Punjab DGP and state officials. Patwalia said Punjab will put on hold the operations of its Committee.

To this, Solicitor General told the apex court that the Central Committee is not looking into the larger issue and is constituted only for internal purposes.

CJI Ramana told Solicitor General that the Punjab Government is saying if Centre has an issue with State committee, Punjab also has reservations about Centre committee and asked both of them to put on hold the inquiry of their Committees.

The top court was hearing a PIL seeking a judicial probe into the breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modis security while on a visit to Punjab.

During the hearing, Solicitor General told the Bench that the lapse raises an angle of potential cross border terrorism.

It could have led to an international embarrassment regarding the Prime Ministers security and the investigation should rise above Central and State politics, Mehta added.

Mehta contended that whenever PMs cavalcade moves, the DG of the State concerned is to be consulted first and only when he clears, PMs cavalcade moves.

Here, the incharge gave that signal. He didnt say there was a blockage. Though the local police were very much there enjoying tea according to videos, they didnt inform that there is a blockade. Now imagine, the motorcade is on flyover with protectee, there are trucks and tractors blocking. A serious mishap could have happened. It would have been a subject of international embarrassment, he added.

Saying that videos of the incident were uploaded by a banned terrorist organization Sikhs for Justice, Solicitor General argued that there could be an angle of cross-border terrorism.

Solicitor General added that this matter cannot be left to just anyone and thus let it be with a district judge but with an NIA official assisting the judge.

Advocate General of Punjab DS Patwalia said that the State wants a neutral investigation into the incident and it was not taking the security lapse lightly.

State is not taking this issue lightly, there has been a lapse somewhere, and State is doing everything to look into it, the Advocate General said.

He informed that an FIR has been registered after taking cognisance of the incident while adding that the State Government will not object to top court order an investigation or appointing a person to monitor the probe.

If Court may appoint anyone to investigate, a former judge of High Court or Supreme Court may be appointed as the court deems fit, Patwalia added.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh appearing for petitioner Lawyers Voice, argued that Prime Ministers security is not merely a law and order problem but it falls under Special Protection Groups (SPG) Act.

Security under the SPG Act is not an issue of State subject of law and order. Issue of PM protection is a national security issue and comes under parliamentary purview.

It is the duty of Centre and State or the Union Territory and other local authority to act in aid of the director of any member of the SPG, he said while stressing that incident needs to be professionally investigated.

He added that entire records relating to the case need to be preserved. Singh also alleged that the Chairman of the State appointed Committee was a part of a huge service-related scam.

The plea alleged that PMs security breach was a deliberate lapse on part of the State and seeks preservation of evidence on security arrangements and action against erring officials of the Punjab government.

It also sought direction to the district judge, Bhatinda to collect all official documents and materials from all possible sources pertaining to the movements and deployment of Punjab Police in connection with the visit at the earliest and produce the same before this court.

Issue a writ of mandamus or any other writ, order or direction fixing responsibility of Respondent No. 2 (chief secretary) and Respondent No.3 (DGP) and place them under suspension and further direct the Respondent No. 4 (Centre) to initiate departmental action against the same, it added.

The overall responsibility for ensuring the safety of the Prime Minster rests with the State government and the responsibility for providing proximate security will rest with the Special Protection Group (SPG) as per the SPG Act 1988. On the contrary, what was shocking and alarming on many levels was that local Police personnel on the spot were seen to be participating with the hooligans who jeopardised the security of the Prime Minister, the plea stated.

It alleged that private persons were given access to the PMs route, and others were instigated to join the blockade, which represents a serious and unpardonable breach of national security by the State apparatus and the political establishment of Punjab.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister, who was on his way for an election rally, was stopped on a flyover after his convoy was blocked.
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannu praised farmers for stopping PM Modis cavalcade in Ferozepur on Wednesday, calling it a first step toward Khalistan independence. Pannu said in a video message that Sikhs had driven Modi out of Punjab and that the next elections will determine the outcome of the Khalistan referendum. On January 26, 2021, the NIA charged Pannu with making murder threats against the Punjab Chief Minister, infiltrating a farmers rally, and disturbing law and order. Punjab will have elections in February.

In the video he threatens Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that Khalistanis are preparing to separate Punjab from India. Pannu frequently posts incendiary films to his YouTube account in order to urge Punjabi Sikhs to fight India.

He is heard proclaiming in this video that the Free Khalistan Referendum campaign began on January 5 and that the people of Punjab have begun their road toward independence. Pannu added that the Free Khalistan Referendum campaign began on January 5 when Tirange wale (Indians) evacuated Punjab for Delhi, while Khande and Kesri wale (Sikhs) drove Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi to depart Punjab.

The outlawed terrorist organizations commander also issued veiled threats to the Indian government, claiming that Punjab had taken the first steps toward independence. The people of Punjab have made their decision today. He went on to say that when Indira had arrived with weaponry, they had returned the favour (referring to the murder of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi), Modi and his government should take notice.

He went on to say that the Khalistan Referendum campaign is built on ballots, not bombs, and that they will utilise the power of votes to free Punjab from Indias grasp. Pannu went on to say that Punjab has planned to hold the referendum at the same time as the Assembly elections in 2022, and that any political party that opposes Kesari, whether its the Congresss Channi, Sidhu, the BJP, or the Jhadu wale (AAP), would be stamped with the Khanda.

Pannu also called on young Sikhs to raise the Khalistani flag on the India Gate and remove the Indian flag from the India Gate and throughout Delhi in another video uploaded on January 11. Anyone who hoists the Khalistani flag at the Gateway of India would get a prize of 2.5 lakh dollars, according to Pannu. He also warned the Indian government, warning that if peaceful rallies are suppressed, Sikhs will join the armed rebellion.
Only one week into returning to classes from winter break, South Florida schools are already bracing against the crunch of staffing shortages caused by COVID-19 and the highly contagious omicron variant.

Last year, disruptions came in the form of distance learning and decreasing academics, while this year its a scarce pool of teachers and substitutes and bus driver shortages. As a result, schools warn of impacts on the delivery of education and support services such as transportation.

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Across South Florida, thousands of teachers are calling out sick with COVID, as cases have surged.

In Broward County, 1,644 teachers were out on Monday, the first day back from winter break. Thats up from 1,200 in a normal first school day of January, said Vickie Cartwright, interim superintendent.

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Student absences also were high, with 41,700 or 20% of students in Broward schools, out Monday. By Tuesday, it was down to 24,700.

Were also struggling with our substitute pool, with the onset of COVID-19, our numbers have dropped significantly, she said. Although weve been recruiting and increased pay, we still struggle to get substitutes.

She said the school district only has been able to fill about 31% of classes with subs, so employees with teaching degrees are filling in, both at the school in need and at district offices.

[ RELATED: A serious problem: Schools grapple with growing shortage of teachers and substitutes ]

Were trying our best to keep the continuation of instruction, Cartwright said.

According to the school district, there were 369 positive test results for Sunday, Jan. 2. That number includes students.

This reflects the highest number of positive cases reported for a single day to date, the school district wrote in an email. It topped the 228 positive cases reported on December 30, 2021, the previous highest number of positive cases for a single day.

In Palm Beach County, where staff returned Tuesday and students returned Wednesday, 17 employees and 35 students reported positive test results. The countys community transmission rate has been trending around 30%, way above what it was in the beginning of the pandemic when schools first switched to distance learning.

On Wednesday, 1,053 teachers were out, up slightly from 916 teacher absences the first week after winter break in 2021, the school district said. Thats a rate of about 7.8%, roughly 2.3% above the countrys average of 5.5% teacher absenteeism rate, according to the district.

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The district is filling gaps with district staff and all available substitutes. While there are shortages, there havent been major disruptions in schools or transportation, the district said. In transportation, those who work in other areas but have the required license and training to drive a school bus have been driving when needed.

The school district said it has received inquiries about returning to remote online instruction, as school districts have done in other parts of the country. In Florida, that isnt an option, per Gov. Ron DeSantis orders, the district said.

[ RELATED: Floridas schools will stay open despite omicron concerns, DeSantis says. Just let them be kids. ]

In a note to parents and staff, the district emphasized that while it cant mandate facial coverings for students, masks are required for all employees, vendors, and visitors while they are indoors. And students are highly encouraged to wear them.

Superintendent Mike Burke will re-evaluate the need for facial coverings in two weeks, the district said.

Positivity rates might not ease up by then, according to Dr. Chad Sanborn, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with KIDZ Medical Services. He treats patients across South Florida, and said hes noticed a high number of unvaccinated kids amid the community spread.

Were seeing a lot of spread among families, Sanborn said. Kids going to the doctor and mommy is positive, then the child gets tested as well and is positive. Fortunately the great majority of them dont have to be hospitalized in Palm Beach and Broward counties.

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Staffing shortages started cropping up last year as the pandemic wore on. Bus drivers consistently show up to school board meetings to air grievances about the overwhelming shortages and hectic schedules.

Teachers feel as though they cant take vacations because theres no one to fill the gaps. Before the break, multiple classes were packed into cafeterias, auditoriums, media centers and gymnasiums.

In Miami-Dade, 2,110 instructional personnel, including counselors, and 94 bus drivers were absent, the Miami Herald reported. On Tuesday, that number decreased to about 1,700 instructional staff and 78 drivers.

Anne Skurnick, a teacher at Pines Middle in Pembroke Pines, said the school district has greatly relaxed COVID-19 protocols for teachers. She said she took a COVID test on Dec. 28, and it came back positive Dec. 31. The district has approved five COVID days on top of sick time, she said.

On Sunday, Risk Management contacted me asking if I had a fever. Nope, but I had a nagging cough and sinus infection, Skurnick told them. Great, report to work tomorrow, they tell me. I told them no way in hell. They told me to use sick time.

The Broward school district declined to discuss Skurnicks case or anything regarding specific teachers, citing privacy laws. On Dec. 30, the district revised the COVID-19 protocols based on the CDCs updated recommendations on shorter isolation and quarantine periods.

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The district stopped requiring a negative PCR test for staff to return to school. Instead, staffers can return after five calendar days from the initial positive test, given theyve been fever free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication. When they return, they must wear a mask for five days and practice social distancing of 6 feet at all times, the guidelines say.

The district also stopped requiring those who were exposed to COVID-19 to quarantine unless they develop symptoms. The rule applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated staff.

Clarification: An earlier version of this news article didnt make clear all the dates associated with a teachers COVID-19 test. The article has been updated to reflect those dates.

Brooke Baitinger can be reached at: bbaitinger@sunsentinel.com, 954-422-0857 or on Twitter: @bybbaitinger
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in a statement on Friday, said that the constitutional order has been largely restored in all regions of the country and local authorities are in control of the situation.

Tensions have flaired up in Kazakhstans largest city Almaty over the past week over fuel price hike. Over 26 people have killed, 1000 injured and 3000 arrested amid a crackdown on anti-government protests. A Russian-led force has arrived in Kazakhstan at presidents request, who has now claims that order has been largely restored.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in a statement on Friday, said that the constitutional order has been largely restored in all regions of the country and local authorities are in control of the situation. He further blamed foreign-trained terrorists for the unrest and stated that the operations will continue until the militants are completely eliminated.

As the protests continue to rock Almaty, Tokayev has appealed to Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), which includes countries like Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan and Armedia for support.

The overseas force being sent to Kazakhstan reportedly numbers about 2,500 soldiers. The CSTO says the troops are a peacekeeping force and will protect state and military installations. The US State Department, on the other hand, has said it is closely monitoring the deployment of Russian troops. The United States and, frankly, the world will be watching for any violation of human rights, a spokesman said.

Speaking about the Indians stuck in Kazakhstan, The Ministry of External Affairs has said that the Indian embassy in Kazakhstan is closely monitoring the situation, particularly in regards to their safety. Should they require to return, we will facilitate, The MEA added.
WEST HARTFORD  The Capital Classics Theatre Company continues its popular Contemporary Classics Conversations series with a full-length production of Sweat, the 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by American playwright Lynn Nottage, combined with moderated conversations during the show about the related issues of power and poverty.

Performances will be held Jan. 27-30 at the Autorino Center for the Arts at the University of Saint Joseph, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford.

What makes this a one-of-a-kind theater experience is that it combines moderated conversations before, during, and after a fully staged production of Sweat  complete with actors, lights, sets, and costumes. ThE Pulitzer Prize-winning play is a collision of power and poverty, where co-workers find their friendships tested when layoffs in a Rust Belt factory chip away at their trust. This compelling examination of the human cost of business decisions is as timely now as everand will lead to important conversations with the audience.

Were excited to bring our Contemporary Classics Conversations program to the live stage for our second season, said co-founder Geoffrey Sheehan. Sweat is an impactful and moving piece of contemporary theater that provides great insights to todays America. It is the perfect springboard for the conversations on power and poverty that we will have with our fellow community members.

The full-length production of Sweat will be performed by Eddie Cruz, Jr. (Oscar), Mark Dean (Stan), Joshua Eaddy (Evan/Brucie), Becky Ellis (Jessie), Josh Karam (Jason), Lisa McCree (Cynthia), Christopher Rowe (Chris), and Laura Sheehan (Tracey). The show is directed by Geoffrey Sheehan.

The conversations will be moderated by Saulo Colon, Associate Professor of Sociology at Housatonic Community College, Madeline Perez De Jesus, Associate Professor of Social Work and Equitable Community Practice at the University of Saint Joseph, Tiana Victoria Hercules, Criminal Defense Attorney, State of Connecticut, and Geoffrey Sheehan, co-founder, Capital Classics, director of Sweat, and Professor of Theater at Housatonic Community College.

The Contemporary Classics Conversations program uses the medium of theater as a springboard to explore topical and timeless social issues. In 2020-21, Capital Classics performed scene readings from Athol Fugards one-act play, Victory, in a series of Zoom programs for online book clubs, theaters, social groups, libraries, and schools to examine the long-term effects of institutionalized racism.

The 2022 program is funded in part by Connecticut Humanities; the Connecticut Office of the Arts, with the support of the Department of Economic and Community Development; and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Performances of and conversations about Sweat will be held on January 27-30, Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Autorino Center of the Arts at the University of Saint Joseph, 1678 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford.

Tickets are available online at www.USJ.edu/arts, and are $20 for adults, $14 for students/seniors, and $14 for groups of 10 or more and for Let's GO Arts! members.

Seating is limited for audience safety. The Town of West Hartford has issued a mask advisory, and the University of Saint Joseph requires masks to be worn indoors. The play includes some adult language.

Learn more about the Capital Classics Theatre Company and the Contemporary Classics Conversations program www.CapitalClassics.org and www.USJ.edu/arts
NEW BRITAIN - The Board of Trustees of the New Britain Museum of American Art has hired its seventh executive director, it announced in a release.

We are delighted to welcome Brett Abbott as the next Director of the New Britain Museum of American Art, said Interim Director and Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees Dona V. Cassella. Brett will bring to the NBMAA his deep expertise in the interpretation of American Art and the broadening definition of what is American Art. Brett is someone who is both engaging and thoughtful, and can relate well to our diverse audience.

Abbott begins his new duties in New Britain on Feb. 15.

I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the NBMAA, Abbott said in the release. I look forward to working with the Museums esteemed collection and its talented staff, and to collaborating closely with its dedicated board and community on charting a bright path forward for the institution.

Abbott is currently the director of collections and exhibitions at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, where he leads the Carters Curatorial, Conservation, Publications, Archives, and Registration departments, as well as Exhibition Design, Photo Services and Preparations.

Since his appointment there in 2016, Abbott has set the vision for the curatorial team, developed and overseen the implementation of a long range guide for acquisitions and collections growth, and has established the museums collection care and stewardship plan, according to the release.

He spearheaded a major renovation and re-imagining of the Carters internal galleries, completed in 2019, to improve visitor experience and was instrumental in a reinstallation of the permanent collection that moved towards an entirely new thematic presentation, connecting artists and work through time, according to the release from the New Britain museum.

Abbott earned his bachelor of arts in art history with distinction from Stanford University, his Master of Arts in art history from Williams College, and completed the Executive Education Program for Museum Leaders at the Museum Leadership Institute.

Over the past two decades, Abbott has organized more than 30 exhibitions and contributed to more than a dozen publications. A specialist in 20th and 21st century American photography, Abbott previously spent five years at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, where he served as Keough family curator of photography and head of collections, and nine years at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Among his many awards are the Ansel Adams Fellowship for work on Wynn Bullock at the Center for Creative Photography in 2012, and two Lucie Awards for Curator/Exhibition of the Year.
MILFORD  An Ansonia teen initially charged as a juvenile in the shooting death of a 23-year-old Bridgeport man outside a Shelton hotel will be tried as an adult.

The suspect, identified as 16-year-old Nashod Porter, appeared for a remote hearing Thursday morning from Manson Youth Institution in Cheshire, where he has been held since last month.

He faces charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and carrying a pistol without a permit in connection to the shooting of Ivan Whyte last June outside the Marriott Residence Inn on Bridgeport Avenue.

He pleaded not guilty to the gun charge Thursday but has not yet entered pleas on the other counts.

His lawyer, Public Defender John Walkley, said that Porter has not yet made a decision on whether to waive a probable cause hearing in the case, a procedural requirement for murder suspects.

Porters father said his son is innocent, but declined to comment further in the courthouse Thursday.

Porters next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 17. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bond.

According to an arrest warrant written by Detective Christopher Nugent, Shelton police received a 911 call about 11:30 p.m. June 12 from a person at the Residence Inn who said my friend is bleeding on the ground.

Police and medics responded and found Whyte in the back of the complex next to a vehicle, according to police. He had been shot at least six times and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers recovered a dozen shell casings, nine of which were from a 9 mm and three which were .45 caliber, according to the warrant.

A state police dog responded to the scene and tracked from the area of the shooting to a room at the hotel where at least 20 people were gathered who identified Whyte but were otherwise uncooperative with providing any information, the warrant said.

The day after the shooting, the 911 caller told police he and Whyte had driven to the hotel for a memorial party for their friend, but that he fell asleep in the vehicle and woke up to discover Whyte had been shot.

About an hour after the shooting was reported, state police were called to a car fire in Beacon Falls. Cops traced the VIN of the vehicle, a Honda CRV, to a Shelton resident who had reported it stolen the month before.

The warrant stated that 10 days after the shooting, a Stratford detective called Nugent because cell phone records obtained in a separate investigation showed an unnamed 17-year-old males phone had been in the area of the Residence Inn at the time of the shooting. Afterward, the phone had used cell towers along Route 8 north, the area where the Honda was burned, and the Ansonia homes of Porter and another suspect.

The cell phone data also showed that the teen, Porter, and another suspect were all in Bridgeport about an hour before the homicide in the same location as the Honda, which was picked up by a police license plate reader.

Under questioning by Detective Richard Bango, the warrant stated the 17-year-old allegedly told the detective that a 16-year-old he knew as Tank  later identified as Porter  had shot Whyte along with another man he didnt know.

The warrant also said that though the 17-year-old told cops he never got out of the car, data from his Apple Watch indicated he had taken 14 steps in the parking lot.

The motive for the shooting was unclear, according to the warrant, which said the 17-year-old told police they had gone to the hotel to go to a different party than the one Whyte had been heading to. While driving around the parking lot, they saw a vehicle and got all hyped, after which Whyte was shot.

Bango said Thursday that police dont believe the shooting was random, but dont think Whyte was stalked to the hotel either.

We dont believe it was a random shooting but were still investigating the specific motive, he said.

Shelton police said after Porters arrest last month that more arrests are expected. Bango said Thursday no other suspects have been charged yet.
The state Medical Examining Board last month revoked the license of a Shelton physician who failed to attend required mental health therapy sessions and fined four physicians for a variety of issues involving patient care.

On Dec. 21, the board revoked the medical license of Dr. Nami Bayan, which had been under suspension since May 1, 2019. Bayans license to practice medicine was initially suspended for two years and he was ordered to participate in therapy sessions at least twice a month after he exhibited signs of a mental health issue, a disciplinary report said.

In 2018 Bayan, a surgeon who worked at H & B Quality Medical Care in Shelton, had sent repeated e-mails to the state Department of Public Health (DPH) indicating he believed the police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were investigating the possibility of a terrorist attack based on a report he made, documents said. The board temporarily suspended his license in December 2018, saying Bayan presented a clear and immediate danger to public health and safety.

DPH investigators learned in 2020 that Bayan had violated the terms of the 2019 discipline by failing to show up for therapy sessions over the course of months, documents said. After a hearing on whether Bayan violated the terms of his discipline, the board voted to revoke his license permanently.

The board also reprimanded the license of Dr. Michael Imevbore, a pulmonary physician with CT Pulmonary Specialists in New Haven, and required him to pay a $5,000 fine after a DPH investigation found that he failed to check the states prescription monitoring and reporting system before writing prescriptions for more than 200 patients between July 2018 and May 2020, documents said.

Imevbore also wrote controlled substance prescriptions for another 70 patients, but only checked the states prescription monitoring program for half of them, from May 2020 to November 2020, investigators concluded. Since December of 2020 he has properly used the reporting system, DHP officials said.

Under the consent order approved by the board, Imevbore will be on probation for a year, during which he is required to have 20% of his patient files reviewed for his use of the prescription reporting system. The state Department of Consumer Protection Drug Control Division, which runs the prescription monitoring program, will do two random audits of his compliance with the system in the next year, the order said.

The board also fined three other physicians.

Dr. J. James Bruno II, of Urology Associates in Danbury, was fined $1,000 after he failed to meet the standard of care by not reviewing a scan before he performed a cystoscopy on a patient in 2019 to remove a kidney stone. The scan revealed that the kidney stone had been passed prior to the procedure, documents said. The board also reprimanded Brunos license.

Dr. Rania Rifaey, of Avon, was fined $1,000 after injecting numbing medication and other drugs used to treat inflammation on the wrong side of a patient suffering from bursitis in October of 2018, documents said. Rifaeys license was also reprimanded.

Dr. Murray Wellner was fined $1,000 and his license placed on probation for nine months after an investigation found that he had used illegible handwriting to document the files of at least three patients from 2013 to 2020, according to DPH.

During the probationary period, Wellner, a West Hartford physician, will have to undergo a review of 20% of his patient files to check for legibility, the consent order said. Wellner had been previously disciplined by the board in 2011 after an investigation revealed he had inappropriately prescribed a drug to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder for eight patients who didnt need the treatment.

The board also reprimanded the Connecticut license of a physician who was disciplined by California authorities for diagnosing and treating patients through telehealth without proper assessment and evaluation, documents said.

Dr. Ho Dzung Anh, a physician practicing in California, was disciplined in California after he prescribed antibiotics for two undercover investigators posing as telehealth patients, documents said. Anh holds medical licenses in several states, the DPH said.

This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team ( c-hit.org ), a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting.
After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spent a few minutes sounding short of breath, he paused at a news briefing Wednesday to tell his audience excuse me while quickly moving his head and recomposing himself.

Was he OK? DeSantis appearance sparked questions across social media about whether the governor needed to get himself tested for COVID. But on Thursday, he said he was symptom-free and feeling fine. Testing hasnt been necessary, he said  a position that coincides with him advocating that testing be done only for people with symptoms from the highly contagious virus.

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I havent had any symptoms and havent tested, DeSantis said during a news briefing in West Palm Beach.

The governor has held multiple news conferences across Florida this week, appearing without a mask at the lectern while standing in the company of the directors of his key agencies.

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When Trump was president, they would test me every time I might see him, DeSantis said. I have not had the test to go anywhere in an awfully long time and Id only test if I had symptoms.

Getting vaccinated

While the governor has said he received the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine, he has been elusive about whether he has received a booster as recommended by health experts.

During a December interview on the Fox Channel, DeSantis was asked directly whether he had received the booster.

[ RELATED: DeSantis says Florida will provide a million at-home COVID test kits to senior facilities ]

So, Ive done, whatever I did. The normal shot, he replied. And that at the end of the day is peoples individual decisions about what they want to do.

Taking a booster?

On Monday, Politicos Gary Fineout asked DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw whether DeSantis has taken the booster.

I am not privy to the governors private medical decisions and am unable to share information about his booster status, she said, adding that Governor DeSantis has consistently said that vaccination (and by extension, boosters) should be a personal choice, and anyone who has questions or concerns should consult with a healthcare provider.

[ RELATED: Q & A I got a booster then tested positive for COVID. Was it a waste? ]

At news briefings this week, DeSantis has downplayed vaccinations, saying with Omicron, you know, the vaccinations are not preventing infection.

He pointed out Miami-Dade as a county with a high vaccination rate and a high number of cases.

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A Miami-Dade COVID tracker shows the majority of COVID hospitalizations are unvaccinated people or those who have the shots but are immunocompromised.

Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com or Twitter @cindykgoodman
Niagara Falls, NY (14301)

Today

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
President Joe Biden listens as Vice President Kamala Harris speaks from Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump on Thursday in Washington. (Drew Angerer/Pool via AP)
Prophet Nigel Gaisie of the True Word Fire Prophetic Ministries has warned of a terrorist attack during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations...

Prophet Nigel Gaisie of the True Word Fire Prophetic Ministries has warned of a terrorist attack during the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, in Cameroon.

Gaisie disclosed that he foresaw terrorists detonating explosives in a stadium during the AFCON tournament.

Addressing his members, the Ghanaian-based prophet urged participating countries to be prayerful in averting disaster during the tournament in Cameroon.

According to Prophet Gaisie: This is an international prophecy. The Lord carried my spirit into a place like Cameroon concerning the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

I saw something like players standing on a stretcher and they were in pain as some of them were crying.

Let the nation Cameroon pray and any other qualified team also do same because Im seeing something like a terrorist attack and explosive attacks.

Im seeing that something happened at the stadium and the whole place was in disorder and people died.

Recall that the Ghanaian government had cautioned pastors against issuing prophecies that would cause panic and fear.

The 2021 AFCON being hosted in Cameroon will commence on Sunday, January 9, 2022.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Super Eagles had arrived in Cameroon ahead of the commencement of the tournament.

Super Eagles of Nigeria had arrived in Garoua, Cameroon on Thursday.
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead Counsel of Nnamdi Kanu, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the Department of State Services, DS...

Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead Counsel of Nnamdi Kanu, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the Department of State Services, DSS.

Ejiofor said Buhari should order the DSS to obey court order over the handling of Kanu.

He said the secret police should be told not to detain Kanu in solitary confinement.

Speaking after his routine visit to Kanu at the DSS headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, Ejiofor said the Buhari-led executive should stop interfering in Kanus trial.

The lead counsel also insisted that the executive arm of government was interfering in the trial of the IPOB leader.

Ejiofor lamented that the judiciary was not independent in Kanus trial.

Ejiofor said in the statement that: What we are earnestly asking for is nothing else, but for the executive arm of Government led by the President of the FRN, to desist from further interfering in the judicial process.

We can authoritatively confirm to the World that the executive arm of the Government of the FRN, ably led by the President is gravely and effectively interfering in our Clients judicial proceedings.

To demonstrate good faith and impartiality, we beckon on the President of the FRN to first caution the DSS which answers solely to him, to obey all Court Orders as it relates to the management of this case.

Our Client, Kanu should not be detained in solitary confinement (which is an act of torture) in the custody of the same Agency accusing him of committing sundry offences and expect fair hearing. Hence, there is no independence of the judiciary as far as this case is concerned, and the President of the FRN is fully aware of this.

Kanu has been locked up by the secret police after he was rearrested in June 2021.

The IPOB leader was believed to have been arrested in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria to further his trial for treason before the Justice Binta Nyako-led Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja.

Justice Nyako had granted him bail in 2017 but he fled to Europe where he continued his agitation for Nigerias secession, and the actualization of Biafra.
The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to return Nigeria to regionalism before the 2023 elections. The Yoruba...









The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to return Nigeria to regionalism before the 2023 elections.





The Yoruba socio-cultural group made the call in a communique on Friday after a meeting in Lagos.





General Secretary, Babajide Tanimowo lamented the state of the nation and urged Buhari to use the remaining months of his tenure to fix insecurity and failing structure.





The OPC commended the declaration of bandits as terrorists and charged the government to expose and prosecute the sponsors.





This is the most critical moment of the Buhari administration and he needs to be honest with himself.





Whether you call it restructuring or regionalism, certain decisions must be made in order to save Nigeria from this misdirection.





The scribe reiterated that the OPC led by Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, was not in political talks with groups ahead of the general polls.





We have made our position known in the media that we are not in any accord with any coalition for any reason.





We will not take it lightly with any individual or group that uses OPCs name for political purposes as the elections draw near.





OPC charged governors to support the Southwest Security Network (Amotekun), Southwest Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG) and other regional outfits to secure peoples lives and property.
Manchester United interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, has admitted there are unhappy players in his squad. However, the German has urged...





Manchester United interim manager, Ralf Rangnick, has admitted there are unhappy players in his squad.

However, the German has urged them to be professional, as they look to bounce back from the 1-0 defeat to Wolves.

Rangnick explained the bloated squad he inherited from his predecessor, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has led to some players being left out in the cold.

When you have a big squad, in the last two games, we had most players available and only 10 field players can play and three substitutes.

Then you have quite a number of players who dont even play or not even in the squad. Those players are unhappy about the situation  its obvious, clear.

I tend to explain to players every two or three weeks why they are not playing and that is an issue in our team and other clubs.

We have players with contracts expiring in the summer, we have maybe also one or two players who want to leave and are under contract.

It is about the players dealing with that in a professional way, to show in training, to show up and get a chance to play, Rangnick told a news conference on Friday.
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has said he does not have the willpower to sack any of his aides, civil servants or personal staff...

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has said he does not have the willpower to sack any of his aides, civil servants or personal staff who commits any offences.

Ayade said he is always moved with emotion and fear of what will happen to them if he sacks them over poor attitude or refusal to carry out any assigned tasks or his orders.

The governor addressed journalists in his office over the ongoing calls by APC stalwarts for the sack of workers in his government who are still loyal to opposition PDP.

I do not have the hearts to lay off my workers or government staff. Sometimes I will have reports about those that have committed very serious offences.

I have even personally caught some red-handed doing the very wrong things.

I will ponder over what they, especially their wives, children and dependants would go through if I sacked them. These thoughts would force me to overlook and forgive them, he said.

Ayade said the aides and civil servants said to be loyal to PDP are first citizens of Cross River State. The money used in paying them belongs to the state, not APC.

It is not morally very right to lay them off from their works simply because they are not in my party yet.

I play politics with moral conscience. As governor, I am also a father of the state. I can only be forced to sack when it has become too unbearable, he said
KEY WEST  Restoration has been completed on Key Wests Southernmost Point marker, one of the most photographed landmarks in the Florida Keys, following damage from a fire intentionally set early New Years Day.

City public works staff finished repainting the marker Thursday night. It designates the southernmost land point in the continental United States, a replica of a marine navigational buoy with red, yellow, black and white stripes.

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The Southernmost Point is one of the most iconic spots in the Florida Keys, Key West Mayor Teri Johnston said. People come from around the world in order to be photographed in front of this statue.

Key West police have announced charges against two men suspected of torching a Christmas tree next to the landmark buoy.

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Perhaps the gentlemen did not realize there was a web cam pointed at them? pic.twitter.com/lc2PEbSkxq  Nancy Klingener (@keywestnan) January 1, 2022

David B. Perkins, Jr., 22, of Leesburg, Florida, and Skylar Rae Jacobson, 21, of Henrietta, Texas, face charges of criminal mischief with damages over $1,000. Perkins turned himself in Thursday afternoon at a Monroe County detention facility in the Upper Florida Keys.

Jacobson is also expected to turn himself in, Key West police spokeswoman Alyson Crean said.

The suspects were seen on webcams early Jan. 1. Footage shows one man dragging the tree to the location. They took several pictures on their phones of each other in front of the burning tree next to the buoy. Flames and heat left a large scar on the front of the marker.

The 20-ton concrete monument, installed beside the Atlantic Ocean in 1983, bears lettering that proclaims it stands just 90 miles from Cuba. For decades, Key West visitors have lined up for pictures before its expanse.

The damage and multi-day repair didnt stop the flow of daytime visitors to the Southernmost Point. Public Works personnel did their restoration work at night. Damage was estimated at over $5,000.
President Muhammadu Buhari says hes not expecting any appreciation from Nigerians after the end of his administration. Buhari spoke in ...

President Muhammadu Buhari says hes not expecting any appreciation from Nigerians after the end of his administration.

Buhari spoke in a chat with NTA on Thursday.

The president said he has, through the years, been involved in governance in various capacities in the country, and he has given his best to Nigeria, adding that what else can I do for this country?

He then added that he hopes that when his administration ends in 2023, Nigerians will recognise that he has served to the best of his abilities.

Ive been a governor, a minister, and Im in my second term as president. So, Ive gone through all the systems, and what else can I do for this country? Buhari said.

Ive given my best, and I hope after I leave, Nigerians will reflect. Im not expecting any appreciation but what Im expecting is for Nigerians to say this man has done his best. Thats what Im expecting from Nigerians.
President Joe Biden on Thursday savaged Donald Trumps lies and attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat, vowing on the first anniv...

President Joe Biden on Thursday savaged Donald Trumps lies and attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat, vowing on the first anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot he would let no one put a dagger at the throat of democracy.

In a dark, powerful address, Biden called out Trumps effort to cheat and blasted the mob of the Republicans supporters who stormed the Capitol in an attempt to prevent certification of the election result.

This was an armed insurrection, Biden said in his speech from Statuary Hall inside the Capitol.

For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election. He tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power, Biden said.

They came here in rage, Biden said, and held a dagger at the throat of America.

I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy.

Laying out the dangers facing a country that has long styled itself as leader of the free world, Biden asked: Are we going to be a nation that accepts political violence as a norm?

Are we going to be a nation where we allow partisan election officials to overturn the legally expressed will of the people? the veteran Democrat continued.

We cannot allow ourselves to be that kind of nation.

Although Biden did not mention Trumps name, he made clear whom he was talking about in a blistering portrait of a man he said tried to cheat his way out of defeat in the election.

The former president of the United States of America has created and spread a web of lies about the 2020 election, Biden said. He values power over principle.

During the assault on Congress, Trump was sitting in the private dining room off the Oval Office in the White House, watching it all on television and doing nothing for hours, Biden said, his anger clear. Hes a defeated former president.

 Republicans keep clear 

In a statement issued immediately after Bidens speech, Trump accused the Democrat of seeking to further divide America.

This political theater is all just a distraction for the fact Biden has completely and totally failed, Trump said.

The days commemorative events were also to feature a speech by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, and a prayer vigil on the steps of the Capitol.

However, such are the depths of division 12 months later that many senior Republicans didnt even show up.

The partys top lawmaker, Senator Mitch McConnell, was leading a delegation to a funeral of a recently deceased senator some 600 miles (965 kilometers) away in Atlanta, Georgia.

In a statement, McConnell said January 6 had been a dark day but called it stunning to see some Washington Democrats try to exploit this anniversary.

 True patriotism 

On Wednesday, the Capitol police chief, Thomas Manger, said his forces would never be caught unprepared again, as they were last year.

But the political risk may be, if anything, higher than before.

Writing in The New York Times, former Democratic president Jimmy Carter said Wednesday that the United States teeters on the brink of a widening abyss.

Without immediate action, we are at genuine risk of civil conflict and losing our precious democracy. Americans must set aside differences and work together before it is too late, Carter wrote.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also called for a profound look at the state of the nation.

Without addressing the root causes of the violence on January 6, the insurrection will not be an aberration  it could well become the norm, he warned.

More surprising was the voice of Karl Rove, one of the chief architects of Republican strategy over the last 30 years, who wrote in the right-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial pages that there was no forgiveness for the assault on democracy.

There can be no soft-pedaling what happened and no absolution for those who planned, encouraged and aided the attempt to overthrow our democracy. Love of country demands nothing less. Thats true patriotism, he wrote.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said Wednesday that authorities have so far arrested and charged about 725 people in connection with the attack, while asking for patience in work to untangle any deeper roots of a conspiracy.

AFP
The Lagos State Police Command on Friday gave strong warnings to youths, who planned further protests at Dowen College in the Lekki area of ...

The Lagos State Police Command on Friday gave strong warnings to youths, who planned further protests at Dowen College in the Lekki area of the state.

Some protesters had occupied the front of the school on Thursday to protest the planned reopening of the school, saying the school must remain shut until justice is served on the death of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni (Junior), a student of the school who died in controversial circumstances in November 2021.

The father of the deceased student, Sylvester Oromoni (senior), had alleged that some senior students of the school beat up his son in the hostel because he refused to join a cult, adding that the 12-year-old had died from complications suffered from the alleged bullying.

But speaking on Friday, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, said there was no evidence to establish that Oromoni was forced to join a cult or bullied to death, hence the release of the suspects (students and house matters) earlier arrested by the police.

The CP stated this at a press conference on Friday while giving an update on the investigation into the cause of the death of the late student.

Odumosu said, At the end of diligent investigation carried out so far, there is no evidence to establish a case of torture, bullying and forceful application of poisonous substance against the suspects. All the suspects denied the allegations of torture, bullying and administering of poisonous substance to the deceased. Allegation that the deceased was being forced to join a cult group was also not established as other students interviewed denied this.

Continuing, the Lagos CP said, In spite of the transparent investigation carried out by the police and the non-establishment of prima facie case against the suspects, some members of the Ijaw Youths Council, Lagos led by one Comrade Henry Oyobolo protested in front of Dowen College for over two hours yesterday 6th January, 2022. The protesters including masquerades carried placards and were drumming, thereby causing panic and apprehension.

The protesters who conducted themselves in a manner capable of causing breach of peace also caused temporary traffic jam. But for the professional way the police managed the protest, it would have led to violence.

Much as we commiserate with the bereaved family on the death of their lovely and promising child, it is advised that the protesters and other individuals or groups who are still aggrieved should go to law court to seek redress instead of taking the law into their own hands.

Thus members of the public who may have any misgivings about the outcome of the police investigation, medical enquiry and legal advice with this case are advised to follow due process in law rather than resorting to self-help. The police will not fold their arms and allow any act or omission that could threaten the peace being enjoyed in the state.

Meanwhile, the Oromonis lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), and the father of the deceased student had noted that the acquittal of the suspects was to pave way for the reopening of the college earlier shut by the state government, whilst insisting on the coroner inquest into the death of the schoolboy.

The coroners inquest into the death of Sylvester would commence on January 15, 2022.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Mostly cloudy with occasional light rain...mainly this evening. Low around 45F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with occasional light rain...mainly this evening. Low around 45F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
A popular podcasting conspiracy theorist who opposed vaccines reportedly died after attending a so-called superspreader conference attended by Alex Jones, Eric Trump and Michael Flynn.

Following 10 days of hospitalization, Doug Kuzma, 61, succumbed to COVID on Monday, according to Vice.

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Kuzma posted Facebook photos from the Dec. 11 ReAwaken America rally in Dallas, where he and like-minded attendees appeared maskless and crowded together. He also posted a photo of himself maskless at an airport on his way home from the event.

Days later, the Virginia man said on Facebook that what he thought was his chronic bronchitis had taken a bad turn, but was headed in the right direction.

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When it was suggested on social media that he get tested for COVID, Kuzma took a hard pass.

[ Another conservative anti-vaccine radio talk show host succumbs to COVID, third in a month ]

You must have lost your mind, so they can kill me, and try and give me the jab, Kuzma reportedly responded to one commenter. Ill die at the house before I go to the hospital.

He was found unconscious at his home on Christmas Eve, then rushed to a hospital where he was said to have been put on a ventilator before dying days later.

One of Kuzmas associates at FROG News  which stands for Fully Rely on God  said the podcast hosts final photo showed him with a refill of ivermectin. Despite the mainstream medical communitys insistence that ivermectin is an anti-parasitic medication that isnt known to be effective against coronavirus, many right-wingers believe otherwise.

Kuzma and his FROG News colleagues have reportedly spread medical misinformation throughout the pandemic, as well as maintaining that the 2020 election, which Donald Trump lost by more than 7 million votes, was somehow rigged.

Some attendees who became ill at the event in Dallas theorized they had been attacked with a biological weapon.
Stop by Orleans Parish's Main Library, 219 Loyola Ave., to view the "My New Orleans Photo Project," a satellite exhibit for Prospect 5 created by Heather Milton.

The exhibition highlights four years of photography and stories submitted by people in New Orleans affected by homelessness.

Over the years, the library has hosted numerous camera distributions and collections for the project, and participants regularly used the location as a meeting place and home base. The project used an advocacy method called photovoice, which empowers marginalized individuals to tell their own stories through images.

Milton said that the library was a common theme that came up throughout the project.

Libraries are one of the last truly public spaces where you're not expected to spend any money or do any work. Youre just here to be here and access resources. For unhoused individuals, that resource might just be air conditioning, or a bathroom, or an outlet to charge your phone without being bothered, Milton said. So, as you can imagine, the library is so vital to the population we were working with on this project.

Milton said having the exhibition at the library allows for a more diverse audience  one that includes people who have similar experiences to the participants  who might not have access to the show if it were in a more traditional venue.

Public art is another theme that has come up so many times throughout the year as something that is really important to people experiencing homelessness, which is definitely another great reason to have this show here, Milton said.

My New Orleans Photo Project will be on view at Main Library until Jan. 23.

ARTISTRY IN IRON: Library goers can also view a different exhibit at East New Orleans Regional Library throughout the month. Produced by the Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses, Artistry in Iron, tells the often overlooked story of New Orleans enslaved blacksmiths and free blacksmiths of color who built much of the French Quarters iconic iron work.

The exhibit was funded by a Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Rebirth Grant, and was built in partnership with the New Orleans Public Librarys City Archives & Special Collections.

GENETIC INFO: Genetic testing kits like 23andMe and AncestryDNA are an easy and accessible way to learn more about your family history and origins, but what can that data really show you? Tune in to the Introduction to Genetics for the Genealogist: Consumer Genetic Testing and Reconciling History with Data at 11 a.m. Jan. 15 on Zoom.

Presented by Dr. Michelle Bell Boissiere, head of Xavier Universitys biology department, this New Orleans Public Library program will break down basic genetic concepts that can help genealogists and nonscientists alike interpret consumer genetic testing such as 23andMe and AncestryDNA. Boissiere will also provide an overview of her own family history to illustrate these concepts.

Visit nolalibrary.org/events to register for this virtual program, which was organized in partnership with New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries and hosted by the librarys City Archives & Special Collections department.

Jane LeGros is the director of marketing and communications for the Orleans Parish Library.
Its fitting that the New Orleans City Council voted unanimously to put the name of music icon Allen Toussaint on the boulevard currently named for the Confederacys top military defender of American slavery, Robert E. Lee.

Lee led a large army in our nations bloodiest war, an insurrection launched to defend slavery in Southern states and expand it to new Western states. The Civil War and its aftermath still divide our nation. Lees blood-stained legacy stands in stark contrast to that of Toussaint, whose unforgettable music and warm persona united people of all races, creeds and political persuasions.

Anything less than a unanimous vote would have constituted an affront to Toussaints memory  and to his family.

Besides, Lees name was not the original moniker of the boulevard that abuts City Park, Lakeview, and several other neighborhoods. That street was originally named Hibernia Avenue in honor of the thousands of Irish laborers who died digging the New Basin Canal. Around 1960, amid the modern civil rights movement, Hibernia Avenue was renamed Robert E. Lee Boulevard, no doubt as a message of white resistance.

Clancy DuBos: Dumping Jefferson Davis for Norman Francis is a no-brainer, but its only a start The New Orleans City Council on Aug. 20 will give formal approval to an idea that no one could legitimately oppose: removing the name of Confe

As a history major at UNO, I studied under the late Stephen Ambrose, who was a military historian and the official biographer of Dwight Eisenhower. Ambrose understood well  and often documented in his books  the human cost of war.

I also studied under the late Joseph Logsdon, who taught Civil War and civil rights history. Logsdon was particularly interested in New Orleans role in our nations long, and too often bloody, civil rights movement. He often noted the fallacy and shallowness of the so-called Lost Cause view of the Confederacy.

I have thought of Ambrose and Logsdon often during our citys debate on renaming streets that honor Confederates, slavers and white supremacists. I think they would agree with me when I say that Robert E. Lee is perhaps the most overly  and undeservedly  romanticized figure in American history.

Clancy DuBos: The 'Lost Cause' is about to lose its last battle, at last In voting to create a commission on renaming streets that honor Confederates and white supremacists, the New Orleans City Council officially t

Heres why: Lee owned slaves and treated them harshly. He led a failed insurrection against the nation he swore to defend. Worst of all, he caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of his countrymen. Those are indisputable, historical facts, and theres nothing noble about any of them.

Thats why Lee doesnt deserve streets or statues honoring him. Whats more, removing his name and likeness does not rewrite history; it honors history  and truth  by dispelling fallacious myths.

Its wonderfully coincidental that the vote to remove Lees name from a major boulevard occurred in the same week that Gov. John Bel Edwards posthumously pardoned Homer Plessy, the Black Creole who bravely challenged Louisianas racial segregation laws in 1892 and was arrested for his act of civil disobedience. Plessys arrest led to what is arguably the worst U.S. Supreme Court decision in history, Plessy v. Ferguson.

Those two events underscore an important truth: Streets, statues and myths arent history. History is history. And when what passes for history is proven to be untrue or unjust, it must be corrected.
The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously Thursday evening to rename Robert E. Lee Boulevard for Allen Toussaint.

The change will go into effect Feb. 1 for the four and a half mile street running through Lakeview and Gentilly.

The push to rename several public spaces and city streets that honor Confederates and other white supremacists had been a discussion topic for years.

The effort to honor Toussaint launched in 2015 after the legendary musician died while on tour in Spain at the age of 77 and fans circulated a petition.

Nationwide protests against white supremacy and police brutality in the wake of George Floyds 2020 death spurred the Council into further action.

Council members formed the Street Renaming Commission, a collective that worked with historians, musicians, scholars and residents to figure out who to honor instead of white supremacists.

"This process was very thoughtful and in-depth," said Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer.

Last year, the Council also voted unanimously to rename the former Jefferson Davis Parkway for Norman C. Francis, the former president of Xavier University, and several other parks and streets have since been renamed.

The new ordinance notes Toussaints wide-ranging accomplishments, including his contributions to the local and international music scene and a presidential medal of honor.

"He has been instrumental in changing the sound of New Orleans music and has influenced musicians across the world," said Councilmember Jared Brossett, who authored the ordinance, adding Toussaint "encompasses everything that is naturally New Orleans."
Two Algiers charter schools will hold virtual classes for the next few weeks, citing a need to protect students and staff amid a surge of coronavirus cases in New Orleans.

Martin Behrman Charter School and L.B. Landry High School began virtual classes Thursday and do not plan to resume in-person classes until Jan. 24, Algiers Charter Network officials said in a Thursday release. The network runs both schools.

The network "determined that for the health and safety of our students and faculty/staff, it would be safer to pivot to virtual learning at this time," CEO Tale Lockett said.

The schools are giving all students in third through 12th grades computers to take home, officials said. Younger students will get printed work packets.

The Algiers charters join Warren Easton Charter High School, which announced earlier this week that students would have a week of virtual learning before returning to in-person classes on Monday, Jan. 10.

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The moves come as the highly-transmissible omicron variant of COVID-19 has driven a record-breaking surge in new infections in the city. New Orleans notched more than 1,000 new cases on average on Wednesday, while Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes saw 400 COVID-19 patients enter area hospitals.

Schools have not been exempt. As of Dec. 31, there were 136 "active" COVID cases in 27 of the city's public schools, NOLA Public Schools officials said. Another 451 people were quarantining. There were at least four cases and 24 quarantines at Martin Behrman, and none at Landry, according to district data.

Though 81% of the city's adult population is fully vaccinated, only a third of the city's children have that same protection, and children younger than five years old cannot get the vaccines at all.

Citing those stats, schools officials said in December that all students must be fully vaccinated by Feb. 1, a mandate supported by Mayor LaToya Cantrell. The district also has a mask mandate.

Landry's switch to virtual classes also comes just days after NOLA Public Schools officials held a media briefing there on Monday to talk about disease mitigation efforts as students return from Christmas vacation. That school has a largescale testing operation; the Algiers Charter network said in a statement that testing, vaccines and masks are all part of its effort to tamp down on the virus.
By Liu Chang

During the past 2021, hot issues in the Middle East have cooled down partially, accompanied by eased fighting among the Arab countries and weakening intervention of foreign forces.

Looking ahead to 2022, the mainstream trend featuring "general relaxation and local turbulence" will remain in terms of the situation in the Middle East. However, the deepening regional cooperation is bound to face formidable obstacles, and the regional situation will maintain a regular "cold peace".

US Middle East policy tends to get "polarized"

The Biden administrations Middle East policy has been deep-rooted in the USs continued strategic contraction in the region. However, the US' international reputation and credibility have nosedived with the hasty and unilateral withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. In order to restore its authority and regain the confidence of its allies, the Biden administrations Middle East policy tends to be "polarized" in 2022.

On the one hand, the US will take a tougher stance against its rival countries in the Middle East, especially Iran. Last year, the parties involved in the Iranian nuclear deal held eight rounds of negotiations with few results achieved. The fundamental reason lies in the markedly different goals of the US and Iran in negotiation: Iran hoped to revive the original nuclear deal without attaching any conditions, while the Biden administration was not satisfied with a "revival". Instead, the US has expected to reach an "Iranian Nuclear Deal+" covering the R&D of Iran's nuclear weapons, missile projects, regional policies and even human rights-related issues.

On the other hand, the US tends to strengthen its efforts in wooing its important allies such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt, as well as key countries such as Iraq and Yemen, in economy and arms sales. Besides, other means including humanitarian assistance will be resorted to in strengthening multilateral diplomacy. These reflect the US' long-term plan for maintaining its influence in the Middle East in both bilateral and multilateral manners.

Hard to resolve internal conflicts in the Middle East

In the past year, the four countries of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, and Egypt have resumed their full diplomatic relations with Qatar, marking the easing of the "crisis of severance of diplomatic relations" among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states that had lasted for several years. However, the task of bridging their internal differences remains arduous in the future.

For one thing, there remains an impassable chasm among the GCC member states in their views on geo-security and foreign policy, and this is especially true to their attitudes towards Iran; for the other, Lebanon has frequently got involved in serious diplomatic turmoil with the Arabian Gulf countries due to its persistent position on the Yemeni issue, which is sure to add more uncertainty to future internal reconciliation in the Arab world.

At the same time, whether the momentum of improvement in relations between Iran and Arab countries can be sustained is also a cause for concern. Last year, the relaxation of relations between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran became a highlight of the situation in the Middle East with Iraq working as a go-between. However, the structural rifts and serious mistrust between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran have been long-standing in terms of the Yemeni issue, the issue of Hezbollah and Irans ballistic missiles. Furthermore, a hard-line stance taken by Israel and the US against Iran may also shake the resolution of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to improve relations with Iran.

Non-traditional security issues keep rising

All along, various non-traditional security issues have persisted in the Middle East. This year, threats and challenges from non-traditional security fields may become even more prominent.

The constant recurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly the biggest factor restricting the peace and development in the Middle East. In particular, if the pandemic problems related to refugees cannot be effectively controlled, the social order of the region will be under the immediate impact, exacerbating the tension between the source countries and recipient countries of refugees, and endangering regional stability.

Meanwhile, extremist organizations and terrorism keep lingering. Talibans return to power in Afghanistan has delivered a certain demonstrative effect on the Middle East. An array of weapons and equipment left behind during the hasty withdrawal of US troops may flow into the hands of various extremist organizations in the future. In contrast, regional counter-terrorism forces keep shrinking. In the new year, how to deal with the "anti-terrorism vacancy" left by the withdrawal of the US troops, coordinate the comprehensive counter-terrorism forces of various countries, and supply the regional counter-terrorism, will be priorities facing the countries in the Middle East.

(The author is from China Institute of International Studies)
Supporters of former President Donald Trump gather on Southern Blvd. in West Palm Beach for a rally in his support Thursday, January 6, 2022. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Outside former President Donald Trumps home in Palm Beach, an hour-long shouting match illustrated the strife between those who believe his lies about the 2020 election being stolen and those who were celebrating democracy on the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Dozens of Trump supporters drove over the Southern Boulevard Bridge and passed by the service entrance at Mar-a-Lago, shouting and honking their horns at those who walked across the bridge in a pro-democracy march on Thursday night.

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About 15 police officers stood nearby as the Trump supporters blared horns and waved flags at the group of about 50 people who gathered at the foot of the bridge as part of the march. Officers stopped traffic from flowing by on Southern Boulevard. It appeared there were no arrests.

Mark Offerman, president of the Democratic Progressive Caucus Palm Beach County and organizer of the pro-democracy march, addressed the group before the march over the bridge.

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[ RELATED: A year after insurrection and attempt to overturn election loss, Donald Trump remains potent political force in Florida and beyond ]

We all know why were here. Jan. 6 was a horrible moment in American history, a day that will probably go down in infamy. And I dont want to see it happen again. Thats why I organized. Thats why we need people like you to come out and be strong in the face of what we just saw, Offerman said to the group.

Half a dozen cars waving Trump flags, blaring horns and shouting profanities attempted to drown out the gathering.

Supporters of former President Donald Trump gather on Southern Blvd. in West Palm Beach for a rally in his support Thursday, January 6, 2022. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Paula Dorhout, 67, of West Palm Beach, stood at the foot of the bridge holding a small LED candle, listening quietly to the cacophony of car horns.

Dorhout said she attended the march in an effort to protect democracy.

I think its real important that we just protect our system of democracy for our children and for those generations that come after them. This scares me  that very few people are here and we see what were up against, she said.

Our country needs to find some kind of common ground  I think we need to get back to basics of civics 101 where we respect who is in office.

Telene Thomas, 70, of Delray Beach, who co-organized the rally, said she gathered to honor the lives of the five who died that day and the law enforcement officers who were attacked.

Thats what were remembering. That day is is so important in American history  We almost lost our democracy that day. We almost did. And we cant forget were almost hanging by a thread, Thomas said.

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[ RELATED: These South Floridians were charged in the Capitol riot. A year later, some of them still await their fate. ]

Earlier in the day, about 100 people gathered for a pro-Trump rally at the intersection of Southern Boulevard and Parker Avenue in West Palm Beach.

The former president and his allies continued to cling to false claims about the 2020 election and the violent riot.

Reacting to President Joe Biden, who blamed him for the deadly event, Trump issued statements repeating his assertions that the voting was rigged. Those claims have been thoroughly debunked.

From Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Trump accepted no responsibility for sending the thousands of supporters to the Capitol that day when he told them to fight like hell. By Thursday evening, he was sending out a fundraising appeal.

Trumps supporters gathered at the rally on Southern Boulevard near Mar-a-Lago echoed the former presidents false claims of election fraud and declared their support for the men and women who were arrested in connection with the Capitol riot.

They waved Trump flags and American flags on the sidewalk behind barricades along the road as music blared. Their cheers and waves were met with honks of support from passing drivers.

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Alan Mentser, who organized the rally, said he feels the prison time people who were arrested in connection with the riot received is completely, completely uncalled for.

At least 170 people have pleaded guilty and as of Jan. 2, 71 people have been sentenced for riot-related crimes.

The Justice Department reported that more than 220 people were charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement officers at the Capitol. Three of those people have been sentenced to terms ranging from over three years to just over five years.

People are here to support our president, president Trump. ... I believe the election was manipulated, Mentser said.

[ RELATED: DeSantis downplays Capitol insurrection, says anniversary is like Christmas for those looking to smear Trump ]

Attendee Pat DeFalcon said she came to show support for the men and women arrested in connection with the Capitol riot. She said she believes they should not be in prison for what she considered trespassing and destroying property.

It started out as a good cause and it just got out of hand, and its a shame that it got to that point because I think it made the whole purpose of why we were there, it just smeared it, DeFalcon said.

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What they did was wrong. Coming in and destroying our Capitol because that Capitol belongs to all of us. They didnt have a right to do that, she said. It got out of hand. It made us all look bad.

Enrico Marini, 72, of Boynton Beach, was another attendee who said he came to the rally in support of the men and women whose arrests stemmed from that day and to voice his opposition to the Biden administration.

The Jan. 6 prisoners, I call them political prisoners ... The ones that broke the windows , assaulted cops, they should be prosecuted, of course. But get them out of jail, Marini said.

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Separate events around South Florida were billed as pro-democracy rallies. At one near the federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, about 30 people were gathered Thursday night.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
As the omicron variant surges around the country, St. Tammany Parish health officials warned of the strain on local hospitals.

Some hospitals are already diverting ambulances because of a lack of bed space, and many urgent cares are reaching capacity daily, said Dr. Charles Preston, the parish coroner. The COVID-19 omicron variant is spreading rapidly, and the health care system is struggling to keep up with patient loads and requests for testing.

Because of the shortage of at-home tests, people have flooded emergency departments, urgent cares and off-hours clinics seeking tests, the St. Tammany Health System said in a news release.

From the week ending in Dec. 29, St. Tammany's positivity rate was 28.5%, up from 11.4% the week before, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

Dr. Michael Hill, an infectious disease specialist at St Tammany Health System, urged those without severe symptoms to seek testing at parish-wide sites, rather than at hospitals.

"There aren't commercially available tests and people are desperate to get tested," Hill said. "We're really overrun with testing and we have a limited number of tests."

Hill said the influx of COVID tests at hospitals jams up testing centers that also perform blood tests, x-rays and other screens. He added that staffing has not been an issue so far.

"I think we're seeing a very, very fast moving variant -- faster than delta -- the spike is practically vertical," he said. "This should peak within the next couple weeks and hopefully by February the numbers will be down."

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The health system advised that people with few or mild symptoms isolate themselves at home. Free testing is available through Oschner at the Ochsner Health Center-Covington, at 1000 Ochsner Blvd., under the large white tent, which offers testing Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and again from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and at Fritchie Park Gym, 905 W. Howze Beach Road in Slidell. Testing is scheduled to take place there from noon until 7 p.m. until at least Friday.

This week, the parish added another testing site at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds. Registration is required.

If a person experiences strong symptoms, a doctors note is recommended for testing at STHS Cordes Pavilion or Mandeville Diagnostic Center, St. Tammany Health System said. Anyone with severe symptoms should go to an emergency room.

Jennifer Berger, a spokesperson for Slidell Memorial Hospital, said the hospital has seen an increase in people coming to get tested but that there is no concern over a lack of beds. Though some people, mostly unvaccinated, have been hospitalized for coronavirus treatment, the hospitalizations are not close to the numbers seen during the delta surge.

Berger urged people to take advantage of parish testing sites, rather than emergency rooms, for testing "if it's not an emergency situation or you don't have symptoms that require medical care."

Liz Bodet, a spokesperson for Lakeview Medical Center, said the hospital is seeing a "high number of patients, including an increase in COVID-positive cases." She, too, recommended people seeking tests go a testing site and not the emergency room.

More testing locations can be found at ldh.la.gov.
Just when Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams and law partner Nicole Burdett might go to trial on federal tax fraud charges is up in the air, a federal judge said Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman said that "no trial date is certain" for Williams and Burdett until a federal appeals court rules on a government challenge to an order Feldman issued last month over evidence in the case.

Prosecutors with the Western District of Louisiana are fighting Feldman's decision to exclude evidence of Williams' lengthy history of late tax filings, payments and liens. The U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans long ago recused itself from the case.

For months, both sides have been gearing toward a Jan. 24 trial. For Williams, the government's appeal spells a potentially lengthy reprieve from the spotlight of a criminal trial as he begins his second year in office.

Williams campaigned as a progressive reformer while under an indictment that came weeks before he qualified for the seat in July 2020. He has alleged a political motive behind his prosecution.

But Williams' attorneys appeared anxious to move forward with the trial in a letter Wednesday to U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar. Such pre-trial appeals are rare in federal court and must be approved higher up. Williams' attorneys, Billy Gibbens and Lisa Wayne, pleaded with Prelogar to turn it away.

"This case has been dragging on for much too long -- since June 2020 -- and it has posed serious obstacles to Mr. Williams' ability to perform the functions of his elected position and safeguard the people of New Orleans," they wrote. "The trial of this case on the merits should move forward forthwith."

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Prosecutors are now asking the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to review Feldman's ruling, aiming to convince a jury that Williams' previous tax problems led him to enlist a Westwego tax preparer, Henry Timothy, to bloat his business deductions.

Prosecutors claim Williams and Burdett ordered Timothy to reduce Williams' tax liability by more than $200,000 over five years by inserting the bogus write-offs.

Williams and Burdett claim Timothy did it on his own, and only changed his story after the feds squeezed him over his own tax issues. Timothy has since pleaded guilty over his own tax returns.

Williams and Burdett face an 11-count indictment alleging they conspired to inflate Williams' business expenses by more than $700,000 over those five tax years, ending in 2017. They each face a conspiracy charge, five counts of tax fraud and five counts of failing to file the proper forms for large cash receipts. Burdett also faces charges over her own tax returns.

Feldman telegraphed a delay this week after prosecutors announced they would appeal his ruling. The judge hinted at an extended delay, noting that several other cases were already lined up for jury trials in his court.

Just how long the appeals court might take to rule before Feldman revisits a trial date is uncertain.
Authorities have arrested four suspects in four New Orleans carjackings that occurred this week.

Louisiana State Police arrested William Nelson, 20, on Sunday in Iberville Parish after he led them on a vehicle chase, New Orleans police said. He is accused of a carjacking earlier that day at Carondelet Street and Howard Avenue. A second suspect is at large.

New Orleans police arrested Bernard Brown, 23, on Monday in a carjacking earlier that day in Central City. He is accused of stealing a car from a 39-year-old man in the 2300 block of Dryades Street. Police said they found Brown in the vehicle in New Orleans East and arrested him after he ran away. They booked him with armed robbery and flight from an officer, and said they recovered a gun with an extended magazine during the process.

Police from both agencies arrested Reese Williams and Kyren Phillips, both 18, on Wednesday, and recovered multiple guns. They are accused of armed carjackings Sunday in the 800 block of Nelson Street and Tuesday in the 13900 block of Linden Street.

They booked Williams with possession of a stolen automobile and unauthorized use of a moveable, and Phillips with possession of a stolen automobile, unauthorized use of a moveable and illegal carrying of a weapon.
The New Orleans Police Department has released video of the person investigators suspect is responsible for the murder of Taylore Jones, a 26-year-old woman who was attacked and stabbed in her Bywater apartment last month.

Jones, a musician and beloved employee at Cafe Negril, was found stabbed multiple times inside her apartment in the 700 block of Lesseps Street just after 5 a.m. on Dec. 21, authorities said. She was taken to a hospital where she died.

The 39-second video released Friday was recorded by a nearby security camera and shows a man in hooded, dark-colored clothing walking through the empty parking lot of Jack Dempsey's Restaurant on Poland Avenue before the homicide was reported, NOPD Detective James Fyfe said.

The parking lot is located in the same block, a short distance from Jones' apartment building. The man is seen walking in the direction of her building.

About a half-hour later  around the time investigators believe the stabbing occurred  the same man is seen sprinting back through the parking lot toward Poland Avenue.

Fyfe asked the public to take a few moments to watch the video and pay close attention to the man's clothing, his walk and the way he runs. Fyfe specifically pointed out a "distinct keychain or belt buckle" that appeared to be dangling from the front of the man's waistband.

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"If there's anything about this individual that seems at all relevant or recognizable to you, please reach out to us and let us know," Fyfe said.

Neighborhood resident Lily Keber didn't know Jones but called her murder terrifying for the women who live in the area.

"In the last month, we've all been scared and shaken up," she said Friday.

The suspect in the video can seen running toward the abandoned, former naval base just across the street from the Poland Avenue parking lot. The hulking, vacant building is home to many without housing.

Keber and another resident said they don't know whether anyone in the encampment is connected to Jones' killing, but they said they want authorities to find a way to better secure the building and put it to use.

"Living a block away from it, it is a constant concern," Keber said.

Anyone with information about the death of Taylore Jones is asked to call NOPD Detective James Fyfe at 504-658-5300 or 504-439-7885. The public can also call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-7867. Callers do not have to give their names or testify and can earn a reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to an indictment.
A 23-year-old woman was killed in a shooting Friday morning at the edge of the Pines Village area of New Orleans, police said.

It was one of two shootings reported within 15 minutes Friday morning. The other was in the Florida area.

The fatal shooting was reported to police around 9 a.m. in the 6000 block of Chef Menteur Highway (map). Police said the woman had been shot in the leg and was taken via ambulance to a hospital, where she later died.

Her name has not been released.

The second shooting was reported to police at 9:13 a.m. in the 2400 block of Mazant Street (map). A 35-year-old woman observed a window in her home was broken and stepped outside to investigate, whereupon a woman in her 40s fired two shots at her, wounding her in both thighs.

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Emergency Medical Services took her to a hospital, but her condition was not immediately available.

No other details were immediately available for either shooting, including a possible motive or a description of a potential shooter.
Citing his profane and disparaging social media posts directed at politicians, Democrats and teachers, the Jefferson Parish School Board took the unprecedented step Friday of calling for the resignation of a fellow board member they had appointed only two days prior.

In a statement sent to Jefferson Parish public school employees and the media, the School Board said Metairie businessman Rafael Rafidi should step down immediately.

Rafidi was appointed Wednesday night to an open School Board seat in a 6-1 vote, with one abstention, even after some of his social media posts were discussed at the meeting.

We believe that these posts will continue to distract from the achievements we have realized during these challenging times and hinder our districts goal of providing the education our students deserve, the boards statement said. We strongly believe that the lingering effect of Mr. Rafidis provocative positions will render him ineffective as a District representative and School Board member, and we have asked Mr. Rafidi to resign.

Rafidi could not be reached for comment Friday. He has not commented since the posts became widely known Thursday morning in a Times-Picayune story.

Rafidi was the only candidate for the seat, which came open with Larry Dale's recent resignation. Unless Rafidi resigns or some other action is taken by the board, he will hold the post until at least the start of the year. Regular School Board elections will take place this fall.

Until Thursday, Rafidi maintained an active presence on Facebook and Twitter, where he frequently posted or shared conservative memes and expressed vociferous support for former President Donald Trump.

He also viciously attacked Democrats and others he felt were insufficiently loyal to Trump. He called U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy a piece of s--t in one tweet and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu a f-----g traitor in another.

In yet another tweet, he boasted of having attended the Jan. 6, 2021, Stop the Steal rally in Washington, D.C., before marching -- peacefully, he said -- to the U.S. Capitol building. He did not say whether he went inside the Capitol.

Another tweet said teachers had no values or work ethic and were the fall of our young people in this country.

It was a Facebook post in which he lambasted the NFL for opting to sing Lift Every Voice and Sing, also known as the Black National Anthem, before football games, that drew questions from a pair of board members Wednesday night.

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"This is a minority-majority school district," said Simeon Dickerson, who is Black, during the board's brief interview of Rafidi Wednesday night. "You do realize that next month is Black History Month? We will be singing the Black National Anthem?"

"Yessir," Rafidi replied.

The boards other Black member, Ricky Johnson, warned Rafidi to clean up his Facebook, saying there were things that a board member may not want on there.

Johnson was the only board member to vote against Rafidi. Dickerson abstained.

But by Thursday it became clear that some board members had not seen Rafidis social media posts before casting their votes, even though some were discussed Wednesday night.

When we made his appointment, the board was not aware of these social media posts, Fridays School Board statement says. We apologize for this oversight and understand our stakeholders concerns.

Board members who had met with Rafidi were impressed by his background as the child of immigrants and his fluency in Arabic and Spanish, two languages prevalent in the states largest and most diverse school district.

All of these attributes led us to believe in Mr. Rafidis commitment to diversity and ability to represent our diverse school system, the statement says.

In a separate message sent to employees, Jefferson Parish schools Superintendent James Gray said he had heard fielded concerns from employees and community members about the appointment.

Our diversity is our greatest asset, Gray said, noting that there are at least 49 different languages spoken by the districts nearly 50,000 students. Ive shared your concerns, as well as my own, with our board.

Kesler Camese-Jones, president of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers, hailed the boards request. Camese-Jones had expressed concerns about about Rafidis ability to serve on Thursday, and Friday she said calling on him to resign was the right move.

I agree with the School Board absolutely, she said. Given those comments about our employees, I dont see how that will lead to a productive working relationship.
The White House's top official on environmental justice is stepping down a year after President Joe Biden took office with an ambitious plan to help disadvantaged communities and overhaul policies that have historically hurt them.

The departure Friday of Cecilia Martinez, senior director for environmental justice at the Council for Environmental Quality, puts a spotlight on both the administration's successes and promises yet to be fulfilled.

It was a hard decision, Martinez told the Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. She said that after many months of working on Biden's environmental policy, she needed time to rest and be with her family.

Colleagues at the White House and in Congress say her departure is a loss since she played a pivotal role in centering disadvantaged communities in President Bidens environmental and climate policies.

Her credibility in terms of environmental issues  in particular environmental justice issues  is going to be missed, said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz, said.

Martinez helped develop then-candidate Joe Bidens environmental justice agenda while he was campaigning by setting up meetings between Bidens team and key environmental justice leaders from around the country. She went on to oversee a review of the Council on Environmental Quality as part of Bidens transition team and was eventually appointed as the top ranking official on environmental justice in the administration.

Cecilia has been the heart, soul, and mind of the most ambitious environmental justice agenda ever adopted by a President," Brenda Mallory, chair of the Council of Environmental Quality, said in a statement. She is an unwavering and effective champion for the communities that, for far too long, have been overburdened by pollution and left out of government decisions that affect them."

Through executive orders and legislation, the administration has tried to direct resources toward disadvantaged communities, develop tools to monitor climate and economic justice and pass regulations to clean up the environment.

Some of that was accomplished. The White Houses Justice40 initiative mandated that 40% of benefits from federal investments in sustainable and green infrastructure, such as clean energy, pollution cleanup and water improvements, go to disadvantaged communities.

The administration also created a mapping tool that will help identify communities most in need of such investments.

And the Biden administration has restored dozens of environmental regulations rolled back during the Trump administration, including rules that limit the amount of toxic waste coming from coal plants, require extensive environmental reviews of major infrastructure projects, and protect endangered wildlife.

Martinez was central to much of that progress, but she and others in the White House say much more work remains to be done. She said everyone she has worked with on the federal level is "very much interested in communities holding us accountable.

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Reflecting on year one of Bidens administration, environmental justice leaders around the country expressed disappointment and frustration at what they call a lack of progress and failure to protect communities most vulnerable to climate change, most exposed to pollution and that have the least access to environmental benefits such as clean water.

I would say that overall there was some progress made in advancing environmental justice priorities more through executive actions than legislation, said Juan Jhong-Chung, climate justice director at the nonprofit Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition. But our communities are still waiting for the results on the ground.

Some money from the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill will be spent on projects like cleaning up toxic waste sites.

But a lot more investment that would have gone toward environmental and climate justice initiatives in frontline communities likely will not be part of Biden's "Build Back Better" bill, a signature policy of the administration. Moderate Democrats have demanded cuts and it's unclear what, if any, part of the bill may eventually pass.

Dallas Goldtooth, campaign organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network, said Bidens promises on environmental justice were an over-commitment and that the administration has not been sincere in actualizing its ambitions.

He also said the Biden administration has failed to protect indigenous communities from projects such as the Line3 and Dakota Access pipelines. Both oil pipelines were met with protests and legal challenges from indigenous and environmental groups who said that construction and operation of the pipelines could threaten the water and air quality in their communities.

But the Biden administration decided not to cancel the Line3 pipeline's permits and to keep the Dakota Access pipeline open while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducted an environmental review.

Based on the mixed results of the first year of Bidens environmental justice agenda, many environmental justice advocates are skeptical that the administration can deliver on its ambitious promises.

It has been disappointing, Goldtooth said. Ive got friends who are in the administration and  Im cheering them on, but I also feel for them when their hands are tied.

The White House has not said who might replace Martinez, a longtime environmental justice advocate from New Mexico whose research centered on effects of radiation poisoning and who founded the Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The New Orleans thoroughfare named for Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, a Virginian recast into a Lost Cause legend in the era of Jim Crow, will now bear the name of a proud New Orleanian, the late music icon Allen Toussaint.

The City Council voted unanimously Thursday to change the name of Robert E. Lee Boulevard to Allen Toussaint Boulevard, honoring the rhythm-and-blues great who lived on the street in Gentilly before his death in 2015. The council also renamed streets named for a Confederate ambassador and a segregationist mayor.

The votes came as the 2019-22 council held its last meeting before five newly elected members take office next week. Two incumbents who lost their election bids last year, Jay Banks and Kristen Gisleson Palmer, had sponsored the 2020 ordinance establishing a renaming commission to rid the streetscape of the names of Confederate figures and White supremacists.

"In a city where we have so much to celebrate, and many incredible residents to honor, I feel - and I know many people feel - that symbols of hate should not be celebrated," said council member Jared Brossett, who sponsored the Toussaint name change. "Allen Toussaint, of course, is a native of New Orleans and a world-renowned musician, and I believe he is incredibly deserving of this honor."

Along with Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Lee is the figure most associated with the losing side of the Civil War. He led the Army of Northern Virginia until his surrender at Appomattox in 1865.

While Lee had little connection to New Orleans, he was honored in the city during the era of segregation with a street name as well as a statue that was felled by official decree in 2017.

Public comments on the boulevard's renaming were split, with some who opposed the change saying it would lead to address headaches for businesses and residents and that officials should instead focus on fixing problems such as crime. Opponent Thomas Longmire said President Franklin D. Roosevelt once called Lee "one of our greatest American Christians."

Supporters of the name shift said it was long since time to stop honoring a "traitor" to the United States, in the word of James McCarthy. "Toussaint was a man whose accomplishments in New Orleans are a credit to the city of New Orleans," McCarthy said.

Council members struck a positive tone at Thursdays session, which was held virtually because of the latest spike in COVID-19 cases. Still, the process to rename the boulevard for Toussaint had been contentious. Last year, Toussaints son rejected a proposal to rename a section of the four-mile-long street in racially diverse Gentilly after his father without the same change taking place in the mostly White stretch in Lakeview.

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The attempted split didn't come to pass, and when the Planning Commission voted last month to name the entire street for Toussaint, his daughter was elated. "He was a uniter of people, cultures and hearts," Alison Toussaint-LeBeaux said.

The City Council did tweak one recommendation. Planning commissioners said the street should be named simply "Toussaint Boulevard" to avoid confusion with other streets with "Allen" in their name. The council went with the full name instead.

Separately, the council renamed Slidell Street in Algiers for jazzman Henry James Red Allen. During the Civil War, John Slidell was appointed to serve as the Confederate ambassador to France. The city in St. Tammany Parish is named after him.

Slidell Street will now be called Red Allen Way. A trumpeter who grew up in Algiers, Allen lived from 1908 to 1967.

Meanwhile, the two-block McShane Place between St. Claude Avenue and Rampart Street in the 7th Ward will become Joseph Guillaume Place.

As mayor in the 1920s, Andrew McShane signed an ordinance forbidding Black people to live in White neighborhoods and vice versa. Guillaume was a Black man who in 1867 launched a protest against segregation in public transportation, by taking the reins of a Whites-only, mule-drawn streetcar, near the street that will bear his name.

With the votes Thursday, the City Council has approved six of the 37 name changes suggested by the Street Renaming Commission. Recommendations that havent been addressed include renaming Lee Circle, Tulane Avenue in the Central Business District and Mid-City, Behrman Highway in Algiers and General Ogden Drive in Uptown, among others.

So far, the council has taken a piecemeal approach to renaming streets and parks, with individual council members shepherding changes through the Planning Commission and council.

The renaming commissions chair, Karl Connor, said Palmers staff was particularly helpful in supporting its deliberations.

Going forward, who will pick that mantle up? Connor said. To be quite frank, I don't know. I think that will be determined as we see the personalities of these folks who are coming into office.
In the waning moments of a nine-hour meeting, the last session of their term, New Orleans City Council members on Thursday earmarked $35 million in the capital budget toward moving Gordon Plaza residents out of a subdivision built atop a toxic landfill.

Supporters said the pledge shows the council's fiscal commitment to the Gordon Plaza initiative. Skeptics called it a symbolic gesture that offers little meaningful relief to the residents.

+6 LaToya Cantrell wants to move Gordon Plaza residents off toxic landfill; where's the money? Shortly before Congress approved the federal infrastructure law, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell touted the $1.2 trillion package as key to 

The vote came after residents attended almost every council meeting during budget season, pushing for a specific line item in the 2022 budget to demonstrate City Hall's dedication to their decades-old cause. Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration had repeatedly stated her support for residents' relocation, but neighborhood leaders were disappointed when they saw that her 2022 budget proposal contained no mention of Gordon Plaza.

Instead, administration officials said they planned to spend about $2 million to hire an outside firm to assess the land and plan relocations. To residents, this seemed meager compared to the $35 million they estimated it would cost to buy them out and move them elsewhere. They requested that much money in the budget and a timeline for spending it.

Constructed atop the 95-acre Agriculture Street Landfill in 1981, the Gordon Plaza subdivision was billed as a way to expand affordable housing options in New Orleans and was marketed toward Black residents looking to buy houses. The buyers were unaware until 1994 that the ground was laced with more than 50 hazardous compounds such as arsenic and lead, caused by five decades of waste disposal there, and have beseeched several administrations to move them away from an environment they say causes cancer.

Thursday's decision resolves just one of those issues. After the council's 6-1 vote, the $35 million relocation of Gordon Plaza will be added to the city's five-year capital investment program, which relies in part on money not yet in the bank. Council President Helena Moreno said she hopes the directive brings opposing parties to the table to consider next steps, and affirms to residents that the council was committed to moving them.

"If we wait much longer to take drastic steps - I hate to say it, but - the residents might not be around longer to see justice," Moreno said, acknowledging the neighborhood's aging population.

Council member Jay Banks voted against the earmark, calling it "kabuki theater." Banks, along with members Cyndi Ngyuen and Kristin Gisleson Palmer, who also are leaving the council, pushed to defer the motion and have it considered under the new City Council that takes office next week. That effort failed because it didn't receive support from at least two thirds of the council. Council member Jared Brossett, whose district includes Gordon Plaza and who also is leaving the council, also voted to defer.

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While the move will add specific language to the budget, Banks, Palmer and Nguyen said it lacked teeth, and they fretted over giving residents "false hope." Money has yet to be secured to follow through on the budget line, and a timeline for relocation remains unclear. Palmer and Banks said the administration told them it opposed the $35 million.

"I think that the impression that we're giving people is that this somehow this is going to make the situation go away," Banks said. "We need to be very clear and explain to folks that this is not the end."

+3 New Orleans City Council passes 2022 budget as Gordon Plaza residents plead for relocation funds Rules of order dissolved Wednesday in the New Orleans City Council chamber, as a meeting to pass a 2022 budget turned into an extended, conten

While the five-year capital budget outlines City Hall's priorities for major spending, it serves more as a guideline for the administration than a hard-and-fast schedule. It will be up to the Cantrell administration to decide whether to put aside the Gordon Plaza money, borrowed via bond issues or from other sources, and set up the terms of any program to buy out the residents.

That means there is nothing about Thursday's vote that actual compels the administration to seek funding for the relocation, let alone set up a way for that money to be distributed. As such, it serves more as a symbol that the council recognizes the residents' desires than as a measure binding city officials.

Resident Lydwina Hurst, a member of the nonprofit Residents of Gordon Plaza Inc.'s four-person governing board, said she was happy the subdivision's cause is now in the budget. But she understood, after the council's debate, that the long campaign isn't over.

Without a timeline, she said, "It still leaves us hanging. We dont know what were going to do next except that we know were going to continue to fight until we actually receive checks to move us out of here."

Jeff Adelson contributed to this report.
Jim Grossman met Keith Plessy in January 2013 when the American Historical Association gathered at the New Orleans Marriott. He saw a badge with the name Plessy, and as a historian, he just had to ask: Thats an unusual name. You wouldnt be related to THE Homer Plessy, would you?

Keith Plessy is a somewhat distant cousin of Homer Plessy, and Grossman was thrilled to meet him. Standing before him was a man directly tied to the key figure in the internationally recognized Plessy v. Ferguson case he learned about in his eighth grade history class as he grew up in Greenburg, New York. Grossman taught African American history. He engaged Keith Plessy in a conversation that only a historian might have.

Seven years ago, the association Grossman leads as executive director planned to meet in New Orleans in January 2022. Grossman saw Plessy again Wednesday, this time at a historic signing of a pardon the day before Grossmans group officially opened its meeting.

Eyes across the United States were focused on Louisiana as Gov. John Bel Edwards used 27 pens to pardon Plessy, a New Orleans Black Creole, for his act of civil disobedience when he intentionally challenged the Louisiana Separate Car Act by getting on a Whites-only railroad car. Scores of people attended the event, which was full of meaningful symbolism and important, poignant moments and reminders.

There was a delightful cello performance by Kate Dillingham, a descendant of U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan, the one justice who dissented from the courts Plessy decision and argued that all people should have equal access regardless of class, color or race. Harlans dissent was largely ignored by White people and hailed by Black people, even read aloud in Black churches and published in Black newspapers.

There was former state Sen. Ed Murray, who authored the Avery Alexander Act that provided the legal mechanism for Edwards to pardon Plessy. Murray didnt have Plessy in mind when he pushed the legislation in the state House, but he was beaming like the proud father of a newborn. Every law school student has to study the case in a constitutional law class, he said, and hopefully theyll add another paragraph or two to mention this pardon.

Loyola University Law School Dean Madeleine Landrieu noted that Plessy wasnt exonerated after being convicted for something he didnt do. He was pardoned because he did something against the law that deserved a reset.

Edwards read extensively from Harlans Supreme Court dissent before he signed 27 copies of the pardon, one each for Plessy, Ferguson and Harlan family members and others who helped make the pardon happen. At one point, the crowd roared with approval, just as many Black people did after Harlan correctly warned that our nation might descend into a series of bad steps with a wrong-headed Plessy decision. We did indeed. As the governor finished signing the first copy, the crowd stood in silence watching one such stain be removed.

As we watch our U.S. Supreme Court, our Louisiana Supreme Court, our U.S. District and other courts, we must remember that these judges and justices  people who breathe the same air we do  make decisions that have impact on each of us. Sometimes, as in the Plessy case, these decisions last for generations before theres significant change.

Harlan was the lone dissenter in the Plessy decision, but his was an important voice.

In respect of civil rights, common to all citizens, the Constitution of the United States does not, I think permit any public authority to know the race of those entitled to be protected in the enjoyment of such rights. Every true man has pride of race, and under appropriate circumstances which the rights of others, his equals before the law, are not to be affected, it is his privilege to express such pride and to take such action based upon it as to him seems proper, he wrote. In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law.

Unfortunately, some judges, justices, elected officials and others seem to disagree with Harlan as they work to implement evil laws to limit voting, ban books and to do away with debate and discussion.

As Grossman and other historians know, views of history are often contested. We cannot leave it to courts alone to decide the lives we live. Plessy could attend an integrated school, see an integrated police force and even hold public office  until some White people decided it was too much and abolished the system that allowed equal recognition.

Plessys been pardoned. Its our move.
Voting has been underway  by weeks via mail, and since Jan. 1 in person  in four South Florida special elections, but so far one thing is largely missing: actual voters.

As of noon Friday, mail voting and in-person early voting in a special election for Congress and three contests for the Florida Legislature have attracted little interest.

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In Broward, where 422,128 voters are eligible to vote in at least one of the three contests on the ballot, turnout as of noon Friday was 6.6%.

[ RELATED: Proposed law would impose deadline for governor to set special elections, preventing delay DeSantis used in South Florida ]

In Palm Beach County 161,189 people can vote in one of two contests. Midday Friday turnout was 7.3%.

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Mail voting, which started a month ago, is getting the most use.

Through Thursday, Broward voters had cast 26,103 mail votes, according to reports filed Friday with the state Division of Elections.

[ RELATED: Nation's first 2022 congressional pits a progressive Democrat vs. a Trump Republican vs. vaccine skeptics ]

In Palm Beach County, 11,050 people had voted by mail.

In person early voting sites are practically deserted, based on reports filed by the state.

Through Thursday, 1,766 early votes had been cast in Broward and 603 in Palm Beach County. That reflects six days of early voting, which started on Jan. 1.

Early voting sites  which continue operating through Sunday  are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at six locations in Broward and seven in Palm Beach County.

[ RELATED: Candidates in Broward state Senate primary similar on issues, differ on experience and dont like each other ]

That averages out to about one early vote cast every 17 minutes, though some locations are busier than others.

In Broward, the busiest early voting site has been the Tamarac Branch Library, where 491 people had cast ballots during the first six days. Turnout numbers posted by the county Supervisor of Elections Office show lightest usage was at the Womens Club of Wilton Manors, where 169 ballots had been cast.

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In Palm Beach County, the busiest site through noon Friday was the Wells Recreation Center in Riviera Beach, which attracted a total of 238 early voters. Only 17 had used the Delray Beach Community Center, the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office reported.

State law requires at least eight days of early voting, and because Gov. Ron DeSantis set Jan. 11 as Election Day, early voting had to start on New Years Day. The county supervisors of elections had discretion about offering it on Sunday two days before Election Day, and both Joe Scott in Broward and Wendy Sartory Link in Palm Beach County decided to do so.

[ RELATED: A special January election will decide Browards newest state representative. Here are the four candidates. ]

Early voting the Sunday before an election is often one of the most popular times.

Voters in the two-county 20th Congressional District are deciding who will replace the late U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings.

A Broward state Senate seat, a Broward state House seat and a Palm Beach County state House seat are open because the officials in those posts had to resign to run for Congress. All three lost the Democratic primary.

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com or on Twitter @browardpolitics
Unique is a funny and over-used word. There are no comparatives for unique  no uniquer or uniquest, no more unique or most unique. It means one of a kind, nothing else like it, alone in the universe.
The Oklahoma House has given final approval to a Texas-style abortion ban that prohibits abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy. The bill passed Thursday by the GOP-led House now heads to Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt. He's expected to sign it within days. The bill was immediately challenged in court by abortion rights advocates. The measure prohibits abortions once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo. Experts say thats typically about six weeks into a pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. Like Texas, the bill allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion for up to $10,000. The U.S. Supreme Court allowed a similar law in Texas to stand.
Norman, OK (73070)

Today

Windy with strong thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 44F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Windy with strong thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 44F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Harrisburg, Pa.  Following a settlement on a billion dollar lawsuit against the practices of major pharmaceutical companies, 50 counties previously agreed to join a "historic" opioid settlement; now that number is 60 -- out of 67 counties across the state.

Those 10 counties include: Blair, Centre, Crawford, Cumberland, Lycoming, Northampton, Northumberland, Pike, Somerset, and Sullivan.

The settlement would bring more than $1 billion to Pennsylvania, with up to $232 million delivered in 2022, according to the Pa. Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Pennsylvania lost 5,172 lives to overdoses in the last year alone, which is 14 Pennsylvanians a day. This settlement is going to provide resources to jumpstart programs that will change lives and impact families across our Commonwealth who are struggling to find treatment and help for those suffering with substance abuse. These funds will be earmarked to offer and expand life-saving treatment options, prioritizing the areas that have been most affected by this crisis, said Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

The $26 billion global settlement with Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergenthe nations three major pharmaceutical distributorsand Johnson & Johnson requires significant industry changes that will help prevent this type of crisis from happening again in addition to the funds. Pennsylvania has been one of the lead states in negotiating this settlement, which was announced in July.

When the county filed its lawsuit in May 2018, we sought two things: to keep these and other similar companies from engaging in the acts and practices that led to the opioid crisis, and to be able to provide additional resources to the communities and families in our county who have been most impacted by their actions, said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. The settlement agreement reached by Attorney General Shapiro and several other states provides for significant industry changes, and up to $1 billion that Pennsylvania is set to receive. We want our residents to benefit from that agreement and have resources available to them now and intend to sign on.

"Delaware County has worked hard to ensure that its share of the States settlement proceeds accurately reflects the many challenges presented to the County by the opioid epidemic," said Delaware County Councilman and member of the Substance Treatment and Overdose Prevention Coalition, Kevin Madden. "While no money could ever truly account for the lives that opioids have ruined, these settlement funds to be received over the next decade and beyond will allow the County to educate its citizens and help remediate the scourge of opioid abuse and the devastation it causes for thousands of residents and their loved ones."

While it is up to local governments who have signed on to the settlement to decide where the funds will ultimately be allocated, the settlement stipulates that every dollar of funding must be used to combat the opioid crisis. A list of approved opioid remediation uses can be found in Exhibit E of the Janssen settlement agreement. The remaining 17 counties and multiple subdivisions have until next month to sign on and are urged to do so as soon as possible.

Continuing litigation is incredibly risky, as weve seen in Oklahoma where a $465 million judgement was overturned by the state Supreme Court after being on appeal for years, and in California where a number of counties and cities lost their case after seven years in court. We cant afford to wait  we need these funds flowing into our communities now. We know no dollar amount will bring back all that we have lost, but this settlement will give communities the money to save lives now, said AG Shapiro.

The following counties previously joined the settlement agreement: Adams, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Chester, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Luzerne, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Perry, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, and York.

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Muncy, Pa. -- Lycoming County's Honorable Judge Jon Kemp retired officially at close of business Monday, Jan. 3, according to court administration.

Judge Kemp served the Muncy/Hughesville region as District Magistrate Judge for ten years. Hes leaving his elected post two years ahead of the end of his term.

Im turning 62, Kemp said. Ive had 40 years of public service. This is kind of the plan, he said.

Kemps seat will now be vacant for two years, during which the honorable Judge William C. Solomon will primarily fill in at the Muncy office, 2134 Rt. 405 Highway, once a week.

Between Judge Solomon, Sr. Judge Allen Page, and Judge Kemp, who was approved as a senior judge, they'll cover that seat until election time, said Lycoming County Court Administrator Adrian Stahl.

Related reading:

Judge Allen Page recertified as Magisterial District Judge

See the current list of Lycoming County Magisterial District Judges here.

Kemps senior judge status took effect January 3. I plan on snowbirding with my wife, Kemp said, going somewhere warm to enjoy the winter months outdoors. Returning to the area in May, hell begin to handle criminal matters in the Muncy office working one day a week.

Kemp has been dedicated to a career of service, starting at age 18 as a volunteer firefighter. He earned his college degree in fire science and accepted a position with the Williamsport Bureau of Fire, from which he retired as Chief in 2003.

While I served as the chief, I was asked to be the director of public safety, Kemp said. He attended the Mansfield Police Academy, and while he never did serve as the director of public safety, he accepted a position with the Lycoming County Sheriffs office.

Kemp also served as the executive director of the Sullivan County Victim Services, assisting victims of crime and sexual assault. Kemp continues to be a member of the Special Court Judges of Pennsylvania.

Im grateful to the constituents for having the trust in me to place me in the position of magisterial district judge, Kemp said. I grew up in the Hughesville area. The East end of the county is near and dear to my heart. Working as a senior judge a day a week allows me to back away more slowly rather than stop cold turkey.

The seat for a new MDJ

Magisterial District Judges are elected by the citizens of the magisterial district in which they serve. The term of a District Judge is six years.

By February 2023, anyone interested in running Judge Kemp's vacated seat will have to make their announcement and get petitions signed. This will secure their name on the ballot for the May primaries, and in November 2023 a new judge will be elected.

"Most candidates come from either law enforcement backgrounds or or they are attorneys," Stahl said.

Other qualifications to be a District Judge include:

21 years of age

Resident of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Resident of his/her magisterial district for a one-year period prior to election

Certified by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts as successfully completing a rigorous training and education program administered by the Minor Judiciary Education Board

-or- an attorney admitted to the Bar in Pennsylvania

Kemp said he considers Judge Solomon and Senior Judge Page both good candidates to help continue services in the eastern region of the county. Between the three of us, we wont miss a beat

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After violent protesters loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol today, a tactical team with ATF gathers in the Rotunda to provide security for the continuation of the joint session of the House and Senate to count the Electoral College votes cast in November's election, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Former President Trump falsely accused President Biden of naming him in a speech on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol to divide Americans.

The Democrats want to own this day of January 6th so they can stoke fears and divide America, Trump said in an email statement. I say, let them have it because America sees through their lies and polarizations.

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[ Biden rips into Trump on anniversary of Jan. 6 attack ]

The twice-impeached president falsely accused Biden of invoking his name in his speech. In fact, Biden studiously referred to him only as the former president.

(Biden) used my name today to try to further divide America, Trump said. This political theater is all just a distraction.

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Former President Donald Trump (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Trump pointedly did not discuss the riot itself at all in his statement. He did not explain why he failed to act for more than three hours as his supporters rampaged through the Capitol hunting down enemies.

Deemed the failed former president by Biden, Trump was convinced to scrap plans to hold an attention-grabbing press conference at Mar-A-Lago to mark the anniversary of Jan. 6. But predictably, he could not stay silent in the face of Bidens powerful denunciation of his incitement of the attack.

President Joe Biden speaks from Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Instead of offering a defense of his actions or inaction on Jan. 6 as the riot unfolded, Trump repeated timeworn political attacks on Biden policies on the economy, immigration and even the COVID-19 pandemic.

This political theater is all just a distraction for the fact Biden has completely and totally failed, Trump said.

Then-President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

He also repeated his lie that the election was stolen from him, even when Biden powerfully cited the contrary decisions of scores of judges and election officials from both parties.

They want all conversation concerning the Election Canceled. Trump said. In actuality, the Big Lie was the Election itself.

In a second message, Trump repeated many of the same messages, saying Democrats are the ones who tried to stop the peaceful transfer with a rigged election.

Never forget the crime of the 2020 Presidential Election, he wrote. Never give up!

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Two of Trumps strongest allies in the Congress, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), defended their support for his big lie in an anniversary event they dubbed the Republican response.

The pair insisted GOP lawmakers should be proud of their role on Jan. 6 and their effort to fight back against what Trump has falsely claimed was an election that was rigged by Democrats.

If Republicans retake the House in next years midterms, Gaetz said he hopes to reconstitute the committee investigating Jan. 6 as a body to probe his fellow lawmakers and prosecutors.

Were ashamed of nothing, Gaetz declared.
Nokia has announced that all of the new phones it has unveiled at CES 2022 will be Android 12-powered devices, even the C100 that will sell for under US$100. It, like the C200, G100 and G400 that have launched alongside it, are pitched at the US market, although they may not exactly set it alight in terms of specs for the most part.

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Nokia has come to CES 2022 with a range of new, budget-conscious phones. Nevertheless, the HMD Global brand has yet to revealed all of their specs, which may be done on their release via the TracFone or Boost networks later this year.

Then again, Nokia has confirmed that they are to be Android 12-powered phones on these occasions, although that potential advantage is tempered somewhat in the C100 and G100. They are powered by the MediaTek Helio A22 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 respectively.

The ~US$119 C200 has the same SoC as the C100, although Nokia gave the impression the former will have the larger HD+ screen at 6.5 inches. It will also have 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a 4,000mAh battery Then again, the C100 is the most affordable, at a recommended price of just $99.

The G100 might have the same display as the C200, albeit driven by an older processor. It will have a larger 5,000mAh battery, however, and is set at a price of $149. The G400, then, is the flagship of the bunch with a 5G Snapdragon 480 chipset to support a 120Hz display - a first for Nokia.

The G400 will also benefit from 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, and has a recommended price of $239. Nokia has yet to announce when it and its wallet-friendly siblings will be available.

Buy a Nokia G50 on Amazon
As a developer at the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute, Matthew Baumann helps build and manage the Competitions and I2B2 tools.

"Writing computer code is a combination of problem solving and building," says Baumann. "First, we work with our customers to identify needs or opportunities for improvements in workflows. Then we architect a solution for how to meet that given set of requirements. Finally, we build out the product for the customer that solves their problem."

Born in Wisconsin and raised in Green Bay, Baumann currently lives in a historic home and is using his Northwestern tuition benefits for an MA in bioethics and medical humanities.
Luis Alberto and his wife made an offer on a home in Miami they were hoping to buy, only to have another buyer beat them by offering cash. Over the next five months, they would lose out on three other homes, some because they were competing with buyers who could throw cash at the deal.

The Albertos are among many South Florida buyers relying on financing and, in todays competitive real estate market, losing out on their dream home. One solution might be a relatively new crop of companies, such as HomeLight and Better, that are helping middle-income buyers offer cash for homes.

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Typically, these companies purchase the home using their funds, then sell it back to the buyer using a mortgage.

[ RELATED: Homebuyers face stiff competition in South Florida as northerners arrive  with cash ]

Its an option that makes more and more sense for some middle class buyers  the South Florida real estate market has soared in the past two years, and so have cash offers, which are appealing to sellers, who often turn to cash as a quicker and more definitive way to close a deal.

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Cash sales jumped 40% in November compared to the year before in Broward County, while cash offers in Palm Beach County jumped 28%, according to numbers from the Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie Realtors. For Miami-Dade County, cash sales shot up 41%.

We saw a lot of our buyers getting buyer fatigue. We had a couple of customers that lost out on like five homes in a row, saying we just cant win anything when we are coming against cash, explained Christian Wallace, head of real estate services at Better, which launched their cash offer program in the South Florida area a few months ago.

When the Albertos made a cash offer through Better, they were able to buy in less than a month. They paid a pro-rated rental fee of $100 a day until Better approved his mortgage for the home. The company sold the house back to him with a mortgage rate of 2.65%. It was a simple process, Alberto said.

Better pre-approves a buyer for a certain amount, and makes a cash offer on a home a buyer finds, using a Better real estate agent, based on the amount they have been approved for. While the buyer is waiting for the mortgage to come through, they can rent the home through Better for a pro-rated fee.

[ RELATED: Rents are rising as homebuyers get priced out of the market ]

Other cash-offer companies work in different ways. HomeLight has buyers apply to their Home Loan program, which verifies their income, assets, and purchasing power and approves them for a certain amount. A HomeLight real estate agent helps them find a home for the amount they were approved for. Then, HomeLight uses their funds to buy the home for the buyer until the buyer is able to get financing for the home.

The buyer has to put down a 5% deposit once the initial offer is accepted. Once they do, the home is sold back to the buyer at the same price it was paid for by HomeLight. The company charges a small program free for this, sometimes as low at 1% of the purchase price.

If HomeLight refers a client to a broker and the transaction closes, they will charge a standard broker-to-broker referral fee. They also have a trade in program, where you can sell your home while buying a new one. For the trade in program they charge fees to buy the home from you, own it and then sell it.

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Both companies offer competitive mortgage rates.

For buyers, you want to take out all uncertainty from a transaction, Vanessa Famulener, president of HomeLight Homes, said.

Betters data shows that in South Florida, 50% of Better cash-offer customers were first-time homebuyers.

Are cash-offer programs risky?

Ken H. Johnson, real estate economist at Florida Atlantic University, said these programs could be a good thing for local buyers, who have been crowded out by cash-slinging out-of-state buyers.

I dont see any collateral damage coming from these programs, said Johnson. As long as they are conservative with their lending practices, this could be a good thing. It allows other people to be competitive in a market where its almost impossible to buy when its contingent on having financing.

Real estate agents who have used the cash-offer program said its been beneficial for their buyers, after watching them lose out on multiple homes before winning one with a cash offer.

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HomeLight real estate agents said the company has given their buyers, many of them middle-class, an opportunity to break in to a real estate market that had previously thwarted them.

It really puts the local community in a very strong position when they are competing with out-of-state people who are looking to move here and are coming from areas where the homes are more expensive, real estate agent Chris Molano said.

One of his clients, a couple who worked at Publix and Whole Foods, had looked for a couple of months for a home, putting in 6-10 offers, none of which were accepted. After using the HomeLight program, they were able to purchase a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in the Cutler Bay area of Miami.

It makes the difference with the cash offers. Its easier to negotiate the price, said Monica Posada, an agent in the HomeLight network who recently utilized the program to help one of her buyers use the cash offer program to secure a sale on a condo.
Franciscan Health Dyer recently upgraded and renovated its Family Birth Center to make it more state-of-the-art.

This is truly a beautiful unit that will be enjoyed by many families to come, said Sean Leahy, chief operating officer at Franciscan Health Dyer/Hammond/Munster.

The hospital, at 24 Joliet St. off U.S. 30 by the Illinois state line, modernized patient rooms and the Level II Newborn Intensive Care Unit or NICU to ensure that new mothers and their babies can receive high-quality at state-of-the-art facilities.

The renovated Family Birth Center features suites for birthing, cesarean sections and private postpartum care and recovery. It's staffed by board-certified physicians, lactation consultants and obstetric nurses who have been specially trained to help expectant mothers give birth.

It takes many hands to get the job done, and everyone plays an important role. Because we all know we have an amazing team, these moms, and their babies and all their loved ones are in phenomenal hands, from our front door to the delivery room and beyond, Leahy said.

Brandii James and DeWan White, of Gary, welcomed baby boy DeWan White III as the first child born there.

It was very comfortable. The new rooms are very nice, Brandii James said. Everyone was very helpful and kept me relaxed.

Franciscan Health recently rededicated the birthing facility with a blessing conducted by the Rev. Theodore Nordquist, the chaplain of spiritual care services in Dyer.

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Palliative care physician Ridaa Ali was honored with a St. Raphael Award by her colleagues at Franciscan Health Crown Point.

Ali, a hospitalist and internal medicine physician, was selected by the nursing staff at Franciscan Health Crown Point hospital for the award in recognition for her commitment to superior patient care and a team approach.

Franciscan Health Crown Point palliative care nurse Kathlene Laas nominated Ali for the accolade.

I have had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Ali with my position in palliative care," Laas said. "She asks for our clinical opinion and welcomes suggestions, which allow nursing staff to feel like they are a valued part of the patient care team.

Ali studied at Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Indianapolis and at Rush University and the University of Illinois in Chicago. She completed her residency at UIC/Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

She since has practiced medicine at the Franciscan Health hospital at 1201 S. Main St. in Crown Point.

The award is meant to reflect "outstanding dedication, teamwork and respect for the nursing staff and commitment to the mission and values of Franciscan Alliance."

I have witnessed Dr. Ali have transparent conversations with family in difficult situations that I believe help foster their confidence in the quality of care they receive at Franciscan Health Crown Point, Laas said. I believe Dr. Alis friendly personality and openness to different perspectives and ideas sets an example for fellow physicians.

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LaPorte County is seeking designation from the state of Indiana as a "Broadband-Ready Community" as the county looks to expand access to high-speed internet across the county.

The LaPorte County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve pursuit of the designation, meant to convey the county government "is laser-focused on finding solutions and strategies for those struggling for access to high-speed broadband services."

By securing this designation, LaPorte County bulldozes through barriers to prepare for a tidal wave of new fiber-optic investment which is what is needed, LaPorte County Commissioner Sheila Matias said in an announcement of the effort.

The LaPorte Countys Rural Broadband Task Force has been spearheading the project, which has been underway for years.

Broadband infrastructure has become as critical as water and sewer lines, said County Council President Randall Novak, who also serves on the task force. We spend a lot of effort and energy creating an environment that can attract significant new investment. What we are doing here makes this critical fiber optic investment and increased bandwidth another critical piece of the puzzle for future growth and we humbly ask for the state of Indianas support in approving this designation."

The coronavirus pandemic has increased demand for high-speed broadband as more people work from home or attend classes virtually, LaPorte County officials said.

If we are going to be prepared to educate our communities children and conduct telehealth appointments, continue to expand remote work, support a rapidly growing Internet of things infrastructure, while encouraging innovation and entrepreneurial pursuits, we must have the bandwidth," said Kevin McGuire, the information technology director for Michigan City Area Schools and a task force member. The pandemic has shown how critically vital this bandwidth is to our future; remote learning and access to the classroom and to teachers instructing remotely has shown that being able to connect at high broadband speed should not be a privilege or a luxury but a necessity for all families."

The designation is expected to make it easier for private companies to invest in broadband in LaPorte County. Officials said that would benefit existing residents and help spur more economic development.

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United Federal Credit Union, a Southwest Michigan-based credit union with a branch in downtown Griffith, donated more than $13,400 to charity as part of its annual Pay It Forward campaign.

The St. Joseph Michigan-based credit union, which operates at 510 N. Broad St. in Griffith, gave every employee $20 this holiday season to donate to a person, family or nonprofit of their choice. Many chose to pool their funds and chip in themselves to make their donations more substantial.

United Federal Credit Union donated to many nonprofits in Northern Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, including Toys for Toys, CASA Children, Ronald McDonald House, Veterans Center, Pays of Hope, and Benton Harbor Water Crisis.

It's been an annual tradition since 2008 at the credit union. Employees requested money spent on holiday parties go to help the community instead.

This year, United Federal Credit Union and its workers collectively donated $19,300 to 54 people, families, individuals and community groups in places where it has branches.

The thought and consideration each individual and department puts into thinking how these dollars can offer extra help during the holiday season for a family, an organization, or other members of the community is remarkable, United President and CEO Terry ORourke said. This was another year filled with challenges for our friends and family across the country, but when Team United saw a need, they found a way to offer a helping hand.

O'Rourke said the holiday giving was a testament to the credit union's company culture.

Every year I am amazed by our employees enthusiasm for Pay It Forward. They show their caring nature and go above and beyond to help our communities, said ORourke. This year was another challenging year and we would not have made it through without our teams dedication to Uniteds mission. We are proud to be able to support and improve the lives of our members and our communities.

For more information, visit UnitedFCU.com.

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An anthology of the late Norman Mailer's writing that Random House allegedly scheduled for his centennial in 2023 but backed off from, will be released by Skyhorse Publishing. The publisher has taken on such discarded works as Woody Allen's memoir Apropos of Nothing and a Philip Roth biography written by Blake Bailey.

Andrew Wylie, whose literary agency represents the Mailer estate, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that Skyhorse Publishing will release the book and that Random House has waived any reprint fees. He said that such details as the book's contents, title and date of publication were still to be determined.

"Random House is proud to publish Norman Mailer, and intends to promote his work significantly for the centennial, in tandem with the publication by Skyhorse of the anthology," Wylie wrote in an email. The Mailer family and Random House are united in support of Normans work.

A Skyhorse spokesperson was not immediately able to confirm there was a deal for the Mailer book. Skyhorse is an independent publisher that has made a name for itself in recent years by signing up such authors as Allen, Bailey, Garrison Keillor and others the mainstream industry has distanced itself from, for reasons ranging from allegations of sexual harassment to sexual assault. Skyhouse also is the publisher of the inflammatory bestseller The Real Anthony Fauci, by anti-vaccine crusader Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Wylie disputed a report by the online publication The Ankler, which alleged Random House dropped the project because of misgivings about some of Mailer's work, notably The White Negro."

Asked if he would confirm the Ankler report, Wylie said That's not the issue at all. Asked why Random House was not publishing the book, Wylie called it an editorial decision and added There is really no issue here.

Mailer, who died in 2007, was among the most famous and controversial authors in his lifetime and has long been a signature part of Random House's legacy, which includes such Mailer peers as Truman Capote and William Styron. He was the recipient of Pulitzer Prizes for The Armies of the Night and The Executioner's Song, but was also widely condemned for his writing on race, for his admittedly misogynist opinions and for the stabbing of his second wife, Adele Morales, in 1960.

While news of Random House not publishing the new collection led to allegations on social media that Mailer was being cancelled, his books remain widely available through Random House and the Library of America, which has been releasing permanent bound editions of his work. The White Negro can easily be found online, including Dissent magazine, where the essay first appeared.

But interest in his work has sharply faded, especially compared to such contemporaries as Baldwin. According to NPD BookScan, which tracks around 85% of the print market, combined sales for four of Mailer's best known books  The Armies of the Night, The Naked and the Dead, The Executioner's Song and The Fight  were under 4,000 copies in 2021.

One of Mailer's sons, Michael Mailer, told the AP that Random House suggested a centennial project. The family, along with Mailer biographer J. Michael Lennon, put together a proposal for a collection of political essays on democracy which they liked and then decided later not to proceed due to objections, putatively, from certain junior executives.

A Random House spokesperson did not respond directly to allegations about the book's contents, saying in a statement: It is factually incorrect that Random House cancelled an upcoming book of essays by Norman Mailer. We did not have this collection under contract. Random House does continue to publish much of Norman Mailers backlist.

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HAMMOND  A so-called ghost gun is haunting a Chicago man who is going to prison for bringing it into Indiana last fall.

Senior U.S. District Court Judge James T. Moody sentenced 30-year-old Clarence Brown to 37 months in prison Thursday.

Federal prosecutors say Brown came to police attention Sept. 16 when he was spotted smoking marijuana outside a front entrance of a Walmart at 1105 Fifth Ave., Hammond.

The store, just east of the Indiana-Illinois state line, is popular for its discount prices among residents of Chicago, where the use of marijuana is legal.

Hammond police Officer Coty Sparks, who was working as a security guard at the store, told Brown to extinguish the marijuana cigarette, since its use remains illegal in Indiana.

Police said Brown walked to his car in the Walmart parking lot and resumed smoking marijuana in plain sight of Sparks, who arrested Brown with the help of other officers..

Inside his car, police found a homemade gun, described in court records only as a Polymer 80/20 firearm.

Police are calling it a ghost gun because it has no markings that would let law enforcement investigators trace its origin.

Officer also found a second gun in a backpack in the cars back seat: a Taurus .357 Magnum revolver. Both guns were loaded with ammunition.

It was illegal for Brown to possess any firearms because he has been a felon since his 2011 conviction for armed robbery in Illinois.

Brown told police after his arrest that he found the two guns only three hours earlier in the backyard of some Chicago residence and was intending to turn them over to Chicago Police after his visit to Walmart.

Brown pleaded guilty Sept. 16 to being a felon in possession of firearms in a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorneys office, to avoid the maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

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CROWN POINT  The Lake County Council appears poised to scrap a 2018 ordinance aimed at preventing rural residents practicing target shooting from sending stray bullets into their neighbors' homes.

The Democratic-led council signaled during its monthly study session Thursday that it's likely to repeal the hard-won ordinance requiring target shooters fire only into well-constructed berms, ensure no bullet or projectile leaves the shooting range property, practice target shooting only between 10 a.m. and dusk, and not shoot within 300 feet of any residence.

Councilman Christian Jorgensen, R-St. John, said the rules, championed by his 7th District predecessor Eldon Strong, R-Crown Point, are entirely unworkable  particularly the berm requirement.

Jorgensen said south county residents frequently are calling the sheriff's department to report shooting range berms of insufficient size and quality.

But he said the sheriff's department is no position to evaluate each berm in relation to the ordinance.

"It's causing serious problems with enforcement, not to mention the fact that it's unconstitutionally vague and that it didn't go before the planning commission beforehand," Jorgensen said. "It probably should never have been enacted."

If the council approves the repeal Tuesday, the ordinance would revert to the berm-less 2009 standard that prohibited target shooting or practice shooting within 200 feet of the property lines of a platted, approved and developed multi-lot subdivision of one acre lots or less.

Jorgensen said any early morning or late night shooting likely would run afoul of the county's noise ordinance, and any shooter firing stray bullets could face charges of criminal recklessness or a similar offense.

"This simplifies issues for the sheriff and for all the constituents down there. I mean, they're just confused as hell," Jorgensen said.

Vincent Balbo, chief of the sheriff's police, told the council his department has been getting regular berm complaints from south county residents.

At the same time, he said the existing ordinance is "very hard to enforce."

Balbo said going back to the prior standard "creates an opportunity for us to be able to do our job and protect the public."

Council President Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said if the revised ordinance is adopted he'll encourage the Lake County prosecutor to more aggressively pursue criminal charges against anyone found to be recklessly firing a gun in the county.

The Lake County Board of Commissioners also has to approve the ordinance before it can take effect.

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CROWN POINT  A man accused of killing a woman after she talked to police about earlier rape allegations told a bailiff Thursday he couldn't walk to the defense table for his formal appearance.

Earl W. Shearer Sr., 66, who had addresses in Gary and Chicago, told the bailiff he was unsteady on his feet because of a knee replacement surgery.

Lake Criminal Court Judge Gina Jones allowed Shearer to sit at the witness stand instead of walking to the defense table to join attorney Nicholas Barnes.

Barnes said he was standing in for defense attorney Adam Tavitas.

Jones affirmed Shearer's not guilty plea to murder in the Dec. 8 shooting death of 74-year-old Gary resident Mary Felton.

Felton, an accountant who previously worked for the city of Gary, Calumet Township trustee's office and Gary Housing Authority, was remembered by her family as their beloved matriarch. She was a loving and doting mother, grandmother, sister and aunt to many and cared deeply about her community, the family said.

Shearer, who previously served prison time in Georgia for murder, is accused of sneaking into Felton's Gary home Dec. 6 and raping her, and killing her Dec. 8 after she talked to Gary police about the alleged rape.

Detectives walked Felton out of the Police Department Dec. 8, and she pointed out a white Nissan Altima in the parking lot and told them it resembled Shearer's car, court records state.

One of the detectives checked the Altima and looked under Felton's Hummer for any tracking devices, but he did not look inside the Hummer, records state. The detective later recalled two letters of the Altima's license plate, which were found to match the license plate for the Altima registered to Shearer.

When police reviewed surveillance video, they saw a man matching Shearer's description drive the Altima into the parking lot, park it and sneak into the rear passenger side of Felton's Hummer, records state.

Felton came out with police and eventually drove away in her Hummer.

About an hour later, she was found dead from a gunshot wound to the back several blocks away from the police station. She was still seated in the driver's seat of her Hummer, records state.

In the surveillance video, a man matching Shearer's description was seen walking south into the police parking lot about 30 minutes after Felton left, according to court documents. He entered the Altima and drove away.

Shearer was arrested Dec. 9 after a license plate reader flagged the Altima and Whiting police stopped him in the 1200 block of Indianapolis Boulevard, police said.

Shearer had about $8,000 in cash under the driver's side floor mat and seven credit cards in his car, court records state. He also had a suitcase in the trunk full of clothing and a duffel bag, which contained clothing and toiletries.

Jones set Shearer's next court date for Feb. 10.

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CROWN POINT  A new warden is patrolling the halls and cells at the Lake County Jail.

Warden Todd Wasmer took over Tuesday as leader of the county's corrections facility, replacing the soon-to-retire Warden Michael Zenk.

Wasmer is a U.S. Army veteran who was warden at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution in Nebraska until November.

Prior to that two-year posting, Wasmer held a variety of roles, ranging from corrections officer to assistant warden, over a 14-year period at Florida and Arizona facilities operated by CoreCivic, a private prison operator.

Wasmer told the Lake County Council Thursday he's excited to continue his career as warden in Lake County.

"I am very pleased to be here in Indiana," Wasmer said. "I do hope to bring a lot of good experience to the Lake County Jail."

Zenk said he's planning to stay on the job through January to help get Wasmer situated and see the jail through the transition to a new warden.

Vincent Balbo, chief of the sheriff's police, told the council Wasmer was chosen as warden by Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. following a 60-day evaluation process that looked at several warden candidates located throughout the country.

Balbo said he expects Wasmer's corrections experience, specifically at the state and county level, will help ensure the Lake County Jail remains on the right track after recently being released from years of federal oversight.

"This is really important to the sheriff that we continue to have a career professional who has dedicated most of his life to corrections," Balbo said. "We're confident that Warden Wasmer is going to bring a lot to the table as we move forward."

Council members Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, and Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, both said Zenk's successful efforts to restore the jail to county control will not be forgotten.

"Warden Zenk has done a lot of good for the Lake County Jail and I'm looking forward to you continuing that good work," Cid told Wasmer.

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GARY  A infant and 20-year-old woman were killed Friday after the driver of a car in which they were riding fled from Lake County sheriff's police and crashed on Interstate 80/94, Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said.

The driver, Eric White, 20, is currently in Lake County Jail after being released from the hospital and criminal charges are pending against him. White's last known addresses include Gary and Calumet City.

Martinez said White had been arrested in connection with a pursuit in November.

White was taken to a local hospital with head injuries after officers began chasing him about 11:30 a.m. and he crashed on westbound I-80/94, between the Burr Street and Cline Avenue exits, police said.

After receiving medical treatment, White was expected to be arrested on suspicion of illegal possession of a firearm and other charges, Martinez said.

"Any loss of life in such horrifying circumstances is tragic, but the loss of a child is especially disturbing," Martinez said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who lost their lives."

Sheriff's police attempted to stop a driver in a black 2010 Audi A5 for speeding and disregarding a traffic signal near 25th Avenue and Broadway in Gary, according to Martinez and Indiana State Police.

The driver sped off south on Broadway and got on westbound I-94, according to a news release.

The officers briefly lost sight of the car before discovering the crash at the Colfax Street bridge, he said.

The 20-year-old Matteson, Illinois, woman riding with the driver was killed instantly when he rear-ended a semitrailer, Martinez said. An infant, who was in a car seat, also was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.

Neither of the crash victims have been identified by officials as of Friday night.

Indiana State Police assisted with a crash reconstruction investigation and determined the driver of the Audi lost control and rear-ended a semitrailer in the right lane, Sgt. Glen Fifield said.

"After striking the trailer, the Audi spun across all lanes and drove into the median wall," Fifield said. "After hitting the wall, the Audi then continued back across the lanes in front of the same semi that it had rear-ended and was struck on the passenger side by the front of the semi."

The Audi came to rest wedged under the front bumper of the semi, he said.

The woman suffered fatal injuries during the initial impact with the trailer and was ejected, Fifield said.

"A small child who was in a car seat on the rear passenger side of the Audi also suffered fatal injuries," he said.

Martinez said the crash scene likely was traumatic for emergency crews who responded.

"Police officers are faced with tragedy daily, but considering the circumstances with this incident, we are offering to help officers cope, the sheriff said.

After the crash, police learned the driver previously had been arrested in connection with a pursuit, he said.

White was arrested on Nov. 24 by Lake County Sheriffs Department police officers following a traffic stop. White was taken into custody for resisting, police said.

Traffic delays on the Borman Expressway lasted for about four hours.

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HAMMOND  A judge is giving federal prosecutors 12 weeks to decide whether a couple of motorcycle club members should be tried on capital murder charges.

U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on Monday gave the U.S. Department of Justice a deadline on whether to pursue the death penalty against Ronnie E. Major or Antoine J. Gates.

The 51-year-old Major and 44-year-old Gates, both of Gary, are pleading not guilty to murder-for-hire charges.

They stand accused of carrying out the premeditated killing of Jocelyn Blair, 31, of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Blair was inside a diner at 24th and Broadway in Gary during the early morning hours of Dec. 19, 2010, when Gates allegedly entered and killed her in a barrage of gunfire.

The federal grand jury indictment  pursued by the U.S. attorneys office in Hammond  alleges Major paid Gates $10,000 to kill Blair to prevent her from testifying against Major at an upcoming Lake Criminal Court attempted murder trial in Crown Point.

Prosecutors allege Major and Gates worked out the deal at the Sin City Deciples' clubhouse near Eighth and Virginia in downtown Gary where both were members.

The murder charges the two men face make them eligible to be tried for capital murder, although it remain unclear whether federal prosecutors will really pursue the ultimate penalty.

The U.S. attorneys office, a branch of the U.S. Justice Department, has applied for permission to do so from Justice officials in Washington, D. C.

It is a time-consuming process involving advice from a committee of senior justice officials and the deputy U.S. attorney and needs final approval by the U.S. attorney general himself.

Judge Simon is giving prosecutors until April 25 this year to complete that process.

However, the last such death penalty assessment  involving a drug gang related murder  took nearly two years to complete.

And the Justice Department is in the midst of a year-long reassessment of its death penalty policies to remove any systematic racial bias or other arbitrary factors.

Major and Gates have been waiting years for their day in court.

The Lake County prosecutors office first charged the pair with Blairs homicide back in 2016, but the state case bogged down in delays because state prosecutors couldnt pin down credible evidence to prove who committed the crime.

Federal authorities arrested Major and Gates last August on the current murder charges. Majors federal court defense attorneys asked Judge Simon last month to release Major on bond.

They argued the new federal murder charge is no stronger than the one that languished for years in state court.

Judge Simon heard arguments from defense attorneys Adam Tavitas and Mark Psimos and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nozick on Monday before deciding he would keep Major in federal detention pending a jury trial, now set to begin Nov. 7, 2022.

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EAST CHICAGO  A man who was shot by police who were responding to a report of gunfire in an East Chicago neighborhood has filed a lawsuit against the officers involved, according to court filings.

Legal representatives of Justin Hammond, 34, of Chicago, filed the suit Thursday, alleging that Hammond did not have a gun when he was shot by East Chicago officers on Dec. 11.

Members of Kulis Law, a Chicago law firm, filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, accusing the officers of excessive force, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Hammond is seeking compensation and punitive action through a jury trial.

In the lawsuit, Hammond's attorneys allege that the officers shot Hammond unprovoked. Police reports allege that Hammond was holding a firearm and refused to comply with officers' orders to put it down.

East Chicago police were dispatched about 10:30 p.m. Dec. 11 to the 4800 block of Northcote Avenue after receiving reports of gunshots and alerts from the city's ShotSpotter technology, Deputy Police Chief Jose Rivera previously reported.

ShotSpotter indicated one round had been fired at 10:21 p.m. and 11 rounds were fired about a minute later, police said.

Officers arrived and heard more gunshots and ShotSpotter indicated four rounds had been fired near the officers' location, Rivera said.

Officers followed the sound of the gunfire to an alley, where they saw two men in a backyard.

One of the men, later identified as Hammond, had a semi-automatic handgun, Rivera said. The other man, later identified as 39-year-old Clifton Jordan, of Lansing, had a rifle, he said.

Officers ordered the men to drop their guns, but neither man complied, police said. When Hammond pointed his handgun at police, an East Chicago officer shot and wounded Hammond, Rivera said.

Hammond and Jordan subsequently barricaded themselves inside a rear apartment, according to police. After several more police officers arrived, they entered the apartment, Rivera said.

Medics were called when Hammond was found bleeding from his abdomen area and he was taken to St. Catherine Hospital in serious condition, police said.

Jordan was arrested and taken to the East Chicago Jail, Rivera said. Officers secured the crime scene and recovered a handgun, rifle and several spent shell casings, police reported.

The East Chicago officer who shot Hammond, who has not yet been named, was placed on paid administrative as the investigation is ongoing by the Lake County Sheriff's Department.

However, Hammond's attorneys allege that he was unarmed at his brother's residence when officer's approached the home with flashlights and guns drawn.

The lawsuit claims that Hammond was not engaging in any criminal activity when police fired their weapons at an excess of 20 times without warning, and that the officers did not provide medical assistance to him after he was wounded.

Since he was admitted into the hospital, Hammond has had to undergo multiple surgeries and will undergo more, according to court documents filed in the case.

Hammond has not been formally charged in the incident as of Thursday, according to online court records.

The Lake County prosecutor's office has not yet released information pertaining to the investigation or any potential charges resulting from the case.

Times Staff Writer Sarah Reese contributed to this story.

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HAMMOND After kicking off the spring semester online, the School City of Hammond will return to in-person learning the week of Jan. 10.

Rising COVID-19 cases left the district with a lack of available staff for the first week of school and classes were online. Over winter break a large number of staff called in sick after contracting COVID or being exposed to someone who had.

We just werent going to be in a position where we were going to be able to provide a safe environment for anybody," George said.

The district announced Friday morning that approximately two-thirds of the staff that were out sick "will safely be able to return to work."

Hammond's shift back to the classroom comes a day after the Gary Community School Corp. also announced a return to in-person learning starting Monday. The Merrillville Community School Corp., which started the semester in-person, told families Thursday that classes would move online next week, citing staffing shortages.

As of Dec. 27, Merrillville schools had 55 positive COVID-19 cases and just under 2% of school staff were in quarantine. From Dec. 11 to 17 Gary Community School Corp. had 17 cases. As of Jan. 3 the Hammond school district had 52 cases. Lake County is currently classified as "red," meaning uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus, according to the Indiana Department of Health.

The School City of Hammond urged families to keep children home if they feel ill or are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

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CROWN POINT  Celebrating Christmas on Friday is all about keeping alive the traditions Betty Mizimakoska brought over from her native Macedonia.

"We try to stick to our heritage and tradition," she said.

Mizimakoska went to SS. Peter and Paul Macedonian Orthodox Cathedral on Wednesday night to celebrate pre-Christmas events which included church services.

"My husband and I, after meeting in Macedonia, moved to the United States 20 years ago where we have raised our three daughters," Mizimakoska said.

Mizimakoska and parishioners at other area Orthodox Christian churches, including Serbian and Russian, will celebrate Christmas Friday in keeping with the Julian calendar.

"The Slavic people stayed with the old calendar. This month is our month of holidays," Mizimakoska said.

In keeping with the sharing of those traditions, Mizimakoska was joined in the church hall by her oldest daughter, Emilija Chavkoski; son-in-law, Antonija Chavkoski; and granddaughter, Nikola, 18 months.

Emilija, who came from Macedonia to the United States with her parents at age 1 and met her husband in Macedonia, said she plans to continue the traditions passed along to her by her parents.

"My parents kept those beliefs and traditions and I plan to continue and pass them along to my kids the way I was raised," Emilija Chavkoski said.

Events on Wednesday, leading up to a special Christmas liturgy held at the church starting at 10 a.m. Friday, included a vesper service, Christmas play, lighting the yule bonfire and a visit by Dedo Mraz or Grandpa Frosty, the Rev. Georgij Gligorov, parish priest said.

Tanya Talevski, of Winfield, directed the annual children's play, based on the birth of Jesus. Youngsters sang songs in the Macedonian language.

Talevski, the mother of three, said she helped write the script for the play, which is held every year prior to Christmas.

"Every year we try to be a little different," she said.

Talevski, who teaches Sunday School at SS Peter and Paul, said she, too, is trying to keep her Macedonian heritage alive and pass it along to her children as her parents did for her.

The pandemic and the flu have deeply affected parishioners and so more are being precautionary by wearing masks.

A small chapel, or miniature church located on the west side of the cathedral, has also proven a popular place for parishioners, Gligorov said.

"It's like a little chapel for individuals to use 24/7 and parishioners can go there to say an individual prayer if the chapel is too crowded," Gligorov said.

Gligorov said his Christmas Day message is to not lose faith and that there is hope in God.

"He created us as rational beings and we need to have faith in God but follow what the professionals tell us to do. We should take care of ourselves and our neighbors and that's how we express love for ourselves and our neighbors with the hope we are coming to the end of this pandemic and will look forward to a brighter future," Gligorov said.

Mizimakoska said although she has kept the Christmas traditions alive from Macedonia she still misses and cherishes celebrating the holiday in the old country.

The Christmas celebration in Macedonia is different because everyone in the country is celebrating and not just the minority like in the United States.

"On Christmas Eve children go from house to house to get presents and sing," she said.

"The American Christmas is more commercialized," her daughter added.

Special foods are part of the Christmas celebration with a Christmas Eve dinner including homemade breads, baked beans and no meat because parishioners are supposed to fast for 40 days prior to Christmas.

The Christmas Day dinner is more elaborate and includes a cooked pig, boiled cabbage, various Macedonian pastries and desserts.

"It's one of my favorite holiday," Talevski said. "We keep the Macedonian celebration alive by celebrating the birth of Jesus ... It's about family."

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VALPARAISO  Porter County is planning to use more than three times as many vote centers as the state requires.

The state minimum for the countys population is 13 vote centers, or polling places. But election officials plan to use 44 to be more convenient for the countys voters, Porter County Clerk Jessica Bailey said.

Center Township Trustee Jesse Harper had asked at Wednesday nights public hearing on the vote centers plan whether the legislation establishing vote centers had set a minimum.

That minimum is one per 10,000 voters, Bailey said.

Vote centers allow the countys voters to cast a ballot anywhere in the county, not just in one specific precinct.

The plan to set up vote centers does reduce the number of locations, however.

Most of the locations we reduced were repetitive, Bailey said, like polling places that were across the street from each other. Valparaiso High School and Christ Lutheran Church, directly across the high school, have both been used as polling places in previous elections.

The planned distribution of vote centers also places them in high-traffic locations to make them more accessible. Areas on the map with fewer vote centers have few public buildings available for election officials use, Bailey said.

Where my polling location is going away, theres one less than half a mile away from it, she said.

We could go with the minimums, but theres no reason to do that in Porter County, Bailey said.

Sundae Schoon, director of the countys Elections & Registration office, said theres a push in the General Assembly to do away with precinct-based voting. In the future, I dont know how much control wed have over it, she said.

Thats one of the reasons the county is planning to switch to vote centers with this election. Its a mid-term election, so there likely wont be the heavy turnout that a presidential election year would see.

The Election Board is also planning to expand early voting options, adding two additional locations and additional hours, which will ease pressure on vote centers in their first year of use, board member Jeff Chidester said.

As much as we can, were trying to increase voter turnout, Bailey said. Going to a specific polling location to vote isnt working.

In the last election cycle, average voter turnout was only 33%.

To approve the vote centers plan, the Election Board would have to vote unanimously this month to approve it, followed by majority-vote approval by the Board of Commissioners and County Council. Then the plan would have to go downstate for approval by the Indiana secretary of state offices election division.

A member of the public asked whether the switch to vote centers would save money.

If we save, fantastic; thats a bonus, Bailey said. But were not doing it for savings. Were doing it for access. The county isnt planning to reduce the number of poll workers, she added.

Porter County already uses voting equipment capable of use in vote centers, eliminating an obstacle some other counties face. Thats also a benefit to voters, who could see additional machines added to a vote center if theres a long line, something that couldnt happen with precinct-based voting. In the old system, machines have to be programmed for a specific precinct.

Already, 55 of the states 92 counties use vote centers, with more expected to go online in 2022. I can tell you that my clerks email thread is blowing up about it, Bailey said.

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Cut out everything extra.

Adding more tasks, even self-care, to your to-do list is not a panacea for burnout. In some cases, it may in fact be a recipe for a higher mental load  the invisible labor that goes along with managing a household  and even more guilt when you feel that you failed.

I often tell my patients that the true work of self-care is recognizing you are the only one who can give yourself permission to take back your time and energy. This may mean having hard conversations with your partner (if you have one), family members and employer about what tasks are realistic right now, and which items will have to wait (or go by the wayside).

Watch how you talk to yourself.

It is not uncommon for my patients to say things like, I should be doing more. Its one way that women have internalized a culture that demands they bear the brunt of caregiving while simultaneously devaluing that job.

When it comes to dealing with such widespread social betrayal, talking to yourself with kindness helps you remember that you are not to blame for this mess. For example, instead of berating yourself for ordering takeout meals three nights in a row, try saying something like, My home feels chaotic because the world is chaotic, not because Im a bad mom. Remind yourself that perfection and order are not the goals  compassion and flexibility are.

Invest the little time you have in what feeds you.

Lucia Ciciolla, a researcher and assistant professor of psychology at Oklahoma State University, has found that there are four important factors that align with well-being for moms: satisfaction with friendships, authenticity, feeling seen and loved, and feeling comforted. The quality of our relationships is correlated with emotional health and satisfaction in life, Dr. Ciciolla says. Nurturing authenticity in life partnerships, friendships and family ties can lessen the intensity of burnout.

Channel your rage proactively.

While it sometimes feels like just another burden to speak up or push for support at work, making your frustration known can help you feel better.

Dr. Kali Cyrus, a psychiatrist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, recommends taking the leap if you can. The fear of hurting someones feelings, bothering them, or getting in trouble pales in comparison to the piece of you that is lost when you dont do it, she said. So take one small action at a time. That could mean suggesting that a Zoom meeting be changed to a quick phone call, or inquiring about how performance reviews will account for the demands of parenting in the pandemic.
In April, Enbridges chief executive, Al Monaco, said Line 3 was on schedule to be completed by the end of the year. Native American tribes see the construction as a violation of their tribal sovereignty, an issue that President Biden explicitly pledged to prioritize during his campaign.

The pipeline would pass through treaty-protected tribal lands, they stress, including watersheds that support wild rice, a staple food and important cultural heritage of the Ojibwe People. And in the event of a spill, the heavy oil traveling through the pipeline could sink to the bottom of rivers and streams, complicating a cleanup, environmental groups warn.

In recent years, protesters in Minnesota and across the country have faced a growing number of local bills, backed by the oil and gas industry, that in many cases would make trespassing on or impeding the operation of pipelines and other infrastructure a felony. Minnesota has not yet passed such a bill, but since construction began at Line 3 in December, the Northern Lights Task Force  a police force funded by Enbridge, as mandated under the states approval of the pipeline project  have arrested more than 70 protesters since construction began on Dec. 1, according to a task force tally.

The Line 3 expansion also tests the Biden administrations commitment to climate policy.

In his first week as president, Mr. Biden signed an executive order vowing to address climate change, rejoined the Paris climate agreement among the nations of the world, and canceled another pipeline, the Keystone XL, which would also have brought tar-sands oil, one of the dirtiest forms of energy, from Canada. He also recently suspended oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

At the same time, the Biden administration has defended a huge Trump-era drilling project and has taken other actions that could guarantee the drilling and burning of oil and gas for decades. And the president has so far stayed silent on Line 3, which would carry enough oil that, when burned, would add nearly 200 million tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere each year during the pipelines lifetime, according to the projects Final Environmental Impact Statement. Thats the equivalent impact of annual emissions from 45 coal-fired power plants, or 38 million cars.

Particularly from a climate standpoint, the case for a brand-new, massive tar-sands pipeline is extremely thin and frankly nonexistent, said Moneen Nasmith, an attorney with the environmental legal organization, EarthJustice, which is challenging the pipeline.
Did anything change about how you played your characters in the new film?

DAFOE I must be honest, I am aware that there was some criticism of that [Green Goblin] mask in the original one. We heard it enough that it was probably a consideration, to change it up a little bit. I dont think about that because I dont think about emoting with my face. My face follows my heart. Its just an expression of what youre feeling.

MOLINA In my original film, the tentacles  I almost said my tentacles  they were mechanical. They were played by puppeteers who gave them personality. We were like a gang  I dubbed us the Octourage. But this time around, the technology is so much more advanced that the tentacles were computer-generated and I was on my own. That was a whole other way of looking at it.

FOXX There was a character I played in Baby Driver, his name was Bats. He got killed off, but this was an opportunity to let Bats a little bit in on Electro. He wasnt like, I want to [expletive] everybody up  I just want to get mine. Everybody flying through the air, looking good, got girlfriends. That now becomes the mantra of Electro.

Had you previously met the actors who play your fellow villains? What was it like encountering them on No Way Home?

DAFOE [Alfred and I] started at about the same time, so I was aware of his work and Id see him through the years, so it was fun to see him and hear his stories. Hes got a million of them. And it was really fun to work with Jamie, because Ive loved him ever since In Living Color. Hes a supremely sweet and energetic guy.

MOLINA Willem and I met each other briefly on the set of Sams movie. They brought me to watch Willem doing a scene as Doc Ock, just a little practical joke, which was delightful. For me, Green Goblin is the absolute zenith of supervillains, and he plays him with such relish. For my money, hes the top man.
Republicans won control of the House of Delegates in November, but Democrats retain a 21-to-19 majority in the State Senate. They would be able to block confirmation of Mr. Wheeler if every Senate Democrat were to vote against him.

It would be one of just a handful of times in recent history that a governors pick had been upended in a state where polite politics have long been the norm.

Democratic lawmakers on Thursday said Mr. Wheelers former employment as a coal lobbyist and the role he played at the E.P.A. reversing federal protections against air and water pollution were reasons to fight his appointment.

Our governors tend not to propose people for these positions that are all that polarizing, said Scott A. Surovell, a Democratic state senator from Northern Virginia. I cant think of a nominee in the last 20 years that has had the level of a controversial history as this guy does.

Mr. Surovell, who is vice chairman of the Senate Democratic caucus, said he was unsure if there were enough votes to defeat Mr. Wheelers nomination. But he said he had been fielding text messages all day from colleagues who expressed astonishment at Mr. Youngkins choice.
Follow the latest on the winter storm hitting the East Coast here.

A sweeping weather system was producing snow across parts of the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic early Friday, creating dangerous driving conditions and potentially snarling the morning commute for millions, some of whom were slammed by a significant snowstorm earlier this week.

Across the Northeast, snow was expected to fall at a rate of at least an inch per hour, and potentially more rapidly across eastern Long Island and southeastern Connecticut, the National Weather Service in New York said on Thursday night. New York City could see up to five inches of snow, and up to seven inches could fall on Long Island.

By early Friday, as snow began to blanket the area, air and roadway temperatures were near or below the freezing mark, the Weather Service said, adding that travel had become treacherous.

Winter weather advisories were in effect across the New York metropolitan region, and storm warnings indicating more severe conditions were in place for Suffolk County on Long Island, Middlesex County in New Jersey, and New London County in Connecticut.
When it comes to elections, the Republican Party operates within a carapace of lies. So we rely on the Democrats to preserve our system of government.

The problem is that Democrats live within their own insular echo chamber. Within that bubble convenient falsehoods spread, go unchallenged and make it harder to focus on the real crisis. So lets clear away some of these myths that are distorting Democratic behavior:

The whole electoral system is in crisis. Elections have three phases: registering and casting votes, counting votes and certifying results. When it comes to the first two phases, the American system has its flaws but is not in crisis. As Yuval Levin noted in The Times a few days ago, its become much easier in most places to register and vote than it was years ago. We just had a 2020 election with remarkably high turnout. The votes were counted with essentially zero fraud.

The emergency is in the third phase  Republican efforts to overturn votes that have been counted. But Democratic voting bills  the For the People Act and its update, the Freedom to Vote Act  were not overhauled to address the threats that have been blindingly obvious since Jan. 6 last year. They are sprawling measures covering everything from mail-in ballots to campaign finance. They basically include every idea thats been on activist agendas for years.

These bills are hard to explain and hard to pass. By catering to D.C. interest groups, Democrats have spent a year distracting themselves from the emergency right in front of us.
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The commission determined that Google had violated the Tariff Act of 1930, which aims to prevent unfair competition through actions such as the import of products that infringe on U.S. patents, trademarks or copyrights. The commission also issued a cease-and-desist order against Google.

We appreciate that the I.T.C. has definitively validated the five Sonos patents at issue in this case and ruled unequivocally that Google infringes all five, Eddie Lazarus, the chief legal officer at Sonos, said in a statement. That is an across-the-board win that is surpassingly rare in patent cases.

Jose Castaneda, a Google spokesman, said that the company disagreed with the ruling, but that it would work to ensure there was no disruption in the products used by customers or its ability to sell or import devices. Google said that the preliminary ruling in August approved alternative product designs that work around the patents, and that the commission did not challenge that decision on Thursday.

We will seek further review and continue to defend ourselves against Sonoss frivolous claims about our partnership and intellectual property, Mr. Castaneda said in a statement.

Sonos also has two patent infringement lawsuits pending against Google in federal court. The first, filed in January 2020 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, was stayed pending the International Trade Commission decision because the cases involve overlapping patents. The second, involving a different set of patents, is proceeding in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.
A police officer in northeast Ohio fired through a wooden fence, killing a man who had been firing a gun in his yard just minutes after the start of the New Year, body-camera footage released this week shows.

The footage shows an officer firing through the fence at about 12:07 a.m. on Jan. 1, killing the man, later identified as James R. Williams, 46, of Canton, Ohio, a city of about 70,000 residents, about 60 miles south of Cleveland.

On the video, Mr. Williams appears to be obscured by the fence, which separates him from the officer. The sound of Mr. Williams firing repeated gunshots can be heard, and smoke can be seen rising into the air behind the fence as the officer approaches it with his gun drawn.

The officer fires repeatedly into the fence without saying anything. After he finishes shooting, he says, Shots fired, shots fired, and yells: Police! Get down now! Police! Get down now!
Nicholas Kristof, a former New York Times columnist seeking to become the next governor of Oregon, does not qualify to run for the office this year because he failed to meet the states three-year residency requirement, state officials announced on Thursday.

Secretary of State Shemia Fagan said the decision came after the agency reviewed the voting and taxpaying history of Mr. Kristof, including his registration as an Oregon voter in December 2020 after having been previously registered in New York.

The rules are the rules and they apply equally to all candidates for office in Oregon, Ms. Fagan said in a statement. I stand by the determination of the experts in the Oregon Elections Division that Mr. Kristof does not currently meet the constitutional requirements to run or serve as Oregon governor.

Mr. Kristof said that he planned to challenge the decision in court and that he was confident he would prevail.
President Biden gave the following address on Thursday to commemorate the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Here is a transcript of his remarks, with additional context.

Madam Vice President, my fellow Americans: To state the obvious, one year ago today, in this sacred place, democracy was attacked  simply attacked. The will of the people was under assault. The Constitution  our Constitution  faced the gravest of threats.

Outnumbered and in the face of a brutal attack, the Capitol Police, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the National Guard and other brave law enforcement officials saved the rule of law.

Our democracy held. We the people endured. And we the people prevailed.

For the first time in our history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol.
The whole issue was not going to be determined by whether or not the actions were deemed criminal, said Jay Jacobs, the chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee who was once a close Cuomo ally. They went against what we would consider appropriate behavior for our highest elected official in the state. Thats why I think that ultimately he made the right choice in stepping down.

Over the past few months, Mr. Cuomo has reached out to friends and associates to sound them out about the political landscape, and some who have spoken with him came away with the impression that he is interested in finding a way back to relevance in public life.

He was especially focused on how the Albany County district attorney, David Soares, would proceed, according to people who have been in touch with his camp, and likely sees the decision to drop the case as significant.

A spokesman for Mr. Cuomo declined to comment.

A dearth of criminal charges alone, however, is hardly sufficient to pave a path to political redemption, according to interviews with New York political leaders and Democrats who were once seen as his allies. Multiple entities that investigated him said they found his accusers to be credible. But cases built on allegations like those against Mr. Cuomo are very difficult to prove in court.

They thought the evidence was credible, they thought what the women said really happened, what they said was it didnt rise to a level they thought they could prosecute beyond a reasonable doubt, said former Gov. David A. Paterson, a Democrat. I dont think it helps restore him.

Mr. Jacobs has endorsed Mr. Cuomos successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, who delivered her first State of the State this week, and is seeking her first full term as governor this year. And as New York politics moves forward, with a new mayor of New York City and a far healthier partnership so far between the city and Albany than under the shared tenure of Mr. Cuomo and former Mayor Bill de Blasio, there is a real eagerness among many officials to move on.

Im a true believer in due process; he was entitled to that process. I dont believe he was afforded that process, said State Senator Diane Savino, Democrat of Staten Island, who praised aspects of Mr. Cuomos record. But asked if she believed that he should no longer be in public life, she replied, Yes. For his sake, for his familys sake, for everybodys sake. Its like, the show is over.
Now, with the Omicron variant fueling an enormous new surge, they wrote, the United States must avoid becoming stuck in a perpetual state of emergency. The first step, they wrote, is recognizing that the coronavirus is one of several respiratory viruses circulating, and developing policies to address all of them together.

To be better prepared for inevitable outbreaks  including from new coronavirus variants  they suggested that the administration lay out goals and specific benchmarks, including what number of hospitalizations and deaths from respiratory viruses, including influenza and Covid-19, should prompt emergency mitigation and other measures.

In addition to urging the administration to adopt a longer view, the authors took pointed issue with some of Mr. Bidens current policies and stances  especially on political lightning rod issues. They called for more aggressive use of vaccine mandates, which have drawn fierce opposition from Republicans, and said the nation needed a digital verification system for vaccination  so-called vaccine passports  which Mr. Biden has resisted in the face of Republican attacks on the concept.

Relying on forgeable paper cards is unacceptable in the 21st century, wrote Dr. Borio, Dr. Emanuel and Dr. Rick Bright, the chief executive of the Rockefeller Foundations Pandemic Prevention Institute.

The most surprising thing about the articles is that they were written at all. Several of the authors said in interviews they were dismayed that the administration seemed caught off guard by the Delta and Omicron variants. Dr. Bright, who helped write two of the pieces, recalled the warning he issued when the advisory board had its last meeting on Jan. 20, 2021.

The last thing I said, he recalled, is that our vaccines are going to get weaker and eventually fail. We must now prepare for variants; we have to put a plan in place to continually update our vaccines, our diagnostics and our genomics so we can catch this early. Because the variants will come, and we should never be surprised and we should never underestimate this virus.

Mr. Biden published a pandemic strategy when he came into office, and Dr. Emanuel said the administration executed very well on it through June, until the Delta variant brought a new surge of cases. The president recently released a new winter strategy, just as the Omicron variant began spreading in the United States.
Some colleagues, Raskin said, suggested he was overthinking the prospect for Republican misdeeds, saying, Theres the constitutional law professor again, you know, lost in the nooks and crannies of the Constitution.

12th Amendment arcana

As Raskin delved deeper, he realized that Democrats were vulnerable to one potential Trump move in particular: the triggering of a contingent election in the House of Representatives.

Under the 12th Amendment, if no candidate musters a majority of the Electoral College to Congress on the appointed day, the House must immediately vote to choose the new president. But theres a catch. Instead of a simple majority of House lawmakers, a majority of House delegations picks the winner. All the representatives from each state vote on that states choice for president, and then each state casts one vote.

That put Democrats at a disadvantage, because before the 2020 election, Republicans controlled 26 states to Democrats 22 (two others were tied). But if Democrats could flip at least one Republican-held delegation, they would deny the G.O.P. a majority.

So Raskin sought to change the balance of power via the upcoming election. First, he identified nearly two dozen Democratic candidates who would be crucial to either defending or flipping House delegations. Then, he steered money toward them through a group he named Twelfth Amendment Defenders Fund.

Back then, educating donors about such a hypothetical scenario proved to be quite an endeavor. I had to engage in a mini-constitutional seminar with everybody we were asking for money, Raskin said.

He ultimately raised nearly half a million dollars. Each of his candidates ended up getting around $20,000 from the fund  welcome help, but hardly a flood of cash.
WASHINGTON  Standing on the House floor on Thursday, Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington, looked up to the gallery seats above and decided she was ready, for the first time in a year, to return to where she was when a mob tried to break into the chamber.

Accompanied by her colleagues, she found the seat in the balcony where she had been as the House met to count electoral votes to confirm President Bidens victory. Free of the escape hood she held as rioters stormed the building, she walked through the gallery row, reflecting on what happened during the attack and the events since.
I heard this commotion, like this noise and yelling, banging. I just walked back into the office, and things of course, immediately, quickly, take a turn.

Do you think, Im just going stay in here? Or for you has it not really sunk in yet whats going on outside?

Yes, Im in the office. The tension, I can feel it through the window, you can hear the chants, you can hear yelling.

I walked to the front door. I still feel secured by this door because it has a pretty prominent lock. I can hear them  maybe it was unwise for me, in hindsight, to stand by the door.

You can hear planning, you can hear them chanting stuff like, They stole the election. This is my America, this is my America, were going to save our country.

You could also hear folks who were closer to the door, planning about where they were going to go. You can hear them urinating outside the door.

At the moment Im standing there and I can hear what sounds like a gun, you hear the chamber sort of pull back. It sounded like that, thats when I backed away from the door.
A Brazilian man used the name of a 4-year-old child who died in a car accident in Washington State in 1979 to get a United States passport and a job as a United Airlines flight attendant, according to a criminal complaint.

The man, Ricardo Cesar Guedes, who was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, started using the childs identity in 1998 when he applied for an American passport, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The application he submitted used a Social Security number that was issued in the childs name in 1996, almost two decades after his death, the complaint said.

Mr. Guedes, who lives in Houston, was arrested in September after he was observed using the victims identity to enter a secure area of George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, the complaint says. He was charged with fraud in the application and use of passport, aggravated identity theft, impersonation of a United States citizen and fraudulent entry into a secure space of an airport.

Rosa Victoria Gilcrease-Garcia, a lawyer representing Mr. Guedes, declined to comment.

For more than two decades, Mr. Guedes used the identity of William Ericson Ladd, who was born in Atlanta on Sept. 14, 1974, according to the complaint. Special agents from the Diplomatic Security Service, the security arm of the State Department, interviewed Williams mother, Debra Lynn Hays, in July 2021, according to the complaint. She confirmed her sons birth date and that he died in a car crash on Aug. 8, 1979, on a state highway near Colville, Wash.
Gregos, who was born in Greece and was the founding director of the Deste Foundation, before later taking up the EMST job last summer, was referring to the cultural dominance of Greeces classical heritage, which attracts most of the sectors state funding.

Image We have been living under the shadow of the Acropolis for a long time said Katerina Gregos, EMSTs director. Credit... Panos Kokkinias

Its understandable, she said. When you have such an incredible cultural heritage to safeguard, its an enormous responsibility, and we are a small country with finite finances. She added, The modern Greek nation state was fashioned according to classical ideas, so this consciousness is part of our identity.

As a result, she said, there has been very little government support for contemporary visual art, with no funding body like the Arts Councils in England, Canada or Australia, or state-funded organization to support individual artists. Instead, the gap is filled by private institutions like the Deste, Neon, Onassis and Stavros Niarchos Foundations, which hand out grants, host artist residencies and put on exhibitions.

The big foundations have played a huge role in changing attitudes to contemporary art by creating an ecosystem, Yio said. And Athens has another distinctive element, which is small initiatives. So many people come here now to open art spaces because its so cheap. The 2017 arrival of the every-five-year Documenta exhibition  the first time the major art world event had been staged outside Germany  was a game changer, he added.

Yet these private sector initiatives, whatever their success, do not substitute the need for a public policy, Gregos said.
The exhibition displays works by collectives such as the BLK Art Group of the 1980s. How important is working collectively to you?

PATTERSON A sense of collectivity or communality has been really important even since I was doing my undergraduate degree. I think my own generation is, on a certain level, disenchanted with always trying to appeal to establishment or institutions. I feel like a lot of work being collectively or communally made in my own generation has been about speaking to each other, listening to each other and establishing our own senses of taste and value, rather than always being in conversation with this power system which doesnt actually care about us. For me, its a position of radical disinterest in that kind of system.

Its also about articulating presence. The work Ive been doing most recently is with other queer and trans performance practitioners in Barbados to make sure their experiences are written down, that their practices are documented, looked after and taken care of for the next generation of our community, which has been maligned, not listened to, not seen, not looked after by whatever power, whether its the European art establishment or whether its the Caribbean state.

Where do you see Caribbean-British art going?

OVE More important, also, how has it informed British culture? How has Caribbean art practice over the years informed who we are in Britain? How has it changed the sphere of British writing, British dialogue in the street, the fashion we wear, the music we listen to? What Im more interested in is how that becomes a source of influence, how each generation might take that influence and continue to spice up what theyre doing with the notion of that identity.

PATTERSON Across different parts of the Caribbean and not only the English-speaking Caribbean, one of the most pressing issues right now is the climate crisis. And its being addressed quite thoroughly by artists of my own generation  and previous generations  because were all experiencing this and the Caribbean is one of the front lines of the climate crisis.

WHITTLE We are literally at the frontline of climate change. My work has been looking at the relationship between climate catastrophe, climate change and climate colonialism. Its a really huge concern. However we want to consider the Caribbean, it is incredibly precarious. Solutions, even if theyre temporary, or strategies really need to focus on Indigenous communities, need to focus on these small island nations, to actually try and find ways to somehow slow things down. Otherwise, we really risk even greater devastation than what were already encountering right now.
CHASING HISTORY

A Kid in the Newsroom

By Carl Bernstein

Nearly 25 percent of the 9,000 U.S. newspapers that were published 15 years ago are gone, leaving behind a vast news desert and signs of a weakened democracy. So its bittersweet to read Carl Bernsteins Chasing History, a rollicking memoir about the golden age of newspapers. Bernstein ignores the bad karma engulfing the newspaper industry to recreate his rookie days at The Washington Evening Star, a robust afternoon paper that ceased publication in 1981. Bernsteins nostalgia for those times is so deep that after the first 30 pages I could hear ghostly voices shouting, Honey, get me rewrite.

If you count the books Bernstein co-authored with Bob Woodward about their legendary coverage of Watergate for The Washington Post (All the Presidents Men and The Final Days) and Loyalties, the book he published in 1989 about his parents struggles during McCarthyism, this is Bernsteins fourth time writing about his life and work. Even for one of the countrys most famous reporters, thats a lot of Bernstein.

But hes as well placed as anyone to tell the story of what gets lost when the presses stop. Counting his current work as a CNN political analyst, Bernstein, 77, has been a journalist for more than half a century. His career spans the professions best of times and the worst, though the story he tells in Chasing History evokes only the happy days.

The Carl Bernstein who stars here isnt the trench-coated investigative reporter from All the Presidents Men. Hes a teenage version of Hildy Johnson, the wisecracking ace reporter in the 1928 stage classic The Front Page. After buying a cheap, cream-colored suit from the cousin of a street vendor, young Carl managed to fast-talk his way into getting hired as a copyboy at The Evening Star, then the chief rival of The Washington Post. He was only 16 and still in high school.
TO PARADISE

By Hanya Yanagihara



Can an Asian American woman write a great American novel? Ought a great American novel range from New York to Hawaii, skipping the Midwest? Can it cross from realism to dystopia? And  most important of all, perhaps  can it center on gay men?

It is to Hanya Yanagiharas considerable credit that her new novel raises these questions. At more than 700 pages, with a span of 200 years, To Paradise begins in New York in 1893. We are given a patriarch, wealth, children; there is an arranged marriage, an inheritance, a true love, a class divide and a significant twist. Deftly paced and judiciously detailed, the tale makes hay with the conventions of the 19th-century novel. But thats not all. With breathtaking audacity Yanagihara rewrites America, the Civil War having produced, in this account, not a united country but a conglomeration of territories, including one called the Free States. In this nation-within-the-nation, gay marriage is allowed  although, lending nuance to the picture, arranged marriages are, too.

Yanagihara, who is the editor of T: The New York Times Style Magazine, goes on to rewrite history in other centuries as well, even as she moves the action from New York to Hawaii and back again, negotiates three major and nine minor time shifts and, most strikingly, ushers her characters offstage only to bring them back, in other eras and other guises, multiple times. To give just one of myriad examples, David Bingham, the heir of a mansion in Part I, returns a century later as a paralegal, passionately in love with one Charles Griffith. (Weve met Charles before too, as the older, stolid suitor who was spurned by the David Bingham of Part I. Now hes an even older yet dashing and worldly partner in Davids firm; David, moreover, formerly fair-complexioned, is now mixed-race.)

There are dozens of other such reincarnations, and they simultaneously bedazzle and befuddle. If in a Russian novel one struggles to keep track of who is related to whom, here we struggle to keep track of who has turned into whom, especially as Yanagihara masterfully repurposes themes, situations and motifs as well. It isnt only arranged marriages and class differences that recur. Pandemics, mansions, triangles, illnesses, abandonments, deaths, letters and inheritances also kaleidoscopically reappear, as do grandfathers, lovers, invalids, caretakers, utopians and more.
Your pandemic stories

We asked readers who are immunocompromised, along with their family members, to share their pandemic experience and their outlook for the year ahead. Their responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

I feel like Im required to be my own epidemiologist. Theres not enough known about Covid and people on B-cell inhibitors. Im trying to give myself the grace to be imperfect in figuring this out, and to give other people space to do their own risk calculations. But its not always easy. You dont want to always be arguing for your right to not be killed by other peoples decisions. I assume Ill wear a mask for the rest of my life. It actually feels empowering to admit to being immunocompromised  although it also feels like its taken two years for people to be able to have some understanding of what that means.  Adria Quinones, New York, N.Y.

I have been on immunosuppressants for nine years as a result of a bone-marrow transplant. I feel left behind by friends who are moving on with their lives, free to socialize in their vaccinated bubbles, and who fear being near me since they do not want to risk infecting me. I fear I will lose my identity and individuality and continue to shrink into anonymity. Risk-free options do not exist for me, and I do not see them coming anytime soon.  Shari Kurita, Oakland, Calif.

I have serious lung disease and until vaccination was locked away in my house like Rapunzel. The pandemic cost me my relationship, social life and livelihood. Since being vaxxed, Ive been able to get out and about, see friends and family, even attend a few concerts. I flew to New York over Thanksgiving without ill effects. Ive figured out ways to teach private music lessons safely. Now, with Omicron spreading so fast, Im back in lockdown. Ill be wearing a mask in public spaces for the rest of my life. I doubt Ill have the same parade of private students through my living room again.  T.P., Los Angeles

How do you describe the feeling of suddenly being trapped? It feels worse when I realize theres nothing holding you back except the selfishness of others. I could go to the movie theater when cases are low, but if just one jerk comes in and refuses to wear their mask, I could potentially end up in the hospital. I could go on dates and be careful, but if my date is careless, I could bring it home to my also-immunocompromised mom. It was a relief for me when things got worse and Governor Newsom reimposed the mask mandate because at least Im safer when Im out at a store.  Daniella Gruber, Orange County, Calif.

Having cancer in a pandemic has, at least for now, turned me into a wary misanthrope. Neighbors I used to greet cheerily on the elevator, or acquaintances I see on rare trips to the grocery, are sometimes unmasked even indoors when signs are posted. They really dont care if I die is a recurrent thought, and I fear Ill never return fully to my openhearted self.  Ann Bancroft, Coronado, Calif.
Airlines are at odds with the European Union over rules that require them to use their takeoff and landing slots at airports even when they dont have enough passengers to justify flights. Airlines are being forced to fly thousands of nearly empty planes  sometimes called ghost flights  as travel plummets because of Omicron infections.

In recent weeks, several European carriers, including Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines, have said they need to cancel thousands of fights because they are not booked enough to be profitable. But they are being squeezed by E.U. rules that require them to use their valuable airport slots or risk losing them, potentially to rival carriers.

The rules, which normally require airlines to use at least 80 percent of their allocated slots at airports, were waived in early 2020 as the coronavirus hit the continent. But since then, the bloc has begun reinstating them, and last month the European Commission set the threshold to 50 percent for the winter travel season.

Now the threshold for maintaining slots is raised again, and this means that if we cancel these 3,000 flights, we would lose our slots at multiple airports, Maaike Andries, a spokeswoman for Brussels Airlines, said Thursday. This is something that any airline must avoid of course.
Citigroup will dismiss unvaccinated employees by the end of the month as it presses on with a vaccine requirement the company announced in October.

The bank has given staff based in the United States a deadline of Jan. 14 to submit proof of their inoculations against the coronavirus or request religious, medical or legal exemptions, according to a person familiar with the policies, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Workers who do not comply with the mandate  which requires a full dose of vaccinations, not booster shots as well  will be placed on unpaid leave on Jan. 15 and fired Jan. 31, the person said. The person added that some staff might not receive year-end bonuses unless they signed documents agreeing not to sue the company.

More than 90 percent of Citigroups 65,000 U.S. employees have complied with the requirement, the person said.

Bloomberg News reported the news earlier.

Vaccine rules are a delicate issue for Wall Street firms and other large employers. JPMorgan Chase, the largest U.S. bank, has not imposed a requirement, but said at the end of last year that government mandates could make it difficult or impossible for the company to continue to employ unvaccinated staff. Bank of America does not require inoculation as a condition of employment, either, but it has strongly encouraged staff to get vaccinations and boosters, and has asked workers to inform the company of their status.Members of the Supreme Courts conservative majority, in arguments on Friday, seemed skeptical that the Biden administration has the legal power to mandate large employers to require coronavirus vaccinations or frequent testing. Across the nations biggest banks, policies around in-person work, vaccination and testing vary widely. Citigroups stance, which is among the strictest, is being resisted by some employees.
Vaccine mandates get their day in court

Today, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over efforts to overturn two major Biden Administration policies designed to raise coronavirus vaccination rates: its vaccine-or-testing mandate aimed at large employers and a vaccination requirement for some health care workers.

The hearing comes as the country is facing a surge in Covid cases and the White House wrestles with how to manage this phase of the pandemic. It could be the most important day for public health in a century, according to Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown.

Whats the argument? It boils down to whether the federal government has the authority to impose these mandates, a question the Supreme Court has not yet considered in other challenges:

The Labor Departments Occupational Safety and Health Administration says it has the power via a 1970 law that allows it to issue emergency rules for workplace safety.

Opponents, which include some states, trade groups and companies, say that the mandates should be left to legislation, not executive action.

Who is likely to win? Its a tough call, according to labor lawyers. The courts six-justice conservative majority may be skeptical of broad assertions of executive power, writes The Timess Adam Liptak. The last time the Supreme Court considered a Biden administration policy addressing the pandemic  a moratorium on evictions  the justices shut it down.

A decision in favor of the mandate would mean that, by Jan. 10, large companies must have policies in place that require employees to be vaccinated or tested weekly. They must be following those policies by Feb. 9.

If the court rules against the government, then that would effectively be the end of the federal mandate, though the administration could pursue the regular rule-making process. This also wouldnt preclude states from introducing their own vaccine requirements.

When will a decision be made? Todays special hearing was called late last month, and the court said it would move quickly (as it did in a recent case over abortion rights in Texas). A ruling could come fast.

What have companies been doing in the meantime? Many have been gearing up for a mandate, if they havent already introduced such rules. Starbucks recently said that U.S. workers would have to be fully vaccinated by Feb. 9 or submit to weekly testing, in compliance with the mandate. JPMorgan Chase warned employees that government-issued vaccine mandates may likely make it difficult or impossible for us to continue to employ unvaccinated employees, and encouraged workers to get vaccinated. Macys requested the vaccination status of its employees, often a prelude to a mandate.
Welcome to Clued In, a column that will give you insight into some of The New York Times Crossword clues and answers.

Italian cheese city, five letters: Parma.

The word Parma has been used in 65 New York Times crossword puzzles. It has been clued in several different ways, including Toscaninis birthplace and Cheese city.

Parmigiano Reggiano, a beloved cheese Americans refer to as Parmesan cheese or parm, has a solid fan base composed of cheese lovers around the globe. The name of the pungent powerhouse is a nod to where the cheese is authentically and traditionally made, in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and Bologna, according to the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium. Parma is home to fewer than 200,000 residents and the University of Parma. The culinary city is also known as the birthplace of prosciutto di Parma, and it recently became the first Italian city to be named a UNESCO Creative City for Gastronomy.

Italian Parmigiano Reggiano, which is part of a larger style of cheese called grana, is made from a mix of skim milk and whole milk. Cheese makers add rennet and whey to the mixture and heat it up in a copper vat, an important tool in the process, said Lizzie Roller, the director of merchandising for Murrays Cheese. Once that process is complete, the cheese is taken out and immersed in a saline solution for almost a month. In the last step of the process, the cheese wheel is stored in a warehouse and aged for at least one year. The longer a wheel matures, the richer its taste and higher its price.
Struggling to make it as an actress, Laura (Lorelei Linklater, the daughter of the director Richard Linklater) returns to her small Texas hometown where her sister Winnie (Maddy-Lea Hendrix) disappeared 10 years ago on Halloween. There, she meets up with the identical twin brothers Charlie, the sweet one who prefers nerdy cardigans, and Vincent, the creepy one in black. (Kudos to the writer-director Riley Cusick for a bizarro performance as the twins.)

Now making a living as the proprietors of a haunted attraction, the brothers know what happened to Winnie that night, but theyve kept the tragic event to themselves. That is until Vincent, a hothead obsessed with an owl mask, decides the secret has stayed buried long enough.

What kept me glued to this strange film were the shocking moments in which death came quickly and unexpectedly, as when a guy gets knifed at his surprise birthday party. Those and other out-of-nowhere gut-punch moments are what give the film jolts of terror, which it needs to balance the sleepier scenes. Carson Bailies cinematography is an eerie companion to the weirdness.

Two

Stream it on Netflix.

Have you ever woken up naked in bed with a stranger and wondered, Who are you? In this lurid thriller from Spain, thats what happens to David (Pablo Derqui) and Sara (Marina Gatell), except they dont just wake up next to one another  they wake up sewn together at the abdomen. And they have no idea where they are or how they literally got together.

Its good that this film clocks in at 70 minutes, since theres no getting around that this grisly meet-cute marriage of Brian De Palma pastiche and The Human Centipede is a one-trick pony. (It would be one heck of a stage play.) But Mar Targarona, the director, keeps tensions high and takes her time pacing the many reveals, making for a dynamic and engaging if ultimately melodramatic exploration of a relationship that really hurts.
Unless the Republicans and Democrats put the nation above their party and personal interests, our democracy will face the gravest danger in more than a hundred years. Authoritarianism will creep in, leading to the collapse of American political institutions and the demise of our democracy as we know it. January 6 Insurrection Righting the Wrong

On January 6, Trump is planning to hold a press conference during which he is expected to repeat lies for the hundredth time that the election in 2020 was stolen, that the insurrection a year ago was actually peaceful, and that he  not Biden  is the duly-elected president. He will deny any wrongdoing and blame the Democrats for persistently undermining his presidency as well as for all the ills that face America today. His goal behind the press conference is anything but good for the country.



Trump is uniquely dangerous; he wants to solidify his absolute control over the Republican Party, rouse his followers, instill hatred of the Democrats, and of course raise enough money for his re-election campaign should he decide to run again. Moreover, the press conference will be his first foray into the mid-term elections designed to rally the rank-and-file of the Republican Party to recapture the House and the Senate as the forerunner to the 2024 election.



The tragic aspect of the Trump phenomenon is that the elected leaders of the Republican Party continue to follow him religiously, regardless of the fact that he is corrupt, was defeated in re-election as an incumbent, was impeached twice, and faces several criminal charges. Indeed, no former president in American history has been able to maintain his grip on his party the way Trump has. And no Republican Party has abdicated its moral and constitutional responsibilities and willingly succumbed to a deranged egomaniac, misogynist, and habitual liar. How could this happen, and why? The answer is Trumps and the Republicans voracious lust for power.



The Republican Party has become a minority party and there is no circumstance under which the party can win nationally in a free and fair election. Demographically, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, and other minorities currently represent more than 40 percent of the American population, and it is estimated that by 2045 they will become the majority, who largely vote for Democrats. Collectively, they can deny the Republican Party from ever capturing the White House again.



The Republican Party faces two choices: one is to adapt to the changing demographic reality and develop socio-economic programs that respond to the needs of people of color (POC) without sacrificing much of their conservative ideology. This includes lowering taxes, particularly for those who earn less than $200,000 a year, immigration reform, which the Republican Party has long-acknowledged needs addressing and will help in outreach especially to Hispanic voters, and supporting minority small business owners with tax breaks and other financial incentives, which wont incur further government spending.



The second choice is to prevent or make it extremely difficult for POC to exercise their right to vote through a variety of deplorable measures. One state after another is passing discriminatory rules, including gerrymandering districts on racial lines, restricting early voting, which disproportionately affects Black Americans who are more likely than any other ethnic or racial group to cast early ballots (whether in-person or by mail and absentee ballots), enacting voter ID laws even though voter impersonation fraud is exceedingly rare and those who dont have valid ID are disproportionately POC, and empower state legislators to invert their own elections and manipulate the electoral college to their advantage.



Sadly, if not tragically, the Republican Party went for the latter option. Many Republicans simply believe that POC are illegitimate citizens and should not be able to vote and have the power, as they fear accurately or otherwise, to enact laws against whites, the way whites have enacted discriminatory laws against POC. America, from their perspective, was founded by white people, and the thought that the US is becoming browner every passing day scares them to the core. They needed a leader who is a bigot, shameless, and crude, with no scruples and no morals, but audaciousa performer with the ability to sway large audiences with his lies and sneering face. The Republicans need him to promote their agenda without fear of public repercussions, and he needs the party to satisfy his ego in order to exercise raw power, and also grant him its full support should he decide to run again.



We are still reeling from the violent storming of the Capitol on January 6 to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Trump, who incited his followers to attack the Capitol, was ready to shatter our democracy only to bask in his authoritarian impulse. What does that say about the Republican Party, which largely ignored or downplayed the insurrection in its determination to seize power and chose chaos and violence over voting, even at the expense of tearing our democratic institutions apart? How ironic and deeply troubling that 52 percent of Republicans say that the insurrectionists were trying to protect democracy.

The most ominous note that must be repeated loud and clear is that the party under the leadership of Trump will incite violence should they fail to win the 2022 election, as anyone who carefully listens to the many utterances spewed by reckless Republicans leaders can discern with clarity. In that context, although Trump during his press conference will not openly encourage his followers to resort to violence to undo the result of the election, the message to them will be loud and clear.



It is hard to exaggerate the transformation of the Republican Party since the rise of Trump in 2016, from a patriotic party that stood for democracy to a white supremacist party willing to destroy it only to stay in power. Many thousands of Republican leaders should follow the footsteps of Representative Liz Cheney, who stood up against Trump and in favor of the truth, and still rescue our democracy by accepting reality and being truthful with their followers.



The election of Biden gave the country hope of preserving our democracy and attending to the political and social malaise that swept the nation, especially during Trumps tenure in the White House. But to address these ills, the Democrats must spare no effort to hold onto the House and Senate in the 2022 mid-term election, as these will be the most consequential in more than a century. Indeed, should the Republicans manage to recapture both chambers of Congress, our democracy will slide toward the precipice of disintegration while authoritarianism creeps in, and Bidens agenda will be shattered.



The Democrats have their work cut out for them. They must rise in unison, which is bitterly still missing, stop short of nothing to strengthen voting rights, prevent the appointment of partisans to subvert the election, fight political corruption at every level, make political power decreasingly dependent on money, get out the vote, and eliminate the filibuster to pass the voting rights bill. Furthermore, they must hold accountable the traitors behind the insurrection on January 6, including Trump.



Democrats and the millions of law-abiding Republicans should sound the alarm before its too late, and never waver to preserve and protect Americas 244-year-old democracy that served as a beacon of hope and freedom to the global community.
Theres a moment near the end of J.R. Moehringers 2005 memoir, The Tender Bar, when the author realizes hes circling the drain. The owner of his favorite bar, Steve, has died an alcoholics death, overserving himself, falling, hitting his head and lapsing into a coma. Seeking solace, the young Moehringer, fresh out of Yale, turns to his most seductive companion: booze.

I no longer made any pretense of drinking to bond with the men, or to blunt the cares of the day, or to participate in male rituals, Moehringer writes. I drank to get drunk. I drank because I couldnt think what else to do. I drank the way Steve drank at the end, to achieve oblivion.

The Tender Bar, which has been adapted as an Amazon Prime movie, directed by George Clooney, isnt strictly about alcoholism. Its about community and family and the void left by an absent (alcoholic) father. But Moehringers words would make for a standard drunkalogue at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, of which Ive attended many. Oblivion is a popular word there, and a popular destination among alcoholics. This is one of the smartest things about Moehringers memoir: It deftly captures that moment when the party comes to an end, when its just not fun anymore and its time to sink or swim. (Moehringer quit drinking when he was 25.)

But that moment never comes in the movie, mostly because J.R., played by Tye Sheridan, drinks without consequences, as does everyone else at the Long Island watering hole where his bartender uncle, Charlie (Ben Affleck), dispenses words of wisdom with his dry martinis. The closest the movie comes to acknowledging alcoholism is when J.R.s neer-do-well father (Max Martini) enters the picture. A classic deadbeat dad, he disappears for years at a time, shows up to announce his sobriety, but explains that he can actually have the occasional cocktail because hes not really an alcoholic. Then he beats up his girlfriend. Hes the movies designated alcoholic and also its villain.
Many states, including New Jersey, gave hospitals and nursing homes broad immunity from lawsuits as they faced the extraordinary demands of caring for patients at risk from a new virus, along with a shortage of basic safety equipment and fast-changing government directives.

Lawyers involved in the New Jersey agreement said they were not aware of any other multicase settlement involving deaths at a long-term care center in the United States.

It is, so far as I know, the first settlement in the U.S. related to mass Covid death at any kind of medical facility, said Francisco J. Rodriguez, a lawyer who represented 31 of the families.

But similar lawsuits are pending across the country against private and public nursing homes. Dozens of suits are linked to deaths at state-run veterans homes in Illinois and in Massachusetts, where 76 residents of the Holyoke Soldiers Home perished during the chaotic first months of the pandemic.

After details of the New Jersey settlement were released publicly, lawyers suing in federal court on behalf of 40 former residents of the veterans home in Massachusetts contacted a lawyer involved with the New Jersey complaints, suggesting that the deal  and the size of the award  had the potential to be used as a framework in future cases.

Officials with the administration of Gov. Philip D. Murphy noted that the settlement, reached two days before Christmas, will allow families to move forward without years of protracted and uncertain litigation.

In legal filings, the families had claimed that staff members were barred from wearing masks before April 2020 to avoid scaring residents. Sick and healthy residents were allowed to congregate. And staff members moved from room to room in the nursing homes without taking proper precautions to avoid transmitting the virus.
While the latest virus wave appears to be less deadly than earlier ones, with many fewer patients on ventilators, even large hospitals with empty intensive care beds are straining to handle the surge in caseloads because so many workers are out, health care officials said.

I think everyone across the region is struggling, said John DAngelo, who oversees the emergency departments at Northwell Health, the states largest health system. Because of its own staff shortages, Northwell has had to limit the number of patients it can take from Interfaith and other beleaguered hospitals.

Almost 4,000 Northwell employees, or 5 percent, were out as a result of Covid-19 on Thursday, Dr. DAngelo said. That was about double the number at the height of the first virus wave. The system can transfer employees between hospitals as needed, but its emergency rooms have been operating at up to twice their normal volume and waiting times are up. Dr. DAngelo likened the daily effort to keep positions filled to a game of whac-a-mole.

For smaller community hospitals with fewer resources, the situation is more critical. At Interfaith and Brookdale and their affiliated nursing homes, 471 out of 7,000 staff members were out with Covid-19 this week, forcing some nurses to handle double the usual number of patients, Ms. Brown said.
The safest place for children is in a school building, Mr. Adams said during a television interview on Thursday. Theres no getting around that. Thats the science, thats the fact. That is not spreading fear.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, the mayor said he wanted to provide parents with clarity that schools would be open and stay open, after a string of delays and changes to the school reopening plan.

He and others have pointed to all the ways in which conditions are different than they were earlier in the pandemic.

New Yorks educators were given access to vaccines nearly a full year ago, before some immunocompromised people and other vulnerable groups. All adults working in city buildings are required to be vaccinated. Nearly all city schoolchildren are eligible for vaccines, although over half have not received a shot.

Testing, though still limited, is more widely available than during previous surges. And though Omicron is more contagious than previous variants and more likely to spur breakthrough infections, some evidence suggests that it causes milder illness than previous variants, especially in vaccinated people.

There is also much less political friction with the citys teachers union than there was earlier in the pandemic; Mr. Adams and Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, have said they are working together closely to keep schools open.

Solange Farina sent her daughter, a high school freshman, back to school in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan this week. Ms. Farina, who lives in Astoria, Queens, said she didnt feel nearly as frightened as she did when schools first shut down in the spring of 2020. But I definitely dont feel hopeful like I did last June, before Delta, she said.
You cant see them, but theyre there  11.2 million oysters that were recently placed in reef-like underwater habitats in New York Harbor. I was intrigued, not just because in 2018 I had an encounter with the biggest oyster found in the harbor in perhaps 100 years. So I asked my colleague Karen Zraick, who wrote about the newbies, to chat about all things oysterish.

Eleven million oysters, and no ones going to eat a single one. Why not? When will we New Yorkers be able to consume New York oysters, as people did when New York was the big oyster (to borrow a book title)?

Unfortunately, the waters are still too polluted to eat oysters harvested here. The reasons are twofold. Theres a lasting impact from industrial dumping, including PCBs that went into the water until the 1970s. And the city still sends untreated sewage into the waterways during heavy rains, when the sewer system is overwhelmed.

So its unclear when oysters from the harbor might be safe to eat, but it will probably not be within the next 100 years. Thats what Carrie Roble told me. Shes the vice president for estuary and education at the Hudson River Park Trusts River Project, a marine biology monitoring station on Pier 40, near West Houston Street.

When you got this assignment, it took you back to when you were a teenager. How so?

I first visited the River Project when I was a high school student at City-As-School, a public school where you do internships for credit. I was amazed at what I saw: a whole ecosystem that was beginning to recover from centuries of abuse. Im not sure if there were any oysters there at the time  this was over 20 years ago  but I helped care for sea horses, eels and other fish at the River Projects wet lab. Thats an aquarium that pumps actual river water into tanks so that visitors can see the creatures for themselves, in the right environment.

You write that the 11 million oysters are a rare hopeful sign amid the ominous news about the citys waterways in a time of rapid climate change. How will they help if temperatures rise?
To the Editor:

Re Biden Condemns Trump as U.S. Remembers Capitol Riot (front page, Jan. 7):

Finally! At long, long last President Biden leads the necessary fight. With a brilliant, forceful and stirring speech, the president explained in stark terms just how horrific the insurrection was, what a venal liar the former president is, how complicit the vast majority of Republicans are.

We can only hope this speech stiffens the spines of every Democratic elected official to take up the same battle cry, for make no mistake, this is, indeed, a battle. And lets hope, against all recent evidence to the contrary, that at least some Republicans will snap out of their Trump stupor, will place country over their personal ambitions and will try to bring their party back to some semblance of sanity and truth.

And, lets now hope the Justice Department will pursue, with increased vigor, the investigation and prosecution of all those complicit in these traitorous acts, regardless of the position those persons may hold.

MacKenzie Allen

Santa Fe, N.M.

To the Editor:

Re Garland Vows to Pursue Investigation at Any Level (news article, Jan. 6):

Attorney General Merrick Garlands speech on the Justice Departments response to the Jan. 6 attack was somewhat reassuring, but less than satisfying. It looks as if the departments approach is to go after the puppets now, and get to the puppeteers later, disregarding the fact that the election clock is ticking.
The Supreme Court has become much more open to granting these requests for emergency relief. In the most recent full term, the justices granted 20 such requests, the most of any term on record. The vaccination cases will be the fourth and fifth of the current term in which the justices heard argument at such a preliminary stage of litigation, having moved onto their merits docket three other cases in similar postures.

Meanwhile, the justices are issuing fewer decisions in cases that go through the full process than at any time since the Civil War  only 53 during the Covid-shortened October 2019 term and only 56 during the (full) October 2020 term. The justices like to say that theirs is a court of review, not first view, but thats increasingly untrue in the cases with the most practical impact.

Some people say that the courts are simply reacting to emergencies in the real world. But the trend lines suggest otherwise. The qualitative and quantitative expansions of the Supreme Courts emergency docket began in the early 2010s, well before Covid. Likewise, the uptick in court orders blocking federal policies dates to the middle part of that decade. And the growing polarization of the federal judiciary all but ensures that dissatisfied litigants in some states (including the states themselves) will seek, rightly or wrongly, to persuade a nearby district judge to thwart the domestic agenda of a president of the other party.

This pattern also happened during Roosevelts first term, leading him to complain that the government was sometimes brought to a complete stop by court orders issued almost automatically, such that no important statute could take effect against any individual or organization with the means to employ lawyers and to force laws to go through the whole hierarchy of the courts. In 1937, after failing to persuade Congress to add more seats to the federal courts (not just the Supreme Court), he successfully convinced Congress to pass a bill that limited the powers of individual district judges and sped up appeals to the Supreme Court.

That legislation required that any suit seeking an injunction against a federal statute or policy be heard by a special three-judge district court panel including at least one judge from the Court of Appeals. Any decision by that panel could be automatically and immediately appealed to the Supreme Court to allow the merits of the dispute to reach the justices quickly (by combining the function of the two levels of lower federal courts) but on a full record.

The goal was to reduce the volume of outlier lower-court rulings and to hasten review of cases that went through these three-judge panels. Returning to this practice would reduce the cherry-picking of outlier judges because its harder to find three (or two) such judges than one. And with three-judge panels, we could also expect more consistent decision making and a more efficient path to full merits review by the Supreme Court.

Congress repealed these statutes in 1976, both because federal dockets had exploded during (and as a result of) the civil rights era and because of a widespread perception that individual judges could be trusted to handle the same cases.
Congress has fallen down, too. House and Senate Republicans bear the greatest share of the blame. Some were just fine with Mr. Trumps authoritarian tendencies. Others abhorred his actions, but have done nothing of substance to counteract these risks. The Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, gave an impassioned speech against Mr. Trumps actions after Jan. 6, but he did not vote for conviction, perhaps fearing the wrath of the Republican base.

More surprisingly, Democratic House and Senate leaders have not acted as if the very survival of American democracy is at issue, even though leading global experts on democratic backsliding and transitions into authoritarianism have been sounding the alarm.

President Biden put it well in his Jan. 6 anniversary speech about Mr. Trump and his allies holding a dagger at the throat of America, at American democracy. But we need action, not just strong words.

Here are the three principles that should guide action supporting democratic institutions and the rule of law going forward.

To begin with, Democrats should not try to go it alone in preserving free and fair elections. Some Democrats, like Marc Elias, one of the leading Democratic election lawyers, are willing to write off the possibility of finding Republican partners because most Republicans have failed to stand up to Mr. Trump, and even those few Republicans who have do not support Democrats broader voting rights agenda, such as passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

Flying solo is a big mistake. Democrats cannot stop the subversion of 2024 election results alone, particularly if Democrats do not control many statehouses and either house of Congress when Electoral College votes are counted on Jan. 6, 2025. Why believe that any legislation passed only by Democrats in 2022 would stop subversive Republican action in 2024? A coalition with the minority of Republicans willing to stand up for the rule of law is the best way to try to erect barriers to a stolen election in 2024, even if those Republicans do not stand with Democrats on voting rights or other issues. Remember it took Republican election officials, elected officials, and judges to stand up against an attempted coup in 2020.

Other Republicans may find it in their self-interest to work with Democrats on anti-subversion legislation. Senator Minority Whip John Thune recently signaled that his party may support a revision of the Electoral Count Act, the old, arcane rules Congress uses to certify state Electoral College votes. While Mr. Trump unsuccessfully tried to get his Republican vice president, Mike Pence, to throw the election to him or at least into chaos, Republicans know it will be Democratic vice president Kamala Harris, not Mr. Pence, who will be presiding over the Congresss certification of Electoral College votes in 2025. Perhaps there is room for bipartisan agreement to ensure both that vice presidents dont go rogue and that state legislatures cannot simply submit alternative slates of electors if they are unsatisfied with the election results.
Australias Central Tablelands, hundreds of miles northwest of Sydney, are dominated today by grasses and spindly trees. But scientists recently discovered that some of the areas rusted rocks conceal traces of the lush rainforests that covered the area 15 million years ago during the Miocene Epoch.

The area, McGraths Flat, is not Australias only Miocene deposit, but these new fossils are a paleontological boon because of their exquisite preservation. Over the past three years paleontologists have excavated flowers, insects and even a birds wispy feather.

The scientists discoveries, published Friday in the journal Science Advances, help reconstruct Australias Miocene rainforest in extensive detail, and the site opens a whole new area of exploration for Australian paleontology, said Scott Hocknull, a paleontologist at Queensland Museum who was not involved in the research.

Fifteen million years ago, a river carved through the jungle, leaving an oxbow lake (known as a billabong in Australia) in its wake at McGraths Flat. Nearly devoid of oxygen, this stagnant pool kept scavengers at bay, allowing plant material and animal carcasses to accumulate. As iron-rich runoff from nearby basalt mountains seeped into the billabong, the pools low pH caused the iron to precipitate and encase the organic material. As a result, the fossils at McGraths Flat are preserved in a dense, iron-rich mineral known as goethite.
Scientists have known for the better part of a century that photons can knock dicarbon molecules into an excited state. Because of the quantum nature of the universe, an excited molecule reverts to its ground state by emitting a photon. For dicarbon, the photon is commonly one of green light. This explained the green color of comet comas. But the apparent dearth of dicarbon in the comet tails was something of a mystery.

So Dr. Schmidt recreated what is happening in their laboratory. To produce dicarbon, they started with molecules consisting of two carbon atoms and four chlorine atoms and used a laser to strip off the chlorines, leaving only dicarbon. Then they used another laser to break up the dicarbon, measuring exactly how much energy that required.

From that, they showed how the dicarbon molecules had to absorb two photons to be blown apart, and the lifetime of a dicarbon molecule bathed in sunlight is about 44 hours. In that time, the molecules might travel 80,000 miles or so  quite far. But comet tails can stretch millions of miles. Thus, there would be little or no dicarbon, and no green glow, there.

That largely fits with what has been observed in comets.

Dr. Schmidts team reported its findings last month in a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

What theyre doing is the ground work that is fundamental to explaining the observations, said Anita Cochran, assistant director of the University of Texass McDonald Observatory who was not involved with the research. Understanding carbon in the universe is pretty important since it is such a common species.
Some people live for fame and some people live for fortune; some people want it all and some want everything. These are lyrics from the music I Aint Got You, sung by the beautiful Alicia Keys, but which truly describe every contemporary Liberian leader, beginning with William Tubman, an opportunistic dictator, whose leadership as president crossed over from the 1940s into the early 1970s. He supposedly was Liberias 18th president, having ruled for 27-years as a dictator at the core, but did not clad himself in a military outfit, as did the majority of Africas coup leaders of the 1980s. There are a few that still doMali coup leader, for instance. Taking it all together, Liberia remains an underdeveloped nation in areas that matter mostinfrastructure, skilled human resources necessary to attract foreign investments, the standard of living condition, quality of education, healthcare, social welfare delivery, and povertythe biggest Human Misery of them all. So much so, former President Johnson-Sirleaf, despite her educational credentials, over which the Liberian media salivated, proved incapable of seeing Liberia for what it wasa beaten-down country needing a jolt from a dogged, visionary leader. A leader not just eager to be president, but one that was capable of flagging national infrastructure dilapidation and transforming same, in ways to reflect an adjustment toward the 21st century. A well-traveled individual, Ellen did not understand that the decent highways she traveled in the US, Europe, and parts of Africa had everything to do with creative, perceptive leaders, who understood that without a damn good national road network, moving consumer goods and services would be doomsday for their general population. Those leaders were provident, knowing that, unlike Liberia, the capital city wasnt the only town on which to focus. The smartest political leaders in developed and developing countries also understood the importance of creating opportunities in other locales around their respective countries to diffuse congestion and stench, which Monrovia now represents.



They may not realize, much less admit it. But Liberians by nature are so impressed by educational credentialspurely textbook education, that the local media dismissed separating Ellens ability to perform and produce substantive outcomes, versus her education and international work history that shoved papers much more than making technical decisions. After her presidency, Liberians could hardly distinguish between her job performance related to national infrastructure development, compared to Charles Taylors, controlling for his war of personal convenience. A panoramic view of Liberiaconsidering the jungle it was when she was Finance Minister in the 1970s, suggested she hardly did any better than semi-literate Samuel Doe, for those that can use the 1980s as a benchmark for comparison. Liberians could rightly argue that Ellen's performance as president for twelve years, suggested she was a less than agile, "warm body President, whose lifelong dream was always to ascend to that position, regardless of what the results of her performance were. That is if you realized the condition in which she handed the country to George Weah.

For Christ's sake, it was as if she could not envision a different Liberia in the mid-2000s from the 1970s when she was Finance Minister, and infrastructuremainly inter-and intra-county road conditions were a dud. In the 1970s, Ellen as Finance Minister, and then President in the mid-2000s could not drive around Liberia comfortably to admire the beauty of the country without getting brushed off with a reddish hue on dusty superhighways during the dry season and getting stuck due to the muddy mess during heavy rains? Now that it is George Weah's turn, he doesn't seem to be doing much better, given numerous complaints about the continued dire situation of destitution experienced by the majority of Liberians. Many that voted for Mr. Weah that has begun to sour him on him, foresaw a transformative leader that was prepared to forego the old ways of how best to take Liberia through a practical turnabout. They saw in him a young president who would decidedly, collaboratively rescue this generation from the burden inadvertently placed on it by what Ellens 1970s generation did not do as a foundational remedy. One such challenge was creating a new Business Renaissance after the Tubman era, whereby young Liberians could have begun to learn the value of hard work and self-reliance. Instead, by example, every social science college-educated individualthe likes of Amos Sawyer, Fahnbulleh, Baccus Matthew, Tipoteh...saw government as the go-to, to derive financial independence, without having to dirty their hands. Theirs was a concerted effort to agitate Tolbert, hoping to replace him. But last I checked, only one person at a time can occupy the presidency.



They werent leaders capable of training young Liberians at the time about the value of hard work. They were too busy trying to be political leaders without any previous work history at the time. They used their newfound advanced degrees to cynically orchestrate political movements whereby they would be the talking heads and the brain while using young, ill-informed students at the time as the force to disrupt government functions. To date, none of them can point to any indelible contributions that say, we can draw a decent pension because we helped build a robust working middle class. To that end, their advocacy for the government to be everything to everybody contributed to making the Liberian government the single biggest employer. Rather than creating jobs, a governments priority is mainly to create a conducive environment that allows businesses to flourish, including preventing monopolistic controls. Businesses created by the working middle classwhich Liberia lacks, collectively pay the bulk of tax revenue to churn economic activities. With so many Ministers, Deputy, Deputy-Assistance, Assistant-Assistant, Director. you know where we are going with this, how could there be a functioning private sector when a much higher percentage of budgetary appropriations are slated for administrative costs, corruption and theft? In Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Kenya, for example, international conferences are held from time to time in cities other than the capital because of adequate road, transportation, and housing investment. Like Ellen, President Weah cannot boast of transforming any other parts of the country where he or future presidents could take a vacation at a resort. Shall we call it a presidential retreat! Be it by lake Peso in Cape Mount, along the Farmington River in Marshall, et al, that does not exist. So, then, Liberian politicians take vacations with families in Philly, Staten Island, Clevelandbecause they all lack the wherewithal to see the value in building and gentrifying new communities with basic utility services. Like Ellen, President Weah couldnt dare invite foreign dignitaries to Liberia for a conference outside Monrovia. How would he house them for an overnight stay; what roads would they travel during the dry season, if their hair, clothing, and nose follicles do not change to a reddish hue from so much dust? Neither could they travel during the rainy season for fear they may never get there due to washed-up roads.



Whenever Ellen got sick of smelling the stench of Monrovia due to the lack of the necessary infrastructure for waste managementgarbage disposal via incineration, landfill management, to say the least, she took time for a rest in the US. Many Liberian joked that her unwillingness to invest in the healthcare/medical industry, forced her to travel to the US for a minor toothache. Arguably taking as many vacations, especially in the US was not without their benefits. Aside from visiting her sona doctor, in North Carolina as frequently as she did, it may have been an opportunity to do business as she did with Wachovia Bank. According to a leaked document, Ellens sonRob, managed whatever account(s) she maintained with Wachoviaa subsidiary of Bank of America.



Given that no administration ever demonstrated the fortitude to build a productive economy, emphasizing private sector investment, which in turn helped to foster a robust pension regime, Liberian politicians closest to the seat of power have a penchant to die in office stealing because they cannot retire and draw a decent pension in their golden years. Hence, according to the leaked document, Ellens generositydrawing on Wachovia Bank account(s), through her son Rob, was a goodwill financial gesture that helped a limited number of former public servants, who were broke, and had grown too old to serve. In the times preceding Ellen's participation as a Cabinet officer in the 1970s, William Tubman not only used government funding to create a private zoo in Totota, Bong County, but selfishly extended a two-lane paved road to this privately owned, but a government-funded zoo. It was done to accommodate his comfort whenever he left Monrovia to rest, as they used to say. Tolbert, in 1976-77 began a road-building project that further extended that so-called highway toward Ganta, Nimba, which was insufficient. Notwithstanding, kudos to him, because since his death in 1980 after nine years as president, no succeeding president has invested more in education than Tolbertand that includes Ellens twelve years. As if young Liberians were on the precipice of a promising future based on what Tolbert called Total involvement for higher heights, in a wholesome functioning society, it was he that introduced the nation to the initiative of private fund-raising for charitable purposes. His Rally Time Project, whose efforts raised millions from businessesforeign and domestic, and working people, provided funding for new dormitories at private schools like Cuttington, Lutheran Training Institute (LTI), Ricks Institute.
Darrick Lo and Adrienne Lei each felt something special about the other when they met in 2015  and again in 2017.

I rarely go up to a random individual and try to get to know them better, Mr. Lo said. But when he first saw Ms. Lei at the Frick Collection in New York in April 2015, he was compelled to approach her.

I remember Adrienne standing near the really beautiful atrium, Mr. Lo recalled. When I saw her and the scenery and her smile, I had to introduce myself. I would have regretted it for the rest of my life.

She was subbing in for a co-worker during one of the museums Sunday Sketch events, which Mr. Lo attended. A design engineer at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan at the time, he came to the event to de-stress after a long day of work.
Michael Porten had been sleeping on a piece of foam inside a Savannah, Ga., parking garage when Trish Andersen invited him to crash in the room at a local hotel that she was sharing with her ex-boyfriend.

Mr. Porten, of Savannah, was not down on his luck, just slightly maniacal about proximity to his job site at the Savannah College of Art and Design. In March 2014, he and Ms. Andersen, both artists, had been commissioned by SCAD to create a microhouse near campus no bigger than a parking space for a project called SCADpad, which focused on the future of urban housing design.

Neither is sure whether the collaboration benefited from Mr. Porten sleeping with a proper roof over his head for the three days he and Ms. Andersen worked as partners. But a year later, the two were figuring out whether they might be more than an artistic match while swimming in their underwear in a medieval town in Southern France.

Ms. Andersen, 38, is a fiber artist and the founder of a fine art and home textiles studio. When she met Mr. Porten, she was living in Brooklyn, where she moved after graduating from SCAD with a textile degree in 2005.
Like this, he said, pointing at the mountains, the trees, the lake as blue as his eyes.

Nearly a decade later, we came close to that life when we moved to Flagstaff, Ariz., and I got a teaching job at Northern Arizona University. Here we have trees and mountains. We have a lake but its neither giant nor very blue  its the reservoir that provides water to the city.

Last summer it was closed so helicopters could dip their Bambi buckets into it and pull water to dump on the fire west of town. The county also closed the forests to hiking, biking and camping  the main things we do for fun when were not raking the pine needles that the ponderosa trees shake off in both fall and spring or watering the apple tree we bought when our shared narrative included learning how to grow an orchard and make cider in this place where we planned to stay forever.

Nothing changes your story like the death of your shared dream.

Every summer in Flagstaff, as in Tahoe, fire threatens. Every year the flames surge closer to town. The snowfall is now measured in inches instead of feet. The monsoon storms missed us one summer, and then again. Erik and I bicker about how much rain is too little. How much snow is too little? But we know that at some point this town will be too burned or parched for us to stay.

What do you do when your story becomes one of drought? Perhaps its a kind of Mad-Max, punk-rock existence for us to live in this high mountain desert town, but we lost our street cred as punks as soon as we started saying breast pump on a daily basis. Now, the only pumps we talk about are those that draw water from wells that must be drilled deeper every year.

My friend Rebecca says, Move to Oregon with me.

I would go in a second. I lived there once. Rebecca and Todd and I could drum up our old stories of life in Portland: Todd playing sax, Rebecca painting in a small closet, me hanging out at Powells bookstore, wandering the aisles of literature longingly. But Erik has no story there. Could we write a new one?

Although we could write a new story in Oregon, we are still wedded to our story in Arizona. We are adjusting to the uncomfortable fact that we arent going to get out of here, but we also cant stay. A Schrodingers cat kind of love that says we must live in two stories simultaneously  one that says climate change is already here and one that says we are here, our family is here, our love is here.
On a Saturday in June 2018, Vaibhavi Kamat, then a rising senior at North Carolina State, took a seat at a busy table at Darbar Indian Cuisine, a restaurant in Manhattan. Soon, she was talking to Jaideep Rao, then a rising senior at the University of Mississippi.

Ms. Kamat and Mr. Rao had each traveled alone to New York City to be a part of a Konkani Youth Convention. The event brings together young people whose ancestry dates back to the city of Mangalore, in Southern India, for the sole purpose of getting them to know one another.

It seemed to work immediately for Ms. Kamat, now 25, and Mr. Rao, now 26, who quickly realized they had a lot of things in common, including growing up in the south and sharing a favorite fast-food chain, Cook Out.

She was beautiful, and had less of a southern accent than I thought she would have, said Mr. Rao. She was also very easy to talk to, which is probably because we are a part of the same South Indian subculture.
The intermarriage of fashion and music, streetwear and luxury, mass and elite, is about to reach its final frontier. The much rumored collaboration between the power mononyms, cultural influencers and BFFs Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) and Demna (formerly known as Demna Gvasalia, the creative director of Balenciaga) has come to fruition with the announcement on Jan. 7 of a new joint project: Yeezy Gap engineered by Balenciaga.

What exactly that means in specific is not yet clear. The news release described it as a new creative exploration and said it would continue Yes commitment to delivering his vision of utilitarian design for all. The only piece of design that has been revealed is a slightly torqued version of the Yeezy Gap logo featuring the trademark YZY on a black rectangle, though this time the corners have been rounded down and the whole thing is oozing slightly off-center. A spokeswoman for Gap said the first examples of whatever it is would be unveiled in June.

It could be clothes! It could be something completely different! Who knows.

What the project means in general, though, is simpler to parse: a collective meltdown among hypebeasts and haute couturiers alike and good things for Gap, which is once again all over the news even before any actual products have been revealed. (Ye may not have made a lot of stuff in year one and a half of his 10-year deal with Gap, but he has made a lot of marketing noise, which may be worth the investment.)

Both Ye and Demna have been geniuses at creating and cultivating their own notions of community, breaking down old silos and stereotypes, and what they represent together will be more than the sum of their parts. The potential variety of who will buy into their world is enormous, and if the cost of citizenship is a T-shirt or a carrier bag, well  expect it to sell out. The actual object is almost beside the point. What matters is what it represents in terms of a value system as espoused by the creators, and their ability to crystallize a moment in social evolution. Each object is a potential artifact.
New York, for example, requested a billion dollars in added funding but stands to receive only $27 million, or 3 percent of what it asked for.

John Mitchell used rental assistance to remain in his Philadelphia apartment when he fell behind on rent, after losing his job as a restaurant server because of pandemic closures.

But now, with the surge of the Omicron variant, he is back in the same position. The restaurant where he works closed after a staff member tested positive for the coronavirus. Mr. Mitchell got sick, too, and now he is behind on rent again while he looks for a new job and cares for his mother, who is struggling with health issues.

This has just been hell, he said.

Landlords are facing uncertainty, too.

This program is a lifeline  its how we right the ship, if we will, on housing during the pandemic, said Greg Brown, senior vice president of governmental affairs at the National Apartment Association. Owners who cannot receive additional rental assistance will be left with mounting debts, he said. There clearly is more need than there were dollars allocated.

For months, emergency rental assistance dollars sat largely unspent, with states and cities struggling to set up programs to distribute the funds, and tenants and landlords bogged down with cumbersome application requirements. Through July, just $5.1 billion of the $46.5 billion had been distributed.

But as the White House and the Treasury Department, which oversees the program, put pressure on states to spend the funds or else see them used by other states, the pace sharply quickened.
A fire that destroyed a Planned Parenthood health clinic in Knoxville, Tenn., last week was arson, the citys Fire Department said Thursday, as federal and local investigators tried to identify who was behind the early morning attack.

The Fire Department received a call about the fire at around 6:39 a.m. on Dec. 31, when the Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi clinic was closed for renovations. The investigation is the second in the past year to focus on a crime against the clinic, which provided birth control, cancer screenings and medication abortions.

Investigators are still searching the burned remains of the single-story building for evidence, a task that has been made more difficult by snow and rain, said Mark Wilbanks, the Knoxville Fire Departments assistant chief.

Chief Wilbanks said on Friday morning that the investigation, which includes support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, was currently focused on identifying potential suspects. Investigators have offered a reward of up to $10,000 for those who can provide information that would lead to the prosecution of anyone involved with the arson.
The chase ended when Mr. Arbery, blocked in by the trucks, clashed physically with Travis McMichael, who shot Mr. Arbery three times at close range with a shotgun. Mr. Bryan captured the slaying on his cellphone camera, and when the footage was widely distributed online, it stirred national outrage.

On Friday, Mr. Arberys family members gave a series of wrenching statements to the judge, arguing that the men should receive the maximum possible sentences. His sister, Jasmine Arbery, said the men mistakenly deemed Mr. Arbery to be a dangerous criminal because of his dark skin and curly hair.

Mr. Arbery was a jogging enthusiast, and his family has said that he had jogged into the neighborhood on the day of his death. Marcus Arbery Sr., his father, told the court, Not only did they lynch my son in broad daylight, but they killed him while he was doing what he loved more than anything: running.

Wanda Cooper-Jones, Ahmaud Arberys mother, noted that her son never spoke to his pursuers during the chase. He never said a word to them, he never threatened them  he just wanted to be left alone, she said. They were fully committed to their crimes. Let them be fully committed for their consequences.

The case is likely to be appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court. But in an interview this week, Ms. Cooper-Jones said she was bracing herself for the next trial, in federal court, where the three men are charged with hate crimes and attempted kidnapping, and also face potential life sentences. Jury selection in that case is scheduled to begin on Feb. 7.

Ill be there every day, she said. They need to answer to those charges as well.

Ms. Cooper-Jones said federal prosecutors had contacted her recently and asked if she would be comfortable with a plea deal. She said she told them that she preferred to see the federal case go to trial.
WASHINGTON  President Biden has nominated Lt. Gen. Michael E. Kurilla to be the next head of the militarys marquee combatant operations command responsible for prosecuting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to paperwork sent to the Senate.

General Kurilla, if confirmed, would replace Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., whose tenure is set to end this spring.

As the leader of Central Command, General Kurilla would be responsible for the administrations efforts to prevent terrorist groups from once again using Afghanistan as a launching pad for attacks on the West. In withdrawing American troops from the 20-year war there last year, Mr. Biden determined that the United States new strategy would be to use drone and other strikes from afar, or over the horizon, to quell any such threats that arise in Afghanistan.

The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has largely consumed Central Command over the past year. But General Kurilla will also have to keep track of Iran, where stumbling efforts to revive the nuclear accord negotiated by President Barack Obama and abandoned by his successor, President Donald J. Trump, have led to increased tensions.
WASHINGTON  Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday invited President Biden to deliver the State of the Union address to Congress on March 1 as the White House grapples with an evolving pandemic and looks for ways to regain momentum for a legislative agenda stuck in congressional gridlock.

Mr. Biden accepted Ms. Pelosis invitation, the White House said.

The date is later than is traditional  the address will be the first to be delivered in March  but it gives Mr. Biden more time to try to advance his domestic policy package, which has been hung up in the Senate because of the objections of a single Democrat, Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia. The president is also struggling to pass federal voting rights legislation that would counter restrictions put in place by Republicans in some states.

Mr. Biden is likely to use the address to promote the gains of his administration, including the passage of the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package and the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package last year.

It is unclear how the surging Omicron variant might affect this years State of the Union. Mr. Bidens first address to Congress last year, which was not technically a State of the Union address, was made under the cloud of the pandemic.
Plus, experts caution, Omicron's ferocious infectiousness means the less virulent virus can still do a lot of damage, especially among the unvaccinated who are elderly or have preexisting conditions.

"If it's milder compared to Delta; Delta was horrible," said Joe Grove, a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. "This has not necessarily just turned into the common cold all of a sudden. It is still something that we should be concerned about."

But Omicron is still killing an average of 1,200 people each day in the United States, about equal to the peak of the second COVID-19 wave in July and August of 2020.

Omicron may not cause as much lung damage as the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus, according to new lab studies. That, plus vaccination, may help explain why patients with Omicron are not being hospitalized or dying as often as patients infected with previous variants.

 Lighter on the Lungs

A set of new studies in lab animals and petri dishes found that Omicron did not infect lung tissue as much as previous variants. And it didn't cause as much damage or inflammation when it did.

Omicron had no problem infecting tissues in the nose and throat. A preference for the upper airway might help explain why Omicron is so infectious, Grove said. "It's going to be more easily coughed or sneezed out and spread more easily," Grove said. "But I am speculating here."

The lab results are promising, but what happens in lab animals doesn't always translate to people, Dr. Mike Diamond, an infectious diseases professor at Washington University School of Medicine, cautioned. "You might say, 'Well, maybe it's less severe,'" he said. "But we don't fully even know that it's less severe in humans yet."

Doctors in South Africa said that Omicron patients had not been not as sick when the variant swept through that country. Health officials in the United Kingdom reported similar observations.

But it's not clear if those cases were milder because of the virus or because people were less susceptible. "In the U.K. there was a very high vaccination rate," Diamond noted. "And then in South Africa, a lot of people got infected in the first wave, so they're naturally immune."

Some encouraging signs are starting to come in. According to an early study in Ontario, Canada, unvaccinated people infected with Omicron were 60-percent less likely to be hospitalized or die than those infected with Delta. Experts warn, however, that the risk of severe disease may be lower, but the odds of catching Omicron are higher. The huge number of people infected cancels out the advantage of the milder virus.

 Unvaccinated and Hospitalized

That's why hospitals in parts of the United States are filling up again. In this wave, most hospitalized patients are unvaccinated, by an overwhelming margin. In New York City, for example, where COVID-19 is spiking again, unvaccinated patients are being hospitalized at a rate 30 times that of vaccinated patients. The highest rates of hospitalization are among those over 65.

Even if Omicron is milder, "it seems to be still doing quite a bit of damage in unvaccinated people," said University of Texas Medical Branch virologist Vineet Menachery. "The good news is that there does seem to be a trend that this virus is less severe than previous waves, especially if you're vaccinated," he said. For those who got their shots, "the threat of severe disease is probably off the table for most people."

"On the other hand, for people who are not vaccinated, I think the threat is just as big as it was in March of 2020," Menachery added.


President George Manneh Weah: The longevity and maturity of our nation-state must be exemplified in the excellent performance of our national leadership.

In his famous book, Liberia in World Politics, written in 1934 (I last read it in 1986 and so, Im only paraphrasing, not quoting), the late Nigerian sage and statesman, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe--who later became the first President of that influential West African staterecalled how the existence of Liberia as an independent nation had inspired the militants and stalwarts of the independence movements across the African continent. Even though Liberia had been severely victimized by European colonial encroachments for decades, the mere fact that it had survived the two dangerously greedy Berlin Conferences of 1884 and 1885, and their resultant Scramble for Africa, as well as the two European wars, otherwise tagged as World War I and World War II, was a source of pride and inspiration for leaders of the various liberation movements on the continent.



Just imagine an African student in a colonial classroom in Nigeria towards the end of the 19th century, or at the onset of the 20th century, being told that there existed a self-governing African republic wherein the people periodically elected their leaders; just imagine the aura of excitement and inspiration. In other words, Dr. Azikiwes recollection was not farfetched. Its undeniable that historically, Liberia has played a pivotal role in inspiring millions of people around the world, directly or indirectly invigorating them to aspire for political independence.



In a similar vein, the corollary of such global inspiration that Liberias existence has historically engendered for two centuries now is intense anticipation. Because were the oldest republic, the erstwhile lone star in Africa, and have played a key role in accelerating socio-economic, political, and cultural development on the continent, there is heightened expectation of us as a country in nearly all aspects of human development.



As the Book of Wisdom says, To whom more is given, much is expected. The mere fact that as a nation-state, weve been in existence for more than 174 years now also means that our African brethren, whom we had inspired at some points in time to aspire for self-governance, expect a lot from us; many of them naturally look up to us to be a sort of role model for them, in terms of the best practices in self-governance and the resultant national development and economic prosperity such exemplary pattern of governance tends to generate. Put another way, our fellow Africans across the continent and even those in the Diaspora expect the leaders of Liberia to be pacesetters; to do their very best in all aspects of statecraft, and be exemplary leaders who are actually worth being emulated.



Consider, for example, a young Zambian scholar, perhaps a university student being told that his or her college has granted him an opportunity to attend an international seminar in Monrovia, Liberia. Before embarking on his or her trip, perhaps that young scholar is given a brochure about Liberia, informing him or her that the West African nation is the first self-governing Republic on the continent; that Monrovia, the countrys capital is named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States. With such a piece of information, that young scholars adrenaline would be streaming in full swing; his anticipation and imagination would be brimming.



Also, imagine a tourist from one of the Caribbean island nations deciding to visit the Motherland for the first time and choosing Liberia as their destination. Perhaps such potential tourist had read in grade school, or their college courses about the Lone Star, which was singularly shining on the so-called dark continent, not only as an emblem of national sovereignty but also as a beacon of hope for black people around the world, amid the excruciating suffocation of European colonialism for more than a century until the irresistible wave of independence began fluttering in the aftermath of the Second World War.



It goes without saying that due to the historical significance of Liberias existence as the first republic in Africa, a lot more is expected of and from us and so, we as a people, need to honestly challenge ourselves. I strongly believe that as a nation, we can do much better than the obnoxious mediocrity currently being showcased in Monrovia.





During the gala banquet of the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA) in Trenton, New Jersey on September 25, 2021, Liberias incumbent Information Minister Ledgerhood Julius Rennie proudly reminded fellow compatriots that January 7, 2022, would mark the 200th year of Liberias founding as a nation-state. The ministers disclosure was a pivotal reminder because two centuries of existence as a self-governing nation-state is a herculean enterprise studded with challenges and opportunities. Historians tell us that the first batch of our black and brown brothers and sisters returning from the land of their captivity had arrived on January 7, 1822, and 25 years later on July 26th, they declared the land, which had earlier been christened in 1824 as Liberia, an independent nation.

Moreover, recent media reports from Monrovia indicated that President George Manneh Weah had set up a bicentenary commemoration committee to work towards what, by all accounts, promises to be grandiose festivities. And so, by all accounts, we are celebrating nearly 175 years as an independent state and 200 long years as a nation-state.



Now, as we reflect on our age as a nation-state, it is imperative that we ask ourselves some hard, conscience-pricking questions. Compared to other African nations, how are we faring? Besides our longevity as a nation, what actually are we celebrating? In other words, whats our level of achievement in all endeavors of human development?



Obviously, this weeks celebration will be a splendid moment of reflection and retrospection. However, we must also seize such historic occasion to look inward, to conscientiously introspect, and search our individual and collective souls about our socio-economic, cultural, political, and developmental footprints. How are we actually faring as a nation? Are our achievements, if any, commensurate with our age as the first African republic? Are we performing in accordance with basic expectations?



Lets take a look within our immediate neighborhood. When last were you in Abidjan? Were you in Conakry or Freetown lately? Further in West Africa, Ghana is 110 years younger than Liberia, yet that country is earning thousands of dollars in medical tourism from Liberian government officials and other well-to-to Liberians, as well as foreign residents in our country.



Nowadays when a very important person (VIP) in the Liberian society is seriously sick, where is that person taken? Is it the Jackson Fiah Doe Memorial Regional Hospital in Tappita, Nimba County, an ultra-modern hospital that has already been ripped of nearly all the essential medical equipment that the Chinese Government had installed from the onset? Or is it the already dilapidated John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia, which has unfortunately earned the derogatory monikerJust-For-Killing--to match its iconic JFK initials?



When all attempts at flying an ailing top Liberian Government official to the United States or India fail, where else do our officials go? Is it not Ghana, a country that became an independent nation on March 6, 1957, 110 long years after Liberias much-heralded independence as the first African republic? As we commemorate our bicentenary as a nation-state, we must honestly take stock of all aspects of our national endeavor, especially the much-talked-about stewardship of our leaders, catalog our achievements, and also candidly, conscientiously pinpoint where we have miserably failed, where we have persistently disappointed ourselves, our compatriots and our fellow Africans who expect us to know better and even do better. In so doing, we have to be mindful that such an honest process of introspective assessment must not be a monolithic platitude couched in sycophantic flatteries.



To some extent, it seems that such a process of candid self-assessment has already begun in earnest. For example, several hours before the ALJA gala banquet in Trenton on September 25, 2021, the leadership of our organization convened a discussion on the theme: Toward a More Sustainable, Independent and Ethical Media in Liberia. As one of the panelists during that gathering, I spoke to my esteemed media colleagues on the topic, Three Steps Towards Media Integrity in Liberia, during which I posed these crucial questions: For example, in contemporary Liberian political lexicon, what does the word pro-poor actually mean? Does that mean pursuing policies that lift the people out of poverty, or perpetuating practices that continue to further pauperize the very people? Does that mean prudent policies that minimize corruption, or callously swimming in a pool of corruption to further exacerbate the peoples deprivation?



My questions, which were generated by research analysis that many governments around the world are now manipulating multiple social media platforms to sway public opinion with fake news or alternative fact, were posed against the backdrop of unbearable socio-economic deprivations facing the Liberian people amid pervasive corruption and the prevailing kleptocratic tendencies in the country. I further reminded members of the Inky Fraternity, We must exert every effort to thoroughly investigate and meticulously analyze issues so that our people wouldnt be hoodwinked by artificially orchestrated euphoria. To be continued.



Photo: President George Manneh Weah: The longevity and maturity of our nation-state must be exemplified in the excellent performance of our national leadership.
WASHINGTON  The federal government on Friday warned the public about the risks of commercial surveillance tools that have been used to spy on journalists and political dissidents by infecting their phones with malware.

The warning, issued by the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, came after the Biden administrations actions in November against the NSO Group, an Israeli surveillance company, and other firms that have developed malware. When placed on a targets phone, the software gives access to nearly all content on the device.

The administration has been trying to make it more difficult for surveillance companies to operate in order to push them out of the business of developing commercial spyware that can be misused. U.S. officials are increasingly concerned that the spyware can be placed on the phones of diplomats to learn government secrets, and that authoritarian governments are using it to track the work of journalists and political enemies.

The most insidious spyware can be put on a phone without tricking a user into clicking a malicious link. Such zero-click exploits are difficult to defend against, but the security center on Friday outlined steps that can mitigate the risk, such as updating devices with the latest operating systems.
SAO PAULO, Brazil  It was a casual conversation that led Luiza Trajano, one of Brazils wealthiest women, to ponder her countrys racism, to recognize her part in it  and to do something about it.

A few years back, she said, she had heard a young, accomplished Black businesswoman mention that she never attended happy hours with colleagues unless her boss explicitly asked her to join. Years of feeling the rejection that many Black Brazilians experience in predominantly white settings had taught her to seek clear invitations, the woman explained.

Ms. Trajano, who is white, felt a pang of sadness. Then an uncomfortable thought crossed her mind.

At my birthday parties, there arent any Black women, Ms. Trajano remembered thinking. Thats structural racism that, in my case, is not born out of rejection, but out of failing to seek them out.

That moment of introspection for Ms. Trajano, who had turned a small family business into a retail behemoth, helped plant the seeds for a bold corporate affirmative action initiative, which has drawn praise, outrage and plenty of soul searching in Brazil.
To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

Kazakhstans explosion into unrest this week presents a stark warning to the strongman autocrats of the world: Leaving office is perilous.

Since the Cold Wars end, a staggering 70 percent of governments headed by strongmen collapsed after the ruler departed, according to one data set.

The trend holds whether the leader leaves voluntarily or involuntarily, dies in office or retires to a country home.
MANILA  F. Sionil Jose, the author of a dozen socially engaged novels and countless short stories and essays who was sometimes called the grand old man of Philippine letters and even the conscience of his nation, died here on Thursday. He was 97.

Mr. Joses family said he died at Makati Medical Center, where he had been awaiting an angioplasty operation.

Passionately committed to social justice, Mr. Jose often wrote of his anguish over what he saw as his countrys failure to overcome centuries of Spanish colonization, followed by further domination by the United States.

His novels, rich in themes and scenes drawn from his own peasant beginnings, amounted to a continuing morality play about the poverty and class divisions of the Philippines, a nation seemingly in thrall to fiefs, oligarchies and political dynasties.
At least 20 Hong Kong lawmakers, the citys police chief and several other senior officials are being sent to centralized quarantine after attending a birthday party on Monday, in an embarrassing political and public health headache for the citys already deeply unpopular government.

In all, around 170 people  all the guests at the party, as well as their close contacts  are to be sent to a centralized quarantine facility, city officials announced on Friday, after two people who attended tested positive for the coronavirus. Already, around 60 people have been sent to Pennys Bay, a facility of shipping-container-like dormitories on an outlying island.

The revelation came as Hong Kong, which had gone months without any local transmission, prepares for a new outbreak linked to the Omicron variant. And it followed vigorous calls from the government  which has imposed some of the harshest quarantine and social distancing measures in the world  for residents to avoid public gatherings.

The party, at a Spanish tapas restaurant, was for Witman Hung, a local delegate to the Chinese national legislature. Attendees included Caspar Tsui, the citys home affairs secretary; Raymond Siu, the police commissioner; Au Ka-wang, the immigration director; and 20 lawmakers, who were sworn in this week for a new term.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan  It came as no big surprise when a crumbling oil town in western Kazakhstan stirred in protest last Sunday, 10 years after security forces there killed more than a dozen workers who had gone on strike over pay and poor conditions.

But it remains a mystery how peaceful protests over a rise in fuel prices last weekend in Zhanaozen, a grimy, Soviet-era settlement near the Caspian Sea, suddenly spread more than a thousand miles across the full length of Central Asias largest country, turning the biggest and most prosperous Kazakh city into a war zone littered with dead bodies, burned buildings and incinerated cars.

The violence this week in Almaty, Kazakhstans former capital and still its business and cultural hub, shocked just about everyone  not only its leader, who, fortified by Russian troops, on Friday ordered security forces to fire without warning to restore order, but also government critics who have long bridled at repression and rampant corruption in the oil-rich nation.

The crisis coincided with a power struggle within the government, fueling talk that the people fighting in the streets were proxies for feuding factions of the political elite. On Saturday, in what appeared to be another sign of political infighting, Kazakhstans powerful intelligence agency said that it had arrested Karim Masimov, who only days earlier was the agencys leader, on suspicion of treason.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand  On the windswept coast of Chatham Island, about 500 miles east of mainland New Zealand, stands a statue of a thick-jowled, cheerful man, his gaze fixed on the endless sea stretched before him.

The memorial honors Tommy Solomon, who for decades has been mythologized as the last full-blooded member of the Moriori people, the native Polynesian inhabitants of the island. Today, many New Zealanders remember Mr. Solomon, who died in 1933, as the last survivor of a culture that drifted into extinction.

Except it hadnt.

After Mr. Solomons death, a few hundred people with Moriori heritage remained. Over the decades that followed, they survived cultural marginalization in a country where children were taught in school that Moriori were inferior to the dominant Indigenous group, the Maori. And now they are fighting to establish themselves in the national consciousness as a thriving native people.
It was promoted as a New Years Eve celebration in Cancun, Mexico  a six-night trip that included parties with open bars and a day exploring Tulum, a popular tourist destination in the Yucatan Peninsula known for its ancient ruins and the turquoise water of its beaches.

It would begin with a privately chartered plane from Montreal where the guests  a coterie of Canadian social media influencers, reality television personalities and others  would be entertained by a D.J. on the flight to Mexico.

But the trip has turned into a fiasco, with airlines shunning the group and stranding many of its members and the Canadian authorities vowing to investigate after videos of the passengers surfaced on social media showing them flouting Canadas Covid-19 restrictions.

In the videos, the passengers are seen dancing and jumping in the aisles, yelling without masks on and passing around bottles of alcohol. One woman can be seen vaping in the cabin. Another passenger, his mask hanging under his chin, yells at his fellow travelers over the cabin intercom to sit down, and then, to keep the energy up.
Health officials in India said on Friday that they would retest some 300 passengers on two flights who tested positive for the coronavirus upon landing in the northern city of Amritsar, as the results raised questions about the tests accuracy.

Officials said that 125 people who flew from Italy to Amritsar tested positive on Thursday. All of the passengers had been required to show proof of a negative P.C.R. test before boarding the flight, in line with Indian travel rules, said a spokesman for the airport in Bergamo, near Milan.

Then, on Friday, at least 173 passengers on another flight from Italy tested positive after landing in Amritsar, said the citys chief medical officer, Dr. Charanjit Singh.

The high number of positive tests, all carried out by the same testing agency, SpiceHealth, created doubts about their accuracy, Dr. Singh said.
ROME  Ever since he broke out of Romes Rebibbia prison 20 years ago where he was facing murder charges, Gioacchino Gammino had managed to evade capture. He fled to Spain, changed his name and cut off ties with his family, creating a new life for himself, at one point working as a chef in an Italian restaurant.

But last month, Italian investigators finally tracked down Mr. Gammino, 61, in a town northwest of Madrid, thanks in part to an unlikely tool: Google Maps.

They say that fortune favors the bold, said General Nicola Altiero, deputy director of Italys Antimafia Investigation Department, which carried out the operation with prosecutors in Palermo, explaining how investigators used Google Maps and Street View to help them track down Mr. Gammino, a Sicilian who was on Italys most dangerous fugitives list.

Investigators in Palermo declined to say how they had traced Mr. Gammino to Galapagar, a town near Madrid, saying that aspects of the case were still part of an ongoing inquiry.
This flurry of talks is an effort to provide a diplomatic de-escalation of the Russian-created crisis in Ukraine, combined with efforts to coordinate serious sanctions against Russia if Mr. Putin decides on further military incursions into Ukraine, and examine the military consequences for NATO itself.

The United States has worked hard and effectively, diplomats say, to pull NATO and the European Union into a joint front against possible Russian moves against Ukraine. For NATO, which does not apply economic sanctions, likely responses will be to beef up deterrence in allied countries bordering Russia and furthering support for Ukraine to defend itself  precisely the outcome Mr. Putin says he does not want.

But no one pretends to know what is in Mr. Putins mind, or whether the new unrest in Kazakhstan will preoccupy him and make a move in Ukraine less likely.

NATO officials say they want to keep the focus on Russian activities in and near Ukraine, and not get sidetracked into a larger debate on Europes security structure. They see this week of talks as dialogue, not negotiation  to see if substantive negotiations on issues of concern to both sides make sense, but only if Russia de-escalates around Ukraine.

Mr. Blinken said later that the Russians want to draw us into a debate about NATO rather than focus on the matter at hand, which is their aggression toward Ukraine.

NATO officials say that many member states are not overly optimistic about a diplomatic de-escalation and believe that Russia may simply want to buy time and be able to say to its citizens that the West was unwilling to talk and thus find a pretext to walk away.

NATOs 30 members include only two, the United States and Canada, that are not European, Mr. Stoltenberg emphasized. So dialogue with Russia will not be a question of the United States alone, he said. He said he is also briefing close partners, like Finland and Sweden, which have had new debates about joining NATO in light of Mr. Putins latest threats to use military force.
A highly regarded infectious disease expert with no government experience, Dr. Walensky, who was named to lead the C.D.C. at the start of the Biden administration, has faced many challenges. The agencys reputation and morale were battered by the Trump White House, which often tried to interfere with its scientific decisions.

Now the nation is heading into the third year of a pandemic with a virus that, Dr. Walensky said, has been constantly throwing curveballs, which has been exhausting for health care workers and career government officials on the front lines of the response.

I think were all proud to serve the big, biggest public health crisis of our lifetimes, said one such official, Dr. Henry Walke, the director of the C.D.C.s Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, who joined Dr. Walensky on the call. So yes, its exhausting. And its challenging, but good. Wow. I mean, this is a time to lean in.

Dr. Walkes presence on the call was also unusual; C.D.C.s career scientists have not participated in press calls since Mr. Trump ended them. Mr. Trump had grown enraged Dr. Nancy Messonnier, then director of the C.D.C.s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, warned during a news briefing that the coronavirus would severely disrupt Americans lives. Dr. Messonnier left the C.D.C. last year.

Dr. Walensky has encountered intense criticism in recent days for a series of messaging missteps, the latest of which involved the new guidance for isolation, issued last week. Public health experts criticized its failure to recommend that people infected with the virus test negative before ending the shortened, five-day isolation period.
Stillwater, OK (74078)

Today

Strong thunderstorms likely. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High near 80F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms, some strong early, then mainly cloudy after midnight. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 44F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch.
Known as the poor mans fireworks, Dashuhua is a 500-year-old pyrotechnic ritual used in Nuanquan, China, to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The small town of Nuanquan, in northwestern Chinas Hebei province, is home to one of the worlds most dangerous yet mesmerizing fireworks displays. Although fireworks have been a part of Chinese celebrations since around the year 800 A.D., they havent always been as widely available and affordable as they are today. So about half of a millennia ago, local blacksmiths came up with a viable alternative that was cheaper, but just as impressive as conventional pyrotechnics  throwing molten iron at cold walls to produce a waterfall of bright sparks that are at the same time beautiful and dangerous.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

As you can imagine, having bits of molten iron raining from above isnt the safest thing in the world, and those brave enough to carry out the annual celebration have the burn marks to prove it. Even though blacksmiths usually wear the customary large straw hat and cover themselves with sheepskins, accidents can happen, so performers need to be extra careful.

For example, the wooden spoon used by blacksmiths to scoop out molten iron cannot go very deep into the molten metal, otherwise, the temperature difference between the cold spoon and heated iron can cause an explosion. The iron is heated up to 1,600 degrees Celsius (2,910 degrees Fahrenheit), so you definitely dont want it anywhere near your skin.

According to Wikipedia, the splash of heated liquid iron is an energy transformation process: when the blacksmith throws out the iron from the furnace, kinetic energy is supplied to the bulk of the liquid iron that transforms to potential energy at an elevation up the wall, and the residual kinetic energy is responsible for a splashing impact. The explosion of molten iron is essentially an oxidation reaction of finely divided iron droplets combined with scattering upon collision with the wall. In addition, carbon impurities in the iron will react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and the impact will expose carbon in the molten iron to oxygen to produce sparks.

Dashuhua is unique to the town of Nuanquan, whose inhabitants still save up scrap metal to donate to blacksmiths for the annual celebration. In turn, blacksmiths have incorporated other metals, such as copper and aluminum, into their performances in order to create green and white sparks in addition to the orange ones.

Even though there are few young blacksmiths left in Nuanquan to take up the mantle from the last generation, for the time being, Dashuhua is in good hands. It is more popular than ever before, people come from far and wide to see the falling molten metal themselves. Its a delight for the senses.

Dashuhua has been around for over 500 years, but there is no record of a blacksmith ever getting serious injuries or notifying.
On the fourth Saturday of each January, the dead grass of Mount Wakakusa is set ablaze as part of a unique and impressive festival called Wakakusa Yamayaki (Wakakusa Burning Mountain).

No one known exactly how the tradition of burning an entire 342-metre-high hill in Japans Nara Prefecture actually started, but one thing is for certain  it has been around for hundreds of years. Some say it began as a boundary dispute between the two greatest temples of Nara, Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji, sometime during the 18th century. When mediation failed, the entire hill was burned to the ground, although no one quite remembers how that solved anything. Another theory claims that the annual fire originated as a way to eliminate pests and drive away wild boars. Today, its just an impressive sight to behold that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Photo: /Wikimedia Commons

Wakakusa Yamayaki starts early in the day, with a competition of giant rice cracker throwing. Its not until 5 pm that a procession departs from the Tobino area of Kasuga Taisha towards Mount Wakakusa, stopping at the Mizuya Shrine along the way in order to light the torches. At around half past five, the procession arrives at the base of the hill and a large bonfire is lit. After a 15-minute fireworks display, torches are lit from the bonfire and the dead grass is set ablaze.

Depending on the condition of the grass on Mount Wakakusa, it can take between 30 minutes and an hour for the entire area to burn. In wet conditions, the grass burns slowly and only in certain areas, whereas when it is dry, the blaze just covers up everything extremely fast.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Y.W (@clear_orange) on Jan 24, 2015 at 7:13pm PST

Because the fire burns over such a large area, it appears to light up the sky and can be seen for miles around! Hundreds of spectators gather at the base of Mount Wakakusa, but thousands more watch the blaze from within Nara city, as well as other vantage points in the area.

A special barrier prevents people from getting to close to the fire, and hundreds of volunteer firefighters are present just in case something goes wrong during the festival.

Its not the most environmentally-friendly festival in the world, thats for sure, but Wakakusa Yamayaki has a special place in the hearts of the people of Nara, Japan, so they probably wont be giving up their centuries-old tradition anytime soon.
Liz Cheney

Were not that dumb Americans arent buying the canard pushed by the GOP that equates the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill rampage with the social protests of last summer.

The berserk Trump cultists and the protestors who hit the streets following the murder of George Floyd were both expressing their First Amendment rights, claim Republicans.

Thats hogwash.

Only 22 percent of Americans believe the insurrectionists of Jan. 6 exercised their legitimate First Amendment rights in storming the Capitol, according to the Knight Foundations Free Expression in America Post-2020 report released today.

Only a third of Republicans called the riot legitimate, compared to 23 percent of Independents and 12 percent of Democrats.

The tepid support for the Capitol Hill rioters contrasts with the overwhelming support for the racial justice protests.

Almost three in four (73 percent) believe people taking part in the racial justice marches were legitimately expressing their First Amendment rights.

A majority of Republicans (56 percent) agree, along with 75 percent of Independents and 85 percent of Democrats.

The bulk of the cowardly Republican party failed to show up at the Capitol today to mark the year ago tragedy that led to seven deaths and injured more than 150 policemen.

Three of them made the scene.

There was a two-person delegation from the GOPs lunatic fringe (Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene).

On cue, they pushed debunked conspiracy theories. We did not want the Republican voice to go unheard and we did not want todays historical narrative to be hijacked and captured by those who are the true insurrectionists, Gaetz told reporters.

The honorable Liz Cheney, who is being railroaded from the GOP for speaking the truth about the Jan. 6 carnage, also was at the Capitol with her father and former VP Dick Cheney.

"All of my colleagues, anyone who attempts to minimize what happened, anyone who denies the truth of what happened, they ought to be ashamed of themselves," Cheney said on the Today show. "History is watching, and history will judge them."

Lets hope Americans pass a harsh judgment on the GOP in the midterm elections.
Curtis Sparrer

A crisis has arisen. Your CFO was arrested for insider trading, a cyberattack disrupted business continuity or a food product has been poisoned. Whatever the crisis, you realize the importance of PR and communications, but perhaps not everybody does. Maybe youre calm when faced with a crisis. Or maybe youre downright panicking.

If youre calm, you probably have a plan in place to deal with the situation. If youre panicking, youre probably making decisions on the fly, which is the worst thing a company could do.

A best practice is to be prepared for a range of possible scenarios. Following are some pointers that may help you in the future.

Respond appropriately

When a crisis arises, its natural for people to panic. PR and communications professionals need to be the voice of reason, assessing the situation and explaining what it means and what the likely outcomes will be given the various possible courses of action. For example, if the IT team failed to patch a software vulnerability that allowed hackers to steal data, should the company admit that openly or say nothing?

This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Jan. '22 Crisis Communications & PR Buyer's Guide Magazine

(view PDF version)

Several years ago, a former client was referenced as being tangentially involved in a school shooting. Their initial reaction was to issue a press release claiming they werent involved. While the desire to get ahead of the situation was commendable, our job was to explain why this course of action was inadvisable. I told them to ignore the issue because people would likely forget about it, which they did. Had the company issued the press release, its relation to the incident would have been memorialized.

The best thing about many crises is that people tend to have a short-term memory, so often the best reaction is no reaction. However, because each crisis is unique, its wise to assess the situation and then decide how to address it.

It also depends on whether the story could turn into a viral nightmare. If thats the case, our goal is to minimize the impact. One way to do that is to convince journalists that the news is old. You can even provide evidence of the low news value simply by directing them to a blog post about it on the company website. Just be sure that blog post is well-conceived and reviewed by other professionals who can identify any weak points before its posted.

Who should be involved

Crisis management works best when a task force has been identified before a crisis occurs. That way, everyone knows who will be responsible for doing what.

The task force should comprise a cross-functional group of people who represent the parts of the business that would be impacted by a specific type of crisis. For example, for a cyberattack, the task force would probably include the chief information security officer, the chief information officer, other members of the C-suite and the senior representatives from legal, compliance, PR and IR.

The who piece should be added to the what piece, which is a crisis response plan that explains what to do should a certain type of crisis occur. Without that, youll have to make things up as you go along, which is a very risky endeavor.

Beware of details that can make a bad situation worse

A non-profit organization established to help the victims of a companys negligence faced a long, uphill battle. The damage caused was in the billions. Many lives and businesses were destroyed. In fact, some claimants died before receiving anything. Others waited for checks or direct deposits for many years.

Unfortunately, no one received a check; they received several checks as part of a phased payment plan that was based on milestones defined by law. Before the first round of checks was issued, claimants received a notice that payments would start on a certain date. However, on that date, the person who needed to sign the checks was vacationing in Paris with his family for two weeks. Then, a series of news stories broke which sympathized with the victims and vilified the funds managers.

The moral of the story is that anytime you face a significant crisis, paid time off should be examined under a microscope. Blaming the situation on family only makes the guilty party appear even more irresponsible.

The nature of a crisis defines what should be done

Not all crises are the same. Some are caused by humans, others are caused by nature, machines or some other entity. A good PR agency should be able to provide an effective tabletop exercise that walks the client through various scenarios, analyzes their actions and provides feedback regarding how to approach the problem more effectively. It should also include journalists likely reactions.

Also consider ways to minimize the effects of a crisis, such as issuing a mea culpa blog to dissuade investigative journalists. Attorneys tend not to condone this approach because any admission of guilt might backfire in court. Thats why cross-functional collaboration is so critical.

Dont forget the impact of third-party crises

Third-party risk is something PR and communications professionals tend not to consider. Like the supply chain effects playing out in todays economy, a crisis that impacts one part of a value chain can have upstream and downstream impacts. As incredible as it sounds, a laptop vendor had to halt production for at least two months because its only screen supplier couldnt deliver.

As if that scenario wasnt bad enough, the news came during COMDEX, which was the largest computer trade show in the U.S. at the time. The company had purchased a big, expensive booth that sat on big, expensive show floor space because it was the companys official launch. The senior account executive who booked the press interviews had to inform all the reporters. One EIC chose to interview her at the appointed time instead because he figured she knew about as much as the companys executives did and would be handling the messaging anyway. After the trade show, the parent company shut the laptop company down.

Seek a trustworthy partner

Some agencies are very astute at crisis management. Others arent quite as effective. One way to understand an agency teams capability is to test them. Give them a hypothetical crisis so you can understand how theyd solve the problem and why theyd solve it that way.

At Bospar, we have several former broadcast, business and tech journalists on staff who help the account teams and clients test their ideas in a safe environment. They provide constructive feedback and arent shy about asking clients the hard questions. That way, account team members can hone their strategy, and the client is better prepared for real-world interviews.

This is an important point, because the spokesperson needs to appear natural as opposed to staged. Quite often, memorized statements come across as insincere, which undermines trust.

Its also a good idea to have a group of friendly journalists with whom you can test different approaches. This is a bad idea might be exactly what the team needs to hear.

***

Curtis Sparrer is co-Founder and Principal of Bospar.
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Russia has deployed soldiers to Kazakhstan to help put an end to days of deadly anti-government protests in the Central Asian former Soviet republic.
"And on this day of remembrance, we must make sure that such an attack never, never happens again," Joe Biden said.
Newsy 17 Jan 2022

Watch VideoNovak Djokovic could be barred from the French Open later this year because he's not vaccinated against COVID-19, a..
After days of violent protests, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev vowed to destroy "armed bandits" and gave "special thanks" to Russia's Vladimir Putin for sending troops to quell the unrest.
Newsy 05 Jan 2022

Watch VideoNovak Djokovic is being held in a room with police out front after landing in Melbourne for the Australian Open, his..
Watch VideoWe go to movies not just to escape, but to discover. We might identify with the cowboy or the runaway bride or the kid..

Newsy 08 Jan 2022
The Congress accused the BJP of using an application called "Tek Fog" for hijacking major social media and encrypted messaging platforms.
We look back on the career of Sidney Poitier, the first black man to win a best actor Oscar.
Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was shot dead while jogging through a Georgia neighborhood in 2020. The three white men convicted in his murder now face life in prison.
Watch VideoA year after the U.S. Capitol insurrection, a community of mostly faceless, online sleuths has been poring through..

Newsy 06 Jan 2022
The American government held an anniversary event on the anniversary of the unprecedented Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot that was attended by many Democrats. Reportedly, only Dick Cheney, former vice president, and his daughter, Liz Cheney, were the only Republicans to observe a moment of silence for the attack.
Moscow (AFP) Jan 6, 2022



A Moscow-led military alliance said Thursday it had sent its first troops to Kazakhstan after its government requested help to quell mounting unrest. "Peacekeeping forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation were sent to the Republic of Kazakhstan for a limited time to stabilise and normalise the situation," the CSTO secretariat said in a statement posted by Russian foreign ministr
PM Modi invites German business leaders to invest in India's youth 02 May 2022 | 11:28 PM New Delhi, May 2, (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi while co-chairing a Business Round Table with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday "invited the business leaders to invest in Indias youth."

"In his remarks, Prime Minister emphasised on the broad-based reforms carried out by the government and highlighted the growing numbers of start-ups and unicorns in India. He invited the business leaders to invest in Indias youth," the PMO said. see more..

RaGa, Kejriwal extend wishes for Eid-ul-Fitr 02 May 2022 | 10:41 PM New Delhi, May 2 (UNI) Opposition leaders on Monday extended greetings to the people on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr as the month of Ramzan came to an end here on Monday. see more..

Ukraine finds mention in joint statement, Germany condemns Russian aggression 02 May 2022 | 9:52 PM Berlin/New Delhi, May 2 (UNI) Germany reiterated its strong condemnation of the unlawful and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine by Russian Forces even as India and Germany condemned the civilian deaths in Ukraine and both sides agreed to remain closely engaged on the issue, the joint statement said. see more..

PM Modi stresses India's position on Ukraine, as India, Germany ink green partnership agreement 02 May 2022 | 9:36 PM Berlin/New Delhi, May 2 (UNI) The Ukraine conflict found prominent mention in the deliberations between India and Germany today, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasising Indias position that no party would emerge winner and that India is for peace, even as the two sides inked nine agreements, including one on green energy partnership. see more..
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP)  Twenty of Yellowstone National Park's renowned gray wolves roamed from the park and were shot by hunters in recent months  the most killed by hunting in a single season since the predators were reintroduced to the region more than 25 years ago, according to park officials.



Fifteen wolves were shot after roaming across the park's northern border into Montana, according to figures released to The Associated Press. Five more died in Idaho and Wyoming.



Park officials said in a statement to AP that the deaths mark a significant setback for the species long-term viability and for wolf research."



One pack  the Phantom Lake Pack  is now considered eliminated after most or all of its members were killed over a two-month span beginning in October, according to the park.



An estimated 94 wolves remain in Yellowstone. But with months to go in Montana's wolf hunting season - and wolf trapping season just getting underway  park officials said they expect more wolves will die after roaming from Yellowstone, where hunting is prohibited.



Park Superintendent Cam Sholly first raised concerns about wolves dying last September near the park's border and more recently urged Republican Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte to shut down hunting and trapping in the area.



Sholly cited the extraordinary number of Yellowstone wolves already killed this hunting season," in a Dec. 16 letter to Gianforte that was released to AP under a freedom of information request.



Gianforte, an avid hunter and trapper, did not directly address the request to halt hunting in a Wednesday response to Sholly.



Once a wolf exits the park and enters lands in the State of Montana it may be harvested pursuant to regulations established by the (state wildlife) Commission under Montana law,...
A television producer has been cleared of deliberately causing a car to crash into the back of his bike in a case described as unique and bizarre by his celebrity lawyer.
The military is in discussions about offering further support to hospitals around the UK as they battle the current Covid wave, a Royal Air Force chief has said.
Brooklyn state Senator Zellnor Myrie (at podium) presses for stronger voting laws in New York on the one year anniversary of the Capitol riots. Joining him is state Attorney General Letitia James (to Myrie's left) and Brooklyn state Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.



Legislators invoked the Capitol rioters and warned against efforts to stymie voting rights in New York. [ more  ]
It was only a little more than a month ago when President Joe Biden, asked about another head-shaking revelation regarding his predecessor, seemed to balk at a mere mention of the man.



#predecessor #trump
VIRGINIA BEACH VA, JANUARY 6, 2022  Featherstone Partners announced on Monday that Adam M. Saich has joined as a Managing Director of the Virginia Beach based real estate investment firm. Prior to joining Featherstone Partners Saich was the President of BMR Investments, Inc. in Virginia Beach where he oversaw a portfolio of 17 multifamily properties across the region. Saich worked with multifamily developer and manager S. L. Nusbaum for 
Dorothy Denney, 98, of Oskaloosa, passed away Sunday morning, May 1, 2022, at the Mahaska Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa. Dorothy Ione Denney, daughter of Elmer and Mary (Passalia) Shipley, was born September 26, 1923, in Sigourney, Iowa. She attended Tioga Country School and then Delta
Ottumwa, IA (52501)

Today

Rain likely. Low around 45F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low around 45F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
Nur-Sultan, Jan 7 (UNI/Sputnik) Kazakhstan imposed a countrywide "critical red" terror alert on Friday, a Kazakh news portal said on its Telegram channel after its security forces managed to restore control over all city administrations and regional police departments.

Under the anti-terror norms, special services will be allowed to carry out searches of civilians and vehicles at will.

It can also restrict or direct their movement as well as gain access to information transmitted through various telecommunication channels.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will address the nation later in the day.

The alert level entails a full mobilisation of all forces and special services, according to the Kazakh Tengrinews.kz news portal.

So far 3,000 people have been detained and 26 armed individuals killed in clashes with the security forces, after mass protests in the country began earlier in the week as residents of Zhanaozen and Aktau opposed a two-fold increase in prices for liquefied petroleum gas.

The protests spread to other cities resulting in violent clashes with the police leading to loot and vandalism, the Khabar 24 state-run broadcaster said.

The Interior Ministry said 18 more gunmen have been injured, the Khabar 24 state-run broadcaster reported.

Tokayev has declared a state of emergency until January 19 and invited the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) peacekeeping forces to help bring the situation under control.

Peacekeeping contingents from Russia and Belarus have arrived in the country to protect strategic infrastructure facilities.

According to CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas, there are 2,500 peacekeeping troops on the ground and the number may be increased.

Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the phone and informed him about the counter-terrorist operation underway, a statement issued said.

Order has been mostly restored in all regions of Kazakhstan, with regional authorities controlling the situation, President Tokayev said.

He held a meeting of the counterterrorist committee, according to the Kazakh presidential press service.

UNI/SPUTNIK VP
Some Freeland Community School District parents are encouraging the district to follow the Centers for Disease Control's recent recommendation by lessening the required COVID-19 quarantine from 10 days to five days.

Superintendent Matt Cairy said about eight parents showed up for the Wednesday board of education meeting and two people spoke. He said both parents encouraged the district to switch to the five days suggested by the CDC.

We are following the requirements given by the Saginaw County Health Department and we always will follow their requirements, Cairy said Thursday.

Were not going to be forced by a parent group, he added.

He said furthermore, the CDC's recommended reduced quarantine was aimed at the general public and not at the K-12 student population.

He said if the Saginaw County Health Department requires lessening the quarantine time to five days with a return to school without symptoms, Freeland Community School District will do that. He expects that might be happening.

A parent using the fictitious name "Eric Gladfish" started two posts on Facebook urging the school district to get behind the new CDC recommendation. Cairy confirmed that is not the man's name, but that he is a parent.

The man posted, Many parents, including myself, are asking (Freeland Community School District) to update their quarantine policy to follow the new shortened CDC recommendations. Ask the school board to update the policy at Wednesday's school board meeting.

The next day, the same parent said that Cairy said there were no consequences for not following the Saginaw County Health Departments requirement. He said the district led parents to believe there were consequences. The parent said the Freeland community should decide what protocol they follow.

Cairy said the district chooses to follow the health departments guidelines. He knows there are parents on both sides of the issue. But the district isnt budging on the requirements.

My job is to get kids in school" while also following the requirements, Cairy said,

He said he doesnt know why the CDC reduced the recommended quarantine. Cairy said, like many people, there are things he doesnt understand. He is expecting a briefing on the matter and things will be clearer on Monday.

Wearing masks is a choice for students and staff, and Cairy said many do wear masks. All students wear them on the school buses, where they are federally mandated.
Editors note: If you have an event you would like to have included, please email the information to Reporter Victoria Ritter, vritter@mdn.net.

Saturday, Jan. 8

The Dad Joke Show is set for 7-8:30 p.m. at Creative 360. David King will be joined on stage by Stephen Fort, Andrew Fort, Todd Little, John McPeak, Paul Lutenske, Matt Schramm and more hilarious dads. Ever wonder about the origin story of the dad joke? The dads will fill you in on that as they share the best worst and best best jokes of the genre. Rated PG. Admission is $12 prepay, $15 at the door. Guests can bring their own beverage.

KeyboardFest is set for 7 p.m. at Midland Center for the Arts' Auditorium. KeyboardFest is an annual piano festival sponsored by the Mid-Michigan Teachers Association. This concert is designed to develop ensemble skills for the more than 150 participating pianists. As many as 24 students will be on stage performing duets at the same time, under the direction of Conductor Jim Hohmeyer. Tickets are $6.50 for adults, $4 for students.

Sunday, Jan. 9

Buds, Bark and Branches: Winter Tree ID is set for 10-11:30 a.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Identifying woody vegetation can be hard any time of the year, and its even harder without leaves. Join an Interpretive Naturalist to learn how to identify local trees and shrubs in winter. We will discuss how they survive the cold months and their roles in the ecosystem. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Wednesday, Jan. 10

Nature Journaling is set for 6:30-8 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center, hosted by the Wild Ones Mid-Mitten Chapter. A journal is a wonderful way to interact with your world. But you don't have to love to write to journal! Alternative journaling is taking the essence of journaling and fitting it into your environment. This event will explore ways to capture experiences in nature in unique and fun ways. Creative 360 will provide the books and the tools - participants provide the experience and imagination! Presented by Laura Vosejpka scientist, artist, and executive director of Creative 360 in Midland.

Free Intro to Improv is set for 7-7:30 p.m. at Creative 360. Guests can come take a peek into the world of improv. Join Ariel for this 30-minute introduction. Who knows, once you get a taste, you may never leave! Pre-register by Jan. 7.

Tuesday, Jan. 11

Family Snowshoe Hike is set for 5-6:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Bring the whole family for an afternoon of exploration on snowshoes - no experience needed! The group will search high and low for signs of animals as they explore on and off trails. Please bring a sled to pull younger children. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Thursday, Jan. 13

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5-6:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Saturday, Jan. 15

A History Hike is set for 1-2:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Start the new year with a casual trail hike and explore the natural resources that brought people to the region. Join CNC staff as we look for evidence of how nature has influenced our history and guided the settlement of our area. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

The Grove Music Festival is presenting an evening of jazz by the John Hill Quintet at 7 p.m. at Meridian High School Auditorium, 3303 N. Meridian Road, Sanford. Tickets are available at the door for $10.

A Comedy Night is set for 8 p.m. at Sanford American Legion. The kitchen will be open 5-7 p.m. The public is welcome to enjoy some dinner and comedy, makes a great date night. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance or at the door.

Sunday, Jan. 16

Snowshoe Sampler is set for 2-4 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. It's time to play outside! Drop by any time to give CNCs snowshoes a try, do a winter scavenger hunt or warm up by a campfire. Meet at the Homestead Cabin and come enjoy a winter afternoon in the snow. If snow conditions are unfavorable, the event will be canceled (based on the discretion of CNC). This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Monday, Jan. 17

A Full Moon Stroll is set for 5:30-7 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Join an Interpretive Naturalist for a hike to enjoy this months full moon. Learn how the tradition of naming moons began and what makes each month special. Please wear dark colors and bring a flashlight. We may use snowshoes if conditions permit. Reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Wednesday, Jan. 19

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5-6:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Thursday, Jan. 20

Story Hour is set for 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come spend an hour learning about nature! The hour will include a story, crafts and other age-appropriate activities. Dress for the weather for this outdoor program. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Stories by the Fire is set for 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Drop by the Homestead and enjoy an early winter evening relaxing by the campfire, listen to tales of how settlers and animals adapt to survive a cold winter. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Friday, Jan. 21

Survival of the Fittest is set for 2-3:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Winter is tough for wildlife. From freezing temperatures to low food availability, see how wildlife adapts to survive the harsh conditions. Dress with weather in mind for this outdoor hike and activities. This is a free event. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Saturday, Jan. 22

Yoga Coffee Hour is set for 9:15-11 a.m. at Mi Element Grains & Grounds. Join Sarah Nelson for the special Saturday morning version of our Yoga Happy Hour event series. Participants can enjoy a 45-minute all-levels yoga practice, then stay afterward to enjoy a drink and some friendly conversation between 10-11 a.m. Tickets are $18 (drink included), or $12 for yoga only; the ticket price includes one coffee, tea, or beer (must be 21+ for beer option) to enjoy during the event or take a voucher to enjoy your drink at a later date. Participants can bring their own mat and any yoga props to support their practice; a limited number of mats will be available to borrow. Register at sarahnelsonyoga.com/classes

Cardboard Sled Races are set for 1-4 p.m. at Midland City Forest. Hosted by the City of Midland. Pre-register online at www.cityofmidlandmi.gov/chill by Friday, Jan. 21. Registration will be allowed on the day of the event if space allows.

Tuesday, Jan. 25

Adventures for Women: Snowshoe Hike is set for 5-6:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Enjoy an afternoon hike on snowshoes as we notice birds, animal tracks and other points of interest in the woods and fields. Beginner and experienced snowshoers are welcome. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Wednesday, Jan. 26

Zehnder's Snowfest is set to begin at 8 a.m. in Frankenmuth. Professional snow and ice carvers from around the world will create dazzling sculptures. Visitors can observe exhibitions and competitions between artists and students. Snowfest will continue through Sunday, Jan. 30. For more information, visit zehnders.com.

Thursday, Jan. 27

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5-6:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Sound Community Music Series is set for 7-9 p.m. at Live Oak Coffeehouse. This live music series features classical and jazz musicians from the mid-Michigan area and will be held on the fourth Thursday each month at Live Oak Coffeehouse in Midland.

Saturday, Jan. 29

Kids Day at the Midland Mall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. hosted by Midland Recyclers. More than 60 companies participate in this annual event that provides kids and their families with hands-on activities, information and performances.

Sunday, Jan. 30

Nature Book Club: Winter World is set for 1-3 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come for a book club chat and naturalist led hike! Januarys book is National Bestseller Winter World: the Ingenuity of Animal Survival by Bernd Heinrich. Register by Jan. 28 for this free event. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Monday, Jan. 31

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5-6:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Wednesday, Feb. 2

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5:30-7 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Thursday, Feb. 3

Story Hour is set for 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come spend an hour learning about nature! The hour will include a story, crafts and other age-appropriate activities. Dress for the weather for this outdoor program. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Saturday, Feb. 5

Snowshoe Sampler is set for 2-4 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. It's time to play outside! Drop by any time to give CNCs snowshoes a try, do a winter scavenger hunt or warm up by a campfire. Meet at the Homestead Cabin and come enjoy a winter afternoon in the snow. If snow conditions are unfavorable, the event will be canceled (based on the discretion of CNC). This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Sunday, Feb. 6

Winter at the Wigwam is set for 2-4 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Drop by the wigwam to get a glimpse into what it was like for the Ojibwa people to live in a wigwam along the Pine River several hundred years ago. Guests will have a chance to see some traditional tools used for hunting and preparing wild game, learn about the fur trade and see some plants used for making cordage and baskets. If there is enough snow, visitors can play a game of snow snakes outside. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Tuesday, Feb. 8

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5:30-7 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Thursday, Feb. 10

A Family Snowshoe Hike is set for 5:30-7 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Bring the whole family for an afternoon of exploration on snowshoes - no experience needed! We will search high and low for signs of animals as we explore on and off trails. Please bring a sled to pull younger children. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830 www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Saturday, Feb. 12

Kids Nature Art: Winter is set for 10-11 a.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Drop in with CNC staff at The Woods Nature Play area for a blast of winter art. Stations with different projects will be set up throughout the play area to allow young artists to experience art through winter and winter through art. This self-paced experience will allow children to create many projects or work hard on one masterpiece, whatever suits them best. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Sunday, Feb. 13

Adaptations for Winter is set for 10-11:30 a.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Join an Interpretive Naturalist to experience nature in winter. Visitors will explore how animals and plants survive the harsh conditions through adaptations. This program will include a 2-mile hike. this event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

An Introduction to Basket Making is set for 1-4 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Join Jenn Kirts, program director, in creating a solid-based basket. All materials, tools and instructions will be provided for each participant to create their own basket. Masks are required for this indoor program. Pre-registration is required. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Monday, Feb. 14

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5:30-7 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Wednesday, Feb. 16

Chippewa Nature Center's Annual Meeting is set for 3:30-5 p.m. Join CNC staff and board for its annual business meeting and a special presentation on an overview of the 10-year Master Plan, along with and a 2020 Year in Review, financial report and the election of new Board members. CNC will also bid farewell to outgoing board member Nancy Carney who has completed nine years of service at Chippewa Nature Center. CNC staff will provide activities for children ages 3-12 whose parents/guardians are attending the Annual Meeting. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

A Full Moon Stroll is set for 6-7:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Join an Interpretive Naturalist for a hike to enjoy this months full moon. Learn how the tradition of naming moons began and what makes each month special. Please wear dark colors and bring a flashlight. We may use snowshoes if conditions permit. Reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Thursday, Feb. 17

Story Hour is set for 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come spend an hour learning about nature! The hour will include a story, crafts and other age-appropriate activities. Dress for the weather for this outdoor program. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Stories by the Fire is set for 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Drop by the Homestead and enjoy an early winter evening relaxing by the campfire, listen to tales of how settlers and animals adapt to survive a cold winter. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Sunday, Feb. 20

Snowshoe Sampler is set for 2-4 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. It's time to play outside! Drop by any time to give CNCs snowshoes a try, do a winter scavenger hunt or warm up by a campfire. Meet at the Homestead Cabin and come enjoy a winter afternoon in the snow. If snow conditions are unfavorable, the event will be canceled (based on the discretion of CNC). This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Tuesday, Feb. 22

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5:30-7 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Thursday, Feb. 24

Adventures for Women: Snowshoe Hike is set for 5-6:30 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Enjoy an afternoon hike on snowshoes as we notice birds, animal tracks and other points of interest in the woods and fields. Beginner and experienced snowshoers are welcome. Pre-register and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. This event is free. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Sunday, Feb. 27

Nature Book Club: World of Wonders is set for 1-3 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Join us for a book club chat and naturalist led hike! February's book is New York Times Bestseller "World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments" by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Register by Jan. 28 for this free event. www.chippewanaturecenter.org

Monday, Feb. 28

An Evening Snowshoe is set for 5:30-7 p.m. at Chippewa Nature Center. Come discover the beauty of a winter night! The group will look for signs of animals, study tree silhouettes and enjoy the winter sky. Bring a headlamp or flashlight. Pre-register for this free event and reserve snowshoes online or call 989-631-0830. www.chippewanaturecenter.org
Paducah, KY (42003)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Funeral service for Joseph Harold Patt, 83, of Palestine, TX. passed away on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 in Palestine. Viewing will be held on Friday, April 29 at Emanuel Funeral Home of Palestine from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Funeral will be held on Sunday, May 1 at Emanuel Funeral Home in Palestine a
Abuja, Nigeria (PANA)  Besieged by ongoing military onslaught against them, migrating terrorists have killed over 60 people in many villages in Anka and Bukuyum Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Zamfara State between Wednesday and Thursday
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The highest number of COVID-19 cases so far in the pandemic were reported last week across the globe, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) told journalists on Thursday
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Parliament on Thursday called on all parties to unite and support it at this stage, stressing its determination to face all major challenges despite the enormity of the burden to achieve stability
Photo: (Photo : Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

Ryan Gosling might be a busy Hollywood superstar, but during the pandemic lockdown, he got to spend a lot of downtime with his daughters, seven-year-old Esmeralda and five-year-old Amada. To keep them entertained, the doting dad felt that he and his partner, Eva Mendes, did more acting at home than in their movies and admitted that they had to deal with a tougher crowd of two young kids.

In an interview with GQ, Gosling said that he and Mendes had tried their best to keep Esmeralda and Amada occupied when everyone was ordered to stay at home because of the virus. He said it was difficult for their kids because they are at that age where they need to interact with other children socially.

But homeschooling was not new to Gosling since he spent a year of it with his mom in his younger years because he didn't like the traditional school setting. The actor said that he had a great teacher in his mother, so when the lockdown was set in place, she was there to help out with his daughters.

He also reflected on the downtime with his two girls because they are "growing up so fast."

"I need to keep an eye on the clock in a way I never used to," Gosling said. "Time, in general, is something I think about a lot now."

Read Also: Ryan Reynolds Will Stop Making Movies Until the Summer to Focus on His Daughters

They Finally Figured Dad's a Star

The actor also shared that his girls have likely figured out what he and their mother do for a living. However, none of his kids are old enough to watch their movies, except perhaps for "La La Land," his Oscar-winning flick.

However, while his daughters may have realized that he is a superstar on the big screen, he is not the superstar in their household. That distinction, Gosling said, is for Mendes, who did a movie with a boy who became a pig in 1999. The actor said the Mendes' film, "My Brother the Pig," is a favorite at home during the lockdown.

The family is planning to move out of Los Angeles to settle in Ontario, Gosling's hometown, while the girls are still young and growing up. According to Dirt, Gosling and Mendes quietly sold their Los Angeles century-old house and have been living in their Santa Barbara farmhouse.

Gosling and Mendes have always maintained certain privacy about their family life despite their status as celebrities. Mendes said that it works for their family and careers to not share every detail about their life in public. Mendes has a social media account, but she hasn't posted anything on it.

She believes that her kids' photos don't have to be online because they are still too young to be scrutinized. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, Mendes said that the fame component of their lives as movie stars could be "super scary" when raising children.

Gosling, Mendes, and Marriage

Gosling and Mendes have been together for ten years, but they have not detailed any marriage plans. The couple was rumored to have secretly tied the knot in 2016, but their reps had to debunk the story.

However, Gosling and Mendes are both family-centered and very close to their moms and siblings despite their marital status. The extended family has been helping raise their girls because the stars didn't want them to grow up with nannies.

Mendes has also focused on being with her daughters while Gosling did one movie after another because they want their girls to have a normal upbringing. Fortunately, Gosling was able to pause from work and be with his daughters more during the crucial phase of their life because of the pandemic.

Related Article: Blake Lively Speaks Out Against Fan Who Violated the Privacy of Her Daughters
Kolkata, Jan 7 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the new campus of the cancer center in Kolkata inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday has already been inaugurated by the state, and was used as a Covid center.



The Prime Minister inaugurated the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata via video conferencing on Friday. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya was also present.

The tension was apparent as at the beginning of her address, Banerjee reminded the compere of the program that she forgot her surname.



"You have forgotten my title also... or maybe you became nervous," she said.



Banerjee also launched a veiled attack at Modi and said, "PM is virtually inaugurating this project. The Health Minister called me twice. This is why I thought it is a Kolkata program in which the PM has taken interest".

"For information, I would like to tell them, we inaugurated it already. How did we do it... When Covid was spreading, we required centres. I went there, I saw it was linked with the state government, we made it a centre... It was very useful," she said.

She said the state has provided 25 per cent funding for the campus, and is bearing the recurring expenditure of Rs 71 crore every year. The CM said the state gave 11 acres of land for the new campus.



Banerjee also said West Bengal required more medical seats, and more IAS and IPS officers as well.



She said West Bengal has taken a cue from the Centre's policy of lateral entry in the administrative services.

"We also need to increase IAS and IPS officers. You have suggested taking people from outside, we are also trying that. The Governor questioned me why did you do this, show the process... He didn't know it was being done because we are following the Prime Minister's advice," she said.

"If officers are not available what can we do," she said, adding that whatever the political outlook may be, the state follows all central guidelines.

Banerjee's comment was criticised by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who also attended the event.

"Not only you disparaged intentionally, trying to conceal the fact that the central govt has provided 75 per cent of the funds .. 400 crores, but also belittled the Federal Polity of India and stained the sanctity of a solemn occasion. How unfortunate," Adhikari said.



"Guilefully articulating the emergency usage of an under construction facility as Safe Home during the 2nd wave of Covid, to discredit the formal inauguration of the most advanced fully equipped Cancer facility of Eastern India is a deliberate attempt to mislead the people of West Bengal," he tweeted.

The second campus of CNCI has been built at a cost of over Rs 540 crore, out of which around Rs 400 crore have been provided by the Union government and rest by the West Bengal government, in the ratio of 75:25. The campus is a 460-bed comprehensive cancer centre unit with cutting edge infrastructure for cancer diagnosis, staging, treatment and care.

UNI AO ING
Photo: (Photo : NORBERTO DUARTE/AFP via Getty Images)

A teacher from Long Island has landed in jail for administering a COVID-19 vaccine on a 17-year-old student without the consent of his parents.

Laura Parker Russo, a biology teacher at Herricks High School, was investigated and arrested by Nassau County police after the teenager's mother complained about what she did. Russo, who does not have any medical background, allegedly injected a Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine dose at her home on New Year's Day.

A viral video of the teacher vaccinating the teen has spread online. It showed Russo sticking a needle on her student's arm and then telling him that he was done with his at-home vaccine.

There you go, at home vaccine. Police have arrested a Long Island mother for illegally giving a 17 year old boy a shot of Covid vaccine in her home. And theres video.Only on @NBCNewYork #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/KpG5vAQaDT  Pei-Sze Cheng (@PeiSzeCheng4NY) January 3, 2022

Read Also: Doctor Recommends Making COVID-19 Vaccinations a Family Affair as Best Protection Against Omicron

The Health Risk of At-Home Vaccine

Dr. Audie Liametz of NYU Langone said in an interview with CBS New York that at-home vaccine is not authorized, especially without proper training. Those who inject the vaccine have to know how to draw up the dose into a sterilized syringe and then expel the dose through the needle properly.

A COVID-19 vaccine administered incorrectly might not protect the individual from the virus. Worse, Russo might have accessed a counterfeit vaccine or an expired dose that has unknown substances that will endanger the individual. It's still unclear how the teacher got hold of the vaccine, given that J & J has no approval for vaccination below 18 years old. Only Pfizer vaccines have FDA approval for younger age groups, but it's self-administered or done at home as well.

Russo is married to realtor John Russo, and they have six children. The Russo family's neighbors expressed surprise over her arrest.

One neighbor said that what she did could send panic once people learn that there are false vaccinations. Another neighbor said that she was shocked, and she didn't know how it was possible for Russo to have a vaccine without authorization.

According to reports, the 17-year-old student was not monitored after the vaccine, which should have been the standard operating procedure. After learning of Russo's actions, the school removed the teacher from her classroom assignments as they awaited her case's outcome.

Consequences for Unauthorized Vaccination

The school released a statement confirming that one of its employees is charged for violating the New York State Education Law Unauthorized Practice of a Profession. She is due to face court on Friday, January 21. If convicted, Russo could be slapped with a four-year prison time.

Mount Sinai South Nassau chief Dr. Aaron Glatt said that apart from the illegal act, a non-professional without training will not know what to do if a complication should arise after the jab. There are more severe consequences to consider with an "amateur injection," and Glatt said it was "not the smart thing to do."

Related Article: What Parents Should Know About the COVID-19 Omicron Variant as Schools Remain Open
Photo: (Photo : Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images)

A pregnant mom from Israel, who has remained unvaccinated, has tested positive for COVID-19 and the flu. Her case is the first documented "flurona" or flu with the coronavirus.

According to reports, the mother is receiving treatments at the Beilinson Hospital in the town of Petah Tikva. Her doctor said that she has been experiencing breathing difficulties because both the flu and COVID-19 "attack the upper respiratory tract."

Doctors in Israel are studying flurona since influenza cases have also been surging in the past few weeks, along with COVID-19 and the more transmissible Omicron variant. Cairo University Hospital expert Dr. Nahla Abdel Wahab said that having both the flu and COVID-19 could cause a major breakdown in a patient's immune system since there are two kinds of viruses attacking simultaneously.

In 2020, when COVID-19 vaccines were not yet available, flu cases dropped to their lowest levels because people were in quarantine or isolation, observing social distancing, and wearing masks. A year later, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that while more than 172 million flu vaccine doses were distributed across the country, fewer people had their flu shots, leaving patients vulnerable to influenza again.

Read Also: How Parents May Keep Kids Safe From Omicron Amid CDC's New 'Test and Stay' Policy for Schools

Low Probability of Double Infection

However, according to David Edwards of Harvard University, the probability of catching both viruses simultaneously is relatively low for most people. However, flurona is gaining some attention because of the Omicron spread and the fact that flu has returned this year after last year's more restrictive safety measures.

"[This] is sort of like the probability of getting robbed by two people on the same day," Edwards said.

However, in May 2021, before Omicron and the flu season, experts from the University of Wisconsin gathered data of at least 24 percent of COVID-19 patients who also tested positive for other pathogens. They said that the outcomes for these patients with double infections were poorer, and the risks for mortality were higher. They recommended testing patients beyond just COVID-19, especially if their treatments haven't been working well.

After Israel's case, the Texas Children's Hospital also announced that a child had tested positive for flurona but is in recovery at home. Pathologist Dr. Jim Versalovic said that this is the first known case in the U.S., and they are still doing further studies on the patient's condition.

Other Types of Double Infection

However, USA Today reported that Texas Children's Hospital also had cases of double infection involving COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) among dozens of kids last summer. But, the doctors are more confident that flurona will have better outcomes since there are specific medications for the flu. There are no medications or vaccines for RSV.

Experts are also carefully studying a double infection of the Delta and the Omicron variant in Europe, where a tsunami of COVID cases has been gripping many nations. The twin spikes worry some doctors as there are no tools available to treat COVID-19. The experts also said that regardless of the virus, it's the immunocompromised people, the older generation, and kids younger than five who remain vulnerable, so this health crisis is far from over.

Related Article: What Parents Should Know About the COVID-19 Omicron Variant as Schools Remain Open
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The World Bank Group has announced a 24-month sanction of France-based airport developer and operator ADP International (formerly ADP Management), a subsidiary of Aeroports de Paris.

The sanction consists of a 12-month debarment followed by a 12-month conditional non-debarment in connection with collusive practices as part of the Airports Madagascar Project and fraudulent practices as part of the Zagreb Airport Project.

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The sanction stems from an investigation conducted by the World Bank Groups Integrity Vice Presidency and highlights the institutions efforts to promote high standards of integrity in International Finance Corporation (IFC)-financed projects.

This debarment only applies to ADP International and the companies it controls; it does not include within its scope Aeroports de Paris and its other subsidiaries, including TAV Airports companies.

A release by Aeroports de Paris said the sanction is part of an amicable settlement negotiated by ADP International, under which the company assumes responsibility for practices considered to be fraudulent and collusive during the calls for tender procedures organized for the award of concessions for Zagreb Airport in Croatia and Antananarivo and Nosy Be in Madagascar. The construction of all of these airports was partially financed by the IFC.

The matter was resolved through settlement agreements negotiated with the multiple companies involved. The settlements demonstrate how such agreements, and Bank Group sanctions in general, can be used to help promote better business practices by companies engaged in private-sector development projects.

At the end of the initial debarment period, and provided that certain conditions set out in the settlement agreement are met, the sanction of ADP International will become a conditional non-debarment. During this time, ADP International will be eligible to participate in projects and operations financed by institutions of the World Bank Group as long as it complies with its obligations under the settlement agreement. However, if the World Bank Group integrity compliance officer determines that the company fails to meet the specified conditions at the end of the debarment period, it will remain ineligible to participate in World Bank Group projects and operations until the conditions for release set out in the settlement agreement are met.

The Airports Madagascar Project, which is supported by IFC, provides partial financing for the design and development of the expansion and renovation works of the two main airports in Madagascar: Ivato International Airport and the Fascene Airport. According to the facts of the case, ADP International engaged in collusive practices by attending improper meetings with government officials between February 4, 2015 and May 4, 2015, during the tender for the 28-year contract for the concession to run the airports.

The Zagreb Airport Project, which is also supported by IFC, provides partial financing for a 30-year concession contract for the design, construction works, operation and maintenance of a new terminal within Zagreb International Airport. According to the facts of the case, ADP International engaged in fraudulent practices by failing to disclose to IFC that fees paid by the company, between June 10, 2011 and March 12, 2014, to a retained agent, in connection with the concession contract, were partially transferred to a non-contracted consultant.

The settlement agreement provides for a reduced period of debarment in light of the companys cooperation and voluntary remedial actions. As a condition for release from sanction under the terms of the settlement agreement, ADP International has committed to adapt its group-wide integrity compliance program to reflect the principles set out in the World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines, and has agreed to implement and maintain the program as part of its business operations going forward, including at its sanctioned subsidiaries.
Men and young boys celebrate Epiphany in the icy Tundzha River in the Bulgarian town of Kalofer on Thursday.
Churches in the Koforidua township burst at the seams as worshippers trooped in both on Christmas Day and on the night of December 31, 2021 to usher in the new year.



The worshippers, who were clad in white clothes, sang and praised God for seeing them through the past year and making them see the new year.



As dawn broke on January 1, 2022, expectant mothers at the Eastern Regional Hospital were also delivered of 15 babies, bringing to 30, babies born on both Christmas Day and the new year.



Obedience, purpose



At the Anglican Church, the Bishop of the Diocese, the Rt Rev. Felix Odei Annancy, asked Ghanaians to be obedient to God and do exactly what God expected of them before they could get their blessings.



He told Ghanaians that God had a purpose for each one and that everybody had a talent and gift to use to build the nation, which was why Ghanaians must use such talents and gifts to build the nation.



Rt Rev. Annancy said as "we move into the new year, Ghanaians must forgive one another and forge ahead in unity for peaceful coexistence with members of the other faiths."



At the Presbyterian Church, the Koforidua District Minister, Rev. Dr Kofi Amfo-Akonnor, said God had a purpose for Ghanaians and ,therefore, the people must worship and praise God for taking them through the previous year.



According to him, it was in God's own wisdom for Ghana to have a hung Parliament, as such Ghanaians must listen to the voice of God in the happenings of Parliament.



Prayers



He asked Ghanaians to pray to God because it was not going to be easy.



Rev. Dr Amfo-Akonnor said with God and Jesus, Ghanaians would be taken through the difficulties in the new year.



When the Daily Graphic visited the Methodist Church, the Bishop of the Diocese, the Rt Rev. Dr Emmanuel Kwadwo Asare Kusi, called for reconciliation, particularly among the various political parties to move the society and the country forward.



The Rt Rev. Dr Kusi who also spoke on the theme; "Transformation" said Ghanaians should transform themselves inwardly to reflect on society.



The Pastor in charge of the Assemblies of God, the Omega House Chapel International, Rev. Albert Asihene Arjarquah, told a large number of worshippers gathered at the Jubilee Park that church members, as well as Ghanaians in general had to work hard during the new year.



Babies



The babies delivered at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua during the yuletide and the new year day comprised 11 males and 19 females.



In all, there were 23 normal deliveries and seven births through caesarean.



The Senior Staff Midwife in charge of Shift at the Labour Ward, Mrs Hannah Yeboah, said most women who delivered on festive occasions considered that to be a blessing.



A new mother, Mrs Gifty Fiagbedzi, expressed her joy that she had delivered on new years day, which to her was a blessing and hoped the baby would grow to be a responsible adult.









Source: Graphiconline.com









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The country has assumed its membership of the United Nations (UN) Security Council.



In line with that, a flag raising ceremony was held at the UN to signify the official admission of Ghana and four other countries that were elected last June to start their tenure.



They will serve on the security council from January 1, 2022 to December 2023.



This will be the third time Ghana is holding a non-permanent seat on the council that leads the world organisations agenda on peace, the threat to it and security of member countries.



Ghana first served on the council in the 1960s with the most recent being the period between January 2006 to December 2007.



At a ceremony at the media stake-out area of the council, the flag of Ghana, as well as Gabon, Brazil, United Arab Emirates and Albania were hoisted.



With the admission of Ghana and Gabon, Africa now has three countries on the 15-member UN body, with Kenya having been on it since January 2021.



And in November 2022, Ghana is expected to preside over the council.



Ghanas priority



Ghana was represented at the event by its Permanent Representative to the UN, Mr Harold A Agyeman, who said the country was looking forward to promoting international peace and security to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).



He said the country would also seek stronger and deeper collaboration and cooperation with the UN and regional bodies in a manner that enhanced complementality and also ensured effective coordination.



Ghana formally takes her seat on the council, 15 years after we last served on this important UN organ. We are expectedly excited by the opportunity to make a bigger contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security.



We are honoured by the confidence member states have reposed in us. In this regard, I convey on behalf of my Head of State, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as well as my Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, our deepest appreciation once again to all member states, Mr Agyeman added.



He, however, said, we are under no illusion of the challenges we face in resolving the prevailing conflicts or the enduring nature of the emerging threats to international peace and security such as the violent extremism, the proliferation of terrorism, insurgencies, enhanced activities of transnational criminal organisations and the impact of climate change to security in some parts of our world.



Security Council



The 15-member security council is made up of 10 seats for temporary members and five permanent members made up of Russia, China, the USA, Britain and France  which hold the power of veto.



The council holds regular meetings to address threats to international peace and security and makes the ultimate decisions on resolutions to impose sanctions, authorise the use of military force and the launch of peacekeeping missions.



Some of the councils priorities include hotspots such as Ethiopia and Afghanistan, as well as the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Irans nuclear programme.

Source: Graphiconline.com









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After 30 years of the promulgation of the 1992 Constitution, four political parties have reiterated the need for it to be amended to improve the governance system of the country.

According to the parties, the review of the 1992 Constitution was long overdue to enhance the countrys democratic process.



Representatives of the Convention People's Party (CPP), the Progressive People's Party (PPP), All People's Congress (APC), and the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) made the suggestion in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic on the significance of the Constitution Day celebration which falls on January 7, 2022.



Constitution Day is observed on January 7 each year to celebrate the effort to maintain and sustain the Fourth Republic over the years and the birthing of the 1992 constitution of Ghana.



CPP



The General Secretary of the CPP, Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah, said after 30 years of the promulgation of the 1992 Constitution, the time had come for a review of the document.



She argued that the powers vested in the President under the current Constitution must be defused to serve as a check on the executive arm of government.



Additionally, she said the significance of the Constitution Day had not been spelt out by those who promulgated the holiday.



She, therefore, advocated a forum to be held on such a day to provide public education on the Constitution as the fundamental law of the country instead of observing it as a mere public holiday.



PPP



For his part, the Director of Communication for the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Mr Felix Mantey, said the PPP had advocated a review of aspects of the Constitution which did not enhance or promote the advancement of democracy in the country.



He said until aspects of the Constitution were amended to meet the development goals, celebrating that day would amount to nothing.



He said for instance that Article 243 which dealt with the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) must be reviewed and not necessarily attaching Article 55 to it and making the election of MMDCEs partisan.



He said for proper separation of powers and to prevent abuse of power, the 1992 Constitution must be amended to address the challenge where the President had to appoint majority of ministers from Parliament.



He said the PPP was of the view that no minister must be a Member of Parliament.



That, he explained, would promote a clear separation of powers between the executive and legislative branch of government and help Parliament perform its oversight responsibility over the executive.





Mr Mantey also called for amendment to the 1992 Constitution to separate the Ministry of Justice from the Office of the Attorney-General.



It is important that the Minister of Justice, who is the government lawyer, is not the same person who is the peoples lawyer, and prosecuting crimes in the country. People in government also commit crimes so we need someone who is outside the government to prosecute all crimes, he said.



He stressed the need for the public declaration of assets and liabilities to be published before and after one occupied and left public office to facilitate the fight against corruption.



Mr Felix Mantey  PPP Director of Communications and Mr Yaw Asani Tano  National Organiser of the LPG



APC



The Founder and leader of the APC, Mr Hassan Ayariga, said the Constitution vested too much power in the President, which needed to be reviewed.



When one person has too much power, he or she becomes too corrupt and as a country, we shouldnt give too much power to one person, he said



He said it was time to engage stakeholders including civil society organisations, the academia and other people to discuss issues relating to the Constitution to come up with proposals for its amendment.



LPG



The National Organiser of the LPG, Mr Yaw Asani Tano, described the celebration of the Constitution as irrelevant.



He said it was a politically motivated holiday orchestrated to wipe out the real and authentic history of the country.



He, therefore, called for a restoration of July 1 as a Republic Day to reflect Ghanas political history.

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
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and his wife Gurkiran Kaur and new baby are shown in this handout image provided by the Singh family. Singh has become a father for the first time, to a baby daughter. Singh announced Thursday that he and his wife welcomed a baby girl into the world on Monday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Jagmeet Singh *MANDATORY CREDIT *
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"It's really scary. The number of new infections just tripled in one day," said Manabu Sato, a professor of political science at Okinawa International University. "Okinawa, as you may know, is an isolated island. We cannot ask for help from neighboring prefectures easily."

The situation underscores the pandemic challenges faced by the U.S. military, which regularly rotates troops through bases worldwide. It also risks inflaming tensions in Okinawa, where many residents have long resented the U.S. military presence.

Okinawa, which hosts more than half of the approximately 50,000 U.S. troops in Japan, has suffered the worst of the surge. On Thursday, Okinawa reported a record high of nearly 1,000 new cases. That figure represents nearly a quarter of the cases reported nationwide, even though Okinawans comprise just 1 percent of Japan's population.

Since mid-December, about 1,000 U.S. military personnel on at least eight bases in Japan have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Japanese media reports quoting local officials. The outbreak began at Camp Hansen in Okinawa. Japanese officials have expressed growing concern about the U.S. outbreak, especially as cases nationwide began to surge last week following months of success containing the virus.

U.S. military bases in Japan tightened coronavirus prevention measures Thursday, after an explosion of infections in Okinawa, a southern prefecture that hosts dozens of U.S. military facilities.

In a phone call Thursday with his U.S. counterpart, Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi requested U.S. bases impose curfews and other measures to contain the outbreak, according to Japanese officials.

Shortly after news of the phone call emerged, U.S. Forces Japan announced new measures, including requiring personnel to wear masks off base and tightening testing procedures. "The mitigation measures we have instituted throughout USFJ are intended to protect our force's readiness, the well-being of our families, and the health of Japan's citizens," the statement read.

Late last month, the U.S. military in Japan acknowledged that since September it had stopped requiring COVID-19 tests for vaccinated American personnel arriving on military aircraft at U.S. installations. After senior Japanese officials expressed "strong regret" about the policy, U.S. Forces Japan reinstated the test requirement and tightened restrictions on movement.

 Local Concern

Among those most critical of the U.S. military's COVID-19 approach is Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, who has long supported reducing the U.S. military presence on the island. Earlier this week, Tamaki said he is "outraged" at the uptick in cases among U.S. personnel, saying it suggests "insufficient" military management, according to local media.

In an editorial Thursday, the left-leaning Asahi Shimbun said the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, which exempts U.S. military personnel from Japan's civilian immigration rules, was serving as a "loophole" for the more transmissible Omicron variant to enter Japan.

Sato, the Okinawa-based professor, said many locals have a "strong suspicion" that Okinawa's outbreak is related to the U.S. military infections, but that this is hard to determine because of a lack of public data from the U.S. side. "I don't think it's fair to blame anybody for this (pandemic). But we have to find out how to limit this spread. And in order to do that, we have to have information," he added.

Late last month, U.S. officials promised Tokyo they would conduct tests to detect the Omicron variant and would inform Japan about the results as soon as possible, according to Japan's foreign ministry.

 Transparency

Most of the publicly available data on coronavirus outbreaks at U.S. bases is released by Japanese prefectural officials. The U.S. military in Japan publicly releases limited information about its outbreaks. By contrast, the U.S. military in neighboring Korea has provided more frequent public updates about positive cases among U.S. personnel.

"I chose to release the numbers in the interest of keeping our community informed. This provided transparency for both our own population and [Korean health authorities]," General Robert Abrams, who until July was the top U.S. commander in Korea, told VOA. Abrams, who is now retired, oversaw the fight against the coronavirus on U.S. bases in Korea, which were effectively the first U.S. community to be on the front lines against COVID-19.

Beginning in November, U.S. Forces Korea reduced the amount of COVID-19 data it releases to the public, but still publishes a weekly count on its website. For the week ending Jan. 3, USFK reported 682 COVID-19 cases. Stars and Stripes, a newspaper focusing on the U.S. military, reported that figure was USFK's highest weekly total yet. But the USFK cases may appear less glaring since they are set within Korea, which for months has experienced a winter wave of infections.

Japan on Thursday reported 4,000 cases, according to a count by national broadcaster NHK. That is the most cases reported by Japan since mid-September.


On January 3, Hezbollahs secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, delivered a speech on Hezbollahs al-Manar television marking the second anniversary of the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

In his speech, Nasrallah praised Soleimani as a defender and protector of peace in the region. He vowed that those responsible for killing Soleimani will get just punishment, and he said the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan is one consequence of the assassination.

Hezbollahs chief claimed that all participants in the Syrian war  Islamic State, the al Qaida-affiliated group Nusrah Front, various Arab and other regional countries  are tools against Syria in the hands of the United States.

The United States is responsible for the war in Syria, Nasrallah said.

History says otherwise.

The war in Syria did not start as the war it is today. It developed amid a wave of pro-democracy movements that swept over several Arab countries in 2010 and 2011 and became known as the Arab Spring. In countries like Tunisia and Egypt, the protests overturned autocratic regimes. However, in countries like Libya, Yemen and Syria, the uprisings morphed into all-out combat.

The protests in Syria began in March 2011 in the southern city of Deraa, then governed by President Bashar al-Assads cousin, in response to the arrest of teenage boys who had painted anti-Assad graffiti on the wall of their school. The boys were confined for weeks and tortured by Syrian government security forces.

The protests spread from Deraa to other Syrian towns and cities. Security forces fired teargas at protesters who began demonstrating regularly, and tanks and armed troops were deployed on the streets of cities across the country to preemptively quell the protests.

Faced with a violent response by the Assad government, opposition supporters took up arms to protect themselves and end government security forces control over their areas. Armed rebel groups emerged across Syria.

Despite regional and international calls for the Assad government to cease its crackdown on protesters, Damascus continued to use harsh tactics.

The Assad government promised reforms, but its brutality contradicted these promises. The regime claimed from the beginning that the violence was the result of a conspiracy, and foreign backed terrorism.

In his first speech following the start of the protests, Assad said that Syrias enemies were working every day to undermine its security and stability. Assad said that there would be reforms, but that they would not come quickly because people's livelihoods needed to be taken care of first.

Assad did lift a 48-year emergency law, a key demand by protesters to abolish state security courts and allow free demonstrations. But the move was dismissed by oppositions groups as meaningless.

He also vowed to crush the conspiracy against the country, which he said had started in Deraa, near Syrias border with Jordan.

Foreign powers  including Russia and the United States  eventually embroiled themselves in the fight between Syrian government forces and the rebels. Amid the growing chaos, the jihadist groups Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaida became involved when both moved to rebel-held Raqqa governorate in northeast Syria. In 2014, IS declared Raqqa city as its capital.

The Assad government used extreme violence to take back territory controlled by rebel groups. This included indiscriminate airstrikes and the use of chemical weapons  what rights groups and the United Nations later alleged were atrocities.

At least 1,400 people were reportedly killed in a 2013 chemical attack in Ghouta, outside Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in London, documented the names of 890 people killed in the Ghouta attack.

Syrian government air strikes that have deliberately or indiscriminately killed civilians appear to be part of systematic and widespread attacks against the civilian population that Human Rights Watch previously found amount to crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch (HRW) wrote in an April 2013 report.

As officers defected from Syrias army and security forces, Assad welcomed proxy fighters from Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran to support his fight against rebel groups.

In 2014, the then-U.S. President Barak Obama ordered airstrikes while working with the international and local partners in Syria, including the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to defeat IS. In a timeline published in 2019, the Associated Press reported that the U.S. had launched 17,000 airstrikes in Syria.

The U.S.-backed coalition achieved the defeat of IS, but a group of 900 U.S. troops remains in Syria to continue supporting the SDF in deterring a resurgence of IS.

The U.S. has also faced criticism for killing civilians in airstrikes, including a March 2019 attack targeting IS in Baghuz in eastern Syria that reportedly killed 80 civilians.

In March 2021, the Syrian war entered its 10th year.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights says it documented 228,099 people killed in Syria between 2011 and 2021. Of those, 200,000 were killed by the Syrian government and allied militias, 6,910 by Russian airstrikes, 5,083 by IS, 4,183 by armed rebels and 3,047 by the U.S.-backed multinational coalition.

In September 2021, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet reported that the Syrian war had left more than 350,200 people dead but noted that this number was an under-count of the actual number of killings.

The U.N.s refugee agency says more than half of the Syrian population remains displaced, with 6.6 million refugees in neighboring countries and 6.7 million displaced inside Syria.

In its most recent annual report, HRW said the Syrian government continues to restrict the delivery of humanitarian aid in government-held areas. It said the government selectively approved aid projects to punish civilians in anti-government held areas and required humanitarian groups to partner with security-vetted local actors.

Syrian security forces continue to arbitrarily detain and torture civilians. According to HRW, 100,000 people in Syria have disappeared.

In April 2020, a landmark trial began in Koblenz, Germany against two former Syrian intelligence officials accused of committing crimes against humanity. One of them, Anwar Raslan, allegedly oversaw the torture of 4,000 people.
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Business leaders from across Aiken had the chance Friday morning to hear about the economic impact of the Savannah River Site.

Operations at the site generated a $2.2 billion economic impact across Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell counties in South Carolina, and Columbia and Richland counties in Georgia during fiscal year 2020.

Rick McLeod, president and CEO of the Savannah River Site Community Reuse Organization, delivered the presentation, noting that the impact would have likely been greater except for the coronavirus pandemic that wreaked havoc on the economy.

The study analyzed three different influences that SRS had on the five-county region: direct, or the initial change in expenditures or jobs; indirect, or SRS organizations spending in the local economy; and induced, or the response by the local economy that occurs through re-spending of income.

"The total impact (in 2020) was less than the previous two studies," McLeod said, referencing studies done in 2011 and 2016.

Induced impact took the biggest hit of the three from COVID-19, as fewer workers were going out to eat at restaurants or shopping locally, as businesses shuttered or reduced their hours and services.

However, that figure is rebounding as the community continues to reopen and return to normalcy, McLeod said.

Another point of interest from the study concerned wages. The site employs thousands, and offers wages considerably higher than the average.

The average yearly wage for an SRS employee is $97,918, close to double that of Aiken County ($54,082) and close to three times that of Barnwell County ($36,751), according to the study.

The overall $2.2 billion impact represents 10% of the Aiken-Augusta region's gross domestic product, the study stated.

J. David Jameson, president and CEO of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, briefly spoke about the importance of the site Friday.

"You often hear if the Savannah River Site has a cold, Aiken has pneumonia," Jameson said. "You can see why now, because of that direct correlation between the expenditures, payroll, jobs and how that affects (almost) every business in this region."
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Nearly two years after the program was temporarily suspended because of COVID-19, the Yorktown aircraft carrier in Charleston Harbor will be welcoming groups aboard again for overnight stays.

Camping programs at the state-owned Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum have been on hiatus since mid-March 2020. Now, they're coming back to the Mount Pleasant waterfront tourist attraction under a new name: Operation Overnight.

Bookings will be available for one- or two-night stays on the World War II-era ship for groups of 10 or more people.

How to Stay As of 10 a.m. Jan 7, 2022, reservations for overnight camping excursions on the USS Yorktown will be open. Bookings for groups of 10 or more can be made at patriotspoint.org/operation-overnight.

Overnight guests sleep in traditional Navy berthing compartments on the Yorktown, eat meals in one of the galleys and have access to the museum and theater after-hours. Groups will participate in a new "Live Like a Sailor" program that includes guided tours of the Yorktown, the USS Laffey destroyer and the Medal of Honor Museum.

We guarantee this will be an unforgettable adventure, program director Sarah Edmiston said in a written statement. We see adults visit who slept aboard when they were a child. They had so much fun that decades later they are bringing their children to share in those memories.

Edmiston added she hopes the experience will be one that guests "carry with them through the rest of their lives."

The maritime museum, along with other attractions across South Carolina, shut down for about two months early on in the coronavirus pandemic, in compliance with state mandates.

Patriots Point reopened over Memorial Day weekend 2020 but made some modifications for safety and continued to suspend some programming like overnight camping operations.

This is the first time overnight programming has been offered since the museum halted camping on March 16, 2020.

Reservations for Operation Overnight can be made on the museum's website starting 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 7.

The stays, which cost $85 per person for one night or $145 for two nights, include museum admission, free parking, educational tours, a special patch and a scavenger hunt.

After making a reservation, museum staff will be in touch to confirm the booking, get a headcount of guests and start planning programming and meal options for the trip, according to an informational video on Patriot's Point's website.
For centuries, South Carolina Gullah-Geechee stories have been woven into the fabric of the Lowcountry.

They have fanned out throughout the country in decades upon decades of migration. With each new generation's expression of the culture, they have grown and evolved the notion of what it means to be Gullah-Geechee.

Lately, it has seen an increased effort to broadcast its many stories, shining light on how integral the Gullah-Geechee culture is to the American experience.

Take some recent film projects. In December, the Southern Documentary Fund selected 10 projects from filmmakers across seven Southern states, with each to receive $10,000 production grants. Two of those projects were focused on Geechee culture in South Carolina.

Those were "Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl" by Director Julie Dash and Producer Rachel Watanabe-Batton, and "Saltwata Vibes," by Director Sherard "Shekeese" Duvall.

This years applicant pool was rich with Southern talent, telling a vast range of powerful stories from across our region, Southern Documentary Fund Executive Director Kristy Garcia Breneman said. It is an honor to support these voices that are critical to a more accurate telling of Americas story  both historic and current.

Dash is a filmmaker most known for her 1991 feature "Daughters of the Dust," the evocative feature-length film, which is set on the Sea Islands and the first directed by an African American woman to obtain general theatrical release in the United States.

Her documentary "Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl" now takes the culture abroad, sharing the story of a South Carolina Geechee woman who wakes up in Paris and soon realizes shes just another starving writer living at the Beat Hotel. After a failed marriage and work as a Moon Goddess with the Sun Ra Arkestra, she pens a bestselling cookbook that changes how the world converses on women, race and food.

Dash recently appeared in Charleston as part of a collaboration on a Spoleto Festival 2021 project, the Charleston edition of "Two Wings: The Music of Black America in Migration" that was part of the Wells Fargo Jazz series. The multidisciplinary production of Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran featured musical selections that were punctuated by Dash reading from "Daughters of the Dust," which chronicles Geechee migration.

In a 2020 video discussion with Wells Fargo Jazz adviser Larry Blumenfeld, Jason Moran said they look for partners who "aren't afraid to carry their story with them."

Dash has long been drawn to mine her Geechee origins. "It's the continuous pursuit of the curiosity of 'What's going on and how did I get to here?'" she said in the video. Growing up in the North, she was keenly aware of her South Carolina Geechee roots, citing family habits like eating crabs for breakfast.

"I always knew we were different because we hung out in the Geechee section of 155th Street and Broadway," said Dash, who was raised and grew up in New York City. "It was like a whole Geechee enclave and everybody had that Geechee accent."

The other South Carolina-connected project, Duvall's "Saltwata Vibes," is a feature-length documentary about Gullah-Geechee Afrofuturism that is slated to be released in 2023. According to Duvall, the grant will allow the project to hire crew, and cover travel and accommodations needs for the film production.

The film centers on young people on the coast of South Carolina who are redefining their culture to see if, together, they can create a modern contemporary music that could represent the sound of the Gullah-Geechee of tomorrow. It focuses on siblings Sara Makeba Daise and Simeon Daise, children of former television personalities Ron and Natalie Daise of "Gullah Gullah Island."

"Sara, Simeon and I felt compelled to share this story because the narrative about Gullah Geechee communities is often a very flat narrative," said Duvall. "What we are hoping to achieve by telling this story is to allow people to see the modernity, the futuristic, the living breathing culture that is Gullah Geechee people, a people that is much more than just food, language and cool tourist trinkets."

Duvall is a film and messaging professional from Columbia and an advocate of Hip-Hop culture. The accomplished editor, director and producer has creamed up both commercial and documentary projects for outlets including VH1, Discovery Channel, ESPN and BET.

Other grant recipients include:

Emmy-nominated media producer and filmmaker Ashley Yorks new project "Dear Appalachia," a documentary series that highlights a commonly misunderstood place within the United States.

Emmy award winner Daresha Kyis new project "Black Voters Matter," a feature-length documentary about the co-founders of the Black Voters Matter Fund, Cliff Albright and LaTosha Brown, and the crucial role they played in flipping Georgia from red to blue in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 Georgia Senate runoffs.

Director Nova Cypress Black for "(dey/dem): a choreo-doc," about how the lived experiences of Black nonbinary folks in Atlanta echo the nearly erased history of gender nonconformity in pre-colonial Africa.

"Inheritance," by Director Maria Warith-Wade and Producer Aaron C. Wade, which addresses how the nation looks to Richmond, Va., to reckon with its Confederate legacy.

"May the Lord Watch: The Little Brother Story," by Director Holland Randolph Gallagher and Producer Phonte Coleman, shares the story of Little Brother, North Carolina's preeminent rap group. The Little Brother story is a story of the enduring nature of music, place, and friendship.

"The Body Is Not a Thing" by Co-Directors Monica Villavicencio and Stephanie Liu follow three women as they question everything theyve been told about aging to find new narratives in unlikely places.

"The In Between" by Director Robie Flores and Producers Alejandro Flores and Kellen Quinn is a lyrical coming-of-age portrait of growing up on the U.S.-Mexico border that celebrates and explores how the fronterizo identity takes shape.

"This Belongs to Us" by Director Atinuke Diver chronicles the stories of Black women brewers in the American South and explores their journeys of reclamation and revival as they navigate the predominantly White, male-dominated industry of craft beer in the United States.

For the filmmakers, sharing such stories is profound.

"I feel that we are living in a time where conventional narratives are being challenged all around us," said Duvall. "Marginalized communities around the world are defining themselves for themselves, without the approval or filter of any outsiders. This film is on the cutting edge of that work."

The 2021 SDF Production Grant cycle is supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, which granted SDF $250,000 in general operating funds for the organizations programs and mission of providing resources for Southern documentary makers. For more information on Southern Documentary Fund, visit southerndocumentaryfund.org.
COLUMBIA  A North Carolina man was arrested Dec. 6 and charged with murder and kidnapping in connection to the 1986 disappearance of 4-year-old Jessica Gutierrez from Lexington County. The investigation ramped up late last year.

Thomas Eric McDowell, 61, was arrested by the Wake Forest Police Department in North Carolina, the Lexington County Sheriff's Department said in a statement. The FBI and State Law Enforcement Division joined the cold case in September, sparking a new investigation.

McDowell, who is being held in the Wake County Detention Center, lived in Lexington County in 1986, according to the sheriff's department. The South Carolina Attorney General's office will prosecute the case.

McDowell is listed on SLED's sex offender registry for a 1987 sex offense conviction in North Carolina. He had a court date on Dec. 7, according to the Wake County inmate list.

Jessica's mother Debra has waited more than three decades for answers about the kidnapping of her daughter.

Between 11 p.m. on June 5, 1986, and 9 a.m. the next day, an intruder entered Gutierrezs home near the town of Lexington by breaking a living room window. The abductor removed Jessica from her bed and left through the front door.

An older sister, Rebecca, told authorities she remembered seeing a man lift Jessica out of her bed and carry her away.

Im just so consumed with this. Im 35 years deep into this and I want my daughter back, and I dont think Im asking much, Gutierrez said in a video issued last fall by the Lexington County Sheriffs Department.

Investigators from the FBI, SLED and the sheriff's department interviewed more than 125 people and reviewed over 3,500 case file documents as part of the new investigation. Ten FBI field officers were involved in the reexamination, Lexington County Sheriff's Department spokesman Capt. Adam Myrick said.

Agents from the FBI's specialized Child Abduction Rapid Deployment Team and prosecutors from the S.C. Attorney General's office visited the town of Lexington in September as part of the multi-agency collaboration, Sheriff Jay Koon said in a statement.

"Because of the work we did, coming together as a team, we were able to sort and connect more pieces of the puzzle about what happened to Jessica all those years ago," Koon said.

Gutierrez's kidnapping has been the subject of national coverage, including a 1990 episode of the television show Unsolved Mysteries.

We look forward to working with all the agencies involved to get justice for Jessicas family and, hopefully, bring her home. Theyve been waiting a long time and were glad to be a part of another step in the process, Koon said.
COLUMBIA  The University of South Carolina will name the student housing complex at 700 Lincoln St. in honor of Black neighborhood leader and celebrated educator Celia Dial Saxon, the first time the 221-year-old school named a campus building after a person of color.

Naming a building for a prominent African American comes after the university's July 2021 pledge to honor more people of color, following the work of a special presidential commission. The commission examined renaming buildings and landmarks on campus named after historical figures with racially insensitive records.

USC ultimately did not push to rename any buildings. Instead, the school's board said it would focus on names of any new or unnamed buildings, such as the one named for Saxon near Colonial Life Arena.

The Saxon student housing complex sits on what was once a thriving Black neighborhood known as Ward One, where Saxon lived. The neighborhood made way for campus expansion in the 1960s, including the Carolina Coliseum.

We can't alter our history, Interim President Harris Pastides said on Jan. 7. We can dedicate ourselves to addressing it by recognizing the community members and neighborhoods that were displaced and by mending relationships for those who've been impacted by university decisions of the past. Let's now continue the momentum this historic day establishes.

While members of the USC NAACP chapter celebrated the recognition given to Saxon, they also felt it did not take away from the issue of other racially insensitive building names, like the dorm named for J. Marion Sims, a doctor who performed medical experiments on slaves, and the main library named for Thomas Cooper, a former college president who owned slaves and defended slavery.

"Just because you add a person's name to a building doesn't take away from the fact there are other buildings named for people who wanted to take away from the humanity of Ms. Saxon," said chapter president Caley Bright.

Born into slavery just one city block west of campus in 1857 and emancipated at age 6, Saxon was a Reconstruction Era graduate of the former Normal School for teachers on the USC campus. Saxon taught in Columbia schools, educating Black students for 57 years, including many years at the former Booker T. Washington High School.

"Her dedication in the classroom was so great that she only missed three days of work in a 57-year teaching career," USC historians wrote in a biography of her and other African Americans who are being considered as namesakes for future unnamed buildings at the school.

When Saxon died in 1935, thousands attended the viewing at the Booker T. Washington High School auditorium, where her body lay in state, according to the community group Ward One Reunion.

An advocate for women and children, she helped found the South Carolina Federation of Colored Womens Clubs, the Williams Home for Orphans in Cayce and Fairwold Home for Delinquent Girls in Columbia, as well as the Phyllis Wheatley branch of the Young Womens Christian Association that housed the first public library available to Black residents, according to Historic Columbia.

The naming of the student housing complex after Saxon came about as a result of the work of the Presidential Commission on University History, a special commission established soon after former President Bob Caslen started at USC in 2019 "to study and better understand the histories of the people whose names adorn our buildings, and  more broadly  to capture the voices and contributions of forgotten, excluded, or marginalized groups and individuals who positively contributed to the establishment, maintenance, and growth of our university.

Previously, USC erected a statue of its first African American professor, Richard Greener, and posted plaques on the Horseshoe acknowledging the use of slave labor in the school's construction.

I.S. Leevy Johnson, who served on the committee and was himself among the first African Americans elected to the state Legislature, said it was satisfying to see some of the committee's work come to fruition.

"It's sweet that it's happening now but bitter that it took so long to recognize the indelible impact people of color have made to the University of South Carolina, to Columbia and to the state," he said.

The dorm at 700 Lincoln St. is not the first building in Columbia where Saxon has been a namesake.

In 1953, the Columbia Housing Authority opened Saxon Homes, a low-income housing project named in her honor. With a daycare on site, it was built for families and former residents remember Saxon Homes especially for its role in fostering family values and community, according to Historic Columbia.

The apartments were demolished in September 2000. A new mixed-income neighborhood  the Celia Dial Saxon neighborhood  rose in its place and is home to the Celia Saxon Health Center, a Prisma Health facility.

The Ward One neighborhood, which stretched between Pickens, Gervais, Heyward and Huger streets, was once home to numerous Black churches, schools, banks, and Black-owned businesses. It was a working-class community full of wooden shotgun homes, where former residents say neighbor helped neighbor when money was tight. Many were employed by the nearby warehouses and mills.

Today, it's covered by state government buildings, USC dormitories and sport complexes.

Among those lost buildings was an elementary school named in Saxon's honor in 1930, where many Ward One community members were educated. That includes USC board trustee Alex English, who was once a student there before the university claimed the land for expansion and displaced the neighborhood in the 1960s.

"I went to elementary school there and I lived in the neighborhood and I've seen the gentrification and how they've moved a lot of the African Americans out of that community," he said. "It's important for me, for the people of Ward One, the African American community in Columbia to be recognized."

The elementary stood on the ground where the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center was built.

The fitness facility named after the former U.S. Senator who ran for president on a segregationist platform was at the center of the debate over renaming USC buildings.

Mattie Johnson Roberson, president of the Ward One Reunion Organization, asked Caslen in June 2020 to rename the Strom center after Saxon.

"I encourage the University to stand firm against racism and demonstrate its commitment to equity and inclusion," Roberson wrote in a letter.

English said members of the group were excited, saying "it's about time," when he told them of the university's plans.
The Charleston County Aviation Authority, the group that runs Charleston International Airport, is suing a slew of corporate defendants over a firefighting foam that was the standard for airports for years  and that research increasingly shows is dangerous to humans.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Charleston on Jan. 6, will join 2,000 other civil suits from around the country that have been consolidated in the Holy City under U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel. All center around PFAS, the class of chemicals used in these fire-suppressant foams. This is the first case with a plaintiff from South Carolina.

The airport suit asks for damages to pay for the cost of testing for and remediating PFAS, compounds that are sometimes referred to as "forever chemicals" because they persist for long periods in the environment and in the bodies of people and animals. The suit also asks for legal fees and an unspecified amount of punitive damages.

PFAS compounds have especially strong chemical bonds and are used in many industrial and consumer applications for their ability to repel water and grease. They became popular in firefighting foams because they can form a film that cuts off oxygen in dangerous fuel fires. These same bonds are what makes it so hard for the chemicals to break down over time.

Charleston International Airport has done its own testing for PFAS and found it in soil and groundwater on parts of the property, Philip Federico, an attorney for the Aviation Authority, said. He did not specify how much had been found, but said the results warrant further testing.

The complaint claims the 26 corporate defendants made, marketed and sold the chemicals "with the knowledge that these toxic compounds would be released into the environment during fire protection, training, and response activities, even when used as directed and intended by the defendants."

Among the defendants are the companies 3M, DuPont de Nemours and Chemours, a corporate spin-off of a previous version of DuPont. An unspecified "John Doe defendants 1-49" are also listed as stand-ins for individuals who may be uncovered as responsible during document discovery, according to the complaint.

3M spokesman Sean Lynch wrote in an email that "3M acted responsibly in connection with products containing PFAS, including (fire-fighting foam), and will vigorously defend its record of environmental stewardship."

Dupont and Chemours did not immediately respond to requests for comment by phone and email.

"The companies creating this harmful product must be held accountable for knowingly putting a dangerous product into our water," a statement from airport CEO Elliott Summey read.

A key part of the complaint is the corporate reorganization that spun off DuPont's original "performance chemicals" program into Chemours in 2015. The suit claims the restructuring was intended to move assets into a company that wouldn't be legally liable for the costs of managing PFAS pollution.

Federico, who's part of the Maryland-based firm Schochor, Federico and Staton, P.A., said that corporate restructuring also played a part in the consolidated cases to hold drugmakers responsible for the opioid epidemic.

"They're going though those machinations in this case, and its not unexpected on our part," Federico said.

As the research showing the toxicity of PFAS has developed, it has turned into a major liability for the companies that produced it and for the military, which had a long record of using the firefighting foams on its installations. Health effects that are emerging in scientific research include fertility problems, developmental problems and some connections to cancer.

In 2019, The Post and Courier previously reported that one type of PFAS tainted the drinking water for a trailer park near Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter County. The newspaper did its own water testing to identify the chemical.

Charleston International Airport also has ties to the military and is operated under an agreement with Joint Base Charleston, according to the lawsuit.
GEORGETOWN  A Moncks Corner man charged in a 2020 Georgetown County double murder following a car accident was denied bond for a second time.

Circuit Judge Thomas Cooper denied bond for Ty Sheem Walters III, who is facing two counts of murder in the deaths of Laura Anderson and her stepfather, Nick Wall, and one count of attempted murder against Paul McConnell, a family friend.

During the nearly 40-minute bond hearing Jan. 6, Cooper said because the crime was so random and unexpected, the bond would provide no minimum protection for the witnesses, the public or Walters himself, according to a recording of the hearing from the news outlet Georgetown and Beyond News.

A magistrate originally denied bond for a weapons charge in 2020 but not for murder because that can only be set in circuit court.

A prosecutor told the judge the case should be ready for trial later in 2022.

The shooting happened in August 2020 reportedly after an argument caused by a traffic accident on U.S. Highway 521 near Indian Hut Road about 10 miles west of Georgetown.

During the bond hearing Jan. 6, Deputy 15th Circuit Solicitor Alicia Anderson told the court that Walters rear-ended a vehicle driven by Wall, who was on his way to help his stepdaughter, Laura Anderson, after she purchased some furniture. The Andersons are not related.

Alicia Anderson said there was a discussion about who caused the accident. When there was a mention of calling police, Mr. Walters went back to the vehicle, retrieved a firearm from the vehicle and began shooting, the prosecutor said in court.

Walters is accused of shooting Wall at least twice in the upper torso and Anderson in the head with a handgun. McConnell was shot in the face, an arrest warrant states.

"Mr. McConnell believes that the gun jammed, and Mr. Walters chased him and began beating him in the head with the weapon, Alicia Anderson told the judge. Your honor, this is a double murder and its the states position that if he would have gotten his way, it would have been a triple."

Walters was later caught in nearby woods with the help of witnesses on the scene, the prosecutor said.

Ron Hazzard, the 15th Circuit chief public defender who is representing Walters, told the court that Walters said his cousin also was in the car and pulled the trigger.

Kimberly Wall, Nick Wall's wife and Laura Anderson's mother, told the court that the incident still haunts her.

"They were defenseless and without weapons," she said. "Every morning when I wake up, I look over and see an empty space next to me in bed. ... Daily, I pass the home (Laura) was just days from moving in."

Walters also faces a charge of assault in an incident that took place at the detention center shortly after he was arrested, but Hazzard told the judge his client told him that it was a "misunderstanding."
Greenville will feature nationally on Jan. 9 when CBS' show "60 Minutes" examines what has been termed "The Great Resignation," in part through the eyes of a handful of Upstate business people.

Amid a nationwide pandemic-exacerbated labor shortage, the news show will examine why people are quitting their jobs and relocating. A data map on Linkedin shows workers moving from cities like San Francisco and Chicago to places like Austin, Miami and Greenville, according to a CBS release.

Correspondent Bill Whitaker talked with the chief economist at the job site Linkedin, who spoke about the shifting attitudes of workers toward their jobs.

"Greenville, S.C., is also featured prominently in the report," the release said.

In Greenville, Whitaker spoke with Carl Sobocinski, president of Table 301 Restaurant Group, and James Jordon, president of Jordon Construction Company. He also spoke with Kenzie Biggins, the CEO of virtual executive assistant solutions company Worxbee, and one of her employees, Melissa Williams.

Sobocinski has been in the hospitality industry for decades with a Greenville-area restaurant portfolio that includes Sobys, The Lazy Goat, Nose Dive Gastropub, Passerelle Bistro, Highway 301 Food Truck, Southern Pressed Juicery and Table 301 Catering.

Jordon, a prominent construction business owner in downtown Greenville, noted in his interview with Whitaker that he is offering to pay employees tuition, relocation expenses, signing bonuses and accommodate flexible hours for new hires, according to the release.

Williams, who moved to Greenville in 2017, told Whitaker she came up with the idea for her virtual executive assistant solutions company before the pandemic made virtual settings common.

In an August 2021 story, Sobocinski told The Post and Courier he still needed more employees to make up for the ones he lost in the pandemic. He said a challenge for his restaurants was people choosing to leave the industry for other fields, and not because of unemployment benefits. He expressed similar thoughts in the CBS report, according to the release.

I think during a pandemic, when people were furloughed and laid off, it was that nudge that a lot of people needed to go look in another field that they had been trained for previously, Sobocinski said in the August story.

This is not the first time Sobocinski has made a national appearance. In February 2021 the restaurateur testified in front of Congress regarding the minimum wage, saying he supported an increase but not in what he called a fast-tracked approach during a pandemic.

CBS will broadcast the "60 Minutes" episode "The Big Quit" on Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
In recent months, the Prisma Health Children's Hospital in Greenville has seen an average of one or two COVID-19 patients a week.

On Jan. 6 alone, the facility had nine patients, a number doctors feel will continue to go up now that kids are back in school amid a surge driven by the omicron variant.

During a virtual press event, Prisma Health Children's Hospital Pediatric Medical Director Robin LaCroix said given the accelerating rate of community spread and greater transmissibility of the omicron strain, she expects the return to class will drive a spike in pediatric cases in the weeks to come.

"Given the degree of contagion that we have and the number of students, even in our local school district, who have been reported positive just within this first week, and if each of those children infect a subset of children in their classes, we will see these numbers increase," she said.

About 5,100 Greenville County students were absent as of Jan. 4, the second day back from winter break, according to district spokesman Tim Waller, about 7 percent of the district's enrollment. While higher than a typical year, the number is not extreme relative to previous surges, he said.

In the Upstate, LaCroix said, the rate of transmission is "extremely high." On Jan. 3, close to half of all test results in the region came back positive.

With higher spread, the number of inpatients across the state is rising as well. Dr. Steve Shelton, an emergency medicine physician with Prisma Health Richland Hospital, said the health system was treating 438 patients as of Jan. 6 versus 85 this time last month, and is fast approaching its record number of 568. Of those hospitalized, 80 percent are not vaccinated.

As of Jan, 6, 37 children were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Prisma's four pediatric hospitals across the state, one shy of a record. Only one of those children was fully vaccinated. All of the children being treated at Prisma Health Children's Hospital in Greenville as of Jan. 6 were unvaccinated, LaCroix said.

Nine children in South Carolina currently require critical care and two are on ventilators.

"Our children admitted are either too young to be vaccinated, meaning they're less than 5 years of age, or they are older but have not yet received vaccine," LaCroix said. "So again, this is an opportunity for parents to move forward to get their children protected. We know that the vaccine reduces the severity of the illness if the children become infected."

Staff reporter Stephanie Mirah contributed to this story.
Kingstree, SC (29556)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
While reading Sundays newspaper, two items caught my attention.

The Opinion section carried an op-ed from syndicated columnist Llewellyn King, Will population growth dominate 2022 climate debate?

Mr. King argues that the world is struggling to decarbonize, saving it from sea level rise and other disasters associated with climate change.

He contends that People do things that cause climate change, from burning coal to raising beef cattle.

His theoretical solution: fewer, but more prosperous people.

Then turning to the Sunday Comics, the Mark Trail comic dealt with the horrific impact cryptocurrency is allegedly having on our climate.

The strip warns Bitcoin emissions have grown by 40 million tons of carbon dioxide in the last two years alone.

These increased emissions make our already dire climate situation that much hotter and scarier. Its a death knell for our planet.

These two items would seem to support the urgent expenditure of trillions of dollars, imposition of radical lifestyle changes and a stop to burning fossil fuels or raising cattle.

Can we be certain that such draconian measures will stop the rise of sea levels, calm hurricane activity, control extreme temperatures, prevent droughts and even reduce cyclical high tides?

BILL UNDERWOOD

Summerville

Traffic nightmare

Having seen the nightmare of traffic on I-95 in Virginia this week, one can only imagine what roads on Johns Island might look like the next time residents need to evacuate.

The developments keep coming and the trees keep getting cut down with no end in sight.

Just think of the build up of traffic on Bohicket, River and Maybank roads before one even gets to Savannah Highway with more traffic traveling at a crawl.

Imagine what would have happened if our community had not come together to save Angel Oak. That was a win for the good guys.

SAM DOLINSKY

Seabrook Island

Jan. 6 lessons

A year after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, the questions remain vital: What happened? What almost happened?

How might we preclude a next time?

A Truth and Reconciliation Commission helped South Africa leave its apartheid past behind and move toward freedom and democracy.

Nazism surely was the most horrific ideology ever to infect a great nation; the world paid the price with a terrible war to defeat it. Yet Germany somehow managed to become a vibrant democracy.

Riven now by our own political divisions, what lessons might our nation learn from other nations experiences?

During the 2020 campaign we had a number of lapel pins printed. They read simply, Truth Matters. It does.

SAM WATSON

ANNE KNIGHT WATSON

McClellanville

Hospital limits?

As the number of S.C. COVID-19 cases passes the 1 million mark and as medical staff are exhausted and leaving the profession in droves, I have a suggestion.

Since Gov. Henry McMasters efforts have helped ensure that many citizens remain unmasked and unvaccinated  keeping us all at home and spreading the infection  I suggest those opposed to getting a vaccine sign a waiver indicating they also refuse hospitalization.

After all, hospitals employ trained medical personal, utilize science and prescribe medicines, which are some of the things anti-vaxxers avoid and do not trust.

Why should the unvaccinated be forced to utilize the very facilities they do not believe in?

Instead, perhaps they could just be housed in facilities away from hospitals and hope for the best. Like they seem to be doing now.

Funding for such facilities could come from anti-vaxxer organizations such as Fox News, the Republican Governors Association or the GOP itself.

This would allow hospital staff to have a respite and keep facilities available for people with breakthrough cases or other emergencies.

Everyone would get what they want.

KAY NIELSEN

Mount Pleasant

Great care received

If ever in need of excellent health care, East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant is the place to go.

Kudos to second floor surgical team members who were so attentive, caring, loving, engaging and accommodating during my recent hospitalization.

The doctors, nurses, technicians, physician assistants, occupational and physical therapists, and other staff treated me like royalty.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been mentally, emotionally and physically taxing for health care professionals across the nation, but the hardworking team at ECMC did not disappoint.

GERALD MACKEY

Charleston
Goose Creek, SC (29445)

Today

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
SPARTANBURG  Ohmar Land, a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate, understands what it means to be a positive influence for at-risk children in need of guidance.

After Land moved to Spartanburg from Washington D.C. in 2018, he got involved as a volunteer mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate. He's been a Big Brother to Hollis Jones Jr., 14 of Spartanburg County. Land is one of 130 volunteer mentors in the program that serves Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, Oconee and Laurens counties.

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered how the organization offers one-to-one mentoring relationships and there is a need for volunteers. More than 50 children are on the waiting list.

"Just because a global pandemic is happening does not mean mentoring is not needed," Land told The Post and Courier. "It's just the opposite. Children need more. There a lot of mental health issues on the rise with everyone stuck in the house. This (program) is still an option for kids that want to be in mentorship."

Kris Alongi, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate program director, said the organization needs more mentors in Spartanburg and Greenville. The non-profit has served the Spartanburg community since 1992 after being established in Greenville in 1972, serving children ages 6 to 18. Volunteer mentors spend at least six hours each month with a child for a minimum of one year.

"What makes us different from other mentoring organizations is that we are the only one who mentors one-to-one, at-risk kids," Alongi said.

During the pandemic, the community-based mentoring program has turned to online mentoring. This has allowed the organization to continue the mentoring process virtually, keeping everyone connected. For a period, the matches between mentors and children decreased.

"When the pandemic hit we had to go to another component," said Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate CEO Charlene Cheeks. "Volunteers have been able to do virtual mentoring."

It is typically up to the matches to decide what activities they will do, which may include going to sporting events, movies or performing arts events. The program also offers mentors for school-based programs in which mentors visit their match at school once a week.

Many of the mentors were once a little brother or sister in the program. Land was a "little" while he lived in Charlotte. He developed a close friendship with his Big Brother, Jack Perry, even after leaving the program. Land's experiences led him to want to become a mentor in the program when he became an adult.

"That first year was about establishing a level of comfort and building trust," Land said. "He (Perry) was a person who helped out in good times and bad times. It became a mutually beneficial relationship."

Land said now that he is a mentor, he is encouraged by the opportunities ahead. Land has spent time with Hollis going roller skating, to concerts and to amusement parks. It's more than just the activities they share.

"There have been teachable moments for both of us," Land said.

Anyone interested in learning more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate or becoming a volunteer mentor may call 864-242-0676 or visit www.bbbsupstate.com. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate has offices at 161 E. Kennedy St. in Spartanburg and at 620 N. Main St. in Greenville.
The Work Zone

Many of us didnt grow up with a strong male influence in the home. My parents split before I was 10, so the majority of the wisdom I picked u Read more
The death of the director Peter Bogdanovich caught me by surprise and saddened me yesterday. The New York Times obituary by Margalit Fox captures something of the vagaries of his life and career.

In my memory he will always be the boy wonder who arrived seemingly out of nowhere with the brilliant black and white throwbacks The Last Picture Show (with the unforgettable performances of Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman) and Paper Moon (with the unforgettable performance of Tatum ONeal). Earlier this week I watched The Last Picture Show (recorded from a TCM broadcast that I think constituted the directors cut restoring a scene or two better left out of the original) for what must be the fifth time.

Saturated in movie history, he may have put his encyclopedic knowledge and brilliant (forgive the repetition) talent to best use in the throwback screwball comedy Whats Up, Doc? I love everything about that movie, including the performances of Madeline Kahn (her film debut), Barbra Streisand, Kenneth Mars, and Austin Pendleton.

I cant say his directorial abilities represented the least of his talents, but he had many among which to choose. He was a fantastic raconteur, critic, historian, interviewer, writer and actor. Fox uses the word prodigy to describe him and that is the word I was searching for before I read her obit.

Many interviews of Bogdanovich are available on YouTube. They are all worth listening to. He interviewed and befriended the great directors (and actors) of Hollywoods golden era and mimics them brilliantly (forgive the repetition) in the course of the interviews. It was Cary Grant, I think, who customarily asked Bogdanovich to imitate Howard Hawks whenever they spoke.

Hawks was only one among his repertoire including John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles and others. Listen to Bogdanovich imitate Ford (hilariously) at the top of his 2020 Hillsdale lecture on Ford as director here and the others in his 1997 interview with Charlie Rose here, his 2017 interview with Ben Mankiewicz here, and many other videos accessible here.

Bogdanovichs documentary The Great Buster deserves special mention along with Directed by John Ford (the link is to a video with French subtitles on YouTube). In addition to everything else, Bogdanovich was a brilliant (forgive the repetition) teacher. Watching the The Great Buster, by the way, I can see Bogdanovich stole from the best for his own purposes. The trailer is below.
Ammo Grrrll declares: NOW I SEE WHY! She writes:

Today being the first Friday in the Brand Spanking New Year, I am in a reflective mood. You might even say, philosophical. Funny anecdote about philosophy  when I was in college, I had to read Immanuel Kants ponderous Critique of Pure Reason for a class on Big-Deal European Thinkers. (There may have been a more dignified course title, but it has slipped my mind. That was the gist of it.)

I procured a used copy in the college bookstore. Since the estimable Mr. Kant had died in 1804, I figured his family was no longer collecting royalties anyway. Many people back in that era used a yellow Highlighter to highlight words, phrases, thoughts that we found interesting or did not understand. And  true story  my used copy of Critique of Pure Reason was SOLID YELLOW, from cover to cover.

I have always wondered whether the poor dear who had it before me had either found it fascinating or had not understood a single word. Judging by my 19-year old level of comprehension of Herr Kant, I lean toward the latter. Anyway, that is how reflective I am feeling on this Friday. So, I have turned my attention to a different conundrum.

In my life  hard as it is to believe  there have been people who have not liked me. Yes, its true. Worse yet, there have even been people  some in my own extended family  who have DISAGREED with me on this or that political or personal point. And, as you all know, there is no such thing as legitimate disagreement in 2022 America, only HATE.

There have been trolls on this very site who did not obey the cardinal rule of disagreement, which is to disagree without being disagreeable. And I used to wonder why. Not why they were disagreeable. That was obvious. Many were sad, lonely, unpleasant people who were happiest being unhappy and mean. Or were paid. But others SEEMED sane-ish and yet disagreed with me. And now I see why.

Alexandria Occasional Cortex has led the way in discovering the reason, so obvious I cant believe I missed it: its because they all, yes, all to a person, felt terrible because they wanted to date me, but could not have me! An understandable vast surging regret.

Sometimes the answer is just that simple. If you have a room-temperature IQ and a VERY high and unwarranted opinion of your own attractiveness. This is not the first time that AOC has worried about her dangerous level of pulchritude. She took to Twitter to proclaim that the worst thing about the Trespassing Insurrection  worse than Pearl Harbor and 9/11 put together!!  was not that the insurgents lacked a single weapon or bullet. No, the worst thing was that she feared she would be raped. To my certain knowledge nobody has ever been raped on the floor of the House of Representatives if you dont count the taxpayers.

No, judging by the massive and undisclosed sums paid out to unknown numbers of ladies (and possibly gentlemen as well) for sexual harassment by our elected horndogs, there must be plenty of hijinks, just not on the actual floor of the Senate or House. Perhaps in the cloak room, the unisex bathroom, the cafeteria, wherever. As the saying goes, women need a reason, men just need a place.

Though I seem to remember that Wilbur Mills was caught in a little dust-up involving the Tidal Basin in 1974. That unseemly, but consensual, possibly commercial, event involved a stripper named Fanne Foxe and occurred off-property, though close by.

Wilbur was an Arkansas Democrat who opposed civil rights legislation, but, luckily, was not much of a player  just the Chair for 18 years of the House Ways and Means Committee, so no worries. Oh, also, he was reelected after the incident. Way to go, Democrats!

Poor Al Franken was banished from the power-and-money spigot just for pulling a harmless little visual prank that might have been thought up by any exceptionally immature 12-year old boy. A married Senator, not so much. Poor Al. Wilbur got caught by the police in a limo with a stripper who had just dived (doven?) into the Tidal Basin and blithely went on with his life!

The Honorable Mr. Mills wasnt even drummed out of office until he drunkenly stormed the stage where Ms. Foxe was a-dancin. There were limits, even in Arkansas, although the Clintons cast doubt on that statement.

Sure, Wilbur and Ted Kennedy were skirt-chasing alabaster-white male drunks (not to be confused with alcoholics who are sorry for their behavior, go to meetings, and work The 12 Steps to make amends). We ladies have been assured that we desperately needed some women in Congress, especially women of color, to restore decorum to our ruling elite. And, my, how well that has worked out! From Maxine Waters to Nancy Pelosi to Liz Cheney, my heart swells with womanly pride. Or high blood pressure. One of those two.

Now we have a Squad of harridans of color who are not just perpetually running their often-vulgar mouths, but who operate at an intellectual and emotional level of nasty junior high girls. For my money, Ill take Wilbur any day over Ilhan Omar or that other America-hating goof, Rashida something, who has never once been photographed with her mouth shut or a look on her face that isnt pure hatred.

Which brings us full circle back to the confident Ms. Cortez. How, I wondered, could I get that kind of confidence in my Circe-like attractiveness? To believe that every single man  or at least every Republican  wants to have me? That their frustration over that is what makes them lash out at me?

Is it just mental illness, hallucinations, or is she smokin crack? Does her impressive confidence come from the bright red lipstick she favors? Is it the yuge teeth? I asked my dentist about some sort of Dental Viagra that might biggen my teeth, even if for only four hours. She said she knew of no such thing and suggested a full set of oversized implants for a nominal $100,000. Haha. My dentists a jokester, but where else can you find a young, small, woman dentist who will work on someone whos carrying not-very-concealed, and not bat an eyelash?
Something called the Chicago Project on Security and Threats at the University of Chicago yesterday published a fascinating report on the American Face of Insurrection that looks closely at the demographics of the more than 700 individuals who were arrested for the dire events at the capitol a year ago. While the report is couched in the conventional media language of how the January 6 insurrection was an act of domestic political violence unprecedented in US history since the US civil war, the findings of the report run sharply contrary to the media and Democratic Party cliches.

If you look past the boilerplate verbiage, there are some real stunners. Lets start with some of the summary language:

The Capitol Hill insurrectionists are far closer to the mainstream  the US electorate  than right wing violent offenders on every socio-economic variable aside from race, gender, and retired. Although the insurrectionists  who are all pro-Trump activists mirror the characteristics of Trump voters in many cases, they are not simply a cross-section of Trump voters.

In other words, a lot of the people storming the capitol on January 6 cannot be described as mere right-wing extremists. What does this mean in detail?

 The different age distribution tells us two important things about the insurrection as a broader movement. First, that the movement is led by Millennials and Gen X, with the aging Baby Boomers (between 57 and 75 in 2021) well represented in the electorate staying out. Second, and related, Baby Boomers are not leaving the Republican Party altogether as nearly half of Trump voters are over 55, they just are not participating in this brand of American right-wing movement. . . The political movement evolving out of the insurrection represents the development of a younger right-wing ideology that is not attracting the strong conservative base among the older generation.

Nice to see that Baby Boomers are the villains of the piece. And if the energy of so-called insurrection is mostly among younger people, well it means liberals are in for several tough decades ahead. This figure is interesting:

 Education status is known for 438 of the 716 charged insurrectionists (61%). Figure 6 below shows that 25% of the insurrectionists have a four-year college degree. Only 1% are high school dropouts  lower than the electorate and certainly much lower than right-wing extremists. The college rate closely resembles the percentages of the US electorate and Trump voters as a whole and is far higher than the rate of college education among right-wing extremist offenders.

 Think the insurrectionists are all Proud Boys and other fringe groups? Guess again:

Affiliation with extremist groups such as the Proud Boys, militias like the Oath Keepers and Three Percenters, and gangs like the Aryan Brotherhood is available for all 716 individuals charged for breaching the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 (100%). As displayed in figure 8 below, far fewer insurrectionists belonged to militias when compared to Right-wing extremist arrests between 2015-2020. 48% of right-wing extremist arrests between 2015-2020 belonged to a militia or group, while only 13% of insurrectionists in 2021 belonged to a militia or group.

Here is the real stunner: a high proportion of insurrectionists came from urban areas, not the rural areas composed of deplorables:

Since Trumps voters are famously rural, one might expect that the insurrectionists would overwhelming reside in the most rural counties in America. However, only 23% of insurrectionists came from counties that are more rural than urban, the national average of the 23% of the US population who live in this same classification. This means that the insurrectionists are an overwhelmingly urban phenomenon. . . The more rural a county, the lower its rate of sending insurrectionists.

Finally, this chart, derived from a model the report developed, will be taken as an indication of racism among the insurrectionists, but if you think about it for a moment, it suggests that the Biden Administrations relentless drive for open borders is going to drive a lot more mainstream Americans into opposition:

The author of the study, Robert Pape, writes in Foreign Policy today: The insurrectionist movement is mainstream, not simply confined to the political fringe.

No wonder the left is paranoid about January 6. If the people who objected to the messy election of 2020 are mainstream, the continuing Democrat-Media-Academic Complex drive to demonize them is going to push a lot more mainstream Americans to the right.

Cant wait for the midterms.
President Muhammadu Buhari has again quoted wrong figures of Nigerias average crude oil revenue between 1999 and 2014 while speaking of his administrations effort to build the economy with lean resources.

The president, in the interview aired by Channels TV on Wednesday, said Nigerias crude oil production from 1999 to 2014 averaged 2.1 million barrels per day at an average price of $100 per barrel.

I challenge so many of you to go and check with the central bank or NNPC; the production from 1999 to 2014 was 2.1 million barrels per day average production at the average cost of $100 per barrel, the president said in response to Channels Seun Okinbaloye.

Mr Okinbaloye had asked the president: Did you envisage the enormity of the task when you promised to tackle insecurity as the president and commander in chief of our country?

The presidents claim, which he has repeated several times in the past, has been fact-checked by PREMIUM TIMES and its sister organisation, Dubawa, and found to be untrue.

In his interview with Arise TV in June 2021 the president made the same false claims, amongst many other repeated rhetorics and analogies that have featured in his speeches.

In an earlier interview in 2019, he had said: This country was getting 2.1 million barrels per day and getting it out of the Nigerian territory. With a cost of, average 100 American dollars per barrel. It went up to 143 but when we came it collapsed .

In 2021, speaking to Arise TV journalists who had pressed him on his governments poor performance, Mr Buhari had said: I would like you to check how much we are earning from 1999 to 2014. From 1999 to 2014, our production (if you check you will find out that) every production was 2.1 million barrels per day. At the cost of 100 American dollars per barrel. So, from 1999 to 2014, we were earning 2.1 million times 100 dollar per day.

Our fact-check at the time, using OPEC figures, showed the claim was false. The price of crude oil during the period he referenced, stood at an average of $61.7 per barrel.

What Data Says

Nigerias average annual price of crude oil in 1999 was about $17.4 per barrel. It rose to $27.6 in 2000, dropped to $23.1 in 2001, and maintained a slight increase in 2002($24.3), 2003($28.1 ) and in 2004(36.5) respectively, data from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as quoted by Statista, a data analysis platform showed.

The data revealed that oil sold for $50.5 per barrel in 2005, $61 in 2006, $69 in 2007, $94.1 in 2008, $60.8 in 2009 and in 2010, oil price was $77.3.In 2011, the average annual price of oil had gotten to a record high of $107 per barrel, increasing to $109 per barrel in 2012, $105.8 in 2013 and touched $96.2 in 2014.

Buhari lyrics

Most speeches and offhand remarks (interviews) delivered by the president since 2016 have followed a similar pattern.

For instance, the president in his speech to Nigerias Democracy Day celebration in 2016 stated that the average oil price was $100 per barrel from 2010 till 2014.

In a similar message on October 1, 2016, the Nations Independence Day, President Buhari, while addressing the country, modified his statement that oil prices were an average of 100 USD per barrel over the last decade.

During the independence day celebration in 2017 again, Mr Buhari extended the timeline to 1999-2015.

According to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Nigeria has produced about 14 billion barrels of crude oil averaging about 827.5 million barrels per year since 1999, translating to an average oil production of 2.2 million barrels per day within the period under review. That affirms the presidents claim that Nigerias oil production figure averaged at about 2.1 million barrels per day.
Kazakhstans President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said Friday he had ordered security forces to shoot without warning in an effort to quash anti-government protests that have been raging since Sunday.

In a televised address on Friday, Mr Tokayev said lethal force without warning would continue to be used against violent demonstrators. He also blamed so-called free media outlets for helping fan unrest, according to the UK guardian.

Chaotic and violent scenes persisted in Almaty, the epicenter of protests sparked by a fuel price hike over the weekend.

On Thursday, the first peacekeeping troops from a Russia-led military alliance arrived following the leaders request for foreign intervention to deal with widespread protests.

The Washington Post reports that Russian paratroopers helped local forces clear out the protesters occupying the airport so that round-the-clock flights could bring in some 2,500 troops from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

Some protesters have also issued a list of demands for peaceful political change, the tabloid paper said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that dozens of people have been killed across the country with authorities saying that nearly 4,000 riot participants had been detained and at least 18 police officers were dead.

In his speech, President Tokayev said the lives of hundreds of civilians and servicemen had been damaged. He was quoted to have dismissed calls to hold a meeting with protesters as nonsense, saying: What kind of talks can we hold with criminals and murderers?

We had to deal with armed and well-prepared bandits, local as well as foreign. More precisely, with terrorists. So we have to destroy them, this will be done soon, he said.

ALSO READ: Dozens of people killed in Kazakhstan protests

Before the turmoil began, Kazakhstan was a largely peaceful Central Asian country with a population of 19 million people with a rich hydrocarbon and metal deposits. It extends from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Altai Mountains at its eastern border with China and Russia.

The country also shares a border with three other ex-Soviet republics, and has attracted hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign investment since becoming independent in 1991.

Mr Tokayev said more than 20,000 bandits with high combat readiness and animal-like cruelty had attacked Almaty alone. This comes after he had earlier announced that constitutional order had been largely restored.

A BBC correspondent in Almaty also said the situation was much quieter after days of violence, although there had been some sounds of gunfire and explosions.
19 people have been confirmed dead and 26 others seriously injured in a crash on the Kano-Zaria highway Thursday night.

The Kano command of the Federal Road Safety Corps confirmed the accident to BBC Hausa as monitored by Premium Times.

The accident occurred near the Nigerian Law School, Bagauda in Kano.

A spokesperson of the FRSC in Kano State, Abdullahi Labaran, said the accident occurred when two buses on high speed collided.

Our investigation has revealed that the buses were commercial and they were both on high speed which made it difficult for the drivers to control the vehicles, which unfortunately led to the head on collision.

The buses went (up) in flames immediately they collided. Most of the passengers in the buses, including those who have died were burnt. For now, we have handed over some of the corpses to family members who could easily identified their relatives while others have been deposited at the mortuary and those injured have been taken to the General Hospital in Kura for medical attention, he said.

Mr Labaran added that officers of the corps have been trying to enlighten motorists about the dangers of overspeeding.
Nigeria on Thursday recorded eight deaths and 791 fresh COVID-19 cases across 13 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The latest statistics by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reveals that Lagos State, the epicentre of the disease, contributed more to the number of infections with 523 cases.

The disease centre said 249 of the cases submitted by Lagos are for January 5, 2022.

With the new confirmed cases, the infection toll has increased to 246,195 while the fatality toll now stands at 3,066.

The new data confirms the fluctuation in the rising cases of fresh infections but a consistent increase in fatality with Nigeria recording 31 deaths between December 31, 2021 and January 6, 2022.

According to the latest data, the number of discharged cases now stands at 217,509, as the FCT also reported 108 discharged cases, including 102 community discharges.

Breakdown

Apart from Lagos State, the FCT came second on the log with 84 cases, followed by two South-western states of Oyo and Ondo with 48 and 35 cases respectively.

Next on the log are: Kano State with 22 cases; Borno, 16; Delta and Edo, 15 cases each, while Ogun and Jigawa states reported nine and seven cases respectively.

While Bauchi and Plateau States reported six and five cases respectively, Rivers and Bayelsa States reported four and two cases respectively.

The NCDC added that Ekiti and Osun states in the South-west reported that they recorded no cases on Thursday.
A former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, has broken his silence over who should ascend the throne in the capital city.

Mr Ladoja, who holds the title of Osi Olubadan of Ibadan, said he agreed with the ancestral tradition of Ibadan of making Otun Olubadan the next monarch.

He said there is no reason for any controversy as to who should become the next Olubadan.

Lekan Balogun, a former senator, is the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan.

The Olubadans seat became vacant after the death of Saliu Adetunji who joined his ancestors last Sunday.

Mr Ladoja spoke on Thursday while receiving visitors at his residence in Bodija, Ibadan.

It would be recalled that 10 of the 11 members of the Olubadan-in-Council had endorsed Mr Balogun as the next Olubadan. The absence of Mr Ladoja, a member of the council, at the endorsement raised eye brows.

Uninformed people are just causing unnecessary tensions in Ibadan, Mr Ladoja said on Thursday.

There is no controversy about who becomes the next Olubadan after the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji.

When asked of his involvement in a letter written to Governor Seyi Makinde, by a former Attorney General of the state, Michael Lana, discrediting Mr Baloguns right to the throne, Mr Ladoja said he knows nothing about the letter.

Let it be also known that I have no hand in the letter written by an Ibadan-born lawyer and former justice commissioner, Barr. Michael Lana. I did not know anything about it.

Mr Lana had argued that having already been crowned a king by former governor Abiola Ajimobi, Mr Baloguns claim to the title has been forfeited.
The Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), in Ogun, says 228 persons died in various road accidents across the state in 2021.

Babatunde Akinbiyi, the TRACE spokesperson, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abeokuta, on Friday.

Mr Akinbiyi explained that 831 crashes were recorded during the period under review, saying that 713 motor vehicles and 118 motorcycles were involved in the accidents.

He added that 1,311 people were injured in the various accidents comprising 931 males and 380 females.

The TRACE spokesperson disclosed that out of the 228 deaths recorded, 179 were males while 49 were females.

He added that 74 persons were killed in motorcycle accidents while 240 got injured.

Mr Akinbiyi, however, said most of the accidents were caused by excessive speed, reckless overtaking, and dangerous driving, among others.

He said TRACE would continue to sensitise motorists on safe driving, saying that there was need for them to obey traffic rules and regulations.

(NAN)
Some gunmen Thursday attacked a police facility in Imo State, Nigerias South-east.

The police spokesperson in Imo, Mike Abattam, who confirmed the attack in a statement on Thursday, said the incident occurred in the early hours of the day at Ideato South Police Station.

The gunmen were shooting sporadically, and threw Improvised Explosive Devices into the station, said Mr Abattam, a chief superintendent of police.

The hoodlums were immediately repelled by the commands tactical team and the police operatives of the division and in the ensuing gun duel, the hoodlums were overwhelmed by the superior fire-power of the police, the police spokesperson said.

He said no life was lost during the attack, but that the improvised bomb caused minimal damage to the police facility.

Imo and other states in the South-east have witnessed several deadly attacks on the police and other public institutions. The attacks are linked most times to the pro-Biafra group, IPOB.

Imo is regarded as the epicentre of IPOBs activities in the region.

The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinmas country home in Imo was attacked with petrol bombs in April, last year, by gunmen suspected to be members of IPOB.

A former political adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak, was shot dead in Owerri in May.

A police inspector and six others were killed in the state in August.

Six of the victims were working with a services company, Lee Engineering Company, which has a contract with Shell Petroleum Development Company, according to the police.

Their convoy was ambushed while they were travelling to a facility belonging to Shell.

In one of the deadliest attacks last year in Imo, gunmen killed five police officers and abducted one in April.

The gunmen, most times, loot the armoury and free detained suspects during attacks on police facilities.

Military operations in the state in response to deadly attacks have also resulted in some killings and destruction of properties.

Governor Uzodinma recently pledged to name those he claimed were sponsors of the insecurity in the state, but he backtracked, saying he would rather leave security agencies to do their work and prosecute those found culpable.
Facts have emerged on how Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo, scaled the legal hurdle that initially barred it from appointing its fourth substantive vice-chancellor before the expiration of the tenure of the institutions immediate past VC, Olabode Popoola, in November, 2021.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that a judgment delivered at an Osogbo high court on December 16, 2021, gave victory to the university in the matter filed before it by some aggrieved parties including a group of lecturers under the umbrella of Concerned and Committed UNIOSUN Professors, and also the Osun State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

The development paved the way for the appointment of a professor of plant physiology, Odunayo Adebooye, as the fourth substantive vice-chancellor, earlier in the week.

The universitys pro-chancellor and governing council chairman, Yusuf Alli, had in September during the 10th convocation ceremony, announced why the selection process for the vice-chancellor was suspended.

Mr Alli, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said as a law-abiding institution, the university suspended the process because some aggrieved parties sued the university over the selection criteria.

I must point out that I am aware that some members of staff felt that they have not been dealt with justly after seeing the advertisement that was placed for VC position and they have gone to court. And as a law abiding institution and as people who believe in justice, in the last one month, the process for the appointment of a new VC has been suspended until the court speaks because we are law abiding, Mr Alli had said in September.

Controversies

The aggrieved parties said the criteria set by the university management appeared to have deliberately sidelined candidates from Arts and Humanities, Law, and Medicine from being appointed the vice-chancellor.

They also raised concern on the part that requires applicants to submit their applications through the then outgoing vice-chancellor, Mr Popoola.

For instance, on 17 August , 2021, the Osun State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) held a media briefing in the state capital and announced its rejection of what it described as the dichotomy between PhD certificate and medical fellowship.

But Mr Ali said the only motive behind the criteria was to ensure excellence, saying The only commitment the governing council under my watch has is to ensure excellence, through a fair and firm process comparable to best practices everywhere in the world. We assure all stakeholders that we have no personal interest to serve other than the best for our university.

Following the suspension of the selection process, to fill the vacuum created by the expiration of Mr Popoolas tenure of office on November 4, a 45-year-old engineering professor, Afeez Bello, was appointed the vice-chancellor in acting capacity.

Court verdict

One of the contentious criteria for the position, as advertised, is that the candidate must have published a minimum of 50 research (journal) articles with at least 20 of the articles published in high impact journals as defined by Thomson Reuters ISI and Web of Science; and must have published at least 10 research articles in the last three years in such high impact journals.

Another criterion rejected by the aggrieved groups is the evidence of winning and leading of at least ten (10) locally and internationally funded research with evidence of achievements through the funded research

According to the universitys spokesperson, Ademola Adesoji, the high court judge, Adepele Ojo, who delivered the said judgement between 9:30 a.m and 1 p.m on the said day, ruled in favour of the university.

On the issue of why should the application be sent to the office of the vice-chancellor, the honourable judge ruled that the council has power to determine where the application is addressed to. As a matter of fact, the judgement said since the VC is also a member of the governing council, the council has the right to decide on where to direct the application to, Mr Adesoji told this newspaper in a telephone interview.

He said on the matter of PhD and medical fellowship dichotomy, the judge said the universitys establishment law provides that the candidate for the position of vice-chancellor of the university must be a professor of 10 years and must have a PhD.

The judge said if the establishment law states that the candidate must have a PhD, the court cannot tamper with the law, and that it will take a review from the legislature, the spokesperson said.

He said it was immediately after the judgement of the court that the university went ahead to continue with the selection process.

Selection process

Immediately after the judgement, they called for a senate meeting the next day to elect representatives of the Senate in the selection committee and a calendar was drawn to complete the process. the spokesperson added.

He said about 13 applicants participated in the process and seven took part in the computer-based tests before the final interview.

The process finally produced someone found to have stood out based on the criteria set for the candidates.

About the new VC, Adebooye

Born on 18th December, 1966, Odunayo Clement Adebooye is a professor of Plant Physiology. He obtained his Bachelor, Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Ibadan.

Mr Adebooye has served as Ambassador Scientist for the German Government Humboldt Foundation, Secretary General of the African-German Network Excellence in Science (AGNES) and Regional Project Coordinator for the Government of Canada Projects in West Africa.

He has utilised nine (9) fully funded international research fellowships worldwide including the highly prestigious United Nations University Fellowship, Germany and won 25 research grants with over 100 travel grants.

With an academic career spanning 26 years, he served the UNIOSUN at various times as member of the Governing Council, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Provost/Dean, Director and Head of Department among others.

Mr Adebooye has been Visiting Professor to many universities in Nigeria, Germany, Canada and provided services for the United Nations.

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Fast growing university

The University Governing Council thanked the Visitor and Governor of the state for his consistent support which has made the university one of the fastest growing universities in the country.

He said: I am happy that despite the controversies surrounding the appointment process, the Council was able to exert rigorous efforts and sacrifice in the appointment procedures, which culminated in the appointment of Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye. We believe that he possesses the attributes to move the University forward and write a fresh chapter in the journey to achieve the dreams of the founding fathers of the University.

Mr Ali thanked the university senate, management and staff for their sacrifice and selflessness, urging them to maintain peace and cooperate with the new Vice-Chancellor.
The Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, has said the region is happy with the declaration of bandits as terrorists

He also added that the region commends the deployment of the recently acquired Super Tucano jets to fight the bandits.

Governor Lalong was speaking to State House Correspondents on Friday, after he met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: In terms of security, we are already beginning to see progress on some of the issues we raised with the president, last year. You recall that we have been very eager to see the use of the Tucano helicopters so that we can have massive engagement with all the bandits.

Part of the problem was also the status of the bandits and already you can see that the Nigerian government has declared them as a terrorist group so, the military is now going to do full engagement and we are also getting prepared in the North for such actions. That is what we are expecting.

So, if we are going to take action, let it be massive and such that will ensure that within the first quarter of this year people will have hope of their security and peaceful living in all parts of the North.

Mr Lalong said action needs to be taken against the bandits before the next farming season, to guarantee the safety of farmers, towards a bumper harvest.

We are expecting this action before the next rainy season. You recall we mentioned that we are an agrarian society so, we want our people to go back to the farm and in most cases, it is this insecurity that is keeping them away from the farms, he added.

Mr Lalong said Northern governors would continue to collaborate with traditional rulers and local vigilantes to safeguard their domains.

He also said the governors forum has sent a bill on redefining the role of traditional rulers in governance and would ensure the bill scales through the legislative processes.

APC crisis

Commenting on the current crisis in Nigerias governing party, he assured members of the APC that the storm will soon be over.

He stressed that the party will hold its convention next month and it will be successful.

He said: I agree that all the times there are meetings, especially taking final decisions on the party, I am always part of it and part of it was also why I visited the president and the president still stands committed that there must be an immediate convention.

You know, when a convention is coming there are fears here and there. Some people will tell you it will work, it will not work. I dont want to jump to conclusions, but the visit to the president has already assured us and you know that there is already a notice that all the governors are meeting on Sunday. By Sunday we will tell you when we are doing the convention.

We have taken a date already. I think our first date before Christmas we said we are going to do a convention in February and we are still be working for the convention, as far as I am concerned, except things change from another angle. But as far as I am concerned, we are working for our convention in February.

These are things that the president was raising his fears about, but we have already given him assurances that nothing will stop us from having a very peaceful election. Some parties have done their own, the PDP did their own, nothing will stop APC from doing their own.

Mr Lalong allayed fear that litigation may mar the holding of the convention and the chances of the party.

There are procedures for holding court processes. Many of the court processes were there when we set up the caretaker committee, but up to this moment, if you go to take a census of some of the court proceedings, you will realise that a lot of them have been resolved out of court. So, it is still the duty of the party, it is still part of the functions of the party to resolve.

But we must not wait to resolve all court processes before you go to the convention. I dont think so because there (is) also machinery for resolving court processes, even after the convention. I had a court process in my state, that did not stop me from going on and at the end of the day, we resolved the court process and we are still going on, preparing and waiting for the convention.

Well, Im not the chairman of the convention committee, but I want to assure you that weve called a meeting for Sunday and if there is a meeting on Sunday, and you are thinking about next Friday, just wait and see what will happen before next Friday. I dont want to draw a conclusion now, he said.
Is it not infinitely better not to distract ones children from pursuing their own dreams, having their own playing field to try and fail until they make it? Does inheritance not strip our children of at least some of their pride, the fighting spirit in them, some dignity too and, generally, thoroughly enjoying the thrill of the struggles of life which made their father or mother, or both, into the accomplishedpeople that they are/were?

Isnt it too early in the year to start discussing death? But I am not really discussing death and I dont intend to freak readers out. Instead, I am discussing life, and living, and trying to wrestle with the inevitabilities of life. This discussion is about what is really important in life, and how we should come to terms with these critical issues. Well, Im no philosopher but I guess some of the all-time-greats have engaged with such subjects in time past. I think when we come to terms with the inevitability of death, we would really start living. In contemplating what we are here for, we may find out that our earlier priorities were wrong and futile. We may also double down on our pursuits. That is as far as we are concerned ourselves. As far as our children are concerned  for those who have them  I believe that our role is to sire them and give them a chance at living. If our lives have been thrilling and enjoyable, we should be honest to identify those factors which made our lives that way, and see if our children could also get their own chance to have enjoyable lives. For me, and in my very humble opinion, what we owe our children are a good name, some education, good character-moulding, and to share the experience we have as we go along. Until the day we draw our last breath, we continue to learn. But before I lose you, let me tell you a story.

There was this guy whose family migrated from Dunfermline, Scotland, to the new world (USA) in the middle of the 19th Century. His father owned a loom that was taken out by the technology of the times. His mother sewed shoes. They had fallen into penury and it was only logical to migrate. The family borrowed 20 for the journey. He was lucky to find a job at a telegraph company in Pittsburgh, and he displayed much prowess at the job, that his boss took him under his wings. By investing in stocks, he later started to build his capital, which he took into the steel production sector. His wealth grew in leaps as he consolidated his position in that sector, often by sheer dint of hard work and shrewdness, but sometimes by running the competition aground. He developed a reputation for ruthlessness and, on a few occasions, his company had serious problems with the workers union, leading to what is today known as the Homestead Massacre. His steel company was however instrumental to the construction of many of the early skyscrapers in New York and Chicago. But by 1901, he sold off the company to John Pierpoint Morgan II for a tidy sum of $480 million (an equivalent of $15 billion today), thereby becoming the richest man in America. At the peak, this mans wealth was 2 per cent of the entire GDP of the USA. The man then devoted the rest of his life to giving away his wealth, especially by investing in libraries. Today, about 3,000 libraries are strewn around the world in his name. This is perhaps in compensation for dropping out of school at an early age.

This richest American wrote in an essay in 1889:

Men who leave vast sums in this way may fairly be thought men who would not have left it at all, had they been able to take it with them The man who dies leaving behind him millions of available wealth which was his to administer during life, will pass away unwept, unhonoured and unsung, no matter to what uses he leaves the dross which he cannot take with him. Of such as these the public verdict will then be: The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.

He believed that the wealthy should repay their debts to society and supported 100 per cent inheritance tax. He also wrote that the worst form of idolatry is the worship of money. His name was Andrew Carnegie, a phenomenon of a man. He died in 1919 at the age of 83.

Carnegie hoped to retire at age 35, even though that did not materialise. He made infinitely a lot more money after that age. But by 1901, at age 65, he had conquered the world and seen the folly of it all. He had just one daughter, Margaret, but together with his immediate family, they decided to give everything he had worked for away. The balance of $30 million upon his death was equally given away to charities, pensioners and other such needy demographic, with a certain amount used to set up a foundation in his honour.

I look around Nigeria and with a few exceptions, children who inherited great wealth from their parents have either wrecked such legacies, wrecked themselves or are running around aimlessly. Large, thriving companies have been liquidated in just one generation upon being inherited, while some parents who focused on amassing wealth forgot to find time to train their children. Truth be told, many people who say they are amassing wealth, building houses and so forth for their children are not very honest.

I have been thinking about this story for some time now, trying to understand the logic of it all, and I believe I now get it. You see, the chase is the joy of life. What we live for is often to go out there and struggle daily, to make money, and fame, and other assets, and to make a name for ourselves, and provide for our family. This is even more apt for the vast number of Nigerians who engage in entrepreneurship. But the final conclusion of this essay also applies to those who hold down jobs too. The chase, the struggle, the challenges that present themselves to us and are conquered, the hunter-gathering, the hustle, is what keeps us alive. Without these, life will mostly lose meaning. And most successful people are running away from something in their past  either to prove to the world that they too can make it, or to escape their previous experience of biting poverty and humiliating want. Of course, there are people who were born or grew into wealth and then took things to another level, but in comparison to those who struggled to become great achievers, they are few in number. Indeed, for those ones, it takes a whole lot more to find a reason to excel, as the bar is already set way too high. So, it may be a great idea to find a way of giving out everything you have while still alive, so that your children may find their own struggles and make their own names, and so that you may travel light on your journey out. Of course, this does not mean that one should be irresponsible to ones children, but one will need wisdom to know where care and provision is adequate. It is often the case that overpampered children turn out to be disasters in life  even while their parents are alive.

I look around Nigeria and with a few exceptions, children who inherited great wealth from their parents have either wrecked such legacies, wrecked themselves or are running around aimlessly. Large, thriving companies have been liquidated in just one generation upon being inherited, while some parents who focused on amassing wealth forgot to find time to train their children. Truth be told, many people who say they are amassing wealth, building houses and so forth for their children are not very honest. All of us have seen just how uninterested many of those children are. Todays magnificent mansion is tomorrows bogus monstrosity. Our GRAs are replete with such houses, painfully abandoned to maiguards and illegal squatters, or just left to decay in the thicket, while those for whom the houses were built are abroad struggling to make ends meet. Having seen this experience with the first generation of successful Nigerians who excelled in the modern economy since our independence, it looks like subsequent generations are merely repeating the same mistake  for cultural and egotistical reasons? So, when you are building those houses, and acquiring those monies, admit that you are doing those things for yourself  whether to prove to the world that you can achieve great things (and that is valid), or you just dont know where your limit should be (for those corrupt folk who steal the country blind).

If you are lucky to be in a position where you can build great wealth, it is also good to quickly find an anchor for your activities  maybe like Carnegie did. Because indeed in society, some people must be bold enough to make loads of money, either out of luck or prowess, and impact society through making such money. Without those people who make large amounts of money, there will be no skyscrapers or industries, and society will lose ambition in the comity of nations. Therefore, it is preferable if those people create tangibles and get patronised in turn by happy customers, thereby creating legacies and growing even larger. But here, most people produce nothing and want to be as rich as the Carnegies of this world. This is the abnormality with our society and economy.

I decided to write on this because of several incidences in our society. The other day, Mr Fred Ajudua, once famous for a different reason but rich, blurted out on social media, that the son he was building houses for is grown and totally uninterested in the monstrosities. There is another story I heard from the East, of this big man who took his children to the houses he owns, and at each location, he mentioned which among his children owned the house. In fact, they could take it over now if they wanted, he offered. But when they returned home, they all gathered to tell him that they werent in need of houses, whether in the cities or the villages of Nigeria. They are all based abroad. Heartbreaking, right? In most cases, those houses will add to the growing statistics of dead capital in Nigeria  made up of abandoned real estate not earning or adding any value. Andrew Nevin of PricewaterhouseCoopers said dead capital in Nigeria was anything like N90 trillion. Look at the U.K. economy, as old as it is, and they dont have anything near the number of abandoned buildings we have here; products of sentiments, culture, tradition, ego, pride. So, is there a point at which one should set a limit? Shouldnt we be more concerned about the long-term commercial viability of those assets? It is more than evident that we arent doing these things for our children. We should be very worried if we have children who are interested in inheriting stuff from us. I was never interested in inheriting anything from my dad, even as a teenager. I couldnt wait to go out there and make my way and I knew nothing would ever bring me to loggerheads with anyone over inheritance.

Let me push this further by saying I dont even support that idea of giving your children the best education money can buy. What does that even mean? The best things in life cannot be acquired with money, such as love, friendship, time An average, decent education is good, but your direct supervision and presence, is best. I would rather advice that you ensure your children dont depend on you to find their ways in life.

Apart from the Ajudua case, there are three very famous cases which got me worried in Nigeria. First is that of the Williams family, in which accomplished adults born of the same mother and father are in a bitter battle, which Im afraid may have poisoned their relationships way too far. Another recent news is that of some of Chief J. F. Odunjos grandchildren who sued one of their aunties (Alake of Egbass 80 years old wife and daughter of the great J.F. Odunjo of the Alawiye series), praying the court to send her to jail for flaunting an earlier order not to sell a property in Yaba. The Alakes wife is the chief administrator of J. F. Odunjos estate and the grand old man had died testate! I was just very sad that any amount of money should split families and get them to be very bitter towards one another. A good relationship is priceless and cannot be bought with money. The third case is that of the children of a school proprietor along the Lekki axis. There could be many more who are less famous, and there could also be many cases where things have proceeded smoothly. However, it is tough to navigate that terrain, especially where substantial amounts are involved. On many occasions, unexpected rifts have occurred from unexpected angles where harmony existed. Interlopers also add fire and petrol. And when this happens, the scion of the family  who coalesced the family as a unit while alive  would have since become silent. Relationships thus break down inexorably such that if the owner of the properties should look down from heaven, he/she will be greatly agitated. Is it not better to not have ones children have to share money or properties? Have we not seen otherwise balanced, well-to-do children come to loggerheads over these issues maybe because of ego, or if some unaccounted children show up from outside the core family? I recently listened to Kola Abiolaa interview with Dele Momodu in which he spoke of still trying to sort out his fathers many children around the properties left behind and the myriads of challenges, some even bothering on threat to life.

Is it not infinitely better not to distract ones children from pursuing their own dreams, having their own playing field to try and fail until they make it? Does inheritance not strip our children of at least some of their pride, the fighting spirit in them, some dignity too and, generally, thoroughly enjoying the thrill of the struggles of life which made their father or mother, or both, into the accomplished, experienced, comfortable, respected people that they are/were?

As such, my message is for those people who believe they want to express love to their children by leaving properties or money to them. Get off it and stop deceiving yourself. There are deeper, non-monetary ways of showing love to your children. Try not to enjoy your own life very thoroughly, eventually triumphing to become very comfortable, and then attempt to enjoy the best part of your childrens life  that part that can give them their credible stories of how they struggled to make it. You also are setting things up  if unlucky  to ensure that their stars never shine as bright as yours; or that your star eclipses theirs. Whereas, for every great person, we know that it is a great prayer that ones offspring should do far better than one did.

Let me push this further by saying I dont even support that idea of giving your children the best education money can buy. What does that even mean? The best things in life cannot be acquired with money, such as love, friendship, time. In pursuing the best education money can buy, some Nigerians have thrown their children abroad from primary school. Even the Dowen College bullies got that kind of education, but they are still monsters. Many abound in the best primary, secondary and tertiary schools all around the world, who turn out to be arrogant, unbalanced monsters too. An average, decent education is good, but your direct supervision and presence, is best. I would rather advice that you ensure your children dont depend on you to find their ways in life. Teach them integrity, modesty, delayed gratification, the joys of coming in from the ground floor, the parable of the butterfly which develops her beautiful wings in a process of struggle, and to be fair, just and kind to all men and women. Teach them, to ensure that their children find the space to be greater than them, for if you dont you may find that that parable is true; EVERY PRINCE DESCENDS FROM A PAUPER, AND EVERY PAUPER, FROM A PRINCE. Yes, many fortunes have been wrecked by many princes and generations sent into pauperhood because of bad training. Live well, enjoy your money, train your children to be independent, touch lives, give generously, find self-transcendence, never think you are important, die broke. We came with nothing. We leave with nothing.

Tope Fasua, an economist, author, blogger, entrepreneur, and recent presidential candidate of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), can be reached through topsyfash@yahoo.com.
can America be trusted when it claims to be fighting forced labour in China, while it refuses to ratify the international instrument against forced labour, which can be domesticated to protect American workers? Shouldnt we admonish the physician to heal himself? Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:5 said: You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers eye.

Super heavyweights, the United States (U.S.) and China wrestled in the last week of last year, into 2022, on the issue of forced labour. The U.S. had drawn the first blood when on Thursday, December 23, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

It is an Act to ensure that goods made with forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China do not enter the United States market, and for other purposes.

As a trade unionist, I ordinarily take any labour issue seriously. But I am sceptical when such comes from the U.S.

This is for several reasons, including my experience in the Governing Board of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Although the U.S. is the highest contributor to the ILO budget, sometimes as high as 22 per cent, it is notorious for giving scant regard to labour.

It is the only country I know that does not recognise the international workers May Day. It also does not readily ratify ILO International Conventions, which protect labour.

For instance, the U.S. has ratified only 14 of the 189 Conventions of the ILO. Ironically, while America claims to be fighting against forced labour in the Xinjiang, China, it has, for 92 years now, refused to ratify the ILO Forced Labour Convention No 29, which can protect workers worldwide against forced labour.

So, can America be trusted when it claims to be fighting forced labour in China, while it refuses to ratify the international instrument against forced labour, which can be domesticated to protect American workers?

Shouldnt we admonish the physician to heal himself? Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:5 said: You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers eye.

There are conventions fundamental to the basic protection of labour rights in America and the universe, which the U.S. has refused to ratify.

These include the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention No 87 of 1948, the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention No 98 of 1949, the Equal Remuneration Convention No 100 of 1951, the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention No 111 of 1958 and the Minimum Age Convention No 138 of 1973.

I have not tried to argue whether there is forced labour or not in Xinjiang, China or that if such is proven, that country should not be sanctioned. All I have done is to explain why I am sceptical of American claims For instance, in the early 2000s President George W. Bush, with the support of Britains Tony Blair, claimed that Iraq had large stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction which it could activate within 45 minutes.

I have not tried to argue whether there is forced labour or not in Xinjiang, China or that if such is proven, that country should not be sanctioned. All I have done is to explain why I am sceptical of American claims.

For instance, in the early 2000s President George W. Bush, with the support of Britains Tony Blair, claimed that Iraq had large stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction which it could activate within 45 minutes.

The then Iraqi President Sadam Hussein was portrayed as an unstable mind who could unleash these weapons against the rest of humanity.

Even the United Nations was manipulated to pressure Iraq to give up the weapons. But after that country was invaded and destroyed with its leaders, including the murder of Hussein, the U.S.A could not produce a single such weapon owned by that country. Until today, Iraq remains an unstable country in ruins.

On August 2, 1964, there was said to have been a skirmish between the destroyer, USS Maddox, and some North Vietnamese Navy torpedo boats. While this was being processed, the U.S., on August 4, 1964, claimed a more serious attack by the Vietnamese.

It showed images of Vietnamese torpedo boats engaged in the attack. On this basis, the Congress, on behalf of the American people, authorised President Lyndon B. Johnson to declare war on Vietnam.

The truth is that while the first attack was plausible, the second one, which led to the declaration of war, never happened.

It was a false narrative by the American establishment to provide a legal basis for the American invasion.

Millions of Vietnamese were killed in the war that followed. But America did not escape lightly, as 45,148 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War, while 304,000 were injured, and 1,244 remain missing, with a record 503,000 American troops deserted. Another reason why the U.S. cannot be taken serious on labour matters, such as forced labour, is because it has its own unique definition of things.

Can a country whose leadership cannot define forced labour be trusted with enacting a law on this?.. The U.S. did not base its new legislation on verifiable facts. Rather it did so on deductions that the cotton industry in Xinjiang, which supplies nearly 84 per cent of Chinas cotton, has witnessed massive increases.

For instance, forced labour, according to the ILO, is all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of a penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily.

But Americas definition of forced labour is ridiculous and unimaginative. For example, in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic when countries, including the US, shut their borders against the rest of the world, small Cuba, in opting to save lives across the universe and combat the pandemic, sent over 3,700 doctors and medical personnel to 46 countries, including in Europe.

In the first five months of their mission, the Cuban White Coat Army treated 355,785 victims of the pandemic and saved 9,736 lives. Some, across the globe, including myself, campaigned that the Cuban medical personnel be awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

However, America condemned Cuba on the basis that by sending the medical personnel abroad, the country was engaging in forced labour and human trafficking. Michael Kozak, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, said: Crises (COVID-19) dont justify trafficking medical professionals, who need protection now more than ever. Senator Marco Rubio wrote the American government to sanction Cuba for alleged forced labour.

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The then U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, while criticising South Africa and Qatar for accepting medical assistance from the Cuban doctors, bellowed: Weve noticed how the regime in Havana has taken advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to continue its exploitation of Cuban medical workersGovernments accepting Cuban doctors must pay them directly. Otherwise, when they pay the regime, they are helping the Cuban government turn a profit on human trafficking.

Pompeo went on to announce new sanctions against Cuban officials involved with the humanitarian missions!

Can a country whose leadership cannot define forced labour be trusted with enacting a law on this?

The U.S. did not base its new legislation on verifiable facts. Rather it did so on deductions that the cotton industry in Xinjiang, which supplies nearly 84 per cent of Chinas cotton, has witnessed massive increases.

That since there are minority Uyghur prisoners in that region, they must have been used for such production increase. So the new U.S. law requires each part of the supply chain to prove that its products to be sold in America, are not produced by forced labour.

Excuse me: It is too early in the year to be distracted by jokes, let me face more serious matters.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.
The cry of my beloved northern Nigeria can be likened to the lamentation of Martin Niemoller when he said of Nazi Germany, first they came for the communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the socialists, I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Northern Nigeria is bleeding and many of its people are now calling for its rescue from an army of killers that is fast turning the region into the largest human slaughter slab in the world. From Zamfara to Katsina and Kebbi to Niger, bandits have unleashed terror on the people of the western flank of northern Nigeria, rustling their cattle, destroying their farmlands, and kidnapping them for ransom  after carrying out mass slaughter of men, women and children in cold blood. These killings that started many years ago increased in the year 2021, as thousands of people perished in the hands of bandits, with many more people abducted for ransom.

According to the Nigerian Security Tracker, 1,525 people were killed in Nigeria in the first six weeks of the year 2021, mostly by bandits operating in Nigerias North-West. And the trend will continue throughout the year. In November, it was revealed by the Katsina State government that 213 people were killed by bandits and 676 others abducted between July and October. In the last week of November alone, the North-West State of Sokoto, the newest entrant into northern Nigerias axis of evil, recorded the killing of 45 people from bandits attack on Goronyo and Ilellah areas of the State.

Unfortunately, it was the burning to death in Sokoto of dozens of travellers in a bus in early December that sent shock waves across the region, leading to condemnations and call for action by relevant authorities.

In his reaction to the killings in his domain and region, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III lamented that the North has been turned into a killing field by bandits and terrorists. On its part, the Jamaatu Nasri Islam (JNI), in a statement, accused the government of being unperturbed about the mass killings going on in the North, while reiterating that Nigerians are now being killed like chickens by bandits and terrorists. Similarly, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has decried the lack of empathy for victims and the action against bandits and terrorists by government at all levels, even as the security situation is clearly getting worse in northern Nigeria. And a number of young men and women who are tired of the security situation have also taken to the streets of some northern states to protest against governments inaction against the daily killings in the region.

When 72 people were slaughtered in one single attack in Benue in 2017, the Sultan of Sokoto, the JNI and ACF were not heard loudly condemning the gruesome attack by killer herdsmen on farming communities in the predominantly Christian and non-Fulani Hausa speaking parts of northern Nigeria.

However, northern Nigeria didnt start bleeding in 2021 with the increase in banditry in the western corner of the region. Northern Nigeria started bleeding many years ago in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, Taraba and other places outside the predominantly Muslim Hausa-speaking Fulani homeland of the North-West. Interestingly, the bandits that are terrorising the North-Western part of Nigeria are of the same stock as those who carried and are still carrying out attacks on sedentary communities in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Plateau and Taraba. They are killer herdsmen of mostly Fulani ethnicity.

Sadly, some of the voices crying for rescue and protection from bandits that are terrorising their own parts of northern Nigeria were silent, unperturbed and in some cases provided justification for the mass slaughter of men, women and children in Taraba, Plateau, Benue, and Southern Kaduna as reprisals in the so called farmers/herders clashes. When 72 people were slaughtered in one single attack in Benue in 2017, the Sultan of Sokoto, the JNI and ACF were not heard loudly condemning the gruesome attack by killer herdsmen on farming communities in the predominantly Christian and non-Fulani Hausa speaking parts of northern Nigeria. In 2018, when the Pan-Fulani cultural economic group, Miyetti Allah, claimed responsibility for the slaughter of over 100 mourners who were returning from a funeral church service in Plateau, as punishment for the rustling of their cattle by youths of the community, neither the Sultanate nor the JNI and indeed the ACF condemned the massacre of those innocent, unarmed, defenceless Nigerians. And when the former Chief of Army Staff and one of the pillars of post-independence northern Nigeria, Theophilus Danjuma, cried out over the killings of his people in Taraba, he was vilified for daring to suggest a collusion between security forces and killer herdsmen.

While the North was busy playing the ostrich and arrogating to itself the right to decide for other sections of Nigeria how not to put out the fire in their houses, it left its own burning house unattended to and today it is lamenting over the burnt debris and carcasses of the charred bodies of members of its household.

The spread of banditry, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery and the nefarious activities of killer herdsmen in the southern parts of Nigeria, which necessitated firm actions by the states governments of the region, was met with stiff opposition by the Hausa-speaking Fulani Muslim North. The ban on open grazing (not ban on cattle breeding) by a number of southern states and the directive to herdsmen to leave the forest reserves were described by self-appointed spokespersons of northern Nigeria as attacks on the region by the South. And when the six states of the South-West of Nigeria evolved a home grown security operation (Amotekun) to contain rising tide of insecurity in their region, these self-appointed spokespersons of a region that was even in more need of its own Amotekun mounted a fierce opposition to it, claiming it was targeted at the North.

While the North was busy playing the ostrich and arrogating to itself the right to decide for other sections of Nigeria how not to put out the fire in their houses, it left its own burning house unattended to and today it is lamenting over the burnt debris and carcasses of the charred bodies of members of its household. For the Hausa-speaking Fulani Muslim North, the chickens have come home to roost. Bandits that were once hailed as freedom fighters away are now being denounced as terrorists at home, but who will bell the cat? The cry of my beloved northern Nigeria can be likened to the lamentation of Martin Niemoller when he said of Nazi Germany, first they came for the communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a communist. Then they came for the socialists, I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Majeed Dahiru, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja and can be reached through dahirumajeed@gmail.com.
In 2016 when the administration of Ajimobi activated the process of reviewing this arrangement, a majority of the people thought he was tampering with this unique sequential republican succession order. What many did not take into consideration, however, was that the non-elevation of the members of the Olubadan-in-Council was an inhibitive factor in the promotion to the status of Obas of each deserving Baale or viceroys of adjoining communities that were hitherto traditionally being supervised by each of the High Chiefs

Most people, I included, misunderstood the promotion of Ibadan high chiefs carried out by the administration of the immediate past governor of Oyo State, the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi. However, the recent passage of His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, brought the saga of the chieftaincy upgrade back to the front burner of public consciousness. The Ibadan traditional chieftaincy system has always been a fascinating institution. In terms of thematic significance as a representative monarchy, the Ibadan kingship institution is more sophisticated than most monarchies in Yoruba land, the neighbouring Benin or even the British monarchy, because in the latter cases the underlying principle of ascension is built upon a class system of inherited or hereditary caste superiority. The Ibadan system is so unique that succession is not hereditary but based on an egalitarian peerage system that is, in turn, built upon a sophisticated yet interconnected coterie of agboiles  a network of relations embedded in nuclear and extended family units. Put succinctly, there is no class system in Ibadan, as each household is royalty de jure. Indeed, every chief from a Mogaji upward is a potential Olubadan in sequential order of seniority and by extension, every male child in Ibadan is a potential king.

In 2016 when the administration of Ajimobi activated the process of reviewing this arrangement, a majority of the people thought he was tampering with this unique sequential republican succession order. What many did not take into consideration, however, was that the non-elevation of the members of the Olubadan-in-Council was an inhibitive factor in the promotion to the status of Obas of each deserving Baale or viceroys of adjoining communities that were hitherto traditionally being supervised by each of the High Chiefs who constituted the Olubadan-in-Council. For example, it would be a gratuitous affront on the Yoruba tradition of Obaship for an Otun Olubadan (as he was pre-Ajumobi) to superintend a Council that has an Oba of Ijaye as the traditional ruler.

As a strategic workaround, the late Ajimobi elevated the principal chiefs of Ibadan to be able to bear the revered title of Obas, whilst in principle retaining their functional status as principal Superior Chiefs of the Olubadan. This new arrangement served as a clever workaround, as it enabled the Ajimobi administration to promote the Baales of the adjoining communities, whilst still keeping strictly within the cherished Yoruba Obaship tradition, as only an Oba can preside at a meeting of fellow Obas. For instance, by virtue of the Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration Review of 2017, the hitherto Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, became Oba Lekan Balogun, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland. The import of the latter part of his title the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland was however lost on many who assumed, wrongly, that he was no longer the Otun Olubadan upon his acceptance of his elevation to the rank of an Oba. This ignorance fuelled the unnecessary feisty debate over who would become Olubadan following the transition of Oba Saliu Olatunji in January 2022. Some even claimed that an Oba cannot be elevated to take up another Obaship elsewhere. The history of the Yorubas disagrees with this. Oranmiyan, the son of Okanbi, the sole child of Oduduwa, was already Oba of Ibini (Benin) before Ifa mandated him to go back to the source to assume the then more organised throne of Oduduwa as the Oba of Ife. The Ogbolu was already an Oba of Ita-Ogbolu (in present-day Ondo State) before Ifa directed that he be invited to become the Oba of Akure.

According to the gazette published by the Oyo State Government in 2017, both the arrangement pre and post Ajimobis reform ensured that the sequential succession order in Ibadan remains sacrosanct and immutable. Whoever is the Otun Olubadan is next in line. It is that simple. Except that for each bonafide Ibadan male child, the Ajimobi Reform has now further expanded the probability of becoming an Oba by additional 22 numerical possibilities and may have ended the subliminal agbotikuyo hankering  of furtively wishing death upon senior colleagues  by High Chiefs of the Olubadan. It is also important to note that all the 22 new Ajimobi Obas are themselves status to be attained through the existing turn-by-turn upward rise on the Olubadan ascension ladder. All the positions are potentially open to every male child in Ibadan.

Given the basis that necessitated the reform, the Otun Olubadan has done the right thing up till now. Oba Balogun, the Otun Olubadan (the next Olubadan) can only fail the moral test if he decides to flip sides, withdraw support for his previous colleagues or refuse to recognise them as minor Obas upon his being crowned the Olubadan. This is when the moral entanglement can set in, not now.

As a result of this novel solution, Baales of those communities that had been agitating for recognition as Obas for decades became Obas, with each being formally recognised as His Royal Highness under the following titles: Onijaye of Ijaye; Oniroko of Iroko; Onikereku of Ikereku; Elerunmu of Erunmu; Ololodo of Olodo; Elegbeda of Egbeda; Onido of Ido; Alakufo of Akufo; Oloke of Okelade-Okin; Alawotan of Awotan; Olomi of Omi-Adio; Onilalupon of Lalupon; Olugbon of Ile Igbon; Olofa of Ofa-Igbo; Ologburo of Ogburo; Onilagun of Lagun; Alaba of Abanla; Onilatunde of Latunde; Alayunre of Idi-Ayunre; Alakanran of Akanran; Alajia of Ajia and the Elejioku of Ejioku. The Ajimobi bold novelty settled that promotion lacuna once and for all.

Tradition is good. Tradition promotes stability. Tradition enhances predictability. Tradition offers protection against arbitrariness. Yet, one of the biggest inhibitors of progress is tradition. Millions have died as victims of preventable diseases because of wilful fidelity to tradition. Kingdoms have been vanquished as a result of tradition. To prevent a British party from interfering with Benin traditional rituals in 1897, some chiefs under the reign of Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi attacked the British expedition, killing about 200 African porters. Britain responded by sacking Benin. Over the millennial, nations or civilisations that have been at the top have also been those that struck a good balance between tradition and change  those who know when to reinvent and re-adapt their traditions in order to be competitive and retain their relevance.

When you see Chinese diplomats and their national leaders in European suits, instead of hanfu or robes, they are not foolish; they merely understand the concept of cultural dynamism and change. Same China is jealously preserving other enduring traditions that you may consider irrelevant. Also, up until September 2011, female members of the British royal family did not have the same right as males to ascend to the British throne. Male heirs had always taken precedence over their sisters in succession. The only way for a woman to ascend to the throne, as Queen Elizabeth did in 1952, had been if the previous monarch had no sons. That gender imbalance however changed in October 2012. Britain ended a tradition that promoted male gender superiority. Britain changed the rule.

Japans tradition forbade the reign of a monarch during the lifetime of another monarch. That tradition changed in 2019. Japans then 85-year-old Emperor Akihito, citing concerns about his age and declining health, retired and handed over to his son, Crown Prince Naruhito. Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013. In his lifetime, another conclave was held and another was elected the Pope. I am one of those who have openly advocated that the amiable Queen of England should abdicate, for her son. Ditto any king who is advanced in age.

 rather than being vilified as someone who assaulted tradition, it is clear that Ajimobi indeed protected the monarchy, entrenched its relevance and further expanded its space for greater inclusion and participation.

There is no better example of the epic significance of the change of tradition than in Ibadan itself. In 1861, the succession crisis to the throne of the Alaafin of Oyo was a major trigger of the war between Ijaye and Ibadan. That crisis centred on the protection of tradition. Kurunmi, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land was a staunch advocate of the then tradition, which forbade Alaafin Atobatele Atibas favourite son, Adelu, from ascending the throne after the demise of his father. Ibadan however objected to the preservation of that tradition and frontally pitched camp with Adelu and the latter was crowned as Alaafin of Oyo in 1859. Full hostility broke out two years later, with heavy casualties on both sides and the ultimate death of the Aare himself. That conquest solidified the position of Ibadan as a regional power and became instrumental to its prestige in the entire Yoruba nation.

The biggest argument against the monarchy in the United Kingdom is that appointing a head of state using the hereditary principle is undemocratic, unfair and elitist. The Ibadan kingship completely avoided this potential pitfall by ensuring that, in principle, every male child in Ibadan is a potential sovereign. The British monarchy is exclusive. Ditto most other monarchies. The Ibadan monarchy is however inclusive. Obaship in Ibadan thus has remained an excellent example of what modern kingship should be. It is a monarchy that defers to democratic ethos and is properly guided by the highest of republican ideals. The system of state-governance that the Yorubas achieved in Ibadan with the conceptual framework of zero class and all citizen royal, is a superior political and philosophical agency comparable to the Greek achievement with the founding of democracy in the city-state of Athens. The late Ajimobi did not alter this.

I am suspecting strongly that Ajimobis reform may eventually be validated by the higher courts. That is the right thing to happen, barring a withdrawal of support by the incumbent administration in the State. This is because it was a decision of the Oyo State Executive Council, which is legally the foremost authority on chieftaincy matters in Oyo State. Some have questioned Senator Lekan Balogun, the Otun Olubadan on moral grounds. Such individuals are mistaken. Given the basis that necessitated the reform, the Otun Olubadan has done the right thing up till now. Oba Balogun, the Otun Olubadan (the next Olubadan) can only fail the moral test if he decides to flip sides, withdraw support for his previous colleagues or refuse to recognise them as minor Obas upon his being crowned the Olubadan. This is when the moral entanglement can set in, not now.

In conclusion, rather than being vilified as someone who assaulted tradition, it is clear that Ajimobi indeed protected the monarchy, entrenched its relevance and further expanded its space for greater inclusion and participation.

Tunji Light Ariyomo, FNSE, is the Aare Baamero Odua.
The thought of Ethiopia conjures up the picture of an old empire of ancient kingdom in the Horn of Africa and home to a great civilisation. From 1270-1974, Ethiopia was one of only three great empires in the entire world, the other two being the Japanese and Persian empires.

The nation is often mentioned alongside Liberia, as one of the only two countries in Africa that escaped the yoke of colonialism. This is true, albeit partially. The Ethiopian empire once boasted of a strong army that was able to repel many intruders from Europe to the Middle East. Italy suffered a crushing defeat in the first Italo-Ethiopian war (1895 to 1896), regarded as one of the greatest battles in the history of Africa. Benito Mussolinis Italy, however, re-invaded Abyssinia as it was then also called, in October 1935, resulting in her subjection to Italian rule as part of Italian East Africa and forced Emperor Haile Selassie into exile. But just five years later and with the help of the British army, the Italians were again sent parking and the Emperor returned to the capital in May 1941.

Over the ages, the nation of Ethiopia has undergone transformation from the biblical kingdom of Aksum, through the reign of emperors and to a Federal Democratic Republic. In 1974, Mengistu Haile Mariam, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Ethiopian army seized power in a military coup and deposed Emperor Haile Salessor, marking the end of the Solomonic dynasty which had ruled Ethiopia since the 13th century.

Mengistus Marxist-Leninist leaning government ushered in a period known as the Red terror characterized by a brutal crackdown on opposition groups and civilians. He lasted from 1976-1985 and about 500,000 people were estimated to have been killed by his communist regime.

As a consequence of his dictatorship, pockets of militia groups popped up all across the country and a civil war ensured. Two of the strongest militias that emerged out of that crisis were the Tigrayan People Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Eritrean People Liberation Front (EPLF). But following the overthrow of Mengistu in 1991, Eritrea declared independence, leaving the TPLF to become the most powerful force in Ethiopia.

TPFL would later join forces with others militia groups to form a coalition known as the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) that went on to rule the country for about 30 years. The coalition effectively converted Ethiopia to a one-party state and because TPLF was the main faction, the country effectively was in the hands of the Tigrayans, an ethnic group of predominantly Christian Orthodox in northern Ethiopia, even though they constitute only about 6% of the countrys population. Meles Zenawi, a Tigrayan was the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia from 1995-2012.

Post Mengistu, the new government started off well. Over time, however, the TPFL-dominated government became repressive, was accused of curtailing press freedom, election irregularities and in 1998 started a war with Eritrea. Eventually, frustration started to build and boiled over with mass protests in 2017, forcing the TPLF Prime Minister to resign. The man chosen to replace him was Abiy Ahmed, the current Prime Minister.

Abiy Ahmed from the Oromo Democratic Party faction of the EPRDF coalition became the leader of the party. That would be the first time a non-Tigrayan and a non-TPFL would lead the party. He was, however, hugely popular and was believed to be a safe choice even by the TPLF. He was also seen as young, dynamic, reform-minded and spoke eloquently about the need for national reconciliation. One of his most significant achievements so far, was to end the two decades of Ethiopian-Eritrean war which earned him the Nobel peace Prize.

Abiys government was moving in a positive direction, cracking down on corrupt TPLF officials, gave the press more freedom and released a bunch of political prisoners. As time went on, however, there was a resurgence of ethnic tension that has often characterized Ethiopian politics. In order to have a party with national outlook instead of an ethnic one with tribal allegiance, he started a brand new party known as the Prosperity Party and invited others including the TPFL to join. The TPLF saw it as the Prime Minister wanting to consolidate his powers and shunned the coalition. They instead, embraced the opposition.

Ethiopia was headed for an election but in June 2020, Prime Minister Abiy acting in concert with the National Election Board of Ethiopia made the decision to postpone the election due to Covid-19 pandemic, a move which opposition accused him of finding a convenient excuse to cancel the election. The Tigrayans then went a step further, defied the government and held their own election. Tension built up and on November 4th, 2020, Abyi announced that Tigrayan forces attacked a military base and stated that the government was being forced to respond militarily. The rest is the conflagration being witnessed today.

Since the conflict started in November 2020, the death toll has continued to rise exponentially and an estimated 16-50,000 people died in 2021 alone.

Today, a coalition of rebel troops are closing in on the nations capital of Addis Ababa. The war has plunged this East African nation into humanitarian crisis and the UN estimates about 400,000 already experiencing famine. But I digress.

In the 1930s, the African Diaspora in Jamaica were feeling oppressed within Western society (Babylon) and yearned to someday return to the Promised Land (Zion). This Promised Land is located in the first century ancient Kingdom of Aksum but what is today northern Ethiopia, Eritrea and eastern part of Sudan. Rastafarianism was formed as both a new religion and a social movement with an Afrocentric focus. Bob Marley, the reggae icon helped popularize it.

Born Ras Tafari Makonnen on July 23rd, 1892, many in the movement regard Ethiopias last Emperor, Haile Selassie as the true prophet or Jah incarnate. Rastafarians adopted the flag that was used during his reign from 1930 to 1974 that combined the symbol of the Ethiopian monarchys green, gold, and red with a conquering lion of Judah.

Both for her rich history that rivaled the ancient Greek and recent status as a developing economy, Ethiopia held out hope and promise for a beleaguered continent in a desperate search for role models. Its no secret that Africa is home to the poorest countries of the world burdened by turbulent pasts and bloody wars.

With Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in power, Ethiopia was the fastest-growing non-oil-dependent African economy in the years 2007 and 2008. It also became a hub for light manufacturing in Africa, posting an economic growth of over 10 per cent and averaged a GDP of 10.9 per cent.

Ethiopian Airline has been consistently rated number one in Africa and with a fleet size of 130 aircrafts, ranks fourth in the world going by the number of countries served.

The current crisis is an ill wind that blows no one any good and has the potential to reverse all the gains made over the years. All stakeholders including the African Union which coincidentally is headquartered in the nations capital of Addis Ababa and the United Nations should as a matter of urgency rein in on the warring parties to stop the violence. This open sore shouldnt be allowed to fester.

Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com
The pioneer Non-Interest Bank in Nigeria, Jaiz Bank Plc, clocked 10 years yesterday, having commenced operations on January 6, 2012, with three branches in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

Despite paying the huge costs associated with pioneering, the Bank was able to break even within the first three years of operation, which was unprecedented at the time. From a modest Balance Sheet size of N12 billion in 2012, the Bank closed 2020 financial year at N278 billion (Total Assets & Contingents) and grew all other key performance indices exponentially over the years.

Through its unique value proposition, Jaiz Bank has, within a decade, made remarkable impact in empowering women, driving financial inclusion and supporting various strata of businesses in the real sector of the economy, Agriculture, Real Estate, Construction, Oil & Gas, General Commerce, etc.

Within this period, the Bank was rated by the Islamic International Rating Agency (IIRA), assigning it an investment grade rating of BBB. Most recently, the Bank also got an upgrade from both Agusto and GCR to BBB and BBB- respectively with stable outlook. Besides, Fitch also did its first rating of this promising institution, and it came out at the same impressive level.

It was therefore not surprising that the Bank gained international recognition as it won the Most Improved Islamic Bank award for 2020 and 2021 consecutively from the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA), among other accolades.

The Managing Director/CEO, Hassan Usman, while thanking Allah (The Creator of all), then the regulators, customers, board, management, staff and other stakeholders for their tremendous support, expressed great delight on the giant strides being taken by the Bank.

He said: Today, our Bank officially clocks ten years since it first opened its doors to customers on the 6th of January 2012. The journey was much like a roller coaster  you experience some degree of fear at the onset, but subsequently excitement takes over when the carriage takes off and you feel that euphoria of defying the odds of gravity. After the take-off, momentum is gradually gathered and stopping the coaster becomes not an option, the wisest thing to do is making every jerk and movement worthwhile and impactful. That is what we did, we lived every moment, learning from each mistake, supporting our customers through thick and thin while pressing on  despite the absence of essential non-interest banking enablers  to pioneer a nascent sub-sector that is now bourgeoning with players and accolades.

We are happy to pioneer an industry that was not there; creating confidence for other people to come in; and we believe that weve done that very well. The year 2022 is special to us as it marks a decade of progress in our Islamic banking journey and I am extremely fulfilled for the opportunity of leading the team for a larger part of the journey. From a very humble beginning in 2012, the Bank has successfully developed a remarkable brand that is iconic both locally and internationally.

You may recall in 2021, analysts at Nairametrics adjudged the Bank as the fastest growing among the listed banks in Nigeria (39.3% growth in Total Assets, based on December 2020 results) as well as the 4th most efficient based on Return on Equity (17.4%). According to the international annual ranking by The Asian Banker (A Singapore-based leading provider of strategic intelligence on the financial services industry), Jaiz Bank ranks 36th on the Worlds strongest Islamic Banks as at 2021. We remain true to our Vision by building the second largest non-interest bank in Sub-Saharan Africa in just 10 years.

The Bank is poised to leverage on its market acceptance and continue to innovate in order to consistently deliver superior customer experience in the dynamic business environment, hence maintaining its clear leadership in the non-interest banking space.
Residents of Anka and Bukkuyum local government areas in Zamfara State say they have found over 50 dead bodies after the attacks earlier this week on some rural communities in the state.

The residents also said search parties were still out combing the bushes for more bodies and injured victims.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how bandits burnt down five Zamfara communities between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hamza Adamu, a local politician, told this newspaper that the chairperson of Anka local government vigilante groups, Gambo Abare, was one of those killed.

Unfortunately, for us, this gallant person also paid the supreme price. He was from Abare village but he led a team of vigilante members to confront the bandits when they stormed some of the communities from Kurfar Danya.

When asked the number of those killed, he said they are too many. I quickly know of his (vigilante leader) death because he is popular.

A survivor of the attacks, who is still searching for members of this family, Murtala Waramu, told VOA Hausa that 58 corpses had been discovered.

I am from Waramu and so far we have counted 58 dead bodies in the villages we have visited to reclaim corpses. The search would continue in the morning (Friday).

He said there are several villages to cover but added that in most of the communities they had visited, houses and shops were burnt down by the bandits.

According to him , 22 dead bodies were found between Kurfar Danya and one other village, eight in Tungar Geza, six in Tungar Dan Gayya, five in Tungar Toro, four in Abare including the corpse of the vigilante members leader, three in Walo, two in Tungar Isa and one in Keya.

Mr Waramu said most of those killed were adult men.

Notorius banditry kingpin relocates

Mr Waramu said the bandits behind the attacks were suspected to be working for the notorious banditry kingpin, Bello Turji.

Another anonymous source who spoke to VOA Hausa Thursday morning said they were informed that Mr Turji was planning to relocate to the dense forest.

We heard that over 500 tents have been erected for them by some of their conspirators in the forest. We are not sure when he will be passing, but we believe those who launched the attacks were some of his boys who were relocating to the forest, he said.

A senior lecturer in the department of History at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Murtala Ahmed  Rufai, said the relocation could be true.

Fulanis are nomadic in nature. I have not got the real picture of the relocation rumour yet but it could be true owing to so many factors. The nature of the forest he is said to be relocating to is deadlier than the one in Fakai. He may relocate for his safety for now and that is why I said the Northwest governors need a holistic approach to the issue. If theyre going to embrace dialogue, they should do it collectively. Because look at Dogo Gide, when he had a peace accord with Zamfara State, he moved a bit deep into the forest and started terrorising Niger and Kaduna states, he said.

A Daily Trust report said Mr Turji is suspected to have relocated from Fakai forest in Shinkafi to Gando forest in Bukkuyum.

The report said the relocation could be due to intense air strikes.

The police spokesperon in Zamfara State, Mohammed Shehu, could not be reached on phone for his comment and he did not respond to an SMS sent to him.
The police have arrested two persons over the disappearance of a corpse in Ebonyi State.

The corpse of an 80-year-old woman, Grace Okoro, was said to have disappeared in the mortuary on the day of the burial.

The police spokesperson in Ebonyi, Loveth Odah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki that those arrested were workers at the mortuary where the corpse of the woman was kept before it disappeared.

We have found out that it was a mistake of identification and the Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Aliyu, has ordered for more investigation to unravel the circumstance behind the matter, said Ms Odah, a deputy superintendent of police.

The family of the deceased raised an alarm after it discovered that her corpse had vanished from the mortuary where it was deposited.

Fred Okoro, the brother of the deceased, told reporters in Abakaliki on Thursday that his sister died on July 2, 2021 and her corpse was deposited in the mortuary at the General Hospital, Owutu Edda in Afikpo Local Government Area.

The burial was fixed for December 28, 2021. I got the shock of my life when family members went to collect the remains of our sister on the burial day, only to discover that a different corpse was kept in the morgue for us.

We notice the plot to prevent us from knowing that the corpse was missing a month after the deposit was made as several efforts made by family members to see the condition of the corpse were frustrated by the mortuary attendants.

They always tell us that the morgue was under fumigation.

On the burial day, we went to the mortuary to get the corpse for lying-in-state and burial, only to discover that a strange corpse was presented to us, Mr Okoro said.

(NAN)
Plattsburgh, NY (12901)

Today

Overcast with showers at times. Low 47F. SSE winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Overcast with showers at times. Low 47F. SSE winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Team focused on providing mid-market customers throughout the state with access to BMO's full array of financial services and industry expertise

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Financial Group has expanded its commercial banking operations in Florida, announcing new leaders in South Florida, West Florida and Central/North Florida regions. The Florida commercial banking team will continue to be overseen by Marty McAndrew, BMO's Managing Director & Florida Market Executive, Commercial Banking.

"We see tremendous opportunity to leverage our industry expertise and local market knowledge to help local business leaders in Florida expand their operations and continue to drive economic growth," said McAndrew. "We have a very strong, experienced local management team in place, and we look forward to building on our momentum throughout the state."

BMO's Commercial Banking office in Orlando, which was announced in July, will be managed by Kris Dake, Managing Director & Team Leader, Central/North Florida, Commercial Banking. A Florida State University graduate, Dake has been providing financial solutions to business customers in Central and North Florida for over 23 years and is very active in the local community. Dake has already expanded the team to Jacksonville with the recent hiring of Steven Dackiewicz as Director, Commercial Banking.

Shawn Oden has been named Managing Director & Team Leader, South Florida, Commercial Banking. Oden will lead the bank's commercial banking operations across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. A South Florida native and University of Florida graduate, Oden has spent his entire 17-year commercial banking career in the market and is well connected throughout the area.

Finally, BMO has launched a new commercial banking group in Tampa Bay, which is being led by John Astrab, Managing Director & Team Leader, West Florida, Commercial Banking. Astrab has deep connections in the local market, having provided commercial banking services in West Florida for over 15 years.

The commercial banking team is focused on a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, engineering and construction, food and business services  providing customers with access to BMO's full array of financial services and industry expertise.

BMO already has 17 retail branches in Florida, as well as three wealth management offices located in Sarasota, Naples and West Palm Beach, and billions in commercial loan commitments already made throughout the state. In total, BMO has approximately 200 employees based in Florida.

About BMO Financial Group

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of C$988 billion as of October 31, 2021, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

Internet: www.bmo.com Twitter: @BMOMedia

SOURCE BMO Harris Bank
HOBOKEN, N.J., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- eToro Group Ltd ("eToro"), a multi-asset platform that empowers people to grow their financial knowledge as part of a global community of investors, today announced the appointment of Callie Cox as Investment Analyst for the U.S. market.

In her new role, Callie will be responsible for providing expert analysis of U.S. market trends and sharing practical insights that empower eToro users to make the investment decisions that are right for them. She will be based in Charlotte, N.C.

Callie Cox, Investment Analyst for the U.S. market

Lule Demmissie, eToro's US CEO said: "We're thrilled to welcome Callie Cox to the eToro team. Her passion for the power of investing closely aligns with our core ideals as we work to increase our focus on the U.S. market. Callie also brings with her extensive knowledge of capital markets, including trends and economics in equities, derivatives and fixed income. Her professional experience and personal drive make her the perfect fit to help grow eToro's vision for the future as we scale our current product offering for U.S. users."

Callie joins eToro from Ally Invest where she held the role of Senior Investment Strategist. In this role she helped educate Ally Invest's customers about investing through a variety of reports, timely market alerts and strategic initiatives like videos, social projects and live events. She also represented Ally Invest as a public-facing leader with a passion for integrating behavioral psychology principles with investment education insights to connect with younger investors.

Callie Cox, eToro's Investment Analyst added: "I'm extremely excited to be joining the growing team at eToro. The company is at a pivotal stage in its growth trajectory, especially as it relates to the U.S. market. I look forward to working closely with eToro's investors to expand their knowledge and empower them on their investing journey. As a social investment network, eToro has a very unique, community-oriented offering and I'm excited to bring my experience to the table to help make investing more accessible to everyone."

Prior to Ally Invest, Callie was a Senior Research Analyst at LPL Financial and has held positions at notable financial institutions such as First Citizens Bank and TABB Group. She began her career working at the top-tier business publication, Bloomberg.

Callie holds a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication, Minor in Chemistry and Certificate in Business Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also holds her Series 7 and 66 FINRA licenses.

eToro's offering in the U.S. provides retail investors the opportunity to invest in 27 different cryptoassets and engage with eToro's popular CopyTrader platform. eToro is excited to expand its product range with the launch of zero commission stocks in the near future.

About eToro

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform that empowers people to grow their knowledge and wealth as part of a global community of successful investors. eToro was founded in 2007 with the vision of opening up the global markets so that everyone can trade and invest in a simple and transparent way. Today, eToro is a global community of more than 23 million registered users who share their investment strategies; and anyone can follow the approaches of those who have been the most successful. Due to the simplicity of the platform users can easily buy, hold, and sell assets, monitor their portfolio in real time, and transact whenever they want.

https://www.etoro.com

Disclosures

Crypto Trading is offered via eToro USA LLC. Securities trading is offered via eToro USA Securities, Inc.("The BD"), a broker dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The BD is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ( FINRA ) and Securities Investor Protection Corporation ( SIPC ). eToro USA LLC (NMLS ID: 1769299 ) is not a registered broker-dealer or FINRA member and your cryptocurrency holdings are not FDIC or SIPC insured. Our full disclosures page is here . Our fees page is here . eToro USA LLC.  2022

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE eToro
CRANBURY, N.J., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CURE Media Group, the industry-leading multimedia platform devoted to cancer updates, research and education that reaches over 1 million patients, survivors and caregivers, is pleased to announce the winners of the annual CURE Calendar Contest. The 12 selected artists will have their artwork displayed in the 2022 calendar, titled "Healing Through Hues."

The winners are:

Libby Cascaden , of Mobile, Ala. , for "New Horizons"

of , for "New Horizons" Gina Fortunato , of Naples, Fla. , for "The Pink Float"

of , for "The Pink Float" Chelsey Gomez , of Deland, Fla. , for "Stay Close"

of , for "Stay Close" Dennis Logsdon , of Dunedin, Fla. , for "The Caribou Lookout"

of , for "The Caribou Lookout" Courtney A. Mullings , of Marietta, Ga. , for "Light Magnolia"

of , for "Light Magnolia" Nancy Rochford , of Hillsdale, N.J. , for "Squirrels in Winter"

of , for "Squirrels in Winter" Randy Shattenkirk , of Hollywood, Fla. , for "Through the Storm"

of , for "Through the Storm" Alex Skoczen , of Scottsdale, Ariz. , for "Pali Lookout"

of , for "Pali Lookout" David Solie , of Calabasas, Calif. , for "Prelude to New Life"

of , for "Prelude to New Life" Lora P. Stern , of Lancaster, Pa. , for "Forever Hopeful"

of , for "Forever Hopeful" Anne Delano Weathersby , of Annapolis, Md. , for "Sailors Take Warning"

of , for "Sailors Take Warning" Cynde Wilson , of Pinedale, Wyo. , for "Generations"

"It is my pleasure to congratulate the winning artists for the outstanding work that has been selected to be featured CURE magazine's "Healing Through Hues" calendar," said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences, parent company of CURE Media Group. "We received so many powerful and moving submissions from across the United States and would like to thank everyone that submitted their artwork for consideration."

To view the CURE Magazine 2022 calendar, click here.

About CURE Media Group

CURE Media Group is the leading resource for cancer updates, research and education. Launched in 2002 and now celebrating its 20th anniversary, CURE has become the most widely distributed and read consumer publication in the United States for patients with cancer, survivors, and their caregivers. The platform combines a full suite of media products, including its industry-leading website curetoday.com ; innovative video programs, such as "CURE Connections"; a series of educational and inspirational events; and CURE magazine, which reaches more than 1 million readers. CURE Media Group is a brand of MJH Life Sciences, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels.

Media Contact

Alyssa Scarpaci, 609-716-7777

[email protected]

SOURCE CURE Media Group
SHANGHAI, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) ("Daqo New Energy", the "Company" or "we"), a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry, today announced that its subsidiary Xinjiang Daqo had obtained energy consumption approval for its polysilicon projects in Baotou, in China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The abovementioned polysilicon projects consist of a 100,000 MT polysilicon project for the solar industry and a 1,000 MT polysilicon project for the semiconductor industry with an estimated total investment of RMB8.55 billion. Construction is expected to start in the first quarter of 2022 and to be completed in the second quarter of 2023.

Mr. Longgen Zhang, CEO of Daqo New Energy, commented, "We are very excited to obtain the energy consumption approval for our polysilicon expansion projects in Baotou, which will significantly increase our production capacity leveraging the industry's cutting-edge technologies and processes. We will also take this opportunity to expand our business to the semiconductor industry, which is an important step forward to diversify our business capitalizing on our accumulated expertise and technology advantages. The renewable energy revolution is providing a huge market with a fast growth rate. We are confident that our new polysilicon projects in Baotou will enable us to continuously increase our market share and enhance our leadership in the polysilicon industry."

About Daqo New Energy Corp.

Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) ("Daqo" or the "Company") is a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry. Founded in 2007, the Company manufactures and sells high-purity polysilicon to photovoltaic product manufactures, who further process the polysilicon into ingots, wafers, cells and modules for solar power solutions. The Company has a total polysilicon nameplate capacity of 105,000 metric tons and is one of the world's lowest cost producers of high-purity polysilicon.

For more information, please visit www.dqsolar.com

Daqo New Energy Corp.

Investor Relations

Email: [email protected]

Christensen



In China

Mr. Rene Vanguestaine

Phone: +86 178 1749 0483

[email protected]

In the U.S.



Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Phone: +1-480-614-3004

Email: [email protected]

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations on its project construction progress and market growth, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Company's control. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the demand for photovoltaic products and the development of photovoltaic technologies; global supply and demand for polysilicon; alternative technologies in cell manufacturing; the Company's ability to significantly expand its polysilicon production capacity and output; the reduction in or elimination of government subsidies and economic incentives for solar energy applications; the Company's ability to lower its production costs; changes in the political and regulatory environment; and the duration of COVID-19 outbreaks in China and many other countries and the impact of the outbreaks and the quarantines and travel restrictions instituted by relevant governments on economic and market conditions, including potentially weaker global demand for solar PV installations that could adversely affect the Company's business and financial performance. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the reports or documents the Company has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information or any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

SOURCE Daqo New Energy Corp.
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Excelerate Energy L.P. ("Excelerate") today announced that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") relating to the proposed initial public offering of its Class A common stock. Excelerate intends to list its Class A common stock on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") under the ticker symbol "EE." The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering are subject to market conditions and have not yet been determined.

Barclays, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley are serving as joint lead book-running managers for the proposed offering.

The proposed offering will be made available only by means of a prospectus. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus may be obtained from the following sources:

Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (888) 603-5847, or by email at [email protected] ;

11717, by telephone at (888) 603-5847, or by email at ; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (866) 803-9204, or by email at [email protected] ; or

11717, by telephone at (866) 803-9204, or by email at ; or Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014, or by telephone: (866) 718-1649.

A registration statement on Form S-1 relating to these securities has been filed with the SEC but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Excelerate Energy

Excelerate Energy L.P. is a US-based LNG company located in The Woodlands, Texas. It is part of a privately held U.S. energy group founded by George Kaiser. Excelerate Energy is changing the way the world accesses cleaner forms of energy by providing integrated services along the LNG value chain with an objective of delivering rapid-to-market and reliable LNG solutions to customers. Excelerate offers a full range of flexible regasification services from FSRU to infrastructure development to LNG supply. Excelerate has offices in Abu Dhabi, Antwerp, Boston, Buenos Aires, Chattogram, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Manila, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, and Washington, DC.

SOURCE Excelerate Energy L.P.
TORONTO, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Golden Star Resources Ltd. (NYSE American: GSS) (TSX: GSC) (GSE: GSR) ("Golden Star" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has obtained a final order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) approving the Company's previously announced plan of arrangement under Section 192 of the Canada Business Corporations Act (the "Transaction"), involving the Company, Chifeng Jilong Gold Mining Co., Ltd. (SHSE: 600988) ("Chifeng") and its subsidiary Chijin International (Hong Kong) Limited ("Chijin"), and Chijin's assignee Kefei Investment (BVI) Limited (the "Assignee"), pursuant to the arrangement agreement dated October 31, 2021, as amended by an amending agreement dated November 24, 2021 (the "Arrangement Agreement").

The Transaction was previously approved by holders ("Shareholders") of common shares of Golden Star ("Golden Star Shares") at the special meeting of Shareholders held on December 30, 2021.

The Arrangement is expected to be completed later in January 2022, subject to, among other things, receipt of all regulatory and stock exchange approvals, including in the People's Republic of China and in Ghana, and the satisfaction or waiver of conditions precedent as set forth in the Arrangement Agreement.

The Transaction

Pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement, Chifeng, through Chijin and the Assignee have agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding Golden Star Shares. Pursuant to and upon completion of the Transaction, Shareholders will receive total consideration, payable in cash, of US$3.91 (equivalent to approximately C$4.85 as of October 31, 2021) per Golden Star Share, which equates to a total Transaction value of approximately US$470 million on a fully-diluted, in-the-money basis. Upon completion of the Transaction, the Golden Star Shares are expected to be delisted from the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Ghana Stock Exchange. In addition, it is expected that Golden Star will cease to be a reporting issuer under U.S., Canadian and Ghanaian securities laws following the completion of the Transaction.

Advisors

Golden Star has engaged Canaccord Genuity Corp. as its exclusive financial advisor as well as Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP and Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP as its respective Canadian and United States legal advisors. Canaccord Genuity Corp. provided a fairness opinion to Golden Star's Board of Directors. Chifeng has engaged Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc. and First Asia Group Ltd. as its financial advisors as well as Goodmans LLP as its legal advisor.

Golden Star Profile

Golden Star is an established gold mining company that owns and operates the Wassa underground mine in the Western Region of Ghana, West Africa. Listed on the NYSE American, the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Ghanaian Stock Exchange, Golden Star is focused on delivering strong margins and free cash flow from the Wassa mine. As the winner of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada 2018 Environmental and Social Responsibility Award, Golden Star remains committed to leaving a positive and sustainable legacy in its areas of operation.

Chifeng Profile

Chifeng is an international gold mining company listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of approximately US$4.4 billion. It operates five mining assets, including the world-class Sepon gold mine in Laos. In 2018, Chifeng acquired Sepon before undertaking significant capital expenditures to redevelop the gold processing facility in order to double its future gold production.

Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Some statements contained in this news release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases (including negative or grammatical variations) or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved or the negative connotation thereof. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause facts to differ materially. Such statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which Golden Star will operate in the future.

Forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to, statements related to the Transaction; the anticipated timing for and the completion of the Transaction; the timing for and receipt of all required regulatory and stock exchange approvals; the anticipated and timing of delisting of the Golden Star Shares; the reporting status of Golden Star; the ability of the parties to satisfy other conditions to, and to complete, the Transaction; and the closing of the Transaction including the acquisition of the Golden Star Shares and payment in respect thereof.

In respect of the forward-looking statements and information concerning the anticipated completion of the proposed Transaction and the anticipated timing for completion of the proposed Transaction, Golden Star has provided them in reliance on certain assumptions and believes that they are reasonable at this time, including the assumptions as to the ability of the parties to receive, in a timely manner, the necessary regulatory, stock exchange and relevant authority approvals; and the ability of the parties to satisfy, in a timely manner, the other conditions to the closing of the Transaction. These dates may change for a number of reasons, including the inability to secure necessary approvals in the time assumed or the need for additional time to satisfy the other conditions to the completion of the Transaction. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Golden Star to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, without limitation: risks associated with the Transaction and acquisitions generally; the Arrangement Agreement may be terminated in certain circumstances; there can be no certainty that all conditions precedent to the Transaction will be satisfied; Golden Star will incur costs even if the Transaction is not completed and may have to pay a termination fee or expense reimbursement if the Arrangement Agreement is terminated in certain circumstances; and all necessary approvals may not be obtained. Additional risks, uncertainties and factors include, without limitation: gold price volatility; discrepancies between actual and estimated production; mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; mining operational and development risks; liquidity risks; suppliers suspending or denying delivery of products or services; regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability); actions by governmental authorities; the speculative nature of gold exploration; ore type; the global economic climate; share price volatility; foreign exchange rate fluctuations; risks related to streaming agreements and joint venture operations; the availability of capital on reasonable terms or at all; risks related to international operations, including economic and political instability in foreign jurisdictions in which Golden Star operates; developments in Ghana that may have an adverse impact on Golden Star and/or the Transaction; risks related to current global financial conditions including financial and other risks resulting from the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic; actual results of current exploration activities; environmental risks; future prices of gold; possible variations in mineral reserves and mineral resources, grade or recovery rates; mine development and operating risks; an inability to obtain power for operations on favorable terms or at all; mining plant or equipment breakdowns or failures; an inability to obtain products or services for operations or mine development from vendors and suppliers on reasonable terms, including pricing, or at all; public health pandemics such as COVID-19, including risks associated with reliance on suppliers, the cost, scheduling and timing of gold shipments, uncertainties relating to its ultimate spread, severity and duration, and related adverse effects on the global economy and financial markets; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; litigation risks; the quantum and timing of receipt of the proceeds from the sale by the Company of its interest in Bogoso-Prestea; risks related to indebtedness and the service of such indebtedness; and general business, economic, competitive, political, health and social uncertainties.

Although Golden Star has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by management. Please refer to the discussion of these and other factors in Management's Discussion and Analysis of financial condition and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2020 and in our annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020 as filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The forecasts contained in this press release constitute management's current estimates, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered thereby. We expect that these estimates will change as new information is received. While we may elect to update these estimates at any time, we do not undertake any estimate at any particular time or in response to any particular event, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to their inherent uncertainty.

SOURCE Golden Star Resources Ltd.

Related Links

www.gsr.com


Hyundai Mobis (KRX:012330), one of the world's largest vehicle technology innovators and suppliers drew a large crowd of show attendees on the official opening day of CES exhibits by showcasing the M.Vision POP EV, and the M.Vision 2GO Hydrogen Fuel Cell shared mobility concept vehicles. Hyundai Mobis is affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group and partners with many OEMs  are making great strides to harness its power.

Aligning with the CES 2022 live and virtual "hybrid" platform, visitors to the Hyundai Mobis exhibit are able to view the vehicle tech leader's e-corner module system, with 90-degree rotation of all four wheels, as well as its communication lighting systems and cargo storage innovations, both in live action and through a virtual showroom  for those experiencing CES remotely.

A major draw to the Hyundai Mobis exhibit is its metaverse experience, named JOYTOWN, which gives visitors an interactive "test drive" experience with the M.Vision POP and M.Vision 2GO concepts vehicles in real-life situations.

Metaverse has become a popular buzzword at CES 2022. That said, the metaverse and its application is still difficult to understand by many. CES exhibitors including Hyundai Mobis are helping bridge the gap of understanding of the metaverse in an interactive, practical and fun way  leveraging mobile technology familiar to society.

"It's exciting to see the faces of those that visit our booth light up as they see their avatars enter a M.Vision POP or M.Vision 2GO and navigate our JOYTOWN metaverse," said Hyundai Mobis Vice President of Communication, Jin-ho Park. "The vehicle technologies we are demonstrating at CES will help our OEM and technology partners achieve their future mobility goals, and it's an honor to play a key role in that process."

About Hyundai MOBIS

Hyundai Mobis is the global no.7 global automotive supplier, with annual sales of nearly $30 billion USD. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Seoul, Korea.

Hyundai Mobis aims to become a lifelong technology partner for vehicles and people. The company has outstanding expertise in sensors, sensor fusion in ECUs and software development for safety control. The company's products also include various components for electrification, brakes, chassis and suspension, steering, airbags, lighting and automotive electronics.

Hyundai Mobis currently employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. With the R&D headquarter in Korea, Mobis operates 4 technology centers in Germany, China, India and the United States.

For more information, please visit the website at http://mobis.co.kr/

Media Contacts

Choon Kee Hwang

+82-2-2018-5519

[email protected]

Luke Thomas

(407) 233-9639

[email protected]

SOURCE Hyundai Mobis
"We're honored the Hyundai IONIQ 5, Sonata Hybrid and Elantra N have each won The Car Connection Best Car to Buy 2022 Awards in their respective categories," said Olabisi Boyle, vice president, Product Planning and Mobility Strategy, Hyundai Motor North America. "Earning these coveted awards for three of our newest models reinforces our commitment to deliver segment-leading vehicles that appeal to a diverse group of consumers."

Hyundai's Ioniq 5 is an all-new electric CUV with futuristic styling, available all-wheel drive capability and more than 300 miles of range. The thrilling, all-new Elantra N represents the performance pinnacle for Hyundai's N brand, with outstanding performance in an efficient, compact sedan. The Sonata Hybrid takes the superb qualities of the Sonata sedan and adds exceptional range and fuel economy.

About The Car Connection

The Car Connection ( www.thecarconnection.com ) is the easiest place to research and shop for cars online. The Car Connection is part of the Internet Brands Automotive Group, one of the largest collections of automotive properties on the Internet, including pioneering car-buying website CarsDirect.com and a collection of more than 130 auto enthusiast websites.

Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America focuses on 'Progress for Humanity' and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles. Our 820 dealers sold more than 738,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2021, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com .

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America
NEW YORK and TORONTO, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. ("iAnthus" or the "Company") (CSE: IAN) (OTCPK: ITHUF), which owns, operates and partners with regulated cannabis operations across the United States, announces, further to its news release of June 16, 2021, that the Company has settled the terms of a contingent long-term incentive plan ("LTIP") for certain employees of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries. The Company's board of directors (the "Board") has approved the allocations under a new LTIP, which are contingent upon the closing of the previously announced recapitalization transaction (the "Recapitalization Transaction") contemplated by the Restructuring Support Agreement dated July 10, 2020, as amended on June 15, 2021 (the "RSA"). Pursuant to the RSA, a to-be-determined amount of equity was agreed to be made available for management, employee, and director incentives. The LTIP is expected to assist the Company in the retention and recruitment of essential employees through the extended and uncertain closing period of the Recapitalization Transaction.

The Company's current outstanding stock option pool, held by 177 individuals, represents 5.76% of the common shares of the Company on an as-converted basis. Contingent on the closing of the Recapitalization Transaction, this stock option pool will be replaced by a new LTIP consisting of a combination of restricted stock units and stock options, which together will equate to approximately 5.75% of the pro forma common shares of iAnthus on an as-converted basis. The LTIP will cover 251 employees of the Company.

The Company, with the support of the Lenders and Consenting Debenture Holders, engaged a leading independent compensation consultant to advise the Company in developing the LTIP.

About iAnthus

iAnthus owns and operates licensed cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.iAnthus.com.

COVID-19 Risk Factor

The Company may be impacted by business interruptions resulting from pandemics and public health emergencies, including those related to COVID-19. An outbreak of infectious disease, a pandemic, or a similar public health threat, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19, or a fear of any of the foregoing could adversely impact the Company by causing operating, manufacturing, supply chain, and project development delays and disruptions, labor shortages, travel, and shipping disruption and shutdowns (including as a result of government regulation and prevention measures). It is unknown whether and how the Company may be affected if such a pandemic persists for an extended period of time, including as a result of the waiver of regulatory requirements or the implementation of emergency regulations to which the Company is subject. Although the Company has been deemed essential and/or has been permitted to continue operating its facilities in the states in which it cultivates, processes, manufactures, and sells cannabis during the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no assurance that the Company's operations will continue to be deemed essential and/or will continue to be permitted to operate. The Company may incur expenses or delays relating to such events outside of its control, which could have a material adverse impact on its business, operating results, financial condition, and the trading price of the Company's common shares.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of management, are not guarantees of performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in Company's reports that it files from time to time with the SEC and the Canadian securities regulators, which you should review including, but not limited to, the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. When used in this news release, words such as "will," could," plan," estimate," expect," intend," may," potential," believe, "should" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Company's financial performance, business development, results of operations, and retention and recruitment of essential employees.

These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events, and the Company cannot assure you that the events or circumstances discussed or reflected in these statements will be achieved or will occur. If such forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. You should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by the Company or any other person that it will achieve its objectives and plans in any specified timeframe, or at all. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange or The Securities Exchange Commission have reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

SOURCE iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc.
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Independence Holding Company (NYSE: IHC) to Geneve Holdings, Inc. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Independence will receive $57.00 in cash for each share of Independence that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company.

If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn ([email protected]) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-ihc/ to learn more.

To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

SOURCE Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pardee Resources Company (OTC: PDER) (the "Company") announced today that Harry G. Symons, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has decided to retire from the Company in May, 2022. In addition, the Company announced that Steven J. Rolle has joined the Company as of January 4, 2022 as Senior Vice President of Finance. Upon Mr. Symons retirement in May, Mr. Rolle will succeed Mr. Symons as Pardee's Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

"On behalf of the Company, I want to thank Harry for his tremendous dedication, integrity and leadership" said Carleton P. Erdman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Throughout his 40 year career with the Company, Harry has maintained a steady focus on supporting Pardee's significant growth and built an outstanding track record of creating value for our shareholders. It has been a privilege to work alongside him each day. We all wish Harry the very best in his retirement."

Erdman added "I am pleased that Steve Rolle has joined the Company. Steve's success and experience as a CFO, his financial and accounting expertise, and his leadership qualities will be a valuable addition to the Pardee team as we move forward."

Rolle brings with him almost 30 years of experience in accounting, treasury, financial management and reporting, corporate strategy, M&A, and portfolio optimization. He most recently served as the CFO of 3SI Security Systems, Inc., a technology security firm based in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

In addition to historical statements, this press release contains statements relating to future events. These statements are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our judgments and current expectations, a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors could cause actual developments and results to differ materially from our expectations. These factors include, but are not limited to: difficult economic conditions, and other risks and uncertainties. As a result, these forward-looking statements may turn out to be incorrect. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any obligation to) update or alter these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Pardee Resources Company

Related Links

pardee.com


LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Winc, Inc. ("Winc" or the "Company") (NYSE-American: WBEV), one of the fastest-growing beverage companies in the United States, continues its strong wholesale growth with a portfolio of brands for the next generation of consumers such as Summer Water and Lost Poet. In 2021, Winc's wholesale portfolio expanded by 50% more SKUs overall and saw its brands perform well on shelves, growing by 123% in sales at Whole Foods (1) and by 75% in overall depletions among national and regional chains (2).

Geoff McFarlane, CEO and co-founder, and Brian Smith, President and co-founder, will participate in a virtual fireside chat at the 2022 ICR Conference on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The live webcast will be accessible in the News & Events section of the Company's Investor Relations website at ir.winc.com . An archived replay of the webcast will also be available shortly after the live event has concluded.

Source: Company data

(1) Comparing unit sales January - November 2021 vs. same period 2020, Whole Foods data as of January 3, 2022

(2) Depletion data as of January 5, 2022

About Winc

Winc is one of the fastest growing beverage companies in the United States with a successful national portfolio of brands fueled by an omni-channel distribution network. Winc's unique digital-first marketing strategy and platform, Winc.com, drive e-commerce, deep customer connections, and data analytics, which we leverage across our expanding network of wholesale and retail partners to develop and scale brands, propelling its powerful omni-channel growth strategy.

Contact:

Matt Thelen

Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel

[email protected]

424-353-1767

Related Links

https://www.winc.com

https://ir.winc.com/

SOURCE Winc
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced that it has submitted applications seeking approvals for upadacitinib (RINVOQ, 15 mg once daily) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with objective signs of inflammation who have responded inadequately to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The applications are supported by the Phase 3 SELECT-AXIS 2 (Study 2) clinical trial.

In the SELECT-AXIS 2 trial (Study 2), evaluating the efficacy and safety of upadacitinib in adult patients with nr-axSpA, upadacitinib met its primary and most ranked secondary endpoints.1 Treatment with upadacitinib 15 mg once daily resulted in reductions in signs and symptoms of nr-axSpA, including back pain and inflammation, as well as improvements in physical function and disease activity at week 14 versus placebo.1

"Axial spondyloarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the spine and can cause patients, who tend to be younger adults living active lives, to suffer from debilitating pain and significantly decrease their quality of life,"2 said Thomas Hudson, M.D., senior vice president of research and development, chief scientific officer, AbbVie. "AbbVie is committed to working with the FDA and EMA to make upadacitinib available as a treatment option for patients living with this disease."

In addition, AbbVie has requested label enhancements for upadacitinib in the European Union (EU) to include adult patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who had an inadequate response to biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), based on the results of the Phase 3 SELECT-AXIS 2 clinical trial (Study 1), as well as two-year results of the Phase 2/3 SELECT-AXIS 1 clinical trial.1,3 AbbVie also provided these data to the FDA in support of the agency's ongoing review of the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for upadacitinib in AS.

The safety data observed in these patients with AS or nr-axSpA were generally consistent with the known safety profile of upadacitinib. No new safety risks were identified.1,3,4,5

About axSpA

Axial spondyloarthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the spine, causing back pain, limited mobility, and structural damage.6 It consists of two subsets that have been clinically defined as ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA).6 In ankylosing spondylitis, patients have definitive structural damage of the sacroiliac joints visible on x-rays.6 Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis is clinically defined by the absence of definitive x-ray evidence of structural damage to the sacroiliac (SI) joint by plain x-ray.6

About SELECT-AXIS 1 and SELECT-AXIS 2 trial programs1,4,5,7

SELECT-AXIS 1 is a Phase 2/3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of RINVOQ in adult patients with active ankylosing spondylitis who are bDMARD-naive and had inadequate response to at least two NSAIDs or intolerance to/contraindication for NSAIDs. Period 2 is an open-label extension period to evaluate the long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of RINVOQ in subjects who completed Period 1. Primary results from SELECT-AXIS 1 were previously announced in November 2019 with 2-year results presented in November 2021. More information on this trial can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03178487).

SELECT-AXIS 2 was conducted as a master study protocol that contains two standalone studies with randomization, data collection, analysis and reporting conducted independently. The Phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies are evaluating the efficacy and safety of upadacitinib compared with placebo on reduction of signs and symptoms in adult participants with active axSpA including bDMARD-IR AS (Study 1) and nr-axSpA (Study 2). More information on this trial can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04169373).

In all studies, the primary endpoint was the percentage of subjects achieving an ASAS40 response after 14 weeks of treatment.

About RINVOQ (upadacitinib)

Discovered and developed by AbbVie scientists, RINVOQ is a selective JAK inhibitor that is being studied in several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Based on enzymatic and cellular assays, RINVOQ demonstrated greater inhibitory potency for JAK-1 vs JAK-2, JAK-3, and TYK-2.8 The relevance of inhibition of specific JAK enzymes to therapeutic effectiveness and safety is not currently known. RINVOQ 15 mg is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to one or more TNF blockers and adults with active psoriatic arthritis who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to one or more TNF blockers. RINVOQ 15 mg is approved by the European Commission for adults with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis, adults with active psoriatic arthritis and adults with active ankylosing spondylitis. RINVOQ is approved by the European Commission for adults (15 mg and 30 mg) and adolescents (15 mg) with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. Phase 3 trials of RINVOQ in rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis are ongoing.9-16 Use of RINVOQ in AS is not approved by FDA and its safety and efficacy remain under review. Use of RINVOQ in nr-axSpA is not approved and its safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by regulatory authorities.

RINVOQ U.S. Uses and Important Safety Information7

RINVOQ is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with:

Moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis when 1 or more medicines called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.

when 1 or more medicines called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated. Active psoriatic arthritis when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.

It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age.

What is the most important information I should know about RINVOQ?

RINVOQ may cause serious side effects, including:

Serious infections. RINVOQ can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious infections have happened while taking RINVOQ, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your healthcare provider (HCP) should test you for TB before starting RINVOQ and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with RINVOQ. You should not start taking RINVOQ if you have any kind of infection unless your HCP tells you it is okay. You may be at higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster).

RINVOQ can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious infections have happened while taking RINVOQ, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your healthcare provider (HCP) should test you for TB before starting RINVOQ and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with RINVOQ. You should not start taking RINVOQ if you have any kind of infection unless your HCP tells you it is okay. You may be at higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster). Increased risk of death in people 50 years and older who have at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor.

Cancer and immune system problems. RINVOQ may increase your risk of certain cancers. Lymphoma and other cancers, including skin cancers, can happen. Current or past smokers are at higher risk of certain cancers, including lymphoma and lung cancer.

RINVOQ may increase your risk of certain cancers. Lymphoma and other cancers, including skin cancers, can happen. Current or past smokers are at higher risk of certain cancers, including lymphoma and lung cancer. Increased risk of major cardiovascular (CV) events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in people 50 years and older who have at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor, especially if you are a current or past smoker.

Blood Clots. Blood clots in the veins of the legs or lungs and arteries can happen with RINVOQ. This may be life-threatening and cause death. Blood clots in the veins of the legs and lungs have happened more often in people who are 50 years and older and with at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor.

Blood clots in the veins of the legs or lungs and arteries can happen with RINVOQ. This may be life-threatening and cause death. Blood clots in the veins of the legs and lungs have happened more often in people who are 50 years and older and with at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor. Tears in the stomach or intestines and changes in certain laboratory tests. Your HCP should do blood tests before you start taking RINVOQ and while you take it. Your HCP may stop your RINVOQ treatment for a period of time if needed because of changes in these blood test results.

What should I tell my HCP BEFORE starting RINVOQ?

Tell your HCP if you:

Are being treated for an infection, have an infection that won't go away or keeps coming back, or have symptoms of an infection such as:







 Fever, sweating, or chills  Shortness of breath  Warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body  Muscle aches  Feeling tired  Blood in phlegm  Diarrhea or stomach pain  Cough  Weight loss  Burning when urinating or urinating more often than normal

Have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB.

Are a current or past smoker.

Have had a heart attack, other heart problems, or stroke.

Have had any type of cancer, hepatitis B or C, shingles (herpes zoster), blood clots in the veins of your legs or lungs, diverticulitis (inflammation in parts of the large intestine), or ulcers in your stomach or intestines.

Have other medical conditions including liver problems, low blood cell counts, diabetes, chronic lung disease, HIV, or a weak immune system.

Live, have lived, or have traveled to parts of the country, such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest, that increase your risk of getting certain kinds of fungal infections. If you are unsure if you've been to these areas, ask your HCP.

and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest, that increase your risk of getting certain kinds of fungal infections. If you are unsure if you've been to these areas, ask your HCP. Have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. People who take RINVOQ should not receive live vaccines.

Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Based on animal studies, RINVOQ may harm your unborn baby. Your HCP will check whether or not you are pregnant before you start RINVOQ. You should use effective birth control (contraception) to avoid becoming pregnant while taking RINVOQ and for at least 4 weeks after your last dose.

Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. RINVOQ may pass into your breast milk. You should not breastfeed while taking RINVOQ and for at least 6 days after your last dose.

Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. RINVOQ and other medicines may affect each other, causing side effects.

Especially tell your HCP if you take:

Medicines for fungal or bacterial infections

Rifampicin or phenytoin

Medicines that affect your immune system

If you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines, ask your HCP or pharmacist.

What should I do or tell my HCP AFTER starting RINVOQ?

Tell your HCP right away if you have any symptoms of an infection. RINVOQ can make you more likely to get infections or make any infections you have worse.

Get emergency help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack or stroke while taking RINVOQ, including:

Discomfort in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back



Severe tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in your chest, throat, neck, or jaw



Pain or discomfort in your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach



Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort



Breaking out in a cold sweat



Nausea or vomiting



Feeling lightheaded



Weakness in one part or on one side of your body



Slurred speech

Tell your HCP right away if you have any signs or symptoms of blood clots during treatment with RINVOQ, including:







 Swelling  Pain or tenderness in the leg  Sudden unexplained chest pain  Shortness of breath

Tell your HCP right away if you have a fever or stomach-area pain that does not go away, and a change in your bowel habits.

What are the common side effects of RINVOQ?

These include upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, sinus infections), shingles (herpes zoster), herpes simplex, bronchitis, nausea, cough, fever, and acne. These are not all the possible side effects of RINVOQ.

How should I take RINVOQ?

RINVOQ is taken once a day with or without food. Do not split, break, crush, or chew the tablet. Take RINVOQ exactly as your HCP tells you to use it. RINVOQ is available in 15 mg extended-release tablets.

This is the most important information to know about RINVOQ. For more information, talk to your HCP.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you are having difficulty paying for your medicine, AbbVie may be able to help. Visit AbbVie.com/myAbbVieAssist to learn more.

Please click here for the Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

EU Indications and Important Safety Information about RINVOQ (upadacitinib)

Rheumatoid arthritis

RINVOQ is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis in adult patients who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). RINVOQ may be used as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate.

Psoriatic arthritis

RINVOQ is indicated for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis in adult patients who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more DMARDs. RINVOQ may be used as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate.

Ankylosing spondylitis

RINVOQ is indicated for the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis in adult patients who have responded inadequately to conventional therapy.

Atopic dermatitis

RINVOQ is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in adults and adolescents 12 years and older who are candidates for systemic therapy.

Contraindications

RINVOQ is contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to the active substance or to any of the excipients, in patients with active tuberculosis (TB) or active serious infections, in patients with severe hepatic impairment, and during pregnancy.

Special warnings and precautions for use

Immunosuppressive medicinal products

Use in combination with other potent immunosuppressants is not recommended.

Serious infections

Serious and sometimes fatal infections have been reported in patients receiving upadacitinib. The most frequent serious infections reported included pneumonia and cellulitis. Cases of bacterial meningitis have been reported. Among opportunistic infections, TB, multidermatomal herpes zoster, oral/esophageal candidiasis, and cryptococcosis have been reported with upadacitinib. As there is a higher incidence of infections in patients 65 years of age, caution should be used when treating this population.

Viral reactivation

Viral reactivation, including cases of herpes zoster, was reported in clinical studies. The risk of herpes zoster appears to be higher in Japanese patients treated with upadacitinib.

Vaccinations

The use of live, attenuated vaccines during or immediately prior to therapy is not recommended. It is recommended that patients be brought up to date with all immunizations, including prophylactic zoster vaccinations, prior to initiating upadacitinib, in agreement with current immunization guidelines.

Malignancy

The risk of malignancies, including lymphoma is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Malignancies, including nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), have been reported in patients treated with upadacitinib. Consider the risks and benefits of upadacitinib treatment prior to initiating therapy in patients with a known malignancy other than a successfully treated NMSC or when considering continuing upadacitinib therapy in patients who develop a malignancy.

Hematological abnormalities

Treatment should not be initiated, or should be temporarily interrupted, in patients with hematological abnormalities observed during routine patient management.

Diverticulitis

Upadacitinib should be used with caution in patients with diverticular disease and especially in patients chronically treated with concomitant medications associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis.

Cardiovascular risk

RA patients have an increased risk for cardiovascular disorders. Patients treated with upadacitinib should have risk factors (e.g., hypertension, hyperlipidemia) managed as part of usual standard of care.

Lipids

Upadacitinib treatment was associated with dose-dependent increases in lipid parameters, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Hepatic transaminase elevations

Treatment with upadacitinib was associated with an increased incidence of liver enzyme elevation compared to placebo

Venous thromboembolisms

Events of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) have been reported in patients receiving JAK inhibitors, including upadacitinib. Upadacitinib should be used with caution in patients at high risk for DVT/PE.

Adverse reactions

The most commonly reported adverse reactions in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis clinical trials (2% of patients in at least one of the indications) with upadacitinib 15 mg were upper respiratory tract infections, blood creatine phosphokinase (CPK) increased, alanine transaminase (ALT) increased, bronchitis, nausea, cough, aspartate transaminase (AST) increased, and hypercholesterolemia.

The most commonly reported adverse reactions in atopic dermatitis trials (2% of patients) with upadacitinib 15 mg or 30 mg were upper respiratory tract infection, acne, herpes simplex, headache, CPK increased, cough, folliculitis, abdominal pain, nausea, neutropenia, pyrexia, and influenza.

The most common serious adverse reactions were serious infections.

The safety profile of upadacitinib with long term treatment was generally similar to the safety profile during the placebo-controlled period across indications.

Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with psoriatic arthritis or active ankylosing spondylitis treated with upadacitinib 15 mg was consistent with the safety profile observed in patients with RA.

In atopic dermatitis, dose-dependent increased risks of infection and herpes zoster were observed with upadacitinib. Based on limited data, there was a higher rate of overall adverse reactions with the upadacitinib 30 mg dose compared to the 15 mg dose in patients aged 65 years and older. The safety profile for upadacitinib 15 mg in adolescents was similar to that in adults. The safety and efficacy of the 30 mg dose in adolescents are still being investigated. Dose-dependent changes in ALT increased and/or AST increased ( 3 x ULN), lipid parameters, CPK values (> 5 x ULN), and neutropenia (ANC < 1 x 109 cells/L) associated with upadacitinib treatment were similar to what was observed in the rheumatologic disease clinical studies.

This is not a complete summary of all safety information.

See RINVOQ full summary of product characteristics (SmPC) at www.ema.europa.eu. Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information

About AbbVie in Rheumatology

For more than 20 years, AbbVie has been dedicated to improving care for people living with rheumatic diseases. Our longstanding commitment to discovering and delivering transformative therapies is underscored by our pursuit of cutting-edge science that improves our understanding of promising new pathways and targets in order to help more people living with rheumatic diseases reach their treatment goals. For more information on AbbVie in rheumatology, visit https://www.abbvie.com/our-science/therapeutic-focus-areas/immunology/immunology-focus-areas/rheumatology.html .

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AbbVie's operations, results and financial results, that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, failure to realize the expected benefits of the Allergan acquisition, failure to promptly and effectively integrate Allergan's businesses, significant transaction costs and/or unknown or inestimable liabilities, potential litigation associated with the Allergan acquisition, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, and changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

References :

1 AbbVie. Data on File: ABVRRTI73013.

2 Axial Spondyloarthritis. Arthritis Foundation. Available at: https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/ankylosing-spondylitis. Accessed December 2021.

3 AbbVie. Data on File: ABVRRTI73012

4 RINVOQ [Summary of Product Characteristics]. AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG; December 2021. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/rinvoq-epar-product-information_en.pdf.

5 van der Heijde D, Deodhar A, Maksymowych W, Sieper J, Van den Bosch F, Kim T, Kishimoto M, Ostor A, Combe B, Sui Y, Duan Y, Chu A, Song I. Efficacy and Safety of Upadacitinib in Patients with Active Ankylosing Spondylitis: 2-Year Results from a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study with Open-Label Extension [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021; 73 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/efficacy-and-safety-of-upadacitinib-in-patients-with-active-ankylosing-spondylitis-2-year-results-from-a-randomized-double-blind-placebo-controlled-study-with-open-label-extension/. Accessed December 21, 2021.

6 Deodhar AA, Understanding Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Primer for Managed Care. Am J Manag Care. 2019;25:S319-S330.

7 Van der Heijde D, et al. Efficacy and safety of upadacitinib in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (SELECT-AXIS 1): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2/3 trial. The Lancet 2019; 394: 2108-2117.

8 RINVOQ (upadacitinib) [Package Insert]. North Chicago, Ill.: AbbVie Inc.

9 Burmester G.R., et al. Safety and efficacy of upadacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (SELECT-NEXT): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2018 Jun 23;391(10139):2503-2512. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31115-2. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

10 A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of ABT-494 for Induction and Maintenance Therapy in Subjects With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2020. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02819635. Accessed: November 2021.

11 A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of ABT-494 for the Induction of Symptomatic and Endoscopic Remission in Subjects With Moderately to Severely Active Crohn's Disease Who Have Inadequately Responded to or Are Intolerant to Immunomodulators or Anti-TNF Therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2020. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02365649. Accessed: November 2021.

12 A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Upadacitinib in Participants With Giant Cell Arteritis (SELECT-GCA). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2020. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03725202. Accessed: November 2021.

13 A Study Comparing Upadacitinib (ABT-494) to Placebo in Participants With Active Psoriatic Arthritis Who Have a History of Inadequate Response to at Least One Biologic Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug (SELECT-PsA 2). Clinicaltrials.gov. 2020. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03104374. Accessed: November 2021.

14 A Study to Compare Safety and Efficacy of Upadacitinib to Dupilumab in Adult Participants With Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis (Heads Up). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2020. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03738397. Accessed: November 2021.

15 A Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Upadacitinib in Adult Participants With Axial Spondyloarthritis (SELECT AXIS 2). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2020. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04169373. Accessed: November 2021.

16 A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Upadacitinib in Subjects With Takayasu Arteritis (SELECT-TAK). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2020. Available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT04161898. Accessed: November 2021.



SOURCE AbbVie

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Since the execution of the NDA, the Ad Hoc Group and its advisors negotiated and executed a plan support agreement ("PSA") to support the filing of a consensual prepackaged Ley de Concursos Mercantiles proceeding (" Concurso Mercantil ") and an associated term sheet identifying the indicative terms of such Concurso Mercantil proceeding (the "Term Sheet"). Copies of the executed versions of the Term Sheet and PSA are attached.

Consistent with the Term Sheet and the PSA, on December 28, 2021, the Company filed a request for the Concurso Mercantil with the First Civil Federal District Court in Mexico City (the "Court"). Despite the support for the Concurso Mercantil by the various members of the Ad Hoc Group, who collectively hold in excess of 50% of the Company's unsecured claims, the Court dismissed the request on January 5, 2022 on technical grounds. The Company, its advisors, and the Ad Hoc Group are considering all options, including an appeal and/or reconsideration of the dismissal.

The Company and the Ad Hoc Group are continuing their dialogue in efforts to reach a consensual restructuring and the Company remains optimistic that it will come to a consensual deal with the Ad Hoc Group.

The Company is represented by White & Case, Del Castillo y Castro, Creel, Rothschild & Co, and AlixPartners. The Ad Hoc Group is represented by Brown Rudnick, Sainz Abogados, and Houlihan Lokey.

Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to the disclaimers and qualifiers set forth in the materials themselves, all statements made in the Cleansing Materials are in the nature of settlement discussions and compromise, are not intended to be and do not constitute representations of any fact or admissions of any liability and are for the purpose of attempting to reach a consensual compromise and settlement. Nothing contained in the Cleansing Materials is intended to or shall be construed to be an admission or a waiver of any rights, remedies, claims, causes of action or defenses. The information contained in the Cleansing Materials is for discussion purposes only and shall not constitute a commitment to consummate any transaction, or otherwise take any decisions or actions contemplated in the Cleansing Materials.

Furthermore, the contents of the Cleansing Materials shall not be construed as guidance by the Company in relation to its future results, and the Company does not assume and expressly disclaims any responsibility to update such contents or information at any time.

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. This communication is not an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to purchase with respect to any Notes or any other securities.

About AlphaCredit

AlphaCredit is a technology-enabled, financial services company in Latin America that has historically provided consumer loans to individuals and financial solutions for SMEs in Mexico and Colombia.

SOURCE Alpha Holding S.A. de C.V.
Amador to further expand their global laboratory services Tweet this

Dr. Liang comes to Amador with extensive experience in pharmaceutical development and in global regulatory submissions. Most recently, Dr. Liang was Executive Director and Global Head of Integrated Bioanalysis at AstraZeneca, leading a centralized GxP function supporting AstraZeneca portfolio from discovery to post marketing across therapeutic areas and drug modalities. She played key roles in the successful regulatory submissions and market approvals of multiple drug entities. Prior to AstraZeneca, she held multiple scientist and leadership positions with increasing responsibilities at Berlex Bioscience/Schering AG, Abgenix/Amgen, and Medimmune. She is an inventor for 10+ patents, an author for 60+ peer-reviewed articles, and an invited speaker at numerous international conferences. Dr. Liang has participated in cross-industry working groups to generate guidance papers. She received her B.S. in Pharmacy from Beijing University in China and her Ph.D in Pharmacology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"Amador is building an industry-leading CRO with advanced technologies and comprehensive capabilities. I'm excited to be a part of it," says Dr Liang. "My entire career has been focusing on applying cutting edge technologies to solve complex problems in pharmaceutical development, and that's what Amador does every day. The pharmaceutical field is fast expanding into new drug modalities that requires innovation and new technologies. The team at Amador is laser-focused on providing innovative solutions to support novel drug development. As I join Amador, I know that I'm joining a team of talented scientists dedicated to innovation in the industry, and I'm very excited to see what we can do together."

Amador Bioscience, a leading partner for successful new drug development, provides global-standard translational sciences and clinical pharmacology services to clients ranging from cutting-edge biotech start-ups to multinational pharmaceutical companies. Founded in 2018 and supported by prominent institutional investors, Amador Bioscience operates in multiple sites, Pleasanton, CA, Ann Arbor, MI, Germantown, MD, Richmond, VA, Hangzhou and Shanghai, China, and Limburg, Belgium. For more information, visit www.amadorbioscience.com and www.a2pg.com.

SOURCE Amador Bioscience
ALBANY, N.Y., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Transparency Market Research: In terms of revenue, the Asia Pacific &Europe synthetic polymers market for LLDPE films is expected to reach the valuation of US$ 43.6 Bn by 2031, expanding at a CAGR of 5.06% during the forecast period, from 2021 to 2031.

LLDPE films made from synthetic polymers are extensively utilized in the packaging industry to safeguard products from damage. These films are extremely sturdy, posseshigh tensile strength, strong moisture barrier, and capability to seal to themselves sans any additional coating. Chemical resistance is another feature of LLDPE films made from synthetic polymers, which increases its resistance to degradation. The demand from the packaging industry is increasing, which is likely to bolster the growth of the Asia Pacific &Europe synthetic polymers market for LLDPE films.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that in order to feed everyone by 2050, the global food production would need to increase by up to 70%. Nine nations, including Pakistan and India, are expected to account for more than half of the global population increase between 2019 and 2050, according to the projections. By 2027, India is expected to surpass China as the world's most populated country. Controlled agriculture and utilization of various technologies, such as mulching, greenhouses, and silage can help meet this considerable rise in demand for agricultural products. Agriculture films are in high demand due to the need to boost agricultural productivity. LLDPE films made from synthetic polymers are utilized as important raw materials in the manufacture of agricultural films; hence, the demand for synthetic polymers is closely tied to the usage of agricultural films. As a result, rise in attempts to boost agricultural production to meet the demand for expanding population is expected to drive revenue opportunities in the Asia Pacific &Europe synthetic polymers market for LLDPE films during the forecast period.

Get PDF Brochure for More Insights  https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=83858

Key Findings of Market Report

Increasein sales through various eCommerce platforms is likely to drive the demand for synthetic polymer-based packaging solutions

Constant rise in demand for processed food items and beverages is drivingthe demand for high-performance packaging to prevent products from tampering or contamination from biological, physical, and chemicals sources. It also keeps food fresh for longer time. HDPE, LDPE, and LLDPE are polyethylene resins that are widely utilized in the production of packaging films for food products.

Market expansion is aided by availability of a variety of LLDPEvariants, including Butene C4, Hexene C6, and Octene C8. Chemieuro is gaining reputation for their LLDPE varieties made from Hexene C6, Octene C8, and Butene C4

The Europe synthetic polymers market for LLDPE films is expected to benefit from the rising demand for flexible packaging. In the region, synthetic polymers are extensively utilized in the production of flexible packaging solutions. As such, the use of synthetic polymer for developing flexible packaging solutions in Europe is expected to rise in the near future.

synthetic polymers market for LLDPE films is expected to benefit from the rising demand for flexible packaging. In the region, synthetic polymers are extensively utilized in the production of flexible packaging solutions. As such, the use of synthetic polymer for developing flexible packaging solutions in is expected to rise in the near future. Blown films are a key application segment in the Asia Pacific &Europe synthetic polymers market for LLDPE films. These resins provide films with exceptional transparency, impact resistance, and toughness. Mulch films, apparel packaging, and heavy-duty liners are likely to fuel the demand for polymers of LLDPE films.

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Asia Pacific & Europe Synthetic Polymers Market for LLDPE Films: Growth Drivers

LLDPE films have a lower gloss than LDPE films and more difficult to produce than LDPE. Despite this, firms are expanding R&D in synthetic polymers in order to better the qualities of LLDPE films.

Firms in the Asia Pacific &Europe synthetic polymers market for LLDPE films are adopting butane comonomer to generate stable income streams. Films made with this resin are strong, with high puncture resistance, tensile strength, and reduced gel levels.

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Asia Pacific & Europe Synthetic Polymers Market for LLDPE Films: Key Players

Some of the key market players are

LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V.

NOVA Chemicals Corporate

Formosa Plastics Corporation

Westlake Chemical Corporation

SCG Chemicals Co.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation

Asia Pacific & Europe Synthetic Polymers Market for LLDPE Films: Segmentation

Comonomer

Butene

Hexene

Octene

Catalyst Scope

Zigler Natta

Mettalocence

Technology

Blow Film Extrusion

Others

Application

Flexible Packaging

HDSS

Garbage Bag

Stretch Films

Others

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MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced key data that will be featured at the 25th North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) annual meeting, in Orlando, Florida, on Jan.13-15, 2022. More than 20 abstracts have been accepted, including three late-breaking presentations.

The late-breaking presentation on the COMBO study, a randomized control trial, will highlight two-year outcomes demonstrating the durable effectiveness of the WaveWriter Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) System capable of delivering combination therapy  the ability to layer multiple waveforms and modalities simultaneously. Combination therapy is designed to offer more opportunities to customize SCS therapy and optimize outcomes.

In addition, Boston Scientific and IBM Research will provide an update from their exclusive collaboration, which includes the ongoing NAVITAS and ENVISION studies evaluating how patient-reported outcomes and objective biomarker information can provide insights around patient pain states. This novel approach leverages artificial intelligence to better understand and assess the pain state of an individual that includes activity, alertness, medication, mobility, mood, pain and sleep.

"The data we'll share this year at NANS is a testament to the breadth and depth of the randomized, controlled and real-world evidence of our portfolio and therapies," said Nilesh Kumar Patel, M.D., MBA, vice president of medical affairs, Neuromodulation, Boston Scientific. "Our long-term investments in science and innovation continue to deliver more meaningful solutions and customized options for physicians and their patients living with chronic pain."

Patel added, "The condition of chronic pain is complex, and because of neuroplasticity, it changes over time. As a result, you need an agile platform with multiple options that adapts with the changing needs of the patient. No one patient living with chronic pain is the same so we're continuously working to advance and transform personalized therapies for the future to help patients live healthier lives."

Featured Abstracts

Oral Presentations:

COMBO Randomized Control Trial: Two-Year Outcomes of an SCS System Capable of Simultaneous Delivery of Multiple Modalities to be presented by Mark Wallace , M.D., on Saturday, Jan. 15 from 4:25-4:35 p.m. ET

Patient States: Artificial Intelligence-Driven Metric Providing Comprehensive Yet Straightforward Understanding of Chronic Pain Patients to be presented by Magdalena Anitescu , M.D., Ph.D., on Friday, Jan. 14 from 11:35-11:45 a.m. ET

Prospective, Multi-Center Evaluation of Novel Fast-Acting Sub-Perception-Based SCS for Chronic Pain: FAST Study to be presented by Magdalena Anitescu , M.D., Ph.D., on Friday, Jan. 15 from 4:15-4:25 p.m. ET

Paper Posters:

RAPID: An International, Prospective, Multicenter Study of Radiofrequency Ablation Outcomes in Chronic Pain Patients, Atallah et al.

Comprehensive Digital Tools to Improve Access to Care and Treatment Efficiency for Spinal Cord Stimulation, Vucetic et al.

Modeling and Measurement of the Effect of Low-Amplitude SCS on Dorsal Column Axons and Wide Dynamic Range Neurons, Titus et al.

The Biomechanics of Interspinous Spacers, Whang et al.

Publication will be made available after the release of the data presentations.

About the Boston Scientific Chronic Pain Portfolio

Where many "one-size fits all" treatments fail to provide long-term relief, Boston Scientific understands that it takes personalized pain relief solutions to improve patient outcomes. The WaveWriter Alpha Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) Systems include a unified portfolio of four MRI conditionali, Bluetooth-enabled rechargeable and non-rechargeable implantable pulse generators to provide uncompromised personalization, and for the first time in SCS, Fast Acting Sub-perception Therapy (FAST), designed to deliver profound paresthesia-free pain relief in minutes. The systems are supported by the Cognita Solutions suite of digital tools for patients and physicians. Other solutions include the Vertiflex Procedureii, a unique treatment clinically proven to provide long-term relief from pain associated with moderate lumbar spinal stenosis, and the Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) offerings for physicians help treat chronic pain with a minimally invasive, non-surgical, outpatient procedure that uses thermal energy to interrupt pain signals at their source.

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for more than 40 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high-performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding our business plans and product performance and impact. If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements.

Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and future business decisions made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A  Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A  Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.

CONTACTS:

Media:

Jessica Sachariason

+1.415.730.2310

[email protected]

Investor Relations:

Lauren Tengler

+1.508.683.4479

[email protected]

i The WaveWriter Alpha SCS System provides safe access to full-body MRI scans when used with specific components and the patient is exposed to the MRI environment under the defined conditions in the ImageReady MRI Full Body Guidelines for WaveWriter Alpha and WaveWriter Alpha Prime Spinal Cord Stimulator System

ii Superion Indirect Decompression System

SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation
Myers is a well-known employment litigator who is highly regarded for her advocacy representing employees in cases involving claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, wage and hour disputes, and non-compliance with the Family Medical Leave Act. Recent successes include: obtaining a $3.25 million settlement from the City of Boston on behalf of a former female firefighter who was sexually assaulted by a male firefighter at work and securing a $2.3 million jury verdict for a female police officer against the Town of Winthrop over unlawful sex discrimination and retaliation, which Myers ultimately settled (along with a subsequent retaliation case) for more than $3 million.

In addition to her new role on the GLAD Board, Myers currently serves as an appointed member of the Supreme Judicial Court's Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being, and is the immediate past president of the board of directors of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Inc. She is involved in the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association as a mentor in its Mentorship Program. She has also held numerous leadership roles with the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association since 2011, most recently serving as the organization's president from 2018-2020.

Myers received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and her B.A. from New York University.

About Burns & Levinson LLP

At Burns & Levinson, we provide high-level, client-centric and results-oriented legal services to our regional, national and international clients. We are a full-service law firm with 125 lawyers in Boston, Providence and London. Our areas of expertise include: business/finance, business litigation, divorce/family law, venture capital/emerging companies, employment, estate planning, government investigations, intellectual property, M&A/private equity, probate/trust litigation, and real estate. We partner with our clients to solve their business and personal legal issues in a collaborative, creative and cost-effective way. For more information, visit Burns & Levinson at www.burnslev.com.

Contact:

Amy Blumenthal Kristen Weller Blumenthal & Associates Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer 617.879.1511 617.345.3555 [email protected] [email protected]

SOURCE Burns & Levinson
NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Codat, the universal API for small business data, announced today that it has entered into a product partnership agreement with Moody's Analytics, a global provider of analytic tools and risk assessment capabilities. The Codat API is being integrated into Moody's Analytics CreditLens solution, and will enable financial service providers using Moody's Analytics' solution to connect with many accounting platform providers, meaningfully increasing efficiencies for underwriting of small business loans. The long-term vision for this partnership is to improve credit access to millions of small business owners nationwide.

Half of U.S. small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) report that getting a business loan is difficult or takes too long. Although small businesses often seek small-dollar loans, these typically also have higher underwriting costs, which makes them more difficult for banks to efficiently offer. Automation makes it possible to serve the needs of even the smallest SMEs efficiently and profitably.

"We find ourselves in a time of rapid change, where new approaches to financing and technology are becoming increasingly important to small businesses," said Peter Lord, CEO & Co-Founder of Codat. "Moody's Analytics has impressive global scale and reach, so this partnership holds the potential to meaningfully reverse the credit crunch facing SMEs while opening up new profitable lines of business for financial institutions. Together we will be able to extend the benefits of Codat's two-way flow of financial data to more lenders and financial institutions, allowing them easier access to a wider data set to make high-quality, data-driven credit decisions."

The CreditLens solution is a credit lifecycle management solution with access to industry-leading data and analytics. It simplifies and standardizes the way firms collect, analyze, and store credit data, laying the groundwork for robust credit origination. Codat will enhance the CreditLens decision framework by enabling automated spreading of real-time accounting data using machine learning. It will also make use of its ability to map the accounting information of any small business instantly and intelligently to a standard chart of accounts.

"We are excited to welcome Codat as a new accounting data aggregation technology partner to boost the value of Moody's Analytics lending solutions. Codat provides a seamless interchange of real-time data to enable valuable credit insights and predictive capabilities," said Eric Grandeo, Product Head for Moody's Analytics Lending Solutions. "We are both dedicated to helping financial service businesses gain deep understanding of their client's risk and behavior, and make better decisions based on real-time accounting, banking, and commerce data. Ultimately, the partnership will afford small businesses across the U.K and U.S. access to more credit options, opportunity and growth."

About Codat

Codat is the universal API for small business data. Codat's API provides real-time connectivity to enable software providers and financial institutions to build integrated products for their SMB customers. Codat clients range from corporate card providers and forecasting software to lenders, and use cases span automatic reconciliation, loan decisioning and more. Codat was founded in 2017 and has offices in London, New York, San Francisco and Sydney. For more information, visit www.codat.io.

About Moody's Analytics

Moody's Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moody's Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moody's Corporation reported revenue of $5.4 billion in 2020, employs over 13,000 people worldwide, and maintains a presence in more than 40 countries.

MEDIA CONTACT

FOR CODAT: Chelsea Allison

Communications/PR, CMAND for Codat

312-775-2856

SOURCE Codat
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- During an independently organized TEDx event in West Monroe, Louisiana, Cognitive Psychologist Dr. Amy Lawson Moore took the stage to reveal results of her research on brain training. Her talk began with a candid story about her own son struggling to read and spell words, including his name, at age nine. After brain training, her son was accepted into gifted and talented language arts and later tested into college-level English.

Dr Amy Lawson Moore TEDx West Monroe Lessons Learned from Training 101,000 Brains

Dr. Moore begs the question, "How is it possible that my son who once had trouble spelling his own name can pass two college English courses with an A at age 14?" She reveals that her son went through 9 months of individualized brain training at LearningRx and that similar stories echo throughout the worldwide network of brain training centers.

Lessons Learned From Training 101,000 Brains | Dr. Amy Lawson Moore | TEDxWestMonroe

Brain training, or cognitive training, is a general term for repeated mental task engagement that targets improving cognitive skills like memory, attention, and visualization. There are 'brain games' everywhere, but brain training is more than a game. To harness the brain's ability to change through experience --a phenomenon called neuroplasticity-- brain training needs to be intense, complex, targeted, repeated, and arguably delivered by a human. The team at LearningRx has worked with more than 100,000 children and adults in over 6 million brain training sessions.

Since 2015, hundreds of research studies have been published on brain training programs, and Dr. Moore's name graces over a dozen of them. The peer-reviewed research on the LearningRx brain training methods demonstrates the complexity, universality, and transfer effects of human-delivered brain training for ADHD, learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury, and age-related cognitive decline.

Research you can read here: https://www.gibsonresearchinstitute.org/publications/

Dr. Moore ends her TEDx talk with a story about a research participant with a severe traumatic brain injury who recovered his life and career after brain training. Dr. Moore says, "It's a story of hope with the message that we are not stuck with the cognitive cards we've been dealt!"

About LearningRx

LearningRx is the largest one-on-one brain training company in the world. Their training programs are delivered through more than 200 locations in North America and in 48 countries around the globe. LearningRx has helped more than 100,000 individuals and families sharpen their cognitive skills to help them think faster, learn easier, and perform better. LearningRx's methods have been used in clinical settings for over 35 years and have been subjected to peer-review in more than a dozen scientific journals. To learn more, visit https://www.learningrx.com

Dr. Amy Moore is a cognitive psychologist and a brain training researcher in Colorado Springs, CO at the headquarters of LearningRx, the largest network of cognitive training centers in the world. She specializes in the rehabilitation of cognition and learning in neurodevelopmental disorders, brain injury, learning disabilities, and age-related cognitive decline. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Modern Brain Journal, a board-certified Christian counselor, and co-host of the Brainy Moms podcast. Learn more about her work at www.AmyMoorePhD.com and www.LearningRx.com

Media Contact:

Christine Perry

7192648808

[email protected]

SOURCE LearningRx TEDx
SKANES FAGERHULT, Sweden, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Concentric today announces the company has decided to close its facility in Chivilcoy, Argentina. Concentric has carefully evaluated different alternatives for the facility in Argentina and has concluded that regrettably it is not viable to continue the operations because of the sustained, challenging macro-economic situation in the country. The one-off cost of closure amounts to preliminary MSEK 22 and will be reflected in the Q4 2021 financial statements. The decision will take effect immediately.

This information is of the type that Concentric AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 16.45 CET on 7 January, 2022.

CONTACT:

For additional information please contact Marcus Whitehouse, telephone +44-121-445 6545

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/concentric-ab/r/concentric-closes-its-facility-in-chivilcoy--argentina,c3482858

The following files are available for download:

SOURCE Concentric AB
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According to the recent market study by Technavio, the Connected Home Security System Market Size is expected to increase by USD 13.31 billion from 2020 to 2025, progressing at a CAGR of 17.07% during the forecast period. The report provides a detailed analysis of drivers & opportunities, top winning strategies, competitive scenario, future market trends, market size & estimations, and major investment pockets.

North America will register the highest growth rate, occupying 33% of the global market share. The US and Canada are the key markets for connected home security systems in North America. The market growth in this region will be slower than the growth of the market in APAC and Europe.

Download FREE Sample: for more additional information about the key countries in North America

Vendor Insights-

The connected home security system market is fragmented. Key vendors are holding a larger proportion of the market share and are actively investing in R&D to offer technologically advanced products. There is also a considerable influx of private label brands and startups offering DIY connected home security systems.

ADT Inc.: The company offers a wide range of home security systems which include digital security panels, entryway contacts, wireless keychain remote, motion detector, and many more.

Alarm.com Holdings Inc.: The company offers smarter home security systems and video monitoring solutions that can be customized, and controlled from anywhere.

Alphabet Inc.: The company offers various products which include Nest Mini, Nest Hub, Nest Audio, and many more under the brand Google.

AT and T Inc.: The company offers smart home security systems that provide professionally monitored home security with home safety features.

Comcast Corp.: The company offers home security service, by adding cameras that provide security and automation under the brand Xfinity.

Find additional highlights on the vendors and their product offerings. Download Free Sample Report

Regional Market Outlook

The connected home security system market growth in North America will be significant during the forecast period. The growth of the connected home security system market in North America can be attributed to the increasing demand for energy management solutions, availability of low-cost devices, and rising wireless DIY installations.

Download our FREE sample report for more key highlights on the regional market share of most of the above-mentioned countries.

Latest Drivers & Trends Driving the Market-

Connected Home Security System Market Driver:

Cost savings due to effective monitoring technology:

Conventional connected home monitoring systems are highly expensive and the service providers generally charge equipment fees, installation fees, and monthly maintenance fees. Hence, end-users in the market are preferring DIY-connected home monitoring systems as they help them achieve significant cost savings. Also, the control signals sent over wireless GSM devices ensure reliable and faster communication between end-users and home security systems. Such cost and operational benefits are increasing the adoption of DIY connected home security systems, thereby driving market growth.

Connected Home Security System Market Trend:

High growth potential of home-based cloud solutions:

Home-based cloud technology has been witnessing substantial growth over recent years. The market is observing an almost 50% upsurge in its value every year. The growth can be attributed to the increasing adoption of smart home systems across the world, driven by increasing volumes of data, especially video. This is creating a strong demand for remote storage and access, which is driving the adoption of home-based cloud solutions. All these factors are expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the connected home security systems market during the forecast period.

Find additional information about various other market Drivers & Trends mentioned in our FREE sample report.

Related Reports:

Home Wi-Fi Router Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025



Smart Home Market in US by Technology and Application- Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Connected Home Security System Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 17.07% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 13.31 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 16.20 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution North America at 33% Key consumer countries US, Germany, China, UK, and Canada Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled ADT Inc., Alarm.com Holdings Inc., Alphabet Inc., AT and T Inc., Comcast Corp., Honeywell International Inc., Ooma Inc., Panasonic Corp., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Verizon Communications Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for 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.

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Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.



Contact

Technavio Research

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UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
NEW YORK, Jan. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 3, 2022, Credit Suisse declared a Coupon Amount for the Credit Suisse S&P MLP Index ETN (the "ETN").

ETN

Ticker ETN Name Ex-Date Record Date Coupon Payment Date Coupon Amount

per ETN Coupon

Frequency Current Yield* MLPO Credit Suisse S&P

MLP Index ETN 1/12/22 1/13/22 1/24/22 $0.1769 Quarterly 6.92%

* The "Current Yield" equals the current quarterly Coupon Amount, annualized and divided by the Closing Indicative Value of the ETN on December 31, 2021.

 The Current Yield, which is based on the ETN's Coupon Amount, is not indicative of future quarterly Coupon Amounts, if any, on the ETNs. The quarterly Coupon Amount (if any) is variable and dependent on the most recent distributions of the MLPs included in the index, and such amount does not represent a fixed periodic interest payment. There can be no assurance that the MLPs included in the index will make any distributions in any future period. Any payment on the ETN is subject to Credit Suisse's ability to pay its obligations as they become due. For more information regarding the ETN's coupon payments, please refer to the ETN's pricing supplement.

Press Contact

Jonathan Schwarzberg, Credit Suisse AG, [email protected]

Credit Suisse ETNs

Telephone +1 800 320 1225, [email protected]suisse.com

The ETNs may not be suitable for all investors and should be purchased only by knowledgeable investors who understand the potential consequences of investing in the ETNs. The ETNs are subject to the credit risk of Credit Suisse. You may receive less, and possibly significantly less, than the principal amount of your investment at maturity or upon repurchase or sale. Investors will not have any partnership interests or other rights in the MLPs included in the index. Coupon Amounts on the ETNs will vary and could be zero. An investment in the ETNs involves significant risks. For further information regarding risks, please see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the applicable pricing supplement.

Credit Suisse

Credit Suisse is one of the world's leading financial services providers. Our strategy builds on Credit Suisse's core strengths: its position as a leading wealth manager, its specialist investment banking capabilities and its strong presence in our home market of Switzerland. We seek to follow a balanced approach to wealth management, aiming to capitalize on both the large pool of wealth within mature markets as well as the significant growth in wealth in Asia Pacific and other emerging markets, while also serving key developed markets with an emphasis on Switzerland. Credit Suisse employs approximately 49,950 people. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.

Disclaimer

This document was produced by and the opinions expressed are those of Credit Suisse as of the date of writing and are subject to change. It has been prepared solely for information purposes and for the use of the recipient. It does not constitute an offer or an invitation by or on behalf of Credit Suisse to any person to buy or sell any security. Any reference to past performance is not necessarily a guide to the future. The information and analysis contained in this publication have been compiled or arrived at from sources believed to be reliable but Credit Suisse does not make any representation as to their accuracy or completeness and does not accept liability for any loss arising from the use hereof.

Credit Suisse has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, for the offering to which this press release relates. Before you invest, you should read the applicable Pricing Supplement, the Prospectus Supplement dated June 18, 2020, and the Prospectus dated June 18, 2020 that Credit Suisse has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Credit Suisse and this offering. You may obtain these documents without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or clicking the hyperlink below:

Pricing Supplement dated November 9, 2020:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000089109220012081/e11689-424b2.htm

Alternatively, Credit Suisse, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC or any agent or any dealer participating in this offering will arrange to send you the applicable pricing supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus if you so request by calling 1-800-320-1225.

This document was produced by and the opinions expressed are those of Credit Suisse as of the date of writing and are subject to change.

Copyright  2022, CREDIT SUISSE GROUP AG and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Credit Suisse AG
CHICAGO, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Frigid weather and skyrocketing heating bills hit Illinois consumers in January, sparked by aggressive utility spending and natural gas prices that are at their highest winter levels in more than a decade.

CUB alerted consumers to a free online resource, CUBHelpCenter.com. It explains why gas prices are high, offers safety and efficiency tips, outlines a customer's rights against disconnection and arms people with information about energy assistance.

While prices are lower than they were in December for Nicor Gas, North Shore Gas and Peoples Gas, January's prices are still significantly elevated and are the highest since the winter of 2008-09:

Ameren Illinois  70.539 per therm (up about 88 percent from last January)

MidAmerican  97.88 per therm (up about 206 percent from last January)

Nicor Gas  61.00 per therm (up about 110 percent from last January)

North Shore Gas  55.82 per therm (up about 41 percent from last January)

Peoples Gas  55.46 per therm (up about 92 percent from last January)

"This is the eleventh straight month of high prices, and that's a hardship for a lot of people," CUB Executive Director David Kolata said. "We hope the prices come down in months to come, but in the meantime, CUB urges Illinois consumers to stay safe and warm by following smart energy efficiency practices, and to call their utility if they're having trouble affording their bills."

The high prices are connected, in part, to climate change. Record cold temperatures froze gas wellheads and pipelines last February, causing elevated prices. Less gas exploration and increased gas demand and exports have also been factors.

Under law, gas utilities are not allowed to profit off supply pricesthey pass those costs from gas producers and marketers onto customers with no markup. However, state regulators annually review the utilities' gas-management procedures to see if the companies did everything they could to procure gas efficiently to hold down costs for consumers as much as possible.

While utilities don't profit off supply prices, they do profit off delivery chargeswhat they charge to deliver gas to homes. Kolata said aggressive utility spending and increases to those delivery charges also are to blame for high winter bills. In 2021, Ameren received a $76 million gas delivery rate increase and Nicor a $240 million increasethe highest gas hike in Illinois history. CUB is concerned Peoples Gas will request an increase this year.

CUB is fighting in Springfield to eliminate the "Qualified Infrastructure Plant" surcharge on Ameren, Nicor and Peoples Gas bills. It allows those utilities to circumvent the traditional regulatory process and rake in revenue more quickly. This charge has led to rapidly rising heating bills across Illinois. For example, consumers were first told it would only cost about $13 a year on average for Peoples Gas customers. In the fall of 2021, those customers were paying about $13 a monthon track for $150 a year.

CUB invited consumers to call their legislators and let them know if they're concerned about the high natural gas bills.

CUB is Illinois' leading nonprofit utility watchdog group. Created by the Illinois Legislature, CUB opened its doors in 1984 to represent the interests of residential and small-business utility customers. Since then, CUB has saved consumers more than $20 billion by helping to block rate hikes and secure refunds. For more information, call CUB's Consumer Hotline at 1-800-669-5556 or visit CUB's award-winning website, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

SOURCE Citizens Utility Board

Related Links

http://www.citizensutilityboard.org


The American Association of Airline Executives (AAAE) will host its Aviation Issues Conference, the preeminent gathering of aviation professionals for in-depth discussions of key issues and charting the course for the Washington policy agenda in the year ahead.




BOSTON, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DeleteMe (The Online Privacy Company) today releases its Privacy Predictions for 2022 , based on developments seen in 2020/2021 as well as original research conducted for its DeleteMe 2021 PII Marketplace Report .

"A lot of things related to online privacy have changed in the last 2 years, and we see significant new developments coming in 2022 in areas like browser-tracking, digital identity, regulatory compliance, and how online PII gets exploited by both threat actors as well as industry," said Rob Shavell, Co-Founder and CEO at DeleteMe.

2020 and 2021 brought a lot of new privacy issues to the table. Millions of people shifting work and social lives online due to covid, consequently driving a boom in PII-driven consumer fraud and an explosion in cyberattacks on business. Tech platforms made significant changes to how they (at least superficially) address consumer privacy concerns, and the government explored new approaches for privacy regulation of big tech, driving rapid growth in legislation at the state level and internationally.

With all these different issues still in play, DeleteMe offers the following privacy predictions for 2022:

What we know won't change: data breaches will continue to grow, consumer PII will still be a valuable commodity for both the tech industry and threat-actors, and weaknesses in the overly complex way we live our lives online will continue to pop up. And DeleteMe will still be here to help people limit unwanted participation in the PII marketplace.

The company's full analysis of Privacy Trends for 2022 can be found on the company's website, and if you want to learn more about how the marketplace of personal information has been changing over recent years, read DeleteMe's 2021 PII Marketplace Report .

About DeleteMe: https://joindeleteme.com/

DeleteMe is the leading online privacy personal information removal service. In business for over 10 years, DeleteMe's privacy advisors have successfully completed over 25 million opt-outs from data brokers, ensuring consumers and businesses' online privacy.

About DeleteMe for Business: https://joindeleteme.com/business-privacy/

DeleteMe for Business services over 40% of Fortune 100 corporations, with special plans for protecting executives, employees, and their families from harassment, doxxing, identity theft, phishing, telemarketing, robocalls, and scams.

Contact:

Steve Marcinuk

[email protected]

SOURCE Abine, Inc.
MIDDLETOWN, Del., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Donately has found the perfect answer for hassle-free charitable giving. Many people have favorite causes that they would like to donate to; however, good intentions only go so far. To most, supporting charitable causes requires funds or time that may be in short supply. Donately has the answer!

Donately lock screen rewards app introduction video. Donately LLC

To benefit charities through Donately, all users have to do is download the free Donately app and simply use their phone as they normally do. Users will be able to make donations  at no cost to themselves  simply by swiping to open their lock screen, watching a video, or looking at an ad.

"At Donately, we understand that sometimes charity can feel like a chore," says one partner. "We are all so busy with our daily lives it's easy for it to feel challenging to take the time or find the money to give back. We decided to create an app that could revolutionize charitable giving and could be easily used by anyone with an Android phone. Through installing the app, you can generate points just for using your phone and redeem those points with one of our global charity partners."

How Donately works

Users have many options for helping their favourite charitable cause. Installing the app and enabling the lock screen earns points that can be used to plant trees, shelter animals, feed the hungry, and so much more. They can earn more points by sharing with friends  points translate to cash donations, meaning it is simpler than ever to make a meaningful difference at no cost to users.

Anyone can download the app to their phone for free from the Google Play Store, and create a profile to start raking up points and helping their chosen cause  without any hit to their wallet. Donately tracks the impact donations make; users can view the number of meals provided, trees planted, etc., so they can instantly tell the impact they're making.

Donately partners with a number of charities; every 300 points a donor makes  just by using their phone  is redeemed for meaningful donations. Donately also partners with Pledge, who do all of the integrating, so no cash is handled. Pledge ensures that all points are redeemed quickly and efficiently.

Charities:

Examples of causes currently supported include: provision of meals for the hungry; providing safe drinking water; planting trees to help fight climate change; and animal rescue:

Community

When users join Donately, they become part of a greater community of like-minded people, all helping to make a difference.

The Donately team is rethinking charity. Often, when people hear "charity" they think of donating either money or hours of their time. Unfortunately, not everyone who wants to donate their time and money is able to.

"We wanted to change this, focusing on specific, high-value impacts for members to redeem points towards," added the development team. "It has never been easier for members to find a cause important to them and demonstrate their support."

Changing the world shouldn't be a chore; join the Donately community and make an impact today.

Media contact:

Tom Riley

[email protected]

1-307-249-1819

SOURCE Donately LLC
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Edmunds was named today to Built In's Best Places to Work Awards for the second year in a row. Specifically, Edmunds earned a place on Built In's 2022 lists for the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles and the Best Midsize Companies to Work For in Los Angeles. The annual awards program includes companies of all sizes, from startups to established businesses, and honors companies in the eight largest tech markets across the U.S. as well as remote-first employers.

"Now more than ever, maintaining our strong commitment to a work environment that fosters collaboration, innovation and employee well-being is paramount to who we are as a company," said Edmunds Chief People Officer Jamie Epstein. "Edmunds prides itself on prioritizing and listening to its employees, which we believe has been critical to our success as a business."

Edmunds provides generous employee benefits including extended parental leave, a sabbatical program, 13 paid holidays and additional days off at our employees' discretion. Edmunds' workplace and employment experience team works diligently to implement creative employee engagement programs such as mental wellness offerings, virtual exercise classes and monthly afternoon gatherings called Wind Down Wednesdays. In addition to development and networking opportunities offered throughout the year, Edmunds also hosts an annual virtual learning event during which employees are encouraged to take a break from their normal work duties to focus on growth and development, spark creativity and enjoy time with colleagues.

Built In determines the winners of Best Places to Work based on an algorithm, using company data about compensation, benefits and companywide programming. To reflect the benefits candidates are searching for frequently on Built In, the program also weighs criteria like remote and flexible work opportunities, programs for diversity, equity and inclusion, and other people-first cultural offerings.

"It is my honor to extend congratulations to the 2022 Best Places to Work winners," says Sheridan Orr, chief marketing officer, Built In. "This year saw a record number of entrants  and the past two years fundamentally changed what tech professionals want from work. These honorees have risen to the challenge, evolving to deliver employee experiences that provide the meaning and purpose today's tech professionals seek."

Candidates interested in working at Edmunds can see available positions and submit applications at http://www.edmunds.com/careers/.

ABOUT BUILT IN

Built In is creating the largest platform for technology professionals globally. Monthly, more than three million of the industry's most in-demand professionals visit the site from across the world. They rely on our platform to stay ahead of tech trends and news, develop their careers and find opportunities at companies whose values they share. Built In also serves 1,800 innovative companies of all sizes, ranging from startups to the Fortune 100. By putting their stories in front of our uniquely engaged audience, we help them hire otherwise hard-to-reach tech professionals, locally, nationally or remotely. www.builtin.com

ABOUT BUILT IN'S BEST PLACES TO WORK

Built In's esteemed Best Places to Work Awards, now in its fourth year, honor companies across numerous categories: 100 Best Places to Work, 50 Best Small Places to Work, 100 Best Midsize Places to Work, 50 Companies with the Best Benefits and 50 Best Paying Companies, 100 Best Large Companies to Work For, and 50 Best Remote-First Places to Work.

About Edmunds

Edmunds guides car shoppers online from research to purchase. With in-depth reviews of every new vehicle, shopping tips from an in-house team of experts, plus a wealth of consumer and automotive market insights, Edmunds helps millions of shoppers each month select, price and buy a car with confidence. Regarded as one of America's best workplaces by Fortune, Great Place to Work and Built In, Edmunds is based in Santa Monica, California. Follow us on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .

CONTACT:

Talia James-Armand

Associate Director, PR & Communications

[email protected]

310-309-4900

http://edmunds.com/about/press

SOURCE Edmunds

Related Links

http://www.edmunds.com


CARROLLTON, Texas, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FASTSIGNS International, Inc. , franchisor of FASTSIGNS, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today it has been ranked the #1 franchise opportunity in its category in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 for the sixth consecutive year. Recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees, the Franchise 500 ranks FASTSIGNS as #47 overall  the only sign, graphics, and visual communications franchise to be recognized in the top 100  for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

"We are thrilled to once again be named the #1 franchise opportunity for signage, graphics, and visual communication in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list," said Mark Jameson, Chief Support and Development Officer at Propelled Brands. "Our franchisees' role of being the go-to resource for visual communications in their communities continues to grow stronger every day. The growth and momentum we've experienced is a true testament to the strong FASTSIGNS network, our brand's adaptability, and the rising demand for our services."

FASTSIGNS experienced strong double-digit growth in 2021, exceeding more than 15% comp sales and expanding their franchise network, awarding more than 25 franchises last year to develop locations in markets such as Southern CA, Western Canada, and Florida. This, combined with FASTSIGNS crossing the $600 million mark in network sales for the first time in company history, underscores the brands' adaptability to a rapidly changing business environment and the continued demand for signage and visual graphics.

In Entrepreneur's continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company's 43-year-old ranking formula continues to evolve as well. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors that go into the evaluation, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranking order.

"The past year has been one of the most challenging for businesses in recent memory, which made putting together our 43rd annual Franchise 500 list more enlightening than ever," says Entrepreneur Editor in Chief Jason Feifer. "The companies named to this year's list showed us how being resilient, supportive, and nimble can help navigate extraordinary challenges and also underscore the grit and innovation that define entrepreneurship."

The total investment for a FASTSIGNS franchise is approximately $233,555 - $307,308 including a $49,750 franchise fee. Ideal candidates have a net worth of $300,000 of which $80K is liquid. Additionally, FASTSIGNS offers a special incentive for veterans and first responders, including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, police officers, sheriffs and firefighters, which includes a 50% reduction on the franchise fee -- a savings of $24,875.

To date, FASTSIGNS operates more than 750 locations in 46 states and eight countries. Of these FASTSIGNS franchisees, more than 10% are owned by veterans.

To view FASTSIGNS in the full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2022 issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands January 11th.

About FASTSIGNS:

FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the leading sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of more than 750 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS centers in eight countries including the United States and Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Grand Cayman, Malta, the Dominican Republic and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE). FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive signage and graphic solutions to help companies in all industries communicate their message and extend their branding across all of their customer touchpoints.

FASTSIGNS is consistently ranked as a top franchise opportunity and recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees. In 2021, Propelled Brands was formed, the corporate umbrella that includes FASTSIGNS, SIGNWAVE in Australia, NerdsToGo, an emerging IT services franchise brand acquired in September 2020, and Suite Management Franchising, LLC, the parent company of MY SALON Suite and Salon Plaza in June 2021. With a focus on business-to-business franchises and the people behind those businesses, Propelled Brands will help each franchise confidently navigate forward based on their unique position, momentum and purpose.

Learn more about sign and graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com . Follow the brand on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/fastsigns , Twitter @FASTSIGNS or Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS . For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson ([email protected] or call 214.346.5679).

SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc.
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According to the recent market study by Technavio, the Finished Vehicles Logistics Market Size is expected to increase by USD 20.28 billion from 2020 to 2025, progressing at a CAGR of 4.99% during the forecast period. The report provides a detailed analysis of drivers & opportunities, top winning strategies, competitive scenario, future market trends, market size & estimations, and major investment pockets.

APAC will register the highest growth rate, occupying 54% of the global market share. China, Japan, and India are the key markets for finished vehicles logistics in APAC. The market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions.

Download FREE Sample: for more additional information about the key countries in APAC

Vendor Insights-

The finished vehicles logistics market is fragmented and is characterized by the presence of a significant number of vendors. Leading vendors in the market are competing by expanding their operations in new geographies and by launching differentiated services. Some vendors are focusing on mergers and acquisitions to gain access to new products, enter new markets, and remain competitive.

APL Logistics Ltd.: The company offers finished vehicles logistics, with unique transportation options perfect for vehicle manufacturers.

ARS Altmann AG: The company offers finished vehicles logistics by rail and road, which includes a large variety of high-quality services for the automotive industry and for the high and heavy division at their centers.

CEVA Logistics AG: The company offers finished vehicles logistics services such as CEVA Lead Logistics, I2M Road Transportation, Global Air and Ocean Management, and others.

Ekol Lojistik AS: The company offers finished vehicles logistics solutions, that are tailored specifically to the automotive and spare parts industry to ensure peak efficiency in process management.

GEFCO Group: The company offers finished vehicles logistics with expertise in a range of areas such as logistics engineering, multimodal transport, customs and fiscal representation, storage and preparation of vehicles, as well as distribution and last-mile delivery.

Find additional highlights on the vendors and their product offerings. Download Free Sample Report

Regional Market Outlook

The finished vehicles logistics market growth in APAC will be significant during the forecast period. The increased production of motor vehicles in countries such as India, China, Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea and the increasing population are driving the finished vehicles logistics market in APAC. Also, the expansion of automobile manufacturing plants by global brands is fueling the growth of the regional market.

Download our FREE sample report for more key highlights on the regional market share of most of the above-mentioned countries.

Latest Drivers & Trends Driving the Market-

Finished Vehicles Logistics Market Driver:

Growing automotive industry:

The global automotive industry has grown significantly over the years. The rise in the sales of automobiles, especially in developing regions has contributed to the growth of the industry. For instance, between 2018 and 2019, the sales of passenger cars in Brazil increased by over 2 million units. In addition, the growth in the global population has been increasing the demand for passenger and commercial vehicles. With the increase in global vehicle production, the demand for logistics for the transportation and warehousing of finished vehicles is increasing worldwide. All these factors are driving the growth of the market.

Finished Vehicles Logistics Market Trend:

Rise in the production and export of electric vehicles:

The growing concerns over the pollution caused by ICE vehicles have led to the emergence of electric vehicles. These vehicles help reduce pollution levels. They emit 50% lesser greenhouse gases compared to ICE vehicles. Many such benefits are encouraging consumers to prefer electric vehicles over fossil fuel-powered vehicles. This has resulted in an increase in the production of electric vehicles, which is driving the demand for efficient logistics services, thereby driving the market growth.

Find additional information about various other market Drivers & Trends mentioned in our FREE sample report.

Related Reports:

Spare Parts Logistics Market by End-user and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025



Drone Transportation and Logistics Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Finished Vehicles Logistics Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.99% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 20.28 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 2.92 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 54% Key consumer countries China, US, Japan, India, Germany, and Spain Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled APL Logistics Ltd., ARS Altmann AG, CEVA Logistics AG, Ekol Lojistik AS, GEFCO Group, Koopman Logistics Group BV, Kuehne + Nagel International AG, OMSAN Logistics, Sevatas, and United Parcel Service Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Didn't Find What You Were Looking For? Customize Report-

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According to the recent market study by Technavio, the Fume Hood Monitors Market Size is expected to increase by USD 16.03 million from 2020 to 2025, progressing at a CAGR of 2.29% during the forecast period. The report provides a detailed analysis of drivers & opportunities, top winning strategies, competitive scenario, future market trends, market size & estimations, and major investment pockets.

APAC will register the highest growth rate, occupying 36% of the global market share. China is the key market for fume hood monitors in APAC. The market growth in this region will be faster than the growth of the market in other regions.

Download FREE Sample: for more additional information about the key countries in North America

Vendor Insights-

The fume hood monitors market is fragmented due to the presence of many vendors occupying the competitive landscape. Vendors are deploying several organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market.

Bionics Scientific Technologies (P) Ltd.: The company offers Laboratory Fume Hood which is available in various sizes and dimensions to meet specific requirements of research.

Dwyer Instruments Inc.: The company offers Model 670 Fume hood monitor which senses airflow through the face of the fume hood.

ESCO Technologies Inc.: The company offers world-class laboratory fume hoods to provide maximum safety for a range of uses.

HEMCO Corp.: The company offers Flitered Fume hoods that are fully-featured hoods that require no ducting and contains contain acids, bases, and solvents.

Labconco Corp.: The company offers Tel VAV controls that are designed specifically to provide variable airflow volume and ensure the safety of users working with fume hoods and biological safety cabinets.

Find additional highlights on the vendors and their product offerings. Download Free Sample Report

Regional Market Outlook

The fume hood monitors market growth in APAC will be significant during the forecast period. The significant rise in R&D spending by pharmaceutical companies is driving the growth of the fume hood monitors market in APAC. In addition, the increase in research activities in major economies such as China, Japan, and South Korea will foster the growth of the regional market.

Download our FREE sample report for more key highlights on the regional market share of most of the above-mentioned countries.

Latest Drivers & Trends Driving the Market-

Fume Hood Monitors Market Driver:

Growing pharmaceutical investments in India :

The pharmaceutical industry in India has been witnessing significant investments over the last few years. The industry in the country is expected to grow by three times over the next decade. This can be mainly attributed to the low cost of manufacturing in India. For instance, the cost of production of pharmaceutical products in India is about 55% lower than that in the US and is approximately half of Europe. Also, the emergence of India as a leading destination for medical tourism and low treatment costs have been increasing the demand for pharmaceutical products. All these factors are increasing the number of research activities, which is subsequently driving the demand for safety equipment such as fume hoods, thereby driving the market growth.

Fume Hood Monitors Market Challenge:

Incorporation of sustainable behavior by research institutes and centers:

Laboratory operations involve the use of mechanical devices such as testing equipment and fume hoods. The use of such devices increases the power consumption by five times compared to the consumption of power in other buildings. Hence, vendors in the markets are focusing on adopting green initiatives to achieve sustainability. This trend is gaining momentum in the market and is expected to have a positive impact on the market's growth over the forecast period.

Find additional information about various other market Drivers & Trends mentioned in our FREE sample report.

Related Reports:

Automotive Hydraulics System Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026



Field Erected Cooling Tower Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Fume Hood Monitors Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 2.29% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 16.03 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 2.52 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, MEA, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 36% Key consumer countries US, China, UK, Germany, and France Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Bionics Scientific Technologies (P) Ltd., Dwyer Instruments Inc., ESCO Technologies Inc., HEMCO Corp., Labconco Corp., SbyD, Schneider Elektronik GmbH, Stericox Sterilizer Systems India, Temperature Electronics Ltd., and TSI Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.



Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio

Related Links

http://www.technavio.com/


DUBLIN, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global RegTech Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Implications and Growth" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global RegTech market is expected to grow from $6.26 billion in 2020 to $7.90 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.2%. The market is expected to reach $18.89 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 24.4%.

The RegTech market consists of sales of RegTech solutions and services by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are engaged in providing regulatory processes within the financial industry via advanced technologies. RegTech, or regulatory technology, is a set of enterprises that employ cloud computing technology and software-as-a-service (SaaS) to assist businesses in complying with regulations more efficiently and cost-effectively. RegTech's primary functions are regulatory surveillance, monitoring, and compliance.



The main types of components in RegTech are solutions and services. The RegTech services reduce the threats such as cyberattacks, security breaches, or money laundering by using regulatory-driven transformations. The different modes of deployment include cloud, on-premises and are deployed in various organization sizes such as large enterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

It is used in risk and compliance management, identity management, regulatory reporting, anti-money laundering (AML) and fraud management, regulatory intelligence, and is implemented in several verticals such as banks, insurance companies, fintech firms, it and telecom, public sector, energy and utilities, others.



The application of AI, ML, and blockchain technologies has emerged as a key trend in the RegTech market. Major companies operating in the RegTech sector are increasingly adopting AI, ML, and blockchain technologies to automate processes such as data management analysis and due diligence.

For instance, in January 2021, Darktrace, a UK-based AI cyber security company launched the fifth version of autonomous response technology for general accessibility, allowing businesses to benefit from the cloud while also safeguarding themselves from new cyber-threats. Compliance with regulations including GDPR, HIPAA, and the DFS Cyber Security Regulations adds to the long list of issues that security professionals face.



The rising number of fraudulent activities such as money laundering in the financial sector is expected to propel the growth of the RegTech market in the forecast period. Fraudulent activities such as money laundering have increased and therefore financial organizations need a more powerful RegTech framework that can help risk and compliance teams manage the deluge of ever-increasing regulatory compliance and progressively sophisticated breaches successfully. Thus, the rising number of fraudulent activities increases the demand for the RegTech market.



Major players in the regtech market are

Abside RegTech

Accuity

ACTICO

Acuant Inc

Ascent Technologies Inc.

BearingPoint Software Solutions GmbH

Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc

Bwise Beheer B.V.

Compliance Solutions Strategies

ComplyAdvantage

Fenergo

IBM Corp

Key Topics Covered:



1. Executive Summary



2. RegTech Market Characteristics



3. RegTech Market Trends and Strategies



4. Impact of COVID-19 On RegTech



5. RegTech Market Size and Growth

5.1. Global RegTech Historic Market, 2015-2020, $ Billion

5.1.1. Drivers of the Market

5.1.2. Restraints On the Market

5.2. Global RegTech Forecast Market, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

5.2.1. Drivers of the Market

5.2.2. Restraints On the Market



6. RegTech Market Segmentation

6.1. Global RegTech Market, Segmentation by Component, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Solutions

Services

6.2. Global RegTech Market, Segmentation by Deployment Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Cloud

On-Premises

6.3. Global RegTech Market, Segmentation by Organization Size, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Large Enterprises

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)

6.4. Global RegTech Market, Segmentation by Application, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Risk and Compliance Management

Identity Management

Regulatory Reporting

Anti-Money laundering (AML) and Fraud Management

Regulatory Intelligence

6.5. Global RegTech Market, Segmentation by End User, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

Banks

Insurance Companies

FinTech Firms

IT and Telecom

Public Sector

Energy and Utilities

Others

7. RegTech Market Regional and Country Analysis

7.1. Global RegTech Market, Split by Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion

7.2. Global RegTech Market, Split by Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F, $ Billion



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wyxugb

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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http://www.researchandmarkets.com


"The safety, security and quality of life of San Francisco's residents, business owners and tourists alike has dropped to astonishingly low levels, and crime risen so sharply, our city's police department cannot keep pace. Residents are fleeing, stores looted, tourism and conventions at historic lows, people are dying and even pets stolen at gunpoint. Patrons dining at sidewalk cafes are robbed right at their tables. Good samaritans, trying to scare off criminals, get shot at."

"In our city, the DA's office routinely releases arrested perpetrators, often drug dealers, back onto the streets within hours, to commit additional crimes or sell fentanyl again. This lack of virtually any accountability has given the green light for criminal activity across every part of town with impunity. Video of atrocious crimes recorded in the act have exposed the near free-for-all, making national news, which you have probably seen. San Francisco is a disgrace, an embarrassment, and wholly unsustainable."

"Manhattan has a new DA, Alvin Bragg, with chillingly similar ideology and directives as our chief prosecutor; this will not go well for you. Take it from us. For two years, San Francisco has greatly suffered under the false premise of "restorative justice" and "decarceration". Expect Bragg's supporters to push back against your efforts to resist his new policies. You'll be chastised, insulted and countered with flawed crime data and irrelevant narratives. "

"It is unfortunate voters of Manhattan have succumbed to rhetoric and talking points already proven wrong elsewhere in electing Alvin Bragg. My stern warning to you, the great city of New York, is to never allow your DA to simply toss prosecution aside in the name of radical ideology. You must push back, hold Bragg and his staff to task, hold them accountable. Otherwise, it will have disastrous effects for years to come. "

Contact:

Richie Greenberg

[email protected]

SOURCE Stop the Injustice
Over 3,000 venture capital and private equity-backed private companies were evaluated to create the acclaimed list of companies revolutionizing the world of education technology. GSV estimates that together these 150 companies reach roughly 3 billion people -- almost half of the global population -- and generate approximately $20 billion in revenue.

"Today, we announce the annual GSV EdTech 150," said Luben Pampoulov, Partner at GSV Ventures. "As the global pandemic continues to drive learners online, more and more companies are innovating in the digital learning space  making it increasingly competitive for companies to make the top 150. We evaluated over 3,000 companies globally this year. The way GSV sees it, Ed is on The Edge, and increasingly more companies have the ideas, know-how, and talent to transform the world and provide all people equal access to the future. We know these companies are well-equipped to help us achieve that goal, and we look forward to watching them do so."

GSV launched the list of education technology leaders in 2020 with the EdTech 50. Due to rapid growth in the sector, necessitated by a global pandemic and continued remarkable technological evolutions, the list increased to 150 in 2021. In 2022, the sector shows no signs of slowing down with the 150 companies selected for this year's list collectively experiencing revenue growth in the high double digits.

Learn more about the GSV EdTech 150 and the selection process here .

To arrive at the listing, GSV evaluated more than 3,000 venture capital and private equity-backed private for-profit companies that met the following criteria:

VC or PE-backed companies in Digital Learning, excluding public and nonprofit companies

Companies that have achieved meaningful scale, and primarily, but not exclusively, those that are post-Series A in their development

Companies experiencing strong, organic top-line growth

The final selection is determined by GSV's proprietary scoring system, which applies scores across several KPIs such as revenue scale, revenue growth, active learner reach, international reach, and margin profile.

The GSV EdTech 150 is distributed across three major sectors: Life-Long Learning, Higher Ed, and K-12. Life-Long Learning (inclusive of Workforce Learning and Adult Consumer Learning) is the leading sector with 42% of the GSV EdTech 150 falling within the category, with an additional 5% of companies serving the Life-Long Learning and Higher Ed blend and another 3% serving both K-12 and Life-Long Learning. Together K-12 and Early Childhood account for 27% of the list, while companies in the Higher Ed sector account for just 5% and 9% of the GSV EdTech 150 serve a blend of the two. Excitingly, more companies are serving all sectors than ever before, with 9% of the GSV EdTech 150 serving all three major sectors.

North America  specifically the United States  is the most represented region accounting for 56% of the GSV EdTech 150. 11% of the GSV EdTech 150 hail from India, whose market is experiencing explosive growth with five EdTech unicorns that include BYJU's, Eruditus, Unacademy, Upgrad, and Vedantu. Europe, Africa, and the Middle East represent 17% of the listing, with several high-quality, fast-growing companies such as OpenClassrooms, Multiverse, and Photomath. Asia, Australia, and New Zealand account for 11% of the list, while China experienced a significant decline in representation due to increased government regulation. Latin America represents 5% of the list and shows strong growth trends, with companies like Hotmart, Descomplica, and UOL EdTech leading the way.

The GSV EdTech 150 will be celebrated at the ASU+GSV Summit, the world's premier EdTech event connecting leading minds with the belief that all people have equal access to the future, happening live and in-person in San Diego, California, April 4-6, 2022. The 150 companies will be given the opportunity to take the stage to join panel discussions or give 15-minute presentations on their company initiatives.

See the full GSV EdTech 150 at www.asugsvsummit.com/edtech-150

GSV Ventures

GSV Ventures is a female-led, multi-stage venture capital firm focused on the $7+ trillion education sector. The fund is currently investing out of GSV Ventures Fund III and backs innovative entrepreneurs around the world in the "Pre-K to Gray" Arc of Learning. GSV manages over $675 million in global EdTech investments. Portfolio holdings include Andela, Class Technologies, ClassDojo, Coursera, Course Hero, Degreed, Guild, MasterClass, Outlier, Photomath, Quizizz, Lead School, Brightchamps, and ClassPlus, among others.

ASU+GSV Summit

The ASU+GSV Summit is the premier global event in education and technology. Started in 2010 with a collaboration between Arizona State University (ASU) and Global Silicon Valley (GSV), the annual Summit connects leading minds focused on transforming society and business around learning and work. Educators, investors, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs from around the world come together to take part in innovating the future of education for all. 2021 speakers included Mindy Kaling, Jeremy Lin, Sal Khan, Arne Duncan and Luis Von Ahn. Additional speakers from previous years include President Barack Obama, President George W. Bush, Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, John Legend, Common, Marian Wright Edelman, Bill Gates, Sandra Day O'Connor, Reed Hastings, President Vicente Fox, Malcolm Gladwell, Gloria Steinem, Tony Blair, and Howard Schultz.

For Media Relations contact:

Tessa Coan, [email protected]

SOURCE GSV Ventures
BOZEMAN, Mont., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Guidefitter is pleased to announce its new partnership with Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF). HSCF is dedicated to the preservation of hunting through education, conservation and the promotion of our hunting heritage.

In addition to supporting the organization itself, Guidefitter will offer HSCF members significant savings on products from participating brands on the Guidefitter website. By shopping with Guidefitter, members will not only save money on top brands, but they will also be supporting HSCF. ""HSCF is excited to partner with Guidfitter to bring their incredible breadth of offerings to the HSCF membership. By partnering with HSCF, Guidefitter continues to demonstrate their commitment to conservation and the future of hunting," states Joe Betar, HSCF Executive Director. A portion of each sale to HSCF members, from the Guidefitter platform, will directly support HSCF's mission.

HSCF Members can learn more by visiting:https://www.guidefitter.com/hscf

About Guidefitter:

Guidefitter is the online community and e-commerce marketplace of choice for genuine outdoor industry professionals and other consumers who love to enjoy the great outdoors. We are pioneering the outdoor industry's first online experience where brands, true outdoor pros and consumers engage in a common digital community, marketing and e-commerce platform oriented around a shared passion for outdoor recreation and great gear. Industry pros have access to hundreds of pro purchase programs from a central location, tools to easily promote the brands they love and a like-minded community to demonstrate their abilities and expertise. Consumers benefit from a community that understands their passion for the outdoors, access to thousands of outfitters through a comprehensive search engine, and opportunities to discover and purchase great gear based on the insights from people who know better than anyone else  true outdoor professionals. Over 300 outdoor brands, including Swarovski Optik, Kenetrek Boots, Weatherby, Polaris RANGER, and First Lite Hunting Apparel work with Guidefitter to promote their brand with authentic messages through large, managed audiences of genuine outdoor professionals. Guidefitter is headquartered in Bozeman, Montana. For more information, please visit www.guidefitter.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

About Houston Safari Club Foundation

Houston Safari Club Foundation (HSCF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve the sport of hunting through education, conservation, and the promotion of our hunting heritage. HSCF has awarded 638 scholarships totaling $2.77 million dollars. HSCF conducts youth outdoor education programs, career training, hunter education and field experiences throughout the year. HSCF has provided over $4 million in grants for hunter-funded wildlife, habitat, and various conservation initiatives. HSCF is an independent organization, is not affiliated with Safari Club International (SCI) or its affiliates and is not a chapter or affiliate of any other organization. Visit our website at wehuntwegive.org or call 713.623.8844 for more information. HSCF. We Hunt. We Give.

SOURCE Guidefitter
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A settlement has been reached with 3M Company, Daikin America, Inc., Dyneon, LLC, Synagro WWT, Inc., Synagro South, LLC, Toray Fluorofibers (America), Inc., BFI Waste Systems of Alabama, LLC, BFI Waste Systems of North America, LLC, The City of Decatur, Alabama, and Morgan County, Alabama ("Defendants") in a class action lawsuit about whether they polluted the Tennessee River and nearby soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, air, and fish by discharging certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ("PFAS"), including perfluorooctanoic acid ("PFOA") and perfluorooctanesulfonate ("PFOS"). The class is represented by Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton, LLP and Alexander, Corder & Shelly, P.C. The Defendants deny all of the claims made in the lawsuit.

The settlement includes all Persons that have owned, occupied, otherwise had an ownership or possessory interest (including through a lease, easement, or joint or common tenancy) in, resided at, maintained a business of any kind at, worked at, or recreated on any real property (including the Tennessee River, its tributaries, and all other bodies of water) located in Morgan County, Lawrence County, Franklin County, Limestone County, Colbert County, or Lauderdale County, Alabama at any time between April 21, 2003, and December 17, 2021 ("Class Members"). Class Members will receive equitable relief in the form of certain Defendants providing investigation, remediation, and monitoring of sites, soils, basins, ponds, groundwater, and fish.

In addition, Class Members that, as of December 17, 2021, own, occupy, or have an ownership or possessory interest in real property in Morgan County, Lawrence County, Franklin County, or Limestone County, Alabama on which biosolids containing PFAS compounds were applied at any time are also part of the Sludge Application Settlement Subclass. Certain of the Defendants have agreed to create a $5,000,000 Sludge Application Settlement Fund for such properties where biosolids obtained from Decatur Utilities were applied as fertilizer during approximately 1998-2008. Sludge Application Settlement Subclass Members must complete and submit a Claim Form by May 5, 2022 to receive a payment. Claim Forms may be filed online or printed from www.StJohnSettlement.com. Class Members will not receive monetary compensation unless they are also Sludge Application Settlement Subclass Members and file a claim.

If Class Members do nothing, their rights will be affected. If they don't want to be legally bound by the settlement to the extent it deals with claims for monetary damages, they must exclude themselves by March 17, 2022. Unless they exclude themselves, they won't be able to sue the Defendants for money damages released by the Class Settlement Agreement; however, they cannot exclude themselves from the release of claims for equitable relief. If they choose not to exclude themselves, they may object to the settlement by March 17, 2022. The Court will hold a Fairness Hearing in this case (St. John v. 3M Company, No. CV-02-000408) on April 21, 2022, to decide whether to approve the settlement.

For further information about the settlement and how you can file a claim, exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, or object to the settlement, please visit www.StJohnSettlement.com or call 1-888-890-6718.

SOURCE Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton, LLP and Alexander, Corder & Shelly, P.C.
Fort Polk, LA (71446)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 85F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
Cao Lubao, Member of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial CPC and Secretary of the Suzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC, said, "The ancient characteristic of Suzhou throughout its 2,500 years of history is the culture of Jiangnan region, and more than 40 years of reform and opening up is the attitude of embracing the world, and entering a new era is the spirit of innovation. The development of digital economy is not only the general trend of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial reform, but also an important way to promote the high-quality development of Suzhou."

The clear proposal of Suzhou to "cultivate and strengthen industrial innovation clusters in the era of digital economy" is to make greater contributions to the overall situation of China's development.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Suzhou will dynamically invest more than 100 billion yuan in special funds to support industrial innovation clusters. 30 million yuan will be rewarded to those listed in the Fortune 500 in the world for the first time, and 10 million yuan to those in the Fortune 500 in China for the first time.

Suzhou has the scale advantage of building innovation clusters. At present, it has formed 3-trillion-level industries of advanced materials, electronic information and equipment manufacturing. Cao Lubao said, "Under the overall planning and coordination of the government, all kinds of parks provide soil, finance provides water, policies are like sunshine, and public opinion is like air, forming a community of shared life that converges into an inexhaustible driving force for high-quality development and a distinct symbol of the city."

Image Attachments Links:

Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=412382

Caption: Press conference of the meeting

SOURCE Publicity Department of Suzhou Municipal People's Government
Company to Release 2nd Quarter Financial Results Before January 15th

COCONUT CREEK, Fla., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Upstryve Inc. ("Upstryve" or the "Company"), formerly ProBility Media Corp. ("ProBility") (OTCPK: PBYA), an international education, training and career advancement company with a focus on vocational and skilled trades, announced today the list of panelists to speak at the first ever Upstryve Connect Virtual Conference to be held January 26th and January 27th of 2022.

The cumulative, cross-promotional reach for the event, including each panelists' personal media channels', is estimated to be a reach of nearly 4 million people with an interest in the trades. By adding conferences as a new way to create interaction with trade professionals, Upstryve aims to become the premier brand for high quality education in the trades. The conference is the first of it's kind for the company and for the vocational education industry in general.

Interested parties can register for the free Upstryve Connect Virtual Conference here:

https://www.clkmg.com/upstryve/connect-press-1

"This event will help put Upstryve on the map as the premier venue for skilled trades education and training. We expect that Upstryve's goal of being compared to other big name ed-tech companies will be greatly enhanced with these regular conferences, " stated Noah Davis, CEO, Upstryve "We believe the need for skilled trades professionals will increase due to the recent passing of the infrastructure bill and will continue to increase as additional government spending projects come to fruition."

The panelist line-up currently consists of several industry leading influencers in the skilled trades. The goal of this conference is to bring awareness to the multifaceted avenues of monetization that can be gained as a result of pursuing a career in the skilled trades.

The company's mission is not only to bring ease-of-access to materials, tutoring, and other educational tools associated with the skilled trades industry, but to act as an advocate for industry relevance as well.

"The stigma of vocational education being dated or somehow less monetarily beneficial than standard four year degrees is not only untrue, but, in essence, dangerous to the economy and to society," stated Cesar Valencia, Business Development Manager, Upstryve. "We believe that there will always be a demand for the expertise of skilled trade professionals and many companies are waking up to the fact that the shortage of future workers will impact their revenue."

Upstryve Connect Virtual Conference Current Line-up

Roger Wakefield :

Roger Wakefeild is a Master plumber who shares tips and tricks, DIY, content on how to become a plumber, and more to help you grow as a plumber on his YouTube channel. He currently has over 400,000 subscribers and consistently yields one to four million views on his most popular pieces of content.

414k Subscribers on YouTube (@RogerWakefield) https://bit.ly/3pZeHH0

396.8k Followers on Tik Tok (@rogerwakefield) https://bit.ly/3sYIocS

44.6k Followers on Instagram (@_rogerwakefield) https://bit.ly/3sYXnnk

Eduardo Lopez

Eduardo is a construction contractor who operates the EZ home: Labor Of Love brand, which has a significant following of 1.9 million followers on TikTok.

1.9 Million Followers on TikTok (@ez_home) https://bit.ly/3qQ8qMW

Schannon Yodice

Schannon Yodice is a tile setter and entrepreneur. Schannon is a thought leader and forerunner for female entrepreneurs and skilled trade professionals.

115k Followers on Instagram (@thattilechick) https://bit.ly/3JD84Si

113.1k Followers on TikTok (@thattilechick) https://bit.ly/3pZA8aA

Jesse Lane

Jesse is the owner and operator of J.Lane Construction, the Florida commercial general contractor specializing in new construction, tenant improvements, restaurants, and large renovations.

23k Subscribers on YouTube (@JesseLane) https://bit.ly/32Sm6iu

Matt Panella

Matt Panella is lead carpenter for Panella Construction which is based in Arroyo Grande, Calif. He is a third-generation builder and credits his father, also Matt Panella, for gifting him with his knowledge of carpentry.

220k Subscribers On YouTube (@MattBangsWood) https://bit.ly/3sWWuf3

John Cunningham , CEO of Ox Tools

John's presentation will be sponsored by OX Tools

John is an entrepreneur with 20 years of corporate experience who applies his skills to small, innovative businesses looking to scale and disrupt current industry standards. OX Tools has been supplying high quality, professional tools to the construction, masonry and tile industries since 1974. OX offers a range of quality tools for many trades, including carpentry, bricklaying, concreting, rendering, plastering, power tools, safety gear, electric machinery, and petrol machinery.

https://www.oxtoolsusa.com/

Jason Pietruszka

Jason Pietruszka is a contractor, developer, and designer. He runs JP Construction, Inc. ( https://www.jjpconstructioninc.com/ ) and is committed to delivering excellent results and exceeding clients' expectations to satisfy the growing need for new property and real estate projects in Los Angeles.

20k Followers on Instagram (@jjpconstruction) https://bit.ly/3eUaIFm

Thomas Hicken

Thomas Hicken is a master plumber and mentor to Upstryve, Inc. He is about to release his first book published by Upstryve. The book and course "2022 Journeyman Plumber Exam Questions & Study Guide" will be released in late January. Thomas has 20 years plumbing experience, 11 years plumbing contractor experience, and ten years of experience as an instructor at Bridgerland Technical College.

https://upstryve.com/products/thomas-t-hicken

About Upstryve Inc., formerly ProBility Media Corp.

Upstryve is an international education, training, and career advancement company with a focus on vocational and skilled trades headquartered in Southern Florida. Upstryve owns four brands which include Upstryve, One Exam Prep, North American Crane Bureau Group and Disco Learning Media.

As a combined group of companies, Upstryve owns over 500 test prep courses, 600 self-study books and teaches over 1,000 annual virtual classes through One Exam Prep. It conducts over 400 safety programs through North American Crane Bureau with numerous Fortune 500 clients such as Tesla, Alcoa , General Electric , Lockheed Martin , IBM , U.S. Steel, Flour , Los Alamos National Labs, United States Navy and Air Force and many more. Through Disco Learning Media, specializes in eCourse development, program management, and consulting for companies such as Itron , The University of Texas, the State of Texas K-12 schools and many more organizations.

Upstryve is the only tutoring platform dedicated to providing aspiring trade professionals an affordable all-encompassing learning experience. Upstryve provides 1 on 1 contractor license exam preparation for professionals to confidently pass their state or national exams and obtain their contractor license. One Exam Prep provides licensing assistance and online test preparation for contractors throughout the United States. North American Crane Bureau Group (NACB) conducts over 400 safety programs each year all over the world for safety, rigging and crane training. NACB holds a federal accreditation under 29CFR part 1919, Cal/OSHA accreditation under Title 8, and is recognized by several states entities as being qualified to conduct lift equipment inspection / certification and / or operator training. Disco Learning Media specializes in eCourse development, program management and consulting for learning experiences. For more information, visit www.upstryve.com/investors.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect the Company's current beliefs and are based upon information currently available to it. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or advise in the event of any change, addition or alteration to the information included in this Press Release including such forward-looking statements, except as required by federal securities laws.

This press release is not a prospectus or other offering document under U.S. law or under any other law. It has been prepared for information purposes only. Nothing contained herein should be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security.

SOURCE Probility Media Corp.

Related Links

http://www.ProBilityMedia.com


DUBLIN, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Electronic Security Systems Market - Forecasts from 2021 to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The electronic system security market was valued at US$46.167 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.28% over the forecast period to reach a total market size of US$95.442 billion in 2026.



One of the biggest markets in the technology segment is the surveillance market and it has tremendous growth prospects globally as well as in India. An electronic security system is majorly used by corporate workplaces, commercial places, or shopping malls, and others. The main purpose of electronic security systems is to provide security wherever they are being used. Their increased adoption by government agencies, manufacturing industries, and commercial establishments among others, for security purposes, is a major driving factor behind the growth of the market.



Increasing terror threats, growing public and private infrastructures, and the increase in crime rates have resulted in the demand for the surveillance market in India. Video surveillance systems have been the largest product category in India's electronics security segment.



Market Drivers

Investments and new technology in electronic security are driving the market. In India, this sector has attracted strong investment in the form of FDI inflows. Companies in India are planning to invest in production, distribution, and R&D in the upcoming years. In 2021, Bosch security systems introduced INTEOX camera platform which combines built-in Intelligent Video Analytics from Bosch with superb performance, a commonly used open OS, and the ability to securely add software apps. In 2020, a new keyless keypad door lock system has been introduced by Hank Washington, a company specialized in high-quality household products, where the BACKR electronic access control solution is suitable for those consumers who are interested in a high-security door lock for indoor and outdoor applications.



Rising investment in innovating smart cities is enhancing the demand for advanced electronic security systems. Globally, Singapore is the current top smart city investor followed by Tokyo, New York, and London. Region-wise, the U.S., Europe, and China account for over more than half of the world's total spending on smart cities. China planned to invest billions of dollars in mass surveillance projects each year, the project mainly focuses on the usage of advanced face detection technology and algorithms for tracking the population by using millions of surveillance cameras. Countries in Asia are spending on infrastructural development to make their respective countries more safe and secure with the application of surveillance systems, alarming, and access controls.



In India, the need for security arrangements has grown manifold. There has been significant investment in large-scale infrastructure projects, industrial setups, and various urban landscape developments such as industrial complexes, offices, IT parks. Development has also been witnessed in public infrastructures such as airports, metro stations, shopping malls, and other public utilities which have created a direct demand for private security services.



The increase in terror activities globally has raised alarms for increasing the security services. For example, if we talk about terrorism, India ranks sixth out of 162 countries in terms of terrorism. The number of incidents of killing were 476 in 2018. 2019 recorded 1,787 terrorism-linked incidents. People have started feeling unsafe due to the increased terror activities and they are more concerned about their safety, hence, the demand for electronic security systems is high.



Competitive Insights

The increasing demand for electronic security systems solutions has led to the entry of several new players in the Electronic Security Systems market. The market players are working on different business strategies and areinvesting in different products and services that they offer. The market is expected to be competitive and constantly evolving. Major market players includeBosch Security Systems INC., Axis Communication AB, Honeywell International Inc, Johnson Controls, and Checkpoint Systems Inc. among others.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary

3.1. Research Highlights



4. Market Dynamics

4.1. Market Drivers

4.2. Market Restraints

4.3. Porters Five Forces Analysis

4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.3.3. The Threat of New Entrants

4.3.4. Threat of Substitutes

4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Function

4.4. Function Value Chain Analysis



5. Electronic Security Systems Market Analysis, By Type

5.1. Introduction

5.2. CCTV Surveillance Security System

5.3. Alarming System

5.4. Access Control

5.5. Others



6. Electronic Security Systems Market Analysis, By Type of End-User

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Enterprises

6.3. Government

6.4. Others



7. Electronic Security Systems Market Analysis, By Geography

7.1. Introduction

7.2. North America

7.2.1. United States

7.2.2. Canada

7.2.3. Mexico

7.3. South America

7.3.1. Brazil

7.3.2. Argentina

7.3.3. Others

7.4. Europe

7.4.1. UK

7.4.2. Germany

7.4.3. Italy

7.4.4. Spain

7.4.5. Others

7.5. Middle East and Africa

7.5.1. Israel

7.5.2. Saudi Arabia

7.5.3. Others

7.6. Asia Pacific

7.6.1. China

7.6.2. Japan

7.6.3. India

7.6.4. Australia

7.6.5. South Korea

7.6.6. Taiwan

7.6.7. Thailand

7.6.8. Indonesia

7.6.9. Others



8. Competitive Environment and Analysis

8.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis

8.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness

8.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations

8.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix



9. Company Profiles.

9.1. FrontPoint Security Solutions, LLC

9.2. ADT LLC

9.3. Link Interactive

9.4. Vivint, Inc.

9.5. Zicom Electronic Security Systems Limited

9.6. Bosch Sicherheitssysteme GmbH

9.7. Protect America, Inc.

9.8. Axis Communications AB

9.9. Honeywell International Inc

9.10. A2 Systems, LLC



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5swe9s

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


NEW YORK, Jan. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Relations executive Ronn Torossian released the following book excerpt from his best-selling PR book, "For Immediate Release" regarding Israel's PR, especially relevant against the backdrop of Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid's recent comments. This week, Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid warned that Israel will face intense campaigns to label it an apartheid state in 2022.

"We think that in the coming year, there will be debate that is unprecedented in its venom and in its radioactivity around the words 'Israel as an apartheid state,'" Lapid said during a Zoom briefing with Israeli journalists. Lapid called the accusation that Israel is an apartheid state "a despicable lie."

Against that backdrop, Public Relations executive Ronn Torossian released the following book excerpt from his best-selling PR book, "For Immediate Release" regarding Israel's PR, especially relevant against the backdrop of Lapid's comments.

"The state of Israel is, for me, a personal passion, and with love I will say that Israel does a horrible job when it comes to PR. The simple message that Israel is a tiny, democratic country surrounded by murderous despots doesn't get throughnot to governments, the media, or the public. Case in point: Many people don't understand the difference in size between all of the Arab states and the Jewish state. The total area of the state of Israel is 8,019 square miles, and it's surrounded by Arab nationsEgypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordanand the Mediterranean Sea. Egypt alone covers an area of 386,662 square miles. Israel has a population of about 8.3 million people, and the Arab nations surrounding her total 428 million people."

Everyone can relate to concepts about distance and size, such as the fact that Israel is the size of New Jersey and is completely surrounded by much larger countries with huge swaths of land and bigger populations who would like to see the tiny country destroyed. Still, the media worldwide writes of the "Jewish settlements" and "West Bank" as key conflicts between the Arabs and Israel. Leaving aside the perspective of just how tiny these areas actually are, or that Israel won them in a defensive war that started before there were any so-called "occupied territories," is like blaming a flea for a pit bull's aggressive behavior.

The state of Israel puts itself in danger because of its flawed public relations and communications work. In contrast, terrorist organizations Hamas, Hezbollah, and certain Arab nations have hired PR agencies to lobby for them in the press and on the world stage. Terror groups have engaged reporters and journalists, share meals with them, drink with them, and win their favor. Israel doesn't even pay for its diplomatic employees to use cell phones after hours or on weekendsa necessity in today's 24/7 media worldbecause of archaic and bureaucratic rules.

Israel's PR has gotten better in recent years, but it can still do better at framing the debate by using more spokespeople who are fluent in the English language. Israel regularly sends diplomats who don't speak the native language to other countries. That means there is still much that can be done to fight and influence. It's a question of shaping concepts and of speaking in terms and metaphors that the world understands. Look at what happens when private investors legally buy property in eastern Jerusalem and legally build homes for Jews. An Internet search reveals that the media see such construction as evidence of Jewish "occupation" and a primary reason why there will never be peace in the Middle East. Why not create messaging about how a Jewish person can legally build a home and live anywhere in the world  except Israel? Jews can buy and build in Harlem or East Los Angeles, Paris, or Moscow, but not in Jerusalem. They can buy real estate and coexist elsewherewhy not there? That is the message Israel should be sending.

Israel, like any country (or brand or business) needs to make its own case, and cannot depend on others to do this work. The advice I have for Israel stands for any organization or group with an "underdog" status or that is suffering the consequences of being misunderstood. The following points are useful for any brand or business that wants to control its own narrative:

Make your own case. Be proactive and passionate in educational PR efforts. In Israel's case, for instance, there should be a concerted PR effort to continually refute "moral equivalency" myths that are perpetuated in many corners of the press and taught in college classrooms around the world, myths that equate Palestinian suicide bombings with Israeli efforts to stop bombers before they act. Refuting the myths can be done through op-eds, reports, videos, blogs, outreach programs, and so on. But it can't be saved for a crisis; it has to be ongoing. Argue on your strengths, not your weaknesses. Harmful framing by the media or others can be handled effectively only with counter-framingpresenting your narrative without debating the negative frame (thereby giving it credibility) or trying to justify yourself against it. In doing so, you give credence to and reinforce a point of view you're actually trying to dismiss. In this case, Israel needs to start a conversation on her own terms and provide the media with multiple stories that discuss its innovations in technology, security, and other advances. Israel needs to talk about how it "made the desert bloom." From its founding in 1948, it transformed a land that is 65 percent desert into a country rich in diversity and teeming with technologyIntel, Microsoft, and IBM have all developed robust, profitable, and innovative businesses in the country. Israeli doctors have won important prizes in the medical development field. The country today thrives financially as well, with a booming economy and an independent stock market. It also has the only true democracy in the region. Consistent and united PR. There is nothing more counterproductive and irritating to a spokesperson than having to compete with a colleague who is operating with a different message. This is the case with Israelspokespeople for the state often speak at cross-purposes with the press and contradict each other. The same goes for a company. Can you imagine what would happen if the media had to compare two or three different sources within the same organization to discover the firm's stance on an issue? Always make sure those who speak to the press are on the same page and understand and communicate a unified message. Act with rapidity. Israel is agile and dynamic. It can use this to its advantage. Imagine a boat the size of the Titanic, which takes considerable time and effort to change course and redirect. In comparison, imagine Israel as a small lifeboat that maneuvers quickly and easily within the waters of world affairs. In PR terms, Israel can change key messages quickly and deftly when necessary. The ability to respond quickly has many benefits. Engage social media frequently. Social media should be used on a daily basis, and in a positive way. In the long run, it is the daily actions of a brand that determine its overall image. A daily blog post helps build a reputation, as do regular speaking engagements and consistent outreach and public events. Social media, in cases like this, allows you to at least go directly to your supporters and customers.

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, one of America's leading PR firms.

Media Contact

Ronn Torossian

[email protected] / 212-999-5585

SOURCE 5W Public Relations
NEW CASTLE, Pa., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lawrence County Republican Committee today announced that it will sponsor a Republican Gubernatorial and U.S. Senatorial Candidate debate early in 2022. The event is scheduled for January 12, 2022, at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 110 East Lincoln Ave., New Castle, PA.

The evening will begin at 5:00 p.m., with a VIP reception for the candidates and VIP ticket holders. The debate will follow at 6:30, and event organizers expect a packed house.

Lynne Ryan, Chairwoman of the Republican Committee of Lawrence County, says, "We have had an overwhelming response from the campaigns, and we are excited to have them all together in this forum. We anticipate full participation from all candidates across Pennsylvania who are seeking the endorsement of the Republican Party in the gubernatorial and senatorial races. Red counties in western Pennsylvania, along with the 'rural T,' will collectively provide the pathway to victory in statewide races for our Republican candidates."

Participants in the gubernatorial debate will be Bill McSwain, John Ventre, Jason Richey, Jake Corman, Dave White, Charlie Gerow, Guy Ciarrocchi, Scott Martin, Melissa Hart, Dr. Nche Zama, and Jason Monn. Those taking part in the U.S. Senate debate include Carla Sands, Jeff Bartos, Kathy Barnette, and George Bochetto. These are the candidates who have officially filed with the PA Republican Party as of this date; but any others who seek the endorsement of the party prior to the event are cordially invited to participate as well. The moderator is Jeff Lord.

The venue for the debate is as impressive as the list of VIPs who will attend. Constructed in 1924, the stately building has seating for 2,800 people, and features the largest stage between New York City and Chicago. It is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania.

"We look forward to hosting this monumental event in the Scottish Rite Cathedral, in Lawrence County," says Ryan. "It's the perfect historical setting for this debate, which is an important opportunity for our voters to hear the platforms of the candidates firsthand."

Tickets for the VIP reception and seating ($150), as well as those for general admission seating ($25) can be purchased at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/scottishrite/6775/event/1252089 .

For more information, contact:

SOURCE Lawrence County Republican Committee
This refreshing tart swirl will also be featured in a combination with crushed amaretti cookies and lemon zest.

"We know our citrus lovers will delight in this tart flavor that tastes just as refreshing as it looks," said Melissa Hubbell, senior director of marketing for Kahala Brands, parent company of Pinkberry. "In Italy traditional limoncello is often served to finish off a meal, so we set out to create a dessert our guests can indulge in that's reminiscent of an Italian getaway."

At Pinkberry, guests can customize their swirl with a variety of toppings that include fresh, never frozen, fruit that is hand-cut in stores daily, along with premium granolas and nuts, specialty chocolates, and much more. Pinkberry is swirling with possibilities!

Promotional Flavor:

Limoncello

Promotional Combination:

Limoncello frozen yogurt topped with crushed amaretti cookies and lemon zest

About Pinkberry

Pinkberry launched in Los Angeles, CA in 2005 as the original brand that reinvented frozen yogurt. Today, over a decade later, Pinkberry continues to create great tasting treats with fresh ingredients in an experience comprised of distinctive product, outstanding service and inspirational design. At Pinkberry you can taste the difference of an uncompromising commitment to quality and freshness. Most recently, Pinkberry was acquired by Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kahala Brands, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of 22 quick-service restaurant brands and approximately 2900 locations in 28 countries.

For more information, please visit www.Pinkberry.com.

SOURCE Pinkberry
Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the major market threats?

The pressure from substitutes and a high level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the moderate bargaining power of suppliers.

The pressure from substitutes and a high level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the moderate bargaining power of suppliers. What is the expected price changes in this market?

The Material Handling Services Market is expected to have a CAGR of 7.73% during 2021-2025.

The Material Handling Services Market is expected to have a CAGR of 7.73% during 2021-2025. Who are the top players in the market?

Honeywell International Inc., FIVES SAS, and KUKA AG, are some of the major market participants.

Honeywell International Inc., FIVES SAS, and KUKA AG, are some of the major market participants. What are the pricing models followed by buyers?

Competitive pricing model, and performance-based pricing model are the widely adopted pricing models in Material Handling Services Market.

Get a FREE sample Market Report to Know More

SpendEdge suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. SpendEdge's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

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To access the definite purchasing guide on the Material Handling Services that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis:

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Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities?

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Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

Appendix

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions.

Contacts

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SOURCE SpendEdge
With a career spanning over 25 years, Mr. Mathias is a proven leader in the insurance industry. He recently retired from Blue Shield of California, a 4.3-million-member nonprofit health plan that serves the state's commercial, individual, and government markets, where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Before joining Blue Shield in 2013, Mr. Mathias held numerous technology leadership roles with Aetna in Hartford, CT.

Mr. Mathias holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Long Island University. In 2019, he received the Bay Area CIO Leadership Association's CIO of the Year ORBIE Award in the Large Enterprise category and was named by CIO magazine to their CIO Hall of Fame. He is also a recipient of the 2017 Guys Who Get It Award from the Institute for Women's Leadership and a 2016 Multicultural Leaders Award from the National Diversity Council. Mr. Mathias was recognized as a Top 50 Diverse Leader in 2020.

"We are proud to welcome Michael to the CopperPoint Board of Directors," said Ken Kirk, Board Chair. "He brings extensive insurance leadership experience and a deep knowledge of technology. His participation will complement our board's diverse skills and experiences, while supporting CopperPoint's vison for the future. We are excited to start working with him."

About CopperPoint Insurance Companies

Founded in 1925, CopperPoint Insurance Companies, www.copperpoint.com, is a leading provider of workers' compensation and commercial property and casualty insurance solutions. With an expanded line of insurance products and a growing 10-state footprint in the western United States, CopperPoint is in a strong position to meet the evolving needs of its agents, brokers, and customers. It has $4.97 billion in total assets and an enterprise surplus of over $1.4 billion.

CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Holding Company is the corporate parent of CopperPoint Insurance Companies, Pacific Compensation Insurance Company and Alaska National Insurance Company. All companies are rated A (Excellent) by AM Best.

SOURCE CopperPoint Insurance Companies

Related Links

www.copperpoint.com


Forum brings together governments, miners, investors and other critical stakeholders to shape the future of global mining

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As Saudi Arabia prepares to host one of the world's most important new events, the Future Minerals Forum, a number of the world's most influential mining experts have spoken of their excitement at the opportunities that will be up for discussion.
ZURICH, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurimmune AG today announced that it has entered into an exclusive global collaboration and license agreement with Alexion, AstraZeneca's Rare Disease group, to develop NI006, an investigational human monoclonal antibody specifically targeting misfolded transthyretin. NI006 is currently in Phase Ib development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).

"ATTR-CM is characterized by deposition of misfolded and aggregated transthyretin in the heart. Using our Reverse Translational MedicineTM technology, we developed a human monoclonal antibody that exclusively targets ATTR to remove amyloid from hearts," said Jan Grimm, CSO of Neurimmune.

Neurimmune is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company translating human immune memory into antibody therapeutics. The company has gained extensive experience in amyloid removal biology and is licensing to Alexion its intellectual property related to diseases caused by ATTR amyloid deposition. NI006 is currently being investigated in a Phase 1b clinical study in ATTR-CM patients conducted in four European countries.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Alexion on this potentially disease-modifying antibody therapy for the treatment of ATTR-CM. Given Alexion's extensive experience in developing and bringing to market medicines for people with rare diseases, we believe Alexion is uniquely positioned to advance NI006 for patients with this devastating and life-threatening disease," said Christoph Hock, CMO of Neurimmune.

Under the agreement, Alexion will be granted an exclusive, worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize Neurimmune's ATTR clinical asset NI006. Neurimmune will receive an upfront payment of $30 million with the potential for additional contingent milestone payments of up to $730 million payable upon achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as low-to-mid teen royalties on net sales of any approved medicine resulting from the collaboration. Neurimmune will continue to be responsible for completion of the current Phase 1b clinical study on behalf of Alexion. Alexion will be responsible for further clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization.

The transaction is expected to close following satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances.

About Neurimmune

Neurimmune is a biopharmaceutical company translating human immune memory into transformative antibody therapeutics. Neurimmune develops drug candidates for CNS and related protein aggregation diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and ATTR cardiomyopathy. Neurimmune discovered aducanumab, a human monoclonal antibody that removes amyloid beta from brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, and licensed it to Biogen. With its Reverse Translational MedicineTM technology, Neurimmune also discovered the anti-tau antibody BIIB076 for Alzheimer's disease, the anti-miSOD1 antibody AP-101 for ALS and the anti-ATTR antibody NI006 for ATTR cardiomyopathy, programs being currently evaluated in clinical trials. Neurimmune has three additional antibody programs in preclinical development, and has recently expanded the spectrum of its treatment modalities by adding a small molecule program and programs involving vectorized expression of human antibody genes.

www.neurimmune.com

For additional information, please contact:

Neurimmune:

Dr. Fabian Buller, +41 44 755 4623

CBO of Neurimmune

[email protected]

Media:

Martin Meier-Pfister, +41 43 244 81 40

IRF

[email protected]

SOURCE Neurimmune
Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, six former health advisers for U.S. President Joe Biden are urging a different approach to fighting it.

Writing Thursday in The Journal of the American Medical Association, the advisers wrote three articles urging Americans to learn to live with the virus in a "new normal" as opposed to trying to eradicate it.

"Without a strategic plan for the 'new normal' with endemic COVID-19, more people in the U.S. will unnecessarily experience morbidity and mortality, health inequities will widen, and trillions will be lost from the U.S. economy," Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, Michael Osterholm and Dr. Celine Gounder, who served on Biden's transition COVID-19 advisory board in 2020, wrote in one of the articles.

The former officials called for building a "modern data infrastructure" and more public health workers, including school nurses, among other things. "Two years into the pandemic, the U.S. is still heavily reliant on data from Israel and the U.K. for assessing the effectiveness and durability of COVID-19 vaccines and rate of vaccine breakthrough infections," they wrote.

They called for better access to cheap and rapid testing, as well as more monitoring of air and wastewater to get ahead of potential outbreaks. They also called for vaccine mandates and the development of variant-specific vaccines.

Moreover, they called for a rebuilding of trust in the nation's public health institutions, calling the initial response to the pandemic "seriously flawed." The three officials wrote that rather than living in "a perpetual state of emergency," the public should live with the virus by reducing peak outbreaks, and they called for "humility" in dealing with a persistent and evolving virus.


WEST HARTFORD  U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy spoke at a vigil Thursday night on the anniversary of last years attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The two senators were joined on the Town Hall steps by other elected officials and guest speakers, all of whom shared their perspectives on what happened one year ago. The vigil was organized by the Progressive Women of Greater Hartford, Rapid Organized Action Response, the Universalist Church of West Hartford and Indivisible Connecticut.

Blumenthal began by sharing his firsthand experience.

I am haunted by what happened a year ago when I was on the floor of the United States Senate, Blumenthal said. We were rushed from the floor. We were told that our lives were in danger, and in fact they were. We saw as we rushed from that chamber the bats and the pipes, the Trump flags, the Confederate banners. People shouting that they wanted to kill us and would if they had the chance. They wanted to kill democracy.

Blumenthal continued, calling for the prosecution of those responsible for the day.

We cant let Jan. 6 go unpunished, he said. We need to prosecute, not only the people who were there...we need to climb the ladder of responsibility wherever the facts take us. Rudolph Giuliani, Michael Flynn, the people who organized and funded and incited and invited, they need to be prosecuted to, all the way to the top.

He cautioned those in attendance  some holding signs denouncing last years events and many others holding candles and flashlights  that this could happen again, not just in Washington, D.C., but at state capitol buildings.

And here is my warning to you: what happened on Jan, 6 was round one of the assault on democracy by violent extremism, Blumenthal said. The biggest threat to our internal security today is not a foreign terrorist with a bomb. Its violent extremism within this country. It was not a one-off. It was not an isolated incident, but a symptom of that violent extremism that has infected our society.

Murphy, speaking after Blumenthal, thanked those in attendance for their participation.

We deeply appreciate the fact that here in Connecticutthat you have our countrys back, Murphy said. Its a lot easier to sit at home, to play it safe, to hope that other people will stand up for whats right for democracy. Youve made a choice, not just to be here tonight, but to get up every day and spend a little part of your life fighting to preserve whats great about this country.

Taking a more optimistic turn, Murphy asked everyone to try and feel more gladness than sadness and madness.

I know the instinct today is to feel a combination of sadness and madness, Murphy said. To be sad about the state of our democracy and to be mad and furious about what those people did. And thats okay. But I want you to reserve only about 10 percent of yourself to feel sad and 10 percent of yourself to feel mad. I want the rest of your 80 percent to be gladness. This country we live in today is an absolute miracle. This is a revolutionary idea, democracy.

But Murphy also used his time on the steps of the town hall to condemn the Republican party.

Our Republican colleagues had a choice after Jan. 6, Murphy said. They could have turned the page on Donald Trump. They could have used Jan. 6 and the insurrection that he inspired to shut the book on that chapter of the Republican party and that chapter of American history. They could have called out his lies. But they didnt. In fact, they stayed silent, they rallied to his defense, they allowed him to take control of the party.

Conard High School senior Maya Palanki gave her perspective too, saying she had to read the news over and over last year to make sure what she was hearing about was actually happening.

I remember feeling shock, Palanki said. It was reality. As a kid when I first learned about democracy in school they emphasized the right to vote and participate, a peaceful way for citizens to be represented. People absolutely cannot violently revolt when the outcome is not what they had hoped. Solving what you believe to be unjust with an entirely unjust action is not only unwise, but it is immoral; it is dangerous.

State Rep. Kate Farrar, who was elected in 2020, was sworn into office on Jan. 6  making for a contrast between what she experienced in Connecticut and what other lawmakers were experiencing in Washington.

Last year on this day, in the bright cold sun of the afternoon, I rose my hand for the first time at our state capitol and took an oath of service to our community and our state, Farrar said. That could not be a more marked contrast to see that oath trampled by elected officials questioning the very rule of law that our constitution provides us.

Connecticut Media Group
RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) today approved, subject to certain requirements, Phase II of the Grid Transformation Plan (GT Plan), the Company's ten-year plan to transform the electric distribution grid.

This approval aligns with the customer-focused, state regulated utility framework in Virginia. That framework has resulted in nationally leading decarbonization goals, customer rates lower than national and regional averages and high levels of reliability for customers, made possible by a state regulatory model that embraces long-term planning and resiliency safeguards.

"This is another major step forward in building a clean energy economy in Virginia. This includes the largest offshore wind project in the nation, re-licensure of our nuclear units, energy storage, and solar energy, all of which creates jobs and economic opportunity here in the Commonwealth. As we bring more renewable energy onto our grid to build a cleaner future, and focus on increasing resiliency, we must modernize the way the system works," said Charlene Whitfield, senior-vice president of Power Delivery at Dominion Energy Virginia. "Today's decision by the SCC ensures that we can remain agile as a company to deliver the reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy that our customers want and expect."

Phase II of the GT Plan focuses on investments needed to facilitate and optimize the integration of distributed energy resources, such as small-scale solar, energy storage facilities, and electric vehicles. To effectively integrate these energy resources distributed throughout the grid, the Company will continue to deploy smart metering infrastructure and intelligent grid devices that will provide visibility of grid conditions. The Company will also invest in the infrastructure and systems to process, manage, and use that data to optimize grid operations and improve customer reliability.

The SCC ruling today approved over $650M of investments in 2022 and 2023. The Company can seek recovery of those costs in a future proceeding.

Phase I of the GT Plan is already underway with activities to enhance the reliability and security of the distribution grid as well as the development of a new customer information platform (CIP). The CIP will provide beneficial information enabling customers to make better decisions about their usage and bills.

Recent federal and state clean energy policies as well as commitments and incentives to speed the transition to electric vehicles have accelerated the need for a transformed energy grid capable of supporting significant volumes of renewables, batteries, and other distributed energy resources.

Virginia's regulatory structure encourages investments to ensure the continued reliability of the electric grid, ensures fiscal oversight to provide affordable energy to customers and facilitate the continued growth of renewables in line with both Dominion Energy's commitment to net zero carbon and methane emissions by 2050 across its footprint and the requirements set forth in the VCEA.

For more information on Dominion Energy Virginia's Grid Transformation efforts, please visit www.dominionenergy.com/gtplan.

About Dominion Energy

About 7 million customers in 13 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va. The company is committed to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy and to achieving net zero carbon dioxide and methane emissions from its power generation and gas infrastructure operations by 2050. Please visit DominionEnergy.com to learn more.

SOURCE Dominion Energy

Related Links

http://www.dominionenergy.com


PHOENIX, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NextMart, Inc. (the "Company" or "NXMR" - Pink Sheets Alternative Reporting Pink: NXMR)  NXMR would like to announce the hiring of a new Chief Executive Officer, William Bouyea of Westfield, Massachusetts.

Kathryn Gavin (President and CEO of the Company), states" We are excited for the addition of Mr. William Bouyea as the Company's new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Bouyea brings a wealth of experience to our team. I look forward working with him as we build the business of the Company."

Mr. Bouyea has a lifetime of experience in managing and growing both start up business as well as seasoned operations. He specializes in identifying potential business targets, acquisition negotiation, and business growth and expansion upon acquisition. Mr. Bouyea is a graduate of Western New England College for Business with a bachelor's in business administration.

Mr. Bouyea (New CEO of the Company) stated" I am excited to become the new CEO of the Company during this important time of business development. In my short time working with Ms. Gavin as a business consultant, we have identified several business targets in which the Company is currently in final negotiations to acquire over the coming weeks and months. We feel that upon acquisitions of these potential targets we as a team can not only increase the revenues, but also expand the business operations of each in areas not thought of by the previous ownership. We are also working on opening a new subsidiary to take advantage of a new business opportunity in a up and coming industry. I am really excited to be part of what I feel will become a large, revenue driven enterprise."

Forward Looking Statement

Certain statements that we make may constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements contained herein may contain certain forward-looking statements relating to NXMR that are based on the beliefs of NXMR's management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to NXMR's management. These forward-looking statements are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to the NXMR's business prospects, future developments, trends and conditions in the industry and geographical markets in which NXMR operates, its strategies, plans, objectives and goals, its ability to control costs, statements relating to prices, volumes, operations, margins, overall market trends, risk management and exchange rates.

ABOUT US

NextMart, Inc., a Delaware Corporation, is a public quoted Pink Sheet issuer under the ticker symbol "NXMR". Currently, NXMR currently is a shell company with a new management team with plans to become a current alternative reporting issuer with OTC Markets. The Company is currently looking for an appropriate business acquisition.

CONTACT:

10119 East Winter Sun Drive

Scottsdale, Arizona 85262

Web Site: www.nextmarkcorporation.com

Twitter: @CorporationNxmr

SOURCE NextMart, Inc.
AF, the most common form of arrhythmia , 2 is a leading cause of AF-related stroke. 4 Almost half of the 1.3 million people in the UK living with AF are undiagnosed, 2 , 3 leaving them particularly at risk of suffering the life-changing, and often devastating, effects of this serious form of stroke. 5 Stroke detection and prevention is key to the NHS Long Term Plan, 6 in efforts to save thousands of lives and reduce the staggering costs of disease  approximately 3 billion per year direct costs to the NHS, with further 4 billion to the UK economy in lost productivity, disability and informal care. 7

"AF diagnosis rates across the UK pre-pandemic were already too low. With difficulties in accessing in-person care and increased waiting times, concern is that diagnosis rates have fallen further, leaving thousands of people at risk of life-threatening cardiovascular complications, such as an AF-related stroke" said Professor Matt Reed, RCEM Professor, Consultant and NRS Fellow in Emergency Medicine, NHS Lothian. "With the NHS over-stretched, it is encouraging that NICE has recognised the value of utilising smart technology to support clinicians. Today's recommendation of KardiaMobile - a clinically-validated digital tool to allow people to monitor their heart rhythm at home, avoiding the need for hospital appointments - is a great step forward for cardiac services."

"Many people experience various symptoms but do not realise it may be a heart rhythm disorder such as AF. If medical attention is not sought it leaves them exposed to a much higher risk of AF-related stroke. KardiaMobile can be used to monitor a person's heart rhythm at any time, regardless of whether or not people show signs or symptoms of AF. This ultimately means AF can be detected faster, leading to a quicker diagnosis and therefore more lives being protected against AF-related stroke and consequences of suffering with AF," said Mrs Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder and Trustee of Arrhythmia Alliance & AF Association.

KardiaMobile is the world's most clinically-validated personal ECG. Unlike traditional ECGs, KardiaMobile provides a compact, patchless and wireless solution that can be used at any time and anywhere. The user starts a 30-second ECG recording on their smartphone via the Kardia app - by placing two fingers from each hand on each of the two top electrodes - enabling the patient to remotely capture a medical-grade recording of their heart activity. KardiaMobile provides instant detection of AF, bradycardia and tachycardia, which are leading indicators of cardiovascular disease. KardiaMobile can also detect normal heart rhythm, offering users peace of mind.

Commenting on the announcement, Priya Abani, CEO, AliveCor said, "AliveCor is proud to be able to offer the only NICE-recommended personal ECG to support remote cardiac care services for patients not in front of their cardiologist. Today's recommendation not only highlights the clinical superiority of KardiaMobile against the current standard of care, but also its position as a more cost-effective solution, therefore warranting its value as a clinical tool to support rapid diagnosis of AF."

NICE's recommendation of KardiaMobile as a clinically and cost-effective medical technology is supported by evidence from 27 different studies,1 including five randomised controlled trials.8,9,10,11,12 Data submitted to NICE, showed KardiaMobile was five times more efficacious at detecting heart rhythm problems than standard tests alone9, with greater usability.9,13

NICE's MTG evaluates new, innovative medical devices and diagnostics. It assesses medical technologies that deliver treatment, give greater independence to patients and detect or monitor medical conditions.

The NICE MTG recommendation can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg64

About AliveCor

AliveCor, Inc. is transforming cardiological care using deep learning. The FDA-cleared KardiaMobile device is the most clinically-validated personal ECG solution in the world. KardiaMobile 6L provides instant detection of Atrial Fibrillation, Bradycardia, Tachycardia, Sinus Rhythm with Supraventricular Ectopy, Sinus Rhythm with Premature Ventricular Contractions, Sinus Rhythm with Wide QRS and Normal Sinus Rhythm in an ECG. Kardia is the first AI-enabled platform to aid patients and clinicians in the early detection of atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia and one associated with a highly-elevated risk of stroke. AliveCor's enterprise platform allows third party providers to manage their patients' and customers' heart conditions simply using state-of-the-art tools that provide easy front-end and back-end integration to AliveCor technologies. AliveCor protects its customers with stringent data security and compliance practices, achieving HIPAA compliance and SOC2 Type 1 and Type 2 attestations. AliveCor is a privately-held company headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. "Consumer" or "Personal" ECGs are ECG devices available for direct sale to consumers. For more information, visit alivecor.com.

References

[1] NICE Medical Technologies Guidance. KardiaMobile for detecting atrial fibrillation (MTG64). Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg64. Last accessed January 2022.

[2] British Heart Foundation. Managing atrial fibrillation in primary care. Available at: https://www.bhf.org.uk/for-professionals/healthcare-professionals/innovation-in-care/managing-atrial-fibrillation-in-primary-care. Last accessed January 2022

[3] Heart Rhythm Alliance. Heart Rhythm Week. Available at: https://www.heartrhythmalliance.org/afa/uk/heart-rhythm-week. Last accessed January 2022.

[4] Heart Rhythm Alliance. AF-related stroke? AF-related stroke. Available at: https://www.heartrhythmalliance.org/afa/uk/af-related-stroke. Last accessed January 2022.

[5] Heart Rhythm Alliance. Atrial Fibrillation Management. Available at: https://www.heartrhythmalliance.org/files/files/Atrial%20Fibrillation%20Management_2010%20Full%20Report.pdf . Last accessed January 2022.

[6] NHS. Long Term Plan. Available at: https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/areas-of-work/stroke. Last accessed January 2022.

[7] NHS England. Press release: NHS stroke action will save hundreds of lives. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2019/05/nhs-stroke-action-will-save-hundreds-of-lives/ . Last accessed January 2022.

[8] Goldenthal IL, Sciacca RR, Riga T, et al. Recurrent atrial fibrillation/flutter detection after ablation or cardioversion using the AliveCor KardiaMobile device: iHEART results. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2019. 30(11):2220-2228.

[9] Reed MJ, Grubb NR, Lang CC et al. Multi-centre Randomised Controlled Trial of a Smartphone-based Event Recorder Alongside Standard Care Versus Standard Care for Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Palpitations and Pre-syncope: The IPED (Investigation of Palpitations in the ED) study. EClinicalMedicine. 2019. 19(1):711.

[10] Koh KT, Law WC, Zaw WM et al. Smartphone electrocardiogram for detecting atrial fibrillation after a cerebral ischaemic event: a multicentre randomized controlled trial. Europace. 2021. 18;23(7):1016-1023.

[11] Caceres B, Hickey K, Bakken S, et al. Mobile Electrocardiogram Monitoring and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2020. 35(4):327-336.

[12] Guhl, E, Althouse A, Pusateri A, et al. The Atrial Fibrillation Health Literacy Information Technology Trial: Pilot Trial of a Mobile Health App for Atrial Fibrillation. JMIR Cardio. 2020. 4(1):17162.

[13] Narasimha N, Hanna N, Beck H et al. Validation of a smartphone-based event recorder for arrhythmia detection. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2018. 41(5):487-494.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1721631/AliveCor_KardiaMobile.jpg

SOURCE AliveCor
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- What do you expect to be different about your medical care this year? Expert physicians will respond to this question and other healthcare concerns webinar participants would like to discuss. It's an opportunity for you to join in and ask medical questions. You'll get a chance to gain insight about maintaining good health during the pandemic. The free OBHEALTHY Q&A Physician Health Network zoom webinar is set for Saturday, Jan 8, 1-3 pm ET. Click here to sign up early.

What do you expect to be different about your medical care this year? A free OBHealthy Question and Answer Webinar will be held Sat. Jan 8, from 1-3 pm ET to provide insight on this question.

Dr. Omar Bey M.D., the webinar host advocates the importance of visiting your doctor on a yearly basis for a routine checkup. He feels it's essential for adults and children to have access to proper nutrition, medical treatment, and the support necessary to deal with healthcare challenges. Efforts to overcome this pandemic, he said, "Makes it possible to upgrade the quality of preventive medicine and services in poor communities."

In 2019, CDC data showed one in three Americans were obese, referring to individuals as having a body mass index at 30 or above. It's a level where people have an increased risk of suffering with heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes. As obesity rates increase, it brings about other health complications and a rise in preventable deaths. Therefore, this webinar is timely by emphasizing the importance of preventive medical treatment during the pandemic.

About OBHealthy Webinar

OBHealthy Physician Health Network hosts a free zoom webinar from 1-3 pm ET on the second Saturday of each month. The "Ask Your Medical Questions" webinars help individuals get answers to medical questions from physicians and healthcare providers located in the New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania (Tri-State) area. Previous webinar sessions are available on youtube.com.

www.obhealthy.com

Reporters or journalists interested in additional information, email [email protected] with your request.

Contact: Teri Major

862-240-9016

[email protected]

SOURCE OBHealthy.com
GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Onion Global Limited ("Onion Global", the "Group" or the "Company") (NYSE: OG), a next-generation lifestyle brand platform that incubates, markets, and distributes the world's fresh, fashionable, and future brands to young people in China and across Asia, today announced that a select group of its brands were featured in the 6th edition of the "Top 10 Lifestyle Brands" list compiled by LIFE+, an independent third party media platform that conducts research on the changing lifestyle patterns in China, and the Jinan University Lifestyle Academy.

Specifically, TENKOU RYUUGI, one of Onion Global's Luca Brands, was featured on the 2021 China Top 10 Household Experience List for delivering high-quality, aesthetics-focused, and value-for-money household products in the household, skincare, and health categories. LETSEXY, an Onion Global incubated, low-fat, light meal food brand that focuses on weight management and the production of functional superfood products was featured on the 2021 China Top 10 Dining Experience List for its customized calorie-controlled products developed based on its two-dimensional model of relaxation and science. MIRACLE SNACK STORE, an Onion Global snack brand that offers a variety of snacks designed to satisfy the dynamic eating habits of young people, was featured on the 2021 China Top 10 Design List.

Mr. Cong (Kenny) Li, Founder and CEO of Onion Global commented, "These awards speak to our efforts in cultivating and managing lifestyle brands, and our product portfolio can now cover the entire spectrum of a consumer's day-to-day life needs. Today, our Luca Brands portfolio has more than 30 popular brands and over 600 products that we have accumulated through investments, M&A, and strategic brand management. The portfolio covers products from smart lifestyle and healthy foods to biotech products that are aimed at promoting a better lifestyle. Going forward we will continue to grow our product offerings with ones that are backed by science and technology, and closely monitor the repurchase rates to analyze and differentiate our most popular products. Our investment in technology creates barriers that are underpinned by our strengths in the upstream supply chain that we have established over the years, enabling us to meet the evolving needs of our consumers with better products. We will continue to enhance our offerings by further investing in intelligent manufacturers and research and development centers worldwide."

Onion Global focuses on the integration of online and offline consumption scenarios and has created a brand portfolio matrix that meets the tastes and demands of the younger generation. The Company is building a holistic brands ecosystem by leveraging the integrated platform of its supply chain, brands, marketing, and distribution channels. As such, Onion Global can meet the diversified, vertical, and experiential lifestyle needs of the younger consumers that are leading the consumption growth in the new consumption era.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, the Company's forecasts, general observation of the industry, and business outlook, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "expects," "anticipates," "target," "aim," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "potential," "estimates" "continue," "is/are likely to," or other similar statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Onion Global's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Onion Global does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

About Onion Global Limited

Onion Global Limited (NYSE: OG) is a next-generation lifestyle brand platform that incubates, markets, and distributes the world's fresh, fashionable, and future brands, which we refer to as "3F brands," to young people in China and across Asia. The Company's mission is to be the dream factory of lifestyle brands for young people. The Company's platform offers an integrated solution to develop, market, and distribute new and inspiring branded products, thereby reshaping the lifestyle shopping and consumer culture in China. Onion Global Limited has been listed on New York Stock Exchange since May 2021.

For more information, please visit: http://ir.msyc.com/.

Investor Relations Contact

In China:

Onion Global Ltd.

Investor Relations

E-mail: [email protected]

Christensen

Mr. Eric Yuan

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +86-10-5900-1548

In the United States:

Christensen

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +1-480-614-3004

SOURCE Onion Global Limited
CHICAGO, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Palette Software AB has completed a Type 2 SOC 2 examination for the Online Cloud Service Operation for the review period from January 1, 2021, to October 31, 2021. The examination was performed by the independent CPA firm Schellman & Company, LLC.

By engaging an independent CPA to examine and report on Palette's controls, Palette can respond to meet the needs of user entities and have an objective evaluation of the effectiveness of controls that address operations and compliance. Palette has complied with the following SOC reports:





SOC 2 - Reporting on controls at a service organization relevant to security and availability.

The Trust Services categories that Palette are evaluated against as part of the SOC 2 examination are of the following categories:

Security - Information and systems are protected against unauthorized access, unauthorized disclosure of information, and damage to systems that could compromise the availability, integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of information or systems and affect the entity's ability to meet its objectives.

- Information and systems are protected against unauthorized access, unauthorized disclosure of information, and damage to systems that could compromise the availability, integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of information or systems and affect the entity's ability to meet its objectives.

Availability - Information and systems are available for operation and use to meet the entity's objectives.

Palette Software is committed to performing SOC 2 examinations each and every year. Palette also completes a GDPR compliance attestation.



Palette's AP automation solution delivers invoice data capture, an accounts payable approval workflow, automated PO matching, a searchable invoice archive and a complete time-stamped audit trail for investigations. The software reduces invoice processing costs, improves approval cycle times and reduces manual work for accounts payable teams.



See more about Palette AP Automation

For more information:

Mats Ferm, CEO, Palette Software

[email protected]

Kristina Alstermark, CMO, Palette Software

[email protected]

About Palette Software

Palette Software is a market-leading vendor of financial process automation for domestic and global corporations. Palette solutions automate Accounts Payable operations. Customers experience significant and measurable cost savings, productivity gains and operational excellence. Palette solutions are GDPR compliant and optimize financial management for more than 2,500 customers in 50+ countries. With 25 years of experience, Palette and its partners offer automation solutions for organizations of all sizes worldwide. www.palettesoftware.com

Media Contact:

Ladd Rowan

+1 872 205 3170

[email protected]

SOURCE Palette Software
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PaxMedica, Inc. ("PaxMedica" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing medicines that help overcome the challenges of living with complex neurological conditions, today announced that it has received approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Agency (SAHPRA) for its clinical trial application to study the effects of PAX-101 (suramin intravenous (IV) infusions) in patients with Long COVID-19 Syndrome (LCS), also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The study, PAX-LCS-101, will be a Phase 1B, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multiple-dose study. The study is expected to start enrolling patients in the first quarter of this year after obtaining South African National Ethics Committee approval.

LCS is a serious, multi-system illness that results in significant impairment of functioning in many individuals after acute infection with COVID-19. The diagnosis of LCS is challenging as there are no specific tests to establish the diagnosis. Although there are many definitions proposed in the medical literature, most researchers define LCS as a syndrome that includes a protracted course of various physical and neuropsychiatric symptoms that persist for 12 weeks or more without an alternative explanation. The study is expected to enroll patients with persistent signs and symptoms of LCS, after a previously documented infection with the COVID-19 virus. The symptoms of LCS in each patient can vary but often include fatigue, "brain fog", pain, headaches, shortness of breath, difficulty with concentration and attention, sleep disturbance, orthostasis and dizziness, and decreased functioning as well as many associated symptoms such as joint and muscle pain, depression and anxiety.

LCS has been observed to closely resemble another post-acute infection disorder known as myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). In both disorders, fatigue is a prominent symptom and many of the other observed symptoms overlap. Both conditions may result in an inability to work or perform normal activities and in extreme cases of ME/CFS, have been documented to last for years, resulting in those affected becoming home-, if not bed-bound. PaxMedica plans to study PAX-101 as a treatment for both LCS and ME/CFS.

"People who suffer from Long COVID Syndrome and ME/CFS have nearly identical physical symptoms and there may be a similarity in the underlying pathophysiology related to mitochondria and purinergic signaling. Using a purinergic antagonist, like suramin, may play an important role in addressing both of these syndromes," commented Robert Naviaux, MD, PhD and co-Director of the Mitochondrial and Metabolic Disease Center at the UCSD School of Medicine.

This clinical trial is planned to study the safety and tolerability, efficacy, and PK of two doses of suramin (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) in adults, 18 years and older, with LCS.

Despite the significant unmet medical need for treatments of LCS, there are no currently approved medications for this disorder. There is growing consensus in the scientific and medical communities of the need for more research into the causes of LCS, and the potentially related disorder ME/CFS

PAX-101 is also currently in Phase 2 for Autism Spectrum Disorder ("ASD"). The Company is also developing PAX-102, a proprietary intranasal formulation of suramin, for ASD and other neurologic disorders.

About PaxMedica, Inc.

PaxMedica is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company leading the development of PAX-101 to advance its use in autism spectrum disorder, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, Long Covid Syndrome, and fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. Though ASD is commonplace in many communities, no FDA approved treatments for its core symptoms exist. PaxMedica's most clinically advanced therapeutic, PAX-101, is currently being evaluated in clinical trials to support children with ASD for treatment of their core and associated symptoms. For more information, visit https://www.paxmedica.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, as amended, including those relating to the Company's product development, clinical and regulatory timelines, market opportunity, competitive position, possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, potential growth opportunities and other statements that are predictive in nature. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry and markets in which we operate and management's current beliefs and assumptions.

These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking expressions, including, but not limited to, "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "estimate," "potential, "predict," "project," "should," "would" and similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For more information, contact:

PaxMedica, Inc.

Howard Weisman

Chief Executive Officer

[email protected]

Media Relations:

Tony Russo, Ph.D.

Russo Partners LLC

(212) 845 4251

[email protected]

SOURCE PaxMedica
"Partnering with the Water Replenishment District of Southern California will not only help enable long-term, sustainable water security for local communities who depend on an accessible and reliable supply of clean, safe water," said Johannes Evenblij, President of West Division at PepsiCo Beverages North America, "but it will also be critical in the advancement our pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) Net Water Positive ambition to reduce absolute water use and replenish back into the local watershed more than 100% of the water we use. As a food and beverage company, we're acutely aware of the critical role water plays in the southern California ecosystem, and our community."

The partnership will improve drought resiliency and pilot WRD's first inland injection well for utilization of in-ground storage. When complete, the project will store an average of 325,851 gallons of water per year for municipal and indirect use, drought resiliency and mitigation.

"The Water Replenishment District is proud to be the first public agency to receive a water sustainability grant from PepsiCo," said Water Replenishment District Board President John D.S. Allen. "This grant will help build our region's drought resilience for years to come. The WRD Board of Directors commend and applaud PepsiCo for their commitment to protecting our watershed."

PepsiCo is focused on improving water-use efficiency, local replenishment in water-scarce areas, public education, advocacy for smart water policies, and adoption of best practices with community partners. Example sustainable PepsiCo partnerships include:

Arbor Day Foundation : PBNA and PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA) supported ADF's replanting of two million trees in the burn scars of the Carr and Camp Fire wildfires that devastated Northern California in 2018.

: PBNA and PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA) supported ADF's replanting of two million trees in the burn scars of the Carr and Camp Fire wildfires that devastated in 2018. California Water Action Collaborative: PBNA is part of CWAC, a coalition of industry, nonprofit, and governmental organizations investing in efforts throughout California that yield positive return for water quality and quantity.

PBNA is part of CWAC, a coalition of industry, nonprofit, and governmental organizations investing in efforts throughout that yield positive return for water quality and quantity. The Nature Conservancy: PBNA collaborates with TNC as part of the Salt and Verde Alliance , a partnership that brings together companies, farmers, communities, and other organizations to help protect the Salt and Verde watersheds of the arid western United States .

To learn more about PepsiCo sustainability, please visit www.pepsico.com/pepsicopositive.

About Water Replenishment District of Southern California

For over 60 years The Water Replenishment District (WRD) has managed and protected groundwater resources in two of the most utilized groundwater basins in the nation. Groundwater from these basins provides nearly half of the drinking water for 4 million residents in 43 cities of southern Los Angeles County. Through WRD's Water Independence Now (WIN) Program, the District has developed a resilient and locally sustainable source of water for groundwater replenishment.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit pepsico.com.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE PepsiCo, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.pepsico.com


Lady Patch, founded by Cindy Santa Cruz and headquartered in El, Segundo, CA, is the only drug-free feminine patch that prevents bladder leaks and the frequent urge to urinate. Lady Patch began as Santa Cruz's mother's invention as she had been using a prototype for years to find relief. When Santa Cruz became a mother and started dealing with incontinence, she decided to begin reinventing the original prototype her mother had used years before. Incontinence affects one in every three women around the world, and Lady Patch is helping to provide those affected with a solution to improve their quality of life.

For the first time ever in addition to the grand prize winner, the three additional finalists including Cybele Microbiome, Kushae Naturals, and Ryp Labs, were also awarded a $5,000 prize in recognition of their innovative products.

"We are pleased to name Lady Patch as the winner of this year's P&G Ventures Innovation Challenge. We thought this product offered an innovative solution to a problem that affects so many, and we're very excited about the potential positive impact the product could have on the lives of women around the world," said Guy Persaud, President of New Business for Procter & Gamble. "This year's finalists were so outstanding that we wanted to give them special recognition as well. The Innovation Challenge is all about discovering and supporting ideas coming from startups and entrepreneurs across the country, and we are so inspired by all of this year's applicants and their efforts to improve consumers' lives."

"Our company, Lady Patch, is honored to be selected as the winner of the 2022 Innovation Challenge," said Founder Cindy Santa Cruz. "We are delighted to win the grand prize and receive the opportunity to partner with P&G Ventures to continue strategic development of our product and company to help better the lives of women around the world. We are also grateful for the chance to pitch our product ideas alongside these esteemed companies with influential stories and innovative products."

The P&G Ventures Innovation Challenge took place virtually during CES on Thursday, January 6th in the P&G Ventures LifeLab. Lady Patch and the additional three finalists pitched their product ideas to a panel of expert judges including Victor Aguilar , Chief R&D and Innovation Officer for P&G; Guy Persaud , President of New Business, P&G; Saeed Amidi , Founder and CEO, Plug and Play Tech Center; Sarah Anderson , Founding Partner, Vault Fund; and Lee Henderson , Americas EY Private Leader and Executive Sponsor, EY Entrepreneurs Access Network.

To watch a recording of the Innovation Challenge please visit, youtube.com.

About P&G Ventures

Founded in 2015, P&G Ventures is an early-stage startup studio within P&G that creates new fast-moving-consumer goods brands and businesses in new target categories by partnering internally or externally with entrepreneurs, inventors, visionaries, founders and start-ups. P&G Ventures has embraced Lean principles and metered funding as it moves projects through the Discovery, Create, Build, and Scale phases of development. To date we have four brands (Zevo, Kindra, Bodewell and OPTE) that have entered Build phase, either internally within P&G or externally with our partner M13's Launchpad. To learn more about P&G Ventures, go to PGVenturesStudio.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Procter & Gamble

P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always, Ambi Pur, Ariel, Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Dawn, Downy, Fairy, Febreze, Gain, Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Lenor, Olay, Oral-B, Pampers, Pantene, SK-II, Tide, Vicks, and Whisper. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.

SOURCE P&G Ventures
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According to the recent market study by Technavio, the Power Rental Market in Americas is expected to increase by USD 873.83 million from 2020 to 2025. However, the growth momentum in the market is expected to decelerate at a CAGR of 5.34% during the forecast period. The report provides a detailed analysis of drivers & opportunities, top winning strategies, competitive scenario, future market trends, market size & estimations, and major investment pockets.

Download FREE Sample: for more additional information about the market size and future opportunities

Vendor Insights-

The power rental market is fragmented due to the presence of many regional and global players. To compete in the market, vendors are focusing on introducing differentiated products at competitive prices.

Aggreko Plc: The company offers generators and power turbines on a rental basis. It offers diesel and natural gas generators for planned and emergency applications.

APR Energy: The company provides genset generators and mobile gas turbine power plants on a rental basis.

Ashtead Group Plc: The company offers power generation equipment such as turbines and generators on rental basis.

Atlas Copco AB: The company offers mobile diesel generators on a rental basis.

Caterpillar Inc.: The company offers generators ranging from 20 to 2,000 kilowatt electricity of power on a rental basis.

Find additional highlights on the vendors and their product offerings. Download Free Sample Report

Latest Drivers & Trends Driving the Market-

Power Rental Market in Americas: Driver

Rising demand from the mining industry:

Old mines operating in the Americas are exhibiting high demand for rental power as they had limited resources during their development and operation. In addition, the inclusion of new equipment in these mines has further increased the need for an uninterrupted power supply. These factors have increased the demand for temporary power solutions as they provide the flexibility of scaling power supply, depending on the need for power in short periods. With the growth of the mining industry, the demand for such power rental solutions is expected to increase and thus drive market growth.

Power Rental Market in Americas: Trend

Use of gas generators:

Growing concerns over the emissions caused by power plants have led to the demand for effective power generating solutions that consume less fuel and also emit fewer greenhouse gases. This has increased the adoption of gas generators as they help mitigate emissions and also generate more power. The adoption of such generators are enabling vendors in the market to reduce the total cost of ownership, improve operational efficiency, and achieve greater profits. This trend is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Find additional information about various other market Drivers & Trends mentioned in our FREE sample report.

Related Reports:

Mobile Power Generation Equipment Rentals Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025



Generator Rental Market for Oil and Gas Industry by Product, Application, and Geography Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Power Rental Market In Americas Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Decelerate at a CAGR of 5.34% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 873.83 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 5.93 Regional analysis Americas and Rest of Americas Performing market contribution Americas at 100% Key consumer countries Americas Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Aggreko Plc, APR Energy, Ashtead Group Plc, Atlas Copco AB, Caterpillar Inc., Cummins Inc., Generac Power Systems Inc., Herc Rentals Inc., Siemens AG, and United Rentals Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Elderly people attend class of Erhu, which is referred to as the "Chinese Violin", at the Anqiu elderly university, in east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 30, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyuan)

JINAN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Sun Baoping, 64, rushed to the elderly university for his last photography class of the semester, with the latest SLR camera in his hand.

Sun began studying at the elderly university in Anqiu City, east China's Shandong Province, eight years ago after he left his job at the local procuratorate.

"I wanted to find some decent hobby and learn a special skill," Sun said he didn't want to "waste his old age."

The Anqiu elderly university offers 30 courses, including dancing, Beijing Opera, vocal music, calligraphy and violin. Each course costs only 100 yuan (about 15.7 U.S. dollars) a semester. It is not a huge expense compared to the retirement fund of aged people.

There are more than 20 students in Sun's class. After years of study, he has changed his photographic equipment four times, using it to take pictures of flowers, trees, and his grandchild.

"Wherever I go, the camera comes with me." The 64-year-old man could now never leave his new friend.

China has 264 million people aged 60 years and above, accounting for 18.7 percent of its 1.4 billion population in total, according to the seventh population census conducted in 2020. The aged population was expected to surpass 300 million in five years.

Universities for the aged have changed the concept of many Chinese elderly people from "surviving old age" to "enjoying their old age."

"My retirement life was lit up by the elderly university," said Xin Jianrong, a 65-year-old retired worker.

Refusing to be constrained by babysitting her grandchildren in her later years, Xin began studying dancing and vocal music at the Anqiu elderly university ten years ago. "I want to find my passion," Xin told her family.

Xin has loved artistic performance since childhood but never had the opportunity to learn systematically. Now at university, she is often the first to arrive and the last to leave.

After class, Xin organized a troupe in the community to perform square dancing, a physical activity popular with middle-aged and retired women, who do natural movements to a musical accompaniment in open places in cities, aiming to spread her learning achievements at university.

Xin's husband, friends, and neighbors also joined the elderly university under her influence. Such appeal makes Xin into a "dancing advertisement."

Wang Yuzhen, vice president of the Anqiu elderly university, said there were only a few dozen students back in 2004 when the university was first established. Now there are nearly 2,000 students, among whom the oldest is 70.

The number of students at China's universities for the aged had exceeded 10.8 million by the end of 2019, according to the country's first report on education development of the elderly.

The report also showed that China had about 76,000 institutions providing education services for the elderly by the end of 2019.

"Aging is not terrible. What is terrible is to give up, stop stepping forward, and lose hope," students at the Anqiu elderly university often share with Wang. Enditem

Elderly people attend singing class at the Anqiu Elderly University, in east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 30, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyuan)

The elderly attend Chinese calligraphy class at the Anqiu Elderly University, in east China's Shandong Province, Dec. 30, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyuan)
LUBBOCK, Texas, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Top Beef breeders and scientific analysis come together to determine the best Steaks in the USA! The Triple Crown Steak Challenge is where great steaks go to become Champions. Connect with Top Breeders for a taste of the best steaks in the US. Learn how to judge the quality of steaks before you purchase. Buy direct. Delicious tender, healthy, luxurious Wagyu beef exists without import pricing! Top contestants and Meat Buyers Guide are featured in the November Issue of Witt Magazine.

https://www.wittmagazine.com/novmeatissue

Triple Crown Steak Challenge

This unique competition defined the finest ribeye steaks from Wagyu cattle raised and bred in the US. The competition uses the advanced technology of meat imaging and the art of cattle raising to determine the award-winning quality of the meat.

There are eight categories to the Triple Crown Steak Challenge held in Lubbock, Texas at the prestigious Texas Tech University Meat Science Department: The categories are the Triple Crown Champion, Grand Champion, Reserve Champion, Sensory Panel, Tenderness, MIJ Camera Assessment, Expert Visual Assessment, and Fatty Acid Profile which determines the healthiest beef. In addition, there are several Top 5 categories.

Grand Champion: Winner with the top combined scores overall. This year Twin Oaks was named the Grand Champion winner of the Triple Crown Steak Challenge with entry steak #42, a 100% Fullblood Wagyu entry. They are located in Virginia and sell their Champion Wagyu beef online. https://www.facebook.com/twinoaksanguswagyu /

Reserve Champion: Runner up with the second-highest scores was Morace Cattle Company, Cleveland, Texas. Morace Cattle with steak entry # 47 a 100% Fullblood Wagyu took top honors in several categories. Morace cattle company also sells their award-winning Beef. https://wagyubeefsteak.com/pages/guarantee

Grand Champion Percentage: Midland Meats/Scharbauer Ranch, Midland Texas was Grand Champion overall in the percentage Category and Number One in the Fatty Acid Profile for healthy beef over all the entries both Fullblood and Percentage. This is a testament to the quality of their beef and their breeding genetics that have been passed down through the ages.

https://midlandmeatco.com/

Fareway Grocery, located in Iowa, sells Award-winning Triple Crown Wagyu Beef from Fedderson Wagyu. They still cut their beef in the market. They have many packages and offer discounts for their specials of the month. You may buy online or in the store.

https://www.FarewayMeatMarket.com

To see more information on all of the winners and learn how to judge for quality beef, refer to the meat issue of Witt Magazine. The magazine lists all of the winners and their information. You can learn about the test conducted and meet the professors who dedicate their lives to improving beef quality here in the US.

https://www.WittMagazine.com

If you want to learn about the testing performed, a video of the testing is available to view by anyone who signs up at triplecrownsteakchallenge.com. The Triple Crown Steak Challenge benefits everybody by releasing the collected data to the USDA in the hope of expanding the grading system to assist consumers in purchasing quality beef.

The Challenge invites consumers to visit their websites triplecrownsteakchallenge.com and meatimaging.com to learn more about the new technology and information related to improving the performance of beef quality. Consumers may also subscribe free to WITT magazine, an online publication with the latest food, recipes, and beef quality innovations. The magazine also introduces you to the dedicated Wagyu Producers that use technology and research to improve their herds so the consumer can have an extraordinary eating experience of tenderness, taste, and health benefits that far exceed any other beef in the US market.

Press contact:

Desi Cicale

Meat Imaging USA

Meatimaging.com

1935 County Highway

Hackleburg, Alabama 35564

[email protected]

USA

(850) 619-1119

SOURCE Triple Crown Steak Challenge
Get a free sample of this data, download our sample report: https://spendedge.com/procurement-report/seafood-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report

Who are the Top Suppliers in the Seafood Market?

The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several top suppliers. Some of the leading Seafood suppliers profiled extensively in this report include:

American Seafoods Co. LLC

Austevoll Seafood ASA

Kangamiut Seafood AS

These are a few of the key suppliers in Seafood market. Discover more about these vendors, including the detailed analysis of procurement strategies deployed by major category end-users across several industries while sourcing for Seafood requirements.

Download a free sample of this report: https://spendedge.com/procurement-report/seafood-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report

What are the Most Adopted Procurement Strategies for the Seafood Market?

The research includes a complete analysis of the most commonly used procurement strategies by buyers across sectors, as well as an insight into these strategies' innovation, regulatory compliance, quality, supply, and cost. Adopting these procurement tactics would enable buyers to minimize category TCO and achieve cost savings while sourcing Seafood.

What Are the Most Effective Price Strategy That a Vendor Can Adopt and What is The Forecasted Incremental Spend?

It is critical to monitor current and future pricing changes in order to maximize the value of the purchase. Price forecasts can assist in purchase planning, especially when combined with constant monitoring of price-influencing factors. The market expects an incremental spend of USD 38.97 billion over the forecast period as a result of several market drivers prevalent across multiple geographies. In addition, the sourcing and procurement report discusses different cost-cutting factors by analyzing the following criteria:

Identify favorable opportunities in Seafood TCO (total cost of ownership)

Expected changes in price forecast and factors driving the current and future price changes

Identify pricing models that offer the most rewarding opportunities

Download the free sample report to get detailed insights into few more pricing strategies.

Which are the Key Regions for Seafood Market?

The Seafood market will register an incremental spend of about USD 38.97 billion during the forecast period. However, only a few regions will drive the majority of this growth. Moreover, on the supply side, North America, Europe, and APAC will have the maximum influence owing to the supplier base. The growth is expected to be primarily driven by increasing demand and adoption of the category across those few regions.

To get more information on the volume drivers that are driving the adoption of the category across regions, download our free sample report.

Smart Procurement Starts Here:

SpendEdge's procurement intelligence platform is the go-to tool for companies looking to access latest procurement research insights and supplier data on an easy to use platform:

Subscribe now for free, to get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment.

Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

Appendix

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions.

Contacts

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SOURCE SpendEdge
HONG KONG, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --The Incentive Ecosystem Foundation, a community-led foundation that supports development on the Serum network, today announced that it is raising $100M to support the growth, development and innovation of the Serum ecosystem. Serum is a decentralized exchange and platform that provides the underlying liquidity infrastructure for protocols built on Solana's fast and censorship-resistant blockchain.

The round is composed of 18 investors, with contributions coming from a list of premier firms in the traditional finance and digital asset spaces including, but not limited to, Commonwealth Asset Management LP, Tagus, Tiger Global, and executives at Golden Tree Asset Management.

A portion of the funds is expected to be allocated to a Serum ecosystem fund, which is dedicated to supporting the multitude of projects leveraging Serum's liquidity infrastructure and decentralized exchange capabilities. The fund focuses on several key areas of growth across the Serum network, providing funding and developmental support to up and coming Serum ecosystem projects such as DeFi, NFTs, gaming, metaverse and DAO tooling. The added funds are expected to promote innovation, development, and growth of protocols built on the Solana blockchain that utilize Serum's decentralized exchange and liquidity infrastructure. In addition, the foundation will offer support services for business development, marketing and ecosystem integration.

JHL, a Serum community contributor, commented on today's news, "Over the last few months the Serum ecosystem has experienced incredible growth. With over 70 projects built on Serum, each leverages and contributes to its liquidity pool and trade volume. We are excited at this news and look forward to working together with other community members to further position Serum as the core liquidity infrastructure provider in the Solana ecosystem and beyond."

Serum is a decentralized exchange platform built on the Solana blockchain that brings liquidity services of traditional finance to the decentralized landscape. It offers an on-chain central limit order book (CLOB) that gives developers access to matching services and shared liquidity across all protocols building with Serum. Currently, over 70 projects are participating in its ecosystem including Raydium, Atrix, Vybe Network, Solrise, 01 Protocol and Zeta Markets amongst others.

According to Serum Analytics by Vybe Network, applications on Serum now account for upwards of $2bn total value locked, the net value of all assets held by the various DeFi applications. Additionally, on December 4, 2021, daily trading volume on Serum hit an all-time high of $350mm in a 24-hour period.

Projects interested in joining the Serum ecosystem can contact [email protected]

About Incentive Ecosystem Foundation

The Incentive Ecosystem Foundation (IEF) is a community-led foundation that contributes to the development of the Serum protocol. The IEF manages a Serum ecosystem fund, allowing it to support protocols developing on Serum's on-chain liquidity infrastructure.

About Serum

Serum is a decentralized exchange and liquidity infrastructure provider for DeFi protocols built on the Solana blockchain. It offers an on-chain central limit order book (CLOB) that gives developers access to matching services and shared liquidity across all protocols built on Serum.

Media Contact

Peter Padovano

M Group Strategic Communications (on behalf of IEF & Serum)

[email protected]

646-859-5953

SOURCE Incentive Ecosystem Foundation
NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation of Sonida Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE: SNDA) concerning possible breaches of fiduciary duty. To obtain additional information, go to:

https://www.zlk.com/compensation2/sonida-senior-living-inc-information-request-form

or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 363-7500. There is no cost or obligation to you.

Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized firm with offices in New York, Connecticut, California, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities lawsuits and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Levi & Korsinsky, LLP

Joseph E. Levi, Esq.

55 Broadway, 10th Floor

New York, NY 10006

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 363-7500

Fax: (212) 363-7171

www.zlk.com

SOURCE Levi & Korsinsky, LLP

Related Links

http://www.zlk.com


SK hynix, the world's second largest memory chipmaker, and Qualcomm, the world's leading wireless technology innovator held talks regarding collaboration on the development of data center applications and high-speed memory for PCs.

SKT and Qualcomm discussed cooperation in 5G business areas including metaverse and smart factory.

"With competition intensifying in the global ICT market, cooperation is no longer a matter of choice but an absolute necessity," said Park Jung-ho, Vice Chairman and CEO of SK Square and SK hynix. "All ICT affiliate companies of SK will lead innovations by pursuing cooperation that goes beyond all national borders and industries."

About SK Telecom

SK Telecom (NYSE:SKM) is Korea's leading ICT company, driving innovations in fixed & wireless telecommunications, AI service, and digital infrastructure service. Armed with cutting-edge ICT including AI and 5G, the company is ushering in a new level of convergence to deliver unprecedented value to customers. As the global 5G pioneer, SKT is committed to realizing the full potential of 5G through ground-breaking services that can improve people's lives, transform businesses, and lead to a better society.

SKT boasts unrivaled leadership in the Korean mobile market with over 30 million subscribers, which account for nearly 50 percent of the market.

For more information, please contact [email protected] or visit our LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/company/sk-telecom.

SOURCE SK Telecom
LONDON, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Brand Awards is an annual event held by Global Brands Magazine (GBM), an international publication headquartered in the UK. The award aims to recognise global brands achieving excellence in performance across a broad range of sectors while keeping its readers updated on the branding world's key trends. SmartFX was evaluated based on customer service, satisfaction, digital innovation, strategic relationships and new business development.

Commenting on SmartFX winning the awards, ShivKumar (CEO) of Global Brands magazine said, "SmartFX seemingly came out of nowhere and took the FX world by storm in the past decade or so, and now are a household name in the industry. We're very proud to present them with this year's award for the Fastest Growing Forex Brand, United Arab Emirates. Congratulations to them."

Ms. Asha Rathore, managing director at SmartFX, commented: "We are pleased and honoured to have been recognised as the "Fastest-growing broker in the UAE" by Global Brands Magazine this year. This award is a testament to the commitment, dedication, and contribution of the SmartFX team to achieving our mission  For our clients to achieve their financial freedom."

"We can't express our excitement and inspiration with this award. We faced many challenges in the early months but succeeded in overcoming them quickly - this is the real success, and this award symbolises that success. This recognition wouldn't have been possible without the outstanding customer support team, the talented technology and back-end team, the genius team of analysts and the relentless relationship officers," She added.

About SmartFX

SmartFX is an online broker in UAE offering several trading options, including currency pairs, commodities, indices, and stocks. The broker offers a simple trading solution with one account and a single trading platform.

SmartFX has offices in Dubai and Vanuatu and is operated by Smart Securities and Commodities Limited. The company is regulated by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commissions (VFSC). It looks to separate itself through its straightforward trading proposition with its real-money Smart account and the MetaTrader 5 platform.

About Global Brands Magazine (England)

Global Brands Magazine (GBM) has been at the forefront, bringing news, views and opinions on brands shaping the future of their industry. The UK-based magazine provides its readers with the latest news and information on 'best-in-class brands across the globe. Each year, GBM develops a series of awards for companies that stand out, having a unique vision, exceptional service, innovative solutions and consumer-centric products among their industry leaders.

About Global Brand Awards

Global Brand Awards honours brands for their excellence in performance and rewards companies across different sectors for the quality of their services. The Brand Awards highlight the accomplishments of organisations that have performed remarkably well in finance, education, hospitality, automotive, lifestyle, education, real estate, technology, and more. Global Brand Awards recognise vital players who progress towards excellence by providing a platform to acknowledge their efforts. In addition, GBM strives to create awareness concerning the significance of such organisations and rewards them for their notable efforts with the ultimate global recognition.

Check out the links below for Social Media Shout outs:

Facebook: https://bit.ly/32WQnwt

Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3FcuAhH

Twitter: https://bit.ly/333Qy91

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3pWGI1O

SOURCE Global Brands Publications Limited
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today joined Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) and GTI at the CES Las Vegas summit to announce their partnership in launching DMI's first-of-its-kind hydrogen drone technology. With the support of SoCalGas and GTI, DMI will be demonstrating their DS30 drone system, which offers the best fuel cell powerpack performance with up to 120 minutes of flight time and up to 11 pounds maximum payload. Powered by hydrogen, the DS30 can monitor a 1-mile-long pipeline in a single flight.

SoCalGas plans to use the DS30 drone to assist with natural gas pipeline inspections. Drone usage provides unparalleled imagery and aerial mapping services to further improve pipeline system maintenance. The DS30 demonstration will provide close-up digital photography for locations that are difficult or hazardous to access and provide imagery for aerial mapping and three-dimensional topographic models which allows for deeper insight on terrains surrounding the utility's operations. Additionally, the drone system can provide a video record of pipeline routes, construction sites, open trenches, and working conditions.

"This hydrogen-powered drone offers an opportunity to more efficiently monitor our pipelines in hard to access areas, allowing us to collect more data to quickly solve potential pipeline integrity issues," said Neil Navin, vice president of clean energy innovations for SoCalGas. "This project is a great demonstration on the versatility of hydrogen and its broad range of applications as a clean fuel of the future. Adopting advanced monitoring hydrogen drone technology to maintain the integrity of our pipeline system is part of our mission to build the cleanest, safest, and most innovative energy company in America."

DMI, a market leader of hydrogen fuel cell drones, delivers commercial drone platforms with fuel cell powerpacks to maximize drone performance for inspection operations. The hydrogen-powered fuel cell drones can stay airborne for up to two hours of flight time as fuel cells have approximately 4 to 5 times higher energy density when compared to lithium-ion batteries. On average, fuel cells have a life span of over 1,000 hours and provide real-time monitoring of product status through DMI's remote system.

This effort is part of a larger project focusing on advancing hydrogen technologies. GTI and SoCalGas, in close collaboration with several additional project partners, are working on a U.S. Department of Energy project that intends to show renewable hydrogen can be a cost-effective fuel for multiple end-use applications, including drones, when coupled with large baseload consumers that use hydrogen for clean, reliable, stationary power.

"GTI is excited to partner with SoCalGas and DMI on this demonstration of hydrogen in the fast-growing application of drones," said Ted Barnes, Director of R&D at GTI. "Our role is to support the integration of hydrogen into new technologies and this partnership allows us to utilize our capabilities while working with leaders in the field."

"Our partnership with SoCalGas and GTI means more than just a simple drone project. Our hydrogen-powered DS30 drone is used to inspect SoCalGas' facility and serves as a perfect demonstration of how zero emission drones can be used, especially in a long-distance application such as pipeline inspection," said Doosoon Lee, CEO of DMI. "We continue to discover a true value of 2 hours flying drone system powered by hydrogen for our customers. We hope this partnership can represent one of its greatest value."

DMI serves as the pioneer and creator of the world's first commercialized hydrogen fuel cell system for drones and is utilized in various industrial fields including utility inspection, delivery, environmental monitoring, and public safety. This year, DMI won a total of seven awards at CES Las Vegas with two projects involving the DJ25 hydrogen fuel cell drone.

SoCalGas' drone operations are managed in compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Last year, SoCalGas established a goal to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045. The company is the largest North American natural gas distribution utility to set an ambitious net-zero goal that includes scopes 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions. Read more at socalgas.com/mission.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in California's clean energy transitionproviding electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment.

SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills, and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

About Doosan Mobility Innovation

Doosan is a company with more than a century of history that has been rapidly transforming itself for continuous growth over time. Doosan is a global leading player in fields such as such as fuel cells, power plants, desalination plants, construction & compact equipment, and construction & engineering. Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) is a 100% invested company by Doosan Corporation, and focuses on the mobile applications of fuel cell technology. DMI is heavily investing in UAV applications to enable long-endurance flight, accelerating the growth of the UAV industry.

About GTI

GTI is a leading research, development, training, and professional services organization at the forefront of clean energy innovation, addressing the urgent challenges of climate change. We are embracing systems thinking and digital solutions to leverage clean gases, liquids, and infrastructure as we accelerate transitions to low-carbon, low-cost energy systems. www.gti.energy

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company
HOUSTON, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: SMLP) (the "Partnership") announced today updates regarding its offer to exchange (the "Exchange Offer") any and all of its 9.50% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units (the "Series A Preferred Units") tendered in the Exchange Offer for newly issued common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the "Common Units"). As of the close of business on January 6, 2022, based on information provided by American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the depositary of the Exchange Offer, and including the Series A Preferred Units covered by the tender and support agreement, 46,203 Series A Preferred Units had been properly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) or committed for exchange by several holders of the Series A Preferred Units, which represents approximately 32.2% of the total Series A Preferred Units outstanding. As previously announced, the Exchange Offer is scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on January 12, 2022, unless the Partnership extends the Exchange Offer or terminates it earlier.

The complete terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer are set forth in the Offer to Exchange and related Letter of Transmittal, as amended and supplemented, that are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under cover of Schedule TO. Copies of the Offer to Exchange and Letter of Transmittal may be found on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, the Partnership's website at www.summitmidstream.com or may be obtained from the Information Agent, D.F. King & Co., Inc., at 866-811-1442 (toll free) for unitholders, 212-269-5550 for banks and brokers or [email protected]. The Depositary, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC can be contacted at 877-248-6417 (toll free) or 718-921-8317.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NEITHER AN OFFER TO PURCHASE NOR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY SERIES A PREFERRED UNITS, NOR IS IT AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION TO BUY ANY COMMON UNITS. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE EXCHANGE OFFER. THE PARTNERSHIP IS MAKING THE EXCHANGE OFFER ONLY BY, AND PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF THE OFFER TO EXCHANGE, THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC, AS AMENDED AND SUPPLEMENTED. THE EXCHANGE OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE MAKING OR ACCEPTANCE THEREOF WOULD NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES, BLUE SKY OR OTHER LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. NONE OF THE PARTNERSHIP, OUR GENERAL PARTNER, ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES, THE INFORMATION AGENT OR THE DEPOSITARY FOR THE EXCHANGE OFFER MAKES ANY RECOMMENDATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXCHANGE. THIS PRESS RELEASE SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE IS UNLAWFUL.

About Summit Midstream Partners, LP

SMLP is a value-driven limited partnership focused on developing, owning and operating midstream energy infrastructure assets that are strategically located in unconventional resource basins, primarily shale formations, in the continental United States. SMLP provides natural gas, crude oil and produced water gathering services pursuant to primarily long-term and fee-based gathering and processing agreements with customers and counterparties in six unconventional resource basins: (i) the Appalachian Basin, which includes the Utica and Marcellus shale formations in Ohio and West Virginia; (ii) the Williston Basin, which includes the Bakken and Three Forks shale formations in North Dakota; (iii) the Denver-Julesburg Basin, which includes the Niobrara and Codell shale formations in Colorado and Wyoming; (iv) the Permian Basin, which includes the Bone Spring and Wolfcamp formations in New Mexico; (v) the Fort Worth Basin, which includes the Barnett Shale formation in Texas; and (vi) the Piceance Basin, which includes the Mesaverde formation as well as the Mancos and Niobrara shale formations in Colorado. SMLP has an equity investment in Double E Pipeline, LLC, which provides natural gas transportation service from multiple receipt points in the Delaware Basin to various delivery points in and around the Waha Hub in Texas. SMLP also has an equity investment in Ohio Gathering, which operates extensive natural gas gathering and condensate stabilization infrastructure in the Utica Shale in Ohio. SMLP is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain statements concerning expectations for the future that are forward-looking within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, without limitation, information concerning completion of the Offer to Exchange, the terms and timing of the Offer to Exchange, and the impact of completion of the Offer to Exchange. The Partnership may modify the terms or timing of the Offer to Exchange with requisite notice. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may project, indicate or imply future results, events, performance or achievements and may contain the words "expect," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions, or future conditional verbs such as "may," "will," "should," "would," and "could." Forward-looking statements also contain known and unknown risks and uncertainties (many of which are difficult to predict and beyond management's control) that may cause SMLP's actual results in future periods to differ materially from anticipated or projected results. An extensive list of specific material risks and uncertainties affecting SMLP is contained in its 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 4, 2021 and in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2021 filed with the SEC on May 7, 2021, its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2021 filed with the SEC on August 9, 2021 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2021 filed with the SEC on November 5, 2021, each as amended and updated from time to time. Any forward-looking statements in this press release, are made as of the date of this press release and SMLP undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information or events.

SOURCE Summit Midstream Partners, LP
"Adaptation remains a driving force for organizations expanding their tech workforces." Tweet this

Tech employment at the occupation level throughout the economy increased by 180,000 positions as the unemployment rate for IT jobs dropped to 2%.

The nation's employers also stepped up their search for additional tech workers in December, with an estimated 332,564 job postings for open positions, 22,500 more than in November and the highest monthly total since March 2020.

"This undoubtedly sounds like a broken record, but there is no escaping the influence the pandemic continues to exert over hiring decisions and business investments," said Tim Herbert, executive vice president for research and market intelligence at CompTIA. "Adaptation remains a driving force for organizations expanding their tech workforces in areas such as cloud infrastructure, remote support, data science and cybersecurity."

The search for additional tech workers is widespread by both geography and industry, CompTIA's analysis of December job posting data from EMSI-Burning Glass Technologies Labor Insights reveals.

Eight metropolitan areas saw the number of tech job postings increase by more than 1,000 in December over November, from Dallas (15,959 total job postings) and Houston (6,331) in the Southwest, to Los Angeles (14,229) and Seattle (8,091) on the West Coast, to Atlanta (11,808) and Tampa (4,925) in the Southeast.

Among industries, professional scientific and technical services (53,603), finance and insurance (35,039), manufacturing (26,629) and information (17,755) listed the largest numbers of open positions last month.

Within the tech sector, December's new hiring was led by growth in the IT services and custom software development occupation category (+10,200). Modest job gains were recorded in the categories of other information services, including search engines (+1,900) and data processing, hosting and related services (+1,600). Employment in the telecommunications and computer and electronic products manufacturing categories declined.

The "CompTIA Tech Jobs Report" is available at https://www.comptia.org/content/tech-jobs-report.

About CompTIA

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world's economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit https://www.comptia.org/ .

Media Contact

Steven Ostrowski

CompTIA

[email protected]

+1 630-678-8468

SOURCE CompTIA

Related Links

http://www.comptia.org


LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CES 2022 concluded today, following a week filled with thousands of product debuts unveiling innovation that will better the world and solve global challenges. More than 2300 exhibiting companies from around the world, including more than 800 startups, launched products featuring innovation across artificial intelligence, automotive technology, digital health, smart home and more. After nearly two years, CES returned 'home' to Las Vegas welcoming well over 40,000 attendees in person, including 1800 global media, across 11 indoor and outdoor venues. The show was truly a global event, with 30% of attendees traveling from outside the US  representing 119 countries.

"Innovation came to life this week at CES 2022  with technologies that will reshape industries and provide solutions to pressing worldwide issues from healthcare to agriculture, sustainability and beyond," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Technology Association (CTA), owner and producer of CES. "The CES show floor buzzed with the joy of human interaction and a five-sense innovation experience with products that will redefine our future and change our world for the better."

"CES 2022 furthered global business this week, as our industry gathered  many for the first time in two years  to collaborate, forge partnerships, make deals and advance the economy," said Karen Chupka, EVP, CES. "After two years of not being able to connect in person, we were thrilled to welcome our industry back together again face-to-face to experience the latest innovation at CES 2022."

Key Trends at CES 2022

CES 2022 featured transformative technologies that will spur business and shift markets, with major brands including Bosch, Canon, Hisense, HTC, LG Electronics, Nvidia, Samsung Electronics, Sony, Panasonic and Qualcomm. Key trends included:

Automotive Technology

Vehicle technology was front and center at the show, with more than 190 automotive companies exhibiting, with companies including BMW , Hyundai , Indy Autonomous Challenge , Stellantis and VinFast , Vietnam's first automaker.

Vehicle technology was front and center at the show, with more than 190 automotive companies exhibiting, with companies including , and first automaker. Digital Health

The latest in telemedicine, connected health devices and improved health features on wearables were highlights, allowing consumers to take better control of their own health with exhibitors such as Abbott , Essence and Baracoda Daily Healthtech .

The latest in telemedicine, connected health devices and improved health features on wearables were highlights, allowing consumers to take better control of their own health with exhibitors such as and . Artificial Intelligence

Prevalent throughout the show was artificial intelligence, making products and technologies smarter, more efficient and customizable, advancing nearly every major industry from agriculture to healthcare, automotive, manufacturing and entertainment. Companies included John Deere , featuring the first fully autonomous tractor, and Beyond Honeycomb , with an AI-enabled robot to prep and cook customizable meals.

Prevalent throughout the show was artificial intelligence, making products and technologies smarter, more efficient and customizable, advancing nearly every major industry from agriculture to healthcare, automotive, manufacturing and entertainment. Companies included featuring the first fully autonomous tractor, and , with an AI-enabled robot to prep and cook customizable meals. Startups

More than 800 startups from 19 countries were featured in Eureka Park, the startup hub for CES 2022, including the SkyDrive air taxi; ScenTronix with its EveryHuman algorithmic perfumery and Orbisk, an AI-powered fully automated food waste monitoring system. The Venetian Expo also featured a first-time European Pavilion highlighting the latest tech advancements from Europe .

Keynotes

The CES keynote stage featured leaders across global industries. Top executives delivered addresses including J.H. Han, Vice Chairman, CEO and Head of DX (Device eXperience) division at Samsung Electronics; Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors and Robert B. Ford, president and CEO of Abbott, the first healthcare keynote in CES history. Emmy-award winning FOX Business anchor Liz Claman and owners of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), Erin and Faith Ozmen, spoke during the CES Leaders in Technology Dinner.

With more than 40,000 attendees, CES 2022 was able to successfully gather the industry together in person with praise from the US Travel Association on the show's protocols. Health protocols were put in place for in-person attendance, including proof of vaccination, required masking indoors, testing and social distancing measures.

"CES offers ScenTronix a platform to directly connect with end consumers, potential business partners and investors," said Frederik Duerinck, founder and CEO of ScenTronix, a startup within Eureka Park. "It's an enabler for our next step in rolling out the next phase of expansion into the US."

Those in the industry unable to attend CES in person can access the show digitally through January 31. Web Summit was selected as the digital platform provider for CES 2022. The technology benefits both in-person and digital attendees.

Exhibit sales for CES 2023 are already off to a strong start, with CES returning to Las Vegas January 5-8, 2023.

Visit CES.tech for highlights from the show including keynotes, sessions, product announcements and show floor coverage. Download CES b-roll and view the high-res image gallery here.

About CES:

CES is the most influential tech event in the world  the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world's biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES features every aspect of the tech sector. CES 2023 will take place in person in Las Vegas, and digitally, Jan. 5-8, 2023. Learn more at CES.tech and follow CES on social.

About Consumer Technology Association:

As North America's largest technology trade association, CTA is the tech sector. Our members are the world's leading innovators  from startups to global brands  helping support more than 18 million American jobs. CTA owns and produces CES  the most influential tech event in the world. Find us at CTA.tech. Follow us @CTAtech.

CES 2023 January 5-8, 2023

Las Vegas, Nevada

SOURCE Consumer Technology Association
BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China hopes the United States will earnestly diminish the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies and adopt the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on reports that some U.S. scholars have suggested the U.S. government should commit to no-first-use of nuclear weapons, as the five Nuclear-Weapon States have agreed that "a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought."

Wang said China is the only country among the five Nuclear-Weapon States that has promised not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. This policy plays an important role in reducing nuclear risks and preventing nuclear wars, and is widely recognized and welcomed by non-nuclear-weapon states.

China hopes the five states can proceed from the leaders' joint statement on preventing nuclear war, give up nuclear deterrence policies based on the first use of nuclear weapons, and pledge never to use nuclear weapons first against each other and conclude international legal instruments after negotiation, Wang said.

The international community looks forward to positive impacts this joint statement could bring to the U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, he said.

"We hope the U.S. government can heed the call at home and abroad, earnestly diminish the role of nuclear weapons in national security policies, exercise restraint on the building and deployment of strategic capabilities, and adopt the policy of no first use of nuclear weapons," said Wang.

In the meantime, China hopes certain U.S. allies can follow the expectation of the international community, and actively support rather than vehemently obstruct the U.S. adoption of the policy, he added. 
The fireworks lighted up the sky and gave off a glittering reflection of the river surface to emphasis the Chao Phraya River's long and rich history with all Thais and ICONSIAM's status as one of the global countdown destinations. The environmental friendly fireworks show made from Thai sticky rice and created by Japanese pyrogenic expert Mr. Oguchi Yoshimasa. The spectacle firework combines light and sound performed by ICON Pop Orchestra together with renowned Thai composer and saxophonist Koh Mr. Saxman under the theme "Win the World for Thailand" aiming to bring back happiness and hope to the hearts of Thai people and the world.

Mr. Supoj Chaiwatsirikul, ICONSIAM Managing Director, said "We are proud to join forces with the public and private sectors, communities and entrepreneurs to hold the 'Amazing Thailand Countdown 2022' event under the health and safety guidelines making ICONSIAM as the national countdown landmark, and be able to exhibit and preserve the historic Chao Phraya River while continuing to promote the riverside as a major global tourist attraction."

The enchanting fireworks show conveys happiness, hope and moral support to the hearts of Thai people and the world that comprises seven acts: 'Love Lights Up the World', 'Igniting Your Spirit', 'Unleash Your Magic', 'Alive Again: Bright Life presented by Charoen Pokphand Group', 'Embracing Diversity', 'Win the World for Thailand', and 'Unity'.

The 'Amazing Thailand Countdown 2022' is made possible through the support of many sponsors including the following main sponsors: by Charoen Pokphand Group, The ICONSIAM Residences Corporation Ltd., The ICONSIAM Super Luxe Residence Corporation Ltd., Millennium Auto Group Co., Ltd., Zipmex Technology Co., Ltd and Lexus Group, Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd.

SOURCE ICONSIAM
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Playing a crucial role in society's goal of a cleaner and more efficient way of life is the rise of electric vehicles. Whether hybrid-electrics (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) or battery electrics (BEVs), these vehicles are entering the mainstream at an accelerated rate. Gone are the days of these modes of transportation being viewed as a status symbol that is unattainable by the majority. In 2020 alone, electric vehicles saw a 41 percent increase in sales globally. Now, almost every major manufacturer is producing at least one form of an electric model, and government leaders and political figures are providing more reasons to go electric - like tax credits and additional incentives under President Biden's Build Back Better plan.

As the region's largest indoor event and one of the top auto shows in the United States, the 2022 Washington, D.C. Auto Show is the perfect platform for industry representatives to answer consumer questions as they are looking to make the switch or just simply learn more. Keeping with its timely history of featuring hundreds of new vehicles from the world's top manufacturers, this year's show at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from Friday, January 21 through Sunday, January 30 will adapt with the times by hosting several manufacturers, experts, models, and experiences that cater to the EV Market.

The show's latest addition is the EV Pavilion powered by Electrify America, the nation's largest open ultra-fast DC charging network for electric vehicles (EV). This Pavilion caters to the growing electric mobility market and its high-hitting demand. Its function is to educate show attendees on what the future of mobility looks like while allowing them to browse electric vehicles, charging stations, 3-wheel "fun utility vehicles", and even electric buses. Attendees will also have the chance to take their electric experience further with Pepco's EVsmart Outdoor Ride 'N Drive. Providing guests the chance to cruise the streets of D.C. behind the wheel of an electric or gasoline-powered vehicle.

Dedicated to providing a five-star experience to those in attendance, the Washington, D.C. Auto Show is also committed to the health and safety of all. Operating in full accordance with the safety protocols announced by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the District of Columbia, the Walter E. Washington Convention Center requires all guests to wear a mask while inside, and show proof of vaccination upon entering the building (including proof of the first dose for children 12 and older). Additional comprehensive preventative measures including increased sanitation and handwashing stations, and regular cleaning and disinfecting of high touch areas will be implemented throughout the show days. Visit the show's COVID Safety Information page on the website for more information.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased on the Auto Show's website at www.washingtonautoshow.com.

Show dates and times: Friday, January 21, 12:00 noon  10:00 pm; Saturday, January 22, 10:00 am  10:00 pm; Sunday, January 23, 10:00 am  6:00 pm; Monday, January 24 through Thursday, January 27, 12:00 noon  9:00 pm; Friday, January 28, 12:00  10:00 pm; Saturday, January 29, 10:00 am  10:00 pm; Sunday, January 30, 10:00 am  6:00 pm.

For more information, go to www.washingtonautoshow.com.

About The Washington, D.C. Auto Show

The Washington, D.C. Auto Show is held each January at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and is the largest annual indoor public event in the District of Columbia. For more than 80 years, the auto show has modified their programming to accommodate the latest advances and trends in car technology. With the rise in connectivity and autonomous capabilities, the 2022 Auto Show will adapt once again to highlight mobility advancements in all forms of transportation. Browse the extensive displays of battery-powered vehicles, sustainable buses, and new forms of all-electric mobility, along with the classic fan favorites like the exotic and luxury car displays. The 2022 Washington, D.C. Auto Show will be open to the public for 10 consecutive days, from January 21 through January 30, 2022.

SOURCE Washington Auto Show
TORONTO, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - The Girly Book Club, has officially rebranded as The Gloss Inc. With a new brand, logo and website, all things GBC have officially become glossy. The book club currently operated across 15 countries in over 150 communities with over 150,000 members. The largest of its kind, bringing women together face-to-face (when safely possible) since 2008. The new mission statement sums up the ethos of the company: "More than a book club, The Gloss starts the conversationleading to a deeper, more meaningful connection and providing the foundation for friendship."

The Gloss provides in-person and online book discussions for those seeking others to connect with over a good book. According to the founder, Erin Woodward, the charge was overdue. "We've known for some time that the name didn't adequately represent what we were doing. It served its purpose and it's time to move on. We're still a book club for women and non-binary individuals, but we don't read a lot of "girly" books and we're for a more mature audience. I think our new name reflects that. It was also time for a refresh; we needed a new site desperately and a new logo to remain relevant in a changing world. We've taken the pandemic to truly figure out who we are and what we want to offer to our wonderful community of book worms. At our heart, we're about connection and community, which has never been as important as it is now and Gloss stands for Glossary  you use it to navigate your way through a book, like we hope you'll use the Gloss to navigate your way through your life  with the friendships you'll make."

The Gloss offers a yearly membership that includes entry to all meetings (in person or online), a nifty tote bag, the monthly meet the author interview, voting privileges, authors events, as well as access to our book giveaways! We all read the same book at the same time and meet up in our respective communities to discuss. There's also a wonderful community on social media to discuss the book with those across the world. We are starting new chapters daily in a community near you. Get in touch.

SOURCE The Gloss Inc
DUBLIN, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Cold Chain Monitoring Market with COVID-19 Impact by Offering (Hardware and Software), Logistics (Storage and Transportation), Application (Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare, Chemicals), Temperature, and Region - Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Cold chain monitoring market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.6% from USD 4.7 billion in 2021 to USD 10.2 billion in 2026. Increasing demand for Cold chain monitoring products in the pharmaceuticals & healthcare industry will drive the market.

Cold chain monitoring market for transport is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Transportation is the most important phase in the cold chain due to the possibility of unforeseen environmental variations. Cold chain transportation is a temperature-controlled supply chain used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, food & beverages, and chemicals.

The efficient management of cold chain transportation is essential for maintaining the integrity of the products being transported, for instance, the cold chain transportation of pharmaceuticals, many of which must be maintained at a specific temperature. Medical and high-end products have a lower tolerance for temperature excursions, and product spoilage leads to a significant loss of capital. To minimize the chances of temperature irregularities in transit, transporters use simple measures such as dedicated vehicles, phase-change gel bricks to identify excursions, doubling up on packaging, and active cooling to secure their shipments.

Cold chain monitoring market for hardware segment accounted for the largest share in 2020

Hardware such as sensors, data loggers, RFID devices, and telematics and telemetry devices, and networking devices are used in applications ranging from the sensing of the environment to the relaying of data to a centralized database for further evaluation. For most cold chain applications, accuracy and reliability of hardware are critical parameters.

Data loggers are used throughout the cold chain to monitor the temperature of food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and other temperature-sensitive products. Sensors and data loggers are important components of the sensory network of a cold chain. Various types of sensors, such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, chemical indicators, and impact and tilt sensors, are used in this network. Temperature sensors sense the temperature at a specific location within a cold room, freezer room, refrigerator, or freezer unit.

These are generally environmental sensors that measure environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity with more importance given to temperature information. The data from sensors would normally be periodically stored on separate storage elements called data loggers, which could make the necessary data available in readable formats such as PDF files and e-mail. Sensors and data loggers are now being integrated into a single package to form a more compact product.

Americas is expected to hold the largest market for Cold chain monitoring during the forecast period

North America is the largest market for cold chain monitoring in the Americas at present and is likely to exhibit a similar trend during the forecast period. Increasing demand for chilled and frozen food products in North American countries is likely to trigger the demand for cold chain monitoring solutions in the region. Cold chain monitoring infrastructure includes refrigerated storage and refrigerated transport.

The escalating demand for dairy products, vegetables, and fruits is increasing the imports, as well as exports of exotic vegetables and fruits and dairy products, which is also boosting the demand for cold chain monitoring solutions. According to the United Nations COMTRADE database, in 2012, North America was one of the largest exporters and importers of perishable food, including meat, fish, and seafood, across the world. It was also the largest importer of fruits and vegetables.

The pharmaceutical and healthcare industries also have noteworthy contributions toward the cold chain monitoring market growth in the region. The pharmaceutical industry is subject to stringent regulations aimed at ensuring safety and good storage and distribution practices. Stringent government regulations toward food safety and Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) initiatives help shape the environment in this region, which indirectly impacts the cold chain monitoring market.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Premium Insights

4.1 Attractive Opportunities in Cold Chain Monitoring Market

4.2 Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Offering

4.3 Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Logistics

4.4 Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Application

4.5 Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Temperature Type

4.6 Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Application and Region

4.7 Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Geography

5. Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Increasing Global Demand for Temperature-Sensitive Drugs

5.2.1.2 Rising Demand for Better Food Quality and Need to Reduce Food Wastage

5.2.1.3 Surging Demand for Generic Drugs Owing to Higher Accessibility

5.2.1.4 Growing Government Focus on Issuing Policies Impacting Supply Chain Efficiency of Fast-Growing Pharmaceuticals Sector in Europe and North America

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 High Cost of Implementation

5.2.2.2 Environmental Concerns Regarding Greenhouse Gas Emissions

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Better Control of Assets in Warehouses Using Automation and Cold Storage Technologies

5.2.3.2 Availability of Cold Chain Logistics in Developing Countries

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Complexities Involved in Installation and Monitoring of Cold Chain Monitoring Solutions

5.3 Impact of COVID-19 on Cold Chain Monitoring Market

6. Industry Trends

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Value Chain Analysis

6.2.1 Research and Product Development

6.2.2 Component Manufacturing and System Integration

6.2.3 Distributors

6.2.4 End-User Industries

6.2.5 Post-Sales Services

6.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

6.3.1 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

6.3.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

6.3.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers

6.3.4 Threat of Substitutes

6.3.5 Threat of New Entrants

6.4 Trade Analysis

6.4.1 Exports Scenario

6.4.2 Imports Scenario

6.5 Key Industry Trends

6.5.1 Digital Transformation in Cold Chain Monitoring

6.6 Technology Analysis

6.6.1 Advanced Analytics and Data Aggregation Technologies

6.6.2 Iot

6.6.3 Radio Frequency Identification

6.6.4 Telematics

6.6.5 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

6.7 Ecosystem

6.8 Patents Analysis

6.9 Use Cases

6.9.1 Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare

6.9.2 Food & Beverages

6.9.3 Chemicals

6.10 Regulations Pertaining to Cold Chain Monitoring Market

6.10.1 Positive Impact of Regulations on Cold Chain Monitoring Market

6.10.2 Negative Impact of Regulations on Cold Chain Monitoring Market

6.10.3 Regulations and Standards

6.10.3.1 Regulations and Standards by World Health Organization

6.10.3.2 Regulations and Standards in Various European Countries

6.11 Average Selling Price Trends

6.12 Trends and Disruptions Impacting Customers

7. Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Temperature Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Frozen

7.2.1 Frozen Segment to Continue to Hold Larger Share of Cold Chain Monitoring Market During Forecast Period

7.3 Chilled

7.3.1 Chilled Segment to Grow at Higher CAGR During Forecast Period

8. Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Offering

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Hardware

8.2.1 Sensors and Data Loggers

8.2.1.1 Sensors and Data Loggers are Increasingly Being Used to Gather Real-Time Data Across Pharmaceuticals Industry

8.2.2 Rfid Devices

8.2.2.1 High Demand for Rfid Tags in Large Warehouses is Likely to Drive Cold Chain Monitoring Market During Forecast Period

8.2.3 Telematics & Telemetry Devices

8.2.3.1 Rising Need for Efficient Telematics Support to Track Food Products in Food & Beverages Industry Drives Demand for Telematics & Telemetry Devices

8.2.4 Networking Devices

8.2.4.1 Growth of Networking Devices in Cold Chain Monitoring Market is Attributed to Growing Internationalization of Pharmaceuticals Supply Chain

8.3 Software

8.3.1 On-Premises

8.3.1.1 On-Premises Deployment is Suitable for Localized Cold Chain Monitoring

8.3.2 Cloud-Based

8.3.2.1 Market for Cloud-Based Deployment Type is Expected to Grow at Higher CAGR During Forecast Period

9. Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Logistics

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Storage

9.2.1 Warehouses

9.2.1.1 Use of Warehouses is Expected to Rise During Forecast Period

9.2.2 Cold Containers

9.2.2.1 Majority of Cold Chain Containers are Used for Storage at Production Sites

9.2.3 Blast Freezers

9.2.3.1 Majority of Blast Freezers are Used for Storing Prepared Food Items

9.3 Transportation

9.3.1 Airways

9.3.1.1 Airways is Among Fastest Modes of Transportation of Cold Chain Products

9.3.2 Waterways

9.3.2.1 Waterways is Cheapest Mode of Transportation in Cold Chain Monitoring Market

9.3.3 Roadways

9.3.3.1 Roadways Offer Maximum Geographical Penetration in Cold Chain Monitoring Market

9.3.4 Railways

9.3.4.1 Railways are Convenient for Transportation of Cold Chain Materials

10. Cold Chain Monitoring Market, by Application

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare

10.2.1 Vaccines

10.2.1.1 Vaccine Production and Distribution Activities Rely on Efficient Cold Chains, Which Need Effective Monitoring Solutions

10.2.2 Biobanks

10.2.2.1 Requirement of Strictly Regulated Temperature Levels in Biobanks Boosts Growth of Cold Chain Monitoring Market

10.2.3 Medicines & Drugs

10.2.3.1 Cold Chain Monitoring Devices Help Increase Effectiveness of Medicines and Reduce Wastage of Medicines and Drugs

10.3 Food & Beverages

10.3.1 Fruits & Vegetables

10.3.1.1 Cold Chain Monitoring Devices Help in Reducing Wastage and Improving Quality of Fruits and Vegetables

10.3.2 Meat & Seafood

10.3.2.1 Cold Chain Monitoring Helps in Increasing Durability and Preventing Any Infection During Storage and Transportation of Meat and Seafood

10.3.3 Poultry & Dairy Products

10.3.3.1 Cold Chain Monitoring Helps in Prolonging Shelf Life and Preventing Contamination of Poultry and Dairy Products

10.3.4 Processed Foods

10.3.4.1 Processed Foods Need Cold Chain Monitoring to Increase Durability and Prevent Spoilage

10.4 Chemicals

10.4.1 Adoption of Cold Chain Monitoring Solutions in Chemicals Segment to Grow Significantly During Forecast Period

10.5 Others

10.5.1 Agriculture

10.5.1.1 Continuous Innovations in IoT for Agriculture Industry Boost Adoption of Cold Chain Monitoring Solutions

10.5.2 Manufacturing

10.5.2.1 Cold Chain Monitoring Devices are Used in Manufacturing Industry to Maintain Temperature and Ambient Conditions

11. Geographic Analysis

12. Competitive Landscape

12.1 Overview

12.2 Key Player Strategies/Right to Win

12.2.1 Product Portfolio

12.2.2 Regional Focus

12.2.3 Manufacturing Footprint

12.3 Market Share Analysis, 2020

12.4 Market Ranking Analysis of Top 5 Market Players

12.5 5-Year Company Revenue Analysis

12.6 Competitive Leadership Mapping

12.6.1 Star

12.6.2 Emerging Leaders

12.6.3 Pervasive

12.6.4 Participant

12.7 Start-Up/Sme Evaluation Quadrant

12.7.1 Progressive Companies

12.7.2 Responsive Companies

12.7.3 Dynamic Companies

12.7.4 Starting Blocks

12.8 Company Product Footprint

12.9 Competitive Scenario

12.9.1 Product Launch & Product Development

12.9.2 Product Launches and Product Development

12.9.3 Deals

13. Company Profiles

13.1 Key Players

13.1.1 Orbcomm

13.1.2 Sensitech Inc.

13.1.3 Berlinger & Co.

13.1.4 Monnit

13.1.5 Controlant

13.1.6 Elpro-Buchs

13.1.7 Savi Technology

13.1.8 Infratab

13.1.9 Veridify Security

13.1.10 Zest Labs

13.2 Other Important Players

13.2.1 Temperature Monitor Solutions Africa

13.2.2 Lineage Logistics

13.2.3 Daikin Industries

13.2.4 Cryoport Systems

13.2.5 Klinge Corporation

13.2.6 Nimble Wireless

13.2.7 Verigo

13.2.8 Astrona Biotechnologies

13.2.9 Telesense Inc

13.2.10 Tempsen

13.2.11 Tagbox Solutions

13.2.12 Freshsurety

13.2.13 Safetraces

13.2.14 Timestrip

14. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fcypmy

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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Her Excellency Dato' Seri Dr. Romona Murad welcomes the cooperation and she is looking forward to building a strong relationship with Mr. Kent and Kent Global LLC. Her Excellency is looking forward to meet Mr. Kent in Malaysia as a special guest and she has plans for Mr. Kent to meet up with top officials and successful business leaders in Malaysia.

The Joint Venture between these two companies will mark a new era of business without border between The United States of America and Malaysia. This move will also strengthen the business relationship between the two countries.

Contact:

Thomas J. Kent, Jr.

[email protected]

New York, NY

1-646-207-6801

About Kent Global LLC.

Kent Global LLC is a New York City based private boutique consultancy supporting clients around the world from start ups to governments.

Related links:

www.kentgloballlc.net

About Romona Consultancy and Management.

Romona Consultancy and Management is an international business consultancy firm based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is linked to many countries worldwide.

Related links:

www.datoromona.wixsite.com/romonainternational

SOURCE Kent Global LLC
BOSTON, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TraceLink Inc., the leading digital network platform company, has today announced that PM360 has selected TraceLink's Supply Chain Issue Management and Opus platform as one of the most innovative products in 2021.

Launched in spring 2021, TraceLink's Opus Platform is the only business network creation solution that can build integrated business ecosystems and create interoperable multi-enterprise applications.

Providing a foundation for pharma's Industry 4.0 digitalization strategies, Opus delivers the ability to engineer interoperable applications on demand with all critical trading partners. Build upon the Opus Platform, Supply Chain Issue Management networks people, processes and information between a manufacturer and its supply chain partners to collaboratively predict, resolve and prevent supply chain issues like material shortages and short shipments.

Products were chosen from among hundreds of submissions from across the healthcare and life sciences industries. The editorial staff of PM360 evaluated each submission and selected their choices for the most innovative.

Shabbir Dahod, President and CEO at TraceLink, commented on the nomination: "We are honored to have been selected from amongst some stiff competition and excellent products. Our Supply Chain Issue Management and Opus platform fosters open innovation in the supply chain. It enables decision makers to link companies, people processes and systems through business networks in order to drive better resiliency and agility in supply chains. Customers using Supply Chain Issues Management have seen a 65% reduction in the time it takes to resolve issues, 35% reduction in the number of issues, 50% reduction in recurring issues, and a 97% reduction in manufacturing disruptions. As a result their fill rates and OTIF service levels have gone up, and operating costs have been reduced substantially."

The digital networks powered by Opus create the foundation for companies to build their Industry 4.0 digitalization strategies and attain the customer-centric agility they must have to remain competitive and leverage the collective intelligence for the greater good of an entire industry.

For further information visit TraceLink Opus

About TraceLink

TraceLink is the only business network creation platform for building integrated business ecosystems with multienterprise applications. Business networks are the foundation of an Industry 4.0 digitalization strategy that delivers customer-centric agility and resiliency of the end-to-end supply network leveraging the collective intelligence of an industry. TraceLink's Opus Digital Network Platform enables speed of open innovation and implementation with a partner ecosystem for no-code and low-code development of solutions and applications. For more information on TraceLink and our solutions, visit www.tracelink.com.

About PM360

PM360 is a leading trade magazine for marketing decision makers in the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, and diagnostics industries and the products highlighted help companies identify potential partners and offerings that can help them advance healthcare and life sciences.

SOURCE TraceLink
The company has launched a wide variety of associated products, including a plant-based minced meat product that can be used like minced or ground beef, a burger patty, and a pulled barbecue meat that resembles slow roasted pork. UNLIMEAT is expanding its market beyond Korea by collaborating with restaurants to launch UNLIMEAT menu items, then entering retail channels in places like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

Its online sales in the US are only the first step in the company's 2022 globalization strategy. It plans to gradually move from online sales to collaborating with restaurants on menu items, then begin launching its products in brick-and-mortar stores. In commemoration of their US online launch, the company announced its arrival in America with an advertisement in New York's Times Square on the Thomson Reuters billboard.

According to Euromonitor International, a global market research firm, the global meat substitute market was worth $4.94 billion in 2020 and is estimated to reach $5.59 billion in 2021. It's expected to further grow to $6.04 billion in 2023. Given current trends emphasizing value-consciousness and ethical consumption, it is likely that the market share of alternative meats in the total meat market will be as high as 60% by 2040.

The US is a mature market with a well-developed vegetarian culture, accounting for 21% of the global demand for meat substitutes  about $1 billion in value. There are many players in the US meat alternative scene, including famous brands such as Impossible and Beyond as well as lesser-known brands such as Quorn and Morningstar Farms. However, none of these brands offer products suited to Asian cuisine. From Parasite to Squid Game to BTS, Korean media has exploded in popularity, and this surging popularity has led to growing interest in Korean food. As a Korean brand, UNLIMEAT's newly launched Slices and Pulled Barbecue were designed from the ground up with Asian cooking in mind, particularly Korean dishes such as bulgogi and stir-fried meat with Gochujang. An UNLIMEAT representative said, "We plan to expand in the US market in earnest by securing a supply chain and logistics network mainly on the West Coast first. We want to provide more options to the American table through our Asian-style plant-based meat."

UNLIMEAT products are currently available at Wooltari Mall USA (https://wooltariusa.com). Wooltari, an online commerce store selling Korean food items, has secured logistics bases in Los Angeles, San Jose, and Irvine. It additionally has seven other US and Canadian distribution centers, with locations including Seattle and Toronto. It has leveraged its distribution system to introduce a 'lightning delivery service', which guarantees delivery within 48 hours anywhere in the continental United States.

SOURCE UNLIMEAT
PARIS, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vauban Infrastructure Partners ("Vauban") announced today that on December 30, 2021, it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the entire stake in DB Energy Assets, LLC ("DBEA") and Beacon Energy Holdings LLC ("Detroit Thermal") (together, the "Company"), which collectively own a portfolio of eight district cooling and heating systems across the Northeast and Michigan, from Basalt Infrastructure Partners II LP ("Basalt") and DCO Energy, LLC ("DCO Energy").

The Company has an attractive portfolio of district cooling and heating systems diversified by location, technology and customers, alongside an experienced management team that will support the platform, its existing customer base and its long-term growth following closing. The Company currently operates across six states, providing reliable, sustainable, and cost-efficient sources of energy solutions to a diverse customer base including universities, urban centers, hospitals, and commercial and industrial customers.

Under Basalt's ownership, the Company enhanced its asset base and executed on a number of strategic projects and opportunities. Following the completion of the acquisition, Vauban will partner with DCO Energy who will continue to operate and maintain the facilities under a long-term contract. DCO Energy will also support the Vauban team with its carbon footprint reduction objectives and ongoing investment in the development and expansion of the facilities and asset base. DCO Energy is an industry-leading developer and operator with experience managing the facilities, as it has driven the development and/or acquisition of the facilities in the Northeast and has operated these facilities post-development or acquisition.

This acquisition will expand Vauban's global footprint to the United States and demonstrates Vauban's strong commitment to sustainability, while building upon its significant experience owning and managing district energy systems. Vauban's interest in acquiring the Company and the facilities is also driven by its commitment to support the ongoing operations of the Company and advance the Company's long-term growth, as it believes there is an opportunity to substantially expand the Company's customer base while reducing the environmental impact of the facilities over time.

The transaction will leverage Vauban's significant experience in the district energy and heating sector since 2016. Vauban currently holds controlling interests in five assets, totaling ~USD 2.2bn in enterprise value in Finland, France, Italy, Norway, and Spain. The deal echoes Vauban's strategy of building long-term relationships with industrial partners. Vauban benefited from the support of its three local Senior Advisors and experts (Leonie Maruani, Steven Klein, and Olivier Ta) with combined experience of over 60 years in the North American infrastructure market.

Gwenola Chambon, CEO and Founding Partner at Vauban Infrastructure Partners comments: "Through this landmark transaction, Vauban Infrastructure Partners enters into the U.S. district energy market. This acquisition will allow Vauban to leverage its considerable experience in the European district energy market and is an important first step for Vauban in building a sustainable, long-term platform in the United States."

Mounir Corm, Deputy CEO and Founding Partner comments: "This groundbreaking acquisition in the U.S. district energy market expands our global energy transition and district energy footprint. Vauban is delighted to strengthen its presence in district heating networks and to support their development in the United States, through a long-term collaboration with DCO Energy, which is in line with our strategy to build long-term relationships with industrial partners."

Gary Fromer, Chief Executive Officer at DCO Energy also remarked: "Over the last few years, in partnership with Basalt, we have significantly invested in and scaled our portfolio of district energy assets. We are excited by our new long-term partnership with Vauban Infrastructure Partners, and look forward to continuing to deliver reliable services to the customers, supporting the communities in which we operate, and participating in the continued development of the Company and its facilities."

David Greenblatt, Head of North America at Basalt said: "Basalt Infrastructure Partners LLC is pleased to have had the opportunity to partner with DCO Energy and the management teams at DBEA and Detroit Thermal. Their steadfast commitment to safely providing sustainable energy across our district energy customer base while executing on organic growth and follow-on acquisitions meaningfully contributed to the success of the business."

The closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary regulatory and other approvals.

Vauban was advised by RBC Capital Markets as a financial advisor and Allen & Overy as legal advisor, as well as KPMG, Arup, PA Consulting Group, Cushman & Wakefield and Aon.

Basalt and DCO Energy were advised by TD Securities as financial advisor and Morgan Lewis & Bockius as legal advisor.

About Vauban Infrastructure Partners

Vauban Infrastructure Partners is a leading Infrastructure Asset Manager focused on the core infrastructure investments. Headquartered in Paris, it employs 56 professionals who have been working together for a decade. Vauban is the fully fledged affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, dedicated to sustainable infrastructure equity investments. Vauban targets predominantly midmarket infrastructure assets pursuing a long-term yield-driven strategy matching the underlying nature of assets and long-term commitment to all stakeholders' interests through a strong focus on creating sustainable value. Vauban has raised c. $7.3 billion across 6 funds in core infrastructure from over 70 investors within 14 different countries and has invested in over 65 assets in mobility, energy transition, social & digital infrastructure across 11 different geographies.

https://vauban-ip.com/

About DCO Energy, LLC

DCO Energy, LLC is an independent developer and operator of energy assets, specializing in the development, engineering, construction, start up, commissioning, operation, maintenance and management, as well as, ownership of district energy assets, renewable energy projects and power generation facilities. DCO was formed in 2000 with a core team of energy experts.

https://www.dcoenergy.com/

About Basalt Infrastructure Partners LLC

Basalt Infrastructure Partners LLC is a leading mid-market infrastructure firm with offices in London and New York focused on equity investments in utilities, power, transport, and digital infrastructure in North America and Europe.

https://www.basaltinfra.com/

Press Contact

Camille Houel  Havas Paris AMO

Tel.: +33 (0) 644 34 40 81

[email protected]

Dana Gorman / Hannah Gould  Abernathy MacGregor

Tel.: (212) 371 5999

[email protected] / [email protected]

Vauban Investor Relations Contact

Daria Litvinova  Head of Investor Relations - Partner

Tel.: +33 (0) 607 03 24 12

[email protected]

DCO Energy Contact

Liz Thomas  Thomas/Boyd Communications

Tel.: (609) 923 9946

[email protected]

SOURCE Vauban Infrastructure Partners
PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin Pulse, the leading global digital-first health and wellbeing company, today announced that it will participate in the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, being held virtually January 10-13, 2022. Virgin Pulse CEO Chris Michalak will present a company update on Tuesday, January 11 at 12:30 pm ET.

Chris joined Virgin Pulse in June 2021 and has driven exciting initiatives for the company to date: acquiring award-winning health activation company Welltok, bringing on new leadership, expanding Virgin Pulse's partner ecosystem, and increasing its focus on wellbeing, navigation, and care management. During his presentation, Chris will provide an overview of the company's Homebase for Health strategy and key priorities for 2022.

"Virgin Pulse is changing lives for good by connecting data, people, and technology to deliver a high-tech, human touch experience that helps individuals take small steps, every day, to improve their health and wellbeing," said Chris. "These micro actions have macro impact, improving outcomes and reducing costs for our employer, health system, and health plan clients across the health continuum."

Virgin Pulse is backed by Marlin Equity Partners, a global investment firm with over $8.1 billion in capital commitments under management.

About Virgin Pulse

Virgin Pulse is the leading digital-first health and wellbeing company that empowers organizations across the globe to activate populations, improve health outcomes, and reduce spend in an era of accelerating cost and complexity. Virgin Pulse's Homebase for Health connects data, people, and technology to deliver high-tech, human touch experiences that engage and reward individual journeys. Virgin Pulse impacts over 100 million people across 190 countries by helping Fortune 500, national health plans, and many other organizations change lives  and businesses  for good. For more tips and insights, connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

About Marlin Equity Partners

Marlin Equity Partners is a global investment firm with over $8.1 billion of capital under management. The firm is focused on providing corporate parents, shareholders and other stakeholders with tailored solutions that meet their business and liquidity needs. Marlin invests in businesses across multiple industries where its capital base, industry relationships and extensive network of operational resources significantly strengthen a company's outlook and enhance value. Since its inception, Marlin, through its group of funds and related companies, has successfully completed over 200 acquisitions. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with an additional office in London. For more information, please visit www.marlinequity.com.

Contact:

Erica Morgenstern

Chief Marketing Officer

Virgin Pulse

650-906-7240

[email protected]

SOURCE Virgin Pulse
POTTSVILLE, Pa., Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. announced today the hiring of Zimmerman Advertising as their media agency of record with the goal of driving consideration for the iconic brewery and brands. Work will commence immediately and will include strategic planning, business intelligence, media planning/buying, and hyper-local go-to-market deployment.

Yuengling America's Oldest Brewery, has been family-owned and operated since 1829. Currently in its 6th generation of Yuengling family leadership, Yuengling is sold in 23 states. Millions of beer fans have their pick from a selection of Yuengling's renowned beers, including the iconic Yuengling Traditional LAGER, Light Lager 99, Golden Pilsner, and FLIGHT by Yuengling, the Next Generation of Light Beer TM. The diversified portfolio of distinct flavor and unparalleled craftsmanship pleases consumers of all tastes and lifestyles.

Zimmerman was awarded the business based on its strategic focus and experience growing brands through their proprietary tools, including their hyperlocal platform, which uses sophisticated modeling that includes geographic shopping patterns, competitor activity, in-market buying patterns, and psychographic/lifestyle data. The tool serves up advertising that results in higher engagement rates and increased ROI.

"We are constantly looking ways to evolve our business and best serve our loyal fans, while reaching new consumers," said Tyler Simpson, Executive Director, Marketing, D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc. "By partnering with Zimmerman, we look forward to continuing to engage consumers with our portfolio of iconic brands through their proprietary buying tools."

"We're excited to partner with Yuengling as we see a tremendous growth opportunity for the brand. Six generations of the Yuengling family have been brewing beer that consumers love for the past 192 years, and we are going to make sure our media drives even more consideration for the iconic brand," said Jordan Zimmerman, Founder and Chairman of Zimmerman.

About D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc.

D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc., America's Oldest Brewery, is family-owned and operated since 1829. Now sold in 23 states, production is supported by two breweries in Pottsville, PA and one in Tampa, FL. Principal beer brands include Yuengling Traditional Lager, Light Lager 99, Black & Tan, Golden Pilsner, Premium, Light, Dark Brewed Porter, Lord Chesterfield Ale, Oktoberfest, Yuengling Hershey's Chocolate Porter, FLIGHT by Yuengling, and Raging Eagle Mango. Get news, updates and access media images at https://www.yuengling.com/news.

About Zimmerman Advertising

Zimmerman Advertising, an Omnicom Group company, is the leading integrated, retail agency in the country. Zimmerman's clients represent some of the most prominent retail brands in the country, including McDonald's, Tire Kingdom, Kay Jewelers, Nissan, Five Below, AutoNation, and Office Depot. Headquartered in South Florida, the agency has retail service offices throughout the country, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta. For information on the agency, visit http://www.zadv.com .

SOURCE Zimmerman

Related Links

http://www.zadv.com


BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to do its best to provide necessary support to Kazakhstan and help it tide over difficulties, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Friday.

Wang made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to comment on the situation in Kazakhstan.

China has noticed that the Kazakh authorities are taking a series of powerful measures to combat violence and terrorism and maintain social stability, the spokesperson said.

Wang said China supports all efforts that are conducive to the Kazakh authorities calming the situation as soon as possible, and firmly opposes the deliberate creation of social unrest and incitement of violence in Kazakhstan by external forces.

"As a fraternal neighbor and a permanent comprehensive strategic partner, China is willing to provide necessary support to Kazakhstan to help it tide over difficulties," Wang said.

Wang added that it is the consistent purpose and task of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to maintain the security and stability of the member states and the region.

China and other SCO member states pay close attention to the domestic situation in Kazakhstan, and believe that the Kazakh authorities can properly resolve the problem, support Kazakhstan in stabilizing the situation as soon as possible, and are willing to promote the SCO playing an active role in this regard, Wang said. 
Born in the pandemic, Zuddl was founded by Bharath Varma and Vedha Sayyaparaju in May 2020. The current round of funding will be used for geographical expansion, deepen its tech team, and further build on its offering. Zuddl grew by over 30x since its inception and today has an enviable list of clients that include Fortune 100 and other fast-growing enterprises such as Kellogg's, Microsoft, Dicks Sporting Goods,, BYJU'S, Grant Thornton, and NASSCOM amongst others.

"Zuddl's growth can be attributed to enterprises' need for greater customizability and control for their virtual and hybrid events. Most of our customers are global companies with remote teams, who have complex use cases that we help solve easily, all the while being on-brand," said Bharath Varma, CEO and Co-founder of Zuddl. "Attendee engagement is a critical pillar of any event - in-person or virtual. With Zuddl, we are leveraging our experience of running in-person events and using technology to solve engagement and event ROI. While the world slowly returns to normalcy, Zuddl helps enterprises abstract the complexity from virtual and hybrid events and focus on their core."

The virtual events market space is expected to grow at about 24% CAGR over the next few years according to research firm, Grand View Research. As per LinkedIn's research, event marketers anticipate that over 65% of the events in the near future, would be either virtual or hybrid.

Zuddl's differentiation stems from its ability to deliver a high level of event customization, and powerful attendee engagement. Event organizers are enabled to customize every detail of their event quickly, and by themselves. Zuddl solves for attendee engagement by using technology to power interest-driven networking and implement gamification based on user actions.

"After being forced to go the virtual events route during the pandemic, enterprises are now discovering the advantages of hybrid events. Zuddl, through its hybrid-first model is tackling a unique set of problem for enterprise events - that of bringing customizability, control and engagement to virtual and hybrid events, without making it complicated for the event organizers. What works to Zuddl's advantage is the fact that they are from the events industry and understand the ground realities too well," said Anirudh Singh, Managing Director, Alpha Wave Incubation.

"Zuddl's platform for hybrid events helps enterprises easily customize and manage events with greater engagement," said Varsha Tagare, Sr. Director, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Managing Director at Qualcomm Ventures. "We look forward to supporting their journey to enable new applications and immersive experiences for the events sector using XR, AI and 5G."

"We were excited by the vision, strong expertise and speed of execution of Zuddl's founding team. Bharath and Vedha make a well balanced and exceptionally talented founding team. Their deep understanding of the needs of event organizers, speakers, sponsor and above all the attendees coupled with their product first thinking has made Zuddl offering standout in a highly crowded space", added Manu Rikhye, Partner, GrowX Venture.

About Zuddl:

Zuddl is an all-inclusive virtual and hybrid events platform, which helps enterprises design immersive branded experiences. Large organizations across the globe such as Google, Dicks Sporting Goods, Microsoft, Kellogg's and Grant Thornton trust Zuddl to host their virtual events. For more information, please visit www.zuddl.com

About Alpha Wave Incubation

Alpha Wave Incubation (AWI) is a $300 million venture fund, backed by DisruptAD, ADQ's venture platform and managed by Falcon Edge Capital. AWI has a dedicated team across London, Bangalore and Abu Dhabi. The fund invests in early-stage tech-enabled, disruptive start-ups in India and Southeast Asia. In addition to providing outstanding founders with early-stage capital, AWI offers access to an unrivaled set of support mechanisms for business-building, while also helping companies expand globally and open up new markets in the GCC/MENA region and beyond.

About DisruptAD

DisruptAD, ADQ's venture platform, was launched to accelerate the future of innovation. The platform offers productive incubation, investment and commercial scaling opportunities for tech start-ups in a state-of-the-art infrastructure for a digital led age. DisruptAD aims to advance R&D and unleash the potential of the UAE's innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem through highly skilled tech talent.

DisruptAD is attracting and creating a thriving community of founders, fund managers, incubators, and accelerators to globally build, support and scale disruptive technologies from Abu Dhabi.

About Falcon Edge Capital

Falcon Edge Capital is a diversified global alternative asset manager co-founded in 2012 by Rick Gerson, Navroz D. Udwadia and Ryan Khoury. Falcon Edge manages approximately $4bn in assets across public and private markets. Falcon Edge has offices in New York, London and Bangalore. The firm offers a variety of investment products and strategies that cover a number of asset classes, themes and geographies.

About Qualcomm Ventures

Qualcomm Ventures, acting through Qualcomm Ventures LLC or its affiliated entities, has been making strategic investments in technology companies that have the potential to dramatically transform our world since 2000. As a global investor, we look to help entrepreneurs build revolutionary businesses that reshape the world around us. For more information please visit: www.qualcommventures.com .

Media Contact:

Verbly Integrated Communications

Hitheshitha Mahesh

[email protected]

SOURCE Zuddl
AstraZeneca PLC (LSE:AZN) said it entered into a collaboration with Neurimmune AG for NI006, an investigational human monoclonal antibody currently in Phase Ib development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).

ATTR-CM is a systemic, progressive, fatal and often underdiagnosed condition that leads to progressive heart failure and high rate of fatality within four years from diagnosis.

Under the agreement, AstraZenecas rare disease subsidiary Alexion will be granted an exclusive worldwide licence to develop, manufacture and commercialise NI006.

Neurimmune will receive an upfront payment of US$30mln from Alexion with potential milestone payments of up to US$730mln, as well as low-to-mid teen royalties on net sales of any approved medicine resulting from the collaboration.

Neurimmune will continue to be responsible for completion of the current Phase Ib clinical trial on behalf of Alexion, and Alexion will pay certain trial costs.

Alexion will be responsible for further clinical development, manufacturing and commercialisation.

NI006 is designed to directly address the pathology of ATTR-CM by enabling removal of amyloid fibril deposits in the heart, with the potential to treat patients with advanced ATTR-CM, AstraZeneca said.

Marc Dunoyer, chief executive officer of Alexion, said Alexion is uniquely positioned to advance innovative science for small patient populations who are frequently underdiagnosed.

We look forward to applying this expertise to the development of NI006, which is designed to clear cardiac amyloid fibril deposits with the potential to improve cardiac function for patients living with advanced ATTR-CM, who are currently underserved by existing treatment options," he said.
Could it be that Kazakhstan contains the next Kalgoorlie?

Thats the proposition that East Star Resources Plc (LSE:EST) will be offering up to investors when it re-lists on the main board of the London stock exchange next Monday.

The company has just completed the acquisition of privately-held gold exploration vehicle Discovery Ventures Kazakhstan, which boasts a huge landholding inside Kazakhstan.

The more we looked at it, the more we realised it was Western Australia fifty years ago, says East Stars incoming chief executive Alex Walker, who was also a founder of Discovery Ventures Kazakhstan.

Hes just moved his whole family to Almaty, the biggest city in Kazakhstan, so hes not messing about when he makes these big claims.

Kazakhstan has unbelievable potential, he says.

We think its like walking into Kalgoorlie and being able to peg as much as you like.

Anyone familiar with the gold mining scene in Western Australia will be salivating at the mere thought of that, given the plethora of multi-million ounce deposits that have been discovered there.

So whats the catch?

If there is one, its hard to pin down.

Kazakhstan is midway through its emergence as a major player on the global mining scene. Much of its wealth comes from oil, which is generally bigger, badder and more powerful than mining as a sector, and so the immediate post-Soviet economic effort focussed there.

At the same time though, some big and some not so big names from mining have been able to go into the country and make it work. Among their number are Glencore and Fortescue at the top-end and, further down the pecking order, at least for now, former Glencore sparring-partner Mick Davis, whose investment company Vision Blue has just taken a major stake in Ferro-Alloy Resources.

The real step change came three years ago, however. That was when Kazakhstan updated its mining code to a recognisable Western-based model.

Its similar to the first-come, first-served rights you get in Western Australia, says Walker. You can peg a licence in ten days.

That change did, to some extent, generate a renewed interest in exploration in Kazakhstan, with companies like Discovery Ventures Kazakhstan able to pick up serious ground. But less than a year into the new mining regime, covid hit, and everything juddered to a halt.

Now that the world is attempting, with mixed results, to grind its way back up to some form of normality, Kazakhstan is beginning to come back on to peoples radar.

So much so, in fact, that when East Star Resources put together the fundraising to correspond with Mondays re-listing, it was heavily over-subscribed.

Initially, the thought had been to go for 2mln, but in the end East Star was still oversubscribed at just over 3.1mln, which will really enable it to hit the ground running when trading resumes on Monday.

And, because it was already up and running as Discovery Ventures Kazakhstan, the work is already in progress.

Walker expects to have news about exploration and drilling within weeks or of the debut. But the real newsflow is only just beginning.

With the 3.1mln East Star will start to ratchet up the pace of exploration across its four major licences in Kazakhstan. Two of these are located on the Chu-Ili orogenic belt, and two on the Rudny Altai belt, to the east.

At this stage it seems likely that the most value-add in the short-term will come from work on the two Chu-Ili licences, Apmintas and Dalny, drilling on both of which will get underway in the first half of this year.

All-in, Walker plans to spend around 1mln in the ground in calendar 2022, and to keep the drill rigs turning for as much of that time as he possibly can.

Exactly how prospective Apmintas and Dalny really are is hard to say. But certainly there are plenty of signposts that point towards an optimistic assessment.

For a start, there are old artisanal mines all over the place.

Then theres the Soviet era work, which posited a resource of over 900,000 ounces in the P1 and P2 categories  not a concrete number, perhaps, but the Russians arent amateurs when it comes to mining and exploration either.

One historic grab sample from Apmintas showed a gold grade of well over 4,000 grams per tonne, with a second showing a grade of over 1,000 grams.

And more recently, towards the end of last year, Discovery Ventures Kazakhstan conducted its own reverse circulation campaign, the results of which comprise the newsflow thats due within the next few weeks.

Much to ponder, there, and on Dalny too, where reverse circulation and diamond drilling are planned for the second quarter of this year, and where there are countless Soviet-era anomalies that have never been drilled.

Magnetic work has been done on both Apmintas and Dalny, and once the results of that are in, East Star will really begin to zero in on where it wants to drill and how the programmes will look.

Local state-owned mining champion Tau-Ken Samruk is a joint venture partner, with 20%, and will start contributing once East Star has spent US$6.8mln. That threshold might not get hit this year. But dont bank on it taking too much longer, because East Star is wasting no time. It senses a big opportunity and suspects it wont be too long before a number of other global mining companies join the party.
Belvoir Group PLC (AIM:BLV)'s (Belvoir Group PLC (AIM:BLV)) Michelle Brook joins Proactive London after beginning her role as the new financial services director.

Brook joined Belvoir in 2017 when her company Brook Financial Services Ltd (BFS) was acquired by Belvoir.

She has managed in financial services for over 25 years, including as a regional sales director for Mortgage Advice Bureau before setting up BFS in 2010.
Kin Mining NL (ASX:KIN) has returned strong high-grade results from the first diamond drill hole at Mt Flora that expand the discovery east of the 1.28-million-ounce Cardinia Gold Project (CGP) near Leonora in Western Australia.

Diamond drilling to test the deeper primary zone at Mt Flora intersected two zones of high-grade mineralisation and returned:

5.3 metres at 6.49 g/t gold including 2.6 metres at 8.84 g/t from 188.3 metres; and

8.1 metres at 2.58 g/t including 4.0 metres at 4.80 g/t from 54.0 metres.

These results have confirmed a down-dip extension of a previous 22-metres at 8.96 g/t aircore intersection and identified a new Eastern Zone at Mt Flora, which is 20 kilometres east of the main CGP.

Outstanding result

Kin Mining managing director Andrew Munckton said: This represents an outstanding result from the first diamond hole drilled at Mt Flora, which was designed to test below near-surface high-grade intercepts returned from aircore drilling.

"The diamond hole returned high-grade assay results including 5.3 metres at 6.49 g/t gold from the interpreted down-dip mineralised position, confirming our view that the high-grade, near-surface mineralisation extends into the deeper primary zone.

In addition, the diamond hole also intersected new mineralisation, with an intercept of 8.1 metres at 2.58 g/t gold including 4 metres at 4.80 g/t gold from 54 metres returned east of the main target in an area previously untested by drilling.

Mt Flora core under UV light showing scheelite (fluorescent blue) in silica-biotite altered basalt with quartz-carbonate-scheelite veining at 188.6 metres hole depth.

Down-dip extension

The 5.3-metre intersection is interpreted to be the down-dip extension of the previous high-grade aircore results of 22 metres at 8.96 g/t and 8 metres at 2.79 g/t while the 8.1-metre intercept represents a new mineralised position in an area previously untested by drilling.

This diamond hole has confirmed the discovery of a zone of gold mineralisation around 700 metres long and up to 150 metres deep at the Eastern Zone and 400 metres long at the North-Western Zone.

Confirmation of the presence of a high-grade primary gold system beneath the aircore drilling is an important development, providing further confidence in the potential of the emerging Mt Flora discovery.

KINs project areas close to Leonora, Western Australia.

Satellite target

Mt Flora remains as a priority satellite exploration target for the companys exploration team.

These new results support our view that the Mt Flora Eastern Zone contains several mineralised lodes, Munckton said, and given exploration at the project remains at an early stage, suggests that Mt Flora has outstanding potential to emerge as a significant new gold discovery 20 kilometres east of the main Cardinia Gold Project.

A follow-up 25 hole, 3,169-metre, reverse circulation (RC) drilling program was completed in November.

Assays are now eagerly awaited, for the 3,169 metres of RC drilling completed at Mt Flora to confirm the extent of the high-grade mineralisation in both the near-surface and primary environment to the north, south and updip of the diamond drill hole section, the MD said.

"Visual inspection of the RC drill chips shows that the drilling has successfully intersected the interpreted zones of high-grade mineralisation seen in both the aircore and diamond drill programs.
Post-COP26, investors may have noticed a raft of carbon-focused green initiatives from companies keen to demonstrate their environmental credentials.

And it is probably no surprise that COVID-19 has had an impact on the way CEOs think about corporate social responsibility.

In this article:

While its the E in ESG that garners the most attention, issues associated with the governance part of ESG have also come to the fore, particularly in emerging markets.

The experience of living through a two-year-and-counting pandemic has trained renewed focus on fundamentals like data security, crisis management, transparency, supply-chain issues and ethical boards, as companies look to protect themselves from risk.

Climate change is increasingly seen as an embedded risk, rather than a separate environmental consideration.

Read: ESG Investing  what is it, and how does it impact your portfolio?

Oxford Business Groups (OBG) Global ESG CEO Survey, which canvassed the views of 350 executives around the world, including in emerging markets, noted that more than 60% of its respondents said that the pandemic had moderately or significantly impacted their understanding and/or appetite for ESG  only 11% reported no impact.

"This very much speaks to the idea that the pandemic has highlighted systemic weaknesses in markets, supply chains and legacy systems, whether concerning the movement of people or access to vaccines, the report stated.

Developing more sustainable approaches, therefore, makes sound business and moral sense.

The research throws light on the way companies have tended to carve up the ESG pie, with the biggest slice allocated to the environment, while social and governance measures tend to lag behind a little  particularly governance.

The metrics for governance are more settled and agreed upon than those for the social and environmental aspects of ESG. Executive accountability, transparent reporting and the rule of law have been around for a long time.

And yet OBGs report underscores that the governance component of ESG is the pillar least invested in or prioritised of the three areas of responsibility.

This is unfortunate because, while not all companies have heavy exposure to environmental or social issues in their day-to-day operations, every company has to be accountable for its actions from a regulatory, tax or shareholder perspective.

And COVID has shown us how important record keeping, resource planning and risk management are in uncertain times.

Importantly, these are the same mechanisms that build trust that companies will do what they say they will on green and social issues.

One aspect of good governance that has been demonstrated to enhance company performance is board diversity.

Multiple studies point to boards with gender diversity delivering better returns for companies. Directors from a variety of different backgrounds can bring new or previously unconsidered perspectives that may serve the company well.

McKinseys 2020 report, Diversity Matters, goes as far as to say that the greater the representation, the higher the likelihood of outperformance.

Companies with more than 30% women executives were more likely to outperform companies where this percentage ranged from 10 to 30, and in turn, these companies were more likely to outperform those with even fewer women executives, or none at all," the report stated.

Companies are now taking note.

Investment consulting firm JANA's head of sustainability Rachel Halpern said: "We have an unwavering commitment to unlocking value by encouraging and embracing diversity, equity and inclusion.

This belief has been informed by our view that expansion of economic growth is reliant on unlocking value from, and providing opportunities to, all segments of the community and we think about it across our people, our supply chains and the financial sector.

"We also embrace our responsibility as an asset consultant to use our influence to encourage optimal diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes through our relationships with the rest of the global financial community.

Recent research shows that younger investors are watching carefully to see whether the companies they invest in walk the talk on ESG.

Responsible investment is as important as a lucrative investment to the demographic aged 18-34, which is nearly twice as likely as the over-55s to care about the ethics of the companies they buy shares in.

But other research indicates that returns are still a priority for prospective investors.

However, it looks like some still see profit and sustainability as mutually exclusive  27% of investors surveyed didnt think ESG-driven investments would make them as much money.

It seems that some investors have trouble believing the environmental claims companies make.

Read: Returns more important than ESG for private investors, research finds

Clearly what is needed is increased trust in the companies  both to deliver returns to shareholders and to mean what they say on sustainability. Good governance can restore that trust.

Transparent, accurate and comparable data across all sustainability domains and asset classes continues to be a challenge, Halpern said.

For example, the climate change-related data for public equities is well developed whereas biodiversity-related data is nascent across all asset classes.

We are delighted to see the creation of a Sustainability Standards Board as an announcement out of COP26 recently.

"We are optimistic that it will lead to a comprehensive global baseline of sustainability-related disclosure standards. This is fundamental to facilitating capital flows towards sustainability-related issues.

How will company ESG policy continue to evolve? We expect corporate social responsibility to move into a conversation about the real-world impact of a companys core services and operations, Halpern said.

We see signs of ESG broadening in scope. In the past, it was often an ancillary side project run by human resources.

"However, there is growing recognition that the positive impact of a company on issues like climate change or diversity, equity and inclusion can be so much greater if they are seen as integral considerations when designing core products and services.
My Foodie Box selects its produce from local farmers and producers in WA.

My Foodie Box Ltd (ASX:MBX) has rung in the new year as a public company, with the meal kit creator hitting the boards under the ticker MBX.

The West Aussie consumer stock is one of the first floats of 2022 and officially took its food technology and logistics offering public on Friday at 2:30 pm AEDT.

Ahead of its listing, My Foodie Box completed an oversubscribed $6 million IPO in December, with 30 million shares issued to investors at $0.20 apiece.

The funding runway will help bolster MBXs marketing and development angle for its technology platform, where a new app is in the works to accelerate the companys growth and eCommerce visions.

Investors worked up an appetite for the meal kit stock on Friday, taking the newly minted shares 27.5% higher to $0.255 each just after the companys public debut.

WA a blueprint for future expansion

Speaking to My Foodie Boxs listing in the companys prospectus, executive chairman Bryan Hughes said MBX was now ready to continue its journey as a publicly listed company.

With consumer patterns moving towards a preference for online food delivery and food/groceries being a non-discretionary spend (and the second-largest household expenditure item behind rent/mortgage repayments), we believe we are well placed to continue this growth, he stated.

Our experience and success in Western Australia has given us the blueprint for expanding into other Australian cities.

Our existing customer base and the data captured by our sophisticated technology platform have enabled us to develop a targeted marketing and product development strategy 

 [It] provides the platform for us to expand our product offering and enable us to develop into a broader e-commerce business.

We are at a very exciting point in time where technology is significantly changing consumer behaviour.

Appetite for a growing market

My Foodie Box is one of the newest additions to Australias relatively insulated meal kit industry.

There are currently four major players in the market  the ASX-listed Marley Spoon Ltd, its spinoff Dinnerly, pioneer service HelloFresh and relative newcomer EveryPlate.

Each of these providers landed in Australia less than a decade ago, meaning this is an industry still in its infancy.

Young as the Aussie meal kit market might be, its quickly gaining ground with consumers.

According to MarketResearch.com, the Australian meal kit market recorded a positive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.71% between 2014 and 2019, reaching a sales value of A$197.28 million that year.

Current operations

My Foodie Box will celebrate three years in business this month and executives still see a lot of room for growth.

The business commenced full trading operations in January 2019 with 35 subscribers and in under three years, its active subscriber base has grown to around 1,650.

MBX currently generates around $105,000 in revenue per week and has delivered more than 200,000 meals to West Aussies since its incorporation.

Speaking to what makes My Foodie Box different, Hughes stated: We started MBX because we saw the need for a locally owned and operated entrant into the market, and we love the way in which meal kits solve the everyday question of what are we having for dinner?.

We provide a unique way for families to spend more time together, and at the same time inspire and educate children on the importance of healthy eating.

We pride ourselves on our focus on provenance and operating a sustainable, environmentally friendly and socially responsible business model, which includes providing pre-portioned ingredients to limit food waste, and using compostable, recyclable and reusable packaging.

Future plans

Looking ahead, My Foodie Box plans to expand its service and offering into a broader eCommerce platform.

Its also set its sights beyond Western Australia, with a vision to hit other states with the meal kit offering.

Finally, MBX is also on the lookout for any acquisition opportunities that stand to further grow its business.
MGC Pharmaceuticals Ltd (LSE:MXC, OTC:MGCLF, ASX:MXC) said its ArtemiC Rescue food supplement was granted import approval in India, opening a potentially significant new market for the bio-pharma company.

ArtemiC Rescue which helps alleviate symptoms associated with Coronavirus (COVID-19) was approved by Indian regulators for import, distribution, marketing, and sales.

The product is now fully authorised and available for sale across India. MGC has completed a small batch import of ArtemiC Rescue into India as proof of concept with its local partner.

"We are proud of achieving the milestone of being granted Indian import and distribution approval for of ArtemiC Rescue, and are pleased to have the opportunity to alleviate the symptoms of COVID-19 in one of the largest populated countries in the world, Roby Zomer, MGC managing director.

Whilst the virus continues to mutate, as we have seen with Omicron, MGC Pharma is well placed to offer a solution on a worldwide scale to ease the pressure on national healthcare systems and aid the economic recovery of jurisdictions who have been widely affected by the pandemic."

ArtemiC Rescue is described as a clinically tested food supplement. It contains natural based ingredients including Artemisinin, Curcumin, Boswellia serrata, and Vitamin C.

The companys distribution partner Swiss PharmaCan (TSX-V:MJN) AG described the approval as a key milestone.

We are proud at Swiss PharmaCan (TSX-V:MJN) to continue developing the sales pipeline with MGC Pharma with our award-winning MyCellTM Technology," said Swiss PharmaCan chief executive Michel Fassler.

MGC is also working with partner Carino Water Solutions & Energy in India. Together they will continue to seek approvals for ArtemiC Rescue as a nutraceutical in a number of countries in order to provide support to COVID-19 patients in the alleviation of their symptoms.

Additionally, MGC said its pharma unit meanwhile is making progress on the long-term development of its Investigational Medicinal Product, CimetrA, through ongoing clinical studies and applications for Emergency Use Authorisation in India  along with other National Regulatory and Medical Agencies, including seeking FDA approval in the United States.

In September, the company revealed it was seeking Emergency Use Authorisation in India for CimetrA for the treatment of patients with COVID19, and this process is continuing. A patient study is required in India as part of that process, which is ongoing.
The study is aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of Bucillamine, an oral drug with anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19

Revive Therapeutics Ltd (CSE:RVV, OTCQB:RVVTF) has told investors it expects to complete patient enrollment of its Phase 3 clinical trial for Bucillamine in coronavirus (COVID-19) in the first quarter of 2022.

In a statement clarifying the status of the trial, the life sciences company noted that as of December 29 last year, there had been around 700 subjects who had "participated in the enrollment period" of the study.

"In addition, the company has begun the process to expand the studys patient population in Turkey in collaboration with Delta Health, which will add research sites from the largest hospital group in Turkey, MLP Care and Istinye University," the company said in a brief statement.

Revive said it expects patient enrollment in Turkey to occur by mid-February this year.

The study is aimed at evaluating the safety and efficacy of Bucillamine, an oral drug with anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

Revive Therapeutics is focused on the research and development of therapeutics for infectious diseases and rare disorders, and aims to take advantage of several regulatory incentives awarded by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) such as orphan drug, fast track, breakthrough therapy and rare pediatric disease designations.

Contact the writer at giles@proactiveinvestors.com
Bloom Health Partners CEO Andrew Morton joined Steve Darling from Proactive to shre news the company has announced the opening of new facilities in New Jersey to allow central access to metropolitan centres such as New York City, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, DC.

Morton telling Proactive this new location will provide expanded laboratories for operational health services and diagnostic testing. Bloom has also added a local team to that facility to work sporting events, film/TV productions in New York and surrounding areas.
Rescuers transport a trapped person at the site of a blast in Wulong District, southwest China's Chongqing, Jan. 7, 2022. (Xinhua)

CHONGQING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 20 people were believed to have been trapped after a blast rocked a canteen of a subdistrict office in Wulong District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, on Friday noon.

The accident took place at 12:10 p.m. due to suspected gas leakage which triggered the explosion and caused the collapse, said the municipal publicity department.

According to witnesses, people were having lunch in the canteen when the blast took place. A number of people injured have been rushed to the hospital for treatment and rescue work is still underway.

China's Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a workgroup and several experts to guide the rescue efforts.

Huang Ming, minister of emergency management, has called for efforts to immediately inspect the situation, find out the exact number of victims trapped, determine the cause of the accident and prevent such mishaps from happening again.

The local fire and rescue department has dispatched 260 professional members and 50 rescue engines to the spot. Rescue teams of 60 professional members equipped with 20 cranes and excavators have also been called in for assistance, according to the ministry. 

Rescuers search for trapped people at the site of a blast in Wulong District, southwest China's Chongqing, Jan. 7, 2022. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 7, 2022 shows the site of a blast in Wulong District, southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)

Rescuers transport a trapped person at the site of a blast in Wulong District, southwest China's Chongqing, Jan. 7, 2022. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 7, 2022 shows the site of a blast in Wulong District, southwest China's Chongqing. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)
Washington, Jan 7 : US President Joe Biden has said that Americans must ensure such an attack like that on the US Capitol a year ago "never happens again" as the country seems more divided than ever.

"One year ago today in this sacred place, democracy was attacked, simply attacked. The will of the people was under assault. The Constitution, our constitution faced the gravest of threats," Xinhua news agency quoted Biden as saying in a speech from Statuary Hall just outside the House chamber to mark the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol.

"I believe the power of the presidency and the purpose is to unite this nation, not divide it. To lift us up, not tear us apart," Biden said, accusing former President Donald Trump of spreading a "web of lies" about the 2020 election, which laid the groundwork for the attack on the Capitol a year ago.

"For the first time in our history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol. But they failed," Biden said.

"And on this day of remembrance, we must make sure that such an attack never, never happens again," he added.

In a statement shortly after the US president's address, Trump claimed that Biden "used my name today to try to further divide America," although Biden did not mention Trump by name during his speech.

"The Democrats want to own this day of January 6 so they can stoke fears and divide America. I say, let them have it because America sees through (their) lies and polarizations," Trump said.

One year after the deadly attack on the Capitol, Democrats and Republicans still differ sharply over its key aspects, aftermath and the related congressional investigation, underscoring an increasingly partisan Congress, a more divided country and growing distrust in American democracy.

Democrats have denounced the Capitol riot as an attack on democracy, while most Republicans have downplayed its implications, especially Trump's alleged role in inciting it.

The US has not learned the lessons of the riot which led to multiple deaths, over 100 injuries and damage to the Capitol, US experts warned. As US partisan politics continues to decay, they say the country still faces the risk of a repeated incident.

More than half of Americans say that US democracy is at risk of extinction, including 49 per cent of Democrats and Republicans, as well as 54 per cent of Independents, according to a recent survey conducted by Schoen Cooperman Research.
United Nations, Jan 7 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on parties in Kazakhstan to refrain from violence and promote dialogue so as to address the volatile situation, said his spokesman.

The world body continues to follow the situation in Kazakhstan very closely and there have been several contacts between the UN and the national authorities, including a call on Thursday morning between the secretary-general's special representative for Central Asia, Natalia Gherman, and Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin of Kazakhstan, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman.

"During these exchanges, appeals to exercise restraint, refrain from violence and promote dialogue to address the situation were reiterated by Natalia Gherman on behalf of the secretary-general," Xinhua news agency quoted Dujarric as saying.

On reports of casualties, he said it is hard for the UN to confirm them.

"But what is clear is that all demonstrations need to be peaceful. People have a right to express their grievances. It needs to be done peacefully. And security forces need to protect that right and show and act with restraint," he said.

On the arrival of troops from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan, Dujarric said the UN was informed on Thursday morning by the CSTO of the troop deployment.

"I think, for us, the important thing is that security forces, whether they are Kazakh or whether they are non-Kazakh troops, need to uphold the same human rights standards, which is to show restraint and protect people's rights to demonstrate peacefully," said the spokesman.

Up to 101 international personnel and 530 national staff fall under the UN security arrangements in Kazakhstan. Everyone is safe and accounted for, said Dujarric.
Lucknow, Jan 7 : The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, has announced a 50 per cent reduction in power tariff on agricultural use.

The move is apparently aimed at assuaging the feelings of farmers ahead of the state elections.

According to the government spokesman, the decision will directly benefit over 13 lakh users in rural and semi-rural areas.

The order, announced by the Chief Minister's office, divided the targeted consumers into four categories - metered, unmetered, energy efficient pumps and farmers in the urban areas receiving metered power supply.

On metered connections for pumps in rural areas, farmers would be required to pay only Re 1 per unit instead of the existing Rs 2 per unit. The fixed charge of Rs 70 per horsepower (HP) too has been reduced to Rs 35 per HP.

Likewise, in case of unmetered connection, the fixed charge has been reduced from Rs 170 per HP to Rs 85 per HP.

For energy efficient pumps, the electricity rates have been reduced from Rs 1.6 to 83 paise per unit. The fixed charge, too, has been slashed from Rs 70 per HP to Rs 35 per HP.

In case of farmers receiving metered power supply in the urban areas, the electricity rate has been reduced from Rs 6 per unit to Rs 3 per unit. The fixed charge has also been brought down from Rs 130 to Rs 65 per HP.

The Chief Minister's office said the decision has been taken keeping in view the 'convenience and prosperity' of the farmers. The sop will come into effect immediately, a government spokesperson said.
Chandauli : , Jan 7 (IANS) The cybercrime cell of Varanasi has arrested one Sanjay Rao of Chandauli district for fanning hatred through his social media account by posting objectionable messages against Hindu religion, Brahmins and police.

Inspector cybercrime Varanasi zone Rahul Shukla said that following collection of sufficient evidence, Sanjay Rao of Kalimahal area under the limits of Mughalsarai police circle in Chandauli district was arrested.

The mobile phone and three sim-cards used by Rao were also recovered by police.

Police said that after creating a Twitter account, Rao had started posting objectionable comments against the Hindu religion, Brahmins and also police in September 2021.

An FIR was lodged in this connection in November and the cybercrime cell of Varanasi zone investigated the matter.

Rao divulged that even after passing BTech from Aligarh he could not get a desired job due to which he was upset and started targeting particular religion, caste and officials after creating a Twitter account. His Twitter account has been suspended.
Srinagar, Jan 7 : Three terrorists were killed in a gunfight with the security forces in the Chadoora area in Central Kashmir's Budgam district, officials said on Friday.

"Three terrorists killed in encounter. Identification and affiliation being ascertained. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered," the Jammu and Kashmir Police tweeted quoting Inspector General Police, Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar.

The gunfight between the terrorists and security forces started on Thursday after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Tel Aviv, Jan 7 : The total number of chickens and turkeys detected with the pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza during the current spread of the virus in Israel has surpassed 1 million, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

During the virus outbreak, 17,000 infected ducks for fattening were also detected and more than 8,000 infected wild cranes died in the northeastern Hula Lake area, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement released on Thursday as saying.

These bird flu cases have been detected since mid-November last year in northern and southern Israel, especially in the last three weeks.

Following the detections, it is necessary to kill all infected chickens, turkeys and ducks, according to the Ministry.

This has led to a shortage of eggs in the country, and in response, the Ministry opened the market to the duty-free import of tens of millions of eggs.

"This time, the bird flu wave is different from anything we have seen in recent years. Our teams are handling all cases," said Agriculture Minister Oded Forer.

Given the spread of the bird flu, Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg on Monday signed an ordinance that bans all hunting in the country until the end of the hunting season on January 31.
Nur-sultan, Jan 7 : Dozens of attackers have been "eliminated" after they attempted to storm administrative buildings and the police department of the Kazakh city of Almaty amid the ongoing unrest across the country, a media report said.

In its report on Thursday, Russia's TASS news agency also said that total of 12 law enforcement officers have been killed and 353 others injured in the clashes with the rioters in Almaty.

The "anti-terrorist" special operation continues in the city and police urged residents and visitors to refrain from leaving home for their own safety, Xinhua news agency quoted the TASS report citing Kazakhstan's Khabar-24 TV channel as saying.

Over 1,000 people were injured across Kazakhstan with almost 400 of them hospitalised as a result of the violent protests over the past days, said the report.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has claimed that 2,298 protesters have also been detained.

The protests sparked by dissatisfaction over surging fuel prices escalated on Wednesday, with protesters storming the main government building in Almaty, setting police vehicles on fire, and attacking the regional branch of the ruling Nur Otan party.

The mounting unrest prompted the Kazakh government to seek help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which has decided to deploy peacekeeping forces to the country.

The CSTO comprises Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan and Armenia.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has blamed foreign-trained "terrorists" for the unrest, without giving evidence.

He has also fired his cabinet aimed at curbing the demonstrations, including his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had held a national security role since stepping down as President.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The emissions of just five economies -- India, China, the US, the EU and Russia -- over the period 1991-2030 will double the number of countries experiencing extreme hot years every second year by 2030, according to a new scientific paper published in Communications Earth and Environment.

The results highlight the outsized role these emitters play in driving warming and temperature extremes around the world.

The study led by scientists at ETH Zurich and Climate Analytics looks at the impacts of these top five emitters over two periods: 1991-2030, and 2016-2030, over which they will contribute 52 per cent and 53 per cent of global emissions respectively.

Under current emissions reductions targets, 92 per cent of all countries are expected to experience extreme hot years every second year by 2030, twice as many countries as without the 1991-2030 emissions from the top five polluters (46 per cent).

Notably, 15 per cent of this increase would be attributable to the emissions of these five economies between 2016 and 2030, after the Paris Agreement was signed.

"Our work shows that over a relatively short-time period, the emissions of these five economies will have a strong impact on extreme heat experienced around the globe by 2030. We're talking about annual mean temperatures that would only be experienced once every 100 years in preindustrial times happening every second year", said ETH Zurich researcher Lea Beusch, lead author of the study.

The paper also looked at the per capita emissions of these major emitters. It found that if all countries had the same projected per capita emissions as the US -- the highest per capita emitter in the group -- in the period after the Paris Agreement was signed (2016-2030), global mean warming in 2030 would be 0.4 degree Celsius higher than under current pledged emission reductions.

This is a full 0.5 degree higher than if all countries followed the same per capita emissions trajectory of India, which has the lowest emissions per capita in the high emitters group.

The study comes in the wake of the COP26 Glasgow Climate Pact that requests countries to revisit their 2030 climate targets to align them with the 2015 Paris Agreement temperature goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius.

"Our results underscore that the actions of the world's top emitters will have a huge impact on our global temperature trajectory in this decade. How they respond to the COP26 outcome will be fundamental to whether 1.5 degrees Celsius stays within reach -- none of their targets are currently sufficient", said Alexander Nauels of Climate Analytics, who co-authored the study.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Even as the Congress seems to be a divided house on the issue of Prime Minister's security breach, party MP from Punjab Manish Tewari on Friday termed the two different probes by the Centre and state as a case of polarising. He demanded that there should be one probe committee.

"Speaks of Polarising times we live in-Even on a sensitive issue concerning security of @PMOIndia, @PunjabGovtIndia & GOIA have ordered 02 separate probes.Both probes should be merged by SC today & 01 Inquiry by sitting HC/SC judge should be conducted," Tewari tweeted.

Tewari on Thursday had demanded probe by a sitting HC Judge. The Centre has constituted a committee to probe the serious lapse in the security arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ferozepur, Punjab on Wednesday.

In a social media post, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs said, "The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted a committee to enquire into the serious lapses in the security arrangements during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ferozepur, Punjab, on January 5, which led to the exposure of the VVIP to grave security risk." The Punjab government on Thursday announced to constitute a high-level committee for a thorough probe into the lapses. An official spokesperson said the committee would comprise Justice (retd) Mehtab Singh Gill and Principal Secretary (Home Affairs) Anurag Verma. The committee will submit its report within three days.

"We were told that the Prime Minister would fly by helicopter from Bathinda to Ferozepur. But all of a sudden, he decided to move by road. If there were any security lapses during PM Modi's visit, we are ready to probe the matter," Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had earlier told the media .

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Varanasi, Jan 7 : Posters banning the entry of non-Hindus to the Varanasai ghats along the Ganga appeared on the walls of buildings, which were reportedly pasted by activists of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal.

The city convenor of Bajrang Dal, Nikhil Tripathi 'Rudra' said that through these posters, a 'clear' message has been given to those who treat the ghat as 'picnic spots'.

"We are warning to them to stay away from the ghats of Ganga, as it is not a picnic spot but a symbol of 'Sanatan' culture," he said.

The VHP city secretary, Rajan Gupta, said that those who have no respect for Sanatan dharma should not come to the ghats and temples.

"We will welcome them if they show respect to Sanatan dharma," he said.

The poster adds that "it is not a request but a warning".

A large number of foreign tourists come to Varanasi and spend hours at the ghats, interacting with local people.

Right-wing activists had earlier objected to smoking by these tourists.

The activists had also staged demonstrations and recited the Hanuman Chalisa in front of a church in Chandmari area on New Year's Eve.
BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese commercial banks posted a declining bad loan ratio at the end of November 2021, official data showed.

The non-performing loan ratio of financial institutions in the banking sector stood at 1.89 percent, down 0.04 percentage points from the beginning of last year, according to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC). Their provision coverage increased by 10 percentage points to 192.9 percent.

Key risk indicators of the banking sector remained within the reasonable range, the CBIRC said.

Domestic assets of Chinese banks totaled 335.2 trillion yuan (52.59 trillion U.S. dollars) by November, up 7.6 percent year on year, while their liabilities increased by 7.4 percent to 306.2 trillion yuan.

According to the data, the risk in the insurance sector was under control as the average comprehensive solvency ratio of 179 insurance companies came in at 240 percent at the end of the third quarter of 2021. 
Washington, Jan 7 : North Korea's nuclear and missile programs pose an ongoing threat to the region and the international community, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Blinken made the remarks on Thursday during annual security consultative talks with his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi, that also involved US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi, reports Yonhap News Agency.

"Meanwhile, the DPRK's unlawful nuclear, missile programs pose an ongoing threat. And we saw that again this week with the most recent launch," Blinken said on Thursday, referring to North Korea's test launch of a self-claimed hypersonic missile on Wednesday.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.

Blinken noted threats facing the allies included what he called China's "provocative actions" in the region and Russia's military build-up along the Ukraine border.

"So, to address these evolving threats, our alliance must not only strengthen the tools we have but also develop new ones," he told the virtual meeting. "And I think that's really the focus of the discussions that are about to happen." On his part, Austin reiterated challenges posed by North Korea and others in the Indo-Pacific region.

"We're meeting against the backdrop of increased tensions and challenges to the free and stable and secure Indo-Pacific region that we both seek -- challenges posed by North Korea's nuclear ambitions and by the coercive and aggressive behaviour of the People's Republic of China.

"So together we are taking bold steps to improve our alliances, bolster our readiness and strengthen what I call integrated deterrence," he added.

This week's missile test marked North Korea's first missile launch since October 2021.

Pyongyang has claimed to have successfully test launched its first hypersonic missile last September.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : As the weekend curfew in Delhi will kick in tonight from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday to curb further spread of Covid-19, let us have a look at what will remain shut and what will function as usual, to prepare well: People can step out only in cases of an emergency as shops, malls and markets will be closed and only shops selling essential goods will be allowed to open.

While a majority of businesses and shops will remain closed, Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has also said that several people will be exempted like:-- Healthcare workers -- Government officials involved in essential and emergency services, such as those working in the health department, police, fire department, public transport etc-- Judges and all Judicial officers I officials /staff members of all courts in Delhi as well as Advocates/Legal Counsels, connected with the case hearing on production of valid I card / Service ID Card / Photo Entry Passes / Permission Letters Issued by the court administration.

Staff in offices of diplomats of various countries as well as persons holding any Constitutional post on production of valid I card-- Persons going out for Covid-19 testing or vaccination, on production of valid ID card.

Besides, pregnant women and patients in need of medical services, along with an attendant, if they produce a doctor's prescription, people coming from/going to airports/railway stations/lSBTs allowed to travel on production of valid ticket.

Electronic and print media on production of valid ID card.-- Students appearing in examinations on production of valid admit card.-- Food delivery services like Swiggy and Zomato-- Those attending weddings on production of soft or hard copy of wedding card. It should be noted that there is a cap of 20 people only at a marriage function. As per the DDMA order, during the weekdays, DTC buses and Delhi Metro will be allowed to function at their full seating capacity and there will be no restrictions on the movement of goods during the nighttime.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Supreme Court on Friday cleared the decks for postgraduate medical counselling and admissions, including the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and economically weaker sections (EWS) reservations for the current academic year, 2021-22.

A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and A.S. Bopanna upheld the constitutional validity of 27 per cent reservation for OBC and 10 per cent EWS for the NEET-UG and NEET-PG. However, the top court added that it would decide on the rationale of criteria of Rs 8 lakh income for EWS category in March this year.

On Thursday, after conducting a day-long hearing on petitions challenging the validity of EWS quota in postgraduate medical admissions and the Centre's argument favouring the quota, the court said there is a situation, where in national interest, the counselling has to begin, which was also a key demand of protesting resident doctors.

A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and A.S. Bopanna said: "We are in a situation, where in the national interest the counselling has to begin." Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, argued that all candidates eligible for the EWS quota, as per existing criteria, have got their certificates for registration and added that seats in all the government colleges have been increased to accommodate the EWS quota.

"So, this will not harm the chances of general category students...", he added.

Mehta also clarified that super-speciality courses have no reservation and none of the judgments remotely suggests that there cannot be reservation in PG courses. On the aspect of the EWS quota, he said there was a study, application of mind, and wide consultation when the government decided to fix the Rs 8 lakh income limit.

The Centre has accepted the report of a three-member panel constituted to revisit the EWS criteria. The panel, in its report, said: "Firstly, the EWS's criteria relates to the financial year prior to the year of application whereas the income criterion for the creamy layer in OBC category is applicable to gross annual income for three consecutive years." The panel added: "Secondly, in case of deciding the OBC creamy layer, income from salaries, agriculture, and traditional artisanal professions are excluded from the consideration whereas the Rs 8 lakh criteria for EWS includes that from all sources, including farming. So, despite being the same cut-off number, their composition is different and hence, the two cannot be equated." After hearing the parties in the matter, the top court reserved its judgment on the petitions challenging the 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 10 per cent reservation for EWS in all-India quota seats for postgraduate medical courses.

As many as 15 per cent seats in MBBS and 50 per cent seats in MS and MD courses are filled through all-India Quota from the candidates selected through the NEET.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, Jan 7 : Bollywood actor Aparshakti Khurrana will start 2022 with Atul Sabharwal's next film, 'Berlin', a gritting suspense thriller where he will star as the lead.

This will be the actor's second outing in the genre after 'Dokha Round D Corner', and the film will go on floors this month and will be shot across Delhi, Agra and Bhopal, the key cities in the Hindi belt.

Aparshakti said: "I can't wait to get on the sets for this one.

"2021 for me has been full of surprises, with starting my journey of playing the lead role on a positive note, I also got the opportunity to explore different, more serious genres - which is something I have wanted to do since day one, and who better than Atul Sabharwal could have helped me get there?" Heaping praises on his director, Aparshakti recollects Atul's past projects.

"I have followed Atul Sir's work very closely and I can undoubtedly vouch for his craft, especially when it comes to storytelling in this tricky genre. I still remember how mind-blowing and ahead of its time 'My Wife's Murder' was.

"Totally loved 'Powder' starring Pankaj Tripathi and his last work of 'Class of 83' shows how fine he is with his craft. He beautifully captures the nuances required for this genre and I am more than excited to have him helm this project for me," he concluded.
Hyderabad, Jan 7 : Health authorities in Telangana have stopped classification of Omicron cases among Covid-19 infections, saying it was no longer necessary.

The health department has done away with sharing information about Omicron cases among air passengers coming to Hyderabad from various countries as it had been done for the last three weeks.

It was immediately not clear if the health authorities have stopped genome sequencing of the samples collected from passengers upon their arrival at the Hyderabad Airport.

The daily Covid status bulletin released on Thursday night had no information about Omicron cases. Till Wednesday, the state had reported 94 Omicron cases among passengers from both at-risk and other than at-risk countries. They included four cases among local contacts.

Stating that Omicron is already in the community, Director of Public Health G. Srinivasa Rao had said on Thursday that they estimate that over 70 per cent Covid cases in the state are Omicron.

He believes that separate categorisation of Omicron will not serve any purpose as it cannot be stopped by testing 300-500 people at the airport.

"According to our estimates, more than 70 per cent cases are Omicron cases. We need not know whether it is Delta, Gamma or Omicron variant, as testing and treatment are the same. We cannot conduct genome sequencing on everybody. There is no need for it. We have to know if someone has Covid or not," he said.

Telangana had reported its first Omicron case on December 15, 2021. The state had 94 Omicron cases till January 5. Since then, the health department has been providing details on a daily basis like the number of passengers arriving and the number of those testing positive for Covid. Their samples were being sent for genome sequencing.

Till January 5, a total of 13,652 passengers had arrived from at-risk countries. The authorities were also conducting random Covid tests on two per cent of the passengers coming from other countries. Majority of the cases were detected among those coming from other than at-risk countries.

The officials had said that 43 out of 94 Omicron cases had recovered. They were awaiting genome sequencing results of 68 samples as on January 5.

Meanwhile, the state reported 1,913 new Covid cases on Thursday. The daily count was 1,520 on Wednesday.

The Director of Public Health said there was a four-fold increase in the last five days. Greater Hyderabad saw 1,214 new infections against 979 cases the previous day. Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri district, adjoining Hyderabad, reported 213 and 161 new cases, respectively.

The official warned that the state may see a bigger surge later this month after the Sankranti festival. Stating that the next four weeks will be critical, he appealed to people to strictly adhere to Covid guidelines to check the spread.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Amid the recent surge in Covid cases, especially the Omicron variant, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has reviewed the situation and preparedness in Delhi-NCR and stressed the need for a unified fight to control the spread.

The meeting called on Thursday evening reviewed the Covid-19 situation in the Delhi-NCR region, which includes the national capital and nine bordering districts in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that the home secretary emphasised that it is necessary for all the concerned authorities in Delhi and the NCR region to come together to tackle the virus.

He reiterated the need to have a unified strategy in the Delhi-NCR Region to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

During this meeting, the home secretary conveyed that the Omicron variant being highly transmissible, no stone is to be left unturned to deal with any surge in cases and immediate steps should be taken to further strengthen the monitoring and containment mechanism.

He stressed that the State and the local administration should strictly enforce the norms of Covid-19 appropriate behaviour; that is wearing of face masks and maintaining safe social distance in all public areas and public gatherings.

Home secretary also stressed that the health infrastructure in all the districts of Delhi-NCR should be immediately strengthened to deal with any enhanced requirement. Further, it should be ensured that oxygen supply equipment is fully functional and buffer stocks of essential drugs are maintained.

He stressed on ramping up testing in all the districts of Delhi-NCR, where testing appears to be less. All measures and mechanisms to contain and curb the spread of the virus must be reinvigorated.

The meeting was attended by member (Health) Niti Aayog Dr. V K Paul and other senior officers of the Central government and chief secretaries/ additional chief secretaries of the States of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, along with officials from the district administration of NCT of Delhi and the neighbouring districts.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, Jan 7 : In the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has taken just eight days for India's daily cases to cross 1 lakh from 10,000. If you compare it with the second wave last year, it took Covid cases 47 days to reach the 1 lakh level from a tally of 10,000. In the first Covid wave in 2020, it took SARS-CoV-2 virus 103 days to reach the near 1 lakh level from the 10,000 Covid cases (the peak registered was 98,795).

The second wave had peaked around 4 lakh cases last year.

The current tally shows how fast the Omicron-led wave is spreading in the community and is likely to break all previous records within no time.

The only respite so far is that the country has not witnessed a surge in oxygen demand or hospitalisation but the way the Omicron-led Covid 3.0 wave is fast spreading, it can put a lot of pressure on the healthcare system in days to come, in a country with nearly 1.4 billion people.

On Friday, India registered a single-day rise of 1,17,100 new Covid cases, a significant rise from the previous day's 90,928 cases, in a span of 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the Omicron infection tally reached 3,007 across the nation, said the Health Ministry.

While Omicron does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorised as 'mild' as just like previous variants, Omicron is hospitalising people and it is killing people, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has warned that humanity "could be entering the worst part of the pandemic" as the Omicron variant spreads fast across the globe, stressing that it will "hit home for all of us".

The Omicron variant multiplies about 70 times faster inside human respiratory tract tissue than the Delta variant, according to scientists at the University of Hong Kong.

Omicron also reaches higher levels in the tissue, compared with Delta, 48 hours after infection. However, it is less severe than the previous variants because it does not cause as much damage in the lungs, a spate of studies have suggested.

A study by a consortium of US and Japanese scientists on hamsters and mice, has found those infected with Omicron had less lung damage, lost less weight and were less likely to die than those who had other variants.

The Omicron variant, harbouring up to 36 mutations in spike protein, is known to evade vaccine efficacy. Data suggests Omicron may be able to infect people at a lower dose than Delta or the original variant. Inside the lung tissue, Omicron has been reported to be less efficient at infecting cells than Delta or the original version of the virus.

"The infection is more focused on the bronchia than the lungs and very fast," Marc Veldhoen, an immunologist at the University of Lisbon, posted on Twitter.

Scientists now need to measure the viral loads inside people's respiratory tracts.

With Delta, people have, on average, 1,000 times more virus particles in their respiratory tracts than with the original variants.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Young people are increasingly signing up for financial literacy classes, which are conducted by India's leading financial institutions and are fueled by social media influencers who give financial advise but are often untrained to do so.

There was a time when Indian youngsters received financial guidance mostly through popular novels such as 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad.' Despite the excellent concepts, the text was unrelatable to the Indian reader, and the counsel was impractical. Professional guidance, on the other hand, was out of reach due to the high expense of engaging a financial planner. As a result, the Indian retail investor was mostly absent. That was back in the day.

Today is different.

Financial independence and financial freedom have grown widespread in today's world, thanks to a growing culture that values entrepreneurs and wealth producers. It is being promoted by young people who no longer consider employment as their only source of survival and development. Instead, an increasing number of people believe that their money should work for them.

Change in the way we look at investing These youth understand that investing is crucial to wealth creation and are not afraid to try out different modes. A case in point is the huge interest generated by the IPOs of new-age startups,the growing clamour for access to cryptocurrencies, and more.

The social media pull - pros and cons A huge community of influencers who routinely discuss wealth creation and personal finance management is fueling this interest. They use social media to share their wealth-building experiences, voice their views, and offer advise. They've steadily increased their clout.

Experts in personal finance are concerned about their recommendations because a big proportion of influencers lack the professional skills required to give guidance. There's also the issue of entrenched interests in promoting a specific viewpoint. Small-time investors with insufficient knowledge are frequently forced to pay the price for a decision that does not pan out in the market. They could be acting under the guise of counsel posing as knowledge.

Taking control of one's financial future As a result, a growing percentage of young professionals recognise the need of financial literacy. This has resulted in an increasing trend, thanks in part to the ability to learn remotely. Many institutions and specialists have teamed up to give financial literacy and awareness courses that include content that is relevant to Indian customers, well-researched, and objective. There are classes that are specifically designed for entrepreneurs, small company owners, and women.

Getting the message across to non-finance folks While financial literacy is a hot topic right now, organisations like the National Stock Exchange have been offering such classes for over a decade. So far, they've primarily catered to major corporations. "Financial literacy and management is a significant gap left in our education generally," says RehanaD'Suza, Vice President & Head of Business Development, National Stock Exchange of India Limited, on the need to broaden understanding. It causes a complete lack of confidence in young professionals, making them vulnerable to fraud and poor financial judgments. Popular advice gained from the media or social media is frequently skewed or inaccurate. Corporate clients rely on us to offer accurate, up-to-date, objective, well-researched, and successful material." The majority of their audience is made up of non-financial persons who find it difficult to grasp the foundations of finance. As a result, these organisations frequently collaborate with communication experts to convey their message through innovative means.

People who used to find financial literacy seminars uninteresting - because they found the topic scary and difficult to relate to - are now interested in seeing 12-minute long street dramas. Using an artistic medium to demystify such a subject helps us catch the audience's attention before a facilitator begins serious discussions on themes such as savings, investments, and other topics." Such measures contribute to a more favourable investment climate, encouraging young people to increase their participation in the economy while benefiting from overall growth.
Chennai, Jan 7 : With Covid-19 cases on the rise in Tamil Nadu, state Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Friday convened a meeting senior of health department officials here.

State health secretary Dr. J. Radhakrishnan and other senior officials of the health department will be participating in the meeting.

Ma Subramanian while speaking to IANS said: "There is a hike in the number of fresh Covid-19 cases and the meeting will lead to fresh curbs to tackle the surge. Caution is necessary and people must adhere to Covid -19 standard protocol wearing masks, effecting social distancing and use of sanitisers and washing of hands other than taking both the doses of vaccine." The state has already arranged more than 1.25 lakh beds across the state with the Oxygen beds also in place.

Of the 6,983 fresh cases of Covid -19 reported in Tamil Nadu on Thursday, nearly 75 per cent are from Chennai and adjoining districts of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur.

While Chennai reported 3,759 cases, Chengalpattu has 816 fresh cases, Tiruvallur (444) and Kancheepuram (185).

State health secretary J. Radhakrishnan while speaking to mediapersons said: "There is a cascading effect of the infection into the adjacent districts of Chennai and efforts are on to curb the spread." Coimbatore with 309 cases and Vellore with 223 cases reported the next highest number of cases after Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Ankara , Jan 7 : The Turkish government has changed the regulation for foreigners to acquire citizenship in a bid to support the national currency, or the lira, according to a decree.

Foreigners who make a certain investment in the country, buy real estate or make a fixed capital investment could get Turkish citizenship, Xinhua news agency quoted the decree issued in the official gazette as saying.

For example, foreigners who own real estate in Turkey worth at least $250,000 and hold the property for at least three years will be able to acquire Turkish citizenship.

According to the new regulation, the foreign currency obtained from the sale of property to foreigners will be sold to the central bank through a local bank and converted into Turkish lira.

The currency that foreigners keep in the bank for investment will also be converted into the local currency, it said.

The regulation comes amid the currency turmoil in Turkey.
XI'AN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- "We still feel very safe being here. That's because of the good people that are around us, that are doing so much work to ensure all of us are safe," says Max Caruso.

The Australian expat is currently under lockdown in China's Xi'an as the city is battling a COVID-19 resurgence.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Supreme Court on Friday directed the registrar general of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve all records in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab, and also asked the state and Central committees to refrain from conducting inquiries till Monday, when it will take up the matter again.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said: "We direct Punjab, police authorities, SPG, central and state agencies to cooperate and provide necessary assistance to seal the entire record." The bench added the registrar general of Punjab and Haryana High Court will secure and preserve all records in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted that some NIA officer should assist the court's officer in collecting and securing the evidence, which includes wireless messages in connection with PM's movement in the state. Mehta added that the court officer may find it difficult to pin down on sources, from which information is required. Mehta termed the incident "rarest of the rare issue".

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to examine a plea raising the issue of alleged breach of security to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Punjab. Senior advocate Maninder Singh mentioned the plea in the top court. The plea filed by Delhi-based Lawyer's Voice alleged the state government and the police were complicit in jeopardising the security of the holder of the high constitutional office in the country.

"The security lapse, as per reliable reports in the print and the electronic media, and as per the Press Information Bureau report of Central government, was clearly intentional and raises a serious question as to national security and the role played by the present political dispensation in the State of Punjab", said the plea.

The plea sought an independent probe into the PM's security breach in Punjab.

The plea sought a direction to the District Judge Bathinda to collect, preserve and present all material pertaining to the movement and deployment of Punjab Police in connection with the visit of the Prime Minister, fix responsibility of the DGP and the Chief Secretary, Punjab.

The petition claimed it sought to highlight the said incident and raise an important question as if the Prime Minister of the country can face such a situation, then the fundamental rights of citizens which has been guaranteed to them under Article 19(1) (d), 19(1) (g), and 21 of the Constitution, are in serious jeopardy in Punjab and beyond.
Attempted to kill Bangabandhu in prison- not their first evil attempt, though: Joy lashed out at Pakistan. Image Source: IANS News

Attempted to kill Bangabandhu in prison- not their first evil attempt, though: Joy lashed out at Pakistan. Image Source: IANS News

Dhaka, Jan 7 : Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans grandson Sajeeb Wazed Joy has lashed out at the former Pakistani leaders for trying to kill the 'Father of the Nation' while he was a prison in 1971.

In an article posted on the website of the ruling Awami league on Thursday, he said: "After the arrest in the early hours of 26th March 1971, Bangabandhu was sent to a remote prison in the warmest city of Lyallpur via Karachi and Lahore. The purpose was to break Bangabandhu physically and mentally in the midst of natural adversity along with the loneliness of the dark solitary confinement. Later, Bangabandhu, the great hero of the Bengali nation, was kept in solitary confinement for the death row convicts in Mianwali Jail in North Punjab. He was kept under constant surveillance in the jail. However, the Pakistani conspiracies went in vain thanks to the indomitable courage and personality of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Therefore the Pakistani junta plotted to assassinate the undisputed leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in jail." Wazed, who is the son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, went on to say in the article that this was the not first time that there was a plot to assassinate his grandfather.

"In the early hours of March 26, Bangabandhu declared independence through wireless. This declaration of independence of Bangladesh was aired in the international media. Meanwhile, a special commando force went and shoot at Bangabandhu's residence on Dhanmondi Road No. 32 before he was arrested and taken away," he added.

Wazed further added that Bangabandhu was shifted from one to another jail in Pakistan several times during the course of the Liberation War.

"Apart from killing attempts at Mianwali, Faisalabad and Sahiwal, there was another conspiracy to kill Bangabandhu in a solitary confinement cell in the dark cell of Lyallpur Jail in North Punjab, about 150 miles from Rawalpindi," he said, adding that "the conspiracy continued in the name of a secret trial".

Later, "under the pressure of the new government of independent Bangladesh and world leaders, Pakistan was finally forced to release Bangabandhu on January 8, 1972", Wazed says in his article.

"Through London on January 9, Bangabandhu set foot in an independent Bangladesh on January 10.

"Thus the return of Bangabandhu to his home fulfilled the meaning of the independence of the Bengali nation."
New Delhi, Jan 7: Launching a massive operation to "repulse terrorists" who are "rampaging at present in Almaty and in other cities," Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev today vowed to take immediate measures to protect the diplomatic missions, "as well as subjects of foreign investment and business of foreign companies" in the resource-rich Central Asian nation.

A two-week state of emergency was declared in the western Mangistau region and the city of Almaty on Wednesday after violent protests triggered initially by a fuel price hike spread all over the country and led to the sacking of the ruling government.

Several videos of thousands of protestors creating ruckus on the streets and venting their anger at 81-year-old Nursultan Nazarbayev, who ruled the country for decades till 2019 and still wielded considerable power, have also gone viral on social media.

Chairing a meeting of his country's Security Council early Thursday, Tokayev said that foreign terrorists and criminal elements are trying to destabilise the situation in the country. He said that these international terrorist gangs have undergone serious training abroad and their attack on Kazakhstan should be viewed as an act of aggression.

"They have captured infrastructure buildings, and most importantly, the premises where small arms are located. They are fighting with the cadets of the schools. Currently, there is a battle near Almaty with the airborne units of the Ministry of Defence," the Head of the State was quoted as saying by Akorda, the official website of the President of Kazakhstan.

The terrorists, Tokayev mentioned, had seized large infrastructure facilities, including "about five aircraft, including foreign ones" at the Almaty airport which has been "attacked, destroyed, vandalized".

The Kazakh President said that he hoped that the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) members would help his country overcome this "external" terrorist threat.

"My constitutional duty is that I have to take care of the well-being, security and tranquillity of our citizens. Therefore, I consider an appeal to the CSTO partners absolutely appropriate and timely. I believe that the people of Kazakhstan will support this decision," said Tokayev.

Besides Russia, other CSTO members include Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Announcing help immediately, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who had recently taken over the CSTO presidency from Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, said that the CSTO peacekeeping forces will be dispatched to Kazakhstan "for a limited period of time" with the aim of stabilising and normalising the situation in this country.

The decision was made in accordance with Article 4 of the Collective Security Treaty of May 15, 1992, which provides that in the event of an aggression (armed attack threatening security, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty) against any of the participating States, all other members, at its request, will immediately provide it with the necessary support and assistance, including military.

The CSTO members had put into action the same process of joined consultations to eliminate the 'external threat' after the return of Taliban in Afghanistan last August which had put bordering Tajikistan at extreme ease.

However, this would be for the first time in the 30-year history of the organisation that military forces will be deployed to support a member country.

Backing Tokayev, Moscow today said that it is closely following the events in the "brotherly" neighbouring country and will continue close consultations with the Kazakh side and other CSTO allies to analyse and develop, if necessary, further effective steps, "primarily to facilitate" the conduct of the counter-terrorist operation.

"We regard the recent events in a friendly country as an attempt, inspired from the outside, to undermine the security and integrity of the state by force, using trained and organised armed formations," said the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

The Vladimir Putin government also reaffirmed its adherence to allied commitments within the framework of the CSTO and supported the adoption of urgent measures in connection with the rapid degradation of the internal political situation and the growth of violence in Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, security has als been tightened at Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome located in Kazakhstan.

"The operational headquarters, created under the Baikonur administration, fully controls the situation in the city. Armed security for key facilities of the cosmodrome has been strengthened," wrote Dmitry Rogozin, Director General of Russian space agency Roscosmos in a social media post.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Mumbai, Jan 7 : Actor Ashish Verma, who was recently seen in Aanand L Rai's 'Atrangi Re', has called the film's shoot a memorable experience given how they made their way around the pandemic.

It also allowed him to explore his potential as an actor in the company of bigwigs like Aanand L. Rai and Dhanush.

Recollecting his experience, Ashish said: "The shooting for 'Atrangi Re' is one of the most heartwarming experiences I've had; we were in and out of Covid-19, we resumed when shooting was allowed.

"The film gave me ample space to perform, plus working with Aanand Sir and Dhanush, one of the finest we have, was a big big tick mark in the bucket list." His another project, the Vyapam scam-based series, 'The Whistleblower' has also been receiving positive response.

He said: "I am really happy with all the love coming my way through reviews, the audiences, and I only have gratitude for it. It was a solid ensemble with many characters. The collaboration with the solid cast and crew of like minded people was super fun." While the actor is truly grateful for all the love he is receiving, he is onto his untitled next and has been shooting for the same in Jaipur.

The film in question is being helmed by Homi Adajania under Maddock Films production.
New Delhi, Jan 7: Southeast Asia, as it was in the 1960s and '70s, has again become the fulcrum in the current international relations and global conflict between the two superpowers -this time, however, not between the US and the Soviets but US and China, the latter being the rising delinquent, new muscleman in the town with deep pockets.

Strategic location between the Pacific and the Indian Oceans, together with the region's proximity to Beijing lends it an added significance in the emerging battleground, if not in military confrontation, but surely in rivalry for influence through other means.

ASEAN centrality has to be rephrased as Southeast Asian centrality, as the region has become the fulcrum not the organization, which is not only divided on the question of China but also has failed to provide any leadership on any major crisis affecting the region, the latest example being the Myanmar crisis.

Individual countries of the region, rather than ASEAN as an organisation have become the focus of outreach for others. This is not to undermine the organisation as such, but only to suggest that ASEAN can act effectively if it is united and speaks with one voice. More importantly, ASEAN centrality could work till the time American and Chinese interests over the region's security and economic architecture converged.

Deteriorating Strategic Environment and China-American rivalry Certain developments in recent years have contributed to the deteriorating strategic scenario in the entire Indo-Pacific and America's concern and renewed interest in the region. Beijing's bellicosity towards all, except towards its client states, added by its wolf-warrior diplomacy and creeping occupation of most of its neighbours' territories, as well as its increasing assertiveness in the South China sea finding expression in the salami-slicing strategy and building of artificial islands and their militarization, are the most important factors for building up tensions in the region. This in turn, has resulted in the US worry that it might be losing the ground to the Chinese hegemony and a Beijing-centric economic and strategic order in the Indo-Pacific region.

Washington's concern with Beijing's hegemonic ambition actually began even during the period of Trump administration, but it was inchoate, desultory and sometimes incoherent. It is only during the Biden administration, that too not in the early months of its office, that it received much more coordinated focus and an attempt to chart out a strategy to deal with the China challenge.

It was also triggered by the concern in the minds of its allies and partners in the region that the US is on a decline and a doubt about its commitment to retain itself as the resident power and as a security provider guaranteeing the safety and security of the countries that come under China's assault or influence. It has not escaped the attention of Southeast Asians that Cabinet-level officials from the Biden team had made early visits to Japan, India, and South Korea, but not to the region. In contrast, Chinese diplomacy has gone into hyper drive over the past year, including its vaccine diplomacy, with top Chinese diplomats meeting Southeast Asian counterparts by some counts, at least 21 times, if not more, since August 2020.

As a result, Southeast Asian countries, much against their wishes, have more- or- less reconciled to Beijing's hegemony in the region, but tried hard to minimise its effects and damage to their territorial sovereignty and integrity as well as to avoid coming under its economic stranglehold through a strategy of hedging and building defence and economic cooperation with the US, EU, Japan, India and Australia without giving an impression of joining an anti-China alliance. It was a difficult strategy with the possibility of very little success. Nevertheless, it was their preferred choice, as they were not sure whether anyone would come to their rescue if they opted to confront China, a much bigger and powerful neighbour. US power was overstretched and preoccupied with other areas. The others with their combined strength would not be able to match China's military and economic power.

US outreach to Southeast Asia But things began to change in recent months, with the US shedding off its earlier inertia and waking up to the importance of Southeast Asia in facing the China challenge in the Indo-Pacific region with high-level visits by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in May 2021, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in the following month to shore up defence cooperation, followed in so in many ways by Vice President Kamala Harris's visit to build on the momentum of these recent efforts. It was also a broader effort to re-engage with key partners in Southeast Asia, as US engagement had waned during the Trump administration and also got off to a slow start under Biden, as mentioned earlier.

For US foreign policy and American interests, the stakes are very big in the region, as almost 42,000 US companies export to the 10 countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, supporting about 600,000 jobs in the US And Southeast Asia also includes two US allies, Thailand and the Philippines, as well as important security partners like Singapore and key emerging partners like Vietnam and Indonesia, a country that at one time was the main pillar of its major outreach to the region. President Joe Biden participated in a US-ASEAN virtual summit in October, pledging to deepen cooperation with the bloc. The US has previously voiced support for some ASEAN countries in tensions with China over the South China Sea, a major trade route that Beijing claims as its own.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken's maiden visit to Indonesia and Malaysia last month added to its earlier efforts to step up Washington's engagement with individual countries of Southeast Asia to shore up its Indo-pacific strategy. All of them focussed on America's vision for the Indo-Pacific region under the Biden administration putting forward a positive vision of peace and stability, freedom of the seas, unimpeded commerce, advancing human rights - including in places like Burma - and a commitment to the international rules-based order. Blinken lauded "Indonesia's leadership" in the Indo-Pacific calling the country "the world's third-largest democracy and a strong proponent of the rules-based international order," the statement read. After Blinken's meeting with Indonesian president Jokowi, the country's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Washington appeared interested in forging partnerships with Jakarta, including on infrastructure. "The US commitment was very noticeable," Retno told reporters. Blinken also congratulated Jokowi on Indonesia's G20 presidency. In Malaysia, Blinken commended its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and was also appreciative of its contribution of vaccines to COVAX, a world-wide vaccine sharing initiative. "This is deeply appreciated and evidence of real leadership," he said during a joint press conference with Malaysian foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah. All nice and pleasing words were said at the targeted audience.

Unfortunately, due to one the members of the entourage being infected with Covid-19, Blinken could not make the last leg of his tour, i.e., Thailand, which created some misgivings among the Thais about his mission to the region. Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a leading Political Scientist from Chulalongkorn University puts the Thai sentiments very aptly: "Having skipped Thailand US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's . . .aborted three-country tour of Southeast Asia has hindered the full projection of President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific geostrategy. Not wrapping up the trip with a visit to Thailand, a mainland Southeast Asia pivot and longstanding US treaty ally, also misses an opportunity to shore up what has been a relative bilateral estrangement. In short, Secretary Blinken's diplomatic foray in Southeast Asia has fallen "short for the time being." Leaving aside this minor hitch, the optics of all the visits and their interactions were quite impressive.

Can the US carry along the Southeast Asians with its current Indo-Pacific strategy? Optics were good, but the substance was missing. "Despite its deep regional expertise and the region's high expectations, it has failed to articulate a comprehensive regional strategy or treat the Indo-Pacific as its decisive priority," to quote a report by four scholars of the US studies Center. The Biden administration's focus on long-term systems competition with China overlooks the urgency of near-term competition in the Indo-Pacific. It sees the United States as being in a "systems competition" between democracy and autocracy. By making ideological competition with China an organising principle for US foreign policy, Washington risks undermining its attractiveness as a partner for politically diverse Indo-Pacific countries. It also cannot compete against China effectively in the Indo-Pacific without prioritising engagement with Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia. The outreach had been too late and too little in substance. It has recognised the need to do more in Southeast Asia, but its success may be limited by its approach to competition with China and lack of an economic strategy, which essentially is a function of US protectionist trade preferences at home. Proposed initiatives on digital trade and infrastructure cannot compensate for the absence of a comprehensive trade-based economic approach. "The Biden administration views China as a predominantly long-term military challenge. Its efforts to minimise spending on US forward posture in the region suggest it may be less committed to a strategy of deterrence by denial to prevent Chinese aggression," to quote the US studies Center report again.

It is important to recognize that most ASEAN countries, due to their small size and military weakness, are wary of taking sides if either US or China want to have constructive relations with both, and they often feel caught in the middle. And therefore, it's also important for the US to engage these countries on their own terms, based on a positive political and economic agenda, rather than "approaching them simply as derivative of US competition with Beijing". The US recognizes that China is increasingly achieving its strategic goals in Southeast Asia through economic statecraft, illustrated in its Belt and Road Initiative and proactive role in forming RCEP, which is the mega-trade deal that is expected to accelerate the region's economic integration with China, which is already very significant. The US had a very good prospect of economically integrating Southeast Asia with the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which never entered into force due to the withdrawal of the United States by the Trump administration. From its failure evolved the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), also known as TPP11 or TPP-11, a trade agreement among Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

The eleven signatories have combined economies representing 13.4 percent of global gross domestic product, at approximately US$13.5 trillion, making the CPTPP one of the world's largest free-trade areas by GDP, along with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the European Single Market, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The US must join the CPTPP or must sign a new trade deal involving the Southeast Asian countries, possibly including India. It is through mutually beneficial economic engagement with the Indo-Pacific and adopting trade and investment strategies that the US can reinforce its role as an indispensable resident economic power along with its military capabilities.

India can also emerge as an important actor in this process of economic integration if it can join the group and along with Japan and Australia who have formally launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI), merge with whichever trading arrangements are initiated in the region in the coming days. The SCRI aims to create a virtuous cycle of enhancing supply chain resilience with a view to eventually attaining strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth in the region. It is time for New Delhi to seize the opportunity. It is neither India nor the US who can make their Indo-Pacific concept come into fruition without the support of Southeast Asia.

(Baladas Ghoshal, is a former Professor and Chair in Southeast Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University & Secretary General, Society for Indian Ocean Studies) (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Kochi, Jan 7 : Kerala Police, probing the actress abduction case, has asked film director Balachandra to record his statement.

The police probe team served a notice to Kumar to appear before the magistrate, here on January 12.

Last week, Kumar revealed that soon after hugely popular actor Dileep was released on bail in the case, he saw the visuals of the assault on the actress in the car.

Kumar also claimed that the visuals were handed over to the actor by an VIP and he was privy to all this.

Till now, only the trial court has seen the said visuals.

Soon after Kumar's disclosure became public, the Kerala government on Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking six more months to complete the trial in the case.

The apex court had in September granted time till February 16, 2022 to complete the trial, the third time the top court granted extension.

The actress was abducted and assaulted in a moving car in Kochi on February 17, 2017, and Dileep was arrested in July 2017 in connection with the case. He spent several weeks in jail before securing bail.

He has been named as a conspirator in the case, being charged with "revenge crime".
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Women and girls without a close male relative accompanying them were banned from entering coffee shops in Afghanistan's Herat province, Raha Press reported.

Sheikh Azizi ur Rahman Al-Mohajer, the head of virtue and vice of the Taliban office in Herat, said from now on playing music and women and girls without a 'mahram' (relative) are forbidden, the report said.

He said criminals are also not allowed in coffee shops. According to him, most insecurities, kidnappings, robberies and destructive actions can be planned in such coffee shops.

"The coffee shop owners are warned if any instruction violations are reported, they will be faced with legal actions," Al-Mohajer said, adding that coffee shops can be remain open till 9.30 p.m.

According to him, these coffee shops serve as a convenient place for most of the moral corruption something has misled the youths in Herat. He emphasised any decree on closing all coffee shops in Herat can be issued from Kabul.

This comes as recently after all mannequins were beheaded as they resembled idols, an instruction from the Taliban government that caused lot of public opposition.

Nearly five months after regaining power, the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has reclaimed its role as the enforcer of the group's radical interpretation of Islamic law, RFE/RL reported.

In a spate of decrees issued in recent weeks, the Ministry has imposed restrictions on the behaviour, movement, and appearances of residents, particularly those of women and girls.

While the militants have claimed the decrees are only recommendations, Taliban religious police have enforced the new laws, sometimes violently, in many areas.

Many Afghans have voiced their anger at the Taliban's religious policing, saying it is a tool for humiliating citizens and controlling every aspect of their lives.

For Afghans, the decrees are reminiscent of the draconian rules the Taliban imposed during its brutal rule from 1996 to 2001.

Obaidullah Baheer, a Kabul-based academic, said by forcing its own interpretation of Sharia law upon Afghans, the Taliban is "locking out the population from decision-making" and exposing its "tyrannical tendencies", the report added.

Baheer said the Taliban views "any challenge to (its) policies as a challenge to the faith itself".

Last month, the Taliban ordered shop owners in the western city of Herat to cut off the heads of mannequins, insisting they were un-Islamic.

The order angered local shopkeepers, who are already reeling from an economic crisis triggered by the Taliban takeover and the sudden halt in international assistance.

"These mannequins will be ruined if I am forced to behead them," Mohammad Irshad, who owns three retail stores in Herat said. "It will negatively impact all our customers -- men, women, and children. They will lose their appetite (for shopping)," the report quoted Irshad as saying.

Abdul Wadud Faizada, the head of Herat's Chamber of Commerce, said the "heads of mannequins should be covered and not destroyed". The Taliban has said that did not go far enough.

"Our traders will suffer financially," Faizada said, noting that each mannequin typically costs between $70 and $100, as per the report.

Some shopkeepers appeared to be already complying with the orders by sawing off the heads of shop dummies.

In late December, the Taliban announced that women seeking to travel more than 72 km should be refused transport unless they were accompanied by a close male relative.

The advisory distributed by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice also directed all vehicle drivers to refrain from playing music in their cars and not to pick up female passengers who did not wear an Islamic hijab covering their hair.

Since then, Taliban religious police have erected checkpoints across Kabul to inspect whether taxi drivers were complying with the orders.

Last week, the Taliban also shut down all public bath-houses for women in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif. Such facilities are considered crucial because many Afghans do not have access to heating or electricity at home, the report said.

Tamana Siddiqi, a women's rights activist in Mazar-e Sharif, criticized the move and said: "People are dealing with growing economic pains, which means that not everyone can afford a hot bath inside their house." Men face new regulations, too, as the Taliban's religious police have instructed them to grow beards.

In a decree issued in late September, the Taliban banned the shaving of beards and trimming of hair in Uruzgan.

Violations can result in severe punishment, while barbers who were directly ordered to halt the practice are now struggling to make ends meet, RFE/RL reported.

In some areas of Afghanistan, the Taliban has made it mandatory for all men to attend congregational prayers at mosques.

In parts of Kabul and the northern province of Takhar, the Taliban has fined residents who did not show up for prayers. Repeat offenders have faced arrest or beatings, locals said.

The resident said the Taliban had ordered clerics at mosques in the capital to take a roll call and report those who failed to turn up.

In Takhar's Rustaq district, Taliban fighters recently beat up two men who failed to attend prayers, locals said.

(Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in)
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Delhi High Court on Friday granted bail to freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma who was arrested under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) in connection with a case pertaining to allegedly passing on secret information to the Chinese intelligence.

After reserving the judgment on December 21, 2021, Justice Mukta Gupta pronounced the order this morning.

The journalist was arrested by the special cell of the Delhi Police on September 14, 2020, and granted bail by the Delhi High Court in December 2020.

However, on July 1, 2021, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Sharma in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the espionage case.

Sharma had moved the High Court following the dismissal of bail plea by the Sessions Court.

He had also submitted that he is suffering from various ailments, including acute sinus for which he had undergone two surgeries putting him at a high risk of Covid-19.

In the earlier hearing, Sharma's counsel Mohit Mathur had submitted that he was granted default bail in the PMLA case.

According to the ED, the money laundering case is based on the FIR and charge sheet filed by Delhi Police against Sharma under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, and the Official Secrets Act.

During the probe, it was revealed that Sharma had supplied "confidential and sensitive" information to Chinese Intelligence officers, in exchange for remuneration thereby compromising the security and national interests of India, it stated.

The probe agency said that investigation further revealed that cash for remuneration of Sharma and other unknown persons was being generated through hawala means by Mahipalpur based shell companies that were run by Chinese nationals namely Zhang Cheng a.k.a. Suraj, Zhang Lixia a.k.a. Usha, and Quing Shi along with a Nepali national Sher Singh a.k.a. Raj Bohara.

Apart from cash, huge transactions were made with various Chinese companies and some other trading companies in India which are being examined, it said.
Seoul, Jan 7 : On the sidelines of the ongoing negotiations in Vienna to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, senior diplomats of South Korea and Tehran discussed frozen assets of the Islamic Republic in Seoul, the Foreign Ministry here said on Friday.

Seoul's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun met with his Iranian counterpart, Ali Bagheri Kani, in the Austrian capital on Thursday, reports Yonhap News Agency.

South Korea is not directly involved in the nuclear negotiations, but it has been closely watching relevant developments amid prolonged standoffs with Iran over the frozen assets.

During the meeting, Choi expressed hope for an early agreement on the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), ditched by the former US President Donald Trump's administration in 2018, and the two sides shared the understanding that Tehran's frozen assets should be released soon, according to the Ministry.

The two sides also agreed to push for working-level consultations on details related to a money transferring process, the Ministry said.

Iran has around $7 billion in funds frozen at two South Korean banks - the Industrial Bank of Korea and Woori Bank; and Tehran has demanded the release of the funds.

The fate of the frozen assets apparently depends on the negotiations between Iran and the world powers because it needs the approval of the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control to be released, according to Seoul officials.

On Wednesday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the sanctions relief issue was at the heart of the ongoing talks and that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed".
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Friday told the Supreme Court that the breach in security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Punjab was "rarest of the rare issue" and "potential of cross-border terrorism".

Mehta, appearing for the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana that it was a "rarest of the rare issue" potential of causing international embarrassment.

He said for the movement of the PM's cavalcade on road, the concerned state Director General of Police (DGP) is always consulted to secure the route for the movement.

Citing videos in public domain, Mehta said the local police personnel were seen enjoying tea with the protestors, but they didn't bother to inform the SPG about the protesters on the route. He added that the PM's cavalcade came to a halt on the flyover and one side was blocked by a large crowd of protestors. "A serious mishap could have happened...embarrassment at international level", said Mehta.

He also pointed at the tweet of the chairman of banned organisation 'Sikhs for Justice', regarding the PM's visit, calling people to come together to do whatever is required. Mehta said it indicates at cross-border terrorism and a district judge should be assisted by an NIA official to collect the record pertaining to PM's visit in Punjab. "Potential of cross-border terrorism...", Mehta reiterated.

Mehta added, "A signal must go from the highest court of this country that this won't be tolerated." Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the Delhi-based petitioner Lawyer's Voice, emphasised on the importance of protection to the PM of the country and cited previous top court ruling that looked at the SPG Act.

Singh contended the incident happened in an election-bound state and it must be ensured that such incidents don't happen again. He added that the Punjab government has no exclusive right to appoint a panel to inquire into this incident.

Referring to a former high court judge, who has been appointed as the chairman of the state probe panel, Singh cited a 2014 Supreme Court ruling recording adverse remarks against the judge in connection to an investigation in a recruitment scam. He urged the top court to restrain the state panel from proceeding in the matter and sought for a district judge to collect all evidence with assistance of NIA and sought an independent probe into the matter. Mehta appeared before the top court in support of this petition.

After a detailed hearing in the matter, the bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli directed the registrar general of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve all records in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit to Punjab, and also asked the state and central committees to refrain from conducting inquiries till Monday, when it will take up the matter again.
BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday sent a verbal message to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev over the recent large-scale riots in Kazakhstan.

Noting that the riots have caused heavy casualties and property losses, Xi expressed his sincere sympathies to President Tokayev in the message.

He said President Tokayev has taken decisive and effective actions at a critical moment, quickly calming the situation, which has shown his sense of responsibility as a statesman, and demonstrated a highly responsible attitude to the country and the people.

China, Xi said, firmly opposes any force undermining Kazakhstan's stability, threatening the country's security, and sabotaging the peaceful life of the Kazakh people.

Furthermore, China strongly rejects any attempt by external forces to provoke unrest and instigate "color revolutions" in Kazakhstan, as well as any attempt to harm the friendship between China and Kazakhstan and disrupt the two countries' cooperation, Xi added.

Xi said that China, as a fraternal neighbor and permanent comprehensive strategic partner of Kazakhstan, is ready to provide necessary support to help it overcome the difficulties.

No matter what risks and challenges get in the way, China will always remain as a trustworthy friend and reliable partner of Kazakhstan, and the Chinese people will forever stand with the Kazakh people, Xi added. 
Hyderabad, Jan 7 : Actor Nithiin's wife Shalini Kandukuri has tested positive for Covid-19 and she celebrated her birthday in self-isolation at home.

Nithiin, who posted the video of his wife's birthday 'celebrations', wished that she tests negative soon. The award-winning actor, last seen in Venky Atturi's romantic comedy 'Rang De' with Keerthi Suresh, cut the birthday cake on his wife's behalf, as she watched her from a distance.

He also posted a video on his social media profiles and wrote: "COVID has barriers ... But LOVE has no BARRIERS ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE LIFE 1st time 'nuvvu negative kavalani korukuntunnanu'." The bit in Telugu can be translated as, "For the first time I want you to be negative." Nithiin and Shalini got married in July 2020.

Tollywood, incidentally, has been seeing a rise in the number of celebrities testing positive for Covid-19. They include well-known stars Mahesh Babu, Manchu Manoj and Manchu Lakshmi.
New Delhi: A student reacts while receiving a dose of Covid-19 vaccine during a vaccination drive for the group of 15-18 years at a school in New Delhi on Thursday, January 06, 2022. (Photo:IANS/Anupam Gautam) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Jan 7 : Children undergoing Covid vaccination must not take paracetamol, a common pain reliever, without first consulting, city doctors advised on Friday.

The advice was issued in response to growing concerns that some immunisation centres are advising children to take three paracetamol 500 mg tablets after receiving the Covid vaccine. Taking paracetamol without consulting a doctor can harm children, the health experts warned.

"Paracetamol is not recommended as prophylaxis, before and after any Covid vaccination as we don't know how it alters the immune response of the vaccine," said Dr. Akshay Budhraja, Sr. Consultant, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Aakash Healthcare.

"Giving paracetamol to children (15-18 years old) who are receiving Covid vaccines is not recommended. It is because it has the potential to cause hepatotoxicity (liver damage caused by drug exposure) in them," added Dr. Col.Vijay Dutta, Senior Consultant - Internal Medicine, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre.

A low-grade fever, muscle ache, lethargy, headache, soreness at the injection site is common in the first two days after vaccination, which usually subsides on its own, without any medication.

"However, if the fever persists or the intensity increases then paracetamol or other painkiller is advised after consultation with a physician. So paracetamol is to be taken only after consultation and not as prophylaxis for fever, which happens because of the immune response of the body to the vaccine components," Budhraja added.

If children develop a fever after receiving the Covid vaccine, "they should be given Mefenamic acid or Meftal syrup", while paracetamol is safe for adults over the age of 18 with fever, Dutta said.

Previously, Bharat Biotech, which developed India's first indeginous Covid vaccine, also issued a statement that no painkillers or paracetamol are recommended following the inoculation.

To combat the increasing cases of Covid driven by the highly-transmissible Omicron variant, the government has begun administering the Covid vaccination to teenagers aged 15 to 18.

Only Covaxin has been recommended for vaccinating teenagers.

According to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, India has achieved one crore vaccination milestone for people between the 15-18 age group against Covid-19 till Wednesday, since the beginning of the drive on January 3.

India's adult Covid inoculation has also reached 149.66 crore as of Friday morning.

Meanwhile, India on Friday registered a single-day rise of 1,17,100 new Covid cases, a significant rise from the previous day's 90,928 cases, in a span of 24 hours. The country's Omicron infection tally has reached 3,007.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Patna, Jan 7 : A RJD leader was shot at by a couple of bike-borne assailants in Patna's Harnichak locality on Friday morning.

President of Lalu-Rabri Sewa Sansthan Munna Kumar has sustained two gunshot injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital where his condition is stated to be "critical".

The crime took place when Munna Kumar had gone to a marriage hall owned by him in the Harnichak locality. After leaving the marriage hall in a car, two bike-borne assailants open fired on him.

Several rounds were fired by the attackers, two of which hit him. The sudden firing led to a chaos helping the assailants flee the spot.

The local people rushed the RJD leader to Paras hospital where he is battling for life.

"The actual motive of the incident is yet to be ascertained. We have been scanning the CCTV footage of the area for some clues about the attackers. The victim is not in position to give a statement," said an official of Beur police station requesting anonymity.
Lucknow, Jan 7 : BJP's Brahmin leaders, on Friday, inaugurated a Parshuram temple in Lucknow.

BJP MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi and her son Mayank Joshi, along with UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma and UP minister Brijesh Pathak, unveiled the statue of Lord Parshuram in the Hasoveer temple.

The event comes days after Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav unveiled a statue of the Brahmin Lord in the state capital.

The six-feet statue has been brought from Rajasthan.

The move is being seen as another attempt by the BJP to placate the Brahmin community that is believed to be disgruntled with the state government.

Recently, BJP's Brahmin leaders had met at party chief JP Nadda's residence in Delhi to discuss the issue of alleged neglect of the key upper caste community.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Union Health Ministry on Friday said that it presented the status of Covid spread and vaccination coverage in the five poll-bound states with the Election Commission of India.

The meeting was held on Thursday.

The ministry quoted some media reports, which said: "Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in a meeting with the Election Commission of India (ECI) yesterday suggested that the 'COVID situation in the country is nothing to be worried about' and 'there is no cause of alarm or concern in the view of the very few cases of Omicron in the poll-bound states". The health ministry clarified and said, "These reports are highly ill- informed, misleading and far from the truth. These reports have a very high tendency to start a mis-information campaign in the midst of a pandemic." According to the ministry, the Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in his meeting with ECI presented the overall global and domestic status of spread of Covid, as well as Omicron, in the country. The details were also presented on the status of preparedness of the public health response within the states for control and management of the increasing numbers of Covid cases.

The focus of the presentation was to brief on the Covid situation in the five poll-bound states and their neighbouring states, said the ministry. Five states scheduled for Assembly polls this year are Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur.

The Election Commission on Thursday reviewed the current Covid situation in the five poll-bound states with Union Health Secretary, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, and ICMR chief Dr Balram Bhargava. It was the second time when Bhushan briefed the EC top officials on the emerging Covid situation in the country and poll-bound states in particular. Earlier, the meeting was held on December 27 with the health experts in which the Election Commission had asked to speed up the vaccination drive in the poll-bound states.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Varanasi, Jan 7 : A professor of the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has been booked for allegedly calling Lord Parshuram a 'murderer' and comparing him to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.

Om Shankar, professor of the cardiology, had criticised Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav for offering prayers at a temple of Lord Parshuram in Lucknow in a bid to woo the Brahmin community ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

According to the FIR lodged at the Lanka police station in Varanasi, the professor, in a series of Facebook posts, allegedly referred to Lord Parshuram as 'pauranik hatyara' (mythical murderer) and compared him to an 'adhunik hatyara' (modern murderer) Godse, saying there was no difference between the two.

"Those who advocate for Parshuram also advocate for Godse," the professor allegedly wrote, sarcastically asking the SP to also unveil an idol of Godse so that "new socialism" could be born.

This would help the SP get all Brahmin votes, Shankar allegedly stated in his post.

He has been booked under Indian Penal Code Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings) and 153A (promoting enmity between groups) and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act on the complaint of a Varanasi-based lawyer Saurabh Tiwari.
Brussels, Jan 7 : The European Union (EU) is on track to meet its pledge of sharing 700 million Covid-19 vaccine doses by the middle of 2022, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

In a video statement, she said the EU had exceeded its vaccine-sharing target in 2021, sharing 380 million doses instead of the planned 250 million doses with low and middle-income countries, reports Xinhua news agency.

More than 255 million of these doses have already been delivered to the recipient countries.

Von der Leyen said that "we will step up our efforts to support Africa, where vaccination rates are lower than in other parts of the world".

"We will only control this global pandemic if we fight it in every corner of the world," she said.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Earthshot Prize has kick-started 2022 with the opening of its ambitious search for the world's greatest eco-innovators and their breakthrough solutions.

In its second year, the prize has expanded its network of nominators, with over 300 organisations from more than 80 countries, representing not-for-profit, foundation, investment, corporate, academic, governmental and community-led organisations which will search their expert networks and communities to find truly ground-breaking eco-solutions that can repair and regenerate the planet.

Nominators have until March 4 to submit entries that will be considered as part of the independent assessment process run by Deloitte, the implementation partner of The Earthshot Prize.

Last year, Earthshot solutions included coral reef farming, pioneering green hydrogen, entrepreneurial technology to provide electricity in energy-poor countries, a city-wide food programme to eliminate waste, and a country-wide policy to halt deforestation and protect the rainforest.

India's Vidyut Mohan was named amongst five winners of the inaugural Earthshot Prize last year. His initiative called Takachar was the winner in the 'clean our air' category and won $1 million as prize money.

Fourteen-year-old Vinisha Umashankar from India also made it to the list of 15 finalists and her project will receive tailored support from The Earthshot Prize Global Alliance.

Based on extensive research and consultation, each of the five Earthshots has three areas of focus known to be key 'tipping points' which have the potential to generate significant impact in the next five years, including personal transportation, regenerative agriculture, future-fit buildings, and extending the life of fashion, food and plastic products.

The prize is seeking nominations in these areas, and will also prioritise indigenous, and women-led solutions, Web 3.0 enabled solutions, nominations that unlock new financial models which value nature, and finally, wild cards, the out-of-the-box, blue sky solutions that have transformative impact potential.

Following the assessment process, which includes detailed evaluation and due diligence, a long list of 30 nominations will progress to the selection stage.

This stage is supported by a panel of independent experts, who will advise on finalists, and the prestigious Earthshot Prize Council, including Prince William, David Attenborough, Shakira and Christiana Figueres, who with other members will select the five winners.

Prince William said: "The 2021 winners and finalists have set the bar incredibly high. As the nominations for 2022 open, I can't wait to see what solutions the prize helps to champion this coming year. In 2022, we are determined to go further by seeking even more nominations from every corner of the world, ensuring that we spotlight and scale the very best ideas and innovations that will put our planet on a sustainable path and protect our world for generations to come." Announced later in the year, the finalists of The Earthshot Prize will access a unique platform of support from our Global Alliance of Partnerships.

The 2022 Earthshot Winners will each win $1m in prize money at the end of this year in an awards ceremony to be broadcast globally.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : For the first time, Banarasi mangoes are being exported to London, Dubai and other parts of the world under Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) supervision, according to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

A consignment of 1.2 and 3 metric tonnes of mangoes were dispatched from Varanasi for London and Dubai respectively. Moreover, 520 metric tonnes of regional rice, 3 metric tonnes of fresh vegetables and 80 MT of regional rice were exported to Qatar, London and Australia respectively during the Covid pandemic in 2020, after APEDA's intervention.

The export of the first trial shipment of 14 MT green chilly was facilitated by APEDA from Varanasi to Dubai's Jebel Ali Port in December 2019.

With its assistance, Uttar Pradesh's Purvanchal region emerged as a new hub for India's agricultural products exports through development of the Varanasi Agri-Export Hub. In the last six months, about 20,000 MT of agri-produce was exported from Purvanchal region, the ministry said.

Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the APEDA has taken several initiatives in making landlocked Purvanchal region as a new destination of agri-export activities through development of Varanasi Agri - Export Hub (VAEH).

It has identified potential districts of Uttar Pradesh to be covered under the VAEH. The Purvanchal division covers districts of Varanasi, Mirzapur, Azamgarh, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Basti, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Chandauli and Sant Ravidas Nagar.

Varanasi and nearby areas witnessed an export of around 12 MT, 22 MT and 45 MT in the months of October, November, December respectively in the year 2021. Also, around 125 MT have been exported from Varanasi and nearby areas, the ministry said.

As Varanasi is a territory based in the plains of river Ganges, it has rich nutritional composition of soil with ample amount of fertility which leads to production of good quality agri-produce.

The region also has reputed institutions of central and international level such as Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

The newly established international airport in Kushinagar may play a vital role in triggering the export. The DDU Gorakhpur University, Indian Institute of Seed Science, Mau are the institutions actively working towards promotion of agri- activities in the region.

After the Government's initiatives, many success stories emerged to boost the morale of farmers of Purvanchal region.

Trisagar Farmer Producer Company Ltd, which is based in Sant Ravidas Nagar district, has started sending shipments on a daily basis to the international market after the intervention of APEDA.

In another success story, Gazipur district-based Shivansh Krishak Producer Company Ltd with a base of 1,500 progressive farmers has managed to get a decent realisation for its commodities after exporting a good volume of agri-produce.

Similarly, Varanasi-based FPO Jaya Seed Farmer Producer Company Ltd, which grows mangoes in around 50 acres, is getting higher price as compared to average price of the market after the intervention of APEDA.

Prior to the initiative taken by APEDA, the FPC used to sell mangoes at an average price of Rs 25/kg, but in recent season they have sold it at Rs 50/kg to a Netherland-based company named Super Plum having few outlets in Bangalore and Mumbai.
Brussels, Jan 7 : Josep Borrell, high representative of the European Union (EU) for foreign affairs and security policy, has expressed "great concerns" about the ongoing unrest in Kazakhstan.

"Great concern about developments in Kazakhstan. The rights and security of civilians must be guaranteed. External military assistance brings back memories of situations to be avoided. EU is ready to support in addressing this crisis," Borrell said in a tweet.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, also weighed in on the situation in Kazakhstan, urging all sides to refrain from violence and to seek a peaceful resolution.

"People have the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. At the same time, protesters, no matter how angry or aggrieved they may be, should not resort to violence against others," Bachelet said in a statement.

The protests started on Sunday against dissatisfaction over surging fuel prices.

They escalated on Wednesday, with protesters storming the main government building in Almaty, setting police vehicles on fire, and attacking the regional branch of the ruling Nur Otan party.

Till date, 12 law enforcement officers have been killed and more than 1,000 people were injured across Kazakhstan with almost 400 of them hospitalised as a result of the violent protests.

The Interior Ministry has claimed that 2,298 protesters have also been detained.

The mounting unrest prompted the Kazakh government to seek help from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which has decided to deploy peacekeeping forces to the country.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has blamed foreign-trained "terrorists" for the unrest, without giving evidence.
BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Friday slammed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority in Taiwan for its political manipulation of Macao affairs.

"We will never allow anyone to interfere in Macao affairs," said Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Zhu made the remarks in response to a recent report released by the DPP authority, which wantonly commented on Macao affairs and viciously attacked the principle of "one country, two systems."

The "one country, two systems" principle has been successfully implemented in Macao over the past 22 years since its return to the Chinese mainland, which safeguards political integrity, social stability, economic development, and the improved livelihoods of people in Macao, Zhu said.

She noted that the DPP authority smeared the principle of "one country, two systems" because it feared that an increasing number of Taiwan compatriots will learn about the successful practice of the principle in Macao, which will lead to the complete failure of its attempts to seek "independence." 
San Francisco, Jan 7 : Former US President Donald Trump's new social media app, Truth Social, will launch on the iOS platform on February 21, according to a listing on the App Store.

The app is being made by the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), the former leaders's new media company led by former US Representative Devin Nunes, The Verge reported on Thursday.

Truth Social looks very much like a Twitter clone, based on screenshots in the App Store listing, the report said.

The profile page shown in one screenshot looks almost exactly like Twitter and posts appear to have icons for replies, retweets, saving and sharing.

As per the report, the social network's Twitter-like design is almost assuredly no accident.

Twitter was Trump's favourite megaphone for years until he was permanently banned in January 2021 shortly after the January 6 insurrection on the US Capitol, the report said.

In May, he launched what was essentially a blog where he posted pithy Twitter-length comments, but it wasn't nearly as popular as his former Twitter account and was shut down less than a month after it launched, it added.

Trump sued Twitter in October in an attempt to reinstate his account.
Panaji, Jan 7 : The continuation of international tourists charter will depend on the international Covid scenario, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishen Reddy said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters on his arrival at the Dabolim international airport in Goa, Reddy also said that state government and the Union Home Ministry will take a call on any possibility of restricting tourist activity during the ongoing third wave of the pandemic.

"It depends on international issues. Whether charter flights are starting in other countries and whether charter flights should enter India, depends on the situation," Reddy said.

Charter flights from UK and Russia account for a bulk of Goa's foreign tourist arrivals every year. The pandemic has severely impacted the arrival of foreign tourist footfalls to the coastal state.

When asked if the central government was likely to restrict tourist movement in wake of the surge in Covid cases, Reddy said: "The Home Ministry and state governments will decide on that".
New Delhi, Jan 7 : An MP from Britain's ruling conservative Party has called for Nazir Ahmed, a Pakistani-origin former Labour politician, to be stripped of his title as Lord after he was convicted of sexually abusing two children in the 1970s, saying it should be automatic in the case of child abusers, the Daily Mail reported.

Rother Valley MP Alexander Stafford started a petition in the wake of Wednesday's guilty verdicts at Sheffield Crown Court, saying Ahmed was a "vile monster" who is "guilty of heinous crimes against children", the report said.

"This vile monster should not hold such an illustrious title and, therefore, I am writing to the UK Justice Secretary Dominic Raab calling for the removal of his title." Stafford told BBC Radio Sheffield: "Anyone, frankly, who commits any abuse of children should automatically lose their title. There should be a mechanism in place to do that.

"I think there should be an independent commission looking at how peers and other honours are appointed, and how that comes forward. And have a consensual agreement to get to the best place." Ahmed, 64, was found guilty of two counts of attempted rape and another of buggery relating to incidents involving a boy and girl in the early 1970s, the Daily Mail reported.

He will be sentenced on February 4. Ahmed resigned from the House of Lords in November 2020 after reading the contents of a conduct committee report which found he sexually assaulted a vulnerable woman who sought his help.

The report made him the first peer to be recommended for expulsion but he resigned before this could be implemented.

But many were surprised to discover that Ahmed's title is separate from his membership of the house.

The House of Lords confirmed that, as the title is created by letters patent from the Queen, it has no power to remove it.

Legislation would be needed to strip Ahmed of his title, the report said.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 7 : A year after Muslims, who quit Islam and floated the organisation, 'ex-Muslims of Kerala' have now decided to observe every January 9 as Kerala 'ex-Muslim Day', said an office-bearer of the organisation.

C.K. Faisal, the office-bearer said that right now there are around 300 members in their organisation.

"The numbers are growing and the highlight is we have decided to reserve 50 per cent of office-bearer's posts for women, which includes the post of Secretary. Our organisation is in the growing stages and we are getting newer members and at the same time for obvious reasons, some members prefer to remain out of the limelight. Things will change as we grow," said Faisal.

The new organisation is making fresh announcements on January 9 at a press meet to be held at Kochi.
Brussels, Jan 7 : Belgian kindergartens, primary and secondary schools will reopen fully from January 10 despite an ongoing resurgence of new Covid-19 cases, said Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

However, protective measures against coronavirus will continue to be enforced, including permanent ventilation in classrooms, obligatory masks from the age of six, and compliance with testing and quarantine measures, reports Xinhua news agency.

The country's consultative committee on Covid also announced at its first meeting of 2022 on Thursday that all current measures to stop the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, which was causing a sharp increase in the number of infections in Belgium, will remain in place.

So far, 80 to 90 per cent of new infections were due to the Omicron variant, Belgian virologist Steven Van Gucht told reporters here.

This is reflected in a rapid increase in infections in Belgium (up by 79 per cent last week) and an increase in hospital admissions (up 20 per cent), while the occupancy rate of intensive care units continues to decline.

Belgium has so far recorded 2,179,710 cases and 28,429 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

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New Delhi, Jan 7 : A five-year-old child was allegedly beaten to death by his father in the national capital, sources said on Friday.

According to an official, information was received from Max Hospital Saket, that a child was brought dead to the hospital.

Subsequently, the police reached the hospital and received the specific MLC.

The doctor told the police that the deceased child was brought by his mother at 10 p.m. in an unconscious and unresponsive state.

On inspection of the body, it was found that there were marks and bruises on both hands, legs, body and on the neck.

"During inquiry, the doctor stated that the deceased child's parents did not give information about their dead son," the official said, adding that the police then questioned the parents, but did not receive any satisfactory reply.

Later, it was learnt that an unknown man had called the police helpline stating that a father has mercilessly beaten his child and he died while on his way to Max Hospital.

The police have registered an FIR under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

The body of the child has been preserved at AIIMS hospital mortuary for conducting a post-mortem.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 7 : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will interact with prominent industry leaders of Telangana, members of CII, CREDAI, representatives of IT, pharma and other industries to discuss investment opportunities in Kerala at the state's Investment roadshow in Hyderabad on Friday evening.

A statement from the CM's office said a high-level delegation led by Vijayan, including Chief Secretary V.P.Joy among others, will showcase the investment opportunities of the state in thrust sectors and emerging sectors such as bio-technology, information technology, pharma, and other sunrise sectors, before the entrepreneurs.

The legislative reforms, digital transformation, simplification of procedures and industrial infrastructure facilitation taken up by the state will also be showcased.

This fresh development has come at a time when in September last year Kerala-based textiles major Kitex Group announced that it will invest Rs 2,400 crore in Telangana to set up two integrated fibre to apparel manufacturing clusters.

Kitex headquartered at Ernakulam district after having disagreements with the state government took the gauntlet thrown by Telangana Industry Minister K.T. Rama Rao, who sent a chartered jet to bring Kitex Group Chairman and Managing Director Sabu M Jacob and held discussions with him and offered numerous soaps, to which Jacob agreed and inked the MoU signed with the government of Telangana.

Kitex has started work to set up integrated fibre to apparel manufacturing clusters at the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park in Warangal and at Sitarampur in Rangareddy district.

The investment will provide direct employment to 22,000 people and indirect employment to 18,000 people and is scheduled to open in November this year.
Khartoum, Jan 7 : Sudanese police announced on Friday that two protesters were killed and 54 security personnel injured in demonstrations in the capital Khartoum that took place a day ago.

Sixty suspects were arrested during the protests and legal measures were taken against them, the police said in a statement, which blamed the protesters of committing violence against the security forces, reports Xinhua news agency.

New demonstrations were staged on Thursday in the capital city to demand that the authority be handed over to a civilian government.

The protesters attempted to reach the presidential palace, but the security forces used tear gas to disperse them, witnesses said.

Earlier in the day, communications and internet services on mobile phones were disrupted in Khartoum ahead of the planned protests.

The security authorities closed major roads in central Khartoum and deployed military forces around the army's general command headquarters and the presidential palace.

They also announced the closure of bridges linking the three major cities of Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri ahead of the demonstrations, but Al-Halfaya and Suba bridges were open to traffic.

On January 2, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced his resignation amid waves of protests in recent weeks in the country.

Sudan has been suffering a political crisis after the general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on October 25, 2021 and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the government.
Mumbai, Jan 7 : Matthew Vaughn, the writer, director and producer of action spy comedy, 'The King's Man', always wanted to tell an epic adventure story and the film gave him the creative release to fulfil his desire.

The director also spoke about the foundational idea behind the movie.

Talking about what inspired him to be a part of this fictional adventurous ride, Matthew said: "I wanted to do something different. I wanted to do a huge, epic adventure. When I was a kid, films like 'Lawrence of Arabia' filled the screen and were epic but not boring." "And I was thinking I want to bring back that genre. So it was an itch I wanted to scratch." Elaborating on the core idea of the film, he said: "I want kids to see that when crazy people are running the world, things can get out of control very, very quickly. And we're in a political climate which is very similar to the pre-World War One climate where nobody thought there could be a war, then there was a war, and nobody understood why there was a war. World War One was pure madness and 'The King's Man' was found because of it." He explains what inspired him to make a sequel, "The speech that Harry Hart gives to Eggsy when they go down in the lift sort of explains the foundations of 'The King's Man' and I remember getting an old draft of the script and reading it and I thought 'How do I now do a film about that speech?' And it came to me it happened in my head. I saw the whole film and wrote it." Karl Gajdusek, co-writer of the screenplay with Vaughn, explains: "It started to become clear pretty quickly that we were going to write a film not inside the tone of the first two, but in its own new tone.

"It's a remarkable mix of what is sort of a naughty, punky, edgy version of history, and what is also a quite serious and emotional look at the amount of death that came out of World War One." Written, directed and produced by Matthew Vaughn, 'The King's Man' features Ralph Fiennes, Djimon Hounsou, Harris Dickinson, Gemma Arterton and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and more join the saga. 'The King's Man' is scheduled to have a bilingual release in India on January 14.
Sydney, Jan 7 : As the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) is battling the latest Covid-19 outbreak, authorities on Friday reintroduced restrictions.

NSW, the current epicentre of the pandemic, reported 38,625 new cases and 11 deaths and there were 1,738 people in hospitals, 134 in intensive care, reports Xinhua news agency.

In response to surging Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations, some restrictions will be re-imposed in the state from Saturday.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet labelled the changes as "minor" and "proportionate" which would "alleviate pressure on the hospital system and staff".

Under the new rules, singing and dancing in pubs and nightclubs is banned and major events scheduled for coming weeks have to go through assessment of health authorities.

Non-urgent surgeries will be suspended until mid-February to ease pressure on the health system.

"The transmission is happening in a variety of settings, obviously in those household and social gatherings that people are having, and also in places like pubs, clubs, nightclubs.

"So with this time, we're really just trying to slow the spread...to reduce the impact we're seeing on our hospital and those other critical services in the community," NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.

The premier also announced that the state will make Covid-19 booster shots mandatory for some workers who were previously required to get vaccinations.

"Whether it's our teachers, nurses, our frontline health and disability workers, where NSW Health has previously required mandatory vaccination... We will move to boosters being included as part of that fully vaccinated determination."

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BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese foreign ministry on Friday urged relevant countries to be contributors to regional peace, stability and development, instead of being trouble makers that spread lies and erect obstacles.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily press briefing after the foreign and defence ministers of the United States and Japan met and vowed to work together to respond to so-called "destabilizing activities" by China.

Responding to the "two-plus-two" virtual meeting, as well as talks between Japan and Australia, Wang said China has expressed strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to the gross interference by the United States, Japan and Australia in China's internal affairs and the fabrication of disinformation to discredit China, and has lodged solemn representations with relevant countries.

To maintain peace, stability and development in East Asia and the Asia-Pacific region requires upholding true multilateralism, respecting the open and inclusive regional cooperation framework formed over the years, and taking the road of solidarity, dialogue and cooperation, said the spokesperson.

The United States, Japan and Australia talk about freedom, openness and inclusiveness, while in reality, they are forming a clique against other countries, flexing their muscles and making military threats, which runs counter to the trend of peace and development in the region and contradicts their claim of opposing intimidation and coercion, Wang said.

What those countries should do most now is to earnestly fulfill their due international responsibilities, Wang said, urging them to stop the U.S.-Britain-Australian nuclear submarine cooperation program and stop advancing the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.

They should also stop denying and whitewashing the history of militarist aggression and seeking to become a military power by hyping up the surrounding situation, and stop stoking division and confrontation among countries in the region, he added. 
Tokyo, Jan 7 : Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will place three prefectures under a quasi-state of emergency on Friday amid a spike in Covid-19 cases stemming from American military personnel based in the prefectures spreading the virus.

Okinawa prefecture, host to the vast majority of US bases in Japan, is expected to be fully put under a quasi-state of emergency, following a record 981 new daily Covid-19 cases being reported on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The prefectures of Yamaguchi and Hiroshima, meanwhile, will likely see the mandate only applied to certain towns and cities there, with the tougher measures coming into effect from Sunday through January 31.

Under the quasi-state of emergency, prefectural officials are empowered to further enhance antiviral measures, including asking eateries to close earlier and bars and restaurants to refrain from serving alcoholic beverages.

Caps on the number of people attending large-scale public events can also be imposed by the local governments, under the quasi-state of emergency.

Following consultations with health experts by relevant government personnel, Parliament will convene on Friday to hear why the more stringent antiviral measures are necessary.

The quasi-state of emergency will almost certainly be green-lit by Parliament as the three prefectures were hard hit and the nation in general are grappling to further limit the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant stemming from US bases into mainstream society, which is experiencing surging numbers of community transmissions.

The Prime Minister, if the quasi-state of emergency is approved by Parliament, will formally declare it so for the three prefectures later Friday, sources said.

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New Delhi, Jan 7 : After reports of construction of a bridge at Pangong Tso lake by the Chinese forces emanated, the Congress has questioned the government about the status at the borders.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday in a tweet said, "What has been happening at our borders is a major lapse of national security. Will the PM ever talk about it?" The government and the Congress are at loggerheads on the security breach of the Prime Minister, but Rahul questioned the PM on his 'silence' over the border issue.

As per reports a few days back, a new satellite image came into light which showed bridge construction on both the sides of pangong lake in eastern Ladakh sector.

This area is on the Chinese side, about 40 km away from LAC (Line of Actual Control) . As per the military experts this bridge will ensure Chinese army PLA's swift movement in the area.

The government on Thursday responded to the construction issue and said that with regards to the reports about a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, the government has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now.

The government has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that our security interests are fully protected. As part of these efforts, the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before. These have provided much needed connectivity to the local population as well as logistical support to the armed forces. The government remains committed to this objective, said the minister of external affairs spokesperson.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that more than 90 per cent of India's adult population has received single dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

The Prime Minister was speaking after virtually inaugurating the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata.

He said that today, more than 90 per cent of India's adult population has received single dose of the vaccine. "Within just five days, more than 1.5 crore children have also been administered the first dose," he said.

Dedicating the achievement to the entire country and every government, Modi especially thanked the scientists of the country, the vaccine manufacturers and the people in the health sector for this achievement.

"The new campus will go a long way in providing affordable and state-of-the-art care to the people of West Bengal, especially to the poor and middle class families. In the journey of the pledge to make the best medical care available to each and every citizen of the country, we have taken another strong step," the Prime Minister said.

He mentioned that the country started the year with vaccination for children in the age group of 15 to 18 years. At the same time, India is also achieving the historic milestone of 150 crore - 1.5 billion vaccine doses, in the first week of the first month of the year itself.

"A total of 150 crore doses in less than one year is a significant achievement and symbol of the will power of the country. It denotes the country's new confidence, Aatmnirbharta and pride, he said. As cases are rising due to the Omicron variant, this shield of 150 vaccine doses becomes all the more important," Modi said.

So far, he said, about 11 crore doses of Corona vaccine have been provided free of cost to West Bengal by the government. "More than one-and-a-half thousand ventilators, over nine thousand new oxygen cylinders have also been provided to Bengal. A total of 49 PSA new Oxygen plants have also started functioning in the state," the Prime Minister mentioned.

The Prime Minister said today Ayushman Bharat scheme is becoming a global benchmark in terms of affordable and inclusive healthcare. "Under PM-JAY-Ayushman, more than 2 crore 60 lakh patients have received free treatment in hospitals across the country. Estimates say that in the absence of the scheme, patients would have ended up spending 50 to 60 thousand crore rupees. More than 17 lakh cancer patients also benefited under Ayushman Bharat scheme," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Ministers Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Dr Subhas Sarkar, Shantanu Thakur, John Barla and Nisith Pramanik were among those present on the occasion.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Dhaka, Jan 7 : As the Covid-19 pandemic situation worsens, the Bangladeshi government has decided not to allow students aged between 12 and 17 without vaccination to return to school.

Bangladeshi Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam made the announcement, reports Xinhua news agency.

He said steps are underway to bring all children under the coverage of vaccination in the country.

Bangladesh started inoculating children aged between 12 and 17 last year.

If the pandemic situation worsens, the senior official said the government may also limit public transport to half capacity.

Bangladesh is currently witnessing a surge of fresh Covid-19 cases.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in the country reported 4,920 infections in the last seven days till Thursday morning.

The country reported 1,140 new Covid-19 cases and seven deaths on Thursday, taking the total tally to 15,89,947 and the death toll to 28,097.

Bangladesh recorded the highest daily new cases of 16,230 on July 28 last year and the highest number of 264 deaths twice on August 5 and August 10, respectively, last year.

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New Delhi: People hold posters outside the Tihar Jail ahead of the hanging of four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya rape case, in New Delhi on March 20, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Jan 7 : A prisoner at the high-security Tihar Jail in the national capital was hospitalised after he swallowed a mobile phone, an official said here on Friday.

Director General (Prison) Sandeep Goel told IANS that the incident took place on January 5.

"One inmate of Jail no.1, Tihar, swallowed a mobile phone when our staff approached him for search on suspicion," the DG said.

He informed that the said inmate was then immediately taken to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in the city.

"Although his condition was fine so far, but mobile phone was still inside his body," Goel said.

The Tihar Jail has been strengthening its security arrangements following major backlash it has received over its officials being caught providing facilities to the inmates, of which the main gadget was a mobile phone.

Over 40 officials at the Tihar Prison have been booked by various law enforcement agencies during the past six months for extending benefits to the prisoners in one or the other way.

Goel, in an interview earlier with IANS, had said that the Tihar Jail will soon have two X-ray based human body scanners that can prevent infiltration of illegal articles and gadgets inside the prison premises.

The usage of mobile phones by inmates is a serious concern, however, can be tackled with the usage of apt technology.

Goyal said they are installing three new towers inside the jail premises that would confine the mobile signals emanating from the prison.

"All these measures are steps in the right direction and can prove beneficial in future," he added.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Hinduja Global Solutions, the Hinduja Groups business process entity, has declared the third interim dividend of Rs 150 per share for FY22.

Accordingly, it will be paid to the investors on or before January 27, 2022, it said in a regulatory filing.

Also, Hinduja Global Solutions has approved the sale of its healthcare services business to wholly owned subsidiaries of Betaine BV, which is owned by funds affiliated with Baring Private Equity Asia, it said in another regulatory filing on Thursday.

"Effective January 6, 2022, the HS Business and relevant subsidiaries stand sold/ transferred to Investor. The transaction was based on an enterprise value of $1,200 million subject to closing adjustments and resulted in inflows of $1,088 million," the filing read.

As part of the divestment, Hinduja has transferred all client contracts and assets, including infrastructure related to the healthcare services business, to the new buyer.

Over 29,000 employees from HGS across four geographies - the US, India, Jamaica, and the Philippines - will join the new organisation, effective January 6.

On Friday, shares of Hinduja Global hit the 20 per cent lower circuit. The shares of the company settled at Rs 2,856.65, down 20 per cent.

Analysts say that the investors were disappointed with a lower than expected dividend, however, the disinvestment is expected to grow its business in other verticals such as telecom, BFSI and media, among others.
Hyderabad, Jan 7 : The Centre is in the process of opening more IN-SPACe centres at different places in the country and Hyderabad will be one of the proposed venues, said Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of Science, Technology and Space, on Friday.

Addressing the 24th national conference on e-governance, Singh said this in response to a request from K. T. Rama Rao, Telangana's Industry and Information Technology Minister, to set up an Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) in Hyderabad.

Saying that the Centre has already announced two centres in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, Rama Rao urged the Union Minister to sanction a centre for Hyderabad as the city is an important hub for space research.

Jitendra Singh said the Union government has already started unlocking the Indian space sector and started involving private players.

"We are in the process of opening centres at other locations. Certainly Hyderabad would also be in queue waiting for that because the kind of infrastructure they have, the kind of start-up culture which already exists there, we would like to use it for the enrichment of the promotion of space technology in the country," Singh added.

He assured Rama Rao that he would take up the suggestion and work on it as soon as possible.

Stating that India is trying to match the global benchmark, Singh said Telangana will have a major role to play in this.

"I request the state government to be on board with us and we shall be on board with you so that we can ultimately achieve the objective," he said.

KTR, as the Telangana Minister is popularly known, also requested Singh to set up a centre of excellence in space research.

He urged Jitendra Singh to sanction two more electronic manufacturing clusters for Hyderabad as the two clusters set up near Hyderabad were nearing capacity.

KTR requested the Centre to re-look at the Information Technology and Investment Region (ITIR) project for Hyderabad.

"In 2012-13 the previous UPA government had sanctioned ITIR for Hyderabad. Unfortunately the project has been scrapped by the NDA government. We request you (Centre) to have a re-look," KTR added.
Hyderabad, Jan 7 : The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Friday suspended party MLA Venkateshwara Rao's son Vanaam Raghavendra Rao from the party in the wake of allegations that he was responsible for the suicides of a businessman, his wife and their two daughters.

On the direction of Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, party general secretary Palla Rajeshwar Reddy and the party's in-charge for Khammam N. Naresh Reddy decided to suspend Raghavendra Rao, who is a leader of the party in Bhadradri Kothagudem district. The suspension will come into force with immediate effect, the TRS announced.

Meanwhile, special police parties continued to hunt for the MLA's son. Kothagudem police denied reports of Raghavendra Rao's arrest late on Thursday.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Rhoit Raj said eight police teams were looking for Raghavendra in both Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

The ASP said the police were also looking into cases registered against Raghavendra in the past and if they find evidence, they will open a rowdy sheet against him.

The police on Friday pasted a notice at the house of Raghavendra in Paloncha, directing him to appear before the ASP Manuguru in connection with the abetment of suicide case booked against him.

In another development, a shutdown was observed in Kothagudem town on a call given by the opposition parties and people's organisations on Friday to demand the immediate arrest of the accused. They alleged that the government was trying to shield the accused as he is the son of an MLA.

Leaders of the opposition parties alleged that no action was taken against Raghavendra though cases were booked against him in the past.

The MLA's son is facing serious allegations in the latest case of the suicides of a businessman, his wife and their two daughters.

M. Naga Ramakrishna (45), his wife Sri Lakshmi (40) and their daughter Sahitya (12) died while another daughter was injured when they set themselves afire under a suicide pact at their home in Paloncha on January 3. Sahitya's twin sister Sahiti succumbed to her injuries on January 5 while undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The businessman, in a video recorded on his mobile before the suicide, alleged that Raghavendra had asked him to bring his wife to Hyderabad. He said Raghavendra tried to use his political and money power to satisfy his carnal desire.

"If I go alone, he will not spare my wife and children. Hence I am taking them with me," the man said in the video.

Police also recovered the suicide note of Ramakrishna, in which he blamed his mother Suryavati, his sister K Lova Madhavi and Raghavendra for his family's death.

According to police the businessman wrote that they have taken this step as injustice was done to them due to an affair between his sister and Raghavendra. Ramakrishna also mentioned about the dispute with his mother and sister about sharing property to clear his debts of about Rs 30 lakh.

Based on the suicide notes, police had booked the trio for abetting the suicides. Raghavendra, who went into hiding after the incident, released video messages to the media denying any involvement in the case. He said he had only advised Ramakrishna to take care of his mother.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : India on Friday revised the existing guidelines for all international arrivals in India in view of the rising Covid cases and the Omicron threat, to make seven days home quarantine mandatory.

The new guidelines will be effective from January 11 till further notice.

Travellers coming from specified countries at risk will have to undergo home quarantine for 7 days and shall undertake an RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India, as per the guidelines. These travellers will have to submit samples for the post-arrival Covid-19 test at the point of arrival (self-paid). Such travellers will be required to wait for their test results at the arrival airport before leaving or taking a connecting flight. If they tested negative, they will follow home quarantine for 7 days and shall undertake another RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India.

The travellers shall also be required to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test for Covid-19 done on the 8th day on the Air Suvidha portal. If negative, they will further self-monitor their health for the next 7 days. However, if such travellers are tested positive, their samples should be further sent for genomic testing at the INSACOG laboratory network, as per the new guidelines.

Travellers coming from countries other than the list of risk countries will also undergo home quarantine for 7 days and shall undertake an RT-PCR test on the 8th day of arrival in India. They will have to upload results of repeat RT-PCR test on the Air Suvidha portal and If found negative, they will further self-monitor their health for the next 7 days.

The guidelines said that all travellers should submit complete and factual information in a self-declaration form on the online Air Suvidha portal before their scheduled travel, including travel details of the last 14 days. They need to upload a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR report. The test should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey.

The passengers coming from or travelling to at-risk countries shall be informed by the airlines that they will undergo post-arrival testing. They will be quarantined if tested negative and will be subjected to stringent isolation protocols if tested positive, as per the new guidelines.

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-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Washington, Jan 7 : The efficacy of boosters against Covid-19 will likely decline over time, and people may need a fourth shot to increase their protection, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel has said.

According to Bancel, people who received their boosters last year will likely have enough protection to get them through the winter, when new infections surge as people gather indoors to escape the cold.

However, he said that the efficacy of boosters will probably decline over the course of several months, similar to what happened with the first two doses, CNBC reported on Thursday.

"I will be surprised when we get that data in the coming weeks that it's holding nicely over time - I would expect that it's not going to hold great," Bancel was quoted as saying, referring to the strength of the booster shots.

However, Oxford vaccine expert Sir Andrew Pollard recently said that regular booster doses every four-six to fight Covid may not be a sustainable way to prevent Covid infections.

"Administering booster vaccines to everyone every six months was 'not sustainable'," Pollard was quoted as saying to the Daily Mail.

"We can't vaccinate the planet every four-six months. It's not sustainable or affordable. In the future, we need to target the vulnerable," said Pollard, who was chief investigator of the Oxford Covid vaccine trials and director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, which developed AstraZeneca's jab.

"Today, less than 10 per cent of people in low income families have even had their first dose, so the whole idea of fourth doses globally is just not sensible," Pollard was quoted as saying to Sky News.

According to Pollard, future immunisation drives should target the most vulnerable, rather than all adults.

In the wake of Omicron spreading rapidly around the globe, Israel has rolled out a fourth dose for over-60s, while health authorities in Germany, UK and France are planning a second booster.

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South Africa: Auction of key to Mandela's prison cell halted, to be returned to SA

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, has commended the New York-based auction house Guernseys for agreeing to suspend the key to former President Nelson Mandelas prison cell at Robben Island from going under the hammer.

According to the department, the key that was scheduled to be auctioned online this month is part of the national estate in terms of the National Heritage Resources Act (NHRA).

The key symbolises South Africas painful history whilst also representing the triumph of the human spirit over evil. This key is living proof of South Africans long walk to freedom and belongs to the people of South Africa. It, therefore, must rightfully be returned to the country.

However, according to the department, Guernseys has since undertaken to arrange for the key to be returned to the country after consultations with relevant South African authorities.

Guernseys have also agreed to halt the sale of various other items which belonged to President Nelson Mandela. The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) believes that such items also form part of the national estate. SAHRA has been communicating with Guernseys on the key and other items that belonged to President Nelson Mandela.

In addition, the department said Mthethwa is of the view that SAHRA must engage the Mandela family and Nelson Mandela Foundation to establish whether all other items intended for auctioning form part of the national estate.

According to Hyperallergic, an American online arts magazine, "Of the 33 lots on offer, over a third are gifts or awards bestowed upon the celebrated activist, including a quilt from Barack and Michelle Obama, a book of Fernanda Pessoa sonnets from Agostinho Pereira de Miranda, and a commemorative pewter bowl from Harvard University".

The department said the successful conclusion to the intended auction was enabled through an interdepartmental team with relevant agencies. These include the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Department of International Relations and Cooperation and Department of Justice and Correctional Services as well the SAHRA, Robben Island Museum, Office of the Solicitor General and Office of the Chief State Law Advisors.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-01-07. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Model-turned-actress Jung Ho-yeon appears on the cover of U.S. fashion magazine Vogue's upcoming February issue.

Her management agency said Thursday she is the first Asian actress to do so in the monthly magazine's 130-year history.

Jung started her career as a model in the early 2010s and worked for a number of global luxury labels.

She earned global recognition in Netflix's hit Korean series "Squid Game," in which she plays the role of a North Korean defector who arrives in South Korea only to find her path strewn with obstacles and her family torn apart.

While praising her, the magazine wrote, "It's hard to overstate the phenomenon of 'Squid Game' -- a dystopian survivalist series that overtook the culture last fall, watched by some 142 million households in its first four weeks... Among a cast of established South Korean stars, the 27-year-old quickly emerged as the breakout."
KIEV, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China and Ukraine have great potential for partnership under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a Ukrainian economist said as the two countries marked their 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties this week.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Olga Drobotyuk, director at the Kiev-based Institute for Contemporary China Studies, stressed the bright prospects for bilateral cooperation "given the complementarities of their economies."

Describing cooperation on "Silk Road e-commerce" as particularly promising, Drobotyuk said that Ukraine possesses intellectual resources and potential for digitalizing the economy, while China has experience in digital transformation, and has actively been developing and investing in information and communications technologies.

The expert is also optimistic about China-Ukraine trade partnership under the BRI.

"The Chinese market is attractive for Ukrainian exporters due to its size and effective demand. The Ukrainian market also attracts Chinese exporters with its size," Drobotyuk said.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Ukraine-China trade increased by 47.5 percent year-on-year to 9.37 billion U.S. dollars in the first half of 2021.

Under the BRI, a direct freight train linking Ukraine with China was launched, which has "a positive impact on the development of trade relations," Drobotyuk said.

She also spoke highly of prospects for bilateral cooperation in infrastructure construction with a slew of contracts having recently been inked.

Since 2016, contractors from China and Ukraine have signed construction contracts under the BRI worth 2.95 billion dollars in such sectors as transport and energy, including alternative energy and gas, the expert said, citing data from the China Global Investment Tracker.

Another key milestone was the signing of an intergovernmental agreement on June 30, 2021, on strengthening cooperation in the construction of infrastructure, including railways, airports, ports and other facilities.

"The Belt and Road Initiative has a large-scale, global nature, in terms of the coverage of countries, the volume of trade, investments, resources," she noted.

Meanwhile, the expert noted that bilateral cooperation under the initiative goes beyond infrastructure and trade. "Cultural, educational and scientific exchanges are of great importance to strengthening cooperation."

There has been a positive trend in "student exchanges and joint research thanks to the efforts of the specialized Sub-Commissions of the China-Ukraine Intergovernmental Commission," she said.

"In the future, we can expect increased cooperation, the development of new directions of cooperation and participation under the BRI," she said. 
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Registrar General of Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve all records in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab, and also asked the state and Central committees to refrain from conducting inquiries till Monday, when it will take up the matter again.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli said: "We deem it appropriate for the time being to direct the Registrar General, Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve the records relating to the Prime Minister's scheduled tour of Punjab on January 5, 2022".

"We direct the Director General of Police, Union Territory of Chandigarh and an officer of the National Investigation Agency, not below the rank of Inspector General, to be nominated by the Director General, National Investigation Agency, to assist the Registrar General, Punjab and Haryana High Court to forthwith secure and seize the records from the State police as well as Central agencies." The top court also asked the state and Central committees to refrain from conducting inquiries till Monday.

It also directed the Punjab government, including the police authorities, the Special Protection Group and any other central/state agencies to cooperate and to provide necessary assistance in securing and seizing the records.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted that some NIA officer should assist the court's officer in collecting and securing the evidence, which includes wireless messages in connection with PM's movement in the state. He claimed that the court officer may find it difficult to pin down on sources, from which information is required.

Mehta termed the incident "rarest of the rare issue" and also potential cross border terrorism.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the Delhi-based petitioner Lawyer's Voice, emphasised on the importance of protection to the PM of the country and cited previous top court ruling that looked at the SPG Act.

Singh contended the incident happened in an election-bound state and it must be ensured that such incidents don't happen again. He added that the Punjab government has no exclusive right to appoint a panel to inquire into this incident.

Referring to a former high court judge, who has been appointed as the chairman of the state probe panel, Singh cited a 2014 Supreme Court ruling recording adverse remarks against the judge in connection to an investigation in a recruitment scam. He urged the top court to restrain the state panel from proceeding in the matter and sought for a district judge to collect all evidence with assistance of NIA and sought an independent probe into the matter.

Mehta appeared before the top court in support of this petition.

The top court said: "We direct the Registrar General, Punjab and Haryana High Court to keep the records in his safe custody for the time being." The plea sought an independent probe into the PM's security breach in Punjab. It sought a direction to the District Judge Bathinda to collect, preserve and present all material pertaining to the movement and deployment of Punjab Police in connection with the visit of the Prime Minister, and fix responsibility of the DGP and the Chief Secretary, Punjab.

Posting the matter for further hearing on January 10, the top court said: "The Registry is directed to forward a copy of this order electronically, forthwith, to the Registrar General, Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Director General of Police, Union Territory of Chandigarh, the Director General, National Investigation Agency and the Principal Secretary Home, State of Punjab." On January 6, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a three-member committee to enquire into the "serious lapses in the security arrangements" during the PM's visit to Ferozepur, in poll-bound Punjab. The MHA said: "The committee will be led by Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, and comprising of Balbir Singh, Joint Director, IB, and S Suresh, IG, SPG."
Jaipur, Jan 7 : Amid the rising numbers of coronavirus infections, the Rajasthan government has issued directions for its staff to stay prepared to battle the third wave of Covid-19, officials confirmed here on Friday.

Vaibhav Galeria, principal secretary, medical education department, directed officials to stay alert for the next one-and-a-half months.

In the meeting held earlier on Friday, the availability of testing kits, oxygen plants, oxygen concentrators, availability of HDU beds in 332 selected medical institutions, and other topics were discussed at length.

Galeria instructed officials to keep stock of drug medicine kits, N95 masks, Remdesivir injection and other life saving medicines.

He informed that over 460 oxygen plants have started functioning in the state and 1,000 metric tonnes of medical oxygen will be available in the state through oxygen concentrators and other equipment.

"At present, more than 58,000 tests are being done daily. In the coming time, testing may go up to one lakh per day," he added.

He directed the officials to make testing kits available in sufficient quantities.

Galeria asked the officials to conduct mock drills of ventilators and other equipment installed in hospitals so that they can be used immediately if needed.

He also called for speeding up the training of personnel operating oxygen plants, ICUs, and ventilators.

On Thursday, 1,439 people tested positive in Jaipur taking the total count of active cases in the city to 4,445. Five containment zones have been made in the state capital to bring down the infection spread rate.

A total of 2,656 cases were found in the state, taking the active count in the state to 7,268.

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Bengaluru, Jan 7 : The BJP-led Karnataka state government has set an anti-constitutional, dictatorial and irreconcilable stance by tabling the Anti-conversion bill in the state legislature, state President of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI)Abdul Majeed alleged on Friday.

Calling it against the core idea of the Constitution, he said, "There have been 39 attacks on Christians reported throughout the state so far, including disruptions in Hubli, Kodagu, Hassan, Mandya and many other nooks and corners of the state." "Also, though the Hindutva elements indulged in such attacks - the corrupt police system -are registering FIRs against the Christians, the Muslims are also not spared" and are being trapped into the legal loopholes. Fake cases have been registered against 13 Christians under the charge of religious conversions in 2021, according to a study executed by the People's Union for Civil Liberties," he explained.

Echoing his sentiments, Afar Kodlipete, State Secretary, SDPI said that if anyone is identified in converting any Dalit, then government shall imprison him or her for 3 to 10 years; but, if one looks at the measures by the said government to empower Dalit community, it is absolutely nothing. Despite the uninterrupted attacks on Dalits - including racist remarks and social boycotts - this government, which does not go unchallenged, is merely carrying out sentimental and anti-constitutional prohibitions.

This act is nothing, but a clear violation of the religious freedom of an individual referred to in Sections 25 to 28 of the Constitution of India. Nevertheless, it is also a sheer insult to entire religious minorities, directly and indirectly as well, in an atmosphere of anxiety and fear, he charged.

If the BJP tries to implement its Hindutva agenda through this act, it is evident that the Congress and the JDS are arguing against it only to hold their minority vote bank without demonstrating collective outrage, stated Bhaskar Prasad, State Secretary for SDPI.

Instead of a positive discussion that addresses many issues such as over-crowding, price crisis, agrarian distress, Covid pandemic, ruling BJP government in Karnataka is focusing on the unbeneficial matters that the common people will reject, he maintained.
Chennai, Jan 7 : Noted actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan has urged the Tamil Nadu government to implement the Right to Service Act with immediate effect.

In a statement issued on Friday, Haasan said that this would lead to delivery of several services in a time-bound manner, which would eventually curb corruption.

The MNM chief said that the Act will help in delivering birth certificates, death certificates, legal heir certificates, and obtaining ration card in a time-bound manner.

The actor-politician urged the state government to pass the Act on Friday itself, as it is the last day of the ongoing Assembly session.

Haasan said that the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court had in 2019 urged the state government to mull over enacting the Right to Service Act, adding that the ruling DMK had also promised the enactment of the Act in its election manifesto, while the Governor also mentioned it in his address in the previous Assembly session.

He said that 20 states in the country have passed the Right to Services Act, including Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka and New Delhi, among others.

In Madhya Pradesh and Goa, there are separate departments to monitor the delivery of services, he said.
Mumbai, Jan 7 : Gerson da Cunha, the legendary advertising professional, actor and activist passed away here, a family friend said. He was 92.

After graduating in BSc from University of Bombay, da Cunha became a journalist working with the PTI news agency before diverting to advertising.

In his long career spanning 25 years, he worked with Hindustan Unilever and later headed the Lintas ad agency, among the biggest in the media industry in those days and he launched the famed 'Dalda' brand ads, a household name at one point.

Simultaneously, he worked on theatre and Bollywood films like "Electric Moon", "Cotton Mary", "Asoka", "Water", and others, and subsequently, post-retirement took to the social field.

He was associated with UNICEF, worked with it in the US and South America, and after returning to India, was involved with NGOs like the AGNI, Mumbai First, and helped the Mumbaikars affected by the 1992-1993 communal riots.

Over the years, da Cunha also served as an advisor to the Central Health and Tourism ministries for their public projects, besides other private, semi-government and social institutions in different capacities.
Kolkata, Jan 7 : After much deliberation, the Calcutta High Court on Friday allowed the state government to organise the Gangasagar Mela amid the fresh surge in Covid-19 cases. However, the court has imposed certain restrictions and asked the state government to act upon it immediately.

The division bench comprising Chief Justices Prakash Srivastava and Kesang Doma Bhutia in their order asked the state government to issue a notification declaring Gangasagar Island as a "notified area" within 24 hours from the pronouncement of the judgment.

The court order also asked the West Bengal Home Secretary to ensure that restrictions imposed by the state government are implemented without any lapse in Gangasagar Island during the Mela period.

The Home Secretary has been asked to issue advertisements in the daily newspapers widely circulated in West Bengal and also through the electronic media making the people aware of the risk of visiting Gangasagar Island between January 8-16 in large numbers. He will also make an appeal to the people to stay safe and desist from visiting the island during this time.

The court has asked for the formation of a three-member committee, including the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly or his representative, West Bengal Human Rights Commission Chairman or his representative and the state representative, who will keep a vigil in respect of compliance of the above directions, as well as the measures suggested by the state government in its affidavit.

The government in its affidavit submitted before the court said it will be ensured that all persons and pilgrims, including sadhus, sanyasis (hermit) and people coming from other states to the Gangasagar Mela ground and its immediate precincts mandatorily use face masks, maintain social distancing and use sanitisers.

It must be ensured that all persons concerned with the control and management of the Gangasagar Mela such as government officials, police personnel, medical personnel, volunteers and all other aiding state machinery use face masks, maintain social distancing and sanitisers.

From January 9, deployment of 10,000 police personnel and nearly 5,000 volunteers will be started exclusively from South 24 Parganas, the state government said.

A sufficient number of face masks and sanitisers would be made available for distribution to those not having them. Healthcare volunteers would be deployed at strategic points to spread awareness among the pilgrims and other people for maintaining Covid-19 protocol and distributing masks and sanitisers.

So far only two doctors and a few health workers have been infected with Covid-19. A temporary hospital has been set up at the Mela ground itself, which has an area of 2 km radius.

On the last day of the hearing, the court had taken into account an affidavit filed by the government which listed the measures taken by the latter to curb the spread of Covid-19 at the Mela. The court had then reserved the judgment for a day.

The court was adjudicating upon a plea filed by Avinandan Mondal, a doctor by profession, who said that the infection may spread further as nearly 30 lakh pilgrims visit the religious fair at Sagar Island every year.

Accordingly, he sought directions to stop the Gangasagar Mela this year as West Bengal has been witnessing an exponential rise in the number of Covid-19 cases.

Every year on Makar Sankranti, lakhs of Hindu devotees flock to the Sagar Island in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas to take a holy dip and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni temple. This year, the Mela is scheduled to take place from January 8 to 16.

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New Delhi, Jan 7 : Even as the controversy over the 'Bulli Bai' and 'Sulli Deals' sites shows no signs of abating, two other offensive websites -- Secondwife.com and Polygamy.com -- one for Muslims and the other targeting a universal audience --have come to light. Their stated purpose is to help men practise polygamy "respectfully".

Both websites which also have mobile-friendly applications available on Google Play Store and App Store in India, claim to be the leading online matchmaking service for polygamous marriages. Secondwife.com has more than 4,00,000 users.

These apps were launched in 2014 by a British entrepreneur, Azad Chaiwala, to quote from a report in The Guardian newspaper, with the vision of "offering a man with many wives", as men are more "sexually oriented" and find it difficult to adopt a monogamous lifestyle.

He claimed that polygamy helps women because it inculcates in them "the right team spirit" and learn to "divide domestic and sexual labour".

Calling these sites an anathema to women's health and dignity, the co-founder of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BBMA), Zakia Soman, told IANS: "Polygamy is not acceptable in the contemporary world as it reinforces patriarchy within the family and violates a woman's rights to equality, health and dignity." She added: "In some impoverished societies, where women do not understand patriarchy or feminism, they are forced to enter such arrangements. But this should not be acceptable legally, socially, morally, and ethically. There can be no justification." This is precisely why the 'Bulli Bai' and 'Sulli Deals' apps have been universally condemned. These apps target Muslim women by uploading their pictures online, without their consent, to "auction" them.

Sharing the Muslim woman's perspective on polygamy, Soman said: "Religion or no religion, this should not be permitted, as it contributes to women's oppression. No educated society is going to encourage polygamy in the day and age." Some years ago, a similar online dating site called 'Ayopoligami' was developed in Indonesia for married men and single women. It had drawn sharp criticism from women's rights activists as such unions are considered a taboo even in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, despite being technically allowed.

According to Supreme Court advocate Pawan Duggal, although polygamy is illegal in India, it is permitted under the Islamic law. India, he pointed out, does not have any dedicated policies or guidelines pertaining to mobile apps that offer the kind of services being provided by the sites and apps promoting polygamy.

Speaking to IANS, Duggal said: "These kinds of bizarre apps only reiterate the need for our country to come up with a legal national framework to regulate such kind of content and protect the larger Indian culture." Duggal added: "The notion of a man having four wives while a woman can marry only once strikes at the heart of the concept of an egalitarian society."
Mumbai, Jan 7 : TV Actor Farman Haider, who is playing the role of Samar in 'Rakshabandhan...Rasal Apne Bhai Ki Dhaal', has decided not to go to back his hometown Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, because of the Covid surge, despite the concerns of his parents.

"Looking at the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Mumbai, my parents are quite concerned about my well-being," Haider said. "They get worried about my health after watching the news updates on Mumbai. They expect me to take a short break and return to Mumbai only after the situation improves. But priority is my career and my show is helping me build it." Farman reveals that the production team follows Covid protocols on the sets. "We are being very careful and responsible on the sets. We maintain the required social distance from each other. Everyone wears a mask. Only actors are allowed to remove it when they are shooting and during make-up time. There is a sanitizer machine and all of us are sanitised before we come on the sets." The actor, who has been a part of shows such as 'Kasauti Zindagi Kay 2' and 'Namah Lakshmi Narayan', has stopped going anywhere other than his place of work.

"I have stopped all personal outings," he said. "I now spend time at home after shoots. My mother has sent me some desi food for immunity. And dad has advised an exercise routine, which I am following."

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Bengaluru, Jan 7 : Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar on Friday took on the ruling BJP government over disallowing the Padayatra for Mekedatu project citing Covid restrictions, saying none of the ICUs in the city has a single Covid patient.

"Where is Covid?" he questioned.

Speaking to reporters Shivakumar asserted that his patry will go ahead with the padayatra and that the BJP government cannot prevent it. The decision to get prohibitory orders clamped in Ramnagar district was taken to stall their 10-day padayatra, he alleged.

"Through ur soures we have found out that there is not a single Covid case in ICU of any of the hospitals in Bengaluru and surrounding areas. I have also spoken to former health ministers and our own sources. I will hold a press conference shortly to reveal more details on this," he stated.

Shivakumar further appealed to all legislators to reach Kanakapur and participate in the worshiping programme at Mekedatu on Saturday before the beginning of padayatra on Sunday.

The bookings at hotels have been canceled and the government is getting it done.

"Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and Iare committed to our earlier statements on Mekedatu Padayatra. On Saturday at 3 p,m., we are conducting a worship ceremony. All are coming for the function. Let them (the government) do what they want. If they want to put me in jail, let them do it," he said.

Demanding the speeding up of implementation of the Mekadatu project, which would supply adequate drinking water to Bengaluru, the Congress has announced a padaytra on Janary 9.

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Guwahati, Jan 7 : Seven more people, including a foreign returnee, have tested positive for Omicron in Assam, raising the tally of the new variant of Covid-19 to nine, officials said on Friday.

Health officials said that of the nine patients, eight have no travel history. After Manipur (one case) and Meghalaya (five cases), Assam is the third state among the eight northeastern states to report Omicron cases.

Omicron in Assam was first reported on Wednesday after a man, who returned from Saudi Arabia, tested positive for it.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that all new Covid-19 positive cases would be suspected as Omicron or Delta variant of Covid-19 and treatment of the patient would be started accordingly as report of the genome sequencing come after at least five days of the sample collected.

State Information, Public Relations and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika has tested positive for Covid-19 and is now in home isolation.

"Yesterday (Thursday) I tested Covid positive. I have mild symptoms and I am in Home Isolation, following all Covid protocols and guidelines. Those who came in contact with me are requested to take necessary action accordingly," the minister tweeted on Friday.

An analysis by the IANS of the Assam health department's reports said that the daily positivity rate 0.77 of per cent rose to 2.37 per cent in the past one week. According to the reports, 192 new cases were reported on Friday, 475 on Tuesday and 844 on Thursday.

The total Covid-19 active cases were 871 on Friday and on Thursday it climbed to 2,689.

Out of Assam's 34 districts, rise of Covid cases are maximum in four districts with Kamrup (Metro) district (where the main city of Guwahati and capital Dispur falls) reporting 369 active cases on Thursday followed by 57 in Jorhat, 52 in Kamrup (Rural) and 50 in Darrang district.

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MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The so-called allegation of "debt trap" is groundless and has been hyped up by some people with ulterior motives to smear China-Africa cooperation, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Thursday.

Wang made the remarks in a joint press conference with Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo.

China-Africa cooperation is South-South cooperation, demonstrating mutual support and help between developing countries, Wang said, adding that China has never attached any political conditions to its cooperation with Africa, and has never imposed its own will on others.

All projects of China-Kenya cooperation have gone through scientific planning and research, and have brought benefits to the Kenyan people and boosted the country's national development and revitalization, he added.

Wang noted that Kenya owes 80 percent of its foreign debt to multilateral financial institutions, and its debt to China is mainly concessional loans.

The so-called "debt trap" is in fact a narrative trap created by forces who do not want to see rapid development in Africa, Wang said.

If there is any trap in Africa, it is the trap of poverty and trap of backwardness, which African countries should get rid of as soon as possible, Wang said.

China is ready to work with all friendly countries to help African countries speed up post-pandemic recovery, get out of poverty and backwardness, catch up with the times as soon as possible and achieve common development so as to jointly create a better future. 
New Delhi, Jan 7 : A special Central Bureau of Investigation court has sentenced six people - two candidates, impersonators, and middlemen each - to five years rigorous imprisonment in a 12-year-old case related to pre-medical test examination conducted by Madhya Pradesh's Vyapam.

The six convicted are identified as impersonators Mohd. Imran, and Rajesh Prasad, candidates Deepak Prajapati, and Jetendra Kumar Rajput, and middlemen Suresh Kumar Patel and Vedratan.

The agency had registered the case against the accused on the allegations of impersonation in Pre Medical Test (PMT-2010) at Govt. PG College, Guna (Madhya Pradesh) which was conducted by Vyapam. It was alleged that at this examination centre, photographs of two candidates, namely Prajapati and Rajput, didn't match with the examinees, who were taking the said examination on the roll numbers of these two candidates. The invigilators handed them over to the flying squad. "The said impersonators were identified as Mohd Imran and Rajesh Prasad were found to be impersonating the candidates Rajput and Prajapati, respectively," the CBI said.

The Centre Superintendent, Govt. PG College, Guna lodged a complaint with the Police Station, Cantt after which the state police had arraigned four persons during the investigation.

After taking over the investigation from the state police, the CBI had traced Rajput, who was absconding since the registration of the case. "The evidence against the accused was strengthened. The expert opinion on thumb impressions and handwriting of the accused including Prasad, and Prajapati were collected," the agency said, adding, after investigation, they filed a charge sheet in June 2016 against 5 accused and a supplementary charge sheet against another accused in May 2017.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Moeed Yusuf, the National Security Advisor (NSA) of Pakistan, will visit Kabul soon as tensions have risen along the Durand Line, the de facto border between the two countries, Tolo News reported.

It was decided during a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Thursday that NSA Yusuf would visit Afghanistan amid tensions along the Durand Line.

A meeting of the Afghanistan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell (AICC), presided over by Pakistan National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, took the decision, according to an official statement, the report said.

"A senior delegation of Pakistani officials, headed by the NSA, is scheduled to visit Afghanistan soon for further engagement with the Afghan government on all assistance-related prospects," the statement said.

No date for the NSA's visit was announced during the meeting. However, an official told the Pakistani media that the visit would probably take place on January 17-18.

"We will finalise the delegation in a couple of days and then decide the date," the official said.

Meanwhile, Asad Qaiser said that the world must not abandon the people of Afghanistan in their time of need. He said that peace and stability in Afghanistan offers enormous opportunities not only to the Afghan people but also to Pakistan in terms of access to Central Asian countries for greater trade and connectivity.

In the meantime, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of Afghanistan, and the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, have called for engagement from both sides to discuss the issue.

However, on Thursday, Inter-Services Public Relations of Pakistan (ISPR) Director, Major General Gen Babar Iftikhar, stated that the fencing of the Durand Line would continue as planned, adding that the fencing was 94 per cent complete.

This comes as over the past few weeks, videos have surfaced on social media purportedly showing Islamic Emirate fighters uprooting a portion of the fence along the Durand Line, claiming that the fencing had been erected inside Afghan territory, the report said.
Bhopal, Jan 7 : The daily Covid-19 cases are increasing rapidly in Madhya Pradesh, but the government on Friday said that it has no plan to impose more restrictions or a lockdown in the state as of now.

State Home Minister Narottam Mishra told mediapersons that the number of Covid-19 cases are increasing multiple times more than in the last two waves of the infection. However, the circumstances of the third wave of Covid-19 are slightly different from the first and the second waves. Most people infected with the Omicron variant are recovering rapidly.

Observing that many people are still not wearing masks despite a 'Roko Toko' campaign being launched, the state government has asked petrol pumps not to give fuel to people without masks.

"Petrol and diesel will not be given to the drivers who do not wear masks. With this, a strict fine will be charged for not wearing a mask," Mishra, who is also the state government spokesperson, said, adding that "there is no idea of imposing lockdown or curfew in the state as of now, nor is any such proposal under consideration with the state home department".

As per official data, the state registered 1,320 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the total active cases in Madhya Pradesh to 3,780, according to the government's statement on Friday.

The daily Covid positivity rate was 1.94 per cent whereas the recovery rate was reported at 97.90 per cent.

The home minister informed that 13 police personnel have been found infected with Covid-19, with the majority of them from Gwalior district.

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New Delhi, Jan 7: Will Sri Lanka restructure its albatross-like external debt? After the countrys foreign exchange reserves dipped to $1.6 billion in November, it improved to $3.1 billion in December. But is this amount enough-that is the big question. Though Sri Lankas finance minister Basil Rajapaksa said that the cash strapped island nation will not default, clearly this amount is significantly lower than what is required to honour repayment deadlines. According to Fitch Ratings, Sri Lankas foreign-currency debt repayments in the first quarter of the current year alone is estimated at about $3 billion.

By the middle of the month, Colombo will have to make an international sovereign bond repayment of $500 million.

Former central bank deputy governor WA Wijewardena warned that Colombo was running a substantial risk of defaulting on its repayments, which would have catastrophic economic consequences, the Guardian added.

Sri Lanka based news organisation, the Island said that foreign revenues in the next couple of years are unlikely to be sufficient to service external debt obligations while supporting the essential foreign exchange (Forex) requirements of the economy.

China, India and Japan top the list of Sri Lanka's bilateral lenders.

"The size and persistence of the external financing gap for the foreseeable future makes debt restructuring an urgent priority. It should be possible to negotiate a package which provides three years of breathing space to rebuild Sri Lanka's economy to earn and attract sufficient foreign inflows to achieve external debt sustainability and place the economy on a path of sustained growth," it said.

"We are very worried, at this point we are carefully monitoring the situation. Though the finance minister has said that the country will not default, it will be impossible for Sri Lanka to be able to honour the repayment schedule if you just go by pure data and statistics," an insider told India Narrative.

The Guardian said that Colombo owes China more than $5bn in debt and last year took an additional $1bn loan from Beijing to help with its acute financial crisis, which is being paid in installments.

The dwindling economic situation in Sri Lanka is gradually pushing the island nation on the brink of bankruptcy as scores of citizens are now looking to relocate to other countries.

Meanwhile the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is looking at a currency swap mechanism to keep bilateral trade and investments going for India. The mechanism could entail a swap of a particular amount of money pegged with the US dollar. The arrangement will allow Indian exporters to continue supplying goods to the island nation as they would get paid in rupee. Indian importers sourcing goods from Colombo, on the other hand, will make the payment in Sri Lankan currency and Indian investors can also use the facility for investing in the island nation.

"A decision for restructuring of external debt must be taken at the earliest," an analyst said.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
London, Jan 7 : The French anti-trust watchdog has fined Google $170 million and Facebook $68 million for pushing tracking cookies on users and non-compliance with French legislation.

Following investigations, the Commission Nationale de I'informatique et Des Liberte (CNIL) noted that the websites facebook.com, google.fr and youtube.com do not make refusing cookies as easy as to accept them.

"It thus fines Facebook 60 million euros and Google 150 million euros and orders them to comply within three months," the regulator said in a statement late on Thursday.

The CNIL found that the websites facebook.com, google.fr, and youtube.com offer a button allowing the user to immediately accept cookies.

However, they do not provide an equivalent solution (button or other) enabling the Internet user to easily refuse the deposit of these cookies.

Several clicks are required to refuse all cookies, against a single one to accept them.

"This process affects the freedom of consent: since, on the Internet, the user expects to be able to quickly consult a website, the fact that they cannot refuse the cookies as easily as they can accept them influences their choice in favour of consent," the French regulator noted.

In addition to the fines, the watchdog ordered the companies to provide Internet users located in France with a means of refusing cookies as simple as the existing means of accepting them, in order to guarantee their freedom of consent, within three months.

"If they fail to do so, the companies will have to pay a penalty of 100,000 euros per day of delay," it added.

It is not the first time that the French privacy regulator has fined Big Tech.

In December 2020, the CNIL fined Amazon and Google 35 million euros and 100 million euros, respectively, for cookie violations under the e-Privacy rules.

The watchdog had also fined Google 50 million euros under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

WhatsApp was hit with a 225 million euros fine in September last year "for not being transparent about how it shared data with its parent company", reports ZDNet.

Facebook is also facing millions in fines for violating GDPR privacy rules about deceptive data collection policies.
New Delhi, Jan 7: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in the Maldives on a two-day visit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Maldives diplomatic relations.

Wang will meet Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih as well as Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid--also the President of the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) seventy sixth session. The two nations plan to sign several documents of cooperation.

The Chinese embassy in the Maldives tweeted: "Looking forward, State Councillor & FM Wang Yi's forthcoming visit will help enhance high-level exchanges, deepen practical cooperation in all areas, and advance the steady growth of the future-oriented all-round friendly and cooperative partnership between the two countries".

The Male trip is significant as it comes on the heels of an "India Out" campaign restarted by opposition leader and former president Abdulla Yameen who was released from jail in November. Yameen has alleged that President Solih has allowed entry to the Indian military which dents the country's sovereignty. The government has denied charges about the presence of the Indian forces.

Despite his release from the jail, the opposition leader faces a number of other cases of bribery and money laundering from his term as president. Members of Parliament in the current administration say that even his accquital became possible on technical grounds and poor investigation, not because Yameen was absolved of the charges.

Yameen is believed to be close to China and had invited Beijing to invest in his country in a big way, leading to allegations that the tiny archipelago now owes a massive debt to China. The Strait Times says that Male owes over $1 billion debt to Beijing while its total debt stands at $5.6 billion according to the World Bank.

Maldives is a part of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that has been connecting and interlinking the world through road, rail and port projects for ease of trade. However, many BRI countries like the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Kenya find themselves in poor economic health, rising debt and low standards of life for their people.

Experts say that Wang is likely to offer more assistance to Male besides initiating more projects.

India will be watching Wang's visit with tepidation as the two South Asian nations managed to reset ties after President Solih wrested power from Yameen. To ensure that the Indian Ocean island remains within India's sphere of influence, New Delhi made a global effort to support Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid's candidature for the presidency of the UNGA in 2021.

The two South Asian nations have collaborated on defence and security matters also.

Wang's visit comes just one day after India released money for eight High Impact Community Development projects to the Maldives. A local news website reported that the eight projects cover construction of buildings, an ice-factory and a cultural centre. The projects directly impact local people as these relate to procurement of ambulances, providing education as well as the installation of street lights.

After concluding his Male visit, Wang will fly to Sri Lanka as China makes a renewed effort to shore up relations with South Asian nations. Over the last few years, New Delhi made belated but successful efforts in mending relations with Sri Lanka in a bid to balance Chinese sway with both Maldives and Sri Lanka.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Chandigarh, Jan 7 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said there has been a major security lapse during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Punjab.

"It is the job of the state government to maintain law and order in the state. Whenever there is an issue regarding security, the information in this regard is usually with the police and state administration there. Such a grave lapse in the Prime Minister's security is complete negligence," he added.

"The Prime Minister is not a common man but a representative of 130 crore people of the country," Khattar told the media in Chandigarh.

Raising questions about the security arrangements by the Punjab Police, the Chief Minister said whenever the Prime Minister is going for any programme the arrangements for alternate routes are made by the local police and administration in advance.

The Prime Minister's helicopter was not used due to bad weather but the state police gave him clearance to go by road.

"The sudden blocking of the road by farmers cannot happen without it being in the knowledge of the police." Khattar said the Ministry of Home Affairs has constituted a committee in this regard and the Supreme Court has taken up the matter.

"Soon everything will be crystal clear." He also raised questions about the Punjab Chief Minister. He said Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and he himself were linked through video conferencing to the programme which the Prime Minister was to attend.

During the programme, Channi was seen coming and going time and again in the video. There was a tense atmosphere and Channi looked restless, Khattar added.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Chief Minister offered prayers at Shri Mata Mansa Devi temple in Panchkula near Chandigarh for the long life of Prime Minister Modi and also performed the Maha Mrityunjya yajna.

He also prayed to the deity for protecting the people from the next wave of Covid-19.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra to place on record the video of an incident, in connection with a defamation case filed by Zee News against her for calling the channel a "thief".

While listing the matter for March 2, Justice Mukta Gupta also asked Moitra to submit a copy of her defamation case.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared on behalf of Moitra, argued that the channel reporter harassed her in the Parliament premises, repeatedly called her a thief, and shoved a mike in her face.

The words "chor (thief)" uttered by his client was nothing but a reaction in the heat of the moment and it cannot be termed as defamatory, he argued.

The court was hearing the politician's application challenging the summoning order in the case.

Moitra had made a speech on June 25, 2019, in Parliament on the 'Seven Signs of Fascism'. A week later, Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary claimed that Moitra had plagiarised an article by Martin Longman in the Washington Monthly about US President Donald Trump, and posted a copy of the article online.

Following this, Moitra filed a defamation case against Zee and Chaudhary for the broadcast.

In the present case, Zee News filed the defamation complaint against Moitra for allegedly making statements against the channel to the media.

During the course of the hearing on Friday, Zee's counsel raised objections on the maintainability of the writ petition of Moitra. He also pointed out the delay in filing the case. While noting these points, the court asked Sibal to respond to them.
Srinagar, Jan 7 : Three terrorists were killed and one army officer was injured in an encounter with security forces at Zolwa Kralpora Chadoora in central Kashmir's Budgam district, officials said on Friday.

The police said that based on specific inputs regarding the presence of terrorists in Zolwa Chadoora village area of Budgam, a joint cordon and search operation was launched on Thursday evening by the police and the army.

During the search operation, the terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter. Later on, the CRPF also joined the operation.

"The joint team first evacuated all the civilians trapped around the encounter site to safer places. Besides, to avoid any collateral damage due to darkness, the operation was suspended during night hours and in the wee hours it resumed again, resulting in the elimination of three terrorists linked with proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. During the encounter, one army officer received minor splinter injury," the police said.

One of the killed terrorists has been identified as Waseem Mir, a resident of Nowgam Srinagar, who was active since December 2020.

"As per reliable sources and documents recovered, the other two killed terrorists appear to be foreign militants. Further identifications are being ascertained," the police said.

"As per police records, the slain terrorist, Waseem, was a categorised militant and part of a group involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on security forces and civilian atrocities. Several terror crime cases were registered against him.

"Waseem was involved in the killing of Inspector Parvaiz Ahmad in June last year. He was also involved in the grenade attack on a CRPF bunker near Aali Masjid Chowk at Eidgah Srinagar in which one civilian and one police personnel were injured. He was also involved in brainwashing and motivating the youth of Central Kashmir to join terror folds," the police said.

Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition, including three AK-56 rifles, were recovered from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the demolition of the Pakistan Navys sailing club along Rawal Lake in Islamabad, ruling that the Navy does not have the authority to undertake real estate ventures, Friday Times reported.

The IHC ordered the club to be razed within the next three weeks and sanctioned 'criminal' and "misconduct' proceedings action against former naval chief Admiral (retd) Zafar Mahmood Abbasi for the construction of the 'illegal' sailing club.

The court also deemed the naval officer's inauguration of the club as unconstitutional, the report said.

Headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah, the IHC said that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) did not have the authority to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the Pakistan Navy.

The sailing club had been built on National Park land, according to the court.

"If you receive a request for the issuance of an NOC either to an illegal housing society or a naval sailing club, you should throw away the petition right at the outset," Justice Minallah admonished the CDA, the report added.

"The sailing club is illegal, and therefore, it should be demolished in three weeks," the IHC judge said.

The original petition was filed by a citizen, Zeenat Saleem, who claimed that the club prohibited public access to the lake and was an 'illegal occupation' built without the proper approvals. The sailing club has been sealed since July 2020.
People in their vehicles wait at a drive-thru COVID-19 test site in Bologna, Italy, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)

The total number of cases recorded in Italy since the start of the pandemic was just short of 7 million. Within the European Union, only Germany and France recorded more cases.

ROME, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Italy recorded 219,441 new cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time.

The country had never recorded more than 100,000 new cases in a single day until Dec. 30. But the situation had gotten worse almost every day since then.

The Ministry of Health also announced 198 coronavirus deaths over the previous 24 hours, down from 231 a day earlier.

Though the death toll from the latest wave of the pandemic is on the rise, it remains well below the all-time one-day peaks that regularly topped 750 in late March and early April of 2020, during the pandemic's initial wave, and again between late November to mid-December 2020.

The number of patients in intensive care units in Italy continued to inch higher, reaching 1,467 on Thursday, an increase of 39 over the previous day.

But even so, the number of intensive-care-unit patients remained below all-time highs from 2020. Health care officials attributed it to less severe outcomes for vaccinated people infected by the virus and improved methods of treatment.

"What we are facing in late 2021 and in 2022 cannot compare to what the country went through in 2020," Giovanni Maga, head of the DNA Enzymology and Molecular Virology Section Institute of Molecular Genetics IGM-CNR National Research Council, told Xinhua.

People wait outside a COVID-19 rapid test point in Rome, Italy, Dec. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni)

The total number of cases recorded in Italy since the start of the pandemic was just short of 7 million. Within the European Union, only Germany and France recorded more cases.

Italy on Wednesday issued new rules requiring all residents over the age of 50 to get vaccinated.

"We want to put the brakes on the growth of the spread of contagion and push Italians who are still not vaccinated to do so," said Prime Minister Mario Draghi in a statement sent to reporters.

As of Thursday, 46.5 million Italian residents had been completely vaccinated, equivalent to 86.2 percent of the country's population over the age of 12.

The European Center for Disease Control has declared 19 of Italy's 20 regions and autonomous provinces as "dark red" areas in terms of coronavirus infection rates, the most severe level.

The only exception is the island region of Sardinia, which is "light red," the second most severe level in the four-color system.

A medical staff member works in a COVID-19 intensive care unit at a hospital in Bologna, Italy, on Dec. 24, 2021. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls the political parties have now shifted to the virtual mode but missing in action is Mayawati. The BSP supremo has not started her campaign but all the other political parties are active including the BJP with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing several rallies.

Mayawati's inaction has led to some serious contenders throwing their hat into the ring for the Dalit votes, especially the Jatavs who have been with the Bahujan Samaj Party and did not desert during the bad times. But the silence of the BSP on core issues has led to suspicions in the minds of its leaders and almost all the big leaders including the legislative party leader have left the party and joined the Samajwadi Party.

But the BSP seems unfazed with the exit of its leaders and except for Satish Chandra Mishra no other leader is seen at its forefront. The Congress has termed it as the "B team" of the Bharatiya Janata Party while SP leader Akhilesh Yadav has refrained from attacking the BSP leader but has inducted all the BSP turncoats into his party.

The four time Chief Minister of UP has been active only on Twitter. She sometimes issues a press note. A day before she tweeted about the PM's security breach and criticized the Punjab government where her party is contesting elections in alliance with the Akali Dal.

In her absence most of the BSP leaders are joining the SP and mostly Brahmins are choosing it over the BJP. Former Bahujan Samaj Party MP Rakesh Pandey -- father of BSP leader in the Lok Sabha, Ritesh Pandey -- joined the Samajwadi Party on Monday along with his supporters. Earlier, Kushal Tiwari, a former BSP MP and son of Harishankar Tiwari, joined the SP with his whole clan.

Bahujan Samaj Party leaders say that the party has finalized candidates for a majority of the seats and the names of the selected candidates are being announced in meetings organised by the party leaders in various districts.

The BSP president has been accused of staying away from the political arena and has been limiting her activities to press statements and tweets. Party national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra has refuted this and said, "The BJP, SP and Congress are luring leaders with tickets for the assembly elections." Mishra said that the BSP was working on the social engineering formula of 'sarvajan hitaye - sarvajan sukhaye' to win the elections. Members of all communities were being given adequate representation in the distribution of tickets.

The BSP had managed to win only 19 seats in the 2017 assembly polls and is now left with merely six legislators since the others have either left or have been expelled.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Although studies claim Omicron to be mild, there is no plausible reason to think that the highly-transmissible variant will not cause long Covid conditions among survivors, experts said on Friday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), long Covid "is a range of symptoms that can last weeks or months after first being infected with the virus that causes Covid-19 or can appear weeks after infection. Long Covid can happen to anyone who has had Covid-19, even if their illness was mild, or if they had no symptoms".

More than 50 long-term effects of Covid-19 have been detected. But the most common symptoms reported by Covid survivors four to 12 weeks after acute infection are headache, fatigue, sleep disturbance, concentration difficulties and abdominal pain. Even in mild cases, many Covid patients suffer from long-term residual symptoms.

Studies have shown that up to one in seven children and young people who caught SARS-CoV-2 may also have symptoms linked to the virus about three months later.

But, the risk of long Covid with Omicron has not been taken seriously as before. One reason could be lack of proper data.

"It is too early to know what the prolonged symptoms related to Covid might be for a new variant that has only recently been reported. In the acute phase, severe fatigue and myalgia appear to be prominent symptoms, and there might be symptoms of long Covid in a fraction of these individuals," Lancelot Pinto, Consultant Pulmonologist and Epidemiologist at P.D Hinduja Hospital & MRC, Mumbai, told IANS.

While infections are mild, there is "no plausible reason to believe that the incidence of long Covid with Omicron will be less than what is reported with Delta, or Alpha", she added.

In a recent interview with Spectrum News, top US infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci was also quoted as saying that even after causing mild illness, people infected with Omicron are likely to suffer from long Covid.

"Long Covid can happen no matter what virus variant occurs. There's no evidence that there's any difference between Delta or Beta or now Omicron," Fauci said.

"We should always be aware that when people get symptomatic infection - anywhere from 10 to up to 30 plus percent of people will go on to have persistence of symptoms," he added, noting that even mild cases are included in that possibility.

In line with this, a research by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, showed that Covid infection, even if mild, can trigger an immune response that lasts longer than the initial infection and recovery.

The study showed that the presence of elevated autoantibodies after mild or asymptomatic infection, as well as their persistence over time, Jerusalem Post reported.

However, there are some experts who disagree and say that Omicron may not cause long Covid.

According to Nikhil Modi, Consultant Pulmonology/ Respiratory Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, as Omicron causes a mild disease, "we are expecting that the Long Covid will not be seen in this variant of the virus".

"It is because the symptoms are already settling within a few days and as we are seeing that the inflammatory markers are either not rising or are significantly mild in patients being infected with this variant.

"Long Covid symptoms are the resultant factor of the inflammation being left by the virus, since this variant is not giving rise to the inflammatory factors we are not expecting long Covid to be a part of Omicron variant," Modi explained.

The super mutant Omicron strain first emerged in late November in South Africa and Botswana. It has since spread to more than 100 countries, outpacing the Delta strain in many countries.

Data from studies in South Africa, the US and the UK, has shown that Omicron causes mild illness, as well as causes lower hospitalisation rates. However, it is still too early to affirm how severe Omicron is.

But World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his latest address said that while Omicron does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, it does not mean it should be categorised as 'mild' and just like previous variants, Omicron is hospitalising people and it is killing people.

In fact, he stressed, the tsunami of cases is so huge and quick, that it is overwhelming health systems around the world, which means the variant is going to haunt people even after its virulence is over. This emphasises the need to take the cover of vaccines, masks, hygiene and social distancing.

(Rachel V. Thomas can be contacted by rachel.t@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kolkata, Jan 7 : The virtual inauguration ceremony of the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) campus in Kolkata's Rajarhat area through video conferencing where both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were present turned controversial after Banerjee complained to Modi against Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on the open forum.

The chief minister during her brief speech alleged that the governor has raised questions on the appointments of consultants from private institutes. "He wanted to see all the papers regarding the appointments. He doesn't know that we have decided to go for the appointments following the central government's decision." "We might have political differences but we try to follow the central government directive in 90 percent cases," Banerjee added.

The chief minister was referring to an issue where Dhankhar had sought details from Chief Secretary H K Diwedi about the mechanism, modalities and the precise selection process to be followed for this recruitment of senior consultants/consultants published by the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms.

Dhankhar in his letter to Diwedi wrote "Serious issues have been raised from several quarters regarding this matter in respect of the lack of transparency, accountability and modalities of the selection process of these consultants. Already recruitment in some categories is under judicial scanner".

The chief minister also asked the Prime Minister to increase the medical seats in the state and urged the Centre to sanction more IAS and IPS officers for the state.

While inaugurating the campus, Modi said, "Today we have taken another step towards strengthening the national resolve to provide quality health facilities to every citizen of the country. The second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute has brought great convenience to many citizens of West Bengal. This will provide great convenience especially to the poor and middle-class families who have someone suffering from cancer." He added that the country has crossed yet another important milestone. "Today, in the first week of the first month of the year, India is achieving the historic milestone of injecting 150 crore vaccine doses. This is no less than a surprise for most of the countries of the world. For India, it is a symbol of new will power, which has the courage to do anything to make the impossible possible." Modi said till now, around 11 crore doses of Covid vaccines have been provided free of cost to West Bengal. "More than one and a half thousand ventilators, more than 9,000 new oxygen cylinders have also been given to West Bengal. As many as 49 PSAs, new oxygen plants, have also started functioning," he added.

The campus has been constructed at a cost of Rs 530 crore. The central government has given Rs 400 crore for this while the West Bengal government has put in the remaining amount.

The new campus will have a 460-bed Comprehensive Cancer Unit equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure for cancer diagnosis, staging, treatment and care.

The campus is well-equipped with modern facilities like Nuclear Medicine (PET), 3.0 Tesla MRI, 128 Slice CT Scanner, Radionuclide Therapy Unit, Endoscopy, Modern Brachytherapy Unit. It will also serve as an advanced cancer research facility and will be specially designed for cancer treatment in the eastern and north-eastern parts of the country.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : India and China military delegates are likely to hold talks on January 12 to deliberate over ways to de-escalate the border dispute between the two nations.

It would be the 14th round of India and China Corps Commander level military talks focusing on disengagement in the remaining friction areas like Depsang, Hot Springs and others.

The talks are happening when China has implemented new border laws from January 1 and has also started construction of a bridge on Pangong Lake in Eastern Ladakh to which India has objected.

On Thursday, India had strongly objected to China's illegal construction of a bridge on a part of the Pangong Lake and had stated that the government is monitoring the situation.

Talking about reports about a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said, "Government has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware India has never accepted such illegal occupation." The official pointed out that separately, the government has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that our security interests are fully protected.

As part of these efforts the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before.

"These have provided much needed connectivity to local population as well as logistical support to armed forces. government remains committed to this objective," the official had said.

China has been carrying out construction of a bridge connecting the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake for at least two months and is taking place at India's claim of the Line of Actual Control.

The bridge to connect the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake will allow the Chinese People's Liberation Army quick access to both sides.

India had occupied key heights on the Kailash range on the southern bank in August 2020 giving its troops a strategic advantage as they overlooked the Chinese Moldo garrison.

However, with the disengagement in Pangong in February last year India pulled back from the heights as part of a mutual pullback plan to ease tensions.

In addition to this, China has implemented its new border law on January 1 that calls for strengthening its border defence, development of villages and infrastructure near the borders.

Just ahead of the implementation of the law, China renamed 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh on its map.

India and China have been engaged in a border dispute for around two years and are now in talks to resolve the issues.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Chennai, Jan 7 : One of Asia's life insurance giants, the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), closed December 2021 with about 20 per cent decline in new premium as compared to the premium earned during the corresponding period of 2020.

However, LIC is not alone in this club. There are a couple of major private life insurers like ICICI Prudential Life Insurance and Kotak Mahindra Life, among others, who had posted negative growth during the period under review.

Overall, the life insurance industry grew by just 0.34 per cent last month with new business premium of Rs 24,466.46 crore as compared to Rs 24,383.42 crore earned in December 2020.

According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), LIC had earned a total premium of Rs 11,434.13 crore during December 2021 as against Rs 14,345.70 crore earned in December 2020.

Similarly, last month, ICICI Prudential Life earned new premium of Rs 1,380.93 crore, down by 6.02 per cent from the December 2020 figures.

Kotak Mahindra Life booked new business of Rs 563.94 crore in December 2021, as compared to Rs 569.12 crore earned during December 2020.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The 15th edition Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), originally scheduled to take place in January end, has been rescheduled to March 5 to 14 in view of the rising Covid cases in the country.

Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, which produces the Jaipur Literature Festival, said, "Keeping in mind the advent of the new Covid variant and the sharp rise in the number of cases across the country, we have thought it best to reschedule the festival and hold it in March 2022. We remain committed to bringing the festival back to Jaipur as an on-ground, immersive experience, promoting dialogue, discussion and debate on books and ideas." The festival will take place in a hybrid avatar with both on-ground sessions as well as virtual presence.
Beijing, Jan 7 : Even as China struggles to contain the Covid outbreak, it is racing to develop its own messenger RNA vaccine, media reports said.

China's pharmaceutical companies have used traditional inactivated virus technology in vaccines, and a progress towards a domestic mRNA vaccine has been slow in the country, Financial Times reported.

Chinese pharmaceutical companies had opted for the "old-fashioned [inactivated] vaccine" because the "existing technology was easily available and had been used in vaccines that had inoculated billions of people", Jerome Kim, Director-general of the International Vaccine Institute in South Korea, was quoted as saying.

But researchers maintain that inactivated vaccine technology produces a weaker immune response. On the other hand, mRNA and viral-vector vaccines induce a targeted response to the virus' spike protein as it enters human cells, compared with the inactivated vaccine, which attacks many viral proteins.

China's pandemic strategy - strict lockdown measures on communities with local cases - has proved effective at preventing the large number of deaths suffered in some western countries. But the recent outbreak in Xi'an, with more than 1,758 cases, has underscored officials' lack of confidence in domestic jabs, the FT report said.

"The lower efficacy of the Chinese vaccines indicates that most people lack the necessary neutralising antibodies to prevent infection or severe cases," Jin Dong-yan, a virologist at the University of Hong Kong, was quoted as saying.

Research from the university showed that two jabs and a booster of Sinovac's vaccine provided insufficient protection against the Omicron variant, while another study demonstrated that both Chinese vaccines' efficacy declined quickly. China has so far administered 2.8bn doses of Sinopharm and Sinovac's inactivated virus vaccines to 1.2bn people.

As China was slow to develop mRNA technology, its pharmaceutical companies lacked the scientific knowhow and specialised machinery to deliver the jab at scale, Dong-yan said.

He added that there were significant technical barriers to making lipid nanoparticles, the fatty shield that protects fragile mRNA molecules when entering human cells, which are difficult to create safely and in large quantities, the report said.

But even if China rolls out an mRNA vaccine as a booster, experts warned that it may not be a silver bullet that gives authorities the confidence to end its zero-Covid policy.

An immunology professor from Beijing, who did not want to be named, said that even if China rolled out its own mRNA vaccine, "it wouldn't have a big impact on China's pandemic control measures" since evidence from existing versions of the jab showed that breakthrough infections are still possible, the report said.
Hyderabad, Jan 7 : Governance has gone nearly paperless with more than 27 lakh e-files currently operational in the Central Secretariat of the Government of India while physical files have reduced to just about 10 lakh, said Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, on Friday.

"We may not have gone absolutely paperless but we have gone nearly paperless," Singh added while addressing the 24th national conference on e-governance which began in Hyderabad on Friday.

Speaking about the efficiency of the Central Secretariat, he said, the government tried to reduce the journey time of files from nearly seven to eight levels.

"Our ultimate objective is to reduce it to three levels and we have already reached three to four levels. I think it's not difficult if we make use of online mode more optimally," Singh said.

"Covid-19 which came as a curse or adversity also carried some virtues," he added and congratulated government officials for converting adversity into a virtue by extending the digital governance concept across the country.

The minister said it was gratifying that all throughout Covid-19 the work in the department of personnel and many other departments did not suffer for a single day.

"In fact we were working more than in non-Covid times because our colleagues were working even on holidays and weekends. It was no longer that 9 to 5 office hours conditioning of mind." He called for optimal use of the lessons learnt during the infection in the post-pandemic times.

"Now that we have learnt what we were made to learn during the pandemic, we could put it to right and optimum use in the post-pandemic times," he said, underlining the need for making use of the healthy supplementation of both offline and online mode.

The minister said his ministry had now stepped into linking with Central Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System of the department of Administrative Reforms and that would be in keeping with the Prime Minister's call of 'One Nation, One Portal'.

"Anybody sitting anywhere can lodge a grievance. You don't have to wait for office hours. You can use the mobile app and lodge a complaint even in the middle of the night. You get links to departments across the country," he added.

Singh said the linking has been done at the district level in Jammu and Kashmir and is now being done in Uttar Pradesh.

He believed that the ultimate objective of good governance should be to bring in ease of living in the life of a common citizen. He appealed for making the system more citizen-centric and citizen-oriented with increased amount of transparency and accountability and increased emphasis on timelines.
The fall of the I.K. Gujral government was perhaps the most impactful result of Rajiv Gandhis assassination.

Gujral, a suave politician who survived and went on to become Prime Minister because of his non-confrontation style, finally had to put in his papers on Nov 28, 1997. Rajiv Gandhi was killed on May 21,1991.

Security analysts would always say the intelligence inputs, however mild or seemingly 'unconfirmed or weak', about VVIPs should never be ignored. Even till day, people debate why Indira Gandhi continued with her Sikh bodyguards despite warnings after Operation Blue Star.

Security breaches vis-a-vis Prime Ministers, both categories - incumbent Narendra Modi and his predecessors including the likes of Manmohan Singh and Indira Gandhi - do keep happening.

In the case of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination too, there were alerts and warnings of some attempts being made by the LTTE. But before anything concrete could be done, the damage was done.

In fact, Rajiv Gandhi reportedly asked the SPG personnel to allow his assassin Dhanu to come near him on the fateful evening. When Rajiv Gandhi reached the campaign rally site in Sriperumbudur on the fateful evening of May 21, 1991, along the way to the stage, he was garlanded by many well-wishers and Congress party workers.

The assassin Dhanu (Thenmozhi Rajaratnam) approached and greeted him. She bent down pretending to touch his feet and then detonated the RDX. First major assassination by a suicide bomber in India.

Subsequently, accusations of conspiracy have been addressed by two commissions of inquiry.

In November 1997, the I.K. Gujral government had to step down.

On 28 August 1997, the Jain Commission report was submitted to the government and was leaked on November 16. The commission had inquired into the conspiracy aspects of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination and criticised the DMK. The Congress withdrew support from the Gujral government on November 28 after Gujral sent a letter to the then Congress President Sitaram Kesri, saying he will not dismiss any DMK ministers.

Gujral resigned following the withdrawal, and sent a letter to then President K.R. Narayanan that read: "My government has lost its majority and does not want to continue in office on moral grounds." Some breaches of PMs had also resulted in overhauling of Prime Ministers' security apparatus, especially during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure in 1988.

On June 2, 1988, the Parliament passed the Special Protection Group Act to protect the Prime Ministers. The move came as four years earlier on Oct 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own bodyguards.

With Narendra Modi, there have been four such security breaches beginning December 2014, but security experts point out only the January 5 (2022) episode in Punjab as 'major lapse'.

In December 2014, three policemen, including a police inspector and two constables, were found guilty on allegations of negligence that led to breach of security cover for Modi at the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on October 31.

A former BJP activist, Anil Mishra, was 'able' to reach the podium, almost a few metres from Modi. Mishra was arrested by Marine Drive police of Mumbai.

In December 2017, two policemen 'made a mistake' and came in front of PM's convoy and the Prime Minister was caught in 'traffic' for two-three minutes near the Mahamaya Flyover, Noida. Two cops were suspended.

In February 2019, an apparent security breach was reported at Prime Minister Modi's rally in Ashoknagar in North 24 Parganas in West Bengal. The breach led to a stampede-like situation and Modi had to cut short his speech and was quickly whisked away by the SPG.

In May 2018, a man claiming to be a 'fan' of the Prime Minister reportedly infiltrated the security cover of SPG at the Vishwa Bharati's convocation ceremony, also in West Bengal.

Among the past such breaches which made headlines were one each with Indira Gandhi (in 1967) and the other with her son Rajiv Gandhi on Oct 2, 1986.

On February 8, 1967, Indira Gandhi was attacked with a brick during an election rally in Bhubaneswar, but she continued her speech. Of course, this was prior to the days of militancy that hit Punjab and other states.

On October 2, 1986, Rajiv Gandhi continued his Rajghat visit on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti despite three shots being fired at him.

With Manmohan Singh, security breaches were reported from Kerala more than once. In December 2010, a private vehicle almost 'entered' the road from where the Manmohan Singh's convoy was passing.

The Kerala government denied that there was any security breach during the Prime Minister's visit.

In November 2006, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had actually sought an explanation from the Kerala government about the security breach that took place when Manmohan Singh's convoy stopped after the pilot vehicle was on the 'wrong route'. The alleged security breach happened in Thiruvananthpuram between airport and Raj Bhavan.

The National Security Guards (NSG) also had called for an explanation from the Director General of Kerala Police, Raman Srivastava, on the same.

According to a book, 'Journalism Through RTI' penned by journalist Shamlal Yadav, while "most curious" foreign trips were undertaken by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi during the 10 years of UPA rule, "information of none of the foreign trips except that of Sonia Gandhi's Bangkok trip was available to the PMO, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs or the National Advisory Council (NAC) as per their responses (to a series of RTI queries)".

On queries pertaining to foreign visits by the Members of Parliament, the Lok Sabha Secretariat had said: "As per the convention, the members of Lok Sabha inform the Honourable Speaker about their foreign visits private or official. However, there is no rule available in the Rules of Procedure or Direction by the Lok Sabha or any other document in the Lok Sabha Secretariat, whereby it has been made mandatory for the members to give prior or subsequent information about their foreign visits to the Speaker, Lok Sabha." The book further says that the Lok Sabha Secretariat has also informed that both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were never part of any parliamentary delegation to foreign countries from 2004 to 2012, therefore political clearance for them was never sought from the Ministry of External Affairs.

As to whether there was any 'exemption' for SPG protectees from getting MEA clearance, the Ministry of Home Affairs for its part had forwarded the RTI application to the Cabinet Secretariat and National Security Guard (NSG) to provide the information, if any.

Yadav in his book further refers to a response from the PMO on this, which had said, information regarding overseas travel by the top Congress leaders "does not form part of records held by the PMO". However, the PMO had said that between July 14 and 17, 2004, Sonia Gandhi had visited Bangkok to attend a conference on AIDS.

In 2019, the Centre decided to change the security mechanism for Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

A high-decibel controversy broke out over the withdrawal of Special Protection Group cover to the members of the first family of the Congress.

Home Ministry sources had claimed the Gandhis had made 'undesirable' remarks against SPG and also charged the elite force with collecting their 'personal and confidential information.' "Since May 2014, Priyanka Gandhi has often levelled allegations that SPG officials were collecting her personal and confidential information and sharing it with unauthorised persons. She even threatened to drag top officials of the SPG to court," one source said.

In another instance, Rahul Gandhi, during his visit to Banaskantha in Gujarat in 2017, 'violated security norms' himself which could have endangered his life.

(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is also the author of books, 'The Talking Guns: North East India' and 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth'. The views expressed are personal)
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Higher sucrose diversion towards ethanol as well as healthy export levels are likely to support the domestic sugar industry's demand-supply balance, said ratings agency ICRA.

It noted that tailwinds from global sugar demand is expected to drive exports, while higher sucrose diversion towards ethanol would allow the industry to curtail closing inventory levels which in turn would result in lower total debt.

Besides, reduced debt levels and expanded operating profits emanating from favourable pricing as well as increased share of ethanol in revenue mix would support industry's credit metrics despite recent hike in cane prices.

"Higher sucrose diversion towards ethanol that would limit domestic sugar production in addition to healthy export prospects for current fiscal emanating from firmed up international prices is likely to support domestic demand-supply balance," said Sabyasachi Majumdar, Senior Vice President and Group Head, ICRA.

"This would result, not only, in reduced inventory levels and thus lower debt, but would also support domestic sugar prices which would allow expansion of operating profits despite hiked cane prices for the current sugar year. With improved operating profits and reduced debt levels, the coverage metrics and capital structure would emerge stronger by the end of fiscal year." Furthermore, ICRA said that revenues of its research sample is expected to remain stable with 1-3 per cent YoY growth in FY2022.

"With a favourable mix of ethanol towards 'B-heavy or juice' (feedstock) coupled with higher sugar realisations; operating margins are expected at 12.5-13.5 per cent in FY2022 (slightly higher than FY2021 levels), moderated by the cane price hike," the agency said.
BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- News portal apps can automatically push users what they are probably interested in while e-commerce platforms can easily present on the homepage something catering to consumers -- such scenarios, seemingly to the convenience of netizens, have triggered debates in recent years.

Chinese internet users have also been troubled with other problems such as pricing products to the disadvantages of certain consumers, which experts say boil down to the abuse of users' personal information.

The situation will improve soon as the Chinese cybersecurity watchdog and other authorities have jointly rolled out a regulation on the management of algorithm recommendation services, which will come into effect on March 1.

The new regulation, which specifies the codes of practice for the service providers in using algorithm technologies, looks to address some of the major cyberspace irregularities that have long been criticized by internet users.

TECHNOLOGY IN CAGE

The so-called algorithm recommendation refers to a kind of information technology, which -- based on collected information from users like their browsing and shopping patterns -- provides personalized recommendations and discriminatory services.

The widely-applied computer algorithms have become inseparable from people's daily lives. Meanwhile, the inappropriate usage has bred social problems, posing challenges to maintaining social fairness and justice and the legitimate rights and interests of netizens, said the Cyberspace Administration of China.

"Technology is not evil. What we need to do is to put the technology in a cage of systemic checks," said Song Jianwu, a professor at the Renmin University of China.

Song added that the first principle in regulating algorithm-based services is openness and transparency and to ensure the protection of users' right to know.

In response to people's concerns, the regulation stipulates that service providers shall notify users of their algorithm recommendation services, including their purposes and operating mechanisms.

Internet users shall have the option to reject or turn off such services, according to the regulation.

It also prohibits service providers from using the technology to engage in illegal activities or spread illegal information, influence online public opinion, evade supervision and management, and engage in activities of monopoly and unfair competition.

DATA FOR GOOD

Wang Limei, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, said that algorithm recommendation service providers should adhere to the underlying guideline of mainstream values and strive to pursue excellence and moral integrity.

Prohibiting the use of algorithms to induce internet addiction or lure users to spend excessive amounts of money is a vivid embodiment of promoting the concept of "data for good," Wang said.

The new regulation also requires algorithm recommendation service providers to protect the interests of minors and elderly people.

China had 158 million internet users aged between six and 19 as of June 2021, accounting for 15.7 percent of the country's total more than 1 billion netizens, according to an earlier report released by the China Internet Network Information Center.

Lin Wei, deputy president of the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the use of the internet has brought about the challenge of protecting minors online. The abuse of algorithms might cause all kinds of adverse effects and lead to internet addiction among minors.

Experts also highlighted the necessity of strengthening supervision in this field to build a long-term algorithm management mechanism.

Yang Jianjun, a senior official with China Electronics Standardization Institute, suggested enhancing algorithmic security technologies to support the implementation of the new regulation and improve the supervision capacity of relevant services. 
Chennai, Jan 7 : Su Venkatesan, DMK leader and Lok Sabha MP from Madurai, has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to take action against the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) officials, who had allegedly discriminated against non-Hindi medium candidates who had appeared for the CA inter-examinations on January 4 and 5.

The DMK leader in the letter has said that Hindi medium aspirants had the option to answer questions in sections B, C and D in the physical answer sheet by writing.

He, however, added that the non-Hindi medium students had to type the answers as mentioned in point number 13 as per the official instructions for the examination.

He said that this was more time-consuming for English medium students, adding that he had taken up the matter with the ICAI officials but to no avail.

Venkatesan said, "The ICAI President Raju Iyer had replied to me that both the Hindi and non-Hindi medium students have the option to write and type the answers and that there was no discrimination. But his reply was far from truth and not in consonance with the reality, and physical answer sheets were not provided to non-Hindi medium students in examinations held on January 4 and 5." He added that when students expressed their anguish over social media, the ICAI threatened them with punitive action, including debarring them from writing the CA examination for five years for bringing the matter in the public domain.

Su Venkatesan said, "Even after an MP had taken up the matter, if there is no solution then what is the option for the students other than to take it up on social media platforms. Instead of taking up the issue of the students, ICAI has chosen to threaten them with punitive measures." He said that the writing option must be made available for students who were taking the examination in the non-Hindi medium and requested for action against those officials who had not carried out the clarification of the ICAI President.

He urged the ICAI to withdraw the circular threatening the students with punitive action for voicing their grievances on social media platforms and demanded an inquiry into all issues raised by the students related to the ICAI inter-examination.
Nagpur, Jan 7 : Security has been tightened at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters in Maharashtra's Nagpur as well as certain Central government offices and other sensitive locations after militants of a terror group conducted a recce there, top police officials said on Friday.

Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar said that militants linked with the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-E-Mohammed (JeM) had come to Nagpur recently and conducted a recce of several key locations across the state's second capital, sparking security concerns.

Following a security review and a heightened threat perception, the Nagpur police have deployed additional security there as a precautionary measure, he told media persons.

Besides, the police have banned any kind of photography or flying drones in a 2-km radius vicinity of the RSS headquarters, and such drones will be seized or destroyed besides attracting stringent action to the operators flouting the rules.

The city police chief added that the police have registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and further investigations are being conducted by the Crime Branch.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Leader of the Opposition in the Pakistan National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, on Friday demanded legal action and "daily court proceedings" against Prime Minister Imran Khan after a report of the election commission's scrutiny committee said that PTI hid millions of rupees worth of funds, Geo News reported.

The Opposition leader said that under the Constitution of Pakistan and its laws, "no thief can be a Prime Minister".

"Imran Niazi, who has been proven a thief and a liar under the law, must resign," said Sharif, who is the President of Pakistan Muslim League (N).

"A person who hides facts, steals, and lies, cannot hold constitutional, governmental or political office," he said in a statement shared by PML-N on Twitter.

After the report came to the fore in the media on Tuesday, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claimed that it is in the clear and has not hidden anything from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

In his statement, Sharif asked "if the law can apply to a popular leader like Nawaz Sharif, why not Imran Niazi?" "If a Panama Paper JIT can be formed against Nawaz Sharif, and can be overseen by the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, then why can this not be done for Imran Niazi," he asked.

Sharif said that the Constitution, law and political code of conduct dictates that Imran Khan steps down from office.

"The ECP's scrutiny committee has said that Imran Niazi is neither honest, nor trustworthy," he added.

The PML-N President demanded that a probe be initiated against Imran Khan and his case be heard on a daily basis, like against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said equal treatment under the Constitution and law is a fundamental tenet of Pakistan's laws and one that must be fulfilled.

"The ECP's scrutiny committee has charged Imran Niazi and his party under the law," he said, the report added.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Union minister of minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday offered prayers at the Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai for the 'well-being and long life' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that what happened in Punjab is not a simple case of breach of security but it is a serious case of criminal conspiracy against the security of the Prime Minister.

On Thursday, senior BJP leaders including chief ministers of the party ruled states offered prayers at temples across the country for the well-being and long life of Prime Minister Modi after his security was breached in Punjab on January 5.

In a series of tweets Naqvi said, "Today offered prayers at holy Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai with prominent people from various social, religious and educational organisations for the well-being and long life of Prime Minister Modi." "What happened in Punjab, is not a simple case of breach of security but it is a serious case of criminal conspiracy against security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'Height of Hatred Hypocrisy' has made Congress a 'Criminal Conspirator'," Naqvi said.

He claimed that no heinous conspiracy against Prime Minister Modi will succeed. "Prime Minister Modi's effective leadership is the guarantee of security and prosperity of the country. Prayers and blessings of crores of people of the country are with Prime Minister Modi. No heinous and lousy conspiracy against Modi will be able to succeed," he said.

According to the minister, a large number of people offered prayers at Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah and Dargah Ajmer Sharif and other religious and educational places across the country for the well-being and long life of Prime Minister Modi.

The Prime Minister cancelled his scheduled visit to Punjab's Ferozepur due to a security breach. On Wednesday he was to visit Ferozepur to lay the foundation stones of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 42,750 crore.

Taking cognisance of the security breach, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a detailed report from the state government. The MHA also asked the Punjab government to fix responsibility for this lapse and take strict action. It has also constituted a three member committee to enquire into the serious lapses in the security arrangements during the Prime Minister's visit to Ferozepur.
Adelaide, Jan 7 : Fifth seed and defending champion Iga Swiatek booked her place in the Adelaide International semifinals with a three-set 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 win over Victoria Azarenka, here on Friday.

Swiatek will meet World No.1 Ashleigh Barty in semis, who registered a powerful 6-3, 6-4 victory over former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin after firing a career-best 17 aces in the match.

Tactical adjustments and her signature competitive instincts enabled No.27-ranked Azarenka to become the first player to win a set from Swiatek in Adelaide. However, the 20-year-old eventually pulled away in the third set as an ailing Azarenka's movement became visibly hampered, and maintains her eight-match winning streak in the South Australian capital.

Azarenka would later withdraw from her doubles semifinal with a right leg injury, handing No.3 seeds Darija Jurak Schreiber and Andreja Klepac a walkover into the final.

After winning the match, Swiatek said, "Winning against such an experienced player is still pretty new for me," she said after the match. "That was my third match where I actually could show what I practiced during pre-season. That's really satisfying because I had this problem last year where I was practicing really great and I felt like I could do more on matches. This time it's different. It's actually going my way, so I'm pretty happy about that."
Chandigarh, Jan 7 : A day after 125 international travellers from Italy tested positive for Covid on arrival at the Amritsar airport, another batch of 190 passengers from there tested positive on Friday, officials said.

As many as 190 of the 285 passengers who arrived in the holy city on a charter flight from Rome tested positive, an official told IANS.

It has been also learnt that 13 passengers, who had tested positive for Covid upon their arrival on Thursday, have escaped institutional quarantine. While nine of them escaped from the airport, four disappeared from a local hospital.

Local authorities said that they would file complaints against all of them.

TV footage showed locals alleging that their passenger relatives were fully vaccinated and they boarded the flight only after they tested negative for Coronavirus. They blamed the local testing lab for 'faulty' reports.

Meanwhile, Amritsar airport authorities tweeted that they have taken all necessary actions to stop the spread of Covid-19.

The charter flight between Milan and Amritsar was operated by Portuguese company EuroAtlantic Airways.

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Shimla, Jan 7 : Acting tough, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday directed the Shimla Deputy Commissioner to inspect the dilapidated leprosy home in the state capital and to ensure its repair within four weeks.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the order on a petition by Neeraj Shashwat, who alleged that the patients have been kept in a decade-old building that has turned into shabby condition.

He said no building maintenance has been undertaken by the government. The patients have no toilets, no water facility and electric fittings are in dangerous condition. The building's windows and doors are broken.

He said the matter was taken up with the authorities but none of them has shown interest to improve its condition.

The court listed the matter for next hearing on March 7.
Los Angeles, Jan 7 : Adam McKay's climate change satire 'Don't Look Up' is right up there on top of Netflix's global viewership chart for December 27-January 2, clocking 152.29 million hours globally during the week.

Figures released by Netflix, and reported by 'Deadline', show that at a time when apocalyptic films are breaking world records, the Leonardo DiCaprio-Jennifer Lawrence-starrer is the streamer's third-most-watched film of all time (in just its first 28 days), behind only the Sandra Bullock-helmed 'Bird Box' and Dwayne Johnson-Ryan Reynolds-Gal Gadot crime caper 'Red Notice'.

It has also become the film that has attracted the most viewing hours for a movie in a single week in Netflix's history. Just on Wednesday, director McKay tweeted that he was "straight up flabbergasted" by the viewing numbers the film was receiving.

Netflix doesn't release day-to-day data, but 'Don't Look Up', according to 'Deadline', is likely to be encroaching upon 'Bird Box' territory and could soon take the all-time record away from 'Red Notice'.

'Don't Look Up' also has Meryl Streep, playing a goofy American President, Cate Blanchett as a celebrity talk show co-host who lusts after the DiCaprio character, Dr Randall Mindy, a professor of astronomy at the Michigan State University (MSU).

British Indian actor Himesh Jitendra Patel, last seen in 'Tenet', also appears in the film as the boyfriend of the Jennifer Lawrence character, MSU astronomy doctoral candidate and comet discoverer Kate Dibiasky.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : As many as 21 prisoners in Delhi jails have tested positive for Covid-19, a top official said on Friday.

Director General (Prisons), Sandeeep Goyal, told IANS that apart from 21 inmates, 28 staff members have also contracted the virus in different jails under Delhi Prisons.

Delhi Prisons has three prison complexes, one at Tihar, which is one of the largest prison complexes in the world comprising nine central prisons, the second is the Central Prison at Rohini prison complex, and the third one is Mandoli prison complex having six central jails.

Goyal informed that of the 21 inmates who have tested positive, 16 are lodged at Tihar Jail while 5 are in Mandoli Jail. Rohini is yet to report any Covid case.

Covid positive cases in Delhi Prisons have now started to emerge after a gap of about five months. Barring January 4, the last positive case was detected in July, 2021.

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New Delhi, Jan 7 : Celebrity hairstylist Jawed Habib has come under severe criticism for allegedly spitting on a woman's hair during a seminar in Uttar Pradesh's Muzzafarnagar earlier this week, after a video of the incident went viral on social media.

Habib broke his silence on the matter on Friday and told IANS, "I did not spit at all, it was just a type of acting. But it seems like I have spit when viewed from a certain angle." A video of the celebrity hairstylist has gone viral in which it is seen that he is telling about the maintenance of a woman's hair and at the same time spitting on the hair of a woman, referring to a lack of water in her hair. Other women present at the seminar start laughing loudly after clapping their hands, the video shows.

However, the victim has lodged a complaint with the district police station. The woman has been identified as Pooja Gupta, who is a resident of Baraut Nagar in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh, and runs a beauty parlour named 'Vanshika Beauty Parlour'.

Habib told IANS, "I am a teacher and I take part in many seminars. I try to entertain while teaching. We make little jokes while doing that but they don't mean to hurt anyone. If I have hurt anyone, I sincerely apologise.

"I didn't spit, it was a kind of acting. But it looks like I spat when viewed from a distance. My mission in this country is to change the profession of barbers and I am changing that through studies." The celebrity hairstylist said, "Nearly 10,000 people work with me and how many people's houses are running through this, no one is thinking about that. At the same time, I also train many people every year. Nearly 5 to 6 hours of training is imparted on stage and in that we only teach how to cut a person's hair. That's why we joke around in a very subtle manner. If we act d while joking, it is not done in reality but is a kind of acting.

"After Covid-19, the hairstyling industry was affected the most. Whenever there is a lockdown, all our shops are closed first. People from different economic backgrounds come to us and all of them are unable to even run their houses. I have been running a campaign to change the profession through studies and that is what I am doing." Asked by IANS about a notice being issued by the National Commission for Women against him asking to appear before it on January 11, Habib said, "We are ready to face the mistakes we have made. We will go and present our side of the story." On the other hand, the victim is quite angry with Habib and even said that the latter is calling her to apologise. But the woman wants to teach him a lesson by punishing him for insulting a woman.
MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to propose the "Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa" to support regional countries in addressing security, development and governance challenges, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Thursday.

Wang elaborated on China's views on the current situation in the Horn of Africa when meeting with journalists after holding talks with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo.

The Horn of Africa, albeit with a unique strategic location and great development potential, has in recent years experienced flare-ups of hot issues and eruptions of conflicts and confrontations, which run counter to the interests of the people in the region and have to be stopped, Wang said.

China is willing to propose the initiative to support the region in realizing long-term stability, peace and prosperity, Wang said.

First, the Horn of Africa should strengthen intra-regional dialogue to overcome security challenges, he said.

The countries and people in the region should stay out of the geological competition between major countries, firmly follow the path of unity and self-improvement, and hold the region's fate in their own hands through equal consultation, Wang said.

It is suggested that regional countries hold a peace conference to conduct in-depth discussions, reach political consensus, and coordinate joint actions on this issue, he said.

China is ready to appoint a special envoy for the Horn of Africa affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, to provide necessary support to this process, he added.

Second, the Horn of Africa should accelerate regional revitalization to overcome development challenges, Wang said.

The region should expand and strengthen, and extend to neighboring countries in a timely manner, the two main axes of the Mombasa-Nairobi railway and the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, while accelerating the development along the coasts of the Red Sea and of East Africa, so as to form a development framework of "two axes plus two coastal areas," he said.

The regional countries should also speed up the building of industrial belts and economic belts, create more jobs and promote growth, and enhance capacity for independent development, so as to keep pace with the times, he said.

Third, the Horn of Africa should explore effective ways to overcome governance challenges, Wang said.

China supports the regional countries in seeking development paths that suit their own national conditions, he said, adding that the Horn of Africa should strengthen exchanges on national governance, share with each other useful experience, and break through governance bottlenecks.

The countries in the region should properly handle various ethnic, religious and regional disputes in an African way, and build a united, stable and harmonious environment for development in the Horn of Africa, he said.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a sincere partner of Africa, Wang stressed, China will deepen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Africa's development strategies, take solid steps to advance the "nine programs" put forward at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and make unremitting efforts for and play a constructive role in the peace and development of the Horn of Africa. 
Mumbai, Jan 7 : Sparking huge concerns, Mumbai's super-congested slum of Dharavi logged 150 Covid-19 cases on Friday, the highest since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, health officials said here.

Since Thursday, the slum pocket has entered the 3-digit figures of infections - 107 on Thursday and 150 today with 588 active cases.

Dharavi, falling in G/North Ward of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has logged in a total 7,776 cases in the past 22 months of the pandemic.

With special attention devoted to Dharavi by the BMC, the area reported a peak of 94 cases on May 3, 2020 in the first wave and 99 infections on April 8, 2021 during the second tide.

Sprawled across 2.1 sq. kms, the slum pocket is home to around a million people, mostly migrants, living or working there, though a significant number had returned to their home states and started returning early 2021, after businesses limped back to normal.

Dharavi first came to prominence on April 1, 2020 when the first Covid-19 case and death of a 56-year-old man, compelled the BMC to initiate innovative and successful schemes there, like the 4T strategy (Tracing-Tracking-Testing-Treating) as part of the 'Chase the Virus' drive.

The tremendous triumph beating all odds earned not only the Centre's admiration but also global appreciation by the WHO, and has been emulated in several other countries now.

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Mumbai, Jan 7 : Maharashtras single-day Covid-19 caseload shot above the 40,000-mark on Friday though no new case of the Omicron variant was reported for the day, taking the states overall Covid tally past the 68 lakh-mark, health officials said.

For the 11th consecutive day, the state reported a massive spike in Covid-19 infections and suspect cases whose samples have been sent for genome sequencing.

The state's Covid-19 count shot up from 36,265 on Thursday to 40,925 on Friday, while fatalities increased from 13 a day earlier to 20 now with a mortality rate of at 2.07 per cent.

After recording 79 Omicron infections on Thursday, the state logged no fresh cases of the variant on Friday, as its tally stood at 876, with Mumbai leading the list.

The health authorities are continuing with intensive surveillance of passengers arriving at the three international airports -- Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur -- since December 1.

A total of 35,697 travellers have landed here from the 'high risk' countries of which 403 have tested positive along with 416 from other countries, with all their reports sent for genomic sequencing to confirm if they are afflicted by Omicron.

Besides, another 2,742 positive samples from field surveys conducted since November 1 have been sent for genomic sequencing of which results of 86 are awaited, the officials said.

Of the 40,925 new Covid cases, Mumbai Metropolitan Region alone accounted for 33,235 infections, while Mumbai city remained above the 20,000-mark with 20,971 new cases.

The next is Pune Circle's 4,765 infectees, followed by Nashik Circle (1,043), Nagpur Circle (931), Kolhapur Circle (389), Latur Circle (194), Aurangabad Circle (211) and Akola Circle (157).

The number of people sent to home quarantine shot up from 585,758 on Thursday to 742,684 now, while another 1,463 were shunted to institutional quarantine on Friday.

Mumbai, Pune and Thane remain at the top with the highest number of active cases in the state, with the afflictions shooting up from 114,847 a day before to 141,492 on Friday. The state presently has a recovery rate of 95.08 per cent.

The state's cumulative figures of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic stands at 68,34,222 cases and 141,614 deaths, while another 65,47,410 have fully recovered till date.

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New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed a chargesheet against six accused policemen into the murder case of Kanpur businessman Manish Gupta at a hotel in September 2021.

According to the central agency, the chargesheet was filed against six persons, including the then Station House Officer (SHO) or Inspector, three Sub-Inspectors, a Head Constable and a Constable, under Sections 302, 323, 325, 506, 218, 201, 34, 120-B and 149 of the IPC in the Special Judicial Magistrate court at Lucknow.

It was alleged that on September 27, Ramgarh Tal Inspector J.N. Singh, Phalmandi Police Post in-charge Sub-Inspectors Akshay Mishra and Vijay Yadav as well as three other policemen had allegedly barged into the hotel room where the deceased businessman Manish Gupta was staying with his friends.

The policemen allegedly thrashed them after an argument during which Gupta died. All the six policemen named in the FIR are currently in jail.

The CBI had registered a case on November 2 on the request of Uttar Pradesh government and taken over the investigation of the case on November 29, earlier registered under section 302 of IPC at Ramgarh Tal police station in Gorakhpur district against three police Officials, including SHO and two Sub-Inspectors and unknown police officials, on complaint from the wife of the deceased businessman on September 27.

IANS on January 5 learnt from sources that the investigation found evidence of 'excessive use of power' by the policemen.

A CBI officer privy to the probe said the sequence of events was examined by forensic experts to know the pattern and nature of injuries while call detail records of all the accused policemen were also checked to know if they had any prior connection with the victim but no such link was found.

The CBI team also took Gupta's friends, Pradeep Chauhan and Hardeep Chauhan, to the hotel and recreated the crime scene to match their statements to know what exactly took place inside the room on the fateful day.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : As the Omicron-triggered third Covid wave enters a key phase, a new projection by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science and Indian Statistical Institute (IISc-ISI) claims that the country is likely to witness over 10 lakh Covid cases a day at January-end/beginning of February when the third wave meets its peak.

The Omicron 'Projections January-March 2022 IISc-ISI Model' by Professor Siva Athreya, Professor Rajesh Sundaresan and the team from the Centre for Networked Intelligence at IISc-ISI in Bengaluru predicts that the third Covid wave may peak in January-end and early-February, with daily cases touching 10 lakh.

The peak of the third wave will vary for different states and the Covid-19 curve for India could start flattening by March-beginning.

"Past infection, vaccination affected by immunity waning makes a certain fraction of the population susceptible to the new variant," said the IISc-ISI model.

The model offers data on three levels of susceptibility -- 30 per cent, 60 per cent and 100 per cent.

Under the 30 percent susceptibility criteria, India could see 3 lakhs cases per day, 6 lakh cases per day under 60 per cent susceptibility, and 10 lakh cases at 100 per cent susceptibility.

Maharashtra could be the worst-hit, likely to experience over 175,000 daily cases at its peak (at 100 percent susceptibility).

Maharashtra's single-day Covid-19 caseload shot above the 40,000-mark on Friday. For the 11th consecutive day, the state reported a massive spike in Covid-19 infections and suspect cases whose samples have been sent for genome sequencing.

According to the model, Kerala and Tamil Nadu may witness one lakh and over 80,000 daily cases respectively, around the beginning of February.

Delhi is likely to see almost 70,000 daily cases by the end of January, according to the IISc-ISI model.

Last month, researchers from IIT Kanpur (IIT-K) also predicted that a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic may peak in India by February 3.

A report, published in the online preprint health server MedRxiv, said: "Following the trends around the world, this project report forecasts India's third wave may start around mid-December and peak in the beginning of February." The research report used the data of the first and second waves in India, and the current rise in cases triggered by Omicron in various countries, to predict a possible third wave in the country.

India's daily number of cases crossed the one-lakh mark as the country registered 1,17,100 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours.

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Agartala, Jan 7 : Dissident BJP MLA and former Tripura minister Sudip Roy Barman on Friday demanded to implicate IPC Section 302 (murder) against the miscreants who attacked Trinamool Congress leader Mujibur Islam Majumdar in August last year.

Majumdar, who was undergoing treatment at the SSKM hospital in Kolkata, passed away on Wednesday.

After visiting the family members of Majumdar at Badarghat near here, Barman, who is a strong critic of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, demanded that Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code must be implicated against the attackers as Majumdar, according the BJP legislator, was murdered.

"After severely attacking Majumdar on August 28 last year, the attackers pinned him down and kicked on his chest. I knew him (Majumdar) since my childhood," said Barman, who was accompanied by another dissident BJP MLA, Ashis Kumar Saha.

He said that Majumdar suffered multiple fractures in his hands and legs during the attack.

The Trinamool Congress had alleged in a statement that Majumdar, 56, was brutally attacked by BJP workers and goons at Badarghat in western Tripura where he had gone to took part in the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad's foundation day event on August 28 last year.

Subsequently, Majumdar, the younger brother of a BJP state committee member, was shifted to the SSKM hospital in Kolkata where he was undergoing treatment. He passed away on Wednesday morning, the statement had said.

"We demand justice for Majumdar," the statement added.

Majumdar, a former President of the Tripura unit of NSUI, had joined the Trinamool last year along with several other Congress leaders.

The ruling BJP has strongly denied Trinamool's accusations.

BJP spokesman Nabendu Bhattacharjee said that his party workers were in no way involved in the attack on Majumdar, who, he claimed, was assaulted due to the internal feud in Trinamool.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Centre, in an affidavit, has told the Delhi High Court that it would examine a detailed report of the 21st Law Commission which undertook detailed research on the Uniform Civil Code after receiving several representations from various stakeholders.

A consultation paper on August 31, 2018, titled 'Reform of Family Law' was uploaded in its official website for wider discussions, the Centre said, while replying to a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhay seeking to draft a Uniform Civil Code in the spirit of the Article 44 read with Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution.

As and when the report of Law Commission is received, the Government would examine the same in consultation with the various stakeholders involved in the matter, the Centre added.

There were no commissions in the matter after the 21st Law Commission in 2018 as the Centre did not reconstitute one.

The plea contended that it is necessary to study the Civil Laws of the developed countries, particularly the Common Civil Codes of France, China, and Japan and also necessary to incorporate the best practices of all religions and communities. It is pertinent to state that Goa has a Common Civil Code for a long time. Therefore, the same code may be amended and adopted as the UCC throughout the territory of India.

In its submission, the Centre said that in view of the importance of the subject matter and sensitivity involved, it is required that an in-depth study of the provisions of various personal laws governing different communities be conducted.

Updadhyay's petition contended that Shariat is controlled by legislation in Pakistan and Bangladesh. In India, a uniform law of maintenance was adopted by Section 488 CrPC. When Section 125 CrPC extended to divorced women, Muslims contended that it should not be applied to them as it was contrary to Shariat but the court turned down this contention.

The court also rejected the argument that according to Muslim Personal Law, the husband's liability to provide for the maintenance of his divorced wife is limited to iddat. It was held that Section 25 CrPC overrides personal law. If the government is serious to bring about a common civil code, it should come forward with an authoritative pronouncement instead of "being beguiled by statements issued by few fundamentalists led by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which is an NGO, registered in 1973", the plea said.
Hyderabad, Jan 7 : Keeping the political heat on over the recent arrest of its Telangana unit chief, the BJP continued to rope in its central leaders to target the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government in the state.

After the visits of BJP national President J.P. Nadda, central minister Bhagwanth Khuba, BJP national Vice-President and former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Raman Singh during the last three days, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan flew to Hyderabad on Friday to keep the momentum going.

Aiming to politically cash in on what it calls 'illegal' arrest of state unit President and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar and the alleged high-handedness by the police, the saffron party is going all out to target the state government led by K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Addressing a meeting at BJP state headquarters here, Chouhan called Chief Minister KCR, as Chandrasekhar is popularly known, a coward.

"A Chief Minister should respond when some issue is raised by the leader of an opposition party, but KCR is so scared that he put him in jail. Only a man who is scared resort to such tactics," Chouhan said.

He alleged that KCR is unable to accept the ground realities after the defeat of TRS in the Huzurabad Assembly by-election.

"What do you think of BJP workers? Can you silence them by using lathis against them? We are not biryani that you will eat," Chouhan said.

The Madhya Pradesh CM said that he had come to Hyderabad to declare 'dharam yudh' against the KCR government.

"We will not rest till we throw this corrupt, autocratic and oppressive government out of power," he said.

The BJP leader exuded confidence that the saffron party will come to power in Telangana in 2023 and will build a new Telangana.

He said KCR's tactics of silencing BJP workers with arrests, lathis and cases will fail to stop them from achieving their goal.

Singh said while KCR is scared of BJP in Telangana, the Congress is scared of BJP in Punjab, referring to the recent security breach issue involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"They put the life of the Prime Minister in danger. Such a thing never happened in India's history," he said.

BJP national General Secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Telangana, Tarun Chugh, alleged that the police used gas cutters to break into the camp office to arrest Sanjay. He said Sanjay's office was turned into 'Jallianwala Bagh' as the police brutally attacked BJP leaders and workers.

He also slammed Karimnagar Police Commissioner Satyanarayana and warned that he will not be spared as he will have to answer the Lok Sabha and the court.

He alleged that there is dictatorial rule in Telangana as the TRS government is trying to suppress peaceful and democratic protests.

Sanjay, along with some other leaders and workers of the BJP, was arrested by the police in Karimnagar town on the night of January 2 when he was leading a protest against a government order relating to transfer of government employees and teachers. The police foiled the protest citing orders banning public gatherings in view of the Covid-19 situation.

A Karimnagar court on January 3 sent the MP to judicial custody for 14 days. However, the high court quashed the remand and ordered his release on January 5.
Amaravati, Jan 7 : Rebel MP of Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) K. Raghurama Krishna Raju on Friday said he would soon resign as a Lok Sabha member and contest the by-election.

Stating that the YSRCP has been trying to get him disqualified, the MP from Narsapuram asked the party to specify as to how long it would take for his disqualification.

"If they fail to get me disqualified, I will resign and contest the election again," he told reporters.

The MP said the outcome of the by-election would reflect how strong are the anti-incumbency sentiments in the state.

Alleging that people are disgruntled with the government led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Raju said he would contest the election with Amaravati as the main issue.

He claimed that people want Amaravati to continue as the only state capital.

Meanwhile, YSRCP leader and government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said there was no need to take Raju's statement seriously. He pointed out that they have been asking him to resign.

Raju, who was elected to Lok Sabha from Narsapuram on YSRCP ticket in 2019, raised the banner of revolt in 2020 by openly criticising the party policies.

It was in July 2020 that the YSRCP had submitted a disqualification petition against him to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

The party leaders had brought to the Speaker's notice that Raju had been making statements against the party. They said his conduct was highly questionable and he lost the moral right to continue as a member of the House representing the party. He was also accused of hobnobbing with the leaders of the opposition party and using unparliamentary language against party President and Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and other party members.

Last year, the MP moved a CBI court seeking cancellation of bail of Jagan Mohan Reddy and YSRCP MP Vijaya Sai Reddy in quid pro case. After the CBI court dismissed his petitions, he approached the Telangana High Court, which last week reserved its orders.
Chennai, Jan 7 : The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP on Friday urged Governor R.N. Ravi to take up the issue of security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Punjab with President Ram Nath Kovind.

Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai said in a representation to Ravi: "It can be observed that there was a lot of compromise on protocols by the Congress-led Punjab government in PM's visit since the: 1. Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of Punjab were not present with the Prime Minister during his visit to launch Central government projects 2. There were negligence and irregularities in the security arrangements made by the state government and sensitive information like the Prime Minister's route map were leaked 3. Also, the Prime Minister's itinerary was leaked and circulated by the Congress IT cell, MPs, MLAs and other senior politicians, disclosing the encrypted details of the PMO and Special Protection Group in public." Annamalai said the Congress had orchestrated the January 5 incident to put Modi's life in grave danger.

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister's rally in Ferozepur had to be cancelled due to a security lapse after some protesters blocked a route and forced his convoy to spend about 20 minutes on a flyover. The Prime Minister was enroute the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala when the incident happened.

"This was also very close to the international border and within the artillery range of Pakistan army. The negligence and irresponsible behaviour of Congress and Congress-led Punjab government is highly condemnable," Annamalai told the Governor.
Gurugram, Jan 7 : Namaz will not be performed at the Sector-29 ground from next week amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in Gurugram.

The announcement was made by Imam Taukir Ahmed after performing Friday prayers at the ground.

As many as 2,000 people used to perform prayers at Sector-29 ground.

In a video, Ahmed can be seen to announcing that there will be no open prayer session from next week at the ground and the people are requested not to assemble at there to perform namaz.

"Due to surge in Covid cases in Gurugram, people are advised not to come for Namaz from the next week as it is our responsibility to follow the Covid guideline issued by the government of India. People can perform namaz at their home or workplace," Ahmed said in the video.

Meanwhile, the Friday prayers were peacefully performed across six designated locations here.

However, some alleged Hindu right-wing members reportedly tried to disrupt the namaz of a 'small group' near the Hero Honda Chowk, arguing that the Namaz is being illegally performed at the location - as no permission was taken by the district administration.

On Friday, members of Muslim community offered prayers in the open at Shankar Chowk, Udyog Vihar, Palam Vihar, and sectors 12, 29, 44, and 45.

Senior officials said that as many as 50 police personnel were deployed at each spot to ensure law and order in the city.

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XI'AN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, will advance the orderly resumption of businesses dealing with the supply of necessities, postal and express delivery services, and the catering industry, amid the latest COVID-19 resurgence.

The city, with 13 million residents, reported 57 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The new cases brought the total number of local cases in the city to 1,913 since Dec. 9, 2021.

According to a notice issued by the city's epidemic prevention and control headquarters, Xi'an will allow the resumption of business of supermarkets, fresh-food stores and suppliers of other necessities, as well as logistics storage centers and distribution sites, after evaluations of epidemic prevention conditions.

Catering enterprises will receive take-out orders but dine-in services will remain suspended.

Couriers and other staff working for the resumed businesses will be required to carry employment certificates and proof of a negative result from nucleic acid tests taken within the previous 48 hours, the notice said.

The headquarters also announced the policies of giving awards and subsidies to support e-commerce enterprises, residential communities and wholesale vegetable markets to ensure food supplies and deliveries. 
Dhaka, Jan 7 : "Anti-liberation forces" at home and abroad are conspiring to stop Bangladesh's progress and trying to confuse the public through social media with "false and fabricated information", Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Friday.

Addressing the nation over TV to mark her the third year of her present tenure amid thirteen years of being in power, she also said the present government helmed by the Awami League has foiled the rise of militancy.

Again announcing her commitment to fulfilling the dream of the Father of the Nation to build a secular and democratic state free from exploitation and deprivation, "where people of all religions, castes, classes and professions will live happily and peacefully. Everyone will have access to food, clothing, shelter and medical treatment", she said that unfortunately, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman could not fulfil his dream.

"On August 15, 1975, the anti-liberation reactionary forces killed my parents with his family. By killing him, the progress of Bangladesh was stopped," she said.

Noting that before the 11th parliamentary elections in 2016, her party announced a manifesto titled 'Bangladesh on the path to prosperity', she said that its main theme was to build an efficient, service-oriented and accountable administration to eradicate terrorism, militancy and build a hunger-poverty-illiterate free, secular Bangladesh.

"By 2031, Bangladesh will be an upper middle-income country and by 2041, it will be a high-income rich country," she stressed.

However, she warned that vested quarters comprising of anti-liberation forces, is attempting to mislead Bangladesh's development partners abroad.

She asked the people to remember that they have witnessed various notoriety of the anti-liberation rulers including crushing military rule, deviation of consciousness of the liberation war, distortion of history and lack of democracy.

The betrayers plundered the wealth of the people, deprived them, besides dishonoured the blood of 3 million martyrs, she said.

"Bangladesh has progressed a lot in the last 13 years. It has been possible as the people have kept confidence in us," she said in an apparent reference to her government's successive victories in elections She said her government was working with a target to turn Bangladesh into a welfare-oriented, developed and prosperous country by 2041, and "We hope you (people) will stand beside us as you did in the past to this endeavour".

She said all her government's endeavour to build a prosperous future for the new generation while the country also largely relied on the "unending vigour" of the younger generation in building a progressive Bangladesh confronting all the odds.

"I firmly believe our generation after generation will march ahead with keeping their heads high," Sheikh Hasina said.

Noting that she returned to the country in 1981 after living in exile for 6 years after the tragic incident of 1975, she said that after 21 long years, in 1996, her Awami League got the responsibility to rule the nation by the vote of the majority of the nation.

"We took the initiative to establish Bangladesh as a self-respecting country in the world with responsibility. Between 2001 and 2006, during the BNP-Jamaat and caretaker government regime, the Khaleda Zia-led government was directly involved in communal attacks and militancy." The Awami League-led grand alliance government started its journey on January 6, 2009, after its landslide victory in December 2008 elections.

She said that after taking charge of the state in 2009, during the last 13 years of the Awami League government, Bangladesh has established itself as a self-respecting country in the world. Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in the socio-economic and infrastructure sectors.

"2021 was a year of unprecedented recognition of our development. We achieved final recognition of becoming a developing nation last year. The achievement is a matter of joy and pride for the Bengali nation as it coincided with celebrations of the Mujib Year and the golden jubilee of the country's independence," she said.

She noted that a certain group is jealous of Bangladesh's progress towards becoming a developed nation and urged all to "keep a watchful eye so that no one can play tricks with the fate of the public".

"Our development progress cannot be allowed to be hampered in any way," the Prime Minister added.

She said that different global organisations praised Bangladesh's economic performance with the World Economic Forum predicting the country to be the 24th largest economy by 2030 while the Economist placed it in the ninth position in a list of 66 successful emerging economies.

Sheikh Hasina said the country was currently leading South Asia in various socio-economic indexes as the outcome of her government's policy initiatives with a holistic approach, primarily wiping out poverty, developing health systems, and empowering women.

She also mentioned her government so far announced 28 stimulus packages worth over 18 million takas and 56.76 per cent of the amount was disbursed by October 2021, befitting over 67 million individuals and 118,000 organizations.

She said Bangladesh secured the number one position in terms of GDP in South Asia with 5.43 per cent growth during the last fiscal, also heightening the per capita income to $2,554 in 2021 Sheikh Hasina further said the people of this country are the source of power and her party Awami League believes in the power of the people. She also reiterated the government's zero-tolerance policy against corruption.

She also sought people's extra caution against quick-spreading new coronavirus variants, warning that the crisis was yet to be over, and urged all eligible people to be vaccinated in the quickest possible time.

"The crisis is yet to end," she said.
Guwahati, Jan 8 : The Assam government and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a joint venture company to execute a Rs 2,000 crore project aiming to process 10 lakh litres of milk per day benefiting 1.75 lakh dairy farmers of the state.

After signing the MoU, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that six new milk processing units would be set up in seven years to increase the earnings of the dairy farmers.

In the six new proposed milk processing units, milk from more than 4,100 dairy cooperative societies will be processed, packed and marketed.

As part of this dairy development project, more than 15,000 high milk-yielding Gir cows will be inducted into Assam to ensure higher returns to the dairy farmers. The plan also envisages the setting up of infrastructure for cattle feed and silage manufacturing within Assam.

Under this MoU, which was signed in the presence of Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Parshottam Rupala, two cattle-feed and organic manure manufacturing units would also be set up.

Import of high yielding cattle breeds and artificial insemination would also be taken up.

The foundation stone for Purabi Dairy expansion project under World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transportation Project was also laid on Friday, which would increase its production capacity from the existing 60,000 litres of milk per day to 1.5 lakh litres per day.

Stating that dairy farmers would be provided subsidy for market price fluctuation of their produce, the Chief Minister urged all dairy cooperatives to engage in healthy competition for economic growth of Assam.

He also stressed on multi cropping and diversification of agricultural practices with hard work and dedication.

"With this project, the mission of Aatmanirbhar Assam begins in real earnest and we are confident of minimising our reliance on other states for milk and other food products. With growth of GDP and per capita income in Assam, people's spending on meat and milk products has increased. Assam must become self-reliant in meeting its own requirement without depending on other states to stop the revenue outflow," Sarma pointed out.

Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora also spoke at the programme, which was attended by Mizoram Veterinary Minister K. Beichhua and NDDB Chairman Meenesh Shah, among others.
Chennai, Jan 8 : The Tamil Nadu government is pushing for 13 wetlands in the state to get the 'Ramsar' tag, a coveted international recognition for environmental conservation.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu Environment Department told IANS that the state government has already submitted the proposal to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Of the 13 wetlands the state government and the Tamil Nadu Wetland Authority (TNWA) have short-listed, the Pallikaranai marshland in Chennai and the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere reserve in Ramanathapuram are in an advanced stage to get 'Ramsar' recognition at the 'Ramsar' secretariat in Switzerland. The department has already given an undertaking to the Centre that the state would conserve the wetlands under 'Ramsar' criteria once it gets the recognition.

The Tamil Nadu Wetlands Authority, in a study it had commissioned, found that the state has 43,916 wetlands, accounting for 6.9 per cent of the total geographical area of the state while at the national level, it is 4.7 per cent.

The state Environment Department has also assured that even after the wetlands are designated as 'Ramsar' sites, it will not adversely affect the traditional rights and privileges of the local communities and it would prohibit only problematic and unsustainable development.

The authority, has in a detailed analysis submitted to the state government and the Union Ministry that the state has been witnessing regular floods due to unplanned urbanisation in the past and loss of wetlands.

Talking to IANS, Chennai Environment Study Centre Chairman and DirectorM. Krishnakumar said: "The present government has taken a proactive stand for the conservation of wetlands and getting Ramsar tag will add huge responsibility as it will be properly monitored by the Ramsar secretariat at Switzerland. This is a great step in the right direction taken by the government of Tamil Nadu and if such measures are taken, the state will well be on the path of environmental conservation."
Chennai, Jan 8 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court ruling for 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Class (OBC) category for admission to all-India medical courses.

He said that DMK's relentless struggle for the past several years has been fructified due to the verdict.

The Supreme Court on Friday said there is urgent need to commence the process of counselling for postgraduate medical courses as it upheld the validity of the OBC and EWS quotas in NEET-PG 2021 and NEET-UG 2021.

A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and A.S. Bopanna said: "Counselling on the basis of NEET-PG 2021 and NEET-UG 2021 shall be conducted by giving effect to the reservation as provided by the notice dated 29 July 2021, including the 27 per cent reservation for the OBC category and 10 per cent reservation for EWS category in AIQ seats." "The Supreme Court ruling for 27 per cent reservation for OBC category is a very important victory for the DMK and the people of Tamil Nadu who are committed to social justice," Stalin said in a statement.

The Chief Minister added, "As many as 4,000 students from the backward communities across India will benefit from this every year. For the benefit of millions of backward people across the country, the DMK had appealed in the Supreme Court. I am happy and proud of that." The struggle waged by the DMK and the social justice movement in Tamil Nadu has given rights to the oppressed people across India, the Chief Minister said.

This victory is in line with the contribution made by Tamil Nadu to the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations, Stalin said.

Stalin said that the DMK's position is that each state should follow its reservation policy for admission to medical courses and fill 100 per cent of the seats.
Patna, Jan 8 : RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is busy preparing for the 'Berojgari Hatao Yatra (March to Remove Unemployment) in the state.

Sources close to Tejashwi Yadav said that he is holding meetings daily with district-level officials of the RJD in Patna, making plans to woo the unemployed youth of Bihar.

"He (Tejashwi) is taking feedback about the moods of the people, especially the youth, from district presidents of RJD and accordingly making plans to counter the Nitish Kumar government. The leaders and policy makers are discussing each and every point before making the strategy for a particular district or Assembly constituency," a source said requested anonymity.

The source further said that Tejashwi Yadav is looking for an appropriate time to announce the date of the Berojgari Hatao Yatra. It has been delayed due to the third wave of Coronavirus.

"Tejashwi Yadav is playing it smartly. He doesn't want the Yatra to become a super spreader event," the source said.

Tejashwi Yadav had announced for the Yatra to counter Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'Samaj Sudhar Abhiyan'. However, Nitish Kumar had postponed the 'Samaj Sudhar Abhiyan' keeping in view the alarming Covid situation. The Chief Minister has postponed his 'Janta Darbar' as well.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged on Friday that BJP councillors have increased the budget of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to Rs 1,851 crore from its targeted budget of Rs 400 crore.

"BJP leaders who are puppeteering the MCD to their own benefit are selling away high-value assets for barely 20 per cent of their value. On Thursday, the budget of North MCD was presented in the House. It was stated that MCD had targeted to earn about Rs 600 crore by selling assets in FY 2021-22. Later, the BJP councillors aggravated the target by the tune of Rs 335 crore to establish an end target of Rs 935 crore," AAP's chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said in a press conference.

"Going by the record of the BJP's barbaric rule in the MCD, if the saffron party leaders are saying the move will bring in Rs 935 crore, that means they are selling off properties worth at least Rs 4,000-5,000 crore," he alleged.

The party spokesperson further said that the MCD Commissioner had initially deemed a target of Rs 400 crore from the sale of assets in FY 21-22. The BJP councillors have increased the target further by an astonishing Rs 1,451 crore, taking it to Rs 1,851 crore.

"Going by the record the BJP has established, this translates into the North MCD wanting to sell away assets worth Rs 8,000-9,000 crore. AAP vehemently condemns this act. We want to tell the people of Delhi that the BJP is on a rampage to devoid the MCD of its assets to fill the pockets of its own leaders," Bharadwaj said.

Both the parties are gearing up for the MCD polls due in April. The BJP has been ruling the civic body since 2007.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : A group of Indian and international scientists have spotted a peculiar binary star that shows heartbeat but no pulsations, contrary to the norm of binary stars sporting both heartbeats as well as pulsations.

This star is called HD73619 in Praesepe (M44), located in the Cancer constellation, one of the closest open star clusters to the Earth.

A total of about 180 heartbeat stars are known to date. The name 'Heartbeat' stems from the resemblance of the path of the star to an electrocardiogram of the human heart. These are the binary star systems where each star travels in a highly elliptical orbit around the common centre of mass, and the distance between the two stars varies drastically as they orbit each other.

When the stars are at closest passage of binary systems, a sudden increase in integrated brightness with amplitude of the order of several parts-per-thousand (ppt) is observed. As the components move apart, the light variation falls and finally becomes flat, indicating that combined flux is reduced, resulting in alternating peaks and troughs in their light curves. The pulsational activity of such stars is due to the oscillations in the component stars when they are at their closest approach.

A team of 33 scientists, led by Dr Santosh Joshi from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science & Technology, carried out analysis of photometric and high-resolution spectroscopic observations of HD73619 obtained using eight ground-based telescopes located in different parts of the globe, a release from the Science and Technology Ministry said.

The scientists have found that HD73619 is the first member of heartbeat systems in binary chemically peculiar stars that do not show any pulsational/vibrational activity at their closest approach. Chemically peculiar stars are those stars which have an unusual abundance of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium on the surface. Their data also revealed that the newly discovered heartbeat star exhibits either very weak or no magnetic field.

Absence of weak magnetic field means that any dark spots on the HD73619 may have different and hitherto unknown origin as compared to sunspots which are created by strong magnetic field. The findings have been accepted for publication by Monthly Notices of Royal Astronomical Society.

The discovery is of vital importance for the study of inhomogeneities due to spots in non-magnetic stars and to investigate the origin of the pulsational variability. The research has been the result of the Nainital-Cape survey, one of the longest ground-based surveys to search and study the pulsation variability in a sample of CP stars which was initiated about two decades ago by astronomers of ARIES, Nainital, and South African Astronomical Observatory SAAO, Cape Town.

As part of this survey, the group had monitored a few members of Praesepe in the past. The other members of this collaboration are from Uganda, Thailand, the US, Russia, Belgium, the UK, France, Spain, South Africa, Poland, and Turkey. This joint work is supported by India's Department of Science & Technology, and the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office under the Belgo-Indian Network for Astronomy and Astrophysics (BINA) project.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : The Ministry of External Affairs signed an agreement for the second phase of the Passport Seva Programme (PSP-V2.0) with Tata Consultancy Services, for opening of a Seva Kendra in every Lok Sabha constituency -- where there is no Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK).

As on date 93 PSKs, 428 POPSKs and 36 Passport Offices are operational. The Programme has recently been connected to more than 176 Indian Missions/Posts through Global Passport Seva Programme (GPSP), providing "seamless" delivery of passport services to the Indian diaspora, the ministry has said.

The PSP-V2.0 is a continuation and enhancement of PSP-V1.0, an e-Governance instrument, which introduced "unprecedented transformation" in delivery of passport related services to citizens, the ministry added.

The key elements of PSP-V2.0 are setting up of a state-of-art digital ecosystem, process overhauling and integration among various stakeholders and databases, improving citizen interface, upgrading technology, adopting best practices and strengthening data security.

Security aspects, including strategic assets such as data centres, database and the application software will be owned by the government. There would be strict access controls across the system, incorporating biometrics.

On the digital front, the programme envisages a Data Centre, Disaster Recovery Centre and Government Secure Repository networked to all PSKs/POPSKs, Passport Offices and also to Indian Missions/Posts abroad, an electronic file system for passport processing running across the passport issuance ecosystem and 24x7x365 monitoring and supervision through state-of-art Network Operation Centre (NOC) and Security Operation Centre (SOC).

According to the ministry, the Passport Seva Programme would be embarking on technology upgrade with the use of biometrics, artificial intelligence, advance data analytics, chat-bot, auto-response, natural language processing, cloud enablement.

"The issuance of e-Passports for enhanced customer satisfaction, increased security and next level of citizen experience will also be unveiled in the upgraded PSP-V2.0."
CookieHub is a complete Cookie Consent Solution, with partners and resellers around the world, that easily integrates with websites. The customizable widget can match effortlessly with your brand and is compliant with cookie laws, including GDPR, CCPA and LGPD.

"Since the launch of CookieHub in 2018, we have experienced a very positive response from our clients in over 70 countries and ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small local businesses to multiple brands that are household names. In today's web environment it can be quite complex to be compliant with regulatory frameworks such as GDPR, CCPA, and LGPD. It is our goal to remove that hassle," says Julius Gudmundsson, CEO CookieHub. He continues, We set ourselves the goals to have 10,000 websites on our system by Q4 2021 and we reached that just before the end of Q3 and are already well on our way to our next goal for Q1 in 2022.

Although the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) and Brazilian General Personal Data Protect Law (LGPD) are similar, they are all different with their own rules and regulations that must be followed in order for a website to remain compliant.

These regulations are important and CookieHub believes they can be followed without compromising customer experience. That is why they have created a system that is adaptable to different experiences based on different visitors.

But what is a consent management platform? Simply put, it is a website scanner capable of detecting and controlling cookies, which are the tools that collect and handle personal information. Those looking for more in depth information on consent management platforms can find it via the link below.

To discover which regulations a website is subject to, visit the free cookie checker.

CookieHub is a fully featured Consent Management Platform (CMP), providing everything you need to make your web site GDPR, LGPD and CCPA compliant, offering a straightforward, cost-effective solution that satisfies data privacy regulations and is easily manageable through one system. CookieHub is cookie compliance made simple!
James Smith (Jim) has played an integral role in Vanirs success over the past three years, and I am delighted to have a leader of his caliber and experience at the helm," said Dorene C. Dominguez, Chairman and CEO of Vanir. "Together, (he) and I will lead Vanir into the next chapter of its development.

Vanir, a leading provider of program, project and construction management and real estate services, today announced the appointment of James Jim Smith to the position of President. The companys announcement follows an extensive nationwide search of both internal and external candidates.

Smith will take over for Steven Whitehead, who served as Vanirs President from January 2019 until his retirement late last month. As President, Smith will be responsible for setting the companys strategic direction, ensuring successful project delivery and client satisfaction, driving profitable growth and fostering a diverse work environment. He will also be responsible for ensuring the company meets its annual and long-term business objectives and adheres to its mission, policies and procedures.

"I am honored to step into the role of President and look forward to working with Dorene, the many members of our corporate and area leadership teams and all of our incredible employees to drive client satisfaction and ensure project success, said Smith, who has served as Vanirs Vice President and Central States Area Manager since 2019. I intend to build on the amazing progress Dorene and Steve have made by crafting unique solutions that enhance the Vanir brand and deliver tangible results companywide.

Smith has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the construction management industry and has developed a reputation for delivering innovative engineering; environmental; program, project and construction management; and design-build services to clients in the education, energy, healthcare, justice and essential services, state and local government, technology, transportation and water sectors.

Smith has held a number of key leadership roles within the industry, including Senior Vice President, Global Operations Manager, Division Manager, Practice Leader and Program Director at Parsons Corporation and Program and Project Manager for Facility Design Group.

Jim has a unique ability to blend his leadership style, technical expertise and business savvy to build, grow and lead teams that make good on Vanirs continued commitment to delivering high-quality, client-focused services for the many companies and communities we serve, said Dorene C. Dominguez, Chairman and CEO of Vanir. He has played an integral role in Vanirs success over the past three years, and I am delighted to have a leader of his caliber and experience at the helm. Together, Jim and I will lead Vanir into the next chapter of its development.

Smith holds a Bachelors Degree in Construction Management from Southern Polytechnic State University and is licensed by the National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies. He is also a proud member of the Construction Management Association of America.

About Vanir

Vanir is a national leader in program, project and construction management and real estate development. Ranked as a top firm by Engineering News-Record for more than three decades, our award-winning team provides a full range of services to public and private sector clients in the education, energy, healthcare, justice and essential services, state and local government, technology, transportation and water markets. Founded in 1964, we have delivered $25.8 billion in construction value to hundreds of clients nationwide. Our tremendous repeat business rate, which stands at 85%, is a testament to our teams ability to provide high-quality, innovative solutions that result in successfully executed programs and projects. We currently have offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Texas and Washington, with over 350 employees working on projects nationwide.
Visitors tour the Hisense exhibition area at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 5, 2022. Unlike some other large tech companies and manufacturers who opted to give CES 2022 a miss in-person this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese consumer electronics and appliance manufacturer, Hisense, showed up firing on all cylinders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

by Julia Pierrepont III, Gao Shan

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Unlike some other large tech companies and manufacturers who opted to give CES 2022 a miss in-person this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese consumer electronics and appliance manufacturer, Hisense, showed up firing on all cylinders.

"CES is a very important high-profile world stage for us to make our brand statement heard," said Zhou Mengya, a marketing manager of Hisense. "We face the threat of COVID every day, but we are a strong team and knew we could approach CES with confidence."

The Hisense exhibition area -- one of the largest at the expo kicked off in Las Vegas on Wednesday -- is situated in the Central Hall and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with giants like Sony, Bosch, Samsung and TCL. It was filled with spectators attracted by their huge ULED and LED screens filled with lifelike, eye-catching images flashing across their surfaces.

Hisense, touted as one of the fastest growing brands in America, is a Chinese global television manufacturing company that has grown to become the fifth largest TV retailer in the United States.

"Technology can change lives. Hisense is always dedicated to delivering high performing, high-quality products that exceed consumers' expectations," said Douglas Kern, senior director of marketing for Hisense USA, to the press during the trade show.

Their display technology runs the gamut from residential TVs to commercial and medical displays and more. For home viewers, Hisense promises a TV viewing experience that is "Big. Bold. Beautiful."

The company showcased its next-gen ULED 8K Mini-LED series and the world's first 8K resolution laser display technology solution to CES this year. Hisense's 85U9H 8K TV has been recognized at the expo as a CES 2022 Innovation Award Honoree.

James B., an American appliance vendor looking for high-end TV systems to integrate into newly constructed, luxury homes in Arizona for retirees, likes what he saw at the Hisense exhibition area on Wednesday.

"Hisense always has nice displays at CES," he told Xinhua. "The laser TV they've been talking about for the last two or three years is finally coming to market ... it is a triple laser technology and the wider color gamut that you really want."

Hisense has also teamed up with Roku to offer a vast library of content on their signature screens and their products work with Alexa, Android's Hey Google.

Due to COVID-19, getting to Vegas this year was filled with a whole new set of challenges, explained Zhou. Though they have a U.S. headquarters in Suwanee, Georgia, they needed to bring in an expert on their medical display technology from one of their overseas operations to properly introduce it to the U.S. market.

"That was a challenge," laughed Zhou, "but luckily it turned out fine, thanks for our global team."

The company also offers a smart kitchen line up of fully integrated and linked appliances, called Connect Life, which includes smart refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and beverage/wine coolers, all controlled by a touchscreen TV.

"The TV controls everything," explained Zhou to Xinhua. "We use our big advantage of being a TV company for more than 50 years to use the TV as the central, convenient piece of our smart home control system."

"It was important for us as a Chinese brand to have a strong presence here at CES," she said, explaining why they made a point to show up in force in the high profile Central Hall during the pandemic.

She feels Chinese companies used to be much smaller companies in supporting roles in the trade show, but many, like Hisense, have grown into innovative global brands in their own right and have taken their rightful place in the Central Hall at CES. 

Visitors tour the Hisense exhibition area at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 5, 2022. Unlike some other large tech companies and manufacturers who opted to give CES 2022 a miss in-person this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese consumer electronics and appliance manufacturer, Hisense, showed up firing on all cylinders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)
Soilworks Durasoil and Soiltac products are the industrys suite of non-corrosive, eco-friendly and highly effective dust control products to pass BNQs strict standards. Weve been the industry leader for years because we care about the environment, our products performance and successfully solving our customers challenges. This is continuing validation of our efforts to promote transparency in our industry.

Soilworks, the worlds leader in dust control and soil stabilization technology, is continuing to lead the way with its patented Durasoil dust suppressant product recently re-certified using the rigorous standards of the highly coveted and prestigious Certificate of Conformity from the Bureau de Normalisation du Quebec (BNQ) for its eco-friendly formula.

Certification by BNQ is an exacting process that requires complete transparency and top-tier products that can hold up to rigid testing protocols.

Soilworks Durasoil and Soiltac products are the industrys suite of non-corrosive, eco-friendly and highly effective dust control products to pass BNQs strict standards.

BNQ is the worlds strictest and most demanding standard that consumers and businesses can trust, Falkenberg said. Weve been the industry leader for years because we care about the environment, our products performance and successfully solving our customers challenges. This is continuing validation of our efforts to promote transparency in our industry.

In 2013, Durasoil became the first and only non-petroleum synthetic fluid dust suppressant ever to be awarded the highly coveted BNQ certification for its superior eco-friendly formula. In 2014, the companys Soiltac product joined Durasoil as Soilworks helped develop the unique testing procedures used by BNQ, helping to set the standards for the industry.

Soilworks has continually demonstrated a commitment to quality and performance that has led to multiple dust control products including Durasoil, Soiltac, Gorilla-Snot and Surtac. Along the way, Soilworks has been awarded multiple patents for its cutting-edge dust control technology and unique high-performance soil stabilization solutions.

For example, Soilworks has received three patents for Durasoil, which is engineered for the most challenging intense-use dust control needs. The ultra-pure synthetic fluid is formulated with non-petroleum Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) technology, made from clean, plentiful natural gas. Durasoil is distinctively crystal clear, odorless and formulated to meet the highest standards of environmental efficacy. Similar to water that never evaporates or freezes, its unique ability to be continuously reworked and self-heal has dramatically elevated industry expectations of performance and longevity in the field.

In 2020, Soilworks received Kosher certification for Durasoil, which is now used broadly in agricultural applications, given its unique composition and relative safety for food uses such as rice and grain storage as well as milling.

For more information about Soilworks, please visit http://www.soilworks.com.

About Soilworks

Soilworks provides engineered solutions to meet the broad needs of the dust control and soil stabilization industry. Whether the market is commercial, industrial or military, Soilworks has the innovative tools, unmatched technical support, and environmentally friendly technologies to fulfill specific requirements. Soilworks performance-driven portfolio of industry-leading products include the Patented U.S. Dept. of Defense Surtac, Soiltac, Powdered Soiltac, Gorilla-Snot and Durasoil. Soilworks international sales network, global distribution centers and integrated customer service provide an ideal platform to satisfy all its customers needs. Get to know Soilworks better at http://www.soilworks.com or call 1-800-545-5420.
iES Logo Dougs application and customer knowledge is unsurpassed in our industry and his obsession with customer satisfaction is well aligned with our organization. We look forward to Dougs vision and execution in leading the company as our business continues to evolve and grow.

Innovative Engineered Solutions, Inc. officially announced today the hiring of Doug Pierson as its new General Manager. Doug has been in the metal forming industry for 30 years and brings a wealth of tube bending and forming application knowledge with him to iES. iES will benefit from his vast experience in developing bending and forming processes and in specifying application specific machines and tooling to maximize operational efficiency. In his GM role he will drive revenue growth and operational excellence in leading the day-to-day operations of the business.

iESs CEO Joe Eramo states we are thrilled to have Doug Pierson join the business in the same building where he began his career and be reunited with many past associates. Dougs application and customer knowledge is unsurpassed in our industry and his obsession with customer satisfaction is well aligned with our organization. We look forward to Dougs vision and execution in leading the company as our business continues to evolve and grow.

About iES

Innovative Engineered Solutions, Inc. has been in business at its current Wilmington, Ohio location since 2010. iES is widely regarded as North Americas leading supplier of tooling for tube forming and bending applications as well as tube end forming machines, presses, and automated solutions. With hundreds of years of combined sales, engineering, and management tube industry experience, iES offers robust technical and commercially competitive solutions to its customers.

iESs mission is to be a value-add supplier of quality tooling and capital equipment to target markets to increase the competitiveness of our customers. iES provides products and services at competitive prices and delivered on-time in order to achieve complete customer satisfaction. We appreciate and communicate openly with our employees to create a rewarding workplace environment.

Please contact iES at iEngineeredSolutions.com to discuss your tube bending and end forming application requirements.

Contact:

Ethan Long

937-382-6710

sales@iEngineeredSolutions.com
The reality of the situation is that pregnant women who choose to not receive their vaccination put themselves at an unnecessary risk and there have been devastating cases of mothers not making it through COVID-19 infections to meet their newborn babies, said Dr. Ellen Hancox, AHN OB/GYN

Allegheny Health Networks (AHN) Womens Institute is strongly urging all pregnant patients to get vaccinated against COVID-19 amid the latest pandemic surge caused by the sweeping Delta and Omicron variants across the communities of western Pennsylvania. The Networks obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYN) and maternal fetal medicine (MFM) physicians have come together to adamantly encourage those who have not yet received their vaccinations to do so as soon as possible for their health and the health of their babies.

The recommendation comes on the heels of the latest study published just this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stating that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is not associated with preterm delivery or underweight newborns. This is the latest proof point in the growing body of evidence that demonstrates the vaccines safety and efficacy, especially when measured against reported outcomes among unvaccinated pregnant populations with COVID-19 infections.

In an immunosuppressed state, unvaccinated pregnant women and their babies are at an increased risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 including hospitalization, stillbirth and even death, said Marcia Klein-Patel, MD, PhD, OB/GYN physician and Chair of AHN Womens Institute. On behalf of the many physicians and clinicians which comprise the AHN Womens Institute, we cant express enough the importance of pregnant women receiving their COVID-19 vaccination not only for their health and well-being but for the health of their babies.

In November, the CDC published data that showed pregnant women infected with COVID were three times more likely to die compared to infected non-pregnant women of the same reproductive age, and the Delta variant has caused that rate to grow five-fold. The Delta variant also led to a striking increase in the risk of stillbirths among pregnant women with COVID-19  from 47% to 304%  when compared to the uninfected.

The reality of the situation is that pregnant women who choose to not receive their vaccination put themselves at an unnecessary risk and there have been devastating cases of mothers not making it through COVID-19 infections to meet their newborn babies, said Ellen Hancox, MD, OB/GYN at AHN Womens Institute  OBGYN/Erie. Its a privilege to serve the patients who entrust us with their care and to that end, its our responsibility to continue to emphasize the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations for a patient population with alarmingly low acceptance rates, especially with the arrival of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Across the country, just a little over 30% of pregnant women are vaccinated against COVID-19, even as nearly 70% of the general population has received at least their first dose, according to the CDC. Anecdotally, AHN continues to see an increase of pregnant women willing to receive the vaccine but still not at extremely high rates.

We believe in the science of the COVID-19 vaccine and its ability to protect expectant and new mothers from severe outcomes, especially death. Furthermore, vaccination has been shown to boost COVID antibodies in mothers umbilical cords and breastmilk, passing on this vital protection to vulnerable newborns, said Ron Thomas, MD, maternal fetal medicine physician and clinical vice chair of AHN Womens Institute. Theres no reason to delay and if fear of vaccination persists, we strongly encourage our patients to speak with their physicians for further guidance and to dispel any misinformation.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM), the two leading organizations representing specialists in obstetric care, recommended that all pregnant individuals be vaccinated against COVID-19, including booster shots, with a clinical preference for either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccination series.

Patients who wish to schedule an appointment for a vaccine may do so by visiting the Networks online scheduling portal at ahn.org/coronavirus/vaccine/schedule, accessing their MyChart account, contacting their AHN OB/GYN or primary care physician or reaching out to their local pharmacy.

###

About the Allegheny Health Network:

Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org) is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 12 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, an employed physician organization, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, womens health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,500 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Blood Bank Computer Systems, Inc. (BBCS) is proud to announce it will be collaborating with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers in the development of BBCSs Next Generation, Blood Establishment Computer System (BECS).

The project, led by Brian Forbis, President and CEO of BBCS, will utilize combined teams of BBCS and LifeSouth Technical and subject matter experts. Upon completion, the system will be sold by BBCS and be available for BBCS current implementation base of 33 regional and hospital-based blood centers, LifeSouth and other blood centers in the US and abroad.

BBCS, provider of the ABO Suite, an advanced blood bank management software solution, first began the development of a new generation of blood management software in 2020. The new software will take the best features of ABO Suite and develop it with a cloud first approach while making many advancements targeted in helping blood centers meet their collection goals. ABO Suite is currently operational in regional blood centers and hospital-based blood centers across the United States.

LifeSouth Community Blood Centers collects nearly 300,000 donors annually across the states of Florida, Georgia and Alabama. LifeSouth has internally developed and utilized their Integrated Blood Bank Information System (IBBIS) blood management system for nearly 3 decades. In addition to the IBBIS system, LifeSouth has developed the Laboratory Information System (LIS), which tracks the disease testing for nearly 1.2 million donor samples annually.

LifeSouth is an excellent collaborator for our NextGen BECS system, they have a talented team of leaders, software developers & blood banking subject matter experts which will contribute in countless ways towards the project, said Brian Forbis, President and CEO of BBCS. Once completed we look forward to helping LifeSouth utilize the new software to meet their digital transformation goals.

BBCS has a proven track record of success with providing high quality, reliable software for community blood centers. We believe our combined years of experience in the development and maintenance of BECS systems will help us collaboratively develop a robust, dependable and modern NextGen platform for the entire blood banking industry, said Kim Kinsell, President and CEO of LifeSouth Community Blood Centers.

ABOUT BBCS:

BBCS has long been at the forefront of blood banking software innovation. For more than 30 years, it has been BBCS philosophy to partner with the blood bank and transfusion professionals that work with the application every day. These alliances enable us to develop new innovations in blood bank automation that give our clients a competitive edge while providing lifesaving risk management solution. Currently BBCS solutions are used throughout the United States with an install base responsible for nearly 1.5 million annual blood collections. To learn more, visit bbcsinc.com.

About LifeSouth Community Blood Centers:

LifeSouth is a non-profit community blood bank serving more than 125 hospitals in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. LifeSouth is committed to meeting the blood supply needs of hospitals and their patients by providing the highest quality blood components and services. To learn more, visit LifeSouth.org.
John Sabo This is an incredible win for both Nova Labs and the City of Fairfax. The building and the greater Fairfax area are well appointed to help advance the incredible mission of Nova Labs." John Sabo

Associate Broker John Sabo of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty closed the sale of 3850 Jermantown Road, Fairfax, Va. Sabo, the director of the companys Commercial Division and founder of The Commercial Team, represented the buyer, Nova Labs, a membership-driven makerspace. The seller was represented by MacKenzie Commercial.

This is an incredible win for both Nova Labs and the City of Fairfax, Sabo said. The building and the greater Fairfax area are well appointed to help advance the incredible mission of Nova Labs. And by welcoming the company and extending a relocation grant through Fairfax Citys Economic Development Authority, the residents of Fairfax also greatly benefit from access to Nova Labs services.

The 38,600 square foot freestanding industrial building is located on a 1.9-acre lot in the north-western edge of the Kamp Washington Activity Center. Nova Labs will move into the building in March 2022.

Sabo, with his 25-year industry track record, has consistently placed among the top commercial sales professionals in the company and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brokerage network. He is a graduate of George Mason Universitys School of Business and is a longtime resident of Fairfax City. The Commercial Team can be reached by phone at (703) 216-8222 and by email at John.Sabo@PenFedRealty.com.

About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty (http://www.penfedrealty.com) is a full-service real estate company with an annual sales volume of over $8 billion. The company has over 2,000 agents and more than 50 offices, providing complete real estate services nationwide and helping over 20,000 clients with their real estate needs each year. In 2019, the company's Commercial Division was ranked #5 in sales among all Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices' network of brokerages worldwide, then climbed to #3 in 2020. PenFed Realty is a wholly owned subsidiary of PenFed Credit Union and is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brokerage network, operated by HSF Affiliates LLC. We are proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. Equal Housing Opportunity.
"Have You JoynD?" Lacey Arevalo "Business owners are back IN CONTROL! How do you want the world to see your business? Lacey Arevalo" "Have You JoynD? Leon Draper"

JoynD brings an array of features that allow local businesses to connect to customers, be they long-time residents or tourists who just hit town. Whether home or traveling, users can search for any business worldwide.

Simply by making a business a favorite, a customer gets access to instant notifications, which can include a wide range of features, from special events, sales, changes in business hours and even schedule visits or set appointments.

Once favoring a business, users can opt in to use JoynD to Get Social see who else is at a location, and trade messages with them.

JoynD was born out of frustrations with current business listing apps. I love to travel. saids Arevalo But I run into the same problem everywhere I go -What to do? Whats happening? Where do I go? I have used every mobile app there is and spent countless time searching. But the key to JoynD is that it restores control to businesses over what they present to the public by not having comments or negativity on the app.

Arevalo has managed local businesses in a Foothill region dependent on travel and tourism, and seen again and again as companies struggle to make a good first impression when hit with slash and burn public input.

I have seen how other apps have taken control out of these businesses' hands. say Arevalo. These other apps make owners vulnerable to possibly fictitious reviews or hateful comments and terrible photos. This forces business owners to be on the defense. But in reality.. its their business!

The JoynD app puts the control back into the hands of the businesses.

JoynD is completely free for customer use as soon as you download. Businesses can take advantage of a special launch offer and receive all of JoynDs features for free, cancel at any time.

Please visit the JoynD website at joyndapp.com or download JoynD directly from the Apple Store - Link or Google Play Store - Link or head to joyndapp.com.

For any questions or interview requests, please contact JoynD Founder Lacey Arevalo at +1 (650) 804-3373 or Lacey@joyndapp.com or Co-Founder Leon Draper at Draper@joyndapp.com.


Collaboration has never been more important than now and engaging with the European market is crucial."

Destinations International, the worlds largest resource for official destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), today announced that Jane Cunningham has joined the association as the director of European engagement. Janes first day will be January 24, 2022.

Destinations International aims to foster a dynamic community of global destination leaders and the broader conference, travel and tourism industry. Residing in Stockholm, Sweden, Jane will be responsible for overseeing and developing a long-term engagement strategy for European destination organizations.

Global coordination and the sharing of best practices will be essential as we continue to recover from the pandemic, said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International. Collaboration has never been more important than now and engaging with the European market is crucial. Throughout 2022, Jane will be embarking on a listening tour to see how Destinations International can best become a part of the global community. Her network and 20 years of experience in almost every sector of our industry will prove invaluable as she helps our association develop key opportunities for our European strategy in 2022 and beyond. Destinations International and our entire industry will benefit from her energy and collaborative spirit.

A new year and a new exciting role, said Jane. I am delighted to have been welcomed into the Destinations International community. My experience and knowledge gained over the years have brought me to this wonderful position and I can't wait to get started. Deep listening, knowledge exchange and finding solutions will be key. There is a great opportunity for collaboration and learning between European destinations and the North American community. Europe is driving innovative destination thinking and policy making. The global destination community can contribute towards and learn from the very best European ideas.

Jane has extensive global experience across the meetings and events industry, including working at hotels, a convention center, a destination marketing organization and a professional conference organization (PCO). Most recently, she held the director of community engagement position at BestCities Global Alliance. Jane is passionate about facilitation and creating open environments that engage communities towards societal impact.

Destination organizations are welcome to contact Jane beginning on January 24 to discuss what is happening in their destinations at communications@destinationsinternational.org.

About Destinations International:

Destinations International is the worlds largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. For more information, visit http://www.destinationsinternational.org.
We support SMBs to reinvest in their own innovation and future talent and Dr. Ambrose embodies that mission. Robotics and AI are the future for so many industries and we look forward to having his expertise accessible to our clients, said Dhaval Jadav, alliantgroup CEO.

alliantgroup today announced that the newest member of its Strategic Advisory Board is Dr. Robert Ambrose. Ambrose will serve as alliantgroups Chairman of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence and comes with an extensive background in this arena.

Dr. Robert Ambrose received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in Mechanical Engineering and received his M.S. and B.S. degrees from Washington University in St. Louis. Ambrose joined the faculty of Texas A&M and accepted the J. Mike Walker Chair in Mechanical Engineering in August 2021. Also in August of 2021, Dr. Ambrose retired from NASA, where he served in the Senior Executive Service as the Chief of the Software, Robotics and Simulation Division at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He continues to serve as the Director for Space and Robotics at the Bush Combat Development Complex and his research interests are in space systems for defense, security and commercial applications, as well as robotics and autonomous systems for helping humans on Earth.

alliantgroups mission is all about supporting small and medium-sized businesses to reinvest in their own innovation and future talent. Adding Dr. Ambrose to our bench of experts embodies that mission in a very exciting way. Robotics and AI are the future for so many industries and we look forward to having his expertise accessible to our clients, said Dhaval Jadav, alliantgroup CEO.

Dr. Ambrose has also received three NASA medals for Leadership and Technical Achievement, two Government Inventions of the Year Awards, and General Motors Most Valuable Colleague Award. And, Dr. Ambrose was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

I was drawn to alliantgroup for its mission and impressed by the illustrious Strategic Advisory Board members with expertise in a breadth of topics, said Dr. Robert Ambrose. alliantgroups commitment to STEM and innovation, as well as getting the next generation excited about applying these to a myriad of industries and new solutions, is so motivating. I look forward to working with our clients to further advancements in how their businesses can benefit from robotics and AI.

Dr. Ambrose is married to Dr. Catherine G. Ambrose and they split their time between Texas and Colorado.

alliantgroup is a management consulting company with a mission to strengthen American businesses through reinvestment in innovation and job growth. We educate businesses, the industry groups that serve them and the accounting firms that advise them on federal and state credits and incentives that are legislated by our government to keep the U.S. competitive in the global landscape. We are proud to have helped over 20,000 businesses claim nearly $13 billion in credits and incentives. alliantgroup is headquartered in Houston, Texas with additional offices located in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Indianapolis, New York, Irvine, Sacramento, Washington, D.C.; and Bristol and London in the U.K. For more information, visit alliantgroup and engage with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
The Dallas office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP was the only law firm selected by the Dallas Business Journal (DBJ) as a 2022 Leaders in Diversity Awards honoree.

Greenberg Traurig remains at the forefront of implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and our Dallas office stands committed to these initiatives. Our remarkable team members from diverse backgrounds make us stronger, Dallas Managing Shareholder Joseph F. Coniglio said. Congratulations to all the 2022 honorees. Together we are making a difference in the Dallas community and beyond.

According to DBJ, the Leaders in Diversity Awards program honors organizations and individuals who have shown exceptional commitment to promoting practices that advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in business leadership and who bolster equality across all areas of diversity, including age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, and religion.

At Greenberg Traurig diversity is personal. Since our founding, the firm has tirelessly worked towards the enhancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Dallas office has been intentional with its diversity efforts, and we are thrilled to be honored by DBJ, said Mary-Olga Lovett, Senior Vice President.

Greenberg Traurig Dallas is recognized in the Outstanding Diversity & Inclusion Organization category. The category honors organizations that have committed to a diverse workforce and have established successful programs, initiatives, and resources advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace. DBJ will host an award ceremony March 3, and honorees will be featured in a special publication in print and online.

About Greenberg Traurigs Diversity Initiative: From its inception, Greenberg Traurig has been committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Greenberg Traurig is a uniquely empowering and diverse firm built on a foundation of fairness, equality, and authenticity. Through its Social, Racial, and Economic Justice Action Plan, the firm has committed $5 million over five years to help combat systemic racism and support impoverished communities. In addition, the firms efforts have been recognized through its Mansfield Rule 3.0 certification, administered by The Diversity Lab, and by local, national, and global publications and organizations including Chambers and Partners. Web: https://www.gtlaw.com/en/general/our-firm/diversity Twitter: @GT_Drives.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP  Texas: Texas is important to Greenberg Traurig, LLP and part of its history. With approximately 130 Texas lawyers in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Greenberg Traurig has deep roots in the Texas business, legal, and governmental communities. Greenberg Traurig Texas works with clients to address their interdisciplinary legal needs across the state utilizing the firms global platform. The Texas attorneys are experienced in industries key to the states future, including: aviation, chemicals, construction, education, energy and natural resources, financial institutions, health care, hedge funds, hospitality, infrastructure, insurance, media, medical devices, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, real estate, retail, sports, technology and software, telecommunications, transportation, and video games and esports.

About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2300 attorneys in 40 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 25 on the Am Law Global 100. The firm is net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage and Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com
Let it be the jewelry sets, hip hop chains, bracelets, iced out pendants, watches, or any other product; the customer can buy one and get any other for free. All they have to do is use the code "FREE" to avail this opportunity.

Helloice brings an opportunity for its customers to purchase accessories that will glam up their outfits and make them feel beautiful and confident.

Helloice is all about living a healthy lifestyle, and the company is solely focused on that goal. From its owner to every employee, the company has been working hard all these years to provide its customers with something that brings joy, luxury, and abundance to their lives. Helloice believes that every customer should dress and feel rich. In order to unlock the eternal self-belief and confidence, which is the key to high performance, the company has created an unmatched collection of high-quality jewelry that is guaranteed to foster a filthy rich attitude.

This new year is all about opportunities, and Helloice is bringing one of the mega sale offers for its customers this new year. The company is announcing a new year sales activity to make the new year's celebration much more fascinating. Customers can avail of a buy one get one free on any of the products from the Helloice. said by the spokesman from Helloice. Let it be the jewelry sets, hip hop chains, bracelets, iced out pendants, watches, or any other product; the customer can buy one and get any other for free. All they have to do is use the code "FREE" to avail this opportunity," he added.

Also, customers can get a free 5mm Cuban chain for just $59. Potential clients can visit the website here to make their and their loved ones' new year much more luxurious and beautiful.

Helloice's superior use of materials, design, and pricing is one of the primary features that set it apart from its competitors. For years, the company has worked hard to achieve its goal of becoming one of the best and most successful jewelry providers in the United States of America.

Being a reliable company, Helloice never compromises on quality for the sake of price. To clarify the jewelry products and check out clients' reviews, a potential customer can view Helloice's social media profiles like Facebook and Instagram.

Also, potential customers can learn more about the products by watching videos on the company's YouTube channel.

Helloice is a Miami-based company that provides a wide range of jewelry and other items to its customers. Felix, the company's founder, set out with one objective in mind: to create a global brand that embodies class and luxury while being at the forefront of men's fashion. The firm is dedicated to forming a group of exceptional individuals that are intellectual, polished, and self-assured.

To place an order, customers can visit the website here.

Media Contact:

Website address: https://www.helloice.com/

https://www.facebook.com/helloicejewelry/

https://www.instagram.com/helloiceofficial/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuj7LfLH6n31T2VCd16PpSA




CHONGQING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- A canteen blast in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality has killed six people, according to local officials.

The accident took place at 12:10 p.m. due to suspected gas leakage which triggered the explosion and caused the collapse, said the municipal publicity department.

Till 7:00 p.m. local time on Friday, more than 10 people remained trapped. Rescue operation is underway.

China's Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a workgroup and several experts to guide the rescue efforts.

The local fire and rescue department has dispatched 260 professional members and 50 rescue engines to the spot. Rescue teams of 60 professional members equipped with 20 cranes and excavators have also been called in for assistance, according to the ministry.

According to witnesses, people were having lunch in the canteen when the blast took place. A number of people injured have been rushed to the hospital for treatment.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Michelle L. Feola joins Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago and Fort Dearborn Land Title as Vice President and General Counsel. I have enjoyed working with Michelle as our outside counsel through Fuchs & Roselli for many years, so it is my distinct pleasure to welcome her inside to our Leadership Team.

Diane Glass, CEO of Chicago real estate brokerage Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, is pleased to announce that Michelle L. Feola has joined the firm as Vice President and General Counsel for both BHHS Chicago and its affiliated title company, Fort Dearborn Title. Feola will oversee all legal matters, regulatory issues, compliance and leasing as well as advise the firms Leadership Team.

I have enjoyed working with Michelle as our outside counsel through Fuchs & Roselli for many years, so it is my distinct pleasure to welcome her inside to our Leadership Team, said Glass. Michelles knowledge of our company and the real estate landscape, both from local and national perspectives, is impressive. Our long relationship and extensive experience with her made her the perfect choice for us.

Feola said, After years representing BHHS Chicago as their outside counsel, it is an honor to be joining their team. I respect Diane and the firms leadership and share their values, so for me, this is a truly wonderful opportunity.

At Fuchs & Roselli, Feola handled a wide range of complex commercial litigation with a primary focus on all aspects of real estate litigation, including commission disputes, pre-closing representations, licensing and compliance with federal and state regulations, appearing before the IDFPR, IDHR and the Citys Commission on Human Relations. In addition, she handled matters ranging from business torts to shareholder and partnership disputes. She is experienced in contract review, condominium law, mechanics liens, construction defects, fraud, breach of contract, landlord and tenant litigation and municipal law.

Prior to joining Fuchs & Roselli, Feola served as an Assistant Cook County States Attorney. She graduated from Fordham University in 2000 where she earned a B.A. in English and from Temple University in 2003 where she earned a J.D. Feola is a member of the Bar in both Illinois and Pennsylvania, is a member of the Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois and has appeared before the Illinois Appellate Court, First District. She is an active member of both the Illinois State and Cook County Bar Associations.

In her free time, Feola loves spending time with her family and reading anything other than legal documents.

Michelle Feola can be reached by E-mail at mfeola@bhhschicago.com.

ABOUT BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES CHICAGO

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago is a full-service real estate firm with more than 1,400 real estate professionals and staff in 25 offices serving customers throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, the North Shore, West and Southwest communities, Southern Wisconsin, Northwest Indiana and Harbor Country, Michigan. Recognized as a Top Workplace in Chicago, their local roots are complemented by the extensive global reach of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, one of the nations leading real estate brands. Clients can experience all-inclusive homeownership services from their affiliated companies: Prosperity Home Mortgage, Fort Dearborn Title, and HomeServices Insurance. Visit BHHSChicago.com.
This is an exciting time to be in the technology industry and I look forward to growing our commercial market to create more innovative business and employment opportunities in Mississippi. - Joshua Lunn

Kopis Mobile announced today that the Companys Board of Managers has appointed Joshua Lunn as its Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2022. He succeeds Hugh Middleton, who recently stepped down as CEO to serve as the companys Government Sales Executive. Lunn not only serves as the newly appointed CEO but is also a co-founder and co-owner of the Mississippi-based technology company.

Lunn founded Kopis Mobile in 2013 with several like-minded engineers and a former Navy SEAL to truly bring a Silicon Valley design methodology to government industry products. Pre-Kopis Mobile, Lunn served as the lead software designer of the TacEx system developed at Mav6, he designed cashless payment solutions for Heartland Micropayments, and he also created significant intellectual property for SmartSynch, a manufacturer of smart electricity meters.

Joshs diverse and wide range of experience in the technology industry has ensured his success at every level, from junior software engineer to corporate executive, said Kopis Mobiles outgoing CEO, Hugh Middleton. I have been consistently impressed with his track record of developing teams that produce results and wholeheartedly believe he is the ideal candidate to grow the company into its next stage.

Lunn most recently served as director of engineering at Kopis Mobile, where he managed the companys expert engineering team in its special competencies of smart device application development, systems integration, user interface/user experience, electronics design and wearables, full stack connectivity, firmware, OS development, and artificial intelligence/machine learning. In this new position, he plans to expand the companys FastForm product line into the commercial market space.

Its an honor to have been given this opportunity to lead the Kopis team in our continued development of end-user focused mobile solutions, said Lunn. This is an exciting time to be in the technology industry and I look forward to growing our commercial market to create more innovative business and employment opportunities in Mississippi."

With over a decade of experience developing firmware for 8, 16, and 32-bit processors, his embedded software is currently running on hundreds of thousands of devices with expected lifetimes of greater than 20 years. He founded and sold YoogleShop, an eBay partner using advanced web scraping software written by Lunn, and has also developed several highly successful apps, including the highest-grossing app for hunters.

Lunn added We are all extremely appreciative of Hughs leadership over the years and his keen growth strategies that have optimally positioned Kopis Mobile for success. With our recent award of the GSA Multi-Award Schedule contract, his new role will include continually fostering our Department of Defense relationships while providing subject matter expert guidance on all things defense.

During Middletons tenure, he developed the companys early branding, contributed over $900K worth of product sales, and landed one of Kopis Mobiles longest standing contracts to-date. A former Navy SEAL, he recently stepped down as CEO to have the ability to dedicate more time to his non-profit organization Patriot Point, which provides a 290-acre retreat for recovering military service members, their families, and caregivers.

About Kopis Mobile

Kopis Mobile is a Mississippi-based small business that provides intuitive software and rugged electronics to improve our customers efficiency and sustainability. We offer versatile, mobile solutions that are understandable, trusted, and accessible, and currently used in critical technical areas across government and commercial sectors. Through an Agile Management design approach and Prioritized End-User Input development methodologies, we provide Tailored User Interface/User Experience Development, Simplified Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Systems Integration for seamless interoperability, and Rapid Prototyping  all delivered through robust mobile solutions. For more information, visit https://kopismobile.com or connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Twitter.
At Congressional Conference, financial professionals speak as a unified voice on behalf of their clients and communities. Lawmakers are keenly receptive to the stories and ideas of agents and advisors who work directly with Main Street Americans, making the impact of the event undeniable.

The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) has announced that it will hold its 2022 Congressional Congress in-person May 23-24 in Washington, D.C. The event will feature targeted advocacy training with briefings on legislative issues that affect members businesses and the clients they serve. Expert presenters will offer best practices for conducting Congressional meetings and tips for developing impactful long-term relationships with legislators.

On the second day of the Congressional Conference, attendees will go to Capitol Hill for meetings with their Senators, Representatives, and Congressional staff. They will discuss legislative issues important to their businesses and clients. Their stories offer unique insights into the important work they do providing Main Street USA consumers with opportunities to achieve financial security and prosperity.

The Congressional Conference is NAIFAs signature advocacy event and is crucial to our grassroots strategy, said NAIFA CEO Kevin Mayeux, CAE. "The event brings NAIFA members and members of its advocacy association partners together as a critical mass to advocate on behalf of their businesses, clients, and consumers as a whole."

NAIFA President Lawrence Holzberg, LUTCF, LACP stated, At Congressional Conference, financial professionals speak as a unified voice on behalf of their clients and communities. Lawmakers are keenly receptive to the stories and ideas of agents and advisors who work directly with Main Street Americans, making the impact of the event undeniable.

This years Congressional Conference builds on the grassroots success of NAIFAs December National Leadership Conference. At that event, NAIFA members were among the first groups allowed to visit reopened Congressional offices, which had been closed to the public under security restrictions and COVID-19 protocols. NAIFA members met with 40 legislators to encourage public policy solutions that promote financial security for all Americans.

The Congressional Conference bolsters NAIFAs prestige among lawmakers and industry partners and enhances the associations standing as the leading voice for producers. It is crucial for ensuring lawmakers thoroughly understand the important role financial services professionals play in:



Providing products, services, and advice that improve the financial security of 90 million American families

Promoting financial literacy and self-sufficiency in diverse communities

Strengthening the U.S. economy and contributing to the financial health of communities in every Congressional district

Representing the best interests of their clients and promoting the success of Main Street Americans and businesses

The personal stories financial services professionals tell profoundly illustrate how public policies impact their clients, said NAIFA Senior Vice President for Government Relations Diane Boyle. These are stories lawmakers want and need to hear. No one can tell them better than NAIFA members, and the Congressional Conference is our best vehicle for reaching a large, attentive audience of policymakers.

The event is open to all financial services professionals, including those exploring membership in NAIFA. Save the date, May 23-24, for NAIFAs 2022 Congressional Conference.

ABOUT NAIFA: The National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors is the preeminent membership association for the multigenerational community of financial professionals in the United States. NAIFA members ascribe to a strong Code of Ethics and represent a full spectrum of financial services practice specialties. They work with families and businesses to help Americans improve financial literacy and achieve financial security. NAIFA provides producers a national community for advocacy, education and networking along with awards, publications and leadership opportunities to allow NAIFA members to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. NAIFA has 53 state and territorial chapters and 35 large metropolitan local chapters. NAIFA members in every congressional district advocate on behalf of producers and consumers at the state, interstate, and federal levels.
Noodle Station Continues to Host "Will Tell Jokes for Noodz" Every day, we strive to make people happy with our food, so we knew partnering with a comedian would be an excellent way to bring more joy to peoples lives, said Mitchel Zelman, a partner of Noodle Station.

Noodle Station, a Fort Lauderdale restaurant known for noodle bowls, bao, and beer, recently hosted Will Tell Jokes for Noodz - Presented by @aballincomedy. The December 3, 2021 event was hosted by comedian Abby Ballin and was the one-year anniversary show of the original event in December of 2020.

The fast-casual restaurant, known for its build-your-own-bowl concept, is pleased to partner with Ballin to introduce upcoming comedians to noodle fans and for fans to try Noodle Stations award-winning food.

Every day, we strive to make people happy with our food, so we knew partnering with a comedian would be an excellent way to bring more joy to peoples lives, said Mitchel Zelman, a partner of Noodle Station.

Along with Ballin, Noodle Station has hosted Will Tell Jokes for Noodz several times. Previous performers include Matt Bellak, Nico Bolling, Richard Carries, Ash Cash, Seetha Radhakrishnan, Matt Rivera, Anthony Siciliano, Shira Weitz, Ramon Garcia, Zach B, Kevin Beloit, Anna Bogomazova, Drew Illa, Valeria Nanetti, Alex Novello, Matt Rose, and Vania Vieta.

Noodle Station plans to continue hosting Will Tell Jokes for Noodz, added Mitch Zelman. Stay tuned for upcoming show dates on our social media. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and the free show starts at 7:30 p.m. There is a two-drink minimum, and there are delicious food specials, as well.

Bowls at Noodle Station include a diners choice of broth (chicken-oyster-ginger, pork-based tonkatsu, or sweet potato veggies), noodle base (soba, udon, ramen, veggie, sweet potato glass, and others), and protein (such as chicken, pulled pork, brisket, or tofu). Noodle Station also serves bao, a dish similar to an Asian taco, as well as beer and wine.

For more information about Will Tell Jokes for Noodz, visit Noodle Stations Facebook or Instagram.

More about Noodle Station

Noodle Station, located at 3045 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, opened in January 2020 and has since become a favorite for local diners and celebrity food critics. In addition to being featured on the Food Network, the restaurant has been featured on Hungry Black Man, Josiah Eats, and Chase Creative on YouTube.

For more information, please visit https://eatnoodlestation.com/ or call (954) 990-5460.

More about Abby Ballin

Abby Ballin is a comedian from NYC who now calls South Florida home. She is a photographer during the day and a comedian at night, producing her own shows, including Will Tell Jokes for Noodz.
I highly recommend Jesse Stopnitzky and his family at Performance Brokerage services to anyone considering selling their RV dealership.

Performance Brokerage Services, North Americas highest volume dealership brokerage firm, is pleased to announce the sale of Haylett Auto & RV Superstore in Coldwater, Michigan from David and Nancy Haylett to Bishs RV.

Haylett Auto & RV Superstore was established in 1989 by the Haylett family. In 1991, it relocated to its current location where it has remained for 30 years. Operating on 15 acres, the dealership has consistently been a volume leader in the state of Michigan, recently averaging over 1,000 units sold annually. According to RVDA and Statistical Surveys, the dealership ranks 6th in Michigan and was 44th in the country for 2019.

With over 125,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel, heavily attributed to the efforts of Josh Winters, AKA Josh the RV Nerd, the Haylett family has built a reputation that transcends well beyond its immediate market, and yet they remain an active pillar of their community in Coldwater. In 2014, when a van was stolen from the local church, Haylett donated a van for their childrens program. Every year, the dealership decorates a 90-foot Christmas tree, and claims to be the largest decorated tree in the entire state.

Following the sale, Haylett commented, After interviewing a few brokers, based on our discussions and our concerns, we really felt there was only one choice for us. That choice was Jesse Stopnitzky and Performance Brokerage Services, who have sold over 700 dealerships across the country and are family-owned with tons of experience. It was refreshing to find a broker that really listened and understood our concerns and what we were trying to accomplish. Jesse was very helpful in designing a plan that fit all our needs for our family, employees, and community. Jesse truly demonstrated honesty and integrity throughout every step of the process and hit all the marks in matching us with the right buyer. He found likeminded people that had the same care that we had, another family value-based group, Bish's RV. He also helped make our transition as seamless as possible. I highly recommend Jesse Stopnitzky and his family at Performance Brokerage services to anyone considering selling their RV dealership.

Over the last 5 years, Performance Brokerage Services has advised on the sale of over 250 dealerships, making it the highest volume dealership brokerage firm in North America. In 2021, the company consummated 72 transactions, marking a record-breaking year. Jesse Stopnitzky, the exclusive agent for this transaction and the Director of the RV Division for Performance Brokerage Services commented, We want to thank Dave Haylett for entrusting our firm with his exit plan. Since we first engaged, Dave made it clear that a successful sale would include opportunities for his family, specifically Chase Haylett & Josh Winters, to continue to pursue their passions in the industry. We are pleased to have identified a buyer that is encouraging and supporting them in this pursuit. Dave was a first-class gentleman in his dealings, and he has become a friend in the process. We wish him the enjoyable retirement he deserves.

The dealership will remain at its current location at 891 East Chicago Street in Coldwater, Michigan.

Dave Haylett was represented by Michael J. Caywood of Haas Caywood in Coldwater and Sturgis, Michigan and Stephen W. Bisher, CPA of CHBW & Co., in Hillsdale, Michigan.

About Performance Brokerage Services

Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. is North America's highest volume dealership brokerage firm, specializing in buy-sell activity for automotive, commercial truck, motorcycle, RV and equipment dealerships.

With over 25 years of experience, 700 dealerships sold and a 90% closing rate, the companys reputation is unmatched and governed by the utmost ethical conduct and integrity.

The company offers a unique approach by providing complimentary estimates of value with no upfront fees, no reimbursement of costs and paid a success fee after the transaction closes.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, and supported by 6 regional offices in Utah, Florida, Texas, Virginia, New Jersey, and Canada, clients benefit from national exposure with local representation.

As trusted and respected experts in the field, the company utilizes an extensive network of industry related attorneys, accountants, hundreds of registered buyers, and longstanding relationships with most of the auto manufacturers.

For more information about the services offered by Performance Brokerage Services, visit https://performancebrokerageservices.com.
Stellar MLS is a trusted, standardized data source for real estate professionals and has earned a brand reputation for its top-tier customer service and products. Since 2019, the MLS company has expanded to several Northern Florida counties including, Marion, Alachua, and now Flagler.

Stellar MLS is grateful for the opportunity to serve as the preferred MLS for Flaglers real estate professionals. We look forward to a long-lasting partnership with the Flagler County Association of REALTORS and its leadership. Stellar MLS is committed to delivering what todays brokers and agents want and need  unfettered access to reliable data in real-time across the state of Florida and everywhere. Partnering with FCAR supports our vision to serve all REALTORS coast to coast, shared Stellar MLS CEO Merri Jo Cowen.

Stellar MLS champions the vision of one MLS in Florida to meet the technology needs of todays brokers and agents, keep their costs down, and keep them at the center of the real estate transaction.

Flagler County Association of REALTORS is happy to be a new member of Stellar MLS. As the third-largest MLS in the country, Stellar gives Brokers and their associates access to standardized data and new technology and drives more transactions to our members. The hands-on training with rapid response time is valuable and assists our associates to thrive in our competitive real estate market. Stellar is always there to answer our questions, and we look forward to this partnership, commented Marsha Corby, Flagler County Association of REALTORS President.

The nations third-largest MLS company, Stellar MLS, has recently invested in technology improvements to their operating platform to give their ever-growing membership the tools and listing exposure they need for business success.

Stellar MLS President Jeff Perry says its the right time to break data boundaries that no longer prove efficient for brokers and agents. Expanding MLS service allows Stellar MLS and like-minded organizations to focus on whats best for real estate professionals and consumers.

This partnership is a win-win for all of Stellars customers. We are excited to support the thoughtful vision FCAR has for its members as we continue moving organized real estate forward, said Perry.

The Flagler County Association of REALTORS represents approximately 1,300 real estate brokers and agents and has been the voice of real estate for Flagler County for more than forty years.

Stellar MLS plans to onboard its newest partners in Flagler County later this year.

About Stellar MLS

Headquartered in Altamonte Springs, FL, Stellar MLS (Stellar) is Florida's largest multiple listing service (MLS) company, with over 70,000 customers in Florida and Puerto Rico. Offering a comprehensive suite of the industrys best products and world-class customer service, Stellar MLS is committed to helping brokers and agents thrive in tomorrows competitive real estate market. Learn more at stellarmls.com.

About the Flagler County Association of REALTORS (FCAR)

The Flagler County Association of REALTORS was founded in 1979 and is a local association of the National Association of REALTORS. Our mission for our members is to enhance our members ability to conduct business while protecting private property rights. As an association, we value being the integral business partner for our real estate professionals and the consumer.
This is exciting news as we enter this new year, said Afshin Cangarlu, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions. Climbing the rankings like this shows the long-term stability and the growth of our model."

Stratus Building Solutions, the nation's leading green commercial cleaning and janitorial services franchise, is thrilled to announce its recognition as a leading franchise in Entrepreneurs Franchise 500.

Stratus is listed at No. 32 in the new report, climbing more than 40 spots higher than 2021. This is the companys highest ranking in nearly a decade on the prestigious list which is widely considered an invaluable resource for potential franchisees.

This is exciting news as we enter this new year, said Afshin Cangarlu, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions. Climbing the rankings like this shows the long-term stability and the growth of our model. I am proud of the hard work from everyone in our system over the last two years helping to keep people safe and healthy during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how valuable commercial cleaning services are. Stratus Building Solutions, which now has more than 60 master franchise locations in the United States and Canada, is committed to continuing to provide exceptional resources to help companies reduce exposure to virus-causing germs.

The past year has been one of the most challenging for businesses in recent memory, which made putting together our 43rd annual Franchise 500 list more enlightening than ever, says Entrepreneur Editor in Chief Jason Feifer. The companies named to this years list showed us how being resilient, supportive, and nimble can help navigate extraordinary challenges and also underscore the grit and innovation that define entrepreneurship.

The Entrepreneur Franchise 500 ranking is compiled after analysis of more than 150 data points, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength and financial strength and stability. The 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores in those areas earn their ranking on the list.

To view Stratus Building Solutions in the full ranking, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2022 issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands January 11th.

About Stratus Building Solutions

Stratus Building Solutions is an international franchise company in the commercial cleaning industry, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Stratus was developed to provide environmentally friendly commercial cleaning services driven by dedicated, entrepreneurial, small-business owners and regional support offices. Stratus has over 2,500 unit-franchisees in 60 major cities across the United States and Canada. Stratus is setting new standards in the building services and maintenance franchise industry by being the first to offer green janitorial products with their proprietary, Green Seal Certified line of cleaning chemicals. To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit https://www.stratusclean.com/.
Will Taylors combined background in mental health counseling, provider management, and EAP administration gives him an empathetic edge in interpreting and meeting the needs of our partners.

William Taylor, LPCC, NCC, steps into a new role developing partnerships and leading program implementation as a dedicated point of contact for enterprise clients at Supportiv (https://supportiv.com), the on-demand peer-to-peer support network serving 2.5 million covered lives and over 700,000 individuals to date.

To the role of Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Will brings ten years of clinical, managerial, and executive experience, accrued within both non-profit and for-profit community mental health and behavioral healthcare organizations. His background includes clinical experience as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and National Certified Counselor, supporting clients through program implementation at Claremont EAP, and most recently serving as VP of Operations at Uprise Health (formerly Integrated Behavioral Health), an EAP serving over 7 million covered lives.

Will shares his enthusiasm for creating collaborative partnerships and making mental healthcare accessible: Immediate access to services is something I am extremely passionate about. Its clear to me that accessible mental health services are critical outside of a clinical setting. Supportivs approach to digital peer-to-peer support connects individuals to the right people and the right resources in their exact moment of need, generating positive outcomes.

More broadly, I enjoy removing barriers to help folks get their needs metwhether thats in regard to enterprise partners or underserved individuals.

Supportiv CEO Helena Plater-Zyberk comments on what makes Will such a stand-out addition to the team: Will Taylors combined background in mental health counseling, provider management, and EAP administration gives him an empathetic edge in interpreting and meeting the needs of our partners. He has been on the other side of program implementation, and his eye for compliance and skill for getting community buy-in will make him an invaluable partner in our strategic implementations.

Co-Founder Pouria Mojabi adds, Wills flexible leadership style and experience-grounded insights will help Supportiv continue to grow and democratize access to human connection and mental health support.

Supportivs peer-to-peer chat service and resource collection connect individuals to the attention and support they need, on-demand. By typing a few words in response to the question: Whats your struggle? users are matched in under a minute to topic-specific peer-to-peer group chats for anonymous support  from pandemic fears to family drama, from depression to panic, and from work stress to parenting struggles. Even experiences regarding disability, stigma, and discrimination are up for discussion in Supportivs anonymous peer support chats.

Supportiv has already enabled over 700,000 users to feel less lonely, anxious, stressed, misunderstood, and hopeless through its moderator-guided chats with AI-driven content and resource recommendations. The peer support network is available instantly at https://www.supportiv.com.
To earn Fab 50 recognition by Event Marketer is truly an honor because we love pushing the boundaries in the realm of structural design."

The Trade Group, an award-winning event marketing and creative design firm, is pleased to announce the company has been named to Event Marketers esteemed Fab 50 list for 2021. Event Marketer, a leading publication for the trade show and live event industry, developed the Fab 50 directory to help trade show teams, event departments and procurement officers find best-in-class fabrication vendors.

According to Malcolm Gilvar, Chief Revenue Officer at The Trade Group, To earn Fab 50 recognition by Event Marketer is truly an honor because we love pushing the boundaries in the realm of structural design. Earning a Fab 50 nod means a lot to our team, especially the creative design, engineering and fabrication talent who work so diligently to bring our clients visions to life.

To be considered for the Fab 50, applicants go through a rigorous application and review process. Event Marketer doesnt stop at fabrication expertise when choosing its top exhibit builders. The judging panel also considers each vendors ability to work as a strategic partner and integrate technology into builds that amplify experiences, boost engagement and meet marketing objectives.

Event Marketer also evaluated the agility of the fabricators, who continued to navigate numerous challenges due to the global pandemic. From erecting socially-distanced outdoor dining environments, corporate briefing centers, virtual trade show booths and beyond, these featured fabrication shops have demonstrated why theyre not simply vendors, but strategic partners and valued team members.

Gilvar attributes The Trade Groups ability to be agile and serve clients ever-changing needs to the fact that the company is a full-service, one-stop shop with a deep pool of talent. As he explains, Its easy for us to pivot for our clients because we own our own shops and employ creative, dedicated team members who strive to meet every client need. From design concepting and engineering to printing, fabrication and technology integration, we can handle everything under one roof.

To learn more about The Trade Groups event marketing, creative design, structural design and fabrication services call 800-343-2005 or visit http://www.tradegroup.com for more information.

ABOUT THE TRADE GROUP

The Trade Group is an award-winning, full-service event marketing and creative design firm specializing in exhibit design and fabrication, graphic design and production, videography, experiential marketing and more. Since 1986, the companys team of event, design, and engineering experts has helped thousands of clients amplify their brands and successfully navigate a wide range of events and experiences.
Houston's Texas United Realty Merges with United Real Estate While Texas Uniteds size, growth and market share were appealing, we were also attracted to the alignment of our cultures and their unique mentorship program which makes them a standout in the Houston marketplace.

United Real Estate announced today it has merged with Houston-based Texas United Realty. Texas Uniteds 750 agents will gain access to United Real Estates proprietary Bullseye Cloud-Based Agent Productivity Platform, suite of innovative marketing programs, lead-producing agent websites and brokerage support services. Together, the two now comprise one of the largest independently owned brokerages in Houston.

Both United Real Estate and Texas United Realty share common cultures of full-service brokerage support, agent training, career development and flat-fee compensation models.

United Real Estates comprehensive agent services and programs delivered via Bullseye Agent Productivity Platform are a tremendous competitive advantage, says Rick Rogers, Principal Broker of Texas United Realty. Together with United, we are introducing innovative automated marketing programs, productivity tools, new client services, company websites and agent websites that will redefine our agents and customers experiences.

We are thrilled our merger dramatically strengthens Texas United Realtys current agent offerings, mentorship program and full-service brokerage support weve built over the years, added Jeannie Rogers, Founder of Texas United Realty.

While Texas Uniteds size, growth and market share were appealing, we were also attracted to the alignment of our cultures and their unique mentorship program which makes them a standout in the Houston marketplace, stated Dan Duffy, CEO of United Real Estate Group. We are excited to combine the strengths of both companies, and we look forward to delivering our technology, tools and resources to the Texas United Realty agents and their clients.

Rick and Jeannie have done an amazing job growing their company by joining forces with United. They have positioned their agents for greater success, said Rick Haase, President of United Real Estate. This is a continuation of our strategy to identify and attract top companies in each market slated for expansion.

The merger with Texas United Realty follows the addition of Charles Rutenberg Realty Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta-based Virtual Properties Realty and Benchmark Realty based in Nashville, and others yet to be announced.

United currently operates in Houston at 3131 Briarpark Drive, Ste 120. Texas United Realty and United Real Estate Houston will retain their name and brand moving forward.

To learn more about United Real Estate, brokerage succession planning, brokerage valuation and sale or franchising opportunities, visit GrowWithUnited.com or call 888-960-0606. Agents interested in learning about career opportunities with United Real Estate can visit JoinUnitedRealEstate.com or call 888-960-0606.

About United Real Estate

United Real Estate (United)  a division of United Real Estate Group  was founded with the purpose of offering solutions to real estate brokers and agents in the rapidly changing real estate brokerage industry. United provides the latest training, marketing and technology tools to agents and brokers under a flat-fee, transaction-based agent commission model. By leveraging the companys proprietary cloud-based Bullseye Agent & Broker Productivity Platform, United delivers a more profitable outcome for agents and brokers. United Real Estate operates in 27 states with more than 100 offices and 13,500 agents. The company produced over $13.6 billion in sales volume in 2020.

About Texas United Realty

Founded in 2009, Texas United Realtys mission is to provide outstanding real estate services that exceed customer expectations. Texas United provides its clients with peace of mind knowing that one of their largest lifetime investments is being handled with the utmost care and professionalism by their 750 agents. The company is committed to integrity, service and quality and has the ability to service any and all real estate needs of its clients throughout Greater Houston.

About United Real Estate Group

United Real Estate Group (UREG) operates United Real Estate and United Country Real Estate, addressing the unique market needs of suburban, major metropolitan urban and rural markets. Utilizing the cloud-based Bullseye Agent & Broker Productivity Platform, UREG offers the latest training, marketing and technology tools producing a significant competitive advantage. The platform realizes a decade-long investment in virtual agent and brokerage technology services and is powered by a 2.1 million listings data warehouse generating over 3 million monthly visitors and 30,000 leads per year. Together, the United Real Estate Group supports more than 600 offices and 17,000 real estate and auction professionals across four continents. UREG produced $18 billion in sales volume in 2020. Through its in-house advertising agency, UREG offers differentiating marketing support and collateral for specialized lifestyle property websites as well as access to a 650,000+ opt-in buyer database. For more information about United Real Estate or United Country Real Estate, please visit UnitedRealEstate.com or UnitedCountry.com.


People pose for a selfie in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy, Jan. 6, 2022. Italy recorded 219,441 new cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

ROME, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Italy recorded 219,441 new cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time.

The country had never recorded more than 100,000 new cases in a single day until Dec. 30. But the situation had gotten worse almost every day since then.

The Ministry of Health also announced 198 coronavirus deaths over the previous 24 hours, down from 231 a day earlier.

Though the death toll from the latest wave of the pandemic is on the rise, it remains well below the all-time one-day peaks that regularly topped 750 in late March and early April of 2020, during the pandemic's initial wave, and again between late November to mid-December 2020.

The number of patients in intensive care units in Italy continued to inch higher, reaching 1,467 on Thursday, an increase of 39 over the previous day.

But even so, the number of intensive-care-unit patients remained below all-time highs from 2020. Health care officials attributed it to less severe outcomes for vaccinated people infected by the virus and improved methods of treatment.

"What we are facing in late 2021 and in 2022 cannot compare to what the country went through in 2020," Giovanni Maga, head of the DNA Enzymology and Molecular Virology Section Institute of Molecular Genetics IGM-CNR National Research Council, told Xinhua.

The total number of cases recorded in Italy since the start of the pandemic was just short of 7 million. Within the European Union, only Germany and France recorded more cases.

Italy on Wednesday issued new rules requiring all residents over the age of 50 to get vaccinated.

"We want to put the brakes on the growth of the spread of contagion and push Italians who are still not vaccinated to do so," said Prime Minister Mario Draghi in a statement sent to reporters.

As of Thursday, 46.5 million Italian residents had been completely vaccinated, equivalent to 86.2 percent of the country's population over the age of 12.

The European Center for Disease Control has declared 19 of Italy's 20 regions and autonomous provinces as "dark red" areas in terms of coronavirus infection rates, the most severe level.

The only exception is the island region of Sardinia, which is "light red," the second most severe level in the four-color system. 

People dance on a street in Milan, Italy, Jan. 6, 2022. Italy recorded 219,441 new cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

People walk in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy, Jan. 6, 2022. Italy recorded 219,441 new cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

People enjoy a merry-go-round ride in Milan, Italy, Jan. 6, 2022. Italy recorded 219,441 new cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

People walk past a store window with discount signs in Milan, Italy, Jan. 6, 2022. Italy recorded 219,441 new cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)

People walk on a street in Milan, Italy, Jan. 6, 2022. Italy recorded 219,441 new cases of coronavirus infections on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
Wind River Financial While payments remain central to any business, they are rapidly becoming a smaller component of larger, overarching technology that manages financial operations, business processes, and consumer engagement. We are excited to be a part of the evolution of payment technology." - Tyler Kattre

Wind River Financial, a top 100 payment processing company based in Madison, Wisconsin, announced today that Tyler Kattre has been promoted to the role of president. Kattre joined Wind River Financial in 2018 as chief financial officer.

In his new position, Mr. Kattre is responsible for providing strategic leadership, expanding the Wind River team, and representing the Wind River brand to clients, prospects, and the community. He is charged with further navigating the companys strategic expansion into FinTech.

Tyler was a cultural fit with the vision and values of our family business from the get go, stated Wind River Financial co-founder, Mark Courchane. During his tenure as chief financial officer, he demonstrated strong business acumen and a talent for getting things done, he continued. We are confident in Tylers ability to grow Wind River, safeguard its interest, and build upon the culture of service and respect that has been a part of our DNA for over 20 years, added Matthew Uselman, head of sales and co-founder of Wind River.

Kattre is a University of Wisconsin alumnus earning his undergraduate degree at UW-Whitewater and his MBA at UW-Madison. Over the course of his career, he has held financial leadership roles in both startup and large corporate environments.

The future of the payments industry is exhilarating, stated Kattre. In the old days, it was all about processing payments as a standalone service. While payments remain central to any business, they are rapidly becoming a smaller component of larger, overarching technology that manages financial operations, business processes, and consumer engagement, he continued. We are excited to be a part of the evolution of payment technology, he added.

Kattres transition to the role of president is effective immediately. His former responsibilities will be assumed by Kristi Partenheimer, newly appointed vice president of finance.

About Wind River Financial

Founded in 1999, Wind River Financial is a family-owned payment services company based in Madison, Wisconsin. Its focus on delivering white glove service and ensuring that all customers operate in a secure, cost-effective, and efficient payments environment has resulted in an industry-leading customer retention rate of over 90 percent. In addition to providing payment services directly to merchants, Wind River partners with independent software vendors, financial institutions and trade associations to customize payment integrations and solutions for their clients. For more information, please visit: http://www.windriverfinancial.com.
Author Jason Reynolds is a Newbery Honoree, a Printz Honoree, a two-time National Book Award finalist, a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors, among other accolades. Hes also the current National Ambassador for Young Peoples Literature. His books for young readers include All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely), When I Was the Greatest, and Long Way Down. Griffin has shown his art in major cities around the world. He created the artwork for My Name Is Jason. Mine Too, written by Reynolds, and his most recent projects include a mural for the childrens cancer wing at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, as well as a residency at Het HEM, the new contemporary art museum in Amsterdam. We asked Reynolds and Griffin to interview each other about their artistic approaches and their new collaboration, Aint Burned All the Bright, which combines poetry and collage to explore recent events in America and the kaleidoscope of Black experiences.

Jason Reynolds: Hey man, so I want to skip the formalities these interviews usually have where they try to give some sort of context for the book(s) being discussed, and just ask the stuff Ive always really wanted to know. So, Im just going to shoot.

Ive known you for years, and weve worked together for the better part of our friendship, but what Ive never asked you is what exactly do you see? What I mean by that is, when you read something, or hear something, do your creative sensors start working immediately? Or is it all just practice and skillset? Or is it, maybe, like a different kind of synesthesia-like experience?

Jason Griffin: I like your style, J.

I actually struggle with sitting down and reading books because of my imagination. I get a page in, and I start to create a world in my head and that becomes so dominant that I find myself reading without comprehending because I get so engulfed in my own ideas of what the thing Im reading might look like. Fortunately, this is 2022 and audiobooks are a thing, and hearing someone else read helps me stay with the story. Even still, I find that I have to listen to books a number of times to fully get them. When I hear something, I do sometimes see things, but I really am a visceral kind of guy. For instance, when I listen to music it has to make me feel a certain way, so Ive always been drawn to either instrumental music or the instrumentation of music. The chords or the beat have to strike me a certain way, more than the lyrics. Does that make sense?

My turn to ask something about you that Ive always been curious about. How do you read so many books and retain so much? Is there a trick?

Reynolds: Ah. That makes sense. There are things that trigger your imagination, and once its triggered its hard to put the rabbit back in the hat, so to speak. I also think its interesting that listening to books is better for you, and that you socialized it as being read to, because I think we often see that as something associated with children. I dont mean that in a pejorative way at all. I actually mean it as a way to reference your genius. If, in fact, children learn better or engage with stories more efficiently when being read toperhaps because of the freedom to let their imaginations do the heavy liftingthen it would make sense that this would work for you, because I find that your art and your unabashed way of making it, feels like a kind of moxie only a child could have.

As far as reading, you know, I think this is also connected to being child-like but in a different way. I feel like one of the things adults do when trying to help young people develop their reading skills is allow them to read what they want for a specific amount of time. Whether it be all the teachers who have free reading time at the end of class, or parents who have figured out ways to make this feel like something other than punishment, there is something about setting a certain amount of time aside for reading. For anything for that matter, but in this case, reading. And to be honest, I got this from my good buddy, Lisa Lucas, who is the most well-read person I know. Years ago I asked her the same question youre asking me. And you know what she said? That youd be surprised how many books youd get through if you just read an hour a day. Turns out, she was right. An hour of reading is way more pages than people think. As far as memory, well, that part I cant explain. Everything sticks, for me. Its a good thing sometimes, and other times there are stories I wish I could forget.

Speaking of things sticking, how would you describe your evolution as an artist? Ive been around your work for half my life, and Ive seen it go through all sorts of changes. What sparks the change? What makes you say, Okay, now Im going to try and do it this way? Or is your approach always the same and the outcome is just different?

Griffin: Reading an hour a day makes sense. I feel like thats the keyconsistency. And just to elaborate a bit on your memory, I can remember 20 years ago in college when you were active on the spoken word circuit. You would memorize hour-long sets and some of the poems you would recite would have been written the day before or sometimes the day of the show. So... theres that.

Great questions about process, and I think the truth lies somewhere between having an approach that is similar while at the same time trying to mix it up. With any project Im working on, I always tend to make a lot. I wish I had the ability to just create the thing on the first try but that rarely happens. Creating art is a process of trial and error and allowing space for happy accidents. So, in a sense, I always push myself to make an abundance of work, and play as much as possible, and that sets me up to create things that are different than what Ive done in the past. For example, I made about a thousand pages of art for Aint Burned All the Bright, and we used 380. With those thousand pages, I would throw different materials into the mix to try and keep the process fresh. One day I asked my wife to pick out materials from the art supply storeanythingand she came back with sequined material. I took the material and did a charcoal rubbing over the paper and this became the shingles for the roofs of houses in the third breath. I would never have conceptualized something like that, but once fresh information was thrown into the mix, I just had to keep going, keep trying something new.

And on that note, you, sir, share the same strength of locomotion. You dont stop and are extremely prolific. What are some of the things you do to keep the process fresh?

Reynolds: That makes sense. Also, shouts to your wife for trying to stump you!

How do I keep things fresh? I think for me its just about curiosity. I want to make the things I havent seen. Does that mean they dont exist because I havent seen them? Not necessarily. As a matter of fact, I dont think there are too many stones unturned at this point, at least in literature. But I do think my point of view is all thats necessary to inject freshness into an already explored thing. In order to keep my point of view evolving, I try to live a curious life. I try to be open to all there is to know. I try to hear and see the world with a childlike wonder. And then I try to write with a kind of recklessnessa loosenessto see how my current voice translates without fear of judgment. Writing, or maybe the creative life in general, is all an exercise in becoming.

Okay, you know we can talk about this kind of stuff all day, but... we cant. So, Ill ask this final question, especially since this will be a lot of peoples introduction to you. There are a lot of adults who read PW, and many of them who are reading this piece are most likely working with or raising young folks. Think back to your younger self, the boy who would become the man to co-create the experience that is Aint Burned All the Bright. Using one word each, what would your mother, father, favorite and least favorite teacher say about young you?

Griffin: Whoa. One word each huh?

Reynolds: One word each.

Griffin: Okay. My mother would say, kind, my father, extroverted, my favorite teacher would say, talented, and my least favorite would say, annoying. Or another word. Ha!

And you?

Reynolds: My mother would say, determined, my father would say, generous, my favorite teacher would say, peculiar, and my least favorite teacher would say annoying, too. So, at least weve learned we both annoy the people who dont believe in us.

Griffin: And you know, Im totally okay with that.

Reynolds: Me too.

Aint Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin. Atheneum/Dlouhy, $19.99 Jan. 11 ISBN 978-1-5344-3946-7
Capt. Song Kang discusses Purdue's interest in equipping body cameras on June 24. Purdue announced police would acquire the technology less than a month later.
A Protect Purdue banner hangs on the outside of the Co-Rec.
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The ship left South Georgia for Antarctica on 5 December 1914, carrying 27 men with the goal of reaching the South Pole and ultimately crossing the continent. However, when nearing Antarctica the ship became trapped in pack ice and the crew were forced to spend the winter in the frozen landscape. Following the ships sinking, the crew were forced to make their way by sea to uninhabited Elephant Island, before Shackleton and five men set off to seek help from a whaling station in South Georgia, more than 800 miles away. After several attempts, Shackleton eventually made it back to Elephant Island to rescue his crew in the Weddell Sea survived two years in the wilds of Antarctica, making it one of historys great stories of human survival. Shackleton himself died of a heart attack on 5 January 5, 1922, aged 47.One of the last great lost shipwrecks of history, the ship has for over a century remained inaccessible and undiscovered under the ice of the Weddell Sea, now lying at a depth of approximately 3500m in ice-cold seas. Setting off from Cape Town in February 2022, South African icebreaker Agulhas II will attempt to discover and film the craft. It will carry a crew of scientists and archaeologists alongside a team of highly experienced extreme environment film makers, led by Snow, who will document events in real time. History Hit and Little Dot Studios will produce a range of content covering the setting up of the expedition, the voyage and search itself, as well as the history, science, and other themes that connect to the wider mission. Short-form content will be distributed to subscribers across History Hit TV, HistoryHit.com, and History Hit's podcast network and social channels, together with Little Dot Studios network of owned and operated digital and social media accounts including Timeline World History, Spark and Real Stories. The team will also be filming for a long-form documentary chronicling this incredible expedition.Commenting on thew project, Snow predicted that the hunt for Shackletons wreck would be the biggest story in the world of history in 2022. As the partner broadcaster we will be able to reach tens of millions of history fans all over the world, in real time, he remarked. We are able to deploy some of the worlds biggest history podcasts, YouTube channels, Facebook pages and TikTok accounts to reach a massive number of history lovers. We are going to tell the story of Shackleton, and this expedition to find his lost ship, like never before. Live streaming and podcasting from ice camps, recording a vast amount of content that will live online and be accessible for generations to come. Its a dream come true. Little Dot Studios director of content Alex Hryniewicz added: "We are thrilled to be partnering with History Hit on this expedition to locate the Endurance. Dan is the perfect, expert host to convey the excitement and the complexity of searching for a 100-year-old wreck several kilometres deep in icy seas. The range of content we produce for different channels will provide an incredible amount of context - and we hope new insights - to a legendary story.
I work at a high school where the majority of the students are from inner-city Milwaukee. They are confronted almost daily with some form of dysfunction, depravity, or violence.

One day, some of my students challenged me as to why they should put a lot of effort into their studies when, from their perspective, the outlook for their futures looked bleak. I reminded them that God doesnt want them to live in poverty or hopelessness. Rather, as stated in Proverbs 13, He wants them to live lives of prosperity, generosity and leave a legacy, which is possible if we follow His plan. I was able to share aspects of my faith with my students because the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) has enabled their parents to send them to Milwaukee Lutheran High School on a voucher.

Soon parents in Maine might have this opportunity as well: The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Dec. 8 for a case known as Carson v. Makin where they are to decide whether the State of Maines school choice law, which funds secular private schools but not parochial schools, is unconstitutional. I believe it is not only legally but morally right that parents, especially those in low-income areas with failing public schools, should be able to use taxpayer vouchers to send their kids to a private Christian school if that is what they choose for their child.

I teach Free Enterprise classes at Milwaukee Lutheran High School, with over 850 low-income students attending free of tuition on a school voucher through the MPCP. The Milwaukee Public Schools in large part are failing urban youth and parents are desperately seeking alternatives. Theyve heard our civic leaders shouting Reform! Reform! Reform! for decades but have seen no change. If anything, the situation has only gotten worse. Our public schools are low-performing, bloated with administrators and red tape, and are becoming increasingly violent. Milwaukee Lutheran offers a creative, faith-based curriculum that performs. Not surprisingly, many inner-city parents prefer it for their children. Thats why we have a waiting list for admission.

At Milwaukee Lutheran, the first book every student receives is the Bible. We are constantly telling our kids that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through their teachers, is providing them with the tools they will need not only to improve their own station in life but also to serve others as commanded by Him. We dont expect our students to pick themselves up by their bootstraps, instead we say that they have the power to change their circumstances because God is bigger and he has given them opportunities to succeed such as attending a voucher school.

Faith is not the sole focus of what we teach, but it informs our teaching. For instance, I teach my students that the concepts of capitalism and free enterprise, if implemented correctly, are in essence modeled after Gods will that we serve others. Capitalists dont get rich doing what they want; they get rich by doing what everyone else wants. Moreover, Christianity teaches that greed is destructive and money should never be prioritized over loving and serving our fellow man.

The bottom line is this: no child should be forced to attend a failing school. Parents ought to be empowered to give their children the best education they can.

Based on the questioning coming from the Court in the Maine case, the general consensus is that the Court is leaning toward striking down the law that bans vouchers from use in parochial schools. Predictably, the reaction by the public school establishment has been over the top. These parochial school critics dont want to pay for a school to teach any religion (other than Atheism). They are characterizing religious schools as bastions of intolerance, indoctrinating mindless drones who will take the first opportunity to attack the nearest available marginalized group they can find. Taxpayer dollars, they argue, should not go toward educating a child in such an environment. But these critics dont mind if that low-income student is subjected to the violent, chaotic environment of a failing inner-city school. How is that attitude serving children in need?

A former vice principal at Milwaukee Lutheran would end the days announcements with I love you. More importantly, He loves you.

Love is at the heart of any great education. In this respect, it is the power of a parochial school to restore not only ones faith in God, but also a struggling childs hope for the futuregenerally, with better academics thrown in as a bonus. Any rational thinker would think that is taxpayer money well spent.
BEIRUT, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's security authorities on Friday arrested 23 Syrians for illegally entering the country, Elnashra news website reported.

The Syrians, who were arrested in Lebanon's northern district of Akkar, have been referred to judicial bodies for investigation and other legal procedures, according to Elnashra.

Lebanon's security forces have been exerting great efforts to fight against human smuggling from Syria.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun has repeatedly urged the international community to secure a safe return for Syrian refugees to their homeland as Lebanon has been suffering an unprecedented financial crisis and cannot bear an additional burden of refugees on its territories. 
Nicolas Cage is going to be a dad of three.

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The 58-year-old actor is expecting his third child, his first with his wife, Riko Shibata, Cage's rep confirmed Thursday to E! News.

People also reported the news.

"The parents-to-be are elated!" Cage's rep said.

Cage already has two sons: Weston, 31, with Christina Fulton, and Kal-El, 16, with Alice Kim.

Cage and Shibata married at a "very small and intimate wedding" in Las Vegas in February 2021.

"It's true, and we are very happy," Cage told People at the time.

Cage and Shibata met through mutual friends while Cage was filming his movie Prisoners of the Ghostland in Shiga, Japan.

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Cage was previously married to Kim, Patricia Arquette Lisa Marie Presley and Erika Koike.

The actor most recently starred in the film Pig and will next appear in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.
Stars such as Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry and Viola Davis are paying tribute to legendary actor Sidney Poitier on social media following his death.

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Poitier, the first Black man to win an Oscar for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field, died Friday at the age of 94. A cause of death has not been announced.

Poitier was also known for starring in The Defiant Ones, Porgy and Bees, A Raisin in the Sun, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and more.

"If you wanted the sky I would write across the sky in letters that would soar a thousand feet high..To Sir... with Love. Sir Sidney Poitier R.I.P. He showed us how to reach for the stars," Goldberg said on Twitter before noting in another tweet, "My condolences to his family and to all of us as well."

Winfrey said on Twitter, "For me, the greatest of the 'Greet Trees' has fallen: Sidney Poitier. My honor to have loved him as a mentor. Friend. Brother. Confidant. Wisdom teacher. The utmost, highest regard and praise for his most magnificent, gracious, eloquent life. I treasured him. I adored him. He had an enormous soul I will forever cherish. Blessing to Joanna and his world of beautiful daughters."

Perry said on Instagram, "The grace and class that this man has shown throughout his entire life, the example he set for me, not only as a black man but as a human being will never be forgotten. There is no man in this business who has been more of a North Star for me than Sidney Poitier ."

"All I can say is thank you for your life, thank you for your example, and thank you for your incredible gift. But most of all, thank you for being willing to share YOU to make us all better," Perry continued, after mentioning how he once traveled to South Africa with Poitier and Cicely Tyson.

Davis said on Instagram, "This is a big one. No words can describe how your work radically shifted my life. The dignity, normalcy, strength, excellence and sheer electricity you brought to your roles showed us that we, as Black folks, mattered!!"

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"It was an honor for my husband and I to share lunch with you at Spagos, You told us, 'If your dreams do not scare you, they're not big enough.' I put this quote on my daughter's wall. Rest well Mr. Poitier. Thank you! Thank you for leaving a legacy. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest," Davis continued.

Wendell Pierce quoted Arthur Miller in honor of Poitier on Twitter, "'There is a certain immortality involved in theater, not created by monuments and books, but through the knowledge an actor keeps to his dying day that on a certain afternoon, in an empty and dusty theater, he cast the shadow of a being that was not himself but the distillation of all that he had ever observed; all the unsingable heart song the ordinary man may feel but never utter, he gave voice to. And by that somehow joins the ages.'"

Jeffrey Wright said on Twitter, "Sidney Poitier. What a landmark actor. One of a kind. What a beautiful, gracious, warm, genuinely regal man. RIP, Sir. with love."

Debbie Allen said on Twitter, "#SidneyPoitier, your last sunset with us is the dawn of many generations rising the path of light you blazed. We will always hold you in our hearts and forever speak your name."

George Takei said on Twitter, "Sidney Poitier, the first Black man to win an Oscar, has died at the age of 94. The star of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and Lillies of the Field, for which he won Best Actor, was a trailblazer who will be mourned by so many for whom he opened the very doors of Hollywood."

Mia Farrow said on Twitter, "Sidney Poitier -- the best of the best RIP."

Garcelle Beauvais said on Instagram, "Mr. Poitier thank you for your Legacy!! You showed us what it means to be great! Rest in Power."

Joseph Gordon-Levitt said on Twitter, "Sidney Poitier. An absolute legend. One of the greats."

Cary Elwes said on Twitter, "I once had the honor to shake Sidney Poitier's hand. May he Rest in Power knowing he was loved and trailblazer in our industry who lit up the screen with this talent."
TRAVERSE CITY  Stretched thin by a surge in teacher absences, Traverse City Area Public Schools canceled school on Friday for all students and is shifting to remote instruction for secondary students Monday and Tuesday.

TCAPS officials notified parents Thursday afternoon that the districts 16 schools would be closed Friday. Superintendent John VanWagoner said the district was down by 93 teachers on Thursday.

The latest on COVID-19 Continuing coverage of COVID-19 and its impact. If you have a question about the novel coronavirus pandemic and haven't been able to find an a

In anticipation of the same or more absences on Friday and the days following, VanWagoner said he and other administrators made the decision to cancel Friday classes and shift to virtual for Monday and Tuesday next week in order to give teachers enough time to prepare for remote instruction.

The canceled day Friday will count as an Act of God day for the district.

Students in elementary schools will return to face-to-face learning Monday, but teachers at the elementary level are being told to prepare for remote learning as well, VanWagoner said.

We just dont know what the future brings and so we want our elementary teachers to be ready, VanWagoner said. So were going to take that time tomorrow for that, knowing that the likelihood of us having enough staff tomorrow was almost impossible.

TCAPS has a teaching staff of about 500 teachers and would typically see closer to 40 absences on an average day. Sixteen of Thursdays absences were left unfilled by substitute teachers, so classes were covered by administrators and other district staff, including VanWagoner himself.

Today literally we were barely covering some things. I mean, barely, VanWagoner said. And I know that with what tomorrow would bring, I would rather give people time to be able to plan some things than spring it on them at 6:00 a.m. that we dont have people.

VanWagoner said he plans to discuss the staff shortages and virtual options with TCAPS trustees during their Monday meeting.

We may have to extend (remote instruction) a few more days, but I hope not, VanWagoner said. Our goal is to get everybody back face to face as soon as possible. Thats what we value and were hoping to be able to do

Howard Lovy has two kids at West Senior High School, and he said he thinks TCAPS should have started January off in remote instruction because of the emergence of the omicron variant and the increasing number of local COVID cases.

I think its probably a good idea to go virtual for the foreseeable future, Lovy said.

Munson Healthcare data tracking on Thursday showed rising numbers of inpatient COVID beds occupied after multiple days of declining numbers.

As a cancer survivor and an asthmatic, Lovy said he is concerned about sending his kids back to in-person school. He worries they may spread COVID to him and his other extended family, especially now that the districts universal masking mandate has been dropped.

My kids have had to make sacrifices, Lovy said. And especially now theyre in high school, this is an important time in their social development, but again, I value their lives more than anything else.

Tara Ziegler, who has a second grader in TCAPS, had to make emergency arrangements to make sure her daughter had childcare Friday with school closed. Ziegler said it is tragic that kids are continuing to see disruptions to their education.

Ziegler said her daughter was fortunate enough to thrive in virtual learning last year with a supportive teacher and her family to help her. However, she is unsure the same family aid will be available this year, and she hopes her daughter can remain at school in person.

We did virtual learning as sort of a stopgap measure last year and we were grateful that we had the situation that we had, but I dont want to go back, Ziegler said. I want her to be able to be in school and have recess with her friends and be able to kind of negotiate and navigate that social piece that happens in a classroom full of kids.

Earlier this week, TCAPS canceled classes at West Middle School on Wednesday because of staffing shortages as well. VanWagoner said it is unclear whether the absences are caused by COVID.

On Dec. 31, the TCAPS Board of Education expired its universal masking mandate, a decision which was unpopular among teachers. TCEA President Mike Livengood said while there may have been disappointment over the board of educations decision to allow the mask mandate to expire, teachers have not been participating in a sick out or other similar protest of the mask mandate expiration.

Weve done no protests, Livengood said. What weve been doing is going to work, and unfortunately a lot of people got sick.

In a recent communication to TCEA members, Livengood specifically advised teachers against calling out of work or refusing to work as a form of protest.

Many schools in northern Michigan have struggled with staffing shortages this school year as well as a dearth of qualified applicants to open teaching positions. Exacerbated by the pandemic, staffing shortages have pushed other school districts  such as Elk Rapids Public Schools and Northwest Education Services  to close for days at a time with high numbers of COVID cases among students and too many teachers and staff absent for COVID-related reasons.

A new bill signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Dec. 27 temporarily allows school districts to employ non-teaching staff  such as library aides, bus drivers and cooks  as well. However, because staffing shortages are seen across most departments in the school district, that bill has not been particularly helpful in getting more people at the front of classes at TCAPS, VanWagoner said.

School day meals will be available Monday and Tuesday while students are remote at all middle and high school buildings. The meals will be available at the regularly scheduled times at each building.

TCAPS officials plan to offer transportation to Career Tech sites to students Monday and Tuesday.

VanWagoner said he is also looking into maintaining an in-person option for some special education programs that cannot function remotely, but that is reliant on available staff.

TCAPS also has a limited number of hotspots for families to check out while their students are learning remote. They are only as good as the cell coverage in a given area. Parents interested in checking the cell coverage in their area or requesting a hotspot can go here.
Major construction projects launched in Five New Towns

By:Wu Qiong | 2022-01-06 18:54

(Video by Bai Kelin, Jiang Meiqing/Eastday.com)

The first batch of major construction projects in 2022 was launched in the citys Five New Towns (Jiading, Qingpu, Songjiang, Fengxian and Nanhui New Town).



A signing ceremony was held on Jan. 6 at the construction site of Phase II of the Shanghai United Imaging Industrialization Demonstration Base in Jiading New Town. A total of 40 projects were signed with an investment of 132.82 billion yuan, involving high-end industries, science and technology, infrastructure, and livelihood improvement.
LAMU, Kenya, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police said Friday it has launched investigations into the killing of the four security officers after being ambushed by the bandits in the coastal Lamu region.

National Police Service Spokesperson Bruno Shioso said a team of security officers are also pursuing bandits who ambushed a security vehicle that was on patrol along Lamu-Garsen road at around 9:00 a.m. on Friday.

"Police officers who were onboard responded swiftly and managed to repulse the bandits, unfortunately there were casualties," Shioso said in a brief statement.

The scene on the Lamu-Garsen road is a secluded location which is also a renowned hotspot where militants have launched tens of attacks on security and civilian vehicles in the past.

A security officer in Lamu said police officers who were on a different vehicle fought back amid reports a number of the attackers believed to be al-Shabab militants were injured.

The bandits attacked the police vehicle using a rocket-propelled grenade in the same area where a senior government official was killed in 2018.

The security officer said the militants found it impossible to launch improvised explosive device (IED) attacks on security vehicles as has been their norm and thus resolved to the use of grenades.

Lamu County has been in the spotlight for some years now owing to increased scathing attacks by the militants that have left hordes of security officers and civilians dead. 
OUAGADOUGOU, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Eleven people were killed on Wednesday in an attack in north-central Burkina Faso, the governor of the region Casimir Segueda said in a statement on Friday.

On Wednesday evening, unidentified armed men carried out an attack against the village of Ankouna in the commune of Pensa, Sanmatenga (Center-North) Province. The attack, which targeted the civilian population, left 11 dead and one injured, said the governor.

Security in Burkina Faso has worsened since 2015, with terrorist attacks having killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over one million others in the West African nation. 
People gathered in Harmony Parking lot in Brattleboro on Friday, April 22nd for a street festival and parade in celebration of Earth Day. According to Nancy Braus of 350 Brattleboro, the goal was to celebrate the ways in which the community is working towards climate justice and to empower 
During a visit to the Retreat Farm in August, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., learned about plans to convert an old dairy barn into an event space. That project has received state Act 250 approval.
Sam Baker-Gentry, an assistant at the Winston Prouty Center for Child and Family Development, pushes a preschooler on a swing on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022.
A year ago Thursday, U.S. Rep. Peter Welch was in the chamber of the House of Representatives in Washington D.C. when a gunshot rang out as a mob attempted to push its way into the chamber, intent on reversing the 2020 presidential election.

U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy was there as well. In remarks on the U.S. Senate floor Thursday, Leahy recalled how, after Senate members were herded into a safe room, we were starting to see the television and seeing a mob  Americans who turned into a mob and turned their back on our Constitutional history. They were rejecting everything that made America great, ignoring our laws, our customs and most of all ignoring our history.

Welch and Leahy were among leaders across Vermont and among its representatives in Congress who marked the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol as a reminder that democracy in America is fragile and under attack.

The violence and destruction failed to achieve the mobs goal. Congress reconvened, and at 3:00 a.m. we certified the election of Joseph Biden as our duly elected President. But though the attack failed, make no mistake  the peril to our democracy continues, Welch said.

January 6th 2021 will go down as dark day for our democracy that was really the culmination of an attempt by the loser to overturn the 2020 election results, said state Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, one of the Vermont Legislatures longest-serving members.

Unfortunately the continued conversation about election fraud in 2020 that was found nonexistent in at least 60 court cases, coupled with voter suppression laws recently enacted in several states, continues to threaten the very core of our democracy, Sears said.

Gov. Phil Scott did not issue a statement Thursday to mark the anniversary. But last month, at a conference hosted by President Joe Biden, Scott echoed the statements he made a year ago  laying the blame for an attempt to overthrow what he called a free, fair and legal election at former President Donald Trumps feet.

We cannot lose sight of the fact that one persons ego led us to a very low moment in American history. This is a powerful reminder of why we must always guard against authoritarianism and the manipulation of would-be dictators from both the right and the left, Scott said.

It is critical for our nation to humbly reflect on these events and the many years leading up to them, and learn from it to make our nation, and all democracies, more durable. Because democracy is only as strong as our commitment to it, and we cannot let our guard down.

Lt. Gov. Molly Gray said there are still cracks in the bedrock of our national unity caused by the angry mob, but believes Vermont can provide an example for a way forward.

Today, I invite Vermonters to join me in reflecting on what we hold dear, Gray said. Were hopeful and believe that together we can build a stronger future. We put differences aside and put each other first. We must be united as Vermonters and Americans and act with a common purpose to protect our democratic institutions and values.

Welch touched on what Vermonters can do as well, asking them to step up where they can and get involved in democracy.

Take care of each other, speak up when you see injustice, and challenge your elected officials, including me, to fight for what is right. These small steps help build the fabric of our communities and in turn strengthen our democracy, he said.

As for the rioters: The courts are dealing with these crimes, but it is detestable how so many were so callously used as cannon fodder, Leahy said, also blaming Trump. Their actions were wrong, but many believed they were acting as patriots. The former president told them so, and egged them on, and they believed him.

Meanwhile, Trump and his advisors have yet to face justice, Leahy said. They must be held accountable for planning and promoting this travesty, and, in his case, doing nothing to stop the assault, even when appealed to, repeatedly, by his closest advisors.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said the problems exposed a year ago go deeper than the violence seen at the Capitol.

Our democracy is also under attack because all across this country people increasingly believe democracy itself, and our government, does not work for them, Sanders said. If we are really going to save democracy and make it relevant to peoples lives, Congress must boldly address the long-neglected crises facing the working people of this country. ... Congress must represent the needs of ordinary Americans and not just wealthy campaign contributors.

The anniversary should serve as a wakeup call to Congress to protect democracy, Secretary of State Jim Condos said.

Its time for the destructive lies to end. Election denial and voter fraud cry-wolf tactics have done nothing but tear our country apart. Its time that we come together to heal, in the interest of ensuring our democracy stands strong for generations to come, he said.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the Capitol Insurrection is that a year later we still dont have a full accounting of what happened and who was involved, Vermont Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint said. It should be terrifying to all of us  regardless of political affiliation  that we have elected and appointed officials who are not fully cooperating with the commission.

Simultaneously, we have initiatives in many states to make elections overseen by partisans, said Balint, D-Windham. This is an indication that we will slide towards authoritarianism without an immediate and strong course correction. 

Sen Brian Campion, D-Bennington, organized a symposium on the insurrection at Bennington College, where hes director of public policy programs in the Center for the Advancement of Public Action. He said the events of Jan. 6 were the sad and dangerous result of years of methodical erosion of American democracy.

Our fundamental right to vote, to due process and for the peaceful transfer of power was attacked by a mob who were only successful in showing the country and the world their violent worship of authoritarianism rather than their allegiance to our Constitution, Campion said. Never in a million years would I or anyone have believed that our great country would be pushed ever so close to complete democratic failure by a major political party and its leadership

This one-year anniversary is the long overdue time to remove the filibuster on voting rights so we can restore the will of the country over the will of a wildly off-track party, he added. History has shown us, time and time again, if societies do not invest in their democratic values, rights and freedoms, they will not last.
A year ago Thursday, U.S. Rep. Peter Welch was in the chamber of the House of Representatives in Washington D.C. when a gunshot rang out as a 
Register-Herald file photo

Carrie Fields, of Charleston, is shown capturing a view images of the fall foliage from the main overlook at the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in Granview. The overlook, at 1400 feet above the New River, is the highest point top to bottom in the park.
TORRINGTON  In spite of the snowy weather Friday, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal visited a COVID-19 test clinic at Coe Memorial Parks civic center to say hello to the staff.

The clinic is one of five scheduled at the civic center and provided by Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, which is part of the Hartford HealthCare network. The snowstorm didnt deter the health care staff from showing up for work, and residents were lined up to be tested.

I was there just to say thank you, because theyve given so much and endured so much during this last couple of years of hardship and heartbreak, he said. And now, when theyre on the verge of burnout and exhaustion, theres another surge. That was the powerful message from health care workers today.

A nurse told the senator that at one point, 500 people in the Hartford HealthCare system were hospitalized with COVID-19, and only seven of them were vaccinated.

The nurses there said theres an overwhelming number of people in the hospital, especially in the ICU, who are unvaccinated, he said. So now, this is a disease of the unvaccinated.

CHH and partner organizations like Community Health & Wellness of Greater Torrington began holding testing clinics right after the new year. Torrington also received a quantity of at-home test kits and, after some delays experienced by towns across the state, the city was able to distribute them to residents and provide them to essential city staff, emergency service workers, firefighters and police.

I wanted to hear from the nurses and hospital staff about the new challenges theyre facing, with so many of their colleagues being out sick because of the virus, too, Blumenthal said. We also talked about making even more of an emphasis of vaccines and booster shots.

The hospital was powerfully eloquent on how people are at risk when people fail to take care of themselves with the booster and vaccines that are available, he said. Its a mystery to me how people would fall for the misinformation thats out there.

Its hard for health care workers, and for me, to understand someone who refuses this life-saving boon, Blumenthal said. But they said to me, Were gong to take care of these folks, regardless of whether theyre vaccinated and boosted or not. But we sure wish everyone would do it.

On Friday, the state Department of Public Health reported another 10,076 cases with 24.5 percent of tests returning positive results, topping yet again the previous record set earlier this week. There were 1,810 patients hospitalized with the virus on Friday in Connecticut, an increase of 26 from the previous day. More than two-thirds of those patients were not fully vaccinated, according to the report.

Blumenthal pointed to reports saying that those who have been vaccinated and tested positive were not as sick, with few or no symptoms.

Hopefully that means were nearing this stage where we can conquer it, he said. These are the trends that these viruses take, which is encouraging, but theres also a possibility of a more dangerous variant, through mutation.

Whatever happens, the senator encouraged people to get their vaccines, and to treat their communitys health care workers with respect and thanks.

Theyre all part of a team, he said. One of the workers at the clinic said that hospitals have 230 different job descriptions, and every single one is important, from the person who cleans the ventilators, to the people to take blood, to the person that analyzes it ... Theyre all part of a team, trying to help people.

He praised CHHs team.

Ive visited them on many occasions, and Im always impressed with their standard of care, he said.
Sister Elizabeth Doyle could sense the confidence building. After a pair of vaccination clinics at St. Raphaels Academy, where she is principal, had limited turnout, Thursday felt different.

During morning drop-off parents were asking me if they could get their vaccine at todays clinic, too, she said before Thursdays free clinic at the school.

The clinic, which Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim attended as part of an effort to encourage parents to vaccinate their children, featured side-by-side rows of stations where children and their parents could receive their shots.

Bysiewicz said the clinic location was a natural choice since a benefit of being vaccinated is greater resistance to COVID-19 and a shorter, milder illness in the event of a breakthrough case. All of this means children stay in school instead of being home either sick or quarantining, she said.

Now, when were seeing this huge spike in cases, the governor and I are really focusing on how we can best protect our children, Bysiewicz said. We know in-person learning is the most effective. We are here to highlight that in Bridgeport, as of Dec. 29, only 50 percent of children 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated. Its even less among children 5 to 11, so thats why were here.

St. Raphael offers instruction for children in grades K-3, so its students are statistically the least likely segment of the population to be vaccinated. State Deputy Health Commissioner Heather Aaron said the vaccines had proven effective in keeping COVID at bay.

The people in (intensive care units) are unvaccinated, she said. The vaccines did a superb job. Without the vaccine, we would really be bursting our health care system.

Ganim, a St. Raphael alum, said he was encouraged that there was a line of parents and children outside the clinic 30 minutes before it opened.

We know it makes a difference, he said.

Angela Pohlen, executive director of the citys Catholic Academy, which includes St. Raphael, agreed. With children starting to require hospitalization, she said vaccinating the youngest members of the population was the highest priority.

Vaccines allow students not to miss school, she said. It (vaccination) also has an impact on families. They dont have to take days off work.

Catholic Academy will be hosting numerous clinics in the coming weeks, and Pohlen invited anyone in the community to attend.

We welcome everyone, she said.

Todd Liu, vice president of Griffin Hospital, which ran the vaccinations at the clinic, said the hospital had conducted 216 clinics in Bridgeport alone last year. So far this year Griffins mobile vaccination vans have been busy visiting schools and businesses around the area, he said.

We keep hoping an end is in sight, he said. Well continue to do everything we can. We will go anywhere were asked to go.

deng@trumbulltimes.com
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (R) meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (3rd R) in Mombasa, Kenya, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yan)

MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday met here with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was invited to visit the African country.

Kenyatta asked Wang to convey his cordial greetings to President Xi Jinping. Kenyatta said that the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Kenya at the beginning of the year fully demonstrates the strong relationship between Kenya and China.

He said China is not only a sincere friend of Kenya, but also a development partner of close cooperation, adding that the deepening pragmatic cooperation in various fields and cultural exchanges between Kenya and China have created a large number of jobs in Kenya, improved people's lives, and brought notable benefits to the people.

Kenyatta said Kenya's development achievements would not have been possible without China's strong support, which is imprinted on the mind of the Kenyan government and people.

Every country has the right to independently choose a development path suited to its own national conditions, and bring health, prosperity and dignity to its people, Kenyatta said, adding there are always some people who like to point fingers at the country, saying that it has various problems, but China has sincerely helped Kenya solve problems and meet its needs with actions.

Kenyatta said the cooperation between Kenya and China is about timely support between true partners. He said he is often asked why Kenya and China cooperate so closely, and he told them, because China and Kenya respect each other and treat each other as equals.

Kenyatta expressed Kenya's willingness to continue deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with China to achieve common development, saying the country is full of expectations for the future of Kenya-China relations.

Wang first conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings and best wishes to President Kenyatta, and congratulated Kenya on its continuous rapid development under the leadership of President Kenyatta.

Wang said that the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit to Africa at the beginning of the year is to demonstrate the solidarity and mutual trust between China and Africa and China's firm determination to promote China-Africa friendship.

According to Wang, the visit will send three clear signals. First, China will stand firmly with Africa to fight COVID-19 pandemic with solidarity until the virus is completely defeated.

Second, China is willing to strengthen all-round cooperation with Kenya to help Kenya enhance its self-development capabilities and accelerate industrialization.

Third, China is willing to strengthen solidarity and coordination with Kenya in international and multilateral affairs, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights of the two countries and the common interests of developing countries, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

Wang said China is willing to work with Kenya to implement the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, and to be partners that firmly support each other, accelerate development and revitalization, promote China-Africa solidarity, and safeguard regional peace.

Kenyatta said Kenya and China share common or similar positions on international and regional issues, and Kenya is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in multilateral settings, especially at the United Nations Security Council, to jointly promote a more just and reasonable international order.

Wang also introduced the "Initiative of Peaceful Development in the Horn of Africa" proposed by China upon request. Describing this initiative as meeting the urgent needs of countries in the Horn of Africa, Kenyatta said Kenya agrees completely and is willing to play a role in this regard.

After the talks, Wang was invited to attend the completion ceremony of the Chinese-built oil terminal at the port of Mombasa with Kenyatta.

Wang also held talks with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo on Thursday. They witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents and met journalists. 
ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Christians across the East African country are celebrating Christmas Friday.

As this year's Christmas came amid a year-long deadly conflict in the Northern part of Ethiopia between government and rebel forces with an eventual humanitarian catastrophe, Ethiopian Christians are now celebrating Christmas in a feebler mood than ever with widespread calls for togetherness and reconstructing the country from conflict-induced distractions.

Wishing a happy Christmas to all Christians, religious leaders have all called for peace and unity during Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) celebration.

Celebrations start with church services on the eve of the holiday, and festivities continue with people enjoying special foods and drinks, as well as visiting and exchanging seasonal greetings with friends, neighbors, and relatives.

The unique Christmas celebration is among the major holidays in Ethiopia, bringing an extended family together to attend a series of events, including the slaughtering of livestock, either a sheep, goat, or cow, depending on a household's financial condition.

At the household level, it is the custom here for families to purchase chickens, sheep or goats while preparing special bread called "Diffo" in Amharic language, as well as local beverages, notably a house-made beer called "Tella" and "Tejj," a honey-wine.

Coffee ceremony is an integral part of the celebration. The ritual of coffee serving and drinking, which can last for hours, is an important social occasion offering a reunion for relatives and friends and a chance to discuss community matters while enjoying top-notch coffee.

To be invited to a coffee ceremony in an Ethiopian family is a sign of great respect.

Christmas is also a special day for children. They gather in groups and play games.

HOLIDAY MARKET

The year-long conflict, which was exacerbated by the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, is visibly weighing on the holiday market.

In the capital of Addis Ababa, market disruptions and price hikes are highly noticeable across markets, with soaring prices for festive commodities as witnessed by Xinhua journalists.

As often seen on major holidays, a community or a village will pool money to slaughter a cow (worth between 800 to 1,000 U.S. dollars) in groups, while each household can choose to slaughter a less expensive sheep or goats (about 140 U.S. dollars).

Mahlet Solomon, 29, who was out at the Meri holiday market in Addis Ababa to purchase chicken and other poultry products, said she bought an average size chicken for about 500 Ethiopian birr (about 10 U.S. dollars).

"An average size chicken was about 350 to 400 birr just a year or so ago. Now, I just spent 500 birr on this one. An egg used to be sold for about five birr, now it's eight birr. The government should tighten its control of the market; otherwise, it will be very difficult for us if it continues this way," Solomon said.

Abrak Manaye, a businessman in Addis Ababa, is one of the desperate buyers at the Shola live animals market in Addis Ababa, who usually purchases both a sheep for his family and a cow with neighbors.

"This year, the inflated price forced me to choose one. Since sharing a cow is a religious and social tradition that has lasted for generations, I have decided to honor the traditions," he added.

GREAT ETHIOPIAN HOMECOMING

This year's Christmas celebration in Ethiopia has witnessed a huge influx of Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian origin to the East African country following the "Great Homecoming Challenge" that was announced by the Ethiopian government last month.

The homecoming call, which is a personal initiative of Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, envisaged 1 million Ethiopians, people of Ethiopian origin and friends of Ethiopia would join the unique Christmas celebrations.

The Ethiopian government, which formed a national committee and a dedicated online portal to coordinate the initiative, said the national call aimed "to debunk the undue pressure exerted on Ethiopia; to defy interference and show solidarity of Ethiopians on national issues."

With various celebratory events that include symposiums, sporting events and visits to the internally displaced people (IDP), the initiative serves an overarching goal of encouraging sustainable diaspora engagement in the country's overall affairs, it was noted.

The call seems to have played a significant role in facilitating an influx of Ethiopians in spite of the country's difficult security situations.

According to the Ethiopian government, despite repeated calls by the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia urging American citizens to evacuate Ethiopia over security concerns, many people of Ethiopian origin in the U.S. have positively responded to the call. The U.S. is home to one of the largest Ethiopian communities outside the East African country. 
There are a number of places on Earth where through history, fertility has been paid obeisance with the worship of reproductive organs and their likenesses.

Representations of this are evident across religions, and from Bhutan to Thailand, and even closer home, if one looks closely, it isn't hard to find phalluses, voluptuous figures, and objects that depict them in various shades of resemblance. To be sure, the historical world is full of chalices and blades.

That being said, it isn't particularly common these days to come across new edifices that are overtly sexually explicit. The same is also true of art, a lot of which drew its roots from religious & mythical iconography but later happily devolved into covering the mundane and everyday as well. To put it simply, nude statues like Michelangelo's David or Venus de Milo depicting Aphrodite simply aren't commissioned anymore.

However, nobody appears to have informed the residents of Peru's town of Moche this. An enormous statue of a male figure from the pre-Inca Mochica culture, with an inordinately large and engorged member, was recently installed in a bid to add a tourist & selfie attraction.

The statue is made of glass fiber, as per local reports, and measures three metres tall with a phallus roughly half as long. Erotic ceramics are apparently a historical theme in the town, and the local Mayor has plans to add at least 9 more such explicit statues in his town.

Sure enough, the big red statue with the grotesquely large penis has proved eye-catching, drawing a steady influx of passersby and tourists alike. Unfortunately, it recently also appears to have been paid a visit by some who just cannot let there be too much of a good thing.

The latest visuals show the phallus to have been deplorably vandalised, now sporting a large gash. It is unclear at the moment how long it'll take to be repaired, though with the Mayor as well as the Peruvian government bullish and enthusiastic about augmenting their already rich and mystical culture with more such attractions, one thinks it may not take that long.

Image: Unsplash
Amid the ongoing investigation in the Bulli Bai app case, the Bandra Court on Friday remanded Shweta Singh and Mayank Rawat to three days of police custody. Both were arrested from Uttarakhand over their alleged involvement in the creation and establishment of the contentious application and were brought to Mumbai through a transit remand.

Police had earlier arrested Shweta Singh (19) and Mayank Rawat (21) from Uttarakhand and engineering student Vishal Kumar from Bengaluru in connection with the Bulli Bai case. Vishal Kumar had been sent to police custody till January 10 by the Bandra Court earlier.

Apart from this, Delhi Police successfully nabbed the main conspirator of the app, Neeraj Bishnoi, from Assam on Thursday, January 6. Delhi Police, who are investigating the case in collaboration with Mumbai Police, had termed Bishnoi the main conspirator of the application that was deemed to 'auction' woke and influential Muslim Women online. Bishnoi was apprehended by the Delhi Polices IFSO special cell from Assam, ANI reported.

Details of investigation accessed

As per sources, it was revealed that during the investigation by Delhi Police, the following information has come to the fore:

1. Niraj Bishnoi had earlier created various Twitter handles with the initial name of giyu, which is a gaming character. The following Twitter handles have been identified, which are as follows: -

a. @giyu2002

b. @giyu007

c. @giyuu84

d. @giyu94

e. @giyu44

2. The account @giyu2002 has been found associated with one FIR registered in Kishangarh PS, South West Delhi. In this case, from this Twitter account, he had made lewd remarks on the picture of the complainant and even had tweeted about the auction of the same.

3. The account @giyu44, which was created by him on 3 January 2022 with specific agenda to demeans the arrest by Mumbai Police and to throw an open challenge to law enforcement agencies to nab him. In this, he had tried to show his identity from Nepal and subsequently, as proof, posted notices and communications received from GitHub regarding the Bulli Bai app investigation on one of the online news portal.

4. The account @giyu007 came to light when the sulli deal case was under investigation. Through this handle, he had tried to plant some information regarding the possible propagator/originator of the Sulli deals app. During this time, he also created a fake profile of a girl and tried to communicate to the investigating agency as a news reporter. Further, he came in contact with various news reporters and tried to plant his misinformation with his nefarious goals.

Bulli Bai app scandal

The Bulli Bai application had created a stir when several Muslim women took to Twitter to reveal that they were being auctioned on the application. Several opposition leaders had launched a tirade against the central government over the functioning of the app that had solely targeted women of the Muslim community and demanded an immediate investigation in the matter.

This is the second such incident that had occurred within six months. Earlier, a similar application called Sulli Deals had surfaced on the same platform that had stirred a similar row.

(Image: ANI/PTI/Twitter)
As per top government sources,the Punjab Police took 48 minutes to give a green signal for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to travel from Bhatinda airport to Ferozepur, and then once the PM set out, had 97 minutes to update the Special Protection Group (SPG) on the blockade by the protestors, but failed to do so. This apparent minimum window of 145 minutes that the Punjab Police had at its behest to intimate the SPG of the blockade flies in the face of the Punjab Government which submitted the preliminary report on PM Modi's security breach to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stating that the protesters had gathered on the route 'suddenly'.

Exposed: How the Punjab Police misled the SPG

Punjab police gave SPG clearance for route

Cops took 30 mins for due diligence, yet didn't flag blockade

DGP communicated to SPG that the road route was all clear

Road route clearance given despite obstructions

Cops had 97 mins before PM reached the spot, but did not flag to SPG

Clearance was given even though the build-up for the blockade was on at full-swing

Punjab police allegedly leaked info on PM's route, as stated by eyewitnesses

Punjab police were seen with protesters, did not flag presence to SPG

Let's have a look at the sequence of events that unfolded since Dec 31:

December 31 (One week before the security breach): Reports emerged of nine farm unions joining protests to block PM Modi's rally

January 2 (Three days before the breach): Internal police exchanges reveal it was aware of one lakh protestors

January 4 (One day before the breach): Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal calls for the blockade of PM Modi's rally in a video. Internal communication shows police told not to allow protestors in Ferozepur.

January 4 at 8:41 PM: Kisan Ekta Morcha's Facebook post instigates farmers to block roads

January 5 at 10:20 AM: Kisan Ekta Morcha posts clips showing black flags to BJP buses

January 5 at 10:30 AM: Crowd was seen building up on the ground

January 5 at 12:25 PM: Kisan Ekta Morcha instigates to oppose PM Modi 'strongly' in an online post

January 5 at 12:41 PM: Kisan Ekta Morch gives open calls for protest against PM Modi

January 5 at 13:08 PM: Kisan Ekta Morcha publishes posts on blockades and anti-Modi slogan at Ferozepur

Secret Intel Note Warned Punjab Govt Of Threat & Blockade

A secret intel note accessed by Republic revealed that the Centre had warned the Punjab government of a possible blockade of PM Modi's route three days before the security breach, On January 2, three days before the security breach, the note had mentioned that the PM is likely to face a grave threat from terror outfits such as the IM, LeT, HuM, HuJI, TTP besides Left Wing Extremists and remnants of LTTE cadres. Moreover, it specifically mentioned that Pakistan-based terrorists Wadhawa Singh Babbar, Paramjit Singh Panjawar, Ranjit Singh Neeta, Lakhbir Singh Rhode have been making efforts to target VIPs during the election process in a bid to revive militancy in Punjab. It had also mentioned that Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannu was provoking the local Sikh youths to do "mischievous things" against the BJP government and PM Modi.

SC Directs Punjab HC To Preserve PM Modi's Travel Record

The Supreme Court of India has directed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to secure and preserve the travel records of PM Modi's Punjab visit. The SC bench comprising CJI NV Ramana, Justices Hima Kohli and Surya Kant was hearing a plea by an organisation named 'Lawyer's Voice' which sought a judicial probe in PM Modi's security breach. It sought an independent inquiry into the matter and the suspension of Punjab Chief Secretary Anirudh Tewari and DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyay.

How the Prime Minister's security was breached

The Prime Minister was forced to postpone his Ferozepur rally after being blocked on a flyover for 20 minutes. PM Modi, who was scheduled to inaugurate projects worth Rs 42,750 crores and address a joint BJP-PLC-SAD(D) rally in Ferozepur, returned to Delhi before his scheduled visit to the National Martyrs Memorial via road. Around 30 km away from Hussainiwala, the Prime Minister's convoy was blocked by some protestors. The MHA termed it a major lapse in the security of the Prime Minister and his cavalcade was reversed to Bathinda airport.

As additional security was not provided by the Punjab government, the MHA stated that PM Modi headed back to the Bathinda Airport. Also, it sought a detailed report from the state government and demanded strict action. However, Charanjit Singh Channi claimed that the state government had no information of PM Modi's route change. Downplaying the 'security breach' charge, he stated that there was 'absolutely no threat' to the Prime Minister.


The Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday averted a major terror plot in the Union Territory's Doda town. According to sources, the army and the police received inputs about a suspicious individual from Doda who was known to be involved in the planning and assassination of terrorists who had previously surrendered. It is believed that the assassinations were planned for the coming months.

The terrorist Faroq Naik is said to have worked at the behest of Pakistan to revive terrorism in Doda. Following his arrest, Naik was put under judicial custody in Bhaderwah jail on Thursday. In addition, it is also believed that the arrested terrorist was also in touch with a few other apprehended terrorists in Kot Balwal Jail who were using virtual numbers for communicating through WhatsApp. The case brings a setback for terrorists and their Pakistan-based handlers who sought to revive terrorism in the Doda region.

Overground worker apprehended in Doda

In another instance, an overground worker of a terrorist organisation was apprehended on Thursday from Doda. According to sources, Ghulam Hussain was arrested after inputs from the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Sources added that Hussain was in touch with his Pakistan-based terrorist handlers. Apparently, he used to provide logistic support and information as well as receive money from Pakistan via Dubai. Currently, he is under custody in Bhaderwah jail.

Terrorist eliminated in Budgam encounter

In another boost to the anti-terror operations, Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday eliminated a terrorist in the Budgam encounter. The encounter broke out at around 10 PM on Thursday and after 9 hours of fight, one terrorist was killed. The operation is still ongoing and further details are awaited.

Image: Shutterstock/PTI
Jammu and Kashmir signed six agreements that will bring investments in the Indian Union Territory's real estate, infrastructure, tourism, healthcare and manpower employment sectors, among others at Dubai Expo 2020. Several UAE based businesses signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Jammu & Kashmir, which includes, Al Maya Group, MATU Investments LLC, GL Employment Brokerage LLC, Century Financial, and Noon E-commerce. One letter of intent (LOI) was signed with Magna Waves Pvt. Ltd, Emaar Group, and Lulu International, PTI reported.

Speaking at the Investors Summit in Dubai on January 6, Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, said that Jammu and Kashmir has transitioned from a dormant commercial destination to a region of opportunity and investment. In 2021, the Union Territory got $2.5 billion (approximately Rs 18,568 crore) in investments, demonstrating the region's vast opportunities and business potential, PTI reported.

Bilateral trade between UAE and India stood at Rs 4.45 lakh crore in 2019-20

Saying that Jammu and Kashmir is working to give an investment-friendly environment to its global investors, L-G Manoj Sinha said that India's participation at the Expo is a testament to the fact that the country values the UAE as a respected partner and that Jammu and Kashmir is honoured to be a part of this worldwide event and to expand its presence in the United Arab Emirates. The relevance of the Expo and the global exposure it provides has been recognised by several Indian states and industries.

Talking about the collaboration between India and the UAE, Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Albania, ambassador of the UAE Embassy said that India is the second-largest trading partner for the United Arab Emirates, and added that the UAE is the third-largest trading partner for India. He informed that in 2019-2020, the overall value of the foreign trade between the two was around $60 billion (Rs 4,45,602 crore). Dr Albania asserted his belief that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the UAE and India would be critical in strengthening bilateral ties. In the next five to eight years, he hopes that CEPA would boost commerce between the two countries from $60 billion to $100 billion.

Speaking at the Investors Summit on January 6, Sunjay Sudhir, India's Ambassador to the UAE, said that since the Indian government announced historic administrative changes in 2019, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as the most recent success story as a model of economic and social progress.

(With inputs from PTI, Image: PTI/Shutterstock)
Republic Media Network has accessed a copy of the letter that was sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security detail to the Punjab government ahead of his visit. The letter clearly states several threats that PM Modi faces, mainly from Pakistan-based terrorist organisations. Moreover, it also mentions Khalistani terrorist organisations such as the 'Sikhs for Justice' which also uploaded a video following PM Modi's shocking security lapse.

Here are some key points mentioned in the letter accessed by Republic Media Network

The letter mentions that on December 17, 2021, a Pakistani drone fell in the AOR between the BOP and Wan Tara Singh village

It further mentions that in 2021, around 59 drone activities were reported on the Indo-Pakistan border. The drones had come from the Pakistani side of the border

The letter also mentions the IED blast that had occurred on September 5, 2021, at the Namak Mandi in Ferozepur

In another crucial detail, the letter also highlighted the recovery of a tiffin bomb in the Ferozepur district on November 3, 2021

Further, the letter mentions that security agencies had busted a Pakistan-based International Sikh Youth Federation module in August-September 2021

The letter also speaks about the blast that occurred in a petrol tanker at Ajnala District in Amritsar on August 8, 2021

On September 22, 2021 associates of the Khalistani terrorist group Sikhs for Justice were apprehended with an IAD and a hand grenade

On November 21, 2021, a bomb blast occurred near the CID office in Nawanshahr

The high-profile letter also mentions the most recent incident wherein a bomb blast took place in the Ludhiana Court complex

Among other details mentioned in the letter include the Samyukt Kisan Morcha's (SKM) recently floated political party to gherao the Prime Minister's cavalcade. In addition, it also reveals that members of ETT, TET passed teachers were also given a call to gherao the Prime Minister. Moreover, it goes on to mention that SFJ's Gurpatwant Singh Pannu had provoked the local Sikh youth against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It also adds that locals had demanded the opening of the Hussainwala border for trade.

PM Modi's security breach

In a massive controversy ahead of the Punjab polls, PM Modi was forced to skip the Ferozepur rally on Wednesday as his security was compromised after arriving in the state. The problem started when the PM decided to travel to the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainwala by road instead of the air route due to poor weather. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, a major lapse was observed in the PM's security as his convoy was stuck for 15-20 minutes around 30 km from the destination due to a road blockade.

On account of additional security not being deployed by the Punjab government as a part of the contingency plan, the MHA added that PM Modi headed back to the Bathinda Airport. Furthermore, it sought a detailed report from the Congress government in Punjab and demanded strict action. On the other hand, Charanjit Singh Channi claimed that the state government had no information of PM Modi's route change. Downplaying the 'security breach' charge, he affirmed that there was 'absolutely no threat' to the Prime Minister.
In a massive development, a major terror plot was busted in Punjab on Friday. Punjab Police has arrested three people with two hand grenades, two pistols, three magazines and 18 live cartridges in the Moga district. The accused were trying to target a religious place, sources told Republic.

The trio was arrested when police signalled a black pickup van to stop near Chogawan village during the search operation. They, however, tried to flee but the police were successful in nabbing them. The weapons that were seized from the accused came from Pakistan, sources said.

Among three, one Gurpreet Sidhu alias Gopi was earlier also involved in the Amritsar tiffin bomb case. Meanwhile, after registering a case against the accused, they will be presented in court where police will seek their remand.

The Moga SSP said that one pistol and six 9 mm rounds were recovered from Gopi, one 9 mm pistol from Varinder and two grenades from Baljeet Singh. The police said that accused wanted to create an atmosphere of fear.

"They have links with abroad handler Arsh Dalla. Their handlers abroad pay them to get tasks done. They wanted to target Religious places to create fear among people. The attempt to create an anti-national atmosphere was being made from across the border," he said.

'Had links with Canada-based Arsh Dalla'

SSP Moga said that these people had links with a person named Arsh Dalla who is in Canada. Notably, Arshdeep Dalla's name was also mentioned in the letter from Prime Minister's security to Punjab Police.

"In the month of Sept-2021, an associate of Canada based Arshdeep Singh Dalla, Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF)'s chief, a Moga based activist along with his associates of SFJ (Sikhs For Justice) were apprehended with an IED, grenade and weapons, grenade and weapons in Bhikhiwind area, Taran Taran on 22.09.2021. These were suspected to be used for targeting VIP or BJP leaders. The presence of sleeper cells and anti-national elements in the area pose a serious threat to VVIP security," the letter had said.

Image: Republic World
Nearly two demonstrators have lost their lives, while 54 security personnel were injured in violent protests in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, on Thursday, according to Sudanese police. In a statement, police announced that approximately sixty individuals were arrested during the demonstrations and legal actions were taken against the suspects. Police have further accused the protestors of conducting aggression as well as violence against security officers, Xinhua reported.

According to eyewitnesses, the demonstrators attempted to enter the presidential palace but were dispersed by security personnel using tear gas. On Thursday, the new anti-military protests were held in the capital city, for the demand of a civilian government. Prior to the scheduled demonstrations, communications and internet connections on cellphones in Khartoum were blocked earlier in the day.

Furthermore, major routes in central Khartoum were closed, and military soldiers have been deployed all around the army's general command headquarters as well as the presidential palace. Prior to the anti-military rallies, there were announcements of closing of bridges connecting the three main cities of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri, while the Al-Halfaya and Suba bridges remained accessible to traffic.

Prime Minister resigns amid Sudan anti-military protest

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had announced his resignation on January 2 amid a surge of demonstrations in the nation during the recent weeks. In addition to this, following the Prime Ministers resignation, the United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on January 3 that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has denounced brutality against pro-democracy protestors in Sudan and asked security forces to use extreme caution. It is worth noting that Guterres' comments came after scores of protest-related fatalities, including the killings of two anti-coup protestors in Omdurman.

Sudan has been in political turmoil since Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the general commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, announced a state of emergency and dismissed the National Council and administration on October 25, 2021. Al-Burhan and then-Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had inked a political declaration on November 21, 2021, which included Hamdok's reinstatement as Prime Minister, however, the agreement failed to pacify the crowd in the street.

(Image: AP)
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo in Mombasa, Kenya, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Xinhua/Long Lei)

MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday said that he and Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo have reached the consensus that China and Kenya would strengthen and deepen their relations in four aspects.

Wang made remarks when meeting with the press together with Omamo Thursday in Mombasa, the coastal city of Kenya.

Wang said Kenya is China's comprehensive strategic and cooperative partner in Africa and an exemplary country for showcasing China-Africa cooperation on Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Kenya relations have become a model of China-Africa solidarity, cooperation and common development.

"Cabinet Secretary Omamo and I have reached the consensus that under the framework of the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership between China and Kenya, both sides should work to strengthen and expand partnership in four aspects," Wang stressed at the joint press conference.

For a start, the two countries need to be partners that firmly support each other. Both will unswervingly support each other in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests, and exploring development paths suited to their national conditions.

Second, the two sides need to be partners in accelerating development and revitalization. China and Kenya will continue to strengthen infrastructure development, trade and investment cooperation, and support Kenya in accelerating industrialization and modernization.

Third, both countries need to be partners in promoting China-Africa unity. China and Kenya will work together to implement the outcomes of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), continue to promote overall cooperation between China and Africa and jointly build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Fourth, China and Kenya should be partners in safeguarding regional peace. Both sides should maintain close communication on regional situation and hotspot issues, strengthen coordination and cooperation at the UN Security Council and other platforms, and play a bigger role in promoting regional peace and stability. 
As 12 people have been killed amid the ongoing unrest in Kazakhstan, the Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Stanislav Zas stated that the current developments in the nation are posing a serious danger to the nation's security, stability, and even their territorial integrity. During an interview with Sputnik on Thursday, Zas explained how the CSTO peacekeeping operation in Kazakhstan would function.

On being asked about grounds to send CSTO peacekeeping soldiers to Kazakhstan, the Secretary-General stated that they are providing the support under Articles 2 and 4 of the Collective Security Treaty, the Agreement on Peacekeeping Activities, as well as, the appeal for military assistance of the Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

According to the second article of the collective security treaty, in the event of a threat to the security, stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty of a state, the CSTO member states immediately hold consultations to coordinate their positions and take and implement measures to provide assistance to this state, Zas said as per Sputnik .

2,500 peacekeeping forces currently deployed amid Kazakhstan chaos

Furthermore, Zas also noted that the troops have already started redeployment. While talking about the duration of the deployment, he said it will be for a short time period of time which can range from several days to weeks. It will also be determined by the progress of the crisis in Kazakhstan and the perspective of the Kazakh government. If the situation becomes stabilise and can be managed by its own forces then, the operation will be terminated and all soldiers will be removed, he added.

In addition to this, peacekeeping troops from Russia and Belarus have already arrived in Kazakhstan to protect critical institutions, including the Baikonur cosmodrome. According to the Secretary-General of the CSTO, there are 2,500 peacekeeping forces currently on the ground to restore national security, which might be raised if necessary.

When questioned where the troops would be deployed, Zas asserted that this would be determined by the commander of this peacekeeping operation, in collaboration with police departments and Kazakhstan's Ministry of Defense. Further, he stated that the troops would be split into two categorie -- the first would be used for safeguarding the government's most vital strategic facilities, while the second would be deployed in assisting in the maintenance of law and order to keep people safe.

Kazakhstan protest

Massive protests began in Kazakhstan at the beginning of the year 2022, when citizens in Zhanaozen and Aktau opposed a two-fold increase in liquefied petroleum gas (LPF) prices, resulting in violent rallies, police clashes, looting, and property destruction. Kazakhstan President Tokayev declared a state of emergency until January 19th.

(Image: AP)
As Kazakhstan is witnessing large-scale demonstrations following massive surge in fuel price, the President of the United Nations Security Council has sent a note about the turmoil situation to the UN by Kazakhstan's Permanent Mission, Sputnik reported citing a UN source. The information note has emphasised that any demonstrations cannot justify assaults or killings of any law enforcement officials.

As per the UN source, The President of the UN Security Council sent an information note to the Councils member states from the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations about the ongoing situation in the country and measures taken by the authorities to stabilize it," Sputnik reported.

The note by Kazakhstan's Mission to the United Nations further reveals that the attacks, as well as strikes on government buildings, airports, essential infrastructure, and weapons stores, are indicative of the perpetrators' premeditated approach. Furthermore, this note came as demonstrations in Almaty and Aktau cities have continued on Thursday.

Kazakhstan protest death toll

According to official television Khabar 24, during violent demonstrations in the nation, nearly 13 police officials have been killed and 353 injured amid the chaos. Despite the government's responses, demonstrators marched through the streets in Almaty, the nation's largest city, a day after bursting into the presidential mansion and the mayor's office, AP reported. As per local media, gunshots and loud explosions were heard in Almaty.

Kazakhstan protests

In Kazakhstan, mass demonstrations started at the beginning of the new year. Citizens in Zhanaozen and Aktau protested a two-fold rise in liquefied petroleum gas (LPF) prices, which led to violent protests, severe fights with the police, robbery, as well as destruction. Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proclaimed a state of emergency until January 19 and requested assistance from Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping soldiers.

Furthermore, Peacekeeping soldiers from Russia and Belarus have landed in Kazakhstan to defend essential infrastructure buildings, which include the Baikonur cosmodrome. As per the CSTO Secretary-General, the peacekeeping troops on the ground consist of 2,500 personnel, which may be increased if necessary to restore stability in the nation.

In addition to this, earlier the UN had expressed alarm about the country's unrest and had urged restraint. The UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that he feels it is important for all parties involved in the current conflicting situation to exercise caution, avoid violence, and promote discussion in order to tackle all of the issues at hand.

(Image: AP)
As China prepares to host the Winter Olympics, several officials and members of the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan (HRNTT) staged a protest in front of the Bank of China in Taiwan. The protesters called for a boycott of the Winter Olympics due to the atrocities against religious and ethnic minorities in China, according to ANI. World Human Rights Day on 10 December, was the fourth weekly protest on Wednesday, 5 January.

In the demonstration on Wednesday, the protesters were joined by Taipei City Councillor Froggy Chiu and Secretary-General of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Shih Yi Hsiang. The representatives from Hong Kong and Uyghur dissident groups also participated in the protest. Tashi Tsering, the head of the Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan (HRNTT), announced that the organisation intends to encircle the Legislative Yuan, Taiwanese Parliament, on January 19.

HRNTT calls for All-Party resolution for boycott of Winter Olympics

The Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan plan to build pressure on the lawmakers in Taiwan for passing the All-Party Resolution for a boycott of the Winter Olympics, as per the ANI report. The HRNTT has alleged human rights violations in China and have called on lawmakers to boycott the Winter Olympics scheduled to be held in February. Tashi Tsering informed that they are carrying out the protest with caution amid the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue the protest for the boycott of the Winter Olympics. Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan is a coalition of Taiwan-based NGOs and members include Tibetan and Taiwanese social activists, professors, students and legislators, ANI reported citing International Tibet Network.

Local Uyghur community in Antwerp call for boycott of Winter Olympics

Earlier this week, the local Uyghur community in Belgium's Antwerp city took to the streets on Tuesday, January 4 to protest the Chinese administration's approach towards Uyghurs residing in China's Xinjiang province. The local Uygur community also urged the European nations to boycott the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, scheduled to be held in February. During the protest, the demonstrators raised slogans against the Chinese authorities to stop atrocities against the Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region. Furthermore, a US-based Uyghur rights activist has called on Europe to uphold its values and take necessary action against Chinese officials in Xinjiang province.

Inputs from ANI

Image: AP/Facebook/HumanRightsNetworkForTibetandTaiwan
Amid the surge of Omicron cases worldwide, the President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has criticised his nation's Health Regulatory Agency, Anvisa, for approving COVID-19 immunisation for children between five and eleven. Even though the COVID-19 vaccinations have been proven to be safe for children aged five and up by Brazil's health regulator as well as authorities throughout the globe, Bolsonaro said that vaccines might cause adverse effects in youngsters, but he provided no data to back up his claim, Australian Associated Press reported.

Brazilian President, who has boasted about not being inoculated and has questioned the efficiency and safety of coronavirus vaccinations, stated in a radio interview that there had not been many child fatalities from COVID-19 to support immunisation of youngsters. He even said that his 11-year-old daughter Laura would not be inoculated. Talking about the vaccination of children, Bolsonaro said, Are you going to vaccinate your child when the possibility of dying is almost zero? What is behind this? What are the interests of vaccine maniacs?", Australian Associated Press reported.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health stated on Wednesday that it had purchased nearly 20 million Pfizer-developed vaccines for children and that voluntary inoculation of youngsters aged five to eleven will start by the end of this month. After that, Bolsonaro reiterated in a later social media broadcast on Thursday that inoculation was not mandatory. "No town mayor or state governor can prevent a child from going to school for not being vaccinated," quoting the President, Australian Associated Press reported.

In addition to this, Bolsonaro cautioned that Pfizer is not responsible for any negative effects the vaccination may cause in children and that parents should seek medical attention immediately if their kid has chest pains or shortness of breath. However, earlier on December 16, Anvisa authorised the Pfizer vaccine shots for children, which had sparked outrage from vaccine opponents and the president, who urged that youngsters only be inoculated with a medical recommendation.

COVID tally in Brazil

Meanwhile, by the beginning of December, nearly 300 children aged between five to eleven have lost their lives in Brazil due to COVID-19 disease, as per the National Council of State Health Secretaries. Further, the President's criticism came as the government recorded 35,826 new COVID-19 instances in the previous 24 hours, the maximum number of infections in a single day since September. As per Worldometers, over 22,395,322 individuals have been affected by the disease in Brazil since the outbreak, and more than 619,730 people have lost their lives.

Image: AP
In a string of deadly piranha attacks in Paraguay this year, four people were killed and 20 others were injured, stoking fears among locals, according to the report published in the Mirror. On January 2, a 22-year-old man went missing during a family vacation in the Paraguay River near Ita Enramada, south of the capital Asuncion, when piranhas attacked him and pulled him underwater. His relatives alerted the authorities, and less than an hour later, he was discovered with severe bite marks from the fierce fish.

In a separate incident, a 49-year-old man drowned after going swimming in the Paraguay River in the town of Puerto Rosario as a result of a piranha assault. According to the report, he had bite wounds on his face. The body of a third victim, who had gone missing, was recovered by Members of the Naval Prefecture and the Public Ministry on Tuesday.

He was discovered floating in the Paraguay River and eventually died of suffocation from submersion, according to a forensic doctor. His face and feet were also covered in bite marks, Mirror reported.

2 killed in a branch of the Tebicuary River in Villa Florida

In addition, two other young persons were killed in piranha attacks in a branch of the Tebicuary River in Villa Florida. Their bodies were also discovered with bite marks, according to an Argentine publication. Hundreds of other reports of bathers and swimmers being bitten by piranhas in Itapua and other beach regions have been filed, the local media reported.

Only two kinds of Piranhas are known to attack humans

There have been several claimed attacks on the Parana River at the Bella Vista Fishing Club in the Itapua district, which were not fatal but resulted in serious injuries. Such attacks, according to local media, occur during hot weather. Although there are eight kinds of piranhas in Argentina, only two - serrasalmus marginatus and serrasalmus maculatus - are known to attack humans, according to Argentinian researcher Julio Caply, Daily Mail reported.

The deadly fish, according to the scientist, are mostly found in the Parana and Paraguay rivers, hiding under floating vegetation until abruptly bursting out to attack humans.

Piranhas are omnivorous fish that rarely attack humans unless there is a drought or they are particularly aggressive during their breeding season, which runs from October to March. According to the Mirror, this aggressive behaviour is more common in male piranhas and does not frequently end in a deadly attack.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: Unsplash/Representative
Many are pushed to the limit raising one child, or keeping their heads above water even without children.

Three Chinese women sit with their babies on a bench in Beijing in a file photo.

In May 2021, the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) unveiled new plans to boost flagging birth rates and reverse population aging, raising the official limit on the number of children per couple from two to three.

But the people who do most of the mental, physical and emotional work of child-bearing and childcare -- Chinese women -- may not step up to solve the government's population problems as readily as CCP leader Xi Jinping is hoping.

"I can't have another kid. Raising one child is like putting your money in a shredder," a service industry employee surnamed Li from the central city of Changsha told RFA. "There's no way I can have another one."

Qiu Xiaojia, a millennial from the eastern city of Hangzhou, has been married for three years, and thinks even one child is out of the question.

"We have bought a home now, and the monthly mortgage payments are higher than my monthly salary," Qiu said. "So where will the money to have kids come from?"

"I can't even afford one kid, let alone three," she said.

In the southwestern megacity of Chongqing, Ma Jing says she already works a six-day week at a tech company, and she and her husband have no plans to reproduce any time soon.

"I live from paycheck to paycheck, and still rely heavily on my parents," Ma said. "The property I live in belongs to them, I drive my mother's car, and I still can't save money."

"This policy may allow me to have three kids, but I won't be doing that; I haven't the means."

Li Dan, an older millennial based in Shanghai, says she could afford it, but she still won't be having them.

"The main reason for me, an older woman of child-bearing age, has nothing to do with money," Li said. "The main reason is that I'm a single woman."

Raising kids in China is a costly business, with parents stretched to find money for even one child's education. While state-run schools don't charge tuition until the 10th year of compulsory education, they increasingly demand nominal payments of various kinds, as well as payments for food and extracurricular activities.

Xi has said that "education and guidance should be provided to promote marriage and family values among marriage-age young people," with the Politburo promising tax and housing incentives in the pipeline for couples wanting to have children.

Other promised support measures include improvements to prenatal and postnatal care, a universal childcare service, and reduced education costs for families.

China's fertility rate stood at around 1.3 children per woman in 2020, compared with the 2.1 children per woman needed for the population to replace itself.

'Meaningless policies'

Yet the three-child policy is something of a volte-face, coming as it does just five years after the CCP scrapped the one-child policy, which gave rise to decades of human rights abuses, including forced late-term abortions and sterilizations, as well as widespread monitoring of women's fertility by officials.

"The policies are pretty meaningless without an idea of how they will be implemented and how much money the government will need to spend," Wang Zheng, associate professor of History and Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Michigan, told RFA.

"A core problem is that we have yet to see any government documentation reviewing the mistakes of the one-child policy," Wang said. "Without such a process of reflection, how will they ensure that they don't make a huge mistake in reproductive public policy?"

There are concerns that, as authoritarian means were used to police women's reproductive systems and limit births during the one-child policy, they could equally well be used to get them to have more children, according to Georgetown University Asian law researcher Zhao Sile.

"What is worrying about China is that it is not a democratic society, so it may not adjust its policies according to the actual needs of society," Zhao told RFA. "Instead, it may use authoritarian means [to implement them]."

"The next step will depend on whether the country adopts more compulsory policies on childbirth," Zhao said. "For example, will they link it to bonuses and promotions?"

"Will they restrict access to contraception and abortion?"

'Authoritarian, patriarchal system'

At the end of June, the Statistics Bureau in Hunan's Yueyang city issued a directive calling on officials to encourage couples to give birth, shortening the distance between the second and third child, prompting online criticism that the government regarded women as breeding stock.

"Such measures will only make women more resistant to childbirth," Zhao said. "China's authoritarian and patriarchal system is coming into serious conflict with the more individualistic evolution of modern women."

Qiu, whose employer forced her to sign a commitment not to get pregnant in the next three years, agreed.

"I feel that the barriers that prevent [women] from seeking a better future are getting higher and higher," she said. "I feel that anxiety every day of my life."

Official Chinese surveys have shown that nearly 60 percent of Chinese women have encountered questions about their marital status and childbirth intentions during the job application process, while recruitment ads frequently specify a preference for male candidates, or for women who are done having kids.

"In the past few decades, with economic growth, resources have fallen disproportionately in the hands of men," New York State University professor Dong Yige told RFA.

Along with that comes the stereotypical expectation that women should be good wives and mothers, encouraged and endorsed by Xi Jinping since 2013.

"All of this stuff is once more a part of mainstream discourse on gender," Wang Zheng said, adding that there will naturally be resistance to this attempt from Chinese women, despite the CCP's attempts to stamp out the country's grassroots feminist movement.

"It can't be done. Feminism has always been a decentralized and democratic movement," Wang said. "It's not like a political party or an organization."

"It springs up like the grass, like endless wildfires," Wang said. "As long as any woman has any kind of ideological awareness, they will sound like feminists."



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
One official is fired from his post for criticizing the Xi'an lockdown as 'inhumane.'

Workers tend a stall set up to buy food and other daily necessities in a residential compound in Xi'an in China's northern Shaanxi province, Jan. 6, 2022.

Police in the northern Chinese city of Xi'an have arrested dozens of people for spreading "rumors" online after the authorities banned the city's 13 million residents from posting negative reports from coronavirus lockdown. At the same time, a string of other arrests suggests growing public anger over restrictions that have left many without access to adequate food, daily necessities and urgent medical care.

Song Wentao, a high-ranking official with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, was fired after posting critical comments about the harshness of Xi'an's lockdown.

"Following an investigation, Comrade Song Wentao has been removed from the post of deputy director of grassroots construction department's organization section," the federation said in a brief statement on its website on Jan. 6.

Song had allegedly written that the Xi'an lockdown was "inhumane" and that its residents were more at risk of death and disease as a result of the measures than they were before it started.

His post came after reports of at least five people dying after being denied medical care, after hospitals were given strict orders to avoid nosocomial infections -- those acquired in hospital -- at all costs.

Sources told RFA that hospitals were sometimes not even admitting people who were able to provide a green health code on China's COVID-19 tracker app, which has crashed on a number of occasions amid a huge spike in traffic as lockdown regulations barred anyone from moving around the city without a green code.

An official who answered the phone at the Xi'an municipal health commission said that, similar to Wuhan in the early days of the pandemic, local health officials in residential compounds and communities are charged with deciding if a person should go to hospital.

"The health personnel in the community will contact the hospital on our behalf, and you must have a negative PCR test to go to hospital," the official said. "That's a test within the past 48 hours if you are in a controlled area."

But the official declined to comment when asked to confirm the number of lockdown-related deaths in the last 10 days.

"Journalists need to call the propaganda department," the official said.

Repeated calls to the health commission's propaganda department rang unanswered during office hours on Thursday, or resulted in a fax-like signal.

'Multiple online violations'

Meanwhile, the Xian branch of the Cyberspace Administration said it had jailed one social media user for 10 days and was currently investigating "multiple online violations linked to libel and rumor-mongering," the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s law enforcement website Chang'an reported.

"The Xi'an Cyberspace Administration ... is working with law enforcement ... to intensively investigate and deal with online violations such as fabricating rumors, inciting regional discrimination and insulting others," the report said, citing the case of a man surnamed Luo who was sentenced to 10 days' administrative detention for "maliciously fabricating false information" and "libeling disease prevention personnel" in his friends group on social media.

In one case, a 32-year-old person with the surname Yu "used insulting language to make several inappropriate remarks in a WeChat group named "The Xi'an Steamed Bun Association," Xi'an police said in a statement.

"The chat history spread, disrupting public order, with a negative social impact," it said, adding that Yu was jailed for seven days' under "administrative detention," a sentence of up to 15 days that can be handed down by police without trial to deal with perceived "troublemakers."

Two 33-year-olds surnamed Qin and Sun were handed a week's administrative detention for using "insulting language" to discuss the recent rise in the price of steamed buns in a WeChat group, while a 30-year-old surnamed Ji was jailed for five days for claiming online that he had been forced to pay for donated supplies.

Account holders investigated

Many account holders are being investigated for reporting "false diagnosis of cases" during the two-week lockdown, during which thousands of residents have been forcibly removed from the city to stay in out-of-town quarantine centers and others have been forced to stay home and denied medical treatment if they can't produce a green "health code."

"Cyberspace and public security departments will strictly and promptly deal with ... online rumors, malicious attacks, and related hype about the pandemic," the Cyberspace Administration warned in a statement.

Conflicts and public anger on the ground are also reflected in a list of altercations during lockdown.

A man surnamed Bai was handed a 13-day administrative sentence on Dec. 27 after "insulting" disease prevention staff who prevented him from leaving his residential community.

Xi'an residents have repeatedly taken to social media during lockdown to complain that isolation rules are being enforced so strictly that they have been unable to buy sufficient food or daily necessities, with some reporting being turned away from hospitals with dire consequences.

Two people surnamed Wang and Guo were jailed by police in Lintong district for 10 days after shoving staff as they were lining up for a COVID-19 test, while a man surnamed Ke was handed a similar punishment for driving through an exit barrier at a residential garage.

A person surnamed Luo was jailed for 10 days on Dec. 25 for claiming that many people had "died on the street" during Xi'an's lockdown, while a person surnamed Zhang got seven days for posting about a fight between residents of a village and police, who he said shot some people dead.

"Anyone refusing to comply with disease prevention and control measures and disturbing public order will be strictly investigated and dealt with in accordance with the law," the report quoted law enforcement agencies as saying.

Private conversations targeted

Beijing current affairs commentator Ji Feng said China's internet censors are particularly focused on what social media users are saying to each other in private conversation ahead of the Feb. 4-22 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

"[They are targeting] any posts or comments about Xi'an, especially those posted by people in Xi'an," Ji said. "You can't talk about the pandemic, and even if you don't talk about it, they are shutting down any groups that have any kind of negative energy."

"It's no longer just a question of killing the chickens to frighten the monkeys," he said. "Now they're killing the monkeys as well."

The government sent out a mass SMS message to Xi'an residents on Jan. 4, announcing a ban on any "negative news" on social media, warning that the authorities are carrying out "background surveillance" on all WeChat groups.

The order came amid a wave of public dissatisfaction and online complaints, as local people have been prevented from leaving their homes to buy groceries and basic necessities, or turned away from hospitals for medical treatment because they come from a high or medium-risk area.

Ling Zhenbao, a current affairs commentator based in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, said the government's "zero-COVID" strategy was leading to human rights violations.

"These compulsory lockdowns and 'clearing' of COVID-19 from the city don't demonstrate the superiority of China's governance model," Ling told RFA. "The whole fiasco is closely bound up with the self-promotion of local governments to get a good performance score."

"This makes it inevitable that there will be crude and brutal methods used, leading to human rights violations and even humanitarian disasters," he said.

Current affairs commentator Bi Xin said many of the social media reports criticizing the government turn out to be true, despite being slammed as "rumors" by officials and law enforcement.



Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A North Korean soldier walks past a field in North Korea, as seen from a boat on the Yalu river, opposite Hekou, in China's northeast Liaoning province on February 24, 2019.

Former North Korean soldiers are grumbling as the government is forcing them to provide free farm labor as part of a strategy to increase agricultural production and lend support to rural provinces, sources in the country told RFA.

Every North Korean male must serve in the military seven years after high school, but the soldiers being discharged now enlisted when the minimum service time was 10 years. Many are angry that they are being ordered to get back to work after having already begun preparing for life after the military.

The authorities made the decision at the 4th Plenary Meeting of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers Party at the end of December that they would deploy groups of discharged soldiers to farms, an official from the northwestern province of North Pyongan told RFAs Korean Service Jan. 3.

These are soldiers who were recently discharged at the end of 2021 or are just about to be discharged. Dissatisfaction is spreading among them, the source said.

One group of 200 veterans who had been stationed in the city of Chongju on the provinces southern coast had already returned to their hometowns when they got the call, according to the source. Hundreds more in the city who were discharged in November and December are on standby for their own deployment.

The reason why the authorities are placing veterans in the countryside at such a large scale is that the aging rural workforce is seen as the cause of the decrease in grain production, the source said.

Most observers have however chalked up the decrease to natural disasters, a lack of fertilizer and modern machinery, and other issues related to the closure of the border with China two years ago due to the coronavirus.

A Dec. 2 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said North Korea now needs external food aid to meet its basic needs. The FAO said North Korea should have imported 1.06 million tons of grain between November 2020 and November 2021 to cover the gap between domestic production and demand, but trade with China has been on hold since January 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As the news of this new policy of mobilizing veterans spread, the source said bribery attempts by veterans trying to remove their names from the list of workers have also.

In response, the Central Committee has warned against any deliberate act of evasion,  which would be regarded as an anti-party act to be severely punished. Many officials are nervous that they may be caught when they try to receive bribes, the source said.

Reports are circulating that 140 recently discharged veterans in the northern province of Ryanggang are to be assigned to a potato farm in a rural county, a resident of the provinces largest city Hyesan told RFA.

The Central Committee has instructed each farm to guarantee the living conditions and environment for the stability of the lives of the veterans, so even the farm owners have been very busy at the beginning of this year, the second source said.

The vets are really unhappy with the Central Committees order to deploy to rural areas. These soldiers left their hometowns as teenagers and devoted ten years to the military, but all they get in the end is another difficult and exhausting assignment to work in the countryside.

Translated by Claire Lee. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
NAIVASHA, Kenya, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said Friday it will conduct the second and final phase of voter registration from Jan. 17 to Feb. 6, amid intense preparation for Aug. 9 national polls.

Wafula Chebukati, the chairman of IEBC, said 4.5 million new voters are targeted in the 20-day exercise, adding that Kenyans in Diaspora will be eligible to obtain a voter's card.

"The enhanced continuous voter registration exercise phase 2 offers another opportunity for eligible Kenyans to register as voters, transfer polling stations or change their particulars," Chebukati said at a briefing in the resort town of Naivasha.

He clarified that the voter registration exercise for Kenyans living in diaspora will commence on Jan. 21 to Feb. 6 at the country's embassies abroad adding that the agency had put in place solid measures to facilitate a free and fair general election in August.

In addition to listing new voters, Chebukati said the electoral agency will later in the year conduct an audit on the voters' register to ensure it was authentic.

Kenya's electoral body conducted a voter listing exercise from October to November 2021 as part of preparations for August national polls where citizens will elect a new president, lawmakers and executives at the country's devolved units. 
Sources said the military fired indiscriminately into the village in response to a militia attack the day before.

A Myanmar military helicopter flies over a damaged helicopter that crashed during takeoff at Kawnghka village in Shan State on March 6, 2020.

Military attacks in Myanmar's Sagaing region killed at least 15 people this week, including four siblings aged 5-26 who died when a missile fired from a helicopter struck their home, sources said.

The two Mi-35 attack helicopters on Jan. 4 launched six rockets and fired machine guns into Gahe village, part of Indaw township in Sagaing, a northwestern region that has been a hotbed of resistance to the military regime that overthrew Myanmars elected government nearly a year ago.

The attack on Gahe was the first time the military used heavy weapons against the village, a resident of Gahe village, who did not want to be named for security reasons, told RFAs Myanmar Service.

Our village was a peaceful place and they attacked us for no reason, she said

We used to go out and watch the planes when they passed by, but now we wouldnt dare doing anything like that. One of the helicopters shot explosive rockets at us and the other used a machine gun, she said.

Of the six rockets fired into the village, five exploded. The attack killed four siblings aged 5, 9, 13 and 26, and a 30-year-old woman.

Only the body of the 30-year-old could be buried properly. The bodies of the siblings could not be recovered. They died when one of the rockets exploded in their house and it burned to the ground with them inside, sources said.

Additionally, one of the five people wounded in the attack was a child who fled into the jungle and has not yet received medical treatment, they said.

Sources estimate that 800 people from Gahe and the surrounding villages have been displaced due to fighting between the military and local militias, called Peoples Defense Forces (PDF), who oppose the militarys ousting of Myanmars democratically elected government almost a year ago.

In addition to the five deaths in Gahe, another 10 people were killed on Thursday in Kalay township, which is located in the western part of Sagaing on the border with India, when they returned to their villages after fighting there had seemingly died down, sources said.

The people returned to the village believing the situation had cooled down. Then the soldiers came back all of the sudden and shot everyone they saw and at least 10 were killed, a resident of Kalay told RFA.

Only two of the people killed in the attack have been identified, and the bodies have not yet been recovered. Nearly 10 houses in nearby Ingyun and Hakha Lay villages were also reported to have been set on fire Thursday.

After the attack in Gahe, the military continued conducting operations near the village and were still firing heavy weapons in the surrounding area, another resident of Gahe told RFA on condition of anonymity.

"I think they attacked our village thinking there were PDF members in the village. There are no PDFers here, she said.

This kind of thing has happened before in Htigyaing. We heard about 70 people lost their lives there she said, referring to a township adjacent to Indaw.

Many villagers fled their homes and took refuge in monasteries in Nar Naung and Kyawywar villages, another villager told RFA.

Some villagers have gone to be with their relatives but most of us are in monasteries because the soldiers came into the village the other day and spent the night there, she said.

When we left the village, we heard gunfire and small explosions. We were all scared and went to the monastery to take shelter," she said.

One day prior to the helicopter attack, PDF members attacked two military vehicles about 10 miles away from Gahe.

RFA tried to contact Maj. Gen Zaw Min Tun, spokesman for the military junta, but he did not respond.

Airstrikes against villages have happened frequently over the past year, an officer with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), an ethnic armed group that has been fighting the military since before the coup, mostly in nearby Kachin State, told RFA.

The armed clash occurred outside the village, not inside the village, but the army just fired back without knowing the target, and the villagers had to suffer, Col. Naw Bu said.

The Sagaing region is close to us. Our No. 26 Battalion is in the area. When there are movements in the area, there is some kind of confrontation. So, when that happens, they use airstrikes, he said.

Naw Bu said that the KIA has not launched attacks in the Sagaing region but has retaliated against military action in Kachin state. The military usually responds with airstrikes, he said.

According to data compiled by RFA based on statements by the shadow National Unity Government (NUG), there were 597 armed clashes in Sagaing region in the five months from June to November 2021, and a total of 274 civilians and 1,137 junta soldiers were killed over the same period.

The number of civilians killed by both sides in Sagaing through early December 2021 totaled at least 414, based on NUG monthly statements and reports from local media.

According to the Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, more than 75,250 people have been displaced by clashes in Sagaing region in the nine months from the coup until the end of October.

Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Demonstrators say his visit will hurt the people and lend support to the repressive military regime.

Protests erupted across Myanmar on Thursday ahead of the planned visit of rotating Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chair and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, with activists angered over what they see as his support for the military regime and its repressive rule.

In Tanintharyi regions Launglon township, students and other youths gathered early in the morning to express their disapproval with Hun Sen. A spokesman for the Dawei District Democracy Movement Strike Committee said that the visit would confer legitimacy on the junta that has failed to implement any steps to solve the countrys political crisis it agreed to in an April ASEAN meeting.

He is the dictator of Cambodia. It is completely impossible for someone like him to mediate in our countrys affairs, the spokesman said, as protesters stomped on photos of Hun Sen, which they later burned.

The military junta has implemented none of the five-point ASEAN recommendations so far, so coming here to our country to mediate implementation of the recommendations means nothing to us. It wont do any good and thats why we are protesting.

Protesters said that as a regular violator of human rights, Hun Sen is unlikely to hold the junta to account for their own abuses and expressed frustration for what they see as his support for the military regime.

Hun Sen, who assumed ASEAN chairmanship in October, and Special Envoy to Myanmar Prasat Khun were initially scheduled to arrive in Myanmar on Jan. 7 to meet with junta chief Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. However, on Thursday the visit was moved to Jan. 8. Myanmars military regime has yet to release any statement on the change.

A source close to Myanmars Foreign Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, told RFAs Myanmar Service he was unsure whether the Cambodian government had postponed the trip but that the junta had not.

In recent days, three bombs have been set off near the Cambodian Embassy in Yangon in protest of Hun Sen, while leaflets decrying the visit were distributed in Burmese, English and Khmer near the site. Armed groups have warned that they will not be responsible for the security of any diplomats who recognize the military government, while earlier this week, hundreds of anti-junta groups issued a statement urging Hun Sen to call off the visit.

On Wednesday, Hun Sen dismissed the suggestion that he would be soft on Myanmar, despite concerns that the trip  the first by a foreign leader since Myanmars Feb. 1, 2021, coup  would bolster Min Aung Hlaing, whose forces stand accused of committing widespread atrocities since the takeover.

Min Aung Hlaing initially signaled to ASEAN that he would end the violence in his country and allow the bloc to send an envoy to monitor the situation following an emergency meeting in April. However, after months of failing to implement any steps to do so, relations between the two sides have spiraled down, with ASEAN choosing not to invite junta delegations to several high-profile meetings, including its annual summit.

Meanwhile, more than 8,400 civilians have been arrested and 1,443 killed by junta authorities since February, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, mostly during non-violent protests of the coup.

Boh Nagar, a leading member of Sagaing regions Depayin Township Revolutionary Strike Committee, told RFA that more than 1,000 locals took part in anti-Hun Sen protests in four different locations in Depayin on Wednesday and Thursday.

We protested for two days. It was a protest under the headline, Hun Sen must not set foot in Myanmar, he said.

Our people still do not accept the coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and his minions. They are not recognized [as the countrys leaders].

Nearly 500 villagers from the Sagaing townships of Yinmabin and Salingyi also protested Thursday over Hun Sens visit.

We are here to show our opposition against the Cambodian dictator Hun Sen, who is giving support to Myanmars military dictator, one of the protest leaders told RFA.

We are here to tell Hun Sen not to come to our country because we dont recognize his support for the junta.

The group, which has been protesting daily against the coup, protested Hun Sen's visit today. A protest leader in Sagaings Kalay township told RFA that Hun Sens visit will not benefit the people of Myanmar in any way.

He is a guy who wants to work hand in glove with the coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and we cannot accept it at all because it comes in the form of recognizing the junta, the protest leader said.

Residents step on a photo of Hun Sen during a protest in Sagaing's Kalay township, Jan. 6, 2022. RFA Security tightened

Meanwhile, as authorities prepared to welcome Hun Sen to the capital Naypyidaw, a resident said that security had been drastically upgraded, with roads closed to traffic near hotels for state guests and police and soldiers deployed along the route from the airport.

Fully armed soldiers are guarding every road and alley, said the resident, who declined to be named. Police and military vehicles are patrolling the city. Security is very tight.

Barbed wire barricades on the Pyinmana-Taungnyo Road in Naypyidaw, which had been closed since the coup last year, were removed on Thursday. The road was the site of huge anti-coup protests in February and a young woman named Mya Thwei Thwei Khaing became one of the first civilians to die after being shot in the head by police.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Hasiyet Ehmet has not been heard from since her abduction four years ago.

A Uyghur woman abducted from her home in China's far-western Xinjiang region in the middle of the night more than four years ago was sentenced to 14 years in prison for providing religious instruction to children in her neighborhood and hiding copies of the Quran, sources with knowledge of the situation and local police said.

Hasiyet Ehmet, now 57 and a resident of Manas (in Chinese, Manasi) county in Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang, has not been heard from since she was abducted by authorities in May 2017, said the source who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal by Chinese authorities.

Police from the countys No. 3 police station broke into Hasiyets home and put a black hood over her head, refusing her request to put on other clothes and gather her medicine before they took her away, according to the person with knowledge of the situation.

A Manas county court official confirmed that Hasiyet Ehmet had been sentenced to 14 years.

It was because of teaching kids the Quran and hiding two copies of Quran when authorities were confiscating them, and later getting caught, the official said. These were the reasons for her sentences.

Nine years before her arrest, Hasiyets husband was convicted of separatism charges and sentenced to life in prison in 2009, the source said.

Hasiyet had stopped teaching children two years before her arrest because of health problems. She also refrained from attending public events, said the source.

Chinese authorities have targeted and arrested numerous Uyghur businessmen, intellectuals, and cultural and religious figures in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region for years as part of a campaign to monitor, control, and assimilate members of the minority group purportedly to prevent religious extremism and terrorist activities.

Many of them have been among the 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities believed to be held in a network of detention camps in Xinjiang since 2017. Beijing has said that the camps are vocational training centers and has denied widespread and documented allegations that it has mistreated Muslims living in Xinjiang.

Hasiyet was arrested along with some of her neighbors and held for 15 days after questioning, said the chairman of the local neighborhood committee, a grassroots-level organization in China that monitors residents. Authorities arrested her a second time that September and sentenced her.

Staff at the Manas county police department declined to answer questions about Hasiyet, only telling RFA that there were not many Uyghur police officers or Uyghur residents who lived in the county, which covers nearly 9,200 square kilometers (3,550 square miles).

Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture has a population of more than 1.6 million people, according to Chinas latest census data on Xinjiang, issued in June 2021. The information did not break down the population at the county level.

A police officer in Manas did not deny that Hasiyet was in detention but said it was a state secret and provided no further details.

Another source with knowledge of the situation told RFAs Uyghur Service after it first reported on Hasiyets case that authorities sentenced the woman to 14 years in prison  seven for teaching the Quran and giving religious lessons to local children and another seven for hiding two copies of the sacred text during a time when police began confiscating religious books from Manas county residents.

Authorities did not try Hasiyet on the charges in court, but instead sent a court verdict letter to her family, the person said. But because Hasiyets husband was serving a life sentence in prison, her parents were dead, and the whereabouts of her 13-year-old daughter were unknown, the letter may have been delivered to her husbands family.

The verdict statement briefly summarized the reasons for her abduction along with her prison term, the source wrote to RFA.

Translated by the Uyghur Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Test kits were overpriced and not WHO-approved for effectiveness, a government ministry says.

A medical worker takes a swab sample to be tested for the COVID-19 virus in Hanoi, Aug. 20, 2021.

A senior Vietnamese health official has pledged to return a donation given by a COVID testing company as part of a growing bribery scandal that has already ensnared several corporate executives and government workers, Vietnamese sources say.

Nguyen Van Sau, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for southern Vietnams Binh Phuoc province, said on Jan. 2 that he will return the donation, described as a gift of unnamed value, given in December by the Viet A Company, which won a bid to provide test kits to the province.

Around 90,000 kits were sold to Binh Phuoc at a value over VND 40 billion (U.S. $1.75 million) but were overpriced and did not meet international standards set by the World Health Organization, according to media reports.

The Viet A Company had earlier claimed WHO approval in an April 2020 announcement, state media said.

But in fact, the WHO only gave its approval to assess the kits for effectiveness and had not approved their use, Trinh Thanh Hung, deputy director general in the Ministry of Science and Technologys Department of Science and Technology, is quoted as saying in local media reports.

The value of the gift received by Sau was not publicly disclosed, but a panel set up by the Binh Phuoc Health Department will oversee its return, the department said.

Vietnams Ministry of Public Security on Dec. 31 announced a widening of the case against the Viet A Company and government agencies across the country, with company leaders Phan Quoc Viet and Vu Dinh Hiep and Hai Duong provincial CDC director Pham Duy Tien charged with giving and taking a bribe valued at VND 27 billion, or about U.S. $1.18 million.

Twelve officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Health have also been arrested, with three now facing charges of abusing their position and rights while performing official duties. Nine others have been charged with violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences.

Saus pledge to return his gift may have been forced by the Ministry of Public Securitys moves against other officials involved in the case, a health expert from southern Vietnams Ho Chi Minh City said, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

The most important thing will be to see how far they pursue this, as many individuals have been found to be involved in the case from the central government to provincial and business leaders, he said. Its noteworthy that they are all top brass and not just the rank and file.

Investigators may deal with the case only within limits, though, as their goal will be to combat corruption and recover some state assets, he said.

I think they will not use a really heavy hand, as they would face the risk of losing their regime.

Anti-corruption expert Pham Quy Tho said the giving and receiving of staggering commissions has been a subject of discussion in Vietnam for many years but has never been effectively addressed.

The question raised by this particular high-profile case is how enterprises can operate in a one-party rule environment where government officials morals have deteriorated, he said.

Will the Central Steering Committee be able to promote institutional reforms before everything gets worse, or will it just continue to enter the fight in order to deal with the consequences?

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Anna Vu. Written in English by Richard Finney.
A straw poll of residents in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, indicated that they were mostly unhappy about the decision to send their country's troops as part of a Russian-led military intervention to shore up the authoritarian regime in Kazakhstan. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) mission was requested by Kazakh President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev after days of anti-government protests swept the country.
A British warship hit a Russian hunter-killer submarine with the ships sonar equipment while on patrol in the North Atlantic, the U.K. Ministry of Defense has revealed.



The Royal Navys HMS Northumberland was tracking the Russian submarine in late 2020 when the Type 23 frigates towed array sonar  a long cable with hydrophones that trails underwater behind a ship  collided with the submarine.



The incident was captured by a film crew for a Channel 5 documentary, Warship: Life at Sea, that is airing in the UK.



The Ministry of Defense had previously never commented on the collision but has confirmed it now because it was captured on camera.



In late 2020 a Russian submarine being tracked by HMS Northumberland came into contact with her towed array sonar," the Ministry of Defense said in a statement provided to several British media outlets on January 6. "The Royal Navy regularly tracks foreign ships and submarines in order to ensure the defense of the United Kingdom."



A Defense Ministry source told the BBC that it was unlikely the submarine deliberately collided with the sonar cable.



In the television program, there is a scene of the moment the crew on the HMS Northumberland realizes something happened. The crew shouts: What the hell was that?



It is unclear whether the Russian submarine suffered any damage.



However, the HMS Northumberland had to return to port in Scotland to replace the damaged sonar.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has expressed optimism over an eventual return to a hobbled nuclear deal with Iran but warned that "time is running out" on those international negotiations.

"I remain convinced we can reach a deal. Bits of progress have been made in the last few days," Le Drian told BFM TV and RMC Radio on January 7. "We have been heading in a positive direction in the last few days, but time is of the essence, because if we don't get an accord quickly there will be nothing to negotiate."

The United States, whose withdrawal from 2015's multiparty Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPOA) three years ago led to renewed unilateral sanctions to pressure Iran's leadership, said this week that a round of talks begun on January 3 had seen "modest progress."

The talks restarted late last year after a pause accompanying the installation of a new, hard-line Iranian president last summer.

Tehran took steps to breach the JCPOA after the U.S. withdrawal and frustrated international inspection efforts more recently, and has insisted the United States lift its sanctions before it returns to a deal.

Western leaders urging a return to the deal have resisted specific deadlines but warned that there are "weeks not months" to hammer out an agreement to salvage the six-year-old agreement.

Iran has consistently rejected Israeli and Western accusations that it is seeking a nuclear weapons capability, even as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has cited deception and obfuscation in the past by Tehran over sensitive nuclear activities.

Based on reporting by Reuters
Iran said on January 7 that it is prepared to meet bilaterally with countries whose nationals died in Iran's accidental downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet two years ago, but it couched the offer in defiant terms that echoed days of denials after the tragedy played out in the skies over Tehran.

The statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry followed a joint announcement by Ukraine, Britain, Canada, and Sweden that they were abandoning a two-year effort to negotiate with Tehran over reparations for the victims and would pursue the matter through international legal channels.

Iranian officials eventually blamed the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), a branch of Iran's armed forces, for firing on Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 with 176 people aboard because of technical and human error and with tensions high between Tehran and the United States.

"Despite certain countries' illegal actions and attempts to exploit this tragic event..., Iran remains ready to negotiate bilaterally with each of the relevant states," Iran's Foreign Ministry said via state media.

It said any talks should respect "sovereignty, domestic laws, and international obligations."

It was unclear what illegalities the Iranians believed any other countries had committed.

More than 130 of the passengers had ties to Canada. Citizens or residents of Afghanistan, Britain, Iran, Ukraine, and Sweden were also killed.

Canada said in June that it found no evidence of premeditation in the downing of the aircraft.

In May, Human Rights Watch accused Iranian security agencies of harassing and abusing the victims' families to "squash any hope for justice."

A Canadian court last week awarded $84 million and interest to the families of six of the victims.

The Iranian government said separately on January 7 that it has begun paying compensation to the families of those killed.

"The Transport Ministry has made transfers to a certain number of [victims'] families," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Arash Khodaei, a vice president of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization, said that "the sum of $150,000 has been transferred" to some families, while "the process has begun" for others.

The payment "does not infringe upon [their[ right to take legal action," state news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.

Ukrainian and Canadian officials strongly criticized the announcement, saying compensation should not be settled through unilateral declarations.

The Foreign Ministry statement marked the second anniversary of the downing of the flight on January 8, 2020. Three days after the Kyiv-bound flight was shot down, the Iranian armed forces admitted its forces had acted "by mistake."

With reporting by Reuters and AFP
President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev has issued a stark warning to protesters in Kazakhstan that he has given security personnel a green light to shoot to kill even as the nations police forces, bolstered by a Russian-led troop contingent, appeared to be in control of most cities in Kazakhstan after dozens were killed in unprecedented anti-government demonstrations..

Though sporadic gunfire could still be heard in the main city of Almaty on January 7, the unrest over a fuel price hike that has ravaged many cities in recent days appeared muted, with RFE/RL correspondents in several cities saying law enforcement had taken control of the situation.

The Interior Ministry said Republican Square in Almaty, one of the main flash points of violence in clashes between police and protesters, had been cleared of criminal groups. RFE/RL journalists said they saw three bodies in different locations around the square as they surveyed it.

Dozens of people -- including 18 security officers -- were killed in the clashes as protesters torched and ransacked public buildings in several cities in the worst violence in the Central Asian state's 30 years of independence.

The number of people detained reached 3,811, the Interior Ministry said, according to state television channel Khabar 24.

Toqaev said early on January 7 that order had "basically" been restored in the country, but later followed up those comments in a televised state address by saying that bandits -- a word officials have used repeatedly to describe protesters who have threatened his authoritarian governments survival -- would be dealt with severely.

"I have given the order to law enforcement agencies and the army to shoot to kill without warning," Toqaev said in the address while rejecting international calls for dialogue.

The protests erupted in the western region of Mangystau on January 2 over the doubling in the price of subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) before spreading and morphing into calls for political reform in the tightly controlled country.

Mobs have stormed government buildings, setting some of them on fire, looted businesses, and torched and overturned cars as they called for reforms after decades of stifling rule in the oil-rich former Soviet republic.

In response, Toqaev declared a nationwide state of emergency until January 19, with curfews, restrictions on movements, and bans on mass gatherings.

The spiraling violence also prompted him on January 5 to ask the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a regional military alliance, to help "stabilize the situation, which Toqaev has blamed on foreign-trained "terrorists."

I think one lesson in recent history is that once Russians are in your house, it's sometimes very difficult to get them to leave."

The first Russian paratroopers quickly arrived, followed by troops from CSTO member Belarus on the evening of January 6. More Russian troops were expected to arrive on January 7 alongside units from Armenia and Tajikistan, which approved sending 200 troops to its neighbor. On January 7, Kyrgyzstan also approved sending 150 troops and military equipment to Kazakhstan.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington has questions about Kazakhstans request for assistance from the CSTO. The top U.S. diplomat said the Kazakh authorities certainly have the capacity to deal appropriately with protests in a way that respects the rights of protesters while maintaining law and order.

So it's not clear why they feel the need for any outside assistance, so we're trying to learn more about it, Blinken said on January 7. I think one lesson in recent history is that once Russians are in your house, it's sometimes very difficult to get them to leave."

Blinken also said the U.S. hopes the government can quickly address the problems, which he said were "fundamentally economic and political in nature."

China, which also shares a long border with Kazakhstan, has backed Toqaev so far. State television on January 7 said President Xi Jinping spoke with Toqaev, noting that Beijing opposed any use of force to destabilize Kazakhstan and threaten its security.

The speed at which the CSTO arrived on the scene in Kazakhstan was seen by some analysts as another sign of the Kremlin's strategy to act quickly to safeguard its influence in the former Soviet Union.

Mukhtar Ablyazov, the fugitive former head of Kazakhstan's BTA Bank and an outspoken critic of the government, told the Reuters news agency on January 7 that claims by Toqaev and officials in Moscow that foreign-trained terrorists were behind the protests were an attempt to distract people from the fact that the unrest is a result of internal problems caused by the government.

He added that Kazakhstan is now the focus of a geopolitical play with Russian President Vladimir Putin looking to use the situation to "methodically impose his program: the re-creation of a structure like the Soviet Union."

Ablyazov, is the leader of the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement, which for months has openly called on Kazakhs to rally against the government. The authorities labeled the DVK "extremist" and banned it in March 2018.

Ablyazov managed BTA when it was the country's largest private bank, but he later had a falling out with government officials -- he accused former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, and many of Nazarbaev's family members of being involved in large-scale corruption and embezzlement -- and fled to London in 2009. The bank was subsequently nationalized by the Kazakh government.

The Interior Ministry said 26 "armed criminals" had been "liquidated" and more than 3,000 detained. Eighteen police and national guard troops had been killed since the start of the protests this week, it added.

The Health Ministry said on January 6 that more than 1,000 people had been injured and 400 hospitalized since three days of protests erupted into violence on January 5. Sixty-two people are in intensive care, it said.

An unknown number of people have reportedly also been killed in at least two smaller towns, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reported.

Some journalists reported at least a partial restoration of Internet services that had been cut off in much of the country, but connection problems were still hampering communication.

A report from regional website kg.24 claimed that two airplanes that belong to the family of 81-year-old Nazarbaev, who ruled the country firmly for almost three decades, had landed at Manas Airport in neighboring Kyrgyzstan overnight, and at least one had then left Manas shortly after midnight local time.

But RFE/RL could not confirm that report, and there was no word on who might have been aboard the aircraft.

In an attempt to distance himself from the past, Toqaev on January 5 dismissed Nazarbaev from the powerful post of head of the country's Security Council and relieved a longtime Nazarbaev associate of his post as chairman of the National Security Committee (KNB).

With reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters
ALMATY/NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan -- Aigerim Tuleuzhanova, an activist with Kazakhstans unregistered Democratic Party, was in a crowd of some 200 protesters at Almatys Republic Square on January 6 when a group of soldiers opened fire with live ammunition.

The large crowd was standing within view of the Almaty mayors office, which was still smoldering after being set ablaze by an angry mob the previous day, when the shooting began.

But the bloody incident has gone unreported because with access to the Internet severed across the country and mobile-phone services cut by the state-run KazakhTelecom, the voices of the protesters in Kazakhstan have effectively been silenced in international media reports.

That has left the governments version of events as the dominant narrative -- despite the lack of any evidence supporting President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaevs claim that the protests have been driven by international terrorist bands who had undergone special training abroad.

To be sure, there was gunfire near Republic Square on January 6 amid reports of ongoing clashes between security troops and armed demonstrators.

The Interior Ministry says it liquidated more than 26 armed criminals and arrested more than 3,000 people in recent days. It said 18 police and national guard troops had been killed. Some reports claim dozens of demonstrators have died since the protests began.

Tuleuzhanova insisted in an interview with RFE/RLs Kazakh Service that those who were fired upon at Almatys Republic Square shortly after sundown on January 6 were young, unarmed Kazakh activists.

Attempting to push back on Toqaevs narrative, the group had unfurled banners declaring We are not terrorists! and Toqaev: Dont shoot us!

From the "crisis center" -- the temporary place Tuleuzhanovas group had set up on the square for protesters to gather -- the group had earlier announced its demands.

They called for the complete resignation of Toqaevs government along with the creation of an interim administration headed by a representative of civil society.

To bolster security amid the chaos, they demanded the immediate deployment of foreign peacekeepers from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) -- the Russian-led security group that also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Interestingly, Toqaev also requested and has since received CSTO troops.

The protesters also called for the formation of local militia units to protect people from what they described as provocateurs.

In fact, the demands of demonstrators have proliferated as the protests have spread across the country since a low-key January 2 demonstration was staged in western Kazakhstan against fuel price hikes.

One key demand by many people for democratic reforms would force regional officials to have to take part in elections instead of being appointed by the presidential administration in the capital, Nur-Sultan.

But critics note that Kazakhstan has never had an election deemed as free and fair by Western observers since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

In the January 2021 legislative elections, no opposition groups were voted into the Kazakh parliament. Thats because attempts to register for that vote by opposition groups like the Democratic Party and Nurzhan Altaevs El Tiregi (National Reliance) party were all rejected.

The only officially registered political party that calls itself opposition, the All-National Social Democratic Party, boycotted the vote as a sham.

Rights activists say Toqaevs administration has effectively removed all legal ways for citizens to participate in politics -- leaving Kazakhs without any political intermediaries to resolve the countrys economic problems.

Mukhtar Ablyazov, leader of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) movement that was banned in 2018 as an extremist group, rejects Toqaevs claims of foreign-trained terrorists being behind the protests.

Ablyazov, the fugitive former head of Kazakhstan's BTA Bank who has been accused of crimes in Kazakhstan and Britain, says Toqaev is trying to distract attention from the fact that Kazakhstans unrest is the result of internal problems created by the government.

Activist Marat Turumbetov told RFE/RL that is why he was protesting at Republic Square on January 6.

Shortly after sunset, Turumbetov says the troops that approached Republic Square in armored personnel carriers from Nazarbaev Avenue opened fire on the crowd using machine guns and live ammunition.

Bella Orynbetova, an activist living near the square, counted five police patrol cars, three armored personnel carriers, and military trucks with dozens of soldiers advancing along Satpaev Street to the square.

Other nearby residents said they could hear grenades exploding and bullets whizzing through the air.

RFE/RL correspondents report that one 20-year-old man was shot in the chest and died while others tried to transport him to a hospital.

Turumbetov says he also counted five other wounded demonstrators on the square who were waiting to be taken to a hospital. But he said there were no ambulances for them.

Within an hour, the troops cleared the demonstrators from Republic Square, along with the temporary headquarters they had set up.

But correspondents report that sporadic gunfire and explosions continued throughout the night in central Almaty.

In a statement condemning the incident, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet noted reports that said intense shooting had erupted on January 6 between the military and armed individuals in front of Almatys city hall near Republic Square.

Bachelet urged all involved -- including security forces, protesters, and others -- to refrain from violence and to seek a peaceful resolution to their grievances.

International law is clear, Bachelet said. People have the right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression. At the same time, protesters, no matter how angry or aggrieved they may be, should not resort to violence against others.

Bachelet also reminded the Kazakh authorities that lethal force, in particular live ammunition, should only be used as a last resort against specific individuals to address an imminent threat of death or serious injury.

But on January 7, authorities in Nur-Sultan doubled down on Toqaevs claim that the protests across the country were the work of foreign-trained terrorist gangs.

Kazakhstans Interior Ministrys statement on the Almaty shootings claimed early on January 7 that Republican Square had been cleared of criminal groups.

Meanwhile, Toqaev himself announced on January 7 that he had given an order to Kazakh police and the army to "shoot-to-kill without warning."

Toqaev also rejected the idea of talks with protesters, saying it was not possible to negotiate with criminals and murderers.

Written by Ron Synovitz in Prague with reporting by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service correspondents in Almaty and Nur-Sultan.
BISHKEK, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China and Kyrgyzstan have reached a very high level of cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago, Kyrgyz expert Sheradil Baktygulov has said.

By adhering to the principle of equality and mutual benefit and focusing on practical results, the two countries have achieved a high level of interaction in a very short period of time, the expert told Xinhua on Thursday.

On cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Baktygulov said, "this initiative is much broader in its meaning and content, and differs from the strategies and initiatives of other states, primarily because it lacks the monocentrism of a superpower."

"The Belt and Road Initiative breaks the usual stereotypes," he said, adding the initiative has become the driving force of good-neighborly relations between China and Kyrgyzstan. 
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has pledged to engage "in good faith and on substance" in talks with Russia next week, but he said the alliance will not compromise on core principles, including the right of nations to decide whether they want to join.

Stoltenberg spoke at a press conference on January 7 in Brussels after a videoconference of NATO foreign ministers, saying the meeting had stressed "that any further aggression against Ukraine would have significant consequences and carry a heavy price for Russia."

But he appeared to dismiss a key Russian demand on NATO expansion.

We will not compromise on core principles, including the right for every nation to decide its own path, including what kind of security arrangements it wants to be a part of, Stoltenberg told reporters.

Stoltenberg also said a Russian military buildup near Ukraine has continued.

"We see armored units, we see artillery, we see combat ready troops, we see electronic warfare equipment, and we see a lot of different military capabilities, he said.

The buildup, combined with Russia's security demands, and its track record in Ukraine and Georgia, "sends a message that there is a real risk for a new armed conflict in Europe, Stoltenberg said.

The U.S. Mission to NATO said earlier that NATOs 30 members were united against Russian military action in Ukraine.

"Ahead of the forthcoming NATO-Russia Council, they underlined the need for diplomacy, dialogue, and de-escalation," the mission said on Twitter.

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics echoed the U.S. missions comments, saying on Twitter the alliance is ready to engage in dialogue with Russia but not at the expense of our values or key principles."

The foreign ministers held the videoconference amid Western warnings about tens of thousands of Russian troops amassed near the border and with Russian President Vladimir Putin demanding guarantees that NATO won't allow Kyiv to join the transatlantic military alliance.

Ukraine, which has been fighting a war with Russia-backed separatists in its east since Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014, has repeatedly asserted its strategic and foreign policy goal of NATO membership since the alliance promised eventual full membership in 2008.

Moscow has responded by accusing the United States of destabilizing the Black Sea and other nearby regions and saying its troop movements are an internal matter.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on January 6 about "risk reduction near Ukraines borders," according to the Pentagon.

The NATO foreign ministers meeting was the first in a flurry of high-level talks involving NATO, senior U.S. and Russian officials, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) over the next week.

The first is scheduled to take place in Geneva on January 10 when veteran U.S. and Russian diplomats are scheduled to gather in an effort to avert a crisis. The same day, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will visit NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The NATO-Russia Council is then slated to meet for the first time since 2019 on January 12 to discuss Ukraine, transparency, and risk reduction.

EU foreign ministers then meet in northwestern France on January 13-14, with reports suggesting they and their allies are preparing harsh punitive measures to be enacted if Russia escalates militarily against its neighbor.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed direct U.S.-Russian talks slated for next week but stressed that "European security architecture" is "up to us to build."

France officially took up the six-month, rotating European Union Presidency at the start of January. Macron spoke alongside European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on January 7, both stressing the need for European involvement.

"One thing is clear: no solution without Europe. Whatever the solution, Europe has to be involved," von der Leyen said.

Von der Leyen said the European Union is "very present" in Ukraine, including through billions in financial assistance to Kyiv and the bloc's reliance on Russian natural-gas shipments through Ukraine.

Western leaders are said to be working on what they have pledged are tough financial and other punitive measures to be implemented if Ukraine escalates militarily against Ukraine.

Macron said "it's a good thing that there are discussions between the United States and Russia," and added that "coordination between the Europeans and Americans is exemplary on the matter."

But he called for the European Union to hold its own talks with Moscow.

"Dialogue does not mean making concessions," he added.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa, and Politico
The European Commission chief and the EU's new French leadership have stressed the need for European involvement as Russia and the West continue to square off diplomatically over the possible threat of escalated conflict in Ukraine.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on January 7 that "one thing is clear: no solution without Europe. Whatever the solution, Europe has to be involved."

The United States and its EU partners have stepped up warnings of major consequences if Russia invades Ukraine as Moscow masses troops near the border and presses demands for security guarantees against NATO expanding eastward.

Von der Leyen said the European Union was "very present" in Ukraine, including through giving billions in financial assistance to Kyiv and the bloc's reliance on Russian natural gas shipments via Ukraine.

Speaking alongside von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed direct U.S.-Russian talks slated for next week but stressed that "European security architecture" was "up to us to build."

France officially took up the six-month, rotating European Union presidency at the start of January.

Western leaders are said to be working on what they have pledged are tough financial and other punitive measures to be implemented if Russia escalates militarily against Ukraine.

Macron said, "it's a good thing that there are discussions between the United States and Russia," and added that "coordination between the Europeans and Americans is exemplary on the matter."

But he called for the European Union to hold its own talks with Moscow.

"Dialogue does not mean making concessions," he added.

NATO foreign ministers are scheduled to meet virtually on January 7 to coordinate members' approaches to Russia.

U.S. and Russian officials are to meet in Geneva on January 10. This will be followed by NATO-Russian and EU gatherings with discussion of the Ukraine crisis high on the agenda.

Based on reporting by AFP
The United States and its European allies will hold a series of high-level talks next week with Moscow, addressing the Kremlins demands for sweeping restrictions on NATO enlargement and operations as well as Western concerns about what U.S. intelligence says are Russian preparations for a possible new invasion of Ukraine.

The stakes are high for all parties involved. The outcome of the meetings -- and how Russian President Vladimir Putin chooses to assess them -- could have enormous consequences for the future of Ukraine, NATO, and European security, analysts said.

The three separate sets of talks, slated for January 9-13, come at a nadir in post-Cold War relations between the West and Russia, which has increasingly used military force and energy leverage to claw back some of the geopolitical influence it lost with the collapse of the Soviet Union three decades ago.

Fears of an escalation of the war in eastern Ukraine will be in the air as Western and Russian officials meet first in Geneva, then in Brussels, and then in Vienna to discuss, among other things, Russias demands for what it calls security guarantees -- but what some analysts term an aggressive bid for a recognized sphere of influence -- as well as what Western officials say are Moscows destabilizing actions across much of the continent.

Russia has amassed about 100,000 combat-ready troops north and east of the border with Ukraine and in Crimea, which Moscow occupied and seized in 2014, and is also backing separatists in the eastern Donbas region where an armed conflict with Kyiv has killed more an 13,000 people since the same year.

Kyivs efforts to escape Moscows orbit, avert any further Russian aggression, and potentially join NATO in the future are issues that will be at the heart of the talks, at least informally.

The Kremlin has called NATO membership for Ukraine a red line. One of the main demands set out in the proposed agreements with the United States and NATO last month was a binding pledge that the Western alliance would never take in Ukraine or any other country near Russias borders.

John Herbst, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 2003-06 and now an analyst at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, told RFE/RL he believes the Russian buildup is an attempt to intimidate the United States, Germany, and Ukraine into making concessions during the talks.

U.S. and NATO officials have said that some of Russias demands, such as a bar on NATO expansion and the withdrawal of NATO infrastructure from Central and Eastern Europe, are nonstarters -- and that Russia knows this.

That has led some analysts to suspect they are just political theater ahead of an offensive against Ukraine, while others argue they are the opening salvo by a confident Russia in serious, long-term talks.

U.S. President Joe Bidens administration has called some of Russias demands unacceptable, stressing that every nation has the sovereign right to determine which alliances to seek to join.

At the same time, the administration has said that diplomacy with Russia on security issues is merited -- but that it must be reciprocal. U.S. officials have also emphasized repeatedly that no decisions will be made without consulting allies and partners, including Ukraine.

The meetings kick off on January 9-10 in Geneva, where U.S. and Russian officials are expected to discuss the mounting tensions over Ukraine as well as arms control. On January 12, the first meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in over two years is to be held in Brussels.

Those talks will be followed by a January 13 meeting in Vienna within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which includes the United States, its European allies, Ukraine, and Russia.

Neither Biden nor Putin will be attending the meetings.

'Bargain Through Warfare'

Russia listed its demands in two draft agreements, one with the United States and one with NATO, that it took the unusual step of issuing publicly after amassing the troops along Ukraines border.

Cast as proposals but issued amid implicit threats of the use of military force, the demands follow years of complaints from Putin about NATO's eastward enlargement, as well as what analysts say is his own failure to assuage concerns in neighboring nations and the West about Russia's intentions.

At a widely viewed annual press conference on December 23, Putin called on the United States and NATO to accept the proposals immediately. He later warned that if Russia is not satisfied with the Western response, its actions will depend on what proposals our military experts submit to me.

Yuval Weber, an expert on Russian military and political strategy at Texas A&M's Bush School in Washington, D.C., called Russias proposals an ultimatum. He said Russia is not offering the West anything in exchange for NATOs unilateral disarmament other than a promise to solve a crisis it artificially created on Ukraines border.

It's all take and no give, he said of the Russian proposals. What they're trying to convey to the larger West is, We're willing to bargain through warfare.

However, he said he believes Putin will take any concession now that gets him closer to the goal of creating a sphere of influence, and would then use that as the new starting point the next time he initiates a crisis in Europe.

Officials and analysts differ on the likelihood of Putin launching large-scale military action against Ukraine if he isnt satisfied with the results of the talks. Some have suggested Russia could try to seize the portion of Ukraine east of the Dniepr River.

Herbst said such a major invasion is highly unlikely but did not rule out Russia trying to seize smaller pieces of Ukrainian territory, such as Zmiyiniy Island, a sliver of land in the Black Sea that safeguards the nations shipping corridor.

Others have said Russia could carry out targeted missile strikes against Ukraine.

The Biden administration has said that the buildup appears to be a prelude to a new invasion, but that it believes Putin has not yet made a final decision.

Some analysts say the optimal outcome for the West and Ukraine would be nothing more than an agreement to continue talks with Russia that temporarily stalls military action.

But such a result would put Putin in a hard spot, said William Pomeranz, deputy director of the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute.

Putin has backed himself into a corner with Russias military buildup and tough rhetoric, and it would be hard for him domestically to just walk away empty-handed, Pomeranz said.

Putin needs something more tangible than just we had a meeting in Europe with NATO, he said.

Herbst said he thinks Putins level of control over the Russian media, elite, and security services gives him complete flexibility to reverse course and de-escalate if he decides to do so.

Oleksandr Danylyuk, a former secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, told an Atlantic Council conference that the upheaval that erupted in Kazakhstan this week could give Putin an excuse to step back. Russia has sent troops to the Central Asian nation under the auspices of the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.

'Massive' Consequence

As the talks approach, a big question is whether Putin wants to step back -- or can be persuaded to do so. Analysts say Russia may have mounted the buildup because Putin feels a sense of urgency, believing that the time to try to thwart Ukraines growing ties with NATO and the United States is now.

Russia sees this [buildup] as necessary to be taken seriously, Weber said.

The United States has given more than $2.5 billion in defensive military aid to Ukraine, including lethal anti-tank missiles, since Russia seized Crimea, fomented separatism, and backed the anti-Kyiv forces in the Donbas in 2014.

While Russia has a strong capability to destroy critical Ukrainian infrastructure today, Weber said, that may not be the case in several years if the country continues to build up its defense capabilities with the help of NATO.

Russia may also feel it has the wind at its back at the moment to drive hard bargains amid a surge in prices in Europe for energy, especially natural gas, in the dead of winter, Pomeranz said. He said Putin may be betting that Europes dependence on Russian energy will weaken Western unity on deterrence measures.

The Biden administration has been trying to corral European allies behind a united, tough response to discourage Russia from an attack on Ukraine. In the run-up to next weeks meetings, Biden and his top foreign policy aides have held extensive talks with their respective counterparts in Europe to coordinate their response.

During the talks with Russia, U.S. and European officials are expected to lay out the massive economic consequences they are prepared to impose should Russia attack Ukraine. They are also expected to say they will increase military aid to Ukraine in the event of an attack as well as bolster NATOs presence near Russia.

Olga Oliker, the director for Europe and Central Asia at the International Crisis Group, said that Western deterrence needs to credibly threaten escalation unacceptable to Russia if it is to work, because Putin is willing to go to war if he doesnt get what he wants.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a diplomatic solution to deter a Russian invasion of Ukraine is still possible but warned that the West is ready to respond forcefully if that fails.



Speaking at the State Department in Washington on January 7 ahead of his meetings with allies and Russian officials to address the buildup and European security in general, Blinken blasted the Kremlin, accusing it of instigating the crisis along Ukraines border in an attempt to carve out a sphere of influence.



Blinken said the West is going into the talks committed to diplomacy but will not compromise on key principles, such as NATOs open-door policy and the right of Ukraine to join the alliance.



Russia massed about 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine and in Crimea in the late autumn before presenting the United States and NATO with a list of demands for security guarantees, including an end to the alliances eastward expansion.



The United States has said the buildup could be a prelude to another invasion of Ukraine, something the Kremlin has denied.



Blinken said Russia is trying to turn three sets of talks next week into a debate about NATO but that Ukraine will be front and center on the agenda...because that's what precipitated this crisis.



U.S. officials will meet with their Russian counterparts on January 10 in Geneva followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels on January 12. A meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) -- which includes the United States, Ukraine, and Russia -- will be held in Vienna on January 13.

Blinken used his address at the State Department to lay out what the United States sees as the root cause of the crisis, highlight Russian "malign" activities that have destabilized Europe, and counter various Russian interpretations of events.



Blinken dismissed Russian allegations that Ukraine was to blame for the current crisis as absurd and more gaslighting.



The top U.S. diplomat said the root cause of the crisis lies in Russias inability to accept Ukraines decision to pursue a democratic path.



He listed a long series of Russian aggressions against the country -- including territorial annexation, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, energy strangulation -- ever since Ukrainian citizens ousted Kremlin-leaning President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.



Blinken also rejected Russian President Vladimir Putins claims that the West broke an agreement with the Soviet Union not to expand NATO and that the alliance is a threat to Russia.

He said no such agreement was ever reached between the West and Moscow and said that NATO had reduced the size of its forces following the end of the Cold War until Russia attacked Ukraine in 2014.



Blinken did not exclude that Russia's "nonstarter" demands could be a ruse to justify military action against Ukraine, saying its part of [the Kremlins] playbook.

He also said Russia could try to instigate an incident and then use it as a justification to attack Ukraine, hoping that by the time the world realizes the ruse, it'll be too late.



He said another attack against Ukraine likely will only work counter to Putins stated goals as NATO would be forced to bolster its presence on the continent.



However, Blinken held out hope the West and Russia could make progress on some issues, including increasing transparency, instituting new risk reduction measures, and on arms control.



He said Russia must address the concerns of the West about its malign actions across the continent.



We go into [these meetings] committed to diplomacy, committed to dialogue, but equally committed to stand up for the principles that Russia is putting at risk, he said.
What does the Kremlin want out of Kazakhstan, why did it send troops -- and how will the upheaval in the neighboring nation affect developments in Russia itself for years to come?

Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward.

About Face

In 2010, when a Moscow-dominated military alliance was asked to send troops to quell violence in Kyrgyzstan, it declined.

Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president at the time, said that for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a mission like that is justified only by "violations by a state or nonstate entity of a CSTO member states borders. In other words, an attempt to seize power from the outside."

Over a decade later, it took the CSTO just a few hours to respond to a similar request from Kazakhstans embattled president -- in the affirmative. And hours after that, troops from Russia and other members of the six-country CSTO were on their way to the Central Asian country that was abruptly wracked this week by widespread popular protests and a violent police response.

It was the first time the CSTO has ever sent troops into a member state for anything more than exercises, parades, and the like.

The CSTO has held joint exercises and cooperated in counternarcotics efforts, but the deployment of troops to Kazakhstan is a first.

What changed?

Officially, the situation in Kazakhstan is different from the situation in neighboring Kyrgyzstan in 2010: After initially calling protesters hooligan elements, President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev later claimed that the country was under attack by "terrorists" who "received extensive training abroad."

He provided no evidence of the alleged training or any other foreign involvement in the protests, which were sparked by anger over vehicle-gas prices and were rooted in desperation over economic conditions for the majority in the energy-rich country and concerns about corruption among members of the elite.

Russian officials soon echoed the theme of interference from abroad. On January 5, President Vladimir Putins spokesman said Moscow was confident that the Kazakh authorities could handle the situation themselves. On January 5 -- after statues of longtime former President Nursultan Nazarbaev were toppled and crowds stormed several government buildings -- the Russian Foreign Ministry framed the events in Kazakhstan as an attempt, inspired from the outside, to undermine the security and integrity of the state by force.

Given the lack of evidence of outside involvement, however, that narrative sounded like a pretext to many people who study Russia, Kazakhstan, or both.

So, what are Russias real motives?

The simplest answer is that Putin -- surprised by the sudden upheaval in Kazakhstan, a vast fellow former Soviet republic that shares a long border with Russia and has close, warm ties with Moscow despite tensions bubbling beneath the surface  wanted to try to avert any major political change there.

Maybe so. Its hard to imagine that Putin, who is mindful of popular anger against authoritarian leaders, and whose attention lately seems laser-focused on a mounting confrontation with Ukraine and NATO that is mostly of his own making, welcomed the news that protests were sweeping Kazakhstan.

Drinking Shampanskoye?

Toqaevs request for CSTO intervention was bad news for Moscow, R.Politik, a think tank headed by analyst Tatyana Stanovaya, wrote on Telegram. It puts Russia in a highly uncomfortable position, being pulled into an internal conflict where it would not like to fall foul [of] any of the involved conflicting sides.

Once the toothpaste was out of the tube, though, Putin may have decided to try to make the most of it: not just avert a loss of influence in Kazakhstan but use the situation to attempt to increase Moscows sway in the country of 19.2 million, which is the ninth-largest in the world by area and is a key ally in the CSTO and Eurasian Economic Union, a regional customs bloc widely seen as Putins attempt to mirror the EU.

Russia was presented [with] a sudden crisis that it now seeks to turn into an opportunity, Maksim Suchkov, director of the MGIMO Institute for International Studies in Moscow, which provides policy analysis to the Russian Foreign Ministry, wrote on Twitter on January 6.

Moscow has a chance to take the most advantageous position for itself -- a physically forceful presence on the territory of a state that is crucial for Russia in the role of a guarantor upon whose position further events depend, Fyodor Lukyanov, chairman of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, a think tank with close ties to the Kremlin and the government, wrote in a January 6 article.

For Russia, the ideal situation when it comes to countries of interest is to install a power fuse that makes it possible not to worry too much about the internal political dynamics there, Lukyanov wrote. In other words, it doesn't matter who gets the upper hand, because any government will have to take into account the objective circumstances -- the Russian military presence.

The events unfolding in Kazakhstan come amid a major effort by Moscow to gain influence over Ukraine and even the rest of Eastern and Central Europe, in part by keeping those that are not NATO members out of the alliance and limiting military deployments and cooperation across the region. At the same time, Russia has increased its sway over Belarus by propping up autocrat Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid massive protests following a 2020 election many say he stole.

The Kremlin may see the situation as an opportunity to rope Kazakhstan -- which has maintained a distance from Russia despite the close ties by pushing back against efforts to make the Eurasian Economic Union more of a political alliance, among other things -- even closer into Moscows orbit.

I wouldnt be surprised if some strategists in Moscow are already drinking champagne thinking that Russia will soon secure full loyalty of [Toqaev] and his team with relatively cheap intervention. In and out in a few weeks, Anton Barbashin, editorial director at the media outlet Riddle Russia, tweeted on January 6.

Maybe hold off a bit on popping those corks, though.

With decades of Soviet-era domination by Moscow as a backdrop, Russias aggression against Ukraine since 2014 has heightened concerns about its intentions across the former U.S.S.R. In Kazakhstan, hints of possible Russian designs on the country's largely Russian-speaking northern reaches are a particular worry.

Putin has stoked concerns with a series of provocative comments that appear mostly aimed at Ukraine but have raised hackles elsewhere as well, such as his reference to the collapse of the Soviet Union as the disintegration of historical Russia."

So, sending in troops is a risk, and the reception Russia gets may depend in part on whether their role is limited to guarding key facilities or branches out into crowd control or other activities that might pit them directly against opponents of the authorities.

Kazakhstan is another test, after Belarus, of [Russias] ability to help stabilize its formal allies [without] alienating their populations, Dmitry Trenin, director of the Carnegie Moscow Center, wrote on Twitter on January 6.

Lots of potential pitfalls around, but [it could be a] big boon if Moscow succeeds, Trenin added.

Beyond Kazakhstan, a CSTO deployment that goes relatively well could help bolster Russias reputation among fellow members of the alliance, while also sending a signal that Russia is ready to intervene -- or withhold intervention, if it chooses -- when those governments get into trouble.

Failure or the use of excessive force, however, could increase the concerns in those countries about Russias intentions, potentially pushing away both their leaders and their citizens and making Moscows efforts to maintain or increase its influence more difficult.

I wont venture to guess what [Kazakhs] will think about the Russian military presence, Arkady Dubnov, a Russian expert on Central Asia, told the Internet channel TV Rain (Dozhd). Its too risky.

The assigned task of the troops may be merely to guard facilities, but that was the assigned task of the [Soviet] military contingent in Afghanistan during its first weeks there, Dubnov said, referring to what developed into the devastating 1979-88 war of occupation.

President For Life?

Meanwhile, the unrest in Kazakhstan could have major repercussions inside Russia as well -- in 2022, in 2024, and beyond.

A conclusion swiftly drawn by several observers was that it will make any let-up in the state clampdown targeting Kremlin opponents, civil society, independent media, and dissent in general even less likely in 2022 than it already was. Not that a let-up was expected in the first place.

One thing is clear -- there will be yet another crackdown in Russia as a result of the events in Kazakhstan, Barbashin wrote on January 5.

Numerous analysts said the developments in Kazakhstan would also make Putin more likely -- or again, even more likely than he already was -- to run for reelection in the next presidential vote, due in March 2024.

Why? To spare himself from the fate of Nazarbaev, the long-ruling Kazakh leader who stepped down from the presidency in 2019  and now may be out of top echelons of power for good.

In 2019, at the age of 78, Nazarbaev announced he was resigning as president but staying on as chairman of the ruling party and the powerful Security Council -- as well as retaining his status as elbasy, a title that translates as Leader of the Nation and came with lifetime immunity for himself and his family.

Nazarbaevs move was watched closely by Russia-watchers -- and presumably by Putin, who at the time faced a bar on reelection in 2024, due to a limit of two consecutive terms -- and appeared to be considering a number of potential ways to keep a hold on power once out of the presidency.

One of the possible pathways that was frequently cited was a role as the head of the State Council -- a mostly ceremonial body that, if given more clout, was seen as a way for Putin to maintain power while handing off much of the responsibility of the president to a trusted successor.

The spotlight on that option faded in 2020, when Putin pushed through a constitutional amendment that freed him up to run again in 2024 -- and 2030 -- if he wishes. Toqaevs dismissal of Nazarbaev as Security Council chief, and the protesters focus on elbasy as the man representing and responsible for the inequities in Kazakhstan -- may make it even more likely that Putin will try to stack the odds against such a development by staying on as president.

The Kazakh events make [the] Kazakhstan power transit scenario virtually impossible for Russia, Aleksandr Baunov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center, wrote on Twitter on January 5. Now Putin will hardly be inclined to leave his position to a successor and watch over him as a head of National Security Council or some other government body.

Pavel Lokshin, Moscow correspondent for the German media outlet Welt, put it more simply. In a tweet displaying photos of a statue of Nazarbaev that had been torn down and cut in half, the torso and head lying face up on the cobblestones, he wrote: Bad news, Putin is never going to retire.

NOTE: The Week In Russia will not appear next week. It will return on January 21.
CANBERRA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The joint statement of the Australia-Japan leaders' meeting interferes in China's internal affairs, said the Chinese embassy in Australia on Friday.

The joint statement, "in total disregard of the facts, makes groundless accusations against China on a series of issues related to China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and unscrupulously interferes in China's internal affairs on issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan," said the embassy in a media release.

It noted that as members of the region, Australia and Japan should have played a positive role in enhancing mutual trust and cooperation, maintaining regional peace and stability, and promoting regional prosperity and development.

"Instead, they should not violate international law and the basic norms of international relations, grossly interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and should not provoke division and confrontation, or form a small circle to keep others out. They should not target a third party or undermine its interests," the embassy said.

China is a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order and a provider of public good, according to the media release.

"On the journey to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, China will resolutely defend its sovereignty, security and development interests," said the embassy.

It urged Australia and Japan to see the underling trend of history, view China's development objectively, embrace the trend of the times and make positive efforts to promote regional peace, stability and development.

Leaders of Australia and Japan held a virtual meeting on Thursday, and signed a security agreement in the name of strengthening "security and defense cooperation." 
Written By

Joe Schulz served as the reporter of the Green Laker in 2019 and 2020, before being hired as a reporter for the Commonwealth in October 2020. He is from Oshkosh and graduated from UW-Oshkosh in December 2020 with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

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MINSK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The freezing cold of Belarus's winter has never cooled down Kirill Koroteev's eagerness to frequently check the construction progress of "Great Stone," an industrial park 25 km away from the country's capital Minsk.

As the first deputy general director of the Industrial Park Development Company CJSC, Koroteev said he was filled with joy and enthusiasm by witnessing "Great Stone" taking shape.

According to Koroteev, the year 2010 was of special significance for him. In that year, China reached consensus with Belarus on building a Chinese-Belarusian industrial park, which, Koroteev said, changed his life path.

With joint efforts from both countries, the consensus was soon put into practice. In September 2011, governments of the two countries signed an agreement on the construction of the park. In September 2012, Koroteev began to work at the Industrial Park Development Company CJSC.

During the development of the project, Koroteev visited China to learn and study China's practice and experience in implementing such projects.

On May 12, 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, accompanied by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, inspected the industrial park. The two presidents attended the commissioning ceremony of the first batch of enterprises moving in and signed a development plan for the park.

With the active support from the governments and enterprises of the two countries, the construction of the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park now is in full swing. "Great Stone" is gradually becoming a modern park with upgraded infrastructure and facilities.

Koroteev said he is especially grateful to Chinese banks, enterprises and contractors for their roles in implementing this project.

Yuan Xun, head of the Belarusian division of Zoomlion, a Chinese machinery equipment maker, said that his company had invested 45 million U.S. dollars in "Great Stone," planning to produce 1,000 units of mechanical equipment with sales of about 100 million dollars each year. The company has also created 200 jobs for local people.

Koroteev noted that the park is also attracting more and more local people and companies from different countries. At present, there are more than 80 enterprises from more than 10 countries operating in "Great Stone."

Amid the epidemic, the industrial park continues to maintain an upward trend. In the first nine months of 2021, industrial production of the park increased by more than 50 percent from a year before; investments in fixed assets increased by more than 33 percent; sales of goods, equipment and services increased by 100 percent.

Koroteev said he has witnessed the development of China-Belarus cooperation, which plays a role in the exciting Belt and Road Initiative. In 2020, he was awarded the honorary title of Silk Road Friendship Envoy.

Looking into the future, Koroteev is full of confidence. By focusing more on scientific and technological research and development, as well as high-tech and ecological industrial production, the park will play a bigger role in the development of Belarus, he said. 
This particular FTA is expected to play an important role in trade and investment with participating countries that currently account for 30% of the world population as well as 30% of global GDP.

Economic impact

As of 7 December, eleven countries have ratified the RCEP agreement, which include six ASEAN countries, namely, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, and Thailand, and five non-ASEAN countries, namely, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and South Korea. When RCEP finally comes into effect, ASEAN countries are expected to create a strong momentum for recovery in three major aspects.

Firstly, there will be reduced tariffs and unified rules of origin. Before RCEP, exports from ASEAN countries were usually carried out within the framework of ASEAN+1 FTAs, such as ASEAN-China (ACFTA), and ASEAN-Japan (AJCEP). In intra-regional trade, the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) was used. These agreements provided different rules of origin. For instance, for ACFTA, businesses used form E, for ATIGA it was form D, and for AJCEP it was form AJ.

When the rules of origin are agreed upon, it will create better conditions for goods to circulate, help businesses increase their ability to meet the conditions for preferential tariffs, and increase exports in the region. In addition, RCEP will eliminate upto 90% of tariffs on goods exchanged between signatories in the next twenty years from the date it is enforced. In 2022, China will eliminate upto 70% of tariffs on goods imported from ASEAN, which will be a huge benefit as China is one of the three largest export markets of ASEAN. Other ASEAN countries such as Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, and Vietnam will also eliminate upto 75% of tariffs on imports from China.

Secondly, RCEP will strengthen harmonization of non-tariff measures (NTMs). NTM food safety standards, packaging, and labeling requirements will be promoted for transparency through the application of international standards and mutual recognition of assessment procedures between participating members. Despite some progress in NTM related regulations in ATIGA, businesses still frequently complain about the complexity and cost of complying with non-tariff standards imposed by import partners.

Thirdly, RCEP is expected to stimulate cross-border e-commerce. RCEP will promote paperless commerce, carry out administrative procedures by electronic means, and recognize legality on par with paper records. It will also encourage authentication and electronic signatures. Besides, RCEP also has provisions to protect network users and personal data.

Conditions for Vietnam

In the trade structure, RCEP accounts for 50% to 55% of Vietnam's total import and export turnover. In this, exports account for about 25% to 30%, and imports account for 70%. Hence the first challenge is to reduce the trade deficit from RCEP countries. By taking advantage of favorable conditions to exploit markets that are still sluggish after the pandemic, we are likely to experience an expansion of the trade deficit. In this context there are many enterprises having abundant resources, especially in China and South Korea, the two largest trade deficit countries of Vietnam. If there is no handling of these measures, it will affect the exchange rate and thereby greatly affect the revenue of Vietnamese exporters.

In addition to the import problem, Vietnamese enterprises must compete with partners in accessing attractive markets. Previously, because of bilateral and ASEAN+1 FTAs with Japan and South Korea, Vietnam partly had a tariff advantage over rivals such as China. However, with disadvantage of capital as well as low management capacity and technology level, we may gradually lose market share to other enterprises. In order to overcome these inadequacies, Vietnamese enterprises need to actively prepare and learn the habits and tastes of these vital export markets.

Vietnam is considered to have many advantages in export of agricultural and aquatic products, which meets the needs of many countries. However, the ability to add value to exports is not high because agro-forestry-fishery enterprises often use Free On Board (FOB) prices, that are released from liability when goods are delivered at the port of departure. Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic appeared, most partners requested to switch to Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF), which is the price at the border gate of import party, including cost of insurance and transportation of goods to border gate of the import party. This has made many businesses passive because they have no experience in negotiating with shipping lines.

Another problem is in promoting e-commerce to catch up with the trend. Besides some outstanding achievements due to the online shopping boom during the lockdown period, Vietnamese e-commerce still show many weaknesses such as higher prices and poor quality as compared to advertising images, as well as risk of disclosure of personal information. In the context that RCEP requires parties to improve their ability to protect consumer personal information online, this weak point can make Vietnamese enterprises much inferior to foreign competitors.

To overcome this situation, state agencies should consider promoting the provision of public services such as electronic customs, tax declaration and payment, and electronic import and export procedures. At the same time, support enterprises need to distribute and circulate goods at home and abroad, complete information, transport and logistics infrastructure, to reduce the burden of costs, and facilitate product cost reduction. There should be a clear legal framework to ensure the safety of e-commerce platforms as well as consumer information.

Le Duong Anh Tuan, School of Business, UEH University
The 126.9 million USD credit is provided through the WBs International Development Association (IDA). The project is being co-financed by a 19.5 million USD grant from the Development Related Infrastructure Investment Vehicle (DRIVE), a facility provided by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The balance of the project cost is to be funded by the Vietnamese Government.

Vinh Long City is strategically located along the economic corridor that connects Ho Chi Minh City with the Mekong Delta, and has great potential to become a regional hub for agribusiness, trade, and tourism. However, flooding and poor environmental sanitation are major impediments holding back the citys development. Located at a low elevation on the Tien River plain, about 60 percent of the city is prone to flooding.



The Vinh Long City Urban Development and Enhanced Climate Resilience Project, at a total cost of 202.2 million USD, will help remove physical constraints to development in the urban core area through the development of flood control systems, drainage, wastewater collection and treatment, and investment in key urban roads.



According to the WB, nearly half of the projects funding will be used to develop flood risk mitigation measures, including embankments and tidal sluice gates, rehabilitation and upgrades of the canal and drainage system, and investments in green infrastructure to retain and infiltrate rainwater. The project will also support the building of three strategic roads that will improve the inter-city connectivity and further enhance the citys flood protection capacity.



This project will further improve urban management and planning through investments in data, information and communication technology. Key components will include an integrated flood risk management information system, a geospatial data sharing platform, information, education, and communication campaigns, and improved transportation management.
Danvers, MA (01923)

Today

Periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
Ambitious plans by a local church to renovate the long-abandoned Ritz Theater on Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido  plans that include the razing of an adjacent commercial building on Juniper Street and construction of a new two-story structure that will be incorporated into the theaters design, are swiftly coming together.

In just a couple months, if things stay on track, New Vintage Church will have purchased the Ritz and the other building and won approval from the City Council for the $7 million project.

The hope is to start construction in early 2019 and finish in time to hold next years Christmas Eve services in the theater.

As envisioned, the theater will become a place for New Vintage to hold services on Sunday while the rest of the time it will serve the downtown community as both a movie theater and stage production venue. Uses for the new building on Juniper Street, which will replace the single-story structure that now houses the Arthur Murray Dance Studio, an accounting business, a hair studio and a dress shop, will include a restaurant or cafe and a variety of other uses mostly geared toward children and teens.

The Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Ritz Theater are at the corner of Grand Ave. near Juniper St. in Escondido, shown on August 15, 2018. (Photo by K.C. Alfred/San Diego Union-Tribune) (K.C. Alfred / San Diego Union-Tribune)

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Lead Pastor Tim Spivey says the church views the project partly as giving a gift to the city, a gift that is New Vintages way of paying back a gift it received about seven years ago.

Back in 2011, New Vintage was a new church leasing space from Hidden Valley Christian Church at the corner of 13th and Juniper streets. But Hidden Valley fell on hard times and had to shut its doors at which time they gave the building to New Vintage, no strings attached.

The church was given to us and we feel we now have a chance of giving something back to somebody else, Spivey said. Its a big old gift to the city. Thats how we see it.

Spivey said the church imagines showing vintage movies at the theater at low cost and selling popcorn for perhaps 25 cents a bag. He said theater groups will use the full stage that will be built in front of the huge screen.

It would be hard for a regular business owner to try to make such a venture work, Spivey said, but for New Vintage to be behind the project makes total sense.

We dont have to make money, he said. Our revenue comes from other sources.

More than half the funding for the Ritz project will come from the sale of the churchs exisitng building, Spivey said, with the rest coming from a variety of church capital initiatives. Both the Ritz and the Arthur Murray building are in escrow, and the city has given the thumbs up to the plans although details are still being negotiated and final designs are still being prepared.

The Ritz Theater opened in 1938 with seating for nearly 900. The remodel will likely call for nearly 600 seats.The theater was popular until 1951, according to the website cinematreasures.org, when a fire gutted the interior. It reopened in 1954, but never again did as much business.

In 1970, it became an X-rated movie house called the Pussycat Theater that the city was able to shut down after a few years. The theater went through a couple other rebrandings and remodels but eventually closed for good in 2003.

Spivey, with help of realtor friends, contacted the owner of the theater, Chuck Borough, who gave him a tour last December.

The place was enormous, Spivey said. Huge, high ceiling that makes it seem bigger than it really is. The original seats are in there and theres a huge movie screen that is still attached but not useable.

Spivey then contacted an old architect friend who has designed similar projects. The architect suggested trying to buy the adjacent commercial building, which they did and found another willing seller.

We were able able to negotiate a reasonable price on both buildings and put them in escrow. The total cost for both buildings will be just under $2 million, which we think is a steal, Spivey said.

Nothing has been written in stone yet, but the city held a meeting last week, attended by Mayor Sam Abed and other city officials, who were all supportive.

Abed on Thursday said the plans make sense for the downtown area, where thousands of condos and apartments are expected to be built in the coming years, including as many as 600 on the site of the old Palomar Hospital just down the street from the Ritz.

Its a right time in the right place project that will connect the synergy between the main part of Grand Avenue and the Palomar project, Abed said.

He said the Ritz will no longer be a black sheep lot and called the concept an ideal use for downtown. Abed said its important to have a variety of uses, like a movie theater and a coffee shop, in the downtown area.

You have to have more than retail today, he said.

The city has fast-tracked the approval process by agreeing to conditions that will allow the project to bypass the Planning Commission and go straight to the council for approval, most likely in late October or early November.

Spivey said speed is important because the church will have to take out a loan to buy the property and build the complex because it is still occupying the existing church. The faster the project is built, the fewer loan payments and other soft costs expenses the church will face.

If the existing church were to be sold quickly, Spivey said, its possible that the church may have to temporarily relocate elsewhere until the Ritz remodel and new Arthur Murray building are finished.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
DUBLIN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Irish Department of Health on Thursday reported an additional 23,817 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the highest daily figure ever recorded since the pandemic began.

There were 941 COVID-19 patients being treated in hospitals, of whom 90 were in intensive care units (ICU), said the department in a statement.

Officials from the Health Service Executive (HSE), a state agency responsible for public health service, said at a weekly briefing that the surging cases have put huge pressure on the local health system.

Paul Reid, chief executive of HSE, said that an estimated 8,500 healthcare workers working in the public health sector in the country were currently out of work either because they have been infected with COVID-19 or because they were close contacts of confirmed cases.

HSE chief operations officer Anne O'Connor said that hospitals across the country were coming under pressure due to rising COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations as well as the shortage of healthcare workers and hospital beds.

HSE chief clinical officer Colm Henry said that the five-day moving average of COVID-19 cases in the country was over 19,000, more than doubled the rate recorded last year.

He also said that 51 percent of COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU were unvaccinated people and approximately five percent of people in Ireland were not vaccinated against COVID-19.

There were over 900,000 people in Ireland who have been infected with COVID-19 to date, accounting for about 18 percent of the country's total population, and nearly 6,000 people in Ireland have died from the virus, according to official data. 
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Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said his country or even Africa need no lectures, but friends like China who will help his country to achieve its goals.

He made the remarks on Thursday at a ceremony at the port of Mombasa in Kenya to mark the completion of the Chinese-built Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT).

Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the event.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
HOUSTON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Working gas storage in the contiguous United States was 3,195 billion cubic feet in the week ending Dec. 31, a net decrease of 31 billion cubic feet from the previous week, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Thursday in a report.

The total working gas storage decreased by 4.6 percent from this time last year, or up 3.1 percent above the five-year average, according to the EIA's Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report.

The United States is now the world's leading exporter of liquified natural gas (LNG) as LNG exports from the country topped 7 million tonnes (7.7 million tons) in December, according to a CNN report on Wednesday, citing ship-tracking data from ICIS LNG Edge.

The storage of working gas in the United States usually turns to decrease in November and continues to drop in April when heating season ends in the country, according to previous data.

Working gas is defined as the amount of natural gas stored underground that can be withdrawn for use. Its storage capacity can be measured in two ways: design capacity and demonstrated maximum working gas capacity.

The contiguous United States consists of the 48 adjoining states of the United States, plus the District of Columbia, and excludes the non-contiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii, and all off-shore insular areas.

As the world's important energy producers and consumers, the United States and China have great potential in energy cooperation, experts say.

According to the latest release from the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in November 2021 alone, China reported 17.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas production, up 4.4 percent year on year.

During the first 11 months of 2021, China imported a total of 109.76 million tons of natural gas, soaring 21.8 percent year on year, NBS data showed. 
University of South Carolina names residence hall for Celia Dial Saxon

Board of Trustees honors renowned African American educator

The University of South Carolina Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to name a campus residence hall for University of South Carolina graduate and revered African American educator Celia Dial Saxon, one of the best-known and respected educators in the states history.

Celia Dial Saxon, a UofSC graduate and the first African American to be honored with a building name on the university's campus, is one of the best-known and respected educators in South Carolina's history.

Celia Dial Saxon is one of the universitys most remarkable alumni, a woman whose impact and reputation stretched across the nation, Interim President Harris Pastides said. Our university rightly honors her by naming this building for her. Not only was she a true education pioneer, but she embodied the spirit of equality and justice through her lifes work. The Celia Dial Saxon Building will stand as a reminder to current and future generations of students of the high ideals she championed.

The residence hall for upperclassmen, located at 700 Lincoln Street in Columbia, will be formally dedicated in Saxons honor in a public ceremony in the near future, Board Chair Dr. Dorn Smith said after the vote.

As a great woman, peerless educator, and one of the most admired and respected citizens of South Carolina, Celia Dial Saxon is more than worthy of this honor, said Smith, who had set as a board goal the task of naming a building for a prominent African American. Im very proud that the board recognized the importance of commemorating her contribution to our culture and our heritage.

Saxon, a UofSC graduate, becomes the first African American to be honored with a building name on the campus. She was born Celia Emma Dial in Columbia in 1857, the daughter of an enslaved woman and a white man.

During Reconstruction, Saxon was one of the first African American students to attend South Carolina College, later the University of South Carolina. Upon graduation, she began teaching at Columbia's Howard School, starting a career that spanned 57 years. She married Thomas A. Saxon, dean of Allen University's law school, in 1890, and the couple had two children.

Celia Dial Saxons life stands as a testament to perseverance, compassion, hard work and a commitment to excellence, said Alex English, co-chair of the History Commission Implementation Group that considered candidates for whom to name the residence hall. Her legacy bestows honor and dignity to our campus. Its only fitting that, as a distinguished alumna of our states largest university, her name be memorialized here.

Known as a compassionate and fearless advocate for the rights of women and girls, Saxon was active in the national Womens Club Movement and throughout her career was involved tirelessly in numerous organizations, including serving as a founder of the Fairwold Industrial Home for Negro Girls in Lexington County, South Carolina, and the Wilkinson Orphanage of Negro Children.

Not only was she a true education pioneer, but she embodied the spirit of equality and justice through her lifes work. The Celia Dial Saxon Building will stand as a reminder to current and future generations of students of the high ideals she championed. Harris Pastides, Interim President



Other organizations in which Saxon was prominently involved were the Palmetto State Teachers' Association, the Culture Club, the Lend-a-Hand Club, the South Carolina Federation of Colored Womens Clubs, and the Womans Christian Temperance Union.

In 1926, Saxon was awarded an Honorary Master of Arts degree from the State Agricultural and Mechanical College at Orangeburg. In honor of her long and dedicated service to public education, Columbias Blossom Street public school was renamed for her in 1929. Saxon died of a heart attack on January 29, 1935, while grading students papers at her home in Columbia.

The Celia Dial Saxon Building, which houses 297 of the universitys upperclassmen, is located near the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. The site is significant because it is adjacent to the historic Ward One District where the Celia Dial Saxon Elementary School was located until its closure in 1968.

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A new study found that the plumes that feed volcanic hotspots on Earth are cooler than previously expected. This means geologists must develop a new explanation of the geological processes in volcanic islands, such as Hawaii, Iceland, and the Galapagos Islands.

Volcanic hotspots were thought to be fed by hot plumes coming from deep in Earth's mantle when it expands and rises in response to high temperatures. Scientists suggest in their new study that volcanic hotspots may not have always emerged from giant plumes of scorching hot rocks from the core.





Challenging the Classical Plume Theory

EurekAlert! reported that hotspots in volcanic islands on Earth are surprising cooler and may not originate from the mantle, challenging the classical plume theory.

On Earth, scientists have recorded two types of volcanism in which the dominant type is driven by the large circulation of Earth's mantle and happens where tectonic plates meet. Science News explains that the first type where most volcanic activities occur near the edges of tectonic plates creates a fresh crust as hot material that wells up from the mantle.

Meanwhile, geophysicist Xiyuan Bao from the University of California, Los Angeles said that more mysterious volcanic activity is also occurring in the middle of a tectonic plate far from mid-ocean ridges. Hotspots from this region came from the upwelling plumes from the deep mantle with excess temperatures ranging from 100 to 300 degrees Celsius.

He cited the volcanoes in the Ascension Island in the South Atlantic and the Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific of the islands of Hawaii as an example of volcanoes created from such activity. Scientists believe that many volcanic islands are fed from rising hot material deep within the mantle like small packets of water that rise to the surface in a spot near-boiling water.

But the recent analysis in the study, titled "On the Relative Temperatures of Earth's Volcanic Hotspots and Mid-Ocean Ridges" published in Science, suggests that some isolated hotspots may be fueled by materials that are not as hot as scientists once thought. It casts doubt on the existing theory but could also help scientists find out the mysterious processes that unfold various sites of volcanism in tectonic plates.

ALSO READ: Pieces of Evidence Pointing to the Existence of A Phantom Crater Found in Laos





Cold Hotspots Found

According to New Scientist, study co-author Carolina Lithgow-Bertelloni from UCLA and her colleagues found that many hotspots are fed with a cold material, which could mean there are other mechanisms at work. She noted that despite this, they are still considered hotspots and may still have a little warm material although they do not come from deep in the mantle.

They calculated the temperature in the volcanic hotspots, ruling out direct access from the upper mantle between 125 to 372 miles (250 to 600 kilometers) deep. The team then measured the seismic waves that travel underneath volcanic hotspots and estimated temperatures based on previous models of the rock make-up.

More than 50% of the hotspots they studied were less than 100 degrees Celsius, which is cooler than the classical plume theory states. That means those hotspots were not hotter than 36 degrees Celsius. They noted that findings suggest cooler temperature excess could mean very little driving force for materials to well up and rise to become fresh crusts.

They also studied the ratio of helium isotopes and found they differed between cold and hot hotspots, suggesting that they emerge from different parts of the mantle. Understanding these differences could reveal the history and development of Earth's tectonic plates.

RELATED ARTICLE: Researchers Create a New Technique in Reconstructing Past Volcanic Activities



Check out more news and information on Volcanoes in Science Times.


(Photo : Pixabay/Pexels) Meet Maggie: The Largest Structure in the Milky Way Located 55,000 light-years away from Earth

Astronomers from the Max Planck Institute of Astronomy (MPIA) led an international scientific collaboration to find the largest structure in the Milky Way. This massive hydrogen filament called Maggie is 3,900 light-years long, wherein one light-year is equivalent to 5.87 trillion miles, and 130 light-years wide that likely formed 13 million years ago.

Juan Soler, the project's co-author, was one of the first astronomers to find the clue to this object a year ago and decided to name it after Colombia's longest river, Rio Magdalena. He said in a statement that the current study only proves beyond doubt that what he found is indeed a coherent structure.





Physical Properties of the Maggie Filament

Around 380,000 years after the Big Bang, hydrogen was formed and is considered the most abundant substance in the universe, Mail Online reported. Despite that, scientists said that detecting the gas is such a grueling task, which makes Maggie's recent discovery exceptionally exciting.

Study first author Jonas Syed, a Ph.D. student at MPIA, said in the statement that the location of this filament has contributed to the success of their discovery. They are unsure how it got there, but the hydrogen filament extends about 1,600 light-years below the Milky Way plane.

Based on their observations, the hydrogen's radiation at about eight inches of wavelength stands out in the background and makes the hydrogen filament more visible. A deeper analysis of Maggie also showed that the gas converges at some points in the filament where hydrogen is likely to accumulate and condense into larger clouds.

Researchers wrote in their study, titled "The "Maggie" Filament: Physical Properties of a Giant Atomic Cloud" published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, that those are the kind of environment where atomic gas slowly changes into a molecular form. At Maggie's west end is a hub-like feature that smaller scale filaments seem to converge while its tail thins on its western part.

Meanwhile, its northwestern part is connected to the midplane that feeds off the material on the higher latitudes. Although, most of Maggie is disconnected from the Galactic midplane material. Researchers estimated that Maggie contains 8% molecular hydrogen.

In an interview with Universe Today, Syed said that many questions remain about the largest structure in the Milky Way galaxy. They hope to gain additional data about it and are now waiting for a fraction of the molecular gas to be analyzed.

ALSO READ: Mysterious Glow From Center of Milky Way Galaxy: Is It Dark Matter?





What Does the Gaia Satellite Do?

The astronomers used the European Space Agency's (ESA) Gaia satellite to measure Maggie. According to ESA, the Gaia is an ambitious mission designed to chart a 3D map of the Milky Way galaxy. I the process of doing so, it detected the hydrogen filament.

Moreover, the Gaia satellite can reveal the galaxy's composition, formation, and evolution by providing accurate and unprecedented positional and radial velocity measurements that will create a census about the billions of stars in the galaxy.

Thanks to the Gaia satellite, scientists were able to make numerous discoveries in the past years, including the 12 quasars whose light is so strongly deflected by other galaxies and make them more visible to form distinct images of what they call the "Einstein cross."

RELATED ARTICLE: Did NASA Find Milky Way's Broken Arm? Scientists Claim Seeing a Cluster of Nebulae, Young Stars in the Galaxy



Check out more news and information on Milky Way in Science Times.
by Xinhua writer Sun Ding

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The United States fell into a state of shock and shame exactly one year ago when an angry mob broke into the Capitol and interrupted proceedings to certify results of the 2020 presidential election.

Broken glass, damaged statues, and vandalized offices inside the "seat of American democracy" constituted one of the darkest days in U.S. history, along with scenes of frightened lawmakers hiding in the House gallery and Capitol Police officers pointing guns behind a makeshift barricade at violent intruders.

There was no shortage of scrutiny and reflection across most of America's political spectrum after the Capitol riot. U.S. political figures also swarmed to issue statements on the anniversary on Thursday. However, little if any progress has been made to adequately address the issues that prompted the riot in the first place.

To begin with, unsubstantiated theories that the White House race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden was rigged, which was believed to have directly resulted in the homegrown attack, haven't faded away. Instead, they have firmly taken root.

According to a new NPR/Ipsos poll, a majority of Trump supporters and nearly half of Republicans cling to the view that there was major fraudulent voting in the presidential face-off, as the former Republican president, banned from major social media platforms but still backed by a bulk of his party, continues to push the politically-charged notion to keep energizing his base.

"I've never been more scared about American democracy than I am right now, because of the metastasizing of the 'Big lie,'" Rick Hasen, a professor of law and political science at the University of California Irvine, has recently said, referring to the assertion that the election was corrupt and stolen from Trump.

Furthermore, the political divide remains sharp in the United States. Over the past year, intensifying partisan battles, which have unfolded at various levels, are chipping away the possibility for different political camps to come together to beat the pandemic, push forward voting rights and police reforms, pass major economic packages, and tackle climate change.

Take the impact of escalating political tribalism on America's performance to curb the pandemic. The United States just reported more than 1 million new cases in a single day, setting a grim new global record, as more than 832,000 lives have been lost to the disease. Top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci has deplored political divisiveness in the country contributed significantly to the stunning death toll.

On Capitol Hill, the relationship between different sides of the aisle has grown more bitter and contentious. Several months ago, a U.S. lawmaker went as far as to post an animated video of him killing a colleague of the opposing party.

"The tone gets, you know, tougher and tougher. It is a pretty toxic place. I've never seen anything like this before," U.S. Congressman Fred Upton of Michigan, who has served in the legislative body for 35 years, has recently told CNN during an interview.

A House committee made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans is investigating what they have characterized as the siege on the U.S. Capitol, the worst attack on the country's Congress in more than 200 years. Many of Trump's closest allies and staunch supporters have charged the inquiry as a political "witch hunt" designed to tar the former president and the GOP as a whole.

As the U.S. midterm elections are only ten months away, the committee, whose existence simply hinges on Democrats' control of the House, is widely expected to make to the headlines more frequently as the probe moves forward on a tight timeframe, pouring fuel to the partisan fire bound to tear the country further apart.

Last but not least, the United States has yet to truly face up to the issues plaguing its democracy.

The United States has long pretentiously portrayed itself as a democratic role model and spared no effort to export its values and systems. However, history and reality have proven that American-style democracy, dominated by money politics and vested interests while incapable of fully channeling the will of the people, is broken and clearly far from a model paradigm.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said in 2015 that the United States is "an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery." Echoing the point of view, American-Swiss historian Alfred-Maurice de Zayas recently told Xinhua that America's democracy is not functioning and is run by an oligarchy. The same NPR/Ipsos poll also showed nearly two-thirds of Americans believe U.S. democracy is in crisis and at risk of failing.

Despite such decaying domestic politics, the United States went on to hold a so-called "Summit for Democracy" last month. At the virtual forum, the White House spent little time talking about the Capitol riot and other issues consuming America's own political system despite growing questions from the international community, including America's allies, about its self-proclaimed leadership in promoting democracy.

Exactly one year ago, the Capitol riot led to the death of five and nearly 140 injuries. They were only some of the immediate victims of America's crumbling democracy, along with the tens of thousands of lives lost to the deadly pathogen, rampant gun violence, and systemic racial discrimination inside the United States. And the almost countless souls perished in Washington's so-called democratic adventures overseas will also go down in history as the indelible evidence for the hazards of a tottering, sclerotic, and narcissistic political system.

At the moment, the outcries to save the American democracy from its dire threats are heard loud and clear from the country's different political tribes except that they mean different things by those threats. Yet what has happened during the past few years in the United States has indicated that America's biggest threat lies within its own borders and that the hope for a self-salvation seems to be increasingly drifting away. 
In Seattle, plenty of food trucks and restaurants advertise Mexico City-style cuisine, like La Chingona, Los Chilangos and Carmelos Tacos. But since spring of 2020, Mexico City has also had a restaurant featuring Seattle-style cuisine.

Marmota, opened by chefs who spent time cooking in the Pacific Northwest, focuses less on the specific dishes of Seattle  theres no teriyaki chicken or cream cheese hot dogs  and more on the overall local ethos of food.

Marmota is a little sample of Puget Sound in the heart of Mexico City, the website explains. Chefs Federico Patino and Poppy Powell both worked in Seattle, including together at London Plane for a spell, and bring the cuisine and style from the area to the restaurant in the Roma neighborhood.

The Pacific Northwest has a very special relationship with food, says Patino. When they had an opportunity to open a spot in Mexico City, We felt it was almost a duty to spread that philosophy of good, honest food.

The food at Marmota centers on an open hearth, which they use to roast beets served with homemade yogurt and smoke seafood. We utilize a lot of smoke and fire in the restaurant, he explains. Techniques that are more wild and unpredictable, a good analogy for many facets of the Pacific Northwest.

Wild mushrooms, stinging nettles, and crab show up to represent the ingredients of the Pacific Northwest, even if the exact species differs from those found here in Washington. Dishes like smoked burrata with heirloom tomatoes, shiso, and peas could be on the menu anywhere in Seattle. But they are also specifically on the menu here, in Mexico, made from ingredients that grow or are raised locally, like wild seafood, and the fermentation they do at the restaurant.

Marmota is less a copy of a Seattle restaurant and more driven by the inspiration of the region. Patino describes what makes Pacific Northwest cuisine special as sustainability, seasonality, respect for ingredients.

The connection to the region shows in the simple line drawing of Mount Rainier that elegantly graces the top of the paper menu and in the dreamy landscapes the restaurant posts on Instagram, of woods and waterfalls, along with odes to ingredients so earnest and reverent they would teeter on satire if they were not so heartfelt. A world without cebollin could not be one reads, about the small, sweet onions similar to bulbous scallions. They are a force almost as important as gravity, as strong and contradictory as Eros and Thanatos, as fundamental as the union of two bodies becoming one.

At Marmota, two things do become one: Mexico City and Seattle. Patino has deep culinary roots in his home country  his aunt, Monica Patino has been a big name in Mexican cooking and restaurants for decades  and they shine through the menu in ways big, like the sourcing, and small, like the hoja santa yogurt mentioned by The Infatuation when it said Marmota makes some of the heartiest (and best) food in CDMX right now.

As for the audience in Mexico City, Patino says people are unsure of what to expect at first, they come thinking they will get a caricature of the Pacific Northwest (like smoked salmon or clam chowder, he notes). Most customers know of Seattle only for having lots of rain and the Pike Place Market, and they show off the philosophy, techniques, and elements that make PNW food so alluring to us.

That improvised style of cooking is what Patino feels really sets Marmota apart, calling it, An interesting translation in a country that prides itself on food traditions. But one that has been welcomed with an overwhelmingly positive reaction  good news for Marmota and for the Pacific Northwest culinary scene as a whole.
Sena Wheelers family has caught and sold fish in the Northwest for generations, but the newest product that her local seafood company has up on its website is a special one.

It feels more vulnerable when its a family recipe, she says. But the roots of Sena Seas marinated ginger black cod go back even further than the recipe itself, intertwined with Wheelers Northwest fishing heritage and the goal she has for her company: to help people understand that fish can be easy and uncomplicated.

So many people are not comfortable cooking it, or they only order it at restaurants, says Wheeler, so in putting out the frozen marinated black cod  which just needs to defrost in the package then goes straight into the oven  she aimed for a dish that is all about convenience and building confidence.

The recipe itself is a treasured family favorite  the one she makes for her sister when she visits, the one she served to represent her side for their wedding (along with salmon, which is what her husband Rich was fishing for at the time), the one that always tastes of nostalgia.

Courtesy of Sena Sea/Stryka Media

Wheelers grandfather and great-uncles immigrated from Norway and started fishing on boats out of Ballard in 1938. Everyone fished for halibut back then, says Sena, but her father, recently married into the family and finding his place as the new guy on board, pushed for finding sablefish, also known as black cod.

Art, Senas father, mentioned that he had heard about people fishing about black cod. The two fish use the same boats and gear, and it seemed like an easy switch, but the old Norwegians were less enthused. Senas grandfather said no, but her great-uncle Otto was open to the idea: Otto planned to continue fishing solely for halibut, he said, but Art was welcome to use the boat to give black cod a try.

The older generation ended up impressed as Art showed the increasing value of black cod. The rich, fatty fish had little in common with the white fishes they knew. All other white fish cook the same, says Sena. But not black cod, its too oily to fry. So, while Art found success with it, the product all got sent off to Japan, where customers knew and appreciated the unique fish.

For years, we didnt eat it, because we didnt know what to do with it, says Sena. Few Americans did. Then her parents ended up at an auction where the chef had prepared black cod. Holy heck, what have we been missing out on, thought her father upon tasting it. He went into the kitchen and introduced himself, where the chef walked him through how to cook it  which he did from then on, and often. That smell became my comfort food, says Sena.

Courtesy of Sena Sea

Sena and Rich now run Sena Sea, a seafood company based in Seattle, along with their children, who join the boat from time to time as the fourth generation of fishermen in the family. Though they once sold at Seattle farmers markets, Sena Sea has transitioned to selling almost all of their fish online, along with one Wenatchee Farmers Market.

We sell as much in New York as we do in Seattle, Sena says. And that means they run into plenty of customers who need that extra nudge of confidence to try out a fish they havent cooked before.

Courtesy of Sena Sea

By sharing a pre-made version of her familys own favorite, she hopes to help other people understand just how wonderful black cod is. While the pre-marinated version they sell just needs defrosting, the original recipe doesnt require that much more work  and sits on Sena Seas website if you want to make it yourself.
People visit the exhibition area of Hisense, a Chinese consumer electronics and appliance manufacturer, during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. The 2022 CES, scheduled from Jan. 5 to 7, drew more than 2,300 exhibitors, including 800 startups, as well as hundreds of thought leaders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

People visit the exhibition area of Chinese technology company Pudu during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. The 2022 CES, scheduled from Jan. 5 to 7, drew more than 2,300 exhibitors, including 800 startups, as well as hundreds of thought leaders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Visitors view 8K TV of Chinese electronics giant TCL Technology during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. The 2022 CES, scheduled from Jan. 5 to 7, drew more than 2,300 exhibitors, including 800 startups, as well as hundreds of thought leaders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Visitors view foldable mobile phones of Chinese electronics giant TCL Technology during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. The 2022 CES, scheduled from Jan. 5 to 7, drew more than 2,300 exhibitors, including 800 startups, as well as hundreds of thought leaders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Visitors view televisions of Chinese electronics giant TCL Technology during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. The 2022 CES, scheduled from Jan. 5 to 7, drew more than 2,300 exhibitors, including 800 startups, as well as hundreds of thought leaders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Visitors view 8K TV of Chinese electronics giant TCL Technology during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. The 2022 CES, scheduled from Jan. 5 to 7, drew more than 2,300 exhibitors, including 800 startups, as well as hundreds of thought leaders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

A visitor takes a photo of televisions of Chinese electronics giant TCL Technology during the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 6, 2022. The 2022 CES, scheduled from Jan. 5 to 7, drew more than 2,300 exhibitors, including 800 startups, as well as hundreds of thought leaders. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)
OTTAWA, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Canada's exports rose 3.8 percent and imports rose 2.4 percent in November 2021, according to Statistics Canada on Thursday.

As a result, Canada's merchandise trade surplus widened from 2.3 billion Canadian dollars in October to 3.1 billion Canadian dollars in November.

The country's total exports rose to 58.6 billion Canadian dollars, the fifth increase in six months. The rise was observed in eight of 11 product sections.

In real or volume terms, total exports rose 3.5 percent.

The exports of consumer goods jumped 9 percent to 7.3 billion Canadian dollars in November mainly due to higher exports of pharmaceutical products valued at 610 million Canadian dollars.

Canada's total imports rose to 55.4 billion Canadian dollars in November due to atypical shipments of pharmaceutical products.

Excluding imports of pharmaceutical products, total imports edged up 0.1 percent. Overall, gains were observed in six of 11 product sections. In real or volume terms, total imports rose 0.8 percent.

The imports of consumer goods rose for the fourth consecutive month, up 5.2 percent in November.

The imports of pharmaceutical products increased sharply in November, which saw large imports of medication for packaging and labeling.

There was also a sharp increase in imports of "vaccines for human medicine other than for influenza," a category that includes vaccines for COVID-19 in the month.

The imports of metal and non-metallic mineral products rose 7.3 percent in November. The imports of iron and steel products soared 24.9 percent to a record high of 1.6 billion Canadian dollars.

Meanwhile, the imports of basic and industrial chemical, plastic and rubber products jumped 7.3 percent to a record high of 4.7 billion Canadian dollars. The increase was primarily the result of higher imports of lubricants and other petroleum refinery products, which surged 34.2 percent mainly on higher imports of crude oil diluents from the United States. 
The Deputy Sheriffs Association of Alameda County is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for fatally shooting an Alameda County sheriffs recruit on an Oakland freeway earlier this week, authorities said Thursday.

San Francisco resident David V. Nguyen, 28  who was scheduled to graduate from the 172nd academy class next month  was driving home from academy training around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday when he was struck by a bullet while traveling on Interstate 580, where the highway transitions into westbound Interstate 80, California Highway Patrol officials said. His vehicle crashed into a guardrail, and he was pronounced dead at a local hospital, authorities said.
Nancy Latham remembers the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 with a sense of anger and sorrow. One year after the riot, the images of smoke and Trump flags rising above the Capitol steps remain with her as symbols of a democracy under attack.

It was really shocking and emotional and sad, Latham, an organizer with the political advocacy group Indivisible East Bay, said Thursday, on the anniversary of the storming of the Capitol. How could this be happening in my country?

On Thursday, she joined a couple of hundred other Bay Area residents in front of San Francisco City Hall in a vigil and march that organizers said was a call to action: American citizens, lawmakers and law enforcement agencies must defend democracy, now more than ever, they said.

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

A year ago, a mob of hundreds of people breached the doors of the Capitol as lawmakers inside were attempting to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election, forcing many of them into hiding as they feared for their safety. Former President Donald Trump came under fire during and after the riot for inciting his supporters at a rally near the White House moments before the insurrection.

We will never give up. We will never concede, Trump told his fans despite having lost the election. He and other Republicans repeated unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud, sowing doubt among their supporters about the legitimacy of President Joe Bidens victory.

Participants in Thursdays vigil were united in their desire to see politicians and law enforcement agencies take steps to hold the Capitol rioters responsible and to shore up voting access in all 50 states.

We are standing together right now, tonight, in love and power to make the promise of democracy real for us all, Latham said into a megaphone to the vigil participants before they marched around the Phillip Burton Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse downtown.

Their demands included the arrest and prosecution of the rioters, the prosecution of Trump and some of his allies for inciting and defending the mob, and the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.

Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

To date, more than 720 people from across the country have been arrested in connection with the storming of the Capitol. But those at Thursdays march said that its not enough, and that individuals need to hold their elected leaders accountable for ensuring a similar riot doesnt happen again.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Its not just about being here today, said Angela A., a member of Indivisible San Francisco who declined to give her last name. People have to actually participate in our democracy and protecting it.

She was handing out flyers with instructions on how to call your senator, call the White House and write letters to the editor of local news organizations. As the vigil participants marched, many held signs or battery-operated candles and sang songs calling for accountability and the protection of democracy.

We are not letting this democracy fail on our watch, Latham said. We are not going to forget about this.

Andy Picon is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com Twitter: @andpicon
Good morning, Bay Area. Its Friday, Jan. 7, and a fish older than the Golden Gate Bridge is swimming through the California Academy of Sciences. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

For years, Dr. Ahimsa Porter Sumchai has been convinced that toxic chemicals caused a cancer cluster in Hunters Point.

It all goes back to a long-contested former naval shipyard, which developers have fought to build housing on in recent decades. Government officials have acknowledged that parts of the site, where ships were brought after atomic tests, were contaminated during the Cold War.

But theyve long denied any link between local health concerns and the shipyard. So Sumchai started her own effort to test the people living and working within a mile of the site.

Were on a collision course, she said. Theyre not going to be able to ignore the work.

Read more from Lauren Hepler.

Latest COVID news

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

 Lines are wrapped around the block, and at-home tests sell out as soon as theyre in stock. The Bay Area is struggling to keep up with the demand for COVID tests. When will it get better?

 A Palo Alto couple have spent more than a week at sea after South American ports turned their cruise ship away. As COVID sweeps through the Bay Area again, theyre calling it the safest place on Earth.

 Plus, in an eerie repeat of the past, a cruise ship that docked in San Francisco this week had coronavirus-positive passengers. Heres what happens next for the travelers.

 Is flurona really a thing? Heres what doctors say you need to know about co-infections of influenza and COVID.

 A fifth of San Francisco K-12 educators called in sick Thursday, some protesting what they say are the school districts failure to protect teachers and staff from coronavirus infections.

What to eat

Celeste Noche/Special to The Chronicle 2020

Instagram foodies, rejoice: The flower-topped cake bakers at Two Chicks in the Mix are opening a brick-and-mortar location in West Oakland. There, owner Malaka Wilson-Greene plans to turn the online-only bakery into a cafe serving breakfast and cake by the slice.

A new brewpub opens today in San Franciscos Richmond District, boasting bar snacks and other bites to go with its eclectic mix of house-made beers. And thats not all the eccentricity for Lost Marbles Brewpub, which has antique bar games and Spice Girls-inspired cocktails. It hopes to become a neighborhood watering hole when the pandemic finally abates.

If youre planning to eat out this weekend, start prepping now. The gloomy weather calls for pick-me-up sushi or comforting Italian dishes  and many offer takeout options.

Around the Bay

Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

 Clash of plans: A Daly City school district proposed 1,100 housing units on a former school campus to alleviate its financial crisis. Locals say if a plan truly addresses the regions affordable housing crisis, its going to take more than that.

 City Hall corruption scandal: Former S.F. Public Works head Mohammed Nuru officially pleads guilty to a federal fraud charge.

 Empty offices: Omicron-era mask mandates are again jeopardizing San Franciscos fragile economic recovery, business owners said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

 Wildfire woes: Now that PG&E has been blamed for starting the Dixie Fire, what comes next for the troubled company?

 On hold: A state court has halted a Northern California housing project over concerns about wildfire safety.

 Supply chain crisis: Home medical equipment prices have soared, but unlike other consumer goods, its a little harder to do without as inventory dries up.

 Tech world: New data from Github shows that software developers, data scientists and other techies are working at different hours with the advent of working from home.

 Courthouse fight: The Biden administration wants to throw out a lawsuit from Bay Area immigrant families separated under the previous presidents zero-tolerance policy. Activists say President Bidens action reneges on his campaign promises.

One fish, two fish, lungfish, old fish

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

Methuselah the lungfish asks for a lot. If youre a fish older than the Golden Gate Bridge, Id say youve earned the right to demand belly rubs and fresh figs too.

Methuselah, a longtime resident of the California Academy of Sciences, is estimated to be at least 90 years old. For context, thats in the midst of the Great Depression, Al Capones sentence in Alcatraz and Willie Mays childhood years.

Shes the oldest aquarium fish in the world, but thats not the only thing that makes her special. Read more from columnist Peter Hartlaub.

Bay Briefing is written by Gwendolyn Wu and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writer at gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com.
Cal Fire confirmed this week what many in California already suspected: The Dixie Fire was caused by PG&E, when a tree fell onto the utilitys energized power lines last summer in a remote mountainous canyon.

The fire, which grew into the states second-largest blaze on record and burned for 3 months through towns and forests of the northern Sierra Nevada, remains a stark display of the companys unmet challenge to secure a safe electrical grid.

Whether Pacific Gas and Electric Co., blamed for similarly starting dozens of fires from the Wine Country infernos to the deadly Camp Fire in Butte County, can and will improve safety remains a question. Critics of the utility say the company is still doing too little to reduce fire risk while its regulators are not doing enough to hold it accountable.

Continuing investigations into the Dixie Fire will determine what consequences there might be for the company. Already facing criminal charges in Shasta and Sonoma counties for causing the 2020 Zogg Fire and the 2019 Kincade Fire, PG&E could face more criminal accusations as well as financial penalties, added scrutiny from state regulators and lawsuits from fire victims seeking compensation.

Some of the fallout, though, could be blunted by new state protections for investor-owned power companies. The fire will probably be the first test of Californias wildfire insurance fund, which helps utilities pay for damage when blamed for sparking wildfires  and a test of the California Public Utilities Commissions role in evaluating whether the utility acted reasonably enough to deserve the partial bailout.

The Dixie Fire burned 963,309 acres, second in size only to the 2020 August Complex, clouding skies thousands of miles away with noxious smoke. The Gold Rush-era town of Greenville was reduced to ashen rubble. Tens of thousands of acres of commercial timberlands burned. Businesses shut down during the areas critical tourism season.

PG&E executives have defended the company, saying there was little that could have been done to prevent the blaze, and the tree was one of more than 8 million trees within strike distance to PG&E lines. After the fire, the company pledged to bury 10,000 miles of power lines.

Regardless of todays finding, we will continue to be tenacious in our efforts to stop fire ignitions from our equipment and to ensure that everyone and everything is always safe, PG&E officials said in a statement Tuesday.

Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said his office is leading a criminal investigation on behalf of Butte and four other counties: Plumas, Lassen, Tehama and Shasta.

Though his county suffered the least damage of the four counties from the Dixie Fire, Ramsey said county attorneys are taking the lead as, unfortunately, we have the most experience in this area of the law  reckless arson.

Ramseys office led the successful prosecution of PG&E for the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 84 people and destroyed the town of Paradise. Former PG&E executive Bill Johnson, on behalf of the company, pleaded guilty in 2020 to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of illegally setting a fire, the result of a felony plea deal that included a $3.5 million fine.

In that case, investigators said the fire started when a decrepit hook the company had failed to replace snapped off a transmission tower amid a windstorm, sending a high-voltage line buzzing to the ground.

For the Dixie Fire, Ramsey said his prosecution team has, in some ways, a more complicated task.

The fire started July 13, a mild, blue-sky day when a 100-foot-tall Douglas fir fell, taking power lines down with it in the Feather River Canyon near Cresta Dam, not far from the area where the Camp Fire started, according to Cal Fire. Ten hours passed from the time PG&E first detected an issue with the line and when a repair person reached the remote area, slowed by a bridge closure and dirt roads, and saw a small patch of flames.

Prosecutors must prove the utility was responsible for the tree that took the power lines down, which involves an examination of the utilitys vegetation management procedures in addition to technical information about trees and electric systems, Ramsey said.

The PG&E employee who first reached the remote area of the fire said the tree appeared healthy, though the company shared in federal court that a PG&E arborist later said a photo of the tree showed one of its eight roots having signs of internal rot.

Prosecutors are also examining PG&Es response to the fire.

That tree was on the line for 10 hours  had PG&E done something more expeditiously to turn off the power to that line, would that have changed the outcome, and does that represent reckless negligence? Ramsey said.

That point has been questioned by U.S. District Judge William Alsup, who is overseeing the utilitys criminal probation for a 2010 gas line explosion in San Bruno. After the Dixie Fire, PG&E revealed it had ranked that stretch of wires the 11th highest at risk of starting a fire  out of 3,635 circuit sections. Alsup has asked the utility to explain its procedures for handling one of its most risky circuits.

Catherine Sandoval, who served on the California Public Utilities Commission and is an associate professor at Santa Clara University School of Law who represents ratepayers in the probation hearings, said the utility apparently didnt make that information available to employees making decisions about whether to cut power  an element she believes shows negligence.

Sandoval said a similar scenario played out for the Zogg Fire in Shasta County, which killed four people and destroyed more than 200 homes, when PG&E detected a disruption in power and later found a pine tree had fallen on lines.

PG&E failed to learn from the Zogg Fire, Sandoval said.

The Dixie Fire burned on federal lands, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of California served PG&E with a subpoena in October for documents related to the fire, signaling a federal investigation was also under way.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Californias new wildfire insurance fund, established in 2019 to protect investor-owned utilities from financial ruin in the wake of disastrous wildfires, could help cover some of the damages. This requires the PUC to find the companys actions and operations related to its management of the circuit that started the fire to have been reasonable.

To gain access to the fund, the states three participating utilities  PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric  must contribute half of the $21 billion eventually slated to make up the pool of money available for payouts. The other half comes from ratepayers through a monthly charge on bills from 2020 through 2036.

The Dixie Fire would be the funds first payout, designed to cover damages that exceed $1 billion, the amount utilities are required to cover through insurance.

The commission could also ramp up its efforts to monitor PG&E, according to Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network consumer group. The same legislation that established the wildfire fund, AB1054, created new avenues for state regulators to monitor operations.

Toney questioned at what point the commission would take a stronger stance toward the utility.

Were worried the CPUC hasnt been strict enough with PG&E, Toney said. Were worried that the concerns of Wall Street investors are taking precedent over whats good for ratepayers and whats good for residents.

Michael Wara, director of Stanford Universitys climate and energy policy program and a member of the California Catastrophe Response Council, which oversees the wildfire fund, credited PG&E with making improvements to its policies and infrastructure, but he said those advances havent yet met the pace of an increasingly volatile climate with fire-prone weather and overgrown forests.

The track record coming out of PG&E shows progress, but it is running on a treadmill that keeps speeding up, Wara said. The situation is getting more and more dangerous and less tolerant of any error.

Plumas County Supervisor Kevin Goss said holding PG&E accountable for the fire that destroyed Greenville is crucial. With high rates of insufficient insurance or no insurance among residents and business owners, the community is already facing steep hurdles to rebuild, he said.

Goss said he believes the Dixie Fire is yet another example of how the utility has failed to update its equipment or prepare sufficiently for drought conditions across the state  actions that have left forested communities in the crosshairs.

I really implore PG&E to put together a different strategy, a new strategy, Goss said. Unfortunately its after the fact for us.

Julie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: julie.johnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @juliejohnson
About 500 Oakland teachers called in sick Friday  more than twice as many as earlier in the week  prompting the closure of about 12 schools in the district to instruction and sending officials and families scrambling. The absences  which totaled about 20% of teachers  came amid a sickout from teachers who protested what they say are unsafe working conditions during the omicron surge.

The labor action marked the Bay Areas second teacher sickout in as many days as schools across the region struggle to staff classrooms with qualified educators amid an ongoing shortage of substitutes.

Fridays sickout punctuated a tumultuous two years for students, parents and educators since schools first closed in March 2020, and highlighted the staffing uncertainties schools are likely to face in the coming weeks as omicron cases in the region continue to rise.

District spokesperson John Sasaki called the labor action illegal and condemned the move, and district leaders were adamant that schools would not revert to remote learning amid the staffing struggles. Moving to remote learning would harm families and cost the district millions of dollars in state funding as it grapples with a $90 million budget shortfall.

Its not supposed to happen, Sasaki said of the unsanctioned sickout. And the bottom line is, its something that we feel is not what should be happening, especially when were talking about student safety.

While most Oakland schools operated as normal Friday, nine high schools, two middle schools and one elementary school were closed to instruction because of the sickout and affected an estimated 8,400 students. Some schools were allowing students to remain in the building, but staff at Garfield Elementary in Oaklands San Antonio neighborhood turned away families Friday morning.

Christena Sueing and her fifth-grade son, Alphonso, were told to go home when they approached a Garfield campus entrance at about 8:20 a.m. Classes were canceled Friday, staff told Sueing, because of a high number of teacher absences.

Im glad Im not working right now because I would be pissed, Sueing told The Chronicle as she and her son walked back home. But its corona, what can you say? People out here are dying, so I really cant get too mad.

Sueings fifth-grader, though, was mad when he was told school was canceled. I really wanted to go to school, Alphonso said.

Richard Fairly, principal at Oakland Tech High School, asked families not to send their kids to school in a Thursday evening email, warning that it is highly likely that no instruction will be provided. Still, a few students trickled onto the campus Friday morning, with some leaving moments later.

The group of teachers organizing Fridays sickout listed eight demands of the district, which included reverting to remote learning for two weeks as well as requiring that all students and staff wear N95 or KN95 masks while on campus.

The group also wants the district to provide weekly PCR tests for students and staff, extend COVID leave for educators to the end of the school year, immediately bargain safety measures with the Oakland Education Association, and withhold making budget cuts to student services as the district comes up with a plan to shed expenses to avoid a second state takeover.

Sasaki said the district was already working to meet several demands. Thursday night, the district and its teachers union agreed to extend COVID leave for educators. The district is also giving out KN95s to all staff and has ordered KN95s for students, he said.

Like San Francisco Unified, which saw nearly 900 teachers and aides absent Thursday, teacher and student absences in Oakland have skyrocketed since schools reopened this week.

At Skyline High School, about 50 staff members were absent Thursday, said Harley Litzelman, a history and economics teacher at the school who helped organize Fridays sickout. Only eight of Litzelmans 24 students were present for his third-period world history class Thursday.

Litzelman said Skyline teachers are exhausted amid the staffing crunch and that in-person instruction is essentially suspended for the students attending classes in person because we do not have enough adults in the building to deliver in-person learning.

We are the messenger, Litzelman said Thursday. We are conveying to you the impossible situation weve been forced into by local, state and federal failure to control this pandemic.

Tamara Henry, a teacher and math coach at Garfield Elementary, said teachers have had to sub for other classes with about eight educators out for the week. And the districts supply of masks is not sufficient, she said, noting some students come to campus maskless or with improperly fitted masks.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

We just feel that the district is not acting with enough urgency about the crisis that were in, Henry said minutes before she and a group of about 100 teachers drove their cars from Merritt Community College to Oakland Unifieds downtown headquarters in a caravan.

At district headquarters, teachers in the caravan drove their cars around the block and honked their horns.

I need more than 1 KN95 mask, read one car sign.

Oakland officials warned families of possible disruptions Thursday and said schools are one of the safest places for our students to be during this omicron surge.

Many colleges and universities across California have either delayed their spring semester or moved classes online temporarily. The states K-12 schools, though, have stayed open and education officials are wary of returning to remote instruction, which harmed many students mental health and learning.

Oakland school board vice president Sam Davis, whose son stayed home with Oakland Tech closed, acknowledged the difficult moment for teachers and families and said, We have to get through it together. He said the district is doing the best it can and doesnt want to see schools go remote, even for two weeks.

We need to keep schools open. We need to provide students with a safe place to be during the day, Davis said.

Chronicle staff writer Jill Tucker contributed to this article.

Ricardo Cano is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ricardo.cano@sfchronicle.com
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and San Rafael Mayor Kate Colin called on members of Congress Friday to provide emergency relief for restaurants, warning of catastrophic impact on the local economy and a massive wave of permanent restaurant closures.

That plea came in a letter signed by 25 current and former mayors, representing cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle and Chicago. They said the omicron variant is causing such a strain on restaurants that many may shut down for good, estimating that 86% of independent restaurants and bars that previously didnt receive grants from the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund risk closing.

Many Bay Area restaurants are struggling amid the rapidly spreading omicron variant, causing owners to abruptly shut down operations as staffers test positive or pre-emptively close their dining rooms, revert to takeout and add new safety measures in recent days. Throughout the pandemic, health experts have maintained that indoor dining is one of the riskiest activities because people must remove their masks to eat and drink  and some have specifically warned against indoor dining amid the omicron surge.

Restaurants and bars are months beyond struggling, they are dying in plain sight, the letter stated, estimating that 90,000 restaurants have closed during the pandemic nationwide.

Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle 2021

While more than 100,000 restaurants received $28.6 billion in help last year through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, about 177,000 applicants didnt get any money, according to the letter. The mayors want Congress to refill the fund now.

In reality, however, there are virtually no serious efforts underway to pass another major COVID relief bill, and such an attempt would face long odds. Despite widespread bipartisan support for earlier COVID relief bills, the issue has become increasingly politically polarizing, with Republicans opposing several measures, like state and local relief money, that Democrats consider essential and have criticized the effectiveness of earlier bills.

Though a few different bills that would top off the Restaurant Revitalization Fund have found supporters on both sides of the aisle, without a major COVID relief package, such fundings only hope would be in being attached to a broader government funding deal, which also has proved elusive for this Congress.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

The letter is part of the lobbying efforts of the Independent Restaurant Coalition, a group that formed during the pandemic and includes San Francisco leaders like Laurie Thomas, the executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, and David Nayfeld, co-owner of acclaimed Cal-Italian restaurant Che Fico.

Chronicle Washington D.C. correspondent Tal Kopan contributed reporting to this story.

This story has been updated.

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker
As Monks Kettle owner Christian Albertson anxiously watched the Bay Areas coronavirus case rates shoot up in recent weeks, he decided to get ahead of another potentially devastating hit to the restaurant industry. On Monday, he shut the San Rafael outpost of the popular brewpub until the spring and temporarily closed indoor dining at the original San Francisco location for at least two months.

Albertson isnt the only one taking these precautionary measures. Toward the end of December, dozens of Bay Area restaurants temporarily shut down as the omicron variant began to spread in the region. Now though, as businesses reopen after holiday breaks and cases spike to record levels in the Bay Area, some are adding longer-term safety measures beyond requiring booster shots for diners.

Some restaurants are closing their dining rooms entirely and reverting to takeout-only operations for now, including Ox & Tiger, a Filipino-Japanese pop-up that was in its first few weeks of operating a brick-and-mortar spot in San Francisco. One of the citys top omakase restaurants, Ju-Ni, canceled its indoor and outdoor reservations through February and will use the time for a remodel. Scandinavian spot Kantine, also in San Francisco, decided to reduce its indoor capacity by half (and then closed temporarily through Jan. 11 because of short staffing), while Oakland worker-led restaurant Understory is asking customers to upgrade their masks to N95 or KN95 and keep their interactions indoors swift while they get takeout.

Owners say it feels like a difficult but necessary decision to maintain safety in the face of the omicron variant, despite the costs of lost revenue and reduced hours for staff.

Indoors is just much more dangerous by nature, Albertson of Monks Kettle said. Its been a crazy thing throughout this pandemic where the core of our business model is actually unsafe at times. Its going to be fast and furious so we thought, Lets get ahead of it now.

Without indoor dining, his restaurant in the Mission can still rely on a parklet and to-go orders. But the newer Terra Linda location doesnt have a large outdoor dining area nor the same demand for takeout or delivery. It made more sense financially to close for a few months than struggle through, Albertson said. He hopes to reopen both restaurants in early March but it will depend on how much health conditions improve. They are considering requiring proof of a booster shot at that point to eat inside, Albertson said.

Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2021

Mona Leena, chef and owner of Palestinian brunch spot Lulu in Berkeley, said there was a moment last month where it seemed like everyone she knew was getting exposed to the virus and nobody could get tests easily. Last week, she closed Lulus dining room and outdoor seating and switched to takeout.

I didnt want to have to abruptly close like Ive seen restaurants have to do in the past couple of weeks, she said.

Throughout the pandemic, health experts have said that indoor dining is among the riskiest activities because people must take their masks off to eat and drink. In late December, two leading experts on the coronavirus, UCSF Department of Medicine chair Bob Wachter and Warner Greene, a virologist and senior investigator at the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco, said they would no longer be eating inside restaurants for now.

EJ Macayan and Hitomi Wada of Ox & Tiger started to get increasingly concerned in late December when customers started canceling same-day reservations due to exposures or an onset of symptoms. Theyre also worried about coronavirus testing availability; the couple had been getting tested every week with no issue, but this week faced long lines and delayed results.

The change in operations means both owners and workers take a financial hit. Albertson laid off at least six out of 20 employees after closing indoor dining in San Francisco. Lulu lost money that first takeout-only weekend, Leena said, and she had to cut shifts for servers. She plans to bring back outdoor seating soon but doesnt think shell feel comfortable reopening indoors until cases go down.

Its very anxiety-inducing, she said. You just dont know whats happening next and youre having to make these hard decisions that affect your employees livelihoods.

Popular downtown Berkeley cafe Asha Tea House reopened after a temporary closure on Sunday with paper signs taped to the chairs stating that indoor seating was closed indefinitely. Co-owner David Lau felt like it was the safest decision, partially influenced by the fact that he tested positive for the coronavirus. Hes going on his eighth day in quarantine.

The team discussed returning to Ashas previous mode of operation during the pandemic: a table blocking the door, so no customers could come in. Some other takeout-focused outfits have recently brought back window service in the name of safety, including Oakland bakery Bake Sum. But Lau said masks and takeout service feels safe enough.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

From a mental health standpoint for our staff, its been better having customers inside, he said. It felt really sullen in the beginning when it was only us.

In the absence of any guidance from the government, Oaklands Understory released new guidelines Thursday aimed at applying what the worker-leaders learned throughout the pandemic about masking and social distancing. The staff is now suggesting customers wear N95s when getting takeout, though they wont turn away someone in a cloth mask given it can be hard to find N95s right now.

Were trying to bring awareness to the fact that cloth masks with this new variant are not as effective as people might believe they are, said worker-leader Florencio Esquivel.

Manresa Bread, which operates two popular bakeries and a third cafe in the South Bay, reverted to pickup and delivery only this week. The Campbell cafe with a full dining room is the most affected, but given the core of the business is baked goods, owner Avery Ruzicka said she didnt have to cut any staffs hours. She doesnt expect sales to suffer significantly, but they wont grow either.

Halting indoor dining feels safer, she said, but its also a grim reminder of the challenges of working in the service industry during an almost two-year-long pandemic.

Theres an emotional cost to all of this. Theres a lot of PTSD, Ruzicka said. This is hard for everybody, especially people whose job it is to show up and be in a social environment every day.

Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker
As the omicron surge worsens, pushing COVID-19 numbers across California to record highs, many frustrated Bay Area residents are unable to access coronavirus tests, either over-the-counter kits or more rigorous lab versions  a problem that has persisted since before the holidays.

Appointments at testing sites through county or private health providers, if theyre available at all, are booked out for weeks. Lines wrap around the block. Rapid home tests sold at drugstores such as CVS and Walgreens, which are typically limited to no more than four per customer, are usually out of stock, selling as quickly as they come in.

Bay Area county health departments say that with kids returning to school and adults worried about holiday exposure to the virus, demand for tests far outpaces availability at county-run sites  even though the number of tests administered has increased significantly over the last month.

Coronavirus testing in San Francisco is at an all-time high, San Franciscos health director, Dr. Grant Colfax, said in a briefing this week. Public testing sites conducted about 25,000 tests last week, nearly double the number of three weeks ago. But the city needs more help  and is urging private health care providers to step up their capacity.

Its a problem all over the country. From local health departments to the White House, officials say theyre doing everything they can to meet surging test demand amid the omicron surge. But nobody can say when the problem may be solved.

The Solano County health department put it the most bluntly. We do not know, officials said in an email to The Chronicle, when asked to estimate a timetable for improvement. They suggested asking state health officials.

The California Department of Public Healths response? The state has put millions of at-home tests directly into the hands of local jurisdictions and county offices of education to help meet their needs, it said in a statement. These additional testing supplies will continue to flow into the state in the coming days and weeks, as the state and our federal partners continue to facilitate the delivery of at-home tests.

In a news conference this week, Californias top public health official, Dr. Mark Ghaly, said the state has the lab capability to process hundreds of thousands of PCR tests per day, but that it doesnt always have the capability throughout the state and pockets of the state to collect all of those specimens.

Part of the effort, Ghaly said, is to expand the number of sites and their hours of operation to take full advantage of the states available lab testing capacity.

County health officials cited worker shortfalls as one reason for bottlenecks. We have ample testing materials, the Santa Clara County health department said in a statement. Our main hurdles are staffing and lab capacity  more personnel are needed to administer additional tests and to process in the laboratories across the country. Santa Clara said it has shifted personnel from other duties to bolster testing, but cant muster unlimited resources or unlimited laboratory capacity, given the national surge in testing demand.

There are also other problems behind the scenes. Both county and state health officials noted problems in manufacturing and logistics that have clogged the system, even as winter storms have choked transportation.

Ghaly said the state is working with vendors across the globe to increase the supply of over-the-counter tests, but that its still not enough to meet surging demand. Just last week, a shipment of 1 million rapid test kits was damaged by heavy rain and rendered unusable, Ghaly said  not something anybody could have anticipated.

The state has been mostly focused on getting rapid tests to schools in an effort to keep them open safely amid the omicron surge. Earlier this week, several school districts, including San Francisco Unified, did not receive expected test kits ahead of the first week back at school due to winter weather. The state has delivered 6.2 million coronavirus tests to county offices of education since Dec. 22, with more being sent out this week, Ghaly said.

Makers of rapid test kits, such as the popular BinaxNow and Ellume brands, did not respond to questions from The Chronicle about manufacturing issues or when they will be able to increase production.

Health experts see frequent testing as a key to limiting the spread of the virus and moving into a new post-pandemic normal. The federal government has acknowledged this too  ramped-up testing is a critical part of the Biden administrations plan to confront the latest COVID-19 surge.

Now Playing: Vehicles line up on the bottom floor of the Kaiser Permanente garage for COVID-19 drive-thru testing, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, in South San Francisco, Calif. Video: Santiago Mejia The Chronicle

The administration is finalizing its purchase of 500 million at-home test kits, which it will distribute free upon request through a government website, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a news conference Wednesday. However, she did not specify when the tests would become available, saying only that the website would be up and running this month.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Other countries already have robust, free rapid testing programs  the United Kingdom and Germany, for example, send millions of rapid tests to the public every week, recommending that residents test themselves twice a week. The U.S. would need 2.3 billion tests per month for everyone 12 and older to do that, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation  five times what the Biden administration has promised.

Beyond the increased risk of transmission, experts worry that the lack of available testing also has other consequences. Aside from the difficulty for most people of standing in line for hours, their potential exposure to the coronavirus while waiting goes up.

Many of the places I am walking near or around for testing have the longest lines I have ever seen, Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease doctor at Stanford, wrote on Twitter this week. Hospitals need to ensure they have improved ventilation in those spaces or mandate N95 mask use. Because if you went in #COVID19 neg, you may leave with a hefty exposure.

For now, health officials are encouraging people to be conservative with their testing  when booking a coronavirus test through the San Francisco Public Health Department, for example, a warning pops up reminding people that appointments are limited and urging them to help save resources for our essential workers and those who have symptoms or a known exposure.

While the state isnt recommending anyone forgo testing, Ghaly said he would urge Californians to make sure that they think about their neighbors, they think about their communities and make sure that we use testing when its appropriate, such as when you may be have been exposed or you are having symptoms.

To find home tests at pharmacies, it may be useful to ask the pharmacist when shipments usually arrive and return to the store at that time. But if you cant get a test and think you might have the virus, health officials say you should continue monitoring yourself for symptoms, stay home and isolate if possible.

Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev
Go here for the latest live updates on omicron in California.

As the omicron surge worsens, pushing COVID-19 numbers across California to record highs, many frustrated Bay Area residents are unable to access coronavirus tests. Nearly 900 San Francisco educators were absent from their classrooms as district officials scrambled to find enough qualified adults to fill in amid a rapidly growing number of new coronavirus cases in the city and a planned sickout. West Contra Costa schools will close Friday and Monday following a large number of teacher absences attributed to the ongoing omicron surge. Adding another layer of concern atop the astonishingly swift surge of the omicron variant, cases of flurona  a dual infection of influenza and coronavirus  have emerged.

Latest updates:

Next few weeks will be truly awful, says UCSFs Wachter: During a live Twitter Spaces roundtable about the state of the pandemic, hosted by The Chronicle on Friday, Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of medicine at UCSF, reiterated that things will likely get better in the Bay Area by late February. But asked about recent suggestions that the COVID pandemic could eventually become endemic like the flu, he added several caveats. What were going to experience now... and over the next few weeks is going to be truly awful, Wachter said. He added that once we get through a terrible period things could turn around, but the virus remains unpredictable. Any prediction, first of all, has to acknowledge the fact that weve all been wrong a ton and, second, it is all dependent on what happens with variants. I know very few people have predicted delta. I know no people who predicted omicron... So any prediction of a good place can be screwed up by the virus being even smarter than its been.

Stanford puts off in-person classes after 700 people test positive for COVID: More than 700 people on the Stanford campus have tested positive for the coronavirus this week, prompting university administrators to further delay the start of in-person classes and to plan for the possibility of moving some uninfected students from their dorm rooms. According to a letter sent to Stanford students, staff and faculty Friday, nearly 400 students tested positive for the coronavirus this week along with 300 faculty and staff members. The university had already delayed the start of in-person classes by two weeks but has now extended it to three weeks. Read the full story here.

Homeless vaccination clinic sees big turnout amid omicron wave: Homeless people are more worried now than theyve been since the early peaks of the pandemic. With lower vaccination rates than the general population and higher mortality rates, unhoused people face a greater likelihood of getting sicker or dying if they get infected. At Oakland nonprofit Serenity Houses monthly outdoor vaccination clinic in Oakland, they can get a shot, a free meal and a $50 gift card. Read the full story here.

SFJazz Gala 2022 postponed due to COVID surge: SFJazz has postponed its annual gala, which was scheduled to take place on Jan. 26, due to the omicron COVID surge walloping the Bay Area. The event, which this year is set to honor Wynton Marsalis with a Lifetime Achievement Award, will now take place June 3 at the SFJazz Center in San Francisco. Read the full story here.

COVID substantially increases diabetes risk in children: Kids who are infected with COVID-19 are up to 2.5 times more likely to develop diabetes than their peers, according to a large-scale study published Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Persons aged <18 years with COVID-19 were more likely to receive a new diabetes diagnosis >30 days after infection than were those without COVID-19 and those with pre-pandemic acute respiratory infections, the study says. The authors did not know why the risk increases so significantly but said it is possible COVID-19 might lead to diabetes through direct attack of pancreatic cells. They also theorize that diabetes risk increased with pandemic-associated increases in body mass index, but concluded the more research is needed.

Muni missing 15% of scheduled service due to sick staff: With more than 100 SFMTA staff members testing positive for COVID in the past month, the agency said riders should expect ongoing service interruptions. Currently, we are missing up to 15% of scheduled Muni service, which means that riders may need to wait longer than usual for their bus or train, the agency said in a blog post Friday. Our hope is that this will be the extent of our impacts. However, the situation is fluid, and we are monitoring staffing levels on a daily basis. SFMTA said that if more staff members are affected by the current surge, more service cuts and route cancellations may be necessary in the coming weeks. We are doing our best to avoid this situation by communicating proactively with staff about masking and staying home if they have any symptoms and keeping some staff working vital functions at remote locations to limit exposure, it said.

SFUSD records more positive cases first week back than entire fall semester: San Francisco Unified School District reported 350 confirmed COVID cases out of 4,304 coronavirus tests conducted at the districts testing sites in the first week back after winter break, resulting in a 8.3% positive test rate for the week ending Jan. 7. An additional 315 positive tests were self-reported to the district by students and staff and not included in the overall rate. The total number of positive cases in schools in the first week back has already topped the 647 cumulative cases reported to the district during the entire fall semester.

A dozen Oakland schools close as 500 teachers out amid sickout, omicron surge: About 500 Oakland teachers called in sick Friday  more than twice as many as earlier in the week  prompting the closure of about 12 schools in the district to instruction and sending officials and families scrambling. The absences  which totaled about 20% of teachers  came amid a sickout from teachers who protested what they say are unsafe working conditions during the omicron surge. Read the full story here.

Schools should consider going remote through omicron surge: Choosing whether to send children to school or keep them at home during the omicron COVID surge puts parents in an impossible position, said Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of medicine at UCSF. Speaking during a live Twitter Spaces roundtable hosted by The Chronicle, Wachter said parents can best protect their kids by ensuring they are around people who are vaccinated, wearing high-quality N95 or KN95 masks and inside classrooms with robust ventilation systems. He added that school districts should not rule out going remote for a few weeks to get through the worst of the current spike. There can be a situation where this thing is rampaging. Its a hurricane. Its about to hit your school and the school is not the safest place to be. You know to go virtual for a few weeks, Wachter said. He advised administrators against getting locked into the belief that schools must stay open, no matter what. I dont think its a situation where we should be saying we can never ever close the schools again because last year was such a terrible mistake.

S.F. warns of fake testing sites: San Franciscos public health department warned of unauthorized COVID-19 test sites mushrooming throughout the city Friday. The bogus sites are cropping up at a moment when demand for COVID-19 tests is surging, but tests themselves remain scarce. The citys health department urged the public to visit only authorized testing locations or to use rapid tests approved by the FDA. People should use caution and not use testing sites that seem too good to be true because they may not be trustworthy, the SFDPH said in an emailed comment. The list of authorized testing sites in San Francisco can be found here. The health department did not specify where unauthorized testing sites had been located but said they lacked appropriate permits or were not operating in affiliation with the city or private partners. Read the full story here.

Big theater company to require proof of booster shots starting Feb. 1: BroadwaySF, the presenter of Broadway tours at the Orpheum and Golden Gate Theatres, announced a new COVID policy going into effect Feb. 1 that weill require patrons ages 16 and older to show proof of having received a booster shot at least one week before the performance they wish to attend. The company cited a Dec. 29 health order from the San Francisco Department of Public Health requiring boosters for indoor mega-events. Read the full story here.

Richmond figure skater Alysa Liu out of U.S. championships after testing positive: Two-time champion Alysa Liu withdrew from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships after testing positive for the coronavirus Friday, less than a day after the Richmond teenagers third-place finish in the short program put her in position to make the Olympic team. Liu, 16, is at least the fourth competitor to test positive for the virus in the run-up and during nationals, and the third that was expected to make the team for the Beijing Games. Read the full story here.

Bay Area coronavirus cases hit 10,000 per day for first time: The seven-day average of new coronavirus cases in the Bay Area has reached 10,000 for the first time during the pandemic, according to state data collected by The Chronicle. As of Thursday, the daily average for the region was 10,304. The statewide seven-day average is at a record-high 63,164 cases. The highly infectious omicron variant, which now makes up about 79% of cases in California, is causing the enormous tallies. Hospitalizations are climbing too, but have not reached last winters peaks.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

California students suffered from effects of pandemic: Student test scores and graduation rates took a hit during the pandemic, according to a snapshot of data that offers the first look at academic performance after a year or more of distance learning for many students. The data released Friday offered only a partial picture of how the states 6 million public school students were doing in math and English in the spring of 2021 and what percent of seniors graduated on time. Though an incomplete picture, the scores seem to indicate the pandemic took a toll on student learning. Read the full story here.

UC Davis to stay remote through January: Due to the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases in the region, UC Davis has extended remote learning through the end of the month. Based on COVID positivity rates, as well as staffing, operational and community concerns, we have decided it is prudent to continue remote instruction through 1/28, Chancellor Gary May said in a video statement posted on UC Daviss Facebook page on Thursday. The university had previously planned to start its winter quarter remotely through Jan. 7, with students returning to classes on campus starting Jan. 10.

Some Bay Area restaurants close indoor dining rooms again amid surge: In late December, dozens of Bay Area restaurants temporarily shut down as the omicron variant began to spread in the region. Now, as cases spike to record levels, some are adding longer-term safety measures or closing their dining rooms entirely and reverting to takeout-only operations. Owners say it feels like a difficult but necessary decision to maintain safety in the face of the omicron variant, despite lost revenue and reduced hours for staff. Read the full story here. At the same time, Bay Area mayors are calling on Congress to provide emergency relief for restaurants, warning of catastrophic impact on the local economy and a massive wave of permanent restaurant closures. Read the full story here.

COVID hospitalizations among younger children hit pandemic high: Hospitalizations among children under the age of 5, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated, has hit a new pandemic high, according to data published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of hospitalization for younger children is now 4.3 per 100,000  compared to 1 per 100,000 for children ages 5 to 17, according to CDC data. While children still have the lowest rate of hospitalization, pediatric hospitalizations are at their highest point compared to any other point prior in the pandemic, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a media briefing.

CDC recommends Moderna booster after 5 months: Following a move by the FDA to shorten the interval between initial vaccination and receiving a booster shot to at least five months for those over the age of 18 who received the Moderna vaccine, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Friday that she has signed off on the recommendation. The agency previously recommended waiting six months to get the booster.

NBA player who mocked COVID panic infected for second time: Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, the first NBA player who tested positive for the coronavirus on March 11, 2020, has become reinfected, according to a statement from the team. Gobert, who is vaccinated, received two negative test results from rapid antigen tests on Wednesday but a more reliable PCR laboratory test came back positive test on Thursday. He is now on the NBA protocols list. In a clip that went viral at the start of the pandemic, Gobert shrugged off concern over the virus in March 2020 by touching every microphone during a press briefing. Days later, the NBA shut down the 2019-20 season.

Omicron at school  sickness and sickouts on the Fifth & Mission Podcast: Hundreds of teachers and aides stay away from San Francisco public schools  some because theyre sick with COVID-19, others agitating for better safety protocols. Listen to the podcast here.

For people relying on medical equipment, the supply chain crisis can mean life or death: Home medical equipment, from ventilators to wheelchairs, has been impacted by the supply chain crisis  with much higher stakes than for other consumer goods. Read the full story here.

U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments over Biden administration vaccine mandates: The Supreme Court will hear arguments Friday in a case central to the Biden administrations workplace vaccination policy goals, the New York Times reported. One mandate would require vaccines or testing for any work place with more than 100 people. The other would mandate vaccinations for workers at hospitals that accept Medicare or Medicaid patients.
Regarding Renaming school for educator a smart move (Native Son, Jan. 2): Carl Noltes column is spot on. But naming a school after a person, any person, is fraught with hazards. Future revelations about that persons life may reveal inconsistencies that might require renaming the school again.

Is there a solution? Sure. Name the school after an animal. That automatically solves the issue of future problems.

Elementary schools could be named after bugs (fly, gnat, mosquito, et al.), middle schools after smaller animals and reptiles (beagle, iguana, sloth), and high schools after the great mammals (orca, elephant, rhino, hippo). The school mascot and team name would be a given.

James Thurber, Mountain View

Make big businesses pay

Regarding Court rules in favor of Oakland tax (Bay Area, Dec 31): Oakland voters overwhelmingly passed the Measure AA parcel tax in 2020. This measure, estimated to cost homeowners $200 annually, will provide badly needed funds for early childhood education and college preparation.

That same election cycle saw the statewide Proposition 15 fail by a slim margin. Prop. 15 would have imposed fair property taxes on large businesses to fund education. It was fought by commercial real estate and other special interests with baseless claims  and ironically  fear mongering that it would raise homeowners property taxes.

We badly need funds for education and Measure AA is a start, but we need much more than these local revenue efforts can provide.

We need big businesses, which for decades have benefited from property tax loopholes, to step up and pay their fair share. Otherwise, we will have to keep voting for these piecemeal parcel taxes on homeowners to fill the gap.

Kitty Calavita, Berkeley

Fraud case enlightens

Regarding Split verdict for Holmes: guilty on 4 fraud counts (Front Page, Jan. 4): The jurys decision is like saying that on four counts Elizabeth Holmes was a snake oil salesperson peddling a worthless remedy.

The decision is also a guilty verdict for the failure of the journalist checks and balances of due diligence, and the seeking of second opinions from analysts in the know. Those journalists are guilty of reporting about the emperors fine clothing without a second opinion.

The guilty verdict also points to the failure of the checks and balances to be provided by a responsible board. Holmes star-studded board was all show, and they were not in the know of what they were rubber stamping.

If they do a movie about this, it would be a cross between Wall Street (greed is good), and The Music Man (take the money and run).

I teach leadership, and this entire process has been a teachable moment in how not to be a CEO, journalist or a member of the board of directors.

Perhaps it is time to reinstate the most important adviser to kings and queens  the court jester.

Curtis Panasuk, Santa Cruz

Water shortage ignored

Regarding The new year brings colossal housing projects (Front Page, Jan. 4): Missing from this story is any reference to Californias water situation. Residents here know about the chronic drought conditions, as highlighted by the governor when he recently requested residents reduce water consumption by 15%.

In addition to water supply issues, one wonders about rising sea levels and seismic concerns on Treasure Island; 8,000 units, including towers, are proposed on this island of landfill. Im sure the Millennium Tower engineers also assured their investors and buyers of the safety of building on landfill.
Tony Ryan never wrote a verse of poetry, but he never missed hearing someone else read one in North Beach, the San Francisco neighborhood that gave life to the Beat scene.

Ryan saved his spoken words for the after-parties, where he carried on about his experiences as a Berkeley radical, Peoples Park protester, Communist party member and veteran of the first Venceremos Brigade, which defied the travel embargo to cut Cuban sugarcane for Fidel Castro in 1969.

That job didnt pay, and neither did his paying job as an online bookseller, working from his personal collection of thousands of volumes.

Nearly every night, Ryan could be found seated at the end of the bar at Specs Twelve Adler Museum Cafe, the famed hole-in-the-wall hangout in an alley off Columbus Avenue. If new customers came in, he would rise from his stool and give a tour of the photographs and artifacts on the wall. Hed also bus tables when it got busy.

Ryan didnt own the place or even work there, but he did live in a room upstairs in his later years. On Dec. 21, he was found dead on his bed surrounded by books piled to the ceiling. The cause of death was heart disease, brought about by a lifetime of heavy cigarette smoking and steady drinking, said his brother Ben Ryan. He was 73.

Tonys life was very social. He lived in the coffeehouses, the bookstores and the watering holes, his brother said. He was an intellectual and passionate about all progressive movements. He was unwavering in his principles and was an activist all of his life. A deep, deep activist.

Though Ryan was a North Beach figure, for most of his life he couldnt afford to live there. He moved around between cheap apartments in Berkeley and Oakland, but every day he commuted to the city by BART, having never gotten a drivers license or owned a car. Hed walk up from Montgomery Street Station and commence what was called the Tony Triangle by Agneta Falk, widow of San Francisco poet laureate Jack Hirschman and a close friend of Ryans. Specs did not open until the late afternoon, so the triangle would start at Caffe Trieste, then move to Vesuvio Cafe.

He walked from place to place, sometimes stopping to buy cigarettes in between, Falk said. I hope he went to eat somewhere, too. She could not be sure because nobody ever saw Ryan eat along the way to the final stop on the triangle  Specs.

After a long night of intellectual discourse fueled by vodka and soda, with rum and brandy for variety, hed somehow make his way back to BART for the last train home. He made this commute until three years ago, when a fire destroyed the apartment house where he lived. Ryan escaped with only his passport, filled with stamps for Havana, which he visited almost annually. He lost an estimated 10,000 collectible books, pamphlets and posters dating to the 1960s.

Everything that he lived for and worked for was gone, said his brother, an artist and musician living in Santa Barbara. He was devastated.

After that loss, Ryan all but moved into Specs, taking a 10-by-10-foot single room with access to a downstairs kitchen that he never used, despite an impressive collection of cookbooks on exotic cuisines of Latin America.

Tony always took an interest in my life, and he was like that with everybody, said Maralisa Simmons-Cook, who owns Specs with her mother, Elly Simmons.

He wasnt a poet, but he was one of the key players in preserving the spirit of North Beach. People come to places like Specs and Vesuvio to witness or absorb the art and politics and history of the city, and Tony was their tour guide.

Anthony Bourke Ryan was born on May 25, 1948, in Phoenix. His father, Bill Ryan, was a salesman for Sears Roebuck who was transferred to Caracas, Venezuela, which had a profound impact on Tony, who was fluent in Spanish by the time the family came back to live in Fresno in the early 1950s.

From there they moved to a ranch in Clovis, an agricultural and rodeo town where Tony was bullied in school on account of his glasses and scrawny physique. This gave him great sympathy for the underclass and the underdog, an outlook that was solidified when the family attended a Martin Luther King Jr. speech at Fresno State in 1964.

Tony had a commitment to social justice early on and bugged my mother to take him to an NAACP meeting, said his other brother, Jordan Ryan, a retired official with the United Nations.

Ryan attended three high schools, including the Woodside Priory, a notoriously rigid boarding school run by Hungarian monks in Portola Valley. One day, he hitchhiked to Keplers Books in Menlo Park to meet noted anti-war activist Ira Sandperl, who worked there.

Ryan returned to his dorm with an armload of communist literature and started proselytizing, which was a major factor in getting him kicked out of Priory after less than a year, according to his brother Jordan. From there he was sent to live with an aunt in Cambridge, Mass., so he could attend the famed Cambridge Rindge and Latin School near Harvard Square.

By the time he graduated and got back to California to attend Sonoma State University, he was fully radicalized. He got his bachelors in environmental studies and added to it with a degree in library technology at City College of San Francisco. He moved to Berkeley when he took a job as a clerk at Moes Books on Telegraph Avenue. He also hung around the informational card tables set up in Sproul Plaza to recruit UC Berkeley undergraduates to the radical cause.

Thats where he met Steve Wasserman, then a Berkeley teenager and now publisher of Heyday, the Berkeley independent nonprofit book publisher. Together, Ryan and Wasserman walked down Telegraph Avenue and into the Peoples Park riots of the late 1960s.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Tony was deeply political and also alive to the avant garde current of politicized poetry that was sweeping through the Bay Area, forming an archipelago of progressivism and bohemianism, Wasserman said. Tony almost perfectly straddled the divide between the politicos and the hippies.

Ryan built his inventory of books by shopping among the street vendors in Berkeley and San Francisco. If he saw something he liked, hed buy everything the vendor had. He never had a physical store, other than his apartment.

In November 1969, Ryan went to Cuba with about 200 idealistic Westerners who formed the Venceremos Brigade, traveling via Canada to circumvent the embargo.

From that first trip forward, Ryan promoted the Cuban revolution and became a leading importer of Cuban literature. After the travel ban was lifted, Ryan started bringing Cuban poets to San Francisco. He was a great champion of Nancy Morejon, whom he brought to a reading at the Emerald Tablet on Fresno Street in 2014, with a reception after at Specs.

Ryan landed his only secure job in the late 1980s when he moved to Washington, D.C., to work at the Inter-American Development Bank, which works to reduce poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean. He lasted nearly a decade, Jordan Ryan said, before tangling with management and resigning.

That was Tony to the very end, Jordan said. He was committed, intense, relentless and principled.

But not humorless. Among the things he liked to laugh at was himself. For his 70th birthday party at Specs, he asked his old friend Jessica Loos to roast him. He even volunteered to supply her with notes if she was lacking material. She declined his offer, having too much to work with already.

Tony was more of a caricature of a caricature of himself than anyone I have ever met, said Loos, who has been on the scene for more than 20 years. He was a pain in the ass, but a memorable one.

A memorial service is planned for Ryans birthday in May, to be held at Specs. Survivors include his brothers, Jordan of Atlanta and Ben of Santa Barbara, and his sister, Sally of Atlanta.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@samwhitingsf
On July 31, 1925, a banner headline on the front page of The Chronicle screamed, INVENTOR KILLED BY EXPLOSION. The story began, Charles Henry Schwartz of Berkeley, a chemical engineer and inventor of valuable chemical formulae, who recently figured in a sensational breach of promise suit, was blown to death tonight while experimenting with a new formula at the plant of the Pacific Cellulose Company near Walnut Creek.

Most of the statements in that headline and first sentence were false.

The truth, when it came out, revealed one of the weirdest murder plots in California history, one so carefully planned and fiendishly audacious that it seems to have been patterned on a (time-machine-assisted) combination of Columbo and Mad Men. The press called it the too-perfect murder.

At first, it appeared to be a straightforward case of a death caused by an industrial accident. The blast occurred on July 30 at about 10 p.m. A watchman called the Walnut Creek fire department, which arrived quickly and put out the flames. They discovered a badly burned corpse on the floor, one arm stiffly in the air, the head a blackened mask with hideous gleaming teeth. The coroner soon arrived, followed by Schwartzs wife, Alice. She immediately identified the corpse as her husband, crying out, Thats him! Thats him!

The Chronicle described the 36-year-old Schwartz as an Austrian by birth, a graduate of several European universities and a former French army officer. After years of research, he had perfected secret chemical processes of untold value and had started a company and opened a factory to make artificial silk. Schwartz was short, with unusually small hands and feet, a military bearing and a neatly trimmed mustache. He lived with his wife, 29-year-old Alice Warden Schwartz, a British former war widow, and their three small children at 6101 Rockridge Blvd.

However, there was one entry in the record of this apparently upstanding inventor and family man that raised questions. In June, a 29-year-old former schoolteacher from Switzerland named Elizabeth Adam had filed a $75,000 breach of promise suit against him. In her suit, which was sponsored by the Swiss vice-consul of San Francisco, she charged that he had told her he was a bachelor named Stein, seduced her, given her a diamond engagement ring and promised to marry her. Schwartz responded that the charges were all lies, part of a scheme by mysterious European malefactors to blackmail him and steal his secret formulas.

The coroner proclaimed that the body was that of Charles Schwartz and ordered it taken to the morgue. As Charles F. Adams writes in his account of the case in Murder by the Bay: Historic Homicide in and About the City of San Francisco, Mrs. Schwartz, who had regained her composure with remarkable alacrity, asked that her husbands remains be cremated as soon as possible.

At 4 a.m. that same night, a man named Harold Warren appeared at the door of his friend, Charles Heywood, who owned the Nottingham Apartments at 466 41st St. in Oakland. Warren had appeared in Berkeley two years earlier and had become a good friend of Heywood and his wife. He was a good-looking, clean-shaven man in his mid-30s. The Heywoods didnt know much about his past or where he came from, but he was a witty raconteur and the couple enjoyed his company. The day before, Warren had arranged to rent an apartment from Heywood.

Warren was bruised and limping. He apologized for waking his friend up in the middle of the night, explaining that he had been in an automobile accident and that he had had liquor in his car. He was worried that the police might be after him for violating prohibition, and asked Heywood to say nothing about his presence if they were to appear. Heywood readily agreed, showed Warren to his apartment and went back to bed.

The next day, the Schwartz family doctor, Alfred Ruedy, identified the body as that of Charles Schwartz. Schwartzs attorney issued a statement stating that same thing.

But doubts soon began to arise about the case. The head of the Walnut Creek fire department, Guy Spencer, examined the basement of the factory the next day and discovered that there were blood stains on the ceiling. They turned out to have come from a closet off the laboratory, many feet away from where the body was found. There was also a pool of blood on the floor. This did not make sense to Spencer.

The Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney, James Hoey, was also suspicious. As Lenore Glen Offord writes in Eleven Days Wonder: The Case of Charles Henry Schwartz, which appears in the book San Francisco Murders, Hoey already had doubts about Schwartz, saying, I always thought he was a faker. And as soon as he walked in the laboratory the next day, Hoey smelled a rat. Why, he wondered, would a man killed by a powerful explosion end up laid out neatly between two benches on a blanket? And why, considering how scorched the corpse was, was the rest of the room barely burned?

To get answers, Hoey contacted the Bay Areas Sherlock Holmes: a Berkeley criminologist and consulting expert in legal chemistry named Edward Heinrich. Heinrich, The Chronicle wrote, has gained fame as a solver of criminal mysteries by use of the microscope.

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Heinrich examined the scene carefully. He found the tiny outline of a dropped match on burned floorboards outside the doors to the laboratory, and traces of benzine in the small metal well that anchored the doors. This meant the fire had started outside the laboratory. He also analyzed the blood in the closet, and determined that it had been discolored by fumes from the explosion, meaning that the blood had been there before the blast. Finally, he found minute specks of blood at a place where a chair had stood, indicating that someone sitting in that chair had been attacked.

The picture was now clear. Someone had been killed in the chair, their body dragged to the closet, then later removed, soaked in benzine or ether and ignited. A fire was then started from outside the laboratory, with the apparent intention of destroying the body and any other evidence.

Trivia time The previous question: What unflattering name did Ambrose Bierce give to Leland Stanford? Answer: Stealand Landford. This week's question: What San Francisco fireman did Mark Twain meet in the Montgomery Block sauna? See More Collapse

Moreover, despite Mrs. Schwartzs continued insistence that the corpse was her husband, authorities were increasingly convinced it was not. Insurance companies stated they would contest the $180,000 in policies Schwartz had taken out on his life, which benefited his company and his wife.

Meanwhile, Harold Warren was recuperating at the Nottingham Apartments. Like everyone else in the Bay Area, he followed the front-page coverage of the Schwartz case with great interest and seemed to enjoy discussing it with his friend Heywood. He was his usual high-spirited self, and amused Heywood and his wife with his endless store of anecdotes. On Aug. 1, two days after the explosion, the Heywoods invited him to a surprise party for their teenage daughter, Marjorie. Warren was the life of the party, offering toasts to Marjorie, playing games and leading a Grand March around the house.

The next day, the newspapers announced that Schwartz was suspected of murder, and a manhunt for him began. The astonishing story of what The Chronicle called one of the most unusual and clever murders in the history of California will be the subject of the next Portals.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco. His most recent book is Spirits of San Francisco: Voyages Through the Unknown City. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals.
A judge stopped the development of a massive ultra-luxury resort in Northern California on Tuesday because developers failed to consider what would unfold if a wildfire exploded and thousands of guests had to escape raging flames.

The judge issued the Jan. 4 ruling in response to a Center for Biological Diversity lawsuit and concluded that the environmental impact report for the 25-square-mile development in Lake County's Guenoc Valley didn't take into consideration wildfire impacts and evacuation safety.

"If a wildfire occurs, the Projects residents will need to evacuate," the ruling read. "These people will likely compete with residents in the surrounding area for safe evacuation routes. The additional people competing for the same limited routes can cause congestion and delay in evacuation, resulting in increased wildfire related deaths."

The ruling overrides the approval from the county board of supervisors who saw the development as an economic opportunity for the region.

If the ultimate result of this decision is the project not moving forward, that will be a tremendous loss, south Lake County Supervisor Moke Simon told the Press Democrat on Thursday.

Multiple wildfires have torn through Lake County in recent years. Driven by fierce winds, the 2015 Valley Fire ripped through more than 76,000 acres, destroyed nearly 2,000 structures and killed four people. More recently, the 2020 LNU Complex Fire scorched more than 360,000 acres and tore through the Guenoc Valley.

The center said in its lawsuit that the environmental review for the project violated the California Environmental Quality Act. The California Attorney Generals Office joined the lawsuit in 2021, citing wildfire and other environmental concerns.

The recent history of wildfires has taught us that we need to be prepared for the next disaster, Peter Broderick, a center attorney, wrote in a statement. Part of that preparation is making sound land-use decisions and only approving developments that adequately address, not worsen, wildfire risks. Building in Californias fire-prone wildlands is dangerous for people and terrible for our imperiled wildlife.
WASHINGTON  At its annual summit on the state of American business last January, officials from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce expressed disgust at the siege of the Capitol that had unfolded days earlier, and declared that lawmakers who discredited the 2020 election would no longer receive the organizations financial backing.

There are some members who, by their actions, will have forfeited the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Period. Full stop, Neil Bradley, the executive vice president and chief policy officer for the chamber, said at the time.

Less than two months later, the nations biggest lobbying group reversed course. We do not believe it is appropriate to judge members of Congress solely based on their votes on the electoral certification, Ashlee Rich Stephenson, the chambers senior political strategist, wrote in a memo.

In the year since the riot at the Capitol, many corporate giants and trade groups have moved from making stern statements about the sanctity of democracy to reopening the financial spigot for lawmakers who undermined the election. Millions of dollars in donations continue to flow to what watchdog groups deride as the Sedition Caucus, highlighting how quickly political realities shift in Washington.

A report published this week by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit watchdog group, showed how corporate money continued to support most of the 147 lawmakers who voted to overturn the election results.

In the past year, 717 companies and industry groups gave more than $18 million to 143 of those lawmakers. Businesses that pledged to stop or pause their donations to those lawmakers have since given nearly $2.4 million directly to their campaigns or leadership political action committees, according to CREW.

Many of the corporations that have donated are household names, including Boeing, Pfizer, General Motors, Ford Motor, AT&T and UPS. Trade groups such as the Chamber of Commerce have also continued to be big donors, with such associations, or their political actions committees, giving $7.67 million to political groups associated with lawmakers who voted to overturn the election or to PACs that support them.

To be sure, many companies have kept their word and maintained their pause on donations. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a professor of leadership at the Yale School of Management, said his own research showed that a majority of corporations that pledged to slow or cease their PAC donations to election certification objectors had followed through with those promises.

According to the CREW report, more than half of the nearly 250 companies that said they would evaluate their political giving after the attack have not made a donation to the lawmakers who tried to stop the certification of the election. Microsoft has held firm on its pledge to cease donations to those lawmakers, and Hewlett-Packard decided to shut down its PAC entirely after Jan. 6.

But many companies have restarted campaign donations, with some saying they are doing so in the spirit of nonpartisanship.

Our employee PAC program continues to observe long-standing principles of nonpartisan political engagement in support of our business interests, said Trent Perrotto, a spokesperson for defense contractor Lockheed Martin, which contributed $145,000 to 72 lawmakers who voted against certifying the election.

Sharon J. Castillo, a Pfizer spokesperson, said in a statement that following the events of Jan. 6, 2021, the company adhered to its commitment to pause political giving to the 147 members of Congress who voted against certifying the election for six months. She added that monitoring elected officials conduct and statements is a part of our governance process, and we will continue to do so as we consider future Pfizer PAC disbursements.

CREW noted that some lawmakers who had downplayed the riot or sought to sow doubts about what happened on Jan. 6 had continued to be magnets for corporate money. Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., who has blamed Democrats for instigating the violence and has called those taken into custody in connection with the riot political hostages, received $2,000 in donations from the National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors and the Farmers Rice Cooperative Fund.

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, who has said there is no evidence that an armed insurrection took place, received $1,000 from the National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors.

In the immediate aftermath of the riot, associating with lawmakers who appeared to abet it was viewed by many companies as a political liability. But in many cases, those concerns did not last.

Charles Spies, a Republican campaign finance lawyer who helped run Mitt Romneys presidential super PAC, said that while the initial shock of the attack made corporate donors risk-averse, their thinking shifted with the politicization of the Jan. 6 congressional inquiry. Republicans have sought to downplay the attack and have accused Democrats of using the investigation to hurt the GOPs image.

Its now a bit more politicized, which makes it harder for companies to just pick one side, Spies said.

Melissa Miller, a Ford spokesperson, justified the carmakers donations by explaining that they were not driven by a single issue.

Our employee PAC makes bipartisan contributions based on a variety of considerations important to customers, our team and our company. They span things like manufacturing, mobility, innovation and trade, Miller said. We resumed contributions in April after refining our process based on input from PAC members.

After the riot, JPMorgan Chase, the countrys largest bank by assets, vowed not to use funds from its corporate PAC to support lawmakers who had objected on Jan. 6 to certifying the election results at least until the end of the current donation cycle. Still, it has given money to groups that support Republicans for both the Senate and the House, contributions that are likely to find their way to individual objectors.

A PAC is an important tool for JPMorgan Chase employees to engage in the political process in the United States, the banks political action committee wrote in a note that was distributed to workers in June, when a temporary ban on all PAC contributions from JPMorgan employees was first lifted.

Citigroup, which had also paused its PAC giving in the immediate aftermath of the riot, reopened the doors to PAC contributions to lawmakers around the same time, saying it would evaluate candidates to which it donated on a case-by-case basis rather than committing to any blanket prohibitions.

Crisis communications experts said the resumption of donations was not surprising, particularly given President Joe Bidens weak poll numbers and the prospect that Republicans might retake control of Congress in 2022.

Companies will need to do business with Republicans, period, so theyll give them money, said Eric Dezenhall, a Washington expert in corporate damage control. Heavily regulated companies need to defend themselves from multiple threats  hostile legislation, boycotts, shareholder actions.

The donations also reflect the fact that, over time, lawmakers are a more influential constituency for companies than consumers.

Consumers have short memories, but lawmakers have long memories, said Gene Grabowski, who specializes in crisis communications for the public relations firm Kglobal. Doing business with the Sedition Caucus, as distasteful as it might be, is a political reality for many companies.

Although companies that have continued to halt donations to some Republicans could be burning bridges with those lawmakers, there is also an economic logic behind not donating to those who have demonstrated a willingness to undermine elections.

Bruce F. Freed, the president of the Center for Political Accountability, argued that firms that resumed the donations were being shortsighted and suggested that there was a strong business case that the health of Americas democracy should take precedence over political access.

Companies need a healthy democracy to compete and grow and thrive, Freed said. They still look at political spending too narrowly as a matter of access. They're not looking at what the broader interests and broader risks are.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Chicago, IL  January 7, 2022  Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Toyota TM, General Motors GM,Honda HMC and Nissan NSANY.

Here are highlights from Thursdays Analyst Blog:

Japan's Big 3 Automakers See U.S. Sales Gain in 2021

U.S. vehicle sales data for 2021 is out and in a historic turn, Japans #1 automaker Toyota has dethroned U.S. auto giant General Motors as the top-selling automaker of the nation. Toyota sold 2,332,262 vehicles in the United States in 2021 compared with 2,218,228 units for General Motors. This is indeed a remarkable feat for Toyota as it is the first time that a foreign automaker has outsold a Detroit counterpart in U.S. auto sales for an entire calendar year in the industrys 120-year history.

How Did TM Manage to Overtake GM?

Quoting the executive analyst for Cox Automotive, Michelle Krebs, Toyota's success comes from managing tight inventory well all year. It had solid sales in its Toyota brand as well as its luxury brand, Lexus. She added, Toyota stockpiled computer chips, which helped it avoid some of the production pitfalls that hit the Detroit Three early in the chip shortage.

Most of the auto bigwigs were hard hit by semiconductor shortage. This forced them to halt production lines and left them scrambling to secure enough chips for building vehicles.

It was a rough sales year for General Motors due to the chip famine. But not all automakers suffered equally. For instance, Toyota benefited from having built a larger stockpile of chips. Toyota learnt its lesson back in 2011 when the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami knocked out the production of several key components. Since then, as part of a revamp to its business continuity plan, Toyota has been setting aside larger stockpiles of parts.

So, while most of the U.S. auto giants including General Motors were cutting production amid chip deficit, Toyota was able to hold out longer than its peers until it had to finally announce a cutback in manufacturing plants in the fall of 2021.

Will TM Retain Its Crown in 2022?

While Toyota has been credited for navigating through the chip crunch better than many other automakers, it is not taking its current top spot in America too seriously. In fact, senior vice president of Toyota North America, Jack Hollis, has rather downplayed Toyotas achievement as Americas top-selling automaker in 2021.

Hollis said, the automaker is grateful for its loyal customers, but being No. 1 is never a focus or priority." He added, The Japanese automaker does not see it as sustainable that it can retain its U.S. sales lead and has no plans to use the 2021 accomplishment in any kind of advertising.

Meanwhile, General Motors is rather optimistic about 2022 vehicle sales. GM North America president Steve Carlisle said, In 2022, we plan to take advantage of the strong economy and anticipated improved semiconductor supplies to grow our sales and share.

All in all, while Toyota has been successful in weathering supply crunch problems better, the company doesnt expect its newfound sales title to be a permanent one. Conversely, General Motors, despite being the undisputed sales leader in its home turf since the Great Depression, witnessed a fall in full-year sales; but seems rather confident to bounce back in 2022.

TM, HMC & NSANYs 2021 U.S. Sales Numbers

Japans big three automakers  Toyota, Honda and Nissan  witnessed U.S. sales growth on a year-over-year basis for 2021.

Toyota reported U.S. sales of 2,332,262 vehicles for 2021, up 10.4% year over year. Sales at its namesake and Lexus division grew 10.3% and 10.7%, respectively. Hondas overall U.S. sales for 2021 totaled 1,466,630 units, up 8.9% year over year. The Honda brand sales edged up 8.2% and Acura sales increased 14.9%. Nissans U.S. sales climbed 12.1% year over year for 2021 to 919,086 units.

Electric Sales Jump, Electrification Strides Bang On

Sales of Toyotas electrified vehicles  hybrids, plug-ins and fuel cells  soared 73.2% to 583,697 units for 2021, accounting for one-quarter of total volume. TM has earmarked more than $13.5 billion for investment in EV battery development and production through 2030, which includes a $3.4-billion outlay in battery technology in the United States.

To cater to the surging demand for clean energy vehicles in the United States, Toyota envisions EVs to account for nearly 70% of U.S. sales by 2030, up from almost 25% currently. The company expects to sell as many as 1.8 million electrified vehicles in the United States by 2030, including the zero-emission models.

Sales of Hondas electrified vehicles jumped 65.2% year over year to 107,060 units, setting a new annual record. In a bid to keep up with the global EV race, Honda plans to invest $46 billion in research and development initiatives, including electrification, over the next six years. It targets EVs to account for 40% of sales in North America by the decade-end. In North America, Honda will collaborate with General Motors to develop two large-sized EV models.

The Honda Prologue SUV will be the first volume battery-electric vehicle in North America. The company will unveil an all-electric Acura SUV in 2024.

Currently, Nissan has just one EV offering in the market  the Nissan Leaf hatchback. Sales of the same rose 48.9% year over year to 14,239 units. NSANY plans to invest around $17.6 billion over the next five years to accelerate the electrification of its product lineup. It intends to launch 23 new electrified models by the decade-end, 15 of which would be fully electric.

The auto giant is aiming at a 50% electrification mix for Nissan and Infiniti brands by 2030. Nissan expects EVs to account for nearly 70% of U.S. sales by 2040.

While TM and NSANY currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Honda carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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From inception in 2012 through November, theZacks 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.

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On an unseasonably cold December afternoon in Southern California, most Angelenos have retreated to their homes. But at Miramar Park, a narrow strip of green space overlooking Torrance County Beach, Robert Kapen and his wife Nelly are out for an adventure.

For Kapen  whom Nelly is pushing in a special, off-roading wheelchair  wintry weather is a relatively minor obstacle. During the first 23 years of his life, Kapen was a healthy, outdoorsy person. Then in 2011, he suffered a brain stem stroke that left him paralyzed.

Doctors told his family that he had a 1% chance of survival, and that if he lived, hed likely be in a vegetative state.

Kapen beat those odds. His mental faculties were unscathed, and he slowly regained some movement and speech through therapy. Eventually, he was able to communicate, eat, operate a motorized wheelchair and write a book. He had another big dream, too.

Growing up, I fell in love with hiking, being outdoors and the beauty of nature, he says. That was taken away from him for 10 years, Kapen says, but very recently, a new set of wheels has allowed for his return. Its called the AdvenChair.

The orange, all-terrain wheelchair is human-powered and designed to help people with mobility challenges to venture into the wild. Its wheels, tires, brakes and handlebars are all premium mountain bike parts, and the large tires and suspension system offer a comfortable ride. Thanks to a versatile system of pulleys, bars and straps, teams of one to five people can assist in navigating the AdvenChair over just about any landscape.

Ashley Harrell

Courtesy of Nelly Kapen

The AdvenChair recently enabled Kapen to visit Machu Picchu. Over in Palm Springs, Floyd McGregor  who has an autoimmune disease of the muscles called myositis  is raising money for an AdvenChair pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. Isaac Shannon, a Southern Californian with mitochondrial disease, has been using his AdvenChair for regular jaunts around Southern California.

Its rejuvenating to be outside, especially as a person with a disability, because these resources are not exactly the most accessible, Shannon says in a video created for the Denver Channel. So when there is a tool that allows a person to be able to experience life in the most average way possible, I think its healing, and its nice to be out in nature where youre not around people.

The man behind AdvenChair is Geoff Babb of Bend, Ore. He grew up backpacking, climbing and mountain biking, and worked as a fire ecologist for the Bureau of Land Management. At age 48, a blood clot in his brain caused a brain stem stroke, and just like Kapen, he nearly died. Babb lost the ability to walk and much of his strength, but he wasnt going to let that stop him from visiting the outdoors.

Babb started looking around for a wheelchair that could help him navigate rugged terrain, and found a couple of options: the GRIT Freedom Chair and the Mountain Trike. The designs were good, he says, but they didnt work for him.

They all relied on the rider having enough upper body strength to push the levers, Babb says. But myself and a lot of people, we dont have the body strength. So Babb decided to invent his own.

Courtesy of Geoff Babb

Courtesy of Geoff Babb

The first AdvenChair, 1.0, was a basic wheelchair with off-roading tires and an additional front wheel to help with stability on uneven ground. Babb tested it at several national parks, including Crater Lake, Mount Rainier and the Grand Canyon, where an axle broke. The mishap resulted in AdvenChair 2.0, a full redesign, that Babb constructed with the help of a helicopter mechanic, a CAD designer, and a steering and ergonomic expert.

The new version converts easily from all-terrain to a standard wheelchair mode. The seats, armrests and hand grips are all adjustable, and a wrap-around frame provides stability and numerous places to pull, push, lift and brake the chair. Large wheels and wide low-pressure tires make for easy rolling and a cushy ride, Babb says.

The chair costs $9,950, but Babb offers a rent-to-buy option. To fulfill his dream of visiting Machu Picchu with his Peruvian wife, Kapen took him up on that.

He and Nelly traveled to Oregon and stayed with Babb to test out the chair. After that went well, Kapen set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the rental. I never thought it could be a reality until now, he wrote. The page exceeded its goal, and in August, the Kapens flew to Peru with the AdvenChair and met up with some of Nellys family to visit Machu Picchu.

Ashley Harrell

Courtesy of Geoff Babb

Although the chair was convenient to fly with, and worked well as a standard wheelchair, the excursion up to Machu Picchu did present some challenges. Because the hike was very steep, several visitors had to assist in pushing and pulling Kapen, and looking at the uneven terrain made him feel dizzy. I didnt like the mosquitoes at the top of the mountain, he says. But I loved the people, the train and the food.

Now that travel has again become possible, Kapen says, he would like to visit the Amazon, Banff National Park, Hawaii, Yellowstone and Australia. I really want to travel with the chair, he says. Thats my New Years resolution.
If you're a Bay Area resident, you've likely had to participate in a conversation with someone about San Francisco crime.

High-profile retail thefts, an emergency declaration in the Tenderloin and a looming district attorney recall election have made crime a hot topic, with many quick to make sweeping statements about crime rates, District Attorney Chesa Boudin and the city as a whole.

Below is a guide providing context  and fact checks  to some of the most frequently made claims made about crime in San Francisco.

Claim: Crime in San Francisco is rising

If someone is referring to general levels of crime over the past few years, this claim is not backed up by data  but there are some caveats to be discussed later. Below is a look at the total number of crimes reported to the San Francisco Police Department over the past five years. All figures come from the department's crime dashboard.

The number of reported crimes plummeted in 2020 after COVID-19 brought life to a standstill for months, but increased in 2021. If the claim is that general levels of crime increased in 2021 when compared with 2020, that claim is supported by the numbers. Total reports over the past five years trend down, which brings us to ...

Claim: Crime in San Francisco is way down when compared to past years, actually

This is a claim that, while seemingly backed up by data, is impossible to verify given reporting issues for crimes that make up the bulk of the total reported incidents in the city.

Many property crimes in the city go unreported, making it difficult to gauge the level of decline. For retail theft specifically  classified as larceny theft in the city data, a category that typically makes up more than half of the city's total reported incidents  many stores have said it is not worth reporting thefts to police.

Nobody reports shoplifting [to the police], Rick Karp, president of Cole Hardware, told SFGATE in December. Its a waste of time, and the best thing that happens is the police write a report and file it away someplace. Nothing happens.

Karp's sentiments are not off-base; San Francisco police say they "cleared" (meaning an arrest was made and suspects turned over to courts for prosecution) 2.4% of larceny theft cases last year.

At the very least, retail theft certainly seems to have gotten more brazen, and leaders at both the city and state level have stepped up enforcement against groups purported to be behind large scale smash-and-grabs.

Rapes, robberies and assaults are still well below pre-pandemic levels, and because violent crime is generally less likely to go unreported than property crimes, it would not be inaccurate to say that general levels of violent crime are lower now than they were a few years ago. There were the same number of homicides in 2017 and 2021, but burglaries (which require unlawful entry of a structure to commit a theft) and motor vehicle thefts have increased  and even exceed pre-pandemic levels (though both decreased in 2021 after spiking in 2020).

Claim: Crime in San Francisco is worse than it is in other cities

When compared with other large cities in the United States, San Francisco typically has similar rates of violent crime, but higher rates of property crime.

Claim: California's Proposition 47 is to blame for increased theft

California's Proposition 47, passed by voters in 2014, has come under intense scrutiny as it reclassified felony theft offenses as misdemeanors if the value of stolen goods is less than $950. The proposition did not, as some critics say, "legalize" theft, as all theft suspects can still be prosecuted.

A Public Policy Institute of California study from 2018 found "some evidence" that Proposition 47 may have been linked to an increase in larceny theft across the state, largely fueled by thefts of items from motor vehicles. There was a brief increase in shoplifting reports, but it quieted down not long after.

"The average monthly number of reported shoplifting incidents stayed relatively flat, between 7,800 and 8,100 per month, in the years before Prop 47 passed," the authors write. "It then jumped up to 9,000 in November 2014 and reached a seven-year high of 9,900 in January 2015. The post-reform one year average of 9,050 is about 12 percent higher than the one-year pre-reform average. However, shoplifting decreased notably in 2016, when the monthly numbers dropped to pre-reform levels. It is possible that the 2016 drop in shoplifting reflects increased law enforcement efforts responding to retailers substantiated concerns, retailers own increased theft prevention, or simply a decline in the likelihood of reporting shoplifting."

A separate 2019 study conducted by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics had similar findings. It's worth pointing out that some Republican-led states with stricter crime policies have higher felony theft thresholds. In Texas, for example, that line is drawn at $2,500.

Claim: Chesa Boudin is to blame for rising San Francisco crime

Boudin, the city's highly polarizing district attorney, took office at the start of 2020.

As stated earlier, reports of violent crimes such as rape, robbery and assault are at lower levels now than they were before Boudin took office. Homicides have ticked up under Boudin's tenure (the city saw 56 homicides in 2017, 46 in 2018, 41 in 2018, 48 in 2020 and 56 in 2021), but homicides have increased nationally over the past two years and data from the University of Pennsylvania shows that San Francisco's 2020 increase did not outpace other cities.

San Francisco's increase in burglaries, however, did outpace the rest of the country. But how much of that is a result of Boudin or his policies, which include the elimination of cash bail and the reduction of pretrial incarceration?

He has blamed the burglary surge on economic conditions brought on by the pandemic and has also noted that he can only bring charges after police have made arrests. As stated earlier, San Francisco police say they cleared just 2.4% of larceny theft cases in 2021. They cleared 10.3% of burglary cases, and 7.2% of motor vehicle theft cases. All are down slightly from 2020.

Boudin's office says he brought charges in 72% of larceny theft cases, 79% of burglary cases and 53% of motor vehicle theft cases in 2021. His filing rates for those crimes are generally in line with his predecessor George Gascon, as is his overall filing rate.

For a deeper dive on Boudin's record, you can read our analysis.

Claim: San Francisco's decision to 'defund the police' led to a spike in crime

After the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, Mayor London Breed announced plans to redirect $120 million from the city's law enforcement budget to investments in the Black community. An investigation from SF Weekly found that the "defunding" never actually happened, as law enforcement spending increased and funding for new investments came from other sources.

The sheriff's office, district attorney's office and probation departments all saw increased budgets. While the San Francisco Police Department did see a slight cut in its budget, SF Weekly reported that "those cuts can nearly all be attributed to decreased demand for police at the airport," and that "in the following fiscal year, the city projects the police budget will increase once again to $689 million," which is "close to the police budgets all-time high of $692 million" from two years prior.

Claim: Hate crimes against Asian Americans have spiked in San Francisco

Statistics show that hate crimes against Asian American have spiked not only in San Francisco, but also statewide and nationally.

Claim: The San Francisco Police Department is getting worse at making arrests

Generally, the department's arrest rates have gradually declined over the past five years across all crimes.

In response to falling arrest rates, Breed announced a three-pronged plan in September to beef up SFPD's response to retail theft. There were more larceny theft cases reported in the three-month period between October and December than there were in the three-month period between July and August, but one of the plan's stated goals is increasing the number of reports.

Claim: The San Francisco Police Department is understaffed

The department's leaders and its police union have been making this claim for years, even though the city employs more police officers per capita than Oakland and Los Angeles.

A 2020 study conducted by an outside consultant hired by the city found merit to their complaints, recommending the city hire more officers to combat slow response times to emergency calls (it took officers more than three hours to respond to a third of calls). Breed has also called for an increase in staffing.

Claim: Increased policing would mean less crime

It depends on what someone means by "increased policing." Most studies show that when cities add more police officers, crime tends to go down, but that increased incarceration and tough-on-crime policies for petty misdemeanors have less of an impact.

For more on what tends to reduce, or not reduce crime, you can read our breakdown of the research.
As students return to their first week of school in 2022 after winter break, anxieties over the omicron variant  and reports of sick students and teachers  have driven Bay Area school closures and sickouts, as well as fighting between school administrators, teachers and parents.

Of those, the most controversial appears to be in San Francisco, where a slew of events in 2021  over school renamings, school board recalls and Lowell High's admissions processes, among others  have turned the city's schools into a national flash point that will likely continue well into the new year.

Elsewhere in the Bay Area, schools are also facing their own turmoil, with concerns over rising COVID-19 rates and failed negotiations with district officials and teachers over COVID-19 protections.

But some experts have expressed concerns over the possibility that more schools in the Bay Area would shut down.

Jeanne Noble, the director of COVID-19 response at UCSF Health's emergency department and an ardent opponent of school shutdowns over the pandemic, reiterated her message on Twitter.

Closing our schools in 2020, pre-vaccination, was wrong, harming children without reducing viral transmission, she said in a tweet Wednesday. To return to this strategy now, post-vaccination, when facing an attenuated variant, is beyond the pale.

Heres a roundup of the Bay Area schools affected. This story will be updated.

San Francisco Unified

Between 400 and 600 teachers have called in sick from Tuesday to Thursday, a San Francisco Unified spokesperson confirmed to SFGATE, forcing credentialed administrators and other staff  including Superintendent Vincent Matthews  to fill in.

A sickout was staged Thursday, unaffiliated with the teachers union, which resulted in 616 teachers being out of classes for the day. A district spokesperson told SFGATE that the district had 29% coverage by substitutes. A day earlier, the district had 414 requests for classroom teachers, with 32% coverage, the spokesperson told SFGATE.

The United Educators of San Francisco, the district's teachers union, while not linked to the Thursday sickout, has repeatedly demanded masking, weekly testing and sick leave before school started in 2022 and over the course of this week.

We expect the District and City to treat this like the crisis that it is and provide the most basic mitigation strategies, Cassondra Curiel, president of UESF, said in a Thursday statement decrying the lack of an agreement from SFUSD over COVID-19 precautions.

Oakland Unified

A group of Oakland Unified teachers staged a sickout Friday, with at least 500 teachers out sick and 12 schools across the district shutting down for the day, NBC Bay Area's Melissa Coronado reported.

While Oakland Education Association President Keith Brown told Oaklandside that the sickout was "not an official union action," he wanted officials "to listen to the urgent demands of all Oakland educators for better masks and more testing.

According to a letter-writing campaign issued by OEA before school started, union teachers' demands include baseline testing, COVID-19 sick leave, masking and equipment for safe outdoor eating.

In some schools, like Oakland Tech, principals issued notices to parents to not send their students to school for the day, warning that some students would not have any instruction for the day because of the sickout.

West Contra Costa Unified

Schools in West Contra Costa Unified are closing on Friday and Monday because of a spike in omicron cases among teachers and students, said Superintendent Kenneth Hurst in a notice posted on the districts website.

In our district, we are seeing far more staff absences than usual because of the virus, and we also have an increased number of students testing positive for COVID-19 as we return from winter break, he said.

Hurst also urged all students and teachers to get tested before returning to school Tuesday, through a rapid test at home or through your healthcare provider.

We will do whatever is necessary and possible to ensure students are safe and school can continue, he said.

Caliber ChangeMakers Academy

The Mercury News reported Friday that Caliber ChangeMakers Academy, a charter school network with schools in Vallejo and Richmond, is closing Friday through Tuesday.

Rachel Weingarten, the head of schools, told the newspaper that schools are being shuttered out of an abundance of caution.
Evan Vucci/AP

In the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021, United States Capitol riots, CNN reported that then-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris evacuated the Capitol complex when the riots began.

She later returned to the Capitol that night for the counting of the Electoral College votes, but her exact whereabouts for the middle portion of the day were finally revealed Thursday, when Politico reported that Harris departed the Capitol complex for the Democratic National Committee headquarters  and was inside when a pipe bomb was discovered outside the building.
Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- China successfully conducted a transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm Thursday morning.

It was the first time that the robotic arm operated a large in-orbit spacecraft for a transfer test, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The test started at 6:12 a.m. (Beijing Time) and took 47 minutes.

After being unlocked and separated from the space station core module Tianhe, Tianzhou-2 was moved into a predetermined position by the robotic arm. The arm then reversed the maneuvers to bring the spacecraft back to its original position. Tianzhou-2 re-docked with the core module and completed locking.

The test preliminarily verified the feasibility of using the mechanical arm to conduct a space station module transfer, confirmed the effectiveness of relevant technologies, and laid a foundation for the subsequent in-orbit assembly and construction of the country's space station, said the CMSA. 

Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)

Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)

Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)

Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2022 at Beijing Aerospace Control Center in Beijing, capital of China, shows the transposition test of the Tianzhou-2 cargo craft using its space station's robotic arm. (Xinhua/Guo Zhongzheng)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. officials and lawmakers on Thursday used the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol to reflect on the "darkest day" for the country and the "fragility of democracy", as the country seems more divided than ever.

"One year ago today in this sacred place, democracy was attacked, simply attacked. The will of the people was under assault. The Constitution, our constitution faced the gravest of threats," U.S. President Joe Biden said in a speech from Statuary Hall just outside the House chamber.

"I believe the power of the presidency and the purpose is to unite this nation, not divide it. To lift us up, not tear us apart," Biden said, accusing former President Donald Trump of spreading a "web of lies" about the 2020 election, which laid the groundwork for the attack on the Capitol a year ago.

"For the first time in our history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol. But they failed," Biden said.

"And on this day of remembrance, we must make sure that such an attack never, never happens again," he added.

"We can't let that happen," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed on the Senate floor.

"We have an obligation not to let that happen because history shows us when you ignore or paint over this kind of violent action, it will recur, often in worse form than it had originally," Schumer said.

To date, the U.S. Justice Department has charged more than 720 individuals for storming the Capitol, and more than 150 rioters have pleaded guilty to charges, from assaulting police to felony obstruction, according to Bloomberg News.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking earlier at the Capitol, said that the violent assault on the Capitol reflects the "fragility of democracy" and "the American spirit is being tested."

"If we are not vigilant, if we do not defend it, democracy simply will not stand; it will falter and fail," Harris said, urging lawmakers to pass the voting rights bills that are now before the Senate.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi noted that there have been "continued assaults" on U.S. democracy since the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, which undermine the integrity of U.S. elections.

"As we reflect on that darkest day, we remember that the insurrectionists sought not only to attack the building, but to undermine democracy itself," Pelosi said from the podium of the House before observing a moment of silence honoring those who lost their lives protecting the Capitol that day and in its aftermath.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz Cheney, a Republican Representative of Wyoming, were the only Republicans on the House floor for a moment of silence to mark one year since the Jan. 6 attack, according to local media.

"I am deeply disappointed at the failure of many members of my party to recognize the grave nature of the January 6 attacks and the ongoing threat to our nation," the former vice president said in a statement.

Democrats have denounced the Capitol riot as an attack on democracy as Trump's supporters attempted to stop Congress from certifying Biden as the 2020 election winner. However, most Republicans have downplayed its implications, especially Trump's alleged role in inciting it.

While calling Jan. 6, 2021 "a dark day" for Congress and the country, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell claimed that some Washington Democrats "try to exploit this anniversary to advance partisan policy goals that long predated this event."

"It is especially jaw-dropping to hear some Senate Democrats invoke the mob's attempt to disrupt our country's norms, rules, and institutions as a justification to discard our norms, rules, and institutions themselves," McConnell said.

In response to Biden's speech, Trump also claimed that Democrats want to use the Jan. 6 attack to "stoke fears and divide America".

"This political theater is all just a distraction for the fact Biden has completely and totally failed," Trump said in a statement.

One year after the deadly attack on the Capitol, Democrats and Republicans still differ sharply over its key aspects, aftermath and the related congressional investigation, underscoring an increasingly partisan Congress, a more divided country and growing distrust in American democracy.

The United States has not learned the lessons of the riot which led to multiple deaths, over 100 injuries and damage to the Capitol, U.S. experts warned. As U.S. partisan politics continues to decay, they said the country still faces the risk of a repeated incident. 
Representatives of New York University Shanghai (NYU Shanghai) attend the groundbreaking ceremony of construction on the new campus in Shanghai, east China, May 30, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

SHANGHAI, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Development prospects in China are becoming increasingly attractive for international students as many choose to seek opportunities in the country after graduation, according to a report released by New York University Shanghai (NYU Shanghai).

Among the 130 international students of the class of 2021, 17 chose to pursue further study or work in China after graduation, bringing the total number of NYU Shanghai international graduates choosing to stay in China to 70 since its establishment in 2012, said the report released on Wednesday.

Of these students, some chose to continue their studies at universities such as Peking University and Tsinghua University, while others entered renowned enterprises such as Shanghai Disney Resort or expressed interest in Chinese technology companies, according to the report.

"I wanted to build my future here," said John Christopher Dopp, a U.S. student, who found a job in a software development company in Shanghai after graduation.

"I think careers in China for international students are great," he said. "A strong and ever-growing country, China is not just a safe choice but one that is interesting, exciting and full of opportunities."

NYU Shanghai, co-founded by New York University and East China Normal University in 2012, is a pilot program in China-U.S. educational cooperation. The university has registered 582 international graduates. 
Visitors view electric cars during China (Tianjin) Auto Show 2021 in north China's Tianjin, Sept. 29, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Ran)

BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- For China, the year 2021 has been a milestone and a fresh start. Upon completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, the world's second-largest economy embarked on a new journey to build itself into a modern socialist country.

It has also been a bumpy ride. Faced with unexpected challenges and uncertainties, the country secured a stable recovery and progressed in high-quality development.

Now with the new year dawning, will China sustain its post-pandemic rebound into 2022? What are the economic priorities this year? How will China navigate its journey toward socialist modernization? Here are some key trends to watch.

PRIORITIZING STABILITY

Stability will be a priority for the Chinese economy in 2022. At the tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference last month, Chinese leaders stressed that economic work in 2022 should prioritize stability while pursuing progress.

While cautioning that China's economic development is facing pressure from demand contraction, supply shocks and weakening expectations, the meeting also highlighted the country's strong economic resilience and unchanged fundamentals underpinning long-term growth.

Han Wenxiu, a senior official with the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, said despite increasing difficulties, China has ample favorable conditions for its economic growth, with strong resilience, a complete industrial chain, rich human resources, convenient infrastructure and a huge domestic market.

The macro policies in 2022 will be sound and effective, which means maintaining their continuity, stability and sustainability while improving their precision and operability, said Han.

According to the World Bank's prediction, China's real GDP growth will reach 8 percent in 2021 and moderate mildly to a still-solid 5.1 percent in 2022, and that its "momentum is expected to pick up, aided by a more supportive fiscal stance."

MARKET VITALITY

"If comparing social and economic development to a towering tree, then supporting market entities is to improve the soil underneath," said Gao Peiyong, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

In 2022, while paying closer attention to market entities' performance and needs, Chinese market regulators have pledged to improve policy accuracy and effectiveness to help market entities cope with pressure and better support their sound development.

Han Dongcheng, a young entrepreneur in east China's Anhui Province, said his company saved millions of yuan in rent last year thanks to local government policies to alleviate the corporate burden.

"Besides lower rent, we've also enjoyed tax reduction for high-tech companies, therefore we can put more funds into research and development," said Han, who started a company on aerial imaging technology with his schoolmate in 2016.

The newly added tax and fee cuts were expected to exceed 1 trillion yuan (about 156.88 billion U.S. dollars) last year, official data showed. The tax and fee cut measures that expired by 2021 will be extended this year to support small businesses.

The country will also step up efforts to create a fair, transparent and stable institutional environment for all market entities, Zhang Gong, head of the State Administration for Market Regulation, told Xinhua.

DECARBONIZATION PUSH

The year 2021 is regarded as "Year One" for China to move toward carbon neutrality, which witnessed the release of a top-level design document for peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality and an action plan for peaking carbon emissions before 2030.

Under the guidance, new institutional innovations and policy tools to support the decarbonization push, including a national carbon market that started trading last July, are expected to play a more prominent role in 2022.

A research report by Morgan Stanley last year said that it expected stronger policy support for green investments in China from 2022 -- such as renewables, smart grid, power storage equipment and manufacturing equipment upgrades.

The green push is expected to inject new impetus into the Chinese economy. The investment bank forecast a recovery in infrastructure driven by green investment, saying it expects infrastructure investment growth to rebound to 4 percent in 2022.

The wider use of carbon pricing, along with power sector reforms and the development of a wider set of green financing instruments, would help accelerate China's low carbon transition while encouraging green innovation, thereby boosting medium-term growth prospects, the World Bank has pointed out.

STEADFAST IN OPENING-UP

On the first day of 2022, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, the world's largest free trade deal to date, came into force.

The landmark event has not only sent a firm signal to support free trade and uphold the multilateral trading system but also marked a strong start for China in the new year in pursuing wider opening-up.

To further open up the economy, in late December, China shortened two negative lists for foreign investment for the fifth straight year to ease their market access.

China has also vowed to expand high-quality and institutional opening-up, grant foreign-funded enterprises national treatment, attract more investment from multinational companies and facilitate the early implementation of major foreign-invested projects in 2022, according to the Central Economic Work Conference.

Bucking a sharp drop in global cross-border investment, foreign direct investment into the Chinese mainland, in actual use, surged 15.9 percent year on year to 157.2 billion U.S. dollars in the first 11 months of last year, outnumbering the amount for the whole year of 2020. 
Malaysia's agricultural exports, including durians, will greatly benefit from the rolling out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Malaysian industry expert said.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
By Joe Hong

CalMatters

As they await the release of Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed 2022-23 state budget, school district officials across California are worried about losing millions of dollars all at once, resulting in staffing cuts in a time when students need more attention than ever.

After two years of not being penalized for declining enrollment during the pandemic, school districts are bracing for a sudden drop in revenues next year as their funding gets recalibrated to match current enrollment, which plummeted since COVID-19 first closed California's schools.

"I've never ever seen a drop in enrollment come all at once like this," said Andy Johnsen, superintendent at San Marcos Unified in north San Diego County. "The pandemic changed everything."

In 2020, state lawmakers decided to allow districts to use their pre-pandemic, 2019-20 enrollment and attendance figures to calculate their funding for the next two school years. But starting in the fall of 2022, funding levels will be determined by this year's enrollment and attendance.

"Just to put it into perspective, we lost a few hundred students each year before the pandemic," said Harold Sullins, an associate superintendent at San Bernardino City Unified School District. "Last year, we declined by 2,000 students. That's about eight years' worth of decline."

Without assistance from the state, San Bernardino City Unified could lose $27 million in funding due to the enrollment decline, a hefty chunk of the district's $971 million budget. Districts statewide stand to take similar blows.

The impact of such cuts can vary by district. It could mean laying off employees or cutting language and art programs. Ultimately, it'll mean eliminating services many students need, especially in the coming years as they try to recover from the challenges of virtual learning.

In 2018-19, California schools statewide lost about 23,000 students. Between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, public school enrollment in California dropped by nearly seven times that figure, with more than 160,000 students dropping out.

To calculate what it pays to individual districts each year, the state uses average daily attendance, so not only does enrollment matter but so does making sure students are in class every day. A new bill introduced on Monday by state Sen. Anthony Portantino, a San Fernando Valley Democrat, seeks to change this policy and fund schools based on enrollment, which would generate $3 billion for schools statewide.

Before COVID-19, low birth rates and migration patterns caused the annual shrinkage of public school enrollment. During the pandemic, kindergarten enrollment fell by about 61,000 students, accounting for much of the overall decline.

"Kindergarten is not compulsory," Sullins said. "At our earlier grade levels, a lot of our parents opted to hold their students back."

When physical classrooms reopened in the fall of 2021, stringent rules about quarantine and independent study also hurt attendance. Districts failing to offer independent study to students in quarantine were required to count those pupils as absent, losing out on their attendance-based funding. Sullins said this policy had a "tremendous impact" on attendance rates.

District leaders said a sudden drop in funding would punish districts for both drops in enrollment caused by the pandemic and for failing to comply with unreasonable independent study requirements.

"The public doesn't understand," said Lisa Gonzales, the chief business officer at Mt. Diablo Unified. "We're all facing colossal funding decreases next year."

Gonzales said her 30,000-student, Northern California district could lose $24 million if the state does nothing.

Gonzales declined to comment on exactly where the district would make cuts, but she said she expects to issue layoff notices. She said when making cuts, school districts first figure out what they absolutely need to keep by law, like a teacher in every classroom and transportation for students with disabilities. Then they look at how they could enlarge class sizes and eliminate certain positions.

"You don't have to have a librarian and a counselor," she said. "Are they important and valuable? Absolutely."

Administrators interviewed by CalMatters raised several possible solutions, but they fell under two general categories -- and seek to take advantage of the fact that the state anticipates a big budget surplus.

First, the state could increase overall funding to schools by adjusting the formula that determines most of the money districts receive from the state. The formula consists of "base" funding for all students and additional "supplemental" and "concentration" grants for districts serving English learners, foster children and students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals.

"In an ideal world, what would benefit is an increase to the base," Gonzales said. "It could reverse the attendance issue we're having."

A second option: The state could cut funding gradually, giving districts more time to downsize.

A spokesperson for the governor declined to comment on the contents of the forthcoming proposed budget. The state Legislature is aware of the fiscal crisis looming over districts.

Mike Fine, the chief executive officer of the state's Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, spoke at a Nov. 30 hearing for the state Assembly's Education Finance Subcommittee and recommended that districts be temporarily funded based on their three-year average attendance rates.

Fine said that pre-pandemic, about 60 percent of districts were declining. Last year, all but one of the 58 counties in the state had a decline.

The governor and Legislature have tried to help districts recover from the pandemic. The 2021-22 state budget ushered historic investments in K-12 education. Much of that went to ongoing funding like sending more money to districts with higher concentrations of at-risk students.

Jonathan Kaplan, a senior policy analyst at the California Budget & Policy Center, said these commitments signal that lawmakers in Sacramento are aware of just how hard some communities were hit by COVID-19.

"The governor and Legislature deserve credit," Kaplan said. "The bump in the concentration grant acknowledged there's a legitimate need out there. Students in these communities need support."

Even so, both the state and local districts underestimated just how low enrollments and attendance rates would plummet this year.

"Could they have really known there was going to be such large numbers of students who weren't coming?" said Kaplan. "Could they really know how much hardship there would be? I don't think so."

Copyright  2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2022 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
By Olivia Wynkoop

Bay City News Foundation

As California faces a spike in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, Vallejo City Hall will be closed to the public from Jan. 10 to Feb. 28, the city announced on Friday.

City Council, Board and Commission meetings will still occur in-person, and doors will open to the public 30 minutes prior to the session. Citizens can also attend meetings online via the links in the meeting agendas. City Council will consider switching to completely virtual meetings in their next session on Jan. 11.

City departments can be reached by phone, online or through virtual appointments Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. City Hall and the Housing Division's drop boxes for paperwork regarding housing, planning, building, public works, water billing, legal documents and other claims are still open.

Residents can pay their water bill online or in person at the dropbox to the left of City Hall.

Community members in need of a building permit can email cpc@cityofvallejo.net, call (707) 648-4328 or access the city webpage at https://www.cityofvallejo.net/online_services/central_permit_center/online_permitting.

The Vallejo Police Department lobby, at 11 Amador St., will also be closed. Residents can file a police report at vallejopd.net/get_services.

Copyright  2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2022 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Perched on a beach bluff at Spooner's Cove near Montana de Oro State Park in San Luis Obispo County, the arch was a symbol of the Central Coast. Records show it had been standing since the earliest days of Angle Saxon settlement in the region 500 years ago.



It was first reported missing on Christmas Eve after days of rain and heavy surf, and its loss has been mourned widely on social media.

Heres our story.

More:

Search continues for Calif. college student missing at sea. Hunter Lewis had been out on a canoe to set up a treasure hunt for friends and family. He hasnt been seen since.

California man scales Machu Picchu in an off-roading wheelchair. At 23, Robert Kapen suffered a brain stem stroke and wasnt expected to live. Ten years later, a new all-terrain wheelchair is helping him reconnect with nature.

Yosemite sees record snowfall in December. A series of snowstorms barreled through the Sierra Nevada, blanketing the beloved national park.

Last weeks top story:



The best 20 hikes SFGATE staffers discovered in 2021. We hiked California up, down and sideways this year. Here are our recs.

California Parklands is curated by California Parks editor Ashley Harrell. Contact her at Ashley.Harrell@sfgate.com.
Next time youre walking around the downtown end of Columbus Avenue, take a turn down a narrow one-block alley named Hotaling Place. Rather than staring up at the towering Transamerica Pyramid, look down between your feet, and youll see parallel waving lines etching the pavement along the quiet, narrow block. Those lines mark the old city shoreline, before hundreds of abandoned ships formed new land claiming the bay, when San Francisco was a very different place.

Hotaling Place may be the most unique street in the city and holds centuries of secrets that are rooted in a time when it wasnt called San Francisco, or even America.

The little fishing village of Yerba Buena was part of Mexico until July 9, 1846, when U.S. Navy officer John B. Montgomery landed his ship on this shore and planted an American flag at what is now Portsmouth Square (named after his ship).

Within two years, with the end of the Mexican-American War, the land became part of the United States, and Yerba Buena was renamed San Francisco.

Andrew Chamings

The Gold Rush that followed changed the growing town beyond all recognition. Its population grew from 1,000 to 25,000 in a year, with thousands more forty-niners leaving ships abandoned there and heading to the Sierra Nevada for gold. Those 500 ships and newly built wharves grabbed some 50 city blocks from the water. This old buried shoreline lies where Hotaling Places line curves along the alley.

The street earned its name from pioneering entrepreneur Anson Parsons Hotaling, who built his exquisite Italianate business headquarters at 451 Jackson St. in 1866. (Hotaling also owned Hotaling Annex West across the street. That later became a gathering place for artists and writers in between their work shipbuilding during World War II.) In the early 1900s, Hotalings chief line of work was booze, and his company was described as the biggest warehouse for booze in the west. Gallons of whiskey were stored there when the earthquake hit in 1906, and while nearly every building in the area was razed by the shake and subsequent fire, Hotalings whiskey store somehow survived. Archives report that a mile-long fire hose that ran from Fishermans Wharf extinguished the flames.

Archival / Oakland Tribune

Hotaling, an opportunist who knew how to make a buck, promptly ran ads in Bay Area newspapers after the quake boasting that his liquor reserve survived, and if readers sent money he would ship them his Old Kirk whiskey. Though, likely due to the destruction of the citys bank offices, he requested only coin, noting that checks and exchanges are useless at this point.

For those inclined toward the supernatural, a story shared on a ghost tour of the alley tells of a stampede of cattle rushing down the narrow street on a foggy day. The ghost cows are said to be the specters of the livestock that ran through the city during the chaos of April 1906.

Andrew Chamings

While its impossible to verify if this actually happened on this street, there were instances of cattle fleeing their pastures across the city in Cow Hollow and running through the smoldering ruins. It was an eerie sight amid the darkest days of San Francisco. As one police officer described to the press: The noise and the dust, and the feeling of destruction, all combined to daze a man. All about us houses were tumbling, and falling walls and chimneys and cornices were crushing men and horses in the street.

(In other bovine-related earthquake incidents, the New York Times reported shortly after the disaster that a cow in Point Reyes was swallowed whole by a crack in the earth on the San Andreas Fault.)

The street was also known for the horse stables at 32-34 Hotaling. The alley was a hub for horse-drawn streetcars that used the road and stables as a turnaround point.

Andrew Chamings

One of the most stunning structures still standing, which feels like it could line a cobbled alley in Victorian London, is the red-brick back entrance of what is now the Barbarossa Lounge, which fronts onto 714 Montgomery St. That structure also reportedly survived the earthquake. And, similarly to Hotaling, an advertisement for the grocers that operated there in San Franciscos Italian newspaper, LItalia, in October 1907 said they continued to sell excellent and select liquor.

Neighboring that building is a somewhat foreboding brick structure that has housed private members club Villa Taverna since the 1950s. Between two medieval-looking lanterns, a goddess with wheat and snakes (this appears to be Demeter, the Greek goddess of the harvest) looks out over the alley, ensuring only those with invitations pass through the doors. The marble sculpture was erected above the doors in the 1950s, and the owner claims it was an ancient Roman piece gifted by the Italian government.

Andrew Chamings

That building backs onto 716 Montgomery, another structure as old as the city; it was built in 1849 from the wreck of a ship named The Georgean. That building became an art studio after the earthquake and was visited by Frida Kahlo, according to historian Nancy Boas.

The street is now lined with art galleries, designer showrooms and high-end clubs, but until as late as the 1970s, Hotaling Place was described as a dirty little old alley in the press, as it had been for years.

After the earthquake in 1906, religious leaders in San Francisco blamed the Barbary Coasts vices for the disaster, declaring that the event that took thousands of lives was a wrathful Gods retribution on the dirty town.

Andrew Chamings

One plaque, on the corner of Hotaling and Washington today, quotes the words of poet Charles K. Field on finding the building undamaged after so many churches crumbled.

If, as they say, God spanked the town

For being over-frisky,

Why did He burn His churches down,

And spare Hotalings whiskey?
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As the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to affect people around the state some might wonder about two COVID-19-related terms that have been making headlines around the world.

Here is what you need to know about 'flurona' and the IHU variant.

What is "Flurona"?

"Flurona" also known as "Florona" is when individuals have both influenza (flu) and COVID-19. Both respiratory diseases can cause similar symptoms such as cough, runny nose, sore throat, fever and fatigue, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Having both diseases can be damaging to an individual's immune system but there is not enough data yet to know if being simultaneously infected can exponentially damage a person's health, according to CNN.

According to the CDC, both are spread in similar ways: coming in close contact with an infected person (less than six feet away); through particles when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks; via touching. Both COVID-19 and flu can result in complications such as pneumonia, respiratory failure, sepsis and cardiac injury, according to the CDC.

The CDC provides a "similarities and differences" article between COVID-19 and flu since they have similar symptoms and might be hard for a person to identify them one from the other.

Nadav Davidovitch, director of the School of Public Health at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, told CNN on Tuesday that Flurona "is not going to be a common situation, but that's something to consider."

Where are there confirmed cases of Flurona?

The first confirmed case of Flurona was detected in Israel when a unvaccinated pregnant woman was infected by both diseases, according to CNN. On Wednesday, another case of Flurona was confirmed in the Southern California city of Brentwood, according to ABC 7.

Are any cases of Flurona in Connecticut?

No. The Connecticut Department of Public Health has not received any reports of a resident with concurrent flu and COVID-19, according to a statement by Christopher Boyle, Director of Communications of the CDPH.

Connecticut reported 40 influenza hospitalizations and two deaths during the 2021-2022 season, according to a report by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

How can I avoid having Flurona?

The most effective way to avoid hospitalization with both COVID-19 and the flu is with vaccinations, according to the WHO. Other preventative measures recommended by the WHO are maintaining a six feet distance from others, wearing a mask, avoiding crowded spaces as washing your hands frequently.

What is the IHU variant?

The IHU variant, scientifically known as B.1.640.4, is a new COVID-19 variant that has been detected in France. This variant is named after the IHU Mediterranee Infection Institute in Marseille, where the disease is being studied, according to The Independent.

While the IHU variant has not been detected outside of France, since Nov. 22, it has been labeled as "variants under monitoring" by the WHO.

So far, there is not enough data to know how dangerous this variant is.

How many confirmed cases are there of the IHU variant?

The first confirmed cases of IHU were present in the South of France, according to The Independent. The 12 cases of IHU in France were linked to a person that had recently traveled to Cameroon, in western Africa, according to a science article published in medRxiv.

The identified case of flurona, as some have dubbed it, was relatively mild, according to doctors at Beilinson.

Are any cases of IHU in Connecticut?

No. The Omicron and Delta variants are the most dominant variants in the state, according to Boyle.
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California HR professionals know that the new year generally brings new employment laws, as well as higher minimum wage thresholds at the state and local levels. The start of the year is a great time to update employee handbooks and ensure compliance.

On Jan. 1, the minimum wage for businesses with up to 25 employees was raised to $14 an hour. The rate for larger businesses is now $15, and many localities in the Golden State have set an even higher rate. "Over the last few years, we have seen many cities and counties pass their own minimum wage ordinances, resulting in wage rates in excess of the state minimum," observed Susan Groff, an attorney with Jackson Lewis in Los Angeles. "Several of these ordinances also include a significant paid-sick-leave mandate."



Employers should also note that the salary threshold for the executive, administrative and professional exemptions to overtime rules is double the applicable statewide minimum wage rate.

Here is an overview of what else is new for 2022 and the key issues California HR professionals should follow this year:

New Laws Take Effect



Many bills that were signed into law during the previous legislative session took effect on Jan. 1. Although the California Legislature saw less activity last year due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, several key bills were passed that impact the workplace.

"Legislative leadership placed limits on how many bills members could advance this year12 billsin light of the pandemic, so we saw less labor and employment bills than we see in a normal legislative year in California," observed Benjamin Ebbink, an attorney with Fisher Phillips in Sacramento, Calif. "Despite the fact that bill numbers were limited, California continues to push the envelope when it comes to labor and employment legislation."

Here are some key areas HR professionals should check for compliance:

Leaves of absence. Under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), eligible employees may take 12 weeks of leave per year to provide care to family members, including parents. AB 1033 expands the definition of "parent" under the CFRA to include parents-in-law.

"While, a seemingly minor change, employers need to ensure their policies and procedures are updated," Groff said. Moreover, she said, employers subject to the federal Family Medical Leave Act may confront differences in coverage under federal versus state law as the two laws apply to different family members.

Jim Evans, an attorney with Alston & Bird in Los Angeles, recommends that employers review and update their CFRA policies and handbook to ensure compliance.



Confidentiality provisions. "Employers should ensure that settlement and severance agreements comply with a new statute," Evans said. Since January 2019, SB 820 has banned confidentiality provisions in settlement agreements that prohibit employees from disclosing facts related to claims of sex discrimination and sexual harassment. A new law, SB 331, expanded this limitation.

"SB 331 broadens restrictions to prevent the use of nondisclosure provisions in any case involving employment discrimination of any type prohibited by the Fair Employment and Housing Act, not just sexual harassment," Evans explained.

SB 331 also limited the use of nondisclosure agreements in employment severance agreements. Beginning Jan. 1, any non-disparagement or other contractual provision that restricts employees from disclosing information related to conditions in the workplace must include the following notice: "Nothing in this agreement prevents you from discussing or disclosing information about unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment or discrimination or any other conduct that you have reason to believe is unlawful."

Records retention. Prior to 2022, employers were required to maintain personnel records for two years. Effective Jan. 1, SB 807 extended this requirement to four years.

"If litigation has been filed, employers must maintain records until the applicable statute of limitations has expired or until the conclusion of the litigation, whichever occurs later," Evans said.

Workplace safety. "2022 brings quite a few new laws for workplace safety," noted Karen Tynan, an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Sacramento. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) now has greater power to issue citations across a business enterprise and to issue multiple citations across workplaces when employers have multiple facilities or locations, she said.

SB 606 created a rebuttable presumption that employers with multiple worksites have made enterprise-wide workplace safety violations in certain circumstances. The new law also allows Cal/OSHA to issue a citation to an "egregious" employer for each willful violation. SB 606 ordered "each instance of an employee exposed to that violation to be considered a separate violation for purposes of the issuance of fines and penalties," according to the new law.

California employers should ensure their Injury and Illness Prevention Plan and COVID-19 Prevention Plan are well-established, implemented and enforced, Tynan recommended.

Warehouse production quotas. AB 701 regulated production quotas in warehouses and required Cal/OSHA to establish a new standard for production work in warehouse distribution centers.

"Anyone with warehouse operations needs to pay attention to this bill," Ebbink said. According to the new law, "an employee shall not be required to meet a quota that prevents compliance with meal or rest periods, use of bathroom facilities, or occupational health and safety laws."

Among other rules, the new law designated as "productive time" any time employees spend taking action to comply with occupational health and safety laws.

Wage theft punishable as grand theft. AB 1003 made intentional wage theft punishable as a grand-theft crime. Ebbink noted that the law applies to intentional violations, so inadvertent payroll mistakes are not covered.

"Although it's probably not much of an issue, HR people do need to pay attention, because the stakes are high," he said. "Make sure you cross your T's and dot your I's."

What to Expect in 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic will continue to impact employers in 2022. California officials lifted many pandemic-related economic restrictions on June 15, 2021, including capacity limits and physical distancing requirements for most businesses. The economic reopening was also accompanied by relaxed mask-wearing guidelines for fully vaccinated people, Evans noted. However, increased infection rates prompted the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to reinstate a statewide mask mandate for indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status. The order is in effect through at least Feb. 15.

The CDPH guidance applies to all workplaces, regardless of whether they serve the public or are open to the public, Evans noted.

"Workplace safety rules for California employers are ever-changing, and HR professionals should monitor federal, state and local public health guidance to determine their obligations with regard to COVID-19 workplace requirements," he said.

Evans noted that HR professionals should also be prepared for requests to continue remote-work arrangements and have clear, documented explanations why certain positions can be remote and why others require a physical presence.

"Employers should be careful in considering employee accommodation requests," he said.

Tynan expects municipalities and counties to continue enacting workplace safety laws, wage laws, and other worker protections.

"Many cities have minimum wage requirements, and cities and counties have safety regulations for COVID-19," she said.

What else might be on the horizon in 2022? Ebbink said, "It depends where we are with COVID."

Pandemic-related bills might still dominate the legislative session. "If we get back to a normal legislative year, we may see a focus on issues that have been percolating over the last few years," he noted.

Some possible hot topics include expanding paid sick leave to cover more days, accommodations for off-duty cannabis use and bereavement leave.

"Be prepared for further expansion of employee leaves," Groff said. For the past couple of years, the state legislature has expanded the family members and cover reasons under the CFRA.


Hackers are sending malicious links through comments in Google apps like Docs and Slides primarily to Outlook users -- a known vulnerability that has not been fully closed or mitigated by Google since last year, cyber-security researchers have warned.

According to US-based enterprise cybersecurity company Avanan, hackers are increasingly using Google Docs' productivity features to slip malicious links past spam filters and cyber security tools.

In June last year, Avanan reported on an exploit in Google Docs that allowed hackers to easily deliver malicious phishing websites to end-users. Now, hackers have found a new way to do the same thing.

"Starting in December 2021, Avanan observed a new, massive wave of hackers leveraging the comment feature in Google Docs, targeting primarily Outlook users," said researcher Jeremy Fuchs.

The comment feature across the Google suite has become an attack vector for hackers, he claimed in a report.

Avanan said it notified Google of this flaw on January 3, via the report phish through email button within Gmail.

Google was yet to react to the report.

In one such attack, hackers add a comment to a Google Doc. The comment mentions the target with an '@'. By doing so, an email is automatically sent to that person's inbox.

"In that email, which comes from Google, the full comment, including the bad links and text, is included. Further, the email address isn't shown, just the attackers' name, making this ripe for impersonators," said the report that came out on Thursday.

"In this email attack, hackers found a way to leverage Google Docs, and other Google collaboration tools, to send malicious links. We primarily saw it target Outlook users, though not exclusively. It hit over 500 inboxes across 30 tenants, with hackers using over 100 different Gmail accounts," it elaborated.

To guard against these attacks, before clicking on Google Docs comments, users should cross-reference the email address in the comment to ensure it's legitimate.

"Utilise standard cyber hygiene, including scrutinising links and inspecting grammar and deploy protection that secures the entire suite, including file-sharing and collaboration apps," said the researchers.
WEGoT Utility Solutions, a maker of smart water meters, has raised $1.5 million in a funding round led by Gruhas Proptech, a firm backed by Abhijeet Pai of Puzzolana Group and Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha.

Existing investors of the Chennai-based startup, such as HDFC Capital Advisory Ltd. and Prestige Group, also participated in the fundraising, as did Rahul Talwar of DLF Family Office and Harshad Reddy of Apollo Hospitals Family.

The capital will be used for deploying 10 lakh water management devices in 2022.

"We have about one lakh devices that are on the field, and we expect to increase this to about 10 lakh devices in 2022," Abilash Haridass, cofounder and chief executive officer of WEGoT Utility Solutions said. "With that kind of scale, you need to be able to provide customer excellence. So operational excellence is something that we're going to also focus on through tools that we build.

Haridass said the fundraise was done with two intentions

 to scale faster while getting the credibility of being backed by industry leaders, and

 to help build operational excellence in order to scale in an organised fashion.

Further, the firm is also looking to enter global markets shortly.

"The strategic round will give us the ability to get certain certifications in place in global markets. This will give us that freedom and the runway to cater and build a solution and our technology stack to cater to other regions as well, he stated. And start on the certifications on the hardware, but we will actually go out to a global market once we raise a Series A."

WEGoT is also looking to set up a robust team and go deeper into cities they operate in while also strengthening the technology team. Haridass said that the company has several more use cases and is looking to stay more agile. The company has over 80 employees and is looking to grow its team by recruiting across functions.

Since its inception, WEGoT has successfully deployed smart devices in more than 30,000 homes and over 40 million square feet of commercial real estate. The firm claims that it has effectively conserved over 3 billion litres of water till date and pledges to save a further 10 billion litres in 2022.
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Economists are warning the rate of wage growth this year may end up below expectations as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 pushes up case numbers and threatens to disrupt Australias economic recovery.

After years of stagnant wage growth, economists had been predicting wages would rise by more than 2 per cent during 2022. But those forecasts may be under review, or pushed back to 2023, as economic activity takes a turn for the worse amid supply chain woes and staffing problems sparked by the rapid spread of the virus.

Wage growth may not meet forecasts for 2022 as COVID-19 cases continue to disrupt the economy. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

If we have another severe disruption - either because cases continue to rise rapidly and people self-regulate their behaviour so they become more cautious, or alternatively, the authorities get to the point where they say there are too many cases here  and we go into some sort of lockdown - then you have another setback in the economy, AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver told the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Thats probably the main risk to this, that it slows things down [and] we end up with a more subdued profile for wages [2.25 per cent instead of 2.75 per cent].
But for others, even moderate drinkers (within the guidelines), Conigrave encourages trying to cut back. She says the reduction tactic means you can still have the perks drinking might bring you, but research shows you're also up for a medley of health benefits. Ahead, what you can expect to happen to your body and mind when you rein in your drinking, starting with the most immediate shifts to the longer term changes. And, of course, the more you reduce, the greater the below effects will be. Sleep One of the first things youll experience when you ease your alcohol intake is better shut-eye. Conigrave says its common for people to drink to destress or to sleep, without realising it can make matters worse. If youre drinking regularly, your body pushes back against [alcohol's] sedating effect by increasing the volume of your natural uppers  the NMDA receptors in your brain, Conigrave says. Its just your body reacting: I have a sedative on board, Id better fight back. So while alcohol may make you sleepy to start with, when it leaves your system the uppers are still working to keep you awake, Conigrave says. The balance of your REM and deep sleep gets disrupted.

When you cut down, Conigrave says sleep quality and duration should start to improve right away for a moderate drinker, noticeably so for a couple of weeks. People who were heavier drinkers (above the guidelines) may find their sleep is worse the first week, but then it continues to improve for up to a year. If youre making a new years resolution, particularly with something as powerful as alcohol is to our brains, it really needs to mean something to you. Professor Kate Conigrave Sex Drinking alcohol may make you feel sexier at first because it shrinks your inhibitions, but when it gets down to it, youre less likely to have satisfying sex, Lee says. Alcohol interferes with the hormones and chemicals that regulate a number of bodily functions including physical arousal, for example testosterone in men. Men who are heavy drinkers are less likely to get an erection ... For women, when heavy drinking, they can lose interest in sex ... It also has effects on lubrication and blood volume. We know from studies that orgasm takes longer and is less intense, Lee says. So when you reduce your alcohol intake, sex can become more enjoyable.

Illness and injury We know we can become quite uncoordinated when on the beers. So winding back the amount of alcohol you drink means youre less likely to injure yourself, Lee says. Not just with getting into car accidents or fights, but people are really clumsy when theyre drinking. Youre less likely to have minor or major injuries the less you drink. And of course, the hangovers the next day shouldnt be as nasty, meaning fewer sick days at work, or fewer occasions where youre working but feeling tired, unwell and unproductive. Then, over the next month, your immune system can improve, meaning you shouldn't be getting ill as often. Conigrave says if youre regularly drinking heavily, it can suppress the function of your T cells, a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in helping your body ward off infection. Withdrawal

At first, it's not always pleasant to cut down on alcohol. The more you drink the more withdrawal symptoms you're likely to experience, Lee says. If youve been a regular heavy drinker, your body has to work to readjust. Lee says you might feel restless, anxious, nauseous, sweaty, and you may experience vomiting, headaches and bad sleep. In severe cases, you need to consult a health professional. You want to be in control of your drinking so that you have the effects you want, rather than the alcohol being in control of you. Professor Nicole Lee Its usually over within seven days or so, so if you can manage to get through that period youll feel a lot better and youll start feeling the other [positive] effects, Lee says. Moderate drinkers are unlikely to experience severe withdrawal symptoms when they cut down, but thats not to say they wont battle cravings. Its about retraining your brain.

Even people who have a couple of drinks a couple of times a week can find it difficult to change [the habit], Lee says. Stomach Even a little bit of alcohol can irritate your digestive system directly and cause acid reflux. At the top of our stomachs is a sphincter that Conigrave says acts like a drawstring purse. Alcohol can relax that muscle and let the acid come up and burn the oesophagus, she says. If you cut down your drinking, your symptoms of reflux can immediately recover, but it might take inflammation about a week to settle down, Conigrave says. Liver

The process of breaking down alcohol in the liver can damage the organ. Thats because, Conigrave says, one of the key breakdown products of booze, called acetaldehyde, can cause oxidative stress and trigger the body to attack its own cells in the liver. But here were talking about six or more standard drinks a day or people who have a holiday binge, Conigrave says. Someone drinking within the guidelines shouldnt have issues with this. The good news is that if the damage isn't severe, the liver is usually quick to heal. If theres not permanent damage or scarring, even over two weeks your liver enzymes can come halfway back to normal. Weight Alcoholic drinks contain more energy than many realise. It varies, but a serving of beer or wine can contain 400-500 kilojoules. It's not insignificant when you consider the average adult should have 8700 total kilojoules in a day. So if you reduce [your drinking]  most people find they lose a little bit of weight, Lee says, adding this can be noticeable within a month.

The influence on weight is not just thought to be the energy in booze itself, but also the behavioural effects of alcohol: it can make you more impulsive and more tempted by junk food. For some people, even one or two drinks, that bit of disinhibition can cause them to take on behaviours that affect their health, from unhealthy food to illicit drugs to cigarettes. So [curbing your alcohol] also helps you live the way you want to live, Conigrave says. Not to mention, when you drink less youre more likely to engage in healthier behaviours. Saturday morning HIIT classes become less of a problem. Mental wellbeing After about a month of lightened drinking, your mood will be improved, Lee says, as should symptoms of anxiety and depression. She explains that part of that is to do with getting more sleep and generally feeling healthier, and part of it is that alcohol reduces your ability to recognise and regulate your feelings because it hampers chemical messaging in the brain.

We know that people who drink more have higher rates of depression, anxiety and other mental health problems, Lee says. Every time the brain releases the feel-good neurochemicals, dopamine and serotonin, it takes time to rebuild those stores. But because alcohol releases a lot more dopamine and serotonin than usual, your stores are more quickly emptied and you can be left feeling flat or depressed, Lee says. So while some people drink to relax or quieten unpleasant feelings, it can trigger a vicious cycle of exacerbated depression or anxiety and self-medicating with alcohol. [When people reduce their alcohol,] most find their thinking is much clearer, they can manage stress better, they feel less anxious and things are less likely to get them down, Lee says. Conigrave adds that the change in her patients can be quite striking.

Blood pressure Alcohol can lower your blood pressure at the time of drinking, then raise it 12 hours later. There are several factors thought to explain why, from alcohol's effects on the kidneys, the nervous system, cortisol levels and body weight. If you regularly drink heavily, it can lead to sustained high blood pressure, or hypertension, which is linked to heart attack and stroke. Thankfully, Conigrave says, this is very reversible and can improve within about a month of decreasing the booze. Other aspects of your cardiovascular system can also improve, including heart palpitations, heart rate and, in severe cases, heart muscle function. Social life We often consider drinking to be a social activity, but because its so disinhibiting, theres a risk youll say or do something you might regret. By scaling back your alcohol, your social skills improve and your bonds can strengthen.

Your social interactions are going to be much more in control and more deliberate, Lee says. Conigrave says it might at first feel strange to be catching up with a group of mates without a beer in hand, but you need to look past any simmering worry that you wont be interesting or articulate enough. Youll usually find you just ease into it and you are actually capable of more than you realise and you dont need alcohol, Conigrave says. Youll usually find you just ease into it and you are actually capable of more than you realise and you dont need alcohol. Professor Kate Conigrave Plus, Lee says, if youre drinking less, youre less tired and stressed, and therefore more tolerant of loved ones.

Conigrave says heavier drinkers who cut down often notice major changes to their relationships. [Patients] say things to me like theyre much more present for their kids, more patient, clearer thinking at work, she says. It all just comes down to becoming more successful, happier humans. Cancer risk Some of the most important health benefits from easing your alcohol intake are long-term. Your risk of getting cancer, in particular of the bowel and breast, rises with each standard drink you consume per day, Conigrave says, meaning it isnt just heavy drinkers who are at risk. Its quite dramatic, she says. Thats the chief reason for the guidelines. Other cancers frequently linked to alcohol are liver, stomach and pancreas, as well as oesophagus, mouth and throat, which are six times more common in drinkers than non-drinkers.

Loading Slip-ups Changing and maintaining a new behaviour is really difficult, Lee says. Its normal to have little slip-ups and not meet your drinks goal each week. Lees advice is to keep reminding yourself of the benefits. After you get some of the benefits and it becomes the new normal, you can forget how much weight you had on or how sluggish you felt, she says. Conigrave says peer pressure is often the biggest factor, and she recommends talking to the people around you so they dont inadvertently work against you. And dont be afraid to look to resources from SMART Recovery or Hello Sunday Morning for support. Your efforts will be well worth it.
Last month a reader of this masthead was kind and misguided enough to call for me to become prime minister. I got a kick out of it but was too busy raging at online furniture companies and making voodoo dolls of Shane Warne to take it seriously.

Then came our third successive summer of discontent. Not terrible fires, not the unsettling look-over-your-shoulder hiatus between COVID waves but being able to smell a rat yet not find a RAT.

Most pharmacies have run out of rapid antigen tests (RATS) which are now almost impossible to find. Credit:Louie Douvis

Exhausting stuff. Rapid antigen tests being harder to locate than Djokovics vax status makes toilet paper shortages seem like the good old days. Everyones holiday has been wasted isolating, waiting for symptoms and a RAT dump at Chemist Warehouse.

How did we get here? Oh yeah, thats right. With Omicron overwhelming the slow and expensive PCR testing system, the federal government backed a move to rapid antigen testing.
The loss of any elegant would-be centenarian is a cause for sadness and some celebration. Such is the case of the Manly ferry MV Baragoola, which sank into the harbour long before her time last weekend.

The ignominy of her end, ravaged by corrosion and sold short by agencies that we hoped would maintain our maritime heritage, is only compounded by the various ways she touched so many.

In her 60 years of active service, countless passengers were caught up in her spell, be they commuters, tourists or crew.

The historic former Manly ferry MV Baragoola sunk from its mooring in Waverton. It was turning 100 this year. Credit:Edwina Pickles

In the 40 years since her decommissioning, many others have worked and spent furiously to keep her afloat. Some may have been dreamers and others pragmatists, but it is ever so with humans and boats.
More people are entering Queensland hospitals for intensive care as thousands of health staff are in quarantine ahead of an expected peak in Omicron cases.

As Queensland recorded 10,953 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, the Premier also announced the return to school for primary students could be delayed and a hotline for people who tested positive with rapid at-home tests would be established.

On Friday, 327 COVID-19 patients were in Queensland hospitals, with 14 in intensive care and three needing ventilation.

Meanwhile, 1156 Queensland Health staff were infected with the virus and 1835 healthcare staff were in quarantine.
I dont agree with caging refugees, I dont agree with caging Novak, and I dont agree with  tyranny. Members of the Serbian community waved flags, sang, and danced to patriotic songs outside the hotel, with one woman on a megaphone yelling free Novak. The woman mentioned it was Orthodox Christmas, which Djokovics family celebrates. He hasnt done anything wrong, she said. Some Djokovic supporters said they had put their Orthodox Christmas celebrations on hold to come down with family and show their support, others marked the occasion by handing out religious images of saints, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus surrounded by golden motifs.

Most vowed to continue protesting outside the hotel until the tennis pro is released from detention. One woman who did not want her name published said she would return daily. He is more than a tennis player, she said. He is our idol. Earlier a man using a megaphone outside the hotel urged people to hold the line and defend freedom and liberty. Standing opposite the hotel, he said: How are the unvaccinated affecting the vaccinated?

Novak Djokovic is just a representation of the disgruntled [feelings] of Australians. Does Novak have a choice? Loading Earlier on Friday, Djokovics wife, Jelena Djokovic, posted a message of support to Instagram saying her wishes are for everyone to be healthy, happy, safe and together with families. We wish we are all together today, but my consolation is that at least we are healthy. And we will grow from this experience, she said. Thank you dear people, all around the world for using your voice to send love to my husband. I am taking a deep breath to calm down and find gratitude (and understanding) in this moment for all that is happening.

The only law that we should all respect across every single border is love and respect for another human being. Love and forgiveness is never a mistake but a powerful force. The leader of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije, sent a Christmas message to Djokovic. Dear Nole, only a pale shadow will remain from the troubles and temptations you are going through on Christmas Day, a day of pure joy, his message on Instagram said. God is great and you know who you are as you grew up with the sound of bells from the Nemanjic family [Serbian dynasty in the Middle Ages] endowments. Millions of Orthodox Serbs are praying for you, like they are praying for us.

Wishing Djokovic a Merry Christmas, Patriarch Porfirije said: May the imperishable love and warmth of the Bethlehem cave warm and strengthen your heart and soul. Meanwhile, refugee advocates hope Novak Djokovics detention in the Melbourne immigration facility will shine a light on the plight of the asylum seekers long held there. Djokovics bid for a 10th Australian Open title and world record 21st grand slam crown was derailed Thursday morning when Australian Border Force cancelled his visa, finding he had failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements to Australia, a decision apparently tied to his vaccination status. He was taken to the Park Hotel, immediately launching a legal challenge against the decision.

The drama made international headlines, with the Djokovic family launching a stinging tirade against Australian authorities, while supporters of the tennis star protested outside the Carlton venue, and also provided a platform for refugee activists. Dozens of asylum seekers have been detained at the Park Hotel in recent months while they fight for release. In October last year, lawyers argued the facility was unfit to house asylum seekers because of a COVID-19 outbreak. Amnesty International national campaign manager Shankar Kasynathan joined other activists outside the hotel on Friday morning. Many of us are here today because we recognise the importance of the fact that in this place  there is situation where the world is watching at this point because we have one of the worlds most celebrated athletes under the same roof as the worlds most vulnerable people, namely refugees, Mr Kasynathan said.
The government agency that oversees the Great Barrier Reef has warned it is at risk of another summer of coral bleaching as the major parties prepare for an election campaign clash over management of the natural wonder.

Visiting Queensland on Friday, Labor leader Anthony Albanese attacked the governments environmental record as he pledged $163 million for conservation and to dismantle the controversial Great Barrier Reef Foundation championed by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The Great Barrier Reef is at risk of coral bleaching again this summer. Credit:Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Mr Albanese said the foundation, which received $443 million in seed capital in 2018 and set a target to raise $357 million in private funds, had failed to deliver value for taxpayers. Australias Auditor-General found in May the organisation had raised just $54 million  99 per cent of which was for in-kind services, with just $684,000 in cash donations. As of September last year, the foundation had secured pledges valued up to $157 million.

The Opposition Leader also accused the government of being hostage to climate sceptics in the Coalition.
The booming tree-change trend in property is predicted to continue into 2022, even though homebuyers may be forced back to city offices if life returns to some kind of post-lockdown normality.

Agents say that while the pandemic and its related city lockdowns had prompted many people to move to regional areas over the past two years, there were few signs that the pattern would change in the short to medium term.

From a steady stream of cars to a steady stream, COVID caused a distinct city exodus. Credit:iStock

McCrindle Research social researcher Geoff Bailey said homebuyers would continue to move to tree-change areas in 2022, with flexible work options offering opportunities to work city jobs from a patch of paradise hours away.

We will continue to see Australians who love a simple lifestyle  but who can also live their values, have less commute time and more time for self-care  make the move, Mr Bailey said.
It was once feted as Australias tallest  and most luxurious  apartment building but residents of the Sydney CBDs Park Regis today live in whats almost become a fortress.

With the buzzers at the entry of the iconic 47-storey tower broken for the past four to five years, and no plans to fix them, no deliveries or services can gain access to the foyer.

Clare Lyon lives on the 26th floor of the Park Regis. Credit:Rhett Wyman

At the same time, visitors have to phone friends or family inside to tell them theyve arrived  and then occupants of the 192 apartments are forced to physically take the lift down to let them in and take them up to their homes.

Its an absolutely ridiculous situation to be in, said 26th-floor resident, retired business analyst Clare Lyon, 68, who bought her apartment six years ago in the building with a hotel on the first 15 floors and units above. I recently had COVID and my husband and I had to self-isolate in our apartment. But then it was almost impossible to have anything delivered.
Washington: Like so many other Americans, Steve ONeal will never forget where he was the day Donald Trumps supporters stormed the United States Capitol.

The Washington resident was riding his bike on the north-east corner of Capitol Park when he saw the rioters running up the steps of the iconic building. He didnt realise what was happening until he noticed his wife had called 10 times from their home as she watched the chaos unfold on TV, begging him to get out immediately.

Rioters supporting president Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington on January 6 last year. Credit:AP

Im not sure where we are as a country now, he told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald as President Joe Biden marked the first anniversary of the attack on Thursday (Friday AEDT). I just hope that Congress can do something to prevent things like that from happening again.

ONeals sentiments are emblematic of the expectations many others have placed on the congressional committee examining the events of January 6, 2021.
~ Nightclubs, and dancehalls closed.~

MARIGOT:--- In view of the French health situation, the Prefet has decided to institute a curfew from midnight to 5 am starting on Friday. "All establishments will have to be closed and their staff returned to their homes," said Serge Gouteyron during a press conference on Thursday. The curfew will be in place for a period of one month any travel after midnight will be prohibited on the French side of the island. "If the government of Sint Maarten brings the closure of establishments up to 11 pm, he will adapt," he said.

All restaurants and bars, regardless of their capacity, must ask their customers for the health pass at the entrance; the measure distinguishing establishments according to their capacity is suspended.

Dance floors and nightclubs must also be closed. The sale of take-out alcohol after 6 p.m. is again prohibited. The gendarmes will carry out checks.

These new measures are taken by prefectural decree for a period of one month.

If I don't take appropriate action, it will hurt society as a whole. These measures are taken to avoid a deep economic disruption, "agrees Serge Gouteyron.

Due to the significant increase in the number of Covid-19 cases across all territories of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthelemy, Prefet Serge GOUTEYRON has decided to set up a curfew from this Friday, January 07, 2022, from 24h00 to 5h00

in accordance with order RAA-2022-002 of Thursday, January 6, 2022. The situation will subsequently be assessed according to the health situation.

Travel between these times will be prohibited except on the presentation of a certificate personal or professional derogatory. Certificates can be generated using the link

next by clicking on the "curfew" tab: https://media.interieur.gouv.fr/attestationdeplacement-derogatory-covid-19 /

Cooperation remains constant with the authorities of Sint-Maarten in order to continue in the

as far as possible a coordinated evolution of the measures taken.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, January 6, 2022, the Parliament of Sint Maarten in its public meeting no. 5, handled a letter from the Attorney General Mr. A.C. Maan regarding the conviction of Mr. C.A. Buncamper (IS/403/2021-2022 dated January 3, 2022).

The letter from the Attorney General informed Parliament of the judgment rendered by the Court of First Instance against the Member of Parliament on December 23, 2021.

With this decision of the Court of First Instance, Member of Parliament, Mr. C.A. Buncamper was sentenced by court order to a custodial sentence for committing a crime as referred to in article 50, the first paragraph of the Constitution of Sint Maarten.

Pursuant to Article 50, second paragraph of the Constitution of Sint Maarten, a legal consequence of this is that Mr. C.A. Buncamper has been suspended as a Member of Parliament with immediate effect. This means that as of December 24, 2021, the Parliament of Sint Maarten no longer complies with Article 45, first paragraph, of the Constitution, which states that the Parliament consists of fifteen members.

Upon receiving this notice from the office of the Public Prosecutor, the role of Parliament is to then initiate and comply with the provisions of article 50, third paragraph of the Constitution, namely the appointment of a substitute Member of Parliament.

Therefore, in its Public Meeting of January 6, 2022, Parliament acknowledged having received the notice from the Attorney General and indicated that the Member of Parliament C.A. Buncamper and the Central Voting Bureau will be informed.

The suspension of a Member of Parliament means that while the Member of Parliament retains his/her salary and benefits (remuneration) during his/her suspension; he/she will have no representative, supervisory or legislative powers.

Immediately after the meeting, a letter was sent to the Member and the Central Voting Bureau. The Central Voting Bureau will now have to act in accordance with article 115 of the Electoral ordinance to appoint a substitute Member of Parliament. After that is done Parliament will have to verify the credentials of the substitute Member to be admitted to Parliament. He or she can then function as a full Member of Parliament.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister Ottley hereby announces that as of January 10th, 2022 there will be an increase in inspections for compliance with COVID-19 protocols within the business sector.

Inspections will be carried out on both daytime and night-time businesses, to ensure that the established guidelines are being followed.

With the increase in the number of positive cases of the Omicron variant, it is imperative that these guidelines are followed stringently.

Businesses found to be in violation of these protocols will be fined by the Inspectorate. Multiple offenses will and can lead to the closure of establishments.

These protocols have been implemented since 2020 after the lockdown, in order for businesses to recommence operations in a safe manner.

It appears that many businesses have strayed away from the set protocols over time. This is also contributing to an increase in the spread of COVID-19 throughout the community" said Ottley.

Minister Ottley would once again like to remind the community of the protocols that have been created to maintain a healthy environment for employees and patrons alike.

Basic measures

Mask wearing ( preferred surgical or N95 masks).

Handwashing with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds or sanitizing with a solution containing 70% minimum alcohol.

Social distancing of 1.5 meters.

Ensure proper ventilation and ventilation systems where air circulates when indoors.

Knowing your status by getting tested at the local labs, including approved self-tests sold by local pharmacies.

Vaccination against the COVID-19. All persons whom are eligible to receive the vaccine, including the booster dose should visit CPS or call 914 for more information. The booster dose can be taken three months after receiving the second dose.

Workplace / Indoor venues and businesses

For example banks, law firms, accounting firms, consulting firms, insurance companies, government offices, churches, gyms, hair salons, barbershops, cinemas, theaters, supermarkets, nightclubs etc.

Follow basic measures.

Sanitization stations should be made available to visitors.

Temperature checks upon entry to establishments.

Employees that have tested positive for COVID-19, must remain in isolation for the period advised by CPS.

Employees with symptoms associated with COVID-19 including and the flu/cold must report this to the institution and remain at home and report to their physician.

If an employee gets sick at work, send them home immediately, following cleaning and disinfect of surfaces.

Staggered breaks and shifts where possible.

Encourage digital transactions and cashless payments where applicable.

Employers can request periodic COVID-19 testing of employees (AB 2021 no. 44)

Patrons/ visitors should be limited to 50%.

Visitors to restaurants and nightclubs should be masked unless consuming food and beverage.

Nightclubs can request proof of negative COVID-19 test upon entry to the establishment

Large scale events:

Events will be cancelled until further notice.

Night time business hours restriction

Business curfew has been restricted from January 5th, 2022 in a phased approach, this restriction will be enforced until further notice and will be adjusted accordingly.

Phase 1:

4 - 7 hospitalizations (20%), business hours scale back to 1:00 am.

If hospitalization should later decrease to less than four (4) patients for a period of two weeks then the time would be reverted.

Phase 2:

8 or more hospitalizations (40%), business hours scale back to 11:00 pm.

If hospitalizations should decrease to less than eight (8) patients for a period of two weeks then the time would be adjusted accordingly.

Travel restrictions:

Effective January 1, 2022, all countries will be classified as very high risk until further notice with COVID-19 test requirements.



Based on the vaccination status:

fully vaccinated with booster shot received. Booster shot should be at least 2 weeks old and not exceed 9 months since administered: no COVID-19 test required.

- fully vaccinated 18 years and older without booster shot: 48 hours rt-PCR or 24 hours Antigen test required.

- fully vaccinated older than 5 years and younger than 18 years without booster shot: no COVID-19 test required.

- non -vaccinated: 48 hours rt-PCR test only.

For further details of the COVID-19 guidelines within your sector, please click the link below:https://bit.ly/3FeZPst
PHILIPSBURG:--- President of The United St. Maarten Party (USP) board Cecil Nicholas said his board was baffled by Thursdays public meeting of Parliament which dealt with the suspension of MP Claudius Buncamper, dubbing the meeting amusing.

Todays meeting which should have been opened and closed without fan fair because the law is clear was turned into a circus with legislators basically elucidating on the interpretation of the law. Are the legislators not supposed to present proposed amendments to the law? Nicholas said.

What should have been addressed today is how the declaration of Independence by MPs circumvents proportional representation based on the party list since the execution of the letter of the Attorney General now nullifies the notion that MPs own the seat based on the oath they take.

What is the spirit of the law with regards to the application of proportional representation in accordance with the party list? Does the oath circumvent the party platform and manifesto as it relates to the vision for the country that is sold to the people during election campaigns? If the seat belongs to individual candidates, then why does the law now reflect back to the party as opposed to the affected MP now appointing his own substitute as an independent member of parliament? Nicholas continued.

He added that while parliament without question accepted the nullification of the US party and its list with a declaration of independence, the highest legislative body in the country is now awaiting another instruction, this time from the electoral council of who will be the representative member of the same USP in Parliament. Which they have to accept without question, outside of having new elections, Nicholas said.

So the same laws that cast the party aside, also acknowledges the primary position of the party as the foundation of the basis of the seats in Parliament. The United St. Maarten Party found itself in a similar predicament when its two seats won in an election unceremoniously transitioned with declarations of independence on the floor of parliament based on the same impractical laws.

The highest legislative body in the country in its public meeting today displayed why there is no room for an individualistic approach to governing based on an oath. As they await another instruction, the constitution as constructed since 10 10 10 continues to cannibalize itself, Nicholas conclude.
~Calls again on Central Bank to finalize draft legislation on consumer banking protection.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United Peoples Party MP Rolando Brison has taken note of numerous calls from both consumers and the business community of how the convenience and effectiveness of the banking sectors policies have hit an all-time low. I find what Im seeing and hearing to be absolutely appalling, stated Brison.

Because many people in the community know I have not only been extremely vocal about the need to improve our banking sectors treatment of the consumer but have also put in a significant amount of work legislatively to help fix the consumer banking experience, I have been flooded by communication about many ways in which the banking sector is making it harder and harder for people to do banking in St. Maarten. Its appalling that some banks continue to introduce new policies that hurt the consumer experience rather than improve it, stated MP Brison.

Brison has drafted and shared with the Central Bank legislation to improve customer experience at banks. The goal of the legislation is to create the right to a basic bank account that must be granted within 3 weeks, limit the banks' ability to unilaterally close your account or cancel your loan, and most importantly, creating a Consumer Banking Protection Agency that would act like an ombudsman for banks, free of charge to any resident. However, banking legislation needs to be vetted by the Central Bank and is not something the MP can effectively initiate on his own. I had hoped that pending this legislation, the banks would hear the cry of the people and the Parliament to treat the customer better, but this, unfortunately, seems to have fallen on deaf ears, stated Brison

He expressed his disappointment with the worsening bank policies, and sympathizes with the thousands of people affected, many of whom every day tell him of their banking horror stories. Not a week goes by on my weekly live radio show where a caller doesnt call in to tell their banking horror stories as I have chosen to call them. These stories range from taking many months just to open a business account at their existing bank, impossible to reach their banks, loans, and mortgages being unilaterally canceled by banks, and many other concerns.

My complaint is not a slight against the banks employees. On the contrary, I sympathize with employees, many of whom I know are embarrassed to have to uphold inconvenient, antiquated, and unjust banking policies. My father has worked at the bank for 40 years, and even he is ashamed to see what the banking sector has become. It used to be a pleasure, a proud thing to work at a bank; now many customer service agents tell me they feel ashamed to have to uphold policies they themselves know are nonsensical.

Flawed Commingling Policy

The announcement by the Windward Islands Bank (WIB) that their customers who commingle business and personal funds could face losing their accounts a flawed and problematic. He referenced an InfoGraphic from WIB in which a John Doe working at a hardware store could not deposit his funds made in a landscaping side job without losing their accounts. Obviously if someone owns separate business, like an NV, it is advisable that they create another account for that NV. But their own John Doe example is highly flawed, Brison said. He explained that if John Doe works at a hardware store and places his salary on his personal account, but also as a sole proprietor does landscaping, the legal identity of John Doe is the same. There is no company. The law allows for certain works or side jobs to be carried out without having a company, or as a sole proprietor. Legally speaking, a sole proprietor is the person (so John Doe is his landscaping company) and not a legal entity. I really wonder if the bank has thought this through.

In these difficult times, locals are doing all they can aside from their work to make ends meet, and rather than the banks accommodating the consumer, they are now threatening them with bank account closures. And the purpose is what, to prevent money laundering? Well, if John Doe doesnt put his money in his account and instead stockpiles his landscaping cash at home, that in and of itself not only could promote small scale money laundering, but creates an extremely unsafe situation in our communities with so much cash being stockpiled in peoples homes.

Opening Bank Accounts

Brison noted that to add insult to injury to the commingling situation, banks are making it harder and harder for people to open accounts. So lets say John Doe gives in and wants to open his business account for his landscaping work. You would think the bank would do their utmost to expedite the opening of their business account, right? Well, from all the reports I receive, the experience locals get in opening business accounts have become a nightmare.

Shameful what people have to do to reach their bank

Brison took note of the fact that a well-known local business went to the length of buying an advertisement in the newspaper, pleading to the locals banks to get back to him. Its really shameful that banks are so bad at dealing with their clients, that here we have an iconic local business in Philipsburg that has to spend money to take an ad just to get their own bank to contact them, stated Brison.

He has noted how several banks have moved towards online appointments for customers to reach their banks. That, in theory, can be innovative and improve customer experience. If this was done right, especially in light of COVID-19, this could have improved the customer experience, but reports show that this has actually made the customer experience worse.

Use of technology does not equate automatically to innovation. SMART and Effective use of technology is innovative. But if people are applying for appointments online and not hearing back from their bank, or faced with error messages when uploading documentation, then the opposite is true: foolish and ineffective use of technology.

Corresponding banking and anti-money laundering

Brison is very familiar with the excuse given by banks. The banks keep telling us we do this because of Central Bank regulations; its because we will lose corresponding banking; we do this to prevent money laundering. But make no mistake: the claim that these policies are in place because of Central Bank or other international regulations has been proven false. The Central Bank itself has confirmed this to Parliament. While the Central Bank gives some general guidelines in the need to know you customer, the banks are the ones who decide to go far beyond Central Bank guidelines, Brison explained.

Solution: Legislation

Brison believes the only solution is to enact his, or some version of his legislative initiative to establish the right to basic bank account and create a consumer watchdog agency for banks. The banks cant go against the law. But if we dont have laws for them to follow, they will continue to do what they want. Therefore my initiative to legislate the consumer aspect of banking oversight is much needed and needs to be prioritized, stated Brison. However, the MP has taken note that the Central Bank did not include the law in their 2020-2024 legislative agenda. As a result, he intends to submit a motion during the budget debate to call on the Minister of Finance of St. Maarten to instruct the Central Bank to present him with a draft of a Consumer Banking Protection law that is modeled after Brisons draft, and to amend their legislative agenda accordingly. I am also in discussions with colleagues in Curacao, who, equally frustrated by their banking sector, are interested to enact the same motion in Curacao as well. Having both ministers instruct the CBCS will probably emphasize the need even more, Brison concluded.

Click here to see Bank Account Law
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Hon. Silveria Jacobs is seeking a virtual meeting with the new Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalizing Alexandra van Huffelen once she has been sworn in.



The new Dutch Government coalition comprises the following political parties, VVD, D66, CDA, and the ChristenUnie. The new cabinet of the Dutch Government, the fourth to be led by Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs Mark Rutte will be sworn in on Monday, January 10.



The winds of change have blown in, and Sint Maarten is looking forward to equitable, transparent, and open communications with the Netherlands in 2022 that will lead to better opportunities for the people of this country. In 2021 we have been in the trenches and have seen the ups and downs where our relations are concerned within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.



The dialogue will continue, and we will work towards improving our relationship even more in 2022. In 2021 we built some bridges and look forward to building them further as we learn to cope along with the rest of the world with this global pandemic. I would like to once again congratulate the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his cabinet as he prepares to lead his fourth administration on Monday, January 10, Prime Minister Hon. Silveria Jacobs said on Thursday.



Some of the points that Prime Minister Jacobs would like to address with the new Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalizing Alexandra van Huffelen via a virtual meeting are the three decision points that have cause for concern for Sint Maarten and were postponed until the upcoming Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for January 21.



The new Dutch Government inequitable collaboration with Sint Maarten and the other countries will have many issues to address and finalize including agenda points that were postponed in December. This will be the first Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting for 2022, and we look forward to favorable decisions being made that would allow Sint Maarten to continue on the track of moving forward, by effectuating the budget 2022 still to be debated in Parliament from which the in-country package will be executed. We expect the measures together with other initiatives will make the country more resilient.



As a country, sufficient room is needed considering the current pandemic and economic challenges we are facing in order for us to move forward. We are eager to get discussions going again as time is of the essence. Sint Maarten has requested the approval of the deviation for the budgetary norms of article 15 of the Rijkswet Financieel Toezicht (Rft).



The Committee for Financial Supervision (Cft), has also advised positively on the necessary deviation of article 15 (Rft) which allows for a budget deficit. Sint Maarten requested for article 25 (Rft) to be applied, allowing the country in times of a disaster the right to deviate from Article 15 (Rft) which establishes the budgetary norms. This legally empowers Sint Maarten to enact the law for an approved budget deficit and will in the end allow for the financing of the reforms in the Country Packages.



The current global pandemic can be classified as a disaster for the country, and we have been operating in this manner for almost two years. We look forward to resolving this matter in the next Kingdom Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Hon. Silveria Jacobs said on Thursday.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The World Health Organization (WHO) states on its website: Violence against women tends to increase in any emergency, including epidemics. Stress, disruption of social and protective networks, increased economic hardship and decreased access to services can exacerbate the risk of women suffering violence. This statement has been verified by The Sint Maarten Police Force which is concerned about the increase in the number of reports of domestic and family violence since the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown of 2020.

In a 2020 interview with Loop Caribbean News, The police force warned that persons choosing to engage in abusive actions will be held accountable for their actions. They indicated, it is evident that an increase in community awareness is needed in order to bring this abusive behavior to a drastic halt.

In light of the growing trend of domestic violence and abuse on St. Maarten and around the world, Grace Hill Bible University (GHBU), St. Maarten Campus, developed the course: Counseling Couples: New Insights into Ending Abusive Relationships to assist aspiring counselors and/or counselors to effectively treat couples in violent and/or abusive relationships.

The Masters Level course is designed by Master Therapist, Dr. N. Erna Mae Francis Cotton, visionary of Victorious Living Foundation. Francis Cotton, a therapist for over 20 years is co-developer of the University of the West Indies BSc. in Social Work Dying, Death, and Bereavement course. She is also a member of Bristol Whos Who, a New York City-based premier international registry and networking forum dedicated to aggregating and honoring top professionals, executives, and business owners of organizations, businesses, and associations throughout the world.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

Identify emotional abuse and how to find the roots of their client's behaviour.

Gain new insights into ending abusive relationships discovered through years of research by Neil Jacobson, Ph.D., and John Gottman, Ph.D. regarding varying types of batterers, why they batter, and how to end the cycle of relationship violence.

Create a treatment program for couples in abusive relationships.

Understand emotional abuse.

Know how to recognize patterns of abuse.

Understand and recognize the patterns of abuse that begin in childhood.

Know the action steps for those being abused.

Know how to advise a client whose partner has a Personality Disorder.

Know when the abusiveness stems from a partners Personality Disorder and more.

Enrollment for the course is currently open; starts on February 21st and runs for 15 weeks. To inquire about the course and/or to enroll, you may contact Grace Hill Bible University, St. Maarten campus at 1-721-524-8731 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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WESTPORT  A former Greens Farms Elementary School staff member accused of falling asleep while possibly intoxicated when she was the lone supervisor of a special needs student had a history of abnormal behavior at work, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Michelle Babin, 32, turned herself in to Westport police last week on an arrest warrant, charging her with risk of injury to a child.

Babin, a Shelton resident, was terminated as a speech and language pathologist for Westport Public Schools on Nov. 23 when other staff members found her asleep and unresponsive at her desk while an 8-year-old nonverbal, autistic child was alone under her supervision, according to her arrest warrant affidavit.

In the warrant, Westport police Detective Ashley DelVecchio said a paraprofessional responsible for the child came to get the boy from Babins office, but the door was locked and the shade was drawn over the window.

The paraprofessional knocked several times, but Babin did not open the door, the warrant said.

DelVecchio said school administrators needed to be called to unlock the door. Once they gained access to Babins office, she was found slumped over the back of her chair with her head down on her folded arms while the child sat on the floor in the corner with pile of paper that was torn up, the warrant stated.

The student, who is not supposed to be left unsupervised, was left alone with Babin for about an hour, DelVecchio wrote in the warrant.

This put the child at great risk of being injured, police said in a press release announcing the arrest this week.

According to the warrant, the boys father said he suspected his son had been eating the paper while left unsupervised, causing him to throw up for two days following the incident.

Westport Public Schools Superintendent Tom Scarice said the incident is a personnel matter and declined to comment when reached on Wednesday.

Scarice and John Bayers, assistant superintendent of human resources and general administration for Westport schools, did not immediately respond to questions on Thursday. Bayers terminated Babin before police arrived at the school the day of the incident and asked for her to be removed from the property, DelVecchio noted in the warrant.

According to the warrant, it took staff at least 30 seconds to wake up Babin once they gained access to her office. After being woken up, Babin mumbled incoherently and her breath smelled of alcohol, police said.

Staff members told police this wasnt the first time Babin had been suspected of being under the influence while at school, the warrant stated.

Last spring, Babin was excused from a parent-teacher conference for nodding off and slurring her words, the warrant stated.

Another teacher told police Babin had been reported to administrators several times in the past year for abnormal behavior, such as walking around with an unsteady gait, the smell of alcohol on her breath and many suspicious visits to her car during the day without mentioning it to another staff member, the warrant stated.

Babin also told police the school district requested she go on leave in October for falling asleep at work multiple times, the warrant said. Babin also told police that she has received inpatient and outpatient treatment for alcohol abuse, the warrant stated.

However, Babin told police the November incident was not alcohol related, the warrant stated. The warrant stated she told police she has an anxiety disorder that results in a severe lack of sleep, which causes exhaustion.

Defense attorney Edward Gavin said there was no finding of alcohol in Babins medical records, which were seized with a warrant.

Pretty big jump to allege she was intoxicated, in my opinion, Gavin said Thursday.

However, a Westport paramedic noted in Babins hospital records that he detected she was under the influence, noting a smell of alcohol on breath, according to the warrant.

The paramedic also noted that Babin refused all drug and alcohol testing when transported to the hospital following the Nov. 23 incident.

Patient states her lawyer told her not to consent to any drug/alcohol testing, a paramedic wrote in the report, according to the warrant.

Babin, who has been released on $75,000 bond, is scheduled to appear Feb. 16 in state Superior Court in Stamford.
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The National Strategic Plan (PNS) must be a useful tool for Romanian farmers and agriculture, not for consultants or reforms on paper, says the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Adrian Chesnoiu, who had a meeting on Friday with the representatives of the the National Council of Small and Medium Private Enterprises of Romania (CNIPMMR).

According to a press release sent by the relevant ministry, the main topics of discussion with the CNIPMMR delegation focused on land improvements and access to European funds that will be available through PNS as of 2023, with an emphasis on building regional warehouses and financing green energy investments.

"The dialogue with the representatives of the entrepreneurial environment is extremely useful in finalizing the National Strategic Plan for Agriculture. Next week we will start the calendar of consultations with farmers, by sectors of activity. My goal is to send Brussels a coherent document that truly meets the expectations of farmers and the real needs of Romanian agriculture. The PNS must be a useful tool for Romanian farmers and agriculture, not for consultants or reforms on paper. As you know, together with several fellow EU ministers, we have asked for flexibility on the part of the European Commission regarding the deadline for submitting the National Strategic Plan, given the delays in adopting the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy," said the Minister of Agriculture.

During the meeting, the situation of the labor force in agriculture, the endowment of the practical training workshops of the agricultural high schools, as well as the implications of the increase in the prices for electricity and natural gas for agriculture and the food industry were also discussed. In this context, the head of MADR mentioned the continuation of the support measures aimed at providing free water to the delivery points, where contracts for irrigation are concluded, as well as the settlement of expenses up to 50%, related to the electricity consumption necessary for the functioning of units or irrigation equipment.

As regards the stimulation of employment in agriculture and the food industry, Chesnoiu recalled the provisions of the draft law submitted to Parliament which seeks to provide fiscal facilities to those employed in agriculture, food industry, forestry and fish farming, similar to those granted in the construction field.
A total of 135 outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) were active on Thursday, after 88 outbreaks were extinguished between December 30 and January 6, according to a press release issued on Friday by the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA), Agerpres reports.

Of the extinguished outbreaks, 16 were found in commercial swine farms, including commercial A-type farms.The total number of pigs in active outbreaks is 276,348.Between December 30 and January 6, 10 new outbreaks of African swine flu were recorded, as follows: three outbreaks in Bihor County, two outbreaks in Cluj County and one outbreak in each of the following counties: Dolj, Harghita, Prahova, Satu-Mare, Vaslui.The 88 outbreaks extinguished during this period were located in the counties of Teleorman (70 outbreaks extinguished), Ilfov (8 outbreaks), Giurgiu (6 outbreaks), Dambovita, Timis, Bucharest, Vaslui (one outbreak each).Since the first report of the presence of the ASF virus in Romania - on July 31, 2017, and until now, 6,161 cases have been diagnosed in wild boars, in 41 counties. According to the European provisions, cases of PPA in wild boars are extinguished at least two years after their appearance.Between January 1 and 6, 11 new cases of ASF were recorded in wild boars: four cases in wild boars found dead in the Bistrita-Nasaud county, two cases in wild boars hunted in the Dambovita county, two cases in wild boars hunted in Iasi county, one case of wild boar hunted in Bihor and one in Tulcea county, and one case of wild boar found dead in Hunedoara county.
A number of 178,500 doses of Spikevax/Moderna vaccine arrived on Friday at the "Cantacuzino" National Institute for Medical-Military Research and Development, the National Coordinating Committee for Vaccination Activities against COVID-19 (CNCAV) informs, Agerpres reports.

According to the quoted source, the transport is provided by the manufacturing company, and the vaccine doses were brought to Bucharest by land.The vaccine doses will be distributed as follows:* Brasov Regional Storage Center - 36,000 doses* Cluj Regional Storage Center - 36,000 doses* Constanta Regional Storage Center - 36,000 doses* Iasi Regional Storage Center - 34,500 doses* Timisoara Regional Storage Center - 36,000 doses.CNCAV mentions that, to date, 3,182,400 Moderna doses have been received and 966,712 have already been used to immunize the population.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu reiterated his concern regarding the build up of Russia's military presence in the Alliance's neighborhood, as well as his call for de-escalation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) informs in a press release.

Bogdan Aurescu attended on Friday an extraordinary meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs, where the heads of diplomacies discussed "in depth" the security situation in the Eastern Neighborhood and in the Black Sea region generated by the massive deployment of Russian troops in Ukraine's vicinity and the relevance of these developments for the Euro-Atlantic security.

Referring to the current complex security situation, Minister Aurescu reiterated the Romanian side's stance on the need to strengthen NATO's position of deterrence and defense in a coherent and comprehensive manner on the entire Eastern Flank, included, and particularly at the Black Sea, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On this occasion, the head of the Romanian diplomacy also expressed support for NATO's dual-track approach to Russia, consisting of both firm and credible measures of deterrence and, on this basis, of dialogue, without compromising the principles, values and commitments that represents the foundation of the Alliance.

Bogdan Aurescu also referred to the stakes and implications of these security developments at NATO level, emphasizing the importance of Allied unity and the further strengthening of the transatlantic relationship and highlighting that the Alliance has a special responsibility for preserving the European security architecture and rules-based international order.

He also mentioned the importance of continuing the Alliance's coordination with the European Union, as a "key pillar" of the Western community, alongside NATO, as well as with its neighboring partners, by supporting their resilience and open door policy, included.

Equally, the Romanian Minister reiterated our country's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognized borders.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, will participate, on Friday, in the extraordinary meeting of the heads of diplomacies from the NATO states, held in videoconference system, the debates focusing security situation in the Black Sea and the Eastern Neighbourhood, in the context of the massive deployment of Russian troops in the vicinity of Ukraine and its implications for Euro-Atlantic stability as a whole, the MAE (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) informs in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Friday.

According to the same source, Aurescu will refer to "the need to continue efforts to strengthen the allied position of deterrence and defence in a coherent and comprehensive manner on the entire Eastern Flank, including and especially in the Black Sea region, in the context of the current security developments in the Alliance's Eastern Vicinity."The head of Romanian diplomacy will also emphasize the importance of strengthening the transatlantic relationship and increasing allied cohesion, as well as deepening cooperation with Eastern partners. At the same time, the Romanian Minister will reiterate the support of our country for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders.The ministerial meeting has been convened by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and will precede the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting due on 11 January and the NATO-Russia Council meeting due on January 12 in Brussels, in order to prepare them properly.
Most new cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to the last report are in Bucharest - 928 and in the counties of Cluj - 532, Suceava - 455, Brasov - 377 and Timis - 350, the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informed on Friday, Agerpres reports.

The counties with the lowest number of cases were Covasna - 18, Gorj - 21 and Mehedinti - 25.The Capital has an incidence of 1.42 cases per thousand inhabitants, increasing compared to the previous day, when a value of 1.14 per thousand inhabitants was registered.Cluj County ranks first in terms of the cumulative infection rate at 14 days, with 1.71 cases per thousand inhabitants. The counties of Arad - 1.49 and Ilfov - 1.38 also record high incidence rates.
The Government has in view launching a HoReCa2 aid scheme, which may include also companies in the domain of connected services, such as leisure activities, but only in the second half of the year, after the budget revision, said, on Friday, in central Brasov, the Minister for Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Constantin-Daniel Cadariu, during a meeting with representatives of local authorities and the business milieu in Brasov.

The issue of including companies in domains connected to tourism, such as those in leisure activities, in a future state aid scheme to compensate losses suffered in the pandemic, was raised by the manager of Dino Parc Rasnov, Adrian Apostu.Cadariu said that presently the ministry is working on elaborating such a program in parallel with collecting data from representatives of the business milieu.He also showed that not only for a possible HoReCa 2, but also for other programs, such as Startup Nation, the ministry will have to wait for the budget revision, because the budget for 2022, obtained in negotiations, is not sufficient."The budget is 2.5 billion RON and 2.6 billion RON, respectively, an we have to make payments of 1.7 billion RON only in January, you can imagine the budget we'll be left with. (...) I've discussed with the Prime Minister to start as many of the promised programs as possible with a reduced number of beneficiaries, with the promise that we will receive money in the budget revision," said Constantin-Daniel Cadariu.AGERPRES
Health Minister Alexandru Rafila will travel next week to the Constanta Clinical Hospital for Infectious Diseases where several patients died in a fire that broke out in early October at the ICU ward, Agerpres reports.

"I will go to Constanta because that hospital too was hit by an unfortunate fire incident and we must also restore this facility to the health system, along with very good professionals, so that we be really prepared. I found it very strange that one year after the fire at the 'Matei Bals' Institute, and several months after the Constanta blaze, nothing has moved and now, in the last weeks, we had to put in efforts for these institutions to resume their activity. It's important to have all the necessary resources up and running," Rafila told a news conference on Friday.In his opinion, the highlight of the last two years has been the people's lack of trust in the authorities and even in health professionals."What has been lacking in the last two years has been the people's trust in the authorities, the trust of the people, sometimes in the health professionals, and the professionals' confidence that the authorities support and respect their activity. I think it's time to put an end to controversy, show solidarity and trust each other, for us to overcome this pandemic wave, he said.Health Minister Alexandru Rafila visited on Friday the "Grigore Alexandrescu" Children's Emergency Clinical Hospital where he discussed with the management team and the ward heads about the preparation of the health facility for the pandemic and visited several wards.
The State Secretary for National Policies in the Hungarian Government, Arpad Janos Potapi, stated on Friday, in Harghita, that the Transylvanian Economic Development Programme, ran by the Executive in Budapest, was and will continually be discussed with the Romanian Government, maintaining that there is very good collaboration between the two states.

"We've always discussed this economic development programme with the Government of Romania and we will do so moving forward and our purpose is to try to help and strengthen the Hungarian economic agents here, so that we can, at the same time, consolidate and strengthen the economy of Romania. This is what happened until now and will happen still and from this point of view we have had a very good collaboration," said Arpad Janos Potapi, in Siculeni, where he attended the commemoration of the Szeklers killed in 1764 by Austrian troops.

He also emphasized that in the past two years, through the entry into government of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) and due to Deputy Prime Minister Kelemen Hunor, the neighborly relations between Romania and Hungary have developed much better than previously.

"Hungary can be strong only if Romania is strong, as well as Serbia, Slovakia," said the Hungarian State Secretary.

Asked how the negotiations between Romania and Hungary are going on the topic of the economic programme ran by the Hungarian Government in Romania, he said that this is an aspect that regards the Foreign Ministry and for this reason he can only make general statements, without knowing if these negotiations are taking place concretely.
Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu said on Friday that the Section for the Investigation of Judicial Crimes (SIIJ) will be abolished by the end of March, and no similar prosecution structure of some "SIIJ reloaded" sort will take its place.

Speaking at the Ministry of Justice, Predoiu said that bill on the dissolution of the Special Section will be presented to the government in February and then sent to Parliament for vote, probably in the first half of March, but only provided that it gets the nod of the Supreme Council of Magistrates.

The governing program of the National Liberal Party - Social Democratic Party - Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania coalition provides for the adoption until March 31, 2022 of a regulatory act to end the activity of the Section for the Investigation of Judicial Crimes, which will be be replaced by a new structure that offers "guarantees for the magistrates' independence".

"By March 31, 2022 we will adopt a regulatory act providing for the cessation of SIIJ's activity and the establishment of an institution/agency that offers guarantees for the magistrates' independence and also sets in place efficient mechanisms for a real and effective accountability of the judges and prosecutors, while keeping proceedings impartial and legal, in accordance with the CJEU decision of May 18, 2021, the Venice Commission's opinion of July 2021 and the opinion of the Supreme Council of Magistrates," states the governing program.
The Romanian Embassy to Kazakhstan has not received any request for consular assistance or evacuation, until now, but only four requests for information on the security situation and the flight schedule of the airlines, informs a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), Agerpres reports.

The MAE reiterates that the Romanian Embassy in Nur-Sultan is ready to provide consular assistance and reiterates the recommendation that Romanian citizens facing an emergency situation contact the Romanian Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan by calling the emergency telephone number: +77771926464.Kazakh President Kasim-Jomart Tokaev said on Friday that he had authorized police forces to open fire "without warning" against "terrorists," rejected any negotiations and promised "the elimination of armed bandits" to put an end to the unprecedented unrest that this Central Asian country have been facing for the past couple of days, AFP and Reuters report."I have ordered law enforcement to fire without warning to kill," Tokaev said in a televised speech, adding that "terrorists continue to destroy property and use weapons against civilians."Tokaev "especially thanked" Russian President Vladimir Putin for his quick reaction and help and for sending troops. He also thanked the leaders of China, Uzbekistan and Turkey for their help in stopping the riots.The Kazakh president said peacekeepers sent by Russia and neighbouring states had arrived in Kazakhstan at the request of Kazakh authorities and would be in the country for a short time to ensure security.At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced that Russian military units are being sent by air to Kazakhstan "24 hours a day" and are controlling the airport in Almaty together with the local police, Interfax reported, taken over by Reuters. Control of the airport was taken over by a group of protesters on Wednesday, but a Reuters reporter who went there on Thursday said that the Kazakh security staff had already removed the protesters from that perimeter.At the request of the Kazakh government, Moscow sent troops as part of a "collective peacekeeping force" of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a body under Russian control.
Social Democrat Mihai Ion Macaveiu has been appointed Secretary of State in the Ministry of Economy.

The decision signed by Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca was published in the Official Journal on Friday.

At the same time, Vlad Stefan Niculae (PSD) will hold the position of Secretary of State with the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration (MDLPA).

By another decision of the prime minister, Liberal Neculai Tanase was dismissed from the MDLPA. He was appointed secretary of state in the ministry on March 2 last year.

The decision to remove from office Iulia Raluca Matei as Secretary of State for European Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also published in the Official Journal.

In December last year, President Klaus Iohannis signed the decree on the accreditation of Iulia-Raluca Matei as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, head of Romania's Permanent Representation to the European Union.
Liberals will support any proposal that helps the Romanian people and that can be supported from the state budget regarding energy costs, the chairman of PNL (National Liberal Party) Florin Citu declared on Friday, referring to modifying the law regarding capping and compensating bills.

"I must first see the proposals, for now they have only been presented in the press. I want to see the final form and after that we will support any proposal that helps the Romanian people and that can be supported from Romania's state budget (...) It is a law that has done much, has advanced a lot and has helped many Romanians. If it can be improved of course that we will support any improvement, but on certain conditions: firstly, the budget needs to afford it, but let us see them first. We cannot discuss about something that we have yet to see on the table," Citu said, during a press conference at PNL headquarters.

The chairman of PSD (Social Democratic Party) Marcel Ciolacu declared on Tuesday that in the governing coalition there should be a way of compensating energy and gas bills, because the current law is inefficient and cannot be applied.
The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, declared on Friday, referring to the possibility of the proposal by the National Liberal Party (PNL) leader Florin Citu of mandating the green COVID certificate for the employees in health and education, that his position is "of support" for any action that has a favorable impact on public health, Agerpres reports.

Asked what position he has regarding the possibility for the PNL leader Florin Citu to propose next week in the coalition mandating the green certificate for health and education employees, the Minister of Health Alexandru Rafila answered in a press conference: "In terms of the green certificate, I am pleased with the efficiency of Mr. Citu. Chairman Citu is an efficient man, he has demonstrated it throughout the past year and he will probably prove the same efficiency by promoting a draft normative act regarding the use of the green certificate for certain categories. My position is: I am in favor of supporting any approach that has a favorable impact on public health."Rafila said he was waiting with "great interest" and would not oppose the PNL head's proposal, as it got politically validated in the ruling coalition.The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, visited the "Grigore Alexandrescu" Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children in Bucharest on Friday.Rafila discussed with the management team and the department heads about the preparation of the health unit in this epidemiological context and visited several departments.
As many as 112 new cases of infection with the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus were confirmed on Friday in Romania, including four children in the 0-9 years age group, the total number reaching 295 at national level, the Ministry of Health announced, citing data provided by the National Institute of Public Health (INSP).

Of the 112 registered cases, 37 are in people unvaccinated against COVID.

"We are talking about 48 men and 64 women aged between 0 and over 80 years from Bucharest and 19 counties," the source said.

According to the INSP, 11 of these cases are in people with a history of travel in the UK, Italy, France, Tanzania, Bulgaria, the US and Austria.

The samples were worked in the laboratories of the Matei Bals and Cantacuzino Institutes.

As many as 5,922 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have been recorded in the last 24 hours, with more than 64,000 tests being carried out, the Strategic Communication Group reported on Friday.
In Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi's films, reasonably straightforward setups  a divorce, a missing woman, a newly lent apartment  unspool such complex, cascading developments that it comes as no surprise that a found handbag stuffed with gold coins leads to countless fluctuations of fortune and anguish in his latest, A Hero.

In movies, we tend to reserve the term magician for more spectacle-driven filmmakers who spin visual-effects illusions. But Farhadi's mastery is at least equally spellbinding, even while being rooted in realistic domestic dramas, with Tehran traffic usually buzzing all around. His films (including the Oscar-winners A Separation and A Salesman, the early masterwork About Elly and the French drama The Past) are schematically drawn, full of twists and turns so seamless as to be invisible. Elaborate mechanics are deftly hidden in engrossing, minutely observed stories. Before you know it, a melodrama of modern life has been woven so tightly with psychological suspense that you can hardly breathe.

A Hero, in which Farhadi returns to his native Iran after a trip to Spain for 2018's Everybody Knows, is one of the most labyrinthine moral tales you're likely to encounter. Rahim (Amir Jadidi) is imprisoned for a debt he couldn't pay. We first meet him while he eagerly takes a two-day leave, meeting with his girlfriend Farkhondeh (Sahar Goldust), who clutches her lucky discovery, one that may free her love and allow them to marry. The discovered gold, though, doesn't add up to quite enough to satisfy his creditor, a miserly printshop owner named Hossein (Ali Reza Jahandideh). Rahim makes the decision to instead report the lost bag and return it to its owner.

How much this decision is altruistic or a bit of self-preservationist cunning is open to interpretation. As played by Jadidi, Rahim has an ingratiating, hangdog demeaner; he's almost always smiling, unless worry has clouded his expression. We are, undoubtedly, rooting for him. Rahim's good deed earns him widespread congratulations for his selflessness. Prison officials rush to invite television cameras to broadcast Rahim's story, which then spreads like wildfire on social media. Donations pour in that could release Rahim from his debt.

Happy ending, right? No, A Hero is just getting started. Farhadi's film, which he also wrote, grows increasingly knotty with fictions to cover truths, and vice-versa. Hossein refuses to accept Rahim's transformation into celebrated saint. Questions of seemingly minor significance  why Rahim put his prison's phone number on the poster advertising the lost bag, for instance  take on vital importance. As A Hero spirals through the tangled connections of family and business in Iran (Hossein is Ramin's ex-wife's brother-in-law; Ramin's main support is his sister's husband, played by Mohsen Tanabandeh), the messy injustices of public life have swelled like the traffic that envelopes the movie's staggering finale, maybe the most vivid and powerful of Farhadi's endings.

In theaters Jan. 7 and available Jan. 21 on Amazon Prime Video.

What A Hero  3 stars out of four  Run time 2:07  Rating PG-13 for some thematic elements and language  Language In Persian with English subtitles

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The market for ultra-premium travel rewards credit cards is hot, to say the least. Capital One recently introduced its long-anticipated entry to this market, and it doesnt disappoint. It includes a very strong welcome offer, double miles for all purchases, and some class-leading benefits. And it does all of this at a price point below many competing cards.

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How this new offer works

New applicants can earn 100,000 bonus miles after spending $10,000 within six months of account opening. You also receive unlimited double miles on all purchases, plus another 10,000 bonus miles each year on your account anniversary. You can also earn 10x Miles on hotels and rental car purchases booked through Capital One Travel, and 5x Miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.

These Capital One Miles can now be transferred at a 1:1 ratio to frequent flyer miles or hotel points with more than 15 loyalty programs. You can also redeem your Capital One Miles for one cent each as statement credits towards any travel purchase.

Other features include a $300 annual travel credit that you can use at Capital One Travel, and a limited time offer for $200 of vacation rental credit within your accounts first year.

Benefits include a Priority Pass Select membership that offers you and two guests access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. Then, theres the new Capital One Lounges that are being created. The first one in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport is already open, and Capital One has announced that it will open lounges in Denver International and Washington Dulles airports in 2022. Furthermore, you can add free additional cardholders who also receive the same lounge access.

Theres a $395 annual fee for this card, and no foreign transaction fees.

What makes this card special

The Capital One Venture X is currently the only premium travel rewards card that offer double miles on all purchases. Its also the only one in its class that offers free cards to additional authorized cardholders that includes the Priority Pass Select lounge membership. Also, its the only card that offers rewards that can be transferred to airline and hotel programs, or redeemed for travel statement credits. This kind of program works for everyone from award travel newbies to hard-core fanatics, and gives you maximum flexibility.

And while the $395 annual fee sounds expensive, this card is in the same class as the $550 Chase Sapphire Reserve and the $695 American Express Platinum, by that metric its a good deal. Once you spend the $300 annual travel credit, youre looking at a net annual fee of just $95. Take advantage of the $200 vacation rental credit, and youll come out ahead. And thats before you look at the 100,000 mile new account bonus, worth $1,000 in travel statement credits.

A credit repair company could improve your chances of getting approved.

Credit Repair companies, like Lexington Law, specialize in finding and helping you remove mistakes on your report to help you improve your credit.

Bottom Line

Capital One was certainly not the first card issuer to offer a product in this category, but now that its here, its definitely one of the strongest. By offering double miles on all purchases and strong benefits at a competitive price, the new Venture X has everything it takes to be our Deal of the Month.

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AWARDS

Holtec Gas Systems was named the winner of the Global Pioneer Award, given annually by the St. Louis Regional International Partnership to a regional company with success internationally. Guillermo A. Rodriguez, president of GAR Consulting, was named the winner of the St. Louis International Ambassador Award.

EXPANDING

Armstrong Teasdale opened an office in Miami, adding 12 attorneys and staff professionals from Waldman Barnett. The firm now employs more than 370 lawyers and 300 staff professionals internationally.

Genesis Health Clubs is expanding with the acquisition of the One Life Fitness location at Ballpark Village.

HELPING OUT

Toyota Motor Manufacturing celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Troy, Missouri, plant with a $100,000 donation to area nonprofits:

 Diversity Awareness Partnership: $20,000.

 Lincoln County R3 Education Foundation: $15,000.

 St. Louis Science Center Foundation: $10,000.

 Mercy Health Foundation: $10,000.

 The Key Youth Center: $10,000.

 Segs4Vets: $10,000.

 Kiwanis Park: $10,000.

 Salvation Army of Lincoln County: $5,000.

 Lincoln County Council on Aging: $5,000.

 Special Olympics of Missouri: $5,000.

The Valley Insurance Agency Alliance family of independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois provided nine scholarships of up to $5,000 to students through its Insuring Rural Communities Scholarship Initiative.

Schnuck Markets Inc. customers donated $113,000 through a weeklong Round Up at the Register campaign and the company donated $12,000 to help the American Red Cross support Midwest tornado victims.

Flat World Global Solutions donated $35,000 to The Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri.

OPENINGS

Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton St. Charles Old Town Area opened:

 1410 South Fifth Street, St. Charles.
ST. LOUIS  A former Monsanto employee pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday, admitting to stealing trade secrets and trying to take them to China.

In a Zoom hearing, Haitao Xiang, 44, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit economic espionage. He admitted downloading an online platform known as The Nutrient Optimizer, which uses a proprietary algorithm to determine how to maximize crop growth for farmers, onto his work laptop.

Xiang then copied it to a micro SD card, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Drake said during the hearing.

Xiang, a Chinese citizen, worked for Monsanto and a subsidiary, The Climate Corp., as a senior research engineer and an advanced imaging scientist from 2008 to June 2017, Drake said. Xiang knew the algorithm was a trade secret.

But Xiang had also been in discussions with job recruiters and others in China and had applied for a position with both the Chinese Academy of Sciences Nanjing Institute of Soil Science and Chinas controversial Hundred Talent Program, a government-run program designed to advance Chinese industries.

On Aug. 18, 2016, he received an email notifying him that he had been selected as technical talent recruit in the program, Drake said.

When he left Monsanto, Xiang signed a document certifying that he did not have any devices, records or other property of Monsanto or storage devices with company information on them.

On June 10, 2017, Xiang was stopped before leaving on a one-way flight to China by Customs and Border Patrol agents on the jetway the day after his exit interview with Monsanto, Drake said. Agents found the proprietary program on the micro SD card.

Xiang was allowed to make the trip, and worked in China for both the Hundred Talent Program and the Institute of Soil Science, Drake said.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors will drop charges of economic espionage, conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets and theft of trade secrets at his sentencing April 7.

The charge carries a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of up to $5 million, but Xiang will likely face less under federal sentencing guidelines. He has been in jail since his arrest in 2019. He also may be deported after his release from any prison sentence.

We cannot allow U.S. citizens or foreign nationals to hand sensitive business information over to competitors in other countries, and we will continue our vigorous criminal enforcement of economic espionage and trade secret laws, said U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming in a statement.

Monsanto was acquired by Bayer in 2018.

In an email, a Bayer spokesman wrote, The protection of intellectual property is essential for innovation across industries, and declined to comment further.

A U.S. Senate subcommittee warned of Chinas efforts to gather information about American research and development in a 2019 report, saying U.S. officials have been slow to react to the threat.

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David Nicklaus David Nicklaus is a business columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow David Nicklaus 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

When you see a Lufthansa plane taking off from St. Louis Lambert International Airport this summer, imagine it carrying a check for $16,000.

On a per-round-trip basis, thats how much St. Louis businesses and a county government agency will pay the German airline to make nonstop flights to Frankfurt. To local officials, the $5 million in incentives is the cost of placing St. Louis on the global map.

International airlines are eager to serve big hubs like Atlanta, Chicago and Dallas, but cities with mid-size airports must pay to play. Pittsburgh struck a $3 million deal with British Airways in 2019 for flights to London, and Indianapolis landed a Delta flight to Paris in 2018 for $5.5 million. Baltimore, Raleigh and other cities also have put up cash for European connections.

The hope is that a flight to Frankfurt will make St. Louis a more attractive branch-office location for European companies. Bayer and Merck KGaA already have large operations here, and German seed company KWS has a research presence.

Economic development officials say that when they talk to other firms looking for a U.S. site, the lack of a direct flight often gets St. Louis crossed off the list.

Ideally, Lufthansa will find the St. Louis flights profitable enough to continue after the subsidies run out. That doesnt always happen.

Megan Ryerson, a University of Pennsylvania professor, examined $171.5 million worth of incentive deals signed between 2012 and 2015. Forty percent of the money went to routes that stopped flying as soon as the subsidy ended.

As far as airlines are concerned, markets get the service they are willing to pay for, said Robert Mann, a former TWA executive whos an airline consultant with R.W. Mann & Co. in Port Washington, New York.

Mann isnt sure whether St. Louis can generate enough Germany-bound passengers to make the route profitable without subsidies. The difficulty is there are no obvious feeders to St. Louis for the flight, he said. Lufthansa is presuming theres enough origin and destination demand there to make it work.

If the only thing thats paying for the service is the subsidy, I dont think its going to last very long, Mann added. But if there is enough demand there, including business and leisure traffic, theres a chance it could keep going.

Mann said that hes seen cities where airlines found untapped demand and that St. Louis, which has lacked direct flights to Europe since 2003, could be such a place. Airlines are slaves to their data, he said. They can see what has previously been flown and make decisions that way, but sometimes the prior data isnt any good because things have changed.

The coronavirus pandemic could make this a difficult time to launch new service. Some subsidized flights, including the Indianapolis-Paris route, have been suspended since the pandemic began.

Business travelers, whom Lufthansa is counting on to fill premium seats in its A330s, may be slow to return to their old globetrotting ways. Its hard to believe international business travel is going to be a big component in 2022, Mann said.

The Global Business Travel Association forecasts that business travel spending, which fell 54% when the pandemic hit, wont return to its previous level until 2024.

Coincidentally, thats when the St. Louis County Port Authority and business interests organized by Greater St. Louis Inc. are scheduled to write their last checks to Lufthansa. Well learn then whether they made a good investment when they paid to put their city on the map.

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Hes the guy every trivia team would want for a St. Louis history category.

Even as a kid, Mike Kleckner read printed newspapers, tearing out clips he found interesting. He devours free neighborhood newsletters and loves finding out about people named Tilles and Steinberg. At age 22, he researched and made a family tree for the confusing Anheuser and Busch families. Just because.

Ive always been an old soul, he says with a laugh.

Now the father of two children, 5 and 2, he and his wife live in Kirkwood, where Kleckner works from home as head of marketing for Aker Technologies. At 32, he loves taking his kids to the Missouri History Museum, even if the active little ones cut into his ability to concentrate on detailed texts.

But the 2005 Parkway Central grad, who has a journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, recently decided his passion for collecting stories about St. Louis could already fill a book or two. So with at least a decade of interesting clips, he rewrote, condensed and edited some of them for Mikes Unforgettable St. Louis History, Vol. 1.

Kleckner talked about his book via Zoom, proudly wearing a hand-me-down sweatshirt with landmarks that highlighted his nerdy fascination with local history. On Feb. 7, hes slated to talk about his book in a Zoom event for the Kirkwood Historical Society.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q  How did you get the idea to do a compilation of unforgettable things about St. Louis?

A  For my entire adult life, Ive been unbelievably passionate about St. Louis history. Before I was married, my free weekends would be spent going with my mom to tour mansions in the Central West End and typical stuff like Grants Farm or Anheuser-Busch. Even today, when I go anywhere like a public park with my family, Im trying to find out who initially owned this land? Why was that person prominent?

So its always been something that I loved. Throughout that time, anytime Id read something interesting about St. Louis history  and I read everything  I would cut it out and collect it. Over 10 years of doing this, I had no plans of doing anything with this.

I also read just about every St. Louis history book. But I started to realize that the content Ive collected, Im not seeing it in these books.

Q  It seems like in recent years a lot of books about St. Louis have been published. So what kind of things did you not find in those books?

A  One of my favorite ones is a piece of property on a bluff that overlooks Spirit (of St. Louis) Airport in Chesterfield.

For a long time, Id drive by on Wild Horse Creek Road and glimpse the property through the trees. Now its being developed as Fienup Farms. The original property was over 200 beautiful rolling acres with lakes and ponds, an 8,000-square-foot mansion, plus several other homes.

I was always curious who Fienup was. I came across in a real estate listing that W.G. Fienup invented the pop-open biscuit can and sold the patent to Pillsbury.

Ive never read in any books that the pop-open biscuit can has roots in St. Louis.

(W. Fienup of R.C. Can Co. filed for a dough container patent in 1953; in 1925, a man named Lively Willoughby applied for a refrigerated biscuit container patent, but it may not have had the pop-open feature.)

Q  Youre right. I dont think Ive heard that either.

A  Im a very thorough, almost obsessive reader. Because I read every line, thats how I found that one interesting fact that caused me to save that article.

I realized that I could create a book that caters to todays short attention spans. A lot of short snippets that you dont feel you must read cover to cover.

One of my test readers has three little kids, so he doesnt have a lot of time. He told me: Your book was perfect. I could lay in bed and read for 15 minutes every night. I could finish one or two snippets and not feel like I had to read a complete story or chapter.

So I had good content. I love writing, I love history. My work is remote. Im home and I get up early and stay up late. I thought, I could make a book out of this.

The fun part of the process was not only going back and referencing all the historical facts and re-reading the articles, but also scouring digital archives for photos.

One thing I hope people take away is that the photos I found are really special. I had not seen some of them. Some are over 100 years old.

Q  Did this quell your thirst for St. Louis history?

A  It definitely furthered it. I titled this Volume 1. Im still collecting content and already have enough for Volume 2. It continues to push my love for St. Louis history.

Q  You self-published this book, right? How did you find a good graphic designer and printer?

A  Most of my career has been in marketing and advertising. So my whole Rolodex is filled with designers and printers. I hired a consultant (Andrew Doty of Editwright.com), who held my hand throughout the process. I did everything, like apply for ISBN numbers, etc., but he guided me through the process.

Q  There are a lot of credits to the Post-Dispatch, with the reporters names, under the excerpts. How did you decide to give so much credit, rather than just listing things in footnotes or the index?

A  I rewrote everything that made sense for me to rewrite. But whether it was Bill McClellan, Joe Holleman or whoever, they did a lot of work, and it is the right thing to credit them.

St. Louisans you might have forgotten Kenneth McKenzie was a wealthy fur trapper known as the "emperor of the West." Mackenzie Road and village are among places named for him. George Coleman Poage competed in the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis and became the first African American to medal in an Olympics. Eliza Haycraft was a brothel madam who became wealthy during the Civil War. She also was a philanthropist, whose funeral was attended by 5,000 people. Fannie Fishman was a bookie in the 1930s at the St. Charles Cigar Store. She was once summoned to testify along with Zeppo Marx in a gambling case in Indiana. Tom Bullock was a famous African American bartender at the St. Louis Country Club before Prohibition. He was the author of "The Ideal Bartender."

Q  Did it ever feel you were excerpting too much from other sources?

A  No. I didnt have any concerns because it lent itself to the idea of having very short snippets. And I consulted with an attorney to make sure it was OK: When people do research, they go to a library and get information from someone else. It took a lot of work. I really was super careful to stick to the concept of the book, which was the content was pulled from the articles I read. If I hadnt, it would be like an encyclopedia.

This is a collage of the articles I read. I know its different, a little quirky.

Q  When will Volume 2 come out?

A  My son gave me an idea. He asked me if I could make him a book. So I might first make a Mikes Unforgettable St. Louis for Kids.

I might have a book for 5- to 8-year-olds by Christmas. Then Volume 2 in 2023.

Q  What might be the best stuff for kids?

A  A Kirkwood childrens librarian gave me a lot of great ideas. She said she was dying to see a St. Louis kids book about inventions that originated in St. Louis. Theres a whole lot of stuff that would be interesting to kids, like the waffle cone from the 1904 Worlds Fair.

Mike Kleckner When  6 p.m. Feb. 7 Where  Find Zoom access info at kirkwoodhistoricalsociety.com/events More info  kirkwoodhistoricalsociety.com/events

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St. Louis is home to several top-tier literary magazines such as River Styx, Boulevard, december and Natural Bridge. Theyre continuing a proud tradition. When the United States was in the throes of the Great Depression, the Gateway City hosted one of the most acclaimed little magazines in our nations history: The Anvil, which was founded and edited by Jack Conroy.

Few Missourians today have heard of Conroy, who was born in 1899 in a coal mining camp named Monkey Nest near Moberly, Missouri.

His seminal work, The Disinherited (1933), remains a classic of Depression-era proletarian literature. Mr. Conroy writes about scabs, coal-miners, prostitutes, yard bulls ... without self-consciousness and without mawkishness, Clifton Fadiman wrote in praise of The Disinherited in the New Yorker.

The July 30, 1935, edition of the St. Louis Star and Times carried an article by Homer Bassford headlined Magazine Published Here by Radical Writers Gets Most of Its Support From East; Few Copies Sold at Home. It provides a plethora of information about the Anvils St. Louis years.

At 5431 Nottingham avenue (sic) a group of young men and women are publishing a proletarian fiction magazine called The Anvil, a periodical of social protest, Bassford wrote. He noted that the back cover of the July issue carried an ad for the Anvil that indicates the straight-forwardness in which the editors approach their job. The ad read: No radical can afford to miss The Anvil.

Bassford stated that Conroy moved the Anvil to St. Louis about a year ago because he found that as a writer with many other interests, he needed help producing the magazine. Conroy remained the editor but was now assisted by a board consisting of Will Wharton, J.S. Balch and Jean Winkler of St. Louis, and Walter Snow and Clinton Simpson of New York.

Even when located in St. Louis, the Anvil enjoyed its greatest success in New York. Nobody in St. Louis seems to have heard of The Anvil, Wharton told Bassford. Recently a woman called me and asked where she could buy a copy. She said that she had read it regularly in New York, but when she came to St. Louis she couldnt find it anywhere. We usually sell about twenty-five copies here; but, in New York, I stood in the doorway of the Mecca Temple [now called the New York City Center] and saw 150 sold in a few minutes.

Wharton conceded that the initial impulse for the kind of writing published in the Anvil has come from the east, mainly New York; but we believe that its greatest development, its most genuine flowering, must come from the middle west. That is why we expect The Anvil to play an important part in this movement.

Some literary heavyweights appeared in the Anvil during its St. Louis days, including Nelson Algren, Erskine Caldwell and James T. Farrell.

Conroy also wrote for the magazine. Down in Happy Hollow, published in the March-April 1935 issue, epitomizes his literary style and subject matter. Coal miner Monty Cass served 12 years of a 25-year prison sentence for murder. When I seed Jess Gotts a-laying there breathin his last, with my pick buried in his head, and the red blood and grey brains blubberin out o his skull, he tells a couple of boys, I was sure heartsick and sorry. Hearin his wife and kids hollerin and screamin didnt help none either.

The unionized coal miners were on strike. Cass killed Gotts because he was a scab who intended to work in the mine, which would have broken the strike. Cass believes the presence of some union men on the jury saved him from a life sentence or hanging. Upon his release from prison, however, he finds that hes an outcast among his fellow miners. While working solo in an abandoned coal mine, Cass is killed when a tunnel collapses.

The Anvil lasted from 1932 to 1935, when it was swallowed up in an ill-advised merger with Partisan Review, Conroy wrote in his introduction to the 1973 work Writers in Revolt: The Anvil Anthology 1933-1940. Despite its proletarian focus, the Anvils independent editorial policy meant that it had never won complete approval from the Communist Party cultural apparatus, though the CP string of bookstores did distribute the magazine.

Merger with Partisan Review, Conroy noted, meant that this new magazine would be directly under CP hegemony and devote a large amount of its space to the dialectical gymnastics so dear to the hearts of the New York intelligensia.

Conroy and Nelson Algren later founded the New Anvil in Chicago, which published works by Langston Hughes, William Carlos Williams and Frank Yerby. Unfortunately, its sixth issue  May-June 1940  was also its last.

The Anvil is quite collectible. I found a copy of the January-February 1934 issue offered for $200 at biblio.com. The Jack Conroy American Studies Collection is housed in the Kate Stamper Wilhite Library of Moberly Area Community College. The collection includes several thousand volumes, many of them rare, that Conroy collected during his lifetime. It also includes Conroys published works as well as copies of the Anvil and other literary journals that Conroy edited.

John J. Dunphy is an author and poet whose works include Unsung Heroes the Dachau Trials, Abolitionism and the Civil War in Southwestern Illinois and numerous other works. He owns The Second Reading Book Shop in Alton.
With Easter and Passover coming up fast, this week's recipe roundup is all about traditional  and not so traditional  holiday dishes.
CLAYTON  Regional hospitalizations for COVID-19 broke records for the fourth day in a row on Thursday. St. Louis County reported an outbreak of infections in the county jail. And the health director in St. Louis, whose caseload again peaked, pushed to get more residents tested.

We are in the midst of an alarming public health crisis, St. Louis Director of Health Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis said during a virtual press conference.

Case numbers across the state and region are spiking. Hospitals are already struggling as beds fill up and workers are themselves getting sick. And residents, more exposed to the virus than ever, are having a hard time even getting a COVID-19 test.

On Thursday, St. Louis County officials were managing a wave of cases at the county jail.

County officials said 110 of 825 detainees at the Buzz Westfall Justice Center were positive for the virus on Wednesday. Some had negative test results come back, so the total number of positive detainees fell to 90 on Thursday.

But an additional 30 detainees had symptoms, and were expecting test results, and 30 more were in quarantine due to exposure. None of the detainees nor staff members have been hospitalized.

Acting Department of Justice Services Director Scott Anders said the jail holds 1,300, so there was room to isolate the sick.

We are able to maintain our operations, Anders said. And we are hoping that weve been able to prevent the spread of this.

The vaccination rate among detainees was 40%, the county said in the release.

The jails case rates have mirrored the larger trends of the St. Louis region, which saw lower case rates in the fall, and steep increases over the past two months. In October, four detainees tested positive. In November, the number was 23, said county spokesman Doug Moore.

Among the jails 240 staff members, 30 have tested positive over the past few weeks. Some have since returned to work after isolating, Anders said. The staff vaccination rate is about 65%, and unvaccinated workers are required to get tested weekly.

Hearings will be held virtually for two weeks, beginning Thursday, to avoid transporting detainees to court.

Adding testing capacity

The regions health institutions, straining under the weight of the surge, are reporting new record-high numbers of infections and hospitalizations daily.

Hospital officials on Wednesday issued stern warnings that they are quickly running out of space and staff to care for patients with COVID-19 and other illnesses, and many facilities are canceling elective care. On Thursday, area hospitals reported a total of 1,158 COVID-19 patients in the region, a new record for the fourth consecutive day. The hospitals are now admitting, on average, 184 new virus patients each day  also a record high.

The city of St. Louis on Thursday morning announced plans to make 1,000 to 2,000 more tests available to residents each day.

The city is partnering with Nomi Health, a provider that already has local test sites, to offer 500 to 1,000 more COVID-19 tests per day. The site will be at 6161 Delmar Boulevard. And in addition to that, 500 to 1,000 more tests will be provided through a partnership with the state health department, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and Centene Corp.

Between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1, the city reported an average of 419 new confirmed cases per day, according to the health departments website. The goal, Hlatshwayo Davis said, is 35 or fewer. And 34% of all COVID-19 tests in the city are returning positive, compared with a goal of 5% or less.

At the same time, Missouris online ordering system for free, at-home coronavirus testing kits was once again put on hold, on Thursday morning, due to overwhelming demand. The system was paused last week, and also on Wednesday, due to an influx of orders. Department of Health and Senior Services spokeswoman Lisa Cox said it is now expected to resume Jan. 12.

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush on Thursday sent a letter to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, urging him to formally request a COVID-19 testing site for St. Louis through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Increasing Community Access to Testing program.

Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones said in an email that the state health department has been in communication with the federal government about that option, and will continue working to expand testing options where feasible.

All-hands-on-deck needed

Hlatshwayo Davis on Thursday also issued new recommendations for quarantine and isolation, in response to the surge of cases.

Under the citys new guidance, residents who catch COVID-19 should isolate for five days, and then take an antigen test. If the test is negative, they can end isolation. If they are unable to access an antigen test, they can isolate for a total of 10 days. If they are unable to do that, they may end isolation after five days if they are fever-free for 24 hours, without medication.

The citys new recommendations are slightly stronger than those of the CDC, which on Dec. 27 updated guidance around quarantine and isolation. The CDC guidance calls for ending the isolation after five days, as long as the individual no longer has symptoms, and then wearing a mask around others for five more days.

Across the region, 45% of the population is not fully vaccinated, and even fewer have received booster doses, leaving a large number of residents vulnerable.

On Thursday Hlatshwayo Davis discouraged individuals and businesses from holding social gatherings. She said she strongly encourages businesses to offer work-from-home options for their employees and antigen testing as part of their safety protocols.

She said Parsons decision to end a 22-month-long state of emergency on Dec. 31 has reduced resources available to public health agencies.

At this time, we should be seeing an all-hands-on-deck effort, she said. That was certainly a very disappointing announcement for all of us.

Kurt Erickson of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.

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ST. LOUIS  People unsure of their illness leaving before they are seen by doctors.

Sick patients waiting for hours, sometimes days, in an emergency room because there is nowhere for them to be admitted.

Others dying in small-town hospitals unable to access the services they need in urban centers like St. Louis.

Those are some of the scenarios Dr. Aamina Akhtar, chief medical officer for Mercy Hospital South, said are playing out in emergency departments across the region as the hyper-infectious omicron variant pushes COVID-19 hospitalizations to record levels and sickens health care staff.

People with a serious illness can be stabilized in an emergency department, but if they need to be admitted, thats where the trouble starts.

You become what we call a boarder. You are that patient in limbo, waiting in a room or even a hallway, with staff trying to provide the best care they can, Akhtar said. You may never get the care you really need.

Some of these boarders may sit for hours, sometimes days and sometimes long enough they get discharged from that status  so never reaching the level of health care we would like to provide, she said.

Akhtar gave the example of a patient showing up with kidney failure at an emergency department in a rural area. Doctors would typically transfer that patient to a larger facility with capability to perform hemodialysis and let the patient recover.

But now, hospitals in St. Louis and other urban areas are not able to take those patients because they dont have the staff to care for them.

We also unfortunately know that in some cases, these patients continue to wait, and that transfer never happens, Akhtar said. Some of these patients unfortunately end up staying in the small ER rooms and pass away from clinical conditions that have easy medical solutions.

Breaking records

Leaders of St. Louis-area hospital systems say they are trying to do the best they can with the resources they have, but they are running out of options with the exponentially increasing number of patients.

By Dec. 10, the number of patients with confirmed cases in the St. Louis regions hospitals had doubled in just a few weeks to 501. On Tuesday, the number doubled again, exceeding 1,000 for the first time during the pandemic.

On Thursday, St. Louis-area hospitals reported 1,158 patients with confirmed COVID-19  setting a record for the fourth day in a row, and well above last winters peak of 962. More than two-thirds are unvaccinated.

Predictive models indicate the numbers could double again in a couple weeks, literally taking the curve off of the current chart.

The hospitals also reported losing 21 patients to COVID-19, the most in one day since Jan. 13 of last year.

During the start of the latest surge, on Dec. 2, 83-year-old Barbara Finch of Clayton went to the emergency room at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital in Creve Coeur, with a severe headache and loss of balance.

Doctors discovered she had pneumonia and an irregular heartbeat. Finch said she waited three days in the emergency room  sharing a public bathroom, unable to shower and eating ice cream for dinner  until there was room for her at a hospital with a cardiac unit.

Thankfully, her health continued to improve, she said, but it was a very loud and frightening three days. Finch partly blamed the unvaccinated for taking up resources.

We have a way to end this pandemic, and we have not done it because people are so selfish that they refuse to get a vaccine that would protect me and others, she said.

Stretched to the max

BJC HealthCare on Wednesday postponed all elective procedures, and officials with SSM Health, Mercy and St. Lukes Hospital said they are postponing procedures and shuffling staff where needed on a daily basis.

Staff shortages are compounding the problem. Akhtar said hospitals are seeing three to four times the number of workers out sick than is typical at this time, some even having to leave mid-shift.

Trying to understand how to take care of those patients when their caregivers are too ill to be here is extremely challenging, she said, and trying to understand how you continue to supply care in a safe manner with the numbers predicted, its hard to wrap your head around how thats possible.

Dr. Matthew Broom, chief medical officer at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, said those out sick include laboratory technicians, radiologists and ambulance drivers, which also adds pressure to those trying to take care of patients.

Hospitals cant discharge patients to a rehabilitation or nursing home to free up beds, because staff at those facilities are also out sick.

Our teams are really being stretched to the max of what they can do, Broom said.

Kansas City area hospitals are also seeing the most ever COVID-19 patients, and doctors there and across Kansas spoke about the crisis facing emergency departments during a virtual meeting Wednesday.

Dr. Richard Watson said people are dying at a five times higher rate in emergency rooms because they cant get transferred to hospitals providing the level of care they need.

Those patients are there upwards of 20 hours-plus in the emergency room and then passing while waiting for transfer to another facility, said Watson, who founded Motient, a company contracting with the state of Kansas to help manage hospital transfers.

Broom, with St. Louis University Hospital, said hes worried about patients in his own emergency room as well as others, whether they are 5 or 150 miles away.

We want to say yes to every single patient, but I think our hospital, much like every other hospital in the region, really can only accommodate the amount of patients up to whatever amount of staffed beds they have on any given day, Broom said.

Dr. Robert Poirier, clinical director of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital emergency department, said the departments 70 to 80 beds have been consistently full, with 40 to 50 people waiting to be seen. Volumes are up to 30% higher than what is typical.

You are focused on those you can benefit the most and that are the sickest, Poirier said.

The type of care patients need and whether they are infectious with COVID-19 impacts how long they may need to wait if they need to be admitted. It can vary from a couple hours to a couple days, Poirier said.

Specialists from other floors try to visit patients waiting in the emergency department, and emergency physicians try to consult often with them, he said, but it does make it harder to focus on the new patients when you have to keep up the care for some of your patients that have been in the ER for a while.

Hospital leaders also said people seeking COVID-19 tests are jamming emergency departments, where providers are required to screen everyone coming through the door.

Mercy St. Louis Hospital on Dec. 27 saw the most people ever come through the doors of its emergency department in one day, said Dr. Alok Sengupta, chairman of Mercys emergency department.

A lot of it is patients with milder symptoms who just want to know if they have COVID or not, and then theres patients coming in who just want to be tested from exposure, to an infected person, Sengupta said. He urged residents with mild or no symptoms to seek testing options through their doctor or visit a state testing site or clinic.

While seriously ill people are seen first, the seriousness of some patient complaints are not immediately obvious. Overwhelmed emergency rooms take longer to get to those patients.

There are times when someone has a chief complaint that doesnt necessarily sound emergent and their vital signs are normal, but once we see them and do tests, we find out there is something emergent going on, thats who our concern is for, patients who fall into that bucket, Sengupta said.

Poirier with Barnes-Jewish said he also worries about patients taking a downturn while waiting to be seen or admitted, especially with the worsening projections.

As clinical chief of the emergency room, he said, its definitely what keeps me up at night.

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Aisha Sultan Aisha Sultan is home and family editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Aisha Sultan 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

I was browsing the magazine stand at an airport shop during a recent flight delay.

A headline on Prevention caught my eye: Find Your Calm, it said, in big, bold turquoise blue letters. The cover displayed a single green leaf resting on a tiny ripple of water.

If a magazine were a musician, this one would be Yanni, the king of easy-listening instrumentals. Yanni is a talented composer and keyboardist, but Ive never listened to one of his albums or even a complete song. A little too New Agey and mellow for my taste. And, yet here I was drawn to this Yanni-esque magazine with a leaf as a cover model. Once upon a time, I was lured by the seductive likes of Glamour or Elle.

Now, its Prevention. This publications demographic is middle-aged women trying to prevent any number of inevitabilities of aging  wrinkles, stress, weight gain. Maybe I was taken by the teasers along the bottom of the cover. Live Mindfully, ease pain and anxiety; Retrain your Brain, stop stress before it starts; Be Kind to Yourself, quiet your inner critic. For the vast majority of women, especially working mothers, the past two years have been a pressure cooker of stress and anxiety. These promises sounded so alluring.

60 simple ideas to feel happy every day teased the top right corner. The messaging caught me in a vulnerable moment.

I was flying to see my daughter for a quick visit at her college, but I was stranded on a layover. I was worried about how she had been adjusting to her first semester away, which had been a surprisingly hard transition for me. It was a weather delay, and I wasnt sure when I might eventually arrive. I was vaccinated and wearing a mask, but I also wasnt sure if it would protect me from contagious variants of COVID. Most things feel shaky and unsure these days.

I dont drink alcohol but needed a little something to ease my heightened nerves. Maybe a glossy listicle would do the trick.

I decided to take the magazine bait.

Then, I saw the price  $13.99. Talk about sticker shock. Theres no way I could bring myself to pay that much for a flimsy, thin magazine. Ive bought hardcover books on sale for less. I stood there stunned by this turn of affairs.

The secrets of finding my calm were out of my budget. Of course, this made me feel like I needed them more than ever. I debated internally, justifying the splurge by vowing to avoid buying snacks regardless of how long the delay might be. I would fuel myself with words. The purchase indecision racketed up my stress.

I was playing right into the hands of the marketing geniuses at Prevention.

Maybe I could keep standing here and browsing the pages. The sales clerk graciously ignored me. I probably knew all these tips already. Ive read countless articles frantically trying to find my calm for years. Indeed, several stories contained familiar content about the benefits of meditation, gratitude and clearing mental clutter.

Maybe my teenage children would benefit from reading this, I thought. Their eyes glaze over whenever I try to talk about mental health or self-improvement. Perhaps they just need a different delivery vehicle. I dont think Ive ever seen them with an actual paper magazine in their hands. They would probably judge me for contributing to environmental destruction if I gave them a magazine. Maybe I could just take a few photos of the particularly useful paragraphs and send them as texts. It would be a Gen X version of screenshots. Except the screen is made of paper.

The ever-patient sales clerk continued to ignore me as I tried to surreptitiously take photos of the lists about ways to meditate. As a writer myself, this felt uncomfortably close to theft.

I started to sweat taking illicit photos of the pages of Prevention. I nearly dropped my phone trying to balance my oversized tote and the open magazine. Some of the photos I took were horizontal, others were vertical and a few were blurry. My anxiety was through the roof.

I started to doubt that my children would read these texts. After standing there for a solid 15 minutes, I cracked.

Prevention had broken me down. I carried the magazine to the checkout counter.

The clerk smiled at me. The total was nearly $16.

I felt much calmer walking to my gate.

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One eagle does not a winter make. That isnt exactly what Aristotle wrote some 24 centuries ago, but its close.

Many times over the years, generally in the dead of winter, we have set out predawn in bitter cold to drive up from St. Louis along the Mississippi River in search of migrant bald eagles.

By then, as temperatures nose-dive in Minnesota, Iowa and elsewhere north of here and rivers freeze over, the magnificent birds move south for open water and the winter. They can be seen, sometimes in large numbers, around the rivers locks and dams, perched in the trees along the banks, or fishing from ice floes in the water. (The trip over a dam stuns fish, making them easier targets for the birds.)

But of course for all this to occur, it has to be seriously cold for a while, which doesnt usually happen until the end of December or in January. Yet here we were in early December, on a daylong odyssey in Missouri and Illinois hoping for some sightings. (If you dont have an entire day to spend at it, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, south of Interstate 270 off Riverview Drive can also be a fine spot to see wintering eagles.)

Pleasantly, as things turned out, eagles or no eagles, the route wed chosen is wonderfully scenic  wooded rolling hills, serene countryside, quaint towns, fine river vistas, plus theres a fine Audubon Center, the National Great Rivers Museum, three sets of locks and dams and two ferryboat rides.

Our first stop was the Audubon Center on 3,700-acre Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton. The Audubon is one of 41 such environmental education and conservation centers around the country. Its in a lovely marshland setting, overlooking grassy Ellis Island and Ellis Bay in the Mississippi.

New in 2011, the center is about five miles north of the Great Rivers confluence (Mississippi and Missouri), and on the Mississippi Flyway, one of the countrys four major routes used by migrating birds, said interpreter John McGrath. Each year, some 325 species make the round trip along the flyway, which stretches from central Canada to near the Gulf of Mexico, he said.

Dozens of exhibits featuring birds, rivers and the flyway are here. But best is the wide two-story circular bay of windows for viewing the birds and other wildlife. This day an array of ducks and trumpeter swans was on hand at the water, and a solitary  probably resident  eagle flapped in the distance over the bay.

Its too early for the eagle migration, said Harold Means, 82, a frequent visitor to the center, where his excellent raptor photos are displayed. Come back in a month and you should see plenty of birds. Disappointing, though not really unexpected.

Return to Highway 67, cross the Clark Bridge into Alton, and take River Heritage Parkway (Illinois Highway 143) south to the National Great Rivers Museum and Melvin Price Locks and Dam (tours of the dam are offered daily at 10 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.).

We stopped to see a huge nest Means had photographed; a viewing platform has been built nearby. Nothing doing there this day, but he had said a pair of bald eagles returns every year. They touch up and add to their nest  then raise a family.

Dozens of exhibits at the 9,300-square-foot museum tell the story of the Mississippi, shaped by powerful geologic forces some 600 million years ago. Yet by 4,600-million-year-old Earths reckoning, its young.

Maps illustrate the rivers many meanderings over the eons. A timeline details mans activities along it. The river is depicted in photos and text as home, highway, muse. A variety of Mississippi River fish cavort in a 1,000-gallon aquarium. And, oh, the plastic trash that gets dumped in the river  volunteers remove more than 250 tons a year. (In the entryway at the Audubon wed seen bundles of the trash crafted into poignant, elaborate mobiles by artist Libby Reuter of Washington University.)

The museums 10-minute film Where Eagles Soar, by the Missouri Department of Conservation, is a wealth of information about the bird that has been the countrys emblem since 1782. Eagles can live up to 25 years; they mate for life; dive at 60 mph. The film also explains the birds close brush with extinction, and the efforts that have brought it back.

The only bald eagle we had a good look at this day flies in a first-rate diorama featuring limestone bluffs such as those along the Mississippi, which are habitat for eagles and other birds of prey, as well as small rodents, reptiles and mud daubers.

Leaving the museum, we drove back north, through antique Alton, once the largest city in Illinois, and continued along the Great River Road, one of the loveliest drives anywhere. The road arcs along the silver-blue river, hugging the base of the towering bluffs for miles, offering superb views. Stop for a look at the mythical Piasa bird painted on a bluff just north of Alton. According to local Native American legend, the Piasa was a fire-breathing dragon that devoured humans. He does look pretty fierce.

River-town Grafton, the home of wintering bald eagles, according to signs, is 14 miles ahead. The quaint town, at the point where the Illinois River joins the Mississippi, claims just 650 residents  and it seems to have nearly as many eateries, spread along the road all through the town. We chose at random  Grafton Pub  and enjoyed the biggest (and possibly best) hamburgers wed ever had.

The Brussels (free) Ferry, run by the Illinois Department of Transportation, is a couple of miles north of town, providing pleasant five-minute rides across the mirror-smooth Illinois on the Liberty Belle, which operates 24/7.

Continue on Illinois River Road through floodplain statued with a forest of spindly trees, and stop at 9,360-acre Two Rivers Wildlife Refuge. A sign explains that the refuge, established along the Mississippi Flyway in 1958 to protect habitat for migratory birds, spans 28 miles of the Mississippi in Missouri and Illinois, and nine miles of the Illinois.

A viewing platform with spotting scope is here  but this day looked out on only a wide expanse of prairie grasses and distant misty blue hills to the north. No wintering birds here just yet.

On to tiny Centerville, then left on Golden Eagle Road  to the Golden Eagle Ferry on the Mississippi, six winding miles ahead. This landscape is a world of stout hills wrapped in cornfields, occasional trim farm houses and barns, and fine, wide scenic views, with a sudden, sharp descent to the river. (The ferry runs 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; $8 per car.)

Our next destination was Eagles Landing near Lock and Dam 25 at Winfield, Missouri. Again, no eagles as yet  though we did see an eagles nest in a giant cottonwood at the river  and it was the same story 30 miles north along Highway 79 at Clarksville, and Lock and Dam 24. Both dams have been reliable for eagle watching on other occasions, just farther into winter.

We made the drive again two weeks later  200+ miles, counting the return to St. Louis on Highway 79  with similar results: the sighting of a distant eagle in a tree through the Audubon windows our only spotting. Still, its a fun, interesting trip  really, for any time of year.

But be assured, eagle enthusiasts, there will be eagles. The Audubon Center (riverlands.audubon.org), Rivers and Routes of Southwest Illinois, Alton Visitor Center, 200 Piasa Street (RiversandRoutes.com) and National Great Rivers Museum (mtrf.org) have a number of eagle-related events planned  including live eagle meet and greets  for the coming weeks.

UPCOMING EAGLE EVENTS

Alton  Forty-five minute eagle watching shuttle tours will leave from the Alton Visitor Center, 200 Piasa Street, at 10 and 11 a.m. and noon and 1 p.m. on Jan. 15, 22 and 29. Tickets cost $10. RiversandRoutes.com

Grafton  Two-hour eagle watching tours will leave from the Grafton Visitor Center, 950 East Main Street, at 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 15, 22 and 29. Tickets cost $23. RiversandRoutes.com

Audubon Center  Raptor Saturdays and Eagle Sundays will be held at the Audubon Center, 301 Riverlands Way in West Alton, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Jan. 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 and Feb. 5, 6, 12 and 13. Live birds of prey (eagles and other raptors) from Treehouse Wildlife Center in Dow, Illinois, will be on hand, plus guided bird hikes and other activities. riverlands.audubon.org

National Great Rivers Museum  The museum, 1 Locks and Dam Way in Alton, will host Jam at the Dam at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 19. Events include wildlife presentations, eagle nest viewing and other winter-themed activities. mtrf.org
EAST ST. LOUIS  Federal prosecutors say an East St. Louis market has been used to commit a roughly $1 million fraud involving food assistance that is supposed to go to the poor.

People associated with the East Side Meat Market, 510 Martin Luther King Drive, have redeemed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds for cash, liquor and cigarettes, a forfeiture filing in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis on Thursday says.

They also stocked the market with groceries bought with SNAP benefits at other stores, it says.

The SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, are used to help low-income people buy food. The benefits are loaded onto EBT or LINK cards, which are used like a debit card. SNAP is not supposed to be used for alcohol, tobacco, hot foods and cleaning supplies, toiletries and other non-food items. It also is not supposed to be exchanged for cash.

The East Side market redeemed $1.49 million in SNAP benefits from August 2017 to June 2021 the a U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General agent estimated, $1 million more than the Illinois average and $1.1 million more than the average in St. Clair and St. Louis counties, the filing says.

The newspaper is not identifying those listed in the filing because they have not been charged with a crime. Market employees and family members who own and run the market were named in the filing.

A man identified by another employee as the manager referred a reporters questions Friday to a lawyer, Scott Rosenblum.

Rosenblum said in a text message only that he was reviewing documents and evidence as it becomes available. The lawyer for another family member did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

An agent of Homeland Security Investigations said in the filing that a surveillance team followed several people associated with the market in May as they used an EBT card with a $641 balance to fill a Dodge Ram pickup with grocery purchases at Walmart, Sams Club, Aldi and Save A Lot in OFallon, Illinois.

The pickup was then driven to East Side, where it was unloaded into the store, the filing says.

A substantial purchase also was made with the card at the market, it says.

The filing says money from the fraudulent use of the EBT cards was deposited into a Commerce Bank account. It says $36,504 has been seized from that account and $7,600 in cash has been seized from the home of one of the people associated with the market.

Thursdays filing seeks the forfeiture of that money, claiming it came from federal crimes including food stamp fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.

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UPDATED at 4:30 p.m. with victim's name, additional information from fire chief

WOOD RIVER  The Illinois state fire marshal's office is investigating after a man died in a house fire early Friday in Wood River.

The victim is identified as Scott J. Rockhill, 60. The fire was reported about 3:45 a.m. at his home at 421 Evans Avenue.

Wood River police Chief Brad Wells said Rockhill was a paraplegic and lived alone in the house. Wells said the man, a heavy smoker, was found dead in his bed.

"There is nothing suspicious about the fire," Wells said. The state marshal investigation is protocol anytime someone dies in a fire.

The man's caretaker arrived, as she does every morning, for her shift before 4 a.m., and she is the one who discovered the smoke, Wells said.

Wood River fire Chief Wade Stahlhut said the fire crews put the blaze out quickly and found the man in a hospital bed in the living room. Stahlhut said they found smoke detectors in the home but not sounding when firefighters arrived.

"It appeared the fire had smoldered for some time," Stahlhut said. The intense heat melted some items in the home.

No firefighters were injured.

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JEFFERSON CITY  Gov. Mike Parsons administration will open debate Monday on a plan to add nearly $5.3 billion in additional spending to the states current budget.

With Missouris coffers bulging because of an infusion of federal emergency relief dollars, budget officials will outline the Republican governors plan to boost the pay of state government workers, who earn among the lowest wages in the nation.

The governor wants to give prison guards, social service workers and people who treat the mentally ill a 5.5% pay raise and ensure all state employees earn at least $15 an hour.

The $91 million proposal, which will be heard in the House Budget Committee Monday morning, could help address high vacancy and turnover rates that have plagued state government for years, forcing cuts in state services and additional spending on temporary workers.

State agencies desperate for workers have held job fairs and other outreach efforts in an attempt to bring more workers into the fold.

At the Missouri Veterans Commission, there was a 91% turnover rate for support care staff last year. Registered nurses left at a 75% clip.

The lack of staff has meant higher overtime for existing workers, as well as limits on how many veterans can be admitted to the nursing facilities.

MVC is excited for the Governors proposed pay increases, said agency spokeswoman Aimee Packard.

The Missouri Department of Transportation had already asked for pay increases in its annual budget request to address low wages at a time when road construction projects could be ramping up thanks to added revenues from an increase in the states gas tax.

This expansion item will allow MoDOT to improve employee retention and reduce costs associated with employee turnover, the budget request notes.

The total amount of the additional spending would be the second-highest-ever mid-year budget adjustment after $6.4 billion was approved in 2020.

The governor is pressing the Republican-led House and Senate to finalize a package of spending by Feb. 1 at a time when the Legislature also is attempting to redraw the states congressional maps, putting pressure on budget writers to bring a plan to the full floor for debate within days.

They also face a March 24 deadline to approve added funds for schools.

Senate leaders said the timeline will make the initial stages of the 2022 legislative session a fast-paced affair.

Obviously, 2022 is a critical year for Republicans, said Senate President Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, calling the supplemental budget a very, very big priority that must be completed early in the legislative session.

Missourians sent us here to work. They are counting on us to deliver, Schatz said.

Senate Floor Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, said the supplemental budget is more robust than usual because of the addition of the federal money.

Its going to take up a little bit of bandwidth early but were having good conversations there, Rowden said.

The spending plan, which will start in the House, includes $2 billion in federal funds to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The bulk of the money will go to local school districts and charter schools. One chunk will go to the department to develop summer and after-school programs.

The governors plan includes a $100 million allocation to the Office of Administration, which could then use the money to help other state agencies deal with pandemic-related expenses.

Home heating and cooling programs for low-income Missourians would receive a $93 million infusion of funds. Efforts to expand telehealth options for Medicaid patients would receive $34 million.

Senior meal programs would get $26 million.

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Independence, told reporters Thursday that Republicans who are seeking to reduce spending on the expansion of Medicaid are unlikely to succeed.

I think at this point the courts have spoken and spoken and spoken again, Rizzo said. If they choose to go down that path again and bang their heads against a wall, it will get resolved in the courts, again. It is just a matter of how far they want to take that and continue to take that and embarrass themselves.

The legislation is House Bill 3014.

Originally posted at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 7, 2022

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JEFFERSON CITY  Gov. Mike Parson has yet to call special elections to fill vacancies in the Missouri House despite a recent letter from Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft urging him to do so.

Ashcroft, a Republican like Parson, on Wednesday said he sent a letter to the governor calling on him to file writs of election for several House vacancies.

There currently are six vacancies in the 163-member chamber. With no elections, Ashcroft said the seats would sit empty until January 2023.

He said that if Parson signs off on the necessary paperwork by Monday, special elections could be held April 5, the same day as municipal elections.

These elections could be held with the April 5th municipal election with minimal cost to the taxpayer, but substantial benefit to Missourians, Ashcroft said.

Kelli Jones, spokeswoman for Parson, said on Friday that a special election has not been announced when asked about the situation.

Ashcroft, in a statement to the Post-Dispatch, said Parson worked with the secretary of states office last year to schedule a special election for April to fill a vacancy in the Columbia-based 45th District.

I assume the governor would want to do the same thing with this group of vacancies, Ashcroft said.

We have always worked with the governors office to make sure they know the timing for elections, he said. In the letter, I wanted to make sure he understood when the deadline was to put something on the April Municipal Elections  so it could save the state money.

Both the governor and I agree that all the people of the state should be fully represented by both a state representative and senator, Ashcroft said. I have complete faith that the governor will do what he has done before to fill vacancies in the Legislature in the most practical manor possible, and I appreciate his continued help in doing so.

St. Louis-area vacancies include the Festus-based 114th District and the St. Charles-based 65th District.

Rep. Aaron Griesheimer, R-Washington, vacated the 61st District this week, and Rep. Justin Hill, R-Lake Saint Louis, also resigned, leaving the 108th District without a state representative.

The 34th District in Jackson County and the 147th District in Cape Girardeau County also lack representation.

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Lawmakers in New York are considering the nations first statewide ban on natural gas connections in new buildings, following dozens of local governments that have passed similar policies in the past two years.

But as New York and other left-leaning states consider ways to limit natural gas and the greenhouse gas emissions it creates, 20 mostly Republican-led states, including Missouri, have passed laws barring cities and counties from blocking gas hookups.

Growing the demand for natural gas is exactly what the world does not need right now, said New York state Sen. Brian Kavanagh, the Democrat who sponsored the natural gas phaseout legislation. If you build buildings that rely on fossil fuels, you are baking in very long-term needs.

Fossil fuel combustion in buildings, mostly for heating, is responsible for about 13% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, according to 2019 figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Kavanaghs bill would mandate all-electric buildings after 2023, except in cases where local permitting authorities determine they're not feasible, which may depend on the availability of equipment and labor. His efforts were bolstered late last month when council members in New York City voted to pass a similar ban, albeit on a slower timeline, by 2027. New York legislative leaders did not respond to requests for comment about the prospects for Kavanaghs bill in this years session.

The New York City vote in December was by far the biggest victory for advocates of natural gas bans. They say its a necessary step to curb future demand for fossil fuels and to limit the growth of climate change-causing carbon emissions.

Gas industry leaders and their political allies say the bans will raise construction costs and utility bills, while doing little to stop climate change.

This is not really a climate solution, said Daniel Lapato, senior director of state affairs with the American Gas Association, an advocacy group for the natural gas industry. When you start eliminating these options, you have to look at the cost implications to the homeowner.

Lapato pointed to gas companies efforts to produce more renewable natural gas, which is methane captured from landfills, farms and other sources. Laws to force electrification could stifle industry efforts to scale up that more climate-friendly option, he said.

Phasing out natural gas also will require an increase in electricity production and transmission as buildings consume more power for their heating systems. Unless that electricity is produced from clean sources, gas bans will simply shift emissions rather than reducing them. Most of the nation's electricity still comes from fossil fuels, although the use of coal  which has some of the highest emissions  is rapidly shrinking and it now produces less electricity than renewables. Carbon-free electricity from wind, solar, hydropower and nuclear projects now makes up about 40% of the nations electricity supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Lawmakers pushing the bans say their plans will be phased in gradually enough to allow energy companies to meet the added demand with renewable electricity.

Natural gas bans also have drawn the ire of some restaurant industry groups, which say that chefs rely on flame cooking and temperature control that can't be easily replicated from electric sources. Some laws have specifically exempted gas stoves, which produce minimal emissions compared with building and water heating.

New York Citys decision to ban natural gas connections in new construction was significant not only because the city is the largest in the United States, but also because its a cold-weather city that relies extensively on natural gas for heating. Many of the cities that have enacted similar bans are on the West Coast  starting with Berkeley, California, in 2019  with warmer climates and less intensive gas use.

New York City is a four-season city. We have very cold winters and hot summers, and we're saying all-electric is possible, said Annie Carforo, an organizer with WE ACT for Environmental Justice, a Manhattan-based community organization that supported the ban. The number one polluters in New York are big buildings, and theres a heavy reliance on natural gas.

The law will require newly permitted buildings shorter than seven stories to go all-electric by 2024, with taller buildings following in 2027. The ban applies to heating and clothes dryers, but currently exempts water heaters, which will eventually be included.

Council member James Gennaro, who chairs the councils Committee on Environmental Protection, said he consulted the construction industry and electrical utilities in crafting his proposal.

Were walking slowly into this. Were not doing a cannonball, but we're sending a clear signal that this is how it's going to be, he said. We're giving technologies an opportunity to mature and meet the challenge and for the grid to expand capacity and become fully renewable. But we can't stay here forever in a fossil fuel world.

Seattle leaders took similar action last year by strengthening existing restrictions on natural gas in new commercial and multifamily buildings. The city now bans the use of natural gas for heating and restricts gas-fueled water heating to certain building types.

Duane Jonlin, the citys energy code and energy conservation adviser, said roughly a third of Seattles carbon emissions are from natural gas use in buildings.

When you're trying to reduce your carbon footprint, you have to stop burning stuff in buildings, he said. This should now be considered caveman technology.

Washington state also is considering statewide action on the issue. Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, has proposed a measure that would require new buildings constructed after 2034 to reduce energy use intensity by 80%. While not an outright ban on natural gas, the measure would require a significant shift towards zero emissions technologies, said Anna Lising, Inslees senior energy adviser.

Nevertheless, gas proponents expect lawmakers to continue to push for a ban in the 2022 session.

I think the move in the legislature is going to be to ban or remove natural gas as a source of heat in construction of new homes moving forward, said Jan Himebaugh, government affairs director with the Building Industry Association of Washington. These policies have a large impact on the cost of housing in Washington, and it will drive up the cost of new homes.

But even as states such as New York and Washington consider laws to phase out natural gas, conservative states have moved rapidly to protect it. Since 2020, 20 states have passed laws to block local governments from banning the fuel.

Utah state Rep. Steve Handy, a Republican, said multistate utility Dominion Energy asked him to propose a ban on bans in his state. Handy, a former city council member, said preempting local governments was a tricky place to be in, but that he wanted to preserve consumer choice.

To dictate that to consumers and businesses  I wasnt comfortable with that, he said. I thought we ought to put a pause button on and let the market do this.

In Missouri, the bill to bar bans on natural gas hookups, sponsored by Rep. Michael ODonnell, R-Oakville, was signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson on July 6.

The gas industry argues that banning the fuel will increase construction costs and drive up utility prices in areas that are required to electrify.

Climate advocates counter that electric-powered heat pumps are becoming more and more affordable. RMI, the Colorado-based clean energy nonprofit, published an analysis in 2018 that found heat pumps  which handle both heating and cooling  are more cost-effective than the combined price of natural gas heating systems and air conditioning units. Electrification supporters also point to projections that show the price of natural gas increasing over the next decade.

When people are saying it's going to raise costs, that's fearmongering, said Russell Unger, co-leader of RMIs Building Electrification Initiative. In most of the country, costs are lower [for all-electric buildings].

Jonlin, the Seattle official, said heat pumps are slightly more expensive to install in new buildings that dont have air conditioning, but not enough to affect the citys construction market. Utility bills are roughly equivalent, he said, but expected to favor electric buildings in the long term.

Over time, it becomes more economical to heat with a heat pump, he said. And it's dramatically less expensive to take new construction and do it the way we need to meet environmental goals now, instead of building it the wrong way and go through the expense of converting it in some future decade.

Another point of contention is the increase in electricity production and transmission that will be needed to heat homes from the grid rather than natural gas pipelines.

The electrical grid as it's built right now can't handle that degree of added demand, said Jake Rubin, a spokesperson for the American Gas Association. Its going to cost billions of dollars to build out our electrical system to handle those new customers.

Climate advocates say that demand will be added gradually, at the same time as utilities are already making plans to expand their renewable energy production. They acknowledge that banning natural gas will be an effective climate policy only if the ramp-up in electricity production is fueled by clean sources.

We can't wait to convert buildings until the [electricity] generation, transmission and storage infrastructure is sufficient to meet the demand, and we can't convert all the buildings without improving that infrastructure, said Kavanagh, the New York legislator. They have to go together.

Gas defenders also say electrified buildings will leave people unable to heat their homes during extended power outages. But few gas-powered buildings can operate under those conditions either, said Andrew McAllister, a commissioner with the California Energy Commission.

Thats a red herring, he said. Most furnaces arent going to work without power. They have a fan, they have controls.

Buildings are responsible for about a quarter of Californias emissions, McAllister said, with half of that total coming from on-site combustion such as natural gas heating. The other half comes from the energy used to generate the electricity to power those buildings. His agency has issued building codes giving new construction an energy budget that is difficult to meet with natural gas, pushing a switch to heat pumps.

The equipment managers and the labor community think they're up to the task, he said. Having it in the building code will open up the marketplace quickly.

2022 The Pew Charitable Trusts. Visit at stateline.org.
ST. LOUIS  Missouri voting rights advocates held in-person and virtual vigils on Thursday to commemorate last years Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and to bring awareness to voter suppression efforts.

In Brentwood, nearly 100 demonstrators waved American flags, chanted and held signs condemning former President Donald Trump as well as mobs of Trumps supporters who stormed the Capitol amid debunked claims that the election was marked by widespread fraud, and had been stolen from Trump.

They tried to suppress the voice of the people, and at the end of the day they did not prevail, Denise Lieberman, general counsel at the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, told the crowd. They lied, and people died at the end of the day.

Some along the stretch of Eager Road, near Interstates 64 and 170, handed out pamphlets on voter suppression efforts to vehicles that passed by, some honking in support.

Demonstrators such as Nadine Ball, of Webster Groves, said it was worth braving the bitter cold to bring attention to the violence at the Capitol last year.

After the Brentwood demonstration, a virtual event was held featuring politicians such as U.S. Reps. Cori Bush, D-St. Louis, and Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City. Other speakers included Jennifer Slavik Lohman, an attorney and leader with the St. Louis Area Voter Protection Coalition.

The fuel that fired that attack came from disinformation, Slavik Lohman told listeners. Never engage with misinformation, disinformation or manipulative content online  because every time that you do that you are amplifying the disinformation and making sure that more people see it.

Since last year on Jan. 6, hundreds of people across the country have been charged in connection to the insurrection, including at least five people from the St. Louis-area.

More than 150 have pleaded guilty to felony or misdemeanor charges, including three who admitted assaulting law enforcement officers. About 140 members of the Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department were assaulted during the riot, and five deaths have been linked to the riots, the Associated Press has reported.

In prerecorded comments, Bush condemned the violence, and advocated for the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and Freedom to Vote Act to pass in Congress.

Right here in Missouri, Republican lawmakers passed unnecessary voter ID laws and a notary requirement. Weve seen polling places in our community closed, and roadblocks put up to prevent formerly incarcerated people from reclaiming their rights, Bush said. All of these measures have one thing in common. They have one direct aim: to ensure that our voices are not heard.

Similar demonstrations advocating for voting rights were held across the nation, along with other rallies, some pushing the debunked election fraud claims.

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School districts across the country face a serious new pandemic dilemma. They know the damage to students learning and socialization skills from having spent much of the past 18 months attending classes remotely. But the dangers posed by record new coronavirus infections make it harder to justify letting students continue mingling in classrooms and school hallways. Chicago teachers were so worried about the dangers, they staged a showdown with administrators on Wednesday, forcing days of canceled classes across the nations third-largest school district.

Theres got to be a reasonable middle ground. Vaccinations help reduce the severity of infection, but with the omicron variant, even fully vaccinated and boosted people are still testing positive. And though young people might escape the full brunt of coronavirus symptoms, teachers, bus drivers, janitors, parents and grandparents might not be so lucky. Which is why these are truly cringeworthy times for the adults grappling with the school conundrum.

One thing has proven consistently effective in limiting the spread of disease. Whether its a surgeon in an operating room or students in a classroom, properly worn masks help prevent infected people from unwittingly transmitting their illness to others. Masks are inconvenient and uncomfortable, but they are essential survival tools in this pandemic.

Missouri parents and educators are no different from those in other states about the desire to keep kids in physical classrooms. But this state has its own special problem: Attorney General Eric Schmitt. He seems bound and determined to haul into court any public officials who impose a mask mandate, including school districts. Like a true friend of the virus, his behavior suggests he puts a lower value on protecting human life than he does placating his right-wing base.

Schmitt is among the top reasons why Missouri schools cant find a way to avoid returning to remote learning. And when parents once again have to quit their jobs or find workarounds to ensure their kids arent left alone at home, they will have Schmitt to thank.

There is one solution that few have dared to try: Open, united defiance. Although Schmitt claims to have a single court verdict as the basis for his dictatorial threats, the actual ruling doesnt give him the authority he claims to prevent elected bodies from imposing mask mandates. The St. Louis County Council decided on Tuesday to defy Schmitts threats and proceed with what most members know to be the proper response. The Kirkwood School District, having previously buckled under Schmitts lawsuit threats, reversed itself on Dec. 29 and reimposed a mask mandate for students.

Theres no such thing as an easy or quick solution to the conundrum facing schools. But getting rid of impediments to solutions is a good way to make progress. The best way to make a bully like Schmitt stand down is to stand up to him.
Kids living and visiting Sonoma, California, never knew Antonia and Frank Bartholomew, but they owe them a big thank you.

Thats because the Bartholomews, who purchased a rundown 500-acre ranch here in in 1943  it was a birthday gift for Antonia before Frank, a war correspondent, left for the Pacific  set up the Bartholomew Foundation to ultimately preserve the property as a 375-acre private park  kid- and pooch-friendly, a place for picnics and walks with three miles of hiking trails, places to horseback ride or bike.

The whole park is giving back to the community, said Michelle Hogan, the winery marketing director, The park has so many memories for families here.  Its a magical place.

It also has great historic significance. The Bartholomews had discovered this was where the California wine industry began, and that the land was actually the original estate of Agoston Haraszthy, a flamboyant Hungarian American who planted his grapes in 1856, offering practical advice for planting vines and making wines, becoming a very early leader and spokesman for California winemaking.

By the time the Bartholomews bought the estate, however, the vineyard had been abandoned. They replanted and reopened the Buena Vista Winery to great success before selling it. After leasing winery operations for many years, the Bartholomew Foundation partnered with a wine maker to form Bartholomew Estate Vineyards and Winery, which just re-branded in 2019, now controlling the process from farming the organic vineyards to bottling the excellent wine (just 2,500 cases a year). The foundation is co-owner and their profits go directly to support the park. That means when you purchase wine here  as we did  you are helping to ensure the future of the park.

There are more than 425 wineries (you may need an appointment to visit) and a surprising number are kid-friendly as are hotels and restaurants. Consider the Francis Ford Coppola winery that includes a pool, bocce ball, family fun nights and pizza. Kids visiting the Kendall-Jackson Winery nearby can check out the chicken coop and demonstration garden while the DeLoach winery even provides lessons in water conservation efforts.

Lets not forget all of the breweries, distilleries and cider houses or the chance to visit a farm (try milking a goat or see how cheese is made).

As we all seek more outdoor-oriented getaways this winter, Sonoma County, just an hour north of San Francisco and bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west with more than 50 miles of coastline, is guaranteed to please. Not only is it beautiful, less crowded and less expensive but the temperatures typically are in the high 50s  perfect for hiking (perhaps through a Redwood Forest) and biking (there are some 60,000 acres of state and regional parks), as well as winery visits. Local outfitters can set visitors up with everything they need to explore on two wheels. Sonoma County also includes the Russian River Valley where the Russian River empties into the Pacific Ocean. Kayak, anyone? Follow the Cloverdale Sculpture Trail to see 12 pieces of public art selected in an annual juried selection; the display changes each year.

Ever bike? famously said author Jack London. Now thats something that makes life worth living

London, the author of Call of the Wild, White Fang, and scores of other books that made him the most popular American author in the early years of the 20th century, lived in Sonoma on Beauty Ranch that today is Jack London State Historic Park, located just outside Sonoma in the hamlet of Glen Ellen. Everyone will love this place where you can picnic (as we did), hike, bike, bird watch, horseback ride, or take in the mighty Redwoods. Theres also kayaking, pumpkin patches in fall and kid-friendly restaurants like the family-owned Agave where we had delicious Mexican food (mole inspired by their family recipes from Oaxaca).

There are options to stay from the Best Western Dry Creek Inn  with winter rates starting at under $100 a night, perhaps the best bet for those on a strict budget  to vacation rentals to charming romantic Bed & Breakfasts, including The Four Sisters collection, complete with gourmet breakfast, afternoon wine and cheese, and mini picnic. There are also deluxe kid-friendly (and dog-friendly) resorts like the Montage Healdsburg on 258-acres of vineyards and oak tree groves (a third of each of the 130 rooms is dedicated to outdoor living) with packages that include substantial resort credits, free bike rentals and more.

Those seeking getaways with kids, especially college-aged or grown kids could enjoy a spa getaway at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, with its famous thermal pools and Friday night music. People here have soaked in these springs for hundreds of years. (There are other pools at the pooch- and kid-friendly resort too.) The thermal mineral waters flow 1,100 feet beneath the resort. Theres a Roman Bathing Ritual with different temperature pools that also includes an herbal steam room, mineral soaking baths and more.

Today the resort is an oasis in the heart of wine country  10 acres in the heart of the 17-mile-long Sonoma Valley and just 40 miles north of San Francisco. All guests get a complimentary bottle of wine  for every bottle of Trinity Oaks purchased by the hotel, a tree has been planted.

Sonoma is more laid-back than other wine country towns, says Trevor Blake Anderson, the executive chef of the new Taub Family Outpost on the historic Sonoma Plaza. The Outpost is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner five days a week, much of the food sourced from a co-op representing some 40 local Sonoma farms and it offers a patio just steps from the bustling Plaza.

Mac and cheese for the kids  and a glass of wine for you?

(For more Taking the Kids, visit www.takingthekids.com and also follow TakingTheKids on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments. The Kids Guide to Philadelphia, the 13th in the kids guide series, was published in 2020, with The Kids Guide to Camping coming in 2021.)
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The government has accepted the fact that negotiating with China over Chinese claims on Filipino territory is not working. Most of the claims are in the South China Sea. Inside the Philippines negotiation has been more successful. Decades of military and negotiating efforts finally reduced or eliminated the internal threat of leftist and Islamic terrorist rebels. As threatening as the Chinese claims are, most Filipinos are more concerned about local problems with corruption, drug addiction and resulting economic stagnation. The Chinese threat is more visible internationally while the corruption and drugs are not. China was never seen as a major threat while the internal problems with drugs, corruption, Islamic terrorism and unemployment were all up close and personal.

Since elected president in 2016 Rodrigo Duterte did what most Filipinos wanted to reduce crime and drug related violence. Duterte had been doing this locally, as mayor of a major southern city), successfully since the 1990s and proposed trying to make it happen nationally. He did and his term-limited job as president lasts until mid-2022. His successor will find Duterte a tough act to follow. The new president wont be known until May 2022 and there are already a lot of candidates promising to keep current anti-drug and anti-terrorism efforts going.

Duterte also did the seeming impossible by achieving peace with Moslem separatists in the south while also suppressing leftist rebel movements. His agreements with the Islamic minority in the south, led by the separatist MILF, included promises to get the 2015 peace deal that gave southern Moslems more autonomy, approved by the legislature. He did this once MILF agreed to renounce their demands for independence and expulsion of non-Moslems. MILF also had to help destroy Abu Sayyaf, the primary Islamic terrorist group still operating in the south that is responsible for most of the kidnappings and terror bombings down there. Some MILF factions refused to accept the peace deal and had, along with Abu Sayyaf, aligned themselves with ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). Abu Sayyaf integrated itself with the local clan culture and became very difficult to eliminate. The Moslems have, as always, lots of clan feuds and internal violence which will survive the autonomy deal.

Duterte had, after three years in office, made tremendous progress in keeping his campaign promises. During the last two years of his term Islamic terrorists and communist rebels were much less active because there were a lot fewer of them and there was much less popular support. Duterte may not be the solution to all the problems the country faces but he was the most radical, and successful, politician to come along in decades. He continues to receive record high approval ratings from the voters even as local and foreign critics accuse him of atrocious behavior.

Duterte was also criticized for making serious efforts to negotiate peace with China and ignoring the vigilante violence that his war on drugs depended on to suppress the drug trade. This was more of an international than local problem because those who voted for him knew how his anti-drug tactics worked and were willing to try it nation-wide. His continued high approval ratings complicate foreign efforts to prosecute Duterte for crimes against humanity.

The Chinese threat remains but the Philippines has plenty of powerful allies in a joint struggle against Chinese claims in the South China Sea.

January 5, 2022: In the south (Davao Oriental province) an army patrol encountered a group of NPA (New Peoples Army) gunmen and in the subsequent battle killed Menandro Villanueva, the most wanted NPA leader on Mindanao Island. Villanueva was commander of all NPA forces on Mindanao, which is the second largest island and, along with Luzon in the north, contains nearly 70 percent of the nations land area and over 90 percent of the population. Villanueva was one of the founders of the NPA and the oldest NPA member still active. In the last year 17 senior NPA commanders have been captured, killed or turned themselves in, as have 545 other NPA members. Clashes like this one, that killed the commander of all NPA forces on Mindanao, have been a major factor in disrupting NPA operations and often leads to the discovery of remote NPA camps that can be destroyed by ground troops, artillery or airstrikes.

NPA is part of a communist movement that appeared, but was not very active, before World War II. After that the communists became a major part of the armed opposition fighting the brutal 1942-45 Japanese occupation. After independence in 1946 leftist rebels continued fighting, trying to establish a communist dictatorship. That proved difficult to do. A major reorganization took place in the 1960s, resulting in the creation of the current NPA in 1969. The new communist rebel organization adopted the Chinese Maoist long term strategy. That was not very successful despite lots of economic and social problems they could promise to fix if they were in charge. Enthusiasm for a "communist solution" went sharply downhill after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its East European communist allies between 1989 and 1991. That massive failure of communist states left the NPA much weaker ideologically and vulnerable to subsequent amnesty programs. A decade ago, NPA leaders admitted that they had only a small fraction of their peak (in the 1980s) strength of 26,000 armed members. There were some serious attempts to reverse the decline in popularity. NPA gunmen were instructed to behave better around civilians and the NPA were found giving some civilians, especially health or aid workers, cash compensation of a few hundred dollars each for wounds received during NPA attacks on soldiers or police. The government increased its efforts to provide medical care for such victims of NPA violence, the NPA tried to compete and found they couldnt afford it.

During the last year the military has revised their estimate of how much longer the NPA can survive as an organization. At the start of 2021, it was believed the NPA organization would be eliminated by mid-2022. By late 2021 each month saw more than a dozen planned attacks on the NPA and even more unplanned clashes during patrols. All this activity was killing or capturing over a hundred NPA each month with a growing number surrendering, often as a direct result of these defeats and a growing willingness to report local NPA activity to the security forces, who are now prepared to act quickly on the information. This satisfies civilian calls to act against decades of NPA violence and extortion.

Military and police intel indicates that there were now about 2,000 active (armed and unarmed) NPA members nationwide. Monthly losses have been growing and changing attitudes among leaders about a negotiated end to the conflict. This decline was accelerated by the 2020 decision to designate the CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines) and NPA terrorists under the New Anti-Terrorism Act. The NPA was already suffering a massive decline in popular and communist party support. Increasingly most NPA units must depend on extortion, theft and other criminal activity to survive. This caused growing anger and protests in areas where the NPA still operated for the good of the people. The NPA can no longer do much political work when their very survival is at risk.

For over a decade the government tried, without much success, to negotiate a peace deal with the NPA. The leadership, as well as the commanders of various armed factions, were split on which peace terms were acceptable and most were continuing to operate (fighting and stealing). The NPA, to most Filipinos, have become bandits with a veneer of communist ideology to justify their crimes. The banditry option is not working well enough to assure long-term survival. This can also be seen when factions run short of money. Less cash and popular support lead to more desertions. The army will grant amnesty to NPA members who surrender, especially if they bring their weapons and some useful information with them. Information on the location of NPA camps, weapons storage sites or covert supporters was increasingly common. This enabled military intelligence analysts to build an increasingly accurate assessment of the NPA size and capabilities. As a result, more NPA camps were attacked, weapons storage sites seized and key supporters arrested. A growing number of NPA leaders were demoralized by the extent of these losses in popular support. Some NPA leaders felt this was all a temporary setback and that a peace deal would enable a revitalized Philippines Communist Party to become a major political power. These delusions make negotiating a peace deal difficult. Meanwhile the NPA maintained its status as a major source of criminal, as opposed to Islamic terrorist, activity in the country. Most of the NPA senior leadership live in Europe and are considered somewhat out of touch with the reality of what the NPA has become in the Philippines. The exiled NPA leadership still has some support in Western nations, which contributes to criticism of the Filipino tactics used to suppress NPA criminal activity.

Then there was the separatist problem. NPA members in general were dismayed when the Islamic terrorist and Moslem separatist violence in the south sharply declined after the 2014 vote by the majority of Moslems and Christians in the Philippines to establish an autonomous Moslem region. This consisted of the southwest coast of the large southern island Mindanao and the string of smaller islands, mainly Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi extending from southwestern Mindanao towards Malaysia. The new Moslem entity was called Bangasamoro and provided more autonomy and responsibility. That meant the Moslems down there were responsible for maintaining the peace. This is no small matter because, more than elsewhere in the Philippines, the Moslem south has long had many more clan militias that believed it was their right to engage in private wars. Not all the clans share the official attitudes about who has the right to make war in Bangasamoro.

Bangasamoro governs the four million Moslems in Mindanao and even more Christian neighbors of those Moslems. Filipino Moslems are outnumbered by Christians who had moved south during the last half century. Nationwide there are about 12 million Moslems and over 95 million Christians. The Christian Filipinos are better organized, more industrious and more economically successful. The Moslem separatists believed they should run Mindanao even if they were the minority, because Mindanao is the local "Islamic homeland." While some in the national government were willing to concede this, the Christian majority in Mindanao and the rest of the Philippines was not. A compromise was finally negotiated and approved by all voters. Diehard separatist groups like BIFF, ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) and Abu Sayyaf are treated as outlaws in Bangasamoro and continually lost support and members since 2014, but are still around but not nearly as active as they were before 2014.

December 31, 2021: The government has agreed to purchase two 3,200-ton corvettes from South Korea for $554 million. Also approved was $55 million to purchase Indian Brahmos anti-ship missiles. The Filipino military has been trying to obtain Brahmos for over two years. The Philippines becomes the first export customer for Brahmos, which India has been trying to sell for over a decade. Brahmos is a weapon that could do some serious damage to Chinese forces in the South China Sea. The government originally wanted to buy two batteries of the PJ-10 BrahMos for coastal defense. Each battery has two or three truck mounted launchers, each with two or three missiles and communications equipment. Each battery also has a mobile radar for detecting targets via normal radar or by detecting and locating ship radar. This offer would cost $70-100 million depending on battery configuration. The Filipino military had to come up with a deal the legislature would approve and the $55 million version was the one that worked. While expensive, the Philippines has been spending a lot more money on warships and aircraft from South Korea.

The land-based BrahMos missiles are carried, three to a truck, on a 12-wheel vehicle which also acts as a launcher. Smaller trucks can be used carrying only two missiles each. The three-ton missile has a range of 300 kilometers and has a 200 kg (440 pound) warhead. Perhaps the most striking characteristic of the BrahMos is its high speed, literally faster (at up to 5,000 feet per second) than a rifle bullet. Used against hostile surface warships, BrahMos is hard to stop. The Indian Navy is already using Brahmos batteries for coast defense.

India and Russia developed this missile together, and offered the BrahMos for export. The high price of each missile, about $2.7 million, restricts the number of countries that can afford it. The weapon entered service with the Indian navy in 2005. Different versions of the PJ-10 can be fired from the air, from ships or submarines. The maximum speed of 4,900 kilometers an hour makes it harder to intercept, and means it takes five minutes or less to reach its target. The air launched version weighs 2.5 tons, the others, three tons or more.

The 8.4-meter (28 foot) long, 600mm diameter missile is an upgraded version of the Russian SS-NX-26 (Yakhont) missile, which was in development when the Cold War ended in 1991 as an unstoppable carrier killed weapon. Lacking money to finish development and begin production, the Russian manufacturer made a deal with India to finish the job. India put up most of the $240 million needed to complete two decades of development. The PJ-10 was initially built in Russia, with India as the initial customer and eventual production partner. Currently the only users are India and Russia, which jointly manufacture components and soon India will be able to assemble Brahmos at an Indian factory using Indian components. Currently India produces about 70 percent of the missile components and by the end of the decade that should reach 100 percent. Exporting Brahmos has been complicated by growing Russian dependence on China for financial and diplomatic support which China and India are threatening war with each other over Chinese claims on Indian territory. China has applied pressure to prevent sales to some Asian nations it has territorial disputes with. That has not been an issue with the Philippines.

December 26, 2021: In the south (Maguindanao province) a high-ranking BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) leader was killed when he and several armed followers encountered an army patrol. Rather than surrender the BIFF men fired on the soldiers who fired back and killed the BIFF leader, but the others got away. There have been several encounters like this in the last few months and many of them end with the BIFF gunmen surrendering. BIFF personnel who surrender or turn themselves in with their weapons and tell interrogators what they know can get amnesty. There are less than a hundred BIFF members left and most are veterans, which explains how they have remained active for so long. Because of their small numbers, BIFF has not been able to carry out any attacks lately. Just surviving has become a full-time BIFF activity.

December 12, 2021: In the south (Camarines Sur province) NPA gunmen clashed with soldiers and one NPA man was killed. The rest of the NPA men got away. There have been several clashes like this recently.

In the north (Kalinga province) a soldier was killed during a similar encounter with NPA gunmen.

December 8, 2021: In the south (Sulu province) soldiers clashed with a group of Abu Sayyaf, leaving two Islamic terrorists and a soldier dead. Earlier in the day two Abu Sayyaf men surrendered in a nearby town.
TAG Rings in 2022 with Record-Setting 100,000+ Monitoring Points Deployed Worldwide

TAG Rings in 2022 with Record-Setting 100,000+ Monitoring Points Deployed Worldwide

Tel Aviv, Israel( )

TAG Rings in 2022 with Record-Setting 100,000+ Monitoring Points Deployed Worldwide

Milestone marks a 100% increase over previous year and joins launch of Media Control System as a Company achievement

Tel Aviv  January 6, 2022  TAG Video Systems, the leader in realtime software-based deep monitoring of IP linear video workflows, has announced that it has exceeded 100,000 monitoring points deployed globally. Kevin Joyce, TAGs Zer0 Friction Officer, revealed the milestone as he recapped the Companys 2021 achievements which also include the launch of its Media Control System (MCS) developed to help clients manage, analyze and improve their media workflows.

TAG has been marking milestones in the industry since 2008 when we introduced the world to the first IP-based, all software monitoring and multiviewer solution, a risky and bold move at the time, said Joyce. Now nearly fourteen years later, the market has fully embraced IP, software-based workflows which nicely positions TAG to help our customers transition to IP workflows, adjust to remote operations, and expand their OTT services as the industry quickly evolves with the unexpected challenges brought on by the continuing pandemic."

Joyce credits TAGs 100% increase in points probed and monitored during 2021 to the companys capacity to work with all workflows, support emerging protocols as fast as they hit the market, and its ability to enable customers to operate in the cloud. As OTT grew exponentially, and with it a proliferation of delivery formats, TAG was at the forefront, innovating at high speed and developing significant support for cloud enabling remote production tools required and requested by customers, including JPEG XS, NDI 5, Dolby ATMOS, SRT, AWS Cloud Digital Interface (CDI), and Amazon EC2 M6i instances.

Joyce explained, Because of the explosion in streaming and adaption of cloud technologies, every linear channel may have up to 16 different flavors that need to be monitored. Workflows must be deployed in multiple zones around the globe with multiple bit rates for different resolutions to accommodate differing bandwidths. TAGs ability to anticipate and innovate quickly gave us a wide footprint in all new and emerging sources which allowed streaming services to work reliably and efficiently, a real necessity in todays direct to consumer world.

Adding to the Companys 2021 success story is TAGs move to give customers the tools they need to improve operations through data driven workflows via the Companys newly launched Media Control System (MCS). The MCS is a groundbreaking, open-source paradigm that monitors, aggregates, manages and utilizes data-driven viewer analytics to provide users with the insight required to build performant linear media systems. The MCS is unique in its ability to provide the tools users need for informed and intelligent decision making resulting in a precise and pristine viewer experience that leads to an increase in consumption, elevated customer engagement, and heightened loyalty.

The foundation of the MCS is TAGs MCM (Multi-Channel Monitoring) that monitors every type of signal from live production through OTT delivery. The MCS collects the voluminous raw data and metrics from the MCM using the power of the cloud to create actionable insights. Using an open-source paradigm, the MCS serves as an aggregation engine capable of exposing that data to standard third party analytic and visualization applications such as Elasticsearch, Kibana, Grafana and Prometheus. For the first time, media companies can use their metrics to measure performance across all their signals to correlate, identify and recover from errors, optimize workloads for maximum performance, and help transmit interoperable signals. With TAGs MCS, customers will be able to deliver an exceptional viewer experience that can be validated and measured.

The MCS also strengthens TAGs Zer0-Friction strategy, a business model that maximizes customers utilization of their assets. By making accurate data-driven information accessible to open-source tools customers can extract and use accurate information to achieve better performance and truly improve both Quality of Service and Quality of Experience.

Both the MCM and MCS are systems under the umbrella of TAGs multi-level Realtime Media Platform, the first solution of its kind capable of providing users with open-source, end-to-end tools for monitoring and probing signals, and aggregating, managing and analyzing data.

About TAG Video Systems

TAG Video Systems is the world leader in 100% software based integrated IP Multiviewing, Probing and Monitoring solutions. Introducing its first IP solution in 2008, today TAG supports over 100,000 probing/monitoring points across the four primary broadcasting applications - Live Production, Playout/Master Control, Distribution and OTT. TAGs Zer0 Friction philosophy allows Broadcasters and Content Distributors to minimize complexity, manage the pace of change, while competitively enabling business operations. The 100% software platform supports both compressed and uncompressed formats, including MPEG TS, JPEG- XS, CDI, NDI, JPEG2000, SMPTE 2110, SMPTE 2022-6/7, MPEG-DASH and HLS. TAG's solutions run on standard Commercial Off-The-Shelf hardware (COTS) and cloud, providing state-of-the-art IP monitoring and analysis tools combined with highest quality UHD Multiviewer available on standard and mobile device displays.

For more information: www.tagvs.com

TAG Video Systems contact:

Danna Mann

Europe: +33 1 86 26 94 00

US : +1 315 646 8400

mailto:danna@tagvs.com

Press contact:

Desert Moon Communications

Harriet Diener

+1  845-512-8283

harriet@desertmoon.tv
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NCX, the science-driven forest carbon marketplace delivering large-scale, immediate impact for climate and communities, announced the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Jenkins as Chief Sustainability Officer effective August 2021. Dr. Jenkins is broadly responsible for shaping and sharing the scientific integrity of NCXs programs. Her work includes the development and approval of certified carbon offset methodologies and working with academic and stakeholder communities to ensure offset quality and development of new approaches to valuing ecosystem services such as wildlife habitat quality, wildfire risk reduction, and water quality.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220105005371/en/

Dr. Jennifer Jenkins (Photo: Business Wire)

We are thrilled to have Dr. Jen Jenkins join the NCX team, said NCX Co-founder and CEO Zack Parisa. NCX is dedicated to ensuring accountability and transparency as we forge natural capital markets that work for all. This is critical work for the climate and communities that calls for unparalleled expertise, and we could think of no one better suited to help us deliver on that than Dr. Jenkins.

Dr. Jenkins has more than 25 years of experience in government, academia and the private sector at the intersection of forests and climate. In 2007, along with former Vice President Al Gore, she was part of the IPCC team of scientists that won the Nobel Peace Prize for their work on climate, and led the work that culminated in the Jenkins Equations, which are the generally-accepted method for estimating tree biomass from diameter in the US.

Prior to joining NCX, Dr. Jenkins held various roles in academia and government, including as a Research Professor at the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont, Research Forester at the USDA Forest Service Northern Global Change Program, and in climate policy at the USEPA Climate Change Division. From 2016 to 2021, she served as Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Enviva. Dr. Jenkins holds a Ph.D. in ecosystem ecology from the University of New Hampshire, a Master of Business Administration from the RH Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, a Master of Forest Science from Yale University, and a Bachelor of Arts in biology and environmental studies from Dartmouth College.

To learn more about the NCX marketplace, watch the on-demand webinar, Designing forest carbon markets for massive climate impact here.

About NCX

NCX is the science-driven forest carbon marketplace delivering large-scale, immediate impact for climate and communities. By using high integrity data to generate carbon credits that connect corporations to family forests, NCX is democratizing access to markets while enabling real climate action. In 2021 NCX broke records for the largest forest carbon project by acreage in the contiguous United States.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220105005371/en/

Cheryl Sansonetti, Director of Marketing

NCX

[email protected]

Source: NCX
Richmond, Virginia, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conaway Haskins has been named as the Vice President for Entrepreneurial Ecosystems at the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC). In this role, he provides strategic vision and generates operational results for the Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Division that was launched in July 2020. As VP, he advises, funds, promotes, and supports technology-focused entrepreneurial ecosystems and innovation-led economic development throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

We are delighted to welcome Conaway Haskins as our Vice President of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. His experience and leadership will help VIPC continue to connect innovators with opportunities throughout the Commonwealth, says Bob Stolle, President, and CEO of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. Building strong regional innovation ecosystems is critical to Virginias economic growth and job development.

For over 20 years, Conaway has served government, academic and nonprofit organizations helping them navigate challenges and opportunities in economic development, government relations, and strategic management at the local, state, and national levels. Before joining the VIPC team, he served as Associate Director of the Virginia Tech Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation and as the State Economic Development Specialist for the university's Virginia Cooperative Extension division. He was responsible for leading and executing technical assistance, applied research, and public engagement efforts serving communities, regions, and organizations across the Commonwealth. Before that, Conaway served in management roles with the Virginia Community Economic Network, Virginia State University, Council on Foundations, US Senator Jim Webb, and the Cameron Foundation. He began his career as an economic development researcher at the Aspen Institute.

Conaway currently serves as the Chair of the Professional Development Committee of the Virginia Economic Developers Association and is a member of the International Economic Development Council. He is also an adjunct Associate Professor of Practice for Virginia Tech's Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability. Conaway earned a Masters of Regional Planning degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A. with honors & distinction in Government & Politics from George Mason University. He lives with his family in the Richmond area and is based out of VIPC's downtown Richmond headquarters.

About Virginia Venture Partners

Virginia Venture Partners, formerly CIT GAP Funds, is the equity investment program of VIPC that makes seed-stage equity investments in Virginia-based technology, clean energy, and life science companies with a high potential for achieving rapid growth and generating a significant economic return for entrepreneurs, co-investors, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Since its inception in 2005, Virginia Venture Partners has deployed $32.4 million in capital across more than 250 portfolio companies, including 17 companies in designated Opportunity Zones. Virginia Venture Partners investment decisions are guided by the Virginia Venture Partners Investment Advisory Board (IAB). This independent, third-party panel has drawn from the expertise of leading regional entrepreneurs, angel, and strategic investors, and venture capital firms such as New Enterprise Associates, Grotech Ventures, Harbert Venture Partners HIG Ventures, Edison Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Intersouth Partners, SJF Ventures, Carilion Health Systems, Johnson & Johnson, General Electric, and Alpha Natural Resources. For more information, please visit www.virginiaipc.org/vvp.

About Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)

VIPC connects innovators with opportunities. The nonprofit operations arm of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority (VIPA), VIPC is the commercialization and seed stage economic development driver in the Commonwealth that leads funding, infrastructure, and policy initiatives to support Virginia's innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and market development strategies. VIPC collaborates with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support the expansion and diversification of Virginias economy.

Programs include: Virginia Venture Partners | Commonwealth Commercialization Fund (CCF) | Smart Communities | Unmanned Systems | SBIR/STTR Support (Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs) | Entrepreneurial Ecosystems | Research Investment Fund (RIF) | Virginia Founders Fund (VFF) | Regional Innovation Fund | University Partnerships | Startup Company Mentoring & Engagement. For more information, please visit www.VirginiaIPC.org. Follow VIPC on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Attachment

Angela Costello, VP of Communications & Marketing Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) 7578706848 [email protected]

Source: Center for Innovative Technology
CLEVELAND, Jan. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown Gibbons Lang & Company (BGL) is pleased to announce the sale of a majority stake of Persona Signs (Persona) to Exeter Image Holdings, LLC, a portfolio company of Exeter Street Capital Partners (Exeter), the private equity affiliate of Patriot Capital Group. Persona will be operated side by side with Triangle Sign & Service, an existing portfolio company of Exeter, under the name "Persona-Triangle." Members of the Persona-Triangle leadership team, in addition to Harbert Credit Solutions, NewSpring Mezzanine, and Northcreek Mezzanine, partnered with Exeter on this transaction. BGL's Industrials Group served as the exclusive financial advisor to Persona in the process. This transaction furthers BGL's market-leading position in industrial investment banking, advising company founders and executives across a range of Industrials sub-sectors.

BGL's Industrials Group served as the exclusive financial advisor to Persona in the process.

The transaction also included the sale-leaseback of three single-tenant facilities  two in Watertown, SD, and one in Madison, SD. Persona's shareholders were represented by BGL's Real Estate Advisors team on the sale-leaseback component of the deal.

The specific terms of both the operating company and sale-leaseback transactions were not disclosed.

Persona is one of the largest national providers of commercial signage, adaptive electronic messaging centers, digital menu boards, energy-efficient smart lighting, and electric vehicle charging solutions to the hospitality, QSR, convenience store, large-format, and corporate image sectors. Its turnkey solutions include in-house research and development, proprietary design and engineering, LED optimization and remote monitoring system integration, site- and permit-planning, and start-to-finish project management. Additionally, its state-of-the-art production and advanced digital capabilities provide the capacity and expertise to support the largest brand and sign programs in the world.

Together, Persona-Triangle forms one of the largest signage, lighting, and facility services companies in the United States.

Greg Kulesa of Persona will assume the title of Group CEO of Persona-Triangle. Mike Peterson will remain President of Persona, and Craig Horn will remain Chief Operating Officer of Persona. Steve Altshuler will remain President of Triangle.

About Brown Gibbons Lang & CompanyBrown 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, business 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.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bgl-announces-the-majority-recapitalization-of-persona-signs-by-exeter-street-capital-partners-to-form-persona-triangle-301456011.html

SOURCE Brown Gibbons Lang & Company
FILE PHOTO: Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson wears his astronaut's wings at a news conference, after flying with a crew in Virgin Galactic's passenger rocket plane VSS Unity to the edge of space at Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New

(Reuters) - Billionaire Richard Branson is set to launch his first European blank-check company on the Amsterdam stock exchange in the next few months, Sky News reported on Friday, as the British businessman taps investors for takeover targets.

The tycoon aims to list the special acquisition company, or SPAC, on Amsterdam's Euronext stock exchange instead of the bourse in London, where his Virgin Group empire is based, the report said, citing an unidentified source.

Amsterdam was Europe's top share trading venue in 2021, although British regulators have reformed rules to boost London's role as a financial hub and global centre for listing.

Branson's blank-check company initially aims to raise 200 million euros ($226 million), the Sky News report said.

Virgin Group said it did not comment on "rumour or speculation". Euronext Amsterdam said it did not comment on potential issuers on its markets.

Branson, a serial entrepreneur now recovering from what was described as a mild case of COVID-19, has used SPACs elsewhere.

His space venture Virgin Galactic and his satellite programme Virgin Orbit Holdings went public by merging with SPACs. Last year, a SPAC backed by Branson took consumer DNA-testing firm 23andMe public.

SPACs are shell companies that raise money on stock markets to buy private businesses, providing an easy route for the target to gain a listing without going through the rigorous process of a traditional initial public offering.

($1 = 0.8852 euros)

(Reporting by Sinchita Mitra and Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Edmund Blair)
The Air Force on Thursday identified an airman from Texas as the man whose body was discovered after a fire consumed a recreational vehicle last month in Wasilla, Alaska.

Tech. Sgt. Steven Wesley Huffines, 39, a native of Van, Texas, was a contracting officer with the 673rd Contracting Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, the Air Force said in a news release.

The fire and cause of Huffines death remain under investigation.

Shortly before midnight Dec. 15, a patrol officer with the Alaska State Troopers saw a cloud of smoke rising from a neighborhood in Wasilla, about 45 miles northeast of Anchorage, according to a police report.

The trooper found a fifth-wheel trailer fully engulfed in fire, with the flames spreading to a nearby home. The occupants of the home were evacuated, but the State Fire Marshal found human remains in the trailer, the report said.

Fifth-wheel trailers are towed.

Huffines joined the Air Force in May 2004 and held assignments at Barksdale and Laughlin Air Force Bases, the Air Force said. He had been stationed in Alaska since July 2017.

Wes was a great Non-commissioned Officer and leader, Lt. Col. Jon Hobart, commander of the 673rd, said in the release. You could count on him to be at your side and ready to serve, regardless of the circumstance. Our sincere condolences go out to his family, friends, and fellow Airmen.

Huffines awards and decorations include two Joint Service Commendation Medals, three Air Force Commendation Medals, a Joint Service Achievement Medal, and four Air Force Achievement Medals, the Air Force said.
The Air Force is pushing back on claims that the service gave preferential treatment to a woman who was vying to become the first female elite special tactics airman after a member of Congress raised concerns.

Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, head of Air Force Special Operations Command, responded Thursday to accusations of lowered standards, saying they had come from an anonymous email.

Screenshots of the anonymous email had been shared in an Instagram post by U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Texas Republican and Navy SEAL veteran, who demanded answers.

We cannot sacrifice training standards. Ever. Full stop, Crenshaw wrote. If this account is true, our military needs to address it now.

Slife took to his official Facebook page to rebut the accusations. The commands Instagram page also shared part of his reply.

We can unequivocally say the standards  which are tied to mission accomplishment  have not changed, Slife said. However, there is a difference between standards and norms.

According to the accuser, a female captain was given more favorable treatment than is typical under societal norms for airmen undergoing special tactics selection and training.

The accuser said the trainee was allowed to repeatedly quit then rejoin the pipeline and was offered an unheard of special assignment in one of the militarys most elite units to encourage her to keep going.

Slife said the norms of the training pipeline have changed over the past 15 years based on efforts to get airmen to meet standards. Although the standards are unchanged now, he said, they could be altered in the future.

Special tactics airmen, under 24th Special Operations Wing, make up the services ground combat forces, who embed with SEALs, Army Rangers and Marine Raiders to help call in airstrikes, provide medical care and recover wounded and slain personnel.

The anonymous account naming the trainee and others involved, including Slife, was shared on Twitter by Air Force special operations veteran and military podcaster Brian Kimber. Crenshaw then shared screenshots of that post.

Crenshaw, who was wounded in Afghanistan in 2012, said lots of females  contribute enormously to special operations missions, but they follow strict standards. Subverting them will cost lives, he said.

Slife declined to discuss specifics about the trainees experiences to avoid added attention and pressure on her.

He said singling her out publicly as the accuser did is bullying and harassment, which are contrary to standards, norms and values.

Furthermore, most of what the author asserted about her experience was factually wrong or missing important context which would completely change the perception, Slife said.
Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See more stories here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription.

(Tribune News Service)  In late December, an Air Force judge granted in part a motion by the attorney for Maj. Gen. William Cooley ordering the federal government to provide all relevant text messages and emails from a woman who alleges that the two-star general and former Air Force Research Laboratory commander committed abusive sexual contact against her.

The narrow search conducted by AFOSI ( Air Force Office of Special Investigations) and relied upon by the government was deficient. Trial counsel has failed to uncover all relevant text messages, emails, and documentation about the alleged offenses regardless of who (the complainant against Cooley) communicated with or who communicated with her between on or about 12 August 2018 and on or about 8 January 2020, Judge Col. Christina Jimenez wrote in a Dec. 23 Air Force trial judiciary ruling.

The judge ruled that the information should have been provided to Cooleys defense team by Dec. 28. Daniel Conway, attorney for Cooley, told the Dayton Daily News Friday the information was provided and is being analyzed by defense experts now.

We were provided a digital copy of the complainants laptop that is still being analyzed, but is missing information that would be expected to be present, Conway said.

There are items of interest that should be there but are not  everything from emails to drafts of letters, he said.

More time is needed to assess the data, he added.

A sexual assault charge, with three specifications under Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, was referred against Cooley  a former commander of Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base  as result of an alleged Aug. 12, 2018 off-duty incident with an adult civilian woman in Albuquerque, N.M. The woman does not work for the Air Force or the Department of Defense, the Air Force has said.

The Dayton Daily News typically does not identify those who say they have been victims of sexual assault.

Gen. Arnold Bunch removed Cooley from command of AFRL in January 2020 and decided in April last year to allow a court-martial against Cooley to proceed.

Late Thursday, however, Air Force Materiel Command said the court-martial, which had been scheduled to begin Monday at Wright-Patterson, will be continued until April 18. The shift occurred, in part, due to COVID concerns among the trial participants, AFMC said in a statement Thursday evening.

Questions were sent to a command spokesman Friday about the court-martial continuance.

Beyond COVID concerns, the military judge determined a continuance was warranted and appropriate after considering the factors required by law, AFMC spokesman Derek Kaufman said Friday. He said he could not elaborate.

If a trial proceeds, it will be historic, observers have said. Cooley is the first Air Force general officer to be court-martialed for sexual assault.

In her Dec. 23 ruling, Judge Jimenez wrote that the complainant against Cooley provided written consent for search and seizure of her MacBook Pro.

She authorized AFOSI (the Air Force Office of Special Investigation) to search and seize her MacBook Pro for the purpose of forensic analysis, the judge wrote. The authorization included copying.

Jimenez wrote that there is evidence before the court that the complainant communicated information pertaining to the charged offenses via text message and email, and that she draft(ed) documentation of her account of the same.

Jimenez wrote that there is evidence (the complainant) drafted an initial statement about her allegations against Cooley and at some point thereafter revised the statement.

There is some evidence those two documents and emails have not been provided to defense nor that they were included in the narrow search conducted by Air Force investigators.

(c)2022 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)

Visit the Dayton Daily News at www.daytondailynews.com
The Army drill sergeant who went viral for singing Baby Shark as a marching cadence has a new plan for what he will doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.

Sgt. 1st Class Lincoln Crisler released the first in a planned series of horror-inspired comic books on Amazon on Wednesday.

The 21-page issue of Incarnations features badass bikers with very specific wizard powers, Crisler told Stars and Stripes on the day of the release. The bikers are from rival factions and may clash over the course of the story, he said.

Crisler, now a telecommunications soldier stationed in Baumholder, Germany, said he worked on the story as he prepares to retire later this year after more than 20 years in the military.

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Crisler said hes often writing when not working. He recounted crafting stories on his laptop in a mud hut in the notoriously dangerous Pech Valley of Afghanistan.

When I go home at the end of the day, I still feel like I want to do stuff, and I still have time during the day to do those things, the 39-year-old said.

The self-published work goes for $2.99. The story will go for at least six issues, Crisler said, but he has more planned if enough people are interested.

Crisler started writing in high school, and while in the Army, he wrote short stories and a novel. He said he wanted to adapt one of his ideas into a comic book, having been inspired by the X-Men and other Marvel comics he read while growing up.

As a drill sergeant, he was already known for idiosyncratic marching cadences prior to the Baby Shark rendition, recruits said in 2019.

Thats when a YouTube video of Crisler singing the hit childrens song at Fort Gordon, Ga., racked up millions of views.

The call-and-response performance was not planned, Crisler told local news outlets at the time, adding that it was a fun way to handle repetition at work and amuse himself and his friends.

His Army career has also taken him to South Korea, Iraq and Qatar.

His upcoming retirement has given him more time to focus on his plans and who he wants to be, he said.

He has no illusions about making a living drawing comic books and said he has no plans to quit his day job, whatever that ends up being.

He said he just hopes to entertain people by creating something he enjoys. With the Baby Shark clip to his credit, hes already off to a head start on that goal.

I know what I want to do with the rest of my time, Crisler said. I want to make it count.
A court-martial is scheduled to begin Monday for a Fort Bliss soldier charged with murder for the death of a child in Texas, according to Army records.

Sgt. Justin Cope is accused of causing the death of a child younger than 16 years old, according to the Armys charging documents. Authorities have said the child suffered head trauma and he or she was squeezed or shaken on or about Feb. 10, 2019, in El Paso. Cope also faces an aggravated assault charge for squeezing the face of a second child in December 2017 in Wiesau, Germany, and causing head trauma.

The names and ages of the victims and their relationship to Cope were not included in the documents provided by Fort Bliss officials. The documents also do not include Copes age or whether he has been placed in pre-trial confinement.

Cope has pleaded guilty, according to Army court records. However, the records do not specify to which charges he has pleaded guilty.

The child died in El Paso, the city outside of Fort Bliss, and local police said they conducted an investigation into the death but made no arrest.

The Armys Criminal Investigation Division, known as CID, took over the case, and Cope was arraigned June 20, 2020. He is assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division, according to a Fort Bliss statement.

CID officials declined to release more information about the investigation, citing the ongoing court proceedings.

Copes murder charge is divided into two parts, known legally as specifications. One specification states he acted with the intent to kill or harm the child, and the other states he acted with knowledge that his actions could lead to severe bodily harm or death, according to the charging documents.

Lawyer Robert Capovilla, a founding partner of Capovilla & Williams and a former Army judge advocate, said this is the equivalent of the Army charging Cope with premeditated murder and a lesser crime that appears to include the elements of murder while engaging in an act inherently dangerous to another.

If Sgt. Cope is convicted of both murder specifications, he will only serve a sentence for one because the charge comprises the same act  one act, and two different specifications. He cannot be punished twice for the exact same act, said Capovilla, who is not affiliated with the case. The government may not be certain they can prove that he committed the act with premeditation, which is harder to prove than a lesser degree of murder. Thats why we have two specifications for the same offense.

If found guilty of premeditated murder, the soldier could, under certain circumstances, face the death penalty or life in prison with eligibility for parole, Capovilla said. Cope could face eight years in prison for the aggravated assault charge.

By entering into a plea agreement with the court-martials convening authority, Cope and his attorneys will try to negotiate what his punishment should be, Capovilla said. That punishment will almost certainly include years of confinement, reduction in rank and pay, and a dishonorable discharge, he said.
A U.S. soldier who is serving prison time for her role in the death of a West Point cadet is appealing her negligent homicide conviction on the grounds that a military panels nonunanimous guilty verdict violated her constitutional rights.

The Army Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday granted a request by attorneys for Ladonies P. Strong, a staff sergeant who was demoted to private after her 2020 conviction. The case will be heard starting Feb. 10.

The hearing could be the first chance for a military court to weigh in on a growing debate in the legal community over the militarys longstanding practice of allowing guilty verdicts with just three-fourths of a panel voting to convict.

In July 2020, Strong was sentenced to three years of confinement over a crash in New York that killed Christopher J. Morgan and injured more than 20 others.

Strong was driving a military truck en route to a training exercise near West Point when her vehicle overturned. Morgan died at the scene. In addition to imprisonment, a military panel ordered the demotion and a bad-conduct discharge.

Attorneys for Strong contend that an April 2020 Supreme Court ruling that deemed split jury verdicts unconstitutional should be grounds for overturning her court-martial conviction.

Strongs appeal comes after a separate ruling Monday by a military judge in Kaiserslautern, Germany, who said prosecutors will need a unanimous guilty verdict to convict an officer standing trial on sexual assault charges.

The judge, Col. Charles Pritchard, made waves in the legal community with his ruling, which held that allowing split verdicts encroaches on service members Fifth Amendment due process rights.

Pritchard said there is no rational basis for Congress different treatment of U.S. service members and civilians regarding the requirement of unanimity of a jury for conviction.

Army prosecutors are now seeking to overturn that ruling, and the trial of Lt. Col. Andrew Dial, originally slated to start Monday in Kaiserslautern, has been delayed to give them a chance to appeal.

In Strongs case, attorneys appear to be appealing on different grounds, arguing that Sixth Amendment protections that make an impartial jury and a unanimous guilty verdict obligatory in state and federal courts should apply to troops.

Because constitutional rights identified by the Supreme Court generally apply to service members, unanimous convictions also should be mandatory in military courts, Strongs legal team argued.

Defense attorney Mickey S. Williams, an expert on military law at the legal firm Capovilla and Williams, said Strongs Sixth Amendment argument could be on shaky legal ground compared with Dials, which centers on the Fifth Amendment.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Ramos v. Louisiana made clear that juries must reach unanimous guilty verdicts in federal and state criminal trials.

One reason Williams sees Strongs argument as problematic is that decisions made by higher courts must be followed by lower courts, he said.

Therefore, Strong is arguing for a decision that appears to go against the Supreme Courts ruling on Sixth Amendment jury requirements that dont apply to military courts.

Pritchard, in his ruling in the Dial case, also questioned a challenge on Sixth Amendment grounds, saying the Supreme Court neither explicitly nor implicitly overruled precedent on the inapplicability in courts-martial of the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial.

For that reason, Pritchard said, his court is bound by precedent established by superior courts.

Regardless, the challenge to split verdicts appears to have only just begun.

Whats at stake is whether service members, who defend the Constitution, will be granted the same rights that the Constitution guarantees everyone else, Williams said. There is no persuasive argument why a military court-martial should not require unanimous guilty verdicts.
NAPLES, Italy  Three U.S. Coast Guard cutters and a Moroccan navy frigate rescued 103 people in the Atlantic Ocean, officials said Friday.

The ships  the Thetis, the Glen Harris and the Emlen Tunnell  answered a rescue call late Tuesday after Spains Las Palmas Rescue Coordination Center received reports of two migrant rafts taking on water about 40 nautical miles off the coast of Morocco, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

Working together, the crews rescued 103 people and recovered two bodies by Wednesday morning. The survivors later were transferred to the Moroccan navy, officials said.

The Thetis, which was on escort duty, diverted along with the other cutters to assist with the rescue, said Cmdr. Justin Nadolny, commanding officer of Thetis.

The Coast Guard is on a routine deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. The deployment coincides with the escort of the Glen Harris and Emlen Tunnell across the Atlantic to their new home port of Manama, Bahrain, as part of the Navys 5th Fleet.
WASHINGTON  The commander of the guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius was relieved Thursday, the Naval Surface Force Atlantic said in a statement.

Cmdr. Jeffrey Servello was removed from his position after less than a year due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, according to the statement. Servello had commanded the Mayport, Fla.-based ship since June.

Rear Adm. Brendan McLane, the commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, made the decision, but Navy officials did not provide further detail behind the loss of confidence.

The Paul Ignatius is one of the Navys newest destroyers, having been commissioned in 2019. Servello was the ships second commanding officer after serving as its executive officer.

Servello will be temporarily replaced by Cmdr. Eric Meyers until a permanent commander is selected, according to the service.

The announcement comes eight days after the littoral combat ship USS Montgomerys commanding officer Cmdr. Richard Zamberlan and executive officer Cmdr. Phillip Lundberg were removed from their positions due to a loss of confidence in their command ability.

The Navy also has not released details behind the Montgomery dismissals.
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PARIS (Tribune News Service)  French President Emmanuel Macron is known as a canny politician who carefully calibrates his public statements. So when he used some pungent language this week to talk about how his government should treat those who choose to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, almost no one interpreted it as a mere slip of the tongue.

Across Western Europe  which, like much of the world, is coping with the wildfire spread of omicron, the highly contagious coronavirus variant  the vaccine-hesitant are coming under mounting official pressure to get inoculated, if they are able. And that is triggering an impassioned backlash.

In one European country after another, public health restrictions are steadily tightening. Italy declared a vaccination mandate for those over age 50. The biggest party in Germanys governing coalition says it will decide by the end of March whether to try to push through a universal vaccination mandate.

Austria plans to enhance enforcement of existing measures banning the unvaccinated from many public venues. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to keep vaccinations voluntary, but on Thursday blasted what he called mumbo-jumbo spread on social media by anti-vaccine campaigners.

As the pandemic drags into a third year, public frustration  and reluctance to use lockdowns as a tool to stem the virus spread  has brought a hard edge to the debate about how the worlds most advanced economies should conduct the next phase of the long and debilitating battle against a contagion that has killed more than 5.4 million people worldwide.

In France, omicron is shattering caseload records even though more than 90% of people over age 12 have received at least two doses of the vaccine. That helped galvanize Frances lower house on Thursday to approve stricter requirements for obtaining the pass needed to go to bars, restaurants, cinemas and other indoor public spaces.

If Frances upper house approves the measure, which could happen next week, a negative coronavirus test will no longer be sufficient. To participate in most forms of public life  going to concerts and sporting events, boarding flights and taking long-distance trains  people will need to prove, starting Jan. 15, that they have received the full recommended doses of the vaccine.

The French president, who is facing April elections, triggered an outcry Tuesday when, in a forum with readers of the newspaper Le Parisien, he used a crude barnyard-style epithet meant to convey his desire to cause the unvaccinated intense annoyance by further restricting their access to public life.

When my freedoms threaten those of others, I become someone irresponsible, Macron said, adding: Someone irresponsible is not a citizen.

That sentiment did not sit well with some of Macrons compatriots, including lawyer Samir Kahoul, who had gladly lined up for shots but balked at the president questioning whether the unvaccinated were actually lesser citizens.

We are putting all the blame for the catastrophe on one faction of the population, said Kahoul, who lives in the Paris suburbs. Mandatory vaccines would be less hypocritical.

In Germany, many of those who have chosen to remain unvaccinated report feeling socially ostracized as a result. Some women who dont want to be inoculated are even accelerating plans to start a family and go on government-paid maternity leave to avoid getting their shots to comply with employer demands.

Dagmar Rossner, a gynecologist who practices outside Berlin, said several of her patients hoped that employer vaccination mandates would ease by the time they returned from a year of maternity leave, during which most of their wages would be paid by the state.

They wanted to start families at some point anyhow, but decided to start right now because of all the pressure, she said. Some of my unvaccinated patients say they feel unwelcome just about everywhere.

German authorities report a booming underground market for forged proof of vaccination by those seeking to get around the restrictions. In Berlin, police reported confiscating more than 1,100 such fake documents last year and pressing charges against those trying to use them. According to German news reports, criminal syndicates charge between 200 and 300 euros  around $225 to $340  for the forgeries.

Many Germans, mindful of their history under communist and Nazi rule, are also squeamish about a prospective national registry of the vaccinated, saying that runs counter to the countrys cherished data-privacy laws.

And the anti-vaccination movement, while still relatively small, has grown in intensity, with protests sometimes boiling over into violence. On Monday, more than 35,000 people participated in protests that resulted in police being hit by bottles and firebombs.

In a number of countries, as in the United States, the vaccine debate has become increasingly politicized. Macrons vulgarity was sardonically echoed by extreme-right presidential hopeful Eric Zemmour, who told the radio network RTL on Thursday that better targets would be crime bosses and drug traffickers.

That message fell on the receptive ears of voters such as Jean Galen, a property developer in southwestern France, who said he had received his initial two shots but declined a booster. He was angry and apprehensive about the idea of taking a fourth shot, something that some French officials have alluded to as a possibility.

Our societal life would be dependent on multiple doses, he said. Its unacceptable.

Referring to the matrix barcode used in proof-of-vaccination apps, he said, I dont want to become a QR code.

Macrons allies, however, insist that the president speaks for a fed-up majority. Prime Minister Jean Castex told BFM television on Thursday that Macron could say out loud what many people think deep down, describing getting vaccinated, for those who are able, as a civic-minded gesture.

Government spokesman Gabriel Attal, addressing reporters Wednesday, took a similar tack.

Lets speak frankly: Who is messing up whose life today? he asked. It is those who oppose vaccines.

Special correspondent El-Faizy reported from Paris and Times staff writer King from Washington. Special correspondent Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin contributed to this report.

2022 Los Angeles Times.

Visit at latimes.com .

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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A European rise in new COVID-19 infections that led to temporary closures at Defense Department schools in two countries this week is coinciding with additional military-sponsored vaccination drives, a few of which geared toward eligible students.

In Spain, the Navy hospital at Rota is making coronavirus vaccines, including boosters, available on a walk-in basis starting Monday. The regular Moderna and Pfizer shots as well as the Pfizer pediatric vaccine are available, according to the hospitals Facebook page.

Children ages 12 to 15 are now cleared to get a booster, on the heels of new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorization announced this week.

The U.S. Army Health Center at Vicenza, Italy, said it has appointments open next week for booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine for people 12 and up, the pediatric booster for ages 5 to 11, and the Moderna booster for people 18 and older.

The Navy hospital in Naples has Moderna booster clinics on Friday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for ages 18 and up.

So far, the school closures are limited to Italy and Spain, though cases have been reported at other Defense Department schools in Europe, education officials said.

In Italy, Vicenza High School canceled in-person instruction Thursday and Friday, while the middle school and two kindergarten classes and a second grade classroom at the elementary school closed for the rest of the week starting Wednesday, said Stephen Smith, a spokesman for the Department of Defense Education Activity-Europe.

In Naples, the combined middle school and high school had no classes Friday, and in Spain, Sevilla Elementary School also canceled instruction Friday.

Public health experts recommended that no in-person classes be held until contact tracing could be completed, Smith said Friday. Since classes resumed Monday, no cases have been tied to in-school transmission.

An exception to the general absence of base vaccination drives open to children is Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. It is offering Pfizer booster shots to eligible people 12 and older on Tuesday, from 8 a.m. to noon.

As of early Friday afternoon, appointments were still available at: https://informatics-stage.health.mil/covax/.

The disruption to classroom instruction comes as the more transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus brings Europe a new spike in infections. On Wednesday, the European Union reported 1.02 million new cases of COVID-19, a record single-day rise.

Last week, 793 new infections were reported in the city and county of Kaiserslautern, home to a U.S. military community of about 50,000 people.

According to weekly case numbers posted by the Kaiserslautern health district, the tally of new infections reported by U.S. forces in the community skyrocketed, from just four on Dec. 18 to 29 on Dec. 31.

In response, some bases are creating more opportunities for members of military communities to get an injection.

Ramstein Air Base in Germany plans to offer 2,500 more appointments for vaccines and booster shots in the next couple of weeks, Lt. Col. Will Powell, a spokesman for the 86th Airlift Wing, said Thursday. The 86th Medical Group provided 3,000 booster shots in December, he said.

The Army, meanwhile, has administered about 32,000 booster shots across its bases in Europe, and that number should go up significantly  as we resume vaccinations after the holidays, said Gino Mattorano, a spokesman for Regional Health Command Europe.

The U.S. military in Europe has not disclosed case numbers since the start of the pandemic, citing operational security.

Some infections are attributed to the omicron variant, but the earlier delta variant is still of concern and in circulation, Powell said in a statement Thursday.

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Theres no knob on the door, I said to the Balfour Beatty Communities manager when we arrived at our quarters at Naval Station Newport, R.I. It was a hot day in July of 2013 when the BBC manager sheepishly opened the knob-less door of the century-old duplex house we had been assigned.

Having come from another BBC property at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., we thought we knew what to expect. However, our idyllic ocean-side Florida housing neighborhood was lined with pristine, newly constructed, pastel-colored homes. Although we had little need to ask BBC to perform repairs during our tour of duty in Florida, we happily visited their air-conditioned offices with freshly baked cookies and free pens.

Once in Rhode Island, we gladly leased another BBC house, believing wed have another positive experience. As we entered the house on move-in day, we were shocked to find broken windows, construction debris, unfinished repairs and a dirt-floor basement area covered in multiple piles of dog feces. The jittery BBC manager promised us that repairs would be made right away.

This was the first of many broken promises BBC made to us during our five-year stay in that property. We, and many of our base neighbors, submitted negative comment cards and complaint letters regarding our unsatisfactory experiences to BBC. Little did we know, BBC would later be accused of ignoring and hiding resident complaints. Across the US, privatized housing residents were complaining about rodents, mold, faulty wiring, construction errors, cockroaches, lead paint, raw sewage, rotten wood, toxic water, chronic leaks, asbestos and more.

In 2018, Reuters published a series of reports of military families suffering from lead poisoning, mold-related illnesses and other dangerous conditions while living in privatized housing. In January 2019, the Military Family Advisory Network conducted a survey of privatized military housing residents, finding that 55 percent of respondents had a negative or very negative experience with privatized military housing.

In February 2019, the Senate Armed Services Committee held hearings and initiated an investigation by the Department of Justice, discovering that, from 2013 to 2019, Balfour Beatty was engaging in widespread schemes to defraud the military out of millions of dollars in performance incentives by cooking the books  fudging numbers and destroying resident comment cards. By submitting false records to the Army, Navy and Air Force, Balfour Beatty was able to collect 95 percent of performance bonuses each year, despite allowing military families to suffer in poor conditions.

Two Balfour Beatty employees were found guilty of criminal fraud charges last year. Then on December 22, 2021, the DoJ announced a global resolution of criminal and civil investigations into Balfour Beattys fraud schemes. Balfour Beatty pled guilty and was ordered to pay over $68 million in fines, and submit to an independent monitor for three years to ensure compliance with the contract.

Yep, you read that right. ... Despite admitting to felonious criminal fraud against the Army, Navy and Air Force, Balfour Beatty still gets to manage and collect revenue from 50,000 units of privatized housing worth $6 billion under a 50-year lease that has been criticized as guaranteeing profit. Its no wonder Balfour Beattys shares rose on the day of the DoJ announcement.

Some call the fines a slap on the hand for Balfour Beatty, and other privatized housing managers still under investigation have not been brought to justice. After more than a year of delays, a Military Housing Privatization Initiative Tenant Bill of Rights (TBoR) and a Universal Lease were created, but not all landlords have implemented the new policies.

In the meantime, military families continue to live in more than 200,000 privatized military housing units in the US. What should they do when major issues arise? Fill out another comment card and hope it doesnt get lost in the abyss? Not anymore. If you have a housing problem and dont know your rights under TBoR, request free help through Armed Forces Housing Advocates, www.afhousingadvocates.org.

Military families are resilient. We can handle a missing door knob or two. But we shouldnt be forced to endure poor or hazardous living conditions without reliable protection from the armed forces we serve.
(Tribune News Service)  India and China have been unable to agree on a date for the next round of military talks on disengagement and de-escalation in the Ladakh sector because of Beijing's steadfast opposition to New Delhi's proposal that all remaining friction points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) be handled in one go.

Since the 13th round of talks between senior military commanders of the two sides was held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on October 10 last year, the Indian side has sent several proposals for the next round of talks along with agenda items, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

In these proposals, the Indian side maintained that all friction points between Depsang and Chumar should be collectively tackled in the talks between the military commanders so that there can be comprehensive disengagement and de-escalation in the Ladakh sector of the LAC, the people said.

"The Chinese are not agreeing to this. Their response to every proposal from the Indian side has been different. Their goalposts keep changing and we aren't even sure which of their proposals should be taken seriously," one of the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

Beijing's dithering has continued despite a decision made at the last meeting of the India-China Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs on November 18 that the 14th round talks between military commanders should be held at "an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement from all the friction points along the LAC...in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols".

At the 13th round of talks between military commanders, the people said, the two sides were close to forward movement on disengagement at Hot Spring. However, the Chinese side was represented by the deputy to the corps commander, who stayed away, and he was not authorised to make a decision, the people added.

A statement issued by India after the last talks noted that "the Indian side...made constructive suggestions for resolving the remaining areas but the Chinese side was not agreeable and also could not provide any forward-looking proposals".

These tactics adopted by China, coupled with mounting evidence of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) beefing up infrastructure, roads, bridges, helipads, dual-use airports and missile and air defence positions on its side in Ladakh sector, has forced the Indian security establishment to conclude that the Chinese side is not serious about the negotiations.

"They seem intent on dragging this process out. They aren't serious about disengagement," a second person said, referring to the Chinese side's responses to the agenda items communicated by the Indian side.

Tens of thousands of Indian and Chinese troops have dug in for the second successive winter in Ladakh sector, with no immediate signs of an end to the standoff that began in May 2020 and resulted in the first fatalities along the LAC since 1975. Twenty Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops were killed in a brutal clash at Galwan Valley in June 2020.

The two sides withdrew frontline troops at Pangong Lake and Gogra last year after several rounds of talks, but there has been no headway in disengagement at other friction points since August 2021. India has linked the normalisation of overall ties with China to the resolution of the standoff.

The latest evidence of PLA settling in for long haul was satellite imagery showing a new bridge being built to link the north and south banks of Pangong Lake in order to drastically cut down the time needed to deploy large numbers of troops from positions in depth to key friction points. The Chinese side has also built or improved roads and bridges in multiple sectors, including repaving existing roads constructing alternate routes.

The area between Depsang and Chumar has several friction points. PLA troops have sought to block Indian patrols for more than two years in the strategic Depsang region, some 30 km south of Daulat Beg Oldi, which is home to a key airbase. Depsang also witnessed a three-week-long standoff in 2013.

At Chumar, the key problem has been Chinese construction activities around Chepzi-Chumar road. This area too witnessed a brief face-off in 2014 that began on the eve of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to India.

Another friction point is Demchok, which too witnessed a standoff in November 2016.

___

(c)2022 the Hindustan Times (New Delhi)

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Masks are required once again for military personnel on Guam as new cases of the coronavirus respiratory disease continue to surge on the U.S. island territory.

Face coverings must now be worn in any congregate settings, indoors and out, when social distancing is not possible, according to a statement Thursday from region commander Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson. Masks are not required during physical training.

After two months of a downward trend we are now experiencing a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, and we want to make sure we get ahead of the spread and slow it back down to protect our families and our island, Nicholson wrote.

The policy does not apply to Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam because each installation has its own commander with the "authority and responsibility" to manage their own unique public health emergencies in accordance with DOD guidance, Joint Region Marianas spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Katie Koenig told Stars and Stripes by email Friday.

However, Naval Base Guam spokeswoman Theresa Cepeda, in an email to Stars and Stripes on Thursday, said the base had also reimplemented its mask mandate. Air Force Brig. Gen. Jeremy Sloane ordered the 36th Wing to follow suit on Friday.

The U.S. military in Japan on Thursday reinforced an existing mask mandate for all personnel heading off base and those quarantining on base prior to a negative COVID-19 test, U.S. Forces Japan said in a statement.

The mission of Joint Region Marianas is to provide installation management to all DOD organizations and tenants on Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and to support training in the region, according to the command's website. Each unit in the region complies with local guidelines where they are operating, whether that is on Guam or Saipan, for example, Koenig said.

On Friday, there were 272 active COVID-19 cases among service members and Defense Department employees on Guam, up 129 since Wednesday, Koenig said.

Off base, there were another 243 positive cases, 12 hospitalizations and one death on Friday, according to Guams Joint Information Center. The island had 1,227 active cases on Friday.

Neither the military nor Guams civilian administration have the equipment to test for the highly transmissible omicron variant, Koenig and spokeswoman for Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, Krystal Paco-San Agustin, told Stars and Stripes this week.

U.S. Naval Hospital Guam sent 10 samples to the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego last month for genome sequencing, Koenig said. Testing can take up to two months depending on the backlog and prioritization in the lab.
Japan has awarded the U.S. aerospace giant Boeing Co. a $470 million contract to upgrade its fleet of F-15J Eagles, according to the U.S. Defense Department.

The upgrades will keep the jets in step with Japans growing fleet of next generation F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters, according to militaryaerospace.com.

The contract awarded in December calls for the development of an integrated aircraft systems to support modification of Japans F-15MJ aircraft into F-15 Super Interceptors and the delivery of four weapon system trainers.

The contract went to Boeing under the Foreign Military Sales program, a U.S. government program to move defense expertise, weaponry and other materiel to friendly nations, who foot the bill.

The work will be done in St. Louis with a completion date in 2028, according to the contract announcement Dec. 29.

We are humbled by the Japanese Ministry of Defenses and the Japanese Cabinets decision to continue work on the F-15 upgrade program, Boeing spokesman Paul Lewis said in an email Tuesday to Stars and Stripes.

The modified F-15 Super Interceptors will significantly enhance Japan Air Self-Defense Force capabilities, Lewis said. Japans F-15s were built under license from Boeing by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

We look forward to enhancing the fleet with next-generation technologies that meet Japans current and future needs, Lewis said.

Japan and the U.S. agreed in 2019 to a $4.5 billion program to upgrade 98 of Japans F-15s, according to a report by Forbes magazine. Japan had also planned to equip 68 F-15s with U.S.-made Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles as a defense against ships and landing forces, but the Defense Ministry dropped those plans in August citing high costs.

The F-15 has electronic systems and weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace, according to the U.S. Air Force.

The systems upgrades are aimed at helping Japan maintain air superiority in a challenging environment. Between April 1 and Nov. 30, Japan scrambled 643 jets to intercept approaching aircraft, according to the Joint Staff Office. Of those, 486 intercepts were against Chinese aircraft and 146 were against Russian aircraft.

The Ministry of Defense in an email Thursday said it could not immediately respond to questions from Stars and Stripes about the F-15 upgrades.

The U.S. Air Force is going a different direction with its aging fleet of F-15 Eagles. Rather than upgrading, it is purchasing new F-15EX Eagles. The estimated fly-away cost for a single F-15EX is $87.7 million, according to Forbes.com.
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The South Korean government needs to work closer with the U.S. military to curb the spread of COVID-19 stemming from American troops stationed in the country, the countrys president announced Friday.

The government should cooperate closely with U.S. Forces Korea for more rigorous disinfection management of U.S. military bases in Korea and their service members, President Moon Jae-in said in a statement issued by spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee.

The South Korean government must work on special countermeasures preemptively, to strengthen epidemic prevention at business places and facilities being used by residents near U.S. military installations, according to the statement.

Moons comments are his first linking U.S. troops with the viral surge that has broken pandemic records in South Korea for the most new COVID-19 infections in one day. Gyeonggi Province, where Camp Humphreys is located, tallied 1,261 new cases Thursday, which accounted for 33% of all cases in the country that day.

Likewise, the government in Japan has repeatedly called on the U.S. military there to enact curbs on its population after COVID-19 flowed into the country with service members returning home from holiday leave.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki criticized the U.S. military for lacking management ability after a Marine Corps base on the island reported 260 cases in late December.

USFK on Wednesday reported 682 cases of COVID-19 for the week ending Jan. 3, up from 467 new cases the prior week.

South Korea reached its one-day pandemic peak with 7,849 confirmed cases on Dec. 15, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. It reported 3,717 new cases on Thursday.

Army Col. Seth Graves, the Camp Humphreys garrison commander, on Dec. 29 described the uptick of new cases as "like nothing weve seen here on the installation since the beginning of the pandemic.

USFK troops, civilian employees and their families are free to travel throughout the country but are advised to adhere to local laws and mask mandates.

However, individual units and base commanders may impose additional restrictions on service members to meet local conditions.

USFK in December implemented a 10-day quarantine period for inbound personnel. Additionally, Eighth Army changed its policy to permit those who test positive for COVID-19 to quarantine in their homes, rather than in an isolation barracks.
The U.S. sought to reassure Japan its working to protect public health after Tokyo called for restrictions on American troops stationed in the country amid record Covid-19 outbreaks in some areas thought to have stemmed from bases.

At a video meeting Friday, defense and foreign ministers from the two sides agreed on sharing timely information on incidents and accidents, to combat Covid-19, they said in a statement. A State Department spokesperson who asked not to be named earlier said that preventing the spread of Covid is a top priority for the U.S. and key to alliance readiness.

The spread has strained ties between the allies and comes as Okinawa, which is home to several U.S. bases, is posting record infection numbers. The island prefecture is seeking help to stem the flow of infections that Governor Denny Tamaki has blamed at least partly on American troops.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Friday virus curbs would be introduced from Jan. 9-31 in Okinawa, as well as in the prefectures of Hiroshima and Yamaguchi.

The two sides reaffirmed in the virtual meeting their cooperation plays a critical role as the cornerstone of regional peace, security, and prosperity, as they look to counter challenges posed by the likes of China and North Korea, the statement said. The talks took place virtually because of the spread of the omicron variant of Covid-19, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remains in quarantine after becoming infected with the virus.

Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters after the meeting Japan asked the U.S. to reinforce Covid measures at U.S. military facilities, including restrictions on going out, and said he was told by Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the Japanese requests were understood clearly.

Hayashi was underscoring a similar message he conveyed by phone to Blinken the previous day, according to a statement issued by Japans Foreign Ministry. U.S. Forces Japan said in a statement issued after that call that mitigation efforts would be stepped up for all military installations across the country.

Pacifist Japan relies heavily on its only treaty ally, the U.S., for national security, but local communities have long complained of crime, pollution and accidents associated with the military bases. The spread of the virus adds a new headache for the alliance.

Okinawa recorded 1,414 cases for Friday, its worst level since the pandemic began, national broadcaster NHK said. Yamaguchi, which also hosts a U.S. Marine base, is seeing an unprecedented surge, while Hiroshima is adjacent to Yamaguchi.

Japans number of daily infections nationwide is forecast to leap to more than 5,000 Friday, broadcaster TBS said, a figure dwarfed by the more than a million cases recorded in the U.S. earlier in the week. Tokyo confirmed 922 infections on Friday, also the worst since September and 12 times the level a week ago.
Military housing landlord Hunt Companies LLC has agreed to pay $500,000 in a settlement to resolve allegations that the company falsified maintenance records at Dover Air Force Base, Del., the Justice Department announced Thursday.

Between January 2013 and June 2019, Hunt submitted false information to the Air Force to receive higher performance-based bonuses from the government, according to the Justice Department. While the settlement agreement resolves these allegations, there has been no admission of fault by the company.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Delaware is committed to fighting for the wellbeing of our service members and their families, especially those stationed at Dover Air Force Base, U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss said in a statement. When companies put service members welfare at risk to maximize profit, they cheat the government as well as everyone who serves our country. We will not tolerate such disappointing conduct.

Hunt, which manages 980 multi- and single-family homes at Dover Air Force Base, is one on the largest private companies to manage military housing, according to its website. Based in El Paso, Texas, the company manages more than 18,000 homes for the Air Force and about another 15,000 for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.

A representative for the company said in a statement that it fully cooperated with the Justice Department throughout the investigation, which began January 2020 and is now closed.

The civil settlement agreement with the DOJ makes clear that the settlement is not an admission of liability and that [Hunt] expressly denies the allegations underlying the settlement, according to the statement.

Last month, the Justice Department closed a separate investigation into another military housing landlord, Balfour Beatty Communities LLC. In that case, employees were changing maintenance records to meet goals required to earn financial bonuses from the Air Force, according to the Justice Department. The company pleaded guilty to fraud and was sentenced to pay $65 million in criminal fines and restitution.

The Hunt case stemmed from a former employee who filed a whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act after seeing colleagues manipulate maintenance records and then provide altered aggregate data to Air Force officials to receive financial bonuses from the military, according to the lawsuit filed Jan. 23, 2020, in the U.S. District Court, Delaware District.

Christine Kibler, a Realtor who worked as the community director for Hunt at Dover AFB from April to June 2019, said she noticed maintenance was marked as complete, but a walk-through of the home showed otherwise. She began to keep a list of concerns and the residents who were affected, according to the lawsuit.

Beginning in May 2019 and continuing through her termination, she observed appalling conditions in the military housing maintained by defendants. On top of the various mold, water, electrical and other maintenance issues, [Kibler] quickly became aware of the fact that defendants employees were submitting falsified service tickets for work never performed in order to continue receiving funding from the Department of Defense. [Kibler] has reason to believe the conduct was occurring prior to her employment and continues through the present date, according to the lawsuit.

Shortly after Kibler offered up her findings to a colleague, she was fired because she was not the right fit, according to the lawsuit. Hunt representatives declined to say whether any employees named in the lawsuit still work for the company.

The conditions from our clients standpoint were so egregious that she only lasted a few months in this position because she saw everything right off the bat, said Jesse Hoyer Estes, an attorney with the Hoyer Law Group representing Kibler. She has experience in this area, and from the second she stepped on to the facilities, she recognized so many things that were wrong, and so horribly wrong, that she started making noise right away.

A settlement with no admission of guilt is typical in these types of whistleblower cases and is typically in the best interest of both sides, because litigation always comes with risk, Hoyer Estes said.
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ST. LOUIS (Tribune News Service)  People unsure of their illness leaving before they are seen by doctors. Sick patients waiting for hours, sometimes days, in an emergency room because there is nowhere for them to be admitted. Others dying in small-town hospitals unable to access the services they need in urban centers like St. Louis.

Those are some of the scenarios Dr. Aamina Akhtar, chief medical officer for Mercy Hospital South, said are playing out in emergency departments across the region as the hyper-infectious omicron variant pushes COVID-19 hospitalizations to record levels and sickens health care staff.

People with a serious illness can be stabilized in an emergency department, but if they need to be admitted, thats where the trouble starts.

You become what we call a boarder. You are that patient in limbo, waiting in a room or even a hallway, with staff trying to provide the best care they can, Akhtar said. You may never get the care you really need.

Some of these boarders may sit for hours, sometimes days and sometimes long enough they get discharged from that status  so never reaching the level of health care we would like to provide, she said.

Akhtar gave the example of a patient showing up with kidney failure at an emergency department in a rural area. Doctors would typically transfer that patient to a larger facility with capability to perform hemodialysis and let the patient recover.

But now, hospitals in St. Louis and other urban areas are not able to take those patients because they dont have the staff to care for them.

We also unfortunately know that in some cases, these patients continue to wait, and that transfer never happens, Akhtar said. Some of these patients unfortunately end up staying in the small ER rooms and pass away from clinical conditions that have easy medical solutions.

Breaking records

Leaders of St. Louis-area hospital systems say they are trying to do the best they can with the resources they have, but they are running out of options with the exponentially increasing number of patients.

By Dec. 10, the number of patients with confirmed cases in the St. Louis regions hospitals had doubled in just a few weeks to 501. On Tuesday, the number doubled again, exceeding 1,000 for the first time during the pandemic.

On Thursday, St. Louis-area hospitals reported 1,158 patients with confirmed COVID-19  setting a record for the fourth day in a row, and well above last winters peak of 962. More than two-thirds are unvaccinated.

Predictive models indicate the numbers could double again in a couple weeks, literally taking the curve off of the current chart.

The hospitals also reported losing 21 patients to COVID-19, the most in one day since Jan. 13 of last year.

During the start of the latest surge, on Dec. 2, 83-year-old Barbara Finch of Clayton went to the emergency room at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital in Creve Coeur, with a severe headache and loss of balance.

Doctors discovered she had pneumonia and an irregular heartbeat. Finch said she waited three days in the emergency room  sharing a public bathroom, unable to shower and eating ice cream for dinner  until there was room for her at a hospital with a cardiac unit.

Thankfully, her health continued to improve, she said, but it was a very loud and frightening three days. Finch partly blamed the unvaccinated for taking up resources.

We have a way to end this pandemic, and we have not done it because people are so selfish that they refuse to get a vaccine that would protect me and others, she said.

Stretched to the max

BJC HealthCare on Wednesday postponed all elective procedures, and officials with SSM Health, Mercy and St. Lukes Hospital said they are postponing procedures and shuffling staff where needed on a daily basis.

Staff shortages are compounding the problem. Akhtar said hospitals are seeing three to four times the number of workers out sick than is typical at this time, some even having to leave mid-shift.

Trying to understand how to take care of those patients when their caregivers are too ill to be here is extremely challenging, she said, and trying to understand how you continue to supply care in a safe manner with the numbers predicted, its hard to wrap your head around how thats possible.

Dr. Matthew Broom, chief medical officer at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, said those out sick include laboratory technicians, radiologists and ambulance drivers, which also adds pressure to those trying to take care of patients.

Hospitals cant discharge patients to a rehabilitation or nursing home to free up beds, because staff at those facilities are also out sick.

Our teams are really being stretched to the max of what they can do, Broom said.

Kansas City area hospitals are also seeing the most ever COVID-19 patients, and doctors there and across Kansas spoke about the crisis facing emergency departments during a virtual meeting Wednesday.

Dr. Richard Watson said people are dying at a five times higher rate in emergency rooms because they cant get transferred to hospitals providing the level of care they need.

Those patients are there upwards of 20 hours-plus in the emergency room and then passing while waiting for transfer to another facility, said Watson, who founded Motient, a company contracting with the state of Kansas to help manage hospital transfers.

Broom, with St. Louis University Hospital, said hes worried about patients in his own emergency room as well as others, whether they are 5 or 150 miles away.

We want to say yes to every single patient, but I think our hospital, much like every other hospital in the region, really can only accommodate the amount of patients up to whatever amount of staffed beds they have on any given day, Broom said.

Dr. Robert Poirier, clinical director of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital emergency department, said the departments 70 to 80 beds have been consistently full, with 40 to 50 people waiting to be seen. Volumes are up to 30% higher than what is typical.

You are focused on those you can benefit the most and that are the sickest, Poirier said.

The type of care patients need and whether they are infectious with COVID-19 impacts how long they may need to wait if they need to be admitted. It can vary from a couple hours to a couple days, Poirier said.

Specialists from other floors try to visit patients waiting in the emergency department, and emergency physicians try to consult often with them, he said, but it does make it harder to focus on the new patients when you have to keep up the care for some of your patients that have been in the ER for a while.

Hospital leaders also said people seeking COVID-19 tests are jamming emergency departments, where providers are required to screen everyone coming through the door.

Mercy St. Louis Hospital on Dec. 27 saw the most people ever come through the doors of its emergency department in one day, said Dr. Alok Sengupta, chairman of Mercys emergency department.

A lot of it is patients with milder symptoms who just want to know if they have COVID or not, and then theres patients coming in who just want to be tested from exposure, to an infected person, Sengupta said. He urged residents with mild or no symptoms to seek testing options through their doctor or visit a state testing site or clinic.

While seriously ill people are seen first, the seriousness of some patient complaints are not immediately obvious. Overwhelmed emergency rooms take longer to get to those patients.

There are times when someone has a chief complaint that doesnt necessarily sound emergent and their vital signs are normal, but once we see them and do tests, we find out there is something emergent going on, thats who our concern is for, patients who fall into that bucket, Sengupta said.

Poirier with Barnes-Jewish said he also worries about patients taking a downturn while waiting to be seen or admitted, especially with the worsening projections.

As clinical chief of the emergency room, he said, its definitely what keeps me up at night.

-------

2022 STLtoday.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Tribune News Service)  Longtime Kern County Honor Flight volunteer Janis Varners smile seemed to be irrepressible at the Honor Flight breakfast held Thursday morning at the Elks Club in downtown Bakersfield.

For years, the breakfasts had been held monthly for the veterans, their families and supporters. But in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic descended on the country, the community events were canceled.

Until Thursday.

Its been two years since Ive seen a lot of these guys, Varner said as she cleared breakfast plates from dozens of tables.

It put a smile on my face.

Varner said a lot of veterans  valued friends  have died in the interim, and it just makes one realize how precious all of the vets are who have taken the flights together to Washington, D.C., to see the memorials and experience the thanks and gratitude many are greeted with along the way.

It was very emotional, Vietnam combat veteran and multiple Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient John Carlson remembered of the Honor Flight he took.

He said he would recommend it to any military veteran without a doubt.

Since its first flight in 2012, the all-volunteer nonprofit has flown more than 1,700 veterans to the nations capital. They receive a heros send-off in Bakersfield and a heros welcome in Washington, D.C., where they take guided tours of the memorials, including the World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Lincoln, Womens, Navy, Marine, and Air Force memorials. They also witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.

As long as we dont get shut down again, we will be flying again in April or May with mostly Vietnam veterans but a small number of World War II and Korean War veterans as well, said Lili Marsh, the organizations executive director.

They meet so many new veterans, form friendships and camaraderie on these trips, Marsh said. That is why we do the breakfasts. So they can continue to see their new friends.

When asked when he served in Vietnam, Carlson, 73, corrected the questioner.

I didnt serve. I fought, he said.

As a soldier with the U.S. Armys 101st Airborne, Carlson fought the Viet Cong in Aushau Valley and with the 5th Mechanized Infantry, battled North Vietnamese Army regulars in the DMZ, the Demilitarized Zone.

It was two different kinds of fighting, he remembered. The Viet Cong were hit and run. The NVA would stick around and fight almost to the end.

Carlson was twice wounded, but each time he was patched up and sent back into the bush. By the time he left Nam in 1969, he had two Purple Hearts and four Bronze Stars, two for heroism and two for distinguished service.

I became a veteran on Veterans Day 1969, Carlson said. Thats the day I was released by the Army.

On every table at the breakfast were placed new, glossy pamphlets created by a team of eight high school students as part of the Jim Burke Education Foundations Ford Dream Builders program.

Four teams of eight students were chosen to compete, out of some 200 applicants, said Team Adviser Diana Mestmaker and Mikie Hay, Jim Burke Fords vice president of community affairs.

They are learning service over self, Mestmaker said of the students who participate in Dream Builders.

The Ford Dream Builders team, The Garlic Company, has printed 4,000 of the pamphlets to be distributed to veterans across the local area.

The idea behind the resource guides is to bring together a broad array of local resources useful to vets and place them all in one well-organized publication.

Mr. Dick Taylor has worked very closely with us, 17-year-old team member Cristal Flores, a senior at East Bakersfield High School, said of the well-known local U.S. Marine veteran and veterans advocate.

Not only do the resource guides include information about the VA clinic in Bakersfield, Kern County Veterans Service Department and Bakersfield Vet Center, they also include less well-known resources, such as Comrades and Canopies, a nonprofit in Taft that helps vets of any age experience skydiving.

By working together as a team, Flores said, the mission is to make a positive impact and just maybe leave a legacy.

When you work together, you can make a change, the high school student said.

Thats the legacy.

(c)2022 The Bakersfield Californian (Bakersfield, Calif.)

Visit The Bakersfield Californian at www.bakersfield.com
For more than a decade, Robert St. Clair III fought Stage 4 colon cancer. Last week, UMass Memorial Health along with the Massachusetts National Guard and police at the hospital honored the 73-year-old for his fight, but in a different arena.

St. Clair was honored on Dec. 30 for his service as a former fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard. St. Clairs wife, Beth, and his three children joined him in his room on the eighth floor of UMass campus.

Outside, the Massachusetts National Guard and police from UMass held a large banner that read, Thank you for your service. St. Clair also received a pin and certificate thanking him for his 38 years of service.

St. Clair died on Jan. 2 at Rose Monahan hospice house in Worcester, Mass., after having colon cancer for 11 years, the hospital said.

According to an obituary, St. Clair was born in Oxford, Miss., but grew up in a Navy family moving every two to three years. He graduated high school in California and earned a bachelors degree from the University of Hawaii.

For 38 years he served in the Air Force and the Air National Guard in Hawaii and Massachusetts. He retired from flying with the rank of Colonel but continued service with the Joint Force Headquarters of the National Guard in Massachusetts.

He gave the best hugs, was a ray of sunshine to all, and always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye, St. Clairs obituary read.

2022 Advance Local Media LLC.

Visit masslive.com .
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WASHINGTON  The Department of Veterans Affairs admitted 236 veterans into its hospitals for coronavirus infections on Dec. 29  the most patients hospitalized in a single day since the pandemic began.

The VA has experienced a surge in active cases during the past month as the newest coronavirus variant  omicron  has spread across the country. Since the start of December, there has been an 800% increase in active cases, from 6,300 on Dec. 1 to more than 57,200 as of Friday.

Hospitalizations are increasing, too, according to the VA. From Dec. 1 to Dec. 31, hospitalizations increased by 74%, and Dec. 29  which falls between Christmas and New Years Day  was the departments busiest day for admitting coronavirus patients. As of Jan. 2, the VA was admitting an average of 199 patients per day with the virus.

However, the VA has not yet compiled the data on hospitalizations for the past week, when it saw a significant rise in active cases. Between Dec. 29 and Friday, cases jumped 150%.

The number of [coronavirus] positive cases and inpatients has increased across VA system in recent weeks, the agency said in a statement Friday. VA is seeing similar trends as the general population  increasing cases and staffing shortages are occurring across the entire country.

As of Friday, nine VA hospitals were reporting more than 1,000 active cases of the virus. The Cleveland VA hospital reported the most active cases Friday, with 1,946 veterans testing positive for the virus. The Orlando VA hospital had the second-most cases with 1,815, and Houston had the third-highest number with 1,472.

A department spokesman said outpatient and inpatient services have been curtailed at some facilities most affected by the coronavirus surge. The agency is again transitioning some appointments to telehealth, rather than veterans being treated in person.

In an outreach campaign published Friday, the VA urged veterans to receive a third dose, or booster, of the coronavirus vaccine. Nearly 4 million veterans  about 65% of all VA patients  are vaccinated, according to VA data. But less than half of vaccinated veterans  about 1.2 million  have received a booster shot.

Dr. Vivian Vega, an attending physician at the Tampa VA hospital, argued booster shots were the best protection against the omicron variant.

We have information telling us the immunity we get from vaccinations starts to diminish, she said. A new variant, plus waning immunity  right now, the reality is that youre not considered fully vaccinated until youre boosted. Thats where youre going to get all your protection.

Its still possible to be infected with the virus after receiving a booster shot, Vega said, though it significantly lessens the chance of severe illness and death.

Vaccines are not like Saran wrap around you, theyre not necessarily going to keep you from getting infected, she said. But we know theyre really, really good at keeping you from ending up in the hospital and at keeping you from dying. So please, Im asking everyone to please schedule your boosters right now.
Stillwater, OK (74074)

Today

Thunderstorms, some strong during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 44F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms, some strong during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 44F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
New Zealand is being urged to heed the lessons from Australia's Covid-19 testing debacle in the event of a similar explosion in Omicron cases in Aotearoa.

Laboratory scientists warn diagnostic testing services would be overwhelmed if people flooded PCR testing sites, but the Ministry of Health insists it is working on a plan to manage demand.

Australian public anger has been growing over the Federal Government's handling of the outbreak, with record high cases, long testing centre queues and a shortage of at-home rapid tests.

Institute of Medical Laboratory Science president Terry Taylor says New Zealand's labs will struggle to cope with unchecked PCR testing rates similar to New South Wales.

"Their labs have been doing upwards of 100,000 PCR tests a day, which we have no question would inundate our own labs and more than likely overrun them."

New Zealand's PCR testing capacity is being expanded to manage around 60,000 swabs per day from February, but that depends on combining samples for testing, which only works when most of the results are negative.

Taylor says the government should devise a national Omicron outbreak plan, prioritising PCR testing for people who were symptomatic.

"I still cannot believe how someone can sit in a car for five or six hours on a hot Sydney day saying they need a PCR test, it really doesn't make much sense.

"There's no need to be sitting in the queue and clogging it up for the people who really need the system."

Some Australian labs have been forced to close temporarily to deal with the backlog in cases.

New Zealand Microbiology Network chair Susan Morpeth says an outbreak of the highly transmissable variant will likely prompt changes to public health advice.

"If an Omicron outbreak starts in New Zealand soon it's likely that we would be overwhelmed by demand for testing," she says.

"The government would need to ask people to only get a swab collected for PCR if they are symptomatic."

Australia's outbreak has resulted in a chronic shortage of rapid antigen test kits, with reports of empty shelves, stockpiling and inflated pricing.

Dr Morpeth says RATs could be used as a diagnostic test if laboratory PCR testing is overwhelmed, but there would need to be clear guidance on when to use them.

"Rapid antigen tests may well be in short supply if we have a huge outbreak in New Zealand," she says.

"I would like to see some clear communication to people about when they should seek a PCR test, when they should use a rapid antigen test and what to do with the results."

The Ministry of Health says it has not done any modelling of Omicron infection numbers, but is working on a testing framework in which RATs are the predominant method for detecting coronavirus infections.

"Using PCR as the predominant diagnostic tool will not be feasible because of the pressure it will place on laboratories and Covid-19 PCR test turnaround times," the ministry says in a statement.

"The Ministry continues to review the ongoing role of RATs as part of its testing strategy in response to emerging variants of Covid-19, such as Omicron, and to alleviate demands on labs for PCR testing."

Almost three million rapid antigen tests are in stock and 20 million on order or in the process of being ordered, the ministry says.

It says it's "working at pace to transition the use of RATs from surveillance to diagnostic" but has not indicated when the tests will be available to the general public at pharmacies and supermarkets.

The Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay says PCR tests are still being relied on here, however, health officials are looking at getting more rapid antigen tests into New Zealand.

The ministry has heeded the advice of Australian officials and is trying to order early.

"Once you start to use them you can actually use up your supply very quickly and I think that's what Australia found themselves in - that they were using their rapid antigen tests at a higher rate than perhaps they'd planned for ...I'm aware that there is a worldwide problem with accessing rapid antigen tests."

Dr McElnay told Morning Report that the priority remained slowing down the arrival of Omicron by focusing on picking up positive cases at the border.

She says the RATs will only be one part of a management strategy of any widespread community outbreak of Omicron.

"We are looking at what has happened overseas and certainly when you have a variant like Omicron prevalent in the community with high rates of disease then those are the situations where rapid antigen tests are very useful."

Dr McElnay says there's some concern about a spread of Omicron cases overwhelming lab testing capacity of PCR tests.

She believes it will take at least a fortnight for Omicron to become widespread and that will provide time to pivot away from the PCR tests, which provided the most reliable results, to the rapid antigen tests.

Pharmacy-supervised rapid antigen tests are free for unvaccinated domestic travellers who meet certain criteria and are also being used by Auckland hospitals and some big businesses.

Pharmacist Clair Connor says there has been a steady stream of people asking about rapid antigen tests at her Auckland chemist.

"On average there are between 10 and 20 people a day just generally asking about rapid antigen testing, wanting to know if they can buy it. They are shocked to find out that they can't," she says.

Connor says some customers have asked if they can ship boxes of RATs to relatives in Australia.

National Party Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says New Zealand has much to learn from Australia's Omicron outbreak.

"I've heard stories of people literally going to 10 or 15 pharmacies before they can find a rapid test. We don't want that to happen in New Zealand. That means we've got to plan ahead," he says.

"We're going to need to use rapid antigen testing on a much bigger scale than we are at the moment."

Bishop says New Zealand should rely on a mix of PCR, saliva and rapid antigen tests, which should be widely available and free or heavily subsidised for certain people.

University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely says there is a remote chance New Zealand could shut Omicron out at the border, otherwise the country could "embrace" the variant and manage it well.

"There are some big lessons here for New Zealand and you've got four to six weeks to put them in place," he says.

"Get heaps of rapid antigen tests in before you get Omicron and change your surveillance systems, or at least have them ready to pivot to being less reliant on PCR when the numbers of Omicron go up."

He recommends widespread use of rapid antigen tests, giving booster shots to two thirds of the over-60s population in the next six weeks, mandatory mask-wearing and density limits.

-RNZ/Jean Edwards.
The Ministry of Health is reporting 35 new community cases in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Lakes.

There are 13 cases to report today in the Bay of Plenty.

Twelve cases are in Tauranga and one case is in the Western Bay of Plenty District.

"Nine of these cases are contacts of previously notified cases, and the source for the other four cases is being investigated," says an MOH spokesperson.

"The cases are a reminder for anyone living in or near the Bay of Plenty with symptoms  no matter how mild  to get tested, even if youre vaccinated and to please stay at home until you return a negative test result.

"Details on testing centres in the Bay of Plenty are available on the Healthpoint website."

The Ministry is also reporting three cases in the Lakes district.

Two cases are in Rotorua, including a MIQ worker, and one case in Taupo. Two of the cases are contacts of previously notified cases and the source for one case is being investigated.

"A Rotorua based MIQ worker tested positive on Wednesday and is currently in isolation. It is currently being investigated to determine if this infection originated from either the community or the facility. The worker is fully vaccinated and up-to-date with regular testing.

"The nature of their work means they do not normally have direct contact with returnees. The result from whole genome sequencing is expected later today.

The Ministry encourages anyone who lives in, or has visited, the Lakes district, particularly in Rotorua, with symptoms  no matter how mild  to get tested, even if youre vaccinated and to please stay at home until you return a negative test result. The Ministry is also asking anyone in the region who is yet to be vaccinated to please do so now.

"Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website."

See a full breakdown in today's numbers below.

COVID-19 vaccine update

Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,978,510 first doses (95%); 3,866,935 second doses (92%); 30,780 third primary doses; 423,710 booster doses

Vaccines administered yesterday: 1,378 first doses; 4,081 second doses; 875 third primary doses and 43,219 booster doses.

Maori (percentage of eligible people): 501,343 first doses (88%); 464,541 second doses (81%)

Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 270,050 first doses (94%); 259,340 second doses (90%)

Vaccination rates by DHB with active cases (percentage of eligible people)

Northland DHB: First doses (89%); second doses (85%)

Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (98%); second doses (96%)

Waikato DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (91%)

Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (90%)

Lakes DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (88%)

Taranaki DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)

Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (91%); second doses (86%)

Hawkes Bay DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (91%)

Canterbury DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%)

Hospitalisations

Cases in hospital: 37; North Shore: 4; Auckland: 14; Middlemore: 13, Tauranga: 5; Waikato: 1

Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (11 cases / 37.9%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (7 cases / 24.1%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (10 cases / 34.5%); 1 unknown (3.4%).

Average age of current hospitalisations: 53

Cases in ICU or HDU: 3 (2 in Middlemore and 1 in Tauranga).

Cases

Seven day rolling average of community cases: 32

Number of new community cases: 35

Number of new cases identified at the border: 24

Location of new community cases: Auckland (18), Waikato (1), Bay of Plenty (13), Lakes (3)

Number of community cases (total): 11,022 (in current community outbreak)

Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8,315

Number of active cases (total): 1,068 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)

Confirmed cases (total): 14,150

Contacts

Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5,257

Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 82%

Percentage who have returned at least one result: 79%

Tests

Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 16,236

Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 11,271

Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 7,758

Wastewater

No unexpected detections.

NZ COVID Tracer

Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,589,761

Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 45,820

My Vaccine Pass

My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,675,518

My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 16,823

Regional updates

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms  no matter how mild  to get tested, even if youre vaccinated. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Auckland

There are 18 new cases being reported in Auckland today.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 1,052 people to isolate at home, including 268 cases.

Waikato

There is one new case in the Waikato today. The case is in Hamilton and has been linked to a previous case.

A pop-up testing site is operating in Waihi and testing is available at Whitianga general practices.

For details of all dedicated testing sites operating over the holiday period, please visit Healthpoint, the DHB webpage or DHB Facebook page.

In the Waikato, Public Health, primary care and manaaki providers are supporting 45 cases to isolate at home.

Lakes

There are three cases in the Lakes district. Two cases are in Rotorua, including a MIQ worker, and one case in Taupo. Two of the cases are contacts of previously notified cases and the source for one case is being investigated.

A Rotorua based MIQ worker tested positive on Wednesday and is currently in isolation. It is currently being investigated to determine if this infection originated from either the community or the facility. The worker is fully vaccinated and up-to-date with regular testing. The nature of their work means they do not normally have direct contact with returnees. The result from whole genome sequencing is expected later today.

The Ministry encourages anyone who lives in, or has visited, the Lakes district, particularly in Rotorua, with symptoms  no matter how mild  to get tested, even if youre vaccinated and to please stay at home until you return a negative test result. The Ministry is also asking anyone in the region who is yet to be vaccinated to please do so now.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Bay of Plenty

There are 13 cases to report today in the Bay of Plenty. Twelve cases are in Tauranga and one case is in the Western Bay of Plenty District.

Nine of these cases are contacts of previously notified cases, and the source for the other four cases is being investigated.

The cases are a reminder for anyone living in or near the Bay of Plenty with symptoms  no matter how mild  to get tested, even if youre vaccinated and to please stay at home until you return a negative test result.

Details on testing centres in the Bay of Plenty are available on the Healthpoint website.
Despite lockdowns and event cancellations, the triathlon community hasnt been deterred, with the Tauranga Half triathlon heading for record entries in January.

The event is one of the most iconic and longest running events on the countrys triathlon calendar, and heads into its 33rd year in 2022.

Part of the Fulton Hogan Mount Festival of Multisport, the Tauranga Half has been cemented as a firm favourite among athletes.

The 2022 Fulton Hogan Mount Festival has four key events, which will see over 2000 athletes descend on Mount Maunganui on January 22.

The event is headlined by the pinnacle event - the Tauranga Half. For athletes wanting a different challenge, there is the AquaBike swim bike event, the 5km, 10km or 21km Mount Run or the brand new Pilot Bay Swim for avid ocean swimmers.

Event Director Julia Tilley is blown away by the support of this years event from the countrys committed triathlon community.

"With so many event cancellations and uncertainty that the past year has bought, its humbling to see so many athletes still happy to get behind the event and enter early.

"Entries have been consistently tracking ahead of our previous records each month, despite lockdown - everyone is just so excited to race!"

The Tauranga Half is the main attraction for elite athletes, with many of New Zealands best heading to the start line again in 2022.

The line up includes two time winner and Bay of Plenty local, Hannah Wells who has just returned from lining up with some of the best in the world over the winter.

Wells backed up her IRONMAN NZ debut win in March with a credible 5th placing at IRONMAN Florida In November.

In reflecting on IRONMAN Florida, Wells says it's the biggest and most competitive field she has raced in, and after learning a lot, she is excited to come home and race on home turf.

"It feels good to soon be competing in an event in my hometown. I love racing at home and seeing so many people I know out on course, either racing or supporting."

The elite mens line up is equally impressive in 2022 with a plethora of past winners including two time winner and Multisport Champion Braden Currie, 10 times Tauranga Half Champion Cameron Brown, and former Tauranga Half winner Mike Phillips.

Another one to watch will be Aucklands Jack Moody who has been chasing the top spot at the Tauranga Half for the past few years.

"I have managed to take a step on to either side of the podium in recent years, but the top step has proved rather elusive with such a high calibre of athletes always showing up for what is a staple event in the kiwi summer," says Moody.

The addition of the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road Highway to the bike course in 2021 saw new event and national records set, with the Tauranga Half being touted as the fastest half distance race in the country .

The athletes will be looking to challenge the course records set by Teresa Adams and Kyle Smith in January last year. Jack has been training hard over the winter and will be bringing all his endurance to the start line of the 2022 event.

In looking ahead to this years race, Moody said - "I think we can still expect to see the likes of Mike Phillips and Braden Currie up the road early on come race time but anything can happen over a few hours of full throttle racing".

"For me I just have to focus on bringing out the best performance I can possibly deliver and not dwell on what anyone else is doing - in saying that if more competition is the catalyst for us raising the bar and breaking the course record again then awesome."

The start line for all Fulton Hogan Mount Festival events is the stunning Pilot Bay. The festival is a regular highlight of the regions summer calendar with over 2000 athletes expected to take part in events across the festival.

Entries: www.mountfestival.kiwi

Mount Festival of Multisport  22 January 2022 Pilot Bay, Mount Maunganui

Events; Tauranga Half 2km Swim 90km Bike 21km Run Aqua Bike 3km Swim 120km Bike Mount Run Run  5km, 10km or 21km Pilot Bay Swim Ocean Swim  750m, 2km, 3.7km
Drug testing organisations have seen a dramatic drop in the prevalence of eutylone - a synthetic drug often referred to as "bath salts" and sold as MDMA.

It comes as festival-goers spend their first summer under a law change, which allows drug testing services to legally operate.

Managing director of Know Your Stuff Wendy Allison told Morning Report that the drug testing service had found a dramatically smaller amount of eutylone in the supply of MDMA.

"Last summer, we saw in the end 25 per cent of the samples brought to us as MDMA turned out to be eutylone and at some events it was up to 50 per cent.

"This year we're looking at around 10 per cent so one in 10 is the chance of MDMA being eutylone," Allison says.

She says the service did not identify any new cathinones of great concern in the recreational drug supply over the summer season.

Earlier this year, law changes were made to allow drug testing services like Know Your Stuff to legally operate at music festivals.

Allison says the law change has enabled the service to collaborate, expand and increase testing capacity.

"What the law change has done has allowed us to expand and has also allowed other organisations to move into this space which means the service is more available and that has increased the amount of testing that we're doing.

"The other thing that I think is really cool is it has allowed us to openly collaborate with other organisations such as St John and event management to make sure a network of information sharing is going on."

Allison says if Know Your Stuff volunteers identify a dangerous substance circulating at an event they can now quickly provide advice to medics and event management.

Last year, the service raised enough funds to purchase two additional spectrometers, which are used to identify different chemicals, but Allison says they are still unequipped to cope with the massive demand from events over summer.

"We only have access to five (spectrometers) and that number of spectrometers is what is now limiting our capacity to attend events especially at busy times like New Years where there's eight or nine events at once - we just can't get to all of them."

Despite a lack of equipment, she said the volunteer-run service was still in for a busy period over the rest of summer.

"There is this odd perception that New Years is the start and end of the festival season and it really isn't, we've got more work in front of us than behind us at the moment."

Allison says the service will have their work cut out this year with some large scale festivals such as Rhythm and Vines postponed until Easter.

-RNZ.
Bay of Plenty

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Consistent scanning of QR codes can provide significant boosts to contact tracers' efforts to contain Omicron outbreaks, according to Dr Andrew Chen.

With Omicron knocking on New Zealand's doorstep, there is concern about how the country's contact tracing system will cope when it begins spreading in the community.

The system came under severe strain when Delta leaked into the community back in August. Delta is less transmissible than Omicron.

University of Auckland research fellow and technologist Dr Andrew Chen told Morning Report that widespread use of the Covid-19 tracer app could prove vital as health authorities try to keep Omicron out of the community.

Chen says the rate at which New Zealanders are scanning QR codes is "well above" the rate shown at this time last year.

"The Delta outbreak really got a lot of people out of that complacency mode and a lot of people are doing it on a regular basis now.

"The catch with that is it's still not everyone so we've probably got about between one-and-a-half to two million people participating on a regular basis and that means there's probably another million or so that aren't really doing it as much as they should be, says Chen.

Although some people became complacent in their contact tracing habits during the Delta outbreak, Chen says the constant stream of news tracking the spread of the Omicron variant around the world may have led to a bounce back in vigilance.

"I think that there is a real sense that contact tracing behaviour or scanning QR codes is being driven by a perception of fear or a perception that there is something wrong happening in the community - an outbreak, for example.

"Once Omicron gets here it will be very difficult for us to stamp it out and then our response would have to move to managing it again."

With the threat of the Omicron variant, Chen says people keeping detailed Covid tracer logs may well be the difference between health authorities being able to contain a singular Omicron community case rather than it turning into an outbreak.

"If the person who gets Omicron and is in the community has been actively using the NZ Covid tracer and has a good diary and has been using the Bluetooth then that will significantly improve the speed at which contact tracers can get out there and find those close contacts.

"That will really significantly improve the speed with which contact tracers can find those close contacts and that will really significantly improve our likelihood of containing that outbreak to that one case or a small number of cases initially rather than it spreading out of control."

Chen says "speed is key" when dealing with any variant of Covid-19 and urges people to scan in regularly so contact tracers have the best chance of tracking any potential spread of the virus.
    ,   .        ,    .
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Tahlequah, OK (74464)

Today

Occasional thunderstorms - possibly severe. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 49F. S winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

Occasional thunderstorms - possibly severe. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 49F. S winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected.
Tahlequah, OK (74464)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms, some locally strong to perhaps severe. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 72F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Strong thunderstorms likely. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. Low 49F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near an inch.
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Controlling the volume of Nest smart speaker groups just got harder after Google lost a key round in a patent dispute with Sonos, and Nest speaker users areunderstandablyhopping mad.

On the Nest community forum, Google notified users Thursday that it would be making some changes to speaker group functionality, the biggest one being that moving ahead, youll need to adjust the volume of speakers in Google speaker groups individually rather than using a group volume slider.

Another big change for Google smart speaker users is that they wont be able to use the physical volume controls on their phones to change the volume of speaker groups.

The speaker group changes apply to users who want to control the volume in the Google Home app, by voice with the Google Assistant, or directly on your Nest Hub display, Google said.

Otherwise, speaker groups should continue functioning as expected unless youre using other brands of Cast-based devices, such as JBL or Lenovo, in which case their firmware may need to be updated.

Google added that a small set of users may be prompted to use the Device Utility app (or DUA) to install needed updates.

The abrupt disappearance of group speaker volume features came after (as detailed by The New York Times) the United States International Trade Commission ruled Thursday that Google had violated five Sonos patents relating to networked and synchronized home speakers, a dispute thats been brewing for years. Sonos first sued Google over its patents back in 2020.

Google now faces an import ban of products that violate Sonoss patents (including Google Nest smart speakers and Chromecast streaming devices, all imported from China) that could go into effect in 60 days following the ruling.

In a statement emailed to TechHive, Sonos Chief Legal Officer Eddie Lazarus noted that Google may degrade or eliminate product features in a way that circumvents the importation ban that the ITC has imposed, adding that Google canas other companies have already donepay a fair royalty for the technologies it has misappropriated.

In response, a Google spokesperson said in a statement: While we disagree with [the] decision, we appreciate that the International Trade Commission has approved our modified designs and we do not expect any impact to our ability to import or sell our products. We will seek further review and continue to defend ourselves against Sonos frivolous claims about our partnership and intellectual property.

Meanwhile, users on Googles Nest forum vented about being caught in the crossfire.

This is not ok, wrote one user. Completely negates why [I] bought into Google speakers for the house. I believe a rebate is in order, your devices no longer work as advertised and as sold. I shall have to look elsewhere.

So you got sued by Sonos and we pay the price? wrote another user.

While awaiting a presidential review of the trade ban, Google will presumably be working on ways of reenabling group speaker volume control in a way that steers clear of Sonos patent violations.

Of course, another option would be for Google to simply cough up a royalty fee to Sonos.

Google had no comment about when the group speaker volume slider might be restored.

Updated shortly after publication with a comment from Google.
Why it matters: A lot of people today only know Kazakhstan as the home of fictional character Borat, but it's also one of the biggest Bitcoin-mining nations. The country's importance in the world of crypto was illustrated this week when the overall BTC hashrate fell 13.4% after Kazakhstan's internet was shut down amid widespread protests and violent clashes between protestors and authorities.

Research by the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance last year showed that Kazakhstan had become the second-largest center for Bitcoin mining after China clamped down hard on the industry. The country was responsible for 18% of all Bitcoin mining as of August---that figure stood at 8% before China started hammering down on crypto.

The scale of Kazakhstan Bitcoin mining operations was made apparent this week when, after protests over sharply rising fuel prices led to widespread unrest, "a nation-scale internet blackout" was put in place to disrupt protestors' communications.

"I guess some geeks would say that in theory, you could mine without internet, but in practice, all the machines in Kazakhstan should be turned off because of the internet shutdown," Jaran Mellerud, a researcher at Arcane Research, told CoinDesk.

With so many miners cut off from the Bitcoin network, the overall BTC hashrate fell from around 205,000 petahash per second to 177,330 petahash per second.

Btc.com estimates that Antpool, Poolin, F2Pool, and Binance Pool saw significant reductions in their hashrates around the same time as Kazakhstan's internet was shut down. According to Mellerud, the pools are widely used by Kazakh miners.

Bitcoin's price has also plunged since the Kazakhstan blackout, dropping from around $46,000 to $41,000.

It's estimated that over 87,849 power-intensive mining rigs moved from China to Kazakhstan following the former's crackdown, attracted by the former Soviet state's low electricity prices. Reports state that demand for electricity in Kazakhstan increased around eight percent last year, a surge that caused power shortages, blackouts in six regions of the country since October, and shutdowns at three power plants.

Electrical grid operator KEGOC announced in 2021 that it would be rationing electricity to 50 registered crypto miners. They will also be the first disconnected in the event of grid failures.

Kazakh officials said much of the increased power usage is the fault of "gray miners," unregistered crypto miners that operate from home or from factories. It's estimated that they are behind the consumption of 1200 megawatts (MW) of power from the country's power grid. Combined with "white" miners' 600 MW of power usage, mining accounts for 8% of Kazakhstan's total energy consumption. This year will see registered miners charged a compensation fee of 1 tenge (about $0.0023) to help with the situation and identify illegal miners.
What just happened? Facebook parent company Meta is being sued by the sister of a federal security guard who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2020. The suit claims that the social network was responsible for connecting the two individuals charged in the incident and helping them plan the attack.

Dave Patrick Underwood was shot and killed outside a federal building and courthouse in Oakland, California, in May 2020. His sister, Angela Underwood Jacobs, filed a complaint in Alameda County Superior Court that claims the shooting "was not a random act of violence" but a "culmination of an extremist plot hatched and planned on Facebook by two men who Meta connected through Facebook's groups infrastructure and its use of algorithms designed and intended to increase user engagement."

The two men charged in the case were linked to the "boogaloo" anti-government movement that Facebook banned from its platform in June of 2020, reports Engadget. The ban stemmed from "actively promoting violence against civilians, law enforcement and government officials and institutions."

The suit will challenge the controversial Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 piece of legislation that says an interactive computer service can't be held liable for third-party content as it isn't the publisher of that material. Joe Biden said he wanted to revoke or rewrite Section 230 back at the start of 2020, and it was a major focus when Facebook, Twitter, and Google testified before Congress last year.

"Facebook bears responsibility for the murder of my brother," Jacobs said in a statement. "Facebook knowingly promoted inflammatory and violent content and connected extremists who plotted and carried out the killing of my brother. Facebook must be held responsible for the harm it has caused not just my family, but so many others through its promotion of extremist content and by promoting algorithms to actively recruit members to its web platform."

One of the claims made by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen (above) was that the platform knowingly encouraged and promoted extremist content, an accusation cited by Jacobs' attorney, Ted Leopold.

"We believe and intend to show that Facebook's conduct has led to a rise in extremism throughout the world and acts of real-world violence, including the murder of Officer Underwood," Leopold said.

A Meta spokesperson told the The New York Times that the "claims are without legal basis," and that it had "banned more than 1,000 militarized social movements."

Facebook has spent years being accused of failing to remove extremist content that could incite violence. An Israeli minister called the company a "monster" in 2016 over claims it was partly to blame for the death of two 13-year-olds. More recently, Facebook was sued by Rohingya refugees for $150 billion over the Myanmar genocide, during which it allegedly allowed hate speech on the platform.
Why it matters: As predicted, one of the items unveiled by AMD during its Product Premier livestream this week was the Radeon RX 6500 XT. The card arrives on January 19 with an MSRP of $199, and while AMD previously said it's expected to be the most accessible and affordable card of the last two years, it already looks like the suggested selling price was optimistic, unsurprisingly.

A report from French site CowCotland claims that the Radeon RX 6500 XT will sell for 299 Euros in the country, making it around 50% more expensive than the European MSRP, according to VideoCardz. That's around the same as or slightly less than the MSRP increase applied to other RDNA 2 cards in Europe.

In an interview with PCWorld about the Radeon RX 6500 XT, AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su said, "We're positioning the launch such that - and I know, you guys always say, 'Well, yeah, they're just saying that' - but we really are positioning the launch at a $199 price point. It is sort of affordable to the mainstream. You know, we intend to have a lot of product out there."

Image courtesy of 3DCenter

As for the card itself, the RX 6500 XT, built on a new 6nm architecture, features a PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 interface, 16 compute units, 16 MB of infinity cache, a 2.6 GHz game clock, and 4GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus. While many may balk at the paltry amount of VRAM, using 4GB was an intentional move by AMD to make the card less appealing to miners, thereby improving availability and the selling price. That's the plan, anyway.

It'll certainly be interesting to see how Nvidia's response to the RX 6500 XT, the desktop RTX 3050, will fare when it arrives in late January. Team green's card has 8GB of VRAM and a $249 MSRP, but it will likely face more demand from miners, potentially pushing up the price and exacerbating availability problems.

You can watch AMD's full Product Premier livestream here and Nvidia's CES keynote here.
What just happened? A US trade court has ruled in favor of Sonos in its ongoing legal battle against Google for allegedly infringing on its speaker technology patents. Google already responded with software updates to get around the IP claim, which many of its customers aren't taking well.

In 60 days, Google will be banned from importing into the United States any products falling under the International Trade Commission's ruling that it infringed on Sonos' patents. The judgment is under presidential review during those 60 days.

According to The New York Times, this will affect Google Home speakers, Pixel phones, Chromecasts, and some computers.

Sonos was in the business of connected smart speakers before Google, but in 2013 the two companies entered a partnership to make Sonos speakers compatible with Google Play Music. When Google later released Google Home, the Pixel phones, and the Chromecast, Sonos claimed Google had used information gained during their product partnership and sued the company in January 2020.

This week's final ruling upholds a preliminary verdict from August 2020 in Sonos' favor.

Shortly afterward, Google revealed software updates to its smart speakers because of the ruling. Now, users will have to adjust the volume of each speaker individually and can no longer use their phone's physical volume button to do so. The comment section of that announcement is full of angry customers, some asking for refunds.

Masthead credit: Ajay Suresh
The Volkswagen ID.Buzz is coming to the market, and it would officially debut from the famous German automobile manufacturer as one of the revamp of its classic van. There have been a lot of speculations on the VW Bus to be remade for modern times. Now, it is an electric vehicle that stays close to its roots as it is mainly associated with "nature lovers."

Volkswagen's ID.Buzz Launch Date: When is it Coming?

Herbert Diess, the current CEO of Volkswagen, released a tweet about a sketch of the ID.Buzz electric vehicle and teasing the car's launch date. It is unknown if this launch date would be in a face-to-face or on-site setup or still look into an online event to avoid transmitting the virus.

The launch date is on March 9, 2022, and Diess invites everyone to witness the event of the popular bus.

The legend returns on 03/09/22! pic.twitter.com/Q4hFyCN5mr  Herbert Diess (@Herbert_Diess) January 6, 2022

Volkswagen's ID.Buzz remains a concept vehicle until now, especially as the company kept it under secrecy, only revealing several details from the company.

One of its features to come is the integration of Argo AI for self-driving capabilities.

Read Also: Apple Global Head of Battery Development Jumps to Volkswagen, Is It Because of Apple Car Issues?

Volkswagen ID.Buzz: What to Expect?

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz is an electric vehicle that can indeed seat a family or a large group, with its inclination being road trips and other lifestyle activities. It will come in different neo-retro colors, featuring elements from its classic make to the modern vehicle.

It will still follow a van set up that would have two doors at the front, with a sliding door on both sides for the passengers of the electric vehicle.

Volkswagen's Electric Mobility

Volkswagen is known for its focus on the "ID" lineup under the NEO project that it launched several years ago to bring the company's first electric vehicle releases. The venture is a massive jump from the company's focus earlier, especially as it faced several issues and disputes about the emissions fraud it kept from the public.

However, that is not yet the end for Volkswagen's venture into clean energy as the company already aims to release the so-called Project Trinity for this year or in the coming ones. No one knows as this project has a tight wrap over it, with no releases from the company yet.

VW already pledged to discontinue its internal combustion engine production in 2035, with the company stopping it in the years to come.

The German car manufacturer is all about change now, and the shift in clean energy is something that it focuses on and prioritizes. The ID.Buzz may be a revamp of the classic, but it will focus on sustainable energy sources and avoid the traditional emission cars bring to the environment.

Undoubtedly, the hippies and tree huggers of the 60s would be proud.

Related Article: Volkswagen ID. Buzz Confirmed by Recent Press Release; Electric Camper Van Release Date?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
France is planning to build new nuclear power reactors in the next decade in line with its mission to cut CO2 emissions in the country. To carry out this plan, the government should submit its proposal for the power plans around 2023.

Most likely, the program is expected to kick off at a target date of 2035-2037, according to the junior environment minister Berangere Abba on Thursday, Jan. 6.

France to Build Nuclear Reactors In the Next Decade

According to a report by Reuters, President Emmanuel Macron first mentioned the plans about bringing nuclear reactors in France last November. The French leader said that this would help the country to stray away from using natural gas and imported oil.

Most importantly, the government is seeking ways on how to lessen global warming, particularly sticking to its zero-emission technology.

In another report from Macau Business, Abba said during the Senate hearing that the reactors will be the updated versions of the current European Pressurized Reactors (EPF) which was originally created by EDF.

In addition, she stated that the schedule for the filing for the nuclear plants will take place around next year. The government concluded that it would begin operations with these reactors in 2035-2037.

Abba, who assumed office in 2020 added that they would announce the specific number of the new nuclear reactors that would go online soon. For the construction of six (6) EPR2s, EDF made it possible by offering $57 billion (50 billion euros).

Related Article: China to Target Production of 1000 Nuclear Weapons by 2030 | Pentagon Expresses Concern About This

EDF Files Security Designs For EPR2

Regarding the security designs for the EPR2 nuclear reactors, EDF has finished filing them with the help of ASN (nuclear security agency). The latter is responsible for validating the outline of the framework.

Abba said that they have already received the feedback for the first EPRs that will be built in the next few years.

Currently, 56 nuclear reactors occupy 18 plants in France. The power plants are assigned for the production of electricity across the country.

Furthermore, EDF expects to build more of them including the first EPR which will be located at Flamanville. There will be another one that will be deployed in Northwestern France.

Since 2007, the project has been delayed many times and the government suffered from cost overruns from the start. Originally, the budget for this program only cost 3.3 billion euros. Now, it could hit up to 12.4 billion euros after many years.

In the next few weeks, France will be restarting coal-powered plants despite Macron's announcement that they would gradually close them in late 2022. This is because some of them suffered from technical issues while others will have to undergo maintenance.

In Tech Times' article about the experimental nuclear reactor, it was mentioned there that France began deploying 2,300 workforces for its ITER venture, the largest nuclear fusion experiment.

Meanwhile, NASA announced in November that it was looking for submissions for the construction of nuclear power plant on the moon.

Read Also: Tesla Solar Roof: Can It Power Your Home During the Cold Winter Season?



This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joseph Henry

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Finalsite, one of the largest school website developers, has been breached by a ransomware attack. Because of this, many school web pages are currently down.

This is currently a major issue, especially since students need updates from their educational institutions to have the latest updates for their classes.

Right now, some public schools have already canceled their classes because of Omicron, one of the latest variants of COVID-19.

Reuters recently reported that the third-largest education district in the U.S., Chicago Public Schools, decided to postpone classes after teachers walked out, demanding stricter safety measures.

Finalsite Ransomware Attack

According to TechCrunch's latest report, Finalsite's security team confirmed that a ransomware attack was able to breach their system on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

Also Read: Google Docs Users Beware! New Phishing Campaign Uses Comment Feature to Send Malicious Emails

But, they said that immediate security actions were conducted to prevent data theft or other malicious activities.

"We quickly launched an investigation into the event with the assistance of third-party forensic specialists, and began proactively taking certain systems offline," said the school website developer.

The latest security breach created a massive website outage, which affected around 5,000 customers. These include the school districts in Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas City.

Now, Finalsite's official website announced that most of the affected websites are back online. But, the company added that some pages may still experience laggings and other internal issues.

Why Finalsite Breach is a Big Deal

Reddit user U/flunky_the_majestic explained that the latest security breach against Finalsite affected essential class cancellation notifications, preventing them from being sent to students.

Because of this, many school districts complained that they cannot use their emergency notification system to inform communities about the class closures.

Aside from notifications, Finalsite also provided other issues created by the latest security breach:

Website admin side issues.

503 website error messages.

Missing styling, which we are still actively restoring.

In other news, a new iOS trojan malware is now targeting iPhone users. Meanwhile, Google released a new security patch to fix Android bug that affects 911 calls.

For more news updates about security and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

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Update: PoliMOVE wins the Indy Autonomous Challenge at CES 2022 after a nerve wracking spin out by the runners up, TUM. Luckily, the accident wasn't too bad for the second place team, but it will keep their rivalry with PoliMOVE ever strong moving into the IAC's next race, which has yet to be officially scheduled.

On Friday, Jan. 7, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway proves grounds for a revolutionary new form of auto racing: pitting autonomous F1 vehicles to the test.





Several teams of intelligent engineers and racing fans came together to bred the Indy Autonomous Challenge, wherein high-tech computer-operated race cars rip up gravel at speeds of up to 150 to 160 mph. The teams of challengers is extensive, including Universities like Auburn, Purdue, Hawaii, and more, all vying for the $1.5 million prize pool.



The event, which was brought together in part by both the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and its incorporated Foundation umbrella via the Energy Systems Network (ESN), will test the abilities of fully autonomous race cars and the software behind them to imagine a whole new mode of Motorsport. Not only does the event itself expect to prove the viability of these technologies, but likewise will aid the advancements in research and development of ADAS, otherwise known as advanced driver-assistance systems.





Gary Shapiro, CEO of the CTA, explains how the IAC will broaden the representation and understanding of autonomous driving: "With automotive and transportation tech tracking for record growth at CES 2022, the Autonomous Challenge @ CES will further show our attendees all that is possible with self-driving vehicle technology."



The rides themselves look no different than your typical Formula 1 race car, despite, of course, missing a dedicated driver. Instead, the cockpit of the vehicles is retrofitted with a myriad of high-tech computer components, cameras, and assorted hardware. One look, and you wouldn't even guess that the car could, in theory, drive on its own accord.



Of course, they aren't fully autonomous, as there are still several individuals haunched behind monitors maintaining visuals on necessary drive train readings and data and literally controlling the vehicles via sophisticated software.



"Our university teams have proven that they can advance autonomous technology by setting world records with high-speed laps and now on the biggest technology stage at CES 2022, they will take it to the next level with a head-to-head passing competition," says ENS President and CEO, Paul Mitchell.



The hype and anticipation are ever palpable, with the teams testing rides both on and off the track as military jets fly low overhead at the LVMS. It's almost surreal hearing the loud engines of advanced aircraft adjacent to the autonomous F1's system testings on the track. CES 2022 yet again reinforces the notion that the future is now, thus the IAC a picturesque moment in this presentation.



Watch the Indy Autonomous event live at IndyAChallenge on Twitch from 12-4 PM PST.

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A safe space to learn, and to lead: the All In Ice Fest goes through Sunday. (Photo courtesy of Janelle Paciencia)
For Dr. Mark Mitchell, the day his team releases an animal that has been treated for an injury is always a moment of joy.

When that animal is a bald eagle, joy turns into pride.

Several hundred years ago people saw this majestic species and decided to call them our symbol, said Mitchell, who is a professor of zoological medicine and director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at LSU. Today, we are able to rehabilitate these animals and give them a second chance in life. Its an honor.

On Thursday, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicines Wildlife Hospital drove from Baton Rouge down to Lake End Park in Morgan City, where the bald eagle was released from her cage. Not far from that spot, nearly three weeks ago, the female eagle was severely injured after being hit by a truck. After the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries brought the eagle to LSU, the team took care of her until she was healthy enough to fly again.

We are very excited about the release because it means that we were successful with the job we did, Mitchell said.

LSU Vet Med receives approximately 15 injured eagles each year and more than 1,200 other wild mammals, birds, and reptiles. Half of those eagles were injured by gunshots, Mitchell said.

This bald eagle didnt want to work with us, she wanted to escape us. But we are glad we got to a point where we helped her to get back to the wild, healthy and safe, Mitchell added. That showed the unique of what the human being can be in a world that sometimes questions that.

The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, passed by Congress in 1940, made it illegal to possess, sell, hunt, or even offer to sell, hunt, or possess bald eagles. This includes their feathers, nests, eggs, or body parts. The criminal penalty, in the case of a first conviction, is up to a $5,000 fine and one years imprisonment. In the case of a second conviction, the maximum fine is increased do $10,000 and the jail time to two years.

The maximum amount of a misdemeanor offense was increased by $100,000 under the Criminal Fines and Improvement Act of 1987. In addition, $250,000 will be fined for an individual for a felony conviction.

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The female eagle released Thursday had no musculoskeletal injury. However, she was carrying an egg, and the impact with the truck, led to dystocia, or awkward positioning of the egg, which makes birthing it difficult.

Using supportive care, we were able to get her to expel the egg, Mitchell said. Unfortunately, the egg was not viable.

The team trained the eagle for nearly three weeks. She flew 10-to-20 laps a day inside the fly cage used by the LSU Hospital.

We hope shell know where to go now, Mitchell said. The fact that these birds can migrate to places like Canada and then come back, well, we hope shell find her nest and her male.

Helping Mitchell was a passionate group of LSU vet students.

You are always studying theoretical notions. Classes, labs, everything," said Aspen Settle, a second-year vet student. "Having the chance to work with this team and help a bald eagle recover was an incredible experience for all of us."

According to a 2015 survey by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, there were 647 eagle nests in Louisiana. The survey found roughly 356 of those were active nests with eggs, young, and adults tending them. Those data proved a remarkable recovery for the eagle population statewide after decades of dropping in population. According to the official data, only five eagles were surveyed in Louisiana in 1973.

LSU Vet Med does not charge a fee to those who bring in these sick and injured animals. The Wildlife Hospital provides this medical care from funds donated to the Wildlife Hospital. Wildlife cases can be dropped off at the LSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital's Small Animal Clinic during regular business hours (8 am to 5 pm) and on weekends.
The Louisiana Supreme Court will hear arguments in December regarding Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center's vaccine mandate.

The court agreed to "expedited review" of the rulings in the case, according to a statement from the group Louisiana for Medical Freedom and attorney James Faircloth Jr., who represents 47 Ochsner employees in their lawsuit against the hospital. Two cases  in Lafayette and Shreveport  are on the court's docket for oral argument on Dec. 7.

"This is terrific news. It is rare, if not unprecedented, for the Court to use its supervisory power to address purely legal issues without a trial or a decision from an ordinary appeal," Faircloth said in a prepared statement. "The Court surely appreciates the gravity and timing of these issues, and recognizes that a longstanding fundamental right is under assault. We look forward to urging the Court to validate Louisiana's right to personal medical autonomy."

Ochsner gave employees until Oct. 29 to take the vaccine. If they refused, according to the hospital's policy, they would be placed on leave until they are vaccinated or for up to 30 days. If they still refused the vaccine after 30 days, they would be dismissed.

Jobs at stake as UL's federal COVID-19 vaccination compliance deadline looms Failure to meet federal COVID-19 mandates by Jan. 4 may cost some people on campus their jobs  work-study students and graduate assistants, a

On Sept. 21, 15th Judicial District Judge Thomas Frederick denied the employees' request for a temporary restraining order to halt enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccine policy.

On Sept. 27, Frederick ruled in favor of Ochsner's assertion that the employees have no cause of action against the hospital because it is a private employer.

In October, Faircloth appealed to the appeals court and state Supreme Court.

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Federal COVID vaccine mandate temporarily halted in Louisiana following lawsuit A federal appeals court in Louisiana has halted a Biden administration order requiring companies with more than 100 employees to mandate COVID

While most cases must first go to the appeals court, Faircloth said a special rule allows the state Supreme Court to exercise supervisory jurisdiction immediately if the appelate court has supervisory jurisdiction and the plaintiff makes a request, which he did.

In a similar case in Lafayette, 15th Judicial District Courth Judge Valerie Gotch Garrett ruled Sept. 30 that it is premature for employees of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette to seek an injunction to halt the hospital's mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy. Basically, Garrett told the employees to wait until the vaccine mandate is enforced before filing a lawsuit.

In a third case out of Lafayette, a University of Louisiana at Lafayette nursing student set to begin clinicals at Ochsner Lafayette General will not be required to take the vaccine.

Ochsner Lafayette General employees appeal mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy Approximately 47 employees of Ochsner Lafayette General Health System have taken their legal battle to halt mandatory COVID-19 vaccines to the

A state statute allows students to opt out of taking the COVID-19 vaccine for any reason as long as they put it in writing. Mia Bourg of Erath said leaders of the university's nursing program were telling students they had to comply with the hospital's vaccination policy or fail clinicals. Instead of going to court, Lafayette General revised its mandatory vaccine policy for students.

Staff writer Claire Taylor contributed to this report.
Moments after the Louisiana Department of Health last week tweeted about a new program promoting COVID-19 vaccinations for teenagers, the Twit
The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled Friday that hospitals can mandate coronavirus vaccines for employees, dealing a blow to hospital staffers who challenged those requirements and opening the door for similar edicts by private employers across the state.

The state Supreme Court's decision in favor of Ochsner Health, the state's largest hospital operator, focused on two arguments: whether Louisianas at-will employment laws affect employers ability to fire employees who refused to receive the vaccine, and whether vaccine mandates infringe on employees privacy rights.

State laws, in fact, allow private employers to fire workers who refuse to get vaccinated, justices ruled. The court also ruled that hospitals and other private employers are not bound by a constitutional provision meant to protect personal privacy.

Louisiana Supreme Court hears arguments from Ochsner, employees over vaccine mandate The Louisiana Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday from lawyers representing Ochsner Health and employees challenging the hospital operator's

"This court finds (the) Employer is entitled to terminate Employees for failure to comply with the vaccine mandate," stated the unanimous court decision, written by Chief Justice John Weimer.

The ruling comes as the coronavirus is again surging locally and across the country, and as federal vaccine-or-test mandates for large employers and certain hospitals are being taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Louisiana has repeatedly broken its record this week for numbers of coronavirus infections reported in a single day, and has tallied 95,905 new cases since the highly contagious omicron variant was identified in the state, data show.

When announcing its mandate for employees last year, Ochsner cited a surge in hospitalizations and deaths from the earlier delta variant of the disease, and said it was trying to protect staffers and patients.

But the roughly 75 staffers who filed suit after that announcement argued that the state's medical consent law, which allows adults to refuse medical treatment, meant that their employers could not mandate they get vaccinated.

The workers, who took aim at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and Ochsner-Lafayette General, also invoked their constitutional right to privacy, which they likened to the right "to be free from discrimination based on race, sex, and religious beliefs in the workforce."

But the Supreme Court held that the medical consent law only applies to the relationship between a health care provider and a patient  not between a private employer and employee.

The court also agreed that the constitutional protections employees cited only potentially apply to public institutions, not private ones, such as Ochsner.

"There is no allegation or even the barest insinuation that Employer is a state actor; indeed, the parties in this case stipulated that Employer is a private actor," reads the ruling.

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Ochsner President and Chief Executive Officer Warner Thomas said in a statement after the ruling that they were pleased with the decision.

Ochsner Lafayette General employees vaccine lawsuit to be heard by state Supreme Court The Louisiana Supreme Court will hear arguments in December regarding Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center's vaccine mandate.

"Ochsner Health remains committed to protecting the health and safety of our patients, team members and everyone across the communities we serve, and this decision supports our right to enact policies that protect patients and staff at our facilities across Louisiana," Thomas said.

An Ochsner spokesperson did not respond to questions Friday about when the vaccine requirement will go back into effect, after Ochsner paused its implementation while the courts took up the issue. Similarly, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System also adopted a vaccine mandate for workers last year that they put on hold during the litigation. A spokesperson for Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center did not respond to messages Friday about how the Ochsner ruling will affect their vaccine mandate.

Jimmy Faircloth, the attorney who represented the health care workers refusing the vaccine, said in a statement that he and his clients will push for the Louisiana Legislature to change state law. Faircloth, who was once executive counsel to former Gov. Bobby Jindal, is well-known at the state Capitol and said there's a strong appetite for an "Individual Medical Rights Act" in the future.

"Some fights are worth it," Faircloth said. "Though our clients are disappointed in the decision, they have always understood that the issue was bound for the legislature."

+4 U.S. Supreme Court considers COVID vaccine rules; Louisiana attorney argues remotely WASHINGTON  Fully vaccinated and mostly masked, the U.S. Supreme Courts conservative majority appeared skeptical Friday of the Biden adminis

He said that the state court "has granted authority for private employers to place medical treatment restrictions on employees for any reason, without explanation or rationale."

"This is uncharted territory for personal autonomy," he added.

The ruling came on the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on vaccine mandates at the federal level. Those cases involve whether to allow U.S. President Joe Biden to implement a requirement that large employers either force employees to receive vaccines or submit to COVID testing. The U.S. Supreme Court is also expected to rule on a separate vaccinate mandate for most health care workers.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry's office has joined several other states fighting against the federal vaccine mandates. So too, has Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill cast vaccine requirements for health care workers as overreach by the federal government.

COVID infections hit another daily record in Louisiana as hospitalizations rise Louisiana notched a new single-day record for COVID-19 infections Thursday, reporting more than 14,000 additional cases, as the highly contagi

Public health officials across the state and the nation have urged as many people to get vaccinated as possible, saying it's the best protection against the coronavirus and significantly reduces the chance of being hospitalized or dying from the virus.
After a COVID-free fall semester, Cristo Rey Franciscan High School joined a list of Baton Rouge-area schools switching to remote learning after the winter holiday as Louisiana educators grapple with the fast-spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Cristo Rey school leader Eric Engemann said a growing number of staffers are testing positive for the virus  or coming into contact with COVID-positive people  which leaves the school with little choice but to go virtual from this coming Monday through the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

Cristo Reys students will return to in-person learning Jan. 18, Engemann said in an interview Friday.

It mostly just became a deal where we had too many people quarantined due to possible exposure or positive cases, he said. Its more of an adult challenge than necessarily a student challenge.

A private Catholic high school, Cristo Rey throughout the fall followed a robust testing protocol which  along with a strict masking policy  school officials credited for non-existent COVID spread leading up to the winter holiday.

In late November, not only was the school still requiring masks even after most schools dropped the practice, it was also limiting class changes to minimize contact among students and lessen viral spread. That approach left the school without a single positive case on campus this year," Engemann said in November.

This week, a mix of private and public schools across the region switched to remote learning as the omicron variant spread rapidly in Louisiana, shattering the states daily record case count three separate times.

Schools in Baton Rouge that have switched to remote learning include Belaire High, Broadmoor High, Buchanan Elementary, Collegiate Baton Rouge, Democracy Prep, Kenilworth Science and Technology Center, Magnolia Woods Elementary, McKinley Senior High and Villa Del Ray Elementary.

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McKinley High, other Baton Rouge schools go remote due to COVID cases; see which ones Three more campuses in Baton Rouge said Thursday they would switch to remote learning for the next few days as schools grapple with the corona

In New Roads, False River Academy said this week that it would switch to remote learning Thursday and Friday. And the entire St. Helena Parish School District  which includes four campuses  changed to remote learning through Monday to address a testing shortage, the district said.

Louisiana Department of Health data show new coronavirus cases among people aged 5 to 17 rose sharply after Christmas, from 731 new cases in the week of Dec. 9 to just short of 2,000 during the week that followed. Almost 5,000 people in that age category tested positive for the virus in the week leading up to the New Year.

Doctors at Orion Laboratories, a company that runs testing for around 200 campuses in the Baton Rouge and Lafayette areas, saw schools' test positivity rate grow from about 0.1% before the winter holiday to 11% over the past four days, when many students returned to class.

The past week has been really tough, Orion CEO David Slaughter said.

The tough part is that we went out on break at the same time this (wave) was starting up, he said. So if we were testing the entire period, wed be in a much better place than we are now, because wed be able to identify people, isolate them and keep them out of the community.

Case rates in schools are likely to improve, Slaughter hopes, as campuses continue to test and trace existing cases. But for now, he said, the spread on this thing is just unbelievable.
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Letters: We are all flawed, if judge asks forgiveness, we should grant it
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When I first took on the role, it really felt like walking into a wall of fire, says former Queensland premier Anna Bligh, recounting her move to the corporate world. We are overlooking Sydneys Balmoral beach on a warm December day and Bligh is talking about her 2017 move to a job representing Australias banks at a time of public fury over a series of banking rip-offs and scandals. Former Queensland premier Anna Bligh Credit:Janie Barrett The ALP, the party in which Bligh had forged her political career, was demanding a royal commission, and Blighs job was to oppose this, and attempt to polish the banks badly tarnished image. To an outsider, it looked like a striking change in a career that had spanned not only politics, but also the community sector, the public service and trade unions. But Bligh, chief executive of the Australian Banking Association, says her move into the business world is not as big a shift as it might appear, as shes always enjoyed wrestling with big, gnarly, difficult problems. Problems are problems wherever you find them, she says.

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Shes certainly had her fair share of those to get stuck into in banking  but more on that later. Were having lunch at Bathers Pavilion, which was suggested by Bligh, who lives in nearby Mosman, as a local favourite. Shes been a Sydneysider since late 2012 and often rides her Vespa to Balmoral for a swim, as the motorbike avoids the hassle of finding a parking spot. I love swimming here. I love the surf, but this is very easy swimming and its a little bit warmer for a Queenslander, she says. It is in the frantic fortnight before Christmas, and the restaurant, with a gorgeous view looking out on swimmers and North Head, is noisy and packed. Bligh explains how the 1920s-era pavilion was originally set up to provide facilities for swimmers: with men at one end of the building and women at the other. These days, the space includes a casual bistro and a fine dining option, where we are eating today. The lunch is a three-course set menu and its time to order: Bligh opts for half a dozen oysters for her appetiser and coral trout for main, while I try the kingfish tartare followed by Murray cod with bush tomato. Sydney rock oysters and royal miyagi pacific oysters. Credit:Janie Barrett Mosman is home to plenty of finance executives, but its fair to say Bligh is not your typical banking lobbyist. She is the ABAs first female chief executive, and she took the job without experience in the industry. Whats more, she has been leading the peak body through a period of massive change.

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During her time in the job, banking has been rocked by the 2018 royal commission, which was ultimately called by then PM Malcolm Turnbull, despite the industrys resistance. The inquiry uncovered all sorts of shocking behaviour, such as banks charging dead people for financial advice, and its consequences are still being felt today: banks are paying tens of millions of dollars to settle regulatory lawsuits. Bligh doesnt shy away from the fact there was serious misconduct, saying: There was a lot of smoke and there was actually a fire. In the years since the scandals were so powerfully brought into the public consciousness, shes had the task of trying to implement changes aimed at gradually winning back the publics trust. Banks have tried to show they are up to the challenge during the COVID-19 economic turmoil, allowing struggling homeowners to temporarily freeze their mortgage repayments, among other relief measures. But Bligh is under no illusions about the long journey banks face, quoting the adage that trust arrives on a tortoise and leaves on a galloping horse. Were still very much in the tortoise phase, she says. Then-premier Anna Bligh at a Labor election campaign launch in 2012. Credit:Glenn Hunt With so much work to be done, how long will she stick around in the job? It still feels very much like unfinished business to me, Bligh says, pointing to a host of other future challenges facing banks ranging from cryptocurrencies to climate change. Bligh speaks deliberately, with the confidence and clarity youd expect from a political veteran who spent 17 years as an MP. In her 2009 Queensland state election win, Bligh became the countrys first elected female premier, and gained national prominence when leading the state through its disastrous floods of 2011, before quitting politics after a landslide election loss the following year.

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Anna Bligh during her high school years on the Gold Coast in the mid-70s. Credit:Anna Bligh Her political career followed a childhood on the Gold Coast in the 1960s and 1970s, at a time when its famous skyscrapers were starting to appear. She was the eldest of four children, and her 2015 memoir Through the Wall describes a hard environment at home: her father was a functioning alcoholic. She was raised by her mother after the couple separated when Bligh was 13. Looking back, she says her upbringing made her take on responsibilities beyond her years, and it made her value the importance of being financially independent. I think it made me much tougher than I otherwise would have been, stronger, and it made me aspire, she says. Womens rights have been a key interest of Blighs throughout her political career and in her formative years at university: after graduating she worked at a refuge for women escaping domestic violence. We digress from banking, and I ask Bligh what she makes of the recent report from the Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, which underlines the poor treatment of women in federal parliament. Becoming animated, Bligh says theres no doubt the parliaments of Australia have not been leaders in this area, but theres an opportunity to address this. I think its going to be very interesting, whoever wins the election next year, this issues not going to go away, and the recommendations from the Sex Discrimination Commissioners report need to become the agenda. Otherwise, it will all come back again, she says.

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So to some extent I despair that things that I felt very confident in my 20s would soon be a thing of the past, are still bedevilling us. Since moving to the private sector, her experience is that harassment is generally dealt with better in the corporate world. Its a generalisation, but my observation and experience is that there are lots of behaviours that are still quite normal in political parties and parliaments that would be considered unacceptable and intolerable in corporate Australia, Bligh says. Bligh remains a close follower of politics, and we are meeting the day after Queensland has re-opened its state border, allowing people to reunite after they were kept apart by the tough COVID-19 rules. But while she understands the border closures have been terrifically difficult for people, she backs the tough stance taken by Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. I can totally understand it. I think its very different running a state which has almost no incidents, versus a state thats dealing with a lot of cases, she says. Kingfish tartare with avocado, verjuice and elderflower. Credit:Janie Barrett Although Bligh still proudly identifies as a Queenslander she has been living in Sydney since late 2012, when she moved here with former husband Greg Withers. She has two grown-up sons - Oliver and Joseph - and her 85-year-old mother Frances Tancred lives in Northern NSW. When Bligh was in her early 50s in 2013, she faced the awful shock of being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after finding a lump on her neck. It was successfully treated with surgery and chemotherapy, and she was declared cancer free in 2014. A five-year check-up in 2019 showed no signs of the disease.

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The freedom to escape and explore beyond our front door is one we are unlikely to take for granted in a post-lockdown world. Stepping into nature to revive the soul or taking a sensory journey, to let professionals massage our tension and stress away, can have invaluable benefits.

Some of the most rewarding spots for walking and wellness are only a drive away, so to whet your appetite, we have compiled a list of stunning destinations in regional Victoria where you can stay, play, get pampered or simply walk for the day.

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The new Grampians Peaks Trail has opened. Credit:Visit Victoria

The Grampians

With spectacular views around every bend, the Grampians (Gariwerd) are a three-hour drive from Melbourne and offer walks to suit most fitness levels
The newcomers are an iteration of a growing, US-influenced protest movement in Australia that is trying to legitimise its various agendas by co-opting Indigenous people and issues through a process activists and academics have termed Blackfishing. They first turned up at the Tent Embassy in early December and, according to Ngunnawal elder Matilda House-Williams, speaking to The Canberra Times, theres a whole tonne of them. When police forcibly moved them they responded with QAnon-style phrases, such as youre non-player characters and paedophile protectors. Video posts by some of the groups adherents and influencers as well as its alt-right supporters reveal how gaining control of the Tent Embassy is only a stepping stone in a more ambitious scheme. They want to take the chair of Old Parliament House itself. And despite a number of arrests after the disastrous smoking ceremony, it appears they are there to stay.

Daily call outs are now being made for freedom supporters to converge on the nations capital to join them. Original Sovereigns At the head of the new protest group is Murrawiri and Budjiti environmental activist Bruce Shillingsworth, whose prominent activism around water shortages and related issues in the Murray Darling Basin have been nationally lauded. Around him are several Indigenous men and women already prominently involved in the alt-right freedom movement rallies in Sydney and Melbourne. None would speak to The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. Shillingsworth was closely associated with respected Yuin elder and cultural lore man Uncle Max Harrison, who was allied with the vaccine-sceptical Informed Medical Options Party and the broader freedom movement, before his sudden COVID-related death in early December. Uncle Max addressed the millions march rally in Sydney two weeks before he died in a COVID ward at the Sutherland Hospital. Shillingsworth and his group, black and white, have called via social media videos for the broader sovereign citizens movement as well as Indigenous Original Sovereigns groups around the country to converge on Canberra in convoys.

When police moved them away from the portrait gallery on Thursday, they responded with QAnon-style phrases, such as youre non-player characters and paedophile protectors. Indigenous members of the group demanded the police prove their jurisdiction over the area with deeds and titles, and Shillingsworth repeatedly demanded that $100 trillion in taxpayer gold be transferred to his personal bank account for breaches of a pseudo-legal contract he attempted to serve on senior officers. A series of virtual meetings between prominent Indigenous group members and non-Indigenous alt-right activists suggest a plot to effectively copy the US Capitol Hill insurrection. For the Australian version, the target is Old Parliament House. Activist Bruce Shillingsworth at a protest in April. Credit:Brook Mitchell They believe the quasi-mystical locus of power in Australia is vested in the seat of the Old Parliament because that is the address listed on the ABN registrations of the Commonwealths economy and trade departments. The new Parliament House, the seat of federal government since 1988, is pretend, they say, and the governments jurisdiction fiction.

Over the past fortnight, Shillingsworth has identified himself as an Original Sovereign  a local variation of the international Freemen on the Land movement. Many of the planning meetings tied to the new protest group involved Indigenous man David Cole, also known as Lurnpa, a leading figure in the Original Sovereign Tribal Federation (OSTF) which was established by non-indigenous man Mark McMurtrie aka Gunham Badi Jakamara after he was impressed in 2009 by the pseudo-legal counsel of David Wynn Millar, an American retired tool and die welder and self-appointed king of Hawaii. Scenes to fire the imagination: what some Australian alt-right protesters would like to see at Old Parliament House. Credit:AP Last year The Age and Herald revealed the collaboration between the Original Sovereign Tribal Federation and former One Nation senator Rod Culleton who, at the time, was trying to establish a right-wing political party in a formal alliance with the Indigenous sovereign citizen movement. In the United States, sovereign citizens are regarded by the Justice Department as a domestic terrorism threat after several armed actions in which law enforcement officers and civilian men, women and children have been killed. They do not have the same label in Australia.

Moses and the pandemic law On December 30, video posted to social media accounts run by members of a Sovereign Citizens group showed demonstrators banging on the doors of Old Parliament House, which is now run as a museum. Shillingsworths son, known as Buddy, and Bundjalung woman Cindy Roberts (aka Widjabul Dubay) were among them. Police made five arrests in the days after the fire. One who was arrested, released on bail, arrested again and released again was Nicholas Reed, who is accused of carrying numerous armfuls of kindling and several coolamon loads of hot coals to the front of Old Parliament House. An ACT court was told he had been shown in posts on social media stoking the fire. Nicholas Malcolm Reed leaves the ACT courts this week. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Reed, a white man who also goes by a tribal name, allegedly has a separate pending legal matter in Victoria, and is crowdfunding online for the Djab Wurrung Sovereign Tribal Government Fund, a campaign purportedly to benefit the Djab Wurrung people located in Victorias Western District. The most recent campaign has raised $3759.

The Australian has reported that Reeds bail rules included that he live at an address which, according to property records, is owned by Business Council of Australia president Tim Reed and his wife, Karola Brent, a former Lane Cove councillor on Sydneys north shore. Tim Reed declined to comment. Among others in attendance at the fire, though not arrested, was Roberts, who in a video interview with Tartaria Australia on December 10 said she saw herself as Moses on the forecourt of Old Parliament House before revealing that she intended to knock the locks off the doors, enter and reclaim what was rightfully hers. Cindy Roberts. Credit:Rhett Wyman This week police made two more arrests in the area known as the parliamentary triangle. One was of Buddy Shillingsworth for outstanding warrants related to past driving offences. The other was a white man named Dylan Didge Wilson from the NSW Northern Rivers, a self-described land lore marshal recognised by a circle of Elders across this continent. Both were later released. But the arrests and charges are not the end of it.

On Sunday, a strong cohort is expected to arrive from Victoria, many motivated by ongoing opposition to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, whose government succeeded in changing the states pandemic response legislation late in the year after weeks of protest by anti-vax and anti-lockdown groups on the steps of Spring Street. Among the props taken to protests were an apparently operational gallows. Several posts to social media among this group have expressed anger at a decision by a court in Myrtleford, Victoria, in which the protesters had invested high hopes that Andrews would be found guilty of treason. These posts encourage supporters to head to Canberra. No place When Senator Thorpe tweeted on the day of the fire: Seems like the colonial system is burning down. Happy New Year everyone, it seemed like the action might have broader significance in the Aboriginal protest community than it did. Thorpe later removed the tweet and this week told The Age and Herald: I stand in solidarity with the Tent Embassy. The people responsible for the fire have disrespected Ngunnawal Traditional Owners. There is no place for anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists in the struggle for First Nations sovereignty. Back at the Tent Embassy, some key representatives are too nervous of the newcomers to speak on the record. But Ngunnawal and Ngambi traditional owners and senior figures from the earliest Tent Embassy protest cohorts of 1972 -73 have spoken out about the failure of the new group of protesters to observe cultural protocol and obtain consent to conduct their ceremonies on the site.

Meanwhile, as the federal government announced it would establish a $316.5 million Indigenous cultural centre within the parliamentary triangle nearby the area where the embassy stands, they are trying to prepare for the demonstrations and cultural ceremonies which will mark the golden anniversary. The work, they told The Age and Herald, was an assertion of commitment to the legacy of the embassy. Prominent First Nations activist group Warriors of Aboriginal Resistance (WAR) is clear, though, on the question of sovereignty, and the attempt by the Original Sovereign movement to co-opt the First Nations Sovereignty rights movement, according to a spokesperson, Gamilaraay and Kooma woman Ruby Wharton. Loading The biggest difference between First Nations sovereignty and that being claimed by the sovereign citizen movement was simple, she said: Sovereignty is our birthright. Its our birthright to occupy our traditional homelands, its our birthright to speak language, its our birthright to practise our traditional laws and protect our Country. The sovereignty these other people talk of is sovereignty away from the Crown, which is totally delusional because the only way these white people have sovereignty in this country is through the Crown.
It was a walk that would have made Nini proud.

Murray Conallin hobbled onto the stage at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the midst of howling wind and a pandemic, after a 163-kilometre trek from Newcastle that had left him with calves like rocks, hips like my grandmas and blisters with their own postcodes.

Colourful fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the 4th Ashes Test between Australia and England. Credit:Jessica Hromas

It seemed a fitting tribute to his late wife Nini Vascotto, a woman who, in the fight of her life with terminal breast cancer, managed to land more than a few punches.

Mr Conallin spoke poignantly as he shared his memories of Nini at a fundraising high tea to mark the 14th annual Jane McGrath day at the Pink Test match on Friday.
The light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long, he said. In short its going to come fast, and its going to leave fast. Burnet Institute director Brendan Crabb says governments should be planning for a permanent pandemic. Credit:Burnet Institute But Omicrons presence serves as an ominous warning about what will continue to happen unless we start to get serious about the endgame, according to the head of the Burnet Institute Brendan Crabb. Omicron is going to come and go quickly, very quickly. This is not a good thing, the microbiologist said. Speed means more people get it, speed means its harder to treat those people who get it and speed means struggling healthcare systems. Professor Booy said the greatest failure of governments in Australia was that they had been reactive and delayed imposing restrictions when Omicron emerged, lagging on face masks and density limits while a testing crisis continued.

He said two years into a pandemic it was not acceptable that authorities had seemingly failed to plan for a more infectious variant than Delta. Were living in reactive times when we need governments to be proactive, he said. We got so centred on vaccines, we forgot the basics: strong testing, trace, isolate, quarantine and social distancing systems. Kirby Institute virologist Associate Professor Stuart Turville remains unconvinced the Omicron variant will simply burn out and disappear like it did in South Africa. He points out that unlike Australia, which has arguably controlled spread of the disease until now, the population in South Africa had higher levels of natural immunity. While vaccination rates remain low in South Africa, hovering at about 30 per cent, many were infected by several variants before Omicron, including the vaccine-evasive Beta variant which afforded them a layer of natural immunity that does not exist in Australia.

Other more vaccinated countries, like the United Kingdom and the United States where Omicron is spreading like wildfire, have endured more deadly coronavirus waves than Australia, also have greater protection through the phenomenon known as convalescent immunity. The thing about Australia is that until now our immunity has been primarily driven by vaccination, Professor Turville said. So, the world will get very interesting data sets from Australia about what Omicron does to people who are double-dose vaccinated, but have never been infected with the virus. We are likely to have a unique experience globally and an immune response here that has not been seen before. I think its almost impossible to predict how this will play out. Professor Turville believes while Australias planned easing of restrictions could probably have kept Delta at bay, the plans vastly underestimated Omicron, leaving millions scrambling for rapid antigen tests and governments with no clear indication of where or how the virus was spreading.

Loading Unfortunately, when this thing hit in late November, the structures that we had in place were not fluid or nimble enough to pivot as fast as the virus does, he said. We were making a lot of decisions about opening up before we knew what it was up to. We knew Delta better than we did Omicron. We planned for doing things with one variant. But the virus had other ideas. He said Omicron was already flying by the time we knew what it was up to, hidden behind its predecessor Delta. Omicron continues to replicate and mutate at high-speed. It has been the unwanted guest at Christmas lunch, lingering at New Years Eve parties, a mutant, invisible, airborne stranger on boozy nightclub dance floors.

Omicron is doing things right now that we dont know about, he said. In Germany, cases of Omicron soared at the end of last year, before falling steadily in December, and then rising to tens of thousands of new daily infections in recent days. Infections also continue to surge in highly vaccinated Israel. The real answer is we just dont know enough about Omicron yet, Professor Turville said. Professor McCaw predicted this week that Victoria will hit the peak of its Omicron outbreak before the end of this month, ahead of a record wave of hospitalisations predicted in late January or early February. Case numbers could get up to the high tens of thousands for a sustained stretch of days he said, but the true number will be five to 10 times higher than officially reported, reaching hundreds of thousands of active cases on any given day.

Some infectious disease experts predict anywhere between 70 and 50 per cent of the population in Victoria and NSW could soon be exposed to or infected with coronavirus. Experts The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald spoke to were unanimous in their view that the sheer numbers of infections alone would trigger an exponential rise in hospitalisations, most of which may not end up on ventilators in intensive care, but would still be seriously ill enough to require medical treatment or a shorter hospital stay. For context, even if one per cent of Victorias almost 22,000 new coronavirus infections reported just on Friday required hospitalisation, that could still equate to roughly 220 people needing urgent medical. We are going to see more patients than ever seen before in hospital  enormous numbers, but theyll move through more quickly than previous waves, Professor McCaw said.

Booster shots will be crucial, Professor Booy said, with early indications a third dose can halt transmission and provide optimum protection against Omicron. But Professor Crabb said to truly live with coronavirus we must start planning for an ongoing pandemic, one where emergency plans can be enacted at the flick of a switch at the first sign of danger. Baseline measures were needed to curb spread such as industrial respirator masks for all Australians and providing free rapid antigen tests, like the UK and Singapore. He notes there was still a reluctance to accept the threat of airborne spread in Australia with an urgent need to improve ventilation in all indoor spaces, including schools, churches, offices and hospitality venues. The narrative that it is OK for us to be infected with Omicron because its mild, is profoundly wrong, he said. We must learn from Omicron for the next wave.

So, what about Delta? Omicron appears to have outrun Delta in Australia for now, but Professor Booy points out that with the exception of Africa, all continents continue to fight both variants. Omicron and Delta are both still causing trouble across the world, he said. We have plenty of Delta circulating at the moment and weve got the enormous risk that well find yet another virus that transmits even better than Omicron. Despite this, Professor Booy is optimistic that while Omicron is not the end of the pandemic, its a big step towards something resembling post-pandemic life. Therell be more variants into the future and they will have different transmission properties, he said. There is no end of COVID, it will just change, and will slowly become less and less of an acute issue. But the only way to speed up this process is global immunity and ensuring developing countries are able to access vaccines.
But with their energy just about gone, Greaves realised they were closer to shore and put her feet down. I felt the bottom. I felt the sand under my feet. Stand up! Stand up! she screamed to her sister. They dragged themselves out of the water, crawled up the beach and collapsed, huddled together. In hindsight, we broke so many of the rules, Greaves says. We didnt tell anyone what we were planning to do. We hadnt checked the conditions. We knew about tides and currents, but we hadnt appreciated the situation.

We actually felt like we were quite invincible. Greaves says she finds the story mortifying now, but she is telling it publicly for the first time in the hope it resonates after another deadly season in the water. Nine people have drowned in Victoria since the start of December, four of them across the New Years long weekend, including a seven-year-old boy in the Snowy River near Orbost, and a toddler who died in hospital after being found unresponsive in a Melbourne pool. There have been 27 drownings since July 1, according to Life Saving Victoria, and the number of deaths are on track with last years terrible tally in which the state recorded a 20-year high of 61.

I have to say its been a pretty horror start, Greaves says of this season. Drill down to the causes and Greaves expects mishaps and misjudgments would be found. This includes not wearing life jackets when fishing or in boats, misjudging swimming skills, not knowing the conditions, and swimming in areas that are not patrolled by lifeguards. Mornington Peninsulas chief lifeguard Sas McNamara has performed too many rescues to count in her time patrolling the beach. Credit:Wayne Taylor But Greaves says COVID-19 lockdowns, which has forced more people to holiday at home, have also contributed to the increase in deaths. Data from the Royal Life Saving Society indicates as many as one in four Australians consider themselves weak swimmers or cannot swim - with poor swimming skills a major factor in summer drownings. Of adults born overseas, more than a third classified themselves weak swimmers in a survey of 1000 people commissioned by the society.

Life Saving Victorias drowning report from last year revealed half of all deaths occurred within the persons own postcode, showing risk occurs when it is least expected. Loading People going for day trips down to beaches, or maybe escaping to other waterways that they dont know so well, so that can mean not swimming in patrolled areas, you know, with people wanting to escape other people, I think thats part of it as well, Greaves says. There have also been dramatic drops in swimming lessons, which has affected swimming skills, as well as a shortage of swimming teachers and lifeguards. Like hospitality, the workforce has suffered because pools have been closed. The YMCA, for example, said it employs predominantly young people as instructors and lifeguards, and a large portion of this cohort left the industry to find more stable, ongoing work.

The Omicron variant has placed further strain on staffing too. The long-running Lorne Pier to Pub ocean swim was cancelled this week, partly due to the number of available volunteers, while in Melbourne, the Collingwood Leisure Centre temporarily closed due to staffing shortages. It is the perfect storm of circumstances, says Greaves. Out at Noble Parks aquatic centre in the citys south-east, YMCAs area manager Scott Bryant and centre manager Michael Zeman are juggling another day of trying to fill holes in rosters. Noble Park Aquatic Centre manager Michael Zeman and area manager Scott Bryant. Credit:Tammy Mills

Zeman says the centre lost half of its lifeguards during the pandemic, while Bryant adds the number of staff in isolation has been just about doubling every day from 40 to 80 at some sites. Its increasingly difficult to staff the facilities, Bryant says. Loading The safety of our staff and our patrons is our number one prioritymanaging the logistics around that, yeah, its been challenging. Longer term, Bryant says the YMCA was trying to attract more lifeguards and instructors through referrals to friends and family, while advertising through schools, universities and local media.

With pay rates typically starting at $28 an hour for a casual instructor mid-week, the YMCA and Life Saving Victoria are targeting different demographics too, such as retirees or those re-entering the workforce who cant work full-time. Though theres been a strain on staff, Bryant says the parents need to book children in for lessons, even if there is a wait list. The confidence levels in our children is very low, which is concerning going into a hot summer, so the key message for families is to make this a priority, he said. Sas McNamara at Portsea back beach earlier this week. Credit:Wayne Taylor Zeman says the regression has been noticeable. During one school swimming carnival his centre hosted before Christmas, lifeguards had to perform 15 rescues.

Life Saving Victoria has rescued more people this year as well, with 225 rescues undertaken over the past six months, a 24 per cent increase on the same period last year. Only 37 of those rescues were between the flags. At Portseas back beach on a welcomed overcast and quieter day, the Mornington Peninsulas chief lifeguard Sas McNamara, 24, cannot put a number on the rescues shes performed. Theres just too many. One that sticks in her mind is the mass rescue of up to eight children, some of whom who were younger than 10, who were swept out to sea when the sandbank they were standing on suddenly collapsed. The group were swimming between the flags, but their parents were nowhere nearby, she said. A big one is to constantly and actively supervise children around the water. Its so imperative. If you cant see your child, thats a child in danger, McNamara says.
Anxiety has been described as the defining mental health issue of our decade, even before the onset of COVID-19 lockdowns.

But it grew ever larger during the past two years, with record numbers of Australians reporting moderate to severe mental distress during COVID-19 restrictions.

In its most basic form, anxiety is a very normal human emotion and one which we all feel from time to time. But how do we tell when it tips over the edge into full-blown anxiety disorder?

Today on Please Explain, senior writer Wendy Tuohy joins Bianca Hall to discuss the issue.
Planning restrictions and developer levies imposed by state and local governments that push up the cost of new homes have drawn criticism from the chair of a federal inquiry into housing affordability as he defended the role of investors in the property market.

Liberal MP Jason Falinski said some of the biggest factors pricing young and low-income people out of the Sydney and Melbourne housing markets pre-dated the coronavirus pandemic and tended to relate to supply rather than high demand.

Liberal MP Jason Falinski, left: One of the most destructive things going on at the moment is how much uncertainty there is from local government administration including charges. Credit:Christopher Pearce

Evidence was provided to the inquiry, chaired by Mr Falinski and due to report next month, that both planning and zoning restrictions and charges added tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of an average new property, and that investors were increasing the demand for housing.

In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Mr Falinski noted that investors provided critical rental accommodation and instead focused on the onerous and expensive planning systems in some states.
A source with knowledge of the governments plans says next up will be children  ensuring they get vaccinated, starting from Monday, and ensuring schools open and stay open at the start of term 1. Were willing to go hardline on this, the source says. We want schools to stay open, to make sure classes dont shut down if theres one case there. The last thing to address in the national reopening plan is the international border, with inbound and outbound travel still seriously restricted. The government source says that will be addressed in the coming months, but Omicron had been a game-changer for travel. It will hasten international travel, its the last cab off the rank, the source says.

States and territories are working on living with COVID even as cases continue to rise, including working on systems to collect rapid antigen results as more jurisdictions move away from requiring PCR diagnosis of cases. University of Melbourne professorial fellow in epidemiology, Tony Blakely, says the country doesnt need to collect all positive rapid antigen test results for Omicron, but it would be useful to get such services up and running for the future in the face of more serious variants. We need systems for the future. We have no idea what variant is coming at us after Omicron, he says. People queue outside the Prahran Town Hall COVID-19 testing clinic in Melbourne. There is high demand for PCR tests as case numbers rise. Credit:Chris Hopkins Omicron is milder than Delta, Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly confirmed this week. He said that means healthcare systems would be able to cope with rapidly rising cases.

Were seeing very large numbers of cases, but very, very few people with severe illness, he said earlier this week. It is an issue for health care workers, Im not denying that, but we have plenty of spare capacity. We have surge plans in place, weve had them since the beginning of the pandemic and they were reinforced recently ... to be prepared for exactly this sort of scenario. Despite Professor Kellys assurances, there are clear signs health systems are under strain. As has occurred numerous times over the past two years, reopening has not been a simple path forward. In NSW, where hospitalisations are predicted to exceed 4500, new restrictions come into force on Saturday including the banning of singing and dancing in pubs and nightclubs. Health authorities will reassess upcoming major events and non-urgent surgeries will be suspended until mid-February to ease pressure on the health system. Victoria also brought back density limits on Thursday and encouraged hospitality venues to cancel dancefloors, and has temporarily reduced elective surgeries.

Australian Medical Association President Dr Omar Khorshid says hospital systems and GPs are already in a dire situation with tired and overworked staff forced to work harder as hundreds are furloughed due to being close contacts or contracting the virus. Loading We dont know where and when the peak is going to come. If its in a few days, itll be tough, but well cope, he says. If the Omicron wave takes a few more weeks to peak, as predicted by many experts, he says the whole health system and other essential services including food delivery and supply chain distribution will collapse. If we get anywhere near the latter scenario, then lockdowns are in our future, he says. The government is absolutely opposed to it, they wont do it unless theyre forced to. But if we cant turn this curve around, soon, it will be the only tool left to them to try and keep the population safe and the economy working.

Isolation for positive cases has already dropped to seven days, but the government source says that will narrow further, down to five or even three days in coming weeks to help ease pressure on health workforces and supermarket supply chains. Thats the ticket out of the employment crunch, the source says. It might go to three days for those who have had [COVID-10], and it might happen sooner than you think. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, in Cairns on Friday, said the federal government had waited too long to order rapid antigen tests, and its lack of action to slow the spread of Omicron was hurting the country. The cost of inaction from this government is that supermarket shelves are being left empty, is that businesses are closing, is that workers are unable to go to work, he said. People in the health sector, whove been working day in, day out now for two years of this crisis deserve better than the sort of pressure that they are under because of shortages in the workforce. That is the price that Australians are paying for Scott Morrisons lack of action.

Dr Khorshid says at the moment COVID-19 patients are treated differently in hospital, requiring more staff and more protective equipment even if theyve been admitted for a broken leg, or appendicitis rather than the virus. But in the future, hospitals may have to simply let the virus circulate to conserve resources. GPs will bear the brunt of coronavirus treatment this year but are also caught in a perfect storm, dealing with staff shortages while running vaccination clinics for boosters and soon children, while preparing to treat thousands of COVID-19 infections. Dr Khorshid says the fear is this will push more patients into hospital who could otherwise be treated by their local doctor. The way things are going, its going to be hard to reassure Australians that our healthcare system is going to be able to be there for them when they need it, he says. The federal government has repeatedly touted booster shots as the key to preventing a repeat of either the Omicron or Delta waves of the pandemic.

Loading Boosters will be a very important part of the response to this particular wave, Professor Kelly said on Wednesday. By the end of January 16.1 million people will have become eligible for third doses, and so far 3.2 million have been administered. Those people move up to something like 70 per cent less chance of getting infected within a couple of weeks after being boosted, Professor Blakely says, adding the combination of boosters plus the fact that millions of Australians will have had Omicron by the time it subsides means the country will be very resilient against future strains. That is what the federal government is banking on. It is also working on the assumption - shared by many virology and epidemiology experts - that future variants will become less serious as the pandemic wears on.

Ultimately, Professor Bennett says, the country will move to treating COVID-19 like influenza: testing people who have been admitted to hospital with symptoms so they can be prescribed the right treatments, or testing people through general practices that are part of the national sentinel surveillance system. Loading That way we will know when numbers are going up in the community when the coronavirus season has started, and then if they test positive theyll take a proper swab, and we can see what variants are circulating, she says. When exactly that move towards surveillance will happen is unclear, and Omicron is going to be far from the last strain to circulate around the world. As the Prime Minister said earlier in the week, the coronavirus writes its own rules.
Mombasa, Kenya: China has announced it will appoint a special envoy to foster peace in the turbulent Horn of Africa, saying it wants to shift focus on the continent to trade over infrastructure.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the comments in Kenya, which has been active in diplomatic efforts to halt a 14-month war in Ethiopia between the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds federal government.

He also visited Eritrea, which borders the northern Tigray region. The country has been an ally of Abiy in the conflict that has killed thousands of people, uprooted hundreds of thousands and spread hunger.

Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left speaks with Kenyas Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo, after a press conference, at the Sarova Whitesands Hotel in, Mombasa, Kenya, on Thursday. Credit:AP

To share political consensus and to coordinate actions, China will appoint a special envoy of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Horn of Africa, Wang told a news conference in the port city of Mombasa, via an interpreter.
But now, top immunologists suspect there might be a more profound explanation. Researchers in Britain and Brazil are looking at whether some people might possess a natural immunity to the virus. Even before the pandemic began, their immune systems already knew how to fight the virus, it is believed. If their blood and cells are studied carefully, this fortunate few could give scientists crucial insights into the nature of immunity. And they might just hold the key to the holy grail of pandemic research: a universal COVID-19 vaccine, with the ability to knock out any variant. What is immunity, really? We tend to think of immunity as something of an absolute  either were immune to a virus, or were not. But that hides a world of complications, says Danny Altmann, professor of medicine and immunology at Imperial College London. The genes that control our immunity are among the most diverse in the human body, he says, differing hugely from person to person. When thinking about something like your blood type, he says, theres a very limited chequerboard of gene combinations. But for immunity, Im talking about thousands of possibilities on your chequerboard; no two people will ever look the same. As a result, we shouldnt be surprised that some are more prone to catching viruses than others. We can see this happening in real-time in the laboratory. Researchers at Oxford University and Imperial College London are currently carrying out challenge studies, where volunteers are deliberately exposed to COVID, usually through a liquid solution sniffed into their nose, then kept in isolation and observed for two weeks.

All volunteers have received the same number of vaccines, and all are exposed to exactly the same quantity of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID), in exactly the same way. And yet, if its anything like previous challenge studies, scientists expect volunteers will mount notably different immune responses. Some will see their antibody and T-cells burst into action; others will not. Loading We can also see this playing out in hospitals. At the beginning of the pandemic, researchers at University College London recruited a large cohort of London-based healthcare staff for their COVIDsortium study. All of the volunteers were probably exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during their jobs. Their test results were monitored thoroughly. At the end of the trial, about 20 per cent of the healthcare staff showed signs of a clear-cut COVID infection, whilst 65 per cent had patently not been infected. Studies of health care workers repeatedly exposed to coronavirus found that some people never seemed to catch it, or at least, never became ill. Credit: But most interesting was the remaining 15 per cent. Members of this third group appeared to have experienced low-level abortive infections, not picked up on PCR tests. They didnt have COVID antibodies in their blood, but they had a much higher T-cell count than average, with particularly high levels of the specific T-cell known to combat COVID. Essentially, their T-cells had nipped the virus in the bud before it ever got the chance to set up camp inside their bodies. It looked as though their immune systems already knew how to fight COVID, even though it was still the early days of the pandemic.

Those patients didnt completely resist the infection, but they eliminated it so rapidly that it couldnt be picked up by the standard test, says Mala Maini, a professor of viral immunology at University College London, and co-author of the study. Here was clear evidence that some people may be naturally immune to COVID. Altmann, who was not involved in the study, says the results look convincing. Did a cold give them immunity or their DNA? But what explains this natural immunity? The most likely theory is that these peoples immune systems had already been exposed to similar viruses, years or decades earlier. SARS-CoV-2 is one of a family of seven human coronaviruses, most of which cause the common cold. All of these viruses look fairly similar. When your T-cells learn how to fight one, they get better at fighting them all, it is thought.

Another, less well-researched answer lies in our genes. Some people might simply be born with an immunity to certain viruses, scientists suspect. This possibility emerged in 2008, when virologists in Kenya found a group of sex workers who had never caught HIV, despite having unprotected sex with numerous positive cases. It turns out their cells lacked a crucial receptor  the same receptor used by HIV particles to break into our cells. Big studies are going on now to see if something similar might be happening in some people with COVID, but theres no clear evidence for that yet, says Maini. Indeed, at the University of Sao Paulo, researchers are recruiting 100 cohabiting couples. In each case, one half of the couple tested positive for symptomatic COVID, whilst the other stayed COVID-free (with blood tests confirming they had no COVID-specific antibodies). All 200 will have their DNA analysed to search for genetic differences. A universal vaccine If it turns out that some people are indeed naturally immune to COVID, its wonderful news for them. But it might also help the rest of us, speeding up development of a pan-coronavirus vaccine capable of defeating any variant.
Pioneering stage and screen star Sidney Poitier has died. He was 94.

Poitier is best remembered for his groundbreaking film roles in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, In the Heat of the Night, The Defiant Ones (his first Oscar nomination), Porgy and Bess, and Lillies of the Field, for which he won the 1964 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, becoming the first Black man to do so (Hattie McDaniel became the first Black woman to win in 1939 for Gone With the Wind).

Before his Hollywood career took off, Poitier appeared on the Broadway stage, first in a short-lived production of Lysistrata in 1946, and soon after in a month-long run of Anna Lucasta. In 1959, he originated the role of Walter Lee Younger (opposite Ruby Dee as Ruth Younger) in the Broadway production of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, earning his first and only Tony nomination. Poitier reprised the role of Walter Lee Younger in the 1961 film adaptation.

Poitier returned to Broadway only once, to direct the 1968 Broadway debut of Robert Alan Aurthur's Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights. His career as a screen director was much more prolific, beginning in 1972 with Buck and the Preacher. He scored a major success in 1980 when he helmed the Richard Pryor-Gene Wilder comedy Stir Crazy.

Born in 1927 in Miami to a large Bahamian family, Poitier spent much of his childhood in the Bahamas before moving to the United States. He has been celebrated in both countries: In 1974, Queen Elizabeth II made him a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2009, President Barack Obama honored him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Playwright Charles Randolph-Wright and director Ruben Santiago-Hudson are currently working on a Broadway-bound play about Poitier's life, titled Sidney.
West Side Story star Ariana DeBose will host the first Saturday Night Live of 2022. Her episode will air live on January 15, with musical guest Roddy Rich.

DeBose plays Anita in Steven Spielberg's recent screen adaptation of the classic musical, a role for which she's expected to earn an Oscar nomination, in addition to already announced Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations.

DeBose is the second original Hamilton cast member to host the show, after Lin-Manuel Miranda in October 2016. A Tony nominee for Summer, DeBose has also appeared on Broadway in A Bronx Tale and Pippin, among other shows, and onscreen in the musical series Schmigadoon!
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School choice options are changing in Charlotte and across the country
On Monday, Jan. 3, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the expanded use of the Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot and and the CDC affirmed those decisions on Wednesday. The Workgroup reviewed and affirmed the federal decisions Thursday morning.
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ONEONTA - Leslie Bischoff passed away peacefully, Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at the A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital. He was 96. He was born March 7, 1926, the son of the late Edward and Martha (Stohr) Bischoff. Les was an avid outdoorsman and excellent craftsman. He made furniture and many wooden
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A new study has found that cognitive performance is slightly reduced in people who worship celebrities Ouch!

The study tested 1,763 Hungarian adults and made subjects do a digit symbol substitution test and a 30-word vocabulary test which assesses fluid intelligence. They also got data on the participants' education, self esteem, family income and material wealth.

To measure the levels of celebrity worship the study asked participants how much they agreed or disagreed with statements such as I am obsessed by details of my favourite celebritys life.

Researchers discovered that participants who had the strongest admiration for their fave celebs were associated with lower performance. The authors of the study have said,

We found a weak tendency for those who showed the strongest admiration for their favourite celebrity to have lower cognitive skills, suggesting that the earlier results were not due just to chance.

Our results also support previous findings showing that excessive behaviours such as celebrity worshiping can possibly impair cognitive functioning, presumably due to the increased focus and energy invested in this behaviour that becomes dominant in the individuals life.

We may have slightly reduced cognitive abilities but not everyone can recite Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidsons relationship timeline off by heart! Dont worry fellow celebrity worshippers, the studies findings doesnt outright prove the relationship between celebrity worship and low cognitive scores.

Although our research does not prove that developing a powerful obsession with ones favourite celebrity causes one to score lower on cognitive tests, it suggests that it might be wise to carefully monitor feelings for ones favourite celebrity, keeping in mind that most celebrities are human beings who have some flaws just like average persons have
3 Chinese Nationals Abducted in Nigeria, Police Say

MAKURDI, NigeriaPolice in Nigeria said gunmen abducted three Chinese nationals working in the countrys north central region, the latest incident in a cycle of violence in Africas most populous nation.

The gunmen also killed two Nigerians who were working with the expatriates Tuesday at a hydroelectric power plant under construction in Niger state, which neighbors Nigerias capital, Abuja.

The workers were installing a transmission line tower at the plant in the village of Gussase when the attackers arrived and opened fire, police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement on Wednesday.

Police tactical team attached to the facility engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel while four of the expatriates were rescued, Abiodun said, adding that with one of the Chinese workers and two local workers sustained bullet injuries.

He said an aggressive manhunt was underway to rescue the three hostages.
Andrew Cuomo Sex Misconduct Complaint Dismissed by NY Judge

A sexual misconduct complaint against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was dismissed by a judge Friday, days after the Manhattan District Attorneys office declined to pursue a separate case involving nursing home deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic under Cuomos administration.

The misconduct charge was filed against Cuomo over allegations that he groped an aide in the executive mansion in 2020. Although several women made similar complaints against the former governor, that allegation was the only criminal charge filed against him.

We have reviewed all of the available evidence and concluded we cannot successfully secure a conviction in this case, Assistant District Attorney Jennifer McCanney said during a virtual hearing, reported The Associated Press.

Last year, Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James released a report documenting several accusations against Cuomo, asserting that he allegedly harassed or acted inappropriately toward 11 women. While Cuomo has categorically denied the allegations, the former Democrat governor resigned last August and claimed he did so because he didnt want to become a distraction.

Earlier this week, Albany County District Attorney David Soares announced he wouldnt pursue criminal charges against Cuomo but noted there was credible evidence against him. However, according to the district attorney, the charge is impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt in criminal court.

This court is acutely aware that the fact that the district attorneys office has unfettered discretion to determine whether to prosecute a particular suspect or case, and that superior courts have long and consistently held that courts may not and should not interfere with the discretion of a district attorney, Judge Holly Trexler said Friday.

Following Fridays hearing, Cuomo lawyer Rita Glavin told reporters: Today, reason and the rule of law prevailed. Not politics, rhetoric, or mob mentality.

Even though Cuomo wont face forcible touching charges, his administration is still being investigated by the federal government on how it handled the COVID-19 pandemic and its death data. Federal prosecutors are also evaluating sexual harassment claims against him.

Prosecutors in Manhattan said Cuomo didnt break the law when his administration misled the public about the number of COVID-19 deaths linked to nursing homes.

Elkan Abramowitz, Cuomos attorney, issued a statement to news outlets saying the Democrat was told on Monday by the Manhattan District Attorneys office that it completed an investigation and wouldnt bring charges against him.

I was contacted today by the head of the Elder Care Unit from the Manhattan District Attorneys Office who informed me they have closed its investigation involving the Executive Chamber and nursing homes, Abramowitz remarked.
Australian State Warns of Impending COVID-19 Emergency

Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard has warned that the Australian state will face a major emergency in the coming weeks with modelling projecting a peak in cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus around late January, early February.

We are going to be stepping up to a very major emergency in the coming two to three weeks, Gerrard told reporters in Brisbane on Jan. 6.

However, he reasoned that the news was also somewhat positive in that the peak would be short-lived.

When that emergency drags on for a long time that is much more draining to deal with. So, theres an upside and downside to this, he said.

The state may also call on asymptomatic COVID-19-positive Queensland Health staff to work in hospital wards as part of contingency plans being discussed in preparation for the upcoming emergency period, Gerrard said.

Its certainly something that has been discussed, he said. It isnt being done at the moment but thats something thats the sort of thing we are we are making plans forcontingency plans.

Queenslands healthcare sector, already understaffed due to workers testing positive or in isolation whilst waiting for test results, have been further stressed by the rising Omicron cases.

The whole health and aged care system, public and private, in our country is under unprecedented strain and we need a coordinated and holistic response, wrote the Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union (QNMU) in a statement to the Epoch Times.

Staff are experiencing intense pressure and working incredibly hard to meet the needs of Queensland patients under difficult circumstances.

But understaffing only results in further increased workloads and reduced nurse-to-patient ratios.

The state of New South Wales (NSW), which borders Queensland to the south, has already been calling asymptomatic COVID-19-positive health staff, such as nurses, who are classified as critical to the service, back from isolation to work due to staff shortages.

NSW Health staff furloughed because theyve been a close contact with a COVID-19 case are not necessarily ill or presenting symptoms when theyre placed into isolation, a NSW Health spokesperson said in a statement on Jan. 6.

Exemptions will occur only in exceptional circumstances, including where it is necessary to ensure the continued delivery of essential health services.

Meanwhile, Gerrard said the governments goal was to slow down but not stop the virus to give people a chance to get a booster shot, while also not overwhelming Queenslands hospital system.

The Omicron wave has seen multi-hour-long waiting times for PCR tests across the country, with reports of people suffering the consequences of a lack of toilet amenities at testing sites in Brisbane, Queenslands capital.

To ease pressure, the governments of Australia have changed testing requirements in order to reduce queue waiting times.

The Queensland government has told people to accept the results of their at-home rapid antigen tests without the need to follow up with a PCR test, and even to assume they have COVID-19 and stay home to isolate if they have any symptoms.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Jan. 7 that a hotline will become active for residents to self-report their rapid antigen test results, with a website version soon to follow, to allow for data collection about case numbers after the rule change.

The news comes as Palaszczuk announced plans to delay the return of primary students to school, with the peak expected to come at around the start time of the new school term.

Were doing modelling in relation to the peak of this Omicron wave and let me assure parents that we will not be sending primary school students back during the first week of school if we are heading towards a peak, she told reporters on Jan. 7.

We are looking to a one-to-two-week delay in relation to the delay to school.
People stand in line outside a Woolworths supermarket at a southern suburb of Brisbane, Australia, on Jan. 08, 2021. (Jono Searle/Getty Images)

Australian Supermarket CEO Warns Customers of Gaps on the Shelf Amid Omicron Pressure

The CEO of one of Australias largest supermarket retail chains has written to customers warning of product shortages during the current wave of the Omicron variant, which has led to high staff numbers isolating and gaps in the companys supply chains.

Unlike the surge buying of early 2020 (who could forget the toilet paper), this is because of the number of people in our supply chain in isolationfrom suppliers to truck drivers and distribution centre team memberswhich in turn is causing material delays to store deliveries, Brad Banducci wrote in an email on Jan. 7.

To give you a sense of the magnitude of the challenge, we are experiencing COVID-driven absences of 20 percent+ in our distribution centres and 10 percent+ in our stores, he said.

People stand in line outside a Woolworths supermarket in a southern suburb of Brisbane, Australia, on Jan 8, 2021. (Jono Searle/Getty Images)

Banducci said New South WalesAustralias most populous statewas hit hardest and conceded that he was not yet clear on when the system could get back to normal.

We understand how frustrating it is when you cant find the product youre looking for and, together with our suppliers and supply chain partners, were working hard to get all products back on the shelf as quickly as we can (including Rapid Antigen Tests), he added.

The warning comes after rival supermarket chain Coles resorted to limiting how much customers could buy in certain categories, including meat products.

Matthew Swindells, chief operations officer of Coles, said it was experiencing round three of supply chain disruption during the ongoing pandemic.

If you recall, round one of COVID-19 was about toilet paperessentially higher demand. Round two, when we had Delta, was about team member isolations. And unfortunately, Omicron has brought both of those together, Swindells told the Today program on Jan 5.

File photo of a Coles supermarket in Sydney, Australia. (Janita Kan/NTD)

Campbell Newman, former premier of Queensland, blamed government isolation rules for staff shortages.

The fact that essentials are disappearing from supermarket shelves underlines again the incoherence, inconsistency, and downright stupidity of the COVID-19 restrictions, Newman, now-federal Senate candidate for the Liberal Democrats, wrote on Twitter on Jan 7.

Fed and state officials, this was entirely foreseeable. Time to open up, not double down!

In September 2021, the spread of the Delta variant and forced isolation of staff saw shelves run empty at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets in Sydney and Melbournewhere the bulk of Delta infections were found.

Australians even uploaded photos on social media of supermarket shelves devoid of fruits, vegetables, meats, bread, and dairy products.

However, the spread of Omicron has presented new challenges.

Late last year, governments shifted their policy settings around handling COVID-19 towards living with the virus, focusing on high vaccination rates, testing, and prepping the hospital system for severe cases of the novel coronavirus.

The move to live with the virus has coincided with the onset of the Omicron outbreak, which has seen a dramatic uptick in case numbers of COVID-19 and a much more gradual increase in hospitalisation numbers.

Government isolation rules for close contacts, however, have caused difficulties for businesses and the health system, with a growing number of workers forced into self-quarantine after encountering COVID-positive individuals.

While larger businesses have had to deal with supply chain issues, some smaller retailers have shut up shop altogether due to a lack of staff.

In late December, the federal and five state governments agreed to narrow the definition of close contact to ease pressure on PCR testing clinics and allow businesses to continue to operate.
Author of San Fransicko Michael Shellenberger Talks Recent Crime Wave, Prop. 47

San Francisco-native turned Berkeley, California, resident Michael Shellenberger is no stranger to Californias progressive political climate. Identifying as a liberal himself, Shellenberger has seen the state change through its progressive criminal justice policies.

He has argued that these policies that loosen penalties for crime, push housing first for the homeless, and enable open air drug use, coupled with violent social justice protests, have led to the decline of the state.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), both property and violent crime were up by 17 percent in 2021. Between Jan. 1, 2020, and Oct. 31, 2021, researchers examined reported crime numbers for Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco. The study also noted that the peculiar circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic are affecting the extent to which crime is reported.

Theres good reason to think that crime has actually increased significantly more than that, Shellenberger told The Epoch Times. And the reason for that is that theres just a very large number of people that report that they no longer report crimesparticularly property crimes, car break-ins, shoplifting, other kinds of theftbecause the police dont respond.

The police dont respond due to laws such as Prop. 47, according to Shellenberger. The 7-year-old law, originally called the Safe Neighborhood and Schools Act, reduces sentences for some crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. It reclassified any theft of less than $950 a misdemeanor. At the time, former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon pushed the measure. Gascon is now the district attorney in Los Angeles.

And so what weve seen is a number of drugstores that have closed in Californianot entirely because of shoplifting, but probably very significantly because of that, he said. And I think thats led to a sense of chaos and fear that people have really been besieged by rising amounts of crime and violence.

A worker hangs plywood on the exterior of a closed business in San Francisco on April 16, 2021.(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Five of San Franciscos 53 Walgreens locations closed in November 2021 after a string of brazen retail thefts swept through the city right before the holiday season, drawing national attention. Suspects targeted high-end luxury stores, such as Louis Vuitton in Union Square and Lululemon in Santana Way. Countless tourists have also become the target of car burglaries, and residents told The Epoch Times in December 2021 that car break-ins are just a normal part of life in the city.

Shellenberger said he voted for Prop. 47 in 2014 because he was concerned about mass incarceration and the racially disparate impact of incarceration.

I felt there was a better way, particularly drug rehab, particularly psychiatric care, since so many crimes are committed by people that are addicted to hard drugs or suffering untreated mental illness, he said. But we were sold a bill of goods: We were told that people would be diverted away from jails and prisons into rehab. Well, the opposite basically occurred. People were diverted out of rehab. Rehab was no longer mandatory, it was optional.

With San Francisco Mayor London Breed announcing a local state of emergency (pdf) in the historic Tenderloin district in December 2021, this could be the start of a turning point against progressive criminal policies, according to Shellenberger.

The mayor, who had originally campaigned on defunding the police department and reallocating funds to minority communities, has changed her tune and has called for increased funds to the police department to thwart criminal activity in the Tenderloin.

Breed wrote in the resolution that deaths due to drug overdoses in San Francisco have increased by more than 200 percent since 2018, and in 2020, more than 700 individuals died from drug overdoses. There were more deaths in 2020 from drug overdoses than the number of individuals who died of COVID-19. The resolution noted that the pandemic has further exacerbated the drug addiction issue.

Much of Shellenbergers findings about the citys failures are found in his most recent book, San Fran-Sicko: How Progressives Ruin Cities. Before he became a critic of progressivism, he was an environmental activist and wrote several books on climate change, politics, and nuclear energy. He was named one of the Heroes of the Environment by Time in 2008, alongside Ted Nordhaus.

His perspective shifted when he worked for the George Soros Foundation in the 1990s to study rehabilitation methods to reduce the amount of people in prisons, after the crack epidemic resulted in mass incarceration and heavy sentencing. He said homicides dipped in the late 1980s, but they rose significantly shortly after.

Police patrol Union Square in San Francisco on Nov. 30, 2021. Stores have increased security in response to a spike in thefts. (Ethan Swope/Getty Images)

Part of the reason was the crack epidemic, Shellenberger said. We had very significant amounts of violence, resulting in a backlasha law and order backlash. And to some extent, that went too far as well. We incarcerated many people for very long periods of time.

He said his understanding was that they would be seeking alternatives to incarceration that would expand the use of probation, including drug testing, to help would-be criminals get off the street and onto a straight path in life, along with other forms of rehabilitation. One example was electronic monitoring to make sure that people didnt go back to dealing drugs or to make sure that they werent committing other new crimes.

But thats not whats been going on, Shellenberger said. Weve seen an effort by progressive district attorneys, both in California but also in other parts of the United States, to just reduce sentences and prosecution altogether. And the result has been that we now know that half of all people let out of jail after being caught and accused of a crime, half commit new crimes before their sentencing. So, the efforts to do alternatives to incarceration really ended up being no consequence whatsoever for breaking the law.

Despite millions of dollars being spent toward several city-run harm reduction programs, the root of issue of crime isnt being addressed, and city leaders continue to defend Prop. 47, according to Shellenberger.

Theres no real alternative, which is really a shame, because we now know that  drug addiction plays such a significant role in crime, he said.

Shellenberger pointed to a Hawaii program called the Hawaii Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE), which uses expanded probation, including drug testing, as an alternative to jail and prison.

And its worked remarkably well, he said of the program. The consequence of people violating their probation, including failing a drug test, is jail. But that pressure it puts on people helps them to overcome their addictions. It helps them to just rehabilitate, get a job, achieve independence, live a normal lifebut thats not what progressives have pursued.

Shellenberger said recovering drug addicts usually hit rock bottom before they decide to get clean, but city leaders are lowering the bottom. The citys model of harm reduction doesnt require addicts to be clean before entering temporary housing or receiving treatment.

A homeless person sleeps on a bench in front of closed retail stores in San Francisco on April 16, 2021. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

We have to mandate drug rehabilitation for addicts who break the law, he said. I think that people that are using fentanyl and meth in the privacy of their own homes. I think its crazy, but I dont think that should be a law enforcement priority.

If people are committing crimesshoplifting, breaking into cars, using drugs publicly, dealing drugs publicly, sleeping, camping publicly, defecating publiclythey should be arrested. They should be given the choice between incarceration and drug rehabilitation or psychiatric care if they receive an evaluation showing that they suffer mental illness.

Between January 2021 and November 2021, nearly 600 San Franciscans died from drug overdoses related to fentanyl. The crisis in the Tenderloin has worsened in recent months, according to Breed. One of the citys nonprofit partners reported a more than 35 percent increase in the distribution of Narcana life-saving drug to reverse overdosesin the Tenderloin between October 2021 and November 2021.

In a previous interview with The Epoch Times, San Francisco Police Department Sgt. Richard Cibotti said he has patrolled in the Tenderloin for more than 10 years, and he had mainly encountered drug addicts for most of that time. But recently, its become more organized. Drug dealers are now usually armed, so the chances of run-ins with cops becoming violent is very high.

Shellenberger pointed to the defund the police movement as a reason for police officers being unable to do their jobs to the fullest. Theyre scared that theyll catch a case with the district attorney if theyre too rough with suspects, he said.

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudinwho has been accused of being too soft on crime by locals and critics alikedefended Prop. 47 and progressive policies in a recent SFGate column.

Proposition 47 also passed seven years ago and was followed by a decline in property crimes. Its passage did not prevent prosecutors from being able to hold those who commit organized retail thefts accountable; for example, all the charges in Union Square were still felonies, Boudin wrote.

However, Shellenberger isnt quite convinced. When he goes into the city, what he sees tells a different story.

We have to move away from this current status quo of no consequences for breaking the law, he said. You cant have a civilized society and lawlessnessthe two are completely incompatible. In fact, the definition of civilization is to have cities that function, and cities cannot function if theyre overrun by crime and violence.
Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard appears via video feed near a screen of Ontario prosecutor Neville Golwalla in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in this courtroom sketch Jan. 6, 2022. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)

Bail Hearing Continues for Canadian Fashion Designer Peter Nygard

TORONTOA bail hearing for Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard, who faces charges of sexual assault and forcible confinement, continued for a second day Friday before being adjourned to late next week.

Nygard, born in Finland, faces charges in both Canada and the United States in connection with incidents that allegedly occurred between 1987 and 2006. He has denied all wrongdoing.

The 80-year-old appeared via video feed from a Toronto jail. He wore an orange jumpsuit and light blue surgical mask and at times appeared to be taking notes.

The bail hearings, which started on Thursday, are subject to broad publication bans that preclude reporting on details of the proceedings.

This weeks hearing relates to charges filed by Canadian authorities. Nygard also faces extradition to the United States to face charges in that country. Last fall he consented to extradition but a final decision on that must be made by Canadas justice minister.

The bail hearing is set to resume on Friday, Jan 14.

By Anna Mehler Paperny
A 7-Eleven convenience store in Beijing on January 3, 2012. Seven-Eleven(Beijing) Co., LTD. runs 299 stores in the capital city and neighbouring city of Tianjin. (Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijing Fines 7-Eleven for Labeling Taiwan a Country on Maps

Beijing has fined convenience store 7-Eleven for failing to comply with the communist regimes claim on Taiwan and some disputed areas on the maps it displayed.

A fine of 15,000 yuan ($2,300) was imposed by Dongcheng Branch of Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources on Dec. 21, according to the official website recording credit histories of firms and individuals.

Beijing local authorities said they had issued warnings and demanded Seven-Eleven (Beijing) Co., LTD., a local unit of the global convenience store, to correct the incomplete map, according to the notice on the Credit China website.

The map displayed on the companys website identified Taiwan as a separate country, read the record.

A map designed by Beijing includes an insert with red dotted lines showing the Chinese regimes claimed territory in the South China Sea in Beijing on June 15, 2016. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images)

Both the maps on the website and the entrance of the company omitted some disputed islands in the South and East China Seas. They also failed to include some borders along with Xinjiang and Tibet which Beijing has disputes with India.

The punishment marks the latest efforts by the communist regime in pushing international companies to adopt its stance on issues like Taiwan. The regime claimed self-ruled Taiwan as its territory to be taken by force if necessary.

High-profile cases in recent years include U.S. clothing Gap, Marriott International hotel chain, and French luxury brand Christian Dior, which had apologized after facing backlash in one of its biggest markets.

The regime had also demanded U.S. airlines to change the reference to Taiwan and other areas in 2018, which the Trump administration criticized as Orwellian nonsense and part of a growing trend by the Chinese Communist Party to impose its political views on American citizens and private companies.
A photo provided by the Multinational Joint Task Force in the region of Lake Chad shows troops in an operation against Boko Haram. (Multinational Joint Task Force)

Boko Haram Insurgents on the Run Near Lake Chad: Nigerian Military

The Nigerian military is claiming a victory over jihadist insurgents in the Lake Chad area after a three-week operation in December that killed 22 terrorists.

The 10,000-man Joint Multinational Task Force (MNJTF) dispersed insurgents of both the Boko Haram group and its stronger rival, the ISWAP terrorist group, during an operation code-named Sharan Fague (which means sweep in the Hausa language), officials said. Both groups claim allegiance to ISIS. The joint task force for the operation drew troops from the Nigerian army and the military of the Republic of Niger.

Tactically, ISWAP cells and the groups linked with Bakoura faction of former Boko Haram JAS group operate predominantly along the borders of Niger and Nigeria, David Otto, director of counterterrorism for the Geneva Centre of African Security and Strategic Studies, told The Epoch Times.

Since the death by suicide blast on May 24, 2021, of Boko Harams top leader, ISWAP forces have pressured members of the Boko Haram faction to affiliate with them. Hundreds have surrendered to the Nigerian military, while scores have relocated to Nigerias northwestern states.

With the current bitter rivalry and infighting between these factions over territory, any joint aerial and land MNJTF led operations could further destabilize the operational capacity of the jihadists, Otto said. The operations are well-timed.

The operation, which ended Dec. 21, 2021, likely signals a turning point in the 11-year war with Boko Haram, a spokesman for the task force told The Epoch Times.

In the course of this operation, 22 Boko Haram terrorists were neutralized, five of their gun trucks destroyed, five motorcycles and several logistic bunkers were destroyed, while eight AK47 rifles were recovered, Col. Muhammad Dole, a MNJTF spokesman, told The Epoch Times from the forces headquarters in NDjamena, Chad.

Regrettably, six members of the JTF (two officers and four other ranks) from both countries paid the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, with about 16 wounded in action.

Seventeen Boko Haram suspects were arrested and are being questioned.

A photo provided by the Multinational Joint Task Force in the region of Lake Chad shows 17 detained Boko Haram terrorists. (MNJTF)

The multinational force said it received massive support from air assets and surveillance equipmentenabling it to successfully clear enemy hideouts in and around the corridor linking Nigeria and Niger on the lakes shore.

Troops met strong resistance from the terrorists, who launched several mortar attacks, laid Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) along the troops route of advance and further attacks with Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs), Dole told The Epoch Times.

However, the troops brought superior fire power to bear on the insurgents forcing them to abandon their enclaves.

The region around Lake Chada vast lake bordered by Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chadhas been a stronghold for Boko Haram and ISIS-linked jihadists for a decade.

The Multinational Joint Task Force is an effort by the Lake Chad basin states, plus Benin, to pool resources against jihadists that threaten all of those countries. The MNJTF is under the political leadership of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and mandated by the African Union Peace and Security Council. The joint force has carried out periodic operations, often involving troops from one country fighting in a neighboring nation.

The latest operation created adequate security for the Republic of Niger to celebrate on Dec. 18 its founding 63 years agothe first such celebration in yearsaccording to a statement by the joint task force.

The task force commander, Maj. Gen Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim, during a visit to Niger on Dec. 29, commended the uncommon display of gallantry, professionalism, and courage of the troops who have taken the fight to the terrorists.

In a photo provided by the Multinational Joint Task Force in the region of Lake Chad force commander Maj. Gen. Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim, paid tribute to the six MNJTF soldiers who were killed in the line of duty, whom he described as martyrs for freedom, on Dec. 29, 2021. (MNJTF)

He promised to mobilize more equipment and other operational enablers to the sectors, Col. Dole told The Epoch Times.

He said a lot still needs to be done, but this was a good starting point. He declared 2022 as a year of decision for the MNJTF as he vowed to uproot the criminals from their hideouts in the lake.

The Lake Chad enclave along the NigeriaNiger border is the heart of the Boko Haram/ISWAP operational base, and displacing the jihadists along this porous border and boundary area is key to eliminating the insurgency, Otto said.

Boko Haram operations can be likened to acute cancer, unfortunately, a very adaptive jihadist group  they have spread their tentacles online, in the cities and in the bushes, said Otto.

They are everywhere but appear nowhere.

He said the timing of Operation Sharan Fague was strategic, given that Boko Haram and ISWAP currently are off-balance and have been reduced to a mere shadow of themselves, as compared to previous years.

The Boko Haram Islamist sectarian movement was founded in 2002 in northeastern Nigeria. Since 2009, the group has carried out large-scale acts of violence. Studies show Boko Haram has killed more unarmed civilians than ISIS in Iraq and Syria combined.

Eradicating jihadists in the Lake Chad region will require the MNJTF to embark on a structured combination of genuine partnership and timely intelligence-sharing, Otto told The Epoch Times.

Shooting a terrorist without killing the hunger and ignorance that pushes men and women to join is not going to end the insurgency any time soon, he said.
John Fund, co-author of "Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote," in New York on Nov. 15, 2021. (Blake Wu/The Epoch Times)

Broken Elections: How Prevalent Is Election Fraud in the US, and What Can Be Done About It?

The Pew Research Center, says John Fund, estimates that between 15 and 20 percent of voter registrations right now are invalid, outdated, or inactive.

In a recent episode on American Thought Leaders, host Jan Jekielek discussed Americas voter ID laws and the integrity of our elections with John Fund, co-author with Hans von Spakovsky of Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote, which examines the vulnerabilities of our election process and offers recommendations to fix those problems.

Jan Jekielek: Ive been enjoying your new book, Our Broken Elections. It seems theres this ubiquitous narrative that voter fraud isnt a thing. How does this all work?

John Fund: Until about a decade ago, this issue was discussed in a bipartisan way. Many newspapers in America have won Pulitzer Prizes for uncovering voter fraud cases: the Chicago Tribune, the Miami Herald, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer as recently as the early 2000s.

In 2002, Congress came together, a Democratic Senate and a Republican House. This was after the Bush v. Gore fiasco in Florida, and they passed the first federal election law. That bill gave states and local governments money to improve their voting machines. It also toughened up requirements that states clean up their voter rolls.

And then in 2008, the Supreme Court weighed in on a 63 decision on the constitutionality of voter ID laws.

When Barack Obama came in, his Justice Department was adamantly opposed to these voter ID laws. One top Justice Department official actually told a group of Justice Department lawyers, Were not going to enforce it because it will reduce voter turnout. It wont increase voter turnout.

In 2016, a majority of people who voted for Hillary Clinton believed she won the election, either by interference from the Russians or by manipulation behind the scenes. That also undermined confidence in the elections.

Then you had the TrumpBiden election, which was full of controversy. Now, my book isnt about taking sides or determining the final outcome of the 2020 election. But it absolutely nails down documented problems in the 2020 election.

Mr. Jekielek: Lets go back to this issue in the Nov. 3 elections here in New York.

Mr. Fund: There were three constitutional amendments on the ballot in New York state, which is one of the most liberal states in the country.

The first wouldve made it much easier for the legislature, the Democratic legislature, to gerrymander the state.

The second wouldve set up a same-day voter registration system. People could go to the polls and give an address, register to vote on the spot, and vote immediately, which is an open invitation to fraud and abuse.

The third amendment wouldve dismantled whatever remains of the election protections, which is that if you send in a mail-in ballot, its a valid ballot and can be cast legitimately.

All these amendments lost overwhelmingly in New York state, one of the most liberal in the country. The average voter doesnt buy into this consensus in the mainstream media that voter fraud isnt an issue.

Mr. Jekielek: In Canada, voter ID is required.

Mr. Fund: The vast majority of European nations dont allow mail-in voting. The vast majority of them would never consider having someone show up on Election Day, registering, and being able to vote there on the spot.

Mr. Jekielek: Its hard to believe that this might even be a contentious issue.

Mr. Fund: The Democratic Party believes the health of a democracy should be measured by how many people vote.

At the same time, however, Americans shouldnt have votes canceled out by someone who shouldnt be voting or someone whos moved out of state. Someone whos dead. Look, I believe in honoring our ancestors, but I dont believe in representation without respiration.

Mr. Jekielek: Representation without respiration?

Mr. Fund: Well, if you allow dead people to vote, isnt that what youre giving them? Representation without respiration?

Chicago used to have people who would go out to the graveyards, take names down, and then enter them into the polling book. Its a long, dishonorable tradition.

Many people have said to me: I tried to vote in the last election and was told someone had already voted for me. I had to fill out a provisional ballot, but my ballot wouldnt be counted, ultimately, because someone had voted. They had my name and address, and without ID they were able to vote.

Mr. Jekielek: Theres not a lot of times Im speechless when doing this show, but this is one of them.

Mr. Fund: Its a difficult crime to prove. Prosecutors are loath to pursue them because a lot of prosecutors want to climb the political ladder, which means theyre going to run for office. And if you prosecute a voter fraud case, youre going to anger partisans in the other party.

And in certain neighborhoods and cities, youre automatically going to be accused of racism or voter suppression. Who wants that on their political record, even if the charge is bogus?

Minorities support voter ID and election integrity laws as much or more in many cases than whites. They think its a serious problem. Why would that be? Its because many minority voters live in urban areas or in impoverished rural areas where political machines dominate.

COVID allowed the left to take all the ideas they had for dismantling election integrity and put them into practice under the cover of COVID health rules.

In some places, the mail-in vote exceeded the voting at the polls. Now, Im in favor of absentee mail-in voting, but it shouldnt become the norm. It should be the exception. We should vote under the supervision of election officials at a polling place.

Mr. Jekielek: I cant help but doubt more and more the validity of elections.

Mr. Fund: In modern times, the vast majority of elections have been conducted freely, fairly, and properly. The problems Hans and I outline in the book are mostly isolated or limited to places where long-term political machines want to stay in power.

You cheat when you think its going to be close and when you think it will make a difference.

In the 2020 election, what was concerning was the creative ways that people had of tilting the balance in some of those critical swing states that everyone knew the election for president would be decided on.

Mr. Jekielek: So, would you say this dramatic increase in absentee ballots is the biggest issue?

Mr. Fund: Its the biggest potential issue because the opportunity for mistakes, manipulation, and even outright fraud exists.

Mr. Jekielek: Lets talk about how to create a system thats more reliable and effective at making sure every vote is a real one.

Mr. Fund: We need to update our voter rolls. We need to make sure that the voter rolls are an accurate reflection of who the voters are.

The Pew Research Center estimates that between 15 and 20 percent of voter registrations right now are invalid, outdated, or inactive. They represent people who arent eligible to vote, who no longer exist, or who are otherwise out of the system.

Mr. Jekielek: And so, ultimately, whats going to bring back faith in the system?

Mr. Fund: Doing what we have written in our book. We also need the media to devote resources to telling the full story.

Sunlight is the best disinfectant, but much of the mainstream media has bought into a single narrative on this. There are exceptions like your network, but most of the time, people just repeat the same old tired charges of racism and voter suppression. when thats not the real story anymore. That may have been the case in the 1960s, and we fought to overcome that. The story is different now. It has different villains and different sets of facts.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Jan Jekielek Senior Editor Follow Jan Jekielek is a senior editor with The Epoch Times and host of the show, "American Thought Leaders." Jans career has spanned academia, media, and international human rights work. In 2009 he joined The Epoch Times full time and has served in a variety of roles, including as website chief editor. He is the producer of the award-winning Holocaust documentary film "Finding Manny."
People hold up signs at a health care rally at the 2017 Convention of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee in San Francisco, on Sept. 22, 2017. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

California Republicans Pan Democratic Push for Government-Run Health Care

California Assembly Republican leader Marie Waldron criticized the state Assembly Rules Committee on Jan. 6 for approving legislation that would create single-payer, government-run universal health care in the state.

Waldron (R-Valley Center) panned the committee, which consists of nine Democrats and three Republicans, for voting to advance a government takeover of Californias health care system. The committee is chaired by Assemblyman Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova).

The [Assembly] Rules Committee used to be a place where reasonable people stood as a check against the bad ideas of radical ideologues. Apparently, that is no longer the case, Waldron said in a statement.

Assembly Bill 1400 (AB 1400), known as the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act, was introduced on Feb. 19 last year by Democratic Assembly members Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), Alex Lee (D-San Jose), and Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles). The proposal now moves to the Assembly Health Committee.

In the Health Committee, I look forward to a robust discussion of the impacts of socialized medicine in California, including how much taxes will increase on the middle class, how many people will be kicked off their current health care plan, what Democrats will say to the seniors whose Medicare funds will be raided, how long wait times will be, the extent to which bureaucrats will ration care, and how many hospitals will close, Waldron said.

Assembly Member Marie Waldron (R) at the California State Capitol with Kyra Sakamoto (L) of the Girl Scouts of Northern California, in Sacramento, Calif., on June 22, 2016. (Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images for Girl Scouts)

Finally, I look forward to hearing Democrats explain how they plan to successfully take over more than 10 percent of the states economy when in the last decade theyve proven themselves incapable of simple things like building a railroad, providing clean drinking water, keeping the lights on and filling potholes, she said.

Kalra also introduced Assembly Constitutional Amendment 11 (ACA 11) on Jan. 6. The legislation offers a progressive taxation plan to fund comprehensive, universal single-payer health care coverage and a health care cost control system as outlined in AB 1400, the California Guaranteed Health Care for All Act (CalCare). AB 1400, which offers the policy framework, can proceed separately during the 2022 Legislative Calendar, according to a statement.

AB 1400s first policy committee hearing will be a significant and historic step toward single-payer health care in the state, Kalra said.

AB 1400 and ACA 11 together provide Californians with information about what to expect from a publicly financed, single-payer health care system, he said.

Those that profit off the immoral status quo may not like it, but I am confident that the vast majority of working and retired Californians will see the benefit of significant cost-savings as we remove debilitating insurance costs, out-of-reach prescription drugs, and arbitrarily high hospital fees, he said.

Kalra has stated on his website that the health care system would be provided to all residents regardless of citizenship status.

By establishing a payment system that eliminates waste and aligns reimbursements with the actual cost of care, the state can make significant progress on health care as a human right, he said.

Jim Stanley, press secretary for the Assembly Republicans, told The Epoch Times that government-run health care would place a staggering tax burden on the already struggling middle class in California.

The proposed plan would increase payroll taxes on anyone earning more than $49,000 a year, Stanley said. That would be a massive middle-class tax increase. If the fund that they create to pay for this runs out of money, they will be allowed to increase taxes with a simple majority vote in the legislature, so that is repealing part of Prop. 13 requiring two-thirds approval. And it would also include payroll tax increases on businesses.

Health care workers use a continuous positive airway pressure machine on a COVID-19 patient at Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley, Calif., on Jan. 11, 2021. (Ariana Drehsler/AFP via Getty Images)

This is going to raid Medicare that seniors have paid into their entire lives and use that money to give health care to a bunch of other people. Regardless of all the fallout, even if things go exactly to planwhich they wontthis is going to be terrible. Its going to be a mess, Stanley said.

Providing health care to people without out-of-pocket costs means imposing out-of-paycheck costs, he said. Even [President] Joe Biden says that this is going to raise middle-class taxes, so dont take it from us, take it from the Democratic president that this is a bad idea.

Although AB 1400 could pass with a simple majority vote, the funding mechanism, ACA 11, would require a two-thirds majority vote and would be placed on the ballot for California voters to decide.

Even Democrats have admitted the plan would mean hiring as many as a million nurses, Stanley claimed.

Theres 40 million in the state, so one out of every 40 people would have to become a nurse to make this work, which is just wildly unrealistic, he said.

I dont think the middle of a pandemic is the time to completely upend the health care system for 40 million people, Stanley said. We do have to bring costs down. We have to make reforms. Weve got to increase availability, but there are still a lot of people who have good health coverage and who liked their coverage, and this plan is going to take that away.

Meanwhile, the California Chamber of Commerce urged lawmakers to reject the single-payer health care legislation because these proposals will jeopardize the health care of Californians when they need it most.

AB 1400 and ACA 11 will subject taxpayers to roughly $160 billion a year in higher taxes on jobs, income, services, and more, the organization said in a statement. We ask that policymakers focus on ways to achieve affordable health care without upending a system that currently covers 94 percent of Californians.
An entrance to Lowell Elementary School in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 5, 2022. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Chicago Cancels School for Third Straight Day Amid Standoff With Teachers Union

Chicago canceled classes on Friday amid a standoff with the citys teachers union (CTU), which is refusing to teach in-person.

Parents were told late Thursday that classes were axed for the third straight day as we continue working to get CTU staff back in our buildings.

A small number of schools may be able to offer in-person activities because some teachers were bucking the union and have been showing up at schools, Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said.

Parents, though, should not send their children to school unless the principal there confirmed that it would be open on Friday.

CTU members voted earlier this week to shift to virtual learning after a rise in COVID-19 cases in Chicago and among students and staffers.

Members refused to return to the classroom unless the number of cases subsided or the city agreed to a list of demands, including forcing students to test negative for COVID-19 before being allowed back in school.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Martinez have said the vote amounted to an illegal work stoppage and have urged teachers to return to schools, arguing they are already safe places amid the pandemic.

CTU and the city have filed competing unfair labor practices complaints, neither of which have been ruled on yet.

CTU President Jesse Sharkey told members in an email to stay the course and teachers started going door-to-door on Thursday to sign families up for COVID-19 testing.

With few students signed up for free COVID testing each week in schools, locked out educators are taking matters into their own hands today, the union said in a statement.

Members of the Chicago Teachers Union and supporters stage a car caravan protest outside City Hall in the Loop in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 5, 2022. (Ashlee Rezin /Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

The union says attempts to teach virtually were disrupted by Chicago Public Schools, which allegedly locked teachers out of their accounts.

Negotiations are ongoing between the city and the union. Lightfoot and Martinez said in a joint statement that the bargaining sessions on Thursday were productive from our perspective.

The Biden administration has backed the city, telling districts across the nation to remain open for in-person instruction.

But the effort has not been entirely successful. Over 5,200 schools nationwide have had in-person instruction disrupted, including the 653 schools in Chicago, according to Burbio.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Studies show that school closures do not cut down on COVID-19 in a community, and many officials who once favored shutting down schools during the pandemic have since backed keeping them open.
A sign above an office of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) is seen in Beijing on July 8, 2021. (Reuters/Thomas Peter)

China to Impose New Rules on Big Platforms Listing Overseas

Beijings cyberspace watchdog said this week that, starting Feb. 15, Chinese platform companies holding the personal data of more than one million users will go through a cyber security review before listing shares overseas.

The move comes amid a wave of regulatory changes to tighten the regimes grip over big tech companies in China.

According to a statement on Jan. 4 released by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the implemented regulation is to safeguard network data and ensure national security.

There is a risk that critical information infrastructure, important data, or a large volume of personal information could be impacted, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments following a companys listing overseas, the new regulations stated, reiterating a concern exposed last July when the cyber security rules were first proposed.

Based on the rules, it was unclear which types of companies would be affected, reported Reuters, citing Alex Roberts, an expert in tracking Chinas data policy at the Shanghai-based Linklaters law firm.

This ambiguity will be a real concern for successful multi-channel businesses in Chinas digital economy given the current uncertainty of the review process, said Roberts.

Beijing launched its first cybersecurity review in July, 2021 to probe ride-hailing giant Didi Global Inc. for allegedly defying regulatory requests to ensure its data security before overseas listing, just days after its $4.4 billion initial public offerings (IPO) in New York.

The CAC at the time cited preventing national data security risks, protecting national safety, and ensuring public interests as reasons for the review, which came amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Seven regulatory bodies, including those overseeing state security, public security, tax, and transportation, visited Didis offices in mid-July to conduct an on-site investigation. Didi announced in December that it would delist from the New York Stock Exchange and seek a listing in Hong Kong instead.

Beijing introduced a slew of new regulations in recent months for internet platform companies as data has been its key concern.

In November, the CAC required data processors to apply for a network security review before listing in Hong Kong.

On Dec. 24, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) announced that it would require companies planning to list overseas to first register with the agency, under a system that also closely collaborates with other regulatory bodies.

On December 27, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), Chinas top economic planning agency, said that companies in sensitive industries, such as internet news and publishing, should get approval from relevant Chinese regulatory bodies before listing their shares overseas.

Regulations on Algorithm Recommendation Technology

On January 4, the CAC released another statement saying it would begin enforcing new laws on algorithm technology used by platform businesses on March 1, and extend oversight over internet news providers.

Apps operated by platform companies extensively use algorithm recommendation technology, including e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding, social media and video gaming market leader Tencent Holdings, and TikTok owner ByteDance.

The regulator said it would require platforms to allow users to switch off algorithm services in the new regulations.

Online news providers will also be required to obtain a license for their services, and will be forbidden from publishing information that does not come from the state agencys list of approved news sources.

On Oct. 20, the CAC updated its approved list of 1,358 news outlets for internet content sharing.

Katabella Roberts and Reuters contributed to this report.
A military personnel guides a Chengdu Aircraft Corporation's J-10 for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) after its flight demonstration program at the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, in southern China's Guangdong Province on Sept. 28, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinas Fighter Jet Sale to Pakistan: More to Come?

News Analysis

It appears that China has finally broken its drought when it comes to exporting fighter jets.

In December of last year, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) announced that it would soon acquire 25 Chinese-made J-10C combat aircraft. These fighters could be deployed as early as March.

This purchase was a long time coming. Speculation that the PAF would acquire the J-10 goes back at least a decade. Earlier plans to buy up several dozen J-10s were scuttled by a lack of funding, but Indias decision to purchase 36 highly advanced, French-made Rafale fighter jets apparently pushed the Pakistanis to move forward with their own buy of modern fighters.

All good news for China, up to a point. Beijing has not had much luck lately exporting its fighter jets. It has tried to flog some of its less capable combat aircraft on the global market but with little success.

During the 1990s and 2000s, China offered export versions of two domestically-built fighter jets, the JH-7 (designated the FBC-1 Flying Leopard) and the F-8IIM (a heavily upgraded MiG-21, a plane that first flew in the 1950s). Neither of these planes secured an overseas sale.

Up until now, Chinas best result has been a handful of sales of its JF-17 to Burma (Myanmar) and Nigeria. The JF-17 is a rather basic lightweight fighter jet built explicitly for export. Pakistan has been its biggest buyer, with intentions of acquiring up to 200 planes. At the same time, these JF-17s will be manufactured in Pakistan and equipped with Western radar and Russian engines. There is very little Chinese about this aircraft.

Not surprisingly, the Chinese have pinned a lot of hope on the J-10 when it comes to overseas sales. The J-10 was Chinas first fourth-generation-plus (4+) combat aircraft. It is an agile, single-engine fighter jet roughly in the same class as the US F-16C. It features fly-by-wire flight controls and a glass cockpit, meaning that it utilizes several multi-function flat-panel displays, as opposed to traditional analog instruments.

The J-10 has had its share of teething problems. Although its development was initiated in the mid-1980s, it didnt fly until 1998, and it was nearly 20 years before it entered operational service with Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). Even now, it is equipped with a Russian turbofan engineunderscoring Chinas ongoing difficulties with developing a usable jet engine.

The latest variant, the J-10Cthe version being exported to Pakistanis considered to be a relatively advanced fighter. The J-10C features a highly advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and is capable of firing long-range missiles, meaning that it could engage enemy aircraft as far away as 124 miles. One report claims that the J-10C is comparable to the most advanced versions of the F-16 (the so-called Block 60/70 version).

China, despite being consistently among the top 10 arms exporting nations, is still essentially a niche supplier of weapons systems. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Chinese arms exports in 2020 consisted mainly of tactical missile systems (such as anti-tank weapons or anti-ship cruise missiles) and armed drones. After that comes artillery systems, mortars, and lightly armored vehicles.

Sales of big-ticket items, such as warships, submarines, main battle tanks, and fighter jets, were few and far betweenthe major exceptions being the sale of Yuan-class submarines to Pakistan and Thailand, and offshore patrol vessels to Malaysia.

A submarine of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy participates in a naval parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Chinas PLA Navy in the sea near Qingdao, in eastern Chinas Shandong Province on April 23, 2019. (Mark Schiefelbein/AFP via Getty Images)

In fact, in 2020 China slipped to number eight on SIPRIs list of leading arms exporters, behind France, German, and even Spain. Its arms sales for the period 20162020 were less than one-sixth those of the United States, the worlds leading arms exporter.

Armed drones, in fact, are Chinas main exception to the rule of exporting rather prosaic weapons systems. As noted in an earlier article, Beijing has had great success selling armed drones.

According to SIPRI, China has exported armed drones to at least 16 countries on three continents, including Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These deals have earned Beijing more than US$700 million in export sales.

China has quickly become the developing worlds go-to source for armed drones, and Chinese drones are being used regularly in combat. While perhaps not as advanced as their competitors, Chinese drones are filling a criticaland lucrativemarket niche.

Countries may not be lining up to buy most Chinese weapons, but armed drones are a segment where Beijing has several advantages over its competitors: a good-enough productat a relatively low priceto just about anyone who has the cash, and with few or no questions asked.

Will Beijing be able to duplicate its success with exporting the J-10 that is has had with armed drones? It is probably too soon to say. Certainly, China faces a lot of competition in the global fighter business and, therefore, prospects for overseas sales of the J-10 remain dim.

Nevertheless, a successful sale of the J-10 to the Pakistanis raises the prospects that China could flood the global arms market with a relatively cheap and yet quite capable fighter jet. In particular, the J-10 could appeal to African, Asian, and Latin American air forces with ambitious plans and thin wallets.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The U.S. Department of Justice is seen in Washington, on June 11, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Chinese Scientist Pleads Guilty to Stealing From Monsanto

A Chinese national pleaded guilty on Jan. 6 to conspiracy to commit economic espionage after he tried to steal a trade secret from his U.S. employer to advance his career at a Chinese state-run research institute.

Haitao Xiang, 44, a legal permanent U.S. resident formerly from Missouri, worked for Monsanto, a St. Louis-based agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology company, and its subsidiary, The Climate Corporation, between 2008 and 2017, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

He tried to steal an algorithm that was a crucial component of an online farming software platform developed by Monsanto, DOJ officials said. The platform allowed farmers to collect, store, and visualize critical agricultural field data and increase and improve agricultural productivity for farmers.

The algorithm, named the Nutrient Optimizer, which Xiang worked on during his employment as an image scientist, was considered by Monsanto and The Climate to be a valuable trade secret and their intellectual property, according to the DOJ.

Mr. Xiang used his insider status at a major international company to steal valuable trade secrets for use in his native China, said U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming for the Eastern District of Missouri, according to a DOJ statement.

Fleming added: These crimes present a danger to the U.S. economy and jeopardize our nations leadership in innovation and our national security.

Beginning in around June 2015, Xiang began communicating with individuals working for the Chinese regime, about possible employment at Chinas state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Institute of Soil Science, according to a court document. He also inquired about being recruited under Chinas state-run talent recruitment program known as the Hundred Talents Plan.

That program is just one of many similar talent recruitment programs that the Chinese regime offers, in order to attract overseas Chinese and foreign experts into working in Chinas science and tech sectors. Through these programs, Beijing hopes to quickly turn China into an industrial and innovation powerhouse, ultimately to outperform Western countries.

Other similar programs include the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. All of these programs often offer hefty financial incentives; including salaries, housing, and relocation costs.

In July 2020, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned about these Chinese talent programs at the Washington-based think tank Hudson Institute.

Through its talent recruitment programs, like the so-called Thousand Talents Plan, the Chinese government tries to entice scientists to secretly bring our knowledge and innovation back to Chinaeven if that means stealing proprietary information or violating our export controls and conflict-of-interest rules, Wray said.

Xiang informed recruiters for Chinas talent programs about his skills that came with working with Monsantos online farming software platform and the Nutrient Optimizer, according to the court document.

U.S. prosecutors said Xiang was hired as a Hundred Talent Program recruit for CASs Institute of Soil Science in August 2016.

Less than a year later, in May 2017, Xiang informed his employer about his intention to resign, according to the court document.

A month later, after leaving his employment, Xiang tried to fly to China after purchasing a one-way plane ticket. Before he could board the plane, he was stopped and searched by federal officials, and they found his electronic devices containing copies of the Nutrient Optimizer.

According to the DOJ, Xiang was allowed to continue his flight to China but was arrested when he returned to the United States.

Xiang was indicted in November 2019.

The American worker suffers when adversaries, like the Government of China, steal technology to grow their economies, said Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division, according to the statement.

Xiang is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7, the DOJ announced, when he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a possible fine of $5 million.

The DOJ has prosecuted many researchers for hiding their participation in Chinas talent programs. One of the most recent cases involved Charles Lieber, a Harvard University professor, who was convicted on six felony charges in December last year for lying about his ties to the Thousand Talents Plan.

Liber concealed his income from the program, including $50,000 per month plus $158,000 in living expenses and more than $1.5 million in grants from a Chinese university, according to prosecutors.

In June last year, a senior NASA scientist was sentenced to 30 days in prison and fined $100,000 for lying about his participation in the Thousand Talents Plan Program.
Corrupt CCP Officials Lose Avenue to Stash Ill-Gotten Gains After Swiss Banking Secrecy Ends

News Analysis

The Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) has almost completed its transfer of offshore customer information to hundreds of countries and territories, signifying that Switzerlandthe worlds largest offshore financial centerhas abandoned its three-centuries-old system of keeping bank customers information secret, and ending its use as a safe haven for the illegal funds of terrorists and dictators, including the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) corrupt officials.

As of Oct. 11, 2021, the Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) disclosed the financial information for approximately 3.3 million bank accounts to hundreds of governments.

According to Swiss Info, the Swiss law on the automatic exchange of information came into force at the beginning of 2017 in accordance with international tax regulation. In 2018, Switzerland initiated exchange of banking and tax information with the United States, Europe, and other 36 counties. In 2019, the data sharing expanded to some authoritarian and totalitarian states like China, Russia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The information sharing includes the name of the bank account holder, and their address, country of residence, and tax identification number, as well as the reporting institution, account balance, and capital income.

International Investment cited the Boston Consulting Groups report in June 2018, saying that over the centuries, Switzerland has managed about one-third of global private wealth due to its strict banking secrecy and neutral political stance.

Many of the CCPs rich and powerful officers have stashed their wealth in offshore financial centers such as Switzerland, but the exact amount of their offshore assets are kept secret.

The annual Billionaires Insights report jointly released by Swiss banking giant UBS, and PwC in October 2020 showed that the number of billionaires in China climbed to 415 in 2020 from 325 in 2018; the total asset size of Chinas billionaires soared to nearly $1.7 trillion compared to $962.4 billion in 2018; and total assets increased by 75 percent or $718.5 billion in two years.

The report says that the number of global billionaires has doubled, and their total wealth has more than tripled in the past 10 years, while the wealth of Chinese billionaires has increased nearly nine times in the same period.

CCP Officials Moved Trillions Out of China: Analyst

Elmer Yuen Gong-yi, a Hong Kong industrialist who has 20 years of business experience in mainland China and is familiar with the top ruling families of the CCP, mentioned in an interview with The Epoch Timess Chinese edition last August that he estimates the CCPs powerful and wealthy to have transferred a total of about $10 trillion in assets out of China, including the overseas assets of former party leader Jiang Zemins family, which amounted to more than $1 trillion.

Yuan said that his estimate is based on figures revealed by former CIA staffer Edward Snowden when he went into hiding in Hong Kong in 2013 after disclosing the CIAs mass surveillance to The Guardian during the Obama administrationthat $4.8 trillion left China. Yuan calculates that at least the same amount left China in the following seven years.

Starting in 1989, ex-head of the CCP Jiang Zemin took a grip of the partys top leadership for nearly 30 years, with his family accumulating huge wealth.

Jiang Zemins eldest son, Jiang Mianheng, has controlled Chinas high-tech industry for over 20 years, as well as financial institutions like the Bank of Shanghai. Jiang Mianheng built up his vast telecommunications kingdom within the first years of Jiangs time, and also headed Chinas nuclear energy sector, capturing vast assets.

Jiang Mianheng is deeply linked to Chinas largest securities trading case, involving up to 1,200 billion yuan ($188 billion), and many major corruption cases, with culprits investigated and sentenced: Zhou Zhengyi, property developer and the richest man in Shanghai ranked by Forbes; and Wang Weigong, secretary of the former vice-premier Huang Ju, who was in charge of national financial power during the Jiang Zemin era. All of these cases involved astronomical amounts of corruption and embezzlement of state property.

On Dec. 9, 2002, the Bank for International Settlements issued a 105-page routine report from May to September, which noted on page 29: In particular, Chinese banks transferred over $3 billion to their own offices in banking centers in the Caribbean.

According to the confession of Liu Jinbao, who was imprisoned in 2005 as chairman of the Bank of Chinas Shanghai branch, $2 billion of that money was transferred by Jiang Zemin on the eve of the 16th Communist Party Congresswhich convened on Nov. 8, 2002as funds to give himself a way out, reported Secret China, an independent Chinese media based in the United States, in July 2003.

Jiang Zemins second son, Jiang Miankang, was responsible for the overall coordination of land, demolition, planning, and construction throughout Shanghai, and seized large profits in infrastructure construction and real estate development, the pillar industries of Chinas economy.

Jiang Zemins grandson Jiang Zhicheng has reaped huge profits in China, the worlds largest emerging private equity market, using his political connections to manipulate situations for personal profit, according to an investigation by Reuterss in April 2014.

According to the report, Jiang Zhicheng established Boyu Capital in 2010, then quickly seized $2.1 billion through raising funds for the Chinese Internet giant Alibaba. Meanwhile, two other investments in the state-backed debt trader China Cinda Asset Management Co. and Sunrise Duty Free earned the princeling hundreds of millions of dollars.

According Guo Wengui, a Chinese tycoon living in exile in the United States, Jiang Zhicheng has laundered $500 billion abroad and operates trillions of dollars in assets through his investments.

Switzerland Abandons Banking Secrecy Under Pressure From US, Europe

Swiss banks have been protecting customer confidentiality for some 300 years, but it was not until 1934 that Switzerland formally legislated its Banking Act, which said that Swiss financial institutions can refuse any government investigation or surveillance of customer accounts, and that account information is permanently protected unless there is conclusive evidence of criminal conduct by the depositor. Moreover, customers can choose the most secure and anonymous way to conduct their business.

Switzerlands tax rates are lower than those in the United States and most European countries, which have high taxation and welfare policies.

All of these advantages make it possible for the wealthiest, as well as terrorists, criminal organizations, and even officials of dictatorial states, to securely store their money. However, some have used the system to help them evade taxes and engage in criminal activity such as money laundering.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, the United States has stepped up pressure on Switzerland to turn over the names of some 52,000 U.S. customers who held secret accounts at UBS, by launching a tax fraud investigation into the bank. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that UBS concealed billions of dollars in untaxed assets from these U.S. persons, reported Reuters in April 2010.

In July 2008, the U.S. Senate accused Swiss banks, including UBS, of helping wealthy Americans avoid taxes through offshore accounts worth about $18 billion, resulting in a significant annual loss of U.S. tax revenue.

In the end, in order to settle two charges against UBS and avoid the collapse of the bank, which had already been hit by the financial crisis, the Swiss government not only agreed to pay $780 million in fines, but also allowed UBS to submit a list of about 280 serious U.S. tax avoiders, and UBS promised to provide information on 4,450 U.S. customers within a year. Switzerland thus broke away from its centuries-old regime of banking secrecy.

But the United States did not stop pressuring Switzerland. The U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) passed in March 2010 to track tax avoidance by Americans abroad, requires non-U.S. banks to report to U.S. tax authorities information on the assets of their U.S. customers at the bank.

Following the FATCA, Switzerland and 47 other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries at an annual meeting in May 2014 signed a Common Reporting Standard, a new standard for the automatic exchange of global tax information between member states.

The EU has also been pressuring Switzerland, a non-EU country, by placing it on a grey list of non-cooperative countries that have not yet fully implemented international tax standards in December 2017. The EU did not remove Switzerland from the list until October 2019, when Swiss authorities committed to and began cooperating in the exchange of tax data with hundreds of countries and territories.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Nonfiction

Pandemic Policies

A Plague Upon Our House: My Fight at the Trump White House to Stop COVID From Destroying America

By Scott W. Atlas

Atlas, who was on Donald Trumps COVID-19 Task Force and advocated a public policy perspective, wrote a mind-blowing expose about how policies were institutedwithout basis in public policy or scienceand ultimately had disastrous effects on society. A heart-wrenching story.

Bombardier Books, 2021, 352 pages

Rekindling Citizen Engagement

I, Citizen: A Blueprint for Reclaiming American Self-Governance

By Tony Woodlief

In this book, Woodlief described how our government has continued to stray from our founding principles, providing ample examples of our ever-expanding government and discussing how our system, which started off so well, has been slowly but surely dismantled. I, Citizen is a call to action for Americans to begin playing the traditional role of good, concerned citizens: It doesnt mean jumping on social media to address the countrys ills, but doing as Theodore Roosevelt suggestedactually getting in the arena.

Encounter Books, Dec. 7, 2021, 264 pages

Fiction

Taking the Bus From Hell to Heaven

The Great Divorce

By C.S. Lewis

A group of people living in hell board a bus and travel to the outskirts of heaven, where if they repent of their sins they can enter into that paradise forever. However, only a few of them possess the desire and willpower to shake off their past offenses. All the others cling to their pride and their wrongdoing, and so return to hell, which in this case means alienation from God and from one another. Forgiveness and humility are the themes in this short, brilliant novel.

HarperOne, 2015, 160 pages

The Life You Always Wanted

The Nine Cloud Dream

By Kin Man-jung, trans. by Heinz Insu Fekl

This 17th-century Korean classic centers around a monk who undergoes a most interesting punishment for being tempted by eight fairy maidens: getting reincarnated as the most ideal man. As he journeys through his new life, he realizes that all isnt as it seems. Well-written and entertaining, this book easily offers insight into our modern age: Then and now, our desires are still the samebut so are the fundamental truths.

Penguin Classics, 2019, 288 pages

Self-Improvement

Boost Your Productivity

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

By Stephen R. Covey

Rather than a glittery array of life-hacks, Coveys book aims to put forth a set of fundamental principles to live by, from being proactive and managing priorities to envisioning the end in mind. If youve never read The 7 Habits or even if its been a while, now is the perfect time of year to absorb the valuable lessons it conveys.

Gardners Books, 2004, 384 pages

Classics

Sparkling Wit to Light Up the Winter

The Importance of Being Earnest

By Oscar Wilde

Subtitled A Trivial Comedy for Serious People, this stage comedy gently pokes fun at Victorian manners, class distinctions, and customs while having brought laughter to audiences since its first performance more than a century ago. The dialogue is brilliantWildes ability to write dazzling epigrams shines herewhile the situations created by deceptions and name changes whip up a delicious mix of wonderful absurdities. Read the play with family or friends or even aloud to yourself, then watch one of the many film versions that exist.

Dover, 2008, 64 pages

For Kids

One Mans Gift to the World

Snowflake Bentley

By Jacqueline Briggs Martin, ill. by Mary Azarian

This is the story of a young boys lifelong pursuit to capture the beauty of snowflakes. See also a compilation of his work, Snow Crystals; these books will show children the beauty of nature and the potential of their own curiosity.

HMH Books for Young Readers, 2009, 32 pages

Still a Role Model for Girls Today

Anne of Green Gables

By Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne Shirley is a high-spirited 11-year-old orphan whose imagination frequently lands her both in trouble and in the hearts of readers. Sequels to this story allow us to accompany her on many other adventures and into adulthood.

Bantam Books, 1982, 336 pages
CEO of Euronews Michael Peters (L) and President of NBC News International Deborah Turness (R), pose at the headquarters of Euronews in Lyon, on May 31, 2017. (Philippe Desmazes/AFP via Getty Images)

Ex-NBC Exec Turness Named CEO for BBC News, Current Affairs

LONDONThe BBC announced Thursday that it has appointed Deborah Turness as its new chief executive for news and current affairs, bringing to the broadcaster a vastly experienced journalist who previously held senior leadership positions at the news division of American TV network NBC.

Turness, 54, comes to the BBC from British media company ITN, where she is currently CEO. The native of England will replace Fran Unsworth, who is leaving at the end of January.

In the U.K. and around the world there has never been a greater need for the BBCs powerful brand of impartial, trusted journalism, Turness said in a statement.

It is a great privilege to be asked to lead and grow BBC News at a time of accelerated digital growth and innovation, when its content is reaching more global consumers on more platforms than ever before, she added.

BBC Director-General Tim Davie said Turness brings a wealth of experience, insight, first-class editorial judgment and a strong track record of delivery to her new role.

He called her a passionate advocate for the power of impartial journalism and a great believer in the BBC and the role we play, in the U.K. and globally.

When she begins her new new job, Turness will have responsibility for a team of around 6,000 that delivers broadcasts in more than 40 languages to almost half a billion people around the world, the BBC said.

Turness joined NBC News in 2013, becoming the first female president of an American network news division, and later served as president of the networks global arm.

The BBC, founded in 1922, is Britains publicly funded but editorially independent national broadcaster. The rules governing its operations are set out in a royal charter that requires the corporation to be impartial, act in the public interest and be open, transparent and accountable.

The broadcaster has come under pressure from some members of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Conservative Party who accuse it of having a liberal bias. It also faced strong criticism last year about its integrity following a scathing report on its explosive 1995 interview with Princess Diana.
Recently released emails reveal an attempt by two of the U.S. governments most senior officers to silence acclaimed scientists who did not toe the official line on COVID-19.

The October 2020 emails between Anthony Fauci and his boss, Francis Collins, highlight the behind-the-scenes efforts to take down the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration.

The Great Barrington Declaration was an October 2020 letter, signed by many acclaimed scientists, that ran counter to Faucis and Collinss lockdown narrative.

Fauci and Collins have demonstrated a history of colluding with Big Tech and the corporate media to censor views that run counter to their personal interests.

The efforts by Collins and Fauci to silence American scientists serve as a chilling reminder of the extent and intensity with which First Amendment rights have been undermined in the pandemic era.

Welcome to Truth over News with Jeff Carlson and Hans Mahncke.



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A federal grand jury has charged six men with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: from top left, Kaleb Franks, Brandon Caserta, Adam Dean Fox, and bottom left, Daniel Harris, Barry Croft, and Ty Garbin, in an indictment released Dec. 17, 2020. (Kent County Sheriff via AP File)

FBI Informant in Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Was a Double Agent: Prosecutors

Responding to arguments from defendants in the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping case that they were entrapped by the FBI, the Department of Justice has said that one of its undercover informants was, in fact, a double agent working with the kidnappers against the government.

The DOJs revelation came Jan. 6 in a response to a motion from the defendants to admit as evidence 258 statements they believe will prove the FBI entrapped them.

The statements that the defendants want to have admitted as evidence include audio recordings, where an FBI informant Steve is allegedly heard making statements about how to plan and execute the kidnapping of Whitmer. The defendantsAdam Fox, Barry Croft, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, and Brandon Casertaargue that these statements will prove that it was FBI informants like Steve who actually facilitated and encouraged the failed plot.

But far from helping facilitate the plot, one of the FBIs 12 informants actively helped the defendants to thwart governments investigation, prosecutors said in their Jan. 6 filing.

In defiance of agents instructions, [confidential human source] Steve contacted at least one of the defendants shortly before their arrest and said he had been stopped by the feds. After, he contacted another informant (not knowing he/she was an informant), to ask him/her to delete the in-car recording of their surveillance of the Governors home, prosecutors said. CHS Steve told the informant that he would act as the leader in coordinating attacks in multiple states going forward.

Prosecutors said the FBI terminated its cooperation agreement with CHS Steve as a result of his actions. The informant now faces a felony firearm charge in Wisconsin, according to the filing.

In summary, CHS Steve was a double agent, often working against the interests of the government, they said. His statements cannot, therefore, be considered binding admissions of the government itself.

Prosecutors also responded to other statements the defendants seek to have admitted as evidence.

For instance, defendants want to have admitted a statement from alleged co-conspirators, Ty Garbin, that Captain Autism cant make up his mind, referring to alleged plot leader Fox. The defense argues that Garbins statement disproves the notion that Fox was the plot mastermind.

The meaning of it lies in the defendants recognition that Adam Fox had no actual disposition toward truly committing wrongdoing  with a true plan and viability. No one would have conspired with Adam Fox because no one believed he had any ability to form, much less carry out, a plan, the defense said in a Dec. 31 filing.

In their Jan. 6 response, prosecutors said the defense took Garbins statement out of context.

Prosecutors explained that leading up to Garbins statement, he and an FBI informant were together and called Fox.

Fox explained that the phone he was on was not secure, but that he had many other secure phone lines and would send them the number of one to call. Garbin became frustrated waiting for him to send the number and made the proposed statement, prosecutors said.

This statement has little or no relevance to any issue at trial. Moreover, it does not say what defendants purport that it does, they said.

Defendants also seek to admit as evidence a number of statements between FBI agents and their informants. These statements show the FBI making a plan to entrap the defendants, they argue.

Statements include one FBI agent telling his informant to deny that hes a fed and blame it on someone else in the group, and another agent telling his informant to have a defendant post his pictures online.

But according to the prosecution, these statements are not evidence of entrapment.

They do not show law enforcement inducing defendants to commit the charged crimes, nor do they undermine defendants predisposition to commit those crimes, prosecutors said. Even the informants statement is not inducement. Improper inducement occurs when the government repeatedly and persistently solicits a defendant to commit a crime.

A motion hearing is scheduled for Jan. 18, followed by a final pretrial conference on Feb. 18 before the March 8 trial.
If we let the CCP blatantly violate the Sino-British Joint Declaration, openly turn Hong Kong into a police state, and engage in hostile militarism throughout the South China Sea, maybe they will be satisfied and start acting nice. After all, appeasement was a smashing success when Hitler was given the Sudetenland, right?

Actually, it was Neville Chamberlains agreement that gave appeasement the bad name it deserves. Young British foreign office bureaucrat Hugh Legat sees that infamous history unfold as an aide to Chamberlain in Christian Schwochows Munich: The Edge of War, based on Robert Harriss novel. It starts streaming on Jan. 21st premiere on Netflix.

Poster for Munich  The Edge of War (Netflix)

Initially, Legat is more concerned with helping Chamberlain prevent a European war than resolving the Cold War brewing between him and his wife. It is really bad timing when he is attached to the Prime Ministers Munich delegation and also quite a surprise. It turns out Paul von Hartman, a German government interpreter, pulled some strings with his military contacts to request Legats presence. They were friends at Oxford, but had a falling out over Hitler. At the time, von Hartman was an enthusiastic supporter, but now that he knows the Fuhrers true intentions, he is profoundly alarmed.

Von Hartman believes elements in the military will turn against Hitler Valkyrie-style if the British hold firm on their commitments to Czechoslovakia. He also has a damning document that spells out Hitlers expansionist military plans in detail. He needs Legat to help him convince Chamberlain, but even if his old friend agrees to help, it is highly questionable whether the war-averse PM will listen.

Ben Powerss adaptation of Harris is a really smart thriller of espionage, politics, and bureaucratic in-fighting. However, some of its implications are highly debatable. Mild Spoiler: Edge ultimately presents an extremely revisionist defense of Chamberlain, arguing he bought time with his non-agreement for England to rebuild its military. Yet, on the other hand, it also posits a potential resistance to Hitler that was undercut by Chamberlains appeasement and obliquely implies Hitlers also needed time to steel the resolve of the German people.

In any event, Schwochow (who has previously helmed sensitive historical dramas, like The German Lesson, West, and The Tower) mines a good deal of suspense from the brainy material and maintains even more tension regarding the fates of Legat and von Hartman. George Mackay and Jannis Niewohner nicely humanize the cerebral main characters and portray their complicated friendship with surprising poignancy down the stretch.

Likewise, Jeremy Irons does a terrific job fleshing out Chamberlain. Initially, he appears to be an old fool who could be serving as a Joe Biden analogue. However, we come to appreciate his craftiness as a politician. (How sad is it when Neville Chamberlain looks like a more forceful leader than our own president?) Regardless, Irons is compulsively watchable, as ever.

In the final analysis, Edge cant convincingly rehabilitate Chamberlain, but it serves up some nifty intrigue and raises some interesting historical points. It is the sort of film I would recommend for viewers like the National Review editorial board, who can parse the revisionism and engage with the geopolitical drama.

For a film addressing British appeasement, the classic Appointment in Berlin starring George Sanders is probably still the best, but Edge is pretty good cinema, especially by 2021 standards. For astute fans of World War II spy thrillers, Munich  The Edge of War starts streaming Jan. 21.

Munich  The Edge of War

Director: Christian Schwochow

Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons, Robert Bathurst, Jessica Brown Findley

MPAA Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Release Date: Jan. 21, 2022

Rated: 3.5 stars out of 5

Joe Bendel writes about independent film and lives in New York. To read his most recent articles, visit JBSpins.blogspot.com
Focus on the Family Imposes COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate, Leaving Staff and Donors Dismayed

A large Christian organization told employees this week that they must soon reveal whether theyve gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, upsetting some staff members and donors.

Focus on the Familys President Jim Daly emailed staff members on Jan. 3 to say the company must request and receive each workers vaccination status by Jan. 9.

Daly cited the emergency temporary standard (ETS) implemented by the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which applies to every business with 100 or more workers.

The mandate was paused by courts and suspended by the agency, but an appeals court panel in mid-December said the mandate could move forward and it was then reinstated.

Businesses were alerted by OSHA that enforcement of the mandate will begin on Jan. 10. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments for and against the mandate on Jan. 7 but has not issued a stay.

Therefore, at the recommendation of our general counsel, we need to start implementing the ETS order while praying the Supreme Court acts. Refusing to do so could cost Focus multiple millions of dollars in fines, Daly wrote.

The mandate set off a firestorm inside the company and among donors.

I understand why Focus on the Family had put out the information that they sent out. The thing that Im having trouble understanding is why theyre not vocally and publicly fighting against the mandates, and saying that the government does not own our bodies, and that as a Christian organization, we believe that God owns our bodies and that we are free people not beholden to doing every terrible thing that the government wants us to do, one employee told The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity.

A number of other workers share the concerns, the employee said.

If the mandate remains in place, a Focus donor told NTD, an Epoch Media Group outlet, that he and his spouse will stop financially supporting the organization.

If theyre going to tell employees, if you dont get the vaccination youre fired, Thats the end, I would totally withdraw my support, the donor said.

Even if unvaccinated workers are retained but forced to wear masks, the donor will consider ending donations to the group.

If theres discrimination involved, then Im not for it, the donor said.

Syringes with a COVID-19 vaccine are pictured in Central Falls, R.I., in a file photograph. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

The OSHA mandate allows workers to stay unvaccinated, but those who dont present proof of vaccination must wear masks and must get tested at least weekly for COVID-19.

Daly told workers that staffers who do not confirm theyve been vaccinated by Jan. 10 must wear a mask at work. They must start getting tested on Feb. 9, he added.

Daly told NTD in an emailed statement that Focus, which has about 650 employees, is being forced to implement the mandate.

Like many other organizations, Focus on the Family has deep concerns regarding the overreach of government relative to the COVID-19 vaccine/testing mandate. But the current OSHA regulation places us and every other organization with more than one-hundred employees in a difficult predicament, he said.

Failing to comply would threaten our ability to continue helping and serving millions of families. At the same time, we dont believe our employeesor anyone elseshould be forced to violate their deeply held convictions in this matter. It is our hope and prayer the Supreme Court will soon strike down this mandate as unconstitutional. After two years of unprecedented pain and loss, it is time for our nations policies to heal and unite and not hurt and divide our fellow Americans, he added.

But the Focus worker who spoke to The Epoch Times found that stance lacking, arguing that instead of waiting for the Supreme Court to weigh in, the company should be going on the offense.

The reality is that public opinion does have impact on rulings. I believe that has happened for a long time. And so if the public is crying out with one loud, big strong voice, saying no, we will not be forced to do these things that you want to do to our bodieswhether its forced masking, whether its forced vaccinationand it is wrong for you to try and do that to us and we will not comply, the worker said. If Focus on the Family stood up and said that before the Supreme Court ruling and also gathered other organizations, other big Christian organizations and theres a lot of them out thereand with one big, strong voice we all pushed back fiercely against the federal government here, I believe it could sway the decisions.

If Christian organizations are going to succumb to this, then whos standing up for the faith that we have in God, that were light and salt, and were going to say, No, were not going to conform,' the donor added. Were not supposed to be conformed to this world. Were supposed to be separate, come out from among them be separate, says the Lord. Well, Focus come on out from among them, be separate, take a stand.

NTD contributed to this report.
Joseph Iniguez, the chief of staff to Los Angeles County District Attorney attends a summit on county jail facilities in Pasadena, Calif., on November 9, 2019.(Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Patrisse Cullors)

Gascon Aide Sues Azusa Police Over Drunk-in-Public Arrest

LOS ANGELESA top aide to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon sued the Azusa Police Department Jan. 6, alleging officers violated his civil rights with evil motive and intent when they arrested him for allegedly being drunk in public.

Joseph Iniguez, 36, was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication after officers pulled over a Tesla driven by his fiance just before midnight on Dec. 11.

On Wednesday, Azusa police released to the Los Angeles Times several pages of documents in response to a public records request. The documents show that an officer claimed Iniguez had bloodshot eyes and was slurring his speech when he allegedly interfered with the lawmans actions during the vehicle stop, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Iniguez, who is Gascons chief of staff, allegedly became belligerent and threatening toward the officer after the car was stopped for an illegal U-turn, the Southern California News Group reported.

Iniguez was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a misdemeanor, and was booked into jail before his release about four hours later, police said.

The arrest took place with deliberate indifference to the rights violated, despicably, and with evil motive and intent, in disregard of Iniguezs civil rights, the suit alleges.

An Azusa police representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The District Attorneys Office did not respond to a request for comment after regular business hours.

According to the complaint, filed in Los Angeles federal court, Iniguez and his fiance, Dale Radford, were driving home from a wedding and stopped at the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant in Azusa when an officer approached their vehicle.

Iniguez said he stepped out of the car to film the interaction because he was concerned for the welfare of his fiance, who was not arrested.

The suit alleges that the officer identified as R. Martinez asked Radford if he knew why he was pulled over and then stated that he was able to smell the odor of alcohol from inside the car. Iniguez told the officer that he drank earlier in the evening at a wedding reception and Radford was acting as a designated driver, and any odor of alcohol was from himself, the suit alleges.

After Iniguez began advising his fiance of his rights, Martineznamed as a defendantallegedly told Iniguez that he was in public and intoxicated and that he would be placed under arrest, according to the complaint.

The suit alleges that Martinez told Iniguez that he appeared incapable of following simple directions for your safety and the safety of the public, and therefore, [he was] being placed under arrest for public intoxication.

Iniguez alleges that it appeared from the officers demeanor that Martinez was frustrated that he had advised Radford of his rights.

When he was taken to the Azusa police station, Iniguez contends he was asked by an intake jailer as to his sexual orientation.

Iniguez declined to answer out of fear for his safety, the suit contends. Despite having no answer and no such information, the jailer entered Plaintiffs sexual orientation as bisexual. Plaintiff was moved from an intake cell to a cell toward the rear of the jail that was dark, extremely cold, and isolated. Plaintiff did not have shoes or a jacket while in custody; as a result, the cold was oppressive and injurious.

As a result of what he claims was a false arrest and its aftermath, Iniguezs emotional and psychological distress and physical injuries include sleeplessness, debilitating anxiety and yet to be diagnosed conditions, all of which continue to this day.

Iniguez is seeking unspecified compensatory damages, including general and special damages, and punitive damages assigned to the officers involved.
A member of the hacking group Red Hacker Alliance uses his computer at their office in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images)

Hackers Hit Major Portuguese Media Group, Take Down Websites

LISBON, PortugalOne of Portugals leading media conglomerates said Thursday that a group calling itself Lapsus$ hacked the companys online services, taking down some of its most popular websites and contacting subscribers.

Grupo Impresa said the attack was aimed at disrupting the companys services and sending fake news messages to subscribers, including one that said, Breaking: President removed and accused of murder: Lapsus$ is Portugals new president.

The company said in a statement that the hackers didnt demand any payment.

The hackers gained access to the companys Amazon Web Services account and sent emails and text messages to subscribers, the statement said.

The hackers accessed some subscriber information, but Impresa said it had no evidence they got hold of subscribers passwords or credit card details.

The attack occurred early on Jan. 2, the statement said. The company regained control of its cloud services later that day, though on Thursday two of its main websitesbelonging to top weekly newspaper Expresso and TV channels run by its broadcaster S.I.C.were still using temporary sites.

The incident is being investigated by Portuguese police and the countrys National Cybersecurity Center.
Scott MacLachlan and his friend Diane attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Johnny Mercer Theatre, Savannah Civic Center, in Savannah, Ga., on Jan. 6, 2022. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times)

SAVANNAH, Ga.A love of history is what brought former provost and dean of student services at Floridas Palm Beach State College to see Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Scott MacLachlan, who was a history major, said he has always had a keen interest in learning more about Chinese history.

Im always fascinated with history and the culture. Weve been in America since 1492, so thats 700 years since Europeans stepped here. Chinas been around 5,000 to 6,000 [years]  or more. History isnt that old but were infants. Were not even out of the cradle compared to China, he said of America.

He added that with his interest in history, he often watched history documentaries to learn about China and the rest of the world. He commented that Shen Yun demonstrated clearly to Americans how the China we know today is nothing like the China that thrived before communism.

What we see today of China is not what China really is. These dancers and actors portrayed what I think is truly part of what the Chinese people are; good, giving, spiritual, caring for each othernot this cold communism that we see today, he said.

Mr. MacLachlan also said he believes that Buddhism today is not what it once was either.

What Americans understand about Buddhism is completely different than what Buddhism is really about. The five organs, the body, the spiritual connection with everything around you, Christianity has none of that kind of connection with everything in the world. Every atom, every part of nature is part of Buddhism and thats what I like about it, he said of the different approaches to spirituality.

Shen Yun Is So Much Fun to Watch

Mike, Madalyn, and Reagan Sandstrom attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Johnny Mercer Theatre in Savannah, Ga., on Jan. 6, 2022. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times)

Mike Sandstrom, a lieutenant colonel, was also in the audience. He enjoyed New York-based Shen Yun with his family and was particularly impressed with the music.

Its really the music thats speaking to me, he said.

I was just looking at the soloist for the pipashes amazing! And the oboe player is amazing! All the soloists have really talked to me  I can feel that in my heart because it syncs with the dance and so it brings it all together.

He also commented on feeling deeply touched by the message of the performance and found himself wanting to catch every detail.

We havent been to a performance in a while and so it is magical, so beautiful. The women are lovely and the men; their energy is so much fun to watch, Mr. Sandstrom said.

Reporting by Sherry Dong and Maria Han.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006.
Year 10 students wear face masks as they take part in a science class at Park Lane Academy in Halifax, northwest England, on Jan. 4, 2022. (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

Huge Numbers of UK Schoolchildren Refusing to Wear Masks: Union

Huge numbers of British schoolchildren are refusing to wear masks in classrooms in line with government guidance, a union official has said.

In its latest guidance issued on Jan. 2, the UK Department for Education (DfE) recommended that secondary school pupils in England should wear face coverings inside classrooms to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Before that, masks were already recommended in outdoor communal areas and corridors.

Secondary school students are also advised to take a lateral flow test twice a week.

But according to the NASUWT teachers union, there has been strong resistance from pupils to the new policy.

Damien McNulty, a national executive member of the union, told the BBC on Thursday: Sadly, we have had reports in the last 24 hours of at least six secondary schools in the northwest of England where children, in huge numbers, are refusing to take lateral flow tests or to wear masks.

Weve got one school in Lancashire where only 67 children out of 1,300 are prepared to have a lateral flow test and wear masks, he said.

McNulty said this was likely to be the case in other parts of the country.

He called it a public health emergency and said schools should engage with parents and pupils to encourage uptake.

A DfE spokeswoman told the BBC: Schools know their pupils best and can decide how best to encourage them to wear face coverings and take COVID tests.

No-one should ever be denied education on the grounds that they are, or are not, wearing a face covering, she said.

Despite having recommended mask-wearing in schools, the government admitted on Jan. 5 that the evidence on the effectiveness of face coverings in reducing COVID-19 transmission in education settings remains not conclusive.

A DfE evidence review found that studies have provided mixed results on the practice, and admitted mask-wearing has a negative effect on learning.

A DfE survey conducted in March 2021 found that 80 percent of pupils reported that wearing a face covering made it difficult to communicate, and 55 percent felt it made learning more difficult.

In response to the DfE review, Sarah Lewis, professor of molecular epidemiology at the University of Bristol, said the studies outlined in the review do not provide justification for recommending mask-wearing in schools.

The negative impacts of mask-wearing on communication and learning in schools are outlined in the report and mask-wearing has an especially detrimental effect on those with hearing impairments who are excluded from class discussion, she said.

Where there is insufficient evidence of a benefit of a policy and evidence of harms, the default should be not to intervene.

PA Media contributed to this report.
IndividuWhale Introduces Users to Sole, Scarlett, and Other Gray Whales Along the Oregon Coast

Oregon State University marine ecologist Leigh Torres has studied gray whales along the Oregon coast for more than six years. That naturally raises a question: Does she have a favorite?

I like that one whale, Sole, Torres told The Epoch Times. She has a really distinct place she likes to be and foraging style.

Sole, a female first identified in 1999, has been spotted 70 times since 2015, all within a very limited section of the ocean.

She must like the prey on the menu here and be very good at catching it, states IndividuWhale, a website that Torres and her scientific collaborators created to showcase the gray whales that they track.

The whale Sole off the Oregon coast. (Individuwhale.com)

The website profiles Sole alongside a handful of other whales in the Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG), a subpopulation of roughly 250 gray whales that spend their summers in the waters off the Pacific Northwest, rather than the Arctic or Russias Sakhalin Island.

Torres told The Epoch Times that her teams website was inspired by the unique personalities and experiences of the whales that theyve encountered.

We see these whales over and over again, she said. Theyve kind of become like friends to us. We thought that sharing these stories with the Oregon community and the whole world would be pretty funthat other people would want to know that these whales have interesting and cool lives.

While IndividuWhale highlights just a few PCFG gray whales, Torres says she can identify 30 to 40 whales by sight.

When youre in the field with them and youre on a boat, the whale only surfaces for a second, so you only get a second to see those markings, she said. You have to train yourself to really quickly hone in on a few distinctive markings, and then youve got to go through your memory bank and be like, OK, where have I seen that whale before?

Gray whales are baleen whales, vacuuming up shrimp and other tiny organisms from the shallow coastal seafloor. The PCFG whales migrate thousands of miles each year to their winter breeding grounds in Baja California.

Torres and her colleagues use a range of methods to study the subpopulation.

Aerial drones allow them to capture overhead images of whales. By applying a formula to a whales physical dimensions in those images, the scientists can assess its body condition at a given point in time.

They also scoop up whale feces, which the IndividuWhale website describes as a goldmine of information on everything from a whales genes to its hormonal profile. Gray whale feces contains cortisol, a stress hormone. By correlating levels of cortisol with potential stressors, such as the noise from human vessels, Torres and her team can assess whether and to what extent those factors are affecting the animals.

We have hydrophones down in the study area that record different noise levels and different sources. And then we look at those noises relative to their stress levels, she said. But as we know, we get stressed out for all sorts of reasons. So were also trying to control for those other things that can stress an animal outwhether it has an injury or whether its really hungry and skinny, or whether its pregnant, and so forth. Thats part of why were collecting all that other demographic and life history informationso that when we do that comparison between different noise levels and their stress hormones, we can account for those other factors that might also be stressing the whale out.

Torres is also interested in whale culturedistinctive patterns of behavior among groups of gray whales that seem to be learned, rather than transmitted through genes or another more mechanistic route. She cited the example of the PCFG itself. Those in the PCGF migrate to Oregon rather than going to the Alaskan Arctic like most other gray whales.

That is a culture, that they develop different ways of feeding and different habitat use patterns, she said.

This past summer, her team watched as an important lesson was apparently imparted to one young whale, Pacman (the calf of Scarlett, or Scarback, one of the animals featured on IndividuWhale).

The whale Scarlett off the Oregon coast. (Individuwhale.com)

An older whale used a distinctive feeding techniquethe bubble blastat a particular spot. Moments later, Pacman swam over to the same location and issued a bubble blast of his own.

I dont know for sure, but it sure looked like the whale was learning and trying to replicate what this older whale was doing, Torres said.

IndividuWhale emphasizes that gray whales still face threats, including entanglement in fishing gear, increased ocean noise, and declines in the kelp forests where their prey live. In recent years, the gray whale population along the West Coast has declined by roughly 25 percent, according to research from NOAA Fisheries.

Yet theres also reason for optimism. While gray whales were nearly hunted to extinction by the 1950s, they subsequently recovered after federal protections were put in place. In 1994, the eastern North Pacific gray whale became the first marine mammal taken off the Endangered Species Acts list.

They have rebounded well from whaling better than many other populations, Torres said. Its one of the great success stories of the Endangered Species Act.

She said scientists are still uncertain as to why gray whale populations have occasionally cratered in the past few years.

Its probably down to low prey availability for them and changing habitats and ecosystems, Torres said. Theyre a really good sentinel species about how our oceans are doing, but theyre also resilient.
Is There Anything Young Men Can Do to Protect Themselves From Malicious Accusations?

Commentary

What gives a fundraising platform the right to act as our moral guardians determining which victims we are permitted to support? Ive just been banned from GoFundMe, after starting a fundraiser to support a college tutor fighting an unfair dismissal case against a Melbourne university in Australia.

This fundraising platform is full of campaigns to raise funds for sexual abuse survivors, including those accused of other crimes, such as defamation. But supporting this case was deemed prohibited conduct, and the woke institution pulled the rug out, refunding all donations.

The whole drama started four days before Christmas when one of our elite Melbourne universities announced they were firing the tutor. His employment was terminated forthwithjust in time for the festive season.

This young mans story should send a chill through the ranks of every man working in an organization in Australia. His alleged crime was sexual harassment.

Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Chicago, Ill., on Sept. 28, 2018. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

The glaring lesson which emerged is there is nothing men can do to protect themselves from malicious accusations. This guy, Ill call him Chris, was an ultra-cautious man, very conscious of the need to maintain professionalism in his role as a residential college assistant and tutor.

Hes a 30-year-old with a Ph.D., in his first job after achieving his Ph.D. in psychology, a position which required him to live with the students providing pastoral care.

All was going well until one of the girls, lets call her Eve, took a shine to him. He hadnt even registered her interest until a member of the administrative staff pointed it out to him.

Chris then took strenuous measures to ensure professional boundaries were kept, such as: telling staff and students he would never have female students alone in his room; making sure doors were kept open if he was with females in a common space; changing his personal phone number so students couldnt contact him other than through email; and avoiding social interaction with Eve.

He also reported what was going on to the college principal, particularly when another student spread a rumor he was having sex with Eve, and sought advice from colleagues as well as the relevant university HR unit.

Eve was clearly not happy when she met resistance to her attempts at more intimate social interaction with Chris, complaining he hugged other students but not her when saying goodbye to them, or when he reopened the door of the common room where he was studying with her, after she had closed it.

In July, he was suddenly officially informed that a complaint had been made against him by Eve and told he had to leave the residential hall.

The whole matter ended up in the hands of an external investigator who took four months to interview Eve and the friends who collaborated her story. Chris was not permitted to contact witnesses who could have supported his version of events.

Many of the alleged sexual harassment offences were trivial in the extreme. Like catching her by the waist when she was tripping over. Placing a scarf around her shoulders after she had specially asked for one. Placing a blanket around her and other students sitting outside on a cold night. Including her in a group of students receiving goodbye hugs after an event. Placing a hand on her shoulder whilst herding students across a busy road. All these events occurred in the presence of other students, with Chris treating all students in a similar manner.

The most damning allegation involved Chris supposedly asking Eve to a movie night in his room, where he hugged her and touched her knee. Chris says emphatically that this was a fabrication, pointing out that when this was alleged to have happened, he had already approached his superiors and the universitys HR program for advice on handling the unwanted interest Eve was showing. Yet, the external investigator claims the movie night allegation was proved.

Chris took precautions to keep professional boundaries with Eve yet was still accused of sexual harassment. (Finn Mund/Unsplash)

Its notable that some of the more outrageous claims in the listsuch as suggesting Eve be shown photos of male genitaliawas listed as unproven, presumably because witnesses failed to support her story.

Theres just no way this process can claim to offer just treatment to the accused man when the investigator chose to include only witnesses recruited by Eve, excluding those suggested by Chris who could have disproved many of the allegations. This applies particularly to the administrator who warned Chris that Eve had a crush on him, and kept tabs on the young woman, noting her unhappiness when Chris put up professional barriers to restrain contact with her.

It is mighty depressing ploughing through the list of 35 allegations made by this young woman and her friends, knowing that many thousands of taxpayer dollars were spent on this one-sided investigation designed to shaft the accused young man. In todays climate, theres just no other possible outcome from this arse-covering exercise than to dig up suitable dirt to support the universitys initial decision to turf him out.

Weve had one of our campus justice legal team helping Chris through the investigation process and we are very grateful to him for his valiant efforts. We started the GoFundMe to support the unfair dismissal case through the Fair Work Commission and are still collecting donations to fund this battle.

Throughout the Christmas period I worried about this impressive young man, who was already devastated when we first had contact back in August, after he found himself thrown out of the college and publicly shamed. Now he faces the New Year broke and jobless after working for years studying for his Ph.D.

What a start to the New Yeara telling reminder of the dangerous world we are facing and the need for us all to step up, speak out and take on this mob controlling our lives.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A view of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft of Israel's El Al at Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, east of Tel Aviv, on Dec. 21, 2021. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel Set to Lift All COVID-19 Travel Bans Amid Omicron Wave

TEL AVIV, IsraelTravelers from the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries should be cleared for landing in Israel, the Health Ministry recommended on Thursday.

The ministry said all countries should be removed from Israels red no-travel list, including the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, Tanzania, Mexico, Switzerland and Turkey. The decision is one of several rapid changes in policy for Israel as the super-contagious omicron variant sets infection records around the world.

The ministry also recommended relaxing testing requirements for vaccinated and recovering inbound travelers, a day after the government recommended more home tests to ease the burden on testing centers.

The ministrys recommendations still have to go through a final, legal step, which is a formality, and are expected to go into effect at midnight Thursday.

The moves are a recognition that the variant is infecting more people but apparently not causing more severe illness and deaths, especially among vaccinated people. On Thursday, the government reported another record for new infections, with more than 16,000 recorded a day earlier.

Thats despite being a vaccination leader early in the pandemic and the first country to offer a 3rd vaccination, or booster shot. Now, Israel is among the first to begin offering a 4th jab. About 64 percent of Israels 9.4 million people have received two vaccinations, and about 46 percent have received three shots.

Additionally, vaccinated and recovering travelers to Israel can leave quarantine after receiving a negative test result or after 24 hours. Unvaccinated people can leave quarantine after testing negative twice, on landing and after a week of isolation.

In neighboring Lebanon, there was a predictable post-holidays spike in infections as the small country of 6 million reported its highest number of daily cases since the virus outbreak in 2020. According to the Lebanese health ministry, at least 7,247 new infections and 18 deaths were recorded over the last 24 hours. That brings the total number of infections since March 2020 to 750,000 among the population where at least 44 percent have received at least one jab.

Lebanon is facing an unprecedented economic crisis that has sunk the once middle-class country into poverty, depleted resources and undermined basic services, including health. Health authorities warned a new spike threatened the already stretched sector that grapples with shortages of oxygen canisters, ventilators and medical supplies.
A vehicle leaves the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Hansen, in Kin, Okinawa prefecture, southern Japan, on Jan. 5, 2022. (Kyodo News via AP)

Japan Asks US Forces to Stay on Base as COVID-19 Cases Jump

TOKYOJapanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Thursday asked that the U.S. military in Japan stay inside its bases to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

Hayashi said he spoke on the phone with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and was promised utmost efforts to ensure peoples health. It was not immediately clear if a base curfew would be issued.

Maj. Thomas R. Barger, a U.S. Forces in Japan spokesperson, said he could not comment on the request, but that a team was carefully monitoring cases, and trends.

Hayashis request came as the U.S. military is promising more stringent measures to curb spreading cases. The new measures require all personnel, even when fully vaccinated, to wear masks on base until a third negative COVID-19 test, and reiterate an order for all to wear masks when off base, Barger said.

American forces have come under fire after a spike in COVID-19 cases in areas where they are based in large numbers, including Okinawa and Iwakuni, both in southern Japan.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he has decided to tighten virus restrictions in Okinawa, Yamaguchi prefecture, where Iwakuni is located, and Hiroshima.

Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a virtual summit to sign the Reciprocal Access Agreement with Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrison, at Kishidas official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Issei Kato/AP Photo )

Quick action is needed given the rapid spread of the omicron variant, he said.

The measures center on reducing the hours that alcohol can be served in eateries and bars and preparing the health care system to respond to surging cases. The steps will become official Friday after Kishida meets with experts and a report is made to Parliament. Kishida also stressed he strongly supported Hayashis request to the U.S. military.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki sent a request to Japans national government earlier in the day for permission to strengthen the prefectures anti-virus measures.

A daily record of 981 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Okinawa on Thursday. In December, there were zero new cases on some days.

If we all work together, we hope cases will come down, Tamaki told reporters.

Japan has never had a lockdown, but measures have periodically been taken to restrict peoples activities, such as requesting stores and restaurants to close early or serve fewer people. Such measures were lifted in September.

Tamaki has blamed U.S. soldiers for what he called the alarming rise of cases on Okinawa, which has been hit harder than the rest of Japan. He promised financial aid for businesses that abide by the restrictions.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki speaks to the media at the prefectural headquarters in Naha, southern Japan, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. (Kyodo News via AP)

Yamaguchi prefecture also sent a request to the national government to strengthen anti-virus measures after it confirmed a record 181 daily COVID cases. Yamaguchi prefectural officials suspect the illness spread from U.S. soldiers and Japanese military personnel who work on Iwakuni.

Cases are gradually rising throughout Japan, including in Tokyo, which reported 641 new cases Thursday, up from 390 the previous day. Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike has so far been reluctant to order restrictive measures.

Japan beefed up border controls late last year, preventing travel from abroad except for returning residents and citizens. American soldiers are basically free to enter and move about Japan under a bilateral security agreement. The U.S. is Japans most important ally.

COVID-19 cases among U.S. Forces in Japan now total 1,784, about a third of them on Okinawa, according to USFJ. Iwakuni has reported a total of 529 cases.

The mitigation measures we have instituted throughout USFJ are intended to protect our forces readiness, the well-being of our families, and the health of Japans citizens. We recognize we all have a part to play in keeping our communities safe, U.S. Forces in Japan said in a statement.

This week, Japan has been reporting more than 2,000 new cases daily, but that shot up to 4,221 on Thursday, with cases tripling in many areas compared to the previous week. About 80 percent of the population has had two vaccine shots, but boosters are just getting started. Japan has had 18,300 coronavirus-related deaths.

By Yuri Kageyama
President-elect John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy pose at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington with their son, John F. Kennedy Jr., following a baptism for the infant on Dec. 8, 1960. (AP Photo)

JFK Assassination: Whats in the Newest Batch of Declassified Documents?

Last month, the Biden administration released a batch of classified documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

The National Archives and Records Administration published the new 1,491 documents, of which 958 are from the CIA.

That means 9 out of 10 of the total number of documents are still being withheld from declassification.

Its very little and very late, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the presidents nephew, told The Epoch Times.

Theres only 10 percent of the documents that legally have to be released in that data dump. But even those documents are clearly showing that the CIA lied outright to the Warren Commission about its relationship with Lee Harvey Oswald.

The 1992 JFK Records Act, signed by Congress into law, mandated that all the documents be released by Oct. 26, 2017.

However, one person had the power to stop itthe incumbent president.

When the time for total declassification finally came, President Donald Trump put a six-month delay on the final declassification. Then he put a three-year delay on it.

Some documents were declassified, however, and by the time President Joe Biden took office, about 15,000 documents were either being withheld or redacted in part.

Cadet Tom Fryer shakes hands with President John F. Kennedy at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation in 1963. (Courtesy of Wes Fryer)

Jim DiEugenio is a JFK assassination expert and the scriptwriter for the 2021 film JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass, an intense film that highlights information that had not previously been made known widely to the public in a clear manner.

So you get this situation where 58 years after Kennedy was killed, you still have something like 14,300 pages of classified documents, which I believe is really a kind of defiance of the law, DiEugenio told The Epoch Times.

For a couple of different reasonsone of them being that in the JFK Records Collection Act, it said that if the president chose to keep a document classified, he had to have a written reason.

To my knowledge that has not happened yet, either under Biden, or under Trump. And theyve also made the National Archives a part of this process, which I dont understand at all because the National Archives is only a repository. In the law, it doesnt say anything about them being part of the declassification process. Its between the President and the agencies of government, whether that be the FBI, the CIA, State Department, or whatever.

So this is very, very disappointing. In other words, if Biden follows through and declassifies everything next year, that means well have waited 59 years. 59 yearswhen in fact the Warren Commission says that there is no question that Oswald acted alone.

Did Oswald Leave Mexico City by Automobile or by Bus?

The Warren Commission, appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to report on the assassination of JFK, concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted entirely alone in the assassination, and that he went to Mexico and returned to the United States by bus.

The newly declassified documents show that the Nov. 26, 1963 CIA summary, which documents Oswalds activities, was made about seven weeks after he had left Mexico City.

A screenshot of the JFK Assassination System Identification Form, a CIA document fully declassified in December 2021. (National Archives)

They have Oswald leaving Mexico City by automobile, DiEugenio said (pdf).

Which is very, very interesting for a lot of different reasons. Number one, Oswald did not have a drivers license. Secondly, Oswald did not have a car. And third, the Warren Commission, which is going to be issued about 10 months later, theyre going to say that Oswald went down by bus, and that he returned by bus.

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testifies during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to discuss the FBIs Crossfire Hurricane investigation, in Washington on June 3, 2020. (Greg Nash/Pool/Getty Images)

It denotes that either he went down with somebody else, or there was an impersonator of Oswald down there. So, that changed over time.

Was There More Than One Stretcher With a Bullet On It?

In the very early days of the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations, there was a meeting between then chief counsel Richard Sprague and some of the representatives on the commission.

Sprague said that he had a witness from Parkland Hospital, which is where Kennedy and Connally were taken to after the assassination, who was a nurse, DiEugenio said.

And she said, that as she came out of one of the trauma rooms, there was a stretcher up against the wall near the elevator, and she saw a bullet on it.

During this meeting, Sprague wouldnt tell the others what her name was, or where she was.

The Warren Commission would say that there were two stretchers there, not just one, and that the bullet was underneath the mat of the stretcher, and it only emerged after the custodian Darrell Tomlinson pushed it up against the wall.

So I thought that was utterly fascinating because it leaves one with the impression that: was there more than one stretcher with a bullet on it? And there have been reports that such was the case.

Also during the meeting, Sprague told the congressmen that hes having problems with the credibility of former CIA officer David Phillips.

[Sprague] suspects that Phillips is not being completely candid with them about Oswalds alleged activities in Mexico City, said DiEugenio.

Especially about his calls to the Russian embassy from the Cuban embassy, that hes found certain discrepancies in the adduced record that the CIA has given him, and in fact, he wants to go down and interview the translators down there. Because he is under the suspicion that there might have been some kind of alteration of the transcripts of Oswalds alleged conversations with the Russian embassy, because he cannot find the information that Phillips talked about at their first interview in the transcripts that were given to him by the CIA.

Edgar Stern Had a CIA Clearance

The new document dump also reveals that Edgar Stern, the husband of the heiress (Edith Stern) to the Sears Roebuck fortune who was a big backer of Clay Shaw against Jim Garrison, had a CIA clearance (pdf) that was not publically known about before.

A screenshot of the JFK Assassination System Identification Form, a CIA document fully declassified in December 2021. (National Archives)

New Orleans DA Jim Garrison had accused Clay Shaw of being part of a conspiracy to assassinate JFK.

The Sterns would bring reporters to their mansion. They would wine them and dine them, [and] they would push certain angles to attack Garrison. Well, turns out Edgar Stern had a CIA clearance in the 1950s for about three years, said DiEugenio.

Clay Shaws Former Boss Was Recruiting Lawyers for the CIA

According to DiEugenio, it is now determined that Clay Shaws former boss at the New Orleans International Trade Mart, Lloyd Cobb, was recruiting lawyers for the CIA to place them on a panel of attorneys that possessed special clearance.

We knew that Cobb was on the CIAs cleared attorneys panel in New Orleans. Which was [composed] of certain people that the CIA would choose, and if somebody was in troubleand there were several people in trouble during the Garrison investigationthey would pick an attorney from this chosen panel to defend this person, and of course the CIA would pay for it, DiEugenio said.

President John F. Kennedy reviewing troops and weaponry from a stretch limousine during an inspection at Hanau in Germany on June 25, 1963. (Keystone/Getty Images)

It turns out that Cobb was actually one of the people who was contacting other lawyers and evaluating them for the CIA to put on this panel. He wasnt just a member of it. He was sort of like their agent on this scene in New Orleans conducting these clearance evaluations for who to hire to put on this panel.

In other words, here you have Clay Shaws former boss at the International Trade Mart, running a panel of lawyers to block and impede Jim Garrisons investigation. Very, very, interesting if you ask me.

CIA Knew That Boxley Was a Staffer for Them

An alleged investigator who ended up working for Jim Garrison and was apparently unloyal to him turned out to be a former CIA staffer.

His name was William Wood, his aliasBill Boxley.

In this newest batch of documents, it reveals that the CIA knew that Boxley actually was a staffer for the CIA in the 1950s before he went to work for Jim Garrison, DiEugenio noted.

And if you take a look at Jim Garrisons book On The Trail the Assassins, it turns out that Mr. Woodalias Bill Boxleydid end up betraying Mr. Garrison. Its in one of the chapters of his book.

CIA Reveals Names of Two Assassins

In the newest batch of documents, the CIA reveals the real names of the assassins that they had hired under the code names WI Rogue and QJ Win.

This had been an assignment that was given to CIA officer William Harvey. He was supposed to go around the world and hire people of disrepute to engage in felonious activities for the Central Intelligence Agency; things like safecracking, breaking and entering, DiEugenio explained.

And it turned out that these guys were actually sent to Congo to assassinate Patrice Lumumba.

President John F. Kennedy urging citizens to find the right answers, rather than partisan, to Americas problems. (Central Press/Getty Images)

Qj Win was Jose Mankel.

WI Rogue was David Dato. His real last name was Tzitzichvilli.

DiEugenio finally noted that most of these documents are not ones that have been previously classified in full, most of these new documents have been redacted before.

Now we can more cleanly see what is in them, he said.

Full disclosure of the rest of the documents is expected next year.

At the end of next year, its going to be very, very interesting.
A nurse fills a syringe with Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic in Pasadena, Calif., in a file photograph. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

Johnson & Johnson Says Single Vaccine Dose Protects Against Breakthrough COVID-19 for 6 Months

Johnson & Johnson said its single-dose vaccine protects against breakthrough COVID-19 for up to six months.

Citing a study that it sponsored, Johnson & Johnson said in a release Thursday that protection against infection from its single-dose vaccine starts to wane only from the fourth month compared to the second month in the case of two-dose vaccines from rivals Pfizer and Moderna, which use mRNA technology whereas the J&J shot uses an adenovirus.

The study was conducted between Jan. 1 and Sept. 7, and it was before the Omicron variant was discovered in late November. Published in MedRxiv, the study hasnt been peer-reviewed.

No waning of protection was found for ICU admissions for all three vaccines, J&J said. The company said the study was carried out by collecting claims and laboratory data covering 168 million people.

We continue to undertake extensive efforts to study the durability of protection offered by the Johnson & Johnson vaccine amidst the ever-changing COVID-19 pandemic, said Mathai Mammen, J&Js executive vice president of pharmaceuticals, in the news release.

Mammen added that while these are rapidly evolving data, we are seeing vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19-related hospitalization of approximately 80 percent from a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and this level of protection holds steady across the length of time studied thus farup to six months.

Despite the study being completed before the spread of Omicron, Mammen argued that the J&J shot produces a strong enough COVID-19 antibody response that is consistent across variants, including Omicron.

About three weeks ago, federal drug regulators expanded their warning about a severe condition linked to the J&J vaccineknown as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. The regulators listed it as a medical-related issue for someone not to get the shot.

The condition has been reported in a wide range of individuals 18 years and older since the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine started earlier in 2021, officials said.

And about a week ago, a recent study indicated that individuals who initially received Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine and got a Johnson & Johnson booster saw a 41-fold increase in antibody responses and a jump in T-cells within several weeks.

We provide the first evidence of the effectiveness of a homologous Ad26.COV.2 vaccine boost given 69 months after the initial single vaccination series during a period of Omicron variant circulation, authors wrote in the preprint study, which evaluated data sourced from South Africa.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Reuters and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Md., on Aug. 29, 2020. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

Judge Gives FDA Just Over 8 Months to Produce Pfizers Safety Data

The decision rejects the FDA's request to release the data over what would be 75 years

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to produce, at a rate of 55,000 pages per month, the documents it relied on to license the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

The rate of 55,000 pages a month would mean the FDA has just over eight months to fully produce all of Pfizers pre-licensure safety data. That is much faster than the 500 pages-per-month rate the FDA proposed in December 2021. That rate would have effectively given the agency roughly 75 years to fully produce the data, Aaron Siri, a lawyer working on the case, previously observed.

U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman ordered the FDA to produce more than 12,000 pages on or before Jan. 31, which was what the FDA had proposed in part. Pittman then ordered the agency to produce the remaining documents at a rate of 55,000 pages every 30 days, with the first production being due on or before March 1, 2022, until production is complete.

Here, the court recognizes the unduly burdensome challenges that this FOIA request may present to the FDA  But, as expressed at the scheduling conference, there may not be a more important issue at the Food and Drug Administration  than the pandemic, the Pfizer vaccine, getting every American vaccinated, [and] making sure that the American public is assured that this was not rush[ed] on behalf of the United States.

Accordingly, the court concludes that this FOIA request is of paramount public importance, Pittman wrote in the order (pdf).

In a statement to The Epoch Times, the FDA said it does not comment on possible, pending or ongoing litigation.

The case was brought by the Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency (PHMPT), which said the data should be made public quickly because the FDA took just 108 days to review the data before granting Pfizer-BioNTechs COVID-19 vaccine full approval.

Pfizer began its rolling submission on May 7, 2021, and the vaccine was licensed on August 23, 2021, a total of 108 days from initial submission to licensure, the non-profit group noted in a December filing (pdf).

The group, which comprises public health professionals, medical professionals, scientists, and journalists, includes Dr. Harvey Risch, a professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, who was until recently a professor of psychiatry at UC Irvines School of Medicine, and Dr. Peter McCullough, a cardiologist, epidemiologist, and internist.

Pfizers COVID-19 vaccinemarketed as Comirnatyis the only COVID-19 vaccine that has been approved by the FDA for people 16 and older. The approval is only for doses produced in the future, according to FDA documents. The existing supply of COVID-19 vaccines under Pfizer continue to be administered under an updated emergency use authorization (EUA).

All the documents sought in the FOIA request are urgently needed to allow independent scientists to review the FDAs work and to provide assurance to the public that the liability-free vaccine [Americans] are being mandated to receive has truly passed the most rigorous review possible, the group said in its filing in December, adding, [T]he need for this information will be lost if all the documents are not promptly produced because people and governments are making decisions regarding the Pfizer vaccine now, not in 75 years.

In the initial complaint (pdf), the PHMPT said there is an urgent need for the public to access the data and information underlying the FDAs licensure of the Pfizer vaccine, due to widespread and ongoing debate in the medical community about whether the vaccine is safe and effective, and due to the objections of many regarding current vaccine mandates across the United States.

This is a great win for transparency and removes one of the strangleholds federal health authorities have had on the data needed for independent scientists to offer solutions and address serious issues with the current vaccine programissues which include waning immunity, variants evading vaccine immunity, and, as the CDC has confirmed, that the vaccines do not prevent transmission, Siri said in a blog post on Jan. 6.

The FDA previously told the judge in December (pdf) that its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), which maintains the records being sought, has just 10 staff in the branch responsible for processing FOIA requests, two of whom are new and are not yet able to review records at the same rate as more experienced staff members.

The FDA added it has to make sure it protects certain confidential information as required under the law, as well as protect other information subject to withholding under FOIA exemptions, and so must carefully review the documents on a line by line basis to apply the redactions.

In sum, FDAs proposed processing schedule is fair to plaintiff, the agency argued at the time.

Editors note: This article has been adjusted to clarify that the FDA has only approved future COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech.
Kazakh President Orders Army to Shoot to Kill Amid Unrest

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in an address on national television that he had told security forces they could fire without warning on protestors, Kazakh news agency Tengrinews reported.

The militants have not laid down their arms, they continue to commit crimes or are preparing for them, Tokayev said in a televised address. Whoever does not surrender will be destroyed. I have given the order to law enforcement agencies and the army to shoot to kill, without warning.

Government forces continue to engage in an operation against what has been termed national and foreign bandits with the aid of Russian backed forces.

We had to deal with armed and trained bandits, both local and foreign. It is with bandits and terrorists. Therefore, they need to be destroyed. And this will be done shortly, Tokayev added. He also said he had ordered a nationwide communications blackout.

According to authorities, the Russian-backed forces from the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) were not participating in any of the Kazakh security operations.

In this photo taken from a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Russian peacekeepers board on a Russian military plane at an airfield outside Moscow in Russia to fly to Kazakhstan on Jan. 6, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Currently, the official number of law enforcement agents killed in the clashes is 18, with 748 police officers and National Guard servicemen injured, reports Russian news agency TASS. At the same time, it has been reported that 3,000 protestors have also been detained.

The figures come after unconfirmed reports that dozens of protesters were also killed in Kazakhstan as they clashed with security forces, although there was no immediate confirmation on the number of fatalities.

Social media posts from those in Kazakhstan have also revealed that the former capital Almaty is experiencing heavy gunfire and explosions as protestors clash with CSTO troops and local police forces.

However, Kazakhs have taken to social media throughout Friday to show images and videos sent to them from inside Kazakhstan of the continued peaceful protests and government clampdown. This is despite Kazakhstans government deliberately shutting down the countrys mobile and internet communications networks.

Protesters attend a rally in Almaty after energy price hikes on Jan. 4, 2022. (Abduaziz Madyarov/AFP via Getty Images)

The blackout, which global internet monitor Netblock has called a public safety risk, has been in place for over 36 hours, forcing Kazakhs to rely on messaging platforms like Telegram to communicate amid the ongoing crisis.

Netblocks noted that the communication outage had a high impact on mobile services, with Kazakhstans leading mobile internet services Kcell, Beeline, and Tele2 being significantly affected. They also said that almost all internet connectivity in the country was lost from Wednesday night.

 Update: Its now Friday morning in #Kazakhstan where internet has been shut down for some 36 hours, placing public safety at risk and leaving friends and family cut off. Connectivity levels continue to flatline at just 5% of ordinary levels. Report: https://t.co/Op5GwzXKbh pic.twitter.com/xQIYdZVhbK  NetBlocks (@netblocks) January 6, 2022

This is not the first time residents of the Central Asian nation have faced this problem with a similar blackout reported by The Daily Swig, a cybersecurity media agency, in 2021 and 2019.

Last year, internet shutdowns in Kazakhstan coincided with anti-government protests in several cities calling for the release of political prisoners following a resolution passed by the European Parliament on human rights in the country, Natalia Krapiva, tech-legal counsel at campaign group Access Now, told the Daily Swig. The authorities responded with violence and detained approximately 50 protesters.

In 2019, Kazakhstan throttled and blocked social media when opposition groups called for a protest to coincide with World War II victory celebrations that month, and in 2018, Kazakhstan throttled social media when opposition leaders live-streamed events, she said.

At present, the Kazakh government has introduced a critical red level terrorist alert for the entire country.

Under the alert, security forces have the power to carry out personal searches and search of vehicles, restrict or prohibit the movement of vehicles and people, freely enter residential and other premises, and control information transmitted through the channels of telecommunication systems.

A burned car is seen in front of the mayors office building which was torched during protests triggered by a fuel price increase in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Pavel Mikheyev/Reuters)

The protests, which started on Jan. 2 in the west of the country in the city of Zhanaozen and the Mangistau region, began in response to an increase in the price of fuel to 120 tenge (27 cents), from last years 60 tenge (14 cents). However, the protest quickly morphed into discontent at the former president Nursultan Nazarbayevs continuing presence in the political sphere with many chanting Old Man Go in reference to Nazarbayev.

In other parts of the country, protestors have posted images on Twitter of pulled-down statues of Nazarbayev and clashes with police and military forces.

Nazarbayev stepped down as president in March 2019 after thirty years as the leader but had continued to maintain control over the ruling party Nur Otan until Dec. 2, 2021. His children feature prominently in both Nur Otan and the government.
A military vehicle moves along a street, after violence that erupted following protests over hikes in fuel prices in central Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Jan. 7, 2022. (Alexandr Bogdanov/AFP via Getty Images)

Kazakh President Gives Shoot-to-Kill Order to Quell Protests

ALMATYSecurity forces appeared to have reclaimed the streets of Kazakhstans main city on Friday after days of violence, and the Russian-backed president said he had ordered his troops to shoot to kill to put down a countrywide uprising.

A day after Moscow sent paratroopers to help crush the insurrection, police were patrolling the debris-strewn streets of Almaty, although some gunfire could still be heard.

Dozens have died and public buildings across Kazakhstan have been ransacked and torched in the worst violence the former Soviet republic has experienced in 30 years of independence.

Moscow said more than 70 planes were ferrying Russian troops into Kazakhstan, and that these were now helping control Almatys main airport, recaptured on Thursday from protesters.

The uprising has prompted a military intervention by Moscow at a time of high tension in East-West relations as Russia and the United States gear up for talks next week on the Ukraine crisis.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev blamed foreign-trained terrorists for the unrest, without providing evidence.

The militants have not laid down their arms, they continue to commit crimes or are preparing for them, Tokayev, 68, said in a televised address.

Whoever does not surrender will be destroyed. I have given the order to law enforcement agencies and the army to shoot to kill, without warning.

The demonstrations began as a response to a fuel price hike but swelled into a broad movement against the government and former President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Protesters attend a rally triggered by energy price hikes in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Jan. 4, 2022. (Abduaziz Madyarov/AFP via Getty Images)

Nazarbayev, 81, was the longest-serving ruler of any ex-Soviet state until he turned over the presidency to Tokayev in 2019. His family is widely believed to have retained influence in Nur-Sultan, the purpose-built capital that bears his name.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed the situation with Tokayev in several phone calls during the crisis, the Kremlin said on Friday.

Scared

The protesters in Almaty appear mainly to come from the citys poor outskirts or surrounding towns and villages. The violence has come as a shock to urban Kazakhs, used to comparing their country favorably to more repressive and volatile ex-Soviet Central Asian neighbors.

At night when we hear explosions, I am scared, a woman named Kuralai told Reuters. It hurts to know that young people are dying. This has clearly been planned  probably our government has relaxed somewhat.

In a state where scant political opposition is tolerated, no high-profile leaders of the protest movement have emerged to issue any formal demands.

The Interior Ministry said 26 armed criminals had been liquidated, while 18 police and national guard members had been killed. Those figures appeared not to have been updated since Thursday.

State TV reported more than 3,800 arrests.

Fresh gunfire could be heard on Friday near the main square in Almaty, where troops had fought protesters on Thursday. Armoured personnel carriers and troops occupied the square.

Kazakh service members stand guard in a square following the protests triggered by fuel price increase in central Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Jan. 7, 2022. (Mariya Gordeyeva/Reuters)

Traitors

Pro-government politician Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, speaking on state television, suggested there were traitors within the ranks of Kazakhstans security forces.

He said the security forces had been ordered to leave the Almaty airport before militants seized it, and that the National Security Committee building had been left undefended, allowing protesters to gain access to weapons.

Unrest has been reported in other cities, but the internet has been shut off since Wednesday, making it difficult to determine the extent of the violence.

In Aktau, a city on the Caspian Sea in western Kazakhstan, some 500 protesters gathered peacefully on Friday in front of a government building to call for Tokayevs resignation, a witness told Reuters.

State television said more than 60 people, including civilians, police and military, had been injured in the southern city of Shymkent since the unrest began, adding that the situation there was calm on Friday.

Riot police gather to block demonstrators during a protest in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Jan. 5, 2022. (Vladimir Tretyakov/AP Photo)

Russian Influence

Moscows swift deployment demonstrated Putins readiness to use force to maintain influence in the former Soviet Union, at a time when he has also alarmed the West by massing troops near Ukraine, whose Crimean peninsula Russia seized in 2014.

The mission falls under the umbrella of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, comprising Russia and five ex-Soviet allies. Moscow said its force would number about 2,500.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Washington was watching Russias troops for any actions that may lay the predicate for the seizure of Kazakh institutions.

Tokayevs administration said the Russians had not been engaged in combat or the elimination of militants.

Mukhtar Ablyazov, an exiled ex-banker and cabinet minister turned opponent of the government, told Reuters the West must counter Russias moves, or watch Putin methodically impose his programthe recreation of a structure like the Soviet Union.

Kazakhstans other major neighbor, China, has backed Tokayev. State television said President Xi Jinping had told him Beijing opposed any use of force to destabilize Kazakhstan.

Nazarbayev has not been seen or heard since the protests began. Tokayev removed Nazarbayev and his nephew from security posts on Wednesday.

Kazakhstan is a major oil producer and the worlds top miner of uranium. Global oil prices rose on Friday, fueled by supply worries.

By Olzhas Auyezov
Birds fly over the U.S. Courthouse in Los Angeles on Sept. 27, 2012. (Robyn Beck/AFP/GettyImages)

LA County Probation Department Seeks Firing of Member for Alleged Relationship With Felon

LOS ANGELESThe Los Angeles County Probation Deptartment is asking a judge to overturn a ruling that allowed a member of the department, who had a relationship with a convicted felon, to be retained with a suspension rather than be fired, as recommended by a hearing officer.

The Probation Department petition, filed Jan. 3, deals with decisions surrounding Deputy Probation Officer Sherell Taylor-Page, who had a relationship with Larry Springer, a parolee and convicted felon, according to the departments court papers.

The department maintains the Civil Service Commission abused its discretion by reducing a hearing officers firing recommendation to reinstatement and a 30-day suspension.

The aggregation of all evidence shows that Taylor-Page knew or should have known Springers criminal history throughout her lifelong relationship with him, undermining the departments moral and ethical standards, the petition states.

The Probation Department has written policy prohibiting department employees from establishing or maintaining a personal, social association with identified criminals, incarcerated people, and felons on parole or probation unless they have written permission from the employees bureau chief, yet Taylor-Page never notified the department of her relationship with Springer, the petition states.

A representative for the Civil Service Commission could not be immediately reached.

Taylor-Page was hired by the county in 1993 in the Health Services Department, then transferred seven years later to the Probation Department as a detention services officer before being promoted to a deputy probation officer, the petition states.

As a DPO, Taylor-Page was tasked with great responsibilities and was held to higher classification standards, and was required to have higher education and use sound judgment at all times, the petition states.

Springer has a long criminal history that includes arrests for assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and grand theft, the petition states. He has served prison and jail time in California, Nevada, and Colorado and he served his parole in Los Angeles, where he began a recurrent romantic relationship with [the married] Taylor-Page in 2013, according to the petition, which further states that the pair grew up in the same neighborhood and had previously been romantically involved when she was 17 years old.

Spring and Taylor-Page attended parties together, traveled to Las Vegas and New Orleans, and worked with a real estate agent while trying to buy property, the petition states.

Taylor-Page admits she was sexually intimate with Springer at least once in December 2014, the petition states.

Taylor-Page continued associating with Springer even after filing a petition for a restraining order against him in 2015, according to the petition.

Taylor-Pages supervisor learned of the probation officers relationship with Springer from Springer himself and confronted her subordinate during an investigative interview in October 2017, the petition states.

Taylor-Page testified she did not previously know of Springers criminal history or parole status, but when told of his criminal history, she seemed uninterested since she showed no surprise, the petition states.

Despite being formally told of Springers criminal past, Taylor-Page accepted him as a follower on her Instagram account, according to the petition.

A hearing officer found all charges against Taylor-Page were true and recommended she be fired, but Taylor-Page appealed to the Civil Service Commission, which adopted all of the hearing officers findings, yet reinstated her with a suspension, the petition states.

While the hearing officer found all charges against Taylor-Page were true and founded, the commission abused its discretion when it overturned the hearing officers recommendation to sustain discharge and arbitrarily assigned a 30-day suspension, the petition states.
A dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is drawn up to be administered at a hospital in a file photo. (Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

Louisiana Supreme Court Rules Hospital Can Fire Employees Who Refuse Vaccine

The highest court in the state of Louisiana upheld a hospital COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees, ruling that a top hospital can fire employees that do not comply with its policy.

This court finds Employer is entitled to terminate Employees for failure to comply with the vaccine mandate, said the unanimous court decision, authored by Chief Justice John Weimer in a ruling (pdf) Friday.

Employees of Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport and Ochsner-Lafayette General filed suits against the two respective hospitals in 2021, arguing that the states medical consent law prevented employers from setting up a vaccine mandate. Several employees said the mandate violates their right to privacy under the U.S. Constitution, according to The Advocate.

This matter arises from a suit challenging a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which allows medical and religious exceptions, implemented by a private employer healthcare provider. The issue presented is whether the employees of the private healthcare provider stated a cause of action for constitutional and statutory violations entitling the employees to injunctive and declaratory relief, the Supreme Courts Friday decision also reads.

The Supreme Court ruled on two lawsuits involving Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport (pdf) and Ochsner-Lafayette General.

The Supreme Court justices also ruled that hospitals are private employers and are not bound by constitutional claims that may apply to government agencies.

There is no allegation or even the barest insinuation that Employer is a state actor; indeed, the parties in this case stipulated that Employer is a private actor, they said in their ruling.

Warner Thomas, CEO of Ochsner Health, praised the ruling and said hes pleased with the unanimous decision today from the Louisiana Supreme Court upholding the legality of Ochsner Healths vaccination requirement.

Jimmy Faircloth, an attorney representing some of the plaintiffs, said last month that his clients have an affirmative right to be free from forced medical treatment and have the right to request that the government protect them.

In December, Oschner confirmed to local media that it fired about 280 employees for not complying with the hospital systems COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Former employees in good standing will be eligible for rehire once they become compliant with this policy, the company also wrote. At the time, the hospital system also defended firing its employees despite the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rule is being challenged in court.

Critics of mandates have said that requiring vaccines for healthcare workers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be counterproductive amid widespread shortages of staff at hospitals across the United States.

COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
An employee of McDonald's Japan serves the new menu "Vegetable Chicken Burger" as the company president Sarah Casanova announces the new business strategy at a restaurant in Tokyo on May 21, 2015. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images)

McDonalds Japan Limiting Portion Sizes of Fries Available to Customers Due to Shipping Problems

McDonalds, facing a very different kind of chip crisis, is limiting the portion sizes of fries available to its Japanese customers due to shipping problems, the company said in a statement on Friday.

McDonalds Holdings Company Japan said that it will sell only S-sized fries for a month from Sunday, Jan. 9, to make sure we have plenty of inventory and our customers can enjoy McDonalds fries without interruption.

During that time, the company will suspend the sale of L size and M size fries on its menu to customers.

McDonalds Holdings Company Japan imports potatoes from North America on a large scale near the port of Vancouver, Canada, which is the transit point for shipping services. However, the effects of a large-scale flood near the port of Vancouver have led to delays in imports.

British Columbia is currently witnessing extreme winter weather with heavy snow and prolonged freezing rain which has seen flooding across the province in recent weeks.

A winter storm warning was in effect as of Thursday for all of Metro Vancouver, with hazardous winter conditions and significant rainfall expected.

Disruptions to the global distribution network due to the COVID-19 pandemic have also hindered McDonalds Japans import services, the company said.

We are taking various measures for stable supply in the future, such as arranging new distribution channels, the company said. We will continue to cooperate with importers and suppliers to maximize the stable procurement of raw materials so that regular sales of McDonalds Potato can be resumed as soon as possible.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and everyone else, as McDonalds cannot fulfill its responsibility to provide delicious meals at all times, the company said.

The fast-food chain took the same step for a week at the end of December, from Christmas Eve to Dec. 30 at its roughly 2,900 branches in Japan.

While it is difficult to procure raw materials in a stable manner, we have cooperated with importers and suppliers to proactively take alternative measures such as arranging airmail, and have continued to provide McDonalds Potato,' the company said at the time.

The latest announcement comes shortly after the United States declared it had succeeded in its efforts to eliminate supply-chain bottlenecks ahead of the holiday season, a peak season in retail.

President Joe Biden declared ahead of a White House task force meeting on Dec. 22, that his administration had made significant progress to alleviate bottlenecks that are rooted in the global pandemic, and that shipping container wait time had been cut in half.

The supply-chain problems have been largely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has further exasperated material and labor supply shortages and led to an increase in commodity prices.
Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken on March 19, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Moderna CEO Claims People May Need 4th COVID-19 Shot in the Fall

Modernas Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel said on Thursday that people may need a fourth COVID-19 shot in the fall of 2022 due to the efficacy of third shots likely declining in the next several months.

I still believe were going to need boosters in the fall of 22 and forward, Bancel said at a Goldman Sachs-organized health care conference.

According to a current advisory by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every American 18 and older may get their first booster dose six months after they receive their first two doses from either Modernas or Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine, while those who got the one-shot dose from Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen can get boosted at least two months after receiving the initial dose.

Last week, Israel became the first country to approve a fourth dose of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, a second booster, for people who are immune-compromised and the elderly living in care homes.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett released a preliminary study on Tuesday that reported a fourth shot can boost antibodies five-fold a week after the shot is administered.

Bancel told Thursdays conference that he also believes elderly citizens and those with underlying health conditions may need to get a booster shot every year.

The CEO of Moderna Stephane Bancel is seen in this video frame grab as he speaks during an interview with AFP on Nov. 17, 2020. (Ivan Couronne/AFP via Getty Images)

The comments of the U.S.-based pharmaceutical companys CEO also come just one day after the CDC said children from 12 to 17 years old should get a booster of Pfizers vaccine five months after their primary series, despite scant effectiveness data and concerns about post-vaccination heart inflammation.

This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDCs COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDCs director, said in a statement.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday amended its emergency use authorization for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to shorten the booster interval to at least 5 months for those 18 and older.

The CDC and FDA, relying on data from Israel, determined the boosters benefits outweigh its risks.

Moderna, which benefits from repeat inoculations, during its third-quarter earnings results said commercial booster market sales could be up to $2 billion in the United States in 2022.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News
China's leader Xi Jinping gives a speech during the 8th Ministerial Meeting of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July, 10, 2018. At the time, China said it would provide Arab states with US$20 billion in loans for economic development, as Beijing seeks to build its influence in the Middle East and Africa. (Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images)

More Than Oil: China Expands Its Influence in the Middle East

News Analysis

As the worlds largest energy importer, the Middle East engages with China through infrastructure investment and trade, as well as nuclear development, in exchange for oil and international political support.

Over the past decade the United States has shifted its focus away from the Middle East, concentrating more on China. Ironically, this has left the region open for China to increase its trade, investment, and influence. China has signed partnership agreements with 16 Middle Eastern countries. According to the Beijings 2016 Arab Policy Paper, Chinas engagement with the Middle East follows the 1+2+3 cooperation scheme, where 1 is energy, 2 is trade and investment, as well as infrastructure construction, and 3 is nuclear energy and satellites.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) takes a cautious approach to the security and political challenges of the Middle East, steadily increasing its investment and trade through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, also known as One Belt, One Road) as well as through security exchange, while largely steering clear of becoming entangled in regional geopolitics.

Since 2015, China has been the worlds largest importer of crude oilwith about half of it coming from the Middle East. Consequently, Chinas closest relationships in the region are with the oil-producing Gulf states. In 2016, China became the largest foreign investor in the Middle East. In 2017, trade reached just under $197 billion, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The top crude exporters to China are Russia, Saudi Arabia, Angola, Iraq, and Oman, followed by Brazil, Iran, and Kuwait. Chinas brand of authoritarian capitalism focuses on raw material extraction, which has implications for regional stability as it reinforces autocratic regimes. Where U.S. foreign policy has been predicated on cultivating peace through democracy, the CCPs 2016 Arab Policy Paper stresses peace through development.

The CCPs strategy in the Middle East is similar to its approach in other parts of the world, namely, interacting with countries for the purpose of obtaining energy in exchange for cash, infrastructure investment, and tradebut not making demands for increased democracy or human rights. The CCP is also careful to remain outside of regional conflicts, forming close relations with both Hamas and Israel. Functioning under the protection of the U.S. security umbrella and its own policy of nonintervention, the CCP has been able to benefit from investments in the Middle East, without contributing to the public good.

In the Arab Policy Paper, the CCP proposes to invest in Middle Eastern countries in petroleum and natural gas, oil prospecting, extraction, transportation, and refining. Additionally, the Paper states that the Middle East and China will cooperate on the BRIwith infrastructure construction and investment in railways, highways, ports, aviation, power, communications, and satellite ground stations.

The China and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) launched the China-GCC Free Trade Agreement in 2004. The Paper reaffirmed the CCPs objection to trade protectionism as well as its dedication to the removal of non-tariff trade barriers. As of 2021, China and the GCC are still negotiating a free trade agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (R) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, pose for a picture after signing an agreement in Tehran, Iran, on March 27, 2021. (AFP via Getty Images)

The CCP is committed to China-Arab cooperation on designing and building nuclear power plants, scientific research, nuclear fuels, reactors, nuclear security, and space exploration. China has largely stayed out of Irans nuclear program for many years. But when the Biden administration imposed new sanctions on two Iranian government agencies and several officials on Dec. 7, 2021, Beijing criticized the move and pushed for sanctions to be lifted.

Two Chinese companies are building a nuclear facility in a remote desert location of Saudi Arabia, near the city of Ula. When completed, the plant will be able to extract yellowcake from uranium ore. Yellowcake uranium is an integral component used for both civilian nuclear power and nuclear weapons. The United States is concerned that this nuclear fuel could be enriched to produce bombs. Saudi Arabia has planned to build 16 nuclear power reactors over the next 25 years. At a cost of $80 billion each, this could be an incredible revenue stream for the CCP.

Saudi Arabia had been in negotiations with the Trump administration over building a nuclear program, but the United States required the Kingdom to sign on to the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Kingdom had been counting on the U.S. desire to counter Iran by allowing Saudi Arabia to have a nuclear program, without meeting IAEA requirements. When the Saudis realized that this would not happen, they turned to China, which made no such demands.

In return for trade, investment, and nuclear program support, the CCP requires the Middle East to abide by the one China policy. Additionally, Middle Eastern countries must agree to not form diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

In international affairs, the Arab Policy Paper says that China and Middle Eastern countries should support each other on issues of core interests or major concern, including voting at the United Nations. And, while not specifically stated, it is understood that the CCP expects Arab countries to remain silent on charges of genocide against Uyghur Muslims in Chinas Xinjiang region.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
New York Becomes First State to Mandate COVID-19 Boosters for Health Care Workers

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state will expand its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers to include booster shots, becoming the first state to require boosters for health care employees while also signaling that a growing number of institutions are increasingly aiming to mandate them.

Hochul, a Democrat, said in a Friday news briefing that state health care workers are required to get the extra shots. The state will accept only medicalnot religiousexemptions, consistent with previous mandates on COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 vaccines.

Under the mandate, health care workers will have to get boosters within two weeks of their eligibility. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration recommended shortening the time an individual needs to wait before getting a Pfizer or Moderna booster by one month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on the FDAs Pfizer recommendation earlier this week.

They work [with our] most vulnerable New Yorkers. We need to make sure that our health care workers are now booster  not just vaccinated, but they have to be boosted, Hochul said during the briefing. Hochul said that New York is the first state in the country to mandate boosters for health care workers.

Hochul says New York Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett will recommend the booster mandate to the Public Health and Health Planning Council on Tuesday, Jan. 11, for final approval, although both Hochul and Bassett said they both expect the Council to sign off on it.

This has been such an important priority, Hochul said. Weve already seen whats been happening in our health care environments. Staff is getting sick, theyre leaving. We need them to get well, we need them to have the best fortification they possibly can, and that means getting a booster shot as well.

The vaccine mandate for health care staff has been challenged several times in court, with one making it all the way to the Supreme Court. In December, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in refusing to halt the vaccine mandate, with Justices Neil Gorsuch, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito dissenting.

Other than New York, Maine and Rhode Island are states that do not accommodate religious exemptions for health care workers who object to getting the shot.

Today, the Court repeats the mistake by turning away New Yorks doctors and nurses, Gorsuch wrote in his dissent on a Maine vaccine case. We do all this even though the States executive decree clearly interferes with the free exercise of religionand does so seemingly based on nothing more than fear and anger at those who harbor unpopular religious beliefs.

In recent weeks, businesses and schools have begun to require booster doses as a requirement for employment or enrollment. As an example, Danny Meyer, the CEO of the Union Square Hospitality Group, told outlets last month that his businesses would require boosters for employees.
Newsom, Democrats Go for Californians Guns

Commentary

Even as crime is surging in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and his allies in the legislature are seeking to make it more difficult for citizens to defend themselves.

Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) recently introduced Assembly Bill 1594, which reads, This bill would specify that a gun industry member has created or maintained a public nuisance, as defined, if their failure to follow federal, state, or local law caused injury or death or if the gun industry member engaged in unfair business practices.

Its a blatant attempt to bankrupt the gun companies, a clear violation of the Second Amendment right of the people to keep and bear arms. The 2008 Heller decision by the U.S. Supreme Court clearly affirmed that meant an individual right, not just that of a state militia. And a right obviously can only be exercised if one has the physical means to do so.

For example, the First Amendment right to freedom of the press can only be exercised if paper companies are not impeded in their business of selling paper to publishers and the public. If the paper industry could be sued because, say, terrorists used paper to publish plans for attacks, then paper would go up in cost so high the exercise of freedom of the press would be impinged.

AB 1594 was introduced after Newsom reacted against a U.S. Supreme Court action that let stand, for now, a Texas law allowing private citizens to sue abortion providers. Its by no means clear the court will let that law stand permanently. But Newsom said in a Dec. 11 statement, If states can now shield their laws from review by the federal courts that compare assault weapons to Swiss Army knives, then California will use that authority to protect peoples lives, where Texas used it to put women in harms way.

Newsom spokesperson Daniel Lopez reiterated that sentiment in a statement on Jan. 4, So long as the United States Supreme Court has set a precedent which allows private citizens to sue to stop abortions in Texas, California will use that same ability to save lives.

Actually, pro-lifers say abortion takes a life, and with modern medicine, childbirth rarely leads to the death of the mother. All medical procedures involve some risk, including abortions, not only for the baby, but for the mother.

Guns also are specifically mentioned in the Bill of Rights, while abortion only has become a right since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decisionstill controversialwhich the court might reverse or modify.

Deputies handle some of the approximately 3,500 confiscated guns to be melted down at Gerdau Steel Mill in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., on July 19, 2018. (David McNew/Getty Images)

Product Liability

Explaining his bill, Ting said, We must make our communities safer. Almost every industry in the United States can be held liable for what their products do, but the gun industry is not held to the same standard. Financial repercussions may finally push them to be more responsible by improving their practices and adhering to Californias strict gun laws.

Thats misleading. Industries can be held accountable for the malfunction of their products, not their misuse. Car companies often have been sued when a system fails and a car crashes and kills people, but not for when a car is used as a weapon to kill, as in the recent slaughter in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

For guns, the proper use is for self-defense, sporting, and hobbies; improper use is to kill someone during a crime. Justifiable killings are allowed with guns, as with knives and other instruments, to fend off an attack by a killer or rapist. Tings law would make it harder for Californians to get such instruments of self-defense.

Another big difference Newsom and Ting dont recognize is that Texass abortion law only applies to abortion clinics in that state. Theres no effect at all on clinics in other states. But AB 1594 would apply to all gun manufacturers, including those in other states.

If the Texas abortion law were followed for AB 1594, then only gun manufacturers in California would be affected. But there apparently are no more manufacturers left of any size in the state, Sam Paredes told me; hes the executive director of Gun Owners of California. When Weatherby left Paso Robles for Wyoming in 2018, I do believe that they were the last major firearms company left in California, he said.

So overregulation killed even more businesses and jobs in California.

Given that the Interstate Commerce Clause exists precisely to prevent the states attacking one anothers businesses through tariffs and lawsuits, its easy to see how AB 1594 would be rejected by the Supreme Court on that grounds as well.

California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a VA facility in Los Angeles on Nov. 10, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Newsoms Presidential Ambitions

Whats odd about this is how it plays into Newsoms obvious presidential ambitions, either in 2024 or, more likely, in 2028. Supporting this bizarre legislation might help Newsom gain support among the more radical elements in the Democratic Party. So it could push him forward in future party presidential primaries.

But it would hurt him in any national presidential bid, especially in such pro-gun swing states as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, which President Biden secured in 2020. Michael Anton of the Claremont Institute explained this in a Jan. 4 article, Blue Americas Messaging Problem.

He wrote, Blue America offers to Red nothing but scorn, contempt, hatred, insult, humiliation, calumny, outsourcing, open borders, layoffs, lower wages, opioids, losing wars, censorship, trumped-up treason accusations, surveillance, anarcho-tyranny, pre-trial detention, mask mandates, lockdowns, Critical Race Theory, and cancellation. And then not only gets enraged when Red America objects, but demands Red reverence and gratitude in return.

That scorn might do well in Tings San Francisco, Newsoms California, or New York City, but its a loser in every swing state.

Newsom, as I have said in past articles, is a shrewd politician who actually has maneuvered himself into potentially becoming the next Democratic president. Why he is putting himself into a corner of defeat this early is a mystery. Maybe he doesnt see it because hes spent his whole life in the cocoon of Democratic Party politics in California.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Notes for click and meet for customers with a QR code are seen in the windows of a shop in a shopping street in the centre of Bremen, northern Germany, on March 15, 2021. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP via Getty Images)

Omicron Cases Spike in Germanys Most Vaccinated State

Germanys smallest and least populous federal state has the highest vaccination rate nationwide, but it is currently faced with the highest infection rate of any region in the country, spurred by the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

The maritime state of Bremen, located in the north of Germany, has nearly 84 percent of its population double-jabbed, compared with a national figure of around 72 percent.

Roughly 44 percent of the small German state with fewer than 700,000 people have received a COVID-19 booster shot, compared to a similar national number42 percent.

The seven-day infection rate in Bremen stood at 800 cases per 100,000 residents on Jan. 6, the highest in Germany and more than double the national rate of 303, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases.

Bremen also has a high hospitalization rate of 14.56 per 100,000, German news channel ZDF reported, though hospitals are not as burdened as they were in the first three waves of the CCP virus pandemic as patients infected with the new variant were coming in with milder symptoms, said Lukas Fuhrmann, spokesperson for Bremens health senate.

The RKI assumes that the Omicron variant, which was first noticed in South Africa last year, will become the predominant CCP virus strain in the coming days. Omicron now accounts for more than 85 percent of CCP virus infections in Bremen, well above the national figure of around 44 percent, according to the latest data from the RKI.

Hajo Zeeb, a professor of the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology in Bremen, linked the increase in cases to the protection from COVID-19 vaccines waning.

Zeeb also said that Bremens location near the Netherlands and Denmark, where Omicron has already become the dominant variant, could be another reason for the higher infection rate in the state.

Meanwhile, German leaders agreed on Friday to tighten restrictions for the hospitality sector and decided to shorten quarantine and self-isolation periods for people who have agreed to get a booster.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz delivers a speech during a meeting of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, at the Reichstag building in Berlin, on Dec. 15, 2021. (Michael Sohn/AP Photo)

Under the new rules, only Germans who have been fully vaccinated, have recovered from the disease, and are able to provide a negative test, are allowed to access restaurants for a sit-down meal. Those who have received a booster shot dont have to present a negative test.

Its a strict rule, but its a necessary one that will help us better control infections [in the future] than is currently the case, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday as he confirmed the new CCP virus protocols.

Horst Egger, a Berlin steak house owner, said it would make more sense to close the restaurant for a month than to keep it open with all the curbs.

When guests come, there is usually someone who is not vaccinated. So we have to send the three or four people away again, Egger, who has been in the gastronomy business since 1979, said.

Reuters contributed to this report

From NTD News
Ottawa Pursues Ontarios Failed Energy Policies as Ex-Premier Admits Mistakes: Expert

Former Ontario Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne said in a recent interview with Macleans that she gives herself a low score on the energy file, and an affordable energy advocate is warning that the federal government is going down the same road Ontario took.

I score myself very low on the electricity price. I believed that the investments that we had made in the electricity sector were important, Wynne told Paul Wells of Macleans.

We were going to make big changes in terms of the supply mix and greening the grid and investing in the grid. I think its $50 billion that we invested in upgrading the grid. I believed in that.

Wynne said she was warned that the province was taking on a lot of debt and that energy prices would go up, but she didnt take it seriously enough.

A C.D. Howe report published in June 2021 says the cost of Ontarios electricity system rose from $12 billion in 2006 to $21 billion in 2019, while demand fell 10 percent over the same period.

Wynne served as premier from 2013 to 2018 and before that held different cabinet positions.

Dan McTeague, a former longtime Liberal MP who spent 37 years in the party machinery and now heads the advocacy group Canadians for Affordable Energy, says the federal Liberals should take note if they want to avoid the fate of the Ontario Liberals.

I think it may very well be a time and a place where the siege on the Liberal Party and those who usurped and hijacked it beyond the green side will finally pack up and go after all the damage theyve done, he told The Epoch Times.

It explains why the Liberals have been reduced to seven seats in Ontario. And I think the federal Liberals will wind up meeting the same fate if they dont begin to pay heed to what Kathleen Wynne has done, albeit too late.

Wynne also commented on the gas plants scandal, which involved what was seen as the politically motivated cancellation of plants in Mississauga and Oakville at a cost much higher than initially announced. It also likely influenced the resignation of Premier Dalton McGuinty and landed his staffer in jail for destroying electronic paper trails.

I think when we got into situations like defending what had happened around the decisions around the gas plants, you realize: Holy mackerel. How did this happen? How did we get here? Which parts of this were we not paying attention to? Wynne said.

Wynne, who has served as MPP for the Don Valley West riding of Toronto since 2003, is not running for office in the upcoming election this year.

With the rise of energy prices, which helps to fuel the rising prices of commodities, Canadians are starting to go through an affordability crisis, and McTeague says politicians will soon feel the heat and have to correct course.

McTeague, whos known and sought for his gas price predictions, says the country is heading towards an economic wall, with a gas price average across the country that could reach $1.65 a litre.

This is 2022. The federal government has two taxes that will be loaded on to what could very well be $100 oil, a weaker Canadian dollar, and nothing to fall back on, he says.

Those taxes are the carbon tax, which increases every year, and the Clean Fuel Standard to come into effect in December.

McTeague says that at one point the cost of living will be a bridge too far for many people, and that the first thing theyll blame will be the politicians.

If Liberals want a death wish, stay the course, he said.

Once we get over the pandemic, once we get past the point of government inflating the economy, I think a lot of Liberals are going to have second thoughts about having embarked on this fanciful world of magic and make-believe in which you denigrate what most countries would give their right arm for: our abundant and affordable energy sector.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks at a news conference on the Protecting Our Democracy Act, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 21, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Our Democracy = Their Oligarchy

Commentary

The phrase Our Democracy has become ubiquitous in progressive political output. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is fond of it, as is Vice President Kamala Harris. It also has become common in congressional bills.

But you shouldnt confuse Our Democracy with real democracy. The initial modifier serves to debase the nounmuch as sub-human means less than human or social justice rationalizes acts of individual injustice.

Conservatives sometimes answer the phrase Our Democracy by responding that our form of government is not supposed to be a pure democracy. That misses a larger point: Our Democracy is not any kind of democracy at all.

Well-functioning democracy rests on the rule of law, a fact recognized since the time of Pericles (c. 495429 BCE) (pdf). The rule of law requires that laws be applied impartially. It also requires that those seeking change do so through established processes, not through violence. Violence is a threat to democracy.

Our Democracy is different. Only some kinds of violence are threats. Attorney General Merrick Garland, for example, claims the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot was an assault on our democracy. So participants are being punished harshly and sometimes disproportionately.

By contrast, the widespread, months-long, organized, deadly, and insurrectionary Black Lives Matter-Antifa riots were just fineor at least understandable. Ditto all those prior incidents in which progressives wrote the playbook for Jan. 6: their 2011 seizure of the Wisconsin state Capitol; their 2018 takeover of a Senate office building; and later that same year, their storming of the Supreme Court and invasion of the U.S. Capitol. And their countless other sit-ins, lie-ins, and other unhygienic occupations with which they have defiled public spaces and private property over the past six decades.

My violence good, yours bad. Where the left holds sway, the rules change according to the persons to whom they are applied. I saw this repeatedly during my 25 years in academia.

Democracy honors the rule of law; Our Democracy does not.

Much the same applies to voting. Progressives such as President Joe Biden claim that voter integrity standards are inconsistent with Our Democracy. Of course, virtually all the election bills under recent state legislative consideration would have been considered unremarkableor even too liberaljust a few years ago. The most important proposal, voter ID, is standard in Western-style democracies.

But apparently, Our Democracy requires a mass of unverified or semi-verified voters who can cast ballots in who-knows-what conditions from who-knows-where. In Our Democracy, we ignore (or promote) the risk that fraudulent votes will offset real ones.

Due to a series of Supreme Court decisions initiated by Roe v. Wade, national abortion policy is now fixed by nine unelected justices with life terms. You might think this is undemocratic. Yet progressive groups tell us this is perfectly consistent with Our Democracy. The American Constitution Society (an organization of lefty law professors and law students) suggests that efforts to overrule Roe are an attack on Our Democracy (pdf).

The Supreme Courts foray into marriage policy also highlights the difference between Our Democracy and the real thing. Democratically elected state legislatures used to limit civil marriage to one man and one woman. From 1998 to 2014, there were 30 state referenda confirming this policy. The advocates of traditional marriage won all of these referenda, mostly by powerful super-majorities.

In 2015, however, the Supreme Court imposed same-sex marriage on the entire country (pdf). To us rubes, this sounds undemocratic. But the Enlightened Left knows better. Any attempt to move the issue back to the people or their elected representatives would be an attack on Our Democracy.

Montana, my long-time home, was for many years a surprisingly liberal state. Politics were dominated by public-sector unions, by other beneficiaries of government favors, and by a uniformly liberal daily press. Aside from gun issues and some social issues, liberals mostly ran the state. The desires of the conservative minority usually didnt count for much. I didnt care for this, but it was democracy.

Over the past few years, Montana has become more conservative. Every statewide elected official (other than one U.S. senator) and both houses of the legislature are now Republican. Naturally, theyve adopted more conservative policies. But instead of responding to those policies democratically, progressives want the courts to reverse them. According to the left-of-center Bozeman Daily Chronicle:

A recent memo produced by legislative staff said that, as of November, state attorneys had spent over 1,800 hours defending challenges to laws passed in the 2021 session. And that doesnt include time spent by plaintiffs lawyers on the challenges. The laws in question addressed gun rights, judicial appointments, abortion access, voting rights and transgender issues. The legislative memo addressed 14 lawsuits challenging 18 laws.

The Chronicle should have told the progressives they were acting like sore losersthat they should quit whining to the judges and fight harder at the next election.

But folks at the Chronicle are Our Democracy fans. So instead, they opined that lawmakers elected by conservative majorities shouldnt pass so many conservative laws! Our Democracy requires conservative lawmakers to disregard those who elected them.

As you can see, Our Democracy doesnt respond to the will of the majority, as real democracy does. Our Democracy is more like a Third World pseudo-democracy, where hot-shots from the elite classes use electoral manipulation and other anti-democratic means to fight for supremacy in centralized and corrupt political environments

Consistent with this conclusion is the support that Our Democracy advocates such as the Brennan Center for Justice give to the National Popular Vote initiative (NPV). As I have explained elsewhere, NPV is a mechanism by which government employees, far-left university towns, and corrupt big-city political machines could team up to elect candidates rejected by most of the country.

Thats how it often works in the seven nations (all in the Third World) that employ the NPV pure-plurality system. The current president of Panama, for example, was elected in 2019 with only 33 percent of the vote. Sixty-seven percent of Panamanians voted against the winner but got him anyway. A perfect scenario for Our Democracy.

Our Democracy really looks like Their Oligarchy. Or like some of those other democracies the left has erected over the years: The Democratic Peoples Republic of (North) Korea comes readily to mind, as does the former (East) German Democratic Republic.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A woman and her child speak with an airline attendant at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, amid flight cancellations and delays, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Over 2,300 Flights Canceled as Winter Storm Hits Northeast

A new winter storm on Friday led to thousands of flight cancellations in the United States.

Airlines continued to struggle to deal with inclement weather. Cancellations and delays have plagued Southwest Airlines and other airlines in recent weeks, with staffing issues cited as a major reason.

Southwest canceled over 500 flights on Friday and delayed 200 others, according to tracker Flight Aware.

United Airlines canceled or delayed over 300 flights and American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and JetBlue canceled or delayed over 200 each.

A Southwest spokesman told The Epoch Times in an email that the cancellations were part of flight adjustments made in reaction to disruptions created by recent winter storms, which impacted several of our largest bases of operations throughout the past week, and ongoing staffing challenges.

To help rectify the situation, Southwest is offering extra pay to workers through Jan. 25. Employees will get up to double their regular pay for working additional shifts.

A United spokesperson pinned the problems on the spike in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19.

As a result, weve unfortunately had to cancel some flights and have been working to notify impacted customers up to a week in advance of them coming to the airport. Were sorry for the disruption and are working hard to rebook as many people as possible and get them on their way, the spokesperson said in an email.

People cross the street through a bus stop window in the snow in the Manhattan borough of New York City on Jan. 7, 2022. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

A JetBlue spokesman told The Epoch Times via email that the majority of cancellations Friday were due to dangerous weather, particularly in the northeast.

Most of the flights that were canceled had been slated to fly into or out of airports in the northeast, including LaGuardia Airport in New York and Boston Logan International in Massachusetts, according to FlightAware.

The storm, which hit overnight, left up to a foot of snow in the northeast, including in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Connecticut.

According to the National Weather Service, cold and blustery conditions were forecast to remain in place through Friday evening throughout the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast.

As a strong area of high pressure slides to the East Coast on Saturday, it will usher in warm southerly winds to the Central U.S. on Saturday. This will help return temperatures to slightly above average, it said in a forecast early Friday. However, this brief warm up will be short-lived as another arctic cold front surges southward across the Northern Plains Saturday afternoon and enters the Midwest by Sunday morning. Light rain showers and pockets of freezing rain/drizzle are possible along and ahead of this cold front.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) walks with President Joe Biden on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 1, 2021. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Pelosi Invites Biden to Give State of the Union Address in March

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Friday invited President Joe Biden to deliver a State of the Union address on March 1.

Pelosi told Biden, a fellow Democrat, that his bold vision and patriotic leadership have guided America out of crisis and into an era of great progress, as we not only recover from the pandemic but Build Back Better!

Build Back Better is a term used to describe Bidens agenda for America.

Indeed, this past year has been historic: with the life-saving American Rescue Plan, once-in-a-century Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and, soon, the truly transformational Build Back Better Act! Pelosi wrote.

In that spirit, I am writing to invite you to address a Joint Session of Congress on Tuesday, March 1, to share your vision of the State of the Union.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Biden spoke to a joint session of Congress in April 2021. In his speech, he promised to rebuild the nation and combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendance was scaled back because of the pandemic, and the speech was later in the year than those delivered by Bidens predecessors. Historically, State of the Union speeches have taken place in January or February.

President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress as Vice President Kamala Harris (L) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) look on, in Washington on April 28, 2021. (Jim Watson/Pool/Getty Images)

Fresh concerns about COVID-19 could end up pushing back the speech again. The United States has recorded a significant increase in COVID-19 cases as the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus became dominant, but most cases are asymptomatic or mild and hospitals have not been overwhelmed, at least so far.

Biden promised to beat COVID-19 on the campaign trail but he told reporters Friday that having COVID, in the environment here and the world, is probably here to stay.

He championed how many schools are open, comparing it to last winter, when many were closed to in-person instruction.

The first-term president has seen large parts of his agenda get stalled in Congress. The 50-50 Senate has bedeviled him, with Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) deeming many components of Build Back Better too radical.

However, Congress did pass a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, both of which received input from the White House.

Democrats rammed through the relief package using a set of rules that lowers the voting threshold in the upper chamber from 60 to 50. Democrats were able to get Republican support for the infrastructure bill.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pauses while speaking during a media briefing at the Pentagon, on Nov. 17, 2021. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Pentagon Tightening COVID-19 Restrictions After Secretary Austin Tests Positive

The Department of Defense (DOD) on Friday tightened its COVID-19 restrictions in the midst of a rise in cases nationwide and days after Secretary Lloyd Austin tested positive for the virus.

Starting Jan. 10 at 5:00 a.m., the Pentagon will reduce its occupancy limit to 25 percent or fewer, while social distancing will stay at six feet. Personnel, including fully vaccinated people, will have to wear a mask indoors unless alone in an office, eating or drinking, or in several other circumstances, according to two memorandums issued by the DOD.

In a memo to staff (pdf), Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks told all supervisors to use the maximum number of telework opportunities as well as flexible scheduling.

It is my intent for you to comply with this limit to the fullest extent possible, Hicks wrote in the directive. We are experiencing a rapidly evolving situation and your carefully considered requests for exception from the occupancy rate may be granted by the [Director of Administration and Management of the U.S. Department of Defense] but must be limited to mission-critical activities and must explain why alternatives to a higher occupancy rate are insufficient.

DOD staff members continued diligence and adherence to occupancy limits will aid in reducing the surge of new cases, Hicks claimed.

For the past several months, the Pentagon operated under a directive that allows 40 percent of personnel to work in the building while the rest teleworked.

Significant upward trends, the rise in positive case counts, including the current spread of the Omicron variant, as well as the consideration that the majority of our workforce is fully vaccinated, weighed heavily in the decision to adjust safety plans, Michael Donley, the Director of Administration and Management, in a memo to senior Pentagon leadership, wrote in a separate memo (pdf).

While data has suggested that Omicron can easily spread, data and studies have shown it appears to cause fewer deaths and hospitalizations than previously dominant variants. Studies have also suggested that the strain can easily infect fully vaccinated and boosted individuals.

An official with the World Health Organization, citing studies, said earlier this week that because Omicron primarily infects the upper respiratory tract, its less likely to cause severe pneumonia.

And the latest directive will allow the DOD to maintain force health protection measures mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in our own communities, among our military personnel, DOD civilian employees, and on-site contractor workforce, Donley also wrote.

Earlier this week, Austin confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19, caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Austin, who is fully vaccinated and received a booster dose in October 2021, said he has mild symptoms.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk looks on at a press conference at Parliament house in Brisbane, Australia, on April 1, 2021.(Jono Searle/Getty Images)

Queensland May Delay Start of School Year Amid Omicron Wave

The Australian state of Queensland has announced a potential plan to delay the start of the first school term for 2022 by one to two weeks if the current coronavirus Omicron variant wave looks to be heading towards a peak.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her government was working on a plan while National Cabinet models the peak of the current Omicron wave.

Let me assure parents that we will not be sending primary school students back during the first week of school if we are heading towards a peak. So we are looking at a one to two-week delay in relation to the return to school, Palaszczuk told reporters in Brisbane on Friday.

I just want to assure parents that that is definitely not on the agenda to send primary school children, unvaccinated, to school if we are in the peak of this wave. This is a common-sense measure, she said.

It was unclear if the measures for primary school children meant only unvaccinated children would be excluded.

Queensland Health told The Epoch Times the details would be provided in the coming days.

But it comes two days before the state launches the National Childhood Vaccination Program for COVID-19 for children aged five to 11 on Sunday from Cairns.

This comes as the Omicron variant becomes the dominant strain in the state, accounting for 80 to 90 percent of all newly reported cases, which are mostly occurring in a younger aged group, according to Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard.

Thats the bulkthe 20- to 30-year-old age group, Gerrard said. We still havent seen substantial numbers of cases in people over the age of 70.

Peak Hospital Pressure Projected

The chief health officer said officials were expecting to see the biggest pressures on hospitals in the coming weeks, with projections showing there will be an increase in short-term hospital stays for COVID-19 patients around the end of January and at the start of February as the Omicron wave is projected to reach a peak.

Queenslands newly appointed Chief Health Officer, Dr. John Gerrard, speaks during a press conference in Brisbane, Australia, on Dec. 13, 2021. (Dan Peled/Getty Images)

We are expecting very substantial numbers of that intermediate group of patients who might require a relatively short stay in hospital; might require oxygen; might require dexamethasone, but not requiring the critical care, Gerrard said.

We will have much bigger numbers of critical care patients at the peak of this wave.

But he noted that there would be a shift from the very severe to the medium severe classification of patients expected to be seen during that time.

Already, in the 24 hours to 7 p.m. on Thursday night, hospitalisations increased from 280 to 313, he said.

He warned vulnerable people, such as pregnant women, immunocompromised people, and those aged over 60, to avoid crowded indoor spaces, wear protective masks, and get a third booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine when eligible.
A rare albino jaguarundi cub, a type of puma native to the Americas, was rescued in Colombia by emergency services. After receiving treatment from veterinarians, she was taken to a conservation park to live out her days safe from the threat of predators.

The cub, a rare white-haired, red-eyed female, was found in the Aburra Valley metropolitan area of northwestern Colombia. She is the first albino of her species ever reported in the country.

The cub plays at the conservation park in Medellin, Colombia, on Dec. 23, 2021. (Fredy Builes/AFP via Getty Images)

Authorities worked with the volunteer fire department to rescue the feline, which was approximately four hours from an urban area, Amalfi Municipality veterinarian Yuliany Duque told Reuters in December 2021, ahead of the cubs arrival. Once the feline arrives at our facilities, primary medical attention will be carried out and relevant authorities will be notified.

The cub was transferred to a conservation park in Medellinthe capital of Colombias mountainous Antioquia province, nicknamed the City of Eternal Springwhere she will be safe and cared for. Veterinarian Carlos Madrid explained that she cant be re-released into the wild owing to her albinism, which makes her more visible than others of her kind and drastically lowers her survival odds.

The cub leaving her crate at the conservation park in Medellin on Dec. 23, 2021. (Fredy Builes/AFP via Getty Images)

The only alternative for it is to end his life in a park such as this, he said. It is predisposed to certain health disorders [and] certain disadvantages when performing in the wild, such as the impossibility of camouflaging itself, making it easy for it to be seen by its prey.

JaguarundiHerpailurus yagouaroundiare typically either reddish-brown or gray in color.

Albinism occurs due to a lack of melanin in the body, affecting the color of the skin, hair, and eyes, and may cause poor eyesight, sun sensitivity, and increased risk of melanoma. The condition gets passed down to the offspring when both the parents carry the recessive gene.

The cub resting in the arms of a handler at the conservation park in Medellin on Dec. 23, 2021. (Fredy Builes/AFP via Getty Images)

In Mexico, its northernmost territory, the jaguarundi is known colloquially as the otter cat. Its small for a wildcat; according to NatureWorks, but adults can grow up to 4 1/2 feet long.

The animal is also characterized by a long, slender body, small ears, short powerful legs, a long tail, and a flattened, triangular head with short, rounded ears.

An alleged albino cub of jaguarundi plays at the Conservation Park in Medellin, Colombia, on Dec. 23, 2021. (Fredy Builes/AFP via Getty Images)

A solitary creature, jaguarundi live and hunt alone, only meeting fellow jaguarundi intentionally during mating season.

Watch the video:

Video Credit: Reuters

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A Mexico City government health worker shows a positive test of a resident during a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen testing in Santa Ursula neighborhood, Mexico City, on Nov. 26, 2020. (Claudio Cruz/AFP via Getty Images)

Reporting of Positive RAT Results Now Mandatory in Australian State

The Australian state of Victoria has made it mandatory to report positive rapid antigen test (RAT) results to the Department of Health through phone or online from Jan. 7.

People who receive a positive RAT must report it, immediately isolate for seven days, and notify their contacts.

Its important to remember that turning up positive on a rapid antigen test is the equivalent of turning up positive on a PCR test, Acting Premier Jacinta Allan said.

Allan said the new process would mean fewer people would need to wait for PCR test results.

It also means that those who come back with a negative RAT result and are not a household contact will not be required to quarantine while waiting for a negative result, allowing fewer disruptions to work, school, and social lives.

Victorias COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said that people reporting their positive result will need to answer really simple questions to determine their risk level and what support they might need.

Questions include: Have you been told you have recently been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, and have you been recently unwell with COVID-19 symptoms ?

People who answer no to both questions are recommended to get a PCR test to confirm their RAT result.

Weimar said the reporting system currently could handle 50,000 reports a day, but it could be increased if needed.

COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar at a press conference in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 14, 2020. (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Six people died, and total hospitalisation numbers have risen to 644, of which 58 cases are in intensive care and 24 on ventilation.

The health system as a whole is preparing for an increased number of hospital admissions, and a huge amount of work has already gone on, as it has throughout the entire course of this pandemic to ensure that our hospitals are equipped and staffed, Allan said.

She said the increasing number of cases was putting pressure on not just the health and hospital system, but also on other critical industries in health and more broadly.

By 9 a.m. on Jan. 7, 18 government-run PCR testing sites had closed after reaching capacity and RATs are now rolling out at four locations in a pilot program.

Meanwhile, both Allan and Weimar encouraged people to book vaccinations for children and booster shots.
People in Manhattan on in New York City on Nov. 29, 2021. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Risk of ICU Admission or Death 83 Percent Lower Among Omicron Compared to Delta COVID-19 Cases: Study

A study from Canada adds to the growing body of knowledge that suggest the Omicron COVID-19 variant is much less severe compared to the Delta variantresearchers found the risk of intensive care unit admission or death is 83 percent lower among cases of Omicron compared to Delta.

The study, published on medRxiv ahead of peer review and updated on Jan. 2, found the overall risk of hospitalization was 65 percent lower for Omicron compared to Delta.

Our results align with findings from South Africa, Scotland, and England, all of which have demonstrated substantial decreases in risk of hospitalization associated with Omicron, the authors wrote.

The Omicron COVID-19 strain appears to demonstrate lower disease severity for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, but while this is the case, the absolute number of hospitalizations and impact on the healthcare system is likely to be significant due to the large number of Omicron infections.

Results are based on a matched cohort study with cases in Canadas Ontario matched on gender, age, vaccination status, health region, and onset date. Of the 29,594 Omicron cases that were eligible for the study, researchers were able to match 11,622 cases with at least one Delta case.

Among the matched Omicron cases, there were 59 (0.51 percent) hospitalizations and three (0.03 percent) deaths; among the matched Delta cases, there were 221 (1.6 percent) hospitalizations and 17 (0.12 percent) deaths.

Our study has some limitations, in particular the short follow-up duration and potential misclassification due to incidental findings from hospital admission screening, and incomplete public health follow-up as incidence increased, authors said.

A South African study published Dec. 28 showed that the latest COVID-19 wave, with presumed majority of admissions to be the Omicron strain had a 4.5 percent hospital death rate, compared to 21.3 percent in other strains. ICU admissions were 1 percent compared to 4.3 percent for previous waves. Less than halfabout 45 percentof hospital admissions required supplemental oxygen, compared to 99.5 percent in the first wave of COVID-19.

A recent analysis from the United Kingdom released Dec. 23 showed the risk of hospitalization with Omicron is up to 70 percent less compared to Delta. A study in Scotland, published Dec. 22, found a two-thirds risk reduction of COVID-19 hospitalization in Omciron compared to Delta.

The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said in late December 2021 the Omicron variant accounts for more than 90 percent of COVID-19 cases in some parts of the United States.
A Rivian electric truck is seen, as it drives through 44th Street in Times Square, New York City, N.Y., on Nov. 10, 2021. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Rivian Shares Tumble as Legacy Automakers Rev up EV Targets

Shares of Rivian Automotive Inc. briefly fell below their IPO price on Thursday in a broader selloff among electric vehicle (EV) makers as the race for market share intensifies with legacy companies ramping up EV production.

Rivian shares fell as much as 16.5 percent to $75.13, slipping below the debut price of $78 for the first time. They pared losses and were trading down 5 percent at $85.66 in mid-day trading.

Other EV makers Tesla Inc., Lucid Group and Fisker also lost ground, with valuation of high-flying tech sector coming under pressure against the backdrop of the Federal Reserves hawkish signals.

The slide in Rivian shares comes a day after one of its biggest investors, Amazon.com Inc., teamed up with carmaker Stellantis NV.

They will develop cars and trucks with Amazon software and deploy electric vans made by Stellantis on Amazons delivery network.

Amazon has invested a lot of money in Rivian That was a key factor for a lot of people in demonstrating this is a viable company that has a product that maybe relatively unique in the marketplace, Guidehouse Insights analyst Sam Abuelsamid said.

Rivian and Amazon had signed a contract in 2019 to build 100,000 electric delivery vans for the e-commerce giant by 2025. But now the electric commercial vehicle business, a vital market for Rivian, is flooded with more options.

General Motorss electric commercial vehicle business, BrightDrop, has signed deals with Walmart Inc. and FedEx Corp., while Ford is expected to deliver its E-Transit cargo van to customers this year.

Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Rosner said the fall in Rivian shares indicates that investors perhaps assumed Amazon would primarily rely on Rivian vans for its EV fleet and perceived the latest announcement as reducing its opportunity.

Meanwhile, General Motors announced the launch of its electric Chevrolet Silverado pickup and Ford is ramping up production of F-150 Lightning, both pick-up trucks that would compete with Rivians R1T, at a time it is struggling to stick to delivery dates due to supply chip constraints.

Investors are probably getting a little spooked by the legacy industry making a comeback, Abuelsamid said.

Rivian, which still has no discernible sales, is expected to deliver cars to customers this year. Production at its second plant in Georgia, in which it has invested $5 billion, is likely to begin only by 2024.

Its still sort of unproven in terms of investability of that as a stock versus some of the other names like Tesla and arguably Ford, said David Keller, chief market strategist at StockCharts.com.

By Nivedita Balu and Akash Sriram
HMS Northumberland sails on the River Thames in London, on March 29, 2007. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Russian Submarine Collided With UK Warship in North Atlantic

A British Royal Navy warship collided with a Russian submarine while on patrol in the North Atlantic Ocean in late 2020, it has been revealed.

The collision took place when HMS Northumberland, a Type 23 frigate, was searching for the submarine after it disappeared from the ships view in the Arctic Circle.

The submarine hit and damaged the warships sonara piece of equipment being towed hundreds of metres behind it, which was fitted with sensitive hydrophones for listening underwater. As a result, the warship had to return to a port in Scotland to get the sonar replaced.

The incident was captured by a documentary crew from Britains Channel 5 television network, who were filming a series called Warship: Life At Sea.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD), which does not usually comment on operations, has confirmed the incident because it was caught on camera.

A spokesman for the MoD said: In late 2020 a Russian submarine being tracked by HMS Northumberland came into contact with her towed array sonar.

The Royal Navy regularly tracks foreign ships and submarines in order to ensure the defence of the United Kingdom, he added.

Stand-offs between the Russian military and Western forces are not uncommon.

In June 2021, Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender, which was part of the UKs carrier strike group led by the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, was involved in an incident involving the Russian navy after it sailed close to Crimea.

The Kremlin claimed warning shots were fired by Russian vessels at the ship as it passed through the contested part of the Black Sea last weekan assertion dismissed by the UK government, which said only that a routine gunnery exercise took place.

Eyewitness accounts revealed that Defender was buzzed by Russian military jets and the sound of naval gunfire could be heard as it sailed from Odessa in Ukraine to Georgia.

Recently, a Russian military build-up on Ukraines border has raised Western concerns over possible Russian aggression.

Addressing the House of Commons on Jan. 6, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss warned that Russia has no justification whatsoever for its aggression towards Ukraine.

She said Russian President Vladimir Putin has been peddling the false narrative of a security threat in the region to which the Kremlin is responding.

She insisted any Russian military incursion into Ukraine would be a massive strategic mistake and would come at a severe cost, including the prospect of co-ordinated sanctions.

The UK is helping Ukraine strengthen its defences with joint exercises, maritime support, and by training over 20,000 members of its army, with more to come, Truss said.

She also urged Europe to reduce its dependence on Russian gas, adding that Britain remains opposed to Nord Stream 2, a new pipeline running from Russia to Europe across the Baltic Sea.

PA Media and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
People pause at a memorial prior to a ceremony to remember those who lost their lives in Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, in Montreal, Canada, on Jan. 19, 2020. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

San Diego Students Family Sues Airliner Over Iran Missile Attack on Plane

SAN DIEGOThe family of a San Diego college student killed while aboard a plane that was shot down over Iran two years ago filed a lawsuit on Jan. 5 against the Ukrainian airline, alleging it should have been aware it was unsafe to fly amid tensions in the region.

Sara Saadat, 23, a first-year doctoral student in clinical psychology at Alliant International University in Scripps Ranch, was among all 176 people killed aboard Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 on Jan. 8, 2020.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later admitted to shooting the plane down shortly after takeoff after mistakenly identifying it as a hostile target.

The suit filed in San Diego federal court by Saadats father and brother alleges that in the days leading up to the missile attack, Iran and other nations were engaged in openly hostile acts of aggression toward each other and others, including a Jan. 3 drone strike that killed Iranian Major Gen. Qasem Soleimani and a retaliatory missile launch against two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops.

According to the lawsuit, increasing violent and open aggression between the U.S. and Iran which included missile and drone attacks were widely reported and well known.

These tensions led the Federal Aviation Administration to issue an emergency order on Jan. 8, 2020, prohibiting U.S. operators from flying over Iranian and Iraqi airspace.

Though this order did not apply to Ukrainian airliners, the lawsuit alleges the aviation administrations order was available to Ukraine International Airlines, which the suit alleges should have known of the clear and present danger to the flight and passengers.

Representatives from the airline did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

Debris of a plane belonging to Ukraine International Airlines, that crashed after taking off from Irans Imam Khomeini airport, is seen on the outskirts of Tehran, Iran on Jan. 8, 2020. (Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)
A row of Tesla Model S sedans are seen outside the company's headquarters in Palo Alto, Calif., on April 30, 2015. (Elijah Nouvelage/Reuters)

Startup ONE Says Battery Prototype Delivered 750-Mile Range

DETROITOur Next Energy (ONE), a two-year-old Michigan startup, said on Wednesday it had tested a prototype of its new battery in a Tesla Model S, driving 752 miles before recharging.

ONE aims to begin producing battery packs that will deliver similar rangeabout double that of most existing electric vehiclesby late 2023, according to Mujeeb Ijaz, ONEs founder, and chief executive.

We plan to build (batteries) in North America, and believe it can be done economically, Ijaz said in an interview.

ONE has focused on developing an advanced long-range battery that uses safer and more sustainable materials, while packing more energy into a smaller, less expensive package.

Ijaz, a 30-year industry veteran, is a former senior executive at Apple and A123 Systems, where he led teams developing battery systems for electric vehicles.

For ONEs Gemini battery, Ijaz said: We want to eliminate both nickel and cobalt, but we dont want to give up energy density. We aim to re-invent battery chemistry as well as the cell architecture in order to provide at least 750 miles of range between charges.

If you put that much energy on board, you are ready for anything the customer asksa round trip from Detroit to Chicago, or towing a trailer.

ONEs range target is well beyond even the best of current electric vehicles, including the Lucid Air, which offers just over 500 miles of range in the top version.

Ijaz said, ONE chose a Tesla Model S to showcase its prototype battery because it has fairly high efficiency and a fairly large battery pack which provided enough space to fit ONEs battery.

The testing was done in a road test across Michigan in late December, at an average speed of 55 miles per hour, ONE said.

By Paul Lienert
Supreme Court Seems Skeptical of Biden Vaccination Mandates

The Supreme Court appears to be skeptical of the Biden administrations bold claim that it has the authority to impose vaccination mandates applying to more than 84 million private-sector employees and to workers in federally funded health care facilities.

In a rare Friday sitting on Jan. 7, the high court seemed broadly receptive to the idea that states have the authority to impose vaccination mandates, but questioned the ability of federal agencies to do the same.

The court decided on Dec. 22, 2021, to fast-track emergency applications pertaining to challenges to the lawfulness of the two mandates as those challenges work their way through the lower courts. Various business groups, along with Ohio, Missouri, Louisiana, and two dozen other states, want the federal mandates to be blocked by the courts.

The private sector worker mandate, which imposes penalties on employers of up to $14,000 per violation, isnt currently stayed by any court, while the health care worker mandate has been frozen by lower courts.

The Supreme Court heard two separate oral arguments on Jan. 7 about the two mandates.

The first case, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) v. Department of Labor, concerns the Biden administrations attempt through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to force employers with at least 100 employeeswhich applies to most of the nations private workforceto submit to vaccinations aimed at preventing COVID-19 or to regular testing in order to detect the virus.

Unless paused, the mandate begins taking effect on Jan. 10, NFIB stated in a brief.

In the second case, Biden v. Missouri, the federal government seeks to lift lower court stays that are blocking it from enforcing a Nov. 4, 2021, emergency regulation by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requiring the COVID-19 vaccination for more than 10 million employees at health care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

During oral arguments on the private-sector mandate, Chief Justice John Roberts said the federal government may be overreaching. The executive branch is attempting to cover the waterfront by imposing COVID-19 policies on the population at large instead of leaving the matter to Congress, according to Roberts.

This has been referred to  as a work-around, he said. This is something that the federal government has never done before, right, mandated vaccine coverage?

U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said, Its true that there has been no standard that looks exactly like this one.

This chief justice said the pandemic sounds like the sort of thing that states will be responding to or should be  and that Congress should be responding to or should be, rather than agency by agency, the federal government, the executive branch, acting alone is responding to it.

Justice Neil Gorsuch said health regulations normally fall to the states.

If there is an ambiguity, why isnt this a major question that, therefore, belongs to the peoples representatives of the states and in the halls of Congress? Gorsuch asked

He noted that the Occupational Safety and Health Act that created OSHA is 50 years old and doesnt address this question.

[OSHAs] economy-wide, one-size-fits-all mandate covering 84 million Americans is not a necessary, indispensable use of OSHAs extraordinary emergency power, which this court has recognized is narrowly circumscribed, NFIB attorney Scott A. Keller said.

Keller noted that just three days ago, the U.S. Postal Service told OSHA that the mandate requirements are so burdensome for employers that the federal government is now seeking an exemption from its own mandate for the Postal Service.

Thats because OSHAs economy-wide mandate would cause permanent worker displacement rippling through our national economy, which is already experiencing labor shortages and fragile supply lines. OSHA has never before mandated vaccines or widespread testing, much less across all industries, he said.

A single federal agency tasked with occupational standards cannot commandeer businesses economy-wide into becoming de facto public health agencies.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett said OSHAs emergency powers can be used most effectively as a blunt instrument.

Justice Elena Kagan said federal agencies have expertise in disease management.

Why isnt this necessary to abate a grave risk? Kagan asked Keller. This is a pandemic in which nearly a million people have died.

It is by far the greatest public health danger that this country has faced in the last century. More and more people are dying every day; more and more people are getting sick every day.

Keller said he didnt contest that COVID is a grave danger  but the agency has to consider and explain alternatives. OSHA, instead, jumped immediately to a vaccine-or-testing mandate.

Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin M. Flowers told the court that OSHA went about creating the mandate backward.

OSHA typically identifies a workplace danger, and then regulates it, Flowers said.

But here, the president decided to regulate a danger and then told OSHA to find a work-related basis for doing so and created a blunderbuss rule, nationwide in scope, that requires the same thing of all covered employers, regardless of the other steps theyve taken to protect employees, regardless of the nature of their workplaces, regardless of their employees risk factors, and regardless of local conditions that state and local officials are far better positioned to understand and accommodate.

Kagan faulted the description of the mandate as a blunderbuss approach when everybody knows from living their normal lives that every workplace has been affected by this, save for  a few here and there.

Justice Stephen Breyer, whos 83 and under pressure from the left to retire in order to give President Joe Biden the chance to replace him with another, younger liberal justice, said there were 750 million new cases yesterday or close to that.

Thats why I said I would find it  unbelievable that it could be in the public interest to suddenly stop these vaccinations, Breyer said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the current total U.S. population is only 332.4 million.

In the second hearing, dealing with the health care worker mandate, Principal Deputy U.S. Solicitor General Brian Fletcher said the preliminary injunctions blocking the mandate need to be lifted because they are delaying that urgently needed protection for Medicaid and Medicare patients in half the country.

Hospitals, nursing homes, and other Medicare and Medicaid providers serve patients who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 in settings that are especially conducive to the spread of the virus, he said.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra instituted the vaccination mandate because he found that its the best way to prevent workers from infecting their patients with a potentially deadly disease, Fletcher said.

He also found that any delay in implementing that requirement would cause preventable deaths and severe illnesses.

Congress gave the power to make quintessential predictive and policy judgments to the secretary, and the states have identified no basis to disturb his conclusions.

Missouri Deputy Attorney General Jesus Osete said that in early 2020 as the pandemic spread, millions of health care workers heroically stayed at work.

These same workers are now forced to choose between losing their jobs and complying with the governments vaccine mandate, Osete said.

Becerras claim of the authority to impose this mandate is expansive, unprecedented, and unlawful.

Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill said the mandate, which would force millions of people working for or with a Medicare or Medicaid provider to undergo an invasive, irrevocable forced medical treatment is a bureaucratic power move that is unprecedented.

Roberts asked Murrill if she agreed with the federal district court which stated in the case that COVID no longer poses the dire emergency it once did?

I think that  those are shifting sands. Obviously, COVID conditions can change at any given time. And they have, Murrill said.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 22, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Supreme Court Should Block Vaccine Mandates: Louisiana Attorney General

'If the court allows these mandates to continue, then basically the question becomes, what kind of nation do we now have?'

Supreme Court justices on Friday will hear oral arguments on two Biden administration COVID-19 vaccine mandates, including one imposed on every business with 100 or more workers.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican, will be among those arguing against the mandates. Landry sued the administration with other states over them.

The Supreme Court should pause the mandates because federal agencies did not follow proper rulemaking guidelines and exceeded their statutory authority, Landry told The Epoch Times hours before the arguments were set to start.

If the court allows these mandates to continue, then basically the question becomes, what kind of nation do we now have? Landry said. Can the federal government continue to mandate medical procedures on American citizens against their will? And where do we draw the line on that?

One mandate was announced by the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It forces every business with 100 or more employees to obtain proof of COVID-19 vaccination from each worker or make them get a COVID-19 test on a regular basis, at least weekly.

The other was announced by the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It forces every facility that receives Medicare or Medicaid funding to get vaccine verification from workers and fines those that retain workers who do not provide proof of vaccination. Theres no testing opt out.

The Biden administration has argued that the rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks enables it to bypass normal rulemaking guidelines, that the mandates will save thousands of lives each month, and that Congress gave the health secretary and OSHA the authority to enact mandates, even though mandates are not mentioned in either of the laws cited.

Members of the Supreme Court pose for a group photo at the Supreme Court in Washington on April 23, 2021. Seated from left: Associate Justice Samuel Alito, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, and Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Standing from left: Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett. (Erin Schaff/Pool/Getty Images)

The vaccine requirement falls squarely within the plain text of the secretarys statutory authority and complies with all procedural requirements, administration lawyers told the Supreme Court in a brief this week.

The hearing comes as both agencies prepare to punish companies that dont comply. Some companies have already implemented mandates because of the looming deadlines.

Landry says both mandates would lead to absolutely significant job losses and worries about healthcare worker shortages. Healthcare entities and associations told the courts in an affidavit in one of the cases that there are already open and unfilled positions, and allowing the mandate to stay in place would lead to more workers leaving.

The court could decide to keep one of the mandates in place and block the other, but Landry believes it will either block both or let both stand.

I dont know how the court could uphold one and strike the other down, he said. I would presume that both of the cases are going to the outcome will be the same.

Whether the court enters preliminary injunctions against the mandates or not, the cases against them will proceed in lower courts.

The Supreme Court previously declined to block mandates in New York, New Mexico, Massachusetts, but mandate opponents hope justices will take action because of how broad the federal mandates are.

Roman Balmakov and Matthew Vadum contributed to this report.
U.S. military Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) from the USS Rushmore roll up on the beach during a Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercise at Bellows Beach on Bellows Air Force Base, east of Honolulu on July 20, 2004. (Marco Garcia/Getty Images)

Taiwan Gets Invited to RIMPAC? Best to Consider the Fine Print

Commentary

President Joe Biden just signed this years National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA 2022) after Congress approved the measure. NDAA 2022 specifically calls for inviting Taiwans military to the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 exercise.

Every two years in Hawaii, the U.S. Navy hosts RIMPAC, which is billed as the worlds largest maritime exercise. RIMPAC usually includes upward of 20 navies, mostly from the Indo-Pacific region, but often a few outsiders. In 2018, Germany and Israel participated in the exercise. The 2020 exercise was scaled back.

Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) was invited and attended in 2014 and 2016. But its invitation was withdrawn in 2018 because of Beijings destabilizing behavior in the South China Sea.

Taiwan has never been invitedand this year appears to be the first time the language has survived the final NDAA draft calling for Taiwan to be included in RIMPAC.

Soldiers march during an anti-invasion drill on the beach during the annual Han Kuang military drill in Tainan, Taiwan, on Sept. 14, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

The Taiwan militarys attendance at RIMPAC would be a big deal not only as a sign of U.S. (and other nations) support for Taiwan, but also as a move to break the 40-plus years of isolation that have stunted Taiwans military capabilities.

A Sense of Congress

But before assuming Taiwan will be there, its best to read the NDAAs fine print.

You see, the language is clear enough:

It is the sense of Congress that  the United States should continue to support the development of capable, ready, and modern defense forces necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability, including by  conducting practical training and military exercises with Taiwan, including, as appropriate, inviting Taiwan to participate in the Rim of the Pacific exercise conducted in 2022.

Clear language indeed, but heres the problem: It is the sense of Congress that Taiwan should be invited. Thats different than Congress ordering that Taiwan be invitedand threatening consequences for ignoring Capitol Hill.

A sense of Congress resolution doesnt require the Department of Defense (DOD), State Department, or even the White House to actually do anything.

This writer once heard a recently retired U.S. State Department official point this outalmost derisivelyto an audience in Taipei, as if anyone was naive enough to think otherwise. He was at least polite enough not to use another longtime observers description of sense of Congress resolutions as akin to the emissions put out by a field of cows.

The sense of Congress in this years NDAA also includes other support for Taiwan: ensuring Taiwan has adequate weaponry and asymmetric capabilities to defend itself, and most importantly that the U.S. military conduct joint training with Taiwans armed forces.

But previous NDAAs included similar language. For example, the 2018 NDAAduring the Trump administrationcalled for inviting Taiwans military to participate in military exercises and it mentioned the U.S. Air Forces Red Flag air-to-air combat exercise. It also called for conducting bilateral naval exercises with the Taiwan Navy.

None of that happened. It was just the sense of Congress, after all.

Not nearly enough has been done, especially on the joint training and invite to exercises requirements that are politically, psychologically, and operationally indispensable if Taiwan (and the United States) are to have a chance against Chinas Peoples Liberation Army.

On joint training, its been next to nothing other than two very small platoon-sized training events between Taiwan Marines and U.S. Marines in Hawaii (2017) and Guam (2021).

Can State and Defense Ignore Congress?

So can Pentagon and State Department officials and administration staffers just ignore Congress?

Apparently so.

While Congresson both sides of the aisleis talking a good game over Taiwan, and has for a few years now, it knows the difference between a sense of Congress resolution and something that gets the bureaucracys attention.

Thus, it gets the (lack of) attention one expects.

During the Obama administration, the director for Asia affairs on the National Security Council wasnt exactly a ball of fire when it came to Taiwan. Indeed, after leaving his post, he gave a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. His sage business advice to U.S. businessmen: Do what aligns with Xi Jinpings objectives.

The State Department official who nearly became Asia-Pacific head in the Trump administrationbut was stymied by charges of being soft on Chinagave a talk in Shanghai after retiring. In so many words, she advised the Chinese communists to wait out the Trump administration and theyd have a more accommodating administration.

Even during the Trump administrationwhich was better about China than all its predecessors put togetherTaiwans invitation to RIMPAC never came through. Nor could it break the Taiwan militarys isolation and do the necessary bilateral training. It squandered an excellent opportunity in this regardapparently out of spite that Taiwan wasnt following the administrations orders in configuring its defense.

Such is the power of mid-level officials.

What NDAA 2022 Requires

When it comes to Taiwan, NDAA 2022 only actually requires four things:

An annual DOD-led assessment of Taiwans defense capabilities and current threats. The DOD is required to draft a plan to support Taiwan while dealing with the issues in the assessment. Within 180 days, the DOD is to submit a report to Congress about the assessment and the plan. By Feb. 15, 2022, the DOD must brief Congress on the feasibility of enhanced cooperation between the U.S. National Guard and the Taiwan Armed Forces. This latter requirement is new and potentially useful. But its still just a feasibility study.

Assessments, reports, and studies are the Pentagons bread and butteras is avoiding doing things it doesnt want to do.

The Real Meaning of Taiwan at RIMPAC

So back to RIMPAC. What are some of the excuses that will be trotted out to lose the invite in the mail?

Wont China be angry if Taiwan attends? Yes. But China is always angry. Anyway, if one is truly concerned about the threat posed by an aggressive and expansionist China, doing something Beijing objects to might be an indication that one is doing something that needs to be done.

And might inviting Taiwan lead other nations to drop out of RIMPAC out of fear of Chinas wrath?

Maybe. But its best to get countries on recordand now. If theyre unwilling to stand up on this relatively easy matter, they certainly wont find a backbone when Chinese communist pressure on Taiwan (and them) really gets rough.

And that goes for the United States, too.

These days, China is out for blood. It wants Taiwanbut it wont stop with Taiwan.

Visitors hold their mobile phones in front of exhibits showing Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navys first aircraft carrier Liaoning, during an exhibition on Chinas achievements marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) at the Beijing Exhibition Center, in Beijing on Sept. 24, 2019. (Jason Lee/Reuters)

Inviting Taiwan to RIMPACor notwill tell just how rock solid Team Bidens support for Taiwan is. To give an idea of where we are now, Taiwan officials currently based in Hawaii arent even allowed to watch RIMPAC informally.

One might indeed argue that Biden owns the Taiwan issue now that he signed the NDAA. But every president has owned Taiwan. Theyve just, by and large, preferred to avoid the issue beyond what was unavoidable and what China would allow. Continue down that road and at some point, RIMPAC itself might become too inconvenient.

Taiwana democratic friend and partnerdeserves to be at RIMPAC. Otherwise, Washingtons professions of commitment bring to mind that field of cows.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The logo of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is pictured at its headquarters, in Hsinchu, Taiwan on Jan. 19, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

Taiwan Remains a Big Geopolitical Risk in 2022

News Analysis

Chinas top diplomat recently said Taiwan is a wanderer that will eventually come home to China. Such rhetoric by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials as well as increased Chinese military aircraft incursions near Taiwan in recent months have spiked a new wave of fears and media speculation that a Chinese invasion of the island may not be far away.

Some media commentators believe that the tension in the Taiwan Strait stands as one of the worlds biggest geopolitical risks in 2022. China claims sovereignty over Taiwan and in the past two years has stepped up threats to take control of the island.

Such a move would inflict economic pain on many countries as Taiwan is a crucial hub for the global semiconductor supply chain, according to experts. A Chinese military takeover would cause severe supply shocks across many industries that heavily rely on chips made in Taiwan.

Taiwanese companies, both large and small, account for about 65 percent of global sales of outsourced chips. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the crown jewel of the island, alone generates 56 percent of the global revenues.

The situation is similar in some ways to the worlds past reliance on Middle Eastern oil, with any instability on the island threatening to echo across industries, says Keith Krach, former undersecretary of state who played a crucial role in the warming of relations with Taipei under the Trump administration.

TSMC ranks as one of the worlds most valuable companies, with a market capitalization of nearly $600 billion.

To put it in perspective GDP of Taiwan is around $750 billion. That certainly makes the China-Taiwan tensions more combustible, Krach noted.

Apple is TSMCs biggest customer. Other notable companies that depend on TSMC include AMD, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, and Intel.

While the worlds major chipmakers race to produce the smallest chips possible; only TSMC and Korea-based Samsung can produce the cutting-edge standard, which is five nanometers. TSMC recently announced that it would start producing the next-generation 3-nanometer chips in the second half of this year.

China, by contrast, is sitting at the lower end of the semiconductor value chain. It only holds 5 percent of the market share in global sales and relies heavily on foreign suppliers for advanced chips.

China is at least 15 years behind in the semiconductor space, according to industry estimates. Seeing this gap, Beijing has been aggressively using shortcuts to catch up, such as stealing trade secrets and recruiting talents from abroad. As part of the strategy, Beijing has also increased cyberattacks against Taiwanese semiconductor firms in the past few years.

A recent paper published by the U.S. Army War College recommended that Taiwanese authorities destroy facilities belonging to TSMC in the face of a Chinese invasion, as a deterrence strategy. The paper claimed such a move would produce a major economic crisis in China whose tech sector is heavily dependent on TSMC.

Since 2020, the Peoples Liberation Army has increased its military activity in the Taiwan Strait, with frequent flyovers into Taiwans air defense zone.

Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.Taiwan Business Council agrees that invasion would take Taiwans chip production almost immediately offline, causing dramatic consequences for global supply chains.

Such a move, however, Hammond-Chambers added, would be political suicide for Chinese leader Xi Jinping especially before his expected election for an unprecedented third term at the Communist Partys National Peoples Congress in autumn.

Beijing uses threatening rhetoric consistently, he said. And to me, it doesnt represent a raising intention of an actual military attack.

Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the United States and other countries of trying to use Taiwan to control China.

Taiwan is a wanderer who will eventually come home, not a chess piece to be used by others. China must and will be reunified, he threatened in a recent speech.

Labelling Taiwan a wanderer is a classic bullying move, according to Krach.

Tyrants cant persuade, so they bully, especially when their own deck of cards is weaker than they want others to think, he said.

Its unclear if Beijing will embark on a military adventure over Taiwan this year. But its growing ambitions goes beyond being a threat to the islands 23.5 million people and to the global supply chains, according to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen.

[I]f Taiwan were to fall, the consequences would be catastrophic for regional peace and the democratic alliance system, she warned in a recent op-ed for Foreign Affairs.

It would signal that in todays global contest of values, authoritarianism has the upper hand over democracy.
On the second day of a military drill, the Taiwanese army is simulating a scenario where its cities are under attack amid ongoing concerns of a Chinese invasion.

Democracies in the Indo-Pacific region are coming together. Australia and Japan sign a historic defense deal in face of the Chinese communist regimes threat.

A Chinese real estate company has defaulted on loansand its not Evergrande. Property developer Shimao Group missed a $100 million payment.

Four people in California died of opioid overdose within an hour. Police suspect fentanyl is to blame, a drug primarily sourced from China.

Another pregnant woman has lost her unborn baby after hospitals in one Chinese city turned her away. Thats as humanitarian concerns circle the citys strict lockdown.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaks during a news conference on the U.S. Southern Border and President Joe Bidens immigration policies, in the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., on May 12, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Ted Cruz Walks Back Statement Calling Jan. 6 a Violent Terrorist Attack

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has walked back an earlier statement during which he described the Jan. 6 rally as a violent terrorist attack.

Cruz made the statement on the Senate floor on Jan. 5.

During his brief statement, Cruz began, We are approaching a solemn anniversary this week. It is the anniversary of a violent terrorist attack on the Capitol where we saw the men and women of law enforcement demonstrate incredible courage, incredible bravery, risk their lives to defend the men and women who serve in this Capitol.

Cruz added, Anyone who commits an act of violence should be prosecuted, and anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer should go to jail for a very long time.

Amid a media circus in preparation for the anniversary that was rife with untrue and misleading claims about the events of Jan. 6, 2021, some conservatives rebuked Cruz for the statement.

Im so done with Ted Cruz, wrote Sebastian Gorka, a former deputy assistant to President Donald Trump, on Twitter.

Of all the things that Jan. 6 was, it was definitely not a violent terrorist attack, Fox News host Tucker Carlson said on his show, Tucker Carlson Tonight, on Wednesday. It wasnt an insurrection. Was it a riot? Sure. It was not a violent terrorist attacksorry!

Facing pressure from others in the GOP, Cruz decided to appear on Carlsons show to walk back and clarify his original statement.

You never use words carelessly, Carlson said in his opening remarks to Cruz, and yet you called this a terror attack, when by no definition was it a terror attackthats a lie.

You told that lie on purpose, Carlson asserted. Im wondering why you did.

Tucker, thanks for having me on, Cruz began.

The way I phrased things yesterday, it was sloppy and frankly dumb, Cruz admitted.

I dont buy that, Carlson interjected, noting that as a former candidate for the Supreme Court, Cruz was not the type to be careless with his words.

You take words as seriously as anyone whos ever served in the Senate, Carlson said, asserting I do not believe you used that word accidentally. I just dont.

Cruz responded, As a result of my sloppy phrasing, its caused a lot of people to misunderstand what I meant. Let me tell you what I meant to say.

What I was referring to are the limited number of people who engaged in violent attacks against police officers. Now, I think you and I both agree that if you assault a police officer, you should go to jail.

Cruz continued that the reason the phrasing was sloppy was because people misunderstood what he meant by terrorist. Cruz said that he has long held the belief that those who assault police officers are terrorists, and that in using the word he was describing only those who engaged in such attacks.

I wasnt saying that the thousands of peaceful protesters supporting Donald Trump are somehow terrorists, Cruz insisted. I wasnt saying that the millions of patriots across the country supporting President Trump were terrorists.

That, argued Cruz, is why a lot of people have misunderstood that comment.

Carlson wasnt satisfied, saying, What you just said doesnt make sense.

He emphasized that he agreed with Cruz that those who assault police officers should go to jail, but that it doesnt make them a terrorist.

How many people have been charged with terrorism on Jan. 6? Carlson asked rhetorically.

At the time of publication, claims of terrorism and insurrection notwithstanding, Bidens DOJ has yet to charge any Jan. 6 defendants with either charge.

Why did you use that word? Carlson asked. Youre playing into the other sides characterization that  allows them to define an entire population as foreign combatantsand you know that.

Cruz boiled the disagreement down to semantics, insisting that his use of the word terrorist to describe those who assault police is not meant to be interpreted legalistically.

I have referred to people who violently assault police officers as terrorists, said Cruz. I have done so over and over and over again.

That being said Tucker, I agree with you, Cruz continued.

It was a mistake to say that, Cruz admitted, because the media has spent the past year twisting words in order to paint supporters of Trump as terrorists.

Returning to his controversial statement, Cruz said, The reason I used that word is thats the word Ive always used for people who violently attack cops. But in this context, I get why people were angry.

Cruz also clarified his position on the events of Jan. 6, saying its a lie to call what happened that day an insurrection.

For the past year, Democrats and their media allies have referred to the Jan. 6 rally as an insurrection and an attempted coup.

But even after House Democrats established the Jan. 6 Committee, which awarded itself the power to unilaterally seize the phone records of anyone who was ever close to Trump, no evidence to back up those claims has come to light.

According to all the information that the Jan. 6 commission has gathered, not a single major figure in GOP politics or in Trumps confidence had any plans to overthrow the U.S. government. In fact, text and phone records indicate that most GOP figures and pundits were upset about the breakdown of the rally, and several asked Trump to intervene, which he quickly did.

Moreover, nobody who entered the Capitol that day has been charged with insurrection, sedition, or terror-related charges, despite the DOJ carrying out one of the largest manhunts in its history to round them up.

For the past several months, many of those arrested have been subjected to psychological and physical torment inside of the D.C. jail for months on end, violating their Sixth Amendment right to a fair and speedy trial.

Defendants who are unable to afford an attorney have been paired with public defenders who reportedly have been treating them as guilty from the outset.

According to an investigation by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), many Jan. 6 defendants have been denied haircuts or even access to a razor, effectively making them less presentable for court and thus more likely to face conviction.

The defendants have also had to wait for hours at a time to access a restroom, have been denied contact with their families or attorneys, and have been called white supremacists for their support of Trump, while others have faced beatings and demands to renounce Trump from jail staff.
Prairie Tesla Owners Report Heating System Failure in Cold Weather, Following Software Update

Several Tesla owners in the Prairie provinces are reporting issues with the electric vehicles heating system as the region has been experiencing extremely cold weather in recent weeks.

This is possibly caused by a software issue following the companys latest software update for its Model Y and Model 3 vehicles in December.

Tyler Selvig, a resident of Saskatoon, said the heating system in his new 2022 Model Y Teslawhich he bought in November 2021stopped working when he drove home from Regina after the Christmas holidays on Dec. 29.

About half hour south of Chamberlain45 minutes into the tripour heat stopped working and there was a warning on the screen saying it needed service. We pulled over and called Tesla service and were told this was a very common problem, Selvig told The Epoch Times.

He was advised to reset the vehicle computer and leave the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system on, which did not work, and he had to drive to an auto repair outlet with zero heat in the cabin, he said.

Selvig said his father-in-law was following behind with his truck, so they were able to put his son and daughterboth under 3 years oldinto the truck to stay warm. He posted about the incident on Twitter on Dec. 29.

@elonmusk @Tesla

Our Model Y could have killed my family today when the heat stopped working in -40c Called service and the reset and auto didnt fix. Hour away from any service. Luckily we had family in an ICE vehicle that I could put my 2 kids under 3yrs old in quickly.  Tyler Selvig (@TSelvig) December 30, 2021

Selvig said the Teslas heating system revived after it was connected to a supercharger, but later failed again when he got back onto the highway. He was told that it was possibly caused by some software issues, as well as a faulty part in the octovalvean advanced valve that regulates the thermal heating and cooling of multiple components in the Tesla Model Y.

When the heater failed, we were wanting to return the car in frustration, he said. It was such a fun vehicle, and probably the most fun Ive had driving in a long time, but having a vehicle that you can trust to take on a journey in the winter with your family is more important to me.

Selvig said he felt disappointed when trying to schedule a service through the Tesla app, which said the earliest date available was Jan. 16. Meanwhile, a Tesla service outlet in Saskatoon gave him a first-generation Model X as a loaner car, which he said has a mileage of 100,000 kilometres and tires [that] are too slippery to drive on our roads right now.

I have a pre-order for the [Tesla] Cybertruck, but after this trip we will be buying something else for sure, he said. The reliability of an ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicle in our climate is so much safer than an [electric vehicle].

The Epoch Times reached out to the Tesla Corporation for comment, but did not hear back.

Selvig was not the only Tesla owner in the Prairies to report a heating system failure in the cold winter.

Another Tesla owner in Saskatchewan also complained on social media about a similar issue with his Model Y heating system on Dec. 27.

Well @elonmusk having some buyers remorse. Last Feb had our Model Y in the SC for a month with no heat. New Super-manifold and thought it was fixed. New set of sensors last week and now this. -30c in #Saskatchewan and a very cold 1 hr drive later we barely made the supercharger pic.twitter.com/JLJ7Pmzc0P  Mark Kroeker (@paateach) December 28, 2021

Selvig said he has been contacted by many other [Tesla] owners with the same issues and they want it fixed asap.

In an email from the Tesla Mobile Service, the automaker said its now working on a solution to the failure of the heat pumps, though it did not provide a clear timeline as to when it will be completed, Drive Tesla reported.

In the meantime, Tesla offered some suggestions to mitigate the issue by preconditioning the vehicle 30 to 60 minutes prior to departure, and using the recirculating air mode and auto mode, according to Drive Tesla. The issue may still occur when the temperature drops to -15 Celsius degrees and lower, however.
Concrete "reef balls" designed to make artificial coral reefs lie on the sand of Raja island, off the southern tip of Phuket island in Thailand on April 5, 2005. (Michael Mathes/AFP via Getty Images)

Thailand Extends Suspension of Quarantine Waiver After Raising COVID-19 Alert Level to Second Highest

Thailands government has decided to extend the suspension of its Test and Go quarantine waiver program until further notice, after raising the coronavirus alert level to its second-highest amid an increase in the countrys infection cases.

The Health Ministry has raised Thailands COVID-19 level to four, indicating that more stringent measures would be imposed, including closing high-risk venuessuch as restaurants and other venuesand restricting public gatherings.

The change in alert level was made following a surge in the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus cases, as Thailand reported 5,775 new cases on Jan. 6, double the number of 3,112 on Jan. 2. The country has also detected 2,062 Omicron cases to date.

Thailand has extended the suspension of its quarantine exemption scheme indefinitely to curb the spread of the CCP virus, the countrys task force spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin said on Jan. 7.

Previously, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced that the quarantine exemption scheme will be suspended until at least Jan. 4, but it doesnt apply to the countrys Phuket Sandbox program.

The sandbox program allows travelers to enter the province without quarantine and move freely within the island, but they must stay there for seven days before traveling to other parts of the country.

Prayut said that Thailand has received about 200,000 applications for the Test and Go and Sandbox schemes, 110,000 of which had arrived, while 90,000 more travelers are pending approval for their applications.

The task force stated that most of the 26,402 visitors who arrived in Thailand since Jan. 1 entered through the Test and Go program.

The sandbox program now covers three provinces: Krabi, Phangnga, and three islands in Surat Thani provinceKoh Samui, Koh Tao, and Koh Phanganin addition to the current Phuket province.

Visanuyothin said that those who have already registered for the Test and Go scheme would not be allowed entry to Thailand after Jan. 15. The government would also lift an entry ban on travelers returning from eight African countries from Jan. 11 onwards.

We can still make changes if the situation improves, but for now we have to learn more about the Omicron, he told reporters.

Thailand has also banned the sale of alcohol at restaurants in 69 provinces, while the remaining eight zonesincluding the capital Bangkokwill only be allowed to serve alcohol until 9 p.m. as a measure to curb the spread of the CCP virus.

Social drinking is the cause of the virus spread. Measures to restrict this will help curb the spread, Visanuyothin said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Thailand Plans to Buy F-35 Stealth Fighter Jets

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) is looking for a new type of fighter aircraft to replace its aging F-5 and F-16 fighter aircraft.

The RTAF is considering acquiring eight U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighters to reinforce its national defense, said Napadej Dhupatemiya, commander-in-chief of the RTAF. The air force needs a new combat fleet because aging F-5 and F-16 aircraft have been in service for more than 30 years. As the aircraft age, maintenance costs and safety risks are likely to increase.

He revealed that the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter is an attractive option, with the cost of each aircraft now down to $82 million, down from $142 million when the model was first introduced.

The RTAF currently has a fleet of 12 Swedish Saab Gripen fighter aircraft. With a price of $85 million for new Gripen aircraft, Napadege believes Lockheed Martins fighter aircraft are not out of reach. He said that depending on the status of negotiations, the price of the F-35 could be reduced to the level of $70 million per aircraft. The budget planning for the F-35 procurement program will start in fiscal year 2023, which begins in October this year.

Napadege stressed that given the technical advantages of the F-35 jet, it will suit the countrys need to strengthen its airpower, which is an essential part of modern warfare. Due to financial constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the RTAF plans to purchase aircraft in several phases. Hence he said that a team will be formed to examine the aircraft acquisition program to justify the air forces funding request.

The RTAF is also interested in projects namely the Loyal Wingman unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program jointly developed by the Australian Air Force and Boeing. Napadje believes that the RTAF does not necessarily need to acquire an entire fleet of F-35 fighters. They may only need to equip eight to 12 F-35 fighters and have the F-35s fly with the Loyal Wingman UAV.

The RTAF will submit a motion to the prime minister and defense minister and, if approved, will take action to upgrade and strengthen its air power. According to the RTAFs plan, the new jet fighters will be deployed at the 1st Air Wing on Nakhon Ratchasima.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter represents advanced stealth aircraft technology from the United States. Its robust electronic warfare suite allows for seamless interoperability between alliance users.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been ordered by four U.S. allies in the region, including Singapore, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. Singapore selected the F-35 to replace its F-16C/D fleet after a rigorous vetting process.

The U.S. Department of State approved Singapores request for 12 F-35Bs in January 2020, of which four have been confirmed. Singapores Ministry of Defense previously said in a statement that the purchase of the F-35s is for its own defense and not against any one country or alliance with it. Unlike other Asian countries that have purchased F-35 fighters, Singapore is not a treaty ally of the United States. By allowing U.S. ships and aircraft to use several of their military facilities, Singapore is fulfilling a long-standing agreement that began in 1990.

Japan first ordered 42 F-35As, later in December 2018, the Japanese government authorized an increase in the purchase to 147 aircraft, including 42 F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft. In July 2020, the U.S. Department of State approved Japans purchase of 105 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters and associated equipment. The authorized package includes 63 F-35As, 42 F-35Bs, and 110 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines.

In 2014, South Korea signed a $6.4 billion contract with the United States for 40 F-35A fighter jets for its air force. The countrys weapons procurement office revealed in 2019 that South Korea has launched the second phase of its stealth fighter jets acquisition program for an additional 20 F-35s.

Australias procurement program for 72 F-35A fighter jets is also underway, with 40 aircraft already delivered and the rest due to arrive by the end of 2023. The new aircraft will replace its aging F/A-18A/B Hornet fighters.

In the face of the Chinese Communist Partys threat to the Indo-Pacific region, countries are seeking greater capabilities to defend their territorial claims.
This combination of booking photos provided by the Glynn County, Ga., Detention Center, shows, from left, Travis McMichael, his father, Gregory McMichael, and William "Roddie" Bryan Jr.. (Glynn County Detention Center via AP, File)

Three Men Convicted in Ahmaud Arbery Death Sentenced to Life in Prison

Three men who were convicted in the death of Ahmaud Arbery were sentenced Friday to life in prison, and the judge in the case denied any chance of parole to two of them.

Gregory and Travis McMichael grabbed guns and chased Arbery in a pickup truck after spotting him running in their neighborhood outside the Georgia port city of Brunswick, prosecutors said. Neighbor William Roddie Bryan joined the pursuit and recorded a video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery with a shotgun.

While Gregory and Travis McMichael were denied parole, Bryan was granted a chance for parole but first must serve at least 30 years in prison.

Ive read somewhere, and I dont remember where it was, that at a minimum, Ahmaud Arberys death should force us to consider expanding our definition of what a neighbor may be and how we treat them. I argue that maybe a neighbor is more than the people who just own property around your house. I believe that assuming the worst in others we show our worst character, Judge Timothy Walmsley said before the sentencing on Friday.

Ahmaud Arbery (L) poses with his mother, Wanda Cooper, in an undated photograph. (Courtesy of S. Lee Merritt)

The attorney for Gregory McMichael told the court that her client was a man of goodness and did not intend to kill Arbery. That fact should be factored into his sentencing, attorney Laura Hogue said.

The best indicator of what happened in order to respect the jurys verdict is to listen to the jury verdict. The jury found that Greg McMichael as a party to the crime committed felonies that unintentionally lead to Ahmaud Arberys death, Hogue said Friday in court.

And Bob Rubin, Travis McMichaels attorney, argued that a sentence of life without parole is unfair.

Nothing in Travis McMichaels life suggests that he is a danger to society now or will be a danger to society 30 years from now, he said. When hes in his 60s  Do we still need, want, a person like Travis McMichael behind bars? Rubin asked.

But Arberys mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, asked the court in public remarks to impose the maximum sentence on the three men.

These men have chose (sic) to lie and attack my son and his surviving family. They each have no remorse and do not deserve any leniency, Cooper-Jones said in a victim impact statement. They chose to treat him differently than other people who frequently visited their community. And when they couldnt sufficiently scare him or intimidate him, they killed him, she added.

Ahmaud Arberys father, Marcus Arbery, also said Friday the three should spend the rest of their lives thinking about what they did and what they took from us and they should do it behind bars because me and my family have to do it for the rest of their life.
Top Hong Kong Official to Be Quarantined After Attending Large Party

A large party attended by top Hong Kong government officials has sparked fears of a new Omicron cluster after a guest preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. At least one official will be sent to a compulsory quarantine center.

The party was held for Witman Hung, the citys delegate to Beijings rubber-stamp legislature, at a restaurant on Jan. 3.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam confirmed at a press conference on Jan. 6 that over 100 people attended the event.

I must say I am disappointed, said Lam. As top government officials, there is all the more reason for us to set a good example and avoid attending private gatherings that may pose a major hazard.

The citys health authorities had advised residents to avoid mass gatherings, taking off masks, or taking photos without masks at a press conference on Dec. 31.

At least one official who was a guest, Secretary of Home Affairs Caspar Tsui, will be quarantined at a government facility after being designated a close contact of the COVID-19 patient.

Lam said authorities are still investigating whether eight officials will be classified as close contacts because they left before the confirmed patient arrived at the banquet.

Other officials present at the party included Hong Kong police chief Raymond Siu, according to Lam.

Over the past week, Hong Kong has locked down multiple residential buildings and tested thousands of people after Omicron clusters emerged in the city, many linked to several Cathay Pacific crew members who had broken isolation rules and dined at restaurants and bars before testing positive for the Omicron variant.

Starting Friday, restaurant dining will be forbidden after 6 p.m. for two weeks. Game arcades, bars, and beauty salons must also close during that period.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
An estuarine crocodile in the Adelaide river near Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory on Sept. 2, 2008. (Greg Wood/AFP via Getty Images)

Two Adults and a Child Rescued on Northern Territorys Crocodile-Infested Daly River After Boat Capsizes

Two adults and a child were rescued along the Daly River on Thursday afternoon after their fishing boat capsized in bad weather.

According to a Northern Territory Police media release on Friday, the trio were on a fishing trip when their vessel was overturned and beached, forcing them to activate their emergency beacon (EPIRB).

They also wrote a message in the sand to alert rescuers and indicate that they were okay.

In response to activation of the EPIRB, the trio was located by air, around 2 p.m. and transported to Darwin for assessment.

Acting Senior Sergeant Isobel Cummins said that if the trio hadnt been able to activate their beacon, they might have been stranded on that beach for a lot longer in what she said can be best described as unfavourable conditions.

This was a fantastic result, and we are all very happy to see these fishos back safe and sound, she said.

This comes after a similar but more serious incident occurred along the same river in November 2021, in which the men involved were unable to activate their EPIRB.

The men became stranded on an island just 90 minutes into a four-day fishing trip after their boat struck a submerged object near Clear Creek on the Daly River, NT News reported.

According to an NT Police media release, the boat sank within seconds, and the men could not retrieve their mobile phones or trigger their emergency beacon in time.

Police Territory Support Division Superintendent Shaun Gill said they managed to get to the bank, surviving the intense heat without food and fresh water, and minus their phones or emergency beacons.

They had no water to drink to the point where they found bottles on the beach where they tried to drink urine mixed with Berocca, he said.

According to Acting Sergeant Troy Harris from the Water Police Section, it appeared that the men had initially taken every safety precaution prior to this trip.

He also indicated they had done the right thing by swimming directly to the nearest land, trying to attract attention, and staying put.

This incident highlights the need for a grab bag with safety gear that is easily accessible because the unexpected can happen, and it can happen in a matter of seconds, he said.
Opponents of the academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory protest outside of the Loudoun County School Board headquarters, in Ashburn, Virginia, U.S. June 22, 2021. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

Two ASU Students Cry Racism, Sexism Following Disciplinary Action

Two female Arizona State University students are crying foul after they were punished for berating two male classmates and demanding that they leave the campus multicultural study area last September because they were white.

On Dec. 29, 2021, Mastaani Qureshi and Sarra Tekola railed against ASU on social media, claiming the investigation that found them guilty and disciplinary action on Nov. 16, 2021 were racially biased.

Dear white people, aka ASU, both students said in unison in the nine-minute video, then accused the university of having openly discriminated against them over the incident.

Were being persecuted for defending our multicultural center for racism and sexism, one of the students said in the video.

The students blasted ASU over the reprimand and disciplinary action, which included a warning and them having to write a three-page paper on how the next time when we talk to white people about race and society, they must be civil.

Both students claimed white supremacy and neo-nazism on campus were to blame. ASU is a violent place, one of the students said.

The racially charged controversy erupted on Sept. 23, 2021, when both female students approached the two white students who were studying in the universitys Multicultural Community of Excellence Center.

One of the male students had a Police Matter sticker on his laptop computer, which appeared to trigger the female students.

What did I do wrong? the male student is heard saying as he was being recorded in a smartphone video that went viral on social media.

One of female students responded that the white students in the multicultural center was offensive.

Youre offensive. Police lives matter? she said.

Were just trying to do school, the male student said.

But this is our space, the female student fired back. At one point, she claimed that white is not a culture.

White is not a culture? the male student asked.

No, its not a culture. White is not a culture. Say it to the camera. Whiteness is not a culture.

This is insane, the second male student responded angrily.

ASU officials declined to discuss the incident and subsequent disciplinary action against the female students.

We do not have anything to add. Federal laws governing student privacy and state regulations prevent the university from discussing the details of an individual students situation, the ASU Office of Media Relations said in an email to The Epoch Times.

ASU is not the only state institution of higher learning that has been grappling with alleged racial discrimination and antagonism against white students.

In February 2021, a black student at the University of Virginia came under fire after she accused her white classmates of making use of the schools multicultural center.

A month earlier, the anthropology department at the University of Florida faced criticism after it banned white students from attending a virtual town hall.

In August 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice accused Yale University of discrimination against white and Asian American applicants in its undergraduate application process following a two-year investigation.

Amidst a background of increasing racial division on U.S. college campuses, several states have taken steps to oppose the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools.

In December of 2021, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem unveiled a draft bill that she said would block CRT as the foundation of education in her states colleges and schools.

Also that month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed legislation to allow parents to sue schools teaching CRT, an ideology that blames whites for most of the ills facing American minorities.
UK Attorney General Considers Having Bristol Statue Felling Case Reviewed

The Attorney General for England and Wales said on Friday she is carefully considering whether to order a review on the Edward Colston statue case.

Four people dubbed the Colston four were acquitted of criminal damage by a jury on Wednesday after admitting to pulling down a statue of Colston during a Black Lives Matter protest.

Suella Braverman, the attorney general for England and Wales, said on Friday that the verdict is causing confusion and that shes carefully considering whether to request a review.

Trial by jury is an important guardian of liberty & must not be undermined. However, the decision in the Colston statue case is causing confusion, Braverman wrote on Twitter.

The attorney general said shes able to refer matters to the Court of Appeal so that senior judges have the opportunity to clarify the law for future cases, but the potential review will not affect the result of the case.

I am carefully considering whether to do so, she wrote.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will have to refer the case to the attorney general before she can order a review. Shortly before Braverman posted the tweets, her office told The Epoch Times in an email that the office had not yet received a referral. And the CPSs email said they were considering the outcome of the case.

It comes after former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland called the verdict perverse.

(LR) Sage Willoughby, Jake Skuse, Milo Ponsford, and Rhian Graham outside Bristol Crown Court after they were acquitted of criminal damage on Jan. 5, 2022. (Ben Birchall/PA)

During the trial, the court heard that two of the defendants, Milo Ponsford and Rhian Graham, brought ropes, which Sage Willoughby passed around the statues neck, and Jake Skuse goaded the crowd into rolling the statue 500 meters (1,640 feet) and throwing it into the water.

None of the defendants denied their involvement but claimed that the presence of the slave traders statue was a hate crime or an indecent display and that the tearing down of the statue was to prevent a crime.

There were also concerns that the jury had undue pressure placed upon them by excessive rhetoric from defence barristers.

In his closing statement, Liam Walker, defending Willoughby, told the jury: Make no mistake members of the jury, your decision is not just going to be felt in this courtroom or this city.

It will reverberate around the world. I urge you all to be on the right side of history, he added.

Judge Peter Blair criticised the barrister, who then apologised for his remarks.

The judge also told the jury that they must decide the case on the basis of the evidence they had heard, focus their decision making on the defendants accounts of what happened, and not on the alleged wider impact of the removal of the statue referenced in the defence barristers summing up.

Protesters throwing the statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Bristol, England, on June 7, 2020. (PA Wire/PA Images)

Speaking on Thursday to the BBC Radio 4s World at One programme, Buckland said the jury system is one of our jewels thats part of what makes the UK a civilised country, but occasionally, there will be verdicts that can perhaps be described by some as perverse, as unusual, he said.

Pressed on whether the outcome of the Colston four case is one that he considers perverse, the Conservative MP replied: Frankly, I do.

Buckland said he believes the judge had properly directed the jury to focus on the evidence and the law, but added, if there was any ambiguity about the way in which the law was applied, the prosecution could seek clarity from the Court of Appeal.

He also told The Telegraph that we need to have maximum clarity about the way the jury is directed about the law if the kind of arguments heard in the Colston case are heard again in the future.

Committing an assault to prevent a crime is a legitimate defence but how far do you take it? How can a statue be guilty of an offence? It is an odd construct to import into a case, he said.

I dont think we want to see our crown courts becoming political playgrounds. They are not places for politics. They are places for the law to be applied and evidence to be assessed.

The toppled statue of Edward Colston lies on display in M Shed museum in Bristol, England, on June 7, 2021. (Polly Thomas/Getty Images)

Raj Chada, the barrister who defended Skuse, argued that the CPS should never have prosecuted the case and questioned the role Home Secretary Priti Patel played in the prosecution.

Following the verdict, Chada said the prosecution was not in the public interest in any shape or form.

CPS code requires the prosecutors to consider both evidence and public interest before making decisions on whether to prosecute a case.

Chada also questioned Patels alleged involvement in the case.

What influence did the government play in this? What influence did Priti Patel play? We know she had meetings with Avon and Somerset Police about this case, he said.

It is not right that a Home Secretary should be involved in ongoing cases and these cases should be dealt with at a local level according to the interests of justice.

A CPS spokesperson said: The decision to charge was made following detailed consideration of the evidence in accordance with our legal test.

A government spokesman said: The Home Secretary rightly meets regularly with the police across the country on a range of issues, including high-profile incidents which are of national interest.

The Crown Prosecution Service are independent and any prosecution decisions they make are based on the evidence they have and completely independent of the police and government.

PA contributed to this report.
UK Labour MP Jack Dromey Has Died, Family Says

Labour MP Jack Dromey died suddenly in his flat in Birmingham on Friday, the shadow ministers family said.

MPs from across the political spectrum paid tribute to the 73-year-old former trade unionist and offered their condolences to his wife, the party grandee Harriet Harman.

The father-of-three, who represented Birmingham Erdington since 2010, was understood to have died from natural causes, having contributed to a Parliament debate as recently as Thursday.

A statement issued by the Labour Party on behalf of Dromeys family said: Jack Dromey MP died suddenly this morning aged 73 in his flat in Erdington.

He had been a dedicated Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington since 2010.

He was a much-loved husband, father, and grandfather, and he will be greatly missed.

Dromey and Harmans son Joe tweeted: Our dadJackdied suddenly today. We loved him so, so much. Rest in peace big man x.

Harman, who served as deputy Labour leader between 2007 and 2015, announced last month that she will not run for her Camberwell and Peckham seat in the next general election.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: The proud son of Irish parents, Jack Dromey dedicated his life to standing up for working people through the Labour movement, becoming deputy general secretary of the UKs largest trade union and then a Labour MP.

From supporting the strike at the Grunwick film processing laboratory, when he met Harriet, through to being elected to represent Birmingham Erdington in 2010, Jack lived his commitment to social justice every day.

Jack was recognised for his determination to stand up for his constituents and he was highly respected and warmly regarded across Parliament.

My thoughts and those of the whole Labour movement are with Harriet, their children, and all those who knew and loved Jack.

On Thursday, Dromey contributed to a Westminster Hall debate on the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme in his role as shadow Home Office minister, to which he was appointed last month.

House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: We are all in disbelief that the life-force that was Jack Dromey has diedthis is another sad day for the House and a bad start to the year.

He was a great guy, down to Earth, always positive and always looking to support and save jobs.

At his heart, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfatherso all our thoughts go to Harriet and the rest of the family at this very sad time.

Dromey, who was the deputy general secretary of the Unite union before becoming an MP, joined the Labour frontbench as shadow housing minister in 2010 under then Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said he was shocked and heart-broken by the MPs death.
UK Parliament Standards Tsar Asked to Probe Cosy Texts Between PM and Tory Donor

Labour has called for a probe into whether rich people can pay to get access to government ministers following the release of cosy text messages between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a Tory donor.

WhatsApp messages released on Thursday showed that Johnson discussed a proposed Great Exhibition 2.0 with Lord David Brownlow at the same time as requesting his help with the 112,000 refurbishment of his official residence in Downing Street.

The conversation led to a meeting between the Conservative peer and then-culture secretary Oliver Dowden but the idea, as Brownlow envisaged, was not progressed.

Shadow justice secretary Steve Reed said Labour has asked Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone to investigate the exchange, arguing that there are questions about potential cash for access for the prime minister to answer.

Reed said the text messages matter immensely, arguing that they show Brownlow appears to have access to the prime minister because he was paying for the flat renovations at Downing Street.

If that is the case, that is corruption, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

And what were seeing here is a case of, potentially, cash for access where Lord Brownlow was given access to ministers to try and influence them over decisions of spending taxpayers money that is why this matters so immensely.

Those very cosy text messages show there was a quid pro quo in operation between the prime minister and Lord Brownlow, and we need to get to the absolute bottom of this.

Asked why the messages are problematic given that the Great Exhibition was not given the go-ahead, Reed replied: The issue is not whether it happened, it is whether rich people can pay to get access to government ministers to try and influence them over how they decide to spend taxpayers money.

But business minister Paul Scully said Johnson had engaged in appropriate communication with Brownlowwho was supposed to be heading up a charitable trust to take over the maintenance of the No 11 flatand that nothing untoward occurred.

In a WhatsApp message sent on Nov. 29 2020, Conservative Party leader Johnson asked Brownlow if he would give his approval for interior designer Lulu Lytle to begin work.

He added: Ps am on the great exhibition plan Will revert.

Undated file photo of Shadow justice secretary Steve Reed. (Aaron Chown/PA)

The peer said he would sort the flat ASAP, adding: Thanks for thinking about GE2.

On Jan. 18 2021, Brownlow attended a meeting with Dowden and representatives of the Albert Hall to discuss the peers Great Exhibition 2.0 proposal.

Downing Street has said the bid was not taken forward, although the government is going ahead with Festival UK, which was first announced in 2018.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said the Tory peers suggestion was dealt with in the same way as a member of the publics would have been in that a department will look at it and take a view on it.

Scully told Times Radio: Ministers get proposals all the time and what rightly happened was that this got pushed on to the Culture, Media, and, Sport Department (DCMS) where it sits.

Undated file photo of Independent Adviser on Ministers Interests Lord Christopher Geidt. (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Lord Brownlow made his own approaches and it wouldnt have just gone to the prime minister, but the important thing is its not gone ahead  so theres nothing untoward thats happening out of, you know, a few lines in a WhatsApp.

On Thursday, Johnson was forced to issue a humble and sincere apology to his standards adviser, Lord Christopher Geidt, after he failed to inform him of the exchange with Brownlow when he carried out an investigation into the funding of work last year.

The prime minister said he did not recall the exchanges and that the messages were on an old mobile phone to which he no longer had access.

Downing Street had hoped finally to draw a line under the matter after Geidt said it would not have changed his conclusion that Johnson did not breach the Ministerial Code, although he made clear his deep unhappiness at the way the issue had been handled.

Dave Penman, chairman of the First Division Association (FDA), a union that represents senior civil servants, said the episode demonstrated the need for the ethics adviser to be afforded powers to start his own investigations independently of the prime minister.

He told the Today programme the jury is out on whether Geidt should have resigned over the issue, with the conclusion depending on whether staying in the post will allow him to extract meaningful changes from the prime minister.

Penman said: The prime minister would be wise, I think, to understand that public opinion is really not on his side and he has got a real opportunity now to put all of this behind him and introduce a fully independent process that allows someone to investigate potential breaches of the ministerial code, and well see whether he takes that up.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks during a news conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Wash., on Jan. 5, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP)

US, Germany Say Russia Poses Urgent Challenge to Stability

WASHINGTONThe United States and Germany said Wednesday that Russias military buildup near Ukraines border poses an immediate and urgent challenge to European security and that any intervention will draw severe consequences.

But the countrys top diplomats left open what those consequences would be and how differences on arming Ukraine and a controversial Russian gas pipeline will be resolved.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock sought to present a unified front on Russia after a meeting in Washington.

Both Germany and the United States see Russias actions toward Ukraine as an immediate and urgent challenge to peace and stability in Europe, Blinken said.

We condemn Russias military buildup on Ukraines borders, as well as Russias increasingly harsh rhetoric as it continues to push the false narrative that Ukraine seeks to provoke (Russia), he said. Thats a little bit like the fox saying it had no choice but to attack the henhouse because somehow the hens presented a threat.

Baerbock agreed. We jointly reiterated that Russian actions and activities come with a clear price tag, and a renewed violation of Ukrainian sovereignty by Russia would have severe consequences, she said.

The Blinken-Baerbock meeting followed a telephone call last week between President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a conversation Sunday between Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and a group discussion Tuesday among Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his counterparts from the five Nordic nations.

It also preceded a flurry of meetings involving NATO foreign ministers, senior U.S. and Russian officials, the NATO-Russia Council and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe set for next week.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock fist bumps with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Wash., on Jan. 5, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/Pool via AP)

The real question is whether Russia is serious about diplomacy, serious about de-escalation, Blinken said. Lets see where this goes over the next weeks.

Western officials have hinted at any number of economically crippling sanctions that could be imposed should Russia act. Those include near total cutoff from the international financial system and steps toward greater NATO integration with non-allied European nations.

But, there have been very few specifics and Blinken again declined to discuss them. Im not going to telegraph them publicly, but I can tell you with great confidence that a tremendous amount of work has been done already. There is very strong coordination and collaboration and very strong agreement on measures that would be taken in the event of renewed Russian aggression against Ukraine.

As the Biden administration moves to build international consensus around a set of possible punitive measures, Germany is clearly the linchpin. Securing the support of Europes biggest economy will be key to both messaging and implementation of whatever is decided.

Baerbock is the top diplomat in the first German government in 16 years not headed by Angela Merkel. She has struck a tougher tone on Russia than her predecessor. But Germany has adopted a less confrontational stance toward Russia compared with many other European nations.

Germanys business ties with Russia could provide leverage, but they could also prove a hindrance for forging a united front toward Moscow. Despite strong criticism from the United States, the center-left government of new Chancellor Olaf Scholz hasnt shown itself willing to block the start of natural gas deliveries through a newly built pipeline linking Russia and Germanya move that would hurt both countries.

Under Merkel, Germany persuaded the Biden administration last year not to impose sanctions on the company building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which many believe will leave Europe beholden to Russia for energy and Ukraine more vulnerable.

Blinken noted that the pipeline, while completed, has yet to go into operation, and said gas flows through it would be unlikely if Russia invades Ukraine.

If Russia renews its aggression toward Ukraine, it would certainly be difficult to see gas flowing through it in the future, he said. This actually gives the EU leverage over Russia, he said, rather than the other way around.

Baerbock sidestepped the question of whether the pipeline would be operationalized in the event of a Russian intervention. However, she said the new German government would abide by an agreement signed last summer with Washington that says Russia will not be allowed to use energy as a political weapon against Europe.

We agreed on this, together with our European partners, that we would take effective measures together with our European partners, should Russia use energy as a weapon or should it continue its aggressive acts against Ukraine, Baerbock said.

Blinken did not directly address her response but said the United States would press ahead with joint measures on the pipeline if necessary.

We will continue to work in a way that I hope can be effective in dealing with energy issues and challenges, including those posed in our judgment by Nord Stream 2, and also in a way that preserves what is so vital, and that is strong trans-Atlantic solidarity. That is the most effective response and most effective tool that we have in countering Russian aggression, he said.

Nord Stream 2 is a topic of major concern in Washington, and Congress is expected to take up two bills related to it and other Russian sanctions next week, just as the meetings in Europe are happening. A GOP bill would automatically impose Nord Stream sanctions, while a Democratic version would impose a wider range of penalties on Russia should it invade Ukraine.

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Washington have blamed Nord Stream 2 for increasing Russias leverage over Germany and limiting what Berlin would be willing to do in response to a new invasion. Germany, like much of the European Union, is heavily reliant on Russian natural gas.

Blinken said the United States has delivered weapons to Ukraine and would continue to do so in the event of a further Russian military assault on the country.

Echoing concerns by some in Germany that this could stoke military tensions with Russia, Baerbock said we have a different position on arms supply to Ukraine, but noted that Berlin has provided a military hospital to the Ukrainian army and support in treating wounded soldiers.

By Matthew Lee and Frank Jordans
Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik gives a speech on the stage of the Varkert Bazar cultural centre in Budapest on Sept., 23, 2021. (Attila Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images)

US Imposes New Sanctions on Bosnian Serb Leader Dodik

WASHINGTON/SARAJEVOThe United States on Wednesday imposed fresh sanctions on Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik and current and former officials as Washington warned of further action against those linked to destabilization or corruption.

The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement accused Dodik, already subject to U.S. sanctions under a different authority, of corruption and threatening the stability and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Treasury also slapped sanctions on Banja Luka-based media outlet Alternativna Television (ATV), accusing Dodik of acquiring it to further his own agenda and exerting personal control over it.

ATV strongly condemned the U.S. sanctions as a direct strike on media freedoms and democracy and its management dismissed allegations about ties with Dodik as senseless.

We are surprised with such a decision and regard as extremely trivial that a great state should take individual insinuations about ties between our media house and politicians as credible sources, ATV said in a statement sent to Reuters.

The Treasury designations, which freeze any of Dodik and ATVs U.S. assets and bar Americans from dealing with them, are the first use of an executive order issued in June allowing the United States to target those threatening peace or stability in the Western Balkans.

The U.S. State Department also barred current and former Bosnia and Herzegovina officials from entering the United States, targeting Milan Tegeltija, a former president of the high judicial council, and Mirsad Kukic, a lawmaker and president of the Movement for Democratic Action.

Tegeltija said in a tweet that the sanctions were not based on court proceedings so he did not feel he should defend himself, but were a result of the politics which contains a brutal political pressure.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a separate statement warned of further action: Other leaders and entities linked to corrupt or destabilizing actors may also be subject to future actions by the U.S. Government.

Bosnia is experiencing its gravest political crisis since the end of the war in the 1990s, reviving fears of a breakup after Bosnian Serbs blocked the work of the central government and Serb lawmakers voted to start pulling the autonomous Serb Republic out of state institutions.

Dodik, who serves as the Serb member of Bosnias tripartite inter-ethnic presidency, wants to roll back all reforms made after the war and return to the 1995 constitution under which the state was represented by basic institutions only while all powers had belonged to the regions.

Milorad Dodiks destabilizing corrupt activities and attempts to dismantle the Dayton Peace Accords, motivated by his own self-interest, threaten the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region, Brian Nelson, Treasurys under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in the statement.

The U.S.-brokered Dayton peace agreement in 1995 ended 31/2 years of ethnic warfare in Bosnia. Some 100,000 people were killed in the conflict and 2 million forced from their homes.

Dodik said he was again being punished but did not know for what, telling Bosnian Serb news agency Srna the United States was accusing him of corruption despite the absence of any criminal proceeding against him. He added he has not brought into question constitutional order in Bosnia or its stability in any way.

If they think they will discipline me in this way, they are very wrong. I have now only got a motive to fight for the rights that have been taken away from us for 26 years, he said.

The international high representative in Bosnia, Christian Schmidt, said that the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on Dodik is a logical consequence of the destructive and dangerous attitude in reference to his failure to meet the basic requirements of responsible leadership.

By Daphne Psaledakis and Daria Sito-Sucic
Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington on Dec. 9, 2021. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

US, Japan to Bolster Defense and Research Collaboration Amid Chinas Provocative Actions in Disputed Seas

The United States and Japan will bolster defense collaboration under two new agreements in the wake of Chinas provocative actions in the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.

Speaking at the opening of a virtual meeting between the two countries foreign and defense ministers, Blinken said the allies will sign a new five-year agreement on U.S. military presence in Japan, which will help to deepen our military readiness and interoperability.

Under the terms of the hosting deal, which will run to 2026, Japan will spend approximately $1.82 billion annually to fund its share in the upkeep of about 55,000 American troops in Japan.

The two allies will also sign a new research and development agreement to collaborate on emerging defense-related issues, including ways to counter hypersonic threats and advance space-based capabilities, Blinken said.

Blinken emphasized that the Japan-U.S. alliance must not only strengthen the tools we have, but also develop new ones, citing Chinas growing assertiveness at the disputed sea and Russias military build up on Ukraines borders.

China and Russia continue to violate international normson land, at sea, in space, in cyberspace. Beijings provocative actions keep raising tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and in the East and South China Seas, he noted.

Blinken also stated that Japan-U.S. defense cooperation must be strengthened in light of North Koreas unlawful nuclear and missile programs, citing North Koreas recent eastward missile launch that reportedly landed outside of Japans exclusive economic zone.

Japans new Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi arrives at Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas official residence in Tokyo, on Nov. 10, 2021. (Issei Kato/Reuters)

Japans Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told the virtual meeting that the international community faces multifaceted challenges, including the unilateral and coercive attempt to change the status quo, abusive use of unfair pressure, and expanding authoritarian regime [sic].

The announcement came after Japan signed a reciprocal access agreement with Australia, which sets to underpin greater and more complex practical engagement between the two countries defense forces.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the Japan-Australia treaty would also contribute to an expanding agenda for the Quad, an informal strategic security dialogue between the United States, Australia, India, and Japan that promotes a free Indo-Pacific region.

Japans Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo had conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe via video conference last month that Japan opposes unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea by coercion.

Kishi voiced concerns about the situation in the East China Sea, particularly the Senkaku Islands, where Chinas ruling communist party has been making repeated intrusions. The minister urged China to self-restraint.

Wei responded by saying that China would firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the Senkaku Islands, which China calls the Diaoyu Islands, while emphasizing the need for both countries to make joint efforts to maintain peace and stability in the East China Sea.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Walmart said in a Jan. 4 corporate memo to its workers that is is cutting paid leave in half for those who test positive for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus or who have quarantined themselves at home after exposure.

Previously, Walmart employees were given two weeks of paid leave, but the retailer will now offer only one week of paid leave instead of two as of March 31.

Walmart also reiterated that workers who become fully vaccinated can receive a $150 payment for doing so if they take the shots before Jan. 31.

Walmart has developed policies during the pandemic for customers and employees in coordination with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which had announced on Dec. 27 changes to its recommended isolation and quarantine period.

There are exceptions to the companys updated policy regarding paid leave, according to the memo.

Walmart employees who catch the virus and are unable to return to work after a week may still be eligible for additional pay for as long as 26 weeks.

The memo said that workers will still be required to complete a daily health screening before entering a Walmart facility.

The change in policy aligns with the updated guidance from the CDC, which reduced isolation periods for who who test positive for the virus from 10 to five days for most cases, and shortened the amount of time that people who were in close contact with infected individuals needed to quarantine.

The daily health screen questions will be updated to reflect the changes from the CDC regarding if an associate has received a positive COVID-19 test, has COVID-related symptoms or exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the previous five days instead of 10 days (or following local mandates), said Walmart management.

CDC officials said that the changes are keeping with growing evidence that people infected with the virus are most vulnerable in the two days before and three after symptoms develop.

The decision also was driven by a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, propelled by the Omicron variant, which does not seem to be as virulent as previous variants.

The federal health agency recommended that people who have received a booster shot and are exposed to the virus do not need to quarantine if they wear well-fitting masks and do not show symptoms.

According to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 75 percent of private industry workers have access to paid sick leave, with an average of eight days of leave.

Only 3 percent of workers with access to paid sick leave were found to have an unlimited number of days at their disposal.

According to a few surveys, there has been rising public sentiment towards federal paid sick leave, with some workers and employers saying that they support the idea of more government intervention in future health crises.

Over 190 private corporations co-signed a memo in March 2021 asking Democrat congressional leaders to pass federal paid family and medical leave policy as part of the Biden Administrations controversial Build Back Better plan.

However, Democrats and Republicans disagree on the size, scope and funding on any of the drafted various federal paid leave proposals.
NORWALK  Since Dec. 17, five city residents have reportedly died with COVID-19, a rate of fatalities not seen in months,

Three residents died with COVID last week, with an additional two deaths this week, city spokesperson Josh Morgan said.

December and Januarys deaths mark the first time a resident died from COVID since the period of Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, according to Mayor Harry Rillings weekly coronavirus updates.

With five deaths in less than three weeks, it is the first time Norwalk has had more than one COVID death a week since late August.

With cases through the roof, its bound to impact people more susceptible to serious health outcomes, Morgan said. Remember, all of these metrics are lagging indicators. So, it goes cases to hospitalizations to deaths.

Following the increase in cases and deaths, Rilling encouraged Norwalkers to get vaccinated, boosted and continue to wear masks indoors, as required by the citywide indoor mask mandate.

It is sad that over the last several weeks five more of our residents have died, Rilling said. I wish peace and comfort to their families. Nearly two years into this pandemic it is heartbreaking that we are still losing people to this virus.

As the number of COVID-19 cases in Norwalk continues to rise, Rilling urged residents against going to the emergency room or hospital for COVID-19 symptoms or other emergencies unless necessary.

More COVID patients in the hospital put additional strain on a health care system that may be struggling with staffing and resources, Rilling said. I urge residents not to go to the emergency room for mild symptoms or to try to get a COVID test. Doing so takes away resources from those experiencing potentially life-threatening situations.

In the last week, Norwalk had more than 1,800 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases, and a test positivity rate of about 12 percent, according to Department of Public Health data.

Statewide, nearly 1,800 Connecticut residents are hospitalized with COVID-19 and 121 people have died in the last week, the data shows.

The states test positivity rate hovers around 24%, with Thursdays rate at 22.8%.

With significant transmission of COVID-19 in our community, new cases are affecting virtually everyone across all age groups and demographics, Rilling said.

To combat and monitor the increase in COVID-19 cases, earlier this week the city expanded testing availability at the DPH-run Veterans Park testing site to seven days a week, with morning, afternoon and evening testing times.

As one of the only drive-thru, no-appointment-necessary testing sites in the area, the location generated much traffic, with the site often reaching capacity before it opened.

Due to traffic and safety concerns, the city sought Health Department approval to move it to a new spot, with plans to be finalized next week.

With about 500 tests available each day, weve seen cars lining up hours before testing begins, Rilling said. Starting very soon, all COVID-19 testing operations will relocate from Vets Park to Shady Beach. This move will allow cars to queue into Shady Beach, and there will be a special overflow line on Beach Road specifically for testing.

An extra travel lane will remain in place to allow residents access to Calf Pasture Beach.

Rilling reiterated that testing should be reserved for those who are exhibiting symptoms or have a known COVID-19 exposure. He also reminded residents the spread of the omicron variant is coinciding with seasonal cold and flu cases and cold weather.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com
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On Wednesday, the Illinois House voted 67-42 to accept a Senate amendment passed in October to House Bill 3512, which clarifies parts of the Illinois SAFE-T Act addressing pretrial services and detainee phone calls and which moves back effective dates in the police decertification system and body camera footage labeling.

The Illinois SAFE-T Act is a criminal justice reform bill passed in 2021.

Illinois State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, voted yes on the amendment, and Reps. Charles Meier, R-Vandalia, Amy Elik, R-Fosterburg, and C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Jacksonville, voted no.

The amendment states that when someone is detained, law enforcement must allow them to make up to three phone calls within three hours of being detained. If the individual is moved from one detention center to another, the three phone calls and three hours will restart.

Republicans previously argued there was not enough distinction between the words "police custody" and "detention," meaning that the three hours started in the police car. Now, "detention" has been redefined as police stations, places that operate municipal police departments, county police departments and other law enforcement agencies. The time on phone calls will begin at the place of detention.

A record of phone calls made must be maintained while an individual is in custody and if no calls are made, the detainee must give a statement to the police on why the person detained did not make any calls. The three-hour requirement will not apply when the individual is asleep, unconscious or not complying with police officers. A document must be noted within the police report detailing noncompliance.

Additionally, the bill provides for the disclosure of specified public records in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.

HB 3512 as amended would also help the state to begin to comply with the requirement from the Illinois Pretrial Act of 1987 stating that each circuit shall establish a pretrial services agency, which currently does not exist in 53 circuits of Illinois.

The SAFE-T Act provides for the end of cash bail in Illinois in favor of a yet-to-be-decided pretrial detention system, which prioritizes risk. The courts of the state are to create a code outlining the new pretrial detention system by January 2023.

The bill further clarifies that labeling body camera footage is not considering altering footage as it pertains to original language in the SAFE-T Act, as long as the labeling does not alter the actual recording of the incident captured on the officer-worn body camera.

The bill additionally pushes back the effective dates for the police decertification system to July 1, 2022, which the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board asked to be pushed back in order to provide more time for hiring and building the division during the pandemic.

Requirements were also added by the bill concerning emergency orders of suspension for law enforcement officers and provides further requirements regarding the officer professional conduct database, transparency and criminal background investigations.

Finally, the bill provides that the mandatory supervised release term for a Class 3 or 4 felony is 12 months, except for certain specified offenses. HB 3512 provides that no later than 30 days after the onset of the term of mandatory supervised release and at the halfway point into the term of mandatory supervised release, the Prisoner Review Board shall conduct a discretionary discharge review, which shall include the results of a standardized risk and needs assessment tool administered by the Department of Corrections.

Nothing in this provision shall be construed to prevent the Prisoner Review Board from performing the discretionary discharge review and issuing a determination prior to the onset of the term of mandatory supervised release.

HB 3512 passed the Senate in October by a vote of 40-17. Illinois State Sens. Rachelle Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, and Doris Turner, D-Springfield voted yes on the bill and Sens. Jason Plummer, R-Vandalia, and Steve McClure, R-Springfield, voted no.

The bill now requires Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's signature.
EDITORS NOTE: The Intelligencer requests briefs be submitted at least 10 days prior to the desired publication date. Due to the volume of community-submitted briefs, the content may be published within 10 days of submission. Holidays and weather forecasts may impact some events. The Intelligencer cannot guarantee that submission will be published.

Fish Fry Every Friday

11 a.m.-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 S. State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two pieces of cod or one catfish filet and sides. 618-656-9774

Fish Fry

4:30-8 p.m. at the Edwardsville Moose, 7371 Marine Road, Edwardsville. Dine-in and carryout options. 618-656-5051

Monday, Jan. 10

Edwardsville Human Relations Committee Meeting

5 p.m. at the Council Chambers, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Edwardsville Ordinance Committee Meeting

6 p.m. at the Council Chambers, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Tuesday, Jan. 11

River Kayaker Adventures with Perry Whitaker

6 - 7:30 p.m. online. Sierra Club Piasa Palisades Group Speakers Series. Perry Whitaker is the Missouri state director for the American Canoe Association, a Missouri Master Naturalist and expert on the confluence of the Missouri River near St. Louis to the confluence of the Ohio River at Cairo, IL, referred to as the Middle Mississippi. There will be no live event at the Old Bakery Beer Co. due to risk with the surge of virus. The ZOOM registration option is available via the events tab at https://www.sierraclub.org/illinois/piasa-palisades. Contact: Chris Krusa on 410-490-5024 cell/text for questions

Cribbage Club

6 p.m. at Camelot Bowling Alley, 801 Beltline Rd., Collinsville. Beginners welcome, free to attend. Contact Phil (618) 288-7910 or Susan at (618)978-1664 for more information.

American Legion Post 199 meeting

6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 199 at 58 S. State Rt. 157. All legion members are encouraged to attend the meetings. Non-member visitors are welcome.

Pasta Dinner Every Tuesday

4-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 S. State Rt. Edwardsville. Pasta of the week served with salad. 618-656-9774

Edwardsville Public Services Committee Meeting

4:30 p.m. in Governor Edwards Conference Room, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Edwardsville Public Safety Committee Meeting

5:30 p.m. in the Governor Edwards Conference Room, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Wednesday, Jan. 12

Historic Preservation Commission

7 p.m. at Council Chambers, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Thursday, Jan. 13

NAMI Meeting

7-8:30 p.m via Zoom. The National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwestern Illinois (NAMI SWI) family support meetings may also be in person. To receive the link for a Zoom meeting or address for an in-person meeting contact Pat Rudloff, silverlining6@charter.net.

Chicken Dinner Every Thursday

4-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 S. State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two or four pieces of chicken and vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy and a biscuit. 618-656-9774

Edwardsville Finance Committee Meeting

4 p.m. in Governor Edwards Conference Room, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Edwardsville Administrative and Community Services Committee

5 p.m. in the Governor Edwards Conference Room, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Friday, Jan. 14

Fish Fry Every Friday

11 a.m.-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 S. State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two pieces of cod or one catfish filet and sides. 618-656-9774

Fish Fry

4:30-8 p.m. at the Edwardsville Moose, 7371 Marine Road, Edwardsville. Dine-in and carryout options. 618-656-5051

Saturday, Jan. 15

Goshen Winter Market

10-noon in the expansion parking lot on St. Louis Street. Outdoors.

Monday, Jan. 17

Woodlawn Cemetery Board

7 p.m. in the Woodlawn Chapel. All are invited to attend, whether you are a lot owner or have considered purchasing a lot.

36th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration

10 a.m. at Mt. Joy Church, 327 Olive St., Edwardsville. The event will also be streamed live on the Mt. Joy Facebook page. The program is free and open to the public. Hosted by Granite City High School Senior Martaja Hill. Main speaker Dustin Jumper will speak on The Dilemma and the Challenge of Growth.

Tuesday, Jan. 18

Cribbage Club

6 p.m. at Camelot Bowling Alley, 801 Beltline Rd., Collinsville. Beginners welcome, free to attend. Contact Phil (618) 288-7910 or Susan at (618)978-1664 for more information.

Pasta Dinner Every Tuesday

4-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 S. State Rt. Edwardsville. Pasta of the week served with salad. 618-656-9774

Edwardsville-SIUE Community Destination Group

6 p.m. in Governor Edwards Conference Room, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Edwardsville City Council

7 p.m. at Council Chambers, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Watershed Cairns: Water Marked with Art

6:30 p.m. virtual event. The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center will kick off 2022 with a virtual Neighbor Nights event, featuring the work of artists Libby Reuter and Joshua Rowan and their "Watershed Cairns: Water Marked with Art" project. Reuter and Rowan, with a van full of glass, travel backroads in river watershed areas, where they create and photograph cairns made from thrift-store glassware. Registration is required. Sign up at https://conta.cc/3mQQTmu. The link will be emailed prior to the event. For more information contact Jen Young at 618-468-2785 or jenryoung@lc.edu.

Wednesday, Jan. 19

Glen Carbon Cool Cities Committee Meeting

7-8 p.m. at Village of Glen Carbon - Senior Center, 157 North Main Street, Glen Carbon.

Edwardsville Plan Commission

7 p.m. at Council Chambers, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Thursday, Jan. 20

Edwardsville Cool Cities Initiative Advisory Committee Meeting

6 p.m. at Governor Edwards Conference Room, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

Edwardsville Land Use Committee

6 p.m. at Council Chambers, 118 Hillsboro Ave., Edwardsville.

NAMI Meeting

7-8:30 p.m via Zoom. The National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwestern Illinois (NAMI SWI) family support meetings may also be in person. To receive the link for a Zoom meeting or address for an in-person meeting contact Pat Rudloff, silverlining6@charter.net.

Chicken Dinner Every Thursday

4-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 S. State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two or four pieces of chicken and vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy and a biscuit. 618-656-9774

Gateway Wedding Show

5-9 p.m. at the Gateway Convention Center, 1 Gateway Drive, Collinsville. Free admission. The Gateway Wedding Show features different vendors that can help couples and event planners personalize their upcoming special event. The show will feature area wedding and event vendors, food and beverage sampling, a wedding decoration showroom, live fashion show, prize giveaways and more. For information regarding show details and free ticket registration visit www.gatewayweddingshow.com.

Friday, Jan. 21

Fish Fry Every Friday

11 a.m.-8 p.m. Dine-in or Carryout at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, 58 S. State Rt. 157, Edwardsville. Two pieces of cod or one catfish filet and sides. 618-656-9774

Fish Fry

4:30-8 p.m. at the Edwardsville Moose, 7371 Marine Road, Edwardsville. Dine-in and carryout options. 618-656-5051

Saturday, Jan. 22

Watershed Discovery Day

10 a.m. - noon at the Watershed Nature Center, 1591 Tower Ave. Edwardsville. Join the Watershed for a celebration of winter birds in the region. This free community event for families will feature hands-on activities, story time by local author Jennifer Ward, a bird feeder craft, eagle cam observation station, birding information from Wild Birds Unlimited, hot cocoa & cookies and a scavenger hunt around the Watershed's trails. The first 100 children will receive a stuffed Eagle through Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery.

Ongoing Events

Al-Anon

For information call 618-463-2429. For more information, visit SIAFG.org and District-18.org.

Winter Reading Challenge Begins

Dec. 1 - Jan. 31 at the Edwardsville Public Library. Read books, earn badges and be entered into prize drawings on Beanstack. This challenge is for all ages, 0-109. To register visit www.edwardsvillelibrary.org.
EDWARDSVILLE  The spring semester at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will begin as scheduled on Monday, Jan. 10, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced some instructional changes, at least for the first week.

SIUE announced on Thursday that it will shift courses online, to the extent possible, beginning Jan. 10 and through Monday, Jan. 17.

Reviewing early data from the universitys re-entry testing protocol, initial results indicated a campus-wide positivity rate of 14.03% with 355 positives from 2,886 test results in, as of 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

Weve made this decision after careful consideration of initial re-entry testing results, self-disclosure reports, and area COVID trends, and in consultation with experts in the SIU School of Medicine, a campus-wide message released on Thursday morning read.

We will continue to review data and conditions for the remainder of this week and early next week to determine instructional guidance for Week 2 and beyond.

Most but not all courses at SIUE will switch to an online format for the first week of the semester.

Students enrolled in internships, practica, co-ops, clinicals, teaching practice, or other experiential courses should look for correspondence from their instructor, program director, or department chair, the message read. Some adjustments may need to occur to ensure safety in those experiences. We are, however, committed to students continuing these experiences and meeting the outcomes necessary for licensure and graduation.

Some courses with significant and critical labs experiences, performance, or studio courses may also be approved as exceptions. In most cases, these courses will also move online for week 1.

Students in Dental Medicine and the School of Pharmacy have already begun their semesters, and the deans of those respective schools will continue to provide guidance regarding adjustments to the curriculum or changes in modality.

In our communication with students, we will encourage students in programs such as Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Social Work, and Education to look for additional correspondence from their dean, department chair, or program director, the message read. Other programs may need to communicate program-specific information to their majors.

The message noted that students will still be able to move into residential housing as scheduled.

Residential students are invited and encouraged to return to campus, the statement read. University Housing will re-open for spring on Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. Residents will have access to on-campus technology resources, core supports and opportunities for safe interactions and engagement while participating in courses online.

In a separate statement released on Thursday, Chancellor Randy Pembrook and Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb explained the rationale behind the decision to start the spring semester with online courses.

We had built an optimistic but flexible spring schedule that demonstrated a return to significantly more on-ground learning opportunities, Pembrook and Cobb said. Our spring schedule also reflected what we learned from the pandemic by leveraging technology, creating hybrid learning environments, and providing students with strategic flexibility.

While we are excited about more on-ground learning and engagement opportunities, we want to ensure that we can achieve these goals safely and that we have a healthy faculty, staff, and student body, so that our educational mission is sustainable and avoids disruption. SIUE has a long tradition of serving students in a variety of ways, and we are confident that this temporary shift will help SIUE continue to meet students needs and ensure that we can continue to thrive as an academic community.

Pembrook and Cobb noted that the decision to start online and to do so temporarily is similar to some other public universities and universities in the area, including the University of Illinois, Illinois State and Washington University.

Given the trajectory of omicrons transmission, we are hopeful that our campus positivity rates will be significantly lower in a week or two, Pembrook and Cobb said. Notably, our campus positivity rates have been much lower than the local or regional positivity rates, often the campus positivity rate was 1% or under.

Campus services will also be available during the shift to online courses.

Dining Services, the Service Center, Financial Aid, the Student Fitness Center, Parking Services, Morris University Center, Lovejoy Library, ITS Help Desk, and many other offices remain ready to serve our students needs, the campus-wide message read. Some offices may operate remotely, but core supports for students will be available in person.

We ask that all individuals, whether on or off campus, strictly adhere to health and safety guidelines for the well-being of themselves and others. Keeping your bubble small, wearing clean, protective masks, and maintaining physical distancing are important public health strategies for reducing virus transmission.

Pembrook and Cobb added that SIUE hopes to have additional updates regarding Week 2 of the semester by the middle of next week.

We are anxious to be able to fully engage students in the classrooms safely and look forward to that opportunity, Pembrook and Cobb said. We will continue to offer a wide array of modalities to meet students needs, and to provide flexibility. Regardless of modality, our excellent and dedicated faculty will work to engage students, encourage their excitement for learning and provide excellent educational opportunities.

Another message released later Thursday provided further updates regarding mask-wearing, event planning and other issues.

All of the Universitys COVID-related communications, policies and data can be accessed at siue.edu/coronavirus.
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On January 5th, 2022, Channels Television broadcasted an exclusive interview with President Muhammadu Buhari which was aired at 7 pm.

As a result of this recent televised interview the Nigerian media was filled with headings like, Dementia-ravaged Buhari Couldnt Remember Names Of Governors Who Visited Him On Farmers-herders Clashes; Buhari, ravaged by dementia, could not remember the names of the governors who visited him during the clashes between farmers and ranchers.

In the past, there are other screaming headings like Buhari Is Suffering From Acute Dementia - Malcom Omirhobo; How Buhari's Dementia Keeps Nigeria Rudderless As Security, Economy Buckle and Buhari's Dementia is Now a National Emergency

I am not a Buhari apologist though, I admire his personal anti-corruption ethics. Just, like I have done with his administration and that of Goodluck Jonathan, I engage issues from the angle of psychological discourse and suggestions, regarding Nigerias social political and institutional challenges.

In all these reports and writings about the Presidents cognitive health, none of them come from a psychology or medical professional.

As such, to make absolute statements like the ones above without a face-to-face psychological, neurological, or medical evaluation by a certified doctor is inappropriate and unethical.

As a psychological examiner who for many years have done over 5000 cognitive assessments, I cannot by mere image or hearing from others about Buharis abilities offer the above type of headings on dementia or other related conditions.

Diagnosing a person, without examining them, is a violation of professional ethics. It is illegal.

The interview with Channels Televisions Maupe Ogun and Seun Okinbaloye, which was pre-recorded interview in response to questions already submitted, included a question about whether the President would support State police. For the records, this writer does.

Buhari, answered that he does not support state police. And stated that

The governors of hahahahaOyo State and the governor of haha this other statein Ondonot Ondoone other state. I said because the herders were in the forestlet them go and talk to the local leadership about why there is a break in communication. The routes they follow; the forests they confine themselves in.

President Buhari, who had met with two governors over security issues at the beginning of last year was trying to recall the identities of the Governors who are Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.

Just because Buhari could not immediately recall the identities of the governors does not mean he is suffering from dementia.

Its normal to occasionally forget recent events, such as where you put your keys or the name of the person you met some time ago or just met.

Now, lets explain dementia in general terms. Dementia like the type called Alzheimer, affects both mental and physical health, as such it is not generally a mental illness.

Dementia is a term that describes a loss of thinking ability, memory, attention, logical reasoning, and other mental abilities.

Dementia is a progressive illness that, over time, will affect a person's ability to remember and understand basic everyday facts, such as names, places, and dates. Dementia could result when the brain is damaged by injury, disease, or drugs.

The accompanying symptoms can include a decline and loss of memory, concentration, judgment, and the ability to transmit, learn, and problem solve.

It is reasonable to say that dementia is more common as people become older. Dementia is known to affect one in 14 people over 65, and one in six people over 80. It is believed that about one-third of all people aged 85 or older may have dementia but it is not a normal aspect of aging.

Aging process is part of the human experience, which make our brains undergo changes.

When a brain is affected by dementia, it experiences diminished capabilities to process information. A person with dementia is likely to be overwhelmed by everyday stress.

Normal brain aging may mean slower processing speeds and more trouble multitasking, however everyday memory, skills, and knowledge are stable and may even get better with age.

For persons above the age of 65, the risk of risk of Alzheimer's disease which is the most common type of dementia becomes higher.

79-year-old Buhari just like Americas president, 79-year-old Joe Biden due to their age, there have been concerns about their health and cognitive wellbeing.

As we know many persons over-50 will experience the tip of the tongue problem when a name does not come immediately to the mind but are able to remember words of similar meaning.

Yes, Buhari like Biden does stumble over words, yes, Buhari has difficulty sometimes with digressions that he fails to get back to the original point of the discussion. Buhari might not be a terrific and highly expressive speaker, but that doesnt mean he suffers from dementia, either.

No one with anything like full-blown dementia can sit down for almost an hour like Buhari did in the channels interview or Arise interviews, answering questions without consistently losing his way.

It may not be unusual for some people to call out Buhari for his thick English accent, describe him as a harsh disciplinarian or as a faithful Islamic traditionalist but for some in the media to keep calling him as one with dementia is unwarranted.

Even If Buhari is not forthcoming with details of his illness, he wont be the first president in the world who kept medical secrets. For example, in America presidents that hid their medical records includes, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D Roosevelt John F Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan.

Nigeria is not the only place where the public does not know much about a presidents illness even though, it important for the people to be informed about it, should the sickness start to significantly affect the job.

Presidents, like everyone can develop an illness or illnesses common in our world, from brain to heart disease, anxiety to depression, and more.

The American president, Franklin D. Roosevelt experienced a severe attack of polio, resulting in full paralysis of both legs yet he served there for 12 years.

Ronald Reagan once collapsed and lost almost half his blood volume in a day and fell into the arms of his Secret Service agents, which is equivalent to State Security Service or Department of State Services operatives in Nigeria.

George H.W. Bush, the senior, once had a history of head and lung trauma, and known for having several bleeding ulcers, arthritis, and various cysts.

If tomorrow, Buhari is diagnosed with any form of dementia, back, heart or gastrointestinal ailment by his personal physician, that does not stop him from being a working president.

If on clinical grounds, a presidents health is greatly interfering with their ability to serve their role, I can assure you that the media will know, including the Nigerian media, but it is not the duty of writers and commentators in the media to declare Buhari as mentally or medically unfit for his current position. So, stop it!

John Egbeazien Oshodi who was born in Uromi, Edo State in Nigeria, is an American based Police/Prison Scientist and Forensic/Clinical/Legal Psychologist. A government Consultant on matters of forensic-clinical adult/child psychological services in the USA; Chief Educator and Clinician at the Transatlantic Enrichment and Refresher Institute, an Online Lifelong Center for Personal, Professional and Career Development. A former Interim Associate Dean/Assistant Professor at the Broward College, Florida. The Founder of the Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological Health and Behavioral Change in African settings. In 2011, he introduced the State-of-the-Art Forensic Psychology into Nigeria through N.U.C and the Nasarawa State University where he served in the Department of Psychology as an Associate Professor. A Virtual behavioral Leadership Professor at the ISCOM University, Republic of Benin. Founder of the Proposed Transatlantic Egbeazien University (TEU) of Values and Ethics, a digital project of Truth, Ethics, Openness. Author of over 40 academic publications/creations, at least 200 public opinion writeups on African issues, and various books. He specializes in psycho-prescriptive writings regarding African institutional and governance issues.

John Egbeazien Oshodi wrote in via [email protected]
One of them came back to Jesus, shouting, Glory to God, Im healed! He fell flat on the ground in front of Jesus, face downward in the dust, thanking him for what he had done.... Jesus asked, Didnt I heal ten men? Where are the nine (Luke 17:15-17)?

To those in the Christendom, the foregoing familiar scripture no doubt highlights the expediency of being thankful whenever hand of assistance is extended to them in time of difficulties. This writer have often thought about how exciting it will be when African countries which Nigeria helped in times of need are thankful enough, particularly in this era, by reciprocating Nigerias philanthropic disposition towards them in the past . As it is, no African country that Nigeria has helped in the past when things were really rough with them can be blind to all assistance rendered to her in times of need. Like the ungrateful lepers, the foregoing scripture talks about, most nations that benefited from Nigerias magnanimity appear not to have realized how many times and the extent they were helped, and thus have continued to rationalize away many of the assistances in the similitude of the nine lepers who were healed by God and recorded in the Bible.

For the sake of clarity, Jesus Christ, on the way to Jerusalem was traversing between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. When he saw them he said to them, Go and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? And he said to him, Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.

Without any iota of exaggeration, the foregoing scripture is a magnum opus that has to a large extent defined the trajectory of human ingratitude and actions, and in this context, nations that have forgotten how they were helped by Nigeria and Nigerians in times of difficulties.

It would be recalled in this context that Nigeria's foreign or external intervention policy has been an important aspect of her external relations whose primary focus is on the African continent. Within her foreign intervention outreach, Nigeria relates as a regional power within the West African sub-region and as a Big Brother Nation and as a 'Giant of Africa' within the African continent. The reason for this pride of place are arguably fascinating.

Although Nigeria also has several external relations with the rest of the world, its role as a Big Brother Nation in Africa consist in an attachment to ensuring several fundamental objectives, chief among them are political independence of African states from colonialism, the unity and mutual coexistence of African states, the political stability of the continent and the socio-economic and political progress of Africa.

At this juncture, and within the prism of the foregoing scripture, it is expedient to say that despite the array of African countries that Nigeria helped at the time they were facing difficulties and in need that virtually all of them have remained churlish and ungrateful.

Interpreting their ungratefulness from the perspective of this scripture, it may not be wrong to say that the ungrateful countries are replicating the height of ingratitude exhibited by the nine healed lepers who never returned to Jesus to give thanks. At this juncture, one can conjecture that their collective ungrateful disposition aptly finds expression in human nature.

As deciphered from the scripture, one of the healed might have waited to see if the cure was real. One waited to see if it would last. One said he would see Jesus later. One decided that he had never really had leprosy. One said he would have gotten well anyway. One gave the glory to the priests. One said, Oh, well, Jesus didnt really do anything. One said, Any rabbi could have done it. One said, I was already much improved.

Assumed from the foregoing perspective, not few African countries assisted by Nigeria in the past; when Nigeria was in all its ramifications the Giant of Africa. In fact, the countries have been belittling Nigerias magnanimity by erroneously thinking that they could have gotten the same assistance from other helpers besides Nigeria if they had sought assistance from other countries. Think about it: are African countries that benefited from Nigeria in the past appreciating Nigeria enough for what she has done for them in the past? Or are they, like the lepers, rationalizing away Nigerias benevolence?

Worthy of mention in this piece is that some South Africans had for the umpteenth time unleashed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in their country despite Nigerias liberation efforts in freeing South Africa from the gulag of apartheid. Aptly put, they have remained ungrateful by carrying out incessant unjustified attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.

Any reader of this piece may have an opposing view to this piece, but not a few Nigerians, and even some dispassionate nationals of the rainbow country, will concur with this writer that unappreciative disposition have been exhibited towards Nigerians. An African proverb says, No matter the tears that impedes a child from seeing clearly when beaten, he will always see his tormentor to point at. Interpretatively put in this context, Nigerians will always remain convinced that South Africans have for ages not being friendly and receptive to them. The reason for the foregoing perception about South Africans cannot be farfetched as evidences abound on how they have in the past maimed and killed Nigerians in their country.

Without any scintilla of hyperbole, Nigerians in Ghana are equally facing almost the same intensity of hatred other Nigerians are facing in South Africa. It would be recalled that the xenophobic disposition towards Nigerians became intolerable last two years ago, 2020, to be precise. Ghana became unbearably irritant to Nigeria that the Federal Government was compelled to speak out through Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the information minister, who declared as a matter of fact that enough is enough! The Information Minister had in a statement he signed on Friday, 28 August, 2021 said the Federal Government would no longer tolerate the incessant harassment of its citizens in Ghana and the progressive acts of hostility towards the country by Ghanaian authorities.

In a similar vein, the Senate in 2021 condemned the arrest and maltreatment of Nigerians by the authorities of the Republic of Benin who allegedly crossed into Nigerian territory to carry out the illegal act. The condemnation was sequel to a motion of urgent National/Public Importance moved by the Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Sen Tolu Odebiyi.

In fact, without denying the fact the plight of Nigeria in the hands of her ungrateful neighbours aptly finds expression in Luke Chapter 17 verse 15 To 17, and it should be of utmost concern to countries whose nationals are wont to exhibit xenophobic act against Nigerians.
When Fidelis Adele, the CEO of Freetown-based Solid Graphics, a printing and communications company, needed to order some printing equipment from Nigeria in September, he paid an extra $165 on top of a $10,000 bank transfer to the seller. Yet it took three days for the money transferred in Sierra Leone to be credited to the beneficiarys account in Nigeria.

I paid $30 as transfer fee, $35 as SWIFT charges and another $100 bank charges, Mr. Adele told Africa Renewal. SWIFT stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, a global network that processes international payments.

Mr. Adele did not attempt to use financial services companies such as Western Union or MoneyGram because the exchange rate for those companies is just bad.

The other option would have been to fly to Lagos, a three-hour journey, carrying the physical cash along. I have done that a few times, he said, but it is not cost-effective unless its a huge amount, and it is risky.

Traders across Africa experience similar ordeal paying for goods or services across borders. In the process they lose valuable time and money.

This cumbersome and time-consuming process costs us [Africans] about $5 billion in [money transfer] charges each year, according to Benedict Oramah, President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in an interview with Africa Renewal. We are a poor continent. We shouldn't waste money like that.

Payment system launched

To address the situation, Afreximbank has partnered with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat to launch the Pan-African Payments and Settlement Systems (PAPSS), a platform that facilitates instant cross-border payments in local currencies between countries.

The PAPSS has been piloted successfully in the six countries that make up the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ)Nigeria, the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and Guinea. Because of its multi-currency and bi-lingual makeup, WAMZ is considered a microcosm of the continent.

On using WAMZ for the pilot, Prof. Oramah says: The six WAMZ countries have different currencies. One of the countries is Francophone and the others are Anglophone. You have a big economy like Nigeria and then you have smaller economies. So anything that can go wrong in other parts of Africa would have gone wrong in the WAMZ, and we will have been able to address it during the piloting phase.

The operational rollout of PAPSS was announced at the end of September, meaning that countries central banks, which will be the clearing agents, can now coordinate with Afreximbank, which is the main clearing agent and provider of settlement guarantees and overdraft facilities.

Fidelis Adele, CEO Solid Graphics, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Afreximbank doled out $500 million to service West Africa and intends to provide a further $3 billion for an Africa-wide PAPSS operation.

Analysts expect African traders, especially those in West Africa, to begin to take advantage of the platform by the end of 2021.

Mr. Oramah, who is based in Cairo, Egypt, explains the hurdles faced by African traders in personal terms: I want to transfer money to Nigeria from Egypt. It goes through a corresponding bank in a country outside of Africa before it arrives in Nigeria. I pay charges before the person in Nigeria gets it.

And it takes time. Sometimes it takes weeks. So, we [Afreximbank] calculated how much that costs the continentforget about the timeit costs Africans $5 billion yearly.

Also, if I am in Egypt, and I want to watch my favourite Nollywood movies, I probably have to remit in US dollars. But the PAPSS changes that for you. All you need do is pay the Nigerian producer in Nigerian Naira.

The CEO of PAPSS Mike Ogbalu says that during the piloting phase in West Africa, bank accounts in different countries were debited and credited within 10 seconds. He has assured of a robust technology that can handle large transactions.

How PAPSS works

Sending money using the PAPSS is a five-step process:

The first step is when an individual issues a payment instruction to their local bank or payment service provider.

Second, the bank or the payment service provider sends the instructions to PAPSS.

Third, PAPSS validates the payment instruction.

Fourth, upon successful validation, PAPSS will forward the instruction to the beneficiarys bank or payment service provider.

Lastly, the bank or payment service provide pays the transferred funds, in local currency, to the beneficiary.

In announcing the rollout of PAPSS, Afreximbank says that by simplifying cross-border transactions and reducing the dependency on hard currencies for these transactions, PAPSS is set to boost intra-African trade significantly. Intra-African trade is currently at a meagerly 17 per cent.

The PAPSS is also expected to lead to increases in value addition to products, jobs creation and more earnings for traders.

Wamkele Mene, the Secretary-General of AfCFTA Secretariat, said PAPSS will lead to efficient cross-border trade transactions and put Africa on a new economic trajectory.

"There are 42 currencies in Africa. We want to make sure that a trader in Ghana can transfer Ghanaian cedi to a counterpart in Kenya who will receive Kenyan shillings," Mr. Mene told Africa Renewal in an earlier interview .

Mr. Adele agrees that PAPSS will help his business. If I can take the Leones to a bank here [in Sierra Leone] and pay for printing products in Nigeria, and the money is instantly deposited in the beneficiarys account in Nigeria, that would be extraordinary, he says.

Until briefed by Africa Renewal, Mr. Adele was not aware of the PAPSS, underscoring the communication challenge of raising intra-African traders awareness about the platform.

Mr. Oramah notes, however, that a campaign is underway to market and promote the PAPSS, hoping that by the end of the year African traders will be informed enough to use the system.

For more information on COVID-19, visit www.un.org/coronavirus

Africa Renewal


False alarm over COVID-positive French couple missing from Phuket hotel

PHUKET: Reports of a French couple disappearing from their hotel in Kalim, north of Patong, after testing positive for COVID-19 have been dismissed as false.

COVID-19tourismhealth

By The Phuket News

Friday 7 January 2022, 02:18PM

The inaccurate news reports of the French couple fleeing their hotel comes as Phuket officials continue to confirm the rising number of tourists testing positive for Omicron. Image: Phuket Info Center

Tritsanu Uthaipan, Assistant Manager at the Kalima Resort, explained to The Phuket News that the couple* had left the hotel without informing hotel staff in order to have a second swab test for COVID-19.

They left the hotel on their own at around 11 am and returned around 4pm, Mr Tritsanu said.

They have not fled at all, as has been reported in the news, he confirmed.

The couple had entered Phuket under the Phuket Sandbox scheme, Mr Tritsanu explained.

After receiving the results from their swab test at the airport, the hotel contacted hospitals and test centres for tourists so they could have a second test to be sure of the results, he said.

But every hospital and test centre said they were full, and unable to conduct the tests for the tourists, he added.

The couple themselves finally managed to organise the Paweena Clinic in Patong to take swab samples and perform a second RT-PCR test, Mr Truitsanu explained.

We are waiting on the results of that test now, he said.

The couple are now staying in their room at the hotel, awaiting confirmation of the test results and further instructions from officials.

The inaccurate news reports of the French tourists allegedly fleeing their hotel in Phuket spread quickly online overnight after Israeli tourist Ohad Baruch, 29, made national headlines last week for fleeing his hotel in Bangkok to visit Pattaya and then Koh Samui before he could receive a positive test result for the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

He was finally arrested and fined B2,000, and at last report was to be deported.

Meanwhile, Phuket officials since midday yesterday have provided three updates on the number of foreigners who have tested positive for Omicron after landing in Phuket, as follows:

Dec 30 - 20 cases confirmed

Jan 1 - 15 cases confirmed

Jan 3 - 3 cases confirmed

Dr Kusak Kukiattikoon, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Public Health Office (PPHO), on Tuesday confirmed that in Phuket, There are 136 cases [confirmed as infected with Omicron] plus 31 yesterday still waiting for confirmation from the Department of Medical Sciences from Bangkok.

Dr Kusak pointed out that most of the infected were tourists, and nearly all of them were infected with Omicron.

* Names withheld by The Phuket News.
Health Ministry to pitch tougher curbs

BANGKOK: The Public Health Ministry will today (Jan 7) propose tougher government measures to curb the latest coronavirus outbreak posed by a rapid increase of Omicron infections.

CoronavirusCOVID-19healthtourismSafety

By Bangkok Post

Friday 7 January 2022, 09:06AM

Anutin: Not waiting to take action. Photo: Bangkok Post

The proposal, which is up for consideration by the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), includes tightening the quarantine system and banning alcohol consumption in restaurants, reports the Bangkok Post.

Anutin Charnvirakul, deputy prime minister and public health minister, said his ministry has stepped up measures to fight the outbreak.

The CCSA will be asked to ban alcohol consumption - which is considered a risk factor in the spread of the virus - in areas with severe infections and review outbreak zoning based on a colour-coded system to identify provinces hit by the latest outbreak, he said.

Moreover, all returnees and arrivals from abroad will be quarantined, the minister said.

We will not wait seven to 10 days for an actual number of infections to emerge after the festive holiday [before taking action], Anutin said.

However, the number of deaths will be low due to large numbers of people already getting vaccinated, he added. We will evaluate the situation before making a decision on whether to shutter some activities.

The Public Health Ministry decided to raise the nations COVID-19 alert level from 3 to 4 after new coronavirus infections jumped to 5,775 over the previous 24 hours yesterday from 3,899 the day before.

Kiattiphum Wongrajit, permanent secretary for public health, said raising the warning level encourages people to work from home, suspend travel plans, close at-risk areas and limit the number of people at gatherings.

We are seeing a fast outbreak this time, he said. There are several provinces that have (multiple new daily cases), including 769 cases in Chon Buri and 454 in Bangkok.

So we do need to raise the warning to level 4, Dr Kiattiphum said.

Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said new infections could surpass 10,000 a day, based on the rise in infections reported yesterday.

People are strongly advised to postpone non-essential trips to other provinces and countries, Dr Opas said.

Public transport should be avoided for [non-essential] interprovincial trips, he said.

Gen Supoj Malaniyom, head of operations at the CCSA and secretary-general of the National Security Council, said he will present a raft of measures during todays CCSA meeting, including travel curbs and home and community isolation.

Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said he would disagree if the government decided to introduce lockdowns again.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce disagrees if the government reimposes lockdowns on all activities in the country, Mr Sanan said. Any more lockdowns will not only cause a huge damage to the economy, but will also dampen public confidence.

Several sectors have just regained their hope of restarting and are going ahead with their businesses this year, and people are resuming their normal lives, he said. Any further lockdown would put the country back at square one.

He said most people in Thailand have been vaccinated and the countrys public health system can handle new patients.

Mr Sanan said the government should step up measures to contain the disease in at-risk provinces, such as increasing hospital beds for severe cases and bringing back home and community isolation.

The private sector is also ready to enforce the bubble-and-seal system for facilities hit by infections, he said, adding the private sector has agreed for staff to work from home for at least two weeks to curb transmission.
Navy chief to drop his submarine fund request

BANGKOK: Navy chief Adm Somprasong Nilsamai will drop a funding request for two more Yuan-class S26T submarines under the 2023 fiscal budget because of the economic impact of COVID-19.

ChineseCoronavirusCOVID-19militarymarine

By Bangkok Post

Friday 7 January 2022, 09:23AM

A model of the Yuan Class S26T submarine displayed at the Royal Thai Navys auditorium in August 2017. Photo: Apichart Jinakul / AFP

It will be the first time the navy has declined to ask for funding for its submarine procurement project, reports the Bangkok Post.

Previously, it has been forced to back down after opposition.

In the past procurement has been put on hold because requests for funding were rejected by parliament or the prime minister, a navy source said.

With the emerging Omicron variant of the coronavirus spreading rapidly, Adm Somprasong believes no one would agree with the navy pressing ahead with the submarine procurement now, the navy source said.

According to the source, the navy budget risks being slashed, because the funding the navy is seeking for the 2023 fiscal year, which starts on Oct 1, is already high.

Other naval units will also consequently suffer from a likely budget cut.

Earlier, responding to media reports that he would not request the funds, Adm Somprasong said yesterday (Jan 6) he was still weighing up the matter.

An assessment was still under way, he said, but admitted there were a lot of limitations that needed to be taken into account as a decision on the matter is made.

Since we already have the first submarine, the second and the third will have to follow. But it remains to be seen as to when, he said.

If delivery of the first submarine is delayed, the second and third will most likely be, too.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has yet to comment further about the submarine procurement budget this fiscal year, Adm Somprasong said.

The government on May 4, 2017, signed a government-to-government contract to buy the first Yuan Class S26T at a cost of B13.5 billion from China, which was initially due to be delivered by late 2023.

Citing several problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, China recently put back delivery of this submarine to Thailand till April 2024, the source said.

The navy later requested full funding for two more submarines in the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years, which were both objected to by the opposition.

The funding was eventually suspended twice by Gen Prayut.
Phuket tourism arrivals plunge

PHUKET: The number of tourist arrivals landing at Phuket International Airport has plunged as the island starts to record a return to hundreds of new COVID infections in the past few days.

tourismeconomicsCOVID-19

By The Phuket News

Friday 7 January 2022, 12:08PM

Only on Tuesday (Jan 4) were leading Phuket tourism officials were calling for people to protect themselves from the outbreak of Omicron infections spreading across the island, citing stringent action to be taken to prevent the islands already battered tourism industry from suffering more heavy losses.

Phuket had enjoyed a relatively successful New Year, with TAT Phuket Director Nanthasiri Ronnasiri pointing out, During the four-day New Years holiday the income from tourism in Phuket amounted to B1.36 billion.

However, the number of infections recorded since have spiralled upward, from 46 on Dec 29 to 256 recorded yesterday (Jan 6). Of the 256, 159 were staffers working on Bangla Rd, Patong, who tested positive in an ATK mass-testing push organised by nightlife venue owners.

After peaking with tourist arrivals numbering in the mid- to high-4,000s over the New Year, the Phuket Reopening Daily Report issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) reported 3,860 arrivals for Monday (Jan 3), falling to 2,609 on Tuesday (Jan 4).

By Wednesday (Jan 5), the TAT reported just 1,972 arrivals, comprising 742 Test & Go arrivals and 1,229 Sandbox arrivals. Of those, 10 Test & Go arrivals tested positive for COVID-19 on landing at Phuket airport, as did 46 Sandbox arrivals.

The TAT Phuket Reopening Daily Report for yesterday (Jan 6), marked a slight improvement, with 2,847 arrivals in total. Of those, 1,081 were Test & Go arrivals (with 61 testing positive on arrival) and 1,747 were Sandbox arrivals (with 97 testing positive on landing).

The graphs issued in the Phuket Immigration Daily Report show the dramatic impact in the fall in the number of arrivals.

The Phuket Immigration report for yesterday marked that Russians were still the top source market for tourist arrivals since Nov 1, with 24,527 Russians arriving on the island. Second were Germans with 14,323 arrivals, followed by the UK (10,900), Sweden (8,527) and France (6,868).

The last five of the Top 10 were Kazakhstan, Israel, the US, Thai, Swiss nationals, respectively.

Phuket officials have now publicly recognised a slew of critical issues affecting tourism to Phuket, including critical flaws in the Thailand Pass approval process and lack of support for tourists seeking advice and assistance in clearing the process.

Other critical issues to be addressed include forcing tourists who test positive  but exhibit no symptoms of infection  to remain in their hotel rooms instead of being taken into the local healthcare system

Phuket officials and leading tourism figures have yet to comment on the dramatic fall in the number of arrivals over the past two days.
Two slain as man opens fire at Phuket Town fresh market

PHUKET: Two people were killed and three others were injured from gunshot wounds as a man opened fire at a fresh market in Phuket Town earlier today (Jan 7).

violencecrimemurderpolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Friday 7 January 2022, 05:28PM

Two slain as man opens fire at Phuket Town fresh market

Lt Col Nutcharee Longkaew, Inspector (Investigation) of Phuket City Police Station, said police were first notified of the shooting, at Phuket City Municipality Fresh Market 2* on Ong Sim Phai Rd in the heart of Phuket Town, at around 10:20am.

Officers and rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation arrived to find five people had been shot at a seafood stall at the front of the main building.

Rescue workers administered emergency first aid and sped the injured to hospital.

Two of the injured, Sarayuth Thinsathan and Toi Limpananurak, were later pronounced dead.

The three injured still receiving hospital treatment were named as Ms Arporn Tinsathan, 53; Ms Cham Thinsathan; and Mr Pornchai Limpananuluck.

Police confirmed that the shooter, Maneenop Meethong, 47, from Songkhla, had called Phuket City Police to inform them of his intention to surrender for the shooting.

As of 4pm, he had yet to do so.

Maneenop was last seen fleeing the market in a black Toyota Fortuner.

Maneenop operated a seafood stall at the market near where the shooting was carried out.

Police have yet to confirm the motive for the shooting, but at this stage suspect a business conflict.

Ms Toi, killed in the attack, operated the seafood stall with her husband where she was gunned down.

* Not Phuket City Municipality Fresh Market 1 on Ranong Rd, as originally reported. The error is regretted.
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THE SHORTHORN is accepting applications

for summer & fall 2022 for:



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Current UTA students enrolled in at least six credit hours during the semester of employment and in good academic standing are eligible to apply for these paid positions. Some qualify for internship credit.


ST. LOUIS  The current surge of COVID-19 cases have "overwhelmed" emergency rooms at BJC HeathCare facilities, such as Alton Memorial Hospital.

"The volume continues to increase every week," said Dr. Rob Poirier  Washington University emergency medicine physician and clinical director of the Barnes-Jewish emergency department. He added that the emergency rooms have been "overwhelmed the last couple of weeks."

On Wednesday, BJC HeathCare announced that the increase in COVID-19 patient volume was prompting it, in some situations, to reschedule elective procedures on a case-by-case basis. Poirier said the Barnes-Jewish emergency center was seeing 250-300 patients daily, with only about 80 ER beds available.

"Staff are definitely doing their best to see as many patients as possible with the highest level of safety possible," he said. "We're definitely operating in a state of controlled chaos."

Poirier said the center has stopped offering COVID-19 testing to patients who are asymptomatic, or showing no symptoms, due to the lack of resources. He recommended that only those with severe symptoms should seek emergency care.

"We know it's frustrating for a lot of people because the testing sites out there are full and the waits are long," Poirier said.

For those who asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, Poirier recommends:

 Visiting Missouri and Illinois testing sites

 Testing at your local retail pharmacy

 Visiting pop-up testing sites.

For those with mild to moderate symptoms, Poirier recommends:

 Visiting your primary care provider

 Visit your local urgent care

 Schedule virtual care meetings with your doctor.

"Things should improve in the coming weeks as more test get on the market," he said.

Madison County has extended COVID-19 vaccinations to kids 5-11 years old at its office, 101 E. Edwardsville Road in Wood River. Vaccinations for all ages are by appointment only; people can visit www.madisonchd.org and click the green Appointments for Vaccines are Open button, or call 618-692-8954, Ext. 2.
EDWARDSVILLE  The spring semester at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will begin as scheduled on Monday, Jan. 10, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced some instructional changes, at least for the first week.

SIUE announced Thursday that it will shift courses online, to the extent possible, beginning Jan. 10 and through Monday, Jan. 17.

Reviewing early data from the universitys re-entry testing protocol, initial results indicated a campus-wide positivity rate of 14.03% with 355 positives from 2,886 test results in, as of 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

Weve made this decision after careful consideration of initial re-entry testing results, self-disclosure reports, and area COVID trends, and in consultation with experts in the SIU School of Medicine, a campus-wide message released Thursday morning read. We will continue to review data and conditions for the remainder of this week and early next week to determine instructional guidance for Week 2 and beyond.

Most but not all courses at SIUE will switch to an online format for the first week of the semester.

Students enrolled in internships, practica, co-ops, clinicals, teaching practice, or other experiential courses should look for correspondence from their instructor, program director, or department chair, the message read. Some adjustments may need to occur to ensure safety in those experiences. We are, however, committed to students continuing these experiences and meeting the outcomes necessary for licensure and graduation.

Some courses with significant and critical labs experiences, performance, or studio courses may also be approved as exceptions. In most cases, these courses will also move online for week 1.

Students in Dental Medicine and the School of Pharmacy have already begun their semesters, and the deans of those respective schools will continue to provide guidance regarding adjustments to the curriculum or changes in modality.

In our communication with students, we will encourage students in programs such as Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Social Work, and Education to look for additional correspondence from their dean, department chair, or program director, the message read. Other programs may need to communicate program-specific information to their majors.

The message noted that students will still be able to move into residential housing as scheduled.

Residential students are invited and encouraged to return to campus, the statement read. University Housing will re-open for spring on Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 a.m. Residents will have access to on-campus technology resources, core supports and opportunities for safe interactions and engagement while participating in courses online.

In a separate statement released on Thursday, Chancellor Randy Pembrook and Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb explained the rationale behind the decision to start the spring semester with online courses.

We had built an optimistic but flexible spring schedule that demonstrated a return to significantly more on-ground learning opportunities, Pembrook and Cobb said. Our spring schedule also reflected what we learned from the pandemic by leveraging technology, creating hybrid learning environments, and providing students with strategic flexibility.

While we are excited about more on-ground learning and engagement opportunities, we want to ensure that we can achieve these goals safely and that we have a healthy faculty, staff, and student body, so that our educational mission is sustainable and avoids disruption," he said. "SIUE has a long tradition of serving students in a variety of ways, and we are confident that this temporary shift will help SIUE continue to meet students needs and ensure that we can continue to thrive as an academic community.

Pembrook and Cobb noted the decision to start online and to do so temporarily is similar to other universities, including the University of Illinois, Illinois State and Washington University.

Given the trajectory of omicrons transmission, we are hopeful that our campus positivity rates will be significantly lower in a week or two, Pembrook and Cobb said. Notably, our campus positivity rates have been much lower than the local or regional positivity rates, often the campus positivity rate was 1% or under.

Campus services will also be available during the shift to online courses.

Dining Services, the Service Center, Financial Aid, the Student Fitness Center, Parking Services, Morris University Center, Lovejoy Library, ITS Help Desk, and many other offices remain ready to serve our students needs, the campus-wide message read. Some offices may operate remotely, but core supports for students will be available in person.

We ask that all individuals, whether on or off campus, strictly adhere to health and safety guidelines for the well-being of themselves and others. Keeping your bubble small, wearing clean, protective masks, and maintaining physical distancing are important public health strategies for reducing virus transmission.

Pembrook and Cobb said SIUE hopes to have additional updates regarding Week 2 of the semester by the middle of next week.

Another message released later Thursday provided further updates regarding mask-wearing, event planning and other issues. All of the Universitys COVID-related communications, policies and data can be accessed at siue.edu/coronavirus.
Im so old that I recall when Christians argued about matters such as whether sprinkling or pouring water over a person was as scriptural a baptism as total immersion.

A dialogue that recently popped up on my Facebook newsfeed taught me that some Christians now quarrel on topics like whether the United States should welcome refugees. The dialogue appeared on a page titled Episcopal Church memes.

Back in the day, the Episcopal denomination was sometimes referred to as the Republican party at prayer -- and with considerable justification. Always numerically small compared to other denominations, it was the church of the wealthy and powerful. Eleven presidents have belonged to the Episcopal church, which is more than any other denomnation, and includes such giants as Washington, Madison, Monroe and Franklin Roosevelt.

Beginning in the last half of the twentieth century, however, this venerable denomination reinvented itself. The Episcopal church opened its ministry to women in 1976 and elected its first openly gay bishop in 2003. The denominations Office of Social Justice and Advocacy Engagement is responsible for engaging Episcopalians in advocacy, networking and movement making for justice, its Facebook page states.

The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, a black man, is currently the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States. He delivered a memorable address at the 2018 wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during which he quoted Martin Luther King, Jr.

The meme that sparked such an animated conversation was titled The Holy Refugees (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23) and depicted Mary riding on a donkey while holding Jesus. Joseph is walking behind them. In the far background we see two Egyptian pyramids. The text reads: That moment when youre so desperate to protect your child that you flee to a foreign country. These Holy Refugees were fleeing King Herod of Judea, who sought to murder young Jesus.

Some thread participants posted statements that challenged the memes premise that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were fleeing to a foreign country. Egypt was part of the Roman empire. It was more like Californians and NYers going to Texas or Florida, a skeptic wrote. Another participant remarked, Egypt and Israel were both part of the Roman Empire. The Holy Family travelled in compliance to a census law then they ran for their safety without breaking any territorial boundaries. As someone pointed out, however, these three werent fleeing the power of Rome. They were specifically fleeing Herod, who had no authority in Egypt. Their flight from danger to a place of safety thus made them refugees.

An English gentleman observed that Jesus, Mary and Joseph Didn't demand housing, benefits or other state aid while residing in Egypt. I should have reminded him that the Wise Men had given them gold, which would have kept the wolf from the door. The overwhelming majority of refugees rarely receive such a valuable gift before taking flight.

A woman whose profile photo is Glinda from the Wizard of Oz holding an AK-47  yes, really  likened Democrats to Herod. Just like the reason why people in Blue States are fleeing to the Red States,  she wrote. High taxes and their children are being unconstitutionally forced into wearing masks and being guinea pigs for the covid vaccines.The latter mandate violates the Nuremberg Code. She appears to be confusing Dr. Anthony Fauci with Dr. Josef Mengele.

The Episcopalians got it right. Jesus, Mary and Joseph indeed were refugees. Those fleeing persecution and possible death deserve our help. When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God, Leviticus 19:33-34 states.

Both the Old and New Testaments include mandates that command us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, which can certainly be more than a bit challenging. If loving refugees as we love ourselves is expecting too much, then lets at least grant them safety within our borders. We neednt love endangered people in order to save their lives.


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London, KY (40741)

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MADDY BARRETTE, Chariho, Softball, Sophomore; Barrette hit a two-run single in the seventh inning, lifting Chariho past Cumberland. For the week, Barrette was 4 for 8 with three RBIs and a double in three games.

MADDIE STEPSKI, Stonington, Softball, Senior; Stepski hit two home runs in back-to-back games for the Bears. In three games during the week, she was 10 for 13 with four homers, two doubles and 12 RBIs. Stepski is hitting .750 for the season with 22 RBIs and six home runs.

MICHAEL POOLE, Westerly, Baseball, Freshman; Poole struck out 14 Rogers batters to earn his second win of the season. Poole pitched a four-hitter and allowed just one earned run. For the season, Poole has 19 strikeouts in 12 innings with a 1.14 ERA.

SEAN BERGEL, Wheeler, Baseball, Sophomore; Bergel pitched a complete-game two-hitter in a 1-0 win against Putnam. Bergel struck out seven and did not walk a batter. He is 2-1 with a 1.68 ERA this season.

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Kingsport, TN (37660)

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Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can call the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866)720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-

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U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger represents Tennessees 1st Congressional District. She is a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor and the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Webster Groves, MO (63119)

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The United States and Japan on Friday voiced strong concern about Chinas growing might in unambiguous terms and pledged to work together against attempts to destabilise the region.

The comments from the two allies, in a joint statement that followed a virtual meeting of their foreign and defence ministers, highlight how deepening alarm about China  and growing tension over Taiwan  have put Japans security role in focus.

The ministers expressed concerns that Chinas efforts to undermine the rules-based order presented political, economic, military and technological challenges to the region and the world, according to their statement.

They resolved to work together to deter and, if necessary, respond to destabilising activities in the region, it said.

The ministers also said they had serious and ongoing concerns about human rights in Chinas Xinjiang and Hong Kong regions and stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

In a separate virtual summit on Thursday, Japan and Australia signed a defence cooperation agreement.

China lodged stern representations with all three countries.

We deplore and firmly oppose the gross interference in Chinas internal affairs by the U.S., Japan and Australia and the fabrication of false information to smear China and undermine the solidarity and mutual trust of countries in the region, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a daily briefing in Beijing.

Pacifist Japan has close economic ties to China but is increasingly concerned that it could move against democratic Taiwan, which it claims as part of China.

This is clearly a combined message reflecting a common concern, not a case of U.S. arm-twisting to get Japan to sign onto vague euphemisms, said Daniel Russel, who served as the top U.S. diplomat for Asia under president Barack Obama and is now with the Asia Society Policy Institute.

In particular, the expression of joint resolve to respond if necessary to destabilising activities comes across as a powerful expression of alliance solidarity and determination.

Before the talks, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington and Tokyo planned a new defence deal to counter emerging threats, including hypersonics and space-based capabilities.

NEW TOOLS

He said the alliance must not only strengthen the tools we have, but also develop new ones, citing Russias military buildup against Ukraine, Beijings provocative actions over Taiwan and North Koreas latest missile launch. North Korea fired a hypersonic missile this week that successfully hit a target, its state news agency said.

Russia, China and the United States are also racing to build hypersonic weapons, whose extreme speed and manoeuvrability make them hard to spot and block with interceptor missiles.

As its neighbours test hypersonic missiles, Japan has been working on electromagnetic railgun technology to target them.

We need to pursue all available means including cooperation with the United States to strengthen comprehensive missile defence capabilities, Japans defence minister, Nobuo Kishi, told reporters.

Tokyo also explained its plan to revise the national security strategy to fundamentally boost defence capabilities, Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said after the meeting.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in October promised to revise Japans security strategy to consider all options including possession of so-called enemy-strike capabilities.

Kishidas government has approved record defence spending, with a 10th straight annual increase in 2022.

Jeffrey Hornung, an expert in Japanese security policy at the Rand Corporation, a U.S.-backed think tank, said while Japansoptions for using force are limited, it might deem a Taiwan emergency as threatening its own survival.

There is no coded messaging here, Hornung said.

China is the challenge and they said as much, then detailed all the ways the alliance is determined to work to counter its destabilising activities.

SOURCE: REUTERS
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ALBANY  The Arc Lexington, a private nonprofit serving adults and children with disabilities, is expanding its Transitions program to offer additional employment support for people in the Capital Region.

Transitions works to help teens and young adults with autism or learning differences build academic and life skills for their general independence. The agency is now partnered with the Warren-Washington-Albany Arc to give the program's students access to internships, career counseling, job training and more.
Drivers were stranded on I-95 in Virginia for over 24 hours earlier this week due to unsafe driving conditions and delays caused by snowy and icy weather.

Many were left without food, water and warmth as the conditions worsened overnight, leaving many starving and freezing and struggling to get through the night.

But one couple among those stranded is going viral for good after contacting a bread company when they saw a truck stranded ahead of them.

Casey Holihan and John Noe noticed the bread truck ahead of them after not having eaten for over 24 hours and decided to call the number that was on the side of the vehicle.

Related: Viral Video Shows Workers Not Taking Deliveries Without Tips, Sparks Debate

Weve been looking on social media, we know a lot of people have been stuck out here, some of them for over 24 hours. Me and my wife have been sitting behind a Schmidt Baking truck, she contacted them and told them the situation, Noe told CBS News. The owner of the truck told the driver to open it up and start handing out food to people. So, just trying to help out.

The couple, who was driving from Maryland to North Carolina before getting stranded in Virginia, began handing out loaves of bread to 50 cars.

A Good Samaritan on I95 with a great story as we remain stuck together. Still no sign of help though from Virginia officials. @CBSMiami @CBSNews @CBSNLive pic.twitter.com/zo7z2rclpz  Jim DeFede (@DeFede) January 4, 2022

Schmidt Baking Company, which is based in Baltimore, Maryland, tweeted kind words following the act of kindness.

If you have to be stuck behind a truck, make it a bread truck, they quipped. Glad we could give some folks a little love and a lot of loaves.

Holihan and Noe were met with praise and encouragement on social media.

I haven't been in a ton of those situations, but there is something about being stuck in some horrible scenario with people you don't know where you lose sight of all the insignificant shit and just want to get through it together, one user wrote on Twitter. Beautiful.

Awww, that absolutely wonderful to see, another said.

State traffic and transportation officials closed I-95 in the state before eventually sending law enforcement vehicles to aid stranded drivers.

Related: 10 Secrets to Going Viral on Social Media

Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency on Thursday ahead of incoming winter weather in hopes of avoiding another debacle.

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ALBANY - Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to her administration to pay for upgrades to infrastructure in tech parks across the state that cater to computer chip manufacturers.

The hope is that the investment will help attract new computer chip factories, or "fabs," to the state - as well as a $2 billion federal chip manufacturing lab that could likely be headquartered in Albany, with potential satellite sites in other upstate cities.

The state's designated "shovel-ready" chip fab sites include the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Saratoga County where GlobalFoundries has its headquarters and Fab 8 chip factory. Others are located outside of Utica, Syracuse and in western New York between Buffalo and Rochester.

Hochul did not reveal how much she is hoping to spend on the infrastructure upgrades, although she said it would happen through Empire State Development Corp., the state's economic development arm.

"To jump-start New Yorks shovel-readiness and increase the state's attractiveness to large employers, ESD will allocate funding to develop sites that will attract high-tech manufacturing, particularly semiconductor manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and logistics businesses to the state," Hochul says in her 2022 State of the State book.

New York state - which has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on infrastructure upgrades at Luther Forest and other sites over the years - is very much hoping that Congress and the Biden administration will approve the $52 billion CHIPS Act, a federal subsidy program that would provide chip companies up to $2 billion to build new chip fabs - like GlobalFoundries' Fab 8.2 project.

The CHIPS Act would also provide $2 billion to create a National Semiconductor Technology Center that is being sought by New York and IBM and others, with a headquarters in Albany and perhaps a location in other upstate location.

The CHIPS Act is being pushed as China has established dominance in the global computer chip manufacturing market while there have been chip shortages in the United States.

ESD, which would not say which chip companies it is in talks with over new chip fabs in upstate New York, said it "enthusiastically" supports the governor's plan for shovel-ready sites, which is one of ESD's biggest economic development tools, along with state incentives - and the expected federal incentives.

The importance of the semiconductor industry to New York State cannot be overstated, especially as the push for domestically produced chips throughout the nation grows," an ESD spokeswoman said in a statement. "For years, New York state has made many investments to ensure we will attract semiconductor manufacturing, design and research including investments in shovel ready sites, work force, and education  just to name a few."

Hochul also promoted a plan to reunite the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering with the University at Albany after having been merged with SUNY IT in Utica to create SUNY Polytechnic Institute in 2014.

CNSE, once known as the NanoCollege, has been a keystone in the state's efforts to bring chip companies to upstate New York and to train engineers and scientists to work at places like GlobalFoundries or Wolfspeed, which operates a chip fab next to SUNY Poly's campus in Marcy, a town just outside Utica.

The Times Union obtained a message that SUNY Poly interim president, Tod Laursen, sent to students and faculty after Hochul's State of the State address Tuesday at the Capitol.

Like others within SUNY, Laursen did not know all of the details of Hochul's proposal, which UAlbany has been advocating for years and would bolster UAlbany's research grant programs.

Although faculty at CNSE have also hoped to return one day to UAlbany, the former SUNY IT - now SUNY Poly - has benefited greatly from the CNSE merger - rising in college rankings and attracting new students.

"We are confident SUNY and the governors office share our commitment to this upward trajectory and will see to it that appropriate and necessary resources are dedicated for SUNY Poly to continue as New York states premier public polytechnic institute," Laursen said in his letter.
ALBANY - Gov. Kathy Hochul's plan to merge SUNY Polytechnic Institute's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering back into the University at Albany where it originated has been a topic of discussion for years now, with UAlbany being one of the top advocates for the move.

Hochul included a one-sentence mention of the plan on page 191 of her 2022 State of the State plan released Tuesday. But no further details were given, and Hochul did not actually talk about the proposed merger in her speech at the Capitol outlining her vision for the upcoming budget talks and legislative session.

The proposal is part of a larger plan to boost the research credentials of all SUNY schools, especially the University at Buffalo and Stony Brook University on Long Island. Bringing CNSE back under the UAlbany umbrella could be seen as a financial plus since CNSE pulls in so much tech research funding from both the state and federal level as well as private sources.

Most of those contacted by the Times Union about the merger plan said they are awaiting more details about the process and timetable. The idea has been discussed for years, although the details have yet to be fleshed out.

Vibrant public higher education is critical to New Yorks success, and we look forward to learning more about Gov. Hochuls proposals, especially as they relate to the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering," UAlbany said in a statement released to the Times Union. "UAlbanys forethought, investment and sweat equity built CNSE into a powerful engine of economic growth. For years, UAlbany has advocated for a thoughtful reunification with CNSE that would maximize the impact of our campuses research. We are excited that Gov. Hochul shares that vision. "

A SUNY spokeswoman said she could not comment on the process until the governor's office finalized the plan. The move would likely need approval by the SUNY board of trustees, which is independent of the executive branch.

It is unclear if SUNY Poly would remain an independent school based in Utica, although that seems the most likely scenario. A SUNY Poly spokesman could not be reached for comment. CNSE professors have also been in favor of the move, although the re-merger could create some job overlaps that could potentially lead to layoffs.

CNSE, once known more commonly as the NanoCollege, was a creation of Alain Kaloyeros, a former UAlbany professor who created Albany Nanotech, the glass-and-steel computer chip manufacturing research center owned by the state that is adjacent to the UAlbany campus.

But Kaloyeros, once among the state's highest-paid employees, was arrested in 2016 in a federal bid-rigging and wire fraud case involving two upstate real estate development firms whose top executives were major donors to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Kaloyeros was found guilty at trial in Manhattan and sentenced to three-and-a-half years in federal prison. His sentence could begin soon, possibly at the minimum security prison camp in Otisville in Orange County.

Kaloyeros carved out a significant source of his power within the SUNY system by orchestrating the spinoff of CNSE from UAlbany. But he needed a host school to make the move happen, due to accreditation rules and infrastructure needs. And he chose SUNY IT in Utica to do that.

Under the plan, SUNY-IT absorbed CNSE, and the new entity was renamed SUNY Polytechnic Institute based in both Albany and Utica. SUNY-IT was technically located in the town of Marcy, which is located just outside of the city of Utica.

The SUNY-IT merger with CNSE made a lot of sense at the time since Albany Nanotech had already established a computer chip manufacturing lab at SUNY-IT years before.

And just across the street from the SUNY-IT campus, Albany Nanotech owned the Marcy Nanocenter, a 434-acre tech campus that is home to the Wolfspeed chip factory that makes chips used in electric cars and other electronic devices.

But the marriage between SUNY IT and CNSE has never been perfect. For instance, CNSE students in Albany do not have a college-owned dormitory. SUNY Poly and CNSE are merely tenants at the Albany Nanotech complex at Fuller Road, and students there miss out on a lot of the true college life available across the street at UAlbany or in Utica, about 90 minutes from Albany.

There has been speculation that the planned merger was added to the speech book in order balance out the attention Hochul gave in her presentation to other campuses, including Stony Brook and Buffalo.
When people were stuck at home during the height of the pandemic, their new home-renovation activities famously drove demand for a wide range of at-home services. But it also meant peoples energy bills went up  and as they began looking for ways to cut costs while staying cozy, the Melbourne, Florida-based Koala Insulation saw opportunity.

Despite starting its franchise-development efforts a month and a half before national shutdowns, Koala Insulation surpassed its goal of expanding to 200 territories in a year and is well on its way to 300. That helped it go from unranked last year to No. 242 on this years list. Here, we spoke with Koalas founder and CEO Scott Marr about how the company plans to sustain its growth.

Related: How Convenience Is Marking a New Wave in the Service Industry

Why do you think insulation services have spiked so much?

Insulation can provide a significant return on investment. Its also a service thats within reach for a lot of people. Solar, for example, is great but very expensive, so a lot of people have to finance solar. Whereas at Koala, insulation has an average ticket of $2,800.

What did Koala do to meet increased demand?

We worked with our suppliers and distributors to ensure that our franchise partners could get the materials they needed. And we sourced additional material suppliers for our franchise partners to be able to get the best prices possible. Some materials became scarce with the supply-chain problem, so we had to go to great lengths to source various components  some within the States, some from Canada, and we spoke with vendors in Sri Lanka.

Related: 8 Mandates For Growth

What do you look for in franchise partners?

We look for folks who are going to be reasonable and amicable in adverse situations. Were looking for folks who can follow a process, and who are gritty and competitive. Weve found that supercompetitive people will go to great lengths to win. And thats a big deal for a business owner because during trying times, you have to go to great lengths to remain viable.

How does Koala plan to sustain its growth long-term?

A lot of emerging franchise systems dont start with a robust foundation. But what weve done is very different. When we started our franchise-development efforts, we had 12 team members supporting three franchisees, so it was very much a specialist-led organization. By the end of our first year, we had a staff of 25 at headquarters. And when the pandemic set in, we said, Lets grab some really fantastic talent who are out of a job. We also created a proprietary software system that has added a lot of efficiency through automation. Today we have around 85 franchise partners.

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ALBANY  Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday in her first State of the State address a proposed $10 billion investment of in health care.

"A once in a lifetime pandemic demands a one-in-a-lifetime response, Gov. Hochul stated during her address. And thats why I'm setting an ambitious goal to grow our health care workforce by 20 percent over the next five years, and will make the largest investment in health care in state history: $10 billion dollars.

Although this would be a historic figure, organizations within the behavioral health community in New York state have raised concerns about whether their specific needs will be met.

Behavioral Health Advocates (BHA), a coalition of 11 groups statewide, is supportive of the initial funding concept.

Advocates for New Yorks adults, children, and families with ever-growing mental health and addiction related needs, and the service providers who support them across our state, are encouraged by Governor Hochuls State of the State that included a $500 million Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for human services workers and $2 billion to support mental health and substance use disorder care and mental hygiene worker retention bonuses, the group stated in a news release.

Still, the advocacy organization was uncertain of how much of the funding would be distributed specifically to behavioral health services.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

"It was not clear if the behavioral health sector is included in the mentioned COLA funding or the $2 billion to support health care worker wages. The commitment is welcome, however advocates want to make certain that mental health and addiction services are included in these investments."

According to the State of the State resources, the $10 billion will be put toward areas of health care for: retention bonuses, wages and infrastructure.

Last month, representatives from BHA's member organizations announced their funding needs for the upcoming 2022-2023 Executive Budget. As the Times Union previously reported, the organizations are demanding $500 million dollars to be invested into mental health and substance-use disorder agencies, as well as a 5.4 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).

We feel cautiously optimistic that the State of the State proposal acknowledges the workforce crisis that were facing in human service specifically, said Lauri Cole, executive director of the New York State Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. The big question is, Is the money proposed for mental health and substance providers enough to fund our two asks that we have been pushing forward for almost 6 months? 
ALBANY  Two state Supreme Court justices from the Capital Region are headed to the states second-highest court.

Justices Lisa M. Fisher of Greene County and Andrew Ceresia, based in Rensselaer County, are among the three judges that Gov. Kathy Hochul has appointed to the Appellate Division of state Supreme Courts Third Department in Albany.

Justice Eddie McShan of Rockland County, who serves on a lower appellate court in Manhattan, was also named. McShan will be the first Black man to serve on the Third Department and only its second person of color after Justice Sharon Aarons, who was appointed in 2016.

The Third Department, one of four Appellate Divisions in New York, hears the vast majority of criminal, civil and state agency-related appeals across 28 upstate counties, including the entire Capital Region. The Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state, only hears a select number of cases every year, which makes the Third Department the final word on most area legal matters.

Fisher, who was elected in 2014 as a Republican, has switched her party enrollment to Democrat in recent years. Fisher took the bench as the only elected woman serving at the trial level in the seven-county 3rd judicial district (which is within the larger Third Department) based in Albany). The New Baltimore woman, a lawyer since 1994, is now the first judge from Greene County to be appointed to the Appellate Division in more than a century, according to a news release issued by her husband, attorney John H. Fisher.

A graduate of the University of South Florida, Fisher earned her law degree at Shepard Broad College of Law at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. Fisher, 54, previously worked as an assistant public defender in Ulster County Family Court, in private practice, as a court attorney for late Kingston City Court Judge Edward T. Feeney and as a staff attorney for Ulster County Department of Social Services.

Ceresia, 50, the son of retired state Supreme Court Justice George Ceresia, has presided over some of the highest-profile criminals cases in the Capital Region, including a number of murder trials.

A graduate of the state University at Oneonta and Albany Law School and an attorney since 1999, Ceresia has been a Supreme Court justice since January 2017. He had been a Rensselaer County Court judge 2009 and, prior to that an appellate court lawyer and acting judge in City Courts in Albany, Rensselaer and Hudson. He also was a town justice in North Greenbush starting in 2004 and worked in private practice.

The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote.

McShan, 54, of Pearl River, a Democrat, has served on a lower appellate term court within the Manhattan-based First Department in Manhattan. He has served in state Supreme Court in the Bronx since 2019 and been a Civil Court judge in the Bronx since 2013. A lawyer since 1995, McShan has worked as a court referee, law clerk and in private practice. McShan, a graduate of St, Lawrence University, earned his law degree at the College of Law at Syracuse University.

The Third Department, led by Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry, also includes Aarons and Justices John Egan, Michael Lynch, Christine Clark, Stanley Pritzker, Molly Reynolds Fitzgerald and John Colangelo.
Heather Briccetti is one of the best-known and longest-lasting advocates in the New York state government ecosystem. As the president and CEO of the Business Council of New York State, the former legislative aide and onetime Rensselaer County public defender represents the interests of some 3,500 members, more than two-thirds of them small businesses.

The new year is her 15th at the Business Council. When she arrived as the group's vice president for government affairs at the end of 2007, Democrat Eliot Spitzer was governor and Republican Joseph Bruno  her former boss  was in his final months as state Senate majority leader.

In the years since, Briccetti has ably surfed the changes in control of the legislative houses and Executive Chamber  her tenure at the group now encompasses four governors  and more recently maintained the group's focus in a period of extreme political polarization.

If you're looking through her biography for a source of what might be described as her sense of diplomacy and equanimity, consider that this product of SUNY Binghamton and Albany Law School was born in Tunisia during her parents' service in the Peace Corps.

"My parents were hippies," she said in a recent interview. "They were card-carrying Liberal Party members. They used to have Liberal Party meetings in our house when I was a kid. And we had home delivery of the Village Voice  in Syracuse. It wasn't until I moved to Albany that I realized how kind of weird that was."

Asked if this scenario  hippie parents with an ambitious, business-minded child  sounds like the precise setup of the 1980s sitcom "Family Ties," Briccetti laughs and says that she's heard the comparison before. But she takes issue with the idea that she's the analogue for Michael J. Fox's Ronald Reagan-loving yuppie-to-be.

"I'm not a conservative," she said. "I mean, I'm a social liberal, fiscal conservative. I would probably even say I'm a fiscal moderate. Only in New York could anyone even ever think of me as being conservative."

Here's more from Briccetti discussing the challenges of making policy amid political tumult; this Q&A has been edited for length and clarity:

Q: What have the past 15 years been like for you and for the Business Council considering all the political switchbacks at the Capitol?

A: I would say challenging and exciting and involved, right? Because you have to learn the points of access for new leadership, you also have to explain what the heck is going on to our members, and we've done a lot of that. It's been pretty wild  but it's exciting, and I'm a political junkie. So it makes it fun sometimes, and then sometimes stressful.

Q: When you say you're a political junkie, how do you define the term? I think of it probably from a journalistic perspective, as somebody who pours over every poll and knows every district line.

A: I guess I wouldn't think of it as being different. But to me, the lens is advocacy: How do you advocate for your clients, for your members, or your mission  which is an improved business climate that creates greater opportunity and greater rewards for everyone. It's figuring out who's going to be in leadership; what are their interests; what are their connections; and what are the things that I can engage with them on? And then broadly, I just love following politics. I am a student of government. I like government when it works, and I'm a big believer in policy, so I'm always looking for people in leadership who are interested in policymaking and not just pure politics.

Q: I've got to imagine that at some point, people came to you and said, "You'd make a great assemblywoman" or "You'd make a great state senator." Was that a possibility that you contemplated?

A: I don't think I have the  I don't know, I'm trying to think of a nice way to put it. But I'm not a run-for-office person. I'm really uncomfortable with awards and recognition. My usual reaction is to think that someone's made a mistake. Asking people to vote for me is just not part of my core. It's funny: I just was asked to run for the board of trustees for the Fort Orange Club; I said I would, and I got elected. And I was shocked! This is the first election I think I've ever won. I can't think of a time that I ever ran for anything, even in school.

I started off as an intern in the Assembly, went to law school, spent some time in criminal justice  which I still have a huge passion for  and then came back to state government. Now, I have to figure out how to navigate the politics to advocate for policy that I think is good for the state economy, for business and for the business climate. But my old job advocating for people charged with crimes was very similar in terms of how you approach it: What are the things that you can say about your client, that will evoke a different outcome than maybe what otherwise would have been?

Q: That's the first time I've ever heard anybody liken defending, I assume, indigent criminal defendants to being an advocate on the state level for business interests.

A: But I'm not saying something bad about it.

Q: No, I get that. But I guess the throughline is advocacy, correct?

A: Yes.

Q: And knowing that what you're advocating for is righteous, is not indefensible.

A: Right. I love the word "specious," because it really captures something very specific. But that's true. You know how little kids will say, "Well, that's not fair!" I have this fairness thing that sticks to me. And I feel like getting fair treatment or a fair hearing for your client  whether it's a business or someone charged with a crime  that's what I want, right?

Q: Does political volatility make it harder for an organization like the Business Council to press its case?

A: Yes, absolutely. It's so challenging when people are motivated by fear of a primary, which sometimes shifts their position and makes them maybe look away from good policy. There's the saying that 'Bad facts make bad law'  you make a law to address something, but if it's a fact pattern that's so extreme you're going to probably commit overkill. And that's true in criminal law, and it's true in regulations applying to businesses: One bad actor can sort of force a set of rules on people who were otherwise behaving in a way that was completely fine and appropriate.

Political volatility just makes the decision-making more extreme and knee-jerk, and it adds this element of fear that makes it very hard to convince people. If there's relative political stability, I think people are more likely to make decisions based on pure policy. And for that reason, I think two-year terms for state lawmakers are ridiculous. I think they should have at least four-year terms. Because at least it gives you time to get away from the election cycle, and do new policy.






Farmington, WV (26555)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 51F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 51F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.
Today a shooting victim from yesterday succumbed to his injuries.



And, deadly violence erupted this afternoon . . . Here's the latest and the first report . . .

Homicide 5700 block of Agnes



On todays date, at about 2:30 PM, officers were dispatched on a shooting in the 5700 block of Agnes. Upon arrival officers observed a male victim unresponsive inside of a vehicle. The victim appeared to have been shot. EMS responded and pronounced that victim deceased. Theres no suspect information at this time.



Detectives and crime scene personnel have responded to the scene and are actively canvassing for witnesses and processing the scene for evidence. If you have any information please call the Homicide unit at 234-5043. If you wish to remain anonymous you can call the TIPS hotline at 474-TIPS, with up to a $25,000 reward for an arrest in this case.

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Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Kansas City police investigating homicide near 57th and Agnes by: Brian Dulle Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Officers with the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department are on the scene of a homicide Thursday afternoon. Officers responded to a reported shooting just after 2:30 p.m. near East 57th Street and Agnes Avenue. The victim has not been identified.

Kansas City police investigate homicide near 57th, Agnes KMBC file image SOURCE: KMBC file image Kansas City police said they are investigating a homicide Thursday afternoon in the 5700 block of Agnes Avenue.No other details were immediately released.Refresh this page for updates. Kansas City police said they are investigating a homicide Thursday afternoon in the 5700 block of Agnes Avenue.

KCPD investigating homicide in area of 57th & Agnes KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Kansas City Police Department is investigating a homicide that happened on Thursday. Around 2:45 p.m., the police department emailed the media stating that they are conducting such an investigation in the 5700 block of Agnes Ave. No further information is available at this time.

Developing . . .
Pandemic policy varies around the metro and the more infectious omicron variant has, yet again, sparked debate over public health protocol in schools . . . Overall, locals shouldn't be blamed for confusion as politicos continue to fight about the best way to move forward.



In an exchange moments ago . . .

The Mayor cuts loose on his political opposition across the bridge amid intensifying debate over COVID mask policy . . .

Meanwhile, here's a TKC collection that offers a glimpse at school regs across the area . . .



Kansas City Council reinstates mask mandate for schools amid surge in COVID-19 cases As COVID-19 cases continue climbing in the Kansas City metro - and with rising concerns over keeping schools open for in-person learning - the city council voted Thursday to reinstate mask mandates for students, faculty and staff in Kansas City school buildings.

Despite parent pleas, Johnson County does not issue mask mandate for all students K-12 Masks will continue to be required for elementary-aged kids in Johnson County, something started in August with a Public Health Order. And, despite pleas from parents and medical professionals, they'll continue to simply recommend masks in middle and high schools.On Thursday, six Johnson County Commissioners sat with plexiglass dividers between them.

Johnson County votes to keep masks for K-6 students JOHNSON COUNTY, KS (KCTV) -- After a meeting that lasted nearly four hours, Johnson County Commissioners have decided to keep their mask requirements for K-6 students instead of extending it to include students through the 12th grade.

Park Hill Board of Education to discuss a mask mandate Friday KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Park Hill Board of Education has announced a special meeting Friday to discuss a mask mandate. They are one of several districts considering the option as COVID-19 case numbers have skyrocketed across Kansas and Missouri. The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 7.

Don't expect Independence to pass school COVID mandates, mayor says INDEPENDENCE, MO (KCTV) -- As Kansas City area county and city governments scrambled this week to address school-related COVID mitigation measures, the Independence mayor says the city is staying out of it, instead preferring to defer to the local school boards themselves.

Masks required for all students in Lee's Summit School District through Feb. 3 LEE'S SUMMIT, MO (KCTV) -- Masks are returning to the Lee's Summit School District effective Friday through Feb. 3. The vote was 6-1. Now, masks will be required for all students beginning on Friday. Since returning back to class this week, 247 students have tested positive for COVID-19 and 406 students were "close contacts" to a positive case.

UG Public Health Department strongly recommends return of mask mandate KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, Public Health Department shared alarming COVID-19 statistics Thursday night and strongly recommended the return of a mask mandate. Medical experts shared those numbers at a special session of the Board of County Commissioners.

Developing . . .


Police work can get thick very quick and the politics of this case don't really fit anybody's narrative.

That's why the context of the allegations deserve consideration . . . Real talk: The "rough" arrest involved a trans lady in the midst of an anti-Asian tirade and threatening shop owners who were much smaller than her in stature and terrified for their lives.

Initial court documents say the two officers slammed her face against a concrete sidewalk, kneed her in the face, torso and ribs and forced her arms over her head while she was handcuffed.

Before Breona Hills arrest outside Beauty Essence, Barber and Beauty Supply Store on Brush Creek Boulevard, the jury foremans statement says Hill was involved in some form of dispute with an unknown third party.

She called 911 for help and also asked the store owner to call 911. When doing so, she began using slurs and insulted the store owner, who asked dispatchers to have her removed from the store.





Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .
We could call this a victory but it comes too late for generations of students who have been FAILED by this institution.



Even worse . . .



Read closely and notice that the pandemic is mostly responsible for progress . . .



On May 1, 2000, KCPS became the first district in the nation to lose accreditation. On September 20, 2011, the Missouri Board of Education voted unanimously to withdraw the districts accreditation status, effective January 1, 2012. The district regained provisional accreditation in 2014.



In November 2016, the district announced it had received a high enough score on state accountability measures for the State Board of Education to consider full accreditation, but the State wanted to see sustained progress.



The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) assessments were canceled in Spring 2020 as a result of COVID-19, and the board approved suspending the use of the 2021 MAP results from state and federal accountability due to the impact of COVID-19. As a result, data in Annual Performance Reports were not presented in their traditional form for the school year 2019-21 and 2020-21, and other factors are considered.

Hint . . .



The pandemic pushed through a lot of sketchy "progress" in Kansas City and adding this "milestone" to the list might seem like a win on paper but doesn't make local schools any better.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . .

State Education Board to consider full accreditation for KCPS The Kansas City Public School District (KCPS) 33 has the opportunity to receive accreditation from the Missouri Department of Education next week. On January 11, at the Missouri State Board of Education meeting, consideration of classifying school districts under the Missouri School Improvement Program 5 (MSIP5) appears on the agenda.

Promises kept: KCPS Superintendent Mark Bedell optimistic about full accreditation Kansas City, Missouri, Public School Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell is optimistic and excited that the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will recommend that the Missouri State School Board of Education restore full accreditation at a meeting next Tuesday.

Developing . . .


Terre Haute, IN (47803)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low near 60F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

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Cloudy with periods of rain. Low near 60F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Tullahoma, TN (37388)

Today

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%..

Tonight

Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
Ukraine's international reserves in 2021 grew by 6%, or $1.8 billion, the National Bank of Ukraine has said.

"According to preliminary data, Ukraine's international reserves amounted to $30.941 billion as of January 1, 2022. In 2021, they increased by $1.8 billion or 6%. International reserves have increased as Ukraine received external financing and the National Bank purchased foreign currency in the foreign exchange market," the statement said.

In August 2021, Ukraine received 1.928 billion special drawing rights (SDRs) as part of the total SDR allocation from the IMF. In November, it received SDR 500 million as a second tranche from the IMF under the Stand-By Arrangement. Ukraine also received other related official funding during the year, including around EUR 600 million from the European Commission.

In total, Ukraine received $11.2 billion from external and domestic sources in 2021, which almost offset payments to service and repay public debt in foreign currency ($11.5 billion).

For most of the year, the supply of foreign currency in the market exceeded demand primarily due to favorable global conditions for the main goods of Ukrainian exports. The National Bank of Ukraine acted in accordance with the Strategy of Foreign Exchange Interventions and purchased a surplus of foreign currency to replenish international reserves without hindering the market trend. Last year, the net purchase of foreign currency by the central bank exceeded $2.4 billion.

In December 2021, Ukraine's international reserves rose by $342.5 million or 1.1%. They increased primarily due to foreign exchange earnings in favor of the government.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said in late December that Ukraine in 2021 recorded the highest-ever gross domestic product of almost $200 billion.

op
EU High Representative Josep Borrell traveled to Ukraine on January 4-6 to reaffirm the EU's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and warn that any further Russian military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe costs.

According to Ukrinform, that's according to a press release posted on the website of the European External Action Service on January 6 following Borrell's first visit to eastern Ukraine and to the line of contact.

"During the visit, HRVP Borrell reaffirmed that the European Union remains the most reliable partner of Ukraine during this critical time and reconfirmed the EU's continued support to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in light of the Russian military build-up along its border with Ukraine," the statement said.

The EU High Representative underlined the need for Russia to de-escalate tensions immediately and to fully implement the Minsk agreements. He also expressed clear support to conflict resolution efforts and to the work of the Trilateral Contact Group and the Normandy format.

"HRVP Borrell confirmed that there is no security in Europe without the security of Ukraine and any discussions on European and Ukrainian security must include the European Union and Ukraine. He added that these discussions should build on and strengthen OSCE and UN commitments and obligations," the statement said.

According to the statement, the visit to the line of contact, together with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba, provided the opportunity for Borrell to see first-hand the dramatic consequences of the conflict and its impact on the lives of people over the last eight years. In this context, Borrell commended the work of international organizations, NGOs and the Ukrainian Government working on the ground.

"Today in Kyiv, HRVP Borrell met with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to discuss the present security situation and EU-Ukraine relations. He highlighted the importance of comprehensive reforms as a means of strengthening Ukraine's resilience, in the framework of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, and recalled the political, financial and economic support, over EUR 17 billion, provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict in 2014," the EEAS said.

According to the statement, the visit took place at a critical moment ahead of next week's informal Council of Foreign Affairs Council (the Gymnich meeting) and an informal Council with Defense Ministers, as well as the start of discussions between Russia, the U.S. and NATO.

Photo: DPA

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U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had a phone call with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on January 6 to discuss risk reduction near Ukraine's borders.

That's according to the readout of their call provided by Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby, Ukrinform reports.

"On January 6, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu. They discussed risk reduction near Ukraine's borders," the press release reads.

Earlier it was reported that the foreign ministers of NATO member states will hold an extraordinary online meeting on January 7 due to Russia's military build-up near Ukraine's borders.

Photo: Carlos Bongioanni/Stars and Stripes

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call with Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi said that promoting stability in Europe and Ukraine's territorial integrity in response to Russian aggression was a priority.

That's according to State Department Spokesperson Ned Price, Ukrinform reports.

According to the statement, both parties discussed the ongoing state of emergency in Kazakhstan. The Secretary of State reiterated the United States' full support for Kazakhstan's constitutional institutions and media freedom and advocated for a peaceful, rights-respecting resolution to the crisis.

Blinken also raised the priority of promoting stability in Europe, including support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in response to Russian aggression.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said he had phone calls with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson to discuss a build-up of Russian forces around Ukraine.

According to Ukrinform, Stoltenberg wrote about this on his Twitter account.

"I spoke with President Sauli Niinisto about the security situation in Europe and Russia's build-up in and around Ukraine. We call on Russia to de-escalate. We continue to coordinate with our close partner Finland. NATO respects the right of every country to choose its own path," he wrote.

Stoltenberg also raised the same question in his call with Andersson. According to him, they spoke about "Russia's military build-up in and around Ukraine and European security."

According to Stoltenberg, the military alliance supports every nation's right to freely choose their own security arrangements.

Earlier it was reported that the foreign ministers of NATO member states will hold an extraordinary online meeting on January 7 due to Russia's military build-up near Ukraine's borders.

op
UNHCR Malaysia News  UNHCR Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 6 January 2022 - UNHCR views with concern news of begging cases in the Klang Valley, allegedly involving refugee children.

Vagrancy and begging is a difficult issue for Malaysia to deal with, especially when it involves children. The responsibility rests with the relevant Government departments to manage and protect children in these circumstances, as prescribed under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNHCR is available to provide advice and assist the Government in situations where refugees are involved. Clearly, the best interests of children must be a paramount consideration when managing this issue.

The challenge is that all refugees are considered as illegal in this country. They are unable to be self-reliant through access to legal work. For most refugee families, it is a struggle to earn sufficient income for their basic needs.

In order to survive, refugees find work in the informal sector, and are often subject to exploitation including being paid extremely low wages for working long hours, or sometimes, no wages at all.

For survival purposes, it is not uncommon for refugee youths to find odd jobs in order to help augment their families' income. In any community, it is poverty and desperation that drives families to allow their children to go out and earn income.

Based on insights from refugee communities themselves, it is only a very small percentage of refugees who have been forced to resort to begging in order to make ends meet. It is an indicator of the desperation of a family to allow their children to go out and beg.

If refugee parents are able to work legally and are able to support their families, and if refugee children are able to attend formal schooling, the chances of children being in exploitative conditions are reduced. Children should be in school, not on the streets begging.
Jennifer Ann Hancock was born Nov. 20, 1956, in Atlanta, to William Roy and Martha Jones Hancock. She went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, in Gray. She was preceded in death by her father, William Roy Hancock, and her brother, Timothy Roy Hancock, as well as grandparents
Union Springs, AL (36089)

Today

Some clouds. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

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Some clouds. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Ouagadougou, Jan 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :Thirteen civilians have been killed in separate attacks in northern Burkina Faso, a region battling a six-year-old jihadist insurgency, local sources said on Friday.

Eleven people were killed and one was wounded in an attack on Wednesday at the village of Ankouna, the governor of the Centre-North region, Casimir Segueda, said in a statement.

Local officials said two civilian volunteers working with the army's anti-jihadist campaign were killed at Noaka, also on Wednesday.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Tokyo, Jan 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :Japan moved ahead with an expansion of support to US troops as the allies held top-level talks on Friday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the two nations were signing a five-year extension of the support package provided by Japan for the hosting of around 50,000 US troops on its soil.

The new agreement "will invest greater resources to deepen our military readiness and interoperability," Blinken said at the opening of four-way virtual talks between the allies' foreign and defence chiefs, held Friday Tokyo time.

"Our allies must not only strengthen the tools we have but also develop new ones," Blinken said Thursday in Washington.

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, appearing from isolation after a mild case of Covid-19, said the allies were "evolving our roles and missions to reflect Japan's growing ability to contribute to regional peace and stability.

" Japan renounced its right to wage war after World War II and has since developed a close alliance with Washington, which is treaty-bound to defend the world's second-largest developed economy.

Tokyo pays the costs of the US forces in the country as well as utilities. A previous agreement was set to expire in March 2021 but was extended for a year amid a change of administration in Washington.

According to Japanese press reports, the new five-year package will amount to 211 billion Yen ($1.8 billion) per fiscal year, an increase of about five percent.
(@FahadShabbir)

Moscow, Jan 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Friday there would be no negotiations with protesters after days of unrest, vowing to destroy "armed bandits" who had attacked the country.

In a televised address to the nation, he said the country's main city Almaty had been attacked by "20,000 bandits" and gave "special thanks" to Russian President Vladimir Putin for sending troops to help quell the unrest.
Khartoum, Jan 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :Sudanese security forces shot dead three protesters on Thursday during the latest mass demonstrations demanding a transition to civilian rule after a coup, medics said.

The latest killings bring to 60 the death toll in a security clampdown since the October 25 military takeover, said the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, which is part of the pro-democracy movement.

One of the slain demonstrators took a "live bullet to the head by the putschist forces as he took part in demonstrations" in the capital's twin city of Omdurman, the doctors said.

The second, who also has not been identified, "was hit by a live bullet to the pelvis" during the Omdurman protests while the third was killed in North Khartoum due to "live bullets to the chest," they added.

The medics also counted more than 300 wounded including by live rounds, rubber bullets, and other injuries due to the persistent firing of tear gas.

Their deaths came a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed on Twitter for Sudanese security forces to "cease using lethal force against demonstrators".

Authorities have regularly denied using live rounds in confronting protests.

Singing, beating drums, and holding up posters of others killed in demonstrations since the military takeover, protesters in the capital Khartoum shouted defiant slogans against the army.

Many protesters in Khartoum were seen wounded and struggling with breathing difficulties due to the heavy firing of tear gas, according to the witnesses.

Demonstrators remain undeterred by the risks, which on November 17 saw 15 protesters shot dead in the bloodiest day so far.

"We will not stop until we get our country back," shouted one protester, Samar al-Tayeb, 22.

Other demonstrators set fire to tyres to create burning barricades on the streets.

Crowds were marching towards the presidential palace in Khartoum when security forces fired volleys of tear gas that formed thick and choking clouds, witnesses said.

Protesters hurled back stones at security forces, they added.

"Our marches will continue until we restore our revolution and our civilian government, even if martyrs fall among us," said Mojataba Hussein, a 23-year-old protester.

- Call for dialogue - The power grab by military chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was one of several in Sudan's post-independence history. It dismantled a precarious power-sharing arrangement between the military and civilians established in the wake of the April 2019 ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

The protests on Thursday came days after prime minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned, leaving the military fully in charge. Hamdok had been held under house arrest for weeks following the coup, before being reinstated in a November 21 deal after international pressure.

The protest movement called the November pact a "betrayal" for providing what they said was a cloak of legitimacy for Burhan's coup, and kept up its rallies.

When Hamdok stepped down on Sunday, he said Sudan was at a "dangerous crossroads threatening its very survival".

Western nations say the solution is dialogue, a point made in a tweet Wednesday by Blinken who urged "an immediate, Sudanese-led, and internationally facilitated dialogue." - Protests in several cities - Demonstrations on Thursday again took place in other cities as well as the capital, witnesses said.

"The authority is that of the people," protesters chanted in Wad Madani, demanding soldiers "go back to the barracks".

In Atbara, protesters called on Burhan to "hand over the country's keys and leave," witnesses said.

Crowds in the central state of North Kordofan chanted "No, no to military rule" while waving and draped in the national flag.

Others took to the streets in Central and South Darfur states, according to witnesses.

On Tuesday the United States, European Union, Britain and Norway warned the military against naming their own successor to Hamdok, saying that without involvement of "a broad range of civilian stakeholders" such a move could plunge the country into conflict.

On Thursday, state-media quoted Burhan's media adviser Taher Abouhaga as saying, in an apparent reference to the absence of a government: "The void must be filled in the least possible time."Web monitoring group NetBlocks said the mobile internet was cut from mid-morning Thursday, and wider internet access and phone lines were also disrupted, a tactic repeatedly used in an attempt to disrupt activists.
Washington, Jan 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :The United States on Thursday warned Russian troops deployed to Kazakhstan against taking control of the former Soviet republic's institutions, saying the world would watch for rights violations.

"The United States and, frankly, the world will be watching for any violation of human rights," State Department spokesman Ned price told reporters.

"We will also be watching for any actions that may lay the predicate for the seizure of Kazakh institutions."
British High Commissioner Christian Turner Friday called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarters (GHQ).

RAWALPINDI, Jan 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :British High Commissioner Christian Turner Friday called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarters (GHQ).

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional security situation including Afghanistan and bilateral cooperation in various fields were discussed, said an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) media release.

On the occasion, the Army Chief said, "It's imperative for regional peace and stability that international community assist Afghanistan to avert humanitarian crisis."The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan's efforts for regional peace particularly in Afghan situation.
(@FahadShabbir)

The actress says that she cannot compromise on her values and want to contribute more for the industry that gave her name and fame across the world.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Jan 7th, 2022) Lollywood star Sajal Aly said that she turned down a Hollywood movie due to a bold scene.

The actress said that she strongly believed in values and she did that for the sake of her values.

She expressed these words during an interview to a journalist on Friday.

Sajal said that she was offered a key role in a Hollywood movie for a bold scene but she refused.

"I will never turn back on my own industry as all the international offers she received was just because of her work for Pakistan," said the actress, adding that whenever she went abroad she did so as a Pakistani.

She vowed, "I want to contribute continuously for my industry and I work for it," she stated.

The actress explained that she was offered the title role in a Hollywood movie and it was very interesting but there was a single bold scene which she thought she could not do.

Answering to a question, the actress said that the people of her country would have blamed her even if she had managed that. "I just dont want to make them confuse for that," she added.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that he looks forward to welcoming David Satterfield as US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa as the current diplomat in that position finishes his appointment in the next several days

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th January, 2022) Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that he looks forward to welcoming David Satterfield as US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa as the current diplomat in that position finishes his appointment in the next several days.

"I look forward to welcoming Ambassador David Satterfield in the coming days as the US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa once Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman ends his appointment," Blinken said in a statement via Twitter.

Blinken noted that the Biden administration invited Feltman to this position in early 2021 but intended his appointment to last less than a year.

"However, the ongoing instability in the Horn of Africa and the region's interlinked political, security and humanitarian challenges demand sustained focus by the United States," he said.

Blinken also said he is confident Satterfield will help to promote a peaceful and prosperous Horn of Africa.

Feltman will continue working at the State Department in an advisory capacity, Blinken added.
(@FahadShabbir)

BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th January, 2022) Cuba has condemned the new US sanctions against eight officials of the island nation, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said.

"The US government is persisting in its bad manner to impose its will on other governments via unilateral measures," Rodriguez wrote on his Twitter page on late Thursday.

He added that Cuba would continue to protect its sovereignty.

On Thursday, the US administration of President Joe Biden imposed visa restriction on eight officials from Cuba who are believed to be linked to the detention, sentencing, and imprisonment of peaceful July 11 protesters.
Germany and France have "agreed to disagree" on the EU's move to label nuclear energy as green, German Europe Minister Anna Luehrmann said Friday, denying any conflict between the two European giants on the issue

Berlin, Jan 7 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :Germany and France have "agreed to disagree" on the EU's move to label nuclear energy as green, German Europe Minister Anna Luehrmann said Friday, denying any conflict between the two European giants on the issue.

The European Commission has issued a draft proposal to label nuclear energy, along with natural gas, as "green" sources eligible for investment under rules for promoting a carbon-neutral future.

France has led the charge for nuclear power -- its main energy source -- to be included on the list, while Germany, which is in the process of shutting all its nuclear plants, remains fiercely opposed to the move.

"We know what the French position is on nuclear power and the French side knows very well what the German position is," Luehrmann told AFP in an interview.

"So we can say we agree to disagree on the issue and then turn to the issues where we want to move forward... from climate protection to sustainable investments, to the issue of European strategic sovereignty." The green energy list, known as the EU's "taxonomy", was meant to have landed before the end of 2021, but deep divisions between member states have held it up.

The European Commission quietly distributed a draft text of its plans on New Year's Eve and said it had started consulting with member states on the proposal.

If a majority of member states back it, it will become EU law, coming into effect from 2023.

France, which gets about 70 percent of its power from nuclear, signed a statement supporting nuclear power with nine other EU states in October, including Poland and the Czech Republic.

- 'Not the majority' - But Germany's Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has said it would be "absolutely wrong" to include nuclear energy on the list, arguing that atomic power "can lead to devastating environmental catastrophes".

Germany shut down three of its six remaining nuclear power plants late last year and will close the others by the end of 2022, following Angela Merkel's timetable for phasing out atomic energy.

"We have made it very clear as the entire Federal government that we are against the inclusion of nuclear as a sustainable financial product," Luehrmann said.

"We have to go in a different direction for climate reasons, but also for reasons of political independence, and I see that as an argument against both gas and nuclear energy. Because the uranium has to come from somewhere," she said.

However, Luehrmann conceded that "we also know that we are not the majority in Europe" on the issue.
Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was admitted to hospital Friday, the medical facility said, weeks after he was discharged following a check-up

Kuala Lumpur, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad was admitted to hospital Friday, the medical facility said, weeks after he was discharged following a check-up.

The National Heart Institute said the 96-year-old was admitted for an "elective medical procedure" but did provide further details.

The former premier was given a full medical check-up with several investigations at the same specialist heart hospital in mid-December, with doctors discharging him a week later.

Mahathir has had heart problems in the past, suffering several heart attacks and undergoing bypass surgery.

He has been one of Malaysia's most dominant political figures in recent decades, serving twice as prime minister for a total of 24 years.

He was leader from 1981 to 2003, then returned to power in 2018 at the age of 92 as the head of a reformist coalition.

But that administration collapsed in 2020 due to infighting.
(@FahadShabbir)

Three white men convicted of murdering an African-American jogger after chasing him in their pickup trucks will be sentenced Friday in a case that highlighted tensions over racial justice

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2022 ) :Three white men convicted of murdering an African-American jogger after chasing him in their pickup trucks will be sentenced Friday in a case that highlighted tensions over racial justice.

Travis McMichael, who shot Ahmaud Arbery, his father Gregory McMichael, and their neighbor, William "Roddie" Bryan, were all convicted of multiple counts of murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment in November.

Travis McMichael, 35, Gregory McMichael, 66, a retired police officer, and Bryan, 52, face potential life in prison for the February 2020 shooting of 25-year-old Arbery.

The trial was driven by graphic video of the armed men following Arbery as he ran through their neighborhood, suspecting with no evidence that he might have been a burglar.

The video, taken by Bryan, shows Arbery trying to avoid them and then Travis McMichael eventually confronting and shooting him with a shotgun.

The video was initially kept secret by local law enforcement and it took several months for the McMichaels and Bryan to be arrested, which came after the footage was leaked online, sparking national outrage.

A local prosecutor, Jackie Johnson, has been indicted for violating her oath of office and allegedly hindering the investigation into Arbery's death.

During the trial, the defendants said they suspected Arbery was a burglar who had been active in their neighborhood and invoked a since-repealed state law that allows ordinary citizens to make arrests.

But prosecutors said they had no justification for attempting to detain Arbery and never told him they were trying to arrest him as he jogged through their Satilla Shores neighborhood on a Sunday afternoon.

Arbery was "trying to get away from these strangers who were yelling at him, threatening to kill him," lead prosecutor Linda Dunikoski told the court. "And then they killed him." "This isn't the Wild West," she said.

Ben Crump, an attorney for Arbery's father, has branded the three men a "lynch mob." After the verdict was read on November 24, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, said Arbery was "the victim of a vigilantism that has no place in Georgia" and he called for "healing and reconciliation."The men could have faced the death penalty for the murder. But prosecutors made clear before the trial they would not pursue that punishment, possibly making it easier for the mostly-white jury to reach a verdict, which came relatively quickly -- after less than 12 hours of deliberations.

President Joe Biden said in November that Arbery's killing "is a devastating reminder of how far we have to go in the fight for racial justice in this country."
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A Representative Office (RO) is one of the most popular and common market entry options for foreign investors in Vietnam.

An RO offers a low-cost entry option for businesses that want to get a feel of the Vietnamese market before making a commitment to a bigger investment in the country.

Vietnam Briefing gives an overview of what is needed to set up an RO, including compliance, reporting, and tax requirements.

A Representative Office (RO) offers a low-cost entry for companies seeking to gain a better understanding of the Vietnamese market. As such, this option is among the most common for first-time entrants to the Vietnamese market and often precedes a larger presence within the country.

What are ROs permitted to do?

ROs are permitted to engage in the following activities:

Conducting market research; Acting as a liaison office for its parent company; Promoting the activities of its head office through meetings, and other activities, that leads to business at later stages.

Representative offices are dependent on their parent company and are not allowed to generate their own profits or enter directly into contracts. They are also not allowed to issue invoices.

What do you need to get a license?

Pre-licensing checklist for setting up a RO:

File an application for setting up a RO with company chop or seal; Appointment letter of Chief of RO with identification documents and company seal; Power of attorney in favor of consultant to submit the application dossier; Certificate of Incorporation for the Company and/or Business Registration Certificate of the Company; Audited financial report of the company for the latest fiscal year; Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of leasing office or leasing contract; Documents providing legal rights of landlord regarding the right of leasing office.

For steps 1 to 6, the foreign entity would require one notarized and consularized copy of each document and a translated copy in Vietnamese by a Vietnamese competent authority.

A signed leasing contract is also required before registering a RO in Vietnam.

What do you need to do after you get the license?

Post-licensing checklist for setup a RO:

Make a seal for the RO; License on the establishment of RO

Passport of Chief of RO if foreigner or passport/ID card if Chief is Vietnamese Register a Tax code for RO; Declaration to register a tax code

Power of attorney

Certificate of seal registration

Certificate of RO in Vietnam Open a bank account of RO; License on the establishment of RO

Certificate of seal registration

Certificate of tax code registration

Letter of authorization appointing the authorized signatories of the bank accounts Announcement of the establishment of RO of Company.

For steps 8 to 10, notarized and translated documents will be required to complete the process.

How long does it take to set up an RO?

ROs can be set up in between six to eight weeks. We recommend hiring a professional service to deal with the myriad of laws and procedures.

Given the absence of in-country revenue and associated licensing requirements, the setup process for this option does not entail as many bureaucratic procedures as others.

An RO license is valid for five years but can be extended for another five years.

What comes next?

Hiring, tax, and reporting.

There is no cap on the number of local and expatriate employees that a representative office can hire as long as their employment is properly documented.

All expatriate hires including the chief representative are required to have a work permit. ROs can hire staff directly or use the assistance of recruiting agencies.

An RO is not subject to Vietnamese corporate income tax (CIT). However, it is responsible for declaring its employees personal income tax (PIT).

In order to determine payable tax, ROs have to undertake a tax audit that checks all revenues and expenses during the tax term to establish grounds for declaring and paying tax.

The RO also has to send reports of its activities of the previous year to the Department of Industry and Trade before January 30 of each year. These reports are also known as the Annual Report.

The Annual Report must be in accordance with Circular No. 11/2016/TT-BCT. Among other details, the annual report must include the list of employees working for the RO and any change within the reporting year. In addition, the report must also include what the RO has done during the year such as its promotion activities and marketing events.

Businesses that fail to submit the annual report on time, risk fines of up to VND 40 million (US$1,700). It can also result in difficulties if the RO wants to renew its license or change and upgrade its operations to a permanent establishment.

Tax risks if RO viewed as Permanent Establishment

As discussed earlier, an RO is only permitted to do market research activities and act as a liaison office for its parent company. It cannot engage in commercial activities or support the parent company with its commercial activities in Vietnam.

A Permanent Establishment (PE) is defined as per local laws as well as the double tax avoidance (DTA) agreement between Vietnam and other countries. Generally, the PE definition under a DTA takes precedence over domestic regulations.

If a foreign business wants to convert the RO into a PE but has been carrying out activities as per local laws, it could activate a licensing risk. Therefore, foreign businesses should ensure that their RO performs activities as per the DTA guidelines. In addition, if the RO performs activities that are outside its scope, it may be subject to additional tax in Vietnam.

To avoid any licensing or tax risks in case the RO is treated as a PE, businesses are advised to refrain from getting their ROs involved in buying and selling activities between two parties or any other activities generating revenue.

Foreign investors looking to establish a presence in Vietnam should use the services of registered local advisors who can ensure their set up process is accurate while complying with the relevant DTAs and local regulations.
In a move of solidarity, France has urged the EU to show a united front against China over an escalating trade conflict over Lithuania.

As it takes over the rotating presidency for the EUs Council, French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to make the blocs trade policy more assertive by bolstering its defense arsenal in commercial disputes against China.

After Lithuanias decision to open a Taiwanese representative office in its capital of Vilnius in November 2021, China has called for a corporate boycott of the small Baltic nation. As retaliation for the warming diplomatic relations between the two, Chinese authorities not only cracked down on Lithuanian imports but also on goods from other EU countries  such as France, Germany and Sweden  that included parts from Lithuanian supply chains.



For the mainland Chinese regime, Taiwan (officially called the Republic of China) is seen as a renegade province that rightfully belongs to the communist Peoples Republic. Though Beijing has indicated its preference for a peaceful unification, it does not rule out military force and has vowed to reclaim the island by any means necessary.



READ MORE:

Lithuania Facing Corporate Boycott Triggered by Beijing

China Pushing German Company to Stop Using Car Components From Lithuania

EU Response

The EU has plans to roll out a new trade policy labeled as an anti-coercion instrument for use in these kinds of governmental disputes. However, lawmakers say legislation could take years to fully enter into force and Paris has signaled that action over Lithuania would be needed well before then.

When asked whether Paris would push for EU action to resist Beijing before the anti-coercion instrument is ready, a senior French government official told reporters on Jan. 6, Yes. We will take measures very quickly.

The anti-coercion instrument is still under negotiation, but maybe something can be done in advance in support of Lithuania, he added.

It is not clear what the determining reason for Chinas behavior towards this country was, the French official said in response to Chinas crackdown against Lithuania. Perhaps it was the Taiwan issue, but there was also the fact that Lithuania left the 17+1 mechanism that China had initiated. You know, we have always been extremely determined that this dialogue should be conducted at 27+1.

The trade spat between the two countries is turning into a global geopolitical issue, where economic prowess is seen as critical in streamlining democratic principles. In response, Taiwan has vowed to create a $200 million fund to invest in Lithuanian tech industries to boost bilateral trade, while the U.S. has also promised to take action in support of the small country.

China denies wrongdoing while U.S. backs Lithuania

Although Chinese authorities have denied ordering a trade boycott on Lithuanian goods, the EU says it has verified reports of Lithuanian imports being blocked at customs. If diplomacy continues to fail, the European Commission says it is prepared to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO), citing corporate intimidation.

In an editorial posted on Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times, Beijing said there will be no opportunity for trivial forces like Lithuania to lead the Western world to shake the one-China principle.



Lithuania is just a mouse, or even a flea, under the feet of a fighting elephant, the editorial read.

In response to Chinas icing tactics against Lithuania, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Jan. 5 during a joint press conference with Germanys new foreign affairs minister, Annalena Baerbock, We have immediate concern about the government of Chinas attempts to bully Lithuania, a country of fewer than 3 million people,



The United States will work with our allies and partners, including Germany, to stand up against intimidation like this.

China is pushing European and American companies to stop building products with components made in Lithuania or risk losing access to the Chinese market, Blinked added. The United States will work with our allies and partners, including Germany, to stand up against intimidation like this.Baerbock added that We as Europeans stand in solidarity at Lithuanias side.
If the unvaccinated are unhappy, there is a very simple solution  get vaccinated. Its free and will protect you, said Health Minister Christian Dube at a Jan. 6 press conference where the Government of Quebec announced it will soon modify the conditions of its vaccine passport to require holders to accept a third dose to maintain their social standing.

The comments were translated from French to English and reported by Daily Hive, who also confirmed that entry to the provinces liquor stores and cannabis retailers will be gated by vaccine status starting Jan. 18, a move predicted earlier in the week by establishment media as slated to come into force.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Because of recent lockdown restrictions, including a 10:00 p.m. curfew enacted on New Years Day via a heavy police presence, the Province shuttered bars and restaurants, causing all demand for state sanctioned recreational drugs to filter into retail outlets.

Montreal Police arrested everyone at the protest against Covid curfew. Look at all the police resources they spent for this!



Watch till the end!



Go to : https://t.co/sJH1IVqtus



With @Yanky_Pollak and @RoyGuillaume13 @RebelNewsOnline pic.twitter.com/9d0o6MdhKl  Alexa Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) January 6, 2022

According to Epoch Times, a firm date for when Quebecors social credit will require three doses of injection was not announced. Minister Dube was only paraphrased as saying the decree would be handed down once booster injections became available for all residents.

Currently, boosters are only accessible for those aged 50+, but third doses for all adults will begin disbursement as soon as Jan. 21.

Rebel News reported Dube as stating, Were going to be ready to use this passport over the next year or so  and thats the reason Im warning people today that the third dose will be adjusted for the passport, and wed better be ready for that.

BREAKING: Quebec's health minister says the vaccine passport "has worked," despite announcing that a booster dose would be required for continued use.



DETAILS: https://t.co/35xnt20ntD



Help Us: https://t.co/oIPU6az6hO pic.twitter.com/FT4wt1F1fo  Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 6, 2022

During the press conference, Dube also stated that additional injections could be required in the future because, I think its very clear that, given whats happening now, will there be another Omicron version, whatever, in April or May? I dont know.

We have put this tool in place, it has worked from last fall, from last summer, to a couple of weeks ago before we got hit by this tsunami.

In December, BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin announced at a press conference that an Omicron-specific version of the Pfizer vaccine is in the works with a possible release date as early as March.

Sahin confirmed that the new injection would be a three-dose course, meaning Canadians may soon face the prospect of having to accept six jabs, a full course plus booster of the existing injections, plus the three dose Omicron-specific variant, to maintain social credit status.

Dube was also summarized by ET as saying that he only introduced new rules for liquor and pot stores because they are owned and operated by the provincial government.

Im going to be very clear, its only a start, stated the Health Minister, as he made it clear that the unvaccinated would be barred from everything except for grocery stores in the short term future.

This will not be the last two [sectors]. We are in communication in the coming days with all non-essential services, shopping malls, you name it, and well make sure that when they are announced, they have the proper time to put in place the measures.

But the message Im sending to non-vaccinated people [is]: if you dont get vaccinated, stay home.

All Canadians must take note. Quebec was the first province in 2021 to begin the practice of requiring citizens to show their health papers in order to live a normal life, sparking a trend that quickly rolled out across all of Canada, including in Ontario and Alberta where Conservative Premiers Doug Ford and Jason Kenney had previously vowed that vaccine passports would not be implemented because of concerns over violation of Charter rights.

Canadas federally-funded messaging platform, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, further said that Quebec intends to allow uses of home-administered rapid tests to self-declare positive results via the Internet starting next week, a move that is bound to increase case numbers and provide a greater pretext for further lockdown measures and vaccine mandates.

The expansion of the Government of Quebecs vaccine passport system went almost entirely unreported in Canadas English-language media. As of shortly after midnight EST Jan. 7, the only establishment media to cover the event was the CBC, according to search results in the news category of both Google and DuckDuckGo.

Niche websites MTL Blog, and Eater Montreal were the only other results.

Hard-left establishment business publication Globe and Mail covered Dubes press conference from the angle of vaccine passports being required for cannabis and liquor stores, but completely omitted any reference to the Ministers comments that a booster injection, in addition to future injections, were an inevitability to maintain fully vaccinated status.
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Dozens of former employees of the World Food Program have blocked the entrance to a humanitarian hub in Bor on Friday. The workers, who are protesting a three-month delay in payment, blocked the gates of a compound hosting U.N. agencies.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will start a visit to Myanmar on Friday for talks with its military rulers, triggering protests across the conflict-torn nation by coup opponents who fear his trip will provide more legitimacy to the junta.

His visit will be the first by a head of government to Myanmar since the army overthrew the elected administration of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, sparking months of protests and a bloody crackdown.

Cambodia is current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has been leading diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Myanmar and which adopted a five-point "consensus" peace plan in April.

Other ASEAN countries including Indonesia have expressed frustration at the junta's failure to implement the peace deal, which has fanned divisions in the 10-member bloc.

In Myanmar, opponents of military rule have said Hun Sen is backing the junta by making the trip.

In Depayin, about 300 kilometers north of the capital, Naypyidaw, protesters burned a poster of the Cambodian prime minister and chanted "Hun Sen don't come to Myanmar. We don't want dictator Hun Sen," photographs on social media showed.

There were also reports of protests in Mandalay and the Tanintharyi and Monywa regions.

In a speech on Wednesday, Hun Sen called for restraint from all sides in Myanmar and for the peace plan to be followed through.

"Brothers in Myanmar, do you want your country to fall into a real civil war or want it solved?" he said. "The first point of the consensus is the patience, the cessation of violence. This is the goal that we want."

After a phone call this week with Hun Sen, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in messages on Twitter that if there was no significant progress in the peace plan, only nonpolitical representatives from Myanmar should be allowed at ASEAN meetings.

Min Ko Naing, a leading activist in Myanmar, said in a social media post that Hun Sen would face massive protests over his visit, which would hurt ASEAN.

The General Strike Coordination Body, which pools more than 260 organizations opposed to the coup in Myanmar, also denounced Hun Sen's visit, accusing him of backing Myanmar's military rulers.

Hun Sen is one of the world's longest-serving leaders, and Western countries and human rights groups have long condemned him for crackdowns on opponents, civil rights groups and the media in Cambodia.

Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director for Research Emerlynne Gil said Hun Sen should cancel his trip and "lead ASEAN to strong action to address the country's dire human rights situation."

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry said Hun Sen will meet military leader Min Aung Hlaing, but the U.S.-funded Radio Free Asia cited a junta spokesman as saying he would not meet Suu Kyi, who is on trial and faces nearly a dozen cases that carry a combined maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is visiting Myanmar on what he says is a trip meant to restore peace after a Feb. 1 military takeover but that critics say will just legitimize the army's seizure of power.

Live video on Hun Sen's official Facebook page showed him being welcomed by senior Myanmar officials after his arrival in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw early Friday. Myanmar's state media also broadcast his arrival.

Hun Sen is himself an authoritarian leader who has held power for 36 years and keeps a tight leash on political activity in Cambodia. He is the first head of state to visit Myanmar since the coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Cambodia holds the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Hun Sen plans to meet with Myanmar's leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing to promote a five-point peace plan for Myanmar endorsed by ASEAN last year.

Hun Sen said on Wednesday in Phnom Penh that he had not set any pre-conditions before his visit.

What I would like to bring to the talks is nothing besides the five points, consensus points that were agreed upon by all ASEAN member states, he said late Wednesday.

The proposal calls for a halt to the violence that has followed the military takeover, talks with the opposition on a peaceful resolution and permission for a special ASEAN envoy to meet and mediate with all parties in the conflict.

ASEAN leaders including Min Aung Hlaing agreed on those points last April. The Myanmar leader was barred in October from attending ASEAN meetings after the then-ASEAN special envoy was prevented from meeting with Suu Kyi and other political detainees.

Myanmar's military has said Hun Sen also would not be allowed to meet with Suu Kyi, who was convicted in December on charges of incitement and violating coronavirus restrictions and sentenced to four years in prison - a sentence that Min Aung Hlaing then cut in half.

The army's takeover prevented Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party from beginning a second term in office. It won a landslide victory in national elections in November 2020 and independent election observers did not find any major irregularities.

Min Aung Hlaing's move undid 10 years of progress toward democracy after the army loosened its grip on power after decades of repressive military rule.

The Myanmar military has a history of bloodshed, including a brutal campaign against the Rohingya Muslim minority. Its seizure of power provoked nationwide nonviolent demonstrations, which security forces have quashed with deadly force. The military has recently engaged in violent suppression of all dissent, disappearances, torture and extra-judicial killings. It has also launched air strikes and ground offensives against ethnic armed rebel groups.

Security forces have killed about 1,443 civilians, according to a detailed tally by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. As the crackdown has become more severe, an armed resistance has grown inside the country.

Hun Sen was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, the current ASEAN special envoy, and other top Cambodian leaders.

Hun Sen, who has retained power by exiling or imprisoning the Cambodian opposition, may be hoping his visit will burnish his own tarnished international image.

The National Unity Government, an underground Myanmar opposition group and parallel administration, also urged Hun Sen to stay away.

Meeting Min Aung Hlaing, shaking blood-stained hands. It's not going to be acceptable, said Dr. Sasa, a spokesperson for the group who uses one name.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said Myanmar's leader will continue to be excluded from ASEAN meetings unless some progress is made.

Should there be no significant progress on the implementation of the five-point consensus, Myanmar should only be represented at a non-political level at ASEAN meetings, Widodo tweeted after speaking to Hun Sen.
A Chinese national pleaded guilty on Thursday of conspiring to steal a trade secret from American agribusiness giant Monsanto, the Justice Department said.

Xiang Haitao, 44, was employed as an imaging scientist by Monsanto and its subsidiary, the Climate Corporation, from 2008 to 2017, the department said in a statement.

Xiang pleaded guilty in Missouri, where Monsanto is based, to one count of conspiracy to commit economic espionage on behalf of China, it said.

According to the Justice Department, Xiang stole proprietary software developed by Monsanto to help farmers improve crop yields.

"Despite Xiang's agreements to protect Monsanto's intellectual property and repeated training on his obligations to do so, Xiang has now admitted that he stole a trade secret from Monsanto, transferred it to a memory card and attempted to take it to the People's Republic of China for the benefit of the Chinese government," Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said.

"Mr. Xiang used his insider status at a major international company to steal valuable trade secrets for use in his native China," said Sayler Fleming, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.

"We cannot allow U.S. citizens or foreign nationals to hand sensitive business information over to competitors in other countries," Fleming added.

Xiang is to be sentenced on April 7. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a potential fine of $5 million.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, speaking in 2019 at the time Xiang was charged by U.S. authorities, said Washington was trying to use the case to back its accusations that China steals technology from U.S. companies.

"We resolutely oppose the U.S. side's attempts to use the case, which we regard as an ordinary, isolated incident, to hype up claims of China's organized and systematic attempts to steal intellectual property from the U.S.," spokesman Geng Shuang said.
With kidnappings and other crimes on the rise in Nigeria, the U.S. State Department is urging Americans, dual citizens and others to reconsider travel to the West African country.

The State Departments travel advisory, issued January 4, warns that violent crime  such as armed robbery, assault, carjacking, kidnapping, hostage taking, banditry, and rape  is common throughout the country. Kidnappings for ransom occur frequently, often targeting dual national citizens who have returned to Nigeria for a visit, as well as U.S. citizens with perceived wealth.

That same day, Nigerias federal government officially designated armed bandits as terrorists, as Agence France-Presse reported. The designation provides tougher sanctions and penalties for criminals and those who assist them.

The U.S. advisory includes a flat do not travel warning for Borno, Yobe and northern Adamawa states because of terrorism and kidnapping concerns, and a similar warning for the northern states of Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Zamfara due to kidnapping.

Coastal areas in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta and Rivers states  except for Port Harcourt  are also on the do not travel list.

Africas most populous country has been gripped by growing insecurity, including a surge in kidnapping for ransom. In Kaduna state alone, the government reported 1,723 people kidnapped in the first six months of 2021, compared with nearly 2,000 for the entire previous year.
An affordable COVID-19 vaccine developed by U.S. researchers and being produced in India could help address the vaccine inequity that is prolonging the pandemic as hundreds of millions in low-income countries wait for shots, according to public health experts.

India recently granted restricted emergency authorization to the vaccine, called Corbevax, which is based on a conventional, protein-based technology.

The Hyderabad-based company Biological E that collaborated with Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, has said it will make 100 million doses starting next month and plans to deliver 1 billion doses globally. It already has a stockpile of 150 million doses.

There could still be time before Corbevax shots get into arms  Indian authorities have not yet added it to the shots being presently used in the countrys inoculation program.

The vaccines affordability is getting attention, though, as the raging omicron variant turns the spotlight on the abysmally low vaccination coverage in many countries and raises demands for booster shots in others.

We think it'll be one of the lowest-cost vaccines out there -- a few dollars a dose. So certainly far less than the cost of mRNA vaccines or some of the other technologies, which again is a big advantage, Dr. Peter Hotez, told VOA. He developed the vaccine along with Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi. Both are co-directors at the Texas vaccine development center.

Its developers say the reason for the vaccines lower cost is that it is being shared patent-free without any strings attached. According to reports, it could be the cheapest vaccine available so far  less expensive than the AstraZeneca vaccine that has been the backbone of inoculation programs in India and several other developing countries.

Public health experts are optimistic that the vaccine could make a difference in Asian and African countries where vaccine coverage is abysmally low.

It is going to be helpful in the overall global vaccination program. As we are still facing the challenge of variants, we will need more vaccines for many more people and as the West is preoccupied with giving booster after booster, the rest of the world is going to be kept waiting, said K. Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India.

So, it is best to use this time-tested technology to produce more vaccines to ensure that more people in other countries also get the vaccine. Its a simpler, safer technology, something that has been time-tested and adverse effects are very few in number though they do exist, he said.

Health experts point out that variants of concern have emerged in countries with low vaccination coverage -- the delta variant originated in India last year when most people were not inoculated and the omicron variant was first identified in South Africa.

If we ever hope to forestall the emergence of future variants, it means vaccinating the southern hemisphere, vaccinating Asia, Africa and Latin America as fast as possible, and that's the goal with our vaccine, Hotez told VOA.

While world vaccine availability has improved with several new vaccines, cost still remains a limiting factor. Health experts point out that Astra Zeneca, whose COVID-19 vaccine was billed as the vaccine for the world, said in November that it will restrict its not-for-profit model only to poorer countries. Meanwhile, despite pressure, Moderna and Pfizer have not agreed to license their mRNA technology to developing countries, keeping it out of reach for much of the world.

Many African countries, including some of the continent's largest, such as Nigeria, have so far vaccinated fewer than 5% of their populations. The World Health Organization has been pushing for a 70% coverage for all countries by the middle of this year, but this could also be missed across many countries.

The developers of Corbevax say they are talking to manufacturers around the world.

We now have relationships with other manufacturers in Indonesia, in Bangladesh -- we're working with a company that is building capacity -- in many locations in Africa, including Botswana and South Africa, Bottazzi told VOA. We have the hope that we also can transfer this technology to other countries like Vietnam, potentially also in Latin America.

However, there are skeptics. While the Texas Children Hospital has said the vaccine was found to be safe and well-tolerated through Phase 3 clinical trials with more than 3,000 subjects, some caution that public data on its clinical efficacy is limited.

It still has to be approved by the World Health Organization and we will also need more data to be convinced that it works against omicron, according to Achal Prabhala at Access IBSA project, which campaigns for access to medicines in India, Brazil and South Africa.

Moreover, Corbevax takes longer to produce, hence it is not really that easy to scale up. And the world needs billions of more doses, he said.

Preliminary research has suggested that many of the existing vaccines do not work to prevent infection against omicron, though they reduce the severity of the disease.

Bottazzi said that studies of the vaccines efficacy against omicron are continuing. The vaccine is based on a conventional technology used to make the recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine that had been used for several decades.

Experts say that as countries begin to opt for vaccine combinations, Corbevax could help low- and middle-income countries expand their programs.

In India, the vaccine is in trial for booster doses and could also be used for export according to officials.

So far boosters will be rolled out starting Monday to health care workers and senior citizens with comorbidities with AstraZeneca and a locally developed vaccine.

However, public health experts expect Corbevax to play a role when the country widens the administration of booster shots -- calls for a third shot have been growing as the omicron variant spread rapidly in the country.

Megan Duzor contributed to this report.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday announced that proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test will now be required to enter bars and restaurants in the country.

Vaccination proof has been required to enter many public venues for several weeks, but the new measure expands the mandate to include eating and drinking establishments.

Scholz announced the decision to reporters in Berlin following a COVID-19 strategy meeting with Germanys 16 regional governors.

The leaders also agreed to shorten quarantine  or self-isolation  for those exposed to COVID-19 cases from 12 to 10 days. Those vaccinated or fully vaccinated with a booster will not have to quarantine at all.

Scholz said the government met its goal of administering 30 million booster shots by Christmas. He said they are now aiming to administer another 30 million by the end of January.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, health officials Friday announced that more than 100 people, including at least nine government officials and several lawmakers, have been sent into quarantine after attending a birthday party where they had encountered two attendees who later tested positive for COVID-19.

Hong Kong public health chief Edwin Tsui told reporters the entire guest list of about 170 people would need to be isolated after a second person tested positive for COVID-19. The guest list at the Monday evening party included Home Affairs minister Caspar Tsui, Hong Kong police chief Raymond Siu and immigration minister Au Ka-wang.

The guest list also included at least 20 lawmakers, but as some left early it is not clear how many will be required to quarantine.

The party came three days after health officials advised residents avoid large gatherings. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Friday expressed disappointment that officials set such a bad example for the public.

Global surge

The number of global COVID infections has passed the 300 million mark. It took more than a year to reach the first 100 million and just five months to add the third 100 million, as the world deals with the highly contagious omicron variant.

France registered 328,214 new coronavirus cases Friday, just short of the record high of 332,252 new daily cases reached on Wednesday.

Britains Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned Friday that hospital admissions were rising and said the countrys health system was facing a rocky few weeks ahead.

In an Instagram post, the worlds top ranked mens tennis player, Novak Djokovic thanked fans from around the world for supporting him as he seeks to overturn Australian deportation orders over the countrys COVID-19 rules.

Djokovic was barred from entering the country Wednesday when federal officials rejected his medical exemption to play in the Australian Open. He is confined to a Melbourne hotel pending a court hearing Monday.

Sri Lankan health authorities began vaccinating children ages 12-15 Friday to fight off a wave of COVID-19 cases driven by the omicron variant.

In Japan, the government approved new restrictions Friday in the southwestern regions of Okinawa, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima to stop a rise in coronavirus cases. The restrictions include reduced hours for restaurants and bans on large-scale events.

Indias health ministry reported 117,100 new COVID-19 cases early Friday. That is five times the number from the previous week.

Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
With the aid of Russian-backed troops, government security forces fired on protesters in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, on Thursday, killing dozens as unrest in the former Soviet republic escalated, police in Almaty said.

In news video taken from the streets of Almaty, security forces  some in armored vehicles  can be seen firing repeatedly into a crowd of protesters in the city's Republic square. A representative from one of the protest groups told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that most of the people in the square were unarmed.

Russian news agency Tass said late Thursday that the square had been cleared of protesters but that sporadic gunfire continued. Reuters and Associated Press also reported sporadic gunfire.

Kazakh police reported killing dozens of protesters overnight and into Thursday and detaining more than 2,000 people in the past day. As many as 18 police officers were killed, police said, with one officer reportedly found beheaded.

"I didn't know our people could be so terrifying," Samal, a nursery-school teacher, told AFP near the presidential residence, where bullet casings littered the ground.

Thursday's crackdown comes a day after the protests  which began days earlier over a jump in fuel prices  turned violent, with thousands of people, some reportedly armed with clubs and shields, taking to the streets, storming government buildings and setting some on fire, including the president's residence.

As Kazakh security forces lost control of the situation, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev requested Russian military intervention under the terms of the so-called collective security treaties that exist among several former Soviet countries.



As Russian-led troops arrived in Kazakhstan on Thursday, the United States warned them not to seize control of Kazakh institutions.

"The United States and, frankly, the world will be watching for any violation of human rights," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

"We hope that the government of Kazakhstan will soon be able to address problems which are fundamentally economic and political in nature," Price added, saying the U.S. is a "partner" of the Central Asian nation.

In a nationally televised address on Wednesday, Tokayev declared a state of emergency and referred to the protesters as well-organized thugs and terrorists with outside support, which he did not identify, and promised to deal with them harshly.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Thursday with Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi regarding the ongoing state of emergency, according to a statement from State Department spokesperson Price. Blinken reiterated full U.S. support for "Kazakhstan's constitutional institutions and media freedom and advocated for a peaceful, rights-respecting resolution to the crisis," Price said.

The demonstrations began late last week in the western part of the country in protest of the doubling of fuel prices. But because they have spread across the country so quickly and have grown so large, some political observers are suggesting they reflect wider discontent in the country that has lived under authoritarianism since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev issued a shoot-to-kill order Friday for security forces dealing with protesters following a week of unrest in the Central Asian country.

In a televised national address, the president said, "Terrorists continue to damage state and private property and use weapons against civilians. I have given the order to law enforcement to shoot to kill without warning."

In the address, Tokayev dismissed international calls for his government to negotiate with the protesters  which he continues to claim, without evidence, are trained and organized by unnamed foreign entities.

What nonsense, he said. What kind of negotiations can there be with criminals, with murderers?

He called the protesters bandits and terrorists who must be destroyed, and he promised this would be done shortly. He also thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for promptly sending troops, at Tokayevs request, to help crack down on the protests.

Protests broke out in Kazakhstan late last week over fuel prices and escalated into widespread violence.

Leaders outside the region reacted Friday to the developments in the country.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States was "very concerned" about the state of emergency in Kazakhstan.

"We're watching the situation with real concern, and we are encouraging everyone to find a peaceful resolution," he said.

The State Department on Friday approved the voluntary departure of nonemergency U.S. government employees and their family members working at the U.S. consulate in Kazakhstans largest city, Almaty.

A State Department advisory also warned that the situation in Kazakhstan could affect the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstans ability to provide assistance to U.S. citizens departing the Central Asian nation.

In Berlin, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Christofer Burger said Germany was still investigating the reports from Kazakhstan, but he questioned the use of lethal force against civilians and said the government bears responsibility for the protection of its citizens.

During a joint news conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Ursula Von der Leyen called for the rights and security of the Kazakh citizens to be protected, and both leaders called for an end to the violence. France currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also called Friday for an end to the violence in Kazakhstan.

Speaking after chairing a virtual NATO meeting in Brussels, Stoltenberg said alliance members were concerned about the situation in Kazakhstan and said the rights of peaceful protest and freedom of expression needed to be respected.

United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric called for Kazakhstan to respect "human rights and international standards while reestablishing public order.

Chinese President Xi Jinping praised Tokayev on Friday for having decisively taken strong measures at critical moments and quickly calming down the situation, and referred to the violence by protesters as a large-scale riot.

China has invested heavily in Kazakhstan, which is a crucial part of Beijings Belt and Road initiative project connecting China to Europe.

Feng Chongyi, an associate professor in China Studies at Sydneys University of Technology, told VOAs Mandarin service that China is very worried about spillover effects from the Kazakhstan violence, which could encourage citizens in a neighboring country to Kazakhstan, or even Chinese citizens to rise up against their government.

He also noted that while China and Russia often work together on the international stage against the United States, they also have their own conflicts with each other, which he said could flare up over the violence in Kazakhstan. He said if Kazakhstan moves closer to Russia as a result of the current situation this would pose a threat to Chinas interests.

Thursday, as news spread of Russian-led troops helping to quell the unrest, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters, "The United States and, frankly, the world will be watching for any violation of human rights."

Reports from Kazakhstans main city, Almaty, said that while sporadic gunfire could be heard early Friday, the unrest appeared have paused, with similar reports from other cities.

The demonstrations began late last week in the western part of the country in protest against doubling fuel prices. But because they grew and spread so quickly, some political observers suggested they reflected wider discontent in the country, where residents have lived under authoritarianism since the nation gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

On Friday, Kazakhstans Interior Ministry reported that security forces killed 26 protesters during the unrest and said 18 law enforcement officers were killed. It said more than 3,800 people had been detained. The numbers could not be independently verified.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. VOAs Mandarin Service and Fern Robinson contributed to this report.
Constitutional order has largely been restored to Kazakhstan, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in a statement Friday after a weeks unrest in the Central Asian country.

Local authorities are in control of the situation. But terrorists are still using weapons and damaging the property of citizens. Therefore, counter-terrorist actions should be continued until the militants are completely eliminated, the presidents statement said.

Reuters reported that gunshots could still be heard Friday morning in Almaty, the countrys largest city.

The Kazakh Interior Ministry said in a statement Friday that 26 armed criminals were liquidated, while more than 3,000 had been detained. The ministry also said 18 police and national guard members had been killed since the protests started.

The demonstrations began late last week in the western part of the country in protest of the doubling of fuel prices. But because they have spread across the country so quickly and have grown so large, some political observers are suggesting they reflect wider discontent in the country that has lived under authoritarianism since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

In news video taken from the streets of Almaty, security forces  some in armored vehicles  could be seen firing repeatedly into a crowd of protesters in the city's Republic square. A representative from one of the protest groups told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that most of the people in the square were unarmed.

Russian news agency Tass said late Thursday that the square had been cleared of protesters but that sporadic gunfire continued. Reuters and Associated Press also reported sporadic gunfire.

"I didn't know our people could be so terrifying," Samal, a nursery school teacher, told AFP near the presidential residence, where bullet casings littered the ground.

Thursday's crackdown comes a day after the protests  which began days earlier over a jump in fuel prices  turned violent, with thousands of people, some reportedly armed with clubs and shields, taking to the streets, storming government buildings and setting some on fire, including the president's residence.

As Kazakh security forces lost control of the situation, Kazakh President Tokayev requested Russian military intervention under the terms of the so-called collective security treaties that exist among several formerly Soviet countries.

As Russian-led troops began arriving in Kazakhstan on Thursday, the United States warned them not to seize control of Kazakh institutions.

"The United States and, frankly, the world will be watching for any violation of human rights," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters.

"We hope that the government of Kazakhstan will soon be able to address problems which are fundamentally economic and political in nature," Price added, saying the U.S. is a "partner" of the Central Asian nation.

In a nationally televised address on Wednesday, Tokayev declared a state of emergency and referred to the protesters as well-organized thugs and terrorists with outside support, which he did not identify, and promised to deal with them harshly.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on Thursday with Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi regarding the ongoing state of emergency, according to a statement from State Department spokesperson Price. Blinken reiterated full U.S. support for "Kazakhstan's constitutional institutions and media freedom and advocated for a peaceful, rights-respecting resolution to the crisis," Price said.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.
The speed with which Russia dispatched troops this week to help quell violent demonstrations in neighboring Kazakhstan is testimony to the Kremlin's recurring fear of "color revolutions," say Western diplomats and analysts. Moscow, they say, must have been horrified by how quickly the protests spread in Kazakhstan, long seen as one of the most stable of the former Soviet countries.

Sparked by a fuel price increase and cost-of-living grievances, the protests, which began in the oil-rich western part of the country, rapidly escalated this week into the worst violence the Central Asian nation has seen since turning independent 30 years ago.

And the grievances over fuel prices snowballed into a bigger threat against the government after Kazakh armed forces opened fire, killing dozens.

Demonstrators have been demanding regime change and the departure of both Kazakhstan's president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and the country's 81-year-old former leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who stepped down three years ago after almost three decades in power but retained the official title of "leader of the nation."

He is still believed to rule behind the scenes, and protesters reference him with chants of "Get out, old man." On Wednesday, demonstrators in Taldykorgan, a town in southern Kazakhstan, pulled down his statue from the main square.

Protesters stormed government buildings Wednesday in Almaty, the country's largest city, and briefly occupied the airport, with reports of "dozens" of protesters being killed in clashes along with at least 12 policemen. Thursday saw videos circulating on social media showing Kazakh military units exchanging gunfire with armed opponents in Almaty.

Russian officials and pro-Kremlin media have claimed the West is behind the agitation and is trying to foment another color revolution with the goal of disorienting Russia ahead of its major security talks next week with the United States and NATO amid fears the Kremlin may be considering invading Ukraine.

Russia has previously accused Western powers of backing popular uprisings in the former Soviet states of Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine.

Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said unrest was foreign-backed and aimed to "undermine the security and integrity of the state by force, using trained and organized armed formations." Konstantin Kosachev, a senator who chairs the foreign affairs committee of Russia's upper house of parliament, said the protesters included Islamic militants who had fought in Afghanistan.

"It's a tense moment in the former Soviet Union, with Russian troops and tanks surrounding Ukraine on three sides. The last thing Moscow wants or needs is legitimate protests in a country it considers to be in its sphere of interest," said Melinda Haring, deputy director of the Eurasia Center of the Atlantic Council, a U.S.-based research organization. "Moscow is looking for a hidden hand. The Kremlin doesn't accept the protests in Kazakhstan as genuine," she added.

Kazakhstan is an important regional power with vast energy resources.

President Tokayev, who ordered troops to "shoot to kill without warning" and said protesters who failed to surrender will be "destroyed," has also blamed outsiders for unprecedented agitation. He alleged in a broadcast to the nation Thursday that Almaty had been attacked by "20,000 bandits" who had a "clear plan of attack, coordination of actions and high combat readiness."

Tokayev expressed "special thanks" to Russian President Vladimir Putin for agreeing to his midweek request for assistance "in overcoming this terrorist threat."

The request was formally made to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Moscow-led regional security pact comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. Tokayev invoked article 4 of the CSTO pact, which commits members to help one another defend against "foreign interference." It is the first time any CSTO member has cited article 4 of the military alliance, which was formed in 1994.

US response

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Washington on Friday that the Biden administration is "very concerned about the ongoing state of emergency that exists in Kazakhstan."

"We've urged authorities to respond appropriately, proportionately, and in a way that upholds the rights of protesters," he said. "I spoke with the foreign minister just yesterday. I reiterated our full support for Kazakhstan's constitutional institutions, as well as the absolute importance of respecting human rights; media freedom, including the restoration of internet service; and to dealing with peaceful protests in a way that protects the protesters, upholds their rights, and is consistent with the rule of law."

On the deployment of CSTO troops, he added: "We have questions about the nature of the request, why it came about. We're seeking to learn more about it. It would seem to me that the Kazakh authorities and government certainly have the capacity to deal appropriately with protests, to do so in a way that respects the rights of protesters while maintaining law and order. So, it's not clear why they feel the need for any outside assistance."

"I think one lesson in recent history is that once Russians are in your house, it's sometimes very difficult to get them to leave," he added.

The Russian Defense Ministry says about 3,000 paratroopers and other servicemen are being flown to Kazakhstan "around the clock," and up to 75 huge transport planes are being used in the emergency airlift. Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry said in a statement Friday that 26 protesters had been killed during the unrest, 18 had been injured and more than 3,000 people had been arrested. It said 700 security personnel had suffered injuries and confirmed 18 had been killed.

Sporadic gunfire could still be heard in Almaty on Friday, despite Tokayev telling Kazakhs that "constitutional order has been mainly restored in all regions."

"Local authorities are monitoring the situation," he said. "But terrorists are still using weapons, causing damage to civilian property. Therefore [a] counterterrorist operation will continue until the total destruction of the militants."

Tokayev might have turned to Russia for assistance because he feared not all his security forces would remain loyal if the agitation escalated, a British diplomat told VOA. In some smaller towns, he added, the police appeared to have sat out the protests, and in Aktobe, near the country's border with Russia, the police are reported to have sided with the protesters.

Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the CSTO chair, said the forces would be committed "for a limited period, in order to stabilize and normalize the situation." And Stanislav Zas, secretary-general of the CSTO, said the outside forces would "minimize and localize threats" to Kazakhstan's territorial integrity. He, too, said the mission would be temporary.

Some Russian analysts and Kazakhs have warned the Russian deployment risks triggering further trouble. "Whoever took this decision has absolutely no understanding of the Kazakh mentality," Polat Dzhamalov, a Kazakh living in Moscow, told the independent TV Rain, an internet channel. "Kazakhs have never tolerated occupation."

Some Russian analysts have also emphasized the risks of Russian troops maintaining a longer-term presence and of being dragged into the unrest. "For now, this is less an armed intervention than a police operation," said Andrei Kortunov, head of the Russian International Affairs Council, a Kremlin-linked policy organization. "But if it drags on, consequences for Russia could mount up," he told the English-language newspaper The Moscow Times.



The United States, Britain and other Western countries have urged all sides to show restraint. "We are concerned about the violent clashes and are following developments closely. We are urging against further escalation and want to see a peaceful resolution," a spokesman for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
U.N. and international agencies warn more than three weeks after Typhoon Odette struck the Philippines on December 16, millions of survivors remain in desperate need of emergency assistance.

The typhoon ripped across an enormous area in southern and central Philippines, about the size of Austria, razing thousands of houses and displacing more than 680,000 people.

Torrential rains, floods and fierce winds destroyed hospitals, damaged infrastructure, and knocked out water filtration systems, posing a health hazard for survivors.

The United Nations launched an emergency appeal two weeks ago for $107 million to provide emergency aid for more than half-a-million of the most vulnerable displaced Filipinos.

Since then, says World Food Program Philippines Country Director Brenda Barton, the number of people needing humanitarian aid has jumped from two million to seven million.

Speaking from the capital, Manila, she says many areas remain unreachable. Many, she says still are without telephone communications and electricity.

One out of, I think 18 municipalities still do not have water. And, of course, we are seeing incidents of diarrhea coming up. We are seeing children begging off streets. UNFPA (UN Population Fund) is worried about sex trafficking, gender-based violence, etc. And, of course, we as a community are worried about nutrition emergencies setting in, she expressed.

As part of the U.N. appeal, the World Food Program is asking for $25 million to cover food, logistics and telecom needs. Barton says the WFP has received only $4.7 million three weeks into this crisis.

And the situation, of course, is being worsened now because we have continued rains. We have communities that cannot go into houses and are already in evacuation centers. And COVID, just like in other parts of the world is now, of course, starting to rip through the Philippines with its highly dense population, she also noted.

Barton says the Philippine government is doing what it can to provide food, shelter, and other life-saving relief to its stricken population. However, she notes support from the international community is required.

She warns that without aid, many people will get ill and many will die. She says malnutrition rates among children will continue to rise.

If Typhoon Odette remains a forgotten crisis, she says many children will become stunted because of poor nutrition, impairing their growth and development.
China will bolster its nuclear weapons arsenal in the years ahead, mainly to match the United States, experts predict.

Beijing will continue to modernize its nuclear arsenal for reliability and safety issues, Fu Cong, director general of arms control at the Chinese foreign ministry, told reporters Tuesday.

The Pentagon had warned less than two years ago about Chinas nuclear capability after learning that Beijing was building 110 more missile silos.

Signs of nuclear weapons growth in a country that seldom discusses its military developments means Beijing hopes at least to show its arsenal can resist that of Washington, if not catch up, scholars say. China has no other major rivals, they say, as its relations with nuclear power Russia are improving.

I think that is a signal to the United States that China is not happy with [the] U.S. position of enjoying nuclear superiority, said Alexander Vuving, professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, in Hawaii.

Great power competition

An atomic bomb test in 1964 got China started with nuclear weapons. As of 2020, the country was developing new intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs, that would significantly improve its nuclear-capable missile forces, the Pentagon said in an annual report to Congress.

The number of warheads on land-based ICBMs capable of threatening the United States is expected to reach about 200 over the next five years, the Pentagon report said. Beijing had previously maintained just 20 or so silo-based ICBMs, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said in a 2021 study.

A mobile, ground-launched, intermediate-range ballistic missile system that could swap conventional and nuclear warheads is expanding, too, the Pentagon report said.

The U.S. nuclear arsenal totaled 3,750 warheads as of 2020. Since 2017, 711 U.S. nuclear warheads have been dismantled. At its peak during the Cold War, the stockpile totaled around 31,000, the State Department said in an October news release. The department called for increasing the transparency of states nuclear stockpiles as part of their nonproliferation and disarmament efforts.

Washington still leads Beijing in the development of the world's deadliest type of weaponry, experts said. New improvements to U.S. capabilities constantly remind Chinese nuclear experts of their nuclear deterrents potential vulnerability, the Carnegie study said. As a result, Chinese experts have consistently agreed that Beijing needs to continue gradually modernizing its nuclear forces.

More nuclear weapons authorized by Beijing would reflect a wider U.S.-China arms race, said Eduardo Araral, associate professor at the National University of Singapore's public policy school. Weaker countries in Asia may chafe but should not feel surprised, he said.

I think theres already an arms race. This is not new. This is just an extension, whether its submarine building, whether its cyber capabilities, or now a competition for satellite powers. Nuclear weapons capability is just a continuation of the bigger scheme of things in U.S.-China rivalry, Araral said.

Scenarios for using nukes

China and four other permanent U.N. Security Council members  a group known as the P5  said Monday that they would work together to stop the further spread of nuclear arms and avoid nuclear conflict.

Officials in Beijing have maintained over the years that their nuclear weapons are for national security only, not an offensive strike.

China might use nuclear weapons, however, if the United States threatened to overwhelm it with tactical weapons in a real conflict, said Scott Harold, a Washington-based senior political scientist with the RAND Corporation research group. He pointed to development of intermediate-range missiles and the role of submarines and stealth bombers in nuclear weaponry as signs that China is preparing for a fight if needed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping may want better nuclear weapons as part of his bigger plans for China, too, Harold said. Xi Jinping is all about making China great again, restoring China to a position of what he calls national rejuvenation, or achieving the China dream, one part of which is to have a world-class military by midcentury, he said.

Nuclear weapons will further help Beijing to discourage any attacks on its territory and get what it wants during Sino-foreign diplomatic negotiations, analysts say.

Statements from China about modernizing its arsenal could spark other countries to make deals with Beijing now while its weaker and easier to engage, Harold said.

The updated arsenal will ultimately help China in any diplomatic talks as backup by hard power, Araral said. Other Asian countries, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, are modernizing their militaries, partly so they can keep up diplomatically at the bargaining table with China, he said.
He is known to many Taiwanese simply as Freddy, but despite household name recognition and international fame as the lead vocalist of a heavy metal band, rock star-turned-legislator Freddy Lim is the latest of Taiwans new crop of crop of young and pro-independence politicians facing a conservative-led recall vote.

Wanhua and Zhongzheng district voters will decide Sunday whether Lim should continue to represent them after his loyalty came under question for lack of action during a COVID-19 outbreak.

Wanhua came to national attention in May when health officials traced Taiwans worst COVID-19 outbreak to its hostess bars and markets.

As Taiwan faced weeks of semilockdown, Lim came under fire from some Wanhua residents for not visiting local sites affected by the outbreak or defending them from national criticism. He has also been portrayed as taking the side of the central government against Taipeis mayor during disputes about pandemic measures by critics such as Taipei City Councilor Chung Hsiao-ping.

A petition later started by a local constituent and backed by Chung and another local politician gathered enough votes for a recall, although a minimum 25% of the districts voters must participate on Sunday for the vote to be valid.

Chungs office did not immediately reply to VOAs request for comment.

This campaign was started by people who are more radical and extreme and it's a [criticism]-based campaign against Freddy, Fidel Foo, Lims public relations officer, said outside of Lims Wanhua office this week.

Foo said that while he expected a relatively low voter turnout, defending a legislator from a recall campaign can be very difficult.

It's easier to mobilize people based on negative emotions and hatred, its harder to counteract and say we have to oppose these people, Foo told VOA.

Campaign flyers distributed in Wanhua have criticized Lim for allegedly not spending enough time in the area and being unconcerned with local issues. Some attacks have also become more personal, attacking Lim for not spending enough time serving in the military and even his physical appearance.

Factional politics may have also earned Lim a target on his back. During Wanhuas COVID-19 outbreak, he sided with the central government and Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung over local leaders such as Taipei Mayor Ke Wen-je. Critics also said he did little to vocally support Wanhua, which was heavily criticized online by people angry about the outbreak.

As a political independent, Lim is to the left of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, but President Tsai Ing-wen and other party heavyweights have stumped for Lim.

Lim switched to running as an independent in 2019 after stepping away from the New Power Party, which he co-founded in the wake of Taiwans 2014 Sunflower Movement, a mass student-led protest against a Chinese trade deal.

At the time, Lim said he was leaving the party to support Tsais reelection as president, but his political views remain unchanged. Both Lim and the New Power Party have called for formal independence from China, which views Taiwan as a wayward province.

Many of Lims views also reflect a Taiwanese generational split between older and more conservative voters and those who came of age after martial law ended in the 1980s.

Taiwanese increasingly see Taiwan as effectively independent and want to maintain autonomy from China. This view is particularly strong among younger voters, who see themselves as distinctively Taiwanese and feel little allegiance to China, despite cultural and historic ties.

Vocally supporting independence, however, is still a minority view among Taiwanese politicians, as many fear it would stoke Chinas anger and retaliation. It also rankles conservative voters who either hope for Taiwan and China to eventually unify or want a better bilateral relationship that would help Taiwans economy.

Three politicians representing Taiwans younger pro-independence demographic have targeted by recall votes over the past two years.

It has been a challenging turn of events for Taiwans left, which in 2020 led a landslide recall of Kaohsiung Mayor and 2020 Kuominting, or Chinese Nationalist party, presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu. Now, they have found the tactic turned on them in a way that may not have initially imagined possible.

This wave of recall against pro-independence-leaning young politicians is a response to Han Guo-yu getting recalled back in June 2020. It was young, pro-independence-leaning folks who recalled Han Guo-yu, said Lev Nachman, a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies.

The conservative response, he said, is to weaponize this recall tactic against those that hurt them.

Freddy is an easy target because of those young politicians, he is the most famous, he said.

Chih-yung Ho, a member of the nationalist party and a former party spokesperson, said that while his party had been involved in past recall votes, the anti-Lim campaign was a local issue. The party leadership, he said, has been more focused on another election that day in the city of Taichung.

Taiwans recall wave is possible because of 2016 electoral law changes lowering the threshold of voters needed from 50% to 25% for a recall to be binding. Some political scientists are concerned because politicians can now be removed by fewer votes than needed to win their seat and for different reasons than intended by the law.

People tend to use recall election in cases of extreme corruption or extreme impact, but increasingly, we see them getting used much more, not quite on daily basis, but with much higher frequency than would be normal for a well-functioning democracy, said Wen-ti Sung, a Taiwan Fellow in Political Science at National Taiwan University.
Afghanistans Taliban said Friday they had received a fresh supply of medicines from India, as the United Nations warns harsh winter conditions are aggravating the severe humanitarian crisis facing millions of Afghans.

The Islamic Emirate is grateful to India for its humanitarian assistance and cooperation, said Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid in a local language tweet after Kabul airport authorities received the aid package. Mujahid used the official name of the new Taliban government.

The Indian foreign ministry noted in a statement that Fridays delivery was the third batch of medical assistance consisting of two tonnes of essential life-saving medicines and said it is part of New Delhis ongoing humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

India already has delivered half a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines and 1.6 tons of medical aid to Kabul through the World Health Organization. It has pledged to supply more medicines and food grains in coming weeks.

India stands committed to continue our special relationship with the people of Afghanistan and provide them humanitarian assistance, the ministry said.

New Delhi also has pledged to send 50,000 tons of wheat to Afghanistan and requested neighboring Pakistans help by allowing its transportation through its territory. Islamabad agreed to New Delhis request in November, and the two arch-rival countries are reported to be sorting out the modalities of the transportation.

Already in bad shape

Relief agencies say the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was bad even before the Islamist Taliban took over the country last August, citing years of conflict and a prolonged nationwide drought.

The subsequent suspension of international assistance, though, along with international sanctions on the Taliban, and the freezing of Afghanistan's foreign cash reserves by many countries and donor agencies have triggered an economic crisis in the aid-dependent country  increasing humanitarian needs to record levels.

The U.N. estimates that more than 24 million Afghans will need humanitarian assistance this year, and more than nine in 10 of them are likely to be acutely food insecure by March.

India maintained close ties with the Western-backed Afghan government ousted by the Taliban ousted in August. New Delhi invested several billion dollars in development projects in Afghanistan over the past several years to increase its influence in the country.

But the Indian diplomatic effort suffered a huge blow with the final withdrawal of the United States and allied troops from Afghanistan days after the Taliban retook power. The Islamist group is believed to have used sanctuaries in Pakistan to sustain its two decades long violent insurgency against local and foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Attempt at renewal

Indias latest effort to provide humanitarian aid to Kabul is seen as an attempt to renew its diplomatic engagement with the country to sustain developmental projects, though Indian leaders remain deeply skeptical about the Talibans close ties with Pakistan.

In a video statement posted online Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar of the acting Taliban government urged the rapid delivery of humanitarian aid to tackle the crisis. He said people in various places do not have food, accommodations, warm clothes or money.

We call for the international community, NGOs and all the countries not to forget our poor people, said Baradar in what was the first direct appeal made by a senior Taliban leader to the international community.

No country has formally recognized the Taliban government, making the delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid a tremendous logistical challenge. Foreign governments providing the aid must also make sure money does not reach the ruling Islamist group, which remains under international sanctions.

Last month, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a U.S.-proposed resolution to help humanitarian operations access desperate Afghans without violating the sanctions.

The Paris-headquartered Doctors Without Borders relief group, known by its French acronym MSF, said Friday that the suspension of funding from many international donors and the impact of sanctions and other punitive financial measures have had devastating consequences on peoples health in a country where the health care system has been struggling for years.

There are massive health and humanitarian needs in Afghanistan that need attention," said the MSF statement. "The country now faces a near economic and institutional collapse as the banking sector remains paralyzed and the currency has been severely devalued.

Prices for necessities such as food are skyrocketing, the statement added, further fueling the humanitarian crisis.
U.S. employers added 199,000 new jobs in December, 50,000 fewer than November, the Labor Department reported Friday, as business continue to struggle to fill vacancies due to American workers' reluctance to return to the workforce during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the hiring slowdown, December's jobless rate fell to a healthy 3.9%  a 22-month low  from November's 4.2%.

December's modest jobs gains belie the fact that 2021 was one of the best years for U.S. workers in decades, even though the pandemic caused the previous year to be one of the job market's worst since the government began tracking hiring in 1939.

A monthly average of 537,000 jobs were added to the economy in 2021, the Labor Department said Friday, and a record 6.4 million jobs were created"America is back to work," President Biden declared Friday before reporters at the White House. "The increase in Americans joining the labor force was the fastest this year of any year since 1996."

Companies posted a record high number of job vacancies in 2021 and offered sharply higher pay to try to attract and retain employees, a record number of whom quit their jobs in search of higher-quality positions.

Biden said U.S. workers saw their wages increase last year by nearly 16%, "the highest in history."

"Wage gains for all workers who are not supervisors went up more in 2021 than any year in four decades. There's been a lot of press coverage of people quitting their jobs," Biden said. "Well, today's report tells you why: Americans are moving up to better jobs with better pay, with better benefits. That's why they're quitting their jobs."

December's report reflects the state of the economy early in the month, before the highly contagious omicron variant sickened millions of people in the U.S., forcing the cancellation of thousands of commercial flights and leading to reduced traffic at bars and restaurants and some school closures.

Many economists believe job growth may slow in January and possibly in February because of the omicron outbreak, which has forced millions of sick workers to quarantine at home, potentially disrupting employers, including hospitals, airlines and ski resorts.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
The Biden administration has placed a travel ban on eight Cuban officials it says have been complicit in the repression of opposition protesters and other dissidents.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced visa restrictions Thursday in a statement that condemned an ongoing crackdown on participants in demonstrations that began last July and called prison sentences handed down to those involved "harsh and unjust."

The eight officials were not named, but Blinken said all of them are connected to the "detention, sentencing and imprisonment" of peaceful protesters. The U.S. says about 600 protesters across the communist island remain jailed after the July 11 protests despite appeals for their release.



"The United States took steps to enforce visa restrictions in response to Cuban government attempts to deny Cubans their freedom and rights through continued intimidation tactics, unjust imprisonment, and severe sentences," Blinken said.

The travel bans are the latest actions against Cuba from the Biden administration, which has largely followed former President Donald Trump's highly critical policies toward the island. In late November, Blinken announced travel bans on nine Cuban officials for similar actions against protesters.

"The United States continues to use all appropriate diplomatic and economic tools to push for the release of political prisoners and to support the Cuban people's call for greater freedom and accountability," Blinken said.

In July, thousands of Cubans took to the streets in cities across the island to protest shortages of goods and power blackouts, the largest demonstrations against the Communist administration in recent history. Some called for a change in government.

Cuban authorities have said that the United States was the real force behind the protests.

The Biden administration has spoken in support of the Cuban activists and praised the anti-government protests.

Soon after the July protests, the U.S. announced new sanctions on Cuba's national revolutionary police and its top two officials.


The United States and Japan will sign a new defense collaboration deal to counter emerging defense threats, including hypersonic and space-based capabilities, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.

Foreign and defense ministers of the United States and Japan met virtually to discuss stepping up security ties amid a focus on Japan's role as tensions rise over Taiwan and North Korean missile threats continue.

Blinken said the U.S.-Japan alliance "must not only strengthen the tools we have, but also develop new ones," citing Russia's military buildup against Ukraine, Beijing's "provocative" actions over Taiwan and North Korea's latest missile launch.

North Korea fired a "hypersonic missile" this week that successfully hit a target, its state news agency said.

Russia, China and the United States are also racing to build hypersonic weapons whose extreme speed and maneuverability make them hard to spot and block with interceptor missiles.

"We're launching a new research and development agreement that will make it easier for our scientists, for our engineers and program managers to collaborate on emerging defense related issues, from countering hypersonic threats to advancing space-based capabilities," Blinken said at the opening of the meeting.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the meeting would help lay down a framework for the future of the security alliance, including evolving missions to "reflect Japan's growing ability to contribute to regional peace and stability."

As its neighboring countries are testing hypersonic missiles, Japan has been working on electromagnetic "railgun" technology to target those missiles.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government last month approved record defense spending, with a 10th straight annual increase in 2022.

Top Japanese officials have said that developing enemy base strike capabilities is an option to consider to boost defense, but some experts say such a move might hit hurdles such as a streak of pacifism in domestic politics.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi told his U.S. counterparts that the international community faces challenges including "unilateral corrosive attempts to change the status quo, abusive use of unfair pressure and the expanding authoritarian regimes."

The two nations will also sign a new five-year agreement covering the continued basing of U.S. troops in Japan, Blinken said, in a deal where Japan has said it agreed to pay $9.3 billion to share the upkeep of U.S. forces in Japan over five years.
News crews attacked, equipment set on fire, Murder the media scrawled on a Capitol door. Journalists as well as lawmakers were targeted during the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

So far, federal prosecutors have charged about 10 individuals with assaulting the media or destroying equipment during the attack last January.

Last month, a Californian man who had refused to accept the presidential election result was sentenced to three years in prison for sending threatening messages to CNN news anchors Brian Stelter and Don Lemon and their families.

And at least 17 journalists were assaulted while covering the January 6 riot, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, a coalition that collects data on press freedom aggressions.

We know that members of the media along with Congress were targeted during that time, Kirstin McCudden, the Trackers managing editor, told VOA.  Murder the Media was scrawled on (a) Capitol door. Members of the news media were attacked. Camera equipment from the Associated Press and foreign press outlets was gathered up and set on fire.

The assaults represent trends building for years: a distrust of the media that can result in physical attacks as well as threats and harassment over social media, McCudden said.

In 2021, 142 journalists were assaulted while reporting in the United States, according to the Tracker. Thats not as bad as 2020, when it documented over 600 violations against the media as Americans became divided over pandemic regulations, protests over racial injustice and a heated presidential campaign.

Protesters and others started taking their anger out on the press in what McCudden said is a shooting-the-messenger situation.

Focus on safety

Journalism hasnt been seen as a dangerous job in the U.S. but that has changed, according to Angela Greiling Keane, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute.

I think many of us, of my generation, went into journalism not thinking that it was a career where you might risk your safety, said Greiling Keane, who is also a managing editor at the news website Politico. But now journalists do face a lot of threats.

A decline in local news coverage over the past two decades has exacerbated that loss of trust, Greiling Keane and other media experts say.

Now there are a lot fewer outlets and therefore a lot fewer people who are out there reporting on local communities, and that means theres less access to information in those communities, but it also means that individuals are probably less likely to know a journalist, she said.

The changing environment is affecting how some news organizations, including Politico, approach assignments.

What we and other news organizations weigh is do we want a reporter to cover a protest. Is that a situation that might escalate? This is the kind of conversation that editors have now that they didnt have a few years ago, she said.

Some news organizations are training journalists on how to work in conflict situations.

Journalists have long undergone combat training if they are going to head over and cover the war in Iraq or if they are going to a conflict area overseas, Greiling Keane said. Whats different is that some journalists are getting that sort of training now to just report their regular jobs in the United States.

Colin Pereira of HP Risk Management doesnt compare the working environment in the U.S. to that of a war zone. But, he said, one problem is domestic journalists dont understand that theres a threat.

The sort of street craft that journalists who cover conflict know, domestic journalists sometimes dont know, Pereira said. His firm provides hostile environment training to journalists at more than a dozen news organizations, including Britains ITV, which had a crew at the Capitol on January 6.

Newsroom editors and journalists need to do a risk assessment, Pereira said, including asking who the protesters are, whether they have been violent previously, and how police may react if a situation turns chaotic.

Legal threats

Covering events like the Capitol riot sometimes brings an unexpected additional threat to press freedom: having reporter records subpoenaed by government entities.

The First Amendment group Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) is advocating against the subpoena of Amy Harris, a freelance photojournalist who was in Washington on the day of the riots.

Harris was taking photos as part of a profile of Henry Enrique Tarrio, a leader of the Proud Boys extremist group.

A special committee of the U.S. House of Representatives now wants Harris phone records as part of its investigation into how the events of January 6 unfolded.

It has also subpoenaed Tarrio, who when he arrived in Washington was arrested on charges related to a separate rally and ordered to leave the capital two days before January 6.

When it comes to press freedom, its a dangerous request, said Grayson Clary, the Stanton Foundation national security free press fellow with the RCFP.

This kind of investigation can have a chilling effect on journalists relationships with their sources. People are not going to want to talk to reporters if they fear that the person may get (conscripted) into helping out law enforcement down the line, he said.

Such requests, while rare, can also put journalists at risk.

Harris is someone who spent a long time earning the trust of the Proud Boys who have been willing to speak to her. It puts her in jeopardy if they suddenly see her as somebody who is on the other side, Clary said.

President Joe Biden announced earlier this year an end to subpoenas for journalist records  a move welcomed by press freedom advocates.

But, said Katherine Jacobsen, the U.S. program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, This change in policy still needs to be codified and we are hoping that the administration will support a federal shield law that will help codify protections of journalists material.

Distrust in media has been growing for a long time, and former President Donald Trump play(ed) into a lot of the anti-media sentiment, Jacobsen said.

Now that he is out of office it would be easy to say that things will get better just because of the change in tone from the White House, but a lot of the problems that were present during his administration and existed before continue to this day, she said.

Jacobsen and others believe this includes a growth of misinformation online that encourages people to not trust traditional media institutions.
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When and how will Italys covid Green Pass and Super Green Pass rules change?

Italy tightens its Super Green Pass rules again from Monday 10 January, expanding the scope of the digital certificate which can only be obtained by those who are vaccinated or have recovered from covid-19.

Italy's Super Green Pass is a "reinforced" version of the "basic" Green Pass which proves the holder has been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19.

The Super Green Pass cannot be obtained by a negative covid test result, meaning that it excludes people who are unvaccinated.

Neither version of the pass applies to children under the age of 12 or to people exempt from the vaccination campaign on health grounds.

Already required in cinemas, theatres and stadiums, the Super Green Pass will be expanded further from Monday 10 January after which it will be needed to access:

public transport (local, regional and national), planes, trains, buses, trams and subways

bars and restaurants (for both indoor and outdoor dining)

ski lifts

hotels and other accommodation facilities

parties after civil and religious ceremonies

conventions, conferences, fairs and festivals

stadiums, swimming pools, gyms, wellness centres

museums, galleries, libraries, archaeological sites and cultural venues

theme parks

cultural, social and recreational centres

betting shops, bingo halls and casinos

The tightening of Italy's two-tiered covid restrictions is part of the government's efforts to boost its vaccination drive and stem a record surge in coronavirus infections.

Also from 10 January the minimum waiting time between the second dose of the covid vaccine and the 'booster' shot will be reduced from five to four months.

From 20 January the basic Green Pass will be needed to access hairdressers and beauticians, while from 1 February it will be required to enter banks, post offices, non-essential shops and shopping malls.

The unvaccinated will still be able to access grocery shops, supermarkets and pharmacies.

The government's latest decree makes the covid vaccine obligatory for the over-50s and university staff, in addition to the existing vaccination mandate for healthcare workers, teachers, police, military and emergency services workers.

Premier Mario Draghi said the aim is to "slow down the growth of the contagion curve and push Italians who still arent vaccinated to do so, adding that the government is "acting in particular on age groups that are most at risk of hospitalisation, to reduce pressure on hospitals and save lives."

From 15 February all public and private workers over 50 will only be able to access their workplace with the Super Green Pass, while the existing basic Green Pass rules stay in effect for workers under 50.

Night clubs remain closed until 31 January and masks must be worn outdoors and in all indoor public places.

The more protective FFP2 masks must be worn in cinemas, theatres, stadiums and on all public transport, until 31 March, when Italy's ' state of emergency ' ends.

Under the current quantine rules, the obligation to self-isolate no longer applies to those who come into close contact with a covid-positive person, providing they have had a booster shot, have recovered or have been doubly vaccinated within the last 120 days.

They are required to wear FFP2 masks for 10 days after contact and must undertake a covid test, if they have symptoms, after five days.

For those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from the virus more than four months after coming into contact with a covid-positive person, the quarantine requirement has been reduced from seven to five days, followed by a negative test result.

The isolation time for those who are unvaccinated remains 10 days.
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The rise of the omicron variant of the coronavirus has refocused attention on the importance of testing as a tool for bringing the pandemic under control -- and keeping it that way. At the same time, some tests used to identify infections may be less accurate detecting omicron cases. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight 1. How has omicron affected test performance?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has notified health care professionals of a handful of tests that, in the absence of modifications, are expected to fail to detect the variant or that were modified in order to pick it up. These are all so-called molecular tests, the gold-standard for diagnosing a coronavirus infection. The FDA said Dec. 28 that early data suggest that antigen tests -- which are faster, cheaper and more accessible -- detect omicron but possibly with reduced accuracy. A study posted Dec. 24 suggested that saliva samples may be better for diagnosing omicron than nasal specimens, whereas the opposite was true for delta, the variant that became the dominant strain worldwide in mid-2021.

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2. What if I get a negative result with an antigen test?

If youre experiencing symptoms of Covid or have a high likelihood of infection due to exposure to the coronavirus, the FDA recommends following up with a molecular test. Even before omicron emerged, it was clear that antigen tests are generally less likely to pick up early infections than molecular tests. In a small study posted Jan. 5, among 30 people who became infected during omicron waves in the U.S. and received both types of tests, the median time was three days from a first positive on a molecular test to a positive on an antigen test. In four cases, individuals were confirmed to have spread the virus to someone else after receiving false negatives on antigen tests.

3. How do the tests differ?

Both look for the presence of the coronavirus in your nose, throat or mouth, but they do so in different ways. Molecular tests seek bits of the viruss nucleic acids, or its genetic material, in a sample of secretions. Antigen tests search out proteins on the surface of the virus.

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4. Why not just rely on molecular tests?

Molecular tests typically require several components, including chemical reagents, small plastic containers and swabs. One widely used type relies on trained lab technicians to perform a complicated process called reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), which amplifies the viruss genetic material so that it can be studied in detail. A lack of components, machinery or technicians can limit the availability of these tests. While some molecular tests can churn out results in 30 minutes or less, they dont scale very well. Thus, countries have increasingly embraced antigen tests, some of which people can perform at home. One version of an antigen test is called a lateral flow test. Similar to a home pregnancy test, it runs a liquid sample over a reactive surface.

5. What are the benefits of antigen tests?

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Advocates of antigen tests argue that, while theyll probably never be as sensitive as molecular tests, they compensate for that with their speed and accessibility. In a pilot study in Liverpool, England, in late 2020, rapid antigen tests identified nearly 900 people who didnt realize they had a coronavirus infection -- and presumably wouldnt have otherwise gotten tested. For these tests to function best, people may need to perform them regularly.

6. How do we keep track of variants?

The best way to identify new variants of concern and monitor their spread is to take samples from infected people and sequence the genome of the entire virus or at least the spike protein that gives it its crown-like appearance. That, however, can be expensive and time-consuming. As a shortcut, researchers use other techniques, such as subjecting samples to molecular tests that have been slightly tweaked to identify specific mutations. That helps get a faster and fuller picture of what virus strains are fueling a regions outbreak, though its important for researchers to confirm some of those results with genetic sequencing.

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7. What other type of coronavirus tests exist?

Another type, generally a blood test, measures how much -- if any -- immunity a person has against the virus, either from a previous infection or from a vaccination. A person infected by a virus or vaccinated against it summons, among other tools of the immune system, antibodies designed specifically, like keys for a particular door, to latch onto and neutralize the proteins that form the bulk of that particular virus. These antibodies can linger for months -- or even years in some cases -- though their levels tend to fall over time, a key factor behind vaccine booster campaigns. If a person has already fought off the virus or been inoculated against it, their blood should contain antibodies that will latch onto proteins that appear naturally on a particular virus and exist in these antibody tests. While there are also tests for detecting other parts of the immune system, such as T cells, theyre more expensive and are used less often.

(Updates with study results in sections 1 and 2.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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Last October, Citigroup Inc. told about 70,000 of its employees to get Covid-19 vaccinations or lose their jobs. Today, the banking giant made good on that promise, telling its staff that any who remain unvaccinated by Jan. 14 will be placed on unpaid leave and then lose their jobs at months end.

As it has become crystal clear that COVID-19 will not be going away any time soon, our leadership at Citi has thought long and hard about how we navigate the latest stages of the pandemic, Sara Wechter, Citis human resources director noted in an October memo, citing two reasons for the banks decision. First, as the U.S. government is a large and important client of Citi, we have an obligation to comply with the Executive Order issued by the White House mandating that individuals supporting government contracts be fully vaccinated  an order that would impact the vast majority of our U.S. colleagues. Second, having a vaccinated workforce enables us to ensure the health and safety of our colleagues as we return to the office in the U.S.

All of this is sensible, responsible and a measure of good leadership from Citis chief executive officer, Jane Fraser. Such leadership has been in short supply in corporate America  not only in financial services but in other industries as well. (United Airlines Holdings Inc.s CEO, Scott Kirby, has provided exemplary leadership on vaccines and also stands apart from other airline executives who have fumbled this.)

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Citi is showing the door to vaccination holdouts on the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments challenging the Biden administrations push to require testing and vaccination in workplaces of 100 or more people. Petitioners from around the country have said the White House is exceeding its emergency authority and stretching the limits of its regulatory authority by authorizing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to enforce mandates. The White House says, correctly, that it is merely deploying robust and necessary public health measures.

As Citi shows, however, private companies dont need the federal governments blessing to do the right thing. Citi, United and others in the private and public sectors have pushed ahead on their own to protect workers, their colleagues and customers. It remains to be seen how the Supreme Court will clarify the messy and cynical legal thinking that has gummed this up; Fridays arguments suggest the justices dont look favorably on Bidens mandates.

Some Citi workers have complained vociferously about the banks policy, and perhaps a meaningful number of them will quit. But about 90% of Citigroups employees have already complied, and the bank is allowing religious or medical exemptions for some. (Uniteds vaccination rate is close to 100%, and the airline was tough-minded about opening any loopholes to workers trying to get around its rules. Tyson Foods Inc. tells a similar story.)

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Citi shouldnt have to worry about mass departures. According to Bloomberg News, which broke the story about the banks vaccination deadline, surveys suggest that only 3% of employers with mandates have experienced a surge in resignations. As United saw, a little counseling from fellow workers, the recognition that a good job is worth keeping and a shared sense of responsibility kept departures to a minimum.

Citi is based in a Covid-19 epicenter, New York City, where the human and economic costs of vaccine denialism have been on display for nearly two years. That reality has traveled around the rest of the country too, of course, and the business community should continue to be clear and bold about how to battle back. Mandates work.

More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion:

 Vaccine Mandates Are Essential to Stopping Covid-19: The Editors

 Max Weber Would Make Covid Vaccination Mandatory: Andreas Kluth

 The Case for Vaccine Mandates: The Editors

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Timothy L. OBrien is a senior columnist for Bloomberg Opinion.

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Calif. project blocked over wildfire concerns Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Development of a $1 billion resort and housing project in one of Californias most wildfire-prone communities has been placed on hold after a judge ruled that developers didnt adequately plan for what might happen when a wildfire erupts and thousands of people have to run for their lives. The Lake County judges ruling on the Guenoc Valley Resort could have sweeping ramifications for housing and business developments across a state where fires are growing in severity and local officials are under intense pressure to approve new building projects during a housing crisis.

The ruling, under Californias powerful environmental law, also represents a major victory for environmentalists opposed to new housing and business projects in areas with extreme wildfire risks.

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On Tuesday, Lake County Judge J. David Markham agreed with environmentalists and the state that Lake County planners signed off on the developments environmental documents without accounting for what would happen if a fast-moving fire erupted and the resorts workers and guests all tried to leave the area at once.

A significant number of wildfire related deaths in California occur during attempts to evacuate, the judge wrote.

Officials with Lotusland Investment Holdings, the group building the Guenoc project, said they were reviewing the ruling.

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Electricity prices surge in East with cold snap

Electricity prices are surging on power grids from Virginia to Maine as homeowners crank up heaters to combat freezing temperatures.

New York Citys spot price briefly spiked to $1,280.60 per megawatt-hour at 11 a.m. Friday before settling between $200 and $300, according to the grid operators website. New England prices tripled in the late morning from a day earlier, touching $286. Prices in New Jersey and Philadelphia topped $100. Prices in the region at this time of year typically range between $40 and $70 per megawatt-hour.

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Demand came in above the grid operators forecasts as a noreaster swept into the region after blanketing Washington with snow for a second time this week. New England is especially vulnerable to price spikes because its at the end of the natural gas pipeline and has to rely on costly imports. Natural gas is the main fuel for power plants.

Power prices across the Midwest popped to about $100 a megawatt-hour on the central U.S. grid run by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO). That was three times more expensive than prices on the grids Gulf Coast region.

The entire MISO footprint is experiencing very cold temperatures this morning, which led to a higher-than-expected load, spokesman Brandon Morris said in an email.

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A U.S. judge on Friday allowed Purdue Pharma to immediately challenge her rejection of legal protections for Sackler family members who own the OxyContin maker, protections that were key to its bankruptcy reorganization plan. U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon's ruling means Purdue will have another shot at keeping intact a $4.5 billion opioid litigation settlement at the heart of the company's plan. McMahon had reversed a bankruptcy judge's order approving the deal in December. The settlement provides "nondebtor releases" that shield the Sacklers against future opioid-related lawsuits.

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Volkswagen is giving workers at its assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., a 10 percent pay raise as the omicron variant of the coronavirus stretches an already tight labor market, the head of its U.S. business said. The German automaker on Friday reported U.S. sales of 375,030 vehicles for 2021, a 15 percent jump from the prior year. The performance was led by the Atlas, its three-row SUV made in Chattanooga, and the Tiguan midsize SUV. VW delivered 16,742 units of its electric ID.4 SUV, which it plans to begin building in Chattanooga.

Walt Disney has been approved for a patent to project moving 3-D images on objects to interact with theme park visitors, making it easier to create interactive attractions throughout its parks. The U.S. Patent Office approved the patent for Disney Enterprises last month for a technology described as a "Virtual-World Simulator." Disney officials say they have no immediate plans to use the technology.

 From news services

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In the European Unions fight against climate change, a potentially potent tool is the fine print of financial regulations. The EU is working to embed environmental goals in standards that could shape the spending plans of banks, money managers, insurers and member states, in the hope of directing trillions of euros to fund a radical revision of the regions economy. Skeptics warn that some of the rules are being loosened in a way that could allow for greenwashing. And a fight that could pit member countries against each other is brewing over a proposal to grant natural gas and nuclear power a green label.

1. Whats happening?

The EU is aiming for a 55% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels and to reach net zero emissions by 2050. As part of this effort, the EU wants to raise as much as 250 billion euros ($283 billion) using its first green bonds. But Europe needs as much as 350 billion euros per year in additional financing to reach its legally binding climate goals. Setting clear rules of the road for green investments is seen as a crucial part of generating the needed flow of private capital.

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2. What kind of rules are involved?

A crucial component of what might be called a regulatory infrastructure is the development of a green finance taxonomy -- a set of categories and definitions. That may sound dry as dust, but markets require clarity and that requires a common language. In particular, that means defining what activities are considered green and what arent. Thats important for stamping out greenwashing -- when companies call products or investments sustainable even if they dont really help fight climate change. Asset managers also have to disclose just how environmentally friendly their product offerings are, while companies are made to do something similar.

3. How will that work?

Policy makers in Brussels have announced or are working on a range of steps:

* The first set of criteria for green investments has entered into force; it will allow producers of rechargeable batteries, energy efficiency equipment, low-emission cars, and wind and solar power plants to earn a green stamp of approval.

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* A new Sustainable Finance Strategy targets greenwashing and aims to tighten measures on banks and credit rating agencies so that they properly take into account the risks posed by climate change.

* The blocs Green Bond Standard will provide a voluntary framework for issuers of environmentally-friendly debt to qualify for the EUs stamp of approval. The bloc hopes that this will set the gold standard globally as demand picks up and as as some issuers take advantage of loopholes in existing rules.

* Rules for asset managers to enable them to properly categorize their ESG funds and make sure they live up to the blocs taxonomy.

4. Whats the fight about nuclear and gas?

A separate so-called complementary delegated act allowing for some natural gas and nuclear energy projects to be classified as sustainable investments is now in consultation, a process in which member states and civil society experts provide their views. This is an issue thats dividing EU member states, with France leading a group backing nuclear and Germany taking the lead in support of gas -- and has become more pertinent during an energy crunch that has sent prices to record highs in recent months. While atomic energy produces no greenhouse gases, there are widespread concerns over its safety and how to store its waste, which lasts for thousands of years. After the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan, Germany put itself on a path to phase out nuclear power by the end of 2022. And while gas burns cleaner than coal, it still produces carbon dioxide that critics say will impede progress in meeting the blocs climate goals. The European Commission is due to adopt the delegated act in January before it goes to the European Parliament and national governments in the EU Council for scrutiny.

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5. What do their proponents say?

The European Peoples Party, the largest group in the European Parliament, has given its backing to the proposal to label gas and nuclear power sustainable. Its members argue that promoting gas could accelerate emissions reductions by allowing the faster phase-out of coal-burning plants, particularly in Poland and other Eastern European countries. Along with France, the Czech Republic and Finland want to rely on reactors as part of a clean-energy transition, which Finlands economy minister said must be done in a way thats realistic.

6. Are there other criticisms?

Yes; many civil society groups are strongly critical -- five bodies comprising part of the EUs platform on sustainable finance, an advisory body for the taxonomy -- suspended their work last year over worries that the blocs rules could open the door to greenwashing. The risk is that the inclusion of nuclear and gas undermines the EUs ambition to set the gold standard on sustainable investment globally. By comparison, the U.K. has omitted nuclear from its own green bond standards. Other concerns center over the inclusion of bioenergy (organic matter used as an energy source) and forestry, including logging, as sustainable industries. Even Greta Thunberg has weighed in on forestry in her native Sweden, tweeting that being referred to as the opposite of science is a clear sign that youre doing something wrong.

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7. Whats the potential impact of the overall regulations?

The labeling system unveiled by the bloc is nothing short of a re-engineering of the economy and re-engineering of the financial world, according to Mairead McGuinness, the European commissioner responsible for financial services. With demand for green investment opportunities at record highs, the new system could be an incentive to shift economic activity toward sustainability. And since the continent is the first to put forward such a taxonomy, it could also be used as a template for other countries to follow.

8. What does business think of it?

After a decade of post-crisis regulations, many firms are happy to be at the table discussing sustainable finance with authorities -- and the possible new business opportunities the green road may offer. Investors are also keen to get green labels they can trust. The European Fund and Asset Management Association says it supports the commissions sustainability reporting standards, though it also highlighted that a lack of data is a key barrier to realizing their full potential. On the other hand, the chair of sustainable finance for UBS Group AG, Huw van Steenis, wrote that the rules are too binary in supporting what is only the purest shade of green, an argument echoed by former Bank of England governor Mark Carney.

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9. How else could investors and banks be affected?

 Money managers are being told to disclose how they incorporate sustainability factors into investment decisions. This is meant to increase transparency for investors who want their money to help -- or at least not hurt -- the environment.

 Low-carbon benchmarks -- indexes created to track companies with a low carbon footprint -- are being set up to make it easier to steer funds to environmentally friendly investments.

 To encourage green lending, bank regulators may lower capital requirements for these projects.

 Banking supervisors are scrutinizing the environmental risks that remain on balance sheets and could impose extra capital demands to offset possible losses.

 Banks may need to assess environmental risks facing borrowers before they lend.

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 The Bank of England is testing banks and insurers, asking them to estimate the impact of global warming on mortgages, corporate loans and other parts of their balance sheets.

 The European Banking Authority wants each big European bank to disclose a green asset ratio showing the portion of total loans, equity holdings and fee income contributing to the fight against climate change.

10. When will all this happen?

Not immediately. One of the biggest hurdles to overcome is missing data. Companies dont necessarily report all the information that the market needs to assess the environmental aspect of a bond or a stock. While euro-area countries are submitting their recovery plans to Brussels, the green bond standard has yet to be approved by parliament and the council. The taxonomy is also set to include areas like marine conservation and pollution control in the coming months. On regulations, the European Banking Authority says it anticipates delivering a significant amount of work between 2019 and 2025.

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When Iraqs parliament is convened Sunday, the pomp of the occasion will likely be greeted by apathy in the streets of Baghdad, but the circumstances are certain to deepen anxiety in the corridors of power in Tehran. The man responsible for both Iraqi indifference and Iranian unease is Moqtada al-Sadr, a political pyromaniac who now finds himself in the unfamiliar position of a firefighter.

Sadr is known in the West for his incendiary anti-American speeches and for occasionally unleashing his militia, the so-called Mahdi Army, against U.S.-led coalition forces after the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein. But Sadr has also discharged rhetorical cannonades in an easterly direction, and his fighters have clashed with militias armed and financed by Iran.

A Shiite cleric who has never held public office, Sadr casts himself as a nationalist, wishing a pox on American and Iranian houses alike, and claims to be above the sectarian divisions that have bedeviled Iraqi politics for most of the past two decades. (Shiites are nearly 60% of Iraqs population, but in parliament their leadership is split between those who toe Tehrans line and those, like Sadr, who claim independence; representatives of Sunni and Kurdish minorities tend to be united, gaining advantage by forming coalitions with the dominant Shiite faction.)

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But most Iraqis see Sadr as an anarchist who offers no solutions for their countrys social and economic problems. He is especially unpopular among young Iraqis, who make up the bulk of the Tishreen Uprising, a protest movement that opposes corruption in government and Tehrans influence in Iraqi affairs. They remember how he betrayed their cause in the spring of 2020, withdrawing the protection of his militias and making common cause with the Iranians. Exposed, hundreds of protesters were killed or injured by snipers deployed by the Iran-backed militias.

Disgusted by all parties, most young Iraqis boycotted the election: Overall participation was a record low 41%. This played into the hands of Sadr, who encouraged his loyalists to turn out. The result was that his Saeroon faction won 73 seats  well short of a majority in the 329-seat house but a sharp increase from 53 the last time around.

Even worse for Iran, its favored Shiite faction, known as the Fatah Alliance, performed disastrously, slipping to just 17 seats from 48.

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After the 2018 vote, the two Shiite factions wrangled for five months before agreeing to share important cabinet positions, installing rival patronage networks in the ministries while appointing neutral  and essentially powerless  prime ministers, first Adel Abdul Mahdi and then Mustafa al-Kadhimi. This time, Sadr may be able to cobble together a coalition with the Sunnis and Kurds and leave the Fatah Alliance in the cold.

But that would require the inveterate renegade to be conciliatory and accommodating instead of antagonistic and stubborn. There is as yet no sign Sadr is capable of such a transformation. He is not demanding the prime ministership for himself, but it is hard to know whether this is an acknowledgment of his unsuitability for the job, a recognition that other groups wont go along with it, or simply a desire for power without responsibility.

Certainly, he hasnt reined in his tendency to make maximalist demands  that the Iran-backed militias be liquidated, for instance, or that American security personnel be withdrawn even from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. The Iraqi state doesnt have the strength to carry out the first, and Washington would never accept the second.

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The challenge for Sadr now is to overcome the misgivings of Sunni and Kurdish parties as well as the hostility of the protest movement. If he succeeds, it will be because they are even more apprehensive of Iran than they are suspicious of him. They could conceivably be reassured if he agrees to a neutral prime minister; Kadhimi is keeping his fingers tightly crossed that he will again be the compromise choice.

For the U.S., this would be the least-bad scenario because Kadhimi and the Biden administration have agreed to preserve the fiction that the American military presence isnt a combat mission. But were Sadr to install a frontman closer to his own sensibilities, Washington would struggle to maintain a stable relationship with Baghdad.

For the regime in Tehran, there are no good outcomes: More than likely, the next Iraqi government will be made up of groups with no allegiance to, or dependence on, Iran. This would force the Iranians to pull harder on other levers to influence Iraqi political affairs, such as the threat of the militias, the inducements of graft or simple economic blackmail. (Iran is one of Iraqs biggest trading partners.)

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Even if he does call the shots in parliament on Sunday, Moqtada al-Sadr will find his troubles are just starting.

More From Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:



How to Make Iraqs Elections a Game Changer: Give People Money: Ziad Daoud



Why Is Iraq Afraid of Better Relations With Israel: Eli Lake



Iraqs Economic Woes Hit Harder Than U.S. Injustice: Bobby Ghosh

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Bobby Ghosh is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He writes on foreign affairs, with a special focus on the Middle East and Africa.

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Andrew Aaron Lloyd was a savvy investor, but a lousy fraudster. The businessman from Lebanon, Oregon, made millions buying nearly 16,000 shares of Tesla Inc., but lost it all -- along with his freedom -- when the feds figured out he had bankrolled his investments with proceeds from fraudulently obtained Covid-relief loans.

Hundreds of people have been prosecuted for falsely obtaining taxpayer-backed funds from plans intended to help small businesses during the pandemic, such as the Paycheck Protection Program. Many of them spent the money, and prosecutors were able to recover only a fraction of it. But that wasnt the case with Lloyd, where the government got back a lot more than he scammed.

Lloyd, 51, got about $3.4 million by filing fake applications in the names of businesses owned by relatives and associates, all without their knowledge, according to court records. He used some of the proceeds to buy more than 25 pieces of real estate in Oregon and California, prosecutors said.

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But his biggest windfall came with his 2020 purchase of 15,740 shares of Tesla using government money and a loan from Charles Schawb secured by equities hed purchased with the stolen cash.

Increased Exponentially

Teslas stock has skyrocketed since then, handing investors returns of about 50% last year alone. Lloyds investment was worth more than $11 million at the time agents seized his shares in January last year, and $16.8 million at the close of trading Thursday.

Lloyd transferred over $1.8 million of the PPP funds to his E*TRADE Securities brokerage account and purchased securities, prosecutors said in a court filing. Fortunately for the government, and for Mr. Lloyds restitution obligation discussed below, the value of those securities increased exponentially.

Federal agents also seized another of Lloyds security accounts, containing $660,000 in securities and cash.

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Lloyd, who pleaded guilty in June to bank fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft, was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Oregon. He was also ordered to pay $4 million in fines, surrender real estate bought with the ill-gotten money, and forfeit his brokerage accounts valued at $18 million.

His lawyer didnt return a request for comment.

The case is U.S. v. Lloyd, 6:21-cr-00198, U.S. District Court, District of Oregon (Eugene).

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The share of U.S. small businesses requiring employees to vaccinate has jumped in most big cities in recent weeks as a highly contagious Covid-19 variant spread across the nation. In New York City, which put in place one of the strictest private-sector mandates of the country at the end of last month, a third of small firms are asking their workers to get the shots in the latest weekly U.S. Census Bureau Small Business Pulse Survey. Thats up from 28% the week of Christmas and less than a quarter three months ago.

The New York metro area has now surpassed San Francisco, which until recently had the highest percentage of businesses requiring proof of inoculation.

A few cities saw a decline compared with the end of September, including Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego and Dallas, which has the smallest rate at just 6.9%.

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Nationally, the percentage of small businesses requiring Covid-19 vaccines has only risen slightly during December as cases of the omicron variant surged. It stood at 13.1% in the week ended Jan. 2.

Thats below the rate among large employers, many of which have imposed vaccine requirements -- even as President Joe Bidens vaccine-mandate rule for companies was making its way through the court system.

A November poll by consulting firm Willis Towers Watson found that 57% of companies had or planned to have a jab mandate.

Read More: Vaccine Mandates and Backlash in Austria, Italy, U.S.: QuickTake

A separate survey found that 53% of U.S. workers want employers to record proof of vaccination. That poll, conducted by software firms Brivo Inc. and MRI Software, showed that more than half of respondents have safety and health concerns about returning to the workplace.

Health and safety concerns remain a significant barrier to returning to the workplace, said Brian Zrimsek, industry principal at MRI Software.

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As the U.K. was recovering from the first wave of the pandemic, 18-year-olds whose schooling was disrupted and who were about to experience similar difficulties at university or in the job market received a welcome, and in some cases unexpected, gift. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight In September 2020, so-called Child Trust Funds, government-financed endowments for British children established almost two decades ago by then prime minister Tony Blair, became accessible for the first cohort of recipients as they reached adulthood. The average tax-free investment account had around 1,500 pounds ($2,035) in it  hardly a life-changing amount, but still pretty handy given the economic shock wrought by Covid-19. Many werent even aware they had such savings, since the program ended in 2011 due to austerity cuts.

I thought of the CTF, and similar capital endowment plans such as baby bonds as theyre known in the U.S, when a proposal urging financial compensation for young people went viral shortly before Christmas. The idea was they should be repaid for isolating to protect older people during the pandemic.

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To many, the premise of owing children money for their sacrifice is offensive. Unlike the 2008 financial crisis, which set back millennials employment opportunities, older generations werent to blame for the pandemic. Indeed, they were the ones most likely to be killed by it. Young peoples mental health took a disproportionate hit, with many losing out on socializing, travel and milestones like graduations, but they did still have time on their side. The elderly were isolated. Meanwhile, mid-life parents were busy struggling to hold down jobs and supervise home-schooling.

Of course, theres a strong argument for reimbursing college-age students. Their campus experience was a shadow of what they expected so getting back some of their college tuition costs makes sense. Kudos to the Netherlands for proposing a 50% fee cut for this academic year. The U.S. paused student loan repayments, but current students have had to sue to recoup exorbitant tuition expenses, often without success.

However, a direct financial handout to Gen C (the covid generation) for their pandemic woes would set age above other societal inequities that Covid amplified. It would also risk fraying generational ties even further by framing social obligations as purely transactional.

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That doesnt mean we should ignore the plight of todays youth. Due to years of weak wage growth, soaring college tuition costs and increasingly unaffordable houses, young people have long been falling behind in wealth terms, when compared with prior generations.

Sure, some have recently made money by speculating in cryptocurrencies, NFTs and their ilk. The young also saved more because they couldnt party as much. But because older people own most property and financial assets, theyve been the main winners of the massive stimulus that central banks unleashed to shield the economy. The over-55s enjoyed almost two-thirds of the 900 billion-pound ($1.2 trillion) increase in U.K. household wealth in the period from February 2020 to May 2021, according to one study.

Wealth disparities could yet get worse: The massive cost of pandemic support measures may lead to tax increases that fall heavily on working age people, as weve already seen in the U.K.

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With the omicron variant hopefully marking a new, less dangerous phase of the pandemic, its a good moment to consider how to redress these generational imbalances. Ideas like child trust funds and baby bonds are worth trying. Rather than a universal basic income that critics say discourages work, imagine a universal minimum inheritance that can cushion young people against economic shocks.

This isnt a new idea. More than two centuries ago, Anglo-American philosopher and revolutionary Thomas Paine proposed giving each 21-year-old a lump sum of 15 pounds sterling (the equivalent of around 2,000 pounds today or $2,700), paid for by inheritances taxes. The reasoning hasnt changed much: Seeding all young people with assets at the start of their adult lives helps them start businesses, afford college, fund pensions or raise a deposit for a home.

An endowment at birth would compound in value over time, and to ensure todays teenagers and twenty-somethings dont lose out, governments could make immediate capital grants to young adults. A 10,000-pound ($13,528) citizens inheritance for each British 25-year-old, would cost around 7 billion pounds yearly and at least double the wealth of more than 60% of young adults, the Resolution Foundation has estimated. Such endowments can be means-tested and ring-fenced to prevent the money being spent unwisely, if so politically desired.

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One potential objection is that younger generations will eventually inherit massive wealth from their parents. But this misses the point as these inheritances wont show up until millennials are themselves close to retirement. More importantly, the receipts wont be shared equally: The median white U.S. household has nearly eight times more wealth than the median black family. Hence, the baby-bond plans being implemented by a growing number of U.S. states are also a crucial tool to address the racial wealth gap. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey has pushed to build on these efforts at the federal level.

Relatively modest capital endowments arent a silver bullet to fix todays gaping financial inequities. Its no good giving young people money to buy homes, for example, if you dont also build more urban housing. Otherwise house prices will just rise even further out of reach, as weve seen with the U.K.s home-purchase subsidies.

Nevertheless, trust funds for all can help strengthen support for capitalism among those without capital or rich parents and are a step towards repairing inter- and intra-generational inequality. Its the least we could do after a pandemic thats been hard on almost everyone.

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More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion:

 Invest in Children and Equality: Hand Out Baby Bonds: Andrea Gabor

 America Needs a Government Wealth Program: Noah Smith

 New Jerseys Baby Bonds Plan Doesnt Add Up: Brian Chappatta

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Chris Bryant is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies. He previously worked for the Financial Times.

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Grids are central to the art of E.E. Ikeler and Ken Weathersby, but so are deviations from these self-imposed frameworks. The two artists, dueting in Pazo Fine Arts Emblemata, employ repeated patterns, executed in paint, tile or wood. Yet the orderly motifs are subtly warped by materials or the artists hand.

Ikeler uses netting, cast tiles and pigmented resin to construct mosaic-like pieces with decorative arrangements and, occasionally, cryptic text. The Brooklyn artist arrays circles and arcs in designs that are essentially if not exactly symmetrical, and often keys multicolor compositions to a predominant hue. Among the sloganeering works is What Doesnt Kill You, which spells out the opening of an oft-quoted Nietzsche aphorism that continues, makes you stronger. Its a fitting maxim for artwork thats splintered but sturdy.

Weathersby makes paintings and sculptures, both with elements of collage. Most of them include details of photos of ancient statues, set off by lattices that may be painted or assembled from wooden slats. Some of the photos are deployed with visual wit: One is decapitated, with its head replaced by a circle filled with checkerboard squares; another is truncated to its feet, which stand aptly at the bottom of a standing wooden rectangle thats roughly proportionate to a human body.

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Sometimes Weathersby skips the photo and directly contrasts painted templates with sculptural ones. The New Jersey artist places a painted checkerboard within a sort of wooden rack, and places a skinny picture of interlocked concentric boxes on a wooden stand. The latter piece has been shattered and reassembled, as if to certify the power of patterning. In both artists work, the grid is slippery but indomitable.

E.E. Ikeler and Ken Weathersby: Emblemata Through Jan. 20 at Pazo Fine Art, 4228 Howard Ave., Kensington. Open by appointment.

Osi Audu

Especially when rendered with gleaming graphite, Osi Audus hard-edge geometric abstractions evoke high-tech machines. But A Sense of Self, the title of the Nigeria-born New Yorkers show at Morton Fine Art, suggests he has something else in mind. Nearly all the pictures are designated as self-portraits, and often streamline the shapes of West African masks. Audus inspiration is the Yoruba idea of outer and inner head, according to the gallerys statement.

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The show is divided primarily between monochromatic drawings, executed in gray graphite and black pastel, and brightly colorful paintings, mostly in two contrasting acrylic pigments. Audu distills the forms of masks, headdresses and hairstyles to planes, angles and curves, and positions them on white backdrops that emphasize the images seeming three-dimensionality. It would make sense for the artist to translate such pictures into sculpture, and in fact this show is set to include two painted-steel pieces that seem to be closely related to the paintings. (The sculptures didnt arrive in time to be seen for this review.)

The colors and shapes are usually presented as stark dualities, but not always. Self-Portrait After Dogon Bird Mask features four hues rather than two, and the graphite areas in the black-and-gray drawings are made of free, densely overlapping strokes. While inner and outer are elsewhere tidily juxtaposed, the graphites intricate textures are intriguingly in-between.

Osi Audu: A Sense of Self Through Jan. 15 at Morton Fine Art, 52 O St. NW, No. 302. Open by appointment.

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Janis Goodman

In recent years, local artist Janis Goodman has mostly shown large abstract drawings. Infinite Journey, her Gallery Neptune & Brown show, displays paintings made, in a painstaking neoclassical mode, with layer upon layer of translucent glazes. Yet these paintings and the earlier drawings have something in common: They dont explicitly depict the natural world, yet strongly evoke it.

Divided between round and square formats, the pictures are characterized by soft shapes, saturated hues and fluid transitions. The color schemes, which often pit pink, red or yellow highlights against black or dark green backdrops, suggest fall foliage. But the imagery also hints at flowers, clouds or aerial or microscopic views. The artworks, most of which have the word world, earth or time in their titles, can be seen as epic, intimate or both.

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Perhaps best known for her appearances on WETA-TVs Around Town arts program, Goodman has taught at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design (now part of George Washington University) since 1988. Infinite Journey demonstrates her command of traditional oil-painting technique, combined with a modernists concern with pure form and color. These nature paintings are also studies of the nature of painting.

Janis Goodman: Infinite Journey Through Jan. 15 at Gallery Neptune & Brown, 1530 14th St. NW.

Maggie Siner

The landscapes and still lifes in Maggie Siners Field of Vision feature such lushly hued sights as a field of lavender and a plate of mandarin oranges. But the thing the oil painter renders most sensuously is fabric. In this exhibit at Susan Calloway Fine Art and Consulting, as in her previous local shows, Siner packs a whole cosmos of light, shadow and form into rumpled tablecloths and flowing dresses.

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A former Washingtonian who has lived in Venice since 2008, Siner has developed a style that might be called Impressionist classical. She captures her subjects in brushstrokes that are sketchy yet authoritative. Whether influenced by photography or her individual vision, she employs multiple planes of focus in a single picture. Objects are gently blurred to varying degrees, as if slipping in or out of perception.

Siners paintings of women emphasize the clothing they wear, sometimes rendered by a few swoops of pink or white and given voluptuous shape by gray shadowing. In WW Ruffle, the model looks down, her face obscured as she seemingly contemplates the long white gown she wears. Loosely rendered bodies energize some of the artists pictures, but arent necessary for strong compositions. One of the shows standouts is Central Pillows, whose inert subjects are piled dynamically before a silver-brown backdrop whose richness demonstrates that there are no neutral colors in Siners subtly kinetic pictures.

Maggie Siner: Field of Vision Through Jan. 18 at Calloway Fine Art and Consulting, 1643 Wisconsin Ave. NW.

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Much of the media world scrambled to cover the revelation this week that the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection is seeking the cooperation of Fox News host Sean Hannity. But his employer wasnt part of that rush. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The unexpected request  revealed by the committee Tuesday along with text messages Hannity sent to President Donald Trumps aides last year expressing concern before the riot about the White Houses plans for that day  generated a flood of news articles as well as hours of panel discussions and analysis on Fox Newss cable rivals, CNN and MSNBC.

But it was quieter on the network on which Hannity has starred for the past 25 years. Over three days, Fox News journalists collectively devoted 88 seconds to the news.

Fox Newss coverage has consisted of brief mentions during news reports hosted by anchors Bret Baier, Dana Perino and Shannon Bream, the last after midnight on Wednesday. It has offered no discussion, no interviews and no statements from Hannity.

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In its brief reporting, Fox News repeatedly cited a statement from Hannitys attorney, Jay Sekulow, arguing that the committees request would raise serious constitutional issues including First Amendment concerns regarding freedom of the press.

Yet none of the airtime that Fox News has devoted to the matter has explained why the committee wants to talk to Hannity  because he was the author of dozens of text messages that suggested advance knowledge about Trumps efforts to undermine the election results.

He cant mention the election again. Ever, Hannity wrote to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) in late December. I do NOT see January 6 happening the way he is being told, he wrote to Meadows, who also got Hannitys Jan. 5 text: [Im] very worried about the next 48 hours.

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Despite his lawyers protestations, its not clear that Hannity was acting as a journalist in his messages to Trumps inner circle. The host himself has described himself various ways over the years. I never claimed to be a journalist, he told the New York Times in 2016 when asked about his friendship with Trump. A year later, however, he described himself to the Times as an advocacy journalist, or an opinion journalist.

Fox News calls Hannity an opinion host and doesnt refer to him as a journalist.

A Fox News spokeswoman declined to comment on the networks coverage of Hannity.

This is an indisputably newsworthy story argued Mark Feldstein, a University of Maryland journalism professor. How can you not cover that? He criticized Hannity for withholding his behind-the-scenes insight from Fox News viewers as well as Fox Newss decision to give little coverage to the fallout.

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Journalists are often resistant to reporting on their own organizations, but its a measure of the quality of a newsroom when its done honestly and well, said Mark Lukasiewicz, the dean of Hofstra Universitys School of Communication and a former TV news executive. Journalism requires that we report important stories even when it involves our bosses, our owners, or our on-air colleagues.

He applauded MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, for example, for interviewing journalist Ronan Farrow about how NBC delayed his reporting about film producer Harvey Weinsteins sexual misconduct; as well as CBS correspondent Jericka Duncans on-air report about the alleged threats she received from 60 Minutes executive producer Jeff Fager when she was investigating sexual harassment allegations against him.

On the flip side, CNN gave little airtime to reports last spring that prime-time host Chris Cuomo had received hard-to-get coronavirus tests early in the pandemic thanks to the help of his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) or that he had offered crisis-management advice to his brother when he was facing sexual harassment allegations. (CNN fired the host last month after state officials revealed the extent to which he was involved in aiding the governor and a claim of sexual harassment against the host emerged.)

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And Fox News all but looked the other way when co-founder and chairman Roger Ailes was forced out amid sexual harassment allegations in 2016. Over a five-week period, as Fox News was beset by one bombshell allegation after another, the network devoted just 11 minutes of airtime to the news.

It was similarly restrained in covering a subsequent series of harassment scandals involving Bill OReilly, its most popular personality until he and the company abruptly parted ways in 2017.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misrepresented Mark Lukasiewiczs involvement with Hofstra University. He is currently the dean of the universitys School of Communication.

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NEW YORK  Ghislaines Maxwells sex-trafficking and conspiracy conviction, little more than a week old, may not be salvageable, legal experts said Thursday after two jurors publicly disclosed past sexual abuse that they might not have included on pretrial questionnaires. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Attorneys for the former longtime paramour of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein are preparing to seek a new trial on the grounds that Maxwells first was fundamentally unfair. A judge will consider the issue later this month.

Defense lawyers made the request Wednesday, based on news articles that quoted one juror saying he used his past to convince others on the jury to believe Maxwells accusers, despite some gaps and inconsistencies.

Photos included with some of the articles indicate the juror is a 35-year-old executive assistant in the finance sector who was referred to as Juror No. 50 during anonymous voir dire proceedings.

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Maxwell, 60, was found guilty on Dec. 29, after four women testified that she groomed and recruited them as teenagers to give sexualized massages to Epstein, and in some cases groped them herself.

Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of Jeffrey Epstein, stands trial for sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy. Here's what to watch for in the case. (Video: Joyce Koh/The Washington Post)

The disclosure that Juror No. 50 was abused as a child would not have automatically disqualified him from serving on Maxwells jury. But the defense would have almost certainly used one of its challenges to dismiss him, had he made it past the 30-page, 50-question survey to voir dire, an interview process in open court.

The answers to the questionnaires are sealed, and jurors names have not been made public. It is unclear whether Juror No. 50 revealed his history of abuse when asked on the questionnaire if he or a friend or relative had ever been the victim of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or sexual assault? In the transcript of his voir dire, however, he is not asked about his answer to the sexual abuse question, suggesting a disclosure had not been made.

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The sexual abuse and sexual assault question on the survey was considered vital to the process of picking a fair panel in a high-profile case that centered on the abuse of underage victims. At issue now is whether Juror No. 50 omitted his own history from the questionnaire despite written and verbal warnings that he was under oath and was instructed to tell the truth.

In the printed packets, jurors were warned  with capital letters and underlined notations  that they were sworn to provide truthful responses. The final page is a declaration requiring a signature to the fact that under penalty of perjury all of the above answers were truthful to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Former federal prosecutors watching the matter unfold have said U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan has tough questions to consider, including whether what has transpired has resulted in a material prejudice against Maxwell that can only be cured by a trial do-over.

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This juror has no idea what kind of a chaotic chain reaction he has unleashed, said Jason P.W. Halperin, a former prosecutor in the U.S. attorneys office in Manhattan, which handled the investigations of both Maxwell and Epstein prior to Epsteins death by suicide while awaiting trial in August 2019.

After written motions are filed in the coming weeks and Nathan very likely holds a hearing on the matter, there is now a very real possibility that there will have to be a new trial, Halperin added.

In 2015, a federal appeals court in New York granted a new trial to a former Deutsche Bank broker in what was considered the biggest tax-fraud case in history on the grounds that a juror in the case lied about substantial matters in her background.

In Maxwells case, voir dire spanned several days, and dozens of jurors were released from service based on their questionnaire answers. Juror No. 50, who could not be reached by The Washington Post, told Reuters that he didnt recall being asked about sexual abuse history and that he breezed through the questionnaire.

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Todd Spodek, an attorney representing the juror, did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday. Spodek filed notice with the court that he was representing the juror on Wednesday, within hours of the U.S. attorneys office bringing the jurors comments to the judges attention and suggesting that Nathan appoint a lawyer for him.

The juror undoubtedly has exposure for perjury, said Lindsay K. Gerdes, a former federal and state prosecutor who until recently served in the U.S. attorneys office in Brooklyn. Thats why not only did the government ask for an attorney to be appointed, the judge in fact agreed that was appropriate. And now this juror has decided to just retain their own attorney.

Gerdes said the legal issues at play in Maxwells case stand out. Most of these motions [for a new trial] are dismissed out of hand. But this is one that is getting immediate attention and very well may have a positive outcome for the defendant here, she added.

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Juror No. 50s experience during voir dire was mostly unremarkable, according to the transcript. He was asked about his social media habits, replying that he had deleted his accounts because I just got out of a relationship and I didnt want to see anything regarding them.

Last week, however, he appeared to announce his participation on the jury in an Instagram post, calling it an incredible, surreal experience and an honor to serve our country! He also posted a selfie taken in front of the federal courthouse in early November in which he is playfully sticking out his tongue.

In another twist that could influence the outcome of the future proceedings, a second juror told the New York Times they had also been abused and that their experience had played into deliberations, which lasted five full days and concluded in late December. As with Juror No. 50, it is not clear whether that person divulged the information on the questionnaire.

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Maxwell faces up to 65 years in prison based on her conviction. Her trial spanned four weeks and featured nearly 30 witnesses, including the four accusers, unfolding in pandemic conditions with the omicron variant bearing down.

It would be both expensive and complicated to launch a new trial, and some legal observers said Thursday that they were skeptical that Nathan would order a redo.

For one thing, they said, it is rare for a judge to overturn a conviction after making careful rulings and decisions to ensure a fair trial. Judges tend to be wary of wading too much into the jury process, which is secret and generally protected.

Seth DuCharme, a former Justice Department official and former acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said precedent allows jurors some leniency but that jury conduct becomes improper when, for instance, a juror conceals having a personal relationship with a party in the case.

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Outside of egregious examples, theres a certain acceptance that jurors bring personal experience into deliberations, DuCharme said.

Juries are generally not attorneys and judges, so conversations in jury rooms are amongst people that come from the community, he added. If you were going to disturb every jury verdict because somebody brought their own personal experience into that process, then you would have to disturb every jury verdict.

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In Colorado, weve been watching for months as conditions built to a perfect combination for last months devastating wildfires. Watching temperatures stay warm long into the fall and winter. Watching the forecasts for a rare chance of rain or snow. Watching extreme drought develop when too little of it fell.

This is not the Colorado I grew up in. Wildfires in summer were not unusual. Destructive wildfires in December were unheard of. As the world warms, were watching the entire year become fire season. Were watching friends and neighbors lose their homes and join the millions worldwide displaced by extreme weather fueled by climate change.
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Bless Micaela Wells for her Jan. 2 op-ed, My history textbooks message: Women dont matter. Among todays students are tomorrows world leaders and decision-makers. Their education should truthfully reflect womens contributions to human achievement. Sign up for a weekly roundup of thought-provoking ideas and debates ArrowRight Maria Roberts, Gaithersburg Womens history is often overlooked or undermined in our current curriculums. Instead of being an immersed part of American and world history, womens history is rarely even a sidebar to the conversation, causing students to have an underdeveloped understanding. Without understanding the depth of womens history, students fall susceptible to the narrative that women are inferior or contributed less in history  which is not only untrue but also extremely harmful in the long run.

Furthermore, when we learn about women, it is often about their domestic roles in the house and not their righteous acts throughout history. For example, most students know about Paul Revere; however, few know about the 16-year-old Sybil Ludington, whom Ms. Wells mentioned as a woman Americans should know. Sybil rode horseback in the nighttime to deliver a similar message of the arrival of the British.

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These integral stories in history are all too often overlooked as unimportant because they center women; however, it is invaluable to ensure students appreciate womens history as a part of all history  and understand that women are not only equal but also have accomplished amazing things throughout history.

Prasidha Padmanabhan , Chantilly

Micaela Wells wrote a masterpiece that raised questions about how society is not educating itself about the importance of women. When the world-class Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology allows the use of an AP history textbook that provides only 100 words about women in a chapter on World War II, as Ms. Wells wrote, women are abandoned.

Everyone in this pandemic should know how fundamentally important and creative women such as Jennifer A. Doudna, Nobel laureate, and her co-laureate, Emmanuelle Charpentier, are in todays science. Their discovery of gene editing via CRISPR enzymes has given the world lifesaving vaccine technologies. It would be good for TJHS to include Walter Isaacsons book The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race on the students  and teachers  must-read lists.

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William Westhoff, Woodbridge

Micaela Wellss essay on the dearth of content on women of historical significance in todays history textbooks was truly eye-opening. I graduated from high school in 1964, when inclusion of women in history textbooks was essentially nonexistent. That little, if any, appreciable progress has been achieved in the past 58 years should be a wake-up call to everyone. I recognized 13 of the 20 women Ms. Wells said should be mandatory to learn about. Because of her, I will learn as much as I can about the remaining seven.

Ms. Wellss essay is a first step in acknowledging that changes and upgrades are needed in our schools curriculums.

Vera Reublinger, Cabin John

Micaela Wells rightly observes that erasing women in history from textbooks hurts children.

Here in the Pasadena Unified School District in California, we are making enormous headway to restore the empty spaces. Five years ago, a PUSD principal and I created a Womens History Month assembly, with a specific focus on the history of the womens liberation movement  a movement that changed the American landscape for all but has not been given its due. For instance, before the womens liberation movement, a student applying to college could legally be denied admission simply because she was female. Feminists changed that.

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Feminists have not been significantly noted in our textbooks as changemakers and leaders of our nation. I suspect things would be different now if we had all been taught the details of the womens liberation movement.

Equal space in textbooks wont be given to us. We must build a cultural memory of women in history and include it in our curriculums and teaching environments. The textbook authors will follow.

Jennifer Hall Lee, Altadena, Calif.

The writer is a Pasadena Unified School District trustee and

director of Feminist: Stories

From Womens Liberation.

It was disappointing that Micaela Wells, a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, did not mention a single female physicist, astronomer or astrophysicist. I can name quite a few: Margaret Burbidge, Maria Goeppert Mayer, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, Henrietta Leavitt, Chien-Shiung Wu.

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Rosemary Killen, Greenbelt

The writer is an astronomer.

It was ironic that Kathleen Parkers Jan. 2 op-ed, Where I went wrong in a year of writing, appeared in print just below Micaela Wellss My history textbooks message: Women dont matter. Ms. Parker wrote about wokeness and criticized herself for failing to call it out for the foolishness it has become  a bludgeon used to stifle dissent and stymie discourse. But wokeness is simply a state of being aware, especially of social problems such as racism and inequality, according to the Cambridge Dictionary. Clearly, what she should be calling out are those who misuse wokeness to stifle dissent and stymie discourse.

Ms. Wellss op-ed was an excellent example of wokeness. She carefully demonstrated how even todays textbooks cancel womens history and have led to an amazing ignorance of important women in American history. Ms. Wells went beyond wokeness by pointing out (correctly, I believe) that as we work toward womens equality, education is holding us back. She was also correct to write that when womens accomplishments are omitted from todays U.S. history curriculum, it becomes more difficult for students to see how gender-based inequities remain entrenched.

Far from stifling dissent and stymieing discourse, Ms. Wells was expressing a dissenting opinion about the state of U.S. history education and making an important contribution to the discourse about the subject.

Steve Eckstrand, Rockville

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Conservative Supreme Court justices on Friday appeared skeptical that the Biden administration has legal authority to impose a broad coronavirus vaccination-or-testing requirement on large employers, casting doubt on President Bidens most ambitious plan to fight the pandemic. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight But there was a different reaction to the administrations vaccine mandate for health-care personnel at facilities that receive federal Medicaid and Medicare funds. Some of the justices who expressed doubt about the general workplace requirements seemed more open to the idea that federal officials could require those workers to get vaccinated for the coronavirus.

The answer to both could come quickly  the court is considering emergency petitions either to allow the regulations to go into effect or to stop them, and both sides asked the court to act soon.

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It is highly unusual for the justices to hold oral arguments on emergency requests, but Fridays session went more than three and a half hours. It underscored the national debate over the threat of the coronavirus and the political division over how large a role government can play in requiring its citizens to be vaccinated.

There was a real-time dynamic as well. Besides the impending deadlines, some justices came armed with the latest numbers on the surging omicron variant, and their very actions displayed their concern.

All of the justices have been vaccinated and received boosters, but for the first time since they resumed in-person arguments, all began Fridays session masked, with the exception of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch. His seatmate, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, 67 and diagnosed with diabetes as a child, participated remotely from her chambers.

On Jan. 13, the Supreme Court blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a vaccination-or-testing requirement for large employers. Heres what to know. (Video: Julie Yoon/The Washington Post)

In weighing previous challenges to coronavirus restrictions and requirements, the court has been largely deferential to states  but skeptical of the powers of federal agencies. That seemed to be the case when the court considered the rule proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which would cover about 80 million workers.

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A majority of justices seemed inclined to agree with private businesses and 27 Republican-led states challenging the order that OSHAs proposed action was beyond a federal agencys powers.

Such a workplace requirement sounds like the sort of thing that states will be responding to or should be, and that Congress should be responding to  rather than agency by agency, the federal government, the executive branch acting alone, said Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.

Washington lawyer Scott A. Keller, representing the National Federation of Independent Business, said it was an unprecedented imposition by the federal government on private workplaces.

Our nations businesses have distributed and administered hundreds of millions of covid vaccines to Americans. Businesses have encouraged and incentivized their employees to get vaccines, Keller told the court. But a single federal agency tasked with occupational standards cannot commandeer businesses economywide into becoming de facto public health agencies.

Gorsuch seemed to agree with Roberts. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. asked questions even more skeptical. Justice Amy Coney Barrett wondered if the regulation was drawn too broadly or should be more targeted at specific industries and workplaces, rather than imposed on all businesses with 100 or more employees.

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The courts three liberal justices seemed confident the federal agencies had proper authority in both cases and exasperated by the questioning.

Several times, Justice Stephen G. Breyer mentioned that there were nearly three-quarters of a million people, new cases every day.

I would find it, you know, unbelievable that it could be in the public interest to suddenly stop these vaccinations, Breyer said.

More and more people are dying every day. More and more people are getting sick every day, said Justice Elena Kagan. This is the policy that is most geared to stopping all this.

Keller said state officials and private businesses can and have acted to protect workers, but that the federal governments policy would impose new costs and cause a massive economic shift by leading employees to quit.

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Sotomayor pointed out that catching covid keeps people out of the workplace for extraordinary periods of time.

Ohio Solicitor General Benjamin M. Flowers, who made his argument by phone because he tested positive for coronavirus in advance of the hearing, said the Biden administrations policy was too sweeping in scope and not truly intended to regulate a workplace danger. Its a danger that we all face simply as a matter of waking up in the morning. He noted that vaccinations cannot be undone.

But Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar, representing the Biden administration, said the policy is at the heart of the federal governments responsibility.

Exposure to covid-19 on the job is the biggest threat to workers in OSHAs history, Prelogar said. The court should reject the argument that the agency is powerless to address that grave danger.

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The hearing took place in a building that has been closed to the public for nearly two years because of the pandemic. Only court staff, lawyers in the cases, credentialed reporters and the justices law clerks are allowed to attend oral arguments, and all must be masked and possess negative coronavirus test results.

Technically, the court is not deciding the legality of the administrations initiatives, only whether they may be implemented while lawsuits challenging them continue.

But the questioning focused on the merits of the cases and whether federal agencies have proper authority to impose rules that could boost the nations vaccination rate, which is almost 65 percent.

The other challenged policy is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services vaccination requirement for what the White House says is more than 17 million health-care workers at 76,000 facilities that receive federal money tied to those programs.

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The administration points to federal law that gives the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services the ability to impose requirements necessary for the health and safety of patients.

For decades, it says, the secretary has had authority to require participating health-care providers to establish programs for the prevention and control of infectious diseases within the facilities.

In court Friday, Brian H. Fletcher, the administrations principal deputy solicitor general, said many health-care workers already are required to be vaccinated against hepatitis, measles and the flu and that the medical community overwhelmingly supports the policy.

I think it would be bizarre to say that the secretarys authority to protect the health and safety of Medicare and Medicaid patients does not include the authority to adopt a measure that you see other regulators adopting, the medical community urging and other providers adopting voluntarily, Fletcher said.

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Roberts and Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh seemed more receptive to the argument that the administration has sway over those workers and facilities.

Roberts noted the close connection between coronavirus and the risk to elderly and low-income patients treated at facilities that receive federal funds.

People already get sick when they go to the hospital, but if they go and face covid-19 concerns, well, thats much worse, Roberts said.

Kavanaugh wondered why the states were bringing the challenge if the rule would be such an imposition on facilities and their workers.

Where are the regulated parties complaining about the regulation? he asked.

Missouri Deputy Attorney General Jesus A. Osete said the regulations would make dedicated health-care workers choose between losing their jobs and complying with the governments vaccine mandate.

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He said it would create an imminent crisis in rural areas where objecting workers cannot be easily replaced.

Louisiana solicitor general Elizabeth Murrill, also forced to make her arguments remotely because of the courts testing requirement, said the rules would force millions of people working for or with a Medicare or Medicaid provider to undergo invasive, irrevocable, forced medical treatment.

Kagan was unmoved. All the government is saying with the vaccination requirement, she said, is the one thing you cant do is to kill your patients. So you have to get vaccinated so that youre not transmitting the disease that can kill elderly Medicare patients, that can kill sick Medicaid patients.

But Gorsuch was wary of the government conditioning funds on the vaccine requirement. Could it mean, should it mean, have we in other cases interpreted similar language to mean, you cant use money in a way that commandeers a state or private entity? he asked.

A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit dismissed a request from Florida to stop the requirement. But a district judge in Missouri stopped the rules, and the 5th Circuit agreed with a challenge from Louisiana.

In the workplace regulation, federal law grants OSHA authority to issue emergency rules for up to six months to protect employees exposed to grave danger from substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or from new hazards. The administration contends that gives OSHA not only the authority but also the responsibility to act.

The temporary rule would give companies with 100 or more workers a choice: mandate all employees be vaccinated or require unvaccinated employees to provide weekly negative coronavirus test results and wear face coverings to work on-site.

The rules were set to take effect Jan. 4, but OSHA pushed back the date in response to the litigation and said it would not immediately issue citations for those not in compliance.

Soon after the administration announced the rules for private companies in November, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit blocked enforcement of the policy.

But lawsuits emerged around the nation and were consolidated for review by a different court. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit dissolved the 5th Circuits stay, saying the rules could go into effect.

Because of the uncertainty surrounding the litigation, OSHA announced that it would not penalize companies for not complying with employee testing requirements before Feb. 9, as long as employers show reasonable, good faith efforts to meet the standards.

In response to concerns about a shortage of health-care workers, Fletcher told the court that the HHS secretary has given facilities some flexibility to meet the new requirements, including an additional 60 days to get employees fully vaccinated. The agency also will hold off on any enforcement action, Fletcher said, as long as 90 percent of the workforce is vaccinated and the facility has a plan to immunize its remaining workers.

The OSHA cases are National Federation of Independent Business v. Department of Labor and Ohio v. Department of Labor. The health-care worker cases are Biden v. Missouri and Becerra v. Louisiana.

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Cyber Ninjas, the firm hired to conduct a partisan review of election results in Maricopa County, Ariz., has been ordered to pay sanctions of $50,000 a day until it turns over records from the review sought by the Arizona Republic newspaper. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight A superior court judge in Maricopa County found the Florida-based company in contempt of court Thursday and ordered the sanctions, according to the Republic.

Maricopa Superior Court Judge John Hannah had previously ordered the company to turn over emails, text messages and other documents to the publication.

It is lucidly clear on this record that Cyber Ninjas has disregarded that order, Hannah said.

The order of sanctions comes as the company claims to be shutting down.

A Republican-commissioned review of nearly 2.1 million ballots cast in 2020 in Arizona confirmed President Bidens win in Maricopa County. (Video: Reuters)

Jack Wilenchik, a lawyer representing Cyber Ninjas, said that the company has laid off all employees, including its former chief executive officer Doug Logan, and is now insolvent, according to Newsweek. Wilenchik said the company is unable to go into its records to find the audit documents.

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NBC also reported that a company representative said in a text message on Thursday night that it is shutting down.

Cyber Ninjas is shutting down. All employees have been let go, Rod Thomson, the companys representative, said.

The court action came during the same week that Maricopa County officials released a lengthy report concluding that the November 2020 election was administered properly and not marred by fraud.

The 93-page document debunks, one by one, vague allegations of potential problems previously identified by the GOP-led state Senate, which hired Cyber Ninjas, and championed by former president Donald Trump and his allies.

Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, is Arizonas largest county.

In September, the Senate announced its contractors recount reconfirmed the accuracy of the countys tally  which showed that Joe Biden edged out Trump in the large and diversifying county by more than 45,000 votes, helping Biden win the key swing state.

Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to this report.

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For so long, Joey Votto has focused on the lonely process of being at his baseball best. This season, though, he has emerged as a social media superstar in a sport not known for its outsize online personalities.
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Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris was evacuated from the Democratic National Committee offices by her Secret Service unit on Jan. 6 last year after a pipe bomb was discovered nearby, according to a person familiar with the incident. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The pipe bomb, which never detonated, was discovered on the same day that a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol, not far from the DNC. The incident was first reported by Politico.

The episode offers a new example of the danger that the Jan. 6 insurrection posed to the incoming administration, and it provides yet another account of a near miss that could have had a devastating result. It also shows how much is still not publicly known about a 24-hour period whose impact is still resonating.

Harris had traveled to the DNC to use the committees recording studio to tape video messages thanking people who supported President-elect Joe Bidens inaugural committee, according to the person familiar with the incident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive information.

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The incoming vice president was accompanied by only a handful of staff and had not yet started recording the messages when her security detail told her that she needed to evacuate because of the explosive found outside the building, according the person. Harris was at the DNC for about 20 minutes before being whisked out, the person said.

At the time, the televisions on display in the DNC showed that Congress was preparing to certify Bidens election, the person said.

Harris was taken to an undisclosed location, while the accompanying staffers headed home.

The vice president spoke briefly Thursday to commemorate the first anniversary of the Capitol insurrection. In those remarks, she referred to some of her activities a year earlier, saying that she had been at the Capitol building before the rioting began.

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I was here at the Capitol that morning, at a classified hearing with fellow members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Harris said in her remarks. Hours later, the gates of the Capitol were breached.

She added, I had left. But my thoughts immediately turned not only to my colleagues, but to my staff, who had been forced to seek refuge in our office, converting filing cabinets into barricades.

Harriss office had previously said that she was not at the Capitol during the insurrection but declined to say exactly where she was.

The person who placed the bomb at the DNC offices remains at large. A separate bomb was found that day at the Republican National Committee.

About 12:45 p.m., Capitol Police officers, along with agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, were dispatched to investigate reports of a pipe bomb with a timer found outside the RNC headquarters and suspicious packages at the Supreme Court and near the DNC headquarters.

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At the time, some theorized that the bombs were placed at the buildings to draw police officers and attention away from the Capitol, which was breached shortly after both were found. Others have pushed back to say that the bomber could not have known exactly when they would be found.

Although the FBI has not made any arrests connected to the pipe bombs,it did release a new video of the person they think left both bombs. Officers have said they do not believe the suspect is local. The footage shows a frontal view of a person sitting on a bench near the DNC.

The FBI has said previously that the person is believed to have placed the pipe bombs between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2021.

Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report.

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The chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol said Thursday that the committee has received information showing that members of Congress met with people who came to Washington to participate in protests over the planned certification of electoral votes last year. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight We have information that members hosted people who came to Washington on that day in their office, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.) said during an interview Thursday at a Washington Post Live event. We have pictures of members [of Congress] taking pictures with people who came to the rally. . . . Theres a smaller subset of members that have been identified who probably did more to encourage the Stop the Steal part of coming to Washington.

Thompson did not elaborate on the committees findings, including whether the panel has information that these lawmakers had any knowledge about the possibility of violence on Jan. 6. But his comments during the interview suggested an intensifying focus on the activities of members of Congress in the days and hours before the protests began.

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During the broadcast conversation, Thompson reiterated his determination to seek information from members of Congress. The committee has asked for interviews with Republican Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Jim Jordan of Ohio. Both men have said they do not intend to cooperate.

When Thompson was asked whether the committee would take the unusual step of issuing subpoenas for their cooperation, he said: If we can get the necessary authorities and assurances that go with it, well do it. Both those individuals are important and have been implicated into this illegal activity that occurred on January 6.

Perry, Jordan and other Republicans have expressed disdain for the committee, suggesting it is a partisan exercise designed to embarrass Donald Trump and his supporters in advance of the midterm elections.

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I stand with immense respect for our Constitution, the Rule of Law, and the Americans I represent who know that this entity is illegitimate, and not duly constituted under the rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, Perry said in a statement last month.

While prominent advisers to Trump  including Stephen K. Bannon and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows  have declined to cooperate with the panel, Thompson reiterated his view that the reluctant witnesses did not reflect the cooperation the committee has received overall.

We learn every day from patriotic Americans who come forward and tell us what they know about the events of Jan. 6, he said. And so we now know that [Trumps] children encouraged him to try to stop it. We know that members of Congress, senators who contacted him.

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Thompson confirmed plans to conduct televised public hearings in prime time.

We think January 6 and what happened is so important, we need to give the greatest number of Americans an opportunity to see firsthand what we have uncovered, he said, adding that he expected hearings to start within the next month or so and that hearings would likely be conducted on consecutive evenings.

So, Im talking about like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Were not talking about one hearing one week, one hearing another week, he said.

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Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 63F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

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Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 63F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
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The millionaires used to showing off their wealth by ordering buckets worth of champagne and sparklers in exclusive nightclubs have had much of their partying interrupted by the pandemic. This New Years Eve, with Omicron cases rising rapidly, many were forced to ring in 2022 from inside their homes with no onlookers in sight. Status-seeking must wait another year.

The global elite who would have headed to the small Swiss town of Davos next month have to accept a similar fate. The annual VIP gathering hosted by the World Economic Forum has been delayed again due to concerns over COVID-19. The important people who pay big money to go to the highest town in Europe to meet other important people are forced to wait again. Like the revellers unable to splash their cash in expensive nightspots due to restrictions in some parts of the world, the status-seeking among the Davos crowd has been crossed off the calendar this winter. There are no onlookers in sight.

If Davos does go ahead at some point this year, the world will be watching closely. Credit:Bloomberg

Perhaps it should stay that way. Davos is starting to look as out of date as a 30-litre bottle of champagne with a sparkler in it. From the hierarchical colour-coded badge system showing how important each guest is to the extortionate costs involved, it is difficult to see what the point of the annual jamboree is, beyond networking. Since its inception in 1971 the aim has been to bring powerful people together so that they can collectively do good for the world. But too often the summit seems to be little more than a talking shop for those who already have a platform. An experience detailing the plight of refugees has, in recent years, attempted to address this disconnect by using role play to create more empathy among guests, typically the worlds top 1 per cent of earners. Those who attended Davos in January 2020 included 119 billionaires and 53 heads of state. Although more people from different walks of life are being invited to the conversation, it still seems that those with the loudest voice at Davos have the loudest voice outside of Davos. Regardless of whether they head to the Swiss Alps and spend 32 ($60) on a hot dog, their opinions will always be heard.

Some have already thrown in the towel. Abrdns former boss Keith Skeoch said last April that the investment giant would pull out of the meetings, which cost the firm around 3m a year. While activists and politicians get in free, company representatives are forced to pay a reported Sfr60,000 ($90,800) to be a low-tier WEF member and a further Sfr27,000 to attend the four-day event. Annual membership fees for higher tiers are said to cost as much as Sfr600,000. At a time of crisis the very idea of a global elite meeting in a Swiss ski resort is divisive, Skeoch told the Daily Mail last year. The money saved on sending executives to Davos would instead go to dementia helplines, food banks and deep-cleans for care homes instead.
So its holiday season, when (almost) everyone takes a break, chills out and tries not to think about workaday worries. So lets have some fun. Lets do a few economic puzzles.

Theres an old joke in economics that says, it may work in practice, but does it work in theory? If you take that to mean economists care more about getting their theory right than about its usefulness then, yes, too many of them do.

Holiday puzzles: Behavioural economics is shining a light on why people dont often make rational decisions. Credit:James Alcock

But an empirical revolution is happening in economics, where economists test their standard theory to see how well it explains the real world. A big part of this is the rise of behavioural economics which, rather than simply making the conventional assumption that everyone acts rationally  with carefully considered self-interest  in the economic decisions they make, studies the many reasons people often make decisions that arent rational.

So, first puzzle. When, in 2012, prime minister Julia Gillard introduced what she called a price on carbon and opposition leader Tony Abbott correctly labelled a carbon tax, which increased the price of electricity, she took care to cut income tax and increase pensions in a way designed to leave households on average incomes no worse off.
London: It was a mystery that gripped the publishing world: who was the secret fraudster behind a scheme to steal unpublished manuscripts?

The scammer targeted hundreds of victims by assuming the identities of editors, agents and literary scouts, in a global fraud spanning five years.

On Wednesday, the FBI announced it had arrested a suspect - Filippo Bernardini, 29, who had a lowly job in the rights department of the London office of Simon & Schuster. He has been now charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to prosecutors.

Canadian author Margaret Atwood holds a copy of her book The Testaments whose manuscript reportedly dodged the scam. Credit:AP

While it had long been suspected that the culprit had links to the publishing industry - they used familiar abbreviations, such as ms for manuscript - the arrest came as a shock. Some of those targeted had dealt with Bernardini on a professional basis.
One Year Anniversary of the Riot on the U.S. Capitol
OVs to receive favourable conditions to return to homeland: official

The best possible conditions will be created for overseas Vietnamese (OVs) to return to the homeland with safety from the pandemic ensured, especially now that the Lunar New Year festival is just around the corner, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu has said.



Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, the Chairman of the State Committee for OV Affairs also said repatriating OVs amid the COVID-19 pandemic is a major policy of the Party and State.



During the recent overseas trips by Vietnamese leaders, OVs expressed their wish to visit the homeland, attracting great attention from Party and State leaders who have ordered maximum conditions be created.



He noted that amid the complex pandemic situation around the world, including Vietnam, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has worked with relevant ministries and sectors to arrange many flights repatriating those with special disadvantages, particularly the workers losing their jobs to the pandemic.



In 2021, MoFA coordinated with the ministries of national defence, health, public security, and transport in organising 173 flights repatriating over 50,000 people of the priority groups. Besides, another 400 flights brought home about 70,000 others. All of those people went to quarantine facilities right after their arrival back to the country.













OVs to receive favourable conditions to return to homeland: official hinh anh 2Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu (Photo: VNA)





Hieu said to meet OVs demand for returning to the homeland for the Lunar New Year festival - a traditional occasion for family reunion, as directed by Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, MoFA and related agencies have been working to resume regular international flights to the places with high pandemic safety, firstly Beijing/Guangzhou (China), Tokyo, Seoul,Taipei (Taiwan, China), Bangkok, Singapore, Vientiane, Phnom Penh, and San Francisco/Los Angeles (the US), starting on January 1, 2022.



However, as demand among the expatriates is even greater, the ministries have proposed more international flights, aside from those linking with the nine above-mentioned places, be conducted in the form of charter flights to bring home OVs from other countries like what was done in 2020 and the first half of last year, with compliance with anti-pandemic rules ensured.



To do this, on December 16, 2021, the Ministry of Health issued guidance on COVID-19 prevention and control for people entering Vietnam. Accordingly, those who have been fully vaccinated only have to carry out quarantine at their home for three days while the unvaccinated ones must stay at concentrated quarantine sites for a longer period of time. Besides, MoFA is also discussing the vaccine passport recognition with other countries authorities so as to facilitate OVs travel, the Deputy Minister went on.



As the pandemic remains complicated, especially now that many new coronavirus variants have appeared, and countries are taking different response actions, the repatriation must be aligned with the situation, he noted, adding that the most important thing is to provide the best possible conditions for OVs to travel with ensured pandemic safety./.
??En Moquegua | A traves del #ConsejoDeMinistrosDescentralizado, el Gobierno fortalece su politica de acercamiento con las regiones para atender sus necesidades, asi como los proyectos de inversion que impulsan la competitividad y productividad de cada region.#SiempreConElPueblo pic.twitter.com/A2MJQNLRW8




This is the third award granted to Julio Velarde by The Banker, after he was crowned as Central Banker of the Year 2020 for the Americas and as Central Banker of the Year at a global level in 2015.





The prestigious financial magazine, based in London, bestows this award to central bank governors that have best managed to stimulate growth and stabilize their economy.





"Few in Latin America have held a post and enjoyed sustained international respect for as long as Julio Velarde has. At the helm of Peru's Central Bank since 2006, Mr. Velarde has remained a calming figure, both in political and economic terms, even during tumultuous times. During his tenure, the country has been run by seven different presidents," The Banker stated.





The publication also noted Velarde's handling of the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.





"The decline in economic activity had severe implications on liquidity, to which the central bank responded with prompt measures, including not only considerable direct monetary injections to support the payment system, but also a drop in the policy rate to historically low levels," the magazine said.





The Banker commented that it does not offer a lifetime achievement award to central bank governors, but if it did, Mr. Velarde would be a strong candidate for the Latin American trophy.





About Velarde





The economist has also been named Central Banker of the Year 2016 for Latin America by global finance magazine Global Markets, Central Bank Governor of the Year 2016 by LatinFinance, and Best Central Banker of 2015 and 2016 by Global Finance.





In 2010, he was named the Emerging Markets' Central Bank Governor of the Year for Latin America.





Additionally, the head of the BCR is among central bankers with the highest approval rating in the world, according to the 2021 report prepared by the specialized magazine Global Finance.





(END) NDP/VLA/RMB/MVB
YEREVAN, JANUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. Kazakhstans President Kassim-Jomart Tokayev announced that he has issued an order to law enforcement agencies to open fire at terrorists without warning.

In a televised address to the nation, President Tokayev said that the gangs continue to damage state property and harm citizens.
YEREVAN, JANUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Armed Forces sent a peacekeeping unit (100 servicemen) to Kazakhstan as part of the CSTO peacekeeping mission, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

During the mission the Armenian peacekeeping unit will carry out functions protecting exclusively buildings and infrastructures of strategic significance, the ministrys statement says.
YEREVAN, 7 JANUARY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 7 January, USD exchange rate up by 0.24 drams to 482.79 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 0.76 drams to 546.28 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.01 drams to 6.38 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 1.43 drams to 654.37 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 328.29 drams to 27774.39 drams. Silver price down by 9.83 drams to 345.29 drams. Platinum price down by 116.65 drams to 15009.83 drams.
YEREVAN, JANUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The interlocutors exchanged Christmas congratulations.

Nikol Pashinyan and Irakli Garibashvili expressed satisfaction with the current cooperation between the Governments of the two countries aimed at the development of the Armenian-Georgian relations, discussed a number of issues on the agenda of bilateral cooperation.

The sides also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.
The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) peacekeeping contingent is not participating in combat operations in Kazakhstan and is only involved in protecting state facilities, the Kazakh presidential administrations first deputy chief of staff Dauren Abayev announced, according to TASS.

January 7, 2022, 10:55 CSTO peacekeepers in Kazakhstan not involved in combat operations, reiterate authorities

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 7, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) deployed its peacekeeping forces to its member-state Kazakhstan to stabilize and settle the situation as the country is facing threats to its national security and sovereignty.

The decision on deploying the peacekeepers was made on January 6 by the CSTO Collective Security Council.

Military units from CSTO-members Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are involved in the mission.

The main mission of the peacekeepers in Kazakhstan will be the protection of significant state and military facilities and supporting the Kazakhstani law enforcement agencies in stabilizing the situation and bringing it to a framework of law, the CSTO said in a statement.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is now the Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, announced earlier that the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev invoked Article 4 of the treaty amid threats to Kazakhstans national security and sovereignty which appeared including as a result of outside interference.
The Armenian Armed Forces sent a peacekeeping unit (100 servicemen) to Kazakhstan as part of the CSTO peacekeeping mission, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

January 7, 2022, 14:42 Armenia sends 100 peacekeepers to Kazakhstan as part of CSTO mission

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 7, ARTSAKHPRESS: During its mission in Kazakhstan, this peacekeeping unit of the Armenian Armed Forces will carry out solely the protection of strategic buildings and infrastructure.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said in his new speech that he gave orders to law enforcement authorities and the army to open fire on "terrorists" without warning.

January 7, 2022, 17:54 Kazakh president orders to open fire without warning

STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 7, ARTSAKHPRESS: The text of the president's speech was published by the press service of the head of state, news.am informs.

Yesterday, the situation in the cities of Almaty, Aktobe and Almaty region stabilized. The introduction of the state of the emergency regime is giving its results. Constitutional legality is being restored throughout the country but terrorists are still damaging public and private property and using weapons against citizens.

Kazakh president said he gave orders to shoot to kill "terrorists" because they deal with armed and trained bandits, both local and foreign.

President Tokayev expressed his gratitude to the prime minister of Armenia, who chairs the CSTO, as well as to the presidents of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, President of China, the presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkey, the leaders of the UN and other international organizations for their words of support.

Meanwhile, the Kazakh authorities began to talk about the emergence of "terrorists" only after they lost control of the situation in the country. The ruling party Nur Otan (Light of the Fatherland) has not even been able to make a statement so far, nor has the Kazakh parliament met. The day before, the Western media, representatives of the civil sector and the opposition said that the military opened fire on mostly unarmed young men.
Disturbing scenes are emerging from Kazakhstan where a violent uprising is taking place against the government, pushing the Middle Eastern country to the brink of collapse.

Fresh violence erupted in the country's main city of Almaty on Thursday (local time) as Russia sent in paratroopers to put down a countrywide uprising in one of Moscow's closest former Soviet allies.

Police in Almaty said they had killed dozens of rioters overnight into the early hours of Thursday morning. Authorities said at least 18 members of the security forces had died, including two who were found decapitated.

More than 2,000 people have been arrested.

Security forces try to quell an uprising in Kazakhstan. Source: Getty

After a night of running street confrontations between protesters and troops, a presidential residence in the city and its mayor's office were both ablaze, and burnt out cars littered the city, Reuters journalists said.

Military personnel regained control of the main airport, seized earlier by protesters. Thursday evening saw renewed battles in Almaty's main square, occupied alternately by troops and hundreds of protesters throughout much of the day.

Reuters reporters heard explosions and gunfire as military vehicles and scores of soldiers advanced, although the shooting stopped again after nightfall. TASS news agency quoted witnesses as saying people had been killed and wounded in the new gunfire.

The Russian deployment was a gamble by the Kremlin that rapid military force could secure its interests in the oil and uranium-producing Central Asian nation, by swiftly putting down the worst violence in Kazakhstan's 30 years of independence.

Troops are seen at the main square where hundreds of people were protesting against the government. Source: Reuters

A burned car is seen inside the Presidential Residence which was stormed by demonstrators. Source: Reuters

A view shows a damaged room inside the mayor's office building after it was stormed by demonstrators. Source: Reuters

The internet was shut down across the country, disrupting bitcoin mining in one of the world's biggest crypto miners and making it impossible to gauge the extent of the unrest.

Story continues

But the violence was unprecedented in a state ruled firmly since Soviet times by leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, 81, who had held on to the reins despite stepping down three years ago as president.

Nazarbayev's hand-picked successor, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, said he called in the Moscow-led military alliance of ex-Soviet states. He blamed the unrest on foreign-trained terrorists who he said had seized buildings and weapons.

"It is an attack on our citizens who are asking me... to help them urgently," he said.

Russian Defence Ministry handout showing troops and artillery headed for Kazakhstan. Source: Getty

Moscow said it would consult with Kazakhstan and allies on steps to support the Kazakh "counter-terrorist operation" and repeated Tokayev's assertion that the uprising was foreign-inspired. Neither Kazakhstan nor Russia provided evidence to support that.

Moscow did not disclose how many troops it was sending, and it was not possible to determine if any were involved in Thursday's unrest.

Amnesty International said the violent uprising "was a direct consequence of the authorities widespread repression of basic human rights" in the country.

Wow, wow. The statue to Kazakhstans first president and until a few hours ago head of the Security Council Nazarbayev is seemingly down in Almaty region. pic.twitter.com/aetzwdNQqf  Bakhti Nishanov (@b_nishanov) January 5, 2022

United States 'watching very closely'

The United States said it was closely monitoring reports of the deployment and added it had questions about whether the forces were legitimately invited to the country.

"We have questions about that deployment precisely because Kazakhstan, the government of Kazakhstan... has its own resources, and the government is and has been well fortified," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said.

"We will be watching very closely for any violations of human rights and any efforts or actions on the part of foreign forces to seize Kazakh institutions," he added.

In #Kazakhstan, thousands flocked to the streets to protest rising fuel prices & a collapsing economy. Hours later, the Kazakh govt resigned. Take a look.pic.twitter.com/ys8UFkYr6M  Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) January 5, 2022

But some have been critical of America's quiet approach.

"The silence in the UK and the US politics and media on Kazakhstan is a deeply troubling sign of increasing detachment and lack of concern about crises worldwide - from the Humanitarian horror in Afghanistan to Sudan and Ethiopia," tweeted Rory Stewart from the Yale University's Institute For Global Affairs.

Unrest sparked by rising fuel prices

The uprising, which began as protests against a New Year's Day fuel price hike, swelled on Wednesday, when protesters chanting slogans against Nazarbayev stormed and torched public buildings in Almaty and other cities.

Tokayev initially responded by dismissing his cabinet, reversing the fuel price rise and distancing himself from his predecessor, including by taking over a powerful security post Nazarbayev had retained. But those moves failed to mollify crowds who accuse Nazarbayev's family and allies of amassing vast wealth while the nation of 19 million remained poor.

Protesters take part in a rally over a hike in energy prices in Almaty on January 5 as an uprising kicked off. Source: Getty

Nazarbayev stepped aside from the presidency in 2019 as the last Soviet-era Communist Party boss still ruling a former Soviet state. But he and his family kept posts overseeing security forces and the political apparatus in Nur-Sultan, the purpose-built capital bearing his name. He has not been seen or heard from since the unrest began.

The swift arrival of Russian troops demonstrated the Kremlin's willingness to safeguard its influence in the ex-Soviet Union with force. Since late 2020, Moscow has shored up the leader of Belarus against a popular uprising, intervened to halt a war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and, to the West's alarm, massed troops again near Ukraine, which Russia invaded eight years ago.

Reuters

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Hemlock woolly adelgid is a tiny invasive insect originating in East Asia and one that has received a lot of attention since its confirmation in 2012 in Cayuga County. This aphid-like insect was first discovered on the east coast in Virginia in 1951. By 1985 it made its way to New York, where it was first identified in the lower Hudson Valley and Long Island, and has since spread.

The HWA attacks eastern hemlock trees in forests and ornamental hemlock trees found in residential landscaping. It feeds on the hemlock trees young twigs by sucking the sap, causing the trees buds to die and needles to dry out and drop from the plant prematurely. The continuous feeding causes the infected hemlock tree stress, with the tree usually dying within four to 10 years following the first HWAs invading it.

The eastern hemlock is a key species in our natural landscape. It grows well in shade and is very long-lived. Some of the oldest trees in New York are estimated to be over 700 years old. These iconic trees line the fabulous gorges, ravines and streambanks around the Finger Lakes, helping to make this region a tourist destination, plus they provide environmental benefits.

The eastern hemlock excels at growing in areas other trees have trouble growing in. It provides shade for the waterways it lines, for animals that live on the land and in the water. The cool, dark and sheltered environments the hemlocks create provide food, protection and ideal conditions for salamanders, migrating birds and unique plant communities in our area. The hemlock trees help protect against erosion and sediment runoff from the landscape, thus providing an additional layer of defense for water quality in our lakes. Their shade also helps cool warm water temperatures to maintain conditions suitable for freshwater fish, such as brook trout.

In addition to HWA, eastern hemlocks are also susceptible to other pests, including elongate hemlock scale, rust diseases, hemlock tip blight and mites. There are various integrated pest management options available to control hemlock tree pests. These include cultural controls, which discourage pest invasion of the trees; chemical controls, which includes the use of pesticides and biopesticides; and biological controls, where beneficial organisms are used to manage the target pest.

If you are interested in learning more about identifying and managing pests of hemlock trees, consider registering for a webinar scheduled for 2 to 3 p.m. Jan. 11 presented by the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. To register, visit https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6134908063344182542.

The New York State Hemlock Initiative integrates research, management and outreach to conserve New York states hemlocks and coordinates the efforts of landowners, state and federal agencies, government officials and concerned citizens statewide to partner in hemlock tree conservation throughout New York. More information can be found on their website.

The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Biocontrol Research Lab opened in 2017 and is based at Cornell University. Since 2008, research has been underway seeking biocontrol(s) for HWA. Research continues on two insect species, a beetle and a silver fly, known to prey on the HWA in the Pacific Northwest, with the hope they can become established in New York and serve as effective biological control.

Current efforts are focused on increasing the number of both species as they continue to be released into target areas. It is critical to build the number of predators in the target area to protect the surviving hemlock trees. More information about this work can be found on the New York State Hemlock Initiatives website.

Preventing the spread of HWA with biological controls is considered to be the most effective way long-term to stop the damage it is causing. However, chemical treatment of individual trees is currently the best way to conserve hemlocks on the landscape. If you are interested in managing your hemlock trees or suspect a new infestation, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County at (315) 255-1183 or send an email to cayuga@cornell.edu so we may help you access proper resources. Also, the Owasco Watershed Lake Association website at owla.org has information about the Owasco Hemlock Hunters, who are dedicated to surveying the hemlock stand and identifying struggling trees.

The eastern hemlock is an important tree in our region. It is estimated that hemlocks make up 10% of the tree population in the Owasco Lake watershed, and are one third of the tree species. Imagine what our local landscapes might look like without these stunning trees and the potentially dramatic changes to the current ecosystem they are protecting.

Judy Wright is the senior agriculture specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Seneca County. For more information, visit senecacountycce.org or call (315) 539-9251 ext. 109.

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Over the three day period of Dec. 7-9, volunteer members of the Owasco Watershed Lake Association visited Auburn Junior High School and taught a lesson on Owasco Lake and water quality to three seventh grade science classes.

The current topic in seventh grade science prior to our visit included ecosystems, and the flow of energy and matter in the environment. Our topic of Owasco Lake, the Owasco watershed and water quality fit nicely into this context. Three of us visited the classrooms of Sharon Camponelli, Angela DeBenedetto and Lisa Spencer.

We found the students engaging and impressive in their background scientific knowledge. It was such a pleasure to talk with approximately 300 young people about the lake we love.

This project began back in June with an invitation by the seventh grade science team to attend a curriculum planning day. As OWLA volunteers, we worked closely with a professional educator, Nadia Harvieux, education program manager at the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She was essential to developing a water quality presentation appropriate to a seventh grade science class.

Why an education project?

Why might we want to visit science classrooms and talk about water quality? OWLA has observed that many people don't understand the term "watershed," and that all human activities in the Owasco watershed ultimately impact the lake. In our region of plenty in terms of available fresh water, many of us take water for granted.

We discussed why our region is one of the best places in the world to live. We discussed the importance of water and the quality of water as essential to life, the area economy, agriculture and recreation. On a personal level, students shared some favorite things about Owasco Lake, such as boating, swimming, fishing and visiting the lake with family and friends.

We also discussed how "rain bombs," or slow-moving storms, stall in our watershed and produce erosion, sediment and nutrient runoff into the lake, and result in harmful algae blooms. Our goal is to help these students and ultimately our community to think about water and the ways we consume water. I felt that the students successfully responded to our challenge to list concrete steps they could take to protect water when they cited steps such as conserving water, keeping toxics out of drains and not using lawn fertilizer.

OWLA undertook this volunteer effort with the understanding that the next generation will likely determine the future of Owasco Lake. I was impressed with their enthusiasm in our discussion. If privacy concerns had allowed, I would have taken a photo of the excitement several students showed when they recognized a classmate in a March 2021 photo of a volunteer event where we planted 3,000 willows on the shore of the lake for erosion control. Perhaps getting young people working together to protect the lake is our best approach.

What's next?

All three OWLA volunteers have past teaching experience, and we uniformly enjoyed the students and our visit.

Our education partners at Auburn Junior High School considered our three-day visit a successful start, and hope to have us back for a future visit.

OWLA would like to find other schools in the Owasco watershed, including Southern Cayuga, Groton and Moravia, to host similar classroom visits. If you are interested, please contact us at owla.org/contact-us, or visit owla.org and hws.edu/fli for more information.

Kim Mills is a member of the board of directors of the Owasco Watershed Lake Association. For more information, or to join OWLA, visit owla.org.

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A mid-level appeals court has reversed a Cayuga County Court jury trial conviction for the second time in four months.

The state Appellate Division-Fourth Department last month said there was a legal flaw in the jury selection process for the 2020 felony drug trial of Sid Shabazz Harrison, 11 Cady St., Auburn.

Harrison was convicted at trial in February 2020 of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class B felony; fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class C felony; and two counts of second-degree using drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. He was sentenced by Cayuga Court Judge Thomas Leone that September on each individual charge, all to be served concurrently, with 10 years of incarceration and three years of post-release supervision being the longest sentence. The Dec. 23 appeals court decision granted a new trial.

The court ruled that a statement made by a prospective juror during the jury selection process for Harrison's trial regarding the credibility of police officers' testimony "cast serious doubt on his ability to render an impartial verdict" and therefore the judge should have allowed that juror to be removed for cause.

"Specifically, after the prospective juror stated that he was a former correction officer and had 'a lot of friends and family members' in law enforcement, he agreed that he would 'be inclined to give more credibility to an officer than [he] would a lay person,' explained that, based on his experiences, he found police to be 'honest people,' and specifically described one of the officers who would later testify for the People as 'an honest person,'" the decision said.

The decision noted that although the court inquired further of that prospective juror, the appellate division concluded that the prospective juror's answers to questions from the court failed to show that the prospective juror could render an impartial verdict and put any biases aside. As a result, the Harrison defense was improperly forced to use one of its peremptory challenges to remove that prospective juror.

The December jury trial reversal follows a similar appeals court decision last summer regarding a different Cayuga County Court trial. In that case, Justin Tillmon, Auburn, was convicted in a jury trial in March 2019 of 20 crimes, including two counts of second-degree assault, a class D felony, for injuring two Auburn police officers.

The appellate court noted in a decision from August 2021 that a prospective juror said during the jury selection process for Tillmon's trial that "he was 'not sure' whether he could be fair and impartial due to his family members experience with domestic violence."

The defense was denied a challenge for cause to have that juror removed and "the court erred when it did not obtain thereafter any 'unequivocal assurance' from the prospective juror that he could render an impartial verdict," the appellate court decision states.

That trial was presided over by former Cayuga County Court Judge Mark Fandrich, who retired last month.

One of Tillmon's convictions was for first-degree criminal contempt, a class E felony, for violating an order of protection. The Cayuga County District Attorney's Office said at the time that Tillmon repeatedly called his domestic violence victim.

Two Auburn Police Department officers received injuries while trying to arrest Tillmon in January 2018, the APD previously said, after being informed of an alleged domestic incident on Washington Street. The victim at the scene was assaulted, thrown down a flight of stairs and locked into a room, the APD said.

Tillmon was sentenced by then-Judge Fandrich in June 2019, getting 14 years, seven on each assault count, and two to four years for the contempt charge. He was also convicted of fourth-degree tampering with a witness, second-degree unlawful imprisonment and criminal obstruction of breathing.

As a result of the reversals, new trials are set to go forward for the Harrison and Tillmon cases. Joseph Sapio was the defense attorney for both Harrison and Tillmon during their original respective trials, while attorney David Elkovitch was assigned to handle their appeals.

Elkovitch spoke about the appellate court's decisions in an interview with The Citizen Jan. 4.

"You need a fair and impartial juror, that's what's guaranteed to each defendant. If you have someone on the jury that has their mind set or they're going to believe someone else just because they're wearing a badge, that isn't right," Elkovitch said.

Cayuga County Chief Assistant District Attorney Christopher Valdina, who frequently handles the appellate court work for the DA's office, said he respectfully disagrees with the appeals court rulings. Valdina said the way a person comes off in a courtroom can be different from how they would come across in a transcript, which is what the appellate justices review.

A transcript from one of the days of jury selection for the Harrison trial shows that Leone asked the prospective juror in question some additional questions and Leone received assurance from the perspective juror that he could be fair. Valdina said he thought Leone handled that well, and Valdina added that through the prospective juror's tone of voice and body language, "it was clear he was capable of being fair."

Valdina said he believes the judge and acting District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci, who was a senior assistant DA at the time of the trial and handled the prosecution, "had no question" that the prospective juror in question could be fair.

"The appellate division, looking at the transcript, had a different conclusion," Valdina said.

He added that while the DA's office felt the appellate court should have affirmed Tillmon's conviction, "we can understand why, reading the record in that case, they might have reached a different conclusion."

Valdina said Tillmon's new trial is set to start April 11, while Harrison's new trial is still pending. Tillmon is at Cayuga County Jail, while Valdina said he believes Harrison is in the process of being transferred from the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to the jail.

Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.

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Cayuga County residents will have an opportunity to pick up free COVID-19 test kits and face masks, and officials have scheduled several upcoming public testing clinics.

Drive-thru test kit distributions will he held from 10 a.m. to Noon Saturday, Jan. 8, at the following locations:

 Fingerlakes Mall, 1579 Clark St. Road, Aurelius, JC Penney parking lot.

 Cato Recreation Center, 2851 Route 370, Cato.

 VFW Fairgrounds, 14 Adams St., Moravia. Cars will enter on the dirt road off Route 38 across from Millard Fillmore Elementary School and follow the road into the fairgrounds. Cars will exit onto Adams Street.

Community Action Programs Cayuga/Seneca, in collaboration with Cayuga County Office of Emergency Services, will be distributing the kits, and Cayuga County residents may receive one test kit per car while supplies last. Each kit contains two tests.

CAP said in a news release that the county received approximately 3,300 COVID-19 test kits from New York state to allow for equitable distribution to residents throughout the county who otherwise would not have access to such testing materials.

The county also announced on Friday that it has received more than 30,000 KN-95 masks from the state. The Cayuga County Office of Emergency Services is distributing these to town and village offices, and residents are asked to contact their town or village office about how to obtain masks.

And the following testing clinics have been scheduled for the Event Center at the Fingerlakes Mall in the former Spirit Halloween store:

 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, Pfizer pediatric first and second doses. This clinic will offer appointments and walk-ins for those ages 5 through 11 years old.

 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, Pfizer pediatric first and second doses; appointments and walk-ins for for those ages 5 through 11.

 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14, Moderna second dose and boosters along with J&J first and booster doses. This clinic will be appointment only for Moderna second dose and Moderna boosters and J&J first doses and J&J boosters.

Appointments may be made at cayugacounty.us/health. Anyone without access to the internet should contact their city, town or village clerk for assistance with online registration, or call the Cayuga Community Health Network at (315) 252-4212.

These clinics are restricted to Cayuga County residents. Please bring your insurance card. If receiving a second dose or booster, bring your vaccine card.

Visitors are asked to enter through the back of the mall near the movie theaters. You will not be able to enter through the inside of the mall.

Officials stress that the availability of the vaccine is not limited to just the health department, and people are encouraged to work with local pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, and health care providers to make appointments to get vaccinated.

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The director of SUNY Oswego's Syracuse campus is moving into a new leadership position as the university searches for its next permanent president.

The college announced Thursday that Reginald (Reg) Braggs has been appointed SUNY Oswegos interim Executive to the President and Affirmative Action Officer, effective Jan. 10. Braggs, who has served as director of the university's Syracuse campus since March 2020, will step in for Dr. Mary C. Toale, who recently took over as Officer-in-Charge while the campus searches for its next president.

Deborah Stanley, who served as college president for 25 years, was recently named by the SUNY Board of Trustees as interim chancellor of the statewide university system.

During this period, Ryan Lynn  who has served as assistant director of SUNY Oswegos Syracuse Campus since February 2020  will assume the interim director role at Oswego, the college said.

As interim Executive to the President, Oswego said thst Braggs will serve as a member of the Presidents Council. He will provide assistance, advice and support, and manage a wide variety of legal matters, personnel activities and confidential assignments. He will also serve as Oswegos interim Affirmative Action Officer and as a member of the Presidents UUP Labor Management team.

Its an honor to be selected to serve in this capacity to assist SUNY Oswego in a broader role; I have been extremely fortunate to work closely with members of our Syracuse Campus and Extended Learning staff as well as other outstanding faculty, staff, administrators and students across the SUNY Oswego campus, Braggs said in a statement. I am looking forward to this opportunity to serve as a member of the leadership team as we move forward into 2022 with a continued vision of being a premier institution that provides a transformative experience to a diverse body of students.

Braggs has worked for a number of years in higher education as a faculty member and administrator, teaching classes in university business schools nationally and internationally. He also completed two years as an online business course instructor. As an administrator, he has served as a vice president of student affairs/dean of students, assistant dean of a school of business, director of an entrepreneurship center and assistant vice president of community engagement at the university level, as well as an executive director at a K12 school.

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As COVID-19 cases rise in Cayuga County, it could benefit from $65 million in funding made available by the state to assist counties responding to the pandemic.

But the Cayuga County Legislature's recent action to oppose the state's mask-or-vaccine mandate could make the county ineligible to receive up to $1 million in funding.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the $65 million would be available for counties to cover a wide range of expenses, including staffing and other costs for vaccination clinics, COVID tests, mask distribution and public awareness campaigns. But to be eligible for the funding, counties must enforce the mask-or-vaccine mandate.

Under the mandate, indoor public venues, such as businesses, either must require customers to wear masks or request proof of vaccination. Local health departments are responsible for enforcing the directive.

The requirement is temporary. When Hochul first announced it, she said it would expire on Jan. 15. It has since been extended to Feb. 1.

There has been opposition to the mandate from other counties, but Cayuga initially said it would enforce the mask-or-vaccine requirement. Former Cayuga County Legislature Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman said in December that the county would take an educational approach to enforce the mandate. But businesses would be fined if there were repeat violations.

Now that Republicans won control of the Cayuga County Legislature, there is new leadership. David Gould, the former county sheriff, is the chairman of the legislature. At the body's reorganizational meeting on Jan. 1, a motion was made to oppose enforcing the mask mandate.

There wasn't a formal resolution introduced, but that could happen later this month when the legislature meets for its regular meeting. At a special Cayuga County Board of Health meeting on Thursday, Chris Palermo  the county attorney  offered his interpretation of the law. He does not think legislators can block the Cayuga County Health Department from enforcing the mask mandate.

But there is another way that lawmakers could influence the process: the health department's budget.

"They still control the money," Palermo said.

That was one concern raised by Keith Batman, president of the health board and a former county legislator, during the board meeting. When Dr. Brian Brundage, another member of the board, asked why any legislative resolution regarding mask mandate enforcement would matter to the board, Batman mentioned the potential financial impact to the health department.

"They do not have power not to enforce public health law but they have power to cut the budget of the health department," he said. "If there are members on (the health and human services committee) who take offense or umbrage or exception to the fact that they passed a resolution and this body and the public health director says, 'No, that's illegal. We're not going to do it,' there will be people that will react to do that, without question. And the reaction will be to try and control resources directed at the enforcement of public health."

Gould explained that the main concern among those who oppose enforcement is how it would affect businesses. Under the directive, businesses that don't comply with the mask-or-vaccine order could be fined.

When the state had a mask mandate in place from April 2020 to May 2021, more than 30 Cayuga County businesses were fined following health department inspections. But many of the businesses were fined $50  the penalty for a first-time offense. There were a handful of businesses that committed repeat offenses and were fined larger amounts.

But Gould acknowledged in an interview with The Citizen this week that one of the issues legislators must weigh is how not enforcing the mask-or-vaccine mandate could cost them state funding. While that funding would cover enforcement costs, it could also be used for other expenses, such as COVID tests and vaccination clinics.

Gould said that Palermo is reviewing all of the recent directives and the rules regarding the funding that has been made available for enforcement and other COVID-related activities.

Free COVID-19 test kits, public vaccination clinics available in Cayuga County Cayuga County residents will have an opportunity to pick up free COVID-19 test kits and face masks, and officials have scheduled several upcom

Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.

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The surge in COVID-19 cases blamed on the Omicron variant of the virus is no reason to consider new restrictions on cross-border access.

So said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Reps. Brian Higgins and Chris Jacobs in a letter to the White House Thursday.

"We write to urge you to work with Canada to keep the northern border open to vaccinated individuals, even as the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 raises new challenges," the lawmakers wrote to President Biden.

"This is necessary to protect the economic livelihood of New York businesses and to ensure we are not placing additional burdens on our supply chains. It is also important for our constituents who are reliant on travel across the northern border to connect with friends and family members," the letter said.

Since October, the Biden administration has allowed fully vaccinated individuals to enter the U.S. at the regular points of entry on the Canadian and Mexican borders.

Now that vaccines are widely available, we cannot return to the economic and personal sacrifices that would be made if the northern border is closed once again, the lawmakers wrote.

But the Omicron variant has produced the highest caseloads in the nearly two-year history of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has led some officials, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, to restore mask mandates.

Biden has attempted to mandate vaccinations for large businesses, health care facilities and government agencies, but his efforts have been challenged in court. The Supreme Court will hear arguments Friday.

The lawmakers' letter to Biden, which also was sent to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, contended that the economic impact of any new border restrictions would be a severe blow to local business.

The impact of nearly 20 months of closure was devastating to countless New York businesses, medical providers, and families who depend on travel across the New York-Canadian border," the lawmakers said in a news release issued by Gillibrand's office. "The northern border is the gateway to an indispensable economic partnership, and we are confident border crossings can continue safely and efficiently.

According to the letter, "The closure and loss of Canadian business cost the U.S. economy an estimated $1.5 billion each month, and $665-855 million annually in Erie County alone."

"We must recognize vaccine efficacy and follow the public health data," the letter said. "There should not be additional restrictions placed on nonessential travel for fully vaccinated Americans and Canadians and all ports of entry on the northern border must remain open."

Gillibrand, Higgins and Jacobs wrote that 76% of the Canadian population has been fully vaccinated against the COVID virus.

Despite that, Ontario has reimposed severe COVID restrictions.

All schools in the province have been shifted to online learning until at least Jan. 17, museums and other attractions have been closed, social gatherings have been limited to five people indoors and 10 people outdoors, and 50% capacity limits have been imposed on outdoor venues.

Sports teams in Ontario are playing home games without fans.

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Beijing (Gasgoo)- On January 6th, the municipal government of Beijing hosted its fifth session of the 15th Peoples Congress, with the mayor Chen Jining reporting on the governments behalf. Chinas auto startups, Li Auto and Xiaomi EV, were mentioned in the citys 2022 plans.

Li ONE; photo credit: Li Auto



According to the municipal report, the city of Beijing plans to help Xiaomi EV and Li Auto firm up their projects and developments in the city.

Notably, Li Auto and Xiaomi both have major plans in Beijing. Specifically, Li Auto is building a smart manufacturing plant dedicated to battery-electric vehicles in Shunyi District, Beijing. The construction already started on October 16th, 2021.

The manufacturing plant will cost Li Auto over 6 billion RMB, with an estimated production date set at the end of 2023. The new intelligent plant will be reformed on top of the original workshop, with over 60% facilities utilized. The designed production capacity is 100,000 vehicles in Phase I.

Li Auto also plans on setting up an industrial innovation center and supercharging stations in Beijing, showcasing its latest models and technical achievements, providing supercharging services to the public.

Photo credit: Xiaomi



Unlike Li Auto, Xiaomi has completely set its auto endeavor in Beijing. According to the companys contract with Beijings E-Town, Xiaomi will construct its Xiaomi EV headquarters, sales base, R&D base, and manufacturing plant in E-Town. The production plant will be built in two phases, with a total designed capacity of 300,000 vehicles divided equally. The company projects to roll off its first vehicle in 2024.
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.

Toyota Motor China sales up 8.2% YoY in 2021

Toyota Motor sold 229,200 vehicles in December 2021 in China, representing a jump of 26.2% from a year ago while the automakers annual sales in the world's biggest automotive market increased 8.2% year on year to 1.944 million units in 2021.

Photo credit: Toyota China

Li Auto adds 6 after-sales service centers

In December 2021, Li Auto added 6 after-sales service centers, respectively in Taiyuan, Shijiazhuang, Changchun, Nanjing, Suzhou and Urumchi.

Shanghai has over 500,000 charging piles

Shanghai has built 500,000 charging piles in total. In 2021, the city added 22,000 new public charging piles and 70 battery swapping stations. The ratio between electric vehicles to charging piles is 1.2:1 in Shanghai.

Sinopec invests in Shanghai Sunwise Energy Systems

Sinopec Group Capital Co., Ltd. announced a strategic investment in Shanghai Sunwise Energy Systems Co., Ltd., to expand its layout in hydrogen equipment.

Volvo Cars 2021 China sales surpass 170,000 vehicles

Volvo Cars sold 14,622 vehicles in December in China, representing a 9.05% increase from the previous month. In 2021, Volvo sold 171,393 vehicles in total, edging up 3.1% compared to a year ago.



SVOLT breaks ground on battery production base in Yancheng

SVOLT, a Chinese power battery manufacturer carved out of Great Wall Motor (GWM), on Jan. 6 held the ground-breaking ceremony for its battery production base in Yancheng city, Jiangsu province, only two months after signing an agreement for the project.



Chery Holdings 2021 sales jump 32% YoY

Chery Holding sold 112,015 vehicles in December. The group saw a 31.7% year-on-year surge in its cumulative sales volume, for the entire year of 2021, with 961,926 vehicles sold.



BYD leads A round funding in Vital Thin Film Materials

BYD Company Limited (BYD) recently joined the lineup of shareholders of Vital Thin Film Materials Co.,Ltd. (VTFM), a Chinese leading manufacturer of thin-film materials.



Beijing to push Xiaomi EV, Li Autos development in the city

On January 6th, the municipal government of Beijing hosted its fifth session of the 15th Peoples Congress, with the mayor Chen Jining reporting on the governments behalf. Chinas auto startups, Li Auto and Xiaomi EV, were mentioned in the citys 2022 plans.



SVOLT launches R&D center in Shanghai

SVOLT announced on Jan. 6 the launch of its Shanghai-based R&D center, whose construction will be assisted by Shanghai Jiading District State-Owned Assets Operation Group Co. Ltd., a state-run company owned by the government of Shanghai's Jiading District.



DeepRoute.ai partners with LiDAR supplier RoboSense

Chinas autonomous driving developer DeepRoute.ai announced that it had reached strategic cooperation with Chinas LiDAR supplier, RoboSense, to build a cost-effective LiDAR-based L4 autonomous solution.


Shanghai (Gasgoo)- SVOLT, a GWM (Great Wall Motor)-linked Chinese power battery maker, announced on Jan. 6 the launch of its Shanghai-based R&D center, whose construction will be assisted by Shanghai Jiading District State-Owned Assets Operation Group Co. Ltd., a state-run company owned by the government of Shanghai's Jiading District.



SVOLT, Shanghai Jiading District State-Owned Assets Operation Group Co. Ltd. signing agreement; photo credit: SVOLT



The new R&D center will operate under an entity named Zhangyu Boshi (meaning Doctor Octopus) Intelligent Technology (Shanghai) Co.,Ltd. According to SVOLT, the new facility will offer technical support to the development of BMS (battery management system)-related software & hardware, industrial software, controllers for intelligent devices, AI algorithm, integration design for lighthouse factories, serving as a supplier of key systems to the intelligent control and intelligent manufacturing segments for new energy vehicle (NEV), NEV component, and electronic information industries.

Besides, the Shanghai-based R&D hub will also work as an investment platform for entrepreneurship, offering interest-free loans, equipment leasing, rent-free workplaces, and other services to eligible startup projects.

The company revealed the Shanghai R&D center will provide AI-enabled visual technology, intelligent analysis, simulation, and other innovation technologies for the building of SVOLT's AI intelligent factory. Meanwhile, the new center will be dedicated to developing an industrial Internet platform and industrial software.

Moreover, the Shanghai R&D hub will also focus on developing automotive BMS to help improve safety performance and service life for batteries.

As for the development of talent pool, SVOLT's Shanghai R&D center aims to build a professional team with over 500 experts by 2025.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- SVOLT, a Chinese power battery manufacturer carved out of Great Wall Motor (GWM), on Jan. 6 held the ground-breaking ceremony for its battery production base in Yancheng city, Jiangsu province, only two months after signing an agreement for the project.

Ground-breaking ceremony for SVOLT's Yancheng base; photo credit: SVOLT



The new facility will serve as SVOLT's core industrial base of PHEV-dedicated batteries and short blade batteries in northern Jiangsu province.

The Yancheng battery base involves a total investment of 10 billion yuan ($1.568 billion) and will cover an area of 873 mu (582,000 square meters). It features a designed capacity of 22.3GWh. Construction of the base is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023.

The Yancheng base will help SVOLT achieve the ambition of 600GWh global production capacity set for 2025. The target is part of the SV 600 Strategy the company released on its second Battery Day for the development plan through to 2025. Under the strategy, SVOLT aims to build itself into a global brand by pushing ahead with its plant construction, capacity expansion, industrial deployment, and technology iteration at a faster pace, said Yang Hongxin, Chairman and CEO of SVOLT.

Under the strategy, SVOLT will focus on deploying Short Blade battery across a wide range of sizes from L300 to L600, a whole charging range from 1.6-4C, and full-domain application scenarios involving passenger vehicles (PV), energy storage, commercial vehicle (CV), engineering machinery, non-high-speed electric vehicle, etc.
Maybe by the end of 2022 we can hit the multiplexes without masks? In the meantime, here are some cinematic offerings in the new year that might make it worth heading to the theaters. Dates are, perhaps more than ever in this still-pandemicked world, subject to change; streaming dates, where applicable, will be announced later.

"Parallel Mothers"

Now in theaters (limited release)

This one, directed by Pedro Almodovar, is technically a 2021 release and you'll definitely be hearing Oscar buzz around it, particularly for Penelope Cruz in the central role. She plays a new mother who bonds with a young woman she meets at the hospital where they both gave birth  but the story soon takes an unsettling turn. Cruz always makes magic for Almodovar's camera; their collaboration now goes back 25 years, to 1997's "Live Flesh."

"The Outfit"

Feb. 25

Full disclosure: I have a weakness for any film involving tailoring or dressmaking. So this one seems tailor-made (ha! Sorry!) for me: A former Savile Row tailor, played by Mark Rylance (an Oscar winner for "Bridge of Spies"), relocates to Chicago and finds himself caught in the web of the mobsters for whom he makes suits. Could be fun?

"The Batman"

March 4

Superhero franchises never die; they just keep rebooting. The latest reimagining of the Caped Crusader features Robert Pattinson (who will always be the "Twilight" glittery vampire dude to me) in the title role, along with Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman (now that's a promising bit of casting), Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, Paul Dano as the Riddler and Colin Farrell as the Penguin.

"Downton Abbey: A New Era"

March 18

Plot information on this movie is scarce, but we can assume that it is a New Era over at Downton Abbey (though, didn't they say that on practically every episode?), that Lady Mary will say some delightfully caustic things, that Carson will fret over These Modern Times, that Lady Edith will have a crisis and that excellent hats will be worn. I'm there.

"The Lost City"

March 25

Based solely on the trailer I am prepared to say that this might be the most charming movie ever, and I think we all need to see it immediately. Please let me not be wrong. Sandra Bullock plays a romance novelist with a hot cover model (Channing Tatum) and they end up kidnapped and in a jungle (in sequins!) somewhere and Daniel Radcliffe and Brad Pitt both show up. See what I mean?

"Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness"

May 6

The summer movie season kicks off with this superhero saga, which you might know something about if you understood those post-credit sequences in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Benedict Cumberbatch returns in the title role; Elizabeth Olsen, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong and Chiwetel Ejiofor co-star. And director Sam Raimi returns to the Marvel universe after a long absence (his last outing: "Spider-Man 3," otherwise known as The Third Tobey Maguire One, in 2007).

"Nope"

July 22

Jordan Peele ("Get Out," "Us") likes to keep his movie plots under wraps, so all we know at this point is that "Nope" is another horror movie from Peele's creative mind, that it will star Daniel Kaluuya (Oscar-nominated for "Get Out"), Keke Palmer and Steven Yuen, that it will likely scare us to death and get us talking, and that Peele likes movies titles with very few letters in them.

"Mission: Impossible 7"

Sept. 30

This is the third "M:I" installment from writer/director Christopher McQuarrie, and the first two  "Rogue Nation" and "Fallout"  were pretty thrilling indeed. Tom Cruise, as super spy Ethan Hunt, will once again perform death-defying feats; alongside him will be Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby, and (new to the series) Esai Morales and Cary Elwes.

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"

Nov. 11

As difficult as it is to imagine this franchise without Chadwick Boseman (who died of cancer in 2020), the new film will reunite director Ryan Coogler with original cast members Lupita Nyong'o, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya and Martin Freeman.

"She Said"

Nov. 18

Maria Schrader, an Emmy winner for the Netflix series "Unorthodox," directs this based-on-a-true story drama about two New York Times reporters, played by Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, who uncovered evidence of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's long history of sexual misconduct. I love this cast, which also includes Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher and Samantha Morton.

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Sexual assault reports on Northern Arizona University campus again reached a new high in 2020, according to data from the most recent Clery Report.

However, university officials caution that doesnt necessarily mean an increase in the number of actual assaults occurring, but that more people are comfortable reporting the crime.

The federal Clery Act mandates all colleges and universities that receive federal funding publish an annual security report detailing crime and fire strategies in addition to safety and security policies. Its named after Jeanne Clery, a student at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania who was raped and murdered in her dorm room in 1986. The report only captures on-campus crime and covers a three-year period.

The 2020 online report also showed that burglaries increased, as did reports of stalking and domestic violence. The number of drug and alcohol violations dropped significantly.

NAU: More reports reflect positive change

Twenty-six instances of rape occurred on campus in 2020 and 24 occurred at student housing facilities on campus, the report detailed.

In 2019, the university saw 15 cases of rape on campus, with 12 of those in student housing facilities, while 18 cases of rape were reported on campus and 16 at student housing facilities on campus in 2018.

NAU reported the most sexual assaults in 2020 out of the states three public universities despite being the smallest. The university, however, does have roughly the same number of students living on campus.

Lara Fox, director of Clery compliance for the NAU Police Department, said the increase reflects the changing environment and attitude toward sexual assault.

We look at this as not necessarily more crime occurring on campus, but were attributing it to more reporting mechanisms, increased training, decreased stigma -- overall less taboo to talk about these things than in years past, Fox said.

NAU implemented additional training measures with the rollout of EverFi in 2019. The online training must be completed by all incoming students and covers topics such as healthy relationships, sexual violence, consent, and other related subjects to help students better understand available resources and how to report.

NAUPD also focused on improving its internal training when it comes to determining what falls within the definitions of Clery crimes and how to ensure they are being reported correctly, NAUPD Deputy Police Chief Brad Mihalik added.

Certainly we believe that contributes to the rise in numbers, but, quite honestly, were making it easier for folks to report and theyre feeling more comfortable reporting -- thats the environment we want, Mihalik said.

Some of it actually could be positive, he continued. Were creating the correct environment for them to be able to report.

Fox noted that at least four of the on-campus rapes included in the 2020 report involved sexual assaults that occurred in past years. Clery requires administrators to include the incident in the year it was reported.

To me, that speaks to the increase in education, training, awareness and decreased stigma, Megan Gavin, interim dean of students, said.

A similar uptick was also reported in other sexual violence-related crimes, including domestic violence, stalking and fondling. Twenty-nine incidents of stalking were reported in 2020, compared to 16 in 2019 and two in 2018. Domestic violence has consistently jumped from year to year, with 15 in 2018, 21 in 2019 and 27 in 2020. Six fondling incidents were reported in 2020, an increase from three in 2019 and two in 2018.

Fox said the trend is likely attributable to the same factors. University officials are still tracking and evaluating any trends alongside other on- and off-campus partners. They then implement changes in training, outreach and education campaigns as needed.

We cant do anything about it if we dont know about it, Mihalik said.

Burglaries up, drug and alcohol incidents down

On-campus burglaries also increased in 2020. Twenty burglaries were reported in 2020, compared to 13 in 2019 and eight in 2018. Fox explained that a quarter of the 2020 burglaries can be attributed to two individuals who were ultimately arrested.

The definitions of Clery reporting can also lead to inflated numbers. For example, burglarizing an academic building counts as one incident, while doing the same to a residential hall could result in multiple counts for each common area or bedroom accessed.

One hate crime was reported in 2020 -- the first since 2015. Fox said the reported hate crime was an on-campus intimidation incident involving racial bias. In this case, a Black student was approached by a group of white students to the point where the student feared for their safety. The officer who took the report felt the actions and words by the group qualified as a bias based on race, Fox said.

The number of drug and alcohol violations dropped significantly in 2020 compared to past years. Drug arrests decreased from 113 in 2019 to 23 in 2020, while liquor-related referrals dropped by almost half from 731 in 2019 to 397 in 2020.

Mihalik speculated that can likely be attributed to a destigmatization surrounding drugs in addition to the passing of Proposition 207 in late 2020, which legalized recreational marijuana. Marijuana is still not allowed on college campuses, but Mihalik said the passing of the law led to marijuana usage being counted as an administrative violation instead of a crime. NAUPD saw a significant decrease in the number of calls involving marijuana usage since voters approved the proposition in November 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have also played a factor, Gavin theorized. The reporting period includes the start of the pandemic. Many dorms implemented a no-guests policy to curb the spread of the virus and others abstained from gathering entirely. Some residence halls also had limited staffing.

Its difficult to gauge what kind of impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on NAUs crime rates. The on-campus population dropped significantly during the pandemic with many students attending classes remotely from home.

Reporter Bree Burkitt can be reached at 928-556-2250 or bburkitt@azdailysun.com.

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While facial recognition technology continues to facilitate many aspects of human life, it is now also being applied to aid the protection of giant pandas.





A nature reserve in northwest China's Gansu Province has built an AI-enabled video monitoring system to better protect wild giant pandas. Installed with some 300 infrared cameras, the monitoring system is helping ensure the health and safety of all 110 wild giant pandas in the reserve.

"By equipping the AI-aided system to retain scores of archived photos of giant pandas and other wildlife, we can obtain a 98-percent success rate for species recognition," said Liu Xingming, head of the reserve's administration, adding that its success rate of recognizing other wild animals can top 80 percent.

The system can automatically recognize various wild animals caught in infrared cameras, allowing researchers to collect data on giant pandas and other wildlife while staying indoors.

In 2021 alone, this monitoring system captured 2,896 photos of giant pandas and other rare animals and filmed 3,218 seconds of footage, showcasing the nature reserve's sound ecological environment as well as a gradual rise in the giant panda population there.

The monitoring system was put into operation more than two years ago, and it has since captured scores of photos and videos of giant pandas engaged in activities such as eating, resting and fighting for mates.

Liu said that researchers used the system to not only observe the dynamics and health of the giant panda population but also to learn about changes in the natural and biological surroundings of their habitat.

"The system provided scientific data to help us grasp the living conditions of wild giant pandas and formulate conservation strategies. More importantly, it also achieved real-time monitoring of the reserve, so that we can detect the threats to the wildlife as early as possible," Liu said.

"The monitoring system has enabled systematic, scientific, and intelligent conservation of wildlife," he added.



Source(s): Xinhua News Agency
COVID-19 hospitalizations at Beatrice Community Hospital have followed statewide trends with a decline in the past week.

Tasha Hesman, BCH chief nursing officer, said the decline has flattened out.

I think were kind of overall at a plateau, Hesman said. I dont know if weve necessarily seen a huge uptick. I think were seeing more testing, but numbers have plateaued I would say our decline probably started the last week of December. Going into the new year is when we started to see a decline in admissions.

Hesman said BCH had 27 COVID hospital admissions in December. On the worst day in Decemeber, the hospital saw eight COVID patients. This Wednesday, the hospital had one COVID patient.

Hesman said, even with the plateau, the community isnt in the clear.

But again always, we say that increase usually the week after the holidays and going into that two weeks after, she said.

Hesman said she expects to see a bump in the number of cases and hospitalizations following trends from the previous year. She said she is confident in the hospitals ability to handle the spike.

As the dark winter months trudge on, Hesman said people should take stock of their personal health and take precautions where they can. She said she encourages those still unvaccinated to get the vaccine and booster.

We do encourage the vaccine, she said. If they have questions, they should reach out to their primary care provider who can answer those and determine if that is the right course of treatment for them.

According to data collected by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, 54% of the residents of Gage County are fully vaccinated, below the statewide total of 60.6% and the national total of 62%.

Megan Garcia, public information officer for Public Health Solutions, said Gage Countys numbers are in line with other counties in the area.

As far as our five county district area, its right on par, Garcia said. Its right there kind of on the average of what our district is looking like.

Garcia said the number has hovered around that 54% mark for some time now.

At this point, this 54% is steady of where its been, she said. We obviously had a little bit of an increase when they opened it up for the younger age groups. We did see a little bit of an uptick of that younger age group getting vaccinated.

Garcia said she hopes to bring that vaccination number up through outreach and education.

We would love to see it increase. Thats our goal, to get that number higher, she said. Were trying to do outreach to boost that number, especially with Omicron spreading around.

The Omicron variant has sent Covid cases surging in the U.S., with over one million reported on Monday, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University.

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The start of the new year brought the delivery of a rainbow baby for one couple at the Beatrice Community Hospitals labor and delivery unit.

Kinsley Grace Bruna was born Thursday, Jan. 6 at 2:55 a.m. to parents Kent and Colleen Bruna, from Hanover, Kansas.

Colleen said shes grateful for support from the hospital, but her path to delivery was anything but smooth.

"It was definitely a rocky road," Colleen said. "We came in on Tuesday to get induced, and didn't have her until Thursday. It was definitely a different experience than I was hoping, but I'm just glad we're healthy and fine."

As the hours dragged on with no real progress, Colleen ended up giving birth via C-section.

Colleen said the couple had struggled with infertility in the past, making Kinsley their rainbow baby, the first theyve had together.

Colleen and Kent didnt know the sex of the baby before the birth. Colleen said she thought she was carrying a boy.

I think the surprise makes it more fun, Colleen said.

The couple decided on the name Kinsley because it was different from the rest of the names in their sprawling families. Kinsley is the 17th grandchild of Kents parents and the 11th grandchild of Colleens parents, the couple said.

Kent said he hopes Kinsley comes into her own and embraces the familys life in Hanover.

I want her just to be happy and healthy, he said, and embrace the craziness of the family.

Colleen and Kent said theyre happy Kinsley got to be the first of the year at BCH.

I suppose theres no better way to start the new year, Kent said.

To celebrate the first baby of the year, BCH gave Colleen and Kent a basket full of baby necessities, from blankets to diapers and toys.

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There's plenty to check out this weekend in and around Billings. Here's a roundup of the events and happenings.

White Buffalo paint class at Bitterroot

Stop by Bitterroot Sip and Paint, 1238 Central Ave., on Wednesday Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. to paint the White Buffalo. The class is $36 and includes a 16x20 canvas along with the supplies needed to finish the painting. For tickets and more upcoming events, visit their website at BitterrootSipandPaint.com.

Senior dance at the Columbia Club

The Columbia Club, 2216 Grand Ave., hosts the senior dance sponsored by the Billings Senior Citizen Inc. on Wednesday Jan. 12 from 7-10 p.m. with live music from The Cimarron Band. The dance is open to all with a cover charge of $5 at the door.

Free yoga class with Toni

Try yoga with no commitment with Toni at Pura Vida Studio, 1150 16th St. West Suite 17, on Wednesday Jan. 12 from 4:45-5:45 p.m. Bring your mat, water, towel/blanket, and blocks or straps if needed. To register, call 406-942-0378.

Billings Symphony presents Folk Musings

Folk Musings features Tyler Menzales and Elizabeth Adcock with an evening of music inspired by folk tunes from around the world. The program is presented by the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale for viewing at The Billings Depot, 2310 Montana Ave., on Thursday Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students or patrons under age 30. Purchase tickets by calling 406-252-3610 or online at BillingsSymphony.org.

Healthy Cooking class at the YAM

Discover simple flavorful dishes that you can look forward to eating with Chef Angela Lyle and Assistant Chef Tom Lund at the Yellowstone Art Museum, 401 N 27th St. The class is Thursday Jan. 13 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets are $55 for members and $65 for non-members. Register by calling 406-256-6804 or by emailing outreach@artmuseum.org.

National Geographic Live with Terry Virts

Astronaut Terry Virts discusses his newfound perspective from his time at the International Space Station at the Alberta Bair Theater, 2801 Third Ave. N., on Friday Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $37 and are available at AlbertaBairTheater.org.

Painting 101 with Carolyn Thayer

Begin a six-week painting series with Carolyn Thayer at Crooked Line Studio, 1206 24th St. W.. Thayer will take you step by step from how to determine what makes a painting work to the finished product. You will learn basic composition, values, shading, color mixing and more. All supplies are provided. Each class is 2.5 hours and begins at 6 p.m. on Monday Jan. 17. Individual classes are not available. Register for $225 at CrookedLineStudio.com.

And more live music

The Montana Ave Jazz Exchange returns to Craft Local, 2413 Montana Ave., on Friday Jan. 7 from 9-11 p.m.

Amanda Stewart will play her indie country music at The Garage, 2123 First Ave N, on Saturday Jan. 8 starting at 7 p.m. Tickets at the door are $12.

Ian Munsick brings country to The Pub Station Ballroom, 2502 First Ave. N., on Friday Jan. 14. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available at ThePubStation.com.

Counting Coup will be at The Garage, 2123 First Ave. N, on Friday Jan. 14 from 8-10 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door and online at ThirstyStreet.com/tickets.

El Wencho brings their eclectic music to the R Club Lounge located in the Billings Hotel and Convention Center, 1223 Mullowney Ln., on Friday Jan. 14. The show begins at 9 p.m. and the cover charge is $15 at the door.

Air Supply will play at the Alberta Bair Theater on Sunday Jan. 23 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $55.50 and are available at AlbertaBairTheater.org. All ages are welcome.

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Free 55-pound blocks of butter available at 6708 Zero Road, Casper, Wyoming, said the post. 4 p.m. Take as much as you want.

No further explanation needed.

On The Hook Towing became the unexpected proprietor of hundreds of enormous butter cubes after the company was called to pick up a downed semi-truck in Sinclair on Dec. 29.

The truck had been transporting them when it wiped out.

On The Hooks owner, Bob Maxwell, said the company didn't have details about exactly what happened to the truck, where it was going or who was driving it.

Simply put, we were hired by their insurance company to dispose of the trucks contents and tow the trailer to the salvage auction, Maxwell said in an email.

A request for more information about the incident wasnt returned by Wyoming Highway Patrol in time for publication.

So the truck was fated for salvage auction. But what of the cargo? It was doomed to waste away in a landfill somewhere, Maxwell said.

He took to Facebook that same day to see if anyone in Casper could take some of it off their hands.

A picture included in the post, which is now deleted, showed six piles of the stuff strapped to the truck trailer.

Before they knew it, hundreds of people had lined up.

The supply went quickly  some made off with five, six blocks of it  but the line kept growing. In Facebook comments, some Casperites said they waited in line over a half hour for their share.

On The Hook Towing ended up taking down the post to try to stem the flow of visitors.

Once we were all out, people were still coming by, said Kristen Moore, who works for the company.

Nanci Benson, who lives in Casper, scored three cubes that day.

After learning about the giveaway on Facebook, she called up a friend to see if they were game to wait in line with her.

I said, 'Hey, are you doing anything?' she said.

There wasn't much left when they got there. Any free giveaway is bound to inspire a bit of a craze, Benson said. She recalled the line still being about half a mile long by the time they left.

Caught up in the moment, Benson said she missed the "55-pound boxes" part of Maxwell's post. She was shocked to discover she was not taking home sticks, nor tubs, but blocks just under a cubic foot in volume.

In the days after the giveaway, locals shared on Facebook how they're rationing out their supply.

Butter can last up to a year in the freezer, if stored properly. But did you know, for instance, that canned butter has a shelf life of at least three years?

Others clarified their stock into ghee, which can be kept in the fridge or pantry.

Unsurprisingly, the cubes were frozen solid when Benson took them home. It took some patience  and elbow grease  to cut them down into more manageable portions. Benson had to heat kitchen tools in hot water to make a dent.

Some she flavored some with honey and cinnamon (her take on the well-known Texas Roadhouse spread), and some with garlic, parsley and onion for baked potatoes.

She's been giving a lot of it away to friends and neighbors  buttering them up, if you will, she said with a laugh.

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Two East Helena brothers charged in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., entered not guilty pleas Friday before a U.S. District Court judge.

Joshua Calvin Hughes and Jerod Wade Hughes will return to court March 8 for a status conference. Attorneys in the case had asked Judge Timothy Kelly, U.S. District Court judge for the District of Columbia, for a 60-day continuance.

Kelly dismissed a motion to drop one of the charges listed in the second superseding indictment, which was filed Dec. 1 and added a count of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. The brothers were last in court on Nov. 22, in which they pleaded not guilty to a superseding indictment.

The brothers initially were incarcerated in early 2021, pleaded not guilty and released from custody in April pending trial, on their own recognizance.

Fridays appearance was a year and a day after the riot upon the Capitol.

On Jan. 6, 2021, a violent mob of then-President Donald Trumps supporters broke into the Capitol to contest the Electoral College vote being certified that would name Democrat Joe Biden as president instead of Trump. At least nine people who were there died during and after the rioting. Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for a historic second time for inciting the rioters. A House panel is looking into the attack. More than 725 people have been charged.

The brothers are now charged with nine counts that include civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; destruction of government property and aiding and abetting; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; entering and remaining on the floor of Congress; entering and remaining in certain rooms in the Capitol building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Kelly rejected a motion Friday by Jared Hughes to drop one of the charges that alleged they obstructed official proceedings by entering the Capitol. He argued the indictment did not name the proceeding he allegedly disrupted.

Kelly said the argument is moot.

Jerod and Joshua Hughes came to the Helena Police Department on Jan. 11 after seeing themselves in news coverage of the attack, believing they were wanted by the FBI. About an hour and 15 minutes after the Hughes brothers went to the Helena police an FBI special agent arrived to interview them.

The brothers were part of a group of rioters who broke open windows and doors to get into the Capitol, according to court documents.

The prosecution has said the Hughes brothers placed themselves at the tip of the spear on Jan. 6, actively engaged in the destruction of government property, harassed and interfered with Capitol police and obstructed a joint session of Congress. The brothers followed a man who pursued Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman up the stairs and later found their way to the Senate floor, prosecutors said.

The Hughes brothers eventually ended up on the Senate floor, which had been evacuated, where they and others sat in senators chairs, opened senators desks, and reviewed sensitive material, the Jan. 28 federal complaint states.

Palmer Hoovestal, Helena-based attorney for Joshua Hughes, said they have no association with political groups of any kind and had never before attended a rally for Trump. But when the president called all patriots to Washington, they decided to attend and then go sightseeing. They got to the front of the line at the Capitol, entered through a window someone else broke, walked around inside the Capitol for 10-15 minutes and left. The attorney said they were not destructive.

He called their entering the Capitol through a window the biggest mistake of their lives"

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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You could say Monday wasnt Tom Vilsacks first rodeo.

President Joe Biden was, figuratively, saddling up to ride to the rescue of both ranchers and consumers left short on cash by a meat packing industry in which four big players control more than 85% of the market.

Vilsack, who was also Agriculture secretary under Barack Obama, had done this before, when the effort was bucked into the dirt faster than you can say reelection.

But this time, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack is optimistic the outcome will be different, if for no other reason than Biden having $1 billion to expand the number of independent meatpackers competing against the industrys big four: Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS and National Beef packing.

The theory goes something like this: If theres another buyer in the auction barn, there will be competition that will naturally increase the price paid to ranchers for cattle. The plan, announced this week, drew comments from Republican and Democratic politicians in Montana, signaling they wanted market reform, too. Livestock sales were worth about $1.5 billion to the state economy in 2020, but that number was $100 million lower than sales from the previous year, as supply problems hit ranchers and consumers squarely in their wallets.

With the American rescue plan, we've got the resources to actually get something done on the financing side, and we're putting the finishing touches on some rules and regulations that will be forthcoming in 2022 to strengthen enforcement, Vilsack told the Lee Montana Newspapers on Wednesday.

Our belief is that by expanding capacity, we increase competition. When you do that, you're going to help farmers get a better shake out of the market. And you're going to allow consumers to have choice in the marketplace, which also, we believe, will moderate price increases. And then secondly, you want to make sure that, there are two aspects of this, you want to make sure that you have enough information so farmers can determine whether or not they're getting a fair shake.

"And that gets to the transparency in the market reporting that's necessary. I need Congress to continue to extend mandatory reporting efforts that will allow us to get information. And you need, I think, for Congress to do what Sen. (Jon) Tester and Sen. (Chuck) Grassley are interested in doing, which is to create more market transparency, to have the right level of cash transactions that give you a sense of what the market truly is.

The president Monday said that over the last 50 years rancher's share of every dollar a family spends on beef had shrunk from 60 cents for every dollar to about 39 cents. Hog farmers who once received 40 to 50 cents of very consumer dollar spent now receive 19 cents.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $375 million in gap financing grants for independent processors to fill a need for more processing capacity. One of the lessons of the last few years is that a single disruption among the four major meatpackers can derail the beef market for both ranchers and consumers.

In August 2019 a fire at a Tyson Foods packing plant in Kansas created a bottleneck at both ends of the U.S. meat supply chain. Ranchers with cattle to sell were backed up by the decrease in production, which lead to an oversupply and lower prices for cattle as a result. On the consumer end, less beef was making it to supermarkets which led to higher prices as supply failed to keep up with demand.

Only a few months later, a ransomware attack on JBS cut the number of cattle slaughtered by 40,000 carcasses in just a day and a half.

USDA will put another $150 million toward the 15 independent processor projects that are near completion. Another $225 million will be invested in projects that can be brought online by summer. Federally backed loans totaling $275 million will be made available for independent meat processing in underserved communities.

Additionally, $100 million will be spent on creating a skilled workforce, which Montana meat processors said earlier this week is needed for any expansion of independent processing to succeed. There arent enough skilled meat cutters currently to staff Montanas meatpacking industry, said Lyle Happel, of the Montana Meat Processors Association.

Demand for independent meat processing surged in the first year of the pandemic as COVID-19 sickness and death hit the packing plants of the big four meatpackers. At least 59,000 meatpacking employees were sickened by COVID-19 in the first 12 months of the pandemic in the United States. At least 269 workers died from COVID-19. Those numbers were reported to the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on Oct 27, 2021.

In Montana, where 31 meat processors are state inspected and 28 are federally inspected, theres growth in the industry, though it can be difficult to measure because some activity is disguised as existing processors moving between state and federal inspection designation. The federal meat inspection is whats needed to sell meat across state lines, which is attracting processors who are growing into multi-state markets.

USDA has $32 million available for 167 existing processors to cross over to federal inspection so they can reach more customers.

The new rules Vilsack references to police anti-competitive practices include making sure independent processors get a foot in the door to retail markets.

Getting access to space in grocers' refrigerator cases is no small matter, said Walter Schweitzer, president of the Montana Farmers Union. Just like big brands buy shelf space in the cereal aisle, refrigerated space is real-estate big meat suppliers can secure and squeeze competitors out of.

A big part of the piece of this puzzle is that if we're going to have a more competitive market, we're going to have to force not only these corporate packers to play fairly, but we're going to have to force the retailers to play fairly too, Schweitzer said.

MFU has been champing at the bit for country-of-origin labeling reform for meat. Currently product of of U.S.A. labels on meat packages in the store, arent limited to beef raised in the United States. The largest meatpackers process beef from Canada and Mexico at their 50 U.S. packing plants. When the meat is commingled during processing, that country of origin label winds up getting applied to meat from all three countries.

United States, under a law championed by Montana Democratic senator Tester, attempted to require a U.S. only COOL label, but Mexico and Canada objected, arguing that the label violated the North American Free Trade Agreement. The World Trade Organization then concluded that Canada and Mexico could impose tariffs on other U.S. exports in retaliation, after which the federal government killed COOL without challenging the WTO.

The way the labeling ended is a sore spot with Schweitzer.

You know, this Product of USA label as it is right now is fraudulent, Schweitzer said. With the United States being one of the largest beef importers in the world, and youve got processing capacity owned by the Brazilian cartel (JBS). Theyre mixing it. You know they are and theyre proudly doing it. And then they put the label on it.

MFU wants the country of origin labeling to be mandatory and applied to U.S. beef only. They back a Tester bill to do so.

Vilsack said the labeling being rolled out under the Biden Administration is voluntary, though the U.S.-only requirements for what the label goes on are there. The agriculture secretary expects that once independent processors become more of a presence, and the U.S. label goes on their product, the biggest meatpackers will feel market pressure to do the same.

Could they skip the labeling? Well sure, in which case when you're going into the grocery store, you can know that product that you're buying, at some point in time didn't have connection with the U.S., versus that local producer that took a grant or loan from USDA to produce its own processing facility that puts a label on there and says not only is a product of U.S., but this is a product of Joe Smith's farm down the road,  Vilsack said. I guarantee you. I believe people will buy a package for Joe that's got Joe Smith's label on it. And that will drive market share, if you will, to the labeled products, as opposed to the unlabeled ones.

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Within a matter of moments earlier this week, people and businesses under a recently increased cap on the amount they could claim in tax credits by donating to schools reached the $1 million limit set by the state Legislature.

The period to claim the credit through a donation of up to $200,000 opened Monday, and reached the limit in less than six minutes, the state Department of Revenue said this week.

Ten public school districts were able to pre-approve 23 donations, from 20 people and three businesses that claimed the credits. The individuals donated $938,000 and the businesses donated $62,000 to reach the $1 million cap, the revenue department said.

In 2021, the state Legislature dramatically increased the amount a person or business could claim in a credit, moving from $150 to $200,000. The $1 million cap for total credits claimed increases in 2023 to $2 million, with provisions to increase that by 20% in later years if donations come in at 80% or greater of the limit.

Last year lawmakers also changed the existing program to allow those claiming the credits to direct them toward specific school districts who can use the money toward innovative educational programs. Legislators also expanded terms for how the money can be spent. On the private side, money goes toward scholarship programs that students can then apply to in order to receive assistance from.

Three scholarship organizations pre-registered donations from 12 individuals. Ace Scholarships got five donations, as did St. Matthews Catholic School, and Holy Spirit Catholic School had two, according to the revenue department.

The 10 public school districts that registered donations were Big Sky School K-12; Bonner Elementary; Great Falls Elementary; Kalispell Elementary; Kalispell High School; Livingston Elementary; Montana City Elementary; Shepard Elementary; Somers Elementary; and Whitefish Elementary.

Big Sky Schools received $694,000, MTN News reported, or nearly 70% of the total amount that went toward public schools.

The district is in one of the wealthiest areas in the state. Gallatin County, where the district is located, has the lowest rate of students on free or reduced lunch in the state.

State tax law makes the identity of donors private, protected as confidential tax information.

During a November meeting, several state lawmakers expressed concern that some districts could claim the credits quickly, leaving others in the dust in terms of accessing the funding.

The concern is that the folks that might donate to this might be in those larger school districts like Kalispell and ... some of the larger areas and that some of the smaller schools might not be able to take advantage of this to the level that might happen in some of the larger school districts, said Sen. Jill Cohenour, an East Helena Democrat who heads the interim revenue committee, said last year. That's where the disparity might take place.

From 2016, the first year of the program, to 2021, the Bozeman School District saw the most funding, at $4,893, making up just over 21% of all contributions. The Great Falls School District came in second, at 14% of all contributions.

Nine districts or regions received less than $1,000, including the Kalispell School District at $428, or just 8% of what Bozeman received.

Theres quite a disparity, state Sen. Shannon OBrien, a Democrat from Missoula, said during the November committee meeting. 'Im looking at $143 total in region five (Cascade, Fergus, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, Musselshell, Petroleum and Wheatland counties) and I'm looking at $3,135 in region 11 (Chouteau, Glacier, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Pondera, Teton and Toole counties). And then Great Falls (School District) received $3,278.

During the November meeting, Bob Story, executive director of the Montana Taxpayers Association, predicted the issue of equity and access to education programs will eventually raise its head in a lawsuit sometime and the state will have to deal with that.

One lawmaker back in November said he believed the donations will mostly go to small districts around the state.

I think the districts that will benefit the most are the rural districts, where you have rural benefactors ... , state Sen. Brian Hoven, a Great Falls Republican, said. I think were going to see the rural districts benefit more than anyone else.

And while some rural districts like Montana City Elementary received $55,000, Shepherd Elementary saw $50,000, Somers Elementary got $5,000 and Bonner got $1,000, MTN reported, by far most money went to Big Sky or other more urban districts.

Republican state Rep. Seth Berglee, of Joliet, said in an interview this week he wasnt surprised by how quickly the public school cap was reached. He pointed to changes made by lawmakers to raise the limit an individual or business could claim, as well as the ability to direct money to a specific school, as pushing the rush.

Berglee said while he didnt fully support a late change to his legislation that allowed for schools to use money on an expanded list of things, he said he still thinks schools getting more money is a good outcome.

The termed-out lawmaker said hed also like to see the program revisited in the next legislative session to narrow what the money for public schools can go toward. Initially it could only be used for new innovation programs, which Berglee said would help underachieving students.

Opening up the spending options, he said, prompted some districts to organize giving campaigns around the credit.

My intent with the program was to help kids that were struggling, Berglee said, adding that the scholarship side of the program is working as he intended. It did not reach the cap.

Still, its not really a negative that schools got funded and theres a tax credit, Berglee said. That money was going to go to the government somewhere else. In the spirit of it, I would like to see them making adjustments on the public side mostly.

While a few last-minute rule changes by the Department of Revenue made it easier to track exactly when a contribution was made, some schools reported frustrations with the rapid pace, the Montana Free Press reported this week.

From the state revenue department's perspective, "the process and the donations portal worked seamlessly to implement what the Montana Legislature provided for in statute," a spokesperson said this week.

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Linda and Dick Norden stood on a sidewalk Thursday at the cusp of Boulders Veterans Park for a somber observance of the one-year anniversary of the insurrection on Washington, D.C.

They stood with about three dozen other people in temperatures that hovered in the single digits with the occasional hum of vehicles whirling down Main Street nearby.

And, after 15 minutes, the group, many of whom stood bundled head to toe and ankle-deep in snow, dispersed, shared some homemade scones, climbed into the cars and drove off.

And hardly a word was spoken.

We believe in our country and we love our country and just are sad that this is going on and there is so much division, Linda Norden said. We need healing, we need to come together.

Thursday marked one year since pro-Trump rioters breached the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election results that favored now-President Joe Biden. The Boulder event was a stark contrast from another sparsely attended anniversary event at the state Capitol in Helena, where organizers rejected the notion that an insurrection took place on Jan. 6, 2021, and prayed for people who have been charged with crimes related to the violent riots at the U.S. Capitol.

Vigils were planned elsewhere in Montana, including Bozeman, Great Falls and Missoula.

The Boulder observance was organized by a group of residents  Jan Anderson, Bryher Herak, Brud Smith, Terry Minow, Dee Anna and Jim Heikes  who said in a Dec. 22 letter to the community newspaper, the Boulder Monitor, that This year we hope to convey the message that our community supports a different approach to addressing the issues that face our community, state and nation.

Anderson said she was pleased by the turnout.

This is much more than I expected, based on the weather, she said.

No speeches or demonstrations were planned. People were instead asked by organizers to spend the vigil silently contemplating the importance of peace and civility to the future of our community, state and nation.

Joy Lewis of Basin said she came because of her fellow citizens who believe in democracy and civility and responsibility for ones actions.

She was asked what she did during the 15-minute observance.

I prayed a lot, she said. I prayed for civility, I prayed for healing and I prayed for my country  so that we can come together again, we have been so divided.

Lewis said she also prayed for our democracy to survive.

And she said later she prayed for those officers who lost their lives and were injured while defending our Capitol, and their families. And I prayed that the people in the crowd who stormed the capitol find love and kindness in their hearts. I'll share mine with them.

After the vigil, Melanie Sako of Basin treated attendees to homemade scones. She said she was worried about the country's divisiveness and was hoping for healing.

Smith, who signed the letter to the Monitor, said he is worried about all the division in the country and how we move forward.

We have to pull together and solve some problems and listen to each other, he said, adding the observance was an opportunity to listen to what your heart is telling you.

Some 30 miles north, about two dozen people gathered indoors at the state Capitol in Helena for a different kind of Jan. 6 remembrance.

The small event, billed as The Peoples House Rally, was organized by Jordan J.D. Hall, pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church in Sidney, owner of Gideon Knox consulting group and a federally licensed firearms dealer. Hall also publishes the Montana Daily Gazette website, which posts far-right content such as vaccine disinformation.

Hall led the group in prayer and singing hymns. They prayed for the family of Ashli Babbitt, a participant in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot who was shot and killed by a Capitol police officer. Hall said he was not at Montana's Capitol on Thursday to deliver a sermon about politics, but cast the Democratic Party as an angry mob bent on power.

But Hall added its an important year, being an election year.

Theres much work to be done, he said.

Hall repeatedly noted the weather had hampered the turnout. Those who spoke to the crowd included Public Service Commissioner Randy Pinocci, and Nick Ramlow, state representative for People's Rights, an organization founded by anti-government activist Ammon Bundy.

State, county and local law enforcement swept the Montana Capitol building before the event, just as they did on Jan. 20, 2021, after the FBI issued a public notice that riots had been planned at all 50 state Capitols on the day of President Joe Bidens inauguration. Law enforcement found no trouble in Helena on that day, nor did they on Thursday.

Before Thursdays gathering, Whitehall pastor Steve Wagner said in an interview he did not believe Trump supporters had been behind the riots that crashed through windows at the U.S. Capitol. Asked why, he said he questioned what happened because the siege was ultimately unsuccessful. Asked if he believed other actors, like the specter of Antifa, had been behind the Jan. 6 riots, Wagner said his only belief was that he had not been told the truth.

I dont know the truth of what it was, but I know what it wasnt, Wagner said.

In addition to more than 15,000 hours of footage of the riot at the Capitol, captured by security cameras as well as by participants themselves, investigations by a bipartisan congressional committee and the U.S. Department of Justice have found those who mobbed the Capitol supported Trump. Rioters have also made clear their support of Trump in their own social media postings and interviews to press.

Wagner had spoken in the state Capitol rotunda before, at a 2015 event that garnered 150 people, to urge lawmakers to defy what he called immoral laws and court rulings from the federal government.

Mark Wicks, who has run as a Libertarian and Republican for various public offices, most recently unsuccessfully as a GOP candidate for county commissioner in Hill County, drove 200 miles down Thursday from Inverness, although he said he had some other business in Helena to attend to. He had friends in D.C. a year ago, and said the images widely shared focused on the mayhem but don't reflect the thousands of others who didnt breach the Capitol barrier.

Their experience was not what you saw on TV, Wicks said.

Still, Wicks acknowledged the violence that took place that day, which caused five deaths. Videos from Jan. 6, 2021, show rioters stomping on police and battering their way through officers to enter the capitol. Two brothers from Helena were among the first to reach the Capitol's innards; six Montanans have been identified as participants in the deadly attack.

There was bad behavior there, no doubt, Wicks said.

Still, Wicks saw Thursday as the first of a new annual remembrance, not about elections or violence in Washington, D.C., but an occasion to put elected officials on notice regarding who they work for.

I think itll turn into something, hopefully, something good, Wicks said. For elected officials to remember they answer to the American people.

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More than a year after voters approved legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Montana, anyone older than 21 can now walk into a dispensary and buy cannabis. That has medical marijuana user Joylynn Mane Wright worried.

Wright lives in Prairie County, the states fifth-least-populated county, with nearly 1,100 people. She already drives about 35 minutes to get to the marijuana dispensary nearest her home, which is 2 hours northeast of Billings. And now she wonders how much more difficult it will be to get the cannabis she uses to relieve the chronic pain she developed after a 2017 spinal surgery.

Im really worried about supplies and what its going to cost, she said.

For Wright and the approximately 55,000 other Montanans who hold medical marijuana cards and use cannabis for cancer, glaucoma, Crohns disease, central nervous system disorders and other ailments, the question is how will recreational marijuana affect their ability to access their medicine.

Other states have had shortages soon after their recreational marijuana markets opened. In January 2020, when recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois, some dispensaries had to close their doors or impose limits on purchases. The same thing happened in Colorado and Washington when the recreational market opened in those states.

Pepper Petersen president and CEO of the Montana Cannabis Guild and a medical marijuana provider in Helena, said hes been telling his patients to stock up because he thinks the states dispensaries will run out of pot in the short term.

We are going to have cannabis shortages. Access will be a problem until supply can catch up with demand, Petersen said. How can we produce enough product for thousands of new users in January? The answer is we cant.

In Wrights case, stocking up isnt an option because of her fixed income, she said. She wonders how high the price of a pre-rolled joint, which now costs nearly $8, will rise and whether shell have to drive even farther to get her medicine.

Jared Moffat, a campaign manager for the Marijuana Policy Project, said a states market usually takes six to 12 months to stabilize after recreational cannabis becomes legal. One reason marijuana markets are unstable is that possessing and distributing the drug remain illegal under federal law, so moving products across state lines is not an option for dealing with a shortage. Everything that is sold in a state must be grown in that state.

Adding to the potential supply-chain problem is that Montana has restricted who can sell cannabis, at least initially. The legislation that set up the framework for Montanas recreational marijuana market gave existing dispensaries an 18-month head start on new producers, meaning newly licensed sellers cant get into the market until July 2023.

That leaves medical marijuana customers to compete with recreational users for a limited supply of cannabis.

About 80 dispensaries  just 18% of Montanas 451 licensed dispensaries  plan to exclusively serve holders of medical marijuana cards, according to Czelsi Gomez, spokesperson for the Montana Department of Revenue, which oversees the states marijuana programs. The rest plan to cater to both recreational and medical users or to only recreational users.

Some states that have legalized recreational cannabis  including New Jersey and Illinois  have required dispensaries to maintain enough stock to ensure that medical users can get what they need.

Montana has not instituted such a rule. But Gomez said the 80 dispensaries that will serve only medical marijuana users will protect patients. We believe the medical-only establishments are the safeguard for ensuring medical marijuana is available to registered cardholders, Gomez said.

Some dispensary owners said they will reserve some of their supplies to ensure medical customers dont run out. But others said they dont plan on holding back, arguing that would be bad for business.

Barbie Turner, a co-owner of Alternative ReLeaf, a dispensary with locations in Polson and Libby, said she is worried about where medical users will get their cannabis. She said that if serving medical customers requires her to stop selling cannabis to recreational users, she will.

Not only do our medical patients have a need, theyre the ones who built up these businesses. Theyre the ones who built this industry, she said. So I think we have an ethical responsibility to take care of them, just like they have taken care of us.

How big the recreational marijuana market will be is unclear. A University of Montana study cited survey results from 2017 and 2018 that found about 14% of Montana adults said they used cannabis in the previous month, compared with 9% of adults nationally.

Petersen and others said more people might become recreational users once cannabis products that can be smoked or eaten become easier to buy.

Turner said that she and her employees have been working for months to make sure they have enough marijuana but that shes still worried about the supply. There are limits, both legally and financially, on how much a provider can grow, she said.

Shops will get some help, she said, when the states wholesale market opens in January, meaning that dispensaries will be able to sell to one another in bulk.

Although many dispensaries  especially in college towns such as Missoula and Bozeman  are bracing for shortages this month, Erin Bolster said she thinks the real test of marijuana supplies will come in the summer, when millions of tourists visit Yellowstone and Glacier national parks.

Bolster owns Tamarack Cannabis in the Flathead Valley, a popular tourist destination not far from Glacier National Park. Last summer, long before dispensaries could sell recreational cannabis, Bolster said, she would get one or two walk-ins and two or three calls a day from tourists who had heard Montana had legalized adult-use marijuana and wanted to see if they could buy.

Come summer, she thinks, the number of customers will skyrocket. That could mean even more competition for Montanas medical marijuana there and in other popular destinations.

Weve been able to expand production, Bolster said. But the question is Did we expand enough?

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There are no signs of relief in the ongoing drought in the upper Missouri River Basin, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with this year's spring runoff predicted to remain below normal.

The forecast comes on the heels of a year in which the basin saw only 59% of its average runoff, a total of 15.2 million acre-feet of water  the 10th lowest annual runoff in 123 years. An acre foot is the amount of water it takes to cover one acre in one foot of water.

"Based on current runoff trends, soil moisture, and plains and mountain snowpack, the dry conditions are expected to continue," the Corps reported.

According to the website drought.gov, more than 86% of Montana remains in severe drought, with 53% in extreme drought, and almost 14% in exceptional drought, the worst possible rating. In 127 years of record keeping, 2021 was the fourth driest year for Montana.

The Corps' runoff forecast is a bit rosier for 2022, calling for 21.7 MAF of runoff, which is 84% of average.

By the time the runoff season starts on March 1, the six reservoirs  which include Fort Peck in Montana and Sakakawea in North Dakota  will contain only 48.2 MAF of water, 7.9 MAF below the top of the carryover multiple use zone.

That means boat ramps may need to be extended and docks could be left high and dry until water levels climb. It could also mean drought conservation measures if low runoff persists. That might translate into less water for barge traffic on the lower Missouri River, which occurred in July 2021 when the water supply for navigation was cut due to the continuing drought.

Although one of the conservation measures is to reduce winter dam releases, the Corps is proposing to keep Fort Peck outflows at 10,000 cubic feet per second in January and February, dropping the reservoir level almost 2 more feet by the end of this month to an elevation of 2,223.3 feet, about 12 feet lower than last year at this time.

The reservoir has a ways to go before it hits a historic low. In 2007 the reservoir recorded an elevation of 2,196 feet.

"To further conserve water in the Missouri River Mainstem reservoir system, minimum releases from Gavins Point Dam are scheduled this winter while still serving the needs of the municipal, industrial and powerplant water intakes along the lower river," the Corps said.

Gavins Point Dam is located west of Yankton, South Dakota, along the Nebraska border.

Releases from Gavins Point were temporarily increased from 12,000 cfs to 16,000 cfs in late December and early January to replace water that was being locked up in river ice, said John Remus, chief of Missouri River Basin Water Management. Releases are currently at 14,000 cfs.

Weather and river conditions will continue to be monitored, and releases from Gavins Point Dam will be adjusted to the extent possible to help mitigate any negative effects of the cold weather," Remus added. "The Corps is aware of the importance of our operations to water supply. There is and will be enough water in the river to serve the water supply needs.

The city of Billings, on the other hand, is struggling to draw enough water from the Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone dropped to 800 cfs in December when it's typically closer to 2,000 cfs. So much ice has built up on the river that daily flows are not even available on U.S. Geological Survey gauges for the entire length of the stream.

Although snow has been falling fairly steadily in the mountains over the past week, snowpack in the upper Missouri River Basin is accumulating at a below-average rate, the Corps said.

The Jan. 4 mountain snowpack in the Fort Peck reach was 88% of average, while the mountain snowpack in the Fort Peck to Garrison reach was 86% of average. Plains snowpack in the upper Missouri River Basin is sparse.

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We are 35 state, federal, and Tribal wildlife professionals who have worked together for more than 40 years to help recover and manage grizzly bears, wolves, and other wildlife in Montana. We did this by building science and fact-based management policies and plans with public input while carefully balancing the needs of bears and other wildlife with the needs of the people who live, work, and recreate in Montana.

We believed in and promoted the eventual delisting of recovered grizzlies and wolves and turning them over to state management. We believed that the wildlife professionals in Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) would be good stewards who would continue to carefully manage grizzly bears and wolves using science and facts after recovery and delisting.

All this changed in 2021 when a new legislative majority and a like-minded governor took office. Science-based wildlife management in Montana was replaced by anti-predator hysteria fueled by misinformation and emotion. Professional wildlife management by FWP biologists was replaced by partisan political intervention that overturned decades of sound wildlife policy.

Examples of legislation/regulations passed in 2021 that sabotages sound wildlife management:

 A law (SB 98) that says a person can shoot a grizzly bear if it is threatening to kill a person or livestock. Threatening is not defined. This will result in the unregulated killing of grizzlies anywhere by anyone.

 A law (SB 337) that says that FWP cannot relocate any grizzly bear captured in any type of conflict outside a recovery zone.

 A law (HB 224) mandating allowing the use of neck snares to kill wolves that will result in grizzly bear deaths and the deaths of countless numbers of other non-target animals.

 A law (HB 468) allowing the use of hounds to hunt black bears (which had been outlawed in Montana for 100 years). The use of hounds to hunt black bears will result in conflicts and death for grizzly bears in the areas where hounds are used.

 A law (SB 314) allowing the use of bait around wolf traps and neck snares. Bait will also attract grizzly bears and other forest carnivores to these sites where they will be trapped, or neck snared and be killed or maimed.

 Montana Code (MCA 87-2-519) allowing out of state landowners who own more than 640 acres and their guests to hunt both black bears and mountain lions with hounds on their property and on public lands surrounding their property for 2 miles in any direction, and to do so without buying a non-resident hound hunting license. The use of hounds to hunt black bears will result in conflicts and death for grizzly bears in the areas where hounds are used.

 A law (HB 225) extending the wolf trapping and neck snaring season into the time that both grizzly and black bears are out of their dens, which will result in bears being caught, maimed, or killed in wolf traps and neck snares.

 A law (SB 314) allowing hunting wolves over bait, even at night with spotlights and night vision scopes.

 A law (SB 267) that pays people to try to trap and kill wolves. This law takes wolf management back into the anti-predator bounty days of the 1800s.

In addition to meeting population objectives established in the Recovery Plan, a mandatory requirement of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for a species to be delisted is that the state have adequate regulatory mechanisms in place to assure that grizzlies (and wolves) in Montana remain healthy and recovered after delisting. Healthy and recovered grizzly (and wolf) populations are populations that are carefully managed and distributed across their suitable available habitat. Delisting does not mean that legislatures can drive grizzly and wolf populations down to minimum numbers.

Montana legislators and the governor were informed on numerous occasions about how these laws would undermine FWPs ability to adequately manage grizzlies and risked wolves being relisted. They ignored this input and passed these laws anyway. These laws will result in excessive, unregulated killing of grizzly bears, making it impossible for FWP to adequately control the number of grizzly bear deaths within sustainable levels.

In addition to the actions of the Legislature, Montanas sole congressional representative and junior senator have introduced legislation in Washington to bypass the requirements of the ESA and delist grizzly bears by congressional vote.

It doesnt take a lot of imagination to realize that if grizzly bears were delisted and turned over to state management, that the Legislature and governor would do the same thing to grizzlies that they are currently doing to wolves  they would likely try to legislatively minimize grizzly numbers inside recovery zones and eliminate most grizzlies outside recovery zones.

Before grizzly bears can be delisted:

 Laws that will result in excessive grizzly bear deaths and unnecessary restrictions on state grizzly management must be reversed (SB 98 and SB 337).

 There should be a commitment in law and policy to prohibit use of wolf killing methods that will also kill grizzly bears (HB 224, HB 468, SB 314, HB 225, SB 267) anywhere in grizzly range.

 The management of grizzly bears (and wolves) in Montana must return to management based on science and facts instead of politically driven misinformation and anti-predator hysteria.

If these measures were taken, we could support grizzly delisting. However, while these regressive laws and the legislative anti-predator attitudes that produced these laws remain in place, we cannot support the delisting of grizzly bears in Montana.

We strongly believe that grizzly bears must remain listed under ESA in Montana so that their populations remain healthy, and politicians are not able to reverse 40 years of grizzly recovery.

Signers to this opinion: Chris Servheen, Missoula, Ph.D., 35 years U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as grizzly bear recovery coordinator (retired). Chuck Schwartz, Bozeman, Ph.D.. 20 years Alaska Fish and Game as research biologist (retired) and 16 years USGS as leader, interagency grizzly bear study team (retired). Richard Mace, Kalispell, Ph.D.. 31 years Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks as grizzly and black bear research biologist (retired). Tim Manley, Bigfork, B.S., 37 years FWP in grizzly bear research and as grizzly bear management biologist (retired). Harvey Nyberg, Lewistown, M.S., 26 years FWP, last position as regional supervisor (retired). Gayle Joslin, Helena, M.S., 32 years FWP as wildlife management biologist and research biologist (retired). Keith Aune, Bozeman, M.S., 31 years FWP as wildlife research biologist, laboratory supervisor, chief of wildlife research (retired) and 10 years as a wildlife biologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society (retired). Bruce Sterling, Thompson Falls, M.S., 38 years FWP as management biologist (retired). Diane Boyd, Kalispell, Ph.D., 8 years FWP as wolf and upland bird biologist (retired), 15 years University of Montana as large carnivore researcher (retired). Ron Marcoux, Helena, M.S., 22 years FWP as biologist and deputy director (retired); 18 years with Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in land conservation and administration (retired). Kristi DuBois, Missoula, M.S., 28 years FWP as a wildlife biologist (both game and nongame) (retired) and 6 years USFWS as a wildlife biologist (retired). Tim Thier, Trego, M.S., 27 years FWP as wildlife biologist (retired) and 5 years USFWS as wildlife biologist (retired). Heidi B. Youmans, Helena, M.S., 27 years FWP as area management biologist, upland game bureau chief, non-game bureau chief (retired). Gary Olsen, Conrad, M.S., 34 years FWP as area biologist (retired). Wayne Hadley, Deer Lodge, Ph.D., 23 years FWP as fisheries biologist (retired). Gary Wolfe, Missoula, Ph.D., 4 years as a commissioner on the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission; 12 years Vermejo Park Ranch wildlife biologist/manager and big game hunting outfitter and guide; 15 years Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, wildlife biologist/field director, director of field operations, chief operating officer, president & CEO (retired); 11 years Vital Ground Foundation, wildlife biologist/executive director (retired). Tim Aldrich, Missoula, B.S., 4 years as a commissioner on the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission. Greg Munther, Missoula, M.S., 32 years U.S. Forest Service as biologist and district ranger (retired). Sterling Miller, Lolo, Ph.D., 21 years Alaska Fish and Game as wildlife management biologist (retired). Affiliate professor, UM. Dan Carney, East Glacier, M.S., 31 years Blackfeet Tribe as senior wildlife biologist (retired). Douglas H. Chadwick, Whitefish, M.S., 3 years wildlife technician with NPS, 40 years independent wildlife biologist collaborating with university and agency researchers. Tom Puchlerz, Stevensville, M.S., 38 years USFS as wildlife biologist, district ranger and forest supervisor (retired). Kate Kendall, Columbia Falls, M.S., 36 years NPS and USGS as research ecologist (retired). Joe Fontaine, Helena, B.S., 6 years U.S. Bureau of Reclamation wildlife biologist, 18 years USFWS as deputy wolf recovery coordinator (retired), 4 years as deputy project leader National Wildlife Refuge Complex (retired). Jay Gore, Missoula, M.S., 10 years USFS as wildlife biologist (retired), 13 years USFWS as wildlife biologist (retired), and 7 years Corps of Engineers as wildlife biologist (retired). Mary Maj, Bozeman, M.S., 32 years USFS as district and regional wildlife biologist, resource staff officer, and district ranger (retired). Dale Becker, Polson, M.S., 7 years as a private wildlife consultant and 32 years CSKT as Tribal wildlife program manager. Edward Bangs, Helena, M.S., 36 years USFWS as wildlife biologist on Kenai NWR and Northern Rocky Mountain wolf recovery coordinator (retired). Jim Claar, Missoula, M.S., 21 years USFS as wildlife biologist (retired), and 11 years Bureau of Indian Affairs as wildlife program manager (retired). Jack Stanford, Bigfork, Ph.D., 36 years Flathead Lake Biological Station as director (retired). Kerry R. Forsman, Missoula, Ph.D., 37 years UM as professor of biology and wildlife biology (retired). Mike Phillips, Bozeman, M.S., 35 years: USFWS red wolf restoration leader (retired); NPS grey wolf restoration leader (retired); Turner Endangered Species Fund executive director; Montana state legislator 2006-2020. Sandy Kratville, Missoula, M.S., 31 years USFS as wildlife biologist, including 5 years as USFS/Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation liaison (retired). Mike Jimenez, Big Arm, M.S., 20 years USFWS grey wolf research and management (retired). Lewis Young, Eureka, M.S., 31 years USFS as wildlife biologist and wildlife program manager (retired).

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The state, federal and tribal groups involved in the Interagency Bison Management recently announced they would slaughter up to 900 Yellowstone bison this winter.

Yellowstones wild bison were declared our national mammal in 2016 and are of international significance.

Yellowstone bison are not the same as other bison scattered around the West. They are the most genetically pure bison left on the continent, largely influenced by natural evolutionary processes.

Nearly all bison herds, including those on tribal lands and other national park and wildlife refuges, have been domesticated and are treated more like cattle than wild animals.

The annual massacre of Yellowstone bison is biologically degrading the herd. Yellowstone's bison went through a genetic bottleneck in the last 1800s when only approximately 50 animals were left in the park.

The annual killing of up to 20% of the herd to satisfy the overstated concerns of the livestock industry continues to erode this globally significant wild biological heritage. There are 100 million cattle in the U.S. and only 5,000 Yellowstone wild bison  which has greater importance to the world?

This carnage is based on a big lie  that bison threaten the Montana cattle industry.

The big lie is that bison might transmit brucellosis to cattle. It is true that brucellosis is a disease that can cause domestic cattle to abort. The reality is that the threat is greatly exaggerated.

First, the primary way that brucellosis might be transmitted is if a bison cow aborted their fetus and a domestic animal happens to lick the dead fetus or birth fluids. The occurrence of bison fetus abortions is infrequent. Plus, it is not difficult to separate cattle from any area actively used by bison in the spring when bison might abort.

Even if a bison aborted its calf, coyotes, magpies, golden eagles and other scavengers quickly consume the fetus.

Second, most cattle can be vaccinated against brucellosis  though, like all vaccinations, they are not 100% effective. Additional vaccination could reduce the number of animals without protection.

Third, though 20 ranch cattle herds have been infected with brucellosis, in all cases, the transmission was due to elk, not bison. Yet elk are not bottled up in Yellowstone or round-up for slaughter.

Fourth, as an indication that brucellosis is not the primary reason for the annual bison slaughter, bison bulls and calves can't transmit the disease, yet are regularly killed as part of the official butchery program.

The second part of the big lie is that too many bison are in the park. However, it is only "too many" because the Interagency Bison Management group agreed to keep the bison population below that arbitrary number.

Other studies by NPS biologists suggest Yellowstone could support almost twice as many bison. Plus if bison were permitted to migrate and live on other federal lands surrounding the park, their numbers in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem could be significantly increased and any negative impacts to park vegetation could be reduced.

The Interagency Bison group tries to assuage the annual carnage with assurances that any slaughtered bison will be transferred to Indian tribes or be killed by tribal hunters.

Imagine if, for some reason, the last old-growth redwood trees (also of international significance) were being cut down. Would you feel any better about this destruction if the agencies justified it by saying they would cut the trees into planks to be distributed to tribes to make huts or redwood decks?

There are numerous places on public lands surrounding Yellowstone where wild bison could roam. They should be encouraged to use these lands rather than destroy them. The transfer of Yellowstone bison to other public lands like Montanas Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge or to Forest Service lands in the Upper Green River area of Wyoming is also an option.

Another potential solution is to expand Yellowstones borders to the north of Yankee Jim Canyon and to the northwest into the Gallatin Range providing far more protected wildlife habitat for bison to roam.

Yellowstone wild bison are part of the global biological heritage. We must start to treat them as the matchless legacy they represent.

George Wuerthner is an ecologist who has published three books on Yellowstone as well as others on wildlands protection, including "Protecting the Wild: Parks and Wilderness the Foundation for Conservation."

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A federal judge has sided with local law enforcement in a case brought by Dakota Access Pipeline demonstrators alleging excessive use of force by police at a protest site in November 2016.

Temperatures dropped below freezing the night of Nov. 20 as police and protesters faced off on state Highway 1806 just north of the border of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. Officers sprayed protesters with water during the incident.

Attorneys of protesters who brought the suit five years ago say in court documents that police fired rubber bullets and exploding munitions indiscriminately into the crowd and also used tear gas. Some of the demonstrators were injured that night.

Lawyers for law enforcement officers named as defendants, including Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, say officers were outnumbered and were concerned for their lives and safety. They sought to have the protesters legal claims dismissed.

U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor issued the order granting their request Wednesday, writing that the Court finds the undisputed and irrefutable evidence in this case could only lead a reasonable juror to conclude the officers conduct in this case was objectively reasonable.

He called the situation that night unprecedented.

The most telling of the entire situation is the fact that officers issued two code red requests and a Signal 100, requesting the assistance of every available officer in the state, Traynor wrote. This has never been done in North Dakota history.

Morton County Assistant States Attorney Gabrielle Goter said in a statement she was pleased with the ruling. Kirchmeier and Mandan Police Chief Jason Ziegler, among others, are named defendants.

On the dates of this mass protest event, law enforcement reasonably believed the protestors were trespassing and therefore, law enforcement was permitted to use less lethal force to protect themselves and others, from violent protestors that law enforcement perceived as intending to physically injure responding law enforcement, Goter said.

An attorney for the plaintiffs, Rachel Lederman, said in a statement that the ruling "effectively legitimizes launching an hours-long barrage of freezing water, explosives and highly dangerous munitions into a crowd of demonstrators."

Another of their lawyers, Janine Hoft, said the decision "is an example of how judges use 'qualified immunity' to let law enforcement off the hook for even the most extreme brutality."

Qualified immunity is a doctrine that protects government officials from lawsuits unless they violate a plaintiff's clearly established right.

The lead plaintiff in the case is Vanessa Dundon, a member of the Navajo Nation whose eye was injured the night of the incident.

The plaintiffs alleged in court documents filed earlier this year that officers "used a wildly disproportionate amount of force when they deployed water cannons, impact and explosive munitions at the plaintiffs, who were unarmed, peaceful, and not committing any crime or actively resisting law enforcement in any way."

Traynor in January threw out another lawsuit filed by a pipeline protester claiming that law enforcement used excessive force at a 2017 protest site. The order came weeks after a similar ruling in a case brought by another demonstrator.

A lawsuit filed by protester Sophia Wilansky, of New York, is continuing in federal court. Wilanksy claims police targeted her with a concussion grenade during the Nov. 20, 2016 confrontation. She suffered a left arm injury in an explosion and had multiple surgeries to save the limb.

Protesters allege the blast that injured her was the result of a flash-bang device thrown by officers, while police maintain it was caused by a propane canister that protesters had rigged to explode. Wilansky seeks millions of dollars in damages. Authorities say protesters criminal activity was to blame for her injury, and that officers did not violate her rights.

The Dakota Access Pipeline transports oil and was built in 2016 and 2017. Its construction drew thousands of protesters to North Dakota, and hundreds of them were arrested over a six-month period. Standing Rock opposes the pipeline, and a legal battle surrounding the permitting process is ongoing.

Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com.

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A state judge has ruled that thousands of documents related to security during the construction in North Dakota of the heavily protested Dakota Access Pipeline are public and subject to the state's open records law.

The Dec. 31 ruling by South Central District Judge Cynthia Feland is a victory for The Intercept news organization, which sued in November 2020 to get access to the documents for investigative journalism on the topics of "environmental justice, the treatment of Indigenous peoples and workers, and government efforts to suppress First Amendment-protected activities."

North Dakota Newspaper Association attorney Jack McDonald said the ruling also is "a good decision for government transparency" and has wider ramifications.

"It establishes clearly that records in possession of a public entity are public records -- absent any specific exemptions -- even if the person submitting those records didnt intend them to be," he said. "It also establishes that agreements between companies about nondisclosure are only good between those companies, and does not affect those records once in the public domain."

It's unclear how quickly the documents will be publicly released, however.

Three lawsuits

The documents being held by the North Dakota Private Investigation and Security Board relate to Energy Transfer, the Texas-based company that built the pipeline, and TigerSwan, the North Carolina company that Energy Transfer hired to oversee security during construction.

TigerSwan gave about 16,000 documents to the board during a two-year battle over whether the company operated illegally in the state in 2016 and 2017, when thousands of pipeline protesters gathered in southern North Dakota and law enforcement made hundreds of arrests. That dispute culminated with an administrative settlement in September 2020 under which TigerSwan agreed to pay $175,000 to the board but did not admit to any wrongdoing.

The records became entangled in three lawsuits. Energy Transfer and subsidiary Dakota Access LLC sued the board in October 2020, seeking the return of what they consider to be confidential, proprietary, and privileged documents that are not public.

A lawsuit by Intercept publisher First Look Media Works Inc. accuses the state board of violating the law in refusing to release what the publisher believes to be public documents, which are sought by Intercept reporter Alleen Brown.

Energy Transfer and Dakota Access LLC also have gone to the state Supreme Court in a third lawsuit, attempting to intervene in the administrative case involving TigerSwan and the board, and prevent the public release of the records. The North Dakota Newspaper Association, the High Plains Reader and First Look filed a brief in that case as interested parties last month, urging justices "to protect journalists' ability to use the Open Records Act to inform their communities about matters of public concern."

Feland ruled in the first two cases. She concluded that Energy Transfer is not being deprived of its property because it has copies of the disputed records. She also said the company has not identified any specific provisions under state law exempting the documents from public disclosure.

"Rather, Energy Transfer simply alleges blanket privileges of attorney-client, trade-secret, and security of the public," Feland wrote, adding later that "Absent a specific exception, the Disputed Documents are subject to the open records law."

Energy Transfer attorney Jennifer Recine deferred a Tribune request for comment to the company, which did not immediately respond. Company attorneys late Monday asked Feland to put on hold the part of her ruling permitting public disclosure of the records while it appeals to the state Supreme Court.

First Look Media attorney Tim Purdon said Feland's ruling "is a complete victory for the board and First Look."

"Energy Transfer has held up these documents in three separate lawsuits over the course of a year," he said.

What's next

Feland did not provide The Intercept with immediate access to the documents, however. She stressed that her ruling answers only whether the documents are public and subject to the open records law. She denied First Look's request that she order the board to immediately hand over the documents.

Purdon said he and his client will be working with the board and the state attorney general's office -- the board's attorney -- to determine which if any of the documents are exempt from disclosure under state law.

"We'll work that out," he said.

Attorney general spokeswoman Liz Brocker declined comment on the process, saying, "We do not comment on pending litigation."

McDonald, the media attorney, said Feland's ruling technically sets precedent only in the South Central Judicial District, which encompasses the counties of Burleigh, Morton, Emmons, Grant, McLean, Mercer, Oliver, Sheridan and Sioux.

However, "I think it sets standard that will be followed statewide in dealing with these issues," he said, adding that "It establishes a methodology for making such determinations in the future about the public nature of such documents."

The Dakota Access Pipeline has been operating since June 2017, moving North Dakota oil to a shipping point in Illinois.

During its construction it was heavily protested by American Indian tribes and environmentalists who fear potential pollution. Energy Transfer and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which permitted the line's Missouri River crossing just north of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, maintain the project is safe. A legal battle surrounding the permitting process is ongoing.

The Intercept, which bills itself as a news organization seeking to expose corruption and injustice, has written articles critical of TigerSwan, accusing it of infiltrating protest camps and using military-style counterterrorism measures. TigerSwan has long maintained that it provided only consulting services that don't require a North Dakota license and that any actual investigative work occurred in North Carolina.

Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.

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When you go on a trip anywhere south and you tell someone that you are from North Dakota, what is their first reaction? Initially they say they are sorry, because they think that North Dakotas climate mimics that of the Arctic. And then they invariably say, Is that where Mount Rushmore is?

No, I say, Its where Santa resides.

In other words, they havent a clue. And thank God they dont.

Meanwhile, if they were to read the rest of this column theyd think that Im totally insane because, even with our recent subzero temperatures, I find winter to be quite appealing.

And why is that? Its because winter makes for hearty souls. And theres nothing like being cozy when the wind blows piles of snow past your picture window and reduces visibility to zero. Because thats the signal to put another log on the fire, wrap yourself in grandmas quilt and watch a good movie or two.

My horses would agree because they love winter. To them it means never having to swat a fly, never having to search for food because it is piled in front of them and never having to work, because most of what they have to do takes place in the spring, summer and fall.

So to them winter is vacation time.

And even though most of the rest of the world will tell you that winter is bad for your health, you might be surprised to learn it can actually be good for you too.

For example, it may help you burn off calories. And thats because studies show that exercising in cold weather or even just shivering while on a short walk or while doing ranch chores or while walking from the store to your car will burn extra calories.

It can also help you fight off infections. You see, most of the world will tell you that you might be more susceptible to colds in the wintertime, but research also indicates that when your immune system adapts to cold environments, its ability to fight off infection gets that much stronger. So you could say it upgrades your immune system.

Cooler temperatures can also help you to get a better nights sleep. Countless studies have proven that sleeping in a cooler room can not only improve your quality of sleep but help you get to sleep quicker.

But did you also know that cooler temperatures can improve your brain function? After all, cold temperatures boost brain activity and get you thinking more clearly.

And finally, cold weather can even give your heart a kick-start. Because when youre exercising in the cold air, your heart works double time to help you to stay warm. So, if you want to stay active in the winter, a brisk jog in the cold air might do you some good. But dont do it if you suffer from heart disease.

And yet, what I most like about the cold weather is the attitude that it creates in peoples minds. Because when people are faced with some adversity as a group, they tend to band together. And in North Dakota, neighbors are more than ready to help their neighbors and anyone else in need.

In other words, despite all the bad publicity that cold weather gets, it creates care.

Kevin Holten is the executive producer of "Special Cowboy Moments" on RFD-TV.

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A social media post that included a photo of a gun and text telling students not to go to a Bismarck high school on Thursday has led to the arrest of two juveniles.

A Bismarck Police Department school resource officer late Wednesday was notified of a circulating Snapchat with a picture of a semi-automatic rifle and the caption Dont go too school tmr, authorities said. "Tmr" is a shortened version of "tomorrow."

The officer was able to track the post to the originator and found it was intended as a joke. But numerous students were concerned enough that they brought it to the attention of school administrators.

A joke that causes fear no longer is a joke and anyone that utilizes these platforms to stir up fear will be held accountable, Police Lt. Luke Gardiner said, adding that anyone sharing such social media posts could also face consequences along with the creators of the post. The two who were arrested will face terrorizing charges. Authorities declined to release identifying information about them, including age and gender.

A number of such incidents have occurred nationally since before the Christmas break. Bismarck police have spent a substantial amount of time investigating local incidents that originated outside Bismarck and outside North Dakota, and rumors spread by social media and word of mouth have caused "serious" school absences, Gardiner said.

Some parents have at times chosen to keep their children home because of the threats, according to Steve Koontz, Bismarck Public Schools spokesman. He didn't say how many absences there have been, or name the school that was affected by the most recent incident. Neither did police.

Students who see such photos on social media should not share them and should contact law enforcement, school officials or a parent, Gardiner said.

Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com

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School boards in Bismarck and Mandan recently awarded bids for work on new and expanding facilities.

The Mandan School Board awarded a $16.7 million bid to Northwest Contracting for construction of an elementary school in the Lakewood area.

The board voted 8-0 to award the bid. Member Kama Hoovestol was not present at the December meeting.

Lakewood, which will be the seventh elementary in the district, will be built to hold 300 students, with the potential to expand. The district anticipates the school opening in 2023.

Nearly 80% of voters last April approved an $84 million bond issue to fund the new elementary and also a new high school building. Property taxes are set to increase by about $100 for every $100,000 in property value.

The district expects the high school to open in 2024; no bids have been awarded for that project.

Bismarck

The Bismarck School Board last month approved a bid for work on an addition to Legacy High School. The expansion will mostly contain classrooms, as well as some areas for group work.

The board voted unanimously to award the $3 million bid to Northwest Contracting for work on the shell of the addition.

Business Manager Darin Scherr said the district was expecting bids closer to $3.8 million. District spokesman Steve Koontz said the work will be funded with federal COVID-19 aid dollars and will be completed without requiring a tax increase.

The project is tentatively expected to be complete by June 2023.

District officials at a board meeting in September said the addition will bring Legacy's capacity closer with Bismarck and Century high schools. Legacy opened for the 2015-16 school year and was designed to support a third wing. Koontz said that the district wanted to monitor growth trends before building the addition.

Reach Sam Nelson at 701-250-8264 or sam.nelson@bismarcktribune.com.

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North Dakota's Health Department is seeking to learn more about COVID-19 immunity with the help of a $1.4 million federal grant and the aid of the state's two largest universities.

The effort involving the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University "will help us to better understand the level of population immunity to COVID-19 virus from natural infection, vaccination, or both, and to understand the COVID-19 experiences of the citizens of North Dakota, State Health Officer Dr. Nizar Wehbi said in a statement.

The project will have two parts: surveys of a random sample of volunteer state residents, and surveys with blood and saliva sample collection of random residents in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Participants will be recruited via invitations mailed to addresses at random this month.

With the help of North Dakotans who participate in the survey, or testing, we will gain a deeper understanding of immunity and have valuable feedback from citizens that will shape public health response to COVID-19 or other public health emergencies in the future, Wehbi said.

The project will unfold over the next 1  years.

We are doing this research to estimate how many COVID-19 infections there have been in North Dakota and to learn about how our communities may be protected against later infection of COVID-19, whether that protection is from natural infection, vaccination, or both, UND Assistant Professor Amber Lyon-Colbert said in a statement.

Half of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant will go to each university to fund the research, according to Health Department spokeswoman Marie Moe.

"No one on the team will receive a direct payment or an increase in salary from the CDC for conducting this project," she said.

For more information, go to https://www.ndsu.edu/publichealth/outreach/covid_survey/.

Daily data

The omicron wave that has swept over North Dakota this week continued Friday, with 1,519 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases. That brought the total since the start of the workweek to nearly 6,000, and it's the first time since the height of the pandemic in November 2020 -- before the availability of vaccines -- that the daily case total has surpassed 1,000 for four straight days.

Active cases jumped by 21% from Thursday, to 4,487 statewide, with 763 in Burleigh-Morton counties.

The highly contagious omicron variant has been surging around the globe, and it swept into North Dakota this week, pushing up active COVID-19 cases since Monday by 175%.

The state's 14-day rolling test positivity rate jumped to 11.75% -- the highest since the peak days of the pandemic in late 2020. The state target of less than 5% was last met in mid-August. The rate at the start of the week was 7.74%.

But virus-related hospitalizations have not seen an increase parallel to cases, due to omicron often causing few or no symptoms. The state's coronavirus dashboard on Friday listed 118 COVID-19 hospitalizations, compared to 129 at the start of the week.

The most recent state data showed about 8% of staffed inpatient beds available statewide and about 5% of intensive care unit beds open. In Bismarck, CHI St. Alexius Health had one available staffed general care bed and no open ICU beds; Sanford Health had none listed in either category.

The dashboard showed one newly confirmed virus-related death, raising North Dakota's pandemic toll to 2,028. The Health Department no longer publicly reports the county, sex and age range of newly confirmed deaths, but the dashboard death total for Burleigh County increased by one, to 283; Morton County's total is 131.

There have been 180,646 confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Dakota during the pandemic that began in March 2020, with 174,131 recoveries and 7,035 hospitalizations.

More information

North Dakota continues to have one of the worst COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Agency data on Tuesday showed 63.9% of North Dakota adults being fully vaccinated. The rate for all vaccine-eligible people in the state -- age 5 and older -- is 56.9%.

The CDC recommends COVID-19 booster shots for all adults; 43.3% of North Dakota adults have received a third dose of vaccine, according to state data. The CDC also now recommends that adolescents ages 12-17 receive boosters as well, but the state's vaccine dashboard does not yet track that percentage.

The coronavirus transmission risk is considered substantial or high in all of North Dakota's 53 counties except Slope, according to the CDC's COVID-19 data tracker website. The CDC recommends people in those risk categories wear masks in public indoor settings.

People can go to https://www.ndvax.org or call 866-207-2880 to see where COVID-19 vaccine is available near them. A list of free COVID-19 testing offered by local public health units is at health.nd.gov/covidtesting. For more detailed information on coronavirus in North Dakota, go to www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus. For more information on coronavirus variants, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant.html.

Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.

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"The increase in cases is likely due to the continuing emergence of the omicron variant in North Dakota. Other countries and states have experienced a rapid growth in case reports, and we anticipate that our cases will continue to increase in our state."

-- Kirby Kruger, head of the state Health Department's disease control division and forensic pathology section, on another surge in COVID-19 cases in North Dakota.

q q q

The most telling of the entire situation is the fact that officers issued two code red requests and a Signal 100, requesting the assistance of every available officer in the state. This has never been done in North Dakota history.

-- U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor, in dismissing a lawsuit brought by Dakota Access Pipeline demonstrators alleging excessive use of force by police at a protest site in November 2016. Traynor concluded that police acted reasonably.

q q q

"We've seen a pretty decent recovery from the extremely low rig count and frack crew numbers that we saw this time one year ago. I think we anticipated a quicker recovery than what we saw, so it's a little concerning."

-- State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms, detailing how uncertainty surrounding the Biden administration's plans for federal leasing, emissions and the Dakota Access Pipeline is "tamping down" the oil industry's recovery from coronavirus pandemic lows.

q q q

"It establishes clearly that records in possession of a public entity are public records -- absent any specific exemptions -- even if the person submitting those records didnt intend them to be. It also establishes that agreements between companies about nondisclosure are only good between those companies, and does not affect those records once in the public domain."

-- North Dakota Newspaper Association attorney Jack McDonald, on a judge's ruling that thousands of documents held by the state relating to security during Dakota Access Pipeline construction are public and subject to the state's open records law.

q q q

"We think we can actually kind of stop another revolving door that we've created. We save a lot of lives with Narcan, but we also lose people once they walk out ... they are now at more risk for a successful fatal overdose."

-- Heartview Foundation Executive Director Kurt Snyder, on a federal grant that will in part place Heartview employees in hospital emergency rooms to move people with addiction into treatment services.

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Its kind of an unknown. These are big turbines and we dont know for sure what its going to cost when they start being deconstructed.

-- State Public Service Commissioner Randy Christmann, during debate about the best method for dismantling turbines at the end of a wind farm's life.

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I cant control the weather, so I dont let it control me. You just have to deal with what the good Lord gives you.

-- Watford City area farmer/rancher Howdy Lawlar, who also is a volunteer firefighter, reflecting on last year's prolonged drought and extensive wildfires.

q q q

"We hope to have that process completed before the end of January and have an appointment."

-- Karl Lembke, chairman of the District 47 GOP, which needs to fill a legislative vacancy created by the death of longtime Rep. George Keiser, R-Bismarck.

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I know why Victorian women fainted so much. They were too hot  literally. Wearing layers and layers of clothes, corseted to the point of not being able to breath, attempting to make merry in rooms draped and swathed and festooned with velvet furniture and bric-a-brac. If you think about London in the summer  youd faint too. I will happily keep my modern clothing and my air conditioning, thank you.

Not so fast, says Pope Francis. His encyclical, Laudato Si, suggests that air conditioning is one of those modern features that is giving us environmental woes.

Some countries are gradually making significant progress, developing more effective controls and working to combat corruption. People may well have a growing ecological sensitivity but it has not succeeded in changing their harmful habits of consumption which, rather than decreasing, appear to be growing all the more. A simple example is the increasing use and power of air-conditioning. The markets, which immediately benefit from sales, stimulate ever greater demand. An outsider looking at our world would be amazed at such behaviour, which at times appears self-destructive. (55)

Could this be true? Are those of us basking in the relative comfort of air conditioning acting in a way that is harmful to others? Mark P. Mills takes exception with this.

Perhaps, Mills says, the pope was misinformed:

Heres what the Popes advisors likely informed His Holiness: energy consumed just for air conditioning in America equals that used for all purposes by the countries of Mexico and Argentina combined. Perhaps his advisors also noted that when the worlds 169 emerging economies can finally afford to embrace air conditioning at the level used in the west, their collective electric use will be 4,500 percent greater than all the electricity used for air conditioning in the United States. Put another wayespecially in the context of the same Encyclicals call to eschew fossil fuelssatisfying the entire potential demand of these poorer nations to cool their homes and hospitals, their food warehouses, factories and offices would require burning at least one billion tons more coal per year. (This assumes that coals share of global electric supply is cut in half in the coming two decades  an economically improbable scenario.)

But, Mills notes, it doesnt work that way. Air-conditioning isnt just about comfort (although I certainly appreciate that aspect). Air-conditioning is also about health and profit.

Where there is no air conditioning because of power failures or poverty, death rates soar, especially among the most vulnerable. And where air conditioning finally takes hold, witness the history of the American South, economies flourish. One can guarantee that emerging economies will follow the same pattern as the United States and, more recently, in China in the adoption of air conditioning. Even though Willis Carrier invented the modern air conditioner in 1902, fewer than 10 percent of American homes had one by 1965. However, by the turn of the century the penetration blew past 85 percent as the country got wealthier and air conditioning got cheaper.

How else did air conditioning change America?

In the 1930s, air conditioning spread to department stores, rail cars, and offices, sending workers summer productivity soaring [emphasis added.] Until then, central courtyards and wide-open windows had offered the only relief. Residential air conditioning was slower to take hold: As late as 1965, just 10 percent of U.S. homes had it, according to the Carrier Corporation. Families in the South made do by sleeping on the porch or even putting their underwear in the icebox. By 2007, however, the number was 86 percent. As cool air spread across the country, Sun Belt cities that had been unbearable in the summer became more attractive places to live and work, facilitating a long-term shift in U.S. population.

Mills notes that if every American went back to fans and screened windows, the global demand for air-conditioning would not decrease. Developing nations are clamoring to get more air-conditioning. Why? Well, think about Indias recent heat wave; it is blamed for more than 2300 deaths. Do we honestly think that the nation of India would turn down more air-conditioning were it economically feasible for more people?

Mills explains the predicament of this suggestion by the pope that air conditioning is harmful.

We are left with the final redoubt, which is to ensure air conditioners become far more efficient. Here we bump into the inconvenience of the laws of nature in our universe. As strange as it sounds, it takes heat to move heat, everywhere and always. The controlling law of thermodynamics is in a realm so immutably special that Einstein stated that it is the only physical theory that will never be overthrown. There is no Moores Law (computer-like gains in efficacy) for energy machines. And even if air conditioners become twice as efficient as the best todayfor which there is no known pathglobal energy use for air conditioning will still soar. These same energy realities are inherent in the features of cars and computers too. But the air conditioner is not just a simple example, as Pope Francis wrote. It is the purest and least complicated example of realities immutability tied to rising prosperity and thus increasing use of energy in poor nations, which are mainly in the hottest parts of the world.

If we want to see the poorest of the poor lifted from poverty, it will mean more energy usage. Now, that doesnt mean the energy cannot be a cleaner or more efficient kind, but we cannot, as Pope Francis suggests, simply pronounce something like air conditioning to be destructive and harmful, when indeed, it has been shown to create not only more habitable condition, but also economic growth.
Please refer to the dispatch from December 28, 2021 before reading the following.

"What have you done with my luggage?" I asked, my voice rising.

"Nothing. By now the contents of your luggage are probably in the possession of the hotel manager's family. You should stop worrying about it."

We were getting close to the airport.

Katarzyna said, "The man who loves junk mail has arranged for you to have a pleasant experience. But first, you must have a pleasant experience with me."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"It is my job."

The car pulled into the airport's long-term parking lot. Katarzyna got out of the car, leaving the driver's door open. I followed her into a nearby service building. She pulled me into a small supply room and locked the door behind us.

"You are in a state of melancholy and despair. Your life is meaningless. I will show you how to be fully alive."

She produced her mobile phone from her back pocket and logged in to Amazon.com. She showed me a photo of a faux leather desk blotter.

"The man who loves junk mail has arranged to have this sent to your home in California. It will be waiting for you after you complete your mission in Hawaii. You will be amazed at how much better time spent at your desk is with this accessory."

It was indeed a nice-looking blotter. It helped salve the sting of my lost Nintendo Switch.

Katarzyna unlocked the door and gestured for me to follow her out of the supply room. We walked out of the service building and across the tarmac to a small, sleek jet.

"Goodbye," she said, turning abruptly and walking away. I watched her get into her car and disappear.

I entered the jet and was greeted by a smiling flight attendant. "I'm sorry," she said. "But you're not allowed to board the plane if you're not wearing shoes with laces."

"What? I don't have any other shoes with me."

"I'm sorry, but you can't board the plane."

I was very annoyed. I had to get to Hawaii.

To be continued
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Cloudy with a few showers. High 58F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low around 45F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
After failing to prove any sort of voter fraud their famous Arizona election audit, 'Cyber Ninjas' has been fined $50k a day until it returns public records, prompting the business to shutter.

Cyber Ninjas did a great job of proving Trump Lost and Biden Won in Arizona.

The Hill:
Wrestling occupies a unique cavern within my soul. I could spend the next twenty years in cryogenic stasis only to wake up and immediately use the handiest piece of tech available to browse the net for wrestling news. I'm a lifer.

Through my somewhat obsessive fandom, I've galavanted across the globe to immerse myself in the various styles of grappling from every culture. Even though Mexico is America's proverbial next-door neighbor, their version of pro wrestling and the contrasting philosophies behind it couldn't be further removed from the style in the States. Unlike America, which only began to present its wrestlers as superheroes in the 80s, Mexican wrestlers have been comparable to superheroes since the 50s. The key figure behind the association is El Santo.

In Mexico, El Santo was the equivalent of Superman. To capitalize on the luchador's immense popularity in the ring, the Mexican film industry began to churn out countless films starring El Santo. Within the confines of the celluloid, Santo battled everything from gangsters to witches and monsters. If you're into B movies and don't mind piecing together a plot without the benefit of dialogue, I highly recommend checking out his work on YouTube. Some benevolent souls have uploaded a slew of his slugfests on the website, and they're all glorious in their own way.

I included one of my favorite scenes in the video linked above to whet your appetite. In the video, El Santo and Captain Americayes, you read that correctlybattle a horde of evil Spider-Men and Disney's lawyers. It's a hilarious scene, and I hope you enjoy it.
A gentleman in Poland evaded the authorities for 20 years, but failing to wear a mask to help prevent the spread of a global pandemic did him in.

Wear your masks!

Euronews:

Police in Poland have arrested a convicted murderer who had been on the run for 20 years because he was not wearing a face mask.

Warsaw police said they had detained the 45-year-old fugitive at a shop northeast of the capital.

"The man was stopped by police in the Bielany district because he did not have a mask," sub-inspector Elwira Kozlowska told AFP on Tuesday.

The man has now been transported to a prison where he is due to serve a 25-year sentence for murder. No further details were provided.
Back in 2015, everyone was all about hygge, a Danish concept described by the Oxford English Dictionary as a "quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of comfort or well-being." Now though, there's a new Dutch word bubbling up in the US: uitwaaien (OUT-vwy-ehn), that according to the Washington Post "translates literally as 'out blowing' but is perhaps better understood as 'to walk in the wind.' Typically used as a noun, it describes the act of undertaking some sort of outdoor physical activity in windy conditions."

From the Washington Post/Greenwich Time:

"It's an old saying: 'I've gotta get uitwaaien.' I've gotta clear my head and just get away from distractions for a bit," said Arie Boomsma, who owns Vondelgym, a small chain of gyms in the Netherlands. In April, he published "10,000 Stappen Boek" ("10,000 Step Book"), a very uitwaaien-minded guide of 30 walks, each approximately 10,000 steps, Fitbit's magic number, across urban and rural settings throughout the country. "During the pandemic, it's just become a thing to go outside, get some fresh air. There's not much allowed aside from walking, running and biking. People just gave a whole new meaning to the term. Now it's urgent."

(via Fark)
After 20 years on the lam, convicted murderer and mafia Gioacchino Gammino of Italy was arrested last month in Galapagar, Spain after police spotted him in a Google Street View photo. Gammino was standing outside a fruit and vegetable store he had opened under a fake name. They confirmed his identity by comparing that photo to another shot on a nearby restaurant's Facebook page that clearly showed Gammino wearing a chef's uniform. From The Guardian:

He was recognisable by the scar on the left side of his chin. The restaurant's menu included a dish called Cena Siciliana or Sicilian dinner[]

The details were confirmed by the Palermo prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi, who led the latest investigation. "It's not as if we spend our days wading through Google Maps to find fugitives," he told the Guardian. "There were many previous and long investigations, which led us to Spain. We were on a good path, with Google Maps helping to confirm our investigations."

After 20 years in hiding, Gammino thought he had managed to sever all his ties with Sicily. Upon his arrest, he reportedly told police: "How did you find me? I haven't even called my family for 10 years!"
Jurors in Bristol have acquitted the "Colston Four" on charges of criminal damage, finding that protestors who toppled a statue of local slaver Edward Colston during 2020's protests against racism committed no crime. CNN:

After a two-week trial, the group were cleared when a jury at Bristol Crown Court returned not guilty verdicts on Wednesday following three hours of deliberations. Loud cheers erupted from the crown court's public gallery as the four  who opted for their case to be heard by a jury  were cleared.

British conservatives are in uproar, with some, including one minister of parliament, calling for juries to be scrapped altogether. The sitting Attorney General, a Conservative MP, offered a more blandly authoritarian "I love juries, but" missive on Twitter.

But it's another Tory bigwig, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who is most strenuously arguing otherwise: "juries are the "great sublime protector of liberties," he told Parliament.

"The decision does not set a precedent. It was a case decided by a jury on the facts before them." Mr Rees-Mogg added: "I think he is right that we should protect monuments, right that they should be removed by due process, but one of our greatest monuments is the jury system which is the greatest protector of our liberties."

There doesn't seem to be any actual admission yet of jury nullificationa "perverse verdict" in UK terminologyin which a jury intentionally refuses to follow the law, for reasons. It would be interesting to see it occur in England under these circumstances, as jury nullification is popularly associated in modern times with American juries refusing to support legal slavery and segregation. England was the origin of the practice of jury nullification, though, part of a popular reaction against draconian punishment for trivial crimes. Nullification is constitutionally part-and-parcel of the jury systeman unavoidable feature of entrusting the finding of fact to a defendant's peers. It benefits conservatives, too: the traditional all-white American jury is an example of how nullification is encouraged when it suits the establishment.

Consider Braverman's call for more legal procedure and guidance at high yet murky levels of the state: it's not so much a demand for show trials (as some on Twitter suggest) as a recommendation for something more ambigiously and inexorably British. "Tell trials," if you like, Kafka with a nice cup of tea ruined by wig dust.

Colston's statue was recovered from the River Avon and, replete with graffiti and dents, is now on exhibition and enjoying a liminal second life as an anti-racist work of art, further irritating British racists.
A group of influencers had a grand time dancing, drinking and vaping on a chartered flight from Montreal to Cancun  without a mask in sight. And of course these social media "celebrities" posted their glamorous party for all to share in their fun (see videos below). But their online posts got them stuck in Mexico.

Once the airlines got wind of their in-flight party  where flight attendants hid from the maskless group as much as possible  they refused to take them home. Which is a good thing, since at least 30 of them came down with Covid, according to a 19-year-old who won the trip on Instagram, according to The Washington Post.

"Like all Canadians who have seen those videos, I am extremely frustrated," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, referring to the partiers as "idiots."

From The Washington Post:

Now, those passengers have found themselves waylaid in Mexico, with several airlines unwilling to fly them back to Canada as the trip's organizer tries to negotiate their return. Sunwing Airlines, which flew the group to Mexico, canceled the return flight, citing the group's disruptive behavior and refusal to accept the airline's stated terms and expectations for the flight back. Two other commercial airlines have refused to allow the group of more than two dozen passengers to board their planes. "All the flights have been [canceled]," Rebecca St-Pierre, 19, told the Canadian Press. She said she won the trip on Instagram and expected a "relaxing week." Instead, she is isolating in Tulum, a Mexican town south of Cancun, after testing positive for the coronavirus, she told the news agency. She estimated about 30 others from the Dec. 30 flight have also tested positive. Before the Jan. 5 return flight was canceled, St-Pierre told the wire service, some of the Canadian passengers put Vaseline up their noses, attempting to throw off the coronavirus tests.  Transport Canada officials said this week that each passenger could face fines of up to 5,000 Canadian dollars  equivalent to about $3,900 in U.S. currency  for every violation, CNN reported. Air Transat, a Canadian airline, said on Twitter that it was aware of the stranded travelers and said "they will be denied boarding based on our legal and regulatory obligations to ensure the safety of both our passengers and crew, which is our top priority."
After returning from a New Years' trip, Princess Cruise's 'Ruby Princess' offloaded infected passengers into the city of San Francisco, home of the leaning Millennium Tower, before the floating incubator headed back to Mexico for more.

Daily Beast:

The Ruby Princess became notorious at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 when it docked in Sydney, Australia, and all of its passengers were allowed to disembark despite the disease being rife on board, which led to a criminal inquiry of the "plague ship." The same ship docked in San Francisco on Thursday after a 10-day New Years party voyageto Mexico and backended in a dozen passengers testing positive on board. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the city's port confirmed that a total of 724 passengers have left the ship, including the 12 passengers who returned positive test results.

Apparently, this is just the procedure. Princess knew people were infected, it sounds like they did very little to test them and simply sent them home hoping they'll work it out on their own.
I've heard whispers about the "Spine Collector," as he's come to be known, for years now. The New York Times published a story about it last December; Vulture did a long-form feature on it in August 2021 that is one of the most compulsively gripping long-read investigations of absurdly meaningless true crime journalism I've read in a while (though the ending is, admittedly, not very satisfying).

The basic gist of this publishing industry urban legend is that someone has been scamming agents and editors for the last five or so years. The Spine Collector demonstrated sort-of intimate insider knowledge of the publishing industry and would phish for unpublished manuscripts by posing as someone else  usually with a cleverly disguised email address such as "@randornhouse.com" instead of @randomhouse.com. Sometimes, the Spine Collector even succeeded in obtaining early drafts of these highly anticipated novels, which he would use to 

Okay well, see, that's the weirdest, dumbest, and most fascinating part of the story. What do you do once you've conned your way into getting a Word document with a draft of Dylan Farrow's upcoming book? The publisher still has the document, too, as well as the publishing rights. The Spine Collector wasn't even leaking the manuscripts; they just sort of disappeared, taking up space on a laptop somewhere. As Reeves Wiedeman wrote at Vulture:

This was a setup Stieg Larsson would have admired: a clever thief adopting multiple aliases, targeting victims around the world, and acting with no clear motive. The manuscripts weren't being pirated, as far as anyone could tell. Fake Francesca wasn't demanding a ransom. "We assumed it was the Russians," Mork said. "But we are the book industry. It's not like we're digging gold or researching vaccines." Perhaps someone in publishing, or a Hollywood producer, was desperate for early access to books they might buy. Was the thief simply an impatient reader? A strung-out writer in need of ideas? "In the hacker culture that Stieg Larsson depicted, they do a lot of things not for financial benefit," Mork pointed out this spring, "but just to show that they can do it."

But on January 5, 2022, the FBI announced that it arrested the alleged Spine Collector, who turned out to be a London-based publishing professional named Filippo Bernardini. He is being charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

This is a weirdly fascinating story for people in the publishing industry. But it also begs the question: why did the FBI waste their time going after a foreigner who was collecting unpublished manuscripts for no discernible reason? As Kelsey McKinney points out in Defector, even the Grand Jury indictment acknowledged that no one knows what the hell Bernardini gained from this long con. The indictment says that he needs to return any and all property related to the offenses but  why? He didn't make any money, and all the books he conned were published without a hitch. Does he need to send back the Word documents over email?

McKinney concludes with what I find to be the most fascinating part of the whole story:

Everyone is grasping at straws, trying to find an explanation for why this 29-year-old Italian man would want all of these unpublished manuscripts. The New York Timesguessed that "knowing what's coming, who is buying what and how much they're paying could give companies an edge." The FBI press release alleges he did it, "to steal other people's literary ideas for himself, but in the end he wasn't creative enough to get away with it." But this doesn't make any sense to me. By the time a manuscript has been sold to a publisher there would be no way for an unpublished author to steal an idea, write a whole manuscript, sell it, and edit it before the original book came out. And it's not like Bernardini was rapidly working his way up the totem pole at Simon & Schuster UK because of his crimes. His LinkedIn shows that he's gotten a few promotions since he began stealing manuscripts in 2016 at the age of 24. Maybe, after all this, his goal was drama, suspicion, intrigue. Maybe his goal was chaos! This, to me, is a noble goal.

Honestly the only way any of this makes sense is if it's all just a viral marketing scam for a book about a guy who collects unpublished manuscripts for the thrill of the chase.

The Spine Collector [Reeves Wiedeman / Vulture]

Why on Earth Is Someone Stealing Unpublished Book Manuscripts? [Elizabeth A. Harris and Nicole Perlroth / The New York Times]

F.B.I. Arrests Man Accused of Stealing Unpublished Book Manuscripts [Elizabeth A. Harris / The New York Times]

No Wonder Left In World Now That Mysterious Book Thief Has Been Arrested [Kelsey McKinney / Defector]

Image: Public Domain via PxHere
Ben Bergquam is Steve Bannon's "Real America Voice" field correspondent. Sadly, he contracted COVID-19 and is in the hospital receiving oxygen. Even sadder, he seems to think he got sick because of Biden, China, BLM, and anti-fascists.

So I'm praying Thank You, Lord, my angels are with me. Absolutely know it. God wins, but the Democrats have to be held accountable. China has to be held accountable. Antifa and BLM who terrorized our country for four years have to be held accountable. Where's BLM? We're Antifa? Where are they now? They were simply used by the Democrats to steal the election, to intimidate judges, to intimidate politicians, and to intimidate the American people to shut up and sit down. That's why we still have people in Guantanamo, DC being terrorized right now tortured right now. They don't care about the actual truth. They don't care about fixing the country. If they did, they would hold China accountable for this. If they did, they would hold BLM and Antifa accountable.
Maria Lehman has always had a fondness for her hometown. Now she gets to take that passion to the national stage.

The 61-year-old civil engineer was born in Buffalo to Polish refugees who fled their native land during World War II and fought for the British in the Middle East.

A graduate of University at Buffalo, she has spent more than 40 years designing, advising and leading infrastructure projects in both the public and private sectors.

For most of that career  three decades  she helped clients navigate challenges on over 700 projects ranging in size from $10,000 to $3.9 billion, as a project executive, manager or engineer.

But she also worked two stints in government  first under former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra as public works commissioner, and later as chief operating officer for the State Thruway Authority under former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

Last May, she joined the Buffalo office of Australian-based engineering and construction firm GHD, which specializes in sustainable water, energy and urban infrastructure.

There, she is the firm's U.S. director of infrastructure for what is now the 27th-largest engineering firm in the country  although she has yet to set foot in the local office because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She is also poised to become president of the American Society of Civil Engineers  the first Western New Yorker to lead the national professional organization, and among the first women to assume the role.

And she plans to use her new bully pulpit to advance both future planning for her field as well as the career aspirations of women and minorities in engineering.

Q: What are the opportunities in the new federal infrastructure legislation?

A: There's a lot of confusion about the bill itself. It's $1.2 trillion. That includes five years of reauthorization of surface transportation, which is all but aviation; five years of Clean Water Act reauthorization; and five years of safe drinking water reauthorization; and a whole bunch of other things in there. What is in there is $550 billion of new money, for various programs.

If you look at what the needs are and what is being spent today between local, state and federal money, the gap for 17 categories [in surface transportation, water and wastewater and electric transmission] was $2.6 trillion in 10 years.

That means a $1.3 trillion gap for five years, and we're getting $550 billion, so it's half the gap. Its a good start. It is not the silver bullet.

Q: How about for Buffalo?

A: The Buffalo Niagara International Airport will get $37.5 million, NFTA gets $156.5 million additional, and then theres a lot of other things.

Buffalo is going to see a lot of money toward their lead-pipe replacement program, because they already have one. Theres going to be more money in internet, because we have both the rural deserts that we do in Western New York and the urban deserts in the city.

The Great Lakes Initiative program got $1 billion. Even the big park stuff, that the Wilson Foundation is funding, youll see more waterside improvements.

Its not like we have no idea what were going to do with that money. Everybody has a list. Theres just more money available. It could be transformative.

Q: And you're about to take on a national role?

A: I am currently president-elect for ASCE. We have 150,000 members in 177 countries worldwide. Ive been active with ASCE since my student chapter days at UB, and I was first the director for New York-New Jersey. Then I was vice president for the Northeast in early 2000s. I was treasurer last year. And I will become president of the organization in October 2022. We treat presidents as a three-year stint: president-elect, president and past-president. We cover for each other. It's a lot of territory for people to cover.

I've been involved with public policy for ASCE since the early '90s. We have 177 policies on everything from the portability of retirement benefits to how do you handle earthquake loads. What's different about ASCE is that's an individual-join organization. We're one-third consultants and contractors, one-third government engineers and one-third academicians.

So all those committees, you have to get that kind of diversity to agree on things, and everything is consensus-based. So there's a lot of work that goes into anything we put out there, and it's been technically proofed and re-proofed.

Q: What are your goals?

A: They all go under the banner of creating a future world-vision. Its something that we are working on right now. Were looking at what infrastructure will look like in 50 years.

The whole idea is to think about those things as theyre designing things today, because those projects are likely to be here in 50 years. So theres things they have to think about in the lifecycle of a project.

The built environment has not seen the disruption that other industries have, but that's coming.

If youre going to have drones delivering lunch to a building, you're going to think differently about how youre going to allow that to happen.

Were looking at providing tools to give people a basis for thought as theyre establishing these rules and guidelines and specs for the future, while at the same time getting middle school and high school kids to understand how exciting a career in this business is.

Then, looking at diversity and inclusion in the business, 30% of our engineers are women, yet 70% of women leave engineering within 20 years  and that was before Covid. Weve got to do better than that. I think minorities have the same comments and concerns.

In time, its going to be a problem for everybody, and with the amount of work that we have to do, we have to aspire to be a profession that people stay with.

Q: How does it feel to be the first Buffalonian in your new role?

A: Im a first-generation Buffalonian. My parents were both World War II refugees, both from Poland. My dad left before the war. He was a district attorney and judge in Silesia in southwestern Poland, so he left the country and joined the Polish wing of the British army, went through the Middle Eastern theater, and ended up in England.

My brother and sister were born in Palestine during the war, but my parents decided that my brother and sister would have a better life in the U.S., and my dad had a first cousin in Buffalo. I was born in Buffalo.

Theres so much potential here. We have fresh water, sustainable energy, and higher education per capita than many parts of the country. So overlaying my Buffalo ambassador on this is very exciting.

Q: Youre also the sixth woman president in the trade groups history. How important is that?

A: I was vice president under our first woman president, Pat Galloway, who lives on the West Coast. I saw a lot of her ability to make a lot of changes for the positive.

Im a little distraught that things havent changed more in our industry in the 40 years that Ive been practicing, because they really havent. There were four women in engineering at UB when I graduated ... Weve got to do better than that ... I want it to look like the neighborhoods we work in and not an old model.

Q: What does GHD do?

A: We basically work in a lot of wastewater, environment facilities, transportation, and then we have future energy as a business. Those are all the areas we work in. The firm is headquartered in Australia. It came to the U.S. 16 to 17 years ago, and made major acquisitions. Its been a lot of growth, and so theres a lot of harmonizing, first of all.

And second, thinking about projects across those lines, instead of inside the business. If youve doing water and wastewater, theres an incredible nexus with energy. When youre a water and wastewater plant, your biggest bill is the energy to run the facilities.

In the past, that was thought of as two separate things, instead of coming together. What weve learned through Covid is that infrastructure is a structure of structures, and its the weak link that makes everything break down.

Q: What experience do you bring?

A: Ive got 40 years in the business, 30 in the private side. I was commissioner of public works for Erie County from 2000-2005. I had promised Joel Giambra I would work five years for him. I had to clean up that whole mess at the county, and then the Red-Green budget fiasco. I was done with the county, but I wasn't done with public service. I ended up going to work for the governor as risk manager for the Tappan Zee Bridge project, and I helped get the design-build legislation passed.

I kind of laugh. The politicians think Im an engineer, and the engineers think Im a politician. Ive got the chops, but I can speak public policy.

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ALBANY  Its official title is the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, or JCOPE.

Its unofficial acronym, bowing to its dubious history and questionable decision-making, for years has been derisively called something else by many in Albany: JJOKE.

Hochul presents broad  and costly  2022 agenda for state government Gov. Kathy Hochul, in her first State of the State address, sets an ambitious agenda for her administration and lawmakers in the coming six months.

Now Gov. Kathy Hochul, who ascended to office because of alleged ethical lapses, in part, by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, wants to blow up JCOPE. Or, at least, mend its ways.

Its an important moment. She is governor because of scandal and she has pledged to change the culture and dynamics of Albany. This is the single most critical reform that Hochul and the Legislature can undertake this year," said John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany, one of the watchdog groups that has been in talks with the Hochul administration about the ethics agency idea.

The Democratic governor, in her State of the State on Wednesday, called for replacing JCOPE with a new ethics enforcement agency  that answers to New Yorkers, not to politicians.

Analysis: Kathy Hochul puts her own stamp on Albany in first State of the State address On Wednesday, in her first State of the State speech, Gov. Kathy Hochul labeled her program a "New Era."

Her chief method: getting rid of the system by which JCOPE board members are selected. Board members now are people tapped for the decision-making panel by the governor and legislative leaders. Instead, Hochul wants a rotating five-member panel of law school deans  or, more likely, their designees  from the 15 state-accredited law schools in New York.

Hochul also proposes to end a special voting system JCOPE can now employ in which a minority of members can kill an investigation. It did just that when it blocked a probe into a 2019 leak about former top Cuomo adviser Joe Percoco, who was recently released from federal prison following a 2018 corruption conviction.

Hochul wants the replacement JCOPE agency to have its board make decisions by a majority vote. But, like JCOPE, it would police ethics in state agencies and also be the reporting and enforcement entity of the lobbying industry in Albany.

Further, the new ethics agency, like other state agencies, would be covered by the Freedom of Information Law, as well as the open meetings law  restricting JCOPEs long history of quickly closing public access to meetings in favor of secret, closed-door sessions.

Many of the discussions about Cuomos controversial Covid-19 book deal were held in secret by JCOPE. It was only after Hochul took office and she appointed two new members to the JCOPE board that the outside income agreement Cuomo received from JCOPE in 2020 was retroactively rescinded because officials said he used state resources with the project. The ethics agency recently sought to claw back the $5.1 million Cuomo received for the book.

Albany district attorney won't pursue criminal case against Cuomo Albany County District Attorney David Soares said he found the woman bringing the complaint, Brittany Commisso, to be credible," but that a review of the evidence has made him conclude that we cannot meet our burden at trial.

New Yorkers expect more and deserve better," Hochuls written message to the Legislature said on Wednesday.

The Hochul plan is getting mixed reviews for several reasons, including that watchdogs want to see the actual legislation to create a new ethics agency instead of relying on a few words Hochul used Wednesday to describe her plan.

Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, called the law school deans board component an interesting but an untested one, and one in which the details will matter.

But Horner and others are concerned that Hochuls ethics package is too limited. They wanted her to address widespread problems with the states election and campaign finance systems  which critics say is designed to protect incumbents and to protect the interests of just the Democratic and Republican parties.

Hochul also made no mention of the state Inspector Generals office, long criticized over many administrations as being too cozy with governors and their top advisers.

Bill inspired by Cuomo book deal would outlaw state 'volunteer' work The legislation, introduced Friday in the State Senate, seeks to address allegations in an Assembly Judiciary Committee report that found Cuomo had numerous senior and junior staffers helping with his $5.1 million book deal.

Hochul did, however, say she will propose legislation to harmonize local government ethics laws with state ethics laws when it comes to things such as the giving of gifts, lobbying, nepotism and stated standards of conduct. She said local laws have failed to keep up with state laws, resulting in systems in which municipal officials are sometimes held to different and lower standards of conduct than state officials.

Reinvent Albany and other groups spent months reviewing how other governments independently head ethics agencies.

We believe Governor Hochuls approach is sensible, realistic and will result in a truly independent ethics commission that will be a vast improvement over the dysfunctional, politicized and ineffectual JCOPE," Kaehny said.

Kaehny said Hochul is seeking to have independent people  not selected by the governor or lawmakers  from whats called a trusted group model. Theoretically, the 15 law school deans would designate appointees to a pool, five of whom would then be selected for an undisclosed number of years, and then another five from the pool would take over the board.

A Hochul spokeswoman did not respond to an email seeking an explanation for why the governor chose the law school dean path for the board of a new ethics agency.

Hochul set to propose term limits for statewide officials Under her plan, statewide elected officials  governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and comptroller  would be limited to two consecutive terms, or a total of eight years, in the job.

Like other watchdog groups, Reinvent Albany has also pressed for a series of changes to deal with corruption and a pay-to-play culture at the state Capitol. But Kaehny said Hochuls JCOPE plan is the biggest and boldest proposal in play  and its going to face plenty of opposition in the state Legislature.

On its website, JCOPE notes that it was created to restore public trust in government." It was created in a 2011 law. The agency has jurisdiction over more than 250,000 state employees. It collects and publishes annual financial statements from statewide elected officials and members of the Legislature and candidates for the Assembly and Senate, and makes public on its web site information about payments and expenses of entities that lobby in the state.

JCOPE, though, has been criticized by an assortment of groups and people, including female legislative staffers who condemned the process by which their sexual harassment allegations against state lawmakers were handled by JCOPE. The agency was heavily controlled by the Cuomo administration and it came under fire for deals allowing Cuomo to cut two book deals: the $5.1 million one in 2020 and a 2014 memoir that netted Cuomo nearly $800,000 on just over 3,000 book sales.

Horner, from NYPIRG, said he hopes Hochul keeps going with ethics law changes beyond JCOPE.

Every thousand mile journey starts with the first step, and Governor Hochuls State of the State plans moves ethics reform forward," he said Thursday.

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ALBANY  Health care workers will be required to get Covid-19 boosters in order to keep their jobs and new testing requirements will be put in place for visitors to nursing homes, Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered Friday.

While Hochul talked of the beginning stages of a possible plateau in cases, they are still rising, as are hospitalizations and deaths. Erie County announced Friday that nearly 4,000 people tested positive Wednesday, a new record and a number that does not take into account at-home tests.

Hochul, who previously ordered health care workers to get vaccinated or face dismissal, which resulted in hundreds of workers either quitting or being fired, said now they must get booster shots. The only exemption: a valid medical reason. And, like the original vaccine order in the fall, there will be no opt out for getting tested instead of boosted.

You would want to make sure that anyone taking care of you is fully protected," Hochul said during a Covid-19 briefing in her Manhattan office.

She said the requirement will be taken up Tuesday by a state public health health department council and that it will then go immediately into effect. She noted that there has been enormous stress put on the health system by many workers calling out sick in recent weeks.

Hochul says NY considering booster shot mandate for health care workers New York is considering a booster shot mandate for health care workers, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday, as the state fights a surge of Covid-19 cases driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

New York joins a handful of other states in requiring health care workers to get a booster shot, a mandate Hochul confirmed she was considering during a Dec. 22 visit to Erie County Medical Center.

You've already seen what's happening in our health care environments. Staff is getting sick, they're leaving. We need them to get well, we need them to have the best fortification they possibly can and that means getting a booster shot as well, she said Friday.

Hospitals across the state, from Catholic Health System and Kaleida Health in Western New York to Long Island-based Northwell Health, said in statements they would comply with the mandate and have already been encouraging employees to get the booster shot.

Northwell Health, the state's largest health care provider, with more than 77,000 employees, said more than 50% of eligible employees have received a booster dose and it is "actively scheduling appointments each week for the rest."

Michael Hughes, Kaleida's chief administrative officer, said 48% of the health system's roughly 10,000 employees have received a booster shot. He noted that some workers are not yet due for a booster dose, based on when they received their primary series of vaccination.

"Having the booster requirement now as the next step is certainly not a surprise to us. In fact, it was expected," Hughes said. "We understand the importance of the issue  this is all about protecting our workforce, as well as the patients that they care for."

Hochul on Friday also voiced worries about rising Covid-19 cases in nursing homes, saying the facilities are a point of vulnerability in the states Covid-19 response efforts.

In response, the Democratic governor said visitors will now have to wear at least surgical-grade masks and also have a negative Covid-19 test 24 or fewer hours before visiting a friend or family member in a nursing home.

Dr. Mary Bassett, the state health commissioner, said New Yorkers should prepare for a difficult January, then predicted: Things should be much better by February."

Bassett said pediatric cases of Covid-19 continue to rise at worrisome levels, noting that cases among patients ages 12 to 18 in recent weeks have risen 10-fold, compared with about a 2.5-fold increase among adults. On Christmas, there were 150 pediatric Covid-19 cases in hospitals across the state. Yesterday, the number stood at 570, and she said the vast majority have been unvaccinated children.

Across New York yesterday, 11,548 people with Covid-19 were in hospitals, a number that has been rising for weeks; the hospitalization number is higher than at any point since the end of April 2020 during the first couple of months of the pandemic.

The state reported 155 Covid-19 patients died Thursday in New York hospitals and nursing homes.

Hochul urged New Yorkers to avoid adding further workloads to already stressed hospitals, unless they are very sick. She said, for instance, that 19 percent of people statewide who recently went to a hospital emergency room did so solely to get a Covid-19 test. In the Finger Lakes, 32 percent of emergency room visits were for tests, compared with 20 percent in Western New York.

The state on Friday released something Hochul personally asked for: data on the percentages of Covid-19 positive patients in hospitals who were admitted for Covid-19 versus admitted for some other reason  from heart attacks to car accidents  and then were found to be Covid-19 positive.

As seen in other parts of the nation, there is wide geographic differences in that data. For instance, she said 50% of New York City hospital patients with Covid-19 were initially admitted for non-Covid-19 reasons. In Western New York, though, that number dropped to 26%.

Unclear in the data is how many of the patients admitted for other reasons then have gone on to have serious Covid-19 symptoms while in the hospital.

Another indicator of the seriousness of the situation: the rising number of patients in intensive care units needing to be on ventilators. A month ago, it was 335 people; earlier this week, 695 were intubated in ICUs.

In all, there were 82,094 new cases yesterday in the state out of the some 377,000 tested.

Hochul was asked if mixed messages on county enforcement of indoor mask rules and the open defiance Thursday by the new Nassau County executive, Republican Bruce Blakeman, to state mask requirements in schools might indicate she is a pushover."

I dont think anyone could ever accuse me of being a pushover," she said. And those that underestimate her do so at their own peril, including the Nassau County executive.

Regarding the state mandate for mask wearing indoors in public places, Hochul said she believes counties should enforce the order. Many have said they wont, either because their county executives oppose the idea or because county health department staffs are already stretched thin.

Im appealing not to elected leaders who are not taking their responsibility serious to protect public health. Im appealing to the businesses," Hochul said of stores, offices and other places that should help enforce the mask order.

With a rising number of schools temporarily shutting down in-person learning and going back to remote lessons for students, Hochul again deferred on mandating testing of students. She said she worried that a mandate would force many parents to keep their children home. That, she said, could then force some schools to go back to remote learning, thereby undermining her goal to keep schools open for critical in-person learning.

News Business Reporter Jon Harris contributed to this story.

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If Covid-19 pandemic history is any guide, plenty of adults will reach for beer, wine and spirits in coming weeks as the Omicron variant rages through the region.

Studies have reported that adults drank more alcohol, and binge drank more often, during the first year of the pandemic than in previous years.

The increases were more dramatic among women and minorities.

People didnt just increase their alcohol consumption for a month or two at the beginning of the pandemic  the trend held for nearly the entire year, said Carolina Barbosa, a health economist at RTI, a nonprofit institute in North Carolina Research Triangle Park.

Increases in alcohol consumption have been associated with natural disasters and other large-scale events that induce stress and anxiety, and a pandemic certainly fits that description, Barbosa said last summer in a news release about related RTI surveys conducted the previous year.

Compared with February 2020, alcohol consumption in November of that year was 39% higher in terms of drinks per month, the study showed.

The proportion of all those surveyed exceeding drinking guidelines  no more than four drinks per day and 14 drinks per week for men and no more than three drinks per day and seven drinks per week for women and people over age 65  jumped 39% between February and November 2020.

More women than men exceeded the guidelines.

The proportion of Black people jumped by 140% during the first two months of the pandemic and was six times greater by November.

Binge drinking  more than five drinks for men or four drinks for women within about two hours  climbed 30% between during the same period.

The largest increases in consumption between February and November 2020 were among Black and Hispanic women (173% and 148%, respectively) and Black men (173%).

Women are more likely to use alcohol to cope with stress, depression and anxiety, and all these are a natural response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Barbosa said. Alcohol consumption among women has been on the uptick for past two decades, and our study suggests the pandemic may only exacerbate that trend.

Breathe easier: The American Cancer Society is among health-related groups who lauded a decision by the New York State Fair to go almost completely tobacco-free this year.

Smoking will be banned across almost all 375 acres of the fairgrounds north of Syracuse, including outdoor concert venues and the midway, though small outdoor smoking areas will be available for those who want to smoke or vape.

Secondhand smoke has more than 7,000 chemicals, including at least 70 that can cause cancer, said Dr. Leslie Kohman, a thoracic surgeon who is a lung cancer treatment specialist, as well as a member of the Cancer Society Central New York Board of Advisors. This is a major step toward protecting the health of those who come to experience all Central New York has to offer."

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Gov. Kathy Hochuls 6 years as lieutenant governor served as an extensive listening tour of New York State. On Wednesday, Hochul delivered a State of the State address that showed she is attuned to New Yorkers chief concerns: living with the Covid-19 pandemic, the crisis in health care staffing, worries about crime and public safety and the exodus of residents to other states.

Many of the governors initiatives will please traditional Democratic constituencies, such as health care workers unions, green energy proponents and criminal justice reform advocates. At the same time, Hochul showed she is not captive to special interests on either the progressive or conservative extremes.

With a staffing crisis in health care aggravated by Covid-19, Hochul proposed a $10 billion investment to increase the states health care workforce by 20% within the next five years. Free tuition and retention bonuses are part of the plan. There is also a funding increase for direct care workers, a field that suffers from chronic understaffing due to low wages. Hochul made no mention of adopting single-payer health care, a dream of progressives.

Hochul proposed investing $1 billion to support the adoption of electric vehicles and up to $500 million in wind power projects and infrastructure. Several environmental groups praised the announcements, but hoped the governor would go further, such as proposing a carbon tax.

Hochul is recommending free legal assistance for New Yorkers who face eviction, as well as a $5 billion plan to build 100,000 units of affordable housing. Tenant advocates wanted more, such as an extension of the state eviction moratorium or support for a good cause eviction bill that would make evicting tenants more difficult. Hochul, balancing the concerns of renters with economic harm done to property owners by the eviction moratorium, expressed no interest in extending it past the expiration date of Jan. 15.

The governor said she hears the message from New Yorkers who tell her they dont feel safe and they dont like what they see on the streets.

She called for varied efforts to tackle gun violence and to better trace illegal guns. Hochul also backed the Clean Slate Act, which would make New Yorkers convicted of felonies eligible to have their records sealed after seven years. And a Jail to Jobs program is intended to help former inmates re-enter society.

The governor steered clear of any mentions of bail reform, the states controversial laws approved under Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo that eliminated cash bail for many arrested on criminal charges, an issue that Republicans will amplify in this years gubernatorial and legislative races. We have said before that the bail laws have met the goal of reducing the criminalization of being poor, though judges should have more discretion in bail decisions when the laws are revisited.

The governor understands that some 319,000 residents left New York State between July 2020 and July 2021, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. She called that an alarm bell that cannot be ignored. High taxes are a factor for many who leave, and Hochul proposed accelerating a $1.2 billion middle-class tax cut that began in 2018, along with $1 billion in property tax rebates.

Hochul also showed concern for the pandemics toll on merchants and manufacturers, proposing nearly $1 billion in tax credits and reduced interest loans for small businesses.

The meat of Hochuls agenda will come in her budget proposal later this month. That will address the central question of how she intends to pay for her wish list. The gusher of federal money coming to New York must be used wisely, without committing the state to recurring future expenses that it cant afford.

Whether breaking with Cuomo in style and substance or charting a middle path between the interests of downstate progressives and moderates from much of upstate, Hochul has made clear that she will go her own way as the states chief executive.

  

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
Jordan North attends ITV Palooza! at The Royal Festival Hall in November 2021. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Radio DJ Jordan North has revealed he was 'so skint' when the pandemic hit that he nearly had to move back up north.

Speaking to Kate Thornton on her White Wine Question Time podcast (recorded in 2021) the BBC Radio 1 presenter  and runner up on 2020's I'm A Celebrity  say he 'lost all work' when the pandemic hit.

He said: "There was a couple of times, especially during the pandemic, where I nearly moved back up north. It doesn't seem that long ago, it was only last summer, summer 2020.

"I was so skint, and my mum and dad had moved out to Spain. They had to pay for my flight out to go and see them."

"I'm not going 'woe is me', because I know so many people are in a lot worse situations. But I'd lost all my work. I used to cover at Radio 1 and I was only on on Sunday mornings.

WATCH: Jordan North on how being sick in the jungle led to his greatest career success

"So I used to do my Sunday morning show and then had a lot of other work around it, doing bits here and there. DJ gigs at universities and stuff.

"Compared to summer 2020 where I lost all work, and now where I'm so busy, I'm like: 'Oh, what am I gonna do? I need a day off!'"

North finished second place in the 2020 edition of I'm A Celebrity behind Giovanna Fletcher. His new found TV fame led to a slot presenting the Radio 1 drivetime show with Vick Hope, taking over from Nick Grimshaw in September last year. He was also named as the new co-presenter for the BBC's festive Top of the Pops specials.

Jordan North appeared in the 2020 edition of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (ITV)

North also talked to Thornton about the "madness" of finding himself in the castle with Victoria Derbyshire, whose show he had worked on as a researcher in the past.

He said: "Of all the shows I have worked on, I learned from Vic's show the most. Because that lady I've got a lot of time for. She is precise, she does her research, she really does her prep for guests and I'm the same now.

Story continues

Listen to the full episode to hear Jordan talk about his early love of local radio and about how his family narrowly avoided being caught up in the Omagh bombing

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"I saw her at the top of the cliff. And I was like: 'Oh my god, Vic!' I've not watched much of it back but I remember saying: 'I used to be her tea boy.'

"And then we were in the castle together. And it was just mad. This lady that I really admired and looked up to and used to work for. We had kept in touch.

Read more: I'm A Celebrity's Victoria Derbyshire recounts THAT Jeremy Hunt slip-up

"And then about 20 minutes later, I was sick. And as my agent said, you being sick on that place was the best thing ever!"

WATCH: Radio 1's Jordan North recalls how he landed his dream job
Malcolm James family is alleging that Racine County authorities have been trying to place the blame for James death on James himself and his mental illness, even though he was restrained and surrounded by Racine County Jail guards who had put him into an uncomfortable position for an extended period of time when he stopped breathing.

Two doctors consulted by the Racine County District Attorneys Office disputed the conclusion of the doctor who performed James autopsy and concluded that he died by asphyxia because of the position he had been forced into.

Although he had been exhibiting self-harming behavior minutes beforehand, James was not doing so when he stopped breathing, although correctional officers continued to use force against him.

Malcolm James didnt do it to himself, said Kevin OConnor, a Chicago attorney representing James family.

In June, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling released a video that showed James hitting his head against his own cell wall, although there is no indication that that behavior played any role in James death on June 1.

By releasing that isolated video without mention of later events actually connected to James death, Bishop Tavis Grant, a civil rights organizer supporting the James family, said that Schmaling was painting a false narrative of what happened that night  They told the community he died while beating his head against the wall  He (James) didnt die because he beat his head against the wall.

There was no public mention of the use of the restraint chair until this week. James attorney and family met with Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson on Wednesday night. Hansons decision was made public Thursday.

James having been tasered prior to his death also is not believed to have played any role in James death, as OConnor alleged last summer; OConnor acknowledged this Thursday.

According to the findings of Dr. Jessica Lelinski, the Milwaukee County assistant medical examiner who performed the autopsy: Mr. James did show evidence of blunt force injuries  abrasions & bruises  indicative of the struggles he had with the correctional officers, puncture wounds from the CEW (Conducted Energy Weapon, i.e., a Taser) strikes, and a small blood clot on the left side of his head consistent with the injury Mr. James was taken to the hospital for May 29, 2021 (referring to James having hit his head against the wall). The pathologist opined that none of these injuries were the cause of Mr. James death.

James was arrested May 28 after setting his own apartment on fire. He then called 911, reportedly telling the dispatcher he was feeling suicidal. He was taken into custody by the Racine Police Department before being taken in by the Racine County Sheriffs Office.

James was taken to Ascension All Saints Hospital twice because of self-harming behaviors but was released back to jail both times. One physician noted there was no serious injury to Mr. James head.

A Path Forward: Part 2 in "What happened to the asylums? And should we bring them back?" series The failures and abuses documented at asylums in the 19th century and throughout the 20th century in the U.S. are why many experts say the old model of mental institutions needs to stay gone, at least as it existed before.

The treatment of James has led to some community debate over how those with mental illness are treated in American health and correctional systems. Rather than being placed in a mental health facility where he could have been helped with the support of experts, he was put in a cell and placed on suicide watch, watched over by correctional officers largely untrained to help someone in his state.

Across the U.S., there are more mentally ill people in jails and prisons than there are in hospitals.

Having a mental health crisis is not a crime  its not a crime to be suicidal, said Grant. We must stop criminalizing people with mental health issues.

In a statement Thursday, Schmaling said Upon completion of the reviews of this incident, I welcome the opportunity to continue these discussions with the mental health professionals and the community at large to determine how we can all better assist people experiencing mental health issues.

A release from the Racine County Sheriffs Office described James death as a tragedy, and the Racine County Sheriffs Office continues to offer our deepest condolences to Malcolm James family, friends, and loved ones as they grieve his loss.

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Jurors in Chandler Haldersons murder trial heard from witnesses Thursday about his trip to a rural Cottage Grove farm where the mutilated remains of his father, Bart, were found and, more than three months later, a rifle hidden in a shed.

Halderson, 23, of Windsor, appeared to show no emotion as Deputy District Attorney William Brown took witness Brent Baverstock, a Dane County sheriffs detective, through a series of increasingly graphic photos of Barts shirtless, headless torso as it was found under a pile of sticks in a stand of woods near where Halderson had been seen days before. In the center of the torsos back was a wound, believed by the prosecution to be a gunshot wound.

Prior to Baverstocks testimony, jurors heard from Chandlers former girlfriends mother, Dulce Mellender, and Mellenders girlfriend, Cresent LSai, who owns the farm where Barts remains were found.

They described how Chandler had been at the farm on July 4 with the girlfriend for an Independence Day gathering, and then came by alone the day after asking to use LSais pool  a ruse, prosecutors contend, used by Chandler as an excuse to dump his fathers torso.

Halderson is accused of killing both his parents, Bart, 50, and Krista, 53, on July 1 in the home they shared after his father discovered his son had been lying for months or years about having a job and going to school.

To cover up the killings, prosecutors say, Chandler concocted a cover story about his parents having gone to the family cabin in Langlade County on July 2 before filing false missing persons reports on both of them five days later  days he spent dismembering his parents bodies and trying to burn them in the family fireplace before dumping them at the LSai farm and along the Wisconsin River near Prairie du Sac, where some of Kristas body was found.

Baverstock said the Sheriffs Office decided to search LSais farm shortly after he interviewed Mellender in connection with Chandlers reports. Without going into detail, he said Mellender was emotionally distraught and the interview raised enough red flags that he felt investigators had to get to the farm right away.

It was there that he saw turkey vultures  unusual among birds in their strong sense of smell  circling overhead, long grass tamped down as if with car tires near the woods, and a Target bag filled with what appeared to be bloody rags.

It took me a while to process what I was seeing, he said of Barts remains, and then it became obvious I was looking at a human torso.

Prior to Baverstocks testimony, Mellender and LSai described the events of July 4 and 5, when they said Chandler seemed down and had told them hed recently lost a new job at SpaceX in Florida because hed suffered a concussion and couldnt fly.

Generally quiet and a bit nerdy, Chandler just seemed kind of off, kind of weird, actually, LSai said. Mellender said he told her his concussion was really bad.

The prosecution, though, has sought to shed doubt on whether Halderson was seriously injured or injured at all in the fall he said he took down some stairs at his home in June. An emergency room physician who saw Halderson on June 17 testified that while he likely had a mild concussion, his CT scans did not show any abnormalities and he did not tell Halderson  as Halderson allegedly told others later  that he might need surgery and couldnt fly.

On the Fourth, Chandler had asked LSai for her phone number so that he could come by and use the pool, LSai said, and shed provided it, but didnt hear a message he left on her landline before he showed up on the afternoon of July 5.

Chandler had never been to the property alone, LSai and Mellender testified, and Mellender rushed over there when she heard he was headed that way because LSai sometimes went topless in the pool.

I was worried he might see her, said Mellender, who was embarrassed enough about the disclosure to need a short break during her testimony.

Chandler didnt immediately head to the pool, though, according to LSai, who said she had become irritated because it was hot and she wanted to use the pool herself. Mellender, meanwhile, was worried he might be doing drugs while on the property, LSai said.

Eventually, she and Mellender decided to go in the pool and it was a short time later that they saw a shirtless Chandler walking up from where Barts torso was later found, LSai said. Mellender said he asked to use the pool with them, and she said no because LSai was topless, but he got in anyway and LSai said he spent about 15 minutes making washing-like motions with the water on his arms and upper body before getting out and leaving.

It was odd because he just seemed really different when he got in the pool, LSai said, appearing more lucid and present.

LSai testified that she found the rifle hidden behind some boards in her shed in mid-October as she was cleaning the shed out. She said she hadnt been locking the shed and the rifle wasnt hers or her fathers, who also lives on the farm. On cross-examination she acknowledged that she hadnt looked in the shed for a long time at that point and didnt know every item that was in there before it was cleaned out.

Girlfriend testifies

Much of the afternoon was taken up by testimony from Haldersons former girlfriend, Cathryn Mellender, 21, who spoke of the close relationship she had with Halderson and his parents for nearly two years, and how she believed Halderson had been going to school at Madison Area Technical College and working at American Family Insurance but had taken a job in Florida with Elon Musks SpaceX. She said she planned to join him in Florida in August after her lease in the Madison area ended.

Cathryn, who goes by Cat, testified repeatedly that she believed what Chandler told her about his life and their future life together, although she saw little proof of any of it, such as grades or money.

Brown took her through a series of texts and Snapchat messages between the two of them to show the jury what both were doing or said they were doing from late June through Haldersons arrest on July 8, initially on charges of lying to investigators. A tearful Cat agreed with Brown at the end of her testimony that she was the person most in contact with Chandler and most often at his home in the days after Bart and Kristas deaths, which she said she knew nothing about until later.

I just believed his parents were missing, she said. I just wanted them to be found.

Messages between the two of them as July 1 approached showed Chandler telling her his parents might go to the family cabin and worried about his future.

I just had a bright future planned and its falling apart, he told her in a Snapchat message just after 7 a.m. July 1.

Later, they texted about what they would be doing together and in some, Chandler asked her to bring him hydrogen peroxide, ice and a Swiffer WetJet mop. When she went to stay at his house on July 2, she testified that she smelled smoke, which Chandler explained as being a result of breaking one of the glass panes on the fireplace while while playing fetch with one of his dogs inside. Investigators later found part of a human skull in the fireplace, the prosecution says.

Questioning neighbors

On Wednesday, witnesses, including longtime friends of the family, neighbors and Barts brother, Brett, described Krista as doting and her and Bart as too responsible to have gone on a trip without telling anyone, as Chandler alleged. Bart, a certified public accountant, would not have taken a large amount of cash with them, possibly to gamble, as Chandler reportedly suggested, witnesses testified. And while Chandler told people his parents also took a lot of alcohol with them, neither were heavy drinkers, witnesses said.

Several of the 29 people called to the stand Tuesday and Wednesday described Chandler as nervous, awkward, distracted and emotionally flat in his interactions with them in the days after the murders, including when he visited several neighbors on the morning of July 8  the day he was arrested  to ask whether they had surveillance video showing his street.

Its almost feeling like you have to think how to act, Hanna Hilgendorf said of Chandlers demeanor when she and her sister  longtime friends of the family  went to visit him on July 7.

Prosecutors also showed a compilation of security footage taken from a home near the Haldersons in which the familys Subaru can be seen leaving and returning multiple times between July 1 and July 7. Prosecutors contend that Chandler only decided to distribute his parents remains around southern Wisconsin after failing to burn them in the fireplace.

Chandler Halderson is charged with two counts each of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse and falsifying information about a missing person.

The trial continues Friday and is expected to last about two more weeks.

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A 32-year-old La Crosse woman faces up to 12 years in prison after her 10-month-old son ingested heroin.

Jessica L. Borger was charged Thursday in La Crosse County Circuit Court with neglecting a child with consequence of great bodily harm and bail jumping for violating a no-contact order with the child.

According to the criminal complaint, first responders were dispatched Dec. 22 to a George Street address, where an infant was reported to be choking. Borger reportedly told police she had the infant in her arms when he suddenly spit up bodily fluids and his lips and face turned blue.

Borger called 911, and the infant regained consciousness after first responders administered Narcan. The infant was then transported to a pediatric intensive care unit at Gundersen Health.

When police told Borger that the infant had been revived with Narcan, she blamed an overnight guest who used heroin and likely left some of the drug behind where the infant could consume it.

Borger was released from jail Dec. 25 with a provision that she have no contact with the infant or the infant's residence. The complaint says that provision was violated Dec. 31, when Borger allegedly entered the residence without the father's consent.

Borger's next court appearance is a Jan. 25 calendar call. She is free after posting a $2,000 cash bond.

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A Dane County company is building a new plant in Texas in an effort to meet demand, be in a better location for its customers and tap into another pool of workers.

Stoughton Trailers has announced that it is building a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Waco, Texas, where it will employ up to 125 people and expand production of intermodal trailer chassis that are in high demand due to increased shipping orders throughout the country.

At the same time, the company has just completed the construction of an additional chassis production line at its Stoughton plant. The new line will ultimately employ about 150 people, with the plant increasing the production of components for chassis made in Stoughton, Evansville and Waco.

The announcements come after federal rulings last spring that dramatically increased tariffs on intermodal chassis used to haul shipping containers imported from China and after Stoughton Trailers had made $30 million in improvements to its facilities in Dane and Rock counties over the last five years, including an expansion of its chassis line in Evansville.

Business has been very good. And as we continue to get more orders and build our workforce were looking to expand that production, said Bob Wahlin, Stoughton Trailers president and CEO. Theres a lot there. And as weve done that, its helped us kind of diversify our workforce a little bit and cover some of our customers further to the south.

The chassis are not those used on the typical trailers produced at Stoughton Trailers. Instead, they are built for containers that are often seen double-stacked on train cars or in multiple levels on ships. When the containers are off-loaded, each is placed on a chassis that is then pulled by truck to warehouses, distribution centers and stores.

The Waco facility is about 200 miles from the Port of Houston and about 90 miles south of major rail terminals in Dallas and Fort Worth. Once the Waco, Stoughton and Evansville facilities are operating at capacity, Wahlin expects his company to be producing 20,000 to 25,000 chassis per year.

Those efforts are being made possible by the U.S. International Trade Commission, which in April issued a 44.3% tariff for the next five years on the chassis and sub-assemblies, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, which made a similar ruling that is expected to drive the total tariff to 221%.

We do feel that this will get us well covered in the south and there could be future possibilities in the west and northeast, Wahlin said. We realize, particularly with the labor challenges, that we may have to go where theres a more available workforce. Were finding it very difficult to grow our facilities.

Wahlin, whose company has 1,300 employees, said he has 500 job openings with wages starting at $18 per hour for assemblers and $20 per hour for welders, with second-shift workers getting $2 more per hour.

Stoughton Trailers was founded in 1961 when Wahlins father, Don, who had graduated from UW-Madison a year earlier with an engineering degree, purchased a bankrupt cab and body manufacturing company and renamed the firm Stoughton Truck Body. Trailer production began in 1965 in a city-owned facility on Academy Street that is now home to the companys corporate headquarters and a newly built innovation center. Over the years, more facilities were added and today the company has 1.7 million square feet of manufacturing space for its intermodal chassis, trailers that haul dry goods, refrigerated trailers and grain trailers.

In addition, ZinkPower, a German company that operates 50 sites in 13 countries, is operating a 110,000-square-foot galvanizing plant next door to the Stoughton plant in an effort to support Stoughton Trailers move away from painting. The new Waco plant, which had been planned for a warehouse before its purchase by Stoughton Trailers, is also next door to a similar ZinkPower facility, which has a galvanizing tank large enough to dip a 53-foot-long chassis.

It really puts us in a good position, Wahlin said. Things just kind of fell into place for us.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The self-use of antigen test kits could lead to bigger problems if done without proper guidance, the Department of Health said on Friday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stressed there is currently no antigen test kit approved by the country's Food and Drug Administration that can be used without the supervision of a healthcare worker.

She said the test kits sold online are meant to be used by health workers, while the kits meant for untrained lay persons  like the ones given away in the United States  are not yet registered in the Philippines.

Although both are inserted in the nostril, the reach and direction are different for the two antigen test kits.

The correct way of getting the sample is critical in ensuring accurate results, the health official said.

"Kapag mali ang pagkuha ng swab, malamang magiging mali rin ang resulta niyo, at ito ay maaaring magbigay ng false sense of security," Vergeire said in a media briefing. "Maaari pong lumabas na negatibo kayo ngunit ang totoo positibo pala kayo. Nakalabas na kayo at nakapanghawa ng ibang tao."

[Translation: If the swab was taken incorrectly, it can give a wrong result, which could lead to a false sense of security. It might show a negative result when you are in fact positive. You already went out and infected other people.]

The proper use of self-administered test kits will be issued by the Department of Health by Jan. 17. The FDA only recently opened the application for test kits that will determine within 30 minutes if a person has a coronavirus infection.

Both types of antigen test kits work best on people experiencing flu-like symptoms.

DOH also acknowledged that there is an increased demand for testing, especially RT-PCR, and subsequent delays in the release of the results.

Pending test results, Vergeire advised that persons should immediately isolate if they are symptomatic or a close contact.

Infectious diseases expert Dr. Anna Ong Lim seconded the immediate need to isolate at the onset of flu-like symptoms to prevent possible spread of COVID-19, considering the increased transmissibility of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

"Kung may nararamdaman, huwag nang magdalawang isip: Mag-isolate kaagad... Walang panahon para pag-isipan pa kung ang nararamdaman natin ay COVID ba o hindi," she said.

[Translation: If you are feeling something, don't think twice about it and go into isolation. There is no time to think if it's COVID or not.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The local government of Lapu-Lapu City appealed to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to keep their city to Alert Level 2 status.

The appeal is made due to some errors in the COVID-19 situation report submitted to the national government and compounded by the damaging effect caused by recent Typhoon Odette in their locality.

"I hope that we can still change the decision because it would be difficult for our residents who are still reeling from the effects of the typhoon," Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said on his Facebook page.

Chan also belied reports that the city located in Cebu province is set to be placed under lockdown.

"There is an error in the report sent by our City Hospital Assistant Head that our hospital beds are full of COVID-19 patients, even if not. We have already started an investigation as to why incorrect data was submitted to the IATF," added Chan.

Department of Health-Region 6 chief pathologist Dr. Mary Jean Loreche admitted the discrepancy in the COVID-19 data of Lapu-Lapu City.

Loreche explained that some of the hospital admissions in the city were mistakenly tallied as COVID-19 patients.

The corrections were already sent to the Department of Interior and Local Government and the IATF, Loreche assured.

Lapu-Lapu City is among the 14 areas in the country placed under the stricter Alert Level 3 status by the IATF from Jan. 9 to 15 due to increasing COVID-19 cases.

Based from the latest data of DOH-Region 6, Lapu-Lapu City has 20 active cases and 11 new infections on Thursday. The number of currently sick patients in the city is the lowest among the three highly urbanized cities in Cebu.

Cebu-based correspondent Dale Israel contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6)  President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered barangay officials to arrest unvaccinated individuals who would insist on going outside of their residences, as the country faces yet another surge in COVID-19 cases.

"I'm now giving order to the barangay captains to look for those persons who are not vaccinated and just request them  or order them if you may  to stay put. And if [they] refuse and go around the community, [they] can be restrained," Duterte said in his address to the public Thursday night. "If [they] refuse, then the barangay captain, being a person in authority, is empowered now to arrest the recalcitrant persons."

Duterte said barangay officials can "enforce all laws of the land within their jurisdiction," and may even mobilize civilians to "assist" them.

The President insisted he was in a "position" to restrain the unvaccinated, saying the government should "come up with measures to protect public interest, health, order, and safety" during the national emergency.

He also said he'd be "happy to answer" and accept responsibility, should he be subjected to legal challenges for the directive.

"Meron naman na akong kaso sa ICC (International Criminal Court), eh. 'Di, ipatong na ninyo para isang sagutan na lang pagdating ng panahon," he said.

[Translation: I already have a pending case before the ICC. File more cases, so I can just respond to all of them in one go when the time comes.]

Duterte, however, clarified in the latter part of his address that unvaccinated persons will not be arrested right away.

"Pakiusap lang [Talk to them first]," he said. "Eh, hindi ka nagpabakuna [You didn't get vaccinated], then you put everybody in jeopardy."

"Being the President, ultimately, I am responsible for the safety and well-being of every Filipino, and that is why my orders are to restrain them," Duterte said.

In Metro Manila, the unvaccinated are now prohibited from going out of their homes, except for essential trips.

Some officials and business leaders have been pushing for the restrictions to be implemented nationwide amid the spike in infections and the threat of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The Bank of Commerce (Bankcom) officially secured its universal bank license, a move seen to help boost its support for local businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The San Miguel Corporation affiliate made the confirmation in a statement on Friday.

"This upgrade of Bank of Commerce means there will now be another major player in the banking sector that can help push SMEs and companies pursue their growth targets and long-term goals," said Ramon Ang, SMC president and chief executive officer.

While the bank already provides financial services to major corporate clients, the conglomerates big boss stressed the importance of supporting small and medium enterprises given their critical role in ushering in economic recovery.

Bankcom recently received 5.5 billion in capital from SMC Equivest Corporation, which, coupled with its slated initial public offering, would put it in a strong position to provide new and existing clients access to funding.

The bank filed in December for a 3.2-billion maiden offering. It will be offering up to 280.6 million common shares priced up to 12.50 apiece, with an over-allotment option of up to 42.09 million common shares.

It has a deposit base of 167 billion spread across 140 branches and 195 billion in total assets as of end-September last year. Bankcom also reported a 26% annual rise in its net income for the nine-month period.

We are grateful that now, we can expand the banks offerings and services to more clients not just within the SMC network, but more significantly, outside of it, Ang added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The government has so far secured funds amounting to $800 million (about 40 billion) from multilateral banks for the procurement of COVID-19 booster shots.

In a statement on Friday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said the following loan deals have been sealed:

 $250-million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank

 $250-million accord with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

 $300-million loan from the World Bank

All three agreements were signed last month, Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin told President Rodrigo Duterte during a meeting on Tuesday.

Agabin said they are just waiting for the opinion of the Department of Justice for the effectivity of the financing agreements.

"We expect everything, we expect (these loans) to be effective around, towards the latter part of January. So that will give us funds to purchase our COVID booster shots," he added.

Agabin also noted that the Bureau of Customs already cleared shipments of 210.44 million vaccine doses as of Dec. 30, 2021.

The deliveries, he said, are "more than enough" to vaccinate 100% of the country's population of adults and children aged 12-17.

Earlier in December, the government opened the booster shots for all fully vaccinated adults.

Data from the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard showed that as of Jan. 4, 65.63% of the target population are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

As for funds for regions hit by Typhoon Odette, Agabin said the DOF withdrew $80 million from the World Bank's $500-million 4th Disaster Risk Management Development Program with a catastrophic Deferred Drawdown Option last Dec. 27.

"Within the week we will draw again $120 million from the same loan facility from the World Bank, that's equivalent to 6 billion to fund the rehabilitation and recovery efforts in connection with Odette," he added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7) The First Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gave the camps involved in two petitions to disqualify presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. until Sunday noon to file their final answers to the pending cases.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon announced during the Friday pre-conference on the petitions that Akbayan, the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (CARMMA), and Marcos only have 48 hours to submit their respective memoranda before the division submits the cases for resolution.

Delays marred Comelec's historic airing of the pre-conference for three petitions blocking the former senator's presidential run. Guanzon set the proceedings at 9 a.m. for the lawyers of Marcos and of Akbayan, CARMMA, and petitioner Abubakar Mangelen to agree on details of the case and to mark evidence.

However, they were able to start past 10:30 a.m., with the former senator a no-show despite an order from the division for him to attend either physically or virtually.

Guanzon demanded a medical certificate to justify his absence.

"Why don't you ask your client to go on Zoom? Even if he's in isolation he can have a laptop or a phone," she said.

READ: Bongbong Marcos in isolation after exposure to COVID-positive staff; sorry for skipping Comelec hearing

The son and namesake of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos reportedly came in contact with at least two persons who eventually tested positive for COVID-19: his chief-of-staff Vic Rodriguez and his security escort.

During the stipulations, the Marcos camp initially did not want to agree that their client was convicted for non-filing of income tax returns (ITRs) until it was pointed out that there are court records on this.

That guilty verdict from a Quezon City court which was upheld by the Court of Appeals is the basis of the three petitions, which argue that such crime is punished with a perpetual ban from public office given that Marcos was vice governor and eventually, governor of Ilocos Norte when he failed to file his ITRs from 1982 to 1985.

The parties did not agree on whether or not Marcos has paid the penalties and deficiency taxes. Petitioners said the Quezon City court had no record of payment, but the Marcos camp insisted that they have a certification from the Bureau of Internal Revenue as proof of settlement.

At the end of the live proceedings, Guanzon instructed all parties to file their memoranda or final replies via email. The period is shorter than the usual three-day window, and is well below Marcos' request for 15 days.

"It's not necessary to have 15 days unless you want to delay your case," Guanzon said.

The Akbayan and CARMMA petitions have been consolidated, meaning the division will only issue one decision for both cases. Meanwhile, the case filed by Mangelen has been immediately submitted for decision because neither he nor his lawyer showed up at Friday's event.

There is a fourth disqualification case against Marcos pending before the Second Division.

LIST: Petitions against Bongbong Marcos' 2022 presidential bid
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The Department of Health maintains its stance against mass testing even with the recent alarming rise of fresh COVID-19 infections.

"Kahit kailan, simula't sapul, we never advocated for mass testing. Kahit gano na kadami ang kaso natin sa bansa, ang mass testing po ay hindi inirerekomenda ng ating mga eksperto and even science would say mass testing is not rational," DOH Usec. Ma. Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual briefing on Friday.

[Translation: Ever since, right from the beginning, we never advocated for mass testing. No matter how many cases we have in the country, mass testing is not recommended by our experts and even science would say mass testing is not rational.]

The DOH official stressed that the government is adopting a risk-based approach to testing for COVID-19, which prioritizes symptomatic individuals and their close contacts.

"'Pag gumawa ka ng mass testing, i-test namin kayo lahat ngayon. Bukas po pag lumabas kayo, may exposure po kayo ulit. Magt-test po ba tayo ulit?" said Vergeire.

[Translation: If you conduct mass testing, say we test you all now. Then you go out tomorrow and you gain exposure. Will we be testing you again?]

Lawmakers and advocacy groups alike have intensified calls to make COVID-19 testing more affordable and accessible to the wider public, arguing this will help the country determine how the virus is spreading and therefore control it better.

DOH-Technical Advisory Group member Dr. Edsel Salvana, meanwhile, emphasized transmission may be addressed by intensifying the government's Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, Reintegration (PDITR) strategy along with vaccination efforts.

"Hindi naman natin tine-test lahat ng nagkaka-trangkaso, eh. Hindi naman natin tine-test lahat ng nagkakasipon. Ang importante is ma-test natin 'yung delikado na pwede magkasakit nang malubha at i-treat natin with the tools that we have," he explained.

[Translation: We don't test everyone that catches the flu. We don't test everyone who gets a cold. What's important is we test everyone who's at risk of contracting severe disease and treat them with the tools that we have.]

The Philippines reported 21, 819 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, the first time the single-day tally breached 20,000 since September last year. The country's positivity rate is currently at 40%, also a record high.

Despite infections having significantly gone up amid the threat of Omicron, authorities have yet to formally declare local community transmission of the highly transmissible variant. Officials, however,said they assume the Omicron virant is driving the current rise in infection.

For his part, Salvana acknowledged that the proportion of local Omicron cases among the samples sequenced by the Philippine Genome Center has indeed gone up and that this must be looked into.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  President Rodrigo Duterte has received his booster shot of Sinopharm vaccine, the same brand he received for his primary series.

The 76-year-old president mentioned it in passing on Thursday and his spokesperson Karlo Nograles confirmed it on Friday.

Duterte received his first dose of Sinopharm in May 2021, which he apologized for since the China-made COVID-19 vaccine was not yet granted emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration during that time.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The Philippines now aims to begin vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 against COVID-19 next month, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said.

The government earlier said it was eyeing the rollout of doses for younger kids by the second or third week of January.

"Ang [tinitingnan] nating date, earliest, first week of February, mauumpisahan natin 'yung pagbabakuna ng 5 to 11," Cabotaje said in a briefing Friday.

[Translation: We are looking at vaccinating those 5 to 11 years old by the first week of February at the earliest.]

The development comes as the country works to fast-track the administration of shots, especially for the vulnerable groups, amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Cabotaje admitted vaccinations have been slowing down with more health care workers now catching the virus, but said she is hopeful the situation would improve in the "next two to three weeks."

The DOH has tallied more than 2.88 million cases, with at least 28,977 of them medical workers, according to recent data.

To date, Pfizer is the only authorized vaccine for younger children. The Food and Drug Administration said it generated a "robust" antibody response in the age group.

The COVID-19 shots allowed, however, should have smaller and less concentrated dosages. The DOH said the shipment of such vaccines are expected to be delivered within the month.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez also earlier said he has asked the World Health Organization co-led CoVax facility and UNICEF to donate doses specifically for kids aged 5 to 11.

The government targets to immunize about 14.7 million children belonging to this age group.
CPC leadership hears work reports

Xinhua) 08:06, January 07, 2022

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Thursday held a meeting to hear a series of work reports.

The reports were from leading Party members groups of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, as well as from the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting and delivered an important speech.

"To govern our Party, which has 95 million members, and our country, which has more than 1.4 billion people, we must uphold the Party's overall leadership, especially the Central Committee's centralized, unified leadership," read a statement issued after the meeting.

It said the CPC leadership's annual hearing of the work reports has set an example for upholding the Party's overall leadership as well as the authority of the CPC Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, noting that such a practice must be continued in the long term.

Noting that 2021 was a landmark year for the Party and the country, the meeting acknowledged the achievements made by the leading Party members groups of the top legislature, state council, top political advisory body, top court and top procuratorate, as well as the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, in various areas of work.

The statement stressed the importance of 2022 as China has embarked on a new journey toward realizing the second centenary goal of developing China into a great modern socialist country by the mid-21st century.

The leading Party members groups were asked to continuously improve their ability to judge and understand political issues and implement political requirements, so as to always remain in conformity with the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in terms of thinking, political orientation and actions.

The meeting also called on them to remain confident in advancing their work, in the meantime being vigilant and guarding against possible dangers. It added that they ought to prepare for the Party's 20th National Congress with fine work and high morale.

The Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee was asked to focus on implementing the plans and requirements of the Political Bureau and its standing committee and accomplish tasks assigned by the CPC Central Committee.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Du Mingming)
Alaska, California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia (House only)

In 2021 all state legislatures were in session although many of them were virtual sessions during some portion of the year. Yet, compared to 2020 the passage of legislation was almost back to normal.

Since most of the states hold legislative elections in even number years, about half of the states allow legislation that is introduced in the first year of the election cycle (an odd numbered year) to carry over into the second year of the election cycle. Those states are listed above. Thus you may not see them listed here as bills are still being considered. Otherwise here are the 2021 winners, losers and several in-between.

Winners

Arizona: In May Gov. Doug Ducey signed SB1382, a state version of the federal PLCAA bill. Ducey tweeted "We're not going to allow lawsuit after lawsuit to slowly tear down the Constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens in our state. SB 1382 achieve this goal."

Arkansas: SB573, expanding where a citizen with a Right-to-Carry may possess a firearm and stopping the passage of gun free laws by municipalities, was signed into law by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in April.  .....
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  President Rodrigo Duterte's order to arrest unvaccinated individuals who would refuse to stay home is "unconstitutional" as there is no law limiting their right to travel, a lawyer said Friday.

"According to the Constitution, neither shall the right to travel be impaired except in the interest of national security, public security, and public health. However, it also includes the provision that 'only in accordance' with law," Atty. Burt Estrada, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), told CNN Philippines' News Night.

"And so there being no law that limits a persons' right, constitutional right to travel based on the status of vaccination, then such an order, is, to me, unconstitutional," he added.

In his latest public address, Duterte ordered barangay officials to look for the unvaccinated in their communities and request them to "stay put." Those who would refuse and insist on going out can be restrained and arrested, the chief executive said.

Estrada said while he understands the President's concern to curb the spike in COVID-19 cases, he noted it would be up to Congress to deliver such measure.

"The President's word is not law. Law is enacted by Congress, the legislative body of government," the IBP official said. "If they do see a wisdom, if there's a constitutional basis which says that you can pass a law to restrain the right to travel if it is for public safety and public health, but the reasonableness of such a law has to be deliberated upon."

"And it will be up to Congress if it passes a law or not," he stressed.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7) The Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Friday said it has filed a case against another Filipino who allegedly violated the governments quarantine protocols.

Citing initial investigation, the CIDG said the woman  a returning overseas Filipino who arrived from the United States on Dec. 22  went straight to her condominium unit in Taguig City instead of heading to her hotel quarantine facility in Makati.

Instead of taking her arranged shuttle ride to her assigned quarantine facility, she took an airport taxi and went to her condo unit in BGC, Taguig City, the CIDG said in a statement, adding that the woman failed to show up or report at the said quarantine facility.

Authorities further noted that she did not observe proper quarantine during her stay in the condominium. The woman was also reported to have gotten a massage and left her unit several times, including on New Years Eve, the CIDG said.

The case was filed before the Makati City Prosecutors Office on Thursday.

The CIDG cited violation of Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act, particularly the following provisions: (1) non-cooperation of persons and entities that should report and/or respond to notifiable diseases or health events of public concern; and (2) non-cooperation of the person or entities identified as having the notifiable disease, or affected by the health event of public concern.

Earlier this week, the CIDG also lodged a complaint against a coronavirus-positive woman who skipped her quarantine in a Makati hotel. The so-called Poblacion girl was seen attending gatherings in the area  known for its bars and restaurants  with several of her contacts also catching the disease.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  The World Health Organization (WHO) stressed that while the Omicron variant appears to lead to less severe COVID-19 infections compared to the Delta variant, it definitely should not be dismissed as "mild."

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the sharp escalation of daily new cases, which he compared to a tsunami wave, is still overwhelming hospitals around the world.

"While Omicron does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorized as mild,'" he said in a media briefing on Thursday.

"Just like previous variants, Omicron is hospitalizing people and it is killing people," he added.

The Philippine Hospitals Association, meanwhile, said healthcare facilities in the country are now more prepared to take on the effect of the new variant.

PHA spokesperson Bu Castro said staffing in health facilities is currently manageable despite rising COVID-19 admissions.

"Hospitals are more prepared right now than before because they have improved every aspect of the pandemic, from manpower to supplies, to strategy on how to combat the virus," he told CNN Philippines on Friday.

Ghebreyesus urged the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19 saying it remains highly effective in reducing hospitalization and death.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6)  Some families hit by Typhoon Odette in Cebu may not receive the promised assistance of 5,000 from the government.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Wednesday it has insufficient funds to cover all 475,022 affected families in the province.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the government to provide cash aid and shelter assistance to displaced households after Odette wreaked havoc in parts of Visayas and Mindanao last month.

"We were actually shocked when we received the instructions. Where we will source the 5,000?" said DSWD-7 Regional Director for Operations Shalaine Lucero.

She also pointed out that the list of recipients in the province has yet to be completed.

Across Central Visayas, at least 975,158 families were identified as victims of the typhoon. This means the department would need about 4 billion for the aid, Lucero said.

Due to the limited funds, the DSWD-7 said it will prioritize indigent families, as well as those whose houses incurred heavy damage.

"We will start with those who [need] it the most," Lucero said, while asking local chief executives to also trim down the list of beneficiaries.

Talisay City, Cebu Mayor Gerald Anthony "Samsam" Gullas said they have received some 20 million from the government, which would only be enough for 4,000 out of 90,000 affected families.

In Liloan town, around 31,000 households are reeling from the impact of Odette, yet the cash assistance provided could only cover 800, Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco said.

Frasco, who leads the League of Municipalities of the Philippines - Cebu Chapter, has sought help from the DSWD for the government to disburse additional funds.

The Budget Department has released 2 billion in financial aid for typhoon-stricken areas.

CNN Philippines' stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report.
(CNN) -- Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has ordered security forces to "kill without warning" to crush the violent protests that have paralyzed the former Soviet republic and reportedly left dozens dead.

In a defiant public address Friday, Tokayev said the unrest that began earlier this week as protests against rising fuel prices had been masterminded by well-trained "terrorist bandits" from both inside and outside the country. Kazakh state media reported Friday that 18 security personnel and 26 "armed criminals" had been killed in violent protests. More than 3,000 people have been detained.

Tokayev said the situation had "stabilized" in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, and that the "introduction of a state of emergency is yielding results."

"But terrorists continue to damage state and private property and use weapons against citizens," he said. "I gave the order to law enforcement agencies and the army to open fire to kill without warning."

The speech attempted to undermine the narrative that the demonstrations were a product of popular unrest that turned increasingly destructive and deadly. Tokayev said the violence was the product of a well-organized enemy, armed with sleeper cells carrying out "terrorist attacks" and "specialists trained in ideological sabotage, skillfully using disinformation or 'fakes' and capable of manipulating people's moods."

"Their actions showed the presence of a clear plan of attacks on military, administrative and social facilities in almost all areas, coherent coordination of actions, high combat readiness and bestial cruelty," Tokayev said. "They need to be destroyed."

However, several protesters who spoke to international media rejected that characterization.

"We are neither thugs nor terrorists," one woman said. "The only thing flourishing here is corruption"

Another man told CNN that people "want the truth."

"The government is rich, but all of these people here have loans to pay. We have our pain, and we want to share it," he said.

The demonstrations are the biggest challenge yet to the autocrat's rule, with initial public anger over a rise in fuel prices expanding to wider discontent with the government over corruption, living standards, poverty and unemployment in the oil-rich nation -- all of which has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, experts say.

"This is a government that is highly detached from the reality of what happens on the ground. It's a country where there are no institutions through which to protest; the only route is on the streets," Paul Stronski of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told CNN.

Protesters in Almaty reportedly stormed the airport, forcibly entered government buildings, and set fire to the city's main administration office, local media reported. Dozens were reported killed and hundreds more injured in clashes there Thursday. There were also reports of a nationwide internet blackout and damage in other major cities, though Tokayev said internet was gradually being restored as the situation stabilizes. Authorities had previously declared a nationwide state of emergency with a curfew and movement restrictions until January 19, according to local media.

In his address, Tokayev highlighted that peaceful assembly was legalized in 2020 to promote democracy. However he said calls from abroad to find a peaceful solution were "nonsense."

"What kind of negotiations can there be with criminals, murderers?" Tokayev added.

Tokayev said a contingent of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russian-led military alliance made up of former Soviet states, has arrived in the country "for a short period of time" to carry out the functions of defense and support. The organization's secretary-general, Stanislav Zas, told Russia's state-run English language Sputnik news agency that about 3,600 CSTO personnel would be deployed to Kazakhstan to protect government and strategic facilities and help maintain public order. Russian state news agency TASS reported that a brigade of airborne forces had arrived in Kazakhstan.

A contingent of 70 IL-76 and five AN-124 transport aircraft have been delivering military personnel and equipment to CSTO forces "around the clock," the Russian Defense ministry said in a statement Friday.

Tokayev thanked the heads of CSTO countries for their support and expressed "special gratitude" to Russian President Vladimir Putin for "very promptly and, most importantly, in a friendly manner reacted warmly to my appeal" for a CSTO contingent.

The Kazakh leader also thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping, the presidents of the other CSTO member countries, the presidents of Uzbekistan, Turkey and "the leaders of the UN and other international organizations for their words of support."

Putin spoke by phone with CSTO leaders Thursday and Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday, according to Russian state media.

Kazakhstan, the world's ninth-largest nation by landmass and Central Asia's the largest economy, has often boasted of its stability in a region that has seen its share of conflict.

Even before its independence in 1991, the country's political scene was dominated by one man -- Nursultan Nazarbayev. The longtime president and former Communist Party official ruled for almost three decades before stepping down in 2019. His autocratic method of governance sparked international concern and saw authorities harshly crack down on protests, jail critics and stifle press freedoms, according to global rights groups. Critics accused Nazarbayev of appointing family members and allies to key jobs in government and his family is believed to control much of the Kazakh economy, Reuters reported.

Nazarbayev was best known in the West for renouncing nuclear weaponry and his relocation of the capital to the futuristic city of Astana -- which was later renamed Nur-Sultan, after himself.

Amnesty International said the protests are "a direct consequence of the authorities' widespread repression of basic human rights."

"For years, the government has relentlessly persecuted peaceful dissent, leaving the Kazakhstani people in a state of agitation and despair," said Marie Struthers, Amnesty's director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in a statement.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Kazakhstan leader orders security forces to 'kill without warning' to quell violent protests"
Although she was awarded Miss Rodeo Nebraska 2022 last summer, Columbus own Bailey Lehr said shes excitedly anticipating formally taking over the role during a coronation this weekend.

Its super exciting especially because  its my turn to get crowned, Bailey said. Its going to be my year. So it feels very real.

The event  which will also be a fundraiser  will start at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, at Baileys fathers shop at 3212 S. Ninth St. Bailey said the name of the building is affectionately called the Lehr Event Center by her mother, Joan. The coronation will be open to the public and cost $30 a ticket to enter. There will be a live and silent auction, a meal and live music.

Bailey, 21, said the funds will go toward her duties as Miss Rodeo Nebraska, being an ambassador for rodeo and agriculture.

I travel around promoting and educating people, Bailey said. I do fun things such as partner up (with various) rodeos (including those for) special needs kids and school visits.

The coronation funds will help with travel, meal and hotel costs, she added.

During the coronation, the Miss Rodeo Nebraska 2021 winner Joeli Walrath will crown Bailey to signal the start of her duties for this upcoming year.

Back in June, Bailey was awarded Miss Rodeo Nebraska 2022 at the 65th annual Miss Rodeo Nebraska Pageant in North Platte. Bailey and her sister, Brooke, 17, made history that day as the younger Lehr also won the title of Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska 2021, becoming the first sisters ever to capture titles at the pageant. It was the first time in Miss Rodeo Nebraska Pageants history that sisters won the titles and won it in the same year.

Im extremely proud of my daughters, especially Bailey Lehr as she represents Nebraska, said Joan, Brooke and Bailey's mother. Weve been involved with agriculture, rodeo and horses forever so for her to be able to win the title to represent the state is more than we could have dreamed of.

As previously reported by The Columbus Telegram, Bailey won in the categories of horsemanship, personality, photogenic and appearance. Meanwhile, Brooke came away with top honors in speech, photogenic, appearance, personality and congeniality and won the horsemanship award.

The coronation for Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska takes place before the Miss Rodeo Nebraska, which meant Bailey saw Brooke get the title before she received hers. Brooke has begun in her capacity as Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska as the end of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in June indicated the start of her reign.

Meanwhile, Bailey  who graduated from Scotus Central Catholic High School - is currently studying agricultural business at Chadron State College. She recently graduated from Central Community College-Columbus back in May.

As of right now, Bailey said shes looking forward to the coronation as it will fall on a day where will it warmer compared to the last previous days.

Saturday is going to look good. It looks like itll be the warmest day, she said, with a laugh.

Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net.

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The way in which educators frame the discussion will be extremely important in teaching students how to interpret for themselves what happened last Jan. 6 at the U.S. Capitol.

That was the assessment Tuesday by Kevin Wagner, a high school history teacher and social studies program chair for the Carlisle Area School District.

Words matter, Wagner said. The vocabulary can make it very divisive. So setting up the norms is very important when you are framing a classroom discussion.

For Wagner, there can be no doubt the Jan. 6 insurrection should be taught in American schools no matter if the classroom is in a red state, blue state or purple state.

Its an event in history, Wagner said. Personally, I know of no other time where a building, especially the Capitol, was taken over by an individual group of people. The only closest thing would be the War of 1812.

During that conflict, the legislative branch was spared, but the White House, the executive mansion, was set on fire by the invading British Army.

We see the Capitol as a symbol of democracy, Wagner said. The fact that symbol was violated in such a horrific manner makes it very important. You can draw parallels on why we teach about 9/11. The twin towers were a symbol of economic strength, global power.

What students are learning about the insurrection may depend on where they live, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Teachers are now left to decide how or whether to instruct their students about the events that sit at the heart of the countrys division. And the lessons sometimes vary based on whether they are in a red state or a blue state.

In Carlisle, Wagner has made his position clear. He doesnt think that location should matter in the teaching of relevant history. Following the insurrection last year, he was among the Carlisle teachers who received an email from district administrators urging educators to be mindful about the conversation nationwide as well as careful in their approach to any classroom discussion about the insurrection.

For part of January 2021, Carlisle teachers from across a variety of subject areas wanted to encourage students to talk about the insurrection, Wagner said. Since then, educators nationwide have realized that social studies teachers should take the lead, he said.

This is what we are trained for, Wagner said. This is the type of thing that we understand in terms of the best way to approach a conversation.

Talking to students

As of Tuesday afternoon, there has been no directive issued from central office administrators to Carlisle teachers regarding how to approach the first anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection.

I havent had my teachers vocalize any concerns to me, Wagner said. Ive not gotten any questions or concerns from parents or the community through email, telephone or otherwise.

In the lead-up to this Thursday, the biggest concern among colleagues in professional groups and online social media is how best to frame discussion of the first anniversary.

We have a lot of tools in our toolbox to help us do that, Wagner said. He mentioned Learning for Justice, an educational format developed by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In the hours after the riot, Facing History and Ourselves, a nonprofit that helps teachers with difficult lessons on subjects like the Holocaust, offered tips on how to broach the topic of the insurrection with students, the Associated Press reported.

Within 18 hours of publication, it had 100,000 page views, a level of interest that Abby Weiss, who oversees development of the nonprofits teaching tools, said was unlike anything the group has seen before.

In the year that has followed, Weiss said, Republican lawmakers and governors in many states have championed legislation to limit the teaching of material that explores how race and racism influence American politics, culture and law.

Teachers are anxious, she said. On the face of it, if you read the laws, theyre quite vague and, you know, hard to know actually whats permissible and what isnt.

Racial discussions are hard to avoid when discussing the riot because white supremacists were among those descending on the halls of power, said Jinnie Spiegler, director of curriculum and training for the Anti-Defamation League. She said the group is concerned that the insurrection could be used as a recruitment tool and wrote a newly released guide to help teachers and parents combat those radicalization efforts.

To talk about white supremacy, to talk about white supremacist extremists, to talk about their racist Confederate flag, its fraught for so many reasons, Spiegler said.

Anton Schulzki, the president of the National Council for the Social Studies, said students are often the ones bringing up the racial issues. Last year, he was just moments into discussing what happened when one of his honors students at William J. Palmer High School in Colorado Springs said, You know, if those rioters were all Black, theyd all be arrested by now.

Since then, three conservative school board candidates won seats on the school board where Schulzki teaches, and the district dissolved its equity leadership team. He is covered by a contract that offers academic freedom protections, and has discussed the riot periodically over the past year.

The biggest fear for Paula Davis, a middle school special education teacher in a rural central Indiana district, is that the discussion about what happened could be used by teachers with a political agenda to indoctrinate students. She wont discuss Jan. 6 in her classroom; her focus is math and English.

I think its extremely important that any teacher that is addressing that topic does so from an unbiased perspective, said Davis, a regional chapter chair for Moms for Liberty, a group whose members have protested mask and vaccine mandates and critical race theory. If it cannot be done without bias, then it should not be done.

But there is no way Dylan Huisken will avoid the topic in his middle school classroom in the Missoula, Montana, area town of Bonner. He plans to use the anniversary to teach his students to use their voice constructively by doing things like writing to lawmakers.

Not addressing the attack, Huisken said, is to suggest that the civic ideals we teach exist in a vacuum and dont have any real-world application, that civic knowledge is mere trivia.

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Penn State Health Childrens Hospital is seeing three times as many children admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 compared to two months ago, and one pediatric infectious diseases physician said that most of them are unvaccinated.

Dr. Jessica Ericson said there are three groups of children who are being hospitalized at the Children's Hospital in Hershey. One group is babies from a couple of days old to a few weeks or a few months old, and another group are smaller children who are considered medically fragile with a cancer diagnosis or a heart condition and who cannot get the vaccine.

The third group, however, are teenagers who are unvaccinated by choice, but who are mostly overweight or obese, which is a high-risk condition for COVID-19, according to Ericson. These children are being admitted to the hospital with respiratory problems that require oxygen or even a ventilator for several days or a week, she said.

Though its the unvaccinated children with co-morbidities who are the ones hospitalized when they get COVID-19, Ericson said MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children) affects only healthy children about a month after they had a mild or asymptomatic case of COVID-19. Ericson said in these cases, the childrens immune system starts attacking the organs.

Its two totally separate diseases that are very different but both are triggered by the virus, she said.

Though the number of MIS-C cases has remained steady in the last few weeks, there is a concern those numbers could rise as the number of pediatric COVID-19 cases rises as a whole. And to Ericson, there are a few factors that are contributing to that rising number.

You have Christmas, multiple schools going to mask-optional and omicron surging; its hard to say which is the most responsible, she said. We have a virus thats much more contagious than its ever been, and were doing less than we have ever done. Thats a bad situation.

Ericson said she hopes that parents and children take the chance and get vaccinated since most children 5 and older are now able to get shots, with boosters available for those 12 and older.

We do have a safe and available vaccine for all school-aged children, she said. Its a shame to not take advantage of the protection that provides.

Friday's data update

Cumberland County reported 364 cases of COVID-19 and two deaths in Friday's update from the state Department of Health.

According to Health Department open data, the seven-day average of new cases in the county sits at 338, the highest the county's rate has been during the pandemic.

There were 131 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Cumberland County in Friday's report, the same as Thursday. The 14-day average for hospitalizations in the county sits at 128.1. The county's highest 14-day hospitalization rate was 168.7 on Jan. 2, 2021. The 14-day average for COVID patients on ventilators sits at 14.4.

There are 21 adults in intensive care and 21 on ventilators. Nine adult ICU beds remain open of the 114 currently staffed across the county, and 45 of 95 ventilators in the county are in use.

The county reported 56 deaths in October, 33 in November and 54 deaths in December. It has seven deaths so far in January.

Franklin County reported 130 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Friday (an increase of two since Thursday), with eight of 42 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 27 of 34 available ventilators in use. There are 26 adults in intensive care and 23 on ventilators.

Dauphin County reported 222 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Friday (an increase of three since Thursday), with 25 of 198 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 113 of 171 available ventilators in use. There are 38 adults in intensive care and 30 on ventilators.

Penn State Health cases update (Jan. 5)

Penn State Health lists a COVID-19 dashboard on its website tracking cases at each of its acute care hospitals  Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, Hampden Medical Center and Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center. The dashboard is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Wednesday's update shows 207 total cases (193 adults, 14 pediatrics) in the health systems four hospitals, an increase of 10 cases since Monday ( and 37 cases since Dec. 27)  including seven new pediatric cases. Of the known-status adult patients (21 are unknown status), 61 are fully vaccinated (32.8%) with six in an ICU and three on ventilators; 125 are nonvaccinated (67.2%) with 31 adults in an ICU and 18 adults on ventilators.

Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill has 40 COVID patients. Eighteen are fully vaccinated adults (one in the ICU and one on a ventilator) and 22 are unvaccinated adults (two in the ICU and one on a ventilator).

Hampden Medical Center has nine COVID patients. Eight are unvaccinated (with one in the ICU and no one on a ventilator) and one is fully vaccinated.

Vaccine update

In data updated Thursday evening, the CDC says Cumberland County has 65.2% of its total population fully vaccinated. The CDC also reported that 68.9% of the population 5 and older are vaccinated, while 73.2% of the population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

The CDC also began reporting another set of numbers that include booster shots, with 31.3% of the county's total population having received a booster vaccine.

Early Warning Dashboard update

Cumberland County saw increases in its COVID-19 percent positivity and incidence rate per 100,000 people in the Health Department's weekly update to its Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard Friday.

The county's percent positivity increased to 29.5% for the week of Dec. 31-Jan. 6, up from 20% the previous week. The incidence rate per 100,000 people increased to 665, up from 404.2 the previous week.

Lebanon and York counties lead the Midstate in both categories and rank in the top 10 in the state.

Lebanon County has the second highest positivity rate in the Midstate at 37% (eighth highest in the state), an increase from 28.9% the previous week. York County has the sixth highest rate at 29.5%, an increase from 23% the previous week. Adams County is 10th in the state with a positivity rate of 28.1%.

York County has the highest positivity rate in the Midstate at 37.4% (seventh highest in the state), and the highest incidence rate in the Midstate at 1,292.5 (sixth highest in the state), an increase from last week's rate of 783.6.

Forest County had the lowest percent positivity in the state for the week of Dec. 31-Jan. 6 at 4.9%. Warren County had the lowest incidence rate per 100,000 people in the state at 193.9.

School-age children

In its weekly update for the 18th week of the school year, the department reported 163 cases among children aged 5-18 in Cumberland County during the week of Dec. 22-28, a decrease of 10 cases over the previous week. The total number of cases in Cumberland County for this school year is 2,509.

Statewide, the number of cases among 5- to 18-year-olds saw its largest increase of the school year with 12,518 cases reported during the week of Dec. 22-28, compared to 9,982 during the previous week. The state said the total number of cases in that age group for the school year is 135,964.

County numbers in the southcentral region (for Jan. 7):

Adams County (pop. 103,009): 170 new cases; 19,555 total cases (16,138 confirmed, 3,417 probable); 45,575 negatives; 288 deaths (+2); 52% of county population vaccinated

170 new cases; 19,555 total cases (16,138 confirmed, 3,417 probable); 45,575 negatives; 288 deaths (+2); 52% of county population vaccinated Bedford County (pop. 47,888): 56 new cases; 9,036 total cases (6,079 confirmed, 2,957 probable); 13,384 negatives; 233 deaths (+1); 37.3% of county population vaccinated

56 new cases; 9,036 total cases (6,079 confirmed, 2,957 probable); 13,384 negatives; 233 deaths (+1); 37.3% of county population vaccinated Blair County (pop. 121,829): 110 new cases; 23,699 total cases (18,759 confirmed, 4,940 probable); 49,718 negatives; 509 deaths (+1); 49.9% of county population vaccinated

110 new cases; 23,699 total cases (18,759 confirmed, 4,940 probable); 49,718 negatives; 509 deaths (+1); 49.9% of county population vaccinated Cumberland County (pop. 253,370): 364 new cases; 39,281 total cases (30,016 confirmed, 9,265 probable); 108,865 negatives; 740 deaths (+2); 65.2% of county population vaccinated

364 new cases; 39,281 total cases (30,016 confirmed, 9,265 probable); 108,865 negatives; 740 deaths (+2); 65.2% of county population vaccinated Dauphin County (pop. 278,299): 560 new cases; 47,350 total cases (39,727 confirmed, 7,623 probable); 134,278 negatives; 780 deaths (+4); 59% of county population vaccinated

560 new cases; 47,350 total cases (39,727 confirmed, 7,623 probable); 134,278 negatives; 780 deaths (+4); 59% of county population vaccinated Franklin County (pop. 155,027): 276 new cases; total 31,535 cases (25,762 confirmed, 5,773 probable); 66,100 negatives; 568 deaths (+1); 46.5% of county population vaccinated

276 new cases; total 31,535 cases (25,762 confirmed, 5,773 probable); 66,100 negatives; 568 deaths (+1); 46.5% of county population vaccinated Fulton County (pop. 14,530): 23 new cases; 3,260 total cases (1,595 confirmed, 1,665 probable); 5,213 negatives; 51 deaths; 34% of county population vaccinated

23 new cases; 3,260 total cases (1,595 confirmed, 1,665 probable); 5,213 negatives; 51 deaths; 34% of county population vaccinated Huntingdon County (pop. 45,144): 64 new cases; 8,813 total cases (7,224 confirmed, 1,589 probable); 22,743 negatives; 206 deaths; 48.8% of county population vaccinated

64 new cases; 8,813 total cases (7,224 confirmed, 1,589 probable); 22,743 negatives; 206 deaths; 48.8% of county population vaccinated Juniata County (pop. 24,763): 20 new cases; 3,919 total cases (3,598 confirmed, 321 probable); 7,044 negatives; 151 deaths; 38.5% of county population vaccinated

20 new cases; 3,919 total cases (3,598 confirmed, 321 probable); 7,044 negatives; 151 deaths; 38.5% of county population vaccinated Lebanon County (pop. 141,793): 278 new cases; 29,301 total cases (25,220 confirmed, 4,081 probable); 65,191 negatives; 413 deaths (+4); 51.7% of county population vaccinated

278 new cases; 29,301 total cases (25,220 confirmed, 4,081 probable); 65,191 negatives; 413 deaths (+4); 51.7% of county population vaccinated Mifflin County (pop. 46,138): 101 new cases; 9,572 total cases (9,074 confirmed, 498 probable); 18,409 negatives; 243 deaths (+1); 47.3% of county population vaccinated

101 new cases; 9,572 total cases (9,074 confirmed, 498 probable); 18,409 negatives; 243 deaths (+1); 47.3% of county population vaccinated Perry County (pop. 46,272): 67 new cases; 7,143 total cases (5,580 confirmed, 1,563 probable); 14,284 negatives; 158 deaths; 45.8% of county population vaccinated

67 new cases; 7,143 total cases (5,580 confirmed, 1,563 probable); 14,284 negatives; 158 deaths; 45.8% of county population vaccinated York County (pop. 449,058): 991 new cases; 92,838 total cases (76,182 confirmed; 16,656 probable); 200,920 negatives; 1,239 deaths (+9); 55.5% of county population vaccinated

ZIP code-level counts (updated Jan. 7):

17013: 4,557 positives, 16,718 negatives - +283 since Dec. 31

17015: 2,760 positives, 8,260 negatives - +42 since Dec. 31

17050: 4,385 positives, 17,682 negatives - +288 since Dec. 31

17055: 4,824 positives, 19,306 negatives - +247 since Dec. 31

17011: 4,364 positives, 16,099 negatives - +255 since Dec. 31

17007: 681 positives, 2,159 negatives - +31 since Dec. 31

17065: 514 positives, 1,448 negatives - +28 since Dec. 31

17324: 574 positives, 1,442 negatives - +32 since Dec. 31

17241: 1,258 positives, 3,589 negatives - +149 since Dec. 31

17257: 3,401 positives, 8,086 negatives - +171 since Dec. 31

17240: 340 positives, 741 negatives - +12 since Dec. 31

17025: 2,080 positives, 6,757 negatives - +139 since Dec. 31

17070: 1,965 positives, 6,261 negatives - +123 since Dec. 31

17043: 670 positives, 2,419 negatives - +41 since Dec. 31

17019: 2,342 positives, 6,357 negatives - +94 since Dec. 31

17266: 46 positives, 148 negatives - +2 since Dec. 31

School district and college case counts (updated Dec. 17)

The Sentinel's case counts for Cumberland County school districts and colleges or universities are updated Fridays. The policy for each school districts reporting is noted in the list below.

Big Spring School District (reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 16 student cases and 8 staff cases being monitored as of Dec. 15.

(reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 16 student cases and 8 staff cases being monitored as of Dec. 15. Camp Hill School District (posts chart that includes total case count): 107 student cases and 9 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) Chart last updated on Dec. 10.

(posts chart that includes total case count): 107 student cases and 9 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) Chart last updated on Dec. 10. Carlisle Area School District (reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 52 new cases since Dec. 3; 291 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) according to the charts last update on Dec. 17.

(reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 52 new cases since Dec. 3; 291 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) according to the charts last update on Dec. 17. Cumberland Valley School District (reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 40 cases since Dec. 10; 432 cases this school year (started Aug. 31) as of the charts last update on Dec. 17.

(reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 40 cases since Dec. 10; 432 cases this school year (started Aug. 31) as of the charts last update on Dec. 17. Mechanicsburg Area School District (chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 31 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Dec. 17.

(chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 31 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Dec. 17. Shippensburg Area School District (reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure): 23 new cases since Dec. 8; 263 cases this school year (started Aug. 19) as of charts last update on Dec. 16.

(reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure): 23 new cases since Dec. 8; 263 cases this school year (started Aug. 19) as of charts last update on Dec. 16. South Middleton School District (posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 28 cases since Dec. 3; 131 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) as of the charts last update on Dec. 17.

(posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 28 cases since Dec. 3; 131 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) as of the charts last update on Dec. 17. West Shore School District (reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 58 student cases and 8 staff cases being monitored as of Dec. 17.

(reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 58 student cases and 8 staff cases being monitored as of Dec. 17. Dickinson College : 2 new student cases and 4 employee cases since Dec. 10; 59 student cases and 34 employee cases in the fall semester (started Aug. 30.) Chart last updated on Dec. 17.

: 2 new student cases and 4 employee cases since Dec. 10; 59 student cases and 34 employee cases in the fall semester (started Aug. 30.) Chart last updated on Dec. 17. Messiah University : 12 new student cases and 4 new staff cases since Dec. 3; 139 student cases and 56 employee cases in the fall semester (started Aug. 7.) Chart last updated Dec. 16.

: 12 new student cases and 4 new staff cases since Dec. 3; 139 student cases and 56 employee cases in the fall semester (started Aug. 7.) Chart last updated Dec. 16. Shippensburg University: 38 new student cases and 2 new staff cases since Dec. 6; 270 student cases and 31 employee cases the fall semester (started Aug. 1). Chart last updated on Dec. 16.

(Counties with a percent positivity above 5% in a week go on the Department of Health's watch list)

Pennsylvania: Percent Positivity - 33.1% last 7 days (22.1% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 1,025.7 (568.8 previous 7 days)

Adams County: Percent Positivity - 33.9% last 7 days (27.9% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 1,078.5 (848.5 previous 7 days)

Cumberland County: Percent Positivity - 29.5% last 7 days (20.0% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 665.0 (404.2 previous 7 days)

Dauphin County: Percent Positivity - 36.2% last 7 days (24.1% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 946.1 (467.1 previous 7 days)

Franklin County: Percent Positivity - 32.5% last 7 days (26.8% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 993.4 (818.6 previous 7 days)

Lebanon County: Percent Positivity - 37% last 7 days (28.9% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 1,268.8 (727.8 previous 7 days)

Perry County: Percent Positivity - 32.7% last 7 days (24.4% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 484.1 (315.5 previous 7 days)

York County:

Percent Positivity - 37.4% last 7 days (28.5% previous 7 days)

last 7 days (28.5% previous 7 days)

Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 1,292.5 (783.6 previous 7 days)

Email Jeff at jpratt@cumberlink.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelPratt.

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COVID-19 hospitalizations are nearing record numbers in the Penn State Health hospital system, officials reported Thursday.

Deborah Addo, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Penn State Health, said the health system saw 229 COVID-19 patients Thursday at its four hospitals across the Midstate. According to the health system, that is near its record of 230 COVID-19 patients set on Dec. 29, 2020, though at the time the health system only had three hospitals  Hampden Medical Center had not yet opened.

Despite officials believing that most of these cases are probably due to the omicron variant, reports of a less severe illness have yet to be evident at Penn State Health. Dr. Fahad Khalid, chief of the Division of Hospital Medicine at Hershey Medical Center, said the hospitalizations are still severe, with the majority of their COVID-19 patients presenting with respiratory failure or COVID pneumonia.

Dr. Peter Dillon, executive vice president and chief clinical officer at Penn State Health, however, said Hershey Medical Center does get transfers from other hospitals, which may account for the majority of its patients suffering from severe reactions to COVID-19.

Of those patients, Khalid said the ages run between 20 and 90 and mostly unvaccinated, though they're seeing fewer patients who are 65 and older since that population has higher vaccination rates than other age ranges.

Penn State Health officials Thursday said these rising cases are putting stress on the health system that is already dealing with a rise in other types of hospitalizations as well as staffing shortages due to COVID diagnoses or resignations. Addo said Hershey Medical Center was one of the hospitals under consideration for help from the U.S. Department of Defense, which instead went to WellSpan Health's hospital in York.

Dillon said that based on modeling, the area may continue to deal with increasing numbers and the omicron variant for another three to four weeks. He was cautious about looking too much farther out in the timeline, but there's an anticipation and hypothesis among health care officials that infections will trend off after this period as more people have either gotten COVID or received a vaccine, adding to herd immunity.

Thursday's data update

Cumberland County reported 391 cases of COVID-19 and seven deaths in Thursday's update from the state Department of Health.

According to Health Department open data, the seven-day average of new cases in the county sits at 338, the highest the county's rate has been during the pandemic.

There were 131 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Cumberland County in Thursday's report, an increase of two Wednesday. The 14-day average for hospitalizations in the county sits at 128.9. The county's highest 14-day hospitalization rate was 168.7 on Jan. 2, 2021. The 14-day average for COVID patients on ventilators sits at 14.1.

There are 21 adults in intensive care and 22 on ventilators. Four adult ICU beds remain open of the 114 currently staffed across the county, and 46 of 95 ventilators in the county are in use.

The county reported 56 deaths in October, 33 in November and 54 deaths in December.

Thursday's report included 454 test results for Cumberland County, with 117 probable cases, 274 confirmed positive cases and 63 negative test results.

Franklin County reported 128 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Thursday (an increase of three since Wednesday), with five of 41 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 27 of 34 available ventilators in use. There are 29 adults in intensive care and 26 on ventilators.

Dauphin County reported 219 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Thursday (an increase of seven since Wednesday), with 23 of 198 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 115 of 171 available ventilators in use. There are 45 adults in intensive care and 33 on ventilators.

Penn State Health cases update (Jan. 5)

Penn State Health lists a COVID-19 dashboard on its website tracking cases at each of its acute care hospitals  Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, Hampden Medical Center and Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center. The dashboard is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Wednesday's update shows 207 total cases (193 adults, 14 pediatrics) in the health systems four hospitals, an increase of 10 cases since Monday ( and 37 cases since Dec. 27)  including seven new pediatric cases. Of the known-status adult patients (21 are unknown status), 61 are fully vaccinated (32.8%) with six in an ICU and three on ventilators; 125 are nonvaccinated (67.2%) with 31 adults in an ICU and 18 adults on ventilators.

Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill has 40 COVID patients. Eighteen are fully vaccinated adults (one in the ICU and one on a ventilator) and 22 are unvaccinated adults (two in the ICU and one on a ventilator).

Hampden Medical Center has nine COVID patients. Eight are unvaccinated (with one in the ICU and no one on a ventilator) and one is fully vaccinated.

Vaccine update

In data updated Wednesday evening, the CDC says Cumberland County has 65.1% of its total population fully vaccinated. The CDC also reported that 68.8% of the population 5 and older are vaccinated, while 73.2% of the population 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

The CDC also began reporting another set of numbers that include booster shots, with 31% of the county's total population having received a booster vaccine.

Early Warning Dashboard update

Cumberland County saw increases in its COVID-19 percent positivity and incidence rate per 100,000 people in the Health Department's weekly update to its Early Warning Monitoring System Dashboard Friday.

The county's percent positivity increased to 21.4% for the week of Dec. 24-30, up from 16.6% the previous week. The incidence rate per 100,000 people increased to 416.4, up from 387.6 the previous week.

Lebanon County has the second highest positivity rate at 31.3%, an increase from 22.6% the previous week. York County has the sixth highest rate at 29.5%, an increase from 23% the previous week. Adams County is 10th in the state with a positivity rate of 28.1%.

York County has the fifth highest incidence rate in the state at 848.2, a decrease from last week's rate of 932. Adams County has the seventh highest at 826.1, which represents a drop from last week's 1,297.

Forest County had the lowest percent positivity in the state for the week of Dec. 24-30 at 1.6%. Warren County had the lowest incidence rate per 100,000 people in the state at 74.

School-age children

In its weekly update for the 18th week of the school year, the department reported 163 cases among children aged 5-18 in Cumberland County during the week of Dec. 22-28, a decrease of 10 cases over the previous week. The total number of cases in Cumberland County for this school year is 2,509.

Statewide, the number of cases among 5- to 18-year-olds saw its largest increase of the school year with 12,518 cases reported during the week of Dec. 22-28, compared to 9,982 during the previous week. The state said the total number of cases in that age group for the school year is 135,964.

County numbers in the southcentral region (for Jan. 6):

Adams County (pop. 103,009): 162 new cases; 19,385 total cases (15,984 confirmed, 3,401 probable); 45,579 negatives; 286 deaths (+2); 51.9% of county population vaccinated

162 new cases; 19,385 total cases (15,984 confirmed, 3,401 probable); 45,579 negatives; 286 deaths (+2); 51.9% of county population vaccinated Bedford County (pop. 47,888): 54 new cases; 8,980 total cases (6,050 confirmed, 2,930 probable); 13,393 negatives; 232 deaths (+4); 37.3% of county population vaccinated

54 new cases; 8,980 total cases (6,050 confirmed, 2,930 probable); 13,393 negatives; 232 deaths (+4); 37.3% of county population vaccinated Blair County (pop. 121,829): 164 new cases; 23,589 total cases (18,671 confirmed, 4,918 probable); 49,704 negatives; 508 deaths (+4); 49.8% of county population vaccinated

164 new cases; 23,589 total cases (18,671 confirmed, 4,918 probable); 49,704 negatives; 508 deaths (+4); 49.8% of county population vaccinated Cumberland County (pop. 253,370): 391 new cases; 38,917 total cases (29,790 confirmed, 9,127 probable); 108,883 negatives; 738 deaths (+7); 65.1% of county population vaccinated

391 new cases; 38,917 total cases (29,790 confirmed, 9,127 probable); 108,883 negatives; 738 deaths (+7); 65.1% of county population vaccinated Dauphin County (pop. 278,299): 604 new cases; 46,790 total cases (39,309 confirmed, 7,481 probable); 134,422 negatives; 776 deaths (+4); 58.9% of county population vaccinated

604 new cases; 46,790 total cases (39,309 confirmed, 7,481 probable); 134,422 negatives; 776 deaths (+4); 58.9% of county population vaccinated Franklin County (pop. 155,027): 218 new cases; total 31,259 cases (25,532 confirmed, 5,727 probable); 66,066 negatives; 567 deaths (+13); 46.4% of county population vaccinated

218 new cases; total 31,259 cases (25,532 confirmed, 5,727 probable); 66,066 negatives; 567 deaths (+13); 46.4% of county population vaccinated Fulton County (pop. 14,530): 16 new cases; 3,237 total cases (1,576 confirmed, 1,661 probable); 5,210 negatives; 51 deaths; 34% of county population vaccinated

16 new cases; 3,237 total cases (1,576 confirmed, 1,661 probable); 5,210 negatives; 51 deaths; 34% of county population vaccinated Huntingdon County (pop. 45,144): 68 new cases; 8,749 total cases (7,173 confirmed, 1,576 probable); 22,710 negatives; 206 deaths; 48.7% of county population vaccinated

68 new cases; 8,749 total cases (7,173 confirmed, 1,576 probable); 22,710 negatives; 206 deaths; 48.7% of county population vaccinated Juniata County (pop. 24,763): 12 new cases; 3,899 total cases (3,578 confirmed, 321 probable); 7,036 negatives; 151 deaths; 38.4% of county population vaccinated

12 new cases; 3,899 total cases (3,578 confirmed, 321 probable); 7,036 negatives; 151 deaths; 38.4% of county population vaccinated Lebanon County (pop. 141,793): 258 new cases; 29,023 total cases (25,007 confirmed, 4,016 probable); 65,232 negatives; 409 deaths (+3); 51.7% of county population vaccinated

258 new cases; 29,023 total cases (25,007 confirmed, 4,016 probable); 65,232 negatives; 409 deaths (+3); 51.7% of county population vaccinated Mifflin County (pop. 46,138): 57 new cases; 9,471 total cases (8,971 confirmed, 500 probable); 18,423 negatives; 242 deaths (+1); 47.2% of county population vaccinated

57 new cases; 9,471 total cases (8,971 confirmed, 500 probable); 18,423 negatives; 242 deaths (+1); 47.2% of county population vaccinated Perry County (pop. 46,272): 31 new cases; 7,076 total cases (5,525 confirmed, 1,551 probable); 14,294 negatives; 158 deaths (+2); 45.7% of county population vaccinated

31 new cases; 7,076 total cases (5,525 confirmed, 1,551 probable); 14,294 negatives; 158 deaths (+2); 45.7% of county population vaccinated York County (pop. 449,058): 752 new cases; 91,847 total cases (75,332 confirmed; 16,515 probable); 201,066 negatives; 1,230 deaths (+14); 55.4% of county population vaccinated

ZIP code-level counts (updated Jan. 6):

17013: 4,517 positives, 16,729 negatives - +243 since Dec. 31

17015: 2,741 positives, 8,268 negatives - +23 since Dec. 31

17050: 4,346 positives, 17,687 negatives - +249 since Dec. 31

17055: 4,792 positives, 19,317 negatives - +215 since Dec. 31

17011: 4,344 positives, 16,097 negatives - +235 since Dec. 31

17007: 679 positives, 2,157 negatives - +29 since Dec. 31

17065: 511 positives, 1,450 negatives - +25 since Dec. 31

17324: 567 positives, 1,441 negatives - +25 since Dec. 31

17241: 1,248 positives, 3,585 negatives - +139 since Dec. 31

17257: 3,373 positives, 8,083 negatives - +143 since Dec. 31

17240: 337 positives, 742 negatives - +9 since Dec. 31

17025: 2,062 positives, 6,756 negatives - +121 since Dec. 31

17070: 1,948 positives, 6,260 negatives - +106 since Dec. 31

17043: 663 positives, 2,414 negatives - +34 since Dec. 31

17019: 2,327 positives, 6,361 negatives - +79 since Dec. 31

17266: 46 positives, 148 negatives - +2 since Dec. 31

School district and college case counts (updated Dec. 17)

The Sentinel's case counts for Cumberland County school districts and colleges or universities are updated Fridays. The policy for each school districts reporting is noted in the list below.

Big Spring School District (reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 16 student cases and 8 staff cases being monitored as of Dec. 15.

(reports active cases in past 14 days with school exposure): 16 student cases and 8 staff cases being monitored as of Dec. 15. Camp Hill School District (posts chart that includes total case count): 107 student cases and 9 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) Chart last updated on Dec. 10.

(posts chart that includes total case count): 107 student cases and 9 staff cases this school year (started Aug. 25.) Chart last updated on Dec. 10. Carlisle Area School District (reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 52 new cases since Dec. 3; 291 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) according to the charts last update on Dec. 17.

(reports cases as they occur and updates a chart): 52 new cases since Dec. 3; 291 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) according to the charts last update on Dec. 17. Cumberland Valley School District (reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 40 cases since Dec. 10; 432 cases this school year (started Aug. 31) as of the charts last update on Dec. 17.

(reports weekly and total number of cases with school exposure): 40 cases since Dec. 10; 432 cases this school year (started Aug. 31) as of the charts last update on Dec. 17. Mechanicsburg Area School District (chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 31 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Dec. 17.

(chart lists total cases actively being monitored, updated Tuesday and Friday): 31 positive and presumed positive cases being monitored as of Dec. 17. Shippensburg Area School District (reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure): 23 new cases since Dec. 8; 263 cases this school year (started Aug. 19) as of charts last update on Dec. 16.

(reports weekly and total confirmed case counts involving school exposure): 23 new cases since Dec. 8; 263 cases this school year (started Aug. 19) as of charts last update on Dec. 16. South Middleton School District (posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 28 cases since Dec. 3; 131 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) as of the charts last update on Dec. 17.

(posts notices as cases occur, updates table of case counts weekly on Fridays): 28 cases since Dec. 3; 131 cases this school year (started Aug. 25) as of the charts last update on Dec. 17. West Shore School District (reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 58 student cases and 8 staff cases being monitored as of Dec. 17.

(reports active cases with school exposure within past 14 days): 58 student cases and 8 staff cases being monitored as of Dec. 17. Dickinson College : 2 new student cases and 4 employee cases since Dec. 10; 59 student cases and 34 employee cases in the fall semester (started Aug. 30.) Chart last updated on Dec. 17.

: 2 new student cases and 4 employee cases since Dec. 10; 59 student cases and 34 employee cases in the fall semester (started Aug. 30.) Chart last updated on Dec. 17. Messiah University : 12 new student cases and 4 new staff cases since Dec. 3; 139 student cases and 56 employee cases in the fall semester (started Aug. 7.) Chart last updated Dec. 16.

: 12 new student cases and 4 new staff cases since Dec. 3; 139 student cases and 56 employee cases in the fall semester (started Aug. 7.) Chart last updated Dec. 16. Shippensburg University: 38 new student cases and 2 new staff cases since Dec. 6; 270 student cases and 31 employee cases the fall semester (started Aug. 1). Chart last updated on Dec. 16.

(Counties with a percent positivity above 5% in a week go on the Department of Health's watch list)

Pennsylvania: Percent Positivity - 24.5% last 7 days (15.3% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 607.4 (416.8 previous 7 days)

Adams County: Percent Positivity - 28.1% last 7 days (23% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 826.1 (1,297 previous 7 days)

Cumberland County: Percent Positivity - 21.4% last 7 days (16.6% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 416.4 (387.6 previous 7 days)

Dauphin County: Percent Positivity - 27.1% last 7 days (17.4% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 535.4 (343.2 previous 7 days)

Franklin County: Percent Positivity - 24.9% last 7 days (23.4% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 663.8 (1,498.4 previous 7 days)

Lebanon County: Percent Positivity - 31.3% last 7 days (22.6% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 795.5 (722.9 previous 7 days)

Perry County: Percent Positivity - 27.3% last 7 days (20% previous 7 days) Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 341.5 (289.6 previous 7 days)

York County:

Percent Positivity - 29.5% last 7 days (23% previous 7 days)

last 7 days (23% previous 7 days)

Incidence Rate per 100,000 people last 7 days - 848.2 (932 previous 7 days)

Email Jeff at jpratt@cumberlink.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelPratt.

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An unhoused Charlottesville man was sentenced to a decade in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the 2019 death of another unhoused Charlottesville man.

Allan Ray Via, 52, was initially charged with second-degree murder for the May 16, 2019 shooting death of 24-year-old Cody Jason Cappel, also of Charlottesville. Via was also charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

Both Via and Cappel were living at a tent encampment near the Rivanna River on Pantops in Albemarle County at the time of the incident.

Thursday in Albemarle County Circuit Court, Via sat masked beside his court-appointed counsel as the parties outlined evidence for and against him. The defense sought to portray Via as a kind man dealing with a variety of physical and mental health issues while the commonwealth attempted to portray Via as a deceitful man who planned to kill Cappel.

According to Richard Farley, assistant commonwealths attorney for Albemarle County, the case was more difficult than most given the circumstances. Because of the remote location where Via and Cappel were camping, no video evidence or witness evidence was able to be obtained.

Two men walked into the woods but only one walked out, Farley said.

Farley said evidence was uncovered that Via had purchased ammunition of the same caliber used for a gun belonging to Cappel. It was this gun that was eventually used by Via to kill Cappel, Farley said.

After he was shot twice, Farley said, Cappel ran deeper into the woods, sliding down an embankment where he attempted to dress his wounds with materials from a trauma kit before succumbing to his wounds. Via later showed police where the gun was, which had been reloaded with more of the ammunition purchased by Via.

Over the course of the investigation, Farley said Via gave several different accounts of the incident, alternating between claiming that he purchased the ammunition on a whim to claiming that Cappel had asked him to purchase it.

Additionally, Farley said he found Vias claims that he had grabbed the gun from Cappel during a tussle to be unlikely given Vias lengthy list of physical injuries, including spine issues.

Nearly a dozen people showed up to support Via, including Owen Brennan, operations director for The Haven, a day shelter in Charlottesville. Brennan was the only witness to testify Thursday, recounting his decade long friendship with Via.

According to Brennan, someone without reliable housing deals with a lot of stress on a day-to-day basis. Its hard to know what living like that does to someones state of mind, he said, especially for people who havent experienced housing insecurity.

A lot of people this week have experienced what its like to not have electricity and running water, he said, referencing the widespread, ongoing power outages in Central Virginia. But even then they still have a roof over their head, a place to shelter.

Brennan and Via first met in 2011 when Brennan was volunteering at The Haven. They became friends and, for a short time, roommates. They kept in touch over the years as Via alternated between having housing and not. Brennan said that, upon release, he would be able to assist Via in finding housing.

Liz Murtagh, one of Vias attorneys, urged the court to sentence Via to around six years in prison, which she argued would be the mid-range for the sentence if the court did not consider an unrelated felony conviction from 20 years prior.

Murtagh asked the court to factor in Vias mental health issues and relatively low IQ, in addition to his physical health issues, of which 4,000 pages of medical records exist.

Murtagh also emphasized the impact that stress from housing insecurity and homelessness can have on people, in this case both Via and Cappel.

He had the same issues with housing as Via, Murtagh said of Cappel. He had the same problems finding a home and the same stressors.

Ultimately Judge Claude Worrell chose to sentence Via closer to the midpoint of the guidelines for an active term of 10 years and one month: 10 years with four years and 11 months suspended for the manslaughter charge and five years for the ammunition charge. Upon release Via will be required to be under supervised probation for five years.

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University of Virginia immunologist and COVID-19 researcher Dr. William Petri continues to answer reader questions about COVID-19, vaccines and, now, the omicron variant.

Omicron causes less severe symptoms in most cases. Does that possibly mean SARS-CoV-2 is also weakening? Could this bring us closer to the end of the pandemic?

I agree with you that infection with the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is less severe than the earlier delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). We saw this in South Africa, where the peak of omicron infections was thankfully not followed by a peak of deaths due to COVID-19, and in the United Kingdom, where the rate of hospitalization appears to be as much as 50% lower. There are several explanations for this, including, importantly, that many of the infections are happening in people who are protected from more severe disease by having received the boosted vaccine.

But you are right that the virus itself seems to be less deadly. The best evidence comes from animal model studies of COVID-19, where infection with omicron causes a less severe pneumonia than infection with delta. Respiratory failure being the most common reason for evidence that omicron causes less severe infection, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19, this is good news. However, I would not let down your guard, as a COVID-19 infection that is half as severe as delta is still nothing to sneeze at (pun intended). With the incredible rise in omicron infections this week, the University of Virginia Hospital has a record number of COVID-19 admissions.

We are all hoping that the SARS-CoV-2 virus will continue to become less deadly, if more transmissible. Mutations in the virus that make it spread faster between people are being selected by evolution because a virus such as delta that does not spread as fast gets out-competed. Viral mutations that make the infection less severe might also be selected for through evolution, as someone who is sick at home in bed with a bad infection will be less likely to spread infection.

Does having omicron give me natural immunity? In other words, if I made it through omicron, am I safe?

There is natural immunity that comes with recovering from COVID-19. I recommend that you still get vaccinated, if you have not already, as we know that vaccination after recovery from a delta infection gives added protection. The vaccines are also a much safer way to gain immunity than is suffering through a COVID-19 infection! We know that vaccination provides substantial, about 10-fold, protection from being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19.

Several friends and I  all in our 70s  are planning a day trip for shopping and to have lunch to fight the January blues. We are all vaxxed and boostered. We would all be in the same car, to and fro, for about an hour each way. Is it safe for us to continue with our plans? This sounds delightful by the way; what a great way to enjoy one anothers company! You and your friends are all doing exactly the right thing by being vaccinated and boosted, and as a result are much less likely to have a serious omicron infection. Omicron, however, has mutated in a way that makes vaccines less effective at preventing infection. Protection after boosting is 90% at keeping you out of the hospital but closer to 70% in preventing infection. Add to this omicron being more transmissible, we are experiencing ten times the number of reported infections right now, 700,000 today compared to 70,000 during the delta wave at the beginning of November. Thus the chances of catching COVID-19 unfortunately have never been higher; I am seeing this in my family, with three of my children infected in the last week! I dont want to put a damper on what sounds like an important social event though, and there are additional safeguards you could put in place to make the shopping trip safer. These include everyone doing a rapid at home test for COVID-19 the day prior (with a little persistence these are available at pharmacies in town), and not including anyone on the trip with cold or flu symptoms or who has been exposed in the last 5 days to someone with COVID-19. Wearing masks in indoor public spaces also can help reduce exposure. And do make sure everyone has received the annual flu shot. If not, it is not too late, as we are just getting into the annual winter flu epidemic.

I had the booster relatively early. Last week, you suggested that we may need to get a second booster. But Im also hearing that with so much omicron circulating, that we are building up natural immunity. Is that true? Also, if we gain natural immunity from the omicron variant, does it also mean we would gain immunity from all other variants?

About 200 million people in the U.S. have been vaccinated, so there may be as many as 100 million without any immunity. If we get up to a million or more cases of omicron a day, which seems likely, then the gap between immune and non-immune will close rapidly. So I think you are right that due to omicron the U.S. population will have a greater degree of immunity, but at a cost of suffering that could have been avoided by vaccination and boosting.

Just to add a bit, we have all heard that there are two arms of the immune system, antibodies made by B cells that prevent us from getting infected, and cell mediated immunity done by T cells that cure an infection after it has started. T and B cells are activated by both natural infection and vaccination, so as the pandemic wears on, one can expect to see less severe illness due to the B and T cells of the immune systems protecting us, as well as the virus evolving to be less virulent  so good news!

Is the original coronavirus even circulating any more?

Just a tiny bit. The latest data from the CDC on January 1 shows that omicron is 95% and delta 5% of COVID-19. This is true for most of the country with the possible exception of part of the Midwest, where there may be up to a quarter of infections still being due to delta. Here at UVa, Dr. Amy Mathers is sequencing every SARS-CoV-2, with her most recent data showing 66% omicron right before Christmas. Amy mentioned to me that while the sequencing is still ongoing, she expects we are like the rest of the country with nearly all omicron today.

Because I was traveling abroad I got a full dose booster of Moderna on August 20. Am I still protected?

Likely you are. I mentioned last week that data from the United Kingdom is indicating that the protection from the Pfizer booster may be waning at 4 months; so far, this does not seem to be the case with the Moderna booster.

If an adult has not received their booster because it has not been six months since their second dose of the vaccine, are they considered a safe contact until they reach the six-month mark? For example, if a family wants to meet indoors and some family members are boosted, but some are not because they are not yet due for their booster, do any extra precautions need to be taken?

Yes, they are fully vaccinated even if not boosted if they are within 5 months of completing the initial vaccination. There is, however, a gradual decline in the effectiveness of the vaccine over the five-month period after vaccination. For example, one is less protected at four months than two months after vaccination. I think with family gatherings in this month of omicron spread, one should be extra cautious, but not to the extent of canceling activities that involve vaccinated people. Rapid antigen tests prior to a family reunion and attention to adhering to isolation and quarantine guidelines will help. But of course almost half of my immediate family has been infected (none seriously) in the last week despite these precautions, so I am perhaps not one to talk!

If children are to be included in a family gathering where the adults are fully vaccinated, but the children are not vaccinated or only partially vaccinated, should masks be worn? If so, by whomadults, children, or both?

Well, as with a lot of things, it depends. Children who are under five (and therefore not able yet to be vaccinated) can be a source of infection. This is much less likely if they are not yet in day care or school, where they are exposed to non-family members. If children are exposed, the CDC recommendation is for children older than two to wear masks indoors at the family gathering, whereas the adults would not need to. I am sure you share with me the hope that soon we will be able to protect our youngest with the COVID-19 vaccine.

Is it safe for fully vaccinated and boosted adults (grandparents) to visit with grandchildren who are too young to receive the vaccine?

Mary Anns and my favorite activity is visiting our granddaughters in Tampa! Arent they the greatest! Like you, we are vaccinated and boosted. As added safeguards we get tested for COVID-19 the day prior to our visit, and we would delay a visit if exposed to someone with COVID-19 (until completing a five day quarantine).
If you think things couldnt get much worse with the continued snowstorm-related power outages and freezing temperatures, Central Virginias winter weather would like you to hold its drink and watch.

The National Weather Service on Thursday advised area residents to prepare for another two to four inches of snowfall beginning around 6 p.m. and lasting into early Friday morning as nature pulls a repeat of the events that dropped up to a foot of snow on Monday and sent trees, powerlines and power poles crashing to the ground.

That snow will be followed by Canadas gift of frigid air settling in over the region Friday, dropping temperatures after the snowfall into the teens and plummeting to single digits by Saturday morning.

A cold front will stall to the south today and low pressure will track along the boundary, passing by to our south tonight and that results in a period of snow, meteorologists said on the weather service website. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

Meteorologists said the heaviest snow is expected overnight with heavy bursts of snow that could reduce visibility to less than a half-mile.

Predictions are that the system will move much quicker through the region, limiting how much snow will fall. However, snowfalls could match Mondays storm in intensity. There is also a chance some areas could see significantly higher amounts of snowfall, depending on how the conditions play out.

There is still some uncertainty as to exactly where this will setup and exactly how strong it will be, meteorologists said. Either way, with cold temperatures in place and accumulating snow, conditions will deteriorate once precipitation begins. Even though it is a short duration event, snowfall rates could be around one inch per hour.

Considering how many motorists were trapped by Mondays storm, the Virginia State Police are recommending people stay home and, if possible, work remotely.

With the National Weather Service calling for another significant round of winter weather making its way across Virginia, the Virginia State Police are encouraging Virginians to be weather aware, to plan ahead and to avoid traveling during inclement conditions, said Corinne Geller, state police spokeswoman.

Geller said Mondays weather, which carried over to Tuesday, resulted in state police responding to 1,220 traffic crashes and 1,414 disabled or stuck vehicles statewide. That does not include crashes covered by local law enforcement officers.

There were no weather-related traffic deaths reported during that time period, including the Interstate 95 incident near Fredericksburg, Geller said.

State police will be out in force.

Back-to-back storms are nothing new for the state police or Virginia, said Major R.C. Maxey, Jr., state police deputy director of operations. [We are] prepared for this latest round of winter weather. We will have all available troopers on patrol in order to respond as quickly as possible to traffic crashes, emergencies, and disabled motorists. We will extend shifts, call out additional troopers, and redirect resources when and where needed, just as we did earlier this week.

In the meantime, electric utility crews are investigating thousands of individual power outages that have left an estimated 16,000 Albemarle County customers of Dominion Energy still without power and about 700 without electricity in Charlottesville, according to the utility companys website.

An estimated 32,000 Dominion customers are still without power across the region along with another 4,500 from Central Virginia Electric Cooperative and 1,300 from Rappahannock Electric Cooperative.

The numbers fluctuate as some circuits are turned on only to meet with undiscovered damage that results in the power going back off until another repair can be made.

The utilities have brought in reinforcement repair crews from other states, many of whom are parking and staging trucks at Piedmont Virginia Community College.

School officials on Thursday asked people not involved with electric repairs to avoid the area.

PVCC is asking for the safety of everyone involved that joggers, sleigh riders, walkers and dog walkers, etc., please hold off on visiting the college for such activities until further notice, officials wrote in a statement.

The campus lots at PVCC are being used as an operations and holding location for over 200 utility service provider vehicles. For the safety of those in the community and to help the utility service workers be able to do their jobs with minimal additional obstacles, the college is sharing this request.

The request does not include PVCC students who may come to the campus during regular hours of operation or employees who are working.

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Facing record COVID-19 hospitalizations and a surge in cases, Sentara Healthcare is postponing non-emergency surgeries and procedures at its hospitals along with diagnostic testing, starting Jan. 10, according to a Friday announcement.

Sentara hospitals are currently treating more COVID-19 patients than ever before, the company said in a news release. The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Sentara facilities more than doubled within the week and more than quadrupled within the last month.

Sentara owns Albemarle County-based Martha Jefferson Hospital. The local hospital has seen an increasing number of patients with COVID-19, up to 33 on Friday, which is about one-fifth of its hospital patients, according to a Sentara dashboard.

Officials with the University of Virginia Medical Center said Friday that they have about 82 COVID-19 patients. As of Wednesday, UVa was averaging about 12 new hospitalizations over a seven-day period, a record high.

Yet, UVa is not restricting elective procedures, officials said Friday. Because UVa utilizes a recently constructed and completed multi-story portion of the hospital for COVID care, the hospital is able to expand and contract COVID units as needed.

We are feeling the same thing that everywhere in the state is feeling, which is the increasing number of COVID admissions, said Dr. Reid Adams, chief medical officer for UVa Medical Center. Weve been able to open additional COVID units to accommodate those patients. So far weve been able to keep up with the volume.

So far this month, the Blue Ridge Health District has reported 56 new hospitalizations and 2,260 new cases. Both of those figures are significantly higher than usual this early into the month as holiday gatherings and more transmissible variants fuel the surge.

Statewide, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association reported that 3,329 people were currently hospitalized due to COVID-19, which was a record. Sentara said that the majority of those in its hospital for COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

Sentara and UVa encouraged community members to get vaccinated and boosted, if eligible. Those affected by the pause also should stay in touch with their physicians.

Sentara said in its news release that current surge is stretching employees to their capacity. All affected procedures, surgeries and diagnostic testing will be moved to a later date after the current surge has passed. The pause will allow hospitals to reassign staff to other areas.

The current strain on all healthcare facilities is undeniable. We must balance the urgent need to care for large numbers of COVID-19 patients with what is being asked of our dedicated staff, said Mike Gentry, Sentara Healthcare Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. We cannot care for our community without first supporting our team members as they so expertly manage this large number of patients.

Earlier this week, Sentara Healthcare and other Virginia hospitals encouraged community members to only visit the emergency department if experiencing an emergency or worsening COVID-19 symptoms.

Those who have been exposed to COVID-19 should not go to the emergency department for a COVID-19 test, according to the release.

Wendy Horton, chief executive officer for UVa Health, Horton said patients with symptoms of serious COVID, heart, stroke or other issues are still encouraged to seek needed treatment. Doctors said people with high fevers or difficulty breathing should seek treatment either at a doctors office or at the hospital.

We want people who really are sick to come to the emergency department to get that care, but from a COVID testing perspective, were really encouraging people not to come to the emergency department, Horton said.

Getting tested can be difficult. Over-the-counter rapid tests are in short supply and local testing events have been packed with hours-long waits.

Officials recommend finding test kits and keeping them available at home, if possible.

With a little bit of persistence, you can get the rapid antigen at-home tests like those found at local drug stores, said Dr. Bill Petri, chief of the UVas division of infectious diseases. It probably entails going back to a store and making several trips until they come in.

Petri said having the tests at home will allow people to test for omicron, the symptoms of which can range from sneezing or a stuffy nose to fever and shortness of breath.

Rapid tests can take several days to show positive, so its best to test over several days to make sure youre not infected, he said.

Bryan McKenzie contributed to this report.

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Oregon State University made the right call by requiring that its students and employees get coronavirus booster shots as soon as they are eligible.

The decision not only acts in the best interest of public health during a global pandemic, but gives the institution the best chance to continue to offer in-person instruction, which is critical. More on that in a bit.

The Oregon University System as a whole has required the initial COVID-19 vaccinations or a valid exemption. But as its public schools returned for in-person instruction this winter term, not all of them have the booster requirement.

So, to be clear, OSU is going above and beyond standard practices for the greater community and for other places of higher learning in Oregon. (For those keeping score in the rivalry, the University of Oregon also is requiring boosters.)

Holding in-person instruction with the booster requirement  and with a strict stance on mask-wearing in classrooms and indoor public locations  seems like the best move at this time for OSU. Becky Johnson, OSUs interim president, said in a statement that classrooms with masked and vaxxed college students havent been a significant source of community spread.

And if students balk at the vaccine or booster requirements in Corvallis, there are other higher education options available to them.

We realize that the situation could change rapidly with the novel coronavirus, of course. But thankfully, the omicron variant, while highly contagious, seems to cause mild symptoms, especially for the vaccinated and boosted. And, thankfully, most Benton County residents believe in science and are either boosted or working to get that additional shot.

According to April Holland, Benton County Public Health deputy director, the booster in particular reduces the risk of transmission and severe symptoms with the new strain of the coronavirus.

Holland also warned during a recent Benton County Board of Commissioners meeting that hospitals are preparing for a surge of COVID-19 patients in late January. If that materializes, or even before it occurs, OSU may change course.

Hopefully neither will happen.

The return of large vaccination clinics in both Linn and Benton counties seems like a great hedge against a surge of hospitalizations, as theyll give residents the chance to get their first shots or their boosters.

Its important to note that the virus continues to mutate because not enough people are getting vaccinated and boosted, so make sure you do your small part to get the jab and help protect the health of yourself, your family and your community.

We also hope college classrooms and even lecture halls stay open because thats simply a far superior option for students.

One of the interesting shifts during the COVID-19 era is the growing consensus on the importance of classroom learning.

Our editorial board has always championed public health as the top priority during the pandemic, and while that remains true, our position on in-person instruction has evolved in the last two years or so.

Thats only natural when reporters repeatedly talk with parents whose children suffered with remote learning, or those who missed out on aspects of the college experience.

At the K-12 level, students are falling behind with their grades, and some kids are showing a lack of maturity for their age, or, even worse, developing mental health issues due to isolation, stress and other factors.

Some students thrived with remote classes, and perhaps you know them or would have been one of them back in the day. But, overall, for our children, the global pandemic has been a disaster whose magnitude cant be adequately measured. And lets be honest, our K-12 state school system also isnt particularly interested in measuring the problem right now, either, as weve previously discussed.

The impacts of in-person learning extend to higher education to a significant degree, but theres also the simple truth that students attending universities are exposed to a diverse range of people and viewpoints. Young adults probably learn more outside of the classroom while on campus.

Shutting down classrooms and moving to remote learning again should be a last resort for OSU when the COVID-19 pandemic cant be managed by other methods. Lets hope it doesnt come to that.
Tina Kotek has announced she will yield the speakership of the Oregon House after a record nine years, as well as the House seat she has held since 2007, before her term officially ends.

The Democrat from Portland said Thursday that Jan. 21 will be her final day in office.

She has already filed for the Democratic nomination for governor in the May 17 primary. Democratic incumbent Kate Brown is barred by term limits from running again, and more than two dozen candidates have filed from the Democratic and Republican parties so far.

Kotek will not preside or even sit in the House during the 2022 session, which starts Feb. 1 and is scheduled to run 35 days.

Her statement in part:

"After considerable reflection, I have decided to step down from the Legislature before the upcoming session. I have spent the past few months working hard with my colleagues to set a session agenda that includes essential investments in the services Oregonians need and paves a path forward on important issues for workers, our natural resources, and economic growth. I have faith in my colleagues to get everything over the finish line next month."

A House rule also bars members from raising campaign funds during a session.

Kotek's announcement followed a text the previous day by Senate President Peter Courtney to Senate Democrats that he will retire from the Legislature after his term ends. The Salem Democrat, however, will stay until his elected successor takes office Jan. 9, 2023. He will have been in the Oregon Legislature a record 38 years.

Courtney and Kotek have not always seen eye to eye, but Courtney praised her service in a statement:

"Tina will always be a historic figure in the Legislature. To be speaker for 10 years in the House is extremely difficult. She is very good at many things. She is excellent with budgets. She is an advocate in many ways before anything else. She has been very involved in housing, homelessness, and criminal justice reform. Tina has served the state well during a challenging time in Oregon's history. I thank her for her years of service."

The House speaker and Senate president play influential roles in Oregon's lawmaking process. They appoint the members and leaders of committees, where most of the Oregon Legislature's detailed work is done, and assign bills to committees. Unlike in other states, the Oregon Legislature does not amend bills when they are up for votes in their chambers.

Although they are chosen by their chambers, the presiding officer is usually the nominee of the chamber's majority party. The most recent Senate president chosen by a coalition of members from both parties was back in 1971.

Question of succession

It was unclear who Kotek's successor as speaker will be for the rest of the year.

Next in line as speaker pro tempore is Paul Holvey of Eugene, a Democrat who has been in the House since his initial appointment in 2004. He is a retired representative for the Carpenters Union.

But for the past four decades, with exceptions here and there, the party leader is the one who has advanced to being the presiding officer in House and Senate. The current majority leader is Rep. Barbara Smith Warner of Portland.

Rep. Janelle Bynum of Clackamas, who is Black, had planned to challenge Kotek for the speakership a year ago. But she withdrew her bid after Kotek gave assurances for a bigger role by members of color, who now number nine of the 37 Democrats. Bynum has said she would like to make another try for it.

Kotek, 55, was elected to the House from District 44 in North and Northeast Portland in 2006. She made a previous bid for the House from an adjoining district. She was previously a lobbyist for the Oregon Food Bank and Children First for Oregon.

Before she became House speaker in 2013  the first lesbian to lead a legislative chamber in the nation  Kotek co-led the human services budget subcommittee in 2009 and 2011. After the 2011 regular session, which was tied 30-30, she replaced Dave Hunt as the House Democratic leader. Democrats elevated her to speaker after they gained four seats for a majority in 2012.

Rare midterm change

In the past half century, only a couple of presiding officers have stepped down before the end of their two-year tenures  the legislative cycle is two years  and they were late in their tenures.

In 2002, Republican Gene Derfler of Salem stepped down as Senate president after he accepted an appointment by then-Gov. John Kitzhaber to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. The next person in line was Republican Sen. Tom Hartung of Cedar Mill, who served one month and did not the opportunity to preside over the Senate or co-lead the Emergency Board, the group of lawmakers who decide budget matters between sessions of the full Legislature. Hartung also was leaving the Senate after two elected terms. Courtney became president two days into the 2003 session, when the Senate was tied 15-15.

In 2009, Democrat Jeff Merkley of Portland left the House speakership early after he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008. The next in line was Democrat Diane Rosenbaum of Portland, who served one week as speaker before Dave Hunt took over for the 2009 session. She had already been elected to the Senate, where she became majority leader in 2011 and president pro tempore after the 2015 session.

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The vast majority of coronavirus vaccines being administered at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center are booster shots, county health officials said.

So far, they estimate that about 500 to 600 doses have been given out since the clinics returned Tuesday, Jan. 4. The clinics run over the next two weeks, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, inside the Santiam Building.

Its been steady, Linn County Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Neva Anderson said. Its obviously not crowded, but its been good that people can just walk in without an appointment.

This week marks the first time since June that mass vaccination clinics have been offered in Linn County. Officials have urged the use of boosters to help mute the effects of the surge in caseloads contributed by the omicron variant.

While mass clinics wound down last year, smaller vaccine clinics held in communities throughout Linn and Benton counties have persisted during the pandemic, including mobile vaccine efforts overseen by public health departments with help from local health care partners.

The use of third dose boosters  or second doses of Pfizer or Moderna for those who initially received a single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine  has been approved following studies cited by such national public health agencies as the Centers for Disease Control which show waning immunity over time for those who initially completed their vaccine series.

Some who received boosters on Thursday said that they were specifically concerned about decreased protection against the coronavirus from their initial vaccine series.

I looked at the numbers of effectiveness and thought, Lets bring those up a bit, said Alex Goth, 22, who went in for third-dose Pfizer boosters with his fiancee Megan Jones, 21.

The Albany couple plans to be married in September and said they hope the pandemic isnt still complicating large gatherings by that time.

I want to be able to protect myself and my family, Jones said. I dont want anyone to get COVID.

Mass vaccination sites have been made possible because of the time and skills donated by many volunteers. Retired registered nurse Carol Gresham was manning one of the shot stations and utilizing her 30-plus years of experience to provide a bubbly atmosphere while she doled out shots.

She danced and bobbed to music being played over the speakers at the fairgrounds, and shed blown up a disposable Latex glove like it was balloon animal that resembled an elephant.

When I worked in the hospital, Id fill these up with water and freeze them so that the little kids would have an elephant sitting on them whenever they needed an ice pack, she said.

No pediatric vaccines are available at the Linn County clinic, though a pediatric clinic is planned for Monday, Jan. 10 at the Albany Fire Station 11 in downtown Albany. It will run from 3 to 7 p.m. and will only be for children ages 5 to 11. Benton County has several pediatric clinics planned at areas schools and recipients need not be residents of Benton County  or even Oregon.

Boosters are not yet approved for children under 12, and the Oregon Health Authority has yet to approve them for 12- to 15-year-olds, a step that the CDC took this week.

Hopefully by early next week well have that approval and can start doing those, too, Anderson said.

While mass vaccination clinics have not returned to Benton County, there are a number of community vaccination events planned, particularly in rural areas. Folks can also still secure vaccines at their doctors office or at local pharmacies.

The simplest way to find the closest vaccines is to look online at the Oregon Health Authority website at www.getvaccinated.oregon.gov. You can also check with local public health departments either online or by calling in. The Benton County vaccine information hotline is 541-766-6120. Linn Countys website encourages people to email questions to lccovidvaccine@co.linn.or.us.

According to the latest figures from the OHA, 54.2% of the population has been fully vaccinated in Linn County. Benton County has vaccinated over 70% of its total population. A little more than 21% of those in Linn County have received a booster dose, compared to 35% in Benton.

Data from OHA can lag behind updated counts by a week or more.

Officials said that, while vaccinations remain effective at preventing serious illness caused by the disease, its also especially important to adhere to proper social distancing guidelines to flatten the curve of omicron cases.

We still encourage folks to still wear masks and be safe as we embark upon this variant, Anderson said.

Troy Shinn covers healthcare, natural resources and Linn County government. He can be reached at 541-812-6114 or troy.shinn@lee.net. He can be found on Twitter at @troydshinn.

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Officials have found no other cases of Candida auris, the rare fungal infection first detected in Oregon last week in three patients at Salem Health.

An investigation by the Oregon Health Authority included testing and surveillance of patients at the Salem hospital and those who had been transferred to other facilities. To date, no other infections have been found, OHA announced on Thursday, Jan. 6.

We are happy to report that as of Jan. 4, the total number of patients in whom Candida auris has been detected remains at three, Dr. Dat Tran, medical director for the Healthcare-Associated Infections Program, said in a statement. His program oversaw the testing.

The program will continue to work with Salem Health and the regional laboratory, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to further monitor and increase the level of certainty that there has been no further infection.

The three cases discovered in Salem were the first three ever detected in Oregon. Since 2013, there have been more than 1,150 cases of Candida auris discovered in the United States.

Candida auris is a type of yeast that can cause severe illness, particularly in those suffering from other serious illnesses or conditions. The risk of Candida auris infection in otherwise healthy people is extremely low.

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The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) of the Bahamas has floated the possibility of introducing a third player to the market this year in its proposed Annual Plan for 2022.

The advent of 5G is also firmly on the regulators agenda for 2022, with URCA noting that The National Public Consultation will be guided by the specific demand for 5G services in the Bahamas and the different roles/types of 5G services in relation to the current 4G/LTE mobile services.

Through the public consultation, the regulator is aiming to identify potential use cases for 5G across the government, enterprise and consumer sectors, as well which regions of the Bahamas show the most demand  and need  for 5G. Additionally, URCA is looking to establish how much investment in infrastructure will be required to facilitate 5G services.

TeleGeography reports that URCA is in the process of conducting a review of the market to assess the viability of a third market player. Once it has concluded this, the regulator will provide its policy recommendations to the government on the matter.
Dubai Internet City has announced a deal with Khazna Data Centres to establish two state-of-the-art facilities to further support enterprises of all sizes by enabling the integration of technology across all business functions.

Details about the new data centers  including specifications, timelines, or location information  were not shared, but the facilities are likely to be located near DICs hub close to Dubais Palm Jumeirah artificial island.

The services will feature data centre pods designed by Khazna, which allow the rapid scaling of operations when required, offering partners long-term growth benefits, the companies said. Businesses involved in 5G, smart city projects, and cloud computing can also leverage the technology.

"The governments ambition of transforming the UAE into a smart country necessitates the deployment of secure cloud infrastructure and data storage across all industries, from government and residential services to healthcare and manufacturing. Combined with many businesses adopting hybrid work models on the heels of the global pandemic, the volume of digital data has increased significantly in recent years," said a press release.

Building data centres and enhancing the overall technological infrastructure plays a key role in providing an investment-friendly environment," said Ammar Al Malik, managing director of Dubai Internet City. "This agreement marks the next chapter in our commitment to supporting widespread digital transformation to increase our economic competitiveness globally well into the future," he said.

Hassan Al Naqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centres, said, The partnership between Khazna and Dubai Internet City will further support the UAEs digital ecosystem, with technology businesses such as cloud computing operators able to achieve the level of connectivity they need to more effectively deliver services to partners, customers, and employees."
Bahrain-based telecom services company Batelco recently debuted its eCommerce platform, Batelco eSuite, in a move to help merchants create online stores in a few steps.

The programme powered by Hoodly, a multi-channel commerce ecosystem, aids in signing up a website, listing items with photos, prices, and quantities, and preparing to start sales, without any paperwork or set-up fees.

According to a press release, merchants dont need to hire developers to set up the store, the platform is user-friendly and provides clear instructions. The online store is mobile optimized, meaning customers will have a consistent shopping experience whether theyre using a browser on their laptop or their mobiles.

We at Batelco pay great attention to the SME segment as it is an important pillar in Bahrains economy. We proactively deliver solutions that support SME growth, helping them to operate more efficiently. Earlier this year, we launched Business in a Box, a package that offers a full set of technology tools for SMEs, and now to complement our growing portfolio, were offering a solution that allows merchants to sell online. Batelco eSuite provides a fully customizable solution, with localized payment methods, commented Abdulla Danish, Batelcos A/General Manager Enterprise.

Merchants can manage their accounts through a user-friendly dashboard with bi-lingual store administration. "Other interesting features include managing inventory for each product, setting up your own domain name, a built-in tax tool to make compliance simple, and much more. Shoppers browsing products on the online store will find local payment methods fBahrain-basedased providers, such as Tap payments, allowing a seamless payment and delivery experience for users," the release said.

Hoodlys co-founder Sebastian Wussler said, We are pleased to announce our strategic partnership with Batelco. Hoodly will be fully integrated with Batelcos digital business services and be distributed exclusively through Batelco in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Together we enable entrepreneurs and SMEs to get their business online easily and in less than five minutes.

Batelco is offering a full-featured, three-month free trial period.
Saudi Arabias stc pay, the digital payment provider service of telecommunications company stc, has launched Qattah, which it describes as an integrated service which will allow customers to easily share and track expenses with multiple people, removing the stress from splitting bills.

Through the application users will be able to equally divide the amount to be collected by specifying a percentage for each person, or by allocating the amount paid by each person separately.

The new in-app feature can be found in the list of main services. It allows users to create groups with relatives or friends with the purpose of buying a joint gift or splitting a bill. The Qattah amounts will be automatically processed via the application, providing seamless and contactless transactions in line with the kingdoms aim of creating a cashless society.

This new, convenient, digital way of sharing expenses is, stc pay says, in line with the goals of Vision 2030, which aims to increase digital financial transactions in Saudi Arabia to 70 percent by 2030.

Saudi Vision 2030 is a strategic framework to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism.

stc pay says it seeks to build a distinguished mobile digital banking experience for its customers, the number of which it estimates at more than 7.4 million.
Chinas state news agency Xinhua has reported that all of the nations administrative villages received broadband connectivity before the end of November 2021.

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) senior official Xie Cun described the milestone has a historic achievement in solving the communication difficulties in poor areas that would provide solid internet support for Chinas rural vitalisation and modernisation.

Chinas Finance Ministry noted that since 2015, the government has invested over CNY22 billion (US$3.45 billion) in strengthening remote and rural communications. TeleGeography reports that the Chinese Communist Party will continue promoting digital development of rural regions by providing financial backing to infrastructure initiatives.
On my way to the airport at four oclock in the morning, I was considering my choice of flight departure time. I did this to myself last weekend when I flew to Dallas. I scheduled myself on super early flights. I was getting up at three oclock in the morning. For me, thats a bedtime, not a
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has updated isolation guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for students, faculty, and staff in K-12 schools.

The CDC clarified a question posed by the ADPH and other states which confirmed the shortened COVID-19 isolation time did apply to schools.

Shorter isolation, which focuses on when a person is most infectious, is now a minimum of five days for asymptomatic and mildly-ill people followed by continued masking for an additional five days.

According to a press release from the ADPH, it is critical that people continue to wear well-fitting masks and take additional precautions for those five days following the shorter isolation period. If a person is unable to wear a mask around others, the CDC recommends continuing isolation for 10 days.

Isolation should end when other symptoms have resolved and a person has been fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication.

The CDC states that wearing masks, receiving all recommended vaccinations and booster doses, social distancing, screening tests, and improving ventilation are all important factors in the prevention of COVID-19 transmission.

As pediatricians, we understand the extreme stress this pandemic is placing on families, said District Medical Officer Dr. Wes Stubblefield. Our best medical advice is for parents to vaccinate their age-eligible children in order to protect their childrens health and keep kids in school.

One school district in the Wiregrass, Ozark City Schools, has enforced a mask mandate for students and staff after seeing a significant increase in local COVID-19 cases.

Colleges are also monitoring recommendations from the ADPH and CDC when considering guidelines for the spring semester.

Wallace Community College Dothan (WCCD) is following new health protocols for its 2022 spring semesters health and safety plan based on information and recommendations from the ADPH and CDC and requires all individuals at all college sites to wear masks while indoors effective this past Tuesday.

The college-wide mask requirement will remain in place until pandemic trends allow the college to end it.

Dual enrollment students will follow the mask policy of the high school or center in which they are taking Wallace classes.

The current COVID-19 numbers in the colleges service area require the need for more stringent health and safety protocols in an effort to protect the health of college employees and students and still offer a wide range of instructional options, according to a WCC release.

Enterprise State Community College continues its fall semester guidelines, which required students and faculty to wear masks and practice social distancing while inside all buildings of both the Enterprise and Ozark campuses.

Additionally, Auburn University and the University of Alabama are requiring individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks in all buildings and transportation vehicles at all college campuses of the two institutions.

ADPH expects CDC to formally update additional guidance for COVID-19 prevention in schools and will provide the information when it becomes available.
Alabama is now home to one of the highest COVID-19 positivity rates in the nation, due to a surge in cases as the omicron variant spreads rapidly, but one expert says the state hasnt yet hit its peak.

Data from the Alabama Department of Public Health shows 41% of tests performed over the last seven days have come back positive. Before Christmas that number had never risen above 25%, and in mid-Novemberless than two months agoit was below 5%.

Dr. Suzanne Judd, the director of the University of Alabama at Birminghams Lister Hill Center for Health Policy and a professor at UABs School of Public Health, said Alabama likely wont see a peak in the surge until later this month. Its going to be mid January to late January before we hit that peak, she said.

Judd said, If we stay on the path that South Africa was on, the path that New York City has been on, were looking at a peak thats more like January 20th. She said the state will likely continue to see a record-shattering rise in cases.

The Birmingham-Jefferson county area, were experiencing much more rapid growth than the rest of the state and the rest of the state will start to catch up. Youre already kind of seeing Mobile tracking more like Jefferson County. Omicrons interesting. It seems to hit the urban areas first. It seems to hit cities, but thats likely because people live in such close proximity to each other.

Judd said data has shown that omicron is a milder strain of the novel coronavirus. Omicron is really starting to look like a version of coronavirus that does not put people in the hospital, which is a really promising sign, she said. The issue is, Judd explained, that omicron is much more contagious than previous variants. That contagiousness level means that many more people will be infected and even though a smaller percentage of those people will be hospitalized or require serious care, that can still equal the same amount of people being hospitalized as before.

Im just working on some models to try to forecast how many people will wind up in the hospital. It does look like omicron will peak very similarly to Delta at about 3,000-ish hospitalizations if it stays on the current track that its on. So probably number wise, were going to wind up with the same number of people in the hospital. But, again, there will be millions more sick than what were sick with previous versions of (COVID).
Containers seen at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City, December 24, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen

The worlds largest trade pact RCEP will boost Vietnams trade in the long run as the country becomes part of a bigger supply chain, experts say.

With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) coming into effect on January 1, Thuan Phuoc Seafoods and Trading Corp in Da Nang City will focus its business on two members of the pact this year  China and Japan, said CEO Tran Van Linh.

He said told local media that the RCEP will help fisheries companies extract greater advantages from these two markets and encourage them to develop a sustainable industry with a larger production scale that plays by international rules.

The mega trade agreement has been signed by 15 countries which collectively cover about one-third of the worlds population, allows businesses to enjoy up to 92 percent in terms of tariff reduction.

The RCEP includes 10 ASEAN country members and five trading partners: China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

It forms a market of 2.2 billion consumers, which is the largest free trade area in the world.

Agriculture exporters are also excited about the deal as it could help them send more fruits abroad, said Nguyen Dinh Tung, CEO of fruit exporter Vina T&T.

China, for example, is set to officially import more fruits from Vietnam including durian, passion fruit, grapefruit, avocado and star apple, he said.

At $668 billion last year, up 22.6 percent from 2020, Vietnam remains one of the most trade dependent countries in the world; and the RCEP could provide new momentum for post-pandemic economic recovery, seminar participants agreed.

Vietnam could see exports rise as most of its input materials are sourced from RCEP countries, said Nguyen Thi Quynh Nga, deputy head of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Instead of signing a free trade agreement with 14 other countries, RCEP applies the same set of regulations to all members, she noted.

Deputy Minister of Trade Tran Quoc Khanh said that import tariffs to Vietnam in 14 other countries are already lower than their commitments in the RCEP, and therefore the trade pact wont have much short-term benefits.

But in the long run, the deal could form a new supply chain in the region with Vietnam as a part of it. That is when Vietnam will see exports rise, he said.

Seafood is set to be among the major gainers, as most RCEP countries (except South Korea) have agreed to slash seafood tariffs to zero as soon as the trade pact took effect.

At present, RCEP countries account for 52 percent of Vietnams exports.

Le Hang, deputy director of training center VASEP.PRO under the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said that the trade pact allows Vietnam to import raw ingredients from ASEAN countries and export to the five partner signatories. It can even process ingredients for companies in the five countries, she added.

Vo Tri Thanh, head of the Institute For Brand and Competitiveness Strategy, said several industries including garment, footwear, wood, services and manufacturing will also benefit from the trade pact.

Likely challenges

But several speakers also expressed concerns about the competition and trade rules that Vietnamese businesses can face as part of the RCEP.

The pact will increase competition for Vietnamese goods as many signatories have similar products with higher added value, said Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, director of the Center For WTO and International Trade under Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

China, with a variety of affordable and low-priced products, will pose challenges to Vietnams agriculture and fisheries firms, she said.

The best way for Vietnamese businesses to survive is to invest in increasing their competitiveness, she added.

Lawyer Bui Van Thanh, member of the Vietnam International Arbitration Center (VIAC), warned of possible conflicts over origin frauds, such as faking "made in Vietnam" labels, which was already happening under other trade pacts.
Democratic values and human rights are under threat around the world. Human rights defenders, members of civil society groups, journalists, and ordinary people seeking to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly face threats of violent repression from authoritarian leaders.

Allowing this activity to continue unchallenged not only abandons victims of human rights abuses, but also poses a direct threat to the national security of the United States. Countries with repressive political regimes are often unstable over the long term, and they export instability regionally and worldwide. These regimes are often a threat to the peace and security of other nations. Standing up for human rights is not only consistent with American values but also supports stability and prosperity.

Thats why the Department of the Treasury, in consultation with the State Department, designated two senior Syrian Air Force officers involved in the killing of civilians in chemical weapons attacks and three senior officers in Syrias repressive security and intelligence apparatus. The organizations they are associated with have imprisoned hundreds of thousands of Syrians, including those who peacefully called for change. Moreover, human rights organizations reported that at least 14,000 prisoners in Syria have died as a result of torture. These designations are another critical step in promoting accountability for the Assad regimes abuse against Syrians.

Additionally, the Department of the Treasury sanctioned seven Iranian individuals and two law enforcement entities in connection with their roles in the violent suppression of protests in November 2019. The Treasury Department also announced sanctions against the commander of the Ugandan Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) Major General Abel Kandiho in connection with serious human rights abuse.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement hailed these designations, which include individuals previously sanctioned by the European Union, for bringing the United States into closer alignment with allies, reflecting our shared commitment to promoting democracy and respect for human rights.

The United States is committed to promoting democracy and accountability for those who abuse human rights around the world. Secretary Blinken said, We will continue to stand in solidarity with the people of these countries and others where abuses and violations of human rights continue to occur.
Hong Kong, a city that once enjoyed some of the freest media in Asia, is being deprived of its last independent journalism voices. Most recently, Citizen News, a small online news site in Hong Kong known for its in-depth coverage of courts and local politics, ceased operations on January 3. The chief editor cited concern over the increasing number of arrests of independent journalists and editors in Hong Kong.

On December 29, Hong Kong authorities raided and arrested seven senior staff at Stand News, forcing yet another of the few remaining bastions of free and independent media to cease operations. The seven were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to publish seditious material, according to the police.

In June, Apple Daily, one of Hong Kongs best-known pro-democracy newspapers, was forced to close after repeated police raids of its newsroom and the arrests of several editors and its founder, Jimmy Lai. Mr. Lai was recently charged with a new accusation of sedition related to the newspaper, as were six other former employees. Mr. Lai had already been sentenced to 20 months in prison for his support of the pro-democracy movement. He now faces up to life in prison with the additional charges.

Hong Kong returned to Peoples Republic of China, or PRC, rule in 1997 with the promise that individual rights, and a free press, would be protected. But Beijing has steadily eroded these freedoms since imposing a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020.

In a written statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared, Journalism is not sedition. He called on the PRC and Hong Kong authorities to cease targeting Hong Kongs free and independent media and to immediately release those journalists and media executives who have been unjustly detained and charged.

Freedom of expression, including media freedom, and access to information provided by an independent media are critical to prosperous and secure societies, said Secretary Blinken. These freedoms enabled Hong Kong to flourish as a global center for finance, trade, education, and culture. By silencing independent media, PRC and local authorities undermine Hong Kongs credibility and viability. A confident government that is unafraid of the truth embraces a free press.
The United States and its allies and partners are looking forward to a series of meetings that could help defuse the crisis in Ukraine, caused by Russias buildup of nearly a hundred thousand Russian soldiers near Ukraine's border.

The most recent and high-level diplomatic efforts start on January 10 with the bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue between the United States and Russia, followed by a NATO-Russia Council meeting on January 12 and a Permanent Council meeting at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on January 13.

During a recent phone call with Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President Joe Biden warned that the U.S. and its allies and partners will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine, according to a White House statement. Both leaders also expressed support for the upcoming diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions.

At a recent press briefing, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that the United States and its allies and partners are unified when it comes to Russias aggression toward Ukraine. We are unified as a NATO Alliance on the consequences Russia would face if it moves on Ukraine, but were also unified in our willingness to engage in principled diplomacy with Russia, he said.

Mr. Price added that when the United States sits down with Russia at these meetings, We will always adhere to the principle of nothing about our allies and partners without our allies and partners, nothing about them without them.

He pointed out that in recent weeks and months the United States has vigorously consulted with a variety of stakeholders concerning Russias aggressive actions and rhetoric, including Ukraine, NATO, the EU, and European partners in Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, among others. The United States is joined at the hip with our NATO Allies, with our Ukrainian partners, and with our broader European allies and partners as well, he said.

Our charge in all of this is to determine where there may be some potential for dialogue and discussion [with Russia], Spokesperson Price declared. There will be areas where we can make progress, areas Im sure where we will disagree. Thats what diplomacy is about, and, as we have consistently maintained, we believe that open lines of dialogue, open lines of diplomacy have the potential to be constructive as we seek to de-escalate the potential for conflict in and around Ukraine.
Christine Keener will be appointed chief operating officer of Barricks North American region, the company announced Jan. 6. Keener will begin her new role at Barrick in February.

Keener was formerly vice president of Europe and North America operations for Alcoa. Before that she worked as a certified public accountant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. She holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Grove City College.

Barrick President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow said Keener had a 21-year record of improving results in each of her roles at Alcoa.

She has a deep commitment to business outcomes and is highly focused on delivery, Bristow said. Ms. Keener is able to find opportunities for improvement and then to implement them with great determination. She will be a very valuable addition to our executive team.

Catherine Raw, who has been chief operating officer of Barricks North American region since 2019, left the company on Dec. 31. Raw joined Barrick as executive vice president for business performance in 2015. She was promoted to chief financial officer the next year. In 2019, after Bristow became CEO of Barrick, Raw became COO of North America. She worked with Bristow as Barrick and Newmont Corp. formed the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture.

Raw told the Globe and Mail that she left Barrick for personal reasons.

Sprott Inc. announced that Catherine Raw and Barbara Connolly Keady were appointed to the companys board of directors effective Jan. 1. Sprott Inc. is a precious metal and real asset investment firm founded by Eric Sprott in 1981.

Raw wrote on LinkedIn that her time at Barrick has been a remarkable journey, both personally and professionally. In my six-plus years Barrick has transformed and Im proud to have been part of that story. I am grateful to all those I have worked with and I wish them and Barrick every continued success.

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ELKO  Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have more than doubled in Elko County over the past week, and all of the new cases over the past five days have been the omicron variant.

The county also reported its first death of 2022 on Thursday, a patient who had not been vaccinated.

Hospitalizations have been relatively stable in recent weeks but the Nevada Hospital Association on Wednesday said rural and southern Nevada hospitals are at crisis staffing levels.

Hospitals are still experiencing an exodus of clinical staff in the rural region as they leave for higher-paying traveling positions. This creates a shortage at several facilities based on staff retention and recruitment, as rural hospitals do not have the resources to match the hourly rates that traveling nurses can demand, the association reported.

Elko Countys active cases of COVID-19 currently total 164, up from 75 a week ago.

There are 79 active cases in Elko, 49 in Spring Creek and 12 tribal cases. West Wendover has nine cases, Wells has six, and there are four in Carlin. Two cases are institutional and one is in Jackpot.

The omicron variant is currently responsible for 67.2% of all Nevada cases, according to the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory.

Elko County has confirmed 9,510 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. A total of 35.04% of the population has been fully vaccinated.

Total cases statewide topped 500,000 on Wednesday. The states vaccination rate stands at 51.29%.

Elko Countys death toll related to COVID was 37 in 2020 and 88 in 2021. The overall total now stands at 126 Elko County residents.

Only 5% of the deaths in Elko County were people known to have been fully vaccinated.

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ELKO  The Elko County Jail is barely half full, but it isnt because fewer crimes are being committed.

Two main factors are driving low occupancy rates: the coronavirus pandemics and bail reforms following a Nevada Supreme Court decision.

The jail is averaging about 150 bookings a month, but many of them are book and release, according to Undersheriff Justin Ames and new Detention Lt. Adrienne Parry.

Our jail population over the last year has averaged probably 110, Ames said.

Parry said the jail can hold up to 212 inmates. An addition built in 2015 expanded the capacity from 120 beds. Prior to that, the jail population was often significantly over capacity.

When COVID-19 began spreading in rural Nevada the jail was one of the institutions to see a major impact on operations. In mid-October 2020, eight cases of COVID-19 were confirmed at the jail, with two staff members and six inmates infected. Within a week the number of cases had increased to 30.

The previous detention lieutenant implemented a medical policy and began screening everyone who came into the jail. New inmates are quarantined for five days and given temperature checks twice a day.

Then they have to have a negative test to go out to the general population, said Parry, who has worked for the sheriffs office in multiple positions over the past 20 years.

Other steps were taken to improve health and safety, including a reduction in incarcerations. That policy continues as the pandemic lingers on.

Well take book-and-releases but were not taking a lot of commitments, Parry said. Weve asked the courts to work with us and try and give them community service more than come to jail.

The other major factor in lower inmate numbers was a court case and subsequent legislation that drastically altered procedures for setting bail.

An April 2019 Nevada Supreme Court decision required lower courts to hold prompt, individualized bail hearings that take a defendants financial resources into consideration, as well as the risk of release.

The legal battle started after a man who was arrested for stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise in Las Vegas said he was unable to pay his $40,000 bail.

Nevada began implementing the new policies last year following legislative changes.

Basically it ranks anybody who gets arrested on this warning system, and it determines the crime they have committed, the flight risk and the risk to the public, Ames said.

Another change that went into effect on Oct. 1, 2021, prevents law enforcement agencies from arresting people on many misdemeanor charges. Instead, they are required to hand out citations.

That change hasnt had a big impact in Elko County so far. Only a handful of citations were issued by city police in the first two months, according to Lt. Mike Palhegyi. He said there are many exceptions to the rule that can still result in arrests.

Revolving doors

Law enforcement officials have been frustrated by the changes.

We keep bringing people in and then they get low on the scoring system  and right back out they go, Ames said.

With the new system there is little to deter people who commit property crimes from reoffending. The sheriffs office believes there have absolutely been an increase in such crimes as a result.

They know we cant hold em, Parry said. Most offenders are out within 48 hours or less.

The sheriffs office received calls for service on 523 property crimes in 2020, and was on track to surpass that number in 2021. Many of the thefts can be traced to drug addicts looking for ways to fund their habit.

Bail reforms have been in effect for more than a year now, but law enforcement agencies are still gauging the impact. As 2021 came to a close, Elko Police Chief Ty Trouten said It seems like weve had a pretty bad year for burglaries and thefts. Statistics wont be available for a few more weeks.

We catch a burglar or car burglar  and theyre out of jail almost as quick as we are, Trouten said.

Another legislative change that went into effect in 2020 reduces the chance of probationers being sent back to prison. Only certain offenses will result in their parole being revoked.

Other reforms by the Nevada Legislature have watered down criminal prosecutions, Trouten said.

Theyve reclassified a bunch of crimes, changed the parameters of what would send you to prison on a first offense versus a second or third offense now, he said.

Besides affecting jails, Elko District Judge Al Kacin said he believes the lower penalties make offenders less likely to apply for helpful programs such as Adult Drug Court.

While judges are often blamed issuing light sentences, Trouten said the Legislature has given them limited leeway based on each category of felony, with diversion to alternative sentences becoming more common.

The judges have a little bit of latitude on the bail hearings but when it comes to sentencings their hands are pretty much tied, he said.

And more changes keep coming.

Theres been a pretty steady push over the years to drop prison populations, Trouten said.

Jail populations nationwide began declining in 2009, according to The Sentencing Project. The number of inmates in jails and prisons declined 14% in 2020, reported the Vera Institute of Justice.

Its a trend Trouten doesnt see changing anytime soon.

If theres changes its going to have to be a push from the voters themselves, he said.

Jail expansion

The current jail was built in 1987, at a time when the county was only housing an average of 30 to 40 inmates. Its construction was spurred by a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The jail served the county well for a quarter century before the crime rate began to catch up with capacity. Inmate populations were swelling before the 2015 expansion was completed.

At times when all bunks were full, some inmates were left sleeping on bedding placed on cell floors. Those who committed nonviolent misdemeanor crimes were immediately released due to the lack of space. At one point, some inmates had to be transported to Lander County and Eureka County jails for a time, costing the county about $45 each per day.

Then the jail was cited by the state Department of Health and Human Services because there werent enough bathrooms for the female population. Jails need an 8-1 ratio of women per toilet, according to the department.

When the jail expansion opened in 2015 it didnt take long for the inmate population to push near the new capacity. By 2017 the number of inmates was averaging in the 160s and sometimes climbed to around 190.

This year, Elkos jail is expected to continue having plenty of open beds. Factors like Covid and the continued shift in criminal justice reforms mean taxpayers will not need to fund another expansion anytime soon.



This weeks felony arrests:

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ELKO  Elko County Commissioners have approved roughly $4.98 million in American Rescue Plan Act grants to six out of 21 applicants, with the Spring Creek Association receiving the largest chunk  nearly $2 million.

Elko Lions Club is receiving $750,000, the Spring Creek ambulance station $550,000, the town of Jackpot $500,000, Silver State Stampede $379,506, and the Elko County Fair Board $300,000.

The grants come out of the nearly $10.25 million in federal rescue funds that Elko County is allocated.

We received the first half, $5,125,754, in 2021 and expect to receive the second half later this year, Elko County Manager Amanda Osborne said. I believe we will follow a similar process for the second round of funding. However, we are waiting until the funds are received to make any formal decisions.

The new chairman of the Elko County Board of Commissioners, Delmo Andreozzi, told the board on Jan. 5 that a working group evaluated the 21 applications and narrowed the list to six. Commissioners pick a new chairman at the beginning of each year.

Commissioner Rex Steninger said the commissioners were all adamant that the grants approved would benefit the unincorporated areas of the county because the cities are receiving separate rescue funds. The City of Elko is getting the most, $27.5 million.

The requests from the 21 applicants totaled $11.99 million.

Spring Creek

The Spring Creek Associations application was to support the continued recovery efforts in response to the impacts of the last year and a half, and the application states the community and businesses in Spring Creek continue to experience financial hardships.

The application reported that small businesses faced closures or revenue loss, leaving people unemployed. Remote education was hit or miss for families, creating frustration and hardship by having to make the decision to leave jobs to stay home with children and trying to make ends meet.

The main part of the Spring Creek proposal is to update the Horse Palace for increased tourism, as well as so the Horse Palace can be designated an emergency site. Costs have gone up since our initial projection: $1.88 million, the application says.

The SCA gave a presentation to county commissioners last September for rescue funds that estimated the Horse Palace update at $1.6 million, and the proposal at that time sought nearly $2.82 million total in rescue funds.

The county put that request on hold and later set up the application process for the rescue fund grants.

SCAs application also states that governmental services funding would include $204,600 for animal control and $57,000 for road striping over a three-year period, as well as $90,000 for improving marina water quality for downstream users.

The associations plans outlined in its application include addressing any public health needs to counter the spread of COVID-19 by paid sick, family, and medical leave for employees, $21,985, and the purchase of personal protection equipment and disinfectant for public areas and other facilities, $6,800.

Camp Lamoille

The Elko Lions Club plans to use its $750,000 grant to continue rebuilding Camp Lamoille, stating that a fully restored and upgraded Camp Lamoille will increase tourism and travel, bringing increased prosperity and widespread appeal to Elko County.

The application reports that Camp Lamoille took two devastating hits, the Range Two Fire in late 2018, which destroyed many buildings, including our lodge, and then COVID-19.

The club said the pandemic has a significant negative impact on our ability to rebuild the camp, because of the high costs of building materials and a shortage of materials so that funds generated after the fire were not enough.

Social isolation and limited social interaction effectively stalled our additional fundraising efforts in 2020 and 2021, the Lions Club wrote, adding that benefactors saw their ability to donate affected by the loss of personal and business income because of the pandemic.

The request was for $400,000 toward a dining facility in the lodge, $200,000 for an additional camping site and $150,000 for cabins and storage.

Other grants

The town of Jackpot near the Idaho border was one of the hardest hit communities in Elko County due to COVID-19, when casinos were closed, and gaming traffic came to a halt.

The shortage of available housing (and housing in general) has been exacerbated by COVID-19, requiring many residents to relocate outside of the community and travel to Jackpot for work. The town of Jackpot is working on private-public partnerships to respond to the most immediate needs, the application summary states.

Jackpots $500,000 grant is going toward affordable housing, but it is less than the $2 million requested, according to the list of all 21 requests, ranging from governmental like Jackpot and the Spring Creek ambulance station to nonprofit events, organizations such as Head Start, and businesses.

The county was planning to staff an ambulance in Spring Creek before the pandemic hit to allow for better service to Spring Creek and surrounding communities, the summary says.

The $550,000 ambulance grant would allow for construction of additional space and necessary facility upgrades to house a crew and necessary supplies at the Spring Creek Fire Station, the explanation reads.

The Silver State Stampede plans to use its $379,506 grant to purchase two portable bleachers that could be used by all events at the Elko County Fairgrounds, not just the rodeo, at an estimate of $213,506; and for new lighting for the site of the new bleachers, $50,000.

Funds also would be used to replace holding pens that would be lost due to the new bleachers, $16,000, and $80,000 would be used for long-range planning for economic growth, such as reaching 7,000 seating and addressing social distancing concerns. And $20,000 would be to cover loss of revenue due to the pandemic.

A large portion of the expenditures for the rodeo are required long before we sell any tickets to the rodeo, and the beginning fund balance in our account is what makes this possible, the application states, also reporting that the Silver State Stampede had not received any COVID-19 relief funding so far.

The Elko County Fair Board wrote that the Elko County Fair wasnt held in 2020 because of COVID-19, and the loss of revenue from not having the fair and not having horse races in 2020 was a huge loss to the Elko County Fair, as well as the community.

The $300,000 grant would allow the board to raise race purses to attract more horses, and more horses mean more races and that means lots of spectators, local and out of town. Without the grant, the fair board wrote that it could be forced to reduce the number of races.

Commissioners earlier approved $250,000 each to the Elko Boys & Girls Club and the monoclonal antibody therapy clinic at Great Basin College out of the rescue funds.

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ELKO  Two Nevada State Police vehicles were damaged in separate incidents over the holidays, and the agency is reminding drivers to move over and slow down when troopers are parked along roadways.

At approximately 8:45 a.m. Dec. 23, a trooper was investigating a weather-related crash on Interstate 80 about 35 miles east of Winnemucca. The troopers patrol vehicle was parked on the shoulder with its emergency lights on when it was struck by a pickup truck.

The driver lost control of the pickup because it was traveling too fast for the icy road conditions, stated NSP. Fortunately, the Trooper was away from his vehicle at the time and the driver of the pickup was not injured.

Another recent incident took place on Dec. at approximately 7:35 p.m. when a trooper was investigating several weather-related crashes on I-80 about five miles west of Battle Mountain. The trooper was inside his Ford Explorer SUV patrol vehicle while it was parked on the shoulder with its emergency lights on. A commercial motor vehicle was driving too fast for the snowy conditions and failed to slow down or move over into the adjacent lane. It crossed over the white fog line and side-swiped the patrol vehicle, causing major damage. The trooper sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released later that night.

Both crashes were preventable had the drivers reduced their vehicle speeds, and in the second crash, had the driver moved over, stated NSP. The Nevada Highway Patrol would like to remind everyone that moving over and decreasing speed is not only the safe and courteous thing to do, but also the law.

NRS 484B.607 identifies the duties of a driver when approaching illuminated emergency vehicles, which includes police, fire, ambulance, department of transportation, construction, tow, and even passenger vehicles with their hazard lights on. The statute identifies how a driver must drive at a rate of speed that is reasonable for the conditions, regardless of the posted speed limit.

According to the Emergency Responder Safety Institutes Fatality Report for 2021, 28 law enforcement officers were struck and killed by vehicles nationwide.

Please help to keep us safe by spreading the word to drive safe, especially in bad weather, stated NSP.

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ELKO  Nevada Realtors announced its newly elected officers that will lead the statewide association in 2022, led by incoming President Doug McIntyre.

McIntyre, a longtime Realtor based in Reno, will serve as NVR president in 2022. He is a past president of the Reno-Sparks Association of Realtors.

Tom Blanchard, a former president of Las Vegas Realtors, will serve as NVRs president-elect for 2022 and then become the state associations president in 2023.

Trevor Smith, a past president of the Incline Village Realtors, will serve as NVR vice president in 2022.

Marcella Syme, a past president of the Elko County Association of Realtors, will serve as NVR treasurer in 2022.

NVR 2021 President Brad Spires of Gardnerville will serve as immediate past president in 2022. A former president of the Sierra Nevada Association of Realtors, Spires was honored this week as NVRs Realtor of the Year.



Nevada wildlife:

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Press Release

January 6, 2022 Statement of Sen. Pia Cayetano welcoming the law which gives preferential tax treatment to all private schools RA 11635 brings much-needed reprieve to private schools Statement of Senator Pia S. Cayetano Chair, Senate Ways and Means Committee Principal sponsor, RA 11635 Private schools are the government's partners in education. In this time of pandemic, they need as much assistance as they can get to continue delivering quality education to Filipino learners. Thus, the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 11635 comes as a welcome development for them amid the uncertainties of the times, as rising COVID-19 cases forced us to restrict face-to-face classes to start the New Year. This timely measure, which I sponsored, amends Section 27(B) of the National Internal Revenue Code, to clearly indicate that all proprietary educational institutions, whether for profit or non profit, shall enjoy the 10% preferential tax rate. This shall also allow them to be covered by a provision under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, which reduced the tax rate of such institutions from 10% to 1% starting July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023. With this measure, private schools would be given much-needed reprieve to cope with the continuing challenges caused by the pandemic, starting with their own financial viability and sustainability. It must be emphasized that this law resulted from continuous dialogue and cooperation among the various stakeholders. We worked with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the private schools, led by the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA), to root out the issues and find a common solution. We need to continue working with our partners in education for long-term solutions in terms of policy and budget, using strategic foresight and futures thinking to help this sector recover from the pandemic, and beyond. This is part of our country's commitment under Sustainable Development Goal No. 4, which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all by year 2030.
Republican candidate for governor Joe Lombardos decision to not participate in the January 21 debate in Elko is disappointing, but not surprising. As the currently top-polling candidate in most surveys, Mr. Lombardo would have risked jeopardizing that lead if hed had to answer the tough debate questions that candidates can avoid when they limit their public appearances to small, crowd-friendly meet-and-greets.

Every candidate in the January 21 debate will face tough, specific questions about their past record of accomplishments, as well as their current positions and solutions for Nevadas many challenging problems. Some of the difficult questions the Elko-resident moderators might have asked Lombardo to answer include the following.

Why is the Republican Lombardo currently trashing Democrat Steve Sisolak, when he endorsed Sisolak for governor in 2018?

Why did Lombardo donate more money to Democrat candidates than to Republican hopefuls in 2018?

Why does Lombardo claim to have reduced crime in Las Vegas, when DOJ statistics show that all categories of violent crime have increased exponentially under his tenure as Clark County Sheriff?

Why has Lombardo never provided a full accounting for how the $31 million donated to the Las Vegas shooting fund in 2017 was spent?

Face-to-face political debates have been an important part of American elections since 1858, when Senate candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas faced off in seven 3-hour debates, speaking to crowds of 20,000 people. Including the people who will watch the Elko debate via live-stream, we expect a total listening audience approximating that number on January 21.

Like all debates, Elkos gubernatorial face-off will offer the audience a chance to compare candidates shoulder-to-shoulder  observing firsthand how they respond to tough questions  and to each other, in a high-pressure situation.

Elkos debate on January 21 will play an important role in helping voters decide which gubernatorial candidate is the best choice to lead Nevada into the future, and which one will best promote the special needs and interests of the rural counties.

Mr. Lombardos participation in the debate would have given him the opportunity to answer many questions about his candidacy.

His refusal to be involved will quite likely raise some serious concerns with voters.

Paul D. White is the independent coordinator for the Nevada Republican Governor Candidates Debate Series 2022, the first of which will be held at the Elko Convention Center.

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At the groundbreaking ceremony (Photo: VNA)

On January 5, construction started on the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Vocational School worth USD5 million - a gift of the Vietnamese Party, State and people for the Lao Party, State and people in Khammouane Province during the official visit to Laos by Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in August 2021.

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony, Counsellor at the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos Vu Tu Oanh said that the school shows the attention from leaders of the two Parties and States to the educational cause and human resources training in Laos in general and Khammouane Province in particular. Although the gift is not big, it has a profound significance as it conveys the faith and hope of Vietnamese Party and State leaders in general and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc in particular that the young generation of Laos will be equipped with the best knowledge to build an increasingly prosperous Laos, and help preserve and enhance the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations, she added.

Secretary of the Party Committee and Governor of Khammouane Province Vansay Phongsavan stated that the school is a vivid manifestation of the Laos-Vietnam great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

This is an important project in human resources development and training for Khammouane Province, and also one of the key projects of the Year of Solidarity and Friendship between Laos and Vietnam in 2022 in order to celebrate the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and the 45th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, he went on to say.

The school, which is the first in the province to implement two curriculums of study and practice in parallel, provides training in five professions for high-school students, unemployed people and those having demand to change jobs, especially those returning from abroad due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Built on an area of 3.7 hectares, it includes diverse classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, offices, canteens and other necessary construction items with a total value of USD5 million. The Chitchareune Construction Company, the school construction contractor, is expected to hand over the facility in December./.
Representatives from the Can Tho Fatherland Front and Health Department receive medical equipment support from Japanese and Korean localities. (Photo: TDO)

The medical equipment support included 10,000 face shields and 50,000 medical face masks worth some VND470 million. They will be transferred to the City Health Department and Fatherland Front to serve COVID-19 prevention.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Duong Tan Hien, Standing Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, said that over the past time, with the determination and spirit of solidarity, the whole political system and people of the city have made joint efforts to seriously and effectively implement the guidelines and policies of the Party and State on the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Mr. Hien, since the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Vietnam, Can Tho City has received aid in medical equipment, quick test kits, face shields and medical masks from foreign localities with a total value of about VND1.7 billion, including aid from Jeollanamdo Province (the RoK) and Okayama City (Japan). In the complex development of the pandemic, foreign localities support is a great source of encouragement for the city to push back the pandemic, he said, adding that the support also shows the friendship and solidarity of countries with Vietnam in general and with Can Tho City in particular.

Jeong Jong Gyun, Head of the Jeollanamdo Provincial Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the medical supplies contain the love of 1.9 million people of Jeollanamdo Province sent to Can Tho City. He also highly appreciated the efforts of Can Tho City in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past time; and expressed his expectation that the pandemic will end soon so that the people of Can Tho City and Jeollanamdo Province can reconnect the friendship exchange activities that were signed by the two localities previously./.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung hands over USD100,000 from the Vietnamese Government and people to support bereaved families of tornadoes that occurred in Kentucky. (Photo: VNA)

He made the statement during a ceremony held on January 5 to hand over 100,000 USD from the Vietnamese Government and people to support bereaved families of tornadoes that occurred in Kentucky, the US, last December.

Deputy Minister Dung also emphasized the friendship, cooperation and mutual support between the Governments and people of Vietnam and the US to overcome difficulties, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in the recent past.

On behalf of the US Government and people, Charge dAffaires at the US Embassy in Vietnam Marie Damour thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for their timely support for Kentuckys residents, stating that she hoped the Vietnam  US bilateral relationship will continue to grow, including the effective cooperation between the two countries Red Cross organisations.

Earlier, on December 12, 2021, Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent messages of condolence to US President Joe Biden over the losses of human lives and property caused by the natural disaster./.
Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien speaks at the conference. (Photo: VNA)



The conference was held by the Ministry of National Defence to review Vietnams international integration and defence diplomacy in 2021.



Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien stressed the need to advance multilateral defence diplomacy, saying Vietnam should play a more active role in consolidating cooperation mechanisms within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and those led by the ten-member bloc.



The officer also suggested enhancing Vietnams engagement in UN peace-keeping operations, targeting more spheres and areas.



Agencies need to step up the communication work to raise public awareness of guidelines and viewpoints of the Party and the State regarding international integration and defence diplomacy, the friendship between Vietnam and other countries, and national defence and security, he said./.
KOICA donates 6,3 million single-use syringes to Vietnam. (Photo: CPV)



Mr. Cho Hans-Deog, Country Director of KOICA Vietnam Office, said: Korea has committed to solidarity and cooperation to end COVID-19. In this context, the syringes are to help Vietnam fight back the pandemic, where vaccination is robustly in progress. We wish the support of KOICA contributes to ramping up the vaccination against COVID-19 in Vietnam.

This year, the Korean government provided 1,39 million doses of vaccines to Vietnam. In addition, KOICA has handed over 300.000 COVID-19 antigen test kits for the country through the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, which was delivered by air on December 31, 2021.

In the meantime, KOICA, the aid agency of the Korean government, supported 40 thermal imaging scanners to Vietnam that were installed at 10 international airports across the country in May 2021 to assist the epidemic prevention and control.

KOICA is also actively supporting the Vietnamese authorities and vulnerable people by providing quarantine materials, food, and medical supplies./.
BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The following is a summary of published science and technology news of China.

TELECOM OPTICAL FIBER

Chinese scientists have developed a new way to monitor aftershocks by using telecom optical fiber with less deployment time and cost.

A research team from the Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, used distributed optical fiber seismic-sensing technology to turn an urban telecom optical fiber network into an ultra-dense seismic monitoring array for a rapid post-quake response.

SPACE STATION BUILDING

China will complete the building of its space station in 2022, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

The country will see 40-plus space launches in 2022, including multiple manned space flights, the company said at a recent conference on its plan for the new year.

It plans to launch two cargo craft, two Shenzhou spaceships and two laboratory modules of China's planned space station within the year.

FAST TELESCOPE

Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), also dubbed as the "China Sky Eye," scientists have obtained accurate magnetic field strength in molecular cloud, a region of the interstellar medium that seems ready to form stars.

Employing the technique of HI Narrow Self Absorption (HINSA), they achieved a clear detection of the Zeeman effect -- the splitting of a spectral line into several components of frequency in the presence of a magnetic field.

Editor: WXY
BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Beijing's rail transit lines, including urban metro and suburban rail lines, have reached 1,148 km by 2021, the city's mayor Chen Jining said Thursday.

"Beijing's subway operation is on par with the advanced international standards in terms of quality and efficiency," Chen said while delivering the government work report at the ongoing fifth session of the 15th Beijing Municipal People's Congress, the local legislature.

Last year, a total of nine new subway lines and extensions of current ones were put into operation in the Chinese capital, bringing the total urban rail transit mileage to 783 km, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.

In east China's metropolis of Shanghai, the total length of metro network has reached 831 km, the longest in the world.

Beijing's urban rail transit system transported 3.07 billion passengers in 2021, up 34 percent year on year.

The municipal lawmakers of Beijing convened their annual meeting on Thursday. Both the city's political consultative and legislative meetings kicked off this week to discuss local economic and social development over the past year and make plans for this year.

Editor: WXY
BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- True friends always stay united in spirit, as exemplified and lauded in Chinese folktales throughout history. Among such tales, the story of Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya must be second to none.

Despite the passage of time since it was recorded by historians, the saga of their friendship has always been regarded as a fine example for "junzi," the moral exemplar in Chinese philosophy.

Both Guan and Bao were politicians in the State of Qi during the period of Spring and Autumn (770-476 B.C.), under Duke Huan, the first of the five overlords of that era.

They were born in Yingshang, in modern-day Anhui Province in east China, and became acquainted with each other at an early age.

Compared to Guan's, Bao's family was relatively wealthy. Nevertheless, the two became best friends, and Bao admired his friend's talent and erudition.

Known for being a loyal friend, Bao could always comprehend Guan's difficulties and feelings and never blamed him for his failures and shortcomings.

Before entering politics, they were engaged in business and took part in business ventures together. But, Guan always took more profit share than he actually deserved. Bao was well aware of this but never accused him of avarice, on account of Guan's poverty.

Guan was dismissed from his posts several times, but Bao believed Guan was not given enough opportunities to demonstrate his abilities fully. Besides, Guan fled battlefields on multiple occasions, and Bao made exceptions for Guan's need to take care of his elderly mother rather than accusing him of cowardice.

The two friends later entered politics as tutors to two princes of Qi. Guan was appointed tutor to Prince Jiu. Bao Shuya, meanwhile, became tutor to Jiu's brother, Prince Xiaobai.

After a series of murders and coups, Prince Xiaobai became the new duke, namely Duke Huan of Qi. Subsequently, the new duke won the war against the State of Lu which sheltered Prince Jiu and tried to enforce his claim.

Consequently, Qi pressured Lu to kill the prince and send Guan back.

With Guan Zhong's repatriation, the two friends reunited. But Duke Huan still bore a grudge against Guan, since Guan tried to assassinate him. Meanwhile, the duke planned to elevate Bao, his tutor and guardian, to the post of chancellor.

Bao, however, defended his friend's allegiance to his former master and lauded his talents, convincing the duke to exonerate Guan and elevate Guan as the chancellor instead of Bao. At the same time, he convinced Guan to shift his loyalty to the new duke and serve him wholeheartedly.

Duke Huan took his suggestion into consideration. Years later, based on Duke Huan's governance and Guan's reforms and deft diplomacy, Qi became the most powerful feudal state of that time.

Historian Sima Qian documented a quote of Guan regarding his lifelong friend and supporter in the Shiji, or the Records of the Grand Historian: "My parents gave birth to me, but it is Bao who knows me best."

True friendship and the mutual trust and understanding between friends, as represented in the story of Guan and Bao, have been highly regarded in China for thousands of years and continue to have practical significance in contemporary society and inter-state relations.

Editor: JYZ
BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- "Strive vigorously in high spirits, remain determined without negligence," President Xi Jinping cited ancient Chinese phrases in his 2022 New Year Address, calling on the Communist Party of China to lead the Chinese people in making greater achievements on their new journey toward national rejuvenation.

The phrase "strive vigorously in high spirits" originates from a piece of prose written by Han Yu, a renowned literatus during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), in memory of one of his friends.

In the 1920s, it was cited by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of China's democratic revolution, when summarizing the Chinese people's painstaking struggle in the revolution.

In 2021, China eradicated absolute poverty and completed building a moderately prosperous society in all respects -- known as the First Centenary Goal -- and has set out on a new journey of building a modern socialist country -- the Second Centenary Goal -- by the mid-21st century.

In his New Year Address to ring in 2022, Xi said to realize national rejuvenation will be no easy task.

"Only through vigorous and determined endeavor can we fulfill our responsibility to history, prove worthy of our times and live up to people's expectations," Xi said. Enditem

Editor: JYZ
Press Release

January 7, 2022 Drilon defends SBN 1530 against OSG attacks, cites DOJ backs bill on non-expiration of franchise with pending renewal application in Congress Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon raised the opinion made by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Solicitor General Jose Calida's boss, to dispute and counter the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) which called "unconstitutional and illegal" the proposed legislation that provides for the non-expiration of a license where the licensee has filed a timely and sufficient application for renewal, until a final determination by the agency is made. "Justice Secretary Guevarra, on several occasions, has rendered an opinion which acknowledges a gap in the law concerning the grant of legislative franchises by Congress. Senate Bill No. 1530 simply seeks to address the gap in the law cited by our good justice secretary," Drilon said in a statement on Friday. Drilon also stressed that the Department of Justice, in its official position paper expressing support for SBN 1530, said that there is "nothing legally objectionable in the passage of a law of general application which allows the grantee of a franchise to operate while its application for renewal is being deliberated by Congress, it being an adjunct of its franchising, power which, in turn, is an adjunct of its legislative power." "It's all a matter of equity that we want to address here, nothing else," he added. "Driven by nothing but the common good and the rule of law, the DOJ's official position and the Justice Secretary's opinion which he made public on various occasions carry a lot more weight and credibility," he added. Drilon called on Congress to immediately enact the measure when it resumes session on January 17 and takes a long break for the campaign period on February 4. Drilon cited Guevarra's statement during a Senate hearing in 2020 where the justice secretary expressly stated that "When there is a gap in the law, equity comes in to fill the gap. Equity is the principle by which substantial justice may be a thing in cases where the prescribed or customary forms of ordinary law are inadequate." During that hearing, Drilon recalled, Guevarra even cited that "considerations of equity have apparently been applied in previous similar situations presented earlier namely, among others, PT&T, SMART Communications, Incorporated, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Incorporation. All of whom were allowed to operate despite expired franchises as long as the application for the renewal of these franchises were lodged with the Congress before the lapse of their term." Drilon said the justice secretary's position was cited in Senate Resolution No. 395, adopted by the Senate in May 2020, which expressed the sense of the Senate to reconsider its cease and desist order against ABS-CBN Corp. "It is acknowledged that there is a gap in the law in cases as exhibited in cases where a franchisee, having taken all the steps to renew its franchise, is unable to do so not due to its own fault, but due to Congress' failure to act on the application," Drilon said. "The amendment we propose would require the concerned agency or branch of government to act decisively on an application for renewal, and to express its decision in clear, unmistakable terms, to ensure that the applicant is not punished for the authority's indecision or inaction," Drilon said. Drilon, who authored Senate Bill No. 1530, said the measure seeks to provide an immediate solution to dilemmas being faced by franchise applicants whose renewal of legislative franchises have been filed but remained pending in Congress. The measure was passed on second reading before Congress went into Christmas break last December 14. SBN 1530 seeks the non-expiration of legislative franchises that are pending in Congress by amending Section 18, Book VII, Chapter 3 of Revised Administrative Code, Drilon explained. The Revised Administrative Code provides for the non-expiration of a license where the licensee has filed a timely and sufficient application for renewal, until a final determination by the agency is made. Drilon's amendment only expands the said provision to also include franchises granted by Congress. When the bill was tackled in the committee, various sectors including the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) threw its support behind the measure. "This bill addresses the unfortunate situation where renewal for franchise applications are filed before expiration but are not acted upon in time," said KBP President Ruperto S. Nicdao Jr.
Religious services in Kazakhstan to be held without congregation during state of emergency

Religious events in Kazakhstan will be held without congregation while the country remains under the state of emergency, the state television channel Khabar 24 reported on Thursday.

"For the duration of the state of emergency mass gatherings, including religious ones, are banned. Thus, no collective prayers will be held nationwide and churches will be closed to visitors," the report said.

Services celebrating the Orthodox Christmas, marked on January 7, will be held without flock, Khabar 24 said.

Kazakhstan imposed a state of emergency until January 19.
The State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) denied information about the alleged seizure of the assets of Pryamiy and Channel 5 TV channels, which are owned by the Free Media (Vilni Media) media holding, and stated that no seizure was imposed on the corporate rights of these channels and their assets.

"We emphasize that in the wake of the aforementioned court ruling [on the seizure of property, corporate rights, the owner of which, according to state registers, is Petro Poroshenko], there were no restrictions on the activities of the media," the SBI press service said on Friday.

The SBI stressed that the court seized only property, corporate rights, which are owned by the fifth president of Ukraine.

"We emphasize that the court's ruling prohibits only alienating the seized property, which does not deprive the owner of the enjoyment of other rights," the report said.

The State Bureau of Investigations recalled that under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor General's Office, the Main Investigation Department of the State Bureau of Investigations carries out a pretrial investigation into criminal proceedings for the purchase of coal from the territory of the "DPR/LPR."

In the specified criminal proceedings, two MPs of Ukraine were notified of suspicion, one of whom is the fifth president of Ukraine, the former minister of energy and coal industry, and the top manager of the times of former president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych.

On January 6, 2022, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv considered the prosecutor's petition in criminal proceedings and made a decision to seize Poroshenko's property, which, according to state registers, belongs to him by right of ownership, in particular, these are real estate objects, corporate rights, and so on.

As reported, on December 20, 2021, the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) notified Poroshenko of suspicion of high treason and assistance to terrorist organizations in the framework of a criminal scheme for supplying coal from the temporarily occupied territories.

Earlier, within the framework of the same criminal proceedings, MP of the Opposition Platform - For Life faction Viktor Medvedchuk and former Energy Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn were notified of suspicion.

Poroshenko, who is on a business trip to the EU, announced on January 6 that he would return to Ukraine on January 17.

On the same day, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv supported the prosecutor's petition regarding the seizure of Poroshenko's property.

The European Solidarity party announced on January 6 that the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv, when deciding on the seizure of Poroshenko's assets, also seized the property of Pryamiy and Channel 5 TV channels.
Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conduct inspections and communication with some citizens of Kazakhstan.

"Given the current situation in Kazakhstan, the Security Service of Ukraine, within its powers, is taking a set of measures, including prom ones, in order to effectively protect the security of Ukrainian citizens," the SBU press center told Interfax-Ukraine.

It was emphasized that "the Russian factor and probable provocations from the Russian Federation, which could discredit our state in the international arena and harm its interests," are taken into account.

The SBU said that it is for these purposes that "checking and communication with some citizens of Kazakhstan" is taking place. "That is, the usual work is going on within the framework of current legislation and the functional responsibilities of the Service," the press center said.

They informed that this also applies to the conversation published on the Internet. "It is clearly visible that the SBU officers behaved politely and correctly, did not interfere with the video filming conducted by the citizens of Kazakhstan. Given the concerns of the latter, the National Police were called to the scene, which recorded that everything was happening without violations and within the framework of Ukrainian legislation," the press center said.

The SBU said that attempts to interpret this differently, like any talk about pressure from the security service, have nothing to do with the real state of affairs.

"So far, none of the citizens of Kazakhstan has been detained. However, since certain persons have signs of illegal stay on the territory of Ukraine, relevant materials have been prepared, which will be transferred to the State Migration Service," the SBU press center said.

The day before, information appeared on social networks that on January 6, in Kyiv, unknown people dressed in civilian clothes came to a representative of the headquarters of the opposition movement Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan and another activist.
The Defense Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine told how the territorial defense units will be formed, the Intelligence Agency's press service said on Facebook.

"The basis of volunteer formations of territorial communities will be citizens of Ukraine who have served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other military formations and law enforcement agencies," the report says.

It is emphasized that not only those who have served in the army will be recruited into volunteer detachments. Citizens of Ukraine who have not served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military formations and law enforcement agencies will be enrolled in volunteer formations of territorial communities. They become members after taking the Oath of Territorial Defense Volunteer.

In addition, to be enrolled, a person shall pass medical, professional and psychological selection and sign a territorial defense volunteer contract.
Ihor Holovan, an attorney for leader of the European Solidarity party Petro Poroshenko, released an extract from a court ruling on the seizure of the assets of TV channels Pryamiy and Channel 5, as well as a corresponding extract from a prosecutor's petition.

"Here is a screenshot of the seizure warrant, and below is a screenshot of the prosecutor's petition, which her honor Bortnytska rewrote in her ruling, along with mistakes and typos. And everything is listed there in the light of day: subsidiary company NBM-Zaporizhia Television and Radio Broadcasting Company and Author TV Television Company LLC. Companies directly involved in broadcasting programs of opposition TV channels," Holovan said on Facebook.

At the same time, the attorney said, there is no Poroshenko's share in the capital of these legal entities.

"Petro Poroshenko has long ago and publicly transferred these assets to Free Media LLC, whose founders are a dozen well-known journalists and MPs. That is, prosecutors and the judge deliberately seized media assets that do not belong to Petro Poroshenko," he said.

Holovan also said that instead of the code of Author TV Television Company LLC, the documents indicate the code of another asset of Free Media LLC  Express-Inform Television and Radio Broadcasting Company LLC.

"However, we do not think that this is due to stupidity and unprofessionalism typical of the Prosecutor General's Office and the SBI. We are convinced that Belkin, Potapenko, Safaryan and her honor Bortnytska acted deliberately, since the main customer, in our opinion, Zelensky is interested precisely in the destruction of opposition television channels. Anyway, the media assets of Free Media LLC were illegally seized. And I am convinced that the owners of Free Media LLC will not only file an appeal, but also demand an investigation into the actions of Belkin, Potapenko, Safaryan and Bortnytska for corpus delicti, provided for in Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine [obstruction of the legitimate professional activities of journalists]," Holovan said.
Kremlin does not rule out Putin-Macron phone call in coming days

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has not ruled out a possible phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in the coming days.

"Naturally, this is a matter of a phone call," Peskov told Interfax, as he was commenting on Macron's statement regarding his talks with Putin to be held shortly.

"The exact time is so far unknown," he said.

"On the other hand, contacts between the two presidents could be agreed upon quite rapidly," Peskov said.

"Hence, we cannot rule out a phone call of the kind in the coming days," he said.
Hundreds of people demonstrated on Friday in front of the national assembly in Bangui, calling for a constitutional change which critics fear is a push to keep the president of the Central African Republic in power, an AFP correspondent said.
Moroccan tourism operators are facing potential ruin after the country abruptly shut its borders over the Omicron variant of Covid, the latest blow to an industry battered by the nearly two-year pandemic.

The results were immediate: an avalanche of cancellations, hotels shuttered and warnings that operators face bankruptcy.

The latest crisis "has delivered a fatal blow to the sector," said Mohamed Semlali, chairman of the National Federation of Travel Agencies of Morocco (FNAVM).

On November 25, Moroccan authorities suspended "until further notice" direct flights to and from France, where Covid cases were surging.

Three days later, it announced a halt to all incoming passenger flights for two weeks amid concern over the spread of the new, highly infectious variant.

For tourism operators, who had already endured a second disastrous summer in a row, the news snuffed out any hope of a winter holiday uptick.

"All reservations have been cancelled and most hotels will have to close," said Lahcen Zelmat, head of the National Federation for Hoteliers (FNIH).

"Half of them have been closed since the beginning of the pandemic," he added.

Semlali said the decision to close the borders "will make our situation worse".

'One foot in bankruptcy'

One industry official quoted by the Medias24 news website said the industry faced losses of at least 88 million euros between Christmas and the new year.

The tourism ministry did not respond to AFP's request for comment.

In 2019, the sector clocked up revenues of around 7.5 billion euros, a figure that plummeted by two-thirds in 2020 to just 2.6 billion euros, according to official figures.

In June, the kingdom finally started reopening its long-closed borders, allowing for a modest rebound in the sector.

The country welcomed some two million tourists over summer 2021 -- compared to just 165,000 the previous summer, according to the economy ministry.

And with Covid-19 cases relatively low, hoteliers dared to dream that the end of the tunnel was in sight.

But those hopes were dashed by another spike in cases in Europe, followed by news of a new variant the WHO believes could be more transmissible and resistant to vaccines.

And as their country joins other states around the world battening down the hatches against yet another wave of infections, Moroccan hoteliers have lost the little hope they had.

"We were very optimistic with the arrival of the new year, but these decisions took us by surprise," said Khalid Moubarak, secretary general of the FNAVM.

"We were on the edge of bankruptcy. Now, we've put one foot in bankruptcy."

Authorities say the severe measures were aimed at "preserving Morocco's achievements in the campaign against the pandemic".

But for Didier Arino, head of the Paris-based consultancy Protourisme, the move is "very bad news for the country's economy because there had been a pickup in reservations for Morocco", as many other countries remained off-limits.

"Morocco is an affordable 'nearby sunshine' destination and the French makes up a third of visitors," he said.

The timing is particularly unfortunate.

"For the new year holidays, we expected around 100,000 French tourists to visit Morocco. But now they're canceling," he said.

That is another disaster for a sector that has seen up to 30 percent of jobs disappear since the start of the pandemic, Zelmat said

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Security forces in Kazakhstan killed dozens of protesters trying to storm government buildings overnight, police said Thursday, after a Moscow-led military alliance agreed to send forces to help quell mounting unrest.

Long seen as one the most stable of the ex-Soviet republics of Central Asia, energy-rich Kazakhstan is facing its biggest crisis in decades after days of protests over rising fuel prices escalated into widespread unrest.

In the worst reported violence so far, police said dozens of people were killed in battles with security forces at government buildings in the country's largest city Almaty.

"Last night, extremist forces tried to assault administrative buildings, the Almaty city police department, as well as local police commissariats. Dozens of assailants were eliminated," police spokesman Saltanat Azirbek was quoted as saying by the Interfax-Kazakhstan, TASS and Ria Novosti news agencies.

Videos on social media on Thursday showed pillaged shops and burned buildings in Almaty, automatic gunfire in the streets and residents screaming in fear.

The growing unrest is presenting a major challenge to the authoritarian regime of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and has raised international concern, especially with key ally Moscow.

'Outside Interference'

With his repeated calls for calm ignored, Tokayev in an address to the nation early Thursday said he had appealed to the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), which includes five other ex-Soviet states, to combat what he called "terrorist groups" that had "received extensive training abroad".

The CSTO's chairman, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, said the alliance would send "collective peacekeeping forces... for a limited period of time in order to stabilise and normalise the situation in this country" that was caused by "outside interference".

There were no immediate further details nor comment from Moscow, which dominates the alliance.

Tokayev said "terrorists" were seizing buildings, infrastructure and small arms, and fighting battles with security forces.

Protests spread across the nation of 19 million this week in outrage over a New Year increase in prices for liquid petroleum gas (LPG), which is widely used to fuel cars in the west of the country.

Thousands took to the streets in Almaty and in the western province of Mangystau, saying the price rise was unfair given oil and gas exporter Kazakhstan's vast energy reserves.

Protesters were reported to have stormed several government buildings on Wednesday, including the Almaty mayor's office and the presidential residence, with both said to be on fire.

As of late Wednesday, at least eight law enforcement officers had been killed and 317 wounded in the violence, according to the interior ministry quoted by local media.

The full picture of the chaos was unclear, with widespread disruptions to communications including mobile phone signals, the blocking of online messengers and hours-long internet shutdowns.

The protests are the biggest threat so far to the regime established by Kazakhstan's founding president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who stepped down in 2019 and hand-picked Tokayev as his successor.

Tokayev tried to head off further unrest by announcing the resignation of the government headed by Prime Minister Askar Mamin early on Wednesday, but protests continued.

State Of Emergency

Tokayev also announced he was taking over from Nazarbayev as head of the powerful security council, a surprise move given the ex-president's continued influence.

With protests escalating, the government late on Wednesday said a state of emergency declared in protest-hit areas would be extended nationwide and in effect until January 19.

It imposes an overnight curfew, restricts movements and bans mass gatherings.

Much of the anger appeared directed at Nazarbayev, who is 81 and had ruled Kazakhstan since 1989 before handing power to Tokayev.

Many protesters shouted "Old Man Out!" in reference to Nazarbayev and images posted on social media showed a statue of the ex-president being torn down.

The EU and the UN called for "restraint" on all sides, while Washington urged authorities to allow protesters to "express themselves peacefully."

Kazakhstan's government tolerates little real opposition and has been accused of silencing independent voices.

Spontaneous, unsanctioned protests are illegal despite a 2020 law that eased some restrictions on freedom of assembly.

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Saudi Arabia will ban its nationals and expats, including Egyptians, from entering workplace and other facilities without proof of booster shots starting 1 February.

Adel Hanafi, spokesman of the Egyptian workers union in the Kingdom, told the Masrawy website on Thursday that nearly 99 percent of Egyptians living in Saudi Arabia have received their second vaccine shots, and many have begun to receive their booster shots.

He warned that those fail to receive booster shots will not be allowed entry to public places and other establishments.

A fully vaccinated status will require a booster shot confirmed through the Saudi governments Tawakkalna app, which was launched last year to track infections, he said.

Saudi Arabia, which is currently seeing a notable spike in coronavirus cases, has fully vaccinated over 23 million people.

It has reimposed mandatory wearing of facemasks, physical distancing measures both indoors and outdoors and other measures in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.

Around nine millions Egyptians live abroad, according to official statistics agency CAPMAS, although unofficial statistics set the number at approximately 14 million.

Saudi Arabia is home to the majority of Egyptian expats, according to CAPMAS.

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Press Release

January 7, 2022 Villar thanked Pres. Duterte for the new law to help farmers, says 1.6M farmers to benefit from it ABOUT 1.673 million small rice farmers would benefit from President Rodrigo Duterte's signing into law of Republic Act 11598, otherwise known as the Cash Assistance To Filipino Farmers Act, according to Sen. Cynthia A. Villar. It was signed by Pres. Duterte on Dec. 10, but the media was provided a copy of the new law only on Jan. 6 (Thursday). An elated Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, thanked President Duterte for the law that would be a huge help to our farmers amid the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their lives. She pointed out that the country's rice farmers are continuously facing the challenges brought about by the liberalization of rice importation in 2019 and the series of destructive typhoons that hit their farms. "I strongly believe that our farmers need more support and assistance to cope with the several challenges, especially now that we are in a pandemic, and their health is also at risk," said Villar. "Any amount we give to our farmers will be a big help to augment their income and improve their poor living condition," she added. Towards this end, she said, the state shall provide monetary assistance to the hardest hit segments of our small farmers in the form of actual giving of cash to them. Under the new law, the Department of Agriculture (DA) can now give assistance to small rice farmers tilling two hectares of land and below until 2024. It can use funds from the annual tariff revenues in excess of P10 billion under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). The new law also directs the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to directly remit to the DA the said excess funds. At the end of each year, the BOC and DA are mandated to submit to Congress separate reports on the remittance of funds and actual fund disbursement. Villar's measure- Senate Bill No. 1927 or the Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act of 2020 recommends that any amount in excess of the P10-billion RCEF collection by the BOC shall automatically be given as cash assistance to rice farmers tilling two hectares or less of rice land, estimated at 1.673 million as listed in the Registry System of Basic Sectors. Villar said the excess collection in 2019 amounting to P2.135 billion and P5.408 billion in 2020 were already allocated as cash assistance to Filipino rice farmers under the General Appropriations Act of 2021. In its September report, the BOC said it has recorded a collection from rice importation amounting to P11.69 billion in tariffs from the 1.74 million metric tons of rice imports from January to August this year, she noted. The measure was passed by the House of Representatives on Sept. 15 last year and adopted by the Senate on Sept. 21. According to Villar, the House version follows the provision under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) that covers rice farmers owning two hectares of land and below. RTL seeks to improve the Filipino rice farmers' competitiveness and income in the wake of the local rice trade policy's liberalization. Villar, pinasalamatan si Pres. Duterte sa bagong batas na tutulong sa magsasaka; sinabing 1.6M magsasaka ang magbebenipisyo rito MAY 1.673 milyong maliliit na rice farmers ang makikinabang nang isabatas ni President Rodrigo Duterte ang Republic Act 11598 o ang 'Cash Assistance To Filipino Farmers Act,' ayong kay Sen. Cynthia A. Villar. Nilagdaan ni Pres. Duterte ang bagong batas noong Dec. 10, subalit nabigyan ng kopya ang media noong lamang Jan. 6 (Thursday). Masayang pinasalamatan ni Villar, chairperson ng Senate committee on agriculture and food, si Pres. Duterte sa batas na aniya'y malaki ang maitutulong sa ating mga magsasaka sa kabila ng epekto ng coronavirus pandemic on their lives. Iginiit ni Villar na patuloy na nahaharap ang ating mga magsasaka sa mga hamon sanhi ng liberalization ng rice importation noong 2019 at ng mga nakapipinsalang bagyo na tumama sa kanilang bukid. "I strongly believe that our farmers need more support and assistance to cope with the several challenges, especially now that we are in a pandemic, and their health is also at risk," ayon kay Villar. "Any amount we give to our farmers will be a big help to augment their income and improve their poor living condition," dagdag pa niya. "Towards this end, the state shall provide monetary assistance to the hardest hit segments of our small farmers in the form of actual giving of cash to them." Sa ilalim ng bagong batas, magbibigay ng tulong ang Department of Agriculture (DA) sa maliliit na magsasaka na nagsasaka ng 2 ektaryang lupa pababa hanggang 2024. Gagamitin nito ang pondo mula sa taunang tariff revenues nMsobra sa P10 billion sa ilalim ng Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). Sa ilalim ng bagong batas, inaatasan din ang Bureau of Customs (BoC) na direktang ibigay sa DA ang naturang sobrang pondo. Sa katapusan ng bawat taon, dapat na magsumite sa Kongreso ang BOC at DA ng hiwalay na ulat sa remittance ng pondo at actual fund disbursement. Inirerekomenda sa panukalang Senate Bill No. 1927 o Cash Assistance for Filipino Farmers Act of 2020 ni Villar na ibigay ang anumang sobrang halaga sa P10-billion RCEF collection ng BOC bilang cash assistance sa rice farmers na nagsasaka ng 2 ektarya o mas mababa pa na rice land. Tinatayang may 1.673 milyong magsasaka ito na nakalista sa Registry System of Basic Sectors. "The excess collection in 2019 amounting to P2.135 billion and P5.408 billion in 2020 were already allocated as cash assistance to Filipino rice farmers under the General Appropriations Act of 2021," pahayag ni Villar. "In its September report, the BOC said it has recorded a collection from rice importation amounting to P11.69 billion in tariffs from the 1.74 million metric tons of rice imports from January to August this year," dagdag pa niya. Ipinasa ang panukalang ito ng House of Representatives noong Sept. 15, 2021 at inadopt ng Senado Sept. 21. "The House version follows the provision under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) that covers rice farmers owning two hectares of land and below." Layunin ng RTL na mapabuti ang competitiveness at income ng mga Pilipinong magsasaka sa kabila ng local rice trade policy liberalization."
Thirteen civilians have been killed in separate attacks in northern Burkina Faso, a region battling a six-year-old jihadist insurgency, local sources said on Friday.

Eleven people were killed and one was wounded in an attack on Wednesday at the village of Ankouna, the governor of the Centre-North region, Casimir Segueda, said in a statement.

"This attack... targeted the civilian population," he said, adding that buildings in the local market had been set ablaze.

A local official told AFP that the attack was carried out "by several dozen heavily-armed men" travelling on motorbikes.

In a separate attack, two civilian volunteers working with the army's anti-jihadist campaign were killed at Noaka, also on Wednesday, and stores were put to the torch, the source said.

"The attacks have caused villagers to flee to the town of Kaya," the main town in the Centre-North region, the official said.

Burkina Faso has been struggling with jihadist attacks since 2015, when militants linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group began mounting cross-border raids from Mali.

More than 2,000 people have died, according to a toll compiled by AFP.

The national emergency aid agency says that 1.5 million people, nearly two-thirds of them children, were internally displaced as of November 30.

The country's security forces are poorly equipped to face a ruthless and highly mobile foe, adept at carrying out hit-and-run raids on motorbikes and aboard pickups.

On November 14, a force described as numbering several hundred men attacked a police base at Inata near the Malian border, killing 57 people, including 53 gendarmes.

On December 23, 41 people, including VDP escorts, were killed when a convoy of traders was ambushed near Ouahigouya, also near the Malian frontier.

The fatalities at Noaka were members of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Motherland (VDP), a civilian force set up to support army operations that has lost scores of lives in the past two years.

Volunteers receive 14 days of training and are then sent out on patrols and surveillance missions, equipped with light arms.

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This year we are delighted. Although attendance is still limited at churches, at least we are allowed to go, said Marina Gamil, a Coptic Orthodox Christian, adding that churches are doing their best to maximise in-person attendance, including adding outdoor seating.

In the first minutes of Friday, Coptic Orthodox Christians  who comprise 90 percent of Egypt's Christian population  broke their 43-day fast and celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.

This years celebration takes place amid less strict measures due to coronavirus than last year, when attendance of Christmas mass was limited to a number of bishops and monks.

Last year, we were upset and did not feel much of the happiness of the [Christmas] festival because this happiness has always been linked with the church, Gamil told Ahram Online.

Like Orthodox churches around the world, Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on 7 January, according to the Julian Calendar.

The festival comes almost two weeks after most Western denominations, including Catholics and Protestants, hold their celebrations on 25 December.

The Julian calendar is now 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, and 25 December in the Julian system falls on 7 January in the Gregorian system.

Celebrating Coptic Christmas

Orthodox Copts usually end the mass on 12am, but over the past years, security forces asked them to leave an hour or two earlier for security reasons.

This had happened due to the several terrorist attacks that followed the 30 June Revolution in 2013 that targeted churches, police and army personnel, as well as other civilians, especially during annual religious holidays. Attacks, however, have significantly declined over recent years.

Kamel Mourad, an Orthodox Copt, tells Ahram Online he thinks that tightened security measures and the states victory over terrorism would lead this security measure to fade away.

Last year, we only followed the masses on TV screens and even broke our fast early when the mass was concluded in the church that we belong to, Mourad said.

Ezzat Sameh, another Orthodox Copt, told Ahram Online that the rituals during Christmas mass were not entirely cancelled due to coronavirus last year, but the priests sermon became shorter and prayers were carried out faster.

Over the past week, Egyptian Orthodox Christians have been booking online the limited number of available spots to attend the Christmas Eve mass.

Sameh says he may not be able to attend the mass this year although it is the best day of the year because he fears spreading coronavirus to his family.

The joy of the Christmas season

Christmas Eve is a time of real joy, Mourad said, affirming that coronavirus did not manage to spoil our happiness.

The devout Copts of Egypt fast ahead of Christmas, where they are allowed to eat fish and other food but they have to refrain from dairy, poultry and meat.

We flood streets to buy new clothes and some people fill their houses with balloons and joyful decorations. We prepare delicious, creamy and even costly food to break our fast. Christmas Eve is always a day that is full of joy and fun, Mourad said.

On this day, you can find all what you dream off on tables: chicken, meat, turkey, macarona bechamel (a derivative of lasagna with thick white sauce), chicken pane, meatballs and more.

On Christmas Day, you can still eat the rest of food that you, of course, could not finish on the previous night, Mourad laughingly said.

Mourad said his family used to gather at their grandparents houses to celebrate Christmas after the mass.

This is no more the case because of the coronavirus and as many beloved people departed our life, Mourad, who is in his late twenties, said.

Being a paid holiday also makes it feel like you are officially happy and satisfied, Mourad says.

Thursday, 6 January, was a paid day off for public and private sector workers to mark Coptic Orthodox Christmas Day, according to cabinet decrees.

The paid leave came Thursday, instead of Friday, which is already an official weekly paid holiday for most of the public and private sector employees nationwide.

Sameh says Christmas represents a special day that brings together many sweet memories that will leave you feeling happy and childlike.

Gamil said that she feels that the joy of the Christmas even extends to the whole month of December when she sees Christmas trees and people wearing red clothes.

Sharing happiness

We have a warm-hearted neighbour, about the age of our grandma, who keeps knocking on our door on Christmas Eve to give us sweet cakes, Gamil said.

Mourad said he always finds himself flooded with congratulations and sweet wishes from his Muslim friends and neighbours.

Our Muslim brothers are always there, Mourad said, adding that he is looking forward to hanging out with his Muslim and Christian friends after the mass like he has every year.

Mostafa Khaled, a young Muslim man who used to have many Coptic neighbours and whose old house had overlooked a church for more than two decades, said although he does not have many memories with Christian brothers during Christmas, he is always keen to share happy times with them over the whole year.

Our [Christian] brothers are always busy during festival times, but we wish that their all days are full of happiness, Khaled told Ahram Online.

[The national fabric] comprises Christians and Muslims, who share the same memories and destiny, always laughing or grieving for the same reasons, Khaled said.

Preparing for the mass

Pope Tawadros II, the pope of Alexandria and the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, is set to head the Coptic Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve in the Church of the Nativity of Christ in the New Administrative Capital.

The mass will be broadcast live on television and online.

Several churches nationwide are taking online bookings for in-person Christmas mass at 50 percent capacity.

The masses will be held amid precautionary measures, including the obligation to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

Late in December, Egypts Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfik raised the national security alert to the highest level ahead of New Year and Christmas celebrations.

In a meeting with a number of his assistants and other top security officials, Tawfik ordered maximum vigilance and intensified measures to secure vital facilities, places of worship, tourist destinations, as well as the roads leading to these institutions.

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EgyptAir will operate a flight on 19 January to repatriate stranded Egyptians seeking return to Cairo amid a strict border closure by Rabat, the Egyptian Embassy in Morocco said on Friday.

The embassy said a flight will be operated by the national carrier to bring back nationals and their families and Moroccan and other foreign travelers from Casablanca.

Related Morocco border closure spells doom for tourism sector

All travelers heading to Egypt are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before arrival, the embassy said.

They can also submit an antigen rapid test with a QR code no more than 24 hours before arrival, it added.

Morocco shut its borders in late November over rising Omicron variant infections globally. The decision is in effect until January 31.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian Embassy in Beirut issued a circulation on new COVID entry requirements by Lebanon on all travelers arriving to the country since mid-December.

Travelers arriving to Lebanon should register on the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) PASS platform.

They must have a negative PCR test from a certified lab taken no more than 48 hours before arrival and must be uploaded to the PASS platform, the circular showed.

Starting 10 January, an on-arrival PCR test at the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport may be made via the PASS platform or one of the travel agencies offices for $30.

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Ethiopia's state broadcaster, EBC, named both Jawar and Eskinder Nega, who were detained in July 2020 following deadly unrest over the killing of popular ethnic Oromo artist Hachalu Hundessa, as those granted amnesty. Eskinder, leader of the Balderas party, left a detention center on Friday evening.

But Tuli Bayis, a lawyer for Jawar of the Oromo Federalist Congress party and others, told The Associated Press that they refused to leave the prison facility as the order for their release came late in the day.

``They have security risks, so they preferred to exit the correction facility in daytime,'' Tuli said, adding he was not sure why the order for their release came now. ``We heard it is an amnesty, that's what we know for now.''

Ethiopia's ministry of justice said the amnesty for Jawar and Nega was granted ``to make the upcoming national dialogue successful and inclusive.'' Ethiopian lawmakers on Dec. 29 approved a bill to establish a commission for national dialogue amid international pressure for negotiations to end the war.

The state broadcaster also named several senior officials with Tigray's ruling Tigray People's Liberation Front party as being granted amnesty and said they will be released soon. They include Sebhat Nega, Kidusan Nega, Abay Woldu, Abadi Zemu, Mulu Gebregziabher and Kiros Hagos. They were arrested in late 2020 when government forces captured most of the Tigray region shortly after war erupted between Tigray forces and Ethiopian ones.

The ministry of justice said the TPLF detainees ``were granted amnesty taking into consideration their age and health condition.''

Friday's announcement came a day after the United States said its outgoing special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, met with Ethiopia's prime minister to again press for a negotiated end to the war.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Friday that Kazakhstan will find it difficult to lower Russian influence after inviting in troops to quell unrest.

"I think one lesson in recent history is that once Russians are in your house, it's sometimes very difficult to get them to leave," Blinken told reporters.

Kazakhstan invited in the Russian-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization to combat rare protests sparked by concern over fuel prices.

"It would seem to me that the Kazakh authorities and government certainly have the capacity to deal appropriately with protests, to do so in a way that respects the rights of protesters while maintaining law and order, so it's not clear why they feel the need for any outside assistance," Blinken said.

He called on foreign troops and Kazakh authorities to "adhere to international human rights standards," hours after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev thanked Russia for assistance and issued shoot-to-kill orders.

Blinken, who spoke with his counterpart from Kazakhstan on Thursday, renewed his call for respect for peaceful protests, media freedom and for the end of an internet blackout.

"We're watching the situation with real concern and we're encouraging everyone to find a peaceful resolution," he said.

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President Joe Biden forcefully blamed Donald Trump and his supporters Thursday for holding a dagger at the throat of democracy with election lies that sparked last year's deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol, using the anniversary of the attack to warn that America's system of government remains under urgent threat.

President Joe Biden speaks from Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol to mark the one year anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol by supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump, Jan. 6, 2022, in Washington. [Photo: Pool via AP]

The president set the tone on a day of remembrance that brought fiery speeches, moments of silence and anguished accounts from lawmakers recalling the terrifying hours of Jan. 6, 2021, when the Trump mob laid siege to the Capitol and rioters tried to stop the routine, ceremonial certification of election results.

Notably, almost no Republicans joined Biden and the Democrats in what some hoped would be a day of reconciliation. Instead, it was a fresh and jarring display of a nation still deeply torn by the lies that led to the riot, by its unsettled aftermath and Trump's persisting grip on a large swath of the country.

For the first time in our history, a president not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob breached the Capitol, Biden said. You cant love your country only when you win.

Bidens criticism of the defeated president was rife with condemnation for the assault that has fundamentally changed Congress and the nation, and has raised global concerns about the future of American democracy.

His voice booming at times, reverberating in the ornate Statuary Hall where rioters had laid siege, the president called on Americans to remember what they saw Jan. 6 with their own eyes: the mob attacking police and breaking windows, a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, gallows erected outside amid calls to hang the vice president  all while Trump sat at the White House watching on TV.

The former presidents supporters are trying to rewrite history," Biden said, incredulous. They want you to see Election Day as the day of insurrection and the riot that took place here on January 6 as a true expression of the will of the people. Can you think of a more twisted way to look at this country, to look at America? I cannot.

Until the anniversary, Biden had mentioned the attack only sparingly but he aggressively weighed in Thursday and coupled his message with a call for voting rights legislation that Democrats have long been urging.

The presidents remarks drew a stark contrast with the false narratives that persist about the Capitol assault, including the continued refusal by many Republicans to affirm that Biden won the 2020 election. Five people died in the Capitol siege and its immediate aftermath.

We must be absolutely clear about what is true and what is a lie, Biden said. The former president of the United States of America has spread a web of lies about the 2020 election.

Yet even as the president spoke, the vanquished Trump gave no signs of letting go, a show of the division in the country emphasized by the silence and absence of most Republicans to join Biden at the Capitol.

From Florida, Trump revived his unfounded attack on the elections. He accepted no responsibility for sending the thousands of supporters to the Capitol that day when he told them to fight like hell." By Thursday evening, he was sending out a fundraising appeal.

Even among congressional Republicans who condemned the attack in the days afterward, few spoke that way now  some joining in Trump's false portrayals.

What brazen politicization of January 6 by President Biden, tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a sometimes Trump confidant who had initially said he had abandoned Trump after the riot only to quickly embrace him again.
KYODO NEWS - Jan 8, 2022 - 02:03 | Sports, Olympics, Japan, All, Coronavirus

The Japanese government is considering giving COVID-19 booster shots to the country's athletes and officials ahead of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics amid a global surge in novel coronavirus infections as the Omicron variant becomes rampant, sources familiar with the plan said Friday.

As the number of infection cases with Omicron has risen rapidly in Japan, a growing chorus within the government is calling for booster shots for Japanese athletes and others who will travel to participate in the global sporting event, the sources said.

The opening of the Winter Games is coming in less than a month, a timeline ahead of the general population's eligibility for boosters according to Japan's vaccine rollout. In consideration of the timing, the government is believed to be discussing who should receive such shots and how to administer them, the sources said, adding that it is also eyeing how to deal with those currently staying overseas.

Japan started giving COVID-19 booster shots to medical workers in December, with elderly people at nursery facilities becoming eligible later in the month.

Athletes and officials participating in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics last year received vaccinations free of charge.

The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics is scheduled for Feb. 4.
KYODO NEWS - Jan 7, 2022 - 17:47 | All, Japan

Yusaku Maezawa, the billionaire entrepreneur who last month became the first Japanese civilian to travel to the International Space Station, said Friday he now plans a trip to the Mariana Trench, the deepest location on Earth.

Maezawa revealed the exploration project at a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo, saying that "it's been almost decided what kind of submarine will be used and how long the trip will be." Details of the plan will be announced later, he added.

The billionaire said in a live radio broadcast from space last month that he next wanted to fulfil his dream of going to the deepest place on Earth.

Related coverage:

Japanese entrepreneur Maezawa safely returns from 12-day ISS trip

Entrepreneur Maezawa arrives at space station as 1st Japanese civilian

"Since I've come this far already, I'm thinking of diving into the deep sea. I want to go high and low," he said at that time.

Maezawa, widely known for his eccentric behavior such as giving away money on Twitter, has distinguished himself from other Japanese entrepreneurs who are generally considered risk-averse.

A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying Maezawa was launched from Kazakhstan on Dec. 8 last year to the ISS and he returned to Earth on Dec. 20.

"I had underestimated zero gravity. I have become newly aware of the heaviness of Earth's gravity," he said at the press conference.

The founder of major online fashion retailer Zozo Inc. plans to orbit the Moon with U.S. firm SpaceX's Big Falcon Rocket in 2023, in the first such trip organized by a private company. He said after his return from the space station that he also hopes to visit the Moon.

With his planned orbit of the Moon scheduled about a year from now, the billionaire said he is hoping to reveal who will accompany him on the trip shortly. He has previously said he wants to take six to eight world-renowned artists with him.
KYODO NEWS - Jan 8, 2022 - 00:39 | World, All

Myanmar's junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said he will assure an ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar that he can meet with all parties involved in the country's political turmoil, including armed ethnic minority groups, according to a joint statement issued after a meeting between the chief and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in the capital Naypyitaw on Friday.

Min Aung Hlaing also pledged support to the envoy of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in fulfilling his mandate to implement a so-called five-point consensus made at a special summit in April, which mentioned a call for an immediate end to violence in Myanmar, according to the statement.

The prime minister of Cambodia, this year's chair of ASEAN, stressed his support for the military leader, saying complete peace and national reconciliation cannot be achieved without participation and agreement from all parties involved, citing Cambodia's lessons learned from the country's peace process that took place from the late 1980s to early 1990s.

Hun Sen became the first foreign leader to visit the Southeast Asian country since the military seized power in February 2021. He is visiting Myanmar, seeking to make progress on ending the turmoil in the member country, while military authorities appear in no hurry to loosen their grip on power.

However, opponents of the military have protested Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar, claiming he is legitimizing the military government by meeting only the commander of the armed forces but not ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the Feb. 1 coup.

The Cambodian leader arrived at an airport in Naypyitaw on Friday morning and was greeted by the junta-appointed foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, according to a military spokesperson. Hun Sen is scheduled to stay in Myanmar until Saturday.

ASEAN leaders agreed on the five-point consensus and the dispatch of an ASEAN special envoy to meet with all the parties concerned. But the junta has ignored the directive, leading ASEAN to exclude the military leader from summit meetings from October.

Meanwhile, Suu Kyi, who has led the country's pro-democracy camp, remains under house arrest and faces multiyear imprisonment over charges her supporters believe are politically motivated.

Ousted from power in the coup, the pro-democracy camp has been engaging in guerrilla warfare against the military in concert with some armed ethnic minority groups, further deepening turmoil in the nation.

Prior to Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar, pro-democracy forces in the country protested against it and burned photos of the prime minister, according to local media reports. The protests followed explosions near Cambodia's embassy in Yangon on Dec. 31, which caused no damage or casualties.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said Hun Sen's decision as ASEAN chair to meet the military leader was an affront to the people of Myanmar who strongly opposed the visit.

"In one single, selfish move, Hun Sen showed he's more interested in building his own legacy than listening to the Myanmar people who are demanding ASEAN leaders also meet with their leaders elected in Myanmar's November 2020 election," Robertson said in a statement.
KYODO NEWS - Jan 7, 2022 - 22:27 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan decided Friday to place three prefectures with surging COVID-19 cases under a quasi-state of emergency as their governors suspect the viral resurgences have started from U.S. military bases there, while the nationwide tally of infections for the day hit a four-month high of more than 6,000.

The declarations in Okinawa, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima will be effective from Sunday to Jan. 31, allowing the prefectures to bolster anti-coronavirus measures and request that dining establishments shorten their business hours and stop serving alcohol.

Health experts have warned of a sixth wave of the pandemic in Japan amid the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the virus.

The enforcement of the measures, the first under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took office in October, is designed to rein in rapidly spreading infections and prevent local medical systems from being stretched too thin.

A government panel gave the go-ahead before Kishida's decision, just as the daily count of COVID-19 cases hit a record 1,414 in Okinawa and 429 in Hiroshima, its highest figure to date. Yamaguchi reported 180, its second-highest daily number.

The three prefectures made up about a third of the nation's tally, which stood at 6,214 -- an over 10-fold increase from a week earlier.

"We judged that we need to cope with the spread of infections swiftly," Kishida said at a meeting on the coronavirus response at his office.

"Infection numbers have been rising nationwide through the year-end, New Year period and community transmissions of Omicron have been reported in parts of the nation," he added.

Japan had seen a clear downtrend in newly confirmed coronavirus cases as vaccinations progressed. But the Omicron strain has posed new challenges, prompting Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki to describe the speed of its spread as "staggering and explosive."

Community spreads of the new strain have been confirmed in large cities including Tokyo and Osaka. The Tokyo metropolitan government reported 922 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the highest in about four months.

Public facilities in Tokyo, including the popular Ueno Zoological Gardens, will be temporarily closed from next Tuesday amid a resurgence of coronavirus infections, the metropolitan government said.

The temporary closures will not affect parks and libraries, and those selected by lottery to see the public debut of twin giant pandas born at the zoo last June will still be granted entry between next Wednesday and Friday, it said.

Following a cluster of infections at the U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Hansen in Okinawa and sharp increases in COVID-19 cases at a different base in Yamaguchi in western Japan, local officials and some health experts now believe such outbreaks have spilled into nearby areas and beyond. Hiroshima neighbors Yamaguchi.

Okinawa Gov. Tamaki has said there is "no doubt" that U.S. military bases in the southern island prefecture are one of the major factors behind the rapid increase in infections, while Yamaguchi Gov. Tsugumasa Muraoka has cited results of genomic analyses of virus samples taken from U.S. base workers and residents.

Japan has urged the United States to make sure anti-virus steps are properly enforced by U.S. forces in the country.

But Kishida remains cautious about clearly blaming the U.S. military presence for the resurgence of the virus in those areas.

In Okinawa, Tamaki asked for cooperation from local residents and businesses to rise out the crisis.

"If we see infections spread further, we will have to consider switching to a state of emergency. In that case, we would have no choice but to call for stricter restrictions," he said at a press conference.

Hiroshima Gov. Hidehiko Yuzaki also mentioned the possibility of taking stronger steps by requesting a state of emergency.

The daily count in the prefecture has yet to peak and the infection situation is unlikely to subside before the end of January, he said at a news conference.

The stakes are high for Kishida, who saw his predecessor Yoshihide Suga step down after public dissatisfaction grew over what was perceived as the government's poor handling of the pandemic.

Kishida has vowed to take all necessary steps to pre-empt a surge in coronavirus cases, banning the entry of nonresident foreign nationals in Japan and accelerating the rollout of vaccine booster shots.

While a full state of emergency is declared over a whole prefecture, a quasi-emergency can be more limited in terms of coverage and restrictions. In Yamaguchi and Hiroshima, only certain cities and towns will be subject to the measure while all of Okinawa will be covered.

Governors can ask and then order businesses such as restaurants to close early and stop serving alcohol. Defying such orders without legitimate reasons may result in a fine of up to 200,000 yen ($1,700).

Even under a quasi-emergency, dining establishments certified by local authorities as taking proper anti-virus steps have been able to provide alcohol. But the Japanese government decided to change the rule in the face of Omicron's spread, enabling prefectural governors to request that such eateries stop serving alcohol.

The change is yet another setback to service providers who have lagged in the recovery from the initial COVID-19 fallout.
Home > 2022 > Hindi and Urdu | B S Chauhan

The politics in the country was not as divisive and toxic in the sixties, when I was a child in Dehradun, as it is now. Urdu, for we siblings, was a secular language and not associated with a community or religion. Could be because, being rooted firmly in Uttar Pradesh for generations, we were spared the horrors of partition.

Our father would write his notes and his shopping lists in Urdu only though he knew English and Hindi quite well. His Urdu jottings were beyond us. Father, born in a village on the Yamuna plains near Nakur tehsil of Saharanpur district, had studied Urdu and English at school. He learnt Hindi much later, after independence, when he was in a government job. To my eternal regret, I did not make a concerted effort to learn first-hand about his early life, his education and struggles, when he was alive. Whatever knowledge we have is based on our mothers anecdotes and from bits and pieces of after-dinner conversations between father and visitors from his village, which we happened to overhear. He went to Nakur for his primary education and then to Roorkee for High school where he stayed with his relatives. For Intermediate, i.e. class 11th and 12th, he had to go as far as Agra, to the then Balwant Rajput College, as there were no Inter Colleges in Roorkee or Saharanpur. It must have been in 1930s. Since Urdu was the court language then, it could have been the preferred language for most of the students. Vakalat or legal practice was the profession most aspired to. Other professions like engineering and medical needed expensive education which was beyond the means of my fathers family. And, as people say, there was this bias too, in upper castes, against mitti  gara (earth and mortar) and cheer  phad (surgery) work. In fact, he funded his education through scholarships only. His education stopped when scholarships stopped. It was a mystery for us why he did not study beyond 12th. Our mother used to say that it was because he came under the influence of a saint, turned to spirituality and neglected his studies. He had always been a brilliant student but a poor result in 12th meant that he could not get the scholarship to pursue studies any further. It was much later, when I was in fifties that I came to know of the real reason. During a conversation with my father-in-law, father disclosed that he was influenced and drafted in by communists to their cause. They sure knew how to influence and attract young, bright and idealistic minds into their fold with their theories and ideology. I think his simplicity and inability to say no must have played no minor role though he had no stomach for politics. The volunteers like him were asked to work almost round the clock, to write, to operate cyclo-style machine and to distribute pamphlets. Not only that, but also to visit villages to promote their ideology. There was simply no time for studies in all this activism. When final examinations were near, father realised how unprepared he was. He applied all his efforts on covering up the two years worth of studies in just one month. He could scrape through the exam but not with distinction as had been the case in the past. His marks were just not good enough for winning a scholarship. He had to give up thoughts of studying any further.

The standard of education was certainly much better in his time. Though he studied only till 12th, his English was impeccable. But he would never flaunt his English language skills. Even when his colleagues would switch over to English to make an office work related point, he would still reply in Hindi. The only time I heard him speak English was when teaching us or in Bangalore when talking to some visitor who did not know Hindi. When it came to writing, he would write in precise and elegant prose. And his handwriting was simply outstanding. Every letter was well formed and of same size. None of we siblings came anywhere near him in the matter of handwriting or command over the language. Even his Hindi handwriting, which he learnt only after 1947, was impeccable. His Urdu handwriting was also neat looking though we were not able to make head or tail out of it. Like I said earlier, he would prefer to write his To do and shopping lists in Urdu only, making them totally indecipherable to us. His correspondence with some relatives of his age would also be, mostly, in Urdu. While we were able to read most of the letters to our mother when father was in the office, the Urdu letters had to wait. Only father would be able to read them and tell us what they were about.

Father used to get a Jantri every year. It was a kind of almanac having information about Hindu calendars, auspicious days, festivals and some astrological advice. I think the name Jantri came from Yantra (literal meaning Instrument). Yantras consist of astrological rituals and mantras, effective or not - I am not qualified to say, to mitigate a problem or to remove some roadblock and to ensure progress and happiness of the practitioner. For example, there are yantras to shield from someones buri-nazar (evil eye) or to cast a spell on someone. The Jantri used to be in Urdu. Perhaps the author was some pre-partition pandit who lived in west Punjab (now Pakistan). Only father could consult the Jantri and answer mothers questions about Ekadashi, Amavasya, various festivals and auspicious days etc. Once he brought a Hindi edition of the Jantri. Perhaps the Urdu edition had been delayed or the shopkeeper did not get enough copies for the few Urdu knowing customers of his. Now we children could read the almanac and attempt answering mothers questions. There were also some crosswords like yantras to tell readers future. It required closing ones eyes and putting a finger on the crossword pattern. Based on which letter the finger rested on, there was a corresponding paragraph on what the future held for the person using the yantra. When father got to know of this affliction of ours, he scolded us for becoming fatalists and asked us not to waste time on such useless things. That was the last time he brought a Hindi Jantri. Later of course, the calendars like Kaal Nirnay took over.

I never expressed any desire to learn Urdu during his lifetime. After he was gone, unfortunately some three weeks before our first daughters wedding, I was going through some of his papers. With moist eyes, I looked at the last cheque he had written as a gift to his granddaughter. The familiar handwriting was so clear even in the last few days when the life was deserting him bit by bit. I did not encash the cheque. I treasure it in his sacred memory.

Sometime later, a thought started to form in my mind. I thought that I would not be able to read and treasure some of his papers as they were in Urdu. Around the same time, I chanced upon a blog while surfing. It was about the experiences of a foreigner trying to learn Hindi. While the blogger was impressed by the logic and scientific basis of classification of vowels and consonants in Devanagari, he decided to learn Urdu script also to learn two languages for the effort of one. Are not the two languages so similar? In their simple, everyday use form, the two are indistinguishable when spoken. They have the same structure. Take a simple sentence, put more Sanskrit words in it and you have Hindi. Replace Sanskrit words by Persian or Arabic words and voila, you have Urdu. Of course, so long as you do not write down and stick to the spoken version only. Or use the so-called Roman Urdu (written using Roman alphabets) or Roman Hindi and the two are again as close as first cousins should be. Use a glossary for tough Persian and Sanskrit words and you have a common North Indian language, covering the entire swath of North India and Pakistan. For Indians, it would be wrong to give up the ownership of Urdu. It developed here and is as Indian a language as any other. Did we give up ownership rights on Bengali when Bangladesh was formed?

I am glad that there is an effort now to reclaim Urdu as our own. The Rekhta Foundation, an initiative of Sanjiv Saraf, a 1980 engineering graduate of IIT Kharagpur and a successful entrepreneur (such a blow to the stereotypes?), is a laudable effort in that direction. It makes available Urdus literary offerings in Devanagari and Roman scripts too. It is such a welcome resource for many who like the Urdu poetry but are handicapped by their inability to read the Urdu script. I wish there were more such initiatives. There are lunatics on both sides of the religious divide and easy access to social media has given them virtually unlimited powers to do harm and indulge in mischiefs. It is much like the Hindustani saying Bandar ke haath mein diyasalai (matchstick in the hands of a monkey). Initiatives like Rekhta are needed where sane people from all communities can come together and appreciate all that is noble, aesthetic, humane and beautiful.

Spurred on by the realisation that all I needed to learn Urdu was a familiarity with the script as I knew the language already, I went about learning the script. The web resources were looked up as a first step. Post alif, be, pe, I tried to enlist the help of some of my Muslim colleagues. Surprisingly, they too did not know the script. In fact, one of them was proficient in Sanskrit and offered to help me with Sanskrit. So much for our prejudices and pre-conceived notions. But the Sanskrit knowing friend did get me an Urdu primer published by National Council for the Promotion of Urdu Language. It was very useful. I can read a bit now, albeit haltingly, as a child attempting to read does. I do get confused between maatra o and sound v. I miss my father who would have helped me learn in no time. The script is complicated by the fact that a letter may have different shapes depending upon where it is placed in a word, at the beginning, middle or at the end. And handwritten Urdu tends to combine many letters. This complexity made it impossible to have Urdu typewriters. The books and newspapers were written in long hand by professional scribes or calligraphists (Katibs) and then printed by lithography. The advent of computer technology did wonders for Urdu. Now you can type and print Urdu documents. And there is a choice of many fonts too like in other languages. One can, in fact, even type using a Roman keyboard while the screen will show Urdu letters and words.

As for me, I am progressing by trying to read text on Urdu YouTube videos and some stories on the web. I hope to gain enough proficiency in a year or so to be able to read the papers left behind by my father.

29th December 2021
Aerial photo taken on Nov. 23, 2021 shows a train being loaded at a loading station of a coal mine in Erdos, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.(Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Having been through a tough year in energy production, China will make all-out efforts to ensure coal production and keep coal prices at a reasonable level in 2022.

As measures to increase production have paid off, the coal supply and demand have continued to improve, with intelligent and green energy playing a big role in energy supply.

PREVIOUS EFFORTS

The tight supply and high demand for power, a dilemma besetting China's power industry since the start of 2021, worsened in September and October due to the short supply and price hikes of coal. At the time, multiple provinces in the country reported power rationing, with some regions experiencing power cuts.

Following the September power blackouts, in a series of meetings, the country stressed the importance of efforts to prioritize energy sufficiency. At an executive meeting of the State Council in late October, China ordered concerted efforts to ensure coal production and transportation, increase the gas supply and crack down on speculative activities in the market.

An improved pricing mechanism for coal-fired power was also released to deepen market-oriented pricing reform in the sector.

Since October, coal enterprises have also been promoting coal supply and stabilizing prices.

Huayang New Material Technology Group Co., Ltd., a coal producer in north China's Shanxi Province, one of China's major coal-producing regions, has been improving its mining technology and operating at full capacity, with half of its output being transported to south China's Hainan Province.

By December 22, 2021, Huayang had completed the shipment of 1.7 million tonnes of thermal coal to Hainan ahead of schedule.

These timely measures, at both the local and central levels, proved effective in restoring the near-term coal supply and helped gradually ease the strain on power generation, industry insiders noted.

Spot prices and coal futures have slumped rapidly since mid-October as long-term supply contracts cover more coal producers while supervision is strengthened to rein in excessive speculation. By early November, power supply and demand in areas operated by the State Grid had returned to normal.

SMART MINING HELPS

Intelligent technologies have become an important support for increasing the production and supply of coal.

The city of Yulin, a coal-producing area in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has built 20 modern ultra-large coal mines with a capacity accounting for 50 percent of the city's total output.

At Shaanxi Coal Caojiatan Mining Co., Ltd., an intelligent monitoring system connected to phone applications helps workers dispatch and monitor the real-time operation of equipment and the production process.

"With the help of the smart devices, the actual number of workers in a mining team has been reduced from 15 to seven. Now, just seven people can produce 3,500 tonnes of raw coal in two hours," said Li Peichen, a mining team Party chief with the company.

Also, a total of 154 intelligent mining areas have been built in Shanxi Province, with the capacity of technologically advanced production accounting for 68 percent of the total.

FUTURE STEPS

As the growth of global energy demand slows down and supply constraints ease, the mismatch between supply and demand is expected to improve in 2022, according to experts.

Meanwhile, the domestic coal supply capacity will be further enhanced in 2022 as relevant government departments increase production capacity, according to industry insiders.

In 2022, the medium- and long-term coal contract system will be further improved.

Recently, a batch of long-term contracts were signed by coal enterprises from Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and other places, together with some large domestic electricity, steel, heating enterprises, which will further stabilize price expectations and promote stable energy supply.

The country will also continue to increase the absorptive capacity of new energy, and optimize the use of coal and new energy. Large firms, especially state-owned enterprises, are working on the front lines of securing the power supply and stabilizing prices. 
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Funding shortages are continuing to impact the UN humanitarian operation in Yemen, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned Thursday.

The 2021 humanitarian response plan for Yemen received 58 percent of its funding requirements, leaving a gap of 1.6 billion U.S. dollars. As a result, aid agencies are being forced to scale down and close vital programs, said OCHA.

Emergency food assistance is being reduced for 8 million people across the country. Reproductive health services, water, protection and other programs are also scaling back, it said.

The United Nations urges donors to sustain and increase, where possible, their funding to the humanitarian response in Yemen, which represents a lifeline to 16 million people. In 2022, the United Nations will also be working closely with all stakeholders to promote a stronger economy in Yemen, as economic collapse is the main driver of humanitarian needs, said OCHA. 
Tanzanian traditional costumes designer Jocktan Makeke shows his work at his workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Jan. 4, 2022. (Photo by Herman Emmanuel/Xinhua)

Jocktan Makeke, a designer of traditional costumes in Tanzania, says most of his designs are based on stories from Tanzania's 120 tribes and they are based on pure African culture that prevailed before the coming of Europeans and before colonialism.



DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- His love for Tanzanian culture pressed a 33-year-old university graduate to cultivate interest in designing traditional costumes using animal products such as animal skins and hides, bones, as well as tree leaves and barks.

"To be precise, flora and fauna are my raw materials," said Jocktan Makeke, the chief executive officer of Makeke International, a firm that is designing traditional costumes from Tabata Shule on the outskirts of the commercial capital of Dar es Salaam.

With the firm's slogan -- Your Culture, Your Identity -- which Makeke loosely translated into English as "more than normal," he is really designing traditional costumes that are more than ordinary.

"I came up with the idea of designing traditional costumes about six years ago after I had realized that most of the designs were Western-like suits and dresses," Makeke, who in 2012 graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts and Design at the University of Dodoma, told Xinhua. "So I decided to introduce this kind of design and I was the first person doing this traditional costume design in the country."

According to the young designer, most of his designs are based on stories from Tanzania's 120 tribes and they are based on pure African culture that prevailed before the coming of Europeans and before colonialism.

"I am using natural products like those that our forefathers and mothers used. They used animal products, including skins, hides, bones, leaves and barks from trees for making their costumes," said Makeke.

Tanzanian traditional costumes designer Jocktan Makeke works at his workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Jan. 4, 2022. (Photo by Herman Emmanuel/Xinhua)

He said before he starts designing, he travels upcountry to different regions where he conducts research through hearing traditional stories and asking questions, mostly from elder people, on the kinds of traditional costumes they used.

"The research is done in tandem with the collection of the animal products, leaves and barks," said Makeke, adding that doing research on one traditional costume could take one year but it takes a day to make about six costumes.

"Traditional costumes have a direct impact on society, a very direct message to the society because when you see this you can't understand what it is but when I tell you the story behind this collection, you will understand what I am talking about," he said.

At the beginning of his designing traditional costumes, the going was rough and tough, because many people did not understand what he was doing but today many people understand.

He said he has so many clients in Tanzania, Africa and Europe, adding that some of his clients are celebrities, including renowned musicians.

Makeke said although he has never been to China, he has admiration for Chinese love for their culture.

"Chinese value their culture. They protect their culture and they are so proud of their culture compared to Africans," he said.

Makeke said when Africans travel abroad they prefer to look like Europeans.

Makeke believed the future of designing traditional costumes is amazing because nowadays people understand as the young generation is fighting to know their history which they can grasp by cultivating interest in traditional costumes.

A glance at Makeke's shelf exposes one to a number of awards that he has won, including a certificate he was awarded on Sept. 25, 2019, after he had successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to Uhuru peak, the highest in Africa standing at 5,895 meters above sea level.

There is also the Cultural Unity Award 2017 for the most creative designer in Africa that he scooped in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, and the Innovative Designer of the Year 2018 awarded by the Swahili Fashion Week in Dar es Salaam.

In 2019, Makeke attended a three-week course on creative arts at the Cape Town University Institute of Creative Arts in South Africa.

Makeke has also visited almost all the country's 22 national parks, including the renowned Serengeti National Park.

"I decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and I visited the national parks to be able to explain about these tourist attractions to foreigners when I visit abroad," he said. 




-- Massive COVID-19 waves magnified by the Omicron variant have been wreaking havoc worldwide, as the global caseload has surpassed the 300 million mark.

-- The sharp increase of new infections has created mounting pressure on the health care systems, and has once again disrupted the struggling economic recovery and people's daily life.

-- Experts and officials have been calling on the governments to take necessary measures, while appealing to people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United States and multiple European countries have been once again stormed by a drastic resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the global caseload has surpassed the 300 million mark.

With new infections skyrocketing, the fresh COVID-19 surge in the United States and Europe has mainly been fueled by the Omicron variant. Factors including eased restrictions, more social gatherings and frequent personal movements during the holiday season have also played their respective roles.

As the resurgence has added uncertainty and unpredictability to the prospects for the tottering global social and economic recovery, the time is now ripe for governments to take necessary actions and stand in solidarity against the pandemic.





SOARING INFECTIONS

Massive COVID-19 waves magnified by the Omicron variant have been wreaking havoc across the globe. The number of global COVID-19 cases reached 300,002,021 as of 0250 GMT on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The United States remains the hardest-hit country by the pandemic worldwide, with its daily cases surpassing 1 million on Monday amid the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

People wait for COVID-19 testing at the Times Square in New York, the United States, Dec. 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

The new wave came as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decided to shorten the recommended time that people should isolate themselves following a positive test result from 10 days to five days if they do not show symptoms.

Across the Atlantic, Britain reported on Thursday another 179,756 coronavirus cases in the latest 24-hour period, bringing the national tally to 14,015,065. On Tuesday, the country's daily new cases exceeded 200,000 for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (L) visits a vaccination center in Aylesbury, Britain, Jan. 3, 2022. (Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua)

In France, 261,481 cases were registered on Thursday, much lower than the daily record that France set the day before. However, patients being treated in hospitals continue to rise, reaching 21,169, with 3,759 of them in intensive care.

People wearing face masks walk near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, Dec. 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

Germany on Thursday registered 64,340 new cases, around 21,000 more than a week ago, the Robert Koch Institute for infectious diseases reported, adding Omicron cases increased by 8,916 within one day to a total of 51,472.

Italy recorded 219,441 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, surpassing the 200,000 mark for the first time.

People in their vehicles wait at a drive-thru COVID-19 test site in Bologna, Italy, Dec. 31, 2021. (Photo by Gianni Schicchi/Xinhua)

Greece, Croatia and Ireland have also reported record daily COVID-19 count while the Netherlands and neighboring Belgium have seen infection rates hiking significantly by 35 percent and 79 percent respectively.

What has brought a sense of relief is that the weekly death toll worldwide decreased by 10 percent last week compared to the previous week, according to the World Health Organization's weekly update on the pandemic situation.

MORE UNCERTAINTY

The sharp increase of new infections has created mounting pressure on the health care systems, and has once again disrupted the struggling economic recovery and people's daily life, causing a labor shortage, thousands of flight cancellations, and the closure of businesses.

A notice of cancellation of Christmas Spectacular performance is seen outside Radio City Music Hall in New York, the United States, Dec. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

In the United States, medical and testing needs have surpassed what the government and the country could provide, and colleges and schools have chosen to resume online education or even call off classes.

Amid the Omicron surge, initial jobless claims in the country last week rose to 207,000, the U.S. Labor Department reported on Thursday.

In Britain, hospitals have switched to a "war footing" due to staff shortages caused by the resurgence of the pandemic, the government said. According to media reports, the hospitals have been calling back staff from holiday or those on leave to tackle the Omicron-fueled "healthcare crisis."

Poland's Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said on Wednesday that his country is preparing to increase the number of hospital beds reserved for COVID-19 patients from 31,000 to at least 40,000 -- or 60,000 in the worst-case scenario -- in light of the surging cases caused by the Omicron variant.

A medical worker treats a COVID-19 patient at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain, Dec. 22, 2021. (Photo by Francisco Avia/Xinhua)

In Sweden, the Omicron surge coincides with rising influenza cases, putting a serious strain on hospital wards, many of which are already running at full capacity.

The number of COVID-19 patients has increased considerably in Stockholm's hospitals. Johan Bratt, the Stockholm Region's chief medical officer, said he expected the trend to continue "as it usually takes a couple of weeks between a person getting infected and the disease proving to be so serious that it requires hospitalization."

The Omicron variant has also dealt a blow to the economic recovery in Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.

In Thailand, the Ministry of Public Health on Thursday raised its COVID-19 alert level from three to four in response to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

The spread of the Omicron variant in Thailand could have a more severe and prolonged impact than expected on the country's economic recovery, according to the Bank of Thailand.





CALL FOR ACTIONS

To avoid disastrous results of the pandemic resurgence, experts and officials have been calling on the governments to take necessary measures, while appealing to people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

A poster showing measures against the COVID-19 is seen in the Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)

"We are in a race with Omicron here, and anything that slows down the virus helps. Decreasing the overall rate of new cases will mean more people get boosted before they are infected," William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a recent article on The Guardian.

"But while vaccines are the most important part of the strategy to blunt Omicron's impact, they are not enough by themselves. We still need to support isolation for those infected, quarantine for those exposed, rapid tests to identify cases, and promote masking in public places. All of these need urgent support from the government," said Hanage.

A man takes a self-administered COVID-19 test in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 5, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

French Health Minister Olivier Veran stressed the importance of vaccination, saying it helps prevent severe symptoms whereas an unvaccinated person, when infected, will likely need to be hospitalized.

German Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach called for further contact restrictions to fight the Omicron wave. Although current measures would work, "we will probably have to step it up again," he told public broadcaster ZDF on Wednesday.

Italy on Wednesday further tightened anti-coronavirus measures, mainly making vaccination mandatory for people aged 50 and above, in an effort to curb surging COVID-19 cases fueled by the Omicron variant.

"What we really need to see is vaccines that are going to help drive down transmission because that's how we get control over the pandemic," Katrina Pollock, who leads the COVID-19 vaccine project at the Imperial College London, said.

Pollock highlighted that the most important thing in tackling the pandemic in the long-term is international collaboration.

"As long as we continue to collaborate globally and to break down those doors with scientists, politicians and public health experts ... we will move a global population away from the bad situation that we're in now," she said.

(Xinhua reporters Guo Shuang in London, Zhang Yirong in Berlin, Xing Jianqiao in Paris, He Fei and Chen Zhanjie in Rome, Nie Xiaoyang in Geneva, Xiong Maoling and Gao Pan in Washington, Xia Lin in New York, Chen Chen in Warsaw, and Fu Yiming in Stockholm also contributed to the story.) (Video reporters: Xie E, Zhang Mocheng, Wang Chao, Liu Chang, Li Cheng; video editors: Lin Lin, Luo Hui)




A police officer stands guard in front of the city hall in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Jan. 5, 2022. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

The discussion focused on the developments in Kazakhstan and joint actions under the CSTO mandate to combat international terrorism, restore order and protect the country's citizens.

MOSCOW, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin held several phone calls on Thursday and Friday with leaders of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), discussing the situation in Kazakhstan, the Kremlin said Friday.

"The Russian President had telephone conversations with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan," it said in a statement.

Putin also spoke by phone several times with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, it said.

"The discussion focused on the developments in Kazakhstan and joint actions under the CSTO mandate to combat international terrorism, restore order and protect the country's citizens," it added.

Meanwhile, since the launch of the CSTO peacekeeping operation, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has been regularly reporting to Putin on the progress of transfer of peacekeeping forces to Kazakhstan and the completion of assigned tasks, the statement said.

Violent protests in Kazakhstan have caused multiple deaths over the past days, according to various reports.

Tokayev accepted the government's resignation on Wednesday, and has sought help from the CSTO.

A joint CSTO peacekeeping force has arrived in Kazakhstan to take part in maintaining order, the Kazakh presidential press service said Friday, adding that they came only for a limited time to ensure the protection of strategic facilities.

The peacekeeping forces include troops from Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the CSTO said in a statement on its website. 
The bride Natasha Tizola (R) and the groom Luciano Mafukidze pose for a photo at their traditional wedding ceremony in Ruwa, Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe, Jan. 1, 2022. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

Bride price, or "roora/lobola" in the local Shona language, is the customary token paid by the groom-to-be to his future in-laws. It is seen as a token of appreciation to the bride's parents for raising a daughter.



by Tafara Mugwara

HARARE, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- At a wedding ceremony in Ruwa, about 30 km east of Zimbabwe's capital Harare, the groom-to-be's team attentively sat on a rug following the proceedings, which had just started.

On the opposite side of the room, a representative from the bride's family held a list with the required payments before the groom could be formally introduced to the in-laws.

For each figure, negotiations between the two sides followed until an agreement on the amount was reached.

After some negotiations, with compromises on both sides, several U.S. dollar notes were placed in a wooden bowl which was then forwarded to an elder from the bride's side to count.

Groceries submitted as part of the bride price are seen at the wedding ceremony of Luciano Mafukidze and Natasha Tizola in Ruwa, Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe, Jan. 1, 2022. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

Women's ululations and men's handclaps flooded the room as greenbacks were handed over to the bride's family.

Several procedures followed until the groom was finally allowed into the compound amid song and dance.

Despite economic hardships amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the groom, 31-year-old Luciano Mafukidze, toiled throughout the year to raise bride price, which included cash, groceries and eight cows, to marry Natasha Tizola.

Bride price, or "roora/lobola" in the local Shona language, is the customary token paid by the groom-to-be to his future in-laws. It is seen as a token of appreciation to the bride's parents for raising a daughter.

There is no stipulated amount set for the bride price, and the figure mainly depends on how deep the pockets of the groom or his family are.

After the ceremony, which was held at the in-laws' house, Mafukidze was in high spirits for having formally married the love of his life.

"Getting Natasha was not a walkover, it was through hard work. It was my wish that I marry her," Mafukidze told Xinhua.

Guests enjoy a meal at the traditional wedding ceremony of Natasha Tizola and Luciano Mafukidze in Ruwa, Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe, Jan. 1, 2022. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

The bride was equally happy to have brought joy and pride to her family.

"I am happy that I made my mother proud, I followed the proper procedures," she said.

In marriage, the family of the bride and groom are very influential among Shona people, who constitute a large portion of Zimbabwe's population.

Following proper marriage customs brings honor and respect to the family.

Benny Chimene, the mother of the bride, could not conceal her joy.

"I am very happy, I can't even express it because kids nowadays just meet by the roadside, they express love and the next thing is that they are staying together. So I am happy with what my child has done," said Chimene.

Edmund Mandishona Chitehwe, the father of the groom, was happy to welcome an additional member to the family.

"I am very happy, welcoming a daughter-in-law during the beginning of the year after following the proper marriage procedure of paying bride price," he said.

According to Shona tradition, men expand the family, while women unite families, and bride price formalizes and legalizes the union.

The groom Luciano Mafukidze (1st L) gives a piece of cake to his in-laws after paying the bride price for his fiancee Natasha Tizola in Ruwa, Mashonaland East Province, Zimbabwe, Jan. 1, 2022. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

The system has evolved from submission of a hoe to monetary payments, livestock and groceries.

The payment of bride price is also common in the other southern African countries such as Malawi, Zambia, South Africa and Botswana.

In some cases, the traditional marriage ceremony is followed by a Western-style wedding.

Although the family is still important in issues regarding marriage, there has been a gradual erosion of traditional customs.

This has seen more girls rushing into early marriages without following proper procedures. Economic hardships and social ills have also seen young men failing to raise funds to pay for bride price.

While traditional marriage remains central to Shona culture, to some people, the idea of women being paid for by money is seen as one of the harmful cultural practices that commodify the girl child, thus exposing her to male exploitation.

Proponents of the traditional custom, however, say instead of viewing bride price as a purchase, it should be considered to be a sign of goodwill between two families. 
Rescuers work at the air crash site of the Ukrainian passenger plane in Parand district, southern Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

TEHRAN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Friday the country is ready to hold bilateral talks with each of the related countries on issues concerning the crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane near Tehran in 2020.

Expressing condolences to the victims' families in a statement, the ministry said Iran's preparedness comes despite "illegal measures by certain states seeking to gain political advantages" by exploiting the accident and sorrows of the victims' families, according to the ministry's website.

It added that any talks should be based on goodwill, respect for countries' sovereignty, domestic laws and international obligations.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry noted that following the tragic event, all of the country's related organizations announced the main cause of the accident and fulfilled their responsibilities according to domestic law and international commitments "precisely, transparently and quickly."

The announcement came as a reaction to a Thursday joint statement on reparations made by Canada, Britain, Sweden and Ukraine, whose citizens were killed in the incident.

Rescuers work at the air crash site of the Ukrainian passenger plane in Parand district, southern Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)

The four countries said on Thursday they had abandoned efforts to talk to Tehran about reparations for the crashed plane and would try to settle the matter according to international law.

The Ukraine passenger flight was brought down on Jan. 8, 2020, by Iranian missiles shortly after it took off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. Iran said that its forces "accidentally" shot down the plane.

On Friday, the second martyrdom anniversary of the tragic incident's victims was commemorated at a ceremony in Tehran's Behesht Zahra cemetery. 
ISLAMABAD, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and 17 others including women and kids injured in a road accident in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province Thursday night, local police said.

The incident happened in Khuzdar district of the province when a van hit a trailer coming from the opposite direction on a highway in the province, police told media.

The van was carrying over 25 people who were on their way to attend the wedding of a relative in the district, according to the reports.

The injured and the bodies have been shifted to a nearby hospital where at least three of the wounded are said to be in critical condition. 
MOGADISHU, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's regional forces in Galmudug State killed 17 al-Shabab militants who attempted to attack a local town early Friday, security officials said.

The security officials told the state-owned Somali National Television that the terrorists were killed after they attempted to capture Baxdo town in central Somalia.

"The regional forces of Somalia's Galmudug State have repulsed an attack by al-Shabab on Baxdo town, killing 17 terrorists in the early hours of Friday," the television station reported.

The move comes amid intensified operations by Somali forces against al-Shabab militants in central and southern regions where the militants still hold swathes of rural areas conducting ambushes and planting land mines. 
VIENTIANE, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Laos has detected its first case of Omicron variant of COVID-19, the National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control announced Thursday.

Director-general of the Department of Communicable Disease Control under the Lao Ministry of Health Rattanaxay Phetsouvanh said in a special announcement on Thursday evening that the Omicron variant had been detected in a passenger arriving on flight AK7552 from Malaysia on Sunday.

The flight contained 42 people who were tested for COVID-19, with two people from the same family testing positive for the virus.

Both of them had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Of the two positive cases, the Omicron variant was detected in a female passenger.

The infected had traveled from India, through Sri Lanka, transferring in Malaysia before arriving in Laos.

Meanwhile, the quarantine hotel where other passengers from flight AK7552 are staying has been instructed to take strict precautions, ensuring the individuals remain in their rooms at all times, in order to contain the spread of the variant.

Rattanaxay said the Ministry of Health will do its utmost to protect society from COVID-19 by accelerating the vaccination program to reach 70 percent of the population, including booster shots, as soon as possible.

He advised the public not to panic and to take precautions as advised by the government, while anyone who has had contact with passengers from flight AK7552 must immediately and strictly self-isolate for 14 days.

Laos reported its first two confirmed COVID-19 cases on March 24, 2020. 
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COLOMBO, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government on Thursday said it was in talks with a Dubai-based company which has offered 100 million U.S. dollars for the "Queen of Asia", the world's largest natural corundum blue sapphire found in Sri Lanka.

State Minister of Gem and Jewellery Related Industries Lohan Ratwatte was quoted in the local Daily Mirror as saying that there has been no final decision taken by the Sri Lankan government on the company's offer to sell the "Queen of Asia", but talks were ongoing between the company and the stone owner on its sale for a high price.

Discussions were also underway on whether to auction the corundum blue sapphire at an even higher price, Ratwatte said.

The owner of the stone recently said that one of the French gem scientists had valued the corundum sapphire at more than 200 million U.S. dollars.

Officials last month said the stone had also attracted interest from potential buyers in China and the United States.

The single crystal blue sapphire, which weighs around 310 kilograms, was unveiled in December about three months after it was found from a private land in Ratnapura, which is known as the "city of gems" in Sri Lanka and located about 115 kilometers from the commercial capital Colombo.

The sapphire is presently stored in a laboratory owned by Sri Lanka's National Gem and Jewelry Authority. 
Kolkata :

Aiming to empower girls, the West Bengal government has taken the initiative to set up a Kanyashree University in Nadia district and Kanyashree colleges across the state, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday. She had laid the foundation stone of the new university at Krishnanagar in Nadia district in January. The Kanyashree university would be only for women.

Banerjee took to Twitter on International Day of the Girl Child to state that her government started the Kanyashree scheme to empower girls, and it has been allocated a budget of Rs 7,000 crore since its launch in 2013.

The main objective of the scheme is to ensure that girls study in schools and delay their marriages until the age of 18 years.

"Today is International Day of the Girl Child. Our Govt in Bangla started the Kanyashree scheme in 2013, which won the UN (first prize) award in 2017. Kanyashree empowers girls from school to university level so that they can become independent women," she wrote on her Twitter handle.

"Till date, Kanyashree has empowered over 60 lakh girl students. Total budget since launch is over Rs 7,000 crore (till Jan 2019). Moreover, the Bangla Govt has taken the initiative to set up a Kanyashree University in Nadia and Kanyashree colleges in districts," she added.

The 'Kanyashree Prakalpa' seeks to improve the status and wellbeing of girls, particularly those from socio- economically disadvantaged families through conditional cash transfers.

The scheme has two cash transfer components--an annual incentive of Rs 750 is given to girls in the age group 13 to 18 years and studying in Class 8 for every year till they continue their education--provided they are unmarried at the time.

One-time grant of Rs 25,000 is also given to girls once they attain the age of 18 years, provided they are engaged in an academic or occupational pursuit and unmarried.

The Mamata Banerjee government has been awarded by the United Nations for Public Service for its Kanyashree scheme in 2017.
New Delhi:

The Jammu and Kashmir administration released three politicians on October 10 on various grounds which includes signing of a bond. Yawar Mir, Noor Mohammed and Shoaib Lone were set free on Thursday. Mir is a former MLA of the PDP from Rafiabad assembly seat, Lone contested unsuccessfully on a Congress ticket from North Kashmir and later resigned from the party. He was considered close to Peoples Conference chief Sajjad Lone. Mohammed is a National Conference worker who has been managing the partys show in the militancy-infested Batmaloo area of the Srinagar city.

Hundreds of political leaders were taken into custody as precautionary measure amid tensions in Kashmir after New Delhi on August 5 announced abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and decided to bifurcate the state into Union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh - hours after Kashmir was placed under a total clampdown.

Over 250 petitions have been filed against the preventive detention orders against prominent political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. Petitions have also been filed in the Supreme Court against the detentions.

On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik directed officials to lift the advisory that asked tourists to stay away from the Valley. This will be done with effect from October 10. Once lifted, tourists will be free to visit the Valley.

Governor Satya Pal Malik has directed that the Home Departments advisory asking tourists to leave the valley be lifted immediately. This will be done with effect from 10.10.2019, reported ANI.

The development comes two months after tourists were asked to leave the valley. The state administration on August 2 had issued a security advisory asking Amarnath pilgrims and tourists to leave Kashmir as soon as possible, citing terror threat in the Valley.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump has said that he hoped Turkey would act rationally as the country launched an operation to invade the Kurdish-controlled North Syria. Warning of actions against Turkeys economy, Trump said that he would consider moves tougher than sanctions if Ankara does not do the operations in northern Syria in as humane a way as possible.

I will wipe out (Turkeys) his economy if that happens, Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if he is concerned that the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will try to wipe out the Kurds.

Earlier, Trump had said the US does not endorse Turkeys military offensive in Syria, describing it as a bad idea, but defended his efforts to pull American forces out of the region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the military offensive on Wednesday.

The White House announced late Sunday that Turkey would soon carry out a military operation in northern Syria and that US troops will no longer be in the immediate area, raising widespread concerns about the safety of the Kurds without American forces to act as a buffer.

This morning, Turkey, a NATO member, invaded Syria. The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea, Trump said hours after Turkish forces entered northern Syria. There are no American soldiers in the area, he said.

From the first day I entered the political arena, I made it clear that I did not want to fight these endless, senseless wars especially those that dont benefit the United States, Trump said.

Turkey, he said, has committed to protect civilians, protecting religious minorities, including Christians, and ensuring no humanitarian crisis takes place and we will hold them to this commitment.

Trumps decision to withdraw US troops from the border between Syria and Trukey was roundly criticized by some of the presidents staunchest Republican allies in Congress and Democrats. They said pulling the US forces back essentially gives Turkey room to go after the Kurds.

Armed by the US and backed by American troops and firepower, the Kurdish-led forces put an end to IS territorial hold in the region - at the cost of thousands of Kurds killed in years of fighting.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The income tax department on Thursday conducted raids at the house and some educational institutes owned by former Karnataka deputy chief minister and senior Congress leader G Parameshwara. The I-T department also carried out raids at a medical college and hospital in Kolar owned by former Union minister RL Jalappa, according to reports.

"I am not aware of the raid. I don't know where they are doing it. Let them search I have no issue. If there is any fault from our side, we will rectify it, G Parameshwara told ANI.

Meanwhile, Congress said the raids were "politically motivated".

Former Karnataka CM and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah tweeted, "The series of IT raids on @DrParameshwara, RL Jalappa & others, are politically motivated with malafide intention. They are only targeting @INCKarnataka leaders as they have failed to face us on policy & corruption issues. We wont budge to any such tactics!!"

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New Delhi:

In the backdrop of 7th century rock-cut chariots of Pancha Ratha overlooking the Bay of Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping sipped coconut water and engaged in casual interaction in a serene setting on Friday, sending signs of positive atmospherics in bilateral ties strained over Kashmir.

PM Modi, dressed in a Tamil attire of Veshti (Dhoti), white shirt and an angavastram (shawl), took Xi for a guided tour of the famous world heritage sites of Arjunas Penance, Krishnas Butterball, the Pancha Ratha and Shore temple in this ancient temple town, kicking off the second informal summit between the two leaders.

The free flowing nature of the informal summit at the UNESCO world heritage site will continue and deepen contacts at the highest level and guide the future trajectory of India-China relationship, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Ravesh Kumar tweeted.

Xis visit to India comes two days after he held talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Beijing. After the talks, a joint statement said China is paying close attention to the situation in Kashmir and that the issue should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter. The comments evoked sharp reaction from New Delhi.

Shortly after Xis aircraft touched down in Chennai, government sources said the two leaders are expected to issue some directions at the end of the summit on Saturday as they did after the first edition of new format of engagement in Chinese city of Wuhan last year.

Officials on both sides said the focus of the Modi-Xi summit would be to move forward and chart a new pathway of development notwithstanding sharp differences between the two countries over several contentious issues.

In the footage beamed by public broadcaster Doordarshan of the two leaders visiting the magnificent monuments, Modi was seen warmly explaining to the Chinese leader the historical significance of the monuments with the dazzling setting sun casting a soft glow over the iconic site.

Xi, wearing a white shirt and black trouser, was seen showing keen interest in the famous caves and stone sculptures in the heritage site in this coastal town which had historical links with Chinas Fujian province.

Modi and Xi, assisted by one translator from each side, sat down for around 15 minutes at Pancha Ratha complex, an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture, and engaged in casual talks while sipping coconut water - images reflecting warmth in personal chemistry between the two leaders of two emerging economies.

From Pancha Ratha, the two leaders visited the beautifully lit-up Shore temple - a symbol of cultural heritage of the Pallava dynasty. After spending some time together, Modi and Xi were joined by top delegates of both sides and all them witnessed a cultural programme presented by Kalakshetra society.

After the event, Modi hosted Xi for a private dinner at the Shore temple complex which was beautifully decorated with lights and flowers. Eight delegates from each side were also invited for the dinner and they sat in tables little away from Xi and Modis. Delicately selected authentic Tamil cuisines including vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes were served in the dinner.

At the site of Krishnas butterball, a gigantic granite boulder sitting firmly on the slope of a hillock, Modi held Xis hands, reflecting warmth in their personal chemistry.

Standing together and tall!, said Kumar in a Twitter post.

LIVE UPDATES:

10.00 pm:

Concluding a highly productive day with a pleasant conversation over a long dinner



PM @narendramodi & Chinese President Xi continued their exchange of views on deepening of the India-China partnership over a breathtaking Kalakshetra cultural performance followed by dinner. pic.twitter.com/bDwiFOX450  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) October 11, 2019

8.00 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are at the Shore Temple enjoying the ambience around.

7.07 pm:

Mahabalipuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend cultural program at the Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. pic.twitter.com/XynWn8jVFf  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

7.06 pm:

#WATCH Mahabalipuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a cultural program at the Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/ZTj5r7WDSl  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

6.25 pm:

Prime Minister #NarendraModi escorts Chinese President #XiJinping around the Shore Temple in #Mamallapuram. pic.twitter.com/xLX3rKr6TX  All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) October 11, 2019

6.13 pm:

Tamil Nadu: External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, at Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram. pic.twitter.com/NfbjkM92hc  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

6.10 pm: PM Narendra Modi takes Chinese President Xi Jinping to a guided tour of Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram.

5.44 pm:

Prime Minister #NarendraModi and Chinese President #XiJinping share time together by relaxedly sitting in front of the Five Chariots or Pancha Ratha's in #Mamallapuram. pic.twitter.com/WRGvR4fv8Y  All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) October 11, 2019

5.40 pm:

Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Panch Rathas in Mahabalipuram. pic.twitter.com/z3WvL89PLx  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

5.39 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi serves coconut water to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

5.28 pm:

Mahabalipuram: PM Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the round boulder known as Krishnas Butter Ball



Y: ANI



Follow LIVE updates here: https://t.co/B0qho1mNkO pic.twitter.com/H5ymJXMfpf  News Nation (@NewsNationTV) October 11, 2019

5.20 pm: PM Modi and Xi Jinping reaches Krishna's Butterball.

#WATCH PM Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping visit the Krishnas Butter Ball, Mahabalipuram #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/TMgWuChdd1  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

5.18 pm:

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping visit group of temples at Mahabalipuram. The group of monuments at Mahabalipuram is prescribed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/Yf8mHXCxh5  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

5.15 pm:

Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Arjuna's Penance in Mahabalipuram. pic.twitter.com/5YM3eVqBhb  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

5.11 pm:

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/WHxpisnwLX  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

5.05 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mahabalipuram.

5.03 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches Mahabalipuram:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Mahabalipuram for the second informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. PM Modi is adorning a veshti (dhoti).



Y: ANI



Follow LIVE updates here: https://t.co/B0qho1mNkO pic.twitter.com/x772kRXj5p  News Nation (@NewsNationTV) October 11, 2019

4.55 pm:

Tamil Nadu: Chinese President Xi Jinping on his way to Mahabalipuram. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping will hold their second informal summit in Mahabalipuram



Y: ANI pic.twitter.com/30An4JQr9o  News Nation (@NewsNationTV) October 11, 2019

4.48 pm:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his way to Mahabalipuram. PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold second informal summit in Mahabalipuram



Y: ANI



Follow LIVE updates here: https://t.co/B0qho1mNkO pic.twitter.com/Oc2skBhIKP  News Nation (@NewsNationTV) October 11, 2019

4.27 pm:

From Wuhan to Chennai



President Xi Jinping arrived in Chennai to a warm and colourful welcome for the 2nd Informal Summit with PM @narendramodi. Taking off from the #WuhanSpirit, the #ChennaiSpirit will continue to chart the future course of India-China partnership. pic.twitter.com/eV0myJu5Tr  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) October 11, 2019

4.00 pm: Chinese President Xi Jinping leaves for Mahabalipuram from Chennai. President Xi and PM Narendra will hold their second informal summit in the city, later today.

3.30 pm: Ahead of the summit, the state media said the Modi-Xi meeting would focus 'more' on how to move beyond the past and present differences to forge a cooperative partnership.

Chinese President #XiJinping arrives in Chennai, received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit.



The second informal summit between Prime Minister @narendramodi and President Xi will begin in Mahabalipuram today #ModiXiSummit



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2:19 PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping was received by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami, deputy CM O Panneerselvam among others.

Meanwhile, ANI has revealed that duration of engagement between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi will be 6 hours. One-on-one meeting will be for almost 40 minutes. Both sides will issue press statements after the meeting. Local Tamil cuisine will be served to President Xi at dinner today.

2:00 PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Chennai



Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Chennai for the second informal summit, which will begin in Mahabalipuram today



Photos: ANI



Follow LIVE updates here: https://t.co/B0qho1mNkO pic.twitter.com/x3ZDcbhaiG  News Nation (@NewsNationTV) October 11, 2019

11:35 AM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Chennai

#WATCH Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Chennai. He has been received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit & Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. pic.twitter.com/FnPIOaitVn  ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2019

#VIDEO | Prime Minister @narendramodi arrives in Chennai. He has been received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister @CMOTamilNadu



: ANI



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10 AM

President Xi leaves for India

Chinese President Xi Jinping has left for India for the second informal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. He will arrive at Tamil Nadu capital Chennai late afternoon. The Chinese President is due to leave for Nepal on Saturday afternoon.

9:30 AM

Who is coming with President Xi?

Chinese President Xi Jinping's entourage includes Ding Xuexiang, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC), member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and director of the General Office of the CPC, Yang Jiechi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and He Lifeng, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

9 AM

Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard have deployed warships to provide security to the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi at Mamallapuram. These warships have been deployed at some distance from shore to provide security from any seaborne threat. READ FULL STORY

8 AM

Here's the expected itinerary of the summit

President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive after 2 PM in Chennai and off to his hotel. From there he will head to the coastal town of Mamallapuram. A red-carpet welcome awaits President Xi when he arrives in Mallapuram around 5 pm.

PM Modi will take Xi to three iconic monuments of Mamallapuram -- Arjuna's Penance, Panch Rathas and the Shore temple. Then the two leaders will witness a cultural programme at the temple complex.

They will sit together in the lawns of the Shore temple and exchange views on charting a new roadmap of development and cooperation.Then, the prime minister will host a private dinner for Xi at the temple complex.

On Saturday, the two leaders will have an one-on-one meeting at the Fisherman's Cove resort which will be followed by delegation-level talks.

After the talks, Modi will host a lunch for Xi, and the Chinese leader will leave for Chennai airport at 12:45 pm.

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New Delhi:

A man tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire inside the Prem Nagar Police Station in Rohini on Friday, allegedly over police inaction in a case lodged by him. Ashu Arya, a resident of Prem Nagar, got seriously injured in the incident and was hospitalised. He apparently tried to stream the incident live on Facebook. Police, however, said when they tried to open the link to the video, it had already been blocked.

According to police, Ashu and his father Yad Ram Arya had scuffled with two brothersAmandeep Dabas and Harshdeep Dabason Tuesday at around 8.30 pm. Amandeeps mobile phone got damaged after Ashus hand hit it, they said.

They called police and later lodged a complaint at the Prem Nagar Police Station where they alleged that they were beaten up by the brothers, a senior police officer said.

Head Constable Sandeep reached the spot after the call. On the same day, Sandeep fractured his hand and was on medical leave since then, the officer said.

At around 2 pm on Friday, Ashu came to the police station with kerosene poured over his body and asked for Sandeep. He set himself on fire even before the officers could reply, police said.

He was rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital from where he was referred to Safdarjung Hospital, they said. Police said they have registered a case against the accused brothers.

We have registered a case under Indian Penal Code sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) and an investigation is going on, said SD Mishra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini).

He said the condition of Ashu is stated to be serious. Police are trying to ascertain the reason as to why he attempted suicide, they added. Sources, however, said Ashu took the step due to police inaction in his case.

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new special aircraft may be managed by Indian Air Force and may well be named 'Air Force One', if reports are to be believed. So far the planes used to fly the prime minister and other top dignitaries are placed under Air India. According to ANI, Air India is training around 10 Indian Air Force pilots for the new aircraft Boeing 777 to be used for this purpose. The aircraft will reach India next year and are expected to be used from July 2020.

This will be the first 1st time when Air India pilots won't fly with 'Air India One' special aircraft.

A Hindustan Times report quoting South Block officials said that such a proposal is under discussion. According to a official quoted in the report, if the aircraft are placed under IAF, it could mean that the call sign of the prime ministerial aircraft also changes from Air India One to Air Force one.

The two long-haul Boeing 777-300ER aircraft are being customised at Boeing's Dallas facility and are expected to arrive in New Delhi in June 2020, complete with missile defence systems that will make the aircraft as secure as the Boeing 747-200B used by US President Donald Trump.

It will be India's first dedicated aircraft for the three dignitaries - the President, Vice President and Prime Minister - who usually travel abroad on an aircraft chartered from the state-run airline, Air India. For shorter trips, they use planes from Indian Air Force's Communications Squadron's VVIP fleet.

These planes will have Self-Protection Suites (SPS) used in the US Presidents Air Force One, the report said. The SPS protection system is highly advanced defence system. It will have large aircraft infrared countermeasures, integrated defensive electronic warfare suite and counter-measures dispensing system.

The 'Air India One' aircraft will be able to jam enemy radar and divert heat-seeking missle. The warning and countermeasures system of these aircraft will require no action from the crew and will automatically counter advanced intermediate range missile systems.

In February 2019, the White House administration, in a special measure, had announced to give India access to the advance defence system used in US President' aircraft. These new planes are estimated to cost the exchequer a whopping Rs 13,612,550,000 (USD 190 million).

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New Delhi:

Pakistan is planning a big missile test near Karachi port during the same time when Chinese President Xi Jinping and PM Modi will be meeting in Mamallapuram. A Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) has been issued by the Pakistan civil aviation authorities regarding air routes diversion on October 10 from 9.30 am to 11.30 am and October 11 to 12 between 9.30 am to 12.30 noon. Intel agencies has indicated that Pakistan is planning to conduct this test in Sonmiani test range located 40 km northwest of Karachi.

All international flights from karachi airport has been diverted to different air routes on these particular slots.

NOTAM has clearly mentioned that this is issued because of operational reasons.

Earlier in August this year, Pakistan authorities had issued same kind of NOTAM during which they have test-fired the "Gaznavi Missile" with the range of 290 km.

This missile test is being considered as move to distract Pakistani media and people as India is engaged in informal talks with China- Pakistan's closest ally.

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Washington:

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the US does not endorse Turkeys military offensive in Syria, describing it as a bad idea, but defended his efforts to pull American forces out of the region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the military offensive on Wednesday.

The White House announced late Sunday that Turkey would soon carry out a military operation in northern Syria and that US troops will no longer be in the immediate area, raising widespread concerns about the safety of the Kurds without American forces to act as a buffer.

This morning, Turkey, a NATO member, invaded Syria. The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea, Trump said hours after Turkish forces entered northern Syria. There are no American soldiers in the area, he said.

From the first day I entered the political arena, I made it clear that I did not want to fight these endless, senseless wars especially those that dont benefit the United States, Trump said.

Turkey, he said, has committed to protect civilians, protecting religious minorities, including Christians, and ensuring no humanitarian crisis takes place and we will hold them to this commitment.

In addition, Turkey is now responsible for ensuring all ISIS fighters being held captive remain in prison and that ISIS does not reconstitute in any way, shape, or form. We expect Turkey to abide by all of its commitments, and we continue to monitor the situation closely, Trump said.

Trumps decision to withdraw US troops from the border between Syria and Trukey was roundly criticized by some of the presidents staunchest Republican allies in Congress and Democrats. They said pulling the US forces back essentially gives Turkey room to go after the Kurds.

Armed by the US and backed by American troops and firepower, the Kurdish-led forces put an end to IS territorial hold in the region - at the cost of thousands of Kurds killed in years of fighting.

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China pledges efforts to ensure coal supply, stabilize prices

Xinhua) 08:13, January 07, 2022

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 23, 2021 shows a train being loaded at a loading station of a coal mine in Erdos, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.(Xinhua/Li Zhipeng)

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Having been through a tough year in energy production, China will make all-out efforts to ensure coal production and keep coal prices at a reasonable level in 2022.

As measures to increase production have paid off, the coal supply and demand have continued to improve, with intelligent and green energy playing a big role in energy supply.

PREVIOUS EFFORTS

The tight supply and high demand for power, a dilemma besetting China's power industry since the start of 2021, worsened in September and October due to the short supply and price hikes of coal. At the time, multiple provinces in the country reported power rationing, with some regions experiencing power cuts.

Following the September power blackouts, in a series of meetings, the country stressed the importance of efforts to prioritize energy sufficiency. At an executive meeting of the State Council in late October, China ordered concerted efforts to ensure coal production and transportation, increase the gas supply and crack down on speculative activities in the market.

An improved pricing mechanism for coal-fired power was also released to deepen market-oriented pricing reform in the sector.

Since October, coal enterprises have also been promoting coal supply and stabilizing prices.

Huayang New Material Technology Group Co., Ltd., a coal producer in north China's Shanxi Province, one of China's major coal-producing regions, has been improving its mining technology and operating at full capacity, with half of its output being transported to south China's Hainan Province.

By December 22, 2021, Huayang had completed the shipment of 1.7 million tonnes of thermal coal to Hainan ahead of schedule.

These timely measures, at both the local and central levels, proved effective in restoring the near-term coal supply and helped gradually ease the strain on power generation, industry insiders noted.

Spot prices and coal futures have slumped rapidly since mid-October as long-term supply contracts cover more coal producers while supervision is strengthened to rein in excessive speculation. By early November, power supply and demand in areas operated by the State Grid had returned to normal.

SMART MINING HELPS

Intelligent technologies have become an important support for increasing the production and supply of coal.

The city of Yulin, a coal-producing area in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has built 20 modern ultra-large coal mines with a capacity accounting for 50 percent of the city's total output.

At Shaanxi Coal Caojiatan Mining Co., Ltd., an intelligent monitoring system connected to phone applications helps workers dispatch and monitor the real-time operation of equipment and the production process.

"With the help of the smart devices, the actual number of workers in a mining team has been reduced from 15 to seven. Now, just seven people can produce 3,500 tonnes of raw coal in two hours," said Li Peichen, a mining team Party chief with the company.

Also, a total of 154 intelligent mining areas have been built in Shanxi Province, with the capacity of technologically advanced production accounting for 68 percent of the total.

FUTURE STEPS

As the growth of global energy demand slows down and supply constraints ease, the mismatch between supply and demand is expected to improve in 2022, according to experts.

Meanwhile, the domestic coal supply capacity will be further enhanced in 2022 as relevant government departments increase production capacity, according to industry insiders.

In 2022, the medium- and long-term coal contract system will be further improved.

Recently, a batch of long-term contracts were signed by coal enterprises from Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and other places, together with some large domestic electricity, steel, heating enterprises, which will further stabilize price expectations and promote stable energy supply.

The country will also continue to increase the absorptive capacity of new energy, and optimize the use of coal and new energy. Large firms, especially state-owned enterprises, are working on the front lines of securing the power supply and stabilizing prices.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Du Mingming)
New Delhi:

Union Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday called on French companies to make India their base for the production of defence equipment. At the conclusion of his three-day visit to France, the minister addressed CEOs of leading French defence industries. We have undertaken significant economic reforms to improve the ease of doing business and opening up the economy for investments. Our government under the leadership of our Prime Minister Modi has opened up defence sector manufacturing to a large extent under the Make in Indias initiative, he said.

We have recently reduced our corporate tax significantly. For Make in India in defence if there is need for further tax rationalisation, it may be considered suitably, he said.

The minister applauded the French companies for regularly participating in DefExpos organised in India with great energy and enthusiasm. He extended a special invitation to French firms to participate in DefExpo 2020, which will be held in Lucknow from February 05 to 08 next year.

Lucknow happens to be a city of rich culture and heritage and the French people are known to be highly appreciative of great cultures. Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh, which is also a land of new opportunities, he said.

Earlier, Singh attended the handover ceremony along with his French counterpart Florence Parly at aircraft maker Dassault Aviation facility in Merignac, southwestern France.

Our Air Force is the fourth-largest in the world and I believe that the Rafale Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft will make us even stronger and will give a boost to Indias air dominance exponentially to ensure peace and security in the region, Singh said, addressing the gathering in Hindi.

I have been told that the French word Rafale means andhi in Hindi or gust of wind. I am sure that the aircraft will live up to its name, he said.

This range of Rafale fighter jets have been specially designed to meet the needs of the IAF, which its manufacturer described as a new step in the companys long-standing relationship with India.

India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth Rs 59,000 crore in September 2016. While the formal handover ceremony takes place this week, the first batch of four Rafale jets will fly to their home base in India by May 2020. All 36 jets are expected to arrive in India by September 2022, for which the IAF has been reportedly undertaking preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots.

The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The manufacturers describe it as a fully versatile aircraft which can carry out all combat aviation missions to achieve air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

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New Delhi:

Taking serious note of delay in communication to medical students from foreign countries as also the North East regarding admissions to government colleges, the Supreme Court has directed the Centre that they be informed about the status by August 15 every year, giving them time to join.

The apex court noted that the last date for admission in first year of MBBS courses is August 31, while the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has intimated students from Iran, Bhutan and Nepal about their admissions at the "eleventh hour", on August 30, resulting in denial of seats to them.

A bench of Justices L Nageshwara Rao and Hemant Gupta, which allowed the students from foreign countries and the north-eastern states to take admissions in the MBBS courses, said that a similar situation arose even last year, and the court had to come to the rescue of students.

"In a similar situation that arose last year, we had to come to the rescue of the students who were intimated about their admission in the medical colleges at the eleventh hour.

"To avoid inconvenience being caused to the students who are sponsored by other countries and the state governments and the Union Territories in whose favour seats are allocated, we direct the Government of India to intimate the concerned authorities of the state governments, the Union Territories and other countries about the approval of admissions to candidates whose names are sponsored, at least 15 days before the last date of admission," the bench said.

The bench was hearing a plea of students including those from foreign countries and north-eastern states, who were granted admissions from the central pool in the government colleges but due to delayed communication by the MEA, the last date of admission had already passed as they reported to the colleges on September 1 and 2.

Advocate Dushyant Parashar, appearing for All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said that seven seats were earmarked to the premier medical institute for enrolling foreign students.

He said that since the students reported to the institute by September 2, AIIMS could not enrol them in the first year MBBS courses as the apex court had fixed August 31 of every year as the deadline for admissions.

The top court noted that pursuant to the nomination made by the students from the north-eastern states and from Iran, Nepal and Bhutan, the MEA by a letter dated August 30, gave its consent for admission to the nominated students in the Government Medical Colleges.

"The students reported to the Medical Colleges immediately thereafter on September 1 and 2. They were refused admission on the ground that the last date for admission, as approved by this Court in Ashish Ranjan versus Union of India, expired on August 31, 2019," it said.

The top court said that no fault can be found on the part of students for not reporting before the last date as they have rushed immediately after they were informed about the admission in the government medical colleges.

"Therefore, we are of the opinion that the last date as fixed by this Court in Ashish Ranjan case needs to be relaxed in favour of the writ petitioners," the bench said.

As per the schedule fixed by the apex court on January 18, 2016, the process of admission in medical colleges starts with the entrance examination to be held in May first week and would end by August 31, each year.
New Delhi:

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday expressed his shock at the brutal killing of a school teacher, who had recently joined the RSS, and his family members in Murshidabad district, and said the incident reflects the law and order situation of the state. Dhankhar said he has sought a report on the killing from the state government on an urgent basis.

A primary school teacher, his wife and 8-year-old son were hacked to death by "unidentified miscreants" inside their residence in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Tuesday.

"I am shocked, distressed and pained at the inhuman brutal killing of a school teacher, his wife and his son in Murshidabad district. This is a critical reflection of the state of affairs and the law and order of West Bengal," Dhankhar told news agency PTI.

"I call upon the law enforcement agencies to pursue the culprits and bring them to book," he said.

The bodies of Bondhu Gopal Pal, a 35-year-old primary school teacher, his pregnant wife Beauty and son Angan were found lying in a pool of blood inside their residence at Jiaganj in Murshidabad district on Tuesday.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi:

The Centre on Thursday directed state-run Mother Dairy to sell tomato puree from Friday through its 400-odd Safal outlets in the national capital to provide relief to consumers from rising tomato prices. The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting, headed by Consumer Affairs Secretary Avinash K Srivastava, that reviewed the price and supply situation of tomato, a highly perishable vegetable.

Tomato prices have shot up to Rs 80 per kg in retail markets in Delhi and the national capital region (NCR) due to supply disruption owing to heavy rains in producing states like Maharasthra, Karnataka and Telangana.

The private trade data showed tomato price ruling in the range of Rs 60-80 per kg in Delhi depending on the quality and locality, while the government data showed rates of the perishable vegetable at around Rs 60 per kg.

"To mitigate the shortfall in availability of tomatoes in Delhi, Safal has agreed to provide tomato puree from all its outlets in Delhi," an official statement said.

Tomato puree will be sold at Rs 25 for 200 gram pack (equivalent to 800 grams of fresh tomato) and at Rs 85 for 825 gram pack (equivalent to 2.5 kilos of fresh tomato), it said.

"The stocks have already been moved to all the outlets and the sales will begin from tomorrow (11th October, 2019) onwards at all booths," the statement added.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi:

The Pre University Board of Karnataka has released the Karnataka 12th Board Exam 2020 Provisional Time table for March 2020 exams. Students can check and download the Karnataka 12th Datesheet 2020 by visiting the official website of the board i.e. pue.kar.nic.in.

The board will finalize the final dates and publish updated schedule with changes, if any, after October 31. Until that date, the PUE Karnataka shall accept objections against the exam dates. Any objection to the Karnataka 12th Exam Dates 2020 has to be addressed to Joint Director (Exam) on or before October 31.

The notification at pue.kar.nic.in says, ''The provisional time table for conducting II PUC annual examination during March 2020 is announced as under. Any objection to the said time table may be address to Joint Director (Exam) on or before 31.10.2019. Objections received after the said date will not be considered. The final time table will be published after due consideration of objections received within the stipulated date.''

Karnataka 12th Board Exam 2020 Datesheet

According to the provisional datesheet, the exams will commence on 4th March 2020 and continue until 19th March 2020.

The detailed subject-wise datesheet for Karnataka 2nd PUC Exam 2020 is given below:

Date Subject Time Slot 4th March 2020 History

Physics

Basic Mathematics 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 5th March 2020 Tamil

Telugu

Malayalam

Marathi

Arabic

French 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 6th March 2020 Urdu

Sanskrit 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 7th March 2020 Logic

Geology

Education

Home Science 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM Holiday 9th March 2020 Optional Kanada

Accountancy

Mathematics 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 10th March 2020 NSQF 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 11th March 2020 Politcal Science

Statistics 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 12th March 2020 Business Studies

Sociology

Chemistry 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 13th March 2020 Geography

Karnatic Music

Hindustani Music 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 14th March 2020 Psychology

Electronics

Computer Science 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM Holiday 16th March 2020 Economics

Biology 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 17th March 2020 Hindi 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 18th March 2020 Kanada 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM 19th March 2020 English 10:15 AM

to

1:30 PM



How to download Karnataka 12th Board Exam 2020 Time Table online?

The step-by-step directions to download the datesheet is provided below:

Step 1: Visit official website of Karnataka PUC Board i.e. pue.kar.nic.in

Step 2: Find and Click on Examination Tab on Right Hand Side

Step 3: You will be redirected to a new page with List of Exam Time Table

Step 4: Click on 'Provisional Time Table March 2020 2nd PUC Examination'

Step 5: 2nd PUC Time Table will be displayed on the screen in PDF Format

Step 6: Download the exam time table and keep it for future reference
Mumbai:

A 62-year-old man, who worked as caretaker of a bungalow of Bollywood actor Salman Khan, was arrested on Wednesday in a three-decade-old theft case, a police official said. Unit-4 of the city police's crime branch arrested Shakti Siddheshwar Rana from Khan's bungalow in Gorai in western suburbs.

Rana and some others were allegedly involved in a theft and arrested by the crime branch in 1990, said senior police inspector Ninad Sawant. He was released on bail and then became untraceable, the police officer said.

A court had issued a non-bailable warrant against him but the police could not track him down.

Recently the crime branch officials received a tip-off that Rana was living in a house in Gorai beach area for last 20 years, he said. Probe revealed that Rana was working as caretaker at Salman Khan's bungalow, following which the arrest was made Further probe is on.
Jakarta: According to the latest regulation on travel restrictions announced by the Indonesian Covid-19 Task Force, Indonesia will prevent foreign travellers from France from entering the country starting on Friday due to an increase in Omicron variant infections in the European country.

South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Eswatini, Malawi, Angola, Norway, Denmark, and the United Kingdom have all been added to Indonesia's travel ban list, according to State media.

The travel prohibition is in place because those nations have a high number of reports of local Omicron variant illnesses, or because they are geographically close to South Africa, where the Omicron variation was initially discovered.

The Indonesian Health Ministry reported 254 omicron cases as of Wednesday, including 15 local transmissions. Indonesian citizens with travel histories from the 14 nations are also allowed to enter the country, but must first undergo a 10-day quarantine. In the meantime, Indonesian citizens and immigrants from countries not on the list must undergo a seven-day quarantine.

Australia sets Covid booster dose record: Scott Morrison

Japan Foreign Minister calls for curfew for US military bases

Ireland imposes new entry rules for travellers
Srinagar: Security forces have achieved great success in Doda district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Based on intelligence inputs, the army and police have conducted a joint operation and arrested two overground workers (OGW) from the Doda district. The army and police have arrested a suspect from Doda district on suspicion and he has been lodged in Bhadrawah jail.

The name of the person who has been caught is being told as Farid Ahmed Naik. Farid Kot Balwal was in touch with some other terrorists caught in the jail, who were using virtual numbers for communication through WhatsApp. A person named Ghulam Hussain of Gundana (Doda) has been arrested for being in touch with terrorist masters based in Pakistan and providing them logistics support and information as well as receiving money from Pakistan through Dubai.

The man is currently lodged in Bhadrawah jail and is being questioned. This has dealt a major blow to Pakistan-based terror attacks' efforts to revive terrorism in the Doda region. Meanwhile, security forces killed three terrorists in an encounter in the Jolva Kralpora Chadura area of Budgam. The slain terrorists belonged to Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Khorkuto Update: Potka feels emotional after learning about Gungun's sacrifice

Close friend of late district councillor Rintu Singh murdered

9-year-old girl raped by 10 and 14-year-olds
In order to cater to pilgrims that come to the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, the government of India in 2018 built a dharmashala near the temple premise. The objective of the dharmashala was to house the pilgrims who could not afford expensive hotels. But, three years down the line, the dharmashala has ended up in the hands of one of the biggest corporate houses in the country.

Batas Organization has been operating a hotel at the dharmashala, charging pilgrims up to Rs 7,000 per night. That is not it, the organisation has also set up a private office along with a showroom of vintage cars.

How did this happen? Sources say the organisation in collusion with the Pashupati Area Development Trust leased the 88-room dharmashala. At the forefront of this collusion was the trusts then member-secretary Pradip Dhakal who leased the property to the group. Since then, the organisation has been managing the dharmashala, which should have been a social enterprise for pilgrims, as a business.

Getting the land

Batas Foundation also has an office at the dharmashala premises.

The dharmashala is spread across 9,000 square metres and it cost Rs 340 million to build. The organisation has been paying the trust Rs 878,416 a month to operate Hotel Ananda there. This deal was made in May 2019. But, the trusts officials say this was not put forward before the trusts board. They say the member-secretary cannot be making these decisions alone as their rules do not allow them to do so.

The trusts rulebook states such a long-term decision can only be taken by the board which is chaired by the minister for culture and tourism.

But, then member-secretary Dhakal took the decision going against the trusts rules and signed an agreement with Batas Organization illegally.

Dhakal did issue a call for an expression of interest on February 12, 2019, in which he had asked companies that had spent at least Rs 30 million in CSR activities. Many had felt that such a condition was quite irrelevant.

Four organisations submitted their bid, but three of them were deemed ineligible as the trust says it did not receive proof of them spending Rs 30 million in CSR activities. These three had bid more than Batas Organizations amount. But with all three ineligible, the lease was handed over to Batas by default where it would operate Hotel Ananda for 15 years and pay the trust Rs 10.5 million a year as rent. The company has not been paying rent on time, yet the trust has taken no action against the organisation, says a report prepared by the auditor general.

Signing the agreement, the organisation had talked about converting the dharmashala into a premium accommodation. This is written in the leasing procedure which has not been accepted by the trust yet. But, the organisation has already been operating a hotel there for the past two and a half years.

A member of the trusts working committee says Dhakal, disregarding all the procedural requirements, gave Batas permission to operate the hotel.

No use for the pilgrims

Hotel Anandas tariff

Ideally, a dharmashala is a resting place for pilgrims who cannot afford expensive hotels. Hence, a lot of dharmashalas in Nepal and India do not charge money as people often leave behind whatever they can. But, here, the case is different as room rates are comparable to some of Kathmandus best hotels.

Hotel Ananda has four types of rooms. The cheapest is the dormitory where a pilgrim has to pay Rs 435 per night. Each of these dormitories have around 10 beds. A non-AC room is priced at Rs 1,240 per night while the deluxe room and suite are priced at Rs 3,600 and Rs 6,836 respectively. So, it is safe to say this place built for pilgrims is beyond their budget.

Agreement with India broken

There is a vintage car showroom at the dharmashala premise.

The dharmashala was jointly inaugurated by then prime minister KP Sharma Oli and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. Modi, during the inauguration, had stated that this dharmashala was a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

As a lot of Indians come to Pashupatinath, Modi decided to help them by creating a dharmashala near the temple. The trust had even decided to charge nothing from pilgrims for staying there.

But, that agreement was forgotten by the board which gave the entire dharmashala to a business.

Misusing the property

The premise is also home to an office of a law firm.

The place is not just a hotel. Batas Organization is using the premises for some of its offices as well. The place is home to a vintage car showroom and Batas Foundation. Some rooms have also been rented out to Kafle Lawyers and Associates and a new structure is being made to the right of the building.

This goes against the agreement made with the Pashupati Area Development Trust that states the area cannot be used for any other purposes besides the dharmashala.

According to a member of the trust, complaints have been filed at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and the National Vigilance Centre. But, action has not been taken against Batas yet.

These people have links with all the powerful politicians and leaders. No wonder they have been able to do this. Theyve made the temple a place to do business and its disgusting, says the trust member on the condition of anonymity.

A structure has been created in the premise without permission from the trust or ward offices.

The member says that the reason why action has not been taken is that Arzu Rana Deuba, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deubas wife, is one of the advisors of the Batas Foundation.

The new member-secretary of the Pashupati Area Development Trust was also appointed on the foundations recommendation, he says.

Most of the trusts members have turned a blind eye to this. The trusts executive director Ghanashyam Khatiwada says, I dont know much about the issue. Youll have to speak to someone else.

Dinesh Kumar Dangol, the ward number 8 chair of the Kathmandu metropolitan city, accuses Batas of turning a dharmashala into a four-star hotel.

They have turned a holy place into a business den. Theyve added a lift into the building and built other permanent structures too. But, they didnt come and asked for our permission once, says Dangol.
If you walk into the Bikalpa Art Centers gallery this time around, you will witness a series of weird artworks. Many have been intrigued while others have been pleasantly surprised by the art that a duo of emerging artists have put together. Named Solace of Mind, Fractal Utopia, the exhibition has been received as a fresh take on definitions of art and life and the connections between the two.

Contrary to human nature that is inclined to detect symmetry, patterns and familiarity, the duo have chosen to go out of the way and bring a concept of a new world that is part envisioned in a post-apocalyptic scenario and part in a trans-sensory realm. The duo Shushant Rajbhandari (Ryan) and Sunil Pandey define their work as surrealism art.

A new take

Imagine a world that is 10,000 years ahead, where the earth has been destroyed and uninhabitable. Humans have descended to live underground and there the evolution plays its role for humans to survive, explains Rajbhandari about his work exhibited at Fractal Utopia, As evolution is always making trials and errors, surviving humans and animals now have borrowed features from each other.

Meanwhile, Pandey explains, There is a world beyond what we see, around us. When I meditate, I feel connected to that realm. My art imagines the world in a landscape that portrays the subconscious reality I have envisioned and experienced.

Artwork by Shushant Rajbhandari (Ryan) for Fractal Utopia, on display at Bikalpa Art Center (BAC), Pulchok. Photo Courtesy: BAC

The duo met each other at Bikalpas residency programme and were paired together, suggested by BAC founder and exhibition curator Saroj Mahato, for their common take on their art and perspective of the world.

At the exhibition Fractal Utopia, both the new artists use imagination as their tools and meditate to visualise a new realm of art that they draw in their sketchbooks and canvasses. But behind their approach to art, they say, the shift came after they became art students.

After a semester or two, the monotonous routine frustrated me. We were taught more to perfect the shapes and depictions, compared with other artists. Yet the notion did not connect with me, neither did I find that healthy. Then on a trip, I got familiar with a group of senior artists that introduced the concept of surrealism, Rajbhandari shares, And, after my own research, I came across the concept of speculative biology, zoology and then artists like Dali, Beksinski. So I found a whole new world of art that redefined the meaning of art for me.

Our reality is too chaotic and my art is my escape from it. So I work around more with lines and distorted forms to express, he adds, saying art should not be defined by notions.

Artwork by Sunil Pandey for Fractal Utopia, on display at Bikalpa Art Center (BAC), Pulchok. Photo Courtesy: BAC

For Pandey, the process has been a bit different. I started with replacement approach, through which I took the everyday scenario and replaced them with something completely different, creating what feels surreal. After that, I have started replicating the vision and portraying just that.

I look at the artist I was before and now, and I see so much growth in me. And most of all, I get a sense of peace as I have been able to portray my imagination. I feel I have adopted an automatism approach and I mostly do it in one sitting, adds Pandey.

I used to draw or sketch since childhood. My family was supportive of my inclination. But, in retrospect, I was very conscious of how the shapes would be like, what forms my elements would take and what I am depicting. Now it is more free-flowing, expressive and comfortable, says Rajbhandari.

Feeling art

Installation artwork for the exhibition Fractal Utopia, on display at Bikalpa Art Center (BAC), Pulchok. Photo: Nasana Bajracharya

Fractal Utopia does not just let you see art but feel the art and be a part of it too. In an adjacent room, the artists have set up an installation of their work that takes the art pieces and places them in an interactive 3D format.

Being here will not just trigger your sight, but other senses too like sound, touch and smell. We have played on shamanic music and placed a burning incense here that does just that. All the elements here can be touched so anyone can just walk into the space and be a part of the art, Rajbhandari explains, We have set the place taking elements from nature so you feel that you are a part of it too.

We hope the installation transcends that art experience among people, adds Pandey, who hopes that people who visit Fractal Utopia can connect to a different realm too, like them. As suggested by the name, the duo have played with the concept of lines and connections too.

And with a few of such interactions, both are happy that people are receiving their artwork as intended. A foreign friend came to see the exhibition. He said that the installation, in particular, was very nostalgic for him and it took him back to his childhood when he wandered into the pine forest and would feel a strange silence, followed by peace, being there, shares Rajbhandari.

Artwork for the exhibition Fractal Utopia, on display at Bikalpa Art Center (BAC), Pulchok. Photo Courtesy: BAC

In observation of filmmaker Amit Pokhrel, one of the visitors of Fractal Utopia, The artworks have really captured the nuances of a realm that is different from ours, or that we are used to. It is a new take on the everyday things that is fresh to experience. Very few artists, and probably none that I have witnessed, have explored such dynamics. The exhibition shows how art can be an escape and an effective tool to express for those who are trying to dissect their subconscious but their inhibitions may be in the way.

The exhibition Fractal Utopia started on Friday, December 31, 2021. In a week of showing their artwork, the artists have seen some positive and some usual reactions from people.

Before this, the duo individually did group exhibitions. But, they share, the partnership has been great and are looking forward to new opportunities together with new artworks.
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Biratnagar, January 7

A bridge near the Rani customs point in Biratnagar has collapsed affecting imports and exports from the area.

The Biratnagar Customs Office says the bridge, which was in a dire state, collapsed on Thursday resulting in trucks bearing goods for Nepal still stuck in India. Indian trucks are also stuck in Nepal, say customs officials.

Morangs chief district officer, Kashi Raj Dahal, says he has sent a team to monitor the situation and has been speaking to Indian officials about the status of the bridge.

We will look for other alternatives, he says.

The same bridge had problems in August 2017 too, after which minor repair works had been done.

Like in 2017, it is likely that trade will continue from Sunsaris Koshi Barrage. Most vehicles have already been diverted towards Koshi Barrage, inform customs officials.
" " Da Vinci painted "The Last Supper" with a method of his own devising, which involved painting in oil and tempera on a dry wall. The method was not entirely successful, resulting in flaking paint and a fresco that has not completely withstood the test of time. Wikimedia Commons

Located on the wall of Milan's Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie is a work of art that's considered by many to be one of the greatest artistic masterpieces of all time. But its creator, Leonardo da Vinci, wasn't exactly stoked about it when the Duke of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, commissioned the piece in 1494.

"Leonardo did not want to paint 'The Last Supper,'" says Ross King, author of "Leonardo and The Last Supper." "Instead, he wanted to do a gigantic bronze equestrian moment  a monumental work that would certainly have made him famous. But the outbreak of war in 1494 meant he couldn't do his bronze horse, so as compensation he was given the task of painting a wall in a room where a band of friars ate their dinner every day. He had never painted on such a large scale. Having little experience in such a difficult task, it's not surprising that he complained bitterly about the commission, at which it was entirely possible that he would fail miserably. Happily, the story turned out otherwise."

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What resulted from da Vinci's hesitant participation is a mural that famously depicts the last supper of Jesus Christ with his apostles, on the day before his crucifixion. The scene is based on the description in the Gospel of John 13:21, and da Vinci intended to convey the reactions of Jesus' disciples the moment they learned that one of them would betray him.

King, who has also written several other books on Italian, French and Canadian art and history, including "Brunelleschi's Dome" and "Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling," says da Vinci's "The Last Supper" is particularly important for a variety of reasons, perhaps most of all for its elevation of the artist to celebrity status. "Its completion marks the moment when Leonardo, then in his mid-40s, finally created what he called a 'work of fame,'" he says. "It's amazing to think that, before 'The Last Supper,' Leonardo had achieved very little. Had he died in, say, 1492, when he was 40, he would be little more than a footnote in art history, known as someone who showed enormous promise but never delivered the goods. But with 'The Last Supper,' he delivered spectacularly. Without having created 'The Last Supper,' he probably would never have received his later commissions, including the 'Mona Lisa.' So, the work was absolutely crucial not only to the history of art but also to his own career."

One special feature of "The Last Supper" is its sheer size. "No one else in history had ever created such a large painting with such a great level of realistic detail, as well as with such believable emotions and dramatic expressions," King says of the piece, which measures approximately 15 feet by 29 feet (4.5 meters by 8.8 meters). "No one who painted a Last Supper in the centuries afterward could do so without an eye on Leonardo's masterpiece."

Da Vinci opted to portray one pivotal moment in his scene: the instant just before the birth of the Eucharist, when Jesus reaches for the bread (meant to symbolize his crucified body) and wine (a representation of his blood). According to Corinthians 11:23-26, the event went like this:

"...that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

Who Are the Subjects?

The notebooks of da Vinci are a key to who the key players are in the painting, although experts still argue over some of the details. In one group, Bartholomew, James (son of Alpheus), and Andrew sit together, and look genuinely shocked at what Jesus has just revealed. In another group, there's Judas Iscariot, Peter and John. Judas, the known betrayer, has a lot going on: He's fading into the background a bit, he's holding a bag of money, and he's knocking over a salt shaker, which experts say is meant to symbolize the expression that "tipping over the salt" means betraying one's master. Jesus sits in the middle of the group, and on his other side, viewers see apostle Thomas, James the Greater and Philip. Rounding out the group are Matthew, Jude Thaddeus and Simon the Zealot. The symmetry of the figures is signature da Vinci  the artist favored balance in his work and made sure the horizontal painting featured equal numbers of people on either side of Jesus and a thoughtful use of eye-pleasing perspective.

But the content and composition of "The Last Supper" aren't the only reasons the painting remains legendary. "It has had a very sad history," King says. "The paint began flaking from the wall because of a perfect storm of bad climatic conditions in the refectory  mainly cold and damp. That might not have been such a problem had Leonardo worked in the true fresco technique, which makes for very durable paintings. But he devised a method of his own that involved painting in oil and tempera on a dry wall  something artists were discouraged from doing. His technique, unsurprisingly, did not prove successful."

Due to da Vinci's ill-advised choices and the poor custodianship in the centuries that followed the creation of the painting, "The Last Supper" started to look rough. And then things got worse. "The work was insensitively 'restored' by conservators who didn't know what they were doing, and caused more harm than good," King says. "In 1652, in a kind of act of vandalism, the friars from the convent knocked a hole in the wall (amputating Christ's feet) to create a doorway through the painting. The refectory flooded in the 19th century, and Napoleon used the building as a stable  which meant that it was filled with horses and manure. Then during World War II, it barely survived a bomb that destroyed much of the refectory. The fact that we still have it to enjoy is little short of miraculous."

Now That's Fishy There are tons of details in "The Last Supper" that art scholars continue to debate and dissect. Take the fish on the table for example: Is it herring or eel? In Italian, the word "eel" is "aringa," although when it is spelled "arringa" it means "indoctrination." The word "herring" in northern Italian is "renga," meaning he who denies religion.

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Originally Published: Feb 25, 2020
The pandemic is entering its third year with a significant percentage of the world's vulnerable population still unvaccinated. The discrepancy is stark, with 66% of the eligible population fully vaccinated in the U.S., while on the African continent, less than 10% are fully vaccinated.

Tian Johnson, founder of the African Vaccine Delivery Alliance, said the dire situation in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) could have been avoided if a global strategy had been adopted at the get-go.

"Other countries go ahead and vaccinate zoo animals, people are going on second and third boosters. We're still in the situation where we're just over 7%" vaccinated, Johnson told Yahoo Finance in a recent interview.

The stark contrast is why a group of investors from various countries signed a letter sent to leading vaccine manufacturers, expected to earn billions from vaccine sales during the pandemic, asking them to tie CEO pay to fair global distribution of COVID-19 vaccine.

The clear disparity in global vaccinations has also caused the Biden administration to rethink the impact of providing U.S. vaccine boosters on global efforts  a marked shift in sentiment from a few short months ago.

In August, when the U.S. was weighing vaccine boosters, the administration said it was possible to authorize boosters in the U.S. as well as invest in global vaccine distribution and infrastructure  despite global health officials voicing strong opposition to the idea.

"We are doing both, we think we can do both, and we will continue to do both from the United States," press secretary Jen Psaki said in September.

U.S. officials defended the decision to boost by purchasing 1.2 billion doses, mostly of the Pfizer (PFE)/BioNTech (BNTX) vaccine, and supplying syringes and providing training in some areas, and saying the effort was far more than other countries were doing to help end the pandemic.

While deliveries to low- and middle-income countries are slowly picking up as the third year of the pandemic begins, the current situation is still far less than ideal. The road to vaccinations remains fraught with obstacles.

Story continues

The implications of the ongoing struggle to vaccinate the world are many. Most notably is the potential for more troublesome variants to emerge and circulate and continue to impact the global economy, experts say.

As World Health Organization director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently said, "Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma and Omicron reflect that, in part because of low vaccination rates, weve created the perfect conditions for the emergence of virus variants."

What happened

In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, created the COVAX Facility that was meant to raise funds from member countries and other sources to help fund equitable distribution to middle and low income countries.

The WHO previously set a global goal of 70% vaccinated by the end of 2021, which it has now extended to mid-2022  but not without expressing significant disappointment.

"Pharmaceutical companies did not prioritize and deliver according to their contractual obligations with COVAX, seriously reducing its supply and making it highly unpredictable," WHO said in a statement.

Doses from AstraZeneca (AZN)  via the Serum Institute of India  and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) had been promising for their ease of transportation and storage. Meanwhile, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna (MRNA), leaders in the U.S., required more demanding transportation and cold-chain requirements.

But a confluence of unfortunate events lead to a flip in the global market. First, AstraZeneca ran into manufacturing issues, followed by perceptions of being less protective compared to the astonishing numbers and levels of protection reported by mRNA companies like Pfizer and Moderna in late 2020. Then, in spring of 2021, the Serum Institute was ordered to halt vaccine exports as India battled a deadly COVID-19 surge.

Dr. Ayoade Alakija, a WHO special envoy and a co-chair of the African Vaccine Delivery Alliance, told Yahoo Finance that India's decision to ban exports of vaccines was entirely reasonable considering the situation it found itself in in early 2021.

"India ... initially started off with their (palms) open, sharing to the world, Vaccine Maitri (friendship) and all that. Can you imagine if the Indian government had had to be dependent on Covax or Western countries to send vaccines to them when that horrific wave of Delta was ongoing? There would have been millions and millions more dead," Alakija said.

Meanwhile, J&J languished as it hit a costly manufacturing issue with a partner, and faced pressures from South Africa  which had been a site of its global clinical trial as well as was finishing and filling doses  to distribute doses solely on the African continent.

"There are thousands of Africans who took part in clinical trials to make the thing that the world is enjoying right now a reality," Johnson noted.

It's why J&J, and eventually others, began the process of setting up manufacturing in and for Africa.

A health-worker holds a syringe and vaccine vial before administering the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine to civilians at a makeshift tent as the government orders for proof of vaccination to access public places and transport, in downtown Nairobi, Kenya December 23, 2021. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi

Vaccine hesitancy, wasted doses

African countries have found themselves receiving mostly donations rather than the purchased doses they wanted, paid for, or were willing to pay for.

"We've never wanted donations, we've never asked for donations. At the outset of the pandemic, we've always said we want to pay for vaccines, we can pay for vaccines, we just wanted a place in the queue," Johnson said.

"In addition, we want the countries that paid for the vaccines in Africa to get the vaccines. It's just absolutely outrageous," he added.

Alakija said that the problem is exacerbated by "sensational" reports about the situation that lack context, such as a recent report about Nigeria throwing away 1 million doses.

"Countries are finding out like one week before that ... Germany or Switzerland is donating a batch of AstraZeneca, because Europe decided they didn't want them so they held on to them for the last possible moment. And now because they're about to expire, they're sending them out to African nations," she said.

Sometimes it takes three weeks to get these vaccines onto a plane because of space, and the logistics, even for donations, are terribly complex, Alakija said.

"The last couple of weeks they have been trying to manically rush these vaccines out of the door because they don't want them to expire in their countries ... and yet they're willing for them to go and expire in Africa," she said. "We cannot be giving the leftovers of our leftovers to people in African countries or other low income countries of the world."

She and others worry it will lead to even more constricted supplies.

"We're in an era of nationalistic governance globally that are just waiting for an excuse so they can say to their citizens, 'Oh well, we're not sending any more vaccines to Africa because they're wasting them,' Alakija added.

While it is true that there are far more hurdles for mRNA vaccines to reach some parts of the countries, especially with the strict cold-chain demands, it isn't impossible, Alakija said. The Ebola vaccine developed by Merck had a similar cold chain struggle. But no one is talking about that, and how African countries worked around it then, she noted.

And reports about vaccine hesitancy ignore the inconsistencies in vaccine supply the countries have had to contend with, Johnson said. Public health officials are wary of creating demand for a vaccine they aren't certain will be supplied, he said.

Even so, hesitancy in African countries is less than in the U.S. and Russia, according to Dr. Saad Omer, director of the Yale Institute for Global Health.

Omer said that countries wanted to invest in messaging and create demand for the vaccines but they didn't want to create demand that was going to be met with zero supply.

In fact, data that Omer has monitored on vaccine hesitancy shows that low and middle income countries, overall, have higher baseline vaccine acceptance compared to the U.S. and Russia.

"I think there is hesitancy everywhere in the world. We will always have vaccine hesitancy, because we are a thinking, questioning people," Alakija said.

"There is no vaccine confidence without vaccine equity, because until there is a saturation" of vaccinations, and the virus will continue to spread and threaten vaccine protection, thereby fueling hesitancy, she added.

Alakija said that moving on from branding vaccines by their companies or countries of origin could help reduce hesitancy and increase momentum for global vaccinations.

"We all have to move away from this American vaccines versus European vaccine versus UK versus Chinese or Russian. Vaccines are vaccines, lives are lives, whether you're yellow, brown, white, black  whatever you are, whatever the vaccine is, we just need to get them into peoples' arms...as quickly and as efficiently as possible," Alakija said

In 2022, if the definition of fully vaccinated is a series of 3 doses, then full vaccine coverage in low-income countries is effectively 0%  Madhu Pai, MD, PhD (@paimadhu) January 1, 2022

'We feel forgotten'

South Africa, the third richest African country, behind Nigeria and Egypt, has been a standout amid the pandemic. It is gaining traction as an mRNA manufacturing hub, and has been quick to sequence and identify new variants. The country was the site of clinical trials for J&J, is filling and finishing the company's vaccine, and has entered into an agreement to produce doses exclusively for Africa. In addition, Pfizer announced a partnership with a manufacturer to produce its vaccine doses.

"Of course we should have invested in additional manufacturing capacity long ago. Of course, we should have ensured that we were some of the first people around those negotiating tables in Europe  the same negotiating tables where we were told that the reason why we're paying double the cost of a vaccine, about three months into vaccine access...was because the Europeans bargained better," Johnson said.

Alakija said the underlying reason is largely geopolitical  the power structures that hold the world together.

"The only reason we are in this position, asking almost for pity and for charity is because our pipeline has been cut off. Pharmaceutical companies continue to supply countries that are hoarding." Johnson added.

Many LMICs didn't begin to receive doses until the second half of 2021.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told Yahoo Finance in October that the company has significantly boosted shipments.

"Right now...we are shipping more to low- and middle-income countries than to high-income countries, which is the opposite of what we did the first six months," he said.

It wasn't unexpected, Alakija said.

"My daughter told me ... 'They showed us at the beginning of the pandemic with toilet paper, particularly rich countries, what they were going to do with vaccines,'" she said.

"They rushed in and bought far too much....hoarded the toilet paper, and then the rest of us who couldn't get into the supermarket. And we weren't outside saying to you to come outside and give us what you've already paid for. We would just say, 'Let us through the door so that we can purchase our own. We just want to buy what we need.You're buying enough for 50 families."

Johnson said he and other global equity advocates are exhausted, and feel there is no use in fighting anymore.

"I get the feeling that large portions of this world have just moved on. We feel forgotten. I believe that global solidarity is a myth, it's a lie," he said.

"Until today, I think a lot of us really have difficulty computing how we got here ... how these countries have turned their backs on us," Johnson said.

WHO's Dr. Mike Ryan recently told STAT News, "The world just has not ever come to terms with the fact that vaccinating the most vulnerable people first would have been a better bet, not only epidemiologically but just from an equity perspective."

Follow Anjalee on Twitter @AnjKhem

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arm microchip china

One of Britain's biggest technology companies is investigating suspicious payments to senior executives at its Chinese joint venture, presenting a potential complication to its $40bn (30bn) takeover by a US rival.

Cambridge-based microchip maker Arm said that allegations related to the appropriateness of payments had been made against senior management at Arm China, which it co-owns with a Chinese investment firm.

It has been locked in a lengthy dispute with Allen Wu, the head of the joint venture, after failing to fire him two years ago.

The row has cast a cloud over Arms $40bn (30bn) sale to the American behemoth Nvidia, which has also been thrown into doubt by competition and national security investigations.

Chinese regulators are among those investigating the deal, making the status of the joint venture more delicate.

Annual accounts for Arm Limited said: The board of directors of Arm China is in the process of resolving certain disputes with a member of the senior management which remain unresolved.

Further allegations have been made about the conduct of certain members of senior management in Arm China, including those in a position to influence financial reporting in Arm China, with one of the allegations relating to the appropriateness of payments in 2019 which were previously charged against profits of Arm China.

Arm Chinas board of directors may pursue additional investigations, if deemed necessary, upon resolution of the ongoing Arm China disputes.

Arm was bought by Japans SoftBank for 24bn in 2016. It set up a joint venture in China in 2018 with state-backed Hopu Investments, which has 51pc of the company, and appointed Mr Wu, a company veteran, to run it.

In 2020, Arm Chinas board voted to fire Mr Wu but he has retained control of the company because of legal rights he enjoys. In recent months he has appeared to distance Arm China from the British company, using a new name and talking up technology it has developed in the communist country.

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Arm also said that it had been unable to access Arm Chinas accounts in order to audit its financials and assess the value of its stake in the venture, which has been recorded at $827m.

The company said: We were unable to obtain access to the financial information or management of [Arm China]... we were also unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence in relation to the carrying amount of the groups investment in Arm China.

Mr Wu was not named directly in the accounts, and did not respond to a request for comment.

Arms microchip designs are at the heart of smartphones, tablets and an increasing number of connected cars, laptops and computer servers.

Nvidia, the US graphics chip giant, agreed to buy it from SoftBank in 2020 but investigations from competition regulators in the UK, US, China and Europe have threatened the deal, with rivals complaining that it could threaten Arms independence.

In November, Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries ordered the Competition and Markets Authority to also investigate the deal on national security grounds. SoftBank is likely to float the company in London or New York if the sale is blocked.

In the year to March 31, Arms sales rose from $1.8bn to $2bn but pre-tax profits fell from $266m to $27.5m.

An Arm spokesman said: "Arm continues to work with all key parties to resolve the disputes relating to Arm China. We have no additional comments at this time."
NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. ("AWH" or the "Company") (CSE: AAWH.U) (OTCQX: AAWH), a multi-state, vertically integrated cannabis operator focused on bettering lives through cannabis, today announced that management will participate in two upcoming events:

Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. Logo (CNW Group/Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc.)

Needham 24th Annual Growth Conference is being held virtually on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. Abner Kurtin, founder and CEO, is hosting a fireside chat from 8:30 a.m. to 9:10 a.m. ET, and the Rebecca Koar, VP Investor Relations, will host one-on-one investor meetings throughout the day. You can register for the event here .

ATB 10th Annual Institutional Investor Conference is being held virtually from Tuesday, Jan. 11 to Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Mr. Kurtin is scheduled to participate in a panel titled Brand Building and Leadership; The Good, The Bad, The Ugly at 9 a.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 13, and the Company will be hosting one-on-one investor meetings throughout the day. You can register for the event here .

For more information about the conferences or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with AWH during these events, please contact AWH's Investor Relations at ir@awholdings.com .

About AWH:

AWH is a vertically integrated operator with assets in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. AWH owns and operates state-of-the-art cultivation facilities, growing award-winning strains and producing a curated selection of products. AWH produces and distributes Ozone branded products. For more information, visit www.awholdings.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking information and statements, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding the plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Company. Words such as "expects", "continue", "will", "anticipates" and "intends" or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current projections and expectations about future events and financial trends, and on certain assumptions and analysis made by the Company in light of experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors management believes are appropriate.

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Forward-looking information and statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information and statements herein. Such factors include, among others: the risks and uncertainties identified in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, and in the Company's other reports and filings with the applicable Canadian securities regulators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking information and statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such information and statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking information and statements. Any forward-looking information and statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking information and statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward looking information and statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

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SOURCE Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc.
R. Andrew Arculin

Partner, Blank Rome LLP

Partner, Blank Rome LLP

Washington, D.C., Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that R. Andrew Andy Arculin has joined the firms Washington, D.C., office as a partner in the Financial Institutions Litigation and Regulatory Compliance (FILARC) practice group. At Blank Rome, Andy will advise clients on a wide range of state and federal consumer protection laws relating to mortgages and consumer credit. Andy joins Blank Rome from Venable LLP where he was chair of the firms financial services practice.

Prior to private practice, Andy served as senior counsel in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus (CFPB) Office of Regulations where he helped establish and enforce a multitude of CFPB rules and regulations under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and other federal statutes. He served as lead attorney for various CFPB rulemakings and played a key role at CFPB in educating both the public and industry leaders about CFPB rulemakings.

Andys past experience at the CFPB, paired with his experience in private practice, positions him well to represent our clients on the many aspects of consumer finance law, said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Romes Managing Partner and CEO. Andy is yet another remarkable attorney we have added to our firm over the past year, and he will be an invaluable resource to our clients, an excellent addition to our D.C. team, and strongly enhance our FILARC practice.

Andy regularly advises financial institutions, non-bank lenders, consumer reporting agencies, and technology companies (and their vendors) on a range of matters spanning regulatory compliance, civil enforcement, and transactions. He often provides counsel as it relates to consumer credit statutes and regulations, including TILA, ECOA, RESPA, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), Unfair, Deceptive and Abusive Acts and Practices (UDAAP), and other federal and state statutes and regulations.

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Andy was one of the early members of the CFPB and we are thrilled to add a bureau alumnus to the team, stated Wayne Streibich, Chair of Blank Romes FILARC practice. With a focus on consumer lending, Andys work ranges from early stage company development to specific product counsel, M&A due diligence, and everything in between. His tenure at the CFPB and his experience working with innovative business loan platforms in the evolving FinTech market provides a unique asset to our practice and clients as we kick off the new year.

Blank Rome is a phenomenal fit for my practice, both in terms of culture and business opportunities. I am excited by the firms multiservice platform and look forward to working alongside others in the FILARC practice, as well as the firms talented litigators. Furthermore, the firm is growing strategically, and I cannot wait to assist in expanding the regulatory practice in D.C., Arculin said.

Andy often serves as a thought leader on topics such as consumer lending, FinTech, and mortgage banking. He is also an active member of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Andy received his J.D., cum laude, from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, and his B.A. from the University of Virginia.

About Blank Rome

Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and more than 600 attorneys and principals who provide comprehensive legal and advocacy services to clients operating in the United States and around the world. Our professionals have built a reputation for their leading knowledge and experience across a spectrum of industries and are recognized for their commitment to pro bono work in their communities. Since our inception in 1946, Blank Romes culture has been dedicated to providing top-level service to all of our clients and has been rooted in the strength of our diversity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, please visit blankrome.com.

###

Attachment

CONTACT: Kate Tavella Blank Rome LLP 215.988.6988 tavella@blankrome.com




VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Defense Metals Corp. ("Defense Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV: DEFN) (OTCQB: DFMTF) (FSE: 35D) is pleased to announce that the Preliminary Economic Assessment NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project in British Columbia (the "Technical Report") has been filed on SEDAR. The Technical Report, which is dated January 6, 2022, has an effective date of November 7, 2021, and is entitled "Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project" and was prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc.

Defense Metals Corp. Logo (CNW Group/Defense Metals Corp.)

Highlights from the PEA:

Project Metric Units Current Pre-tax NPV @ 8% $K (CAD) $760,585 Post-tax NPV @ 8% $K (CAD) $516,500 Pre-tax IRR % (real) 22% Post-tax IRR % (real) 18% Undiscounted After-tax Cashflow (LOM) $K (CAD) $1,668,640 Payback Period from start of production Years 5 Initial Capital Expenditure $K (CAD) $440,068 Maximum Production Rate mtpa 1.8 Mine Life years 16 Average Production Rate after Ramp-up mtpa 1.73 Mill Feed for Concentrate Sales tonnes 5,416,388 Mill Feed for HM Plant Precipitate Sales tonnes 20,712,812 Life Mine ROM Grade % REO in mill feed 2.33% Life of Mine Strip Ratio Waste:Mill feed 1.75 Net Revenue From Concentrate $K (CAD) $862,520 Net Revenue From Precipitate $K (CAD) $5,236,095 Operating Margin % 60% Total Unit Operating Costs $(CAD)/t Total Mill feed $90.64

The results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment were previously disclosed in summary form in the Company's news release dated November 24, 2021 as amended January 6, 2022. The Technical Report was prepared in accordance with the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and is available for review under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.defensemetals.com. Readers are encouraged to read the Technical Report in its entirety, including all qualifications, assumptions and exclusions. The Technical Report is intended to be read as a whole, and sections should not be read or relied upon out of context.

About the Wicheeda REE Property

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The 2,008-hectare Wicheeda REE Property, located approximately 80 km northeast of the city of Prince George, British Columbia, is readily accessible by all-weather gravel roads and is near infrastructure, including power transmission lines, the CN railway, and major highways. Geologically, the property is situated in the Foreland Belt and within the Rocky Mountain Trench, a major continental geologic feature. The Foreland Belt contains part of a large alkaline igneous province, stretching from the Canadian Cordillera to the southwestern United States, which includes several carbonatite and alkaline intrusive complexes hosting the Aley (niobium), Rock Canyon (REE), and Wicheeda (REE) deposits.

Qualified Persons

SRK Qualified Persons (QPs) are all independent as defined by NI 43-101 and have contributed to their corresponding sections of the Technical Report, and have reviewed and approved the scientific, technical, and economic information contained in this news release. The SRK QPs include Andre Deiss, (geology and mineral resources), Andy Thomas (pit geotechnical), Anoush Ebrahimi (mining), Eric Olin (flotation concentration), Samantha Barnes (water management), Mark Liskowich (environmental-social-permitting), and Neil Winkelmann (infrastructure, marketing and economics). Associate consultant, John Goode, is the QP for hydrometallurgical processing.

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release as it relates to the Wicheeda REE Project has been reviewed and approved by Kristopher J. Raffle, P.Geo. (BC) Principal and Consultant of APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, AB, a director of Defense Metals and a "Qualified Person" as defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Raffle verified the data disclosed which includes a review of the analytical and test data underlying the information and opinions contained therein.

About SRK

SRK is an independent, global network of consulting practices in over 45 countries on six continents. Its experienced engineers and scientists work with clients in multi-disciplinary teams to deliver integrated, sustainable solutions across a range of sectors  mining, water, environment, infrastructure and energy.

About Defense Metals Corp.

Defense Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition of mineral deposits containing metals and elements commonly used in the electric power market, defense industry, national security sector and in the production of green energy technologies, such as, rare earths magnets used in wind turbines and in permanent magnet motors for electric vehicles. Defense Metals has an option to acquire 100% of the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Property located near Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Defense Metals Corp. trades in Canada under the symbol "DEFN" on the TSX Venture Exchange, in the United States, under "DFMTF" on the OTCQB and in Germany on the Frankfurt Exchange under "35D".

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This news release contains "forwardlooking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Technical Report and its potential and expected outcomes, plans for its Wicheeda Project, and expected timelines, results and outcomes, the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its project and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of rare earth elements, the anticipated costs and expenditures, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates, the potential for unexpected costs and expenses and those other risks filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather and climate conditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters), risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions, decrease in the price of rare earth elements, the impact of Covid-19 or other viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to, the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains, loss of key employees, consultants, or directors, increase in costs, delayed drilling results, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forwardlooking statements or forwardlooking information, except as required by law.

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SOURCE Defense Metals Corp.
CALGARY, AB, Jan. 7, 2022 /CNW/ - ATMA Journey Centers Inc. ("ATMA") has been granted a No Objection Letter ("NOL") by Health Canada, a crucial step towards opening ATMA's first sponsored clinical trial. The trial participants are licensed health care providers enrolled in a psychedelic-assisted therapy program. The trial's primary goal will be to document the safety of synthetic psilocybin when administered to healthy participants in a controlled clinical setting. The secondary exploratory approach of the trial will be to assess the psychological outcome, documented by self-administered assessments before and after the experiential psilocybin session.

ATMA Journey Centers Inc (CNW Group/ATMA Journey Centers Inc)

The trial will begin in mid-2022, led by psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer of ATMA: Dr. Ravinder Bains. "Health care providers who meet our inclusion criteria will enrol in the trial after careful screening and assessment," states Dr. Bains. "Further, after administration of psilocybin during the experiential session, we will be documenting heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and monitoring for irregular heartbeat via ECG." Dr. Bains has stated that he does not expect any long-term or serious adverse events based on published literature. Still, it will be essential to acquire this primary safety data with healthy individuals as a baseline for future studies with psilocybin. "There is a growing body of evidence in reputable medical journals that psychedelic medicine, and specifically psilocybin, has very significant efficacy in treating a variety of mental health issues. We [ATMA] believe this approach will offer much hope to patients suffering from mental health issues that have been untreatable, but believe it is crucial to begin this journey to treatment with basic safety data."

In addition to demonstrating the safety of psilocybin in a clinical setting, study investigators and participants will gain a greater appreciation of the effects and intended therapeutic applications of the medicine via psychological assessments. Once enrolled, participants will complete self-administered basic assessments of psychological well-being, which will then be repeated two days after their experiential session. "These exploratory assessments of the trial will allow us to compile additional data regarding the psychological outcome of psilocybin treatment in healthy individuals," continues Dr. Bains. "The fact that the participants are health care providers that deal daily with patients with serious mental health issues will provide a unique first-hand perspective on the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy."

The regulatory environment surrounding psychedelic medicine in Canada has become increasingly receptive to progression, as evidenced by recent amendments to the Special Access Program, released January 4, 2022, allowing physicians to request psychedelic medicine on behalf of eligible patients. With sufficient clinical and scientific evidence, together with the NOL granted to ATMA, Canadian policymakers and healthcare professionals are receptive to the therapeutic potential of psychedelic medicine.

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"With the studies that have already been done, and based on increasing clinical evidence, the future of psychedelic medicine is becoming a reality as a viable therapy," states David Harder, co-CEO of ATMA. "While the access of psychedelic medicine for patients will continue to be something we all work towards, we are optimistic that with ongoing research and clinical trials, 2022 is going to be a banner year in seeing these novel and effective treatment options become an important tool of therapy for many therapists and medical professionals."

ABOUT ATMA JOURNEY CENTERS INC.

ATMA is a Canadian company focused on delivering practical and innovative healing and transformative experiences that leverage the potential of psychedelic medicine to awaken the inner healer and allow a deeper connection with self, with others, and with the beauty of our world. ATMA was the first private company in Canada to conduct legal psychedelic-assisted therapy with psilocybin, one of the active hallucinogens found in 'magic mushrooms. For more information, visit www.atmajourney.com.

SOURCE ATMA Journey Centers Inc

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DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- J&T Express, an international express logistics company, today announced the official launch of its express network in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. The two countries are the first markets to be covered by J&T Express in the Middle East, and the latest expansion brings J&T Express' global network coverage to a total of ten countries.

The express network of J&T Express in the United Arab Emirates is officially launched

J&T Express' Middle East expansion plans kicked off in April 2021. After 8 months of inspection, site selection, and trial operations, the company officially launched its network in the UAE and Saudi Arabia today. J&T Express has established its own nationwide distribution network and localised warehousing system in the UAE and Saudi Arabia respectively, covering all local provinces and regions in the two countries. In addition, as an integral aspect of its courier service, the UAE and Saudi Arabia versions of the J&T Express mobile application have also been launched simultaneously.

A J&T Express courier delivers a parcel to a resident in Saudi Arabia

Sean Xiao, Head of J&T Express Middle East, said, "We hope that with J&T Express' efficient and comprehensive delivery network, we can effectively improve the shopping experience of consumers in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and contribute to the development of the e-commerce industry in both countries."

Steven Fan, CEO of J&T Express, said, "The expansion to the UAE and Saudi Arabia marks an important step for J&T Express in establishing a global delivery network. In the future, the company will actively explore opportunities in emerging markets as part of its global strategy to connect the world with greater efficiency and bring logistical benefits to all."

With the newly launched businesses, J&T Express' network currently covers ten countries, including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

About J&T Express

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Founded in August 2015, J&T Express is a rapidly-growing international delivery company, with its core business in express services and cross-border logistics. J&T Express is committed to continuously creating integrated quality experiences for its customers globally. J&T Express' network spans ten countries including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and serves over two billion people.

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SOURCE J&T Express
ZURICH, Jan. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Neurimmune AG today announced that it has entered into an exclusive global collaboration and license agreement with Alexion, AstraZeneca's Rare Disease group, to develop NI006, an investigational human monoclonal antibody specifically targeting misfolded transthyretin. NI006 is currently in Phase Ib development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM).

"ATTR-CM is characterized by deposition of misfolded and aggregated transthyretin in the heart. Using our Reverse Translational MedicineTM technology, we developed a human monoclonal antibody that exclusively targets ATTR to remove amyloid from hearts," said Jan Grimm, CSO of Neurimmune.

Neurimmune is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company translating human immune memory into antibody therapeutics. The company has gained extensive experience in amyloid removal biology and is licensing to Alexion its intellectual property related to diseases caused by ATTR amyloid deposition. NI006 is currently being investigated in a Phase 1b clinical study in ATTR-CM patients conducted in four European countries.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Alexion on this potentially disease-modifying antibody therapy for the treatment of ATTR-CM. Given Alexion's extensive experience in developing and bringing to market medicines for people with rare diseases, we believe Alexion is uniquely positioned to advance NI006 for patients with this devastating and life-threatening disease," said Christoph Hock, CMO of Neurimmune.

Under the agreement, Alexion will be granted an exclusive, worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize Neurimmune's ATTR clinical asset NI006. Neurimmune will receive an upfront payment of $30 million with the potential for additional contingent milestone payments of up to $730 million payable upon achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as low-to-mid teen royalties on net sales of any approved medicine resulting from the collaboration. Neurimmune will continue to be responsible for completion of the current Phase 1b clinical study on behalf of Alexion. Alexion will be responsible for further clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization.

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The transaction is expected to close following satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory clearances.

About Neurimmune

Neurimmune is a biopharmaceutical company translating human immune memory into transformative antibody therapeutics. Neurimmune develops drug candidates for CNS and related protein aggregation diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and ATTR cardiomyopathy. Neurimmune discovered aducanumab, a human monoclonal antibody that removes amyloid beta from brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, and licensed it to Biogen. With its Reverse Translational MedicineTM technology, Neurimmune also discovered the anti-tau antibody BIIB076 for Alzheimer's disease, the anti-miSOD1 antibody AP-101 for ALS and the anti-ATTR antibody NI006 for ATTR cardiomyopathy, programs being currently evaluated in clinical trials. Neurimmune has three additional antibody programs in preclinical development, and has recently expanded the spectrum of its treatment modalities by adding a small molecule program and programs involving vectorized expression of human antibody genes.

www.neurimmune.com

For additional information, please contact:

Neurimmune:

Dr. Fabian Buller, +41 44 755 4623

CBO of Neurimmune

fabian.buller@neurimmune.com

Media:

Martin Meier-Pfister, +41 43 244 81 40

IRF

media@neurimmune.com

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SOURCE Neurimmune
ZURICH, Switzerland, January 07, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Swiss performance sportswear brand On (NYSE: ONON) announced today that the Company will participate in the 2022 ICR Conference.

The Companys management will participate in a fireside chat on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 10:00 am US Eastern Time (4:00 pm CET on January 11, 2022). A live webcast of the fireside chat will be available on the Companys investor relations website and under the following Link.

Following the conclusion of the fireside chat, a replay will be available on the Company's website.

About On

On was born in the Swiss Alps with one goal: to revolutionize the sensation of running by empowering all to run on clouds. Eleven years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel, and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, and all-day activities. Fueled by customer-recommendation, Ons award-winning CloudTec innovation, purposeful design and groundbreaking strides in sportswears circular economy have attracted a fast-growing global fanbase  inspiring humans to explore, discover and dream on.

On is present in more than 60 countries globally and engages with a digital community on www.on-running.com.

Source: On

Category: Corporate

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220107005187/en/

Contacts

Investor:

On Holding AG

Florian Maag

investorrelations@on-running.com

or

ICR, Inc.

Brendon Frey

brendon.frey@icrinc.com

Media:

On Holding AG

Vesna Stimac

press@on-running.com
Planview recognized for its collaborative and flexible work environment, entrepreneurial growth culture, and employee benefits

AUSTIN, Texas, January 07, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Planview, a global leader in Portfolio Management and Work Management solutions, today announced the company was recognized on Built In Austins Best Places To Work 2022 as one of the Best Large Companies to Work For in Austin.

"Company success starts with employee success, and we are honored to be recognized for creating an empowered culture where our employees can thrive," said Razat Gaurav, Chief Executive Officer at Planview. "As Planview continues to grow, were working tirelessly to build our culture and employee experience. This award represents our exceptional employees and their dedication to serving customers as they continue forward on their own business transformations."

The annual awards program includes companies of all sizes, from startups to those in the enterprise, and honors both remote-first employers as well as companies in the eight largest tech markets across the U.S. Built In determines the winners of Best Places to Work based on an algorithm, using company data about compensation, benefits and companywide programming. To reflect the benefits candidates are searching for more frequently on Built In, the program also weighs criteria like remote and flexible work opportunities, programs for DEI and other people-first cultural offerings.

"Were honored to be celebrated by Built In for this ongoing commitment to our employees success and for the collaborative culture and strong benefits we offer at Planview, especially as we continue to grow," said Jay Nelson, Chief People Officer at Planview. "We strive to offer our Planview employees competitive benefits and programs, including strong health/wellness, flexible work and reward packages, opportunities for career advancement, support for personal and professional development passions, as well as support for employees from all backgrounds through our Employee Resources Groups (ERGs)."

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"It is my honor to extend congratulations to the 2022 Best Places to Work winners," says Sheridan Orr, Chief Marketing Officer, Built In. "This year saw a record number of entrants  and the past two years fundamentally changed what tech professionals want from work. These honorees have risen to the challenge, evolving to deliver employee experiences that provide the meaning and purpose todays tech professionals seek."

"We were fortunate to expand our team by over 200 new members in 2021, including 57 new employees in Texas, in a large part due to the dedicated and hard work of our highly talented and engaged employees," said Nelson. "We look forward to continuing that momentum this year and currently have 125 open roles across the globe."

To learn more about Planview and available job opportunities, visit: www.planview.com/company/careers/. Follow Planview on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

ABOUT PLANVIEW

Planview has one mission: to build the future of connected work. Our solutions enable organizations to connect the business from ideas to impact, empowering companies to accelerate the achievement of what matters most. Planviews full spectrum of Portfolio Management and Work Management solutions create an organizational focus on the strategic outcomes that matter and empower teams to deliver their best work, no matter how they work. The comprehensive Planview platform and enterprise success model enables customers to deliver innovative, competitive products, services, and customer experiences. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with locations around the world, Planview has more than 1,000 employees supporting 4,000 customers and 2.4 million users worldwide. For more information, visit www.planview.com.

ABOUT BUILT IN

Built In is creating the largest platform for technology professionals globally. Monthly, more than three million of the industrys most in-demand professionals visit the site from across the world. They rely on our platform to stay ahead of tech trends and news, develop their careers and find opportunities at companies whose values they share. Built In also serves 1,800 innovative companies of all sizes, ranging from startups to the Fortune 100. By putting their stories in front of our uniquely engaged audience, we help them hire otherwise hard-to-reach tech professionals, locally, nationally or remotely. www.builtin.com

ABOUT BUILT INS BEST PLACES TO WORK

Built Ins esteemed Best Places to Work Awards, now in its fourth year, honor companies across numerous categories: 100 Best Places to Work, 50 Best Small Places to Work, 100 Best Midsize Places to Work, 50 Companies with the Best Benefits and 50 Best Paying Companies, 100 Best Large Companies to Work For, and 50 Best Remote-First Places to Work.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220106005621/en/

Contacts

Leslie Marcotte

lmarcotte@planview.com
VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 7, 2022 /CNW/ - Progressive Planet Solutions Inc . (TSXV: PLAN) ("PLAN" or the "Company"), an emerging provider of innovative circular solutions and eco-friendly micronized minerals delivering sustainability benefits for industry and agriculture, is pleased to announce that the Company will present a business update and further details regarding the acquisition of Absorbent Products LTD during a live Zoom webinar on Monday, January 10th at 4:00 p.m. EST / 1:00 p.m. PST.

Progressive Planet Solutions Logo (CNW Group/Progressive Planet Solutions)

PLAN will address the acquisition, evolving corporate developments, current highlights and future business objectives. Members of the Executive Team, including CEO Steve Harpur, will present and participate in a Q&A session. Shareholders are invited to register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bhoEyZOKR5CSng678C4F0w. For those unable to participate, a recording of the webinar will be posted to the Progressive Planet Solutions website following the live broadcast.

Topic: Progressive Planet Management Update

When: Monday, January 10, 2022 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in Advance:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bhoEyZOKR5CSng678C4F0w After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

ABOUT PROGRESSIVE PLANET

Progressive Planet is an emerging company providing innovative circular solutions and earth-friendly micronized minerals that naturally unlock sustainability benefits across the construction and agriculture industries. Tapping into the earth's inherent binding powers and properties, PLAN is developing and scaling a portfolio of proprietary solutions to help our customers build, grow, and operate more responsibly.

PLAN continues work on creating supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) with a focus on minimizing the carbon footprint of the SCMs we create; utilizing waste materials where possible to create the most sustainable SCMs; and sequestering CO2 in SCMs to address climate change. PLAN's research team has begun exploring the opportunity to utilize the legacy CO2 stream generated by APL's natural gas rotary kiln drier in operation in Kamloops.

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PLAN's operations currently include:

A comminution facility in Spallumcheen, BC which is currently producing micronized minerals used by farmers in lieu of chemical fertilizers to promote healthy soils without the addition of chemicals,

A research lab in Calgary, AB focused on creating SCMs and associated technologies to sequester CO2 in concrete; and,

Three natural pozzolan properties in BC including our flagship Z1 Natural Pozzolan Quarry in Cache Creek, BC and our two pozzolan properties under development, the Z2 Natural Pozzolan Property near Falkland and the Heffley Creek Metals and Natural Pozzolan Property.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Such information includes, without limitation, information regarding the completion of the proposed acquisition of APL, the anticipated business plan of the Company subsequent to completion of such acquisition, and the proposed private placement financing offered by the Company. Although the Company believes that such information is reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

Forward looking information is typically identified by such words as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," and similar expressions, or are those that, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking information as a result of various factors, including but not limited to: the Company's ability to complete the acquisition as described; the Company's ability to complete the proposed private placement; the general state of the industry in which the Company operates; the state of financial markets generally; and other risks and factors that the Company is not aware of at this time.

SOURCE Progressive Planet Solutions

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2022/07/c7664.html
PROVIDENCE  A Providence man is accused of plotting to traffic untraceable ghost guns and then lying to investigators about the sales, mainly in the Dominican Republic.

Federal agents arrested Robert Alcantara Jr., 34, on Thursday and charged him with conspiring to traffic firearms and with making false statements, according to a news release from Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Untraceable ghost guns pose a serious threat to public safety. As alleged, the defendant agreed with others to buy the parts for these firearms, put them together at his home, and then unlawfully sold or attempted to sell over 100 of them. Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the defendant has been arrested, and his deadly ghost gun business has been shut down, Williams said in a statement.

Alcantra with gun, from court document

According to authorities, Alcantara arranged with unidentified co-conspirators for him to buy parts for more than 100 ghost guns that he would then put together at his house in Providence. Authorities alleged that Alcantara illegally sold the completed ghost guns, largely in the Dominican Republic.

Record gun seizure: Another illustration of public safety on Providence streets in 2021

Investigators said they recovered parts for 45 ghost guns from Alcantaras car during a Nov. 20 stop in New York City, after he and an alleged co-conspirator purchased thousands of dollars worth of parts at a gun show in Morgantown, Pennsylvania.

When questioned by authorities, Alcantara falsely told them that he had never sold or transferred ownership of a firearm and that he had never transported a firearm to the Dominican Republic, prosecutors said.

Photographs of the "ghost guns" that authorities say they seized from Alcantara's house in Providence, as well as photographs of firearms they say he intended to sell.

Among the evidence the investigators said they recovered after seizing Alcantaras cell phone are messages indicating that he offered to have his mother transport firearms to the Dominican Republic.

Stopping the flow of these firearms is a top priority of ATF, and we will rigorously pursue those who illegally sell these firearms, John B. DeVito, ATF New York special agent-in-charge said in a statement.

Rhode Island lawmakers in 2020 enacted a law that outlaws the possessing, making or selling ghost guns and other untraceable and undetectable firearms.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Feds charge Providence man with trafficking ghost guns in Dominican Republic
Carson City, Jan. 07, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Nevada-based insurance company Talisman Casualty Insurance is providing captive insurance services to businesses all over the country and the world.

The company serves the specialty insurance sector by offering protected cells to underwriters who have seasoned books of business and need a regulated vehicle to transfer risk, direct access to capacity through reinsurance and alternative risk finance markets. The protected cell captive insurance company has licensed 7006 captives worldwide and handles $55 billion of captive premium globally. When it comes to the state of Nevada, where Talisman Insurance is domiciled, the company has licensed 207 captives and handles $4 billion of captive premium.

The company offers specialty programs with specialty coverages and administration. Its tailored claims management services rely on state-of-the-art claims technology that gives immediate feedback on the overall impact of claims. The time needed to make adjustments can be decreased due to the simple aggregation of data within a cell captive. All coverage provided by Talisman is commercial and is only available to those businesses who participate in an underwriting cell.

A spokesperson for the company talks about the range of benefits that it offers by saying, Talisman Casualty Insurance has earned critical acclaim for its attention to detail, professionalism, and commitment to excellence over the years. We place the needs of our clients foremost by understanding their business thoroughly and gauging when they would want to take a risk and when they might need to stay conservative. We take our clients feedback and use it to model the market to predict how it is changing and where it is headed. This gives us an edge as it enables us to always stay on top of industry developments and bring those same advantages to our many satisfied clients.

The company has a marine program that covers a wide range of marine contracts. The marine program focuses on small-to-medium-sized marine accounts and provides Maritime Employers Liability (MEL), Hull and Protection & Indemnity (Hull / P&I), and Comprehensive General Liability (CGL) with admission into the programs cell. When asked to elaborate on the advantages of the companys marine program, the spokesperson says, Our program philosophy is to form long term relationships with our maritime clients and understand their business, risk management practices, and business forecast so that insurance coverage can always match fluctuating exposure. We are well aware that the competition in the marine market requires businesses that operate in the space to always lower costs. We firmly believe that captive insurance offers the means to provide our clients the flexibility that readjusting risk management methods and cost requires.

Story continues

The company also offers help to businesses on how to avoid claims involving lawsuits. The company is able to offer this service because of its efficient claims processing that benefits from the application of advanced cutting-edge claims technology for their captive cells. Talisman Casualty suit avoidance strategies are to use claims technology that substantially boosts the efficiency of the claims process because it can be streamlined within the cell, providing participants a high level of service. Participants in the cell captive are owners, and the close relationship between the insured participant and claims professionals allows quicker response and resolution to claims which could lead to litigation.

Talisman insurance policies and bonds are duly licensed, regulated, and authorized insurance transactions governed by the laws of the state of Nevada department of insurance. Bonds and insurance policies are made available to principals who join the captive as participants by executing a participation agreement and becoming a shareholder. All Talisman capital, surplus, reserves, and financial records are maintained per the provisions and regulations of NRS Chapter 694 C (Captive Insurers).

Readers can find out more about the company and its services by heading over to its website. Those interested in directly engaging with the companys representatives can contact them at the phone number 800-318-5317 or using the email address info@talismancasualty.com. Its office is located at 7881 W. Charleston Blvd, Suite 210, Las Vegas, NV 89117.

###

For more information about Talisman Casualty Insurance Company, contact the company here:



Talisman Casualty Insurance Company

800-318-5317

info@talismancasualty.com

7881 W. Charleston Blvd, Suite 210 Las Vegas, NV 89117






The Florida Department of Health in Flagler County (DOH-Flagler) has modified its testing schedule for Monday, January 10 through Friday, January 15.

Due to a storm system expected Monday, Flagler County Emergency Management has recommended that the health department cancel COVID testing that day. Appointments have been rescheduled to Tuesday, January 12. The health department will not operate its outdoor testing site during inclement weather. This is to ensure the safety of both staff and guests as electronic devices are used as part of the check-in process.

Should the weather clear on Monday, a limited number of testing appointments may open for Monday afternoon. Call 386-437-7350 ext. 0 for scheduling.

The increase in positive cases in Flagler County has resulted in unprecedented demand for COVID testing. Anyone needing a COVID-19 test must have an appointment to test with the health department, including teachers, students and Flagler Schools employees. Same day testing is currently not available through the health department site. Small independent pharmacies like One Pharmacy and Grace Community Pharmacy may offer same day service.

The call center for appointments is open weekdays between 8AM and 4:30PM and can be reached at 386-437-7350 ext. 0.

All DOH testing is conducted across from 120 Airport Road near the Flagler Executive Airport. The testing schedule for January 10 through 15 follows:

Monday, January 10

Cancelled in anticipation of stormy weather

Tuesday, Jan. 11

9:00AM to 12PM Testing by appointment

Wednesday, Jan. 12

9:00AM to 12PM Testing by appointment

Thursday, Jan. 13

9:00AM to 12PM Testing by appointment

Friday, Jan. 14

9:00AM to 12PM Testing by appointment

For more information about COVID-19 testing locally, please visit flagler.floridahealth.gov.
A group of Fredericksburg-area residents held a vigil Thursday night to mark one year since a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The vigil, which was held virtually due to this weeks snowstorms, was part of a nationwide call to honor the anniversary of the attack by mobilizing citizens to support federal legislation protecting the right to vote.

Our democracy is fragile and it is under attack, said city resident Julie Kay, co-founder of Fossil Free Fredericksburg and a retired high school government teacher who organized the vigil.

About 40 people participated in the virtual event, including local blues musician and activist Gaye Adegbalola; the Rev. Joe Hensley, rector of St. Georges Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg; Anne Little, founder of Tree Fredericksburg; and Matt Rowe, newly elected Fredericksburg City School Board Member representing Ward 1.

The vigil included songs, prayer and nine seconds of silence in honor and memory of those who died during the events of Jan. 6 or in the days afterward, including Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran who was shot by a U.S. Capitol Police officer while attempting to breach the House chambers; Kevin Greeson, Rosanne Boyland and Benjamin Phillips, who were part of the crowd protesting the results of the 2020 election; U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who suffered injuries during the riot and died from multiple strokes the next day; and Metropolitan police officer Jeffrey Smith and Capitol Police Officer Howard S. Liebengood, who killed themselves days after the attack.

The local vigil ended with a call to action.

Democracy isnt a partisan issue but unites everyone, Little said. To prevent this kind of attack from happening again, our leaders must pass legislation that will protect the country from the anti-democratic forces that are continuing an effort to destroy us.

Little urged participants to voice support for several pieces of legislation that seek to protect voting rights, including the Freedom to Vote Act, the Protecting Our Democracy Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

The Freedom to Vote Act, which was sponsored by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, among others, is a comprehensive package of voting, redistricting and campaign finance reforms that would protect our elections from voter suppression, partisan sabotage, gerrymandering, and dark money, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law.

The Protecting Our Democracy Act seeks to curb abuses of presidential power, strengthen the system of checks and balances, and secure election integrity by requiring federal campaign reporting of foreign contacts, [prohibiting] distribution of materially deceptive audio or visual media prior to an election (i.e., deepfakes), and [establishing] a program to support states and localities transition to ranked choice voting systems, according to Congress.gov.

The John Lewis Voting Rights Act would restore and strengthen certain parts of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that have been weakened by U.S. Supreme Court decisions in recent yearssuch as the requirement that some states pre-clear certain changes to their voting laws with the federal government.

All three bills have passed the U.S. House of Representatives but must pass the U.S. Senate to become law.

In a statement made on Jan. 5, Kaine stressed the importance of passing the new legislation.

The [Jan. 6] attack on the Capitol was an attack on our democracy and on the Constitution that I have sworn to defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic, Kaine said. Certain states with Republican governors and legislatures have used [the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump] to restrict voting access, disempower nonpartisan election officials, and even threaten jail time for Americans who help their neighbors vote. The best way to overcome that and protect our democracy is by passing comprehensive voting rights legislation.

Virginias other U.S. senator, Democrat Mark Warner, also made a statement on the anniversary of Jan. 6.

It is my hope that we will continue to honor those who lost their lives by remembering that democracy must be upheld each and every day, Warner said. We must realize that what happened on Jan. 6 did not end on Jan. 6. Efforts to sow doubts about the integrity of our elections are chipping away at the values upon which our nation was founded. As state legislatures across the country continue to exploit Donald Trumps Big Lie to restrict access to the ballot, we must act to protect the right to vote and safeguard our democracy once more.

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Henrico, who represents Virginias 7th congressional district, including part of Spotsylvania County, said the country cannot and should not move on from the events of Jan. 6.

The events of that day are a warning about what can happen to the threads of our democracy when American lawmakersincluding former President Donald Trumpchoose to traffic in dangerous conspiracy theories, Spanberger said.

Rep. Rob Wittman, a Republican whose 1st congressional district includes Fredericksburg and Stafford, Caroline and King George counties, as well as part of Spotsylvania, did not issue an official statement on the Jan. 6 anniversary.

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THAT TRAFFIC in the Fredericksburg area along Interstate 95 is bad is hardly news to the people who live here.

Its also well-known to groups that study congestion issues nationally. A study by INRIX just four years ago, for example, listed the I95 stretch from Exit 133A in Stafford to Fairfax County as the most congested in the country.

The complete stoppage of traffic late Monday night into Tuesday, however, was certainly extraordinary, even for this area. To say that the region was caught off guard, however, doesnt pass the smell test.

That was Gov. Ralph Northams assessment during a press call on Tuesday afternoon. We were prepared for the storm that was predicted, a few inches of snow, he said. But instead, Mother Nature sent more than a foot of snow to the Fredericksburg area.

Lets begin with the obvious. The governor said that a few inches of snow were predicted. One wonders where hes getting his information from. A press release from the Virginia Department of Transportation on Sunday, Jan. 2, warned of a major snow event. The current forecast indicates this will be a significant event that will impact travel throughout the state. Snowfall could reach rates of two inches per hour.

Also on Sunday, the Washington Posts Capital Weather Gang, which depends on multiple forecasting models for their predictions, flagged our region for 5 to 9 inches of snow, with a possible maximum fall of 14 inches.

Failure to recognize the potential danger of this storm is one possible reason the Virginia National Guard wasnt mobilized. The states coordinator of emergency management, Curtis Brown, said the Guardwhich takes 12 to 24 hours to call upwasnt activated because the situation didnt meet the states general rules for pre-emptive emergency declarations for winter storms.

We reached out to the Fredericksburg Division of VDOT asking what weather conditions were expected. That call has been referred to the central office for response, and as of now has not been answered.

Failing to understand the storms magnitude appears to be just the first of many missteps by our state leaders.

Motorists who were stranded for hours reported receiving very little official communication about what was happening or how long they could expect to be stuck. Travelers complained that calls to VDOT went unanswered, and that the 511 system provided little information beyond there being icy conditions.

When official communication finally did come, it was too little, too late. At 8:45 Tuesday morninga full 24 hours from when state troopers first responded to a jackknifed tractor trailer on the interstate near Fredericksburgthe governor tweeted that My team has been working throughout the night alongside @VSPPIO, @VaDOT, and @VDEM to respond to the situation on I95. Thats little consolation to families who had stayed overnight in freezing temperatures with no food or water.

Transurban, the company that owns the I95 hot lanes, is also facing criticism. When asked by WJLA TV about why traffic wasnt allowed on the lanes, it responded, reasonably, that the lanes were being used for snow plows and first responders. Adding southbound traffic would only complicate a bad situation.

Pushed to explain why traffic couldnt be allowed to travel north on the lanes to get away from the situation, Transurban had no immediate response.

Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginias 7th District is among a growing list of local, regional and national leaders calling on the outgoing Northam administration and the incoming Youngkin administration to work together to do a deep dive into everything that went wrong.

Its important that this not result in yet another report posted on government websites that leads to no significant change. While Mondays snow event may have been fueled by a perfect storm that created a 48-mile stretch of stalled and stopped traffic that left even Virginias junior U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine stranded in excess of 20 hours, it wasnt an event we couldnt see coming.

Fortunately, there were no deaths or serious injuries to those stuck in the debacle that was the areas response to the situation.

Next timeand on Interstate 95, there will be a next timedrivers and their passengers may not be so fortunate.
Fremont Police reported that at approximately 6:41 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 200 Block of West 17th Street in reference a trespassing complaint.

She was advised of the trespassing complaint against her with the previous trespassing notice given to her being confirmed and was arrested.
Dean Jacobs has seen the warmth of a community when seeking coats for kids in Macy.

In November, the local man launched a coat drive to help kids who live on the Omaha Reservation about 50 miles north of Fremont.

Hes witnessed heart-warming results.

Donors brought about 126 new coats to Milady Coffeehouse in downtown Fremont. Other contributors donated enough cash for him to buy another 50 coats for students ranging from 5-year-olds to high school seniors.

With the cash donations, Jacobs was able to buy coats for kids who wear extra-large sizes. He bought four blankets, too.

Now, Jacobs is collecting coats and cash to buy warm winter wear for students who attend Santee Community School. He plans to collect coats and other items until Jan. 17.

Those whod like to make donations may bring coats, hats and gloves to the large receiving bin in the coffeehouse at 105 E. Sixth St., in downtown Fremont.

Donors whod rather contribute funds may send a check to: Dean Jacobs, P.O. Box 911, Fremont, NE 68026. Make the check out to: Travel for Life Foundation.

They also may send funds to Jacobs via PayPal or Venmo. His email is dean@deanjacobs.org.

Jacobs is a world traveler, author, photographer and speaker, who encourages people to follow their dreams. Each week, he does inspirational work with students and staff at Omaha Nation Public School.

Omaha Nation is a school in Macy, the center of the tribal government for the Omaha, a federally recognized Midwestern Native American tribe.

Macy is in Thurston County, the poorest county in the state of Nebraska.

After learning last fall that several students in Macy didnt have winter coats, Jacobs launched a coat-collecting endeavor.

Its a challenging situation anyway and cold winter days without proper gear just makes more hurdles to jump, Jacobs said, adding, We should never let a jacket stand in the way of a kid getting an education.

Jacobs said he has been touched by the generosity of donors willing to believe they can make a difference.

There are people who acknowledge that life is hard, but they can still do something to make it better, he said. Its not like theyre ever going to meet the recipients of these coats so thats a real act of generosity. It makes me very proud.

Jacobs has seen the tender side of the coat collection.

He tells the story of a little girl, who was so upset when she tore her jacket on the playground.

The childs teacher sent her to the office at Omaha Nation School.

There, she got a new coat.

She called it her unicorn coat, because it was the color of a unicorn, like a pinkish color, he said. She loved it so much that she refused to take it off, so she sat in her desk with her new coat.

Jacobs believes the child benefited in more than one way from the coat donation.

That coat for her is much more than a warm coat. Its a symbol that she matters, that somebody cares, Jacobs said.

Jacobs has taken all coats donated for kids in Macy to the school. There, students, who need a coat, can get one.

As word gets out, more kids have been showing up all the time, he said.

Jacobs gained donations after he shared a Fremont Tribune story about the project on Facebook.

Jacobs also was asked if he could help children who attend Santee Community Schools on the Santee Sioux Reservation in Nebraska.

Im going to get them some coats, too, he said. Ive already got a small stack that Ive started working on for them.

Jacobs has appreciated the donations for the kids in Macy.

People are amazing, he said. When they trust where its going to go, people are very generous.

Jacobs even got a donation from the parent of a former kindergarten-through-high school classmate. He hadnt talked to this parent in 40 years.

Im so grateful for peoples generosity, Jacobs said. Its really extraordinary. Its a challenging time for people, but it tells you that people havent forgotten what it means to struggle and suffer. Theres more good people than bad and a project like this helps remind us of that.

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A 19-year-old Fairbury man has been sentenced to 70 to 80 years in prison for the beating death of a 2-year-old boy and for shooting a man nearly a year earlier.

"This was a heartless act," Jefferson County District Judge Vicky Johnson told Jake Gonzalez at his sentencing Thursday.

In October, a jury found him guilty of child abuse resulting in Hollen Siedschlag's death and making terroristic threats to the boy's mother, Bailey Siedschlag.

After the verdict, Gonzalez pleaded no contest to attempted first-degree assault of Lance Powers, who was shot May 18, 2020.

On Thursday, Johnson said she'd seriously considered life in prison, the maximum for child abuse resulting in death. She said the only mitigating factor was Gonzalez's age.

She said both of the crimes had involved extreme violence, and he'd shown no remorse. Nothing could remedy all the harm he'd caused, she said.

Gonzalez declined to say anything at his sentencing. But his attorney, Kelly Breen of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, had asked for a sentence that would give him a chance to parole one day, if he took programming to learn job skills, handle anger and get mental health counseling.

"Even a person who has committed serious crimes can rehabilitate themselves, can reform themselves, and return to society as productive citizens," Breen said.

He said Gonzalez had a harrowing childhood, moving from town to town and school to school in Texas and Nebraska, at times homeless and living out of a car with his family.

He was 17 when he was charged in the first case, 18 in the second.

On the other side, Assistant Nebraska Attorney General Bill Tangeman asked for an "exceedingly long" sentence to ensure the safety of the people of Nebraska.

"In his 19 short years on this Earth he's left a path of death and destruction," he said.

On Feb. 26, 2021, Hollen Siedschlag's mom returned from the store to find him barely breathing in a closet at the apartment she shared with Gonzalez.

At trial, she said Gonzalez threatened to do the same to her daughter if she called for help.

Her son died the next day, his liver damaged beyond repair by the time she could get help by using a code word to let safety workers know there was trouble.

Gonzalez ran when Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies arrived, but he was caught in less than an hour.

At the time, Gonzalez had been out of jail on bond. accused of shooting Powers four times in the street, though the victim couldn't say if he or a second man had fired the shots, according to defense attorney Ben Murray.

As for the child abuse charge, Tangeman said it wasn't a momentary lapse of frustration.

"This was a sustained beating" he said, and it's had a tremendous, devastating impact on Hollen's family and friends and will continue to for the rest of their lives.

Tangeman attributed both crimes to Gonzalez's violent nature, coupled with a complete disregard for human life.

"He approaches every problem with the same solution and that is violence," the prosecutor said.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger

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Return to sender.

Gov. Pete Ricketts and Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, chairwoman of the Legislature's Revenue Committee, vowed Thursday to return $400 million in surplus state revenue back to taxpayers rather than use it to increase state spending.

Speaking at a joint news conference in the Capitol Rotunda, with five other members of the Revenue Committee at their side, Ricketts and Linehan slammed the door on spending hikes.

"Nobody should be coming into this (legislative) session thinking we will be spending a lot more money," Ricketts said.

"We will give the money back to the people. It's not our money; it's the people of Nebraska's money."

Linehan said the Legislature should focus on efforts to "control spending so we can cut taxes."

The surplus of revenue provides "significant funding over and above our needs," she said. "It's not normally acceptable to keep $400 million to $500 million of taxpayers' money that we do not need."

Working together as a committee, Linehan said, "we'll manage to bring tax relief to every Nebraskan across the state."

The Revenue Committee appears poised to consider a reduction in corporate and personal income taxes, perhaps with an eye toward proposing major tax reform that would shift more of the tax burden to the sales tax by eliminating exemptions for a wide range of services.

Ricketts said he will continue to focus on controlling state spending during his final year as governor. He'll be term-limited out of office at the end of the year.

The governor said the Legislature needs to act now to establish a 3% limit on annual property tax increases imposed by local governments, including public schools. His earlier effort to win legislative approval of the proposed lid fell four votes short of advancement.

The state "needs some control over property taxes," Linehan said. "We need some agreement across the state that limits increases."

Nebraska has to control taxes "if we want people to stay here," she said.

"Young adults are very savvy," Linehan said, and the state needs to reduce the tax load "if we want young people in Nebraska."

Reach the writer at 402-473-7248 or dwalton@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSdon

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A Washington man who in September pleaded guilty to a federal sex crime for masturbating on an airplane next to an 18-year-old woman after rubbing her thigh as she slept learned his fate in a Lincoln courtroom on Thursday.

Ian Wagner, 39, was sentenced to 18 months in a federal prison and ordered to pay $500 in restitution to the woman who had been seated next to him.

United States District Court Judge John M. Gerrard issued the sentence on Thursday, less than four months after Wagner pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact of an incapacitated person.

As a part of the plea deal, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tessi Smith moved to drop two other federal sex crime charges.

Wagner will be under supervised release for six years after he gets out of prison and will be required to attend, complete and pay for any counseling services recommended by his probation officer in that time. He will report to a federal correctional facility near Seattle on March 9.

The sentencing comes more than four years after the 18-year-old awoke to Wagner rubbing his hand on her thigh on a Frontier Airlines flight between Indianapolis and Denver in October 2017. Wagner, at the time, was a resident of New Haven, Indiana.

After pulling her leg away, discreetly taking a photo of Wagner and using the airplane's restroom, the woman returned to her seat, under the impression it was the only available one on the plane, according to prosecutors.

When the 18-year-old returned, she found Wagner with a jacket over his lap. He later exposed his penis to her and proceeded to masturbate while staring at the woman for more than five minutes, Smith said.

The woman, who addressed the court by Zoom on Thursday, said the incident had negatively impacted her life for the last four years. She said she would never feel safe or comfortable around strangers again and hasn't sat in a window or middle seat on a plane since then, now aware of the possibility that she may have to escape.

Wagner and the state had agreed to a pre-sentencing recommendation of a 12-month prison sentence, but Gerrard opted for a longer term, noting the habitual nature of what he described as Wagner's "stunts."

Smith detailed Wagner's previous exploits at Thursday's hearing, noting he had publicly masturbated at a gas station, a Target store and in a parking lot on separate occasions in Indiana.

And in a fourth incident in 2014, Smith said, Wagner masturbated in his vehicle in the parking lot of a dance studio while his 3-year-old child sat in the back seat.

Addressing Gerrard, defense attorney Justin Kalemkiarian said his client had shown a "tremendous amount of remorse" in the years since the incident. He said Wagner had opted not to go to trial so the 18-year-old woman wouldn't be forced to relive the events of that flight.

Wagner, who appeared in court in person, was apologetic in his statement, asking for the 18-year-old's forgiveness. He was charged in Nebraska because authorities said the jet was over the state at the time of the sexual assault.

"In the end, it was my own actions  and no one else  that put me here," Wagner said.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.com. On Twitter @andrewwegley

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Welcome to Gandhara's weekly newsletter. This briefing brings you the best of our reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

If youre new to the newsletter or havent subscribed yet, you can do so here.

Taliban religious policing revival sparks anger

I write about the Taliban resurrecting the violent religious policing it employed during its brutal regime in the 1990s. Many Afghans are angered by the spate of decrees recently issued by the militants notorious Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The orders impose restrictions on citizens appearances, behavior, and movement.

The Talibans controversial directives range from ordering men to grow beards and attend compulsory congregational prayers to banning women from public baths and traveling without a male chaperone.

The Taliban is locking out the population from decision-making and exposing its "tyrannical tendencies," Obaidullah Baheer, a Kabul-based academic, told me.

Rabia, a woman in the city of Mazar-e Sharif who did not reveal her real name, said the Taliban is trying to control the lives of citizens rather than address the acute problems facing the country, including a freefalling economy and a devastating humanitarian crisis. The Taliban needs to pay attention to many more important issues we are grappling with, she said.

Afghans say the Taliban is attempting to control every aspect of their lives. Hekmatullah, a resident of the southern province of Uruzgan, said the Taliban should not interfere in such issues.



"Ultimately, [each individual] will be accountable and have to bear the guilt or reap the rewards for their actions before God, he told Radio Azadi.

(In this photo feature, we look back at the events of 2021, a year that saw the unexpected become the reality in Afghanistan.)

Afghanistans restive borders

Bruce Pannier looks at what prompted armed clashes between Turkmen and Taliban border guards this week. The militants have also traded gunfire with Iranian and Pakistani border guards in recent weeks.

Whatever happened, it was sufficient for Turkmen troops to use their weapons -- a clear indication that trust is still very low along the border, wrote Pannier.

Recent videos of Taliban fighters firing artillery shells at Pakistani forces and destroying border fences have embarrassed Islamabad, a longtime Taliban ally.

Iran, too, appears to be reviewing its relationship with the Taliban after a gunfight between the militants and Iranian border guards last month.

Drug rehabilitation, Taliban style

In this video report, we take you to one of Afghanistans largest prisons. The Taliban has turned the facility in the city of Kandahar into a makeshift center for what it claims to be the rehabilitation of drug addicts.

If you decide to get rid of addiction, you can be cured, said one man at the facility. He is among the dozens of addicts at the prison, which also houses more than 150 inmates. "If we can't treat them here, we send them to the hospitals," said the Taliban official in charge of the prison.

Educating Pakistans child laborers

In another video, we take you to Islamabad, where a group of university students have volunteered to educate child laborers. Many of the children do not attend school because they have been forced to work due to poverty.

We are teaching them basics such as the alphabet, but also ethics and manners, said Rohail Ahmad, one of the teachers and a member of Each One Teach One, the organization that runs the classes.

"I [sell things on a hand cart] four days a week and study here the other three days, said Bilal, one of the more than 60 students who attend the classes. The lessons are held in a public park during the evening.

I hope you found this weeks newsletter useful, and I encourage you to forward it to your colleagues.

If you havent subscribed yet, you can do so here. I encourage you to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Yours,

Abubakar Siddique

Twitter: @sid_abu

P.S.: You can always reach us at gandhara@rferl.org.
Ken Lucas, a Centennial City Council member and mayor pro tem, has fiber sticking out of the ground in his front yard. Its a visual reminder of how far the south Denver metro city of 110,000 has come in the five years since voters opted out of Senate Bill 152, which limits cities from offering their own broadband-internet services.

More than 100 local communities across the state have opted out of the state law, but very few have completed as much work as Centennial has.

Voters in those cities decided that theyd get better internet service with their local governments involved than relying on the private marketplace.

The wave in favor of community broadband has been especially pronounced in areas outside the states big cities where residents sometimes feel theyre not getting the best internet service from big commercial providers. In rural areas, it often doesnt pencil out for the private sector to build or expand high-speed networks.

But such measures have passed in larger cities, too, including Colorado Springs in 2017.

Centennial recently unveiled its fiber backbone, which Lucas said will have a daily impact on businesses and residents of the city.

SB 152 became law in 2005 after former Gov. Bill Owens signed the act. The measure dictated that municipalities couldnt run their own broadband or television services.

But they could opt out through a citizen vote, which has become increasingly common across the state.

This year Aurora, Canon City, Florence, Fountain and Eerie voters decided to opt out of SB 152  many doing so with the belief that it will help their communitys economy.

Lucas, who acts as Centennials Fiber Commission chair, has a background in startups and venture capital, so when he was sitting in a Colorado Municipal League conference about opting out of the state law several years ago, he said he knew it could be a good thing for his city.

This is something I had funded when I was in the investment banking business. I knew about fiber and what it could do.

Centennials journey began in 2013 when voters approved opting out of SB152, which let the municipality build its fiber system and make nonexclusive partnerships.

It did take a lot of planning. We werent in any hurry, we wanted to do it right, Lucas said. We started out and said it wont cost us anything to put it on the ballot, and a lot of very important discussions happened at the council level. We were worried about competing with the private sector, so we wrote the question saying that wed be an open access model. A lot of people havent done open access, which means well provide the fiber network and let the private sector to see if they want to access it.

And it has.

With the construction of the fiber backbone complete, Centennial announced it executed four lease agreements  the big one being a 20-year agreement with a service calledTing, a unit of U.S.-Canadian company Tucows Inc.

Unlike other municipalities that have waded into offering their own broadband service, like Longmont has, Centennial decided it would be best to build the system, then lease the fiber out to private companies.

Lucas said city lawmakers and staff had conversations with big telecom companies  like Comcast, the biggest employer in Centennial  to offer up their fiber, but Lucas said they declined.

Its an interesting mix of competition, he added. That was one of our main goals was to add competition.

The major shift in city infrastructure is slated to be a good for the local economy, too. The south Denver metro region employees more than 17,000 people in the telecom and broadcasting industries, according to a Denver South Economic Development Partnership report. That could expand with more leases and partnerships in Centennial.

But the impact could be beyond that sector of jobs, Lucas said, highlighting the more than 4,000 people who work from home businesses in Centennial. With more competition and better service, Lucas believes that will be an attractive feature to a lot of people who are looking to live around the Denver metroplex.

Jake Rishavy, who works with the Denver South Economic Development Partnership and helps steer the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance, agreed. He said metro areas around the country are becoming competitive with each other and having a fiber structure like Centennial doess can help an area stand out.

If you have 21st century infrastructure, all things are possible, he said. In the economic development world we are experiencing a macro-level shift. People used to move for work, and now theyre moving to communities that have high qualities of life and companies are chasing them. ... Communities like Centennial that are making investments in tech infrastructure so that they can better deliver community services, those are creating a competitive advantage.

Centennial has other high hopes for its fiber backboneas it relates to quality of life, including education  Cherry Creek School District signed an intergovernmental agreement for a fiber lease  and safety.

The city said the new infrastructure will become an integral part in the rollout of the citys new Intelligent Traffic Signaling system.

Centennial set out on building its 50 miles of fiber backbone in 2016. It was finished on time and on budget for $5.7 million, but theres more room to grow and more developments coming for the city.

We jumped in front of the 5G process with the major carriers in the mobile space, and were seeing a lot of applications now, Lucas said. 5G has to be put on city attachments like streetlights. We anticipate over the next couple of years, well be able to take advantage of that.
Thousands of King Soopers workers across Colorado plan to strike for better pay and working conditions, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 labor union announced Thursday.

The labor union said its workers intend to strike, and they will announce a start date in the coming days. The news comes as the union has been in a heated contract dispute with King Soopers for months, with the current contract set to expire on Saturday.

Kim Cordova, president of UFCW Local 7 in Colorado and Wyoming, said the union has no choice but to call for an unfair labor practice strike. Around 58% of King Soopers employees are members of the Local 7 union.

King Soopers has refused to recognize our suffering, Cordova said. The company continues to bring in record profits while its workforce endures low wages amid a skyrocketing cost of living. Grocery workers ensure that our communities have access to food, but they cannot even afford to feed their own families.

The union is calling for wage increases of at least $6 per hour for the first year, followed by $1.50 in the second and third years. They also want better health and pension plans, no forced overtime, double time for all holidays, armed security at all stores, new full-time positions, no outsourcing workers through third-party vendors and for employees to be allowed to accept tips.

The strike announcement came hours after King Soopers released its best offer Thursday morning, proposing wage increases up to $4.50 per hour in the first year and a new starting pay of $16 per hour.

The companys offer also included bonuses of between $2,000 and $4,000 for active employees and an unspecified additional investment in health care benefits that would not increase premiums for employees.

At King Soopers, we want what is best for our associates, and our goal is to continue providing market competitive wages and benefits that we know are so important to our associates and their families, said Joe Kelley, president of King Soopers. Meanwhile Local 7 is threatening disruption instead of focusing on what is best for our associates, their members.

Cordova said King Soopers offer would result in cuts to healthcare and leave of absence benefits and no increases in pension benefits, and would allow the company to raise and lower wages at its whim.

In contrast, Kelley said the labor union is threatening a strike based on unproven unfair labor practices, claiming King Soopers has not received any notice of wrongdoing from the National Labor Relations Board.

Nearly all union workers voted in support of the strike in a series of meetings this week. In Parker, Boulder and Broomfield, 100% of workers voted in support. In Denver, 98% of retail workers and 97% of meat workers voted to strike. In Colorado Springs, 95% of retail workers and 97% of meat workers voted to strike.

King Soopers has chosen to protect its bottom line, instead of protecting workers who have risked their lives every day since the start of this pandemic just by showing up to work, Cordova said. It is time for us to join with our brothers and sisters across the nation who have said with one voice that the status quo will not stand and that workers will be respected, protected and paid what they deserve."

Workers who choose to strike will be paid $160 per day for picketing full-time and $80 per day for picketing part-time, according to the labor union. Workers can also get $100 per week for refusing to cross the picket line, even if they dont picket themselves.

In addition, the labor union filed a lawsuit in federal court last Wednesday, alleging that King Soopers violated its contract by paying third-party contractors higher rates to stock shelves. King Soopers has denied the alleged contract violations and said it was disappointed that the union filed the lawsuit.
On the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Colorado elected officials  including many who were inside the Capitol when it was stormed by a mob of Trump supporters  marked the occasion by asking the American public never to forget it, while others dismissed its comparison to momentous events in history.
A Gazette investigation shows an increasing number of soldiers, including wounded combat veterans, are being kicked out of the service for misconduct, often with no benefits, as the Army downsizes after a decade of war.
Kroger, the Cincinnati-based parent company of King Soopers, is asking the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 Union to use a federal m
A Colorado Springs woman who testified against her former boyfriend in a 2018 double murder she was an accessory to was sentenced to two years of supervised probation Thursday.

Shailynn Ryles, 22, had pleaded guilty, according to court records, to being an accessory to murder in the killing of college students Marcus Denton and Serena Garcia.

The sentence came after Ryles accepted a bargain with prosecutors in 2019 for helping to conceal the slayings afterward, and testified as part of the agreement in the cases against Nashid Rivers, convicted in May 2021 of pulling the trigger in the killings, and Marquis Hazard, found guilty in October of the murders for helping to form the plot to commit and conceal them.

Ryles turned herself in to police after a warrant for her arrest was filed Aug. 28, 2018, and cooperated with investigators, prosecutor with the Fourth Judicial District Attorneys Office Grant Libby said.

He asked for Ryles to be sentenced to two years of supervised probation, along with a victim empathy class and a mental health evaluation.

Libby said that he and fellow prosecutor Stephanie Redfield were "not excusing Ms. Ryles' culpability" because she still played a part in the murders cover-up, including assisting in dumping Rivers burned and bloody clothes, helping to scatter phones plucked by Hazard and Rivers from Garcia and Dentons bodies and vehicle, and not telling authorities about what shed seen immediately.

There was no evidence, however, that Ryles knew about the murderous plot beforehand, Libby said, adding that she was essential in providing information for the cases against Rivers and Hazard.

Without Ms. Ryles, the truth of this case would never have come to light, he said.

Fourth Judicial District Judge Frances Johnson agreed with Libby, saying to Ryles "this didnt occur because of you, and adding that if not for what you did, coming forward ... Im not sure Mr. Rivers or Mr. Hazard would have been convicted.

Johnson said the six-month probation period asked for by defense attorney Matthew Werner was too short, and handed Ryles two years of supervised probation instead.

Johnson also ordered Ryles to complete a victim empathy class and 150 hours of useful public service, undergo a mental health evaluation, and provide proof of being employed or involved in an educational program. Restitution was reserved for a later hearing.

I wish I could go back and change my actions, Ryles said Thursday, adding about Denton and Garcias families that I wish they could be there ... with their kids.
Days after a deadly rampage, two dozen law enforcement vehicles rolled into a 40-acre property in the Sangre de Cristo mountains prepared for anything the killer might have left behind.

Lyndon McLeod killed five people Dec. 27 in two cities in the span of two hours before he was confronted by a Lakewood police officer in the Bel Mar shopping center. He died that evening of a gunshot wound.

The gunmans former residence is called Cimarron Ranch, a home in rural Weston that was made out of a couple of shipping containers. The land was so remote investigators had to use GPS coordinates to find it.

Locals who witnessed the unusual entourage moving in that direction started calling a local sleuth by the name of Stephen Hamer, wondering what was up. There were black SUVs, sheriff cars, ATF and FBI vehicles and a bomb squad van all headed up to McLeods former place on Highway 12, said Hamer, who publishes a Facebook page called All Things 81802 named after the area ZIP code. But McLeod didnt live there anymore and hadnt for a while.

Curious citizens told Hamer that there were so many vehicles, some of them huge RVs and trailers, that detectives were having to walk along country roads to get to the spot in the road where McLeod spent time holed up doing podcasts about his book  a trilogy called Sanction that had a cult internet following.

A search warrant Hamer obtained from the dismayed new owner of the destroyed property reveals that investigators were hoping to find notes or plans of attack, bombs, booby traps, live rounds, DNA from blood, saliva, hair or skin cells and body armor. Photos taken by Josh Eshner, who was in the process of closing on the property when McLeod died, show destruction carried out by the search. Eshner could not be reached for comment.

FBI spokesperson Amy Sampson would not confirm the incident, but Lakewood Police spokesperson John Romero told The Gazette, I can confirm we were part of a search in Las Animas County. It wasn't a raid by any means. We, along with Denver and the FBI were merely looking into a residence that the suspect used to live at. It does not appear that anything came of this and I believe it had been some time since the suspect had lived there.

Electrician Tim Beane, who said he wired McLeods home when he first built it, said the gunman called a friend in the spring of 2020 and paid him to clean out his home of all of his belongings because he had information marshalls were coming to search it. Beane said his friend did remove McLeods things back then, but that the reclusive author made the phone call from somewhere else and had moved, adding that, He was nuts.

According to a tip from a concerned man in Germany who followed McLeods writings, the killer lived for a time in Memphis in 2020 before he relocated to Colorado in January 2021. Andre Thiele told The Gazette that the gunman had also recently lived with a single mother in New Orleans before he carried out his murderous plan in Colorado. Thiele was so concerned about McLeod's writings and threats on social media that he wrote the Denver Police Department a year before the killings happened.
Jimmy Sengenberger is host of The Jimmy Sengenberger Show Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. on News/Talk 710 KNUS. He also hosts Jimmy at the Crossroads, a webshow and podcast in partnership with The Washington Examiner.
It was troubling to learn last week that several state judicial districts have paused jury trials at least through the end of January. The chief judge of the Denver District Court halted issuing juror summonses until Jan. 28, due in part to staff absences related to COVID.
On the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Colorado elected officials  including many who were inside the Capitol when it was stormed by a mob of Trump supporters  marked the occasion by asking the American public never to forget it, while others dismissed its comparison to momentous events in history.

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, the Centennial Democrat who was trapped for a time, along with fellow lawmakers in the House gallery, introduced legislation on Thursday with Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips to commemorate the date as Democracy Day.

The resolution asks the president to issue an annual proclamation calling on Americans to commemorate the "tradition of successful and democratic transitions of presidential power and honoring the sacrifices of those who have preserved this hallmark of United States democracy," Crow said.

We must never forget the disturbing events in our nations Capital on Jan. 6, 2021," Crow said in an online news conference. "I saw with my own eyes just how close we came to losing our democracy. As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of this violent insurrection, each one of us must recommit to the founding ideals of our republic. I look forward to celebrating Democracy Day in the years to come as a symbol of that recommitment every year and Im proud to work with my friend and colleague, Congressman Phillips, to make it happen."

Crow also presided over a series of brief speeches delivered by House Democrats reflecting on the events at the Capitol a year ago.

"We could have lost our democracy in 2021, but we have the opportunity in 2022 to save it," said Crow after his colleagues had concluded.

Other Coloradans issued statements and took to Twitter.

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, dismissed some of the grandiose remarks made by Democrats about the anniversary.

"Comparing Jan. 6 to Pearl Harbor and 9/11 is repugnant and totally non-comparable," tweeted Lamborn, who was among House Republicans who objected a year ago to certifying Biden's election win. "It comes as no surprise that this comparison comes from the same individual who helped bail-out rioters and looters that committed federal crimes, destroyed American cities and besieged federal property."

Lamborn was likely referring to Vice President Kamala Harris, who compared Jan. 6 to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and 9/11, saying the dates that "occupy not only a place on our calendar but a place in our collective memory" include "Dec. 7, 1941, Sept. 11, 2001, and Jan. 6, 2021."

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet delivered a speech on the Senate floor framing what he described as a stark decision facing Americans in the wake of the attack.

This is our choice. We either save this democracy, which I believe we will, or we let it go," Bennet said. "And it's going to be on us. And if we let it go, generations of Americans are going to indict us for that. And if we save it, I think they'll celebrate the work that we did here just as we celebrate the work of the people that came before us that made our country more democratic, more fair and more free."

Added Bennet in a tweet: "Make no mistake: One year ago today, our democracy suffered a near death experience."

He added: "I will spend the rest of my days fighting to protect our democracy. It is the work of our lifetimes."

"What we cannot ever forget is that Jan. 6 is not a one-off, unique event," Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said on Tuesday during a virtual roundtable discussion hosted by Crow about the status of the country's democracy. "It was an effort to undermine the peaceful transition of power, which means it's one of the darkest days in American history. That had never happened before, and it could happen again."

U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, the Lafayette Democrat who presented the closing argument during the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, sounded a similar note.

"It's hard to believe it's been one year since this dark day in our nation's history," Neguse tweeted, along with a video clip of his remarks concluding the trial. "What I said on the Senate floor remains true: What happened on Jan. 6 can happen again if we do not take the necessary measures to protect our democracy."

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, the Denver Democrat who worked alongside Neguse as one of nine House managers prosecuting the impeachment trial, said in a tweet: "Despite President Trump and his supporters' deadly attempt to thwart our democratic process, our democracy held. As Americans, it's now up to all of us to do our part to not only protect our democracy, but strengthen it and ensure no rogue president can ever threaten our country again."

In a statement, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter also recalled the riot and its aftermath.

One year ago, our democracy faced an unprecedented attack  a direct attack on liberty, on freedom and on peoples right to vote," he said. "It was also an attack on individuals, many of whom were career public servants and law enforcement officials. The heroic efforts that day by U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement agencies to protect the U.S. Capitol and defend our democracy allowed Congress to reconvene that night to certify the 2020 election and support a peaceful transition of power. The Jan. 6, 2021, attack was a dark moment in our nations history, but we cannot forget resiliency and democracy ultimately prevailed."
The number of homes destroyed by the Marshall fire rose on Thursday to over 1,000, according to Boulder County officials.
Gerarde "Gerry" Query Barth of Solomons, Md., passed from life to eternal life to be with our Heavenly Father on January 5, 2022, after a joyous and fruitful 87 years. She died at home with her devoted husband of 64 years, Joe, at her side.



A loving and treasured wife and mother of six, Gerry was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, which is also where she met and married the love of her life, Lieutenant Junior Grade Joe Barth of the U.S. Navy. Over the course of their first 32 years together, they travelled the United States and abroad following Joe's naval career. Always supportive of her husband's endeavors, Gerry made dozens of moves with their children and turned every duty location into a warm and loving home for their family. After Joe retired from the Navy in 1984, the two of them settled in Arlington, Virginia, where they remained for the next 31 years. Over that period, they enjoyed spending time with their family and friends, traveling together, their membership at the Army Navy Country Club, and a myriad of other activities in the Washington, D.C. area. An active member of St. Agnes Catholic Church, Gerry volunteered with Meals on Wheels delivering food to those in need for over 20 years. Leaving their long-time residence and dear friends behind, Gerry and Joe recently moved to Southern Maryland to be closer to many of their children and grandchildren.



Gerry is survived by her husband, Rear Admiral Joseph John Barth Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired); sisters, Marie and Margaret; her children, Joanne (Joe), John (Dottie), Helene (Steven), Stephen (Sue), and Marie (Dave); 16 grandchildren; and, 9 great grandchildren. She is predeceased by her beloved son, Andrew (Anne), and her siblings, Randolph, Lyons, and Aubrey.



Family will receive friends on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Rausch Funeral Home, 20 American Lane, Lusby, Md. 20657. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Solomons, Md. Interment will follow in Jesus the Good Shepherd Cemetery, Owings, Md.



Condolences to the family may be made at www.rauschfuneralhomes.com.
Space biology work and science hardware maintenance and were the main research goals for the Expedition 66 crew aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday.

The orbital residents also checked out life support gear and worked on cargo transfers.

Three NASA astronauts, Mark Vande Hei, Thomas Marshburn and Kayla Barron, joined each other in the Kibo laboratory module during the afternoon and set up external research components. Vande Hei installed the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) in Kibo's airlock that will later be placed outside in the vacuum of space. Marshburn and Barron assisted with the MPEP installation work ahead of tiny satellites, or CubeSats, being deployed from the device into Earth orbit.

Marshburn then joined NASA Flight Engineer Raja Chari for vein scans in the Columbus laboratory module. Chari once again led the biomedical activities as crew medical officer using the Ultrasound 2 device to scan Marshburn's neck, shoulder, and leg veins. Doctors on Earth monitor the health checks in real time to gain insight into how long-term microgravity affects the human body.

Barron also tended to the oxygen generation system before analyzing microbe samples collected from inside BEAM, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module. Flight Engineer Matthias Maurer of ESA (European Space Agency) installed the ANITA-2 cabin air analyzer then inspected the Muscle Atrophy Research Exercise System ahead of upcoming new component work.

Commander Anton Shkaplerov worked throughout Wednesday in the station's Russian segment on electronics maintenance on cargo transfers from the ISS Progress 79 resupply ship. Shkaplerov also spent some time on a study researching how international crews and mission controllers relate during a long-duration spaceflight. Flight Engineer Pyotr Dubrov spent most of the day installing payload interface controller units while also finding time for immunity system research work.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads:

Analyzing Interferometer for Ambient Air-2 (ANITA-2): ANITA-2 hardware was installed into an EXPRESS Rack. Power cables were mated, and the facility was powered up followed by photo documentation. The ANITA-2 is a compact gas analyzer which can analyze and quantify 33 trace contaminants in the atmosphere aboard the ISS automatically. ANITA-2 can also detect the presence of unknown substances which can be evaluated later on the ground.

BioMole: BioMole Amplified DNA was prepared for sequencing using the MinION unit. The Environmental Health System (EHS) BioMole Facility non-culture based samples are capable of providing microbial identification on-orbit within days of sampling. The goal of this Tech Demo is to conduct comparative analysis for possible replacement of current microbial monitoring systems.

Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR): CIR Manifold #4 bottle was replaced with a new Bottle containing 100% Ethane (C2H4). The CIR includes an optics bench, combustion chamber, fuel, and oxidizer control, and five different cameras for performing combustion investigations in microgravity.

Flow Boiling Condensation Experiment (FBCE): A crewmember performed a checkout of the FBCE hardware. FBCE seeks to validate a model for flow boiling Critical Heat Flux (CHF) and develop an integrated two-phase flow boiling and condensation facility for the ISS. Data from microgravity and the ground are compared to determine the influence of various forces and processes needed for gravity-independent flow boiling and condensation. Results could support development of boilers and heat exchangers that work in both microgravity and partial gravity.

Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP): The JAXA Experiment Module Airlock (JEMAL) Slide Table Passive Capture Mechanism and MPEP was installed on to the JEM AL Slide Table. Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform provides the structural backbone for deployers when being transferred to the outside of the ISS via the Kibo airlock and grasped by the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS).

Plant Habitat-05: A crewmember performed the hardware gather and procedure review in preparation for Plant Habitat-05 harvesting. Unlocking the Cotton Genome to Precision Genetics (Plant Habitat-05) cultivates several cotton genotypes that differ in their ability to regenerate into whole plants from undifferentiated masses of cells known as a calli. Cotton is highly resistant to the process of plant regeneration, which makes it difficult to create reproductive and stable plants that have specific or enhanced traits such as drought resistance. The investigation could provide a better understanding of this behavior and a pathway to avert this problem.

Systems:

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Robotics Operations: Yesterday, a Dragon trunk survey was performed to checkout trunk camera and light operation during day and night passes as well as provide a comparison to prelaunch cargo configuration images. Today, a Mobile Transporter (MT) translation was performed from worksite 7 to worksite 5. Continuing today will be a Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Arm1 stow of Robot Micro Conical Tool (RMCT)1 to Tool Holder Assembly (THA)1 and rotate the Enhanced Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) Temporary Platform (EOTP) in preparation for the Space Test Program (STP)-H8 extraction which will be Friday, January 7.

In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Node 2 Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) Water Separator Bracket Troubleshooting: During previous maintenance on the CCAA Water Separator the crew reported the Hinge Bracket Fastener was stuck in a partially engaged position. Today, the crew removed the CCAA closeout panel and attempted to fully engage the Fastener but were unsuccessful. Ground teams then asked the crew to stand down and leave the fastener as is. There is no operational impact to the CCAA and it is GO for use. The CCAA is the primary component responsible for the control of temperature and humidity in the USOS segment and consists of a fan, a condensing heat exchanger, an air/water separator, temperature and liquid sensors, and electrical controlling hardware.

IFM Brine Processor Assembly (BPA) Bladder Changeout: As part of regular maintenance, the crew completed a BPA bladder changeout. The BPA utilizes the forced convection of dry spacecraft cabin air coupled with a robust membrane distillation process to recover water from brine. The added water recovery from brine contributes directly to NASA's goal to achieve an overall water recovery rate of 98% for future water recovery systems.

MARES Rack Checkout: The crew took photographs and measurements of the empty MARES rack in Columbus to provide data to ground teams. This information will aid in development of the upcoming European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device (E4D) Vibration Isolation System (VIS), which will be installed in the MARES rack.

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Today's Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Crew Dragon power up and checkout

Mobile Transporter (MT) Translation

Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Robotics Micro Conical Tool (RMCT) stow

SPDM Enhanced ORU Temporary Platform (EOTP) rotation

MSS maneuver to setup for STP-H8 operations

JEMRMS maneuver to setup for STP-H8 handoff

Look Ahead Plan

Thursday, January 6 (GMT 6)

Payloads:

Acoustic Monitor Measurement (ESA)

AstroPi Mk2 Deployment (ESA)

Food Physiology Brief (NASA)

Plant Hab-05 Harvest (NASA)

RR-18 Restock and access unit clean (NASA)

Repository Blood and urine collect (NASA)

Systems:

Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain

JEM Stowage Consolidation

On Board Training (OBT) ROBoT T&C Self Study

Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill

Friday, January 7 (GMT 7)

Payloads:

Cytoskeleton De-install and POLAR insert (ESA)

Plant Hab-05 sample CS insert (NASA)

Systems:

Crew off-duty

Saturday, January 8 (GMT 8)

Payloads:

MVP desiccant (NASA)

Plant Hab-05 Photo (NASA)

Systems:

Crew off-duty

Today's Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

MPCC EICL Shell Replace

Brine Processor Bladder Changeout

SpX-24 Compact Disc Transfer

Activation of the European IP Communication Laptop

USOS BCR/RFID Reader Deploy

Environmental Health System (EHS) Biomole Maintenance Work Area Prep 2

BioMole Part 3: DNA Prep and Sequencing

EXPRESS Rack 8 ARIS Video J77 Umbilical Install

FBCE Power Filter Reconnection

OGS CTB Audit

Analyzing Interferometer for Ambient Air - 2 Hardware Install

Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold #4 Bottle Replacement

Mochii Hardware Audit

In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Node 2 Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) Water Separator (WS) Troubleshooting

MPEP Retrieval from JLP1 Bay 2 Corridor

JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side

MPEP and Passive Capture Mechanism Installation to JEM Airlock Slide Table

European Enhanced Exercise Device (E4D) Vibration Isolation System (VIS) Rack Checkout

Handhold Exp Platform Adapter installation

LSG-Front Glove-Swap

Environmental Health System (EHS) - Surface Sampler Kit (SSK) and Microbial Air Sampler (MAS) Analysis T + 5

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Venous Thromboembolism Scan

JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side

Environmental Health System (EHS) LAB Radiation Environment Monitor 2 (REM2) SSC12 Connect

Crew Dragon Forward Monthly PCS Checkout

Plant Habitat-05 Harvest #1 Hardware Gather

Plant Habitat-05 Plant Harvest #1 Procedure Review

HRF Generic MELFI Sample Retrieval and Insertion Operations

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The North Iowa Events Center is planning hefty renovation plans to their facility starting in 2022, and members of the board of directors spoke to Clear Lake City Council on Wednesday morning to request funding on the project.

NIEC board member Don O'Connor spoke before the council about the two-phase renovation project planned for the facility.

"The one thing we continue to fight to keep these things (events) coming back here is infrastructure," O'Connor said. "We've got to continue to improve what we got out there. Our competition has stepped up their game, and we have to do some upgrading to these facilities that are long, long overdue."

Phase one of the project is to build a new enclosed horse warm-up arena, which O'Connor said will expand the months in which the facility can operate, as well expand the types of events the facility can host.

O'Connor explained that a warm-up arena allows for the horses participating in events to never have to be outside, making it possible to host events during the colder months. He also went on to explain that with the current facility, it's difficult to hold events such as barrel racing because horses have a difficult time "transitioning from a bright exterior light into dimmer interior light," and vice versa.

Phase two of the renovation will add an enclosed, heated stall barn. For its largest horse events of the year, the North Iowa Events Center has to bring in additional stalls to accommodate equestrians' needs.

The most significant goal for the entire renovation project is to bring the North Iowa Events Center from a facility that only operates for about half the year to a facility that operates year-round.

"We want to return North Iowa to the premier horse facility that we once were," O'Connor said. "When this was originally built many, many years ago, this was state of the art, there was nobody else that had anything better. We just, unfortunately, have not kept up."

O'Connor claims the improvements would result in an additional estimated $2 million economic impact to North Iowa, on top of the estimated $4.1 million the facility already sees. O'Connor noted the $2 million mark could be on the "conservative" end of estimates.

The reason for O'Connor's presentation to the Clear Lake City Council was that the North Iowa Events Center is in need of funding to complete this project.

Clear Lake's Fairfield by Marriott hotel to open on Friday Clear Lake's much anticipated Fairfield by Marriott hotel is set to open on Friday after a six month delay.

The events center is in need of $1.5 million in capital investments for the two phases of renovations, with the enclosed horse warmup area needing $650,000 and the enclosed heated stall barn needing $850,000.

For phase one of the project the events center has already received financial commitments from Cerro Gordo County, the city of Mason City and Horsemen of Iowa totaling $350,000. NIEC is turning to the City of Clear Lake for an additional $100,000 in funds for the phase.

All of the commitments are contingent upon the North Iowa Events Center receiving the total amount needed for the first phase of renovations.

Clear Lake City Council takes steps towards $1.3 million loan for accessibility park The Clear Lake City Council is working towards acquiring a $1.3 million loan for a proposed accessibility park on South 15th Street.

In an effort to secure the remaining money needed, O'Connor said the Events Center plans on launching a public fundraising campaign in the near future, but wants to have as much money committed from government entities before doing so.

O'Connor said if fundraising is successful, the goal is to begin construction of phase one in 2022 and hopefully be complete in 2023.

Phase two of the project won't begin until completion of phase one, but O'Connor said that $300,000 has already been raised for that portion of the project; $200,000 from Cerro Gordo County and $100,000 from Mason City.

Clear Lake Mayor Nelson Crabb praised O'Connor for his presentation to the city council, and said that decisions about whether the city will provide any funding will come at a later date.

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

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Sovah Health has put a two-week pause on elective surgeries as the Pittsylvania-Danville Health District sets new COVID-19 records surpassing the peak of the January 2021 surge.

In the last two days alone, 408 new infections were recorded, according to the Virginia Department of Health. Thursdays total of 210 cases was the highest on record.

There are about 149 new virus cases being added daily between Danville and Pittsylvania County. The high point in the 2021 winter surge was 119 cases on the seven-day rolling average.

This comes amid a shortage of testing supplies and only counts results coming from labs, not the at-home kits.

The omicron variant  an extremely transmissible version of the coronavirus  is blamed as the main driver for the current surge. Even though experts believe overall omicron causes less severe sickness when compared with other variants, the extreme number of people being infected is putting more strain on health care systems.

Omicron is proving to be very transmissible, Dr. Scott Spillmann, director of the local health district, said in a statement this week. Early studies show the variant is about 2.5-times more contagious and it can replicate at a rate 70 times more quickly than Delta. It is an accelerated new phase of the disease, which makes testing even more important.

As of Wednesday, Sovah Health was treating about 50 patients across its facilities in Danville and Martinsville, said Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, chief medical officer.

By Friday, that figure was nearly 60.

She said an alarming number werent surviving the battle with the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

To be honest, Im seeing less of those unvaccinated patients make it back home, Gunn-Nolan explained Friday.

The omicron variant in particular seems to infect people who have already endured a bout with COVID-19.

It seems to be too much for the body to overcome, she said.

On Friday, Sovah Health announced it was contacting patients to reschedule elective and non-urgent surgical procedures that would require admissions to the facilities in Danville and Martinsville. The pause is expected to last though Jan. 24.

No other surgeries will be impacted.

Its unfortunate that we must again take this action to pause elective surgeries, Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, chief medical officer, said in a statement. We would also like to acknowledge the tireless work our team has provided to what equates to over 600 days of a global pandemic.

The health system said its preparing for the possibility of increased hospitalizations with the rising transmission of COVID-19 in the community.

We want to reassure our communities that it is safe to come to the hospital should you or your family need care, Alan Larson, market president of Sovah Health and chief executive officer of Sovah Health-Danville, said in a prepared statement. We are committed to protecting the health and safety of everyone who walks through our doors and continue to provide the necessary care our communities need.

The limited visitor restrictions will continue for the foreseeable future, the release stated. Everyone who enters Sovah Health-Danville must wear a face mask and undergo a screening.

We are disappointed that we have to make this response, Larson said on a call with media members Friday afternoon, but he said the hospitals were still able to handle emergency situations.

We feel like a two-week period of time should help us catch up, he said.

Across Virginia, hospitalizations have eclipsed records set in 2021. On Friday, there were 3,329 patients being treated for COVID-19 at statewide hospitals, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. The previous high-mark was 3,201 cases on Jan. 13, 2021, reported Julian Walker, a spokesperson for the organization.

The current situation is serious and if things remain on the current trajectory for an extended period  particularly because we know hospitalizations as a metric tend to slightly lag behind rising case counts, and some of the modeling projections suggest that this current surge may not yet have reached the point where it will crest and begin to recede (some modeling suggests that may occur later this month)  we could face the possibility of straining the limits of the systems capacity, he wrote in a statement.

The Dan River Regions positivity rates  a metric gauging the positive results against all tests administered  also have reached record levels. For Danville, 36% of tests are coming back positive for COVID-19. In Pittsylvania County that figure is 43%.

The local health district will host a free COVID-19 testing event from 3 to 5 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Danville Community Market for the first 100 people showing up.

Testing is another significant tool we are deploying to identify COVID-19 among those who may be displaying symptoms, Spillmann said. The goal is to prevent further spread of the virus and to help keep our healthcare systems from being overwhelmed.

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Recent rain and Mondays short-lived snowstorm eased dry conditions across Southern Virginia, but Danville and more than half of Pittsylvania County are still classified in a moderate drought.

The U.S. Drought Monitors Thursday update did remove parts of Danville from the severe drought category, a tier above moderate.

The welcomed wet relief was enough for Danville and Pittsylvania County to lift burning bans in place since Nov. 30.

The past rain and snow ended a long dry period which had prompted the ban, officials with the Danville Fire Department wrote in a post on Facebook on Tuesday.

Danville received about 4 inches of snow Monday morning.

However, the city finished 2021 as the driest on record with only 26.97 inches of rain recorded, Anita Silverman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg, confirmed to the Register & Bee. Until that deficient is overwritten by more consistent rain and snow, the overall drought will continue.

Its going to take a lot of these storm systems to climb out of the drought, Silverman warned last week.

A majority of Virginia  including northern portions of Pittsylvania County  still remain abnormally dry, according to the drought monitor, even though heavy snow helped the commonwealths dry woes.

This heavy precipitation resulted in a large area of 1-category improvements from central Virginia southward across the interior Carolinas and most of the extant dry areas in Georgia, officials with the U.S. Drought Monitor wrote in Thursdays report.

More than a half-inch of rain is possible Sunday into Sunday night with another system moving through the Dan River Region. A front will start Sunday morning by pushing into central West Virginia and eastern Kentucky, forecasters at the National Weather Service in Blacksburg wrote in a discussion.

South to southwesterly flow ahead of that front will tap into moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, forecasters said.

It may be cold enough in the mountains for some frozen precipitation, but elsewhere its expected to be all rain with temperatures reaching the 50s in the Dan River Region.

The front will bring colder temperatures to early next week. On Tuesday, the high looks to only reach about 35 degrees.

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A transfer of power was officially made this week for a solar facility in Pittsylvania County.

On Wednesday, Recurrent Energy announced the completion of a purchase and sale agreement with Appalachian Power for its Firefly Energy project in Pittsylvania County, a news release reported.

It marks Appalachian Powers largest solar energy acquisition to date.

Once the facility  in the southeastern portion of Pittsylvania County  is complete, its expected to serve customers in Virginia, West Virginia and Tennessee.

An agreement approved by the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors calls for $2.25 million in upfront payments.

It was one of three agreements approved in December by the board expected to bring about $41.6 million in revenue to the county over a 35-year span.

We appreciate Recurrent working with the County to strike a balance that allows solar development to happen in a way that minimizes visual impact and positively impacts our community, said Emily Ragsdale, community development director for Pittsylvania County.

The Firefly project hopes to start construction this year and be in operation by 2024, pending state and local regulatory approvals, the release stated.

We believe that our solar ordinance, which requires siting agreements and includes stringent buffering and landscaping requirements, allows solar development to happen in a way that minimizes any visual impacts and positively impacts our community, supervisor Bob Warren said in a statement.

The three approvals come after alterations to the countys solar ordinance in November including an increase to the buffering and landscape mandates and increasing the distance between solar projects from 1 to 5 miles.

Another change now requires utility-scale solar facility applicants to initiate negotiations with the county for a siting agreement.

This will be our largest solar project yet in our journey to deliver clean, reliable power to our customers, said Chris Beam, Appalachian Power president and chief operating officer said in a statement. We are eager to work with Recurrent and for the significant economic benefits construction will have on the surrounding community.

In all, the county received $7.9 million in upfront payments from the three agreements and is expected to get about $33.7 million in tax revenue over the next 35 years.

State code dictates that revenue from the agreements go toward expanding broadband and capital projects.

Pittsylvania County has a variety of large, unavoidable capital projects on the horizon in the near future, leaders wrote in a December news release.

Those projects include a new jail and courthouse along with upgrades to schools.

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GREENSBORO  Bennett College will get some important visitors later this month.

A team from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools is set to visit the college during the week of Jan. 18-21 to decide if it will accredit the private Greensboro school, which is one of two historically Black womens colleges in the United States. The accreditors will look at whether Bennett meets their standards for a quality education.

The commission is likely to announce its decision in late spring or summer.

People assume that accreditation is automatic and thats not true, said TRACS president Timothy Eaton. But given the fact that Bennett has been approved as a candidate and they have satisfactorily met the previous recommendations and suggestions, Im not anticipating any problems with this visit.

Bennett said in a prepared statement that the visit represents the last step in an extensive accreditation process, adding that the process does not entail any changes in our operations or experiences for students, faculty or staff.

The News & Record sought an interview with Bennett President Suzanne Walsh for this article, but the college declined to reschedule after she could not make the initially agreed-upon time.

In the United States, accreditation is required for a colleges students to receive federal student financial aid and for the college to get federal funds. And many graduate schools and employers will consider only those with degrees from accredited colleges.

For Bennett, a vote of confidence from TRACS could bring a reprieve from years of accreditation-related stress. The college currently relies on its candidate status with TRACS to access the privileges of accreditation, including student access to federal financial aid. Bennett sought accreditation from TRACS after its former accreditor revoked it because the college didnt have enough money on hand to satisfy its standards.

Eaton said his organization also looks at a colleges ability to pay for its programs and to provision enough faculty to serve the students, among many other benchmarks.

But he said that Bennett has recently downsized its budget and changed its business model, and that changes the equation. The college, he said, doesnt need the amount of cash it once did.

In many ways, we are looking at a smaller footprint, he said. The question is: do they have enough money to operate in their current configuration?

For decades, Bennett College was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which is the dominant accrediting body for public and private non-profit colleges across much of the southern United States.

Bennett wasnt always able to satisfy them. Years of declining enrollment at the college led to financial deficits, layoffs and budget cuts. SACSCOC put Bennett on probation for two years, then announced in December 2018 it was revoking the colleges accreditation.

Bennett fought to get that decision reversed, first by appealing the decision and raising about $9.5 million in two months in hopes of saving the colleges accreditation. Later, when SACSCOC rejected Bennetts appeal, the college sued.

Both the appeal and the lawsuit, which Bennett has since dropped, bought the college time to continue to get federal funding and have federal assistance available to its students.

Meanwhile, Bennett applied for, and won, candidacy status with TRACS. The process for that application included documentation, financial audits, and site evaluations.

We are ecstatic, joyous, honored  all of those good things, Walsh told the News & Record after Bennett got candidate status in late 2020. This is such an exciting moment for Bennett. ... This is an important opportunity for us to open up and innovate.

Eaton said that with TRACS, candidate status may be a higher hurdle than finally getting accreditation.

He explained the difference with an automotive metaphor. If a college were a car, he said, getting candidacy is like getting certification that the car has a working engine thats good enough to power the vehicle. Accreditation, he said, is more about fine-tuning, and, not just the engine runs, but that it runs well.

Eaton said the U.S. government sets the underlying regulations for college accreditation and the core measures colleges are evaluated on. Most of the standards TRACS looks at are the same as any other accreditor, he said. In addition, he said, TRACS also looks at some faith-related components, like the colleges mission and community service.

TRACS requires each of its schools to have a faith statement that identifies the college as, part of the evangelical protestant tradition in higher education... written so as to conform to the historic creeds and statements of Christianity.

Bennett is connected to the United Methodist Church.

Some of the other key areas TRACS examines include education programs, faculty, student services, health and security, and strategic planning.

Eaton said that Bennett had to do a self-evaluation prior to this upcoming visit. The team visits the campus and speaks with students, faculty and others as a sort of audit to make sure that what colleges are saying in their self-evaluations is correct, he said. The visiting team is set to include one staff person from the agency and five to seven representatives from other colleges and universities that are members of TRACS.

After the visit, Eaton said, TRACS will prepare an evaluation of the college and the progress it has made and send that private assessment back to the college, which can then respond with a plan for how to complete any requested improvements.

Eaton said the TRACS Accreditation Commission could vote as soon as April on whether to accredit Bennett, and publicly announce its decision as soon as May.

The commissions three options are to grant the accreditation, deny it, or defer the decision based on specific deficiencies. Eaton said that last one means they give the institution a little more time to work on their plans and bring them back again.

If Bennett is approved, it will get five years of accreditation from TRACS. After that first five years, it could be eligible for up to another 10 years at the time of the reaffirmation decision.

Eaton said that hes never visited a college that got everything right. On the other hand, as a former college president participating in visits like the one to Bennett, every single college he visited had impressive aspects from which he wanted to learn.

I think thats the real value of peer evaluation, he said.

Contact Jessie Pounds at 336-373-7002 and follow @JessiePounds on Twitter.

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GREENSBORO  Dale J. Metz spent a career educating and advocating for children with disabilities.

His name is on buildings and awards.

But his passion and curiosity also made the former principal at the Gateway Education Center an unsung hero of sorts.

After watching years of inaccurate portrayals of the disabled by able-bodied actors, Metz contacted a casting agent about using his students.

Hollywood was soon making casting calls at Gateway, part of the Guilford County Schools system, which serves students with severe mental or physical disabilities. Many pupils are in wheelchairs. Some have terminal conditions.

Gateway students are in the credits of the 1991 drama House of Cards, a Kathleen Turner and Tommy Lee Jones movie filmed in High Point and Trinity. Another Gateway student was featured in a pivotal role in Nell, with actors Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson.

I take none of the credit, Metz said at the time, deferring to the schools talent pool.

The longtime Gateway principal, who retired in 2004 after 21 years there, remained an outspoken part of the special needs community until his death at age 75.

I cant change the cerebral palsy, he told the News & Record before his retirement. But maybe I can change the outcome.

Metz had gall bladder surgery last month and by Dec. 30 his Facebook status included the message that he was in the hospital and unavailable.

Metzs family confirmed his death on Facebook late Wednesday with great difficulty, which brought a steady stream of condolences and memories.

No matter how important he was, wrote Dale Johnson Jr., Dale Metz never made you feel forgotten.

In 2011, Metz was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the states highest civilian honor.

The world lost this great man yesterday, wrote Stuart Stanley, one of Metzs longtime friends. He was an amazing educator, thespian, humanitarian, supporter of the arts, Santa and all around good human being! His infectious laugh and gentle spirit will be missed by so many.

Others through social media mentioned Metz pushing them to follow dreams.

You sure did make it a wonderful world, wrote Daisy Morton, who attached a YouTube video of Louis Armstrongs What a Wonderful World in tribute.

Metz came to Greensboro in 1973 just as he was getting out of the Air Force. His wife, Susan, was headed to graduate school at UNCG and he needed a job.

Metz, with a degree in special education, had wanted to work with the mentally disabled since high school. At the time, he wasnt sure why. But his reasons came more into focus while in college.

During an internship at a New York mental hospital, he saw the unnamed graves of patients.

It was unbelievable. Didnt someone love this person? he once said in an interview with the News & Record, while pointing to one of the small tombstones in a picture at his office. The experience at the mental institution absolutely solidified my determination to make a difference.

Metz was hired as a special education teacher at what was then called Kiser Junior High.

He received a masters degree in school administration from UNCG and in 1979 was named principal at Peeler Elementary. At Peeler, he began Greensboros first program for the treatment and education of children with autism and communication-related disabilities as well as creating parent-education classes and a community-tutor program.

Then, he took over as principal at the new Gateway when it opened in 1983, although the schools origins date to 1950 when it was known as the Greensboro Cerebral Palsy and Orthopedic School.

He raised more than $7 million in private and grant funds to expand Gateway and add an accessible playground.

Greensboro and Metz would get national attention over the years for education efforts.

Im so proud of Greensboro, Metz once said. They were 22 years ahead of any national legislation requiring education of disabled children. They were very progressive for the day.

After retiring from Gateway, he worried about opportunities for children once they left the school system, and served as executive director of the nonprofit After Gateway from 2005 to 2009.

He was the co-founder and past president of Handy Capable Network, a nonprofit that employed people with disabilities to refurbish used computers.

He also served on the boards of various agencies or as a volunteer, including the Guilford County Commission on Aging, the board of directors for the Arc of Greensboro and Hospice of the Piedmont.

He brought visitors into Gateway so that they could witness the everyday feats of children there.

In 2019, when the district considered closing Gateway because of age and moving students to programs in other schools, Metz urged officials to reconsider.

And they did.

Many of those who mourned him on social media also gave testament to his legacy.

So incredibly sad and heartbroken to hear about the passing of one amazing man, Chris Cockerham wrote. The man that gave me my passion for working with special needs individuals 31 years ago.

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 336-373-7049 and follow @nmclaughlinNR on Twitter.
On a somber day of remembrance at the U.S. Capitol, it was the most unlikely of receiving lines: Democrats lining the floor of the House, waiting for their chance to greet Dick Cheney.

Yet there he stood, the former Republican vice president that Democrats have fiercely opposed and frequently reviled, sharing warm moments after the House held a moment of silence to commemorate the deadly violence of one year ago in a building where he once served.

That Cheney was the catalyst for rare bonhomie between Republicans and Democrats was a clear measure of how far his party has veered from the traditional GOP orthodoxy into the decidedly unorthodox grip of former President Donald Trump.

Cheney and his daughter, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. were the only two Republicans to attend a pro forma session of the House on the anniversary of last year's riot at the Capitol. They sat together in the front row on the Republican side of the chamber as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi thanked the U.S. Capitol Police for defending them on Jan. 6 and allowing Congress to "defeat the insurrection."

Republican leaders were absent. The former vice president, who served in leadership in the House as a congressman from Wyoming in the 1980s, took note.

"Well, it's not a leadership that resembles any of the folks I knew when I was here for 10 years," Cheney told reporters afterward.

Cheney also issued a formal statement after the House session, saying the importance of Jan. 6 as an historic event cannot be overstated.

"I was honored and proud to join my daughter on the House floor to recognize this anniversary, to commend the heroic actions of law enforcement that day, and to reaffirm our dedication to the Constitution," Cheney said.

"I am deeply disappointed at the failure of many members of my party to recognize the grave nature of the January 6 attacks and the ongoing threat to our nation."

Schiff said the appearance of the former vice president was a reminder of a different political era.

"That was a time when there were broad policy differences, but there were no differences when it came to both parties' devotion to the idea of democracy. And that seems like such a quaint time now."

"I look forward to the day when we get back to a Republican Party that's once again a party of ideas and ideologies."

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Maryland Department of Health sponsors Combating COVID in Our Communities  a GoVAX town hall, to premiere Jan. 8 on FOX 45

Event features doctors and a community advocate answering questions and providing accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines

Dr. Jinlene Chan, MDH Deputy Secretary for Public Health

MDH Deputy Secretary for Public Health Dr. Michelle LaRue, Director of Health and Human Services, Casa de Maryland

Director of Health and Human Services, Casa de Maryland Rev. Kobi Little, President, NAACP Baltimore City Branch

President, NAACP Baltimore City Branch Dr. Nana Yaw Adu-Sarkodie, Outreach Physician with Jai Medical Center

WBFF  Jan. 8 and Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m.

EBFF  Jan. 9 at 3:30 p.m.



WNUV  Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m.



###





The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.



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The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.Follow us on Twitter @MDHealthDept and at Facebook.com/MDHealthDept



 The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) in partnership with the Baltimore City NAACP, Casa de Maryland, Jai Medical Systems and WBFF FOX 45, has sponsored a town hall event, Combating Covid in Our Communities, to answer questions, address concerns, correct misinformation and encourage all Marylanders to protect themselves, their families and communities by getting vaccinated against COVID-19.We have a strong vaccination rate in Maryland, yet there are still residents who have not vaccinated for a number of reasons. We hope to connect with them through avenues like this town hall to provide accurate information and address concerns, said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. Working with partners like the Baltimore City NAACP, Casa de Maryland and others, we can reach at-risk Marylanders and maybe change some minds. Despite this latest surge due to the Omicron variant, we know that our best defense against this disease is getting vaccinated and boosted when appropriate.The town hall, moderated by news anchor Brandi Proctor and taped at WBFFs studio in Baltimore, is part of the GoVAX Maryland campaign, MDHs statewide outreach and education effort to promote COVID-19 vaccines. The town hall features three doctors, two of whom are GoVAX Ambassadors, and a community advocate to address a broad variety of questions submitted by FOX 45 viewers from across the state.Partnering with FOX 45 for this town hall will help get critical information about getting vaccinated against COVID-19 out to their viewers, said Dr. Mark Martin, Deputy Director of MDHs Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, who helped organize the town hall. As a trusted news source for the FOX audience, Ms. Proctor can help educate and motivate viewers to take this important step to protect themselves, their families and others from serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.The African American population in Baltimore and elsewhere is at greater risk of developing complications due to COVID-19. It is paramount that we do all we can within our communities and throughout Maryland to protect our most vulnerable residents, said Rev. Kobi Little, President, NAACP Baltimore City Branch. Hearing directly from trusted medical professionals and members of the community is key to combating misinformation and getting more people vaccinated.The Combating COVID in Our Communities town hall features the following panelists:The program will air at the following times:The program also will be posted at https://foxbaltimore.com/news/ coronavirus after the initial air date on Jan. 8.For more information about COVID-19 vaccines in Maryland, including vaccine resources, fact sheets and FAQs, visit covidLINK.maryland.gov. For the most recent Maryland COVID-19 vaccine data, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov
Helena school board Trustees Terry Beaver and Janet Armstrong have agreed to pay fines to the Office of the Commissioner of Political Practices over late campaign paperwork.

Beaver and Armstrong were both investigated by COPP Jeffrey A. Mangan after complaints were filed against them by Darryl Rutherford of Helena in May 2021. The initial complaints accused both Armstrong and Beaver of several violations. A majority of the allegations were determined to be unfounded during the COPP investigation. However, both trustees failed to timely report to the COPP.

For Armstrong, the COPP investigation found that she became a candidate in the 2021 election on March 16, 2021. Thus, an initial campaign finance report was due on or before March 30. Armstrong filed her initial report on April 22. Additionally, it was found that Armstrong declared her candidacy on March 16 and was required to notify the COPP by March 21. She filed her notice of candidacy on April 2.

Per a settlement agreement with the COPP, Armstrong agreed to pay a $200 fine in December 2021. According to Armstrong, she has already paid the fine.

"From my perspective I decided to run close to the deadline and was a complete novice so simply did not know about the 5 days or understand the system," Armstrong said. "I do think the rules regarding political campaigns are important and appreciate the fact that there are standards and transparency."

Beaver declared his candidacy on March 12 and was required to file a statement of candidate with the COPP on or before March 17. The COPP found he didn't file this statement of intent until April 1. Beaver said he planned to pay the fine out of pocket. Beaver acknowledged the violation and said he did not realize the time constraint. He ultimately agreed to pay a fine of $100.

"I've never accepted a penny from anyone nor spent any of my own money on an election," Beaver said.

Both Beaver and Armstrong won election to the Helena Public Schools Board of Trustees with around 30% of the vote. Over 21,000 ballots were cast in the election.

"I am grateful to be on the board and serving this community," Armstrong said. "The education of our young is our future and I am committed to supporting the development of critical thinking and socials skills needed for a healthy society now and later. I accept the rulings and will make sure that I am in compliance in the future."

Armstrong is a former United States Air Force officer who was a first time candidate in the election. Beaver, a former Helena High School teacher, won his seventh term on the board in 2021.

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Two East Helena brothers charged in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., entered not guilty pleas Friday before a U.S. District Court judge.

Joshua Calvin Hughes and Jerod Wade Hughes will return to court March 8 for a status conference. Attorneys in the case had asked Judge Timothy Kelly, U.S. District Court judge for the District of Columbia, for a 60-day continuance.

Kelly dismissed a motion to drop one of the charges listed in the second superseding indictment, which was filed Dec. 1 and added a count of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building. The brothers were last in court on Nov. 22, in which they pleaded not guilty to a superseding indictment.

The brothers initially were incarcerated in early 2021, pleaded not guilty and released from custody in April pending trial, on their own recognizance.

Fridays appearance was a year and a day after the riot upon the Capitol.

On Jan. 6, 2021, a violent mob of then-President Donald Trumps supporters broke into the Capitol to contest the Electoral College vote being certified that would name Democrat Joe Biden as president instead of Trump. At least nine people who were there died during and after the rioting. Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for a historic second time for inciting the rioters. A House panel is looking into the attack. More than 725 people have been charged.

The brothers are now charged with nine counts that include civil disorder, obstruction of an official proceeding and aiding and abetting; destruction of government property and aiding and abetting; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; entering and remaining on the floor of Congress; entering and remaining in certain rooms in the Capitol building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

Kelly rejected a motion Friday by Jared Hughes to drop one of the charges that alleged they obstructed official proceedings by entering the Capitol. He argued the indictment did not name the proceeding he allegedly disrupted.

Kelly said the argument is moot.

Jerod and Joshua Hughes came to the Helena Police Department on Jan. 11 after seeing themselves in news coverage of the attack, believing they were wanted by the FBI. About an hour and 15 minutes after the Hughes brothers went to the Helena police an FBI special agent arrived to interview them.

The brothers were part of a group of rioters who broke open windows and doors to get into the Capitol, according to court documents.

The prosecution has said the Hughes brothers placed themselves at the tip of the spear on Jan. 6, actively engaged in the destruction of government property, harassed and interfered with Capitol police and obstructed a joint session of Congress. The brothers followed a man who pursued Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman up the stairs and later found their way to the Senate floor, prosecutors said.

The Hughes brothers eventually ended up on the Senate floor, which had been evacuated, where they and others sat in senators chairs, opened senators desks, and reviewed sensitive material, the Jan. 28 federal complaint states.

Palmer Hoovestal, Helena-based attorney for Joshua Hughes, said they have no association with political groups of any kind and had never before attended a rally for Trump. But when the president called all patriots to Washington, they decided to attend and then go sightseeing. They got to the front of the line at the Capitol, entered through a window someone else broke, walked around inside the Capitol for 10-15 minutes and left. The attorney said they were not destructive.

He called their entering the Capitol through a window the biggest mistake of their lives"

Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021.

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Following the resignation of East Helena's last remaining police officer Tuesday, new Mayor Kelly Harris said he intends to make rebuilding the depleted force his top priority.

"This is the top issue. Yes. Hard stop," Harris said in an interview Tuesday. "It's a safety issue for our citizens."

Harris has enlisted the services of Kirk Johnston and Ken Harris by temporary appointment as acting chief and officer, respectively.

Both are certified by the Montana Public Safety Officer Standards and Training (POST) Bureau. Their appointments were approved Thursday by the East Helena Police Commission and East Helena City Council and are valid for 30 days.

The move brings the municipality back into compliance with the Montana law that requires it to employ a police chief at the bare minimum. The police department needs a chief and four officers to be considered fully staffed.

Harris said he plans to up the starting salary of EHPD officers from about $45,000 to $62,000 per year, which is higher than the starting salaries offered by both the Helena Police Department and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office.

The City Council also approved during a special meeting Thursday Harris' plans to use the police department's unspent budget to offer hiring bonuses of $15,000 to a new chief with $7,500 at signing and $7,500 after one year; $5,000 to POST-certified officers; and $2,500 to any non-POST certified officers upon hire with an additional $2,500 after the first six months.

"We have an image issue, and we have to combat that," Harris said of his police department. "The change is now, and we're actively engaged in that change."

East Helena City Attorney Peter Elverum reminded the council during Thursday's meeting of the 30-day deadline and the need to move quickly.

"If we don't ring the bell hard enough and clearly indicate that we are turning the ship on a dime, it's my concern we'll miss opportunities, 30 days will elapse, we won't get enough applicants and we'll be at the mercy of the sheriff," Elverum said.

The number of officers on the force has steadily declined since former East Helena Police Chief William Harrington's resignation in March.

Harrington has since pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a charge of child pornography distribution, and is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.

Until Harris can hire new officers and a chief, which he hopes to accomplish within 30 days, the city will continue to lean on the services of the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's deputies have stepped in to cover some shifts for EHPD in the past year and have billed the city on a call-for-service basis for about two years.

For about the last 15 years, the sheriff's office has handled all felony case investigations at the order of the county attorney because EHPD officers were not filing useful reports.

Sheriff Leo Dutton said in a presentation to the city council during its Tuesday meeting he is willing to resume long-stalled negotiations to help continue coverage.

"You're charging your citizens a tax for police they don't have," Dutton said, later referring to it as "taxation without representation." "I'm not trying to break you; I'm trying to be fair to my bosses. I've got 70,000 bosses."

The sheriff plans to allot three deputies to continue covering East Helena shifts. The office is in the midst of its annual hiring process, and Dutton said he needs to hire replacements to fill in for the deputies covering East Helena.

One of the main sticking points in the negotiations has been the duration of the sheriff's paid assistance.

LSCO is bound by state law that allows the office to make new hires based on the percentage of population growth in the county, and Dutton estimates he will not be able to absorb the East Helena shift deputies for at least another three years, meaning the contract would need to be at least that long.

East Helena, on the other hand, does not want to commit to that long of a contract, and Harris believes his new leadership, a financial commitment to new officers and a public promise to build a better culture within the department, will enable the city to make the necessary hires in a month.

Meanwhile, the Helena Police Department is experiencing significant staffing shortages to start the new year, short effectively 12 officers.

LSCO Capt. Brian Robinson told East Helena leadership Tuesday that during his long career, he has seen the community of East Helena change for the worse.

"People know East Helena is the place to go to avoid law enforcement," Robinson said. "On any given weeknight, the casino parking lots are full at 4 a.m. That's unusual."

Robinson also noted that even if East Helena was able to hire new officers in a timely fashion, it will take another nine months of training at the academy and in the field before the officers are prepared to patrol on their own.

Harris and the council thanked the sheriff for his continued support and willingness to resume negotiations.

Harris said earlier Tuesday that he hopes to build a police force that East Helena can call its own.

"It comes down to the people want to know who their police are," he said. "This is a fiercely independent, separate community."

Harris said inaction on the part of East Helena's previous mayor James Schell left the local police department in bad shape.

The department was without a chief for nearly a year after Harrington resigned March 5, and Harris said Schell did not make the necessary efforts to hire a new chief, nor did Schell appoint an interim chief.

A report on an investigation into the workplace environment filed by a Great Falls attorney contracted by the city after allegations were brought against Harrington, said the former chief had more than 20 job applications in his desk.

"I am at a loss for why Harrington would have been sitting on these applications and it is clear EHPD hiring policies were not being followed," attorney Jordan Crosby stated in her report.

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Linda and Dick Norden stood on a sidewalk Thursday at the cusp of Boulders Veterans Park for a somber observance of the one-year anniversary of the insurrection on Washington, D.C.

They stood with about three dozen other people in temperatures that hovered in the single digits with the occasional hum of vehicles whirling down Main Street nearby.

And, after 15 minutes, the group, many of whom stood bundled head to toe and ankle-deep in snow, dispersed, shared some homemade scones, climbed into the cars and drove off.

And hardly a word was spoken.

We believe in our country and we love our country and just are sad that this is going on and there is so much division, Linda Norden said. We need healing, we need to come together.

Thursday marked one year since pro-Trump rioters breached the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election results that favored now-President Joe Biden. The Boulder event was a stark contrast from another sparsely attended anniversary event at the state Capitol in Helena, where organizers rejected the notion that an insurrection took place on Jan. 6, 2021, and prayed for people who have been charged with crimes related to the violent riots at the U.S. Capitol.

Vigils were planned elsewhere in Montana, including Bozeman, Great Falls and Missoula.

The Boulder observance was organized by a group of residents  Jan Anderson, Bryher Herak, Brud Smith, Terry Minow, Dee Anna and Jim Heikes  who said in a Dec. 22 letter to the community newspaper, the Boulder Monitor, that This year we hope to convey the message that our community supports a different approach to addressing the issues that face our community, state and nation.

Anderson said she was pleased by the turnout.

This is much more than I expected, based on the weather, she said.

No speeches or demonstrations were planned. People were instead asked by organizers to spend the vigil silently contemplating the importance of peace and civility to the future of our community, state and nation.

Joy Lewis of Basin said she came because of her fellow citizens who believe in democracy and civility and responsibility for ones actions.

She was asked what she did during the 15-minute observance.

I prayed a lot, she said. I prayed for civility, I prayed for healing and I prayed for my country  so that we can come together again, we have been so divided.

Lewis said she also prayed for our democracy to survive.

And she said later she prayed for those officers who lost their lives and were injured while defending our Capitol, and their families. And I prayed that the people in the crowd who stormed the capitol find love and kindness in their hearts. I'll share mine with them.

After the vigil, Melanie Sako of Basin treated attendees to homemade scones. She said she was worried about the country's divisiveness and was hoping for healing.

Smith, who signed the letter to the Monitor, said he is worried about all the division in the country and how we move forward.

We have to pull together and solve some problems and listen to each other, he said, adding the observance was an opportunity to listen to what your heart is telling you.

Some 30 miles north, about two dozen people gathered indoors at the state Capitol in Helena for a different kind of Jan. 6 remembrance.

The small event, billed as The Peoples House Rally, was organized by Jordan J.D. Hall, pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church in Sidney, owner of Gideon Knox consulting group and a federally licensed firearms dealer. Hall also publishes the Montana Daily Gazette website, which posts far-right content such as vaccine disinformation.

Hall led the group in prayer and singing hymns. They prayed for the family of Ashli Babbitt, a participant in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot who was shot and killed by a Capitol police officer. Hall said he was not at Montana's Capitol on Thursday to deliver a sermon about politics, but cast the Democratic Party as an angry mob bent on power.

But Hall added its an important year, being an election year.

Theres much work to be done, he said.

Hall repeatedly noted the weather had hampered the turnout. Those who spoke to the crowd included Public Service Commissioner Randy Pinocci, and Nick Ramlow, state representative for People's Rights, an organization founded by anti-government activist Ammon Bundy.

State, county and local law enforcement swept the Montana Capitol building before the event, just as they did on Jan. 20, 2021, after the FBI issued a public notice that riots had been planned at all 50 state Capitols on the day of President Joe Bidens inauguration. Law enforcement found no trouble in Helena on that day, nor did they on Thursday.

Before Thursdays gathering, Whitehall pastor Steve Wagner said in an interview he did not believe Trump supporters had been behind the riots that crashed through windows at the U.S. Capitol. Asked why, he said he questioned what happened because the siege was ultimately unsuccessful. Asked if he believed other actors, like the specter of Antifa, had been behind the Jan. 6 riots, Wagner said his only belief was that he had not been told the truth.

I dont know the truth of what it was, but I know what it wasnt, Wagner said.

In addition to more than 15,000 hours of footage of the riot at the Capitol, captured by security cameras as well as by participants themselves, investigations by a bipartisan congressional committee and the U.S. Department of Justice have found those who mobbed the Capitol supported Trump. Rioters have also made clear their support of Trump in their own social media postings and interviews to press.

Wagner had spoken in the state Capitol rotunda before, at a 2015 event that garnered 150 people, to urge lawmakers to defy what he called immoral laws and court rulings from the federal government.

Mark Wicks, who has run as a Libertarian and Republican for various public offices, most recently unsuccessfully as a GOP candidate for county commissioner in Hill County, drove 200 miles down Thursday from Inverness, although he said he had some other business in Helena to attend to. He had friends in D.C. a year ago, and said the images widely shared focused on the mayhem but don't reflect the thousands of others who didnt breach the Capitol barrier.

Their experience was not what you saw on TV, Wicks said.

Still, Wicks acknowledged the violence that took place that day, which caused five deaths. Videos from Jan. 6, 2021, show rioters stomping on police and battering their way through officers to enter the capitol. Two brothers from Helena were among the first to reach the Capitol's innards; six Montanans have been identified as participants in the deadly attack.

There was bad behavior there, no doubt, Wicks said.

Still, Wicks saw Thursday as the first of a new annual remembrance, not about elections or violence in Washington, D.C., but an occasion to put elected officials on notice regarding who they work for.

I think itll turn into something, hopefully, something good, Wicks said. For elected officials to remember they answer to the American people.

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Seaborn Larson State Reporter Capitol bureau reporter Seaborn Larson covers justice-related areas of state government and organizations that wield power. Follow Seaborn Larson 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
Montana Supreme Court Justice Jim Rice, the high court's longest-serving member, announced Thursday he will seek reelection this year for another eight-year term.

Rice, 64, has served on the Supreme Court for 20 years, following his appointment by Republican Gov. Judy Martz in 2001. He spent three terms as a Republican member of the Montana House of Representatives prior to his appointment.

In an interview Thursday, Rice said his decision to announce his candidacy on Jan. 6  the one-year anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump  wasn't accidental.

It was important to me, being symbolic of some of the things weve seen in the last couple years that attempt to undermine our institutions, and I think we need to be very clear in resisting that and educating our people on the value of our institutions, Rice said.

In a press release announcing his candidacy, he referred to "challenges and efforts to undermine civic institutions and the democratic process," language that he said could also be applied to incidents of rioting during widespread protests against George Floyds murder by Minneapolis police in 2020.

Those are probably the symptoms of some underlying misunderstandings in our society and the need for better education about the democratic system of government that we have, Rice said.

Last year, Rice was the only justice to file a court challenge against a legislative subpoena issued by Republican lawmakers seeking communications regarding polling conducted among judges in the state on pending legislation during the 2021 session. The Legislature waged a months-long battle for the communications, arguing that justices may have a already demonstrated a bias against proposed legislation that could be challenged in court.

Other justices on the high court had blocked the subpoena, arguing that the communications are confidential and that the Legislature lacked the authority to demand the information.

The high court ultimately determined that the subpoenas were invalid because they served no legitimate purpose. In Rices case, a state district judge found that state law provided no authority for the Legislature to subpoena documents. Republican legislators ultimately withdrew their subpoena, but in December filed to appeal their case to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the state's justices should not have ruled on a case that determined the fate of their own subpoenas. The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet signaled whether it will hear the case.

In a press release announcing his candidacy, Rice stated that a properly functioning court, acting with impartiality, is in a position of strength to ensure that other branches of government stay within their respective constitutional boundaries.

Rice said those words were mostly lifted from his last campaign announcement, in 2014, but added that sometimes events have a way of making them more applicable."

I want to be clear that my campaign isnt going to be about revisiting past conflicts and controversies, he said.

Judicial elections in Montana are nonpartisan, although last years legislative session included attempts by Republicans to require those candidates to affiliate themselves with political parties. Rice believes the current system preserves Montanans belief in an independent judiciary.

I think there is a desire on the part of Montana citizens to not make the courts political, to not engage those candidates in a political fashion, he said. I think people approach the election of judges differently than they do the partisan political offices and thats a real treasure of the Treasure State.

Born to U.S. military parents in Ontario, Canada, Rice grew up in Eastern Montana and graduated from Montana State University with a political science degree. He earned his law degree from the University of Montana, and worked as a public defender, private attorney and on the state Board of Personnel Appeals before his appointment to the Supreme Court.

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DECATUR  As Macon County sees its worst surge in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic, less day-to-day information is flowing to the community from the county health department on the virus' spread.

It comes after the Macon County Board of Health voted last month to stop the daily release of case numbers, deaths and other relevant information.

Instead, the board directed the health department staff to release information on a weekly basis, change the type of data it provides and stop reporting the number of cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Were getting inundated every single day around the clock with  everything in our world seems to revolve around COVID, said Mark Scranton, the board of health vice president, during a Dec. 21 meeting.

The move stems from a concern voiced by Scranton and others about whether people are tuning out the information.

People are just, theyre burned out. Theyre tired of hearing about it, he said, adding that the health department did not release daily reports about the local presence of the flu, diabetes or other illnesses.

Board members directed the health department to add more information about the vaccination status of people who have contracted COVID-19.

The move coincided with a massive uptick in COVID-19 cases in Macon County, fueled by the delta and omicron variants.

In the week of Dec. 27 through Jan. 2, there were 960 new cases reported in Macon County. Fifty-four Macon County residents were reported in the hospital.

Some of the same data is still available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health, but Macon County public health director Brandi Binkley acknowledged there would be a lag in those reports compared with the daily case numbers and deaths that the county had been reporting.

Up until the board's action, the frequency of which to report COVID-19 data was the discretion of Binkley. For a period last year, the department was only doing weekly updates. But, they had been daily at the time the board took its vote.

Asked whether officials in the department agreed with the board's decision, Binkley said, "I don't think I should answer that question specifically."

"What I will say is throughout the pandemic, as the administrator, I've obviously had to make a lot of decisions about what to communicate, how, when, all of that," Binkley said. "... We were reporting daily. At times we've been reporting only weekly. At the time of the board vote, we were reporting daily."

Some Decatur city officials expressed frustration with the board's decision at the city council meeting earlier this week, with Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe saying she "would prefer to have those numbers reported to us daily."

Scranton also mentioned the amount of staff time dedicated to putting out the release everyday and the optics surrounding it as reasons to halt it.

"I think its a waste of energy," he said. "I dont think its a good way to operate from a PR standpoint and provide the public timely information."

But Binkley said "there have not been concerns brought to the board about that specifically."

"I will say that, of course, as the health department we've kept our board updated on workload throughout the pandemic, which has been significant for our team," Binkley said.

Watch now: 'COVID's not done with us,' Decatur leaders acknowledge as cases surge "People are tired of COVID, I get that," said Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe. "We're all tired of COVID. They're done. But COVID's not done with us. And we are about to see another major surge."

Scranton was also critical of news organizations reporting of the data, expressing a hope that moving to weekly health department reports would lead to fewer news stories  but ones with more impact.

If the media decides to take a weekly report and talk about it for the next seven days, theres nothing we can do about it, he said, but we can focus the message on, This is what weve got in front of us, these are the other things that were bringing to your attention, by the way, this many cases were vaccinated, not vaccinated, people will start picking up on that.

Scranton, reached Thursday afternoon, declined to comment beyond the points he made in December, referring other questions to board president Vivian Goodman.

Goodman could not be immediately reached for comment.

Macon County remains at a high risk in any surge scenario as its vaccination rate continues to lag that of the state's and other counties with medium-sized cities.

As of Thursday, just 48.64% of county residents are fully vaccinated.

"We're already not in a good place and there's only so much that we as health care professionals can do," Binkley said. "We can't force people to do things to keep themselves and others states or to try to help limit the spread of this. So it's a lot of asking the community again to please do everything that they can to help control this."

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DECATUR  Police accused a Decatur man of beating and choking his sometime girlfriend and then threatening to urinate on her.

The 49-year-old woman is quoted as telling Decatur patrol officers that she had to kick (him) to get him away from her before he was able to carry out his threat.

However, a sworn affidavit said her ordeal continued: Having pushed her to the ground, the woman told police he threw various items at her, spat on her and then jumped on her back and wrapped one of his arms around her throat as she tried to call 911.

She is quoted as saying the 52-year-old man then began punching her in the face before successfully making a grab for her phone.

The woman had not been able to say anything but the call had connected. Dispatch advised sounds of a struggle were heard on the phone as well as a female screaming Get off of me, the affidavit added. The address was obtained through RapidSOS (a tracing system) and the apartment number was obtained from the call history associated with the phone number that called 911.

The man had left before police arrived and officers said they found the woman with scratches and abrasions and dried blood on her lips.

(She) opened her mouth and I was able to observe a fresh wound on the inside of her cheek, the affidavit said. This wound was consistent with her statement of being struck on the right side of her face.

The woman told police she has dated the man on and off for about a year and he had been staying with her for two days at her apartment when the attack occurred Nov. 4. The woman said she had just gotten out of the shower when the man began yelling at her and then started assaulting her.

The affidavit said officers tracked down and arrested the man on the night of Dec. 21.

He was booked on preliminary charges of committing domestic battery while having a prior domestic battery conviction and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence. A check of Macon County Jail records Thursday showed he remained in custody with bail set at $13,000, meaning he must post a bond of $1,300 to be released.

All preliminary charges are subject to review by the state's attorneys office.

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

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DECATUR  Prosecutors say Decatur burglar Randolph Hayes has a different approach to crime: he steals stuff and then tries to sell it back to the victim he stole it from.

Hayes, 66, is pleading not guilty to a charge of residential burglary after Macon County Circuit Court Judge Rodney Forbes found probable cause to try him at a preliminary hearing Wednesday.

Hayes was arrested after a 62-year-old woman in the 1700 block of North Folk Street discovered her landline phone had been stolen Oct. 25. A sworn Decatur police affidavit said she had activated a medical emergency button at 4:34 a.m. after hearing someone moving around in her home.

The affidavit said while police and firefighters were on scene, Hayes flagged down the firemen and told them he had witnessed a suspect running away from the house.

The victim then called police back later that day to report that a man, later identified as Hayes, had approached her window at 5 a.m. to say he knew the phone thiefs identity. He said he could get the phone back if she paid him money to recover it.

The affidavit said the victim called police again just after 1 p.m. to say Hayes was back outside with her phone and was waiting to get paid. He was later arrested instead after officers arrived, but stuck to his claim that someone else had taken the phone.

Assistant Macon County States Attorney Thomas Wheeler, taking evidence from Officer Brian Kaylor Wednesday, asked him if there was any evidence found of another suspect other than Hayes.

No, replied the detective.

Defense attorney Michelle Sanders then cross-examined Kaylor: The defendant was never actually observed being inside the residence? she asked. Kaylor said he was not.

He also said police had not been able to process a window, the apparent point of entry, for forensic evidence because it had been raining that day.

Hayes was only charged with one count of burglary but the affidavit goes on to list several other break-ins police believe he was responsible for. In one of the crimes, alleged to have also occurred Oct. 25, the affidavit describes him as telling a 41-year-old woman he had just seen someone break into her home in the 1700 block of North Woodford Street.

(She) advised that Hayes then asked if she lived alone, asked if she needed any work done, and asked if she would be interested in a sexual relationship with him, the affidavit said.

She later discovered electronic items missing from her residence.

Court records show Hayes was on parole at the time of the crimes after being convicted of an earlier burglary offense. He remained held in the Macon County Jail on Thursday with bail set at $105,000, meaning he must post a bond of $10,500 to be released.

Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid

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Plan set to improve market-based allocation

(China Daily) 08:17, January 07, 2022

A staff member of the Bank of Communications Beijing Branch instructs a visitor to open a digital RMB wallet on a mobile phone, on June 16, 2021. (Photo/Xinhua)

China's latest move to release a plan to pilot comprehensive reforms of market-based allocation of factors of production will push its drive to build a high-standard market system and foster high-quality development, experts said.

The General Office of the State Council released the document on Thursday that aims to deepen reforms of the market-based factors to give strong impetus to economic and social development.

Under the plan, China will take key measures to promote the more efficient allocation of land, encourage the rational and smooth flow of labor and support the pilot digital currency program for the use in retail transactions, daily life and in payment for government services.

More efforts will also be made to explore the establishment of rules on the flow of data and improve the market-based trading mechanism for resources such as electricity and natural gas, and the carbon emissions allowance.

The plan sets a target that the trials will be basically accomplished by 2025, and the reform of market-based allocation of factors of production will make a landmark achievement, setting an example for the optimization of the national system.

Liu Quanhong, director of the international economics research institute of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said the new plan will help improve the efficiency of the allocation of different factors of production and promote the formation of a unified domestic market.

"It will also help further advance the reform of the market-based allocation of factors of production and resolve deep-seated systemic and institutional barriers," Liu added. "The pilot reforms will play a key role in stimulating the vitality of market players and fostering high-quality economic and social development."

The plan follows the Central Economic Work Conference held last month, which said China will vitalize development with reform and opening-up policies and pilot comprehensive reforms of the market-based allocation of factors of production.

In fact, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialist Economy with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era offers China's answer to dealing with the relationship between the government and the market.

A pivotal meeting of the Communist Party of China presided over by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, in 2013 acknowledged the market's "decisive" role in allocating resources, changing the tone from the "basic" role it has played since 1992.

In the meantime, the government should play its role better, the meeting decided. It added that the core of China's economic system reform is to handle the relationship between the government and the market appropriately.

Cui Weijie, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that the new plan will give full play to the market's decisive role in allocating resources, providing strong impetus to high-quality development.

"The plan attaches great importance to removing barriers that hinder the free and orderly flow of factors, marking a key step in promoting smooth internal circulation. And it will also help create the new economic development pattern of 'dual-circulation' that takes the domestic market as the mainstay, while the domestic and foreign markets complement each other."

Cui's views were echoed by Zheng Lei, chief economist at Glory Sun Financial Group, who said the new plan follows a series of government measures to cultivate the market, demonstrating the government's firm determination to continuously deepen reform and opening-up.

Citing the new steps mapped out by the plan such as promoting pilot digital currency programs and the sharing of credit information, he expected to see the digital renminbi being widely used in the nation, and a mechanism to make financing for small and medium-sized enterprises easier and affordable.

"Once the pilot projects are implemented and then expanded to the whole nation, it will create new sources of economic growth," said Yang Jinghao, chief economist at Kangkai Data Technology.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming)
The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) issued a statement on Thursday, Jan. 6 in response to the actions of the California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) against Dr. Jeff Blea, CHRB's equine medical director.

The VMB temporarily suspended the veterinary license of Dr. Blea on Monday. The CHRB statement follows.

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) respects the mission of the California Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) to enforce the professional standards of its practice and passionately shares its commitment to animal safety. CHRB is equally respectful of the role of due process, which provides all California licensees the opportunity to be heard and defend their livelihood when accusations are brought against their license. In response to the actions brought by the VMB against Dr. Blea, Equine Medical Director (EMD), the CHRB respectfully disagrees with its pursuit of an emergency interim suspension order of his license, alleging he is an imminent danger to the public, citing specifically his role in the Medina Spirit investigation.

However, given the sensitive and very public nature of the necropsy and resulting investigation into the death of Medina Spirit, and in keeping with the CHRBs commitment to integrity and transparency, the CHRB has asked the Executive Associate Dean of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to oversee the necropsy and forensic examination of Medina Spirit. The CHRB believes this also satisfies the VMBs stated reason for filing the temporary suspension petition and therefore requires it to consider its withdrawal.

The CHRB is capable and specifically vested with the regulatory authority to ensure that all investigations, including necropsy reviews, are performed accurately and with the utmost diligence and transparency. This is a responsibility of the CHRB, not the VMB, and its emergency actions are unnecessary and outside the scope of its authority. This point was confirmed in the emergency petition decision stating, There was, however, no evidence presented at hearing that would suggest that the Board (VMB) has the authority to invalidate Respondents appointment or otherwise interfere with his duties as the Equine Medical Director. That its emergency actions nevertheless seek to exclude Dr. Blea from contributing as the EMD to the critical and valuable work done through the necropsy program is unfortunate, and an improper application of its oversight and regulatory authority.

In my view, the allegations against Dr. Blea have yet to be proven, and as such, he should be able to serve as the EMD until the final outcome of the accusation filed against his license can be fully adjudicated through the administrative process, said CHRB Chairman Dr. Greg Ferraro, who previously served on the VMB. At that point, the CHRB would be in a better position to determine any appropriate actions to take considering the final outcome and its full context in application and relationship to Dr. Bleas role as EMD.

CHRB Executive Director Scott Chaney added, Dr. Blea has done excellent work for the CHRB since he began his employment at UC Davis on July 1 and accepted the position of EMD. My concern is that not relying on his expertise, advice, and work in the role of EMD would diminish the CHRBs ability to effectively promote animal welfare and, in a very real way, make horses less safe in California. Of course, the full Board has the ultimate authority to determine its course of action, and the next opportunity for the Board to discuss the matter will be in closed session on January 20 following the regularly scheduled Board meeting.

(With files from CHRB)
A Sangamon County judge heard nearly two full days of arguments related to COVID mitigations in Illinois schools this week, but it could be more than a month before some of those arguments can resume and any decisions are made.

Bond County Attorney Tom DeVore filed lawsuits in the fall on behalf of school employees and the parents of students over major state mandates for schools during the pandemic. Namely, they oppose vaccine or testing requirements for school employees, including teachers, the masking of all staff and students, and the exclusion of students from in-person classes if they are identified as close contacts of those who have the virus, but have no symptoms themselves.

Several similar cases were filed last year in different counties around the state, but as there were so many overlapping issues, the Illinois Supreme Court consolidated them to be heard by one Sangamon County judge, Judge Raylene Grischow.

Motions were made this week to share transcripts of the hearings in the record for each case to "avoid duplication or exhaustion," as one attorney put it.

The preliminary hearings this week were intended to address two main issues: class certification and temporary restraining orders. A motion had been made for the cases to be class action lawsuits, which would allow other employees and families who were not named as plaintiffs to also receive temporary restraining orders.

The temporary restraining orders, if granted, would temporarily prevent the COVID mitigation requirements from applying to those individuals. An unvaccinated teacher, for instance, would not be required to take regular COVID tests, and students could not be required to wear a mask in class, as long as the order was in effect.

No decisions were made in the cases about either class certification or temporary restraining orders this week.

Attorneys for the defendants made different arguments against certifying a class for the student mask case on Wednesday, including that "aggressive word of mouth" had already given people a chance to join the 700 plaintiffs and that DeVore could not represent all families because he was "antagonistic" toward those who favored mask mandates.

In reply, DeVore argued that the schools wanted to make families jump through hoops to limit the number of students without masks.

"I could have had a million parents listed as plaintiffs," he said.

The courtroom was full both days this week. On Wednesday, it was so full of attorneys and members of the public that Grischow kept the doors open to prevent overheating.

After the lunch break Wednesday, Grischow returned and told counsel she had to disclose that, as of the end of the break, she had received 80 emails from people sharing their opinions on the case, and that her assistant was receiving more calls and emails.

"I understand this is a passionate issue, but my judgment will be based on the law," she said, adding that she would either delete the emails without reading them or ensure they were submitted for the record.

Between the lawsuits, there are around 800 plaintiffs and 140 school districts listed as defendants, along with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois State Board of Education, and their respective directors. Many of the defense attorneys told Grischow they represented more than one district, with one saying he represented 31 around the state.

According to the court record, final arguments for the employees' lawsuit are scheduled to resume on Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. Grischow said she will have to look at rearranging her schedule to hear continuing arguments for the student case, because her civil docket is filled through March, which she didn't think was fair.

"I personally don't want to wait that long," she told counsel. "I like to do things when they're fresh in my head."

Several school districts in the metro-east announced this week they were either going remote or shortening the school day as students return from winter break and the omicron variant causes spikes in COVID case numbers. Chicago Public Schools are closed Wednesday and Thursday, as the teachers union refuses to teach in-person under the current COVID conditions.

If students are granted temporary restraining orders that allow them to go maskless, the attorney representing Chicago Public Schools said the teachers union would be hard-pressed to return in-person.

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BELVIDERE  A man has been charged in the slayings of a man and his two young sons found shot to death last month in a northern Illinois home.

Alize Q. Smith, 24, of Huntley, faces three counts of first-degree murder in the Dec. 19 killings of Andrew Hintt, 31, and his two sons, Benjamin, 7, and Sebastian, 5, Belvidere police said Wednesday.

Police said Smith spent part of the day of the killings with Hintt and his sons at Hintts Belvidere home, about 70 miles northwest of Chicago. It wasn't immediately clear how the men knew each other and police haven't announced a possible motive for the killings amid the ongoing investigation.

Smith was being held without bond at the Boone County Jail and his first court appearance was expected Thursday afternoon. Court records didn't list an attorney who could speak on Smith's behalf.

He was arrested last month for a parole violation and identified by Belvidere police as a person of interest in the killings.

A tragedy like this affects us all, and our heart goes out to the families who are left to pick up the pieces," Belvidere Police Chief Shane Woody said Wednesday.

Boone County States Attorney Tricia Smith said that if he's convicted, Smith would face life in prison for each count of first-degree murder, without the option for parole.

Andrew Hintt's aunt, Theresa Hintt Thompson, told WREX-TV the family is happy that charges have been filed.

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill.  Students, staff and faculty in the University of Illinois system will be required to get a COVID-19 booster shot once they are eligible for a shot, school officials said.

In a mass email sent Thursday announcing the policy, school President Tim Killeen said there is now significant evidence that vaccinations plus boosters are effective at preventing infections from developing into serious illness.

Killeen said members of the campus community who already had medical or religious exemptions from the universitys COVID-19 vaccine requirement will also be exempted from the new booster requirement.

The university gave no deadline for the booster requirement, just a strong encouragement to get one before the spring semester begins.

School officials announced last month that the university's Chicago campus and the Champaign-Urbana campus will be starting the spring semester online.

The new policy comes as universities across the nation are responding to a surge in coronavirus cases driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant.

University officials said they will continue to monitor policies and make adjustments where appropriate based on updated guidance.

In the face of this new variant, we must again act collectively to protect both the health and safety of our communities and the quality of the educational experience that makes the U of I System truly extraordinary," Killeen said.

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As we mark the first anniversary of the domestic terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol, youll read much about how it was one of Americas darkest days.

Thats accurate, of course. But we shouldnt lose sight of the fact that it was also one of Americas dumbest days: A violent pack of conspiracy-addled mopes, following the lead of a dullards dozen of dime store grifters, broke into the halls of American democracy and desecrated the place while posting selfies and livestreaming themselves effectively shouting, LOOK, MA, IM DOIN A FEDERAL CRIME!

It was a veritable tornado of stupid, inspired entirely by claims about the 2020 election that a less-bright-than-most boll weevil would recognize as a bunch of hooey.

The insurrection was a horror and a disgrace, and it left more than a hundred Capitol Police officers injured, some severely. It was a shock to Americas conscience.

But it was also unbelievably dumb. The kind of dumb where if you know someone even tangentially involved in what happened that day, or even if you know someone who supports what happened, you feel ashamed for that person and for yourself for knowing someone so willfully blockheaded.

In the wake of Asinine-a-palooza, one might think Americans would unite in agreement that displays of abject stupidity are profoundly embarrassing to those behaving in abjectly stupid ways.

Sadly, that is not what happened. The Jan. 6 attackers, in many right-wing circles and from the mouths of sitting GOP members of Congress, have been hailed as either heroes or misunderstood patriots. Many of the insurrectionists have been shocked  SHOCKED, I TELL YOU!  to learn they will now be incarcerated for their actions, and some feel let down that their hero, disgraced former one-term President Donald Trump, did not come to their rescue.

I dont meant to sound rude, but if you allow a man who fleeced people with a phony university and misused funds from his own charitable organization to incite you to battle police, break the doors and windows of a federal building and disrupt the nations peaceful transfer of power on his behalf and expect that man to have your back, youre dumb as paint. And I say that at great risk of insulting paint.

Its important to note the dumb and stupid Im referencing here have nothing to do with a persons level of education. Theres an abundance of highly educated dumb-dumbs, as well as ample brilliant and sensible souls who never set foot in college.

But what were struggling with is a sea change from the times, not terribly long ago, when unabashedly flaunting ignorance  willful or otherwise  was looked down on. People in general tried to be informed and intelligent, or at least stay in their lanes, and babbling on about utter nonsense was drunk-at-the-end-of-the-bar behavior.

Now that behavior seems a prerequisite for a speaking slot at the Conservative Political Action Conference or a guest spot on Fox News.

A portion of the populace has slid from its good to be smart to being smart is elitist, so Im going to follow the medical advice of this podcaster, a painfully common epitaph throughout the pandemic.

You can draw a straight line from the glorification of numbskullery and the rejection of facts to the Jan. 6 attack.

Yet somehow, since Jan. 6, the stupidity being peddled has only gotten worse. Trump and an astonishing array of Republicans and right-wing media types continue to insist the 2020 election was stolen. There is zero evidence to support that and, in fact, even the former presidents most loyal flunkies who have ham-handedly audited election results in various states have come up with zilch.

But the lying continues, eroding faith in our democratic systems and, for some reason, not embarrassing those who keep getting proven wrong.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson produced an entire (baseless) series claiming Jan. 6 was some kind of false flag operation. Yet he still has a job. Why? Because the people who watch and trust him are allergic to critical thinking and find it perfectly reasonable that Carlson, as he did recently, criticizes President Joe Biden for wearing a mask outdoors and then almost immediately slams Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for not wearing a mask outdoors.

That kind of cognitive dissonance should be embarrassing for Carlson, his network and all who lap up such nonsense. But its not.

The attempted coup of Jan. 6 is ongoing. The lies that sparked that days attacks continue, and theyre leading to nefarious state-level power grabs by Republicans and out-in-the-open promises that future elections will be won by the GOP, whatever it takes.

Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said this week that there were nearly 10,000 threats against lawmakers in the last year, more than double what it was just a few years ago.

Unchecked stupidity is inherently dangerous. Thats why its important to recognize the doltish gullibility behind Jan. 6 and make people feel embarrassed if they behave like lunkheads.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about two-thirds of Americans believe the Jan. 6 riot was extremely or very violent (it was, unquestionably) and about 70% of Americans think Congress should keep investigating the events of that day.

Thats good news. At least two-thirds of Americans havent let the cheese slide off their crackers.

As to the rest, to the broken-brained deniers and election-fraud dead-enders, let them know this: Jan. 6 was a date that will live in idiocy. It was the charge of the not-bright brigade. It was and remains a global embarrassment.

Anyone who says otherwise is perpetually in danger of being outwitted by a can of tuna.

Lets make stupidity embarrassing again. Our democracy depends on it.

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New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Generally cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.
Is Virginia ready for a gold rush?

There has been no commercial gold mining in the state since the 1940s, but interested parties are sniffing around again.

Historically, the Gold-Pyrite Belt, which runs from Fairfax County down to Appomattox, has yielded enough of the precious ore that more than 300 mines were developed between 1804 and the end of World War II, many of them near Fredericksburg. Thomas Jefferson first documented the discovery of gold in Virginia at a site on the north side of the Rappahannock, four miles below the falls.

In 1804, the states first mine was opened in Spotsylvania County. The aptly named town of Goldvein, just across the Stafford County line in Fauquier, once boasted 19 gold mines within 5 miles.

Now, a Canadian company is doing exploratory drilling in a couple of sites in and around Buckingham County.

What can go wrong with a gold rush? Plenty, if mining isnt sufficiency regulated. And since we havent had a lot of mining in these parts for decades, the General Assembly hasnt gotten around to dealing with what is only a potential problem.

A couple of words should get our attention: mercury and cyanide. Historically, mercury was used to extract gold from other metals in the mining process. Studies of abandoned mines in the state show evidence of mercury contamination. Now, many companies use cyanide instead.

Mercury or cyanide. Pick your poison. Reports of air and water pollution from gold mining and the residue it produces, in containment ponds or elsewhere, are myriad, across the planet.

The Legislature has convened a committee to study the impacts of gold mining, but it has declined to ban activity until the study is over.

We hope that study is over soon and that the state looks at gold extraction with the same gimlet eye with which it has viewed the mining of uranium, which exists in many of the same areas as gold.

The CEO of the Canadian mining company exploring the Buckingham sites told analysts that Virginias lack of permits for exploratory drilling is definitely one of the reasons why we want to be in that jurisdiction. Sounds as if hes looking for a spot with no pesky rules to imperil profits.

The state does not seem to have a grip on gold minings potential problems. For instance, as it stands now, companies in operation fewer than five years must post a bond amounting to $3,000 per acre to cover potential cleanup costs. However, a mine inspector for Virginia Energy says the average cost to reclaim an acre is likely between $8,000 to $12,000. Guess who makes up the difference?

It is quite possible that there is money to be made mining gold in Virginia, some of it a short drive from Fredericksburg. We depend on our Legislature to determine whether the hazards involved make it more sensible to leave it in the ground.

Without proper control, this venture will be fools gold for us.
If youre a smoker who wants to indulge in your habit while gazing over the mountains of the South Pacific, youd do well to move fast. New Zealand recently announced plans to become the first nation in the world to ban tobacco.

Prohibition wont happen overnight. Instead, the country will raise the legal smoking age each year, such that people born after 2008 never will be allowed to puff. That eventually will mean tobacco smoking  a practice thats been prevalent in the Americas for thousands of years and spread around the world after Christopher Columbus introduced it to Europe  may finally start disappearing from one corner of the planet.

This may be a taste of things to come. The Netherlands will ban supermarket sales of tobacco starting in 2024, and the Medical Journal of Australia recently called for a New Zealand-style phase-out policy in that country. One in four Americans supported a total smoking ban in a 2018 survey by Gallup.

I confess to having distinctly mixed feelings about this. Smoking kills more than 8 million people every year, making it a scourge at least on the scale of COVID-19, which has caused more than 5 million recorded deaths over the past two years (alcohol, far more widespread, contributes to about 3 million annual deaths). That alone is reason enough to restrict the practice.

Ive never been a smoker but am old enough to remember the time when an evening out in my birth country, the U.K., would leave your clothes stinking of tar. Thin-end-of-the-wedge arguments were trotted out before a 2007 law there banned smoking in all indoor workplaces. They came out again before a 2012 law in my current home of Australia, which mandated unbranded, and deliberately repellent, packaging for all tobacco products.

In fact, both countries are far better off for the measures that have been introduced. The worst that can be said of them is while theyve accelerated the decline of tobacco consumption, it still is pretty widespread.

At the same time, were now at the point where the thick end of those wedges is hovering into view. If youd suggested 14 years ago that banning smoking in pubs might ultimately lead to states prohibiting adults from undertaking activities that only harm themselves, it would have been dismissed as alarmist. But that is what were looking at now.

Restrictions on indoor smoking and packaging protect bystanders from passive fumes and reduce the marketing power of cigarette businesses  outcomes that serve to enhance the welfare of all individuals. Further restrictions to limit the exposures of children and fellow householders to secondhand smoking in the home and private vehicles might be justified on the same grounds, even if they would be challenging to enforce. Outright bans, however, limit the scope of choice that the generation of New Zealanders who grow into this new law will be allowed to make.

That sits oddly with the current shift toward more liberal policies on similar matters. More than half of U.S. states now have legalized or decriminalized cannabis for recreational uses. Portugal and Oregon even have decriminalized possession of hard drugs. A referendum on legalizing cannabis only narrowly failed at New Zealands election in 2020, and another on euthanasia passed with a hefty majority.

Its hard to justify that differential treatment on harm grounds. Cannabis use disorders are roughly as common among users as tobacco addiction is among the general population. The links between pot smoking and the respiratory, lung and heart problems associated with cigarettes are surprisingly weak, and theres a dearth of good quality studies that arent confounded by the fact that most cannabis smokers use tobacco, too.

However, there are much clearer correlations between cannabis use and mental health problems, including schizophrenia and psychosis, as well as educational underattainment. Society may deem those risks an acceptable price to pay for pain relief benefits and enjoyment many people get from cannabis. But with the speed at which the drug is being decriminalized, theres been precious little discussion of the issue.

The New Zealand policy wont eradicate nicotine addiction. Vaping devices, which are used by New Zealand teenagers at a rate two to three times higher than smoked tobacco, wont be affected. As with any prohibition, it also runs the risk of encouraging organized crime. Illegal consumption of tobacco in Australia has been slowly but surely ticking up for several years now in response to that countrys punitive tobacco tax policies, providing a steadily rising stream of black market revenue.

Whats clear is the current breed of tobacco control policies arent succeeding in bringing down voluntary smoking fast enough without harmful side effects of their own. The very high taxes imposed in New Zealand and Australia  a 25-stick pack of Marlboro Gold at my local supermarket costs $48.95 ($35 in the U.S.)  dont seem to be enough to break the power of addiction. Ultimately, they mean the underprivileged communities who still smoke at the highest rates have to pay regressive taxes on top of their other problems. In New Zealand, for instance, smoking is far more common among the Indigenous Maori and Pacific Islander people than the general population.

That suggests a change of direction toward a limited and gradual but ultimately more absolute measure like that being introduced in New Zealand is worthwhile, if only so the rest of the world can see whether its a success or a failure. Smokers themselves, few of whom feel great loyalty to their self-destructive habit, often are supportive of tobacco control policies. A 2019 survey in Sweden found former users were only slightly less in favor of such laws than the general population, while one recent study of 6,014 smokers in Pakistan found that 82% supported a complete ban.

Liberal societies will rightly seek to enhance individuals sovereignty over their bodies and tread carefully when they take those freedoms away. Addictive drugs already violate that sovereignty, though, by making it physically or psychologically painful to give them up. Tobacco prohibition in New Zealand will certainly infringe on peoples freedoms. Tobacco addiction, however, has been doing that for centuries.

David Fickling is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering commodities, industrial and consumer companies. Previously, he reported for Bloomberg News, Dow Jones, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times and the Guardian.
Create doubt in the mind of the former president

Robert Palmer, 54, of Largo, Florida, wept as he told U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan that he recently watched a video of his actions that day and could not believe what he was seeing. Your honor, Im really ashamed of what I did, he said.

Palmer said in a handwritten letter to the judge that he felt betrayed by Trump and his allies who fed them conspiracy theories. In his letter he wrote: Trump supporters were lied to by those at the time who had great power. They kept spitting out the false narrative about a stolen election and how it was our duty to stand up to tyranny.

He went on to articulate the unfairness of being punished while the ring leaders are not behind bars. This is just one example of many expressing regrets for their actions on Jan. 6 and admitting they were conned by Trump and his allies. It is not fair that those caught red-handed with their hands in the cookie jar get punished while those who made the cookies get to plead the 5th or claim executive privilege. Since life is not fair, we can never let our guard down, for con artists are everywhere.

These words from Robert Palmer speak volumes about Trump, about how so many in power abuse that power.

Admitting we are wrong takes courage, especially in the presence of millions warning about Trump from the day he walked down that escalator. His behavior had been well documented years before entering politics and we saw no change in behavior during his four years in office. For those remaining loyal to Trump who are not paying attention to court cases or limiting their news coverage to Fox, there is an off ramp.

The Trump supporter does not need to admit to anyone that they were conned by Trump. They do not ever have to vote for a Democrat. They just need to say no to Trump anytime they are polled on the question of support. Trump will not run in 2024 if there is any doubt of winning the nomination.

Now, go create some doubt in the mind of our former President.

James Long, Hickory
Darren McCall made a name for himself as a conditioner in North America before relocating back to Australia. The horseman is now making headlines for making another move back 'home'.

The 51-year-old McCall has trained all around the world and has most recently been based at Menangle in New South Wales, before recently returning to Queensland, where he originally learned his trade within harness racing. He currently conditions a stable of about 16 horses, and is excited to be back where it all started for him.

It has been a long trip around the world and back again, but I feel it is probably the right time now to move back with the way the QBRED [incentive program] is, McCall said in a recent interview.

The way QRIC (Queensland Racing and Integrity Commission) look to have done a really good job over the last five or six years, it looks like everything is on the way up.

We always kept our eye on what was going on here and obviously things just seemed to get better every year," McCall continued. It is something we kept looking at and, in the end, we bit the bullet and come back."

QBRED is an incentive program delivering more than $3.5 million in additional returns for breeders and owners of harness horses bred and racing in Queensland. Queenslands highly vaunted QBRED scheme will expand in 2022 with the first-win bonus swelling to $14,000.

With more than $3 million in bonuses up for grabs this year  along with a further $500,000 in feature race stakes  QBRED continues to be the country's premier breeding incentive scheme for harness racing.

McCall has won countless big races all over the world, accruing upwards of $13 million in prize money across his career. He would have liked to be in Queensland in September of last year but with border and lockdown setbacks, he has only recently made the move official.

He is an excellent addition to our training ranks here in Queensland," said Racing Queenslands Senior Harness Racing Manager David Brick. "On the back of champion trainer Tim Butt being in the process of moving to the Sunshine State, Darren's presence only adds to the quality we have in Queensland in 2022.

We are excited to see the knowledge and expertise that Darren will bring to our local industry from his experience around the world.

(with files from HRA)
" " Michael Rockefeller famously disappeared during an expedition to New Guinea in 1961. He is seen here, far right in the back row, with his brothers, Steven (far left) and Rodman. His father, New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, is seated to the right of his first wife, Mary Todhunter Clark, with daughters, Mary (far left) and Anne (right). Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

When author and travel writer Carl Hoffman was thinking about ideas for his next book project, he knew he wanted to explore a story that resonated deeply with readers. What could be more intriguing than  akin to the disappearance of Amelia Earhart  the story of the disappearance in 1961 of Michael Rockefeller, the 23-year-old son of prominent political figure Nelson Rockefeller?

The official cause of Rockefeller's death was drowning. The truth, however, is harder to digest. The Asmat people, whose art and culture were loved and respected by Rockefeller, are the same people who most likely killed and consumed him, according to Hoffman.

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I Think I Can Make It

The last known words spoken by Rockefeller were heard by anthropologist Rene Wassing as Michael jumped from their catamaran, which had overturned in the Betsj River 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the shore of West Papua. He had decided to try to swim to shore for help through crocodile infested waters. His final words to Wassing were "I think I can make it."

For 50 years it was suspected that he didn't make it, but drowned or was eaten by crocodiles in the long swim to shore. But with no body and no evidence, rumors  that he'd gone native, been eaten by sharks, or worse, cannibals  circulated for decades. Drowning was the most logical answer to the tragic question: What happened to Michael Rockefeller? But as Hoffman discovered and writes in his book, "Savage Harvest: A Tale of Cannibals, Colonialism, and Michael Rockefeller's Tragic Quest," it turns out that Michael's death was neither simple nor accidental.

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People Were Finally Willing to Talk

When Hoffman began investigating Rockefeller's disappearance, he realized that after the initial search party failed to find Rockefeller in 1961, no one had really given it a good look. There was never closure for the family or the millions of people who wondered what could have happened to the wealthy son of one of America's most powerful families.

"When you type Michael Rockefeller in Google, you get a billion hits or something. But if you start looking at all those hits, they're all regurgitation of the same basic data, which was a lot of conjecture," says Hoffman. "I realized that nobody had ever done a systematic substantive look at what happened."

In 2012, Hoffman began looking into Rockefeller's story. He hired a Dutch investigator who dug through archives for two years revealing invaluable information. Hoffman interviewed Asmat villagers and former Dutch officers to corroborate the details of Rockefeller's death. He suspected that since 51 years had passed, people might be ready to tell him the truth, and he suspected it wasn't sharks that got Michael.

"In my time as a journalist, I learned that with these things there is sometimes a sweet spot in which people would be willing to talk about it. Maybe even the Rockefellers," he says. After a bit of research and archival digging to find the right people to talk to, Hoffman was right. They were ready to talk. But, to begin with, it's important to know why Rockefeller was in New Guinea in the first place.

" " Michael Rockefeller was the youngest son of New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. T. Nielsen/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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Why Was Michael in Indonesia?

Michael and his father Nelson had a strong bond over art, and especially tribal art, according to Michael's twin sister, Mary, who eventually published a book, "When Grief Calls Forth the Healing: A Memoir of Losing a Twin," about overcoming the grief of Michael's loss. It was this pursuit of the Asmat people's beautiful artwork, particularly their bis or "bisj" poles, that took him to the villages of the Asmat tribes. (Asmat art collected by Rockefeller is still on display at the Metropoltan Museum of Art in Manhattan.)

His father had just opened the Museum of Primitive Art a few years before and Nelson had put Michael on the board. Michael wanted to make a statement with the family's museum and curate a collection of primitive art from the source  the Asmat warriors  directly.

When Michael eventually met the Asmat people, including at the Otsjanep and Omadasep villages, he realized, as Hoffman did in his own travels, that the Asmat were an acutely intelligent people with an emotionally vivid culture. "They weren't savages, however, but biologically modern men with all the brainpower and manual dexterity necessary to fly a 747 with a language so complex it had 17 tenses," writes Hoffman in his book.

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How Michael Rockefeller Allegedly Died

The how of why Rockefeller died, according to Hoffman, is straightforward. He washed ashore, exhausted and weak from swimming for miles after the boat he and Wassing were in overturned. On shore, he saw familiar faces  those of the Otsjanep warriors. Instead of the rescue Rockefeller hoped for, he was stabbed in the ribs by one of the men, fatally killed in the precise actions of ritualistic headhunting and consumed by the warriors.

According to Hoffman, the Otsjanep had never killed a white man before and they knew Rockefeller to be a kind, respectful young man who paid well for their art. So why did they allegedly kill him?

There are two parts to this question. First, why did they kill Rockefeller? Second, why did they eat him?

Ritualistic cannibalism, also called anthropophagy (cannibalism specific to humans), has been performed by various native cultures for thousands of years, particularly those in ecosystems with scarce food and resources. For the Asmat, cannibalism was not their sole purpose. Rather, it was only part of the sacred ritual of headhunting that brought meaning to their culture.

To understand why the Asmat killed him in the first place is to know that Michael's death is the result of hundreds of years of colonialism and a native people's struggle for the power to hold on to the deepest seeds of their culture. "What happened with Michael," says Hoffman, "... was a moment of the Otsjanep, in particular, trying to retake and maintain their power in a world in which they were being stripped of it; the power of their own cultural view, power over their own destiny."

" " A native of New Guinea holds a piece of primitive art, the type being sought by Michael Rockefeller for the New York Museum of Primitive Art. The museum officially closed in 1974, and the collection was eventually transferred to The Met, becoming what is today The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing Bettmann/Getty Images

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The Forces That Led to Rockefeller's Death

In the years before Rockefeller stepped foot in an Asmat village, Dutch colonialists occupied West Papua. The villages' ritualistic headhunting and warfare were savage and of the highest level of cruelty to those on the outside.

Hoffman's book explains the historical context in great detail, but, in short, Dutch official Max Lapre took a troop of officers to the Otsjanep and Omadesep villages Feb. 6, 1958, and burned homes, places of spiritual significance and canoes, and took the villagers' weapons to try to curb violence and stop the Asmat tribes from killing each other.

Lapre arrived at the shore of an Otsjanep village and told them to lay their weapons down. "A man came out of a house," Hoffman writes, "bearing something in his hand and he ran toward Lapre ... shots rang out from all directions." Ultimately, five of the most prominent men of the village were killed. Their spirits would haunt the villagers until their deaths were revenged.

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A Question of Vengeance

Enter Michael Rockefeller in 1961. The villagers remembered every detail of that day of violence in 1958. When a white man swam exhausted to shore in nothing but his boxer briefs, some of the men felt this was their opportunity to avenge the spirits of their brothers. "I think those men who killed Michael were feeling this loss of power. To them, at that moment, Michael had always been with other people and whites were powerful. Literally, they had guns and big boats ... they represented power and wealth the Asmat couldn't even imagine and so they didn't attack them," says Hoffman. "But when Michael swam up at that moment, he had no power. He was alone. Exhausted. To me, the moment they speared him was a moment  I'm not saying it was calculated; I'm not saying they articulated this  of retaking their own power and self-esteem and identity."

News of Rockefeller's death by the Ostjanep warriors traveled until a local priest, Cornelius van Kessel, caught wind. Upon inquiring about the death, a message was sent to Dutch officials. However, because Dutch officials feared the impact the news would have on the reputation of Dutch New Guinea, the message never made it out of Indonesia. That is, until Hoffman's Dutch investigator pulled it from the archives five decades later and spoke with a former Dutch patrol officer, Wim van de Waal, who had helped recover Rockefeller's remains. "I never talked about it publicly," van de Waal told Hoffman for his book, "I guess no one's going to be hurt by it now."

Despite Hoffman's attempts to discuss his findings with the Rockefeller family, they've chosen not to comment and to leave Michael at rest, wherever he may be.

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Now That's Fascinating A video appears in filmmaker Fraser Heston's 2007 documentary, "The Search for Michael Rockefeller," that includes intriguing footage taken in 1969 by photographer Malcolm Kirk. Some speculate that the white man shown in the footage is Michael Rockefeller.
On May 25, 2021, dairy products became the first commodity placed before the dispute resolution panel in the newly established U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). On December 20, a three-person panel issued their final report to the parties . . . and that report became public on January 4, 2022.

A USMCA panel agreed with the United States that Canada is breaching its USMCA commitments by reserving most of the in-quota quantity in its dairy tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for the exclusive use of Canadian processors, stated the Office of the United States Trade Representative headed up by Ambassador Katherine Tai.

While thats the ruling, trade between the two countries will not change overnight. Under USMCA rules, Canada now has 45 days from the date of the final report to comply with the panels findings.

That deadline is February 3.

If Canada does not come up with a workable remedy in the spirit of the USMCA, the U.S. could begin a process of tariffs on Canadian products bound for the United States.

At issue are Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs). During USMCA negotiations, Canada agreed to specified dairy product imports from the United States and the TRQ was set near zero. Of course, imports above those agreed upon levels would come with higher tariffs, essentially making the economics of additional imports a no-go.

At dispute was Canadas willingness to give TRQs to non-Canadian importers and others who would actually seek out product. By carrying out this action, Canada has been limiting access to dairy imports agreed upon under USMCA.

Two different dairy sectors

The USMCA is a relatively new trade deal, having just been enacted in 2000. It replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that had guided trade between Canada, Mexico, and the United States since its passage in 1994.

Back in those days, the Canadian and U.S. dairy sectors were largely similar industries, both serving the domestic market. Dairy exports were minimal. Hence, when NAFTA was negotiated, both countries essentially omitted dairy from the discussions.

That was 1994.

The very next year, the fledgling U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) was born. It took some years for the United States to gather its marketing and sale prowess.

As time passed by, however, dairy exports became a larger and larger portion of dairy product sales. By the time USMCA negotiations unfolded, U.S. dairy cows were producing milk one day each week for the export market. That total has continued to climb and may finish 2021 at a number closer to all cows working five to six days each month to fill export orders.

During the same 28-year window, Canadas dairy sector remained largely in its 1994 form when NAFTA took root, as domestic quotas continue to place a muffler on milk production through a process called supply management.

The only thing that changed in recent years was the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that went into effect in 2017. As a result, Canada had to yield some dairy imports from Europe. Then USMCA came along, and Canadian farmers were still upset about that first loss of market share to the Europeans. Hence, Canada has collectively slogged along at committing to dairy imports from the United States.

What might happen?

In early February, we will learn of Canadas response to the first-ever USMCA trade ruling. In the meantime, heres what U.S. leaders had to say:

Enforcing our trade agreements and making sure they benefit American workers and farmers is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration, said Ambassador Katherine Tai. That is why this administration filed the first-ever panel request under the USMCA. This historic win will help eliminate unjustified trade restrictions on American dairy products and will ensure that the U.S. dairy industry and its workers get the full benefit of the USMCA to market and sell U.S. dairy products to Canadian consumers.

This ruling is a big step for the U.S. dairy sector toward realizing the full benefits of the USMCA and securing real access to the Canadian market for additional high-quality American dairy products such as milk, cheese, and skim milk powder, said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

This is a win for American dairy farmers who want a fair shake at the market, said Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.). I look forward to Canada honoring our agreement, so our dairy industry has access to Canadian market opportunities as promised, continued the chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

On behalf of America's dairy farmers and manufacturers, we want to thank Ambassador Katherine Tai for launching the dispute settlement process and Congressional leaders for strongly supporting the need to uphold USMCAs dairy provisions. We expect Canada to abide by its trade commitments so that the American dairy industry can fully access the Canadian markets just as USMCA promised, said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC.

The United States and Canada negotiated specific market access terms covering a wide variety of dairy products, but instead of playing by those mutually agreed upon rules, Canada ignored its commitments. As a result, U.S. dairy farmers and exporters have been unable to make full use of USMCAs benefits, said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. The decision is an important victory for U.S. dairy farmers and the millions of Americans whose jobs are tied to the U.S. dairy industry.

To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2022

January 6, 2022
If the food is as good as it looks on social media, Concords newest place to eat is going to be good.

No. 1

The Kitchen opens at Cabarrus Brewing Company. CBC officials said it has been in the plans since 2015 and this week The Kitchen officially opened with a ribbon-cutting and festivities. It will be open the same hours as the taproom.

The winter menu includes starters such as deviled eggs, spinach artichoke dip, cheese curds and pretzels.

Specialty burgers are featured and can be made with Impossible Burgers for those wishing vegan or vegetarian options. Several other items can be gluten free, vegan or vegetarian.

French dip, Nashville hot chicken and Cubano are on the sandwich menu.

Fish and chips and a sausage plate are also available.

CBC continues to have special events throughout the year including food trucks and live music.

No. 2

A Paul Harris Award winner from Harrisburg. Though it has been over a year since our community lost its quiet pharmacist in the person of Bill Harris, the Rotary Club of Cabarrus County honored his legacy with a presentation of the Paul Harris Fellow Award.

Receiving on his behalf was Sherrie McDonald of Harrisburg Hometown Pharmacy, where Bill Harris embodied service above self, and was loved by all.

Presenting the Paul Harris Fellow award was Robert Kirk, Rotary Club of Cabarrus County Club President alongside Woody Hathaway, Club Foundation Committee Chair.

Harrisburg Hometown Pharmacy, 5006 Hwy 49 South, has created an memorial pharmacist museum of sorts, and the public is cordially invited to see this impressive display  of both love and caring, as well as a walk through a bit of pharmacological history.

No. 3

The bridge is still out. Readers have asked when the Centergrove Road bridge will reopen. The end is in sight.

I drove out there and it looks like a good bit of progress has been made.

My engineers tell me the bridge should be complete sometime in the spring, said Jen Thompson, communications officer for the N.C. Department of Transportation.

The road is closed at Midlake Road, with only neighborhood traffic allowed beyond that point.

No. 4

Use caution on the new flyover at Concord Mills. I drove on the flyover for the first time Sunday and let me tell you it has a narrow tight turn. I was going too fast (and those know me, know I am not a fast driver). I fear that its just a matter time until we have someones car/truck/SUV piled into the wall.

A couple of readers have also lamented that they fear it will be a problem area when we have icy weather. I agree.

Still I think the flyover is going to help with traffic. It will be needed when Macs Speed Shop opens.

No. 5

Responses from Sundays resolutions column. I wrote about litter problems and the running of red lights in town. One particular problem area is in the Cloverleaf area.

Greg Phillips said I didnt see the worst of the mess up at the Cloverleaf. Drive behind like youre going to Roses store and if you look the direction of Salvation Army you'll see a huge eyesore. It is bad, garbage all along that little stream.

Another reader suggested occasional enforcement of litter laws might help and perhaps sentencing them to a day of picking up trash as a punishment.

Fred Weber of Concord said he is well aware of the red light problem.

This is due to the growth of Concord and the advent of big city driving to our town, Weber said. I drove the freeways and streets of Southern California for 40 years prior to moving to Concord in 2006. There are certain rules to driving in any big city (including Charlotte).

First, throw out the speed limit. Everyone drives as fast as the traffic will bear, generally 10 to 15 mph over the posted limit.

Second, DO NOT SIGNAL before changing lanes on the freeway. If you do, people will speed up and cut you off. What you do is accelerate toward the spot you want and start moving into the lane. When you're about halfway into the lane you turn on your turn signal. Then it's too late for people to cut you off.

Finally, in LA everyone runs red lights. The joke is You know you're in LA when at least 3 cars turn left after the light has turned red. These rules also apply in other big cities I've driven in.

Fred, unfortunately I fear you are correct that the big city rules have arrived here.

It's basically an every man for himself attitude, Weber said Example, I was driving home from Washington DC and had to merge onto I-85. As I tried to move into the merge lane, someone moved up and cut me off. So I thought OK, you S.O.B. I accelerated and moved into to the merge lane three cars in front of this driver. Take that. Now you're 3 cars behind me!

I guess with the good things from all the growth in the area, we get the negative pieces too. Be careful out there.

Anybody out there know who is living in or going to live in all these apartments they are building?

If you are an apartment expert or have a Friday Five, story suggestion or something I can rant about email mplemmons@independenttribune.com or call or text 704-786-0001.

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Peter Bogdanovich, the ascot-wearing cinephile and director of 1970s black-and-white classics like The Last Picture Show and Paper Moon, has died. He was 82.

Bogdanovich died early Thursday morning at his home in Los Angeles, said his daughter, Antonia Bogdanovich. She said he died of natural causes.

Considered part of a generation of young New Hollywood directors, Bogdanovich was heralded as an auteur from the start, with the chilling lone shooter film Targets and soon after The Last Picture Show, from 1971, his evocative portrait of a small, dying town that earned eight Oscar nominations, won two (for Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman) and catapulted him to stardom at the age of 32. He followed The Last Picture Show with the screwball comedy Whats Up, Doc?, starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan ONeal, and then the Depression-era road trip film Paper Moon, which won 10-year-old Tatum ONeal an Oscar as well.

Bogdanovich also had ties to the UNC School of the Arts and taught there in 2010.

He was drawn to UNCSA by Jordan Kerner, who was then dean of the school of filmmaking.

Jordan Kerner is a friend of mine, Bogdanovich told the Journal in 2010. He asked me if I was interested in teaching, and I had been thinking about doing a little teaching.

I did teach once before, at UCLA way back in 1969. I did a one-semester course, 10 weeks on Howard Hawks. And thats the only teaching Id done, but Ive been asked over the years.

That same year, he was honored by the RiverRun International Film Festival.

His turbulent personal life was also often in the spotlight, from his well-known affair with Cybill Shepherd that began during the making of The Last Picture Show while he was married to his close collaborator, Polly Platt, to the murder of his Playmate girlfriend Dorothy Stratten and his subsequent marriage to her younger sister, Louise, who was 29 years younger than him.

Reactions came in swiftly at the news of his death.

Oh dear, a shock. I am devastated. He was a wonderful and great artist, said Francis Ford Coppola in an email. Ill never forgot attending a premiere for The Last Picture Show. I remember at its end, the audience leaped up all around me bursting into applause lasting easily 15 minutes. Ill never forget although I felt I had never myself experienced a reaction like that, that Peter and his film deserved it. May he sleep in bliss for eternity, enjoying the thrill of our applause forever.

Guillermo del Toro tweeted: He was a dear friend and a champion of Cinema. He birthed masterpieces as a director and was a most genial human. He single-handedly interviewed and enshrined the lives and work of more classic filmmakers than almost anyone else in his generation.

Born in Kingston, New York, in 1939, Bogdanovich started out as a film journalist and critic, working as a film programmer at the Museum of Modern Art, where through a series of retrospectives he endeared himself to a host of old guard filmmakers including Orson Welles, Howard Hawks and John Ford. But his Hollywood education started earlier than that: His father took him at age 5 to see Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton movies at the Museum of Modern Art. Hed later make his own Keaton documentary, The Great Buster, which was released in 2018.

Ive gotten some very important one-sentence clues like when Howard Hawks turned to me and said Always cut on the movement and no one will notice the cut, he said in an interview with The Associated Press. It was a very simple sentence but it profoundly effected everything Ive done.

And Welles, in addition to being one of Bogdanovichs idols, became a close friend and occasional adversary. Though a generation apart, both experienced the highs of early success and all the complications and jealousies that come with it. In 1992, the younger director published the book This is Orson Welles, based on conversations with the older director going back to 1969. Bogdanovich was also instrumental in finishing and releasing Welles The Other Side of the Wind, which was started in 1970, in 2018.

Right up to the end, he was fighting for the art of cinema and the people who created it, Scorsese wrote.

His own Hollywood education started early: His father took him at age 5 to see Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton movies at the Museum of Modern Art. Hed later make his own Keaton documentary, The Great Buster, which was released in 2018.

After marrying young, Bogdanovich and Platt moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s, where they attended Hollywood parties and struck up friendships with director Roger Corman and Frank Marshall, then just an aspiring producer, who helped get the film Targets off the ground. And the professional ascent continued for the next few films and years. But after Paper Moon, which Platt collaborated on after they had separated, he would never again capture the accolades of those first five years in Hollywood.

Bogdanovichs relationship with Shepherd led to the end of his marriage to Platt, with whom he shared daughters Antonia and Sashy, and a fruitful creative partnership. The 1984 film Irreconcilable Differences was loosely based on the scandal. He later disputed the idea that Platt, who died in 2011, was an integral part of the success of his early films.

He would go on to make two other films with Shepherd, an adaptation of Henry Jamess Daisy Miller and the musical At Long Last Love, neither of which were particularly well-received by critics or audiences.

And he also passed on major opportunities at the height of his successes. He told Vulture he turned down The Godfather, Chinatown and The Exorcist.

Paramount called and said, We just bought a new Mario Puzo book called The Godfather. Wed like you to consider directing it. I said, Im not interested in the Mafia, he said in the interview.

Headlines would continue to follow Bogdanovich for things other than his movies. He began an affair with Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten while directing her in They All Laughed, a romantic comedy with Audrey Hepburn and Ben Gazzara, in the spring and summer of 1980. Her husband, Paul Snider, murdered her that August. Bogdanovich, in a 1984 book titled The Killing of the Unicorn: Dorothy Stratten, 1960-1980, criticized Hugh Hefners Playboy empire for its alleged role in events he said ended in Strattens death. Then, nine years later, at 49, he married her younger sister Louise Stratten, who was just 20 at the time. They divorced in 2001, but continued living together, with her mother in Los Angeles.

In an interview with the AP in 2020, Bogdanovich acknowledged that his relationships had an impact on his career.

The whole thing about my personal life got in the way of peoples understanding of the movies, Bogdanovich said. Thats something that has plagued me since the first couple of pictures.

Despite some flops along the way, Bogdanovichs output remained prolific in the 1980s and 1990s, including a sequel to The Last Picture Show called Texasville, the country music romantic drama The Thing Called Love, which was one of River Phoenixs last films, and, in 2001, The Cats Meow, about a party on William Randolph Hearsts yacht starring Kirsten Dunst as Marion Davies. His last narrative film, Shes Funny that Way, a screwball comedy starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston that he co-wrote with Louise Stratten, debuted to mixed reviews in 2014.

Over the years he authored several books about movies, including Peter Bogdanovichs Movie of the Week, Who the Devil Made It: Conversations with Legendary Film Directors and Who the Hells in It: Conversations with Hollywoods Legendary Actors.

He acted semi-frequently, too, sometimes playing himself (in Moonlighting and How I Met Your Mother) and sometimes other people, like Dr. Elliot Kupferberg on The Sopranos, and also inspired a new generation of filmmakers, from Wes Anderson to Noah Baumbach.

They call me Pop, and I allow it, he told Vulture.

At the time of the AP interview in 2020, coinciding with a podcast about his career with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz, he was hard at work on a television show inspired by Dorothy Stratten, and wasnt optimistic about the future of cinema.

I just keep going, you know. Television is not dead yet, he said with a laugh. But movies may have a problem.

Yet even with his Hollywood-sized ego, Bogdanovich remained deferential to those who came before.

I dont judge myself on the basis of my contemporaries, he told The New York Times in 1971. I judge myself against the directors I admire  Hawks, Lubitsch, Buster Keaton, Welles, Ford, Renoir, Hitchcock. I certainly dont think Im anywhere near as good as they are, but I think Im pretty good.

Material from the Winston-Salem Journal was used in this report.
Brian Gawthrop has waited over six months to remodel his home.

The Washington state-based certified financial planner and his wife have a long enough wish list to keep a contractor busy: a kitchen remodel, new flooring, a new deck and many other upgrades.

They did a cash-out refinance last summer, which lowered their mortgage rate and gave them money to use toward home improvements. They planned to start soon after receiving the cash, but by mid-December Gawthrop still hadn't found the right contractor.

Contractors say pandemic-prompted home remodels have kept their schedules full, while labor and material shortages have extended project timelines. That means the next contractor you call may be more selective about the projects they accept, and your quote may be higher than you expected.

Here's how to stand out in a crowd of homeowners vying for a contractor's attention.

Get a referral

A contractor may be more likely to call you back if an existing customer refers you. You can try a friend, family member or neighbor who's had work done recently.

Mike Williams, owner of Maryland Professional Contractors, says when he has dozens of voicemails, referrals get the first calls back.

Williams says he enjoys working with new customers, but the referral network supports his business.

"That base supports about seven full-time employees right now," he says. "I know that was there before this boom, so I'm pretty sure after the boom we'll have that referral base."

You might also use your real estate agent. Williams says about half of his referrals come from agents.

Be patient and nice

For Williams, summer is the busy season and demand starts to drop in the fall; last year, however, he stayed busy through the end of the year. Renovation timelines could be delayed by backlogged city permit requests, a shortage of subcontractors and backordered materials.

Christina Starmer, building contractor at CenterBeam Construction in Jacksonville, Fla., says she returns every customer's call, but acknowledges that not all contractors do.

"I think it's really important to be extremely kind to the customers and call them back, but the customers right now are just extremely frustrated because they can't get anyone to pick up the phone," she says.

Frustrating as it is, don't let anger get the best of you. Starmer says renovations are hard work, and a little empathy goes a long way.

If someone is unkind early on, Starmer assumes they'll be unkind to her staff as well, and usually moves on to a new client.

Know what you want

Research finishes, such as cabinets and countertops, before calling a contractor because they can make a big difference in the project's cost, says Jonathan Larkin, sales manager of St. Paul, Minn.-based JoNick Construction.

"It's much easier to write up a bid if somebody has some solid ideas of what they really want," he says.

If you don't have the details ironed out, Larkin recommends setting a budget ahead of time.

Giving a number may feel like relinquishing leverage, but he says a reputable contractor will use your budget to help you assess options, not overcharge you.

Your budget may need to be higher than before the pandemic, he says. Wood prices skyrocketed last spring and still haven't fallen to their pre-pandemic levels. Other materials, like shingles and siding, are also more expensive than they were in 2019, Starmer says.

Larkin recommends getting an itemized estimate in case you need to find opportunities to cut costs.

Protect your finances

Gawthrop says his wife wants to start their renovations sooner than later, but he wants to stay budget-conscious. In this market, he says price seems largely at the discretion of contractors.

"It kind of feels like the wild west," he says.

But you can maintain control of your finances.

For example, ask to build a pricing buffer into the contract. Larkin says if material costs increase or decrease by more than 12% between the time he makes a bid and when the project starts, he'll correct the bid. This helps protect him and his customers from volatile materials prices, he says.

If you're not paying for the renovation in cash, compare financing options. For example, home equity financing typically comes with single-digit rates and repayment terms of 10 or more years, while personal loans can have rates between 6% and 36% but shorter terms of one to seven years.

Weigh each type of financing to find one that works best for you.
Forsyth County and North Carolina have reached another record level of daily COVID-19 cases as the omicron variant continues to spread, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported Thursday.

Forsyth reported 939 new cases Thursday, up 42.4% from the 659 cases reported Wednesday and a 33.2% increase over the previous high of 705 reported Dec. 30.

Altogether, there have been 63,858 COVID-19 cases in Forsyth since the pandemic began.

DHHS reported 24,292 cases across North Carolina on Thursday, along with a positive test rate of 30.1%

DHHS also reported Forsyth had two additional COVID-19 related deaths for a total of 628.

The majority of new cases are the omicron variant, according to state and local health care officials.

Dr. Christopher Ohl, an infectious diseases expert with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, said Thursday that at least 85% of cases in the Forsyth area are omicron

"If you are unvaccinated, you will get omicron, no ifs, ands or buts," Ohl said. "It's going to happen."

Forsyth health director Joshua Swift said Thursday that the number of county COVID-19 cases has jumped 378% since the beginning of the Christmas and New Years holiday periods.

"It's getting hard to wrap your mind around the increase in cases," Swift said. "We're hopeful that we will reach a peak with omicron within a couple of weeks and it will decrease as rapidly as it increased."

Forsyths positive test rate was at 25.6% as of noon Thursday, compared with 23.5% on Wednesday, 22.2% on Tuesday and 15.9% on Friday.

By comparison, Swift said the peak positive test rate was around 14% when the delta variant was the prominent form of the coronavirus.

Dr. David Priest, an infectious diseases expert with Novant Health Inc., said Tuesday that the positive test rate within Novants network has been 34% over the past seven days. Some communities within the Novant network are approaching 40%, he said.

It really speaks to how infectious the omicron variant really is, Priest said.

With Thursdays report, Forsyth averaged 124.9 cases per 100,000 individuals over the most recent two-week period. Thats up from 67.6 cases per 100,000 as of Dec. 31.

Both Priest and Swift have said the number of COVID-19 cases likely is underreported, in part because most at-home test results arent reported to county health officials and some infected individuals have mild cases and dont seek care.

Statewide update

The 24,292 new cases reported statewide Thursday represents a 16.9% increase from the previous daily high of 20,770 reported Wednesday.

The highest-ever positive test rate was 31.8%, reported Wednesday.

Since early July, the vast majority of COVID-related hospitalizations and deaths locally and statewide have been among unvaccinated people, according to local infectious diseases experts and state public health officials.

There also have been deaths among vaccinated people who were immunocompromised or who had other health issues.

State and local health care officials also attribute the current surge to colder weather leading people to spend more time indoors.

Statewide, there were 44 COVID-related deaths reported between noon Wednesday and noon Thursday.

North Carolina has recorded 1.79 million cases and 19,586 COVID-19 related deaths since the pandemic began.

As it becomes endemic, everyone will eventually have antibodies in their system to it through either getting infected, getting vaccinated against it, or both," Priest said.

Hospitalizations

The statewide COVID-19 hospitalization total jumped by 194 to 3,293 as of noon Thursday  the most since Sept. 23.

The hospitalization count has increased for 11 consecutive days.

Of the latest total, 395 patients are on ventilators, down eight from Wednesday.

Hospitals in the 17-county Triad and Northwest N.C. region reported a combined 811 COVID-19 patients, up 29 from Wednesdays report.

DHHS said North Carolina's increase in child COVID-19 hospitalizations is similar to the nationwide increase over the past two weeks.

As of noon Thursday, there were 59 children hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide, including 15 in the Triad region.

Were pushing the boundaries of what hospitals can handle, and its going to be like that through January, Priest previously said.

Boosters update

As of noon Thursday, 2.59 million COVID-19 booster doses had been given in North Carolina since Aug. 13.

DHHS said 70% of adult North Carolinians are fully vaccinated.

About 70% of adult Forsyth residents are fully vaccinated. By comparison, Guilford is at 69%, Durham 78%, Wake 81% and Mecklenburg 72%.

DHHS said Thursday that it will follow the booster recommendations from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 12- to 15-year-olds.

It also plans to follow CDC guidance for a third vaccine dose for children ages 5 to 11 who have compromised immune systems.

"The new recommendations by the CDC reinforce the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters  and the urgency of getting vaccinated and boosted to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death," said Kody Kinsley, the state's health secretary.

Swift said Thursday that at least 8,142 children ages 5 to 11 in Forsyth have received at least one dose of the kids version of the Pfizer vaccine. That represents about 23% of the children in that age range in the county.

Swift said that about 6,018 Forsyth children in that age range, or 17%, are fully vaccinated.

Among ages 12 to 17 in Forsyth, the fully vaccinated rate is at 46%.

Our concern right now is what were seeing in our younger ages ... we still have a sizable percentage of the population that still dont have even one dose, Swift said.

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Local teachers and some other school employees will likely receive a smaller increase than scheduled in their supplemental pay because of a calculation error of about $16 million, Superintendent Tricia McManus said Thursday night.

Because of that calculation error, the amount approved was roughly $16 million dollars above what was budgeted for local increases, McManus said in a message to the certified staff of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. It was a significant calculation mistake.

I join our finance and human resources teams in sincerely apologizing for the mistake, and I regret the formula error was not captured before the salary schedules were made public, McManus said. I never want to give misinformation and false hope, especially when it involves your compensation.

Further reading Superintendent McManus's statement Thursday night to all school employees

On Dec. 14, the board of education approved salary increases for teachers and certified support staff, including counselors, psychologists, social workers and others.

Under the salary plan, first-year 10-month teachers on the bachelors schedule would have received $8,200 annually in local supplements, the school district said in a news release.

Now that the calculation error has been discovered, school administrators will present an updated salary schedule Tuesday to the board of education, McManus said. The school board will look at the school districts budget and decide what the new local supplement will be, she said.

While it likely will not be as high as the amounts portrayed in the previously approved schedule, McManus said, as we have said from the beginning of this process, we are committed to ensuring a significant supplement increase for our staff.

The goal of our proposal will be to minimize the gap between what was published in December, and what is more in line with the amount of money available for supplements, McManus said.

The proposal will include a minimum average annual supplement increase of $1,800, McManus said. It will vary depending where employees fall on the supplemental schedule, she said. The beginning teacher annual supplement would be a minimum of $6,400, McManus said.

Again, while not has high as what was previously approved, this supplement increase will be greater than in years past, she said.

McManus said that school officials have reorganized the teams managing and monitoring compensation. We have implemented a new four-step process to check all salary formulas and calculations before they are made public and before presenting to the Board of Education for approval, she said. With these new, lengthy checks and balances in place, it will allow us to avoid this in the future.

Tripp Jeffers, a history and philosophy teacher at Parkland High School and the former president of the Forsyth County Association of Educators, said Thursday night that he was concerned about the error.

Someone on staff made an unforgivable mathematical error of $16 million, Jeffers said. But that is a drop in the bucket of the federal dollars received in COVID relief funds.

The school board can make this right ... to fulfill the promise they made to their teachers in December, Jeffers said.

McManus encouraged certified employees to follow the school boards process in responding to the error.

It is no secret that educators are severely underpaid, McManus said. While I have little control over state and national funding, I can continue finding local ways to add to our WS/FCS educator pay. I promise to keep this a priority.

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Longtime Standardbred owner Marlene Taylor of Philadelphia, Pa. passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 at the age of 63.

A member of the U.S. Trotting Association for years, she was the proud owner of several top horses including the 2021 two-year-olds Market Based and Goo Goo Won. Her favourite, however, will always be Fred And Ginger.

She was an incredibly strong woman and the backbone of her family. She is survived by her mother, Zoraida; her loving husband, Howard Taylor; her two beautiful daughters, Lindsay Bell and Ashley Powell (husband Michael); as well as her grandson, Michael Logan Powell, who she adored.

A service for Marlene will be held on Saturday, Jan. 15 from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Givnish Funeral Parlor, 398 East Main Street, Marlton, N.J. with a luncheon to follow.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Marlene Taylor.

(with files from USTA)
GREENSBORO  The Rev. T. Anthony Spearman was part of a vigil in front of the governors mansion in Raleigh in October when he got the news that he had lost reelection as president of the North Carolina branch of the NAACP, the countrys oldest civil rights organization.

He called Deborah Dicks Maxwell of New Hanover County, a retired military veteran, and congratulated her on becoming the first woman to win the seat.

And then, he says, questions arose on how the election was carried out.

I have some very serious concerns, Spearman, a retired Greensboro pastor, said during a virtual press conference on Friday.

Members of the North Carolina NAACP, including Spearman and the Rev. Cardes Brown, a former Greensboro NAACP chapter president and the winner of one of the national organizations most noted awards, are challenging what they see as election irregularities. The group, calling itself the Justice Coalition, has asked the national organization for another vote guided by the groups constitution and by-laws because of what they allege were egregious and unconstitutional measures in last years election.

At least 37 delegates from across the state signed a letter to National President Derrick Johnson. Neither Johnson nor his press office could be reached earlier today. Contact information for Maxwell was unavailable early Friday.

With regards to who will be president of the conference or who is president, I think we are waiting to hear from our national office to give you an answer to that question, Brown said during the online gathering with dozens of veteran workers in the state organization, including parliamentarians, who noted that long-standing rules were not followed.

Brown would not say the group is considering legal action, but did say that he hopes that by calling out what happened, that others will demand another vote.

Others described delegates not getting information or not getting the opportunity to vote.

We feel like this election process was botched  it should have never been sanctioned, said Amos McClorey, president of the Cabarrus County NAACP.

According to Brown, there had been tension in the organization leading up to the election, when one of two national administrators overseeing the state office set the date for the election, and then changed it.

On the day of the election, not all delegates had been notified or were able to vote during the window of hours, Brown said. Later in the day, the votes were thrown out and another period of voting was opened  unbeknownst to some delegates who went on with their day. Many did not get the chance to vote, he said.

In December, Johnson seemingly dismissed earlier complaints raised by the group, referring to a 2019 decision that elections overseen by a national administrator cannot be appealed. The North Carolina NAACP, the largest branch in the South, has been overseen by administrators appointed by the national office since 2019 when allegations were made against a supervisor in the state office. Johnson also dismissed the impact of the 2021 complaints.

The issues raised in your Article IX challenge would not change the outcome of the election, Johnson wrote, although the letter does mention that the dismissal is pending a final vote of the appropriate body.

The Justice Coalition is asking the national office to be heard on the complaints before that takes place.

The organization, which has its hands in lawsuits over voter suppression tactics in the state, is now being accused of the very same thing.

We, however, never expected to see voter suppression tactics in the North Carolina NAACP, Brown said.

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 336-373-7049 and follow @nmclaughlinNR on Twitter.

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As Lancaster County approached a weekly record for COVID-19 cases, CHI Health said Friday that all of its employees who work directly with patients will be required to wear two masks or an N95-rated mask starting Monday.

The health system, which owns St. Elizabeth and Nebraska Heart hospitals, as well as numerous other health care facilities in Lincoln, said the move was recommended by its infectious disease specialists in an attempt to protect its workforce from the fast-spreading omicron variant.

We know that the omicron variant of COVID-19 is the dominant variant in Nebraska and Iowa and is much more transmissible than previous variants, Dr. Renuga Vivekanandan, chief of infectious disease at CHI Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy, said in a news release.

The health system said wearing a cloth mask over a medical-grade surgical mask will be sufficient to meet the requirement.

Dr. Cary Ward, chief medical officer for CHI Health, said in an emailed statement that as of Thursday the company had 210 employees out with COVID-19 out of a total staff of almost 11,000 people working in its system.

"Right now, we're managing but we are stretched thin," Ward said. "This masking policy change is a proactive step we're taking to keep our staff healthy, on the job and preparing for the surge."

The omicron variant has sent cases soaring in Nebraska over the past few days. Through the first six days of the year, the state has already seen nearly 11,000 cases, and that includes only partial results from Thursday.

Lancaster County set back-to-back single-day case records Wednesday and Thursday, recording nearly 1,200 cases on those two days combined. The county seems sure to break its weekly pandemic record for cases, which is 2,100, set the first week of December 2020.

On Friday, Lancaster County reported 307 new cases and two deaths, men in their 70s and 80s who had been vaccinated.

Lincoln hospitals cared for 124 COVID-19 patients on Friday.

Hospitalizations also have risen statewide, although not anywhere near as fast as case counts. As of Friday morning, there were 568 COVID-19 patients across Nebraska, up more than 25% over the past two weeks.

Bryan Health has had steady but high numbers of COVID-19 patients for several months. Since about mid-August, the daily number of patients at its Lincoln hospitals has ranged between about 60 and 80, with 74 in the hospital Friday.

Bryan said in a statement that it is considering upgrading its mask mandate for staff to one similar to CHI Health's requirement but has not yet done so.

Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.

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Lancaster Countys mask mandate may be gone, but both city and county employees must still don face coverings at work.

On Dec. 22, the city issued the fifth iteration of a policy regarding pandemic preparedness in the workplace, a day before the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department lifted its mask mandate.

That latest city policy bulletin requires face coverings for all employees when interacting with co-workers, members of the public or in meetings with more than two people. The bulletin says the requirement is in place because of the introduction of the omicron COVID-19 variant. Employees dont need to wear them in private offices or cubicles if the employee is alone.

The policy has been in effect in some form since June 3, 2020, when the city first required face coverings for all employees.

That was more than a month before the local Health Department enacted its first mask mandate, which stayed in place until May 20 of last year.

On the same day the mask mandate expired in May, city officials adjusted the personnel policy, allowing vaccinated employees to work without face coverings. Those who werent vaccinated were required to wear masks at work when they couldnt maintain social distancing.

Then in August  because of an increasing number of COVID-19 cases  face coverings were once again mandated countywide.

The December bulletin also calls for avoiding in-person meetings for employees experiencing symptoms of COVID-19; maintaining 6 feet of distance between co-workers and the public; as well as frequent handwashing.

Asked about the citys decision to continue to require employees to wear face coverings with the end of the mask mandate, Jennifer Brinkman, chief of staff for Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, referred to guidance from Health Department officials when announcing the end of the mandate.

That guidance, she said, urged all businesses and organizations to continue to require masks.

The City of Lincoln believes it is necessary for individuals to wear masks to protect themselves from the spread of COVID-19, Brinkman said in an email. And they can do that without a DHM in place.

The countywide mask mandate, issued by the Health Department, was the only one of its kind in Nebraska over recent months. Ending the mandate just as cases were surging this winter has raised questions as to the timing, and to the involvement of elected officials in the decision.

With its employees, the county followed a similar personnel policy arc as the city, issuing the first policy June 11, 2020, that required all employees to wear face masks.

On June 8, 2021, the policy was modified, lifting the mask requirement for vaccinated employees, though the policy recommended masks for unvaccinated employees. Employees who worked in corrections, and the youth services and crisis centers still had to wear masks.

Then in September, the county policy was modified again, requiring face masks for all employees when community transmission is substantial or high based on the CDC COVID-19 data tracker.

County officials sent an email reminding county employees that the policy remained in effect after the mask mandate expired Dec. 23.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSreist

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At the local level, Nebraska voters can initiate a recall to remove an elected official, but no such mechanism exists for the state's highest offices.

On Thursday, Sen. Tom Briese of Albion introduced a constitutional amendment (LR268CA) that would give Nebraskans an option to remove governors and state senators from office.

"We're talking about the second house here," Briese said. "If a mistake has been made by the voters, they should have the ability to correct that mistake prior to the next election."

Nineteen states  Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin  and the District of Columbia permit the recall of state officials.

Virginia also has a process to recall state officials, where petitioners submit signatures to a circuit court for a trial. The court then decides whether or not to remove the state official from office.

Only four governors have faced a recall election in U.S. history, and only two of those recalls were successful, according to Rutgers University's Center on the American Governor.

North Dakota Gov. Lynn Frazier was recalled from office in 1921 and California Gov. Gray Davis was removed from office in 2003. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin survived a 2012 recall, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom was easily retained in office during a 2021 recall election.

Briese said he believes Nebraskans would use the recall process for state officials judiciously: "My hope would be that it would be rarely used, but I still think Nebraskans ought to have the option to do that."

If passed by the Legislature, the proposed constitutional amendment would go before voters in November's general election.

Approval from voters would send the measure back to lawmakers to draft how the recall process would ultimately work, Briese said.

Currently, Nebraska is among 30 states that allow local elected officials to be recalled, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Two school board officials  one in Waverly, the other in the Leyton district  are facing recall elections next week over school-related COVID-19 guidelines.

Saunders County voters recalled the chair of the county board of commissioners in December following approval of a solar energy farm.

The process outlined in state law says officials cannot be recalled in their first six months in office, nor can they be recalled within six months of the incumbent filing deadline to seek reelection.

To recall most local elected officials, petitioners have 30 days to gather a number of signatures equal to 35% of the total votes cast for that office in the most recent election.

The Legislature, under a power reserved in Article III-17 of the state constitution, has the power to impeach state officials if a majority of the 49 members agree on doing so.

Briese said he thinks the Legislature realizes the importance of giving the people  often referred to as the "second house"  an option to remove elected leaders from state office.

"It's an effort to put a little more power in the hands of Nebraskans," he said. "Any time you can do that, it's a good thing."

Other bills introduced Thursday include:

RANKED CHOICE VOTING: Omaha Sen. John McCollister sponsored a bill (LB793) allowing for ranked choice voting for certain city or village offices.

NONPARTISAN ELECTION: A bill (LB794), also from McCollister, would change the offices of state treasurer and state auditor to nonpartisan positions.

JUVENILE CONFINEMENT: Juvenile detention facilities would be required to report to the Legislature the number of times juveniles were confined to their rooms, for how long, and other incidents under a bill (LB810) from Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh.

VACCINE ADMINISTRATION: Pharmacy technicians could administer certain vaccines, under a proposal (LB812) from Omaha Sen. Robert Hilkemann.

RACIAL IMPACT: The Legislative Research Office would be required to prepare racial impact statements for each bill introduced, under a proposal (LB814) from Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney.

DIAPER CHANGING TABLES: McKinney also introduced a bill (LB815) requiring hotels, restaurants, gas stations, theaters, auditoriums or other facilities with public restrooms to make diaper changing tables available in both women's and men's restrooms.

PRIMARY CITY: Lincoln Sen. Matt Hansen's bill (LB820) would increase the population threshold for cities of the metropolitan class from 300,000 to 400,000, which would keep Lincoln designated as a city of the primary class as its population surpasses the 300,000 mark.

INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS: Hansen also introduced a bill (LB821) providing state aid to municipalities in the form of grants to help pay for infrastructure projects.

STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS: Omaha Sen. Rich Pahls sponsored legislation (LB833) eliminating the statute of limitations for sexual assault of a child.

ANTI-ISRAEL: Public entities would be required to obtain a written certification that contracted companies will not engage in a boycott of Israel, under a bill (LB845) from Sen. Julie Slama of Sterling.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS

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The release of recommendations for improving Nebraska's criminal justice system was delayed Thursday amid objections from at least one state senator.

Senators gathered to hear from the nonprofit Crime and Justice Institute, which has facilitated a monthslong dive into Nebraska data with a group of officials from across the criminal justice system and government.

The effort will yield recommendations that are expected to inform policy proposals during the legislative session, which began Wednesday. Senators will consider any criminal justice reform proposals alongside a pitch to build a new 1,512-bed state prison.

"I think it's been an informative and engaging process, and the final report provides a path for change," said Len Engel, director of policy and campaigns for the institute.

Officials had anticipated releasing recommendations. But they weren't shared Thursday afternoon because of a "fly in the ointment," said Sen. Steve Lathrop, who chairs the Legislature's Judiciary Committee and was among the officials who initiated the process in Nebraska.

The final report is expected "soon," Lathrop said. The group agrees on many recommendations, he said, such as expanding problem-solving courts. The disagreements center on recommendations related to sentencing, he said.

Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln, who was part of the working group, voiced her frustration Thursday, saying she felt that she hadn't been heard.

She said she's asked for edits to the report that haven't been adopted. That motivated her to speak, she said, and hold up the release of the recommendations.

"I think that there's just not agreement among the group," she told senators. "You guys might as well know that."

She said it's a "philosophical difference" and mentioned some areas where she has concerns.

"I just contend we're doing a lot right in our state," she said.

There will be a debate about solutions to the problems, Lathrop responded, but the data is "not controversial."

"Don't confuse the debate that we'll have in this room, when we present bills and go through the legislative process, with whether the data that you just saw is accurate or not," he said. "Because I don't think anybody disagrees that the data is accurate. It's just about: What are the solutions that we're willing to accept?"

Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha, who's also on the working group, took issue with Geist's comments.

McKinney, who represents a district in North Omaha, noted that a disproportionate part of the prison population is Black. The analysis found that 1 of 5 people admitted to prison are Black, while only 1 in 25 Nebraskans are Black.

He doesn't think that the recommendations go far enough, but he said that there were things he "could live with" and that the group had agreed to put some options in the report for the Legislature to consider.

"Now, I just feel like it's an attempt by ... individuals trying to sabotage the process," he said, with the end goal to force a new prison without passing reforms. He predicted a "long session" if that's attempted.

Among the other findings discussed Thursday: While crime rates have decreased in Nebraska and across the country, the imprisonment rate in Nebraska has steadily grown. The state's prison population has grown 21% over the last decade.

A recent Omaha World-Herald analysis of national corrections data showed that Nebraska has now surpassed Alabama as the state with the most-overcrowded prison system.

Engel said the state's corrections budget has increased by more than 50% since 2011. The rates of people returning to prison within three years have increased, too.

In dissecting the factors that contribute to the trends, Engel said the prison population growth seems largely because of increases in how long inmates are staying, caused by longer sentences and a decreasing percentage of parole grants.

"Before the pandemic hit, admissions were outpacing releases," Engel said. "This means that there are more people coming into prison than are getting out. And unless something interrupts this trend, the population will continue to increase."

The prison population is expected to grow by about 1,200 people by 2031, he said.

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FRANKLIN COUNTY  A woman tied to the U.S. Capitol riots a year ago was drunk and driving the wrong way on Interstate 44 on Wednesday night when she killed a woman and seriously injured the man driving another car in Franklin County, authorities said.

The Missouri Highway Patrol said the wrong-way driver, 22-year-old Emily E. Hernandez, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Mercy Hospital for treatment. Hernandez lives in Sullivan, Missouri.

The crash happened just after 7 p.m. Wednesday on eastbound I-44 in Franklin County. The woman who died in the crash was identified as 32-year-old Victoria N. Wilson of St. Clair, Missouri. She was a passenger in a car that was hit by Hernandez, police said. Wilson's husband was seriously hurt.

Hernandez was issued a citation Wednesday night at the hospital for two felonies: driving while intoxicated resulting in death, and driving while intoxicated resulting in injury. Cpl. Dallas Thompson of the Missouri Highway Patrol said Hernandez was cited for those offenses and a patrol trooper will be seeking charges from the Franklin County prosecutor's office.

Thompson said no mugshot was available of Hernandez because she was hospitalized after the wreck, and no court date has been set.

The fatal crash happened on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riots last Jan. 6. Hernandez was pictured during the riots holding a broken sign from House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office.

Ethan Corlija, one of Hernandezs lawyers, said he was with Hernandez on Wednesday night in the hospital. She needed surgery to close a head wound, he said, but was expected to be released from the hospital sometime Thursday.

He said the crash was a tragic event and not intentional, adding, My heart goes out to the other motorist who lost their life and their family.

Corlija said the plan was to go forward with a court hearing Monday at which Hernandez will plead guilty to a single misdemeanor charge connected to the Capitol riot.

The misdemeanor should carry a recommended sentence of six months or less in prison.

Hernandez is facing five misdemeanors in U.S. District Court in Washington, including knowingly entering a restricted building without authority, demonstrating in the Capitol, stealing, and knowingly engaging in disorderly conduct in a restricted building with intent to impede the government.

Pictures and videos from inside and outside the Capitol show a smiling Hernandez holding up a piece of a sign from Pelosis office. Charging documents say tipsters told the FBI that it was Hernandez, and also said shed posted pictures of herself in the Capitol via Snapchat.

Hernandez was one of three people who traveled together to Washington for the "Stop the Steal" rally. All three entered the Capitol and were charged. William D. "Bill" Merry, Hernandez's uncle, and Paul Scott Westover, his friend, have both pleaded guilty.

In the fatal crash, the patrol said Hernandez had been driving west in the eastbound lanes in a 2014 Volkswagen Passat. Wilson was a passenger in an eastbound 2019 Buick Enclave driven by Ryan E. Wilson, 36, of St. Clair. He suffered serious injuries and was being treated at Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan.

The patrol said both cars swerved right before the crash. After the vehicles collided, Ryan Wilson's car ended up hitting cable barriers in the highway median.

Hernandez was the only person listed in the patrol's crash report who was wearing a seat belt.

Thompson, the patrol spokesman, said neither he nor the trooper who worked the crash investigation knew about Hernandez's connection to the riots. Thompson said he didn't have additional details, such as where Hernandez got on the highway before the crash.

'Heart of gold'

Victoria Wilson, the woman killed in the crash, was the innocent victim of the wrong-way driver, police said. Wilson was the mother of two boys, ages 15 and 10. Her husband, Ryan, is a stay-at-home father and the boys were being homeschooled since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Victoria Wilson was a home healthcare aide who worked primarily with disabled people, including children. She and her mother began doing that work together many years ago.

"She had a heart of gold," said Victoria's mother, Tonie Donaldson. "Not everyone can work with mentally challenged children, and she's done it since she was 13."

"She never went without a smile on her face," her mother said.

While Ryan Wilson was hospitalized Thursday, Donaldson and her husband, Eddie, were taking care of their grandsons. Donaldson said Ryan Wilson suffered broken bones in a foot and had a dislocated ankle and several lacerations.

Ryan and Victoria Wilson were traveling on I-44 to come home Wednesday night after eating dinner at Applebee's to celebrate an upcoming wedding anniversary. Their anniversary isn't until Sunday but they celebrated early because Victoria works weekends, Donaldson said. The couple had been together 15 years.

Donaldson said she was upset that Hernandez wasn't already in jail or prison for her role in the Capitol riots.

"Why is she still out?" Donaldson told the Post-Dispatch. "With what she did to the government, why is she still walking the street?"

Donaldson said of Hernandez, "To me, she's a piece of (expletive deleted). At 7 o'clock, you're drunk and she got on the highway drunk?"

Donaldson said the family has set up a fundraising account to help cover funeral expenses.

Kim Bell  314-340-8115 @kbellpd on Twitter kbell@post-dispatch.com

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By Trend

The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) has denied the information spread in the Azerbaijani social networks, CBA told Trend on Jan. 6.

The false information about the alleged "New Year's poll of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan for 2022" was spread in social networks.

"This information does not correspond to reality and has no relation to the Central Bank of Azerbaijan," the CBA stressed.
There is no doubt that the federal stimulus actions that have taken place under both Presidents Trump and Biden have played a major role in our nation weathering the COVID-19 pandemic as well as it has.

And while reasonable people can disagree about the proper level of debt our country should have, being able to take on debt has been essential to providing needed federal relief during this unprecedented moment in our history.

A dangerous measure that could be debated by Nebraska lawmakers in the coming days would likely stop our country from being able to borrow in hard times and thus threaten our nations ability to respond to emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The measure is LR14, and its identical to proposals before other state legislatures. It calls for a constitutional convention, and many proponents would like to use a convention to pass a federal balanced budget amendment or make other sweeping changes to our nations Constitution.

A balanced budget amendment  if enacted  would prevent the federal government from taking on debt. But federal debt actually works to stabilize the economy during recessionary periods such as that caused by the pandemic. During these times, businesses and consumers spend less, which leads to job losses. At the same time, the cost of unemployment benefits and other programs  including federal relief initiatives  increase as more people lean on this support.

Borrowing to fund these increases in benefits cushions the blow to the economy as it helps families and businesses that receive the benefits and also helps preserve the jobs that remained through the economic downturn.

Leading economists -- including Nobel Prize winners Kenneth Arrow and William Sharpe of Stanford University and Peter Diamond and Robert Solow of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- have said a balanced budget amendment would weaken our nation.

They say a balanced budget amendment would limit our ability to prevent recessions from spiraling into depressions. Economists say a balanced budget amendment would make it difficult for the federal government to borrow funds needed to fund roads, education and other infrastructure needs that are vitally important to our economy.

Federal dollars also play a key role at the state level as they account for approximately one-third of the state budget  about $3.6 billion in FY20/21. Furthermore, as a result of the pandemic, Nebraska has been allocated more than $21 billion in federal funding  twice our states total annual state and local tax collections. This has helped our state weather the worst of the pandemics economic effects.

Nebraskas farmers benefit from hundreds of millions in federal subsidies each year, and federal dollars also support road construction, higher education and K-12 schools as well as military installations like Offutt Air Force Base. The funding that supports all of this would be vulnerable to cuts if lawmakers had to balance the federal budget every year.

And if federal funding is cut, it could force state and local governments to reduce the services they provide or raise other taxes and fees  including property taxes  to avoid service cuts.

Calls for fiscal restraint are sensible and valid as are conversations about the appropriate level of federal debt. LR14 and the federal balanced budget amendment the measures proponents support, however, are dangerous propositions and our state and nation would be best served by Nebraska lawmakers rejecting them.

All three authors are former Nebraska lawmakers and current members of the OpenSky Policy Institute Legislative Alumni Advisory Committee. Campbell represented District 25 from 2009 to 2017. Gloor represented District 35 from 2009 to 2017. Harms represented District 48 from 2007 to 2015. Campbell and Harms also are members of OpenSkys Board of Directors.

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Malcolm James family is alleging that Racine County authorities have been trying to place the blame for James death on James himself and his mental illness, even though he was restrained and surrounded by Racine County Jail guards who had put him into an uncomfortable position for an extended period of time when he stopped breathing.

Two doctors consulted by the Racine County District Attorneys Office disputed the conclusion of the doctor who performed James autopsy and concluded that he died by asphyxia because of the position he had been forced into.

Although he had been exhibiting self-harming behavior minutes beforehand, James was not doing so when he stopped breathing, although correctional officers continued to use force against him.

Malcolm James didnt do it to himself, said Kevin OConnor, a Chicago attorney representing James family.

In June, Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling released a video that showed James hitting his head against his own cell wall, although there is no indication that that behavior played any role in James death on June 1.

By releasing that isolated video without mention of later events actually connected to James death, Bishop Tavis Grant, a civil rights organizer supporting the James family, said that Schmaling was painting a false narrative of what happened that night  They told the community he died while beating his head against the wall  He (James) didnt die because he beat his head against the wall.

There was no public mention of the use of the restraint chair until this week. James attorney and family met with Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson on Wednesday night. Hansons decision was made public Thursday.

James having been tasered prior to his death also is not believed to have played any role in James death, as OConnor alleged last summer; OConnor acknowledged this Thursday.

According to the findings of Dr. Jessica Lelinski, the Milwaukee County assistant medical examiner who performed the autopsy: Mr. James did show evidence of blunt force injuries  abrasions & bruises  indicative of the struggles he had with the correctional officers, puncture wounds from the CEW (Conducted Energy Weapon, i.e., a Taser) strikes, and a small blood clot on the left side of his head consistent with the injury Mr. James was taken to the hospital for May 29, 2021 (referring to James having hit his head against the wall). The pathologist opined that none of these injuries were the cause of Mr. James death.

James was arrested May 28 after setting his own apartment on fire. He then called 911, reportedly telling the dispatcher he was feeling suicidal. He was taken into custody by the Racine Police Department before being taken in by the Racine County Sheriffs Office.

James was taken to Ascension All Saints Hospital twice because of self-harming behaviors but was released back to jail both times. One physician noted there was no serious injury to Mr. James head.

A Path Forward: Part 2 in "What happened to the asylums? And should we bring them back?" series The failures and abuses documented at asylums in the 19th century and throughout the 20th century in the U.S. are why many experts say the old

The treatment of James has led to some community debate over how those with mental illness are treated in American health and correctional systems. Rather than being placed in a mental health facility where he could have been helped with the support of experts, he was put in a cell and placed on suicide watch, watched over by correctional officers largely untrained to help someone in his state.

Across the U.S., there are more mentally ill people in jails and prisons than there are in hospitals.

Having a mental health crisis is not a crime  its not a crime to be suicidal, said Grant. We must stop criminalizing people with mental health issues.

In a statement Thursday, Schmaling said Upon completion of the reviews of this incident, I welcome the opportunity to continue these discussions with the mental health professionals and the community at large to determine how we can all better assist people experiencing mental health issues.

A release from the Racine County Sheriffs Office described James death as a tragedy, and the Racine County Sheriffs Office continues to offer our deepest condolences to Malcolm James family, friends, and loved ones as they grieve his loss.

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RACINE  No criminal charges will be brought against anyone who worked in the Racine County Jail following the death of an inmate on June 1, Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson said Thursday.

The decision comes more than seven months after Malcolm James death. The Kenosha County Sheriffs Department concluded its investigation in August.

James, 27, stopped breathing as officers attempted to confine him to a emergency restraint chair, designed to keep inmates from hurting themselves or others, and while officers pressed his torso forward in minutes-long attempts to remove Taser barbs from his back.

The conclusion of Dr. Jessica Lelinski, the Milwaukee County assistant medical examiner who performed the autopsy, is that James died of asphyxia because his breathing was restricted by officers.

Racine County law enforcement leaders dispute that conclusion. They blame James pre-exis ting health conditions.

Those involved

James had been taken to the detention center during a mental health crisis in which he was placed on suicide watch and had been restrained multiple times over the course of several days.

Crystal Kristiansen, a nurse contracted by the Racine County Jail, had her security revoked soon after James death, an action that essentially terminated her employment.

Five correctional officers  Cristian Brindis, Josue Davalos, Justin Gaudes, Jonathan Koski, Michael Saulys  and one sergeant, Justin Brands, of the Racine County Sheriffs Office remain on paid administrative leave.

At least one civil lawsuit is reportedly being filed. Advocates and an attorney for James family, Kevin OConnor, are calling for investigations from either or both the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Justice. The state DOJ did not reply to a request for comment by press time.

The mental health crisis James was experiencing played no role in his actual cause of death, experts have ruled.

The level of blame carried by the countys employees and policies for the death remains disputed.

How did he die?

Lelinski concluded James death was the result of him being placed in a position by law enforcement officers  known as the flex forward position  for too long a time period, cutting off his breathing.

According to Hansons report, the deputies struggled for several minutes to remove Taser prongs from James back, apparently unaware that James had fallen unconscious as he was being bent forward.

James had been placed in an ERC after resisting jail guards several times after his May 28 arrest.

A report released Thursday by Hanson described how correctional officers employed the Flex Forward technique prior to his death: One correctional officer controlled Mr. James head by placing the palm of one hand over the other, in a V-shape, and applied downward pressure on the back of Mr. James neck  other corrections officers used downward pressure to control Mr. James shoulders and arms.

At first, James resisted officers attempts to remove the prongs from his back, leading them to stop the attempt. Soon after, when they tried again, he was bent forward for nearly 3 minutes, seemed to stop resisting and never awoke.

James was not moving for most of those 3 minutes, according to reviews of the video, but officers did not realize this was because he had fallen unconscious.

According to OConnor, who watched body-camera videos that are not yet publicly available, one of the officers incorrectly told James: Malcolm, this is only going to take about 10 seconds.

How does someone who is complying end up dead? What jury would not find fault in that? said Bishop Tavis Grant, national field director with the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition, during a news conference organized by James family and Racine Women for Racial Justice Thursday morning.

They held his head forward and let him suffocate to death, OConnor said.

James supporters believe that the attempts to save his life were lackluster thereafter. No one in the jail attempted CPR.

Kristiansen, upon being called into the room with the ERC, allegedly did not know where life-saving equipment was and unsuccessfully attempted using smelling salts to awaken James.

Kelly Scroggins-Powell of the Racine Women for Racial Justice criticized Racine County for not having a full-time medical employee serving the jail, instead contracting out the work.

This nurse had no clue what she was doing, OConnor said. He added that the guards had a tool that can be used to more easily remove Taser prongs, but did not attempt to use the tool  instead attempting to remove the prongs with their hands  for more than a minute while James was bent over.

According to the states account, Kristiansen arrived in the room about 31 seconds after officers realized James was unconscious, which was nearly 2 minutes after video allegedly shows James stopped moving. Another 3 minutes passed between the nurse entering the room and 911 finally being called.

As 911 was being called, a correctional officer suggested to Kristiansen that they should try using an automated external defibrillator, to which Kristiansen replied that she does not know where they are located, according to the DAs report.

It was not until a correctional officer returned to the room with the AED that handcuffs were removed from James, he was taken out of the chair and laid down on the floor. When the AED was placed on James, the unit said no shock required.

CPR did not begin until medical responders arrive, nearly 7 minutes after the nurse entered the room.

Officers should have been trying to save his life, Grant said. This district attorney must be held accountable.

Health problems blamed

Before making a charging decision, Hanson brought in two experts whose testimony differed from the conclusions of the medical examiner.

Consulting outside sources is a rare move for any prosecutor, whose charging decisions dont usually involve bringing in outside input beyond the reports presented to them by law enforcement.

Ive never seen the prosecutor hire the defense witness for them, OConnor said.

The DA wrote that her office decided to seek experts after meeting with Lelinski, who performed the autopsy, to seek additional specific opinions as to pulmonary function under the circumstances of this case. Specifically, the DA sought experts with knowledge of restraint chairs and their impact on pulmonary function.

Grant and Clyde McLemore, founder of the Black Lives Matter chapter in Lake County, Illinois, allege Hanson did this intentionally to cast doubt and avoid charging or even bringing in a grand jury. Grant said the experts were brought in to support her desired outcome.

Two deaths, four days Malcolm James was the second man to die in a four-day span last year in the Racine County Jail. On the morning of May 29, prior to James' June 1 death, Ronquale Ditello-Scott Jr. was found to be not breathing in a cell hours after he was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. His death was ruled to be the result of a fentanyl overdose.

The Racine County Sheriffs Office cast doubt on the medical examiners conclusion of asphyxia, writing in a release that the medical examiners conclusion was not based on physical signs but solely a review of the video, taken from body cameras of the officers who put James into the restraint chair.

Hanson wrote: No signs of asphyxia were noted, such as petechial hemorrhages or congestion of the face and neck. In speaking with (Lelinski), the State learned that it is not unusual for there to be no physical signs of asphyxia. (Lelinski) advised that asphyxia is a diagnosis of exclusion when nothing else is seen, or a diagnosis of the circumstances surrounding a death.

The experts brought in by Hanson concluded that James death was not asphyxia. They are:

Dr. Tom Neuman, of the University of California-San Diego Medical Center

Dr. Darrell Ross, head of the department of sociology, anthropology and criminal justice at Valdosta (Ga.) State University

Given what appears to be the sequence of events in this case, asphyxiation is essentially impossible, Neuman wrote, asserting that his death was more likely a cardiac incident due to James allegedly having been a sufferer of significant heart disease, obesity, hypertensive cardiovascular disease and an enlarged heart. James was 6-foot-3 and weighed 335 pounds; his mother, Sherry James, described her son as a gentle giant.

According to a report from Medical News Today: If the brain does not get enough oxygen, it can cause a person to lose consciousness in seconds. If a person does not receive any oxygen within a few minutes, irreversible brain damage or death may occur. These symptoms can be more severe for people such as James who have heart problems.

According to an RCSO news release, Ross concluded that through Mr. James threatening, self-injurious, and dangerous behaviors, he created the need for the officers to provide him with close supervision. It was clear that Mr. James needed to be controlled, relocated for his safety and seen by medical staff. It would have been inappropriate and cruel to not intervene (italics added by RCSO). The use of force by correction officers was appropriate and reasonable to protect Mr. James.

Why no charges?

Hanson wrote in her decision: The correctional officers were not trained medical experts. They were not made aware that there was any respiratory distress from Mr. James  Until 2 minutes before he was unresponsive, he was continuing to resist their efforts to render medical assistance for the prongs.

The DA also repeatedly noted that James had been resistive and vulgar toward officers throughout his time in the jail.

Nothing about the way Mr. James acted or spoke (moments before his death) was different than how he had responded to the staff in the days prior to his death, Hanson wrote, noting there were several times that jail staff reported James appeared unwilling to respond to them during his time in jail. The correctional officers could not have known if Mr. James was having trouble breathing because of his position (Flex Forward). The correctional officers could also not have known of Mr. James heart disease and what impact that might have had on the situation.

Hanson wrote in her decision: Under the circumstances of the situation under review here, there was also no evidence that the correctional officers knew (italics added by Hanson) they were creating a risk of death to Mr. James. She added that the ERC had been a tool that had successfully worked on multiple occasions to calm Mr. James and interrupt his self-harm during his time in the jail.

Hanson concluded: One doctor (Lelinski) says asphyxia based on no other cause of death and a review of the circumstances  One doctor (Neuman) says asphyxia is impossible in such a short window to have caused death and that Mr. James had to have suffered a cardiac arrest. The existence of these two expert opinions creates a reasonable doubt as to whether or not the correctional officers should have known there was any risk of great bodily harm to Mr. James.

Unsatisfied

Rainbow PUSHs Grant connected James death to the high-profile death of Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old who was shot and killed by Kim Potter, who was a Brooklyn Center (Minn.) police officer when Potter accidentally grabbed her firearm instead of her Taser. In both cases, law enforcement officers accidentally killed someone, but only Potter was charged; she was found guilty of manslaughter last month and faces up to 15 years in prison.

These officers shouldnt be on paid leave. They should be charged, Grant said. This office (the Racine County District Attorneys Office) refuses to file charges. And its egregious on its face to believe theres something not criminal in this case.

Of the nurse being effectively fired and no other known repercussions for those involved, Scroggins-Powell said: If shes not a scapegoat, I dont know who else she could be  How is the nurse fired? And the officers keep their jobs?

Grant said in conclusion: We want charges. This is criminal behavior.

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A legislative committee with the power to OK administrative rules will vote Monday on whether to force the state Elections Commission to quickly create rules for absentee ballot drop boxes and to clarify what missing information clerks can fill in on absentee ballot envelopes.

The scheduled votes by members of the GOP-led Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules, which will be cast via paper ballot, come after the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission unanimously voted last month to begin the lengthy process of creating administrative rules for ballot drop boxes and how to address errors on absentee ballot envelopes.

Committee co-chairman Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, requested the motions last week, which would require the commission to submit emergency rules within 30 days or cease issuing guidance on the two practices. The committees Assembly co-chairman, Rep. Adam Neylon, R-Pewaukee, said last week Assembly Republicans on the committee had not discussed the proposal, but Mondays scheduled votes seem to indicate the motions may have enough support to pass the Republican-led committee.

State statutes do not address the use of ballot drop boxes, although the commission issued guidance in early 2020 to allow election clerks to make use of them. The boxes were widely used in the state that year as an alternative for voters worried that, with the crush of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential delays in mail delivery, their ballots might not make it back before Election Day.

The commission also approved guidance in 2016 allowing clerks to correct common errors on absentee ballot envelopes, such as missing ZIP codes or address information entered on the wrong line.

The commission voted in early December to begin the administrative rule-making process, which can take as long as 13 months to complete and requires approval from the governor and the rules committee. Two of the commissions votes, both of which passed unanimously, directed staff to sketch out proposed rules for what type of missing information clerks can fill in on absentee ballot envelopes and the use of ballot drop boxes, based on current guidance.

Nass motions join a growing list of Republican scrutiny over the six-member commission, its nonpartisan administrator Meagan Wolfe and other aspects of Wisconsins 2020 election  for which no evidence of widespread fraud has been discovered.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said in November several members of the commission should probably be criminally charged for voting in 2020 not to send special voting deputies to nursing homes and instead mail absentee ballots to voters in those facilities. The commission made the decision, at first unanimously, in public meetings after several nursing homes barred voting deputies for fear of spreading COVID-19 to residents.

Close to a dozen Republicans, including Vos, have also called on Wolfe to resign from her post.

Mark Thomsen, a Democratic appointee on the commission, on Thursday described Republican efforts as an attempt to overwhelm, undermine and ultimately destroy the nonpartisan nature of elections in Wisconsin as state and local officials try to prepare for the February spring primary and April spring election.

Either (Wolfe) can get ready for the elections or she can respond to these requests that are nothing but harassing, Thomsen said. The reality is theyre trying to overwhelm people and get them to quit and demoralize them. They want Meagan Wolfe out so they can appoint a new administrator, and they want to do it before November.

More measures

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said this week Senate Republicans plan to reintroduce a handful of election-related measures  some similar to bills vetoed last year by Gov. Tony Evers  that would place restrictions on absentee ballots, among other measures.

LeMahieu also told The Associated Press he believes changes to the Elections Commission are needed, but added he does not support weakening or dissolving the agency, as some Republicans have suggested.

Yes, Im frustrated with some of the things the commission has done over the last couple of years, but that doesnt mean that blowing it up is the right thing to do unless you know what the alternative is, he told the AP Wednesday.

Vos told the AP Friday he also is opposed to eliminating the Elections Commission.

This idea that we need to blow up the entire system? I just dont see that, Vos told the AP. I do not favor some kind of a radical change to how the Elections Commission operates.

Reviews of the election by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty found no evidence of widespread fraud but did lead to recommendations on how elections can be improved. A recount and court decisions have affirmed that President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes.

Vos last year hired former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to lead a GOP-ordered review of the election. In addition, Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, chairperson of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections, last month requested from the commission a wide array of election-related records, which Wolfe said would include hundreds of millions of data points.

The Elections Commission is scheduled to meet Tuesday.

Focus on 5 cities

On Thursday, Erick Kaardal, a Republican attorney for the conservative Thomas More Society and former secretary and treasurer for the Republican Party of Minnesota, filed an appeal in Dane County Circuit Court challenging the Elections Commissions decision in early December to throw out a complaint filed against private grant funding provided to Madison to help administer last years election during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kaardal filed complaints earlier this year alleging that officials in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha and Racine broke state election laws when they accepted funding from the Chicago-based Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), which is funded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Lawyers with Madisons DeWitt law firm, who were retained as special counsel to the commission, dismissed the complaints against the five cities on Dec. 8, saying they didnt raise probable cause to believe that a violation of law or abuse of discretion has occurred.

Court records show Kaardal filed appeals in each of the five cities respective counties.

Kaardal, who tried unsuccessfully to overturn the results of Wisconsins 2020 presidential election, is part of the Minneapolis law firm Mohrman, Kaardal and Erickson, which shares office space in Brookfield with the Thomas More Society and Gablemans team.

Kaardal has lost two lawsuits, one filed in state court and another in federal court, on behalf of the conservative Wisconsin Voters Alliance alleging the grants amounted to bribery to increase voter turnout in Democratic strongholds.

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MINERAL POINT  They were veteran firefighters. Part of the backbone of this city where history is celebrated.

But on Thursday this Iowa County community of 2,487 was in mourning after the two men with more than a combined 60 years of service with the Mineral Point Fire Department were killed in a crash on Highway 151 while responding to a rollover crash.

The dangers of the four-lane highway, with its speeding traffic, big trucks and unpredictable weather, are well known and account for the majority of the Fire Departments calls. Making sense of a crash that claimed the lives of two of his firefighters, one of them a captain, proved difficult, however, for Chief Bryan Marr and the other volunteers who gathered at the station late Thursday morning to collectively grieve.

Were still just trying to wrap our heads around it. Were trying to process this, said Marr, who has been with the department for nearly 30 years. They were just great people. Im at a loss. Were going to get through it, but were going to need some help with it.

The Iowa County Sheriffs Office said the firefighters were driving north on the highway when at about 12:30 a.m. they attempted to use an emergency crossover just west of the Highway 23 exit on the citys north side. Thats when their fire truck, with its lights flashing, was struck by a northbound semitractor-trailer.

The fire truck, a tanker with 2,000 gallons of water on board, caught fire and the two firefighters, whose names are not being released by the Wisconsin State Journal at the request of the Fire Department, died at the scene. The semi driver, whose name has not been released, refused medical treatment but as of late Thursday, the Sheriffs Office had not said if the driver faces possible charges. Attempts to reach Sheriff Steve Michek were unsuccessful. Autopsies are scheduled for Friday in Madison, Marr said.

Firefighters from Mineral Point responded to the crash site but were later relieved by firefighters from the Dodgeville Fire Department. The crash closed the highway in both directions for nearly 15 hours.

Our condolences to the Mineral Point Fire Department and the families of the (two) firefighters they lost today, the Dodgeville Fire Department posted on its Facebook page Thursday. Their service and dedication will not be forgotten. You are all in our thoughts and prayers. May the love and support of those around you help give you strength and peace in the days ahead.

Words of comfort filled Facebook pages of fire departments from around the state. The deaths are believed to be the first in the line of duty in the long history of the Mineral Point Fire Department and the first in the state in 2022.

According to the Wisconsin State Firefighters and EMS Memorial website, three firefighters died in 2020, three in 2019 and six in 2018. Deaths that year included Capt. Cory Barr of Sun Prairie, who died in a downtown explosion, and Richard Garner, 29, a Madison Fire Department firefighter and paramedic who collapsed suddenly and died shortly after his shift ended.

Department veterans

One of the Mineral Point firefighters who died had been with the department since 1984, the other since 1997. A family member of one of the men declined to speak with a reporter Thursday. Family for the other firefighter could not be reached. The department has about 40 members.

Both of them were just huge assets to the department, Marr said. Theyre down here all of the time doing their due diligence not only for the whole department but for the whole community.

One of those who came Thursday to assist Marr was Chad Grossen, deputy chief of operations for the Fitchburg Fire Department, who has known Marr for three decades.

We want to make sure were taking care of each other, said Grossen. This is devastating. You can never plan for this stuff.

A close community

Mineral Point is one of the states most historic communities and was founded because of the areas rich lead deposits in the 1820s. Henry Dodge was inaugurated as the first governor of the newly formed Wisconsin Territory in 1836 in downtown Mineral Point, a year after the formation of the Fire Department. But now tourism is the main industry here. Pendarvis, a state historic site, is filled with restored Cornish cabins, while art studios and galleries line High Street and the restored Mineral Point Opera House brings in national touring acts.

At the Midway Bar, a popular stop for pizza and steak sandwiches in the citys downtown, Nicole Faull, who has owned the business for three years and is vice president of the Mineral Point Chamber of Commerce, was in the midst of an annual weeklong deep clean and maintenance project that has her bar closed until Monday. However, she took a break Thursday to make pizzas to be delivered to the fire station Thursday evening.

That whole crew operates as a large family, Faull said of the citys firefighters. Everyone feels this loss. But I think its going to bring a close-knit community closer together.

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Tommy Thompson, who has led the University of Wisconsin System on an interim basis through one of its most challenging chapters, said he will step down from his presidential post March 18.

He announced his resignation on Friday, the same day that a committee met to select finalists in the search for his successor. The group expects to conduct interviews this month and name its pick in early February, leaving a short window of time for transition, especially if an external candidate is selected.

Asked about the timing between Thompsons resignation and when a new president would start, System spokesperson Mark Pitsch said the board is aware of this possibility and will make decisions when the time comes. He said its not uncommon to have an interim leader serve during the transition to a new president.

Thompson, a former four-term Republican governor who turned 80 in November, took over as interim president on July 1, 2020, a time when it was unclear if UW campuses would even reopen that fall due to COVID-19.

Drew Petersen, president of the Regents at the time, convinced Thompson to take the job in the days after a search to find a replacement for President Ray Cross failed. Petersen and others on the board have joked that it was the most successful failed search in higher educations history because it led to Thompsons hire.

UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said Thompson stepped in at a critical moment and has provided strong and decisive leadership.

As interim president, Thompson leaned on his expertise as a former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary to manage the pandemics effect on campuses. He secured testing, promoted vaccinations and mandated masks.

Thompson also tried to improve the Systems relationship with the Republican controlled-Legislature. Tuition-setting authority was returned back to the Regents last summer, though the board declined to raise in-state tuition this school year.

When a GOP-controlled committee this summer tried controlling campus-level COVID-19 policies, Thompson stood his ground and Republican legislative leaders havent sued in the months since the standoff.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said Thompson faced challenges no president had experienced before and tackled them head-on.

In Thompsons resignation letter to Regents President Ed Manydeeds, the Elroy native opened with I love Wisconsin. He said he has been honored to serve and will spend his last 10 weeks advancing the Systems legislative agenda, visiting campuses and preparing for the presidential transition.

Tommy Thompson was the right man at the right time, Manydeeds said in a statement. His leadership has helped carry us through a pandemic and set the standard for managing during a crisis.

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The global pandemic ushered in tremendous change to industries and economies around the world, including one with significant short- and long-term implications  the impact on employment. Record quit rates, massive retirements and growing numbers of job openings have put businesses on their heels. Economists say the Great Resignation of 2021 shows no sign of letting up in 2022 and that the focus now needs to be on retention.

As employers scramble to rebuild their teams, women are returning more slowly than their male counterparts. In fact, more than 2.5 million women dropped out of the labor force during the pandemic and today women continue to outpace men in resignations.

What does this mean for employers in Wisconsin? And what can employers in our state do now to retain women in the workforce? Our team conducted the first detailed study of its kind to assess the impact of the pandemic on working women in our state. The Kane Insights: State of Working Women in Wisconsin report revealed significant issues and opportunities for employers. We learned that 50% of Wisconsins working women are considering quitting, a number that is 25% higher than the national average. The number one reason behind this is that women of all demographics feel undervalued in their current position. Our study also revealed reasons behind this. High levels of stress, lack of childcare support, pay inequities, poor communication from supervisors, out-of-touch policies and ineffective diversity and inclusion programs are all issues that have created a disconnect between women and their employers. While research shows many of these issues are not new, what is new today is that women are acting on them.

The good news is, Wisconsin employers can stem the tide of a large-scale female workforce exodus if they act intentionally and heed the call to evolve.

For instance, nearly all (88%) of Wisconsin working women want to work for a company thats intentional about making a positive impact in the world. This highlights societys overall changing expectations about the role of corporations. The focus on profit alone is giving way to a new principle in corporate governance  pursuing profit, purpose and impact.

Purpose-driven companies go beyond their role of offering a product or service and develop programs that have a measurable social or environmental impact. This includes the way they engage and recognize their employees.

EY found that companies with high social standards and good company governance were more resilient against the pandemics impact. Furthermore, those that have embedded environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into their business models and products had higher economic growth. Businesses thrive when they see themselves as a valued part of society. Likewise, our research indicates working women in Wisconsin are more likely to thrive when they feel valued by their employer.

There is no doubt womens engagement in the workforce is integral to the success of business, the economy and our communities. In fact, a report by the World Economic Forum states, When more women enter the workforce, everyone benefits. Its proven that even the wages of men increase when women fully participate in the workforce because of the diverse perspectives and added productivity of working women.

Wisconsin has a proud history of promoting rights and equality for women. In 1921, Wisconsin became the first state in the nation to pass an equal rights bill promising that women shall have the same rights and privileges under the law as men. Wisconsin was also the first state in the nation to ratify the 19th Amendment, providing voting rights to women. Now, employers in Wisconsin have the opportunity to lead the way through their meaningful commitment to retaining women in the workforce with purposeful efforts that make this commitment real.

Kimberly Kane is a Racine resident. Her company, Kane Communications Group, has offices in Racine, Milwaukee and Geneva, Switzerland. Kane also is a member and past board president of Tempo Racine and a board member of the United Way of Racine County.

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By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has expressed its readiness to support the people and government of Kazakhstan.

The remark was made in the Organization's statement on the events taking place in Kazakhstan.

"In light of the recent events in Kazakhstan, Member States of the Organization of Turkic States emphasize the importance they attach to peace and stability in Kazakhstan and express their strong solidarity with the Member State Kazakhstan," the statement said.

The member states voiced their trust in the wisdom and desire of the brotherly Kazakh people to return to normalcy. They also stated their confidence in the capacity of the Kazakh authorities to peacefully defuse tensions and reestablish calm and order.

"Member States of the Organization of Turkic States convey their condolences for those who lost their lives during the incidents and wish a speedy recovery to the injured," the statement reads.

Yesterday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held telephone conversations with his counterparts from Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, and Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The presidents stressed that stability and security are important for the region. They expressed their confidence that fraternal Kazakhstan will overcome this problem through dialogue.

Amid the fuel prices increase, big demonstrations erupted on January 2 in certain parts of Kazakhstan. It should be noted that public protests are illegal in the country unless their organizers file a notice in advance. More than 200 people were detained during the protests.

Kazakhstan's authorities declared a state of emergency, following the illegal demonstrations. On January 5, the Kazakh president accepted the government's resignation. The curfew is imposed in Almaty and Mangistau region, as well as entry into and exit from these territories is prohibited.

The CSTO Collective Security Council has decided to send the CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces to Kazakhstan.

In addition, under the president's order, Kazakhstan will introduce state regulation of the prices of liquefied gas, gasoline, and diesel for 180 days.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev recently stated that constitutional order has largely been restored in all regions of the republic, and local authorities are in control of the situation.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) canceled flights to Kazakhstans Almaty city.
The Wisconsin National Guard will host its final COVID-19 testing clinic in La Crosse County this Saturday. The National Guard has been providing testing for the last 22 months and will close its service with a clinic from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 8 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 1901 E. Church Road, West Salem. To register, visit https://register.covidconnect.wi.gov/. The La Crosse County Health Department states it is conducting meetings with several testing providers to continue to make community testing accessible. Local testing sites include Gundersen Health System, Mayo Clinic Health System, Weber Health Logistics, Walgreens, and UW-La Crosse. Also offering PCR tests, and soon to have antigen tests, is COVID Clinic at 3800 Hwy. 16, La Crosse. Appointments can be scheduled at https://www.covidclinic.org/la-crosse-wi/. More information on local COVID testing, or how to order an at home kit, is available at https://www.lacrossecounty.org/covid19/testing-information.
After a year of virtual programming because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pennsylvania Farm Show opens Saturday morning to the public.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding announced the PA Farm Show's intent to host a live event from Jan. 8 to 15 during a Facebook Live in October from Vale Wood Farms in Cambria County Thursday morning.

The theme in 2022 is "Harvesting More," which is a play off of 2021's theme of "Cultivating Tomorrow."

"It is only natural to harvest after you cultivate," says Redding. "Following the 2021 theme of cultivating tomorrow, we are harvesting more in 2022."

The Farm Show is looking to harvest more conservation, diversity in farming, investments in agriculture and more, says Redding.

The PA Farm Show is keeping some virtual programming, however, Redding says. Duckling, beehive and The Calving Corner exhibits will be streamed online, along with other select events.

Redding says the virtual programming of 2021's Farm Show gave access to people who couldn't have traditionally attended an in-person event.

For more information, visit farmshow.pa.gov.
If you grew up in central Pennsylvania and are old enough to remember Pensupreme ice cream, we have some news for you: Pensupreme has come back to the future, and its available for sale at a Lancaster city shop.

Founded by Lancaster-based Penn Dairies Inc., the original product line (along with an eponymous chain of convenience stores and dairy shoppe restaurants), was a cultural touchstone for more than four decades in Lancaster and surrounding counties. By 1989, when the stores were acquired by Getty Petroleum Corp. and dairy production was sold in 1990 to a New York conglomerate, a legion of Pensupreme fans was left with taste memories.

Fast forward 25 years, the grandson of a former Penn Dairies executive applied to buy the Pensupreme trademark, which had expired. A passionate vintage milk bottle collector, John Butz, 37, hatched his idea for a Pensupreme revival with his pal Ingrid Natale, 33, who had both a head for business and, like Butz, grew up with Pensupreme in the family freezer.

My whole life story can be told through ice cream, Natale says. My mom is from Sweden, where they take their ice cream very seriously. As a kid, we traveled back and forth between Lancaster and Sweden, where they have a really rich dairy cream.

It would take nearly seven years for their idea to become reality. In December, the duo did a soft launch at the Lancaster Holiday Market in Buchanan Park, selling pints of their four core flavors  vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and mint chocolate chip  made from central Pennsylvania grass-fed dairy cow milk. They put the word out on Facebook, and thats where Tracy Artus  and a little bit of kismet  enters the equation.

Artus has owned Miesse Candies since 2011. In 2018, she expanded her Water Street location to include an ice cream parlor with a 1,000-pound vintage soda fountain from York hoisted through the front window. Of course, there would be ice cream from local creameries, she said. But the pandemic brought many headaches, including ice-cream supply issues.

In December, Artus was still looking for a reliable ice cream supplier. She wondered what this so-called Facebook post about a Pensupreme revival was all about. And of course, she couldnt help but think about her great-uncle, Joe Gray, who had just passed away at 97. When Uncle Joe came home from serving in World War II, his sister-in-law helped get him a job at Penn Dairies, where he worked in sales until 1985.

Artus didnt grow up in Lancaster, but her mother did, and the family roots were strong. Its where her mom met her future husband  on the dance floor at the USO in downtown Lancaster. When they came to visit her grandmother, Pensupreme was in the freezer and Miesse nonpareil candies were in the candy dish.

With her husband, Bob, in tow, Artus went to give Pensupreme version 2.0 (or is it 2.0.22?) a try and got her kids and grandkids involved in the tasting. The vote was unanimous: The ice cream was a winner.

The vanilla is exactly as I remember it, Artus says. (Guess who has a new ice cream supplier?)

Their favorite ice cream John Butz: Im a chocolate guy. Ingrid Natale: It depends on the time of day. Strawberry in the morning is incredible. Mint chocolate chip late at night, almost like a digestive, to help you sleep. And chocolate, always with dinner. Tracy Artus: Im a vanilla girl.

The recipe is inspired by the original, says Butz, with two main differences: Its made from all grass-fed dairy, which is a big deal, and you can really taste the cream. Its a super-premium ice cream (versus premium), which means it has a higher milkfat content. And we think that makes it a better product.

The cream in question is coming from central Pennsylvania farms, with upwards of 25 dairy producers involved. Butz and Natale have also partnered with a central Pennsylvania creamery doing small batch production, without artificial colors or flavors. (That name is being withheld until they are legally able to share.)

Miesse began carrying Pensupreme last week by the pint ($8.99) and at the soda fountain. For now, it is the only place to get your hands on some, but Butz and Natale are actively looking for additional wholesale partners. They are also exploring additional flavors and ultimately bringing ice-cream production back to Lancaster.

For Artus, the ice cream makes my heart sing, that something that was part of our family is back again.

For Natale, she sees it as a way of enriching the community. And Butz is thinking about the ripple effects.

Everyone in Lancaster has a family member or friend who worked at Penn Dairies or Pensupreme, she says. This is bigger than just us.
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani Defence Ministry has signed the 2022 joint action plans with the Ombudsman's and the Military Prosector's Offices, the ministry has reported.

Under the plan signed with the Ombudsman's Office, the date, time, and location of the planned actions, as well as the people who will be responsible for carrying them out, have all been determined, the ministry reported on January 6.

It was noted that a series of meetings on the protection of servicemen's rights, as well as a study of the situation in the field of human rights protection, will be held during events planned throughout the year in Army Corps, formations, military units, and specialized military-educational institutions of the Defence Ministry.

Furthermore, reports on various themes will be heard and discussions will be held on relevant issues within the scope of the plan, the report concluded.

The joint action plan signed between the Defence Ministry and the Military Prosecutors Office aims to enhance the rule of law and military discipline, as well as to prevent crimes in the Army in 2022, the ministry said in a different report on January 7.

The time and location of the planned events, as well as the responsible personnel, have all been set according to the plan.

Relevant activities will be carried out within the scope of the meetings, which will be held with servicemen in Army Corps, formations, military units, and specialized military-educational institutions of the Defence Ministry throughout the year, to increase military personnel's legal knowledge, to strengthen discipline and law, and to eliminate existing problems, the report reads.
Four months after a sheriff sale, the wife of former funeral director Andrew Scheid is fighting the new property owner's effort to have her removed from the former South Prince Street funeral home.

Joseline Scheid has refused to vacate the house, even though it and an office were sold at sheriff sale in September after a bank foreclosed for failure to make mortgage payments.

Prince Street Properties LLC, the owner of 121 and 131 S. Prince St., sued Joseline Scheid on Nov. 8 in Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, asking the courts help in removing her from the former Andrew T. Scheid Funeral Home property.

Scheid is fighting the ejection complaint, which differs from an eviction in that eviction involves a landlord seeking to oust a tenant who has a current lease. Ejectment seeks to remove a person from a property they have no legal right to occupy.

In her response, Scheid claimed Prince Street Properties improperly acquired the property, though she didnt specify how it was improper.

And on Dec. 20, Scheid  who is not an attorney but is representing herself  sued Prince Street Properties. She claims in the suit that Prince Street Properties changed the locks and took items from the office. She wants a judge to allow her to file theft charges against the company.

A reliable phone number for Joseline Scheid could not be located and attorneys with Prince Street Properties declined comment Thursday.

Scheids husband, Andrew Scheid, 50, was sentenced Nov. 29 to prison and probation for mishandling bodies and falsifying information on death certificates. He is serving a three to 12 month prison sentence for abusing corpses by allowing them to decompose because they were not stored properly. The prison term will be followed by nine months of house arrest and five years of probation. He must also pay $9,456 restitution.

Andrew Scheids attorney blamed depression for Scheid's behavior.

And on Wednesday, Andrew Scheid was ordered to stand trial on charges of animal cruelty and neglect after a preliminary hearing. According to Manor Township police, he intentionally killed a calf by starvation and dehydration between Nov. 1-4 and failed to provide adequate food and water to two other bovines, and a cat, at his home in the 300 block of Old Blue Rock Road.

Contrasting narratives

Joseline Scheids complaint against Prince Street Properties said she called police Dec. 16 to report men taking boxes of files from the office without a warrant and putting them into a vehicle. She said one of the men told her he owned the building.

She told police about the litigation regarding ownership of the building and that she wanted charges filed, but that an officer told her police could not get boxes from the vehicle because of the ownership litigation and because the owner had a deed to the properties, according to the filing.

Joseline Scheid wrote in the filing that Prince Street Properties maliciously and illicitly is preventing (her) to recover business memorabilia and contents and is seeking to unjustly further enrich themselves at the expense of all the hard work and services performed throughout the years by plaintiff and her husband until his mental breakdown 

She is asking the court to enter an order allowing her to pursue theft charges against Prince Street Properties to allow her access to funeral home buildings so she can recover property. Her request had not been ruled on as of Thursday.

As for the ejectment complaint, Scheid claims she offered to pay off the mortgage owed on the Prince Street property, which was for nearly $1 million, but Prince Street Properties refused the offer.

An attorney for Prince Street Properties responded in a filing Wednesday that Joseline Scheid only offered to try to get a loan. Besides, the attorney wrote, she never had any ownership in the property because it was owned by a corporate entity, Scheid Real Estate Holdings, LLC.
THE ISSUE: Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health officials updated visitation guidelines for its hospitals, including the requirement of a medical-grade mask for anyone entering the hospital, LNP | LancasterOnline.com reports. The new requirement comes as Lancaster General Health officials are considering whether to submit a formal request for federal assistance because of precipitously rising COVID-19 hospitalizations. And it comes as the Lancaster General Health staff is overwhelmed, tired and frustrated, said chief clinical officer Dr. Michael Ripchinski. Cloth masks, masks with exhalation valves, gaiters, bandanas and gas masks are now prohibited in Lancaster General Health hospitals and facilities. Acceptable medical-grade masks include surgical or procedural masks, N95 masks and KN95 masks.

Since this deadly pandemic began nearly two years ago, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has adapted to its hosts and spawned pernicious variants such as delta and omicron.

So, too, must we keep adapting to best protect ourselves against the virus.

The scientifically proven importance of masking up to help stop the spread of COVID-19, regrettably, has been a partisan flashpoint in the United States since the pandemic began. Worse, our endless (and frustratingly unnecessary) public pitched battles over masking have robbed us of time we should have been spending on questions such as What kind of masks should we be wearing?

Early in the pandemic, after some initial debate about the merits of masking, the guidance from federal health officials was for people to wear masks in public. We cheered the stories of local residents sewing cloth masks in their homes and distributing them to those who needed them.

Then came the moment when public health officials told us that simple cloth masks  while certainly far better than nothing  were insufficient to the task of protecting us and those around us.

In the scrambling for information and tools in early days of the pandemic, it was acceptable to just say any cloth mask will do because its true. Any face covering is better than none, Joseph G. Allen, an associate professor at Harvard University, wrote in a Jan. 26, 2021, op-ed for The Washington Post. But weve learned so much since then, and we need to adjust our strategy.

In February 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its masking guidance with compelling research indicating that double-masking is more effective than wearing a single mask.

U.S. researchers founded that a single cloth mask blocked about 40% of the coronavirus-sized particles coming toward a persons mouth. But, crucially, they found that when a cloth mask was worn on top of a surgical mask, about 80% of such particles were blocked.

Last February, we urged people to consider embracing the science from the CDC and double up on your masking when youre going to be around others from outside your immediate household. That was 11 months ago, and the pandemic continues to bring grief. There are myriad reasons for that, including an ongoing resistance to masking and vaccination and the spread of disinformation on social media.

Thankfully, one thing we still have personal control over is the kind of masks we choose to wear in public. And we think people should make a strategic adjustment in the interest of public health and stop wearing cloth masks in public, instead opting for medical-grade masks.

We must do better because COVID-19 is again running rampant in Lancaster County and across the nation. We are facing dangerous weeks ahead; health care workers are being pushed  again  to their breaking point and hospitals are losing their capacity to handle routine and emergency medical situations.

Over the next two weeks it will really be a critical time for all of us, Lancaster General Healths Ripchinski told LNP | LancasterOnlines Nicole Brambila this week.

Its so critical, in fact, that the countys largest health system is weighing that request for federal help in staffing its facilities.

On Thursday, Lancaster General Health reported that it had 126 COVID-19 patients, including 17 on ventilators. (About 78% of those hospitalized were unvaccinated, the hospital reported. Please get fully vaccinated and, if you are eligible, get boosted.)

Overall, Lancaster County and Pennsylvania both set new pandemic records Thursday for the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the state Department of Health. The countys three hospitals had a total of 197 COVID-19 patients, beating the previous record of 193 set on Monday and tied on Wednesday, LNP | LancasterOnline reported.

In light of all this, we find it to be entirely appropriate for Lancaster General Health to require medical-grade masks to be worn by anyone entering the hospital.

And, given the latest scientific research, we strongly urge everyone to stow those cloth masks and wear medical-grade masks when out in public or around people whose vaccination or infection status is unknown.

Cloth masks are not going to cut it with omicron, Linsey Marr, a researcher at Virginia Tech with expertise in airborne transmission of viruses, told NPR last month.

Health experts are recommending that people use three-ply surgical masks, KN95 masks or N95 masks, all of which offer more protection against the highly transmissible omicron variant, USA Todays Gabriela Miranda wrote this week.

Dr. Abraar Karan, an infectious disease physician at Stanford Medicine, explained to USA Today that medical-grade masks are made from material with an electrostatic charge that helps to prevent wearers from inhaling coronavirus-sized particles. N95 masks, in particular, block 99% of respiratory droplets, according to a Duke University study.

But these masks must be bought. They cant be made or assembled at home by good Samaritans. That leads us to some serious concerns about their availability to low-income families and individuals.

Disposable medical-grade masks can be bought in bulk for about 50 cents to $3 per mask, in most cases. A helpful place to browse for and buy N95 masks is projectn95.org, the website of a national nonprofit that serves as a national clearinghouse for personal protective equipment and COVID-19 tests.

Were glad that Lancaster General Health states that, as part of its new policy for visitors, those who do not have a medical-grade mask will be provided with one.

But we hope that the federal government can step up and provide easy access to free medical-grade masks for those who need them but cannot afford them. It must be part of modifying our strategies against an insidious virus that will surely keep modifying itself in an attempt to keep this terrible pandemic going.
Leimert Park Community Celebrates Sika Dwimfos 81st Birthday

On Monday, December 27, the Leimert Park community surprised longtime business owner and community activist and cornerstone, Sika Dwimfo, for his 81st birthday. As Sikas birthday approached, Albert Lord, Community Build vice president of Gov. Relations and Arts Programs, wanted to do more. When I learned about Sikas 81st birthday, I thought it would a nice idea to give him his flowers now, vs. later. Sika has always been a gentle and kind friend. For me to do this for him was the least I could do, said Lord.

Close to 30 people, including representatives from various organizations to merchants such as Dwight Tribble, Fernando Pullum, Ade of Ride On, his daughter, Milan, family and friends, and well-wishers showed up to surprise Sika in front of his storefront in Leimert Park.

Born December 26, 1940, in New Orleans, Sika came to Leimert Park in 1992, opened his business, and has been in the same location since. He and his friend, Kahil Shareem, had an arts and crafts store called Jua Black arts and craftsman guild, which was very popular in the mid-70s. Between 77 and 92, Sika traveled around doing art shows.

In regards to his lifestyle, Im into health, eating properly, fasting, said Sika, who regularly goes to iridology, chiropractor, and a natural path for his health. In terms of nutrition, according to SIka, the last time he had a hamburger was with his sons in 1982. He eats mostly seafood.

Sika attributes longevity in business to his priorities in life. Pay your bills first and do not buy a BMW when you cannot afford the repair on it, he said. He likes his Volkswagen.

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Sikas daughter, Milan, who learned the business from her dad, took the store over four years ago. I wouldnt know how to do any of this or curate any of this without him. I was six when he moved into this store, she said. Although he is my father, I am proud of him and his influence. He cares about people and is a really sweet guy.

Community Build President Robert Saucedo reflected on Sikas legacy. One of the beautiful things about Sika is that hes always been a convener of people, he said. Hes always trying to acknowledge community members and bring us together. Its an honor to gather together to honor him and the historic nature of what hes done for us.

This story was contributed to by Cynthia Gibson CKG Communications, E. Mesiyah McGinnis, and Albert Lord.
The Family of Michelle Avan Has a Question for District Attorney George Gascon

Family and friends of Michelle Avan plan to rally in front of the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office in a last-ditch effort for justice against her killer

Michelle Avan was a woman passionate about effecting change in the community, providing opportunities for underrepresented individuals, and fighting for those that could not fight for themselves. She was a woman of action until she was brutally murdered! The family of Michelle Avan is moving in that same spirit of action to ensure her tragic death was not in vain. On January 20, 2022, the prosecutor representing the DAs office in the case against Michelles killer will file the official charges against Anthony Duane Turner. If a special circumstances murder charge is not filed at that time, Turner, if prosecuted could potentially receive a lesser count of second-degree murder from the court and be eligible for release in less than 10 years.

Urgent phone calls, public pleas for justice, and emails have gone out to DA Gascon to no avail. His silence speaks volumes!

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On January 13, at 10 a.m. in front of the Los Angeles District Attorneys office, the family of Michelle Avan will rally for Special Circumstances. This is more than an isolated tragedy, it is a reflection of the lack of value placed on the lives of women, especially women of color. The family and their supporters are fighting to change policy and address the necessity for special circumstances to be automatically added to cases of Intimate Partner Homicide.

The death of Michelle Avan and many other women is being treated as just another crime in Los Angeles County. That must change! Stalking, Torture, Assault, Death Intimate Partner Homicide doesnt just happen, its preceded by intentional and calculated violence.

The family of Michelle Avan has a question for District Attorney Gascon. Why is Intimate Partner Homicide viewed as a Normal Circumstance and not Special? Has murdering women become so commonplace that its considered the norm? Meet the family on January 13, in front of your office. They are anxiously awaiting your answer.

WHEN: January 13, 2022  10 a.m. PST

WHERE: Los Angeles District Attorneys Office,

211 West Temple Street

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Suite 1200

Los Angeles, CA 90012

WHAT: RALLY FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

For more information about the Rally or Michelle Avans case, visit www.Michellemovement.org.

Media inquiries contact, Amy Malone, Girl in Charge Public Relations, 323-972-4081 or [email protected].
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee has fulfilled its obligations on revenues to the state budget by 111.29 percent in January-November 2021.

State Customs Committee Chairman Safar Mehdiyev made the remarks on his official Twitter page on January 7.

"The State Customs Committee budget revenues exceed the forecast figure by AZN 440.37 million ($259M)," he wrote.

Mehdiyev noted that the committee transferred AZN 4.3 billion ($2.5bn) to the state budget during the reported period.

It should be noted that in 2020, the State Customs Committee accomplished the forecast for budget revenues by 102.83 percent.

After the restoration of the sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan on January 30, 1992, the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee was established. It has been a member of the World Customs Organization since June 1992. At the same time, the State Customs Committee has been represented in the WTO's Financial Committee since 1999, since 2000 at the WTO's Higher Organizational-Political Commission and since 2002 in the Customs Cooperation Committee.

As a result of the positive steps taken by Azerbaijan in the area of ??international customs cooperation, the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement was signed in 1996 with the European Union and its Member States.




Friday, January 7, 2022

The Louisiana Attorney Discipline Board has recommended a fully-stayed six month suspension for billing misconduct

On or about October 10, 2017, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel received a complaint authored by Dane Ciolino on behalf of the Law Firm of Maron Marvel Bradley Anderson & Tardy. That firm is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and devotes a substantial portion of its practice to asbestos claims defense. That firm established a New Orleans, Louisiana presence in or about October 1, 2015 following a merger of that firm with the Forman Watkins Firm. The Respondent was the managing officer of the New Orleans office for Maron Marvel.

Respondents employment with Forman Watkins ended when that firm merged with Maron Marvel who determined that it would be appropriate to initiate its own New Orleans based presence with the Respondent as the managing partner. The change in Respondents employment status began on or about October 1, 2015 and remained there until his dismissal by the firm on or about September 13, 2017.

The complaint alleges that the Maron Marvel firm came to learn that Respondent had billed one or more clients for depositions that he either did not attend or that he attended by telephone, but nevertheless billed for travel. The firm confronted Mr. Morton the next day. He admitted that he may have billed for travel time and mileage when he in fact took depositions by phone, and that he may have billed for depositions that he did not attend.

The Respondent has acknowledged that he issued improper bills to clients that included attendance at depositions at which he did not participate and for mileage where he either did not participate or participated by phone obviating the need for travel expense reimbursement. Respondent does acknowledge that he owes a considerable refund to both the firm and/or the adversely effected [sic] client totaling at least $10,316.27. As of this date restitution has not been made.

A probated sanction is appropriate because the Board agreed with the hearing committee's finding that that misconduct was negligent

. . . Respondents mental state at the time of submitting his time and expense entries was not to intentionally bill for the depositions that he did not attend or attended by telephone for personal gain. The Respondent was negligent in submitting time and expense entries in advanced [sic] of the calendared depositions and failing to delete the time and expense entries from the pre-bills when the depositions were cancelled or changed due to being so overwhelmed with work that he did not recognize the improper entries.

The Committees finding that Respondents conduct was negligent and caused by his being overwhelmed with work at the firm is supported by the record and is adopted by the Board. The record shows that Respondent started the practice of pre-entering time and/or travel expenses when his office was inadequately staffed and handling approximately 6,5008,000 asbestos claims. He was also handling his managerial duties at the firm which included conducting the day-to-day business operations of the firm, managing the staff, and attending to personnel issues. ODC Exhibit 7, Sworn Statement of Respondent, pp. 25, 64-65. Respondent also reviewed several hundred pages of pre-bills each month for the firms New Orleans office, including pre-bills for an insurance client, Ingersoll Rand, and Trane. Id. at 53-54. Due to his case load and managerial duties, he negligently failed to correct the pre-bills which contained his erroneous time and expense entries for the thirteen depositions at issue.

As explained above, it is also important to note that while Respondent received a financial gain for his improper billing of travel expenses (for which he has paid restitution), he received no financial gain for his erroneous time entries.

(Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2022/01/the-louisiana-on-or-about-october-10-2017-the-office-of-disciplinary-counsel-received-a-complaint-authored-by-dane-ciolino.html
Friday, January 7, 2022

The Indiana Supreme Court has ordered a 180-day suspension on these stipulated facts

Respondent served as the elected Clerk-Treasurer for the City of Portage from January 2012 through the end of 2019. He applied for admission to the Indiana bar in March 2016 and was admitted to the Indiana bar in October 2016. At the time of his bar application but prior to his bar admission, Respondent, in his capacity as Clerk-Treasurer, was engaged in an illegal scheme involving payments to three companies controlled by his then-girlfriend. This criminal conduct came to light in 2019, Respondent was charged with official misconduct in 2020, and Respondent pled guilty to an amended charge of conflict of interest in 2021.

As a result of his conviction of a crime punishable as a felony, Respondent has been under an order of interim suspension since August 10, 2021.

Violation: The parties agree that by failing to disclose on his bar application his payments as Clerk-Treasurer to the entities controlled by his then-girlfriend, Respondent violated Indiana Professional Conduct Rule 8.1(b).

The suspension is effective as of the date of his interim suspension. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2022/01/undisclosed-misconduct-violated-bar-admission-rule.html


Thirty years ago, American political expert Francis Fukuyama wrote that the democracy in the United States was an example of the highest form of government.

But now, one year after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol that left a number of people dead and many more injured, he says people and leaders around the world have a lower opinion of American democracy.

He told VOA that the events of January 6 showed the U.S. could not transfer power peacefully, and that failure reverberated around the world.

Leading up to the one-year anniversary of the attack, VOA spoke with experts about January 6, 2021.

William Powell is an American Politics professor at the University of Chicago. He said former president Donald Trumps lies about the election results, and the unwillingness of Republican Party leaders to push against them, set an example for world leaders who claim that democracy as an ideal is both fanciful and misguided.

People, he said, can no longer look to the U.S. for an example of democracy.

Max Bergmann is a researcher for the Center for American Progress. He said the example of Republican leaders accepting Trumps lies makes world allies uncertain about the future.

Image repair

He said those countries will now ask: If America moves in an autocratic direction, will it be there to stand up to other autocrats?

Other analysts, however, say there is still time to fix Americas image around the world.

The experts say current president Joe Biden must change how the U.S. is seen around the world.

One recent attempt was the Summit for Democracy in December. The White House organized a video event for over 100 countries to plan for democratic renewal and work together on the threats faced by democracies.



Biden denounces Trump

Biden also spoke inside the Capitol on Thursday to mark one year since the attack.

He did not use Donald Trumps name, but he said the former president tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power and sat in a White House dining room doing nothing for hours as the nations Capitol [was] under [attack].

Biden accused Trump of not being able to accept that he lost the election and spreading lies because he values power over principle.

Biden spoke for about 20 minutes on Thursday morning. He said the United States must decide what kind of nation we are going to be.

He asked if America is going to accept political violence or if it will recognize truth and live by it.

The U.S. congress is investigating what happened last year. Over 700 people have been charged with crimes. On Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the U.S. will prosecute those at any level responsible for the January 6 attack.

Arguments against democracy

The experts say the problem the U.S. faces in the future is that nations such as China and Russia will always be able to use January 6 in arguments for why democracy does not always work.

Jake Sullivan is a National Security Adviser for Biden. He said U.S. adversaries are thinking: How do we take advantage of this in one way or another?

Leslie Vinjamuri directs the U.S. and the Americas program at Chatham House, a London-based international affairs research group. She said problems in the U.S. permit leaders who have autocratic instincts to trample all over freedoms. She listed free elections and the right to protest as threatened democratic ideals.

Whats next?

Observers around the world say the U.S. can rebuild its image if what happened one year ago is a one-off.

Jerome Viala-Gaudefroy teaches at a university in Paris. He said all hell might break loose if January 6 is only the beginning of a change in American leadership ideals.

But others think last years attack on the Capitol signals a fast decline. Thomas Homer-Dixon leads the Cascade Institute at Canadas Royal Roads University. He recently wrote that by 2025, American democracy could collapse, and by 2030 the country could be governed by a right-wing dictatorship.

Im Dan Friedell

Patsy Widakuswara wrote this story for VOA. Dan Friedell adapted it for Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

Do you think problems with U.S. democracy will make it easy for dictators to rise around the world? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page.

____________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

reverberate  v. often used figuratively - to continue in a series of quickly repeated sounds that bounce off a surface (such as a wall)

ideal  n. an idea or standard of perfection or excellence

fanciful  adj. coming from the imagination

autocratic  adj. describing a government run by one person who has total power

summit  n. a meeting or series of meetings between the leaders of two or more governments

renewal  v. the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again : the state of being renewed

principle  n. a moral rule or belief that helps you know what is right and wrong and that influences your actions

trample  v. to cause damage or pain by walking or stepping heavily on something or someone

all hell break loose  expression. used to describe a moment where something falls apart with little warning


For most of his life, Li Jingwei did not know his birth name. He did not know where he was born, or even his exact birthday.

That changed last month when he found his biological family with the help of a map.

Li was a victim of child trafficking. In 1989, when he was four years old, a neighbor told him that he would take him to look at cars. Cars were rare in the rural Chinese village where Lis family lived.

That was the last time he saw his home, Li said. The neighbor took him behind a hill to a road where three bicycles and four other kidnappers were waiting. He cried, but they put him on a bicycle and rode away.

I wanted to go home but they didnt allow that, Li recently told reporters with The Associated Press. Two hours later, I knew I wouldnt be going back home and I must have met bad people.

He remembers being taken on a train. Later he was sold to a family in another province in China, Henan.

Because I was too young, only 4, and I hadnt gone to school yet, I couldnt remember anything, including the names of his parents and hometown, he said.

He still had strong memories, however, of his village and its surroundings in Yunnan province. He remembers the mountains, bamboo forests and a small body of water next to his home. He used to play in those places. After he was kidnapped, Li drew maps of his village every day until he was 13. He did this so that he would not forget such details.

Before he started school, he would draw the maps on the ground. After entering school, he drew them in his notebooks. For him, drawing the maps became an obsession  something he spent an extraordinary amount of time doing and thinking about.

More than 30 years after Li was taken, one of his detailed maps helped police find his village  and his family.

He decided to try to find his biological family last year after he saw two families reunited on the news. In July, a Chinese father was reunited with his son after searching for 24 years. In December, another father was reunited with his kidnapped son after 14 years.

Child kidnappings happen regularly in China, although it is unclear how often they happen. The problem was worsened by restrictions that, until 2015, permitted most families living in cities to have only one child.

Li decided to speak with his adoptive parents to get more information. He also looked at DNA databases. But he found nothing helpful. Then, volunteers suggested that he publish a video of himself on Douyin, a social media service, along with a map he drew from memory.

It took him only 10 minutes to redraw what he had drawn hundreds or even thousands of times as a child, he said.

Lis post on Douyin was seen tens of thousands of times. By then, Li said police had already narrowed down possible villages based on his DNA sample. His hand-drawn map helped villagers identify a family.

Li finally connected with his mother over the telephone. She asked about a scar on his chin. She explained the mark was caused by a fall from a ladder. When she mentioned the scar, I knew it was her, Li said.

Other details and memories fell into place, and a DNA test confirmed Li had found his family. In an emotional reunion on New Years Day, he saw his mother for the first time since he was four.

As Li walked toward her, he collapsed on the ground in emotion. Lifted up by his younger brother and sister, he finally hugged his mother.

Li began to cry when speaking about his father, who is no longer alive. Li, who has two children of his own, said he will take his family to visit the place where his father is buried. He plans to go there with all his aunts and uncles during Lunar New Year celebrations next month.

Its going to be a real big reunion, he said. I want to tell him that his son is back.

Im Ashley Thompson.

The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English.

______________________________________

Words in This Story

bicycle n. a two-wheeled vehicle that a person rides by pushing on foot pedals

allow v. to permit; to let happen

province n. one of the large parts that some countries are divided into

draw v. to create a picture by using a pencil, pen or similar instrument to make lines

regularly adv. very often; at about the same time each day or month

adoptive adj. used to describe a parent who has adopted a child, taking the child as their own

scar n. the mark left after a wound has healed

mention v. to talk about or note in some way especially in a brief way

hug v. to put your arms around someone especially as a way of showing love or friendship


A coastal area in Thailand known as Maya Bay once had thousands of visitors each day after it appeared in the Hollywood movie The Beach.

The film with Leonardo DiCaprio came out in 2000. Since then, visitors to the Southeast Asian country have taken boats to see the isolated beach. It is on an island called Phi Phi Leh and is surrounded by 100-meter-high cliffs.

But the boats and tourists hurt the coral and chased away the fish. The water got dirty and the beach got polluted.

So, although it hurt the economy, Thailand closed the beach in 2018.

But this year, some visitors have been permitted back.

Only 375 visitors are permitted at one time. Boats are restricted to one area. People cannot swim.

But the corals and other life came back after three years of rest.

The sharks have come backand the water is clear again, said Yuthasak Supasorn, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. These things show that nature will heal if we give it time, and we have to work to keep it that way, too."

Before COVID-19, tourism accounted for 12 percent of the Thai economy. About 40 million people came to visit in 2019.

The visitors brought in money but also hurt the environment. In Thailand and other beautiful parts of southeast Asia, beaches have become polluted as visitors left waste behind.

Manuele Panin, a visitor to Maya Bay, from Italy said: Its a marvelous place. I think it is fine that it has been closed all this time to protect the nature and allow it to restore and recover.

Im Dan Friedell

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by Reuters.

Are there areas where you live that should be given a break from tourists? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page.

___________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

isolated  adj. separated from others; far away

cliff  n. a high surface of rock, earth or ice

shark  n. a large, sometimes dangerous sea fish that has very sharp teeth

tourist n. a person who travels for pleasure and not for business

marvelous  adj. extremely good or enjoyable

allow v. to permit; to let happen


The Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan is experiencing the worst street protests since gaining independence some 30 years ago.

Police said they had killed several rioters in the main city of Almaty and arrested 2,000 people. State television reported that 13 members of the security forces had also died in the violence. Reuters reported that both the presidential home and the mayor's office in Almaty were on fire.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev first sought to calm the crowds by dismissing the entire government early Wednesday. By the end of the day, he changed his strategy.

Tokayev then claimed the protestors were foreign-trained terrorists. Then he appealed to a Russian-led military alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), for help in stopping the unrest.

Overnight, Russia sent troops into the former Soviet Union republic to help control the protests. By Thursday afternoon, the Kazakhstan military regained control of the citys airport which had been taken earlier by protestors.

The unrest is causing concern in Kazakhstan's two powerful neighbors: Russia and China. Kazakhstan is an important Russian ally. And the country sells most of its oil exports to China.

Why are people angry?

Kazakhstan declared independence in 1991 after the breakup of the former Soviet Union. The country has a large natural supply of oil, natural gas, uranium, and other metals.

Its wealth gave rise to a solid middle class, but poverty is still widespread. The average national monthly salary is just under $600. The banking system is failing and corruption is commonplace.

The protests started after a sudden rise in the price of car fuel in the western oil town of Zhanaozen. Many people there feel that the areas energy wealth has not been spread fairly among the population. In 2011, police killed at least 15 people in the city who were protesting in support of oil workers dismissed after a strike.

When gas prices doubled overnight Saturday, anger exploded. People in nearby cities quickly joined in and within days large protests had spread to the rest of the country. The tens of thousands of protestors are now aiming to overthrow the government.

Who is leading the protests?

Kazakhstan had seen major demonstrations in 2016 and 2019. But critics of the government are usually suppressed. So, while the current protests are unusually large, no leaders have arisen.

Much of the anger displayed on the streets was directed at former President Nursultan Nazarbayev. In 2019, Nazarbayev stepped down and named Tokayev as the next president. Nazarbayev, however, continues to hold power as head of the security council that oversees the military and security services.

Tokayev announced Wednesday that he was taking over from Nazarbayev as security council head. He also said the government would seek reforms and possible political liberalization. But Tokayevs actions suggested he would continue to suppress the protestors.

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting from The Associated Press and Reuters.

_______________________________________

Words in This Story

mayor  n. an official who is elected to be the head of the government of a city or town

strategy  n. a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time

salary  n. an amount of money that an employee is paid each year
LEXINGTON  Former State Senator Theresa Thibodeau is one of the candidates running for Governor, among her top priorities is reducing property taxes, education and public safety.

Thibodeau visited Lexington on Tuesday, Jan. 5 to speak with donors, hold media interviews and to hold a meet and greet in Gothenburg.

Thibodeau said she has an, extensive and well-rounded, background that includes working in human resources, volunteering and being president of the parent-teacher association of her childrens schools, serving in the State Legislature and leading the Douglas County Republican party for two years.

Thibodeau was appointed by Ricketts to the Nebraska Legislature in 2017 to fill a vacancy in east-central Omahas 9th Legislative District. She was defeated for election in 2018 by 288 votes by Machaela Cavanaugh.

The former senator initially enlisted with gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster to be his lieutenant governor running mate. However, in July, Thibodeau dropped off the ticket and in November 2021 announced she joined the GOP race for governor.

She said her past experience helped show her how government works, the need to interact with one another, building relationships with people and really dive in deep to ensure that everyone has a voice at the table, so we are addressing the needs and the concerns of all Nebraskans.

Thibodeau said by listening to the citizens, city leaders and county leaders is how the problems and issues that face the state will be solved.

She said Nebraska is a wonderful, beautiful state that has family values, she noted as they have travelled across the state, everyone has been welcoming, because that what Nebraska is, that is how our state is.

However, Thibodeau said there are dark clouds looming and things that need to be addressed.

Speaking to her policy priorities, taxes were the first item she mentioned. Our tax problems have been plaguing us for decades, I feel it is a moral obligation for the next governor to actually get in and address and fix the problem.

Her goals would be to reduce property taxes by 20-25 percent, get rid of the personal property tax, lower the income tax and reduce the amount it takes for Nebraskans to license their vehicles, she would like to see that amount around $80 and no more.

Education is a, huge, priority of Thibodeaus. She said Nebraskan students are falling behind in STEM areas and she disagrees with the proposed health standards that were put forward by the Nebraska Department of Education; she said it sexualizes our children.

Thibodeau said, our children are our future and we determine what we want that future to look like.

She noted if we are graduating students that are not proficient in math, science, English and reading, then what are we doing?

A way to help this issue is by looking to our teachers, Thibodeau said, by listening to them and providing them with the tools that they say they need, not what education lobbyists are trying to lobby for.

It comes down to our teachers, Thibodeau said.

Another issue facing the state is the, brain drain, the fact college educated younger adults are moving out of Nebraska to live in other states. According to Center for Public Affairs data, in Nebraska, 72 percent of people that more out of the state are young, between the ages of 20 and 29.

Thibodeau said in her speaking with members of this age group, the main issue they have raised to her is taxes.

She said when this group is starting their families and careers they dont want to be hit with huge tax bills. They also dont want to try opening a small business or take over a family farm and not be able to afford the property taxes, Thibodeau said.

In rural Nebraska, Thibodeau said the focus needs to be access to quality healthcare and broadband access. We need to ensure if young families need access to health care, quickly or in an emergency, then they have that access.

On the family note, Thibodeau noted her stance as, strongly pro-life, and she said life begins at conception and needs to be protected. She noted her pro-life stance is twofold, not only protecting unborn, but providing opportunities young children deserve, outside of the womb.

She also noted its important to provide young women who are pregnant with hope and showing them other areas they can go, other than having an abortion.

Thibodeau said in the end, if motherhood isnt for them, then access to adoption needs to be easier.

Public safety is another concern; she said she feels like Nebraska is starting to go in the direction of, left leaning states, in the way criminals are treated. We need to keep our communities safe.

Thibodeau said the state needs to focus on how criminals are being let out of prison, she referenced the good time, law.

Currently, when inmates begin serving a state prison sentence, they are eligible to earn day-for-day good time credit toward their sentences for following rules and not engaging in prohibited conduct. Inmates serving a sentence in a county jail also can earn this good time, but only after the first 14 days of their sentence.

She said laws like this allowed Nikko Jenkins to kill four people.

Jenkins had killed within a month after he had been released from prison after serving 10-and-a-half years of the 189 years to which he had been sentenced for a carjacking committed at age 15 and for assaults committed in prison.

He brutally murdered a mom (Andrea Kruger, 33) on her way home from work, that should not be happening, said Thibodeau, We need to make sure we are tough on criminals and those behind bars, stay behind bars.

To that end, Thibodeau said we need to provide our law enforcement officers with the tools to do their jobs. She is also concerned with crimes that start online, such as sex trafficking.

When asked how she would address the issues of understaffing and overpopulation of Nebraskas prison system, Thibodeau said as a business owner she has experience on why there might be short staffing. It comes down to salary, working conditions, etc.

Thibodeau said, As a state, we have no other choice, we are going to need to build a new prison. We need to give those correction officers a safe place to do their job, keep themselves and the inmates safe as well.

A new prison would allow for inmates to better access programs that would help keep them from reoffending when they are ready to be released. She noted overcrowding can prevent inmates from accessing those programs.

When asked what sets herself out from the other candidates running for Governor, Thibodeau said it is her, well-rounded experience, having been a business owner and having to pay the current property taxes, also her one-on-one experience with government bureaucracy that force laws onto businesses, while they are not held accountable.

Thibodeau said other candidates may be more removed from experiences like hers.

When asked why someone from south central Nebraska should cast their vote in her name, Thibodeau said, while she is from Omaha, she has always looked at serving Nebraska as serving the entire state.

You have to look at it that way, you cannot serve one part of our state and not the other, she said. Farming is 80 percent of our economy, you cannot ignore that and you cannot forget that.

In speaking with Nebraska residents, she hopes they see her, true sincerity and integrity, and that will resonate with them.

Concluding, Thibodeau said she thinks it would be an, absolute honor, to serve the people of Nebraska as Governor. I view the governorship as a leadership role, but a leader that is listening to the citizens.

Government is under the watchful eye of the citizen, and we are not there to direct the citizens on what to do, we are there to organize and lead the policies that are most important, Thibodeau said, We can be an example for the rest of the nation.
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, which manages 28 luxury hotels, resorts and residences in 16 countries, has introduced Alchemy of Sleep, a global collection of new and immersive retreats designed to promote rest through sleep-inducing treatments, movement-driven activities and special amenities.

Dedicated to those setting intentions for profound change, the programmes support renewal of the body and longevity.

The Alchemy of Sleep retreats address a variety of practices that require attention, such as nutrition, movement and mindfulness, presenting a mix of treatments and experiences, expert consultations and classes that ensure each guest finds skills to incorporate into their everyday lives, PRNewswire reported.

Guests can opt for a one-night 'Dreamscape' or extend from two to five nights for a 'Sleep Transformation'. As a supplement to these offerings, Curated Sleep Boxes feature products that rebalance such as essential oil blends, tea blends, aromatherapy linen mists and silk eye masks.

In keeping with Rosewood's A Sense of Place philosophy, wherein the identity and offerings of each property are inspired by its destination, the Alchemy of Sleep retreats reflect local wellness customs and embrace the natural surroundings. Participating hotels and resorts have developed bespoke 'AWE' moments to establish a self-transcendent sense of wonderment, helping guests shift attention outward and find ways to be more present.

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Regional Director of Wellness Emmanuel Arroyo said: "While the return to an on-the-go lifestyle is in sight for 2022, taking time for true rest and reset is essential for ensuring good health at every level. We designed our Alchemy of Sleep experiences to provide guests with the tools they need for slowing down and establishing lasting sleep hygiene habits, which will have a greater impact on their overall wellbeing."

Available from January through March 2022, retreat elements at participating Rosewood properties include:

- Hotel de Crillon, Paris welcomes guests with an in-room Sleeping Beauty set, featuring all the essentials for ensuring a good night's sleep. Guests continue their stay with personalised messages and centring meditation sessions, concluding the journey with a Sleep Naturopathy consultation.

- Rosewood Guangzhou guides guests through a specially curated itinerary featuring dedicated mediation periods, massages that incorporate sound-healing and traditional Chinese herbs. Equally important to reaching restful periods are the movement-driven activities, which allow proper energy flow and ensure the body is ready to rest by evening.

- Set on a lush private peninsula in St. Barth, the new Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth offers an ideal setting for finding serenity and inner-peace. In addition to nutrient-rich dishes and scenic meditation, restorative treatments, such as Healing Sound Bath Therapy, activate the brain waves for a dreamlike state. Each room is enhanced with oil diffusers and mists, silk pillowcases and eye masks, books with sleep tips, as well as access to meditation TV apps.

- Rosewood Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands offers aromatherapy and reflexology treatments releasing tension from the body. These are supplemented with outdoor activities such as hikes through "The Baths" National Park. Guests can partake in Yoga Nindra, also known as 'Yogic Sleep,' offered under the stars just before bedtime.

- At Rosewood Mayakoba along Mexico's Riviera Maya, guests will engage in two personal consultations with the resort's wellbeing experts to discuss the Alchemy of Sleep and develop actions for improving sleep cycles, while keeping the body moving with Float Fit sessions and Restorative Yoga. Guests will also have access to a Sleep Aromatherapy Support Kit curated by the resort's Ayurveda and Aromatherapy Clinician Daniel Seymour; the kit features a remedy made from a curated blend of organic oils, as well as a master class on sleep.
The following is taken from the Santa Maria Police Department's calls-for-service log and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office daily arrest log. Those appearing as "arrested" are only suspected of the crime indicated but are presumed innocent.
Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. His book, "The Burzynski Breakthrough, The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It" is now available in a soft cover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, visit www.californiafocus.net
McDuffie previously served as the companys vice president of sales and marketing, which put him at the helm of business development and revenue growth. In his new role, McDuffie will serve as Madison Media Partners senior operational leader and chief revenue executive.

The primary face of community engagement for the company, McDuffie said a chief concern will be making sure that continued innovation and investment remain the priorities of operational strategy, keeping the companys vast audience of readers and advertising clients front and center in those decisions.

I really want to make sure that our mission is to remain and to always be essential, McDuffie said of his new position. We do that through continuing the legacy of quality local journalism ... telling the stories of south-central Wisconsin and making sure our platforms and product suite remain the best in the region.

He will report to Chris White, president of the Western Media Group for Madison Media Partners parent company, Lee Enterprises, and publisher of the State Journal.

McDuffie, a native of Columbus, Georgia, moved to the Madison area in September 2020 with his wife and two children after a decade working for California-based publishing firm McClatchy. He rose through the ranks there, starting as a multimedia marketing consultant for the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in 2010 and more recently serving as the senior director of leadership development for McClatchys corporate office and general manager of their Georgia markets.

A 2007 graduate of Berry College, McDuffie started his career as a journalist and multimedia producer for a privately owned media company in northwest Georgia, earning two Emmy Award nominations for video storytelling, before embarking on his career as a media business executive.

(McDuffie) has exhibited exceptional leadership, White said, adding he looks for humble people who are driven to be the best at what they are when making hiring decisions.
Four people were killed when the minivan they were in was hit by two semi-trailer trucks Thursday night on Interstate 39/90/94 near DeForest, the State Patrol said.

The crash happened shortly before 10:15 p.m. at mile marker 124 on I-39/90/94 south, Sgt. Adam Zoch said in a statement.

The incident began when a 2005 Chevrolet Uplander stopped to assist a Honda Civic that was disabled on the right shoulder. When the minivan pulled back into traffic, it was hit by two semis, killing all four occupants of the van, Zoch said.

The occupants included a 36-year-old woman from Lyndon Station who was the driver, and an 18-year-old man from Lyndon Station and a 39-year-old man from Wisconsin Dells who were passengers. No details were available on the third passenger.

No names were released.

The drivers of the 2011 Freightliner and 1994 Kenworth semis  a 25-year-old man from Ashland, Ohio, and a 61-year-old man From Havana, Illinois, respectively  were not injured, Zoch said.

I-39/90/94 south was closed at Highway 60 for about three hours. DeForest fire, EMS and police, Dane County and Columbia County sheriffs offices, the Dane County Medical Examiners Office and the Columbia County Highway Department assisted with the response and investigation.

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Two men charged with first-degree intentional homicide for a Far West Side shootout in 2020 that left another man dead were the victims of an ambush and acted in self-defense, a lawyer for one of the men told a jury selected Thursday to hear a weeklong trial.

Adam Welch, attorney for Jeffrey D. Briggs Jr., 27, of Madison, said Briggs was set up by someone he trusted, and had a gun shoved in his face, causing him to defend himself by shooting Jason I. Eggleston, 30, to death on Oct. 31, 2020, near the Wexford Ridge Apartments on Flower Lane.

Our defense is simple, Welch said. That our clients are not guilty because they were acting in self-defense.

Briggs, of Madison, and his brother, Javion D. Briggs, 19, of Sun Prairie, were charged with first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide following the shootout in which Javion Briggs was also shot in the face and another man, Kairen D. Stanley, 18, was shot in the chest.

The jury of 16  eight men and eight women, to be pared to 12 after closing arguments next week  was selected Thursday before Circuit Judge Ellen Berz. While the jury heard opening statements Thursday, testimony wont begin until Monday morning.

Prosecutors maintain that the Briggs brothers were looking for a fight when they went to Wexford Ridge, expecting Eggleston, to whom Jeffrey Briggs owed money, to have a gun.

But Welch said the fight began because Jeffrey Briggs needed someone to give him a ride and because Kimeonta Stanley, who had grown up with Jeffrey Briggs, drove over from the East Side to provide the ride. But Briggs did not know that Stanley was upset because earlier Stanley had been robbed at gunpoint by two men, one of whom is a cousin of Jeffrey Briggs.

At a home on Camden Road, Welch said, Stanley talked to Eggleston, who was angry at Jeffrey Briggs, and concocted a plan to ambush Briggs.

Welch said Stanley and his cousin Kairen Stanley, along with Eggleston, drove to Wexford Ridge to pick up Jeffrey Briggs. Before picking up the Briggs brothers, Eggleston and Kairen Stanley got out of the car and hid momentarily, Welch said.

After the Briggs brothers got into the car, Welch said, Eggleston and Kairen Stanley attacked. Eggleston opened the front passenger door, where Jeffrey Briggs was seated, and brandished a gun at him. Jeffrey Briggs rolled himself into a ball momentarily, surprised by Eggleston, then after a struggle shot Eggleston.

Kairen Stanley fired and shot Javion Briggs in the face, Welch said, and as Jeffrey and Javion Briggs ran from the car, they fired back toward it. Jeffrey Briggs, who lost his phone, used his brothers phone to call 911 to get help for Javion.

Theyre the victims here, they need help, Welch said.

William Ginsberg, lawyer for Javion Briggs, reserved his opening statement until later in the trial.

Assistant District Attorney Dan Hess told jurors there will be testimony that Jeffrey Briggs attempted to hide the gun used to shoot Eggleston inside a nearby apartment, and that he offered money to get witnesses away from the scene after the shooting.

Hess said the Stanley cousins will be called to testify, but its not known how cooperative theyll be on the witness stand. They told police earlier, however, that the shooting arose from a drug-related situation, Hess said.

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Neeraj Bishnoi, 21, and a second-year BTech student from an institute in Bhopal was arrested by Delhi Police from Assams Jorhat district on January 6.

NEW DELHI  The main accused behind the Bulli Bai app used by right-wing extremists to auction Muslim women showed no remorse for his actions during police interrogation, NDTV reported quoting sources on Friday.

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Instead, the accused Neeraj Bishnoi claimed to have done what he thought was right, the report said.

Bishnoi, 21, and a second-year BTech student from an institute in Bhopal was arrested by Delhi Police from Assams Jorhat district yesterday.

According to the report, officials told NDTV they had recovered the device used to create the app that was hosted on GitHub, a Microsoft-owned software-sharing platform.

He was presented in court on the same day and sent to seven days of police custody.

As per the report, Bishnoi, a resident of Assam, had been tracked down via digital surveillance of a Twitter handle @bullibai_ that he created, and which has now been suspended. The app itself has now been deleted after GitHub initially only blocked it.

The report quoting sources further said that interrogation so far had revealed the app was actually developed in November and it went public on December 31, at which time another Twitter handle  @sage0x1 was created to spread the word.

Bishnoi reportedly also created a @giyu44 handle that he used to mock Mumbai Police- he referred to them as slumbai police- after they announced the three earlier arrests.

That handle, which remains active, contains multiple tweets of an abusive nature and a pinned tweet with a collection of screenshots taunting police over their arrests, as well as a confession.

You have arrested the wrong person, slumbai police I am the creator of #BulliBaiApp Got nothing to do with the two innocents whom u arrested, release them asap the tweet reads.

Pertinently, Bishnoi is the fourth person to be arrested in connection with the Bulli Bai app, following those of Mayank Rawal, 21; Shweta Singh; and Vishal Kumar Jha.

Mumbai Police have described Singh as the mastermind in a case that has triggered widespread outrage over the vile targeting of Muslim women journalists and activists online.
Jurors in Chandler Haldersons murder trial heard from witnesses Thursday about his trip to a rural Cottage Grove farm where the mutilated remains of his father, Bart, were found and, more than three months later, a rifle hidden in a shed.

Halderson, 23, of Windsor, appeared to show no emotion as Deputy District Attorney William Brown took witness Brent Baverstock, a Dane County sheriffs detective, through a series of increasingly graphic photos of Barts shirtless, headless torso as it was found under a pile of sticks in a stand of woods near where Halderson had been seen days before. In the center of the torsos back was a wound, believed by the prosecution to be a gunshot wound.

Prior to Baverstocks testimony, jurors heard from Chandlers former girlfriends mother, Dulce Mellender, and Mellenders girlfriend, Cresent LSai, who owns the farm where Barts remains were found.

They described how Chandler had been at the farm on July 4 with the girlfriend for an Independence Day gathering, and then came by alone the day after asking to use LSais pool  a ruse, prosecutors contend, used by Chandler as an excuse to dump his fathers torso.

Halderson is accused of killing both his parents, Bart, 50, and Krista, 53, on July 1 in the home they shared after his father discovered his son had been lying for months or years about having a job and going to school.

To cover up the killings, prosecutors say, Chandler concocted a cover story about his parents having gone to the family cabin in Langlade County on July 2 before filing false missing persons reports on both of them five days later  days he spent dismembering his parents bodies and trying to burn them in the family fireplace before dumping them at the LSai farm and along the Wisconsin River near Prairie du Sac, where some of Kristas body was found.

Baverstock said the Sheriffs Office decided to search LSais farm shortly after he interviewed Mellender in connection with Chandlers reports. Without going into detail, he said Mellender was emotionally distraught and the interview raised enough red flags that he felt investigators had to get to the farm right away.

It was there that he saw turkey vultures  unusual among birds in their strong sense of smell  circling overhead, long grass tamped down as if with car tires near the woods, and a Target bag filled with what appeared to be bloody rags.

It took me a while to process what I was seeing, he said of Barts remains, and then it became obvious I was looking at a human torso.

Prior to Baverstocks testimony, Mellender and LSai described the events of July 4 and 5, when they said Chandler seemed down and had told them hed recently lost a new job at SpaceX in Florida because hed suffered a concussion and couldnt fly.

Generally quiet and a bit nerdy, Chandler just seemed kind of off, kind of weird, actually, LSai said. Mellender said he told her his concussion was really bad.

The prosecution, though, has sought to shed doubt on whether Halderson was seriously injured or injured at all in the fall he said he took down some stairs at his home in June. An emergency room physician who saw Halderson on June 17 testified that while he likely had a mild concussion, his CT scans did not show any abnormalities and he did not tell Halderson  as Halderson allegedly told others later  that he might need surgery and couldnt fly.

On the Fourth, Chandler had asked LSai for her phone number so that he could come by and use the pool, LSai said, and shed provided it, but didnt hear a message he left on her landline before he showed up on the afternoon of July 5.

Chandler had never been to the property alone, LSai and Mellender testified, and Mellender rushed over there when she heard he was headed that way because LSai sometimes went topless in the pool.

I was worried he might see her, said Mellender, who was embarrassed enough about the disclosure to need a short break during her testimony.

Chandler didnt immediately head to the pool, though, according to LSai, who said she had become irritated because it was hot and she wanted to use the pool herself. Mellender, meanwhile, was worried he might be doing drugs while on the property, LSai said.

Eventually, she and Mellender decided to go in the pool and it was a short time later that they saw a shirtless Chandler walking up from where Barts torso was later found, LSai said. Mellender said he asked to use the pool with them, and she said no because LSai was topless, but he got in anyway and LSai said he spent about 15 minutes making washing-like motions with the water on his arms and upper body before getting out and leaving.

It was odd because he just seemed really different when he got in the pool, LSai said, appearing more lucid and present.

LSai testified that she found the rifle hidden behind some boards in her shed in mid-October as she was cleaning the shed out. She said she hadnt been locking the shed and the rifle wasnt hers or her fathers, who also lives on the farm. On cross-examination she acknowledged that she hadnt looked in the shed for a long time at that point and didnt know every item that was in there before it was cleaned out.

Girlfriend testifies

Much of the afternoon was taken up by testimony from Haldersons former girlfriend, Cathryn Mellender, 21, who spoke of the close relationship she had with Halderson and his parents for nearly two years, and how she believed Halderson had been going to school at Madison Area Technical College and working at American Family Insurance but had taken a job in Florida with Elon Musks SpaceX. She said she planned to join him in Florida in August after her lease in the Madison area ended.

Cathryn, who goes by Cat, testified repeatedly that she believed what Chandler told her about his life and their future life together, although she saw little proof of any of it, such as grades or money.

Brown took her through a series of texts and Snapchat messages between the two of them to show the jury what both were doing or said they were doing from late June through Haldersons arrest on July 8, initially on charges of lying to investigators. A tearful Cat agreed with Brown at the end of her testimony that she was the person most in contact with Chandler and most often at his home in the days after Bart and Kristas deaths, which she said she knew nothing about until later.

I just believed his parents were missing, she said. I just wanted them to be found.

Messages between the two of them as July 1 approached showed Chandler telling her his parents might go to the family cabin and worried about his future.

I just had a bright future planned and its falling apart, he told her in a Snapchat message just after 7 a.m. July 1.

Later, they texted about what they would be doing together and in some, Chandler asked her to bring him hydrogen peroxide, ice and a Swiffer WetJet mop. When she went to stay at his house on July 2, she testified that she smelled smoke, which Chandler explained as being a result of breaking one of the glass panes on the fireplace while while playing fetch with one of his dogs inside. Investigators later found part of a human skull in the fireplace, the prosecution says.

Questioning neighbors

On Wednesday, witnesses, including longtime friends of the family, neighbors and Barts brother, Brett, described Krista as doting and her and Bart as too responsible to have gone on a trip without telling anyone, as Chandler alleged. Bart, a certified public accountant, would not have taken a large amount of cash with them, possibly to gamble, as Chandler reportedly suggested, witnesses testified. And while Chandler told people his parents also took a lot of alcohol with them, neither were heavy drinkers, witnesses said.

Several of the 29 people called to the stand Tuesday and Wednesday described Chandler as nervous, awkward, distracted and emotionally flat in his interactions with them in the days after the murders, including when he visited several neighbors on the morning of July 8  the day he was arrested  to ask whether they had surveillance video showing his street.

Its almost feeling like you have to think how to act, Hanna Hilgendorf said of Chandlers demeanor when she and her sister  longtime friends of the family  went to visit him on July 7.

Prosecutors also showed a compilation of security footage taken from a home near the Haldersons in which the familys Subaru can be seen leaving and returning multiple times between July 1 and July 7. Prosecutors contend that Chandler only decided to distribute his parents remains around southern Wisconsin after failing to burn them in the fireplace.

Chandler Halderson is charged with two counts each of first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse, hiding a corpse and falsifying information about a missing person.

The trial continues Friday and is expected to last about two more weeks.

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Madison School District students will return to classrooms on Monday, Superintendent Carlton Jenkins announced Thursday.

The announcement came a week after the districts last-minute decision to extend winter break and pivot to online-only learning for two days, which caused outrage among parents and community members.

We recognize this week has affected our scholars, families, and staff in many ways, Jenkins said. We appreciate our school communitys patience and understanding. Although we prefer our scholars to be connecting in person with teachers and staff while learning in our classrooms, this necessary pause strengthened our ability to sustain remaining open safely.

Over the past week the district reviewed local health metrics and trends, spoke with its medical advisers, acquired a sustainable supply of personal protective equipment, rapid antigen tests and PCR tests and updated its contact tracing procedures  to now contact only district students and staff who test positive as well as any of their immediate family members  in an anticipated significant increase in cases and staff shortages, spokesperson Tim LeMonds said in a statement.

The district is strongly encouraging students and staff to get tested prior to returning to classrooms on Monday, and for students to get vaccinated with a booster shot if they are eligible and have not yet been inoculated.

Staff absences remain a districtwide concern as the omicron variant continues to set case-count records locally and nationally, LeMonds said, adding it is possible a school or classroom might close due to inadequate staffing.

Kim Sanchez, a parent of four Madison students, said her family is so happy to hear in-person (learning) starts again Monday.

We are all fully vaccinated and boosted and feel in-person school should be the priority, she said. Last year we were fully supportive of virtual schooling but we feel we have done our part and vaccinated ourselves and our kids and we need to find a way to make in-person school work. If that means having to close specific classrooms or schools temporarily that have staffing issues or high numbers so be it. But forcing the entire district virtual should not be the answer anymore.

But Shanta Hood, a parent of a Lowell Elementary School student, said shes nervous about the decision amid the current surge in COVID-19 cases.

I get we all have to pay bills and we want our kids back in school learning, but when we have kids going to school after they just announced the hospital beds are at capacity, like, come on now, she said. I just pray everyone stays safe, continues to take safety measures the best way they can, and stays home when they are feeling ill.

Michelle Ellinger Linley, a parent of two high school students and one middle schooler, said she and her family experienced a moment of panic akin to a trauma response when they heard schools were closing last week. But, once she found out the pivot was due to staffing struggles, the decision made sense, she said.

Its equally confusing that theyre coming back, now that I am aware of the staff absences going into next week, she said. How are they going to function with a lack of staffing?

Cause for pivot

Jenkins cited the dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases in his decision last week to move classes back online this week, saying public health experts expect cases to peak in mid- to late January.

The jump in cases had a significant impact on district staffing at many schools and severely limited the availability of tests and personal protective equipment, LeMonds said.

Ellen Wald, chair of the UW Health Department of Pediatrics and medical adviser to the district, told the board at a special meeting Wednesday that adequate staff is critical to keeping schools open. If transmission begins to occur in school buildings, the district can tweak its protocols surrounding masks, distancing or mealtimes, but staffing remains the critical factor in determining whether schools need to close.

Tracey Caradine, the districts chief of human resources, said Friday the district has had more absences this year than pre-pandemic and is having trouble finding substitute teachers to cover those absences. Between 43% and 50% of the absences were unable to be filled with substitute teachers throughout the fall semester.

Over the last five in-person school years, the district had an average of 650 substitute teachers to cover absences. This year that number has dropped to 391, with 84 of those substitute teachers also covering absences in other districts.

Next week, Caradine is anticipating 547 absences among staff, with 193 of those unfilled as of Wednesday, though, she said, those numbers could change.

Elsewhere

Wisconsins largest school district, Milwaukee Public Schools, also delayed students return to classrooms after the holiday break because of an increase in staff testing positive for COVID-19. The district, with roughly 75,000 students, says its goal is to return to in-person learning on Monday.

The Beloit School District canceled classes Monday due to a bus driver shortage, but classes resumed Tuesday  though transportation challenges were possible through the week.

Most students across Dane County, outside of Madison, returned to their classrooms Monday. Superintendents at several districts said any pivot to online-only learning would hinge on the number of cases and the level of staffing theyre able to provide.

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Most of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers appointees to the boards overseeing Wisconsins higher education systems remain unconfirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate, a move that could allow the GOP to quickly gain control of the boards if the party wins the governors race in November.

Five of Evers picks for the state technical college system board are unconfirmed, with three of them unable to serve because appointees of former Republican Gov. Scott Walker refuse to vacate their seats even though their terms expired last spring.

And while Evers seven unconfirmed appointees to the UW Board of Regents have been serving without the Senates stamp of approval, the Republican lawmaker chairing the committee charged with confirming them recently warned that some may be in trouble.

Evers, in a statement to the Wisconsin State Journal, said the individuals he appointed are doing everything thats asked of them.

The transfer of power is a part of our democracy, and its breathtaking, frankly, that Republicans have decided its more important to play politics than confirm appointments they know are qualified, dedicated people who want to serve our state, he said. Its wrong-headed, its clearly political, and its affecting the work these boards are doing every day.

Sen. Roger Roth, R-Appleton, who chairs the Senate Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges, said he plans to start moving on some of the appointees after wrapping up hearings on some bills this month. But he also entertained the possibility of continuing to deny some appointees a vote over the next year or even booting some from their posts. Senate leadership ultimately makes those decisions, he said.

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, told WisPolitics last week that Senate Republicans dont plan to take up Evers remaining appointees to the boards overseeing the UW System and technical colleges.

LeMahieu spokesperson Adam Gibbs later clarified that some appointees will get a vote and others will not be confirmed. He also said the caucus tends to follow the opinion of committee chairs.

Committee member Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-West Point, said refusing to approve appointees for so long shows that Republicans are more concerned about political gain than governing.

I dont know what their plan is other than waiting out the next election cycle, he said.

Technical colleges

The 13-member board that sets policies across the states 16 technical college districts includes five Evers appointees, three individuals who serve by virtue of their position  state schools Superintendent Jill Underly, Workforce Development Secretary Amy Pechacek and Evers-appointed UW Regent John Miller  and five Walker appointees, including three whose terms expired in May.

The three holdovers are Kelly Tourdot, a Waunakee resident who is vice president of Associated Builders and Contractors; Mary Williams, a former GOP state representative from northern Wisconsin; and Becky Levzow, a dairy farmer from Rio. Meeting minutes show they have continued to vote and make motions, with Levzow even presiding as board president during a July meeting.

Their refusal to vacate their seats was first reported by WisPolitics late last month.

Williams, before being asked any questions by the State Journal, said theres no real story in her refusal to make way for one of Evers appointees. She said she hadnt talked to Republicans about holding on to her seat and has no problem stepping down after the Senate confirms someone to take her place. But she said she will continue to serve in her post until then because sometimes people appointed by the governor are not confirmed.

Some people are making a bigger issue out of it than it needs to be, she said.

Tourdot did not return a voicemail and email seeking comment.

Levzow, almost immediately after a reporter reached her by phone, said she was at work, could not speak and hung up. She did not respond to a follow-up email.

To replace Williams, Tourdot and Levzow, Evers appointed Sara Rogers, planning analyst for Employ Milwaukee; Daniel Klecker, state education director for the Foundation of the Wisconsin Automobile and Truck Dealers Association; and Paul Buhr, a Viroqua-area dairy farmer who ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for a state Assembly seat in 2018.

All three were appointed between May 1 and Sept. 7, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Meeting minutes show Rogers, Klecker and Buhr have been attending board meetings, but not voting. The three have yet to receive a hearing although Roth intends to hold them, aide Jason Vick said.

Two of Evers other appointees to the board  student representative Megan Bahr and Northcentral University professor Quincey Daniels, Jr.  are also unconfirmed but records show they have been participating in meetings because their predecessors vacated their seats.

Board President Rodney Pasch, who was appointed by Walker, said he had no opinion on whether the appointees whose terms have expired should step down and he is instead focused on supporting the technical colleges mission. Asked if he would step down when his term expires in 2023, he said thats quite a while from now and hed think about it when the time arrives.

UW Regents

Seven of Evers nine appointees to the 18-member UW Board of Regents are unconfirmed, including four who have been serving unconfirmed for more than 20 months, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Roth declined to specify which appointees whose confirmation he would support or oppose but noted his disappointment in the Regents recent decision to increase the salary ranges for top University of Wisconsin System administrators by as much as 32%.

Its not lost on the Legislature that this is one of the first big acts by the Evers Board of Regents, he said in an interview. I think I can get there on some (appointees) and not on others.

The boards Dec. 20 vote to increase salary ranges for top leaders was unanimous and had the support of Walker appointees. Board members said the increases  which affected salary ranges, not current salaries  were necessary to bring compensation in line with market demand and ahead of two major searches, both of which are expected to conclude in the first half of 2022.

Roth said he wants to see recognition from Regents that theyre willing to make changes, such as the ones he outlined in a committee report last spring. The report called for reducing and streamlining administrative costs to increase instructor pay, grouping all but the Madison campus into four regions and expanding online courses.

Im not sure the Board of Regents is up to that, he said. Thats the question that myself and senators want answers to before were willing to confirm them.

Roth said the boards work does not have to be line-for-line from our report but said boosting administrators salary ranges goes in the opposite direction his committee has recommended.

Im not quite sure were seeing that leadership right now, he said.

Interim System President Tommy Thompson, a former four-term Republican governor, said he hasnt heard whether Republicans plan to confirm Evers appointees. Asked if the GOP should, he deferred to the Legislature.

Thats out of my ballpark, Thompson said in an interview.

Regents President Ed Manydeeds, one of the few Evers appointees who has been confirmed by Republicans, said the board wants to avoid unnecessary disruptions so it can stay focused on its responsibilities.

Our board governs best for its students and universities when it is both collaborative and empowered to act, he said in a statement.

Manydeeds narrowly won the presidential post in a rare contested election last summer that came just a few weeks after Evers appointees gained a majority on the board.

In the lead-up to the election, Roth had encouraged Evers appointees to continue the tradition of electing the boards vice president, who happened to be a Walker appointee, as the boards next president. The senators suggestion led some appointees to fear that voting the wrong way could threaten their confirmations though Roth denied any connection between the two.

Other delays

This is far from the first time that gubernatorial appointments have been bottled up by the opposing political party.

Most recently, Fred Prehn, a Wausau dentist appointed by Walker to the Natural Resources Board, has refused to step down since his term expired May 1, denying Evers appointee Sandra Naas a seat and maintaining a 4-3 majority for Republican appointees.

Citing a 1964 Supreme Court ruling, Prehn maintains he does not have to leave until Naas is confirmed by the Senate, but Republicans have made no move to set a hearing.

The GOP also hasnt confirmed several of Evers Cabinet nominees.

Democrats, too, have held up gubernatorial appointments.

When the party controlled the Senate in the early 2000s, it declined to act on Thompsons nominations to the UW Board of Regents for so long that even after he left to become secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services his picks remained held up for the entirety of his Republican successors two-year tenure.

When Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle was elected, he withdrew the Republican appointees and replaced them with his own.

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Tommy Thompson, who has led the University of Wisconsin System on an interim basis through one of its most challenging chapters, said he will step down from his presidential post March 18.

He announced his resignation on Friday, the same day that a committee met to select finalists in the search for his successor. The group expects to conduct interviews this month and name its pick in early February, leaving a short window of time for transition, especially if an external candidate is selected.

Asked about the timing between Thompsons resignation and when a new president would start, System spokesperson Mark Pitsch said the board is aware of this possibility and will make decisions when the time comes. He said its not uncommon to have an interim leader serve during the transition to a new president.

Thompson, a former four-term Republican governor who turned 80 in November, took over as interim president on July 1, 2020, a time when it was unclear if UW campuses would even reopen that fall due to COVID-19.

Drew Petersen, president of the Regents at the time, convinced Thompson to take the job in the days after a search to find a replacement for President Ray Cross failed. Petersen and others on the board have joked that it was the most successful failed search in higher educations history because it led to Thompsons hire.

UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said Thompson stepped in at a critical moment and has provided strong and decisive leadership.

As interim president, Thompson leaned on his expertise as a former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary to manage the pandemics effect on campuses. He secured testing, promoted vaccinations and mandated masks.

Thompson also tried to improve the Systems relationship with the Republican controlled-Legislature. Tuition-setting authority was returned back to the Regents last summer, though the board declined to raise in-state tuition this school year.

When a GOP-controlled committee this summer tried controlling campus-level COVID-19 policies, Thompson stood his ground and Republican legislative leaders havent sued in the months since the standoff.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said Thompson faced challenges no president had experienced before and tackled them head-on.

In Thompsons resignation letter to Regents President Ed Manydeeds, the Elroy native opened with I love Wisconsin. He said he has been honored to serve and will spend his last 10 weeks advancing the Systems legislative agenda, visiting campuses and preparing for the presidential transition.

Tommy Thompson was the right man at the right time, Manydeeds said in a statement. His leadership has helped carry us through a pandemic and set the standard for managing during a crisis.

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The Dane County Board shot down early Friday a proposal that would have asked to end the countywide mask mandate until more public input is gathered.

The board does not have the power to overturn the mandate, but the resolution would have urged the Public Health director to suspend it. After a lengthy public comment Thursday night, the board rejected the proposal on a 30-4 vote with three absences shortly before 1 a.m. Friday.

Public Health Madison and Dane County has extended the countys mask mandate for everyone ages 2 and older in enclosed spaces until Feb. 1. The order includes an exception for when all people within a space are vaccinated, as well as for when people are eating or drinking, sleeping, swimming, getting dental treatment or communicating with someone who is deaf.

The longshot challenge to the mandate, authored by conservative-leaning Sup. Jeff Weigand, 20th District, was brought to the full board for debate after a rare procedural move last month to bring it out of the committee-level, where it had been stalled for months.

The measure also would have sought a public hearing on the mask order, an explanation from Public Health director Janel Heinrich to the County Board of the justification for it, and a consensus from both the County Board and public on whether the order should be in place. Weigand said he was happy residents got the chance to express their concerns about the mandate to the board, but said not all of their questions were answered.

Im very proud of the fact that were debating and were talking about this important issue tonight, Weigand said.

Some 80 people spoke on the matter. Health care workers rallied against the resolution, recounting their experiences caring for patients with COVID-19. Those speaking in favor of the masking challenge included business owners who said their employees shouldnt be deputized into enforcing the rule among customers. Other speakers denied the existence of the virus and questioned the efficacy of masks.

Hundreds more filed their position with the board without speaking. Nearly 530 people registered in opposition to the masking challenge, while 123 registered in support of Weigands proposal.

Weigand was frustrated that he and others were not notified when the Board of Health debated his proposal back in September because members of the public did not get to comment. In December, residents were not allowed to testify when the resolution came back to that board because of a rule preventing public comment on measures that have already been considered. That led to many residents feeling like their voices were being stifled.

This resolution is a result of people not feeling like theyre being heard, said Sup. Michele Doolan, 28th District.

She said Thursdays public hearing was important. But Doolan said Weigands goal was to overturn the mask mandate, which she called government overreach.

Under state law, public health officers are directed to take all measures necessary to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.

The health director is directed by statute to do everything that is necessary in a health emergency to stop the spread of a highly contagious disease, Sup. Patrick Miles, 34th District, said.

Dane Countys deputy corporation counsel Carlos Pabellon has said the County Board does not have the power to override that authority. The board cant terminate the mask mandate, only Heinrich can do that.

Despite state law giving public health officers the power to issue orders in health emergencies, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has said it will take up a lawsuit challenging Dane Countys mask mandate.

Sups. Weigand, Dave Ripp, Tim Rockwell and Tim Kiefer were the only supervisors to vote in support of the resolution seeking to suspend the mandate. Sups. Elizabeth Doyle, Steven Peters and Carl Chenoweth were absent.

State Journal reporter Lucas Robinson contributed to this report.

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Sen. Kathy Bernier, one of the only legislative Republicans to speak out against the GOP-ordered review of Wisconsins 2020 election, will not seek another term this fall.

Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, announced Friday that she will not seek re-election after serving 12 years in the Legislature. She had previously served 13 years as a county elections clerk.

Bernier, who has said she received pushback from some Republicans for her criticism of the ongoing review being conducted by former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, said the decision to not seek another term was her own.

The choice to retire was a difficult one to make, but I have been contemplating this decision for some time now and I decided now is the time, Bernier, 65, said in a statement. As I go, I want to make it perfectly clear that no one has forced me out and politics has not played a role in my decision.

Bernier, chair of the Senate Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics, last month called on Gableman to wrap up his probe into the 2020 election sooner rather than later, saying the repeated questioning of the elections results only serves to sow doubt in democracy and has led to threats against state and local election officials.

Gableman, who has been allocated $676,000 in taxpayer money for the ongoing review, said at a Chippewa County Republican Party event later that month that Bernier should resign from the Legislature.

Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said he is interested to see what information comes from Gablemans inquiry, but also pushed back against the former justices comment

Its definitely not helpful when Gableman calls on a sitting senator to resign, LeMahieu said. That was really unfortunate.

Reviews of the election by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty found no evidence of widespread fraud but did lead to recommendations on how elections can be improved. A recount and court decisions have affirmed that President Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes.

Bernier served eight years in the state Assembly before being elected to the Senate in 2018.

Bernier hopes whoever takes her place continues her philosophy: Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do, according to a statement, and believes when our elected representatives put good policy above politics, we are all better off. That is what she has always tried to do.

The 23rd Senate District includes Chippewa County, as well as parts of Clark, Eau Claire, Dunn, Marathon, Jackson and Trempealeau counties.

Bernier plans to spend the next years traveling, creating art, and most importantly spending more time with family, a true source of joy in her life.

My grandchildren are growing up so fast, Bernier said. I want to spend as much time as possible with them.

She also said she expects to pursue future opportunities to serve her community and state in a part-time capacity.

Some of (Berniers) great achievements include fighting for increased mental health beds in Eau Claire and improving voter protection rights in Wisconsin, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said in a statement. I want to wish her and her family the best in their future; we will miss her. I hope she enjoys her next adventure while spending more time with her children and grandchildren.

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The latest cost-cutting proposal for a new Dane County Jail presented Thursday night would fail to meet the County Boards own goals and budget while impacting areas such as visitation and food service.

The Sheriffs Office and Public Works Department presented the approximately $155 million proposal to the board after county officials spent the final months of 2021 juggling how to proceed with the project.

While $7 million above the $148 million currently allocated for a new jail, the proposal also goes against options presented by County Executive Joe Parisi last month, which would eliminate renovations to the Public Safety Building sought by the Sheriffs Office. A final design and approval for the jail is up to the County Board.

While county supervisors want to curb skyrocketing construction costs, Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said it was unfair for the board to task the Sheriffs Office with developing a new proposal without giving input on what parts of the project to cut. Under the plans presented Thursday, visitation would be eliminated at the jails housing unit and moved to the Public Safety Building, and operating costs would increase. Both go against the boards 10 objectives for the plan.

Here we are guessing what you dont want, Barrett told supervisors. I think its very important for us to know which of the 10 objectives that were set by you as the board are you willing to sacrifice at this point for capital savings?

At issue is how high to build a new jail facility and the extent of Public Safety Building renovations. Originally, the major Downtown redevelopment called for closing of two of the countys jail facilities  the 1950s-era jail in the City-County Building and the aging Ferris Huber Center  and constructing a seven-story tower behind the countys third jail facility in the Public Safety Building. But the cost for that plan rose to an estimated $170 million, prompting officials to scale back plans.

The proposal presented Thursday calls for a six-story tower with 794 beds and preserves some renovations to the Public Safety Building while cutting others. Adding a seventh floor is an option under the plan in the event of additional funding or a favorable contract bid. Sheriffs Office and Public Works staff drafted the proposal based off one of three recommendations made by the JFA Institute, a criminal justice research group.

Reducing cost

The proposal has six cost-cutting items:

Eliminating inmate visitation at the jails housing unit and redesigning visitation on the first floor of the Public Safety Building.

Eliminating the jails food preparation in the basement of the Public Safety Building.

Eliminating Huber intake on the first floor of the Public Safety Building.

Redesigning the HVAC system in the jails recreation areas.

Eliminating facilities in the sub-basement level of the jail tower.

Eliminating a staff office area on the third-floor of the Public Safety Building and redesigning the fourth-floor medic area.

Under this proposal, contract bids for the project would be pushed from July to November, with actual construction being pushed from November to March of 2023, according to Barretts presentation.

Parisi has previously called on supervisors to explore hybrid or middle path options to the jail that would put it closer to its original budget after a bid failed last October to put an additional $23 million toward the project. The first of Parisis proposals calls for a six-story tower with 904 beds and none of the renovations sought by the Sheriffs Office. That option could be funded within the projects $148 million budget, according to projections from the developer, Mead & Hunt.

The second option maintains the seven-story tower, also scraps the renovations and has 1,034 beds, at a price tag of roughly $155 million, Parisi has said.

Parisi said he would sign either of the two options, and urged the board to pursue one of them and get a resolution approved by January. Though Barretts new proposal is now on the table, the County Board has not yet decided how to proceed with the jail project. Parisis office suspended the project for four months last year over cost concerns, and has said the project wouldnt have been paused if the County Board had the votes to pass a new design.

Supervisors mainly questioned Barrett Thursday night on how his proposal would impact the cost of jail operations, but didnt allude to how they planned to move forward with the project.

Sup. Dorothy Krause, 27th District, said it was scary how much the countys original vision for the new jail has been scaled back, noting her concern about curbs to in-person visitation in the jails housing unit.

Mask debate

Following Thursdays presentation on the jail, the County Board heard public comment on a resolution requesting that Public Health Madison and Dane County rescind its mask mandate until it receives public input on the emergency pandemic order.

Though a long-shot challenge, the resolution, authored by conservative-leaning Sup. Jeff Weigand, 20th District, was brought to the full board for debate after a rare procedural move last month to bring it out of the committee-level, where it had been stalled for months.

Some 80 people expressed a desire to speak on the matter, with comments continuing late Thursday. Health care workers rallied against the resolution, recounting their experiences caring for patients with COVID-19. Those speaking in favor of the masking challenge included business owners who said their employees shouldnt be deputized into enforcing the rule among customers. Other speakers denied the existence of the virus and questioned the efficacy of masks.

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Stephen Hartgen, former editor, publisher, legislator, columnist and bona fide force of nature, passed away just hours short of the New Year. He was churning out opinion columns right to the very end of his remarkable career. He took his leave when the ink was barely dry on his latest piece, which expressed support for Governor Littles budget. Even though I sometimes disagreed with the way he looked at issues, I had a great deal of respect for Steve and considered him a friend. He will be missed.

Steve and I got acquainted in 1983, when I was Attorney General and he was Editor of the Times-News. We found ourselves on the same side of one of the most important issues in the history of Idahothe Swan Falls water rights fight between the State and Idaho Power Company. Steve understood the implications of the dispute for the future of Idaho and he supplied editorial support for the States position.

When Bruce Newcomb and I launched an effort in 1984 to defeat legislators who sided with Idaho Power, Steve was there to help with his pithy editorials. An editorial on May 22, 1984, criticized a power company ad campaign designed to help its candidates, saying the campaign smells so bad that it is backfiring on Idaho Power. Several legislators who opposed the States position were defeated, which helped to bring about a favorable resolution of the dispute. Steves editorials helped a bunch.

As I mentioned, there were issues that Steve and I disagreed about over the years, but we always treated each other with respect. I last saw him in Twin Falls in September and we had an enjoyable conversation.

Another important matter we agreed upon, was our shared concern about the malign control that the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) has gained over a significant number of Idaho legislators. In a May 24, 2020, column he spoke about legislators who were afraid to buck the Idaho Freedom Foundation on a particular vote. He opined that the IFF and other groups funded by out-of-state money wanted to defund public education and promote hare-brained anti-medicine cures. He has called the IFF the Idaho Slavery Foundation as it would put Idaho under the thumb of out of state, shadowy groups who want toslash and burn down state government entities.

Indeed, the IFF appears to own and operate quite a number of legislators, as shown on the organizations Freedom Index. That has caused a group of concerned citizens to form for the purpose of defeating disruptive IFF legislators and replacing them with ones, in Steves words, who see government as an entity to tackle real problems and find real solutions. The Take Back Idaho (TBI) Committee aims to amplify Steves words and bring back the kind of governing that Idaho has been used to since statehoodreasonable, pragmatic and dedicated to serving the best interests of the people.

Steve cant be here for this important venture but TBI plans to work with responsible incumbents and other candidates who fit the criteria Steve laid outto responsibly deal with real, not imagined, problems. TBI will support good people like Representative Linda Hartgen, who has done a fine job in the Idaho House and now seeks a seat in the Senate.

As a member of the Supreme Court, I had the privilege of working with Linda Hartgen when she was Trial Court Administrator of the Fifth Judicial District. I convey my sincere condolences for the loss of her husband, a person who was dedicated to her, and to this great Statea fellow columnist who was truly a force of nature.

Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served eight years as Idaho attorney general (1983-1991) and 12 years as justice of the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017). He is currently a regular contributor to The Hill online news. He blogs at JJCommonTater.

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Home > 2022 > Rajput Sodhas suffer due to India-Pakistan visa issues | Beena (...)

This is the story of Ganpat Singh from Pakistans Sodha Rajput community of less than half a million. Like him, each member of this community has matrimonial linkages across the border in neighbouring Rajasthan, India. This is the only way they can keep their community alive, as they are barred from marrying within their own gotra. A special dispensation over a decade ago provided them relief with six-month visa extensions  but now those who apply for such extensions are being blacklisted, leading to painful and preventable human tragedies

by Beena Sarwar

Ganpat Singh Sodha couldnt go to his mother as she lay dying of cancer at his brothers house in Jodhpur, India, a little over 300 km from Umerkot, Pakistan, where he lives. Three of his children are in Jodhpur too. He has been apart from them for five years.

A former government schoolteacher of Sindhi in Umerkot  as the Hindu principality of Amarkot was renamed after Pakistans birth  Ganpat kept applying for a visa and desperately calling the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

On 20 April 2021, he sent a voice message in Urdu/English: This is Ganpat from Umerkot, Sindh. I applied for a visa last month also and it was not issued. Now my visa has been rejected again.

He still has the recording, in which his voice audibly cracks as he pleads: My mother is on her deathbed. Please issue the visa on humanitarian grounds.

We cannot issue the visa as we have not got the necessary clearances from India, an official texted.

Ganpat found he was blacklisted for overstaying his visa when he was last in India. While there, he had applied for a six-month visa extension, expecting it to be granted.

Ganpat belongs to the tiny Rajput Sodha clan, estimated at around 50,000, based in Pakistan. The Sodhas are a minority within a the minority Hindu community, 1.3% of the countrys 220 million Muslim-majority population.

His eldest brother Lal Singh lives in Jodhpur. Their mother Darya Kanwar went to India for an angioplasty in 2014 and stayed on. An older sister is married in the border town of Jaisalmir, India. The second brother Dalpat Singh was 34 when he died of a heart attack in Pakistan in 2004, leaving behind a wife and two minor daughters. Ganpat, 49, is the youngest.

Jodhpur 2017: Ganpat Singh with late brother Dulpat Singhs daughters, Madan Kanwar and Chander Kanwar. Photo: Supplied

The family in Jodhpur was planning the nuptials of Dulpat Singhs daughters, Madan Kanwar and Chander Kanwar in December 2016 when Ganpat arrived on a 60-day visa. He applied to the local foreign resident registration office (FRRO) for a six-month extension to stay on for the weddings.

Visa extensions

For over a decade now, Pakistans Sodha Rajputs have been able to avail of such extensions for marriage-related visits granted by the local foreign resident registration offices in Rajasthan. They can also allow Sodhas visiting Jaipur or Jodhpur to visit cities in border districts like Bikaner, Jaisalmir, and Kuch.

These authorisations for Pakistani Sodhas emerged from the relationship between the Ranas of Umerkot and S. K. Singh, former spokesperson of Indias Ministry of External Affairs, and later Indias high commissioner to Pakistan 1985-1989.

Singh was close to Pakistani parliamentarian and 25th hereditary ruler of Umerkot, Rana Chandra Singh whose wife had had matrimonial linkages to Singhs family.

The Sodha gotra or lineage is part of the larger Rajput community in SouthAsia. Rajputs marry within the community but intermarriage within a gotra is strictly prohibited. Since 1123 AD when the first Sodha ruler Rana Amar Singh settled in Tharparkar and founded Amarkot, his descendants have traditionally married into Rajput gotras in neighbouring Rajasthan state.

After Independence and Partition 1947, local deputy commissioners were authorised to issue permits for people to cross the border. There was a direct flight between Hyderabad, Sindh, and Jodhpur, Rajasthan, says the Rana Hamir Singh, the 26th Sodha rule of Umerkot.

Before Partition, his grandfather Arjun Singh went by train from Amarkot to Jodhphur. His father Chandra Singhs barat flew from Hyderabad to Jaipur to bring back Rajmata Subhdra Kumari from Bikaner.

When my mother missed her favourite food, katchoris and samosas, my father deputed a kamdar to go by train to Jodhpur and bring them to make her happy, Hamir Singh chuckles at the memory.

Map: Umarkot to Jodhpur: So near and yet so far

Cross-border marriages not just of the royalty but of ordinary Sodhas continue despite increasing difficulties. Since the 1965 war, visa regimes have solidified and become more restrictive.

Maybe we should start looking at Rajput families in Nepal, quips Sarita Kumari, Hamir Singhs cousin married in Jaipur.

The Hyderabad-Jaipur flight was suspended in 1965, never to be revived. The train service was cancelled. The Thar Express running between Karachi and Jodhpur was revived in 2006, then cancelled in 2019 after escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Since then, the only regular border opening between the two countries is at Wagah near Lahore, 1,200 km north of Umerkot. Special permission is required to cross at the Monabao border, barely 40 miles from Umerkot.

Ganpat Singh, Dimple Kumari marriage certificate

Ganpats second wife Dimple has retained her Indian nationality. Son Kuldeep, 7, and daughter Priya, 3, both born in Umerkot, are Indian nationals. The three were in India when the coronavirus pandemic began. They returned to Pakistan in March for some months, going back in November to renew the childrens Indian passports.

It is less than an hours drive from Umerkot to Monabao. But crossing at Monabao requires hard-to-obtain special permission from the security forces.

With the Monabao crossing closed, Ganpat went all the way to Wagah border  over 1000 km from Umerkot to Lahore, then Amritsar to Jodhpur  to see off his wife and children, and later to receive them.

Indian national

In 2018, the FRRO set up online services [1] to allow visitors to apply electronically for visa extensions. However, several Sodhas told reporter Shishir Arya that they only submit papers physically at the FRROs (Blacklisted over visa issues, Pak Hindu Rajputs miss out on funerals, weddings, Times of India, 1 Dec. 2021) [2]

The Sodhas say the 30 or 40-day city-specific visa India grants is inadequate for their needs. Arranging marriages takes time, involving multiple visits to the prospective bride or bridegrooms families, followed by long drawn-out wedding ceremonies.

When S.K. Singh became Governor Rajasthan, Rana Hamir Singh approached him for help. I told him we have this problem.

Singh requested President Pratibha Patil to intervene. The Home Ministry subsequently issued a special notification to the FRROs. But over the past few years, Indian officials have been overriding the authorisation.

When Ganpat applied for a six-month extension visa extension, the FRRO sent it on to Delhi instead of processing the application locally.

Unaware that the extension wasnt forthcoming, Ganpat returned to Pakistan in May 2017 after his nieces weddings, a little more than two months after his original visa expiry but earlier than the requested extension.

No one raised any objections about an overstay, he says. In fact, the FRRO duly cleared his return through a departure letter that is retained by Indian border officials. Had there been an issue, he says it would have been pointed out when he returned to Pakistan.

Weddings, funerals

When Ganpat applied for an Indian visa again, he found himself blocked. He misses his children. Most tragically, he was unable to be with his mother in her last days. She died on 15 May 2021, less than three weeks after his plea to the Indian High Commission in Pakistan.

Ganpat married his first wife Magan in Jodhpur, 1996. The train was cancelled in those days so the barat flew from Karachi to Delhi. Magan came to Umerkot and obtained Pakistani citizenship.

Their three children, son Chander Veer Singh and daughters, Meena and Disha, now 21, 20, and 12 respectively, were little when Magan died of hepatitis in Karachi in 2012.

Two years later, Magans family in Jodhpur arranged Ganpats marriage to her cousin Dimple Kumari. The children have lived in Jodhpur since. They visited Umerkot once, a couple of years later and would like to go again, but their long-term visas or LTVs require a no-objection return to India (NORI) visa if they leave the country. And that is not so easy to obtain, they say.

Chandar Veer got engaged at the end of November. All the family was present except Ganpat. He participated in the ceremony via video call from Unerkot.

We missed Papa, Meena tells Sapan News.

Kept apart

There are many other such families being kept apart by the visa issue. Several Sodhas told [3] Shishir Arya of TOI that they duly apply for and are granted visa extensions in India. But after they return to Pakistan, their visa applications get rejected.

Ganpat estimates that there are around 300 cases of blacklisted Sodhas. He knows of dozens of such cases, like Shakti Singh, a physician the only brother of four sisters married in India. When he visited them in 2017, he got a visa extension through the local FRRO. He wants to go again to get married but is being refused a visa on grounds of overstay last time.

Another case is that of Lohran, 75, widowed recently and alone in Khipro village. She and her husband were both blacklisted. Their children are in India.

Visa issues also keep brides and grooms apart. Three years ago, Rana Hamir Singh hosted three barats from Jaisalmir to Umerkot. When the brides Indian visas didnt come through, he got visa extensions for the grooms.

I told the Pakistan government, they are my guests, stuck in this situation. The grooms eventually left. The visas came three years later. By then babies had been born. Can you imagine?

Recently however Ganpat Singh got some good news. Inquiries about his case led to the blockage being cleared, and he was told to re-apply for a visa. He couriered the application to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on 27 November. The process normally takes 4-6 weeks.

He now awaits the visa that will reunite him with his family, sadly without his mother.

Beena Sarwar @beenasarwar is a journalist covering issues of peace, media, gender. This article produced for Sapan News Service is free for republication with credit to Sapan, www.southasiapeace.com. @southasiapeace

[The above piece is was published by South Asia Peace Action Network and has been reproduced here for educational use]


The family of the slain 20-year-old Dalit girl from Bihar is demanding the arrest of all the accused, a speedy trial and compensation under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Actwhich as per them has not been met.

Sami Ahmad | TwoCircles.net

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BIHAR  Justice still alludes the family of 20-year-old Dalit girl Kiran Kumari, who was kidnapped and found dead in a canal on December 26, 2021. Kiran was a resident of Shahpur Chowk in Jandaha block under Tisiauta police station of Vaishali district in Bihar and her dead body was found just half kilometre away from her house.

Police have arrested only two of the four named and six unnamed accused. The familys demand of arresting all the accused, a speedy trial and compensation under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act are still not met. The family members are demanding a death sentence for the accused after a speedy trial.

A 20 year old Dalit girl picked up from home by Thakur community while waving guns in Vaishali Bihar. When the family of girl reached the house of Thakur people. They were dragged & driven away saying girl will be back after 2 days. After 6 days her dead body was found in a canal pic.twitter.com/cslWDiAs7l  Aarif (@aerifshaw) December 26, 2021

Kiran was picked up from the field where she had gone to relieve herself on December 20 by four upper-caste men. When her family members reached the house of one of the accused after the cries for rescue by Kiran, they were told that the girl would be returned after two daysbut she never returned. Six days later her body was found floating in a canal.

Dr Prema Devi of the Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist) CPI-ML questioned how a girl can be picked in such a way and the kidnappers dared to say that she would be returned after two days? Do we treat human beings in such a way? she asked.

There has been continued agitation by CPI-ML and different Ambedkarite organisations seeking justice for Kirans family. These organisations are also contesting the post mortem report which is inconclusive on the charge of gang rape of the victim Kiran Kumari.

Shree Maneesh, S.P. of Vaishali, while talking to TwoCircles.net on Wednesday confirmed that only two accused were arrested and the rest were still absconding. SP Maneesh said that the remaining accused will be arrested soon as the legal process to get a warrant against them was delayed due to a court holiday.

A state team of CPI-ML led by MLA Satyadev Ram had met the victims family on January 3 and collected information about the incidence and police action.

A member of the team and state head of All India Kisan Mahasabha Visheswar Prasad Yadav told TwoCircles.net that it was collective pressure of his organisation and others that forced the police to add SC/ST act.

Yadav alleged that the police tried to not include the SC/ST act to conceal the atrocities against the Dalit community which is rampant in the state.

While the leaders of Chief Minister Nitish Kumars Janata Dal-United and opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal have visited the victims house but the family said that local M.P. Nityanand Rai of Nitishs ally BJP havent met them yet.

Since we are poor and Dalit, the administration is slow in their action, the family members alleged.

Since her daughters death, Kirans mother Akali Devi has fallen sick and doesnt speak much.

CPI-MLs Vishewsar maintains that there are many eyewitnesses when Kirans body was recovered. They would confirm the condition of the body that she was gang-raped but the police want to conceal this fact too, he said.

He alleges that the post mortem report has been manipulated and urged the police to make the video recording of the post-mortem public.

The police are not giving the post-mortem report saying the report would be given through a proper process, he said.

Kirans family questioned the delay and said they were told to wait for a few days for the post-mortem.

One police official told TwoCircles.net that while the medical board had not indicated any sign of rape but the viscera is preserved and we are waiting for the report of the forensic science laboratory, which is expected to be received in a week.

Only then an allegation of rape can be confirmed, the police official said.

Visheshwar alleged that there are a group of upper-caste men who get away with the sexual assault cases of the Dalit women in the area but as this time the victim is dead, the police had lodged an FIR.

He demanded a speedy trial in the matter and punishment of the culprit in two weeks to set an example.

One police official told TwoCircles.net that once all the accused are arrested, a recommendation can be made for a speedy trial by the administration.

MLA Satyadev Ram said that the incidence of picking up a Dalit girl shows that once again the feudal forces are raising their atrocious head.

He alleged that gang rape has been concealed in the post mortem report due to pressure from the administration. 

After the amendment in the SC/ST Act, the family is entitled to get Rs. 8.5 lakh rupees in case of murder but Kirans family has been given just Rs. 20,000 under Kabir Cremation Scheme.

An official told TwoCircles.net that a recommendation is being sent for compensation under the SC/ST act.

For the family of the slain girl, the wait for justice is not going to be an easy one.

Sami Ahmad is a journalist based in Patna, Bihar. He tweets at @samipkb.
On Dec. 10, a violent tornado struck Western Kentucky, leaving death and destruction in its wake, including demolishing her in-laws home. There were 58 confirmed fatalities over a 165-mile stretch by the time the storm ended.

The memory of that day will remain with her as long as she lives, Bowling said.

We were at first in a daze, unable to make any plans for Christmas, and then we became depressed at all the suffering of our friends, families and even strangers, Bowling said. Now that we have witnessed so many piles of rubble, we are going through grief of what is gone that will never be the same. It has been described as a war zone here.

Recovery efforts are still underway and expected to remain so for some time to come. The American Red Cross and Salvation Army continue to collect donations to provide relief to the affected areas and aid to the people who need it.

Bowlings roots are in Henry County. Her brother, Fred, lives here and her nephew, Eric, got his first taste of politics when he recently ran for a seat on the Henry County Board of Supervisors.

My mother and father were Juanita and James Bowling from the Axton area in Irisburg, said Bowling. She died in January 2020 and Dad died 10 years ago, but I still have a doublewide trailer on the family property and still visit.

Bowling moved to her husbands hometown of Mayfield, Kentucky, when the couple married in 1974. She said she has been there so long now it has become as much home to her as Henry County.

The National Weather Service office in Paducah, Kentucky, says the tornado that struck Mayfield started in Obion County in Tennessee at 8:49 p.m., but Bowling said they were forewarned long before that.

Early that morning everything was weird with the animals, Bowling said. We saw three skunks all low to the ground and acting strange, and then it hailed.

After crossing into Kentucky in Fulton County, the tornado began to grow wider and strengthen. It struck the small community of Cayce at EF4 intensity, destroying homes and businesses including the Cayce Volunteer Fire Department.

The storm then turned northeast of Cayce and weakened to an EF2 before regaining its intensity.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency for Mayfield at 9:26 p.m. as the massive tornado approached the town from the southwest.

The sirens were going off, alerting us to imminent danger, but we were lucky that it only came within a mile of us, said Bowling. The Catholic church got hit first, and then every church in the downtown area, 10 or more, were destroyed or damaged.

It destroyed the post office, doctors lost their records and people here lost friends and family.

Bowling described the scene as horrifying and told of a mother who grabbed both of her children, one on her left side and one on her right.

The tornado took the child on her right and he didnt survive, said Bowling. But there wasnt a mark on the child on her left. He was just fine.

Bowling said hell passed through Mayfield for about 15 minutes beginning about 9:30 p.m. and packing winds between 190 and 206 mph.

The tornado would skip over one house and then destroy every house on one side of the street and leave the other side with no damage at all, Bowling said. We lost our pharmacy, city hall, city police ... people want to know how to pay their electric bill when they get their power back on.

Bowling said the school bus garage was destroyed, along with 90% of the school buses.

It was a catastrophe. Our whole town is in ruin, Bowling said. But we have had multiple people come with donations.

Among the piles of destruction came truckloads of relief from organizations such as the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief.

They brought diapers, canned foods, and donated 200 or 300 bicycles, said Bowling. They set up hot showers and grills for cooking at Walmart and fixed it so people could wash their clothes.

Walmart looks like a circus with people cooking in the parking lot and tents, two big Jimmy Dean trucks, and Dennys with a makeshift kitchen feeding people. We are so blessed.

But Bowling said her husbands family home and RV were destroyed, and a friend who survived suffered a broken back in four places.

The National Weather Service determined the tornado traveled 165 miles from Woodland Mills to Rough River Dam State Resort Park and was on the ground for nearly three hours. It was rated high-end EF4 with an estimated peak wind speed of 190 mph.

It was the deadliest single tornado in the United States since the Joplin, Missouri tornado 10 years ago.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt.

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The McDowell County Board of Commissioners will hold its first meeting for 2022 on Monday.

The commissioners will meet at 5 p.m. Monday at the Universal Advanced Manufacturing Center at 634 College Drive.

The first item of business will be the recognition of Ned Fowler, who was the EMS regional liaison with Mission Hospital until the end of 2021. He provided key support to McDowell EMS and its staff.

Emergency Medical Services Director William Kehler will give a report on COVID-19 in McDowell and a recovery update from the floods of last year. The commissioners will be introduced to the countys new human resources director.

County Planning Director Ron Harmon will talk to the board about the plat review process. Public Services Director Terry DePoyster and Animal Shelter Manager Brittany Wright will update the board about the countys animal services. Parks and Recreation Director Chad Marsh will discuss the public shooting range operations with the commissioners.

Under old business, the commissioners will talk about the American Rescue Plan funding and hear updates about county building projects. They will get new information about broadband expansion, the Nebo water system and the Fonta Flora State Trail.

Under new business, the commissioners will consider administrative items and tax matters.

The public comment period will follow. This is the time when the public can speak to the board about any issue or item not on the agenda.

County Manager Ashley Wooten will give his report to the board.
The Kuwaiti Sovereign Fund also known as the Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), has remained worlds third largest sovereign funds with assets on the increase, about $45 billion, reports say.

The new ranking by The International Institute for Global Sovereign Funds suggests that the Gulf countrys sovereign funds hit $737.93 billion, compared to $692.9 billion previously, Arab Times reports citing Al-Anba daily.

The ranking places Kuwait in the top spot in the region and Arab world. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority follows in fourth position on The International Institute for Global Sovereign Funds.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund according to the reports advanced to the eighth place this year with assets of $480 billion, compared to the ninth place last year with assets worth $ 430 billion at the time, followed by the Qatari sovereign fund in tenth place with assets estimated at $ 354 billion.

The global top two positions are dominated by the Norwegian sovereign with $1.34 trillion in assets this year and the Chinese Investment Authority with total assets this year valued at $1.22 trillion.

The institute also indicated that the total assets of sovereign funds rated by it amounted to more than $ 9.52 trillion this year, which is up from $ 9.14 trillion in the previous year.
The Speaker of Tanzanias parliament resigned on Thursday, the latest example of the divisions within the East African countrys powerful ruling party, the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).

Job Ndugai had angered the head of state Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is also CCM chairperson, by criticizing the countrys excessive foreign borrowing in late December.

In a statement, Ndugai said Thursday that he had written to the CCM secretary general to inform the party of his resignation from the post he had held since 2015.

This is my personal and voluntary decision in the interest of my country, my government and my party the CCM, he wrote.

Divisions within the Chama Cha Mapinduzi party  the former single party, which has been in power since independence in 1961  have been reported since Ms. Hassan took office after the sudden death in March of President John Magufuli, who had led the country since 2015 and for whom she was vice president.

On Tuesday, Hassan implied that she would reshuffle the government to exclude ministers she suspects of supporting her rivals in the CCM.

What pride is there in passing a beggars begging bowl, Mr. Ndugai said at a public event, we have been borrowing every day. The day will come when this country will be sold off.

Her comments sparked a debate about the level of debt within the majority, but many, including Ms. Hassans supporters, attacked her harshly for criticizing the president.

I did not expect someone who heads one of the pillars of the state to say such things, she said, saying the government would continue to borrow to finance development projects.

On Monday, Mr. Ndugai, who was deputy speaker of Parliament between 2010 and 2015, apologized for his remark, saying he had been misunderstood. According to data released by the Tanzanian central bank, Tanzanias public and private external debt in November amounted to $28 billion, of which 70% was owed by the government.
Gunmen have kidnapped three Chinese employees working on a hydroelectric dam project in central Nigeria, also killing two local workers, police said Thursday.

The assailants attacked employees of the Sino Hydro project in Niger State on Tuesday afternoon, state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement.

The police team attached to the facility engaged the offenders in a gun duel, four expatriates were rescued, but one of them and two local employees were shot, Abiodun said.

The two local employees later died in hospital. During the duel, three expatriates were abducted while trying to reach safety, the statement said. In Africas most populous country, criminal gangs often target foreign workers employed on infrastructure projects for ransom.

Chinese employees have been targeted several times in Nigeria in recent months while working on multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects, including mines, railroads, airports and roads.

Although authorities rarely confirm giving money, victims are usually released after paying a ransom.
A Beninese armed forces vehicle was the target of an improvised explosive device (IED) attack this Thursday, January 6, near the border with Burkina Faso.

The attack took place in northwestern Benin, near the border with Burkina Faso. According to a security source, one soldier died on the spot and the second died after being evacuated. There was no word on whether anyone was injured. The army is not communicating, nor is the government. Since the recent attacks, the Beninese army has only spoken once through a spokesperson.

According to our information, it was a troop transport vehicle that was blown up by the explosion. Ground reinforcements were immediately mobilized to evacuate the victims and carry out sweeping operations in the area. This is the second time an army vehicle has been blown up by an IED. The first such attack, in early December, resulted in four minor injuries.

The threat is taken seriously. This attack comes just one week after President Patrice Talons speech to the parliament, in which he promised to strengthen the operational capacity of the Beninese army in terms of human, logistical and technical resources. This weekend, the Chief of Staff of the Army, Fructueux Gbaguidi, was alongside hundreds of soldiers deployed in the area.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Magic mushrooms for your well-being? If you haven't heard about psychedelics being used as a treatment for mental health disorders, this year may change that.

While this type of treatment won't be accessible to everyone in 2022 (and will likely take a while to become widespread), experts say you should expect to hear much more about this emerging wellness trend this year and beyond.

"For a long time psychedelics have been sort of frowned upon," says Amy Morin, psychotherapist and editor-in-chief at VeryWell Mind. "We thought that they were more recreational drugs, but with a closer look, we've seen they can actually be really good treatments for things like depression, anxiety, even substance abuse issues."

Dr. Matthew W. Johnson, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins and acting director of the Johns Hopkins Center of Psychedelics and Consciousness Research, has seen a gradual increase in interest around this area since he began studying it in 2004, but says there's been a "dramatic increase in interest recently."

And in the next several years, he says, it's "only going to increase."

In their 2022 wellness trend forecast, Well+Good dubbed psychedelics as being "poised to change the course of mental health treatment." Institutions are also getting ready by opening up specialized centers to study these drugs in a mental health capacity.

Psychedelics first gained widespread popularity in the 1960s and 1970s, but went underground after being classified a Schedule 1 controlled substance by the federal government in 1970.

In 2018, best-selling author Michael Pollan helped bring psychedelics back into the nation's collective consciousness with his book, "How To Change Your Mind: What The New Science Of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, And Transcendence," where he shared his research experimenting with psychedelics.

Around the same time, psychedelics were starting to make waves in the legal realm, with voting for decriminalization and legalization taking place in different parts of the country. (Oregon legalized psychedelic mushrooms for therapeutic use in 2020.)

Today, interest is ramping up at a time when many Americans are struggling with mental health challenges brought on by the pandemic.

"It's understandable that it's taken a while to get past the stigma, but... I think within the next year, we're going to see more federal funding and less of a hesitation," Johnson says.

In 2021, even the director of the National Institutes of Health Francis Collins made headlines for praising psychedelics' potential as a therapeutic treatment option.

"Expect more of that flavor at the NIH, expect less risk aversion," says Johnson, saying it's shifted from being viewed as radical to a worthy avenue to explore given the promising evidence in treating depression and substance use disorders, especially in the context of a suicide and drug overdose epidemic.

"We're gonna feel more of that flavor over the next yearthat this isn't crazy to explore this research, cautiously. It would actually be crazy to do nothing."

How does psychedelic therapy work?

Psychedelic therapy is more like an elevated talk therapy experience that requires special care and supervision than it is a typical psychiatric medication, Johnson explains.

"It's not just giving the drug," he says. "It involves a therapeutic relationship, where one is encouraged to dive into the experience and learn something from the experience they have on the substance and then to process it, integrate it (and) discuss it in the days afterwards."

The data suggests that the benefit actually comes from the experience someone has and their conscious reflection, he adds, unlike more traditional psychiatric medications, like antidepressants, which may make someone may feel better more automatically.

"It's not operating at the surface level... People come out with a story. 'This is what I learned about myself. This is how I view myself now, and this is how I viewed myself before,' and there's a shift there. And that's what you don't get with typical psychiatric meds."

Morin cautions there's a "difference between therapeutic use and the recreational use" of psychedelics.

"Sometimes people are using certain things as club drugs and they aren't necessarily getting better or they feel like they may have a bad trip or they have an experience where maybe whatever it is they're taking is mixed in with other things," she says. "Talking to a therapist and really figuring out how you make sense of what happened while you were under the influence of a psychedelic, that's where the real therapeutic benefit comes in."

While this form of therapy might be able to help those who aren't helped by other forms of treatment, Johnson says it's important not to see this as a replacement for other methods like (antidepressant medication); it's just another "tool in the toolbox."

What kind of drugs are being looked at?

Johnson says there are some "dramatically impressive results for a number of really difficult to treat disorders" through the use of psilocybin (a compound found in "magic mushrooms") and MDMA (also known as ecstasy or Molly).

"Results have looked really promising using psilocybin to treat cancer-related distress from only a single high-dose administration of psilocybin," he says, adding there's also work being done with major depressive disorders and addictive disorders.

"Multiple laboratories, including ours, have shown promising results that psilocybin causes large reductions in depression," he says. "We're (also) seeing very high success rates using psilocybin to treat tobacco addiction. And there's also really promising work using it to treat alcohol addiction."

While MDMA is "a little different as a compound" Johnson explains, there is also "very promising data using it to treat PTSD."

And ketamine's psychedelic properties are "really effective for a lot of people who have treatment-resistant depression," Morin adds.

What are the risks of psychedelic therapy?

Psychedelic therapy does, of course, carry some risks, Morin says.

"One thing we know is there may be a risk for people that have a family history of psychotic disorders. If somebody has a grandparent maybe with schizophrenia, he might not want to try psychedelics, he may have a genetic predisposition for psychosis," she explains. "So they're certainly not for everybody."

Johnson adds there are also "real dangers with these compounds if they're not handled appropriately" in terms of the therapeutic relationship.

"I've been in over 100 of these psychedelic sessions, and I've supervised hundreds of them. It can be very heavy being even associated with these sessions, where surprisingly frequently the person will say it's one of the most meaningful experiences of their life," he explains. "There's an incredible responsibility being involved with that as a professional to not take advantage of that."

He worries "the professional role of the therapist can become distorted."

"The kind of notion that these experiences are so big that the normal rules don't applythat's very dangerous. It paves the way towards sexual abuse that paves the way towards therapists potentially setting up a cult-like atmosphere to their practice."

When will psychedelic therapy start happening?

Though Oregon is on the forefront of this method, Morin says, "it will probably be another year or so until they figure out exactly how we do this."

But some parts of the U.S. are already looking toward more access.

In 2021, Detroit decriminalized psychedelic mushrooms and other places like Denver have de-prioritized enforcement of the hallucinogen.

There are people trying things out in an underground fashion too, Morin says, but she hopes this will change with regulation and accessibility.

"My hope is in the future it'll become more regulated," she adds. "And then we can have more open conversations about how to safely acquire psychedelics and how to safely take them as well."

Though the exact timeline is uncertain, Johnson hopes, depending on continued positive research, to see "MDMA and psilocybin approved for medical use within the next few years."

Meanwhile, he encourages the public to be both "skeptical and open."

"Follow the follow the data and (don't) get ahead of it, but at the same time, recognize it is an exciting development," he says. "We really have to find a balance between promise and hype. On the one hand, there is data to be very excited about psychedelics as a new paradigm within mental health treatment that can really help a lot of people that are suffering who haven't been helped by existing treatments. On the other hand, it's never going to be a treatment that helps everybody. Nothing is. And like all other treatments, there are risks and it's critical that those be addressed."

2022 USA Today

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Ontario saw nine times more emergency department (ED) visits per month for cannabis poisonings in young children under the age of 10 after Canada legalized recreational cannabis, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. While single hospitals have reported on child cannabis poisonings before, this is the first study to look at an entire region.

"We saw more frequent and severe ED visits due to cannabis poisoning in children under 10 following the legalization of cannabis, and the legalization of edible cannabis products appears to be a key factor," said lead author Dr. Daniel Myran, a family physician, public health and preventive medicine specialist, and postdoctoral fellow at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa Department of Family Medicine.

The research team looked at all ED visits in Ontario during three periods; pre-legalization, after flower-based cannabis products and oils were legalized in October 2018, and after commercial cannabis edibles (e.g. gummies and chocolates) and other products were legalized and became available for sale in late January 2020.

During the entire study period (January 2016 to March 2021), there were 522 ED visits for cannabis poisoning in children under 10. The average age of these children was three years, nine months.

While there were no deaths, 171 (32.7%) visits required hospitalization and 19 visits (3.6%) required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. ED visits for cannabis poisonings increased the most after commercial edibles were legalized, and more of these visits required hospitalization compared to the other two periods (39% compared to 25%).

Study results:

Pre-legalization (January 2016-September 2018)

Total ED visits: 81

Average number of ED visits per month: 2.5

Percentage of ED visits that were hospitalized: 25%

Legalization of cannabis flower, seed and oil (October 2018-January 2020)

Total ED visits: 124

Average number of ED visits per month: 7.8

Increase in average monthly ED visits compared to pre-legalization: 3 times

Percentage of ED visits that were hospitalized: 24%

Legalization of edibles and other products (February 2020-March 2021)

Total ED visits: 317

Average number of ED visits per month: 22.6

Increase in average monthly ED visits compared to pre-legalization: 9 times

Percentage of ED visits that were hospitalized: 39%

The researchers noted that cannabis legalization in Canada overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic. They found that while ED visits for pediatric poisonings of any kind decreased in Ontario during the pandemic, visits for cannabis poisonings increased during this time. After commercial edibles became available, nearly 10% of all ED visits for poisonings in children in Ontario were related to cannabis.

"Canada's approach to legalization was intended to prevent increases in child cannabis poisonings through policies limiting the strength of cannabis edibles, requiring child resistant packaging and education for parents and caregivers." said Dr. Myran. "Unfortunately, the rates we saw in our study suggest the approach has not met that goal."

"As more places around the world consider legalizing recreational cannabis, we need to learn how to better protect children from cannabis poisoning," said Dr. Myran. "More education is a start, but we may need to consider other measures to reduce cannabis edibles' appeal to young children, such as much stricter limits on what edibles can look and taste like after they are removed from their packaging."

Researchers at ICES, Bruyere Research Institute, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction and The Hospital For Sick Children (SickKids) also contributed to this study.

Explore further Cannabis intoxication and rates of accidental ingestion in young children rise after legalization, new study finds

More information: Unintentional Pediatric Cannabis Exposures Following Legalization of Recreational Cannabis in Canada, JAMA Network Open (2022). Unintentional Pediatric Cannabis Exposures Following Legalization of Recreational Cannabis in Canada,(2022). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.42521 If your child has accidentally consumed cannabis, contact the Ontario Poison Control Centre at 1-800-268-9017. Cannabis poisoning in babies, children and youth is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 if your child is ill and/or has difficulty breathing. Caregivers can prevent poisonings by keeping cannabis products in a locked container away from other food and drinks, and out of children's reach. Learn more about the risks of cannabis and how to prevent unintentional poisoning. Journal information: JAMA Network Open

Provided by The Ottawa Hospital
A decision tree showing the testing pathways for people without COVID symptoms, but who might have COVID. Jon Karnon and colleagues, Author provided

Following considerable public pressure over the past few weeks, the federal government has announced concession card holders will soon be able to collect up to ten free rapid antigen tests over three months.

But everyone else will continue to have to purchase their own rapid antigen tests, which cost upwards of A$10 a test.

In countries like Singapore, the UK and Germany, rapid antigen tests are free for everyone.

We've developed a model that estimates how cost-effective a policy of government-funded rapid antigen tests for all Australians would be. We've released our economic analysis as a pre-print online, which is yet to be independently reviewed by other researchers.

We found a policy of government-funded rapid antigen tests for all is highly likely to be cost-effective.

Even minor reductions in COVID transmission rates due to increased early isolation would justify the additional costs associated with the policy.

Here's why.

Why is testing so important?

Testing and contact tracing have been the primary measures used to interrupt the spread of COVID around the world.

One of the benefits of testing for cases is it allows countries to rapidly identify new cases, isolate affected people and their close contacts, and thereby slow further transmission of the disease.

Australia has relied on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests to confirm COVID cases, which are funded by the federal government and free for Australians.

But the emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, coinciding with a relaxation of public health restrictions and the social festive season, has led to a surge in COVID cases in Australia, swamping the PCR testing system.

Governments are pivoting towards using rapid antigen tests to confirm positive cases, which can give results in 15 minutes, although they're not as accurate as PCR tests.

How does our analysis work?

We created a "decision tree" model, which represents the testing pathways for a hypothetical group of people without COVID symptoms.

We used it to estimate the number of COVID-positive people isolating before developing symptoms.

It's key people isolate as early as possible, to reduce the risk of spread to others.

We analyzed a range of possible scenarios.

A key parameter is the proportion of people who use a rapid antigen test who have COVID.

Let's play out one scenario.

Let's say a group of 10,000 people get free rapid antigen tests funded by the government. Assume 1,000 out of 10,000 users have COVID, and that a rapid antigen test costs $10.

Let's also assume 2,000 of the 10,000 would buy rapid antigen tests if not government-funded. (The real-life proportion who would be willing and able to buy a rapid antigen test is impossible to know, given the current shortage.)

What did we find?

In the group where everyone had access to free rapid antigen tests, the model estimates this policy would result in successfully isolating an additional 464 people early, compared with a group in which 20% purchased their own rapid antigen tests.

Providing free rapid tests for 10,000 people would cost the government $100,000, but spending less on PCR tests (which are about $150 each) reduces the additional costs to the government to around $52,000.

Rapid antigen tests are less effective in people with no symptoms, so they wouldn't catch everybody in the group who's COVID-positive.

But the net effect is preventing an additional 464 people from infecting more people, thereby reducing costs to the economy of further infections. The costs of these people isolating only after developing symptoms would likely be far higher than the extra $52,000 spent on tests.

Dividing the $52,000 by the 464 earlier isolating cases gives us an estimate of the cost to the government per additional earlier isolating person with COVID$112. This allows us to compare alternative scenarios.

For example, if only 500 of 10,000 users of government-funded rapid antigen tests had COVID, 232 more people would isolate early and the cost per additional earlier isolating person with COVID would be $328.

If only 100 of 10,000 users have COVID, the corresponding value is $2,052.

My brother's mail this morning, living in the UK outside of London. Free from the government. State capacity is a thing. pic.twitter.com/h4rYM9aGlW  Noah Rosenblum (@narosenblum) December 29, 2021

The less COVID circulating, the less effective a policy of free rapid antigen tests for all would be. But even with low prevalence, it's still highly likely to be cost-effective.

The expected benefits of early isolation are difficult to quantify, but it can only help to constrain the spread of COVID and the number of people infected by each person with COVID (the reproductive number). Modeling shows that in Australia the reproductive number increased from around 1 to 1.5 over the course of December 2021, and daily reported COVID cases increased from around 1,000 to over 30,000. This illustrates the importance of the reproductive number and the magnitude of the potential effects of increasing early isolation of people with COVID. Even a minor reduction in the reproductive number will have a significant effect on the number of daily cases.

There are high costs to health and the economy of not successfully isolating COVID positive people early.

COVID positive people, who don't know they're positive, will spread it to others, many of whom will get sick, require medical attention, and take time off work. Some will need to go to hospital, be in intensive care, and be put on a ventilator. And some will die.

A proportion of those who do recover from the initial phase of the infection will have lingering symptoms from the virus, known as "long COVID."

All of these outcomes impose significant costs to people and society. We could make a conservative assumption that each early isolated case prevents at least one new COVID case and that the broad range of costs associated with one COVID case are far higher than the $112 it might cost the government per additional early isolated person with COVID.

Are there any downsides?

One thing to consider is overuse. If people used rapid antigen tests too much, for example when people are highly unlikely to have been exposed to COVID, this would reduce the cost-effectiveness of the policy.

In saying that, the unpleasant nature of the testing process should limit such overuseno one enjoys sticking the swab up their nose.

Hoarding is another risk, as with toilet paper in the early days of the pandemic. So it would be important to ensure confidence in the supply and distribution of the tests.

Constraining the spread of COVID is important for many reasons, including avoiding short- and long-term health effects, reducing burden on the health system, and increasing availability of essential workers.

Easy and equitable access to testing is a cornerstone of the public health response to COVID. It also makes economic sense.

Explore further Rapid Covid tests not as accurate with Omicron: US regulator

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
US-style democracy releases monster from the bottle

By Global Times editorial (Global Times) 08:23, January 07, 2022

January 6 marked the first anniversary of the US Capitol riot. Washington held various events to commemorate the day in a high-profile manner. US President Joe Biden in his speech on Thursday said that "democracy was attacked, simply attacked" on that day and took former president's "web of lies" as target. Some Republican lawmakers accused Democrats of exploiting the consequences of the riot for their partisan ends. The "US-style democracy" crisis isn't over, but is still continuously deepening the antagonism between the two parties, and becoming the "resource" for a political struggle.

On January 6, 2021, a large number of Trump supporters broke into the Capitol building, beating, smashing, looting and burning under the astonished eyes of the world. The protesters clashed with the police, resulting in five deaths and many injuries. This was the first time in over 200 years that the Capitol was breached. It was also an embarrassing scene that the fig leaf of "US-style democracy" had been ripped off. The bloody violence that took place in the US' highest political palace pulled the icon of "US-style democracy" down from the shining city upon the hill, making it shattered. Even if the political elites in Washington are trying hard to fix it, the icon cannot be raised again, nor can it be used to dictate the world.

The world has seen all these scenes: The US president became the biggest instigator of anti-government protests; hatred and lies are prevailing in US society; politicians in Washington glorified violent demonstrators in other countries as "national heroes" and "democratic fighters," but called the Americans storming the Capitol "mobs" and "a shame." The internal collapse of "US-style democracy" has deep political and social roots, and the consequences it has caused are quite serious and far-reaching. But all these have been neglected by Washington's political elites, deliberately or not. US reflections over the past year have either missed the point, or been superficial, which makes the real problems unresolved and will further cause destruction.

The Capitol riot showed the world the deep illness of "US-style democracy," but Washington simply attributed it to "a few bad apples." They seem to have forgotten that "president Donald Trump" himself is a product of "US-style democracy." Furthermore, one year on, the problems of social division, political polarization, racial conflict and a wealth gap in the US have not eased, and are even getting worse. The latest survey shows Americans' pride in "US-style democracy" has dropped sharply, from 90 percent in 2002 to 54 percent now.

The same poll also shows that 34 percent of respondents believe that violent action against the government can sometimes be justified - the largest percentage in decades. "US-style democracy" released monster from the bottle, which has frightened Washington's political elites. Some US scholars have made more pessimistic predictions, suggesting that the next three to four years are likely to witness large-scale violent conflicts, the collapse of the federal government and the split of the country into confrontational red and blue camps.

Such a situation is turning the US into a huge source of potential chaos. The international community sincerely hopes that the US can "cure" its illness. However what we are seeing is that "US-style democracy" is still preaching despite its severe sickness, dictating other countries. This makes people feel both absurd and worried. President Biden said that leaders of over 140 countries asked him "Is America going to be all right? What about democracy in America?" But such a US even had the nerve to convene the so-called Summit for Democracy.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called the Hong Kong protests "a beautiful sight to behold," said on the one-year anniversary of the Capitol riot in a media interview that "Democracy won" and "America always prevails." The conceit and arrogance of Washington elites have become part of the American illness. There is no doubt that "US-style democracy" and Western liberalism still have its market and influence in the world. But reflection, questioning and transcending it are happening in some places outside the US. Some countries including China are exploring a democratic path that suits themselves, and they have made remarkable achievements.

Perhaps only when "democratic hegemony" falls will democracy of humanity be full of blossom and vitality. Today, the narrative of democracy of the US is crumbling, which was clearly shown at the so-called Summit for Democracy at the end of last year. People on the podium stuttered empty slogans and the audience sitting below had fallen asleep.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Du Mingming)


Several speakers during an online protest held by the Womens Department of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) pushed for the need for people from all communities and regions to speak up against the culture of hate prevailing in the country.

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NEW DELHI  Noted women personalities of India joined an online protest held by the Womens Department of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) to denounce the politics of hate, sexual violence and misogyny, peddled by apps like Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai.

Prominent women activists, lawyers, journalists, social, political and community leaders including Flavia Agnes a womens rights lawyer, Advocate Maitreyi Krishnan co-convenor of All India Lawyers Association for Justice, Advocate Jaleesa Sultana a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Khalida Parveen, an activist from Hyderabad who was also targeted on the app, Kavita Srivastava a human rights activist, Sheema Mohsin national general secretary of Welfare party of India, Afreen Fatima national secretary Fraternity Movement, Fatima Nafees mother of missing JNU student Najeeb, Shayma research scholar JNU and others spoke at the National Online Protest Gathering titled Nari ka Samman, Desh ka Abhiman. JIH Womens Department secretaries Atiya Siddiqua and Rahamathunnisa and its central committee member Shaista Rafat also addressed the protest gathering.

The women activists reiterated their solidarity to the women who have been targeted in this condemnable and criminal activity of auctioning Muslim women, particularly those who are actively participating in public life and are journalists, activists, movement leaders and academics.

They demanded to give compensation to those who were targeted.

The speakers raised many questions about the issue. They questioned the culture of sexual impunity that allows such incidents to repeatedly take place even as they are taken cognizance of by the state and police authorities. They also raised questions on the heated debate around the age of the accused, and how this should not be treated as an excuse to allow them to go scot-free, and the need to fight for justice instead of putting the blame on the women who have been targeted.

The nature of gendered Islamophobia was highlighted as well in the protest gathering.

Several speakers pushed for the need for people from all communities and regions to speak up against the culture of hate.

The meetings welcome address was delivered by Fakhira Tabassum and anchored by Humera Koppal.
The device is around the size of a 5p coin. Credit: University of Southampton

Doctors and researchers at the University of Southampton are trialing a novel implant device they have developed that may be offered to women who have problems conceiving or who have recurrent miscarriages.

A small sensor device, invented at the University by Professor Ying Cheong, a reproductive medicine specialist, and bioelectronics engineer Professor Hywel Morgan has the potential to monitor the environment inside the womb and detect any activity that could have an impact on embryo development. The device is now being developed by Oxford-based women's health company Verso Biosense.

The system consists of three main components: the device, a data receiver, and an undergarment that holds the receiver.

The sensor device is the same shape and size as the contraceptive coil, although it is not a contraceptive, and is inserted into the womb in a clinic.

It then monitors the uterus temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH levelsall features which can affect embryo developmentcontinuously and transmits the data wirelessly to the receiver every 30 minutes. Clinicians would then able to assess the findings and establish interventions which could help address any anomalies.

The system consists of 3 main components, the IUMD (1), the garment, (3) and the data receiver (4) The IUMD (1) is a sensor device that has the same shape and size as the contraceptive coil (although not a contraceptive) and is inserted into the womb by the clinician in the clinic. Your doctor will explain the process to you before you are due to have this device inserted. The sensor monitors the uterus temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH levels continuously and transmits the data utilising the aerial (2) to transfer the data to the receiver (4). Credit: University of Southampton

Professor Cheong and her team are currently inviting women to enter into this study. Volunteers must be aged between 18 and 42 and do not need to have a history of infertility or miscarriages.

"Our team hope that this is the very first step in the better understanding of the womb environment that would lead to better monitoring and treatment of infertility and recurrent miscarriages," said Professor Cheong.

Explore further Underweight and overweight women at higher risk of successive miscarriages
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Long-stay nursing home residents experience frequent transfers to the hospital. Dispelling the assumption that as individuals age and become more frail, higher rates of transfer from nursing homes to hospitals occur, a groundbreaking study from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine shows that residents younger than age 60 experience twice the transfer rate of residents age 80 and older.

Transfers from a nursing home to a hospital are stressful for residents and their families, increase care costs, and may lead to unintended consequences such as hospital-acquired infections, as well as cognitive and functional decline. But how age predicts transfers was not previously well understood.

"It is estimated that about one in six long-stay nursing home residents in the United States is younger than age 65," said Wanzhu Tu, Ph.D., of the Regenstrief Institute and IU School of Medicine, who led the new study. "Knowing and understanding age-specific rates of hospital transfers, as we now do, could support benchmarks for care provision and help in the design of targeted strategies to reduce hospital transfers that better recognize and address the diverse needs of nursing home residents of different ages, especially younger residents.

Using state-of-the-art analytic methods, the researchers determined that annual rates of hospital transfers actually decreased with age, although not in a linear fashion. Transfer rates were the highest in the younger-than-60 group; rates declined slowly between 60 and 80 and then the decrease in transfer rates accelerated after 80.

The researchers reported that residents younger than age 60 had a different clinical profile than older residents, with the younger residents experiencing more sepsis, daily pain, anemia and being more likely to require dialysis or tube feeding. Older residents were more likely to have cognitive decline, dementia and diabetes. Older residents were also more likely to have advance care planning instructions reflecting preferences for comfort care rather than aggressive treatment.

Data from 20152016 on long-stay nursing home residents ages 19 to 103 were collected during a study called OPTIMISTIC (an acronym for Optimizing Patient Transfers, Impacting Medical Quality and Improving Symptoms: Transforming Institutional Care), a $30.3 million Regenstrief Institute-Indiana University School of Medicine project funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) aimed at reducing avoidable hospital transfers. OPTIMISTIC reduced relative risk of potentially avoidable hospitalizations by 33 percent and relative risk of all hospitalizations by 19 percent, producing a net savings of $3.4 million in Medicare expenditures in the first four years of the project.

"There is a significant population of younger people cared for in nursing homes and little is known about them and how best to tailor quality improvement programs to meet their needs," said study co-author Kathleen Unroe, M.D. of Regenstrief Institute and IU School of Medicine. "This paper highlights some key differences in the nursing home population by age."

"Age-specific rates of hospital transfers in long-stay nursing home residents" is published online ahead of print in Age and Ageing by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.

Explore further Nursing home residents with cognitive impairment more likely to be admitted to hospital

More information: Wanzhu Tu et al, Age-specific rates of hospital transfers in long-stay nursing home residents, Age and Ageing (2021). Journal information: Age and Ageing Wanzhu Tu et al, Age-specific rates of hospital transfers in long-stay nursing home residents,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afab232
An ambulance for covid emergency unload a patient at the Cervello hospital in Palermo, Sicily, where tented field hospitals have been set up in front of three hospitals to relieve the pressure on the emergency room and allow ambulances to get their patients into a bed rather than wait in line in the parking lot, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Sicily has seen its caseload double in recent days, from around 6,000 a day to 14,000 on Thursday, and has just under 1,000 people hospitalized with the virus. Credit: Alberto Lo Bianco/LaPresse via AP

Troops have been deployed to London hospitals. Health care workers infected with COVID-19 are treating patients in France. The Netherlands is under a lockdown, and tented field hospitals have gone up in Sicily.

Nations across Europe are scrambling to prop up health systems strained by staff shortages blamed on the new, highly transmissible omicron variant of the coronavirus, which is sending a wave of infections crashing over the continent.

"Omicron means more patients to treat and fewer staff to treat them," Stephen Powis, national medical director at Britain's National Health Service, said Friday.

The World Health Organization said Thursday that a record 9.5 million COVID-19 cases were tallied globally over the last week, a 71% increase from the previous 7-day period. However, the number of weekly recorded deaths declined.

While omicron seems less severe than the delta variant it has swiftly replaced, especially among people who have been vaccinated, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned against treating it lightly.

"Just like previous variants, omicron is hospitalizing people, and it's killing people," he said. "In fact, the tsunami of cases is so huge and quick that it is overwhelming health systems around the world."

Ambulances for covid emergency wait at the Cervello hospital in Palermo, Sicily, where tented field hospitals have been set up in front of three hospitals to relieve the pressure on the emergency room and allow ambulances to get their patients into a bed rather than wait in line in the parking lot, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Sicily has seen its caseload double in recent days, from around 6,000 a day to 14,000 on Thursday, and has just under 1,000 people hospitalized with the virus. Credit: Alberto Lo Bianco/LaPresse via AP

That was evident Friday in London, where some 200 military personnel, including 40 medics, were being deployed to hospitals struggling to deliver vital care amid "exceptional" staff shortages blamed on the number of workers who are ill or isolating because of COVID-19. Next week, another 150 troops will help an ambulance service in northwest England.

On a visit to King's College Hospital London, Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned that hospital admissions were rising and that the NHS was facing a "rocky few weeks ahead."

A total of 39,142 NHS staff members at hospital trusts in England were absent for COVID-19 reasons on Jan. 2, up 59% from the previous week, according to figures released by the National Health Service in England.

The U.K. also has changed its coronavirus testing rules to reduce the amount of time people who test positive have to isolate.

An Emergency Department sign at St Thomas' Hospital is backdropped by the Elizabeth Tower of the Houses of Parliament, known as Big Ben, in London, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. Health authorities across the U.K. simplified COVID-19 testing requirements on Wednesday, a move designed to cut isolation times for many people and that may ease the staffing shortages that are hitting public services amid an omicron-fueled surge in coronavirus infections. A string of National Health Service local organizations have declared "critical incidents" in recent days amid staff shortages. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham

Germany's leaders agreed Friday to toughen requirements for entry to restaurants and bars, and decided to shorten quarantine and self-isolation periods.

French authorities this week began allowing health care workers who are infected with the coronavirus but have few or no symptoms to keep treating patients rather than self-isolate.

France announced a staggering 332,252 daily virus cases on Wednesday, Europe's highest-ever single-day confirmed infection count.

The Netherlands has been in a strict lockdown for weeks, a move designed to ease pressure on overburdened hospitals and buy time for a slow-starting vaccination booster campaign to gather pace. Despite the lockdown, infections hit record numbers in the country this week.

In Palermo, Sicily, auxiliary facilities were set up in front of three hospitals to relieve the pressure on emergency rooms and to allow ambulance crews to get patients into beds instead of waiting in the parking lot.

A patient is pushed on a trolley outside the Royal London Hospital in the Whitechapel area of east London, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. Health authorities across the U.K. simplified COVID-19 testing requirements on Wednesday, a move designed to cut isolation times for many people and that may ease the staffing shortages that are hitting public services amid an omicron-fueled surge in coronavirus infections. A string of National Health Service local organizations have declared "critical incidents" in recent days amid staff shortages. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham

Staff in white medical overalls and masks pushed gurneys from ambulances into the tents.

Tiziana Maniscalichi, director of Cervello and Civico Palermo hospitals, said most of those hospitalized with serious symptoms were not vaccinated.

"We are absolutely under pressure," Maniscalichi told The Associated Press. "There are at least 70 new cases a day to be hospitalized. We were forced to set up an additional emergency unit in a tent, because the capacity of the ordinary emergency unit was not enough."

Italy is reporting record daily new coronavirus infections, hitting 219,000 new cases on Thursday. Authorities believe the peak in this surge is still two to three weeks away.

The hospital system already is swamped in the southern Italian city of Naples.

"We risk the collapse of the national healthcare service," said the head of the local hospital doctors' association, Bruno Zuccarelli.

6-year old kid Lotte puts on her jacket after she received her second coronavirus vaccination against the COVID-19 disease at the Laxness-Arena in Cologne, Germany, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022 where all participating children were rewarded for their vaccination. Credit: AP Photo/Martin Meissner

"We could be seeing a repeat of the scenes of October and November 2020 which were very, very dangerous," he added.

Greece's government on Friday issued a civil mobilization order that will take effect next Wednesday and obliges some doctors in the private sector to support the state health service during am omicron-driven surge in four northern regions where state hospitals are suffering acute staffing shortages.

In the U.K., which reported nearly 180,000 new cases on Thursday alone, omicron's advance has forced many workers to stay home and prompted the government to send in the troops.

Health service leaders said the military deployment highlighted how the country is battling to stay on top of the pandemic.

"We have never known this level of staff absence before," Chaand Nagpaul, council chairman of the British Medical Association, told Sky News.

Employee work on an assembly line at NG Biotech, a start-up that makes an array of medical tests, including kits for use at home and by medical professionals to detect COVID-19 infections , in Guipry, western France, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. With France breaking records in Europe for coronavirus infections, manufacturers are working flat-out to try to meet the huge demand for tests. Credit: AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez

Paramedics push a trolley next to a line of ambulances outside the Royal London Hospital in the Whitechapel area of east London, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022. Health authorities across the U.K. simplified COVID-19 testing requirements on Wednesday, a move designed to cut isolation times for many people and that may ease the staffing shortages that are hitting public services amid an omicron-fueled surge in coronavirus infections. A string of National Health Service local organizations have declared "critical incidents" in recent days amid staff shortages. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham

A man wearing a face mask walks past a wooden board with graffiti reading "Want the pandemic to end?" in Rome, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Italy is struggling with nearly daily new records of fresh infections fueled by the omicron variant. Credit: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia

Britain's Health Secretary Sajid Javid, right, meets staff in a COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit during a visit to Kings College Hospital in London, Friday Jan. 7, 2022. Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP

People with mandatory face masks line up to enter the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. New corona measures are expected from a meeting of German governors and the federal government today to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Credit: AP Photo/Martin Meissner

6-year old kid Lotte shows her bravery certificate after she received her second coronavirus vaccination against the COVID-19 disease at the Laxness-Arena in Cologne, Germany, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022 where all participating children were rewarded for their vaccination. Credit: AP Photo/Martin Meissner

Air Commodore John Lyle told the BBC that the military remains in discussions about providing support for the NHS in other parts of the country.

Nagpaul urged action to bring down infections and better protect health care workers against the omicron variant, saying it was important that "the government doesn't just wait to ride this out, because every day people are suffering."

In Naples, doctors' leader Zuccarelli said the mutations in the virus since Italy was hammered in the first wave in 2020 means children and even babies are now being hospitalized with COVID-19.

"The virus adapts to the environment, we have to make the habitat impossible for it, and to do that you absolutely have to vaccinate," he said. "Don't be afraid to vaccinate, you must be afraid of COVID."

Explore further UK health officials prepare for omicron surge at hospitals

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
3D visualization of mutations in the spike protein of the Omicron variant. Left: overhead view. Right: lateral view. Mutations are indicated in red. They occur all over the spike protein but particularly in the receptor binding domain (RBD) and in the region known as the N-terminal domain (NTD). Credit: Institut Pasteur  Felix Rey

The Omicron variant was detected for the first time in South Africa in November 2021 and has since spread to many countries. It is expected to become the dominant variant within a few weeks or months. Initial epidemiological studies show that the Omicron variant is more transmissible than the currently dominant virus (the Delta variant). It is capable of spreading to individuals who have received two vaccine doses and to previously infected individuals.

Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the Vaccine Research Institute, in collaboration with KU Leuven (Leuven, Belgium), Orleans Regional Hospital, Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou (AP-HP), Inserm and the CNRS, studied the sensitivity of the Omicron variant to monoclonal antibodies used in clinical practice to prevent severe forms of the disease in people at risk, as well as to antibodies in the blood of individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 or vaccinated. They compared this sensitivity with that of the Delta variant. The scientists demonstrated that Omicron is much less sensitive to neutralizing antibodies than Delta.

The scientists then analyzed the blood of people who had received two doses of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine. Five months after vaccination, the antibodies in the blood were no longer capable of neutralizing Omicron. This loss of efficacy was also observed in individuals who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 within the past 12 months. Administering a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine or a single vaccine dose in previously infected individuals led to a significant increase in antibody levels that was sufficient to neutralize Omicron. Omicron is therefore much less sensitive to the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies currently used in clinical practice or obtained after two vaccine doses.

The study was published as a preprint on the bioRxiv website on December 15, 2021 and in Nature on Dec 23, 2021

Initial epidemiological studies demonstrate that the Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta variant. The Omicron variant's biological characteristics are still relatively unknown. It has more than 32 mutations in the spike protein compared with the first SARS-CoV-2 and was designated as a variant of concern by WHO on November 26, 2021.

In South Africa, the Omicron variant replaced the other viruses within a few weeks and led to a sharp increase in the number of cases diagnosed. Analyses in various countries indicate that the doubling time for cases is approximately 2 to 4 days. Omicron has been detected in dozens of countries, including France and became dominant by the end of 2021.

In a new study supported by the European Union's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the Vaccine Research Institute, in collaboration with KU Leuven (Leuven, Belgium), Orleans Regional Hospital, Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou (AP-HP) and Inserm, studied the sensitivity of Omicron to antibodies compared with the currently dominant Delta variant. The aim of the study was to characterize the efficacy of therapeutic antibodies, as well as antibodies developed by individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 or vaccinated, in neutralizing this new variant.

The scientists from KU Leuven isolated the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 from a nasal sample of a 32-year-old woman who developed moderate COVID-19 a few days after returning from Egypt. The isolated virus was immediately sent to scientists at the Institut Pasteur, where therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and serum samples from people who had been vaccinated or previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2 were used to study the sensitivity of the Omicron variant.

The scientists used rapid neutralization assays, developed by the Institut Pasteur's Virus and Immunity Unit, on the isolated sample of the Omicron virus. This collaborative multidisciplinary effort also involved the Institut Pasteur's virologists and specialists in the analysis of viral evolution and protein structure, together with teams from Orleans Regional Hospital and Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou in Paris.

The scientists began by testing nine monoclonal antibodies used in clinical practice or currently in preclinical development. Six antibodies lost all antiviral activity, and the other three were 3 to 80 times less effective against Omicron than against Delta. The antibodies Bamlanivimab/Etesevimab (a combination developed by Lilly), Casirivimab/Imdevimab (a combination developed by Roche and known as Ronapreve) and Regdanvimab (developed by Celtrion) no longer had any antiviral effect against Omicron. The Tixagevimab/Cilgavimab combination (developed by AstraZeneca under the name Evusheld) was 80 times less effective against Omicron than against Delta.

"We demonstrated that this highly transmissible variant has acquired significant resistance to antibodies. Most of the therapeutic monoclonal antibodies currently available against SARS-CoV-2 are inactive," comments Olivier Schwartz, co-last author of the study and Head of the Virus and Immunity Unit at the Institut Pasteur.

The scientists observed that the blood of patients previously infected with COVID-19, collected up to 12 months after symptoms, and that of individuals who had received two doses of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine, taken five months after vaccination, barely neutralized the Omicron variant. But the sera of individuals who had received a booster dose of Pfizer, analyzed one month after vaccination, remained effective against Omicron. Five to 31 times more antibodies were nevertheless required to neutralize Omicron, compared with Delta, in cell culture assays. These results help shed light on the continued efficacy of vaccines in protecting against severe forms of disease.

"We now need to study the length of protection of the booster dose. The vaccines probably become less effective in offering protection against contracting the virus, but they should continue to protect against severe forms," explains Olivier Schwartz.

"This study shows that the Omicron variant hampers the effectiveness of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, but it also demonstrates the ability of European scientists to work together to identify challenges and potential solutions. While KU Leuven was able to describe the first case of Omicron infection in Europe using the Belgian genome surveillance system, our collaboration with the Institut Pasteur in Paris enabled us to carry out this study in record time. There is still a great deal of work to do, but thanks to the support of the European Union's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), we have clearly now reached a point where scientists from the best centers can work in synergy and move towards a better understanding and more effective management of the pandemic," comments Emmanuel Andre, co-last author of the study, a Professor of Medicine at KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) and Head of the National Reference Laboratory and the genome surveillance network for COVID-19 in Belgium.

The scientists concluded that the many mutations in the spike protein of the Omicron variant enabled it to largely evade the immune response. Ongoing research is being conducted to determine why this variant is more transmissible from one individual to the next and to analyze the long-term effectiveness of a booster dose.

Explore further New study adds more evidence for Omicron immune evasion

More information: Delphine Planas et al, Considerable escape of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron to antibody neutralization, Nature (2021). Journal information: Nature Delphine Planas et al, Considerable escape of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron to antibody neutralization,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-021-03827-2
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The number of COVID-19 cases soared by nearly two thirds across the world this week, but pandemic-linked deaths continued to drop.

Here is the global state of play from an AFP database:

Nearly two million daily cases

The average number of new daily coronavirus cases increased to 1.94 million, a 64 percent increase compared to the previous week, according to an AFP count to Thursday.

The confirmed cases only reflect a fraction of the actual number of infections, with varying counting practices and levels of testing in different countries.

Every region hit

With the highly contagious Omicron COVID variant present in most countries, flare-ups took place in every region of the world.

The number of cases in Oceania leapt by 259 percent, while in the Latin America-Caribbean zone they increased by 143 percent.

In the Middle East cases rose by 110 percent, in Asia by 109 percent, in the United States and Canada 69 percent, in Europe 51 percent and in Africa three percent.

Main spikes

Guyana, where cases rocketed by 653 percent, saw the biggest increase.

It was followed by Kuwait with 464 percent more, Mauritania 452 percent more, Suriname (419 percent more) and the Dominican Republic (375 percent more).

This week dozens of countries around the world saw the number of their cases double or more, including India, Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, the Philippines and Italy.

Main drops

Eswatini, or the former Swaziland, registered the biggest drop in new cases, dropping by half.

Namibia came next in the improvement rankings with a 32 percent drop, followed by the Comoros (minus 29 percent), Russia (minus 24 percent) and South Korea (23 percent less).

Eswatini and Namibia in southern Africa were in early December among the first countries to be hit by the Omicron variant.

US still has most cases

The United States remained by far the country with the biggest number of new cases with 595,200 per day on average, an increase of 70 percent.

Next in line came France with 206,100, an increase of 70 percent, and the United Kingdom with 181,000, 30 percent more.

On a per capita basis, the country with the biggest number of new cases this week was Cyprus with 3,468 per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Ireland with 2,840, Greece 2,415, Montenegro (2,371) and Denmark (2,362).

Deaths down

At a global level, despite the upsurge in cases, the number of COVID-linked deaths dropped three percent to 6,172 on average per day.

The United States mourned the most daily deaths with 1,357, followed by Russia (838) and Poland (414).

The countries reporting the highest death rates in proportion to their population were Trinidad and Tobago with 10.1 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, Georgia (8.1), Poland (7.7), Bulgaria (7.0) and Croatia (6.6).

Explore further Pandemic spirals, but deaths drop

 2022 AFP
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A philosophy team from Ruhr-Universitat Bochum (RUB) and the University of Antwerp analyzed the role self-deception plays in everyday life and the strategies people use to deceive themselves. In the journal Philosophical Psychology, Dr. Francesco Marchi and Professor Albert Newen describe four strategies used to stabilize and shield the positive self-image. According to their theory, self-deception helps people to stay motivated in difficult situations. The article was published on 6 January 2022.

Four strategies of self-deception

"All people deceive themselves, and quite frequently at that," says Albert Newen from the RUB Institute of Philosophy II. "For instance, if a father is convinced that his son is a good student and then the son brings home bad grades, he may first say that the subject isn't that important or that the teacher didn't explain the material well." The researchers call this strategy of self-deception the reorganization of beliefs. In their article, they describe three more frequently used strategies that come into play even earlier in order to prevent unpleasant facts from getting to you in the first place.

This includes selecting facts through purposeful action: people avoid places or persons that might bring problematic facts to their attention, such as the parent-teacher conference. Another strategy is to reject facts by casting doubt on the credibility of the source. As long as the father hears about his son's academic problems only indirectly and does not see the grades, he can ignore the problems. The last strategy is what Newen and Marchi call generating facts from an ambiguous state of affairs: "For instance, if the kind mathematics teacher gently suggests that the son is not coping, and the father would have expected a clear statement in case of difficulties, he may interpret the considerable kindness and the gentle description as a positive assessment of his son's abilities," Francesco Marchi elaborates on the example.

The researchers describe all four strategies as typical psychological thinking tendencies. Self-deception is neither unreasonable nor detrimental to people in the short term, but always in the medium and long term. "These are not malicious ways of doing things, but part of the basic cognitive equipment of humans to preserve their established view of themselves and the world," says Newen. In normal times with few changes, the tendency to stick to proven views is helpful and also deeply rooted in evolution. "However, this cognitive tendency is catastrophic in times of radically new challenges that require rapid changes in behavior," adds the Bochum researcher.

An example from the coronavirus situation

Newen gives an example from the coronavirus situation: "If people in the early stages of a pandemic are skeptical about whether a vaccine will still show unexpected side effects, this is understandable caution that people can initially compensate for by strictly adhering to precautionary rules. Self-deception can also help to avoid panic reactions," he explains. "However, if it becomes clear in the medium term that the side effects of the vaccine are clearly limited, then doubt is unreasonable and turns into direct danger to oneself and others. Self-deception also entails distorted risk assessments, because the health risk of foregoing vaccination is much greater than that resulting from vaccination. Self-deception can therefore stabilize the self-image, established ways of thinking and motivation to act in normal times, but becomes detrimental in times of crisis that require radical rethinking and new ways of acting, and puts society at risk."

Explore further A single strategy is not sufficient to navigate the complex social interactions of everyday life, argues study

More information: Francesco Marchi et al, Self-deception in the predictive mind: cognitive strategies and a challenge from motivation, Philosophical Psychology (2022). Francesco Marchi et al, Self-deception in the predictive mind: cognitive strategies and a challenge from motivation,(2022). DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2021.2019693
A healthcare worker takes a nasal sample for a COVID-19 test, at a test site set up at a school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Bruna Prado

As the omicron variant sends COVID-19 cases soaring across much of the globe, one of the countries most devastated by the disease since the pandemic's onset is struggling to keep track of new cases, deaths and hospitalizations.

Officials at Brazil's Health Ministry are still trying to recover from hacker attacks on its system between Dec. 10 and Dec. 13, and researchers say the data remains incomplete and often hard to access. States and municipalities are reporting problems uploading information to the ministry's platforms, and web pages visible to the public have often been knocked offline.

The information shortage couldn't come at a worse time: Cases of COVID-19 appear to be surging along with a particularly strong outbreak of influenza featuring similar symptoms. The resulting confusion has prompted lines at pharmacies in search of tests and reports of long waits at health clinics.

Marcelo Gomes, a public health researcher at Fiocruz, a major state-run research institution, relies on the Health Ministry's database to coordinate the Infogripe bulletins that track severe respiratory illness in the country.

"We are blind," Gomes told The Associated Press. "You need a scenario of an entire municipality, an entire state, to be able to identify the situation adequately."

A person gives a nasal sample for a COVID-19 test at a test site set up at a school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Bruna Prado

The Health Ministry reported 53,292 cases of COVID-19 in the week of Dec. 27 to Jan. 2, and a national pharmacy association said its 8,500 branches alone registered 94,540 positive virus tests in its network over the same perioda 33% jump from the previous week.

It said cases were expanding especially quickly in the big states of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where pharmacy-confirmed cases of COVID-19 grew by almost 50% in the same period.

A large private diagnostics company, Diagnosticos America, told AP that it was seeing a sharp increase in the percentage of positive versus negative testsoften a sign that the virus is becoming more widespread. It said the positivity rate went to 43% on Jan. 6 from about 22% on Dec. 30.

Despite the increase in cases, no state so far has reported its hospital system to be overburdened. Some have seen hospitalizations rates rise significantly, like Minas Gerais, Piaui and Amazonas. Meantime, Rio de Janeiro's rate has barely budged from its lowest level since the pandemic began.

A healthcare worker takes a nasal sample for a COVID-19 test, at a test site set up at a school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Bruna Prado

The press offices of nine states' health secretariatsincluding huge Sao Paulotold the AP that they continue to have difficulties transmitting data to the federal government.

"Accesses to the systems have been normalized, but it's still possible to observe that the data suffer impacts from the hacker attack," the national council of health secretariats told the AP in an emailed statement.

Federal Police are investigating the hack of the Health Ministry's system and the ministry told the AP that it has already restored its systems.

Digital law expert Luiza Leite said the data breach suffered by the Health Ministry required the government to back up all its information, reintroduce it into the system and then carry out a series of vulnerability tests against further hackingeven as new data was pouring in.

People wait in line to get a rapid COVID-19 test at a community medical center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andre Penner

"The simple fact that an attack has occurred demonstrates a lack of a well-structured information security policy," she said.

Health researchers had already been critical of the country's data collection and reporting during the pandemic. "In addition to underreporting, absence of testing and creative accounting, we now have this lack of transparency," said Miguel Lago, executive director of the Institute for Health Policy Studies, which advises Brazilian public health officials.

"Data are important for public policy planning, but in health they are fundamental, even moreso in the context of a pandemic," he said.

Gomes, the researcher at Fiocruz, said that fuller information would have helped people make decisions on travel and gatherings over the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

"The transmission of the virus depends on our individual and collective behavior," Gomes said. He added that sequencing data he has reviewed found most recent cases to be of the omicron variant, but cautioned that laboratory samples aren't necessarily representative of the general public.

A healthcare worker takes a nasal sample for a COVID-19 test at a test site set up at a school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Bruna Prado

A health worker shows a negative COVID-19 antigen test result at a community medical center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andre Penner

A woman gets a nasal swab for a rapid COVID-19 test at a community medical center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Credit: AP Photo/Andre Penner

As of Thursday, the ministry had identified 265 cases of the omicron variant and another 520 were under observation. The first confirmed death from the variant occurred this week.

Even with an absence of reliable data to guide decisions, many state and city officials have moved to again restrict activities in the hopes of limiting transmission, including cancelling street parties for the upcoming Carnival celebrations.

Brazil also suffered a blackout of official COVID-19 data in June 2020, when the government took information offline after President Jair Bolsonaro, who has persistently downplayed the seriousness of the disease, complained that the figures were "not representative." The Supreme Court soon ordered the pages restored.

At that time, the coronavirus had claimed about 34,000 victims. As of this week, Health Ministry data show nearly 620,000 COVID-19 deathsthe world's second-highest total.

Explore further Brazil confirms 3rd omicron case, considers new measures

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
E-cigarettes were the first non-medical alternatives to cigarettes to become popular globally. Credit: gmstockstudio/Shutterstock

Heated tobacco products are designed to heat tobacco without burning it or producing smoke. The popularity of these products soared in Japan after the release of an electronic device called IQOS in 2016. Heated tobacco products are now available in many countries, but questions remained about their effect on cigarette smoking and health, so we set out to review the evidence.

Our new review covers data from 11 studies with over 2,600 people. The headline finding is that people who switched from cigarettes to heated tobacco had lower levels of exposure to harmful chemicals than those who kept smoking, but higher levels of these toxins than those who stopped using tobacco altogether.

This lower exposure was found across a number of harmful substances linked to cancers, heart disease and respiratory problems. This means it is possible that switching from cigarettes to heated tobacco could reduce the odds of developing these diseases, but we don't have enough data yet to be sure. The studies were all of short duration, and it typically takes a while for people to develop tobacco-related diseases.

That said, the evidence so far is consistent with how uniquely dangerous smoking is. We know that most of the harmful effects of cigaretteswhich kill half of all regular smokerscome from inhaling toxic chemicals made by burning tobacco. As heated tobacco products are designed to avoid burning tobacco, we'd expect them to pose a lower risk.

Heated tobacco products could benefit public health if they reduce risk and help people stop smoking normal cigarettes, without attracting people who would otherwise avoid tobacco entirely.

We didn't find any studies looking at whether giving smokers heated tobacco products helped them stop smoking. But we found two Japanese studies looking at how cigarette sales changed after IQOS entered the market. Both found that falls in cigarette sales sped up after the IQOS launch, suggesting that heated tobacco products might replace rather than complement cigarettes.

On the other hand, it is possible that sales of cigarettes fell because most people cut down without stopping altogether. The greatest improvements in health come from stopping smoking altogether rather than smoking fewer cigarettes.

How they compare with e-cigarettes

E-cigarettes, or vapes, are another group of nicotine products that have become very popular in recent years. Heated tobacco products heat tobacco leaf, whereas e-cigarettes heat a liquid, typically containing nicotine. There are large differences in the science and regulation of these products. E-cigarettes have been on the market for longer than heated tobacco, so we have more evidence about their benefits and harms.

Unlike heated tobacco, e-cigarettes have been shown to help people stop smoking normal cigarettes. In the not-too-distant future, the UK may even offer e-cigarettes to those who wish to quit smoking, as long as the products pass the necessary regulatory hurdles.

Yet some countries, including Japan, have imposed restrictions that have essentially banned the sale of nicotine e-cigarettes, while heated tobacco products remain widely available. This may explain why heated tobacco has taken off in Japan; it's the only potentially lower-risk alternative to cigarettes available. Heated tobacco use remains rare in countries like the UK and US, where the e-cigarette market was already well-established by the time IQOS launched.

The heated tobacco market is dominated by products from the cigarette industry, which has historically acted to distort science into the harm of cigarettes. Conversely, many e-cigarette manufacturers are unaffiliated with cigarette companies. All safety studies in our review of heated tobacco were conducted by cigarette manufacturers, whereas there are many independent studies of e-cigarettes.

The search for a less harmful cigarette

Tobacco companies have claimed to be searching for decades for a less harmful cigarette. Some attempts, including adding ventilation holes to cigarette filters, have caused more harm.

The e-cigarette was the first non-medical nicotine alternative to cigarettes that appealed widely to smokers around the globe. But e-cigarettes don't contain tobacco and many manufacturers are unconnected to cigarette companies. Many tobacco companies instead focused on developing heated tobacco devices, a market over which they could maintain greater control through patents.

In 2014, with the introduction of IQOS to test markets by Philip Morris International, sales increased quickly in Japan and South Korea, and other tobacco companies introduced their own electronic heated tobacco devices. Some of the most popular today are glo by British American Tobacco and Ploom by Japan Tobacco International.

Much of the research into the safety of heated tobacco comes from Philip Morris International, which applied for IQOS to be sold as a "reduced exposure" and "reduced risk" tobacco product in the US. In 2019, the US allowed IQOS to be marketed as a reduced exposure product. Their review concluded that "switching completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS system significantly reduces your body's exposure to harmful or potentially harmful chemicals."

The reduced risk application failed, because "the evidence is not sufficient to demonstrate substantiation of either of the claims about the reduced risk of tobacco-related disease or harm." We need more evidence to be sure about how using heated tobacco affects people's health.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

A UTSA management professor and his students have partnered with a Marine Corps combat veteran to shed light on the need for new veterans programs in the post-9/11 world, especially those that create a strong sense of community for vets.

Bruce Stanfill, an associate professor in the UTSA Carlos Alvarez College of Business' Department of Management, met Chris Hoffmann, a Marine Corps combat veteran and founder of the Ambitious VET Network, and knew immediately that there was an opportunity for his students to have a bold impact on a significant, real-world problem while gaining valuable career experience.

Together, Stanfill and Hoffman sketched a study framework to examine where and how veterans transitioning from military service to civilian life were thriving, threading water or struggling. What the researchers found was a strong link between community support and a fulfilling life after military service.

"Humans are social creatures. Regardless of systemic support programs, when we don't have social support, we are really missing something important," Stanfill said.

Hoffman and The Ambitious VET Network published the findings in the white paper, Project Introducing a New Generation of Military Veterans to the Marketplace.

Hoffmann stated that veterans lacking a purpose and meaning in their lives experience difficulty at the three-year point, when most job support services end. He believes that there are common causes of why some veterans struggle in their search for life satisfaction, but he needed help analyzing the complex data he had collected through interviews.

Using principles of data analytics applied to Hoffman's qualitative data set, Stanfill, who is a former Navy officer, and graduate students from his Organizational Behavior and Management course were able to help with Hoffman's research. An added benefit for the students was the hands-on learning experience in dealing with uncertainty and change in group projects as they select, plan and execute. The students worked in concert with veterans, others with military connections and nonprofit organizations, to analyze this real-world problem.

"This Ambitious VET project provided UTSA students with an invaluable opportunity for experiential learning while addressing the grand challenge of understanding and helping veterans with their transition into society after leaving the military," said Stanfill. "It also gave students a great learning opportunity in performing complex strategic analysis."

While most project teams are fully autonomous, Stanfill guided this team using Parmenides EIDOS, an innovative software for complex decision making, strategic reasoning and problem solving. In the first six-week phase of the project, the UTSA students used the software to identify and visually connect factors leading to success versus struggle, as described in more than 300 qualitative surveys.

In the second phase of the data analysis, the students linked the factors that influenced a veteran's decision making. The result identified four key scenarios related to veterans who continued to struggle in their post-military career.

The students found that veterans who struggled during their military career or felt indifferent toward their military experience did not have a positive transition to post-military life. Those without a personal support network struggled even more, feeling isolated or alone, which impacted their ability to find and/or hold onto a job.

On the other hand, the study demonstrated that veterans with good emotional support and above average emotional intelligence (being able to manage their feelings and understand the needs of others), generally provided fulfillment in life and a successful post-military career.

Retired Navy Lieutenant Commander and UTSA master's student Kim Dobrzyn participated in the project.

"As a recent Navy retiree with three combat deployments, I myself struggled to find employment in my field of specialty due to the disparity in skillsets required in the military versus what my counterparts in the civilian sector are focused on. Our research provided the mechanism that the Ambitious VET needed to prove and support their premise that veterans need more assistance than has traditionally been considered."

The findings of the research demonstrate that emotional intelligence and a strong social network plays a very important role in the transition from military to civilian life.

Stanfill added, "People who don't have a purpose are unlikely to succeed, and much of the systemic support is focused on addressing this by finding a job that connects to their skills."
ZAMBOANGA CITY  Eight villages in the southern Philippine province of Sulu are now free from the influence of the pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf...
Jace Whitaker welcomes all reactions, even visceral ones, to his paintings, which arent loaded with messages of any kind, just a spectrum of emotions conveyed through color and line.

I just want people to feel how they feel, he said.

Whitakers style is abstract expressionist in the tradition of Jackson Pollock. The canvases are covered corner to corner with paint  flung and dripped. The largest is roughly 12 feet long and 4.5 feet high.

About a decade ago, enthralled by the mid-century avant-garde style, he began experimenting in the controlled chaos on his own.

The culminating solo exhibition, Drippings of the Soul and Seasons, at the University Center Gallery at the University of Montana, wasnt initially supposed to open this early.

The plan changed on the fly, with a reception on Friday, Jan. 7, from 3-5 p.m., and it will stay on view through the end of the month. Whitaker and gallery director Amanda Barr hustled to show it earlier than originally planned because he would be away on a short-term deployment to Greece. (He now thinks it probably wont happen.)

Hes a U.S. Navy master-at-arms petty officer, the equivalent to a military police officer or security force, he said. Here at UM, hes the interim assistant director of residential education; hes worked at UM Housing since 2017.

Alongside those two careers, hes cultivated creative pastimes such as poetry and painting, in which hes largely self-taught.

He calls his work post-idea, in that it doesnt have a message he wants to get across, but instead generate a response in the viewer.

As I design and create and throw, things change within those moments, and the emotions change, right? he said. One day he might need to let myself bleed into it, and another day might yield a more relaxed result.

Painting them requires laying the canvases on the ground and dripping the paint on it, which doesnt lend itself to redos or even advance planning other than a mental mockup and a set palette. He has to follow his instincts, layer by layer, making sure that theres a rhythm or symmetry to them.

Reflecting the shows title, theres a set of two diptychs of narrow canvases, one for each season. Spring and summer are dominated by yellows, greens and blues that are hung vertically. Fall and winter, oriented horizontally, are in muted minimal browns and grays. With the quieter tones, the line widths and color stand out even further.

To him, the colors are a chance to work with emotion, with varied moods and settings. One piece might be constructed off a calming range that seems to reference landscapes; another might be a stark black on white; others boast stark primaries leaping through the tangle of lines.

A path to college

Whitaker enlisted 14 years ago at age 17, directly out of high school. He grew up in a low-income family in southeast Idaho, and was attracted to service as a way to pay for school as a first-generation college student.

It was also the chance to be part of something bigger than myself, he said.

From there its just afforded me the opportunity to meet people and continue to grow and develop and travel and take in culture and have a global perspective, or global outlook, on the world.

Its taken him around the country  Georgia, Indiana, Virginia, Rhode Island and Washington and the world  Greece, Iraq and Kuwait.

He earned an associates degree in marketing management and a bachelors in criminal justice, both from Boise State University, then a masters in higher education and student affairs from Indiana State University. Returning to UM, where hes worked in UM Housing since 2017, was a chance to get back to the Northern Rockies.

He has a regimented, administrative job, so painting is an escape.

Art is my opportunity to get outside of my traditional, incredibly structured environment that has day to day ins and outs, he said.

Since the canvases are large, he seeks out space to work from friends  automotive shops and barns.

Some of his family and friends dont even know that he paints  working in solitude gives him his energy back  and this is his first showing in the Missoula area. Friends that hes shown them to often have the same polarized reactions that have accompanied abstract expressionism since its earliest days, and hes open to all interpretations. After all, art is the realm of subjectivity, an escape from the objectivity of daily work.

Barr said that the gallerys calendar this year has had a strong variety of work  abstract art isnt that commonly shown in Montana as a whole. Its fit in among ceramic sculptures, wildfire photography and Indigenous art.

The offerings arent static, which benefits the students and the community, which the gallery is free to do since its not a retail operation, she said. Its also a reminder that the submissions are open to UM as a whole  students, faculty, staff and alumni.

She felt that it was especially well-timed because its so color-oriented at a time when the weather has turned monochrome, she said.

Whitakers exhibition Drippings of the Soul and Seasons will be on display at the UC Gallery from Jan. 7-28. Theres an opening reception on Friday, Jan. 7, from 3-5 p.m. Regular hours are Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Masks are required indoors at UM.

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FRIDAY, Jan. 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Although some U.S. states put up big amounts of cash to influence residents to get their COVID-19 vaccinations, it didnt appear to make much any difference in immunization rates.

Investigators who found that to be true in an earlier study in Ohio looked to 15 additional states for this latest research.

The Boston University School of Medicine researchers assessed changes in COVID-19 vaccination rates in those 15 states, reviewing data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the individual state health departments to evaluate trends in vaccination rates among adults in states with and without lottery incentive programs.

The team found no association between state-based vaccine lottery incentive programs and increased rates of COVID-19 vaccination.

"As in our prior study of Ohios lottery incentive, we unfortunately did not find an increase in COVID-19 vaccinations related to lottery incentive programs in other states," said study author Dr. Anica Law, an assistant professor of medicine.

These results suggest that state-based lotteries are of limited value in increasing vaccine uptake, the researchers said.

"Further studies and resources should be devoted to other strategies to increase vaccination rates, including those that more directly target underlying reasons for vaccine hesitancy," Law said in a university news release.

The findings were published online Jan. 4 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19 and vaccines.

SOURCE: Boston University School of Medicine, news release, Jan. 4, 2022

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FRIDAY, Jan. 7, 2022 (HealthDay News)  Researchers in Austria say a new MRI technique may lead to faster diagnosis and treatment for people with multiple sclerosis.

The technique can detect biochemical changes in the brains of people with MS early in their disease, according to findings published Jan. 4 in the journal Radiology.

MRI of neurochemicals enables the detection of changes in the brain of multiple sclerosis patients in regions that appear inconspicuous on conventional MRI, said study senior author Wolfgang Bogner, from the High Field MR Centre at the Medical University of Vienna. The visualized changes in neurochemistry of normal-appearing brain tissue correlated with the patients disabilities."

MS, a disease of the central nervous system, affects nearly 3 million people worldwide. There is no cure, and it can cause fatigue, pain and impaired coordination. Physical therapy and medications can slow its progression.

Currently, MS can be detected in lesions in the brains white matter on standard MRIs. These lesions are linked to the loss of a protective coating around nerve fibers known as myelin. This is tissue damage visible to the naked eye but finding the damage when it is still microscropic or at a biochemical stage would be better.

An advanced imaging technique, called proton MR spectroscopy, can detect substances produced during metabolism that have potential relevance for MS, the researchers say.

They used this to compare biochemical changes in the brains of 65 people with MS with those of 20 healthy individuals. They employed an MRI scanner with a powerful 7-Tesla (T) magnet.

The team found reduced levels of an amino acid derivative called N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in patients with MS. Lower levels of NAA have been linked to impaired integrity of neurons in the brain.

People with MS also showed elevated levels of myo-inositol (MI), a compound involved in cell signaling. Higher levels can indicate substantial inflammatory disease activity.

Researchers said the results show a potential role for the new MRI technique in visualizing MS pathology beyond demyelinating lesions.

Some neurochemical changes, particularly those associated with neuroinflammation, occur early in the course of the disease and may not only be correlated with disability, but also be predictive of further progression such as the formation of multiple sclerosis lesions, said study lead author Eva Heckova, also from the High Field MR Centre. She said the changes detected through this new imaging technique may have significant clinical applications.

More work is needed to confirm the results, however.

If confirmed in longitudinal clinical studies, this new neuroimaging technique could become a standard imaging tool for initial diagnosis, for disease progression and therapy monitoring of multiple sclerosis patients and, in concert with established MRI, might contribute to neurologists treatment strategies, Bogner said in a journal news release.

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on multiple sclerosis.

SOURCE: Radiological Society of North America, news release, Jan. 4, 2022

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THURSDAY, Jan. 6, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday announced that predeparture tests for people traveling to the United Kingdom will no longer be required because restrictions meant to contain the international spread of the highly contagious omicron variant are now meaningless.

The change should come as welcome news to people who had refrained from traveling overseas for fear they would get stranded in a foreign country.

Johnson also announced measures to loosen testing rules for the country's own citizens. Starting Jan. 11, British residents who are asymptomatic but test positive for COVID-19 using a rapid test will not need to confirm that with a follow-up PCR test, the U.K. Health Security Agency said. This will likely reduce self-isolation time.

"While cases of COVID continue to rise, this tried-and-tested approach means that LFDs [lateral flow devices, or rapid tests] can be used confidently to indicate COVID-19 infection without the need for PCR confirmation," Jenny Harries, the U.K. Health Security Agency chief executive, said in a statement.

John Edmunds, Ph.D., a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told the Associated Press that the move made sense, although daily updates may require more careful interpretation. "When the prevalence is high, and it is incredibly high at the moment, almost everyone who tests positive with a lateral flow test will be a true positive," Edmunds explained. "There is really no need to confirm this with a PCR, a step that not only wastes time but costs a lot of money and uses up laboratory resources that could be better used elsewhere."

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Interstate 90 westbound was shut down until further notice from St. Regis to the Idaho border due to an avalanche on Friday.

Eastbound traffic was moving, but delays were expected, according to the Montana Highway Patrol. The closure started around 1:48 p.m. So far, no injuries or accidents have been reported. Highway Patrol is not sure when the interstate will reopen.

Closer to Missoula, crews were working to maintain one open lane on Highway 200 outside of Bonner due to a recurring avalanche, according to MHP.

The first avalanche occurred around 1:19 p.m. As crews were working to move the snow out of the road, a second avalanche came down just before 3 p.m. No injuries or accidents have been reported. MHP was unsure of when both lanes would be back open.

Troopers were on scene at both locations providing any assistance possible. To stay up to date, use the Department of Transportations interactive map or call 511.

Avalanche warnings are in place in western Montana and for the Cooke City area north of Yellowstone National Park because of heavy snow over the last several days. More was forecast for Friday, plus strong winds and some rain.

In northwestern Montana, the avalanche danger was listed as high in the Whitefish Range, in the Flathead Range including a portion of Glacier National Park, and in the Swan Range, the Flathead Avalanche Center said.

Slabs of new and drifted snow will be thick and easily triggered by the weight of a person or snowmachine, the warning said. In isolated areas, avalanches may break in weak layers of old snow near the ground. Travel in avalanche terrain in not recommended.

In west-central Montana, the avalanche danger was high near Lolo Pass, in the southern Mission mountains along with the Rattlesnake and southern and central Bitterroot mountains, the center said. All elevations will be impacted by heavy snow and increased hazards.

The likelihood of avalanches will increase with continued wind, snowfall, rising temperatures and rain at lower elevations, the West Central Montana Avalanche Center said.

The Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center has also issued an avalanche warning for the wind-loaded slopes near Cooke City north of Yellowstone National Park. About 15 inches of snow has fallen since Thursday morning in the area where two Minnesota snowmobilers died in an avalanche on Dec. 27.

Strong winds created new snow drifts that were 2 to 4 feet deep and wind-loaded slopes were expected to experience avalanches, the Gallatin center said.

If you get onto any steep slope, even one that isnt wind-loaded, expect to trigger a slide beneath the new snow, the warning states. If you need added incentive to stay out of avalanche terrain, remember that there are weak layers lower in the snowpack that could break even deeper.

The city of Missoula and its Office of Emergency Management said Thursday officials were exercising caution in issuing an urban avalanche warning for Mount Jumbo, closing the mountain to recreation. The closure also applies to private property.

In February 2014, an avalanche that started on Mount Jumbo destroyed a house, burying two residents. One of them died later died of her injuries, while her husband was hospitalized for weeks.

The 2014 slide also buried an 8-year-old boy and partially buried his older sister as they played in the backyard of another residence at the base of Mount Jumbo. The girl was able to dig herself out. The boy, who was found an hour later, survived because he ended up in an air pocket.

The Montana Department of Transportation on Friday reported strong winds and severe driving conditions in the Browning area  east of Glacier National Park  and black ice was reported on roads in extreme northwestern Montana, near the Idaho border.

Missoulian reporter Zoe Buchli and the Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Heres a quick guide to January art openings this month in Missoula. Take note that not all galleries are participating in First Friday hours this go-round.

Benefit Art Auction Exhibition

Missoula Art Museum

(Opens Friday, Jan. 7)

The 2022 Benefit Art Auction Exhibition opens this Friday in the Missoula Art Museums largest exhibition space, the Carnegie Galleries.

The auction, meanwhile, is virtual again this year. Theyll be hosting live from the Carnegie on Feb. 5.

Among the 82 pieces, youll see pieces by Missoula favorites and visiting artists from recent MAM exhibitions. Some of the artists in the 10-piece live section include ceramics icon Beth Lo, painter Jon Lodge, weaver Bonnie Tarses, painter Hadley Ferguson, and ledger artist Monte Yellow Bird.

Naturally, there are too many to name, but they span mediums and genres with a Montana-centric focus. You can peruse them all on the auction website now. Head to missoulaartmuseum.org for a link to the auction website, which has a breakdown on silent auction closing dates and more information.

Note: The exhibition opens on Friday, but the MAM is open for regular hours only on Jan. 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. You can swing by anytime Tuesday through Saturday during that time slot, too.

Stephen Glueckert and Corbin Ross: Impressions of the Mo

Gallery 709 at Montana Art and Framing

View the White Cliffs area of the Missouri River through the eyes of two artists in different mediums over the course of two years on an annual trip.

Corbin Ross is a photographer, and Stephen Glueckert rendered the area in paintings and drawings.

Glueckert has canoed the Missouri every year for two decades, and he has family ties to work on the river dating back to his great-great-grandfather, according to Gallery 709.

I feel connected to the river and never tire of it, he said in an email from the gallery. Although the river has changed over the years, this remains the path my family trekked to come into the territory. I cant get it out of my system.

The show is on view all month. The opening reception is First Friday Jan. 7, 5-9 p.m.

Full listings

Museums

Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, 728-3476, fortmissoulamuseum.org: Exhibits include "The Road to Today: 150 Years of Missoula's History," "Looking Like the Enemy: The Internment of the Issei at Fort Missoula," "Fire Call! A History of U.S. Forest Service Backcountry Communications," and "Montana Votes!" Hours: Main museum open Tuesday-Sunday noon-5 p.m. Outside exhibits closed until April 30.

Historic St. Mary's Mission and Museum, Stevensville, 777-5734: Featuring guided tour of historic buildings; featured exhibition is an antique toy display. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. with last tour at 2 p.m.

Hockaday Museum of Art, 302 Second Ave. E., Kalispell, 406-755-5268, hockadaymuseum.com: Through Jan. 8: "Blackfeet Lodges and the Stories of Sstaniiniki." Through April 2: Members Salon 2022. Jan. 14-March 19: "Communities West IV: Contemporary Western Printmakers." Ongoing: Glacier National Park mural restoration project and Crown of the Continent permanent exhibit. Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m.-noon, seniors only, noon-3 p.m. general public.

Miracle of America Museum, 36094 Memory Lane, 406-883-6804, miracleofamericamuseum.org: Featuring thousands of artifacts throughout dozens of buildings plus exhibits of World War II memorabilia that includes more than 50 official photos taken by the U.S. Department of the Navy depicting the damage to the fleet. The exhibit also contains many more personal items such as letters bearing the postmark of the USS Arizona mailed to family members in Polson before the ship was sunk that fateful day. Visitors can also view a telegram verifying the Dec. 7 death of a Polson High School graduate, along with magazines, newspapers and posters that tell the story of a world at war. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Missoula Art Museum, 335 N. Pattee St., 406-728-0447, missoulaartmuseum.org: The 2022 Benefit Art Exhibition opens in the Carnegie Galleries. The auction will be held virtually on Feb. 5. You can view the entire show at givergy.us/MAM2022Auction and find information on registering to bid. Note: The MAM is open on Jan. 7 for regular hours only, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Through Feb. 26: "Neal Ambrose Smith: c cen u kes xuyi (Where Are You Going?)" "Below the Bark: Artworks of Disturbance Ecology." Through March 1: "Jodi Lightner: Gathered Coherence." Through Jan. 29: "Andrea Joyce Heimer: Pastime." Health rules: The museum building is open to a maximum of 25 visitors in the galleries at any given time; visitors are encouraged to wear face coverings, wash hands frequently and remain 6 feet apart. The building is arranged with a "one-way" viewing experience, wherein patrons will take the elevator to the upper floors and use the stairs to descend. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Montana Museum of Art & Culture, Meloy and Paxson galleries, PAR/TV Center, University of Montana, 243-2019, umt.edu/montanamuseum: Through Jan. 8: "Avis marvelous: Ornithology in 19th Century Art and Science" and The Speyer Collection of Contemporary Art." Health rules: Masks recommended or provided for those without them. Groups limited to 10. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m.

Galleries

Allez! Missoula, 120 N. Higgins alleyway with the Merc Hotel, 546-6141, 120nhiggins.com: The revolving outdoor gallery will be featuring the vibrantly colored and bold patterns of international artist Michelle Hoogveld through March.

Artists Shop, 127 N. Higgins Ave., 406-543-6393, missoulaartistsshop.com: Featured through Jan. 31: Distilled Certainty," textile collage by Monica Thompson of Missoula. Opening reception, Dec. 3, 5-8 p.m. Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Health rules: Customers are asked to wear a mask, sanitize hands and practice social distancing. Maximum occupancy of 12 customers.

The Clay Studio of Missoula, 11065 Hawthorne St., 543-0509, theclaystudioofmissoula.org: No January exhibit. In February: International Cup 2022. Masks required inside gallery; reception hosted just outside gallery. Hours: 12-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 12-3 p.m. Saturday.

Frame of Mind, 1706 Brooks St., 406-549-8589, frameofmindmt.com: Frame of Mind is home for the artwork of Monte Dolack and Mary Beth Percival. Open Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Gallery 709 in Montana Art and Framing, 709 Ronan St., 406-541-7100, gallery709.com. Featured in January: "Impressions of the Mo," photographs by Corbin Ross and drawings/paintings by Stephen Glueckert of the Missouri River. First Friday Jan. 7, 5-9 p.m. Hours: 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

Murphy-Jubb Fine Art, 210 N. Higgins Ave., 406-728-7050, kendahljanjubb.com. Featured: Original artwork by Kendahl Jan Jubb, MScott Miller, Richard Smith and Arthur Herring. First Friday, Jan. 7, 5-8 p.m., with live music by The Pescaderos. Health rules: Hand sanitizer and gloves are provided and visitors are requested to wear a face mask (not provided). Occupancy is limited to 15 people, with no more than eight in any of the three rooms of the gallery. There is a sizable lobby outside the gallery. Online curbside and free home delivery is available in western Montana. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Radius Gallery, 120 N. Higgins, 541-7070, radiusgallery.com: Closed through Jan. 20. Opening on Jan. 20, "Intersections," a duo show between ceramic artists Beth Lo, the internationally exhibited Missoula artist, and Steven Young Lee, director emeritus of the Archie Bray Foundation. Normal hours once they reopen: Open Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. First and last hours reserved for those who want the gallery to themselves. Also by appointment.

Relic, relicgallery.com. Featuring antiques, fine art and curious objects. Open online only during renovations for its new space at 124 N. Higgins Ave., planned for June.

University Center Gallery, UM, 243-5082, umt.edu/uc/uc-gallery: Through Jan. 28: "Drippings of the Soul and Seasons," large-scale abstract expressionist paintings by Jace Whitaker. Opening reception Jan. 7, 3-5 p.m. Jan. 31-Feb. 25: "I Never Dreamed of Dust Before," opening reception Feb. 4, 4-7 p.m. Hours: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Wildfire Ceramic Studio, 2502 Murphy St., wildfireceramicstudio.com: In January: "Quiet Quills" by Mary Krochmalny. Opening reception Jan. 7, 6-9 p.m.

Zootown Arts Community Center, 216 W. Main St., 549-7555, zootownarts.org: Main gallery: "What's Old is New Again," works by Heather Stockton and "Wild Montana," works by Nancy Fitch. Blackfoot Communications Gallery: "Shape of Us," works presented by Free Verse. First Friday opening, Jan. 7, 5-8 p.m. Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday noon-4 p.m. Health rules: Masks required indoors. Gallery capacity may be limited as needed.

Art on view

Bridge Pizza, 600 S. Higgins Ave., 406-542-0002: Dining room is open for socially distanced service. On view: Jay Rummels trilogy of prints, Lady from Missoula County, Road to the Buffalo and When First Unto Came to this Country. Monte Dolacks original movie posters circa 1973.

Lake Missoula Tea Company, 136 E. Broadway, 406-926-1038: First Friday, Jan. 7, 58 p.m. featuring "Pottery, Paintings and Tunes" with local potter Kelly Schirmann, visual artist Maudlin Oxalis and music by Kevin Christensen.

Missoula Public Library, 455 E. Main St., 721-2665, missoulapubliclibrary.org: Through Feb. 11: Bear Bones Historians' exhibit "Leiser's Footsteps."

Monk's, 221 Ryman: First Friday Art Show, Jan. 7. The exhibition is raising money for the Jasmine Venetia Stringed Instrument Library at Potomac School. Free family friendly 5-8 p.m. with live music by Erin Esse and Maria Zepeda. The art continues 8 p.m.-1:30 a.m. for ages 21 and over with $8 cover. Live music by Pettifoggers and New Old Future. Artists and vendors include Celestial Tonez, Art by Nikci, Voodoo Mountain Glass, Bizzy Arts, Galactica Minerals, Enigmatic Factory, W. Monster Art, Candice Herndon, Aiden Potter, A Peculiar Clothing Company, Jesse Heirendt.

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Within a matter of moments earlier this week, people and businesses under a recently increased cap on the amount they could claim in tax credits by donating to schools reached the $1 million limit set by the state Legislature.

The period to claim the credit through a donation of up to $200,000 opened Monday, and reached the limit in less than six minutes, the state Department of Revenue said this week.

Ten public school districts were able to pre-approve 23 donations, from 20 people and three businesses that claimed the credits. The individuals donated $938,000 and the businesses donated $62,000 to reach the $1 million cap, the revenue department said.

In 2021, the state Legislature dramatically increased the amount a person or business could claim in a credit, moving from $150 to $200,000. The $1 million cap for total credits claimed increases in 2023 to $2 million, with provisions to increase that by 20% in later years if donations come in at 80% or greater of the limit.

Last year lawmakers also changed the existing program to allow those claiming the credits to direct them toward specific school districts who can use the money toward innovative educational programs. Legislators also expanded terms for how the money can be spent. On the private side, money goes toward scholarship programs that students can then apply to in order to receive assistance from.

Three scholarship organizations pre-registered donations from 12 individuals. Ace Scholarships got five donations, as did St. Matthews Catholic School, and Holy Spirit Catholic School had two, according to the revenue department.

The 10 public school districts that registered donations were Big Sky School K-12; Bonner Elementary; Great Falls Elementary; Kalispell Elementary; Kalispell High School; Livingston Elementary; Montana City Elementary; Shepard Elementary; Somers Elementary; and Whitefish Elementary.

Big Sky Schools received $694,000, MTN News reported, or nearly 70% of the total amount that went toward public schools.

The district is in one of the wealthiest areas in the state. Gallatin County, where the district is located, has the lowest rate of students on free or reduced lunch in the state.

State tax law makes the identity of donors private, protected as confidential tax information.

During a November meeting, several state lawmakers expressed concern that some districts could claim the credits quickly, leaving others in the dust in terms of accessing the funding.

The concern is that the folks that might donate to this might be in those larger school districts like Kalispell and ... some of the larger areas and that some of the smaller schools might not be able to take advantage of this to the level that might happen in some of the larger school districts, said Sen. Jill Cohenour, an East Helena Democrat who heads the interim revenue committee, said last year. That's where the disparity might take place.

From 2016, the first year of the program, to 2021, the Bozeman School District saw the most funding, at $4,893, making up just over 21% of all contributions. The Great Falls School District came in second, at 14% of all contributions.

Nine districts or regions received less than $1,000, including the Kalispell School District at $428, or just 8% of what Bozeman received.

Theres quite a disparity, state Sen. Shannon OBrien, a Democrat from Missoula, said during the November committee meeting. 'Im looking at $143 total in region five (Cascade, Fergus, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, Musselshell, Petroleum and Wheatland counties) and I'm looking at $3,135 in region 11 (Chouteau, Glacier, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Pondera, Teton and Toole counties). And then Great Falls (School District) received $3,278.

During the November meeting, Bob Story, executive director of the Montana Taxpayers Association, predicted the issue of equity and access to education programs will eventually raise its head in a lawsuit sometime and the state will have to deal with that.

One lawmaker back in November said he believed the donations will mostly go to small districts around the state.

I think the districts that will benefit the most are the rural districts, where you have rural benefactors ... , state Sen. Brian Hoven, a Great Falls Republican, said. I think were going to see the rural districts benefit more than anyone else.

And while some rural districts like Montana City Elementary received $55,000, Shepherd Elementary saw $50,000, Somers Elementary got $5,000 and Bonner got $1,000, MTN reported, by far most money went to Big Sky or other more urban districts.

Republican state Rep. Seth Berglee, of Joliet, said in an interview this week he wasnt surprised by how quickly the public school cap was reached. He pointed to changes made by lawmakers to raise the limit an individual or business could claim, as well as the ability to direct money to a specific school, as pushing the rush.

Berglee said while he didnt fully support a late change to his legislation that allowed for schools to use money on an expanded list of things, he said he still thinks schools getting more money is a good outcome.

The termed-out lawmaker said hed also like to see the program revisited in the next legislative session to narrow what the money for public schools can go toward. Initially it could only be used for new innovation programs, which Berglee said would help underachieving students.

Opening up the spending options, he said, prompted some districts to organize giving campaigns around the credit.

My intent with the program was to help kids that were struggling, Berglee said, adding that the scholarship side of the program is working as he intended. It did not reach the cap.

Still, its not really a negative that schools got funded and theres a tax credit, Berglee said. That money was going to go to the government somewhere else. In the spirit of it, I would like to see them making adjustments on the public side mostly.

While a few last-minute rule changes by the Department of Revenue made it easier to track exactly when a contribution was made, some schools reported frustrations with the rapid pace, the Montana Free Press reported this week.

From the state revenue department's perspective, "the process and the donations portal worked seamlessly to implement what the Montana Legislature provided for in statute," a spokesperson said this week.

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A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Montana, Texas and 21 other states seeking to overturn President Joe Bidens revocation of a permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline, ruling the case as moot.

Judge Jeffery Brown of the Southern District of Texas issued the ruling this week citing a brief filed by TC Energy, the developer of the pipeline. The company, which is pursuing $15 billion in damages from the U.S. government, says it has no plans to re-start the project and asked the judge to dismiss the case as moot.

TC Energy first applied for permitting for the pipeline in 2008. The pipeline as proposed would have moved up to 830,000 barrels of oil a day from sand fields in western Canada to Nebraska, where crude would then be piped to refineries on the Gulf Coast. The oil would move through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska and Oklahoma before reaching refineries in Texas.

The pipeline has been controversial since proposed, with environmental groups and several tribes opposing the project while industry and organized labor have been in support.

A permit to cross the international border was denied under the Obama administration but granted under the Trump administration. Biden canceled the permit on his first day in office, citing concerns that burning oil sands crude would contribute to climate change.

In March, attorneys general including Montanas Austin Knudsen filed the lawsuit. Knudsen has been outspoken about economic benefits from the pipeline's construction and tax payments.

The lawsuit alleged that the president overstepped his authority in revoking the permit because it traversed multiple states.

The decision to provide or withhold permission to construct and operate an oil pipeline across the international border with Canada is a regulation of international and interstate commerce. Under the Constitution, this power resides with Congress, the lawsuit states.

But following the permits cancelation, TC Energy says in a brief filed with the court that it considers the project dead. The company has commenced deconstruction of infrastructure at the border and taken additional steps to unwind the project, including canceling leases, its attorneys wrote.

The arguments raised in opposition to the motion to dismiss rest on claims that, if this court invalidates President Bidens revocation of the Presidential permit, KXLP will likely be revived, either by TC Energy or some other entity. However, the steps TC Energy has already taken or is in the process of taking foreclose those claims, the brief states.

Brown, an appointee of Trump, agreed with the company in ruling the case as moot.

The court takes TC Energy at its word that Keystone XL is dead. And because it is dead, any ruling this court makes on whether President Biden had the authority to revoke the permit would be advisory. Thus, the court has no jurisdiction and the case must be dismissed as moot, the judge wrote.

In a statement, Knudsen criticized Biden and other Democrats and said the Keystone XL or a similar pipeline could have increased the domestic energy supply.

Its unfortunate that the important constitutional question in this case  if the president can revoke a congressionally approved cross-border permit  will go unanswered because TC Energy inserted itself into the court proceedings unprompted, Knudsen said. This also deprived Montanans and residents of other states who would have benefited from the pipeline's jobs and tax revenue of their day in court.

A spokesperson for Knudsen said the state justice department was reviewing its options when asked about the prospect of an appeal.

Tom Kuglin is the deputy editor for the Lee Newspapers State Bureau. His coverage focuses on outdoors, recreation and natural resources.

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A 48-year-old Helena man admitted in federal court Wednesday to several crimes stemming from a scheme to defraud a bank of more than $1 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans, said U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson in a press release.

Trevor Gene Lanius McLeod pleaded guilty to bank fraud and to engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for the bank fraud crime.

PPP loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. The government alleged that in April 2021, the defendant had applied for four PPP loans through Valley Bank of Helena and lied on the applications and accompanying documentation. Due to this misinformation, McLeod received approximately $1,043,000 in fraudulent funds from the four loans.

McLeod is alleged to have applied for a PPP loan for $340,000 on behalf of Renovated Montana Properties LLP, a company he controls. The application claimed that McLeod stated the company had paid payroll taxes and had 25 employees. The company had not paid payroll taxes and did not have employees other than McLeod. He would not have qualified for this loan without misinformation being on the application, according to Johnson's press release.

The government also alleges that McLeod used the money on personal expenses such as paying his mortgage.

Co-defendant Kasey Jones Wilson of Laurel pleaded guilty to bank fraud and is awaiting sentencing.

This case was investigated in cooperation with the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and U.S. Secret Service.

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More than a year after voters approved legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Montana, anyone older than 21 can now walk into a dispensary and buy cannabis. That has medical marijuana user Joylynn Mane Wright worried.

Wright lives in Prairie County, the states fifth-least-populated county, with nearly 1,100 people. She already drives about 35 minutes to get to the marijuana dispensary nearest her home, which is 2 hours northeast of Billings. And now she wonders how much more difficult it will be to get the cannabis she uses to relieve the chronic pain she developed after a 2017 spinal surgery.

Im really worried about supplies and what its going to cost, she said.

For Wright and the approximately 55,000 other Montanans who hold medical marijuana cards and use cannabis for cancer, glaucoma, Crohns disease, central nervous system disorders and other ailments, the question is how will recreational marijuana affect their ability to access their medicine.

Other states have had shortages soon after their recreational marijuana markets opened. In January 2020, when recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois, some dispensaries had to close their doors or impose limits on purchases. The same thing happened in Colorado and Washington when the recreational market opened in those states.

Pepper Petersen president and CEO of the Montana Cannabis Guild and a medical marijuana provider in Helena, said hes been telling his patients to stock up because he thinks the states dispensaries will run out of pot in the short term.

We are going to have cannabis shortages. Access will be a problem until supply can catch up with demand, Petersen said. How can we produce enough product for thousands of new users in January? The answer is we cant.

In Wrights case, stocking up isnt an option because of her fixed income, she said. She wonders how high the price of a pre-rolled joint, which now costs nearly $8, will rise and whether shell have to drive even farther to get her medicine.

Jared Moffat, a campaign manager for the Marijuana Policy Project, said a states market usually takes six to 12 months to stabilize after recreational cannabis becomes legal. One reason marijuana markets are unstable is that possessing and distributing the drug remain illegal under federal law, so moving products across state lines is not an option for dealing with a shortage. Everything that is sold in a state must be grown in that state.

Adding to the potential supply-chain problem is that Montana has restricted who can sell cannabis, at least initially. The legislation that set up the framework for Montanas recreational marijuana market gave existing dispensaries an 18-month head start on new producers, meaning newly licensed sellers cant get into the market until July 2023.

That leaves medical marijuana customers to compete with recreational users for a limited supply of cannabis.

About 80 dispensaries  just 18% of Montanas 451 licensed dispensaries  plan to exclusively serve holders of medical marijuana cards, according to Czelsi Gomez, spokesperson for the Montana Department of Revenue, which oversees the states marijuana programs. The rest plan to cater to both recreational and medical users or to only recreational users.

Some states that have legalized recreational cannabis  including New Jersey and Illinois  have required dispensaries to maintain enough stock to ensure that medical users can get what they need.

Montana has not instituted such a rule. But Gomez said the 80 dispensaries that will serve only medical marijuana users will protect patients. We believe the medical-only establishments are the safeguard for ensuring medical marijuana is available to registered cardholders, Gomez said.

Some dispensary owners said they will reserve some of their supplies to ensure medical customers dont run out. But others said they dont plan on holding back, arguing that would be bad for business.

Barbie Turner, a co-owner of Alternative ReLeaf, a dispensary with locations in Polson and Libby, said she is worried about where medical users will get their cannabis. She said that if serving medical customers requires her to stop selling cannabis to recreational users, she will.

Not only do our medical patients have a need, theyre the ones who built up these businesses. Theyre the ones who built this industry, she said. So I think we have an ethical responsibility to take care of them, just like they have taken care of us.

How big the recreational marijuana market will be is unclear. A University of Montana study cited survey results from 2017 and 2018 that found about 14% of Montana adults said they used cannabis in the previous month, compared with 9% of adults nationally.

Petersen and others said more people might become recreational users once cannabis products that can be smoked or eaten become easier to buy.

Turner said that she and her employees have been working for months to make sure they have enough marijuana but that shes still worried about the supply. There are limits, both legally and financially, on how much a provider can grow, she said.

Shops will get some help, she said, when the states wholesale market opens in January, meaning that dispensaries will be able to sell to one another in bulk.

Although many dispensaries  especially in college towns such as Missoula and Bozeman  are bracing for shortages this month, Erin Bolster said she thinks the real test of marijuana supplies will come in the summer, when millions of tourists visit Yellowstone and Glacier national parks.

Bolster owns Tamarack Cannabis in the Flathead Valley, a popular tourist destination not far from Glacier National Park. Last summer, long before dispensaries could sell recreational cannabis, Bolster said, she would get one or two walk-ins and two or three calls a day from tourists who had heard Montana had legalized adult-use marijuana and wanted to see if they could buy.

Come summer, she thinks, the number of customers will skyrocket. That could mean even more competition for Montanas medical marijuana there and in other popular destinations.

Weve been able to expand production, Bolster said. But the question is Did we expand enough?

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There are no signs of relief in the ongoing drought in the upper Missouri River Basin, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with this year's spring runoff predicted to remain below normal.

The forecast comes on the heels of a year in which the basin saw only 59% of its average runoff, a total of 15.2 million acre-feet of water  the 10th lowest annual runoff in 123 years. An acre foot is the amount of water it takes to cover one acre in one foot of water.

"Based on current runoff trends, soil moisture, and plains and mountain snowpack, the dry conditions are expected to continue," the Corps reported.

According to the website drought.gov, more than 86% of Montana remains in severe drought, with 53% in extreme drought, and almost 14% in exceptional drought, the worst possible rating. In 127 years of record keeping, 2021 was the fourth driest year for Montana.

The Corps' runoff forecast is a bit rosier for 2022, calling for 21.7 MAF of runoff, which is 84% of average.

By the time the runoff season starts on March 1, the six reservoirs  which include Fort Peck in Montana and Sakakawea in North Dakota  will contain only 48.2 MAF of water, 7.9 MAF below the top of the carryover multiple use zone.

That means boat ramps may need to be extended and docks could be left high and dry until water levels climb. It could also mean drought conservation measures if low runoff persists. That might translate into less water for barge traffic on the lower Missouri River, which occurred in July 2021 when the water supply for navigation was cut due to the continuing drought.

Although one of the conservation measures is to reduce winter dam releases, the Corps is proposing to keep Fort Peck outflows at 10,000 cubic feet per second in January and February, dropping the reservoir level almost 2 more feet by the end of this month to an elevation of 2,223.3 feet, about 12 feet lower than last year at this time.

The reservoir has a ways to go before it hits a historic low. In 2007 the reservoir recorded an elevation of 2,196 feet.

"To further conserve water in the Missouri River Mainstem reservoir system, minimum releases from Gavins Point Dam are scheduled this winter while still serving the needs of the municipal, industrial and powerplant water intakes along the lower river," the Corps said.

Gavins Point Dam is located west of Yankton, South Dakota, along the Nebraska border.

Releases from Gavins Point were temporarily increased from 12,000 cfs to 16,000 cfs in late December and early January to replace water that was being locked up in river ice, said John Remus, chief of Missouri River Basin Water Management. Releases are currently at 14,000 cfs.

Weather and river conditions will continue to be monitored, and releases from Gavins Point Dam will be adjusted to the extent possible to help mitigate any negative effects of the cold weather," Remus added. "The Corps is aware of the importance of our operations to water supply. There is and will be enough water in the river to serve the water supply needs.

The city of Billings, on the other hand, is struggling to draw enough water from the Yellowstone River. The Yellowstone dropped to 800 cfs in December when it's typically closer to 2,000 cfs. So much ice has built up on the river that daily flows are not even available on U.S. Geological Survey gauges for the entire length of the stream.

Although snow has been falling fairly steadily in the mountains over the past week, snowpack in the upper Missouri River Basin is accumulating at a below-average rate, the Corps said.

The Jan. 4 mountain snowpack in the Fort Peck reach was 88% of average, while the mountain snowpack in the Fort Peck to Garrison reach was 86% of average. Plains snowpack in the upper Missouri River Basin is sparse.

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We are 35 state, federal, and Tribal wildlife professionals who have worked together for more than 40 years to help recover and manage grizzly bears, wolves, and other wildlife in Montana. We did this by building science and fact-based management policies and plans with public input while carefully balancing the needs of bears and other wildlife with the needs of the people who live, work, and recreate in Montana.

We believed in and promoted the eventual delisting of recovered grizzlies and wolves and turning them over to state management. We believed that the wildlife professionals in Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) would be good stewards who would continue to carefully manage grizzly bears and wolves using science and facts after recovery and delisting.

All this changed in 2021 when a new legislative majority and a like-minded governor took office. Science-based wildlife management in Montana was replaced by anti-predator hysteria fueled by misinformation and emotion. Professional wildlife management by FWP biologists was replaced by partisan political intervention that overturned decades of sound wildlife policy.

Examples of legislation/regulations passed in 2021 that sabotages sound wildlife management:

 A law (SB 98) that says a person can shoot a grizzly bear if it is threatening to kill a person or livestock. Threatening is not defined. This will result in the unregulated killing of grizzlies anywhere by anyone.

 A law (SB 337) that says that FWP cannot relocate any grizzly bear captured in any type of conflict outside a recovery zone.

 A law (HB 224) mandating allowing the use of neck snares to kill wolves that will result in grizzly bear deaths and the deaths of countless numbers of other non-target animals.

 A law (HB 468) allowing the use of hounds to hunt black bears (which had been outlawed in Montana for 100 years). The use of hounds to hunt black bears will result in conflicts and death for grizzly bears in the areas where hounds are used.

 A law (SB 314) allowing the use of bait around wolf traps and neck snares. Bait will also attract grizzly bears and other forest carnivores to these sites where they will be trapped, or neck snared and be killed or maimed.

 Montana Code (MCA 87-2-519) allowing out of state landowners who own more than 640 acres and their guests to hunt both black bears and mountain lions with hounds on their property and on public lands surrounding their property for 2 miles in any direction, and to do so without buying a non-resident hound hunting license. The use of hounds to hunt black bears will result in conflicts and death for grizzly bears in the areas where hounds are used.

 A law (HB 225) extending the wolf trapping and neck snaring season into the time that both grizzly and black bears are out of their dens, which will result in bears being caught, maimed, or killed in wolf traps and neck snares.

 A law (SB 314) allowing hunting wolves over bait, even at night with spotlights and night vision scopes.

 A law (SB 267) that pays people to try to trap and kill wolves. This law takes wolf management back into the anti-predator bounty days of the 1800s.

In addition to meeting population objectives established in the Recovery Plan, a mandatory requirement of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for a species to be delisted is that the state have adequate regulatory mechanisms in place to assure that grizzlies (and wolves) in Montana remain healthy and recovered after delisting. Healthy and recovered grizzly (and wolf) populations are populations that are carefully managed and distributed across their suitable available habitat. Delisting does not mean that legislatures can drive grizzly and wolf populations down to minimum numbers.

Montana legislators and the governor were informed on numerous occasions about how these laws would undermine FWPs ability to adequately manage grizzlies and risked wolves being relisted. They ignored this input and passed these laws anyway. These laws will result in excessive, unregulated killing of grizzly bears, making it impossible for FWP to adequately control the number of grizzly bear deaths within sustainable levels.

In addition to the actions of the Legislature, Montanas sole congressional representative and junior senator have introduced legislation in Washington to bypass the requirements of the ESA and delist grizzly bears by congressional vote.

It doesnt take a lot of imagination to realize that if grizzly bears were delisted and turned over to state management, that the Legislature and governor would do the same thing to grizzlies that they are currently doing to wolves  they would likely try to legislatively minimize grizzly numbers inside recovery zones and eliminate most grizzlies outside recovery zones.

Before grizzly bears can be delisted:

 Laws that will result in excessive grizzly bear deaths and unnecessary restrictions on state grizzly management must be reversed (SB 98 and SB 337).

 There should be a commitment in law and policy to prohibit use of wolf killing methods that will also kill grizzly bears (HB 224, HB 468, SB 314, HB 225, SB 267) anywhere in grizzly range.

 The management of grizzly bears (and wolves) in Montana must return to management based on science and facts instead of politically driven misinformation and anti-predator hysteria.

If these measures were taken, we could support grizzly delisting. However, while these regressive laws and the legislative anti-predator attitudes that produced these laws remain in place, we cannot support the delisting of grizzly bears in Montana.

We strongly believe that grizzly bears must remain listed under ESA in Montana so that their populations remain healthy, and politicians are not able to reverse 40 years of grizzly recovery.

Chris Servheen, Missoula, Ph.D., 35 years U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as grizzly bear recovery coordinator (retired). Chuck Schwartz, Bozeman, Ph.D.. 20 years Alaska Fish and Game as research biologist (retired) and 16 years USGS as leader, interagency grizzly bear study team (retired). Richard Mace, Kalispell, Ph.D.. 31 years Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks as grizzly and black bear research biologist (retired). Tim Manley, Bigfork, B.S., 37 years FWP in grizzly bear research and as grizzly bear management biologist (retired). Harvey Nyberg, Lewistown, M.S., 26 years FWP, last position as regional supervisor (retired). Gayle Joslin, Helena, M.S., 32 years FWP as wildlife management biologist and research biologist (retired). Keith Aune, Bozeman, M.S., 31 years FWP as wildlife research biologist, laboratory supervisor, chief of wildlife research (retired) and 10 years as a wildlife biologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society (retired). Bruce Sterling, Thompson Falls, M.S., 38 years FWP as management biologist (retired). Diane Boyd, Kalispell, Ph.D., 8 years FWP as wolf and upland bird biologist (retired), 15 years University of Montana as large carnivore researcher (retired). Ron Marcoux, Helena, M.S., 22 years FWP as biologist and deputy director (retired); 18 years with Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in land conservation and administration (retired). Kristi DuBois, Missoula, M.S., 28 years FWP as a wildlife biologist (both game and nongame) (retired) and 6 years USFWS as a wildlife biologist (retired). Tim Thier, Trego, M.S., 27 years FWP as wildlife biologist (retired) and 5 years USFWS as wildlife biologist (retired). Heidi B. Youmans, Helena, M.S., 27 years FWP as area management biologist, upland game bureau chief, non-game bureau chief (retired). Gary Olsen, Conrad, M.S., 34 years FWP as area biologist (retired). Wayne Hadley, Deer Lodge, Ph.D., 23 years FWP as fisheries biologist (retired). Gary Wolfe, Missoula, Ph.D., 4 years as a commissioner on the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission; 12 years Vermejo Park Ranch wildlife biologist/manager and big game hunting outfitter and guide; 15 years Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, wildlife biologist/field director, director of field operations, chief operating officer, president & CEO (retired); 11 years Vital Ground Foundation, wildlife biologist/executive director (retired). Tim Aldrich, Missoula, B.S., 4 years as a commissioner on the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission. Greg Munther, Missoula, M.S., 32 years U.S. Forest Service as biologist and district ranger (retired). Sterling Miller, Lolo, Ph.D., 21 years Alaska Fish and Game as wildlife management biologist (retired). Affiliate professor, UM. Dan Carney, East Glacier, M.S., 31 years Blackfeet Tribe as senior wildlife biologist (retired). Douglas H. Chadwick, Whitefish, M.S., 3 years wildlife technician with NPS, 40 years independent wildlife biologist collaborating with university and agency researchers. Tom Puchlerz, Stevensville, M.S., 38 years USFS as wildlife biologist, district ranger and forest supervisor (retired). Kate Kendall, Columbia Falls, M.S., 36 years NPS and USGS as research ecologist (retired). Joe Fontaine, Helena, B.S., 6 years U.S. Bureau of Reclamation wildlife biologist, 18 years USFWS as deputy wolf recovery coordinator (retired), 4 years as deputy project leader National Wildlife Refuge Complex (retired). Jay Gore, Missoula, M.S., 10 years USFS as wildlife biologist (retired), 13 years USFWS as wildlife biologist (retired), and 7 years Corps of Engineers as wildlife biologist (retired). Mary Maj, Bozeman, M.S., 32 years USFS as district and regional wildlife biologist, resource staff officer, and district ranger (retired). Dale Becker, Polson, M.S., 7 years as a private wildlife consultant and 32 years CSKT as Tribal wildlife program manager. Edward Bangs, Helena, M.S., 36 years USFWS as wildlife biologist on Kenai NWR and Northern Rocky Mountain wolf recovery coordinator (retired). Jim Claar, Missoula, M.S., 21 years USFS as wildlife biologist (retired), and 11 years Bureau of Indian Affairs as wildlife program manager (retired). Jack Stanford, Bigfork, Ph.D., 36 years Flathead Lake Biological Station as director (retired). Kerry R. Forsman, Missoula, Ph.D., 37 years UM as professor of biology and wildlife biology (retired). Mike Phillips, Bozeman, M.S., 35 years: USFWS red wolf restoration leader (retired); NPS grey wolf restoration leader (retired); Turner Endangered Species Fund executive director; Montana state legislator 2006-2020. Sandy Kratville, Missoula, M.S., 31 years USFS as wildlife biologist, including 5 years as USFS/Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation liaison (retired). Mike Jimenez, Big Arm, M.S., 20 years USFWS grey wolf research and management (retired). Lewis Young, Eureka, M.S., 31 years USFS as wildlife biologist and wildlife program manager (retired).

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Greenhouses seen at the headquarters of the Monsanto Company, in St. Louis, Missouri. Daniel Dreifuss/picture alliance via Getty Images

Xiang Haitao, 44, worked for Monsanto in Missouri from 2008 to 2017.

The DOJ said he stole a secret algorithm before leaving and planned to pass it to China.

The US identified bioeconomy as one of the key areas where China is trying to steal US intelligence.

A Chinese scientist has admitted stealing trade secrets from the agrochemical giant Monsanto, the Justice Department said Thursday.

Xiang Haitao, 44, worked as an imaging scientist for Monsanto in Missouri between 2008 and 2017, during which time Monsanto and its subsidiary The Climate Corporation worked on a secret algorithm known as the "Nutrient Optimizer," the department said, citing court documents.

The algorithm helped farmers their productivity, the DOJ said.

Before leaving the company, Xiang downloaded a copy of the algorithm, and then flew to China on a one-way ticket, the department said.

Law-enforcement officers searched Xiang's electronics at the airport, but he was ultimately allowed to leave the US, the department said.

Investigators later concluded that "one of Xiang's electronic devices contained copies of the Nutrient Optimizer," the DOJ said.

US law-enforcement officials were able to arrest Xiang after he returned to the US sometime between 2017 and 2019, the department said.

Xiang pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit economic espionage on Thursday, the department said. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a potential $5 million fine.

In China, Xiang went on to work for the Institute of Soil Science at the state-run Chinese Academy of Science in Nanjing, the DOJ said.

The department said Xiang intended to pass the stolen materials on to the Chinese government. It is unclear if the government was able to make use of the "Nutrient Optimizer."

"Despite Xiang's agreements to protect Monsanto's intellectual property and repeated training on his obligations to do so, Xiang has now admitted that he stole a trade secret from Monsanto, transferred it to a memory card and attempted to take it to the People's Republic of China for the benefit of Chinese government," Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said in a statement.

Story continues

In October, the US National Counterintelligence and Security Center identified bioeconomy as one of the key areas where China is trying to steal US intelligence, as Insider's Stavros Atlamazoglou previously reported.

"These sectors produce technologies that may determine whether America remains the world's leading superpower or is eclipsed by strategic competitors in the next few years," the NCSC said.

Tom Armitage, a spokesperson for Bayer, which owns Monsanto, told Insider: "The protection of intellectual property is essential for innovation across industries."

After Xiang was indicted by a grand jury in 2019, China's foreign ministry said the US was using the case to make the baseless claim that China conducts widespread espionage in the US.

"We resolutely oppose the US side's attempts to use the case, which we regard as an ordinary, isolated incident, to hype up claims of China's organized and systematic attempts to steal intellectual property from the US," spokesman Geng Shuang said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Virginia Marie Spencer, a Pilot Mountain woman convicted of illegally entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced Friday to three months in federal prison and three years of supervised probation.

According to court documents filed by federal prosecutors, she entered the U.S. Capitol with her 14-year-old son and her husband, Christopher Spencer.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly noted that Spencer, 38, apologized in court on Friday but said it didn't appear that Spencer really understood that she participated in an insurrection and not a peaceful protest.

Kollar-Kotelly also said she couldn't comprehend why Spencer would bring her 14-year-old son into a situation where he could see rioters assaulting law-enforcement officers. Kollar-Kotelly said she worried what impact witnessing such violence would have on the teenager.

Virginia Spencer initially told FBI agents that she and her husband immediately tried to get out of the U.S. Capitol once they realized they weren't supposed to be in the building. But Kollar-Kotelly said that's not true. The couple spent more than 30 minutes inside the building and joined at least three different groups of people either inside the Capitol building or while they were marching toward the Capitol, the judge said.

Christopher Spencer, she said, used Facebook to live-stream himself in the U.S. Capitol building.

Prosecutors said that, while walking toward the Capitol, Virginia Spencer joined a small group of people who confronted counter-protesters. Her husband said, "Easy to talk s*** behind the cops!" Virginia Spencer said, "Look who's protecting you...(indiscernible) behind the f***in' police!" Washington, D.C. Metro Police officers broke up the encounter, which was captured on body-camera.

The couple briefly joined a group of people outside the House Chambers as they tried to get inside, prosecutors said.

Her attorney, Allen H. Orenberg, said in a court filing that Virginia Spencer was unduly influenced by the media and by former president Donald Trump, who falsely said that the election was stolen from him through fraud. Orenberg alleged that media coverage of the protests over George Floyd's death led Virginia Spencer to believe that protesting was the only way to have her voice heard and that she would face minimal criminal liability.

He argued that his client should get a 12-month probationary sentence.

The judge rejected that argument, saying Virginia Spencer chose to enter the U.S. Capitol building illegally and was present for an attempt to disrupt the certification of the 2020 presidential election, which Joe Biden won.

Virginia Spencer will have to turn herself in to federal authorities in February. The charges against her husband, Christopher Spencer, are still pending.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is on a rampage after Twitter deactivated her account and Facebook placed her on probation over controversial coronavirus claims that fact-checkers flagged as misinformation.

The Florida Republican frothed and fumed against Big Tech censors, the Silicon Valley Cartel and social media oligarchs in a Monday fundraising email. She joins a chorus of complainers on both sides of the aisle who want Congress to rein in the internets most popular social networks.

So much for new beginnings in 2022. The Electronic Frontier Foundation dubbed 2021 the year lawmakers tried to regulate online speech, and all signs point to the same pitched battle continuing unabated. Each ill-fated fight, from demands for political neutrality on the right to calls for rewriting social medias addictive algorithms on the left, will end in the same predictable stalemate.

Would-be reformers have set their sights on Section 230, a once-obscure provision in the Communications Decency Act of 1996 thats become every Facebook foes favorite bogeyman. Theyre aiming too low. The expansive government oversight they crave isnt possible without gutting the First Amendment.

Section 230 is a simple piece of legislation with a singular purpose. It shields websites that host third-party user content from liability for others words. If I spread lies to deliberately harm your reputation, you can sue me for libel. But you cant go after the deep-pocketed companies whose products I used to amplify my misbegotten message.

Thats all Section 230 does, and its crucial. The modern internet as we know it, from social media and message boards to every newspaper, magazine and TV news website that allows user comments, relies on the premise that theres no vicarious liability. But the 26-word law has zilch to do with content moderation.

There is no publisher vs. platform distinction setting different legal standards for sites that take a hands-off or evenhanded approach to user comments and those that exercise editorial control reflecting corporate viewpoints and values. Thats a fiction invented from whole cloth. The word platform doesnt even appear in Section 230s scant text.

Politicians are quick to rail against censorship and invoke freedom of speech when theyre booted from Facebook or Twitter for breaking the rules. Theyre confusing private companies with government agencies. The First Amendment constrains the latter and protects the former.

Taking Section 230 off the books or adding a ban on banishings wouldnt change the calculus. Lawmakers cant tell businesses what they must allow or may not allow on their websites.

Florida and Texas already tried. Both states enacted laws prohibiting political favoritism in social media moderation last year, and federal judges struck them down for defying decades of First Amendment precedent. An act of Congress is no less subject to constitutional compliance tests.

While conservatives lead the charge to regulate moderation, progressives are at the forefront of equally misguided efforts to impose social responsibility standards.

Facebook and YouTube are under fire for writing algorithms that keep users hooked by populating their feeds with conflict, conspiracy theories and hate, while Instagram is accused of fueling a rise in depression and eating disorders among teen girls.

A Tuesday story on Time magazines website compares Big Tech to Big Tobacco and suggests similar social welfare reforms. Reporter Megan McCluskey quotes two academics who opine that Congress can order tweaks to websites recommendation engines.

If the reporter had interviewed a law professor, such flights of fancy would be swiftly deflated. Government has no more latitude to impose its preferences on the complex computer code operating in the background of a website than the plain-English text displayed on its homepage.

The law considers an algorithm to be just as much a form of free speech as, say, a musical score, intellectual property attorney Veronika Balbuzanova explains in an American Bar Association article.

Courts allow some regulation of commercial speech, such as prohibitions on false advertising. But the beef is with websites operability, not their marketing. The kinds of content Facebook and Twitter choose to show their users is more editorial decision than sales pitch.

Kick, scream, stamp your feet, write all the laws you like, but neither Congress nor the statehouse will rein in social media. You have the U.S. Constitution to blame  or thank.

Corey Friedman writes on political conflicts from an independent perspective. Follow him on Twitter @coreywrites.
Despite considering myself a cryptographer, I have not found myself particularly drawn to crypto. I dont think Ive ever actually said the words get off my lawn, but Im much more likely to click on Pepperidge Farm Remembers flavored memes about how crypto used to mean cryptography than I am the latest NFT drop.

Also  cards on the table here  I dont share the same generational excitement for moving all aspects of life into an instrumented economy.

Even strictly on the technological level, though, I havent yet managed to become a believer. So given all of the recent attention into what is now being called web3, I decided to explore some of what has been happening in that space more thoroughly to see what I may be missing.

How I think about 1 and 2

web3 is a somewhat ambiguous term, which makes it difficult to rigorously evaluate what the ambitions for web3 should be, but the general thesis seems to be that web1 was decentralized, web2 centralized everything into platforms, and that web3 will decentralize everything again. web3 should give us the richness of web2, but decentralized.

Its probably good to have some clarity on why centralized platforms emerged to begin with, and in my mind the explanation is pretty simple:

People dont want to run their own servers, and never will. The premise for web1 was that everyone on the internet would be both a publisher and consumer of content as well as a publisher and consumer of infrastructure.



Wed all have our own web server with our own web site, our own mail server for our own email, our own finger server for our own status messages, our own chargen server for our own character generation. However  and I dont think this can be emphasized enough  that is not what people want. People do not want to run their own servers.



Even nerds do not want to run their own servers at this point. Even organizations building software full time do not want to run their own servers at this point. If theres one thing I hope weve learned about the world, its that people do not want to run their own servers. The companies that emerged offering to do that for you instead were successful, and the companies that iterated on new functionality based on what is possible with those networks were even more successful. A protocol moves much more slowly than a platform. After 30+ years, email is still unencrypted; meanwhile WhatsApp went from unencrypted to full e2ee in a year. People are still trying to standardize sharing a video reliably over IRC; meanwhile, Slack lets you create custom reaction emoji based on your face.



This isnt a funding issue. If something is truly decentralized, it becomes very difficult to change, and often remains stuck in time. That is a problem for technology, because the rest of the ecosystem is moving very quickly, and if you dont keep up you will fail. There are entire parallel industries focused on defining and improving methodologies like Agile to try to figure out how to organize enormous groups of people so that they can move as quickly as possible because it is so critical.



When the technology itself is more conducive to stasis than movement, thats a problem. A sure recipe for success has been to take a 90s protocol that was stuck in time, centralize it, and iterate quickly.

But web3 intends to be different, so lets take a look. In order to get a quick feeling for the space and a better understanding for what the future may hold, I decided to build a couple of dApps and create an NFT.

Making some distributed apps

To get a feeling for the web3 world, I made a dApp called Autonomous Art that lets anyone mint a token for an NFT by making a visual contribution to it. The cost of making a visual contribution increases over time, and the funds a contributor pays to mint are distributed to all previous artists (visualizing this financial structure would resemble something similar to a pyramid shape). At the time of this writing, over $38k USD has gone into creating this collective art piece.

I also made a dApp called First Derivative that allows you to create, discover, and exchange NFT derivatives which track an underlying NFT, similar to financial derivatives which track an underlying asset .

Both gave me a feeling for how the space works. To be clear, there is nothing particularly distributed about the apps themselves: theyre just normal react websites. The distributedness refers to where the state and the logic/permissions for updating the state lives: on the blockchain instead of in a centralized database.

One thing that has always felt strange to me about the cryptocurrency world is the lack of attention to the client/server interface. When people talk about blockchains, they talk about distributed trust, leaderless consensus, and all the mechanics of how that works, but often gloss over the reality that clients ultimately cant participate in those mechanics. All the network diagrams are of servers, the trust model is between servers, everything is about servers. Blockchains are designed to be a network of peers, but not designed such that its really possible for your mobile device or your browser to be one of those peers.

With the shift to mobile, we now live firmly in a world of clients and servers  with the former completely unable to act as the latter  and those questions seem more important to me than ever. Meanwhile, ethereum actually refers to servers as clients, so theres not even a word for an actual untrusted client/server interface that will have to exist somewhere, and no acknowledgement that if successful there will ultimately be billions (!) more clients than servers.

For example, whether its running on mobile or the web, a dApp like Autonomous Art or First Derivative needs to interact with the blockchain somehow  in order to modify or render state (the collectively produced work of art, the edit history for it, the NFT derivatives, etc). Thats not really possible to do from the client, though, since the blockchain cant live on your mobile device (or in your desktop browser realistically). So the only alternative is to interact with the blockchain via a node thats running remotely on a server somewhere.

A server! But, as we know, people dont want to run their own servers. As it happens, companies have emerged that sell API access to an ethereum node they run as a service, along with providing analytics, enhanced APIs theyve built on top of the default ethereum APIs, and access to historical transactions. Which sounds familiar. At this point, there are basically two companies. Almost all dApps use either Infura or Alchemy in order to interact with the blockchain. In fact, even when you connect a wallet like MetaMask to a dApp, and the dApp interacts with the blockchain via your wallet, MetaMask is just making calls to Infura!

These client APIs are not using anything to verify blockchain state or the authenticity of responses. The results arent even signed. An app like Autonomous Art says hey whats the output of this view function on this smart contract, Alchemy or Infura responds with a JSON blob that says this is the output, and the app renders it.

This was surprising to me. So much work, energy, and time has gone into creating a trustless distributed consensus mechanism, but virtually all clients that wish to access it do so by simply trusting the outputs from these two companies without any further verification. It also doesnt seem like the best privacy situation. Imagine if every time you interacted with a website in Chrome, your request first went to Google before being routed to the destination and back. Thats the situation with ethereum today. All write traffic is obviously already public on the blockchain, but these companies also have visibility into almost all read requests from almost all users in almost all dApps.

Partisans of the blockchain might say that its okay if these types of centralized platforms emerge, because the state itself is available on the blockchain, so if these platforms misbehave clients can simply move elsewhere. However, I would suggest that this is a very simplistic view of the dynamics that make platforms what they are.

Let me give you an example.

Making an NFT

I also wanted to create a more traditional NFT. Most people think of images and digital art when they think of NFTs, but NFTs generally do not store that data on-chain. For most NFTs of most images, that would be much too expensive.

Instead of storing the data on-chain, NFTs instead contain a URL that points to the data. What surprised me about the standards was that theres no hash commitment for the data located at the URL. Looking at many of the NFTs on popular marketplaces being sold for tens, hundreds, or millions of dollars, that URL often just points to some VPS running Apache somewhere. Anyone with access to that machine, anyone who buys that domain name in the future, or anyone who compromises that machine can change the image, title, description, etc for the NFT to whatever theyd like at any time (regardless of whether or not they own the token). Theres nothing in the NFT spec that tells you what the image should be, or even allows you to confirm whether something is the correct image.

So as an experiment, I made an NFT that changes based on who is looking at it, since the web server that serves the image can choose to serve different images based on the IP or User Agent of the requester. For example, it looked one way on OpenSea, another way on Rarible, but when you buy it and view it from your crypto wallet, it will always display as a large  emoji. What you bid on isnt what you get. Theres nothing unusual about this NFT, its how the NFT specifications are built. Many of the highest priced NFTs could turn into  emoji at any time; I just made it explicit.

NFT on OpenSea Same NFT on Rarible Same NFT in a wallet

After a few days, without warning or explanation, the NFT I made was removed from OpenSea (an NFT marketplace):

The takedown suggests that I violated some Term Of Service, but after reading the terms, I dont see any that prohibit an NFT which changes based on where it is being looked at from, and I was openly describing it that way.

What I found most interesting, though, is that after OpenSea removed my NFT, it also no longer appeared in any crypto wallet on my device. This is web3, though, how is that possible?

A crypto wallet like MetaMask, Rainbow, etc is non-custodial (the keys are kept client side), but it has the same problem as my dApps above: a wallet has to run on a mobile device or in your browser. Meanwhile, ethereum and other blockchains have been designed with the idea that its a network of peers, but not designed such that its really possible for your mobile device or your browser to be one of those peers.

A wallet like MetaMask needs to do basic things like display your balance, your recent transactions, and your NFTs, as well as more complex things like constructing transactions, interacting with smart contracts, etc. In short, MetaMask needs to interact with the blockchain, but the blockchain has been built such that clients like MetaMask cant interact with it. So like my dApp, MetaMask accomplishes this by making API calls to three companies that have consolidated in this space.

For instance, MetaMask displays your recent transactions by making an API call to etherscan:

GET https://api.etherscan.io/api?module=account&address=0x0208376c899fdaEbA530570c008C4323803AA9E8&offset=40&order=desc&action=txlist&tag=latest&page=1 HTTP/2.0

displays your account balance by making an API call to Infura:

POST https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/d039103314584a379e33c21fbe89b6cb HTTP/2.0 { "id": 2628746552039525, "jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": "eth_getBalance", "params": [ "0x0208376c899fdaEbA530570c008C4323803AA9E8", "latest" ] }

displays your NFTs by making an API call to OpenSea:

GET https://api.opensea.io/api/v1/assets?owner=0x0208376c899fdaEbA530570c008C4323803AA9E8&offset=0&limit=50 HTTP/2.0

Again, like with my dApp, these responses are not authenticated in some way. Theyre not even signed so that you could later prove they were lying. It reuses the same connections, TLS session tickets, etc for all the accounts in your wallet, so if youre managing multiple accounts in your wallet to maintain some identity separation, these companies know theyre linked.

MetaMask doesnt actually do much, its just a view onto data provided by these centralized APIs. This isnt a problem specific to MetaMask  what other option do they have? Rainbow, etc are set up in exactly the same way. (Interestingly, Rainbow has their own data for the social features theyre building into their wallet  social graph, showcases, etc  and have chosen to build all of that on top of Firebase instead of the blockchain.)

All this means that if your NFT is removed from OpenSea, it also disappears from your wallet. It doesnt functionally matter that my NFT is indelibly on the blockchain somewhere, because the wallet (and increasingly everything else in the ecosystem) is just using the OpenSea API to display NFTs, which began returning 304 No Content for the query of NFTs owned by my address!

Recreating this world

Given the history of why web1 became web2, what seems strange to me about web3 is that technologies like ethereum have been built with many of the same implicit trappings as web1. To make these technologies usable, the space is consolidating around platforms. Again. People who will run servers for you, and iterate on the new functionality that emerges. Infura, OpenSea, Coinbase, Etherscan.

Likewise, the web3 protocols are slow to evolve. When building First Derivative, it would have been great to price minting derivatives as a percentage of the underlyings value. That data isnt on chain, but its in an API that OpenSea will give you. People are excited about NFT royalties for the way that they can benefit creators, but royalties arent specified in ERC-721, and its too late to change it, so OpenSea has its own way of configuring royalties that exists in web2 space. Iterating quickly on centralized platforms is already outpacing the distributed protocols and consolidating control into platforms.

Given those dynamics, I dont think it should be a surprise that were already at a place where your crypto wallets view of your NFTs is OpenSeas view of your NFTs. I dont think we should be surprised that OpenSea isnt a pure view that can be replaced, since it has been busy iterating the platform beyond what is possible strictly with the impossible/difficult to change standards.

I think this is very similar to the situation with email. I can run my own mail server, but it doesnt functionally matter for privacy, censorship resistance, or control  because GMail is going to be on the other end of every email that I send or receive anyway. Once a distributed ecosystem centralizes around a platform for convenience, it becomes the worst of both worlds: centralized control, but still distributed enough to become mired in time. I can build my own NFT marketplace, but it doesnt offer any additional control if OpenSea mediates the view of all NFTs in the wallets people use (and every other app in the ecosystem).

This isnt a complaint about OpenSea or an indictment of what theyve built. Just the opposite, theyre trying to build something that works. I think we should expect this kind of platform consolidation to happen, and given the inevitability, design systems that give us what we want when thats how things are organized. My sense and concern, though, is that the web3 community expects some other outcome than what were already seeing.

Its early days

Its early days still is the most common refrain I see from people in the web3 space when discussing matters like these. In some ways, cryptocurrencys failure to scale beyond relatively nascent engineering is what makes it possible to consider the days early, since objectively it has already been a decade or more.

However, even if this is just the beginning (and it very well might be!), Im not sure we should consider that any consolation. I think the opposite might be true; it seems like we should take notice that from the very beginning, these technologies immediately tended towards centralization through platforms in order for them to be realized, that this has ~zero negatively felt effect on the velocity of the ecosystem, and that most participants dont even know or care its happening. This might suggest that decentralization itself is not actually of immediate practical or pressing importance to the majority of people downstream, that the only amount of decentralization people want is the minimum amount required for something to exist, and that if not very consciously accounted for, these forces will push us further from rather than closer to the ideal outcome as the days become less early.

But you cant stop a gold rush

When you think about it, OpenSea would actually be much better in the immediate sense if all the web3 parts were gone. It would be faster, cheaper for everyone, and easier to use. For example, to accept a bid on my NFT, I would have had to pay over $80-$150+ just in ethereum transaction fees. That puts an artificial floor on all bids, since otherwise youd lose money by accepting a bid for less than the gas fees. Payment fees by credit card, which typically feel extortionary, look cheap compared to that. OpenSea could even publish a simple transparency log if people wanted a public record of transactions, offers, bids, etc to verify their accounting.

However, if they had built a platform to buy and sell images that wasnt nominally based on crypto, I dont think it would have taken off. Not because it isnt distributed, because as weve seen so much of whats required to make it work is already not distributed. I dont think it would have taken off because this is a gold rush. People have made money through cryptocurrency speculation, those people are interested in spending that cryptocurrency in ways that support their investment while offering additional returns, and so that defines the setting for the market of transfer of wealth.

The people at the end of the line who are flipping NFTs do not fundamentally care about distributed trust models or payment mechanics, but they care about where the money is. So the money draws people into OpenSea, they improve the experience by building a platform that iterates on the underlying web3 protocols in web2 space, they eventually offer the ability to mint NFTs through OpenSea itself instead of through your own smart contract, and eventually this all opens the door for Coinbase to offer access to the validated NFT market with their own platform via your debit card. That opens the door to Coinbase managing the tokens themselves through dark pools that Coinbase holds, which helpfully eliminates the transaction fees and makes it possible to avoid having to interact with smart contracts at all. Eventually, all the web3 parts are gone, and you have a website for buying and selling JPEGS with your debit card. The project cant start as a web2 platform because of the market dynamics, but the same market dynamics and the fundamental forces of centralization will likely drive it to end up there.

At the end of the stack, NFT artists are excited about this kind of progression because it means more speculation/investment in their art, but it also seems like if the point of web3 is to avoid the trappings of web2, we should be concerned that this is already the natural tendency for these new protocols that are supposed to offer a different future.

I think these market forces will likely continue, and in my mind the question of how long it continues is a question of whether the vast amounts of accumulated cryptocurrency are ultimately inside an engine or a leaky bucket. If the money flowing through NFTs ends up channeled back into crypto space, it could continue to accelerate forever (regardless of whether or not its just web2x2). If it churns out, then this will be a blip. Personally, I think enough money has been made at this point that there are enough faucets to keep it going, and this wont just be a blip. If thats the case, it seems worth thinking about how to avoid web3 being web2x2 (web2 but with even less privacy) with some urgency.

Creativity might not be enough

I have only dipped my toe in the waters of web3. Looking at it through the lens of these small projects, though, I can easily see why so many people find the web3 ecosystem so neat. I dont think its on a trajectory to deliver us from centralized platforms, I dont think it will fundamentally change our relationship to technology, and I think the privacy story is already below par for the internet (which is a pretty low bar!), but I also understand why nerds like me are excited to build for it. It is, at the very least, something new on the nerd level  and that creates a space for creativity/exploration that is somewhat reminiscent of early internet days. Ironically, part of that creativity probably springs from the constraints that make web3 so clunky. Im hopeful that the creativity and exploration were seeing will have positive outcomes, but Im not sure if its enough to prevent all the same dynamics of the internet from unfolding again.

If we do want to change our relationship to technology, I think wed have to do it intentionally. My basic thoughts are roughly:

We should accept the premise that people will not run their own servers by designing systems that can distribute trust without having to distribute infrastructure. This means architecture that anticipates and accepts the inevitable outcome of relatively centralized client/server relationships, but uses cryptography (rather than infrastructure) to distribute trust. One of the surprising things to me about web3, despite being built on crypto, is how little cryptography seems to be involved! We should try to reduce the burden of building software. At this point, software projects require an enormous amount of human effort. Even relatively simple apps require a group of people to sit in front of a computer for eight hours a day, every day, forever. This wasnt always the case, and there was a time when 50 people working on a software project wasnt considered a small team. As long as software requires such concerted energy and so much highly specialized human focus, I think it will have the tendency to serve the interests of the people sitting in that room every day rather than what we may consider our broader goals. I think changing our relationship to technology will probably require making software easier to create, but in my lifetime Ive seen the opposite come to pass. Unfortunately, I think distributed systems have a tendency to exacerbate this trend by making things more complicated and more difficult, not less complicated and less difficult.

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Highway road conditions these past few days in southwest Montana have been at times treacherous. Wednesday afternoon they turned deadly.

Blunt force trauma killed an 84-year-old man from Kalispell following a series of accidents Wednesday afternoon near the Fairmont exit west of Butte.

Trooper Amanda Villa of the Montana Highway Patrol said there had already been two crashes prior to the fatal crash  one involving a snow plow.

A GMC Yukon driven by the Kalispell man was involved in one of those crashes and ended up in the median. The 84-year-old was standing outside his crashed vehicle when a Subaru driven by a Butte man lost control and hit the man and his SUV.

According to Butte-Silver Bow Coroner Lori Durkin, the Kalispell man was transported to St. James Healthcare and died shortly after. The driver of the Subaru and his passenger had minor injuries and were treated and released from St. James.

At the time of the fatal crash, several cars had already pulled off to the side of the highway.

Visibility was a factor, Villa said.

About a foot of snow accumulated in the past couple days in Butte, Anaconda and other parts of southwest Montana.

All that snow keeps state workers plowing the highways busy.

No one knows that better than William Fogarty, district administrator with the Montana Department of Transportation.

Winter hit us with a vengeance, said Fogarty. While were thankful for the moisture after a dry, hot summer  its a double-edge sword.

Fogarty, who oversees District 2, said the driving conditions have been hazardous. The district encompasses an area that includes Butte, Anaconda, Bozeman and Deer Lodge.

Fogarty has noticed during these near white-out conditions that there also seems to be more aggressive drivers out on the highway.

Since the arrival of winter, four snow plows in the Bozeman division have been hit by vehicles and just on Thursday alone, another snow plow was hit near the Fairmont exit and another near Deer Lodge.

People need to slow down, said Fogarty, especially in this weather.

Fogarty and his drivers are particularly busy right now, with crews working 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Were short on drivers, said Fogarty, but were getting the job done.

Statewide, seven more full-time workers are needed, along with 15 to 20 seasonal drivers, Fogarty said.

Crews have had to contend at times with poor visibility on the interstates.

Fogarty explained he and his drivers have had to prioritize routes  with the interstates at the top of the list. Plows then tackle the primary routes and secondary roads.

Even with two more snow plows out of commission, Fogarty is confident they will be successful. He does need some help from the public.

Were asking for essential travelers only so we can get the snow cleared, said Fogarty.

Visibility will certainly be a problem Friday if youre driving Montana highways.

According to the National Weather Service in Missoula, strong southwest winds are predicted for Friday from about 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Saturday.

NWS predicts wind gusts of more than 50 miles per hour for the Anaconda area and approximately 41 miles per hour in Butte.

In the backcountry, wind gusts could reach 50 to 75 mph with sustained winds of 30 to 45 mph.

The windy conditions will bring blowing snow onto the highways, with limited visibility.

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Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.  Bertrand Russell

Fear is a powerful and necessary emotion. But fear interrupts the brains ability to regulate emotions, to deliberate, to consider data and to act ethically. Fear weakens the bonds of community and makes us more likely to see others as the threatening other and to incite hatred and violence toward those who are different. Fear is also a powerful societal tool to control others. Social virtues such as justice and empathy are ignored during times of collective fear and insecurity.

We hear much about the decay of American democracy. Much of this decays cause is societal fear. Understanding the nature of societal fear will enable a rebirth of democracy.

In this time of COVID, societal fear is rampant. COVID exacerbates the most fundamental fears like fear of poverty, sickness, losing loved ones, and death. But the fear that saps democracy started before COVID.

Widespread societal fear increases the pressure for conformity. Social conformity means that people will accept popular opinion as their own and will not engage in independent thinking. People trust their relevant social groups; not the experts who do not belong to their group. Societal anxiety is engendered because people, not understanding what is occurring, feel alienated, powerless and look to the autocratic leader who blames the other for their problems. These forces of fear before COVID included automation, globalization, the replacement of the extractive economy with the knowledge economy and increasing diversity of society. The old social order that provided security and meaning has disappeared and too many individuals feel isolated while trying to adapt to the new reality. For too many, the rules, principles and assumptions that they took for granted are being challenged.

Ironically, the current political ranting about individual freedom being the only value adds to these feelings of isolation, alienation, powerlessness and threat. So, in the name of freedom, people turn to autocratic leaders to fix things. No wonder politicians wantonly pander to this societal fear. This has happened time and again in the past  Napoleon, Hitler, Joseph McCarthy, Trump, etc. The autocratic leader gives a simple frame of reference, simple causes; whoever joins him gets rid of confusion. Many join for no other reason, in a convulsive effort at voluntary blindness. (Kurt ReislerThe Social Psychology of Fear)

What are possible solutions to the problem of widespread fear? One would be to reemphasize the rules of democracy  civility, respect, listening, deliberation and concern for the common good. Another is for the Democratic political party to articulate a narrative to combat the Republican/Trumpian narrative based on fear, enemies and exclusion. The Republicans have a clear narrativethe breakdown of traditions is at fault; the other is at fault; freedom to do as one pleases is the only political virtue. (One characteristic of fear is oversimplification and denial which we certainly see in the response to COVID that essentially says ignore the problem, deny the facts and have no concern regarding how your individual actions affect others  a kind of spiritual and moral isolationism.) Collective fear and insecurity breed intolerance and exclusivity, a closed universe of thought and discourse and fundamentalist religion becoming a unifying force justifying, bonding and excluding.

What should be this counter-narrative? I havent heard a coherent narrative that boldly replaces the rabid reactionary narrative. We need a positive counter-narrative that articulates democratic values including fair, equitable and just economic policies; protecting the environment; full protection of human, civil and political rights such as voting rights as essential to democratic government; embracing diversity  cultural, ethnic and gender; and empathy and compassion for all including the poorest and the marginalized. If democratic leaders do not succeed in restoring the frame of reference and restructuring the mental space, even the ordinary citizen of average decency is in danger of falling victim to the great simplifier, the emotional leader, the scourge of modern society. (Reisler)

Succumbing to fear will not end fear. Fear will not drive away fear. Only hope can overcome fears darkness.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness. (Archbishop Desmond Tutu)

Dr. John W. Ray teaches classes in political theory, ethics and public policy at Montana Tech. He has published and done extensive work in the areas of environmental justice and achieving societal equity as well as promoting democratic values in society. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Montana Tech.

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MUSCATINE  Many hoped the start of 2022 would mark the beginning of the end for the COVID-19 pandemic, which will hit its second anniversary in March of this year. But with the omicron variant raging across both the U.S. and the state of Iowa, cases numbers are expected to remain steady.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the omicron variant is accounting for 95.4% of the total U.S. COVID-19 cases. For Iowa specifically, omicron accounts for 77.4% of lab-tested positive cases while the delta variant accounts for 22.4% of cases. As of Jan. 6, Muscatine County has seen an increase of 227 positive cases since the previous week and one additional death, bringing the countys total to 120.

Christy Roby Williams, Director of Muscatine County Public Health, said she and her team are anticipating Muscatine County, as well as the state of Iowa as a whole, to reach similar statistics as the nation soon, based on the studies that show just how transmittable this variant is as well as its ability to dodge immunity from past infection or vaccination.

We are not surprised by the increase in cases in Muscatine County and across Iowa, along with our nation, Williams said, The increased transmissibility coupled with the dry winter weather and holiday gatherings are likely impacts on increasing numbers, and we anticipate seeing this surge for at least another month based on our experiences the past two years.

Williams added she and her team are saddened by all of the deaths that have occurred in Muscatine County because of the pandemic.

The highest impact has been on individuals ages 61 and older with 103 deaths. Next are individuals ages 41-60 at 16 deaths, and then one 18-40 year old adult, Williams said, These are peoples friends and family. Each loss is painful and we send our ongoing respect and condolences to each person left to grieve.

But while case numbers and deaths are still going up, vaccination efforts are still going at a slow but steady rate. Muscatine County has reached a fully vaccinated rate of 68.2% of the 12 years and older population, with 74.4% of the same population having at least one dose of the vaccine. Although those who have been vaccinated can still get the virus, Williams reminds residents that no vaccine is 100% effective and getting vaccinated is still the safest option.

While we see individuals who have been fully vaccinated and boosted test positive for COVID-19, the severity and length of their illness has been drastically decreased and COVID-19 vaccines are still effective at preventing most infections, she said.

Currently, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health, residents who are not fully vaccinated in Iowa account for 75.9% of patients being hospitalized and 82% of patients in the ICU.

Fully vaccinated people with a vaccine breakthrough infection are also less likely to develop a serious illness than those who are unvaccinated and get COVID-19, and are much less likely to be hospitalized or die than people who are not vaccinated, Williams said.

But whether a person is vaccinated or not, Williams encourages all residents to continue using the tools and strategies that have proven to be effective to fight against omicron and any other possible new variants. This includes wearing a mask while in public indoor settings, getting tested after exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, distancing from others, and washing hands effectively.

We are all exhausted by COVID-19 in every area of our lives, but if we can collectively increase our vaccine and booster rates we will reduce the spread and variants of this infectious disease, Williams said, Reach out to local pharmacies or Public Health to schedule an appointment. Those who are homebound can call Senior Resources in Muscatine and we will work with them to get vaccines to those in need. It takes a village to survive a crisis, and this is the longest one we have likely ever experienced, so dont stop the fight against COVID-19.

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A majority of Baltimore County Public Library employees have voted to unionize and join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

The election tees up employees collective bargaining negotiations with library management, which must be resolved by March 1 under county law.

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About 65% of the library systems 460 staffers submitted mail-in ballots that were tallied last week. More than three-fourths of those part-time and full-time staffers across the countys 19 library branches voted in favor of organizing a labor union.

Union organizers said the effort was fueled by a lack of communication from library management and weak health care benefits for part-time employees, who make up half the librarys staff.

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We need a system in place to protect and support each other and a legally binding contract will give us that, said Anita Bass, a circulation assistant at the Essex branch, in a statement.

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The vote comes after years of organizing, said Bridget Fitzgerald, the lead union organizer on the campaign. The machinists union, which represents almost 650,000 employees across 200 industries, successfully lobbied for state legislation to enable the countys library staff to collectively bargain; Baltimore County Democrats Del. Cathi Forbes and Sen. Shelly Hettleman sponsored the bills, which passed last year by a 99-38 House vote and went into effect without Hogans signature.

Jaimie Caldwell, a librarian at the Parkville branch, said she supported the union campaign partly out of concern for her part-time colleagues, who do not receive pension contributions, dental or health care coverage through the library system. Their benefits include accrued sick leave and two paid holidays.

My goal is to see that all the part-time employees have the option to opt into the pension system, Caldwell said. And especially during the pandemic, part-time workers need access to health care.

[ Public service is what we do: Baltimore County library leaders adjust as they welcome back in-person patrons ]

Since the 2020 legislation enabling library staff to pursue collective bargaining, Fitzgerald said employees at a handful of other Maryland libraries have expressed interest in unionizing.

Particularly with COVID, workplace safety concerns have become an issue we maybe didnt see as strongly before, Fitzgerald said. Many employees are looking to have a say in the decision-making process  For some, quite frankly, it is an economic issue.

Baltimore Countys library staff is poised to join those in Howard, Montgomery and Prince Georges counties who have been granted the right to form a union by state law. Howard Countys union has yet to organize.

Librarians at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore City are members of unions representing city workers, a system spokeswoman said.
Mirror Trading International (MTI) founder and CEO Johann Steynberg has been arrested in the city of Goiania, the capital of the Brazilian state of Goias, according to several Portuguese-language news reports.

Financial Sector Conduct Authority head of enforcement Brandon Topham said the Hawks have confirmed the arrest.

The Goias government announced the arrest in a media statement, although it only identified the suspect as the founder of MTI.

MTI was a bitcoin-based investment scheme that Chainalysis named the biggest cryptocurrency scam of 2020.

It made headlines in September 2020 after a group calling itself Anonymous ZA exposed the inner workings of the scheme.

Steynberg went missing in December 2020, and the scheme collapsed. He was suspected of travelling in Brazil at the time.

Court documents gave the last estimate of the funds that flowed through MTI as 29,421.03379 bitcoin  R19.7 billion at current exchange rates.

A source with knowledge of the case has subsequently told MyBroadband that more than 46,000 bitcoin (almost R31 billion) flowed through the scheme.

According to the Goias government, a specialist team of the Brazilian states Military Police called Giro made the arrest.

Lt. Col. Raimundo Coelho Pinto Junior, commander of the Giro, said they received information that a South African man Interpol wanted for alleged financial crimes was hiding in Goiania.

Our police officers began to carry out a careful survey of the suspect, and after intensive work carried out for approximately one month, it was possible to identify and approach the subject, he explained.

When they approached him, MPs reported that the man presented false documentation, for which he was arrested.

We dont just act with thieves wearing flip-flops. A high-end bandit doesnt rise in the State of Goias. Here he also falls, whatever status he has. Our troops have complete freedom to act, said Governor Ronaldo Caiado.

The arrest of a wanted criminal around the world shows the efficiency of the States police and the commitment to ceaselessly fight crime, said Goias public security secretary Rodney Miranda.

The Goias military police confirmed the arrest in a separate statement.

They reported seizing credit cards, notebooks, and false identities.

Portuguese-language websites UOL, and Cripto Facil named Steynberg as the arrested suspect.

According to the reports, Steynberg is wanted by Interpol and the FBI, was arrested on 29 December 2021 in the Alto da Gloria region, and taken to the federal police station in Goiania.

They also reported that police searched Steynbergs hideout and found two false documents, two laptops, a cell phone, and six credit cards.

MyBroadband contacted the federal police station in Goiania, but no one was on duty who could speak English.
Among the electric and electronic devices that now require certificates of compliance for electromagnetic compatibility in South Africa are toasters, irons, hotplates and grills.

This is according to product guidelines the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) published on its website.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) issued a notice earlier this week for electronics and electrical appliance manufacturers.

It stated that all electrical and electronic devices in South Africa that do not have radio frequency modules must have valid electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) certificates recognised by the SABS.

According to iSERT, electromagnetic compatibility is the branch of electrical engineering concerned with the unintentional generation, propagation and reception of electromagnetic energy which may cause unwanted effects such as electromagnetic interference or even physical damage in operational equipment.

Icasas notice came after both regulators were met with criticism when they tried to implement a new compliance regime in 2017.

Among the concerns was that only compliance certificates from test laboratories authorised and integrated into the SABS Authorised Laboratory Programme (A-Lab) would be recognised.

Icasa and the SABS have now changed their approach, recognising internationally accredited labs.

A-Lab programme participants will receive faster service because the SABS has a streamlined process with affiliates, Icasa stated.

According to product guidelines published by the SABS, all electrical components that emit noise must receive a conformance assessment. These include:

Electronic circuit board  If a product, including the integrated circuit, uses direct current to control the product, electromagnetic waves are generated. DC products also emit noise, therefore it requires conformance assessment.

Motor  A motor that uses an Electrical Motor Coil generates electromagnetic waves while operating. Any motor generates electromagnetic waves.

Driver/Rectifier  Simple lighting (bulbs) do not generate electromagnetic waves. However, if it uses a driver or a rectifier to operate it, it generates noise, therefore it requires conformance assessment.

Commutator motor  If a product has a Commutator Motor, it generates noise, therefore it requires conformance assessment.

Oscillator clock  If a product has an oscillator clock, it generates noise, therefore it requires conformance assessment.

SABS EMC/COC Product Guideline

Equipment included in the SABS EMC certificates of compliance product guidelines are:

Industrial, scientific and medical equipment

Sound and television broadcast receivers

Household appliances and electric tools

Electrical lighting

IT equipment

Alarm systems

Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies

Electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use

Uninterruptible power systems

SABS EMC CoC Product Guidelines

Now read: Most anticipated gadgets of 2022
The city of Napa announced this week that Liz Habkirk has been appointed assistant city manager.

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Habkirk joined the city in January 2020 as deputy city manager after working for Napa County for nine years. She served in a variety of roles during her time working for the county, including as deputy public works director. Prior to working for Napa County, Habkirk worked in the city managers office of Reno, Nevada.

The assistant city manager position was previously eliminated by the city in 2020, as part of the citys response to a projected budget shortfall caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the position was reinstated last year as part of the Napa City Councils fiscal year 2021-22 budget approval.

The deputy city manager position Habkirk previously filled has now been eliminated, according to a city press release. Habkirk stands to earn $84,376 more in salary per year in the reinstated assistant city manager position, according to city manager Steve Potter. In 2020, Habkirk earned $151,404 in salary and $45,367 in benefits as deputy city manager, according to Transparent California.

Habkirk has led several initiatives since coming to the city, including process improvements, policy updates, and ordinance amendments to improve services, according to the city press release.

Shes also been deeply involved in labor-management, according to the press release, and has negotiated contracts with several employee unions.

As assistant city manager, Habkirk now has oversight over the citys Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, Fire Department and community relations division of the city managers office, the press release says.

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

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Gaps in Baltimore Countys system for reviewing employee criminal and financial records mean some employees have never had a background check while others have been charged with crimes that have gone unreported to the county, according to a review by the countys inspector general.

The result, Inspector General Kelly Madigan wrote, is that county may not know about employees facing criminal charges or who pose a financial risk. Madigans report recommended the county require updated background checks when employees are promoted or transferred, conduct annual checks on a random sample of employees and reduce the current COVID-related backlog of background checks.

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The investigation stemmed from a complaint submitted to the IGs office last year that the county employed a person with a felony conviction in a position that required that employee to interact with the public in and around private residences.

The IGs office found 1,188 current non-law enforcement employees were hired before 2008 when the countys Employment Background Program was established, and were not required to undergo a criminal history check. Thats more than one-third of the countys non-law enforcement workforce.

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Employees in the county police and fire departments, States Attorney Office, Emergency Communications Center, Department of Corrections, Sheriffs Office or court-related positions undergo more stringent background checks than other county employees and were not part of the inspector general review.

[ Baltimore County IG investigating how Olszewski aides intervened to secure permit for developers tennis barn ]

The report also found the county has conditionally-hired numerous unvetted employees whose background checks are currently mired in a significant backlog amid the coronavirus pandemic, Madigan wrote.

The county could not confirm Thursday afternoon how many employees were currently working without being screened for prior criminal history.

In a random sampling of 300 employees, Madigan found that 20 of them  11 of whom were hired without a background check  had criminal charges; some of which resulted in convictions for assault, battery, robbery, driving while intoxicated and illegally possessing a handgun, she wrote.

The report did not include employees arrested for minor crimes such as trespassing or some traffic-related offenses.

Even more employees had significant financial problems: defaulting on credit obligations, filing for bankruptcy protection, or state, federal or court-related liens filed against them.

Madigan wrote there is no process to identify employees who may pose a security risk because of past or current financial problems. In the IGs survey of 300 employees, more than a quarter have at least one significant financial issue in their background, many of which occurred while employed by the county.

The absence of a financial background check opens the door for employees who may be evading taxes, defaulting on creditors or filing for bankruptcy to be hired in positions where they have access to sensitive data, process or manage financial information, or are entrusted with the countys physical assets, Madigan wrote.

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All told, a third of the 300 employees surveyed had either a criminal charge, faced a significant financial issue, or both, according to the report. But under the countys Employment Background Program, none of these risk factors were required to be reported, Madigan wrote.

Although the county drafted a policy in 2019 to require employees (other than sworn police officers) to self-report any arrests or charges against them since theyd been hired, the policy never was implemented, the report found.

Absent that, Madigan wrote, the county would only learn about such conduct through public sources of information.

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One person interviewed during the investigation, for instance, said they learned about a county employee who was arrested for possessing child pornography by seeing it on the news, according to the report.

[ Olszewski proposes inspector general oversight board, limit investigations after council members criticized aggressive tactics ]

The Baltimore County Police Department conducts the background checks, but for several months has lacked the resources needed to process applicant fingerprints, according to the report. With a need to quickly hire staff in positions like contract tracers (who are meant to alert people who were exposed to COVID-19), the county has been hiring employees under the condition that they may be terminated if something disparaging turns up in their background check, when it is eventually conducted.

The report concludes that the lack of oversight of employees criminal and financial records is a security risk.

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In a written response, county administrative officer Stacy Rogers wrote that the county for many years did not follow industry best practices in conducting criminal background checks for staff, and that background checks were not routinely conducted for all employees under previous administrations.

Now, she said, the county intends to include funding in its fiscal 2023 budget to perform background checks for all promotional candidates. The countys also working with Maryland State Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to clear the backlog of background checks and expand the countys capacity to perform them, county spokesman Sean Naron said.

The county will not, however, conduct random or annual background checks as Madigan recommended; Rogers wrote no other comparable jurisdiction conducts such reviews and that the county doesnt have the resources to do so. The Society of Human Resources Management, Rogers said, recommends against background checks for current employees unless there is reasonable cause.

Rogers wrote she would discuss other recommendations, such as performing financial background checks, with the law office and the Society of Human Resources Management.
A Napa climate group recently urged the Napa City Council to ban new gas stations, like American Canyon and Calistoga have previously done, along with several other climate-connected actions.

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Those asks were part of a presentation on Tuesday about climate change and potential actions the council could take from Napa Schools for Climate Action (S4CA), the local chapter of a county-wide coalition of high school students, teachers, local leaders and concerned citizens working to find ways to combat climate change and reduce Napa Countys emissions to net zero by or before 2030.

The presenters, Alisa Karesh and Emily Bit, are co-presidents of the local climate group and seniors at Napa High School and American Canyon High School, respectively.

Karesh said the group aims to educate, engage and empower their peers, families and local residents and promote awareness, accountability and action toward the climate crisis.

Our motto is no school should be a silent witness to the climate crisis, Karesh said. This is something we consider to be very true as primary and secondary schools are the foundation of our education. And to ignore the climate crisis is to put our futures at risk.

Bit said since becoming student leaders of the group and talking with local leaders, theyve focused on pushing Napa County toward reducing its reliance on the fossil fuel industry  an initiative known as Fossil Free Future  through a push to ban the construction of new gas stations in any Napa County city. That effort coincides with Gov. Gavin Newsoms 2020 executive order to phase out the sale of gas-powered vehicles in California by 2035, Bit said.

American Canyon enacted a temporary ban on new gas stations in March last year and Calistoga followed up with a ban in December. Petaluma, over in Sonoma County, was the first city to ban the construction of new gas stations in March last year.

We dont believe that gas-powered cars are the enemy, Bit said. Something that is super important to us is that we dont blame consumers for these global, wide-scale issues such as climate change because this burden should be falling on the shoulders of large corporations and companies that profit off the working-class citizens.

The co-presidents also talked about local deforestation, specifically about the loss of oak trees in Napa, and showed a short video on the subject to the council.

In total, the group asked the council to consider a temporary moratorium on any forest and woodland removal until Napa County strengthens its water quality and tree protection ordinance; a resolution declaring a climate emergency in Napa and a pledge to decrease emissions to net-zero by or before 2030; and a ban on new gas stations in the city.

Mayor Scott Sedgley said the council understands climate change is the biggest issue facing the world right now.

Believe me, these discussions will be ongoing on your asks and resolutions and next steps for the city council.

Sedgley also brought up a recent council decision to deny a proposed drive-thru, an action taken alongside discussion of potentially banning future drive-thrus from the city to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions created by idling vehicles.

Those are always tough decisions for council to make, Sedgley said. We promise to do our job and make those decisions that need to be made.

Councilmember Mary Luros said the presentation had great timing because the council will soon be setting its goals and priorities for upcoming years in the upcoming General Plan update.

Jim Wilson, speaking on behalf of Napa Climate NOW! in a public comment, urged the council to adopt the climate emergency resolution and commit to net zero emissions by or before 2030.

Theres nothing comfortable about confronting this challenge and its going to take courageous action by all of us to reverse course, Wilson said. This means making a meaningful commitment to doing no more harm, and to achieving net-zero climate pollution by 2030. Climate change should now be one of the filters through which all policy decisions going forward are considered. It is, in short, a true emergency.

You can reach Edward Booth at (707) 256-2213.

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State Sen. Bill Dodd at the dawn of 2022 is looking at a California Legislature session likely to include such Napa County-familiar topics as COVID-19 and wildfire prevention.

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The Napa County native and former county supervisor recently took questions from the Napa Valley Register. He was elected as a Democrat to represent the 3rd Senate District in 2016 and reelected in 2020.

Dodd expects COVID-19 vaccine mandate bills to be introduced in the Legislature this year. Some of his colleagues are determined. He will listen to each proposal based on the merits and science, he said.

I totally have an open mind on it, Dodd said. Based on what Ive seen this year, yes.

At the same time, there are a lot of different ideas on how to approach COVID-19. As the science evolves with new variants, the state must make sure whatever it does is based on good, sound science, Dodd said.

There is already a patchwork of California vaccine mandates. One is for health care workers. Another is for students engaged in in-person learning and is to take effect after federal Food and Drug Administration vaccine approvals for their age groups.

The Legislature last August looked at a more sweeping proposal by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, to require workers to be fully vaccinated. The bill was shelved.

Dodd urged people to get vaccinated and boosted.

Those people who have not been vaccinated are really the people who are at risk, Dodd said.

Housing continues to be a big issue in Napa County and most of California. The state among other things has dramatically upped the house-building mandate numbers for communities in coming years.

Napa County leaders talk of doing more to boost housing development. But they also want to preserve world-famous wine country agricultural land. They say lack of infrastructure and wildfire danger limit housing site options in the unincorporated area.

The county Board of Supervisors state legislative platform seeks legislation that acknowledges the unique nature of Napa County, including exempting Napa County from onerous mandates that dont take into account agriculture.

Dodd said this is an important issue to him as a Napa County native. But he didnt seem optimistic that the county will secure any special favors from the Legislature on the housing topic.

He pointed to what Napa County has already done to help with the mandate for the unincorporated area. The county is well-positioned for the foreseeable future because of the land use agreements with the city of Napa and American Canyon, he said.

The county for the upcoming 2023-31 housing cycle is mandated to have more than 1,000 homes built in rural areas. It proposes to shift 90% of this number to Napa and American Canyon.

Zillow says the typical home value in Napa County is $860,000.

Im a fan of local control, but there (comes) a point in time that there needs to be resolution in this supply-and-demand issue, Dodd said.

Napa County in its legislative platform asks that the state consider using Napa State Hospital land for housing. Dodd said there is hospital land outside of the secure areas that provide opportunities.

Hes a firm believer something can be done for housing at the Caltrans maintenance property in the city of Napa on Jefferson Street, Dodd said.

The reality is our kids and grandkids have a very difficult time living in Napa County because of the cost of living, but more because of the cost of housing, he said.

Dodd in 2021 worked on several wildfire prevention bills that became law. One makes it easier for controlled burn bosses to become insured. Another establishes a Cal Fire wildfire technology research office.

Hes not finished.

I would have to say my top priority is to continue to move the needle in terms of fire prevention, not only in my district, but all the state of California, so we can be more resilient when it comes to fire, Dodd said.

He pointed to such local efforts as creating a fire break and defensible space at the rural community of Circle Oaks as an example for the entire state.

The state in 2017 spent $3 billion on fire suppression and little on prevention, Dodd said. Thats changed to $3 billion on suppression and $1.5 billion on prevention.

Prevention is our only way out, Dodd said.

The state needs to understand that wildfire prevention needs to be a long-term budget item, Dodd said. He noted vegetation keeps growing and used the analogy of painting the Golden Gate Bridge  continual maintenance.

Dodds office said Dodd has had 80 bills signed into law since joining the Legislature as an Assemblyperson in 2014. What bills Dodd will introduce this year remains to be seen.

Were looking right now at a lot of different ideas, Dodd said, adding there is time to hone his legislative platform.

You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com.

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The widely used malware ZLoader crops up in all sorts of criminal hacking, from efforts that aim to steal banking passwords and other sensitive data to ransomware attacks. Now, a ZLoader campaign that began in November has infected almost 2,200 victims in 111 countries by abusing a Windows flaw that Microsoft fixed back in 2013, WIRED reported.

Hackers have long used a variety of tactics to sneak Zloader past malware detection tools. In this case, according to researchers at security firm Check Point, the attackers took advantage of a gap in Microsofts signature verification, the integrity check for ensuring that a file is legitimate and trustworthy. First, they'd trick victims into installing a legitimate remote IT management tool called Atera to gain access and device control; that part's not particularly surprising or novel. From there, though, the hackers still needed to install ZLoader without Windows Defender or another malware scanner detecting or blocking it.

This is where the nearly decade-old flaw came in handy. Attackers could modify a legitimate Dynamic-link library filea common file shared between multiple pieces of software to load codeto plant their malware. The target DLL file is digitally signed by Microsoft, which proves its authenticity. But attackers were able to inconspicuously append a malicious script to the file without impacting Microsoft's stamp of approval.

When you see a file like a DLL that's signed youre pretty sure that you can trust it, but this shows that's not always the case, says Kobi Eisenkraft, a malware researcher at Check Point. I think we will see more of this method of attack.

Microsoft calls its code-signing process Authenticode. It released a fix in 2013 that made Authenticode's signature verification stricter, to flag files that had been subtly manipulated in this way. Originally the patch was going to be pushed to all Windows users, but in July 2014 Microsoft revised its plan, making the update optional.

As we worked with customers to adapt to this change, we determined that the impact to existing software could be high, the company wrote in 2014, meaning that the fix was causing false positives where legitimate files were flagged as potentially malicious. Therefore, Microsoft no longer plans to enforce the stricter verification behavior as a default requirement. The underlying functionality for stricter verification remains in place, however, and can be enabled at customer discretion.

In a statement on Wednesday, Microsoft emphasized that users can protect themselves with the fix the company released in 2013. And the company noted that, as the Check Point researchers observed in the ZLoader campaign, the vulnerability can only be exploited if a device has already been compromised or attackers directly trick victims into running one of the manipulated files that appears to be signed. Customers who apply the update and enable the configuration indicated in the security advisory will be protected, a Microsoft spokesperson told WIRED.

But while the fix is out there, and has been for all this time, many Windows devices likely don't have it enabled, since users and system administrators would need to know about the patch and then choose to set it up. Microsoft noted in 2013 that the vulnerability was being actively exploited by hackers in targeted attacks.

We have a fix, but nobody uses it, Eisenkraft says. As a result, a lot of malware would be able to get into companies and personal computers using this method.

The recent ZLoader attacks primarily targeted victims in the United States, Canada, and India. Other recent ZLoader attacks from an array of actors have used malicious word processing documents, tainted websites, and malicious ads to distribute the malware.

The Check Point researchers believe that this latest campaign was perpetrated by the prolific criminal hackers known as MalSmoke, because the group has a history of using similar techniques and the researchers saw some infrastructure links between this campaign and past MalSmoke hacking. MalSmoke has often had a particular focus on malvertising, particularly hijacking ads on sites and services that distribute porn and other adult content. The group has used ZLoader in past campaigns as well as other malware including the popular malicious downloader called Smoke Loader.

Its not unheard of for vulnerabilities to persist in software for many years, but when those flaws are discovered their longevity typically means that they're lurking in a large number of devices. It's also not unusual for some gadgets, particularly internet of things devices, to go unpatched even when a fix for a particular vulnerability is available. But this campaign represents a difficult scenario to defend against: a vulnerability with a fix so obscure that few would even know to apply it.
Apple faces big fine

Poland wants the EU to set a clear date for stopping Russian oil imports

Armenia FM meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Armenia FM meets with Director of USAID Samantha Power

Ann Linde says Finland will almost certainly apply for NATO membership

European Commission may relieve Hungary, Slovakia of embargo on Russian oil purchase

Resistance Movement to continue large-scale civil disobedience actions on 3 May in Yerevan and regions

EU countries to continue to pay in euros or dollars for Russian gas

Resistance Movement participants return to France Square

Russian and Turkish defense ministers discuss current situation in Ukraine

Ukrainian intelligence accuses Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan of helping Russia evade Western sanctions

NEWS.am digest: Turkey says they have agreements with Armenia on border clarification

Toivo Klaar informs about meeting of Armen Grigoryan and Hikmet Hajiyev in Brussels

PACE initiates resolution on threats to journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan

Diplomat kidnapped in Haiti

Hungarian president asks Orban to form new government

Georgia PM hands over first part of questionnaire answers for accession to EU

Resistance Movement participants march in central Yerevan

Half of Japanese oppose change of peaceful constitution

Resistance movement rally on France Square in Yerevan

Blinken and Armenia FM sign memorandum on strategic cooperation in nuclear energy

Another earthquake registered on Armenian-Georgian border

FLYONE ARMENIA launches regular direct flights between Yerevan and Tbilisi

Georgia abolishes requirement to wear masks in closed spaces

One dollar drops below AMD 450, euro also falls in Armenia

Georgia PM receives Justice Minister of Armenia

Armenia MFA says there is no discussion, agreement on re-demarcating border with Turkey

Cavusoglu claims there is agreement to clarify Armenia-Turkey border

Azerbaijan president receives Brice Roquefeuil

Armenia ex-defense minister: These authorities are able to use force inside the country

Police: 244 people apprehended in Yerevan as of 2pm

Incident involving disobedience march participants occurs at Armenian State Pedagogical University

Yerevan Police apprehend opposition MP

Police: 199 people apprehended in Yerevan as of noon

Armenia defense ministry refutes Azerbaijan MOD statement

Resistance Movement coordinator says they will assemble at France Square in downtown Yerevan at 6pm

Armenia parliament opposition faction leader: More than 200 people apprehended

The Azeri Times: Azerbaijan closes airspace for Russia military aircraft to disrupt transportation to Armenia

Bill Gates warns of more fertile' COVID-19 variant

Police: 3 dozen intersections in Yerevan were closed off by citizens since morning

Armenia PM congratulates several Arab countries leaders on Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr

3 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Journalist falls ill during scuffle at civil disobedience action in Yerevan

Armenia ex-ruling party official: I assess these actions of disobedience very positively

Armenia FM to head for US, will meet with Blinken

Armenia Police: 189 people apprehended so far in Yerevan

UN announces blocking of millions of tons of grain in Ukraine ports

Small plane crashes in Canada, 4 dead

125 people taken to Yerevan police stations

Erdogan says will hold talks with Putin this week

Quake hits Armenia-Georgia border zone

One person falls ill during oppositions peaceful disobedience action in downtown Yerevan

Resistance Movement coordinator says 14 streets currently blocked by citizens in Yerevan

Peaceful civil disobedience actions kick off in Yerevan early morning

Hungary says 10 European countries opened bank accounts in Russia to pay for natural gas in rubles

Finland to build fences along Russia border

Armenia ex-President Serzh Sargsyan: For 10 years international community said Artsakh should self-determine

Putin signs decree on measures to ensure Russia information security

3rd President Serzh Sargsyan is at Yerevans France Square

Opposition continues to keep France Square in downtown Yerevan closed

Europe asks Russia natural gas giant to increase supplies

Clashes break out between police and anarchists in Paris

The Jerusalem Post: Time for Israel to not fear Turkey and to recognize Armenian Genocide

Armenia opposition lawmaker: People are constantly approaching ex-president Kocharyan (VIDEO)

Putin bans foreign investors from organizing regular transfers on public-private, city-private partnership basis

Ex-defense minister: Prior to 44-day war it was possible to negotiate in such way that Armenia will not be at war

Police dispatching additional forces to Yerevans France Square

Opposition to set up tents at France Square in downtown Yerevan (PHOTOS)

Armenia opposition MP: How did US, France, Russia talk about Karabakh status after war?

Resistance Movement coordinator: Armenian people told whole world that they are masters of their destiny, future

Huge opposition rally kicks off in downtown Yerevan

Armenia former ruling party official says ex-President Serzh Sargsyan will attend today's opposition rally

Russia to impose $101M fine on Google

Resistance Movement marches reach French Square in Yerevan

Turkey police beat, detain dozens in May Day demonstrations

Armenia international airports passenger traffic doubles in first quarter of 2022

Nancy Pelosi visits Kyiv, meets with Zelenskyy

Armenia MOD: Azerbaijan defense ministry disseminating disinformation

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan joins opposition march to Yerevan

US Embassy in Armenia: Large crowds are unpredictable

Germany supports EU plans to give up Russian oil

Russia MOD announces airstrike on Odessa military airport

Italy cancels Covid certificates

Resistance Movement marches reaching Yerevan

Artsakh President receives Armenian Relief Society delegation

4 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Blinken, Kuleba discuss return of American diplomats to Ukraine

Armenia PM: Thanks to joint efforts and work we were able to overcome these crisis situations

Person commits suicide by hanging self in Armenias Artik

US, UK hold talks to reduce risk of war with China over Taiwan

1 dead, several injured in US festival shooting

Drought causes megafire in US New Mexico

Biden resumes White House Correspondents' Dinner tradition, Kim Kardashian among celebrity guest

Turkey expresses readiness to support UN efforts on Ukraine

Survey: Erdogan's rating falls again after slight improvement

China launches new remote sensing satellites

Clashes between police and protesters against anti-coronavirus measures in Ottawa

Denmark sends Piranha 3 APCs and heavy mortars to Ukraine

Macron promises Zelenskyy to increase military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Egyptian tricycle carrying 13 children sinks in Nile Delta killing at least 8 children
A man and woman have died after their vehicle struck a Maryland Transit Administration bus in Pikesville on Thursday, according to Baltimore County police.

Around 11:45 a.m., a 2017 Nissan Altima traveling eastbound on Old Court Road crashed into an MTA bus, which was stopped near Woodling Way, authorities say.

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The driver of the Nissan, 51-year-old Komonti Wilmer, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. His passenger, Mendy Wimbrey, 48, was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced deceased, according to law enforcement.

Medics transported the bus driver to an area hospital to treat what appear to be minor injuries, police said.

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Baltimore Countys Police Crash Team is investigating factors that may have contributed to the accident.
Progress has been made in nuclear talks on Iran, although time is running out, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Friday, Reuters reported.

"I remain convinced we can reach a deal. Bits of progress have been made in the last few days," Jean-Yves Le Drian told BFM TV and RMC Radio. "We have been heading in a positive direction in the last few days, but time is of the essence, because if we don't get an accord quickly there will be nothing to negotiate."

Earlier, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that talks on a nuclear deal with Iran in Vienna showed modest progress and that the US hopes to build on it.

According to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, sanctions were lifted from Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear activities, but the former US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the deal in 2018, a year after he took office.
The Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament of Kyrgyzstan - ed.) made a decision to deploy a military contingent of the Kyrgyz Republic as part of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Kazakhstan, Kabar reported.

Following the results of the voting, 69 deputies voted for, 7 deputies voted against.

President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov signed a decree on sending a military contingent of the Kyrgyz Republic to participate in peacekeeping activities on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the press service of the Kyrgyz president reported.

Earlier, there was a protest in front of the Kyrgyz parliament against sending troops of the country to Kazakhstan under the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

The day before, the Jogorku Kenesh had failed to gather the quorum necessary to resolve the issue of sending troops to Kazakhstan, and the date of the discussion of this issue was postponed to January 7.
Volodya Grigoryan, the representative of the Country to Live party of Armenia, is ready to go to local snap elections in Parakar village. He told reporters about this Friday.

"There are discussions that the legal order should be maintained. If there is an order that the eldest person should conduct the session [of the newly elected council of elders of Parakar], let the eldest person conduct it. We have registered for the session. We are ready to go to snap elections," Grigoryan said.

The Parakar village council session has not been convened yet today, as the parties do not agree on who shall chair this session.

The situation is tense at the moment, too, as Volodya Grigoryan's supporters have gathered outside the village hall, where the council session is to be convened.

As a result of the local elections in Parakar on December 5, the Country to Live party won ten seats in the village council, the "Davit Minasyan" bloc of partiesnine, and Armenias ruling Civil Contract Partytwo.

First, Volodya Grigoryan, the candidate from the Country to Live party, was nominated for the post of village mayor, and was elected by ten votes. According to the Country to Live party, the law allows to elect by 40 percent the only candidate nominated for community leader.

After that, the Parakar village council members supporting Davit Minasyans candidacy came to the council, and they elected him village mayor, with 11 voteswhich is more than 50 percent.

On December 23, supporters of the Country to Live party had gathered at the courtyard of the Parakar House of Culture, where the inauguration of their candidate for village mayor was to take place. But the police had not permitted them to enter the building, and therefore this inauguration had taken place outside.

But on the same day, the "Davit Minasyan" bloc of parties had filed a lawsuit demanding that the election results be declared invalid. And the Administrative Court ruled to declare invalid the results of the elections for the mayor of Parakar village.

The newly elected council of elders of Parakar village was to convene its first session Wednesday, and the election of the new head of this rural community was on the agenda. The session, however, did not take place because the "Country to Live" Faction was not in attendance.
Chinese President Xi Jinping in his message to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev showed support for friendly neighbor and strategic partner, Kazakhstan in connection with the recent events, Xinhua reported.

In his oral message, Xi Jinping expressed his sincere condolences for the significant casualties and property damage resulting from the unrest in Kazakhstan in recent days.

Xi Jinping emphasized that the Chinese side strongly opposes the undermining of stability in Kazakhstan by any forces and threats to security in the country, the disruption of the peaceful life of the people of Kazakhstan by any forces, the intentions of any outside forces to organize unrest in Kazakhstan, as well as attempts to undermine the Chinese-Kazakh friendship and hinder cooperation between the two countries.

Chinese President said that despite any risks and challenges, China will remain a trustworthy friend and reliable partner of Kazakhstan, and the Chinese people will always stand by the side of the people of Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, earlier the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the events in Kazakhstan are an internal matter of the country.
As a result of today's incident in Parakar village, nine people have been apprehended on suspicion of committing hooliganism. Zarzand Gabrielyan, head of the public relations and information department of Armenias police, informed Armenian News-NEWS.am about this Friday.

He added that materials are being prepared on this incident.

Friday morning, the supporters of Volodya Grigoryan, the candidate from the Country to Live party, broke into the building of the Parakar village hall, and a clash ensued between them and the police.

As a result of the local elections in Parakar on December 5, the Country to Live party won ten seats in the village council, the "Davit Minasyan" bloc of partiesnine, and Armenias ruling Civil Contract Partytwo.

First, Volodya Grigoryan, the candidate from the Country to Live party, was nominated for the post of village mayor, and was elected by ten votes. According to the Country to Live party, the law allows to elect by 40 percent the only candidate nominated for community leader.

After that, the Parakar village council members supporting Davit Minasyans candidacy came to the council, and they elected him village mayor, with 11 voteswhich is more than 50 percent.

On December 23, supporters of the Country to Live party had gathered at the courtyard of the Parakar House of Culture, where the inauguration of their candidate for village mayor was to take place. But the police had not permitted them to enter the building, and therefore this inauguration had taken place outside.

But on the same day, the "Davit Minasyan" bloc of parties had filed a lawsuit demanding that the election results be declared invalid. And the Administrative Court ruled to declare invalid the results of the elections for the mayor of Parakar village.

The newly elected council of elders of Parakar village was to convene its first session Wednesday, and the election of the new head of this rural community was on the agenda. The session, however, did not take place because the "Country to Live" Faction was not in attendance.
Six members of an organized criminal group led by criminal authority Dikiy Arman were detained during a special operation of the Almaty police department, reports Telegram-channel of Sputnik Kazakhstan.

Four semi-automatic guns of different brands and calibers, ammunition for them, cold weapons and an armored car were seized from the criminals, the media reported.

Across Kazakhstan, 3,811 people were detained, Atameken Business - Kazakhstan News reported, citing the Interior Ministry of Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, the Kazakh authorities began to talk about the emergence of terrorists only after they lost control of the situation in the country. The ruling party Nur Otan (Light of the Fatherland) has not yet been able even to make a statement, nor has the parliament of Kazakhstan gathered. The day before, the Western media, representatives of the civil sector and the opposition said that the military opened fire on mostly unarmed young men.
Former Maryland Treasurer Nancy Kopp, Gov. Larry Hogan and Comptroller Peter Franchot held a Maryland Board of Public Works meeting in the State House on November 3, 2021. What to do with Maryland's multi-billion-dollar surplus is expected to be a subject of debate in Annapolis in the coming weeks. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun). (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun )

Maryland has an extra $6 billion in its bank and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in its people in meaningful, life-changing ways that deliver immediate results. With rising COVID-19 cases, we must use our historic surplus to help fellow Marylanders who continue to struggle, while also investing wisely for the future by shoring up our Rainy Day Fund and funding critical infrastructure projects.

First, the state should immediately enact another round of economic survival payments for the most financially insecure, but this time increase the amount to $2,000. I advocated for this proposal last year, but opponents said we couldnt afford it. Now we know that we can, and tens of thousands of Marylanders still need our help. Price tag: $1 billion.

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Second, we must provide immediate financial support to our child care industry. Over the past 20 months, more than 750 child care providers have closed due in large part to the governments inability to distribute promised financial assistance in a timely manner. Without reliable, accessible and affordable child care, our economic recovery will be stunted. To ensure this access, we should use a portion of these revenues to incentivize operators that are closed to re-open and follow the federal governments lead by subsidizing the cost of child care for families that may not be able to afford it. Price tag: $500 million.

Third, with potential health and safety measures being necessary to prevent the spread of Omicron and as small businesses continue to struggle to keep the lights on, we must work together to provide direct financial relief  not through the form of tax breaks  to small businesses in hard-hit industries, particularly our minority-owned and women-owned small businesses, which bore the disproportionate brunt of the economic impact of COVID. We must remedy that injustice, and we can do so with a new round of economic relief. Price tag: $500 million.

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Fourth, the state should shore up our Rainy Day Fund. We must do a much better job at financially preparing for the next economic crisis. We should deposit a third of our historic surplus  $2 billion  into our reserves. This action strengthens our ability to adjust for economic downturns without the need for painful budget cuts, allows swifter and more robust disbursement of economic aid, and reduces disruptions in core government services.

Lastly, the state should allocate the remaining $2 billion to fund its share of high-priority infrastructure projects that will have lasting impact. Specifically, the state should invest in three critical infrastructure areas: Baltimore Citys abandoned Red Line, green energy projects that will allow the state to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030, and high speed internet connectivity for all Marylanders. These infrastructure priorities reflect the one-time nature of this surplus. We can and must invest in projects that help tackle critical issues like climate change and mass transportation, while creating high paying jobs and generating significant and sustained economic activity.

This ambitious proposal for economic relief and investment isnt cheap. While $6 billion may seem like a lot of money, the truth is our inaction  or failure to meet this crisis with a proportionate response  will have far more devastating financial consequences.

This road map allows our state to shore up its finances, invest in highly productive infrastructure projects, and provide support to those small businesses and state residents who have been most impacted by the pandemic. We cant Build Back Better if everyone doesnt have the opportunity to share in the prosperity of this economic recovery.

Peter Franchot, Annapolis

The writer, a Democrat, has served as state comptroller since 2007. He can be reached at mdcomptroller@marylandtaxes.gov.

Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter.
The Meshchansky District Court of Moscow sentenced left-wing activist Alexander Zimbovsky to 15 days of arrest on charges of disobedience to police, OVD-Info reported.

The court refused to question a witness who came to the court and was willing to testify in defense of the detainee."On January 6, Zimbovsky, together with other activists, was detained for picketing in support of the protesters in Kazakhstan. He was charged with repeated violation of the rally law (part 8 of article 20.2 of the Administrative Code) and disobedience to the police (part 1 of article 19.3 of the Administrative Code).

According to preliminary information, Zimbovsky will serve his arrest at Special detention center No. 2.

The activist continues to hold a dry hunger strike, which he declared after his detention.

Zimbovsky will be sent to Sakharovo to serve his arrest," said the report.
When vaccination efforts began in January, SONHS clinical faculty were among the first in the area to step up and receive the shot. Faculty, students, and alumni also assisted with COVID-19, SONHS testing and vaccination efforts, such as Jackson Health Systems massive community vaccination initiative.

In-person classes, clinicals, and simulation continued throughout the spring, summer, and fall 2021 semesters, producing more than 600 Class of 2021 graduates from seven different degree programs in nursing, public health, and health science.

The School was named #30 in Newsweeks February 2021 article Best 50 Colleges of Nursing in America and came in at a ranking of 31 in U.S. News and World Reports inaugural ranking of undergraduate nursing programs, well ahead of its peer schools in the area.

National honors for SONHS faculty in 2021 included inductions into the National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Nursing, and American Association of Nurse Practitioners. In January, SONHS Dean and Professor Cindy L. Munro was announced as a member of the National Institute of Nursing Researchs National Advisory Council for Nursing Research, which provides recommendations on the direction and support of the nursing, biomedical, social, and behavioral research that forms the evidence base for nursing practice.

Among the schools many research-related awards in 2021 was a $3.05 million grant from the NIHs National Institute of Mental Health to conduct an effectiveness implementation trial for eHealth Familias Unidas for Mental Health, an online mental health intervention for Latinx youth and their families, in the primary care setting. In addition, SONHS faculty were tapped to contribute to the NIHs Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities, working to address health disparities in the LGBT and Latinx South Florida community.

The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) granted the School a 10-year accreditation renewal, through June 2031, for the baccalaureate degree program in nursing, masters degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate program.

In addition, SONHS launched three new BSN-DNP tracks for registered nurses interested in becoming doctorally prepared Family Nurse Practitioners, Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners, or Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners.

In November, during Alumni Weekend and Homecoming, the University of Miami and President Julio Frenk publicly kicked off Ever Brighter: The Campaign for Our Next Century, during which SONHS priorities were unveiled on the campaign website.

In international developments, the School announced its four-year redesignation as a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Nursing Human Resources Development and Patient Safety. In addition, the school solidified new international partnerships, including with the Universidad de Costa Ricas Center for Tropical Disease Research (CIET), sent supplies to Haiti following the earthquake, and conducted a blend of virtual and in-person nursing, education, and research initiatives with partners in Guyana, Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Jamaica, among other nations.

On the simulation front, the School announced the rebranding of its 5-story, 41,000-square-foot simulation hospital as S.H.A.R.E., which stands for Simulation Hospital Advancing Research and Education (@umiamishare) and developed mixed-reality applications for familiarizing nurse anesthesia students with the operating room environment.

Faculty launched an award-winning simulation-based human trafficking awareness curriculum that has trained over 200 nursing students to date and piloted two different telehealth-based initiatives to support family caregivers and improve health outcomes.

Promoting the pillar of Education for Life, SONHS hosted a dozen lectures in 2021, addressing simulation in translational science, diversity in the workplace, Latino health disparities, human trafficking awareness, and more. Most guests were still virtual but among the in-person visitors were two former U.S. Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar and Donna Shalala. Ive never seen anything like it, Azar said after touring S.H.A.R.E.. It is wonderful to see the University of Miami harness this great technology. The nursing students leave here ready to take care of patients in the real world.

Vimeo: SONHS Year In Review 2021 (vimeo.com)
Nico Cappellutis first look at the telescope that will offer the clearest glimpse yet of the Universes cosmic dawn came nine years ago, when the young astrophysicist visited NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Back then, only the powerful telescopes 18 beryllium mirror segments were on site, awaiting the arrival of the flight structure, or essentially the bones onto which they would be mounted.

But even a partially assembled James Webb Space Telescope was enough to astound Cappelluti. It was enormous, he recalled of the instruments 21-foot 4-inch-long primary mirror, which is made up of the 18 hexagonal mirror sections. I looked through an observation window into the cleanroom, where this massive telescope sat. You just had to be there to appreciate its size.

At the time, Cappelluti was a postdoctoral fellow at the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics. While he was aware the Webb telescope wouldnt launch until nearly a decade later, he still wanted to take an early gander at the instrument that promised to be a gamechanger for astronomy and, more specifically, for his research on super massive black holes.

Now, after more than 30 years in the design, production, and testing phase, the Webb is finally rocketing into history. Perched atop an Ariane 5 rocket, it blasted off this past Christmas morning from a spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying the hopes of Cappelluti and thousands of other scientists who have longed to unlock the secrets of the universe.

I woke up early that morning just to watch the launch, making sure to be very quiet so that I wouldnt awaken my young son, said Cappelluti, who is now an assistant professor of astrophysics in the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences. I wanted to see the liftoff, then watch my son open his presents, he said.

For Cappelluti, Webbs Christmas Day launch was the biggest present he could ever hope for.

The most powerful observatory ever sent into space, the JWST, as it is sometimes called, comes with a $10 billion price tag and is an international collaboration involving NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies.

The telescopes eventual orbit around the sun will place it some one million miles from Earth. And once fully deployed, it will observe light from the first galaxies that formed after the Big Bang and allow astronomers to study the atmospheres of exoplanets that orbit distant stars and to search for signs of alien life.

The JWST is the long-awaited successor to the famous Hubble Space Telescope. But it is 100 times more powerful, possessing infrared vision, which allows it to see through cosmic clouds of dustHubble sees primarily visible light.

And thats why Cappelluti is so excited about Webb.

Infrared light is the signature of distant objects, and thats what the James Webb will allow us to see, he explained. Its been designed to study an epoch of the universe we need to learn more aboutthe first billion years after the Big Bang. Thats when the universe produced the most amazing things we see today, produced the first stars, the first galaxies, and the first super massive black holes, which is the focus of my research.

Found in the centers of huge galaxies, supermassive black holes are millions, if not billions, of times as massive as the Sun. How they formed is one of the critical questions the Webb telescope will help Cappelluti to answer.

We have no idea why super massive black holes are so big, because they didnt have time to grow to such enormous sizes. Im talking about billions of solar masses, he emphasized. He and his colleagues have advanced at least one theory as the reason, suggesting that some sort of physical mechanism early in the universes existence produced these strange regions in space where gravity is so strong that it bends light.

Were trying to see if these super massive black holes formed during the Big Bang and if they account for the missing mass in the universe, which is dark matter, Cappelluti said. We know that most of the matter we see in the universe is not visible, so wed like to know if super massive black holes are indeed dark matter and if that dark matter is at the origin of these super massive black holes. The James Webb will contribute to answering those questions.

NASAs flagship telescope has already performed a handful of critical maneuvers during its journey to the second Lagrange point in space, unfurling its massive umbrella-like shield that will protect its delicate instruments, deploying a radiator-type instrument, and extending its secondary mirror. Other deployments will occur before the telescopes final configuration is complete.

Its mission lifetime could last for as long as 10 years.

The first publicly available images arent expected until June. So, until that time, its a waiting gamealong with hopes that nothing catastrophic happens. Unlike Hubble, which is in low-Earth orbit, the Webb telescope is too far away and beyond the reach of any crewed repair mission.

Thousands of hours of observation time have been allocated for the Webb telescopes first year of operation. Those who helped build and design the instrument will get a significant portion of that time, releasing early-science data to the public, according to Cappelluti.

After that, in order to use the James Webb, well have to compete with other astronomers for observing time, he explained. Well have to submit proposals, which will be peer-reviewed and ranked, with only the best ones being assigned observing time. And observing time is the most valuable source of data you can have.

Named for the NASA administrator who led the agencys Apollo moon-landing program, the Webb wont be the only source Cappelluti will rely on to answer questions about black holes.

Astrophysical objects emit light at every wavelength, from X-ray to radio. The James Webb will allow us to see infrared light; but at the same time, we will also use other instruments, Cappelluti said. He noted the Chandra X-ray Observatorywhich launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1999 and detects X-ray emissions from extremely hot regions of the Universeand LISA, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, which is planned for a 2037 launch and will be the first space-based gravitational wave observatory.

Cappelluti started studying the planets from the backyard of his home in Rimini, Italy, when he was 6, peering through a telescope his father bought him. It was a 60-millimeter telescope, and it was so exciting for me, he recalled.

He is not the only University of Miami scientist fascinated by and anxious to see what the Webb telescope reveals.

Ive read many articles about all the amazing things it will see. The most exciting part, though, will be all the extraordinary things we dont know exist but will be revealed by JWST, said Massimiliano Galeazzi, professor and chair of physics, whose research involves the construction of X-ray detectors for space.

Seeing beyond the tip of the icebergthats what the Webb telescope will enable us to do, said Alessandro Peca, a Ph.D. student studying physics and astronomy. The James Webb will help us here on Earth in ways we cant imagine yet.
Veterinary Viewpoints: What is the role of a Veterinarian?

Media Contact: Derinda Blakeney, APR | College of Veterinary Medicine | 405-744-6740 | derinda@okstate.edu

What comes to mind when you hear the word veterinarian? For most, its the local practitioner who takes care of your livestock or family pets. No question, this is one of the most impactful aspects of our profession, but did you know that we play an essential role in other areas that have a huge impact on both human and animal health? Here are seven things for you to know about veterinary medicine:

Veterinarians are first responders to human disease outbreaks. Did you know the majority of emerging infectious diseases in people originate from animals? We call these zoonotic diseases, and our current COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. At this very moment, veterinarians are working all over the globe to diagnose diseases in animals, conduct surveillance and recognize foreign animal diseases. They serve as a primary sentinel for these emerging infections in people. Veterinarians conduct millions of tests daily in laboratories associated with the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Because these laboratories handle hundreds of samples daily to ensure herd health and can rapidly respond in emergencies, several veterinary laboratories were leveraged to provide human COVID testing during the pandemic. Our very own Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory here in Stillwater was one of the first in the nation to assist county health departments in human COVID testing, processing well over 100,000 samples in 2020! Veterinarians are leaders in food safety, epidemiology and public health. Veterinarians are trained for and direct how we handle our food safety and supply, manage disease outbreaks, herd health, and disease prevention. We have a broad knowledge base in many species and are often familiar with diseases such as coronaviruses before they even emerge as a pandemic. We have a seat at the table regarding these aspects of human health because of our unique training and expertise. For example, Dr. Jared Taylor served as the state epidemiologist for Oklahoma. Taylor is a veterinarian at the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine. Veterinarians have also served at high levels in the U.S. Surgeon Generals office, including OSU alumnus Dr. Robert Whitney, who served as acting U.S. Surgeon General in 1993. Veterinarians are critical to the development of new treatments, vaccines and understanding disease. Before medical advances can be available for human use, we must first ensure that we fully understand the safety, benefits and risk. Animal models for disease are essential to understanding all of this. In order to design these studies, accurately interpret the results, and ensure the health and welfare of every animal involved, veterinarians must be leaders in this research. Veterinarians also serve in discovery research in developing next generation treatments for cancer, autoimmune, infectious and genetic diseases. This overlap between animal and human health is recognized as a concept we call One Health. Veterinarians are also an integral part of the U.S. Armed Forces. Veterinarians serve in the U.S. Air Force or the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps. Here, veterinarians serve as public health officers protecting the food and water supplies at home and abroad, provide animal care for military working dogs, provide general veterinary care for the personal pets of military personnel at base veterinary hospitals, conduct research in some of the worlds most advanced research centers (USAMRID) and provide essential veterinary and public health services to underserved countries that especially need help protecting their food and water supply. Veterinarians are critical in training the next generation of veterinarians. Did you know that many areas are struggling with an alarming shortage of veterinarians, especially in rural practice? There are 32 veterinary schools in the United States (for comparison, there are 192 medical schools), which also means there are fewer veterinary schools than we have states! It is incredibly significant that Oklahoma has a college of veterinary medicine located at Oklahoma State University. As faculty members, veterinarians fulfill the mission of teaching, diagnostic or clinical service, and research to develop new veterinary graduates needed to maintain our agricultural development, preserve our food supply chains, and ensure animal health. Veterinarians go to school for a very long time. Veterinarians are highly educated, most with a 4-year bachelors degree followed by another four years to obtain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (DVM). The pathway to a DVM takes the same amount of time and effort as an MD or DO. The difference is upon graduation, veterinarians graduate practice ready and are not required to complete an internship or residency. These are the general practitioners who serve your pets and livestock. Internship and residency training are available for veterinarians who desire to specialize. In this arena, you will find veterinary specialists in disciplines that mirror our physician counterparts: neurology, oncology, radiology, cardiology, dermatology, internal medicine, surgery, pathology and so on. Veterinarians are community leaders. How many of you know a veterinarian who is serving in a community service organization? At the end of the day, the people who go into veterinary medicine dont just love animals but tend to be compassionate and have a servant heart for their communities. Its just part of who we are. You will find them in community service organizations (Lions Club, Rotary, etc.), leading youth organizations, teaching Sunday school or other roles in churches, serving in community government as well as state and federal roles (U.S. Senators and Representatives).

We may be biased but veterinary medicine is truly the greatest profession. The road to becoming a veterinarian may not be easy, but the far-reaching impact and influence on our communities are significant. Next time you visit your veterinarian, tell him or her thank you!

About the authors: Jerry Ritchey, DVM, Ph.D., DACVP, is a professor at OSUs College of Veterinary Medicine in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology who also assists at the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Jennifer Rudd, DVM, Ph.D., DACVM, is an assistant professor at OSUs College of Veterinary Medicine in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Microbiologists.

Veterinary Viewpoints is provided by the faculty of the OSU Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Certified by the American Animal Hospital Association, the hospital is open to the public providing routine and specialized care for all species and 24-hour emergency care, 365 days a year. Call 405-744-7000 for an appointment or more information.

OSUs College of Veterinary Medicine is one of 32 accredited veterinary colleges in the United States and the only veterinary college in Oklahoma. The colleges Boren Veterinary Medical Hospital is open to the public and provides routine and specialized care for small and large animals. The hospital offers 24-hour emergency care and is certified by the American Animal Hospital Association. For more information, visit https://vetmed.okstate.edu or call 405-744-7000.
Scholz under siege over plan for compulsory jabs

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said compulsory jabs for all adults represented the surest way out of the pandemic. File photo: AP

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz insisted on Friday that his plan to introduce mandatory coronavirus jabs was on track, despite fierce debate about the controversial move and growing resistance from his own coalition partners.



Scholz, who recently took over as chancellor from Angela Merkel, in late November touted compulsory jabs for all adults as the surest way out of the pandemic.



The centre-left Social Democrat asked MPs in the lower of house parliament to draft the necessary legislation with the goal of introducing the measure in "late February or early March".



Little progress has been made since then however, and the fast-spreading but less severe Omicron strain has raised fresh doubts about the project, particularly among the pro-business FDP party.



Speaking after a meeting with the leaders of Germany's 16 states on tighter coronavirus curbs, Scholz reiterated that "it would be good if we ended up with a general vaccine mandate".



He said all of Germany's state premiers had declared their backing for the plan.



"I feel fully supported" by them, he said.



The same cannot be said for the FDP, who along with the Greens make up Scholz's three-way coalition government.



Although coronavirus cases are rising, Germany has so far been spared the steep Omicron surge that has swept other nations -- prompting Justice Minister Marco Buschmann from the FDP to call for a wait-and-see approach on a general vaccine mandate.



FDP chief Christian Lindner said new findings "could play a role in the decision", in a nod to Omicron infecting even the triple jabbed, and studies suggesting a lower hospitalisation rate than with the Delta variant.



"Protecting human health and life is highly desirable. But our greatest asset... is and remains our freedom," he said on Thursday.



Germany's first parliamentary debate on compulsory jabs is only scheduled for late January, even though Scholz himself had originally aimed to have lawmakers discuss the issue before 2021 was out.



"The longer the discussion about mandatory vaccinations lasts... the more the project wobbles," wrote Sueddeutsche newspaper.



Hundreds, at times thousands, of protesters have taken to the streets to rail against the government's Covid approach and vaccine plan in recent weeks, occasionally resulting in clashes with police.



With just over 71 percent of the population double jabbed, Germany has a lower coronavirus vaccination rate than France, Italy or Spain.



Almost 42 percent of Germans have had their booster shot, considered crucial in the fight against Omicron.



Like several other countries, Germany has already announced vaccine mandates for those in certain professions, including soldiers and health workers.



Neighbouring Austria has gone further and is on the verge of introducing a general vaccine mandate, in what could be the first in Europe.



While it has stirred controversy there too, the measure is backed by all the political parties except Austria's far-right FPOe.



"Compulsory vaccination will come, all experts agree on the high protective effect also against Omicron and hospitalisations," said Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.



A government spokeswoman on Friday rejected media suggestions that Scholz has lost the grip on his timetable, saying mandatory vaccination was a "sensitive topic" that merited a "public and wide" discussion. (AFP)
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans grandson Sajeeb Wazed Joy has lashed out at the former Pakistani leaders for trying to kill the 'Father of the Nation' while he was a prison in 1971. In an article posted on the website of the ruling Awami league on Thursday, he said: "After the arrest in the early hours of 26th March 1971, Bangabandhu was sent to a remote prison in the warmest city of Lyallpur via Karachi and Lahore. The purpose was to break Bangabandhu physically and mentally in the midst of natural adversity along with the loneliness of the dark solitary confinement. Later, Bangabandhu, the great hero of the Bengali nation, was kept in solitary confinement for the death row convicts in Mianwali Jail in North Punjab. He was kept under constant surveillance in the jail. However, the Pakistani conspiracies went in vain thanks to the indomitable courage and personality of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Therefore the Pakistani junta plotted to assassinate the undisputed leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in jail." Wazed, who is the son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, went on to say in the article that this was the not first time that there was a plot to assassinate his grandfather. "In the early hours of March 26, Bangabandhu declared independence through wireless. This declaration of independence of Bangladesh was aired in the international media. Meanwhile, a special commando force went and shoot at Bangabandhu's residence on Dhanmondi Road No. 32 before he was arrested and taken away," he added. Wazed further added that Bangabandhu was shifted from one to another jail in Pakistan several times during the course of the Liberation War. "Apart from killing attempts at Mianwali, Faisalabad and Sahiwal, there was another conspiracy to kill Bangabandhu in a solitary confinement cell in the dark cell of Lyallpur Jail in North Punjab, about 150 miles from Rawalpindi," he said, adding that "the conspiracy continued in the name of a secret trial". Later, "under the pressure of the new government of independent Bangladesh and world leaders, Pakistan was finally forced to release Bangabandhu on January 8, 1972", Wazed says in his article. "Through London on January 9, Bangabandhu set foot in an independent Bangladesh on January 10. "Thus the return of Bangabandhu to his home fulfilled the meaning of the independence of the Bengali nation." --IANS sumi-ksk/ ( 404 Words) 2022-01-07-12:38:03 (IANS)
A Rubber Board official said that the MoU was signed with Singapore's SMPT (Societe des Matieres Premieres Tropicales Pte Ltd), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Michelin, a major multinational tyre company, to conduct various types of research on natural rubber.

Rubber Board's Executive Director K.N. Raghavan and SMPT's Managing Director Trai-Ukos Segsarn signed the MoU through virtual mode.

According to an official statement, Raghavan said that the Indian Rubber Board has made remarkable achievements in the fields of genetic improvement of Hevea clones, disease and pest management, latex harvest technology, processing, product development and sharing of knowledge with leading research firms like the SMPT.

This collaboration would contribute towards improving sustainability as well as development of the entire rubber value chain, benefitting the growers in particular, the statement said quoting the Rubber Board head.

It said that Trai-Ukos Segsarn pointed out that a partnership with the Rubber Board in the field of research is highly appreciated and a lot of knowledge can be shared, benefitting the entire world's natural rubber industry.

SMPT had expressed their interest to collaborate with Rubber Board in various areas of research such as clone development, disease management, rubber-based agroforestry systems etc.

The Union Commerce and Industry Ministry had earlier approved Rubber Board's proposal to enter into an MoU with the SMPT for collaboration.

--IANS sc/arm

( 260 Words)

2022-01-06-23:26:07 (IANS)
People get tested at a mobile COVID-19 testing van in Times Square on January 4, 2022, in New York City. The U.S. recorded more than 1 million COVID-19 cases the previous day, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, as the Omicron variant continues to spread at a blistering pace. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images). (TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)

The responsibility for protecting community health rests with every one of us.

As presidents of two of the regions largest health systems, we have witnessed countless acts of kindness, selflessness and bravery from staff in our hospitals, in our clinics and in the field since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic 22 months ago.

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We have partnered with local, state and federal government, as well as with faith groups and the private sector, to set up a strong infrastructure to provide COVID-19 testing and to deliver treatments, vaccines and boosters  all while continuing to deliver the quality care that our patients and their families depend on us to provide.

With the winter holidays now past us, we enter this new year cautiously hopeful and resolute in continuing to do our part to keep our communities safe from the spread of COVID-19. We implore you to also do your part by getting yourself and your family members vaccinated, getting a booster once eligible to receive one and by wearing a mask when in public places and when gathering with friends and others not part of your household.

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Our hospitals are experiencing an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, putting an incredible strain on Marylands health care system. Many of these infections stem from transmission during holiday gatherings, and the great majority of COVID patients in our intensive care units are unvaccinated.

In line with our health systems missions, it is our responsibility to share information to support informed decision making. Our predictive models show that a significant surge in cases is likely in the weeks and months to come. We need to prepare now to limit how this will impact our communities, hospitals and care providers.

As 2022 begins, we are deeply concerned about the potential for a perfect storm: the rise of the highly transmissible omicron variant driving more infections, a national shortage of health care workers, increasingly limited hospital capacity within an already strained health care infrastructure, and a significant number of people in our communities who remain unvaccinated against COVID-19.

But this year is different from last. We now have tools readily available to provide maximum protection against the spread of COVID-19 infections.

Evidence shows that getting an approved COVID-19 vaccine  and getting a booster when eligible, coupled with adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions masking guidelines  provide us with the best protection.

We must take action to protect ourselves and to protect others.

On behalf of the health care workers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Maryland, we remain committed to caring for our community for generations to come. But first, we have to make it through what will likely be a very difficult season.

Please do your part to keep us all safe this winter and beyond.

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Kevin W. Sowers and Mohan Suntha, Baltimore

Mr. Sowers is president of the Johns Hopkins Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Dr. Suntha is president and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System.

Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter.
New Delhi [India], January 7 (ANI/Mediawire): Have you heard of the new entrant in the Fintech space that is building an entirely "new" asset class based on recurring revenue contracts? Interestingly, the modus operandi of this platform is based neither on equity nor on loan, but at the same time can help companies raise instant capital without incurring debt or dilution. Curious to know how? Read on... The brainchild of the talented trio Zeus Dhanbhura, Jahangir Panday and Dipen Patel, BridgeUp is a first of its kind subscription-financing platform not only in India but the whole of Asia-Pacific that treats subscriptions as an asset class. It creates opportunities for businesses to raise money in a unique way by monetizing their monthly or quarterly subscriptions for their annual value, directly through its trading platform; making it the most cost-efficient way for SaaS and recurring revenue companies to access upfront capital. To make it more simple, BridgeUp is a marketplace connecting companies having monthly or quarterly recurring revenue that need funding with investors who bid to purchase these recurring revenue contracts for their annual value, upfront, thereby letting business owners remain in control their cash flow. Says Manoj Shenoy, CEO, IIFL Asset Management Ltd. of this latest venture in Fintech, "For years, legacy financial institutions have struggled to successfully invest in startups since they do not have the risk appetite or mechanism to assess new-age technologies or their revenue models. BridgeUp breaks down the risk of both venture capital and debt by stripping the revenue from an invoice and allowing the revenue itself to be treated as an asset which in turn becomes a much safer bet due to the predictability and growth of recurring revenue streams." At a CAGR of 51 per cent, revenues in India from just SaaS enterprises are expected to grow to a staggering $50 - $70 Billion by 2030, according to SaaSBOOMi & McKinsey report. "The future of technology is currently being written in India. We have the talent and most importantly the desire to create organizations which change the face of technology. As witnessed recently we can do that all from within India itself. BridgeUp is well equipped to support these companies by providing quick and easy access to capital," says Zeus Dhanbhura, CEO of BridgeUp. Endorsing BridgeUp Vishal Tulsyan, CEO & Managing Director, Motilal Oswal Private Equity says, "Giving financial institutions access to a new asset class backed by companies' recurring revenue streams is one of the best things to come out of the fintech ecosystem. Investors are always looking for alternative sources of yield and the ability to earn fixed income returns on underlying contracts is tempting." WHO IS BRIDGEUP FOR? BridgeUp is industry agnostic, and the brand counts among its target audience, companies from SaaS, Services, Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) subscriptions, Media, OTT platforms and many more. "We are seeing a lot of traction from non-SaaS vertical markets too including direct-to-consumer (D2C) subscriptions, and service-based businesses," says Jahangir Panday, COO, BridgeUp. Kuldeep Dhankar, Co-founder of Last9 and Ex-SVP of Enterprise Business at CleverTap elucidates, "SaaS in India is growing at a tremendous rate. The utility BridgeUp brings to the table for SaaS by allowing them to accept monthly or quarterly payments without discounting their services heavily is immense." IT'S SIMPLE! This is how one can raise capital through BridgeUp: 1). Sign up on BridgeUp2). Complete other formalities like linking your bank, payment processing, and accounting software.3). Instantly get assigned a score for your subscription revenue.4). Once approved, BridgeUp will immediately let you know how much investors are willing to pay for your subscription revenue.5). An auto-populated list will let you choose which of your contracts or how much you want to trade. 6). Click on the "Payout" button to receive the money within 48 Hours.7). Pay back when your customers pay you. Not only is raising funds through BridgeUp simple, it is also more beneficial compared to traditional funding mechanisms like equity, venture capital or revenue-based financing and solves the pain point for SaaS companies allowing them to turn MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) into ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue); unlocking immense value for them by enabling them to encash their most prized assets - recurring revenues. For the first time such businesses can focus purely on investing in growth and scale rapidly, all without disrupting existing workflows. Tech and non-tech businesses all over the world are switching to subscription-based models. BridgeUp is the only channel through which recurring revenue from subscriptions can be treated & traded as assets. With BridgeUp, companies can trade their monthly recurring revenue contracts in exchange for the annual value of those contracts. For entrepreneurs, that means more cash flow for scaling their business without debt or dilution at the click of a button. For investors, BridgeUp unlocks one of the largest untapped asset classes - revenue. To learn more, visit https://bridgeup.com/ or stay updated by connecting with BridgeUp on LinkedIn and Twitter This story is provided by Mediawire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Mediawire)
New Delhi [India], January 7 (ANI/TPT): Signity Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd., an upcoming super-specialty company, has been honoured with the title of "The Fastest Growing Pharmaceutical Company of Central India" at the International Business Leadership Awards 2021. The award ceremony was organized at Hotel Novotel, Goa on December 23, 2021 by Faggan Singh Kulaste- the Minister Rural Development and Minister of Steel, Government of India, Pandit Sunil Bharala- the Chairman/ Minister of State, Labour Welfare Council, Government of Uttar Pradesh and famous Bollywood Actress- Poonam Dhillon. India's drugs and pharmaceuticals exports stood at US$ 24.44 billion in FY21 making it the 12th largest exporter of medical goods in the world. In this scenario, Signity Pharmaceuticals is striving to emerge as a leading exporter of nutraceutical products. They have already earned a big reputation in exporting high-quality nutraceutical products to Europe, America & South East Asian Markets. Now, they are looking forward to pushing their R&D efforts further to establish their authority in the global pharmaceutical market. They have also introduced the India's first-of-its-kind liver preparation. Signity has also applied for its patent. On this occasion, company's director Shridhar Dhavle said, "It has been a great journey for us. We have started our journey with a vision of introducing innovative drug formulations as an aid to the country's healthcare system. Our unique nutraceutical formulations have already gained acknowledgment across the country. We express our deep gratitude to the medical fraternity and all our well-wishers for their wholehearted support and confidence in us which always inspired us to excel and grow during the last 11 years." Under the leadership of Bhupendra Marliwar along with Shridhar Dhavle & Vishal Mulani, Signity is all ready to cater to the needs of the existing medical infrastructure with novel and world-class drug formulations. Signity Pharmaceuticals offer a myriad range of industry-leading products like anti-infectives, life-saving drugs, hepatoprotective drugs, immunomodulators, neurotropics, advanced pain management drugs, nutraceutical formulations and respiratory formulations to continuously revolutionize the sector. This story is provided by TPT. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/TPT)
New Delhi [India], January 7 (ANI/NewsVoir): Banno's Swagger is an Indian brand with international appeal that provides a fresh and unique bespoke range of home comfort wear. The brand was launched in December 2020 in Surat with the aim of establishing an affordable fashion brand for the Indian woman. The main USP of Banno's Swagger is carrying on the 35-year-old lineage of the founders' family business, with an attempt to overcome barriers, combat prejudices, and excel in their occupations while providing a wardrobe solution to the modern woman who balances multiple roles as a daughter, sister, and mother. Keeping women's individual personalities and preferences in mind, the platform creates exclusive silhouettes across the nightwear and loungewear categories ranging from pyjama sets, short sets, robe sets, kaftans, and co-ord sets, all based on fluidic manmade fabrics and pure cotton, reflecting the true spirit of authentic Indian women. The platform not only provides an affordable wardrobe, but is also a democratic platform where a woman's hard work is directly translated to her financial freedom. The parent firm has been a vertically-integrated supplier to multinational brands and MNCs such as H&M, Zara, Ateesha, Srishti, Anouk, and others, lending credibility to the brand. "With the motto 'Of The Bannos, By The Bannos, For The Bannos', the intention behind launching Banno's Swagger was to carry learning of our family business into this startup. Despite the challenges thrown by COVID-19, we recognized a growing demand for an Indian brand to step in and establish a place in the homewear and loungewear sector. This inspired us to launch Banno's Swagger. Ever since its debut in the Indian market, Banno's Swagger has been climbing its way up, and keeping that in mind, we will be introducing multiple categories covering the entire spectrum of lifestyle Fashion range for the modern Indian women targeting the 18 to 25 age group," said Shashank Agarwal, Co-founder, Banno's Swagger. The brand integrates finest of designs along with manufacturing and retail, providing sustainable and affordable solutions, using pure fabrics and avoiding synthetic materials. Banno's Swagger's envisions to thrive as an inexpensive fashion brand for Gen - Z, enabling them to style the collection at home or styling it on the go as per their convenience and preference. Banno's Swagger, a venture by Shashank Agarwal and Karan Juneja, is an Indian brand with international appeal that offers a fresh and unique bespoke assortment of home comfort wear. Based out of Surat (India's fabric capital), the Brand was founded in December 2020 with the goal of becoming an affordable fashion brand for the Indian woman. The portal caters to the fashion desires of women aged 18 - 45 in the country's tier 1-2-3 cities. A 19x Growth in net revenues in 8 months, and a positive EBITA by month 7 of operations, is a testament to the deep product development knowledge and excellent managerial skills of the founders. For more information, please visit: bannosswagger.com. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Finance Ministry said in a tweet that the Finance Minister "reviewed progress of the LIC IPO in New Delhi today" in presence of Secretary, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management, Secretary, Department of Financial Services and senior officials of Life Insurance Corporation of India. Senior officials of finance ministry were also present.

The meeting was conducted through virtual mode. (ANI)
For the first time, Banarasi mangoes are being exported to London, Dubai and other parts of the world under Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) supervision, according to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry. A consignment of 1.2 and 3 metric tonnes of mangoes were dispatched from Varanasi for London and Dubai respectively. Moreover, 520 metric tonnes of regional rice, 3 metric tonnes of fresh vegetables and 80 MT of regional rice were exported to Qatar, London and Australia respectively during the Covid pandemic in 2020, after APEDA's intervention. The export of the first trial shipment of 14 MT green chilly was facilitated by APEDA from Varanasi to Dubai's Jebel Ali Port in December 2019. With its assistance, Uttar Pradesh's Purvanchal region emerged as a new hub for India's agricultural products exports through development of the Varanasi Agri-Export Hub. In the last six months, about 20,000 MT of agri-produce was exported from Purvanchal region, the ministry said. Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the APEDA has taken several initiatives in making landlocked Purvanchal region as a new destination of agri-export activities through development of Varanasi Agri - Export Hub (VAEH). It has identified potential districts of Uttar Pradesh to be covered under the VAEH. The Purvanchal division covers districts of Varanasi, Mirzapur, Azamgarh, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Basti, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Chandauli and Sant Ravidas Nagar. Varanasi and nearby areas witnessed an export of around 12 MT, 22 MT and 45 MT in the months of October, November, December respectively in the year 2021. Also, around 125 MT have been exported from Varanasi and nearby areas, the ministry said. As Varanasi is a territory based in the plains of river Ganges, it has rich nutritional composition of soil with ample amount of fertility which leads to production of good quality agri-produce. The region also has reputed institutions of central and international level such as Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The newly established international airport in Kushinagar may play a vital role in triggering the export. The DDU Gorakhpur University, Indian Institute of Seed Science, Mau are the institutions actively working towards promotion of agri- activities in the region. After the Government's initiatives, many success stories emerged to boost the morale of farmers of Purvanchal region. Trisagar Farmer Producer Company Ltd, which is based in Sant Ravidas Nagar district, has started sending shipments on a daily basis to the international market after the intervention of APEDA. In another success story, Gazipur district-based Shivansh Krishak Producer Company Ltd with a base of 1,500 progressive farmers has managed to get a decent realisation for its commodities after exporting a good volume of agri-produce. Similarly, Varanasi-based FPO Jaya Seed Farmer Producer Company Ltd, which grows mangoes in around 50 acres, is getting higher price as compared to average price of the market after the intervention of APEDA. Prior to the initiative taken by APEDA, the FPC used to sell mangoes at an average price of Rs 25/kg, but in recent season they have sold it at Rs 50/kg to a Netherland-based company named Super Plum having few outlets in Bangalore and Mumbai. --IANS nimish/shb/ ( 543 Words) 2022-01-07-14:16:03 (IANS)
There were reports of some gangs threatening the industries at Sriperumbudur recently and police swung into action.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sathyapriya, along with the Superintendents of Police of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, M. Sudhakar, and R.V. Varun Kumar held a meeting with the representatives of the industries on Thursday and assured them that they would be protected against any bid of extortion for money.

The police also asked the industries to have a proper data bank of the employees working with them, including contract employees who are taken from sub-contracting agencies.

The DIG also directed the industries to provide proper and clean accommodation and canteen for the workers as well as to install more CCTV cameras around the premises of the industries.

The DMK government after assuming office had promised the industries and business houses that the government would take stringent action against any rowdy element or anyone trying to coerce or threaten the industrial groups.

--IANS aal/svn/dpb

( 198 Words)

2022-01-07-14:56:03 (IANS)
New Delhi [India], January 7 (ANI/Oswaal Books): Students in class 10th are in a state of confusion right now. They have appeared for their term 1 examination and are looking forward to preparing for the CBSE Class 10, 12 Term 2 examinations 2022. But due to lack of knowledge, they make such mistakes, which put them at the back. Well, if you are a 10th-class student, you might be looking out for the best strategies to prepare. By avoiding these mistakes in CBSE Class 10, 12 Term 2, you will be able to make the most of your time, and that will be helpful in achieving your goals as well. Let's have a look at the mistakes students commonly make! Top 3 mistakes to avoid while preparing for CBSE Class 10, 12 Term 2 Exams 2022: Don't make an over-equipped timetable: Preparing a timetable is good, but over-equipping the same is not advisable. In some cases, it happens that students make such mistakes when they try to shift or change their schedule overnight. But this is not possible at all. If you are a night owl and wake up late in the morning, be on the same schedule and try to shift it in small steps only. This will not only make you productive but also help you achieve the task you have set up. Also, when you prepare the timetable, make sure to include a time slot where you can relax without any stress. We suggest you follow the timetable as you are currently doing because 5 to 6 hours of study is enough with attention instead of 12 hours of studying where you are not even attentive. Don't occupy your place with excessive resources: You might probably be thinking that we are saying there will be no need for you to purchase the books. But we are not saying the same thing. Instead, we recommend that you only obtain resources that will assist you in making the most of your curriculum. According to CBSE, NCERT is the best book you can consider for preparation. But still, students do not feel satisfied. You can simply look for some renowned publishers and their examples and solutions. This will not only save you from spending an unnecessary amount on books but also help you focus on the quality of the content. Take it this way: the more books you purchase, the more confused you will be. To keep yourself in a subtle state, take only those books that have quality content and will help you resolve all your doubts. Don't consider the syllabus as havoc: Some students have the habit of considering their syllabus as Havoc. But in reality, it is not. You have got sufficient time to prepare for it, and it is important that you follow the schedule properly. If you visit YouTube, you will see there are a lot of videos available where content creators mention the tricks to reducing the syllabus. But this is not the right way. You never know when CBSE comes up with new guidelines, and you need to prepare for the entire syllabus. Therefore, look at the mark distribution mentioned in the sample paper and prepare accordingly. So, you can download it through online portals and start preparing accordingly. If you feel that there is a particular topic you are weak at, but there are some topics on which you are good, prepare those good topics first to score well. To ace your preparation, students can also start doing their preparation with Oswaal CBSE Class 10 12 Term 2 Question Bank for Board Exams 2022, and you will get: Strictly as per the Term-II syllabus for Board 2022 Exams (March-April) * Includes Questions of the both -Objective & Subjective Types Questions * Objective Questions based on new typologies introduced by the board- I. Stand- Alone MCQs, II. MCQs based on Assertion-Reason III. Case-based MCQs. * Subjective Questions Includes-Very Short, Short & Long Answer Types Questions Here is the recommended link for CBSE Question Bank Class 10 for Term 2 board exams 2022, click here https://bit.ly/31CFbVk Here is the recommended link for CBSE Question Bank Class 12 for Term 2 board exams 2022, click here https://bit.ly/34utjpr Does music help students while studying? Read the article to know! The following are the 3 mistakes that you need to avoid in the term 2 examinations. The CBSE Class 10 Term 2 examination 2022 will be very simple if you are preparing well for it. All the 10th board students wish you all the best, and we wish you good luck! This story is provided by Oswaal Books. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/Oswaal Books)
Dubai [UAE], January 7 (ANI/NewsVoir): India's Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) has inked six agreements with global investors at EXPO2020 Dubai to bring in investments in the UT's real estate, infrastructure, tourism, healthcare, manpower employment sectors among others. Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu & Kashmir addressed the Investors Summit in Dubai yesterday, which was attended by renowned business leaders and investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). "Jammu & Kashmir has moved from a sleeping business destination to the land of opportunities and investment. The Union Territory received investments to the tune of USD 2.5 billion in 2021 and showcased the enormous opportunities and business potential in the region," Shri Sinha said. Jammu & Kashmir has signed 5 MoUs with Al Maya Group, MATU Investments LLC, GL Employment Brokerage LLC, Century Financial and Noon E-commerce respectively; 1 LoI between Magna Waves Pvt. Ltd along with Emaar Group and Lulu International. Sinha also met the DP World Chairman, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem to discuss potential areas of collaboration between the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and DP World. Talking about the upcoming opportunities with these leading investors, Sinha added, "Jammu & Kashmir is working relentlessly to provide an investment friendly environment to the global investors. From the business point of view, J&K has the capability to provide opportunity to the industries to compete, correct and collaborate with readily available abundant resources. Archaic laws have been removed and more than 890 Central laws, which are the key drivers of socio-economic growth have been made applicable in the last two years." Elaborating on the potential of collaboration between India and the UAE, Dr. Ahmed Abdul Rahman AlBanna, Ambassador of UAE Embassy said, "India is the second largest trading partner for the United Arab Emirates and UAE is the third largest trading partner for India after the United States of America and China. Our total Foreign Trade figures reached about USD 60 billion in 2019-2020. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the United Arab Emirates and India will be crucial in deepening the ties between India and UAE. We are hoping that CEPA will increase our bilateral trade from USD 60 billion to USD 100 billion in the coming 5 to 8 years." "Ever since the Government of India announced the historic administrative changes in 2019, the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has become the latest success story among Indian states as a model of economic and social development. India and UAE are among each other's largest trading partners. And soon, CEPA will be signed, which certainly has the potential to catapult our economic engagement to a very different trajectory all together," said Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE while addressing the Investors Summit yesterday. The J&K Lieutenant Governor, Shri Sinha, also visited the India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai during the ongoing Jammu & Kashmir Week (January 3-13) and toured the J&K Pavilion earlier in the day. Talking about the importance of EXPO2020 Dubai to J&K, he said, "India's participation at the Expo is a testament to the fact that the country values UAE as an esteemed partner. Various States and Sectors in India have understood the importance of the Expo, and the global exposure provided by the event. Jammu & Kashmir is privileged to participate at this global event and strengthen its footprint in the UAE." The J&K Pavilion was inaugurated by Ranjan Prakash Thakur, Principal Secretary to the Government Industries & Commerce along with Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Commissioner-General for India at EXPO2020 Dubai on January 3. In addition to the Investor Summit and J&K Week at India Pavilion, Sinha also inaugurated a two-day Buyer-Seller Meet today, hosted by the Consulate General of India, Dubai in collaboration with Invest India. The Buyer Seller meet is being organized between sellers from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and buyers from the UAE under One District One Product initiative. The key focus sectors for the meeting are Agri Products & Processed Food and Handicraft and Textile. To know more about India Pavilion at EXPO2020 Dubai, please visit: Website - www.indiaexpo2020.com/ Facebook - www.facebook.com/indiaatexpo2020 Instagram - www.instagram.com/indiaatexpo2020 Twitter - twitter.com/IndiaExpo2020?s=09 LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/india-expo-2020/?viewAsMember=true YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC6uOcYsc4g_JWMfS_Dz4Fhg/featured Koo - www.kooapp.com/profile/IndiaExpo2020 To know more about EXPO2020 Dubai, please visit - www.expo2020dubai.com/en. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir)
Accordingly, it will be paid to the investors on or before January 27, 2022, it said in a regulatory filing.

Also, Hinduja Global Solutions has approved the sale of its healthcare services business to wholly owned subsidiaries of Betaine BV, which is owned by funds affiliated with Baring Private Equity Asia, it said in another regulatory filing on Thursday.

"Effective January 6, 2022, the HS Business and relevant subsidiaries stand sold/ transferred to Investor. The transaction was based on an enterprise value of $1,200 million subject to closing adjustments and resulted in inflows of $1,088 million," the filing read.

As part of the divestment, Hinduja has transferred all client contracts and assets, including infrastructure related to the healthcare services business, to the new buyer.

Over 29,000 employees from HGS across four geographies the US, India, Jamaica, and the Philippines will join the new organisation, effective January 6.

On Friday, shares of Hinduja Global hit the 20 per cent lower circuit. The shares of the company settled at Rs 2,856.65, down 20 per cent.

Analysts say that the investors were disappointed with a lower than expected dividend, however, the disinvestment is expected to grow its business in other verticals such as telecom, BFSI and media, among others.

--IANS ad/ksk/

( 246 Words)

2022-01-07-16:00:08 (IANS)
The actor took to Instagram and posted a picture of him flaunting his clean-shaven look.

"I was going for just a trim .... N then this happened," he captioned the image.

Fans were quick to drop their comments on the actor's picture. While some were shocked, others heaped praises on him.

His brother Ishaan Khatter, too, commented on the picture and wrote, "Vampire diaries", referring to the American Supernatural teen drama television series.

Shahid was known for his clean-shaven boy-next-door looks in the 2000s but he completely reinvented himself with roles like that of Maharana Rawal Ratan Singh in 'Padmaavat' (2018) and the alcoholic surgeon Kabir, in 'Kabir Singh' (2019). He sported a rugged look in both these films and had maintained this look ever since.

The 'Kaminey' actor is gearing up for his next release, 'Jersey' which the Hindi remake of the Telugu film with the same name, which starred Nani.

'Jersey' was slated to release on 31st December 2021, but due to the recent spike in COVID cases, its release has been postponed. The film also stars Mrunal Thakur and Pankaj Kapoor. (ANI)
Annapolis bars and restaurants were supposed to be packed with lobbyists and donors bumping shoulders and glad-handing with elected officials over the past two weeks ahead of the start of the Maryland General Assembly session on Wednesday.

The omicron variant had other ideas.

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For the second straight year, the tradition of elected leaders squeezing in as many fundraisers as possible before the 90-day session will be disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Maryland law prohibits officeholders from soliciting donations during the session.

The highly infectious variant of COVID-19 has become the dominant strain of the virus, straining hospital and school systems and putting a damper on public gatherings. In its wake, politicians have scrambled to postpone, cancel or move their fundraisers online. And, as a result, local businesses once again wont be able to rely on the economic activity that is typically generated from the influx of visitors to the capital.

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We just have to adapt, said Democratic state Sen. Pam Beidle, who represents Anne Arundel County. Its difficult because we want to see people. Those of us that run for office are very social by nature so its just difficult not to be able to see people.

Beidle planned to do a fundraiser event at the popular Red Red Wine Bar in Annapolis in October, but when omicron started to spread more rapidly, she came up with a compromise to continue supporting a local business and keep participants safe.

Im going to do a Zoom from Red Red Wine on Monday, she said. Hopefully well have reached everybody. Its kind of last-minute so its hard to be sure. We have to have every check deposited by noon on Wednesday.

Like many restaurants and bars downtown, Red Red Wine Bar had events booked nearly every day over the past two weeks, but most have now been canceled, co-owner Lisa Bolter said.

More have been canceled than not. We hope [the remaining in-person events] move forward, Bolter said. We are not overly optimistic. It is what it is. Were getting used to it at this point.

This wave of cancellations is yet another financial loss for restaurants and other small businesses that have seen the simultaneous reduction in customers, employees and products to sell during the pandemic, said Marshall Weston, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland.

Restaurants are dealing with this up and down, and the lack of any consistency has really put a financial stress on them, Weston said. And unfortunately, we continue to see restaurants that make the decision to close and close permanently.

Members of both political parties have adapted to the current climate.

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Frederick County Republican Del. Dan Cox, who is running for governor, had a holiday celebration ball scheduled in New Carrollton at the Metro Points Hotel on Dec. 30 but postponed it until April.

Doug Rathell, an Annapolis firefighter who is running as a Republican in District 30A, postponed an in-person fundraiser at a constituents home that was previously scheduled for Dec. 30. Rathell and his wife, who is a nurse, have seen firsthand what the virus has done to people and didnt want to be responsible for making anyone sick, he said.

Annapolis trio of Democratic representatives have all made changes to their fundraising plans. Dels. Shaneka Henson and Dana Jones and state Sen. Sarah Elfreth, all of whom are up for reelection this year, canceled their in-person events.

Henson, who had initially planned to host House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones as her guest speaker, will now have Jones speak to attendees via Zoom. Dana Jones opted to ask for donations directly before the session starts, and Elfreth plans to hold a cocktail party the day after the session ends.

Frankly, people are Zoomed out, Elfreth said, adding that no amount of raising money is worth getting people sick.

Fundraising consultants said they worry that after more than a year of video conference calls, holding more virtual fundraisers could affect their success. But candidates must now commit more time to calling donors to make up the difference, said Sophia Silbergeld at Adeo Advocacy, who works with Democratic candidates.

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Silbergeld said about half of her clients switched all their fundraisers to virtual, about a quarter postponed events and the last quarter got creative with no-show events where supporters were still asked for money but also asked to take the time they would have been at the event to be with family and unwind.

Maryland Policy & Politics Weekdays Keep up to date with Maryland politics, elections and important decisions made by federal, state and local government officials. >

It was a crunch in the past couple of weeks, she said. Nothing has stayed in person.

Some politicians have gotten creative to ease the mundanity of holding events by video conference. For instance, Del. Robbyn Lewis, a Baltimore Democrat, is planning a virtual karaoke fundraiser Saturday evening.

Candidates who are seeking office arent bound by the same rules as incumbent elected officials, but many have opted to avoid in-person fundraising until the surge in infections subsides.

John B. King, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, hosted a virtual fundraiser Tuesday for his 47th birthday.

Wes Moore, another Democrat running for governor who is recovering from a recent COVID-19 infection, is holding a musical virtual fundraiser Wednesday. The event, which had always been scheduled to be virtual, will feature tracks spun by DJ D Nice, who made a name for himself throwing virtual dance parties in 2020.

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This is a movement and a campaign that will flourish in any environment, said Brian Jones, director of communications for Moores campaign in a statement.
It's been almost two years since iconic star Irrfan Khan passed away after a battle with cancer. But, he is still loved and remembered by his family and friends. January 7 marks the late actor's 55th birth anniversary. A master at his acting roles, a spectacular performer on screen, and a noble human being, Irrfan was a seasoned star who was born in Rajasthan into a Muslim family of Pathani ancestry. He had completed his MA in Jaipur before joining the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi in 1984 to study acting. Kickstarting his career from the small screen, Khan tasted success in both Bollywood as well as Hollywood. With his impeccable journey in the showbiz, the actor who had a glorious career spanning 30 years, earned numerous accolades, including a National Film Award, an Asian Film Award, and six Filmfare Awards. In 2011, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian honour. In 2021, he was posthumously awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. On the occasion of his birth anniversary, here are a few of his dialogues that prove he will always be the king of acting. 1. Shaitaan Ki Sabse Badi Chaal Ye Hai Ki Woh Saamne Nahi Aata: The dialogue is from the 2005 thriller crime drama 'Chocolate: Deep Dark Secrets'. The movie was not a commercial hit but Irrfan's role as Pipi received much positive response from the audience and critics. The film that also stars Anil Kapoor, Sunil Shetty and Arshad Wasi revolve around five Indians living in London who find themselves thrown together when two of them are implicated in a bomb blast. An Indian lawyer enters the scene to bail them out of their predicament. 2. Galtiyan Bhi Rishton Ki Tarah Hoti Hai... Karni Nahi Padti, Ho Jati Hai: Irrfan's hit dialogue is from the critically acclaimed 2013 action-thriller film 'D-Day' that also starred late actor Rishi Kapoor in the lead role. The film stars Irrfan as intelligence officer Wali Khan who with his team of highly-trained officers set to nab Goldman, one of India's most wanted terrorists. However, their mission gets threatened by a minor miscalculation. 3. Death Aur Shit... Ye Do Cheeze Kisi Ko Bhi, Kahin Bhi, Kabhi Bhi Aa Sakti Hai: The iconic dialogue is from the 2015 hit comedy-drama 'Piku' that starred Irrfan with Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan in lead roles. The film is one of the most memorable films for the three actors. A road trip to Kolkata brings Piku (Deepika), an architect, closer to her ageing but nagging father Bhaskor Banerjee (Amitabh) despite their disparate ideologies and fights over trivial issues. Irrfan played the character of Rana Chaudhary, an impatient yet resourceful businessman, who brings respite and stability to the protagonist's life. 4. Aadmi Ka Sapna Toot Jata Hai Na, Toh Aadmi Khatam Ho Jata Hai: The iconic dialogue is from Irrfan's last movie 'Angrezi Medium' that starred Radhika Madan and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles. Irrfan who played the role of Champak Bansal does everything in his power while going through a series of hilarious mishaps to fulfil his daughter's (Radhika) dream of going to London to study further. 5. Gali ke jwaab me goli chal jati hai: The dialogue is from the 2010 hit action film 'Paan Singh Tomar', the dark portrayal of the athlete-turned-dacoit Paan Singh Tomar. The biopic won Khan both, a National Film Award and a Filmfare. The Tigmanshu Dhulia directorial premiered at the 2010 British Film Institute London Film Festival. These are just a handful of several dialogues Irrfan delivered in his soul-stirring performances. Some of his Hollywood hits include 'The Amazing Spider-Man,' 'Jurassic World,' 'Life of Pi,' and 'Inferno.' He was also a part of the Oscar-winning flick 'Slumdog Millionaire.' The actor was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour, fighting which he left for his heavenly abode on April 29, 2020. The iconic star is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and sons Babil Khan, Ayan Khan. Babil is all set for his acting debut with an upcoming Netflix original titled 'Qala'. He is also a part of filmmaker Shoojit Sircar's upcoming untitled project. (ANI)
Offering the first glimpse into the refreshing chemistry of actors Adivi Sesh and Saiee Manjrekar, the makers of Sony Pictures Films India's 'Major', released the first lyrical song of the film in Telugu and Malayalam on Friday. Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu, who also produced the film, launched the Telugu version of the song while Dulquer Salmaan launched the Malayalam version. The Hindi version of the song will be out soon. Titled 'Hrudayama' and 'Pon Malare' in Telugu and Malayalam respectively, the lyrical song unfolds the journey of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and his love interest's romantic relationship from their high school days to their wedding through the pictures shown in the video. The Telugu version garnered over one million views in less than two hours and fans have heaped praises on it, appreciating Sid Sriram's soulful rendition. Commemorating the adorable and innocent moments of a relationship like costume parties in school, anticipation and longing for calls and meetups, love letters, amongst other things, the song reflects the pure romance of the 90s. With soulful music by Sricharan Palaka for the songs, the Telugu version of the romantic track is penned by V N V Ramesh Kumar and Krishna Kanth, and crooned by Sid Sriram. Meanwhile, the Malayalam version is written by Sam Mathew AD and sung by Ayraan. Adivi Sesh, who has been seen in films like 'Baahubali-The Beginning', 'Dongaata' and 'Goodachari', has also written the story and screenplay of the film. "The teaser of the film has earlier briefly touched upon the varied aspects of Sandeep Unnikrishnan's life, from childhood to army days, however, not much was highlighted about his romantic life. The first song delves into that pure, innocent, retro romance that warms your heart and soul with its peaceful and calm aura, set in the 90s," he said. Mounted on a large scale, the film is a celebration of courage, sacrifice and patriotism, tracing Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's early childhood, teenage romance, glorious years in the army, bringing to screen his valour till he laid his life in the tragic 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka, the pan India film starring Adivi Sesh, Sobhita Dhulipala, Saiee Manjrekar, Prakash Raj, Revathi and Murali Sharma will be released in Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam. 'Major' was slated to have a worldwide theatrical release on February 11, 2022. (ANI)
A representative for the couple told People magazine that "the parents-to-be are elated!" Cage is already a father to sons Kal-El and Weston from previous relationships.

The 'National Treasure' actor and Shibata, who is also an actor met in Japan nearly two years ago and they announced to Fox News that they tied the knot in a Las Vegas ceremony on February 16, 2021. "It's true, and we are very happy," Cage said of his fifth marriage in a statement.

The 'Face/Off' performer and Shibata wed in a "very small and intimate wedding at the Wynn Hotel," a rep for Cage said at the time, adding, "The date was chosen to honour the birthday of the groom's late father."

The bride wore a handmade Japanese Bridal Kimono from Kyoto while the groom wore a Tom Ford tux.

As per Fox News, Cage was previously married for four days in March 2019 to Erika Koike, actor Patricia Arquette from 1995 to 2001, Lisa Marie Presley from 2002 to 2004, and Alice Kim from 2004 to 2016. (ANI)
While Omicron does appear to be less severe compared to Delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorised as ''mild'' as just like previous variants, Omicron is hospitalising people and it is killing people, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday. In fact, the tsunami of cases is so huge and quick, that it is overwhelming health systems around the world, he stressed. "Hospitals are becoming overcrowded and understaffed, which further results in preventable deaths from not only Covid-19 but other diseases and injuries where patients cannot receive timely care," saidGhebreyesus. According to him, first-generation vaccines may not stop all infections and transmission but they remain highly effective in reducing hospitalisation and death from this virus. "So as well as vaccination, public health social measures, including the wearing of well-fitting masks, distancing, avoiding crowds and improving and investing in ventilation are important for limiting transmission," he stressed. At the current pace of vaccine rollout, 109 countries would miss out on fully vaccinating 70 per cent of their populations by the start of July 2022. Last week, the highest number of Covid-19 cases were reported so far in the pandemic. "And we know, for certain, that this is an underestimate of cases because reported numbers do not reflect the backlog of testing around the holidays, the number of positive self-tests not registered, and burdened surveillance systems that miss cases around the word," said the WHO Director General. Amid an ongoing resurgence across the world, the global coronavirus caseload has topped 297 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 5.46 million and vaccinations to over 9.27 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University''s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and the death toll stood at 297,504,250 and 5,464,532, respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered has increased to 9,279,347,173. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world''s highest number of cases and deaths at 57,649,131 and 832,061, according to the CSSE. The second worst hit country in terms of cases is India (35,018,358 infections and 482,551 deaths), followed by Brazil (22,328,252 infections and 619,654 deaths). --IANS na/vd ( 389 Words) 2022-01-06-22:46:02 (IANS)
Wearing a personal protective equipment (PPE) kit, he visited healthcare workers who are admitted in the hospital and asked their well-being during the visit.

"Today, met the Covid infected healthcare workers at AIIMS New Delhi and inquired about their health. Our health army is playing a crucial role in keeping the country safe. The country is safe only when they are healthy. I pray for all HCW's speedy recovery," he tweeted.

Healthcare workers testing positive for Covid infection has become a major concern seeing the surge in the daily cases. Over a hundred doctors and medical staff have tested positive for Covid in several Delhi hospitals in the last one week. According to a source, around 50 doctors are in isolation in the AIIMS currently.

In Lok Nayak Jai Prakash hospital, 14 healthcare workers have tested positive for Covid-19. A source in RML Hospital said that around 25 resident doctors and healthcare staffs are in isolation due to Covid infection. Over a dozen resident doctors and healthcare workers have turned covid positive at Safdarjung hospital, said a source.

While addressing the media on Thursday, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain accepted that the healthcare workers at Delhi's different hospitals have tested positive for Covid, but said the situation is not alarming.

--IANS avr/vd

( 250 Words)

2022-01-06-23:30:05 (IANS)
State health secretary Dr. J. Radhakrishnan and other senior officials of the health department will be participating in the meeting.

Ma Subramanian while speaking to IANS said: "There is a hike in the number of fresh Covid-19 cases and the meeting will lead to fresh curbs to tackle the surge. Caution is necessary and people must adhere to Covid -19 standard protocol wearing masks, effecting social distancing and use of sanitisers and washing of hands other than taking both the doses of vaccine."

The state has already arranged more than 1.25 lakh beds across the state with the Oxygen beds also in place.

Of the 6,983 fresh cases of Covid -19 reported in Tamil Nadu on Thursday, nearly 75 per cent are from Chennai and adjoining districts of Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur.

While Chennai reported 3,759 cases, Chengalpattu has 816 fresh cases, Tiruvallur (444) and Kancheepuram (185).

State health secretary J. Radhakrishnan while speaking to mediapersons said: "There is a cascading effect of the infection into the adjacent districts of Chennai and efforts are on to curb the spread."

Coimbatore with 309 cases and Vellore with 223 cases reported the next highest number of cases after Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur.

--IANS aal/shb/

( 241 Words)

2022-01-07-11:42:03 (IANS)
Director General (Prisons), Sandeeep Goyal, told IANS that apart from 21 inmates, 28 staff members have also contracted the virus in different jails under Delhi Prisons.

Delhi Prisons has three prison complexes, one at Tihar, which is one of the largest prison complexes in the world comprising nine central prisons, the second is the Central Prison at Rohini prison complex, and the third one is Mandoli prison complex having six central jails.

Goyal informed that of the 21 inmates who have tested positive, 16 are lodged at Tihar Jail while 5 are in Mandoli Jail. Rohini is yet to report any Covid case.

Covid positive cases in Delhi Prisons have now started to emerge after a gap of about five months. Barring January 4, the last positive case was detected in July, 2021.

--IANS uj/arm

( 169 Words)

2022-01-07-21:38:02 (IANS)
Since Thursday, the slum pocket has entered the 3-digit figures of infections - 107 on Thursday and 150 today with 588 active cases.

Dharavi, falling in G/North Ward of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has logged in a total 7,776 cases in the past 22 months of the pandemic.

With special attention devoted to Dharavi by the BMC, the area reported a peak of 94 cases on May 3, 2020 in the first wave and 99 infections on April 8, 2021 during the second tide.

Sprawled across 2.1 sq. kms, the slum pocket is home to around a million people, mostly migrants, living or working there, though a significant number had returned to their home states and started returning early 2021, after businesses limped back to normal.

Dharavi first came to prominence on April 1, 2020 when the first Covid-19 case and death of a 56-year-old man, compelled the BMC to initiate innovative and successful schemes there, like the 4T strategy (Tracing-Tracking-Testing-Treating) as part of the 'Chase the Virus' drive.

The tremendous triumph beating all odds earned not only the Centre's admiration but also global appreciation by the WHO, and has been emulated in several other countries now.

--IANS qn/vd

( 241 Words)

2022-01-07-21:50:03 (IANS)
"Encounter has started at Zolwa Kralpora Chadoora area of Budgam. Police and security forces are on the job," police said.

The firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding, they came under a heavy volume of fire and retaliated.

--IANS zi/vd

( 115 Words)

2022-01-06-22:42:04 (IANS)
Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui's show in Hyderabad, scheduled to be held on January 9, has been called off due to the prevailing Covid-19 restrictions. Faruqui took to Instagram to announce the cancellation of the show titled Dhandho'. He wrote that due to Covid guidelines and restrictions on gathering of more than 250 people, he was calling off the Hyderabad show. Faruqui assured those who had booked the tickets online that they will get the refund. He also wrote that he will soon announce a new date for the show. The cancellation came in view of the ban on political, religious and cultural gatherings across Telangana in view of the Covid-19 situation. Faruqui had announced that his Hyderabad show on December 22, days after Telangana's minister K.T. Rama Rao had extended him an open invite. The stand-up comedian had earlier tweeted that he was receiving several calls and mails from Hyderabad to perform in the city. Rama Rao, who is the son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, had extended an open invitation to comedians to perform in Hyderabad, saying the city is truly cosmopolitan. KTR, as the minister is popularly known, took a jibe at the BJP government in Karnataka, after stand-up comedians Munawar Faruqui and Kunal Kamra's shows were cancelled in Bengaluru over threats from some right-wing groups. However, the invitation from KTR and Faruqui's plans to perform had angered the BJP leaders, who had threatened to stop the show. State BJP president Bandi Sanjay had asked Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) to stop the show of Faruqui. Sanjay, who is also an MP, alleged that Faruqui insulted Hindu gods and goddesses and Bhagavad Gita in his shows. Another BJP MP, D. Arvind, had said that Faruqui's show will not be allowed in Hyderabad. He said while states like Karnataka banned his shows, KTR has invited him to Telangana. "Has Hindu society become a comedy for KTR and his father KCR," the MP had asked. The BJP MLA from Goshamahal constituency in Hyderabad had also threatened to stop Faruqui's show. --IANS ms/arm ( 356 Words) 2022-01-06-23:20:07 (IANS)